[Boba Fett] - 2(16)

Over and around the huge ion engines, each trailing a kilometers-long exhaust of ghostly blue photons, like smoke.

Up the sheer long cliff of the Candaserri’s dorsal fin, being careful never to look back and “down” into the well of stars.

Across the traverse of the sheer hull side, staying on the steel strips between the rows of lighted windows.

“Secure!”

“Going ahead!”

The suit comlinks made the two friends’ voices seem closer than when they were in atmosphere. They pulled themselves along, using every bolt, antenna, edge, and knob of the hull. Sometimes, through the windows, they saw crew members hurrying along a corridor, or clone troopers marching in formation toward the mess hall or the dorm.

“Careful,” said Boba, tucking himself into a niche whenever they passed a window. “If anyone sees us, we’re in big trouble.”

“They’ll raise the alarm,” said Garr. “They’ll think it’s an attack!”

Boba and Garr were too close to the ship to see the shape or the size of it. Each ridge, fin, or bulge in the hull was a surprise, and hid another.

Finally, they saw the sleek pod that was the bridge tower module, perched atop a dorsal fin. It looked almost like a smaller ship hitching a ride on the Candaserri. It was windowless except for the wide plexi bubble-window at the front.

“They will have alarms,” said Boba. “We’ll have to move carefully.”

The two made their way up the fin, then to the top of the pod. Standing roped together, and secured by their magsoles, they cautiously worked their way forward until they had reached the top edge of the wide forward window.

Boba knelt, Garr beside him. They crept over the edge of the window and looked down. Boba felt totally exposed. If any of the crew looked up, they would see two helmeted heads looking in from space!

Every alarm in the ship would go off.

But no one was looking up. The bridge was quiet. Crew members sat at their control consoles, while officers circulated among them, checking the system coordinates.

“Awesome!” said Garr. “This is the main command center. Everything happens here first.”

The captain and the first officers, in their brightly colored uniforms, were consulting with a robed Jedi at a holomap table. Boba recognized Glynn-Beti, the Bothan Jedi who had questioned him.

I’m lucky she got distracted, he thought. If she had made me open that flight bag, I would probably be a prisoner right now.

“I wonder what they are talking about,” Garr said. “Maybe they got word about some of the parents. I would like to see my parents again.”

Boba didn’t say anything. It was an awkward moment.

“Someday you will meet my parents,” said Garr. “You will like them.”

“Maybe,” Boba said. I doubt it, he thought.

Boba was ready to go, but he was waiting for Garr - who liked watching people as much as Boba liked watching stars.

Garr lay facedown, looking through the window at the crew on the bridge.

Boba lay on his back, staring up. He loved the dizzy feeling he got, looking deep into a sea of stars and galaxies.

They had been on top of the bridge tower module for almost twenty minutes. Boba checked his air tank and it was still over half full. But his heater was running down. He could feel the chill of space seeping into his suit, especially at his feet and hands.

“We should be heading back,” he said to Garr. “Couple of more minutes, ” said Garr. “They’re looking at another holomap.”

“A map? Let’s see.” Boba rolled over and looked down.

“That’s a weird map!” said Garr. “I can’t tell anything about it.”

“Uh-oh,” said Boba.

“What?”

“We’d better get back into the airlock, fast!” “What’s wrong?” Garr’s voice was sharp with fear.

Just then a siren wailed. The two could feel it reverberating through the hull.

“That’s the ten-minute alarm!” Boba said. “That was a hyperspace map they were looking at. The ship is about to jump!”





CHAPTER FOURTEEN


Faster!

Down, down -

Faster!

Around, around

Boba was no longer feeling the cold, even though the little; heater in his suit was almost drained.

Garr was gulping air, spinning through the vacuum, grabbing at one handhold and then another.

Neither spoke. There was no time for words. They hurried toward the back of the ship where the big ion jets were staining the universe a pale blue.

How much time do we have left? Boba wondered. Six minutes? Five?

“What happens if.?” Garr asked as they made their way down the fin from the bridge tower module.

“If what?”