Part 10 (1/2)
Chewie shook his head and launched into a long per-oration on females of any species who regarded males as prizes to be won. He cautioned Han that his sister, Kallabow, had decided in much the same way that she intended to marry Mahraccor. However, Chewie said, Kallabow had been cleverer about it than Salla. She'd merely given Mahraccor plenty of chances to realize that he loved her, Kallabow, until one day he'd done ex-actly that. They were very happy, Chewie pointed out.
”Well, that ain't what's gonna happen to me, pal,” Hah said caustically. ”You know, I'm startin' to get mad, Chewie. She doesn't care what I want-she doesn't even want to know what I want. That's no way to make someone fall for you and want to marry you.” Chewie vociferously agreed.
The next night, Hah spoke to Lando in a smoky bar at one of the big Nar Shaddaa casinos. The gambler shook his head the moment Hah brought the subject up. ”Han. . .Han . . . she~ dead serious about this, you know. When she told me about it, I started to laugh-'cause I know you, pal!--and Salla just about decked me.”
”I know she's serious,” Han said, morosely. ”Blast it, Lando, I don't want to marry her-I don't want to marry anybody! Ever, maybe! I like being single, and I like be-ing able to do what I want, when I want, with whoever I want to!”
”Easy, pal,” Lando cautioned, and Hah realized his voice had scaled up to the point where other patrons of the' drinking establishment were looking over at him. He took a hasty gulp of his Alderaanian ale.
”Well, have you tried telling her how you feel?”
Lando asked.
”Yeah, a couple of times, now. She just dismisses me. I'll say, 'Salla, this isn't a good idea, I need time to think about this,' or even, 'Salla, I ain't interested in gettin' married now,' but it doesn't do a bit of good.” ”What does she say when you say that?”
”She just tosses it off. Says things like, 'don't worry, Han, men 'always feel like that. It's perfectly normal to have pre-wedding jitters.'”
Lando sighed so gustily that his mustache quivered. ”That's tough, pal,” he said. ”She sounds like she's set-tled on getting married to you as a good way to fix up her life. She lost her s.h.i.+p, but she's going to gain a husband.”
”She wants me to quit the business and leave Nar Shaddaa. Says we can be like Roa and Lwyll, sta~ a new life doing something else. No more smuggling.”
Lando shuddered. ”Honest work? That's awful!” The gambler was only partly joking.
Han drained his stein of 'ale and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ”Lando, what am I gonna do? I ain't gonna marry her, that's for sure. But I can't be mean enough to her to tell her in a way that will make her listen.”
Lando frowned. ”That's a tough one. Seems to me, the way Salla's acting, she's just asking to be set down. But Han... you can't wait. She told me she's setting the wedding for next week.”
Han sat bolt upright. ”Next week? Oh, no... Lando, no way!”
Lando nodded. ”You've gotta tell her, Han.”
”But she won't listen!”
”What else can you do?”
Han's features hardened with determination. ”I can leave, that's what. I've been meaning to spend some time in the Corporate Sector, look up a master stars.h.i.+p tech named Doc. Seems like now is a good time for that trip.”
”Corporate Sector's quite a ways away.”
”Yeah. And Salla doesn't have a s.h.i.+p, so she can't possibly follow me. Besides, if I just leave, that'll give her the message, clearer than anything I could say. And I'm doin' it right away, Lando. Tomorrow.”
”That quick?” Lando was taken aback. ”Why so fast?”
”Why stick around?” Hah asked. ”I'll go see Jabba tomorrow morning, tell him I'm headin' out for a while and don't know when I'll be back. Besides . . .” he sighed, ”I care about Salla. I don't want her spendin' her credits on a wedding that ain't gonna happen. So the quicker I go, the more she'll save.”
”She's going to be mad,” Lando said.
”I know,” Hah agreed bleakly. ”And I wish it didn't have to be like this. She should have some respect for me, not be so hard-headed. If there was another way around this, I'd take it, but I can't think of anything. No matter what I do or say, Salla's gonna get hurt.”
”You could knuckle under and marry her,” Lando said, c.o.c.king an amused eyebrow.
Han shook his head. ”Lando, I'd sooner kiss Jabba.”
Lando sputtered with laughter until he nearly fell off his barstool.
”I ain't losing my freedom,” Han said grimly. ”Salla will get over this. Yeah, she'll be mad. Yeah, she'll probably never speak to me again. I'm sorry about that, but not sorry enough to stick around. I'd sooner micro-jump through the Maw.”
Lando shrugged, offered his hand. ”Going to miss you, pal.”
”C'mon along,” Han suggested, shaking it. ”Chewie and I could use a hand.” ”What about Jarik?”
Han made a dismissive gesture. ”The kid won't be coming, I'm almost certain. Shug's payin' him more than I can afford to, and he's so hung up on that girl he can't see straight. No way he'd be up for a long trip.” ”True,” Lando said. ”First love... isn't it sweet?”
Han rolled his eyes, then the two of them laughed.
”So.,. you comin'?” Hah prodded.
”Not me,” Lando said. ”I've got to put in some time on the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p lot. Since Roa left, I've been through one manager after another, and I caught the last one skimming.”
”Great,” Hah shook his head. ”Well, I'll miss you, Lando. You watch your back, now, pal.”
”You too.”
Han spent one last night with Salla, but she was so wrapped up in her plans that she didn't even notice how grimly silent he was.
Just before they turned in, Han looked at her and said, ”Salla. ] . I wish you'd asked me before planning all this. I ain't the marrying kind of guy.”
She laughed. ”All men think that, Hah... until they get married. Remember Roa? He said 'all along he'd never do it, then he did, and you never saw anyone hap-pier. That's the way men are.”
”Not this guy,,' Han said, but Salla only laughed. The next morning, Hah went by his place and had ZeeZee pack up his clothes (it didn't take long, Han never had many clothes) into an old backpack. Then he and Chewie went out to the Millennium Falcon's land-ing pad atop one of the tall buildings of Nar Shaddaa.
Jarik turned up to see them off. Hah hadn't told any-one but Lando and the youth that he was going. Jarik held out his hand, and when Hah shook it, blurted, ”Now I wish I was going! Come back rich, Han! Chewie, you take care of him, okay?”
Han slung an arm around the young man's shoulders, shook him playfull~ Chewie gave him a Wookiee head-rub that made the kid yelp. ”You take care (ff yourself, Jarik,” Hah said. ”Don't let ZeeZee drive you crazy. And... take my advice, kid. Have fun, but remember: IfDn too young to get married, y~m are definitely too young!” Jarik laughed. ”I'll remember than, Han!”
”So long, kid. Take it easy.”
Mirlutes later, with Nar Shaddaa behind them, Han keyed his corem system for a holo message. Quickly he gave Salla~ name and codes, then instructed Message Central to ”hold” the message for two hours. By that time he'd be long gone.
When the message sign'tied it was ready to ”record” Hah cleared his throat self-consciously. ”Hi, Salla,” he said. 'Tin sorry it had to be like this, but by the time you get this, Chewie and me will be gono. I tried to talk to you, but you just wouldn't listen.”
He hesitated, took a deep breath. ”Salla, you're a great lady, but I'm just not ready to get married~to anyone. So try not to take it personally, okay? I think we need a break from each other. I'll be back someday. Try not to be too mad, Salla. I'm just doing what I have to. You take care of yourself, Salla, and say goodbye to Shug and Mako for me.”
Chewbacca grunted insistently, and Han said, ”Oh, and Chewie says goodbye, too. Stay well, Salla. Be happy.”
Reaching out, he hit the ”transmit” b.u.t.ton, and then slumped back in Iris seat. ”Whew! That was worse than a dozen Runs, pal.”
Chewbacca agreed that things of that nature were never easy.
Han nodded. ”Okay, pal. And, speakin' of marriage, I think before we light out for the Corporate Sector, you and Mallatobuck deserve a little second honeymoon. So set course for Kashyyyk.”