butterfly | Fic: White Rabbits (Star Wars, 24/?)

Title: White Rabbits
Chapter: 24/?
Author: Diana Michelle (

butterfly)
Warnings: Spoilers for Revenge of the Sith.
Pairings: Anakin/Obi-Wan; Leia/Han.
Rating: PG/PG-13.
Summary: Leia and Han meet with one of Han's old contacts.
Disclaimer: Not Lucas, don't own a thing, not making any money.
Chapter Index

Chapter Twenty-Four -- Underground

“You know, this isn’t appropriate behavior for a grown man,” Leia said, impatiently tapping her fingers on the console while she waited for Han to finish.

“Almost done,” Han said. He’d been saying that for the last hour, so, for some reason, she was finding it hard to believe him.

Something made a clunking noise and Han let out a curse and waved his hand around in the air. Tiny drops of engine grease splattered on the floor around him.

“The engine was fine the way it was,” she continued, cupping her chin in the palm of her hand. “Actually, I think the Falcon has been a little quieter than usual.”

“I don’t care if you think she sounded better,” Han said, pointing an accusing, oil-smeared finger at her. “She’s been violated, that’s all that matters.”

Leia rolled her eyes.

“It’s all right,” Han said, in loving tones. “I love you, baby, no matter what that monster did to you.”

Leia glanced over to see Han cooing at the engine. She sighed, and idly wondered how much it cost to have a ship discreetly blown up.

Maybe she could just have it put out of commission for at least a few weeks. She liked the ship… well, she didn’t hate the ship, but she wasn’t planning on spending the rest of her life on it.

Han, on the other hand, probably would be perfectly happy to spend their wedding night on the Falcon. She could picture it now -- dim lighting courtesy of a ‘minor’ malfunction, mood music supplied by Artoo, and a romantic dinner catered by Chewie. Don’t mind the hair in the food, it just gives it texture.

Leia sighed again, and wondered if there was any chance that she could talk to Han’s contact without Han actually being there. She knew almost all of Han’s secrets, so she might be able to prove that he’d sent her, and, really, watching Han screw around with machinery only turned her on at certain times of the month.

“Isn’t your friend expecting you?” Leia asked, finally.

“Oh, there isn’t really a meet set-up,” Han said, putting the welder down and prowling over towards Leia. “I just wanted to stop by before we left the planet. Dex knows more about the state of the galaxy than… well, just about anyone.”

“What exactly do you hope to learn?” Leia asked. She could remember hearing about Dex, back when she’d first joined the Rebellion. Word like Dex traveled quickly in certain circles. He was well-known for being able to supply just about anything to just about anyone, and being willing not to ask too many questions. He’d eluded the Empire for as long as there’d been an Empire.

“What you told me to,” Han said, leaning over the console. He flashed her one of his quick grins. “You wanted to know what ‘the people’ think about the New Republic. Dex’ll be able to tell us.”

“You mean, this is for… for the Republic?” Leia asked, feeling her cheeks flush with a touch of embarrassment. After almost four years, she was still underestimating Han. Leia reached out and gently brushed Han’s cheek with back of her hand. “Thank you.”

Han caught her wrist, calloused fingers stroking against her skin. His smile was softer now, almost sweet.

“Not a problem,” Han said, his voice husky and low. He tugged on her wrist and she stretched up to kiss him.

The room around her faded into the background and Han’s mouth was the center of her universe – the warmth of his lips, the rough rub of his stubble, and the teasing strength of his tongue.

“The message has been sent,” Threepio said, his voice loud in the closed confines of the ship.

After another long moment, and an impatient noise from Threepio, Leia reluctantly pulled away from Han, trying to remember just what message Threepio could be talking about.

“Master Luke’s message,” Threepio added, rather unhelpfully.

“What message?” Han asked.

“He didn’t mention it?” Threepio asked. “Oh, dear. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I’m sure that he’d want us to know,” Leia said.

Threepio stared at them for a moment.

“I suppose that you’re right,” Threepio said. “Well, before Master Luke left the ship, he asked me to send a message to Chewbacca.”

“To bring Artoo here?” Leia asked. “Because of Anakin and Obi-Wan?”

“Precisely,” Threepio said.

“Well, that’s good, then,” Han said, after a moment. “Luke was probably looking for an excuse to get Artoo back, anyway.”

“I do understand that,” Threepio said. “For all his faults, Artoo can be quite a comforting companion.”

“He’s certainly one of the two most devoted and determined droids that I’ve ever known,” Leia said. She walked past Han and placed a hand on Threepio’s shining arm. “And you are the other.”

“Princess Leia,” Threepio said, awe-struck. Even as a child, she’d been amazed at how expressive and… alive some droids could be. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Just say thank you,” Leia said.

“Thank you,” Threepio said, sounding a little choked-up.

“Now, Threepio, while we’re out, I’d like you to send another message,” Leia said softly. Threepio nodded. Leia glanced over at Han, who was putting his tools away. “This one is for Senator Reilia of Naboo. Just let her know that I’d like to have a chance to talk to her about a party of mutual interest.”

For a moment, Threepio looked oddly conflicted.

“It would be my pleasure,” Threepio said, finally.

“Thank you,” Leia said.

“We ready?” Han asked, his hand touching Leia’s elbow.

“Perhaps I should come with you,” Threepio fussed.

“And why would we need you there?” Han asked.

“Well, I was just asking,” Threepio said, indignantly.

“We won’t be gone long,” Leia said. “And you’ve got to look after the ship for us.”

“Yeah, we’re, uh, trusting you,” Han said, hand curving around Leia’s arm. Leia gave Threepio a reassuring smile and she and Han strolled out of the ship.

The street was bustling with foot traffic, while speeders and air cabs zipped by overhead.

“Now, remember to act casual,” Han said, softly. “Like you’ve been here before.”

“Han, I’ve been working with the Rebellion since before I was twelve,” Leia said sweetly. “Besides, the people here know you, right?”

“Yeah, of course they do,” Han said. Leia glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

“And they aren’t… mad at you for anything?” Leia asked.

“No! Of course not,” Han protested. “The last time I was here, everything went fine. I just haven’t been back for a while and, well, they aren’t big fans of government in general.”

“The Empire’s fallen,” Leia said.

“But the New Republic isn’t going to look kindly on smugglers, either,” Han said. “They’ll want a piece of the pie, and these guys are used to having the whole pastry to themselves, if you know what I mean.”

“I suspect that even Threepio would be able to guess,” Leia said.

Han steered them towards a nondescript building that still managed to stand out – grey and unmarked in an area where everything seemed to be sporting colorful graffiti.

“This is the place,” he said, leading her down a narrow alley on the left side of the building. There was a shallow set of steps leading to a wide door. Han rapped lightly on the door, and a thin horizontal strip of the door shimmered and faded, showing a pair of glowing red eyes. “I’m here to see Dex.”

“Name?” The voice was raspy and low and it seemed to be promising untold pain to anyone it didn’t like.

“Han Solo.”

“One moment.” The eyes disappeared, leaving only darkness behind. Han glanced over at Leia and gave her a quick smile.

A minute passed, then two, and Han shifted uncomfortably next to her.

The strip of black turned grey again, and the door rumbled, folding up and into the building, revealing a young Twi’lek, her pale purple skin gleaming in the soft light, lekku-tentacles delicately draped over her shoulders.

“Lylaan! It’s good to see you again,” Han said, with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Solo,” she said simply, inclining her head.

Leia noticed that Han’s smile had turned slightly queasy.

“Dex would be very pleased to speak with you,” Lylaan continued, in dulcet tones. “He’s looking forward to asking you a few questions about the many rumors he has been hearing over the past few years.”

“That’s good to hear,” Han said.

But when he started to enter the building, Lylaan held up a hand, her gaze shifting to Leia.

“Only you are welcome, Mr. Solo,” she said. “Unless your friend is willing to provide us with a reason to trust her.”

“She’s not dangerous,” Han said.

“She may not intend harm,” Lylaan said. “But that does not make her presence here any less dangerous. You are lucky that no one seems to have recognized her.”

“You know who I am?” Leia asked.

“We are aware of your connections to the renewed Republic.”

“Then, please, let Dex know that the Republic has no interest in shutting him down. We want to work with people, not against them,” Leia said.

Lylaan’s pale blue gaze assessed her for a moment and Leia lifted her chin, meeting the woman’s eyes without hesitation.

“Very well.” Lylaan turned her hand around and gracefully gestured for Leia to enter. “Both of you will leave your weapons here.”

“Of course,” Han said, pulling his blaster out of his holster and placing it on a small side-table that Leia hadn’t noticed before. Leia quickly followed his example. Their blasters seemed to sink into the metal of the table, and, in seconds, had vanished from sight.

Lylaan reached out, her hand caressing the wall, and the door rumbled down behind them.

“You will follow me,” she said, pressing another spot on the wall. Though Leia couldn’t see any buttons or switches, there was clearly something there as, with another soft sound, a new doorway opened, revealing a dimly lit set of narrow stairs, leading downward.

“See, nothing to worry about,” Han said, as they followed Lylaan.

“Who’s worried?” Leia whispered back.

The stairs twisted as they went further down, below the streets of Coruscant. The lights had grown fainter and Leia kept one hand on the wall to steady herself.

“How far down are we?” Leia asked.

“It’s not much further,” Han said, which wasn’t really much of an answer.

But before she could say anything about that, they were finally reaching the bottom of the stairs.

They pushed through a curtain of beads, and they emerged out of an alcove into a large room. The walls were light blue and the floor was tiled in blue and grey, with large blue rug in the center of the room.

Not exactly what she’d have pictured for a successful black-markets supplier.

There was a desk at the end of the room, with two chairs in front of it, and standing next to it was a Besalisk, and she could only assume that he was Dex. He also didn’t look much like she’d expected. He was dressed sloppily, in a pale green t-shirt and loose pants. One of his eyes was cloudy, though the other was still yellow and sharp, and his upper right arm ended at the elbow in a smooth, blackened stump.

“Ah, Han,” he rumbled, as Lylaan took a seat at a small chair to the left of the desk. “I was pleased to hear that you survived your encounter with Jabba.”

“You heard about that,” Han said.

Dex chuckled richly, heavy jowls shaking. Lylaan laughed, too, her light voice weaving into Dex’s deeper sound.

After a moment, Dex waved at the chairs in front of the desk and then he moved to wedge himself behind it.

Leia gingerly took the seat on the left. The chairs seemed to be a little more uncomfortable than they needed to be.

“We did hear about it,” Dex said, his upper left hand spread out flat on the desk. “We heard that you got out, that you killed Jabba and destroyed his operation.”

“All with the help of a Jedi Knight,” Lylaan said, crossing her legs and leaning forward slightly.

“Since the Jedi are known to be extinct, we found that rumor to be particularly intriguing,” Dex said.

“Very interesting,” Lylaan added.

“Luke Skywalker plans to restore the Jedi Order,” Leia said. Dex and Lylaan both turned intense looks onto her.

“Skywalker?” Lylaan asked, her voice sharp with interest.

“We’d heard the rumor that the Jedi was a Skywalker, but we found it hard to believe,” Dex said.

“It would confirm other… theories,” Lylaan said, left hand reaching up to stroke at a lekku. “Are you still acquainted with Skywalker?”

“He’s a friend,” Han said.

“I would appreciate it if you could arrange a meeting,” Dex said. Han’s brow wrinkled and Leia could understand how he felt – Dex clearly had his own agenda here, one that Han hadn’t known anything about.

“I would like to know why,” Han said.

Dex smiled toothily.

“Because I used to be friends with a Jedi or two,” Dex said. “And I would like to see if he is good enough to be a true Jedi.”

“If we arrange a meeting for you and… Master Skywalker, we’d like something in return,” Leia said. Lylaan tilted her head curiously. “We’d like for you to meet with representatives from the New Republic.”

Lylaan glanced over at Dex.

“I believe that can be arranged,” she said, after a moment. Then, she rose from her chair. “And now, I believe that it is time for you to leave.”

“Of course,” Leia said, standing up. Lylaan gestured at the beads.

“There is only one way out, and you will find that your weapons are no longer hidden,” she said. “Feel free to take your time, but remember that you are being recorded. We would appreciate it if you could return with Skywalker as soon as possible. We will be waiting.”

Han was still looking a little stunned, so Leia nodded her thanks and grabbed him by the hand to lead him out.

“What the hell just happened?” Han asked, when they were half-way up the stairs.

“I don’t know,” Leia said. “But if meeting with Luke is important enough for him to be willing to deal with the Republic, I’ll take it.”

“If Luke agrees,” Han said.

“Well, of course, if Luke agrees,” Leia said. “I’m not going to force him to come here if he doesn’t want to.”

“Of course not,” Han said.

“Of course, this is such a wonderful opportunity that I’m sure he’ll agree,” Leia said. “Dex traded with the Rebellion more than once, but the moment that we toppled the Empire, he cut off relations. We could use a man like him, Han, someone who has his finger on the pulse of the people.”

“But you’re not going to force Luke into anything,” Han said.

“I won’t have to.”

~end chapter twenty-four~

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From:

nebularific

This fic is just plain yummy. I'm so glad you updated it. Not only have you made me give Obi/Ani a second glance, but you've also made me actually *like* your Leia. I really, really adore this fic.

From:

in a state of continuous evolution

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