THE HUTT GAMBI(39)

Jabba wriggled closer to the snackquarium and, at a wave from his clan lord, reached in for a choice little snack. Green slime gathered at the corners of his mouth as he anticipated the delicious rubbery warmth of the little amphibian sliding down his gullet. Even with this distraction, he was still able to focus on Jiliac’s question. Jabba was nothing if not practical.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I suspect the only way to find out is to ask him.”

“Ask him what?” demanded Jiliac as Jabba popped the treat into his mouth.

Glunk … Jabba swallowed noisily before answering, “Ask him how he knew to react so quickly with those Drell ships. Ship’s log showed he was tracking with his weapons systems and taking evasive maneuvers even before they fired on us. How did Solo know those Drell ships meant trouble?”

“We have hired Drell pirates ourselves, in the past,” Jiliac reminded him.

“The question we must ask is, was this attack one from within our clan, or from outside?” He folded his small hands together on the swell of his belly-folds. “Make no mistake, nephew. There are those within Desilijic who would wrest the leadership of the kajidic from me . .

.”

“True,” Jabba agreed. “But I do not think this was an attack from within the kajidic. My informants assure me that the entire clan was pleased with our profit ratio last quarter.”

“Then who do you think was behind the attack?” Jiliac asked.

“Besadii,” Jabba replied flatly.

Jiliac cursed. “Naturally. They are the only ones who have sufficient funds to hire the Drell pirates. Blast them!” The Hutt Lord’s massive tail whipped back and forth on the polished floor. “Nephew, Aruk grows above himself. Ylesian trade is making Besadii so wealthy they are becoming a personal danger, not simply an economic threat. We must act ˇ . . and soon.

This threat to Desilijic must not go unpunished.”

“Agreed, Uncle,” Jabba said, after swallowing another Serendina wriggler.

“But what should we do?”

“We need more information,” Jiliac decided. “Then we can plan our retaliation.” Flicking on the comm unit, he said, “Dielo!”

Immediately the response came back. “I am here, Your Magnificence.

What do you wish?”

“Summon Solo to us,” Jiliac ordered. “We wish to speak with him.”

“Immediately, Lord Jiliac,” Dielo replied.

It was several hours before Solo appeared, and Jabba and Jiliac were growing increasingly annoyed at having to wait by the time the Corellian entered the audience chamber. He was accompanied, as always, by his tall, hairy companion.

Both Hutts looked him over in silence for several minutes. Solo shifted a little, and Jabba sensed that he was uneasy, though, for a human, he hid anxiety well.

“Greetings, Solo,” Jiliac finally intoned in his deepest, most intimidating voice.

The Corellian Captain bowed. “Greetings, Your Excellency. What can I do for you?”

“We want the truth,” Jabba said, not waiting for Jiliac to mince around the subject. Jabba enjoyed being direct, and putting other sentients on the spot. “You can give us the truth.”

Jabba’s eyesight was sharp, and Hutts could see farther into the infrared than humans could. He watched the blood ebb from Solo’s face as he paled, though his expression did not change. The Wookiee shifted uneasily and whined softly.

“Uh, Your Impressiveness …” Solo wet his lips. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. The truth about what?”

Jabba didn’t mince words. “I’ve reviewed the Star Jewel’s log.

Captain, how did you know the Drell pirates were waiting to attack us?”

Solo hesitated, then drew a deep breath. “I’ve run into an ambush from pirates in Drell-built cruisers before,” he said. “And I know that you, Jiliac, and you, Jabba, have enemies that are wealthy enough to hire assassins.”

Jiliac was staring hard at the young Corellian. “When did you encounter such an ambush, Captain?” he asked slowly.

“Five years ago, Your Excellency.”

Jabba leaned forward. “And who were you working for when you encountered them, Solo?”

The Corellian smuggler hesitated, then said quietly, “I was working for Zavval, sir. On Ylesia.”

Jiliac’s eyes widened. “Yes … my memory is stirring. Was it you that brought me my snackquarium? I remember the Sullustan, but humans look so much alike …”

“Yes, sir, that was me,” Han said. Jabba could tell that it cost him something to admit the truth.

“Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Jiliac asked, his voice as cold as a Hothan glacier. “What are you hiding, Captain?”