“Boba, is your father here?” Taun We asked. “Yes.”
Say no more than necessary. That was a favorite saying of Jango Fett. And Boba knew that it especially applied when the Jedi were around.
“May we see him?”
The Jedi said nothing. Just stood there, watching and listening. Cool and collected. But also a little scary.
Boba tried to be cool himself. “Sure,” he said. Always be polite. Especially to your enemies.
And the Jedi, as keepers of the peace, were the natural enemies of bounty hunters, who operated outside the law.
Boba stepped back to let them in. The Jedi was looking around as if he had never been in an apartment before. Nosy! Boba thought. He decided to ignore him.
“Dad! Taun We’s here!”
Jango Fett came out of the bedroom. He looked at both of the visitors, and he didn’t seem to like what he saw.
“Welcome back, Jango,” Taun We said, pretending she hadn’t just seen him. “Was your trip productive?”
“Fairly.”
Boba listened carefully. Taun We was sounding friendly, as usual. Meanwhile his father was looking the Jedi up and down. To say that Jango didn’t seem to like what he saw would be obvious, like saying Kamino is rainy. It was more than that.
Boba wondered if they had met before. He wondered if the Jedi had anything to do with the death of Zam.
“This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Taun We said. “He’s come to check on our progress.” “That right?” Jango said.
The two men stared at each other. It was like a battle fought without words or weapons.
Boba watched, fascinated. It was obvious to him that his father could have whipped the stupid Jedi with one finger. But something was holding him back.
“Your clones are very impressive,” said the Jedi with a slight bow. “You must be very proud.” “I’m just a simple man,” Jango Fett said, bowing back. “Trying to make my way in the universe.” “Aren’t we all?” said the Jedi.
It was like a fight to see who could be most polite!
Meanwhile, the Jedi was looking into the bedroom,
where
the Mandalorian battle helmet and armor were lying on the floor.
Jango moved in front of the door to block the Jedi’s view.
“Ever make your way as far into the interior as Coruscant?” the Jedi asked.
“Once or twice,” Jango answered coolly. “Recently?”
This is one very nosy Jedi! Boba thought. He wondered why his father was talking to him at all. “Possibly,” said Jango, and Boba knew from the tone of the answer that his father had been to Coruscant.
And the Jedi knew it, too.
Now Boba knew for sure that the Jedi and Jango had encountered each other before, and that the Jedi had had something to do with Zam’s death. How he hated the Jedi’s smug little smile!
“Then you must know Master Sifo-Dyas,” the Jedi said.
“Boba, close the door,” said Jango in Huttese, a language they both knew well.
Boba did what his father asked, never taking his eyes off the Jedi. He wanted him to feel his hate.
Meanwhile Jango Fett was fencing. Using words instead of a sword to block the Jedi’s moves. “Master who?” he asked.
“Sifo-Dyas. Isn’t he the Jedi who hired you for this job?”
“Never heard of him,” said Jango.
“Really!?” said the Jedi. For the first time, he looked surprised.
“I was recruited by a man called Tyranus,” said Jango. “On one of the moons of Bogden.” “No? I thought…”
Taun We stepped in then. “Sifo-Dyas told us to expect him,” she said to the Jedi, pointing to Boba’s father. “And he showed up just when your Jedi Master said he would. We have kept the Jedi’s involvement a secret until your arrival, just as your Master requested.”
The Jedi seemed surprised by all this. And trying not to show it. “Curious,” he said.
“Do you like your army?” Jango Fett asked. His cold smile seemed to Boba like a sword thrust straight toward the nosy Jedi’s heart.
“I look forward to seeing them in action,” said the Jedi. A pretty good parry, Boba had to admit.
“They’ll do their job well, I’ll guarantee that,” said Jango.
The Jedi gave up. “Thanks for your time, Jango.” “Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi,” said Boba’s father with a slight, sarcastic smile.
The door slid shut and the locks began to snap closed. Boba was thrilled. After winning an encounter like that, he figured his father would looked pleased, even triumphant. Instead, Jango Fett’s face was creased with lines of worry, and he seemed deep in thought.
Boba began to wonder if his father had really won the battle. “What is it, Dad?” he asked. “Pack your things,” Jango said. “We’re getting out of here for a while.”