NOT WITHOUT YOU BY MY SIDE

Chapter 4

"Han." The voice was uncommonly quiet but familiar.

Han looked up from the sofa where he'd been viewing the smugglers' blogs and backchanneling some of them.

"I was on Bespin, got here as fast as I could," Lando explained. The world he'd abandoned was the one he'd returned to. What he was running there, Han wasn't sure, but Lando always had some scheme operating. But what mattered most to Han was that his old friend had come to be with him. That moved him. Not that he'd ever admit it to Lando. There was no need to.

"Thanks for coming, pal," Han said, sincerely, as Lando grabbed him in a bear hug.

"Don't even worry about that. How's Leia?"

Han's expression was grim. "No change. Listen, I can't go far, but can we talk somewhere private? There's a quiet room down the way. That's where they take you when the news is really bad."

"They take you there yet?" Lando asked.

"Not yet. But she's not having a good response to the bacta they have, and there's a strain of it that could help her."

"Why aren't they using it?"

"Supply problems, from the sound of it." Han sighed and shook his head.

"There's gotta be some out there," Lando said, shaking his head. "You keep any of your old contacts?"

"Yeah, was just on the smugglers' blogs, lurking to see if anyone popped in that I know of. The problem with calling 'em smugglers' blogs is that most of us are legit. Sometimes we get kind of depressed about it."

"You'd think with Leia's influence -"

"Don't go there," Han warned him. "Leia's political currency isn't making stronger bacta magically appear, and she might be appalled if she knew I was looking to make a deal to get some."

"So don't make the deal. I'll do it," Lando offered. "And I'll pay." Lando retained a great deal of guilt over Han's carbon freezing so many years back. Now was a chance for him to absolve himself.

"You don't have to do that," Han told him. "You paid in full a long time ago."

"I want to do it. Leia's the best thing that ever happened to you, man. She's done good by a lot of people."

"So why the shortage?" Han asked him. "You know something I don't?"

"I heard the Hutts took over the two companies that make it," Lando explained. "Rumor has it that Black Sun wants to get their fingers into the bacta pie. Can't confirm that, but the Hutts aren't trying to hide it."

Han groaned. An unpleasant knot was forming in his stomach. There was no way in a hundred hells he could make a deal with the Hutts. Worse, Leia had killed Jabba, and the Hutts had long memories. If anything, they'd withhold it just to see her die.

There was a knock at the door. Lando asked who was there, and let Luke into the room.

"Han, how's Leia?" Luke asked him. There was something frantic about him that he hadn't demonstrated in a very long time.

"No change," Han said quietly.

"I was afraid of that," Luke said, his voice soft. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Lando spoke before Han. "Here it is: we've gotta get some of the more powerful bacta to Leia. Unfortunately, the Hutts are controlling the supply."

"Wonderful," Luke remarked bitterly. "That leaves negotiating out."

"Maybe not," Lando said. "If anyplace has a stash, it's here on Coruscant."

"The medicenters don't seem to have it," Han said to Luke. "Trust me, they've called everyone."

Luke sized up his brother in law. Han looked as if he'd aged a decade in a little over forty-eight hours. Stubble had taken over his face, and his normally lively eyes were dull and dark ringed. He clearly hadn't slept since Leia had taken ill. Han's spirits weren't easily dampened, but the very real potential loss of his wife, his lover, his best friend and the mother of his children was taking its toll. Han didn't give in to hopelessness often, but if he ever had cause to, it was now.

"Someone's got that stuff," Lando said. "Han, any responses from old friends?"

Han looked numb. "Not yet."

"Don't give up. Someone's gonna come through for you," Lando told him.

"It's not gonna be the Hutts. They'd let Leia die on general principle." Han's tone changed from weary to angry.

Lando studied his old friend. "Not sure I'd care to make a return trip to Tatooine. No offense intended," he said to Luke.

"None taken. You don't know how glad I was to get off that sandpile.'

There was a soft pinging noise. Han grabbed the datapad. "Wow. This here's a blast from the past."

"Anyone we know?" Luke asked his brother in law.

"Not likely, unless you've spent a lot of time on the lower levels," Han muttered.

"Ever worked with this guy?" Lando asked.

"Yeah. But not smuggling. You know of Nici the Specialist?" Han asked Lando.

"Isn't he the guy that made such good fake Id's that the Imps couldn't even tell 'em from the real thing?" Lando asked.

"One and the same," Han said. "I imagine business is still good, depending upon what you're looking for."

"So what's he saying?" Luke asked impatiently.

"Says he can set up a meeting tonight. I can't leave here, guys, and if you don't wanna do it, I understand -"

"We're going, whether you like it or not," Luke informed him.

"I'm just hoping that we don't have to come face to face with one of the Hutts," Lando commented. "Gods, those creatures smell awful."

"You do understand that going to Nici's means you get to walk through ankle deep slurry," Han warned them.

"How far down are we talking?" Lando asked.

"Level twenty-one."

Lando shuddered. "I never went below the five hundred and fiftieth, and that was nasty." But he held up his hands. "We're gonna go, of course!"

"Who's this 'we' you're talking about?" Luke asked quizzically, frowning slightly.

"Well, Han can't exactly leave Leia," Lando pointed out.

"I guess that leaves..." Luke looked very uncomfortable with this development.

"You're gonna have to get out of the Jedi rags," Lando said to him.

"I suggest both of you go looking disreputable," Han told the two. "Lando, you are disreputable, but try to look sleazier."

"I guess that leaves out the cape," Lando said, looking sad.

"You guys are gonna need a secondhand shop," Han told them.

"So where do we meet this Nici?" Luke asked.

"He runs a taverna called the Glow Spider. Dive bar. Really nasty dive bar," Han said as he grabbed his datapad. "I'm sending you the location. And don't take a hovercab. You're part of the great unwashed now. Use the lifts."

"Take good care of her," Luke whispered to Han.

Han found a touch of his humor for a moment and grinned. "Hey, it's me."

Luke and Lando shook their heads.

"You aren't gonna see your sister before we take off?" Lando asked him.

"Leia needs me to help find a way to save her, and right now, that means not being with her."

"Guess we'd better find some rotten clothes." Lando looked as if he was going to be sick.

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Han had asked to see Leia; he was told that she'd be in the bacta tank for at least two more hours. Her fever was still far too high but it was spiking less.

"We can maintain her but we will need the strain of bacta that will treat this particular strain of the bacteria Minister Organa-Solo has. Unfortunately, there are supply problems, and Tatooine is a long flight -"

"What if I can get it by other means?" Han asked the droid.

The droid contemplated that. "We will, of course, have to make sure that purity is not compromised. And, we would appreciate that you not name your source. It is illegal for us to use black market medicines and materials, and the less we know, the better."

"But you would use it."

"Of course, assuming there's been no contamination. I'm not sure why there's such a problem with the supply chain; Thyferra is producing raw strains at nearly full levels -"

"I've got a theory about that, but we'll save it for another time."

"I will call you when Mrs. Solo is out of the bacta tank."

The droid sped off, leaving Han in the waiting area alone.

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Han tried to raise Nici again, but no response. He lurked on the smugglers' blogs and tried to read his favorite comics. Time dragged on endlessly. He didn't even realize he'd dozed off until a crisp female voice called to him.

"Captain Solo?" It was Mon Mothma.

"She's not out of the bacta tank," Han said, his voice rough from lack of sleep for over forty-eight hours.

"I know that her condition is critical. I came to ask what I can do for you and your family."

Han blinked his eyes. "Can you watch the kids and give Chewie a break?"

"Done. Is there anything else?"

"Send Chewie over here. And one other thing."

"Yes?"

"Can you get rid of the holorazzi out front of here and at our home?"

Mon Mothma gave the ghost of a mischievous smile. "Now that's something I've wanted to do for a long, long time."

"Thanks. Really appreciate it."

"Oh, I plan to have great fun doing it."

Maybe she's human after all, Han thought for a moment, but was interrupted.

"Captain Solo?" A nursing droid said quietly.

Han nearly jumped to the ceiling.

"Your wife is asking for you."