Star Wars: Lightforce

Chapter 22

Maz had arranged very comfortable rooms for Han and Leia. Rustic but surprisingly comfortable semi-circular sofas surrounded a large round sunken fire pit which burned gently and warmed the cold stone chamber. What little furniture there was was of solid wood construction and held one or two ornaments. Through a wide archway and up a couple of steps, a huge bed stood on it's own, scattered with pillows and covered with thick fur rugs.

It had looked so inviting and Leia had laid down on it as soon as Mala had settled her into the room and left her to herself. However, a couple of hours of reading her datapad to catch up on news and Senate reports Blake had sent her was now getting tedious and she wondered what had happened to Han. Throwing the datapad on the bed, she left the chamber and made her way back down to the bar area. Chewbacca was still propping up the bar but there was no sign of Han.

"Chewie, where's Han?" she enquired. Chewbacca was torn between his loyalty for Han and his fondness for Leia but decided that this was Leia and she was in front of him so it was better for him to tell her what she needed to know and worry about Han later.

"Why didn't he tell me he was going?" she asked after Chewbacca got her up to speed, although she was pretty sure why he hadn't. Chewbacca elaborated on the information gathering trip, the fact that Han wanted him to make sure she was safe while he checked out the town and, oh yes, there was a card game at his favourite haunt. Leia raised an eyebrow.

"Sabaac? Really? Oh, great!" She was not impressed. How was this going to help the investigation? "Chewie, I want you to take me down there." Chewbacca growled that he had been told to make sure she was safe.

"Well, I'm going down there so, if you want to keep me safe, you had better come with me then," she insisted. She called Maz over to their side of the bar. "May I borrow a speeder, Maz?" The old woman studied her for a moment.

"You going to Al-Adreen?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm going to find Han before he does something stupid." Maz laughed.

"Well, if you must go, I suggest you don't go dressed like that." She waved her hand at Leia's pristine jumpsuit. "The place is full of pirates. You might want to blend in a little more." Leia looked at herself then turned to run back upstairs to change.

"Chewie, don't go anywhere without me."

She wasn't gone more than a few minutes and, when she returned, Chewbacca growled his amusement and appreciation. She was dressed in a black strappy, very tight fitting top and leggings covered with a short hide black jacket. The top was part of her basics but it seemed to serve it's purpose. A gun belt, containing double blasters, slung across her hips just about hid what would otherwise have left very little to the imagination. Her hair was loose and she had applied slightly more make up than usual.

She held her arms out for their approval. Maz chuckled loudly. Leia's transformation was drastic. She looked every bit the pirate; a rather attractive one, but she certainly didn't look like she should be messed with and her giant Wookie sidekick completed the picture.

"I can see why Han likes you, and the Viceroy would have been very proud."

"Thank you. Will I blend now?" Leia asked.

"No. I think you'll be noticed, but you look the part all the same." Maz smiled.

#

Al-Adreen was every bit the pirate den of iniquity Maz had warned of. If Leia had expected Mos Eisley or even Jabba's palace, she was deceiving herself. The darkness of the late evening and the distinct lack of any kind of street lighting made the low buildings look ominous, the only light emanated from a variety of neon signs that adorned the fronts of the drinking establishments, of which there were several. Leia wondered why one street needed so many cantina's but, judging by the multitude of nefarious characters spilling out of the doorways and tipping into the street, they all seemed to be equally well frequented.