Exhaling, she engaged the thrusters. She had no idea where she would go.

AS THE BLUE OF CORUSCANT’S SKY gave way to the black of space, Zeerid started to sweat. He eyed the sensors for Imperial ships. They would have detected him by now. A cruiser showed on his screen, maybe Valor, maybe another one. He wheeled the drop ship away from it, accelerated for the nearest hyperlane. He just wanted to jump somewhere, anywhere.

A beep from the panel drew his attention. It took him a moment to realize it was a hail. It took him another moment to figure out how to operate it. He slapped the button, opening the channel. If nothing else, he’d curse out the Imperials before they shot him down.

“Drop ship Razor, you are cleared to leave.”

Zeerid assumed it had to be a ruse, a bad joke. But he saw nothing on the scanner, and the cruiser did not move to interdict.

He flew for the hyperlane. He let the navicomp calculate a course and tried to believe his luck. Vrath’s voice startled him.

“Not bad, Commando. I’m impressed.”

“Impressing you isn’t my concern, skulker.”

Vrath chuckled, but it turned into a cough and a wince. “There are pain pills in the medbay. You mind?”

“Later,” Zeerid said.

“It hurts pretty bad, marine.”

“Good.”

“It’s just business, Korr.”

Zeerid thought of Arra, Nat, Aryn. “Right. Business.”

He’d had all he could take of business.

“We’re done as far as I’m concerned,” Vrath said. “I was hired to stop that engspice from getting to Coruscant. I did that. Which means we’re done. I report back and we never see each other again. I’d like my ship back, though.”

Zeerid resisted the urge to punch a restrained man. He was behaving as if they’d just had a friendly sparring match, that they’d go out for drinks later.

“The Exchange probably won’t be as forgiving though, eh?” Vrath said. “I hear they don’t tolerate lost shipments. You and your family are going to have a hard row there.”

Vrath’s words made Zeerid’s breath hitch. Hearing them changed everything. His knuckles turned white on the stick as options played out in his mind. Adrenaline filled him to his eyes. He stared straight out the cockpit window.

“They don’t know I have a family.”

“Not yet,” Vrath said. “But they will. They always do—”

Too late Vrath seemed to realize he’d stepped on a mine. He tried to chuckle it away but Zeerid heard the fear behind the laughter.

“Or maybe they won’t. I’m just talking here.”

“You talk too much,” Zeerid said while he hardened his expression, hardened his mind. The alchemy of necessity distilled his list of options down to one.

He put himself on autopilot and stood.

“On your feet, Vrath.”