Mere minutes after the Centerpoint security task force had arrived at Head of State Sal-Solo's public office, a CorSec task force arrived to not only arrest the intruders there, but also find out why the initial task force hadn't called in their arrival.

The CorSec officers got their horrifying answer long before they came across the intruders; the corpses of the Centerpoint guards who came here were littered throughout the vacant office building, with several of them having had their limbs removed. And while few of them had died of broken necks, the rest of them sported cauterized wounds.

Eventually, after several more minutes of searching the building, three officers had arrived at Sal-Solo's office room, which, thankfully, didn't have any corpses, Centerpoint guards or otherwise. And after making sure the immediate area was clear of intruders, the trio found the open false section of wall that displayed the unconscious, and disguised, bodies of Rogue Squadron's retired human members, with each of them dressed in a CorSec uniform.

When one of the officers went to get a closer look at the downed Rogues, one of his colleagues called out, "Wait!"

"What?" the first officer asked.

"Just need to make sure of something," the second one replied as he took his deactivated stun baton out from its holster on his belt. He then threw the object toward the hole, where he and his two colleagues watched the baton bounce off from the invisible force-field before it arced to the floor. "Just what I thought. Alright, we're gonna need to find a way to turn off this force-field."

It took less than a minute to do that, as the second cop found a button beneath the office desk that, upon hesitantly pressing it, caused a brief flash to come over the hole that displayed the unconscious Rogues. The CorSec officer picked up his downed baton and threw it into the hole again; this time, it went straight through to land upon the incognito Wedge Antilles' chest.

The third CorSec officer then picked up his commlink and activated it before putting it up to his lips. "All officers reporting to the Head of State's Office, report in right away; we found some interesting visitors here, and I think we may have found some missing uniforms, too."

. . .

Immediately after escaping from the office building, Judicar cast her Force-influence into a wide field before her to make sure that those few who saw her leave would have forgotten about her doing that almost right away. Even those with stronger minds felt a momentary bout of confusion and, in few instances, disorientation; but after that, the Sith merged with the loose foot traffic as she made her way back to her hotel room.

Along the way, however, she found that a few holographic billboards displayed her image as Jaina Solo from about two years ago; it was the typical "If you see something, say something" kind of message that she had seen at least a few dozen times before for other wanted criminals in the past. But Judicar didn't falter in her step; she still had her hair dyed blonde and her facial prostheses made her look different enough from what she looked like that she had virtually no worries that she would be recognized by anyone who was at least passively looking for her.

Indeed, that was proven to her as she passed by a duo of CorSec officers who were on a caf break during their late night shift; they had even given her a good look up and down her body, and she didn't have to scan their minds to know that the only thing they suspected her being guilty of was...

Please don't finish that thought, Acheron's voice cut into her thoughts.

Don't worry, Judicar replied with some slight irritation. I wasn't going to. I take it you have something to tell me if you're gonna cut in like that?

Well, I was gonna tell you that your second cousin knows you're on this station, but I guess you figured that out already. I woulda told you before, but I sensed that you were preoccupied with a life-or-death situation.

Quite astute of you. How did Thrackan find out about me, though?

Jacen called me out, as I feared he might, and I slipped up right after. Sorry about that.

And yet Thrackan's still letting you tap into the Force?

As he said, not much he can do there. Fortunately for you, he's not letting Jacen help him out in locating you; Thrackan thinks that since you and he are siblings, he thinks he might let you go.

Wait; you mean to tell me that both Thrackan and Jacen know you're communicating with me through the Force, and still nothing's changed with you?

Acheron let a slight chuckle enter her communion with Judicar. And I was starting to think your cousin was smart, she remarked.

. . .

"You think you're smart, Admiral Antilles?" Sal-Solo asked.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Wedge threw back.

Sal-Solo chuckled lightly; the day after the human Rogues were arrested and deprived of their disguises, he now stood in the same cell where he held Darth Acheron—or Leary Trest, as he once thought her to be—in a stasis field. And also, in the present moment, Wedge Antilles—now in a prison uniform-was in that same stasis field, suspended two meters in the air.

"I'm just wondering if old age is starting to get to you, Admiral," Sal-Solo said condescendingly. "I would've thought that someone with your many years of experience as a starfighter commander, a Wraith, and a general and admiral for the New Republic and Galactic Alliance would've allowed you to make a better plan than that half-cocked one that got you and your squadron in this situation."

"Yes, I wonder that, too," Wedge replied evenly.

"About how you got captured?"

"No, about whether old age is getting to me."

Sal-Solo gave a humorless grin in response. "So I don't suppose you're going to ask me what happened to your Rogues, including those aliens of yours and Mirax Horn?"

"I assume you're going to gloat to me about all that?" Wedge's tone betrayed none of the worry that he felt for the people he brought to Centerpoint.

"Me, gloat?" Sal-Solo retorted. "You musta been watchin' too many hokey holodramas in your retirement, Admiral. I'm no one-dimensional supervillain who would take any pleasure in hearing you despair over whatever tortures or even deaths I'd have in store for your people. No. I'm here to make you a deal, Admiral; you take command of a section of my portion of this system's fleet, and your Rogues get to participate, too, even the aliens you brought with you. Whether they get a ship to command or fly a fighter again, it's up to them. But I want you to take charge of a section of my fleet; that part's non-negotiable."

"I take it this has something to do with the whole station lockdown you got goin'?"

"How astute you are, Admiral; looks like old age hasn't claimed your mind yet. Yes, it does; in fact, I'll let you in on a secret." Sal-Solo's tone became much more serious then. "This whole system is gonna be the battleground for the Galactic Alliance and the Chiss in a few days or so. I'm sure a proud Corellian such as yourself won't just stand idly by and let this system fall into ruin by that pointless war between them."

"I would be lying if I said I wouldn't care," Wedge tacitly admitted. "But let's say I'd be so careless about my fellow Corellians, for argument's sake. And I only cared about myself, my wife, and daughters. And I wanted all of us to leave and get to safety, far from this system, far from this sector even. I assume you already have a plan for that, don't you?"

Sal-Solo nodded. "Indeed, I do. And that's even taking into account the following ideas." He then brought up his left hand while using the other to count through the former's fingers. "One; that you would you escape your current predicament. And two; that you would also somehow get yourself and your family, if not also your subordinate Rogues, out of this system without getting blown away by the patrols goin' around. Quite simply, if you do speak for your Rogues as well as yourself, Admiral Antilles, and you reject my offer, I will not only kill you, but your squadron and Mirax Horn, too." He shrugged indifferently. "I might even pay a personal visit to your wife and kids and... tell them about what an unfortunate loss they'll have sustained with their, I mean, your life." The small grin that was raised in one corner of Sal-Solo's mouth made it clear that he didn't misspeak.

"I think my wife and daughters can get along just fine without me; they're some of the strongest women I've known." Wedge's stoic tone was slightly cracked by the fear and anger that he now had directed at Sal-Solo for threatening his family.

"I'm sure they are, Admiral. But even if I never get an opportunity to pay any of them a visit—or even if anyone I send after them fails to, shall we say, meet them—you still gotta think about the people you brought here, if not yourself, Admiral."

"I haven't forgotten that, you swine."

Sal-Solo raised his hands up in a mock-defensive gesture. "Let's not devolve into insults, Admiral; we're not wild aliens like Wookiees or Aqualish. Or actual swine, like Gamorreans, for that matter."

"I know a certain Gamorrean who would find that particularly insulting," Wedge stated. "You know, you're not making the best case for yourself, Head of State Sal-Solo." His tone made it sound like the other man's title was a curse.

"Then how about this one. Regardless of whatever you choose, Kirney Slane's life will still be at stake."

"What?"

"Oh, yes," Sal-Solo said, as if he was just suddenly remembering something. "I almost forgot to tell you; she will be the one Rogue who won't get to participate directly under your command in this system. You see, I'll be keeping her, 'cause she'll be my guarantee that none of you or your Rogues do anything stupid with the ships I'll be giving you. So if you're thinking about turning those vessels against us at any point, Mr. Myn Donos will receive the wish of so many men in this galaxy: freedom from his marriage." Sal-Solo's darkened tone made it very clear that he wouldn't be giving Myn a divorce from Kirney.

Wedge couldn't help but let his grimace show through. "You really haven't left me much choice, have you, Sal-Solo?"

"What do you think?" the Corellian Head of State retorted. The particularly despicable version of Han Solo's grin that was currently plastered on his face was punctuated by his arrogant stance and his arms crossed over his chest. "So how 'bout it, Admiral? I let you down from there and we shake on it like two civilized men?"

Wedge opened his mouth to say, "Sure," and let it be accompanied by a defeated sigh when a thought struck him right then.

"What, what is it?" Sal-Solo asked.

"Before I agree to your proposal, Head of State Sal-Solo," Wedge said formally, "may I first see the alien members of my squadron and Mirax Horn?"

Now Sal-Solo had a slight but noticeable slouch, marking insecurity to Wedge. "Why do you wanna see them in particular, Admiral Antilles?"

"Because I can buy that you would have the human members of my squad along with me, since we were all taken in from the same place," Wedge explained. "But if I know Mirax, she woulda bailed after she lost contact with us and made sure that Asyr, Aril, and Ooryl were notified so they could leave their hotel rooms, too."

Sal-Solo scoffed; but from the way he scoffed, Wedge thought, it seemed as if the retired admiral had touched on the truth.

"So if I don't let you see Mrs. Horn and your aliens," Sal-Solo said, "you're gonna infer that I don't have them?"

"It would be a fair inference," Wedge replied evenly.

Sal-Solo tilted his head. "Well, let's say you're right. Let's say I don't have any of 'em. How's that gonna change your thinking here? I still have the rest of your Rogues and their lives would still be at stake. But if you do agree, I'll call off the warrant for the arrest of the alien members of your squadron."

"What about Mirax?"

Sal-Solo sighed. "I'm afraid I can't let her run free. Her skills wouldn't be that useful to me for this coming battle against the GA and Chiss. And out of everyone who came with you, she's the least likely to back down in going after Leary Trest for killing her husband. Besides, she wouldn't buy that I'd just let her walk. But of course, you can't really afford to bargain for Mirax's life or freedom, now can you? Not with what I am offering; I'm holding all the cards here, Antilles, and you don't got a pure sabacc or Idiot's Array."

"True," Wedge conceded. "I suppose that wouldn't change my thinking... or shouldn't." He allowed a long and uncomfortable moment of silence between himself and Sal-Solo to pass before he said, "Very well, Head of State; I'll do it. I'll take charge of your part of the fleet, and I'll expect to see the rest of my Rogues freed, including the aliens. And I don't want Asyr, Aril, or Ooryl questioned about where Mirax can be."

"Deal on that; not that you have much room to bargain with anyway. But remember, Kirney Slane is still not part of this."

"Again, I haven't forgotten," Wedge bit his tongue from adding "you swine" again.

Sal-Solo nodded agreeably before he moved to turn off the stasis field.

Sorry, Mirax, Wedge said. You're on your own.

. . .

Jaina, Leia sent out through the Force. Jaina.

Seated on the floor of the hotel suite given to her and Han for their visit to Corellia—unwanted though that visit might have been thanks to the systemwide lockdown—Leia was meditating as best as she could to reach out to her daughter. She wasn't sure how long it had taken since she woke up this morning, but Leia felt that even if it killed her, she would reach out to Jaina and communicate with her.

Finally, after so long in trying to isolate her daughter's presence on Centerpoint Station, Leia found her; and she nearly recoiled at the darkness in her aura.

You wanted to speak, Mom? Jaina's presence carried far more than a hint of anger. Then say what you have to say so we can be done with it.

Leia hesitated; there was so much she wanted to say to her—how much she wanted her to come back to her and Han, to be done with whatever she intended to do—that Leia didn't know where to start.

Well? Jaina asked impatiently.

After another moment, Leia found herself asking, Why?

Why what? Jaina asked.

Why did you kill Saba? Why did you kill the World Brain and those scientists and Shapers? Why did you... why did you do everything you did on the Errant Venture, Jaina?

A heavy moment of silence passed before Jaina asked, What is it that you thought I did on the Venture, Mom?

Mara. Ben. Booster and everyone else there. You know what you did. Leia's aura was now darkening; her anger for what her daughter committed was overshadowing the anguish in her heart for her sister-in-law's death and the trauma that her nephew had undergone from there to Ziost. She didn't know if Jaina was using her mother's anger against her through some dark side technique or if this was all coming from Leia herself; but in either case, all she wanted was answers.

Tell me, Mother, Jaina communed with a sultry tone in her presence, do you wish that you had thrown me out the window the moment I was born?

Leia seethed where she meditated. Why would you ask me this?

This was always a part of me, Mom. Since the Vong War, it has been a part of me to one degree or another. Everything that happened since I joined the Killiks only brought that part of me out, to be free... just like Alema, just like Tahiri. So I'm just wondering now that, if this was my destiny, would I have been better off if Aunt Mara never saved me when Jacen and I were infants?

Leia clamped down on her anger. It wasn't helping her, she realized, and she didn't need to be a trained Jedi to know that; only a mother who wanted to help her daughter.

Jaina, you have to stop all this! Leia urged. I don't know what's happened to you, but we can talk about this. We can-

NO! Jaina shouted through the Force. This is who I am now, Mother! And if you don't believe me... then just wait. This system is gonna go its Nine Hells in a few days, and I'm gonna be a part of it in a big way.

What do you mean by that? Leia asked.

She received no answer; Jaina just cut herself off from the communion. Leia tried to bring her back, only to feel the same sense of emptiness that she had felt before.