The saber-for-hire shook her head. “They’re rarely seen away from their natural habitat, and trust me, that’s a good thing. Just wait until I meet the genius who decided to exhibit apex predators from a dozen systems. It won’t be long before those two start swooping down and picking off survivors.”

Elzar drew his lightsaber, wondering what good it would do against a creature that size, let alone two. Both sanvals must have been twenty meters from nose to tail, with wingspans as broad as their dragonlike bodies were long.

“We need to stop them.”

“Finally something we can agree on,” she said, “although it’s not their fault they’re here.”

“Animal control?”

“That’s where you come in. It’s never been my forte …”

“I used to think it was one of mine, before the hragscythe.”

“Which is why we need each other. I could barely manage it when I was being trained, and struggle even more with it now. I need someone to help me focus, someone with more training than I ever had.”

She raised her right hand, its palm toward him.

Elzar swallowed. This was definitely more than he’d bargained for when he’d asked for her help. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“No, but teaming up was your idea.”

“I had just suffered a blow to the head.”

“Don’t make me give you another.”

He took a breath and stepped forward, pressing his own palm against hers, the tips of their fingers touching. She was shaking, nervous about what they were about to do. He felt much the same way, as she was about to find out.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“No,” he answered honestly.

“You and me both.”

Elzar reached out with his mind and Ty did likewise. He had done this before, but only with Jedi he knew. Jedi he trusted. Master Quarry. Stellan.

Avar.

The Force joined them as one.

Why, why, why had his last thought been of Avar before their minds touched? To be honest, the memory her name threw up probably explained it, the memory he always had, back when they were Padawans, back when they were happy to bend the rules. All at once he saw Avar’s quarters, felt the sheets beneath their bodies …

“Wow,” Ty said out loud. “You dirty dog. I’m impressed.”

He banished the memory, although it was already too late. He could feel Ty’s amusement, not to mention her attraction.

“Keep your shirt on, Mann,” Ty teased him. “You’re not my type.”

He tried not to sound disappointed. “Seems to me that I’m the only one sharing anything. This won’t work unless we’re completely honest with each other.”