A/N: Aubé 'Tough as Nails' Canaille is an OC from my friend DarthBreezy. You can learn more about her in Breezy's stories, back there at the JC forums. Ask me for the links if you're interested. Thanks, Breeze!

Chapter 16

The kid had a gift for it; there was no doubt about it. One of the younger pilots, a guy he barely knew the name of, had brought down to the forest moon a strange artifact, with strings attached in a weird fashion and a shape resembling more some woman's hips than any music tool Han Solo had ever seen. But the sound of it was sweet and wickedly contagious when the musician picked up the rhythm.

The Ewoks had joined him immediately improvising after his lead in a surprisingly harmonic way. It was not much later that sentients of a dozen different species were spinning, shaking and wobbling on the improvised dance floor.

The Princess and he, though, had been more attracted at the moment by the promising scent that came from a platform from where Lando's voice could be heard, very loud.

"This was NOT what I told you to do!"

Chewie growled his agreement.

The couple climbed up and suddenly the stench of burned meat assaulted them. "What's going on?" Han asked.

His first mate briefed him with a few concerned and hungry barks. The Corellian inspected the barbecue pit. "Who did this?" He complained, picking a long stick to rearrange the coals. Lando shrugged. "Never mind, I'll fix it..."

"You think you can salvage something, Han?" Leia queried, wrinkling her nose.

"You're gonna have the best Corellian barbecued steak of your life, sweetheart!"

He had finally selected the best pieces for the Princess and him and carried them to a secluded corner between a giant trunk and the outer railing, where they peacefully ate behind a curtain of leaves.

Afterwards, Han had circled her waist with his arms and the Princess snuggled comfortably in his embrace. She was silent though, had been for a long while.

"You wanted to talk," he hinted.

Leia Organa sighed and shook her head. "Not now..."

He brushed his fingers against her silky, unbound tresses. "Alright..." The nearby music picked its pace. Han Solo kissed the Princess' neck. "Do you fancy a dance?"

And before she could say yes or no, he dragged her to the dance-floor.

They danced, their bodies slowly swaying like one to a sensual tune, and yet there was no hurry, no tension, all urges spent – for the time being. They weren't the only ones dancing when they started, but they soon were. Her cheek on his chest, his chin on her head, fingers entwined, they were lost in a world of their own. The witnesses agreed they were a sight for sore eyes.

And then, the Princess just lifted her face and kissed him in front of everybody, hard on his lips.

At first, Solo recoiled, surprised by her boldness. He shouldn't have been. Not at this point of their relationship. It took him only a second to recover and kiss her back.

And, just for the record, as soon as they broke, he kissed her again.

Lando Calrissian seemed to materialize suddenly by them, clearing his throat. "Please, Han, she's a Princess," he said all fatherly. "Let me dance with her or get her to some place more private..." His last words came out somewhat slurred, and the Corellian noticed his friend was already drunk.

"Just a sec, Lando," Han asked, smiling devilishly. Bending her backwards until her hair swept the floor, he kissed Leia Organa again, while the crowd cheered.

Amused and only barely flushed, Leia caressed his cheek and let herself be drawn off of him by Calrissian. Han Solo gave them reluctantly his blessing and looked for comfort in a pitcher full of Ewok beer.

It was not the same stuff he had been drinking earlier. It was richer, stronger; it was no wonder that everybody was getting drunk and quickly. Surveying the crowd, he noticed that the Ewoks were as drunk as everybody else, the cute little guys.

Lando soon bowed in front of Leia and Wedge took his place. Now that he could leave her in more secure hands, Han Solo headed to the sentry posts. He had to check on the guys on duty, make sure they stay away of that beer until their shift was over. Relieving them, that would be a problem for later.

It took him some coaxing and even some rank pulling, but Han at last convinced the guards to stay away from the alcohol. When he came back to the party, it still was going on at full throttle, though some beings had obvious signs already of being of the verge surrendering to the stimulant, and exhaustion.

He steered through the crowd to Chewie, who was sitting on a sturdy bench watching the couples of dancers. Leia was now doing it with Wes Janson, who looked at Han over her shoulder and unconsciously adjusted the distance between himself and the Princess.

"Any news?" Solo asked his Wookiee companion. Chewbacca shook his head.

Having nothing else to say, he sipped cautiously from a pitcher he had got himself in his way back and watched the woman of his dreams dance. He could watch her all night, he realized. There was this feeling of contentment pervading his soul. It had been an unbelievable day, and that was a clear understatement. He had thought all lost, in every sense, and he had been completely wrong.

After their last session of lovemaking, which was getting incredibly... He fumbled for a word in his mind, and failed. There were not even words for it, just this immense happiness, this feeling of fulfillment, of purpose. Anyway, after it, she had forced him to read the rest of that file in her datapad, and then they just had cuddled together until they almost fell asleep. Chewie had knocked on their door right then, reminding them that the barbecue was in its making.

Yet, watching her now dancing and laughing to her partner's jokes, he could see that her smile did not really reach her eyes.

"Han, my friend..." Lando's voice, thickened with alcohol, interrupted his thoughts. He was approaching leaning heavily on a tiny specimen of a woman wearing an orange flightsuit.

"G'evening, General Solo," she greeted him smiling embarrassed.

Han struggled to put a name to the slightly round face framed in short, dark hair. Then it clicked. Yes, of course, that party, years ago... The girl who threw up on Luke's boots!

"How're you doing, Nails?" He greeted warmly. "Hanging out with this looser?" He addressed her, nodding towards Lando, who smiled inanely.

"Uh... I just thought the general here needed a little help..." she answered, trying to assume a martial pose while still supporting her commanding officer's weight.

"At ease, hum," Han told her, covertly scanning her rank badge, "Lieutenant."

Both Calrissian and the girl pilot collapsed on a nearby seat. Immediately, the gambler turned rebel general threw his arms around her waist.

"General Calrissian," she drawled suddenly, half-serious, half-playful, "if ya don't take yar Wookiee paws from my afterburners right now, ya won't be able to hold a balster tomorrow."

"Alright, alright," Lando surrendered, moving his arms a little higher on her waist. "She's Corellian," he informed Han as an explanation.

"Yeah, I noticed that," Solo laughed.

Chewie barked sharply.

"Oops, sorry..." Nails apologized, noticing him for the first time. Elbowing the dark-skinned man by her, she extended her hand to the Wookiee. "Aubé Canaille, Green Twelve."

"YOU are Green Twelve?" Han almost choked on his beer.

"If she only would listen to me..." the dark-skinned man sighed, oblivious to the fact that nobody listened to him.

"Yes." She lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant," Solo said softly. Now he knew who she was. One of the only two survivors from Crynyd's squadron, and certainly one hell of a pilot from what he had heard.

Of course, all squadrons had lost pilots, not to mention the whole crews of Liberty and another two cruisers. And the Rebel tradition dictated that no pilot who had lost a comrade should spend the first night alone. Lando was just honoring that tradition, he now realized.

Chewbacca growled softly his condolences as well and the young pilot accepted them soberly. Condolences were something no one needed to translate.

Han's eyes slipped to the dance floor, where the other surviving Green was just bowing in front of Leia. He was Tycho Celchu, of Alderaan.

"You got y'self a good one there, you lucky b... bantha," Lando stuttered, noticing his diverted attention.

For once, Solo did not answer and just looked to the floor, smiling softly.

"She's beautiful woman..." Lando continued. "And so brave..." He told Aubé, who now looked entranced by his words. "To defy Vader like that..."

Solo raised a brow.

"Lando..." Han warned him, but he did not hear him.

"And then when Vader was about to freeze this guy, she stepped in and kissed him in front of everybody, like she did before," he winked at Nails, "and then shouted that she loved him!"

"What?" Han was intrigued now. He was making this up, right? One of his famous stories...

"...And the Corellian beek-monkey here just answered 'I know'!"

"Hey!"

You did, pal, Chewie agreed.

Han Solo's jaw dropped and his eyes commuted from Lando to the Wookiee to the Princess who still danced with the Alderaanian pilot. As on queue, she turned to him and smiled.

You didn't remember? Chewbacca asked softly. His captain shook his head, and the Kashyyykian placed his giant paw on his shoulder tenderly. Then he pushed him playfully aside and Solo laughed, suddenly delighted.

Aubé Canaille observed the trio with rounded eyes, confused. She was not sure what had really happened, if General Calrissian was joking or not. That General Solo and the Princess were an item was obvious for anyone with eyes to see, and still... She had the feeling that there was something more to it, but that was not her business anyway.

Meanwhile, General Calrissian – Lando, she could not call him General anymore, or could she? - had placed his dark head on her lap and fallen asleep. Softly, she brushed her fingers through his curls.

The Wookiee growled something in her direction. She could not understand him, but the meaning was clear, he was teasing her.

"He did an outstanding job up there, Chewbacca," she answered.

"I heard you did as well, Nails," Solo intervened.

The pilot grimaced. "Maybe," she said. "I was not alone."

"Don't be so humble, everybody's impressed," Han continued. "You'll be surely promoted and, who knows, maybe they'll offer you a place with the Rogues... Or even you own squad. What would you say to that?"

He was being quite seductive right now and Aubé realized that the man probably always got what he wanted, when he wanted. But the concepts he was exposing were alien to her. "I'm not sure, General..."

"You have other plans?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I'd like to go and see my family again. It's been so long..."

"Corellia?"

"Yeah..."

Clapping interrupted them as the musician took a break and stopped his playing. The crowd broke and Han Solo scanned it looking for Princess Leia, but Aubé's voice called to his attention again.

"Have you seen L... I mean, Commander Skywalker?"

Dark gray eyes pierced through brown, and the ex-smuggler smiled knowingly. "No, but I have word that he's alright. Don't worry." So she was still interested...

"Thanks."

"Han." A small hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Hey, sweetheart..." He greeted, standing up to wrap Leia in his long arms.

"Can we talk?" She whispered. Han nodded, and they stepped away from Aubé, Chewie and sleeping Lando. "I... I have to do something. Luke's calling me."

"How...?" He started to ask, but interrupted himself. He'll never get used to it. "I'll go with you."

"No, I need to go alone. It's not far," she said firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." With a quick kiss on his cheek, she disappeared into the shadows.

Are you really going to let her go alone? Chewie, whose sensitive ears had registered the whole conversation, asked.

"What d'ya think?" Solo growled, and reached for the night-goggles in an abandoned equipment pack.