CHAPTER 4:

Han Solo stirred his soup around with his utensil while Chewbacca woofed his down. Han's worry about the princess diminished any appetite he had. She had now been missing for three days. Three long days. Why did the High Command let her go on this mission alone? Something was very wrong about all this. Han scooped up a mouthful of soup and then dropped it back into the bowl. Maybe Chewie was right. Maybe she insisted on handling this one on her own. She was too stubborn for her own good. Still, no one should have agreed to allow her to go alone. Han has serious concerns about the decisions being made by the High Command. He finally dropped his utensil and shoved his bowl toward Chewie.

Chewbacca's blue eyes lit up. Han slouched in his seat, "I don't know how you can eat like that when we still haven't found Leia."

Chewie growled and tilted his head between bites. Han rested his arm on the back of the booth and shook his head, "Always thinking of your stomach."

The Wookie disagreed. "Okay, so thinking on a full stomach helps you. So what are you thinking?"

Han mulled over Chewie's suggestion. Finding Skerit would be a good place to start. Dealing with Skerit would be a lot easier than dealing with Sargoza. Maybe they could avoid Sargoza altogether. There was a chance that they could force Skerit into leading them to Leia. Chewie was certain that the Mimbanite knew exactly where she was. Sargoza often used Skerit to handle these kinds of situations. And with Leia being as small as she was, Sargoza wasn't expecting much of a fight. Han smiled at that thought. If that's what Sargoza thought, he and all his henchmen were in for a surprise.

Han was about to ask Chewie where he thought they might find Skerit when his eyes fell on a figure walking pass the window. "Well, I'll be. Life Day has come a little early this year."

Chewbacca stopped in mid-bite. Something definitely was not right about this situation at all. But Han ignored him. All he could think of was Leia. He dropped some credits and headed for the door. Chewbacca whined but followed anyway. What choice did he really have? Han was always making rash decisions and rushing into danger before considering more rational solutions. For some reason, anything involving Leia caused Han to act even more irrational than usual. And as usual, Chewie would follow Han into any dangerous situation to make sure he survived whatever he brought onto himself. And Chewie would do this even if it meant he couldn't finish his soup. With determined steps the pair closed the distance between them and the lone figure, which wasn't too difficult since the green-skinned male seemed to be in no particular hurry.

This is going to be easier than I thought, Han smiled to himself. Once he fell in step with the Mimbanite, Han threw his arm around his shoulder, "Skerit! It's good to see you again, buddy."

Skerit flashed his barbed tongue at Solo and tried to pull away. Chewbacca moved to block Skerit from darting. The Mimbanite cowered before regaining his courage, "What do you want, Sssoloo?"

"What a coincidence you just asked that," Han chuckled, "cos you happen to have something that we want." He steered Skerit into a darkened doorway, away from prying eyes. Han slammed the Mimbanite hard into the metal door while Chewbacca stood in front of them in order to block Skerit and Han from sight. No one was going to challenge a Wookie even if they were caught roughing up Skerit.

"It'sss not wissse to messs with me Sssoloo," Skerit attempted to push Han.

Han grabbed him by the collar of his orange shirt, "Mess with you? We're just having a friendly conversation." He shoved him into the door again. Skerit's bald head bounced against the door. Just to be sure Skerit was listening, Han punched him in the stomach. Skerit doubled over, but Han didn't let him fall.

"Okay, what do you want?" the Mimbanite held his hands up in hopes that he could block Han's attack.

Han relented but kept him pinned to the door, "From what I hear, you met a girl at Jompy's Tapcafe a couple of days ago."

Skerit's barbed tongue flicked in and out, "I meet many girlsss, Sssoloo. You have to be a little more ssspecccific."

Han exhaled a laugh that contained no mirth, "Skerit, you have a wicked sense of humor." He slammed the humanoid into the door once again, "A short, dark-haired girl. You remember her, right?"

"Ah, yessss," a smile played on Skerit's green-tinged face. "The one that never shutsss up. Pretty little thing, isssn't she?"

Han's hazel eyes flashed dangerously, "So where is she?"

"Why do you think I know, Sssoloo?"

Still keeping a tight hold on Skerit, Han turned around, "Chewie, do you think you can explain to Skerit why we think he knows?"

Chewbacca exchanged places with Han. The large Wookie lifted the Mimbanite off the ground and growled threateningly at him.

"Okay, okay!" Skerit cried. "I know where she isss. Jussst call him off!"

Chewie slowly lowered him down and pulled him onto the sidewalk. Han once again wrapped his arm around Skerit's should, "So where is she?"

"Sssargoza will kill me," Skerit shook his head.

"So will I," Han whispered into his ear. "So what will it be? Die now or maybe die later. The way I look at it, the longer you can put off death…"

"Okay," Skerit's shoulders slumped. "I'll take you there."

Han patted the Mimbanite on the cheek, "I knew you'd make the right choice." He then pulled out his blaster and shoved it into Skerit's side. "But don't try anything funny."

Skerit led them to a large warehouse in the industrial part of town. It turned out not to be too far from the soup restaurant at which Han and Chewbacca had their last meal. It turned Han's stomach to think that they were so close to Leia the whole time. He felt like roughing up Skerit a little more just to pay him back for even coming near her. But that wouldn't help. He'd wait until after they recovered Leia to beat the pulp out of the scummy Mimbanite.

Han shoved Skerit in front of him, "How many people?"

"I don't know."

"How many?"

"Two at the front door, two othersss at the back, and only me on the ssside door," Skerit explained.

"Only you at the side door?" Han asked as Chewie wrapped one large paw around the Mimbanite's neck, "Are you sure about that?"

"Of courssse," Skerit cowered. "It'sss a sssmall door. I only ssstepped away to get sssomething to eat."

Han pressed his blaster hard against his temple, "Lying right now would be very dangerous."

"I-I'm not!" Skerit flinched, "There'sss no one there. I'm the only one."

Han exchanged a glance with Chewbacca. Chewie growled. He had a bad feeling, but Han didn't seem to care. Right now, Han was only thinking of Leia. Skerit led them to the side door he was supposed to be guarding. His rigid finger shook as he punched in the security code. The door hissed open, revealing a dark cold hallway made up of tall heavy duty industrial track stretching up to the ceiling. Han nudged the humanoid forward. Chewie continued holding him from behind. They cautiously moved down the hallway, expecting to be ambushed at any moment. The over head lighting cast shadows all around them, making it difficult to detect any danger into which they might be walking. But no ambush came.

"She'sss over there in those offices to the right," Skerit pointed to a door located on the far wall.

Han narrowed his eyes as he tried to peer through the shadows. There was a door at the end of the walkway. "How many guards there?" Han whispered.

"Five or sssixxx," Skerit answered. "She'sss in the lassst officcce on the left."

Chewbacca murmured and Han translated, "Where are they positioned?"

"Two at the enteranccce. The ressst are in the room that she'sss in."

Solo looked at Chewbacca, "Six? That's nothin'." Chewbacca disagreed, but Han wasn't hearing it. "We need to take out the two at the entrance real quiet like."

Chewbacca rolled his eyes. Han sighed, "So you have any ideas?"

Chewie explained his plan. "Yeah, going around would be better than going at them straight on," Han conceded. "Okay, pal, lead the way."

Still holding Skerit by the back of the neck, Chewbacca led them to the right down an aisle of conveyer belts. Then they quietly made their way to the end of the conveyer belts where they could see the two guards at the entrance of the offices. A Weequay leaned against the wall and absent-mindedly twisted his top knot around his leathery fingers. The other guard was a Twi'lik male. His orange eyes flitted from side-to-side. Chewbacca pushed Skerit into Han's possession. Han pressed his blaster into the Mimbanite's side.

"What are ya' thinkin'?" Han whispered. Chewbacca nodded to the ceiling. Large metal bars formed the skeleton of the warehouse, holding up the tin roof. Han smiled at his friend, "Not bad."

Chewbacca hung back while Han pushed Skerit forward into the light. He leaned close to Skerit's ear, "Now you're gonna play nice, right?"

"Whatever you sssay," Skerit answered, holding his hands up.

"Good," Han proceeded to push the Mimbanite in the direction of the two guards. Once they were in view of the two guards, both the Weequay and the Twi'lik brandished their weapons.

"Skerit!" the Twi'lik yelled. "What is going on?"

"Well, boys," Han smiled. "I've come to take something you have. Now if you'll step aside. Don't make me mess you're nice clothes with Skerit's brains. If you cooperate, no one'll get hurt."

The Weequay's leather face crinkled into something resembling a smile, "You're going to be the only one getting hurt, Solo. And Skerit, if he gets in the way."

Skerit shrunk back as the Weequay aimed his weapon at Han and the Mimbanite. The Twi'lik licked his lips and moved into position, "You were never that smart, Solo."

"You know me so well," Han smugly smiled. "Now if you two will step aside, I'll be outa here in no time."

The Weequay squeezed the trigger of his blaster at the same moment Han pushed Skerit into him, knocking the barrel away from its target. The Twi'lik aimed as the Weequay fought to recover. Chewbacca dropped onto the Twi'lik, strangling the Twi'lik with his lekkus as he landed. Chewie then flipped the dead Twi'lik's blaster in his hands and fired at the Weequay. Without another second wasted, the pair stormed down the hallway and ambushed the guards inside. And despite the ruckus they made outside the offices, surprise was still on their side.

"If you know what's good for you," Han ordered. "You all will throw your weapons this way."

Without a word, the three humans and Rodian tossed the weapons in their hands toward Han. Han aimed his blaster on the shortest human, "All your weapons."

The human holding out hesitated before he pulled a vibroblade from his boot. Han and Chewbacca moved farther into the room. Han's hazel eyes scanned the contents of the room, and then he nodded to Chewie, "The engine tape there! Tie 'em up with that."

While Han kept his blaster trained on his captives, Chewbacca wrapped meters of tape around the hands and feet of each guard and then taped them to various furnishings in the room until he was certain they couldn't get free.

"Okay," Han shouted. "You know why we're here. Where is she?"

The shortest human nodded toward a closed door, "She's in there."

Chewbacca and Han exchanged glances. Han took a deep breath. He walked over the door, held his blaster ready for action, and pulled open the door. He pointed his blaster into the pitch dark. Once nothing or no one jumped out on him, Han pulled on the cord of the overhead light. The loose hanging bulb swung wildly, making it difficult to see into the deep closet. Han settled it with his hand as he walked further into the closet.

"Leia!" Han rushed over to the girl who was caged in a killin-wire box.

The princess squint her eyes against the light. Her hands were tied at her side to the killin-wire, her feet were bound, and there was a gag in her mouth. Han put his blaster on the ground and knelt down beside her prison. He pulled at the lock.

Han turned back to his captives, "Isn't this a little overkill?"

"It took all four of us to subdue her," one of the guards answered, and Han couldn't help but smile.

"So why the gag?"

"That little one," the shortest human answered, "has a mouth on her."

Han turned his attention back to the girl in the cage. He'd deal with them after she was freed. He retrieved the discarded vibroblade and fumbled as he cut away at the lock. Seeing the princess being treated like this, it tore at his heart. When he got the lock open, Han scrunched down and crawled into her cage. The first thing he did was to remove the gag from her mouth.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you," Han knelt before her.

"If you untie me, I might actually be happy to see you," she quipped.

"Nice," Han smiled. He held her head between his hands and peered into her large brown eyes. "Did they hurt you?"

"No," Leia whispered, looking away.

Han fingered the short strand of hair that hung to her chin and realized how stupid his question was. He dropped his eyes. Then he used the vibroblade cut her hands free. Leia rubbed her sore wrists while Han freed her feet. He backed out of the cage as she crawled forward. Once he was free, he grabbed her under her arms and pulled her out the rest of the way. He gathered her into his arms in a tight embrace before setting her down to get a good look at her. One of her two buns had come unraveled and hung in a long tail. The other bun was messed up but still held together. Han gently twisted Leia's arm to get a look at the wound that was inflicted upon her. It was wrapped in a bandage that was stained with blood. Her clothes were in rumpled and she was paler than usual, but other than that, she appeared to be okay.

Leia pulled away from Han's scrutiny and bent down to pick up his blaster, "I think you're going to need this, Flyboy."

Han smiled, "Thanks, Your Worship." He grabbed her hand and led her out of the closet. Chewbacca roared with glee as he saw the princess, but he was mindful to keep his crossbow aimed at the bound guards. Han glanced up at Chewie, "This was easier than I thought it'd be."

Chewbacca grumbled. Han shrugged, "Come on, this was definitely easier than escaping the Death Star. And way easier than that little mess we got into on Dantooine."

Chewie shook his head and Solo huffed, "Fine. I'll make the comparisons after we get outa here."

Chewbacca eyes were on Leia. She weakly smiled at him. He tilted his head and cooed.

"The High Command sent you?"

"Somethin' like that," Han mumbled and looked down at Leia. She turned her large brown eyes up at him. He dropped her hand and ran his own along her cheek. Her lips slightly parted as she inaudibly sucked in her breath. Chewie grumbled and pointed to the exit. The right side of Han's mouth quirked up into half a smile and then he forced himself to look away from her.

He pointed toward the open door with his blaster, "Lead away." Then he turned to the princess, "Stay close to me just in case we run into any problems."

Leia rolled her eyes, "Oh, please. I can take care of myself."

Han shook his head, "Yeah, we've all seen how well you take care of yourself."

Leia slammed her hands on her hips, "What do you mean—"

Chewbacca loudly roared at his two arguing friends. Han sighed, "Okay, let's go."

Chewbacca held his crossbow up ready for quick action. Han followed him close behind, holding Leia by the hand, and resisting her attempt to free herself from his grasp. They exited through the door that opened up into the cluttered warehouse. Chewie started to lead them toward the door from which they entered. They were certain that door had no guards. Hopefully, their little ruckus wasn't heard by anyone else.

But then Chewbacca froze and sniffed the air.

"What is it?" Han pulled Leia closer to him.

The Wookie slowly continued forward. They made their way passed the conveyers and into the large walk way that was adjacent to their exit. Just when they thought they were in the clear, the sound of running steps echoed through the warehouse. White armor flashed in the light, and before anyone knew it a squad of storm troopers had their blasters trained on the group.

"Han Solo," Endo Sargoza walked out of the shadows ready to gloat at Han's stupidity. "What a pleasure to see you again."