New Threat by Elizabeth Hand Page B

snarled, lashing at him with one long, pointed talon. Boba’s hand fumbled for his blaster. He grabbed the weapon and was just raising it to fire, when the dinko
abruptly faded.
    Going, going…gone.
    “Hey—!”
    Boba blinked, trying to find whatever the shapeshifter had become. And saw a giant fefze beetle, the same color as the walls. It crawled through the toxic Xabar fungus. Then it scuttled into the
shadows.
    “No!” Boba shouted and lunged after the escaping insect. But he could barely see it in the darkness. Desperately he took aim with his blaster.
    No, wait
—Boba shook his head.
That’s what he wants! If I fire, I’ll alert everyone in the fortress—assuming there’s someone here!
    He shoved his weapon back onto his belt. He could just make out the beetle skittering down the tunnel. Boba took a step back, then took a running leap. As he flew through the air he leaned
forward, keeping the black shape in sight.
    Uuumph!
    With a grunt Boba fell. The slimy floor beneath him shuddered. His hand grasped at darkness for the beetle—
    And got it!
    “You’re not going anywhere!”
    This time Boba kept a firm hold on the slick scales. Moments later he was grappling with the full-grown Clawdite.
    “Don’t forget, I have this,” Boba hissed. His vibroshiv suddenly hovered inches above Nuri’s neck. He felt the shapeshifter slump in defeat.
    “That’s better.” Boba stared coldly at Nuri. The Clawdite glared back at him. “Now—I need an answer. Fast. Where is Wat Tambor?”
    Nuri bared his teeth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Boba drew the vibroshiv to within a hairbreadth of Nuri’s flesh. “Do you want to feel how much closer this can get?” he whispered menacingly. “I know who you are, Nuri. I
know you helped the Techno Union spring Wat Tambor from prison. Now I want to know—where is he?”
    The Clawdite hissed. Its evil eyes glittered. It stared at Boba’s vibroshiv. Then it drew a long shuddering breath.
    “That way—” Nuri’s head twitched, indicating the passage leading down. “The central chamber. He’s there.”
    “Is he well-guarded?”
    Nuri’s eyes fixed on Boba. The vibroshiv hummed above the Clawdite’s neck.
    “No,” said the shapeshifter reluctantly. “He sent the last of his droid forces to join battle with the Republic. But Grievous is coming—and he will bring
reinforcements.”
    “Grievous?” Boba frowned. “Who’s that?”
    “The General.” The Clawdite stared at him with hatred. A slow, nasty smile spread across his face. “Whoever you are, I can see that you are working alone. The Republic will not
come to your aid. You will meet General Grievous soon enough, stranger—and when you do, he will destroy you!”

CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
    Boba snarled in rage. “Those were your last words, Clawdite!”
    He began to press the vibroshiv against the shapeshifter’s jugular vein. Then he stopped.
    If Nuri’s body is found, Wat Tambor will know there’s an intruder inside his fortress. But if I let him go, he’ll sound the alert….
    Boba looked around the dim tunnel. His gaze lit on a clump of the paralyzing Xabar fungus.
    That’s it!
    He began to drag the Clawdite toward the fungus. Nuri fought furiously. But Boba was stronger.
    “I’ve been really curious about how this stuff works,” he said. He pinned the Clawdite to the ground, then grabbed the shapeshifter’s arm. “Now I can find
out.”
    Nuri struggled as Boba pushed his arm down. Sensing prey, the Xabar’s tentacles reached upward, wriggling in anticipation.
    Closer…closer…
    The Clawdite’s hand hung above fungus. Then, like pale, grasping fingers, the tentacles grabbed him.
    “Unnnhhh…!”
    Abruptly the Clawdite went slack. He hung, dead weight, from Boba’s hands. Boba recoiled, worried that the toxin might somehow reach him.
    “Nuri?” he said in a low voice. “Nuri?”
    The Clawdite sprawled before him. He looked dead. He had no pulse. He was not