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Jaina moved closer to him. “You’re a courier?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then I’ll show you to Admiral Kre’fey’s cabin.”

Clearly, the offer puzzled him, but he thanked her out of respect. “That’s really not necessary—”

“I insist.” Jaina motioned to the passageway hatch and fell into step beside him. “When did you leave Caluula?” she asked when they could finally speak without shouting.

“Two days ago, local. No hostile contacts along the way. But my ship had some drive problems.”

“Did any ships land at Caluula before you launched?”

“Ships?”

“A banged-up YT-thirteen-hundred freighter, in particular?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’d’ve remembered a YT-thirteen-hundred, sir.”

“What’s the situation at Caluula?”

The lieutenant glanced around. “I don’t know that I’m at liberty—” he began, then shrugged. “What’s it matter, right? Commanding Officer Garray wants the admiral to be advised that unless we can be reinforced and reprovisioned, we’re likely to fall to the Yuuzhan Vong.”

Jaina felt her pulse quicken. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

He stopped abruptly. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll go the rest of the way on my own. The sooner I deliver the message, the sooner I can get back to Caluula.”

Jaina nodded. “May the Force be with you, Lieutenant.”

“Same with you.”

Jaina watched him rush off. For the first time in a long while she felt isolated and fearful. Still no word from Jacen, Luke, or Mara, and now her father and mother were missing, possibly marooned in some remote star system. When she tried to reinforce the sense that they were all right, dreadful images whirled in her mind. And when she called to Leia through the Force, she received no response.

She began to understand how her parents must have felt when their children had embarked on the mission to Myrkr. Anakin killed, Jacen missing, Jaina fleeing for the Hapes Consortium in a pirated Yuuzhan Vong vessel … It was difficult enough being a teenager and worrying about your parents’ safety. But being a parent and worrying about your kids had to be even worse. As Han had said on Anakin’s death: A father isn’t supposed to outlive his children.

Jaina’s thoughts turned briefly to her uncle Luke and aunt Mara. They had left their infant son, Ben, in the care of Kam and Tionne, at the hidden Maw Installation. But they had to be wondering, worrying … Sometimes even the Force couldn’t protect a person from imagined fears. Jaina pondered if she would ever be able to raise a family; to cope day to day with the concern that her child would fall victim to illness or accident, make a wrong choice, or be in the wrong place at the wrong time …

Dizzy at the thought, she leaned against the cold bulkhead. She heard someone call her by name, and turned to see Jag hastening to her.

Tall and wiry, with a shock of white in his black hair, he was the son of Soontir Fel and Syal Antilles, both of whom had elected to remain in Chiss space. Like his Chiss confederates in Vanguard Squadron, Jag wore a black uniform with red piping.

“Are you all right?” he asked with uncommon alarm. “Did something happen?”

They held each other for a moment before Jaina straightened. “I’m fine. No, actually, I’m not fine. I’m scared to death.”

Jag’s green eyes searched her face. “Of what?”

She shook her head in uncertainty. “Possibilities.”

He took her right hand in his. “No message from your parents.”

“Nothing. And no word of Jacen.”

Jag firmed his lips. “I’m certain that all of them are fine.”

She frowned slightly. “How are you certain? Or is that just something people say when they don’t know what else to say?”

Jag blinked. “I … well, perhaps it’s something of both. Do I know for a fact that Jacen and your parents are all right? No. Does my heart tell me that they’re all right? It seems to.”

Jaina smiled without mirth. “No medicine like logic, is there?”

Jag’s fine eyebrows beetled. A scar ran from his right brow almost to his hairline. “I—”

“No, you’re right. I’m driving myself mad. Thanks.”

He studied her. “What does the Force tell you?”

“Let’s just say that the Force isn’t