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“Who, it would seem, has been reincarnated here on Hapes,” Ta’a Chume said. She swept one hand wide in a gesture that encompassed the vast workroom. “This is Jaina Solo’s doing.”

Isolder regarded the object in his hand. “What is this?”

“It’s a miniature repulsor, and its effect on a ship is hardly noticeable by most measures. But it alters the unique gravity patterns of a Yuuzhan Vong ship just enough to change how other ships perceive it.”

“I’m not sure I understand the importance of this.”

Ta’a Chume hissed out a sigh. “Your daughter and her Jedi friends stole a Yuuzhan Vong ship. The enemy is rather keen to get it back, not to mention the young Jedi—and in particular Jaina Solo. They are no doubt looking for the ship, and in time they will come to Hapes. This will confound them, at least for a time. It’s a temporary measure.”

“But it has promise,” Isolder mused. “In conjunction with the Hapan fleet, we might be able to set up an ambush.”

The queen smiled faintly. “An excellent suggestion. That’s precisely what is needed—experience, mature guidance. Jaina has a natural flair for leadership and strategy, but she lacks the authority to move her plans ahead. As do you,” she added. “I’ve been doing what I can to support her efforts, but my role is also limited. The queen mother is the only one with full authority to authorize such an attack.”

Isolder frowned. “Teneniel Djo is unlikely to do this.”

“Then replace her. You wanted Leia once, or thought you did. Her daughter would make twice the queen.”

“Jaina? She is of an age with my own daughter!” he protested.

“A bit younger, actually. But she has a military background, combat experience, and the sense to listen to suggestions. She has been raised by a diplomat, knows how to act in public, and is highly presentable. You could do worse.”

The prince started to object. He shut his mouth abruptly and glanced at the object in his hand.

Not long ago, he had taken the fate of the Hapes Consortium into his hands. His error of judgment had cost hundreds of ships, thousands of lives. Ta’a Chume was offering him another chance to aid his homeworld, a chance to redeem his mistake—a regency of sorts, overseeing the reign of a capable but inexperienced queen. He doubted any such opportunity would come again.

“I will consider it,” he said at last.

* * *

Lowbacca was not in the tech hall. Jaina asked around and received only furry shrugs and cold stares from the Wookiee techs. Finally she headed off to the Trickster’s docking bay.

Her friend was there, but not in the ship. He was perched on the rail of the upper walkway. That provided Jaina with a clue to his state of mind. During their days at the academy, Lowbacca often went off alone to meditate in the treetops of Yavin 4’s jungles. Here, in Hapes’s royal city, this was as close to the canopies of his homeworld as he was likely to find.

Jaina quietly climbed the stairs and leaned onto the rail beside him. “How many did you lose?”

Lowbacca let out a terse yap, a number high enough to make Jaina wince. “If I’d known the Wookiee ships were going to meet with that much resistance, I would have sent an escort.”

Her friend looked at her for the first time, and there was no mistaking the rebuke there.

“I know where Harrar’s priestship is, and the little fleet connected to his yammosk,” Jaina snapped. “I don’t know the location of every Sith-spawned hunk of rock in this galaxy! Yet.”

Lowbacca’s dark eyes searched her face, and he conceded this with a nod. Still, he looked troubled.

“What we’re doing is worthwhile. Important. I’m sorry that some of your friends died, but we’ve got to move forward. The Yuuzhan Vong shapers are fast. They’ll figure out what we know and then they’ll do something else. Our window is very small.”

She leaned toward him. “Are you with me?”

He climbed off the rail.

Anger, like a powerful wind, swept into the docking bay. Jaina sighed. “That would be Kyp.”

The Jedi Master stormed into the building and up the stairs. The guards who moved to stop him