Stability and Chaos

Alok Besadi was instantly alarmed. "What are you trying to say?!"

"What I'm saying is that ever since Gaddula saw the dawn of victory on Tatooine and asked you for help, you kicked her aside. You handled all cooperation with me, and all the gains fell into your hands. Gaddula was nothing more than a decorative figurehead on Tatooine." Tang Xiao sneered. "You always treated Gaddula as someone dispensable. Later, when you decided to temporarily ally with the Desilijic kajidic, you never even asked for her opinion—you simply ordered her to marry Jabba. But... do you know? Gaddula's ambitions are far greater than you imagine."

"Gaddula... You arranged all this long ago!" Alok ground his teeth. "But do you think you've already won? I have more than enough power to turn this around!"

"I think, boss, you should die knowing why." A low, sinister voice suddenly came from behind him.

Alok spun around. He saw only a flash of red energy in the air behind him, followed by the appearance of a burly, dark-skinned human with milky white, pupil-less eyes. "You..."

"Hutt security, very strong." Gabriel Tosh revealed a savage grin. "Boss told you. Gaddula authorized me. I came in."

"Help... Help! Guards! Guar—ugh..." Alok had barely opened his mouth when Gabriel Tosh struck like lightning, flicking a pill into his huge maw.

"Urgh... cough, cough, cough..." Alok retched violently, trying to spit it out, but he was powerless to do so.

The protocol droid responsible for translation remained completely still. Apart from translating Alok's words, it made no movements at all—certainly none to raise an alarm.

"Your dinner. Charred Minaro pack beast tail. Very tasty, harmless." Tosh took out a medicine bottle and shook it. "But mixed with Roon acid, highly poisonous."

By then, Alok's entire body was convulsing.