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Its code, optimized not only for this task but for this specific vessel, as well, sampled hangar holocam feeds, looped them, and extracted visual glitches such as glow rod flickers that might alert viewers they were watching a recording. Then the programming subverted security measures—not the ship’s main programming, just those pertaining to the holocams—and began sending the looped recordings instead of the live feeds to the bridge.

Next, as Han and Jag covered the door from concealed positions, Jaina and Zekk rushed the guards there. The advantage of surprise allowed them to cross meters of distance before the guards could bring their blaster rifles into line, and a few swift blows put them down. The Jedi dragged them aside, out of sight of the door.

The third stage was just as potentially dangerous, and just as successful. The four of them positioned themselves out of sight of the hangar doors, two to either side, and then opened them. They heard a surprised exchange from the guards there, but no footsteps suggesting additional traffic out in the corridor. Blaster rifles at the ready, the two guards stepped into the hangar.

As the pair caught sight of the intruders in their peripheral vision, Jag hit the button to shut the doors. Jaina and Zekk stepped forward and launched attacks. Jaina’s kick took her target clean off his feet, breaking ribs despite his chest armor, sending him into deep unconsciousness. But Zekk’s opponent, clearly an experienced hand-to-hand combatant, blocked Zekk’s punch with his rifle butt and swung the barrel around to fire.

So Han shot him in the face. His blaster pistol was set on stun, and the guard merely spasmed and fell.

Zekk breathed a relieved sigh—not at the removal of danger, but at his opponent’s size. “This one’s big enough.”

“Get into his armor and get going.” Jaina took up her ersatz mouse droid and headed toward Jacen’s shuttle. “Despite what Dad says, we can’t guess how long Mom’s distraction will give us.”

“Yes, boss.”

Han helped Zekk strip the armor from the tallest guard and don it. He lowered his voice to a whisper so Jaina would not hear. “I’m used to her being intense. But I don’t think I’ve seen her flash a smile in, I don’t know, months.”

“She hasn’t. She’s lost a lot since this war began.”

“Leia’s lost just as much. And Leia can still smile. Leia knows that she has to, from time to time, or go crazy.”

“I don’t think it’s a problem anymore, Han. I think Jag got through to her.”

Han glanced over at his daughter, who, having cracked the shuttle’s door security, was just entering that vehicle. “I hope you’re right.”

Zekk stood and swept his long hair up to the top of his head, holding it there while Han put the last piece of armor, his helmet, in place. Zekk pulled the helmet down low and picked up the guard’s blaster rifle. “Next stop, tractor beams…and the installation of some very specialized holocomm gear.”

Han gave him a lopsided smile. “Jacen’s going to get sick of people improving his ship.”

“Good.”

“So if you believe that Palpatine’s rule as Emperor was legitimate, you have to believe that any government, no matter how destructive, is legitimate.” Leia practically spat the words out. “Why did we bother taking back Coruscant from the Yuuzhan Vong? By your figuring, they were the legitimate rulers of the galaxy!”

Caedus stirred, irritated, but did not rise. “That’s not what I said, and don’t put words in my mouth. Palpatine worked within the system to gain prominence. That establishes a continuity of government. That’s part of the legitimacy. What you did with the Rebels, like what the Yuuzhan Vong did, was come in like an agricultural planetformer, digging up and destroying everything in its path—”

A second set of doors, the ones leading forward to the bridge, opened. Lieutenant Tebut stood there, looking momentarily surprised to have interrupted the heated exchange between two of the most famous people in the galaxy.

Grateful for the reprieve, Caedus swiveled his chair toward her. “Yes?”

“We’ve dropped out of hyperspace, Colonel. We’re at