[Boba Fett] - 6(10)

Boba ignored the implied threat. “I’ve got work to do myself,” he said roughly. Grimacing, he touched his wounded shoulder.

“You better take care of that,” said Anakin before turning his attention back to Slave I.

“And my body armor,” said Boba, more to himself than the Jedi. He started back up the gangway to his ship. Suddenly he halted, frowning. “Did you hear that?”

“Huh?” Anakin’s muffled voice drifted from behind the starboard wing.

Boba stood on alert, listening. His keen eyes took in the barren moonscape: pale reddish sand carved into funnels and outcroppings like ruined towers or the remains of other, wasted spacecraft. Between large craters, smaller tunnels yawned, black as the star-scattered sky beyond.

But there was no sign of life. No one but Boba Fett and Anakin Skywalker moved in this desolate place.

“Nothing,” Boba said. “Must’ve just been my imagination.”

He went back into Slave I. Inside, all was silent, save for the sound of Anakin hammering and working away at the battered wing. Gingerly, Boba tended to his injured shoulder, cleaning the wound and putting on fresh bandages.

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 - “