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“I think perhaps you are correct, Master Sebatyne. No one? Ah, Master Ramis. Thank you.” Master Hamner consulted his datapad. “An independent producer has contacted us about his plan to create a holodrama about the Jedi. It sounds like mindless, swashbuckling adventure, which ordinarily would stir me to some midpoint between apathy and contempt, but in our current situation I think it will work in our favor. I have denied his rather naïve requests to consult our Archives and record certain sequences in the Temple—” There were sighs of relief from among the Masters. “—but I have promised to put forth the request that a Jedi Master serve as technical consultant, and will give my permission to one who does. Here, too, do we have a volunteer? I will not insist … Ah, Master Durron. You just won me fifty credits. Thank you.”

Sitting in one of the chamber's permanent chairs, Kam Solusar, obviously the loser of the bet, scowled.

Now Master Hamner's manner became more grave. “Finally, we have some bad news to face. We have been informed by the Office of the Chief of State that, effective immediately, Jedi will be accompanied by government observers.”

Several Masters, as well as both the Solos, raised voices in protest. Leia said, “Are they trying to cripple our effectiveness?”

Hamner waved them down. “One observer will be assigned to each Master-apprentice pairing, and one to each Jedi operating solo—my apologies, Leia, Jaina, I mean each Jedi operating unpartnered. Their stated objective is to act as a gentle reminder to their Jedi of Alliance and local laws. They will not have access to the secure areas of the Temple, but will otherwise be able to accompany their Jedi most of the time, particularly outside the Temple.”

Kyp Durron heaved a sigh. “There goes my social life.”

Jaina's expression was a fixed frown. “Please tell me that we're not going to do this.”

Hamner shrugged. “Actually, we are. For the time being. But I have retained the firm of the Grand Master's advocate, Nawara Ven, to initiate a legal suit, intended to strike down this government measure. Until we have some progress there, though, we simply have to endure this inconvenience. Observers will be assigned in stages over the next several days, Masters first, beginning tomorrow.”

As the assembly left the chamber, Jaina was still wearing her frown. “I'm too young to begin harping about the good old days.”

Leia ruffled her daughter's hair. “You're getting there. Just wait, you'll be talking about those blasted kids next.”

“Mom …”

SOLO FAMILY QUARTERS, CORUSCANT

“I say, Master Han, Mistress Leia, I am so terribly sorry.”

Han opened one eye. Though he was being awakened before his alarm had gone off, meaning it was too early by anyone's standards, he had not yet decided to shoot the tormenter awakening him, C-3PO, and therefore he did not need both eyes yet.

Directly beside him was Leia, rousing just as reluctantly from sleep, her hair a tangled mess splayed across her face and pillow.

Han's voice emerged as a hoarse rumble. “Where's my blaster?”

“Under your pillow, as usual.” Leia's voice was almost as rough.

“Sir, no.” C-3PO, standing by Leia's side of the bed, framed by the curtained viewport that, when bared, offered a vista of Coruscant aerial traffic and skytower tops, waved awkwardly as if to placate Han. “You have a call from Master Calrissian.”

Han rubbed between his eyes. “I'll listen to the message in the morning.”

“Sir, it's a live holocomm transmission from offworld.”

That got Han's attention. He sat up; Leia did as well.

Lando Calrissian was a rich man and a generous one, but he did not waste credits on stunts like holocomm calls just to show off his wealth. As far as Han knew, Lando was nowhere near Coruscant. This had to be important. “Tell him we'll be right there.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. For not shooting me at this time of the morning, sir.”

Moments later, wrapped in white robes but not yet fortified by caf, Han and Leia seated themselves at their quarters' comm console and took the