Star Wars_ Boba Fett 05_ A New Threat - Elizabeth Hand [26]
And they were being killed in great numbers. The droids couldn't regenerate, but there seemed to be an endless supply of them streaming from the citadel's mouth.
But could it really be endless? Surely even Wat Tambor's army had a limit?
Boba peered out from the crook of the fallen droid's elbow. Far above him, Anakin Skywalker's starfighter led the Jedi forces in the air attack. They were targeting the spider droids.
As Boba watched, he saw another hailfire come spinning out of the shadows of the malvil-trees. It rolled toward the center of
the battlefield, scattering clones like leaves. It stopped. It raised its missile launcher, taking aim at one of the starfighters. With a deafening burst of energy, a barrage of plasma pulses went soaring upward
- directly toward Anakin Skywalker's yellow starfighter.
He's doomed! thought Boba.
But the Padawan had other plans. Just as the plasma bursts approached it, he arrowed his starfighter to one side. The energy bolts continued onward, up, up, up through Xagobah's violet sky And found another target - the ramship!
"Whoa!" Boba whooped.
An immense starburst of pure energy like a thunderbolt surged out from where the ramship had been. Boba tensed, waiting for fallout; but none came. The energy stored in the ramship was so dense and powerful that the explosion caused it to self-implode.
Score one for the Republic!
Quickly, Boba scrambled between the fallen spider droid's legs. He stared out at the battlefield. For a moment, everything had come to a standstill. Battle droids and clones alike gazed up at the waves of energy rippling through Xagobah's atmosphere violet, scarlet, gold.
"Very pretty," muttered Boba. He glanced at the entrance to Mazariyan. He couldn't believe it. No droids were there!
Boba looked around again. And yes, battle droids and sentry droids alike all seemed distracted. This was the moment Glynn-Beti had foretold!
It's the energy surge! Boba realized. It's momentarily scrambled their command centers.
This was his chance!
Staying as low as he could, Boba darted from the shelter of the spider droid. He raced toward the fortress, breathing hard. The entry to Mazariyan gaped, faintly gleaming. Just a few more meters and he was there. None of the clone troopers would make it in time; they were still too far off.
Boba paused, hand on his blaster. Behind him, the sounds of battle began once more. In front of him was a problem: The maw of Wat Tambor's citadel opened onto the Separatist's stronghold - and blades of purple fungus ringed the entrance like razor teeth. Rows of spines stuck out threateningly, ready to pierce any intruder. He recalled what Xeran had told him and suddenly Boba understood.
Wat Tambor had perverted Xagobah's fungus to his own ends - inside his citadel.
I have to get in there, Boba thought desperately. But how?
Boba shoved his blaster into his belt. He drew his vibroshiv.
No, he thought, and reluctantly replaced it. That will just make it worse.
Boba's hand moved from his belt. That was when he felt something in his pocket. Something round.
And suddenly Boba remembered.
Xeran's spore-globe.
What was it Xeran had said?
"If you have need of camoflage, crush this."
Boba pulled the globe from his pocket. He stared at the purple sphere in the palm of his hand.
It looked harmless. And Xeran had said it was harmless - to Boba.
But he had also said the spores acted as chemical messengers. Could they somehow damage the citadel?
Well, here goes nothing!
Boba glared up at the massive structure. Then he raised his hand, and, hoping this wasn't a mistake, he crushed the globe.
It was like the energy surge that had destroyed the ramship. Only this surge was darkest