Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing. I really appreciate the comments! As you know, things are about to get interesting for our friends…


The hiss of the apartment's outer hatch and Chewie's angry growling interrupted them. Nice timing, you big, hairy lug, Han thought irritably as Leia jumped to her feet, startled. The Wookiee held a box full of what appeared to be pieces of protocol droid. Well, that explains that.

"What happened?" Leia asked in dismay.

I found Golden Droid in the waste disposal room, ready to be incinerated. I had to battle with several very large, vicious creatures in order to obtain him!

"Where?" Han said, wondering if he'd misunderstood.

A junk pile! A rubbish heap! Open your ears, Cub!

Leia was looking at Han expectantly.

"Found him in a junk pile," he translated.

"Oh, what a mess," she groaned. "Chewie, you think you can repair him?"

Chewie growled, examining the wires protruding from the end of one of Threepio's arms. I *can* fix him, but I wonder whether we could enjoy his silence for just a little longer?

"Lando's got people who can fix him," Han suggested. He wasn't overly concerned about Threepio. Knowing Goldenrod, he'd probably wandered somewhere he shouldn't, gotten himself smashed by a piece of mining equipment or annoyed someone so much that they'd blasted him just to shut him up. Han certainly sympathised.

"No thanks." Leia's distaste was palpable.

As though he'd been summoned by the sound of his name, Lando himself appeared in the open doorway, his blue and gold cape swirling about his shoulders, the collar turned up rakishly. His hair and moustache were perfectly groomed, his shoes polished to a gleaming shine. Han had to hand it to his old buddy – he had managed to cultivate a suave sophistication in the years since they'd seen each other.

"Sorry, am I interrupting anything?"

"Not really," replied Leia coolly, her hands instinctively drawing the grey folds of her cape over the front of her tunic as Lando's eyes raked over her body, smiling his most charming smile.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Lando purred, shaking his head in faux incredulity. "You truly belong here with us among the clouds."

Han rolled his eyes. He was going to need a bucket if Lando kept this up.

"Thank-you." Leia's voice was neutral – she was a diplomat after all – but to Han, knowing her as well as he did, it was obvious that if she'd had her blaster, she might have contemplated shooting Lando in the face. Or somewhere else sensitive. Lando, though, was completely immune to her disapproval. He stepped closer, his hand extended gallantly.

"Would you join me for a little refreshment?" he asked the Princess.

Thought you'd never ask, Chewie growled.

"Everyone's invited, of course," Lando added hastily.

Leia reluctantly took Lando's offered hand. Oh no you don't, Calrissian, Han thought, sweeping up behind the princess with his left arm extended. She took it in amusement, her small fingers pressing softly against his bicep, and extricated herself from Lando. Han knew Leia could take care of herself just fine, knew he didn't own her, but he was tired of watching Lando drool all over her like a rancor. Besides, he wanted to be the man whose arm she held.

Lando glanced down at the box of Threepio parts with a puzzled expression.

"Having trouble with your droids?"

Han scowled. What do you think, genius?

"No, no problem. Why?" he said mulishly. He swept past his friend, Leia's hand still tucked under his arm as they exited the apartment. He caught her private smile out of the corner of his eye as they emerged into the bright white hallway.

"Laser-brain," she murmured fondly under her breath.


Cloud City was bustling with activity as Lando led them through a maze of white corridors. Late morning sunlight streamed through the windows and there was an atmosphere of efficiency and prosperity. It was a far cry from most of the mining worlds Han had visited in his time. They were miserable shit-heaps crawling with stormtroopers, for the most part.

Lando explained, "Since we're a small operation, we don't fall under the jurisdiction of the Empire."

"So, you're part of the Mining Guild then?" Leia asked as they turned another corner. She was using her Senator Voice, the one that made her sound informed, capable, brilliant. It got Han going in a big way, and combined with that gorgeous outfit she was wearing, well… Han wondered how short they could cut the refreshments.

"No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed. Which is advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves."

I bet they are, Han thought.

To Lando, he said, "Aren't you afraid the Empire's gonna find out about this little operation, shut you down?" They crossed another foyer and came to a short flight of stairs which led to an elaborate double doorway.

"It's always been a danger that looms like a shadow over everything we've built here," Lando admitted, "…But things have developed that'll ensure security."

Behind them, Chewie muttered uneasily to himself. I hear ya, buddy, Han thought, silent alarm bells beginning to ring at Lando's words. Unobtrusively, he undid the strap around his blaster, loosening it in its holster although there was no sign of anything amiss.

"I've just made a deal that'll keep the Empire out of here forever." Lando pushed the hatch release and the double doors hissed, beginning to slide open.

And then Lando stood still, looking at Han. Han looked back at Lando, confused, trying to read the other's expression. The alarm bells in his head were screaming now, but still he could see no danger. What the fuck is going on?

The doors slid open further, and now there was a new sound, harsh and metallic.

Breathing.

Han turned his head as an enormous black figure rose to its feet.

Vader.

Behind him, Chewie roared, so viciously and so loudly that Lando drew back in fear against the door frame. Han reacted in a microsecond, reflexes honed through hours of practice. Drawing his blaster always felt like an internal explosion, his body acting independently from his conscious mind, muscle memory completely taking over.

Knee bend. Twist. Arm drop. Grip. Arm up. Aim. Squeeze.

He had four shots off before his brain had even caught up, but Vader already had his own arm extended, fingers splayed to stop the blaster bolts with his bare hands. With a flick of the Dark Lord's fingers, Han's blaster was ripped from his grasp and flew across the room.

"We would be honoured if you would join us," intoned Vader, holding Han's smoking blaster in his hand with disinterest, as though he hadn't just made it fly across the room, hadn't just casually defied the laws of physics. Leia's hand was trembling in his and Han felt a wave of white-hot rage towards the inhuman dungcreeper in front of him for being the only person in the galaxy who could inspire that reaction in his tough-as-nails princess.

And then, behind Vader's left shoulder, appeared another armoured figure, smaller to be sure, but no less menacing. His own blood turned to ice.

Boba Fett.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

This was bad. This was very bad.

He turned back the way they had come. Maybe they could make a run for it. Leia was fast and so was Chewie. He didn't know whether Vader could run, but he looked like he was built for strength rather than speed. Fett would be hampered by his armour and couldn't use his jetpack indoors. It might be worth a shot.

A squadron of stormtroopers suddenly appeared on the stairs, blasters at the ready. Nope. Scratch that. He was fast running out of time and ideas. He looked at Lando, saw the guilt in his face, felt his stomach drop as he realised. He knew. That motherfucker knew! It was a setup right from the start.

"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did," explained Lando ruefully. "I'm sorry."

Han looked down at Leia. Her eyes were wide and dark, her face pale. But she was straight-backed and proud despite her fear.

"I'm sorry too," Han said, leaving the subtext for Lando to figure out. Sorry you're a gutless piece of shit. Sorry I can't reach over there and punch your face in. Sorry you're probably gonna be the reason the most amazing woman in the galaxy meets her fucking death.

He took a breath, squared his shoulders, grabbed Leia's hand in his and stepped forwards into the room, Chewie and Lando at his back.

The door hissed shut behind them.