"I will." Generating a disgusting squinching sound, the Hutt rolled onto his right side, the better to regard his employee. "Know this: Jedi cannot be bribed, connived, broken, or swayed from what they believe to be the right and true course of the way. At least, such has been my experience." He spat to one side, and the custodial droid rushed from its resting place to clean up the repulsive gob. "This is a shame, but many truths often are. Therefore, we must deal with them elsewise. Come close, and I will tell you how."
Must I? Ogomoor thought. But there was no more escaping the Hutt's breath than there was his orders.
I am not, Ogomoor reflected as he stood bravely absorbing the full force of that noxious miasma, being paid enough for this.
Chapter 4
One of the advantages of living and working on Coruscant was that there were innumerable places to meet, if one did not want to be located. So it was that the little group found themselves in a small drinking establishment of no special reputation in an unfashionable part of Quadrant H-46. In such places, there was less of an immediate need to preserve one's anonymity. In any event, none of them was recognized by the other patrons as they wandered in.
"This places stinks of the working classes," Nemrileo, who hailed from the powerful world of Tanjay, sniffed. "It will hide the smell of treason."
Senator Mousul had to smile. "You talk of committing treason against the treasoners. Don't get your loyalties confused, Nemrileo. Now is not the time."
"You don't have to tell me about time." The man hunched lower over the table. "But this Ansion business is beginning to worry me."
"It should not." Mousul exuded assurance-an easy thing, his questioner mused, since the interests supporting them had promised to back Mousul for the governorship of his entire sector once Ansion and its allies had withdrawn from the Republic. "I am confident that everything is proceeding as planned, and that within a very short time the dominant political force on my world, the Unity of cities and towns, will vote for full withdrawal from the Republic, thus setting in motion all that we hope for."
" 'Everything'?" said an alien female politician whose explo sion of straw-colored fur threatened to burst forth from within her tight-fitting camouflaging suit. "That's not what I hear."
Mousul gestured indifferently. "A minor glitch. Nothing to be concerned about."
"I admire your assurance," the alien female declared. "Not everyone would be so casual upon learning of the arrival on their homeworld of two Jedi, together with their Padawans, in the midst of the most delicate negotiations over secession."
"I told you." Mousul's tone turned darker. "It is being dealt with."
"It had better be," Tarn Uliss, a business associate from An sion, declared. "My people are growing impatient. They are ready to move, have been for some time, and dislike having to wait upon the decision of a bunch of minor sentients from a decidedly minor world."
"The president of the Commerce Guild would not like to hear such talk."
"That's why we called this meeting," muttered the alien fe male politician. "So we could discuss possibilities without her." Her yellow eyes burned into his. "And if you weren't similarly interested, you wouldn't be here now."
The Senator raised a cautioning hand. "I said I would come to listen, and to apprise you of our progress in the Ansion matter.
I make no judgments. But if Shu Mai says we should restrain our interests until Ansion has declared for secession, then I believe we should listen to her."
"Should we?" Another of the group showed by his expression as much as by his words that he felt otherwise. "Can Shu Mai and the Commerce Guild truly be trusted?"
"You haven't met her," Mousul replied. "Be assured that she can. She has all our best interests at heart."
"Does she really?" Nemrileo was not so sure. "From what I've heard, she doesn't have a heart."
"I trust her," announced the female politician seated next to the cynic. "I know her from her work in our quadrant. What I don't trust are my own constituents."
There was laughter from around the private table. "Trust constituents…""… how very droll!" As soon as the mirth had faded, Mousul spoke anew.
"I have been in touch with my principal contact on Ansion. He assures me the Jedi will be dealt with. Shu Mai continues to show confidence in this individual as well. There are social and commercial bonds that affirm our mutual contract. I suggest you all return to your positions and be of good cheer. All our hopes will be realized soon enough."
"To be at last free of the corruption and vices of this bloated, inert, so-called Republic!" Tarn Uliss exclaimed. "Truly a dream to be wished."
The Senator looked around the circle. "We are all of the same opinion. And we are fortunate to have someone who believes in our cause as strongly as Shu Mai does to mediate for us with others who for now must remain nameless." He passed a hand over the table's response plate. "Now, let us all relax and have something to drink. It's rare enough that we're able to gather together like this."
Tension dissolved after the first few rounds of drinks. In the company of his fellow conspirators, Mousul was also able to relax. He would be more relaxed still after he reported to Shu Mai on the one member of their group whom he felt they could no longer trust. A lack of trust was a bad thing in a conspiracy. It poisoned the atmosphere of cooperation. It could prove fatal.
Especially to the individual in question.
Soergg was well pleased with the final plan that had been de vised. It had been carefully thought out, honed and refined, until he could see nothing wrong with it. It possessed the twin virtues of simplicity and directness. He explained it assertively to Ogo-moor. His majordomo listened carefully. Only when the Hutt had finished did the Ansionian timidly venture to comment.
"It certainly sounds most promising."
"Promising?" the bossban rumbled. "It's perfect!" He glow ered down at the complaisant biped. "Isn't it?"
"Well, the only obstacle I see lies in this ability of the Jedi to intuit danger coming their way. To sense trouble as a disturbance in the Force."
Soergg nodded as much as one could who had no neck. "I am all too aware of the cursed Jedi abilities. So to carry out this plan I have engaged two who are immune to such Jedi perceptiveness. Two of your own kind who possess unique qualifications."
"Not to dispute your expertise, but how can any thinking, feeling sentients be impervious to Jedi acuity?"
"Meet them, Ogomoor, and judge for yourself." Looking off to one side, he clapped his large, flabby palms together and raised his voice. "Bulgan, Kyakhta-come and meet my majordomo!"
Expectant and curious, Ogomoor turned toward the doorway that led from the bossban's audience chamber to a side
waiting room. The aspect of the two Ansionians who entered in response to Soergg's call did not fill him with overwhelming confidence.
One had a ripped and ragged mane of splotchy auburn and a crudely fashioned artificial arm. The other was completely shorn from head to spine, bald and pallid of skin, with a patch over one eye and a back permanently bent from some incurable childhood disease. Neither was especially tall or strong. Together, Ogo-moor decided, the pair would have been hard-pressed to kidnap the offspring of an elderly water carrier.