Марта Уэллс - From a Certain Point of View

“Probably more are set to arrive,” I say. “Don’t you think?”

“I hope not, for your sake and the sake of everyone on Cloud City,” Recnelo says with a heavy ominous tone.

As we wait for the turbolift to transport us to our respective levels, a giant hologram of the city’s baron administrator, Lando Calrissian, materializes. When I was young I heard all about Lando’s great adventures. I loved how he always wore amazing capes. He was so flashy and charismatic. But Lando turned out to be like every other politician out there, full of empty promises and a seductive smile.

At least as a bounty hunter you’re stripped of useless pretensions. A bounty hunter has a job to do and gets it done no matter what. No messy feelings to trip a person. I just need to make the final right connection to fulfill my dream.

I press Level 142. Recnelo shakes her head.

“If I were you I would stay clear of Elad Zhalto.”

“You have to be in it to win it,” I say. “Besides, Elad is just another rung on the ladder.”

Recnelo continues to pass judgment. She believes in hard work with people you trust. But my people no longer live in Cloud City. Both my parents work in the educational centers on Chandrila. They want nothing to do with my “misguided” lifestyle, especially when they raised me to help and not hurt. They were active in the Cloud City community, bought into Lando’s promises until it was obvious that educators only got in the way of business. Who wants to learn when there’s money to be had? So I pivoted and started studying hunters, learned how to fight, worked my way up the ranks, all to the disgrace of my parents. When they left I stayed behind. But I don’t bother reminding Recnelo of this history. We’ve been through this plenty of times. Thankfully we land on Level 142.

“That comlink broadcast you listen to all night is not the way to go. It’s best to keep your nose and footing close to the ground. Or have the beldons scrambled your brain?” she says before the door closes behind me. Recnelo is wrong. Cobbling together clues of galactic stirrings off the broadcast is my only way of finding out what’s happening. I can’t let Recnelo confuse me. My luck is about to change. I can feel it. It’s just a matter of time. I press on.

Elad Zhalto is the owner of the Azure Den, an underground gambling spot. Those invited are longtime players. It’s rare to see a new face in the midst. A Duros, Elad is a power player with fingerprints on every Cloud City surface. More important, he’s friends with all the real bounty hunters.

I nod to the guard at the entrance and head in. The last of the sabacc players are finishing up from the looks of how smoky the room is and the many empty drinks.

“How much longer?” I ask.

“As long as it takes,” the guard says, annoyed, and leaves me to fend for myself.

I locate Elad, who is immersed in how the cards will shake out for his guests. And that’s when I notice him, a shadowy presence in the corner of the room. My heart races. There’s one bounty hunter I’ve been obsessively studying for the past couple of years. He was raised on Kamino and trained by Aurra Sing. He wears customized Mandalorian armor. Now, that’s true style. And here he is.

Boba Fett.

I can’t believe it. The most notorious killer is here and he’s only a few feet away from me. Funny—he’s a lot shorter than I imagined. Never mind that. This is my chance. Boba Fett must be here to take something, or someone, down. If I can be of service to him, prove my skills somehow, my whole life could change. He’ll invite me to be part of his crew. I know it!

Elad speaks to him but Boba Fett doesn’t move. He’s as still as the rocky Agamar terrain. I need an introduction but I can’t interrupt or Elad will shut me out completely. Timing is everything. But when?

“Should I deal you in?”

Joy Iya shuffles the cards at a corner table away from the real sabacc action. It’s been a couple of months since I last saw her. She looks good, but then Joy always looks good. Joy is the only person on Cloud City my age who can cause me to stumble over my words. It must be those piercing dark-brown eyes. Even when she’s smiling at you Joy is somehow sizing you up, checking to see where exactly you land. It’s not to say we’ve had many exchanges. The two conversations consisted of me barely able to ask for a drink while she served at the Yarith. Hadn’t heard about her working for Elad. I guess we’re both trying to climb that ladder.

“I’m not playing,” I say, but I walk over to her anyway. My eyes are still locked on Boba Fett.

“It sure looks like you’re playing a game,” she says, nodding in the bounty hunter’s direction. Always with that smile. “No one is coming to my table but if you play a couple of rounds, people will venture. Then the bossman Elad will stop hovering over me wondering if I should be placed back behind the bar dishing out watered-down drinks.”

She deals me in. Before I can tell her I have nothing of value to gamble she pulls out a couple of credit ingots and places them in front of me.

“Never pegged you for an Azure Den worker,” I say as I pretend to look at my hand.

“Sometimes you go where you’re needed,” Joy says. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

Why would Joy Iya want to talk to me? I just always assumed she considered me a bit of a nobody.

“Me?” I ask foolishly, and I regret it as soon as I say it. A bounty hunter would be more self-assured. I bet Boba Fett never ends a statement with a question mark.

“I see you around. Scrambling for gigs here and there,” Joy says. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

She’s been watching me? Joy Iya? I try to hold her intense stare for as long as I can. One or two or hundreds of heartbeats pass, and I forget what I’m meant to be doing.

“Do you hold the key to salvation or something?” I don’t know why I said it but there it is, my words floating in front of me like a confused solitary beldon.

“I’ve got a proposition for you,” she says. But before Joy can go on, Elad’s guard nudges me.

“Sorry,” I say.

I follow the guard as he escorts me back to Elad’s office. I take a deep breath and steady myself for what I hope is my first concrete interaction with Boba Fett. I’ve been working on Elad to introduce me to the top hunters out there. There is no one above Boba Fett.

Elad sits behind his large desk with his favorite droid, 3-76, by his side, but Boba Fett is nowhere to be found. Kriffing idiot. I messed up. I should have just headed straight to Boba Fett when I first saw him. A real opportunity squashed because of Joy’s beautiful eyes. I need to get back on track.

“Good work on the little job,” Elad says. The “little job” was roughing up a Gamorrean who owed Elad money. A simple enough task that still left me with two new scars above my eye.

“Up for another task? Tonight, a quick visit to Na’Tala. She decided she no longer works at Azure,” he says. “Heard she’s been complaining about me and how I conduct my business. I can’t have that.”

A quick visit means convincing Na’Tala to return to Azure, and if she doesn’t, then I need to show her why.

“What about what I want?” I ask.

“Right! Too bad. You just missed him. He’ll be back,” Elad says. “So, about Na’Tala…”

“You promised me an introduction to Boba Fett,” I say. “Our deal had nothing to do with Na’Tala.”

“Now, how will I look if I allow you to meet Boba Fett wearing that?” He points to my weak attire. “You want to be taken seriously, don’t you?”

I get up. He’s not going to help me. Forget Elad. I don’t need him. I’ll figure it out myself.