Star Wars: Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn Read Free Book Online

time, then reached into his pocket and pulled out something the size and shape of a small egg—
    And in a single blink of an eye, his yellow suit turned into a long, dark red jacket, a patterned blue shirt, and baggy tan trousers.
    Chewbacca barked a startled expletive.
    Zerba smiled and cocked his head in an abbreviated nod. “Like I said, I’ve been ready,” he said. Turning, he disappeared into the crowd of shoppers.
    Chewbacca rumbled again.
    “Hadn’t seen that one before, huh?” Han asked as he headed off through the crowd in the opposite direction. “Someone told me once that it’s just a silk outfit with tear-away seams and connecting threads that yank all the pieces off and into that egg thing he was holding.”
    Chewbacca seemed to think that one over a moment. Then he growled again.
    “Well, yeah, I’m sure it sounds easier than it really is,” Han said. “Boil it down, and all we do is move cargo from one place to another.”
    Chewbacca rumbled.
    “Right,” Han conceded. “Without getting caught.”
    The big, burly man was too far away across the spaceport landing field for Han to hear what he was saying. But from the way his arms were waving as he faced the Rodian half of the conversation, he wasn’t very happy.
    Judging by the way the Rodian’s green-scaled hand was resting on the grip of his holstered blaster, it didn’t look like he was very happy, either.
    Beside Han, Chewbacca growled a question.
    “Because we need a front man,” Han told him. “Someone who can pitch a good story and make him believe it.” He nodded toward the arguing duo. “Dozer’s got the presence, the confidence, and even a hint of a Corellian accent.”
    Chewbacca rumbled an objection.
    “Yeah, but thug is the look we’re going for,” Han reminded him. “He’s a little rough, but he could pass as someone who’s worked his way up through the ranks. Besides, none of my other choices was available.”
    Chewbacca rumbled again.
    Han got a firm grip on his temper. Was Chewie never going to drop this subject? “Sure, Lando could probably do it better,” he said with forced patience. “And no, we’re not calling him. End of subject.” He glared up at the Wookiee’s stubborn expression. “And I mean end of subject. Got it?”
    Glowering, Chewbacca rumbled a grouchy affirmative. Han turned his attention back to the distant and, from the looks of things, increasingly turbulent conversation.
    The really irritating part was that Chewbacca was right. Lando Calrissian would be the perfect front man for the scheme he had in mind—no Corellian accent, but smoother and more urbane than Dozer Creed could manage on even his best day. But after the Ylesia incident, Lando had told Han in no uncertain terms that he never wanted to see him again. The fiasco with the Yavin Vassilika statue had done nothing but strengthen that animosity.
    Maybe Lando would eventually cool off. Maybe he wouldn’t. Only time would tell, and Han wasn’t in any hurry to find out.
    The conversation across the landing field was growing louder. Han watched Dozer’s wildly waving arms, wondering if it was time for him and Chewbacca to step in. If either party decided to raise the stakes by drawing, this thing could run flat into a wall in record time.
    And then, suddenly, it was over. The Rodian handed Dozer a small pouch, Dozer picked up the travel case beside him and handed it to the Rodian, and both turned and headed off their separate ways.
    “See?” Han said, gesturing toward the big man. “No problem—just talked his way through it. Come on, let’s see if he’s free.” He started toward Dozer—
    And stopped in his tracks as something hard dug into his back.
    “Don’t turn around,” a quiet voice came from behind him, just in case the blaster barrel hadn’t been enough of a message.
    Han stopped, exhaling a little sigh. He should have guessed it wouldn’t be this simple. “Take it easy,” he soothed the man behind him as he