Authors' Notes:

This story takes place in a post-RotJ alternative universe inspired by Sue Zahn's Kismet series and her version of certain elements, which we prefer to official canon (whatever that means these days).

Having said that, this story is just as much AU to the Kismet series as it is to the OT. We're not writing anything that could in any way replace or supersede stories that Sue herself may write in future, obviously. We're just playing in the sandbox of someone who is playing in someone else's sandbox. Surely there's a term for this? Fanfic-fic, maybe? Anyway, Sue has told us that she's cool with it.

Also, a note about "official canon" in general. We don't give a rip about it. Han and Leia (in this story) do not have the same future as the miserable one depicted in The Force Awakens. In other words, there will never be a "Ben Solo" born to them in this universe. This is a Kylo-free zone. So, if you're okay with that, we hope you enjoy. If not, then this is not the thinly disguised smut you're looking for; move along...move along...

Thanks to beta readers suezahn and YellinYee.

The Only Constant

By Erin Darroch and Justine Graham

Chapter 1: Reconstruction

Annoyed wasn't quite strong enough an adjective to describe Leia Organa's current frame of mind. Being kept waiting for hours had taken its toll on her temper. If her shuttle didn't get underway soon, it would prolong the entire timeline of her diplomatic mission to Sacorria, and subsequently delay her return to the newly established capital of the New Republic on Chandrila. It also meant delaying her eventual reunion with Han Solo—whom she hadn't seen in days—because he was currently somewhere in the Mid-Rim. As an official member of the Alliance, he was now as entangled as she was in the business of ending the war and preparing for reconstruction. Feeling restless and irritated by the long delay, Leia paced around the exterior of the small starship, her booted footfalls tapping out a staccato rhythm that reverberated through the half-empty hangar.

She couldn't blame the overworked techs scurrying around her, and she'd managed so far to curtail her urge to snipe at them; they were doing as well as they could, with as much speed as they could muster, given their limited numbers. The fledgling military base here on the outskirts of Hanna City had sprung up with remarkable swiftness after the destruction of the second Death Star six months ago—quickly enough to leave the assigned personnel scrambling to maintain some sort of order. Redeployment of the remaining fleet to assist with insurgencies against Imperial remnants galaxy-wide meant staff of all designations were in short supply—and maintenance crew to a profound extent. Consequently, the efficiency of services ranged from erratic to absent, and every wretched variation in between.

And the scarcity of personnel did not end with just the support staff. Repercussions from heavy losses incurred during the Battle of Endor, coupled with the necessary redistribution of the fleet, were being felt across all levels of day-to-day operations. Their numbers greatly reduced, qualified pilots were a particularly hot commodity. That unfortunate reality was the primary reason Han was continually being sent out on missions that had nothing to do with his status as a military general, and everything to do with his reputation as one of the most skilled pilots in the Alliance.

The shortage was severe enough to warrant a sweeping change to flight protocols; High Command had decreed that pilots should maximize their available duty time by curtailing all activities that didn't specifically involve sitting behind the controls of a ship. All safety and security functions, including pre-flight checks, were to be performed by a dedicated staff of inspectors who spent their days scurrying from one hangar to another in an endless cycle of check-signoff-check-signoff that was, in all likelihood, as blandly repetitive as it sounded. And although the new system may have seemed good in theory, it did not appear to be working out very well in practice, as evidenced by the fact that Leia was still awaiting both an inspection crew and a pilot, two hours after her scheduled departure.

As she completed yet another circuit around the resting ship, she thought of Han again and felt a familiar pang of longing. Between his near-continuous piloting missions and Leia's responsibilities in putting together the Provisional Senate, they'd seen far too little of each other in the two months since they'd departed the temporary base on Endor. Rare stolen moments here and there were sustaining Leia through grueling weeks of endless meetings and strategic planning sessions, each one blending into the next. It was vitally important work, and having the opportunity to be on the leading edge of this new government—forming its policies, laws and protocols—was both her duty and a tremendous honor. Having devoted the last five years of her life to the restoration of the Republic, she was fully committed to seeing it through.

Moreover—and to her lasting astonishment—Han had emerged from his carbonite prison with a commitment to the Alliance that seemed to match her own. He'd finally accepted the long-proffered commission, led the strike team that knocked out the second Death Star's shield, and then joined the assault team that wiped out an Imperial outpost on the far side of Endor. Subsequent missions had showcased the skills and qualities he possessed that made him an invaluable asset to the Alliance, and there could be no doubt now as to his commitment to the cause; Leia just wished they had a little more time to be committed together.

She was pacing for the umpteenth time around the exterior of the waiting shuttle—and giving serious consideration to commandeering the shuttle and simply flying herself to Sacorria—when Ensign Raikal, a grey-skinned Xexto technician, appeared and signaled to her from the open hatch. As he walked down the ramp towards her on two of his six arms, Leia could see that his pale face and beige coveralls were smeared with as much engine lubricant as was likely to be in the engine itself. His third and fourth hands continued to tap away at the datapad he carried with him as he approached, while the fifth shielded his face from the glare of the hangar lights as his eyes adjusted from the relative darkness of the shuttle interior. The sixth hand continued to wave wildly about his head—as if he didn't already have her attention with his impressive multitasking abilities.

"Pardon me, Your Highness," Raikal intoned in a deep, melodious voice as he approached. "We are almost finished here, and I've just received word that the inspection crew is on its way to conduct the final audit. They should arrive soon."

Finally!

Leia stifled the urge to make that exclamation aloud, opting instead to thank the technician with a tight smile before following him as he made his way back aboard the shuttle. She'd always struggled to tolerate inefficiency with good grace, and especially now, when every wasted moment that passed reduced her chances of returning in time to see Han before he was dispatched on yet another mission. As she reached the top of the boarding ramp, she heard the distinctive sound of repulsors behind her and glanced around to see a ground-crew transport humming across the hangar floor, before drifting to a stop near the nose of the shuttle. She gave a wave of acknowledgement to the handful of figures perched inside the vehicle and stepped through the shuttle hatch into the small vestibule. She'd intended to make her way down the corridor to her left into the passenger lounge beyond, but Raikal was waiting just inside the door, barring her way. He inclined his head politely, and motioned with two of his arms towards the open hatch of the large cargo bay directly opposite the shuttle entrance.

"Perhaps you could wait just inside here, Your Highness? With the more functional areas of the ship vacant, we'll make short work of this inspection and you can be on your way."

Right. Just as soon as the pilot shows up! I'm never going to get to Sacorria at this rate….

Swallowing her irritation, Leia nodded in acknowledgement and moved to comply with Raikal's request. She was happy to stay out of their way if it meant that the inspection could be completed quickly. As she entered the hold, she saw that it was mostly empty. A few stacks of battered shipping crates lined both sides of the hold near the entrance, but the rear of the compartment contained only a handful of plasteel barrels in one corner, a substantial storage chest in the other, and an assortment of rubbish littering the floor. Gone were the days of travelling to diplomatic conferences in luxuriously appointed starships, Leia reflected wryly. The shortages plaguing the burgeoning New Republic extended to every aspect of their operation, including personnel transports—and, apparently, crews to clean them. Not only had the old JS-77B shuttle never been intended for use in diplomatic missions, it had certainly seen better days.

The tramp of booted feet on the boarding ramp heralded the arrival of the long-awaited inspection team and Leia turned with a sigh to face the open hatch, through which she had a clear view of the shuttle entrance. Folding her arms and leaning one shoulder against a stack of crates, she watched as each inspector appeared in turn at the top of the ramp. She nodded a polite greeting to each—two human females, a Sullustan male and a four-eyed Aqualish of indeterminate gender. They nodded and smiled in acknowledgement of Leia's presence, and one or two murmured apologies for the lateness of their arrival as they filed through the vestibule and into the ship beyond.

Four inspectors for one tiny shuttle? No wonder they're taking so long to get around to everyone.

As that thought flitted through her mind, she heard the sound of yet another set of booted feet striding up the boarding ramp, and rolled her eyes in exasperated disbelief. She made a mental note to speak to General Larkin about the gross inefficiencies of a system that sent five inspectors to the same ship when they were so short-staffed. To hide her expression from the new arrival, she turned away from the open hatch and pretended to be absorbed in reading the labels plastered all over the nearest shipping crate.

The sound of knuckles rapping against the bulkhead drew her attention back to the entrance. As she turned her head, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in surprise. Leaning one shoulder against the shuttle's open hatch, silhouetted in the misty backlight from the hangar, was Han Solo—easily the most gorgeous thing she'd seen in a very long time. Her incredulous gaze slid over him from head to toe and back again, holding him fast in place with her eyes for fear he'd disappear as quickly as he'd materialized. His well-worn holster rig, slanted low across his hips, accentuated the lean lines of his frame. Thumbs hooked in his belt loops, he was doing his best to exude an air of casual detachment, but the pose was contradicted by his expression; his eyes were anything but impassive, and Leia had seen that look before. Bright and mischievous, his eyes held hers with that hungry look he always had when he was calculating some licentious possibility. He looked delicious, and he was up to something.

"Han?" she gasped with disbelief, unfolding her arms and walking slowly towards the open doorway. As she stepped through the portal into the vestibule, she cast a quick glance along the short corridor to where Raikal and the Sullustan inspector stood immersed in conversation. She looked back at Han, who was still lounging nonchalantly against the frame of the shuttle hatch.

"Nah," he drawled, the corner of his mouth turning up into an impish half-grin. "I'm…uh...hang on," he turned the ID badge dangling around his neck to read the name. "…Arvis Bith?"

Leia snorted in amusement."Well, Arvis. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in the Meridian Sector for a few more days, at least."

"Would've been, but our last contact didn't show. The Nyemarians apparently have longer memories and bigger trust issues than we thought." As he spoke, his gaze flickered sideways and Leia became aware that one of the human inspectors was heading back in their direction. Han straightened up and stepped aside to allow the woman to exit the shuttle.

After watching for a moment as the inspector disappeared down the ramp, Leia looked back at Han and took a moment to drink him in. At some point during their most recent separation, he'd cut his hair quite short and acquired a dark grey military jacket—although Leia noted that it lacked the customary display of rank above the breast pocket. She smiled at the sight. He'd transformed in so many ways since his rescue from Jabba's palace, but she supposed some things would never change.

"How did you even know we were still here? We were scheduled for departure hours ago."

"I didn't. Not until after we landed. I detoured through Hangar Three to see if Antilles was in, thought I'd see if he wanted to join me and Chewie for a drink since we got some more of that Lomin ale he likes." He paused, grinning at Leia's expression. "Don't worry. I saved you some."

She rolled her eyes. Lomin ale was disgusting.

"Anyway," he continued, "while I was looking around for Wedge, I passed the inspection team, and they were all unscrewed, scurrying around like Jakrabs trying to turn around all these ships."

Leia gestured for him to lower his voice, conscious of the fact the Aqualish inspector was now moving back down the corridor in their direction, following in the footsteps of the woman who'd passed through a moment earlier. After the inspector was down the ramp and safely out of earshot, she looked back at Han and shook her head. "I suppose that managing so many huge changes was always going to be difficult. But I'm afraid this new system isn't working quite as well as General Larkin had hoped it would."

"Yeah, they're still a little disorganized. I overheard one of 'em saying they needed to hurry up and get to Hangar Four now because—and I quote—'She's still waiting and she looks like she's gonna take a powershiv to the next guy that tells her "sorry for the delay".' So I figured, who else could they be talking about?" Han gave her a look of smug satisfaction. "And you say I have a way with people."

Leia fixed him with an embarrassed glare and folded her arms. "Is there a point to this story?"

"The point is, that's how I knew you were still planetside," he smirked. "Anyway, I just trailed behind 'em, grabbed a badge and hopped on the transport with the rest of the team. There's so many new crew flying on and off of this planet, I'm not surprised nobody recognized me."

Leia huffed her irritation at the sound of more footfalls on the ramp; the two inspectors who had previously exited the ship were now making their way back, along with two additional human technicians, arms loaded with equipment and chatting amongst themselves. Raising an amused eyebrow at Leia's frowning expression, Han finally stepped over the threshold of the ramp and into the shuttle vestibule to allow the others to pass more freely. In doing so, he drew a step closer to Leia, almost near enough to touch, and although she welcomed his proximity, she was conscious of their public position. The small craft felt crowded now. The entire group of four inspectors, plus several technicians, were milling about the interior. All were embroiled in intense discussions centered upon, from what Leia could hear, the shortcomings of this particular model of shuttle, and their personal sentiments about the Alliance keeping them in circulation. There seemed to be very little inspecting being done at all, as far as she could see.

Turning her focus back to Han, Leia glanced at his badge and shook her head in mock admonition of his confession. "Stealing identification? That's no way for a respected general of the Alliance to behave."

"I didn't steal it, I borrowed it."

"And you do realize that right about now poor Arvis is standing in front of his duty officer trying to explain why his security badge is missing?"

"Occupational hazard," Han shrugged. "Anyway, it'll teach him to be more careful."

Leia was aware that she was only making small-talk with Han for the sake of the technicians and inspection crew who had congregated at the end of the corridor, when all she really wanted to do was to launch herself into his arms and kiss him for all she was worth. The soft glow of the interior lights made Han's changeable eyes look as green as the trees of Endor, forming a striking contrast with the light bronze of his suntanned skin and the flash of his white teeth. In truth, she wanted to do more than kiss him, and Han's grin told her that he could read that desire loud and clear.

With a glance down the corridor, Leia lowered her voice and said, "So, are you going to say hello properly, or do I have to submit a service request?"

Han's grin widened even more and his eyes took on a mischievous glint. "I'm afraid not, Your Highness. I'm here on official business. No time for foolin' around."

Even as he spoke, he advanced the remaining few steps to close the distance between them and Leia felt her pulse race in anticipation of the kiss that would belie his words. Instead of taking her into his arms, however, he took her by the elbow and gestured for her to re-enter the cargo hold from which she'd just emerged. Leia raised her eyebrows inquisitively; Han nodded in affirmation.

With another cursory glance at the oblivious personnel occupying the shuttle, Leia slipped into the cargo hold with Han at her heels, his hand at the small of her back to propel her forward. Once safely ensconced, Han palmed the controls of the hatch to activate the release and swiveled to face her. Even before the door had closed completely, she was in his arms.

"Hello, Princess," Han drawled, pulling her firmly into his embrace and looking down at her with a lazy smile.

His warm body felt magnificent against hers, and the feeling of his strong arms tightening around her made Leia's already racing pulse trip into overdrive. Reaching up, she tangled her fingers in his thick hair and gently tugged him down, craving a kiss. "Hello, yourself," she whispered. She stretched up to capture his mouth, but at the last instant Han turned his face slightly, dodging the motion, and her kiss landed instead on his cheek. Leia drew back in surprise.

"We're wasting valuable time here, you know," Han murmured, turning his head back so that his lips hovered barely a hair's breadth above hers, just out of reach. "I'm supposed to be performing a complete pre-flight inspection."

Taken aback, Leia's brain took a moment to register what he'd said. "What...what are you talking about?"

"I'm part of the inspection team, remember?" he prompted, loosening his embrace to slide his fingers down the curve of her back. His large hands came to rest on her hips and he reared back to meet her eyes. "Our orders are to evaluate the entire ship, inside and out. Seeing as how you're standing in it, technically that makes you subject to inspection." As he spoke, his hands resumed their movements, leaving her hips to slide up to her waist, then higher still, his thumbs just grazing the undersides of her breasts. His eyes roamed her face, smiling faintly as he seemed to measure her reaction to his jest.

Leia stared up at him—confused, amused, and feeling highly distracted by the sensations he was causing with his wandering caresses. After a long moment, she managed to splutter a mock-indignant reply. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm exempt. I've got...diplomatic immunity."

In response, Han dipped his head down and nuzzled her ear, sending a shiver throughout her body. "You're not trying to prevent me from carrying out official orders, are you? Interfering with access to the equipment?"

"Ahh..." Leia's words were swiftly leaving her, evaporating in the heat of her own deep flush as Han began kissing his way down the side of her neck. Han in a playful mood was extraordinarily difficult to resist. She was already breathless when she said, a teasing lilt in her whisper, "You can stand down, Crewman. I assure you, my equipment is in proper working order."

"Sorry, Your Worship. Safety first." Leia could feel him smiling against her neck, as he trailed a string of light kisses all the way back up to her ear. His hands continued to roam her body and his rumbling voice made her tremble. "I've got a job to do, and you know as well as I do that High Command doesn't look kindly on anybody who doesn't take his job seriously. So that means it's my sworn duty to look you over."

Leia struggled to contain a laugh. Although he'd adopted a few of the outward trappings of his formal position within the Alliance—the uniform jacket, the short haircut, and the occasional sketchy salute—Han remained at heart an inveterate scoundrel with little regard for rules and regulations. And he could still drive her crazy.

He edged forward, nudging Leia to begin moving backwards down the narrow aisle between the towering shipping crates. Trusting in his guidance, she allowed him to back her up to the far corner, coming to rest against the high storage chest positioned there. He loomed over her, adopting a stern expression. "Now, are you going to co-operate, or do I have to call in my four-eyed friend out there for reinforcement?" He gestured with a jerk of his thumb back toward the hatch door.

She did laugh then. The combination of Han's stalwart adherence to his ridiculous charade, coupled with a sudden vision of the Aqualish inspector's shocked expression were he to be put in such a situation, struck her as absurdly comical. Her laughter gave way to a gasp as Han scooped her into his heated embrace again, and dived down to devour her ear. She writhed against him as he drew an earlobe between his lips, and gave it a soft nip. As his warm hands continued to roam her body, she arched against him reflexively, then allowed her hands to do a little roaming of their own.

"Ah-ah-ah," he admonished, batting her hands away. "No inspecting the inspector." Lowering his head, he resumed his caresses along the curve of her jaw, deliberately brushing past her mouth—although she was sure he could tell how much she was aching for his kiss. She clutched at his shoulders and tilted her head as he dragged his lips down the other side of her neck. He paused then and pulled back to catch her eye. "Oh, and by the way, Your Highness," he breathed just above her parted lips, "despite the badge saying otherwise, I ain't no crewman. I'm just doing old Arvis a favour here, helping him out. He ought to be thanking me."

Ignoring his comment, Leia moved again to capture his mouth with hers, but he evaded her once more, his lips continuing their blazing trail over her chin and throat, peppering soft kisses punctuated by his murmured words.

"Thisis a very demanding position, you know," Han growled, his rich baritone voice striking a familiar subterranean chord that reverberated straight to her core. As he spoke, he tightened his arms around her and pulled her more firmly against him. The sound of their heavy breathing filled Leia's ears as she moved her body deliberately against his and felt his powerful response. She slid her hands up to tangle in his thick hair and closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensations of his hands gliding down to grip her hips, and the hot press of his lips against her throat.

One part of her mind—the part not clouded by the haze of intense pleasure she felt at his touch—was conscious of their relatively exposed situation. Although their relationship was no secret among Alliance personnel these days, there was still the potential for deep embarrassment should one of the real inspectors venture to open the door of the cargo hold and see them writhing against each other like this. Another more pragmatic part of her brain was marking the passage of each minute, calculating how much time they might have left to indulge in this little "inspection" before they were interrupted.

In the meantime, Han was still enumerating his qualifications for the job. "It requires experience. Attention to detail. Can't leave this sort of thing in the hands of some second-rate...amateur." Reaching the hollow at the base of her throat, he slipped his fingers inside the loose neckline of her blouse, grazed across her collarbone, and then gently pulled the fabric aside to bare her shoulder. His mouth descended upon her newly exposed flesh, and Leia heard herself emit a little moan.

Han gave a gratified chuckle, clearly encouraged by her response to continue playing his adopted role. "As you pointed out, I'm a 'respected general of the Alliance'. That means when it comes to checking out military hardware, I got all the experience you need, and I outrank you. So I'd appreciate it if you'd address me as sir." He straightened up to meet her gaze, winked, and flashed her that wickedly irreverent half-smile.

Leia rolled her eyes at that, and dealt him a light swat to one shoulder. "Don't push your luck, Flyboy," she warned dryly, although she was quite certain that as long as he continued along his current path, she would eventually address him in any manner he wished.

"We'll see," he replied with a knowing grin.

Releasing her then, he took a step backward and Leia let her arms drop to her sides, feeling oddly bereft. Was he not even going to kiss her properly before she left? She wondered if this was his way of paying her back for all the times over the past few months when she'd playfully teased him in semi-public places, toying with her newfound powers of seduction—and driving him slightly crazy in the process. Watching as he squared his feet, folded his arms, and cocked his head in contemplation of her figure, she thought he was probably doing exactly that.

Han dragged his gaze up to meet hers and gave her a lopsided smirk. "Now...where to begin?"

"To begin?" Leia exclaimed, glancing down at her somewhat wrinkled attire. She smoothed the fabric of her tunic with her hands and cast a quick glance towards the hatch, still calculating how much time they had left. "I was under the impression your inspection was well underway."

"Nah, that was just the preliminary ignition check," he informed her solemnly. "Every good inspection must include a detailed visual analysis and a meticulous hands-on examination, from nose to tail."

Leia couldn't suppress another laugh. She leaned back, resting her elbows on the edge of the tall storage chest behind her. "You sound like a training holo. And you've been using more than just your hands," she pointed out.

"I'm a very thorough inspector. The best."

"Well, then, get back over here and finish the job," she ordered, trying to sound stern.

Ignoring her command, Han eyed her from top to bottom and shook his head. "Hmmm, I was afraid of that," he muttered. "This model, she's a temperamental one. Reliable and sound for the most part, but has a tendency to run hot. Sometimes blows a gasket when you least expect it. Kinda high maintenance."

Straightening up, Leia planted a fist on her hip and shot him an ominous look. "Shall I revoke your license now, or wait until you say something else completely offensive?"

"Alright, Princess, don't get excited. I'll suspend my analysis for now," he mollified, his hazel eyes twinkling. "Besides, I can tell just by looking at you that you're the finest in the fleet."

Leia resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him again. Instead, abandoning all pretexts, she reached out, hooked two fingers into his waistband and gave him a firm tug. "Come here."

Still smiling, he closed the narrow gap between them, gathered her close and wrapped her in his lush embrace once again. As Leia's body relaxed and melded to his, she felt the immediate and strangely elemental sense of belonging she always felt in his arms. She ran her hands up his chest and across his broad shoulders before winding her arms around his neck, stretching up on tiptoe to plant a soft kiss on his jaw. She sighed, reveling in the familiar scent of his skin and the perfect way she fit into his arms. As Han lowered his head to hers, Leia tilted her chin up and allowed her eyes to drift closed. She had waited an awfully long time for this kiss and her whole body was thrumming with anticipation. Han's mouth had barely brushed hers, though, when she sensed him pause and draw back, smiling against her parted lips.

"Maybe I should at least have a look at your—"

"Give it up, Han," she chided, and dragged his mouth back to hers.

Their kiss was everything Leia had been craving for days. The movement of his warm lips against hers was pure indulgence, awakening all of Leia's senses and electrifying every nerve. Through his touch she could feel the strength of their connection, an affirmation of the love they shared and a powerful reminder of the promised future for which they were both working so hard. His hands drifted across the contours of her back and downward, thumbs grazing along the curve of her waist, up to the swell of her breasts and back again, fueling sparks and shivers of longing. The enticing brush of his lips gave way to the insistent slide of his tongue seeking hers, and those heady sensations combined with the unrelentingly sensual motions of his hands to send her spiraling into a hazy oblivion of desire. The rest of the galaxy fell away and there was only this.

She struggled to mask her disappointment when Han finally broke the kiss, and then pressed his forehead to hers—but she knew he was wise to draw the interlude to an end. Desire was one thing, but timing was another, and he understood as well as she did that they couldn't take this much further, not here. Leia struggled even more to reconcile herself to the fact that they were facing yet another long separation. Although she fully understood the necessity for each of them to go their separate ways, it was never easy to say goodbye.

Clearing his throat, Han loosened his embrace to put a little space between their bodies and leaned back to catch Leia's eye. His voice was rough with desire when he spoke. "So, you're headed to Sacorria, huh? How long will you be away this time?" The shift in topic mirrored the shift in their physical positions and signaled Han's acknowledgement that it was time to get back to business.

"That depends." Leia sighed and brought her hands together between them to begin ticking the days off on her fingers. "It'll take two days to get there, followed by three days of receptions, ceremonies, dinners and meetings, and then two days to get back. And that's if I manage to get away from here soon." She shook her head ruefully and rested her hands on his broad chest. "And that's not looking very likely, given the fact my pilot hasn't even turned up yet. If I arrive too late, some of our meetings will have to wait until after their public festival period, which means I'll be away ten days instead of seven. What about you? Where are you off to next?"

Han grimaced and drummed his fingertips on the curve of her hips as he looked down into her eyes. "You know how things are right now, Sweetheart. I'm stuck with back-to-back piloting gigs, and I've got a tricky one coming up—playing moon jockey for some temperamental senator who apparently doesn't like to be kept waiting and who can't even say for sure how long her mission's gonna last…."

For the second time that day, Leia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in surprise. She stared up at him for a long moment, speechless, and then watched as a gleeful grin began to spread across his handsome features. When she finally found her breath, she couldn't quite formulate a proper sentence. She pushed at his chest, but Han held fast to her hips, keeping her in place.

"Wait, what? Do you mean...? What are you saying? Han!"

He was laughing heartily by then, and they almost missed the sound of the polite rap on the cargo bay door. They separated just before the hatch slid open and the stocky figure of the Sullustan inspector appeared. Blinking his bulbous black eyes, he cast an apologetic glance at Leia before stepping into the bay and addressing Han with a curt bow of his tapered head.

"Our inspection is complete, General Solo, and Ensign Barro will be bringing your personal luggage aboard. You are cleared for lift-off whenever you're ready."

"Thanks," Han replied, "but that won't be necessary. Her Highness won't be using this shuttle today."

Taken aback, Leia looked over at Han, regarding him quizzically.

"That is...if you don't mind flying to Sacorria with a scoundrel, Sweetheart." Angling in her direction, he caught one of her hands in his and lifted it to his lips, hazel eyes alight with prospect. "The Falcon is on pre-launch and ready to go, back in Hangar Two. What do you say? Wanna relive old times?"

Leia simply gaped at him for a moment.

"Besides," Han said more soberly, giving her hand a squeeze, "all Sacorrian promises aside, I'm not going to put too much stock in the local security detail there, Princess. The Imps aren't done with us yet, and you could use a bodyguard going into a big conference like this, albeit an unofficial one. Who better than me for that job?"

Leia was speechless. He'd planned this, all of it, down to the last detail, just to be with her and keep her safe. She didn't need words to respond; flashing him a brilliant smile, she stretched up on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. He grinned and winked back.

Slipping his arm around Leia's waist, Han drew her to his side. "Inspector," he addressed the Sullustan, "Commander Covney and his team will be taking over this ship and readying her for departure to Ruan. I'd appreciate it if you could relay that she's all clear and ready to go. Oh, and Inspector?" he interjected, pulling off the ID badge and extending it towards the Sullustan. "Give this back to Bith, would you? Tell him thanks, and I hope he feels better soon."

Leia eyed Han with a look of disbelief, then watched as the inspector walked towards them to take the proffered badge. "So Arvis is..."

"In the medbay. Nasty case of food poisoning," he grinned down at her and gave her a light squeeze. "Told you I borrowed it. You didn't think I'd actually land some poor guy on reprimand just to see the look on your face, did you?"

"I never know what you're going to do, Nerf-herder," Leia confessed, then allowed herself to beam up at him with unabashed affection. "You keep surprising me." She turned to look at the inspector, who seemed to be waiting to catch her eye.

The Sullustan clutched the security badge with both hands and gave a nervous chuckle as he offered a deep bow in Leia's direction. "So sorry for the delay, Your Highness. We hope you were not unduly inconvenienced."

Leia cast a glance at Han, who was looking enormously pleased with himself. She thought about the days ahead that had loomed so drearily in her mind only moments before, and then favoured the Sullustan with her brightest smile.

"Not at all, Inspector. As a matter of fact, I think it was well worth the wait."

-:¦:-:¦:-:¦:-

To be continued...