Chapter Twenty Three: Bounty Hunters
The broadcast had gone out all over the galaxy. The Emperor was offering fifty-thousand credits for a Jedi- dead or alive. Every bounty hunter and assassin was after the outdated sorcerers. One especially.
Boba Fett had trained for his vengeance since the day his father had been killed. He'd honed his natural skills, gained new ones, until he was the perfect specimen- as Jango had intended.
He was rarely without his father's armor anymore. Since he'd grown bulky enough to fit in it, he had gradually stopped taking it off. But as he hunted the Jedi, he allowed him self the small comfort of clear vision, no heavy dented helmet to obscure it.
It wasn't any Jedi that he hunted. It was *the* Jedi, the older black man, the one who had cut down Jango. Master Windu, he'd been called that day on Geonosis. Boba Fett hadn't forgotten. He never forgot.
The old master in his star fighter wasn't a match for the Slave I. The ship had been primed and prepped until it was in perfect condition. Boba Fett didn't go for shot that would explode the star fighter, just tried to force a landing.
The Jedi did land and he was alone. Boba Fett jumped out of his ship silently, trying to calm his pounding heart. It was just business, he told himself.
The business of revenge.
*
Obi-Wan landed at Mos Espa, the largest city on the desert planet of Tatooine, mere days after leaving Dagobah. He put his ship down at one of the smaller hangers, trying not to attract attention.
He'd decided to sell the ship before he'd even left Dagobah, and he asked the young man in charge, "How much will you give me for it?"
The mechanic walked slowly around the ship. "Twenty-thousand."
Obi-Wan was about to argue then stopped. He might as well just sell it. The twenty-thousand would be good enough for him to get supplies and settle. He nodded. Luke gurgled and Obi-Wan smiled down at him.
"Cute kid," the mechanic said. "Your son?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Nephew," he lied quietly for lack of a better explanation.
The mechanic sighed. "Look- Ben, right?- all I can offer is twenty. You go down to Watto's and tell him I offered you twenty-three. He'll give you at least twenty-five."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Thank you."
"I didn't want it anyway," the dark haired young man said, and he smiled. "You came here to settle, right? Let me give you a tip. You came to the wrong rock. All anyone dreams about is leaving here and never coming back."
"That's what I'm counting on," Obi-Wan whispered, taking his leave from the young mechanic.
He went down to Watto's. He offered twenty-one until Obi-Wan mentioned the other mechanic's offer. Watto rolled his eyes. "Twenty-three. Kitster thinks he's high and mighty now, eh? He used to be a slave that one! Strange world we live in- slaves becoming free, owning property, becoming mechanics and Jedi!" Watto suddenly stopped his grumbling and offered softly, "Twenty-six."
Obi-Wan held out his hand. "Deal."
*
The next order of business was to find a decent land speeder. Credits safely in his pack, Obi-Wan was about to do that when he felt his stomach rumble. He looked down at the baby in his arms. "Hungry, Luke?" Luke giggled and Obi-Wan smiled at him. "Me, too."
Obi-Wan looked around the crowded streets of Mos Espa. There was a small café nearby and he crossed to it swiftly. He entered and took a seat at a small booth, placing Luke beside him.
He planned out their future in that booth. He would buy some sort of a house and he would raise Luke. He would tell him all about his father- the quick study, the pilot, the *Jedi*. And perhaps, when he got older, he would tell him how the Dark Side had clouded his father's vision. Tell him about who is father had become. And when Luke was old enough, he would join the rebellion- join his sister- and bring Palpatine down.
He was too lost in his thoughts to notice the man until he slid into the booth across from him. "I have a blaster pointed at you, Jedi. So if I was you, I'd come along quietly." The bounty hunter smiled. "And bring the kid."
Obi-Wan rose slowly, picking Luke's carrier up as well. The bounty hunter followed close behind him as he exited the restaurant and walked along the back alleys of Mos Espa.
They entered a small hanger. Obi-Wan barely glanced around, but time seemed to slow as he took it all in. There was a beat up ship in the center of the hanger. There were a few workbenches with rusted tools piled up, but there were no other people inside the hanger.
"Okay, put the kid down Kenobi."
Obi-Wan knelt to put Luke down, then turned to the man. He held out vibrocuffs. "Put out your hands." Obi-Wan obeyed, waiting for his chance.
It came a moment later when the man's grip on his blaster loosened as he reached across to put on the cuffs. With a flick of his wrist, Obi-Wan disarmed him. A few swift moves later, the man was wearing the vibrocuffs himself and Obi-Wan had knocked him over the head.
Obi-Wan hurried over to the baby, who was crying, upset by the commotion. He grabbed him and hurried onto the ship. Stealing wasn't exactly a part of the Jedi code, but occasionally, the rules could be bent.
As Obi-Wan lifted off, he grinned. Sometimes, like that day, they could be broken.
The broadcast had gone out all over the galaxy. The Emperor was offering fifty-thousand credits for a Jedi- dead or alive. Every bounty hunter and assassin was after the outdated sorcerers. One especially.
Boba Fett had trained for his vengeance since the day his father had been killed. He'd honed his natural skills, gained new ones, until he was the perfect specimen- as Jango had intended.
He was rarely without his father's armor anymore. Since he'd grown bulky enough to fit in it, he had gradually stopped taking it off. But as he hunted the Jedi, he allowed him self the small comfort of clear vision, no heavy dented helmet to obscure it.
It wasn't any Jedi that he hunted. It was *the* Jedi, the older black man, the one who had cut down Jango. Master Windu, he'd been called that day on Geonosis. Boba Fett hadn't forgotten. He never forgot.
The old master in his star fighter wasn't a match for the Slave I. The ship had been primed and prepped until it was in perfect condition. Boba Fett didn't go for shot that would explode the star fighter, just tried to force a landing.
The Jedi did land and he was alone. Boba Fett jumped out of his ship silently, trying to calm his pounding heart. It was just business, he told himself.
The business of revenge.
*
Obi-Wan landed at Mos Espa, the largest city on the desert planet of Tatooine, mere days after leaving Dagobah. He put his ship down at one of the smaller hangers, trying not to attract attention.
He'd decided to sell the ship before he'd even left Dagobah, and he asked the young man in charge, "How much will you give me for it?"
The mechanic walked slowly around the ship. "Twenty-thousand."
Obi-Wan was about to argue then stopped. He might as well just sell it. The twenty-thousand would be good enough for him to get supplies and settle. He nodded. Luke gurgled and Obi-Wan smiled down at him.
"Cute kid," the mechanic said. "Your son?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Nephew," he lied quietly for lack of a better explanation.
The mechanic sighed. "Look- Ben, right?- all I can offer is twenty. You go down to Watto's and tell him I offered you twenty-three. He'll give you at least twenty-five."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Thank you."
"I didn't want it anyway," the dark haired young man said, and he smiled. "You came here to settle, right? Let me give you a tip. You came to the wrong rock. All anyone dreams about is leaving here and never coming back."
"That's what I'm counting on," Obi-Wan whispered, taking his leave from the young mechanic.
He went down to Watto's. He offered twenty-one until Obi-Wan mentioned the other mechanic's offer. Watto rolled his eyes. "Twenty-three. Kitster thinks he's high and mighty now, eh? He used to be a slave that one! Strange world we live in- slaves becoming free, owning property, becoming mechanics and Jedi!" Watto suddenly stopped his grumbling and offered softly, "Twenty-six."
Obi-Wan held out his hand. "Deal."
*
The next order of business was to find a decent land speeder. Credits safely in his pack, Obi-Wan was about to do that when he felt his stomach rumble. He looked down at the baby in his arms. "Hungry, Luke?" Luke giggled and Obi-Wan smiled at him. "Me, too."
Obi-Wan looked around the crowded streets of Mos Espa. There was a small café nearby and he crossed to it swiftly. He entered and took a seat at a small booth, placing Luke beside him.
He planned out their future in that booth. He would buy some sort of a house and he would raise Luke. He would tell him all about his father- the quick study, the pilot, the *Jedi*. And perhaps, when he got older, he would tell him how the Dark Side had clouded his father's vision. Tell him about who is father had become. And when Luke was old enough, he would join the rebellion- join his sister- and bring Palpatine down.
He was too lost in his thoughts to notice the man until he slid into the booth across from him. "I have a blaster pointed at you, Jedi. So if I was you, I'd come along quietly." The bounty hunter smiled. "And bring the kid."
Obi-Wan rose slowly, picking Luke's carrier up as well. The bounty hunter followed close behind him as he exited the restaurant and walked along the back alleys of Mos Espa.
They entered a small hanger. Obi-Wan barely glanced around, but time seemed to slow as he took it all in. There was a beat up ship in the center of the hanger. There were a few workbenches with rusted tools piled up, but there were no other people inside the hanger.
"Okay, put the kid down Kenobi."
Obi-Wan knelt to put Luke down, then turned to the man. He held out vibrocuffs. "Put out your hands." Obi-Wan obeyed, waiting for his chance.
It came a moment later when the man's grip on his blaster loosened as he reached across to put on the cuffs. With a flick of his wrist, Obi-Wan disarmed him. A few swift moves later, the man was wearing the vibrocuffs himself and Obi-Wan had knocked him over the head.
Obi-Wan hurried over to the baby, who was crying, upset by the commotion. He grabbed him and hurried onto the ship. Stealing wasn't exactly a part of the Jedi code, but occasionally, the rules could be bent.
As Obi-Wan lifted off, he grinned. Sometimes, like that day, they could be broken.