[Han Solo] - 03(123)
You’re … you’re just tryin’ to kid me, right?”
“I’m sorry, Han,” she said. “I have to take it all. Everything my teams could salvage off this wretched world. All the processed spice, all the weapons, all the treasure. I know it’s not fair, but I can’t help that.”
“Did the other Rebel commanders do this, Bria?” Han asked. “Not as far as I know,” she said. “But I was the one that got the communication last night, Han. Intelligence has discovered that the Empire has some kind of big project underway. Really big. So big that the fate of entire worlds could depend upon it. We have to find out what they’re up to, and that will take credits … lots of them.
For bribes, surveillance, troops . .
. you name it. I just hope what we’ve gotten here on Ylesia will be enough.”
Han wet his lips. “I thought you loved me. You said you did.”
Another load went out the door. Han stared at it, wanting to moan aloud.
Chewie did moan aloud.
Bria sighed and shook her head. “Yes, I love you,” she said, softly.
“I want us to always be together. Come with me, Han. You can’t go back to Nar Shaddaa now. Come with me and we’ll fight the Empire together.
You, me and Chewie. We’ll make a great team. We all have to make sacrifices, and we’ll have made ours in giving up the treasure. You don’t think I’m keeping any of this for myself, do you?”
Han shook his head, and his voice was very bitter. “No, I don’t think that, Bria. Not for a moment.” He took a deep, ragged breath. “Bria …
I loved you.”
Her face twisted in anguish at his use of the past tense. “Han, I love you! I do! But I can’t let how I feel about you jeopardize the Rebel Alliance! This raid was a test, and we passed it! The other Resistance groups are going to see that we can get things done! Han.
. . we took a whole planet. This raid is going to go down in Rebellion history, I just know it!”
“Yeah, as the raid where Bria Tharen stuck it to people who trusted her.
Including the guy she said she loved.”
Tears welled in her eyes, broke and ran. She stepped out of the way as her soldiers maneuvered yet another load of treasure out the door.
“Han ˇ . .
please, please … come with me. You’re a born leader. You don’t need to live like a criminal. In the Rebel Alliance you could be an officer, and they do pay us! Not much, but a little, enough to live on! Please, Han!”
He stared at her coldly. She was crying so hard now that Jace Paol stepped over and took the blaster out of her hand. “We’re loading the last bunch of boxes now, Commander.”
She nodded, then tried to pull herself back together, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
“Please, Han. If you’re too mad now, I understand. Just … send me a message. Jabba knows how to reach me. Please, Han.”
“I’ll send you a message,” Han said. “Remember everything I said to you that night at the Blue Light? Well, it was all true, and I was a fool for ever trustin’ you.” He dug in an inside pocket, and took out a small pouch. Inside was a piece of flimsy. “Recognize this, huh?”
She looked at it, came closer, and then backed away, nodding, her face very pale and set. “Yes …”
“Well, I’m such a fool that I carried it around with me all these years,” Han snarled. “But as of today, I am no woman’s fool, sister.
No woman is ever gettin’ to me again. Ever.”
With slow, deliberate movements, he ripped the flimsy into tiny pieces, then let them slip through his fingers and scatter to the floor.
“You’d better get in your ship and get outta here while the getting is good, Bria. If I ever see you again in this life, I’ll shoot you on sight.”
She stared at him in shock, until Jace Paol took her arm and said, “Commander … we’ve finished loading.”
“I understand,” she said, in a small, shaking voice. “Han… I am sorry.
I will always love you. Always. There has never been anyone but you, and there never will be. I’m sorry …. ” Paol encircled her shoulders with his arm, and said to Han. “I left you one box and your dolly, Solo. I’d advise you not to waste time here. The charges are set to go off in thirty minutes.”
Slowly, Paol backed out the door, keeping his blaster trained on Han and Chewie. The Rebels beside the shuttle kept the Corellian and the Wookiee covered.
Han stood there in silence as the Rebel shuttle took off.
When it was gone, he drew a deep, ragged breath, and it hurt. Another, and it hurt, too. His eyes stung, but he bit his lip until the pain allowed him to gain control. “Chewie,” he said, “this has been a great day, you know that?”