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“Hello, Mom.” Jacen opened his arms, then hesitated.

Leia set down her droopy fabric helmet. Since she was committed to quarantine now, she yanked off her chem suit and then flung her arms around Jacen. “By the Force, you’re as big as your father.”

Then she spotted Jaina, hanging back. “What are you doing here?”

Jaina dangled a pair of fancy goggles from one hand. “Sick leave. We tried to find you.”

Leia’s stomach took a dive. “Were you injured?”

“Temporary partial blindness. Nothing serious.” Jaina lowered her voice. “Get it straight with Dad, Mom. That’s first.” She turned and strolled back toward the Ryn mob.

Smiling ruefully, Jacen placed both hands on Leia’s shoulders. He gently turned her toward Han, who had thrust his hands back into his pockets. “First,” Jacen murmured.

Hesitantly, Leia caressed both twins through the Force. Jacen glowed with the pleasure of being reunited; in Jaina, there was a repressed bitterness that she’d obviously have to face—later.

“Guess it’s time I found something to do.” Droma replaced the soft cap he’d doffed. “Good to see you again, Princess Leia.” He followed Jaina.

Leia linked one arm through her husband’s. “Let me show you the whole quarantine area,” she said lightly.

In a converted repair dock, families clung to each other, shuffling forward. She mustn’t look at them. She had to settle things with Han. Her fault, his fault—didn’t matter. Beneath her strength and independence, she really was happiest with someone to help carry her burdens.

On the other hand, that meant she had to help carry his.

“Yes,” she admitted, “SELCORE and Gateway have been taking care of themselves. And trying to reclaim the planet. Remember Honoghr, where we couldn’t do much of anything? Here, it’s in reach. And the Yuuzhan Vong don’t want it. This could be a haven for millions.”

“I don’t think you’ve paid much attention to the Duros.” He frowned. “They’re—”

“Barely tolerating us,” she admitted. “But we haven’t given much back, yet. This world is the key to a new future, where all peoples can live side by side. Wait until you see what our scientists are starting to accomplish.”

“Where’s old Goldenrod?” Han rubbed his rough chin. “I could’ve used him. All they gave us was a pair of beat-up modified loadlifters. I had to scam a medical droid.”

Leia half smiled. “Threepio? Just what you needed. Someone to really irritate you.” Han must be utterly distracted, she thought, not to recognize C-3PO in a vermin-proof chem suit.

Han’s eyes narrowed. “Has Isolder shown up?”

She pulled away, feeling blindsided. “What?”

“At least ten people played me that HoloNet bite of you and His Gorgeousness stepping off that Hapan ship together on Yald. You looked pretty cozy.”

Leia got a good breath. “You, who wants everybody to trust you—can’t you trust me? The nets have used that as a publicity stunt. I couldn’t back out without losing the Hapans’ support. We needed those ships.”

His expression softened. “Yeah. We did need them. Too bad, how that turned out.”

One crisis resolved! On to the next. “How’s Jacen?” she asked. “I heard he was taking it all pretty hard.”

“Still chewing on it, I guess.” He grabbed her hand. “You accused me of having a fling with my past. Well, look at these people. Does this look like a fling—”

“No,” she said. “Han, I’m sorry. It’s been tough, lately. Really hard.”

“Yeah. Well.” He firmed his lips, swallowed, then glanced up again. “You probably won’t forget some things, but I was hoping you’d forgive them.”

Leia threw her arms around him again. This time, he returned the embrace. His arms gripped her, his breath had the sweetness of …

Well, of a wet Wookiee.

She held her breath while she kissed him.

Then there was no more time for reconciliation. They walked toward the repair dock, which was rapidly filling with strangers of several species. Leia had ordered it furnished with sleeping pads.

Han frowned. “Looks good, but I hope you don’t care if the Ryn reshuffle their area every evening.”

“Why?”

He stood loose-limbed, looking out on the mob. “They