"Ann Crispin "Han Solo. Rebel Dawn"" - читать интересную книгу автора

Durga kept Zier on a very short leash, however, and trusted him not at all. The two Hutt lords fenced back and forth verbally as they ate, each watching the other as a predator regards prey.
Just as Durga was lifting a particularly succulent morsel to his mouth, his majordomo, a servile, pale Chevin humanoid, appeared. "Master, there has been a message sent. You are to expect an important holo-transmission from Coruscant within a few minutes. Do you wish to take it here?"
Durga gave Zier a quick glance. "No. I'll take it in my office."
He undulated ‘after the Chevin, Osman, until he reached his office. The "connection" light was just be-ginning to flash. Is it Myk Bidlor with news about the substance found in my parent's brain tissues? the Hutt wondered. He had clearly gained the impression from the human that it would be some time, perhaps months, before they would complete their investigation.
Waving the bowing Chevin humanoid out of the room, Durga activated the security locks, keyed on the "shielded frequency" field, and then accepted the communication.
A blond human female suddenly stood before him, nearly life-sized. Durga wasn't very familiar with human standards of attractiveness, but he recognized that she appeared fit and limber. "Lord Durga," she said. "I am Guri, aide to Prince Xizor. The prince would like to speak with you personally."
Oh, no/If Durga had been human, he would have broken out in a sweat. But Hutts did not sweat, though their pores did secrete an oily substance that kept their skin comfortably moist and slick.
Aruk the Hutt had not raised a fool, however, so none of Durga's unease showed. Instead he inclined his head, the closest a Hutt could come to a humanoid bow. "The prince honors me."
Before Durga's eyes, the figure of Guri stepped to one side of the transmission field, and was almost in-stantly replaced by the tall, imposing form of the Falleen prince, Xizor, the leader of the huge criminal empire known as Black Sun.
Xizor's people, the Falleen, had evolved from a rep-tilian species, though the prince was very humanoid in appearance. His skin had a definite greenish cast, and his eyes were flat and expressionless. His body was mus-cled and lithe, and might have been in his mid-thirties (though Durga knew his age was closer to one hun-dred). Xizor% skull was bare save for a topknot of long black hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore an expen-sive surcoat over a one-piece garment that resembled a pilot% jumpsuit.
As Durga gazed at Xizor, the leader of Black Sun in-clined his head in a faint nod. "Greetings, Lord Durga. It has been several months since I have heard from you, so I thought it best to see for myself that you are well. How is Besadii doing in the wake of your esteemed par-ent's untimely death?"
"Besadii is doing well, Your Highness," Durga said.
"Your help was most appreciated, I assure you."
When Durga had first succeeded to the leadership of Besadii, he'd faced so much opposition from other lead-ers in the clan-mostly due to the young Hutt's unfor-tunate facial birthmark, which Hutt lore held to be an extremely bad omen-that he'd had to ask Prince Xizor for help. Within a week after his request, Durga's three main opponents and detractors had died in "unrelated" accidents. Opposition had grown far quieter after that ....
Durga had paid Xizor for his help, but the princek fee had been so modest, so much less than the young Hutt lord was expecting, that Aruk% heir knew he hadn't seen the last of Black Sun.
"I was only too glad to provide whatever assistance you needed, Lord Durga," Xizor said, spreading his hands apart in a gesture that conveyed sincerity. Durga didn't have any trouble believing the Falleen Prince was sincere. The Besadii Lord had known for a long time that Black Sun would be only too happy to gain a foothold in Hutt space. "And I must say, it is my most humble wish that we will have cause to work together again."
"Perhaps we will, Your Highness," Durga said. "At the moment, ‘all my time is taken up with running the affairs of my clan, and I have little time for anything outside Nal Hutta."
"Ah, but surely you have time for Besadiik Ylesian in-terests," Xizor said, as if doing nothing more than musing aloud. "Such an impressive operation, such efficiency, .all of it achieved in such a comparatively short span of time. Most impressive."
Durga felt his stomach contract around his supper. So that is what Xizor wants, he thought. Ylesia. He wants a share of the Ylesian profits.
"Of course, Your Highness," Durga said. "Ylesia is essential to Besadii's business interests. I take my duties toward our Ylesian enterprise most seriously."
"That does not surprise me at all, Lord Durga," the Falleen Prince said. "I would have expected no less. Your people are akin to mine in their efficiency in run-ning their business affairs. So much better than many of the other species that pride themselves on their busi-ness acumen, frankly... like the humans, for instance. All their dealings colored by emotion, rather than re-maining rational and analytical."
"Indeed, Your Highness, you are entirely correct," Durga said.
"However, both our peoples have regard for family ties," Xizor said, ‘after a moment's pause.
What in the name of all the denizens of space is he getting at? Durga wondered. The Hutt Lord was com-pletely in the dark, and that irritated him greatly. "Yes, that is also true, Your Highness," Durga agreed after a moment, keeping his voice neutral.
"My sources reveal that you may need some assis-tance in discovering the truth behind your parent's death, Lord Durga," Xizor said. "Apparently some . . . irregularities have surfaced."
How did he learn about the forensic report so quickly? Durga wondered, then he mentally shook himself. This was Black Sun he was talking to, the greatest criminal or-ganization in the entire galaxy. It was possible that not even the Emperor himself had better spy networks.
"My people are conducting investigations," Durga said, neutrally. "I will let you know if I require assis-tance, Your Highness. But I am gratified by your wish to help me in my bereavement."
Xizor inclined his head respectfully. "Family must be honored, debts must be paid, and, when necessary, vengeance must be swift, Lord Durga. I am sure my sources could be of considerable assistance to you." He looked Durga square in the eye. "Lord Durga, let me be frank. Black Sun's interests in the Outer Rim are not being served as capably as they could be. It seems to me that we would do well to ‘ally ourselves with the natural masters of that region of space-the Hutts. And it is very evident to me that you, Lord Durga, are N'al Hutta's rising star."
Durga was not flattered by Xizor's words, nor reas-sured. Instead he flashed back to a conversation with his parent. Prince Xizor had contacted Aruk several times in the past two decades, and had made the Be-sadii lord several similar offers. Aruk had always refused as gracefully as possible. The Besadii Lord knew better than to anger Xizor, but he did not want to become one of the Falleen prince's lieutenants, or, as Xizor termed them, ‘Wigos."
"The power of Black Sun is seductive, my child," Aruk had said. "But beware it, for there is no turning back as long as Prince Xizor is ‘alive. Easier in some way to say no to the Emperor himself. Give Black Sun a kilometer, and they will take a parsee. Remember this, Durga."
I remember, Durga thought, and faced the holo-image squarely. "I will think upon your words, Prince Xizor," Durga said. "But at the moment, Hutt custom demands that I pursue my investigations and possible vengeance as a sacred... and solo... trust."
Xizor inclined his head again. "I quite understand, Lord Durga. I shall look forward to hearing from you when you have had the time to ponder my proposal."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Durga said. "Your con-cern honors me, and your friendship pleases me."
For the first time, Xizor smiled faintly, then he reached out and broke the connection.
The moment the prince's holo-image vanished, Durga let himself slump. He felt exhausted ‘after fencing with the Falleen prince, but congratulated himself that he'd held up rather well.
Ylesia. He wants a share in Ylesia, he thought. Well, Xizor could want all he pleased, but wanting wasn't the same thing as getting, as every sentient child soon discovers.
If Xizor knew that I had authorized another colony on Ylesia, and sent survey teams to Nyrvona to begin choosing the best spot for a new Pilgrim planet, he'd be twice as eager, he thought. Good thing he'd been very close-mouthed about his ambitions for the new Besadii expansion.
Durga had a sudden, vivid vision of a whole handful of Ylesias, worlds where raw spice was turned into pure profit by contented, happy Pilgrims. Perhaps I could even expand into the Core Worlds, he thought. Palpa-tine would not stop me, he values the slaves I sell his minions ....
The Hutt lord smiled, and went gliding back to his interrupted dinner, appetite fully restored.
Far away, on Imperial Center, Prince Xizor turned away from his comm unit. "Not just a crafty Hutt, but an eloquent one, it seems," he commented to his human-replica assassin droid, Guri. "Durga is proving more of a challenge than I expected."
Tile HRD who bore the seeming of a surpassingly beautiful human woman-made a very subtle move-ment of one hand. Yet the meaning-and menace-in her gesture were unmistakable. "Why not eliminate him, then, my prince. Easy enough to do ...."
Xizor nodded. "For you, Guri, not even a Hutt's thick skin would prove a challenge, I know," he said. "But killing a potenti'd opponent is not nearly so efficient and effective as making him a dedicated subordinate."
"The young Besadii lord's control of his clan and his kajidic is still tenuous, by ‘all report, my prince," Guri said. "It is possible that Jabba the Hutt might prove a better candidate?"
Xizor shook his head. "Jabba has been of use to me in the past," he said. "We have traded information-
‘almost ‘all of which I ‘already knew-and I have done him some favors. I would rather have him beholden to me, so that when I choose to have him return these favors, he will do so with... enthusiasm. Jabba respects Black Sun. Fears it, too, though he would never admit it."
Guri nodded. Most beings in the galaxy who had any sense-and any knowledge of Black Sun, which the vast majority of sentients did not-were afraid of Black Sun.
"Also, Jabba is too... independent, too used to hav-ing his own way," Xizor continued, thoughtfully. "On the other hand, Durga is equ'dly intelligent, and, unlike Jabba, he is still young enough to be effectively . . . molded... into what I wish him to be. He would make a valuable addition to Black Sun. Hutts are ruthless and venal. In short, ideal."
"Understood, my prince," she replied, composedly. Guri was always composed. She was, ‘after ‘all, an artifi-ci'd creation-though she was as far above most of the clanking, clumsy droids most people thought of when they thought of droids as Prince Xizor was above one of the slithering creatures that were his distant evolution-ary cousins.
Xizor walked over to his form-chair and dropped into it, stretching almost lazily while the chair hastily con-formed to his every move. Thoughtfully, he stroked one sharp-nailed finger down his cheek, the talon barely grazing his greenish skin. "Black Sun needs a foothold in Hutt space, and Durga is my best chance of gaining it. Also... Besadii controls Ylesia, and that operation, though small in sc'de compared to most of Black Sun's enterprises, impresses me. Lord Aruk was a most cun-ning old Hutt. He would never work for me... but his son may be a different matter."
"What is your plan, my prince?" Guri asked.