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The
Black Armour 1999
short story by Louis Turfrey Eight years before Episode IV - A New Hope. The
man stood with his back to the main entrance to the cantina. Boba Fett moved
in through the crowd, people parting in front of him, like Guba Fish fin parts the water. He approached the man at
the bar, not letting his guard down at any time. The man turned to face Fett
and smiled. He was about thirty years old, tall, built like an athlete. His
face was hard and his eyes betrayed a keen intelligence. When he spoke, his
voice was a deep baritone, rumbling from his chest. “Mister Fett. Shall we take a seat?” Without
waiting for a reply the man moved over towards one of the private booths.
Boba Fett followed and sat down opposite. He wasn't offered a drink. He
didn't need one. The
man spoke again. “I have a bounty that needs collecting.
The gentleman's name is Tarrion Randelle. He's a mercenary. I want him alive.
The reward is ten thousand credits. He can be found at this location.” The stranger passed him a data chip. “The
delivery address is also on the chip. There is one catch though - he's armed
and very dangerous.” He leaned back
in his chair. “Do you want the assignment?” Boba
Fett reached out and took the chip. He nodded and at the same time said. “Fifteen thousand,
and I'll bring him back alive. Ten thousand and I can't guarantee his
safety.” The
stranger nodded. The deal was set. Slave 1 dropped out of
hyperspace above the planet Corellia. Traffic was heavy and Fett noticed two Imperial
Star Destroyers parked in orbit. Contacting port control, he arranged for an
atmospheric slot that would drop him near his quarries location. Within
minutes he was powering through the atmosphere towards the location his
employer had provided him. The
estate stretched on for several kilometres. Fett had landed just outside the
walls over an hour ago. He had done a full passive sweep and had detected
only minimal defensive measures. He had disabled them easily, but something
about this didn't ring true. No one had alarm systems that lacklustre on an
estate of this size. Fett
moved forward slowly, scanning the immediate area with all the multi-spectral
imaging that his helmet scanner could generate. Something moved. Two guards,
hidden from view by nearby bushes, were taking aim. Fett dived forward,
rolling over as he did so. A Blaster bolt singed through the air where his
head had been. Fett took aim with his wrist blaster and took down the two men
with two shots. Fett got to his feet and walked over to where the two men
writhed in pain. Neither of them matched the details he had been given. He
stunned the one man and disarmed the second. Reaching down he lifted the
injured man to his feet. “I'm looking for Tarrion Randelle. Where
can I find him?” The
man cringed but didn't answer. Fett tried another tactic. Reaching down to
his belt he removed a small box and opened it, letting the man see what was
inside. The man gasped. A small insectoid creature moved around inside the
box. Looking like an armoured worm, it had two curved mandibles near one end
and a filament like tail near the other. “This is a Bandii
Worm. They kill their victims by eating their way back through the eye socket
and into the brain. All the time keeping their victim alive by secreting a
paralysing enzyme. The enzyme only paralyses selected muscles though. You can
usually hear the victim’s screams for several days. Once in the brain they
start to burrow, until they create an area large enough to lay their eggs.
The eggs hatch out within twenty-four hours and eat the victim alive from the
inside out. It is a very painful and terrible way to die.” Boba Fett dropped
the worm on to the side of the man’s face. The man started to sweat.
“Now. Where is Randelle?” The
man proved to be rather helpful. Shame
then that the paralysis had affected his vocal chords. Fett had all the
details of the pass codes and a complete list of sentry locations. It took
him only fifteen minutes to get to the main house. He had been told his
target would be training at this time of day and would most likely be wearing
full armour. Fett hoped he would be fully armed as well. He
liked a challenge. The
two fought savagely in the open courtyard. One,
a humanoid, was fully encased in shiny black body armour. The other, an aged,
nomadic Ferrerean wore the loincloths and ceremonial skull helmet associated
with his race. Fett had only seen a few Ferrereans. They were a race that
kept themselves aloof from most of the galaxy. Boba Fett looked on in disgust
from his vantage point. The armour the man wore was Mandalorian, like Fetts
own, but was too clean to have been original. The elderly Ferrerean leapt
forwards, bringing his oddly designed spear over his head as he did so. The
spear arced down at tremendous speed, disarming his opponent who rolled away
from the impact. Tarrion was good. Fetts estimation of his opponent rose a notch. The Ferrerean moved in for the kill,
bringing his spear around his middle like a scythe. Fett was sure that the
man called Tarrion would be sliced in two. Instead of dodging the blow, he
dropped backwards. The spear flashed over him, he rolled with his momentum,
caught the spear from behind and yanked it away from the Ferrerean. While his
opponent was still off balance, he jerked the end of the spear upwards,
catching the Ferrerean under the jaw and lifting him off of his feet. The
Ferrerean hit the ground hard, and although still breathing, didn't get up.
Tarrion bowed to his opponent, twirled the spear over his head and buried it
blade first into the ground. He was turning away when he noticed Boba Fett
stalking towards him. Fett
walked slowly, his gun raised. He stopped just outside of Tarrions
reach. Levelling his gun at his targets chest. At this close proximity Fett
noted again that although the armour was highly polished, it wasn't new. The
man nodded his recognition, speaking calmly and betraying no trace of
breathlessness. “So we meet at last, Boba Fett. I have
studied your career for some time. My father said you were a man of
honour…once. He knew your father.
They are both dead now.” The last sentence was spoken with some regret. Boba
Fett didn't need the lecture. He flicked his Blaster from stun to kill. “I have a bounty to collect. Dead or
alive. Which will it be?” Fetts
manner was all business. This man was of concern to him. Few people took an
interest in his affairs - those that did usually didn't live for long. The
man showed no alarm or surprise. He merely spoke. “Perhaps we can come to some agreement.
I'll double whatever you've been offered. Just give me a chance to get away.
One chance.” His stance had altered slightly. Fett didn't take chances. He
fired his Blaster. The
bolt passed through thin air. Tarrion
leapt sideways, flicking a hidden switch on his belt as he did so. The
Blaster bolt missed by fractions of an inch. He hit the ground, thanking the
gods that he had trained and studied with Ferrereans for so long, and rolled
towards his weapon. He felt another bolt hit his armour, the heat dissipation
equipment cutting in to remove the danger. He grabbed his gun, rolled again
and fired. Boba Fett wasn't there. A roar of thrusters told Tarrion that Fett
had gone airborne. That’s how he was
able to pick me off so easily. Tarrion activated a series of buttons in
his helmet whilst running for cover. A Blaster bolt tore up the ground behind
him. Not looking back, he leapt into the air, his momentum carrying him a
full five metres, until his own rocket pack cut in. Flicking control switches
he pointed himself straight up and hit the boost. Boba
Fett was only distracted for a second whilst he activated his rocket pack and
became airborn. His quarry had used his weapons
disadvantages and dodged the blast. The enhanced Blaster that Fett used only
focused accurately beyond two metres. Fett wanted this man alive. His second
blast hit the armour of his target, but showed no effect. Fett switched to
infrared and noticed an increase in heat where the bolt had hit. He was
impressed. Mandalorian Commando Armour was very expensive and very hard to
find. He altered the angle of his attack, laying down ground fire to try and
distract his target. No such luck. Tarrion jumped and boosted straight up,
nearly slamming into Fett and causing him to drop his Blaster and veer off
wildly. Fett
was getting annoyed. He liked a challenge, but this should have been an easy
job. He'd remember to ask for more money next time. Tarrion pulled off a
couple of shots, but they weren't precisely aimed. Fett raised his arm and
released a capture cable. The robotic heat-seeking dart sped off towards his
quarry, wrapping itself around his leg. Tarrion was trapped. Both men pulled
wildly at each other, rocket packs straining. Each one trying to slam the
other into the ground or nearby shrubbery. Several times Boba Fett came close
to being bested, but every time his superior skill saved him. It was an
unfair battle. Fetts pack was more powerful and had more fuel. After ten
minutes of aerial combat, both men were feeling the strain. Fett decided to
end it. He flicked a switch on the cable launcher and a high voltage shock
travelled down the line. Tarrion twitched, spun in mid air and dropped like a
stone. Half a kilometre above the ground, Boba Fett released the cable. Tarrion
felt the shock through his suit and momentarily blacked out. He came too
about two seconds later as he hurtled towards the ground. Diagnostics in his
helmet showed that his rocket pack had been damaged and was in operable. He
cursed. Flipped some switched on his belt and activated his Grav-chute. Boba
Fett watched Tarrion land gently and was amazed to see he didn't run. Tarrion
dropped his Blaster to the ground and picked up the oddly shaped spear,
starting to spin it as he did so. Boba Fett landed about ten metres in front
of him. Somehow Fett knew this wasn't over. He pushed a button on his belt
and the now empty rocket pack dropped to the floor. He walked forwards slowly
now; blaster raised, and started to fire. Tarrion
walked over to the Ferrerean spear and pulled it from the ground. He took a
stance and started to spin it. Slowly at first, but getting ever faster, the
spear rotated in a figure of eight. It hummed as it sliced the air. Boba Fett's first blasts hit the spear at full force and were
deflected. The spinning blade sliced them off in every direction but Fetts.
Fett continued to fire, getting closer now, only eight metres. Time seemed to
slow for Tarrion. He saw the bolts move toward him, as if in slow motion, and
deflected each one as it grew near. He felt a familiar peace as his body
relaxed into the spin. The spear became an extension of his body. The air
became alive with the crackle of plasma energy and the spear started to glow
as it dissipated the heat. Tarrion knew as the bolts came nearer that he
wouldn't be able to deflect them for long. He concentrated harder. Fett
was impressed by his quarry, but he knew it would soon be over. He rarely
smiled to himself nowadays and certainly not whilst working. He eased himself
forward, a grin forming on his face as, his pulse racing, his confidence
rising, he brought his wrist lasers to bear. Even
though Tarrion was one with the weapon, he didn't want to hurt Fett. He
wanted only to prove that he was a worthy target. His father had once told
him that to gain the right to wear Mandalorian armour,
he must first best another warrior in open combat. No warriors were known to
exist any more. Fett was the nearest thing to one. And so Tarrion would prove
his mettle. The
bolt came straight back at Fett, hitting him squarely in the chest. He was
knocked backwards, off his feet and hit the ground hard. Before he could
catch his breath Tarrion had disarmed him and was standing over his prostrate
form. He held the spear inches from Fetts throat. Unknown energies crackled
down its length. Fett remained motionless. His assailant spoke. “This is a Ferrerean Soul Spear. It is
priceless. To handle this spear you must have the perfect mindset. It is
thought that the Ferrereans use it to steal the life force from their
opponent, adding it to their own. I've never tried it…but I will if you move
again.” Tarrion
moved around him, pinning the arm with the wrist lasers onto the ground with
his foot. He plucked a small Holo-cam from his belt and aimed it at Fett. “Do you, Boba Fett, freely admit that I, Tarrion
Randelle, have fairly beaten you in armed combat.” Fett
didn't say a word. The spear jabbed down. Tarrion repeated the phrase but
with more venom in his voice. Fett choked back his reply, but eventually spat
it out. “Yes.” Tarrion
removed the spear, taking several steps backwards. He switched off the
Holo-cam and threw it to the ground. Dropping the spear he spoke again. “I have transmitted the recording to a
secure location. Should you ever cross my path again, I will release it.” He
removed his helmet, revealing the stranger from the cantina. “I have
transferred the full fifteen thousand credits to your account. We shall not meet again. Farewell.” Boba
Fett retrieved his weapon and returned to his ship. Once on-board he
confirmed the transfer of his cash and sat down in the pilot’s chair. He
hated being manipulated, but despite the deck being stacked against him from
the start it had almost been worthwhile.
He understood the various laws and cultures that had arisen around the
Mandalorian armour, the myths and legends, which surrounded it – he was part
of many of them. And he knew that what
Randelle was doing was proving his worthiness to wear the armour. Fett had respect for that, and as he
powered Slave I back to the skies he spared a thought for his
conqueror. Should we ever meet again, releasing
that Holo-vid will be the last thing on my mind. Lord
Tarr Ranth of Mandalore watched his son as he
entered the house. He had fought well today, earning the right to wear his
father’s armour. He stepped away from the windows and met his son in the
lobby. His son went down on one knee and bowed. “Father. I have done as you asked. Was it
enough?” The
old man smiled down to his son and protégé. The pain lanced through his chest
again, but it didn't show on his features. Soon he would be dead and his son
would carry on his name, his title and his honour. That was their way. "Yes my son. Tomorrow we will contact an old friend of
mine within CorSec. He will provide you with the relevant completion to your
training. I fear however that I will not be around to see it. Fear not my
son, Hal Horn will guide you." The Black Armour 1999 short story by Louis Turfrey Eight years before Episode IV – A New Hope Histories
– This short tale by Louis Turfrey shows the beginnings of the career of the man known as Tarrion
Randelle, a man who is soon to become the feared bounty
hunter Tarr Ranth.
Pitting his wits against the legendary Boba Fett, and coming to somewhat of a stalemate, Ranth begins to show the
talents that take him through the next few decades and other Ranth stories
such as Twin Souls, Nine Men Down and Sanction: Off.
Cast
of Characters
Tarrion
Randelle Boba
Fett Lord Tarr Ranth
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