"JAMES LUCENO. SABOTEUR" - читать интересную книгу автораThe judicial agent nodded, tight-lipped.
Arrant got to his feet and spent a long moment gazing out the window. When he turned, his expression was bleak. He touched a key on the intercom pad, and seconds later his protocol droid secretary entered the office. "How may I be of service, sir?" Arrant glanced up at the droid. "I need to make two holocalls. The first will be to the chief executive of InterGalactic Ore, to discuss terms of a possible merger." "And the second, sir?" Arrant took a moment to reply. "The second call will be to Viceroy Nute Gunray, to discuss terms of granting the Trade Federation exclusive rights to the shipping and distribution of Dorvalla's lommite ore." In a dank, fungus-encrusted grotto on the Neimoidian homeworld, Hath Monchar and Viceroy Nute Gunray received a startlingly sudden holovisit from Darth Sidious. First to reach the holoprojector and the cloaked apparition that was the Dark Lord of the Sith, Monchar inclined his lumpish head in a servile bow and spread his thick-fingered hands. "Welcome, Lord Sidious," he said. Though his eyes remained concealed by the cloak's raised hood, Sidious seemed to be gazing through Monchar at Gunray, who was perched atop his claw-footed mechno-chair a few meters away. "Viceroy," Sidious rasped. "Dismiss your underling, so that we may speak in private about recent events on Dorvalla." Monchar stared openly at Sidious, then whirled on Gunray. "But, Viceroy, I was credit for what has occurred." "Viceroy," Sidious said, with a bit more menace, "advise your underling that his contributions in this matter were inconsequential." Gunray glanced nervously at Monchar. "You had better leave." "But-" "Now-before he gets angry." Monchar's gut sack made a sickening growl as he hurried from the grotto. Gunray slid off the mechno-chair and approached the holoprojector. He had a jutting lower jaw, and his thick lower lip was uncompanioned. A deep fissure separated his bulging forehead into two lateral lobes. His skin was kept a healthy gray-blue by means of frequent meals of the finest fungus. Red and orange robes of exquisite hand fell from his narrow shoulders, along with a round-collared brown surplice that reached his knees. "I apologize for the indiscretion of my deputy," he said. "He is high-strung from too many rich foods." Sidious's face betrayed nothing. "Apology accepted, Viceroy." "Hath Monchar regards me much as I regard you, Lord Sidious: with a mix of awe and fear." "You need fear me only if you fail me, Viceroy." Gunray seemed to take the remark under advisement. "I have been anticipating your visit, Lord Sidious. Though I confess that I had no idea you were aware of events on Dorvalla-much less that the Trade Federation had an interest in the planet." "You will find that there are few matters of which I am unaware, Viceroy. What's |
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