Today had been an adventure so far. There were both pros and cons to witnessing yet another Jedi snap, but one of those cons was sitting in the back of Jag's limo while the roof was caved in.

Jaina had sent Bazel Warv and Yaqueel Saav'etu to check on Tahiri, since she hadn't been answering her comm, and she and Jag had run into them on the street. Fortunately, that meant that they, along with her parents, were in the area when both younger Jedi snapped. The Solos and Jag were able to get them contained, not without witnesses, but before it got as bad as it could have.

Han and Leia had been able to escape with Bazel and Yaqueel, but that left Jag and Jaina to deal with the aftermath. Captain Atar of the Galactic Alliance Security was giving them problems in letting them leave the scene at all, despite the fact that Jag had plenty of diplomatic immunity working for him, and so they were waiting in the limo for things to get sorted out. Barv had landed on top of the limo at one point, which was why Jag was hunched down beside Jaina because he couldn't sit up straight with the roof buckled in a couple inches.

Jaina, naturally, was short enough to sit up normally.

"Thanks for the getaway." Jaina said, glancing out the back viewport to see what was happening. "Probably better for me not to be around when that gnakhead Atar finally decides he's been had."

"Probably," Jag said. "But I am surprised your mother manipulated him so easily. One would think Daala would have more sense than to send a weak-minded commander to keep watch over the Jedi Temple."

"Jag, that wasn't a Force suggestion," she said as the limo finally began moving forward. "It was the Sligh Slipper."

"The Sligh Slipper?"

Jaina gave Atar a little wave, which only served to piss him off more. "A little trick my parents picked up before I was born. Didn't you see how Dad noobed Atar?"

Jag thought about it, and decided, "It's a good thing your father isn't a Jedi. Han Solo with Force powers would be very frightening thing."

Jaina opened her mouth to agree, but the limo came to an abrupt stop. There was a GAS assault speeder blocking their path, its cannon turret pointed in their direction.

"Those GAS guys are starting to get pushy," said Baxton, Jag's driver. "I can just float over them, sir. Even if they open fire, our armor can take it."

Jag shook his head. "No, that would give them room to claim we intended them harm," he said. "Just step out and ask them to let us pass."

"And if they don't?" Baxton asked.

"Be insistent," Jag said. "Captain Atar is trying very hard to make us blink, but he's not going to cause an intergalactic incident by attempting to remove Jedi Solo from a diplomatic vehicle."

Baxton nodded and stepped out to talk to the GAS squad, which involved a lot of yelling and angry gestures on their part, while Baxton held his ground.

"Looks like Atar's orders were firm," Jaina said. "Maybe I shouldn't have rubbed it in."

"Rubbed it in how?" Jag asked.

"It was no big deal," Jaina said. "I just waved at him."

Jag closed his eyes in exasperation. "You waved at him? As we were leaving?"

"Of course as we were leaving. When do you think I'd wave at him?"

"You have got to stop antagonizing Daala's people," he sighed. "This situation is getting out of hand."

"What situation is that?" Jaina asked, watching him.

Jag, meanwhile, was definitely not looking at her. "The whole situation. Between the Jedi and Daala. It's not doing the Order any good."

"Tell me something I don't know," Jaina replied. "Like, whatever you're holding back."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," he said, looking at her in that way that said he was only doing it because he was trying not to look guilty.

"Jag… Jedi, remember? I know when you're lying."

Jag sighed again. Hopefully he wouldn't get tired of her being able to pull that card on him when they were married. "I heard something that I shouldn't have- and that I definitely shouldn't be repeating to a Jedi."

"I'm your fiancee," she reminded him. "And I happen to be a Jedi. If that means you're going to try to keep secrets from me, maybe we need to reevaluate-"

"All right, I surrender," Jag said, raising his hands. "But if you get to play the fiancee chit, so do I. This has to stay between us."

Jaina nodded. "That's fair, I guess."

"No guessing," Jag replied. "This can't be like Qoribu."

Ouch. Things from their past didn't get brought up that often. The Killik crisis definitely didn't get mentioned, because it had led to his life getting ruined and also because Jaina as a Joiner still creeped him out. But Qoribu was where she'd had to go against what she'd told Jag to side with the Jedi, and as a result he'd been exiled from the Chiss Ascendancy. If he was bringing that up, he was serious.

"Okay," she promised. "This is locker stuff. I won't tell anyone."

"No matter what," Jag insisted.

For that, he just got a Look. She'd promised. He shouldn't have to question it further.

"Shall I accept your silence as a yes?"

"Accept it however you like," Jaina said, in the tone of women everywhere who were about to start an argument with their significant others.

"Fine." Jag took a breath, then said, "I overheard something alarming when I was in Daala's office yesterday. She's thinking of hiring a company of Mandalorians."

"Mandalorians?" Jaina repeated. "What the blazes for?"

This time Jag was the one not answering, and Jaina realized she already had the answer. She'd known from Ben that Daala used Mandos against the Jedi, and she regretted not being better prepared for this. "Perfect."

"She's been inquiring as to how many supercommandos it might take to handle the Jedi," Jag said. "Exactly what she's considering, I don't know. But it can't be good."

"And you thought you were going to keep this from me?" she demanded.

"Of course," Jag said. "I didn't want to put you in this position."

"What position?"

"Of having to keep my secret. It's a burden you shouldn't have to carry."

Jaina sat back, her anger giving way to shock. "You expect me to keep this news to myself?"

Jag just watched her. This was exactly why he'd pushed her to really promise.

"Stang... this isn't fair, Jag."

"I'm sorry."

Jaina nodded. "Well, that's something."

"I'm trying to negotiate an autonomous membership in the Galactic Alliance," Jag explained. "So far, Daala keeps saying all or nothing. She thinks divided loyalties are what sparked the last civil war."

"She might have a point.," she said thoughtfully. "Jag, could this be some kind of-"

"Test?" Jag finished for her. "We're not that lucky. I didn't hear it from Daala herself, just someone talking on a comlink when he didn't realize I was in the room."

"It could still be a test. Chiefs of State do occasionally use proxies for that sort of thing, you know."

"Wynn Dorvan doesn't strike me as the kind who involves himself in those sort of games," he pointed out.

And that was it. Wynn Dorvan was Daala's top aide, a rare bureaucrat known as much for his integrity as his competence. If he was involved, this was real.

"And you really need Daala to give in to you on this?" Jaina checked, her stomach sinking.

"I'm afraid so," Jag said. "If I try to subordinate our government to the Galactic Alliance- especially one led by Natasi Daala- the Moffs will go into open rebellion. I barely have the support to bring us in as equals."

"And you're doing good to get that," Jaina said. "I doubt even Uncle Luke expected you to persuade the Moffs to consider unification at all."

"I have motivation. For the first time in recent memory, the entire galaxy is at peace," Jag said, taking her hand. "And if I can convince Daala to let the Empire come into the fold on its own terms, we just might keep it that way."

"But if the Jedi Order learns that she's sent for a company of Mandalorians, she'll take it as proof that divided loyalties can't work."

"Exactly. I'm sorry, but this is bigger than the Jedi Order. I think even Master Skywalker would want you to keep quiet," he said.

"He'd want me to take it to the Council and trust the Masters to do the right thing," Jaina replied drily.

Jag's started to let go of her hand, but she didn't let him, turning to face him instead. "But Uncle Luke isn't leading the Council anymore," she said. "And the way Kenth Hamner has been caving in to Daala, a few Mandalorians just might be enough to make him turn us all over to be frozen in carbonite."

"So you won't tell the Masters?"

"Of course not." It killed her to say it, but she knew he was right. "Even if telling them were the right thing to do, didn't I just promise that I wouldn't?"

Jag gave her one of his rare smiles. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."

"It better. Because I wouldn't do it for anyone else."

The moment was ruined by something catching Jag's eye through the viewport. "Blast it. Look who's coming."

Jaina looked out the viewport and saw that Javis Tyrr had arrived on the scene, along with a camerawoman from his news network. Currently the camerawoman was filming the argument between Baxton and the GAS officer, which was just perfect. "Why am I not surprised?" she grumbled.

When Tyrr started heading towards the limo with a recording rod, Jag decided, "Time to go. "I'll take the wheel. You grab Baxton on the way past."

He started to get out of the limo, but before Jaina could acknowledge the order, she heard the whir of a tiny repulsorlift engine, and looked in time to see a small, dome-topped cleaning droid gliding out the open door. Its photoreceptor lingered on her face, and suddenly she knew how Javis Tyrr had been acquiring his images from inside the Jedi Temple. And with that, Jaina stepped out of the limousine to reach a hand out to the droid and pull it back to her using the Force.

Tyrr saw what she was doing and rushed down the lane towards her. "You can't do that. Trying to hide the-"

"Jedi Solo can't do what, exactly?" Jag interrupted. "Recover a cleaning droid that's obviously malfunctioning?"

"That's no ordinary cleaning droid," Tyrr shot back. "And you know it."

"Are you're saying that it belongs to you?" Jaina asked. The droid was still trying to pull free of her grasp, so she flipped it over and hit the primary circuit breaker. "Because if it is your droid, I'd be very interested to know how it found its way into the Jedi Temple."

"As would a lot of people," Jag said, lightly pushing Jaina back towards the car. Inside she was under the protection of the Empire. Outside she was game for Atar and the GAS. "I'm quite certain that private espionage is as illegal in the Galactic Alliance as it is in the Galactic Empire."

Jaina got back into the limo just before Captain Atar noticed something was up, but she stayed where she could see what was happening. "What's the problem here?" Atar demanded. "I hope the Jedi aren't trying to intimidate you, Tyrr."

"Not at all. I believe the esteemed journalist Tyrr was just preparing to admit that he had placed a private surveillance device inside the Jedi Temple."

Even Atar had to frown at that, turning his attention to Tyrr. "I'm sure a reporter of Javis Tyrr's reputation would never resort to anything illegal. Isn't that right, Tyrr?"

"Of course," Tyrr said, reddening.

"My mistake, then," Jag said with a tight smile, and raised a hand to call Baxton back. He got into the limo next to Jaina, forcing her to move down a bit, and said, "I'd appreciate it if you ordered your men not to open fire as we pass over, Captain. I'm overdue for an important briefing."

"Flying over won't be necessary, sir. I'll order the speeder to move aside as soon as Jedi Solo steps out of the vehicle," Atar said, looking at the droid in Jaina's hands. "And she should bring the cleaning droid We may be needing it as evidence."

Yeah, that couldn't happen when the spy droid had a recording of what she and Jag had just talked about. Jaina leaned over Jag to glare at Atar. "Forget it, Captain. We're in an Imperial diplomat's vehicle, and that makes this droid Imperial property."

For a long moment it looked like Atar would argue with her, but the fact was, Jaina was right. "All right, Jedi Solo. You win this one." He looked away and motioned the GAS speeder aside, then turned back to her. "But you won't be able to hide behind your boyfriend forever. Sooner or later, the Remnant is going to come all the way into the Alliance. And when it does, GAS will still be here, waiting for the next time you screw up."

[NFB, NFI, OOC okay! Dialogue and a couple bits taken from Abyss by Troy Denning, though my version is shorter.]