. voice mail .

[falconing]

[ video | voice | text | action ]

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[video]

[imahologram]

[This isn't the ideal way to discuss anything, but it has its conveniences.]

I've been thinking it over, Han, and the Windrose hasn't had anyone to handle communications before now.

[Pause. This is the part she's not looking forward to.]

I can't leave them without an officer. Not until someone else is assigned here.

[video]

[falconing]

[ han's communicator activates when he's not actually in front of it. he's off-screen, trying to figure out where in the hell this small child put all of his shit in his room, because apparently some genius told her to go clean everything --

but ah, that's leia's voice. leia, who is giving him not so good news. and there's a brief flicker of disappointment when han finally comes into view, but he covers it up with a sigh. he knows they have responsibilities, and it's part of the reason why he hasn't up and left the huntress to go be with luke, or leia.

even though the thought of staying on this ship is giving him a goddamn migraine.

and han is about to tell leia that it's fine, she doesn't need to worry -- ]

-- the co-captain of this ship is a lunatic.

[ I'M SORRY WERE YOU HOPING TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE NO ]

I am two seconds from winding up in inter-galactic holo-serial space jail for removing his teeth.

[imahologram]

[Pffft, relationships. She has the vague idea of someone else will be assigned here, and I'll go to the Huntress when that happens, and that's solution enough for her for the moment. Han's reassurances wouldn't go amiss, but she doesn't strictly need them.

Especially not when he's got something on his mind.

Her expression draws down into a sharp frown when she hears just how riled up he's getting.]

What's going on?

[falconing]

[ he draws his hands over his face ]

He's an egocentric idiot, and we just got this kid on board who was a slave in her galaxy. She's gone through my room three times to clean it.

[ which it didn't even need, considering han doesn't have... anything in there, but he draws in a breath. ]

He's taking advantage of it. She's gotta be no more than twelve.

[imahologram]

[At the word "slave," Leia's expression hardens. Even without too-fresh memories of Tatooine to draw upon, the very idea would be reprehensible--vile! a twelve-year-old!--but it's Jabba that comes to mind before anything else.

This isn't about her, though, and she shoves the thoughts away with all the vehemence she can muster. They're the last thing she wants to think about right now, anyway.]

Don't knock his block off just yet. You might need backup. [Not that she's volunteering, but yeah, she's maybe volunteering.]

Is there any chance of getting her reassigned to another ship?

[falconing]

I don't think so, and it's not gonna change the fact that she thinks she's at the bidding of everybody else.

[ he draws in another breath. ]

-- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just...

[ and han gestures with his hands slightly. word vomit. ]

[imahologram]

[She shakes her head. Nothing to apologize for--not if this girl needs help.]

Any chance of getting him reassigned? Or...decommissioned?

[He doesn't actually have to answer that one, she can guess. Leia sighs.]

This girl is the first person I've heard of who might actually benefit from being here--but not with people like that around. There has to be something we can do.

[falconing]

There's a chance of me throwing him out the damn airlock.

[ irritably.

han solo is a useful general with useful ideas and useful ways to execute them. ]

[imahologram]

Let's make that plan B.

[SHE'S NOT STRICTLY OPPOSED. Whoops.]

Which I guess makes Plan A talking some sense into your captain. Want any help with that?

[falconing]

No.

[ sullenly. ]

... I haven't got him figured out yet, and I don't know if he's an actual threat or not. He talks a lot, but who knows whether or not he can back it up yet.

[ pause ]

He called me the backup pilot.

[ LEIA THIS IS LITERALLY THE WORST ]

[imahologram]

If he can, we might need a better plan than throwing him out the airlock.

The backup pilot? [Rude.] To who?

[Sorry, every other crew member of the Huntress, when it comes to pilots, Leia's betting on Han. But anyway.]

He's just trying to rile you up. Don't let him. [Even if it's tempting to, you know, be riled.]

[falconing]

Ben Kenobi.

[ do you know how long he had to listen to that old man bitch on the way to alderaan about his flying abilities leia over his goddamn dead body is han solo a backup pilot to obi-wan kenobi --

but leia is right. as usual. and he huffs to himself, before tilting back in his chair, crossing his arms. irritated, but not riled. not much, anyway. ]

I just know his type, that's all.

[ and it's easy to get underneath his skin. ]

[imahologram]

Ben Ke--

[CUE AFFRONTED HEAD-SHAKING. For all Leia's a little starry-eyed about having General Kenobi here, in the prime of his life, even she's not about to make him first pilot over Han Solo. Rude, Greed. Rude.]

If you need any help with him, let me know. [Because seriously, no one should be pushing this kid around, that's enough to get Leia steamed.]

[falconing]

I don't know if I hate the guy enough to sic you on him.

[ though to be fair han would happily pull up a chair and watch. still, though, he doesn't need leia's help. he just needed to vent. and having his frustration being valued as worthwhile definitely makes him feel a lot better. even if the situation hasn't really changed. ]

I think I can swing getting him to leave her alone, but I'm stuck babysitting a kid, though.

[ which is. infuriating. but with some quick typing on his device, han sends her their discussion. ]

[imahologram]

[She gives him a Look--sic her on, wow, Han--and takes a few minutes to look through what happened. It's not exactly what she'd call diplomatic, but Han gets the job done, and there's a little thrum of pride in her chest when he says I grew a conscience a year or so ago and I decided to keep it.

What a man, Solo.]

At least that means she's got someone in her corner.

[It sounds like she sorely needs it.]

If she's around twelve, she's old enough that you aren't going to be doing too much babysitting. She just needs ways to occupy her time. I'll see if I can find some holobooks for her.

[falconing]

[ han gives her a what??? look at her Look (it's not an insult, jeez) -- but he soon sighs, sinking back into his chair with a frown. ]

I guess so.

[ he rests his head back against the chair, letting his eyes flicker off camera. to ensure the room is empty, maybe. ]

I've never...

[ ugh, it's just leia. ]

There's never been a kid on any ship that I've ever been on. Not even Jabba kept them around this young, not while I was around.

[ though, maybe he did, and han just didn't see. he really only visited jabba's lair. he didn't see his enterprise. ]

[imahologram]

Not that I saw, either.

[She doesn't want to talk about Jabba--she really, really doesn't--but the words slip out anyway. Agreement, reassurance, the fact that the Hutt has been pressing at her thoughts through most of this conversation: who knows? She shakes her head in an attempt to clear it, looking down for a moment.]

The Atroma have no business bringing these children aboard their Fleet in the first place. [Things she's still pissed about, even if it sounds like it might not have been a bad idea in this case.] But since they're here...it sounds like she could use a friend, more than anything else. You can do that.

[Han's a good man, when it comes down to it. She's certain he can manage this.]

text

[princessia]

[ Elize isn't aware what sort of chaos might be going down at the Huntress now that she left. She at least knows the ship is still adrift in space and hasn't crashed into anything yet? After her outburst at Greed over the network, she's back to depressing silence and making her presence as minimal as possible.

She doesn't feel like talking, unless something coerces into it. So, the message comes in text: ]

Thank you for making sure the ship doesn't crash.

[ That's it. That's all she really wants to say. ]

[falconing]

Leia...

[ he knows when he mentions the hutt that he's made a mistake, but his voice trails off as leia continues. and han decides to drop it, but he makes a mental note to drop by and visit her.

no part of that journey had been good. for anyone.

and so han continues where leia leaves off. ]

It'll be fine, one way or another. No telling when the Atroma are going to drop off another kid, so we may as well get used to it now.

{ elize lutus, too, is by herself. why is han adopting all of these lonely little girls, god dammit. ]

It just means I'm stuck on this ship until further notice.

text

[falconing]

[ . . . huh. ]

You're welcome. I'll take good care of her, I promise.

[ han, after all, would expect just as much for anyone who was flying his beloved falcon. ]

You're welcome to come visit anytime. I'll lock Greed in the cargo bay.

[imahologram]

[She shakes her head a second time when he says her name. Don't. If they have to have that conversation--and one of these days, they'll probably have to--it's not happening from two ships away.]

Considering how many they've already picked up, I'd guess tomorrow. [Let's be completely real here, Leia might have been in similar straits with Steven Universe if he hadn't mentioned that he had someone here to take care of him.]

I'll transfer as soon as I can. [Because let's be real, she still has every intent of doing so.] Until then, I'd rather you were there. That captain of yours sounds like a real piece of work.

text

[princessia]

[ There's a bit of a long, delay before she replies back, almost seeming as though she's planning to keep her message to just that single text. But she eventually sends a message back.

When she's in better spirits, she'll try to visit. She can't just leave the Huntress and never visit it ever again. ]

Thank you.

I'll drop by some time.

text

[falconing]

Door's always open.

[falconing]

Yes, ma'am.

[ with the world's laziest salute -- though now that koala is squared away, and han more or less knows what he wants to do with greed, he can shift his focus to leia. that shake of the head had been read loud and clear, and he's not going to force her to talk about anything.

but... ]

Mind if I come see you later?

[ read: he's going to come see you later. ]

[imahologram]

[She gives him a little nod, like yes, I see you're cutting up, and don't call me ma'am, but at the question, her expression lightens a little.]

You're always welcome over here.

[Read: Please come see her later.]