Jacen was grateful just to have spent a few hours the previous night just talking with his mother as she explained what was going to happen next.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to tell Jaina," she said. "And I'll explain everything. I'm going to pass you off to your father while we're at the conference in four days. He has more experience with Snoke, and can help you in some ways better than I can."
He nodded, unsure about it.
"He loves you, too, Jacen," Rey added as she ruffled his son's hair. "Did you ever wonder where some of the more expensive gifts came from?"
"You mean Kylo Ren paid for my datapad and stylus?" Jacen raised an eyebrow.
"I've told him a lot about you and your sister," Rey said. "He really wanted to be here all this time, except. . ."
"Except for the war," Jacen finished.
"Yes," Rey said. She paused. "Do you want to be there, when I tell Jaina?"
"No," Jacen said. "She's not going to be happy. . . And I think she'll prefer it when you tell her, one-on-one, about all of this."
"I agree," Rey said. "In that case, l need you to do me a favor."
"What's that?" Jacen asked.
"The princess of Hapes wants to see you," Rey said. "I told Queen-Mother Jocasta it would be your choice. But I need someone to spy on the Hapans, someone who they actually like."
Jacen frowned. "Princess Maia totally didn't like me. You saw how she treated me."
"I'll admit, it doesn't make sense, but Jocasta said Maia liked you a lot," Rey said. "Can you do this for me, Jaysa? Can you spy on Maia, just hang around her and see what she says?"
"Of course," Jacen said.
That was why now he was walking up the loading ramp of the big Hapan ship. Standing in the entryway, surrounded by guards, was Princess Maia, this time in a green shimmering gown that accented her eyes and tiara nicely.
"Welcome back, Skywalker," Princess Maia said. "Follow me."
She led him deeper into the shining ship without another word. Jacen was unsure of what to say, or how he could possibly help spy on this princess. She was just so cold.
Then Maia led him into a room. "Announcing, the real Princess-Heir, Maia Djo."
Inside the room, the girl that Jacen thought was Freya D'Arctan rose, and gave a nervous curtsy.
"I don't understand," Jacen admitted.
"It is similar to custom in Naboo," the girl in the green dress said. "I am actually Freya D'Arctan. I am Princess Maia's decoy."
"Oh." Jacen's eyes widened. "That explains it."
"Go, before anyone sees," the real Freya said. She shoved Jacen into the room, and shut the door on the two of them.
The real Maia sat back down on her simple bed. She had programmed the room to look like it was sitting on a lakeside cliff full of wildflowers. Jacen sat on the floor, at her feet, not knowing what the customs were.
"Sorry about Freya," Maia said. "She's sometimes a little frigid. It's part of her—our— public persona. It's how we usually present ourselves as Hapans."
"Really?" Jacen said.
"Yes, because even on Hapes, there is a lot of backstabbing within the court, at least, until I become queen," Maia said. "The Queen-Mother has nothing to fear from her people. The people love and fear her, always."
"I see," Jacen said.
"Come, sit next to me," Maia said. She patted her bed and smiled wryly. "Unless you are afraid, Jacen Skywalker."
Jacen did so, and Maia smiled again.
"This is my first time away from the Consortium," Maia admitted as she looked down to the little paper craft she was making.
"Is that a Krayt Dragon?" Jacen asked, pointing at the craft. "The markings are spot on."
"You know what this is?" Maia was surprised.
"I've liked animals all my life," Jacen admitted.
"Well, I sometimes have quite a bit of free time, waiting for my stand-in to report so we can make decisions," Maia said. "I've learned to do things such as this with my free time. But enough about that. You are a Jedi, are you not?"
"Yes." Jacen reached for the lightsaber on his belt.
"Can I try it?" Maia asked. "I always wondered what a lightsaber was like."
"It's not a toy," Jacen warned.
Maia rolled her gray eyes. "I'm not a child, I'm not any younger than you."
"To be fair, I thought you were fourteen," Jacen said.
Maia sighed heavily. "I get that a lot. I've always looked much younger than I am."
"Alright," Jacen said, unhooking the lightsaber. "Just be careful with it."
"Thanks!" Maia lit up with a dazzling smile enhanced by Hapan beauty.
She picked it up, and ignited the blade. She gave a few elegant practice swings before turning it off.
"Nice," Jacen said. "Can I have it back now?"
"Why?" Maia teased.
"I only just made it, and I want to make sure that it still works properly," Jacen said. "I also don't want you cutting your own arm off."
"I won't," Maia said, and she ignited it again, now doing fancy swings and spins that only someone who had clearly practiced could have done.
Jacen was immediately head over heels. He forgot all about Kyp Durron as he watched the muscular Amazonian princess practice with his lightsaber.
"Where did you learn to do that?" he asked.
"I do fencing," Maia said as she turned off the lightsaber and handed it back to him. "It is extremely well-built. That is a fact."
Jacen smiled and hooked it back on his belt. Before he could continue talking to Maia, however, he heard a shout through the Force.
No, it was swirling anger and shock that was like a cloud, not forming coherent thought.
Jaina knew the truth now.