THE HUTT GAMBI(90)

“What happened?”

“You collapsed, Lord,” Grodo said. “Some type of brain seizure.

Caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, I suspect.”

“Caused by poor circulation, no doubt,” Aruk grunted. “Well … I feel fine, now. Except that my head is pounding.”

“I can administer something mild for the pain, Lord,” the physician said, triggering his injector.

Moments later Aruk sighed with relief. “Much better.”

“Lord Aruk,” the physician said sternly, “I want you to promise me that you will take better care of yourself. Let this episode be a warning to you.”

Aruk grumbled deep in his massive chest. “At my age, I should be able to do—” “Please, Father!” Durga blurted. “Listen to Grodo! You must mend your ways!”

The Besadii Lord grunted, then sighed. “Very well. I promise to exercise for at least half an hour each day. And I will give up smoking my hookah.”

“And the rich food!” cried the physician triumphantly, seizing the moment.

“Very well,” Aruk growled. “All except my favorite nalatree frogs. I will not give them up.”

“I believe we can allow Your Excellency one treat,” Grodo said, now prepared to be magnanimous in light of his win. “If you give up all other rich foods, you may have a sensible amount of nalatree frogs each day.”

Durga was so relieved to see Aruk recovering that he glided right up to his parent and placed his small hand on that massive neck. “You must take care of yourself, Father. I will exercise with you. It will be more enjoyable that way.”

Aruk’s wide mouth turned up as he regarded his offspring. “Very well, my child. I promise I will take better care of myself.”

“Besadii needs you,” Durga said. “You are our greatest leader, Father!”

Aruk grumbled a bit more under his breath, but Durga could tell that he was pleased by his offspring’s concern.

The young Hutt Lord left his parent to the care of the physician and his med-droid assistants, and went back to his office, badly shaken.

For a moment he’d thought that Aruk was dying, and that he would wind up trying to run Besadii all by himself. Durga had received a frightening insight—he wasn’t ready.

Especially with this crisis coming, he thought. The Imperial fleet may be on its way to attack Nar Shaddaa …

Aruk had told his offspring not to worry, that the Imperials would not harm Besadii, or Ylesia. “We supply them with slaves,” the elderly Hutt said reassuringly. “The Empire needs its slaves. Therefore they need Besadii.”

Durga devoutly hoped that his parent was right about that …





13


Making Magic


Han, Chewbacca, and Salla Zend stood together on the windswept landing platform, watching Phantasm’s ramp extrude from the ship. Moments later a figure with long black hair appeared and started down the ramp.

Spotting Han, she waved.

“That’s her, c’mon!” Han told Salla. Chewie was already loping forward, growling a friendly greeting.

“Solo!” the newcomer cried. “Chewbacca!”

“Xaverri!” Han called back, jogging toward her. It was so good to see her again!

When they reached each other, he grabbed her shoulders, but she flung her arms around him and hugged him, hard. Han hugged her back, but he carefully kissed her forehead, rather than her mouth. After Xaverri greeted Chewie with a big hug and a Wookiee head-rub, she turned back to Han and Salla. “Xaverri, I want you to meet Salla Zend,” Han said as the two women stood regarding each other. “Xaverri, this is Salla, smuggler and expert mechanic.”

“Hi, pleased to meet you!” Salla said, sticking out her hand.

“My pleasure,” Xaverri said, shaking hands. “Any friend of Solo’s is a friend of mine.”

Han was vastly uncomfortable. I’ve never had two girlfriends meet each other before, he thought. The Corellian wondered whether Xaverri would want to take up their relationship where they’d left off, months before.

Salla, he knew, would likely take a dim view of that.

But, hey, she doesn’t own me, he thought defensively. It’s not like we’re married or anything.

Still, he was careful to walk beside Salla as he picked up Xaverri’s bag and they started across the permacrete of the landing field together.

Later, over flatbread and traladon-cheese appetizers at Han’s favorite Corellian eatery, he explained his plan to Xaverri.

When he’d finished, she regarded him searchingly. “Let me get this straight. You want me to create a holo-illusion of a whole bunch of smuggler vessels coming straight at these Imperial Capital-class ships.