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“That was mean, Princess,” Han remarked. “I like this side of you.”

“I was trying to sleep.”

“Well, I can be quiet.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m awake, now. What’s going on?”

“Not much. Karrde showed up a while back, with four ships. Should be more than enough, given the size of the convoy Shalo described.”

“When do we expect them?”

“Any time now. An hour from now or ten.”

She nodded and sat up sleepily. “You got my son a little banged up down on Tatooine,” she accused.

“Well, he’s not the first and he won’t be the last to take a bruise or two on that forsaken planet.” His cocky tone relented a little. “I didn’t think I was putting him in real danger.”

“No, I understand,” Leia said softly. “Being a mother creeps up on me sometimes. It’s a shame it didn’t creep up on me more often when they were little.”

Han took her hand. “We didn’t have the luxury to be perfect parents,” he told her. “Whatever that is. The thing is—they turned out okay.”

“I know. That isn’t the issue. Han, they won’t ever be little again. It’s over. Even Anakin is almost grown, and I missed so much of it. And Jaina—”

“There’s nothing wrong with Jaina she won’t outgrow.”

Leia shook her head. “I don’t know. She can be so bitter sometimes, and I really can’t blame her. For all of her toughness, she’s also fragile.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Like someone else I know.”

“Ah, carbon sluff,” Han said. “I ain’t breakable. You ought to know that by now.”

“We’re all breakable, Han.”

“Huh.”

“But I digress. I don’t think it was a bad thing to take Jacen down there. You two seem … better for it.”

Han shrugged. “What you said—about missing so much time when they were little. Maybe I, uh … feel a little of that. Maybe I sort of like having him around, working with him. When he’s not going all moral on me, at least.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Like someone else I know.”

Leia shot him a fond smile disguised as a sarcastic smirk. She quickly let it relax. “Have you told him that, Han?”

“Nah. It might go to his head. I figure with that Force stuff he sort of knows anyway.”

“You above all people should know that sometimes those most sensitive to the Force can be the most clueless about people.”

“Well, you have a good point there,” Han replied. “Sometimes I think—”

Suddenly ships began reverting to sublight.

“Heavy freighters,” Han said, sitting up. “There’s our convoy. Get ready, Princess of Blood.”

“You’ve always known how to flatter a girl, Han.”

“That escort,” Han muttered after a little more study. “Two capital ships. I don’t like it.”

“You don’t think a heavy escort makes sense?” Leia asked. “They know we’ve been intercepting their shipping. They don’t know about Karrde. Two capital ships and the starfighters they can carry would be plenty to deal with the Falcon.”

Han shot her a hurt look.

“Hey, I’m just being realistic,” Leia said.

“So am I. You’re right. Two capital ships seems like overkill.”

“Let’s back off, then,” Leia said. “There’ll be other convoys.”

“The freighters. Scan them.”

“Ouch,” Leia said. “Nasty thought.”

“Yeah. I have lots of those.”

“Well, they look clean. I don’t think they’re hiding a fleet. There is an odd radiation signature from that last cargo pod. Looks incidental, though.”

“What’s going on up there?” Jacen called from the laser turret.

“Your father is having second thoughts,” Leia called back down.

“Huh? I’m just being a little cautious,” Han said.

Leia frowned. “Seriously, Han. If you have misgivings, let’s get out of here.”

Han sighed. “I just don’t like it. Maybe I’m getting old.” He leaned forward and tapped on the comm unit. He and Karrde had a limited-range tight-beam system set up that was unlikely to attract attention.

Karrde appeared a few seconds later.

“Doesn’t smell good, does it?” Karrde said.

“You read my mind. It’s like they’re trying too hard to look well prepared. If that makes any sense.”

“It doesn’t, but I know what you mean. Maybe we should let this one pass.”

“Han—” Leia interrupted.

“Just a minute,” he said. “Okay, Karrde, maybe—”