Nebulous - Han Solo [2]

Chapter 16: He's Hiding Something

"I think he's hiding something," Tasha murmured to Han as Lando walked in front of them, Leia still on his arm. The younger princess was definitely beautiful, no man could deny that, but there was wildness in Tasha's eyes, her confidence, the way she held herself that seemed exciting.

Han heard her, but didn't acknowledge blatantly that she had said anything. Somehow though, Tasha could tell he had heard her. The look in his eyes when he next looked at her, that mixture of apprehension and understanding, as though he knew to believe her, but knew he couldn't openly allude to it.

Lando showed them through the halls of Cloud City, and Han laughed when he started talking about the problems he'd had dealing with a workforce.

"What's so funny?" Lando said, a small smile on his face. Han laughed again.

"you." He replied. "You sound like a respectable leader, who'd have thought that, huh?" Tasha chuckled slightly. She still felt uneasy, but she couldn't let Lando find out or guess why. There was that presence too, that one that had haunted her for weeks now, except it was now evading her. Tasha tried rummaging around for it, that pressure on her mind, which now appeared as no more than a shadow, and it was about as easy to catch as a shadow. 

Lando ushered them through the corridors of the floating city and into a cluster of rooms.

"You should get some rest," he said to them, "I'll have my people send up some fresh clothes for you," his eyes rested on Tasha again, "please let me know if you need anything else." Tasha forced a smile onto her face in what would look to an outsider as gratitude as Leia walked past her into the suite.

"I'm sure everything will be satisfactory," she said. Lando's eyes flickered slightly before a puzzled look passed his face. Tasha raised an eyebrow quizzically; an imperious gesture to get him to explain himself, a bad habit she had yet to get rid of, but one Han had to admit suited her.

"Sorry," said Lando, "but you look awfully familiar." A secret smile passed Tasha's lips, though her heart rate definitely sped up a little. There was no way he should remember her.

"I've been told I look like the old princess of Alderaan." She said, shrugging.

Han wanted to look at her incredulously. What the hell was she thinking? Realisation dawned on Lando's face, nodding but he was not necessarily convinced, and Han could see it.

"She was an amazing woman," he said, his eyes flicking between Han and Tasha, scrutinising them both.

"Yes," sad Tasha, her voice dropping slightly, and a wistful smile appearing on her face, "she was." Lando nodded again.

"I'll leave you to rest."
......

"What do you think it is?" said Han, "what do you think he's hiding?"

Tasha let out a sigh, sitting her head in her hands, her hair rebelling from the tight confines of its pony tail, strands spilling over her face as she sat on the side of the bed. A simple dark green dress had been set out next to her, but she hadn't touched it, hadn't really touched any dress remotely like it in years. She wasn't the same person she had been when she wore those dresses. That side of her had run out of her as blood does from a wound, until there's nothing left but the cold husk of a warrior.

"I don't know," she said irritably, looking up at his equally irritated expression, "it's just a feeling that something here isn't right, but whatever it is," she sighed, "it's actively avoiding me." Han frowned.

"How do you mean, 'actively'?" he questioned, and Tasha sighed again.

"There's a presence here," she said, "something that's been lurking on the edge of my consciousness since that day at the Death Star." Her green eyes met his dark ones, and then dropped again before Tasha continued: "ever since that day, it's as though whatever it was has been trying to find me, overpowering me, projecting things . . . thoughts, images, into my mind. they were so close to breaking through, to breaking me, and now, I'm trying to catch it, but it's like a shadow." She chuckled slightly to herself. Han shifted slightly closer to her. Tasha stiffened. She didn't know why.

"So you're not going crazy then," Han said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood a little. Tasha scoffed, although it almost sounded like a sniffle.

"Is that what they say about me?" she said, the tears welling up slightly in her eyes, but again, she couldn't tell you why.

"Tasha-" Han started, moving to sit beside her, moving closer to her before Tasha leapt up as though she had been sat on hot coals.

"No!" she said, whirling around to face him, the shine of tears still in her eyes, "no, just stop. I . . . I can't do this . . . not again. Please, just leave me be." It was her terrified expression that made Han stand up, walking out the door.