Star Wars: Lightforce

Chapter 25

Leia woke early with no thoughts other than those of the investigation. They had disturbed her dream time and now urged her out of bed. She slid deftly out from underneath Han's arm and went to the refresher, gathering up clothes that were strewn on the floor from the previous night's urgency.

The fire pit had spent itself and the cold air in the stone room chilled her. When she had showered and redone her hair a short time later, Han was still asleep. He had had more Narcolethes the previous night than she had had spice wine and could probably use some time to sleep it off.

She watched him breathing as she pulled on her leggings, his arm stretched across her side of the bed, one leg wrapped round the rugs, his head buried in the pillow. His clothes, much like hers, had been abandoned.  In fact, they had both made quite a mess of the room. Sofa cushions littered the floor and a side table, she half remembered them bumping into in the throws of passion, had it's ornaments still in disarray. She picked them up and rearranged them. Rugs on the steps to the sleeping area reminded her they'd been there too.

She smiled to herself and bit her bottom lip. A night in Han's company was ten times more pleasurable than spending it catching up on Senate committee reports on her data pad. Eugh! Committees. She needed adventure. Tucking her blaster into her waistband and covering the whole thing with a tunic, she grabbed a bag and made her way downstairs.

Maz let her borrow the speeder. It hadn't taken much persuasion, just a kind but resolute look that precluded discussion. She pushed the throttle of the speeder fully forward, wanting to feel the wind in her hair.

#

A mouthful of Wookie fur was not how Han liked to be woken up, especially when the Wookie was loudly vocalising his annoyance at his sleepiness and was roughly grappling his head.

"What, Chewie?" He shoved Chewbacca's furry arms away. "I'm awake. I'm awake. Quit it will ya?" He swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing his hand over his face to brush away imaginary cobwebs. Chewbacca gesticulated towards the little balcony and threw the doors open, still vocalising.

"She did what?" Han exclaimed, rushing to the window. Leia's speeder was leaving the complex and heading out in the direction of Al-Adreen. He whirled round, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Wait for back up, I said. She didn't even wait for me!" He threw his clothes on quickly and gathered his blaster and gun belt in his arms. "Come on, Chewie," he called angrily over his shoulder.

Chewbacca watched him walk quickly down the corridor, struggling to put his belt on as he went, hearing him mutter something about "head-strong woman" and "death of me." Chewbacca growled more gently and lumbered after him.

"You let her have a speeder? You know she's gone back to Al-Adreen by herself?" Han asked the last rhetorical question crossly as he passed Maz cleaning glasses at the bar. Maz shrugged.

"She's a big girl. I can't stop her." She was indifferent.

Han kept walking, pointing a warning finger at her as if to say they would be talking about this later. Maz simply leant on the bar and watched him go.

#

Reminded suddenly of riding the speeder bikes with Luke on Endor, Leia tutted at herself. That was another time when she had impetuously dashed off on her own, headlong into danger. Han would probably have plenty to say about her doing it again, once he woke up. Still, if she hadn't done what she did on Endor, they would never have met the Ewoks and the whole mission might have ended very differently. Looking back, she was grateful that the Ewoks had accepted her so readily, making clean clothes for her, caring for her like one of their own. Perhaps her fondness for Wicket had helped. Anyway, she was just going to explore, maybe see what she could find out. Nothing more. Han could moan all he liked. She appreciated the sentiment, but letting people do everything for her all the time while she remained at a safe distance made her feel stifled. Right now, she needed to let off some steam, and waiting around for everyone else while the kidnapped children were in trouble nagged at her.