Chapter Text
“Alright, so here’s the details,” Rieekan started. “There’s an entire vault full of Republic credits on Ord Mantell. The vault was leased by the Alderaanian royal family, so Princess Leia is the only one who can get it open.”
“Can’t we just blast it open?” Han suggested.
“I suppose you could… if you wanted to get blown to bits,” Rieekan answered sardonically. “The vault is protected by several high-tech security measures. We’re talking about several million credits here. Princess Leia is going to have to use her palm print to get the vault open… and a retinal scan and voice ID match.”
“Kriffing hell… who knew Ord Mantell was so high up on the security food chain, huh?” Han said to Chewie. “No wonder we never tried to rob it.”
“Now, the problem is that the facility where the vault is located is under Imperial control. Once the Princess overrides the vault codes, they will be put on high alert. They will automatically deploy defensive tactics to prevent anything from being removed from the vault.”
“Err, what kind of ‘defensive tactics’ are we talking about?” Han asked.
“In order to remove anything from the vault, it must be requested for removal and assigned a shipping container,” Leia explained. “The Empire’s system will lock down the vault and seal everything into a shipping container and move it into a transport, where it will be transferred to another facility.”
“So, why are we going through all this trouble if they’re just going to seal it and whisk it away to another location?” Luke asked.
“Because once the transfer begins, Artoo Detoo will manually override the transfer instructions from a central terminal. Luke, you’ll be standing by on a transport where the shipping container will be rerouted. Once it’s loaded onto the transport, you’ll rendezvous with Captain Solo and the Princess on the Millennium Falcon.”
Han and Leia looked at one another briefly and uncomfortably. After what had happened in her chambers that morning, the last thing Han wanted to do was be on a mission alone with her.
“Uhh, General,” Han said. “Wouldn’t it be better if Skywalker goes to the vault with Her Worship? Chewie and me can get that container off without a hitch easily…”
Luke looked hopeful. It was no secret that the kid was still smitten with the Princess.
“No, Solo,” Rieekan said with a sigh. “Whoever is piloting that transport will have to pose as a member of staff, which means no blasters. Luke is the only one who has an alternative weapon that he can easily conceal until he needs it. We need you inside with Leia and Artoo. Chewbacca will be standing by on the Falcon to extract you all.”
Chewie growled a concern.
“Good point, pal,” Han agreed. “Chewie pointed out that the Falcon is bound to draw attention, seeing as I’m wanted and all…” He deliberately didn’t look at Leia when he said it.
“We’ve taken care of that too. We’ve forged false registration documents for your ship. For this mission, she’ll be known as Victory Ring.”
Han silently grumbled. He didn’t like his ship being renamed, even if it was just for a mission. He also couldn’t come up with another reason not to be paired with Leia. He snapped his fingers as he thought of something.
“So, if this place is so heavy with Imperial presence, how are we all just going to waltz in? What’s our cover story for being there?”
“We already have a Rebel agent in place ready to receive you. He’s been there for over a month setting this all up and making his presence familiar. He’s logged an appointment for a client to make a withdrawal from one of the minimum-security vaults,” Rieekan explained.
“Glad I didn’t get that assignment,” Han said gratefully. “Who is this agent anyway?”
“He’s a Narithian named Phoedris.”
“A Narithian?” Han repeated incredulously. “Count me out. I don’t trust those bugs.”
“Han!” Leia cried with surprise. “You can’t be serious. You’re being prejudiced about a member of the Rebellion for being a nonhuman?”
Her words stung him, especially after their conversation in her quarters that morning. But he held his ground.
“Your Worship, c’mon,” he barked. “They’re creepy. They hatch from eggs. Sometimes two or three at a time.”
“Phoedris is a loyal member of the Rebellion. He’s risked his life for us many times,” Leia insisted.
“I still don’t like it…”
“You don’t have a problem with a Wookie flying your precious ship,” Luke supplied. “What’s the difference?”
Han instinctively reached for his blaster.
"Han!" Leia cried.
Han made himself remember it was Luke. His friend, Luke… the kid was still incredibly ignorant in the ways of the galaxy. Still, he seethed and said through grit teeth, “Take… that… back.”
Luke looked genuinely confused. Leia looked nervous. She knew she could intervene and probably calm Han down. Whenever he'd return from a particularly rough mission, he'd be tense and wound up. He'd told her before that her touch was calming, so she would often massage his shoulders, which would usually result in Han lying back and pulling her close, kissing her warmly. Leia felt herself flush. She certainly couldn't start giving Han a neck massage in the middle of a tense mission briefing - that would almost guarantee exposing their involvement with one another. Still, she couldn’t let Han do something foolish and reckless that he would later regret. She put a gentle hand on Han’s shoulder and said something he didn't quite make out. Instinctively, he tensed but then relaxed almost immediately.
As much as he might not want to admit it, her touch was soothing. Han shut his eyes and the angry crease in his forehead smoothed as he relaxed. When he opened them and sighed, Leia lifted her hand from his shoulder.
“…sure Luke didn’t mean it like that,” Leia was saying.
He resisted the urge to snatch her hand back and pull her close enough to him so that he could bury his face in her hair. He had to remind himself that barely an hour ago he all but told her that he loved her, and she hadn’t reciprocated. He had to let her go.
“Yeah… I know,” Han huffed. Still, he sidled away from Luke and stood next to Chewbacca.
“I don’t care what the stupid farm boy says, pal… you’re nothin’ like a Narithian and you know that,” Han muttered to Chewie. The Wookie patted him on the shoulder with a furry paw in a reassuring way.
“So, anyway,” Han said, clearing his throat, “Just put my mind at ease. How do we know we can trust this Phoedris? Supposedly if they’re physically close by to any of their egg-mates, they can mind link. How do you know he can keep a secret?”
“Because, one of Phoedris’s egg-mates did find out about his involvement with the Rebellion and tried to kill him. Phoedris was forced to kill him instead,” Leia said fiercely.
“Satisfied?” Luke quipped.
“Do I have a choice?” Han grumbled.
Rieekan was reading a datapad and looked up grimly. “One more thing before you go. It looks like Jabba the Hutt has tripled the bounty on you, Solo. And he lifted the stipulation of that payout for bringing you in alive… Now, he’ll pay that, dead or alive.”
Leia shot a furtive look at Han. To his credit, he appeared not to be distressed at the news, but she knew him well enough to know he was just trying to make light of the situation.
“Not surprising,” Han said with a shrug. “By now, Jabba doesn’t care about getting paid. He just wants revenge. He won’t be satisfied until he has my head on a platter.”
Leia couldn’t hide the genuine worry on her face.
“Hey, don’t look so distressed, your Highnessness,” Han said with that airy detached tone. “If we pull this heist off, it sounds like I might actually have enough credits to pay the bounty on myself.”
“Well, you all better get going,” Rieekan commented, looking at the chrono. “Phoedris said the fake appointment he made for you is tomorrow morning, and by the time you get loaded and into hyperspace, you’ll have just enough time. May the Force be with you all.”