• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"After they hear my news," said Boba softly, "he will kill you for not taking me to him sooner. But by then my master will be here, and..."

He let his voice trail off threateningly.

The official stared at him. His face grew dark with anger. His hand moved toward Boba's neck.

Boba took a deep breath. If he was going to die right now, he would die fighting. He gazed unafraid and defiant up at his captor.

But then Kos stopped. He looked at the boy. His scarred face seemed to regard Boba with more respect. At last he nodded.

"All right," he said. "We'll do it your way. Trouble is brewing, that's for sure. Might as well be out of this place when the storm breaks."

He pushed Boba roughly ahead of him. There was the click of a blaster being loosed from its holster. "But don't even dream of escaping.

I'll bring you to Level Two - "

"To the Kuat Bank," said Boba quickly.

For a moment the guard was silent. Then he laughed. "Kuat, eh?

Well, someone must be paying you well for your services. But I guess you must be worth it, eh?"

You don't know the half of it, Boba thought, as the lieutenant marched him down the dark passage.

CHAPTER TWENTY

They walked in near-darkness for what seemed like hours. The torch's beam guiding them. But in reality, only a while had passed - Boba had to remind himself that the darkness was deceptive, like everything else on Aargau.

At last they reached spot where the tunnel widened. In front of them was wide metal door. And in front Of the door was an airspeeder.

"Get in," Kos snapped. He kept his blaster trained on Boba.

Boba clambered inside. He couldn't keep from smiling. Just the sight and feel of a cockpit made his blood race with excitement!

"What are you grinning at?" the official said suspiciously.

Boba composed his face into a calmer expression. "I am thinking that you made the right choice," he said.

This seemed to satisfy the vice-chair. He climbed into the pilot's seat, positioned himself behind the controls, and pressed a button. The wide door slid up, revealing a huge empty airshaft. It stretched up into dark, seemingly limitless space. Boba craned his neck and stared up.

Not limitless. High, high above them he could see a glitter of green.

"A shortcut," said the vice-chair. He allowed himself a smile.

"This ventilation shaft opens directly onto Level Two. And - lucky for you! - the Kuat vaults are not far at all."

Without warning he grabbed the controls. The power generator roared to life. With a shudder the airspeeder bucked forward. Then, as Kos hit the throttle, the craft zoomed straight up.

Boba grabbed hold of his seat. This was more like it! He eyed the airspeeder's controls longingly. The craft rocked back and forth. It rose so quickly Boba's ears hurt from the abrupt change in air pressure. He looked aside at Kos piloting the craft.

I could fly this thing better than he can, Boba thought disdainfully.

Still, he had to admit, the vice-chair did go fast. Mere minutes passed, as they flew up, up, up.

Sooner than Boba could have imagined, the speeder came to a halt.

"Well then," said Kos. The speeder hovered in the air of the shaft.

A few feet away was a wall, and a door with a sign on it.

LEVEL TWO, it read in glowing green letters.

A small metal platform extended from the door, hanging out over empty space. Boba turned and looked behind him. More emptiness. He looked up, squinting in the darkness.

He could barely make it out, but there it was. Far above him was a faint red shimmer: Level One. He looked down. He gulped. They must be miles and miles above the Undercity.

"Now." Kos turned to Boba. His eyes had grown even more intent, even more menacing. "You see that door there? I will open it, and allow you to enter Level Two - but not until you tell me what you know."

Boba's gaze shifted from the man to the platform. If he jumped from the airspeeder, he might be able to make it. But even if he succeeded,