Fame and the Force

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

In preparation for their next adventure, Leia wore clothing that resembled what she had worn on the mission to disable the Death Star generator on Endor, while Han had opted for his usual look of black slacks, white shirt and pocketed vest, with his trusty blaster strapped firmly to his thigh. Leia had fought back a smile when Han had exited his cabin wearing his old outfit. It was the first time since meeting the 'new' version of Han Solo that he appeared in clothing exactly like he'd worn in his previous life, only minus the decorative bloodstripes.

With the Wookiee Princess left behind under the protection of Chewbacca, the three humans trudged across a huge field that was thick with waving, waist-high native grasses. The grass made their walk difficult, and there were times that Leia, with her short stature couldn't even see over the vegetation. After nearly a time-part they reached a clearing atop a hill, so Han stopped walking, raised his macrobinoculars to his eyes and swept his vision across open field that lie below.

He didn't like what he saw. "Are those kath hounds?"

He handed the macro's over to the young Jedi, who was dressed in a black tunic and black trousers. Luke peered through the viewer, noting the pack of about twenty animals. "Yes, they look like it. At least they aren't the horned variety. Those are more aggressive."

"You didn't mention there we needed to watch out for vicious kath hounds," Leia said to her brother.

Luke sighed at Leia's chastisement. "They're usually not vicious. If we leave them alone, they should leave us alone."

"Famous last words," Han muttered under his breath as he took a swig of water from his canister. "Why didn't you have us land closer to the cave?"

"I couldn't tell exactly where the cave was located until we started walking," Luke replied. "I have to use the Force to guide us there."

"The Force," Han groused. "Everything always comes down to the Force. Somebody should write a song about the wonderful virtues of lightsabers, levitating and talkin' to annoying dead Jedi. I can just imagine that would be a huge hit, since so many beings can relate."

"Maybe you could record that song," Luke said serenely, knowing Han was trying to provoke him. Since Luke had more self-restraint than his sister when it came to Han's sarcasm it didn't work, so Luke just tried to provoke the ex-smuggler right back. "But then it might never be a hit if you'd be the one singing it."

"It wouldn't be a hit, anyway, 'cuz no one could write it," Han said with a snort. "Not enough words rhyme with 'Force.'"

"Course rhymes with Force," Leia said thoughtfully. "Labor and neighbor rhymes with lightsaber. I can't think of anything that rhymes with Jedi, though."

"Dead fly?" Han mused. "Old guy?" He pursed his lips. "Let's see... how 'bout...The Force is the Force, of course, of course... but only a Jedi feels the Force, of course. He'll take his lightsaber and ignite it clean through his neighbor, if that neighbor is being annoying, just because the Jedi is a cranky old guy, and he has the Force, of course..."

"It's a damn good thing you don't write your own songs," Luke grumbled over Han and Leia's loud laughter.

"I'm not laughing," Luke said, trying his best to ignore Han. It was never easy.

"Jedi also rhymes with red eye," Han continued with the same theme. "Maybe the second verse could have the Jedi dealing with a hangover, sorta like the one you had the morning of Luke's wedding, Princess."

"Keep it up Nerf, because I'm holding a lightsaber right now and I'm not afraid to use it," Leia teased. "I'm not sure the Jedi of the Old Order would have appreciated a tune written in their honor. From what I can tell, it doesn't seem like they had much of a sense of humor."