Between the Lines
by suezahn
Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the property of Lucasfilm, Disney, etc. My only profit is in the form of readers' feedback. Please be generous!
Note: This story was originally written in 1995 and has now be revised and updated for consistency with the rest of the Kismet series. Please note that the OC name Kristin Aldritch = Keris Aldric now. I decided the old name was too "Earthy." A very special thank-you to my lovely proofreaders: Erin Darroch and Marjorie Joyce. The original story was awarded STAR aWARdS Best Long Story 1995.
Chapter 6
Wookiees! Han shook his head as he dumped his cold-weather gear onto the holochess table aboard the Falcon. He shed his heavy parka next and tossed it atop the rest. Sometimes, he still couldn't figure out his partner. One minute Chewbacca would suggest that they continue to help out the Rebels then the next prod Han with the fact that Jabba the Hutt was anything but a patient or forgiving being. A lot of help that was.
If there was one benefit from riding a Tauntaun, it was the time it allowed Han to be alone with his thoughts. Although neither an easy nor a comfortable choice, Han realized that the outstanding debt to Jabba took precedence over his tentative love life or any of the other reasons he'd dredged up for hanging around with the Rebellion since rescuing the princess from the Death Star.
Events on Ord Mantell had proven that eventually one of countless bounty hunters or other opportunists would track him down. If he maintained his ties, he could unintentionally lead those bounty hunters to the very threshold of the Alliance, a tip for which the Empire would reward just as generously. Worse yet, Leia had already come under fire from people intent on collecting Jabba's offered bounty. That single fact, more than any other, had frightened Han into making a decision.
He'd once feared that if he left to meet Jabba on the Hutt's terms, he would sacrifice whatever ground he'd gained with the princess. But he realized now it was his very procrastination that had forfeited any other option. If he had paid off the Hutt immediately, he maybe could have already returned and their entire situation could be different…but now, he realized, there was little chance he would survive to come back.