He looked back at him again.
The kid was keeping his head down, his hands resting on his knees. He hadn't uttered a damn word since they'd been on the planet.
Chewie shook his head and pointed at him, with a worried tone in his voice.
"Alright" Han agreed, and proceeded to kneel down in front of him to discuss whatever was going on.
"Listen, Ben. I don't want you here, either, but, for now, that's how it's gonna be. I can't leave this place, son.. as much as I would like to."
"You need to give that money back, don't you?" Ben scoffed, in his angry tone.
"That, or they kidnap me, and we definitely needn't that to happen. Do not escape Chewie's watch and don't even try to approach anybody. Your mother is already upset as it is"
"Because we should be headed back to Chandrila, but you must pay off your filthy debts first. You're a damn lousy father"
"Can't argue with you on that right now... But listen, I promise you it will be better. Now I gotta go and talk to those Ziguyens" Han said as he referred to them with a quick hand gesture.
"They're heavily equipped. They could rob you" Ben replied. Han put his hand on his shoulder with a smug face.
"Then my tongue will shoot faster than a Starfighter"
Then he got to his feet, leaving Ben under Chewie's supervision to go for his mission. As soon as he walked up to the hooded aliens, he received many ugly death stares. Nevertheless, he looked untamed by the negative attention, and stated:
"I bow before you, your Highnesses. I sincerely apologize for the delay and solemnly swear it won't happen again"
The Ziguyens gathered around him and hissed. Chewie let a low growl as he put a paw on Ben's head apprehensively.
"I am therefore willing, as well as giving back your credits, to give you something deserving of your worth: this dear manufact from Chandrila."
The Ziguyens hissed louder: they seemed ecstatic.
Ben slightly relaxed his tightened jaw, but kept frowning and was ready to tell his father off again. He'd been unbelievably lucky.
"Akua tot pot-to" the tallest Ziguyen said, even bowing back to Han. "Ashila mash wa-wa"
Han sank into in an even lower, splendid bow, and lost his focus only when he realized he still had to give the rest of the money back. So, he rummaged quickly in his pockets and drew out the whole sum.
More hisses, more compliments. Ben was getting really annoyed. His mother hated him so much when he did that. He hated him when he did that.
"Greetings, Han Solo" finally the leader said, and the smuggler was able to return to his family.
"See, Chewie? They know Standard: the gentlemen are just too high up to speak it!"
The Wookie shrugged, with a relieved roar.
"Can we go home yet?" Ben complained, with his arms folded.
"Of course, son, of course. Let's go back to the ship and leave this piece of junk for all eternity"
As his son got up the chair, Han took his hand and rushed out of the Cantina, with Chewbacca trailing behind them.
Little did he know, someone had been looking intentively at them all along...
-
"Here it is!"
When Han rejoiced in seeing the Millennium Falcon, it was always like the first time. Ben had learnt to do the same, as it meant they were safe. He laughed and welcomed his father's tender hug.
"Get in, boy" he ordered, but as he started running, another voice was heard.
"Han Solo"
Ben felt through the Force it was bad news.
He stopped, he turned around, and saw him.
When he was very little, his dad'd told him about the deadliest bounty hunter in the galaxy: a tall robot-like man with a red and green mask, rockets under his forearms, a jetpack on his back, holding a gun and carrying two more.
Boba Fett was his name.
He'd been so terrified of that description he had never-ending nightmares for a week.
He was supposed to have died a dumb death in the mouth of a Sarlacc, but there he was. Identical.
They were in the desert. There was nowhere to hide.
Ben was visibly shaking. Horror blocked the tears in his eyes.
His father charged the blaster, and Chewbacca readied the crossbow.
"GET IN!"
But he didn't move. He couldn't, and wouldn't, leave without them. As soon as he could sense the men pull the trigger, he fell to the ground and inhaled the sand, his heart thumping desperately.
Chewbacca shot and his projectile jumped off the man's armory, and he got hit twice in the groin. Han missed, and suddenly he felt his leg and shoulder on fire. He couldn't use his blaster anymore, but the tin bastard shot his right arm to make sure. He groaned and stooped down.
"We're dead" he thought, and Ben whispered it again in his breath.
"We're dead"