Three days before, Leia had moved into lodgings at the Council Chambers.
Three days before, Leia had delivered the three word lie.
Three days on, Luke had eventually found Han swallowing another glass of Corellian whiskey.
The cantina was new, even if Han's use of it as a problem solving technique wasn't.
"Help you?" Han enquired.
Luke eyed the table. An empty whiskey bottle lay on it's side, a half empty bottle remained clutched by Han. The remnants of several tobacco based products lay around and there was an aroma of what Luke guessed was probably an exotic spice.
The younger man took a breath and slid into the booth.
"I was in the neighbourhood..." He started.
Han cut him off with a raspberry laugh.
"I hate to be the one to break it to you kid, but they don't serve no milkshakes in this establishment!" Han told him and held up his whiskey bottle to the bartender, indicating another bottle and glass. Both of which arrived, along with a look of trepidation from the barkeep.
Luke calmed him with a faint wave of his hand.
"So, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, what really brought you to this place?" Han drawled, pouring them both a glass of whiskey.
Luke thought of telling Han that he wasn't a Jedi Master, but knew it would be a waste of time. Han was quite clearly drunk or very close to being drunk and intent on trying to rile his young friend if he could.
"Don't you think you've had enough to drink?" Luke asked.
"Who you are, my mother?" Han huffed.
"You've been here for three days." Luke observed.
"No." Han said, thinking. "I started at a cantina down the street. 'Til they called in my credit. Then I came here, where the prices are low and the whiskey tastes nastier."
He picked up his glass and drained it's contents, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. He refilled his glass and watched hypnotised as he swirled the liquid.
"You don't wanna do this Luke." He said after a while.
"Why not?" Luke asked.
"Because she's your sister that's why!" Han hissed.
Luke simply sat, silently waiting for Han to open up.
Finally, the older man downed his whiskey and slammed his glass onto the table.
"Okay. You wanna do this? Fine, then we'll do it. But don't think I'm gonna try an' spare your blushes!" Han growled. "I've known women in my lifetime Luke. Quite a few in fact. I've never been the kind of guy who forces a woman into anything, and I'm pretty damn sure I'm never gonna be!"
As a slave on a pirate ship, Han had been initiated in the carnal arts as a present from his master on his fourteenth birthday. A prostitute, though she had preferred to call herself a skilled artisan in the interpretation of sexual pleasures, had been his for a week on a voyage between ports. By the time he had first laid down with a woman of his own choosing there had been very little she could teach him that he didn't already know. Gifted with a pleasing countenance and years of strenuous labour toning his body, Han was rarely stuck for female company.
And then there had been Leia.
Beautiful, intelligent, passionate, agonisingly annoying and intoxicatingly idealistic Leia.
Leia.
The one woman he truly wanted.
And the one woman he felt sure he would never have.
Then, quite suddenly, she was his.
Han filled his glass again and took a small sip.
"With some of 'em, I was a giver." Han said, staring into his glass as he continued. "With some of 'em, I was a taker."
He picked up his glass, decided not to drink it and returned it to the table.
"With Leia, I was a sharer. In all things we were equals. Especially, though not exclusively, in the bedroom we were equals. All things that is except maybe the kitchen. I think we both agreed I could be King of that particular hill." Han quipped. "Three days ago I come home to find her packing. She said the talks were close to their conclusion and needed everyone's undivided attention, so she and the rest of 'em were taking up residence in rooms at the Council Chamber."
Han drank the remainder of his whiskey and pushed his glass away.
"I'm not stupid kid. I may not have your brother-sister-Jedi-psychic-connection going on, but I hear things. See 'em too. It was Isolder who suggested they all move to the Chamber. The same Isolder who came sniffing round Leia while I was away on business. The same Isolder who gives the impression he's slobbering all over my wife in these holonet shots." Han tossed a small cube over to Luke which revealed a hologram of Isolder appearing to be in a very romantic clinch with Leia.
"This could have been doctored." Luke suggested, his brow furrowing.
"It's a clever angle. Isolder was probably bending to kiss Leia's cheek. Or maybe he was just whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Doesn't really matter. The holonet has shown or published some pretty inflammatory stuff over the years. Inflammatory and inaccurate." Han sneered.
"Yeah. Even accused you of kidnap once I believe. But, Isolder's married now isn't he?" Luke said.
"Isolder doesn't worry me." Han filled his glass, swallowed it and filled it again.
"So if it's not Isolder giving you the jitters, what is it?" Luke queried.
"You really just don't know when to quit it do you Luke?" Han asked.
Luke just sat watching and waiting for Han to continue.
"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Han said, shaking his head. "One thing you celibate Jedi types don't get to understand is that there are a lot of ways to please a woman. Small gestures can be nice, flowers; breakfast in bed; a kiss or a compliment for no reason at all, except to show her how much you care. And then there's the sex."
Han hunkered down into his seat, his whole body taking on a more salacious demeanour.
"Now you can do it quick and heated and be all over in a flash. That can feel pretty good sometimes. Or you can take your time, do it real slow, get to know the feel of one another. What feels good. What feels great. And best of all, what takes the other to the edge, keeps 'em hanging there and then lets 'em go crashing right over taking you with 'em or else you following on right behind."
Han sat back and looked Luke square in the eyes. "I don't think I ever wanted to share that experience with any woman as much as I did with Leia."
"Yeah." Luke said, clearing his throat. "Like you said, Leia and I have that whole brother-sister-Jedi-psychic-connection going on. Sometimes I still get a flash of just how...physical...your relationship can be."
Luke took a moment to sip at his glass of whiskey hoping the burn of the liquid would help ease the memory of when, in the middle of delivering a seminar once at the Academy, he had experienced the overwhelming heat of one such passionate encounter. His students certainly hadn't forgotten it!
"And we have never, ever, left the other wanting." Han continued. "Until three days ago."
Luke considered asking what had happened three days ago, but figured Han was going to tell him anyway so better just to let him get on with it.
"She was all packed and ready to go. I tried to stop her, of course. Not that it did any good. You know how stubborn she can get. We had some time before she had to leave, so we made love. Or rather I did. Leia might as well have been a couple o' hundred parsecs away. It's not like I made her. I didn't force myself on her, in fact it was she who initiated everything." Han said, becoming more animated. "I tried real hard Luke. Real hard. But...and here's something else you celibate Jedi types don't get to understand, a guy can only take so much before he blows!"
"You blew." Luke said, delivering his understanding of the situation. "Leia didn't?"
"Worse!" Han explained. "She lay in my arms and she said it. She actually said it."
"It?" Luke asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"The three word lie." Han told him. "That. Was. Great."
Han shook the contents of his whiskey glass into his mouth, held it there, then swallowed while Luke studied his brother-in-law.
"So you're mad at Leia because what, she faked it?" Luke finally asked.
"Hell no!" Han snarled. "I'm not mad at Leia. I'm not mad at her for anything. If I'm mad anyone, it's me for not being able to show more control."
"Then what...?" Luke started, indicating the whiskey and scattered cigar remains.
"If she was unhappy..." Han clutched Luke's wrist. "You'd tell me, wouldn't you?"
"She's not unhappy." Luke reassured him.
"Because if I made her unhappy..." Han continued, the alcohol starting to really kick in.
"Han. Trust me, Leia is far from unhappy." Luke repeated, trying to reach out through the Force and nullify some of the effects of the liquor.
"Because I wouldn't want that." Han mumbled. "I'd rather she be happy with someone else, than unhappy with me."
Han's head lowered until finally his face touched the table top and a soft snore escaped his lips.
Well, not quite the effect I wanted. But Han never was weak minded enough to be controlled by the Force. Luke thought.
He made his way over to the bar and settled Han's tab as a rowdy bunch of Rogues entered the cantina and selected a table to sit around. Luke smiled to himself and asked the bartender to send over a round of hot chocolates.
The bartender looked dubious, but Luke insisted and asked that he follow the order with a shot glass apiece.
When the drinks arrived, Wedge Antilles was the first to speak his mind.
"Hey Janson." Wedge bellowed. "What kind of a pissant excuse for a watering hole have you brought us to?"
"Boys, boys, boys..." Luke tutted, sauntering over. "How many times do I have to tell you to put a little lining on your stomach before you go out on a bender."
"Luke!" The Rogues responded amid much back slapping and man-hugging before seats were retaken.
"What brings you to town?" Wedge asked his old friend.
Luke nodded over at the figure resting his head on a table in a booth in the corner.
"Guess he must be missing Leia, huh?" Wedge winked at Luke. "They sure do have a pretty cute set up those two."
"I heard," Wes Janson added, leaning forward conspiratorially, "when the wind's in the right direction, you can hear them making out from two blocks away."
The boys roared with laughter.
"Hey! Watch your mouth!" Wedge scolded. Then added a wink and tipped his head in Luke's direction. "I told you before, not in front of the children."
The boys roared with laughter again, louder. Loud enough to stir Han back to life.
"I tell you, that Organa chick is quite a work of art. And if she wasn't taken already, I wouldn't mind a crack at her myself." Janson said leaning back in his chair, arms behind his head and eyes closed, a dreamy smile on his face.
"You and pretty much every other red blooded male, eh Luke?" Wedge nudged Luke, who just smiled at him patiently.
Over the years he'd grown used to the Rogue's general appreciation of his sister. And he could hardly deny his own attraction when they first met, back before he'd known they were siblings.
"Not just red blooded males either." Gavin Darklighter added with a chuckle. "I heard back when she was first appointed to the Senate, Mon Mothma took her under her wing in more ways than one."
"That's just in your perverted little fantasy world, Darklighter and you know it!" Wedge corrected.
By now Han had stretched, grabbed his bottle and a half of whiskey and was making his way over to the Rogues.
"All I know is, she's got curves in all the right places." Janson said, rocking his chair back and forth. "And her eyes...a man could drown in those dark pools."
"That's enough Wes." Wedge warned.
"And does she not just have the firmest little ass ever?" Janson continued, oblivious to the approaching danger.
"Wes..." Wedge tried again to prevent his friend from getting what would likely as not come his way very shortly.
"Saw her once, stripped right on down to her skimpies in the Med Centre. Even in her combat issue camisole and shorts she's still the hottest piece of eye candy around. But you know what's best of all?" Wes Janson asked, eyes still closed, a licentious grin spreading across his lips.
"Is it that she's married to me?" Han asked in Janson's ear.
"Solo!" Wes Janson jumped to his feet, a nervous look on his face. "Where'd...where'd you spring from?"
Han ignored the question and leaned perilously close to Janson as he slammed the full bottle of whiskey on their table.
"This drinks on me." Han told the group, his eyes never leaving Janson's.
"Just a bit a fun Han." Wedge said.
"He's right." Janson explained. "You know I never meant nothing by it."
Han smiled and Wes relaxed a little.
"Apology accepted." Han said and wrapped an arm around Janson's back, pulling him into a bear hug. Meanwhile Han's free hand grasped Janson's genitals firmly and he whispered. "If you ever talk about my wife like that again, I'll tear what I'm holding in my hand off and stuff it down your throat. You got me?"
"I gotcha." Janson squeaked back.
Han released his grip and patted Janson's back.
"Luke, you coming or staying?" Han asked.
"Right behind you Han." Luke replied.
"Hey, wait up." Wedge called and caught up with the departing Han and Luke. "Wes is all talk. He didn't mean any harm, you know that."
"Yeah, well, he needs to learn to shut his mouth." Han barked.
"I'm pretty sure he got the message." Luke commented.
"I just wanted to say, about Leia..." Wedge began.
"You too Wedge? I thought you got more respect." Han interjected.
"No. I mean, yes. The respect I mean. Yes, about the respect." Wedge stumbled, then gave a sigh. "What I'm trying to say is, she was truly outstanding today."
Han just looked back, puzzled.
"You haven't heard." Wedge realised. "The talks were on the verge of collapse when...and only the Gods know how...Leia pulled it out of the bag. That's why Rogue are out celebrating tonight. Leia and the rest of them are in the Chamber now, congratulating themselves after signing agreements. She got us sixteen new trading partners, twelve guaranteed safe trade routes and the coup de grace? The Tlaxians and the Jabours are not just talking to one another for the first time in two centuries, but agreeing with each other too! I'm telling you Han," Wedge playfully punched his friends arm, "It's not disrespect the boys have for you or Leia. It's envy."
Wedge gave his friends a cheery smile and returned to join the rest of Rogue leaving Han brooding over what to do next.
"You have to go to her." Luke offered, sensing Han's struggle.
"Yeah..." Han answered, sounding unsure.
"Han." Luke urged.
"I heard!" Han snapped.
"Then go." Luke pushed.
"And say what? Well done, now about that last afternoon in bed..." Han mused.
"I'd stop after 'well done' for now. The rest can come later. Go!" He shoved Han, indicating he should hurry.
"Hey." Han grinned. "Thanks kid."