Pursuit

by Elizabeth Hand

  Then he set about repairing his body armor.

  Ygabba and Gab'borah had given it to him back on Tatooine - Jango

  Fett's own Mandalorian body armor and combat boots. The armor had been

  damaged by General Grievous, but it could be fixed. Boba examined it

  carefully, then got out his own repair kit and touch-up paint.

  It felt good to be fixing his armor. Somehow, it made it feel more

  like it was Boba's own.

  It is mine, he thought, smoothing out a jagged spot where Grievous'

  energy blast had charred the plasteel. Then he began repainting the armor,

  a slightly darker color than that favored by Jango. As he did, he made a

  few other adjustments, tightening here, lengthening there.

  Boba knew his father would be proud of him. And he also knew that his

  father would understand.

  Boba was his own man now. He had accepted Jango Fett's legacy. Not

  just his helmet and armor, not just the book Jango had left him, but

  Jango's wisdom and skill, his discipline and determination. All of these

  things had made Boba who he was now

  One of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. But Boba wasn't content

  with that. As he shrugged into his armor and fastened it across his chest,

  he thought of Jabba the Hutt. Jabba paid well - for a Hutt, anyway - but

  Boba wanted to strike out on his own.

  It's time, he thought, pulling on his helmet. He straightened and

  looked at the reflection in a mirror.

  A pang shot through him at what he saw there. He felt loss and love

  and grief, but also pride.

  I look like my father, he thought. I wish... I wish he could see me.

  He would be proud of me. I know that.

  The mirror showed a tall, broad-shouldered figure, face masked by the

  battle helmet; but his bearing and strength plain for anyone to see

  Boba Fett.

  And he wasn't merely Jabba's prize assassin. Soon, Boba Fett would be

  the best bounty hunter the galaxy had known -

  Ever.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  He strode back outside to check on Skywalker's repairs. In the doorway

  he paused again -

  That sound, he thought. He listened, all his senses on edge. But the

  sound, whatever it was, had once again escaped him. He turned and hurried

  down to the moon's surface alongside his ship.

  "How's it going?" Boba asked. He stooped to peer at Slave I's wing.

  "Just about done." Anakin wiped a spot of grease from his cheek and

  took a step back. "What do you think?"

  Boba ran his hand across the wing, whistling softly. "Wow. You can

  hardly tell it was damaged at all."

  "That's right," said Anakin with pride.

  But somehow, Skywalker's pride no longer looked so much like

  arrogance. It looked more like satisfaction, even happiness. For a moment

  he stood and admired his own work. Then he turned to Boba.

  Now it was Anakin's turn to be impressed. "Your armor looks good," he

  said admiringly. "Your helmet, too."

  Boba shrugged. "In my line of work, you need it." "Yeah," said Anakin

  with a nod. " I can see that." For a moment the two young men stood in

  silence.

  At last Boba said, "Thanks for helping me with the repairs on my ship.

  But I have an important job to do - "

  "So do I." Anakin cut him off. "You violated Republic airspace back

  there on Xagobah. All unauthorized personnel automatically become detainees

  of the Republic. You're in my charge now."

  Boba's hand twitched toward his blaster. Anakin's did the same with

  his lightsaber. His steely eyes remained fixed on Boba.

  "There's no point in resisting," Skywalker said calmly, though there

  was an edge of menace in his voice. "But I'll put in a good word for you -

  "

  Boba's entire body tensed as he put himself into attack mode. Then he

  grimaced.

  The injuries he'd sustained from Grievous were too great. Even as he

  moved, he could feel blood trickling from his wounded shoulder. The pain

  was excruciating - but he wouldn't let Skywalker know that.

  " - after I bring you in for questioning," the Jedi finished. "I'm

  sure we can find a place for you to work within the Republic."

  Boba's grimace deepened, though not from pain. No way! he thought.

  Working for the Republic was not an option. Working for anyone, except

  himself, was not an option! Jabba the Hutt might pay his bounties, but no

  one set limits on Boba Fett.

  Not Jabba. Not the Republic.

  And definitely not Anakin Skywalker.

  But how to get away from the Jedi? Boba looked at the desolate

  moonscape surrounding them. Dunes, craters, depthless holes like horrible

  empty eyes or mouths on the lunar surface. He would find no refuge there.

  No help, either...

  He tried desperately to come up with a plan.

  If only I hadn't taken such a hit from Grievous! he thought. He

  flinched, recalling the encounter that had nearly killed him - that would

  have killed him, if Boba hadn't managed to use his wits to escape. He

  glanced at Anakin.

  I could take him, if I wasn't injured, he thought grimly. And if he

  didn't have a Republic army at his beck and call! 1 could still take him...

  .

  As though the young Jedi could read Boba's mind, Anakin said, "Don't

  even think of escape, Fett. You're no match for me. Glynn-Beti's troopship

  is nearby. I'll bring you there, and she'll decide what's to be done with

  you."

  "No - " Boba took a step toward Anakin. Sky-walker's hand tightened

  around his weapon as Boba said, "I have a better idea."

  Anakin regarded him suspiciously. "I warn you, if - "

  "'If' nothing!" Boba snapped. "If you don't listen to me now, you're

  making a mistake."

  Anakin's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

  The bounty hunter hesitated. Since his father's death, Boba had been

  sustained by two things. One was a burning rage to take vengeance on his

  father's murderer, Mace Windu.

  The other was a secret that only Boba knew. It was something he had

  learned back when he was on the toxic planet, Raxus Prime. He had been

  brought there by the bounty hunter Aurra Sing. She had been hired to

  capture Boba, by someone known as "the Count."

  The Count was in fact the deadly Separatist leader Count Dooku, enemy

  of the Republic. He was a former Jedi Master, who, like Boba, now hated the

  Jedi. Unlike Boba, Dooku had allied himself with the Separatists.

  Yet only Boba knew that Count Dooku was the same person as the

  mysterious Tyranus... the same Tyranus who had first approached Jango Fett

  to become the source for the Republic's clone army...

  The same Tyranus who was therefore also helping the Republic!

  Boba had kept this information secret from the Republic and the Jedi -

  until now. He had his Mandalorian armor, and his helmet. He had some of the

  most sophisticated weapons in the galaxy. And he had Slave I, the best ship

  in the galaxy.

  But right now, he knew that none of these things was as valuable as

  what he knew about the Count. His knowledge of the Count's secret was also

  a weapon. And at the moment, it was a weapon more powerful than anything


  else Boba possessed. He drew himself up and stared coldly at Anakin

  Skywalker.

  Knowledge is power, his father had taught him. Knowledge is a weapon -

  use it carefully, or pay the price!

  As he gazed at the threatening young Jedi before him, Boba hoped his

  knowledge wouldn't kill him.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Boba straightened and met Anakin's gaze.

  "I have information vital to the safety of the Republic," Boba said.

  Anakin stared at him in cold disbelief. "You what?"

  "You heard me." Boba glared back at the Jedi. "What I know could mean

  the difference between the Republic's defeat - or ultimate victory."

  Anakin's grasp on his weapon loosened, ever so slightly. "How do I

  know you're telling the truth?"

  Boba shrugged. "You don't. But if I am, the Republic could have the

  knowledge it needs to defeat the Separatists. And if you don't make use of

  it, the Republic could be destroyed. Are you willing to take that chance?"

  Boba watched Anakin carefully. Whatever this Jedi was, he wasn't a

  coward. Or stupid. Anakin shook his head.

  "Why should I believe you? You're just a worthless bounty hunter!"

  "Not just any bounty hunter!" retorted Boba. "Think about it. You said

  that Obi-Wan Kenobi had spoken my name to you. Why would he bother telling

  you about me, unless I was important?"

  Anakin frowned.

  Got him there! thought Boba triumphantly. Before the Jedi could say

  more, Boba quickly went on.

  "I need to go to Coruscant." The words were out almost before he knew

  what he was saying. But as soon as he did, he realized that they were

  right. "What I know can only be shared with the highest authority. If you

  try to stop me, you will be accused of treason."

  "Coruscant?" For a second, Boba had the satisfaction of seeing

  Anakin's confidence falter. But only for an instant. "There's no place on

  Coruscant for a bounty hunter like you! No one will meet with you. No one

  important, anyway."

  "That's where you're wrong," said Boba. Even as he spoke, he could

  feel his mouth go dry. He was taking a gamble, maybe the most perilous risk

  he had taken in his entire life. "Someone will meet me there. Someone

  important. Someone powerful..."

  "Who?" demanded Anakin angrily.

  Boba took a deep breath. He knew he was taking more than his luck in

  his hands.

  He was taking his life.

  Anakin took a step closer to Boba. "Tell me!" Boba put his hand on his

  blaster, defying Anakin to come nearer.

  "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine," he said. Anakin froze. His eyes

  widened.

  "The Chancellor?!"

  Boba nodded. "That's right."

  "But - "

  Abruptly the world around them seemed to shatter. Rocks and waves of

  sand rained down. Boba shouted and dropped, scrambling for his blaster.

  Anakin fell, too. He rolled toward Boba, one arm raised protectively above

  the two of them.

  "It's a space slug!" Anakin yelled. "Stay down!"

  From a crater behind the Jedi starfighter, a vast shape emerged,

  blotting out the sky above them. Its huge, snakelike body shot through the

  air, boulders and great rocks flying everywhere in its wake. Its huge mouth

  yawned open, showing rows of teethlike blades as it twisted and lunged

  Straight toward Boba and Anakin!

  Boba ducked, just in time, as a displaced boulder hurtled past him.

  The space slug roared.

  "This'll slow it!" shouted Anakin. He stood and grabbed for his

  lightsaber. But before he could draw it, a man-sized rock came hurtling

  toward him.

  The rock smashed against Anakin. With a strangled cry, the young Jedi

  fell.

  "Skywalker!" Boba shouted.

  But he had no time to help the wounded Jedi. The space slug was upon

  them!

  Boba hefted his powerful DC-15 blaster. It lacked the scope of his

  bigger weapons, but he was in close range to his target now

  Very close!

  "WHHHOOOORAAAAAGGGH!" the space slug roared. It was close enough that

  Boba could feel its hot breath, stinking of scorched rock and sand. And it

  was heading right toward Slave I!

  "Get away from my ship!" Boba yelled furiously. He darted to one side

  of Slave I, stooping to pick up a rock. He hurled it at the predator.

  THUNK!

  The rock struck the predatory monster on its most vulnerable part -

  its eye. "RRRUAAAGHRRRR!"

  With a thunderous growl of pain and rage, the space slug changed its

  course in midair. It veered away from Boba's ship - and the fallen Anakin -

  and surged in full pursuit of the bounty hunter!

  Boba ran toward a small crater. It was way too small to hide Boba for

  more than a moment or two.

  But that was all the time Boba needed to take aim. He crouched, his

  blaster leveled. He got a fix on the space slug's head - which was rapidly

  approaching!

  "Can't miss!" Boba muttered through gritted teeth. From the corner of

  his eye he could see Anakin turn, groaning, and stumble to his feet.

  "Otherwise we're both dead - and I've got a score to settle with another

  Jedi!"

  Once again the space slug's deafening roar rang out. Fragments of rock

  fell around Boba as the serpentine creature reared above him.

  BAAMMMM!

  Boba fired a direct hit - right between the eyes!

  "GLOOORB!" The gigantic slug's roar rose to a bubbling shriek of pain.

  Its head swayed back and forth, giving Boba another chance to fire - and

  another!

  "Yes!" Boba crowed.

  Two more hits! The space slug writhed in agony.

  Its knife-edged teeth clashed as it recoiled from the bounty hunter.

  Greenish blood spattered Boba as the space slug retreated with a long,

  bubbling cry, sliding back into its hole.

  "Yuck!" exclaimed Boba, wiping slug goo from his body armor. "Just

  after I got it all cleaned up, too!" He sheathed his weapon then removed

  his helmet, checking it for damage. Then he hurried toward his ship.

  "That was pretty good."

  Boba froze in his tracks. A few feet away Anakin stood, staring at him

  intently. Boba knew the Jedi was deciding what to do about him.

  But he couldn't know what was going on in Skywalker's head. Did it

  matter that he'd just saved the Jedi's life? That this was the second time

  he'd saved a Jedi since he'd started the hunt for Wat Tambor?

  Anakin shook his head, then looked Boba up and down as he approached.

  "Yeah, that was pretty good," the Jedi repeated. "Not bad at all,

  considering."

  "Considering what?" snapped Boba. He stared challengingly at

  Skywalker. Boba really didn't want to draw arms against this particular

  Jedi - but he wouldn't hesitate if he had to.

  "Considering you're getting ready to set your course for Coruscant,"

  said Anakin.

  "Huh?" It took a moment for the words to sink in. When they did, Boba

  allowed himself a small smile. Yes!

  But Boba was careful not to let his true emotions show outside of his

  mask. He had another, secret motive for going to Coruscant. And Skywalker

  could never learn what that w
as.

  "Yes. You can go to Coruscant - under these conditions," added Anakin.

  He gave Slave I's repaired wing one last careful look. Then he headed

  toward his starfighter.

  "I'll give you the coordinates," Anakin continued. "And the signal for

  takeoff. I'm handing you over to Governor Tarkin. He'll escort you to the

  Chancellor. If you don't like those conditions, you're history. When you

  enter Coruscant airspace, follow his lead. And your weapons have to remain

  on your ship."

  Boba bristled. "Why?" he asked angrily. "I'm not your prisoner!"

  "No, you're not. But he knows Coruscant, and you don't. I know who can

  be trusted - "

  "I trust nobody," said Boba. Already he had a plan for what he would

  really do on Coruscant.

  His eyes met Anakin's unflinchingly. "No one but myself."

  Anakin looked at him. Then he nodded, turning to ready his ship for