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Time to get out of here! He turned and ran soundlessly down the alley.

It ended on another street. This was one was even busier and more crowded than those he'd been on earlier, with Nuri. Boba stood for a minute, catching his breath. He felt no fear whatsoever. He felt anger, and excitement, and determination. He wasn't too worried about Aurra Sing down here. What were the odds of her finding him in all this chaos?

Still, where should he go?

He looked up and down the street. As far as he could see in every direction, there were shops. Some were brightly lit and filled with bustling service droids and well-dressed humanoids and aliens. Others were dim, with only one or two grim figures standing guard by the entrance. Some were in buildings that were little more than piles of rubble. All seemed to be gambling dens of some sort. Many had signs that blinked or scrolled messages in brilliant green or gold or silver letters.

ALL CURRENCIES CHANGED HERE

ALL COIN ACCEPTED

NO SUM TOO SMALL!

Boba began to walk. Excited, noisy crowds spilled from doorways into the street around him. Robo-hacks - airborne taxis - hovered in front of gambling houses, waiting to take new customers away to spend the riches they had just won. Evil-looking figures lurked in alleyways, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting passersby. High above, the air was crisscrossed with glowing tubes. Shining capsules sped up and down between the Undercity and the Upper Levels. In between, swoop bikes and airspeeders flashed.

That's what I'm going to get! Boba thought as he watched a swoop bike whoosh by. Once he figured out how to get his money, maybe he could hire one to take him back to Slave I - although flying one himself would be better!

"Pagh! Human scum! Out of my way!" a voice snarled.

Boba looked up, startled. A figure blocked the street before him.

It was tall, with orange eyes in a pale fungoid-looking face, and a long trunk like appendage wrapped around its throat. A Twi'lek.

"Didn't you hear me?" the Twi'lek repeated fiercely. Its hand moved threateningly beneath its robes.

"Sorry," Boba said. hastily. He stepped aside. The Twi'lek gave him a sneering look, then pushed him aside and strode past him. Boba watched him go, thinking.

"Wait a minute," he said. softly to himself. He had an idea!

His father had told him once about a Twi'lek named Bib Fortuna. The grub-faced alien had served as Jabba the Hutt's right hand, helping run his gambling operations on Tatooine and other places across the galaxy.

Here on Aargau there was a Hutt gambling palace. Was there a chance that this Twi'lek was the one his father meant?

Boba stared after the retreating figure. If it was Bib Fortuna, he might be heading toward the Hutt's den.

Boba knew the odds were against it - but then, everyone in the Undercity seemed willing to gamble. He'd take a chance.

Boba began to hurry after the Twi'lek. He was careful to stay out of sight and to always keep him in his view. Sometimes this was hard, as the alien ducked in and out of narrow alleys and tunnels. Still, Boba followed him tirelessly through the maze that was the Undercity.

Check this out, Boba thought with a grin. He was stalking his prey through incredibly dangerous terrain - just like a bounty hunter!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Twi'lek had reached the end of a long, narrow winding street.

He halted in front of a large building with a rounded roof that had spikes on it. The building was shaped like the head of a gigantic krayt dragon. The dragon's open mouth was the door. Inside, Boba could see a bustling throng of aliens, humans, and droids. Between the krayt dragon's teeth, a shimmering holosign flashed green-and-gold Huttese letters.

The Twi'lek walked up to the sign. Without hesitating, it went inside.

Boba watched him go. His heart was beating hard now. He had seen a lot of people, a lot of aliens, and a lot of droids since he'd been in the Undercity. But there was one thing he