Hero of Naboo Chapter 28 Preview

"So, we're really back."

Vader sat in a seat aboard the Slave 1, not even glancing to the Mandolorian entering. "I take it we are already outside Coruscant's atmosphere."

"And on autopilot. We'll arrive in less than twenty minutes," cam the response, the bounty hunter keeping his attention fully on the injured Sith Lord. "Not going to explain anything?"

"What is there to explain, Boba Fett?" Vader retorted.

"Lets start with how we, apparently, time-traveled," Boba retorted pointed.

"You've been aware of this for several days now," Vader retorted knowingly, his eye glancing to meet Boba's visor. "But you couldn't accept it until you saw it."

Boba stood there for an instense, body tense and coiled, before he suddenly turned and punched the metal wall of his ship.

Vader regarded the outburst with patient disinterest.

"You're telling me, that you had no idea what this is? That this isn't the work of your precious Force?" Boba spat out. "And that you just so happen to appear on Naboo, right than and there?"

"Calm yourself, Fett," Vader said firmly. "You are not taking this situation well, I see."

"Vader, I am not you," Fett reminded firmly. "I don't have the Force. I have no way of knowing this is real, that this isn't some illusion or chemical hallucination."

Vader sympathized with that to some degree. The situation was surreal beyond belief, ever with the Force confirming it was all real. "And yet, you remained. You continue to aide me."

Boba picked up on the question and sighed. "If this is real, this means everything I've ever done, ever worked for is undone," he said, looking to Vader meaningfully. "I can guess that someone like you welcomes something this, giving you a chance to change your past. Even if you don't get to live it."

"But it is far more bitter than sweet for you," Vader said in understanding. "Still, you remain."

Boba finally seemed to regain his usual self now, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "If this is reality, I have to either make the most of the situation or find a way back. You're my ticket to either of those, I imagine," Boba reasoned. "I'm still expecting my payments until than."

"And I expected nothing else," Vader assured. "Do you not wish to save your father?"

"I came to terms with that a long time ago," Boba answered, tilting his head down. "That said, changing things here doesn't appear to affect anything for us. Maybe, if the chance comes up somewhere along the way, maybe I can convince Jango Fett to play it safe and have a few more years with his son."

"You may have to rename this ship, if so," Vader commented idly.

"Slave 1, Slave 2, who cares," Boba said dismissively, observing the Sith Lord's conidtion. "You look worse than I've ever seen you. I suppose its fortunate I was never stupid enough to take a bounty on the Emperor"

Vader didn't comment on that.

"Last question: Without the Emperor, does this mean the Clone Wars won't happen?" Boba questioned curiously.

Vader gave him a searching look. "How much about the true nature of the Clone Wars do you know?"

"Nothing offical, persay, but I put the dots together," Boba answered with a shrug. "The Chancellor created the war, or at least helped it along, so that he could become Emperor."

"That is the shortest explaination," Vader confirmed. "But the Republic has been plummeting towards such a war even without the Emperor's influence."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Boba said, turning to make his way towards the cockpit. He paused though, glancing back at the cyborg. "And Vader? I'm hardly an altruist, but here's the honest truth: I think this entire situation is less likely to implode with you still alive."

"I suspect that as well," Vader agreed ominously. "Are you going to ask why I killed the Emperor?"

"I don't care. But I hope you have a better answer than you hated him."

Timeskip

'This is Yinda Nuz, reporting live from the outskirts of the Works. Three days ago, our beloved Coruscant was devestated by an unknown weather phenomenom that the people have dubbed the "Ahaci," which the weather control systems were unable to nullify. As you can see, the storm hit with such devestation, that the Works has turned into a hazardous scrapyard of destruction, with damaged done to the outlaying areas as well. Unseen still is the damage done to the lower levels. Yes, as hard as it is to believe, this storm was able to reach the two levels below it.

The official deathtoll has risen to the current, sombering number of one million. Most of which were killed in the lower levels from horrific cave-ins. The number of missing and injured is far greater, at least triple. Releif stations and emergency on-site medi-centers have been set up to treat those with minor injuries, or whose situation is too dangerous to move, as the various medi-centers across Coruscant struggle to keep up with the increasing number of patients. For the first time in several centuries, the Galactic Senate has called for another emergency session while in the midst of a previous one, as official organize efforts for releif, rescue, and relocation. 

Yet still, the mystery remains: what caused this storm? Speculations from scientists have been varied, but many citizens point to the fact that, just prior to the event's inception, we had a live broadccast of what appeared to be Senator Palpatine of Naboo, being rushed by a group of Jedi, along with the mysterious figure that assualted the temple the day prior. By series of anonymous tips, it is believed the name of this figure is "Darth Vader."