CHAPTER 7:

Han Solo crawled out from underneath the hyperdrive system and wiped his greasy hands on an over-used rag, making his hands no cleaner. He smugly smiled to himself. He successfully soldered the fractured pipe without a glitch. For once, things were going to go his way. Luke entered the hold, and Solo flashed a grin in the boy's direction.

"How're things goin' for Chewie?"

"He's almost finished," Luke rested his hands against his thighs as he recovered his breath.

"You better take it easy, Kid," Han placed an uneasy hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'll go help Chewie finish patching the hold. Just give it the Solo touch of magic, and we should be in great shape." Then we can worry about other manners, like those non-Humans, Han thought. And if that goes as well as the Falcon's repairs…

"That's not why I'm here," Luke stood up and grabbed Han's sleeve.

"What's up?"

"It's Leia," Luke huffed.

Han's brow creased, "What's wrong with her?"

Luke shook his head as he held his left side, "She's gone."

"Whaddya mean?" Han frowned and gave Luke his full attention.

"I looked everywhere for her," Luke blue eyes were wide with worry. "She's nowhere on the ship."

"Whadda 'bout outside the ship?" Han asked, though he knew the question was absurd. He just hoped it wasn't absurd. "She helpin' Chewie? Maybe he sent her to get somethin'?"

"No. I already checked with Chewie."

"Aw, just great!" Han threw the soiled rag on the floor.

"Where do you think she went?" Luke asked.

Han's eyes bulged out of their sockets. Was Luke really that naïve?

"Wait a minute," the boy's tone grew tense. "You don't think she went off to rescue--"

"Whaddya think?" Han stormed out of the hold with Luke close at his heels.

"That's too dangerous for her to take on, especially by herself!"

"And when did a little thing such as danger stop Her High-and-Righteousness from doing something stupid?" Han rushed into the cargo hold, and he glanced around the room, "Damn it! Whoever taught her how to ride a swoop bike?"

"I did," Luke shrugged.

"You just had to!" Han sniped and he stomped toward the ramp.

"She asked me to teach her," Luke defended himself.

"You coulda said no."

Luke's brow lowered, "How was I gonna know she'd steal it?"

Solo just grunted and continued on.

"She can't rescue all those non-Humans on a swoop bike," Luke struggled against the pain of his bruises as he tried to keep up with Han.

"I'm sure she's already thought of that!" Han exited the Falcon and headed toward the rear. "Chewie! We got trouble."

Chewbacca met him near the center landing leg. The Wookie's words came fast and warbled together.

Han scowled, "Who else?" Then he glanced around at the desolate horizon, "She took one of the swoop bikes."

Chewie placed his hand on his hip and hawkawed. Han looked at Luke and then back at Chewie, "Yeah, that's what I'm worried about."

"What?"

"Her only option will be to steal a speeder or transporter unless she has enough credits to buy one," Han cursed the hazy outline of the city beyond the canyon. "But if she buys one, she can be traced."

"What does Leia know about stealing a speeder?" Luke frowned.

"Why do ya' think I'm worried?" Han snapped back. "Damn it! She's gonna get herself captured or killed."

"We've gotta go after her," Luke cried.

"Of course we gotta go after her," Han mumbled as he headed back into the Falcon. "We just gotta find out where she is."

Han swept into the cockpit and plopped down in the navigator's seat, his hands floating over the control panel with great agility. Luke hobbled over to the pilot's seat and wiped the sweat from his brow while he nursed his left side. Chewbacca leaned against the cockpit doorjamb as his eyes followed the movement of Han's fingers.

"Okay," Han tapped one finger against his tooth as he studied the screen. "Looks like she's about fifty-four kilometers northwest of us, so she's probably already reached the city."

"How do you know how far away she is?" Luke leaned forward to get a better look at the screen.

"Chewie put a homing beacon on it, just in case it ever got stolen," Han leaned back in his chair, and Chewbacca let out a woof of triumph. Han began tapping the buttons near another screen that came to life, "Ne'er thought Her Worship was a thief." He slammed his fist down on his knee, "Damn! She has over a three hour head start."

Luke opened his mouth to defend his princess, but the screen lit up with lines of red and green words that Luke couldn't read, "What's that?"

"I've connected to the central information hub of Vasulo," Han's eyes squinted against all of the information streaming in front of him. "Should give us some idea of where she's headed and…oh no!"

"What?"

Chewbacca grumbled, and Luke's large blue eyes sought out Han's.

Han's eyes never left the screen, "A terrorist was arrested near the detention center."

"Terrorist?"

Han continued following the readouts, "Where'd she find the explosives?"

Chewie grunted and shrugged.

Han turned his angry hazel eyes on his best friend, "And whaddya think she was goin' to do with it?" Chewbacca shook his head and howled.

"Leia's the terrorist?" Luke asked.

Solo dropped his head into his hands, "Why are the gods conspirin' against me?"

Then he leaned back, rubbing his hands on his thighs as he glanced up at the faces of his worried friends, "So any thoughts on how were gonna rescue our little terrorist?"