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As far as Luke's concerned, Han and Leia don't know -- because they weren't around any of the times Luke got innocent people killed, consciously chose to do things knowing there would be awful consequences. The only people who were there are now hurtling through deep space or dead.

If he were honestly looking for the truth, Han and Leia would've (or at least should've) been involved. But the need to hire an investigator came from something else, deeper and less easily articulated: what he's really looking for, deep down, is someone to punish him, and Geptun seemed like the most likely candidate to make that a reality.

"I think they're going to get it," he says stubbornly, "whether they do or not."

Han isn't unfamiliar with this. He remembers, very clearly, how Leia was (is) about Alderaan. Something in her pushing her forward into battle after battle, the way her eyes got when she'd see other survivors... Skywalkers and their need to have someone punish them is something he's dealt with before, and he knows no amount of saying it isn't Luke's fault will change it.

His expression doesn't exactly soften, but the angry looming dies down a little as he looks Luke over.

"What are you really doing this for?"

You don't paint a tin can and tell a Jawa it's a droid, and you don't present a distressed Skywalker to Han and expect him to believe the first explanation they give him.

There's a long, long moment where it seems like he might start yelling; and then, all at once, he deflates.

"Have you heard how people are talking about it? Ackbar called Mindor a victory. Everyone did."

A regrettable loss of life, clearly the fault of the villain Luke Skywalker vanquished. As cleanly as that, people have already found ways to adjust the story to something prettier, to what they want to believe. To continue their fairytale of the great hero who doesn't even exist.

"Because they don't like calling anything a loss."

It's something he had learned early on in his military career. Either it was a win or it was a loss, and as long as you didn't retreat while there were still concussion missiles to launch, they liked the sound of 'victory.'

Especially true for a new government, a new military. Any battle they walk away from and don't call a victory is going to make every idiot warlord thing they have a shot at taking everything over. Or at least a little corner of the galaxy where they can play Emperor of the Castle with whatever cronies they manage to keep around.

Han puts a hand out to put on Luke's shoulder, then seems to think better of it and shake his head as it drops to his side.

"You can't do this to yourself, kid."

He knows. If it'd happened to someone else, if that burden of guilt weren't crushing him so thoroughly, he'd even point that out himself. Perceptions have a lot of power, both for good and bad. What hurts so much is how much perceptions of him have become wound up in the New Republic propaganda and their determination to have a grand, larger than life figure. No one becomes a rebel for the glory, and that goes for him as much as anyone else; he'd always wanted to make a difference, strike back against the cruel, indifferent Empire. Destroying the Death Star all those years ago was revenge as much as any idealistic dreams. Becoming a Jedi was to topple the dreaded Vader and his Emperor, try to follow the footsteps left by family legacy. Endor had been bad enough, with all the rumors about what happened aboard the second Death Star (which Blackhole had used to his advantage), but to see the same happening after Mindor is unbearable.

Luke sighs, shaking his head, moving to collapse into one of the chairs and burying his face in his hands.

"I can't do this at all. Any of this. If I have to hear one more person calling me a hero --"

Edited 2015-09-10 02:46 (UTC)

"Then go somewhere they won't."

At some point, Han will have to admit that just running from problems wasn't the best solution. But right now, it's the only one he can think of. Maybe not run to somewhere that no one will call him a hero, but somewhere that will call him a hero for a better reason than they were doing here. A reason that isn't Mindor, has nothing to do with darkness or Darkness.

Slowly, as if he's approaching a wounded animal, Han steps over and puts a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Or just stop listening."

Running isn't exactly in Luke's nature, even when it's only in his head. If it were, he might've actually been firm in his decision to resign instead of letting himself get talked into a promotion. The simple insinuation that he would be doing the New Republic a disservice by leaving wouldn't have bothered him so much.

He only deflates further when he feels Han's hand on his shoulder, like it weighs a lot more than it really does, and shudders out a sigh.

Both options seem impossible: there's nowhere to go, and to stop listening would involve blocking out pretty much everyone except Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids.

Running might not be in Luke's nature, but Han is more than skilled enough in it for the both of them. The kid needs rest, real rest, something far away from Coruscant and the New Republic and --

"C'mon," and he squeezes Luke's shoulder. "We're going."

No arguments, no packing. It's not like they haven't shared clothes before, or left somewhere in a hurry. He can comm Leia on the way to the Falcon so she doesn't worry.

Force abilities or no, Han's abrupt plan doesn't occur to him as a possibility. His sincerity is palpable, obvious, but Luke's no mind reader. At best, he assumes his friend is going to track down Geptun and make Luke call him off, or maybe just take him to Leia, or even to some kind of audience with Ackbar or someone else in the New Republic. For all he knows, they might've asked Han to come get him anyway; his resignation is, right now, sentiment only -- he's officially one of their generals.

"Now?"

Despite the complaint, he stirs, lifting his face from his hands and moving as though to stand.

"Yeah, now."

He's already walking toward the door, grabbing a a coat of Luke's on the way (is Bakura cold? he can't remember) and waiting with a small amount of patience at the door. Let Geptun keep nosing around, now that Han knows it isn't official he doesn't seem to care as much. The more worrying issue is the kid in front of him.

His eyebrows lift when Han takes of his coats, but Luke doesn't protest. Han's clearly serious about wherever it is he wants them to go, and maybe there isn't any harm in a short visit somewhere. Or maybe he's just too exhausted to argue.

"We're not going back to Hoth, are we?" he asks, following along to the door.

What he thinks of that is writ plainly on Han's face. Mostly, how dare Luke suggest he'd drag them both there.

"Not unless you think it'll help."

And they're out and away, headed toward the docks. "I've gotta take care of something. If you're not at the Falcon when I get there, I'm sending Chewie after you."

Luke reflects that there's probably no one there anymore, which would be superior to Coruscant or anywhere else. In terms of his likelihood of running into anyone who might get going about holothrillers or his reputation, anyway. He lets Han lead him partway to the docks, but stops at that brisk dismissal.

"And what do you think is going to help?"

Where could they possibly be going in such a hurry?

He walks backward a few paces to look at Luke.

"C'mon, kid, don't you trust me?"

The point is less where right now. Bakura might work, but maybe Kashyyyk to see Chewbacca's family. Anywhere away from the madness on Coruscant or the obligations to the New Republic.

"Just get to the Falcon. I won't be long."

He's sorely tempted to make a sharp retort, but the fact is that there's no one in the galaxy he trusts more than Han, Leia, or Chewie. If Han really thinks there's somewhere he can take Luke that'll make things better, then...well, Luke might need to see it to believe it, but he'll follow Han until he does.

"Fine."

And in a rare display of perfect obedience, actually heads in the direction of the Falcon.

At least he still trusts someone. Han goes his own way, then heads back for the Falcon. Not fast enough to set a record, but not taking his time either. By the time he gets back, he's got clearance codes, semi-viable excuses for their absence, and a promise to Chewie that they'll stop at Kashyyyk before going anywhere else.

"Ready to go, kid?"

He better be, because Han is headed straight for the pilot's chair. The sooner they're off the ground the harder it'll be for Luke to change his mind.

"Would you actually stop," Luke asks reflectively, "if I said no?"

He's not saying no, for the record, but as Han gets the Falcon warmed up and off the ground with all the hurry as if they were leaving a battlefield and not just Coruscant -- well, he can't really help wondering.

Han shrugs as the Falcon lifts up.

"I'd consider it."

Or at least make a show of considering it. At this point he's certainly not slowing down.

As Luke sinks into a passenger's seat, he's all to aware of Chewbacca in front of him, shoulders shaking as he barks out a laugh at Han's and his antics. Thanks, Chewie.

"You'd consider it? That's nice of you."

"Well," and he turns just enough to give Luke a look, "considering you're hiring people to investigate yourself, I don't really trust your judgement."

Outrage flits across Luke's expression, and he even opens his mouth before seeming to think better of it. Instead, he crosses his arms with a frown and leans back in his seat.

Chewie continues to regard them with amusement, growling a comment that manages to be sympathetic to the both of them.

Something along the lines of 'Keep your eyes forward,', in a very rough translation.

A direction Han follows begrudgingly but without actual complaint, like an oddly patient toddler. Then he sighs as he punches coordinates into the navigation computer and prepares to start the hyperdrive.

"Look, you needed to get away from all that, and you can't tell me you would've gone yourself. So just try to enjoy the ride, okay?"

"You still haven't said where we're going," Luke points out with no small degree of pettiness.

Not very appropriate to the last of the Jedi, or a galaxy-known Jedi, or any sort of Jedi at all; he sounds a lot more like a farm boy from a backwater planet right at that moment, asking if Han's rusty old bucket can actually outrun Imperials or make jumps to hyperspace in time after all. Swap out all the black for something more Tatooine, and he'd probably almost look the part too.

"Kashyyyk," which is true, and Chewie lets out a mewling kind of growl as if to say damn right we are.

The resemblance to the Old Luke in the moment is reassuring. There's no way any of them can go back to being what they'd been before all of this, but they're allowed to have moments of regression. Han likes to think it makes the rest of what they have to do easier.

"Not sure where after that, but I owe Chewbacca some time with the family, and you could use some fresh air." And getting carried around in a quulaar.

He's still frowning at Han, but Chewie's corroboration is pretty hard to argue with. Luke doubts they could go anywhere else after an announcement like that, but he guesses he can see why Han would've thought it a good idea for them to go there. He's never actually been to Kashyyyk personally, nor met Chewbacca's family, and it's a pretty good bet for an inhabited planet where people aren't likely to bring up his reputation much. Or the holothrillers. So he relaxes back into his seat a fraction, even though his arms are still crossed.

"How long's it been since you've been back, Chewie?"

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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
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