• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"Exactly."

Leia felt like a krayt dragon toying with a woolamander. She hated this. But it was necessary.

"I can't imagine the Empire would take very kindly to your helping me," Leia said.

"Much less collaborating with the Rebel Alliance."

"I haven't!" Manaa exclaimed. "I wouldn't!"

"And I'm sure Darth Vader will be very interested in your denials, especially once he receives anonymous reports of all your activities in support of the Rebels."

The blood had all drained from his face. "You wouldn't," he whispered.

"I'm sure Vader wouldn't blame innocent Delayans for the actions of its leader, but then…" Leia's chest tightened so much she could barely force the words out. Saying it out loud doesn't make it true, she promised herself. "The Empire didn't hesitate to fault the people of Alderaan for my actions, did they? I brought down their wrath on my planet…What makes you think I couldn't do the same to yours?"

Manaa's breath exploded from him in a miserable sigh. He sagged like a broken-down droid.

She was disgusted with herself. But she'd won.

"What do you want?" he asked, sounding defeated.

Leia told him.

"Well, it's done." Leia settled into the co-pilot's seat with a sigh. Chewbacca was down below, tinkering with the hyperdrive. Luke and Elad were doing calisthenics in the main hold. She and Han were alone in the cockpit.

"You made a deal? " Han asked incredulously.

"That was the idea," Leia said.

"I know, I just can't believe you're letting that dung grubber get away with it."

"Sometimes you have to make compromises," Leia told him.

" I don't have to do anything," Han pointed out. "Someone tries to get me, you better be sure I get them."

" Some of us try to take a longer view," Leia said. "We care about more than just the next payday."

"And some of us don't have a royal treasury to play with," Han retorted. "Or did you think I carted people like you across the galaxy for the fun of it?"

"I think you do it because you want to. Only reason you do anything," Leia said angrily. "Whatever you want, whenever you want. You're like a spoiled child."

"Hey, hold on there. If anyone here's spoiled, it's you."

" Me? "

"Yeah, you, sweetheart," he snarled. "You expect me to junk my whole life, just on your say-so? Spoiled."

"I don't expect anything from you but aggravation. You're just like him."

Han was lost. "Him who?"

"No one!"

Han never understood how they always ended up arguing—but usually he at least understood what they were arguing about. Not this time.

"How you live your life is your business," she said, ice cold. "You can't commit to anyone but yourself? Fine. But don't think you'll get my respect."

"Where's all this coming from, Highness?"

She exploded. "Stop calling me that!"

Apologize, he told himself. It doesn't matter that you didn't do anything. Just apologize.

"You want me to stop calling you that?" He smirked. "Then how 'bout you stop sitting up there on your throne and judging us peasants?"

"I don't have a throne anymore," she said in a rough voice. "The Empire blew it up."

That stopped him.

He'd always thought of their arguments as an exchange of friendly fire. They fought the way children fight, backing off before drawing blood. Most of the time, he only said the things he did to get a rise out of her. He'd always assumed she felt the same way.

But this was different. There was true anger in her eyes. Like she meant every word.

"I fight for something greater than myself," she said. "So does Luke. Elad. But you?

Nothing's greater than the great Han Solo, right? You don't care what the Empire does, if it doesn't directly affect you. Who knows if you care about anything."

"Don't tell me how I feel," he growled.

"Do you feel?" She laughed harshly. "In that case, I guess I'm wrong, you're not heartless. There's only one other reason for you to behave like you do. You're a coward."

Han slammed his fist down. "That's what you think, Princess?"

"That's what I think, Captain."

He stood up, fearing