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take her party back to their quarters on the old Dreadnaught
Starsider
, she was already calculating her deployments for the battle—she’d leave Tesar in command of Twin Suns Squadron and take Lowbacca onto the ground with her. She’d like Tesar with her, too, but a Jedi would have to stay with the squadron and keep it connected to the meld . . . and keep her new pilots from doing anything foolish, as well.
    Before the operation she’d get her squadron as much practice as she could fit into their schedule. The military had taken half her veteran pilots to use as a cadre around which to build new squadrons, filling their slots with rookies, inexperienced pilots who needed all the drill Jaina could give them.
    The New Republic’s industries were finally on a war footing and pouring out war matériel by the millions of tons. All the personnel losses the military had suffered in the war had been replaced—but with raw recruits. What had been lost was
experience
. Jaina was terrified of Twin Suns Squadron being committed to a major battle before her new pilots were ready.
    That’s why she was a supporter of Kre’fey’s current strategy of raiding the enemy only where the Yuuzhan Vong were vulnerable. His raids were staged only against weak targets, building morale and experience against an enemy guaranteed to lose.
    She could only hope the Yuuzhan Vong didn’t move against Kashyyyk, or Corellia or Kuat or Mon Calamari—a place where the New Republic would
have
to fight. That would be a conflagration in which Twin Suns Squadron would be lucky to survive . . .
    â€œOdd to think of Tahiri as a squadron commander.”
    Jacen’s comment interrupted Jaina’s thoughts.
    â€œTahiri’s doing all right,” Jaina said.
    â€œShe’s not a crack pilot, though.”
    â€œShe’s more experienced that most of her pilots—almost all of them are green—and she fought well at Borleias. Kre’fey’s given her a good executive officer to help her with organization and red tape.” She smiled. “Her pilots are very protective of her. They call themselves Barefoot Squadron.”
    Jacen smiled also. “That’s good of them.”
    Jaina sighed. “The Barefoots’ real problem is the same one most of us have—too high a percentage of rookie pilots.” She looked at Saba and Corran Horn. “
Some
commanders get all the luck.”
    Horn’s mouth gave a little quirk. “Saba has the true elite force here. What I wouldn’t give for a roster made up of Jedi . . .”
    Saba’s eyes gave a reptilian glimmer, and her tail twitched. “A pity you humanz lack the advantage of hatchmatez.”
    Horn raised an eyebrow. “
Hatching
Jedi. Now
that’s
an interesting idea.”
    Saba hissed amusement. “I can testify that it workz.”
    â€œI hope you enjoyed your ride, Masters.” The head of the droid pilot spun on its neck. “Please watch your step as you exit.”
    A few minutes later, after they’d separated from their companions and begun walking toward their quarters along one of
Starsider
’s avenues, Jaina turned to Jacen.
    â€œKre’fey will give you a squadron,” she said. “I’m surprised he hasn’t asked you already.”
    â€œI don’t want one.”
    â€œWhy not?” Jaina asked, more snappishly than she intended. Jacen had always been on a quest for the deeper meaning of things, and that meant that occasionally he’d give something up just to find out what it meant. For a while he’d given up being a warrior, and he’d given up use of the Force, and for all intents and purposes given up being a Jedi . . . now he was giving up being a
pilot
?
    The one thing he hadn’t given up was being exasperating.
    â€œI can pilot and fight well enough,” Jacen said, “but I’m rusty on military procedure and comm protocols and