On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter LXXIX

"Well, what will it be?" a twi'lek asked as the members of the table looked at the hand they had been dealt. Han looked over his cards, ensuring to keep a straight face even as he inwardly grinned. Idiot's Array. No better hand in Sabacc.

"I'll raise," one of the other players said in heavily accented Basic.

"Fold," another said, and it continued around the small table until it reached the solo smuggler.

"I'm all—" Han started, only for a commotion from the entrance to interrupt every card game in the establishment.

"My husband is in there!" the hysterical voice of some woman cried from the entrance. Han blinked, and immediately felt sorry for the idiot who had married her as he glanced over. Whoever it was was so far unable to get past security, but Force knew how long that'd last. "Our baby is sick, and he's gambling all the money! You have to let me in!"

"All in," Han said loudly, trying to get back to the game. The dealer took the que as security tried to detain the lady. The hysterics continued in the background as everyone played their cards.

The Smuggler was just about to put his hand down when he suddenly heard the words: "Han Solo! Get over here and care for you son you piece of poodoo!"

Han jumped, turning towards the entrance to find a certain Sith apprentice glaring daggers at him from tear filled eyes as she pretended to be the wife of a gambler addict. She even had a bundle with her and the Corrilian found himself hoping she hadn't borrowed someone else's baby.

What had he done to deserve this?

"Idiot's Array," Han stated, dropping the cards on the table as he forced a smile and stood, "excuse me for a moment, gentlemen. It seems I have something to attend to." And with that, he turned back and made his way to the entrance.

"Do you know this woman?" one of the security guards asked.

"Unfortunately," Han answered.

"You ran off you horrid little—" Luna began, raising a hand, though far slower than she could actually move. Han caught it before the slap landed, as was likely intended.

"Let me handle this," he suggested to the guards. They were happy to oblige. "What are you doing here?!" the Smuggler hissed the moment they were out of earshot as he pulled her to the side of the entrance.

"Our son—"

"Neither I nor you have been drunk enough to even consider—" Han began only for her to completely break the act by giving him a withering glare and showing him the "baby" in her arms. It was the ugliest baby he had ever seen, all green and wrinkly and had long ears and there was no way in hell it was human.

"You are going to take him to the Rebellion," Luna growled under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You're going—"

"Why am I taking a little green gre—"

"Don't you dare insult Yoda!"

"So it has a name?"

"It I am not," said green gremlin stated, making Han nearly jump out of his skin. He took a deep breath, trying to collect himself.

Skywalkers. Skywalkers. Skywalkers. Skywalkers.

Skywalkers.

He was trying very hard to not curse the day he met the first one, though at this rate, the word Skywalker was almost a curse at this point, no offence to his friend and girlfriend or their parents (especially their father) or half-sister of course, but seriously.

"....Alright, say I agree. You have to come with me," Han said, running a hand over his face.

"No way!" Luna hissed.

"That's the deal. This....friend of yours—"

"Jedi Master."

"Alright, Jedi Ma.... Hold on, Jedi Master?" Han repeated, eyes widening not believing her but not about to blow such an opportunity off either.

"Well, are you up for it, smuggler?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"....Let me grab my credits and Chewie. Meet you two outside."

"Deal."

Han hurried back to his table and collected his winnings before heading further back to find his copilot and drag the furball outside, explaining that Luna had appeared out of nowhere (again) with a Jedi Master in tow (really, that shouldn't be much of a surprise, it's Luna) and they needed to scram before the Imps caught on (though knowing the girl, the bucketheads were probably half a galaxy behind the play).

"Alright, she should be out here somewhere," Han muttered scanning the area, only for Chewie to go bark at something and be off faster than a hound on a cat. Hoping his friend was onto something, the Smuggler followed the wookie down an alley to find the green troll with no Luna in sight.

"Good to see you, it is, Chewbacca," the gremlin was saying with a smile. Han could only blink, looking between the two of them.

"Chewie, you know, uh...." the human began, only to be interrupted by Chewie who'd apparently known the guy for a few hundred years—it was hard for the Smuggler to remember his furry buddy was rather ancient when compared to himself.

"Yes. Fought side by side we have. Doing what in this Solo's employ are you?"

Before the wookie could answer, Han butted in, "Great and all, but let's move this little reunion somewhere that isn't out in the open. Like maybe the Falcon? And is Luna somewhere around here?"

"Had errands to run, she did," the gremlin stated. "Polis Massa, she was headed, I believe, after collecting some funds."

Han and Chewie looked at each other.

"Say, uh, Jedi, you don't mind a slight detour, right?" the Smuggler asked, glancing at the troll.