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“I have to say, I was surprised at how Corran behaved in the meeting,” Leia said. “Han—you remember when we were aboard the Errant Venture a few years ago? How Wedge was grumbling about his daughter ‘seeing a boy’ and it was Corran who steered everything back on topic?”

“I do. Lost it, did he?”

Leia shook her head. Even now, her long hair was only slightly tinted with gray. “No. Not yet, anyway. But he’s taking it harder than I expected.”

“It was bad enough with Valin, but when Jysella snapped—right in front of Cilghal and her two best friends—and got hauled off and ordered to be put in carbonite before Corran could even see her …” Jaina frowned. “It was like something broke in him.”

Han said nothing, but his brows drew together. Leia slipped her hand into his and squeezed it reassuringly. She understood that there was a special bond between fathers and daughters. Whether the daughter needed sheltering and protecting, like Allana did right now, or was quite capable of handing said father his rear on a platter, as Jaina unquestionably was, didn’t matter in the slightest.

Jysella Horn was a full-fledged Jedi Knight. She had been entrusted with dangerous missions that sent her all over the galaxy.

She would also always be her father’s little girl, whatever happened to her.

“Everyone’s fond of Valin and Jysella” was all Leia said. “Corran needs to keep hope alive. And so do we,” she added, glancing at her husband and daughter. “I’m sure we can get to the bottom of this.”

“Hopefully Daala will agree to meet with you two. You did pretty well with the negotiations concerning Valin.”

“Didn’t stop him from ending up in carbonite,” Han muttered.

“We did what we could with Valin and we’ll do what we can with Jysella,” Leia told her daughter. “And we’ll see about that carbonite. For some reason, Daala does seem willing to talk to the two of us. Probably because even though she and I were on opposite sides fifty years ago, she respects the rank I once held as Senator.”

“Your rank? Pssh. I think she agrees to meet with us because of my roguish charm,” Han quipped.

“Sorry, only one strong and powerful woman in your life, flyboy,” Leia said.

“Two,” Jaina interjected, slipping an arm around her father’s waist and squeezing briefly. Han brightened.

“It’s Seff I’m worried about,” Leia continued, still thinking of the prisoner.

“Yeah, me too,” Han said. “I know the Masters needed to know. But it shouldn’t go beyond that group. This guy needs to be protected. We’re the ones who need to study him and figure out what’s wrong with him and, presumably, Jysella and Valin. All the GA wants to do is slap him in carbonite, and that doesn’t help anything.”

Jaina grimaced. “While I am delighted beyond belief that I no longer have an official observer practically following me into the refresher—particularly not one who looks like my dead younger brother—that doesn’t mean we’re not all being watched. One journalist in particular seems very keen on chatting with Jag and me. Trying to ditch him is like trying to shake a mynock off the hull.”

“Anyone I know? I’m so terribly fond of the press,” Leia said drily.

“You might,” Jaina said. “Guy named Javis Tyrr. He’s gotten very popular recently and he’s been a total pain to Jag and me.”

“Javis Tyrr,” Han said. “Average size, perfect hair, smirk that begs to be wiped off with a blaster?”

“That’d be him. He was right across from the Temple when Jysella came tearing out of it and fought with Bazel Warv and Yaqeel Saav’etu. He got some very clear images before Yaqeel destroyed his cam droid in her fight with Jysella.” Jaina looked slightly pleased as she spoke.

“She did?” Han said. He looked impressed. “Good for her.”

“The entire situation played straight into Daala’s hands, right down to the press being present,” Leia said. “It almost sounds orchestrated, but I don’t see how that could be possible.”

“No, it’s just a really lousy coincidence.” Jaina sighed. “Like I said, Tyrr has been buzzing