Title: Changing Course
Chapter: Chapter Sixteen
Author: bactaqueen
Author's e-mail:
Category: New Jedi Order, Alternate Universe
Keywords: Kyp Durron, Jaina Solo, NJO
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: New Jedi Order up to Rebel Stand
Summary: Jaina Solo had a tough road back from the Dark Side after the death of her brother. In the process, according to canon, she earned Colonel Fel. But what if she hadn't? What if Kyp Durron was her redemption?
Disclaimer: "Star Wars" copyright George Lucas. Characters copyright respective owners. No profit is being made and no infringement is intended. Characters and situations inspired by the Enemy Lines duology, written by Aaron Allston, and in some cases, the situations have been modified for the purposes of this story. Again, here, no profit is being made and no infringement is intended.

Changing Course: Chapter Sixteen

Yun-Harla's presence had been requested at a meeting of General Antilles and his closest advisers. The message had been polite and brief and from the general himself. And Jaina just couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. Wedge knew it-the old Rogue was probably even planning it.

Everyone had heard the Vong activity in the jungle. A few of the pilots had even seen it. Most were aware of the subtle preparations being made. General Antilles was certainly planning something. Like the others, Jaina hoped that it would mean victory for the New Republic and defeat for the Yuuzhan Vong.

Jaina ran her fingers through her hair and passed a quick look over her quarters. Since the grounding, she'd spent quite a bit of time alone in her quarters. The rest of her free time had been spent tinkering with the Hand in the company of her favorite Wookiee mechanic.

She gave a wry grin. She'd found herself explaining, her behavior, her reactions, and her complicated relationships to a critically curious Lowbacca. Jaina had even managed to work out a few things in her own mind.

She was less of a wreck now that she had been back at Hapes, and even during those first few days here on Borleias. She had accepted herself and her situation as best as she could. Anakin was dead. There was nothing she could do to change that, and living with it beat the alternative, didn't it?

Jacen was gone, and just as dead as Anakin. A part of her soul had been ripped away, but a half life was better than no life at all. Or so she told herself. Besides, Jacen would want her to push on. Jaina intended to. At least until she met her inevitable end.

She did not expect to survive this war. The odds were against her. Jaina accepted this. But for as long as she held out, she intended to make the Vong hurt. They would pay for Anakin, for Jacen, for Chewie and Anni and all the others. Fair was fair, and Jaina intended to be very, very fair.

And she would no longer take anyone in her life for granted. They deserved better than that, and so did she. They were precious-nothing was permanent anymore, and nothing was sacred. Jaina understood that now.

Resolve strong, Jaina walked to the room's main entrance. She slapped the panel and waited for the door to slide away. She didn't want to be late for this meeting.

The door opened. Jaina's eyes widened and she reflexively took a step back. "Aunt Mara!"

Mara Jade Skywalker stood there. Her red hair had been left loose, to curl around her shoulders, and there was an expression on her sharp face that Jaina couldn't quite decipher. Her long arms were crossed over the chest of her black bodysuit. The older woman turned clear green eyes on her niece and said casually, "First Kyp, then Luke, now your parents? Might want to be careful, Jaina," she cautioned. "A person might believe you're avoiding them."

Recovered, Jaina smiled wryly. "I'm not avoiding you."

"Oh. That's good to hear." Mara strode past Jaina, into the chamber. Her eyes swept over the girl as she made herself comfortable on the bed. "Going somewhere?"

Jaina pressed the button that closed the door. "Wedge wanted to see me." She crossed the space between the door and the bed and climbed up, folding her legs and leaning back against the pillows. "I think he's up to something."

On her stomach, Mara propped her face in her hands and looked up at Jaina. "He's always up to something."

Jaina studied her aunt. "You know," she accused simply.

Mara shrugged. "Do you think I came here for my health? No, we're leaving today."

"You and Uncle Luke?"

"And the rest of the smashball team. Tahiri's coming with us."

Jaina's gaze slid away. "I know."

"But did you know that she looks up to you?"

Jaina glanced up sharply.

Mara continued, "She has for a while now. This whole thing's been hard on her."

"It's been hard on all of us."

"Tahiri lost more, I think. She doesn't have a family. Anakin was her family."

For a moment, Jaina eyed her aunt. Finally, she said, "You're getting better at this subtlety thing. Did you know that?"

Mara grinned and even chuckled a little. "Leia's been giving me pointers."

"Mom is the best."

"I don't think I'll ever had her control, though." Mara sighed. "I don't think I'll ever be as sneaky as she is."

Jaina laughed. "You called my mother sneaky."

"Hmm." Mara looked thoughtful. "I guess I did. She is, though. She's just good at hiding it."

"And you aren't sneaky?" Jaina lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm sneaky in a whole different way."

"I think you're right."

Mara grinned. "I know I'm right."

Jaina leaned her head back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. It was an off-white color and there was a crack spanning the width of the room. Jaina knew that crack well. She rested her hands on her bent knees and took a deep breath before asking, "So what did Uncle Luke tell you?"

There was the tinge of a smile in Mara's voice. "There isn't much the farmboy doesn't tell me. That's what it is to be married. Of course," she added, sounding contemplative, "he could just be afraid I'll beat it out of him." There was a pause as Mara seemed to consider this. "He's probably right," she decided.

Jaina chuckled softly.

"There are similar perks to being your aunt instead of your mother, and a woman rather than just another man in your life," she added, invitingly.

Jaina looked back at her aunt and smiled sardonically. "There are quite a few of those aren't there?"

Mara nodded, looking encouraging. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

So she did.

General Wedge Antilles, Colonel Tycho Celchu, and New Republic Head of Intelligence Iella Wessiri-Antilles were gathered around a map table in the otherwise empty and thoroughly secure war room. They looked up as Jaina entered.

"Oh, you're here." Wedge blinked, then smiled. "You're early."

Jaina held up a few meters from the map table. "Yes, sir."

Tycho tried to stifle his laughter. Iella shot the man a sideways glance.

Wedge cautioned, "We don't want to make her suspicious, Tycho."

"Right."

Jaina frowned. "Suspicious of what?"

Iella shook her head, smile tugging up the corners of her mouth. "You've done it anyway, Wedge."

General Antilles sighed. "I know." He turned to Jaina and said seriously, "Your Greatness, I implore you to reconsider your decision."

"Which one?"

"You have more than one decision you want to reconsider?" Tycho sounded curious.

Jaina shot him a wry grin. "Colonel, you have no idea."

Wedge looked between them. After a moment, he shook his head. "You're probably right, Goddess. I meant the one about you not flying until I'd proven that I deserved your talent and your help."

Confusion passed over Jaina's features. "That wasn't my decision, sir."

Wedge grinned. "No, but it makes for a good story, doesn't it? Iella." He turned to his wife and jerked a thumb at Jaina. "Sharr said that blaming the whole thing on me was her idea."

Iella regarded the young woman thoughtfully. She said, "You know, if you've ever considered a career in counterintelligence..."

Jaina's smile was tight. "No, thanks. I think I'll stick to flying and leave the cloak-and-vibroblade stuff to people like you and my aunt."

"A wise decision," Wedge approved. He leaned closer to Tycho and said quietly, "I told you she was smart."

Tycho looked slightly miffed. "I never doubted you."

Wedge turned back to Jaina. "By the way, you're ungrounded. I need you in the air for the next mission." Wedge paused. After a nod from Tycho, he went on, "The colonel has transmitted mission details to your datapad. It, your astromech, and your squadron are waiting for you in conference room one-thirteen. They await your orders, Great One."

Jaina stood stunned for several moments. Finally, training kicked in, and she snapped to attention. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"Don't thank me, Jaina. Just be good out there today-we're going to need you at your best." Wedge nodded once. "You're dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Jaina saluted and Wedge returned it. Then she spun on her heel and left the room.

Once in the hall, she paused to collect her thoughts. A smile spread slow and wide. She'd been ungrounded. She was back in the game. Something was up-and she was going to be a part of it. In a state of being very close to elation, Jaina started down the hall to the lifts that would take her to the conference room.

There were twelve of them seated around the table. Sharr and Piggy, side-by-side, were again monopolizing the snacks. Tany and Nelea were watching them with a mixture of amusement and disgust since they no longer had Ganner as a pleasant distraction. The tall, handsome Jedi was nowhere to be seen-Ovir Salassar, the pilot he had replaced, was out of quarantine. Jaina gave him a smile as she passed by.

"Good to see you up and around, Salassar. Let's keep it that way."

He smiled back. "Of course, Your Greatness."

Kyp caught her eye and gave her a wink as Jaina came to a halt behind her chair. She managed not to blush. Instead, she cleared her throat.

"All right, Twins. I've-er, deemed General Antilles and his New Republic worthy of our skills." She smiled, unable to keep the wryness she felt out of her voice or off of her face. She paused long enough to skim the mission profile before she continued. "The Vong are going to come in at ground level. We expect ranges-rakamats--and full security. It's going to look like a landing force." Jaina hit a button on her datapad and a hologram sprang to life in the air over the table. It showed the biotics building surrounded by the landing zone, and then the jungle. Blue dots marked the positions of friendly ships.

Jaina pushed another button, and the camera angled in on one set of thirteen blue dots, one much larger than the others. "We're to cover the north side and prevent of the landing parties from reaching the kill zone." She looked around the table, letting her gaze settle on each pilot before moving on. "Any questions?"

Sharr lifted a hand.

"Yes?"

"When?"

She smiled. "A smart one. Sharr, I'm impressed."

He grinned back at her. "Thank you, Goddess."

Jaina shook her head lightly and answered his question. "Actually, this is one of those where we have to wait to be scrambled."

"But today?" he pressed.

Jaina nodded. "That's the expectation." She looked around once more. "Anything else?"

There was no answer.

"Good. Make your preparations, and I'll see you all in the docking bay. You're dismissed."

Sharr and Piggy stuffed the last of the mobile food in their pockets and scooped up their cups of caf as they left, bickering as usual. Tany, Nelea, Alema, and Kale walked out together, having simmed so often against each other over the last few days. The rest straggled out slowly, with both Zekk and Lowie pausing to look back at her. Jaina smiled encouragingly at both of them.

Lowie growled in her direction.

Jaina waved him on. "Go. I'll meet you there."

He gazed significantly at Kyp before leaving. Kyp waited. Once the Wookiee was gone, he spoke up.

"Meet him where?"

Jaina looked over to find Kyp standing, facing her. "The docking bay. Uncle Luke's going to Coruscant."

"So why are you still here?" There was a teasing note in his voice.

Jaina lifted an eyebrow. "Why do you want me to be here?"

He chuckled. "Do you always ask questions you already know the answers to?"

"Only of you," she said. "I like to hear you say what's on your mind." Jaina glanced away from him, down to the chrono strapped to her wrist. "Actually, I just wanted to tell you that Aunt Mara knows about us."

Kyp moved closer. "And what does she know?"

She looked up, met his eyes. "She knows that I kissed you. And that I forced you to make a decision. She knows what decision we've come to."

"What decision is that?"

"That whatever's between us is really complicated, but that's okay."

He smiled faintly. "Is it?"

"Are you going to kiss me already, or will I have to put up with more of those stupid questions?"

Kyp laughed quietly. "I guess I'll kiss you, Goddess."

Jaina watched him come closer. "Don't call me that."

"Why not?" He ducked his head and pressed his mouth warmly to hers.

"Because that name doesn't belong here."

"Yes, it does." He kissed her again, and she softened into him. 'I think of you as a Goddess.'

"Stop doing that." Her voice, while firm, was breathy.

Kyp slid his fingers through her hair. "Doing what?"

"Invading my mind. At least you could warn me first."

"I guess I could try that..."

Jaina sighed, and reluctantly stepped away. "It would be nice. I don't just invade your mind without your permission."

Kyp nodded sagely. "That's probably a good thing."

She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. "I have to go. I'll see you in the bay, later. Don't get into too much trouble."

He gave her a dangerous grin. "I can make no promises."

Tahiri stood alone just beyond the shadow of the docking bay. Her blonde hair was loose and seemed to posses a life of its own in the breeze. She wore a black bodysuit much like Mara's. Tahiri would wear a real set of vonduun crab armor. But the girl still wore no shoes. Jaina smiled.

Leaving the bustle of the bay behind, Jaina approached the girl. She reached out and laid a hand on Tahiri's shoulder.

Tahiri started, then turned. Tears shone in her wide green eyes.

Jaina's smile disappeared. "What is it?"

"I was thinking," she said softly, and looked away. Her gaze went soft, as if she were looking somewhere past the distance. "About Anakin. And what we're going to find on Coruscant."

Jaina said nothing. She wasn't sure she knew what to say.

"I'm not afraid to die, not anymore," the girl went on, voice low and contemplative. "But I don't want to die for no reason." She looked back, gaze sharp. "Does that make sense?"

"Yes." Jaina nodded. "It makes perfect sense."

"I noticed that you and your mom-" Tahiri cut off, looking worried for a moment.

Jaina smiled gently. "Yeah. Some of what you said sank in. The rest, well... I got it scared into me."

Tahiri chuckled. "I'm glad."

On impulse, Jaina enfolded the younger girl in a hug. She held her tight and said quietly, "Come back safe, little sister."

"Oh!" Tahiri hugged harder.

Jaina closed her eyes. This girl she held was Anakin's best friend, and the girl her little brother had chosen to love. Jaina owed it to her brother to count Tahiri as family.

Perhaps too quickly, Jaina pulled away. She gave Tahiri a decidedly watery smile. "Now get out of here before you make me cry."

Laughing, Tahiri complied.

"I'm so proud of you."

Jaina was surprised first by the woman's voice, then by the arms that slid around her waist and the chin that found a home on her shoulder.

"Mom."

"I am." Leia sighed softly. "I've always been proud of you."

Jaina held her mother's arms to her and smiled faintly. "I know that now."

"I never told you or your brothers nearly enough. I regret that. But you've all grown up beautifully, and I'm proud of the people you've become."

"Getting sappy in your old age, Mom?"

Leia laughed quietly. "Yes, it would seem so."

"I don't mind it." Jaina snorted and added, "At least, not all the time."

Any return jest Leia would have made was precluded by the klaxons that began wailing at that moment. As Jaina moved to break away from her mother, Leia let her go. When both women started for the interior of the special ops bay, the younger woman shot a look at the former leader of the New Republic.

"Where are you going?"

"Wedge asked your father to be an Eye," Leia explained, referring to the ships General Antilles used to survey the battles. "Just like Lowie. I'm going with him."

Jaina gave an exasperated groan. "Great. One more bloated Hutt to babysit-and this time, it's my parents!"

Leia swatted playfully at her daughter. "I'm going to tell your father what you said."

"Tattletale," Jaina muttered.

"Jedi brat." Leia smiled. "Now go, Goddess. We need you."

"See you in the air, Mom. Be careful." And Jaina was darting across the hangar.

The sirens were only magnified in the cavernous bay. Whole squadrons were already lifting off. Jaina had to duck to her left to avoid being crushed by the repulsors of a ship belonging to Vanguard Squadron, and had to jump to avoid tripping over a fuel line connected to one of her ships. She waved at the pilot in the cockpit-Tany Elocin, judging by the design of the X-wing-but didn't stop.

"Ready to go, Goddess?"

Jaina looked up to find Kyp standing halfway between her ladder and his. He was giving her that smile again, the one that made her stomach tickly. He was holding his helmet under one arm, already decked out in the rest of his gear. He was waiting to say goodbye.

She smiled. "Always, mortal."

Kyp closed some of the distance between them. "Fewest kills buys the drinks?"

"I hope you're prepared to pay up," she countered.

For their banter, there was an unfamiliar anxiety beneath it. It was something she'd never felt before, but it was something she recognized.

This was something they'd both been doing for the last three years. They went out, they threw themselves at the enemy, and they were prepared to sacrifice everything for what they believed in. Until this moment, each had been doing it with the safety of knowing that they would leave no one behind. Kyp had been alone, and Jaina had felt alone. Before that, it hadn't occurred to her that her parents would hurt too badly. That thinking, she knew now, was wrong.

If Jaina died today, she left behind parents and a lover. 'Guess we're just not going to die today, Goddess.'

Impulse took over. She crossed the space between them and fisted her hands in his flight suit. She hauled his face down to hers. "Don't get killed." And she crushed her mouth to his.

Then she pulled away and scrambled for her ship. Nothing but the mission filled her mind. She could worry about the implications of what she'd done later, after the battle. When there was time.

"Twin Suns Leader to Control. We're ready."

"Control to Twin Suns Leader. You're clear, Goddess. Happy hunting."

"Thank you, Control." Jaina toggled the squadron channel as she flicked on her repulsors. "Let's go, Twins. On me."

As one, the twelve fighters and single freighter lifted off the deck, rising toward the hole in the ceiling of the docking bay. Most of the roof had slid away to give the ships within an easier outlet.

Once they cleared the special operations docking bay, Lowbacca commed a goodbye and continued upward. It was his responsibility to keep an eye on the Goddess and her targets. Lowie also had a direct data feed to Piggy. Between the two of them, they would solve any problem the Goddess might face.

Jaina led her squadron to the north side of the biotics facility and ordered them into shield trios. She had them hold formation and wait.

"Twin Suns is on station," she called in.

"Control requests that you stand by, Goddess. We aren't ready for them yet."

Jaina grinned. "I'll wait, Control."

"Thank you, Your Greatness."

It was a relatively short wait. Jaina listened as the other squadrons called in their readiness. She watched her sensors, supplemented by sensor feeds from Lowbacca.

Once the biotics building was surrounded, Control called the day's first order.

"Engage enemy forces at will."

Jaina keyed her comm. "Two, Three, on me. We'll take the first range. Two Trio, take the port; Three Trio, take the big one. Four, you guys watch our backs."

A series of comm clicks sounded in her helmet's speakers, and Jaina's pilot mind was happy. Happy hunting indeed.

Three sets of dual-linked lasers lanced out to be gobbled up by the voids protecting the rakamats. As Jaina, Kyp, and Zekk flashed over their target, the comm came alive.

"Sithspit. Those things are reinforced!" As Kyp said that, plasma fire erupted from the jungle below them.

"Coralskippers at ground level," Piggy announced over the general squadron channel. "Using the jungle and slaves for cover."

"Any suggestions?" Jaina demanded. She hauled her stick back and to port, looping around for another run against the range.

"I have one," Zekk said.

"I'm listening, Bounty Hunter."

"When General Antilles took-"

"Make it quick," Kyp interrupted.

"Right."

As Zekk spoke, Jaina's trio made another strafing run against the range, this time avoiding plasma shots from the skips hiding in the brush below.

"Play their game," Zekk suggested. "Fly at ground level. But we'll leave shadow bombs in their paths and wait until-"

"The ranges get over them!" Jaina finished. "Good. I like it. Follow me, boys. Alema, Tesar, you try the same thing with your rakamat. The rest of you engage those skips."

Terrain-level flying was difficult enough without having to fly on her side, too. Jaina found the experience slightly disconcerting as she looked at the world through her view port, a world with the ground on her left and the sky to her right.

She, Zekk, and Kyp were all flying like that; it made the X-wing's profile that much more narrow and it prevented the spread S-foils from catching on any vegetation.

Jaina was in the lead, creeping along. She was followed by Kyp's shadow bomb. Behind that at a distance of a few hundred meters came Kyp and Zekk, both of them crashing through the underbrush with all the stealth of a range.

"All right, Kyp, I see it," she said aloud. "When I tell you to drop the shadow bomb, do it."

"You get out of there before it blows." His voice wasn't even strained. Maybe his effortless control of the Force was meant to irk her. If it was, it was working.

"Actually, I thought I'd stick around. I always wanted to see a range from the inside."

"It would be less messy to be swallowed," Zekk pointed out.

"Don't encourage her, Bounty Hunter."

Zekk only chuckled in response.

The rakamat came closer. Jaina said, "Let's go, Master. Stay with me."

'I'm here.'

'Good.'

Jaina kicked her ship higher up on its repulsors. They whined with the unusual demand of flying the X-wing on its side, but they held out. She flew like that for a distance of a kilometer, then the jungle opened up into a clearing and she leveled out.

The clearing was already full of reptoid slaves. She was cutting it close. The range was crashing through the brush just at the edge of the field now, knocking down whole trees in its path. Jaina began firing, as often as her lasers would cycle, to create a distraction. She accelerated toward the range.

'Now, Kyp!'

The bomb dropped. Reptoids converged on it immediately. The rakamat's voids tracked Jaina as she pulled up and rolled away from her target. Her shields absorbed the plasma fire that erupted her way.

"Awaiting your command, Goddess," Kyp said.

"Good."

Jaina looped around in a tight arc, flashing over the range once more and dodging the plasma globs. Again, she distracted the voids with a storm of lasers. The range lumbered. When it was in the clearing and the center of its mass was over the bomb, Jaina put a little bit of distance between herself and the target.

"Detonate."

"Detonation."

The rakamat exploded upward. Its cries filled the jungle. They ended abruptly. The range and most of the slaves were dead. Satisfied with the tactic, Jaina swung around to rejoin her wing mates. She was prepared to share the good news when her comm crackled.

Wedge's voice filled her cockpit. "All forces, fall back. Repeat, fall back." On a private channel with the message routed through her droid, he added to Jaina, "Don't do that again."

Jaina frowned, then fumed. "Why not?"

Laughter she didn't understand was the initial response. Then, "Goddess, when I said be good, I didn't mean better than we needed."

She frowned a little more, not grasping the general's logic at all. She said, "All right, sir. Whatever you say." She muted the channel and muttered, "You're the boss," before keying the squadron channel. "You heard the man, boys and girls. Let's head back to base."

If anyone felt the same way she did, they said nothing.

Twin Suns, Vanguard, Rogue, and Blackmoon squadrons resumed their positions from the beginning of the battle. Each took a direction of the map, sterns to the biotics building, lasers to the enemy moving in from all directions. More squadrons joined them to fill in the gaps: High Flight, Derra, Defender, and Smasher. And they waited.

Jaina sprayed fire into the jungle. She didn't hit much, and most of her shots were swallowed into voids. Twin Suns had destroyed three of the original sixteen rakamats approaching from the north. The Jedi had used the shadow bomb tactic, but the less sensitive members of the squadron had done well enough for themselves. Jen, Piggy, and Kale had kept the dovin basals busy while Tany, Nelea, and Ovir had armed and fired proton torpedoes.

Mission control sent out another "fall back" command over the general mission channel. Iella announced, "You have fifteen seconds."

Jaina held her breath for the countdown. She was positive that others did, too.

There were stories of orbital bombardment in the history holos. That was what the Emperor had built Star Destroyers and Super Star Destroyers for. If you knew who to ask, you might even be able to talk to a survivor.

Before this day, it had been something from a long time ago, something no one had to worry about anymore.

The Yuuzhan Vong were not going to like the Empire.

Green fire poured from the sky. It vaporized trees, plants, all vegetation. Water screamed and hissed as it was superheated, and steam filled the air around the biotics building. And the Yuuzhan Vong landing force had no chance.

For three minutes, the Lusankya kept up a steady stream of turbolaser fire. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. Silence settled over the jungle. Jaina sat immobile, half stunned, half awed, and barely breathing.

Her comm came alive. "Stage one complete. Return to base, Biotics One. Ground Forces, commence Stage Two."

Like any hangar after any engagement that the winners had won and hadn't lost too many of their own in the process, the special operations docking bay was loud. The whine and hum of engines powering down competed with the triumphant cheers for volume supremacy.

As Jaina flicked the switches to cut power to her engines, she noted that the extra B-wing was back. Lando had survived his Coruscant mission. She glanced at her chrono. The battle had lasted longer than she'd thought. She looked up as the canopy came open and saw the Millennium Falcon settling in on her landing skids.

There would be a party tonight. Jaina grinned at the prospect. Sith, there was probably a party underway now.

She started down the ladder. Before her boots ever touched the deck, she was lifted up and swung around.

"It worked!"

She was turned, and Jaina found herself staring up into the face of a genuinely happy Kyp Durron. She'd seen him like this before, on Hapes.

He hadn't kissed her then. He did this time. He lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers, pulling her tight against him. Despite where they were, Jaina gave in. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed back, parting her lips for him.

Kyp drew away, and she felt his breath on her ear. "And you're alive."

"So are you," she whispered back. "I never expected to be happy about that."

Someone cleared his throat. Immediately, Jaina leapt away from Kyp and looked around for who had caught them. He stood less than three meters away. His hand hovered at the butt of his BlasTech DL-44.

Jaina gulped.

"Get a room, will you?" Han Solo grumbled.

Kyp didn't look the least bit sheepish. He rested a hand on Jaina's shoulder and smiled at Han. "If you insist."

Han shook his head. "Forget I said anything." His gaze swept over his daughter. "You snub jockeys up for a party? Lando has brandy. And he's sharing."

Jaina glanced up at Kyp. He smiled at her, and offered his arm.

"I am, Goddess. What about you?"

When she looked back, her mother had joined her father. Leia smiled encouragingly. So Jaina accepted Kyp's offered arm and said, "I think it sounds like a great idea."