6
'GONE BOBA'
(Part two of E. C. McGrath's 'GONE JANGO' series)
After many republic cruisers were attacked by an unknown bounty hunter, masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were given the difficult task of unravelling this mystery. Teaming up with Captain Rex after his supply ship was attacked, the group leant that the unidentified villain might actually be a wayward clone. Now in pursuit, Anakin's craft, the 'Twilight', follows an undetermined course after the soon to be infamous Boba Fett . –
"Here's what we know so far," Obi-Wan recapped as he sat in the bridge of the 'Twilight' with Anakin, Ahsoka, R2-D2 and Rex. "Our target is a wayward clone of about fifteen years. He pilots and Firespray that resembles that of Jango Fett's and is accompanied by a separatist battle droid. He's been attacking republic vessels for near on a month now and clearly has ties to General Grievous."
"Have I forgotten anything?" Obi-Wan asked as his looked over his audience.
"Only that we're following him with absolutely so clue where he's heading." The clearly frustrated Anakin answered as he stood and looked to the unknown horizon of the glowing hyperspace tunnel.
"Now, Anakin, negativity won't get us anywhere." Obi-Wan replied. "This is the only option open to us, the only path for us to follow."
"I still don't understand how a clone's behavioural conditioning could get so messed up," Ahsoka piped in as she rested her back upon R2 while sitting in the corner. "I mean, no offence, Rex, but when you guys come off the assembly line, you're pretty much like a walking, talking droid."
"No offence taken, little one," Rex replied. "And what you say is correct. We don't develop our own personality for quite some time."
"Yeah," Ahsoka continued. "A clone of such a young age shouldn't be acting so independently. So what when so wrong with this one?"
"I guess you'll just have to ask him when we catch him, Snips." Anakin grunted.
"I just might do that." She snouted back with a cheeky glare.
***
Blasting through hyperspace with thunderous speed, the Firespray, 'Slave I', carried Boba Fett and his camouflage painted battle droid to the planet Thisspias in the mid rim. Jolting to a sudden stop, Boba and Sticks gazed upon the planet with virgin eyes.
There was clearly a large battle being fought on the east side of Thisspias, even from this distance the flashes of laser fire, and explosions could clearly be seen.
"Lets avoid the show and fireworks for now, Sticks," Boba voiced as he pushed his ship toward the planet. "We'll land near the outskirts, go in quiet."
"Roger, roger." The droid said as they flew toward the planet's rocky terrain and came in for a landing.
There was a small settlement on the outskirts with a neglected landing platform, large enough for only one vessel, and it was here Boba rested his weary hull. He and Sticks were greeted by a rather elderly Thisspian as they exited their ship and he bowed as he gazed upon them.
"Greetings," Spoke the Thisspian as he rose and revealed his old, beaded face. "Have you come to seek refuge from the war, my friends?"
"Come to offer aid, actually." Boba replied as he removed his helmet and advanced on the sluggish creature.
"What kind of aid do you offer?" He asked with confusion.
"I offer to aid you out of your misery." Boba answered with a sinister glare, but the old Thisspian didn't have time to fear this response before Sticks pulled out a blaster and shot him dead.
"Come on," Boba snapped to his droid as he left the landing bay. "We have a Jedi to kill."
"Roger, roger." Sticks replied as he kicked the Thisspian to check he was dead, and then ran to chase after his master.
***
The 'Twilight' roared out of hyperspace before the Thisspian planet and the cockpit's inhabitancy fell completely silent as they spotted the devastating battle being fought in a large valley on the east side of the planet.
"This is Thisspias!" Anakin said with an astonished tone.
"But…" Ahsoka began with hesitation. "Isn't that where Master Windu, and Commander Kody are?"
"As luck would have it," Rex replied with a smile. "If we fall into any trouble, reinforcements won't be far away."
"I wouldn't be so fast labelling it luck, or chance that brought us here," Obi-Wan said as he reached out with the force and felt the turmoil of this planet. "Jango Fett and Master Windu in the same day. I don't think it coincidence."
"You think the two are somehow related, mater?" Anakin asked.
"That's exactly what I think." Obi-Wan declared as he looked to Anakin with narrow eyes. "Take the ship in for a landing, I sense Master Windu may be in danger."
Anakin headed for the monstrous battle and was granted permission to land within republic lines. Upon exiting the 'Twilight' they were greeted by Master Kit Fisto.
"Master Kenobi," Kit Fisto began as he approached. "It's so good to see you, and you, Master Skywalker. We're loosing our foothold on this planet, I'm afraid, and you're assistance is most needed."
"Master Fisto," Obi-Wan greeted. "Unfortunately aiding you and your men is not the reason we're here. Although we'll be happy to help out while we're here, we're actually here cause we fear Master Windu's life is in danger."
"We tracked a wayward clone here," Anakin explained as Kit Fisto escorted the team from the landing bay. "He's going by the appearance of Jango Fett, attacking our cruisers. We think he's going after Master Windu for killing the real Jango Fett back on Geonosis."
"Oh, my!" Kit Fisto exclaimed as he came to a stop. "Do you have any proof of this?"
"We'll, no," Ahsoka answered in a small voice. "Just a feeling we have."
"We're Jedi," Kit Fisto replied. "So that's near proof enough. Getting to Master Windu might be a little tricky though."
"Explain?" Anakin unintentionally snapped.
"We've been cut off from his regiment," Kit Fisto answered. "Those damn droids took back the valley and Master Windu was trapped on the other side. We've been trying to get through to him but our communications are being jammed, and retaking the valley is a difficult task with such limited men."
"We'll maybe we'll have to lend a hand after all." Obi-Wan said with concern.
"It would be most appreciated, Master Kenobi." Kit Fisto accepted.
"Well, there's no time to waste," Anakin announced with fresh enthusiasm. "Take us to whatever men you have and we'll start assembling."
"Right away." Kit Fisto said with wide eyes and a smile, then he began forward again as the focussed group followed.
Kit Fisto's regiment of clones had established a stronghold deep within the rocky mountains of Thisspias over looking the valley. Constantly patrolled by land by super battle droids, and by air by many vulture droids, there was no way to sneak across the wide valley without being seen.
"A covert operation would be fruitless," Anakin suggested as he and Obi-Wan scanned the area with binoculars. "The droids own both land and air. We'll have to go in strong with everything we've got."
"It's risky," Obi-Wan spoke. "But I really don't see any other option. With any luck, Master Windu has drawn the same conclusion and we'll come across each other on the field."
"How many men do we have?" Obi-Wan asked Kit Fisto.
"No more than 500 clones and 350 Thisspian soldiers," He answered. "But the droids outnumber us by at least double."
"That's unfortunate," Obi-Wan replied as he turned back to the valley.
"Alright," Anakin nodded before turning to Kit Fisto. "Inform your troops we're going in hot, straight down the middle. Have any tanks, walkers or cannons you have fuelled and loaded. We attack at sundown."
"Affirmative." Kit Fisto absorbed before turning and leaving the small base.
"Guess all we can do now is wait," Obi-Wan said "Wait, and prepare."
The hours passed by slowly, and extremely fast at the same time. The small base hidden within the hills was pulsing with movement, like a bee hive running out of time to collect enough honey.
Ahsoka had been assigned the massive task of fuelling all the walkers, although there was only a few, seven if you want an exact figure, their tanks were deep and required many litres.
She led four clone troopers to the supply room, where many drums of oil were housed. They began loading the drums onto a cart, but above them they heard the sounds of somebody stomping along the ceiling and they stopped.
"Ah, guys," Ahsoka said softly with worry as she and the troops looked up. "What is that?"
"I don't know," One of the clone answered. "But it's not one of ours, none of our men have been assigned to patrol the roof."
"If it's not one of ours," Ahsoka said as she armed herself with her lightsabre. "Then it's an enemy."
***
Boba Fett and his custom battle droid had left their ship and the small settlement behind them and made for the rocky hills in an attempt to sneak into their desired destination unseen. Even though they had just come off a mission assigned by the separatists, Boba didn't view them an alley. He held no allegiance to either side, so he has to view both the separatists and the Jedi as his enemy.
Moving through the harsh, razor-sharp terrain, Boba and Sticks came across the republic's outpost in the mountains purely by chance.
"Ah," Boba said as he smiled beneath his beaten up helmet. "Here's something."
"Roger, roger." Sticks replied with a nod.
"Do you know how to say anything else?" Boba asked with hostility toward his mechanical companion.
"I know how to say a lot of things, actually." The droid stated, but before he could state any further, Boba leapt onto the roof of the republic outpost and dashed off with speed.
"Should I follow?" Sticks yelled, but Boba ignored the question and the robot who had been programmed only to follow orders was forced to think for himself.
"Roger, roger." Sticks retorted with what he thought to be a glare on his emotionless face, then he chased after his mater with what can only be referred to as clumsy steps.
The roof was old and rusted, it was full of holes and walking across it in silence was impossible, even for Boba, let alone the droid. It wasn't long before Sticks stepped in the wrong place and found himself falling through the tin.
Many aged sheets and heavy beams fell with Sticks as he landed face down. He whined as he rolled over, but suddenly fell speechless as three clone troopers aimed their loaded blasters in his face.
"Don't shot him," Ahsoka ordered as she appeared from behind the clones. " I have an idea…"
It was a good five minutes before Boba Fett noticed the disappearance and his droid up on the roof top, and he was in no way pleased when he did. He turned around with a grunt as he began retracing his steps, and that grunt turned into a groan when he came across the massive hole Sticks had fallen through.
"Incompetent metal!" He snapped under his breath as he pulled out his blaster and leapt into the hole.
He landed on his feet and before him stood three clone troopers, a young Jedi, and his unreliable battle droid. Without hesitation he shot the three clones through their exposed necks and they fell dead as Ahsoka grabbed the camouflaged droid and held him out before her like a shield.
Boba Fett ceased fire, but not cause of the droid.
"Now, lets just talk about this!" Ahsoka snapped as she gripped the droid. "What exactly do you want?"
"I want revenge," The masked bounty hunter answered. "Mace Windu will pay."
"You're not Jango Fett, are you?" She asked as she tried to see his eyes through the tinted glass of his helmet. "You're a clone, a clone with crossed wired programming."
"What went so wrong?" She added before he answered.
"I'm neither a clone, nor Jango," Boba answered. "I am his son."
"You're Jango Fett's son?!" Ahsoka repeated with astonishment, then Boba lunged forward and regained possession of Sticks by grabbing his skinny neck.
"Don't even think about it, Jedi," Boba snapped as Ahsoka went to raise her green bladed weapon. "I have no interest in killing you, it's Windu I want."
"You know I can't let her do that."
"You think you have to stop me because of that stupid little code you Jedi all follow, but what you don't see is that participating in this war goes against that. You're peace keepers, and peace keepers don't fight in wars, they fight to stop them."
"That's exactly what we are doing, we fight every single day trying to stop with war!"
"Continue to believe that if it keeps you warm at night," Boba replied. "But while you fight every day, no one is there to keep the peace."
"It's a lawless galaxy out there, sweet heart," He continued as he released his hold over the droid's neck and placed both palms on his pistol. "Everyday some creep is getting away with murder. You've turned your back on those who truly need you, and for that, you're no better than the separatists."
"You're wrong." Ahsoka said with clenched teeth and watery eyes as she extinguished her sabre.
"Maybe you're right," Boba replied with a shrug. "But the only way you're going to live long enough to find out is if you let me go. I will get my revenge one way or the other, best thing you can do right now is let me go about my business. Turn your back on Windu like you have all the innocent victims among the stars."
"I can't." She expressed with teased as Boba's words spoke straight to her.
"Then you will die," He stated bluntly before throwing Sticks back onto the roof via the hole they had entered in. "And I will have my revenge."
Ahsoka reignited her weapon and lunged for Boba Fett but he escaped before she could swing and she dropped to her knees with regret and great relief.
***
"This is it men," Obi-Wan spoke to the army of Clones and Thisspians as they foot on the foot of the valley and looked over the vast droid army. "The enemy numbers my double ours, but we double their intelligence!"
"Give it your all, troopers," Anakin began as he armed himself. "It's for days like these that you were made."
TO BE CONCLUDED…