Star Wars_ Millennium Falcon - James Luceno [41]
Nearly everyone applauded.
A Falleen stepped to the podium. “The next item up for auction is number seventy-one-dash-zero-zero in the catalog—a chandelier from the principal dining room of Ralltiir's Darpa Hotel. Made of electrum, the piece has undergone substantial restoration but is fully provenanced. The piece has a suggested opening bid of …”
Oxic stopped listening and turned his attention to the exquisitely designed holocatalog. Items from Ralltiir were of no interest to him, Republicana or no. Some beings were fascinated by items from Alderaan or Naboo; others with Hutt artifacts. But Coruscant was and would remain the focus of his collection, and his obsession. He was advancing through the catalog when Koi Quire slid effortlessly into the adjacent seat he had held for her.
“How was the trip?” he asked.
“Uneventful. A pity you lost the statue.”
Oxic cut his eyes to the Bith. “I'd like to know who he's representing.”
“We can find out.”
“Yes, by all means, let's do that.”
With Firrerreos on the brink of extinction, Koi Quire was herself a collectible, rare as any of the pieces up for auction. She had come to Oxic's law firm fifteen years earlier, following the Yuuzhan Vong's success in turning Belderone's native population against the displaced Firrerreos it had once welcomed, and had instantly become an invaluable asset. Her innate powers of intuition were unmatched, and often her mere presence in a courtroom was enough to sway a jury. Aware of the peculiarities of Firrerreon culture, Oxic had never asked to know her real name and Koi had never volunteered it, though he believed she trusted he would never have made use of the knowledge to secure her allegiance.
“Standing room only,” she said, taking in the room.
“More and more with every auction.” Oxic sighed. “We have Chief of State Daala to thank for it. Her leadership of the GA has resulted in a resurgence of interest in late Republicana and early Imperial artifacts. As a speculator, one can't go wrong. But the serious collector suffers for it.”
“Then I have news that may cheer you up,” she said softly. “Your investment is on the move.”
Oxic tensed in excitement but managed to keep his voice conspiratorial. “Where is he?”
“Headed to Nar Shaddaa—on the new legs you paid for, and using Core Life's indemnity payment.”
“His memory has returned?”
“Presumably, since he didn't bother to check out of Aurora or wait for an official discharge. Sompa followed instructions and allowed him to pay a midnight visit to his office. He managed to deactivate surveillance using a code we think he picked up from Ril Bezant.”
“The psychotherapist?”
“During a session in her office, she briefly turned off the cams, either in the interest of earning Jadak's trust or to provide him with the code in the belief he would take matters into his own hands. He has a way, in any case.”
Oxic inclined his head in interest. “Don't tell me—”
“He wanted to show me around Aurora.”
“Why did you decline?”
“He was already suspicious about the insurance policy. I decided there might be some benefit to keeping him agitated. By the time I left he was ready to bite my head off.”
“Your insight appears to have served us well.”
“He didn't bother checking Sompa's office for redundant cams. Or maybe at that point he didn't care about being watched. He used Sompa's computer to execute a number of searches and requests, and discovered a Nar Shaddaa Holonet reference to the collision.”
“Clever. But why would he opt to go to Nar Shaddaa? Surely Palpatine's opponents wouldn't have cached the treasure there.”
Quire shrugged. “It could be that he's looking for additional information regarding the death of his copilot, Reeze.”
Oxic shook his head. “Jadak wouldn't need to go all the way to Nar Shaddaa for that.”
“Then perhaps he's hoping to pick up his life where it left off.”
Oxic considered it. “I suggest we collect him.”
“So soon?”
“I don't want to risk involving others in this matter.”
“There's always a chance of that.”
“Direct Cynner