WE NEED A VACATION
Chapter 1
Leia was dead on her feet. It had been two months since she'd had to travel anywhere but if anything, her life had been even more exhausting. When she traveled, there were generally rest periods and even sleep sometimes along with kaf breaks that on some planets were real breaks.
Not so on Coruscant. Mon Mothma expected Leia to accommodate visiting dignitaries on a regular basis. That meant getting home at hours when not only her children were asleep, but her husband, when he wasn't on a job, would be as well. Han decided he would cut back on his deliveries for a while and was more available to his family while he trained pilots, but it felt as if whenever she and Han were together, they'd argue.
It had been a very, very long time since she and Han had taken a vacation, and they'd never taken their babies, now aged three and one and a half. Han had suggested it when the twins and Anakin were still in diapers. To Leia, it seemed to be the same tasks in a different location, without knowing where everything was. She hadn't been open to the idea. It had created some tension between Han and her, even though nothing more had been said.
They'd argued the night before. It was the same argument they always had: family versus professional obligations. They hadn't spoken to each other since.
She'd ignored the text comm for another dinner with yet another bureaucrat, packed up her datapads, and headed for the service exit. She wanted to avoid being seen by anyone, and despite her weariness, she sped down stairwells and exited unseen by all. She let our her breath and walked the four blocks to their apartment.
Leia's first mission: make things right with Han.
She arrived home, dropping her purse and her workbag, with the three kids racing at her. "Mommy! Mommy!"
Han was in the kitchen, preparing what was likely dinner for the kids. After being mauled and hugged and kissed by three small kids, she looked over at Han. Thus far, he'd said nothing.
"Kids, go play in your room for a little while," Leia told them.
"Why?" Jacen whined.
"Because Daddy and I need some time together. Go on, now. We'll talk again soon."
Han grabbed an ale from the chiller. "So what do I owe your presence to?" His tone was snide, much the same as when she first met him.
"I wanted to come home."
"There's a first." The acidic words stung Leia. "How long before Mon Mothma declares there's an emergency that apparently no one else can handle?"
"I turned off my comm. And I'm keeping it off. Han, we need a vacation."
"Didn't I say this about a year ago?"
"You did. And it just felt so...overwhelming. Trying to pack and prepare and make sure everything is covered at work...it's a lot."
"So what makes it different now?" Han asked, but the hostility in his tone had quieted.
"Well, for one thing, we only have one baby in diapers."
"You've got a point there. I wasn't thinking of that at the time."
"Would Chewie be willing to travel with us?" Leia asked.
"When's he not willing? His life debt, as he's pointed out, extends to my wife and kids and their kids for as long as he's alive."
"I guess I'd better get used to him being around," Leia joked weakly. In truth, Chewie was family, and Leia loved the giant 'walking carpet.' He was gentle and he had many blackmail worthy stories about Han, which he told with relish.
"So where'd you like to go?"
"I haven't gotten that far. Got any ideas?"
"You always liked going to the beach."
"As a little kid, if there wasn't a beach, it wasn't a vacation. I think the kids would love it."
"Well, ever since you taught me to swim, I've kinda enjoyed it myself."
"You were a quick study." Leia had only to give Han the basics, and now, he could, she thought, out-swim her. "And the kids love the pool. They're like little fishes." The complex had two swimming pools, and the young parents took the kids every chance they could.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Jaina called out.
"Yes, sweetie?" Leia said back.
"Can we come out now?"
"Sure." Once again, the two parents were assaulted with every sort of affection from the three little ones. By dinnertime, the animosity between Han and Leia had melted and they served the meal together.
"We're gonna do something special soon," Han told them as he cut up the twins' meat and vegetables.
"We're going on vacation," Leia told them as she placed food on Anakin's baby tray chair. Anakin had not yet mastered utensils. He was also a finicky eater, and pasta shapes were among the very few items he would eat.
"Can we go t' WonderWaterWorld?" Jaina asked eagerly.
Han and Leia gave each other a Look.
"Where did you hear about WaterWonderWorld?" Leia asked the twins. Neither she nor Han were keen on the kids watching much holovision; the kids' channels were basically long commercials for all kinds of things kids didn't need.
"Unca Chewie lets us watch holovision!" Jacen said happily.
"An' at day care, Zafar an' Veri goed there!" Jaina exclaimed. "They tole us all about it!"
Leia was well acquainted with WaterWonderWorld. On the aquatic planet of Selonia, luxury resorts were the rule, but it had traditionally catered to wealthy adults. As some of their patrons had children at some point (and less money as a result), the developers began to develop a family friendly theme park and resort that stretched the bounds of good sense and taste. The resort advertised on the child oriented holochannels, thus creating a generation of consumers.
"Can we go, Daddy? Pleeeeze?" Jaina begged.
I might as well accept the inevitable, Leia said to herself. Jaina had Han wrapped around her little finger and he was basically unable to deny her anything. He knew he was being worked but he succumbed every time.
"Yeah, I wanna go!" Jacen chimed in.
"We'll tell you what," Leia told them. "Daddy and I will look at where we can stay and what it'll cost, and then we'll talk about it."
"But we wanna go, Mommy!" Jacen whined.
"Please Daddy please please please?" Jaina said, knowing she was winning.
"Let me talk to Mommy after everyone's in bed," Han said, putting up the best defense possible in the situation. Which he was well aware was not much.
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Finally, the kids were bathed, put in their pajamas, read to, begged for extra glasses of water and hugs and kisses, and at long last, caved into slumber.
"I know Chewie shouldn't let the kids watch holovision, but sometimes, it's tempting," Han admitted to her.
"I'm not blaming Chewie. I've had my moments, and at some level, it's useless. They go to day care, they learn stuff from the other kids there." Leia covered her mouth, trying to stifle a yawn.
"So how do you feel about this trip to WaterWonderWorld?" Han asked her.
Leia shrugged. "Well, Selonia's nice. I do love the beaches there, and the islands, and the oceans are magnificent. As for hitting a theme park, well, if the kids are that set on it, why not? Chewie's always good about stepping in for us when we need some time alone. And we do need some time to ourselves."
"No disagreement there," Han said, lazily putting his arm around his wife's shoulders. "We'll get a suite with three bedrooms. I know Chewie's more comfortable in his hammock but if they're like any of the resorts there, they've got a slew of sleeping furnishings for a variety of species."
Leia grabbed a datapad. "Let's see what they have and when they have it." She touched the screen, typed in her keycode, and began searching the databases that held the information she was seeking.
The site was colorful to the point of being garish.
"Family packages. Here we go," Leia said, wincing. The site was covered with their featured characters, all sentients dressed in various forms of aquatic life.
"Let's see how quickly one week'll bankrupt us," Han said to her, leaning over her shoulder. "Holy mothers of the gods! Are they kidding?"
"Let's see when there's an available date." Leia scrolled across the tablet. "They have a one week vacation available in...six months." She groaned. "I don't think the kids are going to be willing to wait for six months."
"I don't think we can wait six months," Han added.
"Let's see about two week family packs...okay, here's one, in the best hotel at the resort, with three bedrooms, and it's in two weeks."
"Lessee...how many hauls would that be?" Han mentally computed.
"They do have babysitting in the evenings," Leia pointed out. "Not included, of course. But you can just order it a day in advance."
"And Chewie'll be there."
"I'd hope Chewie would enjoy the vacation as well. I'm not intent on him being a slave. Let's see, full kitchen. That'd be good. We know how these kids are in restaurants." Most of the time they behaved well - for a while. But once they became bored, there was unbridled chaos. Anakin was also still at the phase of dropping more food on the floor than into his mouth.
"Wonder if they'd give the Minister of State a discount," Han mused.
"I'm not going to do that. Because they'll want all kinds of publicity in exchange. I'd like to keep the holorazzi as far away as possible and just be a family on vacation, blending in with the other sentients."
"We can take Chiri and Glegg." Chiri and Glegg were their two favorite Drednought security guards who kept themselves nearly invisible in their complex.
"No. They're discreet here. At the resort, they'll stand out like two very ugly thumbs. Besides, they've probably already got security. Anyone without sufficient access to credits isn't gonna stay in their most expensive hotel."
"Fair enough," Leia agreed. "So are we good for it?"
"Yeah, we are." Han gave her a smile. "Should be fun. Kid'sll love it. And let's make sure we take advantage of their babysitting services," he said, winking at her. "I'm sorry I was such a dick last night."
"Neither of us were on our best behavior," Leia agreed. "But I know something we can do to make up for it."
"I thought you'd never ask."