Luke hadn't been this tired or sore since training with Master Yoda on Dagobah. But there was no time off waiting for him—after the success of last night, it was back to rehearsal with Arica for next week's performance. He crawled out of bed leaving Leia behind. Han, who'd come home unexpectedly late the night before, was already gone again.
Or not gone. Luke found him in the kitchen, with a blessedly large pot of caf. "What are you doing up already?" He stretched, feeling the ache deep in muscles he'd forgotten he had.
"Hey kid." He smiled and Luke felt a sudden rush of warmth remembering the enthusiastic welcome home he'd gotten from both Han and Leia the night before. "You okay this morning?"
"Tired, but I'll live." Luke poured a mug of caf and sat down across from Han, who was flipping through his datapad. "Anything happening this morning?"
"Oh, everybody's talking about you. You wowed 'em." Han wrinkled his nose and looked up at Luke. "I can't believe you actually went through with it."
Luke grinned at him. "I can't believe after all this time you're still betting against me. I hear you owe Leia twenty credits."
"Just a friendly little wager." Han put down the datapad and leaned back in his chair. "I wanted her to feel good when she won." He paused, then said, too casually, "So your partner seems nice."
Han was projecting more than he meant to, and Luke was too tired to try and unravel what he wasn't saying. "Yeah. She's a good teacher." He huffed in amusement. "Obviously."
"She ain't hard to look at either."
The picture was getting a little clearer for Luke. "Sure, she's pretty. Has to be in her line of work, I suppose." Of course Luke had noticed. He'd just spent the better part of a week with Arica either yelling at him or in his arms—or both at the same time. It was a little unsettling, but fun. "Han, if you're worried about—"
"I'm not worried about anything, I'm just sayin'." He stood up. "You better get moving or you're gonna be late."
Luke watched him go, realizing that Han never had told him what he was doing up so early.
#
The cameras were going while Luke sat cross-legged on the rehearsal room floor, across from Arica.
"So this week we're going to talk about everyone's most memorable year." She pulled up her knee and rested her chin on it, watching him. "Normally the dance we do would be connected to that somehow."
"But…?" Supposedly Luke would eventually forget the cameras were on—that's what Arica told him, and he bet that's what the producers were counting on too—but for now they were all he could think about.
Arica gave him an innocent look. "You'll see. I've got something special planned for next week."
Luke laughed. "I'm afraid to ask."
"This week, let's surprise everybody." Arica rose to her feet in a single fluid motion and held her hand out to him. "By the time we're done, the judges will be swooning."
She pulled him to his feet, and started to show him the steps.
Luke didn't know about the judges, but by the time they were done rehearsing, he was close to falling over. Last week had been easy in comparison. The dance Arica was teaching him… well, it wasn't risque, exactly, but it was light years away from the cheerful innocent thing she'd taught him the week before.
"Just remember, you really have to sell this one with your face," Arica said, tossing him a towel. "You have to focus on me, look at me like you're about to hunt me down and devour me."
"Right." Luke wiped off his face to hide the blush.
"Lucky me," she teased, then laughed. "Trust me, if we get this right, it will bring down the house." She pulled away the towel from his face and looked up at him. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course," he said. He said it without thinking and then wondered—why did he? What was it about her?
"And hey, if it helps, don't think of me as me. Think of me as, well… somebody else. You do have somebody, don't you?"
Was she flirting with him, or was she trying to wheedle personal information out of him in front of the cameras?
"I'll be fine," he said, dodging the question, still mindful of the cameras all around them.
#
"I don't see why they have to drag us into this mess," Han grumbled, following Leia into the living room, which hardly looked like their home anymore. All the furniture had been rearranged to allow for cameras and lights.
"They always do interviews with the family." Leia glanced back at him, fighting a grin. "Didn't I tell you?" She didn't—he never would have agreed otherwise, but they needed to do this for Luke.
"No you did not, and you know you didn't."
"Sorry about that." She wasn't remotely sorry. Then the interview producer was coming over to her, and Leia put on her best smile.
"Senator, General, thank you so much for taking the time to invite us into your lovely home." The Twi'lek woman shook hands with each of them, showing them to their seats on the couch as if it were her home. "We'll try to get out of your hair as soon as we can."
"Thanks," Han said, and Leia nudged him until he added a smile.
"We'll ask you some questions about Luke—we really just want the audience to get to know him from his family's perspective." She glanced around. "Now, he lives here with the two of you, doesn't he?"
"Yes," Leia said, not adding anything further. She'd talked to Han about this. Don't answer more than the question asked, and keep answers short and friendly. Hopefully he'd remember.
The producer waited for Leia to say more, and masked her disappointment when Leia didn't.
"Well. All right then. We'll start recording, if it's all right with you."
Leia and Han nodded.
Once the cameras were going, the questions started.
"What was your response when Luke said he was going to be a contestant on Dancing Across the Galaxy?"
"I laughed," Han said. Leia glared at him and he laughed again. "What? I did!"
"Why did you laugh?"
"I don't know, I didn't think the kid could dance. Guess he's proved me wrong, hasn't he?" Han added grudgingly.
"Honestly, we talked about it before Luke made a final decision." Leia stepped in with a smile. "I thought it was a great idea."
"And why is that?"
"Well," Leia considered her answer before going on. "Everyone knows Luke-the-hero and Luke-the-Jedi, but I think they're missing out to not know more."
"He's a terrible cook, for example," Han said and Leia rolled her eyes.
The producer laughed. "Now I know why you chose our show and not a cooking competition. Tell me how you each met Luke. You've known him for a long time, haven't you?"
Han leaned back on the couch, draping his arm across the back—not quite around Leia, who was sitting forward. "I thought everybody knew that story."
"Humor me."
Han and Leia exchanged glances, wordlessly determining who should go first. "Luke and his mentor hired my ship to get them off Tatooine," Han said. His expression softened, and Leia wondered if he knew he was doing it. "Coupla crazy idealists, both of them. Jedi, what are you going to do?"
"You were captured by the Empire, weren't you?"
Han nodded. "Got caught by the first Death Star."
"Which is where I was," Leia interjected. She smiled at Han. "They rescued me."
"That sounds very romantic," hinted the producer.
Leia snorted in a most unladylike manner. Breha Organa would've been appalled. "It wasn't remotely romantic, unless you like swimming in garbage and getting shot at."
Their producer was getting a little annoyed, Leia could tell. They weren't giving her the story she wanted. Leia had a hard time feeling sorry for her.
"Let's jump ahead a few years," the producer said. "How did you feel when Luke came back to the Alliance as a Jedi knight?"
"It wasn't exactly a surprise," Leia said. "We knew he'd been training, obviously."
"We've since learned that the Jedi had some pretty strict rules about a lot of things," the producer said. "Not marrying, staying unattached."
Leia fought the urge to roll her eyes. Honestly, interviewers used to be more subtle than this.
"Yes. Luke has been doing a lot of studying." Leia gave a neutral smile.
"He still is," Han added. "Luke's always got his nose in some old history or another."
"Well, what do you think of what he's learned?"
"He's the Jedi here," Han said. "I don't understand half of what he's talking about most of the time anyway. Better him than me. I've never been very good at following the rules."
The producer sighed. Leia could kiss Han—but that would give the producer too much good footage to use.
#
After the previous week, nothing was going to keep Han out of that studio during the show, even though it meant he had to get dressed up and go sit in the audience with Leia. The whole event started with the dress rehearsal.
"Watch your facial expressions," Leia had warned him ahead of time. "They'll be watching both of us closely, especially when Luke is on stage."
Sure. That should be easy, right? Easier than listening to a bunch of strangers discussing Luke's not-inconsiderable physical merits.
The studio was shockingly small. Han expected some sort of giant arena, but instead got a small, intimate audience.
Leia was talking to the former child star's parents as Han watched the lighting crew arguing via headset with the producers. The kid's parents seemed like good people, which made Han wonder exactly why they had gotten their son into show business. Still, they were forging a strange little friendship of being under the spotlight. They planned to start going to dinner on show nights, between dress rehearsals and the airing. Han pretty much expected them to evaporate once this crazy ordeal was over, but he had been wrong before—hell, he had expected to evaporate himself after the Battle of Yavin.
And here he was, watching Luke do something insane again. Coby—that was the kid's name—and Luke were across the dance floor, laughing together, waiting to take their places for the group opening number. The pros were off in a meeting somewhere, and Han couldn't be happier that Arica was elsewhere. Devonoa was on their side of the floor and dropped into the extra seat at their table.
"I heard you're looking for parts for a YT-1300 freighter?" Devonoa asked without preamble. The Pamarthens weren't exactly known for mincing words.
"Always am," Han said. "How'd you hear that?"
"Heard Skywalker saying he was doing some of the work with you. Surprised me," she said, refastening her dark hair in a tight knot at the base of her neck. "Didn't think a hero like that got his hands dirty."
"Listen, he might be a better mechanic than I am," Han said, leaning in.
"Said he's a pilot too—but not like you."
That was so like Luke. "Kid's modest. He's not a racer, but he can fly. More of a fighter pilot though. You might've heard of a little thing called the Death Star?"
Devonoa chuckled drily. "Pamarthe stayed out of the war, but that doesn't mean we weren't paying attention. Said he flew, what, three years against the Empire?"
Han sighed. "More like five by the time we mopped everything up."
"Long damn time to live for a fighter pilot, the way you all were flyin'."
"True."
"I will be glad when this over," she said sourly, trying to arrange the feathered skirt into a comfortable place over her chair.
"You might have to stay another week," Han said.
"Nah. That kriffin' Shijou, for sure he's stayin'. Anyway, fine by me. I'm damn tired."
"Luke is too."
She gave him what passed for her smile. "He's a nice kid. How the hell did he end up friends with a space dog like you?"
Han laughed. "You've never seen the holovids? Thought you said Pamarthe kept up with things. I took him on as a passenger on a charter. We ended up on the Death Star," he gestured toward Leia. "Rescued her." He shrugged. "Just went from there."
"Stinkin' Corellian luck. You bastards always come up on top." She grimaced at the floor director waving at her. "Right, yeah, okay, I'm coming. Keep your pants on." As she stood, she said, "I might have a line on those parts. I'll catch you after the show."
"Sure, thanks. Uh, good luck."
Devonoa grunted and pulled a face. "Gonna take a lot more than luck."
He watched her go, and realized he forgot ask. "Hey, Colslo. How'd you wind up in this mess, anyway?"
She grinned at him over her shoulder as she walked away. "Lost a bet."
#
Before the cameras started rolling, production people were out getting the audience worked up. The excitement was a tangible, physical thing rolling through the crowd. The crowd varied in age and species, but as near as he could tell, leaned heavily toward more feminine genders. He felt a little out of place.
"Damn, was it like this last week?" Han murmured to Leia.
"It was worse, since it was the first week."
"I'd hate like to hell have a crowd like this turn on me."
Finally with countdown, the lights flashed up and the show started.
"Welcome to Dancing Across the Galaxy! I'm your host, Kelfer Jhcor and I'm here with the ever-lovely Wendella for our second week of competition! Last week, Coby Stanrho took the top spot with his partner Kelann—can he do it twice in a row? Let's find out!"
Han found himself getting caught up in things, listening to almost total strangers talk about their life stories and then come out and dance, from the holovid stars to Devonoa. It was more compelling from here in the audience, and the time went by quicker than Han would've expected.
Luke and Arica were the next-to-last team to compete. Luke had been close-mouthed all week about the dance they were working on, but mentioned that the interview focused on the most memorable year of his life. Han didn't have a hard time guessing what that would be.
Turned out, he wasn't wrong. In between footage of Luke and Arica rehearsing this week's dance, there was interview footage of Luke—back in his uniform again—answering the question. Wide shots showed Arica sitting at his side, listening intently.
"The most memorable year of my life was the year I turned nineteen. In the space of a week, my whole life changed. I learned about the Jedi, left Tatooine, joined the Rebellion, destroyed the Death Star… and met a smuggler and a princess, who turned out to be the most important people in my life."
The spotlight swung around to where Han and Leia were sitting, and Han tried to remember what Leia had said about keeping a neutral expression.
Overhead on the projection, Luke gave a small, pensive smile. "But it wasn't all good… I lost my aunt and uncle, my friend Biggs, my mentor Ben Kenobi…" As the camera switched to a wider view of both Luke and Arica, Han saw that she was resting her hand on his. Leia shifted next to him—she'd seen it too. "In so many ways, my life changed for the better but it wasn't easy."
Next came the interview with Han and Leia. Han recognized the shots they'd taken (filmed after the interview) of Han and Leia opening the door and letting the producer and crew in. As soon as they started talking, Han tensed. Something was off. Words were coming out in the wrong order, expressions swapped around.
As the segment went on, Leia put her hand on Han's arm, squeezing tightly. They didn't look at each other.
"Everyone knows about the roles you each played in the Galactic Civil War, but how did you meet?"
"Luke and his mentor hired my ship to get them off Tatooine. Coupla crazy idealists, both of them. Jedi, what are you going to do?" Onscreen, Han shrugged.
"You were captured by the Empire, weren't you?"
Han nodded. "Got caught by the first Death Star."
"Which is where I was," Leia said. "They rescued me."
"That sounds romantic."
"It was romantic." Leia smiled at Han.
Cut to a shot of Han, with a dopily sappy look on his face. What the hell. Leia's hand on his arm was the only thing keeping Han from standing up and complaining. That wasn't what Leia said.
"Let's jump ahead a few years," the producer said. "How did you feel when Luke came back to the Alliance as a Jedi knight?"
"I laughed," Han said. Leia glared at him and he laughed. "What? I did!"
"We've since learned that the Jedi had some pretty strict rules about a lot of things," the producer said. "Not marrying, staying unattached."
Onscreen, Han grinned. "Luke's never been very good at following the rules."
The audience hooted with delight and Han felt his face getting hot. The insinuation was clear, despite everything he and Leia had done to present a durasteel wall to the interviewer.
The interview segment ended, and Han sat in his seat grinding his teeth together. How could they do that?
Onscreen, Luke and Arica were talking about their dance. "Normally," Arica said, facing Luke on the rehearsal floor, "we'd do something that reflects your most memorable year, but I want to do something different. I want to show the judges a different side of you. We all know you're a hero, but who else are you?"
"I'm… just me," Luke said, and Han bit back a smile in spite of everything.
"Well. We'll see what we can learn about you." Oh, this was bad. Arica was definitely flirting with Luke and Han could tell the kid had no idea.
The rehearsals didn't give away much about the dance, but Han was getting that old familiar tickle at the back of his head, a sense of unease.
"Dancing the paso doble, Luke Skywalker and his partner, Arica Pradeux."
Everything was dark except for a dark red spotlight over the fog swirling over the stage. Han couldn't see where either dancer was but—wait. Was that Luke on the ground, in the fog?
The music started, with a thumping, pulsing beat and oh damn, any chance of Han sitting through this stone-faced was blown to hell. Luke rose up out of the fog wearing all black—barely, how the hell did they talk Luke into wearing just a vest instead of a shirt—and the audience started screaming.
This was a million times worse than sitting in the bar and listening to people talking.
And then the dance started in earnest. Luke and Arica stalked each other around the stage in shades of red and black, circling in a way that Han could only describe as 'predatory'. Gone was the bright, innocent smile of last week. Han didn't dare so much as twitch in Leia's direction, because he knew damn well what that look on Luke's face was, and so did she—and it wasn't a look for public consumption, damn it.
By the time Luke did a backflip off the judge's table, flying over Arica's head, the audience was howling like a pack of bloodwolves. The dance—equal parts fight and seduction, to Han's eyes—ended with Luke as the winner, standing over Arica where she sprawled artfully on the floor.
The audience roared as a single-minded organism, surging to its feet.
Han shifted in his seat, praying the camera would stay away for a few minutes, because he didn't know what his face was doing right now, but he sure as hell knew what his body was doing. A quick glance at Leia revealed a similar conflict going on for her. They stood with the crowd, and Han took advantage of the noise to lean over.
"Leia—"
"Don't say it. This was a terrible idea. I know." Leia smiled brightly but Han saw the gritted teeth behind it. "I'm gonna kill the producers."
"Not if I get to them first."
#
Luke had been convinced that everybody would just laugh at their routine, because honestly, it was a little ridiculous. They hadn't shown the long argument he and Arica had had about it.
"Not if we sell it right," she'd said. "We have to be convincing."
And she'd been right. The two of them together had had power over the audience; he could feel it. It was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. Power wasn't usually something he chased after, but this feeling could get addictive.
When they'd finished and he pulled her to her feet, she smiled for the cameras and gave him an enthusiastic hug, during which she whispered, "Listen to that. That's all for you."
Flustered and a little overwhelmed, he'd smiled and led her over to the judges.
At Kelfer Jhcor's prompting, Bredan led them off, flinging himself dramatically across the judges' table. "Luke, you were magnificent, darling! I could just see you, chasing after your prey—and what prey!" Bredan growled and Luke managed to keep a straight face, mainly because he couldn't see Han rolling his eyes. "Who can blame you for trying to catch her? You sold that character like you owed the money to a Hutt—but still, watch your extension—you're thinking about it less but the dance really came alive when you stopped thinking."
"Alin?"
The Mon Calamari judge looked at his notes, frowning. "I'm going to agree with Bredan on one thing only—the dance was the best when you stopped thinking. But there were a lot of tricks and nonsense, mucking up the steps. You don't need them, Arica, Luke has the ability to be a really good dancer. Watch your timing—you were rushing the beat in a few moments, but otherwise, well done."
Luke was starting to see a frustrating similarity between dancing and being a Jedi: both required that he turn off his thoughts, apparently. And the timing! Damn. Arica had warned him about that.
"Viviken?"
She was fanning herself with one of her judges' paddles. "Mother of Moons, I think I'm going supernova over here! Luke, you've been hiding a very sexy secret from all of us!"
Luke's face flared hot and he wanted to crawl under the floor. He could hear Han and Leia laughing already, and blast it, he just remembered Wedge's affection for bad holovid shows—he was almost definitely watching. Oh he was never going to hear the end of this.
Viviken wasn't finished. "I love how you just committed to the character—there were moments when I really could see you getting into it. You need to do more of that. But I loved it!"
Jhcor ushered them up towards the skybox as the show was fast approaching its end. After chit-chatting with Wendella—who was looking at him the same way Viviken had—the judges gave their marks—across the board 9s.
Luke was shocked as the audience roared its approval. Still, he could catch a faint touch from Shijou, who was not happy.
When the show ended and they were off the air, the other cast members surrounded he and Arica to congratulate them. Most of them were sincere, but he was right—Jorlonn Shijou wore a thinly stretched smile over his narrow face. "Very showy," he said. "But then, I seem to remember that the Jedi specialized in flash."
Luke put on his friendliest smile. "I'm just doing what Arica tells me. She's the boss here. You were great, I thought. I don't think you deserved to be in the bottom two." Leia would be proud of him. Then Arica pulled him away to talk to someone else. He eventually wriggled out of a hug from her and started looking down onto the soundstage for Han and Leia. "Be right back," he said. His hands were still just on the edge of shaking with the adrenaline rush.
There they were. Luke waved over the crowd trying to press close to him, smiling vaguely at people talking to him as he squeezed his way over to Han and Leia. He hugged them both, unable to keep the smile off his face. "I can't believe I did it again!"
Leia kissed him on the cheek. "You were great. I knew you'd be good at this."
"What's wrong?" Luke looked between the two of them. It was tempting to take a look at their thoughts, but they'd already had that talk, years ago. They weren't entirely happy, though.
"It's nothing, kid." Han smiled, but glanced around at the crowd. "We can worry about it later. You were great. Bet they weren't expecting that."
Luke laughed. "I wasn't expecting that. That was… fun."
By the time they got home, Luke had forgotten all about what might have been wrong.
