DOWNHILL RACES AND WINNING HANDS
Chapter 2
As the Solos disembarked from the Falcon, Han, Leia and Chewie observed one thing that hadn't changed: the bitter cold.
Everything else, however, was nothing like what they remembered. Hoth was now a favorite winter sports paradise and Star Tours was making a killing off them. Fortunately, Leia was able to get a steep discount because she held diplomatic credentials. It was mostly a playground for the very wealthy, although in recent years, some budget resorts were starting to spring up. This pleased winter sports enthusiasts who didn't have an unlimited supply of credits. Leia remembered the meetings regarding economic development on Hoth. She never dreamed she'd be back.
But, she thought, smiling to herself, here I am, only with a lot more people I love and even more luggage.
The Gelida Deserti had a complimentary shuttle that ran all day and night, and it wasn't long before the Solos were on board, and it didn't appear as if they'd lost any luggage or family members. The kids' enthusiasm was electric save for Jarik, who was sleeping against Han's shoulder. He'd not napped at all during the trip, as he was being entertained by his three older siblings and Chewie.
Chewie let out a baleful cry.
"Whaddya mean, you're freezing? You're the one with built in insulation!" Han said to him.
{You try finding winter clothes in my size}, Chewie retorted.
"I'm sure they'll have something at the resort you can get," Leia assured the Wookiee. "They cater to a large number of diverse species."
"Besides, they've got hot tubs," Han told him. While constructing the resorts on Hoth, a vast underground network of hot water springs were discovered. This did nothing but heighten interest in taking a vacation on a cold Outer Rim planet.
{I hate hot water}.
"C'mon, Uncle Chewie, be a sport," Anakin said, sidling up to the giant Wookiee. "It'll be fun."
"Well, I for one am anxious to try them out," Han whispered to Leia. Each suite had one to enjoy after a cold day on the slopes.
"We'll have to wait till the kids are in bed," Leia warned him.
"Think we can wear 'em out?" Han asked her.
"If this doesn't work, nothing will."
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The distance to the resort was not long, and checking in was fully automated. There were several concierges who seemingly could do anything from finding an unusual food request to organizing glacier tours to locating properly fitting ice and snow gear for a Wookiee.
"I dunno, he stayed naked the entire time we were here last," Han said, shaking his head. "But whatever makes him happy."
Chewie had his own room; he'd needed the extra large bed and since he frequently ate large raw slabs of meat, decided to take his meals there. Fortunately, for the Gelida Deserti, these were the sorts of things they handled routinely.
"Can we go out on the slopes?" Anakin asked eagerly.
"It's nearly 2000," Leia told him. "Our first mission, once we assess that we have all of our luggage, is to have dinner."
"I'm not eating anywhere they don't have pasta," Anakin said, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.
"Consider yourself lucky that we're willing to feed you at all. We could make you eat with Chewie," Han told him.
"Chewie'd make me pasta," he said adamantly.
"Chewie's room doesn't have a kitchen," Leia told him.
"You're such a loser," Jaina informed him. "You're gonna try to take some girl out when you get older and you're gonna tell her that all you'll eat is pasta?"
"Okay, ENOUGH!" Leia shouted. "The resort has eight restaurants. Surely there's got to be one where everyone can find something."
{Good luck with that}, Chewie said happily.
"Oh, laugh it up, fuzzball!" Han told him irritably.
