AUTHOR'S NOTE: Uh... I actually don't have anything to say today. Sorry it took me so long to update!
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The Fett Family Affair
by Mona Lisa
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Chapter four:
Life at Jabba's
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Many of the people in Jabba's palace ran away as they recognized his armor. "Please don't kill me!" They cried as they fled. None of them paid any attention to the elderly woman trailing the Bounty Hunter.
The pair stepped into the main hall where Jabba and most of his lackeys spent much of their time. The fat worm was sitting in his usual spot near the back wall. Men and women were scattered about the room, drinking, smoking, gambling, and watching Jabba's dancers, who danced in the center of the hall while musicians played not far away. A man gambling in the corner looked up from his table and saw the Bounty hunter standing in the doorway.
"Holy Sith!" He yelled, pointing his finger, "It's the bounty hunter, Jango Fett!"
All noise in the hall immediately stopped as everyone in the vicinity faced the doorway. For a moment, there was silence in the hall as the people took in the sight. Then, without warning, hell broke loose. The people ran about screaming, diving under tables, trying to find a safe place to hide. Jango fired a few shots into the air to try and get their attention, but the sound seemed to panic them even more. Jango shook his head as the place cleared. People always seemed to panic when he showed up, even if there was no bounty on their heads. Jango shrugged and walked to the middle of the hall, where only Jabba remained. At least Jango didn't have to fight his way through a large crowd to reach his destination.
***
Boba did not throw up in the bathroom as he had told Zam he was going to do. He didn't go to bed, either. Boba looked at the clock. It read 17:54. It was way too early to go to bed. He hadn't even eaten dinner yet!
A soft knock cam at the door and Zam, who had been painting Jango's room, poked her head into the room. "Boba, I'm sorry if I grossed you out." She said. "I guess I shouldn't have told you. I should have left it too your father. Besides, you're only eight years old. I didn't learn about it until I was twelve. Your dad is going to kill me."
Boba turned away from the window. "Don't worry about it." He said. "I mean, I guess it's a fact of life."
"Yeah." Zam said. "When you're older, you'll do it too."
Boba grimaced and turned back to the window.
"What do you want for dinner?" Zam asked. Boba shrugged in response. "Do you want to go out?" Boba shrugged again. "Okay. Uh, are there any good restaurants on Kamino?" Boba faced her now.
"Can we have ice cream?"
"For dinner?"
"Yeah."
"That's not a very good meal, Boba."
"So? Ice cream makes me feel better when I'm feeling sick."
"Alright, we'll have ice cream."
"Yes!"
"But," the boy's enthusiasm subsided a little, "We are going to eat some real food first."
"Why?"
Zam rolled her eyes. "You do ask a lot of questions. Come on."
***
Jango sat in a corner of Jabba's palace, counting his money. He had found that Jabba often tried to give him less money than he said the bounty was worth. Iluva was observing the atmosphere around her with distaste. One the people had realized that Jango wasn't there to kill any of them, they resumed the activities they had been engaged in before Jango's arrival.
One of the dancers walked over to Jango and sat down on the chair next to his. Iluva cast a quick glance at the girl then resumed her observations of life at Jabba's. Jango didn't even notice the dancer until she spoke.
"That's a lot of money." She said.
"Wha- Oh, yes, it is."
"How much is there?"
"Sixty Thousand credits."
"Wow. You must be rich."
"Yeah."
"I like rich men."
Jango, still to busy counting, barely heard her words. "That's nice."
"I like dangerous men too."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"That's nice."
"Why don't you spare me some of it? Not a lot, just a little. I am a poor, single mother who barely has enough money to feed her children."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Listen, Lady, I need money too. I'm a single father. I have to feed my kid. You probably don't even have kids. You are just making that up so I'll give you a thousand credits. Well, my answer is, 'no.'"
Before the dancer could open her mouth to argue, a deep voice said from behind, "Jango Fett, what a pleasant suprise to see you here. Oh, and what's this? What are you doing with my Regina? She's mine, Fett. I didn't say you could talk to her."
Jango closed his eyes. Why now? He faced the owner, a tough looking man dressed in leather. "I didn't start talking to her, Jarin, she started talking to me."
Iluva looked at the new comer and asked Jango who he was.
"That's Jarin Guden. He's one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. A debate has been going on for years about who was the best bounty hunter: Jarin Guden or Jango Fett."
"Who's that Fett? You brought your mom?" Jango stood up to face him.
"Yeah, Jarin, that's right."
By now, the entire hall had gone quiet. Everyone was watching the two rivals. Jarin laughed, a big, booming laugh that filled the hall.
"Did you all here that?" He shouted to the crowd. "Jango Fett, feared bounty hunter, brought his mommy! Like she could protect him. HA! Look at how small she is."
"You insulting my Mom?" Jango asked.
"What does it sound like I'm doing, Fett?"
Jango pulled his blaster out of its holster on his leg. "That's it, Jarin. I've put up with you for a long time. No one insults my family and lives."
Jarin drew his blaster as well. People around the hall were starting to bet on who would leave Jabba's alive.
***
Zam laid her head down on the pillow and smirked. Jango's pillow. And this room was Jango's room. She was sleeping in Jango's bed. Zam let out a small sigh. To bad he wasn't there, laying beside her.
Zam sat up and clutched her face in horror. Had she just thought that?! What was wrong with her?! Zam decided that she must be very, very, tired. Yes, that was it. She was sleep deprived. Watching Boba was hard work. Zam lay back down. yeah, he was a ball full of energy, but already she had grown attached to him. Zam rolled over and fell asleep.
***
"Mommy's boy!" Jarin taunted as he and Jango shot at each other. Jarin knew he was aggravating his opponent. It was all working as he had hoped. Jango was getting so frustrated that his aim had become poor and he missed every shot. Jarin could almost see a Jango's frustration through his armor. This was too easy. Jango shot and missed again, after which Jarin shot. The beam hit Jango in the shoulder, and he fell to the ground.
Jarin smirked and walked over to where he lay. "And so it ends." he said, "I am the greatest hunter after all." He pointed his blaster at Jango's heart.
"What the-?" Something hit Jarin with such a force that it sent him toppling to the floor. Jango looked up to see his mom hitting Jarin repeatedly with her umbrella and her purse. She whacked him repeatedly until he was unable to move. The crowd was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into applause. Iluva stood and looked sheepishly at the crowd.
Jango forced himself to his feet. "Thanks, Mom." He said. "Let's get out of here."
Iluva placed her arm around Jango's shoulders and helped him out Jabba's palace. As they left, Jarin stood up, massaging is swollen body.
"I'll get you, Jango Fett! And your mom too!"
***
Boba couldn't sleep. Horrible images kept floating to his mind. Boba sat up and rubbed his head, forcing the images from his mind. He was feeling stressed. Normally, Boba would spar with his father when he was feeling stressed. Sparring helped him to relieve the tension he felt. But Jango wasn't there then.
Jango wasn't, but Zam was. She was probably sleeping, but that hardly mattered to Boba. He would wake her up, and then they would spar.
Boba crept into his father's room. He could see Zam sleeping in the bed, her back to him. Boba crept up to the side of the bed and, like a cat, pounced. In one quick and fluent movement, he was on the bed. A startled Zam awoke to see Boba sitting practically on top of her.
"AAAUUGGHH!" She screamed.
"AAAUUUGGGHH!" Boba screamed and fell of the bed. He hadn't attacked Zam. Instead of the woman he had come to know, a green, lumpy creature was laying in the bed. "Who are you and what have you done with Zam?" Boba asked. The creature gave him a bewildered expression.
"I am Zam, Boba."
"You don't look like Zam."
The creature stared at him for a moment and then suddenly smiled. Before Boba's eyes, the creature's features morphed into that of the woman Boba remembered. "Boba, no need to be suprised. I thought your Dad had told you. I'm a Clawdite. A Changeling."
"Oh." Boba seemed to be at loss for words. "That means you can change into almost anything?"
"Almost."
"Then how do I know you're a girl?"
"Boba, I said almost anything."
"Oh. Uh, how do I know you are really Zam?"
"Kid, if I killed Zam Wesell, why would I go ahead and change into her clothes and then fall asleep and wait for you to attack me? I would go into your room, shoot you, and then steal all your Dad's money and leave."
"I guess you're right." Boba said, though he still looked skeptical.
"Why did you attack me?"
"I want to spar."
"Spar? Boba, it's 2:15 in the morning!"
"So?"
"I'm exhausted, Boba. I'll spar with you tomorrow."
"Okay." Boba sulked back into his room. Well, that had been a great way to relieve stress, he though bitterly. Instead of loosing it, he had gained some more.
Boba looked around his room. There had to be another way to get rid of that tension.
His eyes landed on one of his Dad's spare jet packs. Hum, that seemed like a good way to get rid of tension. Boba always felt more relaxed after using the jet pack.
Boba strapped the jet pack onto his back and headed for the door then stopped. Surely Zam would hear him if he opened the door. Instead, Boba turned around and opened his window.
~~~
Oh no, this can't be good! Please review!
Lightbulby29, who said we couldn't each write a V-day fic? Go ahead
and write yours. I would love to read it! I don't know what holiday I'll
do next. Maybe I'll write my own Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Birthday
ones. maybe I'll do Father's Day. Anyway.....
