“You’re a clever young man,” the Clawdite shapeshifter said. It was a young shapeshifter, with a menacing, oozing voice. Its body seemed to melt and re-form before Boba’s eyes. Its body took on muscle, sinew, strength. Its head grew dark thick hair. Its eyes grew dark as well.
“But not quite clever enough,” it said.
Boba stared at it in amazement. “But—”
“Consider yourself lucky, young sir,” said the shapeshifter that had been Nuri. “I could have taken your precious card and kept it all for myself. I could have killed you.”
The shapeshifter smiled—the same unpleasant smile Boba had last seen on the Bimm’s face.
“But I admire your courage,” the Clawdite went on. “You’re young and learning, just like me. And I hate Aurra Sing. She is my rival. It seems you and I have that in common. I could have left you up on Level Two. She would have found you there, very soon. But finding you would have pleased Aurra Sing. I hate her far too much for that.”
Boba stared furiously at the Clawdite. “You have no right to claim what’s mine!”
The Clawdite laughed. “Well, you did take the card out before I could get everything. If you can somehow find your way back to the Upper Levels, you will find there is enough money left for you to buy a way to get off-planet. But only if you are clever enough, Boba. You will have to avoid being found by Aurra Sing. You will have to find a way to the Upper Levels. And then you will have to find your way to what’s left of your inheritance.”
The Clawdite tilted his head. “I said that the Undercity is part of any bounty hunter’s education. I know it’s a big part of mine. I hope you have enjoyed your lesson, Boba.”
And with a mocking bow, the Clawdite turned and hurried down the alley.
Boba stared after him. How could I have been so careless? he thought angrily. I forgot the number one rule of bounty hunters—
Trust no one.
The Bimm—no, the Clawdite—had betrayed him. Still, the shapeshifter was right. Boba had learned an important lesson. Next time he wouldn’t be so quick to accept help.
If there was a next time.
But what to do now? Boba turned and looked at the droid behind its barred window. Hmmm. Nuri had been able to get money from Boba’s account. Why not Boba himself? He walked over to the window.
“I’d like to get the rest of my money,” he said. He slipped the card through the opening.
The droid looked at him with its unblinking eyes. It took the card and slid it into a slot in its arm. “Sorry,” it said. “You do not have permission to use this terminal.”
It slipped the card back to Boba. Clearly, the Clawdite had known an access code that Boba couldn’t even guess at.
“What?” Boba said angrily. “You mean—”
“Sorry,” said the droid. “Shall I call security to assist you?”
“No,” Boba said hastily. He began to walk away.
Then he stopped. Before, when the Clawdite had given Boba’s card to the droid, the robot had said something—something about a bank.
Boba still had the card. If he knew exactly where his money was, he could get it himself—without Aurra Sing!
He went quickly back to the window. “What bank did you say that money was in?”
The droid tilted its shining chromium head. “InterGalacticBank of Kuat. Level Two. Shall I call security to assist you?”
“No!” Boba said quickly. “I mean, no thanks!”
Nuri had been right—information was valuable!
But he had no time to celebrate his good luck. Behind him came the sound of footsteps and more harsh laughter. Boba looked back and saw several tall, heavily armed figures. More pirates, no doubt.
Time to get out of here! He turned and ran soundlessly down the alley.
It ended on another street. This was one was even busier and more crowded than those he’d been on earlier, with Nuri. Boba stood for a minute, catching his breath. He felt no fear whatsoever. He felt anger, and excitement, and determination. He wasn’t too worried about Aurra Sing down here. What were the odds of her finding him in all this chaos?
Still, where should he go?
He looked up and down the street. As far as he could see in every direction, there were shops. Some were brightly lit and filled with bustling service droids and well-dressed humanoids and aliens. Others were dim, with only one or two grim figures standing guard by the entrance. Some were in buildings that were little more than piles of rubble. All seemed to be gambling dens of some sort. Many had signs that blinked or scrolled messages in brilliant green or gold or silver letters.
ALL CURRENCIES CHANGED HERE
ALL COIN ACCEPTED
NO SUM TOO SMALL!
Boba began to walk. Excited, noisy crowds spilled from doorways into the street around him. Robo-hacks—airborne taxis—hovered in front of gambling houses, waiting to take new customers away to spend the riches they had just won. Evil-looking figures lurked in alleyways, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting passersby. High above, the air was crisscrossed with glowing tubes. Shining capsules sped up and down between the Undercity and the Upper Levels. In between, swoop bikes and airspeeders flashed.
That’s what I’m going to get! Boba thought as he watched a swoop bike whoosh by. Once he figured out how to get his money, maybe he could hire one to take him back to Slave I—although flying one himself would be better!
“Pagh! Human scum! Out of my way!” a voice snarled.
Boba looked up, startled. A figure blocked the street before him. It was tall, with orange eyes in a pale fungoid-looking face, and a long trunklike appendage wrapped around its throat. A Twi’lek.
“Didn’t you hear me?” the Twi’lek repeated fiercely. Its hand moved threateningly beneath its robes.
“Sorry,” Boba said hastily. He stepped aside. The Twi’lek gave him a sneering look, then pushed him aside and strode past him. Boba watched him go, thinking.
“Wait a minute,” he said softly to himself.
He had an idea!
His father had told him once about a Twi’lek named Bib Fortuna. The grub-faced alien had served as Jabba the Hutt’s right hand, helping run his gambling operations on Tatooine and other places across the galaxy. Here on Aargau there was a Hutt gambling palace. Was there a chance that this Twi’lek was the one his father meant?
Boba stared after the retreating figure. If it was Bib Fortuna, he might be heading toward the Hutt’s den.
Boba knew the odds were against it—but then, everyone in the Undercity seemed willing to gamble. He’d take a chance.
Boba began to hurry after the Twi’lek. He was careful to stay out of sight and to always keep him in his view. Sometimes this was hard, as the alien ducked in and out of narrow alleys and tunnels. Still, Boba followed him tirelessly through the maze that was the Undercity.
Check this out, Boba thought with a grin. He was stalking his prey through incredibly dangerous terrain—just like a bounty hunter!