Chapter 10

Collected

Leia barely noticed their return trip to the upper city. Though, she vaguely remembered Biggs and Fett arguing over which way to go or something to that effect. But for the most part she just followed behind them as mechanically as C3P0. What could she say at this point? She led them all down a dead end.

The part of her that recalled her vision of Qui-gon, still refused to admit that the body they found belonged to Kenobi. But other parts of her mind rallied against her. More and more Winter's suggestion that she might have imagined things made more sense. Only the lightsaber and the clothes she wore gave her any proof of her sanity.

But it still didn't explain how she'd gotten it so completely wrong. Systech didn't exist, Obi-wan wasn't on Nar Shaddaa, and the Death Star plans were in the hands of the Empire. She'd failed on every level.

Winter, Fett, and Biggs all agreed that they would return to Alderaan at this point. Leia was partly inclined to head to the Yavin IV base but even in her somewhat befuddled state she had the wherewithal to recognize they needed to be rid of Fett first. She wouldn't fail so spectacularly that she would bring someone that regularly worked for the Empire to the Alliance's hideout.

"Once we get back to the palace," Winter said as they boarded their ship. "We can run an analysis on the droid scrap. Maybe it will turn up another clue as to where Kenobi is. Then you can mount a proper search."

"It may be too late by then," Leia murmured. "The Empire's new weapon might be operational and it will spell certain doom for the Alliance."

"We can't lose hope your highness."

Leia didn't respond, she simply walked up the loading ramp and made for the cockpit. Halfway there she stopped and went to the 'throne' room. While Leia usually used the Tantive IV on most trips away from Alderaan, she knew this one nearly as well. And she knew that this round room in the center of the ship, with a large throne in the middle had the thickest walls and was the most sound proof. She needed that right now.

"I did what you said," Leia spoke into the air as soon as she engaged the lock. "Do you hear me? Are you there? I did exactly what you told me to do! I 'trusted my instincts' I trusted that the Force would guide me, that it would tell me what to do. Well I don't know what to do!"

Leia took a breath and waited. Outside the room the engines kicked on and hummed. She knew that Biggs sat in the cockpit, running all the preflight checks, likely Winter sat next to him. Why had she agreed to leave Nar Shaddaa? Why had she listened to Fett as the voice of reason? And above all else, why didn't she get an answer?

"I know you can hear me!" Leia stepped into the center of the room. "Talk to me! I did what you said and I failed! I lost Artoo and the plans! I tracked Obi-wan to a grave! This wasn't supposed to happen! If I'm really some sort of heir to a Jedi Legacy then why isn't your Force leading me to where I need to be?"

Her words echoed off the walls but no one answered.

Leia pursed her lips and fought back a wave of emotion. The weight of the last few days, of her constant failures finally caught up to her. She felt the floor beneath her shift as the ship took off and she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to maintain control. The Alliance would be crushed as the Empire used their Death Star to destroy world after world, the light of the Jedi would forever be extinguished, and it all rested on her shoulders.

Finally she could take it no longer and she cried out at the top of her lungs, knowing no one would hear her. Not even the one person she so desperately wanted an answer from.

"Qui-gon! Answer me!"

"We're on our way," Biggs said as they rose up from a layer of smog. Even though the air filters on the ship worked more than well enough, he somehow felt he could breathe easier now. Something oddly inconsistent with reality, given the fact that were he outside at this moment, he would be suffocating from the rapidly thinning atmosphere.

"I can't say I'll miss this place," Winter said. "It made even Tatooine look good."

"Thanks," Biggs said.

"Don't be like that," Winter said as she turned from the communications console. "My time on Tatooine consisted of getting beaten on by twin suns, being attacked by savages led by a crazy Jedi, then fighting an assassin in a docking bay. That's hardly something that would go on a vacation brochure."

"Fair enough," Biggs said, glancing at her then back at the viewport. Unlike Tatooine, Nar Shaddaa had a fair amount of air traffic. Traffic he needed to clear before entering in the coordinates to hyperspace or engage Winter in another bout of verbal sparring.

"Something's wrong," Winter said, her eyes on the console again.

"Huh?"

"I've been trying to send a message to the Royal Household since we left Tatooine," Winter said. "Trying to let Prince Organa that we rescued his daughter. When we left Tatooine all I got was a message about there being some technical difficulties. Now… all I'm receiving is static."

"That's strange," Biggs said as they cleared Nar Shaddaa air space. He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but Winter's observation nixed that idea.

"Have you tried on the general frequency?"

"I've tried on every frequency I know," Winter said. "The only reason I haven't tried to contact the Alliance is because of our mandalorian friend."

"That's strange, after we make the jump to lightspeed I'll-"

"Excuse me sir," C3P0 shuffled in carrying Leia's Jedi robe. "Pardon the interruption but might I inquire as to where the Princess is? I should like to return her robe now that there's no reason to disguise myself."

"She's in the throne room," Winter shrugged. "But I don't think she wants to be disturbed right now, you can just leave the robe in her quarters."

"Very well, thank you ma'am," the droid said and started toward the exit. However, he stopped when the robe brushed against a bulkhead and a small device clattered to the ground. Winter and Biggs both turned from their seats as the droid picked it up.

"I say," C3P0 muttered. "What's this?"

"That's the com-device Gluupor had," Biggs said. "What's it doing here?"

"It must have found a way into the robe," the droid said. "I certainly wouldn't have taken a thing from that disgusting creature."

"No one thinks you took it," Winter approached the droid and took the device. "We're just wondering how it managed to get in your robe. Gluupor acted like it was precious. He wouldn't have slipped it in would he?"

"Slipped what in?" Fett's voice came from the corridor a moment before he appeared behind C3P0.

"The comm-device Gluupor had. Somehow it fell out of Threepio's robe."

"What?" Fett shoved the droid out of the way and snatched the device out of Winter's hand. Without a moment's hesitation he threw it down on the ground and smashed it under his boot.

"Fett-" Winter tried but he pushed past her and jumped in the copilot's seat.

"How long before we make the jump to lightspeed?"

"A few minutes," Biggs said. "What's going on?"

"That wasn't a comm-device. It was a beckon call."

"What's a beckon call?" Winter said.

"Little devices that that control slave-rigged ships and droids; some can even summon ships through hyperspace."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Winter said.

"I tried when we were on Nar Shaddaa but then the little Rodian disappeared and we came back to the ship. Whatever danger I thought we were in looked like it passed."

Biggs glanced at the navicomputer. Only a minute left. Part of him wondered if Fett was just being paranoid, the other part decided it was best to be on the safe side and got the main cannons warming up.

"So why would Gluupor slip Threepio the beckon call?" Winter said. "He had all that time with us he could have used it."

"Maybe he didn't want to bring whatever it's calling to the lower levels," Fett said. "Maybe he was ordered to do it. Either way we need to get out of here before whatever he summoned arrives."

"I'm going to maneuver us back toward the planet," Biggs worked the controls. It will be easier to evade any on-"

His voice faded when an alert fired through the cockpit. He didn't have time say anything to the others as a massive ship flashed out of hyperspace directly ahead of them. While not as large as a star destroyer, the vaguely us shaped vessel easily dwarfed the smaller yacht.

"What is that!?" Winter said.

"Trouble!" Biggs swerved the ship around and aimed it toward the planet. "Someone go tell the Princess to strap in!"

Biggs eyes widened as he looked down at the planet, the normally full shipping lanes were completely abandoned. He had hoped to gain them cover by flying behind some bulk freighters or garbage scows but there were none to be found. Almost like a forest with a predator nearby, the other ships had cleared out, making room for this confrontation. He jammed the accelerator but the massive ship kept pace, not only that, it gained on them with each kilometer.

"Darklighter!" Fett said. "Get us to hypserspace!"

"Coordinates aren't set!" Biggs said. "We can't go to-"

The ship jostled back and forth then slowed to a halt. Biggs tried throwing in auxiliary power but it just resulted in more shaking.

"Caught in the tractor beam," Biggs said.

"Do we have missiles?" Fett looked over the computer. "We could target the beam."

"This is a diplomatic yacht," Winter said. "It's only equipped with forward facing turbo laser canons."

"And we're facing away," Biggs shook his head.

"What's going on?" Leia appeared in the doorway, her eyes immediately went to the massive ship towing them in. "What's that?"

"What I warned you about," Fett said. "That Rodian set us up."

"Set us up? For who? That's not an Imperial ship."

"I don't recognize it either," Winter said.

"If I may, my Lady," C3P0 said. "I have the record of every known Imperial configuration in my memory banks and this matches none of them, nor does it match any known design on record."

"Fantastic," Biggs said, cutting the power to the engines, fighting it any longer and they'd burn out. "A massive ship wants to eat us and doesn't even have the courtesy to identify itself."

"Swear that when we get out of this and I finally deliver you to Alderaan," Fett said. "I'm coming back to Nar Shaddaa and murdering Gluupor."

"Will you forget about Gluupor and try and think of something constructive?" Leia said. "We need to figure out how to get away."

"That's not going to happen," Biggs said. "If I work the engines any more they'll fry and possibly take us with them. This ship wasn't designed for combat."

"There has to be something we can do," Winter said.

"Yeah," Fett pulled out his blaster. "We get ready to blast down any boarding parties they send after us."

Biggs cast a look at Leia who kept herself busy watching as their ship was enveloped in the other's hanger. At this point Fett seemed to be on the right track, they would have to send a boarding party wouldn't they? And in a yacht like this they might have a hard time taking their prey.

With only one entrance, in the boarding ramp, Biggs and his companions would have higher ground and more cover from which to fire from. In theory, mounting a defense wasn't entirely out of the question, it all depended on how badly these guys wanted them.

"We're not going to fight," Leia said just as the ship settled down in the hanger.

"What?" Fett said.

"Bring your weapons along everyone but we're going to open that boarding ramp and greet our captors peacefully."

"This is a joke right?" Fett turned to Winter. "You've known her longest, this is a joke isn't it? Your princess is no pacifist."

"Whoever this is…" Leia said. "…went through a lot of effort to capture us. If they wanted us dead they could have ambushed us on Nar Shaddaa or blasted us out of the sky with their massive ship. They want us alive, at least for the time being. I think it would be unwise to give them a reason to change their minds."

"So instead we're going to hand ourselves to them on a silver platter?" Fett said.

"You don't have to come," Leia shrugged. "As you've made abundantly clear over and over, you don't work for me. And that goes for the rest of you. Darklighter, Winter, I won't ask you to surrender yourselves if you don't want to. But I intend on stepping out there and at least attempting something resembling diplomacy."

With that, the Princess about faced and left the cockpit with her head held high. Biggs, Winter, and Fett stared after her until Biggs tapped Winter on the shoulder, still keeping his eyes on the the Princess down the hall.

"I haven't gotten around to asking but… she's single right?"

"She's also ridiculously out of your league flyboy," Winter rolled her eyes and followed after the princess, completely unaware that Biggs enjoyed seeing her walking away every bit as much.

"What do you think?" Biggs said to Fett. "A girl like her and a guy like me?"

Fett didn't respond, but instead checked the power pack on his blaster and exited the cockpit. Biggs shook his head, they were about to face an unknown threat, possibly death. Nobody appreciated his attempts to lighten the mood?

"If I may say sir, you're far too nice a man to suit Princess Leia's tastes, she prefers men that come off as scoundrels."

"Nevermind Threepio," Biggs put the ship on idle mode, but not shut down. Hopefully it would remain like that should they come back and need to take off in a hurry. He hoped that he princess' diplomatic response worked and would make such an effort moot, but he wouldn't bet on it.

When the loading ramp lowered, Leia half expected a platoon of mercenaries or pirates to storm up. As much as she wanted to find a peaceful way out of the situation, she kept her lightsaber clipped to her belt and her blaster ready to shoot anything that looked to be attacking. She refused to be naïve about this.

But the ramp lowered and no troops rushed to fight them. In fact, no one came at all. Leia glanced at Fett, who by now, knelt off to the side of the ramp; his gun aiming for anything that might move. He switched his sights a couple of times before glancing up at her. Were they at least going to send a protocol droid to greet them?

Finally when it became apparent that nobody would rush in to attack or talk, Leia turned to the others. Biggs and C3P0 had arrived at this point, and along with the rest of them, waited for her to make the call.

"I guess we should go down there?" Leia said.

"They could just be waiting for us to show ourselves," Fett said. "Send the droid."

"What? Me?" C3P0 said.

"Man has a point," Biggs shrugged. "You are a protocol droid after all, go out there and protocol!"

"Mistress Leia if you would-"

"They're right Threepio," Leia said. "If it's an ambush you'll be the best person to tell us. Otherwise you can formally greet our hosts in a manner that we all know only you can."

"Oh dear, oh dear," the droid muttered as he shuffled down the ramp. If he were human they probably would have seen his knees knocking together.

"Droid's right's activists would have had a field day with that little exchange we just had," Winter said from her corner.

"Good thing none of us are that kind of crazy then," Biggs said.

"H… hello?" they heard C3P0 call out and they instantly hushed. "Is anyone at home? I am C3P0, human/cyborg relations. I come seeking an audience with… whomever it is that has taken our ship…"

The droid's words echoed off the ship but otherwise no response came. Leia tried to hear any sound. Any one that might indicate a concealed weapons platform activating or the 'swoosh' of door opening for an ambush. Instead they just heard the mechanical whirr of C3P0's servos and his befuddled voice as he called out.

"Looks like the coast is clear," Leia said and made her way down the ramp.

She didn't wait to see if the others followed her. In spite of doubting her instincts upon boarding their ship earlier, Leia knew she was right this time. Whoever had just captured them, didn't mean them harm, at least not yet.

The hanger around them gave no clues as to who it belonged to. Well lit, but spartan in its aesthetics, it gave off the impression of almost being like a hospital; completely sterile and orderly. Leia wondered if they could find so much as a speck of dust on the ground.

"No cargo cylinders, no crates," Biggs said. "These people don't get visitors very often I think."

"Lucky us, that we get to break that habit," Winter said.

The main hanger doors hissed open, Biggs and Fett had their blasters out but for what looked like no reason. All they saw was a darkened corridor. Leia waited and watched, again expecting a fight to break out at any moment. Instead, the clicking of metal against metal assaulted her ears.

"What is that?" Biggs said.

"Droid footsteps…" Fett said. "…almost sounds like a droideka used back during the Clone Wars."

"Wonderful," Winter muttered. "Maybe we should get back to the ship. There's no cover here."

"Just wait," Leia said. "If I remember my history right, droideka's rolled into battle."

Her assessment turned out to be correct. Though for a moment it appeared like it might not be so. When the mechanical legs emerged from the darkness they indeed looked like the three pronged legs of a droideka, but instead of a destroyer droid's body, it turned out to be a mechno-throne. An empty mechno-throne.

"What in Space?" Biggs said. "Who would send an empty throne to meet us?"

"Someone that has it equipped with a holo-emitter…" a deep, unfamiliar voice came from the throne and seconds later the image of an elegantly dressed, bearded man appeared. "… I apologize for not greeting you here in person but I am a busy man. This interactive hologram of myself will have to do until I finish preparations for your arrival."

"How thoughtful of you," Leia said. "Might I inquire as to who's hospitality we will be enjoying?"

"Ah yes," the hologram said. "I am known as Goto and you are most welcome aboard my cruiser."

"Goto," Leia said. "A pleasure to meet you, I am-"

"Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan," Goto said. "Yes, I'm well aware of who you are. As well as your companion Boba Fett, the 'son' of Jango Fett."

Fett didn't respond.

"As well as my associates Winter and Biggs," Leia gestured toward them.

"Yes, them too," Goto said, but then his chair clicked past them and advanced toward their ship. C3P0 tried to introduce himself but Goto ignored him altogether. "And this… this truly is something to behold. A Nubian J-Type star skiff. Do you have any idea how rare these are these days? And not just any J-Type star skiff, one that belonged to Padme Amidala one of the finest statesmen from Naboo."

"How… do you know so much about my ship?" Leia said. Even she didn't know it had once belonged to the government of Naboo.

"It is my business to know," Goto said and the mechno-chair reversed course, headed back toward the exit. "But we will talk of such things over dinner. Follow me please."

Ahead of him, the corridor lit up, illuminating a long hallway full of paintings and other items. Leia hesitated for a moment, the fact that he knew exactly who she was rang all sorts of bells, including the possibility that he might turn them over to the Empire, but for now she had little choice but to follow.

They quickly fell in step with the mechno-chair and walked alongside him. With every few steps, Goto commented on the portraits and artifacts put on display. In spite of being held hostage, Leia couldn't help but be amazed by what they saw. The official portrait of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum stared down at them from the left. On the right, a case that displayed armor dating back to the Great Galactic War invited them to gawk. Toward the end of the hallway, hanging in a fine case, was an original copy of the Old Republic's constitution.

But they weren't just surrounded by important historical treasures involving war and political history. A small pedestal with headphones promised to play an original recording from the Drk Syde band. A glass case displayed the first holoprojector, fully restored and operational. There was even an ancient recipe book that sported classic recipes from back when they were first invented.

Leia could only shake her head. The monetary value of that hallway alone was probably worth more than both the Imperial and Alliance Starfleet's combined. And Goto was using these artifacts essentially as a 'front door mat'. Leia could only wonder if this was a show of wealth and prestige to hide something, or if there were even more treasures deeper within the ship.

"I am informed that things are almost ready," Goto's hologram said as they neared the end of the hallway. "But here's something that I think may be of interest to you."

They halted in front of a large glass case mounted on the wall; inside, hung several rows of lightsabers. Beneath each one, a small plaque labeled its original owner. Most, Leia didn't recognize. Meetra Surik stood out for some reason but she couldn't remember who it was. One boasted of belonging to Satele Shan, one of the most famous Jedi in the Great Galactic War.

Leia's eyes went to another and another. She paused when one identified itself as belonging to Mace Windu, she still didn't find the one she hoped to see. None of them belonged to Obi-wan Kenobi. She couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not.

"You're highness…" Winter said, standing at the edge of the display case.

"Ah yes, this lightsaber took a quite a bit to acquire," Goto said. "It belonged to a Jedi named Qui-gon Jinn. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"Once or twice," Leia said, trying her best to keep her face calm. For some reason Qui-gon's lightsaber here… gave her a sliver of hope.

"How did you get all of these?" Fett said.

"Purchased on the black market most of them," Goto said. "After which I performed extensive tests to confirm their authenticity. I assure you that every single lightsaber in my collection is genuine. And of course, I'm always looking to expand."

Leia of course didn't miss his allusion to the lightsaber clipped to her belt. Her first response was to tell him it wasn't for sale. Instead she realized that at this point, everything was a bargaining chip. Goto clearly knew how to find Jedi paraphernalia, chances were that he knew how to find Jedi as well.

"I'm sure we can come up with a suitable price if you're interested in mine," Leia said.

"I'm sure we can," the hologram replied. "Ah, it seems that dinner is ready and waiting. Please come inside and meet me."

The hologram flickered off and the mechno-chair continued down the hallway to a massive door. For a long moment, Leia and her companions waited, staring at the lightsabers and then back at the chair leading them to their host. The weight of the probable trap that awaited them hung in the air, as if daring them to make a break for their ship and see what would happen.

Instead of tempting fate just yet, they advanced forward, perhaps just a little too curious as to what game their captor played. The doors opened up to them, displaying a room of the utmost finery. Shimmer silk curtains hung over viewports. Fine couches and chairs carved from kriin-wood sat in the corners, illuminated by finely polished lamps and a fine crystal chandelier overhead. At the center of it all, lay a large table filled with the finest cutlery and polished serving platters, easily on par with any Leia might have had in her father's palace on Alderaan.

At the head of the table stood a man that that matched the hologram in every detail. Goto smiled broadly at them with a perfect set of teeth showing beneath his beard. As they came in, he beckoned them forward with perfectly manicured hands, all the while making them feel slightly under dressed in their dirty and torn clothing compared to his fine suit.

"Welcome, welcome," he said. "Please be seated, there's enough for all."

Boba Fett glared at the man as they took their seats. From the moment he saw the beckon call he had expected a fight, and he still did. Yet this man, after forcibly kidnapping them insisted on prolonging it, making Boba guess as to when the other shoe would drop and he would have to start blasting the place up.

"I assure you, you won't encounter another feast so grand as this for the rest of your lives," Goto said.

Reluctantly, Boba began to take a seat but Goto threw his hands up, almost in alarm and stepped around the table to stop the bounty hunter.

"My apologies," he grinned. "If you'll look at the table you'll find that I've designated specific seats for each of you. My droids went to a lot of effort in preparing this so it would be a shame to waste it. Oh and if you would be so kind as to remove your helmet? It's bad manners to wear one at the dinner table."

Boba again glared beneath his helmet then noticed a small folded sign with his name on it sitting at the front of the table, right next to Goto. Across from him would sit Leia with Winter and Biggs sitting next from them, furthest from their host. Keeping his eyes on their Goto, Boba took his seat and removed the helmet. If he had had his own he might have kept it on, but there hardly seemed a point with this Jedi second hand head covering.

"And… and what about me?" C3P0 said. "I'm afraid there isn't a chair for me."

"Of course not," Goto said then looked to Leia. "Your Highness, I have a droid maintenance shop just on the next deck. If you so wish your protocol droid may go there and receive an oil bath, a polish and… we'll even hammer out the dents."

"Goodness gracious!" the droid said. "An oil bath! Mistress, I very much doubt you would need my programs in a situation such as this. May I avail myself of these generous amenities?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Threepio," Leia said as she seated herself. "We don't really know our host, no offense sir."

"None taken," Goto said. "Perfectly understandable given the circumstances. If you wish to accompany your droid to inspect the facilities yourself you are more than welcome to."

"I'll go," Biggs said. "I'm not much good at diplomatic functions anyway."

"Very good," Goto said. "Will that do Princess?"

Slowly Leia nodded and Biggs made for the exit along with C3P0. Silently, Boba gained a slight bit of respect for the rebel pilot. A smart bit of thinking, it made Goto believe they were letting their guard down while giving Darklighter the opportunity to snoop a bit. As long as he didn't get caught it would work out perfectly.

"Now," Goto said as the mechno-chair came up behind him and he sat. "Shall we begin our meal?"

"Yes," Leia said. "But before we begin I would like to know why exactly you captured our ship."

"Now now," Goto smile, his perfect teeth shimmered under the light of the chandelier overhead. "First we eat and drink then we discuss business."

A door from the side opened up and a parade of serving droids entered. Each carried covered serving trays. Dutifully they set a platter in front of each guest, placed their napkins on their laps, lit the candles set at each end of the table, and presented a bottle of chilled wine to Goto.

"Very good," Goto said as his seat eased him closer to the table and he uncovered his platter, inviting them to do the same. Boba's natural inclination to assume the worst, made him expect some horror to be staring up at him; a head, maybe a severed foot. Instead it was exactly what it was supposed to be; a gourmet meal, a different one for each of them.

"Here," Goto handed the wine back to a droid which promptly popped the cork and poured a glass for him before moving on to Leia. "Let us have a toast."

Boba glared at the droid as it poured a glass for him but otherwise he made no move to participate. Goto glanced at him but kept that damn smile on his face as he held his glass up.

"To the Royal House of Alderaan, may it last forever," Goto said. "And to the indomitable will of the Fett Clan, may it last as long as the stars."

Neither Winter, nor Leia, or especially Boba so much as picked up their glasses. Instead they just stared at their strange host as if he was the stupidest being they'd ever encountered. He looked befuddled for a minute before recognition washed over his face.

"Ah, you don't trust me," Goto said. "Understandable. I assure you this wine is not poisoned. That would be a waste."

"Why is that?" Winter said. "We're too valuable to kill?'

"Because it's a '67 Domaine de la Maison sur le Lac," Goto said. "There is no finer vintage, and there are only four bottles… correction, only three bottles in left in the entire Galaxy."

With that, Goto tipped his glass and sipped its contents.

Darklighter returned just as Goto set his glass down, reporting that everything appeared to be on the level. Boba frowned, if Goto wanted to ambush them or drug them he certainly seemed to pass up the best opportunities. For the life of him, the bounty hunter couldn't figure out what he was playing at.

Goto began eating and slowly but surely the others began picking at their food. Partially because they all wanted to play the role of guests for the time being but largely because none of them had seen a descent meal in days.

"How is the bivoli tempari my dear?" Goto finally said to the princess.

"Just like my favorite cook used to make," she said before sitting up straight. "Now if I may ask. You seem to know an awful lot about us, what with knowing our names to serving us classic Alderaani cuisine, but we don't know a thing about you. Who is Goto that he's so generous with such precious commodities?"

"Hmmm," Goto set his fork down. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you. As you saw when you came in, I make it my business to acquire… rare and important items. Particularly ones that have great historical significance. The buying and selling of such items has made me very wealthy."

"Try unimaginably wealthy," Winter said. "You could buy a couple of planets with what you have in that hallway."

"And that's just the tip of the asteroid," Goto said then snapped his fingers. The lights dimmed and Boba went for his blaster. However a second later a holo appeared in the center of the table, displaying ancient ships, vehicles, and even animals believed to be extinct.

"I have a facility where I keep some of the… bulkier items in my collection, naturally it wouldn't do to keep everything I own in one location."

"Is that a Hammer-head class battle cruiser?" Darklighter nearly jumped out of his seat. "They haven't made one of those in nearly four thousand years! You have one?"

"I have five." Goto said.

"So let me get this straight…" Winter said. "You collect priceless artifacts, restore them then what… store them? How come no one knows about you or the museum pieces you surround yourself with?"

"Because I do not wish them to know about me," Goto said. "Because there is little doubt that if the Empire learned of my collection they would destroy it. Because I am preserving the Republic."

"The Republic fell," Boba said. "A long time ago."

"Indeed it did," Goto said. "And I have been working on my collection since before that. I knew that the Republic was doomed so I determined that the only way to preserve it was to acquire every piece of significant machinery, every notable document, every bit of culture that made up the Republic and collect it."

"Does that include our ship?" Darklighter said.

"More importantly…" Leia said, drumming her fingers on the table, her eyes darting around as if she was putting things together. "…does that include people? Jedi perhaps?"

"Very perceptive," Goto smiled. "As a matter of fact I do collect certain… important individuals. Particularly ones that are about to become rare commodities. Typically, I like to capture more than one of a certain kind of person but in the case of the Jedi… Order 66 came sooner than I suspected and I was unable to obtain any Jedi specimens."

"So no Jedi then?" Boba narrowed his eyes on Goto. "I find that hard to believe."

"Oh, I never said I do not have Jedi," Goto said. "I acquired a Jedi Specimen, some time ago. In fact, the very Jedi you are looking for."

"Obi-wan Kenobi?" Leia said. "You have him? Where is he?"

"Oh," a sly smile curved up Goto's lips. "He's around. But that's not important. What's important is that I've found new individuals to add to my collection."

"Us," Boba snorted then actually took a sip of his wine, finally understanding what Goto was up to with the meal. Simply getting their guard down and perhaps giving them one last meal before imprisonment.

"Now you understand why I wouldn't poison you," Goto said. "Messy business, poison, there's no telling who would eat or drink what. My collection will include Boba Fett, the last in the Fett Clan and true Mand'alor of the Mandalorian Clans, and Princess Leia Organa, last in the Royal House of Alderaan."

"What do you mean last?" Leia said.

"And what about Winter and me?" Darklighter said. "Are you saying that we're…"

Halfway through his sentence, Darklighter's eyes drooped and then he fell face forward into his vegetables. Winter, Leia and Boba shot out of their seats. Or at least they tried to. Boba watched as first Winter slumped to the table, followed by Leia, who actually made it out of her chair, only to crumple to the ground. Boba managed to get to his feet, though immediately he felt a wave of nausea and felt the world spinning.

"I thought…" he glared at the mad man in front of him. "I thought you it would be a waste to poison that wine?"

"And it would have been," Goto said. "Which is why I had these candles lit to burn off an odorless nerve agent to render you all unconscious."

Boba cursed himself and went for his helmet. He'd suspected the wine, or the food. The obvious choice! What a fool to think it would be the obvious choice! His eyes drooped but he forced himself to stay awake. Slapping the helmet on, he breathed deep the filtered air. Another wave of disorientation hit him but his could feel his head starting to clear, at least enough that he could lunge at Goto and wring his neck.

But the moment his fingers gripped the man's throat, he vanished, replaced by a droid covered in holoimagers. Boba had seen one just like it nearly a year ago in the Kamino campaign. He struggled to his feet, just as he heard the marching clank of metallic footfalls on the floor.

Boba turned and beheld a small group of heavily armed droids approaching. All of them sported a silver finish except for the one in the front. That one bore a perfect resemblance to the others save for his rusty red color and slightly bulkier framework. Either way, Boba knew a battle droid when he saw one.

The lead droid lowered its blaster at the bounty hunter and flicked off the safety. "Command: You are now the property of G0-T0. Surrender your weapons and prepare for processing."

"Go to the Nine Hells," Boba brought his blaster up with shaky hands.

"Statement: I was hoping you would say that," the droid said with a clear strain of glee running through his raspy voice. "Goodnight meatbag."

The droids fired, and for Boba Fett, everything went black.

Next time: Obi-wan Kenobi