Beyond - Legends True Blue (OCs, H/L, L/M, Kiana Ti, Kyp, etc.) For Mod's Dare Challenge: final author's replies

I agree totally with the comment above -- Bree had been given his trust and I'm glad she shredded the flimsy. I liked how Leia noticed things about Bree like she had cut her hair and was cradling her arm.

 

Thank you for your thoughtful reply! That’s exactly the point here; he knew she wasn’t going to like what he had to say, but he said it anyway. She wasn’t expecting it so he could have easily lied. She had to realize that. And yes, Han is already waiting for her. They will meet up soon!

It all comes down to trust. She can’t go further in the relationship if she can’t trust him, and he has too much to lose if he can’t trust her. They have both proven they can trust each other. And Leia knows her daughter, and like any mom she is worried sick that her girl is hurt and with some guy they know nothing about. Thank you for reading and replying!

 

(A/N: There is a shiny deleted scene in this chapter. (It's been Ginchy-approved! ) I will be happy to PM the scene to you. However, by requesting the scene you are acknowledging that you are over 18 years old. Thanks!)



Chapter 9.

Alta’s earlier comments about no one caring enough to worry about the refugees bothered Bree. She had always assumed that her mother’s work in the government had made everything better. She realized now how naive that assumption was.

She couldn’t recall anyone at Ossus who still discussed the refugees’ plight. Back home, it was as if the refugee problem was a thing of the past – once the proper laws and acts had been passed, the crisis was solved. Looking around her, it was obvious that for the individuals here, the crisis had become their way of life. Each of them had a story to tell but no voice to speak their words. Maybe it was time that someone tried. Besides, it was something useful for Bree to do while she considered how to respond to the things Blue had told her.

Bree was sitting beside an elderly gentleman from Coruscant, writing down the details of the journey that took him to this spot in the cargo bay. She was so engrossed in her interview that she didn’t hear the cargo bay door slide open. Blue looked across the bay and saw her sitting with her back to him. He considered if he should try to talk to her, then decided against it. She clearly wasn’t waiting for him. He swallowed hard and, after tending to his patients, he quietly left the area again.

The next day as Bree came out of the common bathing area, she saw Alta and another woman at the sink washing clothing. She stopped, surprised. “Who’s watching Tara and Kimma?” Bree asked. She knew the women would never leave their children unattended.

Alta looked up and smiled. “We found a babysitter. Go look and see.”

Bree shook her short brown hair to get the excess water off, then peered around the corner towards the blanket that she shared with Alta. Two little girls were intently decorating Blue’s hair with scraps of colored fabrics and half-completed braids. Blue winced as Kimma yanked his hair back, but let her continue to play. Bree smiled despite herself.

Bree walked over, smiling at the girls as they looked up proudly from their work. “How lovely,” she said to the children. Alta appeared, then took each girl by the hand and led them away. “Let Miss Bree and Doc Blue have a moment, girls,” she said. She looked pointedly at Bree. “They need to talk.”

Bree sat down, and she and Blue waited in awkward silence for the other to speak. Unsure of what to say, Bree moved to sit behind him and began to undo the children’s decorations. Blue sat still and let her unravel the tangled mess, deftly smoothing it into a straight tail again. When she finished tying it securely, she rested her hand on his back. He took the chance and leaned backwards, and she let him lean against her.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking downward.

“For telling me what happened?”

He shook his head. “For it ever happening. For upsetting you.”

Bree leaned her head against his and closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of him. She wondered if he could feel her heart pounding.

He continued, quietly. “The whole point of atonement is to make you feel the grief you caused, and believe me, I feel it like a burn in my bones. But it’s the only hope I have to ever be forgiven. I’m ashamed of what I’ve done, and I wish I could take it all back.”

Eventually he turned around to face her. “I have something for you,” he said. He reached into an outside pocket on his medical backpack and retrieved a small object, then slipped it under her blanket. “It’s all access, except for command, of course. You don’t have to wait for me to unlock the cargo area doors. If you ever want to come and see me…” He shrugged. “I’m leaving it up to you.”

Bree slid her hand under the blanket and felt the outline of the passcard. She nodded in understanding. Blue stood up slowly, hesitated, then picked up his backpack and began to walk away.

“Wait,” she said. He stopped and turned toward her as she stood up and made her way next to him. “Thank you for telling me the truth. I know it wasn’t easy.” Blue looked at the floor.

If she was going to say it, this was the time. “I haven’t been completely honest with you, either,” she admitted. “I’m using a false identicard. That’s not my real name.”

He smiled wryly, still looking down. “It’s not even remotely close, is it.” He looked up and into her eyes. “Do you want to tell me?”

“It’s really Bree. I mean, that’s my nickname, but it’s my real nickname.” She frowned. “How long have you known?”

“I’ve suspected since the beginning. I figured, if you wanted me to know who you really were, you would tell me. I wanted to respect your privacy.”

She hesitated. “Look,” he said. “Whatever you’re running from, whatever you did, who am I to judge? When you’re ready, you’ll tell me.”

She began to pick at her fingernail. “It’s not that. You see, well, I’m from a rather prominent family.”

“What, you mean like a celebrity? Or a government official?”

“Something like that.” She looked back up at him. “I promise I’ll tell you. I’m just not ready yet.”

“I can wait. Whenever you’re ready,” he said. They stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Then he leaned down to kiss her cheek lightly, turned away, and left.

Bree silently watched him open the cargo doors and leave the room. People can change, she thought. She considered how her father had believed he would be a smuggler all his life until he met her mother. For star’s sake, talk about change -- her aunt had tried to kill her uncle. But he forgave her anyway.

She shoved her hands in her jacket pocket, and her fingertips brushed against the passcard.

***

The passageway lights were dimmed for night running by the time that Bree made her way towards Blue’s quarters. She had raised her hand to press the door chime when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Blue walking toward her, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

Blue smiled at her. “I’m glad you came. I had hoped to see you before I left for the resupply station.” Bree said nothing, but instead put her hand behind Blue’s neck. She pulled him down into a forceful kiss. He startled, then returned the kiss. The gentle touch of his lips on hers deepened, and the press of his body against hers made her tremble.

“Let me stay with you,” she whispered. They paused, foreheads touching and their breaths intermingled. He held his hand to her face, and his fingers traced the line of her jaw to brush her lips.

Blue pulled away with effort. “You don’t have to do this,” he said huskily. “I understand if you don’t want to get involved.”

“What’s in your past is done. All we have is right now. I don’t want to be alone anymore, and I don’t think you do either.” She closed her eyes and kissed him again, this time letting her lips part from his with tender slowness. “Let me in.”

He hesitated, then with new resolve, he keyed his code into the lock and they fell into the doorway. The door slid closed behind them.

***

They lay together quietly, Bree resting against his chest. He absently stroked her arm, tracing small circles on her skin. She nestled in and waited for his arm to still, for his breathing to become deeper.

Once she was convinced he was sleeping, she silently drew back the sheet and slid out of bed, placing the sheet gently around him again. She redressed, then leaned over his still form to place the softest of kisses against his cheek. “I love you,” she murmured, barely audibly. A moment later she unlocked the door and walked away.

As soon as he heard the door quietly close, Blue opened his eyes from his feigned sleep and stared into the dimly lit room. Her side of his small bed was still warm, and he reached over to feel the dissipating heat she had left behind. The absence of her made the empty room even emptier, a cruel foreshadowing of how things would be in a little more than a week, when the ship docked and she inevitably left him for good. What would be the point of telling her how he felt about her?

Don’t hope for what can’t be. Never forget what you are.


He turned back on his side, his face toward the wall, and his tears fell onto the pillow.

 

Wonderfully written, naturally. I loved that they cleared the air and acknowledged that they have feelings and caring towards each other. I can very much understand Blue's reticence, in view of the past and future. He also does not want to tie Bree into a (what he perceives) as a wrong choice for her, or for the wrong reasons.

The examples of change Bree thought of are the perfect ones: Han and Mara definitely have that in common. The right life-partner, ready to accept and forgive, is the best motivator.

 

I don't have anything to add to what Nyota's Heart said above, so I'll just say that I'm waiting for the next instalment and the moment all the plotlines will converge. I can only imagine Han in the role of the overprotective father

 

I agree with the above comments. I like that she forgave Blue and told him to live in the now. I'm glad he heard her comment.

 

Thank you for such a kind and thoughtful reply. They are both so hesitant, afraid to start something they can’t follow through on. You’re right, Blue doesn’t want to entangle Bree in his messed up life. But she sees a side of him he doesn’t. Yes, that family has some unconventional relationships – the princess and the smuggler, the Jedi and the assassin. But hey, it works!

Thank you for your response! The plot lines are very close to converging. And Han has no idea what Bree has been up to, so he is in for some surprises when they reconnect.

Thanks so much! I’m glad you are enjoying this story. Bree’s heart wants what it wants. She knows she loves him but isn’t ready to tell him directly. He needs to live in the now and stop punishing himself for the past.

Thank you to all who are reading!

 

Chapter 10.

Station 58-07 was ugly, loud, and dirty; a typical outpost used only by those passing through. The few residents who lived there eked out a living by selling lost and abandoned items to desperate travelers. Their gaudy kiosks lined the station’s main terminal, nearly obscuring the drab government agency offices.

Kirana Ti sidestepped an over-aggressive vendor and scowled. Kyp, on the other hand, was talking animatedly with another vendor, an old woman selling electronics of dubious authenticity. After a few minutes, he returned to Han and Kirana. “She says that the crew usually disembarks about thirty minutes after the ship docks,” Kyp reported. “There’s quarantine, customs – it takes a while.”

“I need to talk with Captain Sia. She’ll be one of the first out,” Han said.

“You won’t have to wait long. The Alisander arrives in an hour.”

***

Although she had used her passcard to sneak out of the cargo area a number of times over the past week, Bree hadn’t planned on seeing him this morning, but on a last minute whim she had decided to say goodbye personally to Blue. He wasn’t hard to find - she recognized the shouting voices instantly. Bree heard the argument long before she got to the infirmary.

The infirmary was a mess. Medbeds were jostled out of place, textbooks knocked off the shelves. A surgical set was splayed across the floor; scalpels, medtapes, and other equipment emptied from their sterilized containers. Against the back wall, Wells lunged across a table at Blue. Wells’ back was to her, but she could see Blue’s face contorted in rage. Blue shoved the table at the larger man, hitting him in the abdomen. Wells raised his fist to strike, then shouted in surprise and pain as a scalpel neatly embedded itself in the back of his hand.

Wells turned to see the source of the sudden assault and came face-to-face with a vibroblade. Bree quickly rotated the blade to press it up against Wells’s neck as Wells staggered backward.

He narrowed his eyes. “So the stray can bite,” he said sarcastically.

Blue tried to wedge himself between Wells and Bree and push Wells away from her, but Bree blocked his efforts. “Don’t,” he pleaded. “Don’t get involved, Bree.”

Her sight never wavered from her target. Bree kept the pressure on, pressing so close that Wells could hear the high-pitched whine of the blade. With her free hand she yanked the scalpel out of his hand, and blood dripped out of the wound and onto the floor in small, steady drops. “Get out,” she growled.

“You got real close to this stray, huh?” Wells muttered. “Even gave her a passcard, I see. Maybe once you’re gone I’ll check in on the livestock in the cargo bay and find out what all the fuss was with her. Would you like that, stray?”

Blue lunged toward him. “Touch her and I will end you,” he snarled.

But Bree was faster, and she skillfully slid her leg behind his ankle. Wells dropped to his knees. “Oh, wrong question to ask the lady with the weapon,” she said, her mouth curling in disgust. Wells was forced to balance himself with one hand, and with a quick motion, she pulled his other arm behind him and twisted. Wells yelped in pain. She pressed her foot against his back as she slowly pulled the blade across his cheek, and a thin stream of blood appeared. “The correct question, you bloated heap of mynock spit, is this: which extremity are you least fond of? Because I plan on taking at least one.”

Blue’s rage dissipated, replaced with trepidation. He put his hand on Bree’s forearm. “Bree, don’t. He isn’t worth it.”

She considered for a moment, then dragged Wells to a half-standing position. She pushed him forward and he stumbled off-balanced towards the door, which opened automatically. With a final shove, she pushed Wells out of the open door and into the hall, then locked the door behind him.

Blue rushed to her side and frantically began to check her for injuries. Despite her protests, he insisted on confirming that she hadn’t been hurt in the altercation. He closed his eyes and held her until his heart stopped its pounding.

When he had regained his composure, he released her and turned to look at her. “What kind of prominent family teaches you how to do that?” he asked incredulously.

“There were some kidnapping attempts on my siblings, so my dad thought it would be a good idea for all of us to learn some hand-to-hand combat,” she explained, drawing the deactivated vibroblade through an antiseptic cloth before retracting it.

“Let me guess: your mom taught you the knife skills?”

“Oh no, my mom taught me how to shoot a blaster. My aunt was the one who taught me knife skills – when she wasn’t taking me to the opera.” She slid the vibroblade back into its hold-out sheath hidden in her jacket. “To be honest, I preferred the knife skills.”

Blue gesticulated and opened his mouth to speak, but found he didn’t know what to say so instead he began to clean up the mess. Bree joined him, picking up items from the floor and placing them on the medbed for him to sort.

Eventually she stopped and stood there. Blue stopped too and looked up at her expectantly. “Please don’t think I didn’t tell you about my family because I wanted to be difficult,” she said quietly. “It’s just that usually when I tell them who I am, people get expectations and make assumptions about me. It’s like people always want something from me.”

Blue folded his arms. “I’ve never asked you for anything. All I want is the truth, Bree.”

She looked away for a moment, then she took a deep breath. “Bree is short for Breha. I’m named after my grandmothers.” She met his eyes. “I’m Breha Amidala Solo. My parents are Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo.”

Blue stood completely still for a long time. Then he began to sort and unsort the items in front of him, eventually moving them randomly. Finally he looked back at her. “Why are you on a refugee ship, then?” he asked.

She came closer and stood beside him. “Ever since my brother died, everything seemed pointless. I wanted to create a new life. I spent so many years under security, watched by bodyguards – I wanted to know that I had what it takes to survive on my own.” She looked at him ruefully, unsure of his reaction.

He rubbed his forehead and his tone became abrupt. “Let me get this straight. You have a family that loves and protects you, but you threw it away to play at being a refugee. Is this some kind of a game to you?” He bent his head and leaned onto the table, balancing himself on balled fists. “Has any of this been real for you?” he asked quietly.

Bree blinked hard, then she placed her hand over his clenched fist. “We’ve known each other for four weeks. You’ve told me your secrets and now I’ve told you mine. I do care about these people, and I care so much about you. Please don’t let the past three minutes destroy everything you’ve learned about me over the last month.”

Blue exhaled, then unclenched his hands and the tension began to leave his shoulders. He looked down at Bree’s hand on top of his and she held her breath. Then he turned his hand over so that their hands were palm to palm.

A small smile crooked in the corner of his mouth. She smiled hopefully, and he pulled her closer and held her. She raised their entwined hands to her heart, and with her other hand she touched his cheek. “This is real, Blue,” she said quietly. “I’m still your Bree.”

Blue drew her into a tight embrace. “My Bree,” he repeated, as if trying on the words. “My Bree,” he whispered again.

***
Han tilted his head and rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “We can’t just go on the ship. There’s no evidence of anything illegal. We don’t have that right.”

Leia’s image flickered on the comm display. “This info might change all that. I got the report this morning on the crew of the Alisander. We have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

An image from a prison facility flashed upon Han’s screen. Leia’s voice was troubled. “We’ve identified the last person we saw with Bree.”

 

Wonderful ... Bree was superb with Wells and what she said to Blue ... awww. But the parental red alert has sounded. They hopefully will suspend quick judging until they find out the facts about Blue. Han, as a person, would understand and sympathize. As a daddy LOL ...

 

Yeah, I can see the Papa Bear exploding from Han in an instant. Glad Bree told Blue who she really is. Great update -- the next will be even better.

 

This is where growing up with a bunch of Jedi comes in useful After this display of talent and self-assertion, I'm curious to see Bree's reaction to her over-protective parents. They're in for a big surprise

 

Just caught up on this story recently. I really like your OC's Bree and Blue; they have complicated motivations and pasts but manage to be likeable. Blue's case is interesting, because he's something of a harder sell than a Sith or what-have-you. Nothing quite like those exists in real life and it's not such a mundane badness in the past. I think we only process the wrongs that we can understand the scale of. But he's well-drawn and you can't help liking him; loved the scene with him allowing the kids to give him a makeover. Bree is chillingly scary in this latest installment and I could almost feel sorry for the fool who messes with her loved ones.

 

I'm so sorry I have fallen down on reviewing this wonderful story, my friend. Between Nano, and being sick, and the craziness that comes with everyday life around here, I just got behind. You know I love the story. I love this latest chapter, especially, with Blue learning the truth about Bree. I love how he had questions but didn't just run off without letting her explain. I love how she said she was the same Bree he knew, his Bree. He now just has extra information. But, that ending promises for an exciting next few chapters, I think....

 

Thank you, Sweetie! I appreciate your kind reply! Bree is turning out to be quite capable of taking care of herself and those she cares about. Wells didn’t see that one coming. And Han, well, he wants his daughter to be safe, but this is Leia’s kid – she’s gonna do what she wants.

Bree and Blue are even now- each has revealed what they kept hidden. And Han would be a pretty protective Dad, especially with his youngest. Thanks so much for your response!

Absolutely true! Having well-trained siblings to keep up with makes you pretty sharp. Bree is not the insecure girl she was before. Han will be dealing with a self-assured young woman when he sees her again. Thank you for your reply.

Thanks so much for stopping in to write a response! I really do appreciate it. Thank you for the compliment. I did want Blue and Bree to be complicated people. What you said about processing the wrongs is spot-on, which is what I was playing with concerning the concept of atonement. It isn’t enough to serve the time for the punishment; you should understand the consequences of your actions and how others were affected by what you did. Blue gets it.
Glad you liked the makeover scene. Blue’s a cool babysitter.
Bree can get laser-focused when it comes to combat, but that’s the way her family was trained. Surrounded by experts in all kinds of martial arts, some of it has to rub off. It’s a basic survival skill in the Solo-Skywalker clan.

Hey Ginchy! You know I won’t get mad at you!
Yeah, they both laid the cards on the table, and they have nothing to hide anymore. So glad you got the importance of the fact that she said she was his Bree. This is a guy who has literally nothing – not even a name. This is huge for him, that she would allow herself to be his.

And yep, important things are going to hit the fan, starting with….

 

Chapter 11.

Captain Bel Sia led her group of five from quarantine and into the holding area. Due to another ship’s unexpected cancellation for docking, they had gotten in earlier than planned, which pleased her as it gave her crew a little more time to relax before they headed back later that day. While she and her first mate cleared customs and the mess officer ran through her supply list, Blue and Wells waited for their turn to be dismissed to go acquire more medical supplies and mechanical items. Captain Sia concluded with the necessary documents efficiently, then nodded to the men to complete their assigned tasks.

Blue found the freedom of the space station exhilarating. After four weeks of being constantly on guard against Wells’s harassment, it was a pleasure to wander the small shops and vendor’s stalls. He had ten credits in his pocket, and he was eager to spend them. One stall caught his eye and drew him closer. Blue picked up a necklace from the vendor’s table and examined it more closely. Gold filament looped around a central crystal of dark brown: the deep, rich color of river clay, of carved sanoba wood. Of Bree’s dark eyes.

“You like? Twenty credits. Very pretty.” A small being waddled out to bargain with him.

Blue hid his smile and held the pendant up to the artificial light, eyeing it critically. “No, it’s not that nice. See? There’s a crack in the casing.”

“Let me see.” The being snatched the necklace from him. “No, not crack. Just bent. But I let you have for sixteen credits.”

The being handed the necklace back to Blue, who snorted and shook his head, placing it back on the table. “I wouldn’t give more than five.”

“Five is insult! You pay eight.”

“Six.”

The being frowned, then hopped up and down. Blue shrugged and had begun to walk away when the little being called after him. “Okay! Seven.” With a sly smile, Blue nodded and handed over the money.

The transaction completed, Blue slipped the necklace into his pocket. He wondered what Bree would think of it; after all, with that family, she had probably worn crown jewels. But even if she just accepted it from him, that would make him happy.

Blue had already resupplied most of the items needed for the remainder of the trip and the start of a new run, loading the boxes onto a transport droid and sending them to the Alisander. The last step was to complete the pharmaceutical supplies, then he was free to go back. He smiled to himself. When was the last time he actually was eager to return to the ship?

The medical supply station was at the end of a row of nondescript government offices. Blue placed his order on the console, then inserted the data card with the results of the pharmacy inventory he had taken aboard ship. Idly, he wondered if he might be able to see Bree as soon as tomorrow, when they were alone. He didn’t want to give her the necklace in front of anyone else.

He glanced at the console and frowned. This was taking longer than usual.

A door opened at the opposite side of the room, and a uniformed man came out. “Identification please,” he said.

Blue took out his identicard and handed it over. “Is there a problem?” he asked. He heard a noise behind him, and his peripheral vision detected the approach of a guard. His heart began to pound.

The uniformed man read Blue’s identicard and narrowed his eyes. He motioned for the guard. “You’ll have to come with me,” he said abruptly.

Blue backed away. “Wait. What’s wrong? Tell me!” The guard reached for Blue’s arm and Blue instinctively yanked it out of his reach. In response, the guard slammed him hard against the wall and pulled his arms backward. His knees nearly buckled when he felt the binders snap against his wrists.

A pair of security officers appeared at the door, and the uniformed man beckoned them over. Blue could barely contain his panic. “What did I do?” he cried out.

“You are under arrest for violation of your parole.” The uniformed man turned to the security officers. “Bring him to the detention cells.”

***

Captain Sia huffed in annoyance. Time was of the essence, and she did not like to wait. Her first officer looked at her and shook his head. The mess officer sat on one of the benches, clearly bored. Wells smirked. He picked absently at the thin mark against his cheek, faintly visible under the antiseptic wound gel that Blue had applied earlier in the day.

She checked her chrono again, then frowned. “If he hasn’t checked in, then where is he?” she asked. Her first mate tapped her shoulder, and she turned to see three people approaching. Recognizing one of them, she cocked an eyebrow. She raised her chin, appearing even taller than her already regal height, a look enhanced by her halo of tight black curls.

Han Solo strode up to her. “Captain Sia, we need to talk.”

“General Solo. Would this be about my missing medic?” she asked.

“More about my missing daughter,” he replied.

If Captain Sia was surprised, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she gestured toward a small seating area. “I have a ship ready to leave. Let’s make this quick.”

***

After the other night, Blue had left her the code to unlock his quarters, and now Bree sat cross-legged on Blue’s bed, reviewing what she had written. She had done several interviews and written the refugees’ stories down. If she could personalize their experiences, she reasoned, maybe someone on Ossus would listen to their plight. She was pleased with what she had written so far. But her datapad had only so much storage, and it made sense to download her work onto Blue’s computer instead. She had easily sliced around his passcode.

She got off the bed and sat in front of his computer, linking her datapad to his console. Bree had started to upload her work when she noticed a blinking light on the screen that signaled an incoming message. She paused, frowning. How long had that been there, and who would be sending a message to Blue? From what he had said, he wasn’t allowed contact with anyone from his past, except for government business, and this signal was coming from a personal comm account. She tapped on the blinking icon to reveal an even odder feature: the message was tagged with the false name she had used on her identicard.

Curious, Bree pulled the chair in closely and opened the comm. A moment later, Blue’s image appeared. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand when she saw his distraught appearance. A timer appeared in the corner of the transmission indicating its three-minute length.

Blue’s image looked into the recorder. “Bree, if you get this, please, you’re in danger and I need to warn you.” The image flickered momentarily as Blue spoke urgently. “When Wells comes back, he’ll be looking for you. You got the better of him and he’ll want revenge. I won’t be there to stop him. You can’t go back to the cargo area. Stay here, in my quarters. You’ll be safe there. When Captain Sia comes back, contact her. She’ll protect you. The codes for her commlink are on my desk.” He shook his head in misery. “I should have hit him when I had the chance. I should never have let you attack him. You would have been safe now if I had acted. I’m so sorry, Bree. I was a coward, too afraid he would file assault charges on me.”

He swallowed hard and continued. “It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I won’t be coming back to the ship. But I need you to know that I didn’t just leave you. I would never leave you like this.” His voice wavered. “I’ve been arrested again.”

“They think that I stole narcotics from the ship’s pharmacy. You’ve got to know I didn’t do it. But the inventory I signed off to doesn’t match the amount that the ship’s computers say we have. It looks like I’m resupplying more narcotics than the ship needs. Based on my background and my offense, they’re assuming that the reason why I’m replacing more drugs than what the ship says we need is because I’m stealing the excess.”

He pushed back a lock of hair, and Bree was shocked to see that his wrists were locked together with binders. “Someone sliced into the ship’s computers and altered my pharmaceutical records. Someone used my user code and my sign-off signature. It had to be Wells. The day he hit me – it was no coincidence that I was working on a weekly pharmacy inventory. He must have lifted my access codes from my datapad while I was on the ground.”

He looked downward and shook his head. “But knowing this doesn’t help me now. They told me I’ll be on the next transport. Even if evidence comes in to show I’m innocent, once I’m locked up it won’t matter. Appeals take years. Once I’m on Baroli, it’s over for me.”

Blue sat back. He closed his eyes for a moment, and his lashes were wet. His voice trembled as he spoke. “They gave me three minutes to make a comm, so I wanted to send this to you, to tell you that you made me happier than I’d been in years. I’ll never forget when you were my Bree. I don’t expect to see you again, so I wanted you to know —“ The timer went to zero and the transmission stopped.

Bree sat there, stunned, unaware of the tears that streamed down her face.

 

Wow, you've made me speechless and put me at the edge of my seat. A superb and plot turn.

 

Wow. Bree already demonstrated how the Jedi family's combat skills rubbed off on her. Now we'll find out of she inherited her father's skill to find a way out of difficult situations and her mother's diplomatic talent...

 

Come back and fix this, ladyyyyyyyyy!!!! Blue's message was so bittersweet. I love how he got the warning to Bree, and how he was able to tell some of his feelings, even if he was cut off before he could say more. I wonder if the necklace made it through his arrest. It's heart-breaking that he was looking forward to getting back to the ship, and Bree, but didn't make it...

 

I couldn't agree more with what is said above --- you gotta make this right. Han will help once Bree tells him of what she knows. Please!!

 

Uh oh. This could be very bad...

Hope that Bree is able to connect to her searchers soon and convince them to help, as it looks like someone else needs the rescue this time.

 

Thank you! Yes, this is the worst case scenario. But Wells didn’t count on Bree being there, did he?

Bree’s a talented girl. Let’s see her work under pressure. Thank you for your reply!

Poor Blue just cannot catch a break. He gets his hopes up only to have them smashed. But Bree is the wild card and she is far more resourceful than people have given her credit for. She is her father’s daughter, after all. Thank you again, Ginchy!

Han has an open mind. He will get to the bottom of everything. But time is running out…Thank you for your reply!

Blue is turning into Peeta Malark… he needs his girl to rescue him! But remember, Bree is pretty savvy. As long as she gets to him in time! Thank you for your response!

 

A/N: In the interest of resolving this story line before the Dear Diary Challenge for 2015, I will be posting on Sunday, too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!



Chapter 12.

Bree took a minute to catch her breath. This could not possibly be happening. There had to be a way to solve this. She had to act quickly to get him back, before he was lost for good in the complicated penitentiary system. If only she could prove, definitively, that the records had been altered. But how? The proof was in the ship’s computers. She had to find it in time.

She paused. A memory flashed in her mind, of Bree and her brother Anakin sitting at their computer right next to their babysitter, the greatest slicer who ever lived. She had learned from the best. She took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.

She could do this.

***

Han Solo and Bel Sia sat across from each other in the station administrator’s office. The administrator, quick to try to impress his unexpected and influential guests, had volunteered his own conference room, and was obsequiously offering unnecessary refreshments to his visitors. Han and Sia had waved the food and drink aside. Captain Sia’s first mate had wisely followed his captain’s example, while the mess officer picked at some snacks. Wells had poured himself a generous glass of whiskey.

“My crew will help you and the Jedi in whatever capacity they can to find her,” Captain Sia told Han, “Although I don’t know why she isn’t with the other refugees. The only way she would have been out of the cargo area would be if someone gave her an access pass.”

“It’s appreciated,” Han said. “And we’ll find her, even if I have to search the ship myself. The sooner I know she’s safe the better.” His attention was diverted by the chirping of his commlink. “Solo here.”

Kyp’s voice crackled over the connection. “I haven’t heard from Kirana yet about Bree, but I’ve got a possible lead on that medic. The good news is that there are no accidents reported or emergency admissions at any of the healer’s offices that match his description. However, once I checked the station security offices, I think I found him.”

“What happened? Was he attacked? Robbed?”

“No, he was arrested this morning. He was shipped off-station on a detention transport about two hours ago. They should be heading to hyperspace very soon, if they haven’t already. After they get in the sector, they’ll transfer him to a local detention transport, and then once he’s on-planet, he goes straight to their main penitentiary for processing. I’d say he has about ten hours left.”

“Wait,” interrupted Captain Sia. “They can do that? Just take him and not inform me?”

“Apparently so,” Kyp answered. “Technically, he’s still under the jurisdiction of the Barolian prison system.”

Han rubbed the back of his neck. “All right, Kyp, this is what we’ll do. I’m going to stay here until Kirana comes back with Breha. You contact Luke. He’s not that far from Baroli. He can intercept the detention transport when it drops out of hyperspace, maybe hold them there until we get this sorted out. Get back here and we’ll regroup.”

“Sounds good. See you soon,” Kyp said.

Captain Sia shook her head and looked at Han. “I don’t understand what he could have done. I’ve never had a problem with him.”

Han’s response was cut off by the chirp of Captain Sia’s commlink. She tapped the device and acknowledged it, then a female voice came through the unit. “Captain, you don’t know me, but my name is Bree Solo. Please hear me out. Blue is –“

“Bree?” Han gestured for the comm unit, and Sia handed it to him. “Breha, this is Dad. Where are you?”

“Dad?” Bree’s voice came over the device. “I need your help. I know I did something terribly selfish and I am so, so sorry, but I’m on the Alisander and I’ve got to get to the station right now. Please, come get me – I need to show the authorities something. My friend is in huge trouble.”

“Where are you? Kirana Ti’s been looking all over the ship for you! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Dad. I’m in Blue’s quarters. But please, I need to show you something, and there isn’t much time.”

Captain Sia turned to Han. “Time is running out for all of us. I must attend to the refugees on this ship. They must be at the Tanis refugee camp on time or their transit cards will expire. As much as I wish to help Blue, I have to put the needs of the fifty passengers above the needs of one man. We leave as soon as your daughter is returned, with or without him.”

Wells curled his bandaged hand around his glass and raised his whiskey in salute.

***

About ten minutes later, the door to Blue’s quarters chimed. Bree checked the identification screen and smiled in relief. The door slid open and Bree hugged Kirana, who stiffened for a moment before returning the embrace.

“I am glad I’ve found you,” Kirana said solemnly. “Now get your things and come home to your father.”

Bree had gone back to the computer. “I will, I promise. But I need to finish this first.” She watched the patterns on the screen. “I’m almost done. These are the exit protocols now.”

Bree drew the file onto a datacard and confirmed that it was downloaded, then clutched the datacard to her heart. She got out of the chair and grabbed her jacket from the bed, rushing past Kirana and into the passageway. Kirana threw her hands up in exasperation and followed after her.

 

Caught up on my reading after my trip.
I hope Bree and Blue stay together

 

Yes!
Bree is definitely resourceful and woohoo, Ghent's influence comes to the rescue.
OCs rule! They really, really do!

 

That is excellent news for us readers! Oh, and, the same to you

I hope for him he's enjoying this drink. I suspect the following one will be plain water in a prison cell.

I can just so perfectly imagine this scene. "Stupid brat goes missing for days and has us all worried sick, and now she's running around..." *grumbles*