Jacen was already impressed by the sheer size of the Prince Isolder. Only a few moments before, he and his sister had rushed back to the Resistance Base, kyber crystals in tow, and cleaned up for a luncheon aboard the strangers' ships.

It had been so quick, he could barely wrap his mind around it. Nonetheless, he stood at his mother's left, Jaina on her right, a few other Jedi behind them including Tash and Elora Daan, and Kyp bringing up the rear.

Several people dressed in white gowns stood in front of a cascading staircase that was a stark, sterile white. In the center of them all was a girl wearing a circlet with a rainbow diamond in the center and red curls in an elaborately-braided hairstyle.

She's cute.

Jacen realized with a start that the thought hadn't just come from him. It had come from Jaina as well.

This is getting embarrassing. He wondered if the Force Bond was influencing their shared crushes. But he didn't want to think about that for too long.

"Welcome, Jedi," the girl said. "I am Princess Maia of the Hapan Consortium. I am happy to welcome visitors aboard the Prince Isolder."

Despite the dazzling smile, the girl's tone was flat and reminded Jacen of the voice AI Jaina had made once, and her accent was very strange. Jacen had not heard anything like it before,

"I am Grandmaster Rey Skywalker," Rey said as she approached the princess, and offered a sort of bow. "I lead the Jedi. These are my children, Jacen and Jaina."

The twins gave each other a look.

Seeing as you've been hogging Kyp, I'm taking this one, Jaina thought at Jacen.

He stepped forward, and smiled at Princess Maia, much to Jaina's discontent. Not knowing what else to do with princesses, he reached for her hand and kissed it. Princess Maia merely raised her eyebrows.

"Sorry, is that not what Hapans do?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not," Princess Maia said. Her expression was outright icy.

"Sorry," Jacen mumbled as he stepped back.

"Don't be," Princess Maia said, relaxing her face a little bit. "It's vaguely charming."

It took every bit of composure Jacen had not to snort at Jaina's fury. But he wasn't sure it was that much of a compliment, anyway.

Jaina outstretched her hand to Maia's at the same time Maia did, so they ended up touching fingertips. Rey coughed into her fist, but Jacen thought it sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"It's nice to make new friends and enemies," Jaina said with a cocky grin resembling old Rebellion heroes.

A slight smile came to Maia's lips. "I hope we can be friends rather than enemies."

Jacen blinked. Already, she was friendlier with his sister than him!

Maybe she likes girls, Jaysa. And only girls.

Fair enough, he conceded. He just didn't understand why nearly everyone liked Jaina better than they did him.

Be gracious, he chided himself.

Rey continued introducing the other people, and Jacen remained quiet. He couldn't help but keep stealing glances at Kyp and Maia. He had never been in the position of having two crushes at the same time, but nonetheless it was slightly alarming for him.

"Follow me," Princess Maia said, sounding robotic once more. She turned, flipping the white cape part of her cloak over her shoulder with her curly red braids.

Jacen glanced at the guards they passed, women dressed in white hooded robes with weapons strapped to their backs.

Isn't this great, Jacen? Jaina grinned at the warrior women she was seeing, even though she knew none of them would give a sixteen-year-old the time of day.

I guess. He actually felt a bit uncomfortable looking at hot people older than him.

Princess Maia did not turn around once as she continued forward down the white empty hallways of the Hapan Fleet.

Jacen frowned. Something was off about the place— he could feel it. While he couldn't quite place his finger on what it was, it was definitely something in the Force alerting him to the change. Rey was listening intently to something Maia was saying, and Jaina was marveling over the technologies, some moments she'd shared with Kyp in the caves, and how pretty all the women they had met so far were, but his mind was starting to clear.

Maia turned a corner, and a small figure barreled into Jacen. He quickly sat up, seeing a new red-headed girl in the white guard kneeling over him as she collected up several datapads she had dropped, as well as old flimsi-style books.

"I am so sorry!" she said. Her dramatic inflection was a welcome change from the more robotic and monotone inflections of Princess Maia.

"It's all good," he said as he grabbed some of the books scattered around him and got to his feet.

"I should have seen you coming, I technically should just wait until your tour is over— sorry, Your Highness—" her gray eyes flicked over to Princess Maia, whose cold green eyes remained expressionless on the female guard.

Jacen handed her her books. "What are these texts?"

"I'm afraid they aren't terribly intellectual," the girl said, blushing. "They're old novels from the Old Republic Era— including a few romance novels written about the Jedi."

"Do you like them so far?" Jacen asked.

"I do." Her gray eyes flicked to Princess Maia. "I have to go."

Jacen turned as she walked past him. "Will you at least give me your name?"

The girl stopped in her tracks and whirled around. She hesitated a moment. "Freya D'Arctan."

"Jacen," he said, giving her a nod.

She smiled, giving a dimple to her freckle-splattered cheeks.

"Are we done here?" Princess Maia sounded furious when Jacen looked back to her.

"Yes, sorry," Jacen said, feeling his cheeks flush red. Rey beckoned for him to get closer to him as they continued walking.

"That was nice of you," she whispered.

He shrugged. "It was an accident."

"I'm still proud of you," Rey said.

She pulled away from her son as Maia stopped abruptly in front of two doors. She clapped her hands, and two guards pulled open the doors to reveal Queen-Mother Joacasta sitting at the head of a white table, surrounded by a representation of what Jacen assumed was scenery from the Hapes Consortium.

Princess Maia turned around. "I will seat you, so we may talk."