The Bacta War: Star Wars Legends (Rogue Squadron) (Star Wars: X-Wing - Legends Book 4) by Michael A. Stackpole

Author:Michael A. Stackpole [Stackpole, Michael A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2011-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

22

Mirax Terrik gave the rakishly good-looking man a dazzling smile as she stepped into his office. “Talon Karrde, pleased to meet you again. I don’t know if you’ll remember me…”

Karrde returned her smile, his pale blue eyes sparkling. “I could hardly forget you, Mirax Terrik. Because of your efforts, those cases of Alderaanian wine cost me well more than I had expected to pay.” He took her right hand and gently kissed it—his black moustache and goatee tickled her hand and fingers.

“I didn’t realize you were the other person bidding for them.”

“But if you had, you’d not have fought any less tenaciously for them.” Karrde shrugged easily enough that Mirax was almost willing to believe he had dismissed the matter. “What you cost me I put down as the fee paid for a lesson in dealing with exotic items. If you weren’t in the business of hauling things for the Rebellion, I might have had a chance to test what I learned against you again.”

“And my girl would have made you pay even more in your next meeting.” Booster Terrik rested his big hands on Mirax’s shoulders. “I would have expected you to be using something bigger than an old hollowed-out asteroid for your headquarters, Karrde. You can afford it.”

“Pleased to see you again, too, Booster.” The hint of a smile played across Karrde’s lips. “As for this asteroid, Tapper found it, but before he could exploit it he ran into some Imperial problems. After our groups merged, he brought it to my attention. We’re using it until we find something more suitable.”

Quelev Tapper came around from behind Booster and stood next to the chair to the left of Karrde’s massive desk. “While most of the ore has been mined, there’s enough metal in the rock to give sensors trouble.” Though as slender as Karrde, and almost as handsome, Tapper’s manner contrasted sharply with Karrde’s polite grace. “It will do in the interim.”

Karrde opened his hands and indicated the pair of chairs facing the desk. “Please, be seated.”

Mirax accepted his invitation and looked around the office as she sat. The chamber’s stone walls had been smoothed to an obsidian glassiness, but still had a significant texture in the bumps and recesses the mining process had left behind. The room’s furnishings—characterized by Karrde’s desk—were heavy and blocky, more of an industrial grade than they were elegant. Despite that, however, the artifacts and items displayed on shelves and atop tables did provide an air of sophistication to the surroundings. Mirax noted on the sideboard a cut-crystal decanter full of a pale green liquid and four goblets, prompting a smile.

Karrde’s gaze followed hers and he gave her a slight nod. “Might I offer you some of the wine I paid so dearly for? The best is a dry green from Aldera.”

Mirax nodded. “Please.” She glanced at her father.

Booster perched in his chair as if it were a slender pole and he was a bird topping it, but he nodded. “Thank you.”

Karrde poured from the crystalline decanter.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.