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Leia shrugged. “He invited us to make a return visit of state. I’m sure he didn’t mean it, but he can’t back down now that the invitation’s been made. Let’s set up a diplomatic mission on the spot, head out to Nal Hutta as soon as possible. That way Durga will have no forewarning.

“And,” she continued, holding up one finger, “we’ll be accompanied by the New Republic fleet. Wedge and Ackbar must be itching to go on some innocent-sounding war-gaming exercises. Our ships can provide an impressive show of force. If the Hutts happen to get intimidated in the process, so much the better. Let them be nervous, wondering what we’re really up to, and we’ll poke around to find some answers.”

Threepio piped up. “But Mistress Leia, how do you expect to learn anything if you’re so obvious about it? Won’t Durga the Hutt hide anything he knows?”

Leia’s expression became mischievous. “If we come in with all the flash and dazzle we can muster, he may just be blinded to what else we’re doing. Meanwhile, Chewbacca and Artoo can take the Falcon and go to Nar Shaddaa, the Smugglers’ Moon. It’s a seedy place where all the black-market dealings come and go. Durga will be so busy hiding his cards from us, Chewie might find something important on his own.”

Artoo whistled and beeped. “And Artoo, as well,” Leia added. “You two poke around. See what you can find, then we’ll compare notes.”

Chewbacca roared his approval, and finally Leia relaxed enough to finish her lunch.

NAL HUTTA

CHAPTER 22

On the bridge of the Escort Frigate Yavaris General Wedge Antilles felt the old excitement of space combat. His ships charged into the Nal Hutta system under the pretense of Red Team/Blue Team simulated battles in open territory that just happened to be near the Hutt homeworld.

“Boy, are the slugs going to be surprised,” Wedge said.

The lovely and ethereal scientist Qwi Xux left her station and joined him. “Much better than when we took over Maw Installation,” she said. “At least we’re not risking lives this time.”

Wedge nodded. He wanted to hug her, but knew he shouldn’t, since he was in command of the ship, and she was the science officer in training. The work was easy for Qwi, and she enjoyed being with Wedge. Since vowing never to work on developing new weapons systems again, the brilliant alien scientist hadn’t yet found a new calling for her considerable mental energies.

“Check the status of our fleet,” Wedge said to the tactical officer, who displayed a grid showing the components of Blue Team. Though the Yavaris was his flagship, it was not the largest battleship. The cornerstone of his fleet was the monstrous Assault Frigate Dodonna, a highly modified version of the fearsome Imperial Dreadnaughts. The Yavaris was smaller, but it was the ship Wedge had piloted during his successful attack on the Empire’s secret laboratory, Maw Installation.

Surrounding his ships were six smaller, versatile Corellian Corvettes, whose huge banks of engines looked like rocket-launcher emplacements burning blue in the darkness of space. All his ships had strung out in a picket line, with the Dodonna and the Yavaris at the center, flanked on each side by three Corvettes. They cruised into the Nal Hutta system.

Wedge asked the comm officer, “Have we heard from Red Team yet? Has Admiral Ackbar arrived in position?”

Ackbar had taken his own complement of ships on a different approach vector: a trio of Corellian gunships, smaller than the Corvettes, and an enormous Calamarian Star Cruiser, the Galactic Voyager, one of the largest and most powerful ships in the New Republic fleet. Wedge knew, however, that sheer size and firepower did not guarantee a victory. Ackbar was to enter the system from the other side, and the two fleets would engage near Nal Hutta itself.

“Red Team confirms they are in position,” the tactical officer said.

“General Antilles,” the comm officer interrupted. “We have an urgent message from Nal Hutta demanding to know our purpose here.”

Wedge tried to stifle a smug grin. “Let them