“We’re here to see the Squibs,” Han said, hiding the fear that Leia could sense behind the bluster of an Arkanian technolord. “Tell them they still owe us for Pavo Prime.”
The sentries’ huge, compound eyes studied Leia and Han indifferently.
“It wouldn’t be wise to keep us waiting,” Leia pressed. “We happen to be old friends.”
This drew a chorus of amused clacks and hisses from the insect crews waiting outside the Sailfish, and one of the Flakax
held
out
a three-pincered hand.
“Appointment vouchers cost fifty credits each.”
“Appointment vouchers?” Han repeated.
“You expect us to stand here for nothing?” the second Flakax demanded.
Leia stepped forward, craning her neck back to stare up at the Flakax’s wedge-shaped head. “We don’t need an appointment voucher,” she said, using the Force to influence the insect’s mind. “We’re expected.”
“They don’t need a voucher,” the first Flakax said. He stepped aside and motioned the Solos aboard. “The Directors are expecting them.”
The second remained where he was, gnashing his mandibles and blocking the base of the ramp. “They are? Now?”
“Yeah.” Han pulled a credit chit from his pocket.
“What’s the going price for being expected? Ten?”
The Flakax flattened his antennae. “Twenty-five.”
“Twenty-five!” Han objected. “That’s-“
“A paltry amount, not worth the effort to negotiate,” Leia interrupted. “Why don’t we just add it to the Directors’ account, Lord Rysto? That way everyone will be happy.”
“Very well.” Han continued to glare at the Flakax, but passed the credits over and slipped back into the character of a haughty Arkanian. “If the Squibs object, I’ll instruct them to bring the matter up with you.”
The Flakax gave a little abdomen shudder, but stepped aside and waved Leia and Han through the Sailfish’s air lock. The air aboard the vessel was stale and musky, and the broad oval corridors typical of Mon Calamari designs were so packed with weapons, power packs, and armor that it was only possible to walk single file. Leia followed Han into the forward salon, where a pair of Verpine pilots stood facing the interior of a large, curved table piled high with trinkets and gadgets. On the other side of the table, a single Lizil Killik stood behind three seated Squibs.
“.. grateful for the cargo,” one of the Verpine was saying. “But we need more delivery time. If anything goes wrong, we won’t make the date.”
“What could go wrong?” the Squib on the left asked. With graying fur, a wrinkled snout, and red bags under his big brown eyes, Grees looked as though he had aged sixty years in the thirty that had passed since Leia had first met him. “Just follow the route we give you. Everything will be fine.”
“It’s the Chiss that concern us, Director,” the second Verpine explained. “Tenupe is on the front lines, you know.”
“That’s why we saved this run for you,” the Squib on the right said. One of his ears no longer stood up straight, instead lying at an angle like a broken antenna. And his voice was so harsh and raspy that Han barely recognized it as Sligh’s. “We wouldn’t trust just anyone with this, you know. We have placed our complete faith in you. Consider it a gift.”
The two Verpine glanced at each other nervously; then the first said, “We’ve heard the Chiss arc moving fast. What happens if they overrun the base before we deliver? There’s no one else out there who would want your TibannaX-especially not so much.”
Han’s heart began to pound in excitement. As far as he knew, there was only one use for TibannaX: it was fuel for Jedi StealthXs.
“Ark’ik, you came to us begging for a cargo, but all you have done since we granted it to you is ask What if this? What if that?” Emala said. Seated between Grees and Sligh, her eyes were covered in a milky film, and the tip of her nose was cracked and bleeding. She shook her head sadly and looked away from the two Verpine. “Honestly, we are beginning to think you aren’t grateful.”
The antennae of both Verpine went flat against their heads. “No, we’re very grateful, Director,” Ark’ik said. “We just don’t want to fail you.”
“And we don’t want that either,” Sligh said. “We thought you two were ready to be major players in the war business. But if you’re not interested…”
“We’ll take the cargo,” Han said, stepping into the cabin.
The first Verpine-Ark’ik-turned with fury in his dark eyes, but his anger swiftly changed to confusion as Leia slinked toward him in her Falleen costume.