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He sighed. "I'm afraid we must not lose sight of the more practical concerns. Without sufficient funding, we'll have no ships, no weapons, no defenses, and no hope of establishing a new base."

" All the funds were housed on Alderaan?" Leia asked, surprised that the Rebellion leadership would have been so foolhardy.

The general shook his head. "This is why I wanted to speak with you. We have a set of secret accounts on the planet Muunilinst."

Leia started in surprise. Although the InterGalactic Banking Clan had been disbanded, Muunilinst, its former home, was still the financial heart of the galaxy. And an Imperial stronghold. Thanks to their financial skills, the Muuns were one of the few alien species actually tolerated—and even respected—by the Empire. But Leia knew there was still a strong Imperial presence on the planet.

"It will be dangerous to retrieve the funds," General Dodonna admitted. "But it must be done. Our contact on the planet, Mak Luunim, is holding a datacard containing the access codes. Once you've retrieved them, he's agreed to help you transfer the accounts offworld and get you safely off the planet."

"Get me safely off the planet?"

"You're the only one I trust for a mission like this, Princess."

Not so long ago, in what seemed like another life, Leia had preferred to be addressed by her other title, senator. Proud as she was of her royal birthright, she was even prouder of the hard work and determination that had gained her a seat in the Galactic Senate.

Now, however, the titles seemed interchangeable. The Senate had been; Alderaan was gone. And the person she'd been—the peace-loving princess, the silver-tongued senator—

that was gone, too.

"General Rieekan's expecting me on Delaya, in the Alderaan system," Leia reminded him. A group of Alderaan survivors—beings who had been offworld when the Death Star attacked—had begun to assemble there. Leia was eager to join them. She had told General Dodonna that she hoped the survivors might agree to join the Alliance—and this was true.

But she also felt a deep need to be with her people, and not just because she was their leader.

They were all she had left of her homeworld. They needed her—but she needed them just as much.

"If all goes well, this should be an easy mission, in and out," the general said. "You can go directly from Muunilinst to Delaya. That is, if you're willing."

"Of course, general." This was the only possible response. Whatever the Alliance asked of her, Leia would give.

"Excellent. I've already arranged transportation—you'll leave tomorrow evening. Mak Luunim is expecting you. And Luke."

"Luke?"

"I thought it might be best for him to accompany you. He's certainly proven himself as willing and able to assist the cause."

And you want him off Yavin 4, in case the Empire comes looking for him, Leia thought. But she couldn't disagree—and she would be glad to have Luke with her. It would have felt wrong to leave him behind.

Why is that? she asked herself. She barely knew Luke, and yet in the short time they'd been together, he had come to be important to her. More than that, he seemed almost a part of her. And he's not the only one, she thought. Han's infuriating grin flashed across her mind.

Leia shook her head, trying to brush away the image.

Focus on the Rebellion, she reminded herself. Nothing else matters.

"I won't let you down, general," she assured him.

"You never do." He rested a hand on her shoulder, favoring her with a smile. Leia stiffened, suddenly reminded of her father. She had lived for the moments he'd smiled at her like that, loving and proud.

She would never see that smile again.

Once Leia briefed Luke on the mission, they headed to the spaceport. It was always a good idea to rendezvous with the pilot before a mission, especially since they only had one day to formulate a strategy and assemble supplies. As they approached the hangar deck, Leia spotted Chewbacca wheeling a cart of lubricant hoses toward the Millennium