(Story Outline: Rebels celebrate one year anniversary of Endor Victory. Han and Leia add one year wedding anniversary. Leia tries to find right moment to tell Han she is pregnant. Imperials attack -- Chewbacca is taken for sale as slave. Han attempts rescue, winds up pitted against a drugged Chewbacca in gladiatorial combat.)

No one knew precisely where the idea had originated but everyone was enjoying it. Victory Day. The second anniversary of the decisive Battle of Endor, the turning point in the overthrow of the Empire and the establishment of the Alliance of Free Worlds. General Han Solo took a long swallow of his beer and surveyed the noisy revelry about him. In his opinion, it was that night's party no one wanted to forget! The ewok village itself had changed very little, the grandly titled Committee for Cultural Protection had carefully seen to that - and succeeded in being a thorn in Security's side as Solo had sought to set up adequate safeguards against any leftover Imperial threat. The solution had been to establish the Alliance Base some twenty Ks to the east. Nonetheless, ewoks and humans relished this yearly get-together, they made a great team when it came to throwing a party! The celebration had already passed midnight. Solo and Skywalker had settled themselves, crosslegged on either side of a cooking fire, Leia had gone off in search of a friend she had heard had just arrived, and Chewbacca, as ever, was busy enjoying the company of what looked like his miniatures. Wookiee and ewoks wove a drunken dance on the opposite side of the high wooden platform. Lando Calrissian, also feeling the effects of the potent ewok brew, was laughing and clapping time to the insistent drumbeat.

"I bet he'll deny everything come mornin'," Solo drawled, looking to Skywalker for comment. But Luke seemed a million parsecs off, hypnotised by the flickering flames into which he stared. Solo shrugged and went back to his spying.

"Han," Skywalker's voice said very abruptly and very clearly, "has Chewie ever hurt you?"

The question was so unusual and so unexpected that Solo choked on his beer and sat blinking stupidly at his companion. "Huh?" he finally managed. But Luke was still staring into the fire and seemed to have spoken to himself. Solo smiled nervously and decided it was a joke. Weird Jedi sense of humour. Then Skywalker's intense blue eyes lifted from the fire and bored directly into the Corellian's gaze. Solo shivered and his half-smile vanished. The kid was deadly serious. That faraway look in his eyes always boded trouble. Big trouble. "How do you mean ... hurt me?" Solo asked.

Skywalker jumped a little, blinked and seemed to come back to himself from a great distance. When he saw the concern he had brought to Solo's eyes, he flushed with embarrassment. "I don't know where that came from," he admitted with a shrug. "I suppose I was just thinking how much stronger he is than humans. The way Chewie's staggering around tonight ... I dunno, I guess, I was wondering if he's ever done any damage. You two have been together a lot of years."

Solo laughed, the worry lines gone. "Oh sure, we've had our share of run-ins. Especially after some long sessions at cantinas! He busted my foot once ... and an arm on Selant now I think of it. But that was years ago."

"He attacked you!?"

Solo looked shocked. "Hell no! Ain't nobody'd survive a wookiee charge! I told ya, incidents. He was drunk, we were both drunk, fell down in a heap together. Chewie landed on top."

Luke flinched. "Remind me to keep a safe distance tonight."

Solo looked across to where the wookiee did indeed seem in imminent danger of collapse. "It was only a coupla times. My fault really." There was a defensive edge to his voice. "Chewie's real careful. He knows his limit. He's hell to live with if he makes a mistake. Apologises for weeks!" Solo held Skywalker's gaze as he added, "What brought this on anyway? I mean you've been with me and Chewie years now and you never said anything before. Are you sure you weren't havin'...."

"Well, this looks serious!" A laughing voice intervened. Leia bent to kiss her husband. "Can anyone join in!?"

Solo smiled and looked up to see Leia accompanied by a tall, long-legged, red-haired Myrian female. "Hello," he greeted.

"Han, Luke," Leia introduced. "This is the friend I was telling you about. Captain Ria Sumay."

"Sumay!" Solo looked impressed. "The Captain Sumay? The battle of Dirgella?"

The Myrian blushed as she nodded. "The stories are exaggerated. I did have help."

Solo laughed. "Stories of battles are always exaggerated!! Please, sit down. I wanna hear 'em all!"

Solo and Organa were a happy but very weary couple as they returned to their home through a forest touched with the first golden rays of dawn. Luckily for them, and for the other party goers, this new day was also the only official holiday yet proclaimed by the new government. Solo graciously opened the door for his wife, then followed her inside. She made for the bathroom, he sat on their bed and began pulling off his boots. It was only now, alone with his thoughts, that Skywalker's comment returned to nag at him. "Y'know," Solo mused aloud, "that brother of yours can be a little weird at times."

Leia giggled and appeared in the bathroom doorway to give her husband and old-fashioned look. "You, General Solo, are allergic to Jedis!" Solo grinned. "Maybe. C'mere, let me do that." Leia obeyed, coming to sit beside him so that he could unbraid her hair, a pastime that seemed to give him undue pleasure. "That look of his gives me the creeps though."

Leia sighed. "What look is that?"

"Oh come on. You know the one. Like all of a sudden you're made of glass and he's see' somethin' a parsec off." Solo continued with the unbraiding not noticing as Leia's back stiffened in response.

"When did this happen?" she asked softly.

"Tonight. Just before you and Sumay showed up. That Ria is really somethin', isn't she? I promised to show her over the Falcon. She thinks she can use a scanner like ..."

"I know," Leia interrupted. "Did Luke say anything when he got this look?"

Finished his unbraiding, Solo stood and began tugging his shirt off over his head. "You mean do I think it was one of those, what does he call it?"

"Force Summons."

Solo tossed his shirt onto the back of a chair and headed for the bathroom. "Right. Nah. I don't think so." The sound of running water accompanied Solo's laugh as he added, "I think he had one too many brandas with his beer!"

"Luke!??"

"Yeah, Luke," Solo smirked. He returned to Leia's side, now dressed only in his green bathrobe. "Don't sound so shocked. We've seen him tie one on more than once in the past."

Solo leaned back against the pillows and drew Leia toward him. "Have I ever told you, Your Highness, that you have the most beautiful throat," he planted a kiss there, "The most beautiful collar bones," More kisses followed as he made his way toward her earlobes.

"Luke didn't say anything specific then?"

"Forget it." Solo nibbled at her jawline, tracing his way toward her lips.

"You mentioned it."

"So now I'm droppin' it."

"But you've got me curious!"

Solo halted his kissing and gave her a mock offended look. "Curious!? Curious!!?? What I want is aroused!!"

Leia giggled and kissed the tip of his nose. "Maybe a little bit of that too."

Solo's jaw dropped further. "A little bit!??"

Still giggling, Leia stretched out beside him and lay her head upon his shoulder. "Curiosity is a curse."

Solo sighed. "Ain't that the truth! Okay, okay!! He was just natterin' on about Chewie bein' a menace when he's drunk, fallin' all over people and such. that's all. Now," he kissed her full on the lips, "Less curiosity and more attention to the subject at hand."

"You mean this?" Leis said teasingly as her hand slipped inside his robe.

Solo sighed with pleasure. "Oh yeah! Now you're on track!" Leia's lips followed where her fingers traced patterns on Solo's muscular chest. His large hands caressed her breasts, but she pulled back again as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Chewie's never hurt you, has he?" she asked. Solo groaned and buried his face in her hair.

Han Solo was a pragmatic man. He prided himself on a firm belief in the scientific principles governing the universe. "It's not possible!!" he muttered yet again. "I was here until ten last night makin' sure this desk was clean!" He transferred his disbelieving glare from the stack of reports awaiting his signature to the young woman aide who stood stiffly in front of his desk. "How can all this ... this ... crap ... pile up again in only ..." he checked his wrist chron ... "ten hours and five minutes!?"

"Sir," Lieutenant Asera mumbled. "Our survey ship reached Granas last night. Then there's been a new flare up of trouble on Mintar 6 and supply raids on ..."

She was brought up short as Solo cursed. "All right!! Enough!" he said defeatedly. He took the uppermost report from the pile. "Am I still allowed a lunch break?"

"Ah ... yes sir," Asera stammered. "Will that be all, sir?"

"Sir," Solo muttered, eyes on the report. "I knew there was a catch to all this General shit. Yes.: he added more audibly, looking back up at his aide. "Thank you Lieutenant. Tell me, did you get any sleep last night?"

"Well - I napped. Here on the couch, sir."

Solo noticed the dark circles smudging the girl's pretty eyes. "Go home." he said sternly. "Now. Get some real sleep. And don't let me see you here before 0900 tomorrow."

"But General. You'll need someone here to ..."

"That's an order Lieutenant!"

"Sir," she sighed defeatedly, saluted and left.

It was not long before Solo began to regret his generosity. Asarel was right. Without her here to help with the correct bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, he was reduced to a painfully slow pace. He had developed a headache by the time someone politely knocked on his door and informed him he should go get lunch. "Can't," he mumbled without looking up. "If I leave off now this paper avalanche will bury me alive tomorrow."

"I promise to come dig you out," the voice returned with a giggle.

"Leia!" Solo's bad mood vanished, a delighted grin replacing his scowl. "What are you doin' here?" He got to his feet, crossed to his wife, kissed her and pulled out a chair for her. "You should be resting. I was worried about you this mornin'. You were so sick. Did you see the doc? Did you find out what made you throw up so much? I told you not to eat that rich food at the Ambassadorial dinner last night. Next time maybe you'll listen to me when I warn ya off fish tirac. You should ..."

"Han," Leia said wearily.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and let me go. I don't need to sit down. I need some lunch, and some company."

"You feel okay then? Are you sure? What did the doctor say?"

"That's what I want to ..." She was interrupted as Chewbacca came hurrying in.

"Han, Leia," he greeted briskly. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?" Solo was alerted by the sorrow in the wookiee's blue eyes. "What's gone wrong now?"

"Kassyyyk. A raid there last night. It was not isolated attack. Several villages were hit, hundreds of klicks apart."

"And?" Leia prompted as his growls suddenly became inaudible.

"Klurask, my home, was amongst them."

Leia's eyes widened in horror. Han grabbed at his friend's arm. "Malla? Lumpy?"

"Safe. But my cousin, Gluren is dead and her husband and son are missing. Han I must leave for Kassyyyk, now."

"Right. I'll come with ya." "No," the wookiee said softly. "You are needed here."

"To hell with ..." Solo began but Chewie insisted.

"You know your place is here. You must co-ordinate any move we make against these pirates. Here you will receive all the information from our agents. I am the most logical choice to liaise with Kassyyyk. As General, you ..."

"Yeah, yeah!" Solo drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Shit!" He clasped the wookiee's arm. "Good hunting. Give Malla and Lumpy hugs from me."

"Me too," Leia added. "Be careful."

The wookiee had barely left the room when several officers hurried in all carrying reports of attacks on other worlds and all wanting Solo's attention first. By the time calm was restored and everyone had been assigned various investigative duties, hours had gone by. Solo had two computers spitting information at him for cross checks, as did Leia.

"About lunch," Han muttered over the chattering of the machines. Okay by you if I send out for sandwiches? What was it you were goin' to tell me?"

Leia flicked him a glance, then looked back to her work. "It can wait. Come and see what I'm receiving from Saveska."

Three weeks went by in a blur of activity as there were reports of raids in other sectors and Solo occasionally escaped his desk to assess the damage in person. Whoever was behind these attacks was no hit and run pirate interested only in profits. There was a pattern emerging, one of deliberate political sabotage. Several of the victims were vital to the operation of fledgling Alliance governments on outlying worlds. Leia shared Solo's opinion that the large numbers of attacks was a cover for an even more sinister plot than slavery. Immersed in these thoughts, sipping at an almost cold cup of kalin in the base canteen, Leia did not see Doctor Oran's approach. In fact she did not respond even when the tall, slender woman sat opposite her. Only a hand squeezing her arm brought her out of her reverie.

"Anybody home? Jarra Oran repeated with a teasing smile as at last the diminutive Princess looked up at her.

"Sorry. I was wondering if Han's come up with any new leads."

"Uh huh. Where has he taken off to this time?"

"Apasa 4. There was a raid there ..."

"Two days ago. I know. One of my techs has family there. If the raids keep up at this rate we're going to be short on personnel. Everyone's taking leave to console the relatives."

Leia sighed. "Right. So the sooner we find the people responsible the better." She put down her cup and made to stand. "I'd best get back to work."

"Oh no you don't! I've wanted you to stop by for a check up, but ..." "I'm fine. Really." "No more nausea?" "Not a twinge. That medication works like magic ..."

Jarra smiled. "Most women say it's the best invention since bacta! Not so much because of the alleviation of the nausea mind you, but because it stops their husbands from fussing too much. Han seems to be taking it all very calmly."

Leia slumped back into her chair and began fidgeting with her cup. "He doesn't know yet."

"He doesn't know!? Why haven't you told him? Is there a problem?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. I'm sure he'll be walking on air when I tell him, it's just that ..."

"Go on." Jarra prompted as Leia fell silent.

"Well, you know how he over reacts sometimes."

"That's one way of putting it," Jarra commented dryly.

Leia looked up into the doctor's sympathetic eyes. "I didn't want to tell him in public, or just offhand, and since these raids, well, I haven't found the right moment. I want it to be something special, memorable, you know? Maybe I'm being foolish."

Jarra leaned forward and patted Leia's hand. "Quite the contrary. It sounds perfectly reasonable to me." She chuckled then said, "Knowing Solo there's always a chance he'd faint or do something else beneath the dignity of a General."

"Exactly." Leia's expression remained glum.

There was a thoughtful silence. Finally Doctor Oran spoke up. "The longer you leave it, the more he'll go on about it."

"I know."

"Another month and you'll start to show."

Leia's mood brightened. "Really? You know I never pictured myself being a mother. It wasn't something I'd ever considered, and now ... I'm so happy. Watching Han handle a baby is going to be ... interesting."

Jarra laughed. "Please, one problem at a time! Han should be sharing your happiness. You'll have to tell him as soon as he gets back."

Leia nodded agreement. "He's promised to make next Third Day just for the two of us. It's our wedding anniversary. I'll tell him then."

Third Day arrived but didn't go as planned. There was simply too much work to do to allow an entire day free. Both Leia and Han had again spent the daylight hours stuck in front of computer terminals, mounting reports, and irate ambassadors and upset family members. There had been some romance however as Solo had gone out before dawn to collect an arm load of Leia's favourite wildflowers, the same that had been in bloom when he had proposed marriage. Leia awoke to their fragrance, Han had scattered them all over their bed. They made love amid the blossoms. Then there had been a token celebratory drink with lunch, but the day had been routinely hectic since then. Leia determined it would not be an entire loss. She had a master plan. As the sun lowered she left her office and gave Solo the message that she was preparing something special for him. There were to be no excuses. Dinner on the dot of 2000 hours in their home. It was now 2005, and she was becoming nervous. This was definitely her last chance at a romantic setting for such wonderful news. She was beginning to have doubts. Would Solo be as happy as she so confidently predicted? She was almost three months pregnant. She certainly could not delay any longer. By 2015 Leia had torn her table napkin to shreds and was glumly watching the play of flickering candlelight over the beautifully arranged fresh flowers in the centre of the table. She was startled as Solo planted a kiss on the nape of her neck.

"You makin' us some confetti, Your Worship?" he teased. "Sorry I'm late."

Leia stood, pulled open Solo's shirt front, and dropped the pile of shredded tissue inside. "That's for being late," she said. Then she took his face in her hands and kissed him hungrily. "And that," she concluded, "is for only being a quarter late." She reached into his hip pocket, took out his pager and turned it off. "No interruptions tonight." Laughing, Solo wrapped his arms about her waist and drew her to him.

"What was the prize for being on time?"

Leia smiled impishly. "Be on time next year and maybe you'll find out."

"I can't wait that long." He nibbled at her ear lobe then moved down her throat. "Isn't there somethin' I can do to make it up to you?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe!!!??" Solo sounded insulted. "That's not what you said this morning!"

Leia giggled. "I like what you did with the roseta petals."

"Yeah?" Solo leered. He reached out and pulled a flower free of the display. "Well maybe I can arrange a repeat performance." They kissed again, but Solo pulled away.

"What?" Leia asked.

"That confetti's makin' me itch." Solo began pulling it out of his shirt.

"Oh? Well....." Leia said playfully, "maybe I can remedy that with the same technique you used on me and the flower petals."

"I like the sound of that!" He began to lead her to the bedroom but Leia indicated the carefully laid table. Graciously he drew out a chair for her, then with a flourish, presented the gift he had chosen. The candlelight caught the blue tiralline gemstones set in the necklace, sending tiny flashes of colour dancing about the room. "Happy Anniversary, Leia love," Solo said softly as he fastened the necklace about her throat.

"Oh Han!" Leia gasped. "It's so beautiful! I've never seen anything like it!"

"It's an original beauty, just like you," Solo complimented. "I collected the stones myself. Took five runs to Aquaza to get enough."

"Thank you," Leia said huskily. She looked long into his eyes, preparing to tell him. "I have a very special gift for you too."

"Hey, yeah!" Solo was surprised. "It's not the custom for the woman to buy ..."

She placed a finger to his lips. "I didn't buy it. This is a very unusual ..."

Both jumped as there was a loud knock at the front door. Leia had disconnected the vid-speak and buzzer. Solo swore. "Ignore it."

"Han! Leia!" Skywalker called urgently. "Open up! It's an emergency! Chewie's in trouble!"

That got the Corellian's attention. He hurried to activate the doorlock and a breathless Skywalker appeared in the hallway, almost running toward the dining area. "I'm sorry," he said. "We couldn't reach you on the comlink."

Solo grasped his friend's shoulder. "Chewie?"

"He's all right, but we've got to get to him fast. There was an attack on the Erena Refuge. Chewie got a shipload of the kids out, but they took fire. They're stranded ..." he paused for emphasis. "in the Grigari Straits."

"Oh no!" Leia whispered.

Solo merely shrugged and said, "It could be worse." The twins' expressions showed puzzlement at this lack of alarm. The Grigari Straits were a shipping graveyard. No one went in there intentionally, unpredictable magnetic tides and radiation bursts simply tore ships apart.

Luke explained further. "Intelligence reports suggest that even if Chewie can make repairs and get out of there before the tides reach their peak, the pirates will be waiting for him. The squadron can give him some cover if he breaks free ... but ..."

"Right," Solo agreed, "They're too small. They'd be crushed even by the Lesser Tide. You need somethin' good and heavy, but fast, to go in after them and do a transfer. The Falcon's made to order. She's been through the Straits twice already."

Luke and Leia gaped. "What!!?"

"Chewie knows the place pretty good," Solo explained. "Probably why he made a dash for it. Hey, how else do ya think we made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs?!"

"Less than ..?" Leia began.

Skywalker interrupted, his blue eyes intent as he held Solo's gaze. "I thought you were boasting... or drunk."

"Nope." Solo flashed a smile but the worry never left his eyes. "C'mon, we ain't got time to talk. Let's move ... I'll need a navigator. You game?"

Luke smiled. "Try and stop me!"

"I'm coming too," Leia interjected.

Solo turned to her and gently held her arms. "No. Please."

"Han," she said angrily, "we agreed ..."

"I know. But just this once, huh? Please. I'm gonna need to concentrate all out, and you're such a beautiful distraction."

Fury flashed in the Princess' dark eyes, then she caught a look from Luke which really threw her. Somehow he had sensed she was pregnant. The radiation would be an extreme danger to the new life she carried. She nodded secretly to her brother, warmed by his answering joyous smile and the words that formed in her mind. "Hey!! I'm an Uncle!! Does Han know?" She shook her head.

"What are you two up to?" Solo demanded.

"Sorry, Han," Leia replied. "I was just thinking. You're right. I should stay."

Solo was stunned by this sudden surrender. He had expected to be forced to give in. "Thanks," he said simply, then kissed her. "I'll go get my gear."

The Corellian disappeared through a doorway and Luke immediately gave his sister a hug. "Congratulations!! Why don't you tell him?"

Leia's face showed an anguish of indecision. "I was just about to. So much for a romantic setting. Now, I don't know what to do. You heard what he said about needing to concentrate."

"He's got to know, Leia. He's never cracked under pressure before. I'm sure he can handle it."

Solo returned, pulling on his flight jacket. He had overheard the last of Skywalker's words and assuming Leia was upset, he soothed, "Don't worry. I've done this before. I wanted you to stay behind because the turbulence is real rough. Broken bones are common if you're not real careful, and you're a hell of a lot more fragile than me."

Leia nodded and smiled distractedly, not really paying attention, concentrating on the debate raging in her head. She followed automatically as the two men headed out into the night.

Leia's private battle continued as she accompanied them in the air car as far as the spaceport. It was only a ten minute journey, not enough time for her to weigh all the pros and cons. To be honest she had to admit to a certain amount of resentment at having the perfect atmosphere ruined. But that feeling was almost smothered by her anxiety and confusion. What if the unthinkable happened and he never returned to her? He should know. But would the sudden shock throw him too far off balance?

"You're awful quiet tonight, sweetheart," Solo commented as Luke brought the air car to a halt and jumped out. "I'm sorry about the dinner. Mad at me?"

She shook her head, not entirely trusting what might slip out if she spoke. "Be careful," she managed, then kissed him.

"Hey, always!" Solo turned away as the Port Officer called to him to hurry. Apparently they had warmed the engines as he had ordered. The Falcon stood outlined like a bird of prey against the starlit sky, humming and trembling with eagerness to be free again. He could see Skywalker was already in the cockpit, preparing to take her up, giving Solo a little extra time with Leia. He turned back to her. "Everything's gonna work out fine. Don't worry, okay?" He leaned forward and kissed her again. "Love you."

"Love you too," Leia whispered, then watched as he walked away. As he reached the ramp she realised she could no longer hold back. "Han!!" she yelled over the increased roar from the engines. "Han!!" He turned and looked at her. "I'm pregnant!"

"What?" he held a hand behind his ear.

She moved as close as she dared and yelled louder. "I'm pregnant!!" Pilots, ground crew and other personnel standing nearby turned and stared.

Solo had also heard. His expression registered disbelief, jaw dropped and eyes comically wide. "Pregnant!!?" he shouted. She nodded, smiling at his expression, then he grinned sheepishly in response. He looked set to run to her, but the ramp began lifting beneath his feet. "Yahoo!!" he bellowed joyfully, then lost his balance and fell, sliding backwards into the Falcon's hatchway. He got to his feet, waved and grinned, then headed for the cockpit, no doubt to have a few words to Skywalker about takeoff procedure. Leia watched as the Falcon rose into the night sky, thrusters burning smaller and smaller in the distance until they reminded her of the candles on specially prepared table. Now she would have to finish that meal alone and go on to a cold, lonely bed. She rubbed wearily at her eyes, knowing she had done the right thing in telling him, but still unable to shake the concern that it might cause harm to him in the upcoming mission. Suddenly, there were people crowding about her, wanting to offer congratulations. She nodded and smiled, but was not really hearing or seeing them. All her thoughts were with Han.

Four days later Leia returned to that exact spot in the docking bay. She stood staring up at the cloudy night, waiting for the first tell-tale moving glow that would signal the Falcon's re-entry. Inside the Port Authority building behind her she knew they were tracking both the Falcon and the X-wings on computer screens. Somehow the sky outside and her own eyes' evidence was what she needed. And out here there was more privacy. Having the entire base discussing her pregnancy was beginning to annoy her. True enough, people could not have been kinder and she was glad they shared her excitement and happiness. It was just that she found it almost impossible to react enthusiastically to their comments while she worried about her husband, her brother and her friend. Everyone told her repeatedly that the last report was that the mission was a complete success, but there had been no voice contact with the Falcon due to some fire damage to communication systems. Leia could sense a great weariness and tension, and occasionally flickers of what could have been pain from Luke. She wouldn't be happy until he, Solo and Chewbacca came striding down the ramp toward her. Then her straining eyes at last caught the movement she sought. There was the sound of running footsteps behind her. She did not take her eyes from those moving points of light so high above.

"It's them, Your Highness!" Lieutenant Trent announced, but not as excitedly as she would have expected. Fear chilled her more than the night breeze.

"What's wrong?" she asked, flatly.

"Probably nothing," Trent answered. "But we still have no contact with the Falcon's crew. Group Captain Wheeler says she took quite a pounding before she got clear of the Straits, so we ...." he paused as a medical and fire team raced past, sirens blaring. Leia turned and stared, her face stark white in the dim light. Trent squeezed her arm. "It's just a precaution. I'm sure they're all right. Look, see? The Falcon's coming in smooth as an arrowbird."

Leia looked up again, this time oriented immediately by the roar of powerful thrusters as well as the now much brighter glow. Trent was right. Relief washed through her as she saw the Falcon make a characteristically perfect approach and an only slightly wobbly touch down as one of the braking thrusters failed to fire at maximum. She winced, seeing even at a quick glance evidence of severe external damage. Solo would not be a happy man. Exterior tracking and weaponry had all been torn free by the terrible magnetic tides. But Han's beloved Falcon was not her first concern. She hurried forward, pushing through the emergency crews, and running up the ramp before it had completely come to rest. "Han! Luke! Chewie!" she called.

It was Chewbacca she saw first. He came lumbering aft, his fur singed in some places, but his eyes tired and happy. He began to say something when Solo bellowed from behind in the cockpit, "Chewie! That fire ain't gonna wait all day!" The wookiee grabbed at the extinguisher and headed further aft. Only now did Leia notice the smoke billowing from that direction. There was more wafting about the cockpit. The fire and medical crews raced in and Skywalker suddenly appeared from the cockpit.

"The hold!" he shouted. "The children are down there!" As he ran past her, Leia noted blood coated his left sleeve and the arm hung limp at his side.

"Luke!" she called, "You're hurt!" He spared her a hasty, reassuring smile, but then urged the fire crew to follow him aft. Chewbacca re-emerged from the smoke, apparently obeying Solo's orders to man the auxiliaries. Leia hurried forward, palming the lock on the cockpit door and drawing a relieved breath as she saw Solo frantically at work in the pilot's chair, his back to her. "Han!" she blurted out. "Are you all right?!"

"Be right with ya, sweetheart," he called, his voice hoarse with weariness and the effects of smoke. "Damn!" he cursed as another tell-tale flashed at him. "Hit the over-ride on shield number four for me, will ya?"

Leia hunted for the correct switch. "Got it!"

"Thanks. That's the last, Chewie," Solo called over the radio. "She's home but she's hurtin'. We're gonna have a lotta work ahead of us."

Leia's patience dissolved. "Hello Solo!" she ground out. "Welcome home, daddy!" Awkwardly Solo pushed himself up and turned to her. Leia drew a sharp, shocked breath. Blood covered the left side of his face, oozing from an ugly gash high on his brow. More was splattered over his white shirt, the collar was soaked as was the sleeve which he again lifted to mop at his face. "It's not as bad as it looks," he assured with a tired, wry smile. "Hey! Daddy and Momma Solo! I do like the sound of that!." His smile faded and his eyes filled with an intense, shining joy. "Oh Leia I love you so much!" He made to move to her, gave a grunt of pain and clutched at the chair back.

"Han!" she cried in alarm.

"I'm okay," he assured. "No need to fuss." Then without further ado, he fainted. Leia tried to catch him, but she couldn't hold his weight. She could do no more than cushion him as he fell.

"Medic!" she screamed, knowing the intercom would pick it up, but Skywalker was suddenly at her side.

"Oh damnit," Luke muttered. "I told him not to try and stand on that leg. He caught some shrapnel." Leia's expression was all fear as she looked up at him and he placed a comforting arm about her shoulders. "Hey, it's not serious, honest."

"I'll decide that, Commander," Doctor Oran said from behind them. "If you'll let me get through." As they moved back, she noted Skywalker's wound. "You too this time huh?" She turned to the stretcher team at the door. "Get him to Surgical on the double."

"I can walk!" Luke protested. Jara, now on her knees beside Solo, did not argue. She merely pointed an imperious finger in the direction of the stretchers. "That's probably what this one said."

Luke surrendered and Leia looked up as Chewbacca asked "Han?" Leia didn't answer, she simply moved so he could see his partner being loaded on to a second stretcher. Solo was moaning and moving feebly. She wanted to go to him but there wasn't room in the narrow walkway. Doctor Oran took her by the arm. "Relax," she said soothingly. "Skywalker was right. It's a minor wound. He's just lost a lot of blood. He shouldn't have stood up so fast." Suddenly, Leia's composure vanished. She began to sob and the doctor drew her into a comforting embrace.

Several hours later, Leia sat by Solo's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake. The surgeon droid had operated to remove the shrapnel and the wound was heavily swathed in bacta bandaging. More bacta was smeared on the gash in his forehead and already it was showing signs of closing over. He looked very comfortable and peaceful, lying amid clean, white sheets. The sight eased Leia's shock. She should have expected he'd come back bruised and bloodied, it seemed to be the only way he knew. Smiling with exasperated affection, she took the hand she held and kissed it.

"He looks a lot better now they've cleaned him up," Skywalker observed from the adjacent bed.

"You should talk," Leia chided. "How do you feel now?"

He shrugged. "Fine, except for this." He indicated the arm that hung heavily in a sling, then grinned. "You should have been there, Leia! He flew like a demon! You'd never believe the stunts he pulled!"

"You'd be surprised how much I could believe," Leia responded dryly. "You weren't with us when we lifted off from Hoth."

"Please don't remind me about that!" Chewbacca honked mournfully. "He's making me old before my time!"

Luke and Leia laughed and the sound caused Solo to stir. "Wha's so funny!?" he mumbled. He squinted into the bright lights overhead. "Where the hell am I?" He moved to sit up, then groaned and cursed as abused muscles complained. "What hit me!?"

Doctor Oran hurried across from her station. "Lie still, Solo," she ordered. "You've just come out of surgery. You're in the base hospital ... where you always wind up after a mission."

"Nice!" Solo growled, but still feeling groggy, he lay back. "Dim the lights would ya? My head hurts."

"I'm not surprised," Chewbacca commented. "You're lucky it's still attached considering the dive you took drawing fire away from those children."

Returned memory had Solo jerking upright. "Are they okay?"

"Better than you," Jara answered. "Will you be still or do you want a shot!?"

Solo glared at her. "Obeying orders might be your best move, this once," Leia advised with a smile.

He turned sharply toward her. "Ow! Damn, my head hurts!" He grabbed anxiously at her hand. "Leia, are you all right? What are you doing here? I mean, nothing's wrong is it?"

"What are you babbling about?"

"You know." He pointed at her abdomen. "The b... b... b..., you know. You're pregnant."

"Yes, I know that, dear." Leia giggled. "And it's called a baby." He blinked stupidly at her.

"Well, shouldn't you be sitting down or something?"

"I am sitting down," Leia pointed out when the laughter had subsided.

"Yeah, well," Solo mumbled. "Just checkin'. You're sure everything's okay?"

"Solo," she said firmly, pointing at where his bandaged leg lay propped on pillows, "You're the one who's damaged. I'm fine. Got it? I know this was all a plot of yours just so you could avoid my cooking!"

A slow smile spread across Solo's face. "Well," he drawled, "your stew is a helluva lot more dangerous than ..." She slapped playfully at him and he grabbed her hand and held it to his lips. "Hey, Mamma Solo," he said softly, "I love you so much it hurts."

"That's your leg, dummy," she responded huskily. She kissed him and he held her to him. When she drew back she noted with surprise that tears glistened in his eyes.

"I'm really gonna be a father?" he asked.

"You're really going to be a father." She placed his hand to her belly. "Say hello to Junior."

After that mission, there followed a relatively quiet period of several months. It seemed the pirates and whoever was behind them, had been subdued by the Alliance show of power in the Grigari Battle. Thus the rebels had time to allow their wounds to heal and do nothing more dangerous than hunt down the last of their leads which proved to be dead ends. Everyone at Endor Base relished this time of relative peace, none more so than the Princess and the General. As soon as Solo was fit enough, he was seen climbing all over the Falcon's hull like a nesting spider. And so it was that Leia always knew where she could find him in his off-duty hours. Endor was a truly beautiful place, its forested valleys and fresh streams reminding her in some ways of Alderaan. Especially at this time of year, when the shadowed areas grew chill with a frost and the deciduous bushes turned the undergrowth the colour of a blazing hearth. Leia loved nothing better than to set out, basket over her arm, as she searched for the luscious, sweet, red and blue berries amongst the golden leaves. Now her basket was full and she turned to follow the path that led to the clearing where Han had moved the Falcon closer to their home so he could more easily work on it in his free time. The sun warm upon her back and the breeze cooling her face, Leia had never felt happier. The weight of her child filled her with joy even though she knew she must look less than elegant, walking with a slight backward lean to compensate. At seven months pregnant, her tiny frame seemed to add emphasis to her swollen belly. She was proud of the joy she saw in Solo's eyes whenever, as he now more often did, he lay a hand to her belly to feel for the movement of the child within. Lately, the father role had really been drawing out some previously unknown quirks. Leia giggled as she recalled some of the baby-talk she had overheard when Daddy 'conversed' with Junior. Solo looked so funny, talking to her belly! Right now however, her burden was causing more annoyance than delight. She had walked quite a distance and her back was beginning to ache. She was tempted to sit down and eat all the berries herself - after all she was the person who had worked so hard to collect them. She paused, put the laden basket down, and stood leaning against a tree as she rubbed at her back. It was then she heard a familiar whistling. Solo was heading back up the track toward the house, probably in search of lunch. She watched as he rounded a corner, sauntering along, the tool belt strapped to his waist, jingling with each step and keeping time to his tune. He looked so engrossed in his happy thoughts that he'd probably walk right past her and not see her. "Han! I'm over here!" she called. He stopped, turned sharply about, at first smiling then suddenly alarmed. He ran up the track to her, almost falling as he came to a skidding halt at her side.

"What is it!?" he gasped. "What's wrong!? Is it the baby?!!"

"Oh for heavens' sake!" Leia sighed. "When are you going to stop having these panic attacks!? I'm fine. Look, I've picked some fresh berries for us."

"B-but," Solo stammered. "You're rubbing your back and you look so pale. Maybe you should sit down."

"I was just about to."

Solo's anxiety returned. "I thought you said you're all right?"

Leia glared at him. "I am all right! Will you stop fussing!? I've just walked a way collecting these and I'd like to rest? This baby's no light weight any more you know!"

"Right. Right." Solo said soothingly. "Here. You take the basket." He handed it to her. "And I'll take you and Junior." So saying he scooped her up into his arms and turned back the way he had come.

"What are you doing!?" Leia protested. "Put me down!"

"Uh-uh," Solo refused, smiling now. "Not until I find a nice soft dry spot for you. You really should take better care of yourself. It's damp and chill there under those trees."

She slapped his shoulder. "Who's the mother here, Solo, you or me!?" He patted her swollen belly. "Definitely you, Your Worship."

Leia giggled. "Put me down. Where are you going?"

"To the Falcon. Now you're here, you might as well see the new bottom cannon."

Leia sighed. "You got it in okay then?"

"Yep. More fire power than the old one. You'll love it."

When they reached the ship, Leia was impressed despite herself. He really had been working hard to achieve so much so soon and she told him so, enjoying sharing his pride in his skill. "We can't just eat berries for lunch," she decided as they moved inside. "I'll see what else I can find." She turned to go the galley then stopped and grabbed at her side, giving an involuntary cry of pain.

"Leia!! Are you okay!?"

She did not answer Solo immediately, she simply stood, leaning forward, gasping for breath. "It's just ..." she tried to say, but he picked her up and carried her to their cabin, gently placing her on the bed and propping her up with pillows. As she looked at him, she saw that his face was drained of all colour. He kissed her brow and said, "Lie quiet. I'll call Jara."

"You'll do no such thing!" Leia commanded. "Will you relax! Junior has quite a kick, that's all."

"That looked like more than a kick to me."

"Oh? I suppose you're the one who felt it!?"

"I'm not arguing, Leia," Solo said flatly. He turned to go.

"Han, please. Come here." She said softly. Reluctantly, he obeyed. "Trust me huh?" She lifted a hand to caress his face. "If you call Jara every time I feel a twinge, she'll resign before I ever go into labour."

"So now it's a 'twinge', huh!?"

"Maybe. It's normal enough."

"You don't know that!!" Solo exclaimed worriedly.

"Neither do you!"

"And that's exactly why I want to play it safe!" he declared, getting to his feet and turning his back to her. He drew a deep breath, let it out slowly, and said, "I'm sorry." He turned and looked uncertainly into her eyes. "It just kinda scares me, y'know?!"

Leia's glare melted into a soft smile of understanding. "I know. Come here. Sit by me." He did so and she said, "I love you ... but if you don't stop fussing over me I'm going to strangle you!!"

He smiled at last. "You think you got a chance?"

She lifted her hands to his throat then giggled. "Let me up. I want to get lunch." He didn't move. "Solo!!" she growled.

"Okay!! Okay!! I surrender! But if it happens again I'm making that call!"

Leia threw up her hands in a gesture of absolute exasperation. "Fine!! Embarrass yourself!! Embarrass me!! Waste Jara's time!!" She pushed by him and out the door.

"Ahh, c'mon Leia, be reasonable!" he called as he followed her. He almost bumped into her as she stopped suddenly in the corridor.

"Hello, Chewie," she greeted. Solo looked up and saw his huge friend coming up the ramp. "Hi pal! What's new?" he called. "We're just having lunch. Want some?"

"Thank you," Chewbacca said quietly. There was something in the tone of the response that put Solo on the alert.

"What's wrong?" he asked steadily.

"It's started again," the wookiee said shortly.

Leia's heart sank. "The raids?"

Chewbacca nodded. "Kasshyk."

Solo cursed. "That does it! We're gonna have t'get to the bottom of this!"

"That's what I came here to talk to you about," Chewbacca said. "I have a plan."

"I don't like it," Solo repeated for the third time. "It's too dangerous."

"You're only saying that because you can't come with me," Chewbacca argued. "Solo, I tell you, you'll know exactly where I am at all times. You can follow me on the tracer."

"And what if they find it!?"

"A surgical implant!?" the wookiee scoffed. "Hardly likely. C'mon Han, you know this is the only plan that has a chance."

"Oh sure. Fine. You set yourself up as bait. Real original. Wonderful idea!"

"You've done it yourself in the past."

"That was different. We weren't messing with slavers!"

"I'll have the emergency transmitter." As if to emphasise the finality of his next statement the wookiee got to his feet, towering over Solo as he held the human's gaze. "Han, I'm not taking no for an answer on this one. The Security Council are all for it. So are my people. They have suffered too much. They want their families whole again. Something has to be done now to find the source of these attacks. Nothing else has come close to working. This is the only way."

Solo didn't like it, but he knew when he was beaten. "Sure pal," he said quietly. "Whatever you want." He gave a wry smile as he stood and clasped his friend's powerful arm. "Like they say, 'it's not wise to upset a wookiee'."

Chewbacca snorted, his mouth curling upward in response to the familiar taunt, then he mussed Solo's hair and drew him into a hug. "Cut it out, will ya!" the Corellian protested. He grabbed at the Wookiee's encircling arms, knowing even using all his strength he couldn't break free if Chewbacca didn't want him to. In a flash, he remembered the look in Skywalker's piercing blue eyes when he had said something about that unequal strength. Solo stared down at the furry forearms. His hands looked like an infant's by comparison.

"Han?" Leia prompted, worried at the sudden stillness. She had said very little, knowing there was not much she could say. This was a matter of honour codes and a friendship so deep that she often wondered at it. She agreed with Chewbacca that it was time for drastic action. His plan had been well contrived, he would be disguised and monitored. But Solo also had a point. There would be danger and he would not be there to protect his friend. "Are you okay?" she added, giving him a little hug as still he failed to respond.

"Huh? Oh yeah." Solo finally snapped out of his trance. "Just thinkin'. What kind of tracer are they plannin' on using on ya, Chewie?"

"A Trans M52." The wookiee replied.

Solo made a sound of disgust. "C'mon pal! You know better than to trust that junk!?

Chewbacca shrugged. "It's all they have and we don't have time to ..."

"Like hell we don't!" Solo exploded. "We'll make time! You ain't goin' nowhere wearing a 52!! It'll cut out on ya just when you need it most! When were you plannin' on leavin' for Kassykk?"

"Tomorrow morning, after the surgery. These raids come every ten days or so. Intelligence say they have a good idea of the area most likely to be hit next."

"Fine," Solo decided. "I'll go call Doc right now. He's sure to have a model 68, probably soup it up for ya too. If I get started now, we can be there, have it implanted and drop you on Kassyk only two days later than you intended." The wookiee considered and Solo urged, "C'mon Chewie, you know it's worth the delay."

"Agreed," the wookiee nodded.

"Thank you." Solo let out a relieved breath. "I'm only lettin' ya do this if ya promise me you won't get in too deep before calling for help."

Again Chewbacca hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be tracking you every step of the way," Solo continued as he headed for the cockpit. "I'm gonna go make that call to Doc."

Leia watched as her husband disappeared into the corridor. "He's going to be a nervous wreck!"

The wookiee snorted. "He already is a nervous wreck!"

"True!" Leia sighed. "I'm sorry this had to happen now," Chewbacca growled softly. "Oh Chewie!" Leia squeezed his arm. "Please don't apologise! Your clans have lost so much. We understand you have to do this. Just be careful ... please."

"I will. I want to be back in time to see Han's face when he holds his cub for the first time."

As Leia predicted, Solo got very little rest during the following three weeks. Then, during the second raid since Chewbacca's undercover placement, the wookiee was taken. Now Solo refused to go to bed at all. Chewbacca's attack signal should be no more than a few days away. By that time he should have some idea of the power network behind the raids. Meantime, Solo sat in the Security Command, his eyes seldom leaving the print outs which not only gave the wookiee's location but also his condition.

"Here," Leia said as she came up behind him. "Drink this. Then please, be sensible for once and get some sleep."

"Later."

"Now!" She replied more sharply than she had intended. "A fat lot of good you're going to be to Chewie if you're out on your feet when he does signal!"

Solo let out a long, weary sigh. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks for the kalin. I'll be with ya as soon as I down it. Wake Trent up for me, will ya?"

She nodded, smiled and moved toward the door that opened onto the Lieutenant's assigned room. She and Solo had also taken a room here at H.Q. so as never to be far from the monitor screens. She called to the young officer then returned to Solo.

"Sorry I've been such a grouch," he apologised. "I guess I'm kinda tired." He stood, took her in his arms and held her to him. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, then patted her out-sized belly, "You're putting quite a distance between your mother and me these days, Junior!"

Leia giggled, then seeing Solo yawn, she took him by the arm and led him to their room. "Please, Your Highness!" Solo said in a comically shocked tone. "Let's not make it so obvious!" He winked at Trent who had just come in. The young man blushed and nodded a shy greeting.

Leia stomped on Solo's foot by way of punishment. "Oh shut up!" she whispered. "You're so tired you couldn't even think about it right now!"

"Oh yeah?!" Solo leered. "I'll take that bet!"

As it turned out, the Corellian was so exhausted that it was Leia who first heard Trent's cry of alarm. "General Solo!" he called. "It's gone! The tracer's gone!"

"No.!" Leia whispered. "Please God, no!" She shook Solo's shoulder.

"Wh-what?" he asked groggily. "Is it my shift already?"

"General!" Trent called again. "Hurry! We've lost him!"

Han shared one quick, sickened glance with Leia, his eyes pleading with her to tell him he was having a nightmare, then he leapt from the bed, barely pausing to pull his robe about him.

Two hours later, as dawnlight filtered through the shuttered windows, their fears were confirmed. Worse, the team assigned to shadow Chewbacca had also lost him shortly after the slave ship had lifted off from a mining moon. Scant minutes after takeoff, the tracer had been de-activated and the ship had disappeared into hyper-space. Had the tracer been operating, hyper-space would have presented no real obstacle. Without it, Chewbacca might just as well have vanished into a black hole. They had not the least idea of where to begin searching. All the Security Surveillance teams, including the one led by Luke Skywalker, had quickly returned to be present at this conference, yet no one had any ideas.

"I should have been there!" Solo said as he paced the tiny room yet again. "Damnit, Garren! You should have stuck closer!" The burly, red-haired Intelligence officer flushed a deeper crimson and looked set to make an angry response, but Skywalker overrode him.

"C'mon, Han," the Jedi said quietly, "Any closer and he would have blown cover. You know that. None of us could have been prepared for them finding that tracer."

Solo grunted something that sounded vaguely like an apology, then back turned to them, he leaned the heels of his hands on the window ledge and peered out at the new day.

Leia gave Luke a glance full of misery and perhaps a little guilt. Luke and the others were right. There had been no way Solo could have been used as a tail. His every move was bound to be closely observed. They'd had enough trouble disguising Chewbacca and getting him to Kassyk without drawing undue attention to their plan. Still Leia couldn't help but feel some guilt. Somehow she felt Solo would have found a way had it not been for the extra need he felt to remain close to her now that her pregnancy had entered its final six weeks. She looked back to her husband's angrily stiff back and offered, "At least we know he's still alive."

"No offence," Solo muttered, "but relying on Luke's Jedi instinct on that doesn't make me feel a whole lot better."

"Understandable," Doc commiserated. The old tech had refused to stay away when his good friends were in such dire need of help. And he was the only man who knew the secrets of his specially modified M68 tracer. "So let's look at the rational evidence for that, shall we?" he continued. "They removed the bio-feed separately. We know that because we implanted it on the opposite shoulder. Why would they go to all that trouble if they were going to kill him?"

Solo sighed as he turned about but there was hope in his eyes as he said, "Yeah. That makes sense. But it also means we've been betrayed."

Everyone present looked up sharply. "What do you mean?" Garren asked.

"How else could they have known about the tracer?" Solo sneered.

"Maybe Chewie blew his cover?" Trent suggested nervously.

"Naah. I ain't buying that," Solo scowled. "I say someone here or on Kassyk, gave the game away. We find him or her, we find Chewie."

There was a long silence as everyone considered this, then Luke said quietly, "I think you're right, Han. You get me a list of all the personnel who could have known anything about those implants and I'll tell you who it was."

Solo looked a little happier, but his words reflected scepticism. "Sure kid, give it a try if you want, but I can't see anyone spillin' their guts now. They ain't got nothin' t'lose."

"I don't intend to ask them any questions." Skywalker smiled secretively. "You remember that mind link up I did with you a couple of years back?"

Solo's jaw dropped, then his lips curved in a slow, joyous smile. "That'll work in reverse?"

"You bet!" Luke assured. "I know the leak didn't come from anyone in this room. Get me that list, and I'll find the excuses to go make a few house-calls."

"Why not just round everybody up?" Trent queried.

"Who do we use to do the rounding up?" Solo pointed out. "We're not sure who we can trust, and if we send anyone here, the person we're lookin' for will know there's something in the wind. We don't want to give him a chance to bolt. We're gonna have to take it slow and easy." Solo sighed. "I just hope Chewie can hang in there."

It was three days later before Skywalker's Jedi Mind Powers finally uncovered the traitor, but it was not the victory they'd hoped for. The man was only one of several intermediaries. He did not know precisely where Chewbacca could have been taken, he had only some vague ideas about an Imperial plot and a distant, unspecified alien world. Solo was shattered. "We're never gonna find him like this! We ain't got time to go through this routine with every contact until we hit on the one holding Chewie!"

"Right," Luke agreed calmly. "So I'm going to have to ask you to trust my Jedi hocus-pocus for once."

"Kid, I'm tellin' ya, I just might be desperate enough!" Solo tried to make it a joke, but his voice was too heavily weighted by worry. "Let's have it."

"It's not much," Luke warned. "Images. I think some from Chewie, and they sort of match with what I picked up from the traitor. We know the Quadrant. If we can narrow down the likely planets with a computer search on the data I feed in ..." he shrugged.

"That's it!?" Solo sounded deflated. "Once I have fewer options I should be able to pin it down more accurately."

"Okay," Solo decided. "You work on that and we'll keep tracking down the leaks. We can cross-match what we get with your stuff."

That night, exhausted but unable to sleep, Solo lay with Leia in his arms, talking quietly occasionally, but more often simply enjoying the comfort of the embrace. "It's all right, Han," Leia finally said, unable to tolerate the tension in the small talk any longer. "You don't have to ask."

"Ask what?" Solo pretended surprise as he propped himself up to look into her eyes.

Leia avoided his gaze by tugging at the edge of the woven blanket. "I know you'll have to go when that list is narrowed down. I understand."

"No way. Luke and the others can handle it," Solo lay back against the pillows. "They know what to do. I ain't leavin' you now."

"Han, please!" Leia snapped, pulling free of his embrace so as to sit up. "Don't do this to me! I don't need you here to hold my hand just because I'm pregnant!"

"Fine! So now you don't need me! Why didn't you say so before!?"

"Oh shut up! That's not what I'm saying and you know it!" She drew a calming breath, then leaned down and stroked his face. "I do need you, always. But Chewie needs you more right now."

"Luke and Doc can get him out." Solo didn't sound very convincing.

"Oh? Now tell me you really mean that." She held his gaze, searching his eyes for the truth.

He couldn't stare her down. He turned away and mumbled, "Okay! Okay! I'd rather go after him myself! But ... I can't!"

Leia took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "You can and you will."

He sighed and kissed her hand. "Leia, I want to be here when our baby is born."

"So?" she said teasingly, but fighting back tears, "No problem. If it gets too close, turn around and come back. It only takes a day to have a baby."

He smiled. "It does?"

"It does. Trust me."

"I do," he said softly. "Love you too. I will be back in time. I promise." He took her in his arms once more. "Hey, thanks for understanding."

Istirik had to be one of the most dismal, dusty and just plain depressing planets in the galaxy. Or so Solo decided as he disembarked from the Star Flyer. Now there was a misnomer! If there was any danger to him on this mission, he had survived the worst threat already - that being that the ancient hull of the decrepit passenger liner would develop a pressure leak and turn its thirty or so less than prestigious occupants into so much cosmic dust. He stood at the docking bay exit and peered into the dull, reddish light of late afternoon which made the street stretching away before him seem even less attractive. There were only three other passengers who had departed the ship here. It wasn't exactly a tourist attraction. Even those three were sticking together, probably of the one family. They looked like simple farmers, though what anyone could find to farm in such a climate was beyond Solo's imagining. Sighing dispiritedly, he kicked at the dust-covered clods at the base of the steps. What a great way to run a rescue mission! How in all the hells could they ever expect to find Chewbacca and the others like this!!? Relying on the hunches of a Jedi! Well, it was all they had and at least he felt better now he was actively searching. Luke seemed confident that the wookiees were being shipped to this sector; and Alliance Command's Intelligence agency backed him on that assumption. Sector 114, or Wesark to the locals, was at the further reaches of the old Imperial domain and bordered the even less reputable Sector 115 of which not much was known other than it was supposed to be a century or so behind the times technologically. Thus it was possible that Wesark could be a viable market and despatch area, supplying slave labour to businesses and plantations devoid of the aid of droids and machinery. Or so Solo hoped. But where and how to begin sniffing out an undercover slave ring? His arrival on the passenger ship was combined with a false identity. He was a drifter, picking up odd jobs wherever he could. It was time to put that cover into operation. He enquired about shipping movements with several less than enthusiastic customs and port authorities, always on the pretence of job-hunting. And so the first day passed and he had no new leads. He checked into a run-down hostel for the night, and made a secret coded call to Luke to find he was having no more luck on the neighbouring planet. His third day proved more successful. The anti-grav operators seemed stirred up by the prospect of well-paid work coming in soon, but they weren't saying much about it to outsiders. Careful questioning over several bottles of cheap alcohol got Solo the arrival time and location of some illegal cargo. Han returned to his lodgings and made another call to Skywalker. Luke agreed that they could not yet openly call in the law, even if this turned out to be the ring they were after. They needed to locate the source of the operation and all its tributaries, then hit them simultaneously if they were to have any chance of retrieving the victims alive. Thus it was that Solo did his best to stay in the background that night, checking and re-checking his lifter as he waited for the ship to land on a cleared oval in a hidden valley on the outskirts of town. "What d'ya think they're runnin' this time?" he heard one of the workmen mumble to his friend.

"Don't know 'n don't care," the other grumbled.

"Don't pay t'know too much, and me, I ain't interested I nuthin' but the pay!"

"Right." the first agreed in a chastened tone. "Just hope it ain't live cargo. This new government's mighty upitty about such things I hear."

Further conversation was halted as a huge umarked freighter appeared high above, then made a stealthy approach and landing which gladdened Solo's smuggler's heart. The half-dozen men who disembarked were lean, heavily armed and moved with military precision. The leader gave orders like someone accustomed to being obeyed without question. The cargo doors were opened, the lifter operators moved forward and Solo got his first glimpse of thirty or forty large cainvun covered crates. Solo noted these covers were dotted with tiny air holes. There was no sound from within, the captives were no doubt heavily sedated. Solo worked steadily, keeping a low profile so as not to be missed when he made a move toward the more heavily guarded despatch area. Here the alien ship was due to arrive and take consignment. All local help was to be long gone by then ... It was their job only to offload and arrange the cargo ready for the buyers. After finding cover amid dense scrub lining the bottom of a nearby dry gully, Solo made his way past the guards and lay low, waiting for the local lift operators to finish with the last few crates and the guards to relax their vigil. No one seemed to notice his absence in the confusion of movement about the area. It was a typical desert night, chill and crisp, the breeze had been sweet and fresh, but now as he drew nearer the piled cargo, the stale smell of sweat and living flesh grew stronger on the air currents. Solo had lived with a wookiee long enough to recognise their distinctive odour despite the mixture. He watched as the guards gradually congregated about a small campfire off to one side of the dump, they kept their eyes on the locals who were being paid off by the boss.

Despite his best efforts, Solo was beginning to crack under the overwhelming sense of deja vu. He'd been only seventeen when he'd first come across slavers - and there had been wookiees in that shipment too. One wookiee in particular had afterward tracked Solo to the hell of the spice mines of Kessel so as to repay the Debt he felt he owed the reckless 'cub' who had given him freedom. Slavery made Solo sick to his very soul. He had known the humiliation, the degradation, the beatings. Luke and Leia had warned him he may experience this flood of outraged emotion. He knew he should block out the rage, at least for now. But it was so hard to sit here alone in the dark with that same stench again souring the air. He had to move, the compulsion to check on the captives' condition was overpowering. Silently, he crawled up the gully and slid forward to the nearest crate. The instant he lifted a corner of cainvun and ducked beneath it, the young wookiee within, half-doped and fear-crazed, reacted to the smell of human. He let out a blood-curdling roar that instantly brought the guards running. Solo had his blaster hidden in the folds of his long coat, but to use it would mean blowing his cover and alerting the smugglers to call off the rendezvous. He'd have to try to bluff his way out. "Shit! What is that thing?!! Never seen nuthin' like that before!!" he exclaimed as he backed away toward the onrushing guards.

Two of them grabbed at him, pinioning his arms and yelling questions all at once. "Who the hell are you!?" and "What in Blazes d'ya think you're doing?!!" seemed to be the bottom line.

Solo smiled ingratiatingly. He knew these types wouldn't let him off without a beating but he was prepared to wear it for the sake of the mission. "No harm done. Just curious. Wanted to have a look see before I collected my pay."

"Pay!!??" Muscle-face bawled at him. "I'll give you your pay??" The sneering words were instantly followed by a driving fist to Solo's mid-riff. He had expected the blow and so wasn't as badly hurt as he made out. He crumpled to his knees, hoping the fellow wouldn't bother to haul him up for another shot. No such luck. Muscle-face's partner was only too willing to oblige. Upright once more, and held from behind, he took a bone-jarring whack on the jaw and began to wonder if he might not have to fight back to save himself from serious damage.

"What is this all about?" a calm, cold voice interjected. Muscle-face let go his grip on Solo's coat at the same time his partner released the prisoner's arms and the Corellian fell face forward to the sand.

"Nuthin' boss," Muscle-face replied. "Just teachin' a lesson to this glue-nosed dirt-sider."

"He saw the cargo?"

"Yes sir," the second guard answered. "But he won't be spreadin' the story too far. The locals won't want this fool robbin' them of their pay." The argument was given added weight with a hefty kick to the fallen man's ribs.

Genuinely groggy now, Solo lay in the gritty sand, his entire body tense as he realised he knew the 'boss'' voice. An Imperial Commander, or ex-Commander now. Gethrak! Solo suddenly recalled the name. Shit. Han had captured him two years ago. Obviously he'd have to see to improving Alliance Prison Security.

"Get him up," the Imperial ordered. "I want to see his face."

Hearing this, Solo groaned, pretending a return to consciousness and rubbing his bloodied face into the coarse sand. All his hopes went out the after-burners as the ex-commander continued, "We've had word that we might have Alliance snoopers around the sector. Check him over."

Solo decided enough was enough. If he could stun them and make a break for it ... He shook off the guard's grasp and reached to his hidden holster. No go. His fingers closed upon air. "I think you dropped this," Muscle-face chortled. "Take a look, B ...oof!"

Han lowered his head and rammed the man, but then went down himself as the combat-trained Imperial side-stepped and neatly clipped him on the base of the skull. Numbed, he lay helpless, the starlit sky closing about him. A boot pushed at his chest so that he rolled onto his back. The last words he heard before losing consciousness completely sent despair flaring through him. He had been recognised.

That moment's stabbing despair returned with the first instant of awareness. Before even he opened his eyes, Solo discarded that feeling. It wouldn't serve him now. He was alive and that was more than he had expected when he'd succumbed to the darkness. This was not his first awakening. He'd stirred once or twice before, but a sharp sting to his neck or bared arm had quickly put him under again. They'd kept him drugged as they'd transported him. The smell of the slave crates had been thick about him and the hum of hyper drive engines filled his ears. Now he knew better than to give any sign of returned consciousness. He lay perfectly still, keeping his breathing deep and even, his mind racing, his mouth dry and fighting surges of nausea and a wonder of a headache pounding between his temples. All these sensations were subdued so as to collect information. Surprised by what he discovered, he almost forget his ploy so as to lift his head and take a look. He was no longer in transit. There was someone else nearby, watching him. He covered his small movement with a groan, then turned his face away from the guard. He was on planet somewhere, off-ship and he felt comfortable. He was sure he was lying on a bed and the air was warm and clean, smelling pleasantly of flowers.

"Come, come, Solo! Enough pretence! I'm sure you must be recovered by now!" The petulant voice startled him by coming from the direction to which he had turned. So he had two companions. "Myall, give him a shake!" the impatient one continued.

"No need for that," Solo said thickly, at last opening heavy-lidded eyes. "I'm willing to come round if I'm allowed to stay awake this time."

"Quite so," the voice agreed cheerily enough. "I'm afraid the hired help were rather rough with you. It seems you have quite a reputation as a fighter."

Solo blinked and stared toward the speaker, but couldn't get his vision to focus fully. He made out a figure of average height, slight build, shoulder length brown hair, floor length blue robe and white blob of a male face. "Let's cut the crap, okay?" he growled. "I'm not feelin' in a mood for pleasantries. Who the hell are you and what do you want with me?!"

There was a deep sigh and a short, disapproving silence. The man snapped his fingers and the guard, Myall, who doubled as a waiter, poured a drink into a polished silver goblet. He took a few paces forward, bowed, and presented it to Blue Robe. 'Not me, you fool! Him!"

"No thanks," Solo declined as the fellow turned to him. "I've had enough drugs."

"Suit yourself." His captor sounded offended nonetheless. "It's very good brandas. From my own vineyards. It should clear your head."

Changing his mind, Solo propped himself up and attempted to reach for the cup, but his co-ordination was far from restored. Myall made to feed it to him, but his second grab was more successful. It smelled like brandas and that was good enough. His mouth was so dry it felt like taun-tauns had been shedding in it for a month. He swallowed the liquid and molten strength flooded his veins. "How long have I been kept under?" he asked sourly as his vision cleared and he noted an I.V. inserted in his left wrist. He jerked it free, swung his feet to the floor and instantly regretted it as a wave of nausea hit him. He gagged but managed to keep down the fluid.

"Longer than my standing orders permit," Blue Robe responded with annoyance. "General Gethrak's fear of your potential for escape seems to have been greater than his fear of punishment from me. That speaks volumes for your capabilities. Gethrak painted quite a formidable opponent in you."

Solo simply shrugged, only half-listening as he surveyed his surroundings. There were two heavily armed guards by an ornately carved double-door on the far side of the room. Quite a distance. It was palatial in size and heavily decorated with woven rugs, cushioned armchairs, paintings, and laden bookshelves. Several paned glass windows overlooked a high-walled courtyard. "Nice place," Solo drawled. "Old-fashioned, but nice. I take it this planet is in Sector 115?"

Blue Robe snorted. "Numbers!! Pah!! So unromantic! We refer to my home as Kith Krellin. And yes, by your standards, we are old-fashioned. We prefer it this way. Far less barbaric, cold and impersonal as I hear life can be under the Empire."

"The Alliance is in charge now," Solo corrected. "Things are different."

"Ah yes. And you, General Han Solo are one of those chiefly responsible for those changes. Gethrak seems to resent you for that."

"I can't imagine why." Solo straightened and looked back at his captor. "You know my name, when do I get to know yours? Or are you afraid I'll escape too?"

Blue Robe's puffy lips twitched with what might have passed for a smile. "You are a General, I am a King. King of all Kith Krellin. King Isell Tiresett. You will never escape from here."

"I've been told that before. You'll pardon me if I fail to be impressed."

Tiresett raised an eyebrow. "Quite. You are consort to a Princess after all. One might expect no less from nobility."

Mention of Leia had Solo's rage rekindled. His hazel eyes flared gold as he determined to find Chewbacca and get back to her. How much time had gone by? He stood, forcing himself to be steady as he replaced the goblet. "I ain't nobility!" he snarled. "Other than that, Gethrak has you well-informed. Did he also tell you my wife is pregnant?" Solo took a pace forward, holding the king's curious eyes with a furious glare that had the armed guards moving closer. "Ain't nothin' in this life going to keep me from getting back to her."

The king waved the guards back and instead of looking afraid he actually appeared pleased. "Excellent! Excellent!" he exclaimed. "Now I see the spirit that has so cowered Gethrak! I'm sure you are curious to know why I didn't just have him kill you. That would have been such a waste."

"Now there I'll agree with you."

Tiresett laughed with pleasure. "A sense of humour too! Oh this will be interesting! I'm sure the Overseers will be well entertained!"

"The Overseers?"

"A strange people, but then what can you expect from non-humans. They come from a system many light years distant. Your Empire had never heard of them. Unfortunate, they could probably have formed a useful alliance. You see, Solo, the Overseers have quite a taste for blood sports. They pay very highly for unusual animals of combat ... even more for Sentients."

"And you call us barbarians!" Solo sneered, at last having all the pieces to the puzzle. For once Solo's taunts hit home. The king's blue eyes flashed insult.

"Guards!" he called. "Escort the General to the viewing room. Make sure he is securely manacled." Solo didn't enjoy having his wrists bound, but he stood unresisting, head up, eyes defiant, knowing the odds were too high for an escape attempt here. As one guard manacled him, the other stood back, the snout of his stun gun aimed directly at the prisoner. Solo was led through the double doors, along a hallway and down a flight of stairs into a smaller room containing plush armchairs all facing a blank wall. There were others already in attendance, most wearing military uniform, and two humanoid aliens of a kind Solo had never before seen. They were only slightly taller than him, but much broader, heavier and uglier. Their eyes were tiny slits set deep inside huge, thick-boned skulls. The skin was slick, white and oily-looking, the noses wide and flat, the hair long, dark and coarsely braided. But the aliens' mouths were their distinctive feature. The jaws were double-jointed and the teeth hooked and barbed, mobile fangs that flickered in and out as they conversed in a guttural yet hissing series of snorts and clicks. All together not a pretty sight.

"Those are your Masters, I take it," Solo observed contemptuously as the King entered the room behind him. "Very sophisticated."

"Not masters, buyers!" Tiresett snapped.

It seemed the Corellian had his measure now. "Those who provide the money are the masters," Solo retorted.

"That is only the case where you and I come from, Solo," a deep voice commented from a shadowy corner.

"Gethrak!" Han snarled as the Imperial stepped into the light. "I got a score to settle with you!"

The ex-commander laughed. "I think your days of settling scores are over, Corellian! You're about to provide some entertainment for our friends here."

The Overseers made sounds of impatience, a droid translated, and before Solo had a chance to respond, he was shoved forward and found himself being inspected. The slitted eyes looked him over thoroughly and he stared back insolently, confident of his ability to defend himself against those muscular arms and slashing teeth. Solo expressed that opinion to Gethrak and added, "When I'm finished with these Reffers, I'll start on you."

Gethrak's dark eyes rounded in surprise, not the reaction Solo had anticipated. "You think ...." The Imperial began, then laughed. "You're in for some nasty shocks, Solo. The Overseers have been involved in gladiatorial sports for millennia, but now only as spectators. They've become bored with it all. They pay big money to watch something capable of stirring their blood. Their tastes have become somewhat exotic."

Inspection completed, the Overseers turned away and reseated themselves, their eyes now intent on the blank wall. Curious, Solo also turned about, watching as a panel slid back to reveal a holographic projector stage. "Make yourself comfortable, Solo," the king suggested. "You should find the Viewing most instructive."

Suddenly deciding he had a bad feeling about this, Solo lowered himself into the nearest armchair. He was aware that Gethrak was still watching him and the sense of self-satisfaction coming from the man set Solo's teeth on edge. He'd love nothing better than to ram Gethrak's smirk down his slimy, Imperial throat! That emotion was suppressed by curiousity as the projector flickered into life and some kind of arena began to take shape. It was circular and empty, its floor smooth and polished, the walls apparently made of the same material. More walls began appearing, emerging through hidden slots in the floor and pushing upward to create a maze. "The arena can be redesigned at a whim by the operator from up here," Gethrak explained. Solo looked across at the Overseers and saw that they were indeed pushing at control boards in the armrests of their chairs. "There are all kinds of hazards that they can include for the contestants. However, as you are about to witness, this is no competition. Here, the Overseers merely want to observe in action the creature they have come to buy. These creatures are providing popular attractions on the Overseers' home world.

Solo's stomach knotted. "Wookiees," He turned flat, hate-filled eyes on the Imperials. "They're not animals."

"Not according to you and your self-righteous Alliance, no. The Empire had a more realistic view."

"The ex-Empire would have liked to see a galaxy populated only by humanoids!"

The exchange was interrupted by a snarl of rage. Solo's head snapped back toward the stage. It had sounded like ... it was. Chewbacca! Horrified, Solo stared at his friend. The dye had been washed from his coat, but still he looked less like the Chewbacca Solo had known. Gethrak, the king and the others present relished Solo's reaction. "I believe you know this particular creature," Tiresett gloated. "In fact we have shown the Overseers videotaped Imperial evidence of your past friendship. Now, watch."

Still unable to tear his eyes from Chewbacca, Solo did so. The range was altered and the cameras closed in on the wookiee's face. Chewbacca continued to snarl and spit in absolutely uncontrolled fury. His lips were drawn back and taut, his mouth wide as he howled, the long fangs dripping, saliva matting the fur of jaw, shoulders and chest. But the eyes, those blue eyes that were normally so soft and gentle, were all but unrecognisable. Glazed and hollow, they blazed with awesome hatred. A similar rage stirred within Solo. His muscles tensed for action, but just as he prepared to swing at those responsible for this atrocity, the cameras changed focus again. Another creature, four-footed and pig-like had been shoved into the arena. Solo could see the fear radiating from its widened, terrified eyes. Chewbacca could smell it. He turned about, nostrils flaring, hunting for the appropriate corridor in the maze. The wookiee did not have the advantage of the spectators who could see all the maze at a glance. The walls all towered above his head. The pig creature was cowering down a cross corridor at about ten o'clock from the wookiee. Chewbacca howled. Hearing that awful sound, the pig creature gave more evidence of its location as it emitted a despairing wail. It never stood a chance. It simply huddled, shivering and shaking, trapped as the wookiee charged down upon it. "No Chewie!!" Solo shouted, even though he knew the wookiee couldn't hear him. "NO!!" He had once teased Threepio and Artoo about the wookiee's fearsome attack abilities. Now, sickened, he watched those sinewy arms at work. The maddened wookiee simply lifted the quadruped above his head, and bellowing in obscene glee, tore it is half. Blood spilled down over his head and shoulders, and he threw back his mouth and gulped it down, his giant fists still tearing at the remaining torso.

Shocked, Solo sat and stared, the Overseers' delighted snorting laughter adding to the sourness in the pit of his stomach. "Did you enjoy that Solo?" Gethrak purred. "I hope so, because you're next. Now tell me that thing's more than an animal!?"

Those words were all the trigger Solo needed. His rage was equal to that which drugs had induced in his friend. Beyond thought, he lunged at his tormentor, shouting, "I'll kill you!" His fists locked about the stunned Imperial's throat, but that was all the satisfaction he gained before a needle-beam numbed him from head to toe. He fell, and lay helplessly burning with fury as Gethrak and the King congratulated themselves on their demonstration, and made plans with the Overseers for the contest to come.

"You see how loyal he is to the wookiee thing?" Tiresett boasted. "We have shown you evidence of Solo's prowess in battles against the Empire. I do hope you will find the next encounter stimulating. For the agreed fee the pair will be yours to exhibit on your home world."

The Overseers seemed not completely happy with this, clicking and hissing away for some time before the droid translated. "Your Highness, they say the competition appears uneven. They cannot see that the Corellian stands any chance of surviving if he is unarmed."

The king seemed totally unfazed, in fact he had been expecting such a protest. "Quite so," He told the droid. "Explain to them about the antidote."

The droid chattered away once more and Gethrak did the honours for Solo's benefit. The Imperial squatted beside the Corellian who was just beginning to massage circulation into his numbed limbs. "We have to provide you with some incentive, wouldn't you agree, Solo?" he taunted. "There is indeed an antidote to the drug the wookiee has been given. It will be waiting for you in the centre of the maze. Reach it, and administer it to the wookiee before he catches up with you and perhaps you will survive. Then, you can do it all over again on the Overseers' world. Should you die, they will have the holo-film and the wookiee, and we shall provide them with more contestants in future. You should be honoured. They say never before have they experienced such a thrill of anticipation. You will be given tonight to rest and recover full strength. The contest will take place at first light."

"I'll survive," Solo assured the Imperial as the guards picked him up.

"You won't. I swear on Corelli Blood Oath, we'll be back to kill you." The flicker of fear that showed in Gethrak's eyes was all the victory Solo needed to see him through the long night.

The early morning light cast long shadows from the high circular walls of the arena behind him as Solo stood at the entrance to the maze. Up in the viewing room he knew the Overseers were probably salivating with excitement. Directly ahead, an electronic barrier sizzled and flashed, preventing early entrance to the secrets of the maze. Chewbacca would enter from the opposite side at the same time, or so Solo had been told. He didn't think it would be wise to place much faith in anything Gethrak said. Chewie could come at him from any angle. Even if Solo could unravel the mysterious twists and turns of the maze so as to come within reach of the antidote, he wouldn't put it past the Overseers to change the conditions at the last minute. It didn't seem he had much chance other than that the Overseers might find a fair contest more exhilarating. "Let's keep a little optimism here, huh, Solo?" He told himself. "Remember, you promised Leia you'd be back in time."

As if the words were a cue, the electronic barrier suddenly disappeared, leaving the mouth to the first of the maze's long, eerily silent tunnels tempting him to step forward. Warily, all senses on the alert, he did so. He had gone no more than twenty yards before he heard Chewbacca's victory howl. The wookiee had his scent. "Chewie!" Solo called desperately. The name echoed mockingly through the metallic corridors. "Chewie!" Surely the wookiee would remember his scent, his voice, and know of the friendship and love they represented. A howl came in response, closer now, but sounding confused, hesitant. Then there was a shriek of pain. A television monitor screen appeared in the wall nearest Solo and he saw that the wookiee had been burned by a stinger bolt. "You bastards!!" he cursed.

Gethrak's laughter came from the speaker. "Every time he tries to remember you, we'll hit him again. Soon he'll learn to associate your voice and your smell with that pain. Good luck." Solo took up the cudgel that suddenly emerged from a panel beneath the screen. It was a heavy enough weapon to do damage, even though made only of wood. Solo was not at all sure he wanted to use it against Chewbacca, but he did find one immediate purpose for it. It gave him considerable satisfaction to smash the surveillance equipment to pieces. Punishment was swift and unexpected. The floor suddenly dipped beneath his feet, sloping away at a forty-five degree angle and a slick grease began gushing from tiny pores in its upper seam. At the base of the slope, sharp knives protruded, their blades gleaming wickedly as they pointed toward him. Instinctively he backed away, then slipped and fell to his stomach. He clutched at the wall, but to no avail. He was slowly but surely slipping on to the daggers.

"Insult will only earn you injury and delay, Solo!" Gethrak sneered from a further speaker. "I hope you learn your lesson well!" Solo scrabbled about and eventually, miraculously, found a small groove into which he dug his fingers of his left hand. With his right he tore at his jacket, obtaining a strip of material that he jammed into the nozzles producing the grease. The flow stopped in a clean line down the middle of the slope. Solo knew the soles of his boots were covered with mire. Slowly, carefully, he removed each by bringing one foot at a time up to his free hand. The muscles of his left arm and shoulder screamed at him for release. The knives were embedded in a strip about ten feet wide. If he took a running jump he should clear it easily. Carefully, feeling for purchase with his toes, he stood, picked up the cudgel, edged forward and then took three running steps down the slope. Gethrak, or one of the Overseers, had decided he was not to elude punishment completely. Just as he leaped, a tongue of fire shot out from the wall immediately over the knives. He jerked away from it, lost trajectory and came down short. Blades nicked his hip, thigh and calf muscle on the left side as he slid free. Cursing, Solo sat up and examined the damage. Not serious, but enough to slow him down. Again he heard Chewbacca's battle call. The wookiee was getting closer, had smelled his blood. Desperately, he pushed himself up. He had one major advantage of which his adversaries knew nothing. His uncanny homing instinct, a Corellian trait, refined in those brought up by jungle clans. Though the walls of the maze had been altered to those he had seen the day before, the configuration of the arena itself remained the same. Solo knew precisely where he was in relation to the centrepoint and the antidote reward. He began a shambling run toward it, instinctively choosing correctly at each junction.

He had not gone far before the Overseers decided he was getting it too easy. An electronic barrier sizzled into life bare inches from his face. He avoided plunging headlong into it only by dropping backwards to fall flat on the hard floor. There was no choice, he'd have to turn about and try to find another approach corridor. Chewbacca's mind was clouded by drugs. Solo knew it could only be the Overseers' guidance that kept the wookiee moving correctly. So much for a fair game! It was time to alter the odds a little. He stripped off his jacket, wrapped it about the cudgel and threw it at the electronic fence. There was an explosion and the air filled with smoke. That should give the wookiee's nostrils something else to worry about. Solo turned away and took the nearest side corridor, feeling somewhat pleased with his trick. But again he was made to pay the price. Without warning, the wall upon which he leaned fell flat, taking him with it, and throwing him into a small, roofed-in tunnel. The side wall snapped back into place and pitch blackness closed about him. No air, no light. He was trapped. His heart raced like a trip hammer as the old terror returned, the terror he had inherited after his carbonite internment. Blind and locked in. His muscles spasmed and he began to tremble.

"Leia!" he chanted aloud. "Gotta get back to Leia! You can do it!" The fear eased and he began edging forward, feeling his way, and in so doing discovering the cruel intent of the darkness. The wall and floor were covered with stingers, set off by the merest touch. Well at least the frequent jabs kept his mind of the job. His sense seemed heightened by the darkness so that suddenly he was sure he could hear a familiar voice.

"Luke? Luke?" he whispered.

"Here!" Came the joyful response. "I have you on Link! I've been trying to pick up your ..."

"Ow, Damnit!" Solo cursed as his bare foot came down on another stinger. That broke his concentration and the Mindlink was gone, but the comfort remained. He knew Skywalker would be homing in on him now. Another wookiee roar reminded him he had someone less friendly on his tail. Ignoring the minor stings and cuts, he moved forward again, this time bumping up against a solid barrier. Instinct told him the centre of the maze was just beyond it. Chewbacca was somewhere behind him, there was no turning back. He began searching for some way over, under or around the obstacle. His fingers and toes searched and prodded, losing sensitivity as blood smeared them and cuts and burns sent their own messages of outrage. Then he felt it, a weaker spot, slightly concave, a minute hollow. He drew his arm back, then punched as hard as he dared and was rewarded by a crumbling sound and a glimmer of light. He placed his eye to the hole he had created and saw another corridor beyond. He was sure it was the final passage and it appeared free of hazards. He pounded harder at the weak spot and slowly the hole began to widen.

Then came a snarl from the darkness behind him that froze the blood in his veins. The wookiee had found him. Solo whirled about, the murky beam of light from the hole his only illumination as he faced the enraged Wookiee. "Chewie," he pleaded. "C'mon pal. It's me, Han. You know me, Chewie ..."

Again the wookiee screamed as a stinger bolt found its mark. Driven by pain, he charged toward the scent that was his tormentor. Instead of backing away, Solo took two quick steps toward his attacker. He needed room to build up momentum. He turned again and hurled himself feet first at the small hole, hoping to smash his way through. No such luck. The hole did widen, huge chunks fell away, but the impact caused enough resistance to cause Solo to fall back to the floor of the darkened chamber. The wookiee bore down upon him. Furry fingers brushed Solo's chest as Chewbacca snatched blindly, guided only by smell in the dim light.

Terrified, Solo got to his knees and dove head and shoulders through the hole. A giant, powerful fist clamped tight about his left ankle and began hauling him back. Solo struggled to break free and the steel-sinewed hand closed tighter still. The bones in Solo's foot and ankle creaked in protest then snapped. Solo screamed as a bolt of searing agony shot up his leg. He thrashed and kicked out with the other leg and by pure chance caught the wookiee full in the sensitive snout. The crushing fingers released him and he pushed free, falling in a dazed, limp heap to the brightly lit, silent corridor beyond.

Pain washed through him, threatening to send him reeling into unconsciousness. He gulped huge lungfuls of air, lying immobile on his side, fighting the dizziness. A long, muscled wookiee arm suddenly shot through the opening, narrowly missing ensnaring its prey again. Chewbacca drew back, howling and screaming with rage as he pounded at the wall, widening the hole. Terror pushed the pain back, and Solo got his good leg under him, shoulder to the wall, he turned toward the end of the corridor. Round its corner he hoped he would find the antidote. It was his only chance. For once the Overseers chose not to punish him. He made his way unobstructed into the small, inner circle. He gave a gasping cry of relief as he spotted a low shelf near the far wall. Upon it lay a clear vial attached to a pressure-loaded dart-shaped syringe. Theoretically, all he had to do was ensure it made contact with the wookiee's flesh. He hobbled painfully toward it, hearing Chewbacca's ear-shattering howls and the crashing of more material from the wall of the darkened chamber.

Ten feet short of his target, he came to a standstill, suspicious. It was all too easy. Every fibre of his being warned him against taking another step. Somehow, just letting him walk up and himself seemed insufficient to sate the Overseers' sadism. There had to be a catch. But what was it? The pain in his crushed ankle was excruciating, blocking his thought processes. There had been a time when Luke had trained him in the use of a pain-block. But, as he recalled, it required a state of relaxation. He snorted to himself, and muttered, "Relax!? You gotta be kiddin' me!" Exhausted and unable to see any other way out, he lowered himself to the floor, incapable of standing any longer in any case. He struggled to clear his mind of pain, find the answer, but pain was not the only intrusion on his thoughts. Judging by the amount of noise coming from behind him, Chewbacca must be making short work of that wall! Solo knew that if the wookiee had been rational, he would have broken through by now. As it was, he was striking out in blind rage, probably missing his target more often than not. The knowledge of what the Overseers had done to his friend caused anger to flare in him. Concentrate!! Time seemed to drag, then suddenly inspiration struck. Whatever hazard lay between him and the antidote, it had to be triggered by either weight or body heat. He had to obtain the antidote without actually going near it. The image that came to his mind was himself as a small boy back in the jungle-edged marshes of Corell, hunting blantirs. The small rodents used the shifting sands as their protection from predators. The trick was to snare them without falling prey yourself to the quicksand.

Solo's eyes snapped open, alert and triumphant as he surveyed his present-day blantirs. Of course, that was it! It'd be easier in fact! The antidote wasn't about to run from his snare. He set to work, tugging off his belt and his shirt, tearing strips of material and twisting them to form line and lasso. The end product lengthened his reach, but still not quite far enough. An almighty crash and a blood-curdling bellow informed him that the wookiee was free. He was out of time. He slid forward on his stomach as far as he dared and threw his lasso. The transferral of weight set off a hidden sensor and a small square of floor disappeared. Solo caught sight of a very long drop into a darkened pit. His first throw had fallen to one side of the vial. Mouth dry and heart racing, he hauled in and prepared to try again. But all too late. The wookiee has reached the inner circle. Desperately, Solo threw again, giving a whoop of pleasure as his snare hit dead on target, capturing the antidote with the noose. A quick jerk and the prize flew toward him, but before his fingers could grasp it, the wookiee charged. Instinctively, Solo threw himself to one side and the mammoth creature plunged onward. But the trap was sprung. The floor caved in.

"No!" Solo shouted, as he saw the wookiee fall. He scrabbled to the edge of the pit and leaned forward. An immense, hairy arm shot upward, clamped about Solo's shoulder and pulled him down too. Perhaps the Overseers had altered the drop at the last second, or perhaps Solo's earlier estimate had been a false impression. Either way he was surprised after falling only fifteen feet or so, slamming into a rough rocky surface with enough force to drive the breath from his lungs but cause him no real damage. The surge of pain from his broken foot and ankle left him stunned and sickened for a few moments. No less than an arm's length away, the wookiee's mad, vacant eyes burned out of the dim shadows.

"C'mon pal, please," Han gasped, the words rattling from a fear-frozen throat. "Take it easy, Chewie. It's me, Han. C'mon ..." He kept talking as he backed away, still seated on his haunches, his bad leg twisted and useless. He didn't have time to struggle to his feet, not much point anyway when he couldn't run. Still the wookiee didn't move, the blue eyes ablaze with hatred, empty of recognition, a low, chilling, snarl rumbling from deep within his huge chest, foam-flecked spittle crusting his lips and jaw-line. Completely mad. Where the hell was that antidote!? The noose was still wrapped about Solo's wrist. Quickly, he began reeling it in. The pressurised capsule bumped against his hand just as the wookiee got to his feet and charged forward. The impact nearly knocked Solo senseless. He was lifted and slammed against the rear wall. It was made of loose earth and small rocks, and gave way behind him, otherwise Solo would not have survived that first rush. Chewbacca let go, and dazed, Solo slid to the floor, his fingers still fumbling to properly grasp and fire the antidote dart.

The wookiee moved away, then cat-like, closed slowly upon him once more, the gleam of kill-lust bright in the baleful eyes flaring in the dark. "Chewie," Solo said once, suddenly torn by pity for his lost friend. "Chewie ... awww pal, look what they've done to ya." Incredibly, somewhere, the tone of those words reached Chewbacca's soul, and he paused, head cocked to one side, listening, hopeful, searching. "Chewie?" Solo questioned. Then he fired the dart. The wookiee screamed in outrage, lunged forward and heaved Solo into the air. At that range, the dart hadn't missed. It dug deep into Chewbacca's flank and seemed to have no effect whatever. Solo no longer had the breath for pleading. He barely had breath enough for life. It was being squeezed, slowly, cruelly, from him by his friend's crushing arms. Lowered face to face with the wookiee, Han stared into the blue eyes, seeking some sign of the soul he knew and loved. As oxygen continued to be denied him, his vision clouded and horror filled him as he realised the antidote would come too late to prevent Chewbacca killing his best friend. That knowledge would destroy the wookiee forever, even if Luke arrived in time to save him from the slave-world. The image was too awful to take with him into the realm of death. Solo struggled pathetically. The grip tightened in response and ribs began to crack. He gave one low groan and passed out.

His faint could have lasted no more than seconds. When he came round, he was lying on his side where the wookiee had dropped him. He tried to sit up, hopeful that his freedom meant the antidote was working, and not simply that the wookiee wanted to draw out his death. The attempt at movement only brought nerve-endings to agonising life, and he cried out involuntarily. There was a muffled grunt from Chewbacca in response. Solo's heart lurched with hope. It almost sounded like 'Han'. Carefully, he lifted his head and saw the wookiee sitting huddled and shaking against a side wall.

"Chewie?" You okay now?" Solo ground out over the pain in his chest. "Can y'hear me, pal?" The wookiee shook his head, blinked and squinted at Solo, but did not answer. Han took that as a good sign. The burning rage was gone from the blue eyes, leaving them full of confusion. Hoping that the wookiee would eventually come to his senses, Solo dropped his head back tiredly to the soft earthy floor. He was content just to lie there and rest, hurting too much to move anyway. Consciousness faded again, so that Solo was unaware when shortly afterward the chamber was flooded with stun gas.

When Solo next awoke, he was lying on something softer and his head was supported by a warm cushion. Other than that not much seemed to have changed. He still hurt badly enough that consciousness came and went, it was still dark and he was sure he was still somewhere below ground level. Dizzy and sick, his memory was uncertain, but he knew he had to get moving, the wookiee must be close. The urgency of that thought finally cleared his head completely, and he struggled to prop himself up, gasping as pain flared in his chest. An immense, furry hand descended out of the darkness, reaching for him. Solo let out a terrified scream and tried desperately to back away, but again pain held him prisoner. Still he fought, scrabbling back, expecting any moment that those cruelly crushing arms would recapture him.

Light suddenly pushed back the blackness, hurting Solo's eyes. The steady glow of a battery lamp flooded the underground cavern, and Solo lay, half-sitting, shaking with fear as he stared up at Chewbacca. "I am sorry, Little One," a sorrow-laden wookiee voice rumbled, ever so gently. "I have hurt you. I do not blame you for being afraid of me. I won't touch you again. Please don't move."

Solo blinked and gaped. Finally realisation dawned and he remembered that he had administered the antidote. What he'd thought had been a cushion beneath his head, had in fact been the wookiee's thigh. Dimly now, he recalled being cradled in arms as tender and careful as a mother's, soft fingers stroking his hair and a rumbling voice making such sounds of distress that he had fought hard to awaken so as to offer comfort. Elation surged through him as he understood he had his friend back at last. "Chewie!" he cheered, grimacing as his ribs protested. "You're okay!!" Cautiously, he edged forward and shook the wookiee's arm in welcome. "Hey! We're a team again! C'mon, we gotta get outa here."

Chewbacca did not react other than to say, "I almost killed you. I saw the light leaving your eyes and yet still I crushed the life from you."

Solo let out an exasperated sigh. "Ahh shit, fuzzface, we ain't got time for apologies. I forgive ya, okay? It wasn't you anyhow, it was the drugs that Imperial sithslime pumped into ya. Now he's the one we've gotta settle with. I swore Blood Oath for the both of us. Now, c'mon, will ya snap out of it, please?"

"Blood Oath?" The wookiee repeated. Hopefully he added, "You ... you are not afraid of me? There was so much terror. I caused that."

Han realised that no amount of words would instantly erase so great a sense of shock, but he needed the wookiee up and running on all burners somehow. "C'mon," he said teasingly, grasping the wookiee's hand. "I'm the one who knows what a big sook you really are, remember? Who's the only wookiee we know who's got a stuffed toy bantha on his bed?"

"I told you, I bought that for the baby!" the wookiee responded with automatic insult.

"Right," Solo agreed, unsmiling. He looked long into the wookiee's eyes, silently communicating his desperate need to return to Leia. "So let's get outa here and make sure we can give it to the kid when she arrives."

The tension drained from Chewbacca's giant body and a smile played about his eyes. "He. I still say it will be a boy."

"Nope. It's a girl. I can feeeeeeeel it." Solo drawled the word, mocking his Jedi brother-in-law's favourite phrase. The wookiee snorted. "So, let's get movin'! You're gonna have a bet to pay out on!" Again, Solo made to get to his feet. Fire lanced through his shattered ankle and seared its way up to explode in his head. "Holy shit!" he swore when he got his breath back. "What the hell did I do to my foot?"

"I don't know," the wookiee replied in concern. "Let me take a look at it. I thought I had, I mean, I thought only your ribs ... were ..." He stopped, shocked as he realised the extent of the damage. Solo's entire left foot and ankle were swollen to twice their normal size and were a deep, ugly purple-blue colour.

"You can't walk on this," Chewbacca said flatly. "It's broken. Badly broken. Where are your boots? It looks like you caught it in a grinder! Don't you remember what happened?"

Suddenly, Solo did remember, and, as the wookiee looked him in the face, he tried hard to hide the answer. "Ahh yeah. Well. There were a lot of booby traps in there."

"I did this to you, didn't I?" the wookiee asked in a tone that would tolerate no lies.

Solo simply nodded and said, "It'll heal." The wookiee let out a long, weary sigh. "I'll do what I can to splint it," he said. "I'll need what's left of your shirt, and I saw some wood on the other side of this cell. I'll go ..."

"Cell!?" Solo interrupted. "Aren't we still in the arena?"

"No. They hit us with stun gas a few minutes after I came to my senses. Then they moved us back here. This is the same cell I've been held in for several days."

"Oh great! Wonderful!" Solo scowled. He sat back defeatedly, shrugged out of the remnants of his shirt and began tearing bandaging. He wished there was enough material to help secure his ribs too, but no go. As he sat thinking, he realised they were probably better off here than back in the maze, where surveillance cameras could monitor their every move. This underground cell was very crude, more like a cave, and as he looked about, Han spotted a barred door beyond a slight curve. There was a water bucket and lantern but not much else. "Well," he finally said with a sigh, "it could be worse." A tremendous explosion suddenly shook the ground beneath him and soil and small rocks rained down, coming loose from the roof of the cavern. The trembling aftershocks felt like an earthquake. Solo was thrown to one side, his injuries causing him to cry out as he was jolted. Then, the shock waves stopped as suddenly as they had started.

"Are you all right?" Chewbacca asked as he helped him back to a sitting position.

"Do I look all right?!" Solo answered sourly. "I'm gonna have to stop saying that."

"What?" the wookiee queried as he assembled the pieces to the makeshift splint. Solo gave him an exasperated look. "Every time I say," he paused, "y'know, something always happens."

"Every time you say y'know?"

Solo groaned. "No, fleabrain! Every time I say "Things could be worse". Aahhh!" he screamed as the wookiee suddenly straightened his leg and fastened the splint. "See what I mean?" he finished with a weak smile. The wookiee finished tying the bandage then ruffled Solo's hair and gave him a steady look that said more by way of apology than any words.

Now that Solo had completely removed his shirt, the wookiee could see the horrific swelling and bruising encircling the man's chest and shoulders. He touched gentle fingers to the welts, sighed and shook his head. "You said it was an Imperial who drugged me?"

"Yep. Gethrak. Remember him?"

"Gethrak!" the wookiee snarled. "How could I forget!? It took me two months to recover from that blaster burn!"

"Right. So you got a double score to settle with him. But leave me a piece, okay?" The wookiee nodded and Solo added, "Now, how do we get outa here?"

Chewbacca slumped back against the wall. "I hate to have to tell you this, Solo, but there is no way out. I tried everything when I first got here."

"There's got to be a way! Lemme think!"

Time passed and finally Chewbacca said, "Maybe I should turn out the lantern again. The batteries are running low."

"Okay," Solo agreed distantly, still lost to his scheming. As the cell was plunged into darkness, he asked, "I know they didn't kill me because they want a repeat performance, what I can't figure is why they just threw me in here with you? I mean, if they want to sell me as a gladiator they'd have at least patched me up first."

"They seemed to be in quite a panic up there," Chewbacca commented. "Running around like an upended swarm of tenbees."

"I thought you were out to it?"

"And who was going to carry me down here? No, they chained me, woke me up and made me walk. They had a blaster held on you. I didn't give them any trouble."

"Oh. Panicked y'reckon. I wonder ... hey!" Solo snapped his fingers. "Luke must be up to his old tricks! That's probably what that explosion was all about!! I'll bet he's got half the fleet in orbit up there by now! Go get 'em Skywalker!"

"Luke!?"

"Yeah," Solo explained. "He sorta ... y'know ... talked to me like he can sometimes. Back in the Maze. I only just remembered. He said something about homing in on me, I think."

"Then we could be in real trouble!" the wookiee rumbled.

"Now whatever gives ya that idea!" Solo commented sarcastically. "I'm serious. If Luke brings the Alliance in here, our captors may decide to destroy the evidence." Solo sobered. "Meaning us." The wookiee simply nodded. "Damnit! There's gotta be a way outa here! Look around, check it out again. Maybe you missed something."

"We're fifty feet underground," Chewbacca said grimly. "Below the castle. Solid rock walls and a barred door that even I couldn't make a dent in."

"You're real cheerful company, y'know that, fuzzface? Go look anyway. How far back does this cave extend?"

"About one hundred and fifty feet," the wookiee answered as he reached for the lantern.

"Wait!" Solo said suddenly. "Don't light that!"

"Why not?"

"What's that? Over there. Here, feel where I'm pointing. Right. Now look. Right there."

"I can't see anything."

"No, well I guess you wouldn't," Solo admitted. He had forgotten the wookiee's limited vision in poor light. "I swear there's a crack or somethin' in the roof over there. I can see a dim light comin' through."

"Han," the wookiee sounded sceptical. "You probably have a concussion."

"Oh shut up and go check it out, will ya! If light's leakin' through there then air will be too. That honker of yours should be able to sniff it out."

The wookiee obeyed, moving to the indicated spot and sniffing for all he was worth. He made a sound of disgust. "You're right! There's an air current here all right. It stinks."

"Great!" Solo exclaimed. "Now start digging!"

"With my bare hands? That's solid rock, Solo."

"You don't know that for sure," Solo argued. "Maybe it's a seam or something. That explosion could have weakened it. Here, if I take this lantern to bits you can use the pieces to scrape with."

Chewbacca snorted, impressed as always by Solo's adaptability. "And what are you going to be doing while I'm working?"

Solo grinned, feeling cheerful for the first time in what seemed ages. "Oh, I figure I'll take a nap. Call me when you get through."

Dutifully, Chewbacca scraped away and Solo watched and offered occasional words of encouragement, including plans for what they'd do to Gethrak when they caught up with him. There were three more explosions, minor by comparison to the first, but sounding closer, and Solo was sure he heard cannon fire once or twice. Solo made no complaint but his leg throbbed mercilessly, eventually making him groggy with pain. He fell silent, listening to the rhythmic sounds as Chewbacca dug and chopped away at the seam which gradually widened so that a dull beam of light fell in shaft through the cavern. The next Solo knew, Chewbacca was gently shaking him awake.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly as he offered Solo some water.

Gratefully, Han swallowed, then answered, "I'm okay."

The wookiee's huge hand lifted to rest on Solo's brow. "You have a fever. It's time I got you out of here and into a hospital."

"Yes mother!"

Ignoring the taunt, Chewbacca turned and pointed to the place he had been working. "There's the exit." Where once had been a narrow crack now was a hole five feet or so in diameter.

Solo cheered. "Hey, you did great pal! C'mon help me up."

The wookiee wrapped a powerful arm about Solo's waist, careful to avoid placing pressure upon the ribs as he all but carried him to the opening. "Ready?" he asked. Solo nodded and he boosted him up.

Solo had a hard time of it wriggling and heaving over the pain of cracked ribs, but he made it. "It's all clear up here, Chewie," he reported. "Not much room though. Some kind of pipe. Stinks like hell. Must be a drain."

Chewbacca had considerably more trouble squeezing through and once up in the drain, there wasn't room for him to stand. It was slow, painful going as Solo was unable to either crawl or slide on his stomach. Finally the wookiee hauled him along on his back. Eventually, Chewbacca spotted what looked like an entrance in the roof above which was approached by a short ladder and covered with a hinged lid. "Let's hope there's no one up there when I push this thing open," he rumbled to Solo. Han lay panting and exhausted, waiting, and finally the wookiee called, "It's no use, the groove is designed for a human hand. You'll have to try it."

Solo groaned, then nodded weary agreement. He edged past the wookiee, then laboriously heaved himself up the three rungs of the ladder until he could reach the latch. Lifting his arms above his head was agonising, as was the effort to push upward. The cover finally gave and a flood of putrid water and garbage came raining down. Drenched, stinking and miserable, Solo glared down at the wookiee. "You knew that was coming, didn't you?!"

The wookiee gave an embarrassed shrug. "Can you make it the rest of the way or do you want me to go first and haul you out?"

"I can make it! I can make it!" Solo snapped. He disappeared through the hatch then called down, "C'mon up. You'll love it. It smells even better up here. I think we hit the main sewer canal."

The wookiee gave a mournful honk and followed. "Well at least now we can stand up," he said as he emerged into the broad canal.

"Speak for yourself," Solo answered tiredly. "My leg's killin' me!"

Chewbacca made no return comment. He simply bent down and heaved his friend up carefully, taking most of his weight. Time dragged as they trudged through the foul-smelling underground passage. There were more frequent explosions now, still closer, and they made toward the sounds. Finally they found a side tunnel that sloped up into the daylight and opened out into a small courtyard. There was a battle in progress on its far side, defenders trying to prevent attackers breaching the wall. There was a lot of smoke and confusion, but a figure in uniform suddenly appeared on the rampart, a blaster in one hand, and an Alliance flag in the other. He urged his troops to follow him and was promptly felled by fire from within the castle. Solo cursed. "How many times have I told those idiots to give up the hero tactics! C'mon Chewie, we're gonna have to give 'em a hand."

"Solo," the wookiee protested. "You can barely stand. Wait here. I'll find some weapons and we can attack from shelter."

"Yeah, okay," Solo agreed readily. He sat behind cover, watching as the wookiee shuffled away, keeping close to the wall and on the lookout for fallen weapons. There was another blast and a hole appeared in the far wall. The battle suddenly intensified as Alliance troops charged in, taking heavy casualties in the process. The defenders retreated, coming closer to Solo's position. A young Alliance soldier let out a battle cry very familiar to Solo's ear - the Corellian battle challenge. The youngster had lost a friend and was seeking vengeance, but all he got was a shoulder wound. He toppled and fell, rolling forward down a pile of rubble to lie exposed and moaning only yards from Solo's hiding spot. It wouldn't be long before someone noticed him and finished him off. Cursing fluently, Solo scrabbled forward, grabbed at the youngster's coat and began hauling, urging him to help as much as he could. Under cover again, he took up the boy's weapon and began firing on the defenders who fell unsuspecting of attack from their rear.

The Alliance began to make ground, as, to Solo's flank, Chewbacca also began shooting. Solo was enjoying taking toll of the slavers, when a sickeningly familiar voice announced from behind him, "That's enough, Solo. Drop your weapon or I'll blow your head off."

Cautiously, Solo looked back. Sure enough Gethrak had a disruptor rifle aimed squarely at him. Solo let the blaster fall and raised his hands, his eyes relaying a blazing message as to what he'd do to the Imperial given even half a chance. "I should kill you now," Gethrak continued. "But I need a passport out of here, and you're it. Get to your feet."

Solo didn't move. "I'm sort of having a problem with that right now."

"Ah yes, the wookiee made a mess of your ankle. I remember how much the Overseers enjoyed that. They were very impressed by your performance yesterday. I intend giving you to them in return for passage on one of their ships and refuge on their homeworld. This battle is covering their escape. We must hurry or we'll miss them. Myall, get him up! Leave your weapon here, I don't want Solo snatching it." The king's guardsmen moved to Solo's side and none too gently heaved him up. "Good," Gethrak nodded. "Move ahead. You know the way, Myall. We're going to leave via the castle, Solo. There's a tunnel that leads ..."

His words were cut short by a bellow of rage from Chewbacca. The wookiee had spotted them and was moving toward them, fangs bared in absolute fury. Gethrak moved with fear-induced speed to come up on Solo's unsupported side. He cocked one elbow under the Corellian's chin and placed the bore of the rifle to his prisoner's temple. The wookiee's enraged charge came to an abrupt halt. He stood shaking and snarling, but his eyes anxious for Solo's safety. "Back off or he's dead!" Gethrak warned. "Understand me, wookiee? I'll kill him!"

Chewbacca stood uncertainly, watching as Myall and the Imperial began dragging Solo toward the castle. A sudden, deafening cannon blast hit the side wall as the Alliance decided on an outflanking tactic. Rubble rained down, the ground shook and Myall stumbled. Solo pushed and they both went down. Solo rolled hard against the Imperial's legs and brought him down too. The rifle was jarred free of the man's grasp and Solo dove for it. Gethrak grabbed cruelly at Solo's bandaged ankle, hauling him away from the prize and drawing a scream of agony from the Corellian's lips. But Chewbacca had been given all the time he needed. Solo heard the killing rage in the wookiee's growl. Gethrak's eyes widened with terror as he turned about and saw the snarling expressing that had earlier seemed the prelude to Solo's death. Almost berserk with hatred, Chewbacca knew his target this time. He grabbed the whimpering Imperial by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall, then began slowly crushing him.

Solo wanted revenge as much as anyone but somehow the sight still sickened him, bringing back memories he was sure would fill his nightmares for some time to come. The same memories must have returned to Chewbacca because he too suddenly lost all interest in torturing his victim. He held the Imperial clear of the wall, and Gethrak had time to beg for mercy. "We'll show you more mercy than you've ever shown any of your captives," Solo said simply. He watched as Chewbacca reached out an immense fist, closed it upon the Imperial's throat, and quickly and cleanly snapped his neck. "It was a better death than he deserved," Solo commented. "C'mon let's tie this other one up and get back to the fight!"

Myall still lay semi-conscious where he had fallen. Chewbacca tied him securely, then helped Solo back to his feet, both of them claiming rifles. "Han! Chewie!" a delighted voice called to them over the receding sounds of battle. The Alliance had won. There was only the mopping up left. The two escapees looked up to see Skywalker running toward them from amongst the ruins of the wall, a huge grin decorating his boyish face. The grin faded as he drew level with them and took in Solo's condition. The Corellian was dressed only in trousers, and seemed to be covered from head to toe with bruising and abrasions hidden beneath a coating of filth. His left leg was raised from the ground, the ankle strapped in a tattered splint. "Sands!" Luke exclaimed. "What happened to you!?"

"Everything," Solo said concisely.

"Sure looks that way," Luke observed. "Leia is not going to be happy." He came closer, intending to lend a shoulder in support, then drew back. "'Struth! What is that smell!?"

"Do you mind?" Solo replied offendedly. "It's been a rough day. I could use a bath."

Skywalker snorted. "You could use a bacta tank!" He turned and shouted, "Medic!"

"Ahh shit, kid," Solo complained. "Why did ya have to go and do that? I just want to get back to Leia. How is she?"

"Oh," Luke said somewhat evasively. "She's fine."

"Fine!! Fine??!!" Solo exclaimed in alarm. "What the hell does that mean? She's not ... y'know ... she hasn't ... started yet or anything, has she?" He was interrupted as the medical team arrived and promptly had Chewbacca arrange him on the provided stretcher. "I promised her!" Solo pleaded. "Luke, tell me!"

Skywalker smiled down at his injured friend. "She's still pregnant, if that's what you're raving about .. but she's been hitting the panic button about you the same way you just did about her. She refused to stay home."

"She what!!?" Solo pushed away the medic who was attempting to inject him with painkillers. "Then where the hell is she?" "Up there." Luke pointed to the sky. "In orbit on the Medgate. At least we managed to stop her from coming down here to rescue you herself. She said we were ... errrrr ... ohh!" Luke groaned suddenly, doubled over and clutched at his middle.

"Kid!! Kid!??" Solo pleaded. "What is it?!"

Slowly, Skywalker straightened up. His face was pale and his blue eyes round with surprise. "It's the baby," he said simply.

"The b, b, ... the baby what??!" Solo demanded. He tried to get up but the medics held him back. He wanted to shake more information from the Jedi.

"The baby," Luke repeated dazedly. "It's coming."

"Now!!?" Solo exclaimed. Luke nodded. Solo swore, then he turned to the medics and said, "Get me to the hospital on the double."

The young medic sighed and shook his head. "That's what we've been trying to do, sir," he said with admirable restraint. They moved off in procession, Solo on one stretcher, the wounded Corellian youngster on the other, Chewbacca and Luke flanking them. Solo's eyes never left the Jedi. "Has she had another one?" he asked.

"No," Luke replied warily, not sure he wanted to share this experience with his sister. He was desperately searching for some way to block out his natural bond with her. "She's fine now."

"The first contractions can be as much as an hour apart," the medic informed them. "Solo, that leg is in a bad way. you will need an operation."

"No, oh no! No way!" Solo refused. "Not now! I promised Leia I was gonna be there when the baby comes and I will!"

"But you can't even walk!" Chewbacca protested. Solo turned pleading eyes to the medic. "You can take care of that, can't ya?"

"Sir," the medic sighed again. "That ankle needs to be cleaned and set under anaesthesia. And then there's your ribs. We don't know ..."

"To hell with all that!" Solo pointed a despairing finger at Skywalker as the Jedi doubled over once more. "That baby's coming now!! Just give me a shot or something so I won't feel this damned foot! That's all I need! And make sure it keeps me awake too!"

"Sir ..."

"That is a direct order, Lieutenant!"

And so it was that Solo managed to hobble into the delivery room. He had washed and changed quickly, getting rid of the dirt at least, but there were still bruises and that smell that no amount of soap seemed able to entirely smother. Leia was lying on the delivery table, dressed in a simple white gown, the lower half of her body hidden by tented sheets. "What is that awful smell?" she complained.

Solo grinned shakily as he came up to her. "Me."

"Han!" she cried. "Thank God! I was so worried! Are you all right? You look awful! You found Chewie?"

Solo nodded, his throat felt as though it had swollen shut and tears burned in his eyes. "Told ya I'd get back in time. How do you feel!"

"I'm f ... f... fine!" The word became a wail as Leia squeezed her eyes shut against another contraction. She fought the pain, listening to Jara's soft words of encouragement, then she looked back at Solo and smiled. "Everything will be all right now that you're here and soon our baby will be too."

Solo nodded, unable to speak. He hated seeing her hurting like this and he felt so helpless. All he could do was hold her hand, kiss her and stroke her forehead. "Are you sure everything went okay down there?" Leia asked suspiciously. "Chewie wasn't hurt?" Solo shook his head. "Well talk to me, damnit!" she demanded. Then, surprised, she noticed the tears trickling down his cheeks. "Han! You're crying! What's wrong?!"

Jara leaned toward Solo and whispered, "Don't upset her now!"

He forced a smile. "Nothin'." He said with a shrug. She glared at him, not accepting that, and he swallowed against the lump in his throat and admitted, "It's just that I love you so much, I wish you didn't have to hurt like this."

"Oh Han," she said softly, wiping the moisture from his cheek. "You really are a big sook, you know that?"

Solo sniffed and smiled. "That's what I told Chewie when ..."

"You told Chewie that you're ...!" Leia began but was cut short as Pain hit her again. She squeezed hard on Solo's hand and from that moment on had no time for words. She worked hard, pushing and relaxing as the doctor instructed, and finally the contractions peaked. Shortly afterward, dizzy and weak, she heard a baby's cry. "Han! Han!" she called and he was there, placing the tiny squirming figure on her breast. She looked up to find his eyes shining with the joy of the miracle he had witnessed. "It's a girl, Leia," he said softly. "Our little daughter, Elisan."

Some minutes later, as Leia was returned to her room and the baby taken to the nursery for examination, Solo collapsed and was rushed to emergency surgery.

"Han Solo! If you ever, ever dare to pull a stunt like that again, I'll, I'll ..." Leia Organa's tirade trailed off as she tried to think of suitable punishment. She sat in her wheelchair and stared, speechless with fury, at her husband who lay propped up by a mound of pillows in the hospital bed before her.

"Aww, c'mon, Leia," he pleaded. "I had a promise to keep."

Leia made some spluttering, choking sounds then somehow managed to find her voice. "Oh, I see! A promise! Right!" she dropped her hands defeatedly to her sides. "You were bleeding internally, you idiot! They told you that, didn't they!?!"

"Ahh, well." Solo mumbled. "Not really. They didn't know when I ..."

"You didn't let them examine you, did you!" Leia's expression became even more incredulous. "You should have gone straight to surgery! Solo, you never cease to amaze me!"

Suddenly the whole situation struck Solo as hilarious. Here was his pint-sized wife, new mother, bawling him out from her wheelchair - and she looked so cute. He decided she should know that, so he interrupted her ranting, she was back to the damage done to his ankle now. "Leia, Leia, Leia."

"What!!?" she snapped. "You're so cute when you're mad!"

"Oooohhh!!" Leia picked up a spare pillow and threw it at him.

"Hey!" Solo said in an injured tone. "Take it easy, will ya!? I'm a sick man. Ask anybody."

"Oh, you're sick all right!" Leia retorted. "But in the mind, not the body!"

Solo could only grin. He was enjoying this. "C'mere."

"Why?" Leia responded huffily. She folded her arms and turned from him.

"I wanna tell ya somethin' sorta personal."

"Well .... all right," she surrendered, her anger fading. She got out of her wheelchair and sat beside him. He lifted an arm as if to embrace her, but instead slid his hand down the front of her robe. "Childbirth has done wonders for your bra size, Your Highness!" he teased.

"Is that all you can think of!?"

"Yep!" Solo smirked. "Hey! It's been a long time!"

Leia's lips softened into a smile as he continued to caress her. She leaned forward and kissed him. "True, then again it has been sort of ..."

"Sort of what?" Solo asked suspiciously.

"Restful." Leia giggled.

Solo's jaw dropped. "Restful!?? Restful!? You call ..."

The protest was cut short by a knock at the door. "Is it safe to come in now?" Skywalker called. "There's a visitor here for you."

"I ain't in the mood to talk to no big brass!" Solo growled. "I'm a sick man, y'know!"

"Oh that's too bad," Luke said teasingly as he came into the room. In his arms he carried a tiny, swaddled bundle of baby. "This little girl really was keen to say hello to her daddy. Of course, if you're too sick ..."

"Skywalker!!" Solo threatened. Grinning broadly at his joke, the Jedi turned about and carried the baby to Solo. Carefully, he lowered her into her father's arms. Solo cradled his daughter and looked down at her in absolute wonderment. "Isn't she beautiful! Look at these tiny fingers!"

"Beautiful like her mother," Luke agreed, then teased, "Lucky she doesn't look like you."

"Ha. Ha." Solo threw the Jedi a token glare, then looked back to the baby, unable to stop looking at her.

Leia smiled softly as she looked from one man to the other. She turned about as she heard footsteps and saw Chewbacca at the door. "Come in, Chewie!" she called. "Come and see how a baby can turn grown men into so much mush."

Somewhat nervously, the wookiee approached the bed. He had one hand behind his back. "I have something for you, Little Cub," he crooned. He placed the toy bantha by the baby's side.

"The bantha!" Solo said. "Are you sure you can sleep nights without it?" Luke snorted and Chewbacca threw him a warning look.

"I have some news too," the wookiee continued, ignoring Solo's comment. "The Overseers have agreed to sign a treaty and we have King Tiresett in custody."

"Ha!" Solo commented sceptically. "The Overseers ain't gonna give up that easy! And what do Tiresett's people think about the Alliance barging in and taking over their world?"

"Actually, they love it!" Chewbacca replied. "Apparently Tiresett was not the most benevolent of dictators."

"Well, that I can believe! But there's still the problem of the Overseers. Have we got everyone back yet?"

"All present and accounted for," Leia confirmed. "Now all we have to do is keep an eye on them to see it doesn't happen again."

"Oh no!" Solo objected. "Not us, anyhow! We're taking a long holiday, ain't that right, Elisan! Just you, me, your mother and your furry uncle here ... not the short one." Luke growled at him and Solo laughed, "Only kiddin' Luke. Come along if ya want."

"Sounds good about now," Skywalker replied. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Kassykk sound okay to you Leia?" Solo asked, turning to her.

"Perfect," she smiled.

"Okay!" Solo cheered. "So how's about sealing it with a kiss!"

And they did.

THE END