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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； until a second blip appeared； right behind Slave I； though nothing substantial enough to be a separate ship。
〃Nearly there； Son；〃 Jango remarked。
〃Dad； I think we're being tracked；〃 Boba told him。 〃Look at the scan screen。 Isn't that a cloaking shadow of our own ship？〃
Jango looked at him doubtfully； then turned that skeptical expression upon the scan screen。 Boba watched with mounting excitement as his father's gaze turned intense and he slowly began to nod。
〃That Jedi must have put a tracking device on our hull before we left Kamino；〃 he agreed。 〃But how？ I thought he was dead。〃
〃Someone's following us；〃 Boba observed。
〃We'll fix that；〃 Jango assured him。 〃Hang on； son！ Watch me put us into that asteroid field…he won't be able to follow us there。〃 He looked over at Boba and winked。 〃And if he does； we'll leave him a couple of surprises。〃
Jango opened a side panel and pulled a lever； releasing an electric charge along his hull that was designed to destroy just such tracking devices。 A quick look at the scan screen showed that the cloaking shadow had disappeared。
〃Here we go；〃 Jango said； and he dived Slave I into the asteroid field； pulling a fast circuit over and around a nearby rock； then diving out fast to the side； rolling about a spinning boulder； and cutting fast between another pair。 In and around he wove； with no apparent pattern； and a few moments later； Boba； who was still studying the scanner； announced； 〃He's gone。〃
〃Maybe he's smarter than I thought and headed on toward the planet surface；〃 Jango said with a grin and another wink。 Even as he finished； though； the scanner beeped。 〃Look； Dad！〃 Boba cried； pointing out the blip； now inside the asteroid field； as well。 〃He's back！〃
〃Hang on！〃 Jango said； and he put Slave I through a wild series of dips； climbs； and turns； then finished with a straight…out run； while uncapping a firing trigger and squeezing the plunger。 〃Seismic charge；〃 he explained to Boba； who grinned。
But then the boy was screaming a warning as the forward viewscreen filled up with an asteroid。
Jango was already on it； turning the amazingly maneuverable Slave I up on its end and running up over the giant space rock。
〃Stay calm； son；〃 he assured Boba。 〃We'll be fine。 That Jedi won't be able to follow us through this。〃
His declaration was accentuated by a sudden flash and a jarring buck as the sonic charge detonated far behind them。
〃He got through it！〃 Boba cried a moment later； seeing the Jedi's ship reappear on the scan screen。
〃This guy can't take a hint；〃 said Jango； who remained unrattled。 〃Well； if we can't lose him； we'll have to finish him。〃
Boba cried out again； but his father was in plete control。 He put the ship down a narrow tunnel creasing one of the larger asteroids。 He had to slow a bit to maneuver； and when Slave I came out the other end； Jango and Boba saw the Jedi starfighter stream over and past them。 The hunted had suddenly bee the hunters。
〃Get him； Dad！〃 Boba cried out。 〃Get him！ Fire！〃
Laser bolts burst out of Slave I； tracing lines all about the starfighter； which cut a snap…roll to the right and down。
Jango stayed with him； trying to line up another shot； but the Jedi was good； snap…rolling one after another； each time ing out near an asteroid and sliding behind it for cover。
Boba continued to urge his father on； but Jango kept his patience； figuring that sooner or later； the Jedi was going to run out of hiding places。 A fast dive； then a sudden turn back up； then a sudden roll and bank to the right had the Jedi moving behind yet another asteroid； but this time； instead of following； Jango cut in short of the rock and fired blindly past it。
Out came the Jedi's starfighter； right into the line of fire； and the ship bucked； pieces flying； as a laser bolt clipped it。
〃You got him！〃 Boba yelled in victory。
〃And now we just have to finish him；〃 the ever…cool Jango explained。
〃There'll be no more dodging。〃 He pushed a series of buttons； arming a torpedo and sliding open the tube； then moved to punch the red trigger。 He paused； though； and smiled； and nodded for Boba to move closer。
Boba could hardly breathe as his father slid his hand onto the smooth trigger grip； then looked down at him and nodded。 The boy punched the trigger and Slave I jolted as the torpedo slid away； diving at the Jedi starfighter and taking up the chase as the starfighter bolted and tried to evade。
A few brief moments later； Slave Fs viewscreen lit up in the light of a tremendous explosion； forcing Boba and Jango to shield their eyes with their arms。 When they recovered and looked back； they were greeted by pieces of wreckage and torn chunks of metal。 The scan screen was clear。
〃Got him！〃 Boba shouted。 〃Yeahhhh！〃 〃Nice shot； kid；〃 Jango said； and he tousled Boba's hair again。 〃You earned that one。 We won't see him again。〃
A few deft turns had Slave I out of the asteroids and speeding down toward Geonosis； and despite his earlier reasoning； Jango Fett allowed Boba to guide the craft down。 Truly； this was no flight for a boy to pilot； but Boba Fett was so far above any ordinary boy。
Anakin traveled through great canyons of multicolored stone； across dunes of blowing and shifting sand； and along an ancient； long…dry riverbed。 His only guide was the sensation of Shmi； of her pain。 But it was not a definitive homing beacon； and though he suspected he was moving in the general direction； the landscape of Tatooine was vast and empty； and none knew how to hide among the sand and stones better than the Tusken Raiders。 On a high bluff； Anakin paused and scanned the horizon。
Off to the south； he noted a huge vehicle； resembling a gigantic tilting box； plodding along on a single huge track。 Nodding with recognition of the Jawas； and well aware that no one knew the movements of all creatures among the desert better than they； he kicked his speeder bike away。 He caught up to them soon after； riding into a group of the brown… and black…robed creatures； their inquisitive red eyes poking out at him from the shadows of huge cowls； their ceaseless chatter humming like strange music all about him。
It took him a long time to convince the Jawas that he wasn't interested in purchasing any droids； and a longer time to get them to understand that he was merely looking for information about any Tusken Raiders。
The Jawas talked excitedly among themselves； pointing this way and that； hopping all about。 Jawas were no friends of Tuskens； who preyed on them as they preyed on anyone else they found vulnerable。 Even worse to the Jawa salesman mentality； Tuskens never purchased any droids！
The group eventually came to agreement； and pointed as one to the east。 With a nod； Anakin sped away。 The lack of monetary pensation seemed to aggravate the Jawas； but Anakin had no time to care。
The asteroids rolled along their silent way； undisturbed； seemingly unshaken from the explosions and zigzagging vessels。
In a deep depression on the back side of one such rock huddled a small starfighter； its definitive outline and consistent colors showing stark contrast to the rough…edged and bleeding； broken mineral streaks of the asteroid。
〃Blast。 This is why I hate flying；〃 Obi…Wan said to R4； and the droid's responding beeps showed that he was in plete agreement。 Few things could rattle the Jedi Knight； but engaging in a space battle with a pilot as obviously skilled as Jango Fett was surely one of them。 Unlike many of his Jedi associates； Obi…Wan Kenobi had never much enjoyed space travel； let alone piloting。
He winced as his asteroid came over and around； showing him again a glowing piece of torn metal that had taken up orbit within the belt。 His ship was wounded from the laser blast… nothing substantial； just a thruster…angler… and he had understood that he could not hope to outmaneuver the clever torpedo。 So he had ordered R4 to eject all the spare parts canisters； and fortunately； that had been enough to detonate the miss