They needed a distraction. Their contact was nervous, afraid of an ambush, and insisted on a public space. Leia was waiting by a stall in the market, wrapped in a hooded robe to match the locals, and there was only so much fruit-perusing she could do without raising suspicion.
So, he started a fight. It was meant to be a small scuffle to draw attention away from her but it turned out the Johdensians had some anger management issues. Seems they were itching for it and the tussle quickly turned into a brawl.
It had been awhile since Han was involved in a big dust-up. Years. It wasn't the drunken free-for-all that Imperial Cadets found themselves in, or caused. Or some heist escape that went drastically off-track. He needed to keep an eye on Leia, watch for her signal that they got the datachip. Communicate with Chewie, who was on full-Leia patrol watching her back.
He wouldn't call it fun, exactly, but he didn't hate it either. Once it got going, no one paid much attention to him. They were working through their own issues. A couple landed some solid punches but for the most part Han could step back and orchestrate the mess around them.
Leia realized what he was up to when she looked up at the skirmish and he winked at her. Not a smart move on his part since someone used that pause to their advantage and cold cocked him. A quick glance over at Chewbacca showed the Wookiee laughing as Han dodged another fist.
She retreated a few steps back then remained stationed between two stalls as the large crowd moved into the center of the square. Their contact knew how to identify her but refused to give any information about themselves.
I'll find you.
They had provided reliable intel before so she decided to trust them. Leia couldn't blame someone for taking extra precautions, especially when the ministry had been laying charges of treason at an alarming rate.
The Ministry of Information, Innovation and Industry was a catch-all for everything the Empire didn't want labelled correctly. Tech for weapons development was entrepreneurship. Secret prisons were manufacturing plants. Part of the Alliance's mission was to make this information public. Show the galaxy what the Empire was capable of—in case Alderaan wasn't already enough.
Han ducked as one man took a swing at him but ended up in the pathway of a woman's fist. He had no idea if he was the intended target or if he got in the way of someone else's hit. He wiped the blood from his lip on his sleeve and figured it was likely going to hurt later.
He stepped back for a better vantage point. Leia looked like she was observing the fight but he knew she was watching the periphery. Waiting for the approach.
She was always so aware of her surroundings. Luke rattled on about the Force, feeling the vibrations or whatever, but it was Leia who picked up on things. Even when they lying around she noticed the shifts and sounds of the Falcon almost as much as he did. She claimed it was her princess training to observe. Watch for anything that didn't quite fit or seemed off. Listen for what beings weren't saying.
"I was raised to anticipate and serve. For Alderaan then the Senate. I suppose it's second nature for me now."
A movement to the side caught Han's eye. A girl, hard to tell how old cos she was rail thin and small, darted through the audience. She was quick and good at her job and he might have missed it if he didn't know what to look for. Credit clips were dropped into her coat pockets. He saw a chrono and what he thought might be a holo-cube. Everyone was too distracted, cheering on the brawlers, to notice.
Han was glad his brawl gave the kid the chance at something. Maybe something to keep for herself. He knew he was supposed to sympathize with the beings getting their credits lifted but didn't think even Leia would have trouble with this kid working it.
Actually, Leia would probably want to buy her a hot meal and make sure she had shoes that fit. Check if she had a place to sleep tonight.
He wondered how he might've reacted if he came across a Leia when he was a kid. Probably would've tried to rob her. Told her back off. Or maybe he would've followed her around like a lost pittin, hoping she'd look at him again with her big brown eyes. It was hard to say. No one, Leia-like or not, ever stopped to check if he had shoes or a bed. One of the reasons he got in with the Worms. A bowl of shit stew and a bed roll was better than nothing.
It took High Command a while before they let Leia off their leash again. Mothma laid down an executive order stating Leia wasn't allowed off base or a Rebel frigate until they got to the bottom of the assassination attempt. But weeks passed and they didn't get anything more than the first intel Madine's team pulled up.
They were still working on the theory that Mesry was in with some dissident Alderaanians. Leia tried the Appenza Peak, her old girlfriend and the rest of the big brain crew. She thought if they didn't have answers, they might have other ideas where to look. They were tapped into a different network than the Rebels and, in theory, had access to different information.
She spent two days talking and no one there admitted to knowing anything. She was with Saiira most of that time so Han steered clear of it. He kept his mouth shut when he walked into a room and saw Saiira leaning in nice and close. Or when she did that hand on Leia's arm thing. Leia seemed unphased by it all, didn't seem to think it was strange or too much, and she came to sleep on the Falcon each night, which was good all-around and a little less fucking on the clock, so Han pushed it aside. Seemed the smarter move under the circumstances.
Someone ended up in the fountain then others followed. More beings rushed in from the sidelines to help and half of them ended up in the mix. Seemed like no one wanted to be left out. This town had its own level of chaos.
Leia knew Luke was there before she saw him. He was lurking on the edges. Staying away from the fight and ready to jump in.
They didn't need him on the mission but he volunteered. There was a trail of contacts, several of them, long enough to confuse Leia, and one of them led Luke to a store on Johden that had a vague connection to a long gone Jedi. She worried about Luke taking these risks but he promised he was careful and he was back now in one piece. It was against her nature but she was trying to relax and not demand control of Luke's search.
"Right behind you."
Leia flinched only slightly and kept looking forward.
"Don't turn around!"
The contact was skittish so she remained calm. She clasped her hands behind her. When she felt the datachip placed in her open palm she made a tight fist around it. She didn't need to turn around to know the contact was gone.
Leia tucked the chip into a small pocket in her robes and closed the clasp to keep it safe. She gave the smallest of nods to Chewbacca and started walking in the direction of the docking bay.
Somehow, Luke beat her back to the Falcon. He was standing by the lowered ramp, waiting for her and smiling as she arrived. Chewie was close behind her and Han a few minutes later. They were off-planet and made the jump to lightspeed without a hint of trouble. Very unusual circumstances for them and it was a nice feeling.
Chewie heated up a meal while Leia attempted to deal with Han's wounds. A busted lip and what was surely going to turn into a black eye. He was only willing to cooperate as much as he did because he could harass her.
"Sit still."
"No."
His hand went to the buttons on her shirt and she swatted it away.
"Stop smiling." She gave him a stern look. "Hard to apply the bacta gel when you smile. Too many wrinkles."
"Wrinkles? Watch it, Princess." He grabbed her belt and pulled her closer. "Those are lines of wisdom not age."
She removed his hand from her belt then lifted his chin to tilt his head back.
"That seems unlikely."
[Just in time, Skywalker.]
Leia looked over to see Luke enter the lounge, his hair still wet from the shower. As he walked past the galley, Chewie handed him a stack of bowls and utensils. Luke put them on the games table and slid in to the bench opposite Han and Leia. Han stopped playing with her buttons or pulling her in but he still had a mischievous look that made her nervous. Or giddy. It could go either way.
"Did you look at the datachip?" Luke set out the bowls around the table.
"Encrypted." She leaned back to look at her work, making sure she got everything. "There's a lot of data there, though. And our contact was very nervous about sharing."
"So, you're hopeful?"
"As always." She placed the gel back in the small med kit. "Okay, you're done. The rest is up to nature."
"What's one more scar?" His hand went to her hip as she stepped to the side and he stood up. "Got a good story to go with it."
Leia laughed as she closed the kit. "As long as you have a good story."
"Then it's always worth it."
Chewie arrived with the food as Leia tucked the medkit into a wall cabinet then returned to the bench. Chewie portioned out the stew and Han came back wearing a shirt with less blood on it. They all moved around each other, settling into their spots with Luke and Leia at the back of the bench and Han and Chewie on the ends. They recapped the mission, mostly the brawl with Han providing his play by play, still feeling the swell of excitement at getting away so easily, relaxed in each other's company. They had been doing this a long time and no longer bothered to consider how all their pieces fit together.
"Thanks, Chewie." Luke pushed away his bowl, looking satisfied. "That was great. Don't know how you do it when there's next to nothing."
[There's more than you think.]
"The Wook likes his food. Cooking is to his advantage."
Han moved a hand under the table, careful not to look too obvious, though it was probably very obvious. Rested it on Leia's foot tucked beneath her. He lightly massaged it as they continued talking.
"Malla must be a good cook, too."
Han and Chewie both laughed.
[Terrible. Not sure how they survive without me there.] Chewie looked sentimental for a moment, which was unusual for the Wookiee. [But I miss her. There's comfort in those terrible meals.]
"Yeah." Luke nodded a few times. "I get that."
Leia glanced at Han and he gave a small smile back.
She looked back at Luke. "Did you find who you were looking for?"
"Found someone. The conversation was pretty cagey, though. I didn't want to ask a direct question and they were pretty suspicious of me but it wasn't a complete loss."
"How so?"
She watched Han drink from his bottle and felt a quick pulse of warmth through her chest. She guessed it was the way he swallowed. Or kept his hand on her foot the whole time. Always trying to find a way to touch her, subtle or otherwise.
"It felt like they were checking me out."
Han raised an eyebrow at him.
"Not like that." Luke laughed. "Felt more like a body scan. It was quick but I felt something."
Han kept his eyebrow raised.
"I'm going to leave it at that." Luke shook his head. "I'm not going down that road."
Luke looked relaxed, he was laughing, but Leia sensed there was something more. Not a cloud over him but a distance. He was slightly removed from their shared space.
"Did they tell you anything?" She had the urge to hold Luke's hand, though he didn't look like he needed comfort. "Even in a roundabout way."
"Some. We talked about things in general terms. Admitted that Jedi used to exist but not that either of us had any stake in it. And to be honest, I didn't really want to hear a lot of what they said." Luke maintained a look of optimism but the edges were showing a bit more. "They said kids started young. Toddlers or infants. Someone my age would have been considered too much of a wild card."
"But surely it's still possible." Leia didn't want to think how Luke would fare if he had missed his chance. "Obi-Wan was willing to train you. Perhaps there's someone else."
"I asked if they thought there any Jedi left. You know, gave them an opening to admit anything about themselves. They said any Jedi left wouldn't reveal themselves. If they were smart."
[You don't hear about them much anymore but the Inquisitors must still be around.]
"Did you ever see them?"
Luke regularly prodded the Wookiee for stories and information. Chewie always provided what he could but his life on Kashyyyk was far removed from the world of the Jedi.
[One or two. I was enslaved not long after the Empire took over but they sometimes came through the mines or factories.]
"I remember them when I was young."
Leia had felt agitated as soon as she saw the woman in black robes. Her parents told her not to worry, to remember her breathing exercises and relaxation techniques one of her tutors taught her. Focus on the gardens or the cool summer lake, whatever brought her peace.
"The Inquisitors were quite active those first years, maybe longer, after the purge. There must still be some but it wasn't openly discussed by the time I was on Coruscant."
[Some Jedi must have survived. Babies born.]
"Did you ever see anything? On Corellia."
"Inquisitors? Nah. They weren't hanging around my neck of the city."
Han leaned back in his seat, one hand still on his bottle of ale. The other on Leia's foot.
"I never saw one either." Luke looked pensive. "It's a good thing, I guess. Maybe they would have spotted me right away."
"I suppose that's why Obi-Wan was on Tatooine." Leia leaned forward on the table. "To watch in case one did show up."
"I suppose." There was a quick flash of sadness, maybe disappointment, in Luke's eyes. "Guess we'll never know."
"You'll find the information you need." She leaned in further to catch Luke's gaze. "You'll find a way to train and learn more."
"They mentioned Kalmar. Said they couldn't talk because they were waiting for a shipment from Kalmar. Said it more than once." He looked around the table. "Do you know it?"
[There's almost nothing there. Mostly ruins.]
"We did a drop-off a few years back." Han crossed his arms. "Like Chewie said, not much there."
Luke looked at Leia.
"I don't know much about it either." Leia shook her head. "I believe there was an ecological disaster of some sort. Before the Clone Wars. I've heard it mentioned in passing when the subject of lost worlds came up."
[It was earthquakes. Cracks all through the planet. Very little grows now.]
"What did you drop off?"
Han shrugged. "Machines. Something heavy. Don't ask questions if the pay's good."
"Why do you think there's something to her comments?"
Luke was prone to obsessions and deep dives lately. Leia often felt the need to check up on him. Make sure he wasn't losing himself in it.
"Tiggis used to talk about Kalmar."
"Kalmar is remote, Luke."
"I'm good with remote." He smiled at Leia. "It's all I knew until we met."
"Kalmar makes Tatooine look like Coruscant." Han had that cocky grin. The one he used when he thought he had all the information.
She put a hand on Luke's wrist.
"You could probably find information about Kalmar on the holonet. The Empire might not have erased all that information if the temple was destroyed before the purge."
"And where's he gonna do that, Princess? Getting a library on base?"
"He could access the holonet elsewhere. One of the frigates. Even the Falcon's computer. Assuming the strain didn't pull her apart."
"Maybe you should be spending more time working on your aileron rolls." Han smirked at Luke. "Saw the reports of your last training exercises and you're looking a bit rusty out there."
"We were trying out new formations based on your half-baked strategy." Luke knew Han was trying to rile him but was falling for the bait. "We're lucky we didn't crash into each other."
"Excuses, excuses." Han leaned back in the bench, looking very relaxed. "It's always something with you, Skywalker."
He and Luke, and Chewie, continued with their pilot banter as Leia settled in. Han was still lightly massaging her foot, even as he pointed and gestured with his bottle. She smiled while watching them. This was a definite improvement over her confinement on Collahe.
Leia did not react well to desk duty. She accepted it at first, understood they needed to investigate who was behind the assassination attempt, but had lost patience by the end of week one. She had been on base for stretches longer than a week but knowing they intended to keep her there for an unspecified amount of time was maddening.
They agreed to let her go to the Appenza Peak because she convinced them her connections would make the difference. She was wrong. Most of her time was spent with Saiira, who seemed concerned but was perhaps more fixated on how Leia could use the attempt to solidify the diaspora.
Leia was grateful that Han and Chewie were with her, and that no one else from High Command made the trip. She could retreat to the Falcon at night, complain about her day or play a distracting game of cards. She was also grateful for Han and his bunk and all the distractions that provided. As it turned out, she liked not sleeping alone.
On Collahe, she had her own quarters, which was a luxury considering their limited space. She offered to share a room but Rieekan talked her out of it. His reasoning was Leia worked odd hours and would likely disturb roommates. She suspected it had more to do with others not wanting to share a room with their boss.
There were no options when it came to offices. Private conversations could happen in meeting rooms but the one office off the Command Center was shared. She worked at a desk assigned to the shift commander that she had more else claimed as her own. Stacks of datapads and holo-reports filled almost half the desk and since she was always midway through one report or another the pile never moved. She had recruited Cyn to help with research and general base operations so the Lieutenant often occupied the other side of the desk.
They usually worked in silence but Leia enjoyed the conversations when they happened. She learned more about Lt. Onorux and why she joined the rebellion, asking questions while trying not to pry. Leia didn't want Cyn to think she was looking for gossip. She let her bring up topics and she listened, always well aware that her status could make beings uncomfortable.
When Cyn talked about Wedge, or made reference to other past partners, Leia thought about mentioning Han. Not by name, of course, but it might be nice to have someone to talk to. She missed Dommin, those few friends she had at school, but maybe she was too old for that now. Too many things had happened. Her heart had hardened from grief. So, she listened. Tried to respond without appearing overly curious.
Han let go of Leia's foot. He took a final swig of his ale and put the empty bottle on the table.
"Guess it's good you have a fallback plan with this Jedi thing. In case being a pilot doesn't work out."
"I can always get a part time job. Maybe I can start running spice. Seems like easy enough work if you don't dump the cargo."
Leia dropped her hand below the table, laced her fingers through Han's.
Han accused her of being an adrenaline junkie. Too many years jumping in and out of fires meant she needed that added dose of excitement, if not danger, when she had no other access. Like when she was trapped on base by order of High Command.
It started in the mess hall. Han was sitting at a table with some Rogues and she was at the front with Rieekan and a few other officers. He was laughing, leaning back in his chair, hand on chest, looking at ease. His shirt was open enough that she could see his clavicle, tanned skin with a dusting of hair.
She sent him a message, Small meeting room. 10 minutes, then watched him pull his commlink from his vest pocket. He didn't pause his laughing. He was throwing quips back at the Rogues, even as he put his commlink back in his pocket, stood up and left the hall without looking her way.
She barely had time to lock the door behind him before he had her on the table. It was fast and fun and incredibly sexy. She was back in the Command Center before anyone noticed she was gone.
After that, there were fewer trips to the Falcon and more quick messages and visits around base. They somehow managed to still be discreet, never arriving or leaving at the same time, keeping their public relationship bickering. They found rooms for quick trysts, even adding some detours when on patrols through the forest. She definitely didn't want to be stuck on base but it was a good way to pass the time.
It took almost a month before Mon and High Command finally agreed to let her go back out on missions. She was surprised to find an advocate in General Galadotte. The General argued that Leia wasn't doing anyone any good hiding on a base. They needed her in the field, on missions and in negotiations. It was not the speech from the Pynterran General Leia expected but she was grateful.
"Hey, I had a dream about you on a pirate ship!"
"Pardon?"
"Well, not a dream. I was meditating so I guess it was more a vision." Luke pondered the semantics of it. He looked uncomfortable using the word vision but less so using dream. "You were on a pirate ship and looked happy."
"How did you know it was a pirate ship?" Leia laughed. This seemed like a ridiculous topic for a vision.
"I just knew. I guess. There was a lot of stuff on it. Had a scavenger feel to it."
"Maybe you were seeing me as a teenager. Is that possible? I don't know how these visions work." She pulled her bottle of ale closer. "I spent a week with pirates when I needed to escape quickly from a humanitarian mission that went terribly wrong. They got me out and it took a little while to get to a safe port."
"Have I heard this story before?"
"You must have." She looked at Han, who shrugged. "I guess it's possible I haven't told you."
She had told Han. He made a point of distinguishing the difference between a smuggler and a pirate, something about carting goods and maybe taking something on the side opposed to all out theft.
"In truth, I had a good experience. I worked hard, learned some things. We both came to respect each other to a certain degree." She held a hand up, turning to Han. "Not a word from you." Neither of them quite broke into a smile. "But I don't think I would describe myself as happy when I was there. I was concerned about getting home and knew my parents would be worried."
"Yeah. I get the images when I'm meditating but got no idea how to interrupt them." Luke sat back. "Also, you didn't look like a teenager. You looked like you do now."
[Do I ever show up in your Jedi visions?]
"A couple times. You're usually in a forest but it's not Kashyyyk."
"Maybe that big forest the base is beside?" Han raised an eyebrow at Luke.
"Again, maybe?" He raised his shoulders, a sort of questioning shrug. "Didn't look like the same forest."
[What about Solo? Got anything for him?]
"Hey, I don't need to know anything about supposed visions. Sorry, Kid, but it's all bullshit."
Han waved his hand around in the air around them.
"Don't understand the Han ones at all." Luke squirmed slightly. "He's not even in them. Not really. More of a feeling, I think. Dark and cold. But something is connecting it to Han."
"Hang on! He got trees, she got happy on a pirate ship and I got cold and dark?" Han ignored Leia and Chewie's laughter. "Sure you got that right?"
"I'm as confused as you are."
"I'm not confused, Kid. I'm suspicious."
"Everything felt very real when it was happening. For all of them." Luke raised his hands in surrender again. "But I think I'm a bit suspicious about them, too. Not sure I should be trusted to receive and interpret them."
Chewie stood up from the bench and picked up some bowls.
"How much longer till we drop out of lightspeed?" Luke slid to the end of the bench and got out.
[Almost seven hours.]
"I got it, Chewie!" Luke took the bowls from him. "You cooked. I'll clean."
The Wookiee rubbed Luke's head.
[Thank you, Jedi.]
Luke carried the dishes to the galley.
Han looked over at Leia. She was still curled into the back of the bench, legs up under her. She smiled at him, tilting her head. Giving him the once over.
"Gonna do the rounds." Han stood up.
[I'm going to bed. If anything is broken, don't wake me.]
"Thanks, Pal. Good to know."
Han walked out of the lounge to the sound of Luke and Leia clearing the dishes and laughing.
The Falcon was flying smoothly but he never took that for granted. Never tried for sleep without doing a circuit along the ring corridor and cockpit. Checked monitors. Listened for any hitches or stutters in the engine. Made sure all the power was going where the power should be going. Even if they'd been in his bunk for hours and exhausted each other out, he'd still get up to do the rounds. Leia poked fun at him, suggested it was a sign that the Falcon was always on the verge of coming apart at the seams.
The light on the water recycler flickered and Han popped open the panel to check the wiring. He reaffixed the connection, closed the panel and tapped on the light. It came back on. A steady amber glow.
The whole recycler should probably be replaced. They'd modified and repaired it so often there were no original parts. It might be good to start fresh for once. He had the credits. The Rebels were paying most of their bills and he'd worked in a few card games on runs when it was just him and Chewie. They weren't all winning nights but he did well enough he could pad his Jabba fund and pick up a few extras along the way.
Mostly things for the Falcon, parts and supplies. Bought himself a new jacket that looked a lot like his other flight jacket but it probably didn't hurt to have something a bit less threadbare. Never knew when it might come in handy. He bought a few things for Leia, too. Usually stuff she'd run low on and didn't like to burden supply. Hair pins, an extra blanket, extra socks.
He'd picked up other things, too. Nice smelling shampoo, soaps and fresher things she could keep on the Falcon. Crackers and biscuits labelled Alderaan-style. Decks of regular playing cards because she and Luke complained about always having to play Sabaac.
He blew way too many credits on a necklace he justified buying because he'd used sabaac winnings. It didn't help that he was drunk and in the casino gift shop where everything was overpriced and waiting for suckers like him. The place was built for guilt gifts for wives or distraction gifts for mistresses. He bought it cos he thought how it would look draped around her neck and dangling perfectly down her chest. The necklace was still in a box in the back of a storage closet cos he didn't have the nerve to give it to her.
The lounge was empty and lights dimmed for the sleep cycle when he returned. Either Luke or Leia had already set the enviroscan to night temp to conserve energy. The robes she wore on Johden were hanging on a hook near the engineer station. It was a costume the Rebel's kept on supply for missions but she treated it like a high fashioned garment, taking care that it didn't get wrinkled.
It used to piss him off when Luke and Leia took up too much space on the Falcon. He complained about their kaffe consumption and assuming they could use his ship whenever they wanted. Now he made sure he had extra kaffe on hand and would've been mad if Leia booked a mission or run without him. He still complained a lot but suspected no one put too much stock in it anymore.
She was waiting for him in his bunk. Sitting up, reading her datapad, and wearing the inadvertent birthday present t-shirt. She wore it every night she spent on the Falcon and he was damn glad. She smiled as he walked in then went back to her reading and he undressed while stealing glances at her.
"Do you know anything about the Hoth System?" She slipped down in the bunk, pulling the datapad closer like she was reading a good book. "The temperatures never gets close to zero. Never gets that high."
"News to me." He stripped off his pants and dropped them over the back of the chair. "You moving to Hoth?"
"Possibly. If we can't find a more suitable option."
He crawled over her to the inside of the bunk. It was his side. Even for afternoon romps, he ended up on the left side. One of those things they didn't seem to think about and now didn't question. He slid under the covers and stretched out beside her. One arm went behind his head.
"Maybe that's what Luke saw in his vision." She looked at him and smiled. "You, inside a glacier base on an ice planet."
"Feeling cocky cos you got the carefree life of a pirate and I got frozen stiff?"
"The Force gives what the Force gives."
She turned back to her datapad but snuggled in a bit closer to him.
"You know, your recruitment numbers would go up if there was a tropical island involved."
"I'll speak with our travel agent." She didn't look at him but he heard a small laugh.
"Just remember who's idea it was when you're overrun."
"Noted."
Something fell, in the corridor or one of the other rooms. A loud crash then the sound of scuffling. Han sat up and listened for a second.
"Sorry!" Luke's muffled voice carried into the cabin.
"Stop trying to levitate things!" Han shouted back.
He waited another second or two before Luke responded.
"Sorry!"
Han laid back down.
"Do you need to go check on him?" Leia turned off her datapad and put it on the shelf beside her.
"Nah. He'll fix anything he broke." He lifted an arm so Leia could tuck under and curl up against him. "Know that from experience."
"He really does need help training." She squirmed slightly, trying to find her spot. "He seems so restless these days. He's always been a bit… bouncey. But this feels like more than too much energy."
Han didn't understand any of this Jedi stuff or why it was so important to Luke. It seemed ridiculous to put so much faith in something you couldn't see or touch. Or maybe Luke could see and touch whatever it was but didn't know what to do with it. Either way, no sense. Han relied on luck and beating the odds plenty but he always had something concrete to work with.
"Think it used to be enough for him that he was involved." He stroked her hair as he spoke. Playing with her long braid and loose strands. "Being in the rebellion. Fighting the good fight."
"You think he's losing dedication?"
"No. The guy's in it till the end." Han took a moment to figure out what he wanted to say. "But maybe seeing the galaxy isn't as exciting as it used to be."
He continued playing with her hair as they laid in silence. Her breathing slowed to a point that he thought she had fallen asleep.
"I wish I could think of some way to help." Her voice was quiet. Sleepy. Trusting. "I can't help thinking that my father would know what to do."
"Luke will figure out something." He kissed the top of her head. "And he's not going to stop until he does."
Han felt a slight kiss against his chest. He smiled to himself, knowing she was drifting off.
Her first stop when they landed on Collahe was the Command Center. She arrived with rucksack over her shoulder and datachip in hand. It was midday and the small room seemed to be bustling with even more activity than usual. There was someone at every console and at least two to a table. Almost no one looked up as she walked through.
She found General Rieekan in the office. He was standing beside the desk, looking down at a holo-map. He looked stern and preoccupied but that was his usual expression so a hard one to read. She handed him the datachip.
"It was a quick and painless trip." She thought about Han's injuries and that it was maybe not so painless for everyone else. "I hope that doesn't mean there's nothing of worth on there."
Rieekan got a small, quick twinkle in his eye. Even he couldn't resist teasing her now and then.
"Do you doubt the value of a mission if it didn't come at some cost?"
"Well, experience tells me most do."
Rieekan called over a tech and asked them to start the process of decoding the datachip. They sat at the nearest terminal, forcing another tech to move, and plugged it in.
"Looks like it will take at least an hour, Sir." The tech hit a few more keys. "There's a lot here. Maybe schematics or images."
Leia put her hands on her hips and nodded.
"Okay then General, do you want to fill me in on what I missed?"
Rieekan leaned over, resting his hands on either side of the holo-map.
"Your shift starts in two hours. Why don't we connect then?"
"I have time now."
"I'm sorry, Leia. It's been a hectic few days." He looked around the room. "Nothing terrible or that you need to worry about but we're all feeling slightly behind."
"Nothing I should worry about? Even hearing that makes me worry."
He sighed. There was no avoiding, at least, a brief explanation.
"We had a gathering last night involving a new still that resulted in six pilots, four mechanics and a medic with alcohol poisoning. We had a small fire in the west storage room because an animal chewed through wires. We had to rearrange barrack assignments because of disagreements about acceptable noise levels past 2200 hours. And we just received a load of intel on activities in the Aiton System that I am only now going through."
"I could help with that part."
"There's no place for you to sit." Rieekan waved a hand toward the room, in case she hadn't noticed the occupancy levels. "I need some time to review and will be ready to discuss when you return in two hours. Give yourself a moment to breathe. It will be busy enough when you get back."
"Fine." She dropped her hands from her hips. "I'll go but I'm not happy about it."
"I would expect nothing less, Your Highness."
Leia decided she could use a shower. She didn't have time on the Falcon. Or rather she didn't make time. Or she rather she prioritized other things.
She had woken up before the alarm, still close to Han's side. It was easy to wake him up. It only took a few strategically placed touches, strokes, and he was with her. She liked those early mornings when they moved against each other by instinct and response. She rolled over so her back was to him and he could take her from behind.
There weren't quiet. Her short gasps quickly turned to moans than pleading. He emitted a steady chorus of fuck baby and a few c'mon. It took them some time to untangle after. He kept an arm wrapped around her, holding her hand, and nuzzled against her neck, in her hair. Whispered baby a few more times in her ear.
He had an endless list of nicknames for her, most designed to get a rise. All of the ridiculous ones, Worshipfullness and Highnesserator, happened when he wanted to knock her off her rhythm. Princess was technically her title, not a nickname, but he made full use of it. That and Sweetheart were in regular rotation and she barely noticed them anymore. But baby only appeared in their most intimate moments. When he was most vulnerable. Open and exposed. It was for her ears only and she loved hearing it.
Her parents called each other dear and love. Sometimes darling. She liked watching them together. Imagined her future would be much the same. Words of endearment, gentle and constant.
But Han's baby felt more primal. A guttural eruption that he had little control over. An admission he would restrain if he had any power to do so. It was both frightening and enticing and she craved it more and more. Or craved those times when they both unraveled, came undone together.
Leia knew she was smiling as she moved from the main building to the barracks. She covered it up by nodding hello to everyone she passed. Most smiled back. She dumped her bag on her cot, grabbed her towel and soaps and went to the fresher. She didn't have time to wash and dry her hair but a shower would feel good before she started her shift.
The one communal refresher had its own building. There was a small antechamber with a few lockers then one large room with shower stalls along one wall and sani stalls along the other. Both ends of the room had rows of sinks with mirrors. It was empty when Leia entered, not too surprising since it was midday and shift change didn't happen for another couple hours. She took the stall farthest from the door and enjoyed the silence, other than the running water, and her own thoughts.
Leia was drying herself when she heard them come in. She didn't know how many there were but she could hear laughter and recognized Corporal Lauza's voice right away.
"Janson saw him. Said he looked suspicious."
Leia heard sani stall doors shut and lock. A faucet was turned on. She started dressing, paying more attention to the list of things she needed to do, wondering if she had time to grab a meal before her shift. She should have asked Chewie if she could take some of his stew.
"He never looks suspicious." A voice called out over the stall. "He doesn't think he ever does anything wrong. What's there to be suspicious about?"
Laughter again.
Leia started pulling on her clothes more quickly. She didn't like eavesdropping on someone else's conversation.
"Well, he's up to something with someone." It was Corporal Lauza again. She was standing at the sinks. "Can't Wedge get anything out of Skywalker?"
Leia stopped cold, holding one of her boots in her hand.
"I'm not asking Wedge for Solo rumors." Cyn laughed. "If Wedge offers information, fine. But I'm not asking."
A sani stall opened. The woman, someone who Leia couldn't recognize by voice, stepped out.
"Why don't you ask Solo? Cut out the middle man."
"Definitely not."
There was some shuffling as others went in stalls and faucets turned on and off. Leia wasn't sure what to do now. She should have made herself known. Now she either had to hide in the shower stall until they were gone or admit she had been listening.
"Maybe we need our own betting pool."
"You want to start a who's Solo fucking pool?" Cyn laughed again.
"Sure, why not?"
"Since we aren't doing a great job at guessing, seems like a moot point. How are we going to know the answer since none of us are going to ask him directly?"
Whoever was still in the sani stall laughed. "Everyone screws up sometime."
"It could be anyone on base."
"Well, not anyone." Cyn again. "We have to assume it's no one in this room. At least not now."
There was some general laughter and maybe jostling. It was hard for Leia to tell what was going on. The echo in the large fresher didn't help much either.
"Okay, then, that's four down."
"And not the princess."
Leia kept herself perfectly still. She was feeling something, maybe panic.
"C'mon, it's possible. They spend a lot of time together."
Leia wasn't sure if the woman was defending her or accusing her of something.
"She also spends a lot of time with Skywalker. And Rieekan. And Cyn." The women stepped out of the sani stall. "Are you sleeping with the Princess, Cyn?"
Someone laughed. Leia held perfectly still. She was getting angry, offended, but also embarrassed.
"I'm on Andrya's side with this one. All the Princess thinks about is the Rebellion and there's no way Solo is putting that much effort into getting laid." Cyn was up near the sinks now. Leia heard the last sani stall open. "To be clear, I'm in awe of her. She's brilliant. I'm proud to serve with her and would follow her into any battle. We'll win because of her. But everything else? Not sure there's enough there to hold Solo's interest for long."
"Do you honestly think he's that picky?"
"I think he's careful." Cyn sounded diplomatic but firm. "He's a flirt but likes to keep a lid on any extra-curriculars."
"Well, he's slipping up now."
Leia pushed back the curtain of her stall. Everyone turned to look at her and it was all wide eyes and dropped jaws. She stopped in front of them, holding her towel and small bag, mostly for dramatic effect. They were all silent. Stunned. Leia nodded once to Cyn.
"Lt. Onorux."
Cyn nodded back. "Commander Organa."
Cyn's voice was low. She had lost some the bravado from a few moments ago but didn't sound apologetic. It was one of the things that Leia liked best about Lt. Onorux. She held her ground.
Leia walked out of the fresher and toward the barracks. She nodded and smiled at beings as she passed and didn't take the time to notice if they smiled back.
She didn't bother with food and was back in the Command Center earlier than expected. Rieekan wasn't surprised. He found a chair for her and they sat at the desk and went through the maps together. When the intel from Johden arrived, volumes of data and ship schematics, she set to work at reviewing and organizing all the information. Concentrating, she let the time pass.
When Cyn arrived for her shift, Leia handed her a section of the datafile and asked her to categorize the information. Leia didn't crack. She remained completely professional. Kept all conversation to Rebel business. Cyn did the same. She took her seat across the desk from Leia and they both kept their head down and worked.
Han called Leia's comms but she didn't answer. It didn't feel like avoidance but maybe it was. She wasn't in the mood to analyze her actions.
When the next shift commander arrived, Leia moved to Cyn's side of the desk. She tried working but it was no use. She was in the way and the room suddenly felt too loud. She gathered up as much as she could carry and headed to her quarters.
Leia put everything on the small table and looked around the room. A small cot with a pillow and Alliance issued bedding. The blanket Han bought her folded neatly at the end. The trunk holding all her personal items and clothes sat at the foot of the cot. That is, all of her personal items other than the things left on the Falcon.
She had a cubby in one of the lockers where she stored everything between trips. She wanted to be respectful of Han and Chewie's space, not clutter things up, and it avoided any uncomfortable questions should anyone wonder why Han needed so many hairpins.
She should send him a message, tell him they could talk in the morning. She mulled it over the entire time she got ready for bed, pulled on the Alliance sleepwear that was too big for her but comfortable, organized her files so she could continue her work. She rearranged her hair into a long braid down her back that gave her better access to lose strands she could twist around her fingers.
It took him a few clicks to answer. He was in his cabin with the commlink resting on the table beside his bunk. She watched him sit down then lean forward.
"Hey, Sweetheart. Almost gave up on you."
"I stayed late."
He laughed. "Yeah. That wasn't much of a mystery."
He reached over to dim the lights, give her some time to respond. She looked stressed and he figured something was up. He heard about the fire and the alcohol poisoning so there was probably more base business taking it out of her.
"Find anything in the Johden stuff?"
Leia nodded. "There's a lot to go through."
She looked down. Wiped her hands across the table, played with the buttons on her commlink, rather than keeping them folded and steady in front of her.
"You okay?"
He looked closely at the blue hue of her holo. The low-frequency of inter-base connections made it difficult to pick up on some subtleties but she wasn't being very subtle. If it was about High Command or some botched mission she wouldn't waste time letting it out.
"Of course." She wasn't holding his gaze. "Just tired."
If they were in the same room, he'd have a better idea how to draw her out. He'd keep his distance if that's what she wanted but he was getting better at navigating these things. The secret was letting her come to him but that was hard when she wouldn't look at him and he couldn't step into her field of vision. He'd have to rely on words and that probably wasn't going to go well.
"Look, you know, you don't have to talk." He sounded angrier than intended but it made her look. "Obviously. But if you're mad at me, maybe you should spit it out."
"Why do you think I'm mad at you?" She tilted her head, acting curious, but didn't deny anything.
"Seems like the most likely scenario since you aren't talking much." He saw her look away, knew she was thinking about hitting the off switch on her comms. "To be clear, I got no idea why you're mad."
She went back to wiping the table, methodically catching any particle of dust.
"I overheard something today. In the communal fresher."
"Oh yeah?"
"They didn't know I was there." She looked back up at him. "I wasn't eavesdropping but it was also hard to escape once they got going."
He leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table. It wasn't a comfortable position but leaning back would have been worse. Something told him he should brace himself.
"Apparently, you're the hot topic on base. They were all wondering who you're sleeping with."
Han laughed. Broke into his half-smile.
"That all? They need someone to talk about." He considered winking. "You worried they're gonna figure it out, Princess? You're gonna get caught?"
She shook her head. "I don't think that will be a problem."
He leaned back. Took his vest off and tossed it to the side. Started kicking off his boots.
"Are you undressing?"
"Looking for a show?"
It was a slight smile. Not the kind he hoped to get after a fight or when she calmed down after a nightmare, but he'd take it.
"They don't think it's me because they don't think you'd sleep with me."
Han paused to look at her. "What? Who?"
She was looking at him like he was an idiot and, honestly, he was feeling close to one in that moment.
"Who said that?"
She shrugged again. Pretending this was a casual conversation and none of this information mattered.
"There was a few of them. Corporal Lauza. Cyn."
"Cyn?" He ran a hand over his chin. Things were suddenly feeling very loud. "Cyn talked shit about you?"
"To be fair, she said some very complimentary things about me." The slight smile was back but less believable. "I am very good at my job. The person she wants in charge. Thinks I'll win the war."
"No one's arguing with any of that."
"But I'm cold. Distant." Leia sat up straight. Tucked her hair back. "She didn't say passionless but it was implied."
"C'mon, Leia. Since when do you care what anyone thinks?" He put his boot to the side and pulled off the other one. "She just doesn't know you is all. You're careful around people. You say that yourself."
"Her point was that you wouldn't go for anyone so distant and closed off. It wasn't your style."
"This is working in your favor." He leaned forward. If this was all that was bugging her then it was no big deal. "Means people aren't paying close attention."
"How does she know that about you?"
"Know what?"
"Your style."
His hand almost went to his chin but he held it back. The pause was probably only a few seconds but stretched into an eternity. Leia let out a slow breath and looked to the ceiling. Gave herself a moment.
"Were you going to tell me?"
"There's nothing to tell." His temper was starting to flare. Didn't like the feeling of being backed into a corner even if, technically, he was the only one in the room.
"Don't do that. Don't lie."
"It's not a lie." The chorus of fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck rushed through his head. "There's nothing to tell because it was nothing."
She sat back in her chair, ran her hands over her face.
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
Han ran his hands up and down his thighs.
"You can't be mad at me about this." He pointed a finger at her holo-image. "It was a long time ago."
She looked off to the side. He could see her taking deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm. He needed her to look at him. Why were they having this conversation over comms? He didn't stand a chance this way.
"The stuff with Cyn." He tried smiling when she looked at him. The smile might not have been the smart move but it was the only one he had. He was trying to keep both of them level and that wasn't his strong suit. "That was before Osler. Before anything happened with us."
He should go to her quarters. Or ask her to come there. Something. That wasn't how it worked between them but sitting wasn't doing either of them any good.
"You and me. We had nothing going on then. Hell, back then, maybe there was still a chance for you and Luke." He didn't elaborate on that one and she didn't respond. "You can't be mad about this! Okay, sure, I could've told you but it was already a year or something out before we got together. You and me."
She was looking at him now. Adding things up.
"That's why she was on the Falcon that night." She didn't lean forward. Stayed still and calm in her seat. "You had sex with Cyn then kissed me. All in the same night. Hours apart."
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
"If Chewie hadn't walked in on us, what would have happened?"
"Whatever you wanted to happen." There was his temper again.
"You wouldn't have stopped?"
"Why the hell would I have stopped?"
"Because you'd just had sex with someone else!"
"I don't know. Alright? I don't fucking know. Maybe I would've, maybe not. It was a long time ago and the only part I remember is that it felt pretty good kissing you." She's right. He should've told her this earlier. Made sure she understood what she walking in to. "So, I don't know if I would've been the decent guy you wish I was or the guy I apparently am."
Leia used one hand to wipe down her table again, a half-hearted attempt at best.
"It's not like…" He wasn't fidgeting anymore. He'd moved to the resigned stage. "Cyn and I didn't have an arrangement. It wasn't like that. We got together sometimes. That's it. And it's not like I planned on kissing you. It just happened."
"Hours apart."
"What the hell do you want, Leia?" He threw his hands in the air. Exasperated. "Like I said, I didn't plan on kissing you and I don't regret it. And for what it's worth, nothing happened with Cyn after that night. Or anyone else on base."
Leia crossed her arms over her chest, looked to the ceiling again. She was holding back tears. Correction. She was trying to hold back tears.
"Hey." He leaned forward. Reached a hand out, maybe forgetting that he couldn't actually touch her. "I should've told you. Or something. I get it makes me look even shittier but I didn't think about it. Don't think Cyn thought much about it. She's not really wired that way either. I wasn't trying to hide anything. Or lie."
She hadn't moved. Still staring at the ceiling.
"Are you going to talk to me?"
Leia lowered her head. Bit her bottom lip. He could see her eyes glisten in the holo light.
"I'm sorry." She was trying not to blink. Trying to keep the tears in place. "Anything that happened between you and Lt. Onorux is none of my business."
"Leia…"
"No. You don't have to explain." She moved forward, cupping each elbow in a hand as she leaned on the table. "I recognize that I am picking a fight but I'm not mad at you."
He tilted his head. Raised one side of his mouth in an almost smirk.
"Fine." She held a hand with thumb and finger pinched close. "Maybe a bit."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
"I know that was before and this is now. I trust you." She wasn't crying anymore. No more tears were threatening to fall. "And, yes, having that information might have been nice but it wouldn't have changed what I overheard."
"They were talking shit about their boss. It's not great and they're wrong but that's what people do." She usually had a thicker skin for these things. This wasn't the bump in the road he expected. "You know this. You told me plenty of stories about people doing this kind of thing. Why let this one eat at you?"
He was finding it hard to believe that it didn't have something to do with him. He'd fucked it up. Not by what he'd done since they were together but what came before.
"I think I'm upset because I thought we were friends. Or becoming friends."
Han stared. Squinted as he tried to determine her meaning.
"I've always only had a very small circle, very few beings I would call friends, so maybe I don't understand how it works. Going outside that very small circle is strange." Her hands went over her hair again. "It's not just protecting myself, keeping some distance, but giving others space."
If they were in the same room, this is when he would tuck back her hair. Brush the back of his hand against her cheek.
"I thought Cyn and I were becoming friends and I was wrong. She respects me as a leader, which is nice to hear, but as a human, she thinks I am cold. Doesn't think I'm someone who would turn your head."
"Oh, you turn my head, Sweetheart." He went for the half-leer. Tilted his head at her.
"Take it easy, Flyboy." She laughed. Then for a brief moment looked like she might cry again. "I miss having friends."
"C'mon, you got friends."
"I've got you and Luke. Chewie. I'm friendly with Wedge but maybe I was wrong about that one, too.. Carlist, I suppose, but I'm not confiding in him."
She rested an elbow on the table. Rested her chin in the palm of a hand.
"I did think Saiira and I were friends but that's complicated."
"Cause you used to fuck?"
"I would have said dated but yes." She rolled her eyes. "You do have a way with words."
"Just cutting to the chase."
She looked more settled. More like Leia. But he wasn't feeling it yet. Something was still going to blow.
"I wonder if I have a touch of regret about Saiira."
"Cos you were fucking your teacher?"
"Again, calm down Fly Boy."
He was annoying her but she didn't look as sad anymore.
"She wasn't my teacher. She was a TA and we didn't start dating until later." Leia emphasized the word dating. "There was no crossover."
"I think this is what you call semantics."
"Anyway." She shook her head and he knew she was biting the inside of her cheek trying not to laugh. "The ending was rather abrupt. I didn't know what to expect when it started and it all came on a little fast. I regret how I handled it. We called ourselves friends afterward but I'm not so certain now."
Then she smiled at him, threw in a small laugh and he knew. He'd done a lot of stupid or shitty things, some illegal, maybe a lot illegal, and most without thinking much beyond doing that stupid or shitty thing, but he got this one right.
She rested her chin in her palm again, still throwing him that smile.
This is when the panic sets in. When he tries to set fires. Assesses his escape route. Instead, he smiled back. Didn't think much beyond he wanted to be closer. That he was tired of these late night calls when they could be in the same room.
"You know, if there's anything else you need to reveal, now is the perfect time." She looked sweet, almost innocent. "In particular, anything that might blindside me in the communal fresher."
He clenched his jar and knew she saw him doing it. Her eyes had a bit of a sparkle. She was enjoying this moment of making him squirm.
He looked at the ceiling then recomposed himself. Leaned forward with elbows on knees.
"Do we have to do this?"
"No." She laughed. She knew she had him. "You don't have to say anything at all. Past is the past and all that."
"Good."
He waited for her to say something else but she remained silent. Kept that smile in place. Han shook his head. He couldn't quite believe he was doing this.
"One. And it was only once." He held up a finger. "And not even the full deal. Back on Yavin so definitely doesn't count."
"Yavin!" Leia laughed. "You were on planet for maybe thirty-six hours before we evacuated."
"Well, it took about five minutes so that doesn't really matter."
She let out a deep throaty laugh and he couldn't help laughing along with her.
"About five minutes? So that means it might have been less."
"It was a one-sided activity. Didn't need a lot of time."
She dropped her head into her hands. Groaned through muffled laughter.
"I changed my mind. I don't want to know." She looked up at him, waved a hand in from of her. "Let's consider this matter closed."
"Fine by me." He straightened up. "Wasn't into this conversation anyway."
"No. I can't imagine you would be." She was still shaking her head at him. "I can see why you kept that one to yourself."
"Yeah." It came out as a slow drawl. "I might not have thought that one all the way through."
She lowered her head again but kept his gaze. Still a slight smile on her face. Still the warm pressure against his chest, his heart beating a little faster.
"You are an odd man, Captain Solo."
"Is that a good thing?"
"Yes." She sat back in her chair. "It's a good thing."
His grin was probably a bit unwieldy. Maybe unexpected. But there was no holding it back.
"I should go." Her voice was soft. Slightly resigned. "Maybe I'll get through some of these files before sleep."
She nodded toward the pile of datapads he assumed were stacked beside her.
"Hang on." He put a hand up like he could stop her from hitting the end call switch. "Wait a sec."
He didn't have much of a plan with this one either. Only knew that he didn't want her to go yet. It had been a strange all over the place conversation and he didn't want it to end.
"Get into your bunk."
She rolled her eyes. "We're not having holo-sex. These calls could be monitored."
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sweetheart." He winked at her. "Be right back."
When he returned, she had moved the commlink to the side of her cot. She was under the covers and turned to the camera. She looked tired and he knew she wouldn't admit it.
"Hey, beautiful." He smiled as she groaned at him. "Tucked in?"
He adjusted his own commlink and laid down on his bunk then held up a small datapad.
"You're going to read to me?"
"Yup."
"Huh." She rearranged the pillow beneath her head. "Well, I suppose a repair manual might help me sleep."
"Not a manual."
"You have books on the Falcon?"
"You know, these insinuations that I don't read are getting old."
"I've known you for more than two years and have never once seen you read or even mention a book."
"When I'm with you, I got other things on my mind." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Better things to do with my hands."
She almost snorted when she laughed.
"That's true. What are you going to read me?"
"Hell is a Twi'lek's Dream." He noticed her confused look. "Detective fiction. Crime. Murder. Females doing you wrong."
"Have you read this before?"
"Yeah. Don't really remember it but they're all the same."
She snorted again and he had a new favorite laugh.
"Maybe I should have asked how many women you've read hard-boiled detective fiction to. We could limit it to only women on base, if that helps."
She was smiling at him, thinking she was pretty clever about that jab.
"Settled in?"
"I'm ready."
Han tapped open the book.
"There was no accounting…"
"Wait. You should start with the title and author. Set the stage."
He shook his head but complied.
"Hell is a Twi'lek's Dream by Giori Rivert." He looked at her. "Happy?"
"Very."
She was watching him, waiting. Curled on her side with both hands tucked under her cheek like she was in a damned holo. It was sexy cos everything about her was sexy and to hell with anyone who thought she was cold. It was sexy cos he could never get enough of her. It was sexy and something more because there was never going to be enough and that unknown didn't freak him out.
"What are you waiting for?" Her voice was low. Her eyebrows raised. "Let's get a move on, Fly Boy. I don't have all night."
"You know I love it when you beg."
"This was your idea. Put up or shut up."
Han laughed. "You know I love it when you talk tough."
He started reading again, every once in a while glancing at the holo to see if she was still awake. If he paused too long, she mumbled keep going. Sometimes looking at him but mostly eyes closed. He did as she asked. Kept reading. Listening for her breathing to change, marveling at this woman who didn't keep him at a distance, and glad they'd just come back from a mission because his pillows still sme