Star Wars_ Millennium Falcon - James Luceno [78]
“Well, they made new lives for themselves on Regosh.”
“Even Snowmass?”
“Even Snowmass.” Purn smiled. “He seemed very happy the last time I saw him.”
“Because he didn't have to perform any more circus tricks?”
“Maybe that had something to do with it. But I think Regosh reminded him a little bit of his native Dathomir.”
“My mom—” Allana started to say, then stopped herself and began again. “What happened to the small animals?”
Lament crept into Purn's smile. He turned slightly to face Han and Leia. “Ultimately the pirate attack proved so costly that Dax Doogun was forced to sell everything—even the name Molpol itself.”
“Black Hole was never apprehended?” Leia said.
“Some members were caught. The rest joined forces with the Zann Consortium.”
“I take it that everything included the Falcon,” Han said.
“Unfortunately. If I'd had the credits, I would have purchased the ship, but wealth was long in coming to me.”
A gentle rap sounded from the door and a striking Twi'lek female poked her head into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but you're scheduled to distribute the final prizes.”
Purn beckoned her into the room. “I won't be a moment.” He looked at Han. “Where was I?”
“You would have bought the Falcon …”
Purn nodded. “It's true. The Falcon was one of the first things to go, and, as manager, I personally arranged for the sale to Cix Trouvee.”
“Then what?” Allana asked.
“After Molpol's I returned to piloting, only to discover that I had lost my taste for it, and in its place I had developed a fondness for animals. I worked as a ringmaster for several other outfits and eventually found my way into judging pet shows. Which is what I've been doing ever since.”
Han rubbed his chin. “You said the Falcon already belonged to Molpol when you signed on.”
“Yes. Dax Doogun had acquired the ship several years earlier.”
“Do you know where Dax got it?”
Purn thought for a moment. “I recall that the Falcon was a medical vessel of some sort.”
“Really,” Leia said in surprise.
“But I'm afraid that's all I remember about it.”
“Doogun would remember, wouldn't he?” Han said.
“I'm certain he would. But I haven't had any contact with Dax in, oh, twenty years at least.”
Allana's face fell. “Do you know where he is?”
“I'm sorry, young lady, but I don't know where he is.”
“We'll find him,” Han said confidently, and mostly for Allana's sake.
“You never mentioned what became of Sari,” Leia said.
Purn laughed out loud. “Shame on me. I married her.” He gestured to the Twi'lek waiting patiently by the door. “Sari, allow me to introduce Han, Leia, and Amelia Solo, and their droid See-Threepio.”
“A pleasure,” Sari said.
“On the contrary,” Leia said, smiling broadly.
“You could say the circus brought us together,” Purn said, “but I like to credit the Millennium Falcon.”
“I LOOK RIDICULOUS,” POSTE SAID. WHEN HE EXTENDED HIS ARMS straight out in front of him, the sleeves of the ocher-colored suit rode up almost to his elbows.
“Of course you do. But you're supposed to be an advertising exec, so who's going to notice.”
Dressed in a magenta jumpsuit and knee-high soft boots, Jadak guessed he didn't look much better. But he was certain that he and Poste could pull off the charade long enough to hold up their end of the job.
Wearing only underwear, the two actual owners of the suits were slumped in the hotel room's spacious and opulent refresher, ankles and wrists bound with electrocuffs and mouths covered with adhesive tape. Poste and Jadak had arrived on Holess only a local hour earlier. At the spaceport they had rented a luxury airspeeder and had flown directly to their posh hotel in the center of the city. In their thirty-sixth-floor room, which enjoyed an unobstructed view of the Mount of Justice, Jadak, Poste, and two of Rej Taunt's hoodlums were lying in wait. The executives scarcely had a chance to open their luggage when they were rendered unconscious by the pair of Weequays. The larger man's suit was simply a loose fit on Jadak, but the smaller man's made Poste look like he'd been shrink-wrapped in lineneen. Still, the two