"I am very impressed with your security forces, Your Highness," Ambassador San'teefa told Leia when she joined them in the top chamber. "I have heard a lot about their prowess in the security of Alderaan but have never met any. They look very effective."

"They are, Ambassador." Leia raised her eyebrows affirmatively as she took a welcome seat on a decorative and very comfortable looking wood framed sofa.

"This is all highlighting how sadly lacking we are on Cato Neimoidia in security or policing of any sort. We are rather powerless to tackle this serious issue ourselves. Perhaps that's why we were chosen as a location. No eyes will be pointing in our direction." The Ambassador looked a little lost. "My lack of knowledge in military matters doesn't help.  I really need to appoint someone who can advise us - a liaison between government and military, perhaps, who can be oversee the setting up of something like you have formed on Alderaan." He indicated outside to the courtyard and the peacekeepers. "Perhaps you would consider advising me in the short term, Your Highness."

His dark grey, leathery skin and huge red eyes didn't give any facial clues as to his feelings and Leia found Neimoidians, in general, quite difficult to read, but his voice as he spoke betrayed his frustration, and his obvious desire to build his planet into a legitimate and reputable member of the New Republic was softening her opinion of him every moment that he spoke. Her mind had been working hard while he was talking.

"I would be happy to advise you, Ambassador. You are welcome to ask my advice whenever you need it, but I may be able to do one better than that." She glanced at Eldon Blake. "Commander Blake is in charge of the peacekeepers now and, once Takodana is clear, she can oversee operations to disband the enclave on Cato Neimoidia. I will, of course, give as much military support as is required." The Ambassador nodded gratefully. "Afterwards though, and I am springing this on you Eldon so I apologise, I think she would be a perfect choice to act as military liaison to Cato Neimoidia. She has extensive military and senatorial knowledge and, of course, she comes highly recommended." Leia smiled at Eldon who was staring open-mouthed at her. "Her position would obviously report to the New Republic; I think I can persuade them to give her her own department, attached to my offices, and, after you no longer need her support, she could advise other planets who wish to follow your lead."

"That's a good idea." Madine looked impressed. "The peacekeepers can be trusted to organise sensible, non-aggressive security measures and advise each government appropriately."

"My thinking exactly," Leia agreed. "And if her new department is attached to mine, the government will allow her to do her job relatively undisturbed, except for the regular Senate reporting that is." Leia looked sideways at Eldon and pulled a sympathetic face.

Eldon couldn't believe what Leia was suggesting. It was an incredible opportunity; her own government position; in charge of her own team to spread their peacekeeping methods to other planets. She couldn't have thought of a better idea. The only downside was that it meant no longer working for Leia.

Leia looked at her expectantly.

"What do you think, Eldon?"

Han smiled, amused as Eldon's face was a mix of elation and concern at the same time. He marvelled at how Leia could pluck these ideas off the top of her head so quickly, matching people together, forming perfect teams.

"You should do it, Eldon," he encouraged. Eldon looked round the room. Everyone seemed to be in agreement.

"Leia. I think it's a fantastic suggestion but it means I will no longer be your aide. All I ever wanted was to work for you and now I am." Leia stood up and took both her hands.

"Eldon, I have appreciated your work and will miss you, more than I can tell you, but I always knew I was a stepping stone in your career. You are too talented to be following me around carrying out my dull instructions. You deserve this. Besides, we will see each other regularly if I give you an office near mine. We are friends aren't we?" A glint appeared in Leia's eye. "Now we can alleviate boring meetings by pulling faces at grumpy senators together." Both women laughed.

Ambassador San'teefa looked delighted with the idea and not a little bit relieved.

"What do you say, Ambassador?" Leia enquired.

"I would be honoured to accept your recommendation, Your Highness. I feel relieved to be getting the assistance in this matter. Perhaps we will soon be able to establish good trade contracts throughout the galaxy." He sounded hopeful and excited. Leia smiled broadly. Han knew another idea had come to her.

"Ambassador, have you been introduced to Lando Calrissian?" Leia guided Lando toward the Ambassador like she was introducing people at a party. "Lando has a very lucrative ore mining operation on Lorta. Amongst other things, they produce these wonderful stones." She pointed to her necklace, which San'teefa admired. "Lando loves to foster new trade agreements and the old Corellian Trade Route runs straight by both of you." Lando grinned at her as he shook the Ambassador's hand.

"I'm starting to wonder why I didn't think of asking you for contacts before, Leia," he complimented.

"I don't know why you didn't either," she laughed. "Now aren't you both glad you came? Once you have come to an agreement, I also know a new business starting up with very fast and reliable cargo freighters that I can certainly vouch for." She winked at Han who was sitting leaning on his knees, watching her orchestration. He looked down at his feet, a big smile on his face. She sat down next to him admiring her handy work, the animated faces of Lando and San'teefa as they formed a new relationship, San'teefa's oversized headdress wobbling as he nodded his head excitedly at Lando's conversation; the more stiff military discussions between Madine, Blake and Kobar, and she smiled.

"Pleased with yourself?" Han asked, sharing a smile with Luke.

"Just a little bit," Leia admitted, making a little sign with her thumb and forefinger.

"You need to slow down now before you start convincing Luke to give Kobar meditation lessons," Han joked, dryly. Leia's eyes widened and she looked at Luke, a slightly exaggerated tilt to her head.

"Now, there's an idea. He needs to lower his stress levels." Her mock serious expression was enough to make Luke look concerned.

"Oh no," he said, holding both hands up. "Even I'm not up for that one." Leia and Han laughed.

Leia leant back against Han's chest. The afternoon was taking it's toll on her and her head ached. He put his arm round her and leant his head down close to hers.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered. She looked up at him.

"I think I might go and lie down for a while before dinner. It's going to be a long day tomorrow and I can't afford to be tired." He moved his head to look at her face. She never went to lie down.

"Do you need anything?" he offered. She squeezed his hand.

"No, thank you. Just a rest." She got up. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'll see you all for dinner." She moved past Luke, squeezing his shoulder affectionately, and headed towards the steps of the large archway, catching Blake's eye discreetly as she left the room.

Han was used to watching people's faces. He couldn't see Leia's face as she had her back to him but he saw Blake's almost undetectable acknowledgement of Leia's and watched her leave a few minutes later. He leaned closer to Luke.

"Something's going on with Leia. She's not well is she?" He demanded information from him. Luke paused before answering. Leia asked him not to say anything but he owed it to Han to be honest.

"She didn't want to make a big deal out of it but I think she got up too quickly. It's taking her a while to process all those hallucinogens. You said the duke told her it was a modified interrogator?" Han nodded

"Yeah, he said he was testing a new model on her."

"He was obviously modifying the drugs. If the same stuff has been used on any of the children, I feel sorry for them. She said she didn't want anyone to know and that she would sort it out with Blake." Luke saw Han's irked face. "Han, you know she would be mortified if anyone thought she had a weakness. She's used to being the strength at the head of thousands of soldiers and she has to put that front up for their sakes. We just have to keep an eye on her and let her fix it." Han rolled his eyes.

"I get what you're saying but sometimes, I wish she'd just shout help and the fact that she doesn't, gets right under my skin." Luke sympathised with him.

"She's a survivor and you don't survive by giving in to weakness."

"Well, the stress of that's going to kill her," Han emphasised, getting up sharply. "Lando, let's go and see what we can find in the kitchens for dinner," he beckoned his friend.

#

Blake found Leia half way back to her bedroom, leaning against the wall, her hands on her knees. She looked like she was catching her breath after a long run.

"Are you OK?" she asked her, although it was a redundant question. Leia looked up with the face of a deathly apparition. She didn't need to ask for help, it was in her eyes.

"Eldon, I can't make it back to the bedroom. Look at me!" She held her shaking hands out in front of her. "My legs are no better. That narglatch poisoned me," she said angrily. Blake supported her and began walking back to the bedroom, scolding her as she went.

"You shouldn't have made me dismiss the medical droid so quickly. It was cleansing your system and now you're probably feeling withdrawal." Blake was familiar with the treatment for this sort of thing but Leia was stubborn and hadn't accepted that she needed treatment.

"Yes, I know," Leia said impatiently. "I've had that lecture from Luke. Can you get me something to fix it? I can't be like this any longer. We have a battle to win tomorrow." Blake tutted at her.

"What I should be doing is calling in the peacekeepers and plugging you back into the de-tox machine."

"No. Please don't do that. There must be something you can find to counteract it, at least temporarily," she implored.

When they reached the bedroom, Blake removed Leia's cloak and helped her onto the bed, covering her with a woolly blanket as her whole body shook.

"You did too much today," she continued to scold. She felt Leia's head. It was burning hot. "I should fetch Han," she mused.

"No," Leia insisted. "He'll feel more guilty than he does already and I don't want that; Luke will knock me out and I don't want that either. There must be something in a med-kit somewhere that can stop the shakes at least. The Vohemar has a better med-bay than the Falcon. You could send 3PO." Blake shook her head.

"No. I'll go myself. Don't get up until I come back," she ordered, leaving the room and marching quickly down the corridor towards the courtyard.

Rounding a corner, she jumped. Han was waiting for her, leaning against the wall, his arms folded. He looked sternly at her and gestured with his hand for her to give up the information. She sighed.

"She doesn't want you to know," Blake insisted.

"Well, she won't know you've told me will she?" he stated, raising both eyebrows insistently.

"I think she still has the poison in her and she's not doing well. She's developed a fever and, if you want my opinion, she should be doing something to get that stuff out of her bloodstream before it does permanent damage. She won't be hooked up again though so she's sent me to fetch something to help detox her." Blake looked at him seriously. "She obviously feels very unwell but she's more concerned that you don't find out and feel guilty."

"Too late for that," Han raised his eyebrows again. He thought hard, pursing his lips. "Come with me," he said finally. "I have an idea."

#

Curled up with the woolly covers pulled up round her neck as tightly as she could get them, Leia's head pounded and she shivered like she'd been out too long in Hoth's icy landscape after dark. Her eyes closed against the firelight, she cursed herself for the chain of events that put her and Han in a dangerous position and racked her sore brain for a solution to her current dilemma. Remembering that Eldon had told her some of the children were in a bad way when they had been recovered from the base, she wondered whether any of them were going through the same as her. If so, she should be making sure adequate treatment was being provided.

"Sweetheart." Han's gentle, gravelly voice filtered into her feverish mind. Hmmm. It would be so nice to be held by him right now, but she didn't want anyone to see her in her current state.

"Sweetheart." His voice was accompanied by his hand on her forehead. She opened her eyes, saw his face and frowned.

"Oh no. What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice not sounding quite like her own. "Eldon wasn't supposed to tell you anything," she said, disappointed.

"She wasn't going to but I ambushed her," he explained. "You shouldn't be dealing with this by yourself." He stroked her hair back from her clammy forehead. She screwed her face up in despair.

"I don't want you to see me like this. I look like wampa dung." Han chuckled.

"You don't look like wampa dung," he reassured. "I was going to say mynock slime." Leia stared at him. "But I happen to like mynock slime," he added, smiling affectionately. She started to laugh, her head aching more from the effort. She put a hand on her own forehead.

"Oh, good. That makes me feel so much better." He had a great way of cutting through all her worry and self pity with his carefree flippancy and just leaving the facts. He was a rock, and his strong, comforting hand resting on her blanket covered shoulder was a tremendous relief. She resolved not to wait so long before confiding in him again.

"Sit up," he instructed. I've brought something to make you feel better." He helped her into a seated position, propping pillows up behind her for support and then handing her a glass of the most unappetising liquid she had ever seen. She wasn't even sure it was liquid, more something he'd dug up off the mountainside that was still crawling.

"What the hell is that?" she exclaimed.

"Medicine," he said, matter of factly, taking her hand and placing the glass firmly in her palm.

"It looks like Rathtar vomit." She looked horrified.

"Tastes like it too," he agreed. "But it'll work. Trust me." He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her to drink his concoction. She looked dubious but took a sip, screwing her face up in disgust.

"Eugh! That's... I can't even describe it." He laughed.

"Drink it or I'll drag you down to the med-bay myself and you'll stay there 'til I say you can leave." He had a serious glint in his eye.

"You're such a bully," she chided, taking another sip. "I take it back. It's not Rathtar vomit. It tastes more like liquidised Tauntaun guts." He raised an eyebrow.

"Have you eaten those before?" he teased. She made a mock thinking face. "On some of my diplomatic missions... probably."

They spent the next few minutes exchanging more and more revolting comparisons for the drink, Leia's mood lifting and her mind being taken off the symptoms, until she had finished the medicine.

"Right. Get some sleep now. I'll save you something to eat in case you're hungry later and I'll come back and check on you soon." He took her glass and stood up.

"Maybe we should give some of that stuff to the children," Leia suggested.

"Done it," he confirmed. "Stop worrying."

"What would I do without you?" she smiled lovingly.

"You'd manage," he said over his shoulder as he reached the doorway. Looking back, he added "but you'd look like mynock slime all the time." He grinned and ducked as she threw a pillow in his direction.