Glancing above the roofline of the buildings Bazine could see how the place found its name Rising above the shops and dwellings were the petrified trunks of what were once giant trees that had dominated the skies of that world Now their blackened remains stood as silent sentinels on the outskirts of the town The outpost was not an easy place to find unless you knew about it first It was located where the Unknown Regions met Wild Space a stopover for smugglers and those of less savory occupations a place for rogues and opportunists con artists thieves and of course pirates So it made a sort of sense that her target would be there After all the infamous Hondo Ohnaka had been all those things and more Bazine's intelligence had told her that the notorious Weequay scoundrel was there on Batuu where he was running a shipping operation called Ohnaka Transport Solutions Doubtless it was a thin front for a smuggling operation But it didn't matter to Bazine what it was She wasn't interested in his services just his ships or rather one of them in particular One very special ship She found the old pirate in a busy cantina where a repurposed RX-series pilot droid was playing upbeat music to an audience that mostly ignored it But there was Hondo He was sitting at a corner table playing
sabacc with a nervous looking Ithorian a furry Yarkora and a grinning Suerton Surprisingly the Weequay didn't even have his back to the wall If she had gone there to kill him he would already be dead Fortunate for him then that she wasn't planning to At least she wouldn't unless she had to And that remained to be seen Still the way he had his back to half the room struck Bazine as unnecessarily careless and ridiculously trusting trusting It certainly spoke to his legendary overconfidence In fact Hondo wasn't so much sitting in his chair as sprawling in it a drink in one hand and three sabacc cards in the other He wasn't playing it close to the vest either but swinging his sabacc cards in time with the music As she approached him from one side Bazine could easily glance at his hand He had a two a three and the face card known as a sylop sometimes called the idiot He was grinning like one too although judging from the pile of credit chips on the table it looked as though the Suerton was the one who was winning winning the most My friends said Hondo his voice ringing out with a happy lilt that was almost musical I cannot tell you how much it pains me to take all of your credits today you I make it too easy And as my sweet mother used to say if you're going to bet bet big But He tossed an impressive handful of credit chips onto
the growing pile in the center and waited for the others to ante up You're bluffing growled the Ithorian from one of his twin mouths I never bluff Hondo replied Then after a slight pause he added Except maybe for those occasions when I do But this is not one of them another pause as far as you know Which is not very far So you are bluffing asked the Ithorian confused How can you be sure I could be bluffing about bluffing said Hondo Hmmm or bluffing about that Bah growled the Ithorian from both mouths at once But then the Yarkora spotted Bazine He gave a little start and it amused her to wonder which of his two stomachs had done a flip What is it said Hondo Have I got something on my face I mean besides my so very attractive frills He brushed the backs of his fingers across the barbs that grew from his jowls They had gotten longer as he had gotten older Perhaps he thought they made him look distinguished But then he caught sight of the newcomer out of the corner of his eye Oh we have company don't we Hondo said He swung his legs around and turned in his chair to face her Well well won't you join us for a game Bazine Netal
She couldn't help cocking an eyebrow at that You were expecting me Bazine asked You or someone like you said Hondo I figured someone would show up eventually Very well she said Then you know I'm looking for Not here not here Hondo waved a hand dismissively dismissively He stood scooping up his remaining credit chips and depositing them in a pocket of his jacket Hey objected the Suerton Play your hand first Bah said Hondo I smell bigger profits than these Just count yourself lucky I did not take all of your money today Despite the Suerton's face being split in a perpetual grin Bazine didn't think he looked happy about this You were bluffing weren't you You would have lost the hand he growled but Hondo was already rising I suppose we will never know my friends He was bluffing said Bazine I saw his cards Hondo coughed in embarrassment What Nonsense Never But my dear may I suggest suggest we move to another table where we can talk without this riffraff overhearing He gestured to indicate his companions Riffraff barked the Ithorian and the Suerton frowned But the Yarkora rose when they did Bazine thought something passed between Hondo and the
