Umgul City

Above the city Streets - Night of Strilath the Hutt's murder

Hearing the thunderous cacophony of sounds - honking horns, metallic screeching of metal on metal, the almost musical tinkling of breaking glass, the brutal thump and crunch of vehicles colliding - that accompany the crashes behind her after she releases the building girders from the ties binding them to the back of the hovertruck hauling them, Anila grins wickedly, maxing out the speed of her stolen swoop bike without bothering to look behind her to see the damage she leaves in her wake; that those hunting her could have escaped the symphony of crashes she can still hear taking place behind and beneath her does not occur to the Clawdite assassin that has taken the form of one of the Vyridian twins intended to be taken for Andros.

Taking the swoop down and down and down through layer after layer of the city traffic, thinking she will increase the odds of making good on her escape by ditching the swoop bike for another means of transportation and taking the time to shift to another form, Anila has nearly reached the streets when both of the stun bolts fired at her hit their marks. Stunned instantly, Anila pitches off of the swoop, disappearing into the thick mist to tumble to the sidewalk below as the swoop bike lists to the side and crashes into the side of building, exploding and briefly illuminating Anila's still form - which had reverted to her true form when she lost consciousness - laying on the sidewalk with one leg laying at an unnatural angle that can only mean it has broken.

Circle. Crackling. Chances. Cover. Call.


"Circle around," Madieke tells Nuala, looking over her shoulder as they pass over where the assassin fell from the swoop bike.

"Awwww man, my swoop," moans Nuala as the sound of her swoop bike exploding when it crashes booms out, followed by the crackling of the flames that flicker in the thick mists below when she turns the swoop around to set it down near where the assassin fell to ground.

Holding her blaster in a two handed grip as she and Nuala approach the fallen assassin, Madieke taking no chances that they are only pretending to be out. When she is close enough to see that the assassin is a female Clawdite, Madieke, while waving for Nuala to stay back a bit to cover her, says, "Explains a lot," and then crouches as the sound of a blaster being fired echoes in the mists.

"What the f. . . Nuala exclaims, swiveling to cover their six, the direction from which the single shot came. Over there!" Nuala cries, pointing towards a shadowy shape rounding a corner in the distance, little more than a dark, vaguely human shape moving in the mists.

Already running after the shape, Madieke shouts to Nuala, "Stay with the body, call it in!" Having seen what was left of the Clawdite's head, Madieke has no doubt that it is dead, taking any chance of learning whatever it may have known about the plot against the Vyridians with it to the great beyond. At least they have proof that Andros has been the victim of an elaborate frame-up attempt, Madieke thinks as she tries to close the distance between her and the dark shape, which reminds her of the ghostly figure Atlantis and Mace had been able to conjure as it appeared to be of a similar height and build. Rounding the corner of a building, Madieke skids to a halt as she sees the throng of pedestrians on the sidewalk ahead. Holding her blaster down beside her leg to avoid inciting a panic, Madieke cranes her neck to search for the shadow, watching the crowds for someone with a black hood over their head, anyone looking behind them to see if they have gotten away, and for any other behaviors that could help her spot the shooter.

Preservation. Pulsing. Question. Conspiracy.


Scowling as she watches the virtual sea of heads bobbing along on the sidewalk, each as shadowy and indistinct as the next in the mist, Madieke hisses a curse as she realizes that the shooter has successfully given her the slip. Holstering her DL-44, Madieke returns to where she left Nuala with the body of the Clawdite, cursing under her breath when she sees that the press has already descended upon the scene. Fortunately for the preservation of the crime scene, the backup Nuala requested has also arrived, and has kept the press at bay.

With the constant flashing of holocams lighting the mists in a steady, pulsing pattern serving as a counterpoint to the reporters excitedly informing their views that the Vyridian twins appear to have been the victims of a conspiracy involving a Clawdite impersonator as well as another unidentified suspect that remains at large, Madieke raises a hand and repeats, "No comment, several times as she makes her way to where Nuala is speaking with a pair of UPD uniformed patrolmen. As the shooter was of a similar height and build to Orlov, Madieke tells Nuala, Comm Sigi, see if . . ."

"Already did, Nuala says, her words coming at a rapid clip, before Madieke can finish the question, taking an orange lollipop from her mouth and bouncing on her feet as the adrenaline from the swoop chase and shooting has yet to start fading from her system. Entin and his bimbo were home all night. No comms in or out. Not her after all. You were thinking it was her, right? Shaking her head, Nuala says, Not her. Unless it was another Clawdite here doing the shooting, or there pretending to be her at home . . ."

Patting Nuala on the shoulder, Madieke says, "Slow down. Maybe sit down too. Not adding that she is pretty sure Nuala is in shock, Madieke says, Nice work, then points to a UPD speeder nearby and suggests, Take five, then check in with the other surveillance teams, see if any of Arezou or Klivian's new security were not with them. Shooter could be one of theirs, sent to make sure the Clawdite wasn't captured alive and interrogated. After Nuala agrees to take a few minutes to get herself together, Madieke comms Nazani and Nemes to fill them in on what has happened and see if they have made any progress with the scene at the club. While Madieke feels a sense of triumph in that the Vyridian twins have all but been cleared with the revelation that a Clawdite has been impersonating one of them, she knows that the investigation is not yet over since they have no idea who is behind the conspiracy.

Puddle. Backfired. In the clear.


Slowly exhaling a cloud of bluish smoke as she flicks the butt of her cigarette into a puddle near the rear door of the precinct, Madieke turns towards the door as it opens and greets Nuala by asking, "Anything interesting from Claus or the evidence geeks?"

Used to Madieke's tendency to avoid any unnecessary verbalization when working a case, Nuala responds in kind, "Claus has the Clawdite locked for the Monite murder, but thinks Sike's killer was someone else entirely. Clawdite wasn't Force sensitive, Sike's killer was. Geeks found a few holonet messages and data files on the datapad the Clawdite had on her, all to burners just like her datapad, but if we can find the burners, it will implicate whoever has them in the killings."

"How so?"

"One holonet message, time stamped from tonight just before the attack on Strilath went down, was to someone letting them know the assassination attempt on the Hutt was about to happen, and there were some files that look like they came from someone casing the club prior to the attack. Locations of cameras, numbers of bodyguards, usual schedule for Strilath, that kind of thing. So, we know the Clawdite wasn't working alone. "

"Anything we can link to any of our suspects?"

"Not without the burners the messages were sent to. Still, we put the burner or burners in someone's hands, we have them solid for conspiracy to commit. Think we should try and get a warrant to search Entin's residence?"

"Not yet. Already made one play for him and Orlov that backfired, so I don't want to move until we have something solid."

"Alright, Nuala says as she unwraps a pink lollipop, so what's the plan?"

Madieke reaches up to massage the back of her neck as she says with a sigh, "Damned if I know just yet. Looking at her wrist chrono, she says, Roma and Sayen should be here soon with the rest of the team, we'll see what they all have, go from there."

Nodding, Nuala says, "Cool, then asks, You hear any of the holonews reports? When Madieke shakes her head, Nuala explains, Twins are pretty much in the clear after last night, so at least there's that."

"One in the win column, yep, Madieke says with a brief smile, then nods towards the door as she says, I'm gonna get some caf before everyone gets here," and then heads into the precinct to wait for the rest of the investigative team to arrive.

"Elika?" Franz smiled and looked at her with a friendly gaze and then shook his head pointing at himself. "Don't worry about me, just do what you would usually do here at work, and you certainly do not need to entertain me, at all. I'll occupy myself, promise." He reassured her sincerely before taking a step back from her. He wasn't going to even ask her for anything, he didn't need to. As a matter of fact, even if they were friends, she shouldn't bother on his account right here, right now. She was on company hours, and thus had to provide a work that she was hired for. He was the distraction here, but still the two of them seemed to have found a middle ground for now which pleased him at least.

With how the day had begun this morning between Crystal and Ljiljana, which was resolved relatively quickly, Franz wasn't actually surprised about that. He knew that they had a stronger bond, and an argument wouldn't break them. With that in mind, Franz walked to a corner of Elika's office and sat down on the ground cross-legged, closing his eyes in the process. He had decided to meditate after he had seen Elika busying herself with her work and even be comfortable. It actually made him smile, and made him feel appeased as he just began to start sensing everything around him, expanding his awareness to the living Force, focusing on the positive. That had lasted for a little while until he opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

He had no idea how much time had passed, and yet Elika still seemed engrossed in her work, grinning once more, he stood up from his position and slowly but also quietly exited her office only to return moments later putting a cup of coffee freshly brewed in front of her silently, and even a bottle of water before he uncapped his own and took a sip of it. "I figured you needed a little beverage break." He gestured to the water and coffee, not knowing which one she had preferred, therefore he figured he would take both. Looking at her work thus far, Franz smiled looking at the detailed plans. "That looks good." He told her sincerely, though he figured he should stop interrupting her and he took a step back to sit on the couch still remembering some of the warnings he had had about that couple too. Franz had preferred to not tell any one yet, for he still wanted to assess the situation truth be told...

13^th Precinct — Next day

Clad in her typical military uniform, Horsea Aestrea, the current Deputy Director of Intelligence, wasn’t the average soldier like most would expect. Sure, it was a well-known fact that she was a Kiffar, but that was just it, to most she was just a Kiffu Guardian, with ties to the current political advisor, Mace Jhiera Vos, but unbeknown to the public eye, she was the eyes and ears for the government when it came to security. It was with determination that she had entered the precinct, and it was with a mission she was making her way to the arresting officers, unsurprisingly to her, she noticed a familiar face right then and there. . .

Ayla Vos.

“Councilor Vos,” Horsea acknowledged respectfully, while usually they addressed one another the familiar, this wasn’t the place nor the time, as Ayla was in her traditional Jedi robes, and she also seemed to be here on official business. As it stood, those that were apprehended by the police were under strict orders to equip the prisoners with Force suppressing bracelets until a Jedi from the Mist Order assessed the situation of the detainees.

“Director Aestrea,” Replied Ayla in return before inclining her head and smiling faint but also briefly that it was potentially hardly noticeable to the common eyes. This must be much more important if you have come all the way here. . .

Inclining her head subtly and looking at the arresting officers, Horsea spoke diplomatically. “I am here to see the people you have arrested at the raceways yesterday. And I am also here to ask you that you free them immediately. Two of them are tied to the representative of Honoghr, Princess Isis Amarina Matango, who is currently planetside, and are her bodyguards. As for the two others, who are under my assignment,” Horsea handed the officer the security cam feed of that zone, “Perfectly innocent, they were trying to prevent any more troubles, well at least until that other person you have detained also hit the Zabrak that is currently in ICU.”

Staying her tongue again, Horsea took a deep breath and glanced sideways catching Ayla’s gaze. Knowing where the Vos’ cousins specialty laid, Horsea opened her mind enough for Ayla to hear her thoughts. . . There are two Epicanthix right there, and they are under Andros’ order to infiltrate the raceways gangs.

Ayla heard it all loud and clear and looked at the officer once more smiling briefly again, “I’ll handle the rest from here, thank you, inspector.” Said Ayla warmly before making her way with Horsea towards the cells and stopping right in front of where those from the raceways had been placed, opening the cell with the datacard that was handed to her from the officer, Ayla looked at them all, and then stepped aside knowing that the one she regarded as one of her sisters too had more pressing business to attend to also.

“Olivia Styles, and Bane, you two please follow me. Same for you two, Xyrias, and Valaras Non.” Said Horsea with an even tone before glancing at Ayla and then back at the other one who was there, “Orion Hunter, you got yourself into a very complicated situation. . . You'll be glad to know that you won’t be charged with involuntary manslaughter, just yet, that is if the Zabrak gets out of the ICU. Though for now you’ll be in the Mist Order’s custody until the Attorney General decides what to do with you.”

“You four already better follow her, one of the people you answer to particular does not like to wait. . .” Said Ayla knowingly and more to the siblings than the two from Honoghr. “As for you, Mr. Hunter, you are with me, I am Ayla Vos, one of the councilors of the Mist Order.” Ayla not only introduced herself, but she also stated her purpose here, at least more than Horsea did for now, but she clearly understood why for the time being the formalities from her part weren’t present. All Horsea wanted was to get those she came for to get out of here and inconspicuously, for after all the Non siblings were still undercover until told otherwise.

Inclining her head to her comrade in arms first and foremost, Horsea looked at the four she was tasked to get and to bring back to the government building, “We’ll be picking your gears on the way out, but we are going out the back. . .”

With that said and done, Horsea led the way to where she had parked her airspeeder while Ayla did the same with Orion, who would be brought back to the Academy. . .

13th Precinct

Bane laughed in response to Olivia's retort, before turning his attention to the cell entrance as the two women appeared. Despite how fast things were moving, Bane was able to understand enough that apparently they wouldn't need to use their call. He placed his helmet back on as he stood up. Apparently word travelled fast and caused people to act equally as fast. He made his way across the cell, before stopping by the door. He turned then to face the man known as Orion Hunter. He felt almost bad for the man who was very possibly be persecuted for a rather accidental crime committed upon a man who he was fairly certain had done far worse to others. He inclined his head then in farewell Good luck... and if you need a witness at your trial, don't be afraid to call. I owe you that much at least... With his offer made, Bane exited the cell and followed Horsea as she lead the way out the back of the building. It seemed that they had most certainly gotten themselves entangled in something far more complicated than face value, given that the two siblings arrested with them at the raceways were coming along as well. He supposed more would be revealed once they got taken before Ice and who ever the siblings were working for