Han Solo leaned back into his chair, a self-righteous smirk playing across his face. Another successful run, another successful mission completed. On paper his job was simple: pretend to be a smuggler and inform the Supreme Commander of the black market dealings.
Whoever came up the idea though, as good as it was, forget to factor in the not so tiny detail of getting shot at nearly every run. But he was CaptainHan Solo, the best cadet to come out of Cardia yet, and he took anything his commanding officers threw at him.
"Captain Solo."
Solo looked up at Bib Fortuna, his patent smirk on his face.
"What? Jabba got another assignment already?"
"No, but his Excellency wishes to speak with you privately."
Privately.Warning bells went off in Solo's head; Jabba only called you for a private audience if: a. you were getting shot for being a snitch or b. you had displeased him in someway so he decided that you were better off dead. Either way, Han figured, you were dead. That wasn't exactly what he wanted, ever.
" `Kay, but Chewie stays with the ship."
"I doubt he'd want to be there Solo."
Solo frowned; if he was being executed Jabba would want Chewie as close as possible, just so he could make Chewie his slave.
"Lead the way then, we don't need ya hold'n us up.
"Indeed."
"SOLO!"
"Hi chuba da naga Jabba." [what do you want Jabba.] Han asked crossing his arms ib a nonchalant manner.
"Chowbaso Solo. Ma pateesa newpa schutta. Mi Bosco de ulwan tah koga in noleeya. [ Welcome Solo, my friends have given me a new harem girl. I'm looking for someone to break her in.]
"And you want me to do it huh?"
"Bargon u noa-a-uyat, an chuba chess ko nopa tah is boska." [ you are being rewarded, and you won't let her go.]
"Go? No hold on Jabba you know how I feel about slaves."
"Is nopa shag Solo, cheeka Jedai, ma pateesa." [ She is not a slave Solo, only a Jedi female of my friend's.]
Jedi. Was Jabba kidding? Jedi were rarely captured, and even then they'd escape in a heartbeat. Besides to his knowledge, all the Jedi had been recalled to Coruscant after one of their own disappeared. If he remembered correctly the missing Jedi was a Princess of some Core world. Either way he'd do his best to get her out of here.
"…You know Jabba, maybe I could, you know, check her out. Let ya know if she's a good catch or not."
"Granne, granee, ma booki. [Good, good, my boy.]
Han inwardly flinched when he heard the screaming and thudding coming from down the hall. Jabba's laughter was barely heard over it. The screams were growing louder; before he knew it Han had crossed the room and gone through the door. What had he gotten himself into?
Leia walked as dignified as she could down the corridor, the fact that Procer was centimeters from her bare skin helped none. Even the outfit she wore was degrading: A green metal bikini with gold detailing; a burgundy cloth attached to the lower half barely covered the front and back of her slender legs.
Tatooine had been terribly hot when they had arrived, the twin suns burning her skin only minutes after being under them. The interrogation she could handle, even her captors had been surprised at how well she fought of the pain-enhancers and Bavo 6. This heat however, it made her feel tired, weak; her already failing strength had nearly been sapped by the twin sun's heat.
Whereas, her stay on that space station, had chilled her to the core. The Death Star had destroyed two moons and an unnamed planet in the Unknown Regions, and that was only to entice fear within her.
"I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it Princess. Your quite soft."
Leia faltered, stumbling forward, only to have the guards right her again. Of course the sick bastard would bring that up. He reminded her every day how he and his men had raped her and had loved every minute of it.
Say something Leia! Don't let him get to you, fight back!
" I might've enjoyed it if you had actually known what you were doing." Head held high, Leia could see the anger brewing in his yellow eyes. Smiling she added, " I hope that whom ever you're giving me to can do much better."
That was it.
Procer snapped. Grabbing her upper arms he slammed her into the wall, punching as much of her as he could before someone pulled him away.
The last of strength gone she crumpled to the floor. Leia helplessly looked on as Procer tightened his hand, the meaning of it not loss on her. The man who had pulled Procer off of her, was being chocked with the Force. Miffed the man threw a right hook at Procer knocking him of his feet.
Pulling out a blaster the man aimed it right at Procer, who in turn had ignited his lightsaber.
"STOP!" Her voice cracked, her savior didn't need to die, even if he did work for the Hutt.
The man shot her a quick glance. Then rolled his eyes at his mistake.
"Oh, it's the slave," he said, putting his blaster away and leaning against the opposite wall, in a cocky manner.
" So you're the great Captain Solo?" Procer's eyes shifted from Leia to Solo, as if trying to judge who was the more dangerous.
"One an' only."
"Good... this is the slave you'll be with tonight."
What! Leia's mouth dropped open in horror, she hadn't realized what they were going to do with her. Now she wished that she hadn't stopped them; maybe death would've humbled them. For her it was certainly a better option than the continued torture and rape she suffered at the hands of the Imperials.
"Right... Jabba said to take her for a spin, make sure she's up to the standards he expects."
"She will be, if not Jabba can kill her."
Captain Solo stared at Lord Procer for a long time, as if he was trying to read his mind just by looking into his eyes. Procer shifted warily, lightsaber still trained on Solo.
"Kill her how?"
"Just shoot her Solo, is that to hard for you to understand smuggler?"
"No."
"Good. Then why are you still here?"
Leia rolled her eyes at Procer's vain attempts to appear superior. He was failing miserably. If only she could touch the Force the idiot would be dead by now. She'd much rather go with the smuggler, at least she'd be able to escape or he'd give her a ride home, for a price though. Mercenaries always looked out for the bigger catch.
"Jeez don't be so touchy; you know slave sellers are usually want to hang onto their females for... entertainment reasons, s'why their so damn expensive."
Captain Solo shot Leia an arrogant smirk; his eyes trailing appretiavely over her scantly clad form.
"I am Darth Procer, Dark Lord of the Sith, not a pathetic slaver."
Captain Solo blinked a few times, trying to register the name in his head. Giving the Princess another glance he smiled. It was a cocky and self-assured one, but a smile nonetheless.
"Darth? What parent names their kid Darth?" Captain Solo laughed.
Procer's eyes narrowed; Captain Solo had repeated almost exactly what the Princess had said during her capture.
"A very dangerous one Solo. Now take her or I'll deal with her myself."
Deactivating his lightsaber, Procer stalked away, two white-armored soldiers following him. The swirl of his cloak giving him an ominous appearance to passer-by.
Leia gave a hefty sigh and attempted to stand up on shaky legs.
"Don't."
Leia glanced up at Captain Solo, his face holding no trace of the arrogant man she had seen seconds ago. He strode over to her, he tipped her chin upwards, staring long and hard into her eyes, just as he had done to Procer. Leia took this time to get a closer look at his face.
His eyes were obviously hazel, but had darkened to a deep green color. His hair was just beginning to touch the top of his shirt collar. His most defining feature, in her eyes anyways, was a thick scar running horizontally across his chin.
"What size are you?"
"What?" Leia asked.
"Come on Princess, you're not gonna want to show up at the castle wear'n a stripper's outfit are ya?"
Leia ignored the leer he was given her, "you know who I am."
"Maybe, depends on how deep your pockets are."
Leia could honestly say that this man dumbfounded her. One minute he was ready to kill, then he was a proper gentleman, now he was nothing more than a mercenary.
"If money is what you love than that's what you'll receive."
Han stopped, checking the Princess for wounds. She was pissed, which meant he was playing his part perfectly.
"Jeez, your worship with a tone like that maybe I should just get horizontal with ya and be done with it, I like 'em feisty."
The Princess visibly paled at his insinuation. Han noticed a dark blue circle forming around her left eye. He stopped leering at her, and leaned in to get a closer look at her bruise. Her breath of his skin was maddening; he'd never been this close to a woman without kissing her.
Leia shifted her head every so slightly. What was wrong with this man? Only a few seconds ago he was leering at her, and now his eyes held nothing but genuine concern. A strange gargling noise came from her stomach, deepening the blush already on her cheeks from pink to an embarrassed red.
"Come on, let's get ya outta here."
Leia couldn't explain it, but there was something about Captain Solo that she liked.
