[Thrawn Trilogy] - 02(103)

Ferrier gestured to the ramp. “How about we talk in the ship?”

“How about we talk out here?” Lando retorted.

Ferrier seemed taken aback. “Take it easy, Calrissian,” he said soothingly. “What do you think I’m going to do, walk off with your ship in my pocket?”

“What kind of ships?” Han repeated.

Ferrier looked at him for a moment, then made a show of glancing around the area. “Big ones,” he said, lowering his voice. “Dreadnaught class.” He lowered his voice still (further. “The Katana fleet.”

With an effort, Han kept his sabacc face in place. “The Katana fleet. Right.”

“I’m not kidding,” Ferrier insisted. “The Katana’s been found : and I’ve got a line on the guy who found it.”

“Yeah?” Han said. Something in Ferrier’s face—

He turned around quickly, half expecting to see someone trying to sneak up over the edge of the ramp into the Lady Luck. But aside from the usual mix of shadows from the spaceport lights, there was nothing there. “Something?” Lando demanded.

“No,” Han said, turning back to Ferrier. If the thief really did have a line on Bel Iblis’s supplier, it could save them a lot of time. But if he had nothing but rumors-and was maybe hoping to wangle something a little more solid : “What makes you think this guy has anything?” he demanded.

Ferrier smiled slyly. “Free information, Solo? Come on-you know better than that.”

“All right, then,” Lando said. “What do you want from us, and what are you offering in trade?”

“I know the guy’s name,” Ferrier said, his face turning serious again. “But I don’t know where he is. I thought we could pool our resources, see if we can get to him before the Empire does.”

Han felt his throat tighten. “What makes you think the Empire’s involved?”

Ferrier threw him a scornful look. “With Grand Admiral Thrawn in charge over there? He’s involved in everything.”

Han smiled lopsidedly. At last they had a name to go with the uniform. “Thrawn, huh? Thanks, Ferrier.”

Ferrier’s face went rigid as he suddenly realized what he’d just given away. “No charge,” he said between stiff lips.

“We still haven’t heard what we’re getting out of the deal,” Lando reminded him.

“Do you know where he is?” Ferrier asked.

“We have a lead,” Lando said. “What are you offering?”

Ferrier shifted a measuring gaze back and forth between them. “I’ll give you half the ships we take out,” he said at last. “Plus an option for the New Republic to buy out the rest at a reasonable price.”

“What’s a reasonable price?” Han asked.

“Depends on what kind of shape they’re in,” Ferrier countered. “I’m sure we’ll be able to come to an agreement.

“Mn.” Han looked at Lando. “What do you think?”

“Forget it,” Lando said, his voice hard. “You want to give us the name, fine-if it checks out, we’ll make sure you’re well paid once we’ve got the ships. Otherwise, shove off.”

Ferrier drew back. “Well, fine,” he said, sounding more hurt than annoyed. “You want to do it all by yourselves, be my guest. But if we get to the ships first, your precious little New Republic’s going to pay a lot more to get them. A lot more.”

Spinning around, he stalked off. “Come on, Han, let’s get out of here,” Lando muttered, his eyes on Ferrier’s retreating back.

“Yeah,” Han said, looking around for the loiterers he’d spotted earlier. They, too, were drifting away. It didn’t look like trouble; but he kept his hand on his blaster anyway until they were inside the Lady Luck with the hatch sealed.

“I’ll prep for lift,” Lando said as they headed back to the cockpit. “You talk to Control, get us an exit slot.”

“Okay,” Han said. “You know, with a little more bargaining-“

“I don’t trust him,” Lando cut him off, running his hand over the start-up switches. “He was smiling too much. And he gave up too easily.”

It was a hard comment to argue against. And as Han had noted earlier, it was Lando’s ship. Shrugging to himself he keyed for spaceport control.

They were out in ten minutes, once again leaving an unhappy group of controllers behind them. “I hope this is the last time we have to come here,” Han said, scowling across the cockpit at Lando. “I get the feeling we’ve worn out our welcome.”

Lando threw him a sideways glance. “Well, well. Since when did you start caring what other people thought about you?”