A Bad Case Of Corellian

By J.A. Berger

http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/golledge The Corellian Embassy

This story was written just for fun and is not an attempt to make money
or infringe on any copyrights or trademarks. Only the original ideas
contained within the works on this nonprofit web site are the property of
their authors, and please do not copy or link these stories to any other website
or archive or print without permission of the author.


* * * * * *


The heavy titanium grilled plating fell suddenly into place and the air
filled with hot Corellian execrations. Han Solo got to his feet, glared
at the closed panel and filled the shuttle's artificial atmosphere with
more choice descriptions of what he thought of the vessel, its
manufacturers, and space travel in general. He was not a happy man when
he reached the cockpit and fell into the pilot's seat.

"Where in hell did you find this derelict?!"

"What's wrong?" Leia Organa stopped him, an exasperated air to her sharp
words. "Why didn't the hyperdrive engage?"

"Because, your Royalness," Solo commented sarcastically, "we have no
hyperdrive! I don't think it's been serviced since the Clone Wars. Why in
hell did you charter this-- this--" he looked angrily about the small
vessel, "without having her checked out first?"

"It was the only one available for long range travel! I took what I could
get!" Leia snapped. "You were the one that insisted on staying an extra
day to visit an old friend." The young Alderaanian put special emphasis
on old, and the handsome man beside her returned her glare.

"*You* said you could arrange for a ship!"

"And I did!"

"You sure did."

"Han, we have to get to Talas 6."

"You think I like this any better than you do? If you would like to get
out there and push we might get there ahead of the Falcon, otherwise
forget it. This ship can't do it!"

Leia groaned. "Han, there has to be some way around this mess."

A silence fell over the small cockpit as each worried over private
thoughts, which tended to place most of the blame of the situation on the
other.

"I think I know a way to shorten our trip enough to get us there on
time," Leia finally said.

Solo shot the young senator a suspicious glance. "No."

"The least you can do is listen!"

"I listened to you yesterday, and look where it got me!"

"If I read our star charts correctly," Leia continued, avoiding the hard
look of her fellow traveler, "we're approaching the Davalian system,
where we were to engage hyperdrive, avoid it, and get to Talas 6 before
Luke and Chewbacca, right?"

Solo nodded, his hazel eyes hooded with a growing concern as to where
this conversation was headed.

"Okay. If we go through the system instead of around it we'll still get
to Talas 6 ahead of the Falcon." She turned to face the Corellian, a
pleased smile on her face.

Solo mumbled softly under his breath. "No. We are not going through the
Davalian system."

"Why not? It's a perfect solution. Would you rather Luke and Chewie have
to wait for us, sitting in the middle of an occupied planet?"

"I'm not taking this bucket of bolts into the Davalian system. Forget it."

"You're going to have to give me a better answer than that!"

"The Davalians are slavers," Han snapped, as he recognized the
determination that had hardened the Alderaanian's pretty eyes. "They've
dealt in flesh-peddling since they crawled off that dung-heap they call a
planet, centuries ago. They can turn a dishonest credit on any creature
that walks, crawls, or flies in this system. The little buggers are born
mercenaries!"

"Then you should get along with them just fine."

"I sure in hell can understand them! And I know I don't want anything to
do with them."

"They don't deal in humans!"

"So everyone says," Solo admitted reluctantly. "But the Empire has been
mining the adjoining worlds in their system for over twenty years now.
They use slave labor obtained by the Davalians and they've never been too
particular."

"Han Solo," Leia glanced at the uneasy Corellian with growing amusement.
"I think you're afraid of them."

Solo stiffened at the woman's teasing words. "I'm not afraid of them," he
snapped back at the grinning Princess. "But I sure in hell don't plan on
spending the rest of my days underground, either."

Leia laughed. "Solo, no slaver in his right mind would try to peddle a
Corellian."

"Well then, I don't have anything to worry about, do I?" He threw her an
amused glance. "Have you thought about what they might do to an Alderaanian?"

"This is ridiculous!" Leia retorted. "They don't deal in humans. Besides,
we're just going throughÉ"

"Without hyperdrive. If we get in trouble, we have no weaponry," he
reminded her curtly. "We couldn't outrun a fast bantha. We would beÉ"

A red light flashed on the pilot's board and Solo reached for the button.
"What else can go wrong?"

He balled a fist and struck the control board. The light remained on. His
copilot, strangely silent beside him, studied her console.

"What's our speed?" Solo mumbled as he pressed several switches and
rechecked the instrumentation before him.

"Falling, we're losing thrust."

"Damn!" Solo hit another switch and they felt a momentary surge. It held
and steadied.

"That's better. What did you do?" Leia questioned.

"I've engaged the auxiliary, but it's putting a strain on the other
systems." He glanced across at his copilot. "I guess it's time we tested
your theory."

"What?"

"We're going through the Davalian System. We no longer have any choice."
He turned, checked his coordinates. With jawline determinedly set, he
snapped in the new directionals. "Right by Daval; the quickest way in,
and I hope, the quickest way out."

Solo shot a look at the Alderaanian senator beside him. "Activate full
defensive shielding. I don't want any surprises."

"About the shielding..." She pushed her seat out of his direct reach.
"They said..."

"Leia, what are you Ð- trying Ð to..."

"Han, this is an old shuttle..."

"You're telling me!"

"We have shielding, of course..."

"Of course. Why do I get the feeling you're trying to tell me something I
don't want to hear?"

"I'm just trying to explain!" Leia snapped in defense. "That heavy
shielding -- has never -- been fully successful on Ð- this Ð- model --"

Leia tightened her hold on the arms of her copilot's chair as Solo blew up.

"Why don't we just get out and walk?!" he raved hotly.

"We're holding good speed and Davalian is a small system," she ventured
carefully. "There's little travel through this sector. We'll be in and
out before they know it."

Solo continued to grumble in ill temper as he watched the starfield
through the shuttle's small canopy.

"What did you say?" Leia asked suspiciously.

"I *said* may the Force help Alderaanian fools and Corellian asses who
listen to them."

"That's what I thought you said," she mumbled and allowed the silence to
grow between them. Daval slowly materialized ahead of them.

"Han --" Leia ventured, then checked the board before her again.

"If something else has quit working, I don't want to know about it," he
snapped, his uneasiness growing as they approached the small, ugly world
in the center of the Davalian System.

With the suddenness of unfulfilled thoughts, the small vessel shuddered
violently and settled into a powerless, drifting pattern.

"What the hell?!" Solo jumped to his feet and swept his board with expert
efficiency.

"That's what you said you didn't want to know about!" Leia snapped.

"Our main drive?" Solo guessed as he looked across at her board, which
had filled with flashing red lights. "Woman, there are times when..."

"Now, hold on a minute --" Leia swore loudly. "There's nothing I could
have done about that."

Solo dropped back into the pilot's seat. "How well do you speak
Davalian?" he inquired sweetly, as he maneuvered the small craft expertly
into a planetary orbit.

"Why?"

"Because you may be doing some quick explaining if I can't fix our drive
before we're found."

"I don't think humans can speak Davalian, can they?" she asked, as Han
fought the uncooperative yoke.

"How the hell should I know? I know Davalians can't speak Basic, so I
guess you'll have to improvise." He again cursed the small ship, as he
fought its sluggish controls. "I'm not trusting any more of these
systems. I'm going to full manual. When I give the word, hit the retros.
By using them along with what braking thrusters we have left, we should
get down without killing ourselves."

Leia glanced over her board, her hand hovering over two buttons, both
were badly worn, the printing and color obliterated with time and long
use. She glanced again at the Corellian, studied his drawn, angry
features, and reached for the 'black' button. She waited.

The small ship entered Daval's atmosphere like a wounded womprat, listing
badly to port, as Solo engaged the hesitant breaking thrusters. He waited
until the small craft hovered several meters from the ground before he
nodded to his copilot.

Leia hesitated, changed her mind and hit the 'red' button. With the
suddenness of most disasters they dropped like a rock.

*    *    *    *    *    *

"Han? Han?"

The Corellian groaned as a colorful array of pinwheels spun before his
awakening senses. He groaned again. He reached for his head, reassured
himself it was still there, then carefully opened his eyes. He blinked,
attempted to focus on the face that floated before his reeling senses.
"Leia?"

"I'm right here. Just sit still for a minute. You've got a nasty bump."

"What --" he blinked again as his vision cleared, his head resounding
with growing discomfort and a mind-splitting headache.

"It's okay." She dabbed something cold at his hairline. "You hit your
head on the console when we landed."

Solo's brow furrowed in thought as he attempted to pull his last memories
past the pain. "What happened?"

"We landed a little hard, that's all," Leia reassured him softly, as the
Corellian attempted to sit up. "Take it easy. I don't think you should
try to..."

"I engaged the braking thrusters --" he mumbled, struggling into an
upright position. He reached to his board. "They were sluggish, but..."
His eyes widened as memory struggled up from reviving senses. "The
stabilizers. Did they go out? That's not possible..." He looked at Leia
when no answer came to his growing suspicions. "I don't remember hearing
the retros cut in..."

He groaned and released his flight belt, struggling weakly to his feet.

"Han, I don't think you should get up."

"The stabilizers. You shut off the *stabilizers*! When you did that you
shut down all the power on this tub! It was a red button -- you don't hit
a *red* button in flight!" he raved.

"The wording was worn! I couldn't tell what it was!" she defended hotly.

Solo sat down, closed his eyes and tried to think happy thoughts. He gave
it up. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, he lowered his
proud Corellian barriers and called for help.

He closed out his surroundings and concentrated his full mental essence
toward Talas 6. It worked for Malla, Chewie's mate; he fervently hoped it
would work for him, remembering the Wookiee's gift of telepathy between
family members. Well, he reminded himself, Chewie had always said he was
part of the clan, about time he put his relationship to the test. He
formed mental pictures around a shabby-hulled freighter and focused on
the gigantic bulk of the Falcon's first mate, projecting his anxious
thoughts for himself and Leia to include the astro coordinates of Daval.

"Han? Han, what's wrong?" A touch of panic accented the Alderaanian's
voice. Solo opened his eyes. "You had me scared to death," she admonished
angrily. "Are you okay?"

"I will be, if you promise to leave any more buttons alone."

"Okay, okay, I made a mistake. I'm sorry." Her voice softened. "I *am*
sorry. I could have killed us both, I realize that. If I was in doubt I
should have asked you."

"If?" Solo mumbled hotly, as he struggled up on shaky legs. "The lady
said *if* she was in doubt." He reached out and caught himself against
the back of the seat until his reeling senses again steadied.

"I'm trying to apologize!" Leia snapped. "Why are Corellians so damned
hardheaded?"

"Because Alderaanians keep trying to crack them open on instrument boards!"

"Ahhhh --" Leia moaned through clenched teeth. "What are you going to do
now?"

He settled his blaster into its customary position on his right thigh and
moved toward the shuttle's closed hatch. "I'm going to check out our main
drive system, see if there's anything I can do to fix it, which I doubt.
Then I'm going to take a look around."

"I'm coming, too."

Solo whirled to face her, his face pinched in growing anger. He pointed a
determined finger at her. "No, you are not. Shut up and listen to me!"

Leia's jaw thrust out in belligerency, but she bridled her retort as she
read the fury in the hazel eyes of the Corellian.

"You are going to close and lock that hatch after I leave. You are not
going to open it until I come back. If anyone comes around this shuttle
you are going to stay hidden -- out of sight."

"And if you don't come back?" she snapped.

"You will not leave this shuttle under any circumstances." Solo
continued, ignoring her interruption. "You will maintain communication
silence and you will *not* do anything that will call attention to
yourself or this shuttle."

"Are you finished?" she quipped sweetly.

"I think that covers everything." Solo glared at the small, proud woman
before him.

"Good," Leia snapped, hot-tempered brown eyes meeting arrogant hazel
ones. "Then tell me what I'm supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Pray that I get back before the Davalians find you."

"You've got to be kidding? Are you still trying to scare me with that
slavery nonsense?"

Solo threw up his hands in reluctant surrender. "Believe whatever you
like, just do what I told you, please."

"Please?" Leia laughed. "I really didn't think that was in your vocabulary."

"Nice." Solo touched the hold-open control and stepped outside. He
coughed as he attempted to adjust to the thin air.

"Do you need a respirator?"

"No, it's a little thin, but not bad." He glanced around the barren, ugly
landscape. "It's a dung heap..."

"What if you can't fix the main drive?"

"Don't worry, we might have to spend a day or two on this poor excuse for
a world, but help's on its way."

She eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of help?"

"The right kind," he replied, smiling sweetly. "If Gruesome's tuned to my
frequencies."

"What?"

"Wookiees have telepathic ties between adult members of their clans, and --"

"Yes, yes, I can see the resemblances," she interrupted.

"-- over the years, Chewie's developed a finely tuned sensitivity to me
and my problems," he continued, but not without noticeable irritation.

Slender, well-cared for hands went to nicely shaped hips as Leia smiled
benignly at the Corellian spacer. "You'd like me to believe that,
wouldn't you?"

"Why not, you believe in the Force!" he snapped. "Well, I believe in
Chewie! He'll find us."

"I won't hold my breath," Leia mumbled, but Han had already stretched out
on his back and disappeared under the small craft. With anger guiding his
already frayed temper, she heard him wrench the cover from the shuttle's
main drive systems.

She sat on the edge of the opened hatch and studied the spacer's boots,
which was all she could see of the man who wore them. But she could hear
him. Her color heightened as the Corellian's well-chosen words described
his growing repugnancy for the little craft. She stiffened, expecting to
hear her name included in the mumblings of the angry smuggler.

"Well?" she asked tentatively, as Solo pulled himself out from under the
shuttle.

"I must congratulate you," Solo smiled as he rubbed soiled hands on a rag
he had pulled from his back pocket. "You really did a job on her."

"Me?" She climbed to her feet, eager to defend herself.

"When you shut down our systems, *in flight*, you also stripped what
remained of the main drive. There's not enough under there to talk about."

Leia groaned and remained wisely silent under Solo's steady gaze.

"I'm going to take a little walk and get my bearings. I may be gone for
awhile, so don't worry. I want you to..."

"I know, you don't have to repeat it. Close and lock the hatch. Don't
open it to anyone but you. Hide myself under the seats, cower in fear of
slavers until you get back. And stay away from the communications board."

"You listened," Solo smiled. "Now, if you can follow orders..."

"Listen who's talking!"

*    *    *    *    *    *

Leia's impatience increased as the day waned and still Han did not
return. She crossed to the closed hatch again, but turned away and found
a seat in the shuttle's small lounge and watched the slow movement of the
chronometer. At times, she had found herself wishing it had ceased to
function along with the other systems.

She had gone over Solo's parting orders carefully and repeatedly since he
had left. She could understand his reluctance to use the communications
in seeking help. The ship's gain was strong enough to reach the outer
limits of the Davalian system, but no farther. With Imperial networks
spread throughout the system on various mining claims, the transmissions
would have been easily picked up.

But if they were to get off Daval, they were going to have to deal with
the natives. She concentrated on what she knew of the small aliens. They
resembled humanoids to some extent. She remembered having seen holos of
them at the base. They had two legs, two arms, a head and a somewhat
elongated torso. They were small, barely taller than a Tatooine Jawa,
with smooth, almost transparent skin, lightly covered with silver scales,
and a white fur that made them look like a cross between a downy Carnell
gosling and a newly scaled Malaian lizard.

Solo had been correct about their livelihood. They were slavers and
highly efficient ones. But their system was devoid of humans, so they
dealt in nonhuman traffic and had prospered greatly dealing with the
mining worlds under Imperial rule.

She sighed and glanced again at the chronometer. Only moments had passed
since the last time she had looked. She got up and paced the narrow
confines of the shuttle.

*Telepathic contact between human and Wookiee,* she mumbled. *He's so
damned sure of himself.* In that moment she made her decision. If they
were going to get off Daval, they were going to *have* to deal with the
natives.

Han Solo hated	slavers, a simple truth, and he was notoriously
suspicious. "He's not about to admit that he's wrong about the Davalians!"

She stepped into the cockpit and glanced out the-canopy. In another hour
it would be dark. Her mind was made up, she hurried to the back of the
shuttle and grabbed up the emergency beacon. Without another thought, she
hit the hatch-open control.

In the last light of Daval's day, she watched the distress beacon rotate
slowly on its base. With hands on hips, she smiled with satisfaction.
Turning, she strolled toward the small grounded vessel, unaware of
several small shadows that had appeared between her and her destination.

*    *    *    *    *    *

Han Solo topped the rise and searched the darkened landscape below him.
He stiffened as a bright, rotating light flickered out of the darkness
toward him. He cursed under his breath as he pulled the holstered blaster
from his hip.

"Someday she's going to shock me and do what she's told. Probably *after*
she's gotten us both killed." He moved cautiously toward the shuttle. In
the flickering light of the beacon he could see that the hatch was
closed. He relaxed a little.

He angled toward the dark side of the beacon, keeping out of its light.
He reached down and flicked it off. As the beacon blinked into darkness,
so did Han Solo, as something heavy descended on his bowed head.

*    *    *    *    *    *

"*Sato, they are very strange creatures; are you sure this is wise?*"
The small Davalian gazed at the reclining figure of the unconscious
Corellian. "*We know nothing of them. Are they a saleable commodity?*"

The taller of the two prodded the unconscious human carefully with a long
implement. "*The Hard Shells on our outer worlds are interested in any
being who can work in the mines. This one seems strong, young. I feel it
is worth our time to try. After all, they cost us nothing.*"

"*The female?*"

"*She seems useless and she chatters continually.*" He glanced almost
pityingly at the prone figure. "*Such a strange language. I can make
nothing of Basic. The Hard Shells were wise to use mechanicals in our
business arrangements.*"

"*What are your orders?*"

"*We'll take them both. She should be worth something to the Hard
Shells.*" Sato looked again at the prone figure. "*Check him over
carefully. He must be fit for the mines if he's to be worth the trouble
of transport.*"

The smaller Davalian looked up helplessly. "*What do I look for?*"

"*For wounds, a draining of life fluids.*" Sato clacked in frustration.
"*As you would any of our stock prior to delivery.*"

*    *    *    *    *    *

A series of strange chirps, clacks and hisses rasped irritably on the raw
nerves of Solo's reviving senses. The oblivion in which he floated was
comfortable and he longed to pull himself deeper into its pleasant
depths, but the strange sounds echoed through the edges of a mounting
headache. His brows wrinkled in increasing discomfort.

The clacking continued and his irritation mounted. It ceased and he
relaxed in the peaceful silence. Without warning something sharp pierced
him and he heard the rending of cloth. Again, he attempted to ignore the
frustrating irritation, eager to return to the darkness beyond his
awakening awareness.

He started as something moved across the bared flesh on his chest,
stopped, probed, then pulled at the hair. Once again the clicking
started, tempered with hisses that sounded both worried and curious. His
annoyance increased.

"*Sato, I fear I have torn his flesh, but he does not bleed!*"

"*No, no Meete, it's merely a body covering. I have found many such skins
in this vessel. It is not important, but do be careful. His flesh seems
strangely thin. I fear he is quite delicate.*"

Sato clacked sympathetically. "*Such little body hair; how strange to
always depend on the false skins for protection. Poor creatures. We must
handle them carefully, I fear, if they are to survive the transportation.*"

"*Do you think it is possible I hit him too hard?*"

Sato reached out and prodded the human, unaware of a stiffening at his
touch. "*His body remains warm -- life is still within him.*"

Solo again felt the poke in sensitive ribs and his eyes tightened against
the pounding in his head. Once more, he promised himself, and he was
going to knock some heads. He didn't feel good and dammit, he wanted to
be left alone! His right hand balled into a fist.

"*Sato, movement. Did you see?*"

"*Yes, he seems to have reacted to my touch. Try again, it may be
stimulating his strange circulation in some way.*"

Meete poked an urgent appendage into the Corellian's side and stimulation
was complete. Solo reached out and grabbed the Davalian's arm with one
hand and the Davalian with the other. "*Sato!*"

The Davalian leader reached out and tapped the pilot with the stick-like
implement. Solo released the little native as a hot, sharp electric shock
momentarily numbed his arm. More enraged than before, Solo grabbed again
for the small, frightened alien. "You little bastard, can't let a guy get
a little rest..." Again the stick poked at him as several other Davalians
appeared around him.

"*Careful, do not harm him,*" Sato clicked worriedly as he watched Meete
being lifted into the air and flung across the room.

"*I am being gentle, Sato,*" the shaken creature vowed as he scrambled to
his feet. "*Perhaps he is having a fit of some sort.*"

"*Restrain him at once!*

Another small Davalian was hurtled toward Sato and he reached out and
touched the human's temple with the probe. Momentarily stunned, Solo fell
to his knees and was borne to the ground beneath the weight of several
Davalians. He struggled, swearing as Meete clapped binders on his wrists.

"*His legs, too, until we can get him confined at the compound.*"

Solo groaned helplessly as he lay at the feet of the slavers, his head
splitting from the mild concussion he had sustained and the agony of the
shock pole. "'They don't deal in humans,'" he mumbled hotly as he
struggled against the rusted binders. "Wait till I get my hands on a
certain Alderaanian...."

*    *    *    *    *    *

Leia paced the small confines of her meager cell, her temper rising as
she thought of the discomfort she had experienced at the hands of the
small aliens. She probed gently at tender places about her body where
Davalians had rather roughly satisfied their curiosity of humans.

A smile pulled at her lips as she remembered the satisfaction she had
gotten when one had pulled at her nose and she had bitten him. After
that, they had lost most of their curiosity for her and she had not been
bothered until the move back to the compound.

They had taken Solo alive, and he was obviously awake and feeling his
normally belligerent self, for she had seen several of the small
creatures leave the dwelling across from hers in several degrees of
discomfort. One had practically crawled out of the small covered hovel,
another had been limping badly.

She groaned. He was obviously not being diplomatic about their situation.
She found herself grateful they had been separated. She did not care to
guess what the Corellian's attitude toward her would be at the moment.
"Why in hell didn't I listen to him? Just because he's always so damned
arrogant..." She gave it up, knowing she would have done the same thing
again, if it were to be done over again. Except she would not have left
the shuttle unarmed.

*    *    *    *    *    *

"*Meete, how are the humans?*"

"*Sato, the female has settled in nicely. It is the male that worries me.
I cannot fathom his problem.*"

"*Explain. He has not been harmed?*"

"*No, no, Sato, you have emphasized his worth. We have treated him with
utmost care. But he is enraged unnecessarily. He paces across his cell,
he attacks without warning anyone who enters, unless he is stunned with
the agony pole. He will not eat. He glances across the way at the
female's cell, and mumbles strange things and shakes the bars. His unrest
and agitation grows.*"

Sato clicked in irritation. "*It is as I feared. The humans are too
delicate for captivity. Yet I have heard they are adaptable beings. Come,
I wish to witness the male's behavior.*"

*    *    *    *    *    *

Sato shook his head in puzzlement as he nervously watched the Corellian.
"*He is a mature member of his species?*"

"*Yes, Sato, as near as we can tell, from what little we know. He's well
developed, his muscles firm, his reactions remarkably quick. We have been
hard put to stay out of his reach. Yet we have done nothing to provoke
this kind of anger in him.*"

"*Yes, yes, I'm sure of your ability to deal with our stock. But
humans...*" He sighed. "*Perhaps it is the female.*"

"*Sir?*"

"*They were together in the small craft. She was waiting for his return.
He came to her when he could have found shelter elsewhere. I believe they
are a mated pair.*"

Understanding filtered across the Davalian's features. "*Of course, the
male is perhaps approaching his mating time. It would explain his enraged
behavior, and the gentleness of the female. You wish them put together?*"

"*I believe that should settle him down. Bring her to him. I do not want
anyone hurt in attempting to move him in his present condition. After a
time together they should be ready to transport to the Hard Shells.*"

Meete nodded. "*I will be glad to see the last of them. I do not like
dealing in stock I do not understand. Humans are far too much trouble.*"

*    *    *    *    *    *

Solo paused in his angry pacing and squared himself off in front of the
heavy door. He waited, his hands tightly clenched at his sides, his hazel
eyes flashing with an eagerness to get his hands on another of the small
aliens. Perhaps, he reasoned, they would leave him and Leia alone if he
could continue to keep them off stride.

He glanced at the colorful bruises adorning his chest. The shock weapon
had not been spared when he got difficult. But it had lost its
effectiveness when he allowed his rage to overrule his anticipated fear.

The door opened and a Davalian stepped cautiously inside, holding him at
bay with the pole, while another pushed a small figure into the room. The
Davalian quickly backed out and the door closed tightly.

Solo smiled, his eyes sparkling with anticipated pleasure as he moved
toward the surprised Alderaanian who stood hesitantly before him. "Oh,
they must be mind readers."

"Now, Han..."

The tall Corellian moved ominously between her and the door, hazel eyes
hooded with something Leia wasn't sure she wanted to put a name to. He
was stalking her. She edged away from the advancing spacer. "Han, settle
down. Let's talk about this sensibly -- " Leia ran to the small bunk,
quickly pushing the lone piece of furniture between herself and the
enraged Corellian.

"We Corellian men have an old custom I would love to introduce you to,
your Royalness," he crooned sweetly as he stopped before the bunk.

Leia moved to the foot of the bed. Han moved to the head. "What are you
talking about? Are you all right?" She jumped back as he vaulted the
bunk, just avoiding his long-armed reach.

"Back home, we expect our women to have enough sense to know when to do
what they're told." He circled the bunk again, his hazel eyes snapping
with a growing awareness of his intentions.

"Han, listen to me!"

"I'm listening. Make it good."

"The only way we were going to get off this world was to try to reason
with the Davalians." She threw herself across the bunk and again just
barely missed his reaching hand. "I was trying to help, damn it! You were
gone so long --" She whirled towards the door, but this time there was no
bed between them, and he grabbed her. "Solo, dammit, turn me loose!"

"Not yet, your Royalness. If I'm going to spend the rest of my life in
the Imperial mines, I'm going to have some fond memories to keep me
going...."

For the first time, fear touched the royal arrogance of the Alderaanian
senator. She struggled violently within his strong grasp. "What are you --"

"You and I are going to reach a better understanding, Corellian style."

Leia struggled desperately as Solo pulled her relentlessly toward the
bunk. "What are you going to do?" Wide brown eyes reflected her fear. "If
you lay a hand on me, I'll -- I'll..." Solo sat down on the bunk. He
grabbed one of her wrists in each hand and pulled until she lost her
balance and fell across his lap.

"Han, what -- you wouldn't..."

"Oh, wouldn't I!" Solo held her expertly across his knees, and his right
hand contacted smartly with the backside of the struggling royal
Alderaanian. She screamed in fury and wriggled helplessly under his
unyielding hold. His hand rose and fall twice more.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me!" he said as he released her.
Neither human was aware of the two aliens who watched in mounting
puzzlement at the barred window of the small cell.

Leia jumped back from the seated Corellian, her hand reaching back to rub
the abused portion of her anatomy. She glared at the handsome spacer.
"How dare you!"

"And how dare you do your damndest to get us into a life time of servitude?"

"You... you...."

Solo advanced on her again. "Would you like another session across my knees?"

"Not on your life!" She kicked out viciously, catching him on the shin
with a solid blow.

He sat down. Angrily he rubbed the injured spot, while he glared at the
small woman before him. "Alderaanians!"

"Corellians!"

Solo touched his shin tenderly. Leia stood arrogantly before him, still
rubbing her bruised posterior. His eyes softened. "Okay, I deserved that.
Are you all right? They haven't hurt you?" he asked.

Leia shot him a suspicious glance, then relaxed and moved until she stood
before him. "No, I'm fine." For the first time she was aware of the
discolorations on his bared torso. "What have they done to you?" She
reached a gentle hand to the various bruises, hesitating as he flinched
under her touch.

"Not half as much as I've done to them."

"I know," she whispered. She avoided the man's searching gaze. "I've seen
them leaving here. Han, I'm sorry," she sighed. "You were right, I
behaved badly. And if I hadn't disobeyed you we probably wouldn't be here."

Solo's eyes softened, and he patted the bunk next to him.

"No thanks," she declined. "I don't think I'm going to be sitting down
for a while. "Why did they put us together anyway?"

Solo shrugged. "I can't figure the little buggers out. I've thrown every
one of them out at least once and they keep coming back."

"*Meete, what do you make of it?*" Sato asked his companion outside the
cell.

"*A very strange mating ritual. But it seems to have settled him. And the
female seems to have handled him easily. Should we leave them together?*"

"*I believe it necessary. He seems to have satisfied himself. Very
strange.*"

Meete nodded, and the two Davalians moved to the closed door of the cell.

*    *    *    *    *    *

"Han."

"Stay behind me. They can't take you unless they call in more than these
two." Solo moved protectively between the small aliens and the princess.

The Davalian stationed at the window chirped a quick order and one of the
frightened creatures advanced to meet Solo. Han took another threatening
step toward the small slaver who stood his ground reluctantly. Solo
reached for him. The small creature hissed in fear, then kicked the
Corellian sharply on his already badly bruised shin.

Han swore as his hand closed on the alien. It shrieked loudly, and its
companion rushed forward and kicked Solo smartly on the other leg.

It was too much for the already furious Corellian. He picked them up like
rag dolls and flung them across the room. They stumbled to their feet,
wrenched the door open and fell out of the cell in their eagerness to
avoid contact with the raging Corellian.

Leia Organa held her sides, her laughter bringing tears to her eyes. Solo
turned to face her, Corellian oaths turning the Davalian air blue. She
fought to catch her breath. "Gods, Han, have pity..."

"On them? You've got to be kidding. They damn near crippled me!"

"No... on me. I can't...."

The lopsided smile pulled at the Corellian's lips as he watched the
Alderaanian sheepishly. "It's not that funny."

"Oh, oh -- you're wrong...."

*    *    *    *    *    *

"*Sato, I truly do not understand. It worked when she applied the
punishment.*"

Sato threw his arms into the air in an almost human gesture of
frustration. "*He's worthless. He cannot be controlled. Perhaps the Hard
Shells will come for him. There's no way we can move him safely.*"

"*They will pay less for him if he cannot be disciplined,*" Meete argued.
"*They may not want him at all. And now he has also mated with the
female. I fear she is also diminished in whatever value she might have
possessed.*"

Sato clacked his unhappiness then glanced toward the now quiet call.
"*She probably carries his issue, which are sure to bear his flawed
characteristics. We have never erred so badly. It is unprecedented. I am
shamed if word of this leaves our compound.*"

*    *    *    *    *    *

The huge Wookiee swore in irritation as he eased the small modified
Corellian freighter into an orbit above the ugly world of Daval. "He says
he has no idea why Captain Solo would land here," 3PO translated
carefully. He returned the star charts to their place below the
navigator's station behind the pilot's seat. "He avoids all slavery worlds."

"The Davalians are slavers?"

"Yes, Master Luke. According to my memory banks, they have dealt in
slaves for centuries."

"That's strange," Luke mumbled thoughtfully. "It's not like Han to take a
chance like that with Leia along."

Chewie glanced at the young Jedi and eased the freighter toward the
planet's surface, motioning Luke toward the T.F.S. system on his board.
Skywalker activated and checked it carefully as they roared over the
barren landscape.

"Perhaps Captain Solo was hurt," 3PO ventured, "and they had to land."

Luke watched the instruments as he contemplated the robot's words. "I
don't think so, 3PO. I sensed anger, helplessness and worry for Leia,
pretty much the same as Chewie said he felt through his telepathic
contact with Han. But neither of us sensed any pain or other indication
that either of them was hurt." He turned to the massive Wookiee. "You're
sure they're here somewhere?"

Chewie nodded knowingly and activated the Falcon's shielding to maximum,
then tapped the sensors on Luke's board.

"He's found an Imperial mining colony on the northern hemisphere."

"Yes, I see it," Luke interrupted, watching the screens closely as Chewie
maneuvered the freighter expertly out of enemy sensor range. "The
Empire's mining this system heavily, and I'll bet they're using
Davalian-purchased labor."

Chewie nudged the human's arm, smiling as he banked the ship and sailed
over the small grounded vessel that had appeared below them. "I see it,"
Luke said. "It has to be Han's. It put down as far as he could get out of
Imperial sensor range. Let's take her down."

Luke flipped in the Falcon's powerful braking thrusters on Chewbacca's
command, then glanced across his board. "I'm getting a reading of life
forms not far from the ship, an alien compound, but nothing from the
ship. Chewie, let's set down and do a little careful inquiring about
strangers."

Chewbacca nodded quick agreement, then voiced a lengthy reply as he
glanced from the golden robot to the young Jedi.

"He says Davalians have not been known to deal in human traffic. In fact,
to have any dealings with humans at all. Perhaps it would be best if he
and I questioned them about Captain Solo and the princess."

The freighter settled comfortably on her three-point landing gear and
Chewie quickly shut down all systems and sensors.

"Okay, find out what you can. I'll watch from here with the gun batteries
fully charged in case there's any trouble."

A small group of Davalians walked to the foot of the ramp, waiting in
growing amounts of discomfort for the occupants to disembark.

"*Sato, I don't recognize this ship...*"

"*No, it's not a ship of the Hard Shells.*"

Both small creatures fell silent as the 'droid moved toward them,
followed closely by the huge anthropoid. They stepped back in reverence
to Chewbacca's stature.

"*Welcome to Daval, fellow travelers, I am Sato, leader of the Daka slave
compound. May I be of service?*"

Chewbacca tilted his head to 3PO and roared his greeting and request,
while the robot translated.

"*You are interested in slaves?*" Sato clacked happily. "*Yes, yes, we
understand. We are proud of our reputation to provide what is needed. If
we do not have stock on hand that pleases you, we'll take orders and
guarantee our stock at pickup date,*" he spieled from long practice.
"*What did you have in mind?*"

Chewbacca pulled thick lips away from sharp teeth and gave Sato a
full-mouthed grin, his blue eyes narrowed with studied contemplation as
he voiced his desires.

"We are interested in humans; a tall, healthy male and a comely female.
Do you have anything in the compound at this time?" 3PO translated.

Sato glanced at Meete in shocked amazement, but neither spoke as each
realized the possible opportunity that had been offered them

"*May I ask what these slaves are to be used for?*"

3PO glanced at Chewbacca, translated, then waited before turning back to
the small aliens. "General labor."

"*Sato,*" Meete cautioned, "*don't tell them more than necessary to save
face. The beast is powerful enough to handle the male; perhaps they need
not know about the female.*"

"*I am an honest being, Meete. I will not lie -- any more than is
necessary,*" Sato revised hastily, as he thought of the possibility of
being left with the Corellian.

Chewie turned and hailed the ship, his voice sharp with excitement. Luke
walked out and joined them. "Do they have them?"

"We believe so, Master Luke, but they seemed strangely upset when you
came out."

Sato mumbled uneasily to 3PO, gesturing toward the young Jedi.

"They are puzzled, Master Luke; they were prepared to sell to Chewbacca,
but now seem undecided. I think they are puzzled over the possibility of
human purchasing human."

"So, tell them I'm Chewie's slave and he's looking for more able-bodied
humans to add to his crew."

3PO clacked quickly to the small Davalians, then turned back to the boy.
"They are pleased. It seems they have just what we need. In fact, they
say the female should already be carrying issue from a strong mating to
add to Chewbacca's stock."

"What?!"

Chewie placed huge hands on narrow hips, tilted his head to one side and
teased the young rebel knowingly, while 3PO translated.

"What do you mean, they had to do something while they were waiting?!"
Luke frowned at the Wookiee, who grinned his pleasure at the boy's
discomfort.

"*Sato, what do we do? The male is uncontrollable. We cannot bring him
out. When the beast sees his madness he may not want him or his mate.*"

Sato waved Meete's fears aside. He stepped forward to address 3PO. "*We
are honest businessmen,*" Sato explained. "*We have what you want, but I
fear the male is beyond our control.*"

"What's he saying?" Luke frowned at the golden 'droid.

"He says the male can't be handled. I get the impression they are afraid
of him."

An amused look that turned to pity touched the Tatooin's features. For
the first time he really looked at the group of small aliens. There were
several limping badly, another seemed disoriented, as if he had come into
contact with something hard. As a group, the small band looked as if they
had fought a war and lost.

"The male did this?"

"He must be a madman. It can't be Captain Solo!"

"What was this mating nonsense?"

"They thought he was being driven by the mating fever of his species,"
3PO explained, but paused, obviously puzzled. "I show no such information
on humans in my memory banks, Master Luke."

Luke waved him on impatiently. "Go on."

"They put the female in with him to settle him. They are bewildered; it
seems to have made him worse."

Luke chuckled. "It's Han, it's got to be. They're suffering from a bad
case of Corellian. And I'll bet he's suffering from a mild epidemic of
Alderaanian. 3PO, tell them we'll buy the humans -- both of them."

Sato held up a restraining hand as 3PO translated and clicked a hesitant
inquiry.

"Sure." Luke turned to Chewie, but the Falcon's first mate was already
trotting toward the small cell. Luke ran to catch up.

Chewbacca pulled the door open, roared loudly, then stepped aside. Han
Solo leaped at the huge Wookiee as the two met, embraced and circled in a
strangely macabre dance of greeting.

"You did it! You found us!" The Corellian slapped the Wookiee's back
affectionately.

"Luke, how..."

Skywalker embraced the princess, then reached out and shook Solo's hand.
The small aliens stayed pointedly out of reach of the half-naked human.

"Let's get out of here before I start taking the little bastards apart."
Solo swept the group of cowering aliens with a glance of promised mayhem.

"Just a minute, Chewie's settling up..."

Solo's eyes hardened. "What do you mean, 'settling up'?"

"They're businessmen, Han," Luke reminded him. "We bought your freedom."

"Let me get my hands on the little..."

"Han, settle down." Luke stopped him with an urgent hand. "There's an
Imperial operation not far from here. What do you say we get out of here
before they come looking."

Chewbacca handed the small alien leader a packet of credits and motioned
the three humans toward the Falcon. The delicate creatures bowed low, a
grateful look on their strange faces.

"Well, Gruesome, what did it cost us to get the princess and me out of hock?"

A gleeful expression touched Chewie's gentle features and he responded
happily. Solo stopped in his tracks.

"What?"

3PO blinked in an almost human manner. "He said the transaction was quite
reasonable."

"I heard him!"

Leia frowned as Luke grabbed her arm and started her toward the
freighter. "Come on, let's get out of his reach before he finds out..."

"Finds out what?"

"We got you half price, because you were...uh...contaminated..." Luke
explained diplomatically. "We got him..."

"What!" Solo shouted.

Leia moved out of the Corellian's reach.

"Nothing! They *gave* me away!"

"Han," Luke chuckled. "Every good slaver knows Corellians are a worthless
commodity."


END