*** Chapter Seven ***
When Padme was approached to consider running for the Queen of her planet, she did not hesitate. Her eagerness was often mistaken for a desire for power, but Padme never saw that it way. She only ever saw it as the ultimate opportunity to serve. At just 13 she dove in, old enough to serve her country, but to young to fully understand the implication of the decision.
The Life and Times of Amidala, the People's Queen, By: Softa Jiane, Oralist and Historian
Han was not especially interested in roaming the planet of Vitolo for the wiring the Falcon needed, but he was even less interested in finding out what would happen if he did not procure the needed supplies. Han loved Falcon, but it was also nearly a fulltime job in itself keeping it going. Han would never get rid of the ship, but he did sometimes wonder what his life would be like he just spent the time and money to give the ship the full over hall it needed.
"Hey Human." Han heard, he was just a few blocks out of the Cantina after learning he would not be able to secure the ships he needed on this planet. He kept walking, his hand resting on his blaster, ready to pull and shoot in a fraction of a second.
"Hey." The voice said again, it was not human and was quite a bit higher than Han was used to.
"What buddy." Han turned around to face the large rodent that was speaking to Kevion at the Cantina.
"Over here," the rodent said as he ducked into an even darker alley.
Han kept walking to the open-air market where he could buy the needed supplies for the Falcon. He did not live as long as he had by ducking into dark alleys behind large rodents.
The rodent scurried out of the alley and stood in front of Han, blocking his ability to continue down the street. Before Han dodge, the rodent stepped even closer to Han. His elongated front teeth dangerously close to Han's face. Han reached down to his belt, feeling for his blaster.
"I know why no one will do business with the New Republic." The rodents voice was barely audible. And then, before Han could respond, the rodent jumped back in the alley, waiting got Han to follow him.
Han did not like situation. The rodent had the advantage, he could probably see well enough in this sort of light. Han on the other hand felt like he was in a dim nightmare. Duking in the alley felt like a bad idea but the rodent had his attention. A few month ago, Han would have moved on for just information, but now information was just as valuable as anything else. Instead, Han pulled his blaster out of his belt walked into the alley.
"What do you know about the trade moratorium with the New Republic?" Han asked, bluntly, wanting to get out of the alley.
"Well, you see I was on Leona…." The rodent trailed off, nervous.
"Well buddy, is it the Imperials, because that would be unsurprising." Han question, his voice dry with sarcasm.
"Not Imperials." The Rodent stuttered out again.
"What then?" Han demanded, this was taking too long, was the rodent stalling.
"Go have a drink of Leona…" POW! a blaster show fired over Han's shoulder. The rodent went down.
Han spun around and fired back into the street without looking for a target, hoping the return shot would scare who ever killed the rodent away. With his blaster at the ready Han took off a at a run back to where the Falcon was docked.
With his head darting between either side of his shoulder and the street behind him, Han ran nearly as fast as he ever had in his life, but he was not able to see anyone following, nor were there more shorts. Any luck he could make it off the planet before the bottom feeder shooting at him caught up. Fortunately, Han had not made it far from the Falcon.
In moments Han was back at the Falcon. He ran up the ramp and secured the door.
"Chewie, we've got to go now!" Han yelled.
"RRRRRRAWER." Chewie yelled back.
"No, I did not get the Com Fib Wire." Han barked.
"RWEWEWEWERE."
"Yeah, well, on a dark, rat filled planet, anyone's likely to get into trouble." Han said, as he took his place in the captain's seat and started the launch sequence.
Blam, blam, blam, the sound of someone one knocking on outside of the Falcon. Han was uninterested in finding out who was calling.
"Come on, come on, come on," Han said to the Falcon as it dragged through launch.
Finally, there was shutter, the whole ship shaking and then, lift off.
Once the Falcon was in the air had cleared Vitolo space, Chewie started demanding answers. Han told him about the meeting in the Cantina and then the second in the alley with the Rodent.
"RARARRRRRW." Chewie inquired after he had told the story.
"We're headed to Leona." Had replied, searching the coordinates in the ships Nav Computer.
"RGURURURUR."
"Why set up a trap on Leona when they could have just offed us on Vitolo, anyway, Leona is a small, mostly rural world. It's not exactly the best place for a trap."
Chewie sighed and then started punching buttons on the Falcon in preparation for the jump to lightspeed. They were headed to Leona, out of options for other worlds.