Ask Coruscant Tainted Bread Crumbs

[Alexander Xerxes]

Alexander sat behind his desk, the sun was slowly setting behind casting an orange glow throughout the room. Soon the glass would begin to tint so as to not blind the Hynestian Senator as he continued working late into the evening. The final straight towards the election was nearlly upon him, meetings had been conducted with the most influential Senators available. The Centrist faction was drumming support within the back benches of the Senate, it seemed he had the edge in the running. But until the ballot was case he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure.

However even with the election not one hundred percent in his favour, he had to proceed as if it was. The next motions in his plan to reform the Republic into something greater, needed to begin in ernest otherwise it may fall flat within the first few months of his term.

The greatest hangover from Emil Ro’s term, which wasn’t an angry Sith Lord was the unfortunate demise of the man himself. Still so long after his death nothing seemed to have come of the investigation. It seemed the capabilities of the local law enforcement and the Sector Rangers was meagre at best. When he first arrived on Coruscant it saw it as a tragedy his killers hadn’t been brought to justice. Now it was an opportunity, an opportunity for Alexander to decide who had killed Emil Ro.

“Senator Xerxes, Lieutenant Emblai has arrived.” The voice of his secretary called over the comm. Pressing the button on the side of the desk Alexander responded. “Please send her in.” Releasing the button on his desk Alexander pulled out his holo and sent a quick message.

- Leave Now -

Before placing it back on his inside pocket. A quick swipe of his hand closed down all the windows so the Lieutenant couldn’t see any confidential items he was working on.

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Her sector being the core, Bast was practically anticipating a call to investigate Senator Emil Ro’s death as soon as she had heard of the tragedy on the holonews. Therefore, she was surprised that for several weeks, her duties were simply the usual. Investigating crime was the Lieutenant’s specialty, so part of her wondered if something was being hushed up, hidden. Just as she was finally about to attempt to put the whole situation out of her mind, Senator Xerxes called her in. As a ranger, she was obligated to serve the New Republic, but she would have taken up the job in a heartbeat nonetheless.

Bast opened her speeder door, still deep in thought. Why her, and more importantly, why now? What was the political motivation? The trail would be colder than Hoth. Still, Rangers were spread thin, no longer got first access to the top profile cases. She should be grateful for the opportunity at all.

Approaching the individual who Bast could only assume was Xerxes’s attendent, she introduced herself. “Lieutenant Emblai. Would you be willing to show me to Senator Alexander Xerxes?” He called up, then nodded at the Corellian. Several halls and one lift ride later, she knocked firmly on the senators door, then entered. Extending a hand, she continued with formality. “How can I help you sir?”

@Braden

 

[Alexander Xerxes]

He turned at the sound of the knocking, moving around the desk he headed to the door and was able to meet the Lieutenant about halfway across the cavernous room. Shaking her hand he gave her a warm smile before pointing to a set of chairs around a table near the middle of the room. “Please Lieutenant sit.” Moving round to his own chair, he took a seat, but instead of sitting back and crossing his legs as he would with Senators and businessmen, he instead lent forward his elbows resting on knees.

“I can assume you have an idea why I am calling you here. Chancellor Ro’s death is something that still hangs heavy over the entire New Republic. The fact we have still not found his killer is a blight on both the Republic Security Forces and if I may say, the Sector Rangers as well.”

Reaching forward he pressed a button on the table and a holo panel appeared, lines of documents began to appear. “I did not get the chance to meet the Chancellor, however I have the pleasure of meeting many people affected by him and his passing. Hynestia has some great detectives, so with the blessing of my brother the King. I was able to use some of their knowledge to pull up some leads. Most of them point to random killers, nothing of real use.” He began flicking parts of the holo away as they went through names and photos. “However this man, he has turned up more than once. Problem is Lieutenant, my people do not have jurisdiction here on Coruscant. So I need your help.”

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

The man’s handshake was firm and warm, instilling a sense of confidence. His smile seemed genuine and winning, and the Corellian saw easily how Alexander Xerxes had become a successful politician. If he was hiding a black heart or slimy deals, they were far below the surface, invisible from even the trained eyes of an age-worn skeptic. Bast took her seat, feeling rather small under the high and looming ceiling.

The Senator sat opposite her. While she sat straight and stiff, he assumed a leaning position, clearly more at ease than she was, or perhaps simply too deep in thought. Alternativel, seating etiquette was different among the senators. Hoping the more relaxed posture would expedite the conversation, the Lieutenant mirrored her host’s body language, crossing her legs and tilting her head slightly. Surely it would not be considered unprofessional if he had set the example, right?

Indeed, though whether or not the more informal atmosphere helped, the conversation quickly drew to a point. At the man’s comment about the Sector Rangers, the Lieutenant’s face shifted almost imperceptibly. Did he think she was in charge? Perhaps she should try to convince him to bring it up in the senate. The Chief of the Rangers was not well loved. Nevertheless, hearing of her force’s failure stung. Mercifully, the discussion quickly took another turn as the Senator drew up dozens of documents on a holoscreen. Pictures and names flashed by, none of which Bast recognized, meaning they were all likely independent criminals, if criminal at all. It did strike her as odd, however, that Senator Xerxes initiated her investigation despite no direct connection to the deceased. “Excuse me asking so, but what prompted you to contact me?” The answer held little importance to her, but she was curious. At the mention of a repeat suspect, her curiosity grew. That was something she could work with.

“Coruscant is in my jurisdiction. I can access the law enforcement database there, but I need some more specifics.”

@Braden

 

[Alexander Xerxes]

“Simply Lieutenant Emblai, I needed someone with Jurisdiction over Coruscant. Your name was first on the list, if it had been someone else, they would be here instead.” He said matter of factly, he didn’t need to rely on his charms or honeyed words. This woman was a Sector Ranger, if she had any integrity in her role she would jump on this without him needing to push.

“Here.” He said pushing the holo forward allowing her a closer look and to download it to her own personal comm unit if she wanted. “A Duros by the name of Caazer Jalt. Has spent most of his life in the Outer Rim, but moved to the core a little over four months ago. Roughly a week before Chancellor Ro’s death. Since then he has been doing small jobs, mostly light grunt work. Been arrested a few times but nothing more than a night in jail it seems.”

Leaning back he continued. “He was spotted visiting the area around Chancellor Ro’s office a number of times before the murder and was spotted on camers around thirty minutes before.”

“All I can say is Lieutenant Emblai, that is our only lead. I hope my trust in the Sector Rangers is not misplaced.”

 

[Bast Emblai]

Bast took no offense to the man’s bluntness. What he said was entirely true, and the fact that he did not attempt to win her over or lie secured her confidence in him. That place at the top of the list had been hard earned and they both knew it. The Lieutenant merely gave a tired shrug in response to his explanation, accompanied by a nod. “I assure you that you will not be disappointed, sir.”

The Senator pulled up a mugshot on the holo, which Bast captured with her datapad. The figure gazed at her, the blue visage flickering slightly and the red eyes piercing. The Corellian woman stared intently back, scrutinizing Caazer Jalt’s features. Apparently satisfied, she submitted the image to the facial recognition databases on Coruscant, Corellia, and Tython. Any hits would come back within a few standard hours. That and the crime scene itself would likely be the most fruitful lines of pursuit.

Xerxes’s description of the criminal intrigued Bast. In her experience, it was uncommon for scoundrels to graduate directly from petty theft to high-profile murder. Then again, the galaxy was full of surprises. The most logical assumption, and the one she would investigate first, was whether Jalt had any ties with any larger organization. Local gangs and business syndicates alike hired nobodies from off the street to do dirty work. Generally the nobodies were promised advancement and some credits. It was entirely possible something similar had happened with the Duros.

”I do agree that his behavior arouses suspicion. Sudden migration and proximity certainly paint his situation in an unflattering light. Your information has been most helpful and I appreciate your time and dedication to justice, Senator.”

@Braden

 

[Alexander Xerxes]

“Please, you have no need to thank me. I only request that you catch this man and find out who ordered Chancellor Ro’s assassination.” Alexander replied before standing up and holding out his hand for her to shake. “One of my agents (@LouJoVi) has a lead down on floor eighty six, his details are in the pack you just uploaded. I would advise you to meet with him, he has the latest on the location of Mr Jalt.”

Alexander slowly walked towards the door, ushering the Lieutenant out. This was the end of the meeting and his part in this story, it was now down to Wilhelm, his first real test as Alexander’s apprentice. If he could guide Bast down the correct avenues then the ‘target’ would lead them to Alexander's preferred enemy for the Republic in the years to come. The key to the continued armament and strengthening of the New Republic, his path to dominance in the galaxy.

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Already the meeting appeared to be over. Bast rose after the Senator, smoothing her shirt as he stood. It was good to see new blood with such a concern for upholding democracy and righting wrongs. Bast shook his hand firmly and once more pledged to find the man responsible for the death of Emil Ro.

The Lieutenant stepped outside the door, then paused. It had all seemed a bit rushed, which left the Lieutenant slightly on edge. Typically, there was no hurry— after all, the crime had been done. Careful and thorough analysis were what was necessary. Equally true was the fact that the case was politically sensitive. A power vacuum had been created and justice was being demanded by the people. If she was involved as a Ranger representative and the case moved too slowly for the public’s liking, trust in the organization, even in democracy itself would be lost. She sighed. The thrill of the case had once been exhilarating. Now she was developing scruples about something as superfluous as strange timing. It was wise to be alert, but not paranoid, so Bast put her thoughts aside. After all, they did not pay her for those. She was being too critical. Pulling up the information on Xerxes’s agent, she headed for the elevator.

——

Several flights of stairs and one taxi ride later, Bast arrived at the meeting location, squinting at her datapad to verify the coordinates. Correct place confirmed, she looked up to find the assistant who held the next key to the case.

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

It had been three months since he had left Eriadu and joined the Republic Naval Academy. During all this time, Wilhelm had been trying to get used to his new life. While what he learned and studied in the Academy was similar to what he saw in the Sith Academy, the Acolyte still had some problems with the individuals that antagonized him because of his surname. Making allies was more difficult here.

However, he seemed to already have an ally in a high position, or at least his Master had: Senator Alexander Xerxes. Thanks to a letter of recommendation from the Senator that he was able to attend the Academy. Now, the same politician had appointed him to help a Sector Ranger to find the responsibles for the death of Chancellor Emil Ro.

When he told his Master about it, the Champion said to him that it was of great importance that he certified that the Ranger would follow the trail properly and would find the responsibles for the assassination. The older Sith didn’t give him many details about why he should do it, only that it was important. Being a good apprentice, Wilhelm didn’t ask any questions and accepted this mission.

Now, he was waiting for the arrival of the Ranger in a meeting place that was specified by Senator Xerxes. He had arrived here early, but soon the Ranger was there. By the information that he received, she was called Bast Emblai.

“Ranger Emblai, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” he offered a hand for her to shake. “My name is Wilhelm Tarkin and I’m a cadet at the Republic Naval Academy.” the Acolyte watched her reaction to his name carefully. He wondered how she would react to his surname. “I’m here to help with the investigation.”

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Indeed a man awaited Bast, looking quite solemn. Accepting his handshake, she gave him a gentle smile, slightly taken aback by his age. The Lieutenant was far from an expert with children, but he seemed to be somewhere around sixteen or seventeen. Damn early to enlist. Naturally, her own journey had hardly been different. Ambition flowed thick through the veins of the young. Wilhelm’s surname sounded vaguely familiar, though she could not quite place it. Perhaps it had been some figure of political history. It mattered little to the Corellian.

Briefly, Bast wondered how Senator Xerxes had obtained an assistant form the Republic Naval Academy. Surely there was some junior senators program, but it seemed odd that assisting with solving murders was part of the curriculum. The peculiarity of the situation intrigued her, at least more that the likely and boring case that Wilhelm was simply looking for a job to rake in some credits and the Senator had no moral qualms about involving boy in a murder. Shaking her head slightly at the thought, the woman refocused.

”Lovely to meet you, too, Wilhelm. I hear you know about a certain Mr. Jalt?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

While Wilhelm shook the Ranger’s hand, he started to analyze her behavior. The first thing that he noticed was that the woman didn’t seem to be affected by the mention of his surname. This brought some relief to the boy. He already dealt with a bunch of people antagonizing him at the Academy because of being a Tarkin, he didn’t want to have to pass through it while helping with an investigation.

The other thing that he noticed was that the Ranger shook her head slightly. He wondered what she was thinking to make her react this way. The Acolyte wondered if she had some problems with attention or used to get lost in thought constantly. He would guard any detail about her. Who knows if it could be useful in the future.

“Yes, ma’am. Since Senator Xerxes said that I was going to help you with the investigation, I had started to gather information about him.” he said, before picking his Datapad. After tapping fast on it, Wilhelm opened the files that he had made about Jalt. Then, he passed it for the Ranger to see.

“I discovered where he lives and who are the people that he interacts with. Some contacts in the underground said that he had received a good sum of credits from the Five Syndicates to do something as soon as he arrived in Coruscant, some months ago.” while it was true, Wilhelm had no idea if it was for him to kill Emil Ro. He would need to make the woman believe that it was what happened.

“He lives in an old apartment in the lower levels of the planet. Perhaps we should go there to pay him a visit.” Wilhelm had already visited the place some early, to settle what was going to happen next. However, for it to work, the Ranger needed to be the one discovering the things.

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Bast noticed the young man intently watching her. His observance did him credit, and would likely make him quite useful in the whole endeavor. Or at least to the extent I’m which she would involve him. It would hardly be suitable for a Ranger with over a decade of experience to rely on someone who had only been alive as long as she had been working. It was simply lazy to make another do the work for her, not to mention bad form. Therefore, she decided firmly that while he was her guide, any graphic reports or visits to the mortuary would be hers alone. Something told her Wilhelm was far from childhood innocence, but nevertheless, she would not let it’s loss be pinned on herself.

The cadet’s fingers flew over his datapad, pulling up file upon file regarding their suspect. Impressed, the lieutenant took the device. “You have done good work here. It really is too bad the Academy got to you before the Ranger recruiters.” Although her last sentiment was mostly joking, there was pride to be heard in her voice.

The alleged ‘good sum’ of credits was quite incriminating within itself. After a good deal of mulling the information over, she raised her head. “Do you know what bank he uses?”, she inquired. The exact amount would be helpful, as would the date of deposit. There was always the chance that with a warrant and some string-pulling, she might be able to find something of use. “I would like to make sure we have all of our potential evidence lined up nicely. That can, however, wait. Warrants typically take at least several hours to process and get approved. Meanwhile, a visit sounds like a splendid idea. Would you lead the way?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

”Thank you, Ms. Emblai. Perhaps I could have joined the Rangers if I didn’t see the Naval Academy first. I admire the work that you and the others do to protect the Galaxy from crime and the Sith.” to be honest, he considered that the Rangers were an incopetent group. If they really did their job well, Emil Ro would not have been assassinated. They need some reforms immediately. Of course, he wasn’t going to say it to the woman in front of him.

“He has accounts in several banks. One in Aargau and another one in Muunilinst.” Wilhelm said, while moving his finger through the screen of the Datapad to open a file where this part of his search was. This one had been more difficult to obtain, needing him to use money and the Force to discreetly convince the Muuns to help find it.

“Of course, I’ll send all that I found in my investigation to you. This way you can prepare to make a warrant.” this would be helpful to make them have access to Jalt’s bank accounts. There, she would find the money that the criminal received from the Syndicates. All of them could be traced to planets under their control.

Doing what Bast had asked, Wilhelm led her to the apartment where Jalt lived. They would take a cab in a nearby top and go toward the level where it was. During this brief trip, the Acolyte decided to make some conversation with the Ranger. After all, making allies were always good.

“Ms. Emblai, how is your life as a Ranger? I read many things about what they do and how they help the society, but I wanted to know the experiences directly from one of its members. I think that there is much that you can teach me, even if I want to follow a path in the Navy.” even if he was a critic of the group, Wilhem still believed that there were things that he could learn with them.

Their trip wouldn’t be long. They would soon arrive at one of the seedy levels of Coruscant, with the cab stopping in front of an equally seedy building. “We arrived. Jalt’s apartment is in the third floor, number 42.” the boy said, before leaving the vehicle.

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Bast’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at the ease and swiftness with which Wilhelm seemed to be able to procure information. She had been looking for a suggestion or even just a name of a branch, if she was lucky. Instead the kid had done most of the tedious paperwork for her. Not that she was complaining. The lieutenant quickly typed up a warrant draft, detailing the circumstances and her exact request: access to deposit records in both accounts from the last six standard months. Signing the document, she sent it in to be verified.

“Oh— and please feel free to call me Bast. As long as you will not cause me any trouble, I will not be required to remind you of my formal station.” A small smirk played on the woman‘s lips. For months after the Sith base invasion, she had been exhausted, too tired and too worn to feel anything but contempt. Sometimes, she still just sat with Blue and watched the holonews, tired of the galaxy she lived in. But perhaps things were finally returning to equilibrium. The thrill of the chase was no longer any draw, it was the thrill of the catch. Flashy shootouts, still-warm bodies, late nights undercover— they were no longer her joys, but they seemed to be Wilhelm‘s. She would bet fifty credits that he would not only be a good assistant, but also a valuable companion. Not that she would ever gamble, of course.

A cab pulled up and, careful to avoid stepping in the ditch, Bast followed Wilhelm in. Content gazing put the window and people-watching, the woman sat silently for a few moments before responding to his question. “Life as a Ranger is both a blessing and a curse.” She paused, then reconstructed her sentence with less melodrama.

“The Sector Rangers never had a particularly strong central control. We were nomads and protectors, detectives and gunslingers. The only uniting factor was a badge and a few months training. I originally came from CorSec, but was forced to transfer after… and injury I sustained.

Suddenly I found myself in a thriving institution devoid of political ties and factions. Somehow, a man who refused to take his helmet off because of tradition and a man who obtained most of his information from sleeping around with or buying drinks for criminals were working together with me, a still fresh woman who had never been outside a city. Sith bases were destroyed, pirates and criminals brought to justice, and while it was by no means perfect, adaptability and drive brought the Rangers power and publicity.

You may have noticed there are no longer as many Rangers as there once were. The two great men I mentioned are both dead. It is not a job one typically retires from, I am am the lucky one, or unlucky one, who still lives to see its fall from grace. Control over the Rangers and legislation rose into focus, and while not inherently bad things themselves, the people were left to tangle with bureaucracy and injustice.

While the best times in my life were with the Rangers, so were the worst. Nevertheless, I would not say I regret my choice. Resilience is hard-won. I learned that.“

Beautiful, cruel ignorance to anything else had kept her loyal. Her job was the only thing she had ever known. Bast hoped her genuine vulnerability would give the boy something to learn from. She might not be a great mentor figure, but she was something.

The apartment complex appeared around a hazy corner and the team disembarked. Still finishing a thought, Bast continued. “If you ever need advice though, let me know” and with that she started up the stairs to the third floor.

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

”Of course, Bast.” a smile formed at Wilhelm’s lips. For the woman, it would look like the boy was simply being polite. However, this apparently innocent smile hides the Acolyte’s satisfaction for being able to slowly win the Ranger’s trust. “You can call me Wil if you want. My friends at the Academy call me this way.” as his Master had advised him, the boy had started to make friends here. They could be useful allies in the future.

When the Ranger started to talk about her life as a Ranger, Wilhelm paid close attention to it. The boy thought that the idea of such organization like the Rangers not having a central government was stupid. This was the reason why they were incopetent most of the time. Without a central authority to control them, they would never be able to help the Galaxy properly. It was better if they stayed this way, it would be very good for the Sith.

While he had wanted to know more about the Sector Rangers, Wilhelm started to feel bored when Bast started to give too many details about her life as one of them. He didn’t care for what she used to do with her dead partners. He only paid attention again to what she was saying when the woman mentioned that there were few Rangers nowadays. Now it was something useful.

The boy mentally thanked the heavens for having arrived at the building. Only this way for her to stop talking. “I’ll, Bast. Thanks for sharing your experiences with me.” Wilhelm said, still maintaining his polite facade. Then, he followed her through the stairs.

Once they arrived in front of the number 42, Wilhelm turned to look at the Ranger. He would wait for her to open the door. According to his search, Jalt was out of his apartment for some days doing some job for the Syndicates in even lower levels of the planet. When she opens the door, Bast would only find an empty place with some more incriminatory clues.

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

No. 42 was an average looking place, at least from the outside. Bast knocked firmly on the door. There was a pause, during which she stepped back and examined the door. A package sat outside and to the left, but there was no telling how long it had been there. The complex seemed well enough cared for, especially compared to most lower level places, so no dust or grime obviously coated any surface.

Bast knocked once more, this time mostly out of principle. “Sector Rangers, we would like to talk.” Then she pulled on her gloves and crouched to retrieve the package. A receipt gave the tracking number as 070473. If he were home, he would have likely answered the door after the first knock assuming it was his package that had arrived. By no means a fool-proof deduction, but nonetheless a reasonable one. “Can you see where this package came from, Wil?” After another minute, the woman sighed and took out a spike to insert into the keypad. Darmus’s design. The keypad flashed green and the heavy door slid open. “And here, put on a pair of gloves if you plan to touch anything”.

Directly across the room, a transparent wall looked out onto a busy intersection, speeders flashing by in all directions. A kitchenette was closest. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink. A quick whiff indicated that they were at least several days old. A datapad lay on the counter. Tasking Wilhelm with photographing the room, the Lieutenant opened the datapad. Password protected. Sighing, she moved on. A cramped hall led to a single bathroom and bedroom. The bed was made, corners tucked in the military style. The woman made a mental not to ask about Jalt’s history. Assassins and syndicate members more often than not had some sort of formal training.

Carefully, Bast slid open the top drawer of the nightstand. A blaster rifle lay inside along a holo-disk. A simple flick of the switch revealed what appeared to be a juvenile rodian. Well that was interesting. “Any kids of his on file, Wilhelm? Legitimate or illegetimate? I don’t imagine he has a local weapons license either.”

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

Wilhelm watched Bast knock on the door of the apartment. As he had expected, there was no answer. Jalt was doing something else for the Syndicates and the place was empty. Of course, he wasn’t going to reveal this detail to the woman. They needed to enter here first rather than going after the criminal.

After another knock at the door with the same fruitless result, Bast picked a pair of gloves and prepared to open it. She also noticed the package that was left here. “I’ll see it immediately.” Wilhelm said, after the Ranger asked him to investigate where it came from. He knew very well what it was, after all he had followed the transportation of this package from the Outer Rim to here.

“Apparently it came from Ylesia, who sent it is unknown.” he turned to look at the box. Wilhelm knew that who sent it were the Syndicates and it was full of deactivated bombs that Jalt would be able to use during his next messions. “What do you think that we should do with it? The planet is in the middle of Syndicate territory.”

Once Bast opened the door, Wilhelm entered the apartment after her. The place was exactly how he left it when he visited early. The boy had been careful to not leave any signal of his presence here, having worn a full armor and gloves while preparing the place for this visit. This is why he faked some confusion when the Ranger asked him to wear gloves if he wanted to pick anything.

“I need to use it to not contaminate the scene, right? I never did it before, but I saw them doing it in CSI: Coruscant. I always thought that it was cool.” he said excitedly while putting on the gloves. The Acolyte saw the Ranger pick Jalt’s Datapad. He had planted here the structures of the buildings that were around Ro’s penthouse. This would be another proof that the assassin had killed the Chancellor.

Then, the Acolyte went to take pictures of the place. Beyond the files that he had put in Jalt’s datapad and the package, there wasn’t much else to see. He turned his attention back to the Ranger when she asked if the criminal had kids. “Yes, he had a nephew that lives with his parents in Ylesia.” this was a very convenient coincidence that the package also came from this planet and this time the Acolyte wasn’t behind it. “Do you think that it could be related with the package?”

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

”It’s definitely of interest”, Bast muttered in response to the boy’s connection. “Just do not mess with the box, please.” She returned to the door and picked up the package. The return label was to a compound of sorts. She photographed the package for her report, then set to research. A quick search revealed that It was a warehouse, indeed on Ylesia, owned by Berkim and Sons Inc. Berkim and Sons appeared to have no products or services for offer on the holonet, nor did they have any public or government files open. It was most likely a front and a lazy one at that. No established syndicate would be so careless. Or at least not unless they thought they were safe on whatever planet was deep within their clutches. Even so, it would have to have been a low-stakes transaction.

Carefully, she opened the package. Bast froze. Over a dozen bombs were neatly packed in rows. How far away was Wil? She could not have him move any closer. Her heart in her throat, the woman realized after only a few seconds, despite it feeling like an eternity, that there were no blinking lights. They were all deactivated. She took a deep, shaky breath. “It’s bombs. I will take a swab and turn it into the Explosives and Contraband Department. Stay over there, but while I take the sample, can you find the name of the nephew you mentioned for me?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Wilhelm Tarkin]

As Bast had asked, Wilhelm gave the package to her. While she searched for more information about it, the Acolyte continued to take pictures of the apartment. He wondered how would be her reaction when she discovered that what was inside it were enough bombs to explode this entire floor.

Through the Force, Wilhelm was able to feel the Sector Ranger enter in panic as soon as she opened the box. When she called for him, the Acolyte turned to look at Bast immediately. His face was full of panic. “What?” he half-said, half-screamed. This mission was an excellent exercise for him to practice his deceiving abilities.

“Y-yes, of course.” he said nervously, before pulling his Datapad and doing a search. The Acolyte wondered why Bast was so nervous. The bombs were deactivated. He needed to fake it to maintain the facade of being new to this situation, but the Ranger probably had already faced something like that before. Perhaps she never went to many missions before.

After doing his search about the children, Wilhelm turned to look at Bast. “The name of the nephew is Orin, he is the son of Jalt’s sister.” the child and his parents were pretty normal people. “As far as I searched, his parents are simple people that don’t have any association with the Syndicates. Perhaps his uncle is the black sheep of the family.”

@Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Bast’s heart slowed to a steady beat as she felt the adrenaline subside. She hadn’t meant to startle the kid. It would have seemed an overreaction to many, but they had not seen the limp body of a twenty-something year old detective bent at an unnatural angle or the later x-rays of vertebrae turned to pulp. Neither had they seen the distinct scorch marks of something that was once living, but was now only a shape burned into duracrete. Even worse were the casualties who had not been immediately killed by the blast, delirious and lost, clothes melted into skin. She had not seen it all, but she had seen enough. Enough to make her feel sick at the thought.

Perhaps experience numbed some. For awhile, it had numbed her. A cool disconnection from violence had been her shield. Nevertheless, something vulnerable and scared deep inside had sparked the adrenaline, had proven that she was still just a human with the unquelled instinct to survive. The typical unreadable expression slipped back over the woman’s face.

“They are all deactivated. We should count our blessings because there are enough to leave this whole block as nothing but a memory.” If the finding of weapons from the syndicates as well as a down payment and travel shortly before Ro’s death were not incriminating, she was not sure what would convince the galaxy.

However, the Lieutenant was nothing if not thorough, so therefore she had one more thing she needed to do. Taking the locked datapad, she installed a program to open the device using combinations of the key word “Orin”. If he was important enough to have a picture in his Uncle’s house, perhaps he was the key to solidifying her case.

@LouJoVi