Hutts were determined that nothing like that would ever happen again.
The Grand Council Hall was a huge room, big enough to comfortably hold nearly fifty Hutts. At the moment twenty-seven Hutts were gathered—representatives of all the major clans and kajidics, as well as “neutral” parties from the Hutt government who would be overseeing and administering the conference.
The Hutt homeworld was governed by the Grand Council—an oligarchy composed of one representative appointed by each major Hutt clan. In reality, though, the power of the crime syndicates—the kajidics—was far greater than that of the Grand Council.
Jabba and Jiliac had summoned two other Desilijic members to attend them.
Aruk had brought the Besadii contingent, consisting of himself, his offspring Durga, and his nephew Kibbick. Jabba was pleased to note that a t’landa Til trailed in Kibbick’s wake. Jiliac was right, Besadii had indeed summoned Teroenza.
After the mass of Hutts had arranged themselves in a circle around the speaker’s platform, the conference was brought to order by the Executive Secretary of the Grand Council, a Hutt named Mardoc. After each of the clans had officially identified itself and its contingent, Mardoc spoke again: “Comrades-in-power, siblings-in-profit, I have convened you today to discuss some very serious developments on the Besadii colony world of Ylesia. I ask Lord Aruk to speak.”
Aruk moved his sled closer to the speaker’s platform. He waved his small arms at his fellow Hutts for emphasis and began, “Fellow Hutts.
Two days ago Colony Three on Ylesia was attacked by well-armed terrorists. Kibbick and our overseer, Teroenza, barely escaped with their lives. Much destruction was done, and the attackers made off with nearly one hundred valuable slaves.”
A ripple of consternation ran around the conference room as the assorted Hutts reacted to Aruk’s news. Jabba realized that Aruk was staring straight at him and Jiliac. Gauging our reaction, he realized.
For just a moment, Jabba wondered if Jiliac had decided to play it ultrasubtle, and had arranged the raid, but not told him. After a moment’s thought, however, he rejected the notion. His Aunt was so caught up in her recent pregnancy that she had little energy for plotting—especially commando raids. Besides, Jiliac normally eschewed direct assaults, preferring to work against enemies in more subtle ways.
“Hutt brethren, we of the Besadii clan demand that Jiliac, as head of clan Desilijic, personally assure us that this terrible raid, this theft of valuable Besadii property, was not done by Desilijic!
Otherwise, this means war between our kajidics!”
A collective gasp echoed through the Grand Hall. Aruk’s challenge hung in the air like the smoke from the hookahs some of the Hutt Lords were moking.
Slowly, Jiliac pulled herself up, appearing almost regal in her new maternal dignity. “Fellow Hutts,” she said. “Desilijic is innocent of any taint of aggression in this matter. As a guarantee of this, Desilijic pledges that if any link can be discovered between the raiders and Desilijic, Desilijic will remit to Besadii the sum of one million credits.”
Silence for a beat, then Aruk inclined his head in the Hutt equivalent of a bow. “Very well. Never let it be said that Desilijic refused to back its integrity with money. We ask that the Grand Council investigate and give us their findings in one month.”
Mardoc agreed, but then yielded the floor to Jiliac when she indicated that she had more to say. “However, I wish that I could say the same for Besadii. Just a few months ago, my nephew here”—she indicated Jabba—”was brutally attacked by hired mercenaries. Only the fact that we cannot definitively state who sent them keeps us from leveling accusations at our rivals! Unlike Besadii, we do not make accusations unless we have proof!”
Another hubbub of voices and whispers erupted in the Grand Hall.
Aruk drew himself up to his most impressive height, his rheumy old eyes red-rimmed. “Besadii has done nothing wrong!”
“Do you deny that you sent Drell pirates to assassinate my nephew?”
“Yes!” thundered Aruk.
The resulting barrage of threats, insults, and rhetoric from both sides made it necessary for Mardoc to call for a recess. Jabba watched the Hutts around him, talking in small groups, and began wondering just who it was who had attacked Ylesia. If it wasn’t Desilijic, then who?
Did Ylesia have a new rival in the slave trade?
Durga the Hutt lay stretched beside his parent on his repulsor sled during the afternoon session. He was concerned about Aruk. The conference had been going on for hours, and Aruk had been in the middle of it the whole time. Durga knew that his parent wasn’t up to this level of stress. Aruk was a very old Hutt, nearly a thousand years old.