One wrong turn.

That was all it took, that and a little bad luck. There was an open field to his left, a canyon to his right, a fifty meter drop behind him and a squad of assassin droids coming straight for him. Fenn Shysa cursed and fumbled with his ammo belt. No more charges for his blaster, but he had a detonator left. In a few seconds the squad would come through a strand of scraggly trees. IF they were close together, and IF he hit just the right spot, he could buy himself enough time to...

Go where?

"Face it," Fenn mumbled to himself. "You're hosed. And it's your own damn fault." There was a shiver of movement in the trees. The droids, or just the wind? His thumb pressed down on the detonators trigger, but he didn't pull it back yet.

There was a flash of metal and a blaster bolt caught him high in the shoulder. His armor took most of the impact. The second shot hit scorched a rock in the place he was standing only a second ago. Haar'chak. No cover. Fenn pulled back the trigger and let the detonator fly, hoping that his luck was about a take a sudden turn for better.

The third shot slammed into his breastplate, knocking him back. The fourth hit him the stomach, just below his belt, and then he was falling. He heard the detonator go off, but he didn't see it.

So this was it. This was how he died.

He felt the impact of something against his back, and experienced a split second of confusion that he'd hit the ground so soon. Then he realized his downward trajectory was slowing, and he heard the roar of jet engines. There was an arm around his chest, a hand holding his belt.

Plus there was an awful lot of pain, so he must not be dead yet.

"Never make it," he heard himself say. "One jetpack. Two men. Too far."

"Shut up or I'll drop you," Boba Fett growled in return, and Fenn felt a strange sense of peace. The bounty hunter would have a plan. He always did.

As it turned out, there was a narrow ledge about ten meters down, and a shallow indent in the face of the cliff. Fett used his grappling hook to steer them in and lowered Fenn to the ground. There was bright blood smeared on his armor. "That's not good," he said flatly, his eyes on Fenn's stomach.

"Yeah. You're tellin' me."

He took a bacta patch out of one of his pockets and ripped open Fenn's bodysuit. "I don't have anything for the pain," Fett warned as he pressed the patch into place. Fenn closed his eyes, his vision swimming.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad ya… how did ya find me?"

"I followed you. Leia was worried." A scattering of blaster fire pounded into the ledge behind Fett. "I think you missed one."

"Osik."

"We're safe enough here. Who wants you dead so badly?"

Fenn tried to laugh, but it hurt too much. "Stamuch Leebin."

"Aleck Leebin's father." There was no question that he remembered the former Grand Moff. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It ain't your fight. I was the one who offered his son protection and failed to deliver. Besides, Le'ika needs ya more right now, with all the outer rim politics and that baby on the way…" A cough rattled unpleasantly in his chest. "I'm glad ya decided to have another. A daughter. Hope she's just like her mama."

"She not force-sensitive," Fett said abruptly.

Fenn could see this was important to him. Well, it would be. He made a clumsy fist and lightly punched the other man's arm. "Round two for the Fett genes, then." His arm immediately drew back, hugging his body as a fresh wave of pain washed over him. "I wanted to meet her. I'm sorry I won't get to." Fett said nothing in reply. "Not going to deny it, are ya? Bastard."

The bounty helmet tilted down, his visor aimed at Fenn's stomach. "I can't stop the bleeding for long. I can't move you. Maybe you have a few hours left. Maybe a few minutes."

"Ah. Well...that's that then."

"I took Leebin," Fett said after a moment. "You know I did. It is my fucking fight."

"I'm glad ya see that way...I need ya to do something for me, Boba."

He waited silently. Fenn drew in a breath. When had it become so hard to breathe? "Be the Mand'alor. Don't let them fall apart after I'm gone. Remind them of who they are. Remind them of who they can be."

Another round of blaster fire hit the ledge. Fett was still. "I'm not a leader, Shysa."

"I...respectfully disagree." Another cough shook him deep inside, and he felt something wet and hot in the back of his throat. "Not that it...matters. You'll do it, won't ya? Give me...your word."

The bounty hunter's hand closed into a fist. "You have it."

"Damn right I do." Fenn reached over and grabbed the other man's arm, gripping it as tightly as he could. "One last thing. Don't make me wait to die."

He was half-afraid the bounty hunter would refuse out of spite, but after a few seconds Fett gave a single nod. Fenn closed his eyes, only dimly aware of the click of his helmet release and the cool air on his hot face. When he opened them, Fett had drawn his blaster, his hand steady as he pressed the barrel to Fenn's head. "Thanks," Fenn murmured. "Mand'alor."

Fett pulled the trigger.