Rebel force that attacked the Death Star?”
“Yes, Highness. He and his friends were instrumental in its destruction. The Wookiee Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, and a young unknown player by the name of Skywalker, all were involved in the debacle.”
“Skywalker?”
Jabba laughed, a deep rumble that echoed from his huge bulk. “Yes, he thinks he is a Jedi Knight, so I understand,” he said when he’d finished laughing. “He was until recently on Tatooine.”
“Where is he now?”
“Who knows? He took his X-wing offplanet only a short time ago.”
Xizor leaned back. “Hmm. It probably means nothing, but perhaps these things will be of use to me. If any of these people return to Tatooine, I would greatly appreciate knowing it.”
“Certainly, Prince Xizor.”
Xizor nodded. He was essentially done, but he continued to carry on a conversation with the Hutt, pretended that Jabba’s opinion was worthwhile and thathe needed to hear it. He let it run for another ten minutes, asked a few questions about Imperial troop movements and naval deployment so that Jabba would think that was the reason he’d been summoned. When he had done what he thought was enough of it, Xizor smiled. “Old friend, this information is most confidential,” he said. “It must remain between us. Your cooperation will be suitably … appreciated.”
The Hutt mirrored Xizor’s smile. Sometimes the touch of a soft word was more powerful than the impact of a hard staff. Jabba was not stupid, and he knew what happened to anyone who crossed the Dark Prince. But—let Jabba think instead he was privy to some vital bit of business, some twisted plot, that he was a trusted confidant. It would do the Hutt’s reputation no harm if his underlings and enemies thought he had the ear of the leader of Black Sun. Fear was good; fear and greed were better.
Xizor nodded and took his leave.
His spies had learned that Darth Vader had turned Solo, a small-time smuggler and sometime Alliance pilot, over to the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett on Bespin. Sooner or later, Fett would show up on Tatooine to deliver Solo and collect his credits. But Xizor’s spies indicated that Fett’s ship,
Slave I
, was not on Tatooine. And so far those spies had not been able to locate the bounty hunter.
Well. It was a large galaxy, and such searches took time.
But he was willing to bet that Skywalker knew about the bounty on his friend and had returned to Tatooine to wait for Fett to show up. That he had left could indicate a lot of things. Perhaps he had gotten tired of waiting, though Xizor did not think that likely. Or perhaps he had pressing business unconnected to Solo. Or perhaps he had, through the Alliance, discovered where his friend was. That was possible, giventhat the Alliance’s contacts were fairly extensive and included much of the famed Bothan spynet.
Well. There was nothing to be done about it, if that was the case. But he could increase his agents’ chances of finding Skywalker.
He reached his sanctum and called Guri. She glided in silently.
“Put out the information that those seeking to claim the reward for Skywalker would be advised to locate the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Sooner or later, Skywalker will likely do so, and appropriate plans can be made for that instance.”
Guri nodded, not speaking.
Xizor smiled.
L eia sat in the
Millennium Falcon’s
lounge, watching Chewie and Threepio play on the hologame board. Lando was in the galley making something that smelled awful for their dinner. Luke sat next to Leia, cleaning the lenses on Artoo’s electrophoto receptors. Luke’s X-wing was locked onto the
Falcon’s
hull—the trip was possible in the fighter, but it was also a long jump to make without sleeping or eating or using the ’fresher.
The
Falcon
hummed along through hyperspace on autopilot, running much better than it had any right to, looking as it did. The first time Leia had seen the Corellian freighter she’d almost
“Yes, Highness. He and his friends were instrumental in its destruction. The Wookiee Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, and a young unknown player by the name of Skywalker, all were involved in the debacle.”
“Skywalker?”
Jabba laughed, a deep rumble that echoed from his huge bulk. “Yes, he thinks he is a Jedi Knight, so I understand,” he said when he’d finished laughing. “He was until recently on Tatooine.”
“Where is he now?”
“Who knows? He took his X-wing offplanet only a short time ago.”
Xizor leaned back. “Hmm. It probably means nothing, but perhaps these things will be of use to me. If any of these people return to Tatooine, I would greatly appreciate knowing it.”
“Certainly, Prince Xizor.”
Xizor nodded. He was essentially done, but he continued to carry on a conversation with the Hutt, pretended that Jabba’s opinion was worthwhile and thathe needed to hear it. He let it run for another ten minutes, asked a few questions about Imperial troop movements and naval deployment so that Jabba would think that was the reason he’d been summoned. When he had done what he thought was enough of it, Xizor smiled. “Old friend, this information is most confidential,” he said. “It must remain between us. Your cooperation will be suitably … appreciated.”
The Hutt mirrored Xizor’s smile. Sometimes the touch of a soft word was more powerful than the impact of a hard staff. Jabba was not stupid, and he knew what happened to anyone who crossed the Dark Prince. But—let Jabba think instead he was privy to some vital bit of business, some twisted plot, that he was a trusted confidant. It would do the Hutt’s reputation no harm if his underlings and enemies thought he had the ear of the leader of Black Sun. Fear was good; fear and greed were better.
Xizor nodded and took his leave.
His spies had learned that Darth Vader had turned Solo, a small-time smuggler and sometime Alliance pilot, over to the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett on Bespin. Sooner or later, Fett would show up on Tatooine to deliver Solo and collect his credits. But Xizor’s spies indicated that Fett’s ship,
Slave I
, was not on Tatooine. And so far those spies had not been able to locate the bounty hunter.
Well. It was a large galaxy, and such searches took time.
But he was willing to bet that Skywalker knew about the bounty on his friend and had returned to Tatooine to wait for Fett to show up. That he had left could indicate a lot of things. Perhaps he had gotten tired of waiting, though Xizor did not think that likely. Or perhaps he had pressing business unconnected to Solo. Or perhaps he had, through the Alliance, discovered where his friend was. That was possible, giventhat the Alliance’s contacts were fairly extensive and included much of the famed Bothan spynet.
Well. There was nothing to be done about it, if that was the case. But he could increase his agents’ chances of finding Skywalker.
He reached his sanctum and called Guri. She glided in silently.
“Put out the information that those seeking to claim the reward for Skywalker would be advised to locate the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Sooner or later, Skywalker will likely do so, and appropriate plans can be made for that instance.”
Guri nodded, not speaking.
Xizor smiled.
L eia sat in the
Millennium Falcon’s
lounge, watching Chewie and Threepio play on the hologame board. Lando was in the galley making something that smelled awful for their dinner. Luke sat next to Leia, cleaning the lenses on Artoo’s electrophoto receptors. Luke’s X-wing was locked onto the
Falcon’s
hull—the trip was possible in the fighter, but it was also a long jump to make without sleeping or eating or using the ’fresher.
The
Falcon
hummed along through hyperspace on autopilot, running much better than it had any right to, looking as it did. The first time Leia had seen the Corellian freighter she’d almost
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