Fame and Fortune

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"May I inquire as to our destination, Princess Leia?" Threepio questioned the quiet human female sitting in the Captain's seat of the small Hapan shuttle. "If you don't mind me asking? Since it appears we have been traveling at sublight speed for the better part of a standard day since leaving Ta'a Chume'Dan."

Leia sighed, glancing down at the ship's controls. "I've been waiting to hear if Luke replies to my messages." If her brother failed to answer, she would set the hyper-space coordinates for Coruscant. The idea of going back to the Capital of the New Republic as a complete failure made her physically ill, and she was already nauseated at being forced to leave her beloved child behind with people that despised her, even long before her 'unlawful affair' with Han.

"May I ask how long you intend to wait for Master Luke to reply?" the droid said worriedly. "The Hapans were very clear they wished for us to leave the Consortium as soon as possible, and I fear that lingering in their space may cause them to become angry... and upset. Upset and angry humans can be very unpredictable, in my experience."

"Threepio -" Leia started to admonish the droid when the com-message board light started blinking. The signal was coming from Luke, and the Princess felt a rush of relief as she opened the channel. "LUKE!"

His voice came through, sounding far away and indistinct. "Sorry I took so long to reply. Mara and I have been outside arguing with the contractors that are building the Academy and H... Evin's studio What's wrong?"

Leia's lips twisted at Luke's decision to use the name 'Evin' rather than Han. While the frequency she was using was supposedly secure, she had little doubt the Hapans had installed listening devices as well as trackers.

"Isolder and his mother have banished me from Hapes."

Although the sound over the small speaker was not good, Leia could hear shock in Luke's tone. "What? Why?"

"I'd rather tell you in person."

"Do you have Isabell with you?"

A sharp pain, like someone twisting a knife, coursed through her chest. "No." Then added with determination she wasn't sure was justified, "I'll have to get a lawyer and go through New Republic courts and fight for custody. I'll get her away from Isolder. I have to." If they were listening let them hear that. Leia had no intention of giving up her daughter without a fight, and she was certain the Queen Mother had somehow twisted the Hapan laws in their favor.

"Come to Corellia. I'll send you over the coordinates and make sure the Dock Controller is aware you are arriving."

"Do you think Evin will mind?" Leia asked softly. She knew he was still on tour, and would be for the next five standard weeks. Despite his offer to take her to Corellia, Leia knew he would still be blindsided by everything when he arrived back home. Knowing Han, he would probably blame himself for Leia's banishment.

"Evin would insist," Luke responded. "You know he would. His house has... plenty of room."

Leia detected the slight hesitation at the word 'plenty'. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. It's just that our landlord on Coruscant ...where my students were living and training? He told me they had to find other accommodations. The landlord claimed his neighbors were complaining about too much noise. I think they just didn't care to have Jedi students living next to them."

"Where did they go?"

Luke gave a noisy sigh. "I brought them all here to Corellia, all six of them. They're living with me in Evin's house, since the Academy building isn't finished yet."