Star Crossed

V

Jo tried to navigate the twisting halls of Lando's base, but there seemed to be no pattern she could figure out and before she knew it, she was absolutely lost. 

"Perfect." Jo turned to look down the way she just came, but as she turned she realized there was a hallway in each direction. Somehow she had found herself in the hub of the base, where every hallway intersected. "Absolutely perfect." She cursed lowly as she looked down each hallway for sign of life or droid. 

"Well, well, well, it looks like I've stumbled upon a damsel in distress." 

Jo turned around at Lando's gloating tone. "Not a damsel." She told him hotly. "And I'm not in distress." She added for good measure. 

Lando laughed at her rather harsh tone. He didn't mind a woman who could hold her own, he preferred it. A man of power needed a woman just as powerful. 

"You could have fooled me." He offered her his arm. "Does the not damsel in not distress need an escort?" 

Jo didn't want to, but she found him a tad charming. Maybe she did have a thing for scoundrels.

"I'm trying to find Han Solo." She told him as she laced her arm politely through his. 

"Of course you are." Lando laughed as he slowly led Jo down one of the many hallways. 

They walked at the same pace an R-2 would, which both irritated Jo and gave her a chance to breathe. 

"Tell me, how did such a beautiful Princess stumble upon someone like... Han?" 

Jo immediately caught the use of Leia's title. Her title too, as the ever loyal- ever trapped- decoy.  

Lando laughed at Jo's suspicious look. "A pretty face like yours is easily recognizable. And... I admit, I have done a bit of research." That caused Jo to raise an eyebrow. "It is my duty as Administer of this base to know all who step foot on it."

"Tell me, Administrator Lando Calrissian," Jo looked ahead of them as she spoke. She kept her tone civil and warm. "In your research of Princess Leia, what have you found?" She was genuinely curious to what there was to say about her and Leia. 

"Well," Land jumped at the chance to boast on his knowledge. "There are two Princess Leia's of Alderaan, though only one is the true Princess." He gave Jo a look to confirm what he said. As she nodded he went on. "No one knows who the true Princess is, though there are speculations."

"Are there?" Jo found that more humorous than dangerous to her cover. 

"The Empire seems to think you are the true Princess." Lando stopped in the corridor and turned Jo towards him. "They have a bounty out for you. They want you captured alive, though I assume it's only to make a stunt out of your execution."

Jo rolled her eyes. "They have a flare for the dramatics."

"You do not care about the debt hanging over your head?" Lando narrowed his eyes as he looked at the supposed Princess. 

She shrugged aloofly at the thought of dying. "I have helped orchestrate the biggest Rebellion this galaxy has ever seen-" She looked between Lando's dark eyes with a newfound power. "One does not do that if they fear for their life." 

There was a moment when neither of them spoke, then Lando broke out in a smile and continued on with their slow stroll. "You're a spit fire." He laughed loudly. "I see why Han likes you."

"He also finds me incredibly annoying, and  even borderline intolerable." Jo had to add it, though it wasn't necessarily true, just in case Han told Lando how he found the Princess to be a pain in his ass.