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“As am I and Jaina,” said Leia.

“And you’ll hand over Hellin and Wan,” said Daala.

“No,” said Leia, quietly but firmly. “As we said before … we have ways of helping them, of understanding them, that you don’t have access to. And as Han rather bluntly but aptly put it … you have two, we have two.”

“I can have you arrested,” Daala said.

“Yeah, you can do that. But you know, it’s gonna start looking uncomfortably like the old Empire if you do,” said Han. “First Luke, then Kenth, whom you asked for by name—and isn’t that the kind of thing that got you so ticked with Jacen?”

Daala’s lips pressed together so tightly they almost disappeared. She took another sip of the caf, buying time to compose her thoughts. She would not lose control. Finally she set her cup down and looked at them all evenly in turn.

“Here is what will happen. My people will have access to the prisoners at any hour, day or night. All your findings will be turned over to them. The other mysterious Jedi involved will be named. Immediately after this meeting, Hamner, Leia, Jaina, Cilghal, and said Jedi to be named will be interviewed by Javis Tyrr. Live. Unedited. With the Jedi Temple in the background. You will all formally apologize for the actions you have taken, or,” she said, eyeing Hamner, “the actions you let slip by on your watch.”

“I don’t think—” Jaina began.

“Obviously,” snapped Daala. “Let me put it this way. If you do not agree to all of these stipulations to the letter, then I have no qualms about conjuring up images of the old Empire and taking the prisoners who rightfully should be incarcerated right out of your Temple. And there are more GA Security members than there are Jedi.”

Leia, Han, Hamner, and Jaina exchanged glances.

“Agreed,” said Hamner quietly, and he held out his hand.

“WHAT?” YELPED JAINA AS SOON AS DAALA HAD EXITED. YOU WANT me to sit for an interview with that bottom-feeder, you want me to turn in—”

“Jedi Solo,” said Hamner, his voice and face both hard as ice. “Whatever tacit approval you had or thought you had from me before you started this little adventure, you knew full well that you would be forced to take responsibility for your actions if they ever came to light.”

“We have Wan and we have Seff,” Leia said, reaching across the table to squeeze her daughter’s hand. “That’s what you performed the mission in order to accomplish. Daala’s letting us keep them—if not our pride.”

Han muttered something and Leia elbowed him. “Your mom’s right. We won this round and Daala knows it.”

Hamner rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I could wish that no one involved was thinking about winning rounds at all. What’s important is that we find a way to help these poor Jedi and keep them and others safe.”

“Say that to Javis Tyrr just as you said it here, and you’ll have a chance to make Daala’s so-called punishment work for us,” Leia said. “And I, too, wish we weren’t on sides. But we are for right now, and we simply have to deal with it the best that we can.”

“MA’AM,” SAID DORVAN AS THEY WERE ESCORTED OUT OF THE ROOM and walked the long, imposing hallway toward the entrance where the reporters hovered, “I’ve taken the liberty of drafting a statement for you to read. There’s a way you can turn this all to the GA’s advantage.”

Daala threw him a disbelieving glance, but quickly skimmed the statement on his datapad. She was impressed. All the facts were there, but the word choice, the order in which they were presented, and the conclusion that would be drawn from it all certainly gave the impression that all was right in the Galactic Alliance.

“Wynn, what would I do without you?”

“I rather think you’d miss Pocket.”

Still, Daala mused as she stepped out in the throng of reporters and now gawkers, she had not gotten what she wanted. The Jedi had wriggled out from under this, yet again. A thought began to form in the back of her mind. If she couldn’t have the Jedi where she wanted them, she might settle for the next best thing.

She smiled, stepped up to the makeshift podium, and began to speak.

MOFF LECERSEN’S PRIVATE