Star Wars_ X-Wing 04_ The Bacta War - Michael A. Stackpole [24]
Booster kept his left arm draped over Mirax’s shoulders and posted his right fist on his right hip. “I was sorry to hear about your father’s death. No love lost between us, but I respected his tenacity.”
“And my father respected your ingenuity.” Corran gave Booster a thin-lipped smile and got the same one in return. He lifted his chin. “Huff indicated that you’re here to negotiate for the remains of an Imperial arms cache. I’d gotten the impression from Mirax that you were retired and only dealt in collectibles.”
“You’d be surprised what prefall Imperial artifacts are going for today.”
“Lots of weapons collectors out there?”
Booster shrugged. “You Rebels made going to war against the government so popular that everyone is taking it up these days.”
“So you’ll supply them?”
Booster smiled. “I’m merely a broker.”
Huff rubbed his hands together. “So, we can have an auction here. Opening bids.”
Corran shook his head. “No bids. We need what you have. We get it.”
Booster blinked his eyes in surprise. “You need? You need? You’re not on Corellia, Horn. You have no authority here. Your needs are immaterial.”
Mirax twisted out from beneath her father’s arm. “It’s not Corran who needs this stuff. Wedge needs it.”
The elder Darklighter’s smile broadened. “Good, get Wedge Antilles here, and then we’ll have our auction.”
“Wedge, eh?” Booster frowned at Mirax, then glanced over at Huff. “Give it to them.”
“Fine, if you don’t want in, that’s all right by me.” Huff’s smile shrank as he turned toward Corran. “What I have will cost you two million credits—four if you expect me to trust the New Republic for it.”
Booster reached out and slapped Huff on the shoulder. “I told you to give it to them.”
“I am.”
“No, you’re negotiating when I said you should be giving.”
Huff looked confused for a moment, and Corran could sympathize. “You want me to give it to them for free?”
Booster nodded. “If not, I think you’ll find that records of certain transactions that could be considered Palpatinistic could come to light.”
“That’s extortion.”
“No, that’s deal making. I have something you want—my silence—and you have something I want—the weapons to go to Wedge. We exchange wants and everyone is satisfied.”
Mirax interposed herself between Huff Darklighter and her father. “Extortion or deal making, it doesn’t make a difference. We’re not doing it that way, period. If we take things away without compensation, we’re as bad as the Imps. If we let ourselves pay inflated prices, we’ll be as stupid as the Imps. That isn’t what’s going to happen. We’re going to be fair about this.”
She pointed a finger at Huff. “You will get me a complete inventory of the material we’re looking at and will let us inspect the merchandise, choosing random bits to examine ourselves. My father will prepare a list of the prices for all these things in the prevailing market. We’ll pay something below the going price because everyone knows the father of Biggs Darklighter wouldn’t try to make a profit off his son’s comrades, but you will be capitalizing assets for which you have little use here on Tatooine. We’ll pay half now and half when we take possession of the items.”
Huff’s jowls quivered as he shook his head. “You’ll pay fifteen percent over the current—”
Mirax held a hand up. “Stop. I said we’d be fair, I never said we were negotiating. If you want to negotiate, we’ll start from my father’s position and work down to the details of your paying the freight to move the goods we’re taking off your hands.”
Huff Darklighter stared at Mirax, his jaws agape. “Do you know what you’re asking?”
Mirax smiled sweetly. “Only what’s fair.”
Gavin laughed. “Admit it, Uncle Huff, you’ll accept her terms, because you’re not going to get anything better.”
“True, I accept.” Huff nodded his head slowly. “Listen to me, young lady. If you ever find yourself in need of a steady job,