I appreciate the reviews, MrsScruffyNerfherder and jeanmarie3! Thanks to everyone for reading.


"So, then what happened?" Luke asked, taking a gulp of blue milk and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He was sitting across the table from Leia in their favorite corner of the mess hall. Thankfully, the great room was nearly empty. Leia tried not to notice the curious stares directed at them by the few remaining patrons, but it was difficult. She had already torn down the giant flimsiplast posters that had formerly graced every wall, with disturbingly inappropriate titles like Shriekin' With Rieekan, Caught By A Scoundrel, and Solo No More. The holographs of her with Han and the general, her pink pajamas and wide eyes emphasized in each one, were now in the trash. Rogue Squadron had certainly been busy.

Leaning close, Leia whispered, "After General Rieekan left, Han threw me out. He practically tossed me off of his ship."

"Is he going to the med lab for testing?" Like Leia, Luke kept his voice low.

She shrugged. "I don't know. He never said. He wouldn't tell me anything."

"Do you think he's going to leave?"

Leia threw her hands in the air. "I have no idea." As she lowered her arms to take a sip of tea, she noticed a very harried golden protocol droid running in her direction.

"Mistress Leia? Mistress Leia!"

The princess rolled her eyes at Luke, but she tried to respond politely. "Yes, C-3PO?"

The droid arrived at their table, clearly flustered. "Mistress Leia! Chewbacca the Wookiee is sitting in your quarters. He simply refuses to leave until he can speak with you." Leia and Luke shared a concerned glance. C-3PO didn't seem to notice. He babbled on, "I told him that it was very rude to barge into your chambers like that, and - "

Leia put a hand on the droid to still him. "It's all right. You did the best you could." She stood to join him. "We'd better go see what he wants." After placing their cups in the recycler, Luke followed suit.

The trio arrived at Leia's quarters to find Chewie sitting on her bed, fur ruffled, clearly in distress. He howled loudly at their arrival and gave Luke and Leia each a rough hug.

C-3PO translated. "Chewbacca says that Captain Solo is planning to leave immediately, as soon as his ship is deemed space worthy and General Rieekan grants him clearance. But Chewbacca does not think this is a wise decision."

"Did he say why?" Luke asked.

Chewie growled and waved his paws for emphasis. The right one was still bandaged from his recent surgery.

"Oh, my," the droid fussed. "He says that Captain Solo has been lying to everyone about the frequency and severity of his headaches. Chewbacca is very concerned about him."

Leia grabbed Luke's arm. "I don't like the sound of that either," Luke agreed, looking at her. He gave her hand a quick squeeze.

Chewie whined and growled, baring his fangs.

"Chewbacca says that he tried to talk Captain Solo into seeking medical treatment here, but the captain has refused."

Luke focused on Chewie. "Do you know why Han won't go in for testing?" The Wookiee nodded and growled; Luke looked to C-3PO for clarification.

"Captain Solo has told Chewbacca that testing would be a waste of time because he's tried nearly every treatment available for his headaches." C-3PO appeared to ponder this for a moment. "Captain Solo did procure a number of illicit drugs as a spice runner. I suppose that he would have had access to - "

Luke interrupted the golden droid, studying the Wookiee. "But you don't believe that, do you, Chewie?"

The Wookiee shook his head and patted Luke's arm. His corresponding whines made the hairs on the back of Leia's neck stand on end.

C-3PO spoke slowly. "Chewbacca thinks that Captain Solo is frightened. The captain has suffered from migraines for as long as Chewbacca has known him, but the headaches have grown worse and more frequent over time. Captain Solo used to have severe headaches once or twice per standard year. Since his arrival on Hoth, however, the captain has had a migraine once or twice every standard week." The droid's voice dropped. "Oh, dear."

Leia shook her head. "That's not possible. We would have known. He gets so violently ill."

"Probably if he rests when the headache first hits and takes something over-the-counter right away, he doesn't get as sick as he did with us," Luke reasoned. "When he said he didn't get migraines all that often, I'll bet he was only counting the times when the pain was disabling." Luke looked at Chewbacca intently. "You've been helping him to cope with this, haven't you?"

Chewie nodded and whimpered; C-3PO interpreted. "Chewbacca says that the captain is not coping well any more. His use of painkillers is frequent and his alcohol consumption has increased. Chewbacca fears for his health."

The Wookiee gestured at the door and growled. Leia touched the big beast on the arm. "You want us to go with you and talk some sense into that nerfherder?" Chewie released a happy howl and crushed the two humans and one humanoid into a group hug.

The odd group left Leia's chambers and headed straight for the Falcon, eliciting a few giggles from hidden passersby as they left the dormitory wing together. Leia wondered what hologram titles the Rogues would think up next: Wookiee Nooky, Droid Dreams, Heating Up Hoth. She tried to erase the corresponding images from her mind.

As soon as they entered the hangar where the Millennium Falcon was docked, Chewbacca let loose a terrifying growl.

Han, working on the underbelly of the ship, responded without turning around. "Nice to see you, too, pal. I knew you'd come back."

Chewbacca bared his fangs and responded with a series of sharp barks and grunts. "Oh, dear," C-3PO whispered. "I don't think Captain Solo is going to like that."

Han whirled on the big Wookiee, hydrospanner in hand. "Whatdya mean, you refuse to fly with me in my condition?" As soon as the words had left Han's mouth, his gaze fell upon Leia and Luke, standing on either side of the Wookiee. "Kest, Chewie! What in kriff do you think you're doing, dragging them into this?" He swore a colorful diatribe in Huttese and threw the hydrospanner so hard that it dented the hull of the ship before clattering to the ground.

Chewbacca put his large furry paws on his friends' shoulders and growled at the captain. Leia didn't need a translation. "Chewie told us what's been going on, Han," she said. "He's very worried about you." She shared a glance with Luke. "We're worried about you, too."

"Don't!" Han ordered Leia. "And you, pal," he snapped at the Wookiee, pointing at Chewie and then himself, "owe a life-debt to ME. That means where I go, you go. And I say, we're outta here."

"Han, don't you think - " Luke began, taking a step toward him.

"This is none of your business, junior," Han snapped, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Stay out of it!" He stormed aboard the Falcon and clanged the entry ramp closed. There was an electronic whine as the gears of the door lock set in place.

"Well, that went well," Leia said, drily.

Chewbacca howled in frustration. Luke patted him on the arm. "You can stay with me for awhile, Chewie. We'll try to talk some sense in him again tomorrow. Leia, you mind if we borrow C-3PO tonight?"

She shook her head, smiling inwardly at the thought of ridding herself of the protocol droid for a few hours. "Nope, he's all yours."