Like Herding Nexu

By Andrew J Talon

Tatooine

6 ABY

Bib Fortana's life was good.

Jabba had died, and in the chaos surrounding the Hutt Cartels fighting over his heir, he had taken over his empire on Tatooine. The Emperor had died, and the Empire was descending into chaos and civil war.

All in all, it was a good time to be a crime lord. Even on as small a scale as Tatooine.

After all, the dancing girls now danced for him. The monsters in the pit ate his guests for him.

There were rumors of the Darklighter family trying to stir up trouble. They had been among the richest humans on Tatooine at the time, with Imperial support. Two years may have been a long time to take any action, but... Well... Bib had done so.

"MMMPH! MMMPH!" The small child was the youngest of Huff Darklighter's grandnephews. Bib had had his guards kidnap him while the child was out alone, visiting Tosche Station. He had delivered his simple ultimatum to the Darklighters: Turn over their business operations to him, and he would let the child live.

He currently held the child, bound and blindfolded, in a cage suspended above the floor. It was rather amusing seeing it struggle and cry through its bindings, the light of Tattooine's two suns directed via windows to torment it.

He might even be generous and let the child grow up in the Palace with only a slave collar. A shock slave collar.

Yes, as the band played (Max Rebo was such a tragic loss, really), Bib Fortuna leaned back on his throne and enjoyed being fed stuffed Sharru mushrooms by the shapely blue Twi'lek slave girl he had recently bought. He chewed noisily, looking over his empire.

Life was good... Very good, indeed.

Which is when an odd little device popped up through the metal grating of the beast pit below, rolled onto the floor... And went off.

There was a bright flash, a loud bang, and Bib was covering his ear cones as he staggered. He could vaguely hear blaster fire and screams. A wire wrapped around him, and he was dragged off his throne. He fell hard, face first, into the metal grate. Bib barely managed to lift his head... And his jaw dropped.

Green beskar armor with rust-red highlights greeted him, on a form that was humanoid. Under this was plain spacer garb. A blaster rifle was pointed right at his head, between his eyes.

But that helmet... Bib Fortuna would never forget that dinged-up Mandalorian helmet.

"Boba Fett?!"

A tall Weequay stood next to the Mandalorian, holding his blaster on everyone else. Another bounty hunter secured the guards, her lithe female form all in black and faced covered by a black and red helmet betraying nothing save that she was deadly. As deadly as the others.

"How-?!"

"You know," Boba Fett spoke, soft and calm, "I've been hearing a lot of sithspit about how I got taken out by Skywalker. Two years... A lot of rumors."

Bib managed a congenial smile. Well, as congenial as he could manage under the circumstances.

"O-Oh? Yes, well, I didn't hear it myself but-"

"You poisoned my drink, Fortana," Fett stated, grim as a guillotine. Bib's blood ran ice cold.

"How-?!"

"Doesn't matter how I found out," Fett stated, "point is... Getting beat by a Jedi? Not dishonorable."

He walked over to Bib slowly, like a predator circling its prey. He kept his weapon on him the whole time.

"Getting poisoned by some majordomo because I hit on his favorite singer? Very dishonorable."

Bib sweated slug bolts. He wriggled in his bondage, looking desperately around at his court. No one seemed particularly motivated to take on the bounty hunters-After all, if the Sarlacc couldn't kill Boba Fett, what could?!

"B-But I'm-I mean, you're a professional-"

Boba stared at him through that inscrutable helmet.

"You're right. I am. And how convenient that the Darklighters were willing to pay for the safe return of their kid..."

And here Boba pulled out a cruel-looking vibroblade. He flicked it on, letting the harsh buzz fill the silent throne room.

"And your head. Guess which one I'm taking first?"

"No-! Wait-! Please-!"

Bib Fortana felt the vibroblade cut through his neck. The Mandalorian bounty hunter made sure it was slow, and painful, and Bib screamed through every moment.

As though Boba was carving every last bit of his rage, his hatred, into the Twi'lek's flesh.

At last, the blade cut through... And Bib's severed head rolled over the grated floor.

The last thing he ever saw was the sunlight shining down through the windows... Then darkness.

Boba silently packed up the remains of Fortana. He was tempted to keep the body as a trophy of sorts. Maybe a reminder to never let his guard down ever again.

He really did only need the head for identification...

"The kid's all right, Boba," Queequay called, opening up the cage and pulling the struggling kid out, "HEY! Stop squirming, brat! We're saving you!"

"Diplomatic," Fennec Shand deadpanned, getting the kid up, "All right, we're all set Boba."

Boba nodded. The child stared in amazement and disbelief at him. Fett paid the kid's awe no mind.

"Let's get going," he stated.

The blue Twi'lek girl stared intensely at him. She bowed her head.

"Lord Fett," she said, "We are at your disposal."

Silence ensued. Several other members of the court bowed their heads in supplication. Boba was inscrutable behind his helmet.

"Oh?"

"Well," Queequay mused, "it would be nice to have a home base... Or a home."

Fennec stopped short. She looked incredulously at them.

Fett shook his head, staring at her.

"If you follow me... Then I expect obedience," Boba Fett stated. He held up the bag containing Bib's head. "You see what happens to those who betray me."

"I'm not following some washed up-!" One guard shouted, struggling in his bonds. Boba, without even looking, pointed his blaster at the guard and shot him dead. He fell hard to the floor.

"Anyone else?" Fett asked coldly. Silence greeted him. Boba nodded.

"Queequay, Fennec. Secure the castle. I'll handle the bounty."

Fennec nodded to Queequay, who went about ordering the servants about like he was born to bark orders. Fennec and the still-silent child accompanied Boba up the steps into the main corridor towards the entrance, as Boba led the kid down said corridor. Only then did she speak.

"Are you sure about this? You're not exactly the typical crime lord."

"We need credits and we need a homebase," Boba stated, "a place to catch our breath."

"It's a center of depravity and betrayal," Fennec pointed out, still quietly.

Boba nodded. Fennec was quiet, considering.

"Is this about pride?" She asked. Boba stared at her again.

"... I fell into a Sarlacc Pit for months," he stated, "I got spat out. The Darklighters found me... They saved me. They didn't have to. I owe them that. But this?"

The doors opened wide, revealing the bright suns beating down on the great desert.

"This... Is for me," he stated. "Come on kid. I'm taking you home."

"Y-Yes sir," the small boy agreed.

I know it's short and rough, but... I thought this would have worked better for Boba's return. What do you think?