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But the adoption of Leia was only one of Bail’s concerns.

For weeks following Palpatine’s decree that the Republic would henceforth be an Empire, he had been concerned for his—indeed, Alderaan’s—safety. His name was prominent on the Petition of the Two Thousand, which had called for Palpatine to abrogate some of the emergency powers the Senate had granted him. Worse, Bail had been the first to arrive at the Jedi Temple after the slaughter there; and he had rescued Yoda from the Senate following the Jedi Master’s fierce battle with Sidious in the Rotunda.

Holocams at the Temple or in the former Republic Plaza might easily have captured his speeder, and those images could have found their way to Palpatine or his security advisers. Word might have leaked that Bail was the person who had arranged for Padmé to be delivered to Naboo for the funeral. If Palpatine had been apprised of that fact, he might begin to wonder if Obi-Wan, having carried Padmé from distant Mustafar, had informed Bail about Palpatine’s secret identity, or about the horrors committed on Coruscant by Anakin, renamed Darth Vader by the Sith Lord, whom Obi-Wan had left for dead on the volcanic world.

And then Palpatine might begin to wonder if Padmé’s child, or children, had in fact died with her …

Bail and Mon Mothma hadn’t seen each other since Padmé’s funeral, and Mon Mothma knew nothing of the role Bail had played in the final days of the war. However, she had heard that Bail and Breha had adopted a baby girl, and was eager to meet baby Leia.

The problem was, Mon Mothma was also eager to continue efforts to undermine Palpatine.

“There’s talk in the Senate about building a palace to house Palpatine, his advisers, and the Imperial Guard,” she said as they were nearing one of the repulsorlift landing platforms attached to what had become Palpatine’s building.

Bail had heard the talk. “And statues,” he said.

“Bail, the fact that Palpatine doesn’t have full faith in his New Order makes him all the more dangerous.” She came to a sudden halt when they reached the walkway to the landing platform and turned to him. “Every signatory of the Petition of the Two Thousand is suspect. Do you know that Fang Zar has fled Coruscant?”

“I do,” Bail said, just managing to hold Mon Mothma’s gaze.

“Clone army or no, Bail, I’m not going to abandon the fight. We have to act while we still can—while Sern Prime, Enisca, Kashyyyk, and other worlds are prepared to join us.”

Bail worked his jaw. “It’s too soon to act. We have to bide our time,” he said, repeating what Padmé had told him in the Senate Rotunda on the day of Palpatine’s historical announcement. “We have to place our trust in the future, and in the Force.”

Mon Mothma adopted a skeptical look. “Right now there are members of the military who will side with us, who know that the Jedi never betrayed the Republic.”

“What counts is that the clone troopers believe that the Jedi did betray the Republic,” Bail said; then he lowered his voice to add: “We risk everything by placing ourselves in Palpatine’s sights just now.”

He kept to himself his concerns for Leia.

Mon Mothma didn’t say another word until they stepped onto the landing platform, where stormtroopers and a tall, startling figure in black were striding down the boarding ramp of a Theta-class shuttle that had just set down.

“Some Jedi must have survived the execution order,” Mon Mothma said at last.

For reasons he couldn’t fully understand, Bail’s attention was riveted on the masked figure, who appeared to be in command of the clones, and who also appeared to glance with clear purpose in Bail’s direction. The group passed close enough to Bail for him to hear one of the stormtroopers say: “The Emperor is waiting for you in the facility, Lord Vader.”

Bail felt as if someone had let the air out of him.

His legs began to shake and he grabbed hold of the platform railing for support, somehow managing to keep apprehension from his voice when he said to Mon Mothma: “You’re right. Some Jedi did survive.