In the wake of the attack on the Solos last night, Jag was set up in his office at the embassy, where Moff Lecersen was brought in, escorted by several stormtroopers. With two attacks in Jag's presence in a month's time, no one could be too careful. Meanwhile, Jaina was in the next room with a listening device, which meant she couldn't see what was going on, but she had her own ways of figuring that out.

"Have a seat," came Jag's voice.

"Thank you," Lecersen said, probably doing just that.

"I want to talk to you about the other night's attempt on my life," Jag said, not one to pull punches if he was going to be punching at all.

"A most unfortunate event. It's miraculous that you escaped unhurt. I've seen the recordings of Javis Tyrr's broadcast."

"Yes…While I'm certain that enhanced security measures will keep me safe, the two recent attempts have served to remind me of my own mortality. And the fact that if I were to fall to an assassin's blaster, what would result would be a power vacuum. A struggle for power now, at a time when we can least afford it, as we negotiate for the Empire's union with the Galactic Alliance. So I'm asking who, if I were to die, you would support as the next Head of State."

There was a pause, and Jaina had to admire how Jag was handling this. "A complicated question," Lecersen managed.

"Come, come. Moffs, like Heads of State, deal with complicated questions all the time."

"Yes, of course. To be honest, I have given no thought to who might succeed you. But if you'll give me a little time, I'd be happy to work up a short list for you. And honored that you asked my opinion."

"Please do. I look forward to hearing what you have to say."

"Is there any word on your assailant?"

"Only what you've heard on the broadcast. His associates are being investigated to within a centimeter of their lives. The conspiracy that he belonged to is doomed, of course. I don't even have to participate in their destruction."

"How's that?" Lecersen asked.

Another pause, and Jaina knew what Jag was showing him. There was an image that had been taken last night, while things had been settling and the reality of what just happened had been setting in. It was Han and Leia, each holding one of Allana's hands, and the looks on their faces were nothing any enemy ever wanted to see on an opponent.

"The conspirators endangered their daughter, and so made two deadly enemies," Jag explained, casually. "I wouldn't want the Solos after me."

"No, indeed."

"Well, thanks for stopping in," Jag said, also casually.

"Always happy to."

Jaina waited until she was sure she'd felt Lecersen leave, and then she pushed the door control on the wall to step out into Jag's office behind him, sitting on the edge of his desk. "What do you think?" she asked.

"He wasn't prepared to put himself forward as my successor. Which is interesting, because it suggests that he's not, at this instant, ready to step in for me," Jag mused. "Which in turn suggests that he has other plans. But if we assume that he does intend to be Head of State, we also have to presume that he's not ready to complete his own plans to become Head of State."

"In other words, if you were to die or abdicate, he's not in a position to secure his position. Not yet."

Jag nodded. "Which keeps him on the list of potential conspirators. I'll bring in the other leading candidates and give them the same speech. See which ones behave as he does. And maybe, just maybe, some of them will get the idea that it's not a good idea to endanger Amelia Solo."

Jaina smiled. "There have been times when being Han and Leia Solo's daughter has been the most exasperating thing in the universe."

"And other times?"

"A source of great pride. Come to think of it, both conditions apply to being Jagged Fel's lover."

He smiled. "Ah, the backhanded compliment. Something all the Solos have mastered."

[Yadda yadda NF-all that stuff. Taken from Backlash by Aaron Allston. Slowly but surely plugging along on this.]