CHANGE OF SEASONS

Chapter 2

Leia could hardly believe it.

The barbecue and beer gathering had given her the opportunity to talk with each of the various delegations, getting to know what it was they wanted and expected.

Han had been absolutely on target with his recommendations, and it hadn't hurt that he'd talked to the delegations as well. He was One Of Them and understood the fiercely independent nature that marked the Corellian worlds. He bolstered Leia, and since he was one of them, it smoothed the way. Han was no diplomat, but the Corellians were a mix of species that were all blunt spoken.

What had come out of it was that all of the worlds, with a few individual deviations, wanted the same things. They were willing to support the provisional government, provided the provisional government did not expect them to provide soldiers. They wanted to maintain their own military, with the knowledge that under certain conditions they would support the Alliance military. There was some disagreement among the various delegates as to what conditions those were, but they could be hammered out. The provisional government had appointed governors; the Corellians wanted to elect theirs. That could, Leia thought, happen once conditions had somewhat stabilized.

The biggest request they had was money. The Empire had broken the backs of the laborers in the Corellian system and many factories had shuttered. That, Leia knew, was the hard one. It would require a great deal of negotiations, money and time, assuming the leaders of the provisional government would listen. The recession in the Corellian system was deeply entrenched, having gone on for over a decade. Unfortunately, their situation was not unique; many economies in the system had broken down. High unemployment was a major problem and one of the most difficult to correct. No free lunches, no quick fixes. The treasury at the moment was fearfully low on funds.

Mon Mothma said that establishing a new government and solidifying it would take a generation. Leia was starting to think she was right. But at last she had a sense of the what the delegations had in mind. The real trick would be to get them to stop fighting with each other.

Han had always expressed support for the work she engaged him, but this time around he'd put his money where his mouth was.

"Some things they want are going to be hard to sell," Leia admitted. "But we made some headway."

"You made some headway," Han told her as he, Leia and Chewie prepared to leave.

"We wouldn't have gotten as far as we did without your help." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "C'mon, general. Let's move."

"Right." He laid in a course and soon thereafter, they reached escape velocity.

Leia was exhausted and had headed for the captain's quarters. The bed was surprisingly comfortable if a bit narrow compared to their bed at home, but Leia enjoyed being close to Han. She felt safe with his body near hers. He snored, but far from being annoyed by it, it relaxed her, knowing that he was so close to her. She'd taken copious notes while in Coronet City. She'd turn it into a report after she'd napped for a while.

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"Hey, sleepyhead, we're here." Leia blinked as Han laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh my gods, how long did I sleep?" Maybe she was more tired than she'd thought.

"About three and a half hours."

"Coruscant's eight hours! Where are we?"

"Well, you said that you missed autumn. Since Alderaan's not exactly available, I thought Drall just might be the ticket."

"You're serious."

"As a heart attack. C'mon, honey. There's a small hotel I've always wanted to go to but never did till today." He took out a deep green cape of soft wool and draped it over her shoulders. He'd switched his spacer's vest for a cool weather jacket.

They stepped out of the ship and found themselves on the outside of the docking bays. The grey concrete and plastistone gave way to a vision of lush greenery, a hard blue sky, and a rush of colored trees.

"So, how's it stacking up?" Han asked, his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist.

"It's incredible!" Leia marveled, her eyes lit up like a child's at seeing something for the first time.

"I thought you might like it," Han said, taking her hand and walking with her down one of the narrow streets.

"It even smells like autumn!" Leia breathed in deeply, spices and woodsmoke bringing back wonderful memories. "I wonder if they have the spice pastries I used to love?"

"First bakery we find, we'll find out," Han said. He looked as happy as Leia. All autumn on Tralus had ever meant to him was that it was going to get very, very cold, very, very soon. Now he felt the warm rush that was Leia's love of this time of year.

They took their time checking out the local shops, which contained luxuries and necessities from many other worlds and systems. Leia found a beautiful sweater knitted of the finest spun gaberwool. It was a rich red that set off her dark eyes and hair and pale skin beautifully.

"I think I have to have this," she said, mischief in her eyes.

"Well, we do get three months of cold and wet and nasty," Han agreed. "And, you look adorable in it."

"I love soft things," she said, handing the garment to the sentient at the check out.

"You can't get much softer than a good gaberwool," the sentient said to her. She looked up and smiled. "You must be newlyweds."

"Are we that obvious?" Han said, smiling.

"Yes, you are, and it's such a pleasure to see. And, if I'm not mistaken, you, young man, are Corellian."

"Born on Tralus," Han confirmed.

"He's not that young," Leia teased, winking at her husband.

"At my age, everyone looks young," the sales clerk assured both of them. She studied them carefully. "Aren't you the couple that got married on Coruscant and it was on the holo everywhere?"

Leia and Han looked at each other. "We are," Leia said, her smile warm and bright. Han's emulated hers.

"Watched your wedding. In fact, I think everyone I know watched it," the sentient said as she carefully wrapped the sweater in tissue. "Was a beautiful wedding."

"The wedding was wonderful," Leia agreed.

"But the honeymoon was even better," Han said, winking lasciviously.

"Best of everything," the sentient clerk wished them, flashing a sweet smile.

They walked until they located a source of the delicious smells redolent of spice. Leia pulled Han's hand and they entered the bakery. Kaf mingled with a number of warm treats, sweet, spicy and savory. Something captured both of their eyes.

"Is that a Sihan peach turnover?" Leia asked the shopkeeper excitedly.

"It is indeed," The shopkeeper said. "How many would you like?"

"I haven't had one in so long. How about four?"

"You're gonna be able to eat four turnovers?" Han said, arching his eyebrows. Leia enjoyed good food and loved sweets, but for her, this seemed overboard.

"I was going to share them with someone I love very much."

"Sorry, your brother wasn't invited," Han teased.

"Don't pay attention to him," Leia said, laughing.

"I'd like two hsuaberry fruit tarts," Han said. Hsuaberry fruit was a favorite of Han's and indigenous to Corellia, although Han was long gone from his homeworld before he ever tasted one.

"Make it four. They look delicious," Leia said.

"And two spiced kafs," Han added.

"It's getting cold out there," the shopkeeper said. "These'll keep you warm." He poured two spiced kafs. Han paid for the pastries and kafs and once again, they stepped out into the brisk day. The sun was sinking low and the sky was gold.

"Looks like we'd better get to our hotel soon," Han said.

"We're spending the night?" Leia asked him.

"You wanted to play in the leaves. Well, I found a place where you can," Han said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

They walked along the town's narrow streets, which soon gave way to homes with green lawns and trees bursting with shades of deep and bright reds, brilliant golds and amber. It was very different from Coruscant, which was primarily high rise apartments; these homes were small but had their own greenspace. Autumn flowers burst forth in a riot of colors. It appeared as if the owners took great pride in their properties.

They turned down streets, again finding shops, restaurants and quaint hotels. They walked to the end of one block until they arrived at what seemed at first glance to be a small castle.

"Here's where we're staying," Han told her, smiling at her. "And look."

Again, there were blooms in intense shades...and four large piles of raked leaves.

"Are you sure it's all right? The gardener may have worked for hours on this," Leia said.

"I talked to the proprietress. Apparently the piles of leaves are for the guests to enjoy." Han smiled at her. "Let's check in first, and then we'll do some serious leaf diving."

The proprietress was an Askajian female, the deep wrinkles on forehead accented by age. She was a long way from the desert in this place. She greeted her guests with a generous smile.

"I spoke with your husband a few days ago," she said to Leia. "The leaves are for your enjoyment. My gardener is well paid to keep making the piles. Now, dinner is at 2000. Here are your room keys." To the surprise of the couple, they were antique metal keys, long supplanted on other worlds with cardkeys and codes. "We're full up on weekends, but tonight, you have the run of the place."

The room was lovely. Thick, downy quilts in white covered the bed, which had carved legs, headboard and footboard.

"Now this is the bed I wanna make for us," Han told her. Han had come to appreciate antiques a long time ago. He'd learned about them while engaging in his former looting and plundering career and had a good eye for place of origin and vintage-and value. There were two lovely paintings of the Drallian landscapes, one in the forest, one near the ocean.

"If I was still working for Shrike, I'd clean this place out," Han said wickedly.

"Good thing you've changed careers or I'd have to worry about what you'd take for souvenirs," Leia said dryly, but then giggled. The two fell on the bed on clouds of white comforters and pillows. "We have all night to check this out. Let's get the leaves while there's still some daylight."

"Last one out's a rotten Tauntaun egg!" Han called, racing her to the door.

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Leia dove into the pile of leaves with gusto and much laughter.

"Well, Flyboy? Don't you want to play in the leaves?" she called to Han.

"I dunno...you look like you're having fun already," he said, and then dashed for what remained of the leaf pile.

"This is so great!" Leia squealed with delight as Han dove in to join her. He turned on his side and tipped her chin to kiss her.

She looks so happy, so innocent, so adorable, Han thought to himself.

"Well, we've got three other piles to mess up!" she said, jumping up and running to the next one.

Soon enough, all four piles of leaves were now fluttering about the yard in the chilly air save for the ones sticking to Han and Leia.

So this is what it's like to be a kid, he thought to himself. Neither he nor Leia had had real childhoods. He suspected Leia's times to run about and be young were few and far between, hence the cherished memories.

He looked into her bright, sparkling eyes, her pale skin rosy from the autumn chill. He closed his eyes for a moment. He envisioned the future.

It had children in it. Children he and Leia would take every year to jump in the leaves, to drink spiced beverages and and eat wonderful treats, to run about and have no cares other than who could wear out which parent first.

She'd be such a great mom, he thought. We'd make sure our kids had a childhood. Despite her current desire to not have children, Han had the sense that someday, somehow, something would change her mind about being parents.

He'd leave it alone for now. The time would come, he felt certain. All they needed was a little more of their own childhoods.