[Bounty Hunter Wars] - 03(122)

“Very astutely observed.” Kuat gave a judicious nod. “But I really believed that I’d be alone, right to the end. I didn’t think that even you would try to track me down here.”

The ship’s bulkheads trembled as another series of explosions went off. From the viewports of the bridge, masses of dark clouds, shot through with reddening flame, mounted up toward the stars.

“It’s worth making the effort,” replied Boba Fett. “I’ve got questions that I want answers to.”

“Ask away, then.” Kuat of Kuat smiled gently. “It’s too late for me to try and conceal anything from you.”

Boba Fett stepped closer, across the floor buckled with heat and through the smoke filtering into the bridge. “Why did you want me dead?”

“Nothing personal,” said Kuat. “You mean zero to me. But I knew you had in your possession certain items that could prove rather embarrassing to me. And fatal to Kuat Drive Yards. There’s an ancient piece of wisdom that advises anyone taking a shot at a powerful creature to be sure to hit him. That’s very good advice; I knew the risks I was taking when I created that false evidence against Prince Xizor. But if my scheme had worked, I would have eliminated a major enemy-or at least given him something else to deal with, rather than conspiring to take over my corporation. But the one thing happened that I was unable to foresee: that both Xizor and a vital element of my scheme would be killed before the blow could be struck. Which left a considerable mess to clean up. Getting rid of you would have just been part of that cleanup process. Regrettable-but necessary, in the course of business.”

“I already figured out that much. A long time ago.” Boba Fett had come within arm’s reach of the other man. He pulled out his blaster pistol from its holster and aimed it at Kuat’s chest. “What I need to know now is whether that’s the end of it.”

Kuat looked with amusement at the weapon in front of him. “Rather late for that kind of threat, isn’t it? I already consider myself as good as dead.”

“You can die here, the way you want-or I can drag you out of here and hand you over to Palpatine or the Alliance, or whoever else would be interested in settling some old scores with you. Your choice.”

“Very persuasive, Fett. But unnecessary. I’ll be happy to tell you the truth-since I have nothing to lose now by doing so.” Kuat reached out his hand and pushed the blaster muzzle away from himself. “All the conspiracies end here. There’s no one else involved, no other forces to deal with, once these particular loose ends are taken care of. You don’t have anything to be concerned about. Once I’m gone-and I’ve taken Kuat Drive Yards with me-there won’t be anyone else coming after you. Or at least not in regard to the evidence I fabricated against Prince Xizor. You’ll just have your usual run of enemies, and all the various creatures with a grudge against you, to deal with.” Kuat peered more closely at the bounty hunter. “But you knew that already, didn’t you? You said as much, that you had figured it all out. You wouldn’t have come all this way, and risked this much-even your life, which you seem to value so highly-just to make absolutely sure of what you knew. So there must have been something else on your mind-right? Some other question you needed to ask of me. What is it?”

Boba Fett hesitated a moment before speaking. “There’s a female named Neelah that’s been traveling with me.”

His voice lowered slightly. “But that’s not her real name. She doesn’t know I found out that she’s actually Kateel of Kuhlvult. She’s a member of one of the ruling families of the planet Kuat.”

“Very interesting.” Kuat raised an eyebrow in surprise. “She would also then be the sister of Kodir of Kuhlvult, the head of security for Kuat Drive Yards. And someone that Kodir had been extremely interested in locating.”

“Did Kodir tell you why?”

Kuat shrugged. “The love between one

sister

and

another,

I suppose-that’s within the range of normal human emotions. But whatever the reason, it was enough for Kodir to force her way into becoming security head so she would have the resources to find this sister who had vanished.”

“Then here’re the questions.” Boba Fett’s dark-shielded gaze locked upon Kuat’s eyes. “You’ve heard of a man named Fenald?”

“Of course. He was head of security for Kuat Drive Yards, before Kodir of Kuhlvult was given the position.” “So naturally,” continued Fett, “you would’ve given a sensitive, important job-like making the arrangements for the planting of fabricated evidence against Prince Xizor-to him.”