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The Solos' Apartment
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Han Solo
Han


Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 461

 Post Posted: Sun, August 09th 2009 04:01am    Post subject: The Solos' Apartment
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OOC: This is officially the first post of Unity and I would like to thank Cray, Moff and Zara for their contributions. What makes this unique, is the fact that we each have a part of this post to call our own. So, without further delay(there was too many of them already), I present to you....UNITY


The day started out like any other with the morning sun glistening brightly off the tops of the tallest buildings adorning the Coruscant skyline, the heavy flow of pedestrian and government traffic was already apparent criss-crossing the skylanes above the city and despite wanting to sleep in on this particular morning, Han Solo found himself wide awake and staring at the ceiling before 0700. It was a habit that was occurring more frequently as of late and one that was quickly starting to work on his nerves. It didn't help that the night before had been the eve of the New Year and for the second year in a row, he had managed to fall asleep before the chrono struck midnight. Leia had simply laughed at the whole ordeal and brushed it off as another symptom of growing older, but Han being as stubborn as ever, had refused to accept that explanation. He might have been a grandpa, but he sure wasn't about to surrender to it and start acting old. He still had some good years left in him.

Rolling to the edge of the bed and being careful not to wake Leia, Han sat up and ran a single hand over his face to clear the sleep from his eyes. Waking up this early wasn't the hard part, it was finding the energy to get yourself moving. Even after all these years of getting up early to maintain the daily operations of his shipping and touring company, he still never quite got the hang of it. At least, not without a good cup of kaf for motivation.

Yawning, he finally hoisted himself to his feet and grabbing a set of clothes lying across the back of a chair, wandered out into the main living area towards the kitchen. It didn't take long to prepare a cup of kaf and with the steaming mug securely in hand, he settled down into the recliner and flicked on the Holonet. It was still too early for anything of interest to be on and he soon found his mind wandering to the events of the night before. The wild parties that lasted all night on the eve of the New Year were well in his past, but the quiet night he spent with Leia, that consisted of dinner at an expensive restaurant and a night alone in the apartment, were all too vivid in his memory. After all those years of being apart from his wife during the war, they were finally making up for lost time and he couldn't have been happier. In fact, after last night, it would probably be a few more hours before Leia herself emerged from their bedroom. They might have been older, but they still had it.

That thought brought a wry smirk to his features as he pressed the kaf mug back to his lips and idly switched the Holonet channel. There was a momentary burst of static before the picture reappeared to display a news program covering the events of the Galactic New Year. The image currently showed thousands of beings from across the galaxy gathered in Monument Plaza celebrating the event as a commentator spoke over the festivities, bestowing his opinion of the state of the galaxy on all who were watching. Han found it increasingly difficult to focus on the man's droning voice and it wasn't long before his eyes began to feel heavy. A couple more minutes of this kind of torture and he would be back in dream land...

But then the picture shifted and Han suddenly found himself awake and interested.

"...and it was exactly ten Standard years ago today in Galactic history that the galaxy witnessed the unification of the Galactic Union," a female commentator was now saying, the footage of the actual signing of the document supplying a nostalgic backdrop to her words. "Former Admiral Gilad Pellaeon of the Galactic Empire and Former Chief of State Leia Organa Solo of the New Republic were chief advocates of the movement and penned the first signatures to the written document. Krolin Drois has more in our studio...Krolin?"

The camera panned the room before zooming in on the faces of Leia and Pellaeon, both were smiling and offering each other silent reassurances as they took turns signing the treaty. When it was finally complete, the hall burst into radiant applause and welcomed the galaxy into a new era.

Han sighed and set down his kaf, rubbing a hand along his stubbled jaw as he studied the footage. Ten years ago he had been standing in that very room with the rest of the dignitaries and politicians as his wife and Pelleaon signed the document that would end decades of fighting. He had been far from optimistic over the new regime and had voiced his concerns openly on more than one occasion. Luckily, his concerns were unwarranted and the Union didn't go the way of the Empire. In fact, Han had actually come to appreciate it over the years. It did manage to bring peace to the galaxy and life couldn't have been better, especially for his company and his family. Watching the actual event now from the perspective of the Holonet was like taking a step back into the past. It was unnerving and at the same time, it brought back a slew of memories...

***

Ten Years Earlier

Four large, white pillars stood majestically in the corners of the room, supporting the ballroom's framework and accenting the art deco design portrayed throughout the great hall. Lush, hanging plants of various species were scattered about, creating a pleasing contrast to the stark white and tans of the structure's walls. A lot of planning and hardwork had gone into the construction of such a great hall and the final product was aesthetically perfect for the location of the reception following the unification ceremony of the Galactic Union.

Politicians, military personnel and war heroes, adorned in varying degrees of formal dress, milled in and out of the crowds, talking and laughing as they remembered the good times of the past and spoke highly of the future still to come. To Han Solo, this all appeared to be one big pompous joke, the elite of the galaxy using the excuse of a treaty to show off and brag to colleagues of the next big project on the horizon that will place them on the map. He wondered if any of them actually cared about peace or if peace was just a tool to focus on their own selfish gains. He knew Leia had been sincere about this whole thing, but what of the others? What if this union thing fell by the wayside and they found themselves with another Palpatine on their hands? Just from scanning the crowd, he could pick out a handful of faces that would fit the bill.

One of which was approaching his position now; a hardened Imperial leader that stuck to the regiments of the old Empire, Moff Quille looked anything but pleased to be here. As he passed Han, who was skirting around the perimeter of the hall with a glass of champagne in hand, he caught the tail end of his conversation with Gilad Pellaeon.

"You could TRY to look enthused, Quille," Pellaeon, the elder of the two men, was saying.

Han caught Quille's reaction and noticed the man curl up his lip in disgust as he grunted. "I suppose you're right," he muttered in a tone that suggested he didn't entirely believe those words.

With a snort, Han shook his head and brought the champagne glass back to his lips. It was because of people like Quille that he believed the Galactic Union would not last. There were still too many people obsessed with the old laws of the past and they were too proud to give up those old ways to make way for something new. Quille was a shining example of this and they would need to keep a close eye on him.

A familiar voice suddenly rang through the crowd and Han shifted his gaze to see his wife making her way in the direction of the two Imperial officers, her evening gown appearing modest, but to Han, left very little to the imagination. He found himself staring and for the umpteenth time that night, was reminded yet again of why he loved her so much. She was perfect in so many ways.

"Some said it couldn't be done," she remarked with a wide smile, the position of the lights causing it to dance and reflect off of her earrings as she moved to greet Pellaeon and Quille.

"Necessity is a great motivator, Madame Chief of State."

Pellaeon glanced at the Moff when he spoke and stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "Mmph. I suppose you're right, Quille." He returned his attention to Leia, his mood brightening. "But a grand day in Galactic history, to be sure, Madame of State."

A small chuckle escaped Leia's throat as she brought her glass up for a toast. "To be sure," she reaffirmed with a smile. Their glasses clinked together and Han turned away with a sigh.

And so, the long night began...

Suddenly, from across the room, a voice interrupted the conversation, speaking surprisingly loud, even for a celebration such as the one they were attending. It was coming from a younger man a short distance through the crowd, chatting up two women with a drink in his hands. He was likely a senator or something along the same lines. A politician either way, which meant Han wouldn't enjoy his company.

"No, no. Absolutely!" he could be heard saying, as if in a conversation with himself. "Who would have ever imagined that we would be seeing something such as this in our times?" His voice carried through the crowd as he continued to speak with the women who were apparently fawning over him. Although he could still be heard, most people simply tuned him out and let his voice disappear into the bustling crowd.

Leia watched him for a short time before returning her attention to the others, but as soon as she turned away, her eyes locked on to a familiar, furry face. Borsk Fey'lya stood before her, looking as noble as he could with a pseudo-charismatic smile spread across his thin lips. After a brief second of awkward silence, he spoke up.

"A proud moment for your reign, Chief of State," he said with the sort of tone that it was expected of him. The Bothan turned to meet Pellaeon's eyes before adding, "And yours as well."

The aging Imperial simply stared coolly at Borsk and replied with a simple, "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Han had began making his way back to the bar for another needed drink, but suddenly stooped upon seeing Borsk corner Leia. He sneered at the well-dressed fuzzball as he set his glass down on the counter, which rang out with a rather loud clack. The bartender inquired about what he would like as a refill, but Han never even noticed.

Leia, however, was dealing with the situation far more elegantly. She was used to Borsk's manner and was entirely comfortable in putting up with him in situations just like the one they were in. Slowly, she took a calm sip from her drink, then replied with a diplomatic smile, "Thank you, Councillor Fey'lya. Best of luck in the ministerial elections, hm?"

The Bothan quickly responded with a short hum and awkwardly adding, "I... Appreciate that." His fur ruffled ever so slightly before continuing, "I was rather surprised to learn you wouldn't be taking responsibility for this... Doing of yours?"

After getting a refill without even bothering to acknowledge the barkeep, Han snatched his glass and began making his way back toward Leia and Borsk, keeping his eyes glued to the Bothan. He wasn't really sure what someone like him could possibly try doing, but he didn't like any politicians, much less ones like Borsk.

"I think the rest of my work is with the Republic," Leia explained herself, easily shrugging off Borsk's attempt at superiority. As Han rejoined the group, she looked between him and Pellaeon, then outstretched a hand to add, "Wouldn't be much of a Union without strong members."

In the distance, as if on cue, the laugh of a certain politician could be heard mixed with the giggles of the women hanging from his arms.

“And strong members is what it has,” a soft yet commandingly firm voice called out over the din of the politician's female-mongering antics. Leia turned toward the voice, though she already knew who the newcomer was. Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker, Leia's brother, along with his wife and fellow Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker, Masters Katarn, Durron, Kam and Tionne Solusar, and several others Jedi Masters and senior Knights.

Leia grinned and embraced her brother warmly, her lips planting a small, diplomatic, but loving kiss on his cheek. “I'm so glad you made it,” she beamed.

Initially caught off guard by the open display of sibling affection, Luke recovered quickly and returned the hug. “I wasn't going to miss something as momentous as this.”

Han, meanwhile, had finished glowering at Fey'lya and noticing Luke's arrival, clapped his brother-in-law on the back as he walked up. “Luke! I see the Jedi finally decided to turn ya loose.” He paused and gave his trademark lopsided smile. “What the hell were they thinking?”

A few curious gazes from the assembled Jedi fell on the general, though notably absent from Luke and Mara. Familial association had long since taught them the intricacies of Solo humor. “This kind of even is something we all deserve to see,” the Grand Master grinned. Now he received unusual looks, as the normally staid and stoic Luke Skywalker was now veritably gushing with emotion. “Even if we are a little... busy,” he added, surreptitiously indicating his wife's belly, slightly swollen with child.

Meanwhile, Quille's lips curled into a sneer as he observed the family reunion from afar, as well as other events of merrymaking and celebration at the virtual conglomeration of the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic. “Can we leave yet?” he whispered just loud enough for Pellaeon to hear above the din of the congregation.

The Grand Admiral turned to him. “Oh, do shut up, Quille.” The regal-looking man then made his way off into the crowd, empty wine glass in hand. He was rather certain if the High Moff continued his secret petulance, he'd need quite a few refills.

“Busy?” Solo balked with a cocked brow and gestured to Leia. “Who's busy? You know, you're starting to sound like her.”

Skywalker laughed softly. “You'd be surprised how political being a Grand Master can be.”

“In that case, you need to loosen up,” Solo replied, offering Luke his glass. “Here, have a drink.”

Luke took the glass. “Maybe a little. It certainly has been a while since I had some real relaxation.”

As Mara threw her husband a dirty look, Han smiled. “Exactly! Have a little fun for once.”

The wife of the Jedi Grand Master wasn't the only Republican casting poisoned glances on the gathering. “I suppose that should have a place in the Code,” grunted Fey'lya. “Mm, well, there's more work to be done, more hands to shake.” The Bothan nodded to Organa Solo. “Good fortune.”

As he walked off, Han sneered after him. “I oughta give that furball a piece of my mind.”

Leia rolled her eyes and brushed a wayward lock of hair from her forehead. “Relax. It's just like breathing is to us.”

“If that's like breathing to us, then I hope he suffocates.”

Leia smirked and reached for another couple glasses of champagne from a passing wine-bearer.

Han jabbed a thumb at the retreating Bothan. “Hey, I'm fine. As long as I don't have to deal with that.”

Luke looked at Han with a smile. “Then let's talk about something else, shall we?” He turned to the Jedi entourage still clustered behind him. Skywalker nodded, and they replied with a silent, small bow before dispersing into the crowd.

With his glass refreshed, Pellaeon scanned the dense crowd in the center of the room. Then he saw the back of a woman's head, her hair long and a fiery red hue. The rest of the woman was obscured by the milling crowds of New Republic and Imperial attendees, press, and other dignitaries of lesser states. But he was certain it was Mara Jade Skywalker. She was no longer standing with her husband, who was conversing with the Republic leaders. And his extended family. And they think they're so different from the Empire.

He made his way over, recalling when she was targeted by Thrawn for elimination in the last glory days of the Empire until Daala's uniting of the Imperial fleets. Palpatine's second reign was an utter horror: wasteful, expensive, and a dismal failure. Meanwhile, Jade Skywalker had gone from one of Palpatine's assassins to a leading Jedi Master in the New Republic. The Grand Admiral was rather interested in picking her mind.

He drew near and called to the redhead. “Master Jade Skywalker?”

There was no reply. “Ma'am?” he asked, a bit more pointedly.

The woman turned, and Pellaeon realized he'd been in error. For starters, the woman was wearing the dress uniform of an Imperial Intelligence officer. “Are you talk—oh!” the woman began in an irritated tone, but quickly shifted to shock as she saw Pellaeon. “Sir, I'm sorry. But I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else.”

The Grand Admiral fought back an embarrassed blush. “My apologies, Colonel...?” he trailed off, not recognizing anything of her identity past her rank insignia.

“Um, Jendob, sir. Shayera Jendob,” the Intelligence officer supplied, slightly flushed herself. “If I may sir, it's an honor--”

Pellaeon raised his hand. He'd had enough of young officers gushing over the Last Grand Admiral. “I'm just a soldier, Colonel.” He looked off at Quille. “And I believe our mutually superior officer is summoning me. Good day, Colonel Jendob.”

“Oh, uh... thank you sir. And Happy New Year,” the woman replied.

“We can only hope,” he said as he walked back. About half way there, he heard the colonel's voice cry out. He turned to see some gaudily clad man had crashed into her. She seemed to be giving him a dressing down, but her words were lost to the general noise of the room.

“You had something in mind?” Leia asked her brother with a small smile, knowing the answer.

“Well, there's always the weather,” he quipped in response. Leia had to shake her head to hold back the chuckle. It was interesting, she thought, that when such gigantic galactic events occurred, the everyday conversation of people was eclipsed for days. Even the closest of friends, or family, would be talking about this day for weeks – hopefully in lieu of economic or financial problems. Every Holonet channel would be covering it.

At last, the entire galaxy was one again. It was almost too good to be true; but, Leia had been there every step of the way, and knew it wasn't a dream. It was the formal end to almost half a century of strife, unbroken from the Clone Wars to Palpatine's tyrannical regime, from the Battle of Endor to the reunification of the Remnant. Billions of lives had been ruined, or ended. Now, it was time to set things right, once and for all. It had been a hard-won victory, but democracy and peace had ultimately returned to all the worlds across the stars.

It had been long overdue.

“Madame Organa Solo,” a stiff, civilized voice greeted. The trio turned to see Quille. Curious.

“High Moff Quille,” Leia offered in return. Quille had always been a bit of an “old guard” of the Imperials. And for all of the Moff Council's progressivism over the previous decade, Quille had always been the one to cast doubt and to pin every meticulous detail of unification to the board for criticism. Often times, many had wondered whether he even agreed with unification – it was well known the architects of the Union and the new unification were naught but Pellaeon and Organa Solo chiefly. But, deep down, Quille probably was committed to correcting the mistakes of the past and creating galactic peace. He just didn't want to admit it.

“I trust this won't be the last time we meet across the negotiating table,” Quille mused, a promise of the future within his words. The principle negotiations had been over for months, but there were going to be more, certainly. And that was a good thing. Immobility and intransigence was, arguably, the ultimate cause of the Old Republic's fall and the galaxy's acceptance of the New Order. The goal was that such an event should never happen again.

“I am sure it won't be,” the Chief of State assured. And with that, the High Moff returned into the mix, saying his piece then quickly wandering off. Indeed, both Quille and Organa Solo would be members of the Representative Council, which consisted of all the state leaders in the Union. The Union would indeed be a tapestry of many threads, and it would be a great responsibility to make sure it all did not unravel.

But, it would not be Leia's responsibility. She was getting older, as was Han. Their children were grown. Although she had wanted to run for election for the dual position of Minister of the Galactic Union, her husband had helped talk her out of it. Leia had seen that her responsibilities lay closest to the New Republic, and she would continue to serve as the Chief of State. The Galactic Union was a new frontier, which she had helped discover, but which others would map.

“How's about a picture of our newfound leaders of peace?” came an excited call from one of the many reporters. Leia exchanged looks with her husband as Pellaeon, Luke, Borsk, and, reluctantly, Quille, began to group around her.

“Of course,” she agreed quickly, her face tugging a smile from her lips, all of the events truly beginning to sink into her.

The upstart senator Valure put down his drink and shuffled into place, eager to cement his place in history, as did some other senators and Imperial officers, most of which had no special importance at all. And no one stopped them, either; everyone was in too good of spirits to deny anyone anything.

“Is this entirely necessary,” Quille muttered with a sneer, eying the camera as if it was some type of interrogation device.

“Yes. Stop sniveling,” Pellaeon retorted before putting on his best diplomatic face.

The flash of the camera.

“A great shot!” The reporter declared enthusiastically. “This'll make headlines everywhere!” He cried as he raced back through the crowds, anxious to upload it onto the Holonet as speedily as possible.

The activity of the ballroom continued to come in waves, waxing and waning like the tide. Just when one thought the celebration was tiring out, another official would arrive, or another joke would be told, and the rest of the hall would reverberate with its own echoes.

And, in general, this pattern continued throughout the entire galaxy, as the years passed. The resonance and pulse of the Union moved as one, the lives of trillions contributing to its growth and its mission. Even after the euphoria wore off, even after the people stopped “breathing as one”, the Union continued to pioneer more fronts. The galaxy had eventually, finally, become one people again.

***

The newscast ended and Han released a weary sigh as he reclined back into the chair. For a brief moment, his eyes remained unfocused on the continuing coverage of the New Year celebrations and then ever so slowly, his gaze shifted. A holo, long forgotten and gathering dust on the mantle beside the chair, suddenly drew his attention.

Without a second thought, he reached up and took it within his grip, a wry smile forming on his lips as he studied the faces staring back at him. It was the very same picture that had been taken all those years ago at the ceremony. They were younger then and taking a hell of a gamble on a treaty that many believed wouldn't last. Who knew 10 years from the day, they would still be living in the peace they had all helped create?

Shaking his head at the memory, Han took one last glance at the photo and then replaced it back on the shelf. There it would remain until another 10 years had passed and they would all be reminded of this little event all over again...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/HSolo29/Fan%20Art/unitypic-rough3.jpg

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Leia Organa Solo
Cray


Joined: 17 Jul 2009
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 Post Posted: Fri, August 21st 2009 11:28pm    Post subject:
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Leia, for the second time, whisked the bulbous, yellow hemisphere in the bowl, finding her hands increasingly comfortable with the metal instrument. It wasn't often she cooked, but when she did, she thought things went over well enough. Besides, the simple things she was wont to make were difficult to botch.

That's not to say she wasn't capable of more advanced tasks. After all, for nearly fifty years, Leia had been a key player on the galactic stage in some way, shape, or form. She'd been called a traitor, a patriot, a rebel, a politician, a wife, a leader, and a mother. For once in her life, Leia was just content to be called “Leia.”

Han had settled down after many long years, but he wasn't idle. He owned Solo Enterprises, and it supplied them with a nice boon to their nest-egg. Only occasionally did he dust off the Falcon to make emergency runs, although every now and then someone would send a request that Han deliver something personally. Leia sometimes went with him, even; she hadn't had a bad experience yet, as they both were still renowned as galactic heroes.

So, although there were still occasional bouts of adventure, Leia rather enjoyed the domestic lifestyle. For the past few years she'd achieved the “normal” day-to-day goings-about of most beings in the galaxy; the retired ones, at least. And while Leia still watched the news all the time, and got the occasional comm call from “comment on” this and “support” that, the Solo household was in a good balance as of late.

The rest of the family, though, were in the limelight, as usual. Jaina had married Jagged Fel, and was now intimately involved with the Imperial Remnant, while Jacen had united with the Hapan Tenel Ka, and was now a father. Leia never pictured her children would marry into “royalty”, but she supposed it fit.

Anakin, on the other hand, was still living not far from home, with the Jedi Tahiri, and was involved in Solo Enterprises. Leia reflected on it often, and figured that Jaina would have been the one to follow in her father's footsteps, but children often grow up quite differently than one would imagine. Leia was just satisfied that, for the most part, everyone was content, and safe. That was one good thing Unification had brought to them.

A stomp from above brought Leia out of her introspective. She rolled her chestnut eyes. People were still partying, celebrating New Years', all over the place. And now, it was getting worse, as beings of every species were starting to commemorate the unification of the galaxy by getting drunk off their asses. That was one of the only problems living on Coruscant; proximity to others, and usually those “others” were ridiculous.

But, at least people still cared about Unification. Leia could still hear the din of the newscasters covering the events of that day as she flipped over the eggs for a final time. Han had been up earlier than she, but he was probably asleep in his chair again. After Leia had turned down the stove's heat and placed the breakfast onto a plate, she walked into the living room to find Han, snoozing in a ridiculous position, in front of the Holo. “I can see you're enthralled as usual,” Leia quipped with a smile, watching the images of Unification Day as she spoke.

After a moment, Han stirred. Groggily, he opened his eyes with a questioning grunt. After seeing the target of Leia's eyes, he turned his own back to the viewer. “Oh. Yeah, well, this is good stuff. Especially when they repeat the same thing fifteen minutes later,” he muttered.

“I know how much you love the news in the first place,” she snorted sarcastically, before putting her weight down onto the top section of the lounger, pushing down its back. “So, why don't you get up? I, actually, made breakfast.”

A shrug in weak self-defense turned into a questioning look. “I thought I smelled something burning.” Han took to his feet and stretched a bit.

Leia pursed her lips and scrunched her brow, a sour look.. “Just get in there or something else is gonna be on fire,” she ordered with a light push.

“What's that? The apartment building?” Han yawned as he entered the kitchen. Leia exchanged a glare with him before Han complied with the implicit command and sat down in the chair at the breakfast nook.

“I could barely concentrate making this,” Leia growled, gesturing to the sounds still coming from the next apartment. She took a pitcher of blue milk in one hand and the dish in the other, before she laid both in front of Han. “I'm surprised you stayed asleep. All morning, all I've been hearing is music and stomping and laughing and...” Leia trailed off. She could only guess what the other sound was. “You'd think they'd still be hung over from last night.”

“Maybe they never went to bed,” Han shrugged, taking a fork into his hand. “And who says I stayed asleep? I was up before you,” he pointed out before gazing down at the food Leia had presented him. “What is this?”

“Just try it, it's good,” Leia said curtly, just trying to shut him up, as she poured a cup of kaf for herself. They both knew he liked to complain even when he had nothing to complain about. “I already had mine.”

Han's eyes followed her as she sat down. “Or you're holding out on me,” Han cautiously proposed, his visage a bit untrusting as he plunged the utensil with the eggs into his mouth. “Mm,” he exclaimed. “Not bad.”

Leia smirked. “Told you,” she mocked as she pushed herself away from the table, moving to the sink. She had dishes to clean... including those of the previous five breakfasts she'd burnt this morning before getting it right.

“You know what would really set this off?” Han asked before swallowing another mouthful. “Some nerf meat. I might have to experiment,” he stated before bringing his own cup of kaf to his lips.

“Maybe, maybe,” Leia entertained him, a smirk on her face as she plunged the plates into the suds. “I guess we'll find out next New Year,” she laughed. This was the only time of the year where she was guaranteed to cook at least once.

“I knew there was a catch,” Han chuckled as he reclined back into the chair. His eyes were on the straps of Leia's night dress. “Maybe we should scrap Threepio, and I'll handle the cooking from now on.”

“I don't think he'd very much like that,” Leia was quick to say. She'd rather have herself prepare al the meals than Han.

“He'll get over it,” Han dismissed as he speared another piece of egg. He almost had it to his mouth when, over the sounds of the partying, the distinct tone of the comm was heard. “Damn it, it's too early for that,” he groaned.

“Can you get it...?” Leia begged, holding up her arms to show the soap and water all over them. The clean up was more difficult than the actual act, almost...
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Han Solo
Han


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 Post Posted: Wed, September 02nd 2009 10:07pm    Post subject:
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With an urgency that wanted to make Han pound his fists into the table with aggravation, the holo tone chimed again and not even the innocent sight of Leia holding her soiled hands into the air could lighten the mood. The moment was effectively lost and Han would never forgive whoever it was that was so impatient on the other end of the comm.

Resigning himself to Leia's gentle inquiry that he answer the call, Han rose reluctantly to his feet and speared his wife with a menacing look that was only accentuated by the tired gesture of his index finger aimed at her face. "You're getting the next one," he warned mildly before padding across the room barefooted towards the comm unit.

The holoprojector was situated in the far corner of the living area, adjacent to a wide, ceiling to floor window, which provided a magnificent view of the Coruscant skyline. Han gave the breath-taking view a passing glance before dialing some codes into the projector, which caused the display screen to fade from the usual holding image to a crisp, clear hologram of his daughter, Jaina. She was looking like her mother more and more each day and for the moment, Han could forgive her sudden intrusion into their holiday.

"Hi, dad, sorry for calling so early," she beamed with a smile as she met Han's gaze. There was a pause and the image flickered a bit as she leaned forward and appeared to look beyond his position to the rest of the apartment. "Is mom around?"

"Hey, sweetheart, it's been awhile," he returned in greeting, one corner of his mouth lifting up into a small smile as he lowered himself down into a nearby chair. "You alright?" Before he knew what was happening, his paternal instinct took over and he mentally winced. She was now in her early thirties and out of their hair. He really had to stop treating her like a little kid and despite them being separated by a vast distance, he could sense that Jaina felt the same way. She shifted awkwardly where she sat and Han made a quick decision to focus on her unanswered question.

"Uh, yeah, she's here," he said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck and twisting around to gesture towards Leia with his free hand. "Hey! Someone wants to see you..."

Returning Han's own disdain about a comm call this early in the morning with a brief flick of her eyes, Leia forced herself to grab a nearby towel to dry off her hands as made her way into the living area. "Who is i—Jaina!" she beamed, a smile instantly overtaking her features as she spotted the image of Jaina looking back at her. "I'm glad at least one of you guys checks in."

"It wouldn't be a New Year without seeing either of you," she remarked with a genuine smile. Again, she paused to search the room beyond Han and Leia. "And I have to admit, I miss those dumplings you make every year."

Han snorted at the comment, not wanting to admit that he wasn't a big fan of Leia's dumplings, but decided to play along anyway. "Well, come on over," he suggested, leaning one shoulder up against the wall as he waved casually with one hand. "You'll be just in time. We got plenty of leftovers without you kids around."

Wrinkling her brow, Jaina appeared to consider the offer briefly before thinking better of it and shaking her head gently in the negative. "Thanks, dad, but..." She drew in a breath and fidgeted slightly. "Jag and I sorta got our hands full at the moment."

That was the wrong thing to say in front of Leia and Han could physically feel the shift in the air as the smile faded from Leia's face and she frowned. "Honey, don't be like me," she sighed with regret. "You need to take some time off once in awhile."

Han narrowed his eyes at that comment and was quick to intercede, concern over his little girl taking over once more. "What did durasteel spine do this time?"

"Dad," Jaina scolded mildly and tucked her chin towards her chest, trying to conceal a smile. "And don't worry about it, I actually did take your advice." Sighing, she returned her attention to the screen and held Leia's gaze. "I think I will have a lot of 'time off' soon enough."

"Oh?" Leia asked with a questioning brow. "It's too bad you couldn't have it now."

"Well, no, but..." she trailed off and this time, a smile did appear on her face. There was a strange inner glow about it and Han didn't like it one bit. Something was up. "9 months will have to do..."

Yup, he knew he didn't like it. He suddenly found himself sitting a little straighter in the chair with his jaw unhinging with surprise. With a simple flick of his eyes, he was searching Leia for answers. He hoped to all the gods that were out there, that he was wrong. "Did she--?"

Leia appeared just as puzzled over their daughter's comment, ignoring Han and shaking her head slightly as if she was in denial. "...what?"

"I'm pregnant!"

And there it was. Han felt like a durasteel plank just rammed him squarely in the chest. It was one thing hearing the news that he was going to be a father, but it was something completely different hearing that he was about to be a grandfather twice over. And this was happening to Jaina - his little girl! What happened to all those years together?

Leia was the first to recover, sputtering a string of incoherent words as tears began to shimmer in her dark eyes. "Yo—why-why aren't you here!"

"Politics, mom, you know how that goes," Jaina remarked, somehow managing to keep her calm. "Jag has some big meeting he can't miss and unfortunately, I'm stuck here."

Finally finding his voice, Han pushed himself forward with determination. "That's no excuse," he declared as he hoisted himself to his feet. "Hell, I'll fly out there right now and pick you up."

Oblivious to Han's words, Leia was starting to realize the reality of Jaina's announcement and began whimpering in something that sounded like a cross between crying and laughter. "O-oh, Jaina!"

Raising her hands on the small display, Jaina addressed Han's concerns first. "Dad, no, I'm fine!" She offered a small smile in an attempt to reassure him before turning back to Leia, who still appeared to be a wreck over the whole thing. "I'll visit soon, I promise."

With a sigh, Han placed his hands on his hips and paused before he moved completely out of the frame. "You know your mother," he started with a small smirk. "She'll want to be all over the shopping and preparations." He glanced down at his wife and squeezed her shoulder gently. "And I'll be all too happy to let you two at it."

Reaching up, Leia took the hand resting on her shoulder and tugged on it gently. "No... y-you stay," she said quietly, her gaze distant and staring off into the display. Han studied her with some concern for a moment and tentatively, came to stand behind her chair, resting his other hand on her shoulder.

By this time, Jaina recognized her mother's tears and sat closer to the projector, her brow furrowed with her own concern. "Mom, you alright?"

Leia was silent for several seconds, but then she reached out and touched the display screen lovingly. "P-perfect," she confirmed with a gentle nod of her head.

Han quirked an eyebrow curiously and considered that answer for a long moment. It was scary bringing a new life into this galaxy and it seemed strange having one of your own children becoming a parent, but he figured it wouldn't be so bad. It was another kid to spoil and to keep him on his toes. Sure, the kid would probably wear him out, but it would all be worth it. Yup, Leia was right. It was perfect.

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Han Solo
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 Post Posted: Thu, April 08th 2010 03:51am    Post subject:
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This is a joint post between Cray, Moff and myself

Han had been dreading this moment since dinner began. It had been the cause of his uncharacteristically quiet behavior during the course of the meal and it carried over now as they made their way into the living area once the dishes had been cleared away. It wasn't that Han didn't enjoy entertaining one of his sons over dinner, it was the reason he had been asked here in the first place. In a non-subtle way, tonight's events were to decide the fate of Solo Enterprises. Han wasn't sure if he was quite ready for the answer that awaited him.

With a cup of steaming caf in hand, he eased himself into his favorite chair and dwelled on it some more as Leia and their youngest son, Anakin, found their way into the soft glow of the room. This had all been the perfect setup, really. Anakin had just returned from some Jedi mercy mission on Kuat and taking advantage of the fact that he had been gone for well over three weeks, Leia had suggested they invite him over for dinner to catch up. Of course, Han had stretched that invitation even further to include the issue surrounding the company and despite Leia not being too keen on that aspect at first, reluctantly agreed after some convincing.

And so, here they were, sitting in awkward silence and waiting for the conversation to begin. Han slowly brought the cup of caf to his lips and looked up over the rim to glance at Leia, silently pushing her to get the ball rolling. But as was typical of Leia, she simply remained calm and dismissed him with a tilt of her head as she stirred sugar into her tea. The gesture was easy to read - 'this was your idea, you do it yourself.'

Inhaling sharply through his nose to express his annoyance with the situation, Han shifted his position so that he was now facing his son and cleared his throat. He had never been good talking to the kids like this, but if he had to start somewhere, it was best to go with some small talk. The first thing to pop into his mind wasn't his most pleasant memory of the past 24 standard hours, but it would do for now. "I was looking through reports," he started casually, refusing to look Anakin in the eye just yet. "Did you hear about one of our cargo freighters stalling out near Corellia? Some Jedi towed her in late last night..." He brushed off the incident with a sloppy wave of his hand. "Saved my neck."

There was a long pause as his son just stared at him. "Really?" he finally answered, his tone suggesting that he wasn't really interested.

That response was enough to instantly set Han off on the wrong foot. He could tell getting any kind of answer from him was going to be like pulling teeth and that mentality was now reflected in his body language. He simply studied Anakin for a long moment with his brow raised curiously until finally, his gaze hardened with realization. "'Really,' huh?" he reiterated. His tone may have been harsher than he would've liked, but that was the only way to make progress. "You should've been on top of that."

"I've been a little busy," he replied evenly, no doubt trying to work around Han's boldness. "This stuff on Kuat..." He trailed off with a shrug. "I almost didn't get away for the holiday."

With that, Han set his cup down on the table - maybe a little too hard, as he was trying to keep his anger in check. "Kuat?" He cast a questioning glance at Leia before returning his attention to his son. "What is that? Jedi stuff?"

He nodded. "Pretty much."

That was the last straw. Pushing himself back into the chair, Han blew out a long sigh as he squarely set his sights on his son, looking him directly in the eye. "Oh, I see," he grumbled before trailing off again, using the opportunity to just study the younger man some more. "What about the company? You have a responsibility there too. What if I wasn't there to handle that freighter?"

"I thought you said a Jedi handled it."

"A Jedi towed her back to the docks," he shot back sharply. "He didn't have to deal with the client and explain to them why their shipment was late. Plus, there's the maintenance order for the freighter." He scoffed, allowing a hint of a smile to cross his lips. "It's not all fun and games, kid."

Something dark crossed over his son's features and he sat up a little straighter. Finally, his words had hit home. He was making progress. "And what I do is?" he sputtered harshly.

"That's what you act like!" he pointed out hotly, his voice now echoing off of the high ceiling as he pushed toward the edge of the chair. "And the way things are now, it's not working! You need to make a decision and ignoring me isn't an option!"

"The Jedi Order isn't exactly a social club, Dad," Anakin responded in a surprisingly calm tone, but his face betrayed his true feelings. It was flushed red with anger and frustration. "You know that."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to read through his words. Han already knew his answer and his expression dropped a bit. "So, that's it then, huh?"

Anakin pressed his lips together, now seeming to regret his decision. "I'm not saying no to you, either." He sighed, diverting his gaze to the floor. "I just...need more time."

It did really appear as if his son had been sincere with his words, driving it home with that look of defeat, but somehow, it wasn't enough to convince Han. He had seen the kids work that kind of magic on him several times over the past 20 years and it wasn't going to work this time. Anakin was a man and he had to stop playing kid games. Clenching the arm rests of the chair, Han let it all out. "That's the only godsdamn answer you ever give me!" he shouted as he started to rise. "You said you 'needed more time' 3 months ago!"

"I'm NOT saying no, Dad," he said coolly. He spread his hands, hoping to make some peace. "But I can't just walk away from the Jedi Order, either."

Han sneered, now fully on his feet. "Then you might as well say no," he growled in a low baritone. "You can't have both the Jedi and the company."

"Han."

From somewhere behind him, Leia decided to join the fray. It was meant to be a warning, but her voice came out more small and quiet. It hardly mattered - not at this point, anyway. Han simply shot her a warning glare of his own before turning away to hear what other excuses his son had to rub in his face. He knew right then and there, he would be having a long talk with his wife later.

"Maybe I just haven't figured out the right way to balance them," he pointed out with a lopsided grin - a mirror image of his own. It was meant to lighten the mood, but Han barely noticed. "Maybe I can do the ledgers while lifting X-Wings with my mind. You never know."

He glowered. "It doesn't work that way and you know it."

Anakin spread his hands again. "I just don't have an answer for you right now."

"Then I'll just wipe your name off everything until you do answer me."

Come on, Dad," Anakin sighed, his tone suggesting that he was carrying this thing way too far. Maybe he was, but it was too late for that. "You've got a lot of good years left. This isn't something you need to rush into."

Han felt himself tense as he swallowed and simply stood there to stare at his son. Of all the subjects he had to touch on, he had to go into that. Everyone was telling him about the good years ahead, but as those years rolled in and out, he wasn't so sure 'good' was an appropriate way to describe them. That's why he wanted out. He wanted to actually enjoy everything he had worked for - not watch it slip away while he was lying on his death bed. "Maybe I want to enjoy that time, huh?" he sneered menacingly. "Do you think I want to be working here until I drop over?"

This time, his son did show a little flare, his voice rising to match his. "Do you think I'd rather sit at a desk, playing with spreadsheets and shipping schedules when I could be making a DIFFERENCE in the Galaxy?"

Han simply studied him for a long moment. He was young and he wanted to be out there doing things - causing trouble. Han knew he had been wanting to do the same - hell, he had been blowing up Death Stars at his age. It wouldn't be right to deprive him of something like that, but still...there was a thing called responsibility. It had to fit into the picture somehow. "Not everyone needs to make a difference, kid," he muttered quietly, not sure if he actually believed it or if he was only saying them out of spite to win the argument.

"But then there are those that do," Anakin returned evenly, his eyes gleaming with determination as he rose to his feet to stand beside his mother.


Without another word, Han just stood there and watched as his son spoke quietly with Leia before exchanging good-byes. This wasn't exactly how he had imagined the night to end and now that it was all said and done, Han may have had his regrets. He was being stubborn, sure, but was he also being too harsh?

As Anakin moved to the door, he glanced in Han's direction. Their eyes made contact for a long moment before Han finally broke it off, refusing to return any kind of acknowledgment to his son as he retreated back the hallway toward the bedroom. After everything that had happened, he needed time to think.

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Leia Organa Solo
Cray


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 Post Posted: Thu, April 08th 2010 03:14pm    Post subject:
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Her husband and his cloud of fury had sequestered themselves in the bedroom. Leia was also upset; not at her son, but at Han. She wished she could have done something during the hostile exchange, but she knew those words needed to be spoken at some point, and it was better to release them in one sitting than to stew them for weeks.

"He still loves you," Leia assured Anakin in a low tone, as the two of them stood alone by the doorway. "He has a lot on his mind."

"I understand," Anakin stated. His face had a hint of a knowing smile and he appeared to be very level-headed about the whole situation. Still, Leia could feel the water running swiftly under her son's icy coating.

"And I love you too," she affirmed as we drew together in a quick hug and kiss. "Whenever you're ready, the business is waiting. It doesn't matter how long. Okay?" Leia felt a tinge of dissatisfaction at the interpolation of business matters and family matters. Unfortunately, things had to work that way. The words didn't come out precisely as she'd intended, but the bond between Anakin and his mother was strong enough to carry the overtones of love and respect intact. He was her youngest child, but he was also a grown man, a burgeoning Jedi knight, and a legitimate heir to an intergalactic business. She still had problems thinking of him in those new ways. It was a quandary that she both treasured and wept over; seeing them all grow up was bittersweet.

"Okay," Anakin reticently agreed. He stepped through the doorway. "I love you too."

"Be safe," she gave the benediction as the door slid between them. That was that. She busied herself for a few minutes, giving Han time to level out. Into the dishwasher Leia placed the plates that were generally free of large detritus. She stacked those more soiled onto a pile by the sink. She'd clean them tomorrow.

She didn't have anything more to do tonight. Except one thing. She had run out of excuses to delay talking to Han. Her husband would act like a child for some time, be defiant of her advice and feign as if he didn't want it. But internally, he was waiting on her summary of the situation. Some part of him would listen, and the rest would eventually follow.

But it would be vexing. Leia had to dissuade a near-tangible, imaginary barrier between her and the hallway. Reluctantly, she took a breath and stepped into the room. Han lay on the bed, eyes uniformly focused on the holo in front of him.

"That was... inexcusable," Leia spoke up bluntly.

She thought he might have ignored her. "You're right... it was," Han finally admitted in a grumble. He scoffed, a sneer creeping up. "I told you it wouldn't work."

"Don't blame how you acted on me!" Leia warned. "You knew this day was going to come."

"Oh, now it's my fault!" Han exasperated, throwing the holo controller down on the bed. He sat up. "If he wasn't serious about this from the beginning, then he shouldn't have volunteered to help! He gets off too easy!"

"It's like it isn't even about that anymore," Leia pointed out. Maybe the root of the problem was that Han was less willing to let go of the kids than she herself was. He had resented Jaina's marriage - maybe due to the facts he had to accept about Jaina's adulthood. He disliked Anakin's independence; Han's plan for him was diverging from the reality of Anakin's life..

"That's where you're imagining things," Han insisted, shaking his head in denial. "You're always coming to the wrong conclusions."

"Am I?" Leia reflected. She wanted to coax more words out of Han.

"Sure," her husband declared. "Why else would you be in here blaming me for this? Why am I in the wrong for wanting an answer?" He begged.

"Wanting an answer is one thing," Leia began. "Pressing our son like a rival is something different!"

"Don't give me that!" Han barked. "You know as well as I do how long I've been nice about this! I'm through, Leia!" He fitfully rose from the bed, the boots he still wore making heavy chords on the floor. He stopped at the window, gazing out over the eternal twilight of Coruscant's city lights. "I'm sick of waiting around for him to make up his mind. It's not gonna be an easy transition. You need to prepare things like that."

He was worried about his legacy. Not only was the concern for his biological progeny, it was a matter of the continuing success of his company. It had become his fourth child. The more Anakin delayed, the more Han worried his son was not qualified for the job. Leia guessed that was a heavy factor in his rage, but certainly not the only one.

"I know, it isn't easy," Leia cooed, her deep eyes seeking and retaining all of Han's telltale motions. "But you can't force him to take it now if he doesn't want it. We need to find some kind of alternative until he's ready."

"What alternative?" Han rhetorically mourned with a snort, his head hanging. "There's not too many options out there."

"I don't know," Leia acquiesced. "But you're not gonna change his mind until he's ready."

Anakin, at his core, was too much like Han. In fact, all of the kids were, particularly Jaina. But Anakin represented the closest link to the Solos' former life of excitement. It threw them back to a time when they were younger, when the kids were in constant need of direct intervention. Leia understood. It was going to be hard, in more ways than one.
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 Post Posted: Sun, April 11th 2010 12:04am    Post subject:
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Sitting around and waiting for Anakin to make his final decision wasn't the kind of advice Han wanted to hear from Leia at this point. Anakin was still his son, which meant he was as stubborn as they come. After the conversation they shared tonight, Han wouldn't be surprised if the kid would hold out on purpose to make things interesting. That meant more long years he had to put in at the office. It wasn't as if he didn't enjoy the work, he just wanted to be off doing things elsewhere and making the most of the time he had left.

Finally gathering the necessary strength to face his wife, he turned away from the viewpanel and offered her a tired smile. "Then I guess I'm stuck with it for a while," he concluded morbidly.

Leia wasn't one to have the conversation end on that note and despite the frown that crossed her features, offered another bit of optimism. "I'm sure we can do better than that..." Her words hung in the air for a moment before she added, "Somehow."

He knew she was only trying to help, but it was hard to notice with everything at stake. The only thing that continued to seem real in his mind was the future of the company and how it was becoming to appear as if he was going to be stuck at the reigns for a long time. It didn't seem fair. "Not that it's a demanding job," he continued to ramble on more to convince himself than Leia. He somehow managed to meander his way back to the bed and slumped down on the edge. "All I do is sit around and do paperwork." No, he wasn't sounding very convincing at all...even to himself. He scoffed. "Mostly."

"You can't tell me you're not ready to give it up," Leia stated matter-of-factly. She was giving him one of those looks. He could sense it.

Still, he feigned innocence as he glanced up at her and cocked an eyebrow curiously. "Hmm?"

She sighed and spoke with more force this time. "We both know you're tired of it."

Of course, she was always right. The problem was, Han had difficulty admitting it. Even now, he knew the company was slowly slipping out of his grasp. It was only part of natural progression, but Han still liked to believe that he would always have total control, even with Anakin at the reigns. It was his company and his time and effort put into it. Why did it have to be any other way?

"Maybe," he shrugged, trying to remain confident without actually admitting the truth. "But I'll drive myself crazy just hanging around here." One corner of his mouth turned upward into a smile.

Leia seemed to share his sentiments regarding that last bit, but she decided to side step the issue and get back to the actual point. She had always been good at that sort of thing. "Still with the excuses," she pointed out accusingly, purposely trying to get him to completely open up.

"Who's making excuses?" he bit back, contorting his face into his best impression of a child trying to prove his innocence. "I'm being serious."

Placing a hand on her hip, Leia speared him with another look. Apparently the innocent child act wasn't working on her this time. Her tone became more stern as she started to speak again. "You act like you want to keep doing this kind of thing, Han, but I know you too well."

She had him there. With a defeated sigh, he arced his back and allowed his body to slump forward as he rested his elbows on his knees. "I thought we already talked about this," he muttered quietly, his eyes focused on the toes of Leia's shoes. "But I don't have much of a choice without Anakin, do I? I won't trust it with just...anyone."

"But we agreed we wanted more time," she offered gently.

Han ground his teeth together, clenching his jaw tightly. He knew Leia had been referencing alone time between the two of them, which only made him more resentful toward his son's decision to keep them waiting for an answer. Maybe it was selfish, but at least he was being honest with himself. "And right there's my reason for pressing him," he admitted, his voice low.

Leia must have sensed his ire rising once more, for she blew out a sigh and quickly pushed on in an attempt to diffuse it. "But all the pressing in the galaxy isn't making a difference," she explained in that same gentle tone she had recently adopted. "We need to figure something out."

"Yeah," he drawled with a snort. "And preferably soon."

"Another day."

The sudden dismissal caught Han off guard and he finally lifted his gaze, studying her with curious eyes as she remained staring out the view panel at the cityscape beyond. Sometimes she could surprise him, going down one path when he expected her to do something entirely different. Maybe that's one reason why he had fallen in love with her in the first place and why their love was still strong for each other even today. Han felt that familiar tug at his heart as he instinctively reached out and patted the spot on the bed directly beside him.

The motion succeeded in catching her attention and with a faint smile, she made her way over to his position. It was obvious she was still concerned over the events of the evening and Han's behavior over the whole situation, but she also expressed her willingness to drop it for the time being by lowering herself to the bed and resting against his sturdy frame. Han responded by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, lowering his chin to rest against the top of her head. Again, Leia smiled.

They remained in this position for quite sometime afterward, content with just being in each others company.





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Jase Denora
Jase


Joined: 15 Jul 2009
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 Post Posted: Fri, May 14th 2010 10:45am    Post subject:
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Jase had been too busy for a man who was in his physical condition. He was still inured, having forgone bacta treatment in order to attend to his business. he needed to inform those that held power and influence of the attack on the temple, at least those that had Jedi relatives. The names taken could lead to attacks on them as well.

First was the Solos. not that he felt they would be attacked, but because they had a better chance of contacting their children than Jase did. The doorman to their apartment building building looked shocked at Jase's appearance. The bruises, tattered robes, cuts, dirt and dried blood were quite a sight. He would have to use the refresher on the Fury when he left for Bastion. After explaining that his visit was official Jedi business, the doorman reluctantly let him through.

Jase moved through the building to the Solo residence slowly, fighting back the pain from his injuries. He had learned to deal with this sort of thing decades prior, but it was always difficult when there was a sense of urgency. Arriving at the apartment, he buzzed the door comm.

Tag: Cray, Han whichever one of you guys wants to get this, it'll be short.
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Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

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 Post Posted: Mon, May 17th 2010 12:57am    Post subject:
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The call came at the worst possible time. Han found himself in the 'fresher, half-dressed after a hot shower and in the midst of a last minute shave in preparation for their dinner date that night.

And 'dinner date' was a generous term at this point.

After some debate, Anakin had somehow managed to setup a meeting between himself and the CEO of Kuat, Pallanen-David. Han suspected it was a goodwill gesture to make up for the blowout they had experienced several nights ago, but a simple meeting would not make up for a lifetime of work. Anakin still had to make a decision about the company and in order to make that point very clear, Han had been tempted to reject the invitation outright. It was only after Leia's persistent nagging about how he should act like an adult and set an example for their son, that Han obliged to go along with it.

That didn't mean, however, that he had to like it. The whole situation had already put him in a bad mood and the impatient peddler at the door wasn't helping matters.

"Leia!" he called irritably as he hurried to finish a spot under his nose. "Do you mind?!"

No answer.

Han inhaled sharply and set the razor down in the sink, biting back a curse. "Leia!"

Still no answer.

"Of all the kriffin' times..." he trailed off and yanked a towel off of a nearby rack, running it over his face before stomping toward the door. On his way through the bedroom, he grabbed the shirt Leia had laid out on the bed for him and pulled it on, leaving the front unfastened for now as he entered the main living area in a huff.

When he arrived, Threepio had already greeted the stranger and was giving him the usual spiel as he led him with pride into the foyer, his feet shuffling against the tiled floor as he did so.

Han's brow creased into a frown at the droid's behavior. He usually didn't act like that unless it was someone they knew...

Setting his jaw, Han stepped forward. "Alright, Goldenrod, I'll take it from here," he informed the droid with a single glare before he allowed his gaze to rest on the stranger. He was a mess. His clothes were torn and tattered and his face bloodied and bruised. Despite his haggard appearance, Han had to admit, he did look awfully familiar...

"I doubt you went through all that trouble downstairs with security just because you're a fan," he pointed out evenly. "You look crazy enough to pull it off, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You better start explaining."

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Jase Denora
Jase


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 Post Posted: Mon, May 17th 2010 05:02am    Post subject:
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Jase sighed at Solo's response. The protocol droid had been as annoying as the last time he had encountered the Solos. And to think, if Jase had only beaten Fett to the bounty on Han all those decades ago...

"Am I so injured you can't recognize me, Solo? It's me, Jase Denora, from the Jedi Council. I'll make this quick, since we both clearly have business to attend to: The Jedi Temple was attacked earlier today.

I believe they were Mandalorians, you understand how troublesome they can be... I digress, the names and locations of several Jedi and Force-sensitives were stolen. I believe they and their families may be in danger.

I have an academy to tend to and cannot warn every Jedi with powerful relatives myself, nor do I trust encrypted transmissions when Mandalorians are involved. I trust you can warn Jacen and Anakin? I will try to inform the Moff Council, so I can warn them of any threat to Imperial citizens and try to inform your daughter. For now, I need to finish business here, then head to Bastion."


Tag: Han
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Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

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 Post Posted: Mon, May 17th 2010 04:11pm    Post subject:
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Jase Denora had been a name from his past and just like everything else from his checkered past, it was something he had been striving to push from his mind and forget. It's not that he was ashamed of who he had been and the things he had done, it was just better that some things be left to the passage of time. Becoming a responsible business man had done a lot of crazy things to him like that.

"Mandalorians got the jump on the Jedi Temple, huh?" Han repeated after Jase had finished his tirade. He reached up to rub at his temple and shook his head with an incredulous snort. "So much for starting the new year off right. How are the Jedi reacting to the whole thing?"

He hadn't expected something like this to happen so soon, but it was just one of many concerns he had over leaving Anakin out there to his own devices. It was also his main concern for wanting him to settle down with the company. Of course, he would never admit that to Leia, but he already had a suspicion that she knew that already. She had a knack for things like that.

"Anyway, thanks for letting us know," he said after a moment. "I'm sure we have nothing to worry about here, but I'll be sure to let 'em know. Of course, being Jedi and all, they probably know already." He flashed a lopsided grin.

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 Post Posted: Tue, May 18th 2010 03:29pm    Post subject:
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"I can only hope you are right, Solo. As to how we are handling this... I have not heard reactions from the other Council members yet... Though, this is familiar as of late...."

Jase looked around one last time and nodded to Han. There was no time to linger, more individuals needed to be notified. In one day, everything had gone to hell and Jase was left holding the ball. This was why he ran a school for combat. Even still, the Order was becoming fractured, Jase could feel it. Especially with the lack of response at the Temple. Fewer Jedi present at the Temple.... only one sign of a problem that was beginning to concern Jase. Perhaps this was the turmoil he saw in his meditation.

"I'll take my leave now, Solo. Thank you for your time."
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Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

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 Post Posted: Sat, June 05th 2010 01:00am    Post subject:
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When Han awoke the next morning, it was as if the meeting the night before had never happened. The chrono had chimed at exactly 0600 like it did every morning during the work cycle, he had dutifully went through his morning routine to prepare for the day and there was even time for a cup of caf, which was currently brewing out in the small kitchen area.

It was a typical morning in the Solo household with no outward sign of the impending business deal that would decide the fate of Solo Enterprises. In fact, to Han, the whole meeting had almost seemed like a bad dream that had been swept away and forgotten the moment he had awoken that morning.

Maybe it even extended beyond that...

As he made his way into the living quarters with a full cup of caf, he recalled that Leia had barely said a word to him after they had left the restaurant. He half expected that, but not before they exchanged a few choice words. That had never happened and that was reason enough for concern. Was Leia in denial? That would certainly contribute to his current state of mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. In any case, he decided that a full day at the office, immersed in the inner workings of the company itself, would help him clear his mind. Only then, would he be certain whether he was making the right choice.

With a sigh, he slumped down into his favorite chair and switched on the holo, hoping to kill some time before the inevitable arrival at work. What appeared on the screen did very little to ease his troubled mind. Leia had a habit of pre-programing the holo to display HNN to stay up to date on the latest news reports around the New Republic and the Union as a whole. Her favorite program, Week in Focus, was just beginning...

The overzealous Rodian newscaster that appeared wasted no time going into a rant about that overstuffed twit, Francine Ulgo. Shifting uncomfortably, Han issued a low grunt and automatically hit the remote to change the channel. He never liked the woman, especially after she publicly slammed Leia during a live interview. That had been the last straw and Han had sworn to hunt down the witch personally to give her a piece of his mind, but Leia had stayed his hand. Even through the veiled threats and the public humility, she had remained cool and collected - a true diplomat.

And to Han, part of the problem.

Despite her claiming to be retired and wanting to get away from the political scene, Leia was just as concerned as ever about the state of the government. It was one of those things she just couldn't let go and it was starting to work on Han's nerves the longer it lasted. It was as if she believed the government couldn't function without the great ex-Chief of State Leia Organa Solo in the thick of it.

Han started to bristle again, but thankfully, he had come across a sports program reporting on the smashball scores from the night before. He felt his muscles relax and he brought the caf mug back to his lips as the two correspondents began to argue and break-down the action as a highlight reel began to play.

Now for the most important news of the day - he had to find out whether the Corellian Dreadnaughts managed to pull through and win their series. For the moment, that's all that mattered.





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 Post Posted: Tue, June 08th 2010 02:37am    Post subject:
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Sleep didn't come to Leia easily that night. In fact, she couldn't recall whether or not she had in fact slept. She certainly didn't feel like she had. She had been thinking, and in trying to surpress that thinking in order to gain some rest, she had done more thinking, and none of it had helped.

Leia had expected the night would at least reset her state of mind. It didn't. She knew she would only get resolution over the matter straight from the problem itself - and that was Han, as usual. She didn't know how she could be so bothered by the prospect of tossing the company aside, while Han had seemed to put as much thought into it as to what socks he wore.

Getting up not long after Han had arose, Leia was too restless to act as if she did not have a purpose in mind. She followed after him as soon as she had dressed herself properly and made her hair up to look as if she had not been sweating all night from the effort of trying to sleep.

She walked into the living room, seeing Han seated in one of the accommodating chairs. She didn't know exactly how to start the conversation, nor what tone to take. Then she saw something strange on the Holo, and judging by Han's lack of reaction, perhaps he hadn't noticed the main headline. He was in the process of switching back to some stupid sports channel.

"Chief Ulgo is dead?"

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 Post Posted: Tue, June 08th 2010 09:28pm    Post subject:
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A curse was quick to slip from his lips as the scores flashed across the screen, announcing the Dreadnaughts' grand collapse the night before. He had been following the team's progress quite closely this season and to see them lose such a crucial game was more than irritating.

As the commentators began to express their own frustration with the results, Han found himself leaning closer to the screen to add his own thoughts to the ongoing argument, but was effectively cut short when his wife decided to enter the living area. And of course, she wasn't interested in smashball...

"Chief Ulgo is dead?" she asked with mild surprise as she came up behind him.

"Hmm?" Han replied indifferently as he craned his neck around to look at her. The truth was he had seen the headline concerning the Commander in Chief's death - the problem was he felt no sympathy. She had been another washed-up politician who spent more time burning bridges than she did building them up. It was hard to feel sorry for someone like that, even in death.

"Oh, yeah, something flashed across the screen about that earlier," he muttered quietly, waving his hand to dismiss the whole thing. "If it's true, I say good riddance. She was more trouble than she was worth - especially after what she did to you."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 02:38am    Post subject:
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The callousness of Han's response surprised Leia. It was not the sort of phrasing that ameliorated the humanitarian's current view of her husband. Han had always had difficulty divorcing business from personal matters; she didn't think he ever had learned the need for the process entirely, nor did he often apply the principle to his own interactions. Leia would mourn for Borsk Fey'lya just as somberly as she would mourn for Mon Mothma.

"She didn't do anything to me," Leia began. Her tone sounded confrontational, something that had slipped in unintended. She didn't necessarily regret it, though. Han had isolated her from a major life decision, and while she was not furious, she was content to be rather belligerent today. "She didn't like the Empire in any form. She didn't like that I don't have any issue with them today. Actually, I always thought you had a lot in common in that regard."

Leia didn't know why she was dredging up an argument about a woman who had had very little effect on their lives. Maybe she was just grasping for a point she could drive home, to find some kind of objectivity and leverage in preparation for the real discussion that was surely to come.

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 01:10pm    Post subject:
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A groan issued from deep within Han's throat at Leia's reaction. She had woken up on the wrong side of the bed before and the aftermath had been anything but pleasant. Judging from her confrontational tone this morning, he was in store for another endearing day with his wife. He had a hunch that she wasn't just peeved at his response to the death of the Commander in Chief, however, but rather, she was still reeling from his business decision the night before. Of course, he had been avoiding the subject himself, but it was just one of those things that she had to come to terms with. It was his company, after all.

"Maybe that's why I don't like her," Han drawled evenly as brought the caf mug back to his lips. "There's only enough room in this galaxy for one person like me. And guess who's the lucky catch that's stuck with me?"

Rising from the chair, he turned and looked pointedly at Leia with a wry grin. Time was running short and if he made his move now, maybe he would get lucky and he would be able to slip out before she breached the inevitable subject...

"I gotta be at work," he added quickly, leaning in close to peck her on the cheek before hurrying past her to make his exit.

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 03:34pm    Post subject:
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The kiss and Han's upbeat attitude didn't affect Leia's mood; not positively, anyway. She looked after her husband in disbelief. "Oh, you still work, do you?" She interrogated, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a quick resolution. "I wasn't aware you still had a company."

She walked before him, practically cutting off his escape. She was not doing it consciously; it was second nature, a learned behavior from many disagreements that had come before. They would have words, whether Han liked it or not. He owed her that.

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 05:37pm    Post subject:
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Han clenched his jaw tightly at the accusation and stopped in his tracks. He knew it was only a matter of time, but once it finally surfaced, it somehow seemed a whole lot worse...not to mention he was more than irritated with her attitude by this point.

Before he could slip away altogether, Leia had intercepted him and she was now standing before him, giving him that look and demanding an answer. Han simply stared down at her, trying to keep his expression calm, but finding it extremely difficult.

"You know, you have a habit of blowing things out of proportion," he remarked as he tried to coerce her into seeing things his way. Maybe then, he would have a better chance of explaining himself. "You wanted me to retire and when I finally make a move to do just that, you throw a fit." He raised his hands, palms up, a gesture of defeat. "You're giving me mixed signals here. I don't know what else you want me to do."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 05:45pm    Post subject:
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"Is it about retirement, Han," Leia began, placing her hands on her hips. "Or is it about screwing Anakin over?"

Leia regretted the words after they were out of her mouth, but they were necessary. She had to find out what Han's motive was, and, right now, she could only guess. "You were so worried about him about him not being able to take over the company. Now you just toss it away, without thinking about it, to somebody else? You're practically telling him you don't have any faith in him at all," she explained. "I don't understand you."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 06:04pm    Post subject:
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"Who says I haven't thought about it?" he shot back, his voice steadily rising as he stepped to the side to avoid her crucial gaze. "Handing it over to Anakin was just one of many options I had in mind. Since the kid pretty much let me down, I need to move on and do what I have to do."

He trailed off as he started to pace, only coming to a halt as he caught sight of the images on the holoscreen. Scowling at the display, he started again in a bitter tone. "At least now I know it's gonna be in good hands and it'll have the full attention it needs. No more worries. Problem solved. End of story."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 06:38pm    Post subject:
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Leia wasn't buying it. She certainly knew Han did not go into that dinner hopeful to sell the company. There was no premeditation. He had made the decision spontaneously, on the spot. She still didn't know why.

"Problem solved?" Leia echoed in disbelief. "It's not like I don't have a say in this, you know. I can't believe you just sold your life's work without discussing it with me... without discussing it with Anakin. These things don't just affect you, you know. If we had talked about it..." she trailed off. "But we didn't. You had a harder time deciding what to drink than selling the business."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 07:31pm    Post subject:
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Han just glared at her, the muscles in his jaw bunching in anger as she placed all blame squarely on him. This had been far from the first(or worst) argument they had endured as a couple, but every time it occurred, it didn't make it any easier. It just irked Han that his wife was playing the part of the victim in this situation and she was effectively making him out to be incapable of making big decisions without her there to approve them.

"It's my company!" he rumbled, saying it as if he was attempting to claim his authority. "I have final say in what I want to do with it! If I want to sell it out, then that's my priority!"

He started to storm out, but something stopped him and he whirled back around, thrusting his index finger in his wife's face. "And I did try to get through to Anakin. I've been after him for months! It ain't my fault that he can't make a damn decision and I don't have the time or the patience to wait for him to make up his mind. The message he's relaying to me is no."

Shrugging, his anger started to ebb a bit. "Besides, you mentioned finding an alternative. This is it."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 08:40pm    Post subject:
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The anger level within Leia's body fluctuated up and down as Han spoke his opinions. She put her arm up to swat away The Finger, a reaction that was almost a reflex to her after thirty years of marriage. She had felt like interrupting and barking at him at the beginning, but as he stopped speaking, she could vaguely grasp at sympathy for his argument. That, however, did not excuse him. "You still shouldn't have done it like that," she bemoaned. "You should have asked the legal counselors, checked with Anakin... me..."

She continued, her voice taking on a more vulnerable quality. "Don't you go telling me that I have nothing to do with Solo Enterprises, Han. You know that I put in as much time as you did," she eyed him, her deep eyes betraying that the origin of this argument was her own hurt. "You should have asked me."

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 09:22pm    Post subject:
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In the heat of the moment, he failed to notice the vulnerability - the hurt - in her eyes. He was more concerned with actually winning the argument than stepping back and trying to understand the root of the entire problem.

"You want me to ask?" he retorted, his brow furrowed with determination. "Fine, I'll ask." He took a deep breath and gestured dramatically with his hand. "Leia, what do you think about me selling Solo Enterprises? Does that meet your expectations or should I suffer through another year of business deals and declining numbers?"

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 Post Posted: Wed, June 09th 2010 11:18pm    Post subject:
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The bitter mockery in Han's eyes was something Leia had not seen in a long, long time. Some part inside of her knew that Han did not mean what he was saying, but Leia had blocked that voice out for now. She could handle bickering diplomats, she could handle vicious warlords and slanderous politicians. She always maintained her composure and knew there was no argument she couldn't win. But she had no patience for her husband when he was like this.

But more than that, she worried that perhaps he really felt that way. Maybe he did indeed consider her so devalued and hold her opinions as unimportant. The argument was over, as far as Leia was concerned. It had gone further than that.

"Have fun at work, dear, I won't bother you," Leia hissed with venom in her voice, trying to contain what was traveling toward her tear ducts. She began to turn away.

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