"We're in luck," Devon announced.
An hour ago Han and Leia had arrived back at the house and finding Devon half-working, half-occupied with Elle, had made their case about infiltrating tomorrow's fundraiser. Devon had listened seriously, nodded, and then taken his comm upstairs to work his contacts.
"I nabbed us four tickets," he said, coming down the stairs. "But I have to say, it wasn't easy. There's a lot of security around this fundraiser so you'll have to show identification when we get there. Riva and I will be going too," he added.
Elle stopped her coloring. "Go where?"
"Mommy and I have to go out tomorrow night," Devon told her. "You can stay here with Uncle Louis and Silas."
Elle's brow furrowed in consternation. "I wanna go!"
"Not this time, Elle-ster," her father said. "We'll take you out this weekend. We can get some ice cream and maybe watch that new holo-film about the singing, dancing..." Now it was his turn to look befuddled. "Whatever kind of animals they are."
The girl mulled over the proffered deal, tilting her head side to side in silent consideration. Finally she nodded to herself and went back to her drawing.
Devon craned his head toward the back of the house. "Riva!"
His wife emerged holding a pile of folded towels. "Are you going upstairs? Can you put these in Elle's bathroom?"
Devon accepted the bundle. "I hope you're in the mood for a fancy date tomorrow night."
Riva narrowed her eyes. "What did you sign us up for?"
Devon winked at Han as if to say They're always suspicious when we try to do something nice. "Blame these two. They convinced me to get us into a fundraiser for some visiting Senators. It's just a quick hop east. Maybe we could stay overnight," he added. "I could book us a hotel room."
"I thought it was on a ship," Han said. "Won't we be in orbit?"
"Not that kind of ship," Devon said. "Oh and before I forget, the event's formal. Black tie."
"I don't want to stay overnight when Elle's not with us," Riva said. "But an evening out will be fun. I can wear the dress I wore to your last swearing-in."
"And if I remember correctly, you looked beautiful in it," her husband smiled. "I think my tux is clean. I'll have to check." He cocked his head at Han and Leia. "Do you two have something appropriate to wear?"
"If you don't, I have a couple of dresses that might fit you," Riva assured Leia. "They'll be a bit long but we can make them work."
"Actually," Leia replied, recalling their night on Canto Bight, "I have just the thing."
"Great!" Devon exclaimed. "That just leaves our good General."
They all looked at Han.
"Oh, no," said Han.
It's hard to imagine worse shoes to wear on a night like tonight, Leia thought as she made her way up the gangplank. Up to this point, the evening had involved a half-kilometer trek from the speeder drop-off area to the marina, a less-than-elegant tottering on the wet and warped planks of the pier, and then a slow march up a steep ramp through a gauntlet of security guards and ID checks. By the time she stepped on board the yacht she was on the lookout for a quiet spot in which to discreetly free her sore feet from their confines.
Based on the occasional mutter from Han behind her, he wasn't faring much better. His rented tux, picked up this morning, fit his torso well enough. But the pants were too long and though Riva had offered pins back at the house, Han had turned down the chance to hem the cuffs. They draped over his shoes and several times had nearly caused him to trip. His shoes, also rented, didn't seem much better suited to the evening's demands than Leia's.
"At least you aren't in heels," she reminded him.
"Never heard that line before," Han grumbled.
Their moods improved once they made their way through the luxury vessel. Humanoid and droid servers wheeled out tray after tray of delicacies while an open bar stationed every few meters kept the liquor flowing. And the weather that evening was perfect, breezy but pleasant, so once the engines started up they headed to the deck to witness the voyage out to sea. The yacht was scheduled to anchor offshore for the duration of the fundraiser before returning back to port.
There was more open space than Leia had anticipated on a ship of this size and all kinds of life-forms flowed past them, chatting in languages both audible and not. At one point Riva and Devon strolled by; having arrived here separately with two of his Parliamentary colleagues, Devon was engrossed in conversation while Riva stared off at the scenery. She met Leia's eyes with a brief smile before continuing after her husband.
Leia took one last look at the horizon and turned to Han. "Let's go find Tolwar."
Han gulped down the last of his drink. "Do you have a plan of attack? Or are you just gonna lob questions at him until he begs for mercy?"
"First we'll find him and separate him from his handlers," Leia said. "Then I'll figure the rest out."
Set on their course of action, they turned away from the railing only to find a familiar face regarding them. "Hello again."
"Nadia." Leia tried to hide her surprise and sensed that the Twi'lek standing before her was doing the same.
"My father told me you met him," Nadia said. Her smugness from the casino 'fresher was gone and replaced by something more – somber? Secretive? Leia couldn't tell, couldn't decide if Nadia thought finding the two of them here fit into whatever scheme she had in mind or was instead a thorn in her side that might nevertheless be exploited.
"We did," Leia confirmed. "We were also made aware of threats to the Head of State's life originating, it would seem, with the group your father leads."
"Groups that start off fighting for the same cause have a way of splintering apart," the Twi'lek said. "Philosophies clash and members go astray onto their own paths."
"Sure, whatever." Han rolled his eyes. "Your concern for loss of life and galactic upheaval is overwhelming."
"You shouldn't assume that, General," Nadia said, her eyes flashing at Han. "The rest of us just aren't as glib about it as you."
"It's a little hard not to assume given our previous conversation," Leia said. "Why don't you try being honest? Since you were the one to seek us out twice now."
Nadia averted her gaze to the sea and then looked back at Leia. "Mon Mothma is not the enemy," the Twi'lek said. "But those opposed to the New Republic poking their fingers into every nook and cranny of planetary matters are at a loss for what else to do. What would you suggest if you were trying to convince worlds and species to chart their own course without the crutch of governmental oversight?"
"Democratic alternatives," said Leia firmly. "If you have an agenda you want to push, you need to win elections."
"Your friend Devon tried to do just that." Nadia nodded off in the direction of the other partygoers. "And yet he was unsuccessful."
"Nobody's obligated to vote for someone just because you think they should," Han argued.
"You need a slate of candidates," Leia continued. "With a range of opinions your group would consider acceptable but that are also palatable to those who don't share your politics. Only a few may get elected at first, but then those few can start building coalitions."
"With whom?" Nadia questioned. "The conservatives who want to wield power like Palpatine? Or those like you and Mon who refuse to see the New Republic for what it will become? With whom should we build our coalition?"
"Despite what you presume, Mon and others are not completely rigid in their thinking. Part of politics is convincing others to see things as you do. Make a case for your desired way forward and bring evidence for your argument. Blowing things up is the worst way to convince your opponents of the rightness of your cause."
The Twi'lek was silent for a moment. "Those efforts can take years," she finally said. "And corruption within the existing system occurs on much shorter timeframes. You make a good case, Princess," she said, and started to move away from Han and Leia. "But there are those who believe we need a spark to jumpstart the process."
"In a way you gotta admire her nerve," Han said as they watched her walk away. "Though the more people she talks to, the more likely she's gonna wake up one morning to a knock on her door. If she's lucky it'll be from law enforcement and not somebody shady she's pissed off."
Leia sighed. "We can't worry about that right now. Let's find Tolwar before he makes his speech."
It wasn't difficult to locate the senior Senator from Orish. He occupied the center of interest, a gravitational pull of power evident by the small throng of beings crowding around him. He clutched a tumbler of amber liquid and was waving his other arm animatedly while carrying on a conversation with three aging – and obviously wealthy – beauties. Leia took one look at the situation, mentally mapped her strategy of attack, and began to thread her way through the bodies.
Having long grown accustomed to the variety of physical features in other species, Leia was usually unfazed by non-human lifeforms. But even she found it difficult to suppress a twinge of unease when in close quarters with an Orishen: the petal-shaped mouth, the talon-extended hands, the layer of scales visible on their bodies where the traditional Orishen garments didn't cover; those characteristics paired with a frequently bombastic rhetoric tended to put others on guard. Tolwar Wartol, young perhaps for a New Republic Senator but middle-aged for his species, was certainly bombastic and, in Leia's experience, inclined to defend brute force over diplomacy.
Seeing Leia approach, the Senator caught her eye but made no move to end his conversation, one that was facilitated by a universal translator that turned his language and inflections into galactic-standard Basic. Topics of interest seemed to include taxes, trade, and upcoming legislation that, if passed, might threaten the comfort of his supporters. Leia waited as patiently as she could until the Senator's audience began to drift away.
"Senator Wartol." Leia inclined her head slightly.
"Special Director Organa." There was a hint of a leer in his tone. "Or perhaps I should say former Special Director?"
Leia chose to ignore the bait. "It's good to see you outside of Chandrila. This is my husband, Han Solo."
Tolwar appraised Han, the slits of his eyes narrowing even further. "I don't believe we've met, General. I remember following your exploits in the war."
"Oh yeah?" Han folded his arms. "Which exploits were those?"
The Senator motioned vaguely as if a slow-moving insect had infiltrated his field of vision. "Oh, the ones involving that ship of yours. What was it called, the Aluminum Falcon?"
"Now that we are past the war, we need to protect the systems we built in its aftermath," Leia said quickly. "I keep hearing word about threats to our leadership, particularly to Mon herself. You must know something about them. What have you learned?"
If she were being completely honest with herself, Leia did not exactly expect to garner useful information from a Senator who made a show of dragging the galaxy into an enlightened era as slowly as he could get away with. So it was difficult to hide her surprise when Tolwar put down his drink and steered the three of them into a quiet corner.
"I'm just as concerned about these threats as you are," he said. "Despite our differences, I think we can agree that uncertainty and violence at the highest levels doesn't help either side."
"It doesn't help anyone," Leia insisted.
"I've been working closely with Kaarl in his role as head of the NRSB," Tolwar continued. "There's intel I can share with you but now is neither the time nor place." He pulled his comm out of his pocket and studied it. "I can meet with you in the morning. My team and I will be staying the night in orbit and you are welcome to dock on our ship tomorrow."
"All right," Leia agreed, a touch wary. "But it would also help our goal of democratic stability if you could publicly communicate that message of concern and caution you just shared with me." She nodded toward the stateroom where a dais and microphone had been set up. "Your speech here would be an excellent opportunity."
"You are a demanding audience, Special Director," Tolwar replied. "And most of my supporters do not align themselves politically with your side." Leia started to protest and the Senator held up his claw-hand with as much politeness as he could muster. "Let's not forget that their donations help me stay in office and thus gather this information I have for you. But I will see what I can do."
"Senator, Vishi Tlab is waiting to speak with you," an aide interjected.
"Who?"
"Our host. He owns this yacht?"
"Duty awaits," Tolwar sighed. "Can you pass me my drink? I need all the ammunition I can get for this next conversation."
Leia handed him the tumbler resting on a side table and watched him disappear down the hallway, his scales shimmering under the glow of the interior lamps.
"You don't actually trust him, do you?" Han asked her.
"Certainly not. But if he's making a good faith offer of information we should take him up on that."
They explored what was left of the yacht before the speeches were scheduled to begin. Light desserts were brought out and plainclothes security officers, familiar from the identification checks when they boarded, milled around the wealthy and established guests. When a gong rang signaling the main event, they all filed from the deck into the interior cabin area.
"Have I told you how much I like this dress?" Han said in a low voice. They stood off to the side, observing from a safe distance the others gathering in the luxury stateroom.
"You have," Leia smiled. "But you're welcome to tell me again."
She felt his finger trace along the U-shaped cut of fabric resting against her lower back. "I'd prefer to describe what I'm going to do to you after I take it off," he murmured.
Leia imagined the garment pooling at her feet as Han acquainted himself with what lay underneath. She bit her lip as his fingers dipped under the sequins. "Careful," she warned quietly.
"Or what?"
"Or the mood later will be ruined by a scandalous holo-pic fed to the media."
"I know how to get you back in the mood." But he moved closer to shield her from potential onlookers all the same.
Leia peered around for Nadia but the Twi'lek was nowhere to be seen among the crowd. An instrumental quartet, playing well-worn melodies favored in the Core worlds, wrapped up their piece and sat back in expectation of the first speech.
Tolwar mounted the podium and looked out over the crowd. "I'm delighted to be with you all on a beautiful night like tonight," he began. "All credit goes to our host," and he gestured to the plain-faced billionaire standing off to the side, "along with his amazing vessel we find ourselves on that is creating such special memories. I know we will treasure this voyage forever."
"He sure lays it on thick, doesn't he?" Han muttered.
"My favorite thing about being a New Republic Senator," Tolwar continued, "is getting to know such diverse groups of beings and hearing all sides of the debates – old and new – that occupy our noble citizens throughout the galaxy. Something would be lost – and something was lost years ago, when the old Galactic Republic fell – without the commitment to dialogue and openness that the New Republic has engendered and that I'm sure we all share." He paused deliberately and leveled a challenging gaze at the participants. "I look forward to continuing that openness with my Senatorial colleagues and others in the weeks and months to come."
It may not have been worded as strongly as Leia would have liked but she had to admit that Tolwar had threaded the needle of opposing ideologies adeptly. A feeling of relief infused her along with a new lightness, and the surrounding stateroom and ship they were on now shone with a warm and hopeful glow. She had been successful – they had been successful – for tonight at least and the morning promised even greater success.
"A few of you know something of my history, of how I rose from obscurity to occupy the position I do today. But for those who don't..." Tolwar paused expectantly.
There was a smattering of applause in apparent encouragement. The Senator pretended to be abashed by the attention but willing to forge on ahead for the benefit of his audience. "All right, all right, I'll tell my story. It started back on Orish, when even as a youngster I showed great potential for leadership. One day my village was attacked by a particularly fierce rancor. Naturally, I dashed out to help the elders. When we finally subdued the creature, we realized we had a new challenge on our hands: rebuilding the security our fellow villagers required in the face of even graver dangers to come."
"This is going to be painful," Leia whispered to Han.
"No argument here. Want to make an escape?"
"How?"
"I got an idea."
Han held her hand tightly as they slipped out the rear entrance of the room. The door snicked softly behind them as the sonorous tones of the Senator floated out into the corridor.
"We're three kilometers offshore," Leia reminded him as they made their way down the carpeted hallway. "I hope your idea doesn't involve swimming."
"Not unless I've lost my touch." They emerged out onto the deck of the yacht and drew along the railing that faced the watery expanse. The starry sky met the black ocean at a nearly undetectable horizon line. The wind had picked up and Leia wrapped her hands around her upper arms to shield herself against the cold.
"What exactly are you talking about?" she demanded.
"Here." In the dark Han had managed to locate a metal ladder welded into the side of the yacht. Before Leia could protest, he swung a leg over and started to climb down. "Look what I spotted when we came on board."
Leia squinted to where he was pointing. "Is that a wave-ski?"
"Yup." Han looped his arm around the ladder and started working on the prying off a hull panel. The cuff of his tuxedo pants floated on top of the water lapping the side of the ship. "It's an unusual way to dock them on a yacht this size but I think it'll work to our advantage."
"Because you're suddenly an expert on wave-ski storage," Leia said. "Han, are you seriously considering stealing this?"
Her husband grunted as he twisted the cover off the locking mechanism. "Borrowing, Sweetheart. We'll leave it at the marina next to the slip." When Leia's only response was a frustrated sigh, Han looked up at her. "Or perhaps you'd prefer to wait until the end of the speeches and ride back with the oh-so-humble senior Senator from Orish?"
When she didn't respond, Han freed one hand from what he was doing and curved it around her ankle suggestively. "Come on," he coaxed. "It's a beautiful night. When else are we gonna have a chance to do something like this?"
"Grand theft watercraft? With you I'd say the odds are excellent."
"You wound me." In the absence of further protest, Han went back to work. A snap and a muttered curse was soon eclipsed by a grunt of satisfaction. Several cables fell away from the moorings and the wave-ski, solely anchored from the handlebars by one remaining cable, floated more or less upright in the water.
Han motioned to Leia. "I'm going to hop on in front and you get on behind me. Once we're set I'll release the final lock."
Her husband mounted the wave-ski and grinned up at her and all thoughts of the potential legal consequences flew out of Leia's head. She had always loved Han's sense of adventure and whimsy and the challenges he presented to her even when said challenges tended to lean to the morally shady side. Shaking her head with a smile, she clutched the wet sides of the ladder and started to climb down after him.
"Wait." Water washed over her shoes before she realized her mistake. "These are going to fall off once we start." Carefully, one foot at a time, she slid her heels off and looped the ankle straps over her wrists. Han guided her onto the wave-ski seat and waited until she was secure behind him. Leia hiked up her dress to her knees all the while knowing it was hopeless to expect any part of her to stay dry.
"Ready on three?" Han whispered. Leia nodded against his shoulder. Above them she heard voices, muffled at this distance, along with echoes of applause. Tolwar must have finished his speech. Leia dug her knees into her husband's thighs as an incipient anxiety started to churn in her. "Let's go," she hissed.
"Three." The craft lurched away from the side of the yacht, bobbling precariously on the water. Han revved the accelerator, steering them out to sea, and any sounds from the yacht either faded in the distance or were smothered by the wave-ski.
They bumped along the waves, the roar of the engine and smell of diesel filling the air. Leia kept her hands clasped tightly around Han's waist as her shoes swung back and forth on her wrists, the heels poking into her arm with every dip and jolt. Drops of saltwater sprayed her face and back and after half a minute her feet and calves were thoroughly soaked.
"There she is," Han yelled, and Leia turned her head to where he was looking. Fading behind them, the yacht was a geometric blob strung helter-skelter with lights that nevertheless conveyed an image of something still and beautiful, a solitary craft backdropped by the watery depths below and the constellations above.
They rode toward shore, Han relaxing into a wide arc that swung them further out to sea before narrowing the distance once again. Closer to the beach the choppy surf made them bounce up and down in their seat. Han aimed for the marina and skidded to a sloppy finish that nonetheless deposited them right next to the assigned slip. Pulling Leia up onto the pier he stopped and kissed her roughly, threading his fingers through her damp hair and pressing against her hungrily.
"Not here," she whispered against his lips. They were exposed figures out in the open, a tempting display for anyone who happened to be out on a midnight stroll. "Wait until we get back to the house."
"What if I don't want to wait?"
"Han." He was already working on the strap of her dress. Leia reached up and stayed his hands. "I'll make it worth your while," she whispered. "I promise."
The seed had been planted and during the speeder ride back they managed to hold themselves back. When they reached the house, Leia hurried up the stairs as quickly as she could. Behind her, Han caressed her roughly, reaching up to cup her breasts before sliding down the sequins that hugged her hips and thighs. He yanked on the zipper of her dress unsuccessfully while Leia undid the halter strap around her neck.
They kissed heatedly as they stumbled down the hall. The ties that had held up the dress slid off Leia's shoulders, offering a tantalizing peek of what lay below.
"Why is you still wearing this?" Han ran his hands over her chest. "It should have come off hours ago."
"Because." Leia forced herself to focus on prying apart the tiny buttons of the tuxedo shirt. "I'm not going to show just anyone what I have on underneath."
They finally made it through the door of their room. Leia backed toward the bed pulling her husband along with her. Having managed to free her breasts from the dress, Han tugged it the rest of the way down her body and then sucked in his breath.
Naked from her head to her waist, Leia stood before him wearing nothing but high heels, lace-trimmed stockings, and a white garter belt that hugged her hips. A slim strip of lace masquerading as underwear completed the look and left little to the imagination.
Leia smiled to herself at Han's expression. "I thought it would be a nice surprise," she explained airily.
"Nice?" Han repeated. His eyes roved over the stockings and garters and panties before he grasped her leg and hooked it around his hips, half lifting her off the floor as he did so. Leia gasped as he plucked one of the garter straps and let it snap back against the taut skin of her thigh. Bracing himself with the bedpost, he ground his cock against her. "Nice is not the word I would use. In fact, this whole getup you're wearing is the exact opposite of nice."
"Is that right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Leia ran the tips of her fingers through the fine hairs of his chest, trailing them slowly down until they rested on his belt buckle. "So what are you going to do about it?"
Han held her gaze for a beat longer before spinning her around toward the bed. "I'll show you what I'm going to do," he growled. "Get up."
Leia climbed onto the mattress. She barely had time to position herself before determined fingers slipped into her underwear, teasing and poking and prodding between her legs. One finger delved inside and she bucked against the invading digit while the others kept up their rough explorations under the lace. And then as suddenly as it had entered, the finger left, leaving her aching and empty and desperate for more. Arching her back, she dimly registered the thud of clothes falling to the carpet before her panties were yanked down her legs.
"I thought I'd start like this," Han muttered, entering her fully with one swift stroke. Leia moaned and braced herself as his hips snapped into hers. They were quiet for a minute, each of them breathing through those initial thrusts that dulled the edge of desire sharpened over the course of the evening. Then Han's pace quickened and the resulting friction against her womb was so intense Leia could feel it in the soles of her feet. She dipped her head down to absorb the sensations and rose up again when Han's teeth found the back of her neck.
"Is that all you got?" she panted.
"Don't tempt me, Sweetheart."
"Me?" Leia twisted around to kiss him roughly. His tongue slid along hers and left a salty aftertaste in her mouth. "I would never tempt you."
"Sure you wouldn't." Han straightened up without breaking the rhythm of his hips. He started to knead her ass, first one cheek and then the other. "You love to push me. You get off on it."
"Never," she swore again.
"You can't help it," Han breathed into her ear. "I know how you are."
Before she could respond, the hand on her ass disappeared and came down hard with a smack.
"You love it too," Leia hissed. "And careful."
"I don't care who hears." A second slap echoed around the room before he soothed the flesh with his palm and gripped her hips again.
Han continued his punishing pace and before long Leia felt a welling inside her centered on her core that threatened to spill over and overwhelm her with its intensity. Her nerves were on high alert, waiting and trembling for the final act. "I'm not going to last much longer," she warned.
"Good." Han took her hand and pressed it just below her pubic bone. She moved her fingers, feebly at first, and then with increasing urgency as the chain reaction began from her clit and threaded through the muscles that clung to his cock and into her limbs until her entire body lit up with pleasure.
They collapsed on the bed panting heavily. Han rolled off of her with a grunt, sweat dotting his face and chest. "Gods, I needed that."
"So did I." Leia inhaled a shaky breath as her heart rate retreated to a moderate thudding. Her orgasm had left her lightheaded and dizzy and not entirely in control of herself. Her mouth was dry and she was suddenly overcome with a need to erase all the evidence of the evening off of her. "Let's go shower."
Under the water Leia bowed her head as Han's soap-slicked hands washed every part of her clean. After she returned the favor, he carried her back to bed wrapped in a fluffy towel and spread her out on her back. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, the cheeks, the ears, each kiss a reminder and a promise, past and future all wrapped up together.
"I didn't leave any marks, did I?" he mouthed against her neck.
Leia smiled to herself. "Is that your version of an apology?"
"No." Han continued down her body, nipping gently across her breasts and stomach, until he was positioned between her open thighs. "But this is."
There was no urgency this time, just the slow buildup of arousal and the sweet tension gathering and culminating in the gentle lapping of her climax. Afterwards she stretched out across the mattress for a long minute and then turned onto her side to face Han. He smiled and gave her a sloppy kiss before arranging them so he could spoon her from behind. Next to them the bedside chrono blinked the hour reproachfully but the two denizens of the bed were too sated and sleepy to take any notice.
"There you two are," Silas said when Han and Leia finally emerged in the kitchen the following morning.
Leia tried to keep her expression free of guilt. "Sorry," she said, busying herself with pulling glasses down from the shelf. "We had a late night."
"Yeah. A late night of sleeping," Han added.
"Waffle, Mommy!" Over in her seat Elle started banging her cup on the table. "Waffle!"
Riva wound through the room, her arms wrapped around a ball of sheets and blankets. "Elle, I'll just be a minute."
"I WANT WAFFLE."
On the other side of the kitchen Louis broke through the swinging doors, his agitation apparent. "Did you hear the news?"
"What news?"
"Mommy, more juice!"
Silas pulled a bottle out of the preserver and handed it to Riva. "Elle, be patient. Give your mother a break."
Louis goggled at Han and Leia from across the kitchen. "You mean you don't know?"
At that moment a two-toned ring sounded from the direction of the door. "That's the doorbell," Silas said. "Riva, are you expecting someone?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Han said to Louis. "We just woke up."
"Elle, don't dump out your yogurt again – oh for Force's sake." Riva hurried over to the table, rag in hand, as the doorbell rang once more. "Who would be stopping by at a time like this?" She looked around exasperatedly. "Where's Devon? Can't he answer the door?"
"I'll get it," Leia assured her.
"Seriously, you didn't hear? And you were there!"
"JUICE, Mommy!"
"Elle!"
The marble-tiled foyer was an oasis of peace and quiet. Leia opened the front door to find two men standing on the porch. One of them took a step forward and she backed away instinctively while keeping her hand on the doorknob. "Can I help you?"
"Leia Organa?"
"Yes."
"Leia Organa, former Special Director for Interplanetary Relations in the New Republic?"
"Yes."
"Can you come with us? We'd like to ask you a few questions."
"Absolutely not." Years on the run from Imperials had drilled into Leia's head to never accompany official-looking strangers anywhere. She drew herself up and lifted her chin. "What is this about?"
"We'd like to ask you some questions," the second man repeated.
"So you said. And I asked you what those questions are related to."
"If you come with us we'd be happy to explain," the first man said. "It's a matter of some delicacy."
"Says who?" At her tone, the men stiffened. "You haven't told me who you are or where you're from. If you want someone to speak with you, it's polite to at least inform them of the basic parameters of conversation."
The two men glanced at each other, silently deliberating. The second gave a slight nod to the first.
"Leia Organa, you're wanted for questioning with regards to the death of Senator Tolwar Wartol."