"She doesn't look like much."
The owner of the ship glowered as the swarthy human narrowed his eyes at him. "She runs fine. I'll get your cargo to the meeting place."
"Fine, fine." The human allowed as he waddled over to a couple of Weequay loitering on the edge of the landing platform. "Get it loaded up, an' be quick about it." He snapped at them as he waved a hand towards the sealed crates.
The owner of the small smuggling ship followed the obese human to the edge of the pad. "My payment?"
"Hmmmmph, half now, half when you deliver."
He narrowed his eyes. "That's awfully trusting, what's to stop me flying away with the cargo? Should I be worried about what's I'm carrying?"
"You don't deliver then you're already dead." The swarthy man said with a chuckle. "The Boss doesn't take too kindly to double-crossers."
The ship owner nodded sharply as he let the overweight human finish the funds transfer before collecting his datapad and striding back towards his ship. He flicked a lock of hair out of his face as he let the Weequay finish loading his new cargo.
Powering up his ship he grinned as the engines started with a smooth hum, despite the worn down appearance on the outside.
Now all he had to do was hope Booster didn't find out about this detour, but really, it wasn't good business to return home with an empty ship when he could be making money by carrying something.
He tilted his head in confusion as the landing co-ordinates point him towards the middle of a forest on a lowly populated planet. Then again, he thinks, that would be the perfect place for a smuggling ring.
He pops the hatch and strides warily out into the clearing as instructed.
"Eeeeep." He managed as a figure appeared from thin air behind him, a knife snaking round to rest against his throat. "What?"
"Easy smuggler, I'm merely making sure all my cargo arrived in one piece." He glared at the white haired man who strode out from behind a tree towards his ship but otherwise made no movement which could upset the blades owner as the white haired man entered his ship.
Striding out of the ship the white haired man gave a sharp nod and he stumbled as the knife was abruptly removed.
"I could have told you it was all there."
"Of course you could, and the one time I don't check will be the time it isn't all there, therefore all cargo is checked. But since you did such a good job, I could offer you more, I pay well."
"Not right now." He said as he watched the cargo crates be removed from his ship.
"A pity." The white haired man said as he passed over a datapad. "The rest of your payment, feel free to leave whenever you want, have a good flight Captain Antilles."
"Thanks." He said as he took the pad and hurried back to the relative safety of his ship.
Next time, he swears as he pulls away from the landing site and points his ship towards the atmosphere, he will only take the jobs Booster arranges. Dealing directly with Tyber Zann is not something he wants to do again.