Double Cross
Author's Title : "Double Cross"
Author: Darth En Ghedi
Origin: Portugal
Language: English
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Boba Fett sat by the fireplace he had lighten just a few minutes ago. The flames projected specters all around the improvised camp. Boba took his helmet off for the first time in days and smelled the smooth scent provided by the rich flora surrounding him.
This was the first time Boba visited such a luxurious planet. Wildlife was rare in such an explored and abused Galaxy. He closed his eyes savoring the moment. Few jobs like the one he had now provided such privilege.
While he did it, however sounds of movement alerted him to replace his helmet and stay on the lookout.
The helmet's sensors came to life revealing a multitude of small animals curious to his presence, but also something else. There was a large mass that his thermal sensors couldn't trace, but the motion tracker picked up. With a double eye blink, Fett brought the helmet built in range finder down to eye level and aimed. The rocket launcher on his back pack beeped and was ready to hit the elusive target.
Boba waited. Completely still and keeping a low profile towards the target almost lying down on the soft floor. The tension was palpable, he couldn't accept his failure to be ambushed like this. He was a Mandalorian, after all. He was caught in a moment of distraction, removing his buy'ce for a human weakness, the desire to breathe some "fresh air" as if his chemical filters didn't do the job right. Boba lamented his "human" condition. For a brief moment some memories of his father Jango talking to him about Mando tradition and how the original Mandalorian a species called Taung were such great warriors and hunters, lacking the human weaknesses.
Those thoughts were quickly set aside as the movement by the bushes repeated. This time, Boba wasn't going to give anyone a chance.
"Whoever you are, you picked the wrong target!" He said, using his voice amplifier to make sure the attacker could hear him, "I got a missile locked on you so if you don't want to become Hutt food, you better show yourself, hands were I can see them..."
There was a brief moment that felt like ages to Boba when the movement just stopped and his sensors ceased to give any type of information. He felt he was tricked for a moment, but while he thought about running into pursuit, a slim figure was produced coming from the bushes.
The skinny Zeltron female was shaking and approached cautiously towards Boba.
"I am sorry, Mandalorian!" She said with such a low voice Boba needed to boost his inbuilt speakers, "I was cold and hungry and just thought I could share your fire for a moment and ask for a bit of food..."
"That's quite a request... Where's the bargain?" Boba asked drawing his blaster towards the Zeltron.
"Whatever I may have you find of value, it's yours..." The Zeltron woman threw her backpack towards Boba's feet. He switched his sensors trying to find any further threats besides the Zeltron woman. His sensors detected no one else.
"Are you alone, Zeltron?"
"Yes, sir..."
"What's your name and how did you find me?"
"My name is Sah'ena and actually you found me... I was running lost here. I'm not even sure where 'here' is..." She sounded genuine, but Boba knew better than to trust a Zeltron running lost, though.
Theses aliens were known to have powerful telepaths who can transmit feelings or read minds... Furthermore, he wasn't even sure his helmet's filters could keep the powerful pheromones typical of such species, known to enhance the Zeltron's attractiveness, and Boba did find her attractive, then again his heart was as cold as stone, so if that was her game, then it was a lost bet.
"Why do I don't believe you, woman?" Boba asked sarcastically....
"It's the truth, Mandalorian. I am not using any of my species tricks. I wouldn't dare." She said, again sounding genuine.
Boba looked down to the satchel on the floor and quickly picked it up. Running through the contents he found some credits, some worthless jewelry, some holopics, a discharged gun clip and a few more uninteresting items. Picking up the clip, he threw the bag back to the woman's feet. "Better throw your gun here too, and slowly..."
"I lost it..."
"What will happen if I search you and find it?"
"You won't!"
He approached carefully and searched the woman. She appeared have nothing else on her until he found an object in her jacket inner pocket, cleverly concealed. At first he thought it was a gun, but then he dismissed the idea, producing a datapad. Boba picked it and browsed the menu. Zeltrons were no tech experts to carry around fancy devices but this one looked like a complex security module that contained a lot of encrypted items he couldn't decipher promptly. After much inspection a name came up. "This datapad belongs to some guy name Naveek Sa... Trandoshan... You don't look that green and you're definitely not as ugly..."
"I stole it!"
"Now we're getting somewhere... You were planning to do that to me too?"
"No I just want to get warm and eat something. If you can't provide that, give me back my datapad and let me go!"
Boba admired the woman's spirit. He figured she sounded too sincere to be preparing something against him. He could clearly see she was trembling from the harsh cold his armor prevented him from feeling. Reaching down one of his pouches he threw a couple of rations at her a pointed to a place near the fire opposite of where he was standing, keeping the fire between them. "No sudden moves or I will burn that pretty pink skin of yours..."
The woman complied with a smile and sat down feasting on the rations as if she really was hungry. Boba kept his blaster pointing at her but loosened the grip a bit, realizing he was almost crushing the weapon from the fear of being ambushed like this. It had been a while since he saw some action. Somehow this event triggered that adrenaline he so wanted to feel again. Only to regret that he had to feel like this... ambushed by a woman!
"You have a name?" She asked while chewing the last bits of ration.
"Yes I do!" Boba said.
"Well..."
"When you're done, take a blanket and get back to wherever you came from!" Boba said pointing to a stack of sheets and blankets inside a small travel case he brought from his ship.
"I don't know where I came from... I've been in this forest for days now... Can you tell me where this is?"
"Who's Naveek Sa?" Boba asked.
"He was someone I was supposed to seduce and steal that datapad. That's all you need to know, I'm not proud of my work, but that's what pays me."
"Looks like you need some practice to be stranded in some unknown planet..." Boba observed.
"It's not like I have a fancy armor filled with concealed gadgets and sensors, Mandalorian."
Again the woman's spirit was amazing. It also raised Boba's guard again. He became tense once more.
"Where did you steal this?"
"Where do you find a Trandoshan if not hunting for wookiees in Kashyyyk?"
"You came all the way from Kashyyyk and don't know about it? That Trando must have been quite a knock-out for you!"
"And where am I, anyway? Or do I have to pay for that too?"
Boba laughed slightly. He felt there was no point keeping the information from her. After all, if this was just an orchestrated hoax she knew quite well where she was by now... "Dantooine, we're on Dantooine..." He lied.
"I can see the large planet overhead, Mister... This is a moon..." She pointed up.
"There's no fooling you, huh? We're on the forest moon of Endor..."
"Endor? Where are the Ewoks then?"
"Far down into the equator. This can be a cold planet and not even their fur can keep those little bastards warm..."
"I find them cute... If only we could see one!" She looked around and began to rise."
"Hey!" Boba pointed his blaster directly at her, "Stay down! There's no Ewoks around like I said. But if alert anyone or anything for my presence here I'll make you become their dinner!"
"They're... cannibals?"
"They're meat eaters... anything not resembling a furry little terrorist is food for them... so stand down, eat your rations and leave if you want. Just don't force me to shoot you in the process!"
Silence took over. Only the soft breeze was felt over the trees above their heads. The Zeltron just watched the flames and tried move closer to the heat.
"So where are you from, Sah'ena?" Boba finally asked, braking the ice a bit.
"Why should answer you if you don't even tell me your name!" The woman froze the moment again.
"Fine, listen, take the blankets and leave, be grateful I don't use you to feed the fire..."
The Zeltron picked the blankets and walked away from the camp without a word. A few moments later the sound of her footsteps ceased and Boba's sensors indicated he was finally alone again. He lied back a bit and close his eyes. His sensors were still on and tracking. He was safe for now. No more taking off his helmet out of weakness. This sleeping need, however, was yet another weakness... One that Boba wished he didn't have. He wished he was back on Kamino and the Master Cloners just made him perfect... But a perfect warrior wouldn't let someone know where he was, ambush him and then let her go... but that was concession Boba had to make... he was tired and these problems had to wait...
It was only when the sensors on his helmet triggered that Boba felt that he had committed yet another mistake. He didn't have time to reach his blaster that was nowhere to be found and when he tried to get up several flashbangs blew up and rendered his sensors useless for a couple of seconds. He pressed a few buttons arming all the defensive items on his armor, including his flame launcher and stood ready.
When the effect of the flashbangs finally dissipated, Boba finally found at least twelve armed men and women surrounding him with a Trandoshan male right in front of them. Boba wasn't going to waste time asking questions, it was obvious these men weren't here to kill him or they would have done it already and it was even more obvious they wanted something he had or in the worst case scenario they wanted him... Either case, Boba Fett had been in worse situations before and came out of them with just a few scratches. But when he began to raise his wrist armed with the flame launcher, the Trandoshan introduced his leverage.
The Zeltron woman had her hands tied on the back and her mouth covered with a disgusting looking cloth.
"Quite the spirit, this one..." The Trando said with an ugly smile. If that was ever to be considered a smile at all. "I am Naveek Sa and you have something that belongs to me. Hand it over and well forget your face... well... your fancy looking mask..."
"It's called a buy'ce..." Boba said calmly, still ready to move if attacked.
"It's whatever you like to call it. I call it 'the guy who's smart enough to give me back my datapad' mask!"
"If you are having all this trouble for it, then it must be important..."
"It is... it contains all the recordings of my favorite holodrama, as far as you're concerned... Now, hand it over!"
"And your trading coin would be..." Boba said.
"You're in no position to bargain, Mando.... hand it over!"
"This isn't much of a threat, I could just jump out of here with my jet pack and your little theatrical display would be for nothing!"
"Oh... So you're saying that this little precious..." The Trandoshan's lizard hands picked the Zeltron's chin clearly hurting her, "is nothing to you? Didn't she play her charms on you as she did to me?"
"No..."
"Ah! I had to buy the most expensive concoctions there are against her kind! She's quite the artist of seduction." The lizards tong licked his own lips looking at the Zeltron with an animal desire, but as soon as he gave away signs of weakness he shrugged the thought and slapped her "There she was again! Ah! Doesn't work anymore, Zeltron!"
Boba didn't move muscle but he did almost jumped on the Trandoshans back with his concealed vibroblade. His self-control kicked in. Just like his father taught him.
"Kill her... I couldn't care less!" Boba Fett lied.
The Trandoshan looked at him with disbelief, then he looked around to his men as if looking for answers. After a few moments of hesitation, he took a knife from his pocket and placed over the Zeltron's neck. She moaned as the sharp blade softly cut her skin.
"Trandoshans are known to be quite brute with sharp objects. I may not know how to measure my strength to keep this blade from cutting her further..."
"Trandos are also known to be ugly chakaars..." Boba joked. Every men around him took a step forward.
"Just give me the datapad and well leave you!" The Trandoshan almost sounded like he was begging.
"I don't have any datapad..."
"She says you do! You robbed her of it!"
The Zeltron woman looked at Boba and a shook her head as if apologizing.
Boba sighed pondering the situation. He couldn't decipher the pad with what he had. So it was worthless for now to understand what it contained. Taking it away would put him on the run for his ship that appeared to be well concealed so far. If he gave it away, however, he wasn't sure they wouldn't give him further trouble. But if they wanted, they could just shoot him and take the datapad from his body... if they could. The Trandoshan identified Boba as Mandalorian so he knew this was no easy prey.
He could just jump out of there with his jetpack and blend with the forest somewhere else. He would be virtually invisible... But was this datapad worth it? How about that Zeltron... Something triggered Boba Fett deeply... He felt puzzled and he just wondered if those filters were any good again. His attackers were unaffected by the woman's pheromones which seemed strange, but Boba concluded the woman was just scared and couldn't concentrate on that chemical weapon... Even so...
"How about it, Mando?" The Trandoshan interrupted his thoughts. "The pad for the woman..."
"I said she’s of no use to me..."
"I got no time for this karking thing!" The Trandoshan was now yelling, he rushed to the Zeltron woman and cut her arm deeply, between her bleeding and screaming, Boba could swear he heard the Zeltron begging to him. "Chakaar mind control..." He thought.
"Fine... Send the woman over and I'll throw you the pad..." Boba said, shrugging. This deal was getting worse anyway.
"How can I be sure you'll throw the datapad?"
"We'll do it on three!"
The Trandoshan looked around and added, "You wouldn't stand a chance anyway..."
"Right..." Boba added, "Oh and do throw me my blaster..."
"Precious, huh?" The Trandoshan picked the blaster from a henchman's backpack, "Custom built, looking good..."
"Just send it over, lizard man..." Boba's disgust was palpable. Not just from the Trandoshan's looks but also from the fact that he was holding his personal blaster.
The Trandoshan clicked the ammo slot and removed the charge. The gun was empty. He handed it to the Zeltron and grabbed her by her arms.
Boba was even tenser with this. His weapon was not a toy. It was dear to him. Seeing it being handed from one savage to someone else, only aggravated the situation.
"I will kill you with my bare hands, Trannie!" He said with clenched teeth.
"Ah... How amusing, Mando! Do you really think you can threat me?"
"Oh... This is not a threat... it's a certainty!"
The Trandoshan looked around and saw his men trading suspicious looks. This situation was getting way out of hand and it would be better to end it soon, "One..." He suddenly began.
"Two!" Boba added, smiling under his helmet.
On "Three" Boba threw the datapad to the Trandoshan, while the lizard alien pushed the Zeltron to the floor, she landed with a hurting sound.
Boba didn't reach down until he saw the surrounding men lowering their weapons and dispersing. When they did, he reached down to the woman, helping her up.
"The weapon..." He said.
The Zeltron handed it quicker than what Boba anticipated. Her hands weren't tied after all. And only when she removed the cloth from her mouth herself, did he understand the trick that the woman pulled.
"Sorry, Mandalorian..." The woman said, producing the elusive blaster Boba knew all along she had, "No matter how barbaric, you men are always so easy to fool... You were right, though. I wasn't to be trusted. I could never fool you there, could I?" Boba didn't answer as the blaster aimed below the mask, "Where is it?"
“I should have searched you better…” He said
“I bet you would like that. Where is it?”
"Where is what?"
"The datapad, you can fool that leatherhead, but not me!"
Boba smiled under the mask. She was cunning, almost irresistible in her own way. "Lower pouch on the right leg..."
The Zeltron smiled and searched for it.
"Easy on the goods, darling!" Boba joked.
The Zeltron didn't find it amusing and roughly push the Mandalorian away, aiming her side arm. She slowly moved away and suddenly broke in a run.
"I'm sorry father..." He whispered, remembering all that his father Jango Fett a famous Mandalorian Bounty Hunter, the ultimate warrior type, had lectured in so many evenings on Kamino.
He suddenly felt an urge to recover something... His pride!
He ran down the hill and followed the tracks of the Zeltron woman. "Fool!" He whispered. It wouldn't take long for the Trandoshan to find that his datapad was a hoax. And she was running right in his path, by the looks of it.
Running down a clearing, he could see a ship landed near a small river. He arrived just in time to see the Zeltron woman being held by the disgusting lizard. They had found her first. But something was odd on the way the Trando was handling her. He suddenly looked around and released her... The Zeltron smacked the Trandoshan and screamed something, then hugged the disgusting lizard... A travesty...
The Mandalorian enhanced the helmet’s audio sensors and eavesdropped on the conversation.
“… I am sorry sweatheart, it was meant to seem realistic…” The Trando said.
“You cut me!” The woman yelled.
“I couldn’t risk it! He could be here for me!”
“No, he’s just a lowlife, he’s not trouble!”
“Why did you take my security keypad?”
“Leverage! You sent me there to spy on the guy, I could almost imagine you would sell me like you did your previous wife!”
“I’m a business man, deal with it!”
“So that was it…” Boba whispered to himself, “You were scared about me, you di’kut…”
Boba jumped with his jetpack igniting powering it up in mid air. By the time the henchmen raised their blasters to the Mandalorian, he had already trained all his weapons on them. The missile took two Devaronians by the ship, possibly the pilots, then his knee blasters took most of the surprised henchmen. His flame launcher was enough to scare away a couple of pseudo-snipers clumsy enough to drop their rifles while running.
A couple of persistent thugs opened fire while Boba was landing, forcing him to roll before he threw a thermal detonator on their feet.
The rest of the thugs eventually ran to the ship, now lacking the pilots and left the Trandoshan and the Zeltron behind lying on the floor still perplexed...
"We made a deal, Mandalorian..." The Trandoshan said.
"No, the deal was about the trade," Boba said aiming his wrist equipped with saber darts. "There was never a deal about sparing you and your girlfriend..."
"No! Wait, there's no need to do this! Tell me want you want and I will give it to you! I promise!" The Trando said.
Beside him the Zeltron tried her best to influence Boba using her Zeltron powers. Boba Fett, however, was not the type of man to be fooled twice. Using his empty blaster he knocked the woman unconscious. The Trandoshan screamed in fear.
"Wait! I can pay you, I'll make you so wealthy you will..."
"Shut up, lizard man!" Boba interrupted. "You got something I want!"
"No please... not the datapad... listen, it contains..."
"I don't care what's in it!"
"It can make us both rich!"
"I said, I don't care" Boba pointed his wrist gun at the Trandoshan's forehead, "I want my ammo clip!"
"What?" The Trandoshan was comprehensibly puzzled.
"Hand it over, or I will perform a new plastic surgery on you purse face!"
The Trandoshan gently pulled the weapon clip, shacking so much he dropped everything else he had on his pocket to the dry grass on the floor. "Please don't kill me. See? I am cooperating, see?"
Boba inserted the clip, analyzed the charge and when it satisfied him, he lowered the gun. Turning away, he jumped out of the clearing on an offset course back to his ship, just in case that Trando decided to follow him.
A few kilometers away, he landed near his ship "Slave I" and pressed a button on his suit. An almost imperceptible sound was heard as the ship's countermeasures turned off and security systems were shut down.
He climbed to the ship's ramp, and walked up. But before he did it, he stopped. He felt the urge to breathe that fresh air one last time. Somehow, though, it seemed that the sole ideal of being human was no longer that important.
While he climbed back to the cockpit, and while starting the ship’s computer for orbit he reached down to his pocket and took an object. In that instant a beep from the console alerted Boba for an incoming message when he was finally in the deep black orbit.
"Do you have the package?" His fellow bounty hunter Dengar was on screen.
"Yes!" Boba answered, still wearing his helmet.
"Something wrong?" Dengar asked.
"No, why?"
"You sound tired..." Dengar said with an unmistakable irony.
"As if you cared..."
"Was it hard to obtain?"
"No..." Boba raised his hand and looked at the Trandoshan Datapad, smiling underneath the mask, "I just wonder what that Trannie will think when he reads his datapad and find that it's a Wookiee distress beacon..."
"That will be a mess! Wookiees love stray Trandos asking for help!" The screen went blank. No goodbyes were traded among warriors.
Boba Fett examined the datapad, not really caring for its contents, since his contact was paying for it he felt it wasn't his problem what was in it. Somewhere in the Galaxy, perhaps still on Endor, the Trandoshan would know that no one should mess with a Mandalorian. No one should touch his weapon, either.
For some reason he recalled the Zeltron woman. "What people do to earn life" he thought. His plan was simple: Insert on Endor where that Trandoshan secretly hided his base and retrieve the pad. The Zeltron was an unexpected event, but eventually she delivered the desired pad into his hands out of sheer ingenuity. But why was she there, anyway? Perhaps she liked the rush of being with a smelly scoundrel. Perhaps she really was trying to make her living, but here protection eased the job for Boba Fett. And, in the end, Boba Fett wasn't about to begin understanding common people. His own ego was enough to deal with.
He finally took off his helmet in the safety of Slave 1. He smelled the rust and rubber of his old but reliable ship and it felt nowhere near as refreshing as Endor’s environment. But it was safe.
Picking up his cleaning apparel, he began 'purifying' his weapon removing the Trandoshan filth. He smiled imagining what those Wookiees would do to them...
Author: Darth En Ghedi
Origin: Portugal
Language: English
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Boba Fett sat by the fireplace he had lighten just a few minutes ago. The flames projected specters all around the improvised camp. Boba took his helmet off for the first time in days and smelled the smooth scent provided by the rich flora surrounding him.
This was the first time Boba visited such a luxurious planet. Wildlife was rare in such an explored and abused Galaxy. He closed his eyes savoring the moment. Few jobs like the one he had now provided such privilege.
While he did it, however sounds of movement alerted him to replace his helmet and stay on the lookout.
The helmet's sensors came to life revealing a multitude of small animals curious to his presence, but also something else. There was a large mass that his thermal sensors couldn't trace, but the motion tracker picked up. With a double eye blink, Fett brought the helmet built in range finder down to eye level and aimed. The rocket launcher on his back pack beeped and was ready to hit the elusive target.
Boba waited. Completely still and keeping a low profile towards the target almost lying down on the soft floor. The tension was palpable, he couldn't accept his failure to be ambushed like this. He was a Mandalorian, after all. He was caught in a moment of distraction, removing his buy'ce for a human weakness, the desire to breathe some "fresh air" as if his chemical filters didn't do the job right. Boba lamented his "human" condition. For a brief moment some memories of his father Jango talking to him about Mando tradition and how the original Mandalorian a species called Taung were such great warriors and hunters, lacking the human weaknesses.
Those thoughts were quickly set aside as the movement by the bushes repeated. This time, Boba wasn't going to give anyone a chance.
"Whoever you are, you picked the wrong target!" He said, using his voice amplifier to make sure the attacker could hear him, "I got a missile locked on you so if you don't want to become Hutt food, you better show yourself, hands were I can see them..."
There was a brief moment that felt like ages to Boba when the movement just stopped and his sensors ceased to give any type of information. He felt he was tricked for a moment, but while he thought about running into pursuit, a slim figure was produced coming from the bushes.
The skinny Zeltron female was shaking and approached cautiously towards Boba.
"I am sorry, Mandalorian!" She said with such a low voice Boba needed to boost his inbuilt speakers, "I was cold and hungry and just thought I could share your fire for a moment and ask for a bit of food..."
"That's quite a request... Where's the bargain?" Boba asked drawing his blaster towards the Zeltron.
"Whatever I may have you find of value, it's yours..." The Zeltron woman threw her backpack towards Boba's feet. He switched his sensors trying to find any further threats besides the Zeltron woman. His sensors detected no one else.
"Are you alone, Zeltron?"
"Yes, sir..."
"What's your name and how did you find me?"
"My name is Sah'ena and actually you found me... I was running lost here. I'm not even sure where 'here' is..." She sounded genuine, but Boba knew better than to trust a Zeltron running lost, though.
Theses aliens were known to have powerful telepaths who can transmit feelings or read minds... Furthermore, he wasn't even sure his helmet's filters could keep the powerful pheromones typical of such species, known to enhance the Zeltron's attractiveness, and Boba did find her attractive, then again his heart was as cold as stone, so if that was her game, then it was a lost bet.
"Why do I don't believe you, woman?" Boba asked sarcastically....
"It's the truth, Mandalorian. I am not using any of my species tricks. I wouldn't dare." She said, again sounding genuine.
Boba looked down to the satchel on the floor and quickly picked it up. Running through the contents he found some credits, some worthless jewelry, some holopics, a discharged gun clip and a few more uninteresting items. Picking up the clip, he threw the bag back to the woman's feet. "Better throw your gun here too, and slowly..."
"I lost it..."
"What will happen if I search you and find it?"
"You won't!"
He approached carefully and searched the woman. She appeared have nothing else on her until he found an object in her jacket inner pocket, cleverly concealed. At first he thought it was a gun, but then he dismissed the idea, producing a datapad. Boba picked it and browsed the menu. Zeltrons were no tech experts to carry around fancy devices but this one looked like a complex security module that contained a lot of encrypted items he couldn't decipher promptly. After much inspection a name came up. "This datapad belongs to some guy name Naveek Sa... Trandoshan... You don't look that green and you're definitely not as ugly..."
"I stole it!"
"Now we're getting somewhere... You were planning to do that to me too?"
"No I just want to get warm and eat something. If you can't provide that, give me back my datapad and let me go!"
Boba admired the woman's spirit. He figured she sounded too sincere to be preparing something against him. He could clearly see she was trembling from the harsh cold his armor prevented him from feeling. Reaching down one of his pouches he threw a couple of rations at her a pointed to a place near the fire opposite of where he was standing, keeping the fire between them. "No sudden moves or I will burn that pretty pink skin of yours..."
The woman complied with a smile and sat down feasting on the rations as if she really was hungry. Boba kept his blaster pointing at her but loosened the grip a bit, realizing he was almost crushing the weapon from the fear of being ambushed like this. It had been a while since he saw some action. Somehow this event triggered that adrenaline he so wanted to feel again. Only to regret that he had to feel like this... ambushed by a woman!
"You have a name?" She asked while chewing the last bits of ration.
"Yes I do!" Boba said.
"Well..."
"When you're done, take a blanket and get back to wherever you came from!" Boba said pointing to a stack of sheets and blankets inside a small travel case he brought from his ship.
"I don't know where I came from... I've been in this forest for days now... Can you tell me where this is?"
"Who's Naveek Sa?" Boba asked.
"He was someone I was supposed to seduce and steal that datapad. That's all you need to know, I'm not proud of my work, but that's what pays me."
"Looks like you need some practice to be stranded in some unknown planet..." Boba observed.
"It's not like I have a fancy armor filled with concealed gadgets and sensors, Mandalorian."
Again the woman's spirit was amazing. It also raised Boba's guard again. He became tense once more.
"Where did you steal this?"
"Where do you find a Trandoshan if not hunting for wookiees in Kashyyyk?"
"You came all the way from Kashyyyk and don't know about it? That Trando must have been quite a knock-out for you!"
"And where am I, anyway? Or do I have to pay for that too?"
Boba laughed slightly. He felt there was no point keeping the information from her. After all, if this was just an orchestrated hoax she knew quite well where she was by now... "Dantooine, we're on Dantooine..." He lied.
"I can see the large planet overhead, Mister... This is a moon..." She pointed up.
"There's no fooling you, huh? We're on the forest moon of Endor..."
"Endor? Where are the Ewoks then?"
"Far down into the equator. This can be a cold planet and not even their fur can keep those little bastards warm..."
"I find them cute... If only we could see one!" She looked around and began to rise."
"Hey!" Boba pointed his blaster directly at her, "Stay down! There's no Ewoks around like I said. But if alert anyone or anything for my presence here I'll make you become their dinner!"
"They're... cannibals?"
"They're meat eaters... anything not resembling a furry little terrorist is food for them... so stand down, eat your rations and leave if you want. Just don't force me to shoot you in the process!"
Silence took over. Only the soft breeze was felt over the trees above their heads. The Zeltron just watched the flames and tried move closer to the heat.
"So where are you from, Sah'ena?" Boba finally asked, braking the ice a bit.
"Why should answer you if you don't even tell me your name!" The woman froze the moment again.
"Fine, listen, take the blankets and leave, be grateful I don't use you to feed the fire..."
The Zeltron picked the blankets and walked away from the camp without a word. A few moments later the sound of her footsteps ceased and Boba's sensors indicated he was finally alone again. He lied back a bit and close his eyes. His sensors were still on and tracking. He was safe for now. No more taking off his helmet out of weakness. This sleeping need, however, was yet another weakness... One that Boba wished he didn't have. He wished he was back on Kamino and the Master Cloners just made him perfect... But a perfect warrior wouldn't let someone know where he was, ambush him and then let her go... but that was concession Boba had to make... he was tired and these problems had to wait...
It was only when the sensors on his helmet triggered that Boba felt that he had committed yet another mistake. He didn't have time to reach his blaster that was nowhere to be found and when he tried to get up several flashbangs blew up and rendered his sensors useless for a couple of seconds. He pressed a few buttons arming all the defensive items on his armor, including his flame launcher and stood ready.
When the effect of the flashbangs finally dissipated, Boba finally found at least twelve armed men and women surrounding him with a Trandoshan male right in front of them. Boba wasn't going to waste time asking questions, it was obvious these men weren't here to kill him or they would have done it already and it was even more obvious they wanted something he had or in the worst case scenario they wanted him... Either case, Boba Fett had been in worse situations before and came out of them with just a few scratches. But when he began to raise his wrist armed with the flame launcher, the Trandoshan introduced his leverage.
The Zeltron woman had her hands tied on the back and her mouth covered with a disgusting looking cloth.
"Quite the spirit, this one..." The Trando said with an ugly smile. If that was ever to be considered a smile at all. "I am Naveek Sa and you have something that belongs to me. Hand it over and well forget your face... well... your fancy looking mask..."
"It's called a buy'ce..." Boba said calmly, still ready to move if attacked.
"It's whatever you like to call it. I call it 'the guy who's smart enough to give me back my datapad' mask!"
"If you are having all this trouble for it, then it must be important..."
"It is... it contains all the recordings of my favorite holodrama, as far as you're concerned... Now, hand it over!"
"And your trading coin would be..." Boba said.
"You're in no position to bargain, Mando.... hand it over!"
"This isn't much of a threat, I could just jump out of here with my jet pack and your little theatrical display would be for nothing!"
"Oh... So you're saying that this little precious..." The Trandoshan's lizard hands picked the Zeltron's chin clearly hurting her, "is nothing to you? Didn't she play her charms on you as she did to me?"
"No..."
"Ah! I had to buy the most expensive concoctions there are against her kind! She's quite the artist of seduction." The lizards tong licked his own lips looking at the Zeltron with an animal desire, but as soon as he gave away signs of weakness he shrugged the thought and slapped her "There she was again! Ah! Doesn't work anymore, Zeltron!"
Boba didn't move muscle but he did almost jumped on the Trandoshans back with his concealed vibroblade. His self-control kicked in. Just like his father taught him.
"Kill her... I couldn't care less!" Boba Fett lied.
The Trandoshan looked at him with disbelief, then he looked around to his men as if looking for answers. After a few moments of hesitation, he took a knife from his pocket and placed over the Zeltron's neck. She moaned as the sharp blade softly cut her skin.
"Trandoshans are known to be quite brute with sharp objects. I may not know how to measure my strength to keep this blade from cutting her further..."
"Trandos are also known to be ugly chakaars..." Boba joked. Every men around him took a step forward.
"Just give me the datapad and well leave you!" The Trandoshan almost sounded like he was begging.
"I don't have any datapad..."
"She says you do! You robbed her of it!"
The Zeltron woman looked at Boba and a shook her head as if apologizing.
Boba sighed pondering the situation. He couldn't decipher the pad with what he had. So it was worthless for now to understand what it contained. Taking it away would put him on the run for his ship that appeared to be well concealed so far. If he gave it away, however, he wasn't sure they wouldn't give him further trouble. But if they wanted, they could just shoot him and take the datapad from his body... if they could. The Trandoshan identified Boba as Mandalorian so he knew this was no easy prey.
He could just jump out of there with his jetpack and blend with the forest somewhere else. He would be virtually invisible... But was this datapad worth it? How about that Zeltron... Something triggered Boba Fett deeply... He felt puzzled and he just wondered if those filters were any good again. His attackers were unaffected by the woman's pheromones which seemed strange, but Boba concluded the woman was just scared and couldn't concentrate on that chemical weapon... Even so...
"How about it, Mando?" The Trandoshan interrupted his thoughts. "The pad for the woman..."
"I said she’s of no use to me..."
"I got no time for this karking thing!" The Trandoshan was now yelling, he rushed to the Zeltron woman and cut her arm deeply, between her bleeding and screaming, Boba could swear he heard the Zeltron begging to him. "Chakaar mind control..." He thought.
"Fine... Send the woman over and I'll throw you the pad..." Boba said, shrugging. This deal was getting worse anyway.
"How can I be sure you'll throw the datapad?"
"We'll do it on three!"
The Trandoshan looked around and added, "You wouldn't stand a chance anyway..."
"Right..." Boba added, "Oh and do throw me my blaster..."
"Precious, huh?" The Trandoshan picked the blaster from a henchman's backpack, "Custom built, looking good..."
"Just send it over, lizard man..." Boba's disgust was palpable. Not just from the Trandoshan's looks but also from the fact that he was holding his personal blaster.
The Trandoshan clicked the ammo slot and removed the charge. The gun was empty. He handed it to the Zeltron and grabbed her by her arms.
Boba was even tenser with this. His weapon was not a toy. It was dear to him. Seeing it being handed from one savage to someone else, only aggravated the situation.
"I will kill you with my bare hands, Trannie!" He said with clenched teeth.
"Ah... How amusing, Mando! Do you really think you can threat me?"
"Oh... This is not a threat... it's a certainty!"
The Trandoshan looked around and saw his men trading suspicious looks. This situation was getting way out of hand and it would be better to end it soon, "One..." He suddenly began.
"Two!" Boba added, smiling under his helmet.
On "Three" Boba threw the datapad to the Trandoshan, while the lizard alien pushed the Zeltron to the floor, she landed with a hurting sound.
Boba didn't reach down until he saw the surrounding men lowering their weapons and dispersing. When they did, he reached down to the woman, helping her up.
"The weapon..." He said.
The Zeltron handed it quicker than what Boba anticipated. Her hands weren't tied after all. And only when she removed the cloth from her mouth herself, did he understand the trick that the woman pulled.
"Sorry, Mandalorian..." The woman said, producing the elusive blaster Boba knew all along she had, "No matter how barbaric, you men are always so easy to fool... You were right, though. I wasn't to be trusted. I could never fool you there, could I?" Boba didn't answer as the blaster aimed below the mask, "Where is it?"
“I should have searched you better…” He said
“I bet you would like that. Where is it?”
"Where is what?"
"The datapad, you can fool that leatherhead, but not me!"
Boba smiled under the mask. She was cunning, almost irresistible in her own way. "Lower pouch on the right leg..."
The Zeltron smiled and searched for it.
"Easy on the goods, darling!" Boba joked.
The Zeltron didn't find it amusing and roughly push the Mandalorian away, aiming her side arm. She slowly moved away and suddenly broke in a run.
"I'm sorry father..." He whispered, remembering all that his father Jango Fett a famous Mandalorian Bounty Hunter, the ultimate warrior type, had lectured in so many evenings on Kamino.
He suddenly felt an urge to recover something... His pride!
He ran down the hill and followed the tracks of the Zeltron woman. "Fool!" He whispered. It wouldn't take long for the Trandoshan to find that his datapad was a hoax. And she was running right in his path, by the looks of it.
Running down a clearing, he could see a ship landed near a small river. He arrived just in time to see the Zeltron woman being held by the disgusting lizard. They had found her first. But something was odd on the way the Trando was handling her. He suddenly looked around and released her... The Zeltron smacked the Trandoshan and screamed something, then hugged the disgusting lizard... A travesty...
The Mandalorian enhanced the helmet’s audio sensors and eavesdropped on the conversation.
“… I am sorry sweatheart, it was meant to seem realistic…” The Trando said.
“You cut me!” The woman yelled.
“I couldn’t risk it! He could be here for me!”
“No, he’s just a lowlife, he’s not trouble!”
“Why did you take my security keypad?”
“Leverage! You sent me there to spy on the guy, I could almost imagine you would sell me like you did your previous wife!”
“I’m a business man, deal with it!”
“So that was it…” Boba whispered to himself, “You were scared about me, you di’kut…”
Boba jumped with his jetpack igniting powering it up in mid air. By the time the henchmen raised their blasters to the Mandalorian, he had already trained all his weapons on them. The missile took two Devaronians by the ship, possibly the pilots, then his knee blasters took most of the surprised henchmen. His flame launcher was enough to scare away a couple of pseudo-snipers clumsy enough to drop their rifles while running.
A couple of persistent thugs opened fire while Boba was landing, forcing him to roll before he threw a thermal detonator on their feet.
The rest of the thugs eventually ran to the ship, now lacking the pilots and left the Trandoshan and the Zeltron behind lying on the floor still perplexed...
"We made a deal, Mandalorian..." The Trandoshan said.
"No, the deal was about the trade," Boba said aiming his wrist equipped with saber darts. "There was never a deal about sparing you and your girlfriend..."
"No! Wait, there's no need to do this! Tell me want you want and I will give it to you! I promise!" The Trando said.
Beside him the Zeltron tried her best to influence Boba using her Zeltron powers. Boba Fett, however, was not the type of man to be fooled twice. Using his empty blaster he knocked the woman unconscious. The Trandoshan screamed in fear.
"Wait! I can pay you, I'll make you so wealthy you will..."
"Shut up, lizard man!" Boba interrupted. "You got something I want!"
"No please... not the datapad... listen, it contains..."
"I don't care what's in it!"
"It can make us both rich!"
"I said, I don't care" Boba pointed his wrist gun at the Trandoshan's forehead, "I want my ammo clip!"
"What?" The Trandoshan was comprehensibly puzzled.
"Hand it over, or I will perform a new plastic surgery on you purse face!"
The Trandoshan gently pulled the weapon clip, shacking so much he dropped everything else he had on his pocket to the dry grass on the floor. "Please don't kill me. See? I am cooperating, see?"
Boba inserted the clip, analyzed the charge and when it satisfied him, he lowered the gun. Turning away, he jumped out of the clearing on an offset course back to his ship, just in case that Trando decided to follow him.
A few kilometers away, he landed near his ship "Slave I" and pressed a button on his suit. An almost imperceptible sound was heard as the ship's countermeasures turned off and security systems were shut down.
He climbed to the ship's ramp, and walked up. But before he did it, he stopped. He felt the urge to breathe that fresh air one last time. Somehow, though, it seemed that the sole ideal of being human was no longer that important.
While he climbed back to the cockpit, and while starting the ship’s computer for orbit he reached down to his pocket and took an object. In that instant a beep from the console alerted Boba for an incoming message when he was finally in the deep black orbit.
"Do you have the package?" His fellow bounty hunter Dengar was on screen.
"Yes!" Boba answered, still wearing his helmet.
"Something wrong?" Dengar asked.
"No, why?"
"You sound tired..." Dengar said with an unmistakable irony.
"As if you cared..."
"Was it hard to obtain?"
"No..." Boba raised his hand and looked at the Trandoshan Datapad, smiling underneath the mask, "I just wonder what that Trannie will think when he reads his datapad and find that it's a Wookiee distress beacon..."
"That will be a mess! Wookiees love stray Trandos asking for help!" The screen went blank. No goodbyes were traded among warriors.
Boba Fett examined the datapad, not really caring for its contents, since his contact was paying for it he felt it wasn't his problem what was in it. Somewhere in the Galaxy, perhaps still on Endor, the Trandoshan would know that no one should mess with a Mandalorian. No one should touch his weapon, either.
For some reason he recalled the Zeltron woman. "What people do to earn life" he thought. His plan was simple: Insert on Endor where that Trandoshan secretly hided his base and retrieve the pad. The Zeltron was an unexpected event, but eventually she delivered the desired pad into his hands out of sheer ingenuity. But why was she there, anyway? Perhaps she liked the rush of being with a smelly scoundrel. Perhaps she really was trying to make her living, but here protection eased the job for Boba Fett. And, in the end, Boba Fett wasn't about to begin understanding common people. His own ego was enough to deal with.
He finally took off his helmet in the safety of Slave 1. He smelled the rust and rubber of his old but reliable ship and it felt nowhere near as refreshing as Endor’s environment. But it was safe.
Picking up his cleaning apparel, he began 'purifying' his weapon removing the Trandoshan filth. He smiled imagining what those Wookiees would do to them...
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