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"And she succeeded!" he said angrily. "How could I have been so stupid? Well, it'll never happen again...."

He'd be sure of that! Boba might make mistakes - but he never made the same one twice.

Especially not with Jabba the Hutt wanting results.

Boba's expression grew somber at the thought of the notorious gangster. Wat Tambor could be anywhere in the galaxy by now. Boba had no way of knowing where. And, with Slave I damaged, no way of following

"IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

Boba started as a crackle of static came through Slave I's speakers.

"IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR BE DESTROYED!" Boba stabbed at the console panel. "Identify yourself!" he countered.

"ANAKIN SKYWALKER, OF THE REPUBLIC'S XAGOBAH PEACEKEEPING FORCE. I HAVE ORDERS TO DESTROY ALL SEPARATIST VESSELS WITHIN THIS AIRSPACE. YOU

HAVE TEN SECONDS TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR RISK DESTRUCTION. TEN. NINE..."

Gotta stall! Boba thought. Identifying himself as a mercenary bounty hunter wouldn't go over too well with Skywalker.

But the young Jedi was part of the Republic force that had driven Wat Tambor from Xagobah. Maybe he would have some idea as to where the Techno Union foreman had fled - information that Boba could use to track Wat Tambor down himself, and still claim Jabba's bounty...

".. FOUR. THREE...."

I better be fast, thought Boba. And I better be good!

"Skywalker - this is a request for assistance!" he announced into the comm unit. Boba knew this was the Jedi's weak spot - they could never resist being the good guys. "My ship was damaged in a firefight with Asajj Ventress - repeat, request assistance immediately...."

Silence. In front of him, Anakin's starship hovered like a silver flame. As he spoke, Boba punched in a set of coordinates. A navscreen flickered to life - and there was the information Boba needed.

Just beyond the asteroid belt, a small moon orbited Xagobah. If I can get there, I can repair the starboard wing. And once I lose this Jedi, I can get back on Wat Tambor's trail....

Anakin's voice once more boomed through the comm unit.

"WE HAVE NO RECORD OF A SEPARATIST VESSEL FITTING YOUR

DESCRIPTION," he announced. He almost sounded disappointed. "NOR DO WE

HAVE RECORDS INDICATING YOU ARE PART OF THE REPUBLIC'S PEACEKEEPING FORCE

- "

"I fought on the side of the Xamsters," Boba broke in quickly. That was true enough. "And now I'm heading for that moon to make repairs. So -

"

Keeping a close watch on the Jedi starfighter, Boba began to slowly bank Slave I toward the moon.

" - if you'll just let me go, I can get my job done - and so can you."

Boba knew he was taking a risk. There was no way he could outfly Skywalker now, not with Slave I's shattered wing - though once that was repaired, he'd give him a run for his credits!

Plus, Skywalker must have better things to do than waste time with an injured mercenary! thought Boba. Then he looked up.

Hmmm. Apparently not - Anakin's streamlined starfighter filled Slave I's viewscreen.

"MY SHIP WILL ESCORT YOU," Anakin said. He made the simple statement sound like an order. "IF YOU CHANGE COURSE, YOUR SHIP WILL BE

DESTROYED."

"I'll try not to forget that," Boba snapped - after he'd switched off the comm unit.

He reset Slave I's coordinates and headed for the moon. It looked barren and uninhabited, its surface pocked with craters. The atmosphere was thin, but it would sustain human life-forms - for a little while, anyway.

Boba intended to be there only a short time. He scoped out a narrow valley between two craters and prepared Slave I for landing. Skywalker's ship trailed him, close enough that Boba couldn't have eluded him if he'd tried.

Somehow, that didn't seem like a good idea at the moment.

Boba throttled down, and Slave I began its final descent. Boba watched impassively as Skywalker's ship followed him like a shining shadow. Within minutes Slave I had touched down. Seconds later the starfighter did the same.

"STAY WHERE