Chapter 4: The Dance
By mid-morning, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo had trudged through two more waypoints, paying no attention to the salty scent of the cool air, the hazy sunshine attempting to poke through the marine layer, the stunning views. They missed the animals crossing the dewy meadows, and the beings silently tailing them just out of sight, so lost in thought were they, with nary a word between them.
Leia was darkly loathing her lack of self-control the night before. Even in sleep, how could she have shown such weakness in moving in sleep next to the one man, possibly the only being in the universe besides Vader, who could fluster her at all? Stupid lack of self-control! But it had felt so nice to be held. To draw comfort from pressing herself against his strong, warm body. It had felt right. Safe.
She squeezed her fists together in frustration, silently mouthing an Alderaanian curse to herself. This draw she felt to Han wasn't just an inconvenience, it was dangerous. A distraction that threatened to become an inevitability. She had to shut this shit down or risk taking her eyes off the work she had to do. She needed to close herself off from him. NOW.
Han, silently, restlessly seething at the Princess' insinuations and treatment, glared over at her. She looked perfectly polished and in control, her hair braided in a neat long queue down her back. Except for the tight fists she was making and a word she mouthed that he couldn't make out, she had appeared every bit of the in control powerhouse he knew her to be. The fists had been a rare tell and he knew her mind was elsewhere too. They needed to clear the air before they got any closer to their meetup with the contact. Sloppy – that's what they were being and it was going to get them killed.
"You were a real asshole this morning, Worship." Han growled dangerously as he dropped his pack and stopped suddenly to face her.
"Calling the ice princess an asshole? That's brazen, even for you, Captain." She said this in her stern princess voice, challenging him with a raised eyebrow and an aggressive tilt to her hip as she dropped her pack down in challenge, as well.
A life in the public eye had already given her a superior sabacc face and predisposition for tightly controlling her behavior outside of a small group of people for whom she felt she could just be Leia.
But something had changed on the Death Star. Leia had built what she thought of as a forcefield around her emotions the second Tarkin had given the order to destroy Alderaan. It felt like whatever willpower she had called upon to keep Vader from invading her thoughts, to not break when they tortured her...she channeled that power to create an impermeable fortress to compartmentalize her emotions from the task at hand.
At least it had remained impermeable to everyone but Han, who seemed to gain entrance inside her forcefield fortress at will. Han was her uninvited touchstone in the endless void of her grief and rage.
"You can't demand I treat you like a person and then pull rank on me when I call you out for being a bantha's ass." He snarled. He was working up a real head of steam at this point. This woman! He needed to get away from the pull she had on him.
"Just drop it, Solo. We need to focus on the mission."
Leia was already feeling terribly ashamed. She had been an asshole to him. He hadn't deserved her terrible insinuation of unwanted contact. She was the guilty party there. He also hadn't earned her accusation that he would use the moment to make a public notch on his bunk. She knew she never had to worry about either of those things with him – try as he might to hide it, he had a strong moral code that guided him well.
Why did she act like this she wondered again? Where was the resolute and collected Senator and rebel spy who could coolly manipulate anyone to advance her objectives? Around Han she was all fire and feelings. She hated it. She needed to get it together – they were distracted, and distraction during an op was deadly.
"No. You accused me of some pretty terrible things this morning. It's enlightening to know what you really think of me." He had intended to sound pissed, but hurt clearly came out in his voice as well. He took a deep breath to arrange his face to appear simply annoyed. He could take a lot of crap from her, but rejection, not measuring up. His rough beginnings not being enough for her. Those were his greatest fears when it came to Leia. That he wasn't enough and she thought so too.
"Han…" She grabbed his forearm as he turned to continue walking. She had no idea what to say without saying too much. "I don't think those things of you. I never have. And I won't later. I just…" She said this softly, in a low alto voice.
"Look, I get it." He cut her off. "I don't spoon and tell and you would rather blast me then wake up next to me. It's fine. Are we good now?"
"Perfectly." She said icily, annoyed at him for not dropping it. She did not want to do this with him now. She was about to continue walking when she caught the glint of light reflecting off a metallic surface, almost too fast and far away to see.
"Han, we have a tail, 3:00, behind those boulders" she told him, voice tight as she pretended to gaze into his eyes lovingly.
"Play along," he said softly as he moved to gather her in his arms. He began serenading her loudly with the most saccharine Corellian love ballad, gently swaying her around in slow circles.
Following his lead, she reached up to thread her arms around his neck, ensuring she had a delightedly happy look on her face. As they turned in the tight embrace, she glanced around the meadow, covertly trying to spot danger. They were entirely exposed here with only a few low-lying rocks for cover. They could retreat across the footpath bridge they had just crossed, but they would miss their meetup and the chance to obtain the intel they desperately needed.
He dipped his mouth as if to kiss her, so close she could feel his hot breath on her lips.
"I spot one at 3:00, the other at 9:00. Damnit, we are right in their crossfire. Pretty sure I see blasters."
"Spin me around slowly one more time. Get my blaster, it's hidden in the back of my waist band. Set it to stun. Where's yours?" She whispered this with her cheek against his chest.
"It's that thing poking your hip, highness. Front waist band."
Han pulled her impossibly closer as he dipped his hand under the hem of her sweater. Warm fingers barely brushed her back as he waited to pull the weapon out of the concealed holster at her back.
Thinking quickly, she moved her hands to caress down his chest and over his stomach. She felt him shudder slightly at her touch, and suck in a breath as she placed her hand under his sweater to grab his blaster, flicking it to stun before grasping the handle in her hand. It would look like a care free lover's embrace as they made their final slow rotation, even though she could feel her heart thundering in her ears and Han's doing the same against her. They synchronously moved their weapons out to fire at the two marks as they finished their turn.
They heard two loud thumps as the tails slumped to the ground, stunned unconscious.
Leia ran towards the mark at 3:00 and Han rans towards the other.
"Han, what is going on? My guy is dressed to the nines. His shoes must be worth 2000 credits alone. No weapons or ID, only a comm. Doesn't look like there are any holos or recordings on it."
Han came over after binding the person's arms together.
"I dunno. My lady too. Top of the line Comm, expensive suit. She took a holo of us dancing. And from around the campfire and again in the springs from last night. Gotta be honest, Princess, it's gonna paint a certain picture of us if these get out. Looks like they were transmitted to somewhere right before we stunned 'em."
"Kriff, if this ends up in the holo tabloids, I'm going to lose it. Rebel scoundrel melts royal rebel scum's frozen heart. Just great! And karking Jansen will think he won that ridiculous kriff, kiss, or kill bet the Rogues have on us."
Han chuckled. "I didn't know you knew about that. I have my money on kill. But, I don't think these are tabloid holographers. Your precious contact probably had us tailed as soon as we landed. Let's keep their comms. You can decide if you want to share them with Alliance intelligence and High Command…or just delete them, no questions asked."
"What do you think we do with these two? Keep them bound so we can question them after the meetup? Shoot them?"
"It's your call, but if it was my op, I'd keep them for questioning."
"Let's gag them and drag them behind those rocks. I don't think we can risk comming Chewy before the meetup. Leave your tracker on them so we can find them later. We are at risk of missing the meetup. I hope you like running."
Leia and Han hightailed it through the next two waypoints, including a harrowing climb up a 50-meter rock wall. All the while, they kept their eyes peeled for possible danger.
They pulled up about 500 meters from a crowded lookout over a spectacular natural land bridge that jutted out into the violent sea. Sunset was fast approaching and dozens of onlookers with holocameras out were eager to capture a perfect holo to share on their InstaHolo accounts.
Leia attempted to steady her breath as they surveyed the tourists and looked for any final signs of danger or her contact. She was annoyed that her contact had obviously sent them on a wild goose chase across the archipelago for kilometers when the meetup was only two islands off the main one where the Falcon was parked and waiting.
Leia made eye contact with Han, indicating they should make their entrance, grabbing his hand as they approached the lookout spot. She took out her burner comm so they could pretend to take self-holos of the vista. Han grabbed the comm from her hand.
"You're too short, that angle will give us double chins." He said wickedly in her ear.
"You can eat bantha fodder." She cooed back at him as he held the comm high to capture a holo of them grinning with the dozens of sunset colors glowing behind them.
An older Twi'lek woman approached them and Han and Leia immediately stiffened. Leia was under the impression their contact was a human male.
"Dears, would you like me to take your holo? You just look so in love! Did you just get bonded?"
"Yes ma'am, we are on our honeymoon!" Han said, turning on the charm for this older being and handing over his burner comm. He wasn't sure if this was just bad luck or they were being tested. Best to play along.
Leia plastered her honeymoon smile back on her face and looked up with utter devotion in her eyes at Han, as she wrapped her arms around his waste and looked at the holo lens. It was all she could do to not roll her eyes.
"No no, dears, you must kiss! They say it's good luck to have a kiss at the Pamarthe Kissing Bridge. Give us a kiss, now. Don't be shy."
Han looked at Leia questioningly as he tucked a loose strand of hair back under her hood to stall for time. Despite major misgivings she squeezed his side and gave him an almost imperceptible nod to indicate they should play along.
Gently cupping her jaw, Han tilted Leia's face up as he bent his head lower. Leia's mind was racing. This was a dangerous distraction. She was breathless with anticipation, to finally taste him. This was a bad idea. It's an op, Organa, just get it over with and get back on guard she chastised herself!
Leia's lips parted expectantly as she braced her hand on Han's shoulder to reach up and meet him. Warm lips brushed gently against her before pressing down again with a little more force.
Han tightened his grip on her back and she fisted a hand around the shoulder of his shirt, lips moving over each other again, deepening the kiss. Want was flooding Leia's senses but she forced herself to come up for air, giving Han an embarrassed smile that seemed fitting for the inappropriately passionate kiss.
Han tried desperately to keep from losing himself entirely in the kiss. Every fantasy he had ever had about kissing Leia Organa completely dulled in comparison to the power and heat of her real kiss. He could kiss her every day of his life forever. That thought terrified him and he pulled away slightly further, breathless and burning for Leia.
The Twi'lek woman giggled. "Dears, this is a family place! Save it for the honeymoon suite! Here's your comm back. Congratulations!" She walked away, joining a Twi'lek male and small youngling.
Leia's eyes avoided Han as she stepped yet away from him to collect herself. Her breathing was ragged, and heat radiated off of her burning face. She had kissed various (but not so many) men before the Death Star, but absolutely none of them could hold a candle to Han's kiss. She was in deep shit.
Still avoiding Han's eyes, she glanced at her chrono. The contact was late.
"It's running late, sweetheart, should we head back?" She hoped Han would catch her meaning.
"Let's watch the sunset for a few more minutes. I need a drink, love." Han pretended to busy himself by taking out his canteen and passing it to her. She took a sip as she continued scanning.
Han rumbled close to her ear, "I see someone walking our way with an instant-holo cam out. Human male, face partially covered by a cap and scarf. Dark skin, also dressed to the nines. Can you see him?"
Leia rotated slightly to spot the person Han saw approaching. Her eyes squinted involuntary, and her chin titled. He looked so familiar. Her eyes grew huge in recognition as he came closer and she squeezed Han's hand quickly in her shock. It couldn't be him! He was the Vice Administrator of Coruscant and a heartless Imperial darling! She recalled the last time she saw him and felt enraged.
Han eyed the man suspiciously. Leia definitely recognized him and she looked pissed. The man appeared to be around her age. Dressed elegantly in long purple robes and a hairstyle favored by wealthy core citizens. He looked down his patrician nose at Han and gave Leia a radiant smile.
"What a beautiful couple. May I offer you an instant holo? I'm Chase, by the way. And you are?"
"Hansel and Lita Duo. An instant holo would be wonderful, thank you," Leia said confidently, not betraying the shock she had experienced moments before.
The man held up his holo camera while Han and Leia once again stood next to each other.
"It's funny, for a moment you two reminded me of two old friends from a pathfinding class I took when I was 16. They made such a nice couple, she even let him take her royal braids down before he died tragically soon after, in her arms. I wonder whatever happened to that Princess? Well, I'm sure you two will have a happier ending." He had snapped the holo and was waiting it to develop.
Leia stiffened and Han could feel the rage roiling through her in waves. She desperately attempted to keep her temper under control. Yep, they definitely knew each other, and it didn't seem like there was a lot of love lost between them. Leia took a few calming breaths, keeping the mission in focus.
"Thank you, Chase (she tried not to spit his name out). It was lovely to meet you. They sounded like a lovely couple. Hopefully that Princess found her calling fighting for better beginnings and endings for all beings. I'll tell you what, why don't we trade that instant-holo for the small bottle of Port in a Storm we received in the honeymoon suite. I'm sure you'll have more need for the warming liquor than we do." Leia pretended to fish through her pack and brought out the bottle with the secret code.
Chase" pretended to examine the label while holding his instant holo camera over it. He gave a satisfied nod and handed Leia the instant holo, which she just tucked in her pocket when the bottle of Port in a Storm exploded in his hand.
Han grabbed Leia roughly as he dove with her behind a large boulder, their packs cushioning them from the worst of the hard fall. Han pulled his blaster from his waistband as the scene erupted into chaos. Scared tourists screamed and attempted to grab their children and take cover.
Leia held her blaster ready, set to kill, as she heard more sounds of blaster fire all around her. She looked on in horror as her teenage frenemy, and later Imperial Senate rival Chassellon Stevis' head snapped back with a blaster wound to the forehead.
"Chewy, you're gonna have to come in hot to extricate us. Get Golden Rod in the turret. You tracking our location? Yeah Pal, I know it was a shit plan! Just get here, will ya?"
Leia urgently tapped Han on the shoulder. "Storm troopers coming from the Northwest side of the lookout."
"I'm not sure we can last long enough for Chewy to get here. We need to move, try to blend in with these frantic tourists."
Leia and Han turned in surprise when the two tails they had stunned earlier, and four other well-dressed humans appeared suddenly from where Han and Leia had last crossed. They pulled blasters and began picking off the storm troopers.
Hearts pounding in fear of getting hit in the crossfire or captured by either party, Han and Leia grabbed each other's hands and sprinted towards the foot bridge leading to a more remote island. They needed to get as far away from the firefight as possible.
Leia was incredibly fast but her diminutive size made it hard to keep up with Han's long strides. He was practically pulling her behind him to gain more distance.
They had just crossed the half-way point of the footbridge, which was swaying dangerously in the high wind and from their violent run when a blaster bolt hit the rope handrail, severing it.
Leia risked a glance over her should to see they and the bridge were taking fire from both the fancy suits and the storm troopers.
"Go go go! The bridge won't hold. Storm troopers and suits are both firing at us. Where the hell is Chewy?" She was pushing Han as she yelled this, pumping her legs with every bit of strength she had. Her lungs were burning. 20 more meters, 10. They were almost clear of the bridge when she heard a ripping noise.
"Hang on!" Han yelled as the bridge split in two and fell away from their feet. In a free fall Leia grabbed the rough planks, focused utterly on hanging on for dear life as blaster bolts made pew pew noises all around them. The bridge slammed against the cliff wall with a huge cloud of dust, knocking Han's left arm from the plank. He held on desperately with his right, fearful he would slide down and knock Leia off her precarious grip on the plank she clung to of the old bridge.
Somehow they both managed to hang on, just. Han and Leia began scrambling up the last few planks, rolling to the top just as Han heard the ancient roar of his beloved ship screaming towards them, gun turret firing at the imps and the suits.
Chewy landed the Falcon in the grassy field and Han and Leia launched themselves up the ramp, blaster bolts ricocheting off the scuffed metal, centims from their feet as it closed behind them and Chewy lifted the Falcon back in the air.
They collapsed together inside the entry hatch, panting as Chewy took them away.
Han rolled towards Leia, hands roughly moving around her body, looking for blaster wounds. "Are you ok? Are you hit?"
"I'm fine. Gonna have some bruises, nothing serious. You?" She noticed a gash on his forehead, brushed his hair back to examine it more closely. He closed his eyes, seeming to gain comfort from her attention.
"You're gonna need a bacta patch for the gash on your forehead. C'mon, let's get out of here, then we'll get you to the med bunk and patch you up."
"Wait, Leia, we need to scan that instant holo. I need to help Chewy get us out of here. Grab the scanner out of my bunk desk and bring it to the cockpit.
They each scrambled away as Chewy sped away from the main islands into the atmosphere, desperately trying to plug in coordinates for their jump to hyperspace. They would have to make multiple jumps now to lose any tails while they scanned all of their gear for tracking devices.
Leia was sitting with Han in the cockpit while Chewy prepared a very late dinner in the galley. Threepio was in the circuitry bay decrypting the data Chassellon had embedded in the holo. They had not found any evidence of trackers, but had made 6 hyperspace jumps just to be sure. They were both utterly exhausted.
"Leia..that Chase guy…you knew him, didn't you?"
Leia considered how much she wanted to divulge. Chassellon had already hinted at her relationship with Kier. She felt claustrophobic. Han had already seen and learned so much of her this mission.
"Yes, we were in a pathfinding course together when we were 16 and members of the Apprentice Legislature. His name was Chassellon Stevis. I used to think he was a stuckup brat that liked to throw parties, but mostly harmless. He fully threw his support behind the empire when he went into city politics, and I was elected to the Imperial Senate. I wonder why he agreed to help us?" Leia looked a little sad, lost in thought.
"He talking about you when he mentioned the boy that died in your arms?" Han asked this softly, too curious and burning to know her to stop himself as he gently picked up her hand, running his thumb gently over the back of her hand.
This was dangerous. Bad, bad, bad. She needed to get back to work, create some distance from Han. She couldn't feel this much and function. This op showed her that plainly. They worked well together but her attraction to him was a deadly distraction. They were fortunate not to be dead from getting caught up in each other. She took a deep breath to compose her features.
He could see Leia's Princess mask slip into place, her posture straightening stiffly. The Leia he had the privilege of getting to know openly for much of this trip was no longer in front of him.
She gently pulled her hand back.
"Leia…" He looked at her pointedly, pleading with his eyes for her not to shut down and shut him out once again.
"Captain Solo, thank you for saving me during the shootout. Your quick thinking saved the day once again. I'll send you my trip report for your signature once we land. I'm going to help Chewy with dinner." She placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing briefly as if to acknowledge his frustration, before exiting the cockpit.
Han let out a frustrated sigh. Maybe she would open up on the next operation with him. He could only hope, he was beginning to think he would go the ends of the universe for more time with the real Leia. Another touch, a kiss, to spend the night next to her again. If he was a smart man, he would choose self-preservation and get the hell away from the Alliance. Away from her. But he wasn't at all confident he would do the smart thing.