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Han Solo fit the image of aging pirate down to the last centimeter. Stories gathered during years of adventuring were written in his collection of lines and scars. Two days’ worth of stubble roughened his face. He’d gotten a little thicker, a little grayer, a little tougher—nothing surprising there.

The change in Leia, however, was startling. Her short hair had begun to grow out and she wore a fitted flight suit. She was thinner than Isolder remembered, and her face looked pale and small without cosmetic enhancement. Despite her casual appearance, or perhaps because of it, she looked far younger than her years. But gone were the artful coils of brown hair, the softly draping gowns, the regal posture—everything that had caught his eye twenty years ago. She could have been any other tired warrior preparing to face another day’s battle.

Then her face changed. Her chin came up, her lips curved in a welcoming smile, and the grief and weariness in her eyes receded behind a well-practiced mask. Princess and diplomat, she rose and circled the table to greet him, both hands outstretched.

“Prince Isolder,” she said warmly. “Thank you for accepting us here. The people of the Hapes Cluster have already given so much.”

He took her hands and raised them to his lips. “Fondor was my mistake, Princess. You tried to warn me about sending the fleet. Let’s have no misunderstanding on this matter, or any other.”

“Sounds like you’ve got things on your mind,” Han observed as he hauled himself out of his chair.

“Stay, please,” the prince told him. “What I have to say concerns you both.”

Han shrugged and dragged a crate over to the table while Leia found another mug. They settled down and took sips of the thick, potent beverage.

“How was your journey?” Leia asked.

“Informative, and also disturbing. I learned several things that might be of importance to your family. Among the Yuuzhan Vong, twin births are considered a portent. One twin battles the other, and the winner goes on to an important role in a pivotal event.”

Han nudged Leia. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You can take Luke. You’ll just have to fight dirty.”

She sent her husband a subtly quelling glance. He held up both hands in mock defense, and his teasing grin brought a spark of mingled amusement and exasperation to her eyes. Isolder thought he much preferred that response to the calm, practiced warmth she turned upon him.

“Please excuse the digression,” she murmured.

“Of course. Tsavong Lah has stated, publicly and unequivocally, his intentions for your son Jacen. It is likely that this ire will now shift to Jacen’s twin sister.”

The warmth faded from Leia’s eyes. “Jacen is still alive,” she stated firmly.

Isolder sent a puzzled glance at Han. “You’ve probably been told otherwise,” Han said. “So have we. But Leia says no, and I’m putting my credits on her.”

She shot him a quick, grateful look and then turned back to Isolder. “Your point is understood, nonetheless. The Yuuzhan Vong seem obsessed with the notion of sacrifice. If twins have so much power in their eyes, they’d probably see a twin sacrifice as an especially potent offering to their gods.”

“There is more,” the prince said. “I have spoken with Tenel Ka, and observed Jaina at work on the Yuuzhan Vong ship. She has named this ship the Trickster, referring both to Yun-Harla, the Trickster goddess, and to herself. She did this to mock a Yuuzhan Vong priest in pursuit of her and the other young Jedi. Immediately thereafter, she confounded their ability to track the stolen ship. It seems possible that she is laying down a challenge, perhaps even goading them on by taking on the role played by their Trickster goddess.”

Han’s eyebrows rose, and a lopsided grin spread over his weathered face. “A goddess, huh?”

Leia sent him an incredulous stare, leaving no doubt that she didn’t share his skewed pride in their daughter’s methods.

He quickly squelched his smile. “You can’t say the kid lacks ambition.”

With a sigh, Leia pushed back