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And he didn't know exactly where Gilramos Libkath's lair was.

Boba frowned. He cruised slowly above cantinas and docking areas.

In the distance, he saw the battered outline of Mentis Qinx's facility.

He imagined he could see Slave I, waiting.

"I'll be there soon," he said.

He looked out again. Not very far off, a huge building rose. It nearly blotted out the sky. The arena.

Gilramos's lair was near the arena!

He swerved, dropping until he flew only a few meters above the ground. A few merchants glared at him as they scurried past. Boba shrugged.

"Beats walking!" he yelled at them.

Ahead of him the main road ended abruptly. Boba surged upward, flying above a high wall. Beyond were more alleys. He saw water vendors arguing and a bantha waiting patiently outside a cantina door.

But he didn't see where Ygabba had taken him before.

He powered up, soaring a few meters higher. He looked down.

And saw it.

Below him was the familiar outline of a gutted Theed cruiser. Dead vegetation clung to its sides. Broken glass, scrap metal, and litter covered it.

To the casual viewer, it was just another wrecked starship.

To Boba, it was the first step toward freedom. Here goes nothing.

He powered down, trying to slow his descent. Still, when he touched down it was with a jolt. "O000f!"

He reached for the wall, steadying himself. He switched off his jet pack. He patted it.

"You sure came in handy," he said. "Remind me that I owe Gab'borah for this."

He lifted his helmet and wiped the sweat from his face. He was filthy, hot, and tired.

He was also very, very happy. He glanced up and down the alley to make sure no one saw him. He looked up.

No sign of Durge.

For now.

He turned. There was the doorway where he'd chased Ygabba. He took a deep breath. Then he pushed it open and went inside.

Darkness covered him like a cloak. Darkness, and cool air. Boba tapped his helmet, activating his infrared vision. Immediately, he could see.

Before him was a long tunnel. Eerie scarlet light glowed between the blackest shadows he had ever seen. He walked forward carefully. The floor was strewn with broken rubble. Bricks, empty water containers, remnants of food. Boba stopped and nudged something with his foot. He stooped to pick it up.

It was a label. The image of a fat Huttese face leered above a slogan.

GORGAL SPRINGS GENUINE PURE WATER

BESTINE'S FINEST

Ygabba had said the weapons shipment was hidden. It was inside a shipment from a moisture farm near Bestine.

It seemed ages ago, but he had only met Ygabba late yesterday. That was when she and the others had stolen the weapons. They would barely have had time to bring them here.

There would have been no time yet for Gilramos to claim his stolen goods.

He's here, Boba thought. Right now - I can sense him.

His neck prickled with fear. He began to walk very slowly through the red-lit room. When he reached the tunnel entrance he stopped.

He listened.

He could hear voices. One voice was anxious and pleading. The other was low and sly. It was a voice Boba would know anywhere. It was a voice he wouldn't trust for a nanosecond.

It was Gilramos Libkath.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

As silent as a breath, Boba entered the passage. As he walked the voices grew louder, until he could understand them.

"Master, we grabbed all we could. Then the guards saw him. I had no choice but to stop.

That voice was Ygabba's. She sounded desperate... and afraid.

"That is not good enough," someone hissed. Gilramos - the Neimoidian the children called Master. "There are very important people waiting for these illegal weapons - they aren't sold anywhere but the black market, and the buyers are relying on me to fill the order. You know what happens when you fail."

There was a sharp cry. Not Ygabba's voice. It was the little boy, Murzz.

"Please don't hurt me!" he whimpered.

Boba's stomach tightened. Ahead of him a bright patch blazed