Chapter Thirteen

Seeb Nilub was not a happy Sullustan when Turner returned to the ship and requested his assistance loading crates onto a repulsor lift, which Turner also had to borrow from the smuggler.

"This wasn't part of the deal," Nilub complained. "I'm a pilot, not a labor droid."

"I'll pay you double," Turner promised.

"Forty thousand credits?"

"Yes," Turner said. When he considered the value of the gems and the guns, forty thousand was a mere pittance.

So the reluctant Sullustan tagged along with his equipment and they headed back to the ancient warehouse. Again, it took the old woman a very long time to answer the buzzer, and again she warned them about leaving their weapons, which also displeased the wary Sullustan.

"I do not trust this female," Nilub stated. "Or you, as a matter of fact."

"The security will blast you to pieces if you bring a blaster inside," Turner informed him as he put his own weapon on the ground next to the door. "Look. I'm going in without a weapon."

"I have friends," Nilub said, pulling his own blaster out and tossing it down. "If you betray me, they will hunt you down and dismember you, one piece at a time while you scream for mercy."

"I have no intentions of betraying you," Turner replied, pushing the repuslor into the cavernous room. At least, Turner mused, he wouldn't betray Nilub quite yet, while he still required his assistance.

They spent the next two time parts loading up the crates. As they pushed the overburdened, wheezing lifter outside of the warehouse, Turner picked up his blaster and turned to the old woman. "Do you recall that Prince Isolder asked me to reward you for your dedication in protecting his fortune?"

"Yes." The old woman smiled in eager anticipation, but her smile quickly faded as Turner flicked his blaster in her direction and fired. She fell to the ground with a soft thud.

"Was that necessary?" Nilub questioned, not sounding overly concerned.

"Isolder doesn't need anyone to tell him we were ever here, does he?"

Nilub gave a feral grin. "You have no plans to give these gems and guns to the Hapan, do you?"

"Isolder is in prison, and will be for the next twenty years, minimum. He won't need them."

"What happens when he gets out?"

Turner snorted. "He's already quite insane. I doubt he will survive even five years before he's murdered or he kills himself. I'm not worried about it."

"You are my kind of Human. Would you like a partner? Someone that can fly a ship and watch your back?" Nilub asked. "I also have contacts to sell these gems and guns on the black market, for top credits."

Greed was more of a powerful motivator than even the Hapan gun of command, and Turner was pleased he wouldn't have to find out if the device worked on Nilub. "I'd love a partner, but the split is eighty-twenty."

"Seventy-thirty."

"Seventy-five-twenty-five," Turner countered.

"Deal."

Naboo

Corran rapped his knuckles on the cabin door of his employer. "Evin? You still awake?"

Now that he knew Han's true identity, at first he'd hesitated about which name to call him. Eventually, Corran just decided to continue to call him by the name Evin, since that was what he was used to calling him and he'd never really known Han Solo during his first physical incarnation. Besides, by continuing to use the name Evin it was less likely he'd slip up. Corran was grateful that his employer - and now a confirmed friend - had allowed him to tell Mirax the truth. It would have felt wrong to keep a secret from his wife. Mirax, upon hearing the strange tale, had thought it was funny that law-abiding Corran Horn ended up working for an ex-smuggler, as well as being married to an ex-smuggler. Other than that, she had no opinions on Han Solo, former smuggler-turned-General becoming Evin Daysun, famous singer and actor. In her mind, he was still Evin Daysun, with a bit of extra, interesting history, and she had continued to call her husband's employer by the name Evin.

A few seconds later Han opened the door, wearing baggy grey sweatpants and a loose fitting tee. Solo had just finished performing a concert less than a time part ago, and had taken a shower to wash away the sweat and cool himself off. Toweling his still damp hair, he nodded at Corran. "I can't fall asleep that fast. Where's Chewie?"

"He's in the cockpit, confirming the coordinates for the next planet-side hop." Corran gave his head a quick jerk down the corridor. "There's someone waiting outside that wants to see you."

Han groaned and he slumped against the door frame. "Seriously? Get their name and address and I'll have Threepio forward 'em an auto-signed holopic when I get back home." Then he grinned. "Or, if she's pretty, you can tell her where she can find the equipment transport, and maybe Wes can get lucky tonight."

"This isn't a fan," Corran said. "At least, I don't think she's a fan. Her name is Sola Naberrie, and she's very classy, about in her mid-fifties. She's from an important political family, and told me she needed to speak to you about something urgent. I didn't get any sense of danger from her, and I don't believe she's lying just to meet you."

Han glanced down at his clothing, which were basically items he slept in when he didn't have Leia sleeping next to him at night. "Uh, I guess I can see her. I probably should put something else on, 'specially if she's someone important. If Lando'd ever find out I talked to an important person wearing sleep sweats, he'd have a space-slug."

"That's really not important, Mr. Daysun," a refined female voice spoke from behind Corran. Both men started a bit at her unexpected appearance in the corridor, and she addressed Corran politely, "I am aware you asked me to wait outside, but there is quite a bit of activity and I did not wish anyone to recognize me."

"Um, okay," Han said, exchanging glances with Corran. "Maybe you could wait with Chewie in the cockpit?"

Corran nodded. "I'll keep my senses on alert, just in case."

Han understood Corran's comment. His Security Chief would keep a firm Force-hold on reading Han's emotions, which was something he would have resented in the past. Now that the Force was a part of him, he was much more receptive to his Jedi friends' abilities to use those powers to keep him safe, just like Chewie's brute physical strength kept him protected multiple times in the past. If Corran felt any sense of danger coming from Han, both he and Chewie would appear almost instantaneously, weapons drawn.

He led the Naboolian woman to the ship's lounge area, then indicated she should take a seat. "Would you like a drink?" Han offered. "I have Naboolian wine in my stock. Leia likes it, 'specially the reds. She says it reminds her a lot of Alderaanian wines."

"No, thank you, Mr. Daysun," Sola Naberrie responded. "You are probably wondering why I am here."

"I'm 'specially wondering how you got past all my docking security," Han put in dryly. "I might have Corran give them a serious lecture about doin' their jobs properly."

Sola smiled primly. "It wasn't their fault, Mr. Daysun. I carry credentials that can get me past almost any form of dock security."

"Call me Evin," Han said, dropping casually into a seat across the hold from the woman. "What can I do for you?"

The woman shifted a bit in her seat, obviously uncomfortable with this meeting. "I had a strange encounter yesterday. A man by the name of Nexx Turner came to see me. He was rather insistent, in fact."

Han gave a derisive snort. "Turner. I know that piece of bantha shit." He looked up sharply. "Sorry for the cursin'."

The lady - and that's what she was through and through - smiled. "I'm not offended, Evin. Turner came across as rather slimy." She took a breath and continued, "Nexx Turner informed me that I am closely related to your fiancee, Princess Leia. He offered DNA proof, and asked me if Leia was my daughter. Which, I assured him, I am not. That leaves the only two other possibilities as either my mother's child, or my sister's child. I know Princess Leia is not my sister."

The Corellian scratched his jaw, contemplating her words. "So... you think your sister is Leia's mother?"

"If the tests Turner showed me have not been altered, then that is the only possibility," Sola replied grimly. "We were told Padme's child died when she died - during childbirth."

"Child?"

"Yes," Sola said. "My sister, Padme, was nearly full term when she had ... an accident."

"So you think she was pregnant with one child?" Han questioned, confused. "That would leave Leia out as being her child, then, 'cuz Leia has a twin."

"WHAT?!" Sola cried out, jumping up from her seat. "Padme was pregnant with twins?"

Han was taken aback at the woman's unexpected outburst. "Well, I certainly don't know! How could your sister not know if she was... or wasn't pregnant with twins, for kriff's sake? Don'cha find out that kinda stuff pretty early in the testin' part of being pregnant? I really don't know too much about havin' babies, but I'm not a total idiot. I know that doctors do tests!"

Sola sat back down heavily, her face registering shock. "She must have known. She didn't tell us." She looked at Han intently. "Who is Leia's twin?"

That much Han felt free to tell, since neither Luke nor Leia had kept their relationship a secret; the only secret was the identity of their father. It was something Luke believed they should tell the galaxy, but a secret Leia couldn't yet bring herself to reveal. Han didn't blame her, since he knew how unfair and judgmental beings could be. If she ran for Corellian Senate, Han suspected Leia would tell the galaxy the truth beforehand. But it would be her decision when and where, and he had no intentions of pushing her one way or the other.

"Her brother is Jedi Master Luke Skywalker."

"Skywalker," Sola repeated softly. "That name is not a surprise. I now suspect Turner is telling the truth."

"And maybe Turner is lyin' through his teeth," Han growled. "I wouldn't put it past him. He's probably pissed that he looked bad in front the entire galaxy when he took up with those Hapan slimes. He's diggin' for dirt, trust me on that. Blackmail would be his cup of kaf." The twitchy reporter was probably close to finding out about Vader. Which also meant he was also digging into Evin Daysun's past, as well. The idea that Turner could find out about both Vader and how Evin Daysun came into existence made Han very uneasy.

She shook her head. "I don't know, Evin. He didn't ask me for credits. He only pushed to find out why Padme's child was adopted by the Organa family instead of the Naberrie family. And he kept asking who Leia's father was, and how Padme died."

"Yeah," Han said. "I've gotta say, if it's true, then I'd have those same questions."

The elegant, older woman gazed directly at Han. "I didn't answer any of his questions. Although you're Leia's fiance, I would much rather tell Leia what I know first, and let her tell you."

Han nodded in agreement, wondering if Sola Naberrie knew that Anakin Skywalker had become Darth Vader. He got the distinct impression that she was well aware of the fact Anakin Skywalker must have been their father. Luke and Leia discovering their maternal family could be a good thing. Turner revealing to the entire galaxy who their father had been? That was not so much of a good thing.