Star Wars_ The Han Solo Trilogy 03_ Rebel Dawn - A. C. Crispin [98]
Lando’s dark eyes widened. “You’re kidding!”
“Nope,” Han said. “There’s an old guy in the Corporate Sector who can make a hyperdrive whirl on its axis and give you two decicreds change. Doc’s a master, all right.”
“You’ll have to take me for a spin,” Lando said, impressed.
“So, tell me what’s been happening with you,” Han said.
Lando fortified himself with a long drink, then said, “Han, there’s something I have to tell you. I ran into Bria a couple of weeks ago.”
Han sat up straight. “Bria? Bria Tharen? How? Why?”
“It’s a long story,” Lando said, and smiled wickedly.
“So get busy and start tellin’ it,” Han snapped, his expression darkening.
“Man, that is one lovely armful, that lady,” Lando said, and sighed.
In one swift motion, Han lurched forward and grabbed Lando by the collar of his embroidered shirt.
“Whoa!” Lando gasped. “Nothing happened! We just danced, that’s all!”
“Danced?” Han let go and sat back down, looking sheepish. “Oh.”
“C’mon, Han, take it easy,” Lando said, “you haven’t even seen this woman in how many years?”
“Sorry, pal, guess I got a little carried away,” Han said. “I used to care about her a lot.”
Lando smiled again, this time cautiously. “Well, she still cares about you. A lot.”
“Lando … the story,” Han said. “Tell.”
“Okay,” Lando said, and launched into a description of his recent adventures aboard the Queen of Empire. By the time he’d reached the face-off outside the shuttle bay, Han was leaning forward, hanging on his every word.
When the gambler finished, Han sat back, shaking his head, sipping his ale. “Some story,” he said. “Lando, that makes the second time you’ve stood up to Fett. That took guts, pal.”
Lando shrugged, and for once his demeanor was completely serious. “I don’t like bounty hunters,” he said. “Never have. I wouldn’t turn my worst enemy over to one. To me they’re on a par with slavers.”
Han nodded, then grinned. “Good thing Drea’s got a soft spot for you, pal.”
“The thing that turned the tide there was reminding her that she owed you,” Lando pointed out.
“Well, I’ll have to let her know that I owe her one, now,” Han said. “I just hope you showed her a good time on that little jaunt you took.”
“Of course,” Lando said. “If it’s one thing I know how to do, it’s show a lady a good time.”
“So … when did Bria tell you she cared about me? The whole time you were with Fett, you were ordered to be quiet,” Han said, thinking back over Lando’s account.
“Oh, I saw her again, here on Nar Shaddaa,” Lando said.
Han stared at Lando balefully. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, I did,” Lando replied. “Will you relax, old buddy? I just took her out to dinner. She got turned down by Jiliac and Jabba over some commando raid on Ylesia she wanted them to finance, and she needed some cheering up.” Lando sighed. “She spent the whole time talking about you. Really depressing.”
Han felt a grin creep over his face. “Yeah?” he said, trying to sound casual. “She did?”
Lando mock-glared at him. “Yes, she did. Xendor alone knows why, but she did.”
“I’ve thought about trying to contact her,” Han said. “But after seeing her that time in Sarn Shild’s place … well, I know now she was on assignment for the Resistance. I guess a good agent does whatever she has to do to get information.…”
“I asked her about that,” Lando said. “She told me that even though Shild wanted everyone to think she was his mistress, she wasn’t. And from what I’ve heard about that guy, he did indeed have some very odd … tastes … in partners.”
“Huh …” Han said, mulling that one over. “You say she talked about me, huh? She still cares?”
“She cares,” Lando said. “If you’d been a myrmin on the wall, your head would be even more swelled than it is already.” He laughed shortly, and finished off his own drink, “I told you, it was depressing, pal.”
Han smiled. “Well … thanks. I owe you one for saving her, Lando.”
“You should look her up, if you