[Black Fleet Crisis(20)

“I said shoot you, not kill you. Blowing apart your knee would have been sufficient, ” Drayson said. “Now, please get out of my chair. “

“Oh, if you insist, ” Lando said, vacating the chair with a flourish that left it slowly spinning. “I was just following my dear mother’s advice. “

“On breaking and entering? “

“On avoiding stress. ‘Never stand when you can sit down, and never sit when you can lie down. ‘ “

“I see, ” Drayson said, stopping the rotation of his chair with a hand and dropping into it. “I haven’t heard anything of you in some time-“

“I doubt that. “

“Not since Mara Jade showed such surprising resistance to your charms. “

“How kind of you to remember. “

Drayson steepled his fingers. “My own theory is that you’ve been consoling yourself by spending the reward from Duchess Mistal in sabacc halls and on pleasure couches. Anything left of it? “

Lando smiled and sat on the edge of the desk.

“I’m sure you could tell me to the half-credit. You never have forgiven me for the fact that because you and your Chandrila goons could never catch me and the Falcon, have you? Or for the fact that you caught so many of the dumb and clumsy smugglers, I made a fortune on my Chandrila runs. I really should have given you a share. “

“You never have gotten over this notion that smuggling is an honorable line of work, have you? ” Drayson asked, tipping back in his chair. “What makes you think I would have taken your dirty money? “

“Because I knew what kind of chit the Admiral of Chandrila Defense Fleet was drawing, ” Lando said. “Every good smuggler knows that bribes will get him places bravado won’t. “

For the first time, Drayson smiled. “You know, Baron, I really hate the fact that I can’t help but like you. “

“I know, ” Lando said. “I have the same problem. I never thought I could be friends with someone who was so fond of rules. “

“Well-life is full of surprises. Not that seeing you is one. To tell the truth-“

“Oh, why start now? “

“-I’ve been half expecting to see you since I heard thatLady Luck had docked upstairs. Though I didn’t think it’d be with your feet up on my desk like you were taking over. ” Drayson folded his arms over his chest. “So-what can I do for you? “

“Wrong question, Admiral, ” Lando said. “What can I do for you? “

“Pardon? “

“I’m bored, ” Lando explained simply. “I go in business, I make a little money, I lose a little money-the game isn’t interesting anymore. Someone throws a title at me, and I pick up the pieces someone else dropped-until one day I realize I’m sitting behind a desk, turning into you. There’s no challenge in smuggling, unless you want to go to the Core-and I’m too smart to be that dumb. And there’s hardly a scrap anywhere in twenty parsecs worth getting dirty for. That’s why I’m here. “

“You’re bored, ” Drayson repeated.

“Exactly. Find something interesting for me to do and I’ll tell you how I got past your perimeters. ” His ‘expression was suddenly touched with regret. “I’m afraid there are a couple of security types you’re going to have to let go, though. “

“I see, ” said Drayson. “Any particular reason you happened to find yourself afflicted by boredom at this moment in time? “

“Why do you ask? “

Drayson pursed his lips. “I can’t say anything more unless you come back in. “

“Will I be sorry if I do? “

“Aren’t you always? “

General Lando Calrissian and Admiral Drayson, chief of Alpha Blue, stood before a large briefing screen studying a holo image of a strange space vessel.

The vessel’s five cylindrical hulls, lying parallel to each other like a bundle of logs, were so dark in color that it was hard to see much detail. But the sensor’s scale markings along the edge of the frame betrayed its size.

“I give up, ” Lando said finally. “I almost want to say it’s Mon Calamari construction, but I don’t think they ever built anything that big. What is it? “

“The Teljkon vagabond. ” When Lando’s face showed no signs of recognition, Drayson asked, “Are you familiar with the legend of theAnother Chance ? “

Lando cocked an eyebrow questioningly. “The Alderaan armory ship? Of course. Every smuggler in that sector has a story about seeing it. Which means that every smuggler in that sector is a bald-faced liar. “