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Han waited his turn. “Nice of Hamner not to be here on time.” When Leia released Jaina, he pulled his daughter to him. “How’s Amelia?”

Jaina rolled her eyes. “Telling tall tales out of Dathomir. About rescuing Artoo-Detoo and fighting a one-eyed giant. She has Cilghal and the medical staff enrapt. Here, sit. Eat.”

Han released her and did as he was told. “Our daughter thinks I’m a trained nek. Sit, eat, roll over. How about Anji?”

“Cilghal thinks she’ll be fine,” Jaina said. “It was just a concussion.”

“And Jag?” Leia asked. “Seeing much of him?”

Jaina waited until Leia sat, too, then resumed her chair. “Not so much in the last few days. There was an attempt on his life—”

Leia nodded. “We heard about that on the holonews on the way home.”

“—and between that and all the other reasons for him to be under scrutiny, he’s having a hard time getting away from his duties. Though he’s volunteered to support your negotiations.”

Leia smiled. “So we can call him in.”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah, sure.” Han adopted his customary slouch. “Call him in so he can steal all your time. We do like to see our daughter sometimes, you know.”

The door hissed open and Master Kenth Hamner entered. Han was used to seeing the acting leader of the Jedi Order flanked by other Masters, so his unaccompanied state made him seem strange.

Hamner gestured for them to remain in their seats, ignoring the fact that only Jaina had made any attempt to rise.

“Sorry to be late. Many issues are making demands on our time. Jedi Solo …” His attention was on Jaina, though that term of address applied equally well to Leia. “You can stay if you wish.” He sat opposite the Solos.

“Thank you, sir,” Jaina said.

Hamner produced a datapad and set it open on the tabletop before him. “So. What do you have?”

Han and Leia exchanged a glance, then Han said, “I’m supposed to be objective about this, so I’ll be polite about it and just say not much.”

“But maybe a start,” Leia corrected. “She wants us to turn over Sothais Saar.”

Hamner’s jaw dropped. “She made a production out of meeting you at the Senate Building so you could bring that to the Council?”

“She promises not to put him in carbonite,” Han said.

Hamner frowned, but it was Jaina who spoke next. “And hold him how?” she demanded. “You know that’s a hollow promise.”

“Do we?” Hamner asked.

“Yes, we do,” Jaina insisted. “He has the Force, and he’s trained to escape from places like MaxSec Eight. How are a bunch of GAS goons going to hold him?”

“The same way we do,” Hamner replied. “With ysalamiri.”

Han’s brow shot up. “Hadn’t thought of that.” Normally, he wouldn’t have admitted that, but he had given his word, as a general of the Galactic Alliance, to try to be objective. “But even if you give them some ysalamiri, Jedi are tough prisoners to keep.”

“So are Bothan commandos,” Hamner replied. “And Yaka assassins. GAS manages to hold them just fine.”

“And if they don’t?” Jaina demanded. “You’ll be putting Sothais’s life at risk.”

Hamner’s face grew stern. “Jedi Solo, I put the lives of Jedi Knights at risk every time I send them out on a mission. This would be no different—and it would be no less for the greater good. Whether you wish to admit it or not, it would be good for the Order and the entire Alliance for us to reestablish a functional relationship with the government.”

Even Han had to admit that much was true. “So you’re going to do it?” He couldn’t believe he was asking the question with an open mind—and maybe he wasn’t, because he still didn’t think it was a very good idea. “You’re sure?”

Hamner thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m willing to consider it,” he said. “But she’ll have to give us something in return. The Masters will never go for it, otherwise—and I couldn’t ask them to.”

The meeting fell silent for only a moment, then Jaina asked, “What about the Horns?”

“That would be nice,” Leia said, “but I don’t see her releasing them.”

“Not releasing, necessarily,” Jaina said. “But if we could get her to thaw them out.”

“Yeah.” Han was beginning to think this just