Fame and Fortitude

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Han and Chewie tried to make their way as quickly as possible toward the transportation hub's entryway, knowing once they were inside the main gate they would be required to wait in a long line, show their Ident chips and electronic boarding tickets before being allowed to continue. Since neither of them had tickets to show, they would be denied entry and Garrilynaard would be gone.

With Chewie taking the lead, they were within a few meters of reaching their fast moving target when Han was suddenly accosted by a group of about twenty human tourists, at least half of them women.

"Oh, my stars!" a female with her hair dyed a bright blue, cried out in happy surprise. "It's Evin Daysun!"

The rest of the group spun around, the women squealing in pleasure and Han was immediately surrounded by not only the tourists, but everyone else that was within earshot.

"I adore you, Evin," another lady screamed above the growing, excited crowd.

Another woman, standing outside the tight circle, dropped to her knees and started wailing, "I can't believe it... I can't believe it..."

People shouted out rapid-fire questions, each trying to be heard. "Can I have an autograph?

"Will you kiss me?"

"I can play the zizzor-phil like you wouldn't believe, so can you give me an audition?"

"I love you!"

In the meantime, Han was starting to panic. Multiple hands were grabbing his clothing, tugging at his gun belt and his hair. The mob was pushing him in every direction at once, crushing against him and making it difficult to breathe. This was one of those times he wished his training in the Force was further along... much, much further along.

Chewbacca turned around, pushing back through the throng of humanity to rescue Solo before letting out an ear-deafening roar, while showing his bared fangs at the startled fans. The large group quickly backed off, leaving Han gasping for air and clutching the front of his torn and tattered shirt. A trickle of blood was staining the front of his shirt where he'd been clawed and scratched. Even after all these years of fame it was sometimes easy for Han to forget how cautious he had to be when out with the public. Today was a stark reminder of exactly why he employed body-guards.

*Have you humans no sense of decorum?* Chewie growled out, shaking one paw in the air, while pointing at his battered friend. *You claim to be his fans, yet you try to tear him into pieces? In what demented galaxy does that make any sense?*

"Uh, Chewie?" Han said, tapping the Wookiee's arm while trying to regain his equilibrium. "Don't think they understand Shyriiwook."

*Garrilynaard is gone,* Chewie barked out in disgust as he looked over the heads of the humans toward the hub's entrance. *We have lost our opportunity.*

"Can I still have a kiss?" a timid female voice asked from the back of the crowd.

______________

Isabell staggered down the sidewalk, trying to avoid bumping into beings and tripping over the hem of the too-long slacks at the same time. Although she wasn't wearing a coat, at least the multiple layers of clothes were keeping her fairly warm and the slippers were preventing her feet from freezing. At a street corner, she stopped, watching the traffic speed past, feeling her stomach growl from hunger. The little girl desperately wanted to be back home, in the comfort of her warm bedroom, with plentiful food, and most importantly, her family. She missed her mommy and daddy. She missed Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara. She missed Chewie and Malla, and all Daddy's friends, and Uncle Luke's students. Isabell thought back to yesterday, remembering her tears of outrage over finding out she'd been adopted by her daddy, and her mind wandered back to the small group of homeless younglings she'd left behind under the subway station, less than two time-parts ago. A sense of shame swept over Isabell, as she recalled Daddy's words - "Being adopted isn't bad. It just means that someone truly wanted you."