Star Wars_ Millennium Falcon - James Luceno [14]
“We were in school together,” Bammy said. “For a while, anyway.”
Taunt heaved himself over on his massive belly. “They mentioned something about a ship.”
“Word in the depths is that you're looking for one.”
“For once the rumor is correct. What have you found me?”
“An old YT-Thirteen-hundred.”
Taunt turned his head so he could look directly at Bammy. “Now what would I want with a freighter?”
“It's not just any freighter. It has a great pedigree.”
“What year?”
“A 'twenty-five.”
“Before Synch?”
Bammy nodded. “A classic.”
Taunt did the mental calculations. “Now I've got to ask: what would I want with a freighter forty standard years old?”
“You're looking for something low-profile but powerful, easy to maintain, and fuel-efficient.”
“For the moment let's say I am. When could I see it?”
“It, uh, needs some work first.”
Taunt's silence told him to continue.
“It was involved in a collision a month or so back.”
Taunt's eyes narrowed. “You're not trying to sell me on that YT that slammed into the Jendirian Valley Three?”
Bammy swallowed audibly. “I am.”
Taunt exhaled hard, steam swirling about. “What I heard, they had to scrape the pilots off the Valley's hull.”
“I heard the same. They ejected in a pod, but the YT spun at the last instant and the pod was flattened.”
“Ouch.”
“That's probably half what the pilots said.”
“And the YT?”
“It was hard hit. But the beauty of those ships is that they're pretty much made to come apart. Best of all, no other salvagers are interested in it. It's just drifting out there with all the other ships that haven't made it downside for one reason or another.”
“Maybe that's what's best for it—and for Nar Shaddaa. Our own little asteroid field.”
“It would have to be rebuilt bow-to-midships,” Bammy went on, “but most of the core is sound. The sublight can be repaired, and the hyperdrive can easily be rebuilt or upgraded.”
Taunt thought about it. “A freighter? I don't know. Can it be turned into more of a passenger ship?”
“Would you be piloting?”
Taunt laughed heartily. “Do I look like a pilot?”
“I was just thinking about seating and such.”
Taunt raised himself up on one elbow. “I'd want a couch and bunk suitable to my frame, and others for companions I might choose to bring along. I'd want to keep some areas for freight, but I want comfortable cabin spaces and secret compartments for whatever I may wish to conceal from the prying eyes of customs officials. I don't particularly care how the ship presents—it can look beat-up on the outside. In fact, the more dilapidated it looks, the better. But the interior has to be clean and tidy.”
Bammy was nodding and grinning. “Again, that's the beauty. It can be configured just about however you want. For instance, if you want weapons—”
Taunt cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand. “Nothing like weapons to draw the attention of pirates. Maybe a couple of small repeaters tucked into the bow for emergencies. But I'll bring support craft if I anticipate major trouble.” He thought for a moment. “The serial number, drive signature, and registry can be altered?”
“Can do. Of course I'd leave the name for you to choose. If you want, I can equip it with a transponder that will keep interested parties confused.”
“Even those new Imperial ships?”
“Even those. So far we're managing to stay one step ahead of the Emperor's techs.”
“How much is all of this going to cost me?”
“I don't have a final figure yet. I have to have it brought down the well. Then there's the parts … Assuming the power plant and sub-lights are reparable, the biggest cost will be the hyperdrive, if it needs one.”
Taunt rolled over on his opposite side. “Get back to me when you have a firm price.”
A recording droid keeping pace with him, Bammy took stock of YT-1300 492727ZED, which at some point during her forty-odd years had acquired the name Stellar Envoy. His booted feet sloshing through lubricant puddled on the floor, he was practically yelling to be heard over the racket of servowelders and cutting torches, power