"The New Rebellion (Kristine Rusch)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

whining." "I'm not whining," Jarril said, his voice rising in protest.
"Sounds like it to me, pal." "No, you don't get it, Han. People are
dying. Good people." "I didn't think you knew any good people, Jarril." "I
know you." "Are you saying someone's threatening me?" "No." Jarril looked over
his shoulder.
"Leia?" "No!" Jarril scooted his chair closer. Han had to adjust the
blaster angle. "Look, Han, anyone in the business with brains has made a
fortune in the last few months. Everyone we know, and people you never met.
Rich. Smuggler's Run isn't the same place anymore. There's more credits in the
Run than the Hutts could spend in a lifetime." "So?" "So?" Jarril downed his
last drink. "So it all seemed wonderful at first. Then a few Runners didn't
come back. Stand-up folks. Like you and Calrissian." Han suppressed a smile.
In the old days, he and Lando had been considered odd because they
occasionally helped another smuggler in distress. "Where were these Runners
when they failed to come back?" Jarril shrugged. "I didn't think nothing of it
at first until I realized that the folks who were in the business for the
adventure and for the money were the ones disappearing. It made me think of
you, old buddy." "Me?" "Well, I was thinking, you know, maybe you and Chewie
could see what's going on. Unofficially. Maybe." "I've got a life," Han said.
Jarril bit his lower lip, as if he were struggling not to speak. Finally
he said, "That's why I came here. You know people. Maybe you could find out
what's going on. Unofficially." "Since when does Smuggler's Run need
legitimate help?" "It can't be legit!" Jarril's stunned voice rose above all
the other sounds in the casino.
The conversation halted. Han grinned at the faces that turned toward him,
all of them pretending disinterest and hoping for blood. He was half-tempted
to wave his blaster at them.
"You see something you don't like?" Han asked the Ssty who was peering
over the back of her chair at him. She shook her angular fur-covered face.
He raised his eyebrows and scanned the rest of the room, silently asking
the entire crowd the same question. One by one they turned away.
Han waited until the conversation rose before continuing. "If it can't be
legit, why come to me at all?" "Because you and Chewie are the only ones I
know who can go between Smuggler's Run and the Republic, no questions asked."
"What about Lando? Talon Karrde? Mara Jade?" "Karrde doesn't want anything to
do with this. Jade's been with Calrissian, and you know about him and
Nandreeson." "Can't say as I do," Han said. He was lying. He knew of it, but
he thought the matter had been settled years ago.
"C'mon, Solo. Don't make this hard. Nandreeson's had a price on
Calrissian since the days of the Empire." "It couldn't have been a big price.
Everyone knows where Lando is." "Calrissian's good at making friends," Jarril
said. "But he doesn't dare go into the Run." "And you think the problem is in
Smuggler's Run?" "I think some answers might be there." Han sighed and let his
fingers relax on the blaster trigger. "How come you don't go after this
yourself, Jarril?" Jarril shrugged. "There's no profit in it." "Jarril," Han
said, his voice low and menacing.
Jarril took a deep breath and leaned as close as he could. "Because," he
said, his voice just above a whisper, "I'm in too deep, Han. Way too deep."

C-3PO stood outside the nursery, recovering. He had spent the morning