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I’ve paid the hotel bill through tomorrow for you and Chewbacca. You’ve been two of the best assistants and companions I’ve ever had. Tell him I’m sorry I couldn’t say farewell. There is a bonus for you both in the local branch of the Imperial Bank, account code 651374, keyed to your retinal scan.

I’m going to miss you more than I can say. If you ever need to contact me, you can do so through the Galaxy of Stars booking agency. Maybe someday we can do it all again, when I’ve gotten my perspective back.

Take care of yourself, Han. And take care of your Wookiee friend. Devotion like that is rare.

Love,

Xaverri

Blast! Han thought, not sure whether what he was feeling was anger or profound regret—some mixture of both, he guessed. Why does this always happen to me?

For a moment he remembered the anguish that had engulfed him when Bria had left him with just a good-bye note, then he wrenched his mind away from that memory. That was a long time ago. I’m not a kid anymore …

He realized that he’d have to book commercial flights back to Nar Shaddaa for himself and Chewie. But that wouldn’t eat into his savings too much, especially in light of Xaverri’s bonus. She paid well, though she had high expectations.

During the past six months, they’d been more like business partners than employee and employer. Every time they’d pulled a successful scam on some puffed-up Imperial officer, or some smug, complacent Imperial bureaucrat, Xaverri had shared the proceeds equally with Han and Chewie.

Han’s mouth curved into a reminiscent smile. They’d had some exciting times. With all the experience he’d had conning civilians while part of Garris Shrike’s “family,” Han had thought he had little to learn about the art of scamming people. But a month with Xaverri had convinced him that compared to her, Garris Shrike had been a clumsy, mendacious amateur.

Xaverri’s schemes had ranged from elegantly simple to fiendishly complex. She seldom pulled exactly the same scam twice. Instead she tailored each caper to the mark, frequently using her skills as an illusionist to trick the pompous Imperials she preyed upon.

There had been that time they’d conned the Assistant Secretary to the D’Aelgoth Sector Moff out of most of his life savings—and put him under suspicion of committing treason to the Empire. Han’s smile broadened into a grin. The guy was a venal jerk—sooner or later he would’ve betrayed the Empire anyhow.

Not that all their scams had been successful. Two had fizzled out, and one had blown up in their faces, forcing them to run from the planetary officials until Chewbacca had been able to locate them and pick them up.

Han would never forget that escape—running, dodging, pursued through the countryside by tracer droids and the local version of canoid-hounds. The only way they’d been able to hide their scent was to spend the night up to their necks in a swamp.

He’d also enjoyed his work as Xaverri’s stage assistant. It had been fun, helping to create the illusions, finding out how it was really done, and taking a bow before cheering crowds, night after night. Even Chewbacca had gotten to enjoy the public attention, and Xaverri had worked up several tricks that gave Chewie a chance to show off his Wookiee strength.

The hardest thing for Han had been getting used to the skintight, spangled stage costume he’d had to wear. He’d felt horribly self-conscious the first few times he’d gone onstage wearing it. But eventually he’d gotten used to it, and even learned to enjoy the hoots and whistles from some of the female audience members when he’d make his entrance.

Xaverri had teased him about that, especially the time a girl had dashed up onstage and kissed him full on the mouth, making him blush. Han had teased her back about her costumes, which were often daring.

Han sighed. If only I’d known she was planning this. I could have talked to her … Already he missed her, missed her presence, her smile, her affection. Her warmth, her kisses …

She was a special woman, and Han knew