Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry

hard, he could shatter the jewel, and if he did, he’d have to cook another one and start over.
    Chewie sat watching him, apparently very interested, while Leia napped in the bedroom. Lando had left them all at Ben’s and taken the landspeeder to town. He was due back soon …
    Chewie looked away, hearing something. He spoke.
    Threepio, who was playing some kind of word translation game with Artoo, turned. “Chewbacca says Master Lando has returned.”
    Luke nodded but concentrated on his task. He tapped the cutter with the little wooden hammer …
    A flat sliver of the stone flaked off. All right! Perfect—
    Lando came in, grinning.
    “What are you so happy about?” Luke said.
    “I just got a coded call from Dash Rendar. That is Boba Fett’s ship on Gall.”
    In theory, only the Empire could use the expensive and restricted HoloNet; in practice, anybody with a little primary electronic education could tap into the net, use a few relays, and make calls easily. And to add insult to injury, make the Empire pay for it, too.
    Luke jumped up. “When can we leave?”
    “I’ve got the
Millennium Falcon
ready to go. How long will it take you to get your X-wing operational?”
    “Soon as Artoo and I get on board!”
    “Get on board what?” Leia said from the doorway. She rubbed sleep from her eyes.
    “It looks as if we’ve found him,” Lando said.
    “I’ll meet you in orbit,” Luke said. He grinned. The waiting was over.
    Leia said, “I’ll get off a coded call to the Rogues.”
    Luke nodded.
    They were going to get Han.
    J abba waited in the visitors’ chamber. The Dark Prince entered and looked at the Hutt. Such gross and ugly creatures they were, but no less useful for that.
    “” Jabba said, in Huttese.
    “Speak Basic,” Xizor said.
    “As you wish.”
    “How goes your business, Jabba? Are things well in your sector?”
    “They could be better. Revenues are up, generally. Of course, the cost of Imperial bribes has also risen. As have shipping and salaries. But one does what one must.”
    “I understand you have had some dealings with high officials in the Empire of late.”
    Jabba looked quizzical. As quizzical as Hutts could look.
    “I speak of Lord Vader.”
    “Ah. Not directly, Highness. I recently engaged several bounty hunters to, ah, collect a bad debt. As it happened, one of them—Boba Fett, I believe you have utilized him yourself a time or two?—managed to locate the, ah,
source
of the debt in Imperial hands. Lord Vader was in command of the situation. A coincidence, I am told.”
    “You are speaking of Captain Solo, I believe.”
    It was not a question, and it was meant to remind Jabba that Xizor had more than a few sources of intelligence himself. This was a tricky game, and it had to be balanced precisely. Xizor needed information, but he could not reveal what it was and thus must circle around it. He also had to let the Hutt know who was in charge, and showing him he knew trivial things was part of that.
    He saw Jabba get it.
    “A minor smuggler,” Jabba offered. “He has had his uses in the past, but he joined the Alliance and does owe me money.”
    “Some refreshment, Jabba?”
    “Thank you. Something crunchy?”
    Xizor waved a hand and a serving droid appeared almost instantly, bearing a tray of insectoids and some vile liquid Hutts were known to favor.
    “Ah, thank you, Highness.” He picked up one of the wiggling things and ate it.
    Xizor leaned forward, as if to convey a sense of closeness. “I have had some dealings with Vader myself of late,” he said. “Your presence here is most important, Jabba; information, even the smallest details about the Dark Lord of the Sith, will be most helpful to me in my present situation. This deal with Boba Fett, has it been finalized yet?”
    “Not yet, my prince. I am awaiting delivery of Captain Solo.”
    As if remembering a small and insignificant fact, Xizor said, “Hmm. Wasn’t this Solo part of a