Ch. 8 Resurrection
"Xanatos?!" gasped Obi-Wan. "B-But, how…how did you…" "Survive?" finished Xanatos, his ragged black hair blowing in the wind, a fierce, maniacal look in his eyes.
Xanatos chuckled and said, "When I fell into that acid pit on Telos, I didn't die. I was simply preserved. The acid would've scalded me to death, but I was using a burst of Force energy when I fell in the pit, so the acid instead formed a stable, Force-enhanced compound around my body, preserving me for years…until the Yuuzhan Vong came. They had conquered Telos, and they were searching the planet for slaves and natural resources. They found me in the pit, and awoke me from my slumber. When they found out that I used to be a Jedi, but now hated them, they brought me here to Kamino when they arrived here…and they performed an experiment on me."
"Xanatos, what-" began Obi-Wan. Then he realized. He could only partially feel his dark rival in the Force.
Xanatos said, "They shaped me. I am now half Yuuzhan Vong, half human." He ignited his red lightsaber in his right hand, and uncoiled an amphistaff in his left hand. Then he sneered, "Now, I'll have revenge on you and that fool Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan replied, "Qui-Gon died ten years ago. You're too late to finish him."
Xanatos blinked in surprise, then regained his composure and said, "Well then, I guess that only leaves you and I. Two former Padawans of that fool. He paid to much attention to the living Force to realize how horrible a Master he really was…"
Obi-Wan yelled in anger and rushed at Xanatos, igniting his blue lightsaber. "Obi-Wan, use this!" yelled Siri, throwing him her purple lightsaber as she struggled to open one of the coralskippers. Obi-Wan grabbed her saber in mid-jump and blocked Xanatos' lightsaber with one lightsaber, and Xanatos' amphistaff with the other lightsaber.
They engaged in their deadly duel.
***
Thrawn listened patiently to Tarkin's report on the situation here at Bothawui. He'd just arrived. The Kaminoans had continued on to Coruscant to be sent to various refugee camps. Except for the core of their government, which had insisted on staying with Thrawn. "And now that Jango Fett's original, unaltered genetic material has been destroyed, if we produce any more clones, they won't be of very good quality," he finished.
Thrawn thought about this for a few moments before turning to Taun We, who was seated at the conference table. "Do you have any suggestions, Prime Minister?" he asked smoothly. "There is still one source where we can get Jango Fett's material unaltered," she replied.
"And what might that be?" asked Thrawn mildly. Taun We cleared her throat and continued, "When the arrangement for the Clone Army was agreed upon, Jango Fett requested…"
"An unaltered clone for himself," finished Thrawn. "Yes, now I remember reading Master Kenobi's report," he continued. "The clone was named 'Boba Fett', was it not?"
"That is correct, Commander," replied Taun We. She continued, "The Jedi sent Master Siri Tachi to Kamino to fetch him right after the Battle and Destruction of Geonosis, but I'm afraid he slipped through our fingers. His whereabouts are now unknown."
"Not for long," Thrawn replied, standing up. "Admiral Tre'ast," he began, nodding towards the Bothan admiral who was seated in the conference room with them. "Tell Pellaeon to take all my messages. I myself will oversee the capture of Boba Fett." Tre'ast nodded and he, Thrawn, Taun We, and Tarkin left the conference room.
And so begins the hunt for Boba Fett, thought Thrawn.