• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

“And how would we use them?”

“The nala-tree frogs are far from being higher life-forms. They have almost no brain to speak of. I doubt exposure to your poison would kill them.”

“From what I know of this substance, that would be so,” Jiliac said. “Continue, please.”

“I could raise the nala-tree frogs in water to which I have added your poison,” Teroenza said. “From the time they are small wigglers, they would be swimming through water containing concentrations of your substance. The nala-tree frogs’ tissues would be riddled with the poison—and Aruk will consume them greedily! As the months go by, I increase the concentration of the poison in the water, and Aruk gradually consumes more and more of the poison. Over time, he becomes addicted to it. Then, when he’s thoroughly dependent on the substance—” He made a quick yanking-away gesture. “No more poison! Clean frogs!”

“And he will die in agony,” Jiliac said. “Or suffer permanent brain damage. Either of which will serve our needs.”

Jabba leaned forward. “I say we do it. Jiliac’s scheme fits all our requirements.”

“I will transmit the first of your payments,” Jiliac said. “You must tell me where you want the credits sent.”

Teroenza’s bulging eyes took on a crafty gleam. “Rather than credits, I would mostly like items for my collection. That way I can hide the payments. When I need credits, I can sell off a piece, and no one will be the wiser.”

“Very well,” Jiliac said. “You must provide us a list of acceptable items. If we cannot find them, we shall deposit credits instead. But we will try for the pieces for the collection.”

“Excellent,” said Teroenza. “We have a deal.”

“A toast,” cried Jabba. “To our alliance, and to Aruk’s end.”

“A toast!” echoed Teroenza, raising an ornate cup. “My first use of my new wealth will be to place such a high bounty on Han Solo’s head that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for him!”

“To the death of Aruk!” Jiliac said, raising her cup.

“The death of Aruk!” Jabba exclaimed.

Teroenza hesitated for barely an instant, then said, with great resolution, “The death of Aruk … and of Solo.”

Together, they drank.

After Teroenza had left, to be spirited back to Ylesia aboard the Dragon Pearl, Jabba and Jiliac began planning their strategy. When Aruk was gone, they would gradually take over the Ylesian operation. One by one, they would eliminate key Besadii, until the decimated clan would fall into penury and obscurity.

The thought made them extremely cheerful.

Their good mood was broken, however, by Lobb Gerido, who appeared, wringing his hands. “Your Excellencies … one of your operatives on Regolith Prime has just forwarded a vid-cast to us. Most disturbing news from Imperial Center! The pilot has recorded it. If Your Excellencies will turn on your holo-projector …”

Concerned, Jiliac did so. The three-dimensional scene built before them, and the Hutts recognized their local Moff, Sarn Shild. This was obviously a formal press conference setting. Behind Shild, they could see the familiar skyline of Imperial Center, the planet that used to be called Coruscant.

“Citizens of the Inner and Outer Rim Territories,” he said, his pale features beneath waxy dark hair set in grim lines, “our exalted and wise Emperor has been forced to put down yet another insurrection in Imperial space. Vicious rebels, using weapons that have been traced to our sector, attacked an Imperial emplacement on Rampa II, wounding and slaying a number of Imperial troops.

“The Emperor’s reprisal has been immediate, and the rebels have been routed and captured. Many civilian lives were lost when the rebel butchers turned their weapons on innocent citizens. This outrage cannot be allowed to continue!

“Our Emperor has called upon all of his loyal sectors to aid him in cutting off the trafficking in illegal weaponry. I am proud to say that I am responding to the Emperor’s call in the most immediate and visceral terms. We all know that the source of much of the illegal gunrunning and drug