Chewie barked in dissent but still obediently banked the Falcon over and down toward the distant pulsating cloud of energy.
The ship groaned in protest at the stress exerted on its space frame but Han Solo didn't care,
he knew she could take it when he had to fly by the seat of his pants, which was more often than not these days.
Leia Organa, her head wrenched up from the Nav station by the sudden change in course, yelled.
"Will that improve our situation?"
Han shot her his sharpest "not now" look over his shoulder, the blaster burn seared across his right temple.
"Just get me those lightspeed co-ordinates princess unless you want a new address even colder than Hoth!" "I WAS doing it until you decided to fly us into an Ion storm, hotshot"
"Whenever you're ready Highness!"
Suddenly the ship rocked. Chewie barked.
"I know, he's got missiles too, just divert power to the rear deflector until we hit the storm perimeter, OK?
Princess?" he shot a smirk over his shoulder "I'm really sorry about this" before Leia could react, Han wrenched the yoke back and the Falcon shot up and over, inertial dampers struggling to keep up with the change in relative attitude.
The small lance shaped ship behind them made to echo the maneuvre but by that time, the Falcon was bringing turbolasers to bear.
"Bolt head! Assassin Droids can only anticipate so much, he might not fall for it again though"
"Less talk, more shooting!" Leia interrupted.
"You got it sweetheart" Han smiled wickedly and let loose a sustained volley of lethal plasma.
Their pursuer, easily evaded the assault and even before a frown had finished forming on Han's forehead, fired retro thrusters and shot back to the right of the Falcon's cockpit causing Chewie to lean reflexively inward. He howled in alarm.
Han shrugged "OK back to plan A" Han flung the sublight throttles back and the Falcon resumed it's course to the storm, the ship behind it cycling through its missile pods for another attack. IG-96 surveyed its ships sensor array dispassionately, having reviewed the data file on the Millenium Falcon and its infamous pilot, it had anticipated a straight run for cover using the ships legendary speed capabilities. It was not concerned though, it did not register disappointment or irritation any more than it considered failure an option.
It had barely missed its target on Ord Mantell but as with every new piece of data received in its neural matrix, new calculations were made, possibilities considered, actions determined. All it had to do was disable the ship ahead before it reached the Ion storm, that goal in mind, it fired secondary boosters and drew closer to its prey.
Meanwhile on the Falcon, Leia looked up from the nava display "OK, flyboy, I got your co-ordinates but they won't be much use in there" she looked warily at the increasing violent spectacle outside, a strobing cascade of destructive energy flailing around for a convenient conductor.
Han saw it too but a small lopsided smile stayed in place on his face "Trust me" he said, "Chewie? has Nutcluster back there raised his forward shield?"
Chewie examined his readout and barked a negative.
"Good, time to go fishing. Activate rear tractor beam and standby to fire topside thrusters" Chewie flicked a few switches above his head and placed his big paw on the throttles.
"NOW!" Han yelled "Brace yourself, sweetheart!"
With a sickening lurch the Falcon stood nose down on her loading mandibles. At the same time the tractor beam seized IG-96's ship and hurled it over the top of the freighter into the maw of the crackling storm.
Leia flew out of her chair toward the front viewport but Han shot out a restraining arm across the central console before she could bang her head. She hung there bent double, her face, down and parallel with the handsome smuggler's. He shot her a quick smile "You're welcome, princess, can I have my arm back now"
Flustered, she fell back into her seat. they all gazed out of the viewport at the spinning ship of their pursuer. It hung amidst the criss crossed bolts of light for an instant before being hit repeatedly from every side.
Inside the cockpit IG-96 registered this new information, new calculations were made, possibilities considered, actions determined. It was then that its ship exploded in a brilliant ball of light.
On the Falcon, Han fell back in his chair, exhaling deeply with relief. Placing a hand on his friend's furry shoulder he said:
"OK pal, feed those numbers in and let's get the hell outta here"
Chewie barked affirmatively.
Han stood up and turned toward Leia.
"You OK?"
Leia coolly removed her gloves and saw her hands were shaking a little.
"I'm fine..thank you."
"Good, well we'll soon have you back at the Ice Palace, your highness" he said with mock reverance.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to check for damage"
Han made to move past her chair but Leia placed a hand on his forearm, "What about your head?"
"What about it, eeesh!" he said as he accidentally brushed the blaster burn.
Leia sighed as if dealing with a child "You need some med-gel on that"
"It's nothing, just a scratch"
"It's not nothing, you almost got your dumb head blown off"
Han looked chastened "It wasn't that close, I saw it coming"
"You did NOT, if Chewie hadn't shoved you behind that crate, I'd be trying to help Chewie fly THIS crate right now". Chewie guffawed at this.
Han looked at her seriously and then down at the deck plates "OK so it was close" he looked up again defiantly "But we made it didn't we? And the alliance still has it's figurehead doesn't it so let's just get back to Tauntown and put this behind us, I'm sure you want to get back to work, don't you?"
He was angry now and he wasn't sure why. Was it because he knew how close he had come? Or because she was worried about him? Or because he didn't know how to deal with either of those possibilities right now? Striding past a confused looking Leia, he made his way to the engine compartment. Angrily Leia strode after him.
"Excuse me? Your head?"
Han stopped still, clenching his fists. He spun on his heel.
"Alright but hurry it up please"
Leia rolled her eyes and then indicated the holo table booth.
"Sit!"
Han walked over and sat dejectedly on the edge of the bench. Leia had to smile at his childish submission. She checked herself when she almost ruffled his hair.
She opened the med-pack and picked around the contents unimpressed. "How old is all this?"
"Oh I don't know" he said looking over at it and then registering surprise, "Actually i didn't know we had one"
They looked at each other for a beat and then both laughed. "You sure you're alright?" Leia offered, gingerly removing a crinkled tube of med-gel from the tatty pack.
"Me? of course, why wouldn't I be?" Han's reply was noncommittal.
"Come on, I'm not stupid you know, that was a bounty hunter back there wasn't it?" "One of Jabba's?"
Han shot her a look "Not necessarily. There are a lot of freelancers out here, it might have mistaken me for someone else. I've got one of those faces" he smiled up at her.
She smiled mockingly back and pushed his head back round.
"This may sting a bit"
"OW! be gentle would you please?"
"Stop being a baby" Leia said, rolling her eyes and moving to spread the ointment along his forehead.
"And it knew it was you" she said, her eyes inches from his now.
"How'd you figure?"
"Oh, when it uttered the words, "drop it Solo"?" she said with raised eyebrows.
Han smiled sheepishly " I don't remember, but you know, I have hurt my head"
"Yeah" she sighed and hit him across the back of it.
"Hey" he protested. Leia wiped her hand on an oily cloth behind the bench.
"That better?"
Han test raised his eyebrows a couple of times and nodded deferentially.
"Actually, much. Thanks Highness...er...Leia" he held her gaze for a moment and it seemed all his cockiness had disappeared replaced with a genuine warmth in his gaze that she found she was reciprocating. He got up and stood facing her. Leia stared into his eyes, she went to say something, then, thinking better of it:
"Well er, you better get on, Riekeen will be getting worried about us"
Han's smile faded, the moment was gone. Sighing he moved past her.
"No doubt"
Turning again he moved off to the engineering compartment, he admonished himself for being disappointed when he turned and saw she was NOT looking after him as he moved off.
His mind was racing. He hadn't wanted her to worry.. but he was. He was angry at himself for letting his guard down. Months with no sign of pursuit had made him sloppy.
OK, he got away this time but only just. His life was one thing but actually (and this surpised him too) he was more concerned about Leia getting hurt. There was nothing for it.
He'd have to leave. Leave the alliance, Leave Luke and leave her. For a moment the prospect made him feel sick but a voice inside assured him.
"she'll be too busy to even notice you're gone let alone miss you, wake up "
The flashing alarm on the Hyperdrive motivator broke through his thoughts.
"One more jump baby, then it's overhaul time for you I promise" he whispered and then set to work patching up the guts of his beloved ship.
Leia was back in the cockpit at the comm panel. She keyed in the coded transmission algorithm for the alliance and flicked the transmission toggle.
"Echo Base, this is Regal 1, over"
"Acknowledged Regal 1, this is Echo base, report status and location over"
"Echo Base, we are at the edge of the Ord Mantell system about to jump to hyperspace, we should make planet fall by the morning, over"
"Acknowledged Regal 1, the caffe pot is on and we await your safe return, over"
"Acknowledged Echo Base, thanks and see you soon, over and out"
She flipped the switch, sat back and massaged her shoulders with her hands.
It bothered her to see Han being so flippant about recent events. Didn't he realise how valuable he was to the Alliance? To his friends? and (alarmingly) to her? But was that the biggest source of her aggravation? The fact that she had caught herself worrying about him, a lot. She had enough to worry about already and why did he always have to tease her about her work. Did he really think that was all she cared about?
Chewie watched her, his head tilted inquisitively, he grumbled something to her.
Leia turned and smiled at the wookie, she was really getting to understand the different tones and inflections of his speech, it had taken years but she could tell he was concerned about her. She came and stood next to her chair and gently stroked the top of his head, he rumbled appreciatively.
"It's OK, I'm going to get some sleep OK?"
Chewie, yowled satisfied with her response.
"Wake me if he gets us into any more trouble, won't you?"
he chuckled at this and barked in agreement.