Chapter 3

Han Solo and Lando Calrissian burst through the doors from the ballroom and into the waiting area to find Chewbacca talking with Luke Skywalker.

Without acknowledging anyone, Han blurted out, "Well, it's over."

Lando, looked over his shoulder at the ballroom doors in expectation of someone coming after them, added, "I think we'd better leave."

Apprehensively, Luke asked Han, "What did you do?"

As usual, Han answered without thinking, "It's not my fault," but Lando provided a bit of an explanation, "Horm announced the engagement and Han made a…toast."

Han was now looking over his shoulder at the door, half hoping a certain petite princess would appear and half afraid she would burst through the doors in a fit of fury aimed at him, "Lando's right, we'd better go."

"Wait", Luke closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Something's not right," he said as he opened his eyes and looked at Han. "I sense conflict and confusion in Leia. She's not happy right now. In fact, she's rather…angry."

"Listen, Luke," Han said as he pointed his finger in Luke's face. "I don't give a damn about your senses. I don't give a damn about the Force and," he paused to regain his composure and lowered his voice. "I have to stop giving a damn about Leia."

Han turned to leave but Luke grabbed his arm, "Let me talk to her."

Han looked down at Luke's hand and then raised his eyes to glare at the Jedi. Luke let go and Han turned on his heel and headed for the elevator.

After pushing the call button, he turned back to Luke, Lando and Chewbacca, "Leia has made her decision and now I've made mine. I'm done."

Impatiently, Han pushed the call button again as he continued, "You know what really gets me? We were talking, not ten minutes before the announcement and she…she didn't even warn me. She just let me…."

The elevator doors opened and Han lowered his head as he stepped inside. The three watched him leave in silence before Chewie finally growled and Lando agreed, "You're right, Chewie, we need to go find him."

Luke reiterated, "I'll go talk to Leia. You two take care of Han and I'll be in touch."

When Luke entered the ballroom, the attendees were all talking about the wonderful announcement and the horrible behavior of General Solo. The buzzing of multiple conversations reminded Luke of the large nectar gathering insects on Kashyyyk He nodded to General Carlist Reeikan who was comforting one of Leia's assistants, Merri. He reached out with his mind to find Leia and was drawn to a doorway off to the side of the room. Threkin Horm and Mon Mothma were standing outside the door in deep discussion and even without using the Force; Luke could sense a great deal of tension between them.

Luke approached the door and was greeted by Mon Mothma. He returned the greeting and said that he must speak with Leia. Before Mon Mothma could answer, Threkin Horm butted in, "Ambassador Organa is in a private conversation with her fiancé and does not wish to be disturbed."

At that moment, the door opened and Leia threw herself into Luke's arms. Luke tried to comfort her mentally and Leia pulled back to look at him. Nodding silently, she took his hand and led him inside.

"Now who is this?" demanded Prince Isolder who was waiting right inside the doorway.

"This is my dearest friend, Luke Skywalker. Luke, this is Prince Isolder of Hapes."

Luke bowed an acknowledgement as Isolder quickly added, "I am also Leia's fiancé."

Before Luke could respond, Leia snapped, "No, you are not!"

"The announcement was made. It's official."

"And as I told you repeatedly, I did not consent to this."

"But you accepted our gifts and the announcement was made."

Luke could see this discussion was not progressing and Leia's frustration was at its limit.

"If I could have a private word with the Ambassador," Luke interjected.

Leia regained the composure she was dangerously close to losing and turned to Luke. Out loud she answered, "Of course," while mentally she exclaimed, "Thank you!"

"Isolder, would you please leave us for a few moments?"

Isolder just stood there for an uncomfortable few seconds before he smiled slightly and nodded to Leia, "As you wish, my dear."

He walked to Leia and once again, gathered her up into an extremely passionate kiss but this time Leia pushed against him with all her strength. When they parted, Leia momentarily thought she sensed something malevolent in Isolder but it was gone so quickly, Leia thought perhaps she had imagined it.

After Isolder left, Leia asked Luke, "Did you sense anything from him?"

"Confusion and annoyance at being sent out of the room. Why?"

Leia shook her head and rubbed her temples, "I thought I felt…I don't know…."

"Did you sense something?"

Again, Leia shook her head, "This entire situation has been so confusing, I've had to shut myself off."

"How did you get into this mess?" Luke asked.

Leia sighed, "You know I've been cultivating a relationship with the Hapes Consortium."

Luke nodded for her to continue.

"Well, sixty-three Hapan ships arrive, one from each planet in the system and each one bearing gifts. Prince Isolder was gift number sixty-three and if I marry him, I will succeed his mother as the Ta'a Chume of the system."

Leia began to pace as she continued, "There was no way I could have turned the proposal down at that time. It would have ruined all the progress I had made with them up to that point. I told him I would give my decision in thirty days."

"Why thirty days?" asked Luke.

"I thought I could entertain Isolder for a few days before he returned to Hapes, continue with the diplomatic talks and get the current Ta'a Chume to commit to joining the New Republic within thirty days."

"And what were you going to do if the Ta'a Chume was waiting on your decision first?"

Leia threw her arms up in the air.

"Stall? I honestly hadn't thought that far ahead."

"So what made Threkin Horm think you had accepted the proposal?"

Leia slumped into a chair across from Luke and sighed, "I did agree to go back to Hapes."

"What? Why? You just said you thought…"

"I know!" Leia snapped. "Things were progressing in a manner I hadn't anticipated and when Isolder suggested I could get to know him and the people I would be ruling better, I accepted."

"How long were you planning on staying?"
"Mon gave me eight months off," Leia admitted sheepishly. Now that she had to explain all this to Luke, she was beginning to understand the absurdness of the situation.

"Eight months!?" Luke jumped out of his seat, "Leia, you were planning on spending eight months with this guy?"

Now Luke was pacing, "Are you in love with him?"

"I…I don't know." Leia closed her eyes, "Han thinks I'm in love with Hapes. It does remind me so much of Alderaan."

"That was my next question," Luke said. "What about Han?"

"Han," Leia repeated in exasperation as she slumped forward in her chair and rubbed her temples. Luke sat on the arm of the chair and gently rubbed her back.

"Luke, you have to do me a favor."

"Sure, Leia, anything."

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Promise me you'll check on Han. I'm concerned about his health. When I saw him tonight I could tell he had been drinking heavily and you know how the carbonite compromised his liver function."

She paused for a moment and closed her eyes.

"You still care for him," Luke stated.

"Of course I do. I always will," she added softly.

"I saw Han," Luke admitted. "He's with Lando and Chewie."

"Lando? He's with Lando?"

"Well, I know he's not the best influence but Chewie's with him," Like tried to reassure her.

"And Chewie must have been with him when he was drinking," Leia retorted. "Han had been doing so well for years now, just a drink now and then. And he would stop after one or two drinks, not finish a whole bottle."

Luke took a deep breath before asked the obvious, "Do you think this Hapes think could have him upset?"

Leia spun on Luke. Deep down she knew that was the reason but…."Han is an adult and more than capable of taking care of himself. I cannot be held responsible for his weaknesses," she snapped.

Leia turned her back to Luke so he would not see her blink away the tears. Luke did not have to say anything. She knew he did not believe her. She didn't even believe herself but there were bigger things at stake and sometimes sacrifices must be made.

Luke walked up behind Leia and gently asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Don't you understand what this could mean to the New Republic? To the people of Alderaan? We would have a home again."

"In a closed system where men aren't equal?"

"But I can change all that," Leia was almost pleading with her brother.

"When you are the ruler?"

"Yes," Leia was relieved that Luke was beginning to understand.

"Is the current Ta'a Chume old or ill?

Leia was puzzled by that question, "No, not that I'm aware."

"Then it could be decades before you succeed her," Luke stated and Leia nodded in agreement.

"And what will you be doing in the meantime?" Luke asked her, adding, "You won't be an ambassador anymore."

Leia realized that Luke had a point and she began pacing so she would not have to look at him, "No, but I'm sure I could assist in opening the Hapes system to the rest of the New Republic."

Luke waited until Leia had stopped pacing but her back was still turned to him and he added, "And you would probably start producing your own heirs."

Leia spun on him, "What did you say?"

"I said, 'I'm sure you will be expected to produce an heir of your own.'"

Leia stood there in shock.

Luke smiled as he hugged her, "It is so good that you got over your aversion to having children. I can't wait to be an uncle."

"I'm…I'm…I'm not having children," Leia stammered as she pushed him away and stepped back, "I'll adopt like my parents did."

"And what will you do if that's not acceptable?"

Leia was visibly shaken as she rubbed her temples, "I'll pretend I'm infertile."

Luke cocked his head to one side as he looked at her.

"I'll make myself infertile," Leia continued almost babbling, "I'm sure there's a procedure I can have done."

"Don't you think it's possible that if you are infertile, the Ta'a Chume could deem you unacceptable and look for another successor? Then what? The people of Alderaan are stuck in a system without their Princess and you may have ruined your chance at happiness."

If the situation was not so serious, Luke could have been amused at Leia's speechlessness, instead he decided to say what was on his mind. "Actually, I'm rather relieved to hear that you still don't want children. I was afraid you just didn't want to have children with Han."

Leia finally found her voice again, "No, I've always thought Han would make a great father, it's just—"

There was a quick knock and the door opened as Threkin Horm guided his repulsorlift chair inside followed by Prince Isolder and Mon Mothma.

Leia turned her back to them. She was too frazzled at the moment to deal with any of them.

Luke addressed the three as Prince Isolder walked past, "I'm sorry but we are not finished."

Isolder completely ignored him and stood behind Leia, wrapping his arms around her. Luke could feel Leia tense.

Horm, also ignoring Luke, spoke to Leia, "Ambassador, you must return to your guests. Everyone is waiting to congratulate you."

Since everyone seemed to be ignoring him, Luke stepped off to the side, pulled out his commlink and began to send a message.

Isolder continued to stand behind Leia, his arms tightening around her as he slowly began to kiss her neck, in a very low voice, Leia told him to stop. When he didn't she shook him off and barked, "Get off of me!"

Freeing herself from Isolder's grip, Leia turned her attention to Threkin Horm, "How dare you put me in this position! You had no right to make that announcement!"

Prince Isolder put his hands on Leia's shoulders and tried to calm her, "Leia, my dear, this is a joyous occasion."

"Stop touching me! We are not engaged," Leia cried as she slapped his hands away.

"I'm sorry, Ambassador, but as the President of the Alderaanian Council, I stand by my announcement. It's evident that your acceptance of the proposal was inevitable."

Leia turned to Mon Mothma for support, "You seem awfully quiet about this, Chancellor. What's your opinion?"

Mon Mothma looked at Leia, Horm and Isolder before answering, "At first I wanted this union for personal and political reasons. Now, I want Leia to make the decision on her own, without anyone trying to influence her."

"As President of the Alderaanian Council," Horm repeated as if anyone needed to be reminded, "It is my duty to act in the best interest of the survivors of Alderaan and it would be a great opportunity for our Princess to marry into the Hapes Consortium especially since the Hapes are willing to look past her indiscretions. Other royal houses may not be so forgiving."

"Forgiving? So you consider me damaged goods?" Leia demanded.

Horm stammered, "Well, considering your dalliances with the Corellian, there are some that could think like that."

Leia thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing, "No, I think the key word here is 'goods'. You consider me property."

Mon Mothma stood from her seat and squared her shoulders as she stood next to Leia and faced Horm, "Then General Solo's toast was accurate."

Before Horm could react, the door opened again as General Carlist Reeikan entered and announced to Luke, "I've found General Solo."

Leia whispered, "Han."

Horm snorted, "And I hope you are sending a unit to arrest him. That man is a menace and should be court martialed."

"Court martialed?" asked Reeikan. "Solo is an asset—"

Horm waived his hand dismissively at Reeikan.

Reeikan turned to Luke and said sarcastically. "I guess I'm I being dismissed."

Luke shrugged as General Reeikan briefly glared at Horm before addressing Leia. "Princess, it has come to my attention that General Solo was deliberately not invited to this gala."

Horm answered. "Yes, yes, I know. The organizers were instructed not to invite him. We didn't need his sort at such a momentously joyous occasion."

"His sort?!" exclaimed Leia, Luke and Reeikan.

Reeikan was not letting this go unchallenged, "General Solo is a decorated war hero and a commissioned general in this Republic."

Again, Horm waived his pudgy hand. "Solo is a relic, a criminal and not worth our time."

Reeikan opened his mouth to defend Han but Horm continued, "Now, Your Highness, let's get back to your decision to accept the Hapes proposal."

Prince Isolder once again put his hands on Leia's shoulders and without so much as a glace back at him, Leia casually slipped out of his grasp and declared, "This conversation is finished. General Reeikan, take me to Han."