"And he even allows kids and pets." Luke Skywalker unfolded another brochure on the Bridgers' living room caf table.
"It does sound pretty perfect." Sabine Bridger wiped the remnants of a cookie from her one-year-old daughter's face and looked at her husband.
"It looks affordable," Ezra agreed. "And Lando can't flirt with you this time."
Mara Jade chuckled. "He could, but it wouldn't be very appropriate."
"So, you're in?" Luke grinned. "Double Honeymoon for the Bring-a-Friend Discount?"
"As long as Lando doesn't get technical about 'honeymoons'. And as long as Thrawn isn't coming. He'd probably try to bring Eli along as his pet."
"There's no art show, so why would he come?" Sabine snuggled up to Ezra's shoulder. "Just say yes already."
Ezra kissed the top of her head. "Oh, all right. Yes."
"Thank you!" Sabine kissed him back. "You can even bring the Loth-kittens."
"Yep." Something in the brochure has caught his eye. He would have to talk to Luke about it later.
Mara squeezed Luke's hand. "Let's comm Lando."
Picking up a brochure with the cruise itinerary, Sabine hopped off the couch with a giggle. "I'd better start planning. Violet-Meadows and I are going to need new clothes."
"Just remember, we're still on a budget," Ezra cautioned.
"Don't worry, I will." She scooped up their daughter, Violet-Meadows, and bounced off to the bedroom.
Hoisting Sabine's suitcase, Ezra seriously doubted that she had considered the budget even once.
"Bine, you realize the cruise is only one week?"
"Yes, but have you looked at the schedule? There're fancy suppers, swimming, space tennis, indoor hiking, dancing- even a planet-side excursion at Niriktari Bay on Taratos IV." Sabine re-adjusted Violet-Meadows's new over-sized bow. "Have you seen her other shoe?"
"Here it is." Ezra retrieved the wayward shoe from the ship's floor. Dancing. Yes, he had definitely noticed the dancing. He slipped Violet-Meadows's shoe on her foot. "Come on. As Lando says, let's get our week of fun and romance started."
Calling on the Force to balance his load of suitcases and Loth-kittens, Ezra led his little family down the ramp of the White Loth-cat. He deposited the suitcases on the floor of the Love Commander's spacious hangar bay.
"You made it!" Mara waved from across the aisle, where she and Luke had parked the Jade Shadow. "Let's find Lando."
"Welcome, guests!" a cheerful, mechanical voice called. "I am LOV-3. If you will follow me to Reception Area, I will take your bags."
The gleaming pink droid loaded the suitcases on a floating cart, then guided them to far end of the hangar. Lando Calrissian was waiting for them at the reception desk, in his crisp, white captain's uniform with its hip-length royal blue cape.
"Hey there, Newlyweds!" Lando clapped Luke on the back and kissed Mara's hand. "And Not-so-Newlyweds." He bowed to Sabine, then shook Ezra's hand. "I'm so glad you all made it."
Ezra stepped closer to Sabine. "We're glad to be here."
"And glad for your generous discount." Luke signed the datapad Lando handed him.
"Don't mentioned it! You kids deserve the best honeymoons." Lando smiled at Violet-Meadows. "And you, Little Lady, are going to have some fun of your own."
"I'm sure we'll all have a great time." Ezra took the datapad and signed. "Just remember, Sabine and I are married."
"Hey now! I have a fine lady of my own, you know. If I can just talk her into marryin' me."
"I'm sure you and Tendra will be very happy"- Ezra broke off. Through the room's transparisteel front, he caught a glimpse of a familiar couple."I thought Thrawn wasn't going to be here." He motioned towards the wall.
"He's supposed to be at that big official event at his capital on Niruan." Mara peered through the clear wall. "I only see Eli Vanto and Vah'nya. Maybe they're alone."
"Not likely. The Big Blue Guy would never let Eli run off unguarded." Ezra moved to the wall. "Is Thrawn on your passenger list, Lando?"
"No, and that's a name I'd remember. TRU-3," Lando turned to royal blue droid behind the desk, "please give our guests their cards."
Datacards in hand, the Bridgers and Skywalkers followed LOV-3 out of the Reception Area to the turbolift.
"We're fine. I promise." Eli spoke into his commlink in Sy Bisti. "We really need to get checked in, sir."
"You can stop being such a worrywort." Vah'nya leaned over the commlink, speaking in Cheunh. "We're perfectly safe. We just want to have a honeymoon by ourselves this time."
"Not that we didn't enjoy having you and Admiral Ar'alani along before," Eli added quickly. He paused, apparently listening. "It won't take us long to get checked in. I'll comm you as soon as we're in our room."
"Hi, Eli." Ezra stopped as Eli put away his commlink. "Are you and Vah'nya taking a cruise all by yourselves?"
"Hi, Ezra." Eli shook Ezra's hand. "Yeah, Vah'nya wanted to. Thrawn's worried about us traveling alone. He couldn't come and Vah'nya didn't want any guards. Maybe he'll feel better when I tell him you're here."
"I'm sure you two will be just fine." Ezra shared a knowing look with Vah'nya.
"But we'll be here if you need anything." Sabine laid a hand on Ezra's arm. "We'll see you later."
LOV-3 showed the Skywalkers and Bridgers to a pair of adjoining suites. Luke stared at the ornate doors. "Woah, wait a minute, LOV-3! We didn't book the Dream Suites. We're supposed to be in Standard."
"Your tickets have been upgraded, compliments of Captain Calrissian." LOV-3 inserted a datacard into her pad and Lando appeared in holographic form.
"I think you crazy people deserve better than Standard. So please accept a little token of my esteem and enjoy a Dream Cruise at absolutely no extra cost. Happy honeymoons!" Holo-Lando bowed with a swish of his cape and vanished.
"Good old Lando." Mara smirked. "I think we should accept."
Each Dream Suite was a fully-furnished, full-sized luxury apartment, with a bedroom, two bathrooms, a parlor, game room, lounge room and a combination kitchen and dining room.
"This is bigger than our apartment back on Coruscant." Luke stood in the connecting door between the two suites' game rooms. After the initial shock, he was enjoying the ridiculous suites.
Giggling, Mara slipped up behind him. "The carpet in the bedroom is so thick and fluffy, I lost my feet. And you can change the color and theme of each room with the control panels. I don't think even the Emperor had anything this fancy."
"Have you tried the AI controls in the bathroom yet?" Ezra asked. "They're in the floors and the fixtures."
"I want to try the spa tub." Sabine joined them with a freshly-changed Violet-Meadows. "But first I need to find one of those droids. Apparently, Dream Suites don't come with a crib."
"I'll come, too." Mara kissed Luke."I want to do a little shopping in Lando's stores. Tonight will be our first public appearance as Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker and I want us to look our best."
Sabine and Mara hurried off with Violet-Meadows, leaving the two Jedi staring at each other.
"So much for romance." Ezra flopped down on a couch.
"Actually, I was hoping for a chance to talk to you alone." Luke followed Ezra into the Bridgers' suite and claimed a plush, reclining arm chair. "I know I'm really blessed to have Mara and I'm thankful that we were able to afford such a great honeymoon, but…" he paused and swallowed.
Ezra's eyes widened. "You can't dance either."
Relief washed over Luke. At least he wasn't the only Jedi who couldn't dance. "I was hoping you would understand. Mara trained as a dancer when she was the Emperor's Hand. Thrawn says she was the best dancer in the whole palace."
Ezra shook his head. "Sabine's Mandalorian nobility. I've seen her parents dance. I can barely do the Lothal Two-Step." He groaned. "We managed to book the one cruise that has a 'Grand Ballroom Dance Event.'"
"You heard Mara. She wants to be proud of us." Luke slumped in the chair. "All I know is the Sand Shuffle we used to do at Toche Station. What are we going to do?"
"It's too bad Leia needed Threepio at Thrawn's Big Bash. I bet he knows every ballroom dance in the Galaxy."
"That's it!" Luke bolted up as an idea struck him.
"What's it?" Ezra jumped up, too.
Luke grinned, feeling less nervous already. "Artoo."
Author's Note:
Welcome to the Love Commander! I hope you enjoy this little story about two of my favorite couples. I couldn't help adding in Eli and Vah'nya,too. And who knows?The Big Blue Guy himself might make an appearance later.
Just to be clear, my stories are always clean. We will have some snuggling and kissing, but nothing more. If you want to read the backstories (real and fictional) of the Love Commander Collection, you will find it in the prologue to LCC: Love and Alarm Clocks. Thanks for reading and God bless you!
Yes, I did call Thrawn the Big Blue Guy. No, he's not Bluey's Dad. :)