CHAPTER 3:

Han Solo pushed the door of the tapcafe open and scanned the smoke-filled room before entering. His eyes narrowed on a lone Bredium of medium build seated in a secluded booth across the room. He wasn't one to inspire fear with his willowy looks, but Ness wasn't a being to be double crossed. He was a self-made humanoid and ran his many businesses from the seat of the booth on which he was perched. Han took in some air and made his way over to the Bredium.

The slender man bellowed with laughter when his eyes fell on Solo and the Wookie. "Han Solo and Chewbacca!" His face creased in waves as he laughed, "Never expected you two would've ever shown your faces around here."

Han looked around uncomfortably, his hand resting on the butt of his blaster. He was afraid that Ness wasn't going to be happy to see him. And he wouldn't blame him. Chewbacca's grumble was barely audible. Both of them were ready to fight or flee, but Han was still hoping for a nice sit-down conversation.

Ness pressed his thin lips together and fingered one of his three stunted horns, "You're awfully jumpy, Solo."

Han side-glanced at Chewie and did his best to relax his stance, "You know, a guy's gotta be careful out here."

"Especially if your name is 'Han Solo'," the aged Bredium raised a dark eyebrow. "So tell me, have you bothered paying Jabba back yet?"

Han scratched the back of his head, "Well, not yet. We got a little side-tracked."

Ness closed and opened his inner eyelid, "Solo, Solo, you sure do know how to make enemies."

"What can I say?" Han shrugged. "I like to keep life interesting."

The humanoid shook his head in mock sadness, "Of course you do." Ness turned his yellow eyes on Han's best friend, "So, Chewbacca, why do you stick around with such lowlife?" He waved his hand dismissively, "I know, that pesky life debt. Luckily, humans don't live that long."

"Not many in the smuggling business live long," Han flippantly commented.

Ness' horns darkened to a deep red, "Should I take that as a threat, hhmm?"

Chewbacca bumped Han and quietly reminded him why they were here. Han held his hands out, "No, of course not. I was merely making an observation."

The Bredium resumed stroking one of his horns as if to calm his anger, "Of course, Solo. You wouldn't come here just to insult me."

"Insult you?" Chewie elbowed Han again.

Ness frowned, "Your presence is enough of an insult."

Han's mouth opened, ready for an angry retort, but he decided it wasn't in Leia's best interest to antagonize someone who might help them find her.

"You obviously want something from me, otherwise you wouldn't have set foot in this system," Ness sized him up with his yellow eyes. "But why would you think that I'd ever help you?"

"I thought maybe you had a milligram of kindness in that stone heart of yours," Han couldn't resist. "Or pity," he amended. "Pity works for me," His eyebrows rose in an attempt to communicate his sincerity.

"I have no pity for you, Solo," Ness spat. "But I do have pity for you, Chewbacca."

"I'll take that, too," Han offered. Chewie stepped in front of him, hoping he'd take the hint and just shut up.

Ness nodded at Chewbacca, "Please, take a seat. Both of you."

Han slid into the booth next to Chewie, "I thought you'd never ask."

Ness chortled, "This boy, he never learns, does he?"

Chewbacca chuckled along with Ness, and for once, Han knew he'd better keep his mouth shut.

The Bredium's good humor melted from his face, "Now tell me, why are you here?" Chewbacca shifted his blue eyes from side to side before answering Ness. Ness' stout ears flickered, "Jenia has been…around."

"Whaddya mean 'around'? She still workin' for you?"

"Now and then I throw a job her way, but she's been working independently much more often these days," Ness confessed.

"What kind of independent work?" Han inquired.

Ness leaned back and stirred his pink drink, "As long as her independent business doesn't interfere with any of my business, I don't ask."

Han pressed his lips together and puffed up his cheeks as he prepared to say something. Chewbacca decided he should be the one asking the questions.

Ness raised his chin and then lowered it, "Yes, I do suppose I know how to get in contact with her. So what would be in it for me?"

Chewbacca made him an offer. The Bredium caressed his horns in thought, "That is a generous offer, but you guys aren't exactly trustworthy when it comes to credits."

Chewbacca pulled out a handful of credits. Ness' inner eyelid closed and opened a few times before he responded, "It looks like you have come into a small fortune." He looked at Chewbacca and then Han, "Should I ask?"

"No."

Ness' eyes narrowed into slits and he let out a bellowing laugh that caused some of the patrons to look his way, "So you're holding out on Jabba."

"It's really not like that," Han corrected him. "As I said, we're on our way to pay back Jabba. We just got a little side tracked. That's all."

Ness' face crinkled into a wide smile, "Right." Ness fingered the offered credits before pocketing them, "I'll let Jenvia know I have a job for her."

"Is it possible to meet with her today?" Han pleaded. "We're kinda in a time crunch."

The Bredium sighed, "For Chewbacca, I will arrange it for today if she will cooperate." He then dismissed Han and Chewie with the wave of the hand. "I'll contact you with the details. I won't tell her that you are the clients. I don't think she'd show up."

"Thank you," Han reached out to shake Ness' hand, but Ness refused it. Han shoved his hand in his pocket. "We really appreciate this."

"Of course," Ness turned his attention to his drink. "I hope you have more credits where that came from. Jenvia isn't a cheap date."

Chewbacca and Han bid the Bredium farewell and headed back to the Falcon to wait for the contact information from Ness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Although Ness contacted Chewbacca sooner than either he or Han expected, Han couldn't help but feel like they've wasted too much time. The worried man wanted to be at the tapcafe where they were meeting Jenvia earlier than the designated time, but the wise Wookie thought it'd be best if they showed up a tad bit late. He feared that if Jenvia saw Han in the tapcafe she'd either hit him or bolt away. Chewie was betting that she'd do the latter.

The atmosphere over Finel hung heavy, and the rain glittered as it caught the light of the seedy neon signs. Han hunched down in his blue jacket in an attempt to avoid as much precipitation as possible. He wasn't sure what was worse: the drizzle or the constant whining coming from Chewbacca. They were about twenty standard minutes late for their rendezvous with Jenvia. By that time, Chewie figured that Jenvia would have settled and ordered a drink. She was less apt to walk out if she had an expensive drink in front of her, and she had an insatiable thirst for expensive drinks.

The two friends entered a tapcafe that was only marginally of higher quality than the others on the street. Han brushed the weather off of his shoulders while Chewbacca chose to shake it off, much to the irritation of the shorter man.

"Watch it!" Han reprimanded his friend.

Chewbacca offered no apologies. Instead he chose to push his way through the crowded tapcafe. A chalky blue haze swirled around and settled on the oblivious customers who were lost in loud conversations, syrupy intoxication, and oppressive melancholy. Chewbacca snorted to himself. It didn't matter how upscale a tapcafe was; the occupants were always the same.

Chewie discretely nodded toward the bar. Han smiled as he saw Jenvia in her usual spot when she frequented tapcafes: as close to the barkeep as possible. Han casually strolled over to her and pulled up a chair. "Jenvia," his voice was silky smooth, "you are looking good."

Jenvia's body went rigid and she put down her drink, "Oh, no! If you value your life you will step away and high-tail it out of this system!"

"Ah, come on, Jenvia," Han nodded to the barkeep as he tried to placate the woman, "You don't really mean that."

Just as the barkeep was about to take Han's order, Jenvia swung around and smacked Solo right in the nose, knocking him to the ground. And before he knew it, she pinned down his neck with a foot and trained her blaster on him. Chewbacca bellowed with laughter.

"Hey, a little support here," Han scowled at his best friend.

Jenvia holstered her blaster and released Han, "Chewie! Now you're a sight for sore eyes."

Chewbacca stepped over Solo and consumed the woman in a sloppy hairy embrace. She chuckled and ran her hand along her cropped jet black hair, "Thanks. I like it better, too. It's much easier to maintain."

Han pulled himself up and reclaimed his chair, "If you guys had enough with the beauty tips…"

Jenvia narrowed her violet eyes on him but then favored the Wookie with a smile, "I wish I had time to catch up, but I'm meeting my next gig. I'm sure you understand."

"Well, isn't it a coincidence," Han settled in a smug smile. "We just happen to be your next gig."

She stared into Han's eyes, looking for the joke. When she was certain he was dead serious, she shook her head, "Nuh-uh, I'm not doing any job for you." She downed her drink and jumped off the stool, "Nice seeing ya', Chewie."

Han grabbed her arm, "Jenvia, wait."

She looked down at Han's hand, "Oh no! You just didn't touch me."

Han knew better than to keep his hold on her, "Please. Just hear us out. I'll make it well worth your time."

Jenvia crossed her finely toned arms across her chest, "I don't know." Chewbacca pushed Han out of the way and spoke softly to Jenvia. She looked around, "Buy me a drink and I'll meet you in that booth over there."

Han ordered a drink for all three of them and hastily followed Chewbacca to the booth. Jenvia took the drink without a word and started to down it. She then pulled a spice joint out of her jacket pocket, lit it, and took a long drag off of it before she offered any to her companions. Han and Chewie both declined with a wave of the hand. The woman shrugged and continued indulging herself.

"So what do you want, Solo?" she blew smoke into his face.

Han blinked a few times and remembered hated the smell of spice. He pushed the smoke clear of his face, "I think you might have some information we need."

"I don't know," she finished her drink. "Don't know much, you know. Another drink might loosen up my memory about…whatever you want to know," Jenvia wickedly smiled at Han.

"Look," Han pressed his hands on the table and leaned forward, "I'll buy you several drinks and make this transaction very profitable if you have a good memory."

"Since when did you and Chewie have credits to throw around?" she scoffed and took another drag on the spice joint.

Chewbacca grumbled, and Han answered, "Let's just say we came into a small fortune."

Smoke shot from her mouth as she laughed. Han sighed and nodded to Chewbacca. Chewie pulled a handful of credits he thought would satisfy Jenvia. She eyed the credits in Chewie's hand and rolled her lips between her teeth, "What do you want to know?"

Han glanced around and lowered his voice, "Rumor has it that you've been hanging out with some rebels."

This time Jenvia looked around, "I've done some jobs for them. Don't care much where the credits come as long as they keep coming."

Han flashed her a lop-sided grin and shook his head, "Glad some things don't change in this galaxy." She briefly smiled and Han continued, "Rumor has it…you met a rebel leader."

"So you're listening to a lot of rumors, Solo?" Jenvia extinguished the spice joint on her tongue and then pocketed it.

"How true are these rumors?"

The woman narrowed her violet eyes at Han and then at Chewbacca, "Not very accurate."

Han rolled his eyes and nodded to Chewbacca who then pulled out a few more credits. Jenvia's eyes lit up. It was the exact response Han was going for, "So tell me what's accurate."

"I was supposed to meet with a rebel leader," she pressed her lips together.

"What, she didn't show up?"

Jenvia tilted her head, "How did you know she was a 'she'?"

"You're not paying me for information," Han smirked. "Remember? I'm paying you."

"Fair enough."

"Well?"

"She showed up," Jenvia leaned back, "But someone else took an interest in her before I was able to meet up with her."

"Who?" Han's voice rose.

Jenvia yawned, "My drink needs freshening."

"Jenvia!" Han's temper almost blew, but Chewbacca put a hand on his shoulder. The Wookie then left to buy another round of drinks.

"Remember Skerit?" she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She waited for confirmation from Solo. He slowly nodded. Jenvia continued, "He and some Rodian were talking with her when I came in. She left with them."

"To where?"

"Don't know," Jenvia shrugged. "Not my business."

Han ran a hand over his face, "So what? You just let her leave with them?"

"Why would I stop them?"

Han pointed an angry finger at her, "You were supposed to meet her. It's starting to look suspicious that you went missing the same day she went missing."

Jenvia grabbed his finger, "Obviously, I'm not missing." She sweetly smiled at him, "Now, Han Sweetheart, who told you I went missing?"

Han pulled his finger from her, "My sources say."

She giggled, "So you're caught up in all this rebellion fodder as well."

Han leaned back and coolly said, "When it pays well."

"Of course."

"So why do they say you went missing?"

"You know who Skerit works for," she looked away. "I didn't want them getting the wrong idea about the rebels and me." Jenvia licked her lips and returned her attention on Han, "Found me another good paying gig and I was history."

Chewbacca returned with the drinks. As soon as he placed them on the table, Jenvia had her hand wrapped around the one designated for her. Han pushed the other two drinks as well as their untouched drinks toward the woman. He then signaled Chewie to pay her. Jenvia greedily scooped up the offered credits and put them in her pouch.

Han rose, "It's always a pleasure, Jenvia."

The woman winked at him and gulped her drink down, "Of course." She reached for the next, "Good luck in finding your missing rebel."

Han and Chewbacca headed for the exit. Han felt as if the world was closing down on him. He just hoped that they had enough of that reward money left to pay whoever they needed to pay off to get Leia back. Leia, Han just hoped she was okay. Skerit's boss, Endo Sargoza, was as much as a lowlife gangster as Jabba the Hutt, but Sargoza's word was usually good. He wasn't expecting an answer from the rebels for another day. Chances are he'll keep her alive and well until that time. So there still was a chance that the princess was unharmed. She had to be okay. All kinds of horrible were going through his head as they looked for a place that served hot meals and gave them a quiet place to plan their next move. Han knew they'd have no problem finding Sargoza, but he doubted they had enough credits to pay him off.

Solo looked up to allow the hazy sky to fall on his face, "So…think she's okay?" Chewie placed an arm over Han's shoulders. "I just can't help…I don't know. Why did they have to send her alone like that in the first place?"

Chewie grumbled his opinion. Han looked at his friend, "I don't care what she insists doing. It's too dangerous for someone like her." Chewie hummed. "I don't know…" Han rubbed the back of his head, "too…naïve and far too young."

Chewbacca shrugged and Han sighed, "Yeah, I know she was on the Senate, but the Senate isn't as dangerous as the stuff she does for the rebels." Chewbacca begged to differ. Han huffed, "So maybe the Senate has its dangers, but she knows how to handle herself in those situations. She was raised for that kinda thing. Not this. Not carrying on business in seedy places like this."

The Wookie yawned and directed Han to a small soup restaurant. Han hated soup, but at the moment he didn't care. All he cared about was Leia's safety and how they were going to rescue her, "Yeah, I know she's tough, but she's….she still needs someone to look out for her."

Han rolled his eyes in response to Chewbacca, "Luke? Luke can't even take care of himself. Those two are just a mess when it comes to self-preservation."

Chewie ordered before he returned his attention to Han. "Yeah," Han pointed at himself, "Well, I know a lot about self-preservation. They could learn a lot from me."

Chewbacca dove into the soup once it was brought to their table. Han just swirled it around with his utensil, "No, I'm not sayin' it's our duty to follow her around and make sure she not hurt. I'm just sayin' she needs someone to look after her." He shoveled some soup into his mouth. "It's obvious none of the High Command is watching her back."

Chewie mumbled between mouthfuls. Han nodded, "Yeah, well Reeiken seems like the only one." He pointed his utensil at the Wookie, "But he obviously can't go traipsing around the galaxy after her." Chewbacca growled and tilted his head. Han sighed, "No, I am not saying that we should be her babysitter, but she obviously needs one!" He slammed his spoon down, "Just let me eat in peace."

Chewbacca chortled and returned his attention to his soup. From where he sat, they had already become her "babysitter", but Han obviously didn't want to hear that.