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"Well, the Millennium Falcon's got a busted acceleration compensator, so it's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon. And since you asked so nicely…" Han shot Luke a smug grin. Then he slapped his hands on the table and rose to his feet. "I'm all yours."

C-3PO tottered in nervous circles around his astromech counterpart, R2-D2, ensuring that everything was in working order. "You take care of Master Luke, now," he instructed the little droid sternly. "And don't do anything foolish." C-3PO would be traveling with Leia on a diplomatic mission to Mon Calamari while R2-D2 headed to Kamino with Luke.

R2-D2 beeped indignantly. He was doing a last-minute check of Luke's X-wing, tweaking the calibration on the flashback suppressor.

"Because I know you," C-3PO pointed out. "And you're always taking silly risks."

R2-D2 whirred and whistled.

" Me? " C-3PO slapped his bronzium hand to his chest. "Of course I'll be careful. I'm always careful."

"Come on, Artoo," Luke said, joining the droids. Han and Leia trailed him. "We should go."

"Master Luke, I don't like the sound of this mission," C-3PO informed him. "Surely the Empire had a good reason for abandoning that base."

"I'm sure they did, Threepio," Luke agreed. "And we're going to find out what it is."

R2-D2 beeped eagerly.

"See?" Luke said. "Artoo thinks the mission sounds like a great idea."

"Oh, of course he does," C-3PO said in disgust. He flicked a hand at R2-D2. "Go, then. Just make sure you come back in one piece."

Leia rested a comforting hand on C-3PO. "Artoo will be just fine," she assured him.

"Don't worry."

"I would never do such a thing, Your Highness," C-3PO said. "I have absolute faith in Master Luke." But when Luke and R2-D2 turned to ready the X-wing, he followed them nervously, already jabbering more useless warnings and advice.

Han burst into laughter. "Crazy bucket of bolts."

"He's worried about his friend," Leia said, irritated. Han could turn anything into a joke. "I think it's sweet."

"Oh yeah?" Han raised his eyebrows. "And how about you, Princess?"

"How about me what?" But she knew what.

"Pretty dangerous mission I'm heading out on," Han said. "You want to give me any last-minute warnings? Beg me to come back in one piece? Tell me not to go?"

" Dangerous? " Leia forced a laugh. It wasn't that she wished Luke and Han weren't going on the mission. The Rebellion needed them. She just wished she were going with them. Just in case. The meeting on Mon Calamari was crucial to maintaining the stability of the Alliance; she knew that. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she belonged on the other side of the galaxy, with Han and Luke. "The base has been abandoned. This mission's about as dangerous as a game of sabacc."

"Then lucky thing you're not going," Han shot back. At Leia's look of confusion, he explained himself. "Because you're terrible at bluffing, Highness."

She rolled her eyes, determined to admit nothing.

"No need to be embarrassed," he said. "It's only natural. You put a little space between you and something that matters to you, of course you're going to think about worst-case scenarios. In fact…" He shifted his gaze to the ground, as if afraid to meet her eyes.

"You'll be gone all week on Mon Calamari, right?"

"That's the plan," Leia said, surprised. Was Han about to admit that he worried about her safety? She smiled. It was just like him, teasing her about her feelings when really he was just embarrassed about having any of his own. "Is something bothering you?"

He rubbed his temples, visibly agitated. "I just don't like it, that's all."

"Yes?" Leia prompted him, suppressing a smile. "Don't like what?"

"Leaving behind…my ship."

"Your ship?" Leia echoed, incredulous. "Your ship? "

"Sure. Chewie's coming with me, and you're not even going to be around to keep an eye on her, and it just doesn't feel right, leaving her behind all alone like this."

"Right," Leia said in a flat voice. "You'll worry about her while you're gone. Of course."

"What?" Han asked,