Part 4 (1/2)

Luke offered them only a mysterious shrug. ”Can't say who hired me for the job. Smuggler's code.”

”Think the Alliance could use another smuggler?” Windy asked. ”I'm not a bad pilot myself.”

Deak shoved him. ”Then how come you just crashed your third skyhopper this year?”

Jaxson smacked his hand down on the table. ”You're all going to sit here and joke about joining up with that bunch of cowardly traitors?” he growled. ”Today, of all days? We're here for Biggs, aren't we? He'd be ashamed of you all.”

”Biggs gave his life life for the Rebellion!” Luke blurted. for the Rebellion!” Luke blurted.

”Luke,” Leia said quietly, hoping to remind him that he wasn't supposed to know how Biggs had died. He certainly couldn't admit to seeing it for himself. If anyone suspected Luke had been present for the Death Star explosion, he'd be in even more danger.

”Biggs was an officer in the Imperial Navy,” Jaxson shot back. ”He gave his life for the Empire Empire, not your band of kriffing traitors.”

”You don't know what you're talking about,” Luke said, teeth gritted and face pale.

”If you're right,” Jaxson said, ”then he died a traitor. And the galaxy's better off without him.” Camie gasped. Fixer glared, as Windy and Deak looked like they wanted to crawl under the table.

Luke balled his left hand into a fist. His right hand reached for his lightsaber.

Leia grabbed his arm. ”Luke, let it go,” she urged him in a whisper.

He shook her off. ”Say that again,” he ordered Jaxson, in a low, dangerous voice. ”I dare you.”

CHAPTER FIVE.

”Griggs Pe'et?” Han said, approaching a booth in the cantina's back corner inhabited by a grizzled Balosar. The creature wiggled its retractable antennapalps. Han had met a few Balosars in his day-it was a duplicitous, cowardly, greedy species, and he expected Griggs would be no exception. ”Han Solo,” he introduced himself, sliding into a seat. Chewbacca stayed on his feet, standing guard. ”You said you wanted the best? You got him.”

The Balosar had contacted the Falcon Falcon shortly after the s.h.i.+p jumped away from Yavin 4. He was looking for someone with ”very particular skills” to acquire a ”very particular package”-and he'd been told Han was the man to do it. shortly after the s.h.i.+p jumped away from Yavin 4. He was looking for someone with ”very particular skills” to acquire a ”very particular package”-and he'd been told Han was the man to do it.

That was it. No details about the potential job or the potential fee. Just a name, Griggs Pe'et, and a time and location. Fourteen hundred hours, in a small gambling joint on Tythe, take it or leave it.

Han wasn't in the habit of taking jobs from just anyone.

Just anyone who could pay.

So he and Chewbacca had jumped to the Arkanis sector, and here he was.

Ready for something new.

Kislov's Gambling Palace was a dead end club on a dead end planet, filled with dead-eyed s.p.a.cers looking to make a quick buck. The room was claustrophobic and musty, the muttering quiet punctuated by the occasional shout of protest about a cheating sabacc dealer. (In Han's experience, all all sabacc dealers cheated-it was your own fault if you played without knowing the rules of the game.) A dour Ychthytonian sloshed drinks behind the bar, juggling mugs of grog and caf in each of his four hands. The club looked like a gundark nest and smelled like wet bantha fur. sabacc dealers cheated-it was your own fault if you played without knowing the rules of the game.) A dour Ychthytonian sloshed drinks behind the bar, juggling mugs of grog and caf in each of his four hands. The club looked like a gundark nest and smelled like wet bantha fur.

Han felt right at home.

”As we speak, an Imperial transport is ferrying a valuable s.h.i.+pment to the Imperial satellite station in the Zorna system,” the Balosar said in a hushed tone.

”s.h.i.+pment of what?” Han asked.

”That is not your concern yet,” Griggs Pe'et said. ”Your only concern is that I I want the s.h.i.+pment-and I'm willing to pay for it.” want the s.h.i.+pment-and I'm willing to pay for it.”

”Oh yeah? How much?” Han asked.

”Ten thousand,” Pe'et offered.

Han laughed. ”You want me to infiltrate an Imperial station for ten thousand?

You some kind of comedian?”

Chewbacca growled.

”Don't worry, buddy, I'm sure he was just kidding around,” Han said. ”No need to tear his arms off.” He leaned toward the Balosar, ”That's the thing about Wookiees. They can't take a joke. So how about we talk about the real real price.” price.”

”What did you have in mind?” Pe'et hissed.

Han named a price that was double his usual-just enough to pay back Jabba, with a little leftover for a new exhaust port on the Falcon Falcon.

The alien's antennapalps began to vibrate, shuddering so hard Han half-expected his head to split in two. Pe'et frowned. ”You drive a hard bargain, Solo.

I could get ten men to do it for half that.”

Han shrugged. ”You want the best, you pay for the best.” He jerked his head at Chewbacca, and they stood up together. ”But if you'd rather find someone else-”

”Wait,” the Balosar barked. ”I'll pay. When When I get the s.h.i.+pment.” I get the s.h.i.+pment.”

”You'll pay half up front,” Han said. ”Or no deal.”

Pe'et nodded. ”Then we have an agreement?”

”We have an offer offer,” Han said, enjoying himself. It felt good to be back in his element, doing what he did best. ”My partner and I will have to discuss it.”

The alien nodded again, then stared at them, as if waiting.

” Alone Alone,” Han said.

Griggs Pe'et stood up, muttering something about why he hated dealing with humans. He tossed a datacard down on the table. ”This will tell you how to reach me. I'll need a decision by tonight.”

Once they were alone, Han kicked back in his chair, propping his legs on the table. ”Looks like we got ourselves a job, buddy,” he said contentedly.

Chewbacca barked a question.

”What's to discuss?” Han asked. ”He's got credits, we've got a s.h.i.+p.”

Chewbacca growled.

”All we need need to know about him is that he's willing to pay us forty thousand,” to know about him is that he's willing to pay us forty thousand,”