Saga Fett: Legacy (Boba Fett, NEW EU, 10 BBY, 1st chapter out!)

Title: Fett: Legacy
Author: Jedidingo
Timeframe: Saga, 10 BBY, Dark Times
Character: Boba Fett, [Redacted], [Redacted], C-21 Highsinger, various OCs
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: A young, out of luck bounty hunter is tasked with stopping a deadly plot by a reborn Death Watch. A Mandalorian freedom fighter learns of a plot to strike at the heart of the Empire which could mean major repercussions for all Mandalorians, and she seeks the help of a young Boba Fett. A hero's journey about Boba Fett becoming the bounty hunter that we eventually see in Empire Strikes Back.




A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

CHAPTER ONE​

The stars shone brightly behind the VCX-100 light freighter as it entered Coruscant’s atmosphere. It descended smoothly and glided over the city-planet, breaking away from normal starship traffic as the sunlight gleamed behind it, reflecting beautifully off the sky towers. No one paid it any attention as it passed by. Not even the squadron of TIE fighters that zoomed passed. It began to slow down as it came to a wide portal in the city-scape. It hovered above a wide portal and that was impossibly large — the entrance to the Coruscant Underworld. It began to slowly spiral down into the depths of Coruscant where that gleaming light never reached.

A figure, just on the edge of the entrance watched as it entered the gates of hell.

“I’ve got a visual,” The figure said into his helmet.

“Is it the target, Maxal?” A small, squeaky voice asked.

“It’s a VCX-100 light freighter, just like what was described.”

“Then I guess it’s game time,”

The figure, Maxal, stood up from his crouch and stared down the depths without fear and felt his custom Westar-34 pistols on both sides of his hips. His thin visor continued to track ship as it fell even lower into the Underworld. The figure began walking towards the speeder that was parked at the edge of the drop. He threw his leg over and started the engine up as he spoke into his comm unit.

“Highsinger, you ready?” The helmet-figure said.

A very electronic voice replied, “Affirmative,”

“Good.”

He revved the engine of the speeder and immediately dove straight down into the Underworld, following the ship from a distance. The figure, once known by another name but know working under the name of Maxal Becal, still wore the same armor he had acquired at the height of the Clone Wars ten years earlier. While being in his early twenties had forced him to get a larger jumpsuit, it was basically the same outfit he had donned on his Quarzite job when he was tasked at killing a group of marauders known as the Kage Warriors. A lot had changed since then for Maxal, but he had grown pretty comfortable in that particular armor.

“You’re sure you’re ready, Tanz?”

“Yes, yes of course. Just make sure he doesn’t vape me when he realizes that it’s all a set up.” The Chadra-Fan sighed.

“Just do your job and you’ll be fine,” Maxal grunted. Finally, he noticed the ship stop and enter the Level 1313 docking bay.

“Target in the docking bay.” Maxal said over the closed comm channel between him, the C-21 assassin droid Highsinger, and Tanz.

“Copy.” Highsinger’s voice buzzed inside his helmet. Highsinger was the only bounty hunter that Maxal was still working with from back in his Clone Wars days. The two had stuck together for so long that eventually Maxal had installed a voice-modulater for the droid so he would’t have to listen to the constant droid speak all the time.

Maxal parked his speeder behind different freighter and waited until his target emerged from his ship. He watched as a very large Nautolan made his way out and onto the docking bay. Maxal was almost tempted to take him out right here, but he wasn’t sure if he had someone on his ship ready for such a thing. He needed to be caught unaware at the place of their choosing. The Nautolan, a smuggler by the name of Lind Loxal, was famous for his exploits…especially on his home planet of Glee Anselm. The Empire had a huge bounty on his head and Maxal intended on collecting it. As soon as Lind was clear of the docking bay, Maxal followed in pursuit.

The Nautolan was heading to a cantina known as The Dancing Cu-Pa for a meeting with Tanz about a possible job. Of course it was just all a set-up to capture him, and Maxal thought that it would be a fairly easy catch. As he exited the docking bay Highsinger stood waiting on Maxal.

“The target is ahead,” Highsinger said as they followed at a safe distance down the corridor.

“When we get to the cantina, guard the entrance. If he tries to run, don’t let him escape.”

“How many times have we done this Boba?”

“That’s not my name,” He spat.

“Right, of course, I mean Maxal. Do tell, when will you let Tanz in on this secret? It has been at least two standard years he has been working with us and you have yet to reveal your past to him.” Highsinger’s voice was totally mono-tone but the sarcasm wasn’t lost on Maxal. He almost regretted giving the droid the ability to speak.

“He doesn’t need to know, because it doesn’t matter who I was. All the matters is here and now.”

“Of course,” Highsinger replied.

“Get ready.” Maxal said, placing his hands on his dual-blaster pistols. They stopped at the entrance of The Dancing Cu-Pa and watched as the green Lind made his way to Tanz’s booth. Maxal glanced up at the taller assassin droid and then turned back towards his target.


***

Tanz nervously took a sip of the caf in front of him as the Nautolan approached. The small, rodent-like alien gulped it down as the infamous smuggler took a seat across from him.

“You must be Marogrieph?” The Nautolan’s strange accent distracted the Chadra-Fan from answering. He blinked and then realized that he had been asked a question.

“Oh, yes. Yes, that is me.”

“I am pleased to finally meet you.” Lind smiled, revealing a straight line of very white teeth.

“And I you,” Tanz replied as the droid waiter inquired about Lind’s drink.

“Give me your strongest,” He replied.

“As you wish,” The droid said and sped off. Lind eyed Tanz and kept that mischievous smile on his face.

“I almost thought this was some kind of trap,” He said. Tanz had to make sure that his eyes didn’t grow wide in surprise.

“Why do you say that?” Tanz asked as he took another nervous sip of his caf.

“This just seemed too good to be true. No one has paid me this well for my line of services. You must really need to get rid of something.”

“Someone.” Tanz replied.

“Excuse me?”

“The cargo isn’t something, it’s someone.”

Lind nodded slowly, rubbing his chin in thought. “That would explain the amount of credits,”

“Yes, yes of course.” Tanz said. He glanced over the Nautolan’s shoulder to see if Maxal was even close yet. Thankfully the bounty hunter was entering the cantina, both hands were placed on his pistols. Tanz took another sip of his caf. Lind frowned and Tanz realized that he had failed to hear whatever the smuggler had said. Lind turned, following Tanz’s gaze and saw Maxal bearing down on him.

“You little -“ Lind started to say but was quickly cut off by a blaster pistol pressing against his temple.

“You’re coming with me,” Maxal said. Tanz let out a sigh of relief knowing his job was finally done and he could get back to the ship where it was safe. Maxal stiffened suddenly as a different blaster rifle pressed against his neck from behind. A shadow covered Tanz, forcing him too look up.

“Actually,” A sinister voice began. “He’s coming with us.”

Standing above Tanz was the largest Quarren he had ever seen. Standing behind Maxal with the blaster rifle to his neck as a very menacing Aqualish with a ton of body armor and explosives strapped all across his chest.

“I found him first,” Maxal said, careful not to move an inch. Lind sat nervously, knowing that this was about to be a bad ending for him being caught between two sets of bounty hunters.

“And I found him second. Finder’s keepers,” The Quarren laughed. Maxal didn’t move for a moment but slowly lowered his blaster, allowing Lind to get up from his seat. The Quarren put a pair of stun-cuffs on his wrists and held onto his arm tightly. The Quarren held his rifle out as he backed away slowly into the crowd. The Aqualish behind Maxal also slowly moved away but kept his blaster aimed at him as they disappeared into the crowd. Tanz let out his breath and saw that his hands were shaking uncontrollably.

“Get the ship.” Maxal said menacingly as he pulled out his other blaster and followed the two other bounty hunters into the crowd.


“Oh, I have a bad feeling about this…” Tanz whispered.

 

A Fireside Chat with the Author:

Question: So a Boba Fett story? Set in the 'New EU'? Is that even possible?

Jedidingo: Yes! A Boba Fett story, but maybe not the one you were expecting. First off, let me explain what I mean when I say that this story is set in the 'New EU'. Am I naive to think that this won't one day contradict official cannon? No, this is just a fanfic. However, until it eventually does we can all pretend, can't we? I wanted to set this in the 'New EU' because it gave me a lot more leg room to work with in terms of fleshing out Boba's story. I wanted to pick up the threads that the Clone Wars had left off and continue them.

Question: How so?

Jedidingo: When we last saw Boba he wasn't even in his famous Mandalorian armor yet, and at the beginning of my story he doesn't have it still. This story begins ten years after Revenge of the Sith and about nine or ten years before A New Hope. But Boba doesn't have the armor yet. In fact, the galaxy doesn't even really know him just yet. Not like they will. Boba is still wearing the same armor we saw him in the Clone Wars last time we saw him. He will have to earn the Mando Armor in my story, and it won't come easily.

Question: So is Boba hanging out with that same crew of bounty hunters we saw him with last?

Jedidingo: Only the droid Highsinger, the others have all parted ways. We may get too that later in the story. But when we find Boba he is an angry twenty year old kid with a major attitude, but he isn't that Boba we see by the Empire Strikes Back. This story is kind the telling of HOW he becomes that guy. And why. Really in the same vein of Casino Royal and what that did for James Bond. We will see Boba grow into those things as the story goes on. No one knows who he is just yet. And he may not be the best bounty hunter in the galaxy just yet either. Just an angry one.

Question: This story involves a new Death Watch?

Jedidingo: Oh yeah. Just wait...just wait...

Question: Man, what a great guy you are. And so handsome. Can we do this again?

Jedidingo: Sure! You're not so bad yourself.

 

Great start, add me to the tag list for this one.

Loved the 1313 reference

Here's to hoping that Visceral Games might be working on something 1313 related!

 

Thank you so much for reading and replying! Yeah, the concept art for the game really inspired me to have it included.