Test Flight (ficlet)
Okay, I know I SHOULDN'T be brainstorming let alone writing AU things when I still haven't watched the movies or finished the series, I apologize.
But I just was possesed by writing this funny interaction of:
"Han Solo loses all of his confidence when he needs to make a good impression for Leia's parents. Aka Padmé and no-evil-Anakin( not evil but still sharper at the edges and very serious because of the horrors)" and I figured I might as well just post it.
Word count: ~ 1k Warnings: None. (Possibly some OOC because like I said I still haven't watched the movies, although i tried my best, sorry)
It must be made clear that Han didn’t exactly agree with any of this, he wasn’t eager nor looking forward to being welcomed into Leia’s prestigious family. If anything, he would rather go on with their lives far away from Naboo’s aristocracy and what not. And for starters, he wasn’t sure he was going to be welcomed, per se.
But Leia had been insistent. And there was nothing on that planet or the whole galaxy that could change her mind. So he had no other choice but trying to look for the best of his clothes, which he suspected would get the snobbish aristocracy laughing at him.
Well, maybe not Leia’s family. She was quite an oddball, and it seemed to run in the family, as neither of her parents, or Luke, for that matter, seemed to be normal. First there was Senator Amidala, whom Han had seen just briefly and watched some of her speeches through holograms.
For an aristocrat and a senator, there were quite the wild stories of her being in the middle of an open fire; she being the one holding a gun. And second, she seemed…strangely just, for a politician, that was it.
But Senator Amidala wasn’t the one he was both intrigued and concerned (even though Luke insisted it was their mother the one in charge). Leia’s father was no other than famous, or perhaps infamous, depending on who you asked, Anakin Skywalker. Legendary war hero, retired jedi and turned aristocrat of Naboo after marrying Senator Amidala.
He was a secretive, and shady person, and Hans had never seen him, all he knew from him were among bar rumors and telltales. The only thing he was sure of, was that he was particularly adept at training his own children in his own ways, and if rumors were true, he also led some underground operation of rebels in Naboo.
But he forced himself to not believe in these. After all, Luke and Leia spoke of their father as a fairly fun guy.
As he stepped out of the speeder and looked up to appreciate the palace, he sighed. Yes, perhaps he should be more concerned about the senator than some failed jedi that fell into a scandalous affair.
He was escorted by guards through long hallways until Leia materialized at his side, seemingly from one of the upstairs. He felt as though it was easier to get lost in such a place than into any forest he had known.
“Hey,” he greeted.
“Hey,” Leia smiled and leaned closer to him to speak without being heard by the guards. “I already softened them. All you have to do it’s not make a fool of yourself for an hour or so, it should be easy even for you, right?”
“I never make a fool of myself,” he retorted with a cheeky smile.
“Huh huh.” They both turned in time when Luke appeared from other of the hallways, waving his hand and loudly greeting them
“You better don't pick up on Luke,” Leia rolled her eyes and twisted her lips as if the thought was too sugary and cheesy for someone like her. “He’s their dumb baby boy.”
“That will make things harder,” Han chuckled as they watched Luke approach.
They shared greetings and a few meaningless words before finally moving onto the dining hall. A giant room with a table several meters long.
“You don’t look relaxed,” Luke pointed out, and if Luke was pointing it out, it meant he was doing a poor job at being calm. He wasn’t even sure what was worrying about this whole ordeal. At worst, Leia’s family would forbid him from their private parties, right?
He had had no time to answer when the opposite doors opened and everyone directed their attention towards the pair now approaching them. Han squared his shoulders, while Leia and Luke did not so much as to minimally change their stances.
Senator Amidala was regal and with a long white dress adorned with different shades of golden. She held a kind smile, and her hair and makeup was remarkable. A stark contrast to how little makeup Leia would usually wear.
And at her side, towering over her for several inches; Anakin Skywalker strode in perfect coordination with his wife. He had a mild, barely noticeable limping. And if Han hadn’t trained his eyes to immediately search for weakness on anyone who enters his vision, he probably wouldn’t have ever noticed.
Skywalker’s eyes were cold and his semblance stoic. Not exactly what Hans was expecting from a retired, or more like, fired, jedi. His whole presence filled the room with certain heaviness, as if the air had become charged with static and with each step, Hans felt more and more uneasy, struggling to remain still.
“Senator, Amidala,” Han bowed his head slightly, then he turned towards the retired jedi and vacillated. How was he supposed to call him? He took several seconds to address Anakin before he could come up with something. “Mr….Amidala?”
He supposed a senator’s surname held more importance than a retired jedi’s one, right?
It seemed to be the wrong answer, though, by the way Luke scoffed and Leia turned her eyes away from him. The senator seemed amused, as she turned to look at her companion, but Anakin’s expression barely changed.
“Shall we begin our dinner?” With no amability or whatsoever, he spoke in a low, raspy voice, and Hans wondered if it was the aftermath of an old battle wound.
They all got on their respective seats and started dinner rather awkwardly. Senator Amidala would be the most talkative, prompting questions towards her children and a few directed towards Han. If it weren’t because Leia’s father wouldn’t take his icy glare away from him, it would have been a rather pleasant dinner. He figured it would be best if he was the one to start the conversation with Skywalker.
“I heard you’re a skilled mechanic, sir-”
“How old are you?” General Skywalker cut in dryly as he started cutting his steak.
Han hesitated, pondering his options. He could always lie…But given Anakin Skywalker’s reputation, he wouldn't be surprised if the man could somehow read minds as well.
“Twenty five,sir,” he answered simply.
"I see..." He answered emotionlessly and then carried his eyes towards Leia, who , if anything, seemed mildly curious, rather than intimidated. "Perhaps you should be socializing with people of your age, instead of chasing after older people, don't you think, youngling?"
Leia's brows joined together in an offended glare. However, the corner of the retired general curved upwards; bordering into a smile. Senator Amidala, however, was rather obvious, as she brought her glass of wine towards her lips in an attempt to hide a mischievous smile.
“I don’t chase,” Leia let out an airy huff and held her father’s gaze. “They all get into a line and I choose.”
“What line? Hans is the only one who could stand you,” Luke raised his voice, and it was hard to understand if his question was serious or he was merely attempting to rile up Leia.
“I fought all the others in the line, actually,” Han smiled with a wink, hoping his intervention would avoid any argument between the siblings.
“Cute,” Senator Amidala smiled, approving of Han’s sense of humor. She turned her attention onto her husband with a raised eyebrow. “Do you have a problem with your steak, dear?”
General Skywalker’s eyes shone with a hint of amusement for a heartbeat before his expression returned to cold stone as he looked down at his plate; he had already run out of parts to cut. “Yes. Insipid…” He returned to glare at their guest. “Dull.”
“Do you want mine, pa’?” Luke offered, probably breaking every single dining rule known to aristocracy.
“No, Luke.”
Han shifted on his chair and tried to focus on eating; the faster they finished dinner, the faster he could run away from Anakin’s unbearable deadly look.
Leia cleared her throat, leaning towards his father, who immediately turned all of his attention onto her.
“Dad, I bet you didn’t know Han is a pilot.”
Anakin hummed, considering this and then landed his seemingly eternal glare back onto Han.
“I did not. Is that true?”
Leia turned her face to Han and gestured, twisting her mouth as she spoke silent words. Words that Han didn’t understand, not even a single one. He frowned as he tried to piece the words together until he realized Anakin’s impatient hum.
“Yes…Sir. I’m.”
“Are you good?” Anakin pressed, reaching with his robotic arm a glass of wine.
Han raised his chin with a wide and confident smile. “The best.”
The general’s expression changed, as he stopped mid-drink and lowered his glass. He curled his lips into an authentic cocky smile. Strangely enough, the smile of someone who’s used to laughing and playing around, and it made him appear almost like a different person.
“Oh, really?” He scoffed, leaning against the back of his chair. “Let’s have a race, then.”
Han blinked, unsure about what to answer. He looked for Leia’s guidance and help, but she had her head turned towards her parents.
“Ani,” Senator Amidala gave her husband a look.
“He says he’s the best, I wanna know if he’s lying.” He shrugged. “If he didn’t lie, there’s nothing to fear.”
“We’re having dinner.”
“We just finished dinner, m’ lady,” he gave a quick glance at Luke and Leia’s plates to point out his words. Then landed his eyes on Han. “So, what do you say…Mr. Solo?”
He supposed he would rather show off his skills at piloting (even if it meant to embarrass Leia’s father in a race) than to stay any single minute at this horrid frivolous dinner. He put down his fork and jumped onto his feet.
“It will be my pleasure.”
Following his movements, the retired jedi rose up from his seat almost as if the frivolous dinner was just as annoying to him as it was to Hans. He pulled away his cloak in a swift movement and pulled his hair away from his face.
Senator Amidala shook her head, but there was the faintest amused smile in her lips as she rose up as well and glanced at the twins.
“We'll need good seats.”
23 notes
·
View notes