Star Wars_ X-Wing 04_ The Bacta War - Michael A. Stackpole [44]
Wedge winced. “I can’t imagine …” There certainly were times when Wedge would have welcomed less excitement in his life, but not year after year of it. I’d have gone out of my mind.
“When I got out, I made one trip on the Pulsar Skate, but the solitude of hyperspace reminded me too much of Kessel. That’s why I retired and gave Mirax the ship. Now I travel and do deals for friends because it means I’m constantly meeting folks and getting to know them and learn about them. I’m trying to fill the void that Kessel left in me, and piloting Cloudrider isn’t going to do that for me.”
Wedge nodded. “I understand, though I wish it were otherwise. You’ve got skills I need.” He sat back in his chair. “Having someone I can rely on doing a job that badly needs to be done would be a big help.”
A smile slowly grew on Booster’s face. “I have an idea for you that might serve both of us and cover up some loose ends.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Let me run this station.”
“What?”
“Look, you have this station that’s been a trade staple in this region for a very long time. You’ve got the Republic thinking it’s been destroyed, which means your enemies think that, too, but ships that come in-system to make navigational adjustments can still see it here. You’re fooling no one, and the fact that you’ve shut the station down to folks who have been here a lot means you’re making them angry. That, in turn, means that someone is going to sell you out to Iceheart.”
“We figured that.”
“Well, you should also figure this: Pretty soon no one is going to want to be trading with Thyferra. You’re giving away what Vorru wants to charge for. His only recourse is to cut off the bacta supply going to folks who deal with you. Once he does that, you’re dead.” Booster pressed his hands together. “On the other hand, if we open this station to trade, we start generating capital for this operation and we have people bringing us information and equipment. We develop suppliers who are in our debt because of this station—which means they won’t want to betray you—and who bring the material here to us instead of having us go out and get it.”
“And running the station would mean you’d be anything but bored.”
“There’s that, too.”
Wedge closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He’d known all along that the location of his base would get out, but Booster’s idea of making the secret’s preservation valuable to smugglers and traders did suggest it might last longer. All the years the Empire searched for Rebel bases, it wasn’t our trade partners who sold us out. And the prediction of Vorru’s action was pretty much what Wedge had figured Vorru’s response would be. Wedge had been gambling that gratitude for the free bacta would keep trade channels open, but he agreed that supplying a profit motive would go much further in that regard.
He opened his eyes. “Okay, that works for me. What do we use as a cover story for why part of the station is restricted?”
Booster shrugged. “Does it matter? We can start all manner of rumors, from your desire to emulate Warlord Zsinj and carve out your own empire to your desire to build a force to wrest Corellia away from the Diktat or even that you and Isard are working a racket to spike the price of bacta. The greater the number of rumors the better, quite frankly, since they will armor the truth and result in folks bringing us information to further our plans—whatever they might be. As long as there is some mystery here, and folks smell profits in trying to figure it out, we’ll be covered.”
Wedge nodded thoughtfully. “I suspect that your taking this position means you’ll be pitted against Vorru in this war to control trade and information.”
“And that won’t be boring at all.” Booster’s smile broadened to the edges of his face. “This will be grand.”
“I hope you’re correct.” Wedge stood and stepped away from the station manager’s chair. “Booster Terrik, this station is all yours. May the Force be with you.”