The Legion Renewed
Chapter Ten
"We're supposed to be married, you know," Leia reminded her husband.
"A fact which doesn't give you the right to tell me what to do!" Han returned.
"Being married means that any decision that affects the two of us, should be agreed to by the two of us. We already agreed that you would stay on Mimban and head the defense forces there."
"Things have changed since then."
"The Republic needs you."
"So do the Corellians. It's partly your own fault, you know. If you hadn't wanted to come and meet the old witch, all this never would have happened." The lift doors opened and Han made a grand sweep with his arm. "Well here's your big chance, Sweetheart. The only reason I brought you here was because I knew you'd never give me any peace about it until I did."
Leia marched out, and Han followed. Chewbacca held back, anxious not to get involved in the argument. The Princess glanced back for directions, then headed for the indicated door and stood in front of it. "Have you ever considered that you may have made a mistake about her?"
"You'll see," Han promised, pressing the buzzer. He turned his face away from the panel where he knew the hidden television camera was concealed. After a long moment, the door opened inwardly only enough to let a pair of contemptuous gray eyes peer out at them. Han's grandmother used an antique chain lock on the door instead of installing a second viewer—probably because it was cheaper. The eyes were set in a face with thin lips turned downward and lines that were etched into a permanent frown. It took the eyes a moment to recognize him, but when they did, the frown-lines deepened considerably.
"So you're back," the face said.
"It's nice to see you, too, Nana." Han replied dryly. Leia squeezed his arm in warning.
"What do you want?"
"Do I have to want something? I just came to visit."
The old woman snorted. "I remember what happened the last time you and your monkey friend came to 'visit.' You'll get no money out of me this time." She started to close the door, but Han held it open with his foot.
"Five minutes, Nana. That's all I want. Then I'll leave you alone for good."
"Han-" Leia said.
Han's grandmother gave up trying to close the door and peered at Leia suspiciously. "Who's that?"
Leia forced a smile. "How do you do, Ma'am. My name's Leia."
The old woman ignored the greeting and looked at Han. "What is she, a thief, pick-pocket, or just a call-girl?"
Han cleared his throat. "Nana, I'd like you to meet my...wife. Leia, this is my grandmother."
Leia put on her best diplomatic expression and waved secretly to Han to let her speak without interrupting. "Please forgive the intrusion, ma'am, but when Han told me about you, I was quite anxious to meet you. It's really my fault that we're disturbing you, but I hope you'll be able to spare us a few minutes." She indicated the ornate box she had been holding and added, "We've brought you a gift. May we come in?"
The old lady hesitated, then closed the door with Han unresisting this time. He started to turn to Leia with an 'I told you so' expression but he was surprised when the door opened again with the chain off. His grandmother held it open and stepped aside just barely enough to let them through. "You'll get nothing from me," she warned.
"Thank you," Leia said warmly, as though she hadn't heard that last remark. "Oh–––" she held out the box. "This is for you."
The old woman took the box as if she expected it to explode. Then she looked at Leia with narrowed eyes. "What is it?"
"It's an Alderaan tea-box. Where I come from, it's a...kind of tradition. Here, let me show you how to open it." Leia demonstrated by pushing a panel on the side. The lid slid back to reveal a drawer full of whitish-green dried leaves. The aroma that emerged when Leia opened the box was strangely familiar to Han, but he couldn't place it until, much to his surprise, his grandmother identified it.
"Tinsel," she said, looking at Leia.
Han sucked in his breath, remembering where he had come across that smell before. It was on a Kessel-run, when he had smuggled a small package of the stuff out of the spice-planet. Although the vast majority of his cargo had consisted of other spices, it was the tinsel that netted him most of the profit for that run. That stuff was expensive!
"I hope you like it," Leia said. "Han didn't tell me if you had a preference, so I used my own judgment."
The old woman closed the box. Her face wrinkled into an unreadable expression. "Wife, huh? When did that happen?"
"Not quite a week ago," Leia replied, putting on another smile. In some situations, Leia's smile could melt glaciers, but the effect was evidently lost on his grandmother.
"What'd you say your name was?"
"Leia. Leia Organa."
The old lady grunted, though whether it was because she recognized the name, or didn't recognize it, or recognized it but didn't believe that Leia was who she said she was, Han couldn't say.
"This is a lovely home," Leia said, fishing for something to say to cover up the uncomfortable silence that had fallen.
"No thanks to Han," the old lady replied. Her gaze was riveted to the far corner of the room where Chewbacca was emptying a candy dish with one swipe of his massive paw. In the Wookiee culture, it was considered impolite to set a dish of food out and not expect it to be eaten. But based on the disapproving stare with which his grandmother favored Han's friend, it was evident that she didn't know or appreciate Wookiee customs. Chewbacca, completely oblivious that he had caused any disfavor, began munching on the candies quietly, eating them from his hand-another gesture of Wookiee politeness that was lost on Han's grandmother.
Quick as a flash, Leia saw the problem and tried to distract the grandmother's attention from it. "Han tells me that you raised him."
"Hrmmph!" the old lady grunted.
"It must have been very difficult for you, living here by yourself and raising a child."
Han's grandmother finally turned away from Chewbacca, but now she turned her icy stare upon Han. "Difficult? That's a word for it."
Han met the gaze with a challenge. "You want to know what was difficult? Living with you under the same roof for thirteen years, that's what was-"
"Han!" Leia said sharply. Then she added in a milder tone as if she had simply intended to speak his name, "also tells me that I have you to thank for the lovely pendant he gave me as a wedding present."
"Pendant?" the old woman said, turning to look at Leia in surprise.
Leia smiled and unfastened the outer jacket of her outfit. There on her chest, gleaming against the dark forest-green of her tunic, was the crest. Han stared at the damn thing, wondering how in the name of all that was holy she had managed to put it on without his knowing it. He had specifically told her not to wear it.
"Was that inside the cube?" the old woman asked, turning to Han.
Han shrugged.
"And you kept it?" the old woman asked in disbelief. "I would have thought you'd sell it the first chance you got."
Han decided definitely that he should have. Especially when Leia said, "Did you know that it used to belong to one of the royal families on Peruvis?"
Nana Solo turned to look at Leia with narrow eyes. "What?"
"May I ask how you obtained it?" Leia asked.
The old lady shrugged. "I found it in my daughter's things after she died."
Leia moved to a curio cabinet and looked at the holographic cube that was in the center of the shelf. "Was that her?" she asked.
The picture showed a smiling young woman with thick shoulder-length blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. She bore no resemblance to the man that Leia had married.
For a split second, Han thought his grandmother's face softened a little, but when he looked again to try and tell for sure, all he saw was hardened stone.
"That's her."
"What was she like?" Leia asked.
"She was an ungrateful brat," the old woman replied sourly. "Left one day, declaring she was going off-world to make her fortune, then showed up on my doorstep a few years later with young Han in tow. Just like that, she expected me to take them in. I took that holo just before she went off world. She never let me take a likeness of her or Han after she came back."
"How strange," Leia murmured, looking over at Han.
Han decided finally that enough was enough. "Well, well," he said, looking pointedly at his chronometer. "Our five minutes are up, and we have lots to do. We won't bother you any more, Nana. Thanks for letting us in."
"But we haven't got any-" Leia started to protest.
Han grabbed her by the arm and literally dragged her to the door. "Thanks again, Nana. Chewie-"
The Wookiee woofed some sort of good-bye and moved to the door. Leia had no choice but to follow. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I really wish we could have had more time to talk," she finished the sentence by glaring at her husband angrily.
"Yes, well, time flies when you're having fun," Han said cheerfully, ignoring the fire in the Princess' eyes. "So long, Nana."
He pulled Leia through the door.
"We'll come back and visit soon!" Leia promised just as the door shut.
The closed door muffled Han's reply.