"Michael Stackpole "The Bacta War"" - читать интересную книгу автора

"But we don't trust you." Booster smiled. "I know you've already learned more
about our operation than I wanted you to, and I also know that Vorru is trying
to learn as much about us as he can. I don't want you to find we're a commodity
you can trade to him for a profit."
Karrde held his hands up. "So far I have avoided taking sides in the civil war,
and I see this as a simple extension of it even though Antilles has resigned
from the New Republic's military. Since the cartel really isn't interested in
selling bacta
to me, and since you need my services, it isn't going to do me any good to
sacrifice you to them."
"Provided we still are a profit center for you."
Karrde frowned. "Booster, you make it sound like I don't value our history
together."
"Oh, I think you do, and the history of your making a profit off me is what you
value."
Mirax raised an eyebrow. "The fact that either one of you would sell the other
for a bucket of warm dewback drool isn't really germane here. Betting against
Wedge Antilles's abilities lost Iceheart the Imperial homeworld and sent her
packing for Thyferra. Talon, you're too smart not to back him, especially since
his victory will break the cartel and open up the bacta trade. A little
gratitude toward you from the Ashern rebels won't hurt when distribution is set
up."
"Point taken." Karrde picked up the datapad on his desk and punched a few keys.
"I'm going to have you liaise with Melina Carniss on the delivery details."
Booster frowned. "Carniss? I don't know her. Never heard of her."
"She worked for Jabba on Tatooine. She filled a niche that would have been in
the middle of his security apparatus, but she was Jabba's own agent. Formally,
she was his dance coordinator. Good head on her shoulders. She understands a lot
of the business, but is a bit shy on experience." Karrde stood and waved his
left hand toward the doorway. "Here she is. Come in, Melina, my dear. This is
Booster Terrik and his charming daughter, Mirax."
Mirax shook the woman's hand and returned her smile. Several inches shorter than
Mirax, Melina wore her dark hair in a rather short cut. It accentuated a white
stripe that started with scar tissue near the corner of Melina's right eye and
shot straight back beyond her ear. Her green eyes and full mouth made her pretty
and the way Tapper looked at her suggested he was smitten.
"Pleased to meet you both."
Karrde waited until Tapper slid a chair from over by the wall beside his own and
Melina seated herself before he con-tinued. "Melina, you'll coordinate shipments
of material to
Booster. He'll give you the details. The cargo and the delivery points will be
hazardous, but we'll not charge him our nor-mal rates for such things. He's part
of our family-albeit a rather distantly related one."
She nodded. "I understand."
Mirax smiled. Great, this means what we don't pay for transport we will pay for
the cost of the items. And Karrde said it was a buyer's market.
Karrde looked up from his datapad. "Is there anything else you need, Booster?"
Tapper laughed. "Perhaps he wants Another Chance or the Death Star's womb. I
mean, as long as your aim is to break the Bacta Cartel, you might as well go in
for other things you can't get."