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“No, human!” Jabba was impatient. “Jiliac and myself, as always! Don’t you have eyes? Didn’t you notice her skin texture? Her condition is plain!”

Han looked over at Jiliac, and suddenly realized that the Hutt did appear different. Warty excrescences had erupted on the being’s face, and purplish patches mingled with the greenish ones on the leathery tan skin. Jiliac also appeared bigger, and rather lethargic. Oh, wonderful, I get to play nursemaid to a sick Hutt? Great!

“Uh, Lord Jiliac, are you feeling—” Han began, only to have Jabba round on him with withering scorn.

“Human idiot! Can’t you see that Lord Jiliac is now Lady Jiliac? She is expecting! In her delicate condition, she really should not make this effort, but we Desilijic are nothing if not faithful to our duty!”

She? Pregnant? Han’s mouth dropped open, and Chewie roared softly in surprise.

Han recovered quickly, and bowed to Jiliac. “Your pardon, Lady Jiliac. I am not familiar with your species’ … uh, er … reproductive habits. I meant no offense.”

Jiliac blinked at Han sleepily. “No offense taken. My people reproduce as they will, and I decided it was time for me to do so. My child is due in a few months. I will be able to make the trip safely, my nephew Jabba is merely over-protective. But a smooth flight would be advisable.”

“Yes, lady,” Han said, bowing. “Smooth flight to Nal Hutta. Leaving this afternoon. I’ll get right on it.”

“Very well, Captain. You are dismissed. We wish to leave as soon as possible.”

Han bowed again, and left, with Chewie trailing behind him. As soon as he was out of sight, he shook his head. Hutts! The more I get to know them, the weirder they are …

A veritable tide of Hutts wriggled and glided toward the large Hutt Grand Council Hall on Nal Hutta. Jabba and Jiliac undulated along, side by side, accompanied by the Desilijic security guards. Most of the Hutts preferred to move under their own power if they still could. It was permissible to show weakness before humans and other underlings, but in the company of their own kind, Hutts preferred to appear strong and fit. All of Desilijic moved under their own power, and among the Besadii clan, only Aruk was too old and corpulent to manage without his sled.

As the Hutts moved toward the council chambers, they and their guards passed through multiple security and scanning devices. None of the guards was allowed a weapon, and each attendee was scanned, internally as well as externally, to make sure no dangerous substances were being smuggled into the hall. Hutts were not trusting beings, especially in the company of other Hutts—and with good reason. Long ago, every prominent Hutt on Nal Hutta had been eliminated en masse by a single ingenious assassin.

Hutts were determined that nothing like that would ever happen again.

The Grand Council Hall was a huge room, big enough to comfortably hold nearly fifty Hutts. At the moment twenty-seven Hutts were gathered—representatives of all the major clans and kajidics, as well as “neutral” parties from the Hutt government who would be overseeing and administering the conference.

The Hutt homeworld was governed by the Grand Council—an oligarchy composed of one representative appointed by each major Hutt clan. In reality, though, the power of the crime syndicates—the kajidics—was far greater than that of the Grand Council.

Jabba and Jiliac had summoned two other Desilijic members to attend them. Aruk had brought the Besadii contingent, consisting of himself, his offspring Durga, and his nephew Kibbick. Jabba was pleased to note that a t’landa Til trailed in Kibbick’s wake. Jiliac was right, Besadii had indeed summoned Teroenza.

After the mass of Hutts had arranged themselves in a circle around the speaker’s platform, the conference was brought to order by the Executive Secretary of the Grand Council, a Hutt named Mardoc. After each of the clans had officially identified itself and its contingent, Mardoc spoke again:

“Comrades-in-power, siblings-in-profit, I have convened you today to discuss some very serious