Edges of the World

Chapter 32

Leia had hoped that Luke would join her as she had practiced her forms under Uncle Obi's gentle tutelage, but he had avoided the training room all morning. She did not know why she had expected him to be in the mess instead, when she finally took a break to grab some breakfast.

When she finally found the room, and once more placed her tray of food at an empty table, she still was no closer to figuring out where Luke was.

There was a clatter as someone dropped their tray next to her, and she turned slightly to see Sana slumping over her food, scowling and rubbing her head.

"Shouldn't have had that last drink last night. I think I'm getting old," Sana muttered, by way of greeting.

Leia grinned at her, "that might just be it, because I feel fine. Woke up early and got some exercise even."

"Yeah yeah, rub it in don't ya. If I was 20 I'd be able to get away without a headache too." She sighed, shifting in her seat. "Hey uh, I dunno if you actually meant it last night or what, but if you're serious about contacting Chelli, I can make that happen."

Chelli? Who... Oh! Right, Sana's ex, the one who used to work with Darth Vader. The woman who, from the sound of it, might be able to help Leia piece together more information about just what her father's life really was like in this dimension.

Leia nodded, "yeah, I think contacting her would be a good idea."

Sana laughed, sharp and bitter, "no, it really isn't. Talking with her is the opposite of a good idea."

"Oh come on, how bad can she be?"

Sana stared at Leia, raising her brows slightly as she did. "Let's just say you even entertaining the idea of talking to her has actually convinced me of that alternate dimension story of yours," Sana shook her head, "the Princess would never do that, and with good reason. Chelli... well let's just say she doesn't play well with others."

"Yet you used to date her?"

"Yeah, we met back when we were both at the University of Bar'leth," Sana said with a shrug. Leia hadn't been expecting that, for this spacer to have once attended such a respected institute of higher learning.

Were many smugglers and bounty hunters similarly well educated, or was that a unique quirk of this particular universe, or just Sana herself?

Sana sighed, slouching back in her seat, "Not much to tell when it comes to how Chelli and I got together. As Han likes to point out, I have real awful taste in women."

Leia knew Sana didn't want to contact her ex, that even considering it was a huge favor she was reluctantly doing for her, and her heart swelled with affection for the spacer.

Last night she had overheard both Sana and Han describe themselves as bad people, just there for the money, heartless mercenaries with no care for the Rebellion itself.

Leia couldn't square that with what she had seen from either of them in her time here. They both had proven to be true friends, and deeply concerned with tending to the needs of the people around them.

She wondered how she would be able to pay Sana back for this favor, to display how much she really appreciated this willingness to get back in touch with a person she clearly wanted nothing more to do with, just because Leia asked it of her.

Leia realized that she didn't actually know that much about the other woman. She wanted to correct that.

Establishing a real friendship with her would be worth it, no matter how short their time knowing each other might be.