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BAM!

A direct hit!

Boba was nearly jolted from his console. He sent a rain of return fire, but it was too late. Slave I vibrated furiously as a second plasma blast hit home.

Gotta get away, Boba thought grimly. Can't lose Wat Tambor.

Slave I shot after the Separatist's vessel.

And Asajj Ventress shot after Slave I. Boba piloted his ship up, angling until Asajj was directly below him. He checked that Slave I's mines were primed, then sent an ion mine whirling toward her. BLAM!

"Yes!"

But immediately Boba's yelp of triumph turned to disappointment, as the mine ricocheted harmlessly from Ventress's defense field, to spin off into space. At the same moment, a burst of retaliatory ion fire blazed from Asajj's cannons.

BRAAK!

Boba groaned as Slave I rocked sharply to starboard. He fired back, but once more Asajj was too quick. He let the ship veer to one side, hoping to buy a few precious seconds as he checked the damage.

A glance at Slave l's repair files gave him the bad news. Some of the outer panels had been loosened. Serious damage, but not fatal.

The starboard wing was another story. Two of the fins shielding the repulsor grilles had been destroyed. Without them, Slave I was crippled -

he could fly, but his nav skills were seriously impaired. Worse, landing the ship would be a real problem

Not that he could even think about landing now!

BAM!

Another hit for Asajj. Boba fired off two missiles, had the satisfaction of seeing one rip into the side of her starfighter. A starburst of plasma glowed gold and white, then faded.

"No." Boba scowled. Asajj's defense shields had absorbed the blow.

And Wat Tambor's transport remained unscathed.

"Time for a new tactic," Boba muttered.

He punched a series of commands into his console. A grid popped onto a monitor, displaying the coordinates of an asteroid belt not far off. If he could lure Asajj there, he might have a better chance of losing her. Then he could make a swift pass back toward Wat Tambor....

He set Slave I's thrusters to maximum. The ship veered toward the asteroid field.

And right into Asajj Ventress's line of fire!

Boba retaliated, trying to dodge Ventress's attack. But the damage done to Slave I's starboard wing slowed him too much. As he made one last- ditch attempt to fire, a flaming burst from Ventress's ion cannon blazed toward him. Desperately, Boba tried to avoid the blast.

BLLAAAAMM!

With a cry Boba yanked at the thruster. But it was no good.

Slave 1 was finished.

CHAPTER SIX

With a screaming roar, Boba's ship fell into a nosedive. He hit the backup thrusters, momentarily righting Slave then looked up.

He expected to see Asajj's ship looming before him - or, worse, another blinding blast from her ion cannons..

What he didn't expect to see was a Jedi star-fighter.

"Whoa!" Boba let out a gasp of disbelief. "That's Anakin Skywalker!"

He had seen the legendary Jedi apprentice twice now, both times from a distance. Most recently, Boba had watched as Skywalker successfully destroyed a Separatist ramship on Xagobah. Skywalker's combat skill was as keen as his defiance - and both were attributes Boba admired.

"He's driving off Ventress!" Boba said in disbelief.

Skywalker's starfighter took after Asajj's ship like a winged tumnor attacking its prey. As Boba watched, the young Jedi fired a volley of precision blasts, each one finding its target - Asajj Ventress!

The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Asajj's starship raced away from Skywalker. Boba shook his head in admiration and faint disappointment.

She hardly put up a fight at all!

He craned his neck, following her - and saw why she'd fled so quickly.

Wat Tambor's transport vessel was glowing, radiant white as though consumed by a sun's heat. Boba only had time to groan, as the transport seemed to billow and burst...

And made the jump into hyperspace.

It was all a diversion! Boba fumed, furious at himself. Asajj wanted