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“Indeed I do, Senator. Indeed I do.”

CORUSCANT

“I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOUR FAMILY WOULD HAVE MOVED BACK into a regular apartment by now,” Jag said as they approached the safe house where Han, Leia, and Allana had been forced to live over the last few months.

“Are you kidding? When would we have had time to move? Even with droids to take care of most of it, moving is a pain. And we’ve been a bit busy, you know,” Jaina replied.

Jag smiled a little. “I suppose you’re right. I guess I just never liked the idea of the Solos having to live in a safe house at all.”

It still was technically a “safe house.” Jag and Jaina, having had a lot of experience recently with just this sort of thing, had swapped vehicles a few times and were fairly certain they had eluded detection. With the coup, or “transition of government,” depending on which term one preferred, there seemed to be no real risk anymore to Jaina’s famous—some would say infamous—family. Still, they were the Solos, and the current situation could change at any moment. One day, no doubt, they would find better and more public accommodations, but now, their home base needed to remain secret. It was just safer that way.

Jaina and Jag had had “the discussion” earlier—the one that, in months past, might have blown up into a real fight: the discussion about what each of them had to do to move forward. Now, however, although it was not what they ideally wanted, Jaina and Jag had found they could discuss the situation calmly.

“I’ll be departing with the Jedi—temporarily, at least,” Jaina had said. “With all the controversy around the coup and the Jedi’s new direction, the Jedi need to be seen as completely united behind Uncle Luke’s decision. I’m … Jag, I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone, nor what’s going to happen to the Jedi in the end.”

He had nodded. “I expected you would go with them,” he had said. “And I completely agree with your choice.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely. You’re needed there for now. Luke has made a bold move. It would undermine his authority if his niece chose to stay behind, no matter who she might be engaged to.”

She nodded. “I knew you would understand duty.”

“Oh, I do. I also know that it’s what you want.”

“Jag, don’t think for a minute I—”

He had taken her hand and pressed it to his heart, smiling at her. “I know you want to be with me. I want that, too. And we’ll have that eventually … or we won’t. You don’t just feel obligated to travel with the Jedi—you want to, just as much as you want to be with me. And all of that is okay.”

She regarded him searchingly as he continued. “And frankly, after your parents’ cryptic message, I am getting the distinct feeling I won’t be lingering around Coruscant much longer, either. After this meeting, I suspect I’ll be heading straight for Imperial Space. And I don’t know what’s waiting there for me any more than you know what’s waiting for you.”

“About that meeting,” Jaina said, tension leaving her posture. “I was told that you’re to join us for dinner tonight. They wanted to have sort of a going-away celebration for me. And it sounds like for you, too.”

“Leia’s staying behind then?”

“Just for a while. Dorvan asked her to and Luke agreed. Not so much because she’s a Jedi, but because there are few people in the galaxy who have the kind of diplomatic and governmental experience she has.”

“Dorvan is a wise man. I’m glad she’s staying, for however long. He and the GA can only benefit. And I’ll be there for dinner,” Jag assured her. “Wherever … there is. I never have learned where your family’s safe house is.”

“They won’t be using it after tonight, so I guess they figured it didn’t matter if you knew the location.” Jaina grinned.

“I feel so honored,” Jag said sarcastically, mitigating his tone with an answering smile.

“Either that,” she said, draping her arms around his neck, “or they wanted to officially welcome you to the family. Maybe you finally got Dad’s approval.”

“Now, now,” he chided, “don’t