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money is being made, and no infringement is intended. Do not post 
without my permission beforehand. 



"Ego the Size of the Maw"   
By: Mldrhn51@aol.com 
     
Salla Zend couldn't believe were she was.  Walking in the Imperial 
Palace? The Imperial Palace now ruled by the Rebellion? With her old 
friend Lando Calrissian at her side? This is crazy she told herself, but 
she just continued to listen to Lando as he took her for a grand tour.  
She was listening to the bits and pieces of what he had to say, but her 
mind was drifting else where.to what he had mentioned earlier.well, 
not WHAT he had but WHO he had mentioned.
        "And you'll get to meet Han's main girl now, Leia.former 
Princess of Alderaan, hero of the Rebellion." Lando said.he seemed 
to be trying to hide a devious grin tugging at his lips.but Salla didn't 
miss it, she knew what the grin meant.  A shudder still ran down her 
spine at the mention of it.was it because she hated and despised him 
as she let on or was it because she still missed him?  She was still deep 
in though, and Lando so wrapped up on telling his object of desire 
about all his adventures that neither of them heard the other couple 
chatting as they rounded the bend..
        "I tell you she's gonna kill me when she sees me!" Han Solo said.
"You could just be overreacting" Princess Leia said, her arm linked 
with Han's as they walked closely side by side down the wide, 
glamorous hallway of the Imperial Palace.
"You don't know Salla though.  When you get on her bad side...it's not 
a pretty site.  I bet the next time I see her she slugs me." 
"What are we betting?" Leia said with a sly grin.
"I can think of a few things..."  
Han didn't have time to finish his sentence when he ran into someone 
walking around the bend, nearly knocking him over...
"What the..." Han said angrily.
An angry Salla stood leering at him with daggers in her eyes.  
"So nice to run into you, Solo." She said, her voice colder than the ice 
planet Hoth.
"Salla...so nice running into you again...long time...no see." Han said, 
making sure no to upset her even more, if that was possible.
"Maybe because the last time I talked to you were high-tailing it out of 
Nar Shadda Boba Fett wouldn't have been able to catch you!" Leia 
couldn't help noticing Han flinch at Salla's mention of Boba Fett.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time." was all Han could say
"Well, you've done some pretty stupid things, Han Solo, but leaving me 
with no warning of your leaving, and no good reason except your make 
ego!"
Lando stood there rather embarrassed at the commotion his two friends 
were causing.
"Salla, Han didn't mean to hurt you intentionally..."
"Who asked you, Calrissian?!"
Han stood there fuming. No one, but NO one told Han Solo he made 
mistakes or had an ego the size of Tatooine except himself.
"Ego? EGO? Who's ego was as big as the Maw? Yours!! All you were 
thinking of was yourself!! You never asked me once what my opinion 
was!! All you did was plan everything without asking me how I felt!! 
And we weren't ever really together as it was!" Han said in a fury, but 
after he had said it he wished he didn't.
"You'll never get married Han Solo, cause all you can think about is 
yourself!! You're gonna die an old lonely bum, and I'll laugh my head 
off!" And with that she up and slugged him and walked away, Lando 
following.
Han just stood there rubbing his jaw. "Told ya so."
"Han, what in the world did you do to that woman to make her so 
mad?" Leia asked, pulling Han's hand away so she could inspect the 
damage Salla had done.
"It's a long story. Come on, you're buyin' me dinner."
That night:
Han and Leia sat in a quiet restaurant at a booth in the corner while Han 
tried to tell Leia as best he could about his life with Salla.
"...And you see, I never really meant to hurt her.  After the Maw 
incident and quit smugglin, she had this one track mind, and I was part 
of her plan whether I liked it or not."  Han said, finishing his story an 
taking a long sip of Alderaan ale.
"Well, I can see why she was kind of upset- you just left her a message.  
And losing someone like you..." Leia said, grinning.  She could never 
imagine life with out Han.  And yet Leia was nervous.  Nervous that 
Han did not intend to marry her, no intention of staying...the thought 
horrified her.  She wasn't being pushy was she? She listened to Han's 
opinions...didn't she?  Don't be silly, Organa, she told herself. He loves 
you and you both know it.  But is it enough, the voice taunted again.
"Han, what did you mean when you said 'we were never really 
together'?  Lando said you two were a hot item for a while." 
"Why that little..." Han took a deep breath, rubbing his still aching jaw 
"Well, we were seeing each other, but there was no commitment.  It 
was just that we enjoyed each other's company, and before Salla quit 
the smuggling business, neither one wanted anything permanent I 
guess, cause the risks were just so high.  We were close, but we never 
thought about marriage...at least I didn't.  I was in the prime of my 
smuggling operation, and marriage seemed...well, neither of us had 
ever even said 'I love you' to each other.  I don't even think we were in 
love, cause when she had finally said it, she couldn't look me in the 
eye...but I think she's wrong.  She doesn't know me now. I've changed 
since then.  I mean..."
"I know what you mean.  Yes, you have changed.  We all saw it when 
we rescued you.  She should have asked you how you felt.  But what's 
done is done, the way I see it."  Leia said.  I told you so, she said to her 
inner voice.  Han Solo has just said in his own way he is the getting 
married type of guy, well when he has found the right woman.  And I 
know the perfect Princess for the job.
"Obviously she doesn't see it that way though.  Thinks that I'll never 
find anyone who'd want me..." Han made a sad face at Leia, with the 
puppy dog eyes she couldn't resist, and it was all she could take.  She 
got up and moved to sit in the booth next to him.
"General, now that's where you're both wrong. Because you're looking 
right at her." And with that, she gave him a deep, passionate kiss to 
show how right she was.
The next morning in Leia's office:
"He has changed...hasn't he."
At the sound of the unexpected voice, Leia spun around.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.  I can leave if you're busy, I had 
just wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday." Salla said, 
glancing down at the floor.
"That's quite alright, come in, sit down." Leia said, gesturing to a chair.
Salla sat down slowly, unsure of where to start.  How could she explain 
to Han's girlfriend about her feelings for him? She wasn't sure she knew 
her exact feelings, but Leia Organa seemed like an understanding 
person...she hoped.
"I suppose Han told you about our life together."
"Well, some of it."
"I...pushed him too hard, didn't I..." Salla said, looking down.  If there 
was anything she hated, it was admitting she was wrong.  It was one 
thing she always regretted having in common with Han.
"It's hard to tell how hard you can push Han though.  And sometimes 
you need to push him." Leia said knowingly
"And I let my temper get the best of me.  But I was so mad! I know it's 
been a while since I've seen him, but even if he didn't mean it, he hurt 
me, and I let him get away with it.  And it felt good to punch him."  
Salla said with determination.
"I admire you for the guts to do it." Leia said with a grin. "But I think 
you two should work it out. You have so much in common from what I 
can see, and I don't know you all that well.  And I have always valued 
friendship, and Han is a very good friend.  I couldn't imagine to lose 
him."
And with that the door opened, and Han Solo strode in.  "Hey 
sweetheart!" he said, walking over to Leia. "Oh...hi Salla." Han said, 
baking away when he noticed her sitting there.
"I'm not going to hit you again Solo.  I'm here to...apologize." 
"Wow." Han said, taken back at her apology.  "Yeah, ya kinda 
do...umph!"  Leia elbowed in sharp in the ribs.  "I mean...I guess I'm 
sorry to for leaving like that.  But I had no choice..."
"Han...let's just...put it behind us.  What's done is done.  We haven't 
talked to each other in so long, and we were such good friends."  Salla 
said, hoping he would agree.
"Yeah.  Truce?" Han said,  holding out his hand.  Salla stood shook it 
and then embraced him in a bear hug.
"Salla! I...can't...breathe!"
"Sorry." Salla said with a sheepish grin.  "Solo, you BETTER keep in 
touch, or you'll find yourself with a black eye the next time I see ya.  
You too Leia." 
"Well, I gotta go, I promised the kid...uhh, Luke, I'd help him with 
somethin'.  See you for supper, sweetheart...See ya soon Salla!" Han 
said with a grin as he kissed Leia tenderly on the cheek and left.
"He really loves you, you know." 
At that Leia turned to look at her.
"I can see it in his eyes.  I don't think Han and I were ever in love.  
That's why I thank him for leaving.  You two were meant for each 
other.  But I still can't imagine the Han I knew with kids, a beer belly, 
and gray hair."  Salla and Leia both laughed at that.
"Yeah, that'll be the day Hoth turns tropical." Leia said with a grin.
And with that Salla and Leia strode side by side, each unsure of what 
adventure the universe would deal out to them this time