GreatOne – Thanks! Given Han's past, it makes sense that the guys would tease him about becoming a father.
GuardianofWilds – Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I'll be sure to check out your story. Here's more.
Chapter 26
The next day, Han, Leia, Lando, Luke, and Chewie went to go look at possible places for the agency. They wanted to have it somewhere in the middle of the capital where as many people would see it and know about it as possible. So far there were several prospects, but nothing had quite hit them as being the place as of yet.
They were walking through one of the larger buildings; one they thought might be a bit too large for the small agency that they were planning. Leia, Luke, and Chewie had decided to explore one area, while Han and Lando explored the other. Lando, suddenly struck with an idea, turned to Han.
"Han, old buddy – why don't you have me help you with the planning? I mean I have the experience, you have the idea, it would be really profitable."
"Lando, since when have profits been an issue to me?"
"Well, always. You know, the whole 'I'm in this for the money' thing Leia told me about, smuggling, you name it."
"And how long ago was that?" Han asked as Lando was slowly beginning to understand what his friend was saying.
"Uh, about four years ago…but profits are always important. I mean, you don't want Leia to be the only provider, do you?"
"Lando, no offense, but even if we did have money problems I wouldn't want to get involved in one of your crazy schemes. Bespin wasn't exactly a vacation for me, if you remember."
"But it wouldn't be anything like that! There's no more Empire, no more bounty, no problems! C'mon, it would be perfect!"
"It's gonna be a non-profit organization, Lando, something you may have never heard of. I'm not making any money from it."
Lando's eyebrows shot up. "Non-profit? Why non-profit? I mean, you could just charge a fee or something…"
"Sorry, Lando, I'm not changing my mind. You can just keep up with your toy business or whatever it is that you're doing at the moment."
Lando was about to plead some more, when they heard footsteps coming toward them. They both looked up, and a moment later a camera was shoved into Han's face.
"General Solo, how do you feel about your wife's pregnancy?" the man with the camera asked insistently.
"How would you know anything about a pregnancy?" Han asked, giving the cameraman a threatening glare.
"Um…a creditable source told me. How do you feel, General?"
"I feel like I'm gonna blast your camera into bits if you don't leave us alone," Han said as he reached to his side and grabbed his blaster, which he pointed straight at the lens.
"Uh, Han, that might not be such a good idea. He's a tabvid reporter, and you probably don't want that on H.V…"
"I know what I'm doing, Lando," Han said as he turned toward his friend. By the time he turned back the tabvid reporter had run off.
"I hope that doesn't backfire on you, Han. It could be pretty ugly," said Lando.
"I'm not worried. Let's go find Leia and the gang and get outta here. I think that the second building we looked at should be good, at least temporarily. Let's go back to the apartment."
They saw Leia, Luke, and Chewie ahead, all looking flustered. Chewie looked like he was ready to tear someone's head off.
"Did that reporter come over here? He was bugging me, so I turned my blaster on him," Han told them.
"You did what, Han! Do you realize the scandal that will cause?" Leia exclaimed, bewildered.
Han just shrugged.
"He came over here, and all I had to do was answer the questions! It was annoying, but I didn't threaten him!" she said, pacing around.
"It's not like I watch the holovison much, anyway. What's the big deal?" Han asked as he wrapped an arm around his wife. She glared up at him, but didn't shrug him off.
"You'd better hope that they don't use that, Solo. I have to say, though, I have a bad…"
"Don't say it!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
"Okay, I won't say it, but I do nonetheless."
