Nebulous - Han Solo [2]

Friends?

Author's note:

Hey everyone who's made it this far. Yes, I am going to keep writing Tasha's story to the end of the original series. Sorry for the long time between updates, I started these stories about five years ago and my life has changed a lot since then, I've finished school and started working and the amount of time I have had to work on it has been a little short atm. And Tasha is a really important character to me and I want to make sure I continue to do her and her story justice, as she has grown so much with me over the years.

So, thank you so much for your patience, with the current situation I'm going to try and update more so that if youre really into this for some reason you can find out what happens cause i know how frustrating it is when you really love a story and get cut off in the middle of a good part.

Anyway, please please please comment, vote, save, share this story! I love feedback and I love to know people are enjoying it! It makes me want to publish more of it!

Enjoy!

Lots of Love,

Tx  

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"So this girl," she said, flicking the buttons to power up the Falcon's hyperdrive, "who is she?"

"Her name is Qi'ra," said Lando, "her and Han grew up together on corellia. she helped out on Han's first smuggling mission."

"Oh, so they were close?" said Tasha, trying to hide the fierce, fast beating of her heart. Lando noticed.

"At the time, yes, but they haven't spoken as far as I know since then." The girl was only beginning to trust him, and he didn't want her to doubt Han and her feelings towards him. She cleared her throat slightly.

"Oh, why . . . why's that?"

"She betrayed him." Said Lando simply, and Tasha let out a harsh laugh.

"And so you think it's a good idea to go share our plan with this woman?" she questioned, leaning her head on her hand and her elbow on the console in front of her so she was facing him directly.

"Well, I didn't see anyone else giving any ideas," he bit back. Tasha inclined her head towards him, giving a slight chuckle.

"Touché my friend." Lando raised his eyebrows.

"So we're friends now?"

"As long as you don't try and sell me out to the empire again," said Tasha, "then yeah, I guess we are." They sat in silence for a moment. "I appreciate the risk you took in order to get us outta there, but I still don't really know if I can trust you. I mean I have trust issues at the best of times."

She pulled the lever and the stars streaked across the viewscreen, and Lando just stared at her again, and the dark circles under her eyes, her long black hair hanging around her face, the light of the stars going past them reflecting off of it, her green eyes intently double-checking everything was working the way it should and they weren't going to blow up and have bits of them scattered in three different systems. Her nails had remnants of dried blood around the edges where she'd clearly bitten them, the jagged flesh red and slightly swollen.

"You sure you're gonna be able to doll yourself up enough for this meeting? Qi'ra's yacht is a pretty swanky place, and we wanna blend in." Tasha looked round at him incredulously.

"I'm perfectly 'dolled up' thank you," she said, "I have a dress in the wardrobe, I'm sorted." Lando raised his eyebrows at her.

"No offence Tasha," he said, "but you look like hell, and that you haven't slept in a week." Tasha pretended to make a confused expression, pondering his words.

"Hmm, I wonder why that is?" she bit out, "maybe its because I haven't been able to sleep properly for the three weeks since Han was taken 'cause I'm terrified something awful will happen to him and there's nothing I could do about it? or because all of a sudden I've gone from being a girl largely on the sidelines to being made a general with hundreds of lives counting on me? maybe because I'm really really scared that we cant win this war, that everything I and everyone I love has sacrificed for this is for nothing, or that there will be nothing we can do to save Han or-"she cut herself off with a small scream, her hand grabbing her hair as she rested her elbows on her knees.

"Tasha," began Lando, "I know I'm probably the least qualified person in the galaxy to tell you this-" she let out a snort but he continued "-you're the strongest person I've ever met, but no one is capable of carrying the entire galaxy on their shoulders. Han is fine, he'll be fine, because I know sure as anything that you're gonna save his ass on this one, no doubt not for the first time."

Tasha let out a small chuckle at his words, wiping under her eyes slightly even though no tears had fallen. Lando smiled at her, setting a hand on her shoulder. She tensed slightly, but after a second relaxed into it, smiling in a sad but grateful way.

"If you ever need anyone to talk to," Lando shrugged, "I know I'm a reformed traitor that's given you no reason to trust him, but, I'll always be there for you, Tash. So will Han, and Leia, and Luke and Chewie and I'm pretty sure even Threepio if you're that desperate." Tasha laughed again despite herself and before she could stop herself wrapped her arms around his neck. Startled at first, Lando jumped before returning her embrace with a small smile of his own.

"Well, after that speech I think I better go get myself 'dolled up.'"