Read Darth Plagueis for Free Online

coolant, with its cargo of costly meat-fins already defrosting.
    “Spawn of a—” Lah started when the next view of the cargo bay stunned her into slack-jawed silence.
    Blir’ blinked repeatedly before asking, “Is that what I think it is?”
    Lah swallowed hard and found her voice. “Well, it sure isn’t the Zabrak.”
    Plagueis was seated atop one of the smaller shipping containers when the hatch began to cycle. Fully awake since the Woebegone ’s jump to hyperspace, he had sat still for the various scans the crew had run, and now lowered the hood of the lightweight and bloodied robe. When the hatch slid to, he found himself confronted by the ship’s Togruta female captain, along with a muscular male Zabrak; a mottled Klatooinian as tall as a normal Muun; an Aqualish of the two-eyed variety; and a scarlet-hued, scaly-skinned Kaleesh, whose face resembled those of the bats Plagueis had consumed on Bal’demnic, and who was emitting an olio of potent pheromones. All five carried blasters, but only the Klatooinian’s was primed for fire and leveled at Plagueis.
    “You’re not listed on the shipping manifest, stranger,” Captain Lah said as she stepped into the bay, breath clouds emerging with the words.
    Plagueis spread his hands in an innocent gesture. “I confess to being a stowaway, Captain.”
    Lah approached guardedly, motioning to the open container a few meters away. “How did you survive in there?”
    Plagueis mimicked the wave of her hand. “Those sea creatures make a comfortable bed.”
    The Zabrak surged forward, his stippled cranium furrowed in anger. “Those creatures are how we make our living, Muun. And right now they’re not worth a karking credit.”
    Plagueis locked eyes with him. “I apologize for spoiling some of your cargo.”
    “The coolant,” Lah said more harshly. “How did you survive that?”
    “We Muuns have three hearts,” Plagueis said, crossing one leg over the other. “Two of them are under voluntary control, so I was able to keep my blood circulating and my body temperature close to normal.”
    Standing by the open container, the Quara said, “Speaking of blood, you’re leaking some.”
    Plagueis saw that some of the sea creatures were coated with congealed blood. “The result of an unfortunate accident. But thank you for noticing.”
    Lah shifted her gaze from the container to Plagueis. “We have a medical droid. I’ll have it take a look at your injury.”
    “That’s very kind of you, Captain.”
    “You’re a long way from the Braxant Run,” the Kaleesh said. “And probably the last species we’d expect to find stowing away in a cargo container.”
    Plagueis nodded in agreement. “I can well imagine.”
    “Kon’meas Spaceport has passenger flights to Bimmisaari,” the Zabrak added. “You couldn’t wait, or you’re out of credits?”
    “To be honest, I wished to avoid the common spaceways.”
    Lah and the Zabrak traded dubious looks. “Are you a fugitive?” she asked. “Wanted?”
    Plagueis shook his head. “I do, however, value my privacy.”
    “Well you might,” the Quara said. “But you have to admit—” He motioned to the bloody sea creatures. “—this undermines your credibility some.”
    “What brought you to Bal’demnic, Muun?” the Klatooinian asked before Plagueis could speak.
    “I’m not at liberty to divulge the nature of my activities.”
    “Banking Clan investments,” the Klatooinian said with a sneer. “Or lawyering. That’s all the Muuns do, Captain.”
    Lah appraised Plagueis. “Is he right?”
    Plagueis shrugged. “Not all of us are bankers or lawyers. No more than all Togrutas are pacifists.”
    “Be better for you if you were a financial wizard,” the Zabrak said, “to avoid being jettisoned from our ship.”
    Plagueis kept his eyes on Lah. “Captain, I appreciate that you and your crew have many questions about me. But perhaps for the sake of simplicity, the two of us could speak privately for a moment.”