CHAPTER 5:
Luke Skywalker stepped to the edge of the plank on the skiff above the Sarlaac Pit; he was calm and felt ready for what was to come. Everyone was in their place. Lando, Han, and Chewbacca were on the same skiff he was. It was fortunate that Lando was assigned to their skiff. But it was like how Luke envisioned it. And Leia and the droids were on the Jabba's pleasure barge where Luke needed them.
Still, Luke wished that things turned out differently, that they wouldn't have to fight their way out of this situation. He had hoped when he first encountered Jabba the Hutt that the Jedi Mind Trick would have work on Jabba, but the crime lord proved he wasn't as weak-minded as Luke expected. Luke had already anticipated that the Hutt would have no interest in bargaining, and he knew it would come down to this: a bloody fight.
Just as Luke had foreseen. He felt confident, but pushed that feeling down. The future is always in motion, Yoda's words echoed in his head, pulling Luke back into the moment. Anything could happen now, and things might not turn out the way he expected them too.
Luke addressed Jabba, giving him one last time to let the Jedi and his friends go, but he knew Jabba would never agree to that, especially because crime lord had everyone in the places he wanted them. He had Leia as his slave—Han Solo would die knowing that—and Luke, Han, and Chewbacca were poised to become the Sarlaac's next meal. From the Jabba's point of view, the all-powerful and mighty Hutt had the advantage here.
Jabba the Hutt laughed his slow obnoxious laugh and gave out a command. A Weequay prodded Luke forward, and the Jedi calmly walked to the end of the plank. He looked down at the tentacled mouth below and frowned and glanced up. There was his trusted astromech droid, Artoo, standing on the top level of the barge. Luke saluted his enemy, jumped off the plank, and whirled around just in time to catch the extended platform with the tips of his fingers. The Jedi propelled himself in the air, performed a flip, landed on the deck of the skiff, and caught his new light saber that R2-D2 ejected from one of his compartments.
That was when chaos broke out. It was a tough battle. Not only did he and his friends have to fight off the thugs and guards on the skiff they were on, but another skiff full of Jabba's thugs pulled up, and its occupants began firing on their skiff. And blast fire came from the pleasure barge. They almost lost Lando to the Sarlaac, and Chewbacca was wounded, but they managed to defeat their enemies. Luke retrieved Leia from the pleasure barge after she helped destroy it so that no one aboard could follow them. Luke collected Leia, and they swung from a rope and landed on the skiff.
"Let's go," Luke ordered. "And don't forget the droids."
Lando took up the helm and activated the magnetic pulley system to pull the droids from the sand. "We're on our way."
No longer blind, Han knelt down next to his best friend to get a good look at Chewie's wounded leg. The injury wasn't as bad as Han first thought. The shot just grazed him, singing his hair, and leaving a red and black burned streak on his bald skin. The heat of the laser blast had cauterized the wound, and Chewie wasn't losing much blood. There was no first aid kit aboard the skiff so Chewie would have to wait until they returned to the Millennium Falcon.
"Aw, it's just a scratch, you big baby."
Chewbacca roared and groaned.
"It's not even worth my attention."
Chewie whined.
"Of course it hurts, but you'll survive.
Once Luke released Leia she rushed over to Han and knelt down beside him. She threw her arms around his neck, knocking Han on his backside. He returned her embraced, closing his eyes to savor the feel of her.
"Leia," he breathed.
The princess pulled back from his embrace to look into his face. Her smile was just as big as Han's. He grabbed her head with both of his hands and pressed his lips against hers for what seemed to be an eternity. Something hit his chest. Han broke the kiss and leaned back to take more of her in. His smile faded as he saw the chain around her neck and skimpy outfit.
"Jabba's lucky he's dead," he muttered.
"I took care of that." Leia smiled.
Han grabbed the back of her head and quickly kissed her again. Then he looked around. "Artoo! Get over here and get this thing off of her."
As Artoo rolled over to Han and Leia, Han took off his shirt and handed it to Leia, leaving him in only his undershirt. She pulled the shirt over her head and slipped her arms through the sleeves. Han stood up and moved to let Artoo remove the metal collar around Leia's neck. The droid opened one of his compartments, and out popped a needle-like implement. She turned around and pulled her braided hair over her shoulder, and Artoo inserted the tool into the keyhole in the back of the collar. The collar dropped to the ground with a clank, and Leia rubbed her neck.
When she was finally freed from her tether, she looked up to find Han had left her side and was stalking towards Lando.
"Han, wait!" Leia followed him.
Solo ignored her. He went up to Lando and clocked him with a right hook, knocking Lando to the ground. The skiff the former Baron was steering teetered and went off course. Luke grabbed the controls, and managed to get the skiff back on course, and Leia planted herself between Han and Lando. She pressed her hands against his chest. Han grimaced as he shook his sore hand.
"Lando's not the man you thought he was," Leia argued. "If it wasn't for him, Chewie and I would be Vader's prisoners, and you'd still be an art piece in Jabba's palace."
"I'm sorry, Han," Lando said from his prone position, holding up his hands.
Han pressed his lips together and sighed. To him, Lando betrayed them on Cloud City just yesterday or minutes before he was freed from the carbonite, not six months ago. Solo held out his hand to Lando. "Thanks for helpin' Chewie and Leia escape and savin' me from Jabba."
The princess stepped out of the way to allow Han to help Lando to his feet. Lando brushed the sand from his backside. "It was the least I could do."
"Yeah, well thanks."
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An epic sandstorm blew over the dunes of Tatooine. The rebels took refuge in the Millennium Falcon and waited for the storm to abate.
"This sand isn't good for my baby," Han lamented after Han inspected his beloved ship and joined Lando, Luke, and Chewie in the galley where Chewbacca was cooking up a hot meal for everyone. Leia had patched up Chewie's wound while Han inspected his ship, and the Wookie was no longer in a feel-sorry-for-himself mood.
Han glanced at the table where Luke and Lando sat. "This is new." He sat down next to Luke and across from Lando.
"There wasn't enough room for everyone around that old table of yours," Lando informed him.
"What other changes did you make to my ship?" the smuggler asked in a threatening voice.
Lando held his hands up and laughed, "Don't look at me. After we found you on Tatooine, I stayed and Chewie left. He and Leia had the Falcon since then. I was busy doing Jabba's dirty work."
Han glared at the Wookie's back. "Chewie?"
Chewbacca looked over his shoulder, smiled, and shrugged as he blamed Leia for the changes.
The princess walked in just as the Wookie finished his sentence. "Don't you put it all on me, you walking carpet. Most of the improvements were yours."
Han took the sight of her in. Her long wet hair hung down her back, and she was wearing an over-sized T-shirt—his T-shirt—that almost covered the pink shorts adorned with white flowers. On her feet, she wore over-sized socks. His, too? Leia seemed comfortable and relaxed in her pajamas around everyone and within the confines of the Falcon as if it was her ship. Obviously, Chewie kept his promise; he took care of her.
"Improvements?" Han stressed.
"That's what Chewie called them."
The Wookie growled at the princess and turned back to the pot he was stirring.
"The same to you," she shot back.
Without a word, Luke got up, Leia took his place next to Han, and he sat in the chair next to Lando as if they had this all choreographed before this moment. Leia turned her head toward Han, looked up at him, and smiled. She reached up and touched his cheek. It took him aback. When he last saw her, she was shy with her affection, and he never dreamt that she would be so open and tender in public. Returning her smile, Han studied her. It seemed like only yesterday he saw her on Cloud City, her face contorted with sorrow and fear while she clung to Chewbacca. But the six months that had past were evident in Leia's appearance. She was leaner, paler than she was when he last saw her, and she had lost all the baby fat in her face. She looked more tired than she had been on Hoth, but her large brown eyes twinkled with a happiness he had never seen there before. And she was smiling.
"What's it feel like being back?" she asked.
"I don't feel like I was gone that long," Han admitted. Then he flashed a lop sided grin. "How does it feel to have me back?"
Leia laughed and it sounded like music to Han's ears. "It feels good."
Luke laughed too. "We're all glad to have you back."
"Me too." Han winked at the princess.
Then Han met Luke's eyes. Luke smiled at the smuggler and then looked away. The kid was no longer the kid he had known. There was something in Luke's blue eyes, the way he carried himself, a maturity and sadness that wasn't there the last time Han saw him on Hoth. The conversation around Han was light and humorous, and he noticed that Luke smiled and laughed along, but there seemed to be something heavy on his mind that pulled him away from his friends. Opposite of Leia's large brown eyes, Luke's eyes seemed weighed down by something. Han wanted to talk to Luke, find out what was on his mind, but now was not the time. The jovial atmosphere was not something Solo wanted to break, and he did not think Luke would want to talk about whatever it was right now.
Chewbacca came around and with a ladle, and he dropped a scoop of his bantha soup in each person's bowl before filling a big bowl on the counter for himself. He sat on a stool next to the counter with his body facing his friends and his bowl and spoon in his hands. The table and chairs were too small to be comfortable for him, and he and Leia couldn't find one that would accommodate the Wookie and fit in the Falcon's cramped galley.
Chewie grumbled.
"That's right," Leia touched Han's hand. "Don't eat too fast. Your system isn't used to food."
"I won't, Your Bossiness," Han smiled at her and winked. Leia gave him a mock angry look, and Han leaned over and kissed her cheek. When he sat back, he delighted in the fact that he could still make her blush.
Conversation flowed as they ate their bantha soup, a comforting meal after what they had gone through. Han moved his spoon around in his soup, stopping to spoon some into his mouth now and then. He felt like a stranger of sorts. To his pleasure and surprise, there was no discussion of the Alliance and the Empire relating to the war or the progress of the war. Instead, his friends talked of their feats as they battled Jabba and his thugs, the close calls, their triumphs, and what happened while Han was gone. Lando shared his experiences in the demolition games he had to participate in, and Leia told them about facing the High Command before she left to rescue Han. Parts of their tales were incomplete as they omitted what each other already knew, leaving Han lost part of the time.
So much had happened in the six months Han had been frozen in carbonite. Lando was no longer an enemy but a trusted friend. Luke and Leia occasionally shared looks across the table, sharing a private joke when Luke discussed his training on Home One. Han picked up on the intimacy between them. They always had a comfortable, close relationship but not this close. Had Leia's feelings changed while he was gone? Did she form a romantic relationship with Luke?
If she had, why was she being so affectionate to Han in front of Luke?
And then there was Chewie. The Wookie's and Leia's conversations were familiar, relaxed, and even playful, similar to how Chewie related to Han. She had formed a close bond with the Wookie, and although Han was glad, he almost felt like he lost his best friend.
After the meal, Lando stood up and retrieved an ancient bottle of Corellian cognac. "I think it is finally time to open this baby."
He held up the bottle, opened it, and smiled before pouring some into everyone's glasses. Han swished the amber liquid around in his glass—not a glass for cognac, but Han never had a reason to have such glasses on his ship—and took a sip of it. It immediately went to his head. He pulled back and stared into his glass.
Leia noticed. She leaned towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You metabolism is off from the carbonite sickness. You might want to take it easy with that."
"I think you're right."
Han put the glass down and rested his hands on his thighs. Suddenly he felt soft little fingers wrap around his. He looked down at the hand Leia held. While keeping up with the conversation, she laced some of her fingers through his while her free fingers explored his palm, rubbed against his callouses. Han fought the urge to close his eyes so he could savor the sensation.
Solo allowed the conversation to flow over him. He didn't have a lot to contribute to the exchanges. While their lives continued on over those six months, there was just a lot of nothing for him during that time period. He was glad no one had asked him what it was like; he knew that question would come up sooner or later. It would be much better later, but even later he didn't want to talk about it. It was a whole lot of horrible that he didn't want to relive.
Han pushed his chair back. "I think I'm gonna take a shower and then may call it a night," he announced though he really wasn't tired.
Leia lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it before releasing him. He stood up and placed a kiss on the top of her forehead.
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Han walked through the corridor that led from the refresher to his cabin donning just a towel around his waist. He smiled to himself, remembering the last time he was in this state of dress and Leia's reaction as they limped their way to Cloud City, how shocked and mortified she was. How would she respond to him now?
From the way she had been interacting with him, Han figured Leia's reaction would be quite different. They were intimate, familiar with each other during those forty days of travel to Bespin, but there was a sadness and a reluctance in her. He knew it was because he planned on leaving after he got her to the Alliance's rendezvous point. Now, there seemed to be no holding back, no reluctance in her. It was as if she was making up for lost time. And for her there was a loss of time. To him, it was only yesterday when she was reserved and hesitant with him. This change in her was something he had to—wanted to—get used to.
I love you.
The last words Leia had spoken to him. Han regretted not telling her that he loved her back, but at the time, it seemed like it would be cruel. Why remind her of all the time she—they—wasted arguing with each other and resisting the connection between them?
Han walked into his cabin, half expecting the princess to be there. She must still be enjoying Lando's expensive cognac. The first thing he noticed was a floral scent that permeated through his cabin and was almost undetectable. He went to his closet and pulled open one of the lower drawers only to find Leia's underthings occupying it. Confused, he shut the drawer. He opened the drawer above it: more of Leia's things. He looked at the few dresses and uniform hanging next to his clothes beside the drawers. He wasn't sure how he felt about this discovery. She had invaded his space, rearranged his private cabin, and though it irked him a bit, he liked that she felt comfortable enough to do so. It was as if she had moved in. Did he want her to move in? He had never thought about it before. But then he never planned on sticking around.
Solo walked over to the bed. It was as he left it: Leia had made it that last day, and it was still orderly on one side. The side closest to the bulkhead was rumbled as if someone had lain upon the made bed. He picked up one of the pillows, pressed it against his face, and inhaled. Leia had, indeed, spent some time in or on his bed. He liked the thought of that. Wearing a closed-mouth smile, Han returned to his closet, rummaged through his drawers, and found a T-shirt and shorts. As soon as he dressed, he decided to look for the princess.
Han first checked the galley and found no one. Everyone must have turned in for the night. Solo had expected Leia to pick up where they left off and share his bed, so instead of checking the crews' quarters, he went to the place where he usually found her when she couldn't sleep: the cockpit.
The smuggler walked through the lounge and headed down the corridor that led to the cockpit. The door was open, and Leia was sitting in his pilot's seat, but she wasn't alone. Luke sat in Chewie's seat, and his fingers were intertwined with hers and hung over the gap between the chairs. Han stopped in his tracks. The two were in their own world as they quietly spoke to each other. Solo was about to turn around and head back to his cabin.
"Han." Luke called out as he released Leia's hand.
Leia immediately got up out of his seat and gestured to him. "Come join us."
"Are you sure?" There was a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Leia and Luke looked confused. "Why not?"
"Nothin'."
Han came further into the cockpit and sat down in the seat Leia evacuated. To his surprise, Leia sat down on his lap, let her head fall against his shoulder, and wrapped his arms around her waist. In front of Luke. Maybe he was wrong….
"Bet you missed this," Leia said.
"Yeah, I did," he answered as he squeezed her tighter.
"I meant the view."
Han gazed out of the windshield and studied the myriad of stars twinkling in the ink black sky. That was the beautiful things about Tatooine, the starry nights away from the cities. The three of them sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Han leaned his cheek against Leia's head and relished the moment. She was soft and warm in his arms, the way he remembered her. He never thought he'd see her again, and here she was in his arms as if there wasn't six months between them. He never thought she would abandon the Alliance just to save him. She gave up everything she valued and believed in. For him. That fact still blew his mind away.
And there was Luke-Han's friend, more than a friend—who came after him as well. Han prided himself on being a loner with no attachments, but as they sat there staring at the stars, he found himself lucky to have these two in his life.
Luke yawned. "I think I should call it." He stood.
Han looked up at his friend and again noticed Luke's troubled blue eyes. "Hey, Luke. Thanks for comin' after me. Now I owe you one."
"Hopefully I won't have to collect." Then Luke added, "I'm…I'm gonna stay in Ben's home."
Leia lifted her head and twisted around, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Luke sighed. "I think this is the last time I'll ever be here."
"Okay," Leia said reluctantly and once again rested her head on Han's shoulder.
"Good night, you two."
"Good night," Leia and Han answered.
Luke patted Han's shoulder and then leaned over and placed a kiss on Leia's head. Without turning towards him, she caught his arm and let it slide through her hand. When their hands touched he clasped for several seconds before he turned to leave. Luke and Leia's interactions confused Han. Here she was, sitting on his lap, and holding his arms around her as if she was afraid he would let go. But then there was an intimacy between her and Luke as well.
Han waited until Luke was gone. "What's going on with Luke?"
"I don't know," Leia answered truthfully. "He battled Vader on Cloud City, lost his hand and his father's light saber in the fight." She paused and swallowed. "He almost died. We found him hanging from a weather vane under the city. He was…." She shook her head. "…shaken up to say the least. He hasn't been the same since. He's been quieter, more secretive. I think Vader did or said something that's haunting him."
Han took in her words. "He fought Vader?"
"He barely survived," Leia said. "He wasn't supposed to, according to him." She paused and inhaled, "He jumped to his death but got caught on the weather vain."
Then he said, "He didn't tell you what's haunting him?"
Leia shook her head. "It seems like it's something he's ashamed of."
Solo was surprised. If Luke were to talk to anyone about his inner feelings and such, it would be Leia he would talk to. He always confided in her about everything, so Han thought.
"He seems…older, more worn out by life."
"I guess fighting Vader did that." Leia shrugged. "He was training with an old Jedi Master when he saw a vision of us on Cloud City." She fell silent for a moment. "He thought he could save us.
They fell into a silence again. Han thought about the changes in Luke. The ki—his friend was so young and bright-eyed when he last saw him, which felt like yesterday to Solo. It was like Luke's spirit was broken in some way. Yet, the maturity he gained, well, Han had to be impressed about Luke's growth over the last six months. Han had to admit that Luke had a calm confidence within himself, and none of them would have escaped Jabba if Luke hadn't come—though Solo still wished Leia was left out of it. And the way Luke wielded his light saber, skilled and adept, and what he was able to do, perhaps Chewie was right: Luke was a Jedi.
If Han hadn't seen what Luke was able to do, he wouldn't have believed it. Maybe there was something to this so-called Force after all. The jury, for him, was still out on that.
Han shook his head. "Six months. It doesn't feel like I've been gone that long."
"You have." Leia's voice was quiet and sad, and she closed her eyes.
"Come on. Let's call it."
Leia opened her eyes and hesitated a moment as if she were trying to get her bearings, remember where and who she was. Then she got up off of his lap, took his hand, and followed him out of the cockpit. They made their way back to Han's cabin in the dark. Han noted Leia knew her way around the Falcon in the dark as well as he did. It was as if she belonged on the ship, like she had always resided in it. Six months. He was not certain how he felt about that. When they were traveling to Bespin, Han hoped that she would become comfortable on his beloved ship, but for it to happen overnight (from his perspective) and how comfortable she was threw him off.
When they reached his cabin, the princess let go of his hand and hesitated at the door. Han turned around and looked at her. Was she reluctant to spend the night with him because of others on the ship? Because of Luke?
"Aren't you comin'?"
"I…"
Han's chest tightened. Here it comes.
"I haven't slept here since….you've been gone."
"Where'd you sleep?"
"Crews' quarters." Leia twisted her hands in knots. "I just couldn't….not without you."
"I'm here now, Sweetheart."
Sweetheart. It had been so long since she heard him call her that. She closed her eyes.
"You want to sleep in the crews' quarters?"
Leia shook her head. She then crossed the room, removed the socks that belonged to Han from her feet, and slid under the covers. She scooted close to the bulkhead so there was room for Han. Solo dimmed the light—he wanted to see her—turned off the light, removed his shirt, and climbed in next to her.
They lay there facing each other, she with her head flat on the pillow, he with his head propped up on his hand. With their eyes they drank in the other's presence, the realness of their reunion. Han lifted her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. He just wanted an excuse to touch him, though he did not think he needed one.
Leia reacted to his touch by closing her eyes. It was hard to believe, after such a long period, after the doubt the High Command tried to instill in her, after waiting to hear news on Han's whereabouts and condition that he was finally here. It seemed too good to be true.
She lifted her chin to look at his hand that stroked her hair. Even in the dark, Han could see the bruises left by the collar and….were those fingerprints?
His hand froze. "What happened when…?"
Leia rolled over so that her back was facing him. "I don't know."
Han sat up, put a hand on her shoulder, and tried to peer into her face, but she wouldn't look at him.
"You don't know?" Han's tone was tinged with anger though not directly pointed at her. "How could you not know?"
"He drugged me," she answered. "I was out of it. I think I was hallucinating." She paused. "I just remember the pain," Leia whispered. "And…I don't know. Just…images…" Leia shuddered. A chill ran through her spine as she remembered how Darth Vader took her hand, and when she looked up it was Luke. Then she remembered Luke holding her hand until she passed out.
Han lay back down. Maybe it was best she didn't remember. Maybe it was best for him that she didn't remember.
"I killed him," the princess quietly said. "Jabba." Han remained quiet. "I strangled him with the chain he used to tether me to him."
Han placed a kiss on his shoulder. Although he wanted to be the one to take revenge on that grotesque crime lord, it was best Leia did it. It probably gave her back the power Jabba had stolen from her. Han put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him so that her back was flush against his bare chest. He placed another kiss on the top of her head.
"Still fits," Han said to lighten the mood.
Leia snuggled into his embrace and placed her arms over his as if to hold them there. She quietly giggled, "Yep."
Solo nuzzled his face in her hair and neck, inhaled her scent. It was something he did as they traveled to Bespin to remember her after he dropped her off with the rebels and went on his way to pay off Jabba. Would he have come back for her? Would Jabba have let him go so that he had the choice to come back to her? He didn't want to leave her, but he figured Jabba's ire would require more from him than just the money Han owed the crime lord. If he survived Jabba and went back for her, would he even been able to find her again? Things were not really going the Alliance's way when the rebels left Hoth. He knew the where the rendezvous point that he was to take Leia, but that would have changed by the time he paid off Jabba and was on his way (again, provided that Jabba let him go). Would he have tried to find her?
Han inhaled her scent again. Leia still smelled the same. That was comforting, and Han held her tighter to him.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" she asked.
"For what you had to go through because of me."
"I would go through it again for you," she whispered.
A chill ran up Han's spine. He closed his eyes to hold back his tears. At one point in his life, no one but Chewbacca would endure such torture and hardship for him. And now this girl in his arms loved him so much that she'd again risk her life for him. And then there was Luke, and he reluctantly admitted, Lando—but Lando had a lot to make up for. How his life had changed. And just in six months. Six months he missed.
"I'm sorry," she said.
Han opened his eyes. "For what?"
"If I didn't try to convince you to stay…if you didn't come back to the Command Center for me…"
Han kissed the top of her head. "Then who would've rescued me from Jabba?"
"I…" Leia inhaled and then admitted, "General Reikken was the one to ground all ships until the shields were in place, but…I agreed with him, pushed him to make that choice."
He smiled into her hair. "I knew you had something to do with that. You couldn't let me go."
"I—" she started to say, to hit him back with a sharp remark, but then she stopped herself. "No, I couldn't," she whispered.
They were quiet for a moment. Leia was surprised that she would admit to the arrogant, egotistical Han Solo that she needed him back on Hoth, that she needed him now. How things have changed.
Then Leia quietly asked, "What was it like…in the carbonite?"
Han sighed into her hair. "Let's save that for another day. I'd rather not remember now."
"I'm almost afraid to go to sleep." She yawned. "I used to have dreams that…that you were back, that you were with me. And then I would wake…" The princess paused. "Maybe all this is a dream."
"I'm here. And I'll be here when you wake up." Han whispered into her ear. "I promise."
Leia picked up the hand that was wrapped around her, kissed the back of it, and replaced his arm around her once again.
Han Solo was afraid to fall asleep himself for the same reason Leia was. What if all this was his mind playing tricks on him again, like it did when he was in the carbonite? But his senses were alive, her smell, the feel of her skin, her body heat that penetrated him, this had to be real and not a trick. Still, Han didn't want to close his eyes and have her disappear. He lay there just holding her and let the night pass by.