At one place he’d glimpsed a man in the back slide something to another under cover of his arm, and then receive a credit disk slipped to him just as clandestinely. Han had waited until the first man had gotten up to use the refresher unit, then he’d followed him. When the man came out, Han was waiting for him in the dim hallway.
“Like a word with you, pal,” he said.
The dealer, a small, sharp-faced man who reminded Han of a Ranat, eyed the Corellian suspiciously, then evidently decided Han offered no threat. “Yeah? What about?”
“You deal in spice?”
The man hesitated for a long moment. “How much you want?” “No, pal, I’m selling, not buying. You interested?” “What you got?”
“Glitterstim. A hundred vials.”
“Glitterstim!” The man’s voice scaled up, then he hastily lowered it and stepped closer. “Where’d you get that, son?”
“I’m not your son, and it’s none of your business where I got it. You interested?”
“On any other world than this one, better believe I’d be interested, but .
. .” The man shook his head. “No. No channels to unload it. I’d have to try and smuggle it offworld, and that’s too risky. They’d send me to the mines on Kessel to dig out the infernal stuff.
Glitterstim can be dangerous, y’know. Make you blind, if you take too much. Drives Biths mad, y’know.”
“I know all that,” Han said impatiently. “Thanks for nothing, pal.”
Scowling, he stalked out of the tavern.
He finally ran down Darak Lyll in the fifth tavern he visited. Han recognized the man from the pickpocket’s description. Lyll was playing sabacc, and when he saw Han standing there, watching the game, he cordially waved the young Corellian over. “Care to sit in for a hand?”
Han had played sabacc before, but that wasn’t what he’d come here for.
He stared directly at Darak Lyll and raised his eyebrows. “All depends on what you’ll accept for a stake, Lyll.”
The man’s expression didn’t change a whit as he glanced casually up.
“You got something good, Pilot?”
“Might.”
“Well, the ante is twenty credits.”
Han shook his head. “Changed my mind. Going out to get some fresh air.”
He stood outside, leaning against the alley wall, for about five minutes.
When he heard someone approaching, Han said, without looking, “Took you long enough. Must’ve been winning.”
“Idiot’s array,” Lyll said, using the sabacc player’s term for a topnotch winning hand. “So, what’ve you got?”
Han turned to look at the man. “Glitterstim. One hundred vials.”
“Whooo!” Darak Lyll whistled in amazement. “Where’d you come by that?”
“None of your business,” Han said. “Want it? Give you a good price .
. .”
“Wish I could, young fellow, wish I could,” Lyll said, sounding regretful.
“But I’d be a fool to take it. Just no market here on Alderaan.”
Han cursed under his breath and turned away. What am Igoing to do? he wondered. His time was definitely running out. Maybe he should hop an intercontinental shuttle to some other city. Maybe it was only Aldera that was so preternaturally clean on this world …
Han sighed. I don’t have time. I either sell that stuff in an hour, or I A hand fell on his shoulder. It took every bit of self-control Han possessed not to yell and bolt, he was so keyed up. Instead he just turned and glared at the middle-aged, dark-skinned man who’d fallen into step with him. “I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” he said evenly.
“I don’t think so, Vykk,” the man said. “Pilot Vykk Draygo, out of Ylesia, right?”
“So what?” Han said. “I don’t know you.”
“Marsden Latham,” the man said, flashing a holo-ID badge under Han’s nose.
“Alderaanian internal security force.”
Oh, no .
“We’ve been keeping an eye on you, Pilot Draygo, ever since you limped in here this morning. We’re happy we can help you out with repairs and fix up your partner. You saw that message when you first came within frequency range of Alderaan?”
“I saw it.”
“Well, it’s meant to be taken seriously. We don’t like trouble here.”
The man smiled suddenly, showing very even, very white teeth. “You wouldn’t be out to cause us any trouble, would you, Pilot?”
Han strove to keep his face impassive. They know that I’ve been trying to cut a deal.., must’ve been watching me all morning… Silently, he cursed the official. Aloud, he said, “Course not, sir. I’m a peace loving kinda guy.”