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ck up over his outstretched arms； tumbling to his feet； then leaping out to the side as the towline again went taut； jerking him along。 He rolled about a pylon and came back to his feet again； now having the leverage of the metal pole helping to hold him there。
Reaching deeply in the Force once more； he grounded himself； being； for an instant； almost as one with the platform。
Immovable。
The wire snapped tightly； but Obi…Wan didn't budge。
He felt the angle of the pull change dramatically as the rocket…man plunged to the deck； his pack breaking away。
Obi…Wan started around the pole； but stopped and shielded his eyes as Jango Fett's rocket pack exploded with a burst of light and a tremendous concussion。
〃Dad！〃 Boba Fett cried as the rocket pack blew apart； his face coining right to the viewscreen。 But then he saw Jango； off to the side and apparently unharmed； though tugging frantically against the pull of the wire…that was now being controlled by the Jedi。
Boba slapped one hand helplessly against the screen； mouthing 〃Dad〃 again； and then he winced as the Jedi slammed into his father； kicking and butting him； and both of them； locked together； went rolling off the back edge of the landing pad； sliding fast down the skirt and toward the raging ocean。
Obi…Wan kicked and tried to find his way back to the Force； but Jango punched him repeatedly。 He could hardly believe that the bounty hunter would waste the effort； with certain death awaiting them both at the end of the slide and fall。 He managed to pull back somewhat and saw Jango lift one forearm； a strange smile on his face。 The bounty hunter clenched his fist； and a line of claws popped forth from the armor。
Obi…Wan instinctively recoiled as Jango lifted that arm higher； but then the bounty hunter slammed it down； not on Obi…Wan； but on the platform skirt。 At the same time； Jango worked his other hand； releasing the locking mechanism of the wire…launching bracelet； and it slid free of his arm。 He screeched to a halt； and Obi…Wan slid past him。 〃Catch a roller fish for me；〃 the Jedi heard Jango say； and then he was falling； over the lip and down toward the raging whitecaps。
〃Dad！ Oh； Dad！〃 Boba Fett cried in relief as he spotted his father clambering back over the skirt lip and onto the platform。 Jango climbed to his feet and stumbled toward Slave /； and Boba rushed to the hatch； sliding it open and reaching down to help his father aboard。
〃Get us out of here；〃 the dazed and battered Jango said； and Boba grinned and rushed to the control panel； firing up the engines。
〃I'll put her right to lightspeed！〃
〃Just break atmosphere and take her straight out！〃 Jango ordered； and his words came out with a growl of pain as he held his bruised side。 Then he noticed his son's wounded look。 〃Get the nav puter on line and have it set the coordinates for the jump；〃 he conceded。
Boba's smile beamed brighter than ever。 〃Liftoff。〃 he shouted。
Obi…Wan used the Force to grab the trailing； loose end of the wire that still held him by the wrists； and he threw that end out； looping it over a crossbeam in the platform structure。 His descent stopped with a sudden jerk。
He glanced around； then began to swing； back and forth； gaining momentum until he was far enough out to pull himself free of the bond and drop lightly onto a small service platform； barely above the lashing waves。 He took only a moment to catch his breath； and then opened the door of the service turbolift with a wave of his hand。 Even before the door opened at the landing platform； he heard the engines of the bounty hunter's ship roar to life。 He came over the lip； spotting his lightsaber immediately and calling it in to him with the Force。
But he was too late。 The ship was already shuddering； ready to blast away。 Obi…Wan pulled a small transmitter from his belt and threw it out long and far at Slave I。 The magnetic lock of the tracking device grasped on to the ship's hull just in time。
Rain and steam pouring all about him； Obi…Wan Kenobi stood there for a long while until Slave I disappeared from view。
He looked around at the platform； replaying the battle in his head； his respect for this bounty hunter； Jango Fett； growing considerably。 He understood now why Jango had been selected by Sifo…Dyas； or Tyranus； or whoever it was that selected him。 The man was good； full of tricks and full of skill。
He had taken Obi…Wan Kenobi； a Jedi Knight； the man who had defeated the Sith Lord Darth Maul； to the very precipice of disaster。
But Obi…Wan was still pleased at the way it had played out。 He would track Jango now。 Perhaps at the end of the ing journey； he would finally get some answers instead of even more riddles。
Chapter Nineteen
Boba sat quietly； sensing the tension； as Slave I blasted away from Kamino。 He wanted to talk about his shot with the laser cannon； about how he had knocked the Jedi down and sent his lightsaber flying away。 But this wasn't the time； he knew； for Jango wore an intense expression that Boba recognized all too well； one that told him clearly that now was not the time for him to speak。
The boy rested back against the wall farthest from his father as Jango worked the controls； setting the coordinates for the jump to hyperspace。 〃e on； e on；〃 Jango said repeatedly； rocking back and forth as if urging the ship on； and glancing over at the sensors every few seconds as if he expected a fleet of starships to be chasing them away。
Then he gave a shout of victory and punched the hyperdrive； and Boba went back against the wall； watching the stars elongate。
Jango Fett slumped back in his seat and breathed a sigh of relief； his expression softening almost immediately。 〃Well； that was a bit too close；〃 he said with a laugh。
〃You smashed him good；〃 Boba replied； his excitement beginning to bubble up again。 〃He never had a chance against you； Dad！〃
Jango smiled and nodded。 〃To tell the truth； Son； he had me in real trouble there；〃 he admitted。 〃After he dodged that explosive pack； I'd about run out of tricks。〃
Boba frowned at first； wanting to argue against anyone ever getting the upper hand on his father； but then； as he considered the moment Jango had mentioned； his frown became a wide smile。 〃I got him good with the laser cannon！〃
〃You did great；〃 Jango replied。 〃You fired at just the right time； and were right there； ready to help me in when it was time for us to go。 You're learning well； Boba。 Better than I ever believed possible。〃
〃That's because I'm a little you；〃 the boy reasoned； but Jango was shaking his head。
〃You're better than I was at your age； and by a long way。 And if you keep working hard； you'll be the best bounty hunter this galaxy's ever seen。〃
〃Which was your plan from the beginning with the Kaminoans； right； Dad？ That's why you wanted me！〃
Jango Fett moved over and lifted one hand to tousle Boba's hair。 〃That and a lot of other reasons；〃 he said quietly； reverently。 〃And in every regard； in every hope and dream； you've done better than I ever expected。〃
There was nothing that anyone in all the galaxy could ever have said to young Boba Fett to make him feel better than those words from his father。
Jango took Slave l out of hyperspace a bit early； so that Bob could have some time piloting the ship on the approach to Geonosis。 For Boba； sitting in the chair beside his father； working the controls deftly； even showing off a bit； there could be no greater moment； and the boy was saddened by the sight of the red planet； Geonosis； and the asteroid belts that ringed it。
〃Security's tight here；〃 Jango explained； taking the helm。 〃It'll be better if I put her down。〃
Boba sat back in the chair without plaint。 He knew his father was right； and even if he had disagreed； he wouldn't have done so openly。 He turned his attention to the scan screens； showing the position of the asteroid field nearby； and some distant traffic around the other side of the planet。
He noted one blip in particular； disengaging from the asteroid belt and moving out behind Slave I。 He didn't think too much of it at first； un