Part 20 (2/2)

When Durga reached the entrance, he paused to confront Jabba. The Besadii figured that at the best of times, he might be evenly matched with Jabba. At the moment... there was no way.

Guri stepped forward to bow slightly, respectfully. ”Congratulations on the successful outcome of your challenge, Your Excellency.”

Durga turned to regard the woman. ”Guri. You are Prince Xizor~ a.s.sa.s.sin, correct?”

”I serve the Prince in whatever capacity I may,” she said, composedly.

”Could you kill a Hutt?” Durga asked.

”Most certainly,” she replied.

”Then... kill Jabba,” Durga said.

Guri shook her head slightly. ”No, Your Excellency. My orders were to help you effect your revenge against Jiliac. That is accomplished. We will leave now.”

Durga made an abortive move toward Jabba, only to have Xizor's a.s.sistant step between them, her unspoken message very clear. ”We will leave now,” she repeated.

Jabba moved aside to let them pa.s.s as Guri swung herself up nimbly onto Jiliac's repulsor sled. Hearing the pound of running feet, Durga saw guards running toward them, but Jabba stopped them in their tracks with a raised hand.

”I dismissed you earlier!” he said. ”Now leave!”

The guards obeyed with 'alacrity.

Jabba looked at Guri. ”I did not want to lose them.

They are an effective defense against most invaders.”

Guri nodded, and sent the sled gliding away. Durga glared balefully at Jabba, but the last of his strength was gone. He could only slump atop the sled, too exhausted even to savor his victory....

Jabba slowly approached his aunt's ma.s.sive corpse. He could scarcely believe she was dead, and he knew he would miss her. But, as he'd told Han Solo, this was business. For the good of Desilijic as well as his own ....

The sight of the ruined, shapeless head actually had the power to turn his stomach. Jabba knew he wouldn't be hungry for a while.

He considered for a moment, wondering what should be his first actions, now that he was the undis-puted leader of Desilijic. He'd likely be summoned to appear before the Hutt Grand Council, but once they'd heard that this was a Clan Leader Challenge under the Old Law, there would be little they could say.

And, if asked, Jabba would tell them Jiliac had in-deed caused Aruk to be poisoned ....

Without warning, Jiliac moved.

Startled, Jabba jerked upright, incredulous. She~ coming back to life/ She'll be angry/ No! His hearts thudded wildly in shock. What could be happening? There was no doubt his aunt was dead, no doubt at all- The ma.s.sive corpse moved again, and then Jiliac's baby slithered out of her abdominal pouch. Jabba re-laxed. I should have realized, he thought, embarra.s.sed by his momentary superst.i.tious fear.

The little grub-like creature scooted forward, waving its little stubs, gurgling mindlessly.

Jabba stared at it malevolently. He knew he would be confirmed leader of Desilijic no matter what, but why leave any loose ends?

Slowly, purposefully, he slithered toward his aunt's helpless offspring ....

The day after Durga defeated Jiliac, the Besadii leader was so stiff and sore that he could barely move. However, he managed to conceal his pain when Teroenza called him, telling him that Kibbick's body had been s.h.i.+pped home, per Durga's orders.

”Your Excellency,” the High Priest said, ”I need more guards, and therefore I have taken the liberty of hiring some, at my own expense. It is my hope that Be-sadii will reimburse me, but I must have additional pro-tection. These Rebel raids cannot be countenanced.”

”I understand,” Durga said. ”I will attempt to get more guards.”

”Thank you, Your Excellency.”

When he cut the connection, Durga turned to Guri, who had just been taking her leave of him. ”He is get-ting ready to make his move,” Durga said. ”He is preparing to make his break with Besadii.”

Guri nodded. ”I beheve you are correct, Lord Durga.”

”Since the Ylesian troops may well be loyal to Teroenza,” Durga said, ”I need some way to keep the High Priest in line until I can replace him. Thus I have a request for your master, Prince Xizor.” ”Yes, Lord Durga?”

”I ask you to convey to him my request that he grant me some military aid. If he would send troops to Ylesia, that would ease the transition-allow me to get rid of Teroenza, while keeping the Sacredots and Pilgrims content. I know that the prince has extensive resources and several mercenary units at his command. With an effective, modern fighting force on the planet, there is no way that Teroenza's guards would dare mount an armed challenge.” He faced her squarely, despite the pain of his bruised body. ”Will you ask him for me, Guri? Explain the situation?”

”I will,” Guri said. ”However, His Highness rarely dispatches troops except to protect his own interests.”

”I know that,” Durga said dolefully. He didn't like what he was about to say, but better this than to lose everything. ”In return for his support, tell your prince that I will offer him a percentage of this year's Ylesian profits.”

Guri nodded. ”I will convey your proposition, Lord Durga. You will be hearing from His Highness.” She bowed slightly. ”And now . . . I take my leave of you, Your Excellency.”

Durga nodded as well as he could with his aching, stiff neck. ”Farewell, Guri.”

”Farewell, Lord Durga.”

Bria Tharen was working in her office aboard her Marauder corvette, Retribution, when Jace Paol ap-peared on the holocomm. ”Commander, we have an in-coming message for you, your private code, on a verdi secure channel.”

”HQ?” she said.

”No, Commander. This is a civ transmission.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. ”Really?” Not many outsiders had her private code. A few of the Intel-ligence operatives-Barid Mesoriaam and others of his ilk-but they would hardly contact her this directly. ”Well... patch it through to me here, please.”

Moments later, a small image formed atop her comm unit.

Bria stared in surprise. A Hutt? The only Hutt who had her private code was Jabba, so this must be he... though Hutts looked alike to her, especially in a fuzzy holo-message. She spoke to the image. ”Jabba? Is that you, Your Excellency?”

”It is I, Commander Tharen,” the Hutt replied.

”Yes... well... to what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Your Excellency?”

The Hutt leader inclined his head slightly. ”Com-mander Tharen, I ask that you come to Nal Hutta im-mediately. I am now the leader of Clan Desilijic, since my aunt's unfortunate demise. We must talk.”

Bria caught her breath. It had been only a month since her interview with Desilijic. And now Jiliac was dead?

She decided she didn't want to know. Bowing her head respectfully, she said, ”I will come immediately, Your Excellency. I take it you wish to re-open our nego-tiation regarding the Ylesian enterprise?”

”Yes,” said Jabba. ”I have begun placing operatives on Ylesia to take care of the t'landa Til. I am ready to proceed with the Ylesian raid. It is time to put an end to Besadii~ economic tyranny.”

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