Nothing was going to keep Boba Fett from his destination.

Nothing was going to keep him from his destiny.

The map he'd seen in Windu's room had shown that the Supreme Cancellor's official chambers were on the northeast side of the dome. As Boba drew nearer, he could see lights shining from the dome's upper windows. Inside, figures moved.

The Senators. Palpatine wouldn't be with them, though. He'd be preparing for his meeting with Mace Windu - and then his meeting with Baba Fett.

"Palpatine's expecting me, but not this soon," Boba muttered as his jet pack brought him closer to the building. "And I doubt he's expecting me to land on his windowsill!"

But Boba had no desire to confront Palpatine's security guards. And Boba especially didn't want Mace Windu to have the advantage of seeing him first. He powered down his jet pack, aiming for a wide ledge two levels above Palpatine's chambers.

In a moment he landed smoothly on the ledge. A quick look around rea.s.sured him that he'd gone undetected.

"Made it!" he exclaimed.

He grabbed the rappelling line on his utility belt and stooped. He fastened the hook to the ledge, yanking at it to test that it would hold.

Then he slowly let himself down, his gloved hands tight around the rope.

This was the risky part. If someone happened to pa.s.s by inside, Boba would be seen.

And that wouldn't be good. At best, he'd be detained and questioned before being released to Palpatine.

At worst That's not gonna happen!

Boba pushed the thought away.

Down, down, down. He braced himself against the dome's wall. The dome was curved and smooth. Sometimes his boots slid off, despite their magnatomic soles.

Uh-oh!

In his hands, the rope suddenly grew slack. Boba looked up and saw the hook wobbling slightly. Gotta hurry!

He was level with Palpatine's chamber now. There was no one there - no one he could see, anyway.

It was now or never!

He kicked out, swinging back, then forward. His boots grazed the ledge. He kicked again, propelling himself farther back. Then he began to swoop in toward the ledge again.

Oh no!

A twist of rope looped around his hands. Boba looked up quickly.

Two levels above him, the grappling hook tore away. The rope began to fall.

But Boba's feet had already found purchase on the ledge outside Palpatine's chamber. For an instant he swayed, perilously close to plunging off.

Then he caught his balance.

That was close!

Boba straightened. In front of him, black transparisteel showed his reflection. He replaced the rappelling line and withdrew a small laser blade. Its ruby tip glowed as he began to cut a hole in the window, just big enough for his hand to pa.s.s through. When the hole was completed, he carefully removed the transparisteel. He slid his hand inside, expertly finding the alarm system, then disabling it. His hand slipped down and pulled the latch.

The window swung open.

He was in!

Now to find Mace...

The room was small and dim. It smelled faintly of expensive spices.

Thick carpet was underfoot, and small lights cast a soft glow over a door and sculptures at one end.

That's the antechamber, he thought. That's where Mace is.

Silently he stepped to the door. He put his hand on the latch. It was unlocked. He listened, adjusting his helmet's aural enhancers so he could hear the faintest sound from the other side.

And yes, he could hear breathing. The breathing was slow, measured, calm...

Boba drew his flechette pistol. He took a deep breath then shoved the door open.

And there he was. Boba's greatest enemy - Mace Windu.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

The tall Jedi stood pensively at the far end of the room. His hands were in his robes. His head was down. As Boba entered he looked up, eyes widening slightly.

"Who - ?"

Boba stared at him without remorse.

"You killed my father," he said.

Boba's heart was racing. But his voice was cold and utterly calm.

And his pistol was aimed directly at Mace's chest.

"I've waited a long time for this, Jedi Windu - but I'm not waiting anymore!"

Boba fired. The flechette's missile tore through the air. A nanosecond later it burst open. Hundreds of deadly projectiles spun out.

Faster than thought, Mace Windu leaped aside. The missiles exploded against the wall.

"Who are you?" Mace Windu shouted.

Boba fired again. Another starburst of flechettes exploded through the room.

Again, the Jedi was too fast.

"On Geonosis, you murdered a warrior named Jango Fett," Boba said.

FFFFAAMM! He fired again!

"Jango Fett was my father."

"Your father?" Mace raced from the barrage of flechettes. "He had no son! Only clones - "

"He had me!" Boba lunged at Mace. The Jedi fell back, overwhelmed by the young man's rage and power. "And now I'll have you!"

KRACK!.

A flechette smashed against Mace's shoulder. The Jedi reeled backward. His hand reached for his lightsaber. But before he could touch it Boba struck again, this time the other shoulder. And again!

KRACK! KRACK!.

With each alternate blow the Jedi fell back. In a moment, Boba would have him pinioned against the wall. And then - he'd go for the kill!

"I had no choice!" Mace's voice was deep, unafraid. Without warning he leaped, springing past Boba as he drew his lightsaber. "Just as you're giving me no choice now!"

The lightsaber glowed deep violet. Its hum filled the room, and Mace Windu swung - and struck! PAM!

Boba staggered back. The lightsaber had skimmed his armor. He recovered immediately, darting off. Mace followed, his robes billowing behind him.

PAM!.

The lightsaber struck again!

But this time Boba was ready. Or so he thought. Mace's violet blur sliced the flechette pistol cleanly out of his hand. Blinding indigo light flared as Mace Windu drew back, arm raised for another blow.

Before he could strike, Boba drew his dagger with his free hand and charged.

The dagger ripped through Mace's robes. The Jedi twisted, avoiding the blade.

But Boba's fist followed, smashing into the Jedi's ribs.

"Ah - !"

Mace staggered to one side. Before he could dodge, Boba was on him!

BAM!.

Boba lunged the dagger at Mace's head - but the Jedi was too fast!

He dropped and rolled, jumping to his feet. The lightsaber rose and fell -.

And struck.

"Agh!" Boba cried out as the glowing blade smashed against his shoulder. Pain arced through him. Blood seeped from Grievous's wound.

"Surrender!" commanded Mace Windu. "Surrender, and I promise you'll receive fair treatment!"

"Surrender?" Boba hesitated, feigning doubt. Unseen he shoved the dagger into his belt, then reached for a cryo-ban grenade.

"You have my word," Mace continued.

"And you have my hatred!" Boba screamed. He fired the grenade!

Mace leaped, seeming to fly above Boba's head.

BRRAAANG!.

Boba flung himself away from the freezing blast. Waves of numbing cold rushed past him as the cryo-blast absorbed heat. The cold could not penetrate Boba's body armor.

But Mace Windu had no body armor. The Jedi stumbled, nearly falling as the frigid waves sapped him of energy. Boba picked up his flechette pistol. He towered above the fallen Jedi.

He fired.

FAM!.

Blinding pain lanced Boba's arm as Mace Windu's Lightsaber struck.

"No!" Boba cried.

In agony, Boba fell. He rolled, trying to get to his feet.

FAM!.

The lightsaber crashed against his head. Not even his helmet could absorb the blow. Boba shouted with pain and fury, striking blindly at the figure above him.

"I don't want to kill you," said Mace Windu grimly. "Surrender, or die."

"Never."

He swung his dagger. The Jedi's weapon knocked the dagger blade aside.

"You leave me no choice!" Mace cried.

Boba stumbled to his feet. Blood streamed from his wounds. The dagger lay useless and out of reach. And his blasters were on Slave I.

But he still had the saberdart. He slid his hand toward his utility belt. His fingers slipped into the familiar configuration of his palm shooter. The poisonous dart was loaded into it.

He had only one shot.