I said it was mostly UST. This one is definitely not. It's just a little idea I had based on Han and Leia's age difference. I love it even though it isn't romantic.

Being eleven was frustrating. Princess Leia Organa didn't like it. She mentally categorized all her grievances as she kicked at the plentiful rocks that were strewn about the countryside of… some weirdly named city in Corellia.

There were the mental things.

No one took her seriously.

No one cared what she had to say.

When someone did care, they would pat her head and tell her not to worry.

(Well, her father didn't, but he was so busy. She wished he would take her with him to his Senate meetings and trade dela-whatas and when he met with his friends who made Leia's mother's mouth tighten at the corners like she'd bitten into a lemon…)

There were the emotional things.

She was angry a lot and for no reason.

Then she'd be sad.

She missed someone but she didn't know who that someone was.

(She only had her two parents, her aunts and five castles full of employees. She'd had a best friend when she was five that had been moved off planet after his parents had done something that made her mother's mouth tighten at the corners like she'd bitten into a lemon…)

There were the other things too.

She was so short she could never see anything.

She couldn't wear her hair up because she wasn't twelve.

And she had no idea where she was going.

With a little jerk, Leia stopped in her tracks. She'd only meant to explore a little. Maybe make her father look up from his maps and charts long enough to notice she'd gone.

But now she had no idea where she'd gone.

The clearing of the base was lined with what looked to be an inviting spur of woodland. Leia always loved to walk in the woods. The lush green of pine needles and the little sounds that scurrying animals made always seemed to both calm and excite her. She never felt alone in the woods. It was as if some benevolent spirit was holding her hand, guiding her hither and thither.

But, now, she wasn't feeling so invited.

"Hello?" she called, noticing the deep slant of the rays coming through the trees and the slight chill permeating the air. It was far too late for her to be wandering. Her father would be mad.

Her voice didn't echo but seemed to settle into the gloom. Some distant bird made a hollow sound and it sent a shiver up Leia's spine. She frantically looked over her shoulder, already uncertain of which way she came. In her haste to have her freedom, she hadn't secured a comm, certain of the good head on her shoulders and her innate sense of direction.

Her breath quickened, but she fought for control, reminding herself of the things she'd long known.

You are an Organa. You are strong, and brave, and always in control.

When a staccato hiss flew past her ear, Leia let out an unladylike scream and bounded off into the bushes. Of course, her lovely dress, perfectly pressed for the party she was missing, caught under her little feet and sent her sprawling.

"Kite!"

Leia looked up through the curtain of her long hair, now threaded with sticks and leaves. For a moment she didn't know whether to be relieved or scared. She wasn't alone, but her father had always told her not to broker with strangers.

Not everyone will treat you like a little princess.

She scrambled to her feet and looked for a tree to hide behind. Between untangling herself from the brambles and not knowing from where the voice came from, this was no easy task.

The zipping hiss started again and she swallowed a shriek. It was only as she scrambled onto the branch of fat lolly pine that she saw where the sound was coming from. A little droid, no bigger than a blue jay was whizzing through the air. It was square shaped with little propellers on either side and a red light that zipped to and fro.

Leia felt a bit better being up in the tree until the little thing's red eye whirled on her and it trilled a little melody of beeps and honks. For such a small thing it was very loud.

"Whaddya mean you found someth—"

Leia froze as the man who belonged to the voice appeared below her. If it hadn't been for the little droid, she would have been just high enough to remain unseen. She still didn't know if she would have called attention to herself or not, but the choice was no longer in her control.

Leia didn't like losing her control.

"I beg your pardon," she said curtly, "but some of us are trying to have a little peace and quiet."

With a harrrumph, she crossed her arms and turned toward the trunk of the tree, staring at the bark as if in deep contemplation. Her heart beat quick as a rabbit's under her velveteen bodice.

There was a moment of silence apart from the whirring of the little droid's motors then— "Is that right?"

Leia didn't respond.

"Huh, then I guess Kite and I will be on your way. Didn't mean to disturb you, your holiness."

Leia frowned at the title, but still stared at the bark. There was a snap of a twig and then the zipping sound of the droid flying away.

She was better off on her own. She didn't know who this person was. And that little droid was annoying. And…

"WAIT!" she screeched before clapping a hand over her mouth. She twisted around to see the retreating figure of the man. He wore fatigues in deep gray but was missing his hat. Leia recognized him as an Imperial Navy scout and inwardly sighed with relief.

But he didn't turn around, though his little droid did. It flew back to her perch and settled itself on the branch scanning her with its little red eye.

"Thought we were disturbing the peace?" he said, a little loudly. Leia couldn't tell if it was real annoyance or suppressed laughter in his tone.

"Well, you were," she murmured, giving the droid a suspicious glance. "He's very loud."

The man peeked at her over his shoulder.

"For someone in what looks to be a very precarious position, you have pretty high standards."

"I'm not in a pre-car-i-ous position," Leia said, all confidence except for the slight stumble through the difficult word.

"No, your highness, I guess you're not," the soldier replied, finally turning around in full. "Actually, that's a pretty good spot you got there. Could get the jump on any humanoid in the area."

Leia felt a little flush of pleasure at his approval. Then she sniffed to dispel it.

"My father taught me how to avoid danger."

The man snorted.

"Well, he did a bang-up job. What are you doing in the middle of the Kor Vella woods at sundown? You know, this is about the time the wild panteras come down from their trees."

The droid spun frantically with a little trill and left its perch to land on the shoulder of the soldier below. Leia looked up bit wildly before catching herself.

"There are not panteras on Corellia. I read about it. This isn't a jungle world."

The man's lips quirked just on one side.

"You know that for sure?"

Leia held his gaze for a moment, sussing out just what she thought of this Navy soldier. His face was smooth, his hair was short, he had a big forehead and a big nose, but kind eyes. His eyes reminded her of her father's though they were a greenish color instead of brown.

"You need someone to take you home?"

Leia peered for one more flick then nodded.

"Come here," he mumbled, raising his hands up to where she sat in the tree. Leia considered batting them away, but she was starting to get cold and she wasn't really sure how else she'd get down. His hands were warm and steady as he caught her under the shoulders and swung her onto the forest floor.

"You aren't really dressed for a hike in the woods," he said as she smoothed down her skirt and crossed her arms.

"Well, you aren't wearing your hat," she fired back.

He shook his head, but couldn't quite hide his smile.

"Little spitfire. Probably would have been fine on your own."

He considered her, then shrugged off his coat. Without asking he laid it across her shoulders.

"Purple's a pantera's favorite color," he whispered. Then whistled through his fingers. His little droid zoomed forward and hovered in front of him.

"Where's she coming from, Kite?"

The thing trilled and beeped, and the man looked over his shoulder.

"Figured you came from the town by the mesa. What are you doing at the naval base?"

Leia inwardly debated for a moment before relenting.

"My father is a Senator. He is here for the Emperor's fête."

The man made a deep sound in this throat before consulting a screen he held in his palm.

"It'll have already started. So that's what your dressed for, huh?"

The little droid keened and the man shook his head. It whizzed past his head and he swatted at it. When it did it again, he burst out with an "Okay, okay. I'm gonna get you reset one of these days, you know."

The droid bleeped and bumped him in the back.

"I'm Han. This is Kite."

"Kite?" Leia said, as the little droid flew down to her eye level and beeped at her.

"Short for KYT-784," Han said, "he's a navigation droid I stupidly tinkered with."

Kite did a little flip then settled on Leia's shoulder.

Han shook his head, "He's harmless."

Leia took them both in, the tall young man looking both aloof and a little embarrassed and the warm little buzz on her shoulder. She could help the smile the split her face even as she told herself it wasn't princess-like and it wasn't proper. The soldier caught her expression and titled his head.

"What?"

Leia tried to tame her face but the smile turned into a giggle.

"What's so funny?"

Kite flew off her shoulder and buzzed around her a few times, as if taking part in her mirth.

"You're strange," she said simply then turned to Kite who was now hovering in front of her. "Which way to the fortress, Kite?"

He sang happily and careened to the left pointing his red light in the direction of his travel.

"Well, someone learns fast," Han muttered as he followed her quick footsteps through the underbrush. "And why'm I strange?"

Leia wasn't sure how to answer that. She didn't know a lot of Navy soldiers, but the ones she'd met in her short life had been silent, imposing and sometimes downright mean. Han was none of those things, but he did seem to think he might be.

"I'm Lelila," she said over her shoulder, used to not giving her real name. With playmates she was always Lelila and somehow Han felt like a playmate. Even though he was old.

"What kind of name is that?" Han said as he caught up with her brisk little stride. He looked down at her then out into the trees.

"It's mine," she said, "why are you in the woods?"

He let out a bark of laughter, "Are you a senator?" he volleyed, "You sure have a politician's tongue."

"I want to be," she said eagerly, catching herself as her slipper caught in a wayward root. "But my mother says young…ladies oughtn't to be in such a challenging profession."

Han snorted, "You always do what your mom tells you?"

Leia blinked up at him. "Yes."

This made him pause.

"Well then," he said a bit slowly, "maybe you should think about rebelling."

"Rebel-ing?" Leia repeated, rolling the word around her mouth.

"Yeah," Han muttered, reaching down to lift her up over a fallen log. "It's when someone tells you to do something and you just…don't do it."

Leia frowned at this.

"Why?"

Han puzzled at her then whistled at Kite who zoomed back from the gloaming.

"Kite," he murmured, "Ram yourself into that tree."

Leia stared at him for a moment before his command registered in her conscience.

"What?!"

Han didn't look at her.

"Kite, you're a sorry excuse for a droid, and I want you to hit that tree so hard you splinter into a million little pieces so I'll be rid of you once and for all."

"Don't! Don't!" Leia cried, jumping up and down in desperation.

Kite looked at Han, then at the tree he was gesturing to, let out a rally of of bleeps, then zoomed back off the way they'd been heading.

"See?" Han said, now gesturing to the retreating figure of the navigation bot, "That's rebelling."

Leia's jaw fell open and then her face reddened with indignation. She sprang forward and pushed the solider. He didn't budge but he did manage to look rather annoyed.

"I thought you were going to," PUSH, "kill," PUSH, "him!" STOMP.

"Nah," Han hummed, almost seeming satisfied with himself, "Kite doesn't listen to me anymore." Leia growled as only an eleven-year-old can growl and tromped off after the droid. Han followed, giving her an appropriate berth for a few tense minutes. Finally, Leia slowed and turned back towards him.

"What you were telling Kite was wrong," she said.

"Well, he is pretty irritating sometimes…" Leia glowered at him, and he smirked. "But yeah."

"So, do you think what my ma—mother is telling me is…wrong?"

Han looked down at her for a moment, seeming to consider his words. "I think you're pretty smart. And I'm pretty sure we could use some smart politicians in that Senate your father's in."

"Why?"

He sighed impatiently, "You say say that a lot, don't you?"

"Yes," Leia swallowed, "and people don't like to answer me."

Han's lips pursed, the same way her mother's did sometimes.

"You know that Emperor?"

Leia blinked at him again.

"There's only one."

Han squinted.

"Right. Well, he's a piece of work."

Leia tilted her head, realizing she wasn't walking again. "What's a—"

"It's a bad guy," Han said before looking furtively over his shoulder. Then he let out a little laugh that didn't have a lot of mirth in it. "It's someone who does the kind of thing I did to Kite."

Leia's eleven-year-old mind tried to fathom this. But all she could imagine was the Emperor in his great big black robes raising his wrinkled hand and sending little droids flying into trees over, and over, and over…

"Is this like the panteras?" Leia wondered.

"No," Han said, "it's not. I should know," he looked down at his gray fatigues, "I'm one of them." Leia took him in.

"No, you're not."

Han titled his head at her.

"How old are you?"

Leia lifted her chin.

"Twelve."

Han rolled his eyes.

"Twelve. Great. You've really made something of yourself, Solo. Debating politics with a twelve-year-old."

Now Han tromped through the forest and Leia followed, still mulling over the panteras and the rebel-ing and the Emperor. Finally, she decided on something and sprang forward, jogging to catch up with the muttering soldier.

"He is ugly," Leia admitted. "And every time I see him, it makes me sort of…mad."

Han slowed just a bit.

"Mad?"

Leia shrugged. "I just don't like him. He makes my skin itch."

"So, what, are you allergic?"

"No," Leia said, "just…grossed out."

Han finally laughed, and Leia felt her heart lighten at the sound.

"You know what? Me too. The bugger may pay me, but I wouldn't touch him with a five metim pole."

"Well, I wouldn't touch him with a ten metim pole!"

"Well, I wouldn't—" Han looked up as Kite whooshed back toward them. He beeped at Han, and all of the sudden the good humor left his face and he was reaching into a pocket. In a flash he had a cap on his head and stood stock still as the sound of footsteps crept into their sphere.

"Soldier! What is your reading?"

"Five Eighteen, commander. Kite—KYT-784 picked up the reading on a—"

"Leia?"

The sound burst through the darkness warm and welcome, like an embrace through the moonlit trees.

"Papa?" Leia called.

"Lelila!" All of the sudden, Bail was there pushing past the shadowed figures and wrapping her in his arms. Leia leaned into his embrace, feeling herself lifted off the ground as her father clutched her close.

"What are you doing out here?" His voice was full of something, but muffled against a mixture Han's woolen coat and her tangled hair.

"I got lost!" she cried, "but Han found me, and his—"

"Who?"

Bail set her down and she turned to show him her rescuer, but there was no one there. She blinked into the darkness then turned wildly to the soldiers behind her father.

"Where did they go?"

"The soldier has done his duty. The Navy is happy to oblige."

Bail nodded at the soldier, taking Leia's hand firmly in his own.

"See that he is promoted," he said, "I will personally recommend him."

"But—" Leia whimpered, still searching through the woods for her new friends.

"Speak to me, Lelila, don't whine."

Leia swallowed, steadying her breathing, regaining some of her much loved control.

"I wanted to thank him, Papa."

"That isn't necessary, Lelila. The Emperor does not want his soldiers to strive for personal glory. They work in the name of the Empire. He will get his reward."

Leia opened her mouth to argue, remembering Han's suggestion — to rebel.

"Shhhh…Lelila, we will talk of this another time. We have to do our duty now."

Being eleven was confusing. Princess Leia wasn't sure how she felt about it. She followed her father's orders, but the words of the strange soldier kept whizzing around her mind. And when the moment came four years down the road, in her first weeks in the Senate, as she finally saw the Empire for what it really truly was, she remembered them, buzzing behind her shoulder, as if from a dream.

"Maybe you should think about rebelling."