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After the Imps passed their table, Goa unhitched his blaster and placed it in front of him. “Okay, lad. This is your chance. If the Wook tries to interfere, I’ll blast him to red smoke.”

The moment had come. Greedo felt a mixture of fear and excitement. He closed his eyes and gathered his energies. Suddenly his mind filled with a bright image of a jungle world, dripping green neon leaves, a gathering of little huts and busy half-naked green bodies. He saw himself, and his brother Pqweeduk, running under the tall Tendril trees, running toward the village. He saw his mother standing in the clearing waiting for them. He saw himself and his brother run to her and she held out her arms and hugged them both. Then he was inside the vision, looking up into her huge eyes. She was crying. “What’s the matter, Mother? Why are you sad?” “I am sad and I am happy, Greedo. I am sad because of what must happen. I am happy because you are coming home.”

Greedo snapped out of his trance and a feeling like an electric shock went through him. What was that? he thought.

Goa was staring at him with an annoyed look. “C’mon, kid. Are you gonna make your move? Solo and the Wook are startin’ to leave!”

The Wookiee, Chewbacca, passed their table and disappeared into the lobby. The perfect moment had arrived. Greedo stood up, hand on his blaster.

“Oona goota, Solo?” Going somewhere, Solo?

“Yes, Greedo, in fact I was just going to see your boss. Tell Jabba I’ve got the money.”

“Sompeetalay. Vere tan te nacht vakee cheeta. Jabba warin cheeco wa rush anye katanye wanaroska.” Greedo snickered. “Chas kin yanee ke chusko!” It’s too late, you should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba’s put a price on your head so large every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you.

“Yeah, but this time I’ve got the money.”

“Enjaya kul a intekun kuthuow.” And I found you first.

“I don’t have it with me. Tell Jabba—”

“Tena hikikne. Hoko ruya pulyana oolwan spa steeka gush shuku ponoma three pe.” If you give it to me I might forget I found you. Jabba’s through with you. He has no use for smugglers who drop their cargo at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser.

“Even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?”

“Tlok Jabba. Boopa gopakne et an anpaw.” You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship.

“Over my dead body.”

Goa saw the blaster coming out of Solo’s holster under the table. He relaxed and leaned back, sipping his Sunburn. Poor Greedo, he thought.

“Ukle nyuma cheskopokuta klees ka tlanko ya oska.” That’s the idea. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.

“Yes, I’ll bet you have.”

With a tremendous explosion of light and noise Solo’s blaster propelled a bolt of energy through the wooden table. When the smoke cleared there was very little left of Greedo.

“Sorry about the mess,” said Solo, flipping the bartender a coin.

Spurch Warhog Goa met with the two Rodians on Docking Bay 86, as he made ready to board his ship, the Nova Viper.

The tall one, Thuku, handed Goa a chest of newly minted Rodian coinage, pure gold, each coin embossed with the image of Navik the Red.

“The Rodians thank you, Goa. We would have killed him ourselves, but we can’t let it be known we are hunting our own kind.”

“His clan are all sentenced to die,” said Neesh, making a snorting noise with his green snout.

Goa picked up one of the coins and watched it glint in the bright-hot Tatooine sun. “Yeah … but tell ya the truth, boys, this is one bounty I ain’t too proud of. Least I didn’t have to kill him myself. I knew Solo would take care of that.”

Hammertong:

The Tale of the

“Tonnika Sisters”

by Timothy Zahn

“It’s a dilemma, really, that’s what it is,” Dr. Kellering said in that precise Imperial Prime University voice of his that went so well with his young, upper-class-pampered face. And so poorly with the decidedly low-class tapcafe he and the two women were sitting in. “On the one hand there’s the whole question of security,” Kellering continued. “Especially with all the Rebel