CHAPTER FIVE

Luke's perceptions were on high alert as the group ran down the corridor of Jabba's palace.  "There's a docking bay ahead," he said over his shoulder to the others.  "We'll probably have to fight our way through it to get to the stairwell."

"How bad does it look?" Leia asked.

"Shouldn't be too tough," he answered.  "We'll manage."

Han caught up to them.  "We're not just borrowing a ship and flying out?"

"No," Luke said quickly.  "We didn't think we could count on that, so we're going out another way.  The stairwell is right off the docking bay, and then we're out."

"Whatever works," Han said.  "The fun of this escape is starting to wear off."

"Tell me about it," Luke grumbled.  "Get ready.  We're almost there."

Han looked down at his blasters.  "Hey, Lando, how about a power pack?  This one's low."

While Han and Lando made the exchange, Luke stretched out his awareness in the Force to assess the skirmish to come.  The docking bay was large, and although there were several dozen gangsters and bounty hunters in there, the sense of anxiety and haste was prominent.  Clearly the rabble of Jabba's palace was as intent on making its exit as Luke and his friends were.

Luke continued to run along with the others on his heels.  They were almost to the docking bay now, and he readied his lightsaber handle in his hand.  He took a deep breath and cleared his mind in preparation for combat, and glanced back over his shoulder to confirm that the others were ready too.

He was just about to reach out into the Force to find Mara when she suddenly rushed up the hallway from behind them.  "Oh, good.  You're here," he said.  "We can use you."

"You've done fine without me so far," she muttered.  "But I thought I'd come back anyway."

"How generous of you," Luke chuckled.  The sight of her was stunning and disconcerting at the same time.  The scanty dancing girl outfit flattered her toned physique, and seeing her draped in his swirling indigo cloak made his heart skip a beat.  But the dyed black hair gave her a sinister look he didn't like at all, and the grime and sheen of perspiration on her skin revealed the full extent of her unpleasant days with the Hutt.

Mara smiled just a little.  "Why?  Did you miss me?"

"Of course."

"You're such a sweetheart.  And it was only a few minutes."

He could sense plainly enough in the battle meld, though, that her question and his answer weren't really about the retreat from Jabba's throne room.  Then he realized they were seconds away from charging into the docking bay. 

"Here we go," he said to the other four behind him.  "Lando, you lead us straight to the stairwell.  Mara and I will provide all the cover we can."

"Copy that," Calrissian said. 

Luke ignited his turquoise laser sword, and at his side Mara's violet blade snap-hissed to life too.  With the two Jedi Knights on the flanks the group of six burst out into the wide, high-ceilinged chamber.  A motley collection of starships was spread out across the floor, including starfighters, freighters, and shuttles.  The docking bay was a hive of activity as fleeing gangsters and ruffians scrambled for their ships. 

They were already a good distance across the room toward the open archway on the far wall before anyone opened fire on them.  And that was just a Rodian who thought they were coming to steal his ship.  Luke swatted away the blaster bolts with a few quick flicks of the blue blade, and when the Rodian realized they weren't actually headed his way he holstered his blaster and scampered up the boarding ramp of his small craft.

Luke sensed Mara repelling a few stray shots from the other side.  When his perceptions told him their charge across the room wasn't being impeded after all, he sidled up to her as they ran.  "What happened back there?" he asked her quietly, barely audible over the thrumming of their blades.  "When you were alone."

Her green eyes flicked quickly to his, then away again, and an emotional wall crashed down around her in the battle meld.  "Nothing.  Don't worry about it."

"I felt something," he said.  He still couldn't shake the troubling sensations he'd felt from her in the Force, and her defensiveness worried him even more.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it right now," she said with sudden hostility, her voice low and sharp.

He flinched.  "Okay.  Later, then."

"Sure," she said unconvincingly.  "Later."

Luke was about to say something more when he thought the better of it.  He sent her a burst of reassurance and warmth through the battle meld and hoped she hadn't blocked herself from receiving it.  That was all he could do for now.  But he wasn't going to let this go.  He'd just have to wait.

---

Leia had her blaster pistol ready in her hand as they ran full speed across the docking bay.  The fact that they weren't really being fired upon was a pleasant surprise, but she wasn't willing to get her hopes up quite yet.  They still had a lot of distance to cover.

Staying right behind Lando and Chewie in the lead, she kept her eyes peeled for danger as she ran.  She didn't see any threats, though.  Maybe they actually were going to make it. 

Then a movement at the edge of her peripheral vision caught her attention.  She turned her head to look at a strange starship about fifteen meters away.  Walking around the ship's exterior, readying it for takeoff, was a tall man dressed in distinctive Mandalorian armor. 

Boba Fett. 

Leia reacted instantly, aiming her pistol and squeezing off shot after shot at the bounty hunter.  A few bolts struck home, slamming Fett into the hull of his ship and driving him to the ground.  He tried to roll away, but Leia continued to shoot.  She couldn't tell how many times she hit him, but when the bounty hunter tried to rise into a crouch to return fire his arms gave way beneath him.

Leia fired a few more shots until her path following Lando took Fett out of her view.  She wasn't sure she'd killed him, but there was no way she could afford the time to confirm it.  Leia closed her eyes for a brief moment and told herself she'd just have to accept this outcome.  She opened her eyes again to realize they were at the far wall. 

"Here we are," Lando said when they reached the open archway to the stairs.  He waved Han and Leia ahead.  "Quickly.  Start climbing."

"What?"  Han stared at Lando incredulously.  "We're going up?"

"That's right," Lando said.

"But the desert is down," Han said indignantly. 

"I'm aware of that," Lando replied.  "But we're climbing.  Now quit your griping and move it!"

"Come on, Han.  Go," Leia insisted.  "Please.  Trust me." 

Han blew out a frustrated hiss, but he nodded and hurried into the stairwell.  Leia had just ducked into the stairwell after him when a massive rumble shook the building.  The roar rattled her ribs in her chest and rocked the stone floor beneath her feet.

"What was that?" she demanded instantly.

"I'm not sure," Luke said from behind her as he brought up the rear. 

Climbing the stairs at her side, Han called back down to them.  "Any chance this place has a self-destruct system built into it?"

"It does, actually," Lando said.  "I found that out a while back."

"Perfect," Han muttered as Chewie wroofed his dismay.  "Sounds like someone had the bright idea to activate it."

"That would explain the explosion," Luke said.

"I don't suppose," Han groaned, "that you have any idea how to shut it down?"

"No," Lando said.  "I don't even know where the controls are."

"I don't either," Mara interjected.  "But I'm sure they're nowhere near here."

"Of course not," Han said, rolling his eyes.  "So how did this master plan of yours deal with this?"

"You tell him," Lando said to Mara. 

Mara laughed.  "The plan is to get out before the palace blows up."

Han glared back over his shoulder at Luke.  "And you approved this, kid?"

"It's a good plan," Luke said with a straight face. 

"Leia?"  Han looked at her plaintively.  "Tell me you didn't know about this."

"I won't lie to you, Han," she replied.  She smiled innocently at him – and didn't say anything more.

"I'm surrounded by crazy people," Han exclaimed.  "Chewie, I blame you."

The Wookiee wrawled a retort in his own defense just as another explosion rumbled up from the depths of the palace.  Leia nearly fell on the stairs, but managed to brace herself on the wall with a hand just in time.

"Wonderful," Han said, still scowling at Leia.  "So close to freedom, and I'm gonna get blown to smithereens."

"Just shut up and climb the stairs, Han," said Leia with a laugh. 

"We're almost there," Luke added.  "We'll get out fine.  I promise."

"Right," Han growled back.  "Gotta stick to the plan."

---

Danaé smiled when the image of her father resolved on the small viewscreen.  "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Danaé," he nodded.  "Your message was tagged Urgent.  What did you find?"

Danaé nodded too, acknowledging his decision to dispense with the small talk this time.  "I found the safehouse this morning.  The scanners confirmed that the facility had been used to prepare large quantities of a biological toxin."

"A toxin?  What kind?"

"The scanners could only narrow it down to a dozen possibilities or so," she said.  "All extremely deadly."

Her father frowned.  "Is all this in the data you're sending me now?"

"Yes, it is.  I could tell the safehouse had been cleared out quickly, so I knew they must've used a cargo firm to load and move it.  It didn't take long to find the company, and use them to find the spaceport and the outbound ship."

"That's fantastic," Anakin said.  "You're really getting good at this."

"Not good enough," Danaé scowled.  "By the time I tracked it all down the ship had been gone for six hours.  So I couldn't stop them, and it was too late to chase after them too."

"You did your best," her father said with a warm smile.  "As it is you got very close – close enough that they weren't able to cover their trail very effectively.  Think of all the information that has gained us."

"I suppose you're right."

"Could you determine where the ship was headed?"

"They registered a flight plan to Naboo."

Her father closed his eyes briefly.  "No deception."

"No," she agreed.  "I felt it even before the computer confirmed it for me."

"I'll inform our agents on Naboo immediately," Anakin said.  "With your data they should have a very good chance of finding them and setting up surveillance, if not intercepting the ship when it arrives."

Danaé furrowed her brow.  "You don't want me to go to Naboo?"

"You're not needed there," he said.  "You've fulfilled your responsibilities in this.  It's now in the hands of others.  We both have to accept that."

"Understood," Danaé nodded, fully aware that their inability to take direct action to protect their beloved planet themselves pained him as much as her – and probably much more.  "What's next?"

"Return to Coruscant.  There's an important mission taking place in a few days, and you will almost certainly be assigned to it."  Her father smiled warmly.  "And before that there's something else you'll have to do for me."

She raised her eyebrows.  "Oh?  And what's that?"

He winked.  "It's a surprise.  You'll find out when you get here."

"Very well, Daddy," Danaé laughed.  "I'll see you soon."

---

Han ran up the last few stairs and burst out onto a small terrace atop the rear roof of Jabba's palace.  The bright suns of Tatooine were nearly blinding, especially considering he'd hardly been outdoors at all in the last year.  He quickly held his hand up to shield his eyes from the blazing light, and watched as a number of starships of all shapes and sizes began to launch away from the docking bays on both sides of the palace.  Then he looked around and realized the six of them were standing there with nowhere to go – beyond the edges of the terrace was a sheer drop over fifty meters straight down to the rocky outcroppings at the base of the fortress. 

He looked over at Luke.  "Uh, kid?  What now?"

"We wait," Luke said with an unnervingly serene smile. 

"We wait for what?"

Luke's creepy smile didn't change.  "For the Falcon, of course."

Han blinked.  "The Falcon?"

Suddenly Leia was at his elbow.  "Yes.  It'll be here any second now."

Han blinked again.  And again.  "But… but…"

Luke still had that blasted Jedi smile.  "Artoo.  He has Threepio to help out as well."

Han spun around on his heel to face Lando and Chewie.  "Did you know about this?"

Lando flashed a wide grin and spread his hands.  "Hey, buddy, calm down.  It's no big deal."

"It's no big deal?!?!?"

Chewie wroofed agreement with Lando and stepped over next to Han. 

"You're letting a droid – a DROID  – fly the Falcon and you think it's no big deal?"  Han lunged toward Lando, only to find himself trapped in a crushing Wookiee embrace.  "Let me go, you big furball," Han shouted up at his captor.  "I'm gonna throttle you with my bare hands, Lando.  With my bare hands!"

Leia put her small hand on his arm.  "Han, I really think you should –"

Another rumbling explosion from within the palace interrupted her.  The terrace shook beneath their feet, and they all swayed in place from the strength of the tremor.  A moment later a loud cracking sound preceded a massive nearby section of the building's thick outer stone wall crumbling, breaking off, and plummeting away. 

"Oh, this is getting more fun by the second," Han said.  "You think your droid can manage not to crash the Falcon long enough to show up?"

"We're well within our window," Luke said too calmly.  "He'll be here any second."

"He'd better," Han muttered, "or we'll all be smashed to bits before we even hit the ground."

Mara smirked.  "You will, maybe.  I'll use the Force to stay in one piece.  I'll be fine."

"Great," Han said.  "Not just a Jedi Knight, but a comedian too."

"Calm down, Han," said Leia, squeezing his arm.  "Artoo is a very good pilot.  Don't worry."

"Look, Princess, I know you don't understand what the big deal is but I think –"  He stopped abruptly when he heard the distinctive roar of the Falcon's atmospheric drives.

The next second his beloved disc-shaped freighter swerved around the far edge of the palace and headed right toward them.  The starship slowed as it approached, and the boarding ramp began to lower. 

His mouth agape, Han stared at Luke.  "You're… you're… you're going to let the droid do a hovering pickup?  Have you gone completely INSANE?"

Luke shrugged.  "Maybe.  But I'm confident Artoo can do it."

"He can," Leia said.  "Trust me."

"It's not you I don't trust, Your Worshipfulness," Han scoffed.  "It's the droid."

Yet before he could say more the Falcon had arrived at the terrace.  It slowed to a hover on its repulsors and lowered straight down until the end of the boarding ramp was only a meter off the terrace.  The maneuver wasn't perfect by any means – not nearly as smooth or controlled as he or Chewie would've done – but Han couldn't deny the little astromech had pulled it off. 

Not that there was any chance he was going to admit that to anyone.  Ever.  Not for all the credits in the galaxy.

"Go," Luke said.  "Everybody onboard.  Now!"

Han watched the two Jedi spring up the ramp first, followed by Lando and Chewie.  He offered his hand to Leia as she bounded onto the ramp, then hopped up himself.  He charged past the others and ran toward the cockpit with Chewie on his heels. 

"Out of the way, Goldenrod," he ordered as he surged through the open portal, past the astromech, and right into the empty pilot's chair. 

"But Captain Solo, sir," the protocol droid exclaimed, "I'm not in the way.  I'm seated…"

"How're the systems, Chewie?" Han asked as he grabbed the controls with one hand and snapped on his crash webbing with the other. 

"…in the passenger seat," Threepio's unwanted explanation continued, "precisely because I knew…"

One step ahead of him as usual, the Wookiee wrawled an affirmation. 

"…that you and Captain Chewbacca would want to take the controls as soon as possible," the droid concluded. 

"Shut up, Goldenrod," Han said, already reaching for the intercom switch. 

"Shutting up, sir," the protocol droid replied. 

"All strapped in back there?" asked Han into the speaker. 

"We're all set," replied Leia's voice immediately. 

"Good," Han said, swatting off the intercom again.  "Because I wasn't gonna wait."  He swung the starship's nose around away from the fortress and pulled the Falcon into a steep climb.  

Chewie wroofed a question. 

"Yeah, that's right," Han said.  "Let's punch it and get outta here." 

With a shudder and jolt the Falcon shot away into the piercingly blue sky – and only a split-second later Jabba's palace exploded in an enormous detonation of fire and rock behind them. 

---

The soft hooting of an unseen owl broke the quiet of the depths of night.  Standing on the balcony of her third floor rented loft, Darth Delicti gazed out over the slumbering city of Theed.  Far in the distance the Royal Palace was illuminated.  Elsewhere occasional windows were bright, and the tiny dots of street lamps formed meandering patterns marking out the ancient cobblestone streets.  The gentle murmur of the city's waterfalls and the whisper of a light wind were the only sounds in this little corner of Naboo's capital.

Except for that blasted owl. 

Delicti fired a burst of anger into the Force, and instantly heard the flutter of wings as the owl fled the predatory wave of power it couldn't even comprehend.  With a smile Delicti leaned forward, bracing herself by her hands on the metal railing and closing her eyes to let the caress of the flower-scented breeze chill her face.  For a long time she stood in place, letting the Force wash over her spirit and using its energy to soothe her aching muscles and convince her body it didn't need sleep this night. 

She had too much to do. 
Delicti opened her eyes again and admired the capital of Supreme Chancellor Amidala's homeworld.  It really was a beautiful place.  As much as she hated the Chosen One's wife, she couldn't deny that.  It was no wonder the city was brimming with residents, offworlders and Naboo and Gungans alike. 

It was almost a shame that in a few days they would all be dead. 

Almost. 

Delicti pushed off from the railing, spun around, and strode quickly back into her laboratory. 

---

Padmé slumped back in her chair and unconsciously raised her hand to the base of her throat to clutch the japoor snippet pendant hanging from its thin chain.  "Where this time?"

"At Fondor," Jenny said.  "The shipyards.  Two destroyers and two cruisers that were only days from completion were totally destroyed in the attack."  

"Twice in the Core two days," Padmé sighed.  "It's masterful.  They've been losing territory for months, and yet they've turned the Senate upside down.  It's hardly any different than if we were losing the war."

"Whatever chance we had with the Senate is gone," Rabé said.  "There's no way the redeployment of sector fleets would be approved now.  No way."

"It's worse than that," Dormé insisted.  "The level of anxiety is practically a panic at this point.  I've been talking to our most reliable sources in some of the caucuses.  If you authorize the commanders to carry out the deployments, there will be legislation introduced to countermand it.  It's that serious."

"There's no concern for the greater welfare of the Republic any longer," Padmé said.  "The Senators are only looking out for their systems.  And their careers.  It's just so frustrating."

"Is there any way we can get past their fears?" asked Sabé into the somber quiet of the Supreme Chancellor's ceremonial office.  "Can we offer complete recovery and rebuilding assistance?  Lower tariffs to sectors whose fleets are redeployed?  Some other kind of financial incentives?"

"That might have worked a few months ago," Rabé said, shaking her head.  "But it's too late for that.  The fear is just too great.  The risk is perceived to be so high those kinds of policies won't be enough." 

"I agree," Saché said as Dormé nodded too.  "We have to consider the possibility that the legislation to prevent the deployments will be introduced quickly." 

"And we need a strategy to defeat it," Sabé said.  "The problem is we're running out of options."

"And we have to consider the possibility," Jenny pointed out, "that your authority under the Declaration of War could be repealed."

"That would be a catastrophe," Sabé scoffed.  "They wouldn't dare."

"They might," Padmé said quietly, twiddling the pendant with her fingers.  "The Senate hasn't been in this much chaos since the Separatist insurrection.  No one feels safe.  If some systems are left exposed, the others will rally to their cause for fear of being next.  Fear is a powerful ally for our enemies, Sabé.  A powerful ally indeed."

"So we'll be on the defensive all across the Republic, with only the offensive forces at the front we have now?"  Sabé shook her head in disbelief.  "It will take years to win the war that way.  The cost will be staggering – in money, in trade, in lives.  It's intolerable."

"I know it is," Padmé said.  For a long moment she closed her eyes, taking a series of deep breaths and rubbing slow circles on her temples with her fingertips.  Then she opened her eyes again and looked at the group of six seated in the chairs beyond her desk.  "You've been quiet, Sarré.  What do you think?"

Sarré sighed.  "You won't like what I have to say."

"Probably not," Padmé conceded.  Sarré knew her well enough that she wouldn't make a statement like that lightly.  "It's all right.  Tell me anyway."

"I think you've been beaten, Padmé," she replied.  "I think the Sith have out-maneuvered you."

Padmé raised her hand to silence the others, who were about to interrupt in indignation.  "Go on."

"These attacks have no real military significance," Sarré said.  "None of them do.  Fear is their ally, as you said, and they're exploiting it perfectly.  It won't be long before the Senate devolves into anarchy – and the war effort becomes a complete disaster."

Padmé nodded.  As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew Sarré was right.  "How much time do I have?"

"Very little," Sarré said.  "Think about it.  We're at a turning point – a breaking point.  If we had our enemy in a position like this, what would we do?"

"We'd go for the kill," Padmé said.  A shiver ran down her spine as the horrible reality of it sank in.  "So how do we block them?  How do we stop them?"

Sarré glanced at the others, then held her mother's eyes in a pained gaze.  "You do the only thing you can do," she said, still locking eyes with Sabé.  "I think you're caught in their trap, and the only way you can get out is by doing the one thing they don't believe you're willing to do."

Then Sarré told them all the truth they didn't want to hear.  But they had to admit that she was right.  There was no other way.  There just wasn't.

It only took a few minutes to prepare the documents, a formal copy on durasheet for the Republic's historical archives and an electronic version for immediate distribution to the Senators, the military, and the news agencies.  With swift strokes of her pen Supreme Chancellor Amidala took the decisive action her peers in the Senate had forced upon her.  Now no one was accountable for the course of the war but she. 

Then she opened a communications line to Commander General Dodonna and Admiral Ackbar and ordered them to implement Victory Strike, using any and all military resources of the Republic necessary to carry out the plan. 

Finally Padmé triggered the small camera in the room and recorded a brief address to the citizens of the galaxy from behind the elegant desk.  She explained that the stalemate in the Senate had become a hindrance to victory – a victory the Republic could not afford to delay.  She vowed that the war soon would be won, and she accepted sole responsibility for the progress of the war under her exclusive direction.  She concluded the short speech with words no Supreme Chancellor had spoken in decades. 

"I decree that the Senate is hereby adjourned indefinitely."  

---

The four principal officers settled into their chairs on one side of a short conference table.  "It should be just a moment," Commander General Dodonna told the others.  "We already have the feed opened."

Admiral Mirkalla nodded.  "Good.  There is a great deal of planning and preparation left to be done."

"Indeed," General Madine said.  "Fortunately I think we should have plenty…"

His voice trailed off as the full-size blue holographic image began to coalesce in front of the table.  After several seconds it resolved into the towering figure of Bryon Skywalker, still dressed in his black Special Forces battle armor and with his helmet tucked in his left elbow.  "Colonel Skywalker reporting as requested, sirs," his deep voice said.  "Xixus is once again in our hands."

"Well done, Colonel," Dodonna said.  "We congratulate you on yet another victory."

"I am proud to do my duty," Skywalker replied with a crisp bow. 

"Do you have a preliminary assessment yet, Colonel?" asked Madine. 

"Casualties among our ground forces were quite low," Skywalker answered calmly.  "A small number of starfighters were lost, but otherwise the Navy seems to have succeeded unscathed as well.  It appears that the Vyhrragians had withdrawn the great majority of their forces from the system before our attack."

"Understandable, to be sure," Mirkalla said, scratching his goatee thoughtfully.  "Our offensive was hardly unexpected by the enemy."

"I agree, sir," Skywalker said.  "We have control over the capital and all major cities on the planet, as well as all transit points within the system.  Given the limited resistance we faced I believe complete control can be achieved within a matter of days."

"Very good, Colonel," Dodonna said.  "At this point we have other orders for you, however.  General Veers will depart this evening for Xixus and continue the operations in that and nearby systems in your stead."

"Of course, sir," Skywalker said.  "And my orders, sir?"

"You are to return at once to Coruscant," Admiral Ackbar replied.  The Mon Calamari tactician blinked his large bulbous eyes and cleared his throat.  "The Supreme Chancellor has approved Victory Strike."

Skywalker nodded.  "Yes, sir."

"I believe the plan can be executed almost entirely as we designed it," Ackbar continued.  "Nevertheless we have retaken several additional systems and have shifted several more capital ships into the available arsenal since then.  The plan no doubt can benefit from these developments."

"Agreed, Admiral," Skywalker said with a smile.  "I look forward to the planning session."

"And I to your insight, Colonel," Ackbar smiled back.  "I anticipate we will be ready to launch the operation in three or four days' time."

"We have a rapid-transit shuttle in our fleet here.  I should be able to depart within a few hours."  Skywalker turned to face Dodonna again.  "Is there anything else, sir?"

"As a matter of fact there is, Colonel," he replied.  "The night after next a joint Army-Navy event will be held in the Senate district.  It will begin with a ceremony of commemoration and remembrance as well as celebration, and will include the presentation of medals and the announcement of promotions."

"Of course, sir," Skywalker said, tipping his head.

From the corner of his eye Dodonna caught the almost imperceptible nods of the others – unlike many of his peers, Skywalker had more than enough discretion and humility to ask anything about the commendations he no doubt knew were headed his way.  "There will be an officers' ball following the ceremony, Colonel.  I am confident you will enjoy that as well." 

"Thank you, sir," Skywalker said.  "I will be sure to notify my wife as soon as possible."

Madine grinned.  "Your wisdom continues to impress, Colonel."

Skywalker nodded with a subtle smirk.  "I am well trained, sir."

"That is all for now, Colonel," Dodonna chuckled softly.  "We await your arrival."

"May the Force with you, Colonel," Ackbar added quickly. 

Skywalker bowed respectfully.  "And also with you, sir."

The holographic image flickered and vanished, and Dodonna and the others rose from their seats.  With brief nods they strode quickly from the room and went to their separate tasks.

---

Lando leaned over to confirm the hyperdrive reading on the pilot's console, then turned to face his old friend in the Falcon's co-pilot's chair.  "You know," he sighed, "after that adventure I think I'm actually looking forward to the war."

Chewie wroofed an amused affirmation and slapped Lando heartily on the back. 

Lando shook his head in disbelief.  "How do we get ourselves into these things?"

Chewie shrugged and rumbled indifferently. 

"Maybe so," Lando agreed.  "But I don't have a life debt to him."

Chewie chuckled and bared his teeth in a friendly grin. 

"I guess you're right," Lando conceded.  "He has pulled my butt out of a few fires over the years, hasn't he?"

Chewie nodded, then tipped his head toward the open portal to the narrow cabin hallway and wrawled a question.

"No," Lando laughed.  "I don't think we'll see him any time soon."

Chewie growled a proposal.

"Sure," Lando said.  "But only if it's best of seven."

Chewie pondered for a moment, then wroofed his answer. 

"Deal," Lando said, nodding decisively.  "And after that how about some sabacc, so I can win some more of your money?"

Chewie growled indignantly, then rumbled a laugh and rose from his chair.

---

Luke sat on the narrow bed in the small chamber that held the Falcon's crew bunks.  His eyes were closed and his hands rested in his lap.  It would be nearly a standard day before they arrived at Coruscant, and for the first time in weeks he could look forward to restful sleep.  Stretching his feelings into the Force, he sensed Lando and Chewie engaged in a good-natured quarrel at the dejarik table.  Han and Leia were in the captain's cabin, their presences in the Force glowing with obvious joy at their long-awaited reunion. 

And Mara was back.

Luke opened his eyes as the door slid upward and she paced inside.  She'd scrubbed all the dye from her hair, which now sparkled with its customary red-gold shimmer.  Her skin was a bright pink from scouring away the grime of two months in Jabba's palace.  And her white sleeveless shirt and sleepshorts clung to her damp body.

Eyebrows raised, she looked over at him.  "You're still awake?"

He nodded – and almost didn't suppress in time his smile at the way her green eyes twinkled as they very quickly appraised his bare chest.  "I was waiting for you."

"Oh."

"Didn't you want me to?"

Mara paused, meeting his gaze.  "Yeah.  I did."

Without the link between their minds Luke couldn't tell why she was so tentative, and he thought it looked like she still hadn't decided whether to climb into his bed or the bunk above.  Whatever it was, both of them being hesitant was getting them nowhere.  "Come here," he said, making room for her as he lay down and held out his hand.  "I'm here now.  Everything's going to be all right."

She paused again, but only for a moment.  She clasped his hand and lowered herself onto the bed, pressing her body to his with her back to his bare chest.  A shuddering, deep breath shook her body.  "You promise?"

"I promise."

"I trust you," she whispered. 

He wrapped an arm around her and held her close, and for a few minutes they lay in silence.  But something still was bothering him about what he'd sensed in Jabba's palace.  "Mara?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"  He rested his chin on her shoulder.  "When you were alone, covering our retreat.  I felt something.  Like you were in pain."

She sighed and wrapped her arm atop his around her waist.  "It was…"

He waited for her to continue, but she didn't.  "It was what?" he asked gently.  "It's all right."

Mara sighed again.  "I'll tell you later," she finally said.  "Not now.  Okay?  Please?"

Luke nodded into her shoulder.  "Okay.  Later."

"Hold me," she whispered.  "Just hold me."

"I will," he whispered back.  "Always."

---

Han sat on his bed with his back leaned against the wall.  Curled up in his lap, Leia had her arms wrapped around him and her head on his shoulder.  Slowly he ran his fingers through the long locks of her loose brown hair.  "I can't believe it's finally over," he said.  "I can't believe I'm actually out of there."

She looked up into his eyes.  "You were surprised I was there, weren't you?"

He knew better than to try to lie to her.  "Yeah, I was."

"Why?"

"You're a pretty important person, you know," he laughed.  "Galactic Senators don't just drop what they're doing and go run jailbreaks."

Leia smiled innocently and batted her eyelashes.  "They don't?"

"Not last time I checked, no," he said, deadpan.  "Plus, you're rich."

She raised her eyebrows.  "And?"

"And that means you can pay people to do your dirty work."  Han shook his head and chuckled.  "If I was rich, that's sure what I'd do."

Leia jolted back and glared at him in mock indignation.  "You mean you wouldn't have come for me yourself?  You'd just have paid some mercenaries to get me out?"

"Of course not, Princess," he said with overdramatic apology.  "Not for you.  For you I'd come myself.  I meant for anyone else.  Like Luke, for example.  I'd pay people to get him out."

"So would I," she laughed.  Then she extracted herself from his embrace and clambered off the bed.  "Speaking of rich, I have something for you."

Han's gaze never left her luscious curves as she bounded across the room in her sleeveless top and sleepshorts.  "Oh?  And what's that?"

She rummaged through her travel bag in the corner and pulled out a cylindrical tube wrapped in paper.  Quickly she sprang back on the bed, sat cross-legged in front of him, and passed the object to him.

He was shocked at how heavy it was.  "Am I supposed to open this?"

"You catch on quickly."

Han didn't say anything, but simply tore at the paper until it broke.  The contents spilled onto the bed with a loud jingle – dozens of shining aurodium coins.  Immediately Han scooped one up.  It was a thousand denomination.  So was the next.  And the next.  He looked at her in amazement.  "How much is this?"

"Thirty-five."

"Thirty-five thousand?"

"No, thirty-five million," she laughed.  "Yes, Han, thirty-five thousand."

He couldn't believe it.  "Where'd you get this?  Why are you giving it to me?"

Leia smiled.  "It's the bounty Jabba paid me for turning over Chewie.  I figured you should have it."

Han swallowed hard.  As if it wasn't enough she'd come to rescue him herself, now she'd just given him a huge sum of money because she figured he should have it.  All he had to offer her in return was his word that he still loved her as much as he had a year ago.  That hardly lived up.  It was pathetic by comparison. 

"Thank you, Leia," he finally said.  "But I don't feel right taking this."

She shrugged.  "If it makes you feel uncomfortable, I'll offer it to Chewie."  Then she winked.  "Or to Lando."

He threw up his hands and laughed.  "Okay, okay, you win.  I'll keep it."