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 9
"Comm Control, this is Deck Officer Tibbert."
"This is Comm Control," Lieutenant Aldric answered as she reached to adjust the external volume at her console. "Go ahead."
"Set screen alpha. We've got two Tauntaun riders going out."
Conditioned to follow such orders without question, Keris was mid-task before the implications of the request seemed to sink in. She paused to glance up to her left at the time displayed in glowing numbers on the chronometer. Echo Base's protective shield doors were scheduled to close within minutes. "Please repeat that, Major. I didn't copy."
"Set screen alpha. We've got two Tauntaun riders heading out. Echo Seven and Echo Two."
Keris redirected her gaze to the young princess seated at the post to her left. Leia's attention had instantly focused on the request as well; Echo Seven was Han Solo's designation. It only took Leia a moment to spring out of her seat, headset in hand. She moved closer to peer over Keris's shoulder at the comm-tracking screen.
"This is Princess Leia," she spoke as she took over the communication from Keris. Leia nudged her friend and indicated that she should carry out the request to reset the quadrant tracking device. "Their going out at this time is a direct breach of regulations, Major. No one is allowed outside past oh-nineteen-hundred. Tell them to stand down."
"I'm aware of that, Your Highness. I was unable to stop Captain Solo, short of armed force. Since he isn't officially enlisted—"
"Yes, yes," Leia ground out between clenched teeth, tired of hearing that unavoidable fact. "You're hardly responsible for his actions. Give your communicator to Captain Solo. I'd like a word with him."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but he's already left. Commander Skywalker hasn't reported in yet, and the Captain refused—"
"Luke is still out there?!"
The headset Leia held up to her mouth slipped from numbed fingers and clattered onto the console. Keris caught the headset and handed it back, but she was clearly alarmed to see how blanched the princess' features had become. "Leia?"
Vaguely aware that she'd recovered the headset, Leia felt as if she were running on autopilot. Ignoring Keris's soft query, she spoke into the headset mike. "Has Echo Two left yet?"
"No, Your Highness. He's following your orders."
Leia nodded to no one in particular. "Carry on, Major. I'll notify the general. Comm Control out." She laid the headset down and stared at the blue screen before them, watching as the isolated white dot that signified Echo Seven made slow progress across Hoth's frozen and windswept surface. Due to the combination of faulty equipment and horrendous weather, Han's transponder signal had already begun to flicker.
"The signal's growing weak," Keris quietly pointed out, her words snapping the princess out of her catatonia.
"I'm going to the hangar bay," Leia announced. She'd yet to pull her eyes away from the screen, but at least she'd made a positive decision. "I'll be back. Call me the instant either of them signals in."