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Isolder regarded her quizzically. “Who was I fighting for if not you? Why did you come to me?”

“I came to Hapes, Isolder—as an envoy of the New Republic. That’s the truth of it.”

“Of course you did. And you were right to come here.” He eased the moment with an understanding smile. “All that aside, you have your wish. We stand side by side in battle.”

Leia’s attempt to emulate his expression failed, as something that had been at the edge of her consciousness all week long suddenly rushed to mind.

Scarcely eight years earlier, with many of the warships of the New Republic fleet undergoing repairs and upgrades, Luke had been asked by the senate to appeal to the Bakurans for help in putting an end to a rebellion in the Corellian sector. More to the point, Luke had been asked to appeal to his close friend Gaeriel Captison, even though she had retired from public service after the death of her husband, former Imperial Pter Thanas. Gaeriel had pledged her support, and with the aid of several Bakuran naval vessels, the crisis had been resolved. But at a terrible cost. Gaeriel, Bakuran Admiral Ossilege, and thousands more had been killed. Luke still spoke of his guilt, especially after visits with Gaeriel’s young daughter Malinza, whom he had pledged to keep safe.

In the wake of recollection, something even more terrible began to blossom in Leia’s mind. Her heart pounded and her forehead beaded with sweat. Her sight blurred at the edges, sounds grew faint, and she reached out for Isolder’s arm to steady herself. She shut her eyes briefly, and into the darkness raced a ferocious vision of warships speared by brilliant light; of expanding explosions and the cries of dying thousands; of starfighters vaporized, blinding eruptions of fire, bodies floating still in the void, a world ablaze—

“Leia, what is it?” Isolder asked, holding her upright. “Leia?”

Coming back to herself almost as quickly as she had become lost, she took a calming breath and eased out of his hold. Then she gaped at him, wide-eyed. “You can’t do this, Isolder. You mustn’t join us.”

His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? The vote has been taken. The matter is already decided.”

“Then call for a revote. Tell everyone you’ve rethought Hapes’s position.”

“Are you mad? Do you know what you’re asking of me?”

“Isolder, you must listen to me—”

“The decision has been made.”

Leia wanted desperately to carry on the fight, but all words fled her. She stared, then touched her fingers to her forehead. Isolder was gazing at her knowingly.

“You’re worried that something will go wrong,” he said, “and you don’t want the responsibility of having decided our fate. But you needn’t worry. We made our pledge free and clear. We know exactly what we’re getting into. This is in our blood, Leia. You need never fear on our account.”

“But—”

“Is there a chance the Yuuzhan Vong will overlook us?”

She considered it. “Probably not.”

“Then what choice do we have? Do we fight the invaders alongside you and avail ourselves of greater numbers, or wait to be attacked and be forced to engage them in our own space with only what ships we have?”

She compressed her lips and nodded. “You’re right.” She managed a faint smile. “Isolder, I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

He waved away the apology. “Words are of no importance. What is, is that we always remain friends.”

“Done.”

He offered her his arm and they walked a few paces, much to the obvious dismay of C-3PO.

“I believe your droid is agitated,” Isolder said quietly.

Leia laughed. “I’m sure he is. Threepio was very much Han’s supporter when you were crazy enough to consider me fit to be a queen mother.”

Isolder laughed shortly, then stopped to gaze at her. “Leia, as a friend, may I ask you something? You’ve been preoccupied for the whole of your stay here. Each time I’ve attempted to visit you, you’ve avoided me. Is something wrong—between us or otherwise?”

“I have been distracted,” she conceded.

“May I know the reason?”

She forced a breath. “I wouldn