State of Undress

by: Miss Chris

Rating: PG

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Leia stared in disbelief at the garment that had just been tossed to her. What was it? It could hardly be called clothes, considering how little it covered.

“Put that on hussy,” growled the guard, impatiently leery and lecherous.

This was degrading. Utterly humiliating.

She was momentarily glad that Han was still suffering from temporary blindness - she could picture his gaze, that annoying smirk spreading across his face as he appraised her before coming out with some comment. But then dread settled in the pit of her stomach when she realised who would be seeing her in such skimpy undress. Jabba’s palace was a hive full of the worst of villainy and scum in the Galaxy. Han’s eyes would at least be kind. Others would not. The outfit was designed to reveal, entice and arouse.

“C’mon hussy, I ain’t got all day. Jabba doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Leia turned round furiously. “Then leave the room so I can have some privacy to change.”

The guard folded his arms and leaned forward, close enough for her to smell his foul breath. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere sister.”

There was nowhere to run. To run would be suicide. She was unarmed. What could she do? Leia breathed in, hoping somehow some inspiration would come to her. As she breathed out, she suddenly felt a sense of other worldly calm inside a whirlwind storm. She was on the precipice of a swirling strange power and she felt as if it were calling for her to touch it.

Leia gathered the strange power she felt inside her, infusing it into her best commanding tone.

“You will leave me alone.”

For a second the guard blinked and stared hazily at her. Then he said, “I will leave you alone.”

Stunned, she quickly added, “You will exchange places with the guard L’lonolo.”

“I will exchange places with L’lonolo,” repeated the guard, who then promptly left.

Leia ran her hand through her hair. It worked! Somehow it worked. The same queer feeling she had when she felt she heard Luke’s voice on Bespin. Like she was far away and yet present at the same time.

Lando’s appearance quickly put an end to her musings and she filed the thought to reflect on at a later date. Hopefully there was going to be a later date.

“Leia I don’t know about this. He’s going to execute Han for sure. And watch out what he’s going to do to you.”

“I trust Luke. He came up with the plan and we’re going to stick to it.”

“All right Princess. It’s your call.”

“Please stand watch while I change.”

Respectfully Lando turned round and guarded Leia while she undressed. Only when she cleared her throat and commanded him to tell her what he thought did he lay eyes on her.

In another time, in another place, Lando would have reacted differently to the sight of a beautiful woman in a metal bikini. But this was Han’s woman. She was brave, intelligent, fierce. This outfit didn’t belong on her.

“Jabba’s going to be sorry he ever put you in such a thing. C’mon let’s go.”