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Lando sputtered with laughter until he nearly fell off his barstool.

“I ain’t losing my freedom,” Han said grimly. “Salla will get over this. Yeah, she’ll be mad. Yeah, she’ll probably never speak to me again. I’m sorry about that, but not sorry enough to stick around. I’d sooner microjump through the Maw.”

Lando shrugged, offered his hand. “Going to miss you, pal.”

“C’mon along,” Han suggested, shaking it. “Chewie and I could use a hand.”

“What about Jarik?”

Han made a dismissive gesture. “The kid won’t be coming, I’m almost certain. Shug’s payin’ him more than I can afford to, and he’s so hung up on that girl he can’t see straight. No way he’d be up for a long trip.”

“True,” Lando said. “First love … isn’t it sweet?”

Han rolled his eyes, then the two of them laughed.

“So … you comin’?” Han prodded.

“Not me,” Lando said. “I’ve got to put in some time on the spaceship lot. Since Roa left, I’ve been through one manager after another, and I caught the last one skimming.”

“Great,” Han shook his head. “Well, I’ll miss you, Lando. You watch your back, now, pal.”

“You too.”

Han spent one last night with Salla, but she was so wrapped up in her plans that she didn’t even notice how grimly silent he was.

Just before they turned in, Han looked at her and said, “Salla … I wish you’d asked me before planning all this. I ain’t the marrying kind of guy.”

She laughed. “All men think that, Han … until they get married. Remember Roa? He said all along he’d never do it, then he did, and you never saw anyone happier. That’s the way men are.”

“Not this guy,” Han said, but Salla only laughed.

The next morning, Han went by his place and had ZeeZee pack up his clothes (it didn’t take long, Han never had many clothes) into an old backpack. Then he and Chewie went out to the Millennium Falcon’s landing pad atop one of the tall buildings of Nar Shaddaa.

Jarik turned up to see them off. Han hadn’t told anyone but Lando and the youth that he was going. Jarik held out his hand, and when Han shook it, blurted, “Now I wish I was going! Come back rich, Han! Chewie, you take care of him, okay?”

Han slung an arm around the young man’s shoulders, shook him playfully. Chewie gave him a Wookiee head-rub that made the kid yelp. “You take care of yourself, Jarik,” Han said. “Don’t let ZeeZee drive you crazy. And … take my advice, kid. Have fun, but remember: If I’m too young to get married, you are definitely too young!”

Jarik laughed. “I’ll remember than, Han!”

“So long, kid. Take it easy.”

Minutes later, with Nar Shaddaa behind them, Han keyed his comm system for a holo message. Quickly he gave Salla’s name and codes, then instructed Message Central to “hold” the message for two hours. By that time he’d be long gone.

When the message signaled it was ready to “record” Han cleared his throat self-consciously. “Hi, Salla,” he said. “I’m sorry it had to be like this, but by the time you get this, Chewie and me will be gone. I tried to talk to you, but you just wouldn’t listen.”

He hesitated, took a deep breath. “Salla, you’re a great lady, but I’m just not ready to get married—to anyone. So try not to take it personally, okay? I think we need a break from each other. I’ll be back someday. Try not to be too mad, Salla. I’m just doing what I have to. You take care of yourself, Salla, and say goodbye to Shug and Mako for me.”

Chewbacca grunted insistently, and Han said, “Oh, and Chewie says goodbye, too. Stay well, Salla. Be happy.”

Reaching out, he hit the “transmit” button, and then slumped back in his seat. “Whew! That was worse than a dozen Runs, pal.”

Chewbacca agreed that things of that nature were never easy.

Han nodded. “Okay, pal. And, speakin’ of marriage, I think before we light out for the Corporate Sector, you and Mallatobuck deserve a little second honeymoon. So set course for Kashyyyk.”

Chewbacca gazed at Han, his blue eyes lighting up. Han grinned at the Wookiee. “Besides, I laid in another cargo of those explosive quarrels that Katarra liked so much. I figure a nice load of Thikkiian brandy might fetch a good