Leia sat on the gray nerfhide couch in her lounge, legs curled underneath her, a glass of wine on the low table in front of her. Dalia sat opposite her curled in a similar position, fingering a pendant around her neck with one hand and balancing a glass of wine on her knee with the other.
"Forty days!" Dalia gasped. "On that hunk of junk? You must have been furious with him!"
Leia shrugged and reached for her glass. "Not really. I mean, it was his fault that ship was never in working order, but it wasn't his fault that I was on it." She took a sip of the wine. "He saved my life," she said defensively.
"Still, that's high price to pay for a life-saving. Gods, what did you do to keep from going crazy out there." And then realizing the potential answer to her question, she leaned forward, set her glass on the table in front of her and whispered, "Did you, you know, share his bunk?"
Leia blushed and shook her head.
"No? You're kidding!" Dalia exclaimed.
"Shhhhh." Leia turned to look past the open door to the main cabin corridor. "I mean, we've kissed, but nothing more really."
"Why? Or why not? What stopped you?"
Leia returned her glass to the table and sighed. "I don't know. There was a lot going on. We had no clue who all had escaped Hoth. He was headed to Jabba as soon as he dumped me off in Bespin or back with the fleet. The timing just wasn't right. Or maybe I didn't trust him. Or maybe I didn't trust myself?" The inflection in her voice was not rhetorical but a genuine question she had asked herself over and over again in the months after Boba Fett had taken Han away in the carbonite. "I nearly missed my chance," she said shaking the memory from her mind. "Anyway, here we are again, stuck on a ship for forty some odd days, and there's no way we can—"
Dalia interrupted her, "Wait! So, you still haven't—"
"Haven't what?" Han asked as he strode into Leia's lounge.
Leia's eyes narrowed at him. "Get out, flyboy. You weren't invited into my cabin." She looked at Dalia and grinned.
"Yeah, Solo. We can't talk about you if you're in here."
"So you're talking about me, huh?" Han flopped down onto the lounge and put his boots up on the table, crossing them at the ankle.
"Gods, you have no manners!" Leia said in exasperation as she reached over to push his boots off.
Han reached for the open wine bottle he had carried in. "I thought you two would like to help me finish this off." He started to pour himself a glass.
"Finish? It looks like you are just starting it," Dalia said.
"Okay, so I might have opened one too many bottles at dinner. We have plenty of it on board. Might as well drink it. For a Chandrilan wine, it's not too shabby." He took a sip and smiled.
The women did not resume the conversation Han had interrupted, so he busied himself refilling their glasses and making small talk.
"That was some dinner," Han sighed, rubbing his stomach appreciatively. "That gal can cook." Both women nodded but did not take up the line of conversation.
"This is a nice viewport for a ship this size," he said pointing to the window on the other side of Leia's desk.
"I don't know, watching hyperspace swirl by makes me kind of dizzy," Dalia offered.
Han nodded. The conversation came to a halt again.
"Han," Leia finally started, "do you think you could give Dalia and me a little more time to talk? We haven't seen each other in years and there's a lot to catch up on."
Han returned to his seat on the couch. "Nope, can't do it your Worship. Would like to leave you alone, but I can't."
"Excuse me?"
"Rieekan gave me strict orders that I am not to leave your side. Not for one second. He said, 'Solo, do not leave her side under any circumstance.' So, I'm not leaving." He pointed at Dalia. "She heard him."
Dalia nodded and laughed. He did have Leia on this point. Rieekan had indeed made it very clear to Han that his number one priority was to stay by Leia's side at all times. He was to attend every meeting, every speech, every ceremony, every dinner, and every ball.
Leia groaned. "Haaaaaan." She uncurled a leg from underneath her bottom and kicked him.
"All right, all right. I'm going. But Dalia, if anything happens to her in the wee hours, I'm blaming you."
Dalia nodded and smiled, "Of course, General Solo."
"I'll leave the wine. I'm guessing you're going to need it." He leaned over and kissed Leia on the cheek. He whispered, "I love you" into her ear.
She whispered, "I know," back in his.
Dalia waited until Han was out of the room before she finished her thought. "So, you still haven't slept with him." It was more of a statement than a question.
Leia shook her head. "He was too sick when we got him out of the carbonite, and then we headed straight to Endor, and then here. Was I supposed to take him in the hallway of headquarters?"
Both women laughed. "Just promise me this isn't about saving yourself because of some inane dedication to a royal protocol that no longer exists," Dalia begged. "Promise me that when you do get the chance again, you will take it."
Leia cocked her head at Dalia. "Why?"
"Because," Dalia started in exasperation, "the chemistry between the two of you is palpable." She shook her head again to emphasize her point.
"It is hard to let go of the way we were raised," Leia said softly. "Even though they aren't here to disapprove, I know they would, so it makes it hard to follow through. Sometimes I feel like they are watching me." She paused. "What about you? Have you had any lovers?"
Dalia nodded. "I have. You know I was never a big fan of all those courtly rules."
"Tell me about them."
The crackle of the comlink next to his bed woke him with a start.
"Han?"
He fumbled on the table next to his head to find the comlink. After a few seconds he found it and replied groggily, "Yeah?"
"Can you unlock your door?" she whispered.
"What? Yeah, give me a second."
Han rolled out of bed and tried to get his bearings in the dark room. He fumbled for the light on the control panel next to the bed but couldn't find it. He opted instead just to stumble toward the tiny red lights on the floor indicating the door.
He squinted in the dimmed light of the corridor but smiled at the sight of Leia standing before him. "Hey," he smiled softly.
"Hey," she grinned, noticing his new black bunk pants. "Can I come in?"
He reached into the corridor and pulled her inside, slapping the controls to close the door as she crossed the threshold. He didn't want anyone to see this.
"Hey," he repeated as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Hey," she echoed, sliding his hands around the small of his back.
He moved his lips from her forehead to her mouth and kissed her gently. "I've missed you."
"Me too," she replied.
"Wanna share my bunk? It really will be our trip to Bespin all over again." He grinned but she couldn't see it in the darkness of the cabin. He loved that during that trip to Bespin she frequently sought him for comfort on the Falcon. Not intimacy, but security.
"Do you mind? I tried falling asleep in my bed, but I can't. All I could think about was you in here."
"Come on," he said, pulling her toward the bed and fumbling with the bedclothes. "Your virtue is safe with me, your Highness."
She sighed. "I hope it won't always be."
Han climbed into the bed behind her and arranged his body next to hers in a spoon. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his fingers into her stomach. "Nope, your virtue is only safe until we are done with this trip. Then…" he trailed off.
She placed a hand on top of his and squeezed. "Promise?"
"Promise," he whispered.
When Han woke the next morning, Leia was gone. He wondered briefly if her coming to him had been a dream. The faint smell of her on his pillow, however, confirmed that she had indeed slept in his bed. He lay on his back for a moment and thought about her. Them. When they returned from this trip what would she expect from him aside from the obvious physical relationship they both so clearly wanted. Panic rose in his throat. Would she expect him to marry her? To be a royal consort? Gods, him a royal consort. He laughed to himself and shook his head. What would Mothma think of that?
"We need to do some reconnaissance this afternoon on Tatooine. I want to make sure we check out the meeting place in Mos Espa before Leia has to meet the Hutts tomorrow."
One of the security officers raised an eyebrow at Han's use of her first name, but Han didn't notice and continued. "Thank the Gods we aren't meeting in one of the desert palaces. At least in Mos Espa we will have the benefit of crowds if something goes wrong. "
"Do you expect trouble?" Park, the other security officer, asked.
Han shrugged. "You never know with the Hutts." He shoveled another fork full of food into his mouth and then stopped as everyone around him rose to stand. It took Han a moment to realize they were standing because the Princess had walked into the Main Lounge. All noticed the fact that he was seconds late in standing.
"Good morning," Leia addressed them all and then took a seat at the table opposite Han.
"Sorry," Han mouthed sheepishly when she glared at him for this lack of protocol in front of his security team.
Sulla, the hospitality specialist, placed a steaming mug of kaffe in front of Leia and then indicated a buffet of breakfast items she had laid out for them. Leia thanked her and turned back to the men at the table. Dalia was not yet present.
"So, how are everyone's accommodations? Satisfactory?"
"They are fine, your Highness. Thank you," Park replied.
"Mine are a bit cramped, your Highness," Han said without looking up from his plate. Leia kicked him sharply under the table. He grinned, contemplating whether or not to call her out on her aggression. But he thought better of it not wanting to embarrass her in front of her men… his men… their men.
When they landed in Mos Espa later that day, Han and the male members of the security team met with the Hutts' representative, a former Zygerrian slaver. He escorted them to an audience hall built into the Grand Arena and allowed the men to look around, inspecting exits and potential traps. Satisfied, Han led his men back into Mos Espa and into a cantina.
"Uh, sir, I don't think we're allowed—," Park started.
"Come on, kid. I'm parched. A cantina brew will do all of us some good." Han stepped inside. The younger men exchanged looks and followed him.
Inside, Han held up three fingers to the bartender and took the nearest empty booth. The younger men slid in across from him.
"General, are you sure this is safe?" Eyes all around the cantina stared at them.
Han waved a hand at him. "Yeah, of course. You're with me, you'll be fine."
"But why are we here? We aren't far from the ship. We could head back there for some refreshment," the second man whispered.
A Twi'lek female served their drinks and stepped away from the table. Han leaned across to the younger men and explained, "Look, everyone in here knows who we are and why we are here. Everyone knows about tomorrow's meeting. It's the nature of a place like Mos Espa. The flip side of that card is that if the Hutts are planning something, someone knows that too. And that someone will be eager to sell us that information. But we need to be available to them. No one is going to just walk up to the Envoy V and say, 'Hey I want to sell you some secrets.' So, we sit here and wait for them to come to us in a safe place."
"This is a safe place?" Park mumbled, looking around wide-eyed.
"Is buying secrets ethical, General Solo?" the second man inquired.
Han laughed and took a long pull on his flask. Setting it back down he replied, "No, but it's efficient."
No sooner had the word "efficient" left Han's mouth than a man shouted across the cantina, "Han! Solo! I thought that was you!"
Han turned to see a greying, older man approaching him, his only arm already extended in greeting. "Bern!" Han exclaimed and stood to embrace the man, pounding him on the back several times with his fist.
"Gods, Solo, where the hell have you been?"
Han shrugged. "Busy," he deadpanned.
Bern laughed loud enough that several heads around them turned to stare. The old man indicated the two sitting at the table. "Who're they?"
"They're all right. They're with me. Part of my team." Han laughed at the word "team".
Bern grabbed a stool and pulled it up to the end of the booth. "Bern here was the first captain of a smuggling freighter I ever worked for," Han pointed at him with his thumb. "Taught me everything I know."
Bern slapped Han on his back with his one hand and said, "Gods, it is good to see you. What in the hell are you doing back out here?"
"Got some business with the Hutt Cartel here." Han paused and lowered his voice. "But I'll bet you already know that."
Bern winked at him and matched Han's lowered voice. "Been looking for ya all day. This is my fifth cantina. Thought I'd have to walk right up to that ship of yours."
Han pointed at the two men across from him. "Told ya." He turned back to Bern, "What have you got for me?"
"Nothing actually. All seems to be on the up and up. Hutts aren't ready to make a decision though. Got some Imperial guys coming in next week. I think they're holding out for the best deal. The group that's going to let them continue their operations with the least amount of interference. I doubt your Alliance is going to go for that." Bern shrugged. "But what do I know?"
"So, the Princess isn't in any danger?"
Bern shook his head. "Nah, I think they just want to get a good look at her." He winked at Han. "I hear she's a real looker, this Princess of yours."
One of the security officers leaned across the table and opened his mouth to chastise Bern, but Han held out a hand to him and turned back to Bern.
"You give me your word you know nothing? She's going to be okay?"
"So, it's true about the two of you? You wouldn't be so worried about her if this were just another job," Bern leered at Han.
"Let's just say the sooner I get her off Tatooine the better I will feel."
Bern nodded and signaled the bartender for another round. "My intel says she'll be fine." He tussled Han's hair, cackled, and turned to the younger men. "Now, what tall tales can we tell these two boys to set their wicks a-burnin'?"
Han shook his head and laughed at the old man.
"How did you lose your arm?" Park ventured impulsively.
Bern laughed, "Now that is not a good tale. Equipment malfunction."
"Why don't you use a robotic arm," the second man asked naively.
Bern leaned across the table and indicated that the two men should lean closer to him. "'Cause the ladies don't like the mechanical fingers," he stage whispered, while waggling two fingers in front of their faces.
Han laughed and shook his head. The two young men stared at him blankly.
Tatooine's two suns were setting when Han and his men finally arrived back at the Envoy V. Dalia looked on in horror as the younger men stumbled aboard. "Where have you all been? Drinking?"
"Reconnaissance," Han answered. "Sulla!" he called out. "You got a potion of some sort you can whip up for these two?" he asked pointing to the men sliding into chairs in the lounge. "Cantina brew got 'em."
Sulla stuck her head out the galley door and shook it disapprovingly. "Yeah, I know of something," she replied slipping back into the kitchen.
"You've got some nerve, Solo. This is completely inappropriate. You are supposed to be—"
Han cut her off. "Come with me." He walked towards Leia's lounge and closed the door behind them. Leia had just been coming out to see what the commotion was, so she met them midway through the room.
"He—" Dalia started again, but Han held his hand up.
"Listen. Ran into an old friend in the cantina. He had some information to share."
"Go on," Leia encouraged.
"The Hutts aren't ready to sign on with the Alliance. They've got some Imperial representative coming out in a few days as well. They want to weigh both offers and choose the one that will allow them to carry on with their business undisturbed." He turned to Leia. "You've got to angle your speech tomorrow to show them that the Alliance isn't just a good deal but a better deal than the remnants of the Empire."
Leia nodded. "That's good information to have." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for that."
"Are you serious? You're going to reward him for that snippet of information?" Dalia faced Han. "And you had to get the guys drunk to obtain that information?"
"You got them drunk?" Leia asked surprised.
"Look," Han protested. "I'm just doing my job. An old friend shows up to share some information with me, I've gotta give him some of my time in return. The kids were just along for the ride, and I guess the cantina brew was just a little strong for them."
Leia rolled her eyes. "Dalia, can you see to them? I want to show Han what I have for the speech so far."
Dalia glared at Han and left the room.
"They won't accept our offer," Leia sighed into Han's chest the evening after her speech. Dalia and Han had stayed up late with her while she had worked on and practiced the speech. Still, she feared it hadn't been enough.
"You don't know that," Han responded stroking her upper arm. "You did an amazing job today. They genuinely paid attention to you. I know, I watched them."
She shuddered as she thought of the Hutts' large yellow eyes leering at her earlier in the day. Five Hutts had been at the meeting, current leaders in the cartel in this part of the Outer Rim. She felt like all of them had undressed her with their eyes, sticking their tongues out at her while she talked. They were disgusting creatures. Still, there had been some measure of respect for her. No one asked about Jabba, but the knowledge was certainly in the air.
For his part, Han had never seen her look more regal. Gone was the smiling princess draping a medal around his neck, in her stead stood a white-clad senatorial force to be reckoned with. Her voice never wavered; her speech hit on all the points they had rehearsed. Han understood now why Mothma and Rieekan had insisted on sending her.
"You did your best, and now tomorrow we move onto the next stop. All you can do is deliver the message. The Alliance leadership knows you can't reason with most of these creatures."
He felt her nod her head, and he leaned down to kiss the top of it. "I should let you go to bed," Han said quietly. "You've had a long day."
"Stay," she replied, running her fingers down his stomach. "I'm too wired to sleep."
He laid his chin on the top of her head and said, "Okay. I'm all yours."
"I'm counting on that." She slid her fingers to the waist of his pants and untucked his shirt.
Han tried to shift his hips away from her, but the weight of her body leaning onto one side of him made it awkward to move without throwing her off.
Her fingers felt under his shirt and she placed her whole hand on his stomach. Han jerked.
"What?" she asked.
"Your hand is cold," he lied. The truth was that Leia's touch sent electricity shooting through his body. No woman's touch had ever affected him the way hers did, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted her to know that. Her hand continued its journey up his chest and her finger circled his nipple. Han tried to control his breathing. Gods what he could do to this woman right here, right now. There would be time to show her, to teach her. Her fingers moved to his other nipple. Where had she learned this? She was supposed to be innocent in these things. Maybe, Han thought, she didn't need all that much instruction after all.
"Leia, the door is open," he whispered.
"Uh huh," was her only reply as her hand trailed back down his chest to his waistband. Her fingers caressed the flesh just under his belt.
"Leia," he croaked and tried to shift again.
"That's Princess Leia to you," she teased in a husky voice, her fingers exploring further south.
"You have to stop this," Han pleaded, helpless to move and seemingly helpless to stop her travels.
"What?" she asked, fingering the muscle at his hip bone that plunged to a "V" where his manhood began.
Han could feel himself harden, and he doubted his ability to control himself if she kept this up. Deflowering the Princess of Alderaan would be one thing, deflowering her on her couch with the door open would be something else entirely. "I'm serious, Leia, you don't know what you are starting."
"Princess Leia," she repeated. "And I'm in charge here. I give the orders, remember?"
He nodded as her fingers brushed his now full-on erection. His mouth sought hers, and he withheld nothing from the kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth, endeavoring to savor every bit of her contained therein. He willed her to wrap her fingers around his hardness and finish what she had started, but instead she pulled her hand from his pants and brought it to the back of his neck. She pulled him deeper into the kiss. Han was one part relieved and one part disappointed. Enjoy this Solo, he said to himself. There will be time for the rest.