“Boba Fett: Cold Heart”

The Slave 1 shot into orbit high above the industrial planet of Unicasa. The sleek design of the Kuat Drive Yards based Fire Spray ship looked like a dark omen for things to come. The pilot of the ominous vessel wasn't any less unnerving.

Boba Fett . . . that name has stricken fear into the hearts of countless of people in the galaxy. No one was safe from the interstellar headhunter. Empire, Rebel Alliance, or just plain scum, no one was safe.

He wears the armor of warriors long ago, the Mandalors. He is the son of a former bounty hunter who was part of the Mandalorian sect, Jengo Fett. Boba Fett took the armor of his father, studied the ways of the Mandalor, customized the armor, repainted it, and also took on his father's ship, the Slave 1. Soon after, his reputation alone was more than enough to frighten any man or beast. The gaze of his helmet could send a shiver down the spine of the toughest Crimson guard, and his voice (after going through his helmet's voice synthesizer) would melt any man's chance of sizing him down.

Not only was Boba Fett a master of the art of Tera Kasi and very hand to hand combat, but his armor was equipped to the teeth with high tech modifications.

In his helmet alone he could control his entire ship just by thinking it, with the internal nerve controls and system relays. He also carried on his back a rocket pack that hides a very dangerous rocket. Both of his wrist-links holds a flame-thrower, rocket launcher, dart launcher, laser, tracking device (also in helmet), and a retractable roper/grappling hook launcher. Truly Boba Fett was a force to be reckoned with.


The only sounds inside the Slave 1 were the various and random beeps and clicks of control panels and servo modulators.... and the screaming. In one of the six holding cells the Slave 1 had, one of them was occupied. In the last cell in the holding bay, there was a very ugly looking humanoid. He was extremely fat, and had a smell only matched by those of a Hutt. He had green hair, blue green eyes, and his skin was in the pigment of a light blue. Jabba the Hutt placed a Bounty on him five days ago. Of course, Jabba sought Boba Fett out to find him. From the story Jabba fed him, the man had cheated him out of several thousand credits. Boba had the thought that if it were twenty credits, Jabba still would have sought the man out. Even so, Boba Fett still would have taken the job. . . if the credits had appeased him.

After almost an hour of the man's screaming, A silhouette appeared in the doorway of the holding area. The soon to be doomed cargo panicked and quickly back into the farthest corner of the cell and watched the dark figure.

"You're taking me to Jabba the Hutt aren't you?", said the man.

"Yes."

"He's going to kill me isn't he?"

"That's none of my concern. My orders were to bring you in alive, not dead. That's what I'm doing."

"I have money, good money at that. I only tricked Jabba out of that money because I need just a little more to invest in this mining colony on Tabana. After I got the profit I was going to pay Jabba back with interest." The man looked as if he actually had some voice in his head telling him the bounty hunter would defect to his side and let him go. Just then, Boba Fett stepped into the light revealing him as the image that has haunted the man the entire trip. The cold stare of Boba Fett's armor melted the man on sight.

"There is no greater good than justice," said Boba Fett. He walked over to cell, holding some sort of metal looking tray. Boba Fett sat the try down, and slid it under the rail into the cage. It stopped just short of the man's bruised legs. What could only be described as snot in runny eggs lay on the tray, almost sliding off.

"I suppose you expect me to eat this slop? What are you eating?"

"The same thing. You can eat it, and not be taken to Jabba as a broken, tired, and hungry man or you can go as a broken, tired, and nourished man. Eat it or leave it, it doesn't matter to me." Boba Fett turned around and made his way to the cockpit area. He stopped just outside the door, and turned around facing the man. "I'm sealing the door now, so don't waste your time screaming to annoy me. The door and the room is sound proof so you will just be hurting yourself."

Boba Fett pressed various keys on the keypad and the door sealed. The room was almost pitch-black except for what remained of a light in the far corner of the room. In the darkness, the man almost began to weep. After his last conversation (or at least what could be called a conversation with Boba Fett) with his captor, he knew there was no hope for himself. All he could do was set back, maybe...slurp up the "food" given to him, and sleep. The nightmares in his sleep surely couldn't amount to the nightmare he was living right now.


The Slave 1's control panels lit up and convulsed with sounds, waking Boba Fett up. The ship was coming out of light-speed near its destination, the desert planet Tattooine. Boba Fett stared out the cockpit window and let out a sigh.

"Time to check on the cargo," he said with a very cold and calculating tone. He got up from the command chair and walked down to the holding area. After punching in various numbers on the keypad, the door slid open. In the farthest cell, there sat the cargo. Eyes wide, sweat dripping from his face, and the look of death on his face. "Get ready, Jabba awaits."

After the Slave 1 landed on one of Jabba's custom landing strips, Boba Fett transported the man to palace, a convenient two-hour walk. When they arrived, Boba Fett took the man to the nearest Gaemorian guard. "Here, he's Jabba's burden now." Boba Fett watched the grunting guard carry of the man into one of the near dungeons as he heard an all too familiar laugh behind him.

"Ah, Boba Fett my boy. You have acquired your target already?"

"You know how I work, I don't like to waste time. Wasted time is wasted credits." Boba Fett turned around to see the large, brownish-green slug known as Jabba the Hutt. He wasn't one of Fett's most liked employers, but bounty hunters can't be picky ....most of the time.

"Yes, I do, at least I should, I've employed you more than anyone else to my knowledge."

"Well on that note, I'll be taking my leave. Nothing more to do here than watch you feed your latest acquisition to your pet Rancor no doubt."

"Fett, you know me too well."

"I know you too well."

"I do however have another job for you, if you are up to it."

"Like what kind of job. Someone else stick his paws in your credits?"

"No, more personal than that Fett. My brother, Jerru Fett was on his way here for business. On the way here, his ship was hijacked by a group of mercenaries. Jerru's ship was captured and he was kidnapped. They sent me a message saying if I didn't pay them an outrageous amount of two million credits, he would be killed."

"Why didn't you send one of your own men to do the job?"

"Because, a situation such as this requires much more...tact? Yes, you know it, I know it, and so does any life form in the galaxy that you do the job, and you do it without causing a lot of mess. The last thing I need to do is have the Empire brought into this."

"Yes, Vader wouldn't be too pleased with your recent actions on Tarka, would he?"

"Probably not Fett, so you see my interest in having you specifically on this mission?"

Fett seemed to be staring off into space, but it was evidently hard to tell with his helmet. He could be staring straight into your eyes, your soul even, and you wouldn't have a clue. Jabba gulped, the thought of getting on Boba Fett's bad side was almost an unthought of concept. Anyone who has ever has wound up taking a dirt nap, and then some.

"How much are you willing to pay me for my little distraction?"

"How does nine hundred thousand credits sound?"

"Reasonable, and I have to start my search from scratch I take it?"

"Not such luck Fett, I had a contract, shall you say, persuade some individuals to give up the location of the mercenaries."

"Persuading friends or family?"

"Family, his younger brother if I'm not mistaken."

"And who are these mercenaries?"

"They call themselves Dark Storm, and they are led by a renegade Imperial officer named Jun Rhoda. The empire has a pretty price on his head as well. I'll also let you collect the bounty on his head and turn him into Lord Vader. All I want is my brother and his ship."

He knew that all the Hutts in the galaxy were related. He also knew that as much as they were angered by any wrong doing perpetrated upon their family, they hated each other.

"Fine, I'll take it. After I find the ship and clean it out, I'll transmit the signal and location of the ship and its....cargo. I'll leave it there for you to retrieve."

"That sounds good Fett, good luck, and don't screw me on this."

Just as Jabba let out those words he realized he actually said them and felt a sudden lump in his rather large throat. Boba Fett stopped turned around and looked at Jabba. A second later he was back on his way to his Slave 1, outside of the palace.


The Slave 1 pulled out of hyperspace. Boba Fett, once again awaken by rings and buzzes sat up in the main seat of the cockpit. He scanned the area laid in front of him. Cold black space, all around. He automatically spotted the ship in front of him, the Brood. It has another ship attached to the side of it, no doubt locked onto the docking station. He also knew who was the owner, the Imperial traitor.


Jun sat in the Hutt's personal quarters. "Exactly, do you think your brother will pay the amount. I know either way I'll have a substantial amount put on my head for this. Quite the price to pay for a couple million credits, wouldn't you think?"

The Hutt looked at his hardened captor with a defiance all Hutts were famous for. "Exactly what do you think the outcome of this situation will be? Jabba is one of the most ruthless of any of the Hutts every to be born. Besides, he wouldn't pay for me because of my hide, but only something else."

Jun looked at the Hutt with interest. "What kind of...something else, spice perhaps?"

"No, nothing of the sorts. Don't mind me, don't mind me at all."

"Look you little worm, I can kill you or you can be in the snug quarters of Jabba's palace eating Mothe squabbles, what is it?"

The Hutt squirmed and slithered his back to the wall as best as he could, almost without prevail.

Jun stood up and pointed a bowcaster at the Hutt. "Ok, I'm tired of this, time is up slug."

Right before Jun could let out his anger and frustration, the room rocked back with a crash. The rumble and chaos had knocked Jun on the ground. He sat up quickly and reached for a Comm in his pocket.

"What was that?"

A voice came from the device. "We have been hit with a paralyze blast sir. The ship's repulsor lifts and engines have been completely inactive. We have power and everything, we just can't move!"

"Did you see any ships or any sign of something on the radar or analyzers?"

"No sir, radar picked up...wait a second, the console says that as soon as the blast occurred a ship docked with us. Umm specs say a Fire Spray class ship sir."

"Ok, get to the port that the ship docked onto and take care of the problem on the double."

"Yes sir, I'll gather the men and get there right away."

The henchman of Jun's, a Trandoshin, took off to where the rest of Jun's men were staying at the moment. The other six of Jun's men were standing in the cargo bay charging up their weapons. They were smart enough to know that the blast they felt was not a malfunction. The Trandoshin ran in, grunted something, and they took off to the port section of the ship.

The got there, only to find the port door open and the door to the docked ship closed. Gaping and moving closer, Jun's henchmen move towards the port door. Behind them, a black, silent silhouetted figure drops from a ventilation shaft.


The smugglers quickly turned around seeing the figure of Boba Fett standing in the frame of the shafts next section.

"Oh frill, its Boba Fett!", said one of the men.

The Trandoshin, obviously higher in authority, stepped up towards Boba Fett. He spit at Boba Fett in the Trandoshin language, "Do you think I am afraid of you bounty hunter? I know better than to trust the cantina stories that are spread through the galaxy."

"I am not getting paid to kill or harm you. All I have come to do is collect this ship, the Hutt, and Jun. I am giving you the opportunity to leave with your life, and whatever you have collected so far."

All of Jun's henchmen looked at each other. The Trandoshin, obviously enraged at the fact that Boba Fett thought he was the superior, roared with anger. "We shall leave with our lives, two million credits, and your worthless armored hide!"

The Trandoshin rushed toward Boba Fett. Fett extended his foot out perfectly planting it directly in the jaw of the best, laying him out. He raised his left arm and fired a laser, taking another of the henchmen out. A humanoid looking henchmen lunged for Fett. Fett quickly shot his left arm out and ignited his wrist flame-thrower. He fired a quick burst of flame, stunning and setting the man on fire.

Boba Fett took at a run and clotheslined another of the henchmen, knocking him to the ground. He lowered his blaster and fired into chest of the fallen. Looking up Boba saw another of the smugglers drawing a blaster he fired his rope launcher hooked the man. He sent a shock of electricity through the rope, temporarily paralyzing the smuggler. Fett turned around and fired without looking. He took the final smuggler out, blaster shot to the face. The indistinct looking henchman fell to the ground, knees, then face.

Boba Fett stood motionless and noticed the Trandoshin wasn't on the ground. He suddenly felt a crash to his back and was tackled to the ground. The lead smuggler had tackled Boba Fett, sending him to the floor of the cold ship.

The Trandoshin slammed his cold reptilian hands around the neck of Boba Fett. "Isn't this a fitting death Boba Fett? Me choking the life out of your body, then unmasking your dead hide?"

Boba Fett curled his legs inward and pushed the Trandoshin off his chest with tremendous strength. The smuggler was sent back, crashing against the side of the circular hallway. Boba Fett jumped up, drew two briar pistols from the back of his belt. Before the Trandoshin could fire a nearby rifle, Boba Fett ignited his rocket pack and shot backwards, firing at the Trandoshin. Being hit multiple times, the lifeless Trandoshin smuggler fell to ground. Fett walked up and bent down to the body. He moved his helmet directly to the face of the lifeless corpse and whispered, " I am the superior.


Jun heard the commotion. "Sounds like someone was sent to save your hide, either that or the credit carrier was killed. It doesn't matter to me, I'm going to blow the ship as soon as I get those credits." Jun reached for his Comm and spoke into it, "Is everything fine there?" He paused for a moment and spoke back into it, "I repeat, how is everything down there?"

"Everything went as planned...Jun."

It took Jun a couple of seconds to feed in the fact the response came from the open doorway. He jerked around to see the visual of Boba Fett. "Boba Fett, what are you do..."

"I've come for the Hutt...and for you."

Jun looked back at the Hutt, who was just as stunned as Jun. "You can't take me Fett, but you can take this if you like." As saying that Jun touched a button on the wall directly beside him, a blaster in the far corner of the room hit Boba Fett in the top left corner of his helmet. The blast sent Boba Fett to the ground, lifeless.

Jun looked at Boba Fett's static body. "Defying the emperor, fleeing Vader, kidnapping a Hutt and stealing from the whole Hutt species, and now killing Boba Fett? I am beginning to make quite a name for myself, I would say." Jun turned to a console on the wall and selected a life form reading for the room. A cold, robotic voice echoed from the console, " TWO PRESENT LIFEFORMS DETECTED. TWO SEPARATE HEART RATES, NO OTHER SIGNS OF BACTERIA OR DIS...". Before the console could go through the rest of the operation, Jun canceled it. I've done it, you see Hutt, I am winning the day."

Jun stood up, turned around, and faced the Hutt. "I will have two hundred credits, a new ship, and the identity of the former Boba Fett in my hands at the end of the day." Jun formed an idiotic looking smile, sadly his natural smile, but the face of the Hutt grew long and shocked. Not exactly at the "power" and might of the man standing before him, but at the sight standing behind it.

"What are you looking at you worm?" Jun turned around and saw the figure of Boba Fett, then the hand of Boba Fett overcome his face.

Boba Fett grabbed Jun by the face and pushed him to the floor, hard. He pulled a stunner from the belt and shot Jun directly in the chest. Jun jolted and squirmed, but soon stopped. For moments, the only movement was a slight sign of smoke from the Empirial runaway's chest. Boba Fett looked down, and then towards the Hutt.

"Jabba sent me to...negotiate. I would say the negotiations went well."

"So, you will take me to Jabba then?"

"Not yet, he wants me to leave you at the ship and contact him. I have to go Tattooine for other business matters anyway. I will leave you here, take Jun to Lord Vader, then I will return for you."

"But what if someone returns?"

"Pray they don't."

Before the Hutt could even think of replying to that, Boba Fett walked over to Jun and bent down.

Jun, not being able to move his body, uttered something to Fett. "But the scanners didn't pick up your heartbeat...."

Boba Fett moved closer to Jun. "I once heard a man say that a cold heart...is a dead heart." As soon as Boba Fett finished saying that he stood up and picked Jun's paralyzed body up, and hoisted it over his shoulders. He left the room and headed towards the port where the Slave 1 was docked.


"I left him with the ship, but after I take Jun to Vader and receive my payment for that, I will return to your brother and then bring him to you." Boba Fett said into the Comm port on his ships control console. Jabba the Hutt's voice replayed back.

"Ok Fett, thank you for your help and your cooperation. I will look forward to your arrival."

Fett disconnection the connection to Jabba and leaned back in the cockpits one and only chair. He looked out the cockpit window looking at Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer, The Executioner.

After a few minutes, Boba Fett received communication from the Star Destroyer. He gave his name, his business, and his ship number. After a few minutes of waiting, he received conformation and then docked with the ship.


"I am very pleased with the acquisition you have brought me Boba Fett. You amaze me again."

"Thank you Lord Vader."

"Not only am I pleased, but the Emperor will be as well when he learns that this traitor has been brought back for his immediate...punishment. I have had the credits transferred to your account. You may leave when you wish."

"Thank you Lord Vader, it has been a pleasure doing business with you."

Boba Fett, escorted by an Imperial officer, walked off the deck and toward the ship dock. Boba Fett entered the Slave 1, and left for his left behind trophy.

Meanwhile, on the deck of the ship, an Imperial officer comes to Darth Vader.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, word from the Star Destroyer Incinerator. They say they have Princess Leah and her blockade-runner targeted. They also said they intercepted a communication between the ship and a rebel ship seen fleeing into lightspeed."

"I have them now. Revive the communication between the Star Destroyer and tell them to keep tracking the Princess and prepare for my arrival, we shall take the Rebellion out today."

"Yes sir!"

Vader turned away headed to the docking station where his specially made Tie Fighter was held. He had the traitorous Imperial runaway, the Princess almost in his grasp, and his Death Star was completed. The Force surged through him, giving him a sense that things were unveiling now. The Rebellion would be crushed, and soon the Empire would reign supreme...soon.


THE END