The Summer Strikes Back, Part 3

The docks down at Roseman's Landing were always a little rough, but Leia wouldn't have them any other way. Grimy two-story cottages mixed with splintered wooden shacks and sagging diners along the bay side. Gleaming white yachts butted up in Brentwood Marina against aging green, yellow, and tan fishing boats. She could see at least two brand-new condo buildings rising over the harbor right before you walked over the concrete bridge and entered the island.

Roseman's was a small series of islands that were technically part of Spring Creek, the last town on the mainland before you went into Ocean View. No one really thought of them that way. They were as much a part of the Ocean View scene as the beaches and historic hotels.

Ackbar's Restaurant was on the very end of Roseman's, between Brentwood Marina and the Exxon. They were one of the most popular eateries in Ocean View, mainly because Ackbar's doubled as a marina. The catch of the day was as fresh as you could get! Old Admiral Ackbar ran everything ship-shape and on time. He was in the Navy through at least four wars, finally retiring and buying the old restaurant in the early 70's.

She dropped by the Admiral's Fish Market first. It was the smaller, recent building attached to the main dining hall. A young man with spiky royal blue hair, his lanky form encased in a pale-blue polyester polo shirt and black apron over dark shorts, was blaring “Hungry Like the Wolf” on his silver Sharp radio. He danced along as he added a tin container of scallops to the display case under the counter.

“Hi, Ezra.” Leia grinned as he whipped around. “How's business?”

The young teen looked up from the counter. “Hi, Leia! It only just slowed down in here. When did you get in? Where's Luke? On the beach?”

“Yeah, he's on the beach already. Him and Uncle Ben.” She smiled. “Is the Ghost in?”

“Yeah.” Ezra turned his attention to the radio as Fulcrum, Ocean View's most popular DJ, switched to the theme song from Flashdance. “Hera n' the others just got in on Friday. They should be at the docks.”

“Thanks.” She headed back out, promising herself she'd pick up some fresh fish for hers and Luke's dinner later. The docks were easy to find, once you picked your way through the long lines slumped on polished wooden benches or admiring the enormous stuffed fish and shellacked crabs hanging on walls in the lobby of Ackbar's.

The tang of the harbor, of salty air and barnacle-crushed boats and just-caught crabs and fish, greeted her as she stepped out onto the dock, passing by the old schooner used as a bar, the Magnolia Belle. The Belle was joined by a motley assortment of fishing vessels in various states of repair, from state-of-the-art crab trappers to tiny cruisers with faded paint and flowery names that had seen better days. She recognized most of them. Ackbar's prided itself on its fresh fish and crustaceans, caught by the same local fishermen year after year.

The ship that was docked on the landing closest to the Magnolia Belle was a new one on her, though. The Millennium Falcon was painted on the slightly chipped red stripe that ran the whole of the small boat. It was a fishing vessel, barely. She'd seen toy boats in better shape. The hull was covered in scars and barnacles. The boat was dirty and smelly and the front looked like a baby shark used it to gnaw on.

The man gathering crab traps on-deck was far more attractive. The cool breeze wafting in from the harbor blew his scruffy red-brown hair in all directions. His tight, frayed jean shorts were paired rather haphazardly with high rubber boots, knee-high white tube socks, and an old Bruce Springsteen t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The jeans showed off his slender legs and a well-shaped rear. A set of silver military dog tags dangled from a chain around his neck. She admired it as he loaded crabs into ice-filled, wax-coated boxes.

He looked up at her and whistled. His eyes hid behind a battered pair of tinted sunglasses. They were perched on a long, slightly bent nose was covered in white sunscreen. “Well, hello there, Princess! What brings you to this side of the island? Slumming?”

“If you must know,” Leia sniffed, “I'm visiting friends.”

The man pointed across the marina. “The yachts are that way, sweetheart.”

Leia glared at him. “My friend runs the Ghost. She and her crew should be around here somewhere.”

“Leia!” Hera Syndulla rushed up to her. The tall, freckled woman was dressed similarly to the fisherman on the Falcon, in tight, ripped stone-washed jeans, old rubber boots, and a t-shirt (though hers was pale yellow and had “Ocean View” embroidered on the chest). The yellow shirt was complimented by her long green-tipped black braids and coppery skin. “Hi, hon. I'd hug you, but I smell like the harbor. How's your brother? When did you get in?”

“We've only been here a few hours. Luke's great. He's already at the beach.” The younger girl grinned. “Do you still live in Cottage 10?”

Hera shrugged. “Yeah. It's small, but the rent's decent, and Sabine probably won't be around for much longer anyway. She's growing like a weed, that girl. She'll be going into 11^th grade at Ocean View High School this year.”

Leia smiled. “Is she still working for Admiral Ackbar?”

“She got a raise.” Hera nearly glowed with pride. “She's not a bus girl anymore. She's a full waitress, working in the kitchen with Ackbar himself. It's a tough job, but I think she can handle it. She's saving her tips for art school.”

“Hey!” The man in the tight shorts waved down at them. “Hera, I didn't know you were friendly with yuppies.”

“I'm not a yuppie.” Leia glared at him. “My uncle owns a hardware store.”

Hera sighed. “Hank, grow up and quit flirting. Leia's not interested.” She grabbed the claw of the crab before it could bite her. “And what do you think you're doing?” Determined green eyes met tiny black orbs on stalks, both trying to out-stare the other.

Hank smirked. “I think he's giving you a love nip.”

“Yeah, he's so loving, he nearly took off my finger.” She shook the creature's claw. “Sorry, pal. You're going in the crab tank at the fish market.” Her eyes switched back to Leia. “Hey, did anyone tell you and Luke about the party in Cottage 4? The Rogues' first major event of the season. Everyone is invited.”

“Including Charlie and me.” Hank clamored down a slightly rusted set of metal steps. “Kanan invited us. We took over Cottage 7 a couple of months ago. Don't worry. It's only temporary. We'll be moving on by the end of the summer.”

“Can't be too soon.” Leia turned to Hera, ignoring Hank. “I'd love to come to the party, and I'm sure Luke would, too, if the Rogues haven't already asked him.”

Hera leaned over and whispered into Leia's ear. “We're going to talk about what's going on in town. Some asshole's been trying to buy the Cottages. They've got something planned. We just need to figure out what, and what to do about it.”

Leia nodded. “We saw the asshole earlier. He practically threatened Uncle Ben.”

Hank got between them. “Is this a girls-only thing, or can anyone join in?”

“Don't you have something to do?” Hera rolled her eyes. “Like bringing your catch of the day to the Admiral?”

“Charlie's doing that. I'm working on the Falcon.” He turned on his lazy grin. “See you at the party tonight, Princess?”

“I hope not.” Leia turned her back on him...but she couldn't help looking over her shoulder at the tight ass and long legs that strolled back onto the heap of wood he called a boat.

Hank stared back. “What was that all about, mate?” snapped a growl heavily inflected with a North English accent. Charlie Bachman's blue eyes followed Leia as she went across the street. “Hey, she's an all right little lass.” His best buddy knew him as well as, maybe even better than he did by now. Charlie was a big guy, nearly 7 feet of brown hair and World Wrestling Federation-worthy muscle, but sometimes, he didn't know his own strength. He gave Hank a playful shove that nearly sent him into the harbor. “I think you like her!”

Hank rubbed his shoulder. “I don't like her! She's just some rich bitch from Philly.”

“I saw the way you were lookin' at 'er.” Charlie grinned, showing all of his very even, very white teeth. “Admit it! You like her. You think she's cute.”

“Ehh, bitchin' babe like that with some fisherman? I'll bet she's got eight guys at home she's stringing along.” Hank finally managed to tear his gaze from her shapely legs peeping out of the pink Laura Ashley skirt. “Come on, man. These crabs ain't gonna walk to the fish market on their own.”

Charlie put an arm around his friend. “If you left the top off the traps again, they might just try doin' that.”

As she returned to the cottages, Leia swore she saw a man in a green and red Members Only jacket and black Ray Bans watching her from a black and green boat docked at Brentwood Marina across the street. Charlie and Hank never saw him at all. By the time she'd gone to ask him what he was staring at, he'd already pulled out, leaving nothing but white foam on the waves in his wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia was starting to regret having come to this party. She was still unnerved by the man she'd seen in the boat earlier, even though Luke told her there was nothing to worry about. He was probably some boater passing through on his way down south.

The Rogues' summer parties were legendary for being balls-to-the-wall insane, and this one was no exception. She had to climb over at least three couples making out in the hall, two guys trying to snort things that probably weren't legal, someone racing lobsters in the kitchen (she had five dollars on the one with the broken claw), a guy drinking punch out of his girlfriend's bra, and Wes and Hobbie trying to see who could sing “Billie Jean” better naked. (Personally, Leia thought they both looked somewhat better than they sounded.) Over the din, Leia could hear Fulcrum going on about the purchase of the Alderaan Manor Country Club over on Organa Island between “Thriller” and “Every Breath You Take.”

Luke was playing Atari games with Wedge. As far as she could tell, Luke had the edge on Wedge on Combat, but only because he was slightly less drunk. Every time one of them lost, they had to take off clothes. Wedge was down to his underwear. Thankfully, her brother still wore his shorts and flip-flops.

“Penny for your thoughts, Princess?” Hank leaned against the archway over the heating grate. He'd traded his grimy shirt and shorts for clean jeans, a white t-shirt, a black jean vest with frayed sleeves, and battered sneakers. Still wore the sunglasses, even indoors and in the dim light, and the dog tags. He held a can of Miller Light in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. “Interestin' little shindig they have here, ain't it? By the way, I have ten bucks on the lobster with the pink claws.”

Leia rolled her eyes. “My name isn't Princess. It's Leia.”

“Leia.” Hank rolled it around on his tongue. “Cute name.” He inched closer to her. “You sure you're not a princess, running around in that fancy get-up and the buns?”

She tugged at her white Gunne Sax sundress and wished she'd worn something with fewer ruffles. “The buns were inspired by Mexican women, who wore their hair like this during the Mexican Revolution. I read about that.” She wasn't going to admit she'd filched the style from Seventeen Magazine. “What about you?”

“I'm goin' for debonair.” He flicked his cigarette into a coffee cup on one of the crab trap side tables. “Face it, sweetheart, you just can't get enough of me.”

Leia glared at him as she sat next to Luke on the floor in front of the TV. “I think you just can't get enough of yourself.”

Luke's blue eyes slid to Hank as Wedge struggled to get Frogs and Flies in the game console. “Are you bothering my sister?”

She made a face at her brother. “You know this guy?”

“Sort of. I've seen him around.” He grabbed a bag of Doritos, stuffing three in his mouth, before addressing Hank. “You were here last summer. You delivered fluke to Uncle Ben for our end-of-the-summer barbecue.”

“I was paid good money for that fish.” Hank didn't add that the money from that shipment vanished into repairs on the Falcon and various gambling debts.

Hera showed up with a can of Pepsi Light. She'd swapped her jeans and yellow t-shirt for an orange button-down blouse with skin-tight black shorts, a cropped jean jacket, and two black belts that slipped around her waist. “Meeting on the back porch, guys, for those who are still able to think. We have to talk.”

“Really?” Wedge switched off the game. “I thought that's what we were doing.”

“Without the booze and lobsters crawling around on the floor.” She handed Leia a ten dollar bill. “By the way, your lobster won. I lost three bucks. The one with the wonky back leg wandered into the side yard and is currently scaring the squirrels.”

“Thank you. At least it's is doing something useful.” Leia put the money in her purse and followed the three guys and Hera to the enclosed back porch. The back porch doubled as a storage area and a kind of den. Ezra and Sabine argued over the merits of Falcon Crest over Remington Steele on Hobbie's 10-inch black and white Zenith. Sabine hadn't even taken the time to change out of her red waitress uniform. Ezra, at least, now wore shorts and a Pac-Man t-shirt and did not reek of crustaceans.

Hobbie and Deak stumbled in next, wearing shorts and looking bleary-eyed. Charlie, who had switched to a jean vest and Van Halen t-shirt, helped Wedge, Wes, and Hera's long-time boyfriend Kanan drag in chairs. Cassian and Jyn arrived arm in arm, both carrying cups of cola mixed with cheap wine and a long white box loaded with saltwater taffy. Uncle Ben arrived last, looking like the laid-back beachcomber he was in a white linen shirt and worn khaki shorts.

“All right.” Zeb, Hera's big gray-haired first mate, grabbed a meat mallet and pounded on a crab trap with it. “Is everyone here?”

“I don't know,” Hobbie snickered. “Why don't we go outside and ask them?”

“Kes, Bodhi, and the nerds in Cottage 6 are pretty much the only ones missing. The nerds, Kes, and Biggs.” Wedge raised his hand. “We, the Rogues, can vouch for two of them. Biggs is sleepin' off medication for his ribs, and Kes is at his place, watchin' his kid.”

“Chip, Kris, and Arturro have early work.” Luke leaned back in his chair. “I saw them when I came off the beach.”

Jyn shrugged. “Bodhi's still busing tables at Chirrut and Baze's place. They're open later in the summer.”

“So, let's get this started.” Hera slid into the folding chair next to Zeb. “There are rumors going around that Empire Industries is trying to buy the Cottages and the surrounding property.”

Uncle Ben nodded, sitting in an old green metal chair with a flower pattern and a ratty cabbage rose-print cushion. “Tarkin's made offers for this place at least three times in the past four months, including today. My friend George Walker and I bought them from the original owners 30 years ago. And if I ever did consider selling, it would be on the condition that the rent not be raised and all of you be allowed to remain.”

“We have memories here.” Luke thought of the photos in Uncle Ben's living room. “I don't want to lose them.”

“The Cottages aren't the only piece of property on this end of the island Empire Industries is after.” Hobbie leaned back in his chair, trying to think through the drug-fueled haze in his head. “Kes told me they'd made an offer for his shop on the Boardwalk. He said no way. His boardwalk shop is twice the size of the one downtown and does great business in the summer.”

Ezra looked up from ogling Stephanie Zimbalist. “I heard someone bought the wooded areas behind Endor Estates. Davy and a bunch of the kids down there said there was a fence, and some guy with a gun chased them away when they tried to climb it.”

Hera waggled a finger in his face. “Is that how you ripped the butt of your new Wrangler jeans the other day? Going over a fence?”

Ezra unconsciously rubbed his rear. “I told you I was sorry!”

“Someone bought Alderaan Manor Country Club and Organa Island, too.” Luke shrugged. “I just heard Fulcrum mention that on the radio.”

“We should ask around.” Jyn swallowed a piece of pale pink saltwater taffy. “See if anyone else has had an offer from Empire Industries that sounds too good to be true.”

“I could make calls.” Leia tucked her legs under her. “Senator Mothma has a lot of contacts. She might be able to find out what Palapatine has in mind.”

“My dad has a construction business. He was the head of one of the crews that built the Coruscant Condos.” Jyn shook her side ponytail. “They were real bastards. Never paid on time, treated Dad and his crew like slave labor, stinted on a lot of materials and safety measures to get the job done faster. I know he'd love to find out anything that would put those assholes out of business, or at least give them a sock in the eye.”

“How do you plan on doin' this?” Hank flicked the last of his sixth cigarette of the night into an overflowing green glass ashtray. “Empire Industries is one of the ten biggest companies in the US. You wage war with them, they play air hockey with your balls.”

Cassian smiled. Jyn smirked and mock-swooned, kissing his cheek. “Leave that to us.” Jyn wrapped an arm around her boyfriend's shoulder. “I grew up here. Cass is from Holly Beach. We know this area inside and out.”

“You guys are crazy.” Hank threw the stub of his cigarette into the ashtray, where it slid and landed on the pock-marked side table. “The Imperial Gang will murder the whole lot of ya. Ain't none of my business, anyway. Charlie n' I are leavin' soon. Besides, we got other things to do.”

Charlie was giving him dark looks. “Hank, you can't bloody just walk out,” he might have growled. It was hard to understand that thick Northern English accent sometimes. “These folks need help. Screw Greedo.”

“Yes, I can. Watch me.” He made for the door, glaring at Charlie. “Are you comin', or what?”

“I'm comin', mate.” He put a hand on Ben's shoulder. “Good luck.”

“Thank you, Charles.” Ben patted the man's steel-thick arm.

Hera looked around the remaining group. “Anyone else want to back out?” The only sound was the radio, which was now playing “Far From Over.” The tall woman waved the others closer. “Kids, gather 'round the table. This is what we're going to do.”

Chairs scraped and old wood floor boards vibrated as the others pressed over the crab trap table around Hera. Zeb's booming voice could be heard over the din. “Ok, who ate the whole damn bag of sour cream and onion chips? I can smell your bloody breath from over here!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Mos Eisley Cantina was the kind of place you didn't want to get caught without at least three forms of protection, including sexual. It was busy for a Sunday night. A jukebox that dated to at least the 50's belted “Highway to Hell.” The cracked green vinyl seats along the scarred bar were all covered with the closest thing this podunk town could get to an assortment of scum and villainy. Hank hadn't seen so many guys wearing leather since the Motorcycle Convention was in town back in April. He pushed his sunglasses back over his eyes and squinted, trying to find the guy he was looking for.

A skinny hand sitting at a table in the back waved to him. “Well, Solo, it took you long enough. You weren't thinking of running out on the Hutt, were you?”

Hank sat down across from Greedo. He was a greasy little punk with a stiff lime-green mohawk that stood up like a row of needles across his shaved head. His Clash t-shirt and battered tan windbreaker hung off him like a shroud. Hank gave him one of his easy smiles. “As a matter of fact, I'm getting ready to see your boss in a few weeks. Tell the Hutt...”

“A few weeks? Solokowski, he wants that money now. In fact, yesterday. The Hutt doesn't have room in his operation for runners who dump their shipment the moment cops turn up.” Greedo leaned back in the booth. “You know how expensive this shit is?”

“I'm well aware of the costs.” Hank ordered a whiskey and Coke from the bleached-blond waitress. “Even I get boarded at times. You think I had a choice? The Coast Guard doesn't mess around.”

“Tell that to the Hutt.” Greedo leered at him, showing crooked yellow teeth. “He might only try to take your boat.”

Hank glared at him under the sunglasses. “Over my dead body.”

Greedo pulled a small snub pistol from his jacket pocket. “That's not a bad idea. I've been looking forward to this a long time.”

“Yeah, I'll bet you have.” Hank grabbed the first fat-coated hamburger that came by him and threw it into Greedo's face. He then upended the table on him, the drinks flying everywhere.

The two mountain-sized bikers next to them didn't like their nice leather jackets getting splashed with liquor and ketchup. “Ok,” said the mountain with the tangled curly beard and mop of matted black hair, “which of you did it?”

Hank gave the men his most innocent smile and pointed at Greedo. “He did it!”

Greedo threw up his hands. “Wait, no! It was him!” He pointed at Hank. “Really!”

“I think we ought to take the money for these jackets from this dude the hard way.” He turned to his identical friend. “Nose or crotch?”

“Crotch.” The other mountain had a grin filled with broken teeth. “It hurts more.”

Hank dashed out the door the moment they reached for Greedo's asshole. He could hear his screams all the way from the parking lot.

Charlie was three-fourths of the way through a Snickers bar when Hank barreled out the side of the Cantina. “What's the bloody rush?” The big Brit licked the chocolate off his fingers. “I thought we were gonna eat here with Greedo.”

“Sorry, pal. Our midnight snack plans just got canceled.” He shoved Charlie into the passenger side of their rusted brick-red Ford truck. “Jasper knows we're in town. Greedo tried to kill me. I started a food fight before he got far.”

“Shit.” Charlie swallowed the last of his candy bar. “Well, what are we going to do now, mate? We can't make ten thousand dollars by next month! We'll be lucky if we can make two thousand.”

Hank just gave him the lazy grin. “I don't know, but I'll think of something.”

The Summer Strikes Back, Part 4

The two weeks following the 4^th of July weekend and their arrival passed in a blur for Luke. He didn't see much of Leia after their working hours ended. They'd help Uncle Ben around the cottages, painting fences, mowing lawns, cleaning the empty units after tourists moved out, or babysitting younger kids for working parents.

In the afternoons after lunch, Leia would disappear downtown to the city hall or into the cottage to work on her essay for her internship, and Luke would grab his surfboard and head to the beach. Uncle Ben more often than not came with him. Luke had been surfing every summer since he was 13, but he wasn't a pro at it, like some of the guys who lived here all their lives. It was a great experience. Just being out there, catching the perfect A-Frame, like you were flying...

Trouble was, he was more likely to end up face-first in the water, as Leia often teased him. She didn't understand his interest. Sure, she liked the beach and was actually a pretty good surfer, but she never seemed to consider it to be a near-religious experience. For Luke, the beach was life. It was spiritual, really.

It was two weeks after arriving that Ben lead him to the grimy, vine-covered shed in the back of his cottage. “I think you're ready to practice with a heavier board.” Luke's nose was assaulted with layers of dust and dirt the moment Ben opened the door. “Your brother Adam wanted you and your sister to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. I'm afraid he's not much for the beach. He was afraid you'd drop school for some damn foolish surfing tournament, like Adam did.”

Luke's eyes widened at the selection. Most of them were at least twenty or thirty years old. He dragged his fingers down one wooden board. It was green with a yellow stripe down the center. Probably dated to the early 60's, maybe even before. “Wow. Where did you get all of these?”

“Oh, here and there. Various surf stores and sports shops. South End Sports on Texas Avenue has a rather nice selection.” He pulled one board down from the rack. “This was Adam's board. He called it Twilight. He built it himself. It was his pride and joy.”

“Holy crud,” Luke gasped. “It's beautiful.” It was the brightest blue Luke had ever seen. There was some kind of spiral design, like an atom, in the center. “And she's a custom?”

“All the way. Adam won three major surfing contests with that board.” Ben took down a lighter blue board for himself. “He was convinced she was lucky.”

Luke ran his fingers down the board. “Look at that workmanship.” His blue eyes gazed up to Ben's. “How did Adam die? Uncle Owen says he was killed in a hold-up after he came back from Vietnam.”

Ben didn't face him. “Your uncle was right, sort of. The Imperial Gang started in the late 60's, early 70's. They weren't much of a threat at first, until they began to directly challenge the Jedi Knights. There were gang wars, rumbles. Some of them were brutal. Many of the Jedi died in that conflict. Vader killed a number of them himself.”

The younger man bit his lip, his cheeks flushing. “Vader. The bully on the beach.”

“Yes.” His uncle nodded. “Vader was among those responsible for your brother's death.”

Luke gathered the blue surfboard under his arm. “I want to go to the beach,” he said quietly. “I want to learn everything the Jedi knew. I'm going to be as great of a surfer as Adam was someday.”

Ben took down the yellow and green surfboard. “You can't do that until you're in the water, of course.”

It was a glorious day for surfing. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and rare for the Shore, the air was dry. “You have to connect with the water,” Ben was saying as they paddled out. “It's like a force, and energy field. It binds you, penetrates you. It flows around you.”

“You mean it controls your actions?” Luke looked up as the wind blew southwards, ruffling his sandy locks.

“Partially. The water and the boards take on a life of their own. You move with them, not against them.”

Luke stood up on the board as the first wave of the day came closer. He set up his stance, concentrating. For a moment, he was one with the wave...before the blue board went out from under him. He hit the water hard, pulling seaweed off his hair.

Laughter erupted a foot or two behind them. “Nice flop there, kid.” Hank Solokowski stood on the deck of The Millennium Falcon, pulling up crab traps. “You're really graceful.”

Charlie nudged Hank. “I'd like to see you try it, mate! You ain't what I'd call graceful yourself.”

“I ain't that crazy.” Hank shook his head. “If I'm gonna be on the water, I want a lot more between my legs than a thin piece of plywood. Surfboards ain't no match for a good boat.”

“I imagine you've had a lot of things between your legs.” Luke glared at him as he got back on his board.

Hank smirked as he loaded crabs into a bucket. “Jealous, Junior?”

“Don't mind him, Luke.” Ben held onto his ankles as he stood again. “Remember, to really be one with the water, you have to feel the force of it flowing through you. Stretch out with your feelings.”

This time, Luke manage to get almost to the shore on a half-barrel before he wiped out again. When he came up, his smile could have lit the entire Boardwalk. “For a moment, it was like...I could almost feel the wave. Like it was a part of me.”

Hank snorted. “Sounds like luck to me, kid.”

Ben got on his own board. “In my experience, there's no such thing as luck.”

Luke was paddling towards the fishing boat, making sure to watch out for the nets and traps along either side. “You don't believe in religion, do you, Hank?”

Hank shrugged. “Kid, I've been from one side of this country to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff. But I've never seen anything to make me believe there's some mystical force controllin' everything. It's just a lot of simple fairy tale junk.”

“Well, I believe it.” Luke looked up at him. “Sometimes, you need something to believe.”

“I have something to believe in.” The tall fisherman loaded his silvery, wiggling catch into a wax-coated brown box filled with ice. “It's called money. If I don't pay off Jasper Hutt, I'm a dead man.”

Ben paddled over on a smaller wave. “Why don't we relax and take our minds off this? I haven't been on the Boardwalk yet this summer. A walk would clear our heads.”

“Awesome!” Luke grinned. “Could the guys come, if they're not working?”

“Why not?” He looked up at the Falcon. “What about you, Solokowski? Would you like to join us?”

“Sure.” Charlie joined Hank as they pulled up another net. “Just let us get these to Ackbar before the old guy drops his false teeth or somethin'.”

“I ain't been to an amusement pier since the last time me family was in Brighton.” Charlie easily carried four crab traps under his arms. “Might be fun, at that.”

Ben nodded. “We'll meet you at the entrance to Maz's Marine Adventure Pier at 7 O'Clock.”

Hank watched as the two headed for the shore. “Nice kid, ain't he?” Charlie asked. “I like the old man, too. Rent's cheap, an' he fixes most things.”

“Don't get too attached.” Hank shook his head. “We're not going to be here much longer.” Despite his words, his eyes followed the boy and the old man as they paddled to the shore. “Yeah. Soon, we're gonna be headin' down to Mexico. Tequila all day, lots of good fishing, and no Hutts.”

Charlie pulled at the last of the net. “You sure that's really what you want?”

“Yeah, I'm sure.” Even as he said it, Hank's eyes were watching the duo dragging their boards to the shore.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia spent her afternoon with the crew of the Ghost. Hera told her that she and the others had seen unusual activity on Organa Island, the tiny private islet that once housed the Alderaan Manor Hotel and Country Club. The club had closed after the previous summer and was considered abandoned until it was purchased by Empire Industries.

Hera handed her a set of heavy, slightly rusted binoculars. “See for yourself. Something is going on over there.”

She turned the nob; the island came into view, slowly at first, then closer. Alderaan Manor Hotel was a Victorian dream of a dwelling. It looked like something out of one of her fairy tale books. Creamy yellow and deep green spires rose into the air, capped sharply by brown slatted peaks. It was surprisingly busy for a business that had been closed for several years. Men in black and red jumpsuits, leading rottweilers on chain leashes, strolled back and forth. A thick chain link fence blocked off any other possible views.

Zeb joined them with binoculars of his own. “Take a look at what else the bloody cat dragged in, mate. I wonder what those jerks are doin' at such a classy place?”

Leia swiveled her binoculars to follow his. A green and red boat roared up to one of the three docks...a familiar one. She turned the lenses to focus on the green-clad driver. “I know that boat. I saw it a couple weeks ago, on the day I first got here.” A smaller man with a shriveled head and thin silvery hair was the first to step off. “I know him, too. That's Tarkin, the lawyer who tried to buy the Cottages off Uncle Ben.”

Kanan looked pretty ticked off as he joined them from the wheelhouse. “The guy in green is Bobby Fett. Local asshole-for-hire. I've had a couple of run-ins with him. You need to find someone who's behind on their alimony payments or screwing your wife, he's your man.”

She recognized the men climbing off the boat. They all wore black and white leather. One had a black motorcycle helmet. “Vader and the Imperial Gang. Why would someone want them here?”

“I'll take us closer in. Maybe it's time we got a look at this place.” Kanan rushed back to the wheelhouse.

They didn't get far. The moment they got within a half a mile of the shore, the sound of gunshots exploded across the bay.

Hera's eyes widened. “Shit!” Everyone dropped to the wooden deck. The woman captain scooted over to the rectangle the anchor was lowered through and peeped into it. “They've got guns out there! Big ones! Like World War II-movie-big.”

Leia wrinkled her nose as it was assaulted with the pungent scent of old rubber boots, salt, and six different types of fish and crab. “They've got to be hiding something. What would Empire Industries want with a motorcycle gang? I can understand Tarkin, but why Bobby Fett and the Imperials?”

“We'll have to come back tomorrow.” Hera called over her shoulder. “You boys ok?”

“Peachy.” Zeb was wedged between a coil of rope and a crab trap with several agitated specimens. “This damn movin' nutcracker just tried to take off a piece of me nose, that's all.”

“I'm fine.” A mostly white rag fluttered on a ruler in the guardhouse. “I surrender to the Nazis, or the Communists, or whomever is trying to kill us today.”

Hera rolled her eyes as she got to her feet. “Kanan, quit being cute and turn us around.”

Leia accepted Zeb's hand as he almost lifted her bodily back onto the deck. “I don't get it.” Zeb rubbed his now very red nose. “We're at a bloody seaside resort, not the Middle East, so what's with the army an' the crackers motorcyclists?”

“We'll find out.” Leia nodded. “I can feel it.”

The Summer Strikes Back, Part 5

“He's not coming,” Leia said for the tenth time as they waited for Han and Charlie to arrive. Their group stood next to Larry's Fries, just outside of Marine Adventure Pier. The name ran the entire length of a turquoise and yellow archway that greeted customers as they entered. Luke, Leia, Ben, and Wedge noshed on a bucket of Larry's famous Old Bay-seasoned fries. No one did fries like Larry's. Their fingers were covered with reddish spices. Luke's lips were nearly as orange-red as Leia's lipstick.

“Give Hank a chance, sis.” Luke stuffed three fries in his mouth at once. “He probably had stuff to do.”

“Yeah.” Wedge licked his fingers. “After all, the other Rogues couldn't get here, either. Biggs and Wes are working with Kes, Deak took his girlfriend to the drive in movie theater on the mainland, Tycho's working at the Chirrut's Chinese Palace, and Hobbie got recruited to babysit Poe.”

The buildings for the Marine Arcade, Larry's Fries, Mickel's Famous Pizza and Wings, and 99 Cent Land guarded either side of the pier. Beyond it was, in Luke's humble opinion, the greatest assortment of rides anywhere. Not many piers could boast Dracula's Dungeon, a spooky haunted castle where teens dressed as horror icons and jumped out at people, or the Giant Slides, or the biggest, brightest Ferris Wheel on the whole boardwalk. The intercom blared “Keep the Fire Burnin'.”

Just as Ben was about to say they needed to get moving, Hank and Charlie strolled up to them. Charlie's current t-shirt promoted Twisted Sister. Hank wore his black vest over a white button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves. The sunglasses were still perched on his nose, even though the sun was on its way beyond the ocean. “Nice of you two to put in an appearance.” Ben sighed. “What took so long?”

“We had to haggle with Ackbar over the price of that fluke.” Hank tossed a stick from a corn dog into a trash barrel. “Well, are we going on rides, or what?”

“I can't wait to hit the Kamikaze Star meself.” Charlie waved at the cage-like white and yellow roller coaster that dominated the back of the pier. “I heard it goes backwards. That's crazy. They ain't got nothin' like that in England.”

Ben shook his head. “I'm afraid I'm not that brave. I remember when Adam and Asha used to try to get me on the Comet, the wooden coaster at Seaside Pier. They only did it once. I could barely walk straight for the next half-hour.”

Luke looked up as they strolled to the ticket booth. “Asha?”

“Ahsoka Tano. She was a good friend of your brother's.” Ben smiled at the memory. “Nice girl. One of the few female Jedi Knights. She left the group after having some trouble with the Big Kahunas, our leaders.”

Maz herself sold tickets from the bright yellow cylindrical booth that was the first thing you saw on entry. She was one of Ocean View's true characters. She'd taken over running the Marine Adventure Pier in the late 60's, after her husband Sammy died, and had been a fixture ever since. Nothing escaped her. She knew all, saw all.

Ben grinned as the others trailed him to her window. “Hello there, Maz. You're looking younger than ever.”

Maz smirked. She was a dark-skinned older woman with a shock of frizzy gray hair. Keen brown eyes judged through thick, round spectacles. “Save it, Kenobi.” She nodded at the teens and young adults behind him. “What's this, the cast of Porky's?”

The older surfer chuckled. “Thankfully, no. I don't know if I could deal with that level of hormones.”

Hank winked at Leia. “Not a bad idea for later, though.”

Leia wrinkled her nose. “In your dreams, dickwad.” She went right to Maz. “I'll have the book of 30 tickets, please.”

Maz laughed. “I like your spirit.” The tiny eyes behind the round glasses squinted as she handed her the bright red and yellow ride tickets. “I've been around. I've seen the same eyes in different people. Yours are familiar.”

Leia smiled. “I'm Leia Walker.” She nodded behind her, where Luke and Wedge were sharing some lewd joke. “That's my brother.”

“Walker...” She patted her hand. “Of course. George Walker's little girl, and his younger boy. I remember your parents well. Good people. And Adam, that brother of yours.”

Leia gathered the book of perforated ride tickets. “Maz, has anyone been asking you about selling this place? We saw a lawyer a couple of weeks ago pestering my uncle, and other people in town have said they've been harassed.”

Maz nodded. “Hell yeah. Looked like a skeleton in an expensive suit. I told him we didn't have any openings at the Haunted House. He tried just about everything short of lightin' a flame under my fanny to get me to sell to that pissant Palapatine. Finally said he'd better lay off, or I'd sue his boss' ass off for harassin' an old lady.”

“Empire Industries is after something.” Leia shoved the tickets in her purse. “I just wish I knew what.”

“They're after the whole damn town.” Maz took Luke's order for 30 tickets next. “They just don't make good folks like your parents anymore. Nice folks. Sure, they were shoobies, but they were decent. Respected the community, didn't pick on nobody. They were relaxed, you know?”

Luke sighed. “I miss them.”

“I do, too.” Maz nodded at the pier. “They were good customers. Took you to your first roller coaster right over there, the little Mighty Mouse.” She indicated a red and yellow steel coaster near the Whacky Shack.

“I heard you talking to Leia.” Luke's blue eyes shined brighter than the lights on the Ferris Wheel. “Did you know Adam? What was he like?”

“I knew your brother.” She handed the book to Luke. “He was a spitfire, that boy. Had a real temper. He was a maverick. No one could tell him anything, including Ben back there.”

Luke tucked the tickets in his back pocket. “Do you know what happened to him?”

But Maz was already dealing with Wedge, her back turned to him.

Leia was debating whether to ride the Flyer wooden coaster or go easy on her stomach and take in the Ferris Wheel when Hank strolled up to her. “Charlie abandoned me for the Kamakazi Star. He's nuttier than a bird that's crazy about chocolate cereal. I like my stomach on the ground.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “I'm more of a Flyer man myself. No loops, just hills.” The music on the intercom changed to the Manhattan Transfer's version of “Boy From New York City” as he bounced along with the song.

“Are you just going to follow me around all night?” Leia started towards the kiddie rides. Maybe she just needed something simple, like the Carousel.

“Why not? I don't have anything better to do.” They got into line with the parents and their children in strollers behind the bright red metal fence.

“Hullo, Leia!” Chip waved to her. He somehow managed to look even skinnier in the ill-fitting blue and yellow t-shirt and shorts. “I'm glad to see you!” He nodded. “And you too, Mr. Solokowski. I've heard a great deal about you and Mr. Bachman around the Cottages.”

Hank grinned. “All good stuff, I hope.”

Chip took their tickets, tearing the perforated paper and dropping it into a red wooden box. “Do be careful on the ride. There are children up there. Don't run when the ride is in motion, don't stand on the ride vehicles, don't...”

“Yeah, yeah, Goldenrod.” Hank patted his shoulder. “We're big kids. We'll be fine.”

“You'll like Maz's merry-go-round, Hank. It's different.” She wound her way past proud black stallions and magnificent white mares laden with painted roses to a set of metal stairs, leading him to a second, narrower level. The horses here didn't go up and down, but the benches were relatively comfortable, and the view was spectacular.

Leia climbed on one of the flowery white horses. “This is my favorite merry-go-round on the whole boardwalk. There's another one at Sporty's Mid-Town Pier, but it's pretty normal, just one story and horses. This one let's you see everything around you.”

Hank got on a black charger painted with a green and red saddle and blanket. “I haven't been on rides since I was a kid at Coney Island. I should come back here before I leave.”

The young woman frowned as the carousel lurched to life, the cheery organ version of “In the Good Old Summertime” nearly drowning out her question. “Why are you so determined to run out now?”

“I was running a shipment, and I...kind of had to throw it overboard.” His eyes roamed over the purple and orange twilight behind the Giant Ferris Wheel. “Dunno if you've heard of Jasper Hutt. I think he's kind of a big deal down here.”

Her brown eyes widened in shock. “Jasper Hutt? He's a mob boss! He controls half the drug traffic in South Jersey. You lost his shipment? Why were you working for him, anyway?”

“I had to ditch it. The cops were on my tail.” Hank shook the reins on his fiberglass steed. “You don't need to know, sweetheart. Let's just say some of us don't have uncles who own hardware stores.”

Leia finally looked away from him, turning her attention to the boardwalk. There was no place on Earth like Ocean View's boardwalk. People chattered noisily. Rides squeaked, rumbled, sputtered, whirred. In the distance, she could faintly hear the waves crashing and the seagulls squawking on the beach. Fried potatoes and seafood vats sizzled. People screamed and laughed in six or seven different languages. “Lost In Love” by Air Supply mingled with the carousel's organ music.

She was almost a little disappointed when, all to soon, the whirling slowed. This always was one of Maz's best rides. It was hard to beat the classics.

She was about to ask Hank if he was up to the Flyer next when she heard yelling over the din. A blur of shiny black and white vinyl near the entrance to the pier caught her eye. As they went slower and slower, the blur came more into focus. Leia gritted her teeth and tapped Han on the shoulder.

“What?” He was beaming ear to ear. “I'm winning the Kentucky Derby!”

Leia rolled her eyes. “I'm sorry to break up your race, but I think we have a problem.” She got off her horse as the carousel came to a complete stop, indicating the increasingly noisy fracas down at the entrance.

Hank saw them after he reluctantly removed the belt and climbed off. “The Imperial Gang. What the fuck are they doing here? I doubt they suddenly decided they wanted to ride the Flyer. Dracula's Dungeon is more their speed.”

“Maz.” Leia stomped down the metal stairs so hard, Hank could feel them vibrating. “Maz told me she got a visit from Tarkin. He tried to harass her into selling this place, but she threw him out.” More fearful screams came from the direction of the arcade and Larry's Fries. “Tarkin and the Imperial Gang are connected. I think they're both working for Empire Industries.”

Leia could have sworn she saw the same guy from the docks again, the one in green and red, with the motorcycle helmet, leaning against the railing for the outdoor dining area. She started in closer, but by the time she made it there, he was gone. She shrugged and went after Han.

“Oh! Oh dear!” Leia thought people didn't wring their hands in real life anymore. Chip didn't seem to have gotten that message. He was wringing his hands like crazy, his blue eyes wide behind his very round and thick glasses. “Those men at the entrance are causing a terrible fracas! I would go help, but I have my job here, and I don't want all these little children getting hurt...”

“Leia!” Luke and Wedge rushed over next, followed by Arturro in a grease-smeared blue and yellow t-shirt and khaki shorts. “What's going on? We heard the yelling all the way over at the Bumper Cars.”

Leia was already heading for the entrance. “It sounds like the Imperial Gang is trying to make trouble again.”

Luke groaned. “Like what they did to the beach a couple of weeks ago wasn't bad enough! What do they want now?”

“Maz to sell out.” His sister shoved a few people out of the way with her over-sized straw purse. “I'll tell you what Maz told me when we get there.”

Hank smirked. “Speaking of, looks like the old chick got here first.”

The Imperial Gang were tossing guests around in front of the entrance. Leia winced as one of the kids in the black and white jacket elbowed a family aside, grabbing their bucket of fries from Larry's counter. Two more were knocking down trash cans and shoving people away from the ticket booth. One was yanking out the intercom, distorting “On the Dark Side” from Eddie and the Cruisers.

“All right boys, break it up.” Maz ducked under Vader's legs and squeezed her way into the middle of the group. “This is still my property, and I'm not gonna let you jackaninnies trash it. Get out, before I call the cops.”

Vader blocked her. He was twice the size of the older woman, and yet she seemed to dominate him. “Oh yeah? You and what army, ya ol' bitch?”

An arm reached out and grabbed Vader's jacket. Leia was surprised to see Uncle Ben drag him out of the crowd. “I think this army should be sufficient enough.” He waved a hand at the four young adults behind him. “Why don't you go home and learn to respect your elders?”

“What, like you?” Vader sneered. “I never liked you, ya ancient fucker.”

Luke shoved in front of Ben. “Don't talk that way about my uncle!”

The Gang members around them all laughed. “Oooh, it's Stick Boy!” The towering man in the black helmet's voice managed to smirk. “What, you gonna pound me again? You did so well the last time.”

Ben put his hand on Luke's shoulder. “This little one isn't worth the trouble. Why don't I buy you all a soda, and we'll get away from this crowd?”

“I ain't takin' no pansy...” Vader's helmet locked on Leia. Several people went flying as he nudged his way through the crowd. He lifted the bottom part of his helmet long enough to kiss Leia's hand. She swore half of his right cheek looked burned and disfigured, like he was Michael Myers or something. “Well, hello again, beautiful. What brings you to this little place?”

Hank grabbed her other hand. “If you must know, pal, she's with me.”

“Actually,” Leia pulled her hands from both of them. “I'm here with my brother and my uncle.”

“Fun little family outing. How sweet.” Vader grabbed her arm. “Look, doll face, why don't we lose the fisherman and Stick Boy and go find some real excitement? Say, over at the Mos Eisley Cantina down on Rock Isle Avenue?”

“First of all, that's the worst part of town.” She struggled in his grasp. “Second, I wouldn't be caught dead with you.”

Vader yanked her arm harder. She gasped. “That can be arranged, doll face.”

Suddenly, a very wide and hairy arm in a Twisted Sister t-shirt snatched Vader by the back of his black jacket. “The lady said 'no,' lad,” a thick North England accent growled. “Don't be a bloody prick.”

“What the hell is this?” Vader tried to twist out of Charlie's ham-sized fists. “I didn't hear anythin' about an ape escapin' the county zoo.”

“Bright lad. Very bright.” He tossed Vader into his buddies. “Now bugger off. Before I start separatin' limbs from sockets.”

Hank grinned. “Just in time, Charlie. The dickheads thought they could make trouble.”

Vader smirked. “Can't fight your own battles, so you bring in the human ape. Nice, Fish Face.”

Hank glared at him. “Great thing to call someone when we can't see your face. What, are you that ugly?”

“I have skin problems.” Vader turned his fist to Maz. “We're here to bring a message to the old lady. Our boss wants this property. She can sell it the easy way...or we can play hard ball.”

Chip and Arturro came over next. Chip actually looked pretty angry for him. “You're a nasty man, threatening a nice lady like this! She's a good employer. She always pays us on time, and she gives us a discount on meals at Larry's Fries and Bigger's Restaurant.”

Vader grabbed Chip by his throat. “Butt out, nerd breath, before I break you in half.”

He never got the chance. Arturro let out a growl that sounded somewhere between Tarzan and the monster in “The Howling.” He launched himself at Vader, running head-first into his gut.

The moment they hit the ground, Hank smashed the nearest guy in white vinyl in the face. Luke and Wedge clotheslined another guy. Leia knocked a third flat on his back when he tried to touch her breasts. Maz and Ben let a fourth trip over a colorful plywood counter. He crashed into the bottles set up for the ring toss game. Chip stumbled into the pier, gasping and clutching his throat. Arturro shoved Vader aside and went after his friend.

Hank grinned at Charlie as they ended up back-to-back. “Just like old times, huh pal?”

Charlie thrust his foot into another guy's crotch, then grabbed two and smacked their heads together. “I haven't had this much fun since we started that one bar brawl in North Carolina.”

Luke was never in a brawl before...but he was having the time of his life. He dumped half of a bucket of fries over one guy's head, then kicked another in the rear. Some of the spectators were starting to join in. Fries and chicken legs and funnel cake flew everywhere

Ben and Leia came up to him as sirens were heard in the distance. “I think we can let the police handle the rest.”

Leia nearly doubled over laughing. “Look at the two of you!” She gently tugged them both over to one of the mirrors in front of the Whacky Shack. “Nice black eyes.”

Luke and Ben turned to each other and laughed. Ben touched the bruise on his right eye. “How did we manage to get the same ones on the same eye?”

“I have no idea. I've never had a black eye before. Uncle Owen would be so pissed.” Luke's smile turned down. “You wouldn't tell him we were in a brawl, would you? He'd ground us for life!”

Ben smiled...but he ended up wincing at a split lip. “What your uncle doesn't know won't hurt him.”

Wedge stumbled over, arm in arm with Hank, Charlie, and Arturro. Chip was behind them, still rubbing his throat. “Maz is talking to the cops,” Hank announced. “They got a couple of the guys. Most of them got away, including Vader.”

Charlie grinned, showing all of his sharp canine teeth. “Looks like Leia n' Luke ain't the only twins.”

Ben chuckled. “You have some rather nice bruises yourselves. I think we all got knocked around pretty good.”

Chip stopped next to Arturro. “Arturro Detonski, what made you do that? You could have been killed...or worse, lost your job.” He gasped as Arturro threw his arms around him. “Well, I understand you wanted to stand up for a friend. It was noble of you, but those men were twice your size!”

“Wait.” Luke stopped and sniffed. “What's that smell?”

Arturro sniffed next, nodding. Chip raised his long nose in the air. “Arturro says he smells smoke. Oddly enough, so do I.”

Hank and Charlie sniffed next. “It's not from the fryers at Larry's,” Charlie rumbled. “It's more like...”

“Like that!” Luke pointed to the flames licking at the side of the narrow storage building between the Whacky Shack and the Mighty Mouse mini roller coaster.

“Shit!” Charlie's long legs got there first. “Someone get water, quick!”

“Oh dear!” Chip threw a cup of warm lemonade that was sitting on the ground into the flames. “Call the fire department!”

The flames weren't big now, just on one corner of the storage building, but they were spreading fast. Wedge took off his shirt and tried smothering the flames with it. Hank, Leia, and Luke dashed over to the nearest beverage stand, tossing the largest cups of Pepsi Light, lemonade, and Teem they could find onto the fire. Charlie grabbed a bucket that held popcorn, filled it with water from the kiddie boat ride that wasn't in operation at the moment, and dumped it on the flames. Arturro had finally gotten most of it just as Maz and Chip hurried over with several fire fighters. Most of the other employees evacuated the Whacky Shack and shut down the Mighty Mouse.

Maz's wrinkled brow fell in relief. “Thank god there's a Fireman's convention in town this week.” Everyone ducked aside as the firemen turned on the hoses and did their jobs. “I never would have gotten anyone over here this fast.”

Ben put his arms around the older woman. Arturro, Chip, Charlie, and several employees were pushing back onlookers and telling them to “bugger off” (in Charlie's words.) “It could have been worse, Maz. We were lucky we were over here. You know how easily fire spreads in these flimsy buildings.”

“I know too well.” Maz watched as the men doused the flames. “I remember when the old Ocean Park Pier went that way about a decade ago. Bunch of kids were fooling around in the off season, smoking. One dropped a cigarette, and whoosh! Whole pier went up like it was made of matchsticks.”

One of the firefighters brought a slightly singed lined notebook sheet to Maz. “We found this tacked to the wall in the back, near the fire. I'm surprised it wasn't consumed with the rest of it.” The other men were already leaving, the fire now just down to smoke. “You were very lucky, ma'am. The worst you probably got was some smoke and water damage in your room and a little smoke on the side of the Whacky Shack. I hate to think of what would have happened if we hadn't gotten there when we did. It looks like some kid dropped a cigarette by the walls and it caught fire.”

Maz took the note. Half the group leaned over her shoulder as she read the blurred scrawl. “Don't let your business go up in smoke. Next time, we'll set fire to a ride.”

“They're threatening you.” Leia's fists were clenched. “Those Imperial Gang bastards are outright threatening you!”

“Can't you take this to court?” Her brother put a hand on Leia's shoulder and shook it a little. He could never stop his sister from punching someone in the face when she was really mad.

“With what evidence? This?” Hank waved at the smoking building. “This says nothing. We can't connect the Imperials with this, especially since most of them were busy brawling with us when this was probably set.”

Arturro shouted furiously in his native language. Chip nodded. “I agree.” He took off his glasses and wiped the water from the hoses off them, then turned to the others.“Arturro says that the fight in the entrance was likely a distraction, to keep people from witnessing the Imperials starting the fire.”

“Maz,” Leia insisted, her jaw set, “I will find out who did this, and they will pay. I swear it.”

“I don't know what you can do, hon.” Maz tucked the paper into her pocket. “I'll give this to the police when they arrive. Even if we don't know who did it, it's still pretty obviously arson.”

Ben sighed. “There's nothing we can do here now. I think we'd better go home. Maz, call me tomorrow and tell me if there's any developments.”

Maz nodded. “Right, you old codger. And don't you kids be strangers. You really saved my bean today.” She ran over to the ticket booth and came back with a book. “Here. Free passes for the whole summer to make up for your night being ruined.” She pulled green printed papers out of the book and handed one to everyone but Chip and Arturro.

“As for you two,” she grinned to her employees, “you just got promoted. Artie, I know you're a good repair man. Some of these new rides, like the Kamakazi Star, have really fancy mechanical systems I couldn't begin to figure out. I heard you could. And Chip, I could use a good assistant, and maybe a translator. I can't always understand every fool person who comes through here. I've seen folks from as far away as Japan and India.“

Arturro bowed with a flourish. Chip's bow was more like a bob. “Thank you, Miss Kantana,” Chip added. “We're truly in awe of your largess. Does this mean we'll receive an increase in salary as well?”

She grinned. “We'll talk about that tomorrow, boys. For now, Chip, get back over to the merry-go-round, before the kiddies start tearin' the horses off. Art, let's help the firefighters clean up the mess.”

Hank tucked the pass in the inside pocket of his vest. “Well, this has been an exciting night. How about we blow this joint and take my truck over to the dunes by the canal? It's quiet over there.” He directed his lazy grin to Leia. “We could look at the stars, talk, drink, do some bird watching, have some fun.”

“Not tonight.” Leia dropped the pass in her wallet. “I need to get a hold of Senator Mothma. This is huge. If we could link it to the Imperial Gang attacking the beach...”

“Spare me all the talk about the Cottages and your senator.” Hank glared at her. “Don't you ever think of anything else?”

Leia glared right back. “Unlike some people, I have a conscience. The Cottages and the Marine Adventure Pier are Uncle Ben and Maz's lives. I've been coming here for as long as I can remember. I don't want the Imperial Gang to cause more damage.”

Hank stuck his finger in her face. “But what about you?”

Leia ignored him and kept going, following Luke, Wedge, and Ben down the boardwalk. Charlie ambled after them. “What about me?” She rolled her eyes. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“It's nice that you're tryin' to help the old folks, but don't you wanna do anythin' else with your summer?” He indicated the boardwalk and the rapidly darkening beach behind it. “There's a whole world out there, sweetheart. It could be ours for the taking.”

“You could help, you know.” Leia walked fast, but Hank had longer legs and easily caught up with her. “You live at the cottages, too.”

“Not forever. Some of us have places to go and people we don't want to kill us.” His cocky grin became even wider. “You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me.”

“Yes!” Leia finally stopped, facing him. “You were a big help tonight. You and Charlie.”

“That's not it.” Hank crooked his finger at her. “Come on. Admit it. You want the dick.”

Leia would have rather told him where he could take his dick. “You're imagining things.”

“Am I?” His lazy grin became a bit feral. “'Fraid I'm gonna leave without givin' you a good-bye kiss?”

Leia's eyes blazed. “I'd just as soon kiss Charlie.”

Hank lifted his glasses, his hazel squint directed down at her. “I can arrange that, Princess!”

“I guess you don't know everything about women yet.” She had to get on a convenient crate by Ed's Funcade to do it, but Leia did kiss Charlie fully on the lips the moment he passed. It wasn't the smartest thing she ever did. His face was all hair and bristles. She still managed to hop off the crate with her head held high, glaring at Hank as she passed.

“Wow.” Charlie almost stumbled into his friend. “She's damn good.” His own cocky grin showed every very large white tooth. “If you don't want her, mind if I have a go at her?”

“Laugh it up, fuzzball!” Hank finally just pushed past Luke and made for the nearest ramp to the street.

Luke rubbed his shoulder. “Geez, what got into him?”

Charlie shrugged. “No bloody idea, mate.”

Neither Charlie nor Hank noticed the man in the green Members' Only jacket and the green and red helmet watching them from the red Formica booth at Mickey's Pizza. The moment they went down the stairs, he tossed his cigarette into the metal ash holder and went in the other direction.