Her first day back in Tatooine, Luke laid the contract out in front of her at the dining table. Five signatures out of the eight allotted were present, and Leia clasped her hands over it, thanking God for everything.
"How many people?"
"1,078. Strike that, 77. Old Bossk passed away last night."
She took ahold of his hand, gripping it tightly. "We did it."
"We're not out of the woods yet, sister. I'm on my way to tell the other leaders, and we'll head to Naboo first thing tomorrow."
"May I come along?" she begged. He hadn't let her come to meet the other towns, partly for her safety and saying he needed her to stay in Yavin as a gesture of goodwill to Mara. Though Leia wasn't convinced that he didn't use her as an excuse to visit Madame Ahsoka's. Not for the girls, but for the owner.
"Sure, looking like it'll just be the two of us, sister."
She frowned slightly. "Mr. Solo and Chewie won't be joining us?" He, Mr. Solo, had visited her a handful of times in Yavin, all under the guise of "checkin' on her," but Leia wasn't sure of his real intentions.
Luke bit his lip and shook his head. "No." He sat down next to, a concerned look on his face. "I don't know how much they'll be around, Leia."
She looked down and back up at him. "Are they alright?"
"Oh, they're fine. Han got a tip that someone in Takodana may have recovered most of Jabba's steers, and he's looking to acquire them so he could buy back his freedom."
Leia's face fell and she tried to jump up, but Luke held her down. "It's not safe, it's going to go wrong. How is he going to buy all those steers? It's some sort of a trap, I'm sure of it."
"Leia, calm yourself. Han has assured me its an old friend of his. It'll be fine, I assure you."
Leia was not convinced. "We must go after him."
"After the business with the town, we will. Alright? We'll stop by in Takodana on the way back from Naboo, you have my word. We have to pass through to change horses regardless."
That settled her down, but not by much. "Why not find him on our way there?"
"I would prefer not to get sidetracked on our way there. We'll pass through, and if we see him, we see him. But we won't worry until we're on our way back."
She was about to argue when there was a frantic knocking at the door. Luke ran to the door to see Wedge standing there. He exclaimed that several men had come into town and were headed for the mayor's office. Luke ran out, instructing Wedge to stay there with Leia.
Leia paid no mind, grabbing her hat off the peg as she rushed past Wedge.
"You're going to have to keep up to stay with me, Wedge," she called out as he tried to grab her. She chased after Luke, with Wedge following close behind. She ran all the way to the town meeting hall and into the mayor's office.
A big man had a gun pointed at the mayor as he signed a document.
"What are they doing, who are they?" she whispered to Luke.
He cursed under his breath when he saw her. "You should've stayed home."
"You'd save a lot of breath not telling me to do things. What is Ackbar signing?"
"An agreement to be annexed by Scarif as a representative of Tatooine."
She also cursed under her breath. "We were so close. Why must our hard work come to nothing?"
"Hush. The war ain't over yet, sister."
Ackbar handed the pen back to the stranger with a gun. The man chuckled. "Thanks pard. It's a pleasure doing business with you. I feel this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, boys. Don't you agree?" A collective laugh came up as he moved away, nodding to Luke and Leia.
"Good sir, if I may have a word." Ackbar stood, red-faced as ever. The man stopped and turned back, a smile on his face as he chewed his tobacco.
"I ask only that you listen to my warning and heed it. This way, your way, of life is dying, and the days when you can point a gun at someone and get your way are numbered."
The man shrugged. "It worked today." He tipped his hat and walked out with his goons.
Ackbar sighed and slumped in his chair, the color draining from his face. Leia rushed over to him and embraced him.
"You had no choice, they would've killed you," she told him.
He chuckled and patted her arm. "It's been a good run, Leia."
"It may not be over yet," Luke said, holding up the paperwork. "You reckon we could get this to Naboo before those bastards in Scarif get there?"
Leia stood still for a second, then ran out. "Wedge! We're going to need the wagon a might sooner than we'd thought!"
The sabacc table was calling him, he knew it. But Chewie had grabbed his arm and shook his head when the waiting had gotten to him. He had figured one game couldn't hurt anybody, and he could maybe walk into this deal with some real money, not the small sum Luke had loaned him.
"I'm sorry it isn't more," he had told Han, not looking at him.
"I can't take this from you, kid." He didn't know what made him say it. A younger him would've taken it and run. He almost scoffed at that thought, younger him wouldn't stolen it from Luke a long time ago.
"Take it before I change my mind. As a thank you for helping me save the town." He'd clapped Han on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Han."
He'd nodded, and left. On the way to Takodana with Chewie besides him, he wondered whether he might come back if this somehow miraculously worked. He'd be a free man. Free to join another cattle train, or try and make it in Hoth territory. A small voice in his head grew to a scream: or he could buy some land, marry, and settle down. He tried not to think about it, but the thought kept coming back all the way to Takodana. Where would he go? Civilization was budding Tatooine, and he'd burned that garden down a long time ago. A pair of dark eyes under a wide-brimmed hat and a dusty dress flooded the vision in his mind's eye. He imagined coming into a cabin he'd built on a tract of land all his own and she'd be- He stopped that thought right before it could grow further.
"Hey Chewie." The Wookie warrior grunted, keeping his eyes on the road. "How does Hoth territory sound after this?"
["My ancestors always warned the dangers of crossing the mountains."]
"Yeah, well, they're dead, aren't they?"
["No thanks to your people."]
"You're my only people, Chewie."
Chewie grunted in disbelief and Han scoffed.
"What, them?" Han made a gesture back in the direction of Tatooine. "Those aren't my people."
["But you want them to be."]
Han scoffed. "I don't know where you get your ideas from."
["I think it is time to stop running."]
"What're you, scared? I'll get us out there, no problem. When have I ever steered you wrong?"
Chewie cursed in his native tongue, and Han couldn't quite make out if he had said he was going to shoot him or if he had to cough.
Chewie's look when he held Han back from the sabacc table said everything. Don't run, for once in your life, finish what you start.
Finally Maz came down from her hiding place, squinting at the two of them. She gestured at them to follow her. They sat a table in the back.
"Maz, it's good to see you again," Han told her, smiling. She ran her hand along Chewie's arm, and he jumped back. He cursed at her in his native Shryiiwook. "He says it's good to see you."
"I know what he said, Solo." She spoke to him in his language, and he recoiled back at her words.
["Dust bitch, I hope you burn!"]
"Now, now, Chewie, that ain't no way to talk to a lady," Han chastised, pulling his friend back as Maz blew kisses to him. "A lovely place you've got here, Maz."
She snapped her attention back to him, almost as if she remembered why they were here. "Cut it, Solo," she said, leaning back in her chair. "I assume you're here for Jabba's property."
"How much?"
"Well, I recovered 24 of the suckers, at 100 a head that makes 2,400 credits."
Han whistled. The kid didn't give him nearly as much. "I'll give you 25 a head."
She laughed. "Why would I cut you such a deal?"
Han shrugged. "For old times' sake?"
"We never had any old times. You stayed the night and lost too much at sabacc back before those wonderful, sweet men in Scarif took over, but I see ten of those every week."
"Then for charity. You'd be saving my life."
She scoffed. "I'd be saving nothing then. How many years you got left steer-driving? Five tops?"
Han's jaw dropped. "I've got plenty o' years left under my belt and I'm good for plenty more than steer-drivin'."
She laughed, but then quietened down. She seemed to think of something. "Tell you what, Han. I'll cut you a deal. 50 a head."
Han blinked and then laughed. "You got it, Maz. I won't-"
"That's not the end of it." His face fell. "50 a head, and I want in."
He was confused, he looked at Chewie, who shrugged. "Want in on what, Maz?"
She was whispering now, looking over her shoulder. "The deal you've got in Tatooine."
He leaned in, also whispering. "What deal in Tatooine?"
She sighed. "The deal you've got with the other towns to get away from those Imperial thugs in Scarif. I want in on it."
"Imperial, what?"
Maz looked surprised. "You don't know?" Han and Chewie shook their heads. Maz looked around and leaned in even further. "They run this whole operation, the Imperial Company."
"They're the ones behind Scarif?"
Maz nodded. "They founded the damn town. It's common knowledge around here 'cause they don't care who knows it when they've already won. Some folks say that first they're going for the towns out here in the West, then Alderaan, then the Republic, and then, who knows, maybe the world." This information was swirling around Han, he had to sit back. "Han, Han, you alright? You don't look good." Luke and Leia, he had to warn them.
He bolted up. "Chewie, pay her and get the steers to Jabba."
"Where are you going?"
"I forgot something back in Tatooine!" He started to make his way to the front.
"Han Solo, get back here or the deal's off!"
"Then I guess I'll see you in Hell, Maz!" He pushed through the crowd, and into the outside. He ran for his horse when he heard a voice calling out his name.
"Are you ok?" He looked to see his prayers answered, Luke and Leia on a wagon. He ran up to them.
"What are you doing-" He shook his head. "Never mind that, the Imperial Company. They're the ones behind Scarif. They founded the town, they're trying to take over!"
"We were just served annexation papers," Leia told him. She held up an envelope. "We've got to get these to Naboo before they get there."
"If what you're saying is the truth, I've got to get back to Tatooine," Luke exclaimed. "Han, take the papers and head there as quick as you can."
Leia started to climb down as Han reached for the papers. "I'm coming with you!"
"You'll only slow him down, just give him the papers, Leia!" Luke exclaimed, reaching for her while trying to keep ahold of the reigns.
"What'll I do back home? Sit at home and wait for you two to take care of everything? No, I'm going to take these here papers to Naboo, and Han is going to take me there!" By that time she was down from the wagon and was gripping onto Han.
He groaned and lifted her onto his horse. "Dammit, sweetheart! Why do you always have to make everything so complicated?" He jumped up behind her. "Go on back to Tatooine, Luke. I'll take care of her. We'll be back soon!" He kicked Falcon into a run and they sped off.