StarWars:Bloodlineisaworkoffiction.Names,places,andincidentseitherareproductsoftheauthor’simaginationorareusedfictitiously.Anyresemblancetoactualevents,locales,orpersons,livingordead,is

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Contents

CoverTitlePageCopyrightChronologyEpigraph

PrologueChapterOneChapterTwoChapterThree

Alongtimeagoinagalaxyfar,faraway….

An entire generation has prospered during an era of peace. The New Republic,governedbytheGalacticSenate,hasheldpowerformorethantwodecades.Thewarsthatdividedthegalaxyarefadingintolegend.Yet conflict has begun to take shapewithin the Senate. In the absence ofMON

MOTHMA,formerleaderoftheRebellionandfirstchancelloroftheNewRepublic,two unofficial but powerful factions have formed—the POPULISTS, who believeindividualplanetsshouldretainalmostallauthority,andtheCENTRISTS,whofavorastrongergalacticgovernmentandamorepowerfulmilitary.Onlythegreatestheroesofthewararestillhonoredbyall.Aceremonyhonoring

thememoryofBAILORGANAhasdrawntheSenatetogetherinrareharmony.Itisadayof celebration,but evennow, thedivisionsamong theworldsof thegalaxyaregrowingwider….

“WhenwelookbackuponthewaragainsttheEmpire—uponthebillionsofliveslost—sometimesitseemsasthoughnothingcouldeverhavebeenworththeterriblepricewe paid. But when we think of those people who perished in the conflict, let usrememberthattheydiedforjustice.Forliberty.Fortheextraordinarypeacewenowenjoy.” Senator Tai-LinGarr held out his arms, taking in the entire celebration onHosnianPrime:thebrilliantsunshine,theaquamarinesky,thecountlesscitizensofathousanddifferentspeciesgatheredtogetherbeneaththecolorfulflagsoftheirworlds.ThebeautyandpromiseoftheNewRepublicseemedtobelaidbeforethemall.“Thisiswhatwefoughtfor.”Everyoneapplauded.Manycheered.SenatorLeiaOrganaclappedalongwith therestand thought,Toobad it’s falling

apart.To themajority of the observers,most of them among the enormous number of

citizenswhohadtraveledtoHosnianPrimeforthededicationceremonyandconcert,themanysenatorsclusteredinthestandswouldappeartobeasignofsolidarityandstrength.Planets from theCoreWorlds to theOuterRimwere represented;humanswore the cloaks, robes, and ceremonial gear of countless different cultures as theywatchedtheceremonyalongsidespeciesfromtheAqualishtotheIthorian,fromthelarge-eyedMonCalamari tothesmall,woollyAshaftan, inwhatlookedlikeperfectunity. Leia’s sharper eyes traced the invisible line between the two halves of thegathering:Centrist senators on one side, Populist senators like herself on the other.

The physical gap couldn’t have beenmeasured, but the philosophical onewidenedeveryday.Soon thatgapwouldbroaden intoacrevasse,onedeepenough to revealhowfragilethepeacereallywas.Stop it. Leia forced herself to think positively. Rationally.Galactic politics has

always had its parties, factions, divisions. It always will. Not every ideologicalconflictleadstoacompletegovernmentalbreakdown.But the unease that stirred just beneath the glossy surface of this ceremony

remindedherofthefinaldaysoftheImperialSenate.Politewordscloakingimpliedthreats,anear-completelackoftrustamongworlds:Themoodfeltalltoofamiliar.Then again, the Imperial Senate actually made decisions once in a while. See?

Historyisn’trepeatingitselfafterall,shethoughtsourly.Leiatookpleasureinexactlyoneaspectofthisgathering:thenewstatuetheyhad

cometogethertodedicate.Theseventy-meter-highstatuehadbeencarvedofJelucanifogstone,which sparkled transparent asdiamond inbright light, then turnedapale,opaquegray-green indarkness.AsTai-Lin finishedhis speech to applause, a cloudpassedinfrontofthesun.Thefogstone’sglitteringdimmedtorevealthefinedetailon the statue of Bail Organa, portrayed in his robes of the office of viceroy ofAlderaan and with a hand outstretched toward all peoples, in classic hagiographicform.Yet his facehadbeen as accurately and lovingly carved as themost intimateportrait.Maybethedifferentsenatorsandplanetscouldagreeonlittleanylonger,butatleastherfather’slegacyendured.Tai-Lin nodded to Leia as his pod hovered back into place; for ceremonial

functions,suchpodswereallowed,thoughtheiruseintheSenatewasnowconsidered“overlyhierarchical.”Hisnod served asboth an acknowledgment that her turnhadcomeandgenuineencouragement.Shegavehimaquicksmilebeforeshepressedthecontrols thatwould bring her pod forward from the stands and focus the amplifierdroidsonhervoice.Awarmbreezeflutteredthedark-bluefoldsofhercapeandgownasLeiastoodbeforethegathering.“I stand before you not only as a senator, but also as Bail Organa’s daughter.”

Leia’svoicerangout,clearandstrong,revealingnoneofthedoubtsthathadhauntedherday.“AndyeteverythingIhavedoneinmycareerasasenatorhasbeenrootedinthevaluablelessonshetaughtmeaboutcourage.Aboutstrength.Aboutleadership.”Leadershipwassomething theSenatebadlyneededatpresent.MonMothmahad

remainedhugelyinfluentialevenafterhertermaschancellor…moresothanLeiahadrealizedbeforeMonMothma’sillness.Withoutsomeoneabletobridgephilosophicalgapsandcreateconsensus, thepoliticalprocess they’dforgedfor theNewRepublicwasshowingitsweaknesses.

She continued speaking smoothly as the flags flapped in the strong breeze. “HestoodasviceroyofAlderaanatthebeginningofadarktimeforourentiregalaxy.”Ahushfelloverthecrowdatthementionofherdeadplanet’sname.Leiapretendednottonotice.Herpodhoveredsohighabovethegroundthatthehundredthousandpeoplefromathousandspeciesandworlds,vibrantintheirindividualskins,scales,andfurs,wereindistincttohernow—amassofcolorandnoise,hardtoconnectwith.ButLeiatried. “He helpedMonMothma create theRebelAlliance, evenwhile still fightingvaliantlytopreservewhatlittleintegrityandauthoritytheImperialSenatehadleft.Ihavenodoubtthathewouldhavecontinuedthebattlealongsideourrebelsoldiersifhehadnotsocruellybeentakenfromusinthedestructionofmyhomeworld.”Shecontinued,“Itwasmyprivilegetoknowhimasbothaleaderandafather.As

proudasIamtothinkofhiscourageousstandagainstPalpatine’styranny,IalsosmileeverytimeIrememberhowheusedtogetdownonthefloortoplayblockswithhislittlegirl.”Fondlaughterrippledthroughtheaudience.Good.She’dwokenthecrowd,wonthemover.TimeforLeiatosaythewordsher

listenerswouldn’twanttohear.“Hetaughtmesomuchaboutpolitics,leadership,andwar,butaboveallhetaught

methatnopriceis toogreattopayforourideals.BailOrganawaswillingtodieifthatmeanttheEmpirewouldfall.HebelievedintheNewRepublicwehavebeenabletocreate,andinthepromiseoffair,equalgovernmentforeveryoneunderthelaw.”Applausewelledup,andLeiapausedtoletitsubsidebeforecontinuing,“Hebelievedinunity,andheknewthatunitycameatthecostofcompromise.MonMothma,oneofhisearliestandmostenduringallies,sharedthoseconvictionsandlet themguideher leadership of the Senate. She wanted the worlds of the New Republic to findbalance, and to always seek themiddle groundwhere we canwork together for abettertomorrow.”Thiswonmore applause, but the soundwasmuted, now.Populists andCentrists

agreedononlyonepointthesedays:Compromisewasfortheweak.LeialookedatthestatueandimaginedherselfspeakingdirectlytoBailOrganaas

she concluded. “My father gave us one legacy more precious than any other—agalacticpeace.Allofusheretodayhaveinheritedtheresponsibilitytopreservethatpeace from this day forward.Only by doing so canwe truly honor and rememberhim.”Applause and cheers welled up, deafeningly loud, in a display of enthusiasm

greaterthananyLeiahadseeninalongtime.Hadpeopleactuallyheardhermessage?Did they understand how fragile peace had become? Would they now urge theirsenators to overcome their endless petty bickering and finally give the galaxy theleadershipitdeserved?

Thensheheardthehigh,silverysoundofX-wingfightersoverhead.Themilitaryairshowhadbegun.Thatwaswhythecrowdswerecheering.Theyhadn’theardherlastwordsatall.Thatwas…adisappointment.Butnotasurprise.AstheX-wingssplitintoadramaticnewformation,Leiasighedandhitthecontrol

thatwould levitateherpodback into thesenatorial stands. Ifnobodywas listening,shemightaswellenjoytheshow.

—

“You’resuchapessimist,Leia,”SenatorVarishViclyinsistedaftertheceremony,asvariousleadersmilledaroundthebaseoftheglitteringstatueofBailOrgana.LikeallLonerans,Varishhadlong,silkyfurthecolorofgoldandaquartetofthin,extendedlimbs that allowed her to walk on two feet or all fours with equal ease. Now sheambledalongononlytwo,thebettertokeepwavingandshakinghands.“Ofcoursepeoplecheeredfor theairshow!X-wingmaneuversaremoreexciting than thebestspeechevermade.”Leiatuckedastraylockofhairbackintoheronelongbraid.“Ijustwishwecould

getpeopletolisten.”“Look at it this way.” Varish’s golden fur fluttered in the breeze, and her long,

narrowfacesplitinawidesmileforsomeonewavinginthedistance.“PeoplelovetheX-wingpilotsbecausetheythinkofthemasthegreatfightersoftheRebellion.See?Peoplehaven’tforgottenthewar.It’sjustthatitwasallsoverylongago.”“I suppose itwas.”Leia remembered sitting in theSenate as a fourteen-year-old

junior legislator and feeling sure she was the youngest person among all thosethousands;thesedays,shesometimesfeltliketheoldest.Thewarhadtakenatollonhergeneration,cullingsomanywhowouldotherwisehavegoneontolead.Amongthe crowds and the Senate itself weremanywho hadn’t even been bornwhen theBattleofEndorwasfought.Leia ought to have felt that her obsolescence stood as a badge of honor. The

populace couldn’t have become so complacent without decades of relative peace,whichhadbeengiventothembytheNewRepublic.Butshecouldn’trelax.Couldn’tstopworrying. Thatwaswhat happenedwhen someone grew up on the run, undersiege, always expecting captureordeath at anymoment.Paranoiabecame theonlywayofseeingtheworld,unabletoeverbefullysetaside.“Come, now. If you don’t cheer up before dinner, I’ll seat you next to Count

Jogurner, see if Iwon’t…oh, Feleen, over here!”Varish squeezed Leia’s arm oncebeforedartingintothecrowdtogreetyetanotherofherpoliticalfriends.

Leiashookherheadinfondresignation.Behindherseeminglyfrivolousinterests,VarishViclywasapersonofintegrity,asstaunchaPopulistasLeiaherself,andoneoftheveryfewsenatorsitwasactuallyfuntospendtimewith.(Unlike,forinstance,CountJogurner,whomeantwellbutcouldnotconverseatlengthonanysubjectotherthanCheedoanwhiskeys.)Butshewasn’tagoodaudienceforLeia’sdarkerfears.Nobodywantstohearaboutthewaranylonger,Leiatoldherself.Noonewantsto

be afraid ofmore chaos and turmoil. Isn’t thiswhat I fought for—so theywouldn’thavetobeafraid?She scanned the crowd, picking out friend and enemy alike. Tai-Lin Garr,

conspicuousinhis trademarkscarletcloak, listenedgravelytoagroupofspectatorswhohadapparentlycomeall thewayfromTai-Lin’shomeplanetofGatalenta.Histhickblackhairwaspulledbackintoatopknot;hisdarkeyeswerethoughtful,evensolemn,inawaythatdidnotconflictwiththegentlesmileonhisface.Nearbystooda cluster of Centrist senators fawning over one of their movement’s rising stars, ayoung politician from Riosa named Ransolm Casterfo. Certainly Casterfo cut adashingfigure.Hewastall,handsome,charismatic,andonlythirty-twoyearsold—anage thathadoncesoundedmature toLeia,andnowseemed impossiblyyoung.Tooyoungtohavefoughtinthewar,ortohaveanysubstancewhatsoever,butapparentlytheCentristschosetheirnewfigureheadsbyaskingthemselveswhowouldlookbestin their propaganda. Leia’s mood brightened when, in the far distance, she spiedAdmiral Ackbar. He’d made the voyage all the way to Hosnian Prime for theceremony, though hewas now in his eighties—but of course hewouldn’t have letanything keep him from honoring Bail Organa. Leia began pushing through thethrong toward him, hoping for a chance to catch up with someone else whorememberedtheolddays.“Princess Leia?” Themelodious voice calling Leia’s name would have sounded

alluring tomost people. Only Leia’s diplomatic training allowed her to keep fromcringing.“PrincessLeia,ifIcouldhaveaword?”Leiamanagedtoputonaconvincingsmilebeforesheturned.“LadyCarise.What

canIdoforyou?”Lady Carise Sindian, senator from the Centrist world Arkanis, was of the same

generation as Ransolm Casterfo but came across as even younger. Perhaps thatimpressionof immaturitycamefromLadyCarise’spriorities, rather thanher lovelyface. Her long silvery robes were embroideredwith jewels, displaying her world’swealth and power, in a contrast with Leia’s simpler and more elegant blue. LadyCarise began, “We must discuss the governorship of Birren. As you know, LordMellowynhaspassedaway—”“Ofcourse.Iwassorrytohearofit.”LordMellowynhadbeenadistantkinsmanto

BailOrgana.Overtheyears,Leiahadmadeafewtripstovisithim,sinceMellowynhadbeenoneofthefewpeoplewhostillrememberedherfatherandhadcalledhimfriend.(Whenshethoughtofherfather,shethoughtonlyofBailOrgana.Hehadbeenher

fatherinspirit,andsurelythatwasmoreimportantthananythingelse.)“Well,thegovernorshippassesdownthroughtheelderbloodlines—”LadyCarise

began,herdark-browneyesalightatthethoughtofroyaltitles.Virtuallynoonetooktheconceptofhereditarynobilityseriouslyanylonger,noteventheothermembersoftheElderHouses.However,LadyCariseseemedunabletoimagineanygreaterhonor.“ButasLordMellowynhadnochildren,thetitlehasnowpassedtoyou.”Leiacoveredhermouthasifinsurprise.Reallyshehopedtoconcealherdismay.

OneofthefewthingssherememberedaboutBirrenwasthat theirrituals invariablylasted for several weeks. Birren was a small, sleepy Inner Rim world that mightprovide an excellent vacation spot…but a frustrating exile for a senator withimportantwork todo. “The title is purely ceremonial now, isn’t it? I can’t imaginethatthepeopleofBirrenareinanyhurrytoreplaceafigureheadgovernor.”“Butthetitle!”LadyCarise’seyeswidened.Maybeunconsciously,sheshookher

head—tsk, tsk. “How can we deny the people the certainty, the reassurance, ofknowingthatthisancienttraditionisbeingupheld?”“I’lltaskmystaffwithlookingintothisimmediately.”ThiswasLeia’sstockescape

forofficialconversationsshewantedtoend;itsoundedofficialbutpromisednothing.LadyCarisesmiledandnoddedassheturnedaway,satisfiedfornow.TheX-wingsstreakedoverheadagain.Althoughtheairshowhadended,thepilots

were still showing off, enjoying themselves. For now they required no greaterpurpose,nosacredduty,onlythesheerexhilarationofflight.HowlonghasitbeensinceIwasthatcarefree?Leiathought.WasIever?Probablynot.

—

ThebriefwindowbetweentheceremonyandVarish’sdinnerforthePopulistsenatorsgaveLeianochancetorelax.Instead,sheneededtomeetwithherstaff.Fortunately,thereshecouldatleastcountonrationalconversation.Mostly.“Whatamarvelouscelebration!”C-3POshuffledthroughthebroadovalofLeia’s

stateoffice.Afternoonsunlightstreamedthroughthewindows,gildingthewhite-on-white furnishings; the droid’s golden metal plating shone as though he were new.

“Such an illustrious gathering. I daresay everyone in attendance will share thememorywiththeirgrandchildrensomeday.”“Never imagined this,”Hanhadmurmured, sitting up in their bed late at night,

Ben’stinyheadrestinginthecrookofhisfather’sarm.“Havingakid.Evenwantingakid.Butnowhe’shere,and—”“Andyou’readad.”Leiahad leanedcloser,unable toresist thechance to tease

herhusband.“Justthink,hotshot.Somedayyoumightevenbeagranddad.”Han’s chuckle hadwarmedher.“Speak for yourself, sweetheart.Me, I ain’t ever

gettingthatold.”“PrincessLeia?”Leiasnappedoutofher reverie,back into thehereandnow.“Iapologize,Greer.

It’sbeenalongday.Youweresaying?”Greer Sonnel, Leia’s assistant, continued as smoothly as if her boss had not just

spent several seconds lost in thought. “You’ve been invited to the reception forSenator Bevicard on Coruscant, which I said you would consider. Shall I refuseimmediatelyortomorrow?”“Giveituntiltomorrow.”Itdidn’tdotobecometoopredictable.Greer nodded, her fingers dexterously working on her datapad. Her thick, blue-

blackhairhadbeentuckedintoasimplebun,andthecoarselywovenshawlsheworeoverherbodysuitcamefromherruggedhomeworldofPamarthe.Greerpreferredtheplainandpractical,always;Leiaknewshewasfindingher transitiontoworkin theSenate difficult, probably because there was so much formality and even morenonsense.However,Greerhadalwaysrisentoachallenge,andshehadsharpenedherdiplomaticskillsinthepastseveralmonths.“ShallIrefusewithordinarypolitenessorextracourtesy?”“Extra, I think.Honestydeservescourtesy.Bevicard’sa snake,buthedoesn’t lie

aboutwhathe is.”Leia shookherhead ruefully. “That’s about asmuchasyoucanexpectfromaCentristthesedays.”“But—”KorrSella—Sondiv’sdaughterandtheofficeintern,onlysixteenyearsold

—caughtherselfandshrankback.“Excuseme,PrincessLeia.Ispokeoutofturn.”“You’ll find I’mnot a stickler forprotocol,Korrie.”From thecornerofher eye,

LeiasawC-3POswivelinghistorsotowardher,nodoubtappalledtothinkofanyone,anywhere,ignoringprotocol.“Whatisityouweregoingtosay?”At first the girl looked so stricken thatLeia feared she’d put her in an awkward

position.Beforeshecouldwithdrawherquestion,however,Korriefoundhercourage.“Iwasgoingtosay,shouldn’tyouaccepttheinvitation?TohelpbuildfriendshipsandconsensusbetweenCentristsandPopulists?”

“In an ideal galaxy, yes. Unfortunately, that’s not the galaxy we live in.” Leiasoundedso jaded sheevendisgustedherself.Moregently, she said, “The invitationwassymbolic,notgenuine.IfIactuallyaccepted,Bevicardwouldbemortified.”Korrienodded,butherexpressionremaineduneasy.“Arethetwopartiesreallythat

farapart?”Leialeanedbackinherchair,rubbinghersoreneck.IfonlyVarishweren’thosting

abanquettonight,soshecouldletdownherhair.“I’mafraidtheyreallyare.”“Oh.”Korrie bowedher head, but not beforeLeia caught a glimpseof thegirl’s

confusionanddismay.I was that young, once. I believed so strongly in the power of government to

accomplish anything. Leia had joined the Imperial Senate at fourteen; she hadn’tcompletely given up on the rule of law in the Empire until the moment she sawAlderaan die in front of her eyes.How I miss that feeling—the sense that justicewouldalwayswinintheend.“I’vepreparedastatementon thededication forus tosend to theplanetarynews

services.Youcantakea lookandletmeknowwhateditsyou’dlike, ifany.”Greertapped her datapad, sending the document to Leia. Therewas no need. Leia knewexactly what it would say, just as she knew the precise, subtle shades of spin theCentristsenatorswouldputontheirownstatements.“Thatmoreorlesswrapsupourbusiness for this afternoon, Princess Leia. You have another hour before SenatorVicly’sbanquet.Whatwouldyouliketodonext?”Leiarealizedtheansweronlymomentsbeforeitcameoutofhermouth.“Iwantto

quit.”Korrie frowned.Greer paused before she said, “I beg your pardon,ma’am?You

wanttoquit—havingthismeeting,or—”“I want to leave the Senate. To leave government completely.” An exhilarating,

unfamiliarsensationblossomedwithinLeia.Maybethiswaswhatfreedomfelt like.“Iwanttoquit.”

Hansaid,“Now,thisIgottahear.”TheuplinkbetweenHosnianPrime and theTheron systemwas clear tonight: no

static,nodelays.Leiacouldseeherhusband’sfaceclearly,andbehindhimthebroadwindow of his temporary quarters on Theron. His gray jacket lay across a nearbychair,andtheamberliquidinaslenderglassonthetablewasmost likelyCorellianbrandy. Small, darting lights in the night sky behindHanwere no doubt podracersgetting some practice weaving in and out of the planet’s famous spiral stoneformations.NoneofthatmatteredcomparedwiththesightofHan’ssmile.Despitetheskeptical

toneofhisvoice,Leiarecognizedthelightinhiseyes.“TheSenateisturningintoapoliticalquagmire.”Shefoldedherlegsbeneathher

on the sofa andbeganunbraidingherhair, a lengthyprocess shehadalways foundcalming.“And it’sourownfault.AfterPalpatine,nobodywanted tohandover thatmuch power again, so we don’t have an executive, only a chancellor with no realauthority.MonMothma got things done through sheer charisma, but almost everychancellorsinceherhasbeen…”Hanfinishedthesentenceforher:“Useless.”“Prettymuch.”Atthetime,LeiahadbeengratefulforMonMothma’sleadership,

butnowsherealizedthatoneindividual’sabilityhaddisguisedthefundamentalflawsintheNewRepublic’ssystem.IfMonMothmahadsteppedasideearlier,mightthey

haverealizedtheirerrors?Amendedtheconstitutionintime?Atthislatedate,itwasimpossible to know. “The conflict between the parties gets worse every day.MostCentristsandPopulistsarestillpolite toeachother,butbarely.Everydebateon theSenate floor turns into an endless argument over ‘tone’ or ‘form’ and never aboutissuesofsubstance—”Hankeptnodding,buthiseyeswerestarting toglazeover.By thispoint in their

marriage, Leia could predict down to the nanosecond when Han’s patience for allthingspoliticalwouldrunout.Now,finally,shewasjustassickofitashewas.“Sowhyshouldn’tIquit?”Leialoosedthefinalstrandsofherlonghair,allowingit

to tumble free toherwaist.“Nothingkeepsmefromresigning in themiddleofmyterm. I could announce that I’m stepping down sometime in the next few weeks,whichwouldgiveme time to tieup looseendsbeforean interimelectionhasbeencalled. Greer already agreed to draft an announcement—well, she kept calling it a‘hypothetical’announcement.Shedoesn’tthinkI’llactuallyfollowthrough.”“Neitherdo I,” saidHan,notunkindly. “Listen,Leia, I neverunderstoodexactly

whatyougotoutofpolitics,butyoumustgetsomethingoutofit,becauseit’sbeenyourwholelife.”“SinceIwasfourteen.”AsagirlshehadbeensoproudtorepresentAlderaan.So

impatient forherchance todosomethingmeaningful.Whyhadn’t she takena littlemore time to simply be a kid? Even princesses could have fun sometimes—hermotherhadtriedtotellherthat,fromtimetotime,butLeiahadneverlistened—Hancontinued,“You’vebeenfedupwiththeSenatebefore.I’veheardyougripe

aboutfactionsanddeadlockathousandtimes.Butit’snotlikeyoutogiveup.”“This isn’t giving up. It’s just…facing facts.” Leia sighed as she took up her

hairbrushandbeganworkingoutthefewtanglesattheends.Bynowafewstrandsofsteelygrayshoneinherbrownhair.“Ican’tdothisforever,Han.EventuallymytimeintheSenatehastocometoanend.Whynotnow?”Han’s face filledmore of the screen as he leaned forward, perhaps to study her

expression.Although he still looked skeptical, she could tell he had begun to playwiththeideainhismind.“Don’ttakethisthewrongway,but—whatwouldyoudowithyourself?”Itwasafairquestion.LeiahadgivensomuchofherlifetotheRebellionandthen

theNewRepublicthatevenshehadsometimeswonderedwhethershehadanythingleft.Butshedid,ofcourse.“I’vebeenthinking.”Shepretendedtomullthequestionover.“WhatifIdecidedto

goflyingaroundthegalaxywithsomescoundrel?”Hanraisedhiseyebrowsandpointedtowardhisownchest.Leialaughed.“Unlessyouhadanotherscoundrelinmind.”“Hey,hey.I’mtheonlyscoundrelupforthejob.”Heshookhisheadin—surprise?

Disbelief?Leiawasn’tsure.Whatmatteredmostwasthewarmthinhissmile.EvenifHanwasn’tconvincedsheintendedtodothis,helikedtheidea.Downdeep,buriedwhereshecouldalmost ignorethefear,Leiahadn’tbeensure

hewould.They’d been apart too often in their marriage. Too long. Han’s restlessness had

been a large part of that, but he couldn’t take all of the blame. Leia had remainedstuckhere,miredinthepoliticalmuck.Nowshecouldfinallydoherparttochangethingsforthem.“Youreally thinkyou’denjoy the lifeofa racer?”Hanasked.“Bouncingaround

fromonesystemtothenext,workingonships,neverknowingwhereyou’reheadednext?”“Doesn’tsoundthatdifferentfrombeingamemberoftheRebelAlliance.”“Maybenot,”Hanconcededwith a tilt ofhishead. “Still, it’s aprettywild ride.

Yousureyou’reready?”Thiswassomethingofanexaggeration.Hanoftenracedforcharity,andhewasas

likely to sponsor amatchashewas to compete inone.He’d traveled toTheron tooversee the prestigious piloting championships known as the Five Sabers, whichtested skills on everything from starfighter atmospheric runs to hyperspaceorienteering.Inotherwords:HanSolowasinchargeofenforcingtherules.Althoughheranhisshippingcompanyonthego,hewasafarmorevigilant,responsibleownerthanhelikedtoleton.Thelifeheledthesedaystookhimallaroundthegalaxy,butitwasafarcryfromthedangerousexistenceofasmuggler.ComparedwithstagnatingintheSenate?Han’sworldsoundedlikeparadise.“Freedomandadventure.”Shesighed.“Yeah.I’mready.”Hanstudiedherforafewmoments, thenbegantogrin.“Yourealize—after three

monthsonthesameship,we’regonnakilleachother.”Leia leaned closer to the terminal so hewould see thewickedness in her smile.

“Butwon’tthosethreemonthsbefun?”She was thinking of a sublight run they’d undertaken together early in their

marriage, which had begun with a great deal of bickering. However, all that timealone, with no one to interrupt them, had eventually led to much more enjoyablepursuits.Given the timing,shewasfairlysure thosepursuitshaddirectly led,some

monthslater,toBen’sbirth.“Oh, we’ll have fun.” Han brushed his fingers near the holocam, as if he could

touchherface.“Youbetterbelieveit.”

—

Thenextday, in theSenate,Leia foundherself remembering thewayHanhadsaidthat,turningitoverandoverinhermindlikeayounggirldaydreaming.Ofcourseshewasbeingridiculous,andshewasrarelysoeasilydistractedwhiletheSenatewasinsession.Thenagain,theSenategaveherverylittleworthconcentratingon,thesedays.ClappingfromtheCentristbenchesdrewherbackintothehereandnow.Viathe

consoleatherpositioninthebroad,flat,andutterlymaddeningSenatechamber,shecouldseescreenimagesandholosofRansolmCasterfoashebowedtothecheersofhiscolleagues,ignoringthestoicsilenceofthePopulists.Leiamentallyreplayedthelast few words he’d spoken…yes, he’d been complaining about the number ofPopulist speakers at the statue-dedication ceremony. In other words, he’d said theexact same thing every other Centrist senator had said so far today, albeit moreeloquently.For all their applause, theCentristswerenomore interestedor engagedthanthePopulists;theyrespondedbyrote.Asshescannedthevastchamberandallitsrepresentativesfromitsmultiplicityofworlds,Leiathoughttheylookedlikeatheateraudiencestrugglingtoendurethelastactofadullplay.“How many Centrist speakers have there been now?” she murmured under her

breathtoC-3PO,whooccasionallyaccompaniedhertorecordtheproceedings—notthattherewasmuchworthrecording.“Seventeen, all of whom addressed irregular protocol during the dedication

ceremony,”C-3POsaidwithhisusualcheeratbeingabletosupplyanexactanswer.Thenheturnedhisgoldenheadtowardherandadded,inalowertone,“Imustsay,theirattentiontothesepointsofetiquetteseems…excessive.”Leia nearly groaned.C-3PO thought they were overdoing protocol? That was a

verybadsign.Shetouchedthesmallscreeninherpodthatwouldshowhertheorderofbusiness

for the day, then straightened. For once, the senators would be expected to stoptalkingandlisten.Thespeakerdroidsintonedatonce,“Acknowledgedonthefloor,YendorofRyloth,

emissarytotheSenate.”LeiasatupstraighterasYendorwalkedin.TallforaTwi’lek,hemadeanimposing

figurewith his long blue lekku hanging fromhis head down the back of his deep-

browncloak.AlthoughtheSenatefloorwasmorethanahundredmetersinfrontofher, she could see himwell thanks to the various screens and holos displaying hisimageonherconsole—someindifferentwavelengths,for thosespecieswhoseeyesdifferedgreatlyfromthoseofhumans.ShehadknownYendorslightlyduringthewar,whenhehadservedasanX-wingpilot.AlthoughLeiadoubtedtheyhadspokenmorethan twodozen times, rightnow themeresightof someone from thedaysofbattlecheeredher.“Totheesteemedrepresentativesof theGalacticSenate,greetings.”Yendorstood

tall and straight, despite his advancing years and the long staff he used to steadyhimself.“Thehistoryofmyplanetandmypeople iswellknown.Forcenturies,wesuffered under the oppression of the Hutts and their criminal enterprises. TheEmpire’sdominationdoubledourdifficulties.Onlyinthepastfewdecades,intheeraoftheNewRepublic,havewebeenabletoassertourownindependenceandourownrule.Thoughwe stand apart fromyou,we saluteyou, and appreciate thepeace theNewRepublichasgiventothegalaxy.”Leiaapplauded,asdidmanyothers—bothPopulistsandCentrists.Rylothwasan

independentworld,apartfromtheNewRepublic,andsoonethatcouldnotbesaidtobelongtoeitherparty.Besides,theHuttshadearnedbipartisanloathing.Yendorbowedhisheadbriefly,acknowledgingtheresponse,beforehecontinued.

“Now,however,ourindependenceisagainendangered.TheHuttshavelostmuchoftheiroldpower,whichmeansothersarerushingintofillthegap.Ofthese,themostdangerousarethosecartelsrunbytheNiktos.”“TheNiktos served theHutts for centuries,”C-3PO said to her.Leia understood

thisperfectlywell,butshedidn’twastetimeinterruptinghimtosayso.Sheknewthedroidwellenough tobesurehe’dkeep talkinganyway.“They’veneverhada trulyindependentgovernmentoftheirown.Hardlyevenaworldoftheirown,really.”ThenEmissaryYendor’stonetookonasharperedge.“Amongthemanypromises

theNewRepublicmadeafterPalpatine’s fallwas thatorganizedcrimewouldneveragain become as powerful a force as it had been during the age of the Empire.Financialregulationsandcomprehensivepatrolsoftheshippinglanesweremeanttoprotect Ryloth and every other world in the galaxy from large-scale criminalcorruption.Butthoseregulationsareenforcedonlysporadically,andthepatrolshaveyettomaterialize,eventhoughmorethantwentyyearshavepassed.Inthattime,thecartelshavebeguntoasserttheirpoweragain.”Leiafeltashamedforherpartinthisand hoped others in the Senate did as well. By bickering over theminutiae—whowouldenforcewhat,andwhen,andhow—theSenatehadonceagainfailedtotakethebigger picture into account. Now the price of their inaction had come due, and itwouldbesmaller,poorerworldslikeRyloththathadtopaymostdearly.“Onecartel

in particular has become a risk to the commercial shipping lanes in our sector,”Yendorcontinued.“Althoughourinformationisincomplete,webelievethiscriminalorganizationalreadyrivalsthatofanyofthemostpowerfulHuttsatthezenithoftheirinfluence.We know only that our pilots are being raided, that ourmerchants havebeenpressured forprotectionmoney,and that thecartel is ledbyaKajain’sa’NiktoknownasRinnrivinDi,operatingatleastinpartfromtheplanetBastatha.”Low murmurs went through certain sections of the Senate chamber, from both

parties.Moreofusshouldhaveheardofthisguy,Leiarealized,sittingupstraighter.Weshould’vebeenalertedtoacartelofsuchsizelongago.Butofcoursenobodyhadbeen paying attention to anything that reallymattered. Frustrationmade her clenchherjaw.Yendorhelduphishand,bothcallingfortheirrenewedattentionandsignalingthe

endofhisaddress.“TodayRinnrivin’scartelpresentsadangertoRyloth’sfuture,andtofreetradeinourpartofthegalaxy.Tomorrow,however,itcouldthreatentheruleoflaw in theNewRepublic itself, as theHutts did in both theOldRepublic and theEmpire. Therefore, I ask for the Senate to investigate the reach and influence ofRinnrivinDi’scarteland to take theactionsnecessary to restoreorder,onbehalfoftheTwi’leksofRyloth—butforthebenefitofusall.”The silence that followed lasted for only a few seconds…and then the Senate

dissolvedintoanimmenseamountoftalking,andverylittlelistening.Senatorsjabbedcommands into their terminals, and the sorter droids programmed to displayviewpoints equallyweighted frombothparties flasheddifferentonesonto themainscreens.AnOttegan speaking through avocoder that translatedhiswords intohumanlike

speech:“Howcanwebesuretheemissary’sinformationisaccurate?”Senator Giller, an elderly, mustachioed Centrist who still wore his war medals

everyday:“TherehavebeenrumorsofTwi’lekcriminalenterprisesaswell!MaybethisismerelyanattemptbytheTwi’lekstoforceustoeliminatetheirrivals!”Lady Carise Sindian, with a jeweled hairband atop her head: “Senators are not

lowlyplanetary constables to be sent out on everypossibleminor lawenforcementerrand.Wemust think of the dignity of our office. Arewe to be reduced tomereinvestigators?”VarishVicly,brushingbackhergoldenfur:“Thisisanintrasystemmatter.Evenif

theworldsinvolvedbelongedtotheNewRepublic,asRylothandBastathadonot,theSenatewouldbeoverreachingitsauthoritybyinterfering.”Leia foundherself remembering thestenchofJabba’spalace,whereeverybreath

hadsmelledofgreaseandsmoke fromhalfadozen illegal substances. Inhermind

flickered theanguishingmemoryofHanfrozen incarbonite,hisgrimaceofpainashardasstone—theraucoussoundoflaughterfromthosewatchingLukefightforhislifeintherancor’sden—andtheheavinessofametalcollartightaroundherneck.Ultimately shehadhated Jabba theHutt nearly asmuch as she’dhatedEmperor

Palpatine.ButherloathingforJabbahadcometoafarmoresatisfyingconclusion.LeiasawYendorofRylothleaningonhisstaffandrealized,withajolt,thathewas

wearier than he’d let on. He’d made this journey across the galaxy to speak to agoverningbodymostTwi’leksstilldistrusted,allinthehopeofchangingsomethingfor his people. And the best response the Senate could give him was yet morebickering?Leiafeltagalvanizingsenseofpurposerushthroughherastheideatookshapein

hermind.Maybeshecoulddoone lastbitofgoodbeforeshe resignedand left thegovernmentforever.Sherosetoherfeet,asignaltothemoderatordroidsthatasenatorurgentlywished

totakethefloor.Senatorswerenotallowedtooverusethisprivilege,butLeiahadnotbothered to avail herself of it inmonths.Almost instantly, the hovering holodroidsrushedtowardher.Fromthecornerofhereyeshecouldseeherselfinherlongwhitedress, graying hair roped in its braid down her back. How august and official shelooked.Howdignified.Nobodywouldhaveanyreasontoexpecthertosayanythingthatdeviatedfromthepartyline.So itwaswithgreat satisfaction thatLeiaproclaimed, “Honoredmembersof the

Senate, it is my opinion that the emissary from Ryloth has brought an importantmattertoourattention,onethatdemandsfurtherinquiry.ThereforeIvolunteertoleadthe investigation myself…and as such, will leave Hosnian Prime for Bastathaimmediately.”Silence followed—out ofwhatLeia expectedwas sheer astonishment.How long

had it been since somebody in the Senate had stood up and actually offered to dosomethinguseful?Toolong,shethought.Butdamn,itfeelsgood.

Leia knew her proposal to lead the mission to Bastatha was sensible, useful, anddirect.Obviously,theSenatedidn’tknowwhattodowithit.“We could hardly be certain of assuring your safety, Princess Leia,” said Lady

Carise Sindian, the only senatorwho calledLeia by her royal title, rather than herelectedone,whileontheSenatefloor.“Wecouldn’tputyouatrisk.”“Have you no faith in the soldiers of theNewRepublic, Senator Sindian?”This

objectionactuallycamefromanotherCentrist,SenatorArbo,oneofthewarhawksofCoruscant.“SenatorOrganawill travelwithanentire squadronofguards toprotectheratalltimes.Donotdoubttheirabilityortheirvalor!”Tai-Lin Garr shook his head. “We could hardly expect Senator Organa’s

investigationtorunsmoothlyifsuchalargemilitarypresenceaccompaniedher.ThepeopleofBastathawouldconsideritanintrusion,perhapsevenaninvasion.”ThiswasthefirstusefulthingsomeonehadsaidsinceLeiahadvolunteeredforthe

mission. Given that the tone of the overall conversation was turning towardsafeguardinghertriptoBastatha,ratherthanobjectingtoit,shewasbeginningtofeelencourageddespiteherself.Andifshe’drealizedwhatachargeshewouldgetoutofthemereideaofbeingout

in the field—the chance to work with ordinary people instead of politicians, toevaluate a situation for herself without any committees in the way—she would’vecome up with another potential mission a long time ago. The journey to Bastatha

wouldbetheperfectwaytoendhercareerintheSenate:doingsomethinginterestingandmeaningful again, at last.Then she couldwalkoutwith a senseof satisfactionthatatleastshe’dbeenabletoaccomplishsomereal,tangiblegoodbeforesheleft.Whoknows?shethought.Takingononeofthespicecartels—Imightevenwindup

withsomestoriestorivalafewofHan’s.Alreadyshecouldn’twaittotellhimaboutthis.However, Lady Carise wasn’t done speaking. “The question of this mission’s

worthiness remains. As others have stated, we have only the testimony of theemissaryofRylothtogoupon.Whathasbeencharacterizedascriminalactivitymaybe nomore than theNiktos attempting to rebuild their economy after escaping theinfluenceof theHutts.Furthermore—and forgiveme, but itmust be said—such aninvestigationcouldnotbelefttoaPopulistsenatoralone.AlthoughPrincessLeiaisnomereconspiracytheorist,someofthoseonthePopulistbenchesaredeterminedtosee the worst in any larger organization, whether governmental, military, oreconomic.”“Icanbeobjective,”Leiabegan,buthervoicewasalmost immediatelydrowned

out.ProtestsbubbledupfromthePopulistsenators,anditwasallLeiacoulddonottogroan.Nowherownpartywouldkeepherfrombeingheard.C-3PO’sgoldheadswiveledfromsidetosideasheattemptedtorecordtheentire

debate. “I shouldhave thought theSenatewouldwelcomeyourgenerousoffer,”hesaid.“Oh,dear.”“ ‘Oh,dear’isright.”Leiakeptherchinhigh,determinedtowaitthisout.Nowthat

she’dtastedeventhehopeofgoingintoactionagain,shewasn’tgoingtogiveitupeasily.Oneofthemoderatordroidsintoned,“ThefloorisgrantedtoSenatorCasterfoof

Riosa.”Evenashisnamewasannounced,RansolmCasterfohadalreadyrisentohisfeet,

all thebetter to look impressive for theholodroids.Thedark-greenvelvet cloakheworetestifiedtohiswealthandprivilege.Leiawonderedsourlywhetherhe’dchosentheclothingtomakeitseemthathewasfromamorepowerful,prestigiousworldthanRiosa,orbecausethecolorssuitedhiscomplexion.Therewasatouchofthecelebrityabout him…as there was with too many of the younger senators, for whomgovernmentwasmoreaboutfameandinfluencethanduty.“Myfellowsenators,”Casterfoproclaimed.Hisnarrow,aristocraticfacelookedout

fromthescreensandholos;he’dalreadymasteredthepolitician’strickofseemingtomake eye contact with everybody at once. “Senator Sindian has raised a valuablepoint.Thisshouldbeabipartisanmission.Infact,Iamashamedonbehalfofmyown

partythatoneofourowndidnotvolunteerfirst—becauseasCentrists,wevaluelawandorder, dowenot?”Murmurs of agreement rose fromvariousCentrist senators.Casterfowenton,“NotonlyisthereaneedforbothPopulistandCentristperspectiveson the question of theNikto cartels, butwe should also bemore generous than torepay thecourageof theesteemedSenatorOrganaby requiringher tomakesuchapotentiallyhazardousjourneyalone.”Smooth,Leiathoughtwithgrudgingadmiration.Casterfo continued, “I therefore volunteer to accompany Senator Organa on her

missiontoBastatha.Wewillworktogethertopresentacomprehensive,objectivesetoffindingstotheSenateuponourreturn.”ThesensationinLeia’schestthenfeltabitlikeridingonasailboatinfullfurlonly

tobejerkedtoastopbyananchor.Hergreatlastadventurehadjustturnedintoa…babysittingjob.“Iknewitwastoogoodtobetrue,”shemuttered.“Ibegyourpardon,PrincessLeia?”C-3POgestured towardCasterfo’s imageon

theholos.“Ifailedtorecordyourlastcomment.Ifyouwouldlikeittobepartoftherecord—”“Itdoesn’tmatter,Threepio.Forget it.”Leiaheardothervoices riseup todebate

furtherpointsofprotocol,butsheknewhowtheSenateworkedwellenoughtoknowhowthiswouldallend:She’dgotoBastatha,butwithRansolmCasterfobyherside.

—

“You could’ve let us know youwere planning on doing this,”Greer said inLeia’sofficesafterward.“Iwould’veletyouknowIwasgoingtovolunteerifI’dhadanyideamyself.”“So, you’ll be taking theMirrorbright?”Greer’s tonewas casual as sheworked

withherdatapad,butshecouldn’tdisguisethesmallsmileonherfulllips.“I’llgiveyoutheanswertothequestionyou’rereallyasking,whichis,yes,Greer,

you’ll get to pilot the ship.” Leia paused. The Bastatha mission had a small butgenuine element of danger. This might not be a mere pleasure cruise. “If you’resure…”“I’m sure.” Greer beamed. As good as she was at her office duties, she hadn’t

entirelylostherloveofpiloting.ApityGreerhadtogiveupracing,Leiathought,notforthefirsttime.NextLeiawouldhavetoverifyasaccurateeverydatapadcontainingvisual,sound,

andsensoryrecordsoftheday’sSenatesession,justonemorelayerofNewRepublic

bureaucracy she had to sort through every day. “Let’s get through this as soon aspossible.IwanttoheadtoCasterfo’sofficerightaway.”“But—”Korrie lookedfromLeia toGreerandbackagain,astackofdatapadsin

herarms.“Shouldn’thecometoyou?”“Indeed he should!” C-3PO sounded delighted to have somethingmeaningful to

contribute.“Propersenatorialprotocoldemandsthatthejuniorsenatorshouldalwaysbetheonetocallupontheseniorsenator.NodoubtSenatorCasterfowillbeherefirstthinginthemorning.”“Nodoubt,”Leiaagreed.“WhichiswhyI’mgoingtohisofficeinstead,beforehe

hasachancetoleaveforthenight.Iwanthimtounderstandthatwe’renotstandingon‘protocol’onourmissiontoBastatha,andIwanttocatchhimoffhisguard.”Greercaughtonimmediately;sheusuallydid.“He’llbesurprised.Flattered.You’ll

get a chance to seewhathe says andhowhe actswhenhedoesn’t have aCentristscripttogoby.”“Exactly.” Leia began verifying the datapads one after the other—a thumbprint

here, a retinal scan there. Korrie overcame her surprise to keep the datapadscirculating speedily. “Besides, this way we can start making concrete travelarrangementsrightaway.ThesoonerIgetoffHosnianPrime,thebetter.”ShepretendednottonoticetheglancesGreerandKorrieshared.Before long, Leia was able to leave her offices for Casterfo’s. Over C-3PO’s

objections,shewentalone.IfLeiahadnostafferswithher,shecouldreasonablyaskCasterfo toexcusehisown.Taking themeasureofamanwouldbe farmoreeasilydoneifhehadtoanswereveryquestionhimself,andifhewasdividedfromhisusualsourcesofsupport.ThesenatorialcomplexonHosnianPrimewasavaststructure,mostlyhousedina

singlelong,flatbuildingonlyonestorytall.Thishadbeendonetoavoidanysenseofofficesonhighertowersbeing“moreprestigious”thanothers—whichhadseemedtomakesenseatthetime—butitmeantLeiawouldneedtotravelnearlyakilometerandahalf to reachCasterfo’s office.She steppedontooneof the automated sidewalks,drawingherwhitehoodoverherhead.Itwasn’tasthoughthiswouldpreventanyonefrom identifying her, but it might delay recognition long enough for her to avoidgettingpulledintoanyinconsequentialconversationsthatwouldonlywastetime.Broad transparent panels revealedwide slices of the twilight sky overhead. Leia

glancedupatthestatueofBailOrgana—coolwhiteintheencroachingdark—asshepassed it by. Her father seemed to be watching her go. The numerous citizens ofvariousworldsmilledaround,bothonthemobilesidewalksandaroundthem:agroupofBothansgrowlingtooneanotherinfrontofoneoffice’sdoor,aGunganhavingan

animatedconversationviathecomlinkinhishand,andtwoWookieesfaraheadofheron the sidewalk, being propelled forward past the throngs of politicians, workers,lobbyists,andvisitingconstituentsthatperpetuallyfilledthecomplex.OnlythesightoftheWookieesmadeLeiasmile.IwonderhowChewbacca’sdoing.Herhusband’soldWookieepartnerhadsettled

back into a peaceful domestic life onKashyyyk. As difficult as it was for Leia toimagineChewiebeingcontentathome,he’dremainedtherelongenoughthatshehadtoconcludehewasenjoyinghimself.HanneverpassesalongChewie’sholos;Ineedtomakesometimetocatchup,andsoon.TheplanetRiosawasa fadedcenterofmanufacturing in the InnerRim,onestill

strugglingtorebuilditself.Accordingly,ithadbeenassignedsenatorialofficesatthefaredgeofoneofthebuilding’swings.Somuchforthesupposed“equality”oftheofficearrangements;statuscouldbecarvedoutofanysubstancepeopledesired—andinLeia’sexperience,theyalwaysdiddesire.Thismeantalmostnobodywitnessedherwalking intoCasterfo’soffices.Whensheentered, foramomenthisstafferssimplystoodthere,agog.“ItakeitSenatorCasterfoisstillhere?”Leiaaskedpleasantly,claspingherhands

infrontofherwithinthewidewhitesleevesofherrobe.“CanyouaskhimifhehastimetomeetwithSenatorOrgana?”ToCasterfo’scredit,hehurriedoutofhisprivateofficealmostinstantly.“Senator

Organa?”Hesmiledashefinishedshrugginghisgreencloakbackon;apparentlyhe’dalreadybegununwindingfromhisday.“Ihadexpectedtovisityouinthemorning.”“Whenthere’sworktobedone,whydelay?”Leiareturnedhissmileaspolitelyas

shecouldmanage.“Myopinionexactly.”CasterfohadthesamesortofaristocraticaccentGrandMoff

Tarkinhadspokenin,theonesomanyseniorImperialofficersaffected,theoneshe’dmockedwhensheandTarkinlaststoodface-to-face.Shetriednottoletthatputheronedge.“Please,docomeinandsitdown.CanIofferyoutea?Water?Anything?”LeiawavedoffrefreshmentsasshefollowedCasterfointohispersonaloffice—and

thenstoppedinplace,asthoughfrozen.OnthewallsofCasterfo’sofficehungartifactsfromtheEmpire.Astormtrooper’shelmet.TheblackcontrolboxofaTIEpilot’satmosphericsuit.

Flags and banners of the Empire, the individual stormtrooper legions, and one—faded,slightlytorn,butstillsearingtoLeia’seyes—dedicatedtoPalpatinehimself.Itwasone thing to see such items in amuseum…not thatLeiawouldhave ever

gone to suchanexhibit, but shewouldhaveunderstood itshistoricalpurpose.Thisadulation,however,wasgrotesque.

“SenatorOrgana?”Casterfo stared atLeia, somehowcompletelyoblivious to thesource of her discomfort. “Are you well? You look pale. Perhaps you should sitdown.”“Inhere?”Leiaheldoutherhands,gesturingtothearrayofartifactssurrounding

them.“InthemiddleofyourshrinetothegloriesoftheEmpire?”Casterfosmiled.Howcouldhedaresmile?“Now,now,Senator.Don’toverreact.

Thesearehistoricalrelics,nomore.”AsthoughthewaragainsttheEmpirehadtakenplacemillenniabefore,ratherthan

thespaceofonegeneration.LeiawonderedifCasterfothoughtofherasahistoricalrelic,too.“Youconsideryourselfacollector, then.”Her toneremainedcool,butshe tooka

seatinoneofthechairs.Asshe’danticipated,Casterfodidn’tgositbehindhisdesk—whichwouldhavebeenanassertionofhisauthority.Hedidn’twanttoinsultherinthatway,buthewasn’tsurewhatelsetodo,andsowasleftstandinginfrontofher,slightlyataloss.Buthe remainedeager to talkabouthishobby. “Yes, exactly. Iwasonlya small

boywhenthewarended.Theadventuresyouallmusthavehad!WhenIlookaroundatthesethings,IimaginethebattlessovividlyIfeelasifIhadbeenthere.”IfCasterfohadreallybeenabletoimaginehimselfinthegreatbattlesofthewar,

hewouldn’thaveenjoyedtheexperience.Leiahaddealtwithenoughshell-shockedformer Rebellion troops to know that much. However, his guileless enthusiasmsoothedhersomewhat.All right,he’snotawarmonger. Justanovergrownkidwhothinkshemissedoutonallthe“excitement.”She had never been so close to Casterfo before, and saw now that his polished

appearancewasnotentirelyperfect.Hissandyhairhadperhapsbeengrownlongerinordertohidehisears,whichprotrudedsomewhatsharplyfromhisnarrowface.Buthe’dpracticallylacqueredhishairinordertomakeitlooksleek,nodoubtbecauseitotherwisewouldhavecurled tightly.Eventheflowingcloakwasprobablymeant todisguisehowreed-thinhewas.Before,LeiahadseenCasterfo’sobviousconcernforhisappearanceasvanity;nowsherealizeditwasatleastpartlyvulnerability,evidencethatCasterfowantedtolookolderthanhisyears,moreprosperousthanhisplanet.HewantedtostandintheSenateandlookasifhebelonged.Her judgment of him gentled…for the remaining second it took him to add,

“Besides, even ifwe cannot respect these soldiers’methods,we can at least honortheirdream.”“Dream?”“The dream of empire, of course.” Casterfo smiled like aman remembering the

bestdaysofhischildhood.“Ifthegalaxytrulycouldhavebeenunitedunderawise,authoritativeleader,suchanempiremighthavestoodforathousandyears,torivaltheOldRepublicitself.”Leiarealizedshewasgapingathim,mouthopen.“YouwishtheEmpirewerestill

standing?”“NottheEmpirewehad, ledbyamansocorruptasPalpatine.But if theEmpire

could have been reformed, perhaps, turned over to better and more responsibleleadership—”“Youmean, if theRebellion could’ve been defeated,” Leia snapped.Her temper

had heated beyond the point of restraint. “I regret that we so disappointed you,SenatorCasterfo,byfightinganddyingtosetthegalaxyfree.”Hisfaceflushed.“Oh,don’tmisunderstandme,please.Iwouldneverhavewished

fortheRebelliontolosethewar.Ionlywishthatthewarhadnotbeennecessary.”“You think Palpatinewas the only problemwith the Empire? Think again. That

kindofpowerstructurebredcorruptionfromthehighestlevelsonCoruscantdowntothesmallestoutpostsonborderworlds.Whenthepeoplewithauthoritydon’thavetoanswertocitizensofthegalaxy,theresultistyranny.”Casterfo’s boyish dismay had faded and was now replaced by anger as poorly

concealed as Leia’s own. “So the answer is to give power to no one? In order toensurethatnoevilcanbedonebythoseinauthority,wemakesurenogoodcanbeaccomplishedbythem,either?”“What‘good’doyouthinktheEmpirehadtooffer?”“Verylittle,itseems.ButiftheOldRepublichadnotbeenflawedinitsownright,

Palpatinecouldnothavecomeintopowerinthefirstplace.”Thismade a certain degree of sense, asLeiawas uncomfortably aware. She had

heardherfather’sstoriesaboutthefinaldaysoftheOldRepublictoomanytimesnottohaveabsorbedhiswarningsabouthowlibertycametodie.ButCasterfohadneverlearned these lessons;heonlywanted toexcuse the riseof theEmpire.“Arepubliccanbechangedasneeded,becauseitremainsanswerabletoitspeople.”“Awise and just Emperorwould listen to his people aswell,”Casterfo insisted.

“Theonlyproblemwasthatwehadthewrongemperor.”Theonlyproblem?TherewasalimittotheamountofstupidityLeiacouldtolerate

in one day, and she’d just hit it. She got to her feet. “I don’t have time for aconversation about galactic politics with someone so profoundly ignorant of theirgreaterimplications.”Casterfo drewhimself up to his considerable full height. “Nor do I have time to

discussthesematterswithsomeonesointolerantofotherpointsofview.”

BythatpointLeia’stempleswerethrobbing,hintingattheheadacheherangerwascarvingwithinherskull.“I’llhavemyprotocoldroidcomebytomorrowtoexchangedetailsaboutourtravel.”Shewouldn’tdreamofforcingGreerorKorrietodealwiththemanonemomentlongerthannecessary.Besides,C-3POwouldbethrilledtohavesomething to do. Never had Leia been more grateful for a protocol droid. “Myassistant canhandle all otherdetails of the trip.There’snoneed forus to see eachotheragainuntilit’stimetodepart—if,ofcourse,that’sallrightwithyou.”Casterfo folded his arms. “Believe me, I would find that arrangement a great

relief.”“Thefeeling’smutual.”Leiastrodeoutofhisoffice,throughthethicketofstaffers

pretendingnottoeavesdropatthedoor,andbackoutintothecorridors.Asshesteppedbackontothemovingsidewalk,shecoveredherfacewithonehand.

Hertemperhadgottenthebetterofheroftenenoughinherlife,butnotmanypeoplehad incensed her as quickly as Ransolm Casterfo and his collection of “historicalitems,”which insultedeverythingshehadfoughtfor.Soonshe’dbestuckwithhimfordays,orevenweeks—however long it took toget to thebottomof thesituationwiththeNiktocartelsonBastatha.So much for an exciting last mission. It looked like her final days as a New

Republicsenatorweregoingtobearoyalpainintheass.

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