[Boba Fett] - 4(29)
“That is so.” The reptilian sneer became a scowl. Gilramos reached for Ygabba, grabbing her by the shoulder. “And what do I ask in return?” “Obedience, Master.”
“And if I do not receive it?”
Quickly Boba looked around. A pile of bricks stood near the entrance. He grabbed one.
“Answer me!” shouted Gilramos. He shook
Ygabba angrily. “If I do not receive obedience?”
Boba crept to the very edge of the doorway. He took aim. He threw.
Bull’s-eye!
With a grunt Gilramos staggered backward. His tall hat tottered then fell. He clutched his head. Immediately Ygabba grabbed Murzz and darted away. All around the room, children raised their hands. Shining eyes glowed brightly, then flickered. With an ominous whir, the battle droids moved into position.
“Who dares to strike me?” shouted Gilramos.
“Why don’t you pick on someone closer to your own size?” Boba shouted back. He grabbed another brick and heaved it.
Barn!
This time Gilramos stumbled and nearly fell. With excited squeals the children raced away from him. They clambered up the walls, taking shelter on the shelves circling the room. Only Ygabba remained where she was, staring as Boba stepped into the room.
“Boba Fett!” she yelled. She grinned so broadly that for an instant he forgot about Gilramos and the droids.
“That’s me!” Boba yelled back.
“Fett?” repeated Gilramos. He lurched up again. A trickle of pale yellow fluid ran down his face. “You dare to strike me?”
“That’s right!” retorted Boba. He held up his hands, palm out. “You don’t control me!”
“But I will!”
Gilramos raised his arm. A bolt of crimson light flowed from it. Was it some sort of power or just a trick? Boba wasn’t about to find out. He ducked, then jammed on his jet pack. He soared upward, kicking at the Neimoidian’s head.
“Argh!” shouted Gilramos. The battle droids froze, awaiting orders.
If I can just grab one of those weapons, I can blast him, and the droids! Boba thought. He angled toward an open crate. Then I can claim Jabba’s reward!
The crate was just below him. Boba stretched his arm toward it. His fingers grazed a blaster’s grip.
Wham!
Violet light jabbed at Boba’s eyes. He cried out, then jolted upward. With a thud his head smashed into something.
The ceiling!
With a cry he fell.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
For a second all went black. Then Boba blinked and looked up. Above him a lizard face leered beneath an ornate mitred hat.
“Now what have we here?” Gilramos asked. He licked his thin lips. “A strong and clever boy. One who would make a fine addition to my army. After some modifications, of course.”
He grabbed Boba’s hand. Boba lashed out at him, but the Neimoidian was surprisingly strong.
“This will only take a moment,” Gilramos said. Behind him the droids moved into formation, their weapons aimed at Boba. “And then…”
“The Mandalorian is mine!” thundered a voice. Gilramos whirled. So did Boba.
“Durge,” he whispered.
The bounty hunter’s armored figure filled the entire doorway. In each massive arm he cradled a blaster. One was aimed at Gilramos’s head. The other was aimed at Boba.
“One move and you’ll be blasted into the Dune Sea!” Durge gloated.
Boba kicked at Gilramos. Durge took aim.
“Do you doubt me, runt?” Durge’s eyes blazed.
He stepped into the room. Boba heard the hiss of the children breathing in sharply. The battle droids swiveled, their weapons pointing from Boba to Durge. Durge lifted his head. He looked around.
He smiled. A wide, horrible smile.
“So this is your army, eh, Gilramos?” He looked dismissively at the droids, then walked over and nudged a small girl with his blaster. “Thieving children and a handful of droids?”
Boba watched him. If I only had a weapon, he thought. I could free us all!
But could he? He glanced past where Gilramos held tightly to him.
There were crates of weaponry everywhere. One stray blast, and the whole place would become a weapon!
Wait a minute, Boba thought. From the corner of his eye he saw someone move. Not a droid. Not Gilramos, either.
Ygabba. She stood near a pile of crates. Her head turned. She looked desperately at Boba. Immediately he knew what to do.
“Ygabba!” he shouted. “Lead them out! Run - NOW!”
At the same time that Boba yelled, he flattened himself against the floor. With a roar, Durge turned. There was a flare of light from his blaster. Boba kicked at Gilramos. The Neimoidian shrieked, then tried to grab him. The droids surged forward.
Too late! Boba was free!