“Yeah, I already said that, honey.”
Gejjen managed a nervous smile. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, sir.”
“I’ll do anything for Corellia,” said Han. “And I agree that Thrackan’s conducting his own war for his own ends, like he always does. But there’s a real threat out there from the Alliance and it’s going to take a united Corellia to stand up to it. Just give me a blaster. Not an office.”
“You’re not going to go back to Coruscant, then?”
“Why should I? We’re not running from Thrackan.” Han slipped his hand under the table and caught Leia’s hand. She gave it a squeeze that threatened to numb his fingers. “And we’re not going to live in hiding on Coruscant, either. Might as well be here.”
“I understand.”
“Fine.”
“The good news is that Thrackan seems to think you’re on Coruscant.”
“Well, that’s another good reason for staying put, isn’t it?”
“When we find out who’s taken the contract, we’ll warn you.” Gejjen stood up and shook their hands. He had a mature, solid air about him, an elder statesman in a young man’s body. “If you’d like help to relocate, you know where to find me. If we could track you, so might others.”
“I think I already know who’ll find me.” Han watched Gejjen leave. When he was sure the man had disappeared into the turbolift, he turned to Leia. “Well, you didn’t say much for a hotshot diplomat …”
“It’s not appropriate for a Jedi to discuss political coups.”
“Yeah, I can understand how that might be a sensitive area. How did you trace him?”
“I looked up Gejjen in the comlink directories.”
Han laughed out loud. A large woman in a bright orange suit that really didn’t do her any favors turned to look at him for a second. “Funny, we always think this is cloak-and-dagger stuff.”
“Gejjen doesn’t need to hide. He’s an elected representative of a legal political party, the Democratic Alliance. They have a lot of seats in the Corellian Assembly now. With the Corellian Liberal Front, they actually form the largest bloc of votes, but Thrackan’s still hanging on.”
“If that dirtbag comes anywhere near you or the kids, I’ll kill him, I swear.”
“You think he’s got a chance, taking on three Jedi?”
“He won’t. Contract, remember?”
“You think it’s going to be Fett, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“No. Not Fett. Why would he? He saved us from the Vong.”
“Because business is business, maybe.” Han could feel something rising in his chest, and it wasn’t the effect of way too much caf. It was something animal and irrational, something that was making his pulse pound in his temples. It was anger and fear; not for himself, though, but for Leia, Jaina, and Jacen. “Thrackan’s done some dirty things, but he never went this far before. Not hiring hit men. That changes everything.”
He had a thought, and it was one that almost made him recoil.
I’m going to kill the scumbag this time.
Nobody touches my family.
Leia reacted as if he’d said it aloud. “No … you’re not going to contact Fett, and you’re not going to hire him to hit your cousin.”
“That never entered my mind,” said Han, and it really hadn’t. She could see that and she could feel it, too, he knew. Unfortunately, he knew he’d have a hard job concealing the fact that he still felt murderously protective. “Besides, I haven’t had to deal with guys like that in a long time. Maybe you place a want ad in Bounty Hunter Weekly these days. Or call their agents.”
“Yes, so remember we can take care of ourselves,” said Leia. “I’ll just warn Jacen and Jaina.”
Jacen: Han kept missing him every time he called or returned a message. He really wanted to talk to him now, and not to remonstrate with him: he just wanted to hear Jacen’s voice. Whatever insanity had put them on opposite sides of a divide, Jacen was his little boy and always would be, no matter how old or powerful or distant he might be.
Nobody touches my wife and kids.
Han Solo wasn’t one of the galaxy’s natural assassins. He would fight to defend himself, but he’d never gone after anyone with the intention of killing them. There was always a first time; this would be his.
Lost in his thoughts, Han stirred the remains of his caf with a spoon, wondering how they got the foam to last that long, and then was jerked out of his trance by the one thing guaranteed to get anyone’s attention: his own name.