Han Solo stared out across the expansive landing pads. The mid-morning sun was shining brightly on the vast metallic surface making it almost blinding to look at from certain angles. His head was already aching slightly as a result of the somewhat heated confrontation that he was a part of earlier and now this sunshine was making it worse. He squinted out into the distance, focusing on a starship that he hadn't seen in years and for a long time was convinced that he would never see again.
For much of his adult life, the Millennium Falcon was not only his ship and his home, but it often times felt as if it was almost a physical extension of himself. He knew the ship inside and out like the back of his hand and when he flew her it was almost like he could simply think and the ship would respond to him. When his daughter arrived yesterday, along with the joy of seeing her again after so long, he had to admit to himself that he was almost equally pleased at a chance to board the Falcon and maybe even fire her up for a quick trip.
Now as he looked at the saucer shaped freighter, he wasn't feeling so happy about strolling over and boarding it. Lara was in there, probably still pretty angry, and Han was never very good at getting her to calm down and see reason. She was a lot like her mother in that regard, he thought, but then just as quickly realized that she was very much like her father in that regard also. He knew that she was being unfair to Luke, though, and as much as he dreaded the conversation that he was about to initiate with Lara, he knew it was his responsibility as her father to talk to her.
As he approached the Falcon, he saw Lara's friend Finn stride down the boarding ramp. He was moving pretty quickly and had an easily recognizable look of annoyance on his face, the first time in his short time knowing him that he has seen anything other than wonder on the kids face.
Three guesses as to what just happened in there, he thought to himself as he sighed and slumped his shoulders.
For a brief moment, Han considered calling out to the kid to find out what kind of damage he was walking into, but there really was no point. The Admiral knew all too well what was in store for him.
Buckle up old man, this ride's about to get bumpy, he spoke to himself as he prepared to board his old ship.
"You have got to be kidding me.", Han exclaimed with more than a little annoyance in his voice as he entered the cockpit. "You built a station for this BALL-!?"
BB-8's dome-shaped head turned quickly to the rear and let out a surprised sounding whistle, followed by a grunt. Han continued staring in disbelief at the little droid that had taken up residence in his old ship's control center.
"If you told me you were gonna do THIS, I never would have agreed to give her up.", he continued.
"You're going to hurt his feelings, Dad.", Lara said very softly without turning around to face her father.
"I'm really not gonna get too concerned about what a droid thinks.", Han replied. "You know…"
The statement he was about to make, however, immediately died on his lips as his child turned around to face him. Tears were streaming down her face from swollen bloodshot eyes and she started audibly sobbing as their gazes met, causing Han's heart to sink to the bottom of his gut like a rock in a deep dark sea.
"Hey, Hey….", he pleaded. "What's wrong, Come here."
The Admiral opened his arms and motioned her to come close. Lara rose from her seat and tumbled forward, collapsing into her father's arms like an exhausted traveler at the end of a long journey.
Lara pressed her wet cheeks against her father's old leather flight jacket and continued to sob, her emotions tossing around like an electron whirlwind in a hyperspace maelstrom. She felt like she had so much to tell him but didn't know where to even begin.
"I drive everyone that cares for me away.", was all she could sheepishly utter.
Han pulled her in closer, feeling her trembling. It was all he could do to not break down himself as he held her tightly to his chest. To see one's own grown child so vulnerable, hurting so badly was enough to make even this grizzled old smuggler turned soldier become stricken with sadness and more than a little guilt for not being around for her as much as he could have been.
"Mom, you, Uncle Luke and so many others I have known in the last few years…and now Finn", she continued, keeping her face buried in his coat. "Then I have the nerve to call Luke, a Jedi Master, out on not coming back to help AND tell Finn that him losing his family when he was a child was nothing compared to my problems. I must be the most miserable, hypocritical person in the galaxy."
"Hey, look here.", Han said, forcing Lara to lift her head and meet her father's gaze. "That's not true and you know it."
"Well how about explaining to me why I can't settle down anywhere and why this little guy here is the only companion I can ever keep around for longer than a few weeks.", she countered.
"First of all, the droid is programmed to stay with you no matter what happens.", her father replied dryly
Her sobbing stopped and now Lara stared incredulously into Han's eyes trying to make him blink. She knew he wouldn't, though, so she smiled at her father.
"Thanks, Dad.", she grunted which turned into a laugh. "You're always so good at emotional moments."
Han smiled back at her with the trademark Solo sneer, but inside he was more than a little relieved that she was composing herself. No matter how gruff a man's exterior seems, anyone who truly loves his child can't help but feel the pain when they are hurting so badly.
"Lara, listen.", he said turning serious. "You have a lot of your father in you when it comes to running away from things. For most of my life I was on the run from something either real or in my head."
"My adopted family on Corellia when I was young, The Imperial Navy, more criminal gangs and bounty hunters than I care to remember, including Black Sun and Jabba the Hutt.", Han continued
"You've told me all the stories.", Lara commented
"Did I tell you I almost ran away from the Rebellion…TWICE?", he shot back.
"No", she answered
"Yep…once at the Battle of Yavin and again right before the Hoth invasion a few years later.", Han explained. "I couldn't even be bothered to stay with people that had taken me in, cared for me and treated me with respect until they put their lives on hold and in danger to rescue me from Jabba. How's that for trying your best to drive people away?"
Lara lowered her head slightly and released a short sigh. Her father could tell, though, that his talk was not helping.
"Dad, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, I really do, but it's just not helping.", she said. "You are a hero of the Rebellion and The New Republic. No matter what you did in your younger life, the fact is you changed and became better. I just keep falling into the same rut and can't ever get out."
"That's the point of what I am telling you, Lara", he countered. "It wasn't until I clearly saw that the people around me WANTED me in their life, that I was able to change. Maybe it's time you see that. You are here. We want you here and we want you to stay. You don't need to run anymore."
A long uncomfortable silence hung in the air as Han waited for his daughter to say something. What she had said earlier was true, he wasn't very good at conveying heartfelt emotion and the longer she remained silent the more he worried that nothing he could say would bring her out of this.
"Maybe you are right.", Lara admitted as she lifted her head to meet her father's eyes.
"Maybe?", he exclaimed. "Listen, contrary to what your mother thinks and says…I'm almost always right. Just ask Chewie next time you see him."
"Hey, I know who will be more than happy if you decide to stay.", Han continued. "Poe is always complaining about his guys not knowing the first thing about how to keep their fighters in peak condition. I'm sure he'd love for you to join his squadron and whip some guys into shape. I know you'd immediately be the best pilot he would have, bar none."
Lara smiled and pressed her cheek against his jacket again in warm embrace.
"Sounds good dad.", she replied. "I love you."
"I love you too, kid.", he said. "So glad you're back. We got all the time in the world now to do the things we want. It's gonna be great."
"Can't wait.", she added.
Han's commlink suddenly came alive by beeping out a loud notification, startling both he and Lara. He looked at the tiny screen and saw that he had an urgent incoming transmission from Leia.
"Yeah?", Han said into the small device. "What's going on?"
"Han", she said. "Three large ships just dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the planetary entrance lanes. They aren't answering any hails or moving any closer and none of them are on any inbound manifests."
A look of concern crossed Han's face.
"Do they match the descriptions of the ships we have been hearing about? The ones that have been attacking planets?, he asked
"Yes they do.", Leia replied. "And there's something else."
"What's that.", said Han
"I sense something through the Force.", she explained. "I don't know what exactly, but I haven't felt anything like this in a long time. I can't pinpoint anything specific, but I don't like it. Can you get over here to the control dome? I'd feel better having you and Lara here."
"Sure thing", the Admiral confirmed. "We'll be there right away"
"Thank you.", said Leia with a sound of slight relief in her voice "Hurry please."
The communicator went silent as the call concluded. Han looked at his daughter with a puzzled but deadly serious look.
"Do you sense anything?", he asked Lara.
"No", she answered. "But you know I'm not nearly as adept as mom is with the Force. She may not be a Jedi Knight, but she is very strong."
"Yeah", her father muttered in a low somber tone. "That's what worries me."
