The following morning, Han and Leia left their apartment headed in different directions. Leia rushed off to an early meeting at her office while Han took off towards the hangar where the Falcon was docked to meet up with Chewie and attend the required debriefing from their mission.
As Han approached the Falcon, he saw Chewie standing in front of the boarding platform surrounded by a group of men, most of whom Han recognized as Rogue Squadron pilots. As Han neared the ship he noticed Chewie growl something and tip his head. As he got closer half the pilots turned to look at Han as the entire group quickly dispersed. Real smooth, Chewie.
"What's goin' on?" Han addressed Chewie as he reached the ship.
[I hear congratulations are in order.] Chewie snarled facetiously and Han couldn't help but notice that his partner's manner was aggravated at best.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Han's own demeanor almost involuntarily matched that of his friend. Good news sure travels fast around here.
[I think you know what it means.]
Han recognized immediately that Chewie was genuinely angry and he didn't have to wonder what had set him off. The Wookiee took his life debt way too seriously, often to the point of defending Han's honor as much as his life. "If this is about Leia, I really don't want to discuss it," Han snapped as he started up the ramp to board the Falcon, using his best "drop it" tone.
[Well, if Malla was thinking of marrying another Wookiee, I wouldn't want to discuss it either, but I think you would make me.] Chewie followed Han up the ramp, his voice rising and determination growing.
Han spun around on the ramp, surprising his Wookiee friend by his sudden movement and pointing a finger at his face. He tried to calm down as he replied through clenched teeth, "She is not thinking of marrying anyone else." Kreth! I can't believe I'm having this conversation.
[But she does not think of marrying you either.] Chewie spat back. Han thought he could see a flash of shock and regret cross the Wookiee's face, as if he did not intend to say the words out loud.
"Drop it, Chewie, I mean it." Those words had hit too close to home for Han and he had to turn and walk away as he added, "What do you know about it, anyway?"
[I know it is all over the hangar. She is contemplating a proposal of marriage.] Chewie's voice was noticeably cooler, almost to the point of a soothing tone you would use with a child.
"Since when do you listen to pilot gossip? You know the squadron's worse than a bunch of women." Han was digging through the ship's computer panel near the navigation console. Contemplating marriage, my ass. Where the fuck are those datacards?
[Since it is also on the holonews and holorags.] Chewie stood watching Han empty drawers and fling things around.
"Yeah, and since when do you pay attention to that?"
[Since it involves you.]
"It almost always involves me." Han slammed a now empty drawer and crossed the lounge to the bins next to the holotable.
[Not in this way.]
Han poured the contents of an entire bin on the holotable as he cursed, "Godsdammit, Chewie, where's the krethin' data cards from the Sullust mission?"
As if admitting he would get nowhere else with the conversation, Chewie held out his paw and revealed the data cards in his outstretched palm.
"Why didn't you tell me you had them for krith's sake? You saw me tearing the godsdamn ship apart!" Han snatched the cards out of Chewie's hand and stormed passed him in the direction of the boarding ramp.
[You didn't tell me what you were looking for.] Chewie replied smartly as he turned to follow his friend off of the ship.
When Han and Chewie arrived at the New Republic Intelligence office they were escorted to a common area to await their meeting time. It consisted of no more than four walls, some chairs and a door. The room was fairly crowded with other beings and Han and Chewie took the only two empty chairs that were next to each other. Mounted on the upper four corners of the room were holoscreens and they were all tuned to the same news channel. The volume was such that if you wanted to listen you could but you had to work at it.
No one in the room had taken particular notice of Han and Chewie when they had entered and Han kept his eyes straight ahead as he and his co-pilot sat and waited. Han did not want to engage in conversation with Chewie at that point. He knew what a one-track mind the Wookiee had and he had no inclination to continue their previous discussion.
Eventually, out of sheer boredom, Han began to watch and listen to the holonews. When the Galactic News Network reporter brought up a picture of Leia and Isolder and began to talk about the Hapan consortium negotiations, Han could feel the tension in the room rise like flood waters as all eyes bounced back and forth between the holoscreen and the famous general. Not wanting to watch, but not wanting to meet the eyes of those in the room, Han felt he could not look away.
The picture they were using of Leia had to be from her dinner with the Prince at The View. Han recognized the dress she was wearing and the décor of the famous restaurant. At first the news reporter spoke about the Hapes Cluster and its significance to the New Republic before cutting to a live clip of the initial negotiations. The camera was set back and Han recognized that they were in the Senate Hall. The camera was focused on Mon Mothma and another woman whom, by the context of the story, it quickly became apparent was Hapes Queen Mother.
Han's eyes continued to roam the background of faces until he found Leia, sitting in the second row watching the proceedings. The Queen Mother was negotiating the demands and concessions for the proposed treaty between the Hapes Cluster and the New Republic, but in accordance with Hapan tradition they were all offered as "gifts" to Mon Mothma and the New Republic in an elaborate ceremonial display. A small replica of the Hapes war fleet was artfully presented out of carved crystals, a large glass curio housing the various exports the Hapans produced and so on. There was a dramatic pause as the Queen Mother announced that she would present her last "gift". Han watched as Prince Isolder strode into the Senate Hall with an air of confidence and superiority. Yeah, he had no idea, my ass.
As the Queen Mother explained her last "gift" to Mon Mothma, Han watched as all eyes on the Senate Hall turned to Leia. After a short discussion, Mon Mothma addressed Leia and Leia rose and came forward. The Queen Mother asked Leia a couple of questions: her name, her position in the New Republic and lastly, if she was indeed a member of one of the Royal Houses. When Leia answered all of the Queen Mother's questions to her satisfaction, the Queen Mother smiled at Leia and said, "The Hapans have much to contribute to the New Republic and we request what must be considered a small concession in return. The Royal Houses must be joined. My last gift is to be given to you, Princess Leia of Alderaan. Please accept my son, Prince Isolder as your husband and the covenant between our governments will be fulfilled."
Han saw the ripple of shock cross Leia's face and continue on through Mon Mothma and the rest of the entire Senate Hall assembly. Leia found her voice quickly and Han watched as she responded, "The New Republic is truly honored by your presence here, Queen Mother, and we are humbled by the magnitude and significance of all of the gifts that you have presented here today. I cannot speak for the New Republic, therefore-"
The Queen Mother broke in on Leia as her voice rose slightly, "I am not asking for you to speak for the New Republic. The New Republic would be fools if they did not accept our offerings. I am asking for you to speak on that which the New Republic cannot, unless you are telling me that they can speak for you on this matter?"
Leia's posture stiffened and Han noticed that she glanced at Mon Mothma before she replied, "No, Queen Mother, the New Republic would not speak on my behalf on that matter. My only answer at this time is that I will consider your request, just as the New Republic will consider your other gifts."
Han turned his head away from the holoscreen, unable to watch anymore. He could feel his heart rate increase as the anger welled up inside of his chest. He knew Leia had answered in a polite and political manner. He knew she had to answer that way. He also knew he should not let it upset him. But it did.
When Han had asked Leia to marry him back on Endor she had told him, "No". No polite, "Let me think about it", but, "No". He could still hear her saying that simple two letter word in his mind.
Now to be fair, she had promised that she wanted to be with him forever and that she definitely wanted to marry him someday, but she was still very young. They had just started their relationship and she had so much going on with building the New Republic that she wanted to wait on marriage – but she still said no.
It had never really bothered Han. It was more like a small bruise on your body that you could go days without remembering but as soon as someone pointed it out or touched it, it hurt. Thinking of the past four years of their relationship, there was never anything that had made Han doubt Leia's feelings. Han was happy with his life with Leia and he was secure in her commitment to him. He and Leia had been living together in the same apartment since they settled on Coruscant. Leia did not try to hide her relationship with Han to anyone and there was no reason to suspect or to feel that Leia did not love him and intend to marry him one day. Truth be told, he had never asked her again to find out what her current response would be.
Now, she had done a couple of things, as Han recalled, in the very beginning, such as when she insisted that Han rent his own apartment. There had been a heated discussion between them and Han did not understand the point of him renting an apartment that they both fully intended to leave empty. Leia thought the gesture was required for propriety, as she had every intention of living with Han but she was acutely sensitive to the opinions of not only the High Council of the New Republic but of the remaining survivors of Alderaan and what their estimation would be of the Princess living with any man outside of marriage. She explained that if he held an apartment in his name then she could honestly say that although they were in a serious relationship that they both maintained their separate residences. If anyone wanted to research her claim they would find said apartment listed to him and the case would be closed. And, in her defense, the question had been asked and the dummy apartment had served its purpose on more than one occasion.
As Han began to fidget uncomfortably in his chair, he thanked the Corellian gods when they finally called his name for their debriefing. Han couldn't recall ever feeling so relieved to do something that he usually despised. The meeting was simple and brief; debriefings for successful missions usually were. With that out of the way, Han and Chewie headed back to the hangar to work on the Falcon since she was having problems with one of her stabilizers and they wanted to get it fixed before they took her up again.
The two worked separately for the rest of the day, with Han working on the exterior of the ship tweaking the stabilizer while Chewie worked inside manning the controls and making adjustments as needed. The two did not speak about their conversation earlier and Chewie never mentioned the newscast they had witnessed in the waiting room. Han was glad that nothing else had been brought up between the two, but as his day wore on in conspicuous silence, his mind continued to wander and his hurt and frustration grew.