All Bets Are Off - Chapter Ten
In advance of the show, the hanger was bustling with activity. Alliance personnel were streaming into the makeshift theatre, grabbing snacks at the nearest concession stand before settling down to watch the show.
Leia and Han found themselves very busy. The princess took charge of filling orders for bags of popped oats or candy while Solo busied himself pouring wine, soft drinks and ale. Things slowed down considerably after the holo started, allowing the twosome time to chat while catching bits of the show.
"You see this one before?" Han asked, glancing up at the scene flickering across the make-do holoscreen.
"I think everyone's seen this one more than once."
"Prob'bly. 'Member where you were the first time?"
Leia closed her eyes, envisioning the evening she had watched it on the holovision in her family's cozy private quarters within the palace on Alderaan. She was ten years old, curled up next to her mother on the plush sofa. She had fallen asleep before the end and recalled waking up in her bed the next morning, wondering if the very good-looking, do-gooder hero had escaped from the evil antagonists to win the day. She ran to her parents' bedroom, anxious to learn the outcome. Of course, he did, her mother had reassured her. The good guys always do.
If only that were so, Leia wished before responding to Han's seemingly innocuous question. "Yes," she answered wistfully. "I remember."
"Sweetheart," Han spoke soothingly, internally wanted to kick himself for inadvertently raising a potentially melancholy memory, gently running a hand along her shoulder. "I didn't mean to bring up…"
"No, no," she shuddered a bit, then righted herself. "It's okay. It was a sweet memory. Never did see the ending."
"Well, that can change right now," Han stated warmly, pointing at the screen. "It's almost over. C'mere," he was sitting on the nearly empty table that served as the back bar. He tilted his head while patting the space next to him. With a rumpled smile, Leia scooted up to sit beside him. They watched in silence for a time, then Han took her hand. "Scary part comin' up," he whispered.
"Who says I'm afraid?" she smartly retorted, although she did not let go of his hand.
"Who says I'm talkin' about you?"
With that she laughed, and squeezed his hand, his long fingers then laced with hers. They were comfortable together, watching and listening in the darkened space as the action on screen was winding down to the conclusion.
Suddenly, a crackling noise and a few sparks escaped the speaker that supplied the soundtrack into the concession area. They could see the holo but no longer hear it.
"So much for catching the ending," Leia pointed at the lightly buzzing electronic device.
"Don't need sound, Sweetheart. I can read lips."
Leia raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she queried.
Han leaned in closer to her. She felt his breath caress her neck as he whispered his reply into her ear.
"Mmm-huh. 'M good at it."
"And just how did you come to acquire this particular skill?" She found herself pitching closer into his warmth.
"Years of study." His voice was low. "Want me to translate?" He settled back against the wall, pulling him with her, one arm draped across her narrow shoulders, free hand pointing at the holo.
"By all means."
On the screen, a voluptuous red-headed woman was seductively pressing her body against the hero's muscular form, their lips centimeters apart.
"She just told him… ahhhh…can't repeat it." Han shook his head and playfully covered her ears with his hands. "Not suitable for a princess' delicate ears."
Leia playfully swatted him away, but grasped on to one of his hands.
"I don't think I need the words to get the underlying message," she said with a raised brow.
"No, no, no….wait….," Han nudged his head up toward the screen, "he's tellin' her he ain't interested. Says he prefers short, dark-haired women with smart mouths who know how to take care of themselves." He leaned in closer and closer, until his forehead touched hers.
"Hmmm. His lips didn't move enough to form all those words."
"Translatin's like that sometimes, Your Worship." Han's cheek rubbed gently against hers and he inhaled the fragrance of her perfumed hair. "Easier sometimes just to feel it." He gently placed a fingertip on her lower lip and breathed "Say somethin'," into the shell of her ear.
Her breath caught as her lips silently formed his name.
"Didn't quite catch that, Sweetheart. Must be out of practice. Maybe if we try this…." His warm lips gently landed on hers and, without moving his lips from hers, he mumbled, "try again"
Their bodies, now wrapped together from the waist up, mimicked the actors on screen. "Oh, shut up and kiss me," Leia laughed.
Han pointed back at the holoscreen, "That's just what she said…" but Leia cut him off as she pulled him back to engage in a deeper kiss.
Coming up for air, Han breathed, "Ya' know, there are four sequels to this," he nudged his head in the direction of the screen. "Prob'bly should watch 'em to..."
"Continue our lip reading lessons?"
"That's just what I was thinkin'!"
The credits were rolling as the two remained in their warm embrace, necking like teenagers hidden in the darkness of an actual holotheatre.
Their romantic reverie was broken by the loud plunk of a case of Sullustanian beer onto the serving table. The duo pulled away from each other, and sheepishly blinked at Wedge who was aligning bottles onto the tabletop while pretending not to have noticed their very personal interaction.
"You guys are off the clock," the Rogue said nonchalantly. "Can catch the second screening." Then, as quickly as he had turned up, Antilles left them, smiling broadly as he deposited refills to the other snack locations around the hangar's perimeter.
Han turned to the Princess, and she could see the hope reflected in his golden-green eyes. "Falcon?"
Leia peered out at the crowd of Rebels congregating in the hangar. Some were sure to notice the two of them heading to his nearby ship. "Too close." She could feel him deflate at the seeming rejection.
With an assured smile and a touch to his shoulder, the princess peered into his eyes. "My place."
His face lit up, a smile curling his lips.
"Give me a ten-minute head start."
"As you command, Your Worship."
Leia returned his smile, called her 'good night' to Wedge who had returned with replacement volunteers, and made her way through the audience.
XXX
Wedge watched the Princess depart, and then made his way back to where Han sat, alone, in the darkened concession area. "Princess not staying for the second show?" he questioned as he restocked the cooler there with bottles of beer and wine.
"Said she's seen it," Han replied with an indifferent shrug. "Think I'll track down the Wook and watch."He pulled a bottle of sparkling Coruscanti wine from the ice bin. "Wages," he nodded to Wedge, then wandered off into the throng of holo viewers.
Antilles hopped onto the back bar, settling himself against the wall where the Princess and the Captain had been lounging. He observed Solo weave a path through the gathered Rebels, chatting briefly with second-shifters, occasionally checking his wrist chrono. Wedge noted with interest that, instead of going to the Falcon to seek out his co-pilot, Han disappeared down the narrow hallway that led to the private quarters of members of the High Command.
"'Bout time," Wedge muttered to himself as he heaved himself off the table to carry on with his tasks.