CHAPTER 1:

Han Solo casually walked toward the Command Center, not particularly in a hurry to meet with General Dodonna. He was surprised that the general had summoned him via C-3PO, and he was certain nothing good was waiting for him inside the Command Center. Perhaps Dodonna was going to order him to leave the Rebel Alliance. Han had been hanging out at the base for approximately a standard month and a half, and though he was willing to do some smuggling jobs for the Alliance, Solo had absolutely no desire to officially join the Alliance. He was aware that some of the High Command saw him as a security threat and wanted him gone. Han did plan on leaving in the not-to-distant future, but the Alliance was a great place to hide out from Jabba the Hutt, and the work was steady and easy—just some smuggling of weapons and transportation of troops, nothing that put him and Chewbacca in serious danger. Having returned the reward credits he received for rescuing Princess Leia Organa, Han and his co-pilot, Chewbacca, were in desperate need of money to pay Jabba back. Han understood why some of the High Command were suspicious of him—potentially he was a security threat—but he had risked his life rescuing the princess and bringing back the Death Star plans. Didn't that warrant some trust?

As he made his way down the hall leading to the Command Center, Han passed several members of the High Command who hurriedly passed him without acknowledging him. The only one to stop and greet Han was General Carlist Reikken who seemingly took an unexplainable liking of him.

"Captain Solo." Reikken smiled at Han and held out his hand.

The smuggler shook the older man's hand. "General."

"Did you get the part Princess Leia said you needed?"

"Uh, yeah. Thanks a lot."

"Glad to help." The General smiled at him. "I'm in a bit of a hurry. Hope to see you around."

"Yeah."

Han watched the general walk down the hallway before he headed to the Command Center. As he approached the room, voices floated out the open door; one voice was familiar. Not wanting to disrupt anything, he stopped outside the door.

"I'm not doing any good here." Princess Leia argued.

"Nonsense. You're rousing speeches serve as an inspiration to the troops. Just your presence alone gives these men hope." Han surmised that was General Dodonna. "You must remember you are the last living member of Alderaan's royal family and a senator. You are not a soldier. Sending you on missions or into combat would be dangerous. And you're a wanted fugitive by the Empire. I won't take that chance."

"I'm nothing more than a figurehead here. I feel useless, like I'm not doing my fair part. Going on a supply run isn't that dangerous. Besides how can I expect the troops to listen to me, if I have never taken the same risks as they do?"

"You are the face of the Rebellion."

"I don't want to be." Han heard the frustration in the princess's voice.

"You're not trained to be a soldier, Your Highness. You're a politician, royalty," Dodonna dismissed her.

She raised her voice, "There is no senate and Alderaan is gone." Han heard her inhale and gain more control of her tone. "I already proved myself able to carry out missions. I did manage to bring back the plans to the Death Star."

"Other people risked their lives to obtain those plans. All you had to do was to receive the plans from the Bothans and bring them back to Alderaan. And that didn't go exactly as planned. You were almost executed."

Han grimaced at the General's words.

"But I completed the mission."

"If Solo and Skywalker didn't get trapped in the Death Star's tractor beam, you would have died, and that space station's plans would have fallen into Darth Vader's hands."

Han's brow furrowed. Without the princess's determination and tenacity, they might not have escaped the Death Star.

Leia fell silent, and Han decided it was time to interrupt the conversation. Han strolled into the Command Center. He noted the princess's demeanor. She looked more like a chastised child than the confident bossy princess he had come to know.

"General Dodonna." Han rested one hand on his belt. "You wanted to see me?"

"Ah, yes, Captain Solo." The General's tone brightened. "I have a job for you." He turned to the princess. "This discussion is over. You can go, Your Highness."

Princess Leia lifted her head and turned on her heel, obviously fuming over being dismissed by Dodonna.

"Your Worshipfulness," Han greeted her as she passed him on her way out.

Leia froze for the briefest second, shooting him an angry look. "Captain Solo." She then continued on her way.

General Dodonna waited for the princess to leave then closed the door behind her. "Take a seat."

Han sat down across from Dodonna and propped his feet on the table. Dodonna fought a losing battle to keep his irritation from showing on his face.

"What can I do for you?"

"There's a mission I'd like you to take."

"Another smuggling job?"

"No."

"I'm not a military man, General," Han stated. "I'm sure you have more qualified men for Alliance missions."

"I believe you are the most qualified. I'm sure you had to avoid Imperial entanglements in your line of work, and this mission is….crucial."

"I'm listening."

"You would lead a team to recover the lay-out plans of the Empire's armories in the Outer Core."

Han removed his feet from the table and sat up. "You plannin' on raiding their armories?"

"That is none of your concern." The General lifted his chin. "Your mission would just have to do with retrieving the plans."

"Good, cos breaking into Imperial armories is a suicidal mission. You know how well-guarded the Empire's armories are?"

"No need for you to worry about that." Dodonna cleared his throat. "Our sources believe that the lay-out plans are located at the Imperial bureau on Viccivus."

"Believe?"

"Our sources are highly reliable."

"Well, then," Han scoffed. "That makes it a sure bet."

"They weren't wrong about where the Death Star plans were."

"Just to get this straight," Han shifted in his seat, rested his elbows on the table, and clasped his hands together. "You want me to go into Imperial territory, break not only into their headquarters but into their secure computer system, too, and steal the lay-out plans of all their armories."

"That sums it up."

"And I'm the most qualified person for the job."

"You got into the Death Star."

"We were captured."

"Nevertheless, you escaped."

"With a little help." Han raised an eyebrow. "What's in it for me?"

Dodonna frowned. "You'll be handsomely paid for your risks." He then returned the conversation to the mission.

"You'll have a team all the supplies you need." The general passed his data pad across the table to the smuggler. "We have all the security codes you'll need to get in."

Han scrutinized the data pad in front of him. He had to admit, the challenge of breaking into an Imperial stronghold would be an adventure, but he'd be risking his life for a cause he didn't believe in. However, he did need the credits to pay off Jabba. And it would be better than hanging at the base tinkering with his ship. The Millennium Falcon had been quite temperamental lately, and Chewie had more patience than Han when his beloved ship acted up.

Han rubbed his chin with his finger. "I get to pick the team."

"I fear your Wookie friend wouldn't blend in," Dodonna pointed out. "But yes, you can pick your team."

"I don't think Chewie would find this mission interesting anyway," Han stated. "He can be a big coward sometimes."

"There's a list of men trained in covert missions and their qualifications included in the data."

Han pressed his lips together as he found the list on the data pad and studied it. "I'll need a command team."

"Of course. Fren, Redge, and Wren are good choices."

Han read their qualifications, which were quite impressive. "I'd like these men on the team, but not for the command team."

"There's plenty others on the list that would serve you well."

"I was thinking of some not on the list."

"Who would you like?"

"Skywalker."

Dodonna pulled on his beard. "He's inexperienced."

"He also escaped from the Death Star," Han pointed out. "I know more about how he thinks more than anyone else on the list."

"Understandable. Skywalker it is then."

"And the princess."

Dodonna's features darkened. "Absolutely not."

"She not only escaped the Death Star but managed to bring back the Death Star's plans to the Alliance," Han said. "Without those plans, the Death Star would still be destroying planets and the Rebellion would've been wiped out by now."

"She's not a soldier."

"She's a great shot, and if it wasn't for her, we would've never gotten outa the detention center," Han explained. "She's quick on her feet. I need someone like that."

"No. She's too inexperienced."

"How else is she gonna get experience?" Han asked.

"She's the face of the Alliance." Dodonna pressed his lips together. "I won't risk her life."

"She's more than just that," Han stared into the general's eyes, challenging him.

"No. You can have anyone else."

Han passed the data pad back to Dodonna and leaned back in his chair. "Then find someone else for this mission."

The older man's eyebrows rose. "Because you can't have the princess?"

Han shrugged. "I trust her judgment."

Dodonna studied Han for a long moment as he thought of Han's proposal. Solo didn't break eye contact, conveying to the general that he wasn't going to back down. After listening to Dodonna's conversation with the princess before Han entered the Command Center, he doubted the battle-wary man would cave. But Han was counting on the general's desire to have Han lead the mission. Solo was well known for his willingness to take risks, and he thought outside of the box. Sending someone constrained by military ideology wouldn't do for a mission that may require improvisation. But would Dodonna risk the princess's life to retain Han for this job?

Defeated, the general sighed. "Very well," he slowly conceded.

Han smiled at Dodonna. "I'll need some time to confer with my team, come up with a plan. Give me a day, and we'll leave." Han stood up. "And I'll need a ship. The Falcon's acting up, and I think Chewie would want to fix the problems while I'm gone. You don't want a bored Wookie on your hands."

"I'll have a ship for you."

"Thanks, General." Han rose from his seat, shook the general's hand, and exited the room.

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Han walked into the mess hall, his eyes surveying the room. With his hands in his back pockets, he headed over to the person he was looking for. Princess Leia Organa sat in the corner of her room frowning at the plate in front of her. With elbows propped up on the table, she rested her head on her balled hand and pushed the food on her plate around with her fork.

Solo stopped across from her. "Hey, Your Worshipfulness."

She looked up and scowled at him. "What do you want?"

Han stepped over the bench and sat down. "Why the pouty face?"

"I'm not pouting." She looked back down at her plate.

"Yes, you are."

Leia slammed her fork down on the table. "Did you just come over here to bother me?"

"No," Han leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. "I'm here to order you to pack your bags."

Great. General Dodonna made up some ridiculous "diplomatic" mission to placate her. "You can't order me to do anything!"

"I can if you are going to be under my command."

Her brow furrowed. "On a diplomatic mission, I'm the one in charge."

"Who said this was a diplomatic mission?" Han raised an eyebrow.

The anger on her face morphed into puzzlement. "What are you talking about?"

"Pack your bags. My command team is meeting in the Command Center at eleven hundred hours."

"Command team?" she asked. "Did General Dodonna change his mind?"

"About what?" Han feigned ignorance.

Leia studied Han's face. "Nothing."

"Do you want the job?"

"Yes." The princess stood up and picked up her tray. "I'll be there."

Han smiled as he watched the sway of her hips as she walked to the recycler.

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"Any questions?" Han asked his captive audience who he would be commanding. When no one answered, he turned off his data pad and stood up. "Then I'll see you at O-five hundred tomorrow."

His team members rose and filed out of the room, some carrying conversations amongst themselves as they exited the Command Center. Han watched the princess hurry out of the room in pursuit of General Dodonna. He frowned then noticed Luke Skywalker had stayed behind.

"What's up, Luke?"

Luke glanced at the door, waiting until everyone had left before speaking. "Do you really think it's a good idea including Leia in this mission?"

Han frowned. "Yeah. Why not?"

"Something could happen to her."

"Something could happen to her on the base," Han countered. "The Empire could find this base and raid it or blow it to pieces."

"But the likelihood—"

"You better get it in your head, no place is safe when you're fighting a war against an entity as oppressive as the Empire." Han looked Luke straight in the eye. "You're not safe here."

Luke sighed. "It's safer than breaking into an Imperial bureau. Leia's a diplomat. She's not-"

"They trusted her with bringing back the plans to the Death Star."

Luke dropped his eyes to Han's data pad that was lying on the table. "I don't know. It's dangerous. She could get hurt or worse."

"I don't know if you noticed, Luke." Han recaptured Skywalker's blue eyes. "She's quite adept at takin' care of herself." Han then collected his data pad. "I gotta go. I've got a lot to prepare for tomorrow."

Wanting to end that conversation, Han left the room at an irritated pace, leaving Luke to contemplate the smuggler's words. He didn't like to be second guessed over the decisions he made, especially when he had his own reservations. The mission was going to be very dangerous, and it wasn't like he hadn't thought about Leia's well-being. Would he have insisted she go on the mission if he didn't hear Dodonna dress-down Leia, reduce her to nothing more than a figurehead? Did he make a hasty mistake? After all, all he knew about the princess was mostly from their interaction on the Death Star.

Han entered the hangar and headed straight to the Millennium Falcon. He may have only known her for a little over a standard month, but he had taken a liking to her and would regret it if she was wounded, killed, or worse: captured by the Empire. After all he did to rescue her from the Death Star….

Princess Leia did play an important part in her own rescue. As Han told Dodonna, they would have never made it out of the detention center without her. Of course, they almost died in the garbage chute, but still they're only exit was blocked by storm troopers and blaster fire. It wasn't a bad plan. She had gumption and didn't freeze up in a desperate situation. She was tough and wasn't afraid to take command of a situation.

I don't know who you are or where you came from, but from now on you listen to me. Han recalled the moment when the princess uttered those words. He wrinkled his nose at the memory. Maybe her bossiness wasn't her strongest virtue, in his opinion. She better realize that he's the one in charge on this mission.

Solo climbed the ramp leading to the Falcon. He had made the right choice. Over the last six weeks, he had noticed the princess struggle with her place in the Alliance. She seemed to be lost and reluctant to play the part being thrust upon her. She had gotten a taste of the adrenaline that came when your life was on the line, the feeling of being truly alive, when they fought their way off the Death Star. It was hard to sit back after something like that. And she was right; there was no Senate and she lost everything when Alderaan was destroyed. She needed to take action, not sit back and let others risk their lives. Maybe she just needed something that would keep her pain at bay.

And Princess Leia was no wilting flower. Han truly meant what he said to Luke: she was quite capable of taking care of herself. Dodonna and Luke were being unfair, too protective, when that was the last thing she needed. And more importantly, they were underestimating her. Han may have not known the princess long, but he had faith in her abilities.

"Hey, Chewie," Han greeted his long-time friend and co-pilot.

Chewbacca popped his head out of the maintenance shaft and began complaining Han not helping more with the repairs.

"I have a lot to do with this mission. Breaking into an Imperial bureau isn't exactly going to be a piece of braw."

Chewie pulled himself out of the maintenance shaft and gurrooed and gurrawphed.

"I don't know why I agreed." He sighed. "We need the credits, and the Alliance is paying good money."

The Wookie tilted his head and raruffed.

"And they're including that part we needed to fix the hyper drive. I couldn't turn it down," Han reasoned. "At least I didn't drag you into this."

Chewie grumbled.

"I know you'd prefer to go, and I'd feel much better having you watch my back, but you'd stick out like a sore thumb."

Chewbacca cooed.

"No," Han said, irritated. "She'll be watching my back."

Chewie had been teasing and prodding Han about the smuggler's interest in the princess—which didn't exist. He didn't look at her funny, like Chewie said, and he wasn't always seeking her out. She was helpful getting them the parts they needed for the Falcon. That was the only reason he talked to her. Besides, he always ended up fighting with her most of the time they interacted. And no, he didn't rile her up because he liked to see the fire in her large brown eyes. He just liked pushing her buttons. It was entertaining, something to do during the long in-between periods of Alliance drama and battles. And although Han found her attractive, he didn't like her in the way Chewbacca was implying.

Han grunted, retreated to his cabin, and pushed Chewie and the princess out of his mind. He still had a lot to prepare before leaving for Vivicus. He needed to keep the mission first and foremost in his head if he was going to be successful.