Note: I did not write this. This is merely a novelization of the comic "Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire". The writer of this story, John Wagner, deserves total and complete recognition for this story. Again, this is merely a novel adaption written by me. In no way do I wish to take credit for it.
Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire
Introduction
In the darkest days of the rebellion, when the dead hand of the Empire stretched across the Galaxy, threatening to crush all within its grasp, there took a meeting between Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith and Commander of the entire Imperial fleet, and the legendary bounty hunter named Boba Fett.
This is the never-before-told story of that murderous tryst that could have changed the fortunes of the Galaxy forever...
Part 1: The Fugitive
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY:
The boiling lava ocean of the volcanic planet Maryx Minor pounded against the rock islands of the planet. The constant roar of many exploding volcanos plagued the air. Smoke filled every part of the air to the point where nearly nothing could be seen in some parts. The red sky looked like fire iteself, creating a very threatening effect to those few and foolish who dwelt on the planet. In the middle of a rock island near the equator of the planet lay an ancient monastery, settling on the verge of collapse.
DONG!
The sound of a gong from the monastery. A ceremony was in session.
"Woe be unto us", shouted the High Hermit
"Woe, woe, and 7 times woe" replied the monks.
The Ancient Order of Pessimists was a group of monks who always believed the worst was always to come. Throughout their days, their temple would be filled with wails of woe from the monks, always thinking the worst was yet to come.
And in this case it was
DONG! The gong again.
"Stranger at the gate", shouted a monk.
"A stranger! Oh dear! I don't like the sound of that! Oh woe".
"Don't go High Hermit".
"Sadly, I must" replied the high hermit.
All the monks ran to the gate of the temple, expecting the worse. At the front of the gate stood a man wrapped in a cloak. His face, which could barely be seen, was tatooed and his right eye was replaced with a prosthetic. The man seemed terrified, of something. However, most mysterious of all, he was carrying a small box.
"What do you want", the High Hermit asked.
"Let me in", replied the man in a terrified voice.
"I don't like the look of him. He's trouble", muttered several equally terrified monks,"tell him to go away".
"We don't just let anyone in. Are you in fit mind to join us".
"Please! You've got to kill me! He's after me. He'll kill me"!
"Who will kill you"?
"The most terrible enemy there is. He'll stop at nothing to capture me. You're my only hope", the man sounded even more terrified," and even then I know I will be wasting my time. Nobody ever escaped Boba Fett"!
The gates of the monastery swung back, the monks unaware this man would be the cause of their doom...
"Enter pilgrim" the monks said in unison. The man came running in.
"We wish you peace. Brother Mabob here will take you to a room where you can rest from your journey".
The monk indicated by the High Hermet, Brother Mabob, terrifyingly looked at the mysterious man.
"Here, let me help you with that box", said Brother Mabob, indicating the mysterious box.
"Get your hands off", the man pulled out a blaster and shoved it in the monk's face.
"Please! We monks are a peaceful order. We assure you we wish you peace", the High Hermit intervened. The man then took the blaster away.
Shaken, the terrified Brother Mabob lead the man up to a room.
After Brother Mabob returned, the High Hermit gave a speech "Brothers of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, hear me! I cast the bones this morning and the portents were very grave".
"The portents are always grave", replied a monk in the crowd.
"But today they were more so than usual".
"Oh woe," the monks shouted in unison," We're doomed! Doomed"!
Part 2: The Bounty
3 days later: Outer Rim territories, 2 BBY
Deep in the Outer Rim, a massive Star Destroyer loomed. Apart from a couple of asteroids and the distant starlight of a solar island, there was nothing for lightyears, nothing. However, deep in this silent corner of the Galaxy, where nobody would even remember, a very important meeting was about to take place.
"Star Destroyer to Slave 1, you are cleared to dock in port landing bay 3. Approach with caution", a voice said over the intercom to the ship of the legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett.
"Yes, caution. Only a fool enters the presence Darth Vader with anything less..." thought the bounty hunter to himself.
20 minutes later
"Boba Fett, my lord" said a nervous Stormtrooper, who was closely followed by Boba Fett, to Darth Vader.
"Leave us", Darth Vader commanded, showing no sign of graditude.
To his relief, the Stormtrooper left.
"I have heard much about you Fett. I am told you are most ruthless of a ruthless breed, that you are feared before all others. That your quarry never escapes you", Darth Vader said.
"You've heard correctly", Fett replied in his threatening scratchy voice.
"There is a task I wish you to perform", Darth Vader handed Fett a holopicture of a man with a frightning face and a prosthetic right eye...," Abal Karda, Colonel of the Imperial Lightning Battalion. Karda was in command of the campaign against the Icarii on Vestar. Twenty-eight standard days ago, he shot dead his commanding officer, 4 Stormtroopers, and absconded. He was officially classified as 'Enemy of the Empire' and sentenced to death. Agents traced him as far as Port-Esta, Vestar's main settlement, where he eluded them. Despite all efforts, he has not been found. You will find him for me".
"And the reward" Fett asked almost immediately, obviously more concerned with the reward the information on the quarry.
"30,000"
"50" Fett said back immediately. Darth Vader snapped around and stared Fett in the visor on his helmet. However, the bounty hunter showed no fear.
"Thirty thousand on the head of a common deserter is quite sufficient".
"Karda is hardly a common deserter as to atract the interests of Lord Vader".
"Do not test my patience Fett. 35".
"I can feel the power of the Dark Lord at work on me", thought Fett," trying to convince me to agree to the price. However, there may be greater advantages to cooperation".
"Agreed", Fett replied.
"When you locate Karda, he will be carrying a small box. You will execute him and bring the box to me".
"What's in it"?
"Military papers relating on the Icarii campaign; only of importance to historians. Best they should not fall into the wrong hands. That includes your's Fett. You will bring the box to me unopened".
"As you wish", Fett replied.
30 minutes later
"Fett. A tracking becon has been placed on the ship", said the artificial voice of the Slave 1.
"Interesting," thought Fett," Vader is very interested in the proceedings".
Fett quickly tapped on his computer console, trying to find Port-Esta's shipping logs.
"With agents scouring Vestar, Karda would wish to get off-planet quickly," thought Fett", The shipping port lists 3 ships leaving shortly after Karda's disappearance. One was a Passenger Liner, no doubt thoroughly searched. Another was a Military transport -- for Karda like fleeing into a furnace. Third was a cargo freighter called the Port-Esta Queen, currently en route back to Port-Esta. Crew of two, not registered to carry passengers, but the register doesn't always tell the full story".
"Vestar", Fett said to the navicomputer.
"One fact is clear: the Dark Lord's interests lies in the casket, not Abal Karda. Karda is disposable," Fett thought shortly after the hyperspace jump commenced," Vader would not go to such lengths over mere military papers. A lie to cover its true contents? So what's in it"?
Part 3: The Assassins
Outer Rim Territories, 2 BBY
Moments after Boba Fett left, 3 vile gangsters were escorted in to the room. Each of them was frightning to behold: all standing well over 6 feet and very burly, they were dressed in dirty street clothes, and their faces melted into a permanent sneer. They were all Human males with long, dirty hair. These men were clearly a force to be reckoned with.
A nervous Stormtrooper escort, although a different one than that which escorted Fett into the room minutes before, said "The condemned, my lord".
"Leave us", Darth Vader replied. The stormtrooper quickly left," Nevo and friends, let me recall the facts of your case. You were a subversion unit, assassins used to infiltrate the underworld and pick of prime targets".
"That's right, sir," Nevo, the tallest and obvious leader of the group, replied," murder ain't a crime, it's a duty". Darth Vader snapped around.
"Your duty did not include the massacre of innocent bystanders. They could have become a great service to our Empire".
"The target was amongst them, sir. This is war; you have got to expect a few casualties. Can't blame us for that".
"It seems that we can. Your execution is tomorrow," suddenly, the Sith Lord paused, something unusual, implying that a new idea had occured to him," I have reconsidered. I am going to allow you a chance you save your miserable lives. You of course will accept".
"You bet", said another, slightly shorter and less muscular man named Lumus, who was positioned directly behing Nevo.
"I have provided a fast ship, and everything you will need. A tracer beacon has been attached to the Slave 1 to assist you. He is in search of a traitor named Abal Karda".
"The Slave 1? You mean Boba Fett's ship," Nevo asked.
"Wait, why not let us find Karda for you", Gann, the third and thinnest gangster of the group, asked.
"Karda has defied the efforts of all my agents so far. Do you think you would succeed? No, that is Fett's area of expertise. You stick to what you are good at Nevo, murder".
"You want to murder Fett?" Nevo asked.
"Abal Karda has a box with him. This box contains military papers, which are of relative importance to the Empire. I have told Fett not to open the casket, but, of course, he will. These military papers are too dangerous for lowly bounty hunter scum to possess".
"Can we open the box," Gann asked.
Darth Vader ignored the unintelligent question completely. "Your instructions are to follow Fett. When he has retrieved the box, you are to kill him and bring the box to me. Do this task exactly as I ask. Your lives depend on it. Now go".
Moments after the gangsters had left, Darth Vader thought to himself, "With so much at stake, they can be trusted to follow orders. The bounty hunter, on the other hand, can be relied upon to disobey me. Little do you dream of the value of the box Fett -- and when you learn, you will never wish to part with it. That is why you must die"...
Part 4: Vestar
1 day later, Port-Esta, Vestar, 2 BBY
Boba Fett walked through Port-Esta, the main settlement of the lush, forrested planet Vestar, looking for a place to ask questions. Vestar was a relatively primitive planet: shacks, unpaved streets, mostly native species, etc. The village very still and quiet except of the hourly occurance of a departing starship. This galactic backwater had very little importance to the galaxy.
Except for Boba Fett. Sure few things were here in the way of people, and supplies, yet the most important thing for a bounty hunter: information, could be found here.
As Darth Vader had said, Abal Karda was the commander of the Imperial Lightning Battalion. On this planet, Lightning Battalion had fought a very bloody war with a local, primitive, hostile species called the Icarii. Fett knew very little about this campaign, which was why he needed information.
"As dad always said," though Fett to himself," 'the best place to find information is always the local cantina'".
Minutes later, Fett was able to find the cantina. At the door of the cantina, he saw a drunk man in an Imperial-uniform unconscious lying in his own vomit.
"And people wonder why I don't drink," thought Fett.
However, after a close look at the man, Fett noticed an interesting symbol on the man's uniform. A lighting bolt.
"Lightning Battaltion, this is the place".
Fett walked into the cantina to find a bar-fight between some more uniformed men of Lightning Battlation and a drunk Wookiee. Wookiees were strong; these men were getting beaten in this fight.
Fett needed to ask these men questions and the wookiee was in his way. He raised his right arm and shot a stun dart at the wookiee. It immediately collapsed on the floor.
"Get out of my way, hairball," Fett thought.
The three soldiers stood up and stared at Fett, in obvious fear. After moments of pointless staring, one of the men, an officer, based on the symbols on his uniform, stammered "I guess we owe you our thanks, friend".
"I am not your friend, I do not required your thanks. Sit," Fett replied," I have a ship to meet. My time is short, do not waste it. Tell me all you know about Abal Karda". The men sat down.
"Colonel Karda? Sure I'll tell you all I know about Colonel Karda," said the officer. Obviously he was afraid of Fett. He was used to this. Few could stand the merciless expression provided by the Mandalorian combat armor
"...best officer I ever served with, bar none. Ain't that right boys," he continued".
"He murdered his superiors," Fett shot back.
"General Nim? Had it coming if you asked me. What did Nim ever know about what he went through? He never faced the Icarii".
Another of the soldiers let out a wail. "AH! The Ikies are coming". Another soldier put his hand on his frightened comrad's shoulder.
"Easy, Beez," said the man," all the Ikies are gone."
The memory of the Icarii campaign still sent shivers up the hardened vetrans' spines. A savage breed, an uncanny enemy; unwilling to be subdued and extremely difficult to kill. Demons who kept getting up not matter how many times they were cut down.
"They say you had to kill an ikie 9 times, and even that might not be enough," exclaimed the officer," Cut off a limb and both the limb and the attacker would keep fighting. It was like they were possessed by their own intelligence".
"Tell him about camp 40, sarge," interrupted a soldier.
The officer let out a sigh. This would be worth listening to. "We caught a war party in a sneak raid. We hit them hard. Bits and pieces of them all over the battlefield. Nothing getting up. However, that night, they came for us. The battle lastest for hours and many of our comrads were killed. However, one of our brave commando teams managed to capture Selestrine...".
"Selestrine?" Fett impatiently asked.
"The Icarii leader. She had a precognitive ability. She was one of the, if not the, reasons we were losing the war so badly. Upon being captured she said 'the Icarii will go to their doom, and your soldiers will pay in blood and tears for your victory. And you, Abal Karda, shall die in torment. I have seen it: so shall it be".
"She was beatutiful for an ikie," another soldier added," hair woven with gems and gold. The whole wealth of the tribe woven into her hair. A trooper'd give their right arm for her hair. No mistake".
Little did the bounty hunter notice 3 tall, vile gangsters sit down in the back of the cantina, watching him...
"In the end, the colonel found a bioagent specific to the Icarii, disolved their inards. Wasn't pretty, but the way I see it, he didn't have no choice. We were taking too many casualties. Whole tribe, wiped out. Everyone last one of them".
"What happened to Selestrine?"
"Karda had her decapitated. Last of the Icarii".
"And Karda".
"You know the rest: went crazy, killed Nim".
"Why?"
"Nobody knows. Maybe Nim mouthed off at the wrong time, the colonel had been through a bad war".
All of a sudden, the unconscious wookiee that Fett had initially stunned upon walking into the cantina jumped up and attacked Fett. The bounter hunter turned around in the blink of an eye and jammed his EE-3 Carbine Blaster rifle in the wookiee's face. Despite the fact that wookiees had notoriously tough hide, it was no match for the power of Fett's rifle. A quick although suprisingly quiet blast for a rifle as powerful as Fett's and the wookiee collapsed on the floor. Everyone in the cantina gasped and looked at the bounty hunter.
"When Karda went missing he had a box with him," Fett immediately told the now-shocked soldiers, as if nothing had just happened.
"I don't know anything about no box," replied the officer.
"What happened to the woman's jewels".
"Come to think of it, I don't know".
These soldiers were no longer of any use to Fett. He got up and walked to the door, showing no graditude towards them for answers his questions.
While walking to the door, Fett kicked the smoking wookiee body in the head. "Wookiees don't learn," he scoffed outloud.
Part 5: Port-Esta Queen
Port-Esta, Vestar, 2 BBY
Fett walked to the other side of Port-Esta to the planet's port, where his Slave 1
was docked. However, he had no intentions of leaving just yet, he was waiting for ship called the Port-Esta Queen.
On the journey to Vestar, Fett had searched the port's ship logs. Fett had determined that a cargo freighter, the Port-Esta Queen, had carried Karda off-planet: it left within hours of Karda's disappearance, it was now en route back to Vestar, implying that it had dropped someone off, it was not registered to carry passengers -- a good trick that may fool most hunters. Though Fett was in no way an ordinary hunter.
Then Fett saw a landing cargo freighter. The Port-Esta Queen.
"There she is," thought Fett.
Back in the Cantina, the three gangsters Vader had hired to kill Fett, Nevo, Lumus, and Gann, watched as Fett headed to the port with their electrobinoculars.
"Heading to the spaceport. Better move," Nevo said to his crew.
"Fett's tricky. He could lose us even with the tracer if it was up to me," exclaimed Gann.
"Well it's not! So forget it, we've got our orders. And if you know anything about orders from Darth Vader, you follow them to the letter".
Aruging done, the gangsters made their way to behind a pair of trees, an excellent vantage point to watch Fett talk to a cargo freighter's crew.
"His name is Abal Karda. He is an enemy of the Empire," Fett exclaimed.
"Never seen him before," stammered the ship's captain," Hey Boog. You recognize this face".
A man next to the captian, apparently Boog, replied," Nah! I'd remember an ugly lookin' mug like that".
"I have reason to believe you carried him off-planet".
"We ain't authorized to carry passenger's, bounty hunter. Never mind fugitives".
"But sometimes you do".
The captain was getting really nervous, something people always did when they tried to lie to Fett."No, it's illegal. We'd loose our license".
"If you're lying to me, you'll lose more than your license. Much more". Fett walked away. It was a good tactic: people would often do something stupid when he gave them the chance to relax. And so was the case now.
"He can't know about Karda. He's only guessing. Keep our mouths shut and he's got nothin' on us," whispered the captain.
"Shh, Captain, don't talk about that with Fett in the vicinity," replied Boog.
"Relax, even Fett can hear us from this distance," replied the Captain, this time in a normal talking voice.
Behind some trees, Nevo said "Fett couldn't have gotten anything out of the crew. Wait! He's heading back". And so he was. Fett was heading back to the ship's crew.
"You forgot something," asked the captain in a stammering voice. Fett pulled out an audio-recorder device and shoved it in his face.
"He can't know about Karda. He's only guessing," the recording went on,"Keep our mouths shut and he's got nothin' on us..."
"Now look, Fett". The captain was more nervous than ever. Fett punched him in the face and he went flying.
"Hold this bounty hunter," shouted Boog.
All of a sudden, the ship's cargo hold went flying openned, as did the hundreds of tons of cargo. Fett was right in the path of this unnatural avalanche. Yet he showed no fear. He immediately did a dive roll away from the ship, speed and distance amplified by a short thrust of his jetpack. Once at a safe distance, Fett activated his jetpack and rocketed back towards the crew.
"Dropped our cargo on him, captain. He ain't gettin' up after that," Boog exclaimed. However, Fett came out of no where, or from the crews' point-of-view anyway, and immediately shot Boog down with 3 quick blasts from his rifle.
Behind the trees, the 3 gangsters were in awe at Fett's ferocious display of combat skills.
"And we're supposed to kill this guy," Lumus asked.
"Even Fett's got his weak-points. We've just got to find em'," Nevo shot back.
Meanwhile, Fett, walked over to the captain of the ship, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a strand of hair, woven with gold and gems.
"Selestrine's hair. This is from Karda," Fett thought.
"This from Karda," Fett asked outloud.
"Uh. Yes".
"Your life hangs by a thread. Talk".
Part 6: Insane Rantings
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
On Maryx Minor, a planet of lava and perpetual volcanic erruptions, a frightened monastery of pessimists sat shaking in fear. Days before, a fugitive with a tatooed face and a prosthetic eye had mysteriously come in search of shelter. He had caused nothing but chaos. His insane rantings could be heard above the sound of the errupting volcanoes.
"No, it cannot be," shouted the mysterious fugitive named Karda," How can he find me here, in this desolation? Even Boba Fett?".
"Listen to him ranting like a mad beast," stammered a frightened Brother Mabob," He'll kill me! I know it! I won't get down these stairs alive".
"Now, now, Brother Mabob. There is such thing as being too pessimistic," replied a calmer High Hermit," Just put the tray down, knock on the door, and run. What can happen"?
"I could fall and break my neck".
"Go up the stairs, brother Mabob".
The frightened pessimist slowly walked up the stairs toward the layer of the insane fugitive...
"Stop it. Stop it," shouted Karda," I won't hear it anymore! It's a lie! Nobody can know". Then he heard a knock on the door. He closed his box...
He openned the door. "So, snooping at my door, huh," Karda shouted. He pulled out his blaster pistol and shot the monk in chest.
"Brother Mabob," all the pessimist monks shouted in unison.
Karda then stepped out of his room and spoke. "I warned you to keep your scury, theaving pack away from me. You think I don't know what you're up to? You want my box, don't you? But you won't get it! It's mine! I'll kill you all. You hear"? He turned around, walked into his room, and slammed the door behind him.
"Oh, woe," all the pessimists cried.
Part 7: Superstation 12
1 day later, Superstation 12, 2 BBY
Deep in the Outer Rim sat a large space station called Superstation 12. Ships coming and going all the time. Easy for a fugitive to lose himself and gain a new identity, to escape undetected to any corner of the galaxy. Yet there are always traces left behind...
After a minor struggle, Boba Fett forced the captain of the Port-Esta Queen, the cargo freighter Abal Karda used to escape Vestar, to talk. He was told that Abal Karda had been dropped off at superstation 12. As to what he did there the captain did not know. Which was why Fett was here, to find out.
"No doubt Karda is not here: fugitives always run as far as possible. Karda obviously does not have a ship with him, given the fact that he used a cargo freighter to escape Vestar," Fett thought to himself," Therefore, he either took another ship or a passenger liner to escape here. More likely a passenger liner, as security is higher here; he would have been found had he been hiding in a ship's cargo hold. However, a passenger liner costs credits, which Karda obviously does not have, given the fact that he used Selestrine's gold-woven hair as a payment to the crew of the Port-Esta Queen. Therefore, he needed a way to get credits. The two ways are through a bank or through a trading post. The Empire checks its soldier's banking accounts, meaning Karda would have been found had he used the bank. Therefore, he must have traded Selestrine's hair to a trading post in exchange for money. Find the pawnshop".
"The unidentified ship detected off Vestar is still following," exclaimed the Slave 1's artificial voice.
"Homing on Vader's tracer beacon, no doubt. The Dark Lord is taking an uncommon interest in the proceedings"...
30 minutes later.
"Reckon Karda's still here," Nevo asked Lumus.
"How should I know," Lumus replied," Like Vader says, better to leave the thinking to Fett".
Nevo's comlink buzzed. He answered it. "I see Fett," came Gann's voice, who was on the other side of the station right now.
"Follow him," Nevo barked back.
In the Trading post, Fett showed the trader the strip of Selestrine's hair he had recieved from the captain of the Port-Esta Queen.
"Nice. Beautiful. I can give you 3,000 for it," said the trader,"strangely enough, I bought one just like it a week ago".
"So Karda was here," thought Fett. He showed the trader a picture of Karda.
"No, sir. Wasn't him," his response surprised Fett," Bojam Rees brought it in. He's the tatooist. He has a shop on level 17".
"A clever trick," Fett thought," tatooing himself to disguise his identity. Though not clever enough". Fett walked down to level 17 to find the tatoo shop.
Meanwhile, about 50 meters behind Fett, Gann whispered into his comlink. "Fett's headin' for the tatoo shop on level 17".
"Meet you there," came a reply.
On his way to the shop, something occured to Fett. "Are the Icarii's jewels the thing in the box? Perhaps. But unlike Darth Vader to concern himself with such baubles. The game he plays is for higher stakes".
Upon reaching the tatoo shop, Fett showed the tatooist Karda's picture.
"Hello, sir bounty hunter," replied the tatooist," Yes, sir. I remember him. Name of Mixxim, I believe he called himself. Came in a week ago to have a design tatooed on his face. I still have a copy...". The tatooist turned around and pulled out a sheet of paper.
Fett instantly recognized the design "The tatoos of the Kiffar," Fett thought. His wife Sintas Vel, whom he had not seen in years, was Kiffar. The tatoos they were given at birth were indistinguishable. "Smart trick. Pretending to be a Kiffar; close to a Human, but not quite. However, as with all his other tricks, not smart enough". Fett then started to walk to the port, where he could search the ship logs to find out where Karda had run to next.
Outside of the shop, Gann sat waiting for Nevo and Lumus. However, once Fett walked out of the shop, Gann began to follow him.
"It's not like he can see me," thought Gann," even Mandalorians don't have eyes on the back of their heads".
After walking about a mile through the lengthy station, Fett rounded a corner. Gann followed. However, around the curve, Fett was no where to be seen.
"Where'd he go"? Gann walked about 10 meters, and then a hand reached out of a picture booth and pulled him in. He gasped when he found himself face to face with Boba Fett.
"Fett," the gangster stammered.
"Who sent you," Fett hissed.
"You'd better let me go or Vader'll know about it".
"So it was him".
"How many others with you"?
"Nobody. Just me". That was a lie.
"What are your orders"?
"To follow you and when you have Karda's box, we was gonna kill you. Not that that was going to happen".
"We? So you are not alone".
Gann could do nothing but gulp before a blaster bolt hit him in the chest.
Fett stormed off. "So death is to be my reward," he thought," I was right to be wary of Vader. What does he fear: that I will reveal the box's secret? Or having openned it, I will never wish to give it up? I should stay and deal with the other assassins, yet time be of essence. I must not allow Karda's trail to grow cold. Besides, maybe there is something important in that box. We shall see".
Part 8: End of the trail
Slave 1 departing Superstation 12, 2 BBY
Boba Fett sat in his ship, the Slave 1, checking Superstation 12's shipping logs. Due to information gathered from the station's tatoo parlor, Fett had learned that Karda had tried to disguise himself as a Kiffar. The Galactic Shipping regulations stated that the pilots and passengers of a departing ship had to be searched and identified. If Superstation 12's port officers did their job correctly, Karda would be labeled as a Kiffar. Kiffar were not a numerous species, meaning Karda would stick out in the crowd...
"Kiffar, 1 week ago-present" Fett typed into his computer.
His computer screen instantly flashed up a single result. "Mixxim, Kiffar, departed on passenger liner Orramas 7 standard days ago, destination: Coruscant".
"Mixxim was the name Karda used around this place. This is certainly him," thought Fett," but Coruscant would be a very dangerous place for a fugitive. He definately got dropped off along the way. But where? If I found the Orramas, I could ask them where Karda was dropped off at".
Fett typed in Orramas on his computer. A single result flashed up.
"Orramas, passenger liner, en route to Rim 3," said the screen.
"I'll rendezvous with the ship on Rim 3. Then my search may be at an end"...
Meanwhile, in the station, the remaining gangsters, Nevo and Lumus, looked out the viewport as the Slave 1 jumped into hyperspace.
"Blast it! Fett left," shouted Nevo.
"We'll just have to chase after him," replied Lumus," Dang! Fett's alot more trouble than he's worth".
"Sure he's alot of trouble, although a bounty hunter of his expertise is certainly worth more"...
6 standard hours later, Rim 3 Port, Rim 3
On a non-descript galactic backwater, Fett asked the crew of the Orramas where Karda had left. So far, none of them had been any help. However, Fett knew somebody knew.
"Oh, yes. I remember the Kiffar. Mixxim I believe his name was," exclaimed the crew member Fett was currently talking to. This man may be of some use," Funny little fellow. Never left his cabin. Had all his food sent in. And I'll tell you something else, sir Fett, something very strange. It was 6 days ago. He said 'I will be disembarking on Maryx Minor'. 'We're bound for Coruscant, sir. We're not stopping at Maryx Minor' I told him. 'We will', he replied. And the odd thing is, we ran into a meteor shower. Damaged our gyro system. We had to make the nearest planet for repairs. It was Maryx Minor".
"Interesting," Fett replied," he disembarked"?
"Oh, yes sir," the crew member said. Fett tossed the man a 10 credit chip and walked back to his ship.
"Six days. I am closing in. Perhaps the trails ends on Maryx Minor," Fett thought. Then, something occured to him," I see why Vader wants the box so bad. I know what's in it"...
Part 9: Boba Fett is coming
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
"He is coming Abal Karda," said a voice inside of the box," Boba Fett will find you tomorrow".
Karda let out a blood curling scream. "Stop it! Stop saying that!"
Outside of the door to Karda's room, the pessimist monks stood trembling with terrified visages.
"He's got to go, high hermit!" whinned the trembling monks," You've got to tell him to leave".
"Me, why me," cried a trembling High Hermit.
"You're the High Hermit. It's your job," they replied.
"I don't think that would be terribly wise at the moment. He seems to be in a frightful temper. I hate to think what he'd do to me," stammered the High Hermit.
"You're the cause of all this! You're the one who will die," screamed Karda," By glory, it's what I should have done in the first place. Then none of this would have happened". Karda took at his blaster pistol and aimed it at the openned box.
"Then do it. Pull the trigger. You know there's nothing I desire more," the voice in the box replied. What was in the box? The living head of Selestrine, ruler of the Icarii." But you can't! Because I am all you have, Abal Karda. Without me, this has all been for nothing. So you will cling to me like a drowing clutch. But I offer you no hope". Selestrine laughed a wicked laugh, not unlike that of the nightsisters of Dathomir. "Vengeance is coming! You will die in torment! I, Selestrine of the Icarii, have seen it. So shall it be"...
Part 10: Maryx Minor
Maryx Minor Port, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
Boba Fett sat in his ship, the Slave 1, searching Maryx Minor's ship logs. According to the logs, only one ship had arrived and departed within a week, the Oramas, the passenger liner Karda used to get off Superstation 12.
"Karda is here," thought Fett. It was not a question, it was a statement. Unless somehow a ship was able to sneak on planet without the port officials noticing, Karda had no way of getting off this planet. He knew Karda was here," I'm coming Karda".
2 hours later
There was nothing special about this port on this Galactic Backwater. A series of small, metal buildings resembling military barracks with a rough duracrete lot, this was certainly a place in the galaxy nobody would remember. Nonetheless, history will be made here.
In the port, the 2 remaining gangsters ordered by Darth Vader to hunt down and kill Boba Fett, Nevo and Lumus, talked to the Port's director, a thin, young Human male who certainly wished he were anywhere in the Galaxy but here.
"Yes, sir. Boba Fett was here alright," the young man told the gangsters," Just this morning in fact, asking about one of my customers. Of course, I said to him 'that's confidential information, sir. Can't discuss information on my customers". He then stuck out a broken, twisted, and mangled leg that was in desperate need of first-aid. "As you can see, he can be quite persuasive".
"Quite a charmer that bounty hunter. Where did Fett go," Nevo asked.
"Well, sir, as I said, I cannot..." The Port director's words were cut off by the drawing of blaster pistols. The gangsters then aimed them at his head. He just let out an exaggerated," You know, this has been sucha' bad day"...
1 hour later
Nevo and Lumus sat in their ship, talking to Darth Vader via a hologram. Even as a hologram, Vader was very threatening.
"Abal Karda rented a landspeeder 6 days ago, give or take. So far, it has not been returned," exclaimed Lumus.
"You are certain it was Karda?" Vader asked over the sound of his hissing respirator.
"He said he was a Kiffar, was carryin' a box and had a prosthetic right eye. Can't be too many of em' around".
"And what of Fett"?
"Same story with Fett: rented a speeder 3 hours ago or so. Hasn't returned it yet".
"Karda and Fett are probably here," Nevo pointlessly interrupted.
"Well what are you doing sitting around. Get moving," Darth Vader ordered.
"Right, sir. Me an' Lumus were just about to have a quick lunch, fortifyin' ourselves for the journey. Then we'll..."
"Lose that box and you will be fortifying yourselves for the gallows. Now go".
The point was made; they left immediately.
On the other side of the galaxy, Darth Vader sat in his meditation chamber, thinking to himself. "Nevo and his crew have spent too much time in their dungeons; their wits are dull. I fear they will be no match for Fett. The prize is nearly within my grasp I must not let it slip away now. I must intervene, and kill Fett myself". He then turned around, turned on his comlink to the bridge officer's frequency, and told him "The fleet will continue to Coruscant. This ship will alter its course".
"Our heading, my lord," the bridge officer cooly asked.
"Maryx Minor"...
Meanwhile, on Maryx Minor, Fett discovered a crashed speeder, matching the definition of Karda's. Therefore, Karda would of had to continue on foot.
"On foot, Karda's trail would be hard to follow over rocky terrain," Fett thought to himself," Yet on foot few could survive long in this desolation". Fett pulled out a life-scanning transmitter and started a scan. Moments later, a blinking red dot appeared, indicating a mass of life, roughly 3 miles from his position. Fett smiled to himself, an akward and slightly forced gesture, as he had not done so in many years. "Perhaps this was his destination all along"...
Part 11: End of the Trail
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
DONG!
"Woe, woe, and seven times woe".
A funeral is in progress.
"The lives of pessimists are short and filled with woe," the High Hermit shouts above the roar of the raging river of lava passing under the river beneath their feet.
"Woe, woe, a thousand times woe," the monks somberly moan in unison. The monks are carrying a stretcher holding the body of the recently killed Brother Mabob, victim of a blaster shot from the fugitive called Karda.
"For Brother Mabob, the days of dreading are over! His worse fears have come to pass," The High Hermit's voice rose even louder, as a volcano far away erupted," We now consign his body to the fiery pit..." The monks slowly tip the stretcher forward until the body of the deceased monk comes sliding forward, into the raging lava river. Wails of woe and tears of fear fill the air,"...in sure and certain knowledge that for us, the worst is yet to come".
"Oh, woe," the monks cry. Next thing they know, the window to the room of the fugitive goes swinging openned, standing there was Karda as furious and insane as he had ever been.
"You down there. Stop that wailing! I can't hear myself think," Karda shouted louder than the roar of the raging river of lava.
"Oh, woe," the monks moan. Karda then pulls out a blaster pistol and aims it at the monks. The monks all yelp in terror, some nearly falling off the bridge and into the lava. He pulls the trigger and shoots a monk clean in the shoulder.
"That'll put an end to your woes!," he voice rose even more, with more anger and insanity, somehow," Hear me! In hours, the bounty hunter Boba Fett will come! You will deny any knowledge of my presence! If he tries to get in, you will kill him! You understand,"?
"But, sir," the High Hermit stammered," We pessimists are a peaceful order. We do violence to no one. As our guest, we ask that you respect our ways".
"I warn you, if I go, I'll take you all with me". The window slams shut, to the monks relief.
Karda turns around to see the frightening, wicked smile of Selestrine's living head.
"These hermits cannot save you, Abal Karda," Selestrine tells him," Your life has mere hours left".
"But how could I? I told every precaution," Karda stammers in disbelief.
"Tomorrow you will pay the price of the murder of the Icarii".
"Shut up! You don't know everything, Selestrine".
"No," Selestrine agreed," for my own fate remains shrouded from me. I see Fett and another dark presence, casting a fearful shadow over all my tomorrows. Maybe it will bring my salvation, and my destruction"...
Not far away, a speeder carrying the gangsters Nevo and Lumus approach a damaged speeder, matching the description of Karda's.
"It's Karda's speeder," Nevo exclaims.
"I say we wait til tomorrow. It's getting too dark to follow the trail," Lumus says back.
"You gonna tell Vader that"?
"How's Vader gonna know? Besides, it's bad enough meetin' Fett in daylight. Imagine if we ran across him when he can't see him". Then a pause," Oh no".
"What is..." Nevo moans," oh no"!
Meters away on a small ledge stands a figure dressed in Mandalorian Combat armor: Boba Fett. The gangsters' dropped openned.
"Well, if it ain't Boba Fett," stammered Nevo," Imagine running into ya...".
"Pretense is pointless. I know your purpose," Fett interjected in his usually scratchy voice.
"Now wait, there's no reason to...". BANG! BANG! Both Nevo and Lumus collapsed on the floor with a smoking hole in their heads.
Fett walked away towards his destination...
3 hours later
"The bodies are fresh, Darth Vader," exclaimed a nervous scout trooper to the Sith," 3 hours at most. We found a landspeeder track heading in that direction". The trooper poined off in a seemingly random direction. "Only one civilization in that direct, a monastery to an Ancient Order of Pessimists".
"Very well. I will proceed alone. You will remain here until I return". Vader turned around to his landspeeder and went zooming off in the direction indicated by the scout trooper, off towards his prize...
Meanwhile, at the Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, a cloud of smoke could be seen in the distance. However, not smoke from the perpetually erupting volcanos, but one from a landspeeder.
"Rider approaching," shouted a monk.
"Oh, dear. Oh, dear," the monks mumbled. They stood on top of the wall to the entrance of their monastery and gazed at the ground, only to find the terrifying visage of Mandalorian combat armor staring back.
"What do you want," asked the High Hermit, struggling to keep some authority into his voice.
"I seek the one who wears the mark of the Kiffar. Karda," Fett replied.
"There's no one here by that description. Go away".
"I have reason to believe otherwise. Open the gate".
"I knew he wouldn't swallow it. Let him in," a monk whispered to the High Hermit.
"You're probably right. But if we don't, that fugitive will kill us, we have to stick to the plan," he replied. All of the monks then picked up stone.
"We don't want to let you in. We have big heavy stones and..."
Bang! A blast from Fett's blaster rifle turned the stone into little more than super-heated vapor.
"Run for it," the monks shouted. All of a sudden, Karda slammed openned his window and started to open fire at the monks. They had betrayed him.
Fett, on the other hand, was all cool and calm as ever. A single wrist rocket was all it took to knock down the decaying entrance. Fett strode inside, as confident as he ever was.
He then noticed blaster fire, coming from the tower window.
"There you are Karda," Fett said outloud. He activated his jetpack and went rocketing towards the door to the tower.
He knew his search was at an end. All he needed to do now was secure the box.
"Abal Karda. You have been declared Enemy of the Empire. I have warrant for your execution," Fett shouted at Karda," Let us talk".
"You're going to kill me," Karda cried.
"Plans may change". Fett quickly and quietly picked the lock to the door," Give me Selestrine's jewels and you will not be hurt". That was a lie: Karda would be hurt and Fett well knew what was in the box.
"The jewels," Karda laughed," is that what he thinks this is all about".
"You're going to die, nothing can save you," Selestrined told him.
"Half the jewels Fett. Is that fair," Karda offered.
"Agreed, bring them down here".
"Oh, no. I won't fall for that".
The door at the back of the room went flying openned.
"Fall for this"! Fett shot his grappling hook square into Karda's stomach knocking the man out the window, and causing him to fall towards the lava river.
"You said..."
"I lied," Fett shouted. Karda went plunging into the lava river. A last few desperate screams until all that remained of him was his prosthetic eye...
"I have been expecting you, Boba Fett". Fett turned around and found himself staring at the living head of Selestrine. However, Fett was not surprised; he had expected this.
"And I, you, Selestrine of the Icarii". What was in the box had gradually become more obvious to Fett: the Icarii Ability to survive dismemberment, Karda's uncanny knowledge of the future, and more than anything, Darth Vader's interests. Vader would not go to such length over mere jewels, rather to obtain a powerful prize: the knowledge of the future.
"I was told Karda had beheaded you," Fett continued.
"It was not by choice, I assure you," she exclaimed," I was the last of my tribe and I would have willingly died, but Karda was very careful to keep me alive. He saw profit in my ability to foretell the future, and he was an ambitious man". A pause, then she continued. "But I obtained the poison he used to destroy my people. Before it could spread, however, he severed my head. They constructed this... abomination I cursed him. I begged him to let me die, to join my people. But I knew he wouldn't. I had seen the future, 30 days and 1. Karda would die, as he has".
"Why did he murder his superiors," Fett asked.
"Abal Karda was a greedy man. His Commander, Nim, realized I was in this box and asked Karda if he could have me. However, letting his greed comsume him, he shot Nim," Selestrine smiled, a wicked grin," So he ran, but there was no way he could escape his destiny. Now I am yours Fett. Do you wish to know what the future holds"?
"No," Fett replied," but others do". Fett now comprehends the true value of the prize. Whoever possesses it will possess power beyond imagining. For such a treasure, Fett can make quite a profit. Vader has been wize to distrust him.
Out in the distance, Fett saw a speeder approaching.
"It's Darth Vader," he heard a monk shriek.
And Vader it was. The Sith stood up and spoke, his booming voice could be heard well above the roar of the lava.
"Fett! I assume you have dealt with the traitor Abal Karda. You have something that is mine. Bring it here and accpet your reward"!
He knows his prize will be death. Fett pulls out his blaster rifle and fires 3 shots at Vader in quick succession. Vader was caught off by surprise, rolling foward rather than using his lightsaber or a force power. The monks run for their lives, screaming. Fett then turns around to find the wicked stare of Selestrine.
"I see it now! The Dark Lord is the future of my tomorrows! He will decide my fate," Selestrine announced," But Boba Fett won't give me up, not without a fight! I am worth too much. I, who can see the future. Greed was Abal Karda's down fall. Shall it be yours? Shall I tell you whether you live or die".
Fett slung his blaster rifle's strap over his shoulder, and picked up Selestrine's box.
"I will make my own future, Selestrine"...
Part 12: The Battle
The monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
"This one's for you, dad," Boba Fett said outloud as he pulled out a thermal detonator.
He kicked openned the door to the room, Selestrine's box in hand, and gently tossed the thermal detonator down to where Vader stood.
Clink, clink, clink, BA-BOOM!
The whole monastery was covered by the flames from the blast. Stones from the outer wall came tumbling down, the bridge over the lava river came roaring down. Yet Fett knew this would merely delay Vader.
Vader lay hanging off the edge of the rock in which the monastery stood, a mere 15 meters from a raging lava river. He stuggled to pull himself up, obviously shocked and slightly disappointed with himself for not noticing the detonator.
As Vader slowly pulled himself on top of the rock, Fett came rocketing down from the window, landing mere meters from the now composed Vader. Fett didn't fear Vader in the least bit, yet he knew only a fool would seek combat with him.
Fett stood there. Vader stood their. The 2 most legendary fighters in the galaxy stood a mere 10 meters apart, staring at each other. Everything was silent, even the roaring river seemed to dampened its noise. The stage was set for a battle that would be remembered throughout the galaxy forever...
"You're defiance is noted Fett," Vader shouted," Abal Karda not to only one who should have been declared Enemy of the Empire". Vader drew and activated his lightsaber.
"You left me no choice. My death was always part of the plan". Fett's voice was filled with anger. Such emotion in his voice was rare," I will kill you if I have to". Fett cocked his blaster rifle.
"Very well". Vader took his lightsaber and threw it at Fett's speeder, slicing it in half," Let us remove escape from..." His words were cut off when Fett fired a blaster straight at his face. He used his hand to absorb the shot. Fett immediately did a dive roll to the right to avoid Vader's returning lightsaber.
This did not delay Fett or Vader in any way. Fett sent a volley of blaster shots at Vader. All were so well placed Vader could do nothing about some. There were now smoking dents in the Sith's armor.
Fett sent a rocket blast straight at Vader's face. Vader used the Force to try to turn it around, but failed. The rocket detonated in mid-air, sending Vader tumbling towards the edge of the rock. Fett immediately seized the opportunity and rocketed towards Vader, and activated his flame thrower.
The Sith rolled out of the way, only to find himself lying next to another one of Fett's thermal detonators. Vader used the Force to pick it up. However, it did not explode; it was a fake.
In the moment's surprise, Fett launched another volley of blaster bolts straight at Vader. This time, Vader was able to create a Force shield around himself and block all of the oncoming shots. Now Vader was on the offensive. Fett fired a quick round of blaster shots at Vader as he scrambled backwards, Vader even struggling to block them all, as they were so well place and timed.
Vader them used the Force to trip Fett. The bounty hunter stumbled backwards, shooting an inaccurate shot. Vader took this opportunity and aimed it right back at Fett's head. Mandalorian combat armor was tough; the deflected bolt did not go through. However, there was now a smoking dent right above Fett's left eye.
A startled Fett tried to shoot a whipcord at Vader rather than trying to stand up. Vader took advantage of this slight mistake and launched himself forward at Fett, lightsaber held high, and struck the ground. But he missed.
Fett used his jetpack to slide himself across the ground at the last second, landing mere centimeters away from the edge on the rock and the tip of the lightsaber blade.
"We would not wish the box to be lost in our little squabble," Darth Vader exclaimed," Put the casket down".
"No," Fett spit back.
Vader then held out his hand and used the Force to tap into Fett's mind. The bounty hunter was not weak-minded in any way, though the raw power twisted Fett's mind, bending his very will. "Put it down".
Fett struggled as Vader squeezed his mind, his thoughts, his will. "You're twisting my thoughts," Fett struggled to say," But it won't work. It's mine". Box in hand, Fett then launched himself over the edge of the rock down towards the lava river below.
"No," Vader shouted. Unwilling to lose his prize, Vader launched himself towards the edge of the rock which Fett had just fallen off of and stared down. A mistake.
Fett came rocketing back up, box in his possession, and shot a blaster bolt square into Vader's head. The Sith fell backwards in obvious pain, his lightsaber tumbling harmlessly away.
Fett landed near Vader and stared at him, blaster rifle drawn and aimed at the Sith.
"I win," Fett exclaimed.
"You, did well, Fett," Vader struggled to say," Few have ever bettered me. You are truly the best bounty hunter in the galaxy". Suddenly, Vader sprung up, all his strength regained. "The mistake was allow time for my wits to clear".
Fett's blaster rifle and went flying into Vader's hands. An invisible hand wrapped around him, crushing the bounty hunter.
Fett groaned in pain. He tried to move his arms, but an unseen hand restrained him. He has felt the Force before, but never like this -- it's grip as strong as steel crushing the life from him.
"It could never have been a fair fight," Vader gloated," In the end, I wield the more potent weapons". He raised his lightsaber. "Still, you have earned my respect. I will make your end swift. You deserve that at least".
Before Vader could strike, Fett managed to say something. "My lord, we should not be at odds. It is the fortune teller who makes us enemies". Fett then dropped the box he was holding. "Let us remove the cause of our dispute".
Without warning, Fett kicked the box into the lava river below.
"Madness," Vader shouted as he pushed his way past Fett.
Knowing the battle and the prize is lost, Fett charged towards Vader's speeder. Unwilling to let the box be destroyed, Vader allows time for Fett to escape.
He holds out his hand, and slowly the power of the Force brings the box up towards him.
Vader openned the box to find an expected sight, the living head of Selestrine of the Icarii.
"For one blessed moment, I thought my death had come," Selestrine told Vader.
"That would be pity, when you can do so much for me," Vader replied back. He then looked up and saw Fett charging away on his speeder. "No"!
Fett rockets away from the scene of the battle, chin help high, knowing he had just survived a duel with the most powerful Sith the galaxy had ever known...
Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire
Introduction
In the darkest days of the rebellion, when the dead hand of the Empire stretched across the Galaxy, threatening to crush all within its grasp, there took a meeting between Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith and Commander of the entire Imperial fleet, and the legendary bounty hunter named Boba Fett.
This is the never-before-told story of that murderous tryst that could have changed the fortunes of the Galaxy forever...
Part 1: The Fugitive
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY:
The boiling lava ocean of the volcanic planet Maryx Minor pounded against the rock islands of the planet. The constant roar of many exploding volcanos plagued the air. Smoke filled every part of the air to the point where nearly nothing could be seen in some parts. The red sky looked like fire iteself, creating a very threatening effect to those few and foolish who dwelt on the planet. In the middle of a rock island near the equator of the planet lay an ancient monastery, settling on the verge of collapse.
DONG!
The sound of a gong from the monastery. A ceremony was in session.
"Woe be unto us", shouted the High Hermit
"Woe, woe, and 7 times woe" replied the monks.
The Ancient Order of Pessimists was a group of monks who always believed the worst was always to come. Throughout their days, their temple would be filled with wails of woe from the monks, always thinking the worst was yet to come.
And in this case it was
DONG! The gong again.
"Stranger at the gate", shouted a monk.
"A stranger! Oh dear! I don't like the sound of that! Oh woe".
"Don't go High Hermit".
"Sadly, I must" replied the high hermit.
All the monks ran to the gate of the temple, expecting the worse. At the front of the gate stood a man wrapped in a cloak. His face, which could barely be seen, was tatooed and his right eye was replaced with a prosthetic. The man seemed terrified, of something. However, most mysterious of all, he was carrying a small box.
"What do you want", the High Hermit asked.
"Let me in", replied the man in a terrified voice.
"I don't like the look of him. He's trouble", muttered several equally terrified monks,"tell him to go away".
"We don't just let anyone in. Are you in fit mind to join us".
"Please! You've got to kill me! He's after me. He'll kill me"!
"Who will kill you"?
"The most terrible enemy there is. He'll stop at nothing to capture me. You're my only hope", the man sounded even more terrified," and even then I know I will be wasting my time. Nobody ever escaped Boba Fett"!
The gates of the monastery swung back, the monks unaware this man would be the cause of their doom...
"Enter pilgrim" the monks said in unison. The man came running in.
"We wish you peace. Brother Mabob here will take you to a room where you can rest from your journey".
The monk indicated by the High Hermet, Brother Mabob, terrifyingly looked at the mysterious man.
"Here, let me help you with that box", said Brother Mabob, indicating the mysterious box.
"Get your hands off", the man pulled out a blaster and shoved it in the monk's face.
"Please! We monks are a peaceful order. We assure you we wish you peace", the High Hermit intervened. The man then took the blaster away.
Shaken, the terrified Brother Mabob lead the man up to a room.
After Brother Mabob returned, the High Hermit gave a speech "Brothers of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, hear me! I cast the bones this morning and the portents were very grave".
"The portents are always grave", replied a monk in the crowd.
"But today they were more so than usual".
"Oh woe," the monks shouted in unison," We're doomed! Doomed"!
Part 2: The Bounty
3 days later: Outer Rim territories, 2 BBY
Deep in the Outer Rim, a massive Star Destroyer loomed. Apart from a couple of asteroids and the distant starlight of a solar island, there was nothing for lightyears, nothing. However, deep in this silent corner of the Galaxy, where nobody would even remember, a very important meeting was about to take place.
"Star Destroyer to Slave 1, you are cleared to dock in port landing bay 3. Approach with caution", a voice said over the intercom to the ship of the legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett.
"Yes, caution. Only a fool enters the presence Darth Vader with anything less..." thought the bounty hunter to himself.
20 minutes later
"Boba Fett, my lord" said a nervous Stormtrooper, who was closely followed by Boba Fett, to Darth Vader.
"Leave us", Darth Vader commanded, showing no sign of graditude.
To his relief, the Stormtrooper left.
"I have heard much about you Fett. I am told you are most ruthless of a ruthless breed, that you are feared before all others. That your quarry never escapes you", Darth Vader said.
"You've heard correctly", Fett replied in his threatening scratchy voice.
"There is a task I wish you to perform", Darth Vader handed Fett a holopicture of a man with a frightning face and a prosthetic right eye...," Abal Karda, Colonel of the Imperial Lightning Battalion. Karda was in command of the campaign against the Icarii on Vestar. Twenty-eight standard days ago, he shot dead his commanding officer, 4 Stormtroopers, and absconded. He was officially classified as 'Enemy of the Empire' and sentenced to death. Agents traced him as far as Port-Esta, Vestar's main settlement, where he eluded them. Despite all efforts, he has not been found. You will find him for me".
"And the reward" Fett asked almost immediately, obviously more concerned with the reward the information on the quarry.
"30,000"
"50" Fett said back immediately. Darth Vader snapped around and stared Fett in the visor on his helmet. However, the bounty hunter showed no fear.
"Thirty thousand on the head of a common deserter is quite sufficient".
"Karda is hardly a common deserter as to atract the interests of Lord Vader".
"Do not test my patience Fett. 35".
"I can feel the power of the Dark Lord at work on me", thought Fett," trying to convince me to agree to the price. However, there may be greater advantages to cooperation".
"Agreed", Fett replied.
"When you locate Karda, he will be carrying a small box. You will execute him and bring the box to me".
"What's in it"?
"Military papers relating on the Icarii campaign; only of importance to historians. Best they should not fall into the wrong hands. That includes your's Fett. You will bring the box to me unopened".
"As you wish", Fett replied.
30 minutes later
"Fett. A tracking becon has been placed on the ship", said the artificial voice of the Slave 1.
"Interesting," thought Fett," Vader is very interested in the proceedings".
Fett quickly tapped on his computer console, trying to find Port-Esta's shipping logs.
"With agents scouring Vestar, Karda would wish to get off-planet quickly," thought Fett", The shipping port lists 3 ships leaving shortly after Karda's disappearance. One was a Passenger Liner, no doubt thoroughly searched. Another was a Military transport -- for Karda like fleeing into a furnace. Third was a cargo freighter called the Port-Esta Queen, currently en route back to Port-Esta. Crew of two, not registered to carry passengers, but the register doesn't always tell the full story".
"Vestar", Fett said to the navicomputer.
"One fact is clear: the Dark Lord's interests lies in the casket, not Abal Karda. Karda is disposable," Fett thought shortly after the hyperspace jump commenced," Vader would not go to such lengths over mere military papers. A lie to cover its true contents? So what's in it"?
Part 3: The Assassins
Outer Rim Territories, 2 BBY
Moments after Boba Fett left, 3 vile gangsters were escorted in to the room. Each of them was frightning to behold: all standing well over 6 feet and very burly, they were dressed in dirty street clothes, and their faces melted into a permanent sneer. They were all Human males with long, dirty hair. These men were clearly a force to be reckoned with.
A nervous Stormtrooper escort, although a different one than that which escorted Fett into the room minutes before, said "The condemned, my lord".
"Leave us", Darth Vader replied. The stormtrooper quickly left," Nevo and friends, let me recall the facts of your case. You were a subversion unit, assassins used to infiltrate the underworld and pick of prime targets".
"That's right, sir," Nevo, the tallest and obvious leader of the group, replied," murder ain't a crime, it's a duty". Darth Vader snapped around.
"Your duty did not include the massacre of innocent bystanders. They could have become a great service to our Empire".
"The target was amongst them, sir. This is war; you have got to expect a few casualties. Can't blame us for that".
"It seems that we can. Your execution is tomorrow," suddenly, the Sith Lord paused, something unusual, implying that a new idea had occured to him," I have reconsidered. I am going to allow you a chance you save your miserable lives. You of course will accept".
"You bet", said another, slightly shorter and less muscular man named Lumus, who was positioned directly behing Nevo.
"I have provided a fast ship, and everything you will need. A tracer beacon has been attached to the Slave 1 to assist you. He is in search of a traitor named Abal Karda".
"The Slave 1? You mean Boba Fett's ship," Nevo asked.
"Wait, why not let us find Karda for you", Gann, the third and thinnest gangster of the group, asked.
"Karda has defied the efforts of all my agents so far. Do you think you would succeed? No, that is Fett's area of expertise. You stick to what you are good at Nevo, murder".
"You want to murder Fett?" Nevo asked.
"Abal Karda has a box with him. This box contains military papers, which are of relative importance to the Empire. I have told Fett not to open the casket, but, of course, he will. These military papers are too dangerous for lowly bounty hunter scum to possess".
"Can we open the box," Gann asked.
Darth Vader ignored the unintelligent question completely. "Your instructions are to follow Fett. When he has retrieved the box, you are to kill him and bring the box to me. Do this task exactly as I ask. Your lives depend on it. Now go".
Moments after the gangsters had left, Darth Vader thought to himself, "With so much at stake, they can be trusted to follow orders. The bounty hunter, on the other hand, can be relied upon to disobey me. Little do you dream of the value of the box Fett -- and when you learn, you will never wish to part with it. That is why you must die"...
Part 4: Vestar
1 day later, Port-Esta, Vestar, 2 BBY
Boba Fett walked through Port-Esta, the main settlement of the lush, forrested planet Vestar, looking for a place to ask questions. Vestar was a relatively primitive planet: shacks, unpaved streets, mostly native species, etc. The village very still and quiet except of the hourly occurance of a departing starship. This galactic backwater had very little importance to the galaxy.
Except for Boba Fett. Sure few things were here in the way of people, and supplies, yet the most important thing for a bounty hunter: information, could be found here.
As Darth Vader had said, Abal Karda was the commander of the Imperial Lightning Battalion. On this planet, Lightning Battalion had fought a very bloody war with a local, primitive, hostile species called the Icarii. Fett knew very little about this campaign, which was why he needed information.
"As dad always said," though Fett to himself," 'the best place to find information is always the local cantina'".
Minutes later, Fett was able to find the cantina. At the door of the cantina, he saw a drunk man in an Imperial-uniform unconscious lying in his own vomit.
"And people wonder why I don't drink," thought Fett.
However, after a close look at the man, Fett noticed an interesting symbol on the man's uniform. A lighting bolt.
"Lightning Battaltion, this is the place".
Fett walked into the cantina to find a bar-fight between some more uniformed men of Lightning Battlation and a drunk Wookiee. Wookiees were strong; these men were getting beaten in this fight.
Fett needed to ask these men questions and the wookiee was in his way. He raised his right arm and shot a stun dart at the wookiee. It immediately collapsed on the floor.
"Get out of my way, hairball," Fett thought.
The three soldiers stood up and stared at Fett, in obvious fear. After moments of pointless staring, one of the men, an officer, based on the symbols on his uniform, stammered "I guess we owe you our thanks, friend".
"I am not your friend, I do not required your thanks. Sit," Fett replied," I have a ship to meet. My time is short, do not waste it. Tell me all you know about Abal Karda". The men sat down.
"Colonel Karda? Sure I'll tell you all I know about Colonel Karda," said the officer. Obviously he was afraid of Fett. He was used to this. Few could stand the merciless expression provided by the Mandalorian combat armor
"...best officer I ever served with, bar none. Ain't that right boys," he continued".
"He murdered his superiors," Fett shot back.
"General Nim? Had it coming if you asked me. What did Nim ever know about what he went through? He never faced the Icarii".
Another of the soldiers let out a wail. "AH! The Ikies are coming". Another soldier put his hand on his frightened comrad's shoulder.
"Easy, Beez," said the man," all the Ikies are gone."
The memory of the Icarii campaign still sent shivers up the hardened vetrans' spines. A savage breed, an uncanny enemy; unwilling to be subdued and extremely difficult to kill. Demons who kept getting up not matter how many times they were cut down.
"They say you had to kill an ikie 9 times, and even that might not be enough," exclaimed the officer," Cut off a limb and both the limb and the attacker would keep fighting. It was like they were possessed by their own intelligence".
"Tell him about camp 40, sarge," interrupted a soldier.
The officer let out a sigh. This would be worth listening to. "We caught a war party in a sneak raid. We hit them hard. Bits and pieces of them all over the battlefield. Nothing getting up. However, that night, they came for us. The battle lastest for hours and many of our comrads were killed. However, one of our brave commando teams managed to capture Selestrine...".
"Selestrine?" Fett impatiently asked.
"The Icarii leader. She had a precognitive ability. She was one of the, if not the, reasons we were losing the war so badly. Upon being captured she said 'the Icarii will go to their doom, and your soldiers will pay in blood and tears for your victory. And you, Abal Karda, shall die in torment. I have seen it: so shall it be".
"She was beatutiful for an ikie," another soldier added," hair woven with gems and gold. The whole wealth of the tribe woven into her hair. A trooper'd give their right arm for her hair. No mistake".
Little did the bounty hunter notice 3 tall, vile gangsters sit down in the back of the cantina, watching him...
"In the end, the colonel found a bioagent specific to the Icarii, disolved their inards. Wasn't pretty, but the way I see it, he didn't have no choice. We were taking too many casualties. Whole tribe, wiped out. Everyone last one of them".
"What happened to Selestrine?"
"Karda had her decapitated. Last of the Icarii".
"And Karda".
"You know the rest: went crazy, killed Nim".
"Why?"
"Nobody knows. Maybe Nim mouthed off at the wrong time, the colonel had been through a bad war".
All of a sudden, the unconscious wookiee that Fett had initially stunned upon walking into the cantina jumped up and attacked Fett. The bounter hunter turned around in the blink of an eye and jammed his EE-3 Carbine Blaster rifle in the wookiee's face. Despite the fact that wookiees had notoriously tough hide, it was no match for the power of Fett's rifle. A quick although suprisingly quiet blast for a rifle as powerful as Fett's and the wookiee collapsed on the floor. Everyone in the cantina gasped and looked at the bounty hunter.
"When Karda went missing he had a box with him," Fett immediately told the now-shocked soldiers, as if nothing had just happened.
"I don't know anything about no box," replied the officer.
"What happened to the woman's jewels".
"Come to think of it, I don't know".
These soldiers were no longer of any use to Fett. He got up and walked to the door, showing no graditude towards them for answers his questions.
While walking to the door, Fett kicked the smoking wookiee body in the head. "Wookiees don't learn," he scoffed outloud.
Part 5: Port-Esta Queen
Port-Esta, Vestar, 2 BBY
Fett walked to the other side of Port-Esta to the planet's port, where his Slave 1
was docked. However, he had no intentions of leaving just yet, he was waiting for ship called the Port-Esta Queen.
On the journey to Vestar, Fett had searched the port's ship logs. Fett had determined that a cargo freighter, the Port-Esta Queen, had carried Karda off-planet: it left within hours of Karda's disappearance, it was now en route back to Vestar, implying that it had dropped someone off, it was not registered to carry passengers -- a good trick that may fool most hunters. Though Fett was in no way an ordinary hunter.
Then Fett saw a landing cargo freighter. The Port-Esta Queen.
"There she is," thought Fett.
Back in the Cantina, the three gangsters Vader had hired to kill Fett, Nevo, Lumus, and Gann, watched as Fett headed to the port with their electrobinoculars.
"Heading to the spaceport. Better move," Nevo said to his crew.
"Fett's tricky. He could lose us even with the tracer if it was up to me," exclaimed Gann.
"Well it's not! So forget it, we've got our orders. And if you know anything about orders from Darth Vader, you follow them to the letter".
Aruging done, the gangsters made their way to behind a pair of trees, an excellent vantage point to watch Fett talk to a cargo freighter's crew.
"His name is Abal Karda. He is an enemy of the Empire," Fett exclaimed.
"Never seen him before," stammered the ship's captain," Hey Boog. You recognize this face".
A man next to the captian, apparently Boog, replied," Nah! I'd remember an ugly lookin' mug like that".
"I have reason to believe you carried him off-planet".
"We ain't authorized to carry passenger's, bounty hunter. Never mind fugitives".
"But sometimes you do".
The captain was getting really nervous, something people always did when they tried to lie to Fett."No, it's illegal. We'd loose our license".
"If you're lying to me, you'll lose more than your license. Much more". Fett walked away. It was a good tactic: people would often do something stupid when he gave them the chance to relax. And so was the case now.
"He can't know about Karda. He's only guessing. Keep our mouths shut and he's got nothin' on us," whispered the captain.
"Shh, Captain, don't talk about that with Fett in the vicinity," replied Boog.
"Relax, even Fett can hear us from this distance," replied the Captain, this time in a normal talking voice.
Behind some trees, Nevo said "Fett couldn't have gotten anything out of the crew. Wait! He's heading back". And so he was. Fett was heading back to the ship's crew.
"You forgot something," asked the captain in a stammering voice. Fett pulled out an audio-recorder device and shoved it in his face.
"He can't know about Karda. He's only guessing," the recording went on,"Keep our mouths shut and he's got nothin' on us..."
"Now look, Fett". The captain was more nervous than ever. Fett punched him in the face and he went flying.
"Hold this bounty hunter," shouted Boog.
All of a sudden, the ship's cargo hold went flying openned, as did the hundreds of tons of cargo. Fett was right in the path of this unnatural avalanche. Yet he showed no fear. He immediately did a dive roll away from the ship, speed and distance amplified by a short thrust of his jetpack. Once at a safe distance, Fett activated his jetpack and rocketed back towards the crew.
"Dropped our cargo on him, captain. He ain't gettin' up after that," Boog exclaimed. However, Fett came out of no where, or from the crews' point-of-view anyway, and immediately shot Boog down with 3 quick blasts from his rifle.
Behind the trees, the 3 gangsters were in awe at Fett's ferocious display of combat skills.
"And we're supposed to kill this guy," Lumus asked.
"Even Fett's got his weak-points. We've just got to find em'," Nevo shot back.
Meanwhile, Fett, walked over to the captain of the ship, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a strand of hair, woven with gold and gems.
"Selestrine's hair. This is from Karda," Fett thought.
"This from Karda," Fett asked outloud.
"Uh. Yes".
"Your life hangs by a thread. Talk".
Part 6: Insane Rantings
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
On Maryx Minor, a planet of lava and perpetual volcanic erruptions, a frightened monastery of pessimists sat shaking in fear. Days before, a fugitive with a tatooed face and a prosthetic eye had mysteriously come in search of shelter. He had caused nothing but chaos. His insane rantings could be heard above the sound of the errupting volcanoes.
"No, it cannot be," shouted the mysterious fugitive named Karda," How can he find me here, in this desolation? Even Boba Fett?".
"Listen to him ranting like a mad beast," stammered a frightened Brother Mabob," He'll kill me! I know it! I won't get down these stairs alive".
"Now, now, Brother Mabob. There is such thing as being too pessimistic," replied a calmer High Hermit," Just put the tray down, knock on the door, and run. What can happen"?
"I could fall and break my neck".
"Go up the stairs, brother Mabob".
The frightened pessimist slowly walked up the stairs toward the layer of the insane fugitive...
"Stop it. Stop it," shouted Karda," I won't hear it anymore! It's a lie! Nobody can know". Then he heard a knock on the door. He closed his box...
He openned the door. "So, snooping at my door, huh," Karda shouted. He pulled out his blaster pistol and shot the monk in chest.
"Brother Mabob," all the pessimist monks shouted in unison.
Karda then stepped out of his room and spoke. "I warned you to keep your scury, theaving pack away from me. You think I don't know what you're up to? You want my box, don't you? But you won't get it! It's mine! I'll kill you all. You hear"? He turned around, walked into his room, and slammed the door behind him.
"Oh, woe," all the pessimists cried.
Part 7: Superstation 12
1 day later, Superstation 12, 2 BBY
Deep in the Outer Rim sat a large space station called Superstation 12. Ships coming and going all the time. Easy for a fugitive to lose himself and gain a new identity, to escape undetected to any corner of the galaxy. Yet there are always traces left behind...
After a minor struggle, Boba Fett forced the captain of the Port-Esta Queen, the cargo freighter Abal Karda used to escape Vestar, to talk. He was told that Abal Karda had been dropped off at superstation 12. As to what he did there the captain did not know. Which was why Fett was here, to find out.
"No doubt Karda is not here: fugitives always run as far as possible. Karda obviously does not have a ship with him, given the fact that he used a cargo freighter to escape Vestar," Fett thought to himself," Therefore, he either took another ship or a passenger liner to escape here. More likely a passenger liner, as security is higher here; he would have been found had he been hiding in a ship's cargo hold. However, a passenger liner costs credits, which Karda obviously does not have, given the fact that he used Selestrine's gold-woven hair as a payment to the crew of the Port-Esta Queen. Therefore, he needed a way to get credits. The two ways are through a bank or through a trading post. The Empire checks its soldier's banking accounts, meaning Karda would have been found had he used the bank. Therefore, he must have traded Selestrine's hair to a trading post in exchange for money. Find the pawnshop".
"The unidentified ship detected off Vestar is still following," exclaimed the Slave 1's artificial voice.
"Homing on Vader's tracer beacon, no doubt. The Dark Lord is taking an uncommon interest in the proceedings"...
30 minutes later.
"Reckon Karda's still here," Nevo asked Lumus.
"How should I know," Lumus replied," Like Vader says, better to leave the thinking to Fett".
Nevo's comlink buzzed. He answered it. "I see Fett," came Gann's voice, who was on the other side of the station right now.
"Follow him," Nevo barked back.
In the Trading post, Fett showed the trader the strip of Selestrine's hair he had recieved from the captain of the Port-Esta Queen.
"Nice. Beautiful. I can give you 3,000 for it," said the trader,"strangely enough, I bought one just like it a week ago".
"So Karda was here," thought Fett. He showed the trader a picture of Karda.
"No, sir. Wasn't him," his response surprised Fett," Bojam Rees brought it in. He's the tatooist. He has a shop on level 17".
"A clever trick," Fett thought," tatooing himself to disguise his identity. Though not clever enough". Fett walked down to level 17 to find the tatoo shop.
Meanwhile, about 50 meters behind Fett, Gann whispered into his comlink. "Fett's headin' for the tatoo shop on level 17".
"Meet you there," came a reply.
On his way to the shop, something occured to Fett. "Are the Icarii's jewels the thing in the box? Perhaps. But unlike Darth Vader to concern himself with such baubles. The game he plays is for higher stakes".
Upon reaching the tatoo shop, Fett showed the tatooist Karda's picture.
"Hello, sir bounty hunter," replied the tatooist," Yes, sir. I remember him. Name of Mixxim, I believe he called himself. Came in a week ago to have a design tatooed on his face. I still have a copy...". The tatooist turned around and pulled out a sheet of paper.
Fett instantly recognized the design "The tatoos of the Kiffar," Fett thought. His wife Sintas Vel, whom he had not seen in years, was Kiffar. The tatoos they were given at birth were indistinguishable. "Smart trick. Pretending to be a Kiffar; close to a Human, but not quite. However, as with all his other tricks, not smart enough". Fett then started to walk to the port, where he could search the ship logs to find out where Karda had run to next.
Outside of the shop, Gann sat waiting for Nevo and Lumus. However, once Fett walked out of the shop, Gann began to follow him.
"It's not like he can see me," thought Gann," even Mandalorians don't have eyes on the back of their heads".
After walking about a mile through the lengthy station, Fett rounded a corner. Gann followed. However, around the curve, Fett was no where to be seen.
"Where'd he go"? Gann walked about 10 meters, and then a hand reached out of a picture booth and pulled him in. He gasped when he found himself face to face with Boba Fett.
"Fett," the gangster stammered.
"Who sent you," Fett hissed.
"You'd better let me go or Vader'll know about it".
"So it was him".
"How many others with you"?
"Nobody. Just me". That was a lie.
"What are your orders"?
"To follow you and when you have Karda's box, we was gonna kill you. Not that that was going to happen".
"We? So you are not alone".
Gann could do nothing but gulp before a blaster bolt hit him in the chest.
Fett stormed off. "So death is to be my reward," he thought," I was right to be wary of Vader. What does he fear: that I will reveal the box's secret? Or having openned it, I will never wish to give it up? I should stay and deal with the other assassins, yet time be of essence. I must not allow Karda's trail to grow cold. Besides, maybe there is something important in that box. We shall see".
Part 8: End of the trail
Slave 1 departing Superstation 12, 2 BBY
Boba Fett sat in his ship, the Slave 1, checking Superstation 12's shipping logs. Due to information gathered from the station's tatoo parlor, Fett had learned that Karda had tried to disguise himself as a Kiffar. The Galactic Shipping regulations stated that the pilots and passengers of a departing ship had to be searched and identified. If Superstation 12's port officers did their job correctly, Karda would be labeled as a Kiffar. Kiffar were not a numerous species, meaning Karda would stick out in the crowd...
"Kiffar, 1 week ago-present" Fett typed into his computer.
His computer screen instantly flashed up a single result. "Mixxim, Kiffar, departed on passenger liner Orramas 7 standard days ago, destination: Coruscant".
"Mixxim was the name Karda used around this place. This is certainly him," thought Fett," but Coruscant would be a very dangerous place for a fugitive. He definately got dropped off along the way. But where? If I found the Orramas, I could ask them where Karda was dropped off at".
Fett typed in Orramas on his computer. A single result flashed up.
"Orramas, passenger liner, en route to Rim 3," said the screen.
"I'll rendezvous with the ship on Rim 3. Then my search may be at an end"...
Meanwhile, in the station, the remaining gangsters, Nevo and Lumus, looked out the viewport as the Slave 1 jumped into hyperspace.
"Blast it! Fett left," shouted Nevo.
"We'll just have to chase after him," replied Lumus," Dang! Fett's alot more trouble than he's worth".
"Sure he's alot of trouble, although a bounty hunter of his expertise is certainly worth more"...
6 standard hours later, Rim 3 Port, Rim 3
On a non-descript galactic backwater, Fett asked the crew of the Orramas where Karda had left. So far, none of them had been any help. However, Fett knew somebody knew.
"Oh, yes. I remember the Kiffar. Mixxim I believe his name was," exclaimed the crew member Fett was currently talking to. This man may be of some use," Funny little fellow. Never left his cabin. Had all his food sent in. And I'll tell you something else, sir Fett, something very strange. It was 6 days ago. He said 'I will be disembarking on Maryx Minor'. 'We're bound for Coruscant, sir. We're not stopping at Maryx Minor' I told him. 'We will', he replied. And the odd thing is, we ran into a meteor shower. Damaged our gyro system. We had to make the nearest planet for repairs. It was Maryx Minor".
"Interesting," Fett replied," he disembarked"?
"Oh, yes sir," the crew member said. Fett tossed the man a 10 credit chip and walked back to his ship.
"Six days. I am closing in. Perhaps the trails ends on Maryx Minor," Fett thought. Then, something occured to him," I see why Vader wants the box so bad. I know what's in it"...
Part 9: Boba Fett is coming
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
"He is coming Abal Karda," said a voice inside of the box," Boba Fett will find you tomorrow".
Karda let out a blood curling scream. "Stop it! Stop saying that!"
Outside of the door to Karda's room, the pessimist monks stood trembling with terrified visages.
"He's got to go, high hermit!" whinned the trembling monks," You've got to tell him to leave".
"Me, why me," cried a trembling High Hermit.
"You're the High Hermit. It's your job," they replied.
"I don't think that would be terribly wise at the moment. He seems to be in a frightful temper. I hate to think what he'd do to me," stammered the High Hermit.
"You're the cause of all this! You're the one who will die," screamed Karda," By glory, it's what I should have done in the first place. Then none of this would have happened". Karda took at his blaster pistol and aimed it at the openned box.
"Then do it. Pull the trigger. You know there's nothing I desire more," the voice in the box replied. What was in the box? The living head of Selestrine, ruler of the Icarii." But you can't! Because I am all you have, Abal Karda. Without me, this has all been for nothing. So you will cling to me like a drowing clutch. But I offer you no hope". Selestrine laughed a wicked laugh, not unlike that of the nightsisters of Dathomir. "Vengeance is coming! You will die in torment! I, Selestrine of the Icarii, have seen it. So shall it be"...
Part 10: Maryx Minor
Maryx Minor Port, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
Boba Fett sat in his ship, the Slave 1, searching Maryx Minor's ship logs. According to the logs, only one ship had arrived and departed within a week, the Oramas, the passenger liner Karda used to get off Superstation 12.
"Karda is here," thought Fett. It was not a question, it was a statement. Unless somehow a ship was able to sneak on planet without the port officials noticing, Karda had no way of getting off this planet. He knew Karda was here," I'm coming Karda".
2 hours later
There was nothing special about this port on this Galactic Backwater. A series of small, metal buildings resembling military barracks with a rough duracrete lot, this was certainly a place in the galaxy nobody would remember. Nonetheless, history will be made here.
In the port, the 2 remaining gangsters ordered by Darth Vader to hunt down and kill Boba Fett, Nevo and Lumus, talked to the Port's director, a thin, young Human male who certainly wished he were anywhere in the Galaxy but here.
"Yes, sir. Boba Fett was here alright," the young man told the gangsters," Just this morning in fact, asking about one of my customers. Of course, I said to him 'that's confidential information, sir. Can't discuss information on my customers". He then stuck out a broken, twisted, and mangled leg that was in desperate need of first-aid. "As you can see, he can be quite persuasive".
"Quite a charmer that bounty hunter. Where did Fett go," Nevo asked.
"Well, sir, as I said, I cannot..." The Port director's words were cut off by the drawing of blaster pistols. The gangsters then aimed them at his head. He just let out an exaggerated," You know, this has been sucha' bad day"...
1 hour later
Nevo and Lumus sat in their ship, talking to Darth Vader via a hologram. Even as a hologram, Vader was very threatening.
"Abal Karda rented a landspeeder 6 days ago, give or take. So far, it has not been returned," exclaimed Lumus.
"You are certain it was Karda?" Vader asked over the sound of his hissing respirator.
"He said he was a Kiffar, was carryin' a box and had a prosthetic right eye. Can't be too many of em' around".
"And what of Fett"?
"Same story with Fett: rented a speeder 3 hours ago or so. Hasn't returned it yet".
"Karda and Fett are probably here," Nevo pointlessly interrupted.
"Well what are you doing sitting around. Get moving," Darth Vader ordered.
"Right, sir. Me an' Lumus were just about to have a quick lunch, fortifyin' ourselves for the journey. Then we'll..."
"Lose that box and you will be fortifying yourselves for the gallows. Now go".
The point was made; they left immediately.
On the other side of the galaxy, Darth Vader sat in his meditation chamber, thinking to himself. "Nevo and his crew have spent too much time in their dungeons; their wits are dull. I fear they will be no match for Fett. The prize is nearly within my grasp I must not let it slip away now. I must intervene, and kill Fett myself". He then turned around, turned on his comlink to the bridge officer's frequency, and told him "The fleet will continue to Coruscant. This ship will alter its course".
"Our heading, my lord," the bridge officer cooly asked.
"Maryx Minor"...
Meanwhile, on Maryx Minor, Fett discovered a crashed speeder, matching the definition of Karda's. Therefore, Karda would of had to continue on foot.
"On foot, Karda's trail would be hard to follow over rocky terrain," Fett thought to himself," Yet on foot few could survive long in this desolation". Fett pulled out a life-scanning transmitter and started a scan. Moments later, a blinking red dot appeared, indicating a mass of life, roughly 3 miles from his position. Fett smiled to himself, an akward and slightly forced gesture, as he had not done so in many years. "Perhaps this was his destination all along"...
Part 11: End of the Trail
The Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
DONG!
"Woe, woe, and seven times woe".
A funeral is in progress.
"The lives of pessimists are short and filled with woe," the High Hermit shouts above the roar of the raging river of lava passing under the river beneath their feet.
"Woe, woe, a thousand times woe," the monks somberly moan in unison. The monks are carrying a stretcher holding the body of the recently killed Brother Mabob, victim of a blaster shot from the fugitive called Karda.
"For Brother Mabob, the days of dreading are over! His worse fears have come to pass," The High Hermit's voice rose even louder, as a volcano far away erupted," We now consign his body to the fiery pit..." The monks slowly tip the stretcher forward until the body of the deceased monk comes sliding forward, into the raging lava river. Wails of woe and tears of fear fill the air,"...in sure and certain knowledge that for us, the worst is yet to come".
"Oh, woe," the monks cry. Next thing they know, the window to the room of the fugitive goes swinging openned, standing there was Karda as furious and insane as he had ever been.
"You down there. Stop that wailing! I can't hear myself think," Karda shouted louder than the roar of the raging river of lava.
"Oh, woe," the monks moan. Karda then pulls out a blaster pistol and aims it at the monks. The monks all yelp in terror, some nearly falling off the bridge and into the lava. He pulls the trigger and shoots a monk clean in the shoulder.
"That'll put an end to your woes!," he voice rose even more, with more anger and insanity, somehow," Hear me! In hours, the bounty hunter Boba Fett will come! You will deny any knowledge of my presence! If he tries to get in, you will kill him! You understand,"?
"But, sir," the High Hermit stammered," We pessimists are a peaceful order. We do violence to no one. As our guest, we ask that you respect our ways".
"I warn you, if I go, I'll take you all with me". The window slams shut, to the monks relief.
Karda turns around to see the frightening, wicked smile of Selestrine's living head.
"These hermits cannot save you, Abal Karda," Selestrine tells him," Your life has mere hours left".
"But how could I? I told every precaution," Karda stammers in disbelief.
"Tomorrow you will pay the price of the murder of the Icarii".
"Shut up! You don't know everything, Selestrine".
"No," Selestrine agreed," for my own fate remains shrouded from me. I see Fett and another dark presence, casting a fearful shadow over all my tomorrows. Maybe it will bring my salvation, and my destruction"...
Not far away, a speeder carrying the gangsters Nevo and Lumus approach a damaged speeder, matching the description of Karda's.
"It's Karda's speeder," Nevo exclaims.
"I say we wait til tomorrow. It's getting too dark to follow the trail," Lumus says back.
"You gonna tell Vader that"?
"How's Vader gonna know? Besides, it's bad enough meetin' Fett in daylight. Imagine if we ran across him when he can't see him". Then a pause," Oh no".
"What is..." Nevo moans," oh no"!
Meters away on a small ledge stands a figure dressed in Mandalorian Combat armor: Boba Fett. The gangsters' dropped openned.
"Well, if it ain't Boba Fett," stammered Nevo," Imagine running into ya...".
"Pretense is pointless. I know your purpose," Fett interjected in his usually scratchy voice.
"Now wait, there's no reason to...". BANG! BANG! Both Nevo and Lumus collapsed on the floor with a smoking hole in their heads.
Fett walked away towards his destination...
3 hours later
"The bodies are fresh, Darth Vader," exclaimed a nervous scout trooper to the Sith," 3 hours at most. We found a landspeeder track heading in that direction". The trooper poined off in a seemingly random direction. "Only one civilization in that direct, a monastery to an Ancient Order of Pessimists".
"Very well. I will proceed alone. You will remain here until I return". Vader turned around to his landspeeder and went zooming off in the direction indicated by the scout trooper, off towards his prize...
Meanwhile, at the Monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, a cloud of smoke could be seen in the distance. However, not smoke from the perpetually erupting volcanos, but one from a landspeeder.
"Rider approaching," shouted a monk.
"Oh, dear. Oh, dear," the monks mumbled. They stood on top of the wall to the entrance of their monastery and gazed at the ground, only to find the terrifying visage of Mandalorian combat armor staring back.
"What do you want," asked the High Hermit, struggling to keep some authority into his voice.
"I seek the one who wears the mark of the Kiffar. Karda," Fett replied.
"There's no one here by that description. Go away".
"I have reason to believe otherwise. Open the gate".
"I knew he wouldn't swallow it. Let him in," a monk whispered to the High Hermit.
"You're probably right. But if we don't, that fugitive will kill us, we have to stick to the plan," he replied. All of the monks then picked up stone.
"We don't want to let you in. We have big heavy stones and..."
Bang! A blast from Fett's blaster rifle turned the stone into little more than super-heated vapor.
"Run for it," the monks shouted. All of a sudden, Karda slammed openned his window and started to open fire at the monks. They had betrayed him.
Fett, on the other hand, was all cool and calm as ever. A single wrist rocket was all it took to knock down the decaying entrance. Fett strode inside, as confident as he ever was.
He then noticed blaster fire, coming from the tower window.
"There you are Karda," Fett said outloud. He activated his jetpack and went rocketing towards the door to the tower.
He knew his search was at an end. All he needed to do now was secure the box.
"Abal Karda. You have been declared Enemy of the Empire. I have warrant for your execution," Fett shouted at Karda," Let us talk".
"You're going to kill me," Karda cried.
"Plans may change". Fett quickly and quietly picked the lock to the door," Give me Selestrine's jewels and you will not be hurt". That was a lie: Karda would be hurt and Fett well knew what was in the box.
"The jewels," Karda laughed," is that what he thinks this is all about".
"You're going to die, nothing can save you," Selestrined told him.
"Half the jewels Fett. Is that fair," Karda offered.
"Agreed, bring them down here".
"Oh, no. I won't fall for that".
The door at the back of the room went flying openned.
"Fall for this"! Fett shot his grappling hook square into Karda's stomach knocking the man out the window, and causing him to fall towards the lava river.
"You said..."
"I lied," Fett shouted. Karda went plunging into the lava river. A last few desperate screams until all that remained of him was his prosthetic eye...
"I have been expecting you, Boba Fett". Fett turned around and found himself staring at the living head of Selestrine. However, Fett was not surprised; he had expected this.
"And I, you, Selestrine of the Icarii". What was in the box had gradually become more obvious to Fett: the Icarii Ability to survive dismemberment, Karda's uncanny knowledge of the future, and more than anything, Darth Vader's interests. Vader would not go to such length over mere jewels, rather to obtain a powerful prize: the knowledge of the future.
"I was told Karda had beheaded you," Fett continued.
"It was not by choice, I assure you," she exclaimed," I was the last of my tribe and I would have willingly died, but Karda was very careful to keep me alive. He saw profit in my ability to foretell the future, and he was an ambitious man". A pause, then she continued. "But I obtained the poison he used to destroy my people. Before it could spread, however, he severed my head. They constructed this... abomination I cursed him. I begged him to let me die, to join my people. But I knew he wouldn't. I had seen the future, 30 days and 1. Karda would die, as he has".
"Why did he murder his superiors," Fett asked.
"Abal Karda was a greedy man. His Commander, Nim, realized I was in this box and asked Karda if he could have me. However, letting his greed comsume him, he shot Nim," Selestrine smiled, a wicked grin," So he ran, but there was no way he could escape his destiny. Now I am yours Fett. Do you wish to know what the future holds"?
"No," Fett replied," but others do". Fett now comprehends the true value of the prize. Whoever possesses it will possess power beyond imagining. For such a treasure, Fett can make quite a profit. Vader has been wize to distrust him.
Out in the distance, Fett saw a speeder approaching.
"It's Darth Vader," he heard a monk shriek.
And Vader it was. The Sith stood up and spoke, his booming voice could be heard well above the roar of the lava.
"Fett! I assume you have dealt with the traitor Abal Karda. You have something that is mine. Bring it here and accpet your reward"!
He knows his prize will be death. Fett pulls out his blaster rifle and fires 3 shots at Vader in quick succession. Vader was caught off by surprise, rolling foward rather than using his lightsaber or a force power. The monks run for their lives, screaming. Fett then turns around to find the wicked stare of Selestrine.
"I see it now! The Dark Lord is the future of my tomorrows! He will decide my fate," Selestrine announced," But Boba Fett won't give me up, not without a fight! I am worth too much. I, who can see the future. Greed was Abal Karda's down fall. Shall it be yours? Shall I tell you whether you live or die".
Fett slung his blaster rifle's strap over his shoulder, and picked up Selestrine's box.
"I will make my own future, Selestrine"...
Part 12: The Battle
The monastery of the Ancient Order of Pessimists, Maryx Minor, 2 BBY
"This one's for you, dad," Boba Fett said outloud as he pulled out a thermal detonator.
He kicked openned the door to the room, Selestrine's box in hand, and gently tossed the thermal detonator down to where Vader stood.
Clink, clink, clink, BA-BOOM!
The whole monastery was covered by the flames from the blast. Stones from the outer wall came tumbling down, the bridge over the lava river came roaring down. Yet Fett knew this would merely delay Vader.
Vader lay hanging off the edge of the rock in which the monastery stood, a mere 15 meters from a raging lava river. He stuggled to pull himself up, obviously shocked and slightly disappointed with himself for not noticing the detonator.
As Vader slowly pulled himself on top of the rock, Fett came rocketing down from the window, landing mere meters from the now composed Vader. Fett didn't fear Vader in the least bit, yet he knew only a fool would seek combat with him.
Fett stood there. Vader stood their. The 2 most legendary fighters in the galaxy stood a mere 10 meters apart, staring at each other. Everything was silent, even the roaring river seemed to dampened its noise. The stage was set for a battle that would be remembered throughout the galaxy forever...
"You're defiance is noted Fett," Vader shouted," Abal Karda not to only one who should have been declared Enemy of the Empire". Vader drew and activated his lightsaber.
"You left me no choice. My death was always part of the plan". Fett's voice was filled with anger. Such emotion in his voice was rare," I will kill you if I have to". Fett cocked his blaster rifle.
"Very well". Vader took his lightsaber and threw it at Fett's speeder, slicing it in half," Let us remove escape from..." His words were cut off when Fett fired a blaster straight at his face. He used his hand to absorb the shot. Fett immediately did a dive roll to the right to avoid Vader's returning lightsaber.
This did not delay Fett or Vader in any way. Fett sent a volley of blaster shots at Vader. All were so well placed Vader could do nothing about some. There were now smoking dents in the Sith's armor.
Fett sent a rocket blast straight at Vader's face. Vader used the Force to try to turn it around, but failed. The rocket detonated in mid-air, sending Vader tumbling towards the edge of the rock. Fett immediately seized the opportunity and rocketed towards Vader, and activated his flame thrower.
The Sith rolled out of the way, only to find himself lying next to another one of Fett's thermal detonators. Vader used the Force to pick it up. However, it did not explode; it was a fake.
In the moment's surprise, Fett launched another volley of blaster bolts straight at Vader. This time, Vader was able to create a Force shield around himself and block all of the oncoming shots. Now Vader was on the offensive. Fett fired a quick round of blaster shots at Vader as he scrambled backwards, Vader even struggling to block them all, as they were so well place and timed.
Vader them used the Force to trip Fett. The bounty hunter stumbled backwards, shooting an inaccurate shot. Vader took this opportunity and aimed it right back at Fett's head. Mandalorian combat armor was tough; the deflected bolt did not go through. However, there was now a smoking dent right above Fett's left eye.
A startled Fett tried to shoot a whipcord at Vader rather than trying to stand up. Vader took advantage of this slight mistake and launched himself forward at Fett, lightsaber held high, and struck the ground. But he missed.
Fett used his jetpack to slide himself across the ground at the last second, landing mere centimeters away from the edge on the rock and the tip of the lightsaber blade.
"We would not wish the box to be lost in our little squabble," Darth Vader exclaimed," Put the casket down".
"No," Fett spit back.
Vader then held out his hand and used the Force to tap into Fett's mind. The bounty hunter was not weak-minded in any way, though the raw power twisted Fett's mind, bending his very will. "Put it down".
Fett struggled as Vader squeezed his mind, his thoughts, his will. "You're twisting my thoughts," Fett struggled to say," But it won't work. It's mine". Box in hand, Fett then launched himself over the edge of the rock down towards the lava river below.
"No," Vader shouted. Unwilling to lose his prize, Vader launched himself towards the edge of the rock which Fett had just fallen off of and stared down. A mistake.
Fett came rocketing back up, box in his possession, and shot a blaster bolt square into Vader's head. The Sith fell backwards in obvious pain, his lightsaber tumbling harmlessly away.
Fett landed near Vader and stared at him, blaster rifle drawn and aimed at the Sith.
"I win," Fett exclaimed.
"You, did well, Fett," Vader struggled to say," Few have ever bettered me. You are truly the best bounty hunter in the galaxy". Suddenly, Vader sprung up, all his strength regained. "The mistake was allow time for my wits to clear".
Fett's blaster rifle and went flying into Vader's hands. An invisible hand wrapped around him, crushing the bounty hunter.
Fett groaned in pain. He tried to move his arms, but an unseen hand restrained him. He has felt the Force before, but never like this -- it's grip as strong as steel crushing the life from him.
"It could never have been a fair fight," Vader gloated," In the end, I wield the more potent weapons". He raised his lightsaber. "Still, you have earned my respect. I will make your end swift. You deserve that at least".
Before Vader could strike, Fett managed to say something. "My lord, we should not be at odds. It is the fortune teller who makes us enemies". Fett then dropped the box he was holding. "Let us remove the cause of our dispute".
Without warning, Fett kicked the box into the lava river below.
"Madness," Vader shouted as he pushed his way past Fett.
Knowing the battle and the prize is lost, Fett charged towards Vader's speeder. Unwilling to let the box be destroyed, Vader allows time for Fett to escape.
He holds out his hand, and slowly the power of the Force brings the box up towards him.
Vader openned the box to find an expected sight, the living head of Selestrine of the Icarii.
"For one blessed moment, I thought my death had come," Selestrine told Vader.
"That would be pity, when you can do so much for me," Vader replied back. He then looked up and saw Fett charging away on his speeder. "No"!
Fett rockets away from the scene of the battle, chin help high, knowing he had just survived a duel with the most powerful Sith the galaxy had ever known...
Last edited by EVANTHETOON on Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:27 am; edited 21 times in total
