The Arcadia Chronicles

Arcadia pulled the microphone off and unceremoniously dropped it on a table as she made her way down the stairs at the back of the stage. "That went well," she thought. She enjoyed being up on stage, enjoyed having the spotlight on her, teasing the audience, making them want more. A contented smile crept over her face and worked its way into her eyes as she recalled the way that she had connected with her audience.

"That was brilliant! They loved you!" her stage manager fawned all over her.

"Thanks" she said with a smile and waved him away. He could be so obnoxious at times.

Arcadia made her way through the maze of corridors that linked the stage area to the dressing rooms stopping briefly to speak with Zac.

"Cadi, it looked great from here." Zac looked up from his monitor when he heard Arcadia enter the room.

"Thanks Zac. I'm going outside for a while. I need some space before I start mingling with my guests." Arcadia’s face was flushed and she seemed slightly out of breath.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Zac made a move to stand up but Arcadia stopped him with a gesture.

"No Zac. You've got the place sealed up tight. I'll be fine. I need to be alone for a while."

Zac looked at Arcadia critically for a second. He sensed that there was more than opening night excitement that had Arcadia flustered. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on her tonight but thought better of denying her of her privacy "Okay, Cadi, I'll see you in there." She smiled and continued on her way.

The corridors snaked around the building linking all areas of the club. An intricate network of technology connecting everything from the smallest nodule to the largest Secscanner, all linked back to one of the many control rooms that continually monitored Andromeda. The control rooms were a hive of activity, busily scanning and processing the incoming information, ensuring that everything was running smoothly.

Arcadia wandered through the maze, finally emerging at the exit. The noise had been muted in the corridors, but outside in the warm night air, the full extent of the hubbub could be heard. Pressing the door release, she leaned back against a wall, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. She needed to centre herself. She had almost forgotten her routine when her eyes had locked with that man in the audience. He had looked into her eyes and she had nearly melted. It was all that she could do to stop herself from looking at him again. It was like he had cast some sort of spell over her, compelling her to look at him.

"Oh, he was so cute" she said out loud. The memory of those deep blue eyes and that shaggy brown hair filled her mind. She sighed and opened her eyes to look at the stars above.

"Look, there she is."

Arcadia looked across to see a group of men coming towards her.

Great, this is all I need.

The men were clearly thugs, Arcadia could see it the moment they approached her. She looked each one in the eye, assessing her situation.

I should have let Zac come with me.

"Hello there gorgeous," the stale breath of the man closest to her wafted on the breeze making her nostrils flare.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Arcadia straightened and stepped away from the wall in anticipation of a confrontation.

"Gentlemen?" the man sniggered "Yeah you can help us. You can come along quietly is what you can do."

Arcadia raised an eyebrow at him. "Unfortunately, I am rather busy right now, so if you'll excuse me." Arcadia started to move towards the door but one of the men blocked her path. She gave him a pointed look and he almost flinched. Brilliant. Her hand moved across the bracelet on her wrist, depressing a concealed button in the process.

"Get out of my way," she said loudly.

The man looked at his companions but didn't move. Stale breath man reached over and grabbed her wrist.

"Let go of me,” she snarled at him.

When he showed no signs of complying, she swiftly kneed him in the groin. He immediately let go of her wrist and doubled over in pain. Arcadia moved quickly, clenching her fist and punching the closest assailant squarely in the jaw. His head jerked back but he remained standing, merely rubbing his chin.

This isn't good.

"Zac, where are you?"

Before she could strike again, one of the men grabbed her from behind, greatly limiting her manoeuvrability. Leaning back into him, she used his strength to lift her legs off the floor and kick out at the men. Several kicks connected with one of the assailants and she hid a smile as he crumpled to the ground. Her victory was short lived though as stale breath man recovered enough to pull out a large bladed knife and moved to wave it in front of her face.

"Now, lets try this again" he said menacingly.

"Let her go."

The voice was a quiet rumble from the shadows. The men looked around startled. Arcadia peered into the darkness trying to see her would be saviour.

"Who's there? Come out where I can see you," stale breath man ordered.

Silently a man stepped into the light. The sight startled Arcadia.
It's him!

"I said, let her go."

The man was unarmed, but he stood his ground fearlessly. The assailants looked around searching for his companions. When they were sure that he was alone, two of them moved to attack him.

The man made a small gesture with his hand and the knife the assailant was holding flew out of his grasp, landing uselessly on the ground some twenty metres away. The men stopped in their tracks, stunned by the display. The lone rescuer raised an eyebrow at them, which seemed to renew their confidence. They continued towards the newcomer intent on pounding him into the ground. The man made another small gesture and both assailants fell to their knees clutching at their throats, their eyes bulging wildly. The man then slowly walked passed the two men on the ground, his attention directed at Arcadia's captors. He stopped directly in front of stale breath man and looked at him challengingly.

Even though he had seen his companions overcome, stale breath man wasn't about to give up without a fight. He took a swing at the newcomer, who swiftly moved out of the way and returned with a blow of his own, connecting squarely on his jaw. Stale breath man looked stunned for an instant before he slipped into unconsciousness.

The man’s attention was then directed at the last assailant restraining Arcadia. He looked at him questioningly, daring him to make a move. Suddenly a menacing growl was heard from the shadows. The thug looked up to see a huge hairy Wookie striding towards him. He quickly pushed Arcadia to the ground and ran off into the darkness. The Wookie growled and started to follow him but the man stopped him.

“Let him go, Chewie.” The Wookie growled his disapproval at the lost opportunity but obeyed.

The man held out his hand to Arcadia and she gratefully took it as he helped her to her feet. She stood before him looking up into his deep blue eyes, one of his hands on her waist the other still holding hers.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks to you," she replied.

At that moment, the door slid open and out raced Zac, ready to kill whomever it was that was attacking Arcadia. He surveyed the area in an instant and realised that he was too late. Eyeing the wookie, he asked, "Cadi, are you okay?"

Arcadia let go of the man's hand and tore her eyes away from his to look at Zac. "Yes Zac, I'm fine. Thanks to this gentleman." Arcadia smoothed her clothing and pushed a stray curl out of her eyes.

Zac looked at Arcadia's saviour taking in every detail with one glance. He held out his hand to the man.

"Thank you."

The man shook Zac's hand and nodded. "Glad I could be of assistance." The wookie growled behind them.

"And thank you too my friend." Zac offered his hand to the wookie who also shook it good-naturedly.

"I'll get security to clean up this mess." Zac indicated to the strewn bodies still lying unconscious on the ground. "We had better get inside, there could be more of them." Zac ushered everyone through the door and into the corridor. Once inside he made the call to security, then he turned to the man.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

The man smiled, " My name is Luke Skywalker," and indicating the Wookie he continued, " and this is my friend Chewbacca."

Zac's eyes widened. "Luke Skywalker. This is an honour. Welcome to Andromeda. My name is Zac Terran and this is Arcadia."

Arcadia was clearly impressed. She too had heard of Luke Skywalker, his actions where legendary.

"This is indeed an honour Luke."

Luke took Arcadia's offered hand in his and leant over pressing his lips onto the soft, smooth skin. "The honour is mine, Arcadia." he replied looking deep into her eyes.

Arcadia blushed under the intense gaze. She pulled away and looked directly at the Wookie. "Chewbacca, your exploits are legendary. You too honour us with your presence." The Wookie growled an acknowledgement and the four of them made their way through the corridors to Arcadia's dressing rooms.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. I won't be long." Arcadia indicated the lounges that decorated the outer section of her dressing rooms and disappeared behind a door.

Luke and Chewbacca sat down on the comfortable seats while Zac went to get them all a drink. Luke surveyed the room from his seat. The room was sparsely furnished with a couple of large comfortable lounges, a coffee table sat before them and the walls were adorned with subtle works of art. On the far side of the room was the bar where Zac was busy pouring drinks.

Luke looked at Chewbacca and raised his eyebrow, “Not bad” he said, clearly impressed.

Zac returned to the lounges and handed a drink to Chewbacca before taking a seat next to Luke. He then handed him his drink.

"It was lucky that you were out there when Arcadia was attacked."

Luke took a sip of his drink and nodded. "Although, she looked like she could take care of herself."

Zac smiled. That was just like Arcadia, thinking that four to one odds are in her favour. "She can take care of herself. I have made sure of that."

Luke looked at Zac critically. "So, are you Arcadia's brother?" he asked.

Zac laughed softly, "No, no I'm not her brother."

Luke nodded. "You're her boyfriend then." He sounded resigned.

Zac looked at Luke, recognising the meaning behind his words.

Great, not another one.

"No Luke. Arcadia and I are friends. Good friends."

Luke tried to hide his returning smile in his drink but there was no hiding his eyes. They glowed a deeper blue.

Chewie finished his drink and growled at Luke, pointing towards the main club area. Luke had become accustomed to the wookie’s language and could recognize enough words to put what the wookie was saying together.

“What did he say?” Zac asked.

Luke turned to Zac and replied, “ I think what he is saying is that our companions are probably wondering about what has happened to us and that we should probably go and find them.”

Zac nodded and Luke turned to the Wookie.

“Chewie why don’t you go and get them. I am sure that they would like to meet Arcadia and Zac.” Realising that he was being presumptuous he turned to Zac and asked, “If that’s alright with you of course?”

Zac nodded. “Any friend of yours is welcome here.”

Chewbacca put his glass down and hauled his massive frame out of the seat. He placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder in a farewell gesture then lumbered out of the room in search of his friends.


The door slid shut behind Arcadia. She looked around the room making sure that she was alone. Once satisfied, she walked over to the bed and threw herself down onto its softness. She moaned as she stretched her body out, trying to remove the tension that knotted her muscles. "Luke Skywalker" she whispered, smiling wistfully to herself. "My hero." her eyes closed, lost in a daydream. Suddenly realising what she was doing she mentally reprimanded herself.

"Get a grip Cadi."

Dragging herself off the bed, she went to get cleaned up. She surveyed herself in the mirror from all angles. The outfit was a bit dusty, but there were no rips or holes in it. Her hair wasn't too bad and the makeup needed little repair. Arcadia set to work and before long, she looked perfect again. She stood up in front of her mirror and took a long hard look at herself. Satisfied with what she saw, she blew herself a kiss and turned to join the others.

The door slid open and Arcadia stood framed in the doorway. The men stood when they saw her. Luke momentarily holding his breath at the sight of her. She smiled at them then strode out and took the drink that Zac offered.

"Thank you" she smiled at Zac and then sat down on the lounge between the two men. Luke and Zac exchanged glances then they too sat down.

"How are you feeling?" Zac asked her.

"I'm fine Zac." she replied a little abruptly. Looking around the room, she realised that the wookie was gone. “Where’s your friend?” she asked Luke curiously.

“He’s gone to get our companions. I’m sure that they would like to meet you.” Arcadia looked unsure so Luke added, “Zac said that it would be okay.” Arcadia smiled as she realised that she had made Luke uncomfortable.

“Yes, of course its alright.” She assured him.

Luke looked relieved he took a sip of his drink then changed the subject. "Do you know who your attackers were?" Luke asked, looking up from his drink.

Arcadia met his gaze for a moment before answering, "No. They just looked like hired thugs. They wanted me to go with them. I don't know where. One things for sure though, it wasn't just a random attack. They were looking specifically for me."

Zac looked concerned. "How do you know?"

Arcadia smirked at him. "They said 'There she is' when they saw me."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "It definitely doesn't sound random."

Zac shook his head and made the only decision that he could under the circumstances. "We had better tighten security. I don't want you going anywhere without an escort Cadi. And I think we'd better cancel your networking for tonight."

Arcadia was incensed. She jumped to her feet and glared down at Zac. "I am not going to hide in my rooms tonight or any night, Zac Terran. This is my club and no one is going to stop me from enjoying it. I have already missed one opening night, I am not going to miss this one.” Arcadia’s eyes flashed with anger. “You, of all people, should know how important this is to me Zac."

Luke looked at Arcadia at the mention of the missed opening night, pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place in his head.

Zac stood up and took both of Arcadia's hands in his, trying to placate her. "Okay Cadi, alright. I'll allow you to attend…" Zac realized his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth.

Arcadia's eyes widened, "You'll allow me to attend? Allow me. I think you have forgotten whom your talking to Zac. Since when have I needed your permission for anything?" She glared at him, daring him to defy her.

Luke smiled to himself, thinking, "Why does this sound familiar?"

Chewbacca made his way through the corridors to the main function area, using the sound of the music as a guide. It wasn’t long before he emerged into the cacophony of sound and bodies. Chewbacca pushed his way through the dancing crowds back to the table where Han and Leia still sat.

“Look there he is.” Han pointed at Chewbacca as he appeared from amongst the bodies. Chewbacca ambled over to the table and took a seat.

“Where’s Luke?” Leia asked him as she surveyed the crowd.

Chewbacca’s reply was a series of grunts and growls. Han listened to him intently his expression changing as Chewbacca recounted the tale.

“What’s going on?” Leia looked concerned.

Han sighed then turned to Leia. “Apparently, your brother was out playing the hero again.” Leia looked at him with a puzzled expression, which urged Han to continue. “Luke rescued the woman who opened the club from some thugs and now he wants us to go and meet her.”

Leia sat back in her chair, shook her head and smiled a sense of relief flowing through her. She had been tense since Luke mysteriously left some time earlier and now she knew why. “Oh well,” she said, “let’s go meet her.”

Leia pushed herself out of the chair and took Han’s hand. They waited while Chewbacca downed a drink that he had procured from a passing server, a crowd of young revellers forcing them to press up against each other. Finally, Chewbacca raised himself out of the chair and motioned for Han and Leia to follow. The crowd parted at the sight of the wookie, making the trek to the door much easier than it could have been. Chewbacca pushed the release and the door slid open. The three of them walked through and where met by security. Chewbacca glared at the guard who didn’t flinch under the intense gaze. He looked at Han questioningly.

“Um, we’re expected.” Han began.

The guard looked them over and pressed some keys on his wristband. He seemed satisfied with the reply, standing aside and letting them pass. Chewbacca continued to lead the way through the corridors, following his acute sense of smell back to the dressing room.

They arrived to the sounds of arguing. Chewbacca indicated to Han and Leia that they should precede him into the room. Leia surveyed the room from the doorway. She saw Luke sitting on the lounge nursing his drink and hiding a smirk. She also saw a man and a woman in a heated argument. The woman’s back was to her but she could see that it was the woman who had opened the club from her long curly hair and skimpy attire. The man was hiding a sheepish look as the woman confronted him. He looked up and Leia caught a glimpse of bright green eyes. The man saw Leia out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to look directly at her. Leia’s shocked expression matched the man’s perfectly. There was no mistaking those eyes and the chiselled features.

“Zac?” she whispered in amazement.

Zac’s eyes widened “Leia?” he said.

“What?” the woman began but Zac took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face the door.

The two women looked at each other in stunned silence for what seemed an eternity, neither daring to move in case the other was a mirage. Han looked questioningly at Luke who merely smiled back at him and shrugged. Leia looked at the woman standing before her. She was the same girl that she knew so many years ago. She still had the long dark curls, the tall lean body but that had filled out into luscious curves over the years. The same beautiful face, minus the baby fat, stared back at her. The only difference was in the deep brown eyes. They seemed darker, haunted. Finally, Leia broke the silence.

“Arcadia? Is it really you?” she asked knowing full well that it was.

“Leia!”

Arcadia’s eyes began to well with tears at the sight of her sister. She pushed by Zac and ran over to Leia taking her sister in her arms. The two women embraced each other, both of them smiling and crying at the same time. Leia pulled away first and held Arcadia out at arms length.

“Let me look at you. How long has it been?” she said surveying her sister’s face. Tears rolled down Arcadia’s smiling face.

“Fourteen years. I thought you were dead,” she stated bluntly.

“I thought the same of you” Leia replied. “When I saw Alderaan destroyed…what happened? How did you escape?”

“It’s a long story,” replied Zac as he came to join the two women.

“Zac. It’s so good to see you again.” Leia pulled Zac into her arms and embraced him warmly.

“The feeling is mutual, Leia” he replied returning her hug.

“Alright, will somebody tell me what is going on here?” Han eyed Zac warily.

Leia let go of Zac and turned her attention back to Han. She wiped the tears from her eyes then said “Han Solo, I would like you to meet Princess Arcadia Organa and her bodyguard, Captain Zac Terran.”

Han’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “Princess Arcadia Organa?” he asked in astonishment.

“Yes Han, my sister.”

Han was visibly stunned. It took him a couple of seconds to recover. Leia had told him about her sister on a number of occasions, each one of them ending in tears. Leia had blamed herself for Arcadia’s death, thinking that she could have done something differently to save her home world and the only family that she had ever known. Now it turns out that all that self-punishment had been for nothing. Han smiled at Arcadia, taking her in his arms and embracing her warmly.

“You don’t know how happy I am to find out that you are alive and well.” He told her and with a smirk he added, “Looks like I have a sister-in-law after all.”

Arcadia pulled back and searched his eyes not sure that she had heard him correctly. “Sister-in-law?” she asked.

Leia replied on his behalf. “Han and I are married. We have been for a number of years.”

Arcadia was impressed, the headstrong Princess Leia succumbing to a man. He must really be something special.

“Congratulations.” She hugged them both. “So, have you made me an auntie?” she asked with a smirk.

Han and Leia exchanged glances before Han replied. “Yes, actually we have three kids, Jacen and Jaina who are twins and Anikan.”

Arcadia took all this information in her stride. “Wow, “ she said. “Here I was thinking that I was all alone in this universe except for Zac, and now I found out that I have a sister, a brother-in-law, a niece, and two nephews. This has been some night.”

Luke stood up from his vantage point and walked over to the group, smiling broadly. He had had his suspicions from the start. Arcadia had seemed familiar to him and now he knew why. Leia and Arcadia had shared a family and therefore an upbringing. They both displayed similar attributes and mannerisms, the type of similarities that you would find in sisters. A dark thought suddenly clouded his mind.

What if they are really related? She could be my cousin or something.

He dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. Under the circumstances, that was something that would be too horrible to bear.

Leia turned to Luke still beaming and said, “I take it that you have already met Luke Skywalker?”

Arcadia looked at Luke and blushed slightly. “Yes I have.” She replied.

Leia’s smile broadened noticeably. “But I bet that he didn’t tell you that he is my twin brother.”

It was Arcadia’s turn to look astonished. “Twin brother? Since when have you got a brother, let alone a twin?”

Arcadia studied Luke critically for a moment looking for any resemblances, but failed. They looked nothing alike. Leia was short with dark hair and brown eyes, whereas Luke was tall with light hair and blue eyes. “Gorgeous blue eyes” she thought wistfully as she gazed into them. The sound of Leia’s voice bought her back to reality.

“It’s a long story too,” she told her.

“I’ll bet,” Arcadia replied.

“I think this calls for a celebration,” Zac announced and walked over to the bar to get a bottle of their best champagne. Arcadia agreed and ushered her newfound family over to the lounges. They all took their seats except for Luke who walked over to Zac.

“Do you need a hand?” he asked.

Zac gratefully passed Luke the champagne flutes and carried the opened bottle back to the lounges. Luke handed a flute to Chewbacca, Han, Leia and finally Arcadia who took it with a smile. Zac moved from person to person filling their glasses. When all the glasses were filled, Zac lifted his glass and proposed a toast.

“To new friends and family. May we never be parted again.”

Echoes of “Here, here” reverberated through the room and everyone sipped at their champagne.

Luke stood in a corner leaning up against a wall. He watched his sister and Arcadia talking animatedly on the lounge, trying to catch up on all those lost years, a lifetime really. Leia had confided in him about her foster sister, telling him about how sweet, beautiful and talented she was, about how distraught Leia had been when Arcadia was kidnapped and about Zac’s heroism in rescuing her. She had told him how a part of her had died when Alderaan was destroyed and she assumed her sister along with it. He knew how the memories of Alderaan’s destruction still haunted her. He watched Arcadia intently thinking that she was glowing with happiness and he felt proud in bringing the two of them together.

Han stood up and walked over to where Luke was standing, positioning himself against the wall next to his friend.

“She’s really something, huh kid?”

Luke shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes never leaving her face. “She sure is Han,” he replied.

Han was feeling mischievous, so he added, “She keeps looking over at you, you know.”

Luke turned to look at his friend.

“I think she likes you,” he teased. Luke gave him a wry look. “Seriously,” Han tried to look serious, but the mirth in his eyes gave him away.

“Cut it out Han,” Luke was annoyed.

Han looked at his friend and realised that this was more serious than he had first anticipated. “You really like her don’t you kid?”

Luke looked up from his drink. “Yes Han, I do.” Luke looked at Arcadia again. “I don’t know what it is about her Han. Every time I look at her…” Luke took a deep breath and shook his head. “Its like nothing I have ever felt before.”

Han was sceptical, “You sure you’re not on the rebound here Luke.”

Luke was shocked, “What? No, no way. This is completely different. Everything that I have felt before just pales in comparison to this.” Luke’s voice softened, “She makes me feel alive Han.”

Han looked at his friend and saw the wonder in his eyes. “Maybe the kid will finally get the love that he deserves,” he thought as he turned to study Arcadia.

“Excuse me Arcadia.”

Everyone looked up to see a middle aged man standing in the doorway.

“What is it Julian?” Arcadia eyed her stage manager.

“I’m very sorry to interrupt, but your guests are starting to wonder where you are.”

Arcadia looked resigned. “Thank you Julian, I’ll be out shortly.”

He nodded then left. Arcadia looked at Leia, “Duty calls,” she said standing. “Your welcome to stay here, or you can join me out in the club.” She looked around the room at everyone, her eyes lingering on Luke’s.

Luke pushed himself off the wall, “I’ll come with you, Princess,” he said. Arcadia smiled. It had been a long time since anyone other than Zac had called her that.

“I think we’ll all come.” Leia stood up and indicated to Han to follow.

They all made there way out into the nightclub. The music was loud, reverberating through the ground. Masses of people moved throughout the club. Some were dancing, others were drinking and still others were standing around talking and admiring the scenery. Arcadia and her entourage made their way through the crowds, stopping and talking to dignitaries and commoners alike. Arcadia was the perfect host, graciously accepting compliments and declining dinner invitations as she worked the crowd.

Finally, they arrived at her private table. She indicated for her party to sit down and instructed the waiter to bring them all a drink and some snacks. It was almost impossible to be heard over the noise of the music, so conversation was stilted. Han reached over to Leia and held out his hand. Leia looked at him for a second then took it. Han led her out to the dance floor, fighting for space amongst the crowds. Luke watched them dance for a moment; he then turned to Arcadia and indicated for her to come closer.

He brushed her hair back from her ear and spoke into it, “May I have this dance?”

Arcadia smiled, “Certainly,” she replied in his ear, her cheek brushing against his.

Luke stood up and helped Arcadia to her feet. Still holding her hand, he escorted her out to the dance floor.

The dance floor was crowded with revellers but they made room for the newcomers. Luke led Arcadia out to the middle of the floor, pushing by couples and groups alike. Arcadia and Luke faced each other and then started to move to the beat of the music. Arcadia’s body swayed, the multicoloured lights playing over her body. The song they were dancing to ended and seamlessly melded into another. A cheer reverberated through the crowd as the current number one song infused through the club. The number of dancers on the floor doubled almost instantly, pushing Luke and Arcadia up against each other.

Luke looked deep into Arcadia’s eyes as he moved against her. Their bodies seemed to melt into each others, moving as one. The music was upbeat but their movements were slow, sensual. Arcadia’s heart was beating faster, thumping in time to the music. Luke put his arms around her, pulling her closer into him. They danced in this way for some time, losing themselves in the music, in each other.

Han and Leia returned to their seats where their drinks were waiting.

“Check this out, Leia.” Han pointed at the dance floor with his drink, “Looks like your brother is putting the moves on your sister.” Han laughed at his joke.

“You make it sound so incestuous, Han. You know that they are not related.” Leia nudged him, smiling broadly.

Han took a sip of his drink, “Still, the kid’s got some moves. I didn’t know that he could dance like that.” Han was clearly impressed.

“He is my brother Han and Cadi was always a good dancer.” Leia studied the dancing couple for a moment, “You have to admit though, they do look good together.”

Zac placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder, “May I cut in?”

Luke was annoyed at the interruption but hid his feelings. “Sure,” he said and backed away.

Zac smiled a thank you at Luke then moved right up against Arcadia and started dancing. Luke returned to his seat.

“Hey Luke, those were some moves kid. Where did you learn to dance like that?”

Luke took a swig of his drink, “Come on Han, you’ve been to Tatooine, you know that there isn’t much to do there. I’ve had a lot of time to practice.”

Luke sat back in his chair and looked out at the dance floor. Zac and Arcadia were dancing up a storm. The other patrons on the dance floor had turned to watch the couple dance, hooting and cheering them on. Zac was running his hands over Arcadia’s body as he shimmied down in front of her. Arcadia’s arms where up above her, her head tossed back and her back was arched, she was swaying, playing up to Zac. The two of them looked like they had been dancing like that for years. Their movements where completely in tune, intimate. Luke watched them from the table, feelings of jealousy rising within him.

Leia felt Luke’s discomfort and placed a hand on his. He turned to her and she moved to speak into his ear.

“I wouldn’t worry about it Luke. They have a lot of history together. If they were meant to be a couple it would have happened by now.” She patted his arm and Luke nodded.

“Your probably right Leia, but I can’t help it. Its like I’ve been waiting all my life to meet her and now that I have I don’t want to let her go.”

Zac and Arcadia danced together for a couple more songs then joined the others at the table. They were both laughing as they sat down.

“Hey that was really good.” Leia was genuinely impressed.

Zac winked at Arcadia then took her hand in his and kissed it. “We’ve had a lot of practice,” he told Leia.

Luke looked away and mumbled, “Yeah, I bet you have.”

Arcadia sat back in her seat and took a sip of her drink. She studied Luke’s profile for a couple of seconds. He looked somewhat annoyed prompting her to consider that maybe he felt the same way about her as she felt about him. She smiled at the thought and decided to pursue the matter further.

“Are you enjoying yourself Luke?”

Luke turned to face her startled out of his reverie. He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. The intensity of his gaze stirring up a whirlwind of emotions within her. He opened his mouth to speak then reconsidered. Finally, he stood up and offered her his hand.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said his eyes pleading. Arcadia hesitated for a second then allowed him to help her up.

“Where are you off to Cadi?” Zac’s question bought a scowl to Luke’s face, which he managed to hide before anyone noticed.

“Just a walk Zac. We won’t be long.” Arcadia ruffled Zac’s hair as she brushed past him then smiled a goodbye to the others. Luke led her down the short staircase that connected her private table to the club floor. They pushed past the rowdy crowds and made their way to the exit. Arcadia stopped at the door to check on the attendance figures. After leaving some instructions with her security personnel, they made their way outside.

They strolled along the wide footpath in silence passing a number of other couples with the same idea. After a while, Arcadia spotted a path heading into a park. She changed directions and pulled Luke along with her.

“Come, let me show you something.”

Luke looked at the dimly lit path uncertainly but followed her lead. They walked for a short distance then Arcadia led him off the path and through a clump of trees. As they emerged from the bushes Luke’s breath caught at the sight. It was like they had stepped through a vortex into another world. Sprawled before them was a magnificent beach. The soft white sand glistened in the moonlight. The only sounds where of the cool blue waters gently lapping at the shore. An iridescent glow streamed across the gentle waters reflecting the brilliance of the moons.

“This is breathtaking.” Luke was mesmerised by the calm perfection. It was a striking contrast to the thriving hubbub that they just left.

“Welcome to the real Andromeda.” She was pleased with his reaction. Still holding his hand, she led him out onto the beach. They strolled along in a comfortable silence until the Princess found a suitable spot and sat down. Luke sat down on the sand next to her.

“So what’s the deal with you and Zac?” Arcadia turned to look at him. He met her gaze for a moment trying to appear nonchalant before picking up a small pebble and tossing it into the water.

Arcadia smiled to herself and began to recount her history with Zac.
“I was kidnapped when I was fourteen. A gang of criminals somehow infiltrated the palace and managed to drag me out of my bed and into their ship without anyone realising. They took me to Corellia and hid me in an old abandoned factory. I was there three days before Zac found me. He was a seventeen-year-old street kid. His family had been slaughtered two years earlier by an Imperial task force and he lived in the warehouse next door. He had been out searching for parts to rebuild his ship when he came across me bound and gagged, covered in grime and cowering in a corner. He assessed the situation in a second then disappeared. Up until then, I had started to lose hope about anyone finding me, let alone coming to my rescue. I had overheard my captures talking about terminating me after they receive their ransom. I was really scared.” Luke listened to her intently.

“Zac returned just after nightfall. He had no idea who I was yet he risked his life to help me. He was, is, a real hero. He took out the security droid that was watching me then short circuited the binders, picked me up and carried me out of the room. I had been sitting in the same position for so long that my legs were numb. We managed to get out of the building without being seen. But that’s when our luck ran out. One of the gang was returning from somewhere when he saw us. He and Zac got into a fistfight and it wasn’t looking good. He had Zac on the ground and was just about to hit him over the head with a metal beam. In the confusion the thugs weapon had flung out of his grasp and landed near me. Without thinking, I picked up the gun and shot him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t such a good shot and all I managed to do was blow his arm off. It was enough of a distraction for Zac to regain his feet and help me to run across the courtyard to the warehouse.” She paused for a moment and looked up at the stars a distant look in her eye.

“We managed to get indoors before we were confronted by another man. Zac pushed me behind him to protect me. The man pointed his weapon straight at Zac’s head. Zac just stood there and stared at him defiantly almost daring him to shoot him. I still had the gun and thought that there was no way that I was going to let this moron kill my saviour. In one movement, I pushed Zac aside and shot a hole right through the man’s brain. That was the first time I had ever killed anyone and I was surprised at the lack of emotion that I felt at the time. I guess I was still in shock, just acting on instinct. The rest of it is mainly a blur. Somehow, we managed to hijack their ship and Zac took me back to Alderaan. It was only after I got cleaned up that he realised who I was. Mum and Dad were so grateful and so impressed with his selflessness that they offered him a position in my personal guard. It wasn’t long before he became my bodyguard. We have been inseparable ever since. He has saved my life a number of times. I really don’t know what I would do without him. I adore him.” They sat in silence as Luke absorbed the information she had just imparted.

"I can't even begin to image what that would have been like. Fourteen? You were still a child!" He looked at her with new respect. A trauma of those proportions would have broken most adults, yet Arcadia hardly showed any signs of those scars. One more question had been burning on Luke's mind since meeting the Princess.

“What about Alderaan? How did you escape your home's destruction?”

Arcadia closed her eyes as the memories came flooding back. She took a deep breath then started, “It was my sixteenth birthday. My parents had organised a party for me. Zac and I were returning to our rooms to get changed for dinner when we overheard an Imperial officer claiming that my sister’s cruiser had been destroyed. As you can imagine I totally freaked. I ran blindly through the palace and somehow found myself on my ship. I took off and Zac came after me. A little while later Alderaan was gone. I spent a long time wishing that I had been on the planet when it was destroyed, the pain was so intense.”

It was obvious that the Princess was reliving the fear and agony of that day and Luke’s heart went out to her. He placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. Luke held her, wishing that he could somehow ease her pain.

After a while she looked up at him, "I just realised that I haven't thanked you."

Luke was confused, "Yes you did."

She smiled and shook her head, "No. Not for rescuing Leia and not for blowing up that wretched space station that killed so many of my people. So many innocent lives." She looked lost in thought for an instant but quickly recovered. "That was you, wasn't it?" He smiled shyly still uncomfortable with his hero status.

"Yeah. Me, Han and Chewie."

She placed her hand on his face, "Thank you," she said before reaching up and placing a kiss on his cheek. Her lips touched his skin for only an instant but the effect of that kiss lasted an eternity.

She slowly pulled away from him and brushed the sand off her clothes as she stood up. Luke watched her stand, staring at her long lean legs that seemed to go on forever. His eyes followed those legs up to her hips, over her torso and finally to her face. She smiled down at him and offered her hand to help him up. He half stood then took her hand, not wanting to unbalance her with his weight. They faced each other. Luke looked deep into her eyes and thought about kissing her, thought about the feel of her body pressed up against his. He moved towards her ready to take her into his arms when she suddenly stepped back away from him. Feelings of confusion flooded through Luke. He couldn’t understand why she would pull away from him like that.

“We should get back. Any longer and Zac would be sending out a search party.” She smiled sweetly at Luke, confusing him even further.

“Um, sure Cadi.”

She turned and started to walk back towards the bushes. Luke watched her walk away from him, a foreboding feeling creeping up his spine. At that moment, he decided that she was way too important to him to let her get away that easily. Running he caught up to her and placed an arm around her shoulders protectively. She snuggled into him and they made their way back to the club.

Andromeda was still pumping when they returned. It seemed that none of the revellers had left, in fact if anything the number of patrons seemed to have increased. Luke and Arcadia pushed their way through the crowds and back up to the Princess’s table. Han and Leia were in the middle of an argument, Chewie sitting back in his seat chortling to himself.

“Hey, were back.”

Han stopped mid sentence, “Obviously kid, we’re not blind.”

Luke gave him a dirty look and sat down. Arcadia scanned the club looking for Zac. She spotted him on the dance floor dancing with a young blond haired woman that she didn’t recognize.

A mischievous grin adorned Arcadia’s face as she watched Zac dance.

“What’s up Cadi?” Leia noticed her sister’s expression.

“Time for some fun, Leia.” She said patting her sister’s shoulders. Still smiling she left the table and moved down to the dance floor.

“What is she up to?” Han’s question received a shrug from his wife.

As the Princess fought her way to the dance floor, she was stopped by a group of men. After chatting and laughing with them for a short time, she was escorted to the dance floor by one of them.

Arcadia pushed past the dancing crowds and positioned herself behind Zac, dancing with her new companion. Zac seemed oblivious to the Princess’s presence behind him and continued to dance with his blond partner. She kept staring at him and moving in close to whisper in his ear. Zac was clearly amused by the woman. He was used to female members of the species fawning all over him, it was a by-product of being so gorgeous.

The man that Arcadia was dancing with kept moving in closer, forcing the Princess to step back. As she did, she bumped hard into Zac’s back. He turned around, an annoyed expression adorning his face, his eyes locking with Arcadia’s.

“Well hello there handsome,” she purred at him.

He gave her an appraising look a sly smile forming on his lips. “Hello there, yourself gorgeous. Do you come here often?”

She smiled shyly at him and shrugged, “Occasionally. What’s your name?”

He looked her over again before replying, “Zac. What’s yours?”

She ran her finger across her bottom lip then twisted one of her curls around her finger. She looked up at him provocatively through her eyelashes. “Cadi,” she breathed.

He smiled at her; taking her hand in his, he slowly lifted it towards his lips. “It’s a pleasure, Cadi,” he said looking deep into her eyes while pressing his lips onto her soft skin.

“Alright, back off man. The lady’s with me.”

Zac looked up at the man that the Princess was dancing with and gave him a dirty look. “I don’t think so.”

The man was surprised by the threatening tone in Zac’s voice but decided that Arcadia was worth fighting for. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. I said the lady is with me.”

Zac let go of the Princess’s hand and straightened to face the man. “If you have a death wish, we can take this outside.” He glared at him menacingly waiting for a response.

The blond that Zac was dancing with finally retrieved her jaw from the floor and built up the courage to approach Zac and try to diffuse the situation. “Come on Zac, this bimbo isn’t worth it. Lets go.”

Zac hid a twitch at the phrasing that the girl had used. He knew that Arcadia would sort her out.

“What did you say?” It was the Princess’s turn to glare.

The woman flinched. “I said that you are a bimbo and not worth the effort.”

“A bimbo? Who are you to call me a bimbo, you bleach blond piece of gutter trash?” The woman gaped. “And if I am not worth it then why are these two guys fighting over me?”

The woman’s mouth hung open unable to come back with a reply. Luckily for her, the man that Arcadia was dancing with saw a way out. He grabbed the blond woman by the arm and pulled her towards him.

“Come on,” he said. “These two are crazy. They deserve each other.”

He dragged her to the other end of the dance floor. She followed him, but kept looking back over her shoulder at Zac, hoping that he would change his mind and come after her.

Zac and Arcadia watched them leave, still glaring after them. Zac leaned towards the Princess and whispered in her ear, “You are such a tease.”

She half turned her head and looked up at him, snuggling her back into his chest.

“Whatever do you mean darling?”

He laughed and put an arm around her waist.

“Do you believe that girl? Where does she get off calling me a bimbo?”

Zac smiled and started to sway to the music, making the Princess move with him.

“Come on Cadi, she was nice.”

She put an arm around his neck and played with his hair as they danced.

“Perhaps, but she wasn’t good enough for my Zac.”

He smiled and moved his free hand up her thigh while pulling her closer into him. He liked it when the Princess showed signs of jealousy. It reminded him of how deep their love was.

“She is still looking over here Zac.” Arcadia flashed her a dirty look.

Zac caught the man staring at Arcadia too. “Maybe we should give them something to look at then.” He leaned over and started placing soft kisses down the Princess’s neck.

Arcadia closed her eyes and moaned. It had been some time since Zac had kissed her like that and she had nearly forgotten how he could make her feel. She turned her head as Zac worked his way back up her neck and looked into his smouldering eyes. Her breathing deepened as Zac leaned down and pressed his lips on hers in a slow sensual kiss. Arcadia turned in his arms to face him, their lips barely parting. He moved his hands over her body crushing her against him, his tongue exploring the depths of her mouth. She trembled at his touch, her own hands running over the hard muscles of his body and the sensual sinews of his neck. The sounds of the club faded into the distance as they lost themselves in each other. Finally, they parted both breathing heavily as the desire coursed through their veins.

“Oh baby, I’ve missed you.” The intensity in Zac’s words and gaze was unmistakable. “Come on,” he whispered as he began to lead her away from the dance floor and out to her rooms. She followed him willingly, eager to experience the explosive perfection of their love making again.

They were barely through the door of Arcadia’s room before they started kissing again. Zac closed and locked the door and was slowly walking the Princess back towards her bed while smothering her in kisses. When they reached the bed, he gently laid her down, his lips never leaving hers. She pulled herself up the bed taking Zac with her. He moved his lips from hers and started kissing her neck again.

“Oh Zac. Why did we ever stop doing this?”

His reply was a soft moan as he licked the hollow of her neck and started pressing his lips against the soft flesh of her chest. She ran her hands down his back and began pulling his top out of his pants. Once free, she slowly ran her hands up his bare skin pulling the shirt up and over his head. Her breath caught at the sight of his muscular chest, her desire rising.

He sat up on his knees and pulled her up to him. He looked deep into her eyes before taking her head in his hands and crushing his lips on hers in a passionate kiss. His hands moved down her back, effortlessly unclasping her dress. He pulled back from her and slowly ran his hands over her shoulders pulling her dress down her arms and exploring her body with his gaze. She let her top fall down around her hips, her breathing deepening in anticipation. He stared at her perfect body thinking that he could never get enough of her.

Pulling her into him, he ran his fingers over her semi-naked flesh. The straps of her bra were his next objective. He slowly started pulling them down with his teeth as he kissed her smooth shoulders. His hand worked its way up her back and unclasped the hooks of her bra finally releasing her from its grasp. Zac tossed the offending piece of clothing over the edge of the bed and pulled the Princess into him, savouring the feel of her naked warm flesh on his. He kissed her again passionately and slowly pushed her back onto the bed, his desire for her insatiable.

She moaned at the feel of his body against hers. She adored everything about him. She couldn’t get enough of him. She kissed his neck and ran her tongue down to the hollow where his shoulder and neck met. She knew that that was a sensitive spot for him and she spent some time kissing, licking and biting him there.

He shuddered at her touch, moaning, “oh Baby.”

She reached down and started undoing his belt and then his pants. She was just about to reach in when there was a knock at the door. They looked at each other, the passion still at boiling point.

“Go away!”

Zac was in no mood for interruptions. It had been a long time since he and his Princess had felt this way and he wasn’t about to let some insignificant problem ruin this for them.

“I’m sorry to interrupt sir, but there is a problem at security.”

He looked at the Princess and she shook her head. “No,” she breathed and pulled him down to her running her tongue across his lips.

“Handle it Jenkins,” he ordered then returned his attention to her lips, softly biting them.

“I’m afraid I can’t sir. It’s major. I think it may have something to do with Arcadia’s attackers.”

That caught Zac’s attention. As much as he wanted the Princess right now, he knew that her ultimate safety was his priority. If he had a chance to nail the bastards that wanted to harm her then that is what he had to do.

He gave her a resigned look, “All right. I’ll be there shortly.”

Jenkins sounded relieved. He said “thank you sir,” and left.

Zac looked at his Princess, the disappointment evident on his face, “Oh Cadi, I’m sorry.”

She exhaled deeply and pulled him towards her kissing him softly then taking him into her warm embrace, her body melting into his. “Go do what you have to do Baby. We’ll finish this another time.”

Zac closed his eyes, the extent of his emotions forming into words. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and held him tighter, “I love you too,” she replied honestly.

They held each other until the torrents of emotion began to subside then they reluctantly released one another and got up out of bed. Zac found his shirt and pulled it on over his head. Leaning down he retrieved Arcadia’s bra from the floor and handed it to her.

She accepted it from him and put it on, turning her back to Zac she pulled her hair up and said, “Since your so good with these things, how about doing it up for me?”

Zac stared at the fluid lines of her naked back, his barely contained desire starting to boil again. He moved towards her and complied, trailing soft kisses along her spine at the same time. She moaned at his touch, her body aching for him. He reached down and helped her with her dress, clasping it as easily as he had unclasped it earlier. His warm breath on her ear sending tingles through her.

“If I don’t go now Babe, I never will,” he whispered.

She turned to face him and pulled him into her, kissing him with all her pent up passion, ensuring that it would be a long time before he could put her out of his mind. When their lips finally parted, it took all of Zac’s strength to slowly back away from her. He reached the door, his smouldering eyes never leaving hers. Pressing the door release, he stepped back out of the room. His last glimpse was of her blowing him a kiss as the door slid shut again.

He turned and leaned up against the door, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. He was amazed at the way that she made him feel. No one could ignite the fires within him the way that she could, in fact, nobody had ever come close. The feelings that she evoked where intense, explosive and every time he experienced them, it left him craving for more. No matter how hard he tried or how often he denied it, he knew that no one could make him happier than she could. All those years of being together, the familiarity, the closeness, had failed to diminish the feelings; they were as powerful as ever. Their on again, off again relationship transcended all the boundaries.

Smiling to himself, he pushed his powerful body off the door and strode purposefully out of Arcadia’s rooms. His mind was set on the task at hand, getting to security and ridding himself of the possible threat to his Princess. As he passed by the door to his rooms, a thought suddenly struck him and he stopped dead in his tracks.

How can I be so stupid?

Back stepping he opened his door and walked into the outer chamber of his rooms. He quickly moved to the door of his dressing room and pressed the release. Entering the inner sanctum, he opened the cupboard door and reached up to the top shelf, pulling down a small gift-wrapped parcel. He stared at it for a moment and smiled, anticipating the reaction that he would receive. Pulling his shirt up, he tucked the package into his pants then pulled his shirt down over it. He couldn’t believe that in all the excitement he had nearly forgotten her birthday.

Arcadia stared at the closed door of her room, the image of Zac still burning brightly. “Argh,” she groaned loudly throwing herself back on her bed.

She could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers; the taste of him was still strong in her mouth, the sweet musky smell of his aftershave lingering in the air. All of her senses were hyped. She pounded the bed with her fist in frustration, hating the fact that duty could so easily take him away from her. The restless energy burned for release.

“Luke,” she thought smiling to herself and with that she bounded out of bed and sat at her dressing table, surveying herself in the mirror. Her face was flushed and her lipstick was all but gone. She decided that her makeup needed a complete overhaul. Pulling out her moist makeup wipes, she began removing the remainder of her makeup giving her a clean slate to begin again. Over the years she had become an expert at makeup application and could do it with her eyes closed if she had to, thus it didn’t take her long to get the desired effect. Applying the last smear of lipstick, she studied her reflection critically. Deciding that her hair looked a bit too tousled, she smeared some lotion onto her hands and smoothed it through her hair, which immediately returned to its former glory. Finally, she spritzed on some perfume to mask the smell of Zac’s aftershave that still lingered on her skin. Smiling at her reflection, she stood up and left her rooms.

The corridors that led back to the club area where a hive of activity as the dozens of people that made up the club staff ran around ensuring that everything was at optimum performance. They smiled and waved as Arcadia passed, having the deepest respect and affection for their boss. She smiled back and stopped to chat with some of the less busy, getting updates on the success of opening night. According to all sources, everything was running smoothly and the patrons were enjoying the facilities. All in all, it looked like Andromeda was going to be a huge success, even bigger than before.

Elated by the news the Princess re-entered the club and made her way over to her table. Luke and the wookie were sitting there nursing their drinks.

“Hi,” she chirped at them, “Everyone having a good time?”

The wookie looked up and growled softly, his features looking relaxed.

She smiled at him taking it to be an affirmative answer then placed her hands on Luke’s shoulders. Leaning down from behind, she spoke into his ear, “Dance with me?” she asked.

Luke looked up at her somewhat surprised, “Where’s Zac?” he asked.

“There’s a problem at security,” she replied.

He looked at her searchingly then stood up and escorted her to the dance floor.

He led her to a corner of the floor near the stage area where Han and Leia where dancing. She smiled at her sister and her husband before starting to dance. Luke looked tense and it took him some time to relax and enjoy dancing with her again. She felt the way that he had withdrawn from her and wondered if it was due to jealousy. She was sure that he had seen Zac kissing her earlier. The thought intrigued her. The idea that Luke Skywalker could be interested in her brought a smile to her face. She decided that she would have to explore the matter further, but now all she wanted to do was dance. All the restless energy that Zac had awoken within her needed to find a release and dancing was her second favourite pastime.

Luke watched her as she danced. She looked happier than she had earlier, more carefree, more alive. He wondered at what had bought about the change in her, dismissing the obvious. He didn’t want to think about her in Zac’s arms or to remember the way that he had kissed her. The only thing that he focused on now was her smiling face before him and the sensual movements of her body as she grooved to the beat. He was happy that her attention was fully on him and decided that he should enjoy the moment; all the while wishing that whatever occupied Zac in security would continue to do so for a long time.

It looked like Luke’s wish would come true. A good half hour passed without any sign of Zac’s return. Luke and Arcadia spent that time on the dance floor enjoying each other’s company. They danced, laughing and flirting with each other, slowly getting to know one another better. The initial sparks that had flown between them were still present, gently simmering under the surface.

The song that they were dancing to ended but wasn’t replaced with another. Arcadia looked up at the stage in concern, there was nothing scheduled at this time. She hoped that they weren’t experiencing technical difficulties. Something like that could ruin the entire ambience of the club. To her surprise, she saw Zac walk out on stage with a microphone attached over his ear. Her first thought was that there was trouble but she needn’t have worried.

Zac smiled at her reassuringly then looked out into the crowd waiting for them to fall silent. The rich tones of his voice reverberated through the room, “Is everybody having a good time?” He asked when he had their full attention.

The crowd roared in answer.

“Good,” he smiled at them. “My name is Zac, I am the co-owner of Andromeda. I am up here tonight for a very special reason. You all met my beautiful partner earlier when she opened the club.”

He was interrupted by loud wolf whistles and hooting. He grinned broadly; locking eyes with the Princess and then motioned for them to settle down.

“Tonight is doubly special for her. Not only is her pet project, Andromeda, up and running after years of hard work,” another cheer went up. He waited for silence again then looked straight at her, “Today also happens to be her birthday.” There was a brief second of silence as the crowd absorbed the information, which quickly exploded into a huge roar.

Zac held his hand out to her, “Come up here Cadi.”

She stared at him, her face aglow with happiness. This was something that she hadn’t expected. She loved the way that, even after all these years together, he could still surprise her. She walked up to him and let him help her up onto the stage. The crowd was still cheering loudly as he held her in front of him, his hands on her waist, his grinning face searching hers. He reached behind him and pulled out the parcel that he had tucked into his pants earlier.

Holding it out to her he said, “Happy Birthday Cadi.”

She looked at him and then the package before taking it from him. Smiling broadly she unwrapped it and saw a jewellery case. She looked up at him again before opening the case. He was watching her expectantly. As the case opened Arcadia’s breath caught. Inside the box was the most perfect gem that she had ever seen. A large teardrop shaped emerald blazed at her. It was surrounded by a thick coating of gold and hung on an equally thick gold serpentine chain.

“Oh Zac,” she breathed, “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She had reacted in the exact way that he had hoped.

“Turn it over,” he said.

She looked at him then obliged. On the back of the pendant was an inscription.

“Cadi,
You are my love,
You are my life,
You are my soul.
Everything I am
Is because of you.
Eternally,
Zac.”

She read the inscription over and over, the power of the words burning deep into her heart. She looked up at him barely containing her emotions. “Oh baby,” she said pulling him into her and kissing him.

He hugged her tightly for a long time. Taking the necklace from her, he clasped it around her neck. The teardrop sat perfectly in the hollow of her throat, the gem sparkling against her tanned skin, glowing the same deep green as Zac’s eyes. He stood back and looked at her.

“Perfect,” he said, “so absolutely perfect.”

The crowd had been hushed during the exchange, waiting expectantly to see what her gift was. As soon as Zac had moved from in front of the Princess, giving them their first glimpse of the necklace, they all seemed to inhale at once, like some giant creature taking its first breath. They were as much in awe with the gift as she was. A heartbeat later the room exploded into applause and cheering. Somewhere in the back of the room, someone started singing ‘Happy Birthday’, within seconds the entire room had been swept up in the moment and the song reverberated into the night.

Arcadia stood up on stage looking out across the crowd, overawed by the attention. It was one thing to be applauded when you were performing; it was something quite different when the adulation was personal. She hadn’t had that type of attention since she had left her old life behind and to her surprise, rather than being embarrassed, she found herself revelling in it. When the rendition had finished and the cheering had settled down, Zac handed her the microphone and she held it near her mouth.

Beaming at the well wishers, she simply said “Thank you.”

When the noise died down again the music started up. Instead of the usual upbeat dance songs, the DJ had put on a slow romantic tune. Zac took the microphone from her and tossed it to an aid.

“May I have this dance?” he asked, taking her hand.

“Of course,” she replied moving into his embrace.

He held her tightly and started to lead her around the floor. She moved with him effortlessly, flowing through the steps, anticipating his every move. They had eyes only for each other as they glided around the stage, both of them thinking of that fateful day, fourteen years ago, when they danced the same way under different circumstances. They were both amazed at how far they had come, yet how the important things had stayed the same.

As the song came to an end, Zac stopped and pressed his forehead against Arcadia’s.

Looking into his eyes she said, “Thank you.”

Smiling he replied, “You’re welcome.”

Another slow song started and Arcadia moaned softly, it was one of her favourites. Still resting their foreheads on each other they started to sway. After a couple of beats they straightened and Zac pulled her into him, his arm around her waist, moving his body with hers. She draped one arm around his neck as she pressed up against him, sliding her torso against his chest in slow, sensual movements, the intimacy between them plain for all to see.

Luke watched her from the dance floor as he danced with a young auburn haired woman that had been standing next to him. When the music had started she had asked him to dance and seeing Arcadia in Zac’s arms again he had agreed. She was snuggling up into him, her head on his shoulder, her arms around his neck. His arms were draped loosely across her back but his attention was focused up on stage, so much so that he didn’t hear what she said to him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t catch that,” he told her.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and whispered in his ear. “I asked if you would like to come back to my room.”

Luke’s eyes widened at the suggestion. He pulled back from her and studied her face. She was very pretty with a petite figure, big blue eyes, a button nose and a provocative smile. Any other time he might have considered her suggestion but not tonight. Tonight he was preoccupied, his mind filled with images of Arcadia. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. The way her eyes twinkled when she laughed, the feel of her lips on his cheek, the sweet, sensuous smell of her.

“I’m sorry I can’t,” he told her.

She frowned at him, unused to being rejected. “Why not?” she asked.

“I am sure you’re really nice,” he replied, “but I am just not interested.”

She gaped at him, “Bastard!” she said and slapped him hard across the face before spinning around and storming off

He stood gaping after her, rubbing at his cheek. Han’s uncontrollable laughter brought him out of his shock. He turned and gave him a dirty look.

“What did you say to her kid?” he asked between gasps.

“Beats me,” he replied shrugging his shoulders.

Leia looked at him and slowly shook her head, trying to keep the mirth off her face. “How many times do I have to tell you Luke, no means no,” she said teasingly.

“I didn’t do anything!” he replied quickly.

The romantic tune that had just been playing faded and was replaced by a faster dance number, the club returning to its original upbeat feel. Zac led Arcadia to the edge of the stage and jumped down, turning he reached up and held her around the waist, helping her down. They stood looking at each other for a brief instant, then turned and made their way to where Han, Leia and Luke where standing.

“Cadi,” Leia hugged her sister saying, “Happy Birthday.”

Arcadia smiled and returned the hug, pulling away she said, “Thank you.”

Han reached over and kissed her on the cheek, “Happy Birthday, Sis,” he added.

She smiled at him, enjoying the feeling of belonging to a family again.

“Let me see,” Leia said taking the emerald in her hand. She studied it for a moment then turned it over and read the inscription. Looking up into her sister’s eyes, they shared a meaningful look. “It’s beautiful,” she said then looking at Zac she added, “You were always a sweetheart Zac, don’t ever change.”

He smiled as she stepped over and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you for taking such good care of her Zac. I really can’t imagine what it would have been like for the two of you but you did a good job. She turned out well. You both have.”

He hugged her tightly, “Thanks Leia but don’t give me all the credit. She was there for me too. There were times when I needed her strength more than she needed mine.”

Leia searched his eyes before placing her hand on his cheek. “You’re still in love with her, aren’t you Zac?”

He looked at her, the distant memory of him confessing his feelings for the young Princess to her so many years ago bubbling to the surface. He had wanted to know if it was appropriate for him to court her. He had also wanted to know if Arcadia had ever mentioned having any feelings for him. Leia had been very sweet and understanding. She had picked up on the under currants of their relationship long before they had realised it themselves. She had encouraged Zac to pursue her but had warned him to be discreet, reminding him that she was still very much her Daddy’s little girl.

Later that day her father had called in on him.

“Sit down son,” he had said.

He had obeyed and listened intently as Bail spoke to him.

“Zac, I am sure that you are aware that we have all become very fond of you, especially Arcadia. We are also very grateful for the way you look after our daughter. We couldn’t ask for a better bodyguard. You know that it is her birthday next week.”

Zac had nodded.

“She will be sixteen, a young woman and a young woman needs to have an escort for such an important occasion. I have already received a number of requests from many of my friends asking that their son be that escort. I haven’t told Arcadia about them yet but the decision will be hers. I just thought you should know Zac, in case there was something that you wanted to ask her.”

Zac had looked at Bail, the meaning of his words clear. He had just given him his blessing to date the Princess.

“Are you sure sir?” he had asked.

Smiling at Zac he had said, “I passed her in the corridor on the way here. I believe she said that she was going to be in the garden for a while.”

Zac had stood up smiling, “Thank you, your majesty,” he had said before running out the door.

He had found her in the garden and had asked if he could be her escort. She had agreed instantly hugging him tightly.

Zac returned Leia’s gaze, “I have never stopped loving her,” he told her.

“And she feels the same way about you?”

Zac looked across at the Princess nodding his head, “Yes,” he replied, “but it’s not what you think. We are not a couple. At least we haven’t been for a while.” He shook his head, “It’s complicated. I can’t protect her when I am sleeping with her. She’s just too much of a distraction.”

Leia shook her head, “You look like a couple to me. I think it’s complicated only because you make it so Zac.” She patted his arm and walked away leaving him to ponder her words.

“Happy Birthday Princess,” Luke leaned across and kissed her on the cheek.

She smiled then noticed the red marks on his face.

“What happened to your face?” she asked.

He reached up and rubbed his cheek, “Some girl slapped me,” he said.

“Slapped you?” she asked in disbelief.

Luke nodded.

Shaking her head and smiling she told him, “I don’t want to know.”

He put his arms out in front of him in an open gesture, “I didn’t do anything!”

Han laughed again, “A likely story,” he said. Putting his arm around Arcadia he spoke loud enough for Luke to hear, “Watch out for this one Princess, he’s a real animal.”

Luke nodded his head at his friend and pulling her out of his arms he said, “Alright Han, I think she’s had enough of your sarcasm for one night.”

Arcadia’s rich laughter complimented the sparkle in her eyes as she looked at the two men. Han was clearly teasing Luke. She began to see why Leia was so attracted to him; he was devilishly charming and fun to be around. She was proud of her sister; she had found her perfect man. Han winked at her as Luke turned to face her, still holding her hand.

“Dance with me?” he asked.

Still smiling broadly she accepted. Luke smiled as he moved up against her and started to sway. She moved with him, their bodies easily moving into a comfortable rhythm. Looking up over Luke’s shoulder she locked eyes with Zac. He was dancing with Leia.

Seeing the two of them together like that bought the memories flooding back. She remembered the time when she had turned up late for a workout and had found her sister and Zac dancing together. She recalled the way that the jealousy had risen within her. She remembered thinking that Zac was her bodyguard and that Leia had no right to try and take him away from her. She was so angry with her sister that she didn’t talk to her for days.

Poor Zac had been made to suffer too. She had him running around doing meaningless errands until her mother put a stop to it. She had come to see her daughter to find out why she was so depressed. Arcadia had confessed to her mother about what she saw and how that had made her feel. Her mother had smiled at her finally understanding her daughter’s melancholy. She advised her that there would be lots of times in her life when things looked bleak on the surface but that life had a way of working itself out. She told her that she needed to be strong, to believe in herself and to trust that whatever is meant to be, will happen. She had hugged and kissed Arcadia and left her to her thoughts.

The Princess had stayed in her room for most of the day thinking about what her mother had said then had finally decided that life was too short to hold grudges. She had left her room and made her way out to the garden, passing her father in the hallway. He had stopped her and asked how she was feeling and where she was going before kissing her gently on the cheek and going on his way.

She met her sister out in the garden and had apologised for acting like such a child. Leia had smiled at her knowingly and told her that she was glad that everything was all right between them before returning to her duties. The young Princess had felt better after seeing her sister and had decided that she needed to apologise to Zac as well. She had been treating him badly over the last few days. She had sat on a bench watching the water birds gliding across the pond, her mind wandering.

“Princess,” she had looked up to see Zac jogging towards her, his face flushed and slightly out of breath.

“Zac,” she had started, “I’m really sorry for,” he had held his hand up stopping her mid sentence.

“Cadi, please, I need to ask you something. Let me go first?”

She had nodded. He had sat down next to her on the bench and had taken her hands in his. Gazing into her eyes he had asked, “Princess Arcadia Organa, may I please have the honour of being your escort at your birthday celebrations next week?”

Arcadia’s face had lit up as his words registered. She had nearly simply blurted out, “yes,” but had caught her self in time. Instead she had said, “Captain Zac Terran, the honour would be mine.”

Zac had beamed at her; “yes?” he had asked just to make sure.

Arcadia had nodded, her eyes gleaming, “yes,” she had replied then threw her arms around his neck and crushed her body against his in a long hug.

She smiled as she recalled how elated she had felt that day. Zac returned her smile and looking at Luke’s back he raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. Arcadia’s smile widened and she shook her head making Zac’s eyes glisten. He blew her a kiss then returned his attention back to Leia.

Arcadia watched them dance for a while longer noticing for the first time just how small her sister really was. She was dwarfed by Zac’s powerful physique, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. She was sure that the height difference wasn’t that blatant the last time she had seen them dance. Then she remembered that Zac was only nineteen back then. He had shot up dramatically over the next couple of years, reaching his current height around his twenty-first birthday. She withdrew into herself for a moment as the realisation flooded through her. Almost half her life had passed since she had last seen her sister.

“Are you okay Cadi?”

Looking up into Luke’s blue eyes, her breath caught at the intensity of his gaze. She quickly composed herself before answering.

“I was just thinking about the last time I saw Zac and Leia dancing together. I can’t believe how much time has passed. Fourteen years Luke, that’s almost half my life.”

Luke’s eyes softened at her comment. “I know what you mean, Cadi. So much can happen in an instant that changes your life completely. I mean look at you, one day you’re a Princess living in a palace, then the next you are an orphan on the run and in hiding. Or me. One day I was a farmer on Tatooine, then the next I am a Jedi Knight in training, saving a Princess and destroying a space station. Life is full of surprises. Over the years I have learnt that you just have to go with the flow and hope that everything works out in your favour.”

She smiled at him. He was right, there was no point dwelling on the past. She needed to concentrate on the here and now and the present looked like it would be interesting.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the security personnel approach Zac. She looked up and watched as he spoke into Zac’s ear for a moment. Zac nodded, gave him some instructions then he turned and left. Putting his hand on Leia’s arm Zac leaned in and spoke into her ear, she nodded then turned, making her way back to the table where Han was waiting for her. Zac stepped over to Arcadia and put an arm around her waist.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said looking at Luke, “But I need to get back to security soon. I would like to get everyone back to the house and settled before I do. Are you ready to go home Cadi?”

She looked up at him then nodded.

“We’re staying at the hotel,” Luke told him.

Zac smiled, “I think Cadi will have something to say about that.”

Looking up at Zac she smiled then leaning her back against Zac’s chest, she folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Luke.

Laughing softly he said, “Alright, let’s go.”