Siri Ruane
04-27-2003, 02:09 PM
Title: A Different Kind of Bedtime Story
Author: Siri Ruane
Rating: PG- just in case
Genre: Vignette, Angst
Summary: Right before AOTC, Zam Wesell tells young Boba Fett a story which is really an analogy of her past.
“…And they lived happily ever after. The end.” 10-year-old Boba Fett finished reading.
“Well done Boba.” Zam Wessel congratulated him.
“I don’t much care for happy endings.” Boba said, closing the holo book. “They never do happen, you know.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Zam responded sounding bit surprised. The boy was so like his father at times. Then again, he wasn’t. Something in Boba was different. Even if he was an exact replica of Jango, which Zam doubted from time to time, Boba had always, in her eyes, seemed to be a bit different. He was more compassionate, understanding –she gave a small laugh- more interesting.
“I bet you know a couple good, true, stories, Zam.” Boba said thoughtfully. “I bet you know lots of them.”
The bounty hunter blushed, and didn’t hide her smile. Only this boy could make her do so. “I’m not much of a story teller, Boba.” She admitted. “Besides, your father will be home soon, and he would probably like to see you in bed.”
Zam watched Boba often when Jango, his father, went missions. Like Jango, she too was a bounty hunter, but not as advanced as he. They had worked together a few times, and respected each other’s work.
She didn’t mind at all watching Boba. During the time she had spent with him, she taught him how to read, and grew attached to him— something she had not done with anyone or anything in a very long time.
“Please, Zam. I bet you know lots.” The boy went on. “Just tell me one, please? I suppose it doesn’t have to be true, just make it sound real. Make it sound how life really is. No plot, no happy endings, just real stuff.”
“So you want me to give you the hard truth, huh?” Zam said with a smile
“Yes. I can handle it.”
“Alright,” Zam sighed. “Once, a long time ago,” She stretched out the word ‘long’. “There was a girl named, Henna.”
Boba sat up, interested.
“She lived far away. Completely on the other side of the outer-rim—”
“What did she look like?” Boba interrupted.
“Well,” Zam paused to think. She looked almost as if she were trying to remember. “Henna wasn’t human, as we are. She was something else. Something entirely different than a human. Her species had a great gift. Henna put this great gift into practice as much as possible. She learned how to control it. And use it as a tool.”
“What was the gift used for?”
“Well, as a child, she used it for fun, and foolishness. But as she matured, she didn’t take it for granted as much. Henna lived with her father, mother, and siblings—”
“How many?”
“Goodness Boba, I don’t know how I’ll be able to go on if you continue to ask me all these questions.”
“If you don’t want me to ask questions, then why don’t you fill in the blanks yourself?”
“I told you I wasn’t much of a story teller.” Zam shot back “And besides, you never let me fill them in.” The boy was like his father in many ways, she admitted, at least in the virtue of patients.
“Henna was one of eight children.” She went on. “Having only one sister who was indeed older than her, Henna became one with the boys. She attended school with them, played with them, did almost everything with them. And, like you, she had a very strong bond with her father.”
Boba smiled at that.
“She entered a military school at the age of nine—”
“What school?”
Zam glared at him, but Boba showed no fear. “The school belonged to the Mabari; the military force of the planet. Henna was a very good student; top of her class next to her older brother, Gatian. She didn’t notice it at the time, but she had close to a perfect life. Then, everything started to tumble down.”
Zam made a great pause. Her mind, drifting elsewhere. Boba waited. She must have been making it up as she went.
“First, a great sickness broke out all over the planet.” She went on, finally.
Boba opened his mouth, ready to say something.
“Fabian.” Zam said quickly, before Boba could ask. “It was called Fabian Fever. It was a very deadly disease, and to it, she lost her mother, sister, and three of her younger brothers. Mostly no one really talked much after that, and the house was empty most of the time, and Henna lost the connection she once had with her father.”
“I can’t imagine how that would feel.” Boba said quietly, staring off into the nearby corner of the small room.
Zam closed her eyes, and drew a deep breath. “Very few can.” She whispered. “During this time, Henna became very close with her brother, Gatian, whom she often envied at school.”
“What about the school? Did they leave it because of the fever? Did they go back after the fever had passed?”
“Yes and yes. They did go back. But a few years later the mines, in which Henna’s father had worked, blew. It left very few miners alive, much less willing to go back and work there. Henna’s father, whom many believed had become mentally ill over his years of mourning, cut off their scholarship to the school, and advised they come work with him, where they were needed.”
“Did they go?”
“Well, Henna’s oldest brother, Beft, didn’t. He said it was still too dangerous, and just left the planet. The rest stayed with their father though, and respected his wishes. However, in the end, Beft was right. The mines were still very dangerous. Within the first year of their being there, the mine had more trouble, and this time caved in. There were no survivors. Henna, who had gone out only to get some extra tools, came back to find not even the smallest of remains of her father, and brothers.”
Zam hesitated. Her face, twisted with feelings of all sorts.
“Crushed,” She went on, “Henna left the planet, and to this day, never returned. However, she found her place in the universe and ultimately ended up not having an ‘oh so terrible life’—”
Zam stopped, starring into the doorway where suddenly Jango stood. Boba saw his father, and stood to his feet.
“Hi Dad!”
Jango’s eyes remained on Zam for a while before he turned to his son.
“Boba, you should get to bed.” He said ruffling Boba’s hair with his big hand.
Boba nodded, then turned to Zam. “Nice story Zam, but it wasn’t anywhere near real.”
“Thanks,” She replied waving a goodbye as Boba walked off. “I’ll work on it.”
After Boba was gone, Jango motioned Zam into the kitchen.
“He didn’t need that.” Jango said sternly going over to the sink to wash up.
“What?” Zam asked annoyed. Jango always found something wrong with her work.
“That, Zam.” Jango said, pointing towards the direction Boba had gone in. “That! Boba doesn’t need that nonsense. I asked you to watch over him while I was out. Was that too much to ask?”
“That’s exactly what I did!” Zam protested. “If you’re not comfortable with the way I watch him, then have somebody else do it. I’m sure your Kaminoan friends out there would be pleased to look out for your son. After all, they do that a lot don’t they?”
“No.” Jango went on calmly “Boba is not like the rest. He is my son. And I do not trust them with my son.”
Zam laughed. “Oh, but you trust a bounty hunter?”
“Zam, you know I’d kill you in an instant if I had to.” Jango sighed in annoyance. The two did respect each other, but they didn’t always get along so well. “And yes, I do trust certain bounty hunters. But I would prefer if those bounty hunters would not fill my son’s head with meaningless fairy tales.” Jango bent his head down into the sink, and splashed his face with the soapy water.
Zam stayed silent for some time, feeling more misunderstood than embarrassed. “Who said anything about fairy tales?” She whispered.
Jango turned from the sink, and wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt. He was a bit confused by her words, but didn’t show it. He starred at her for a matter of minutes. Not saying anything. Just studying her.
He opened his mouth slightly, about to say something, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jango waited. Then a second knock came.
“Excuse me,” He said, walking past her.
Zam let out a deep breath, and went to gather her things.
She gently ran her human fingers over the cover of the holo book Boba had read out loud to her. A tear slowly fell down her cheek, which she wiped away quickly. Boba was definitely different from his father. She decided that.
She placed the book in her sack, and returned back to the kitchen.
“That was Taun We.” Jango said, making his way back into the room. “I’ve got to make a run down to the lab. Boba will be fine here.”
Zam nodded, and started for the door, but Jango stood in her path.
“I asked her keep an eye on Boba for this next mission I’ll be going on.”
Zam held back her grin, and rolled her eyes. So much for trust.
She tossed the sack over her shoulder. “Then I guess you won’t be needing me anymore,” She said with a cheerful sigh.
“Oh, I doubt that, Zam. I’ll be needing you.” Jango replied, revealing a sly smile. “This time you’re coming with me…”
The end.
Author: Siri Ruane
Rating: PG- just in case
Genre: Vignette, Angst
Summary: Right before AOTC, Zam Wesell tells young Boba Fett a story which is really an analogy of her past.
“…And they lived happily ever after. The end.” 10-year-old Boba Fett finished reading.
“Well done Boba.” Zam Wessel congratulated him.
“I don’t much care for happy endings.” Boba said, closing the holo book. “They never do happen, you know.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Zam responded sounding bit surprised. The boy was so like his father at times. Then again, he wasn’t. Something in Boba was different. Even if he was an exact replica of Jango, which Zam doubted from time to time, Boba had always, in her eyes, seemed to be a bit different. He was more compassionate, understanding –she gave a small laugh- more interesting.
“I bet you know a couple good, true, stories, Zam.” Boba said thoughtfully. “I bet you know lots of them.”
The bounty hunter blushed, and didn’t hide her smile. Only this boy could make her do so. “I’m not much of a story teller, Boba.” She admitted. “Besides, your father will be home soon, and he would probably like to see you in bed.”
Zam watched Boba often when Jango, his father, went missions. Like Jango, she too was a bounty hunter, but not as advanced as he. They had worked together a few times, and respected each other’s work.
She didn’t mind at all watching Boba. During the time she had spent with him, she taught him how to read, and grew attached to him— something she had not done with anyone or anything in a very long time.
“Please, Zam. I bet you know lots.” The boy went on. “Just tell me one, please? I suppose it doesn’t have to be true, just make it sound real. Make it sound how life really is. No plot, no happy endings, just real stuff.”
“So you want me to give you the hard truth, huh?” Zam said with a smile
“Yes. I can handle it.”
“Alright,” Zam sighed. “Once, a long time ago,” She stretched out the word ‘long’. “There was a girl named, Henna.”
Boba sat up, interested.
“She lived far away. Completely on the other side of the outer-rim—”
“What did she look like?” Boba interrupted.
“Well,” Zam paused to think. She looked almost as if she were trying to remember. “Henna wasn’t human, as we are. She was something else. Something entirely different than a human. Her species had a great gift. Henna put this great gift into practice as much as possible. She learned how to control it. And use it as a tool.”
“What was the gift used for?”
“Well, as a child, she used it for fun, and foolishness. But as she matured, she didn’t take it for granted as much. Henna lived with her father, mother, and siblings—”
“How many?”
“Goodness Boba, I don’t know how I’ll be able to go on if you continue to ask me all these questions.”
“If you don’t want me to ask questions, then why don’t you fill in the blanks yourself?”
“I told you I wasn’t much of a story teller.” Zam shot back “And besides, you never let me fill them in.” The boy was like his father in many ways, she admitted, at least in the virtue of patients.
“Henna was one of eight children.” She went on. “Having only one sister who was indeed older than her, Henna became one with the boys. She attended school with them, played with them, did almost everything with them. And, like you, she had a very strong bond with her father.”
Boba smiled at that.
“She entered a military school at the age of nine—”
“What school?”
Zam glared at him, but Boba showed no fear. “The school belonged to the Mabari; the military force of the planet. Henna was a very good student; top of her class next to her older brother, Gatian. She didn’t notice it at the time, but she had close to a perfect life. Then, everything started to tumble down.”
Zam made a great pause. Her mind, drifting elsewhere. Boba waited. She must have been making it up as she went.
“First, a great sickness broke out all over the planet.” She went on, finally.
Boba opened his mouth, ready to say something.
“Fabian.” Zam said quickly, before Boba could ask. “It was called Fabian Fever. It was a very deadly disease, and to it, she lost her mother, sister, and three of her younger brothers. Mostly no one really talked much after that, and the house was empty most of the time, and Henna lost the connection she once had with her father.”
“I can’t imagine how that would feel.” Boba said quietly, staring off into the nearby corner of the small room.
Zam closed her eyes, and drew a deep breath. “Very few can.” She whispered. “During this time, Henna became very close with her brother, Gatian, whom she often envied at school.”
“What about the school? Did they leave it because of the fever? Did they go back after the fever had passed?”
“Yes and yes. They did go back. But a few years later the mines, in which Henna’s father had worked, blew. It left very few miners alive, much less willing to go back and work there. Henna’s father, whom many believed had become mentally ill over his years of mourning, cut off their scholarship to the school, and advised they come work with him, where they were needed.”
“Did they go?”
“Well, Henna’s oldest brother, Beft, didn’t. He said it was still too dangerous, and just left the planet. The rest stayed with their father though, and respected his wishes. However, in the end, Beft was right. The mines were still very dangerous. Within the first year of their being there, the mine had more trouble, and this time caved in. There were no survivors. Henna, who had gone out only to get some extra tools, came back to find not even the smallest of remains of her father, and brothers.”
Zam hesitated. Her face, twisted with feelings of all sorts.
“Crushed,” She went on, “Henna left the planet, and to this day, never returned. However, she found her place in the universe and ultimately ended up not having an ‘oh so terrible life’—”
Zam stopped, starring into the doorway where suddenly Jango stood. Boba saw his father, and stood to his feet.
“Hi Dad!”
Jango’s eyes remained on Zam for a while before he turned to his son.
“Boba, you should get to bed.” He said ruffling Boba’s hair with his big hand.
Boba nodded, then turned to Zam. “Nice story Zam, but it wasn’t anywhere near real.”
“Thanks,” She replied waving a goodbye as Boba walked off. “I’ll work on it.”
After Boba was gone, Jango motioned Zam into the kitchen.
“He didn’t need that.” Jango said sternly going over to the sink to wash up.
“What?” Zam asked annoyed. Jango always found something wrong with her work.
“That, Zam.” Jango said, pointing towards the direction Boba had gone in. “That! Boba doesn’t need that nonsense. I asked you to watch over him while I was out. Was that too much to ask?”
“That’s exactly what I did!” Zam protested. “If you’re not comfortable with the way I watch him, then have somebody else do it. I’m sure your Kaminoan friends out there would be pleased to look out for your son. After all, they do that a lot don’t they?”
“No.” Jango went on calmly “Boba is not like the rest. He is my son. And I do not trust them with my son.”
Zam laughed. “Oh, but you trust a bounty hunter?”
“Zam, you know I’d kill you in an instant if I had to.” Jango sighed in annoyance. The two did respect each other, but they didn’t always get along so well. “And yes, I do trust certain bounty hunters. But I would prefer if those bounty hunters would not fill my son’s head with meaningless fairy tales.” Jango bent his head down into the sink, and splashed his face with the soapy water.
Zam stayed silent for some time, feeling more misunderstood than embarrassed. “Who said anything about fairy tales?” She whispered.
Jango turned from the sink, and wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt. He was a bit confused by her words, but didn’t show it. He starred at her for a matter of minutes. Not saying anything. Just studying her.
He opened his mouth slightly, about to say something, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jango waited. Then a second knock came.
“Excuse me,” He said, walking past her.
Zam let out a deep breath, and went to gather her things.
She gently ran her human fingers over the cover of the holo book Boba had read out loud to her. A tear slowly fell down her cheek, which she wiped away quickly. Boba was definitely different from his father. She decided that.
She placed the book in her sack, and returned back to the kitchen.
“That was Taun We.” Jango said, making his way back into the room. “I’ve got to make a run down to the lab. Boba will be fine here.”
Zam nodded, and started for the door, but Jango stood in her path.
“I asked her keep an eye on Boba for this next mission I’ll be going on.”
Zam held back her grin, and rolled her eyes. So much for trust.
She tossed the sack over her shoulder. “Then I guess you won’t be needing me anymore,” She said with a cheerful sigh.
“Oh, I doubt that, Zam. I’ll be needing you.” Jango replied, revealing a sly smile. “This time you’re coming with me…”
The end.