Another round, please by Sidra Leia "I thought you'd decided to stay." Han "Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mandell changed my mind." (Three weeks earlier on Ord Mandell) Ord Mandell was a dirty, greasy smugglers moon that orbited the industrial planet Mandell in a far outer rim system of the Empire. It had nothing particularly interesting to offer unless you wanted to get lost in the crowd of workers and techs on break from the industries of the primary planet. So it's no doubt that it had become quite the meeting place for the less than desirable aspects of the Galactic Empire. Bounty hunters exchanged information, through the Guild, which had a strong presence here, as did all of the galaxy's life forms that didn't wish to be noticed. That's not to say the Galactic Empire had no presence here. On the contrary, there were troopers and uniformed officers everywhere you looked, however, most of their commanders were bought and paid for by the industrial unions and the smugglers guild. It was a tidy little situation for anyone who needed to conduct business without attracting attention to themselves. A great place for displaced rebels, on the run from the Empire, to conduct secretive business with illegal arm suppliers. "…and then BOOM!" Han clapped his hands together, "The damn thing was gone in a ball of fire." Han Solo was sitting at the bar talking, a little too loudly, to one of the local factory girls named Serina. "So you can thank me now, for saving the galaxy." Han slurred. "What are you talking about? Death Star, I've never heard of it." she said. "And you won't neither… because I…" Han took another drink, "killed it." he finished breathily. "You killed it?" Serina replied skeptically. "You mean destroyed it." "Well… yeah, sort of…" Han stammered, "I mean, that is, I helped." He stuck out his chest as if he single handedly reached through the stars and yanked it out of the sky. "I stopped Darth Vader from killing my friend and he destroyed it." A few too many people were beginning to take notice of Han's story. Serina downed another glass of Geidi and continued… " You're drunk." "So…" Han blurted in her face. "You are too." Serina screwed up her face at the smell of Han's breath. "No. What I mean is… You're lying." "Uuhh!" Han made the best hurt-face he could muster. "You think I'm lying. I'm hurt. What is the universe coming to when a man can't tell a beautiful young lady of his exploits without being called a liar? I can tell you, it's a universe I no longer want to live in. That's for sure." "You mean to tell me it's all true. You shot down Vader, stopping him from achieving his goal of killing your friend, and you're not afraid to be seen in public?" She seemed very wary of Han's story. "This isn't exactly a fine café establishment" the bartender heard Han's comment, looked up from his glass and made his way over to where Han was sitting. Han continued, unabated "Besides… I didn't actually shoot Vader down. I shot his wing mate down which made his other wing mate crash into him. Vader actually went spinning off away from the battle." Han looked down at the bar with a sheepish grin. Serina laughed out loud, "Oh my… well… my mistake. This story gets funnier and funnier the more time you spend telling it." "Hey! It's true." Han couldn't believe the bravest thing he had ever done in his whole life and most people he couldn't even tell the story too, but here, where it looked safe enough to tell the story no one believed him. "Well, it's a cute story…" Han looked up from the bar through his shaggy bangs. "… and it's a good thing such a cute guy is telling it." She smiled. "Really, you think I'm cute?" Suddenly a big grin came over Han's face. "Really?" "Really," Serina replied with a giggle. "Bartender, another round." Han said to the scowling shopkeeper. "Are you sure? This place isn't exactly a fine café." "…Please..." Han added, hastily. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Luke Skywalker was really beginning to regret coming to Ord Mandell. He and Leia Organa sat quietly in a dark corner booth surveying the crowd for the arms supplier they were supposed to meet. The rebels had been waiting three days and still no sign of the little Skek. Luke began to wonder if the Empire had picked him up. The skek's name was Cal; he was a "friend" of Han's who had decided to repay a dept to Han by helping the rebels supply their new Hoth base with weapons that didn't constantly freeze up in the cold. "What is he doing?" Leia indicated Han at the bar. "He's supposed to be watching for this…" she spat the name out "Cal guy." "You know Han. He's just taking in some of the local color." Luke didn't really believe that, but felt compelled to offer an excuse. Luke and Han had become good friends since the battle of Yavin and, after all, Han did save his life on several different occasions. Luke looked at Leia who was eyeing Han. "Besides… Han's a… scoundrel and you know what kind of color he's bound to draw out. He's not as coolly dependable as I am." Luke reached for the table and took a drink of his Gun-gun juice. Leia looked over at Luke as if she were a little girl that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "You're right, Luke. I just can't abide his waste of time in these situations. We need those weapons and he doesn't seem to care." "He cares, he just shows it differently." Luke defended again. "Do you think he will ever care about our cause Luke, or do you think he'll move back out into the stars?" She looked back in the direction of the bar. Luke put his drink back onto the table. "It sounds like you care." "Of course I do, he's a…" she searched for the words, "a natural leader. He would be, and has been, a great asset to the rebellion. Not to mention the re-establishment of a new government after the Empire's fall and…" "Woo… slow down there." Luke interrupted, "Han, a politician? I think you're getting ahead of yourself. The Empire's still going strong remember. Besides, I kinda thought I'd help you with all that." He replied, a little too fast. Leia looked from the bar back to Luke "Of course you will. Luke you're so very special to me." Luke tried to hide a big smile by looking down at the table. "I can't even begin to explain what you mean to me… and to the rebellion." Luke looked up from the table through his shaggy bangs. "Really?" "Really." Leia replied and looked back to the bar. "Thanks Leia." Luke said and looked toward the bar, himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Outside the Piter's Place bar the rain continued to fall. Ord Mandell only had two seasons, wet and summer. The summer season was pretty temperate and the warm breezes provided some relief from the oily, smoky smell that permeated the entire planet. However, the wet season was just that, wet and miserable. Chewie was posted across the street to watch the entrance of the bar. He had been there for two hours and was soaking wet. He missed the sunlight and dry winds of his home on Kashyyyk. A nice warm home hearth fireplace fire, roaring and boiling out heat, sure sounded good right now. Chewbacca didn't really like the smuggler's life, but he owed Han a life dept that he was sure to re-pay. And so, Chewie continued to partner with the Corellian smuggler. The Wookie had a feeling about their new friends, Luke and Leia. He was beginning to think that these two were having an effect on Han. He had risked his neck to save Luke in the battle over the Death Star and stayed to help evacuate the rebel base. Maybe the rebellion had finally given Han a reason to leave smuggling and fly on the straight and narrow, but first they would need to pay off the money they owed to the crime lord, Jabba the Hutt. Then, possibly, Chewie would be able to settle down to his loving family and warm home fire. Chewie caught site of a well armored being entering Piter's Place. The "T" shaped visor on the stranger's helmet looked very familiar to him, but he couldn't place it. Maybe it was time Chewie closed into the bar, behind this guy, incase he turned out to be a bounty hunter looking for the bounty on Han's head. This was all that the small rebel band needed right now. Boba Fett entered Piter's Place, slowly scanning the interior for his target. Han Solo came to this bar two hours ago according to the bounty hunter's information. The Bounty Hunter's Guild was keeping an eye on Solo. The bounty on his head seemed to be getting larger on a daily bases. Word was, according to the Guild, Han had "gone goody" and was now working for rebellion against the Galactic Empire. That wasn't to big of a deal, Fett himself had worked for some of the smaller rebel cells, but Han was doing it for free. The only conclusion had to be that Han had "gone goody". Stepping forward into the bar Fett spotted his quarry. Han was sitting at the bar talking to a slight, blonde female. She was probably a factory girl. Well, he'd better enjoy this while he can, because it was about to come to an end for Solo. Fett slid to the left of the exit door to stand behind one of the few unoccupied tables and better line up a shot for his whipcord lanyard launcher. Han would be brought in alive, which would increase Fett's payday. Live bounties almost always were worth more. Boba Fett raised his right arm to take aim with his whipcord lanyard launcher gauntlet. "What the hell are you doin' with my girl?" came the roar of a large bar patron. Han looked up from Serina to the muscular guy coming from the back of the bar. He wasn't sure the monster was talking to him at first. The closer the fellow got the more Han thought, he couldn't be talking to me… Han made an innocent face and thought, please say he's not talking to me. "That's right, I'm talking to you." Serina stepped between Han and the walking mountain. "Oh, now just relax… Tarnex." She held up her hand in a warding motion. Han was getting worried as Tarnex stopped in front of him and Serina. "Who this guy?" Han asked standing from the stool and thrusting out his chest. "Who am I, who are you?" Tarnex bellowed. "Tar, go away. I told you after you beat that last guy half to death…" Serina began and Han gulped "…that I didn't want to see you anymore." Han shrunk just a little as his resolve began to fade. Leia heard the loud monster's voice boom from the back of the bar and to her right. The sudden roar made her jump in her seat. Her and Luke turned in their booth to see the huge guy making for the bar and, in more particular, straight for Han. Luke sighed, "This is just what we need." he said sarcastically. "Can you use the Force to stop him, Luke?" Leia pleaded. Luke struggled for a second and then turned to Leia. "I can't. He's to big." "Well, one of us has to do something or that guy will tear Han apart." then she got up from the booth and headed for the bar. "Wait Leia…" Luke called to the wind "Your not the Alderaan cavalry." but it was too late she was already gone. Han saw Leia making her way through the crowd toward him. "Look, Tar, I don't want any trouble, but you heard the lady, she doesn't want to talk to you. So be a good, little boy and go back to your table." This made Tar fume. Suddenly he drew back his fist. "TAR!" Serina yelled and rushed him. Tar threw her rolling to the ground. The rolling form of Serina suddenly struck Leia, on her way to rescue Han, in the lower legs and she lurched forward. Han hit the flow to catch Leia before she could hurt herself. As he went for her he heard a whoosh of wind whip past his head. He caught Leia before she hit the ground. Everything was happening to fast for Han to keep up. I have been drinking after all, he thought. When he looked back toward the bar to see if Tar was pursuing him, he saw the monster of a man wrapped tightly in a whipcord rope. He looked to the front of the bar to see a Mandalorian Warrior staring back at him with a Wookie's Bowcaster pointed at his helmeted head. The warrior must have been spotted as suspicious, by Chewie, and been followed into the bar. That was another dept Han owed his Wookie co-pilot. This same Madalorian was holding the whipcord rope that was wrapped around Tar. Tar was about to burst with anger. He grabbed hold of the rope still wrapped around him and pulled the Mandalorian off his feet. Boba Fett went crashing through the bar table in front of him. The wood table shattered under the weight of Fett's Metal armor. Chewie's Bowcaster never lost track of Boba Fett's form. Tar roared, "I'll kill you both! Do you hear me?" and then began fumbling with the whipcord rope to try and free himself. Han decided now would be a good time to make his exit from Piter's Place before all this action drew to many Imperial Stormtroopers. He drew his blaster and motioned for Luke and Leia to head for the door. As soon as the two rebels left the bar, Han slowly backed his way to the door. Before he made the bar's exit, the intoxication of drink and surviving this ordeal got the best of him and he kneeled at Boba Fett's side. Fett and Han stared at each other, face to face. Then Han reached up and removed Fett's helmet. "You'll regret this, Solo. I promise you that." Fett spat out. Han slapped him on the cheek. Not hard, just enough to redden it. Then he raised an index finger in Fett's battered face as if to dispense a warning of his own. "Never bring a whipcord lanyard launcher to a gun fight, boy." Han smiled and ran for the exit. Fett stowed his gear in the back cockpit storage closet of his ship, Slave 1, as he ran the events of the day through his mind for the fourth time in the last 3 hours. It should not have happened that way, Fett thought. I let him and that Wook get the drop on me… I under estimated Han's abilities. That will never happen again. Fett decided that Han was now his main mission in life. Jabba would soon have his prize or I will have Solo's head on my mantel. In the rain, Slave 1 lifted off the landing platform and Fett vowed, on his fathers grave, that from this minute forward he would dedicate his life to making Han Solo pay.

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