by a loud explosion that sent a burst of static over the comlink. The walker
lurched forward, like a mortally wounded behemoth, then fell. Its chin
connected with the ground, and then the rest of its body followed suit,
causing the soil to rumble. Then the metal monster disappeared in a haze of
smoke and flame.
"What was that?" Tyrix blurted out.
"A message," Rivo said softly.
The base control room was absolutely still. No one dared to move or
speak. Everyone was staring silently at the terrible image that loomed on the
viewer.
Everyone that is, except for Xarran. The General stood up and slowly
walked into his office, boots clacking on the deck plates. His voice echoed
through the room. "Someone turn off that blasted thing...."
Tyrix shut off the screen, but as the rest of the base crew hurriedly
resumed their duties he continued to stare at the dark viewer for a few
moments. His gaze flickered across the room, and came to rest on Rivo. After
thirty years of military service, the Commander had seen more than his share
of horrible things, but the look of terror in Rivo's eyes sent a chill
rippling down his spine.
Fett would have liked to have seen the General's expression when the AT-
AT exploded. He probably shouldn't have wasted the thermal detonator, but the
psychological effect on the man and his troops would be worth it.
Both sides had taken their feints and jabs-notow it was time to move into
the final round. Fett was almost sorry to see it come. The skirmishes before
the main event always served as interesting diversions, especially since the
outcome of his mission was never in doubt.
Boba Fett did not lose.
"What were you thinking, Rivo?" Xarran was seated in the plush replihide
chair behind a desk that dwarfed most landspeeders.
Rivo sat across from him in a much smaller seat. His eyes had apparently
found something interesting on the floor. "Money," he mumbled after a moment.
He finally made eye contact with his older brother. "What else is there? I was
blinded by greed, Gaege. I never figured that Ja'oba would be able to track me
as the source of his data leak."
"You didn't think that someone like Jabba the Hutt would have his own
expert slicers? I always told you that your ego would be your undoing, didn't
I? You may be good, but there will always be someone better. And that's true
no matter if you're a slicer, a soldier, or a bounty hunter."
"The funny thing is, I didn't even mean to slice into Jabba's records. It
was a complete accident. But once I found out what I had stumbled onto, I
couldn't resist."
"You never could pass up a chance to make an easy credit," Xarran sighed.
"Especially if it didn't involve honest work."
"I didn't come here for a lecture, brother. I came here for help." He
stared out the transparisteel window that overlooked the lush forests of
Vryssa. "Although from the looks of it, maybe I came to the wrong place."
The General's face twitched slightly. "Perhaps you'd have better luck out
there by yourself. Feel free to leave anytime."
"Okay, so I messed up again. I apologize, Gaege.... I know you're doing
your best. I just never thought I'd be on the run from Boba Fett."
"You stole sensitive information from one of the most dangerous scumlords
in the galaxy and then sold it to the highest bidder... how much didJabba lose
as a result of your actions?"
"Over one-hundred-fifty thousand credits. But I don't think he really
cares about the money. It's just the principle of the thing. The Hutt wants to
make an example of me. And what Jabba wants, Jabba gets."
"Well, he isn't going to get you, brother. I don't care how many bounty
hunters he sends."
"Do you really think Fett can be stopped?"
"The man is good. Very good. But I see his strategy now, and I refuse to
play his game any longer. No more troops will leave the base. If he wants you,
fence." It's set for maximum voltage per my orders. The charge is so high the
tiniest spark could fry a bantha in seconds." Xarran gave a thin-lipped smile.
"No one gets out. And no one gets in."
Night had fallen on Vryssa.
Fett was crouched in the bushes, twenty meters away from the base's outer
perimeter. The ten-meter-high wall surrounding the complex seemed to be alive,
crackling as it was with azure arcs of electricity. The surges danced over the
surface like writhing snakes.
The spot he had picked was a good distance away from the nearest
gatehouse, though stormtroopers constantly patrolled along the fortified
catwalks set back from the fence. Observation towers were spaced about one
hundred meters apart along the catwalk, and a combination of flood lights,
detection sensors, and droids were used to maintain security. Fett's current
position put him roughly fifty meters from the two flanking towers. It was a
good distance, but he didn't think it would be enough to avoid detection.
Fett activated his internal comlink. It was time for a little
distraction....
Slave I roared over the treeline, screaming toward the garrison base at
full speed. Its sophisticated sensor jamming array was fully powered and the
hull itself was magnetically polarized to scramble and confuse enemy scans. As
it was, the base was taken by surprise.
On its first pass the ship delivered a frighteningly potent volley of
concussion missiles, proton torpedoes, blaster bolts, and ion blasts. The
attack was so fierce that the base's powerful deflector shields fluctuated and
the entire structure shuddered with the impact.
"See?" Xarran shouted from the command center. "The man has grown
desperate! He knows there's no way in so he resorts to a suicide run." He
focused his gaze on Rivo. "Everyone makes mistakes, sooner or later. And I
will make sure this one is his last."
Standing at one of the tactical stations, Tyrix turned to his commanding
officer. "All turbolaser turrets are primed and ready, sir."
Xarran squeezed his gloved hand into a tight fist. "Fire at will! Blow
him out of the sky!"
As Slave I circled for another pass, six heavy twin laser turrets mounted
around the building opened fire, followed by the thunderous roar of the three
heavy twin turbolaser turrets from the upper level of the base. Unfortunately,
the heavy weapons were slow to fire and even slower to track such a swift
target.
Fett's ship executed an amazing series of maneuvers that allowed it to
continue its strafing run while dancing around the green swarm of angry laser
bolts. Twisting, turning, and rolling. Slave I delivered a vicious
counterattack capped by a full spread of proton torpedoes that punched a
gaping hole in the base's deflectors. In return, Fett's ship took some minor
damage, but easily eluded any critical hits.
Slave I executed a quick Segnor's Loop and moved into position for
another assault.
"It's not working," Tyrix said, slamming a hand onto his console. "That
ship's just too
fast for our turrets to track. We're barely touching him and
he's already knocked three quarters of our shield generators off-line." The
damage control screen flashed the grim news. "Another run like that and he'll
leave us defenseless!"
"No one is that good," Xarran thundered. The General was shaking with
rage. "Launch the entire squadron. I want every TIE we have in the air now."
Nodding, Tyrix punched the comm panel, calling for all pilots to report
to their spacecraft. He turned to Xarran, "Should we sound the code alarm,
sir?"
"No," Xarran said, his face flushing slightly. "I've served in the
Imperial Army for most of my life and I will not be taunted into sounding full
alert by one man, no matter how powerful he may appear to be. Besides, Fett
will not breach the perimeter... the TIE'S will see to that."
Tyrix paused a moment before responding-a sign of disapproval he would
never dare to vocalize. "As you wish, sir."
Rivo shook his head. "Why won't you take the precautions? It won't hurt
to-was
Xarran cut him off. "There isn't much good you can do up here, brother.
Perhaps you should return to your quarters."
"But, I'm... fine." Rivo saw the look on Xarran's face and silently
walked to the turbolift.
Slave I soared through the skies, taking potshots at the forty TIE
fighters giving chase. Fett hated to see such an unfair fight, but there was
nothing he could do about it. His ship was faster, more maneuverable, and
bristled with twice as much weaponry as all the fighters put together. And
unlike the TIE'S, Slave I had shields. The Imperial fighters were hopelessly
outmatched, even with the rather simplistic combat routines he had
preprogrammed into the ship. The attacks on the garrison were typical Rebel
strafing runs the Empire had so much trouble dealing with, while the evasive
maneuvers against the TIE'S were randomized according to sensor information.
Fett avoided having Slave I be too aggressive with the fighters.
Preprogramming was still no match for a live pilot.
All things considered, it was a good distraction, but would be over
relatively soon. He was going to have to hurry.
Most of the stormtrooper patrols had cleared the cat walks-those that
remained had their attention focused on the skies above.
Fett sprinted for the perimeter fence. When he closed half the distance
he engaged his jet pack and soared into the air in a burst of flame. Elevating
quickly, the hunter easily cleared the ten-meter-high fence, continued over
the energy mine field between the fence and the base, and executed a perfect
landing on the catwalk.
He checked his blaster rifle and quickly moved to the observation
platform to his left. The first stormtrooper to step out caught a bolt in the
helmet and went down. In midstride Fett sent a stun grenade arcing through the
air and into the guardhouse. His faceplate tinted opaque as the flash-bang
erupted, so the hunter didn't miss a beat when he dove inside the blast door
on his stomach. Wild blaster bolts erupted overhead as Fett calmly picked off
all five stormtroopers manning the tower.
He sealed the entrance behind him and walked over to the computer
terminal. Fett entered the encryption codes he had purchased from an unsavory
Bothan and went to work. The first thing he pulled up was a three dimensional
schematic of the garrison.
"Status?"
Tyrix glanced at the General and almost smiled. "We took heavy losses but
the TIE'S are routing him. Take a look."
The Commander stepped away from the tactical screen. Xarran studied the
images for a few moments, watching as Slave I slowly led the TIE fighters away
from the base. "It's a feint."
"What?"
"Fett's not on that ship."
Tyrix was confused. "Then where is he?"
"Here." It pained the General to say it. "Inside the perimeter by now,
I'd venture. Sound the code alarm- - reference an intruder alert. Go to full
battle stations and step up interior patrols." Xarran quietly walked back to
his chair and dropped down as if the weight of an AT-AT was set upon his
shoulders.
Fett stood at the command console of Sub-Level 3. Over a dozen stunned or
dead technicians were scattered around the room. The hunter studied the
illuminated panels which controlled the base's main power, backup generators,
tractor beams, and deflector shield generators. He went to work....
Tyrix nearly fell out of his chair. "Sir! We have him!" "What?" The
General was by his side in seconds. "Someone's accessing the main control
units on SubLevel Three." He called up the data. "See? He's using a code from
last month, and the computer flagged it."
"It has to be Fett. He's trying to shut us down." Xarran contemplated his
response. "Send three squads down to... no, wait. Seal off that room
immediately. We'll flood it with Chemtrox gas and that will be the last of our
little bounty hunter."
Tyrix's voice lowered. "But what if it's not him...? And even if it is,
he could have some technicians-was
Xarran pushed the Commander out of the way. His fingers flew over the
console and a smile slowly dawned on his face. Fett was shutting down all
systems and there was no time for moral debate. The race was on again and this
time Xarran would win.
Fett whirled around as the heavy blast doors sealed and locked. He was
effectively trapped. So, they finally discovered his trick and now knew where
he was. It certainly took them long enough. Of course it was too late. Fett
was about to cut the power.
He was so absorbed in his work that he almost missed it... luckily, his
sound sensors picked up the recessed vents clicking open and the slow, steady
hiss of gas being pumped into the room.
A quick scan revealed the substance to be Chemtrox- - an extremely lethal
agent. Fett had heard it delivered a particularly painful death. He didn't
intend to find out firsthand if the rumors were true.
Fett activated his armor's enviro filter seal. It protected him from
harmful or deadly atmosphere and there was a two-hour supply of air.
As the Chemtrox gas swirled around him Fett prepared to shut down the
main computer.
"There..." Xarran wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat back in
Tyrix's chair. "It's over. No one could have possibly survived that."
Everything went black. Every last bit of power in the entire garrison
base. There was only darkness.
The Commander's voice rang out. "You were saying, sir?"
A blaster shot sent a crimson flash of light through the control room and
Tyrix's body hit the floor. General Xarran activated a glowrod and hefted his
blaster pistol.
His eyes danced wildly in the soft light, then focused on the corpse of
his Commander.
The terrified faces of the base command crew stared back at him as if he
had suddenly transformed into a mynock. Xarran fired three bolts into the
ceiling. "Everyone out. Now!"
The crew quickly obeyed, stumbling over themselves to reach the emergency
stairs. The General entered his o
ffice and sat down in front of his console.
There was one system that would not have been affected by the loss of main or
backup power. It ran off a special generator that only he knew about-well, he
and Tyrix, but the Commander wouldn't be talking any time soon.
Xarran activated the panel and smiled as the base's self-destruct system
lit up with crimson letters. The General lowered his head to accommodate the
retinal scanner and began reciting the code to activate the countdown.
Fett moved through the darkened, deserted corridors of the base. Except
for the steadfast stormtroopers, nearly everyone had fled the once-mighty
garrison. With his sound, motion, infrared, and targeting sensors all
activated, picking off the ivory-armored opponents was ridiculously easy.
Of course, the one person who mattered was also present... somewhere in
the bowels of the garrison.
Fett had paid a small fortune to have the unwitting fool tagged with one
of his special microscopic subdermal trackers back on Inat Prime. It was a
wise investment.
Jabba had not placed an open bounty on Rivo Xarran; rather, His
Bloatedness had offered the job solely to Fett... fifty thousand credits. Dead
or alive.
Fett suspected the Hutt wanted to see just how good Fett really was.
Jabba knew Rivo would run to his big brother for help and an entire Imperial