Cohl shook his head without taking his gaze from the airlock. 'Stick around. Keep your blaster handy.' Rella drew the weapon from the holster on her right hip and checked the charge.
The airlock hissed opened, and a slim human and a reptilian humanoid stepped into the corridor, dressed alike in caftans, coarsely woven trousers, and knee-high boots.
The latter had tough, corrugated skin, iridescent in sunlight, and hands the size of scoopball mitts. His flat face had multiple nostrils, and four small horns protruded from his forehead. From his left hand dangled a sizable carrycase.
'Welcome to Asmeru, Captain Cohl,' the human said in Basic. 'It's good to see you alive and comparatively well.' Cohl nodded curtly in greeting. 'Havac.
' Havac motioned to his hulking partner. 'You remember Cindar.' Cohl nodded again. Neither he nor the Hawk-Bat's scanners saw signs of concealed weapons on the pair.
'Rella,' he said, motioning to her by way of introduction.
Havac smiled and extended his hand to her in a courtly gesture. 'How could I forget?' 'Let's go forward, where we can talk,' Cohl said.
He appraised his guests as they walked. Havac wasn't the human's real name, but rather his combat name. A former holo — documentarian, Havac had been an alien-rights activist during the Stark Hyperspace Conflict and had spent the past several years chronicling the various abuses of the Trade Federation. In fact, he had no stomach for violence, but he was sharp and had a talent for treachery.
He and Cindar weren't characteristic of the thousands of human and nonhuman members of the Nebula Front. But they were standard issue in the organization's burgeoning militant wing. Now headquartered on the arid planet below, the Front had recruited from worlds up and down the Rimma Trade Route, from Sullust to Sluis Van, but only the Ancient Houses that ruled the Senex sector had granted them a base of operations.
'Where's the rest of your crew, Captain?' Havac asked over his shoulder.
The question hit Cohl like a just-remembered nightmare.
It was the same question he had asked the commander of the Revenue days earlier, when Cohl's team had numbered twelve.
'You might say that a lot of them never left Dorvalla space,' he said finally.
It took Havac a moment to grasp Cohl's meaning, then he frowned in sympathy. 'I'm sorry to hear that, Captain. We thought we'd lost you, as well.
' Cohl shook his head. 'Not a chance.' 'Half the Rim is talking about what happened at Dorvalla. We really weren't expecting you to obliterate the Revenue.' 'I don't like to waste time-especially when I'm dealing with Neimoidians,' Cohl said. 'They'd sooner sacrifice themselves than their cargo.
Fortunately, the Revenue's commander was more cowardly than most of them.
As for destroying the freighter, you can consider that a gift.' The four of them entered the main forward cabin and seated themselves around a circular table. Cindar placed the carrycase at the center of the table.
'I have to hand it to you, Captain,' Havac said, 'you've got the Trade Federation running scared.
They've even solicited help from Coruscant.' Cohl shrugged. 'No harm in trying.' Havac leaned forward with a certain eagerness. 'You have the aurodium?' Cohl glanced at Rella, who unclipped a remote from her belt and keyed a short code. A small repulsor sled bearing a lockbox lifted off the deck nearby and floated toward the table.
Rella entered another code and the lid of the box opened, its contents of ingots spilling rainbow light into the cabin.
Havac's and Cindar's eyes widened.
'I can't tell you what this will mean to us,' Havac said.
But a hint of suspicion had crept into his partner's gaze. 'It's all here?' Cindar asked.
Cohl's neutral look became a glare. 'What are you asking me?' The humanoid shrugged. 'Just wondering if any of it happened to get misplaced along the way.' Abruptly, Cohl reached across the table, grabbing Cindar by the front of his caftan and yanking him forward. 'That treasure is bloodied.
Good people died bringing it to you.' He pushed Cindar back into his seat.
'You'd better put it to good use.' 'Stop this, please,' Havac said.
Cohl glowered. 'You don't like violence-except on your orders, is that it?' Havac studied his hands, then lifted his eyes. 'Rest assured that the aurodium will be put to good use, Captain.' Cindar smoothed the front of his garment, but was otherwise unruffled by Cohl's fury. He slid the carrycase forward. Cohl removed it from the tabletop and set it down on the deck.
Cindar watched him for a moment, then said, 'Aren't you going to ask if it's all there?' Cohl stared at him. 'Let me put it this way.
For every credit it's short, I'll take a kilo of meat from you.' 'So, I'd be a fool,' Cindar said with a grin.
Cohl nodded. 'You'd be a fool.' Rella handed the remote to Havac, and Cindar closed the lid on the lockbox.
'Where's the aurodium going?' Cohl asked mildly.
Havac looked surprised. 'Captain, did I ask what you're planning to do with your payment?' Cohl smiled. 'Fair enough.' Following the exchange, Rella turned to Cohl.
'I'm sure he plans to donate it to his favorite charity.' Havac laughed.
'You're not far off the mark.' 'Here's another bonus for you, Havac,' Cohl said. 'We had some unexpected trouble at Dorvalla. Someone infiltrated the Revenue using the same technique we used. They hid a ship inside a
