Star Wars_ Darth Maul 02_ Shadow Hunter - Michael Reaves [7]
Lorn made no attempt to touch the object that the fence held before him. “Most interesting, and certainly a fair price,” he said. “If it is what you claim it is.”
Zippa looked affronted. “Nifft! You doubt my word?”
Bilk growled and cracked one set of knuckles against the horny palm of his other hand. They sounded like bones snapping.
“No, of course not. I’m sure you believe what you say is true. But there are many unscrupulous vendors out there, and even someone with your discerning eye might conceivably be taken in. All I’m asking for is a little empirical proof.”
Zippa twisted his snout into a grin, exposing teeth scrimshawed with the remnants of his last meal. “And how do you propose we get this proof? A Jedi Holocron can be activated only by someone who can use the Force. Is there something you’re not telling me, Lorn? Are you perhaps a closet Jedi?”
Lorn felt himself go cold. He stepped forward and grabbed Zippa by his fleekskin vest, jerking the surprised Toydarian toward him. Bilk growled and lunged at Lorn, then stopped cold as a hair-thin laser beam scorched his scalp between his horns.
“Settle down,” I-Five said pleasantly, lowering the index finger from which the beam had fired, “and I won’t have to show you the other special modifications I’ve had installed.”
Ignoring the face-off between the droid and the Gamorrean, Lorn spoke in a low voice to Zippa. “I know that was intended as a joke—which is why I’m letting you live. But don’t ever—ever—say anything like that to me again.” He glared into the Toydarian’s protruding watery eyes for a moment longer, then released him.
Zippa quickly assumed a position just behind Bilk, wings beating harder than ever. Lorn could see him swallow the surprise and anger he was undoubtedly feeling as he smoothed away the wrinkles in his vest. Inwardly, Lorn cursed himself; he knew it was a mistake to let his temper get the best of him. He needed this deal; he couldn’t afford to antagonize the Toydarian fence. But Zippa’s remark had taken him by surprise.
“Touched a nerve, looks like,” Zippa said. During the altercation he had held on to the Holocron; now he stuffed it back into his belt pouch. “I didn’t know I was dealing with someone so … temperamental. Maybe I should find another buyer.”
“Maybe,” Lorn replied. “And maybe I should just take the cube and pay you what it’s worth—which I figure is about five thousand creds.”
He saw Zippa’s cavernous nostrils flare. The Toydarian couldn’t resist bargaining, even with someone who had laid hands on him. “Five thousand? Pfah! First you assault me, then you insult me! Twenty thousand is a fair price. However,” he continued, stroking his stubbly, practically nonexistent chin, “it’s obvious that you’ve had some sort of bad experience with the Jedi. I am not without compassion. In recognition of your past tragedy I might be persuaded to lower my price to eighteen thousand—but not a decicred lower.”
“And I am not without some remorse for my behavior. As a gesture of apology, I’ll raise my offer to eight thousand. Take it or leave it.”
“Fifteen thousand. I’m cutting my own throat here.”
“Ten thousand.”
“Twelve.” Zippa leaned back in midair, folding his spindly arms in a gesture of finality.
“Done,” Lorn said. He had been ready to go as high as fifteen, but of course there was no reason for Zippa to know that. He pulled a thick wad of Republic credits from a belt compartment and began counting them. Most transactions uplevels were handled by electronic credit chips, but few people used the chips down here.