"One Hand in the Pocket"- Boba Fett, Mara Jade, AU, TAGGED!, 3rd post- 8/12!

Hola! It's time for another 'flying by the seat of your pants' Peter Tutham special (TM)!! This is based on a strange premise... "What if Mara and Boba had met earlier?"

Hee hee hee... I'm evil....

***

Mara Jade, the Emperor's hand, stepped from the shadows. Emerging from the dark corner on the roof of an abandoned warehouse, she walked slowly to the center of the roof, gazing out at the cityscape. The dark spears of business buildings jagged up in the night, little bumps across the horizon.

Still facing the lights of the city, she said in a quiet, but very present voice, "Glad to see that you could make it, bounty hunter."

She turned away from the edge to stare at a silent, unmoving masked figure. Had she not known what to expect, she might have taken him for a statue, some random piece of abandoned art.

Her eyes scanned the metal that sheathed his body. Dents, scratches- the Mandalorian armor had obviously been through many battles, and yet, it stood before her, obviously victorious.

"You have the kind of record that is the only type my Master searches for." Mara said in a cool voice, staring at the black tinted visor. "Perfect."

No response from the mercenary tinman.

She took a step closer, calm emblazoned on her face.

"The most powerful man in the galaxy wishes to hire you for a job. Is this not the height of your profession, bounty hunter?"

Finally, a metallic, husky voice answered her.

"The height of my profession is based on the bounty, not on the employer."

Mara raised an eyebrow.

"So you would not like the job?" she asked coyly.

"Just because you are the Emperor's Hand does not mean that you can waste my time..."

The voice had a harder tone to it this time. Mara saw from the bottom of her eye that the man's hand lingered around his sidearm.

"The job is simple. A simple target on a simple planet... for a not so simple fee.."

But for such a simple man to do? Mara wondered. Was he so simple? She'd decide that later.

"If it is so simple, why doesn't the Emperor dispatch someone such as you to do his dirty work?" asked the Bounty Hunter.

Mara's voice tightened more as her eyes squinted at the green-toned suit before her.

"My Master has his reasons..." She walked up to him slowly, never averting her gaze from the visor.

Then, inches from his mask, Mara still saw only her reflection in the shiny faceplate.

"Here," she said simply, sliding a small data diskette into his suit. "It has all the information you'd care to know..."

After she gave him the disk, she still remained next to the unmoving man. With a hint of a grin, she slid her finger down the grooves of the armor, tracing the plates.

"Perhaps we shall meet again, bounty hunter..." She slid away just like her finger slid off the armor.

No response. The man simply turned and left to go.

Mara watched him go, and gazed off at his ship as it blasted away.

"You tool," she said to the night sky. "You emotionless tool."

A wry smile played upon your lips.

"How efficient..."

****

Well, weird I know, but I'm making this up as I go... Hope you liked it!

 

*chuckles*

*a lot*

A new Sith has entered the premises?

 

different, very interesting!

 

This is officially an up of intrigue to see the reaction to this!

 

Hmmmmm, this looks promising. I'll keep tabs on it. Great start to hook the readers Tutham.

 

question - when *did* Mara meet Boba Fett? I don't remember it being mentioned in any of the books, including Zahn's.

I might read this.

 

All right, Mr. Petie. Put your hands behind your head. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you at the court's discretion. Do you understand these rights?



GREAT JOB, PETIE!!! *happy hugs* Keep it up; I'll be reading.

 

*drops head in hands*

*groans*

Pete, I begged...

 

Hee hee! I never get this much reaction to a new fic...
YAY! Readers!

Dart: Yay! My first reader! Hmm... sith? No.. everyone will tell you that I'm grayside... not sithly....... *reads post* Well.... maybe a little sithly... So, you have an instinctive morbid curiousity? Well hang on to it!

Jade_Stone: The whole idea is meant to be a little different... Hope you stick around!

PotC: Score! I'm glad I hooked your interest... and it only gets better from here!

Jedi_Liz: I feel that it was alluded to when she worked at Jabba's... the earlier really means "Before Luke".... hee hee... I hope you stay for a little more!

Fruity- I don't know whether to be scared or excited! Well, expect lots of Pepsi spewing action and reactions!! Glad to have you aboard!

Emmi: And yet... you didn't say that it was bad... Hmm.. I hope that you wait to read it a little bit before you totally write it off!

Thanks for reading you guys- new update soon!

 

KEWL! I'm curious to know what the job is, and why they want Boba to do it. YAY!!! Another story of yours, Peter! Can hardly wait for the next post!

 

Only a story this weird could be associated with you, Pete. Of course, weirdness is a perfect quality in the right people That post seemed cold and lifeless to me - just the way I like it.

Great job! I'll be reading

Am

 

Just dropping an up! And Am's right - it had the atmosphere to a T!

 

This is intersting. Boba Fett and Mara Jade in the same fic. I'm keeping tabs on this one.

 

Woo! More readers!

Jade_Skywalker: YAY! Curiousity, it always makes 'em stick around... Well, in the next post, why Boba was needed will at least be revealed, but I'm not sure about the job... Glad to have you aboard!

Sweety: I don't associate with weird things... I just... happen to give them all a home... Yep, cold and lifeless is the right feeling! Mara's fake passion is so cold that it could lead to interesting consequences... but that'll be left alone... for now... hee hee....

Dart- Wow! You've posted on this thread as many times as me! Going for that elusive 'favorite reader status'? because... if you keep the same rate..

Jedi_Johnson: Yep, it was an interesting plot bunny when it attacked me... and it was so excited that I just had to write it! Good to have you here!

New post tonight or tomorrow!

 

EDIT: AH! SITHLY DOUBLE POST!!!!

 

NEW POST! Glad so many people have taken an interest.. this one's a little confusing, but I hope you like it!


***

The Emperor?s Hand kneeled before her master in calm servitude.

"Rise, my Hand," came the raspy voice of Palpatine.

Mara did so, and stood before the wrinkled, cloaked figure before her. She could feel the Emperor searching her, rummaging through her mind as a mechanic would through his toolbox for a missing part.

"I feel something..." said the Emperor, eyes closed in concentration. "An itch... A worm in your mind..."

The mechanic?s hand bumped the part he was looking for.

"A question? Curiosity in my orders does not suit you..."

Mara stood still, emotionless, not blinking an eye, but not in defiance.

The Emperor?s eyes flew open.

"Ah..." he said with a cackle. "Why the bounty hunter, you ask?"

Mara flinched. The mechanic had found the screw he had fumbled for.

The Emperor moved towards her, every step rippling his flowing dark robe.

"Why not you? Such a simple task indeed..."

Mara stared right ahead, not looking at the Emperor as he moved closer.

"I was not questioning your wisdom Master... I just wondered-"

"If I had thought that you had lost your worth?" finished the Emperor with a sickening grin. "Have no fear about that... For why would a man turn to his foot to grab something for him, when he still has his hand?"

Mara closed her eyes slowly, focusing inwards. She still did not understand, but felt that if she did not ask, and was patient....

"The bounty hunter has his use... Malpa?lan is a small enough planet, and well within your capability. But Fett... Fett is a tool most unique... One recognized, and needed for this..."

"But why go out of your way for this one man on this barely populated planet?"

The Emperor?s smile faded.

"Perhaps you are not as quick to grasp the situation as I had believed...." His eyes blazed with a yellow fire. "You are well aware, are you not... that Malpa?lan is right next to Riché Ex III?"

"But Master, the only inhabitants of RE III are the ones that work at the cloning facility. One that you have owned for... over two decades..."

Mara allowed the first sign of emotion cross her face with a frown.

"Precisely..." came the wicked hiss from between the teeth of his yellowed grin. On Malpa?lan, there is a man... unknown, supposedly, to us..."

He circled around Mara like a nek dog, circling in an inward, closing, choking spiral.

"His name is Pané Maru... And he is the Rebellion?s secret weapon... On Riché Ex III, the Rebellion has set up a secret lair..."

Mara?s eyes widened with surprise.

"Right inside my own facility... And even the Rebellion doesn?t know it... It is so secret that it is known only to the highest of the highest leaders in the Rebellion... This facility was originally a rogue extremist faction that signed its allegiance to the Rebellion... and was going to churn out an entire army of clones to use to fight against me..."

He stopped right in front of Mara?s face.

"Clones..." he spat. "Of one bounty hunter named Fett..."

"But what of the man on Malpa?lan?" asked Mara, squinting her eyes slightly.

"He is the leader of the extremists... The only one that can start mass production of the clones, as he is the only one with the DNA sample of Fett left... other than Fett himself..."

A savage smirk filled his face.

"He shall be killed by his greatest possession..."

With a wry grin, he now backed away from Mara, and sat in his throne.

"But can you redeem your wit?s reputation and see the true ramifications of this?" he asked, waving her on with his hand.

Mara, now once again emotionless needed merely seconds.

"Once the Rebellion discovers the fate of their secret project, it will cripple their intelligence and trust. Only one high up could let the information get to one of the enemy... They will go on a mole hunt..."

The Emperor grinned.

"Do you now have that question answered?" he did not wait for an answer, with his hold on her mind, he al

 

Interesting premise here Vaughn, you've got my interest firmly in hand! (ARGH!!! I AM BECOMING POETIC THESE PAST FEW DAYS, WHY???) I'm anxious to see where it is that you will take us on this journey! Great job! Keep up the good work!

 

Nice one Pete, building the tension! Btw, you call Mara 'he' at the beginning by accident!

Hmm, bags I the 'favorite reader' status!

 

YAY! Replies!

Mara: Yay! I knew that your fave character wouldn't keep you away for long!
Thanks for all the compliments... And poetic isn't a bad thing... As long as you don't go all Nostradamus on us!

Dart: "He"? where? (THANK GOD FOR THE EDIT BUTTON!) Hmm... 'bags' the fave reader status? *examines it* Yep, looks like a clean kill..

 

New post today or tomorrow!

 

Hey, Pete, this is looking good. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I want to see where you're going to take this.

Enjoy that new license, buddy.

 

Gruesome # 1 strikes again! Great post Pete! I look forward to more, as always. Keep up the good work...my precioussssss.

*~*Meldien*~*

 

::looks for new post::

Awwwww. Oh well. UP! heh heh heh.

 

Pete! I foolishly let this slip by and lagged in my reading! How shocking! In reference to the post, good work. Mara's mind is certainly churning at a mile a minute, all of which the Emperor can sense.



Am

 

Hey! Sorry that the post is late, but it's coming... Just got a little hung up on stuff...

Kirk: Welcome aboard! I'm always happy to plug~! As for the lisence...

Meldien: Ah, the second part of the grusome twosome has joined us! YAY! Well, thank you for reading 'fluffy'...

J_J: New post soon! Thanks for the UP! (It gets me in gear faster!)

Sweety: Hey, as long as you catch up, no complaints here! You'd be surprised what the Emp knows about Mara.... which even she doesn't know.. And as for the mile a minute, I cannot write Mara when I'm tired because I have to make her sound intelligent..

Thanks for reading all!