Saga Twelve Past Victory (H/L, H/L/L friendship, post-ANH) Updated 09-12 (FINISHED!)

alhana_antilles--Thanks! You won't have to wait long, because here comes the post!

zsuzsa--This is probably the longest lighthearted story I've written, and so far, it's a lot of fun. I just get to play around. Thanks!

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The Second Hour

Han Solo had left cantinas with enough women wrapped around his arms like fur stoles to know that he had whatever it took to attract a woman. He?d known about such things since his first heart-pounding kiss in the back of a closet. His elbows had been bumped by pieces of droids and hunks of discarded, twisted metal, but he had been smooth. A river through a rocky land, that was him. Han Solo. So cool that bantha milk would refuse to curdle in his mouth, but with a voice and a touch that could melt Hoth. A ladies? man and a man among men. Yeah. Women always went for the rogues.

?Wipe that smirk off your face, Captain,? Leia said dryly. ?If you hadn?t gotten Luke in here with you, I would have just turned off my commlink and gone to sleep.?

Well. Most women, anyway.

?Hey, Princess, I think victory?s gone to your head! Who blasted the fighters off Luke?s back? Me. Maybe you?re just afraid I won?t stick around to save you all again.?

?Believe me, that?s the last of my worries.? Leia carefully entered the ship, making sure to not close the door. ?I?m more worried that the Alliance won?t have the funds to cover whatever pay you?re going to demand for that little escapade.?

?I said that I didn?t want the money,? Han said in a low voice. ?I told you that.?

?You didn?t take the money?? Luke asked, his eyes wide. ?But you said that you were sticking around to get paid.?

?Kid, you?re putting words in my mouth,? Han warned.

?I am not!? Luke objected. ?That?s what you said. It wasn?t true??

The gods were unfair. He was caught in a situation stickier than anything Jabba could manage to throw at him. On one hand, he had Leia, who was looking at him skeptically, waiting for him to wake up from whatever deluded daydream he?d been stuck in and demand his payment?and he desperately wanted to deny that opinion and impress her. And Luke, looking hopeful and terrifyingly optimistic, waiting for Han to reinforce Leia?s statement so that the kid could say, ?Okay, if you didn?t take the money, does that mean you?re staying?? And he didn?t want to disappoint the kid. But on the other hand, he wasn?t sure that, friendship or no, attraction or no, he was ready to tie himself onto the Alliance. Why did things have to get so complicated?

I miss having one hand busy with an ale and the other busy with a blaster instead of this crazy balancing act.

A nasty little voice reminded him that he could just go back to the way things had been, just turn himself back in time by heading back to Tatooine with Chewie and a newly-repaired Falcon. Demand his money, say ?so long? to Luke and Leia, and spend the night getting plastered in a cantina where no one knew his name or cared if he was there the next day or not. And an even nastier voice said that he was crazy if he thought he could do that. He?d tried it, hadn?t he?

?I thought you wanted to go down there and join the throng,? Han said, inwardly wincing at the desperate edge in his voice. ?You know?we could play cards, and I?ll show you how to make the best drink in the universe, and with our hero status, we could probably tempt the ladies a little.? With a sudden hint of exactly what would distract everyone from the money issue and also poke at Leia?s feelings for him, he asked casually, ?There are women in your little Alliance, right, Princess??

Leia turned scarlet and her hands tightened around her thumbs as if they?d like to tighten around something else?like his throat. Luke, watching her turn an alarming shade of red-violet, winced and sat down, cradling his head in his hand. Han grinned at her reaction and was ready to continue with his usual finesse, but something stopped him, a little s

 

Oh, Moone, that was superlative!

Gosh, there are so many favorite lines I don't know where to start. I laughed my way through the entire post--your characterization of Han Solo was just a thing of beauty!

Han Solo had left cantinas with enough women wrapped around his arms like fur stoles to know that he had whatever it took to attract a woman. He?d known about such things since his first heart-pounding kiss in the back of a closet. His elbows had been bumped by pieces of droids and hunks of discarded, twisted metal, but he had been smooth. A river through a rocky land, that was him. Han Solo. So cool that bantha milk would refuse to curdle in his mouth, but with a voice and a touch that could melt Hoth. A ladies? man and a man among men. Yeah. Women always went for the rogues.

- So...Han in those mental gyrations!

I miss having one hand busy with an ale and the other busy with a blaster instead of this crazy balancing act.

- Loved the imagery of this!

?There are women in your little Alliance, right, Princess??

- That was such a low blow, but it totally cracked me up. Once in a while Leia needs to be taken down a peg or two

?I?m surprised you don?t trip over your own ego sometimes,?

- What a great line! You go, girl!

Not to call you vain, but anyone who can manage to get their hair to look like that must be spending more time in front of the mirror than me.

- Have you ever done those buns before? I did them for Halloween one year. It really does take a Herculean effort to pin the hair in place and keep it that way.

Anyway, Moone, this story is turning into such a gem! I'm so to have something wonderful to look forward to on Mondays and Thursdays.

 

...since the last time he?d had one, he?d blacked out all night and had awoken soaking wet, wearing a pair of high heels, and with red paint smeared all over his face. Not to mention the fact that he?d somehow broken two fingers and Chewie hadn?t talked to him all week.

I laughed so loudly right when I read this. I'm so glad I was the only one home.

You write with style, Lady_Moonbeam! I can't wait til the next hour!

 

It's great to read some OT humor. Your characterizations are wonderful. I'm trying to imagine Han in high heels and rouge. *snicker*

 

HAHAHAHAHAA!!!!! Han tries soooo hard!!! Hehe I love your portrayal of him, letting Leia like him for a few seconds, then hate his guts the next second... it's like dangling a toy in front of his face

He could already see the possibility for another list forming: ?Reasons Han Solo Will Never End Up With Princess Leia (Complete With Footnotes!).?

 

?I said that I didn?t want the money,? Han said in a low voice. ?I told you that.?

?You didn?t take the money?? Luke asked, his eyes wide. ?But you said that you were sticking around to get paid.?

?Kid, you?re putting words in my mouth,? Han warned.

?I am not!? Luke objected. ?That?s what you said. It wasn?t true??

First of all: Awww! Han's finally coming 'round! He didn't want the money! Go Han!

And Luke: The "I am not!" was just priceless. I can see him perfectly clear, sitting up with that indignant look on his face. Good job.

Leia turned scarlet and her hands tightened around her thumbs as if they?d like to tighten around something else?like his throat. Luke, watching her turn an alarming shade of red-violet, winced and sat down, cradling his head in his hand.

Perfect description of the twins. I love it.

Han grinned at her reaction and was ready to continue with his usual finesse, but something stopped him, a little sharp pinprick of guilt in his side. At first, he dismissed it as indigestion, but it got worse when he started to think of a perfect thing to say next, and he rolled his eyes towards the heavens.

It just wasn?t enough that he had refused money, someone high up had to saddle him with an actual conscience?

Hehehe! Figures, doesn't it, Han? Once you meet up with the Skywalker twins, nothing will ever ever ever be the same.



He tried gamely to continue, figuring the least the higher beings could do in exchange for what he was about to say was either take away that little pickaxe of guilt in his side or make Leia fall madly in love with him. Preferably the later?he could live with a little bit of guilt. Probably.

Hehehehehe!

In case she was getting any ideas (correct ones) that he might be very interested in maintaining her company, he added, a cocky grin replacing the sincerity, ?I promise not to flirt with anyone else and make you all jealous.?

*laughs* So Han.

?I think there?s been plenty of excitement up here recently,? Luke said with a glance at Leia. ?I just like the kind that happens in parties more.?

That's right, Luke! Get out of there as quickly as you can! They're nuts, both of them!


He could already see the possibility for another list forming: ?Reasons Han Solo Will Never End Up With Princess Leia (Complete With Footnotes!).?

*giggles* That's a list I'd love to see.

And then, en masse, the crowds turned towards them and rushed, and Han nearly lost himself in a flurry of handshakes and congratulations. He tried to stick next to his friends, but Luke was quickly swept off by a particularly eager congregation of pilots, and the kid gave him a game ?What can I do?? look as he was practically carried off his feet to a table. And that left him with Leia. Alone. Alone with a thousand other people and a princess.

Poor Luke. All those people fawning over him. How will he ever cope?

I love that last line in the paragraph, how Leia stands out among all the other people. *thumbs up*



?You want a drink?? he asked, having to shout over the noise of the crowd. ?I know something worth dying for!?

?A glassful of credits?? she shouted back.

He was ready for another sharp retort, but then he noticed that she was actually smiling, and with no bitter underlying expression. That was just very slightly relaxing. She was just teasing him.

That's a great picture. I can really see what's happening in this story, Moony. Lovely job.

?Your head?? she asked.

?Hard,?

*snicker*


He hadn?t a decent mint-ale flash in years. There was actually a reason for that?since the last time he?d had one, he?d blacked out all night and had awoken soaking wet, wearing a pair of high heels, and with red paint smeared all over his face. Not to mention the fact that he?d somehow broken two fingers and Chewie hadn?t talked to him all week.

ROTFLOL! You should do more light stories, Moony. I like being able to read a story of yours and

 

Great Job-I love how you write H/L

 

Leia turned scarlet and her hands tightened around her thumbs as if they?d like to tighten around something else?like his throat.

Now see to me, that was hysterical! You just know she wants to pop him one.

The banter between them throughout was very fun and well-done.

J_Girl

 

Eeps! LadyMoonbeam, I replied to this, but I such a horrible connection last night that I guess it didn't go through... So let me try this again.

That second hour was wonderful! As LP pointed out, there were so many great lines. I love your characterizations of Han, Luke, and Leia--they're so perfect! I feel like this story is simply a missing scene.

A mint-ale: 5 credits
Parts for the Falcon: 200 credits
Han falling into the alcohol: Priceless!

Keep up the awesome story, L_M!

 

Oops, double post.

 

LadyPadme-- Congratulations again on your lovely new colors. They're spectacular.

Gosh, there are so many favorite lines I don't know where to start. I laughed my way through the entire post--your characterization of Han Solo was just a thing of beauty!

That's really sweet. I love to make people laugh, and Han is such the perfect way to do that--and I'm so glad that I've got him spot-on.

Have you ever done those buns before? I did them for Halloween one year. It really does take a Herculean effort to pin the hair in place and keep it that way.

I've never done my hair that way, but I've heard that it's such a burden to get them up that I couldn't resist playing off it.

Anyway, Moone, this story is turning into such a gem! I'm so to have something wonderful to look forward to on Mondays and Thursdays.

Thanks, LP! I know I'll look forward to your wonderful feedback.

TiaRaye--I've laughed over fics so many times that people think I'm going crazy if they're around. I'm glad you could be spared. Thanks!

RebelMom--Welcome! I love the OT with all my heart, and what with ESB coming up next in the trilogy, our characters deserve some light-heartedness. And yes, Han did some funny things while drunk.

bobill--I grinned at your description of Han and Leia's bickering. That's exactly what it's like, isn't it? Back and forth... and back and forth...

Emmi--

First of all: Awww! Han's finally coming 'round! He didn't want the money! Go Han!

I can't resist throwing in a little bit of good old Han's transformation for smuggler to nice man.

And Luke: The "I am not!" was just priceless. I can see him perfectly clear, sitting up with that indignant look on his face. Good job.

Luke's great. I love him--he's such a kid in ANH and then he grows up on his way to ROTJ. It's really kind of sad.

Perfect description of the twins. I love it.

Who doesn't love the twins? They're so much fun to write together--it's like one person split two different ways.

Figures, doesn't it, Han? Once you meet up with the Skywalker twins, nothing will ever ever ever be the same.

Everything changes around the Skywalkers!

That's right, Luke! Get out of there as quickly as you can! They're nuts, both of them!

Well, he tries, but he just gets pulled right back into the action an hour later.

That's a list I'd love to see.

Trust me, you'll probably end up seeing it.

Poor Luke. All those people fawning over him. How will he ever cope?

There are so many possibilities for a hero-worshipped Luke. I think he'd reluctantly enjoy it, but he'd be so embarrassed!

I love that last line in the paragraph, how Leia stands out among all the other people. *thumbs up*

Leia is really something else, particularly to Han. Everyone else--and then Leia.

That's a great picture. I can really see what's happening in this story, Moony.

There's probably a reason for that, and it isn't me. I have to concentrate more to write OT, so I have to keep the movies constantly in my mind. So the writing has to be visual.

You should do more light stories, Moony. I like being able to read a story of yours and not cry.

Well, I can't promise anything! But it is a nice change every once in a while, isn't it? Personally, I love a blend of drama, angst, and comedy.

*huggies*

Kab730--Thanks! I love H/L--and this is just how I see it, at least early on.

J_Girl--Oh, she wants to hurt him sometimes. Nobody can deny it! And H/L banter is just so great that I can't resist having a lot of it.

Puggy--Bad connection? I sympathize. My internet was down all night after that post--luckily, it's okay now. Missing scene? That's such a great description. I'm trying to write it like it could have just been added on after the movie was over.

A mint-ale: 5 credits
Parts for the Falcon: 200 c

 

And it's up the thread goes--since my last post somehow didn't raise it up to the front page. Weird.

 

Okay, my posts aren't raising the thread and they aren't adding to the post count in the side! What's wrong?

EDIT:


Ahh... *sighs in relief* It's working!

 

Y'know, the JC boards hate me. I replied last night, and it DIDN'T GO THROUGH. Hence, I missed the author' reply for the second time running. It takes skill to just miss them constantly.

Anyhoo, I thought it might not work, so I actually saved my reply. Woo hoo, go Sunny!

L_M- that first paragraph? Holy snap. I nearly died.

The rest was too wonderful for coherent commentaries to be made (Lord, I need to work on that), but what snapped me back to thinking was:

He could already see the possibility for another list forming: ?Reasons Han Solo Will Never End Up With Princess Leia (Complete With Footnotes!).?

Oh, L_M, I heart you dearly: And that was when he fell head-over-heels for Leia Organa.

And then he fell head-over-heels thanks to a puddle of spilled alcohol.

*dies laughing* That was PERFECT.

Yes, entirely wonderful and beyond description. I need a thesaurus for this.

 

Wow! I followed the link here from Emmi's "Landslide" and I'm very glad I did. I love the give-and-take between Han and Leia, their mutual stubbornness. The slapstick doesn't hurt either. My favorite snippet thus far is probably this:

A river through a rocky land, that was him. Han Solo. So cool that bantha milk would refuse to curdle in his mouth, but with a voice and a touch that could melt Hoth. A ladies? man and a man among men. Yeah. Women always went for the rogues.

*snort* *giggle*

Anyway, keep it up! I'll definitely be following this story.

 

Just had to say how much I'm enjoying this! Your characterizations are right on, and it's so funny. Your descriptions are so vivid, I can see it all happening just as you describe.

I'm going to be out of town for a few days, but I will catch up on this story when I return.

Kristeh

 

Oh my! Hahaha...

I told myself I'd be pasting chunks of your writing here...yep...here goes:-

Women always went for the rogues.

(One of Leia's cold reactions and...)

Well. Most women, anyway

Boom! heheh!


Yeah, I thought that Mon Mothma looked like a real choice pick

Ooooh! Priceless! That was such a riot!

That junk-heap?s worth more than you are, Princess.

Oh, classsic Han there LM

And Luke's naive comments...hahahaha. Poor kid nearly got Han into fix there.

Your Han one-liners are brilliant girl...crack me up every time!

 

Funny stuff! I enjoyed reading it and look forward to more. If Leia's upset with him, it can only mean more fireworks in hour three.

 

I love this fic! It's so cute, witty, and delightfully humorous. I look forward to more, Lady_Moonbeam. Your characterizations are spot-on, and I love reading things from Han's POV.

 

I have bad news. Like I told Puggy, my internet connection was down for a night, but then it stabilized. Now, it's down completely. Right now, I'm using an AOL connection instead of my usual one, but it's on another computer, and I don't have "Twelve Past Victory" on a floppy disc yet--so I can't post tonight, but--and here's the good news--I'll be able to get it saved tonight and then use it to post tomorrow. Also, someone's coming to my house to fix the problem next Monday, so then, things should be smooth sailing.

I can give you a little teaser from memory (it's probably slightly inaccurate, but just for fun...):

"You have ruined my drink, my dress, and my evening!"

Leia speaking, of course.

Sunshine--I heart you too. I think the first paragraph was probably my favorite of that hour, and you nailed a good bit of my other favorite spots.

Wilhelmina--Happy to see you! I'm trying to blend all kinds of humor together--slapstick, sarcastic, contradiction... nice to see you noticed.

kristeh--Thanks! I hope you have fun while you're gone, and don't worry, everything will still be here. Unless my computer does something really weird.

Jedi_Humaira_Blaine--Thanks again for the specific quotes. I know, Han is the king of one-liners. He makes writing humor so easy!

QueenofAces--Oh, there will be fireworks... there will be lots of fireworks...

Tara--Welcome! I love Han's POV, too. He has such an--interesting--"certain point of view." And it's always great to hear that I've gotten the characterizations right. And by the way, I love your sig. I'm a huge Buffy fan (and Angel, too).

 

Leia speaking, of course.

Well heaven forbid if it was Han speaking.

 

wonderful moony!!!

I wonder why she ran off so quick. . .

I think Han may be loosing his touch . . .

 

Knight-Ander--Actually, I thought about lying and saying that it was Han's line... just to cause a little hysteria...

maramijade--Aw, thanks! More on why Leia did the disappearing act later.

A bit shorter post this time--complete with moral lesson on why not to pick up girls in bars.

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The Third Hour

Of all the women he could have picked to dance with in the entire celebration, Han had to pick the one that apparently thought about nothing but what color she was going to dye her hair once. He had picked her up smoothly from the table across from where Leia and Luke sat talking, noticing her lushly purple hair and holo-star figure, which she managed to cram into an extremely tight red leather shirt and a shimmering, barely-there gold net skirt. Unfortunately, that was all he had noticed. He?d missed the silver glitter on her nails, the bright smears of orange-and-blue make-up on her face, and the high-pitched snorting giggle.

This woman is most certainly not Leia, he thought as she let out another strange noise that sounded like someone dying in a tar pit. What is she, a living decoration? And if she was, she wasn?t even a very good one. Maybe outrageous artwork, the kind before the Empire decided that paintings, like clothes and décor, needed to only come in black, grey, and dark green. Preferably without too much variation between the three, either. This girl was every color of a firework, and she smelled a little like rotting flowers. Covered in bantha droppings.

?You?re really cute!? she yelled as she bumped her hips against him and pulled back to wiggle a tightly-encased bottom in the face of an extremely irate Sullustan.

He nodded and wished someone would turn the music down so that he could hear Luke and Leia better. He had specifically chosen a spot next to their table to dance so he could hear what they were saying, and then they refused to talk loudly enough for him to hear. It was just plain inconsiderate. All the trouble he went through the eavesdrop, you?d think that they could help him out a little. It wasn?t like they were trying to keep everything a big secret anyway. You didn?t discuss high-security information in the middle of a party unless you had a desperate urge to get your top-secret papers soaked in someone?s glass of cold beer. He was resisting the urge to turn away from the twisted conversation piece he was dancing with to scream at them, ?Talk a little louder! What are you, blind? Can?t you see I?m trying to listen here??

?Look at him,? Leia said, thankfully raising her voice a notch. ?Look at that?woman he?s with! She looks like one of Palpatine?s ornaments.?

Han evaluated his dancing partner. If she looked like one of Palpatine?s infamous courtesans that flew in and out of the Imperial Court, then he felt a little sorry for the Dark Lord. All of his money and power, and the best he could do woman-wise was this living tube of lipstick?

If I ruled the universe, Han thought, I wouldn?t stamp out the Jedi, I?d stamp out any remaining collections of chartreuse mascara. There can?t possibly be a girl in the galaxy that makes that work. Well, maybe Leia. They say that love?s blind, anyway.

He took a second glance at the crusty bright green clinging to his partner?s eyelashes and reconsidered.

Well, you could say that. Or you could say the only reason love is blind is because anyone who had to look at that would pry their own eyes out after a week.

?What is she wearing, anyway?? he heard Luke ask.

?Hardly anything.? As he rotated slowly in position, the girl coming forward to glue herself against his skin, he checked Leia?s expression and was pleased to find a scowl firmly in place. She was jealous, he knew it. Who wouldn?t want to be a sparkly tinsel-toy wrapped in his arms?

So much for poetry.

But she was jealous, he could tell. Or at least supremely irritated, and it worked out to be the same thing. She was glaring at

 

Funny stuff, Lady_Moonbeam! I particularly loved the line:

"He wiped away the lipstick and found that he could actually hear Leia?s glare intensifying. It was a very interesting auditory phenomenon."

Poor Solo has a crush....awwwww!

 

haha was the flix the reason he disallowed pets in the Falcon? hahahaha poor Leia, and poor Han, choosing that dancing partner! don't know who to pity more... hehe love the humor!!!!