In honor of the fortieth anniversary of A New Hope, more than forty contributors lend their vision to this retelling of Star Wars. Each of the forty short stories reimagines a moment from the original film, but through the eyes of a supporting character—including Captain Antilles, Aunt Beru, Biggs Darklighter, and more! From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors, trendsetting artists, and treasured voices from the literary history of Star Wars. Available now from Del Rey.
Below, we’re pleased to share a preview of “The Luckless Rodian” by Renee Ahdieh, about a mercenary’s last bounty…
“The Luckless Rodian”
Today would be the day. Greedo had known it last night as he’d watched the binary sunset sink along the hazy horizon of Tatooine.
After many long years, justice would finally be served upon Han Solo.
The Rodian bounty hunter sensed something ignite deep within his chest and catch flame. Some long-denied satisfaction. Today Greedo planned to put that arrogant Corellian scum back in the cesspit where he belonged.
His dark eyes narrowed against a gust of billowing sand as he trudged through the winding streets of Mos Eisley, toward a familiar cantina. A smile nearly curled up his green lips when the arched entrance came into view. As luck would have it, his quarry had been sighted just yesterday, seeking business in the very same place Greedo often transacted his own deals. Of course, the two kinds of deals in question differed wildly. The cowardly Corellian was a mere smuggler, whereas Greedo dealt in a variety of death. He’d even begun taking bounties from the greatest crime lord of the Outer Rim, and Jabba the Hutt was known to be particular when it came to his associations. Save for the cowardly Han Solo, of course.
Greedo sneered at the group of hooded Jawas crouched outside the cantina door. He would never understand what Uncelta had found so appealing in Solo all those years ago. The smuggler had always been a worthless excuse for a man, while Uncelta had been everything Greedo had cherished in a woman.
Such a waste.
Kicking aside the nearest Jawa as he passed, Greedo strode through the entrance, careful not to make eye contact with anyone present. His gaze remained fixed on the bar in the dusty center of Chalmun’s Cantina. Thankfully the band was playing a less noxious strain of music than usual. There was only so much he could stand from these particular Bith, especially without the solace of several drinks in his stomach.
Even still, it was a fitting backdrop. Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes’ tuneless strains set alongside an occasional brawl. For as long as he could remember, Mos Eisley spaceport had been a beacon for the art of the underworld. It was the same underworld of Greedo’s childhood, when he’d been brought from Rodia to live on Tatooine. As luck would have it today, his quarry had chosen to take up temporary residence on one of Greedo’s homeworlds.
Today would be the day.
From the book STAR WARS: FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW. Copyright © 2017 by Lucasfilm Ltd. Reprinted by arrangement with Del Rey Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.
