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The bloated wormlike creature reclined on a broad pallet that drifted above the floor on a cushion of repulsor-lifts. But Durga moved forward through the plodding efforts of a team of Gamorrean slaves lashed to the floating platform by red velvet bonds. The piglike guards kept their squinting eyes to the polished flagstones. Drips of moisture splattered the floor as the Gamorreans either perspired heavily or simply drooled.

Stooped, lizard servants trooped into the audience chamber in front of the Gamorrean guards. Their triangular heads bobbed low to the ground as they placed electronic music synthesizers to their lips and hissed into the voice pickups. The computer then processed and transmitted the noises as beautiful brassy reception music.

Durga the Hutt heaved himself up, as if to emphasize his importance. If anything, Durga seemed even fatter than Jabba. His sloping head was like a sagging mound of slime, stained by some sort of birthmark like dark green ink thrown in his face; his huge round eyes were like spoiled fruit. His childlike hands seemed out of place on his swollen body.

What made Leia’s breath catch in her throat, though, were the dozens and dozens of hairy creatures swarming over Durga and his retainers like large simian lice. The creatures were each about the size of Leia’s forearm with grayish brown fur and large curious eyes. Each one had four supple arms that ended in dexterous fingers. The two legs appeared flexible enough to be used as a third set of arms and hands, should the need arise. The creatures constantly shifted position like vermin, blinking their eyes and staring in all directions as if voracious for information.

Threepio stepped forward and spoke his preprogrammed message. “The New Republic gives greeting to mighty Durga,” he said, but then his own personality won out. “And—if I might be permitted to ask—what are those furry … creatures with you?”

“Does a protocol droid speak for you?” Durga said in his deep belly voice.

“I would appreciate an answer to his question,” Leia said. “I am Chief of State Leia Organa Solo.”

“My immediate apologies for the … unsettling dealings you have had with Hutts in the past,” Durga said. “My people have been known to carry grudges for a long time, because we are such long-lived creatures.”

“Yeah? Well, Jabba didn’t live so long,” Han muttered. Leia gestured for him to be quiet.

“Times change,” Durga continued, clasping his small hands in front of him. “Many of my clan members are disturbed that I should speak to you, but it means a great deal to me. I am willing to let past matters fade to shadows for the profit and improvement of our situations. I would appreciate if you could do the same, at least for the sake of these conversations.”

Leia nodded, cool and aloof. “I agree for the moment,” she said, “but you still haven’t answered my droid’s question. I, too, am interested in your furry companions. We haven’t seen their like before.”

“Ah, please excuse me,” Durga said. “These are the Taurill, semi-intelligent creatures, busy workers and good pets. They passed all quarantine scans when we arrived on Coruscant. They are insatiably curious and would like to explore. They intend no harm.”

Leia then used a tactic Luke had taught her, urging that even if she did not intend to become a full Jedi Knight, she should at least learn to use her Force sensitivity in diplomatic matters. This was a skill Leia couldn’t afford to ignore, and as she sat calm-faced, her mind worked furiously, attempting to sense the real purpose behind Durga’s mission.

She detected distant reactions from the Gamorrean guards—who knew virtually nothing about their own situation. The Taurill were a fuzzy, confusing mass of faint impressions … but Durga the Hutt remained a blank wall to her. Somehow, his mind was strong enough to resist her probing, or perhaps the Hutts were genetically shielded, because she remembered that Luke also could not read or manipulate Jabba the Hutt.

“If my pets make you uncomfortable,” Durga