(Mis)Adventures of Echo Base

Chapter 1

He turned and Ran out of the room, like he could smell something burning nearby. My heart started to race as adrenalin pumped through my veins. I was half-way out the door before I realize I had left my warm spot by the fire.

"Han, Han" I called out to him but I knew that he wouldn't answer. Tears started to blur my vision; he could be so hard to read. Normally I could read someone like an open book but he was different, Navigating around a conversation with him was like walking on paper thin ice. I spent half the time hoping I wouldn't fall in.

I have served along-side Han for near on three years. He was the oldest of the three boys who joined the Rebellion to have an adventure and of course to get paid. I on the other-hand joined for a very different reason. I joined to make my father proud but it never seemed to work. He was always so disappointed in me. My father was the 'King of Alderaan' & a career soldier. I have spent my whole life trying to crawl out of his shadow.

I walked backed to my room on the Far East side of 'Echo Base'. I scanned the surroundings for Han's familiar face. My search was unsuccessful. So I spent the rest of the afternoon sussing out some of the new recruits.

Evening Mess

He had to be there; didn't he?

Major Wedge Antilles & Private Wes Janson were head-first into a conversation about the 'new housing arrangements'. They didn't acknowledge my presence until I placed my tray on the table with a louder than usual 'clang!' The following silence was much worse than being ignored. Wes just stared at me with a blank look set upon his face. Wedge cleared his throat & stood up.

"Princess Leia! I didn't see you there" Wedge stated with a half-heart smile .I can't believe it, they know all of them .This was rapidly becoming an extremely awkward conversation. Wedge & Wes were Han's best friends, they probably knew his exact whereabouts.

90% of the full time recruits were male and it's a lie when it's said that only women gossip. Han's and my antics were quickly becoming the main source of entertainment.

"Where is she?" shrieked a loud female voice from across the now crowded mess hall. Wes's face started to turn red; this was this probably due to his on-going feeling towards Mirax. After seeing this she sat down with a smirk painted on her face.

Wes & Wedge continued their 'Deep & Meaningful' about the 'housing arrangements'. I stared back blankly at my food. YAY!! Unidentified meat, again. I only looked up when Mirax's unmissable voice screamed "Han, Han! Come and sit here" At this moment my heart rate jumped up a least fifty beats, for the second time today, this can't be good for me. A hand lay upon my shoulder, I didn't want to look, and I didn't want to see him. He would be smiling like nothing had happened.

And that was exactly what happened, he pulled out the chair beside me and sat down, he started shoving food into his mouth. Han looked up and our eyes met, he smiled an ordinary everyday cute guy smile. At time I quickly diverted my eyes back to the stranded plastic edition tray.

Don't smile back! , I told myself, it didn't work. I was still angry at him. Had he forgotten already! It was only this morning he had told me that he never wanted to speak to me again and now he is sitting beside me like nothing was wrong. Han joined the ongoing discussion that now unofficially involved Mirax as well as her random outbursts.

Do you think, they will notice if I disappear. I was mapping out the quickest escape route, when Mirax poked me in the arm "Ouch" I exclaimed. She said nothing but pointed to the commanding general that was signing for me to join him.

General John Reekin; tall, athletic, early to mid fifties. Johnny-Boy, to his Rebellion mates. My father, was, one of the few that every so often would meet up for drinks in the basement to remise about the good old days.

"Princess?!" he asked in an official tone.

"Yes sir". Why is it that he knew me as a little Leia, when I was running around as a young child convinced that I was in the Rebellion just like my dad? Now that was all forgotten. He wasn't my uncle Johnny anymore he was just 'Sir'.

"Are you ok?" Was I ok, what type of stupid question was that? Of course I wasn't Ok. The whole entire base knew I wasn't ok.

"Yeah I fine, sir, how are you, sir?"

"I'm well Princess; I think Mirax wants your attention."

I turned to see my best friend silently chanting 'Part-Ty'

I rolled my eyes I thought I told her NO.

Today wasn't just the day that Han & I have had our biggest fight to date but today also marked my 21st birthday. She obviously has had some crazy idea on how to torture me with it.