Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 09_ Edge of Victory 02_ Rebirth - J. Gregory Keyes [27]
“How thoughtful of you to finally show up,” the Hutt remarked.
“Happy to be of service,” Han replied, keeping his voice neutral. “And you’d be?”
“Bored,” the Hutt replied.
Han frowned and raised his finger, but Lando cut in smoothly. “Han Solo, meet Bana. He’s here on behalf of the Hutt resistance.”
“And an investor in this … place,” Bana added. “Despite which I’ve been ill treated. Kept in closed quarters for the journey. Very inhospitable.”
“You understand our desire to keep the location of Shelter a secret,” Lando said.
“I understand the insult involved. You imply I might sell the information? My people are fighting for their lives. There is no dealing with the Yuuzhan Vong, neither in goods nor information. They are a mad species, and such sensible things mean nothing to them.” He drew his sluglike body straighter.
“No insult was intended,” Leia soothed.
The Hutt cocked his head. “You are Princess Leia. You were present when my cousin Randa died.”
“I was,” Leia agreed. “He died bravely.”
“This is Numa Rar,” Lando continued, introducing the Twi’lek.
“It is an honor to meet you,” the woman intoned, her pale blue head-tails twisting together.
Jacen spoke for the first time since entering the room. “I recognize you,” he said to Numa Rar.
“Yes. I was a student of the late Daeshara’cor.”
“You may have heard of the resistance on New Plympto, in the Corellian sector,” Lando said. “Numa is a leader of that resistance.”
He turned to the human woman. “Opeli Mors,” he said. “A representative of the Jin’ri trade syndicate.”
“Interesting,” Han said. “I’ve never heard of that organization.”
“Nor have I,” Leia added.
Opeli Mors gave a brief, businesslike smile. “We are a relatively new concern. We formed to meet the needs of refugees soon after the fall of Duro. We welcome the opportunity to expand.”
“War profiteers,” Leia said.
“No business can operate without an income,” Mors said. “Governments have the luxury of taxation. We do not.”
“I know your type,” Leia replied, her voice climbing several degrees with each word. “Profit is one thing. You people gouge until there’s nothing left, then abandon your charges when they can no longer pay.”
“Not true. We underwrite charity cases with monies we make from those who can afford our services. If we could operate on an entirely altruistic level, we would.”
“I’ll bet. What were your bosses before the invasion? Racketeers? Pirates?”
A slight line appeared on Mors’s forehead. “I came here in good faith.”
“Let’s all just calm down,” Jacen said, reprising the role of mediator he had performed during the crisis at Duro. “Why don’t we just get the preliminaries out of the way?”
“I’ve all but begged to move this along,” Bana said.
“Mom?” Jacen said.
Leia was politic enough to know that her son was right. She nodded, sat, and folded her hands together.
“After the fall of Duro, Tsavong Lah, the Yuuzhan Vong warmaster, promised that if all of the Jedi in the galaxy were turned over to him, he would invade no more of our planets. A lot of people have taken him at his word.”
“What concern is this of mine?” Bana asked.
“The Jedi protect even your kind, Hutt,” Numa snarled suddenly.
“But if I see clearly where our friend is going with this, it’s the Jedi who now need protecting.”
“Not this Jedi,” the Twi’lek replied. “I do not ask for rescue, only for help in my struggle.”
“If you would let me continue?” Leia said mildly.
“Go on, please,” Numa said, though she did not seem in the least chastened.
“Yes, we’re trying to establish a network to get Jedi off worlds that are hostile to them to places where they can be safe. But Luke Skywalker’s plan is much more comprehensive than that. We also want to be able to get Jedi into occupied systems—systems like yours, Bana.”
“For what purpose?” Opeli Mors asked.
“To help where they are most needed. To connect with