bottleneck | ▌│█║▌║▌║ open post ║▌║▌║█│▌

Listen, I'm not the one that whipped out some Jedi relic in public! [ and he's standing in front of bria fully now, her hands on his arms to keep him from moving forward, and he's keeping the shout down in volume as much as he's able.

beside leia, the older han tenses and feels a strange version of jealousy rear up and then diminish. ]

[ one of leia's many façades falls into place, this one being that of the rebel leader who stood before squadrons of pilots and sent them off on missions she knew a good portion of them wouldn't come back from. the one whose face was all hard lines and sharp angles, who spoke words that were hard, cold, and firm. the gaze that's now trained on the younger han and his redhead companion has made battle-hardened men twice her size wilt under the force of her scrutiny. ]

I advise you to refrain from commenting on that which you don't understand, Solo.

[ much like with the exhultation, young han's reaction to that is to get angry enough that it doesn't have an appreciable effect on him. ]

I understand that you're crazy.

[ han, her han, watches her with the usual admiration. only this time it's tempered by the fact that she's doing this to another him and not some idiot recruit. ] Fine, don't believe her. How do you explain me? ...Us? [ said with an awkward gesture between him and his younger self. bria squeezes her han's arms, gentle and reassuring, and he's (finally) at a loss for what to say to that. ]

[ leia takes a dangerous step forward, but the threat she poses is entirely that of the rebel princess the alliance and empire alike had grown to fear and respect, not an heir to the legacy of the jedi. ]

And I don't have time to deal with a snot-nosed teenager with an ego the size of Oovo, hot air and all.

Edited 2015-08-27 04:37 (UTC)

[ well, it's enough to keep him quiet for now. bria, for her part, watches leia intently, if only because she knows what this means. she and han don't last, but han and this woman, this princess, do. she's already making a mental catalog of similarities and differences, already filing leia away under 'probably not addicted to t'landa til exultation.'

for his part, the younger han is too confused (and a little brow-beaten) to wonder about his future relationship status. ]

We done arguing now? Because I'd like to get out of here, and I'm pretty sure if you get shot [ as he points to his younger self before pointing back at his own chest. ] I'm gonna have a real bad day.

[ definitely not addicted to that sort of thing, but she comes with her own unique set of baggage and various issues she needs to work on. ]

Don't even suggest that. [ she shoots a pointed look over her shoulder at the elder han, as if saying such a thing out loud would plant an idea in some invisible force's head and make that one of its goals. ] If Winter is the heir to the Alderaanian throne in my place, then it's safe to say that this is an entirely different future than the one we're accustomed to. [ maybe it was the result of their actions in the past, maybe not, but-- ] If that happens, it may not affect you. But I would really rather not take the risk.

[ considering their luck with the universe, that might be exactly what happens, so han isn't going to argue the point. ]

Let's just get out of here, first, and we can figure the rest out later.

[ there's a suggestion pressing at the back of his mind to have her reach out for anakin, but they can discuss the possibility of darth vader when they're somewhere else. he looks to the younger han, and then bria. then he wishes he hadn't and shakes his head. ]

We've got the navigation units. It'll make finding our way back out easier for us and more complicated for them. [ which will be good, though the younger han isn't entirely sure why he's so on board with this now. probably that sensation of kinship to himself, in addition to not wanting to be shot. ]

[ leia's thought about doing as much, but the fear of coming across something she won't like has her holding back. maybe she'll find her father in some alliance cell, taking up a mantle as one of the leaders of the rebellion, but she's terrified of coming across vader. she worked so hard to prevent him from falling to the dark side. it would be a devastating blow to see that no matter what changed, he would always wind up dark and twisted.

sensing han's discomfort, leia reaches back to take one of his hands in hers. ]

And I'll keep an eye on them in Force, make sure they aren't trailing after us. [ she wasn't very good at keeping her focus trained on non-force sensitives, but ensuring they weren't shot to pieces would be well worth the headache. ]

[ the older han squeezes her hand and nods to himself as the younger version moves to be ready to open the door. ]

So, down we go. [ he turns to leia and tries for a smirk, but it ends up looking more like a grimace. ] There's a second first time for everything, I guess.

Calm down before you hurt yourself, hotshot.

[ while she appreciates the attempt at humor in a dire situation, she'd rather you focus on your younger self and that girl he has with him. ]

On the count of three. One, two, three--

[ the han at the door almost argues about why does it have to be the count of three, but he doesn't have much chance so he opts for looking annoyed instead as he grabs bria's hand, fingers laced with hers, and swings the door open.

the mob is gone for now, but this is the time for a hurried exit to a lift going as far down as they can manage. and then find another one going a little further. ]

Let's go-- [ say both hans, in concert with one another, which is just creepy. bria looks more uneased than ever, and the younger han settles on looking violently annoyed as he rushes out the door so leia and the older version of himself can follow behind. ]

[ creepy, indeed, but leia doesn't have time to be bothered about it. whatever sort of jealousy and possessiveness bubbles up in response to seeing how protective the younger is of that girl is squashed in tandem. leia strains, focusing on the other lifeforces around them, wobbling on her feet and reaching out to grip han's arm for support when she has to suggest from afar that the guard that was about to come their way turn around and head back the way in which he came. ]

[ the wobbling is concerning. doubly so when han realizes bria and his younger self have gotten much further ahead of them and don't appear to be waiting for them to catch up.

so, the only logical thing to do is for han to pick leia up and run that much faster. maybe like this she can focus on whatever the hell it is she's doing that's making her wobble like she just tumbled out of a quulaar. ]

Hold the lift!

[ Leia yelps indignantly when he scoops her up into his arms, but manages to resist the urge to bonk him on the head with the butt of her lightsaber's hilt. If only because the risk of him dropping her and the commotion that would cause was too great. She managed to make that guard think he was needed in another area. The last they needed was him coming back -- or worse, more of them deciding they needed to investigate the pitter-patter of footsteps coming from this hallway.

one hand fists tightly in the fabric gathered at his shoulder, while the other remains wrapped around the pummel of her lightsaber. ]

[ bria nearly lets the door close on them, hoping maybe that she and her han can get away from them and the danger they present. and the future they keep showing as inevitable.

she doesn't, though, keeping it open long enough for them to get inside so they can go down a few levels. ]

Shouldn't have to go all the way to the ground. [ it's the older han talking, hands tight around leia as if she'll tumble out of his arms if he doesn't keep his grip. ] Just enough to get by unnoticed. Then we come back up a few bridges over.

[ he's obviously done this before, but the han with his hand in bria's hasn't yet, and he's not entirely sold on this plan of action. ] I can't spend half the day running around with you just so I can get shot at again. [ there are places he needs to be, money he needs to collect, and a new life to get started on. and this is just too crazy for him to commit to right now, sorry. ]

[ had bria actually done that, leia would have personally seen to grabbing a fistful of that red hair of hers and slamming her face repeatedly into the deckplating. as it is, the woman is getting a stern, almost threatening look from the jedi princess in the elder han's arms, daring her to make a move.

just give her a reason, bria. ]

And I can't risk you doing something stupid and obliterating him [ han gets a good heel to the ribs ] from the timeline. Look, I bought us twenty minutes. Half an hour, max. That guard's gone for now, but he'll return once he realizes he wasn't really summoned to another area.

[ for what it's worth, bria is desperate. she needs han, doesn't leia see that? weren't jedi peaceful and perceptive? celibate? after everything she's been through, she needs han, and this woman is in his (another his) arms acting as if she's got rights.

her grip on the younger han's hand tightens and she sets her mouth into a deep frown. ] We aren't stupid. We'll have to split eventually anyway--

[ and it's her han that's shushing her, squeezing her hand back to reassure even though he's shaking his head. ] I want to figure out what's going on before we do anything else.

[ the older han just watches, feeling nothing like nostalgic for what he's seeing and very much grateful he's got leia in his arms where she can't do much damage. ]

[ almost hesitantly, leia reaches out with the force -- searching, looking, trying to find anything that feels like...

but she doesn't. there's nothing. she catches a glimpse of familiar darkness that she's certain belongs to the emperor, but retreats before she can touch it. before she can identity the other dark presence accompanying him that very much isn't her father. anakin skywalker or darth vader.

it has her frowning and shifting to ease herself out of hans arms and back to her feet. she remains close. ]

Han, he's not out there. [ she steals a glance at the other han and bria. of their clasped hands. ] Either of them. I don't think any Skywalkers are left in this time.

[ beside her, han's stomach drops and turns slightly as he puts an arm around leia's shoulders. that's not the news he'd hoped to hear. ]

Skywalkers? [ the younger han is confused, and then thinks better of letting that make him sound too irate. ] I only know the one.

[ bria squeezes his hand a little and looks at both of them, suddenly at least a little sympathetic. ] There was a man named Skywalker that was killed at the end of the Clone Wars.

Anakin Skywalker.

[ murmured. she feels numb, like this can't be happening. death ought to be a better alternative than what had happened to the anakin skywalker in her original timeline, but it didn't feel better. it felt empty. like a great, big black void that couldn't be filled. and with anakin dead, his twins (presumably) having never been born-- ]

And now I'm the only one. [ nvm that she claimed she was an organa, the princess of alderaan not twenty minutes ago... ]

[ her han moves instinctively, holding her tight and firm with his mouth pressed against the top of her head. he almost says something like, 'you've still got me,' but that will just remind her that eventually she might not. it's bad enough he can imagine how anakin had gone, with palpatine's anger and penchant for public displays of terror.

but there's something else, too, and he looks up at bria and the younger han. ] What about Amidala? The senator?

[ bria looks confused for a moment, then the younger han picks it up. ] You mean the rogue senator. Last I heard she was running from planet to planet trying to cut into Imperial communication lines with a bunch of defectors.

[ he doesn't need to say it; she knows she still has him, and she refuses to entertain thoughts of him leaving her. if han were to vanish, that would leave her alone in this twisted, backwards version of the timeline with a younger version of himself who is far more into redheads than he is brunettes. alone without a single member of--

her han asks and the other one answers. she lifts her head off the elder's chest to peer at the younger with wide, questioning eyes. ]

Amidala? Padmé Amidala?

[ her father was dead, but her mother was apparently alive. ]

[ the younger han nods, and bria relegates herself to the background, simmering jealousy and all. ] Yeah, from Naboo.

[ he doesn't understand the connection at all, beyond that these two are probably rebels and worth ten times the trouble they've already gotten into. ten times the trouble this young man needs if he wants to get into the imperial academy and make something decent of himself.

beside leia, the older han is very much relieved. ] That's the one. [ and before he can make some joke about it, or reassure leia that they'll go and they'll get padmé, the lift comes to an abrupt stop at the lowest level it has access to, and he leads their way out instead. careful to keep leia close and bria away as much as he's able. ]

[ something like honesty bubbles up within her. the truth -- the actual truth -- but as she opens her mouth to let the words out ] Amidala. I'm her dau-- [ the lift stops and the doors part. han's leading her out before she has time to finish, but she can't help but glance back at the young one.

and bria. her gaze narrows, but she knew better than to focus on her jealous and misdirect her frustration at someone who probably didn't deserve it. yet. ]

[ no time for familial revelations right now.

(bria watches leia just as intently, despairingly. she misses the exultation as sharply now as she did the day han took her off ylesia, and seeing this vision of a future she isn't a part of just makes the yawning mouth of emptiness her newfound freedom has given her that much more vast and inescapable.)

the older han takes the lead, following gut instinct to go over and across, passing three more lifts before settling on another one going down. ]

PICK YOUR POISON
PIC PROMPTS / TFLN / RANDOM SCENARIO
HAN SOLO velocities	BETTY MCRAE bombsheller	RIVER TAM subsulcus	RIVER TAM (AU) comprehender
SIMON TAM vest	BRIA THAREN exulted	NADINE CROSS bridaled	GU JUN-PYO toddler
available on special request: veronica sawyer, benjamin linus, imani, maria deluca, mushu, poseidon, niccolò machiavelli, malik al-sayf, chloe

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