As if a day spent trying to capture a crazy Jedi in a room full of stampeding animals and terrified people hadn't been bad enough, by the time Jaina and her family got back to the Temple, she got word from Kenth Hamner that he wanted to see her, and she knew: she'd been found out.

Apparently Javis Tyrr had gotten footage of her and Seff Hellin inside the Temple somehow, and that was all they needed to know she'd been the mystery female Jedi spotted at his capture. There'd been a meeting with the Masters, and while Jaina had tried to argue, there wasn't really anything she could do in this case. Darkmeld was over, and they were going to have to work out what could be done for the Jedi to keep Hellin. She did refuse to give over most of the members of Darkmeld, though she had to give up Tekli and Cilghal confessed to knowing about it and seemed pretty proud about her role and that was why Cilghal was kind of great.

And then Kenth decided that they were going to have to see Daala herself to work this out.

Daala had called Javis Tyrr and every reporter in the area to stake themselves out at the Temple so that when she arrived in her limo with her assistant and escorted by Galactic Security transports, it looked like a real show. At the top of the Temple steps, Jaina waited with her parents, along with Kenth, Cilghal, Octa Ramis and Saba, trying to keep herself calm when what she really wanted was to punch Daala in the face. Repeatedly.

At least by the surprise radiating off of her, Daala hadn't expected the Solos. At least there was that.

She took her time getting to the top of the stairs and nodded to the Solos. "This is my assistant, Wynn Dorvan," she said, indicating the man who'd accompanied her, and then looked to Kenth. "I'd really hoped there would be no need for this sort of thing again."

"I share that sentiment, Admiral," said Hamner. "Shall we retire to discuss the situation?"

"Lead the way."

The meeting took place in the gardens of the Tower of Reconciliation, which was set up to be nice and soothing, for all the good that would do. Once the attendants made sure everyone was comfortable and left them alone, Daala got right to it. "You can't tell me, Master Hamner, that you didn't know about this."

"I can, and what is more, it is the truth," Hamner replied calmly. "I was unaware of anything any of the Jedi Knights or the Masters were doing along these lines. Admiral, you yourself specifically requested that I step in during Master Skywalker's absence. That is because you knew you could trust me to not deceive you. And that, I have not done."

"I will admit that I, and a few others, have," Leia said. "I believed and still believe it is in the best interests of everyone involved- in the interests of the Jedi, those poor unfortunates who are suffering from this malady, and in the interests of the Galactic Alliance- that the Jedi who have exhibited this behavior be kept conscious and studied by others like them. With all due respect, we can sense things that your doctors cannot. We-"

"This is exactly the issue I raised with Skywalker," Daala said. "Judge, jury, executioner- Jedi. The rest of us just have to trust that you have our best interests at heart. Leia- beings are getting seriously harmed, even killed by this... malady, as you so delicately put it. And I can't simply rely on the Jedi to police themselves."

"Actually, you can," Jaina shot back, and saw her mother wince. "Because I did. Master Hamner is completely innocent in this. He knew nothing. I made sure he didn't. I acted on my own initiative."

"Alone?" said Daala sarcastically. "That would be quite the trick, even for the Sword of the Jedi."

Ugh, Jaina hated her. "Obviously not."

"Then name your accomplices," Daala said, sipping her caf.

"I can't do that." She could confess it to the Jedi, but she would give them up to Daala.

"Then we're back to square one. I demand the release of Natua Wan and Seff Hellin, as criminals against the Galactic Alliance. You will hand them over to me and-"

"You have two, they have two," Han interrupted. "You may not like it, Daala, and frankly much of the time I don't like it, either. I've had to live with it for over forty years, that extra sensing thing they have. But it's saved my life more than once, and I've learned to trust it."

"You trust it because you trust the individuals," Daala said. "I've got no reason to trust you. Less now."

Jaina opened her mouth, but Leia spoke first, and that was probably for the best, really. A lot of the time Jaina really only took after her mom when she was being a smartass and/or insulting someone. "We are all acutely aware of that. And that's one thing that Master Hamner, Han, Jaina, and I have discussed."

"Jaina Solo knew that what she was doing was contrary to what I had instructed the Order," Kenth said. "I have not been able to extract from her the name of her compatriots, only her assurance- which I believe- that none of them other than Jedi Solo, Master Cilghal, and one other are from the Order. Jaina understands that she is to be reprimanded for what she chose to do."

Daala raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"She will be confined to the Temple for a period of two weeks. The same punishment will be enacted upon the other Jedi. Even Master Cilghal will be subjected to this, for her decision not to come forward immediately."

"I'm impressed." She sounded it, too. "Will this be made public?"

Jaina haaaaated her. If any of the other Jedi in the room was getting a mental image of Jaina kicking this woman in the head repeatedly it was because she was wishing it really, really hard.

"Yes," said Kenth. "And I'm prepared to talk with any reporters of your choosing."

"As am I and Jaina," said Leia.

"And you'll hand over Hellin and Wan," said Daala.

"No," Leia said firmly. "As we said before, we have ways of helping them, of understanding them, that you don't have access to. And as Han rather bluntly but aptly put it... you have two, we have two."

"I can have you arrested," Daala said.

"Yeah, you can do that," Han said. "But you know, it's gonna start looking uncomfortably like the old Empire if you do. First Luke, then Kenth, whom you asked for by name- and isn't that the kind of thing that got you so ticked with Jacen?"

Han really didn't tend to get credit for being able to pay attention and shoot this sort of thing back at people, but he deserved it. Daala's eyes narrowed and she took another sip of caf, trying to figure how to come back from that one. Finally she put her cup down and said, "Here is what will happen. My people will have access to the prisoners at any hour, day or night. All your findings will be turned over to them. The other mysterious Jedi involved will be named. Immediately after this meeting, Hamner, Leia, Jaina, Cilghal, and said Jedi to be named will be interviewed by Javis Tyrr. Live. Unedited. With the Jedi Temple in the background. You will all formally apologize for the actions you have taken, or the actions you let slip by on your watch."

"I don't think-" Jaina began.

"Obviously," snapped Daala. "Let me put it this way. If you do not agree to all of these stipulations to the letter, then I have no qualms about conjuring up images of the old Empire and taking the prisoners who rightfully should be incarcerated right out of your Temple. And there are more GA Security members than there are Jedi."

The Solos and Hamner all exchanged glances, and Kenth held out his hand. "Agreed."

They finished off the meeting with all the fake political pleasantries, and the second Daala was gone Jaina exploded. "What? You want me to sit for an interview with that bottom-feeder, you want me to turn in-"

"Jedi Solo," Kenth snapped. "Whatever tacit approval you had or thought you had from me before you started this little adventure, you knew full well that you would be forced to take responsibility for your actions if they ever came to light."

He was right, but it was massively unfair. Count on Jaina to do what had to be done- as kriffing always- and then she was the one left getting punished in the aftermath. And she was very aware that this was not the first time it had happened, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Leia reached across the table to squeeze Jaina's hand. "We have Wan and we have Seff. That's what you performed the mission in order to accomplish. Daala's letting us keep them- if not our pride."

"Your mom's right," Han said. "We won this round and Daala knows it."

Hamner rubbed his eyes. "I could wish that no one involved was thinking about winning rounds at all. What's important is that we find a way to help these poor Jedi and keep them and others safe."

"Say that to Javis Tyrr just as you said it here, and you'll have a chance to make Daala's so-called punishment work for us," Leia said. "And I, too, wish we weren't on sides. But we are for right now, and we simply have to deal with it the best that we can."

[NFB, NFI, OOC okay especially if you wish Darkmeld lasted longer, siiiigh. Dialogue from Omen by Christie Golden.]