Title: "Mentor"

Time Period: Just at the end of Attack of The Clones

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The Clone Wars begin to rage across the galaxy, and a Sith Lord helps a single boy takes his first step at reaching his destiny.

Author's Notes: This fic came from a discussion I had a few years ago on what happened to Boba right after his father was killed on Geonosis? There appears to be a lot of unwritten history from this time, to when we see him in ESB. I'm not exactly sure if this can be called Alternate Universe, but until proven otherwise..

None of the characters are mine, but if they were, I could kiss my college loans goodbye!

Enjoy and Review!

Chapter Two: "Acceptance"

Slave I sliced through the turbulent atmosphere of Kamino heading towards the main capitol of Tipoca City . Space Traffic controllers, nervous at possible attacks from the Confederacy, immediately placed what defenses they had on alert and interrogated the incoming craft. The native Kaminoans, fully aware of the blossoming war in this region of the galaxy had been given reassurances that the Republic would be sending adequate forces for their defense. In the meantime, any craft that came into their system was immediately suspected of malice. However, the ship gave the proper identification/security codes and was granted clearance. There should have been no issue, since the defenses and security procedures were set up by the ships original owner.

The ship came in smoothly (if slowly) and landed on the specified platform. Its engines immediately powered down and the ship lay there, silent. Nothing emerged from the ship for some time until a door from the main hub of the city opened and several individuals walked out into the rain and towards the ship.

Taun We, Project Coordinator and Aide to the Prime Minister, walked towards the still ship with a squad of armored Clone Troopers. Although they had no space-based defenses to speak of, there was no reason not to use their own clones for personal protection.

The group stood there, soaking in the rain, Taun We looking at the ship, and the squad with weapons drawn. The lithesome Aide bent down and asked something of the squad commander. His hand went to his helmet, stood like that for several moments, and then he shook his head at the Aide, pointing to the side of his head.

The main hatch of Slave I opened with a hiss and the squad of troopers immediately closed ranks around the Kaminoan. A single, solitary figure stood at the top of the floodlit hatch. Slowly, it walked down the ramp towards the group until it came into the rain and walked into the lights of the landing platform.

"Boba!" Taun We exclaimed. The boy appeared to take no notice of her as she walked right up to him and knelt down. The troopers, having lowered their weapons, walked up to the pair.

"Boba," the Kaminoan asked. "What happened? Where is your father? Where is Jango?" The boy said nothing, staring down at the wet platform.

Taun We was confused. It'd been several days ago that they'd received a surprise visit from Master Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Everything had gone extremely well from the tour of the lab facilities, to the review of the first battalions that were ready for deployment. Everything that is, until she introduced the Jedi to the original template for the Clone Army, Jango Fett. Following that meeting, she'd been surprised to find out that Jango and his son were preparing to leave! Not only that, she'd heard reports that a firefight had broken out on the landing platform where Slave I was berthed. When she reached the scene, Slave I was already gone and the Jedi Kenobi – in a rush – informed her that if the ship were to come back, its captain was to be detained and the Republic contacted immediately. Add the fact that Master Yoda, the Head of Jedi Council, had come – quite unexpectedly – sometime after to take command of the readied battalions. All in all, it had been a hectic few days.

Kaminoans were nothing if not thorough, but the Jedi's instructions had no provisions on the bounty hunter's son. Taun We thought the Jedi would want the boy held as well for questioning, but a part of her didn't want that. The scientific part of her knew that Boba was simply another clone (albeit one with no genetic tampering whatsoever), but over the years she had spent time with Boba, especially on those times when his father was out on long missions, and she had grown fond of him.

Taun We could see that something terrible had happened. The boy just stood there, soaking wet and not even taking notice. She knew, with a sigh, that she'd get no answers now.

"Boba," she said slowly. "Perhaps, we should go inside? Maybe get something warm to drink?" Boba just looked up at her blankly. She nervously glanced at one of the troopers, asking for help with a look. One nodded and came forward and gently placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Boba? Let's go inside," he said, his voice distorted slightly through his helmet speakers. The boy tensed and his eyes went wide. Even distorted, the voice was unmistakably that of his father's. Breathing hard, he yanked his arm away and started to back away. The trooper drew back his hand and looked at the others. The boy eyes darted from one trooper to another, and then with a gasp, he broke into a sprint towards the main entrance to the city, the cries of the others echoing behind him.

Boba ran.

He didn't care where, he didn't care how, but he ran. He ran after finding his father's helmet among the detritus of broken droids and dead Jedi. He ran when it became apparent that the fledgling Confederacy was going to lose the Battle of Geonosis. He barely remembered climbing into Slave I, strapping in and punching in the emergency takeoff program. Unconsciously, he must've hit the program to immediately return back to Kamino. Yes, his father had shown – and made him memorize – many safe houses in case of emergencies. But when the reality hit, when he held his father's helmet in his hands…..there was really only one place he could call home.

He didn't even remember being interrogated by Kamino Traffic Control or sending in the proper code clearance. Only when the flight computer kept querying him for final approach instructions, did he finally take over. He was running on his own 'automatic pilot' as he landed the ship, going through the post-flight checklist and shut-down procedure with maddening focus; he'd been too well taught by his father.

When the engines were finally powered down and only standby systems running, did he actually slump in the pilot's seat, staring out into the storms of Kamino as rain battered across the cockpit. The comm console kept beeping for his attention, but he paid it no mind. Eventually, he stared out and noticed a group of people led by a Kaminoan coming close to the ship. Only when he looked at who the Kaminoan was did he begin to stir.

The ramp lowered slowly and he walked out, not even noticing the downpour. He heard voices and recognized Taun We's always gentle tone. He'd have easily been led inside if it wasn't for one of the troopers coming forth and placing a hand on his shoulder. Although admittedly freezing from the rain, Boba's blood ran cold when he heard the voice from the clone.

His father's voice.

Unbidden, a memory flashed through his mind:

The helmet sailed through the air, bounced off a rock…and something else fell away as well…

He panicked and dashed past the others and into the city. He wasn't sure how far he'd run, but he started to see more and more armored clones walking around and knew he'd stumbled into one of the many training areas for the soldiers. Several soldiers caught sight of him and tried to call to him, since he'd been a regular visitor to see his father train them into what they were now.

Boba didn't want to deal with them, didn't want to see what he knew was behind every single one of those white armored helmets. He blindly ran into the first set of doors he came across and then closed them with both hands. He stood there, breathing hard pushing with all his might to hold back anyone coming through. A few moments passed when he realized there was a muttering behind him. Slowly, he turned his head to look behind…and a deep pit formed in his stomach.

Hundreds of people, wearing his father's face were staring right at him. Many had trays waiting in line for food, while the rest were in various stages of eating. All had stopped what they were doing when this interloper burst into their midst.

Boba had stumbled into the commissary.

The one nearest to him slowly stood up and walked towards him.

"Boba, are you okay?" one said. Boba could only clamp his hands to his head in dismay. You're not my father….you're not my father! More and more of the clones got up, chairs sliding, and started towards him, hands outstretched.

"No," Boba started in a whisper. "You're dead….you're dead!" he screamed as he threw himself back out into the corridor.

His lungs burned and his heart thundered in his ears as he ran down one last corridor and up to a door he thought he'd never see. He nearly stumbled in exhaustion as he keyed in a sequence on the lock and went in, closing the door behind him.

The apartment was dark, just as he and his father left it. Things that were hastily left behind were still where they had been left when Boba and his father had left. The action figures, the toy starships…everything had been left untouched. In one dark corner, stood his mechanical nanny, MU-12, who always took care of him, especially on those times his father was away on long missions. On a whim, he went over and turned the droid on. Its slotted eyes immediately glowed, but didn't move immediately.

"Please enter pass phrase," it intoned. Boba remembered that his father, always security conscious, had built a bomb into the droids body in case one of his many enemies – past or present – might try to gather any information into his whereabouts. In the event they needed to blow the bomb intentionally, a counter-phrase could be given as well.

"'Until next time'," Boba replied, remembering another person – a friend of his father's - who recently died, one who was always nice and kind to him when she showed up.

The droid immediately powered up and took stock of its situation.

"Master Boba!" Mu-12 said, seeing the young boy before him. "What happened? Why are you here? Where's Master Jango?"

"Gone," was all Boba said and started to walk into what was left of his room.

"Gone?" MU-12 repeated. Boba just nodded, about to shut the door to his room.

"Hello, Boba."

He stopped abruptly, hearing the voice, the true voice of his father, not one coming from a clone. He opened his door and looked out.

There stood MU-12 and coming from a projector on its chest was a life-sized hologram of his father. Mouth slightly agape, Boba walked out and faced the simulacrum. The image of his father paused a bit before continuing:

"To be honest, I don't know if you'll ever see or hear this, son. I'm hoping not, but in the business I'm in…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I always take precautions, don't I?" He looked wistfully across time and space at his son and cleared his throat. "If you are looking at this recording, then I can only assume that…I died. I've gone up against almost every single sentient being this galaxy has, and the only one who might've beaten me is a Jedi." His face darkened. "If that was the case, then the Jedi finished the job they started so many years ago."

"You have no idea, dad," Boba whispered.

"Parents usually have kids to continue whatever work they left behind. I took over the Mandalorians after the man who rescued me, Jaster Mereel, was killed in a trap. He made me who I am to day, and that's one of the reasons I had you, Boba, though please understand I don't love you any less. I wanted to see you continue Jaster Mereel's legacy: to bring back the Mandalorians. It's a lot to put on your shoulders, son, I know. But, I know you have it in you to do so."

"Not to leave you on your own, I've also made some arrangements." Here, Jango stared right into Boba's eyes. "I'm leaving you with my Black Book." MU-12's chest cavity opened and a compact data crystal came out.

Boba took it, looking on as light played on its surface. "In it," continued Jango, "you'll find every contact I've made, every thought I put down, every lesson learned when Jaster first found me as a kid and made me into a Mandalorian." Jango sighed and looked away. "The other arrangement is that if something should happen to me, another will look after you for the time being, and I think you know who. He expressed interest in your progress when you helped me put down those anarchists on Kuat. If anyone can teach you about how to handle the people who killed all my men years ago, it's him. One thing, though," here Jango leaned closer into the hologram pickup. "Don't trust him for a moment, son, understand? He has his own agenda, and we have ours, and, for now, we're both following the same direction." His father stopped there, thinking for a moment.

"Remember Boba: your honor, your loyalty…these are the things that matter. When you accept a mission, when you've given your word, it's all that matters. And if you really are listening to this, then you'll also understand this final lesson: In battle, there can be no mercy."

Jango paused again, and a smile tugged at his lips, something that rarely graced his features.

"Never forget, son," he said gently. "Every time you look in a mirror, you'll always see me looking back at you." He looked down and then back up again.

"Goodbye, son."

The hologram fizzled, and then disappeared. Boba just stared at the empty space for a bit, and hand started to reach out a little then stopped. He sighed and it dropped back to his side. He turned about and went back into his room.

Boba sat there, for what seemed like hours, just staring at the crystal in his hand. Idly, he wondered why no else had bothered to check if he'd hidden here. A knock came from the door and MU-12 peeked in.

"Master Boba, there's a gentlemen here to see you."

Boba nodded and squeezed his fist until it enveloped the crystal. "I know," he said simply.

He walked out into the main living room and was not surprised to see Tyranus standing near the window, staring out into the seething storm. His father's former employer turned and regarded him with hooded eyes.

"You know why I am here," he said. Boba nodded once. "The arrangement I originally made with your father I can also extend to you, as well: an army to eventually hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights, the same ones who killed your father." Boba said nothing, his father having said to never jump into an arrangement too hastily. Tyranus put a hand up.

"Before you make any decision, however, it might be prudent to take care of some unfinished business." He gestured towards the door and in floated a long platform with a cloth covered bundle on it. Boba's eyes widened as he stared from it to Tyranus. "I have many assets at my disposal, young man. It was not difficult to find and bring the body here," he said gently.

Boba swallowed and walked up to the platform. From the shape, he could see that all of his father was there. Good. He placed a careful hand on his father's covered head.

"Outside," he said. "My father would've wanted it that way."

Tyranus nodded and led the way.

For a water covered world, Kamino had no wood to speak of, but simple incendiaries were placed around the body. Boba noted that, for once, the storms seemed to back off with only the barest rain now coming down. It was almost as if the heavens were holding it's breath at what was to come. Tyranus stood right next to the body as Boba came up with the last item that was rightfully his father's. Carefully, he placed the helmet back on and pulled away the shroud.

"What of the armor?" Tyranus asked quietly. "Will you not need it later?"

Boba looked steadily up at the tall man. "That was my father's. I'll find my own."

Tyranus nodded and walked down a ways from the pyre. Boba looked once at his father's body and then followed. With both standing a ways away, Boba hit a single switch on a remote.

Instantly, flames burst around the body. Smoke began to curl away and eventually the armor began to burn as well. The flames reached higher and higher into the sky. Boba kept his eyes on the funeral pile, keeping that one image memorized for years to come. It was at that moment, watching the glowing remains of his father, that he realized that his life would never be the same. From now on, he would have a single mission. He looked back up at Tyranus.

"I want you to teach me how to beat them, how to kill them," Boba said.

Tyranus nodded, but also brought a warning finger up. "I give you one last chance to back out, Boba, for I will be a difficult taskmaster. You will know fear, you will know pain, and it's even possible that you will know death. Is what you want worth that?"

Boba looked back at the still-burning pyre, the flames dancing across his eyes. He then looked steadily back at Tyranus, but said nothing, since nothing needed to be said. He looked over at MU-12, who accompanied them outside. There was still one more thing left to do.

The droid looked down at him and Boba spoke a single, remembered phrase:

"'Zam's gone'."

The droid simply looked at him and dipped its head.

"Understood. Goodbye, Master Boba." With that, it started back into the city.

Tyranus looked down at Boba and nodded. Then both walked towards their respective craft.

MU-12 walked into the apartment of his former masters. Items were still strewn around from another lifetime: toys, some clothes, etc. It came to the exact center of the room and stood there. A second passed before the incendiary explosive went off in its chassis. Flames consumed every square meter of the apartment; incinerating everything and burning away any link or connection that anyone had lived there.

High above Tipoca City , Slave I and a Geonosian solar sailer take off, circle once, and then disappear into the night sky.

-Fin-