Star Wars_ The Han Solo Trilogy 02_ The Hutt Gambit - A. C. Crispin [102]
“What happened?” Durga demanded breathlessly as he undulated up to them, his tail pushing him along in long, swift glides. “Is he going to be all right?”
“We don’t know yet, sir,” the physician said brusquely. He was working hard over the unconscious Hutt, giving him a jab with an injector, then administering oxygen. A circulatory pump stim-unit was adhered to Aruk’s midsection, automatically sending mild jolts into the massive body to keep Aruk’s heartbeat regular.
Aruk’s green-slimed tongue lolled limply out of his mouth. The sight terrified Durga. The young Hutt forced himself to halt several meters away, not wishing to get in the way. “He was talking to his scribe, giving an order about some work, when suddenly, as the droid reported, he just slumped over.”
“What do you think caused this?” Durga said. “Should I summon security, have them seal off the palace?”
“No, sir,” Grodo said. “This is the result of some kind of brain seizure, I suspect due to poor circulation. You know I have been warning your parent about—”
“Yes, yes, I remember,” Durga said. In his anxiety, he grabbed the edge of a low inlaid table, and only realized he’d been twisting it when the heavy wood splintered in his hands.
Minutes later Aruk suddenly blinked, stirred, and then slowly raised himself, looking very puzzled. “What?” he croaked, his deep voice raw. “What happened?”
“You collapsed, Lord,” Grodo said. “Some type of brain seizure. Caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, I suspect.”
“Caused by poor circulation, no doubt,” Aruk grunted. “Well … I feel fine, now. Except that my head is pounding.”
“I can administer something mild for the pain, Lord,” the physician said, triggering his injector.
Moments later Aruk sighed with relief. “Much better.”
“Lord Aruk,” the physician said sternly, “I want you to promise me that you will take better care of yourself. Let this episode be a warning to you.”
Aruk grumbled deep in his massive chest. “At my age, I should be able to do—”
“Please, Father!” Durga blurted. “Listen to Grodo! You must mend your ways!”
The Besadii Lord grunted, then sighed. “Very well. I promise to exercise for at least half an hour each day. And I will give up smoking my hookah.”
“And the rich food!” cried the physician triumphantly, seizing the moment.
“Very well,” Aruk growled. “All except my favorite nala-tree frogs. I will not give them up.”
“I believe we can allow Your Excellency one treat,” Grodo said, now prepared to be magnanimous in light of his win. “If you give up all other rich foods, you may have a sensible amount of nala-tree frogs each day.”
Durga was so relieved to see Aruk recovering that he glided right up to his parent and placed his small hand on that massive neck. “You must take care of yourself, Father. I will exercise with you. It will be more enjoyable that way.”
Aruk’s wide mouth turned up as he regarded his offspring. “Very well, my child. I promise I will take better care of myself.”
“Besadii needs you,” Durga said. “You are our greatest leader, Father!”
Aruk grumbled a bit more under his breath, but Durga could tell that he was pleased by his offspring’s concern.
The young Hutt Lord left his parent to the care of the physician and his med-droid assistants, and went back to his office, badly shaken.
For a moment he’d thought that Aruk was dying, and that he would wind up trying to run Besadii all by himself. Durga had received a frightening insight—he wasn’t ready.
Especially with this crisis coming, he thought. The Imperial fleet may be on its way to attack Nar Shaddaa …
Aruk had told his offspring not to worry, that the Imperials would not harm Besadii, or Ylesia. “We supply them with slaves,” the elderly Hutt said reassuringly. “The Empire needs its slaves. Therefore they need Besadii.”
Durga devoutly hoped that his parent was right about that …
Han, Chewbacca, and Salla Zend stood together on the windswept landing platform, watching Phantasm