Disclaimer: Not mine, wish it was, but there you go...
Han returned from assignment in the late evening local time. Since it wasn't past curfew yet, he decided to see if anyone was in the mess hall. Entering the room, Han saw Luke in the middle of an animated discussion with a large group of pilots.
Luke waved him over, obviously pleased to see Han. "Hey, you're back! How'd it go?"
"Smooth and easy for a change, kid." Han hooked a chair and swung into it lazily. "Hey, I'll take some of that." He gestured towards the dark brew on the table.
Passing down a mug of ale, Wedge asked, "So, have you heard about the challenge?"
Han raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "What challenge is that?"
"Well, it started with Hobbie and Janson betting they could beat me and Luke at a simulator mission." Wedge explained. There were good-natured jeers from the other pilots at this.
"Yeah and now everyone wants in." Luke laughed, "It's turned into a base wide challenge."
"Apparently, we're the team to beat." Wedge proclaimed confidently. Someone threw a crumpled napkin at Wedge in annoyance. "Hey! It's true. We're unbeatable! You'll see."
"So when does all this take place?" Han asked.
"In a couple days." Luke looked smug. "I had a long meeting with the princess yesterday to get it Okayed." There were catcalls around the table.
"Way to go, Luke!" and "What did you do to convince her?" were some of the teasing comments.
"Come on, guys!" Luke admonished. "She actually thought it was a good idea. She's doing the logistics and Commanders Narra and Willard are programming the mission parameters."
"So is she gonna sign up, too?" Han asked.
The group looked at Han in surprise at his question.
"Are you kidding? The Princess?" Came from a pilot down the table.
"Why would she?" Luke asked in confusion.
"No reason." Han evaded. "Just wondering."
Two hours after curfew, Han ambled to the base gym and saw Princess Leia as usual on the cardio-conveyer.
"Hiya, Princess. You miss me?" He gave her his signature lopsided grin.
"There goes my peace and quiet." She replied with pretended annoyance as she paused her program. Then she smiled and said, "Welcome back, Captain. I trust your trip went well- we didn't expect you until tomorrow."
"Ah ha, so you did miss me." Han's grin widened. "You knew exactly when I should be back."
She rolled her eyes, "You know very well it's my job to know your schedule." Her tone was reproving.
"Yeah, that's what you say…" Han's teasing tone implied he wasn't convinced. Then he smiled knowingly, "So what are you listening to?"
"Not your obscene playlist, thank you very much!" she retorted in amused disgust.
He chuckled. "So did you think of me?"
"And why would I do that?" She asked loftily.
"There was that one song…Y'know, where the girl's thinking about a guy and…" touching herself, Han completed the thought mentally.
Understanding dawned on Leia's face and she burst out in surprised laughter, "In your dreams, flyboy."
Happy to see honest amusement in her eyes, Han suppressed a twinge of regret at the proof that she didn't take him at all seriously.
"Enough with the teasing. I want to finish my run." She turned away and punched the control to resume her program. "See if you can keep up after such a long break."
Han did keep up. He had been using the exercise equipment on the Falcon, but didn't mention the fact in case she wondered why he was using the base's equipment when his own would be much more convenient. Slowing down to a walk, Han asked her if she had been using the simulator while he was gone. Her negative reply gratified him, especially when she just shrugged at his suggestion that Luke would have been happy to break curfew and practice with her.
"Well, let's play now." Her easy agreement to his invitation pleased him still more. After an intense firefight and perfect landing. Han said admiringly, "You must have had a good teacher, sweetheart. You could have landed on a pin."
"I could have done it in a hurricane, no less." She replied pertly.
As Han walked Leia to her quarters, he brought up the Sim Challenge. "So, I was thinking about entering. What do you think?"
"I don't see any reason why you shouldn't."
"Luke and Wedge are getting really cocky, but I think we can beat them." He eyed her confidently.
"We?" The princess looked up at him in surprise. Then she shook her head, "Oh, no. Not me." Leia was adamant in her refusal.
"Why not? You pretty much kick ass out there, sweetheart, and I don't think anyone realizes what you can do." Han persisted.
"I don't need to prove myself to anyone, Han."
"I think you do." He contradicted firmly.
"I don't really care what you think. I'm not going to do it."
"Come on," He changed tactics and tried a persuasive smile. "You know it would be fun."
"I'm here to fight a war - not to have fun." Leia exclaimed in annoyance.
"Yeah, I noticed that." He responded flatly.
"Good. I wouldn't want to mislead you." Anger was creeping into her voice and her eyes flashed dangerously.
"No, not good." Han disagreed irritably. "You're not the only one here to fight a war, you know, but everyone else manages to have a little fun once in awhile to balance it out." Stopping outside her quarters, Han turned to face the princess. "You have a tendency to avoid anything social. You won't even come to the mess for an after hours drink. And don't say it's bad form – all the officers come sometimes. You purposely hold yourself back."
"That's not true!" She denied indignantly.
"Tell me one thing you do for fun." He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly skeptical of her ability to come up with a rebuttal.
After a slight hesitation, Leia raised her chin, "My workouts."
"That's for fun? Somehow, I thought it was therapy for the grief and anger issues keeping you up at night." She gasped in shock at the bald accusation. "Y'know, maybe you'd do more than 'just exist' if you stopped punishing yourself and actually participated in life once in a while," he concluded wrathfully.
"How dare you!" She was incensed that he turned her own words against her. His comments raised unaccustomed feelings of exposure and vulnerability, both sensations unpleasant and unwelcome.
"You have absolutely no right to analyze me." She hissed.
"Leia, I'm just saying-" He started obstinately.
"Well, don't 'just say'!" She cut him off, palming the door open and staring him down from the doorway. "What I do or don't do – and especially the reason why - is none of your damn business!"
Any retort Han wanted to make was cut off when the princess cycled the door shut in his face. He turned to stalk back down the corridor seething with righteous determination to make her see reason.
After a morning filled with meetings, Princess Leia relieved Lt Tarsk at the comm station for the mid day meal. When the Alderaanian officer returned, she thanked the princess and then added with a conspiratory smile, "I heard that you and Captain Solo are going to be a team in the Sim Challenge."
"What?" Aghast, Leia demanded, "Who said that?"
"Everyone's talking about it, Your Highness." The lieutenant wavered uncertainly. "Isn't it true?"
"No, it's not true! Of all the arrogant, presumptuous…Ugh! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" As the princess stormed through the command center, she left a wake of silence and curious stares behind her. Before she quite reached the exit however, General Rieekan intercepted her path.
"Lelila?"
Leia paused and checked her anger at the personal address, "Yes, Carlist?"
He took her arm and led her into his office. "I wanted to talk to you about this simulator challenge. I think it's giving a real boost for morale. The men are excited, motivated."
"That's good." Leia stated noncommittally.
"I was glad to hear that you are going to participate."
"Carlist, that's just a rumor. It would hardly be appropriate."
"Actually, I think it would be very appropriate. I've seen the scores from your practice sessions with Captain Solo, and I think it would – how do I say it? 'Enhance' your reputation with the troops."
Leia gazed at him with a slight sense of betrayal at his words. Why does it feel like everyone wants to push me into this? She realized that he had probably known of her nocturnal activities from the start and that his clearance code would certainly have given him full access to the stats she had encrypted in an attempt at privacy.
"I don't feel the need to prove myself, Carlist."
"You're a politician, Leia. You know that perception is reality. If you want people to follow you, you prove that you are worth following. I don't need to tell you that. You've already proven yourself in the political arena, and as an administrator. The question is, do you want more direct involvement in the military? It's up to you. Just remember that soldiers may fight for ideals, but they respect proven ability. An effective leader who inspires both would be…transformational."
"Transformational?" the princess scoffed, rolling her eyes. Turning to leave, she stated acerbically, "Thanks for the pep talk, General."
"The Leia I knew in the past would have really enjoyed this kind of challenge."
She stopped in her tracks, her voice hollow, "The past is dead, Carlist."
"But you're not." He declared firmly.
Whirling around, she demanded angrily, "You're going to start in on me, too?"
As she left the office, General Rieekan leaned back, a suspicion forming in his mind as to whom the princess was referring. I knew there was a reason I liked Captain Solo, he mused.
Leia wasn't willing to admit the truth of Han's accusations of the night before. She was content in her isolation and resented the coercion from Han and now Carlist to join in an activity that was bound to include her in the camaraderie on base. How could she explain that anytime she felt even a moment of happiness she was then overwhelmed by intense feelings of guilt? What right did she have to enjoy life when those she had been responsible for no longer could? Shaking her head to disperse the thought, she strode off to confront the foci of her resentment.
Entering the mess, the princess paused and scanned the crowd until she found Luke and Han lounging at a table across the room. Making her way towards them, the general noise lessened and a path cleared in front of her as curious personnel became cognizant of her objective.
Sliding into the chair next to Luke, she nudged his shoulder with hers, oblivious to the interested observers. "Hey there."
Luke smiled at her in genuine pleasure. "Hey there yourself, princess."
Han noticed in annoyance how Leia's face softened when regarding Luke, then hardened into anger as she turned towards him. "You." It came out like an accusation. "I thought I made it quite plain that I am not interested in being part of this challenge."
"Did you?" Han pretended to think about it, and then shook his head, "Funny, I don't seem to remember that."
"You arrogant, manipulative-" she snarled, leaning forward.
"Whoa," Luke interceded, "no one expects you to do it, Leia. Don't get so upset."
"Yeah sweetheart, I guess we already established it wouldn't be any fun." He emphasized the last word just to goad her.
"You know what would be fun? A live ammo drill with you as the target. Now that I would sign up for!"
"You wouldn't be alone in that, Leia." Luke snickered. "Han's been boasting about winning this thing. His overconfidence was already annoying when everyone thought Chewie was his teammate. But then we realized he thinks he's so good he can win in spite of a handicap. So trust me, he's got a lot of people harassing him."
Watching, Han couldn't repress a smile as Luke didn't seem to notice Leia stiffen at his tactlessness. The princess turned, regarding the young pilot with equal amounts of disbelief and resentment before Luke recognized his blunder. "Uh, I didn't mean you were a handicap, Leia. I meant…uhm…"
Han caught her eye in challenge and shrugged to indicate 'I told you so'. Her gaze lingered on his a moment, narrowing in thought before she came to an abrupt decision. Banging her hands down on the table with a thud, she stood, glaring down at Luke while addressing Han in a tightly controlled voice. "Captain Solo, please comm me when you have our scheduled start time." Not waiting for his reply, she turned on her heel and marched indignantly out of the room.
Han crowed maliciously, "Wow, Luke you really pissed her off!" Grinning hugely he added, "I have a very good feeling about this." Standing, he called out to the room cheerfully, "Anyone wanna make a bet?"