The Hutt Gambit by A.C Crispin

Author:A.C Crispin [Crispin, A.C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-04T23:00:00+00:00

Admiral Trefaren might be our key to learn more about these new Imperial weapons and ships we've heard rumors of, Bria thought.

So, when the evening of the reception came, she'd don a lovely, elegant gown (she'd grown up the daughter of a rich man, and knew how to dress for maximum effect), style her hair, tastefully paint her face, and spend the evening smiling warmly at Admiral Trefaren. She'd dance with him, give him admiring glances, and keep her ears open for every scrap of information.

And, just in case she needed help in fending off his advances, Bria already had a tiny drop of a substance she planned to wear beneath one manicured fingernail. All she had to do was touch the tip of her fingernail to the surface of his drink of choice, toward the end of the evening, and the old welt would swiftly become so pleasantly tired, sleepy, and drunk that she'd have no trouble dealing with him.

Bria could use that vibroblade, and use it well, but she had no intention of doing so. Vibroblades were for amateurs. She was an expert at not needing them.

For a moment she missed her battle fatigues, the weight of her blaster strapped to her thigh. She'd much prefer leading another armed raid against the Ylesian Hutts, or the Imperial slavers (who were even worse than the Hutts), than she did the prospect of playing tabaga-and-vrelt all evening with Admiral Trefaren and his Imperial cronies.

She'd turned over her blaster to Rion when she'd taken on this assignment.

It wasn't improbable that Admiral Trefaren would have her apartment searched as part of the background check he'd get his minions to perform, to ensure that she was "safe" for him to be seen with. Bria always kept the vibroblade with her, so she wasn't worried about searchers finding it.

At least she knew her IDs would stand up to most security checks.

Six years ago she'd learned all about establishing new identities from an expert. Han Solo had taught her much more than just how to fire a blaster effectively.

Her lips curved in a soft smile as she indulged herself in a moment of nostalgia for those days. She and Han had been on the run together, living on the edge, never knowing what would happen next.

Those had been the happiest days of her life, she realized now. It had been worth every tense moment, every jolt of fear, every mad chase, every terrified escape, every blaster bolt she'd had to duck to be with him . . .

to be free to love him.

And she loved him still.

Seeing him on Devaron a year ago had brought it all back to her so vividly.

After years of denial, Bria had had to admit the truth to herself.

Han Solo was the man she loved, would always love.

But they couldn't be together. She'd had to accept that. Han was a con man, a rogue, an outlaw who was out for himself. Bria knew he'd loved her deeply--he'd even asked her to marry him--but Han wasn't the kind of man to forsake everything for a philosophical ideal.

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.