• "Suicide Squeeze," Marjorie Joyce

"Take it easy."

Han spun quickly from Luke in the Alliance medical center, almost running into Chewbacca on the way out of the recovery room. Leia had left right before him, and he wanted to know what the hell had just happened between her and Luke. Sure, he knew Luke had a major-league crush on her, and he couldn't deny how happy she always was to see the now Alliance commander, but a full-contact kiss between the two?! He could have sworn he'd kept better tabs on the progress of their relationship than to be surprised by that. Physicality wasn't a casual thing for her; Force knew she winced almost every time he touched her, accidentally or not. She wasn't a tease, even if it meant riling the Corellian she loved to hate. So what was going on?!

"Headquarters personnel, report to command center," a voice repeated over the loudspeaker.

See Threepio clattered behind Han and Chewbacca as they made for the corridor toward command. "Sir," the golden droid said to Han, "the announcement indicates headquarters personnel are to report to the command center. I highly doubt you and Chewbacca are to report as well."

"Just stay outta my way, goldenrod," Han muttered without looking back.

Stepping into the hall, Han and Chewbacca saw Leia running toward command.

"Princess, wait up!" Solo shouted. He turned back to the wookiee and lifted a finger to him with a "give me a minute" look. Chewbacca agreed in a short, high-pitched roar. Threepio stopped behind the wookiee, his eyes glowing in the dim hall. "How rude," the droid quipped.

Leia ignored Han, running all the faster. She knew it was dangerous to move at this pace in these icy, bustling halls, but it felt good. Adrenaline surged cool in her veins and she realized the frantic movement--pumping arms, legs, and lungs--expressed the anger that had been building up inside her. With every step it seemed she left a little bit of it behind her. How long would she have to run to leave it all behind, to be happy again? There wasn't a hall in the galaxy long enough.

What was the source of her anger, anyway? Where should she begin? This freezer of a base. Luke's latest near-death experience. The Hoth-indigenous wampa that caused it. Her soaking wet wardrobe courtesy Artoo Detoo and Threepio. The Force-awful rations they had to eat. The ever-present threat of discovery by the Empire. That smug look on Han's face, his constant passes at her. Why couldn't he just be nice to her? Like Luke? Luke.... Hmmm. She slowed and put her fingers to her lips as she remembered the kiss she'd just given him. She'd never kissed him like that before. It felt good. Or was it Han's grimace afterwards that felt good? 'Oh, screw them both,' she thought. 'I don't have time for this. I swear if I have to think about either of them one more nanosecond, I'll--'

Leia screamed as Han grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop.

At the sound and the sight of her wild-eyed, he let go and lifted his eyebrows and hands in defense. Chewbacca stopped short several paces behind them, Threepio running into him. "I beg your pardon," the droid said apologetically. "I never can tell which way things are going around here."

"Whoa, Your Worship. I'm sorry," Han said.

"What do you want?" Leia answered between heavy breaths. "I'm needed at command."

'Maybe I need you, too,' Han thought, but knew better by now than to say it. He didn't want to start another argument; he just wanted to defuse a situation that seemed to be spinning out of control, thanks mainly to him. He knew he'd escalated things with the Princess, and he knew how dangerous that was with her. She was not to be toyed with; her temper was at a permanent boiling point with him. He just couldn't resist playing with her, though. She was beautiful when she was angry. Especially beautiful, that is.

"That kiss back there with Luke...you didn't mean it, did you?" Han asked in earnest.

Leia stared at him with her mouth slightly open. "I can't believe you," she said after a moment. "Your conceit knows no bounds. Of course I meant it!"

Han blinked, then gave a sly grin and put his hands on his hips. Could she really love Luke, love Luke that way? Better play it cool. "But you meant it for me," Han amended.

Leia stamped a foot and crossed her arms. "You're really too much. What is your obsession with a kiss from me, anyway?!"

Han watched the blue ceiling light of the corridor spin on her hair as she turned her back to him and continued toward the command center, walking as fast as she could.

Firm footsteps crunched the snowpack floor behind her. The train of Chewbacca then Threepio followed but kept their distance.

"You're the one who promised me a good-bye kiss!" Han said, reminding them both of their recent trip back from Half Moon.

Leia blew out a ragged breath. "Fine," she said and turned to him at the command door. "You want a kiss? I'll give you a kiss." Then she reached up, grabbed his face with both hands, stood on tiptoes, and pulled him down to her. The two stood with lips centimeters away from each other, eyes wide and locked. They could feel each other's breath on their faces, warm in the chill hall. If she kissed him, felt the response of his mouth, she couldn't bear the good-bye. She had to stay on target. The Alliance was her love, her purpose for being. It had given her a reason to live when she'd needed one so desperately, when she'd lost everything else, on Alderaan. But hadn't the presence, the friendship of this man in front of her given her a reason to live, too? But so had Luke, and he certainly wouldn't demand a kiss from her. She was so confused. What if she didn't mean anything to Han, really? She'd seen him flirting with practically every woman he met, and getting somewhere with many of them. Besides, he was leaving; she'd only lose him, too. No, she couldn't kiss him. 'Not,' she thought as she slid her thumbs along the stubble of his cheeks and focused on his lips, 'there.'

Han watched Leia's thoughts swirl in her dark, troubled eyes, felt her hesitation, her attraction, her confusion, her uncertainty. He wanted to press her to him and make it all simple for her. But he stood still and waited. And watched tears come to her eyes as she moved to kiss him on the cheek. "Good-bye," he felt her whisper. That did it. This woman was willing herself not to like him, maybe not to love him. And while he knew her will was strong--hell, that was one of things that made it so hard for him to leave her--his was just as strong. He may have had to leave once General Rieekan lifted the flying ban, but things were far from over with her.

Leia stepped back, turned, and pressed the button to open the command center door. It slid open.

"You're not getting off that easy, Your Royalness," the Alliance headquarters personnel heard Han drawl loudly, watching him stride past and in front of the Princess into the room. Leia followed, then tried to ignore him by stopping to check a readout. Chewbacca ducked in and walked on after Han, with Threepio lagging behind. "Let's just ask the good general how long my forced stay is here..." the Corellian said for all to hear, stepping down toward the lighted glass map walls, "...see how much longer you have to try to resist me," he finished as he looked back at her with a crooked smile. The smile faded as he walked toward General Rieekan and saw his grim expression lit by the console screen he stood behind. "Princess," the general looked up and called toward Leia, "we have a visitor."

Leia stepped down and walked to stand in front of the console next to Han, who rested his hands on his hips. Chewbacca followed to stand behind them.

"We've picked up something outside the base of zone twelve, moving east," Rieekan said, peering down into the screen. "It's metal," added the controller seated at the console.

"Then it couldn't be one of those creatures," Leia ventured.

"Could be a speeder, one of ours," Han suggested. Leia looked up at him, then to the controller.

"No," the controller said, "wait--there's somethin' very weak comin' through." Everyone listened to a tinny, almost squeaky repeating pattern.

Standing near a map wall, See Threepio waved an arm. "Sir," the droid said to Rieekan, "I'm fluent in over six million forms of communications. This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial code." Leia leaned on the map wall next to the console; she had a bad feeling about this. The tinny pattern continued to repeat itself.

Han listened with wary eyes. He had a bad feeling about this, too, and felt for the Princess on this one. He knew she was near the breaking point of toleration for things gone wrong, and he'd just shoved her that much closer by goading her back in Luke's room. His stint with the kid out on the frozen tundra the other night had left her nerves raw. Maybe he could make up for it somehow. Maybe he could help.

"It isn't friendly, whatever it is," Han muttered. "Come on, Chewie, let's check it out." The wookiee grunted his approval.

With a concerned, almost perplexed expression, Leia watched Han as he and Chewbacca headed toward the hangar. "Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to station three-eight," Rieekan said, then joined Leia as she turned to prepare coordinates for the pilots.

In the Hoth base ice cavern hangar, Leia approached Han with a comlink in her hand. "Wasn't sure if your other one was working," she began, holding it up between them and turning it in seeming admiration. "Couldn't get you on it last time I tried," she finished with a smirk.

"Nice," Han said as he hiked his parka up, took the comlink from her, and slid the device in an inside pocket.

"Rogues Ten and Eleven are going to take you out," Leia said, then crossed her arms for warmth. Time for some emotional honesty. "And you don't have to do this to impress me. We have plenty of other personnel who can go out there. Truth be told, I don't exactly like the idea of your being out in the cold again so soon after...."

"I know," Han cut in softly. "Look, let's just call it a goodwill gesture. I'm sorry for making a scene back there with Luke, and I'll do something to earn that good-bye kiss." He winked and waited for Leia to roll her eyes. He loved it when she did that. "I think leaving would earn it," she said with an involuntary smile as she began to laugh in spite of herself.

Before she knew it Han had reached out and drawn her into a clinch. "You mean leaving right now to take a look outside?" he asked as his spirits returned. She did care, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

"No," Leia said, pressing both hands against his chest and pushing him away, "I mean leaving for good!"'

Han pretended to be disappointed, then flashed a winning smile. "Don't worry, Your Highnessness," he said, pulling on his gloves then settling his scarf around his neck, "you'll get your chance yet."

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