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

expect me to trust the New Republic for it."
Booster reached out and slapped Huff on the shoulder. "I told you to give it to
them."
"I am."
"No, you're negotiating when I said you should be giv-ing."
Huff looked confused for a moment, and Corran could sympathize. "You want me to
give it to them for free}"
Booster nodded. "If not, I think you'll find that records of certain
transactions that could be considered Palpatinistic could come to light."
"That's extortion."
"No, that's deal making. I have something you want- my silence-and you have
something I want-the weapons to go to Wedge. We exchange wants and everyone is
satisfied."
Mirax interposed herself between Huff Darklighter and her father. "Extortion or
deal making, it doesn't make a dif-ference. We're not doing it that way, period.
If we take things away without compensation, we're as bad as the Imps. 'If we
let ourselves pay inflated prices, we'll be as stupid as the Imps. That isn't
what's going to happen. We're going to be fair about this."
She pointed a finger at Huff. "You will get me a complete inventory of the
material we're looking at and will let us inspect the merchandise, choosing
random bits to examine ourselves. My father will prepare a list of the prices
for all these things in the prevailing market. We'll pay something below the
going price because everyone knows the father of Biggs Darklighter wouldn't try
to make a profit off his son's comrades, but you will be capitalizing assets for
which you have little use here on Tatooine. We'll pay half now and half when we
take possession of the items."
Huff's jowls quivered as he shook his head. "You'll pay fifteen percent over the
current-"
Mirax held a hand up. "Stop. I said we'd be fair, I never said we were
negotiating. If you want to negotiate, we'll start from my father's position and
work down to the details of your paying the freight to move the goods we're
taking off your hands."
Huff Darklighter stared at Mirax, his jaws agape. "Do you know what you're
asking?"
Mirax smiled sweetly. "Only what's fair."
Gavin laughed. "Admit it, Uncle Huff, you'll accept her terms, because you're
not going to get anything better."
"True, I accept." Huff nodded his head slowly. "Listen to me, young lady. If you
ever find yourself in need of a steady job, please come see me. You have talents
I could use."
Huff Darklighter invited them to remain as his guests for the duration of their
visit to Tatooine. They accepted-not only were the accommodations he offered far
nicer than those they had booked in Mos Eisley but Gavin's family traveled from
their farm to see him. With Booster's presence and the ex-tended Darklighter
clan getting together, the visit began to feel like a big family vacation.
Corran enjoyed meeting Gavin's parents. His father, Jula, looked similar to Huff
Darklighter in the face, but the lack of a moustache on Jula made telling them
apart rather simple. Likewise, the fact that Jula's hard work on a moisture farm
had left him harder and more weathered than his pros-perous brother helped
differentiate them. There definitely seemed to be affection between the