Chapter 24 Black

Dena knelt down in front of Boba, "Don't you ever do that to me again." She ordered as she shook his shoulders.

Boba sighed and looked over at Obi-Wan; Obi-Wan smiled and rubbed his beard, "There should be a med kit in one of the speeders; why don't you bring it to me, Dena?" He requested as he continued to minister to Boba's numerous, but apparently superficial, injuries.

"Alright." Dena agreed with a sigh and turned back toward the speeders.

"Thank you." Boba said gratefully.

Obi-Wan chuckled and shook his head, "Well, you have certainly made a mess of yourself." He observed, "The Chancellor said you had lost none of your recklessness."

"I just didn't know what else to do." Boba replied.

"You should not have bolted in the first place; and then you placed your friends in a very bad position." Obi-Wan reprimanded.

Boba looked down at the ground, "Yeah, I know; but I wasn't going to let them send me off for something I didn't do, and the evidence was against me."

"You should have trusted us to root this killer out; you compromised, not only Zak and Ferri's lives, but their positions in the Order." Obi-Wan said.

"I know that too; Bail always tells me I have a bad habit of acting before thinking things through completely." Boba confessed and then looked up to both apprentices standing above him, "I'm sorry."

"Well, it all worked out in the end." Zak replied.

"But it was very close; too close, Boba." Obi-Wan told him.

Boba nodded solemnly, "Yeah, it was." He admitted freely.

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Dena leaned over the side of the speeder and reached down for the med kit under the rear seat. Her senses warned her of the impending threat, and in a split second she whipped around to face her attacker. Blood obscured the features of the Clone, but not enough to conceal the fact that he was different than any Clone, aside from Boba, that Dena had ever had contact with. His eyes were cold and cruel, and his mouth twisted into an evil grin. She had seen images of Jango Fett, and this long haired Clone could have been his twin. For a moment, her Jedi instincts failed her, and she flattened herself against the side of the speeder as the Clone moved closer and reached out for her, twisting her around and placing his hand around her neck. She struggled, but he held her fast, and she found herself helplessly pinned against him, "You're my ticket out of here, sweetheart." He whispered menacingly.

"No!" She cried out as she gathered the Force around her.

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Something was not right; they could all feel it and turned toward where the speeders were parked just as Dena cried out. A long-haired, disheveled Clone faced them holding Dena in front of him, "The young lady and I were just leaving; don't try to stop us, or…well, I think you know." He announced with a twisted smile, tightening his arm around her neck.

Boba stood up, "No, let her go; you can have me." He said and started to move forward.

"Don't, Boba." Dena countered.

"Now, sweetheart, I don't think I said you could talk." The Clone replied as tightening his grip a little more.

"You don't want her, Black; you want me, don't you?" Boba continued, edging a little closer.

Obi-Wan put a hand on his arm, "He'll only kill you both, Son." He told him.

"I can't let him…not her." Boba replied and tried to shake Obi-Wan's hand from his arm.

Obi-Wan tightened his grip, "It will be alright." He assured him and then looked him in the eye, "She's a Jedi, she knows the risks."

"But…" Boba began and then stopped as Obi-Wan winked at him.

"We will not bargain with you; if you try to leave, we will stop you." Obi-Wan told the Clone.

"Then I will kill her." The Clone threatened and tightened his hold even further, and Dena went limp in his arms.

"Oh, you can try." Ga'al replied.

"What…?" The Clone managed as Dena suddenly tensed in his arms, and before the Clone could react, flipped him over her head and onto his back.

Instantly, the Jedi were on him, rolling him over and bringing his arms around his back as they checked him for weapons.

Boba moved quickly to wrap his arms around the triumphant Dena, "I guess you can take care of yourself." He said.

"I am a Jedi." Dena replied as she returned his embrace, but carefully avoided his attempt to kiss her, "Don't, Boba."

He pulled away and looked puzzled, "Not until I face the Council." Dena explained as she squeezed his hand and smiled at him reassuringly, "It's going to be alright, though; I promise."

Boba nodded, "Oh, I understand." He told her, but the look on his face betrayed his disappointment.

"I don't think you do, love; it isn't over, not by a long shot." Dena replied, touching his face affectionately, "Just be patient, you'll see."

Anakin found a pair of binders in one of the speeders and tightened them around the Clone's wrists, "So, why don't you just tell us who you're working for?" He demanded.

"Jedi scum, I don't have anything to say to you." The Clone retorted.

"Alright, have it your way; but we're going to find out eventually." Anakin told him and then jerked him to his feet.

"Boba called you 'Black'; is that the name chosen for you?" Mace asked.

The Clone called Black glared out him, "I didn't like being named like a prized pet; I chose it, don't you like it?" He answered hatefully.

Boba joined them, "Black is the color of dried blood; he told me that's why he chose it." He explained, "Nice isn't it."

"Very nice." Obi-Wan replied shaking his head.

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"We have him, Chancellor." Mace announced by holo-transmission.

Bail closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, "Is Boba alright?" He asked.

"A little banged up; but nothing too serious." Mace answered, "You do realize that we must return him to custody until he is officially released."

"Yes, of course; does he understand that?" Bail asked.

"We have explained it to him; and he understands completely. For him, the most important thing right now is that the killer is no longer on the loose." Mace replied. "There is one other problem, though."

"Who hired him." Bail guessed.

"Yes, the Clone is unwilling to talk, and Anakin does not seem to be able to read his mind." Mace explained, "Whether he can be broken down gradually is difficult to say; and if it is possible, it may be too late by the time we get the information we need."

"Alright; maybe now that the Vice Chancellor must accept that Boba is not this assassin, she will investigate further. Thank you for keeping me informed, Master Windu." Bail replied.

"Would you like to speak with Boba?" Mace inquired.

Bail nodded, "Yes, I have not been able to see him since this whole mess began." He answered.

Mace looked off to one side, gestured with his arm and moments later, Boba joined him, "I'm sorry, Bail." He started as he stared down at the ground.

"Are you alright?" Bail asked.

"Yes, Sir." Boba answered.

"You realize running was foolish, don't you?" Bail told him.

Boba nodded, "Yes, Sir." He repeated.

Bail sighed, "Alright; you go with the Jedi now, it will only be until you are officially released." He said.

"I know, I understand; I'm sorry, Bail, I should not have run." Boba replied apologetically.

"I know you are; and it is alright, Boba." Bail assured him, "I will see you soon."

"I'll come as soon as they let me go." Boba promised.

"No more bolting." Bail ordered.

"No more bolting, I promise." Boba replied.

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"Well, it appears young Boba Fett has gotten off." Hannon declared as the Jedi entered the detention center with Black.

"You say that as if you still think he is guilty." Obi-Wan replied, turning custody of their prisoner over to the detention guards.

"Maybe he just hired the Clone to do his dirty work for him." Hannon suggested.

"That will be enough, Hannon; it is very clear to me now that Boba Fett was framed after all." Mon admitted as she appeared from inside the chief's office, "Where is he?"

"Master Skywalker went with him to see that he is officially released; and then we will take him to the medical center to be checked over; after that, he will be with the Chancellor and his family." Obi-Wan informed her.

Mon sighed, "I would like to see him before he leaves here." She requested.

"I think that can be arranged." Obi-Wan replied.

Mon nodded, "Thank you." She said and then sat down in the waiting area.

A few minutes later, Anakin appeared with Boba, who was dressed in his own clothes; the Vice Chancellor stood to meet him, "I…I'm sorry; I was…I was so fixed on the evidence that I…I failed to look past it. I am…not very pleased with myself at the moment; my judgment on this matter was hardly fair to you." She began as she looked up at him.

Boba nodded, "I accept your apology, Vice Chancellor." He answered, "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to go see the Chancellor; I have been kept from him since you had me arrested."

"Oh, yes…yes, of course; I do not want to keep you, I just wanted to apologize. Maybe one day you will be able to forgive me." Mon replied.

"I don't know; maybe." Boba said honestly, "You have to understand, it's not just what was done to me; it's what you put the Queen and Gemma through. And all the while I was locked up here, the real killer was still out there; I could have been helping to find him, but instead, I was…."

"I know; believe me, I know. Poor Kilda might still be alive." Mon sighed and shook her head, "It appears I have much to be sorry for."

"Yes." Boba agreed and then turned to leave with the Jedi.

Mon watched him leave and sighed yet again; because she had been so blinded by the evidence, she had wrongly accused the wrong man of a terrible crime. In doing so, whether she had actually consented to it or not, she was responsible for the ill-treatment the young man had endured while in custody; in fact, she also held herself culpable for nearly causing his death while in company of the real assassin. Her mistake had cost her dearly; her friendship with the Organas was probably irreparably damaged; the relationship with her own daughter was in tatters and her young aide might very well be alive if the assassin had been captured sooner. In which case, she owed her newlywed husband and apology as well; although she realized she could never make up for his loss.

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"Wrong man? How could you have the wrong man?" Lyman wondered as he fell back into the chair.

Mon sighed, she had been doing much of that lately, "Apparently, he was framed by a rogue Clone; one who hated the bounty hunter, Jango Fett. I was very wrong, Lyman; and I keep wondering if I had not been so focused on Boba Fett, the real killer might have been caught sooner." She explained.

"Sooner? You mean you have him now?" Lyman asked.

"Yes, apparently, the Jedi set a trap for him." Mon answered, "It was fortunate young Boba was not killed along with him; it was a terrible crash."

"Where is he? Where did they take him?" Lyman demanded, suddenly very angry.

"Well, to the detention center, of course. I only hope he will tell them who he was working for." Mon replied.

"Maybe he was just working for himself; I'd like to see him, Vice Chancellor." Lyman requested, "I want to see the man who killed my Kilda."

"I'd like to help you, Lyman; but no one can see him until he is arraigned." Mon told him.

Lyman seemed to accept that, and nodded, "Alright; it's probably better anyway, I would most likely kill him." He said.

"I understand how you feel, Lyman." Mon replied.

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Breha embraced her stepson, "Thank the Maker!" She exclaimed, "You frightened us half to death."

"I'm sorry; I didn't think things through, I just didn't want to be sent away for this." Boba told her.

"It does not matter; you are here, and the assassin has been found out." Bail answered from the bed.

"But not the one who hired him; we have to catch him, before he hires someone else to finish what has been started." Boba said.

"You can catch him, Boba; I know you can." Gemma replied as she wrapped her arms around his upper legs, burying her head in his stomach.

"Well, I have the Jedi to help me; he won't be able to hide forever." Boba assured her as he patted her on the back, "We'll get him."