Saga - OT A QUESTION OF INTENTION

After the destruction of the Death Star...Rieekan wonders why Han Solo is still with the Rebellion. He wants answers.......and he gets them.



A young rebel called out to the tall, dark haired man he had been searching for throughout the halls of Yavin Base. The effort had not been easy, as the man in question moved with quick purpose, but eventually he caught up with him.

"Captain Solo?"

At the summons, Han paused and turned to see the person who had called. "Yeah?"

"I've been looking all over for you." The out of breath Rebel remarked as he drew alongside the Corellian smuggler, glad he had finally stopped.

"Well, now you found me. What do you want?"

A slight blush of surprise flashed over the young man's face. He hadn't expected such abruptness from one of the Alliance's newly decorated heroes. "Uh...I don't want you...sir...ah...General Rieekan wants to see you in the Command Center as soon as possible."

Han muttered an impatient curse under his breath as he absently adjusted the fiit of the strapped holster against his right thigh. The resultant creak of leather was the only sound in the hallway as the soldier waited for a response.

"All right." Han finally...reluctantly..agreed. He had no particular love for military hierarchy, even among the rebels, especially one of whom he knew virtually nothing. Not hearing the messenger's grateful 'thanks', he turned and headed down the corridor which would take him to the Command Center.

**************************

"Han's sharp rap on the office door brought an immediate acknowledgment. "Come in." Rieekan's gravelly voice was unmistakable.

"You wanted to see me, General?" The smuggler asked as he shut the door behind himself.

"Ah, Captain Solo." The General greeted, closing a file drawer. "Yes, I did. Please..." He gestured toward a chair "...have a seat."

Han did as requested; the greying man then settled himself behind a cluttered desk. "I have something here I think you have a right to see." He said as he withdrew a data hardcopy from a folder. With a puzzled frown, Han took the offered papers and began scanning them. Rieekan remained silent while he read, watching the play of different emotions cross the younger man's features; shock, surprise, amusement and anger.

Predictably, the pilot jumped angrily to his feet, not finishing the report; Han slammed the report on the desk. "What the hell do you mean, checking me out?!?" He demanded. "How did you get all that? I thought I had my tracks pretty well covered."

"You did." Rieekan admitted. "It took a lot of digging to get that."

The admission did nothing to placate the Corellian. "There're enough charges in that report to have me executed four times, if i'm turned over to the authorities!" Han paced off his anger, circling the perimeter of the room like a cornered see-tar. He felt exposed, no longer in control of the situation..........betrayed....once again.

Rieekan waited for the man's anger to subside, know that only then would a rational conversation be possible.

"Is this how you treat people who help your....rebellion?" Han went on, "Just a few days ago, your high and mighty Princess..." He waved an arm in a wide sweep, indicating the presence of the Senator Organa somewhere on the base"..gave me a Medal of Honor and now, you show me all this evidence you dug up against me! Well, let me tell YOU something.....General". He said the word with all the contempt he had ever felt for any authority. "Hell and Hoth will exchange climates before I EVER help you people again!"

Rieekan retrieved the papers. "You've come to a mistaken conclusion, Captain." He nodded toward the chair, an unspoken invitation for the Corellian to take his seat again. Han hesitated before resettling in the chair. "If you think about it," Rieekan continued in explaination, "you'll realize that the Alliance is in much the same position as you; outlaws, outcasts by some societies and sought after by those very same authorities to which you refer. We'd gain nothing by handing you over to them. That wasn't the purpose for the information search."

"What was?" Han questioned skeptically.

"Security reasons. We didn't really know who you were, or anything about you. You could have been planted by the Imperial Forces or even the Emperor himself. That bloodstripe you wear certainly attests to the fact of your past military association."

Anger was still readable on Han's face. "How in the name of all the curses of Ka'mon could you think I was an Imperial spy when I helped Luke blow that DEATH STAR into a million pieces?" If I was working for the Emperor, he wouldn't be too happy with me for helping the Rebels kill a lot of his officers---a lot of high ranking ones I'll bet."

Rieekan gave a non-patronizing laugh. "You know military strategy, your record shows it. You must know this wouldn't be the first time an agent destroyed some of his own installations...and people...to convince an opponent of his sincerity, or to preserve his cover. What better way is there to infiltrate the enemy ranks than to help him pull off a difficult attack?" What's the saying, 'the sacrifice of the few for the cause of the many'?".

"Something like that." Han agreed, still suspicious and plainly hurt.

The General drew a deep breath before speaking again. He gazed at the younger man with a wise and knowing eye. "Besides," He continued frankly, "Would you have thought any more....or ....less of us if we hadn't bothered to run the check, and had accepted you, a total stranger, on your word alone?"

Han smile inspite of himself. Apparently, Rieekan knew more about him than the facts in that report revealed. "No, I wouldn't've." He admitted, relaxing.

Pleased with this consession, the officer flipped through the printout. "Let's go over some of this," He suggested, scanning the papers and drawing out various pertinent bits of information. "Your schooling and military training are among the best I've ever seen. You're from a well-known and highly respected Corellian family...though...Rieekan raised his brows and looked at the space pirate....Han Solo is not your real name." Han winced at this bit of information. "You were once engaged to be married. You commanded quite a few missions and acquired several decorations, including the Mark of Excellence. Quite an accomplishment for one of Jabba the Hutt's spice smugglers." Another unbidden smile played over Han face and he raise a hand to his lips. "It's unfortunate your military career ended the way it did; with false charges and a court-martial. You had quite a future to look forward to. Betrayal by the ones you trust and serve can leave scars that won't be healed by time alone.

Silence shrouded the room as Rieekan finished studying the report, which further detailed Han's more recent exploits in the smuggler's underworld. "I'm surprised you chose to deal with the Hutt."
The officer commented.

"A guy has to make a living." Solo mused idly.

The General laid down the papers and faced the young man before him with honest, objective appraisal. "When I said it was unfortunate your military career ended as it did, I meant it was unfortunate for the Empire. They obviously don't recognize talent when they see it. You've got character, Solo, and a lot of fine qualities you can't hide under those scruffy deck clothes and that intimidating blaster. We could use a man like you."

His bluntness surprised Han almost as much as his commendations. For a while, the Corellian didn't know what to say. "General," He finally attempted, "I've got a lot of garbage behind me to take care of; most of it worse'n that report of yours makes it. You've got enough trouble staying one jump ahead of Vader and his troopers without adding on the risk of being tracked down my any number of bounty hunters or military police out for my hide."

Rieekan was undaunted. It's a standing offer." He said as he rose to his feet. "We have a position for you when you're ready to accept it. We may be idealistic...some of us a little too much so...but we know enough to appreciate genuine leadership potential when we see it." He smiled crookedly. "Even Leia would be quite impressed with your qualifications."

"You mean she doesn't know about any of this?" Han was genuinely surprised."

Rieekan's head shook. Only that a security check was run and you were cleared."

"Did she order it?"

"No. I took that reponsibility on myself. Only you and I know the results."

"And what if I hadn't been cleared?" Solo asked, rising to face the General squarely.

Rieekan smiled. "Then those four executions you mentioned would've already taken place. We wouldn't be having this conversation."

For a moment, both men were silent.

Han finally spoke. "I'd rather Leia didn't know about my past." He said. "Not now."

The older man's brows arched. "That's not a request many men with your abilities.....and reputation would make."

The pilot shrugged modestly. "Let's just say I want her Royalness to know me as I am now; a smuggler.

"It will go no further, then." Rieekan assured him as he handed him the printout. Han took the papers and, under the General's approving eye, ripped them to shreds.

 

Hmm...are we going to find out more of these secrets? We get to see less of Rieeken so my sense isn't as good but I like seeing how Han already has Leia and her opinion of him in his mind. But I'm a little unsure...is it supposed to be sweet or scary that he wants Leia to know him as a smuggler over whatever's in the files?

 

Nice to see a fic with General Rieeken and I can totally see him checking Han out before allowing him too much access to the Rebellion.

I wouldn't mind a peek at that report though.....

Great job on this

 

Glad the story A QUESTION OF INTENTION made you curious about more.
Thank you for taking the time to read. I am new to online posting, but I had many, many SW stories and pieces published
in fanzines, back in the day.

It is supposed to be sweet that Han doesn't want her to know his past just yet, as he doesn't want her to think about him
differently....he may even be royalty himself?

I enjoy other writer's stories. There's a lot of talent there. Have a nice weekend? Lynda V.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read A QUESTION OF INTENTION. I wanted to leave the readers with curious questions.
I'm new to online posting, but I've had many, many SW stories and pieces published in fanzines back in the day.

Han wants Leia to know him as he is, for now...may he even be royalty?

I enjoy reading other writers stories. There's a lot of talent out there.

Have a nice weekend. Lynda V.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read A QUESTION OF INTENTION. I love to write drama and humor SW pieces.
I'm new to online posting, will have to quit saying that soon, I'm getting the hang of it, ha., but have had many SW stories
and pieces published in fanzines back in the day.

I love reading other writers stories..they make me think...there is a lot of talent there.

Have a nice weekend. Lynda V.

 

For some reason, my first thought is Spaceballs, how Lone Starr had no idea he was a prince. And then I re-read it to enjoy another great insight into the way Han Solo is thinking. Rieekan sure got him worried there for a bit! The whole reasoning regarding the matter of helping Luke blow up the Death Star, it looked like panic, almost!

Now, one thing that puzzled me was that "not your real name" bit. Was there a time when this was a believable assumption, or a widely-accepted rumour?

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

 

Excellent conversation full of candor and respect.

 

So, Han Solo isn't his real name, huh? That's interesting. Looking forward to more of this.