Chapter 6

Simple Man… Simple Pleasures

The bright light of day assaulted Don's eyes, and he squinted as he followed the scent of fresh coffee and stumbled into the galley. He poured himself a mug and collapsed into a seat. Judy appeared looking like a mother superior from the Catholic schools of old. She placed her hand on her hip and stared at him. He leaned back and decided to get it over with. "Go ahead. Ream me out."

"You should be drinking water, not coffee," she admonished him.

"What?"

"You need to rehydrate. Coffee will dehydrate you even more."

"Yes, Doctor, whatever you say, Doctor." He continued to sip from his mug and tried to ignore the pounding in his head. "How did your tour go with the wizard."

"He's a Jedi, Don, not a wizard. It went well. I want to get a bacta tank for the Jupiter."

"Huh?" This was Greek to him, and too much to process in his current state.

"Oh, forget it." She was disgusted with him. "You're in no shape to discuss anything serious."

He nodded. "And you need to loosen up, doctor. Last night was the best time I've had in a long, long time."

"Oh, of course, you were drunk out of your mind. Simple man… simple pleasures."

He cringed at the tone of her voice. 'I'd like to shut that mouth up by clamping my lips over…' His head throbbed. 'Forget it...' Instead he said, "Do you have a cure for a hangover?"

"If I did, I wouldn't give it to you. You deserve what you've got."

He mumbled something under his breath, tossed his coffee and filled his mug with water. He didn't have the energy to spar with her today. He'd saunter over to the Falcon. Han was sure to have something on hand to help him.

Leia stretched her arms over head and pointed her toes as if she was going to pirouette around a stage. She felt deliciously rested and calm. She opened one eye and was greeted by Han's admiring stare. Propped up on one elbow, he leaned down to touch her lips and Leia molded her body against his. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he held her as tightly as he could. Leia returned his loving embrace by opening herself to him and together they greeted the day.

Don left the Jupiter and saw that the Falcon's ramp was shut tight. He took the opportunity to take a closer look at its hull. Compared to the Jupiter's sleek design, the Falcon looked like the clunky, slow-footed freighter it was designed to be, but, as he well knew, looks could be deceiving. He had just finished circling the ship when the ramp lowered and the princess hurried out, almost knocking him over. She blushed profusely and mumbled something about delivering a message to the general. Don bowed and said, "My lips are sealed, Princess." She placed a grateful hand on his forearm and hurried on her way.

Han stood at the top of the ramp as he watched her leave. A shadow crossed his face as she delivered her false excuse for leaving his ship. As much as he hated to admit it, her need to hide their affair hurt him. It hurt him a lot.

Don saluted Han. "Mornin', General."

Han waved him up the ramp, "Come on up."

Following Han into the galley, Don plopped into a seat and clamped his hand over the top of his head to keep it from exploding. Han glanced into the mug Don carried. "Water?" he asked.

"The good doctor's advice. Rehydrate." Don replied.

"That's it?"

"She likes to see me suffer."

Han tinkered in the galley and returned with his own cure. "Here. This'll fix you up."

"Thanks."

Han poured some caf and joined Don, letting his thoughts drift while Don downed the miracle concoction and grimaced at its effects.

"You've got to give me the recipe," Don mumbled.

"So she's driving you to drink?"

"More like driving me insane."

"Sounds familiar."

"How'd you survive?"

"I'm not sure I have."

Their heads turned at a gentle roar as Chewie poured his morning caf. ["The little princess is gone?"] he asked.

"Gone back to her real life."

A voice responded from down the hall. "Give her time, Han. She'll learn which life is real sooner or later." The three males twitched since no one heard Luke enter the ship.

Han reprimanded him. "Will you stop sneaking up on people! Ever since you became a Jedi…"

Luke shrugged and nodded to Don. "Major."

Don clenched his mug and muttered, "Jedi Skywalker."

"Just call me Luke. Glad to see you survived the Rogues last night."

"Glad to see you survived Dr. Robinson last night." Don was finding it hard not to like Luke with his humble way and innocent smile.

"She is quite a woman, beautiful and intelligent. I enjoyed being with her."

Don grunted. He would keep trying to dislike him, humble or not.

Han noted Don's reaction and added, "Luke's a simple man. It doesn't take much to entertain him."

"Simple man, simple pleasures," Luke stated.

Don's mood darkened.

"Relax, Major, nothing happened. We just toured the med bay and had dinner."

Don didn't respond.

"Which brings me to why I'm here. Judy wants a bacta tank for the Jupiter."

"A bacta tank!" Han replied. "Why doesn't she just ask for a new hyperdrive! Both are impossible to get right now."

"I volunteered you or Lando to help her out."

"Thanks."

["It would be difficult, but not impossible. Thyferra is on the Rimma Trade Route, which is controlled by one of the warlords."] Chewie barked.

"Can someone fill me in?" Don pleaded.

"Bacta is a healing fluid. It's made from the alazhi plant, which is only found on the planet Thyferra. The Vratix make it by mixing the plant with kavam," Luke explained.

"Vratix? Kavam?"

"Vratix are the natives and kavam is a chemical," Han continued. "As Chewie said, it's on the Rimma Trade Route, which is controlled by one of the warlords of the empire, so access isn't easy unless you have enough credits to buy your way in."

"How much?"

"Trust me… You don't have enough money and probably never will."

"Can we get a tank and bacta from the New Republic?"

"Probably not. Since Superior General Delvardus has control of the Rimma Trade Route, the New Republic can't get more and has to horde what it has," Luke stated.

Don stared into his mug. If Judy wanted a bacta tank, he'd get her a bacta tank, one way or another.