"But, Cousin... what if he says no?" Kibbick asked plaintively.

"Then you will have to call the guards and have them take him away and lock him up until I can deal with him," Durga said. "The guards will obey you, Kib-bick... won't they?"

"Of course they will," Kibbick said, indignantly, though privately he wondered if 'all of them would.

"Good. That's more like it," Durga said. "Relnem-ber... you are a Hutt. A natural lord of the universe. Correct?"

"Of course," Kibbick said, his voice a bit stronger this time. He drew himself up. "I am a Hutt just as much as you are."

Durga grimaced. "That's the spirit," he encouraged. "Kibbick, now is the time to take control. If you delay, the situation will only grow worse. It's possible that Teroenza is actually planning a revolt against Besadii. Has that occurred to you?"

It hadn't. Kibbick blinked. "A revolt? You mean... a real one? With troops, and shooting?"

"That's exactly what I mean," Durga said. "And in a revolt, who is the first to go?"

"The leader," Kibbick said, his mind racing.

"Right. Very good. Now do you see why you must take control before Teroenza can make his plans? While you still have the upper hand?"

Kibbick was feeling threatened now, and he didn't like that. He realized that following Durga's advice and taking control back from the High Priest was definitely his best course. "I'll do it," he said, firmly. "I'll tell him what to do, and make sure he obeys me. If he refilses to obey me, I'll have the guards take care of him."

"Now that's the spirit!" Durga said, approvingly. "Good! You sound like a true Besadii now! Call me and tell me as soon as the female t'landa Til are on their way home!"

"I will, Cousin]" Kibbick said, and cut the transmis-sion.

Kibbick promised himself that he'd take care of this matter right now. Before he could lose the pumped-up feeling of Hutt superiority. The Hutt lord didn't bother with his repulsor sled, but immediately undulated his way through the Administration Building of Colony One to Teroenza's office. He didn't bother activating the door signal, just barged right in.

Teroenza wag in his working sling, at his datapad. He looked up in surprise as the Hutt came undulating his way into his office.

"Kibbick!" he exclaimed. "What is going on?"

"Lord Kibbick to you, High Priest!" Kibbick said. "We have to talk! I just spoke with my cousin Durga, and he tells me that you have brought your female t'landa Til here in secret! Durga is most upset!"

"The female t'landa Til?" Teroenza blinked as though he hadn't the faintest notion what Kibbick was talking about. "Where did he get that idea, Your Excellency?"

"Don't try that with me," Kibbick said. "They are here, and Durga knows it. He has instructed me to tell you that they must return to Nal Hutta on the next ship. Summon the guards and have the mates brought here to Colony One for shipment off 1esia. Do it now."

Teroenza settled back into his sling, his expression thoughtful. Other than that, the High Priest didn't move.

"Did you hear me, Priest?" Kibbick was feeling al-most intoxicated with righteous anger. He drew himself up. "Obey, or I shall summon the guards!"

Slowly, the High Priest drew himself out of the sling. Kibbick inwardly drew a breath of relief. But Teroenza made no move toward the intercom. "Hurry up!" the Hutt lord bl.u.s.tered. "Or I shall summon the guards to take you away, and then I shall deal with the females myselfl" "No," Teroenza's voice was fiat and quiet.

"No... what?" Kibbick was incredulous. No one in his life had ever refused a direct order from a Hutt overlord.

"No. I won't do it," Teroenza said. "I'm tired of tak-ing orders from an idiot. Farewell, Kibbick."

"How dare you? I'll have you executed! Farewell?" Kibbick was completely befuddled. "Are you saying you're quitting? Leaving?"

"No, I'm not leaving," Teroenz2t said, in that quiet tone. "You are." His powerful hindquarters twitched, his thin, whip-like tail lashed the air, and suddenly he lowered his head and came at Kibbick with a bellow of rage.

The Hutt lord was so taken aback that he didn't even have time to dodge. Teroenza's horn slammed into his chest. The horn wasn't terribly sharp, but so power-ful was the force of the High Priest~ charge that it penetrated for nearly its full meter-long length.

The pain was agonizing! Kibbick roared in mingled terror and pain and beat at the t'landa Til with his little arms. He tried to swing his tail around to deal a crush-ing, killing blow, but the room was too confined.

Dimly, Kibbick felt the t'landa Til~ hands shove hard against the solid wall of flesh that was his ma.s.sive chest, then Teroenza~ horn, covered with Hutt blood and ichor, yanked free.

Purposefully, Teroenza began backing away.

Wheezing, choking, Kibbick tried to back up, too, but his back end jammed into the wall. He tried to turn and escape.

Teroenza slammed into his chest again.

And again...

And yet again...

Kibbick was gushing blood now from his multiple wounds. None were life-threatening in and of them-selves. A Hutt's vital organs were buried too deep within their bodies to be easily pierced... part of the reason for the old legend that Hutts were immune to blaster fire. They weren't . . . but a blaster bolt that would fry most beings instantly frequently would not hit anything vital on a Hutt, leaving them free to crush their attacker before he, she or it could get off a sec-ond shot.

Kibbick tried to shout for help, but all that emerged was a gurgle. One of the blows had punctured a breath-ing sac. He struggled to pull himself toward the inter-com to summon help.

Teroenza rammed him yet again. This time the force of the t'landa Til~ blow, along with Kibbick~ growing weakness, caused the Hutt lord to roll over on his side, helpless.

Kibbick~ vision was clouding over, but he could still see enough to recognize what Teroenza was withdraw-ing from a desk drawer. A blaster.

The Hutt lord struggled one more time to rise, to fight back, to summon help, but he was too weak, and the pain too great. Darkness was hovering, closing over his vision. Kibbick struggled against it, but it closed over him like black water at midnight ....

With cold precision, Teroenza aimed the blaster and used it to widen and disguise the wounds on the dying Kibbick. He shot again and again, until the ma.s.sive body was a scorched horror, and the final jerks and con-vulsions were long over.

Finally he stopped, breathing hard. "Idiot . . ." he muttered, in his own language, and went off to wash his horn.

While he was cleaning himself up, the t'landa Til de-cided on the best course. A terrorist attack, of course. He'd say it was that Tharen woman and her troops. No one would dare dispute his word. He'd have the guards on duty executed, claiming they'd been bought off and were in on the a.s.sa.s.sination ....

Just the other day he'd closed the deal to purchase a turbolaser. He'd use this as an excuse to set it up in the courtyard ....

He knew he'd need more guards, more weaponry.

Should he contact Jiliac?

No! Teroenza shook his ma.s.sive head, drops of water flying from his horn. He had had enough of Hutts-he was through with them! He, Teroenza, was now m~ of Ylesia! And soon... soon... everyone would know it. Just a few more weeks to consolidate his power. He'd stop paying Besadii, and use the credits to buy weapons.

Satisfied with his plan, Teroenza, High Priest of Yle-sia, left his office and the ma.s.sive mound of dead Hutt, and went looking for some guards to execute ....

Durga the Hutt stared at the screen of his datapad and rejoiced. At last! Black Sun, in the person of Guri, Xizor's personal a.s.sistant, had just provided him with conclusive proof that Jiliac the Hutt, most likely abetted by her nephew, Jabba, had planned Aruk's murder- and Teroenza had carried it out.

Black Sun's evidence was mostly in the form of records of purchases and payments that proved Jiliac's link to the Malkite Poisoners. The Desilijic leader had purchased enough X-1 from them to bankrupt a medium-sized colony. And that X-1 had then been shipped straight to Teroenza. There were also records of items that Jiliac had purchased and sent to the High Priest, valuable items that were now part of the t'landa Til's collection.

So I would not realize he was paid off Durga thought. Teroenza thought he could "hide" his pay by taking items fi~r his collection. The Hutt leader noted that most of those items were not only valuable, but in demand. Should Teroenza ever wish to sell them, he could readily exchange them for many credits on the antiquities black market.

Durga noted with interest that Teroenza had re-cently done exactly that, and with the proceeds from sever'a] of these sales, had purchased a used turbolaser. He is obviously preparing for a defense of Ylesia, Durga realized. Any time now, he is likely to declare his independence ....

Durga~ first impulse was to have Teroenza dragged back to Nal Hutta in restraints, but, with an effort, he made himself think out all the ramifications of such an action. The Sacredots, or Under-Priests, would be furi-ous with Besadii on behalf of their leader. Teroenza was popular... especially now that he'd managed to have their mates brought to Ylesia.

If Durga had Teroenza dragged way, the Sacredots might refuse to perform the Exultation for the Pilgrims. And without the Priests to give them their daily dose of euphoria, the Pilgrims might refuse to work-they might even revolt! Either way, losing the Priests would be disastrous for production in the spice factories.

Regretfully, Durga realized that before he could have his revenge upon Teroenza, he'd have to make some preparations. Find a new Hutt overlord for Ylesia, and a popular, charismatic t'landa Til to act as High Priest. The new High Priest who would announce bonuses for all the loyal t'landa Til. And, on second thought, perhaps it would be best to leave the t'landa Til's mates on Ylesia... at least for the time being. All of that would probably take a week to accore-plish. And until the Besadii ship carrying the new High Priest had landed on Ylesia, Durga couldn't let Teroenza know that he was being replaced. Besadii couldn't take the chance of precipitating a revolt until they had the troops in place to deal with it.

Durga decided to move cautiously . . keep Teroenza in ignorance until the last moment. Or, if Kibbick had been forced to have the High Priest ar-rested, they'd have to cover up Teroenza's absence. Perhaps a sudden "illness" on the part of the High Priest would be sufficient?

Could Teroenza~ mate, Tilenna, be coerced into act-ing as the Besadii mouthpiece in her spouse's stead? In exchange for her own life? And a generous settlement?

Durga considered, and decided that she probably could. T'landa Til were a practical people ....

It was 'also possible that Teroenza could still be con-trolled . . . but it was hard to imagine Kibbick having the wherewithal to do it. Durga would probably have to handle everything himself. Or he might send Zier to at-tend to it ....

Durga wondered how Kibbick had fared in his con-versation with Teroenza yesterday. His cousin hadn't called back as he'd promised to, but that didn't mean anything. Kibbick's attention span was short, and he for-got promises.

A flashing light attracted Durga~ attention, and he saw that his comm system was signaling an incoming message. The Hutt leader accepted the call, and watched as the image of Teroenza coalesced-almost as if Durga~ thinking about him had conjured him up out of thin air.

The High Priest bowed low to his Hutt overlord, but Durga didn't miss the flash of something-something akin to smugness-in his protuberant eyes. "Your Ex-cellency, Lord Durga," the High Priest intoned. "I bring most distressing news. You must brace yourself, my Lord."

Durga glared at the image. "Yes?" he said.

"There was a terrorist attack here early this morning, just after dawn," Teroenza said, wringing his little hands in distress. "It was that Bria Tharen and her band of Corellian Resistance fighters. Red Hand Squadron, they call themselves. They stormed the Administration Building, firing wildly. I regret to tell you that your cousin, Lord Kibbick, killed."

"Kibbick is dead?"

hadn't really expected control of Ylesia away expected Kibbick to be

was caught in their fire, and Durga was taken aback. He his cousin to be able to wrest from Teroenza, but he'd never killed.

Or, more accurately, murdered.

Durga knew Teroenza's story about Bria Tharen was a lie. His sources had a.s.sured him that Red Hand Squadron was clear on the other side of the Outer Rim, and that they'd hit an Imperial outpost just yesterday. No ship in the universe could have reached Ylesia by dawn.

So Teroenza was lying .... However, the High Priest had no way of knowing that Durga knew he was lying. Durga considered how best he could use this informa-tion to his advantage. As he did so, he put a hand up to his eyes, and bowed his head, feigning a grief he didn't feel. Kibbick had been an idiot, and the universe was well-rid of him.

But Teroenza has sealed his own death warrant by this, Durga thought. As soon as I embark for Ylesia with his successor, he is a dead t'landa Til ....

In a hushed voice, Durga gave Teroenza instructions regarding how he wanted the body to be shipped home. "It is plain," Durga concluded, "that we must get you better guards there on Ylesia. These Rebels must not be 'allowed to raid with impunity."

Teroenza bowed again. "I agree, Your Excellency.

Thank you for saying you will send us help."

"It is the least I can do, under the circ.u.mstances," Durga said, forcing himself to keep sarcasm from per-meating his tones. "Can you manage for a few days without a Hutt overlord?"

"I can," Teroenza said. "I shall exert every effort to make sure business runs as smoothly as ever."

"Thank you, Teroenza," Durga said, and cut the transmission.

He then spent several minutes giving Zier instruc-tions on how to find a replacement for Teroenza. Fortu-nately, Zier was a capable administrator, able to follow orders.

Then, and only then, did Durga turn to the figure who had been standing in his office, patiently waiting, while he attended to business.

"Forgive me, Lady Guri," Durga said, inclining his head to the lovely young human female. "I nearly forgot you were there. Most humans are incapable of waiting so patiently. They fidget."

Guri bowed slightly in turn. "I was specially trained, Your Excellency. Prince Xizor does not like fidgeting in his subordinates."

"Indeed," Durga said. "As you can see, I have re-viewed the information you brought, and it confirms my suspicions. Also, as you have seen, my revenge upon Teroenza must wait for a more... suitable... time. But I intend to confront Jiliac immediately and challenge her to single combat under the Old Law." "The Old Law?" "It is seldom invoked these days, but it is an ancient Hutt custom that, given sufficient provocation, one Hutt clan leader may challenge another to single com-bat without legal repercussions. The victor is presumed to be in the right."

"I understand, Your Excellency. Prince Xizor in-formed me that this was likely to be your reaction, as befits an honorable Hutt. He instructed me to accom-pany you, and to do everything in my power to facilitate your search for justice."

Durga stared at her, wondering what one slightly built human female could expect to accomplish against either Hutts or hordes of Desilijic guards. "You would go as my bodyguard? But..."

Guri smiled slightly. "I am Prince Xizor's primary bodyguard, Your Excellency. I a.s.sure you that I can pro-tect you from Jiliac's guards."

Durga was tempted to say more, but something about Guri's demeanor stopped him. He knew she was Xizor~ primary aide. It made sense that she would also be an accomplished a.s.sa.s.sin. She must have abilities that weren't readily apparent. Certainly her manner was nothing but confident.

"Very well," Durga said. "Let us go."

They boarded Durga~ shuttle, and the trip to the Desilijic enclave took less than an hour by suborbital flight.

They landed on the island that contained Jiliac~ Win-ter Palace, and was the current home of the Desilijic clan. Durga, with Guri at his side, carrying a large box, slithered toward the entrance. "Durga Besadii Tai to see Jiliac Desilijic Tiron. I bring a gift and request a pri-vate audience."

The guards scanned both visitors and verified that they were unarmed. After a quick call, they were waved into the palace. The majordomo, a RodJan named Dorzo, accompanied them to the huge, 'almost bare, au-dience chamber, then stepped inside, bowing. "Lord Durga of Clan Besadii," he announced.

Through the portal, Durga could see Jiliac doing some kind of work at a datapad. At the sight of his enemy, rage flooded the young Hutt's body. He quiv-ered with blood l.u.s.t.

Jiliac deliberately kept them waiting for nearly ten minutes. Durga tried to emulate Guri~ stillness. She really was a most unusual human, he decided.

Finally, Jiliac nodded at Dorzo, then the Rodian bowed to the visitors and proclaimed, "Her Supreme Excellency Jiliac, Leader of the Clan Desilijic and pro-tector of the Righteous, will see you now."

Durga started forward, with Guri pacing gravely beside him. When they reached Jiliac, the huge Hutt matron did not speak. Since, by custom, Durga could not speak until spoken to, because he was the visitor, again they waited.

Finally Jiliac~ ma.s.sive bulk shifted. "Greetings to Besadii," she said. "You have brought a gift, and that is fitting. You may present it to me."

Durga nodded at Guri, and the human advanced On the Desilijic leader and laid the box before her, as the Desilijic leader hovered on her repulsor sled.

The younger Hutt waved at the box. "A gift for your Exaltedness. A token of Besadii's esteem and our hopes for your future, O Jiliac."

"We shall see ...."rumbled Jiliac. She tore at the wrappings, and then drew forth a large, very valuable piece of a~. It was a death-mask from the islands of the remote world of Langoona. The natives carved these death-masks and decorated them with semiprecious gems and inlays of silver, gold, platinum and iridescent sh.e.l.l-casings from their warm seas.