Chapter 3:

It was late in the night, or early in the morning, depending on the way one looked at things. To Han Solo, it was late. For the last couple of hours, he had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Instead of wasting time on a sleepless night, Han decided to check on the princess. He passed the Two-One-Bee medical-now-guard droidand entered the wing of the medical bay under construction. He turned the corner and stepped into the room. Chewbacca was sitting in the chair closest to Leia's bed.

The Wookie greeted Han with a quiet rumbling.

"Couldn't sleep. How's she doing?"

Chewie gurrended.

Han pressed his lips together. "Well, at least her fever is going down."

Chewie grumbled.

"Why don't you go get some sleep? I'll take over here."

Chewbacca rewroffed.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The Wookie yawned and stretched as he stood up. He arched his back and mumbled.

"I'm sure that chair wasn't meant for Wookies."

Chewie grumbled a good night and left the room.

Once his best friend left the room, Han stepped close to Leia's bed. He gazed down on her face. Her cheeks were swollen and pink from a rash, a reaction from starting the filicyrin before the anti-venom cleared her system. Han smiled down at her. Those round cheeks reminded him of when he first saw her on the Death Star. She was what, eighteen on the verge of nineteen, just a kid; her face was still round with baby fat. Over the last three years, Solo watched that baby fat melt away as the war and her obligations took a toll on her. Now, she was twenty-two-years old, and she had grown into a woman more mature than her age. Well, she was always more mature than her age.

Han reached out and ran the back of his finger along the rough skin of her cheek.

"Han?"

"Yeah. How you feelin'?"

Her eyes opened and closed. "Leave…"

He pulled his hand back.

"Carbon…Vader… pay Jabba…" Then Leia turned her head away from him. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered.

A single tear slid down her cheek. Han brushed it away. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

Her respiration settled into a rhythm, and she said no more. Han stood over her, trying to make sense of her words. She had to be dreaming. Han hated to think his threats of leaving the Alliance to pay of Jabba the Hutt her dreams. More so, he hated that his debt to that slimy Hutt kept a wall between them. He knew Leia didn't trust him wholeheartedly. But why would she? While he hadn't spoken of the debt around her in a long while, it was his go-to excuse for not officially joining the Rebellion for a couple of years. She finally stopped pestering him; he finally stopped bringing up his debt to Jabba and his inevitable departure from the Rebellion. No, he stopped bringing it up because he was considering to hide out with the Rebellion for the rest of the war.

Han sat down and slipped his hand under hers. To his surprise, her fingers curled around his and firmly gripped his hand. He studied her hand, so pale, so small in his own. And soft. He had held her hand before, but they were usually running or their physical contact was too brief, too quick to notice the details of her hand. Leia was rarely still, and now Han had the rare opportunity to appreciate her hand.

If only it wasn't because she was sick…

Han exhaled. Despite the rash and remnants of her fever, she was improving. If she got through the night, her odds would greatly increase. A knot had formed in his chest beginning when he saw the bite on Leia's hand. It had increasingly tightened to the point that he experienced a dull pain when he inhaled. Morning would come soon. If she—and he—could make it to the morning, there was hope.

Solo hadn't experienced such fear and anxiety over someone since the last time Chewbacca was hit in the head by falling permacrete when a building collapsed on them during the Battle of Credis. Chewie had been unconscious nearly a week. Han was so wound up about the possible death of his best friend that he drove the medical personnel crazy.

It was Leia who helped him get through it. Her ability to stay calm in the face of crisis, her hand on his arm, and her soothing words managed to ease his fears. She made sure he ate by bringing him meals and nagging him until his tray was empty. She forced him to take breaks so he could get sleep by banning him from Chewie's room and promising to sit with Chewie until Han returned. Often Han caught her holding Chewie's hand and telling him of her feelings about the loss of her family, her guilt over the destruction of the Empire, and the stresses she faced in during her day. Once, Han hovered at the door while Leia spoke of him. She had been expressing her frustration with him, but ended by admitting that she liked him around.

But don't tell Han. It'll just go to his head and I'll never hear the end of it.

Solo sported a small smile at the memory, but the smile faded as he looked into her face. Here he was again, and he didn't have Leia to get him through it this time. Han dropped his forehead on the bed next to her hand.

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"Huh?"

Chewbacca emitted a series of growls and ruwauffs.

"I wasn't asleep. I—"

Chewie growled again.

"Whatever."

Chewie moved to Leia's left side and pulled out the leather satchel out of his bag. He picked up Leia's injured hand and unwrapped the thick compression bandages.

Leia opened her eyes. "Chewie." She lifted her head before letting it fall back onto the pillow.

He greeted her with a cheery garruff.

Han let go of her hand. "How you feelin', Sweetheart?"

"Like I've been...trampled by…a herd of Nerfs."

"That's normal. You're still recovering."

Chewbacca agreed. Once the gauze and compression bandages were removed, he pulled off the square bandage that lay upon her wound. It was stained with blood. Han frowned at the slice in her skin and couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. However, if he hadn't cut her, she might have died from the spider's larvae alone. Han swallowed an apology.

Leia fought a losing battle to keep her eyes open as Chewie work. He discarded the bloody patch, pulled out a jar, and rubbed the muddy substance on a clean bandage patch. He then placed it over her wound.

"When can it be sewn up?" Han asked.

Chewie grumbled.

"How many is a few more days?"

Chewie shrugged as he answered Han.

"Hey, Your Worshipfulness." Han nudged Leia.

She opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. Her eyes narrowed on him.

"Are you feeling pain?"

"Not in my hand."

"Move your fingers."

Leia opened and closed her fingers.

"Good."

"Where else are you hurting?"

She closed her eyes again. "My head…my chest…joints."

"Anywhere else?"

"My stomach."

Han placed his hand on Leia's head. Her eyes opened to slits. "What number on the pain scale?"

She closed her eyes.

"Leia?"

"I don't know. About a nine?"

He then asked his best friend, "Will morphine work now?"

The Wookie warrahed.

"I can take it," she said as she pushed Han's hand off of her head.

"Why when you don't have to? I'll go get Dr. Salimni." Han exited the room.

After securing the new patch over Leia's wound, Chewie rewrapped her hand with a thin layer of gauze and then wound a compression bandage over the gauze bandage.

He brayed, and Leia opened and closed her hand.

Reikken entered the room.

"Hello, Chewbacca. How is she doing?"

"Carlist." Leia opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice was weak.

Chewie garruffed; Reikken frowned.

"Shut up…Chewie," she hissed as her eyes closed again.

The Wookie mumbled and murrowed as he got up and headed to the door.

"See you…later," Leia said.

"How are you feeling?" Reikken asked.

"I have…so much work…to do."

"You don't worry about that right now. Just get better."

"Update me. What's…the progress on…Operation Treehorn?"

"It's being taken care of."

"By who?"

"Admiral Feldor."

"I should—"

"Leia, you're seriously sick. You're no good to anyone in your condition. Get better."

Han walked in with Dr. Salimni.

General Reikken," the doctor greeted the high-ranking officer.

"Doctor. What's her prognosis?"

The doctor began examining her. "Her oxygen levels are a little low. I'm going to increase the levels." He pressed a blue button on the monitor several times and adjusted the oxygen line under Leia's nose. "Princess." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Han says your pain level is a nine."

"I can handle it."

"Not in your current state."

Salimni hung a morphine drip. He then felt under each side of her jaw. "Lymph nodes are still swollen. I thought it would be down by now." He ran a scanner over her body. "Joints are inflamed and you definitely have two ulcers on the lining of your stomach. Have you been vomiting?"

She shook her head.

"Not since yesterday," Han said.

"Open your mouth?" Salimni used a penlight to take a look. "Hm. The rash has spread to her mouth and throat. If it spreads to her lungs, the Polium virus can be spread through the air. Let me know if she starts coughing."

Han bit the inside of his cheek. "She's been on filicyrin for three days now. She should be getting better."

"I'll increase the drip and add baronicillin."

"That's a dangerous combination," Reikken said.

"If we can't stop the virus from being transmitted by air, then we're going to have an epidemic on this ship, and we don't have enough preventative vaccines or filicyrin to cover everyone."

Salimni picked up Leia's injured hand.

"Chewie changed the bandage."

"How did it look?"

"It's not infected, but he said it's not ready to be stitched up yet."

"She's not out of danger yet," Dr. Salimni quietly said. "I'll laser the ulcers when she's stronger."

"I think it's best to move her to the Falcon tonight."

"Moving her can make her worse."

"We've been in an' out of a wing of the medical bay under construction. We're attracting attention. Last thing I want is for the assassin to figure out she's here."

"The medical personnel won't say anything even if they are suspicious. Doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Even talk among themselves is dangerous," Reikken said.

"And the assassin could be on your staff."

Dr. Salimni touched his chin. "I suppose you're right, but you'll be risking her life."

"Her life's at risk here."

"General Reikken?"

Reikken sighed. "As much as I don't like the idea of moving her, Captain Solo is right."

"Is there a way to rig a fire drill or something to clear out this section of the base and the hangar tonight say like oh-three-hundred hours?"

"I could arrange a breach of the airlocks drill. I'm sure I could get the High Command to approve."

"Won't they be suspicious?"

"We're due for that drill."

"Good."

Luke Skywalker walked into the room still wearing his pilot suit and holding his helmet under his arm.

"Hey, Han, General Reikken," he said. Then he looked at Leia who appeared to be sleeping. "Is she doing better?"

"Improving as we speak," Han answered before Dr. Salimni or the general had time to speak.

Reikken and the doctor exchanged a look.

Han nudged Leia. "Hey, Your Highnessness. Luke's here."

Leia opened her eyes and reached out her right hand to Luke. He moved to her side and took his hand.

"There are too many visitors," Dr. Salimni admonished. She needs her rest."

"Right." Han put a hand on General Reikken's shoulder. "I'll walk you back to the Command Center. I have something to tell you." He looked over his shoulder. "Take good care of her, Luke. If you need to leave, contact Chewie."

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Han spoke in a hushed voice as they walked down the corridor. "When Chewie went to find the spider in Leia's quarters he noticed that the lock had been tampered with."

"Tampered with?"

"Someone rigged it so it wouldn't lock."

"So it was definitely an assassination attempt."

"We need to identify this assassin sooner than later. Has anyone asked about her?"

"Of course."

"Who?"

"The High Command, Colonel Liston—"

Han grunted. "I don't care if they went to school together. I don't trust that guy. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be the assassin."

"Why do you think that?"

"He shows too much interest in her."

Reikken looked down at his feet and smiled. "I think he's harmless. She's known him for a long time, now.

"But she hasn't seen him in years."

"He's good friends with her. I doubt he's the assassin."

Han grunted.

"He and the High Command aren't the only ones inquiring about her."

"Who else?"

"Some members of the Alderaani Collective. She's very important to them."

"What you tell 'em?"

"Exactly what you told me. She's recovering from a bad case of the flu. It has been going around lately."

"Tell anyone asking that she's back in her quarters. Put a camera on her door. Perhaps the culprit will be back."

"Good idea."

"Until then we need to come up with a plan to find the assassin before he succeeds." Han changed directions. "Chewie can help with that. I'll be on the Falcon if you need me."