Star Wars_ The Han Solo Trilogy 03_ Rebel Dawn - A. C. Crispin [57]
“Well, that ain’t what’s gonna happen to me, pal,” Han said caustically. “You know, I’m startin’ to get mad, Chewie. She doesn’t care what I want—she doesn’t even want to know what I want. That’s no way to make someone fall for you and want to marry you.”
Chewie vociferously agreed.
The next night, Han spoke to Lando in a smoky bar at one of the big Nar Shaddaa casinos. The gambler shook his head the moment Han brought the subject up. “Han … Han … she’s dead serious about this, you know. When she told me about it, I started to laugh—cause I know you, pal!—and Salla just about decked me.”
“I know she’s serious,” Han said, morosely. “Blast it, Lando, I don’t want to marry her—I don’t want to marry anybody! Ever, maybe! I like being single, and I like being able to do what I want, when I want, with whoever I want to!”
“Easy, pal,” Lando cautioned, and Han realized his voice had scaled up to the point where other patrons of the drinking establishment were looking over at him. He took a hasty gulp of his Alderaanian ale.
“Well, have you tried telling her how you feel?” Lando asked.
“Yeah, a couple of times, now. She just dismisses me. I’ll say, ‘Salla, this isn’t a good idea, I need time to think about this,’ or even, ‘Salla, I ain’t interested in gettin’ married now,’ but it doesn’t do a bit of good.”
“What does she say when you say that?”
“She just tosses it off. Says things like, ‘don’t worry, Han, men always feel like that. It’s perfectly normal to have pre-wedding jitters.’ ”
Lando sighed so gustily that his mustache quivered. “That’s tough, pal,” he said. “She sounds like she’s settled on getting married to you as a good way to fix up her life. She lost her ship, but she’s going to gain a husband.”
“She wants me to quit the business and leave Nar Shaddaa. Says we can be like Roa and Lwyll, start a new life doing something else. No more smuggling.”
Lando shuddered. “Honest work? That’s awful!” The gambler was only partly joking.
Han drained his stein of ale and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Lando, what am I gonna do? I ain’t gonna marry her, that’s for sure. But I can’t be mean enough to her to tell her in a way that will make her listen.”
Lando frowned. “That’s a tough one. Seems to me, the way Salla’s acting, she’s just asking to be set down. But Han … you can’t wait. She told me she’s setting the wedding for next week.”
Han sat bolt upright. “Next week? Oh, no … Lando, no way!”
Lando nodded. “You’ve gotta tell her, Han.”
“But she won’t listen!”
“What else can you do?”
Han’s features hardened with determination. “I can leave, that’s what. I’ve been meaning to spend some time in the Corporate Sector, look up a master starship tech named Doc. Seems like now is a good time for that trip.”
“Corporate Sector’s quite a ways away.”
“Yeah. And Salla doesn’t have a ship, so she can’t possibly follow me. Besides, if I just leave, that’ll give her the message, clearer than anything I could say. And I’m doin’ it right away, Lando. Tomorrow.”
“That quick?” Lando was taken aback. “Why so fast?”
“Why stick around?” Han asked. “I’ll go see Jabba tomorrow morning, tell him I’m headin’ out for a while and don’t know when I’ll be back. Besides …” he sighed, “I care about Salla. I don’t want her spendin’ her credits on a wedding that ain’t gonna happen. So the quicker I go, the more she’ll save.”
“She’s going to be mad,” Lando said.
“I know,” Han agreed bleakly. “And I wish it didn’t have to be like this. She should have some respect for me, not be so hard-headed. If there was another way around this, I’d take it, but I can’t think of anything. No matter what I do or say, Salla’s gonna get hurt.”
“You could knuckle under and marry her,” Lando said, cocking an amused eyebrow.
Han shook his head. “Lando, I’d sooner kiss