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to Qui-Gon.
    ―We have a problem,‖ she said crisply. ―Someone has been tampering with our equipment. Young Si Treemba here discovered it on a routine inspection. We have three Arconan tunneling machines in stock, and all
    three have been sabotaged.‖
    ―How so?‖ Qui-Gon asked.
    Si Treemba stepped forward. ―The thermocoms that monitor the tunnelers‘ hull temperature have been removed, sir. And the coring couplers have been rigged so that they will not disengage.‖
    ―What does that mean?‖ Obi-Wan asked.
    Qui-Gon thought for a minute. ―The Arconan tunnelers are vehicles that drill through rock and soil. As they do, the friction of the hull moving past all that stone makes the vehicle very hot. Without the thermocoms, the cooling system would not work. And with the coring computers sabotaged, the driver of the tunneler would not be able to shut if off. The machine would simply keep digging until it melted from the
    heat. Everyone in it would die.‖
    ―Exactly,‖ Clat‘Ha said grimly. ―I think that we know who is responsible.‖
    A booming voice from the doorway, speaking in Huttese. ―Sie batha ne beechee ta Jemba?‖ Are you talking about me, the Great Jemba?
    The Hutt outside the door was much larger than the one that had beaten Obi-Wan.
    Hutts can live for hundreds of years and they never really stop growing – either in size or cunning. This one, Jemba, had a mouth so vast that he could have swallowed three men whole. Jemba‘s huge face and eyes
    filled the doorway.
    ―Yes,‖ Qui-Gon said evenly, ―we were talking about you, O Great
    Jemba. Come in – if you can.‖
    Jemba hunkered down ―I has been many years since I could squeeze through such a small whole, Jedi,‖ Jemba boomed. ―Why don‘t you come out here?‖ He licked his lips.
    Qui-Gon walked to the doorway and faced the Hutt. ―You have been accused of sabotaging the Arconans‘ tunnelers.‖
    ―Aaaagh!‖ Jemba said, drawing back a pace. He placed a hand over his uppermost heart, a Huttese gesture meant to indicate his innocence.
    ―Never! I swear, Jedi, I did not do it. Do I look like the kind of creature who would sneak around, sabotaging other people‘s equipment?‖
    Obi-Wan did not believe the Hutt for a moment, but he almost had the laugh at the idea that the enormous Hutt could sneak anywhere.
    ―Of course I don‘t believe that you did it, personally, Great One,‖
    Qui-Gon said. ―But one of your crew could have, under your direction.‖
    ―Aaaagh! Aaaagh!‖ Jemba squirmed backward like a giant worm and pounded his hand on his uppermost heart again. ―I am hurt by such accusations! I know nothing of this matter. Look into my hearts, Jedi,
    and you will see that I do not lie! Why does everyone think that I am evil, just because I am a Hutt?‖ Jemba demanded. ―I am an honest businessman.‖
    ―Enough of this,‖ Clat‘Ha said in disgust. She strode forward to face Jemba, her hands on her hips, just above the blaster strapped to her left leg. ―Of course it was one of your crew!‖
    ―I swear, I know nothing of this matter!‖ Jemba roared. Clat‘Ha reached for her blaster.
    Qui-Gon raised a hand, warning her back.
    ―Perhaps,‖ Jemba said, his eyes narrowing craftily, ―your people did it to hurt me. Your unreasonable hatred for me is well-known. You have already asked the mining guild to have Offworld banned from
    Bandomeer. Now, by casting suspicion on me and my crew, you hope to have
    me lawfully removed.‖
    ―I don‘t care whether you are removed lawfully or not,‖ Clat‘Ha
    said furiously.
    ―I just want you gone!‖
    ―Exactly! Jemba roared. The huge Hutt looked imploringly at Qui- Gon. ―You see what I am faced with? How can a Hutt fight such unreasonable hatred?‖
    ―Excuse me, Jemba,‖ Clat‘Ha said in a mock politeness. ―But it‘s not unreasonable to hate a lying, scheming, cowardly murderer.‖
    The Hutt‘s enormous body suddenly puffed in indignation. ―We have not even