by Terry Bisson
He had his father's instinct for knowing it would come in handy later on.
It was part of his father's legacy to him... for better or for worse.
"Boring," said Garr the next day, staring out.
Boba had to agree. Hyperspace looked like a clumsy child's drawing of
a universe, a first draft.
"Those streaks are stars?" Garr asked.
"Stars smeared across space-time," said Boba. "When we drop out of
hyperspace, they will look more like stars."
"Like the orange one?"
Boba looked up from his book Operational Starfighters. He had been
watching the tiny, flickering orange star for days, almost lost amid the
smears.
"It's not a star," Boba said to Garr. "If it's not a streak, that
means it's matching our speed exactly. Following us, maybe."
Curious, he thought. He wished he could see it better.
"We'll find out soon enough," said Garr. "Ulu Ulix sent me to get you.
We're getting ready to jump out of hyperspace, and we're supposed to be
secured in our quarters."
"Let's go, then," said Boba. The last thing he wanted was trouble with
Ulu Ulix or his Jedi Master, Glynn-Beti. "Gotta keep them happy!"
The jump was uneventful. Just a weird lurch, a moment's dizziness.
The orphan kids' moods improved immediately. Boba and Garr went to the
commissary for their first untroubled meal. Lunch after hyperspace was like
breakfast after a long sleep. Everyone was buzzing with excitement.
"We must be near Bespin."
The announcement would come from the bridge soon. Hyperspace jumps
were a little unpredictable, but only a little.
After lunch, everyone went forward to the main observation blister, or
MOB, to see the stars. Everyone except Boba. He went alone, back to the
ROB.
That tiny star; there was something about it.. He picked up the viewer
and scanned the sea of stars for the little orange light.
It no longer stood out, like it had in hyperspace. But he found it,
just where he had thought it would be, directly behind the Candaserri.
Boba zoomed in for a better look. It was a ship. It was tiny, and it
was several kilometers away, but clearly matching speed and course with the
Candaserri.
Following. Shadowing. What for?
The orange color came from the glint of starlight on the rusty,
battered hull.
The familiar hull.
Boba wiped his eyes. Could it be that he was overtired, just seeing
things? He dialed the zoom, bringing the little ship closer, until he could
see the stubby wings, the scratched cockpit, the pitted sides. He could
even see the pits that had been put into the ship while flying through the
asteroid belt on its way to Geonosis.
He lowered the viewer from his eyes. They were filled with tears, at
the same time that his fists were clenched with fury.
For the ship was one he knew well. It was his legacy from his father,
and it had been stolen from him by Aurra Sing.
It was Slave I.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"Hey, Teff, what's up?"
"Not much, Garr." Boba put down the viewer and turned to face his
friend, who had just entered the ROB. Keep your emotions to yourself. "Just
stargazing."
"See anything interesting?"
"Nothing much," said Boba. "Star dust, space trash, you know."
"Well, come on, then," said Garr. "Ulu Ulix has been looking for you.
The Padawan wants us to help strap down the little ones for arrival."
"Arrival?"
"We're going into orbit around. Bespin. Trip's over. Welcome to your
new home!"
Home? Not if I can help it! thought Boba as he picked up his flight
bag and followed his friend.
The forward observation blister was filled with crew members and
orphans, gazing with wonder at the planet the ship was orbiting.
It was huge. It glowed orange in the light of its distant sun.
"Bespin is a gas giant, with its metallic surface so far under layers
of atmosphere gunk that it's hardly been reached, much less explored!" Garr
said excitedly. "The main industry is mining Tibanna gas from the
atmosphere. Nothing lives on the surface. All the cities and mines and
factories float in the clouds, and... hey!"
"Huh?"
"You're not listening, Teff!"
"Oh, sorry," said Boba.
"Daydreaming?"
"I guess."
Daydreaming? Not exactly. Boba's mind was racing; he was thinking
about the startling discovery he had just made in the rear observation
blister.
Slave 1! He had seen it. The little starship he had inherited from his
father, Jango Fett, was following the Candaserri - and being careful, Boba
had noted, to stay in the shadow cone, where it would not be picked up by
the assault ship's approach sensors, which were probably tuned to pick up
flotillas, not solitary craft.
Boba was pondering this information silently while he stood beside
Garr in the crowded forward observation blister watching stormy Bespin spin
below.
"There you are!"
Boba and Garr saw Ulu Ulix pushing through the crowd.
"You two are determined to get me into trouble, aren't you! Don't you
know you're supposed to stay near the Orphan Hall?"
"Sorry," said Garr, hiding a grin. While Ulu had been busy, they had
the run of the ship, and they had taken advantage of it.
Boba didn't like Jedi, but Ulu was an exception. He decided to ask the
Padawan about what he had seen - without, of course, revealing too much.
"Ulu, have you ever heard of a bounty hunter called Aurra Sing?"
"Aurra Sing? Sure. She's - "
"Why do you wish to know?" asked a harsh, high voice. Boba turned and
saw Glynn-Beti looking at him suspiciously.
Boba groaned. If he had known she was around, he would have kept his
mouth shut. "Uh..."
"Speak up, orphan. Teff, isn't it? Why do you ask about Aurra Sing?"
"I was just wondering. I, uh, heard some crew members talking about
her."
"She is an enemy of civilization, of galactic order," said the Bothan
Jedi. "She is wanted for numerous crimes, high and low, including murder.
That's all you need to know. Ulu Ulix - " Glynn Beti glared at her Padawan.
"What are these two doing so far from the Orphan Hall? Are you forgetting
your duties? Take them there immediately."
Ulu bowed. "Yes, Master Glynn-Beti."
"Gather the other orphans. And all of you, meet me in the docking bay
as soon as you have packed your things. We're being ferried down to Cloud
City."
"Yes, Master," said Ulu, bowing again to the departing Bothan's back.
"Whew!" said Garr, when Glynn-Beti had left. "What was that about?"
"Aurra Sing," said Ulu Ulix. "Don't mention her name around Glynn-
Beti. Glynn-Beti condemns her, and for good reason. Aurra Sing kills Jedi
for sport."
"I thought bounty hunters only worked for money," Boba said.
"Aurra Sing is different," said Ulu Ulix. "It is said that she has
some sorrow in her past that causes her to hate the Jedi. Whatever it is,
she attacks us every chance she gets."
"You mean,
for fun?" asked Garr, shocked. "Sick fun," said Ulu Ulix.
"But come on, you two. Let's get moving."
That explains it, thought Boba, as he followed Garr and Ulix back
toward the rear of the ship. Aurra Sing is trailing the ship to get a crack
at a Jedi or two. Good luck to her!
I wonder what she would think if she knew I was on board.
The ship's corridors were filled with crew members hurrying to their
stations. Planetary approach was an exciting event to all hands-except, of
course, to the clone troopers. One planet or another, it was all the same
to them.
Boba wouldn't miss them. His brothers - so much alike, and yet so
different. They had no interest in where they were going, or where they had
been. They were interested only in their weaponry, in their assignments, or
in their chain of command. The clones were pure military.
So when he arrived at the docking bay, helping Ulu and Garr herd the
younger orphans onto the lander, Boba was surprised to see his old friend
CT-4/619 hard at work. He was painting out the emblems of war and the
military numbering on the little lander that was going to take the orphans
down.
"Remember me?" Boba asked.
"Not really," said CT-4/619. "Should I?"
"No, just wondering," said Boba. "What are you doing?"
"De-militarizing," said the clone.
"How come?" Garr, who was always curious, asked.
"Bespin," said CT-4/619. "They want no signs of war."
"The rulers of Bespin want to preserve their planet's neutrality,"
said Glynn-Beti. The Bothan Jedi had approached unseen. As always, she made
Boba nervous. "We are allowed to bring you orphans down, but not to carry
any weapons or engage in any military activities."
"Not even your lightsaber?" Boba asked, indicating the Jedi's weapon
hidden under her robe.
"The weapons of the Jedi Masters are not subject to local ordinances,"
Glynn-Beti said with a haughty scowl. "Now come aboard!"
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Lander dropped free of the Candaserri and fired its retros,
slowing it for atmospheric entry. The twenty-one younger orphans, strapped
into their seat, shouted with glee and excitement as the lander encountered
the first wisps of air.
The faint whistling sound grew to a roar as the little ship dove into
the sea of clouds. It was terrifying and exhilarating. The orphans oohed
and aahed as the clouds whipped by, all reds and yellows, oranges and
browns.
Far off, Boba saw the flash of lightning. "A storm," said Garr, who
was, as usual, full of information. "The storms on Bespin are the deadliest
in the galaxy."
But the storm was soon left behind as the little ship sailed down,
down, down... into the middle levels of the atmosphere, where the
inhabitants of. Bespin all lived.
Boba usually liked planetfall - descending to a new planet. But this
time he had mixed feelings.
He was eager to begin the search for Aurra Sing, who could not be far
away.
At the same time, he knew he would miss life on the Candaserri. He had
been forced to live a lie, as "Teff." But in return he had been granted,
for the first and only time in his life, a friend. Someone to spend time
with, to explore with, to talk to and share secrets with (only up to a
point, of course).
It had all been a great pleasure - but now it was time for Boba to
return to his real identity.
He was the son of Jango Fett, the toughest bounty hunter in the
galaxy.
And he intended to get his ship back!
They landed at Portside, in the teeming central levels of the city.
Uniformed officials appeared at the opened ramps of the ship and asked
Glynn-Beti for documents.
Glynn-Beti handed over a holopad, pointing at the younger orphans who
were lined up at the doorway - and then at Boba.
She whispered something to the officials, and they looked at Boba. One
shook his head; another nodded.
What is she telling them? Boba was alarmed. He had planned to wait and
make his escape from the orphanage as soon as no one was looking; but what
if he never got there? What if Glynn-Beti was telling them to check his
identity first?
Boba edged toward the open ramp. The Jedi and the officials had their
backs turned. If he slipped out now he could disappear into the crowd
before anyone knew what was happening. It might be several minutes before
they even noticed he was gone.
There was only one problem. How could he leave without saying good-bye
to his first, and still only, real friend?
The choice was between friendship and freedom.
Boba chose freedom.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Teff!"
He couldn't believe it - Garr `had betrayed him! His best friend was
yelling, alerting the Jedi!
Boba ducked his head and ran, darting through the crowd.
Portside was a maze of narrow alleys, lined with shops where stolen
goods and weapon's, illicit spice, and phony documents; all were on sale to
anyone with credits.
It was a perfect place to disappear.
Boba looked back and saw an official running after him. But she was
easy enough to lose - a couple of sudden reversals, a turn down a narrow
alley, and Boba had faded into the milling polyglot crowd, where a hundred
languages filled the air with a low buzz.
Made it! He slowed, and forced himself to breathe easily so that no
one would notice that he was on the run. He was invisible, because nobody
(or no creature) notices a ten-year-old.
Except another ten-year-old.
"Teff!" A hand caught his shoulder.
Boba turned, fists up, in a fighting stance, ready to defend himself
against all the Jedi in the world, as well as their security droids, clone
troopers, officials, or...
It was Garr.
"You forgot your flight bag," Garr said, handing Boba the precious
legacy from his father.
Boba was amazed. Had he been that confused, that panicked? That was
breaking the bounty hunters' code for sure, which was to remain calm in
every situation.
Boba dropped his fists to his side. "Thanks," he said, taking the bag
from Garr.
"Why are you running?" Garr asked. "They are going to send us to a
nice place, I'll bet."
Boba didn't say anything; he didn't know where to start.
"Glynn-Beti is going to be mad now. We'd better get back, quick,
before - "
"Garr!" Boba grabbed his friend by the arm. "Come."
"Where? What for?"
"Just come. I'll explain!"
Cloud City's central levels were open, at the edges, to the wind and
air. Dragging Garr by the hand, Boba headed toward a park lodged up against
a transparisteel barrier that looked down on a sea of streaming clouds.
From here it was easy to see why Cloud City was considered one of the most
beautiful cities in the galaxy.
"What's this all about?" Garr asked as Boba parked himself on a bench
and pulled his friend down beside him. "Teff, talk to me!"
"In the first place," said Boba,
"my name's not Teff."
"It's not? What is it then?"
Boba didn't want to tell another lie, but he didn't want to tell the
truth either. "Never mind that," he said. "I have something more important
to tell you."
"You're not an orphan?" Garr guessed.
"I'm an orphan all right. Just not a needy orphan wanting to be
rescued by the Jedi."
"But why not? If they want to help out..."
"I told you my father was dead, but I didn't tell you how. He was
killed by the Jedi. I saw it happen."
Garr gasped. "Was your father... bad?" "Bad? He was good," said Boba,
his voice rising.
"But the Jedi are good," said Garr. "They are the guardians of peace
and..."
Boba began to see how hopeless it was. Garr would never understand.