Han was disappointed when he finally landed on Chandrila and Leia was not there to greet him. She had said in a quick message the night before that she would try to get away to meet the Falcon, but clearly she had been unable to. He sighed, suspecting that this was one of many disappointments to come in the next few weeks.
Though Leia's message the previous evening had been brief, she made it clear that the Alliance leadership was moving very quickly to establish a new government in the Core Worlds and bring potentially rogue worlds on the Outer Rim into the fold. Though he had pressed her for details, she had not been forthcoming. He hoped his meeting with Rieekan would shed some light on the overall plans.
Han descended the Falcon's ramp into what he could only describe as controlled chaos. Troops disembarked from all manner of Alliance ships, supplies were being unloaded onto cargo trams, frustrated dock techs barked orders as this droid or that pilot crossed the path of a cargo crate on the move. After so many years of fighting, you'd think they'd take a day or two off to celebrate, Han thought. But this looked more like a mobilization than a demobilization. He shook his head and asked the nearest dock tech for directions to headquarters. The tech flagged down a passing troop transport and told Han to get on for it was easier to ride than to try to explain to him how to get there on foot. Han nodded in thanks.
The chatty navigator sitting next to Han filled him in on the events of recent hours. The Alliance had temporarily set up in the Chandrilan senate with Mon Mothma at the helm. They were in the process of assigning other duties, but their main concern was that worlds in the Outer Rim not provide a safe haven to Imperial officers lest they regroup and strike back. Han smiled politely to the navigator and thanked him for the information. None of it was surprising, but at least he wouldn't walk into Rieekan's office completely ignorant of the overall plans.
When the transport arrived at the local senate building, Han followed the other passengers through a traditional Chandrilan garden towards large glass doors. He stopped at a desk just in front of the lifts to ask if the information concierge could point him to Princess Leia. He scrolled through his data pad and then shook his head.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I do not have her listed. Maybe she is working out of someone else's office."
"How about Rieekan? Carlist Rieekan. I'm supposed to meet with him this morning."
"Yes sir. General Rieekan is on the 10th floor. You can access that floor through this lift here and the information concierge on 10th will direct you to his exact location."
The lift was crowded with both Alliance members and Chandrilans. Han wondered if the Chandrilans resented this sudden invasion of their planet by the entire Rebel fleet. A political people, the Chandrilans would seek to gain a foothold on the new government early on. They are probably thrilled to be overrun by us, he decided.
Stepping off the lift on the 10th floor, Han was immediately greeted by a very young woman who looked more Alderaanian than Chandrilan. He cleared his throat.
"I am looking for Princess Leia. Do you happen to know where she is?"
The young woman smiled and nodded. "General Solo, General Rieekan is expecting you. If you will follow me."
"Wait," he stopped here to consider his choice of words. "Is it possible for me to see Lei—I mean Princess Leia before I meet with Rieekan? She and I have some… business to discuss first."
"The Princess is in a meeting at the moment with Mon Mothma. Once you are finished with General Rieekan, I can show you to the Princess' office." She then gestured with her hand that Han should follow her down the hallway.
General Rieekan was standing at the window to his office when Han walked in. He turned when the young woman announced Han, strode across the room in 3 steps, and clasped Han's proffered hand warmly.
"Solo! It is good to see you. The men are already spreading tales about your bravery at Endor!" he said enthusiastically. "We could not have done it without you."
Han ducked his head. For a man with self-confidence to spare, Han Solo did not take compliments well. "Thanks, but I didn't do it alone."
"No, I understand Leia was wounded. Early bacta treatment seems to have fixed her right up!"
Han nodded not entirely sure how much he should say about Leia in front of Rieekan. The man knew—must have known—that Han and Leia had feelings for one another. Everyone in the Alliance knew. In fact, given the rumors he had heard upon his return from Jabba's clutches, everyone assumed they were much farther along in their courtship than they actually were.
"Speaking of the Princess," Rieekan began, gesturing that Han should sit in the large chair opposite his desk, "I have a proposal for you."
Han sat where indicated, but shifted uncomfortably at the word "proposal". Damn, this is gonna be about us, he thought.
Mon Mothma and I have had a long talk about the Princess and her future with the Alliance and new government. The Princess' real strength is in diplomacy." Rieekan began to tap his stylus on his desk as if to emphasize the points he was making. "She was trained during a particularly tense time of the Imperial Senate, and she possesses the rhetorical skills needed to persuade some of the more reluctant outposts to join us."
Blood rushed through Han's ears, and he realized he was struggling to hear Rieekan. His pulse thumped through his head as he put together what the man across from him was saying.
"Han, she's going to need a top-notch security detail out there. She's no stranger to dangerous situations, but this is going to be particularly rough. Those pirates and smugglers in the Outer Rim are a tough crew. Well, I don't have to tell you that." Rieekan looked slightly sheepish at the mention of Han's preferred profession.
"Sir, excuse me, but I don't think I understand what you are saying," Han interrupted.
"We want you to go with her, Solo. Be her Chief Security Officer. Protect her. Take care of her. She needs someone she can trust, and we need someone we can trust. You are the best man for the job."
"But why send her out there into that… mess?"
"I told you," he raised his voice slightly. "She's the best diplomat we have when it comes to negotiating with these kind of characters." And then he laughed, "Hell, she handles you well enough."
Han knew he should smile at this casual mention of his and Leia's very public banter. Rieekan was acknowledging that not only did he know about their relationship, but he was also willing to allow them to continue it. But how, Han wondered, would they ever manage to have a relationship within the confines of such public service?
"So, can we count on you, General?"
Han nodded reluctantly.
"Good," Rieekan bellowed. "I knew you'd understand. I'm going to send you over the Central Habiliment Unit. There you will meet with the Habiliment Supervisor. She will see to it that you get new uniforms for the trip."
"What's wrong with my own clothes?" Han asked with slight embarrassment. "We've never stood on much ceremony before about such things."
Rieekan chuckled. "Han," he started with slight condescension in his voice, "you are the new Chief Security Officer to the last Princess of Alderaan. You have to look the part. And that means you have to wear the uniform of a general in the Alliance. The Habiliment Supervisor will set you up with everything you need." Rieekan patted him on the back in a show camaraderie that surprised Han then guided him towards the door.
"I'll meet you back here this afternoon to brief you on the specifics of the journey. Until then, I'm turning you over the Protocol Officer Drayson." He gestured to the young man stationed just outside his door. "No relation to the Admiral," he whispered to Han, "but you'll be in good hands all the same."
Han nodded and forced a smile.
"Drayson, he's all yours." Rieekan beamed one last time at Han and stepped back into his office.
Leia sat across from Mon Mothma in stunned silence. They wanted her to go on a diplomatic mission to the Outer Rim. Why her? Were they trying to get her killed?
Mon Mothma had always taken a measured approach where Leia was concerned—neither too distant nor too personal—it had made it difficult for Leia to assess the older woman's true opinion of her. She suspected, based on her debriefing after her rescue from the first Death Star, that Mothma blamed her for the destruction of Alderaan, but the Alliance leader had never confirmed that.
"It is, of course, an incredibly dangerous mission," Mothma was saying as thoughts swirled through Leia's head. "Your hesitance does you credit."
"Why me?" Leia asked with more concern in her voice than she had intended.
Mothma smiled, "The leadership council agreed unanimously that you were the best person for the job. Your negotiating skills are top-notch, and your training in rhetoric is unsurpassed by any of the other diplomats currently available." The woman paused, calculating whether or not to add the last part of her argument. "And besides," she softened her voice, "a young, pretty face never hurt a diplomatic mission."
Leia blushed. In all her years as a senator and a member of the Alliance no one but a handful of older women in the leadership had referred to her age and looks as a means to achieve a goal. The men around her, it seemed, were either too respectful to say such things or too realistic to believe it to be true.
"You will, of course, have the best security team we can assemble. Against my better judgment, I have given General Rieekan permission to offer the job as your Chief Security Office to General Solo."
Han? Leia thought. That would mean-
Mothma continued, "Of course, as your Chief Security Office, General Solo would be working for you, for us, in a professional capacity. There could be no fraternizing."
Leia frowned and lowered her eyes. Mon Mothma had never been a big fan of Han. She indicated this more in disapproving looks than in anything she had said outright about him. But this move seemed extreme. Sending Leia off into the wilds of the Outer Rim with a man she loved but couldn't touch? This surpassed even Mothma's capacity for cruelty—or so Leia had thought minutes before this conversation.
Sensing Leia's continued reluctance, Mothma softened her tone. "Leia, Carlist feels that you will be fine as long as Solo is with you. You know Carlist sees you like a daughter. He would never agree to send you on a mission he didn't feel you could accomplish. And with Solo there to protect you…" she trailed off waiting for some kind of response from Leia. But Leia was deep in her own thoughts trying to work out what game this woman was playing.
The older woman waited another beat before typing something quickly on the data screen in front of her and then standing up.
"Good. I have requisitioned a new wardrobe from the Central Habiliment Unit for you. We can't send you off to represent the new government in your old military khakis. The Habiliment Supervisor is waiting for you across the street. I have also requisitioned a Chandrilan yacht for you. We have a team retrofitting it now with the latest security and communication technologies, and, well, moving a few walls around to make it more suitable for a team than a family." She scanned Leia's face for a reaction, maybe a touch of joy at being handed a bit of luxury after so many years of deprivation. But Leia revealed nothing.
Mothma sighed. "Leia, you are going to find all kinds out there. Warlords who want to be treated as royalty, and outcast sons of royalty who want to be treated as pirates. We are sending you as a Princess of Alderaan, the last Princess of Alderaan. You will need to act the part to the fullest." And here the corners of Mothma's mouth turned up slightly as she struggled not to smile. "That means, you need to keep a professional relationship with your staff and develop personal relationships with your peers."
Leia winced visibly, but nodded in understanding. She was certain the look on Mon Mothma's face was one of triumph. If the Alliance leader had wanted Han Solo neutralized, she had certainly found the perfect scenario in which to do it.
"I'd like to show you some of the details of the retrofitted yacht you'll be using for the trip," Drayson explained as they climbed into the lift. "If we get there before they finish, you can request any special modifications you think you'll need while you are gone. After we visit the hangar, I'll bring you back to the Central Habiliment Unit to meet with the supervisor. You have plenty of time before your security briefing this afternoon."
It hadn't dawned on Han that they wouldn't take the Falcon on the trip. He also realized as the lift dropped toward the bottom floor that he hadn't asked about Chewie. Did Rieekan assume Chewie would be part of the team or did he assume Chewie would stay here?
Han cleared his throat, "Um, do you know who all is on the security team? I mean, I have this Wookiee, and I, um—" Han trailed off not sure how to continue.
Drayson shook his head. "I don't think the Wookiee was included in the planning. Is that going to be a problem? I mean, a good Wookiee could certainly provide protection, but subtlety and diplomacy aren't really a Wookiee's strengths." Worried that he had offended Han he quickly continued, "I mean, maybe your Wookiee is different."
"No, not really. You've about summed him up."
Drayson nodded. "Is he here with you? Should I give you some time to meet with him?"
"Yeah, thanks. My ship is docked at the main spaceport."
Drayson smiled, "That's easy. That's where we are headed."
Han prepared a speech for Chewie that put the princess' safety ahead of both Han and Chewie's needs. Chewie did not like the plan for him to stay on Chandrila with the Falcon, but he liked the idea that he could reach Han and Leia in a day or so if they needed him. The Falcon had sustained damage during the Battle of Endor, and Han felt certain Rieekan would spare some funds for her repair. The repairs would fall to Chewie.
The hangar housing the newly rechristened Envoy V was quieter than the one in which the Falcon was currently parked. Han thought the name an odd choice given that the yacht was not an Envoy-class shuttle. Still no one had asked him, so he waved a hand at the freshly painted letters just outside the entrance ramp and followed Drayson inside.
"We are retrofitting her with all the latest security and communication technology," Drayson explained as he waved a hand towards a mix of droids and techs who were assembling control panels and running wires. "She's an as up-to-date ship as you are going to find in our fleet."
Han whistled. "Impressive. Who's going to use all this stuff?"
"We'll send a protocol droid with you. And the rest of the crew is familiar with one piece of this or the other. I think you will manage." Drayson turned towards the cockpit and Han followed. "I understand you are quite the pilot, General Solo."
Han scoffed, "Yeah well, a necessity in my line of work."
"Previous line of work," Drayson corrected.
"Right."
"You won't pilot this ship. You have two pilots assigned to the team. They can serve as back-up security if needed. Your sole mission here is to provide protection to the princess. You are not to fly this ship unless absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"
Drayson sounded as though he were pulling rank on Han, and Han glowered at him.
"Look," Han began. But Drayson held up a hand silencing him.
"General Solo, I do not mean to be disrespectful, but your reputation precedes you. Rieekan has assigned you to protect the princess, and he has assigned me to show you the lay of the land, so to speak. Allow me to do my job so that you can do yours."
Han smiled slightly. This young man had nerve. When was the last time anyone had stood up to him besides Leia? He was beginning to like him.
"Now, if you will follow me, I will show you the living quarters." Han followed Drayson out of the cockpit and past the crew working on the updated technology panels. Drayson pointed to a large open space on the right. "All of this is the crew common area. It is basically the mess, lounge, and briefing room all in one. It's not traditional, but it's what we have to work with." He pointed to a door towards the back of the open area, "That's the galley. You'll have a hospitality specialist on board to oversee the meals and cleaning. She's quite a gourmet, but a great sabaac player. I'd watch your credits if I were you."
"How is she at Corellian Spike?" Solo said under his breath.
"Killer. Just don't play the strip version. You'll lose your new wardrobe to her." At this, Han laughed out loud for the first time in days. It felt good, and he walked faster to catch up with Drayson, more eager now to see the rest of the ship.
Following a quick tour of the crews' quarters—one for male and one for female and their respective 'freshers, Drayson led him down the left side of the yacht to his quarters. Palming the door, he led Han inside.
"I hope these accommodations suit you. There's time to change the linens if the color or fabric doesn't suit you."
Han shook his head, "These are fine."
"Refresher to the right," Drayson pointed to the ensuite 'fresher, "and emergency entrance to the princess' quarters to the left."
Han raised his eyebrows. "An emergency door to her room?"
Drayson sighed and turned to face Han. "General Solo, this door is to be used only in the case of an emergency. When it is opened, alarms will sound not only in the security apparatus on board this ship but also at headquarters. If it opens, you'd better have a good explanation for why it opened."
Han smirked. He could think of a lot of emergency excuses to open Leia's door. But Drayson was stepping out of Han's room back into the hallway and waving for him to follow.
"This is the door to Leia's quarters," he said opening the door and stepping in. He pointed immediately to his right. "There's your emergency door, so you will see that it opens to her private lounge not her bedroom."
Han nodded, but he wasn't paying attention to the emergency door. He was fixated on the room. A circular lounge sofa sat in the middle of the room covered in gray nerf hide. Gods, what something like that must have cost. A snow white rug of some animal fur he couldn't identify covered the floor, and the entire room gave one the sense of being in a soft but brewing storm cloud. White and fluffy on the bottom, gray up top. There was a desk next to a large viewport, and a holoscreen on the wall that could be seen from the sofa or the desk. Han tried imagining the blaster-wielding Leia he had become so used to relaxing in this room. He couldn't.
Drayson smiled at Han, recognizing that the pilot was trying to reconcile this new luxury with the years of deprivation so many of them had endured. "Do you think she will like it? He asked Han.
"How could she not? It's, well, I don't know what it is. But I think she's going to like it."
"Good, now, if you will follow me, I will show you her bedroom."
"By all means," Han cackled. Drayson shot him a look that cut the laugh short.
Ushering him into Leia's bedchamber, Drayson took the opportunity to lay it on the line. "General Solo, can I speak frankly with you?"
"Please do."
"Rieekan has chosen you to accompany Leia because he knows that you won't let anything happen to her, that you would die protecting her. But you should realize that part of protecting her is honoring and respecting who she is. Everyone knows the two of you are involved. But this diplomatic trip is not going to be the time to flaunt that. Allow her to do this for the Alliance. Allow her to play this role. Do you understand?"
Han nodded and blinked. He felt certain he should have some pithy comeback to put the young officer back in his place, but he could think of none.
By the time Han followed Drayson into the Central Habiliment Unit, it was well past the midday meal, and Han was starving. "Hey, Drayson, think we could grab a bite to eat before we do this wardrobe thing?"
"We're late as it is," Drayson explained. "I am going to leave you with the Habiliment Supervisor, and I will return with something you can eat during the security briefing.
Han groaned. "Fine."
"Han!" Leia called from behind him.
Leia. Thank the gods he had finally located her, or rather she had located him. He stepped quickly toward her, but she held up a hand to stop him before he pulled her into an embrace.
"You idiot," she hissed.
"What? Me?" he protested, pointing at his own chest. "That's how you greet me after you ditch me on my ship in the wee hours of the morning?"
"You said yes to their bodyguard scheme, didn't you?"
"Well, I, uh…"
"Gods, Han. They've really got us now. You realize that we will be working together in a professional relationship." She glanced at Drayson standing near enough to hear their conversation, and then pulled Han by the elbow a few steps away. "Not just working together, but working together in close quarters," she whispered roughly.
Han smiled and took a step towards her, "Yeah, very close quarters. There's a door between our rooms." She put her hand out again to stop him and looked around.
"Why didn't you just say no? What is it, 1, 2 standard months? We could have sent holovids and messages. That's been done before. This will be Bespin all over again. Sharing a ship but with an audience and unable even to touch," she growled.
"Your highness, if I recall, on that trip to Bespin we had an audience of one Wookiee who would have happily retreated to his own cabin to give us an audience of zero if you had been interested," he teased.
"Stop it, Han." She stamped her foot for emphasis, causing Han to narrow his eyes at her. He was genuinely taken aback by her anger. He thought he was doing something for her by saying yes, doing something for them.
Drayson cleared his throat, and they both looked over at him. He pointed at the chrono on his wrist.
"I'm late," Han offered as an out to them both. "Look, we'll talk. It'll be okay. I promise."
"Where have I heard that before?" she sighed.
"Wait until you see the ship. It's gorgeous. You are going to love it, I promise." He looked up and down the hall but the three of them were alone. He leaned toward her and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before she could step away.
He mouthed, "I love you."
She rolled her eyes at him in response, turned on her heel, and walked away.
"This way, please, General Solo. We are quite late now," Drayson stated.
Han followed.
