Star Crossed

V

Even now, when she's furious at Leia, she had to do everything she can to protect her. 

"So... tell me more about your research." Jo found herself having fun with this game. 

Lando hummed as he thought of more. "There are whispers that the two Princesses took down an entire fleet of Storm Troopers in the Bessmer System."

"Really?" Jo feigned innocence. "My, my, the stories people come up with." She shook her head in mock admiration. 

"Are you saying it's not true?" Lando paused to look her over. 

Jo tilted her head with a cunning smile. 

"Ah, you're cleaver." Lando laughed as he caught on to her game.

Jo's nose crinkled ever so slightly, creating a small divot between her eyebrows. But just as quickly she went back to her neutral expression. 

"I don't suppose you'll tell me who the real Princess is? Just to ease my curiosity." Lando placed his free hand on his chest to try and feign innocence. 

Jo gave a whole-hearted laugh as she continued walking back to the chambers. "Greater men than you have tried to get us to divulge that information, Lando Calrissian." She paused and looked to her partner. "And they have all failed."

Lando stopped just at the entrance to the chamber's corridors. "Ah, but they aren't me."

"Oh?" She raised a perfectly sculpted brow as she looked him over. "And what do you have that so many other's before you have lacked?" She found herself curious for his answer. 

"None of them have been as smooth as me." As he said it, he took Jo's hand from around his arm and lifted it gently to his lips. His mustache tickled her knuckles as he pressed his lips firmly against the back of her hand. 

Jo had to suppress a giggle at the odd sensation. 

After a breath, he lowered her hand and looked up at her through his thick eyelashes. "Han Solo reported back to his quarters after checking on his ship. I believe he is still there." He told her as he returned her hand to her side. 

"Thank you, Lando Calrissian." Jo nodded her head as a sign of respect and appreciation. 

"Please, just call me Lando." He smiled at her. "I enjoyed our talk, Princess." There was a speculating twinkle to his eyes, but Jo didn't give in. If  he wanted her to give a sign of her cover, she wasn't going to give it to him. She was far smarter than that. 

"I did too, it was very..." She looked around the hallway to try and find the appropriate word. "Enlightening." She decided as she looked back at him. 

Lando gave one last bow before he left her to her original mission. 

Jo rapped quietly on Han's door. She prayed to the heavens that he was alone, just for this one moment. That's all she needed, for him to have a second of complete solitude.

When the door opened to reveal him in all his lax glory, She gave a relieved smile.

"Can I come in?" She didn't wait for him to answer as she stepped passed him into his quarters. 

The room was almost exactly the same as hers, save for the clothes from his bag thrown on the bed. 

"What is it?" Han asked as the door zipped closed behind her. When she didn't answer right away he got worried. "Jo?" 

Han using her real name breathed a new life into her, and she turned around with a sorrowful smile. She looked between his hazel eyes and found some courage in them. It wasn't grand, but it was enough as she said, "I asked Leia to be free."