Okay, here we go, last chapter...I think I should explain I picture Winter with a haughty English accent and permanently pursed lips (at least when Han's around) and looking a bit like Mrs Danvers in Rebecca.
Han Solo polished his boots on the back of his pants, swapped the flowers he had purchased from one hand to the other and back again and, with a shake of his shoulders, depressed the buzzer to Leia's quarters. When no one answered he pressed the buzzer again. And when still nobody came he stabbed his finger on the announcer and kept it there until finally the door slid aside to reveal a stoney-faced Winter.
"Well hello, gorgeous!" Han grinned. "Oops, sorry. I expected Leia to answer. She...er..." He peered around Winter into the all too quiet living quarters. "Ready?"
"Ready?" Winter asked, innocently.
"We have a dinner date." Han said, walking into the quarters with no protest from Winter. "I know you heard me tell Leia I'd come by. So, is she still getting ready? Because I was thinking of somewhere quiet, small and intimate. No need to dress up."
"Her Highness is not here, Captain." Winter explained.
Sinking into a sofa, Han looked disappointed. "Don't tell me she's stuck in the Senate Hall again! What do those old fossils find to talk about for so long?"
"Her Highness is away on business." Winter replied.
"Away where?" Han asked. "She didn't say anything last night about having to go away."
"I think, Captain, you mean Her Highness didn't say anything in the early hours of this morning about going away." Winter corrected. "And that would be because Her Highness was not aware that she would need to be away until she received a communication to that effect at breakfast."
"Guess, I don't get the Court circulars." Han moaned.
"Court circulars are no longer published." Winter commented.
"Couldn't Leia have let me know?" Han grumbled. "I mean I got a hair cut and bought flowers and everything!"
"So I see. Would you like me to suggest something for those flowers?" Winter asked.
"Does it involve water and a vase?" Han arched an eyebrow as he passed her the bouquet.
"Of course, now you find yourself with time on your hands, you could perhaps enlist with the Alliance military." Winter suggested. "I could come with you, if you need help filling in the forms."
"Now I have some time on my hands, there are a dozen repairs I should get to on the Falcon." Han replied.
"Well, don't let me come between you and your..." Choosing her word "...vehicle."
Han had had enough of her banter for one day. There was, however, just one thing he needed to say before he left. "By the way, slick work of yours Winter." He said.
Looking at the flowers, Winter said. "It won't be easy, but I'm sure I can make them into something that resembles an exquisite arrangement."
"Not the flowers Winter. The quarters!" Han said.
"Were they to your liking Captain?" She asked.
"Oh I liked them very much." He carried on. "Until I got into bed and found Chewie snuggled against my ass!"
"Oh, do you and he normally have separate sleeping arrangements?" She queried.
"When you asked how long Chewie and I had been partners, you knew full well it was only in the business sense." Han accused her.
"I'll ensure the necessary adjustments are made before you return tonight." She advised.
"Don't bother, I'll sleep on the Falcon from now on." He replied, heading for the door.
"Then we have an understanding." She smiled at him sweetly.
"We do?" Han asked, puzzled.
"You were disappointed to find an unwelcome item in your bed." She continued. " And I would be equally disappointed if I were to find an equally unwelcome item in her Her Highness'."
And there it was.
The ground rules laid bare before him.
You can look.
But you sure as Hell better not touch.
He turned and tried to stare her down, but Winter was far too practised in diplomacy to falter.
And he was far too stubborn to give up that easily.
"I bet you dinner for two that I can break into these apartments while Leia is away." He challenged.
Winter considered. "Three courses?"
"Naturally." He replied.
"With Champagne?" She asked.
Champagne could set him back a whole lot of credits, but it would be worth it to wipe the smug look off Winter's face.
"Two bottles." He promised.
"I don't approve of gambling Captain." She announced. "However, it may prove useful to put our security to the test."
"I look forward to the challenge." He nodded his head to her.
"And I look forward to dinner. Her Highness is due back late afternoon, tomorrow." She told him.
"Tomorrow!" He exclaimed. "You could have warned me she was only away overnight!"
"Did I not mention that earlier?" She queried, innocently. "Must have slipped my mind."
Han took his leave feeling like he had been suckered by her again.
And equally determined to prove her wrong.
The following morning, early, and Lando was sat across from Han Solo in a tapcafe drinking a strong caf brewed just to his liking. His jaw ached from laughing whilst Han merely sat fuming.
"Yeah, Chewie laughed at that too!" Han said, Chewbacca adding his own comment which Han chose to ignore.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Lando composed himself. "A four digit code. Thumb and forefinger recognition. And a retinal scan. I'm telling you Han, can't be done."
"Yeah, Chewie said that!" Han grumbled.
"What in all the stars possessed you?" Lando queried.
"Yeah, Chewie said that too!" Han growled as Chewbacca yarled his agreement. "So, how are we going to do it?" He asked.
"We?" Lando spluttered.
"You owe me Calrissian, you know you do." Han stated.
Lando considered for a moment. "Okay, tell you what I'm going to do. I know someone, who knows someone who may...and only may mind you...be able to get you that four digit code. But for the rest, you're on your own buddy."
"You know what? I'm thinking you know someone, who knows someone, who is going to get me that four digit code and I'm thinking that I know someone who knows he owes me and is going to get me two bottles of Alderaanian Champagne without making a profit from it." Han suggested.
"Let me get this straight before I agree to anything." Lando said. "You lose the bet, you're buying dinner for two. And if you win the bet, you're still buying dinner for two."
Chewie whuffed his thoughts on the subject.
"It's not always about the reward Chewie!" Han replied.
Lando called the waiter over, ordered more drinks and thought about Han's proposal.
"You know, there must be an easier way for you to impress the Princess." Lando pointed out.
"This is not about Leia." Han said.
"Han, old buddy, everything is about the Princess for you." Lando chuckled.
"Maybe." Han shrugged. "But this is not so much about Leia as it is about that gundark masquerading as her personal assistant."
"She's just looking out for her friend, or companion, or Mistress or whatever it is she calls Leia." Lando said.
"What did you say?" Han asked, a thought suddenly coming to him.
"I said she's just looking out for Leia. I mean, no offence Han, but at first glance you don't come across as the kind of guy who should be in the company of a Princess. You agree with me don't you Chewie?" Lando said.
Chewbacca yowled his affirmation.
"I gotta go." Han said, rising and leaving quickly.
Chewbacca growled something and Lando nodded, knowingly. "You can say that again Chewie. Completely smitten."
Chewie youffed something else.
"That too my friend, that too!" Lando exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Han Solo made his away across town to the Senate rooms and offices. It took him longer than he expected to blag his way inside. Apparently being a hero of the Rebellion didn't carry a lot of weight with the new regime. He'd have to find a way to amend that situation once he had the time. Right now, however, he needed to find someone who was unexpectedly difficult to find. On the verge of giving up, Han finally spotted his prey hovering around a group of Senators, all of whom gave the impression they were trying to shake him off.
Good old Threepio Han thought, irritating to the last.
He approached the group and placed an arm around the droid's shoulders.
"Threepio!" He cried. "Good to see you, you old protocol droid you. You don't mind if I borrow him do you gentlemen?" He asked, immediately regretting the assumption that the group were all male upon spotting a Tamarian female glaring at him. With all eight of her eyes! "And ladies, of course." Han bowed his head at her in respect. The Tamarian returned the bow, eyeslashes batting up and down.
"I really don't think, Captain..." Threepio started to protest.
"Really Threepio?" Han said. "That's nice for you." His arm around C3PO's shoulders guiding him away from the group.
"Captain Solo! My orders were quite specific. I was to maintain a discreet presence and assist the Senators in the performance of their official duties." Threepio rambled. Han wasn't entirely listening, he was too busy trying to decide how next to proceed.
"And who gave you those orders Threepio?" Han asked, not really interested in his response.
"Why, Mistress Leia of course." Threepio answered.
"And who do you think I take my orders from Threepio?" Han asked, trying the door to an office and finding it secured.
"It has been a long-held belief that you are a mercenary working solely for your own purpose and profit." Threepio replied, irking Han with his innocent honesty.
"Yeah, well actually.." Han continued, trying more doors. What was it with these Senators that made them so damned security conscious! "..On this occasion you'd be wrong. I'm doing this for Leia."
"Doing what Captain?" Threepio asked.
Han smiled as finally a doorhandle gave in to his grip.
"In you go Threepio and we'll talk about it inside. Let's just say I need a hand." Han told him.
The door clicked shut behind them as Han's plan started to take shape.
A little over an hour later and Han was hunting down his ever elusive friend Lando, finally tracking him down in a cantina playing sabaac with a Gungan, a Selonian, a Bothan and a Drovian. None of whom Han would trust to play a fair game if their lives depended on it.
"Is this all you do all day Lando, drink and gamble?" Han enquired.
"Of course not. A guy's gotta eat too." Lando replied, grinning.
"So, do you have what you promised me?" Han asked.
"Hey!" The Drovian stuck his chin out. "Can't you see we're in the middle of a game here pal?"
"Yeah." Han said, squaring his shoulders. "Same way I see that none of you are gonna win seeing as how all of you are cheating. Pal."
"You wanna watch your mouth!" The Drovian started, before Lando interrupted.
"Okay boys, settle down wouldya?" Lando rose. "Now I'm gonna leave my cards face down on the table here while I do a little business with my friend here. And when I get back I don't want to see any paw, flipper or fingers prints on them that don't belong to me. Got it?"
Lando indicated Han should follow him to a quiet corner as far away from the game as they could get.
Sliding into the booth Han asked. "So, did you get it?"
"Have you any idea the sacrifice I had to make to get you this code?" Lando whined.
"My heart bleeds. Now hand it over." Han said, eyes scanning the room.
"First." Lando said. "This is it now, right? We're square now, right?"
"That's debatable." Han argued. "But okay, yeah. We're square. Soon as Chewie brings me the Champagne I know you sent him to get, we're square."
Lando gave him a half smile and said. "Three, Five, Nine, One."
"Three, Five, Nine, One." Han repeated. "You're sure?"
Lando let out a small laugh. "Hey, it's me!" He said, as though every word from his lips had been verified as the truth.
"Are. You. Sure?" Han repeated, angrily.
Lando leaned forward in his chair, lowering his voice further. "Look, Han, I know pretty much most of the time I talk through my orifice to get me what I want. But have I ever given you cause to doubt me?"
"Cloud City." Han countered without hesitation.
"That was different and you know it." Lando said.
Han considered. Despite Lando's deception resulting in him being encased in carbonite, despite his lies almost sending Leia into the clutches of her nemesis Darth Vader, despite his knowingly standing by whilst Luke was lured into a trap, despite his abominable behaviour to them all on Cloud City, Han had to concede that Lando was actually probably the best friend he'd ever had. After Chewie, of course.
"Thanks for your help." Han said, sounding genuinely grateful.
"You're really going to do this aren't you?" Lando said, sitting back.
"I'm really going to do it, yes." Han nodded.
"Well. I wish you luck. Because if this goes belly up, you are going to have to do some pretty nifty talking your way out of some serious incarceration time." Lando said.
"Think it's you who needs the luck." Han scoffed. "Those thieves you're playing with have been checking out your cards ever since you left them on the table."
"That's okay," Lando said, pulling aside his jacket to reveal another hand. "Those aren't the cards I intend playing!"
X
Time was running out if he was to have everything perfect for when Leia arrived home. He'd heard from his spy on the ground, Chewie, that Winter had left the apartment and it was now or never. Han stood over the keypad and uttered a silent prayer then cautiously, rubbing his fingers together, input the four numbers Lando had given him. When there was no audible alarm, Han breathed a sigh of relief and waited for the pad to wink blue before attempting the digit and retinal scan.
And then it came, the cue to place thumb and forefinger on a flat panel scanner whilst simultaneously staring with the right eye into an oblong scanner set about a foot too low for Han to do so comfortably.
He waited an age. An eternity it seemed like. Then he heard a noise. A catch clicking. Footsteps on stairs. And a Wookiee muttering in his ear that she was back.
No kidding Chewie, a little more notice would have been helpful Han thought. A bead of sweat threatened to run into his eye, until it was stopped in it's tracks by his bushy eyebrows.
Don't panic Solo, he thought, hold firm.
An instant later, all shone blue and the quarters door slid aside.
No time to reflect on his glory Han snatched up the Champagne bottles, careful not to smash them together, and raced into the apartment.
Winter entered only moments after him and immediately detected an odour not previously present. A cushion had been dislodged and was teetering on the edge of a sofa and the door to the inner quarters was open.
"Your Highness?" Winter called, knowing full well that Leia had not yet returned. She was always kept abreast of the Princess's whereabouts and she was well aware that she had only just started her return journey.
Winter followed her nose. The all-too-masculine scent was coming from Leia's bed chamber and sure enough as she entered the half lit room Han Solo lay sprawled in the middle of the bed, a bottle of Champagne on the pillow beside him and a rose clamped between his lips.
"Get your great, muddy boots off her Highness's bed!" Winter barked and wrenched the rose out of Han's mouth.
"Hey!" He said. "If that had had thorns you could have ripped my tongue out."
"Only your tongue?" Winter leaned forward, hands on hips. "Get me a dozen more, let's see if I can't rip out more than just your tongue! How did you get in here anyway?"
Han stretched and pulled a pillow to his face, inhaling deeply. "Honey, I've broken in and out of places Jabba the Hutt himself thought impenetrable." He lay back, finally able to enjoy his victory. "This was a piece of cake. Speaking of cake, I was thinking of something a bit daring for dessert. How does Ryshcate sound to you?"
"Like you're drunk on Champagne already. Where are we going to get Ryshcate from?" Winter challenged.
"Well, let me think. It's a Corellian dish and well, I'm a Corellian...you work it out." Han said grinning.
"Her Highness will be here shortly." Winter said, sighing. "I would prefer she not find you..." She looked down at him. "..there."
"Oh, I'm not staying. There's somewhere I need to be. But while I'm gone there are a few things I need you to get for dinner." Han pulled a datapad from his jacket pocket and handed it to Winter.
"Very well." She said. "You did win the bet I suppose. But I want to talk to you further about what measures we need to take to ensure such a breach in security doesn't occur again."
"It'll be my pleasure." Han said. "But, please, don't let me keep you."
He watched her exit the bedroom, heard her grumbling about the menu he had put together and the time it would take for her to find all of the foodstuffs he had listed. And when he was sure she had left, he sat up and popped the contact lens from his right eye. When Threepio had told him it would take a lens replicating Leia's own retinal impression, he wasn't entirely convinced he would be able to pull it off in the time he had available to him. His perseverance, however, had paid dividends. Scanning every image he'd found stored of her, Han had managed to overlay enough visual perspectives of her right eye to be able to at least approximate the correct pigment and tissue layer to create a unique contact lens.
Han just had a couple more things to do. He wanted to set the table so it was fit for a Princess and one more thing after that.
But first...from the waistband of his pants he pulled the object that had been sticking so uncomfortably in his back whilst he was lying on the bed...he had to get Threepio's hand back to him.
X
Leia arrived back at her quarters exhausted. She barely acknowledged Winter as she stumbled over to a sofa and collapsed into it, sinking her head into the soft fabric and closing her eyes.
"How was it, Your Highness?" Winter enquired.
"Emotional." She replied. "Sad. Very, very sad. A giant of a man, yet at the end he was all alone."
"Hardly alone Your Highness. You were with him." Winter corrected.
"But no family. No friends. G'larmay deserved so much more." Leia sighed. "When my time comes, I hope someone will be by my side."
"I'm certain many people will be there, Your Highness." Winter said, adding. "Your Highness, dinner will be ready in about an hour."
"Thank you Winter, but I'm really not very hungry. I might just go to bed, I feel I could sleep for a week." Leia exhaled, trying to draw the strength to move from where she sat.
"Whilst I quite understand how tired you must be feeling, I am obliged to point out that a very special menu has been prepared for you." Winter said, trying to sound unrehearsed. "By a very special person in your life."
Leia opened her eyes and looked up. "Winter?" She queried.
"She means me." Han said.
So tired had she been when she came home she hadn't even noticed Han standing by the dining table where she normally shared her meals with Winter.
The table had been laid for two in what Leia guessed was Han's approximation of a formal setting. Two crystal candle holders held tapering candles of shimmering gold wax. A small arrangement of flowers took centre stage on the table, a single rose lay across what she assumed was her plate and a cooler held a bottle of Champagne. Alderaanian Champagne if she wasn't mistaken. Very rare and since the planet no longer existed, becoming more rare each time a bottle was consumed. Han executed a perfect bow, smiled and favoured her with one of his trademark cock-eyed grins.
And he was resplendent in the latest style, New Republic Military blues.
"Han." Leia said, rising from the sofa. "You did all of this for me?"
She looked down at the table, moved to reposition a knife in the wrong place and decided against it. No effort had been spared, she could see that. And he had further sealed his commitment to her by joining the Military. She blinked back a tear and hugged him tightly.
"Isn't he just the best Winter?" She said.
"The very best, Your Highness." Winter replied, again her face screwed into a ball.
Han made a mental note to speak to her about that sometime. But for now...
"As pleasant as this reunion is.." He started. "You'll find I have prepared a bath for you also."
Leia looked up at him as though he had promised her the stars and delivered the moon as well.
"And since I am aware water is currently on ration, I have forgone my share also." Han said, fully expecting Winter to add something about him not using his full quota very often anyway.
"A bath too? I could get used to having you around." Leia teased.
"Well," Han tugged his Military jacket down straight. "Who knows when I'll next have chance to treat you like a Princess."
"You look...very handsome." She said, appraising his attire. And he did. If there was one thing Han did really well, it was fit his clothes. Even if the clothes sometimes looked like they were fit for nothing.
"You might want to take that bath before your flattery makes me blush!" Han said.
With a quick, light kiss to his cheek, a smile and a raised eyebrow at Winter, Leia skipped off to the 'fresher.
"You have made Her Highness very happy this evening." Winter told Han.
"I aim to please." He answered.
"Capt...General Solo," She corrected. "This is what you had planned when you made that bet isn't it?"
Han nodded, adding. "I wanted you to understand something about Leia and me. Nothing will come between us. Not the Empire. Not Jabba the Hutt. Not some age old royal tradition. And not you, Winter. Especially not you. If you try to keep us apart, Leia will sense it. And that's one battle you definitely won't be able to win."
"You overestimate my influence Cap...General. Her Highness is her own woman. She knows her own mind. Follows her own path." Winter responded.
"But you have her ear. It wouldn't hurt for her to hear a compliment now and then about me." Han said.
"If the moment presents itself." Winter agreed, her face unreadable but Han felt sure some part of her was cringing.
"There!" Han said with a flourish. "Now we have an understanding."
"We do." Winter said, though Han wasn't sure if she was agreeing or questioning.
Han popped the Champagne cork and poured two glasses. "I won't overstep the mark with Leia," he handed a glass to Winter. "And you won't assume I'm the kind of guy who would!"
He clinked his glass with hers and took a sip, bubbles tickling his nose.
"Just how did you get in here earlier?" Winter asked, unable to contain the question any longer.
"Simple. I knew the security passes had to be something Leia, you and Threepio could all use. You weren't about to tell me anything and, as tempting as it was to contact Leia and ask her for the information, I just asked Threepio instead. He told me how to duplicate a contact lens for the retinal scan and I ...er...'borrowed' his hand so I could use Leia's thumb and fingerprints that had been lasered onto his. The contact lens took the time. Who knew the eye had so many intricate layers?"
"And the code?" She asked, frowning.
"Lando got me that from someone he knows on the inside. Well, someone who knows someone on the inside at least." Han replied, sipping some more Champagne.
Winter fumed.
If this...this...scoundrel could cheat his way in...
"Who on the inside?" She asked angrily.
"He didn't say. And I didn't have time to find out. No doubt the lucky lady had a night she'd rather forget with Lando. If he could tear his sorry ass away from a game!" He downed his glass, tried to hide a not-quite-silent burp and took a seat to wait for Leia.
Winter's mind, however, was already far away.
They had been betrayed. Perhaps by an innocent. By a young recruit, head swayed by the promise of a romance.
Perhaps not.
Either way, Winter knew she had to find the informant and silence them.
For good if necessary.
Well, there it is. My very first fic which I hope, in Han's words, wasn't all bad? Some of it was .. good?
There'll be more, I promise. Now I've started I've got a taste for it and there's 50 plus in my repertoire, some of which I may have to publish and be damned! (which is to say I don't think they're very good but I'm not sure I have it in me to improve them).
Thank you for all your encouragement, I really have enjoyed starting to share my version of Han and Leia's world.