• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Ignoring her sarcasm, Han moved past her as he went back to work. The passageway in the hold was so narrow that he couldn't avoid brushing against her as he passed by - or could he?

With mixed emotions the princess watched him for a moment as he continued to work on his ship. And then she turned back to her welding.

See Threepio ignored all this odd human behavior. He was too busy trying to communicate with the Falcon, trying to find out what was wrong with its hyperdrive. Standing at the central control panel, Threepio was making uncharacteristic whistle and beep sounds. A moment later, the control panel whistled back.

'Where is Artoo when I need him?' sighed the golden robot. The control panel's response had been difficult for him to interpret. 'I don't know where your ship learned to communicate,' Threepio announced to Han, 'but its dialect leaves something to be desired. I believe, sir, it says the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it.'

'Of course I'll have to replace it,' Han snapped, then called up to Chewbacca, who was peering from the ceiling compartment. 'Replace it!' he whispered.

He noticed that Leia had finished her welding but was having trouble reengaging the valve, struggling with a lever that simply would not budge. He moved toward her and began offering to help, but she coldly turned her back to him and continued her battle with the valve.

'Easy, Your Worship,' he said. 'Only trying to help.'

Still struggling with the lever, Leia asked quietly, 'Would you please stop calling me that?'

Han was surprised at the princess's simple tone. He had expected a stinging retort or, at best, a cold silence. But her words were missing the mocking tone that he was accustomed to hearing. Was she finally bringing their relentless battle of wills to an end? 'Sure,' he said gently.

'You make things difficult sometimes,' Leia said as she shyly glanced at him.

He had to agree. 'I do, I really do.' But he added, 'You could be a little nicer, too. Come on, admit it, sometimes you think I'm all right.'

She let go of the lever and rubbed her sore hand. 'Sometimes,' she said with a little smile, 'maybe ... occasionally, when you aren't acting the scoundrel.'

'Scoundrel?' he laughed, finding her choice of words endearing. 'I like the sound of that.'

Without another word, he reached for Leia's hand and began to massage it.

'Stop it,' Leia protested.

Han continued to hold her hand. 'Stop what?' he asked softly.

Leia felt flustered, confused, embarrassed - a hundred things in that moment. But her sense of dignity prevailed. 'Stop that!' she said regally. 'My hands are dirty.'

Han smiled at her feeble excuse, but held on to her hand and looked right into her eyes. 'My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?'

'Afraid?' She returned his direct gaze. 'Of getting my hands dirty.'

'That's why you're trembling?' he asked. He could see that she was affected by his closeness and by his touch, and her expression softened. Whereupon he reached out and took her other hand.

'I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel,' he said. 'I think you haven't had enough scoundrels in your life.' As he spoke he slowly drew her near.

Leia didn't resist his gentle pull. Now, as she looked at him, she thought he had never seemed more handsome, but she was still the princess. 'I happen to like nice men,' she chided in a whisper.

'And I'm not nice?' Han asked, teasing.

Chewbacca stuck his head out from the overhead compartment and watched the proceedings unnoticed.

'Yes,' she whispered, 'but you ...'

Before she could finish, Han Solo drew her to him and felt her body tremble as he pressed his lips to hers. It seemed forever, it seemed an eternity to share between them, as he gently bent her body back. This time she didn't resist at all.

When they parted, Leia needed a moment to catch her breath. She tried to regain her composure and work up a measure of indignation, but she found it difficult to talk.

'Okay, hot