Chapter 4
The Princess entered the med-ward with a tray and the five Rogues that were visiting Han Solo stood up at once, saluted and left them alone in a hurry.
"What's wrong with them?" she asked, sitting by him on the bed and placing the tray between them.
"I think they heard of your dealin' with Jabba," he answered with a wink.
"That's not funny," she frowned, uncovering two plates of Alderaanian stew.
The smuggler opened both juice containers. "Maybe someone noticed where you spent last night," he said, studying her reaction.
Chewie had woken them up early in the morning but, from the comments of the pilots, it was evident that someone had walked in on them unnoticed. With all the people coming from different places in the galaxy, the local nighttime was as busy as the day. The gossip that Leia had slept in his bed seemed to have spread at the speed of light around the base but the little detail that she had been completely dressed was lost somewhere along the way.
"You think?" Her face turned a lovely crimson color.
The smuggler took her hand. Massaging her fingers, he asked gravely: "Is that a problem?"
"No," she hurried to say. "No, not really... I just have to get used to it, I guess."
At least she was smiling. "So do I," he grinned back. He was glad she had not heard the jokes the pilots were making about them right before she came in. If she had, she wouldn't have asked why they retired so quickly. They meant well, but the jokes were probably a little rough for the Princess's taste.
As they ate, he tried to keep out of his mind that little incident that worried him much more than the rumors. For a second, he considered asking her about it, maybe throwing out an innocent question about her dreams. He decided it was better not to do it.
All right, she was talking in her sleep about Luke last night. It was not the first time; it would probably not be the last. If he intended to spend more nights with Leia, he better got used to it. They had that strange connection that he did not understand. But he could not believe that she was playing a two-sided game. She was not that kind of woman. If there was, or had been, something of the romantic kind between her and Luke, she would have probably talked to him about it by now, right? The same way she had told him about Darek and the other suitors she had had.
And to be fair, he had not told her either about all the women he had been with. He had not told her even about Bria, or about the ones in the Alliance. On one hand, he felt that chapter of his life closed and concluded. All those women, Bria included, paled and vanished in Leia's bright light. Why would he talk about something he did not care anymore? On the other hand, he had been afraid that Leia would run away from him at maximum speed. She had not asked and he had not volunteered the information.
Anyhow, she was here with him now, behaving around him almost as she had back in the Falcon, and that was all that mattered. He had to get out of this bed as soon as possible, though. And do something to put him on the same ground that Luke, just in case.
General Carlist Rieekan entered the med-ward of the Alliance base on Sullustan. All the beds where empty, except for one at the end of the room, concealed by a screen. He did not go there at once, but to the med-station where a Two-OneBee was supervising the patient life-signs.
"How is Captain Solo doing?" He asked.
"Better than expected, Sir. No permanent damage. He's due another physical therapy session this afternoon, but I'll release him tomorrow morning if nothing else comes up," the dutiful droid answered.
The echo of raised voices reached them then.
"But I feel perfectly fine, Princess," Han Solo argued.
"You stay in that bed or I'll get you restrained myself, Han," Princess Leia angry voice answered.
"Yeah? How are you planning to do that?" His cockiness seeped across the room.
The Princess comeback was inaudible, but it was followed by a crash sound and a sudden change in all of Han Solo's lifesigns. Silent alarms alerted the med-droid, who started his way to his patient.
She probably decked him, General Rieekan thought, following the droid. The bases have been too quiet without their quarrels, anyway.
But as he rounded the screen in tow of the Two-Onebee, the scene unfolded before them made him hastily throw a hand on the droid's vocalizer and insistently tug on him until he understood that they must retire.
Once back in the med-station, he tried to explain to him that Solo's lifesigns alterations were perfectly normal.
Of course, any man who had a woman wrapped so closely around him, kissing him with such intensity would have his stats go wild. The couple had laid half-sprawled over the bed, in a way that left no doubt about whom was the aggressor. A tray with food leftovers had slipped to the floor and that was probably the origin of the crash sound.
He had always suspected that that was bound to happen, sooner or later. And after several months in close quarters on their way to Bespin, if they hadn't killed each other, the only other option was... Oh, well, the intimate scene he had walked upon spoke books about the current state of their relationship.
After several minutes, the General decided that he had given the couple enough time and waked back around the screen, this time making the heels of his boots resound heavily on the floor.
Han Solo was back into bed, the sheets properly draped around his waist, leaning back on a pile of pillows. Princess Leia sat across his lap, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand holding the smugglers. Neither of them acknowledged him.
Rieekan cleared his throat.
Han opened his eyes, surprised, while the Princess jolted out of the bed. There was an awkward moment in which Leia could not do much but flush, Han smiled feebly and the Alderaanian studied the tip of his boots.
"Hi, General," Han greeted finally.
"How are you doing, Solo?" Was the polite answer.
"I think I'll come back later, Han," Leia murmured before he could answer, clutching affectionately at her lover's hand.
"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."
Neither of them could conceal their bright smiles and Carlist Rieekan suppressed a sigh. After Leia was gone, he addressed Han again, raising an eyebrow.
"So, that's how things are going, right?"
Han Solo shrugged, but looked at the General in the eye. Rieekan was the closest thing to family Leia had left and he knew his approval was important to her.
"I love her."
His straightforward and earnest answer surprised the older man. He studied the Corellian for a while, as if weighting the truthfulness of his words. At last, he spoke.
"You had better, Solo, because if you break her heart, you'll have a hell of a lot of angry people on your tail..." The voice was calm but firm and spoke of steeled resolution.
Han swallowed hard, although he knew the Alderaanian's words were said with the best of intentions. Rieekan had been the only one in the high ranks of the Alliance - besides Leia – who had not looked down on him at every opportunity.
"But that's not what I came to discuss with you, Solo," the General continued. "Leia's a grown up woman, she can make her own decisions." After a pause, he stated plainly: "We need you."
The younger man opened his mouth to answer him, but Rieekan cut him off. "No, don't answer me yet, let me finish."
He engaged then in a brief detail of the losses the Alliance had sustained, starting with Hoth and its brand new installations. The picture was not a pretty one and far more grim than the sugarcoated version told to him by Chewie and Lando.
"We have the opportunity now to strike a blow that could be the final one." He did not clarify for who the final blow it might be, but Han let it pass. "We are sorely lacking the people with the experience and training necessary to give it a fair chance of success, though," Rieekan continued. "That's where you fit in."
"What kind of experience?" The pilot seemed fairly interested now.
"Ground and space assault."
"Ah," Han was starting to understand. "Ylesia."
"And Nar Shaddaa," Rieekan added, nodding. "And the Navy."
A half smile, part proud and part ashamed graced Han Solo's strong features.
"Have you talked to Lando? He didn't go to Carida, but he has a few tricks up his sleeve. Ask him about Taanab. He'll love to tell you the story."
"I will. But I'm talking to you now. I want you to think about it. I have to warn you, though, that there won't be any payments for this."
Han's answer was quick and sure. "That won't be necessary, General. I've already been thinkin'... a lot." He took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair and continued. "I want to join, sir."
Rieekan smiled inwardly. Chewbacca had been just right. Extending his hand, he shook the newly ex-smuggler's warmly. "Welcome back, Solo."
"Only one condition, sir," he asked. The Alderaanian nodded a go-ahead. "Don't make it public yet. I want Leia to be the first to know, and I want to tell her myself."
"Don't worry," the General laughed. "I'll manage this quietly. Anyway, the security is tighter than ever and she has been assigned to supervise the logistics of the meeting, not the strategy. She's pretty busy with all the new people arriving, you know?"
"I noticed," Han agreed.
"I'll get in touch with you again tonight or tomorrow morning," Rieekan finished before leaving with obvious satisfaction.
Slightly surprised of himself, Han Solo massaged his neck. What have I gotten me into?
Leia Organa walked gracefully into the med-ward. She had not seen Han since midday and she missed him terribly. She had been forced to comm him earlier and tell him that she would not make it to dinner. But now she was finally free and was hurrying to kiss him goodnight before heading to her own quarters.
No, she did not intend to spend the night here again. First, there were enough gossips rolling around the base. Second, even her willpower had a limit, and she was definitely reaching it. The temptation could be too great.
He soft boots made no sound on the polished ground. As she approached the end of the ward, she heard soft voices coming from Han's corner of it, like people talking in whispers. Yes, as she peeked around the screen that gave him some privacy, she saw someone sitting on his bed, and for some reason she stopped, still in the shadows, unnoticed.
Physical pain sliced through her chest as she realized that the visitor was a woman and Han seemed quite happy to see her. She had laid her hand familiarly on his knee and both were laughing. As she turned her face slightly, she recognized her.
Aralee G'Mendez. Home One navigation officer. Green-eyed. Blonde. Tall. He would not have to bend uncomfortably to kiss her. And she was one of Han's known 'girls'.
As if her imagination had some power to influence reality, the woman leaned forward and kissed Solo on the lips.
Leia Organa ran away, quietly.