Chapter 17.
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"You Don't Meet People By Accident, There's Always A Reason, A lesson, A Blessing.'
"So you are telling me that the both of you were going to face the empire...alone?" Han asked sitting in the pilot's seat with Luke, Leia and Chewbacca as the ship was put into auto pilot. Luke had just told him their plan and destination missing a few bits out of course. "Yeah...they have something...someone of ours that is very important and we will not leave until we get what we want." Luke said simply, adamant. "You do know that is the imperial empire right? You'd need an entire fleet to defeat them." Han added once more, "So we'll get a fleet." Leia said simply, "I don't know where from...there isn't an army in the entire galaxy willing to go on such a suicide mission." Han said to her knowing he was a lot older and had much more experience of the galaxy. "Look...the galaxy has lived in fear for almost 19 years now, I don't know about you but I am getting rather bored of watching my back incase a man in a mask attacks my city! If there is nobody prepared to help us, then we will just do it alone!" Leia said adamant, Luke looked to his sister before back at Han who had a concerned look on his face. "But you know someone don't you?" Luke asked sensing it within him, Han swallowed hard looking between the two, "Yeah..I know someone, but it ain't gonna be easy." He said looking to them, "We weren't expecting easy." Luke added, Han thought about everything for a second before Leia spoke up once more, "Mr Solo.." She said in a sarcastic tone, "If you are quickly regretting the idea of providing your 'service' feel free to back out at any moment, just take us to this someone you know or somewhere we can find a new ship and you will get your money and you can be on your way." Leia said simply, less sarcastic but anything to get rid of him would do. Han looked to her and furrowed his brows, "Oh you would like that wouldn't you?!" He said knowing she just wanted him gone, "Well no..your highness, I'm not going anywhere, I'll get you your fleet and you can bet my price has just doubled!" He said annoyed at her before standing up and leaving, Chewy following, Luke sighed looking to her, "Do you have to be like that?" Luke asked his sister looking to her, "Like what?" Leia asked as if she was innocent, "Leia..." He said simply, causing her to sigh and roll her eyes, "Fineee...I'll be a bit nicer, but you have to admit he is ridiculously annoying." She said standing up too and leaving, Luke smirked watching her leave before sighing and turning to the controls to keep an eye on everything outside.
Leia saw Han in one of the tight fitted corridors as he was fiddling with some wires fixing them, she stood there watching him for a little bit, she had to admit that he was incredibly attractive, but he was much older than her, she couldn't...but she was an adult, she could...wait, she had only known him little over a week. "Need a hand?" She asked simply, with her arms folded leaning against the door frame, Han looked to her before turning back to the wires, "Why? Got something to criticize lady? Am I not doing it in a way that fits your stuck up ways?" He asked sarcastically with an eyeroll not in the mood, she scoffed. "Stuck up?! I came here to offer you help." She said refusing to take his attitude, "Well I don't need your help!" He stated back, "Fine! Jackass!" She mumbled under her breath before walking away, Han heard and followed her out grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side, "It's very clear that you don't like me very much, and I don't particularly like you either lady! I'm only in this for the money...but if we are going to take on an entire empire together, you're just gonna have to start being nice to me." He said simply, Leia's eyebrows arched as she pulled her arm away from him and out of his grasp, "I have to be nice to you?!" She said in a laugh, "Oh no I think you've got it all wrong, I don't have to be nice to anyone at all...especially not scruffy looking, amateur's with an ugly waist coat and a bad attitude!" She walking away shoving past him, Han still not giving in and following her once more pushing her against he wall this time keeping his body close to hers with a smirk as she tried to get out of his grasp, "You've got a crush on me..." He said with a grin tormenting her, causing her to laugh nervously, "I have no such thing!" She denied, lied and denied. Han smiled in his annoying way, "If you say so Lady." He said stepping back as she stormed off, "Stop calling me Lady!" She yelled in frustration.
"So where are we heading?" Luke asked Han once he had took over his the ship again, "Cloud City on Bespin, an old friend...well we had a run in a couple years back but I am sure he's forgot about it now." Han said simply as Leia came in and sat behind them but looking out the window at the planet Bespin. "As long as its quick, we don't have forever." Luke added, "Look it's not going to be easy but I'll get you that fleet.." Han said simply looking to Leia sending her a wink, to which she rolled her eyes as they headed into the atmosphere of Bespin approaching cloud city. After landing they walked out onto the platform and into the very posh and wealthy looking buildings, "Just let me do the talking...we don't need anymore trouble...Leia." Han said simply to the pair of them causing Chewie to laugh slightly. "Han Solo...it's been a long time." A female said to him with a smirk, Leia instantly took a disliking to her, especially since she had put her hand all over Han's arm. "Its good to see ya Zera..listen we don't have a lot of time and I need to see Lando." Han said simply, Zera smirked looking to Leia and then back, "You're a brave man Han...right this way." She said flirtaciously leading them to Lando's office, "You have visitors." Zera said before walking away, Lando turned to face the 3 adults, chewie and the droid. "Well well, I never...Han Solo...it's been a long time brother, how have you been?!" He asked hugging him tightly, Han was surprised by his reaction, "Nothing special a few deals here and there...listen about what happened on Kijimi…" Han said quietly but Lando cut him off..."No No, all is forgotten, besides I'm a rich man now...Well who is this fine beauty?" He asked with a grin walked past Han, Leia found it the perfect opportunity to wind Han up. "I'm Leia...its very nice to meet you." she said offering his hand as he kissed it, smiling to him in a flirty way, although Luke didn't particularly like it either, "I'm Luke by the way." he said standing in the way and offering his hand. "It's nice to meet you..Chewie!" Lando said hugging his old friend with a smile, "What can I do for you?" He asked offering them all a seat, Leia sat next to Chewbacca as she looked across at Han sitting opposite her, "Han promised us you could provide us with a fleet...we're planning on attacking the imperial fleet...I think enough is enough wouldn't you?" Leia asked simply, knowing she knew how to negotiate since it was her studies, Han kicked her under the table as if to say 'I told you to let me handle it' "Oh did he now?" Lando asked looking to Han, "And what makes Mr Solo so sure I would provide such a thing?" Lando said simply arching his eyebrow. "A big payout..." Han blurted out, Leia kicked him under the table as if to say 'Stop spending my money.' Lando laughed, "I'm already a rich man...where it may have been an offer I could not refuse prior to our meeting, I'm afraid now it hasn't the same taste...something else however..." He said with a smirk looking to Leia, Han didn't like that, "maybe I could be convinced." He smirked to her, Luke rolled his eyes, but he knew they had to do this and Leia would get her way out of it, "Provide us with the best fleet you have to defeat the empire...and once we have won the war, we will ensure you get whatever it is you require." Luke said knowing that Bail and Breha were very rich people and they would help out. Lando sat back in his chair, thinking about it, Leia felt as though he was going to say no. "There have been plans, of a death star...a moon sized space station, with the ability to destroy entire planets...we must stop this before it is too late, but we cannot do this alone, we beg you...I beg you, help us defeat the empire and you will go down not only as one of the wealthiest men in the galaxy but also a war hero...spoke about for years to come." Leia said, finding ways to manipulate his decision, Han smirked at her words, he had only filled her in on a few things about Lando but she used it perfectly against him, and with the leaked plans of the death star that R2 had managed to find out just days before everything was a lot more convincing. "Alright...I can have your fleet prepared by tonight." Lando said simply, "In the meantime I will have fresh quarters prepared for you and you will join us for dinner this evening." He said simply before standing up and leaving, Leia smiled at her work looking to Luke, "Nice one Leia." Luke said with a smile, he said leaning over to kiss her cheek, once more making Han jealous since he still didn't know they were siblings.
Later that afternoon in the early evening, Leia was in her quarters that Lando had prepared and even with a fresh dress for their dining in just a couple minutes. After cleaning up in the refresher she got herself ready into the dress and let her long brown hair fall down her shoulders, styling it a few different ways she didn't really like, so she simply pinned it up in a very nice Alderaan looking way before hearing a knock on the door, going to answer it she saw Han standing there the same smug look on his face. Rolling her eyes she looked to him, "What?" She asked blunt, her hand still on the door ready to close it on his face, "Good job down there lady." He said with a grin but this time it wasn't so arrogant, neither was the tone of his voice, she looked to him and for once she could actually tolerate him, "Thanks...I figured you wouldn't have been so successful, of course I had to step in...negotiating is an experte of mine." She said smug with a smirk folding her arms and standing tall. "Oh really?" He asked with an arch of his eyebrows and smirk on his face, "Yes as a matter of fact it is which is much more than you can say." She said looking to him, "Lets just see how well your expertise go down when facing an evil empire." He said with a grin standing up tall too. "I'm very aware of the dangers Han you don't need to remind me..." She said with a little shake of her head, "Maybe I'm just looking out for you." She laughed at his words, "I don't need a scavenger with a giant walking teddy bear to look after me okay? I'm a big girl..." She said walking past him to go to dinner, Han smirked closing her door before turning around "Oh really?" He asked with a smirk as he watched her walk, "Really!" She called back, "Well maybe I'll just let you go down to dinner with the back of your dress unzipped...since you don't need my help and all." He said with a smirk, Leia stopped in her track pulling her face to say that he was such a smug bastard, before turning around in a huff and walking to him, seeing the smug look on his face she slapped his chest, "Wipe that look of your face!" She said before turning around for him to zip it up, he smirked before standing up properly to zip her dress up for her, "Much better." He said softly, looking to the skin on her neck with a soft breath, she was addictive, even if he couldn't stand her. Leia felt his breath on her skin, on her neck and it made her heart race, she had been flirty with many boys in college but this was something else. Breaking from that moment she turned to him, "Thank you..." She said looking up to him, he was looking back at her, and they just looked into each others eyes, silent yet connecting, it was a little uncomfortable at first, but she soon relaxed into it, before she once more broke from her stare, "We should go to dinner.." She said softly moving her hand to the side of her neck and walking away as her eyes widened to herself on attempting to comprehend what just happened between the pair.