Chapter 4

Bonadon



Anakin Solo looked over his shoulder, wondering whether they were still following him. Earlier that morning, he had been spotted. He had been at a bar, pumping the bartender for information when two thugs had recognized his voice. They were guards of Ploovo Two-For-One, and on his last trip to Bonadon, Anakin had broken one of their legs, and the other one's jaw and nose.

And now, Anakin was running through the spaceport streets, hoping to lose them in the crowd. After he had escaped the bar, the thugs must have called their boss, and now every Espo on Bonadon had been alerted, as well as all of Ploovo's gang. So far, Anakin had avoided using his lightsaber, but that wouldn't last long, especially if any of Garinoska's Jedi shock troops found him.

The whole time he was running, he had been searching for Face's unique Force profile, trying to find him amid the mass confusion of the hunt.

Then his comlink beeped. "Orev."

"It's Demolitions. We're gonna get you out of this mess. Where are you?"

"Can't say. They might be tapping us."

"Their not. This line's secure. I can be anywhere in the spaceport in ten minutes."

"How 'bout where the Narra's docked?"

"Good. Anyway, our work here is done. Poster boy and Lav found what we need," Kell replied. "Acknowledged. I'll see you in a few minutes." Anakin clipped his comlink to his belt and kept running. His body was amazing. He had been running at a full sprint for nearly ten minutes, and he wasn't the slightest bit worn out.

A blaster bolt flashed by his ear and caused him to drop to the ground, turn, and draw his blasters, in a single fluid motion that would've made his father proud. Two thugs and a trio of Espos were fast approaching on a skiff. Behind them, Anakin heard the high-pitched wine of a speeder bike. He put a bolt into the gunner's eye, and then his instincts made him place two more shots into the underside of the skiff, taking out its repulsors. For the thousandth time since he had been cloned, Anakin thanked Garinoska for all of the reflexes and instincts the CSA technicians had given him. And he kept running.

The speeder bike finally drew up beside him and the rider hopped off. He was of average height, and wearing black robes. The black rider drew a lightsaber and held it in a simple, but effective guard stance.

Sithspit! thought Anakin. I don't have time for this. He ignited his own lightsaber and came in with a heavy overhead chop. The Force trooper caught it, but was overpowered by Anakin's enhanced strength. His adversary fell to the ground and snarled, "You'll never escape your fate. You're one of us."

"To bad you won't live to see it." Anakin slid his lightsaber through the clone's heart, then deactivated it. The speeder bike was still there, and Anakin hopped on and took off, heading out into the docks, hoping to lose his pursuers among the maze of spacecraft, docking bays, and civilian traffic.

If only it was to be that easy.