When Jaina finally meets up with her parents again, she tries to explain away that Jacen is dead.  Jaina meets with Chume and invites her to attend a diplomatic meeting that evening and wants to get her all dressed up.

Chume encourages Jaina to keep an open mind about her prospects for the future and Jaina decides to play along in hopes of being able to get ships and fuel she'll need for her journey.

During the ceremony Tenel Ka watches as a strange old woman with a large basket heads towards the front stage.  Just as Isolder, Tenel Ka's father, makes his entrance the old woman pulls a blaster from the basket and attempt to assassinate him, Tenel Ka throws a tile file from the roof of the building she is waiting on and it strikes the assassin's hand.  The assassin turns out to be a relative of the royal family. 

Isolder tells his daughter that he has been doing much research on the Vong over the last year.  She tells him of Jacen's supposed death and what'll happen with Jaina if she's captured.  Tenel is worried about Jaina’s path by inciting the Vong.  Isolder wants her to stay on Hapes, but she tells him she is a warrior not a ruler, but does point out that her grandmother has been paying too much attention to Jaina.  She worries that Jaina does not know the real story.

After flirting across the dining table, Jaina and Jag Fel share a moment together.  Despite the temporary happy moment for Jaina they are interrupted by the former Queen, who wishes to speak with her.  She explains to Jaina that Isoldar's current wife, Teneniel Djo, is not in good health and is unable to lead them properly and she wishes he would divorce her and find a new wife.  Jaina says she doesn't think that Leia is interested and returns to find Jag.  Instead she finds Kyp waiting to take her to Anakin's funeral.  He takes her to the gathering where Anakin's funeral pyre is waiting along with many of her friends and family.  After Tahiri and others, including Kyp step forward and offer words about Anakin, Luke lights the fire.

Lowbacca has changed the villip to the point where it will reflect Jaina's face when communicating.  She then goes back to meet with Ta'a Chume.  After a brief etiquette lesson from a young man, she decides to bring up the matter of various pirates that have been brought to Hapes with them.  Jaina asks if she can meet the refugees because she wants to see if they have any implants that are similar to the ones that they've seen on slaves in other parts of the galaxy.  She wants to see if she can modify them for good instead of Vong purposes.  Jaina wants to use the scientists at Gallinore to help her learn the answers.  When considering who to take along with her on this mission that may be dangerous and probably not sanctioned, her only choice is Kyp Durron.

After a Jaina and Kyp have left for their mission, Jag heads to the refugee camp and encounters Han Solo in the midst of a huge fight.  Eventually after the brawl subsides Han is unconscious and bleeding on the ground.  Leia approaches them and uses the force to help him recover.  A medical droid comes to take the still unconscious Han into the medical bay.  Leia wonders aloud if this was an assassination attempt to remove Han so she can marry Isolder and become the queen.  Fearing for their safety, Leia decides to Han back to Luke and tells Jag that when he is contact with Jaina that they've gone to see Luke and she trusts her to find her way back.

Jaina, Tenel Ka, Lowbacca, and Kyp arrive on Gallinore and are greeted warmly because of their letter of recommendation from Chume.  They immediately began looking through the information they happen to see if something will be useful.

They meet with one of the head scientists and he takes some samples that they brought with them.  He discovers some interesting things and eventually they are able to alter them.  Before they leave the planet, Jaina also begins to tap into new areas of the Force, similar to what Anakin had learned on Yavin.

Jaina and Lowbacca take some of the new samples back in hopes that they will be able to implant these new hybrids into other Vong ships.  Kyp is the perfect pilot to go head-to-head with Yuuzhan Vong ships.