“Well, have you tried telling her how you feel?” Lando asked. “Yeah, a couple of times, now. She just dismisses me. I’ll say, ‘Salla, this isn’t a good idea, I need time to think about this,’ or even, ‘Salla, I ain’t interested in gettin’ married now,’ but it doesn’t do a bit of good.”
“What does she say when you say that?”
“She just tosses it off. Says things like, ‘don’t worry, Han, men always feel like that. It’s perfectly normal to have pre-wedding jitters.”” Lando sighed so gustily that his mustache quivered. “That’s tough, pal,” he said. “She sounds like she’s settled on getting married to you as a good way to fix up her life. She lost her ship, but she’s going to gain a husband.”
“She wants me to quit the business and leave Nar Shaddaa. Says we can be like Roa and Lwyll, start a new life doing something else. No more smuggling.”
Lando shuddered. “Honest work? That’s awful!” The gambler was only partly joking.
Han drained his stein of ale and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Lando, what am I gonna do? I ain’t gonna marry her, that’s for sure. But I can’t be mean enough to her to tell her in a way that will make her listen.”
Lando frowned. “That’s a tough one. Seems to me, the way Salla’s acting, she’s just asking to be set down. But Han you can’t wait. She told me she’s setting the wedding for next week.”
Han sat bolt upright. “Next week? Oh, no … Lando, no way!”
Lando nodded. “You’ve gotta tell her, Han.”
“But she won’t listen!”
“What else can you do?”
Han’s features hardened with determination. “I can leave, that’s what. I’ve been meaning to spend some time in the Corporate Sector, look up a master starship tech named Doc. Seems like now is a good time for that trip.”
“Corporate Sector’s quite a ways away.”
“Yeah. And Salla doesn’t have a ship, so she can’t possibly follow me.
Besides, if I just leave, that’ll give her the message, clearer than anything I could say. And I’m doin’ it right away, Lando.
Tomorrow.”
“That quick?” Lando was taken aback. “Why so fast?”
“Why stick around?” Han asked. “I’ll go see Jabba tomorrow morning, tell him I’m headin’ out for a while and don’t know when I’ll be back.
Besides …” he sighed, “I care about Salla. I don’t want her spendin’ her credits on a wedding that ain’t gonna happen. So the quicker I go, the more she’ll save.”
“She’s going to be mad,” Lando said.
“I know,” Han agreed bleakly. “And I wish it didn’t have to be like this.
She should have some respect for me, not be so hard-headed. If there was another way around this, I’d take it, but I can’t think of anything. No matter what I do or say, Salla’s gonna get hurt.”
“You could knuckle under and marry her,” Lando said, cocking an amused eyebrow.
Han shook his head. “Lando, I’d sooner kiss Jabba.”
Lando sputtered with laughter until he nearly fell off his barstool.
“I ain’t losing my freedom,” Han said grimly. “Salla will get over this.
Yeah, she’ll be mad. Yeah, she’ll probably never speak to me again.
I’m sorry about that, but not sorry enough to stick around. I’d sooner microjump through the Maw.”
Lando shrugged, offered his hand. “Going to miss you, pal.”
“C’mon along,” Han suggested, shaking it. “Chewie and I could use a hand.”
“What about Jarik?”
Han made a dismissive gesture. “The kid won’t be coming, I’m almost certain. Shug’s payin’ him more than I can afford to, and he’s so hung up on that girl he can’t see straight. No way he’d be up for a long trip.”
“True,” Lando said. “First love … isn’t it sweet?” Han rolled his eyes, then the two of them laughed. “So … you comin’?” Han prodded.
“Not me,” Lando said. “I’ve got to put in some time on the spaceship lot.
Since Roa left, I’ve been through one manager after another, and I caught the last one skimming.”
“Great,” Han shook his head. “Well, I’ll miss you, Lando. You watch your back, now, pal.”
“You too.”
Han spent one last night with Salla, but she was so wrapped up in her plans that she didn’t even notice how grimly silent he was.