Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 07_ Shards of Alderaan - Kevin J. Anderson [40]
"Boman Thul! How would we know where he is?" Jacen said.
"I intercepted your transmission to his son. You reported that your mission was a complete success. Since Boman Thul was a noble of Alderaan, it makes sense that he might have chosen to hide here. You must have come here to meet him. Where is the man, and where is his cargo? I must find
"Well, happy hunting then," Jaina said, scowling.
"We don!t know where he is, and that's not at all why we came to this system."
"Now will you let us go?" Jacen asked.
"You will be bait, then," Fett said. "Perhaps Han Solo knows where Boman Thul has gone."
'No!" Jaina cried. Lowie growled.
The armored bounty hunter turned, strode through the small opening he had blasted through the rock wall. Before he disappeared back to his own ship, the bounty hunter fired his blaster at the roof of the small tunnel, bringing down a new rock slide and fusing its core.
"Not very talkative, is he?" Jacen said.
Tenel Ka looked around, an expression of deep concern on her face. '@o would set a bounty on Raynar's father-and why?"
'And why would he want us as bait?"
Jacen asked.
"If he sends out a fake message, he'll lure Dad here into an ambush,"
Jaina said.
"Unless we can get out first. Come on!"
Back inside their ship, the miniaturized translating droid was immensely pleased to see them. 'I have excellent news, Mistress Jaina and Master Lowbacca! When I realized that dreadful bounty hunter was outside with you, I took the opportunity to use our remote slicer to tap into @
computer." Em Teedee seemed immensely pleased with himself "I assumed he wouldn't notice, since he was no longer aboard his ship. I've succeeded in retrieving all of his data files!"
"Great work, Em Teedee!' Jacen said.
Lowie made an appreciative noise and patted the droid's silvery external shell with his big hairy hand.
"Good," Jaina said. "Now that we have Boba Fett's information, maybe we can find a way to get out of this alive."
I'M IMPRESSED, EM Teedee," Jacen said, still marveling at the little droid's audacity.
"@y, thank you, Master Jacen. It was nothing so remarkable, really."
Jacen was sure the little droid would have blushed had he been able to.
"Oh-dear me! I seem to be picking up a broadband transmission from Slave IV, Boba Fett's ship. It's being sent on a wide range of frequencies."
"Put it through our speakers," Jaina ordered.
"Reception is rather weak, thanks to our damaged communications dish, but I'll amplify as much as possible," Em Teedee said.
Jaina and Lowie worked together to boost the gain, their fingers flying over the control panels.
The ship's speakers crackled with static.
"...for Han Solo... emergency in Alderaan system. Jacen and Jaina need help.. . urgent. Come alone."
The mood in the Rock Dragon's cockpit instantly turned grim.
"I don't get it," Jacen said, feeling more trapped and anxious than he had earlier.
"Ah." Tenel Ka nodded. "Aha. Your father will naturally come if he believes you to be in danger."
Jacen clenched his fists, then looked down at his hands. 'Why would Boba Fett think Dad could lead him to Boman Thul?"
"Looks like Boba Fett knew that Dad and Boman Thul were on the same trade commission,' Jaina said, scrolling through the data Em Teedee had downloaded from the bounty hunter's ship. 'Let's see what else we can find out. Maybe if we learn who Boba Fett is working for, why he wants Boman Thul so badly..."
Leaning over his sister's shoulder, Jacen quickly skimmed the information that flashed across the screen. "Fett's after something, all right. I just @t tell what it is."
'That fact is never specified," Tenel Ka said.
"Seems like Raynar's dad may be the key, though," Jaina said. "Whoever posted the bounty seems to think Boman Thul has-or at least knows where to findwhatever it is Boba Fett's after."
Lowie gave a soft rumble. "More than one what, Lowie?" Jaina said.
"Master Lowbacca believes that because