All Bets Are Off - Chapter Seven
It was nearing 1700 hours when Wedge, with Luke close on his heels, bounded up the ramp and into the battered YT-1300 freighter.
"Han…you here?" Luke called out at the top of the ramp.
"Galley," they heard Solo reply, his distant voice sounding somewhat rough around the edges.
Wedge led the way to the galley, and found the barefoot, shirtless Corellian rubbing his eyes and peering into a steaming cup of kaffe. The pilot's rumpled, thread-bare sleep pants, wild hair and bleary eyes were dead giveaways that he had only just dragged himself out of his bunk.
"Damn, Luke!" Wedge laughed. "We need to muster out so we can spend the day snoozing, too."
Han flipped his fellow Corellian a rude gesture, but his lack of a smart verbal comeback provided further proof they had caught the smuggler before his kaffe had kicked in.
"So I took a nap," he shrugged. "Been up a few nights straight, workin' on some maintenance issues."
"Yeah, we heard you had some sort of 'dysfunction'," Wedge teased.
The tired spacer responded with a quizzical glance and a shake of his shaggy head. "Headin' out in the mornin' to round up snacks for your little holo party," he yawned. "Wanted to be sure the Falcon was ready for the trip."
"Han?"
All three men turned when they heard Leia Organa's voice calling from the ring corridor, and all three replied in unison. "Galley."
Han tipped his mug toward Leia as she joined the group. "Kaffe?" he asked.
"Thank you, no," she smiled. "We both know I've had quite enough kaffe for one day. I just came to give you this." Leia handed a folded garment to the Corellian.
Han took the item from her with a grin. "I was lookin' for that!" he chimed, and then tugged the shirt over his head.
Wedge slanted a quizzical glance at his companion. Luke shrugged, and then turned his gaze back to watch the interaction between the spacer and the princess.
"I had it laundered," Leia explained, "since your autovalet isn't functioning,"
"Oh, a dysfunctional autovalet," Wedge grinned.
Han gave Wedge a sidelong glance. "You just learn a new word, Antilles?" he asked. "And besides, it's fixed now. Your stuff's fresh as gingerbells, Your Worship. Chewie put 'em someplace, and—."
As if on cue, Chewie lumbered into the galley. As he approached, he held up a shaggy paw, with a silky pale blue scrap of fabric dangling from one claw.
[This was the problem], he warbled, [The slight fabric was caught in the rinse rotor].
Wedge stepped closer to the Wookiee to peer at the ragged remains. No, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him; that was definitely a pair of women's—.
Before Wedge could inspect any further, Leia snatched the scrap of ruined silk. Her face flushing a bright shade of pink, she averted her eyes and quickly stuffed the garment into her pocket. "I'm so sorry, Chewie."
"Huh," Han said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Blue, eh? Always pictured you in white."
Leia's head shot up, eyes wide, and then her gaze narrowed on the Corellian in a glare, her blush darkening to a deeper shade. "Pictured me?" she snapped.
Stifling a snort, Wedge shot another glance at Luke. He could tell that the young pilot was holding back his laughter, too, and waiting for the inevitable tirade to follow.
"You're always wearing white!" Han said defensively. "At least, on the outside. I just assumed…."
"Assumed what, exactly?" Leia challenged.
"Whaddya want me to say?" Han returned defensively. "That I pictured you in red?" Then he gave her a wink and a crooked grin. "I bet you'd look great in red, Sweetheart."
"This is not a discussion I wish to have with you!" Clearly flustered, Leia glanced around at Luke, Wedge and Chewie. "Or anyone else."
"Sorry, Sweetheart. Tell you what. I'll buy ya a new pair." He reached out and tugged at the silken material where it peeked out of her pocket, and then snatched his hand back with a yelp when she swatted it. "Hey!" he blurted. "I gotta know what I'm replacing!"
Always suspected Solo wanted to get his hands on Leia's undies, Wedge thought, and then bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
Regaining her composure, the Princess drew herself up to her full height and then fixed Solo with a glare. "That will not be necessary, thank you," she replied, and then turned to Chewie. "I'll take the rest of my things now, please, and be on my way."
[They are on the Dejarik table, cleaned and folded], Chewbacca warbled. He turned and started off toward the lounge, and motioned for Leia to follow. [Come, I will show you].
"Princess, hold up." Wedge interjected. "We're looking for volunteers to man the concession stands for tomorrow's holo show. You want to help out?"
"Of course, Wedge," Leia replied sweetly. "And Captain Solo will help, too."
"Hold on," Han contested. "I didn't…."
Wedge watched as Leia glanced at Han, a playful sparkle in her eye. "You want to repay me for my damaged goods, Flyboy? That's the price."
"Fair enough, Princess," Han replied, rubbing at the stubble on his cheek as he watched her walk away. "Fair enough."