Private Way Over Her Head

[Dagon Kaze]

6TH PRECINCT
CORUSCANT SECURITY FORCE

The Fobosi District was one of those black and white districts on Coruscant where a clear, distinguishable line separated the wealthier from the impoverished. Adjacent to the Senate District and The Works, it split into the prosperous polished windowed high flats where suits ran piles of credits through their fingers every minute with the fancy corner tap-cafs full of art and business graduates locked in an eternal ideological war regarding equality and equity and what meant what. Strip them both down and they were one in the same. Then, there was the other side of Fobosi - identical low flats and decorated semi-slums; grumpy, brokeback blue-collars and their gung ho gangster offspring.

Now for a Jedi these grey areas never really fit the indoctrinated, binary 'manual' of the Jedi Code where black was black and white was white. Morality was objective and there was that. Sure, for the New Jedi things were slightly more nuanced than their hardcore cousins of the Silver Jedi, but there is only so much flexibility in being a Jedi.

A lead from his investigation of the thirty-three corpses found in a haul from Empress Teta took him to the 6th precinct. The building looked like every other precinct on Coruscant, universal, practical and reeking of burnt caf beans. No one really bothered questioning his appearance in the cramped backoffice cubicles of the precinct; the embroidered New Jedi Order's emblem on the left upper-arm of the notorious leather jacket clearly identified his affiliation. The rather gritty, spacer-ish look of the New Jedi was also one of the characteristics that easily distinguished a New Jedi from a Silver; the latter opting for the classical tunic and robe attire. Rebel, rebel. That did not stop the rolling of eyes, grumbles and sighs of the cops; Jedi business spiked their blood pressure more than any unsolvable case or 24hr weekend duty.

"Hey." Dagon leaned on the reception desk, nodding at the receptionist. A near-obese, middle-aged Near-Human with the laziest of looks.

"Hey to you, too." he muttered in return. The Jedi paid it no attention, it wasn't the first time.

"Here for the case of the missing girl - Lissa Vikal. Mind telling me the detective on the case?"

"That case ain't our jurisdiction."

"I'm pretty sure it is, could you check?"

The receptionist jerked his head looking behind the Jedi, "So now he sends us his sidekick?"

Dagon blinked, "He?"

" Ryv ."

"I...I--what? Sidekick?"

"You heard me, son."

"Just check, will you?" Dagon sighed, curtly shaking his head. A few taps on the terminal did the magic.

"Detective Brenau - he's interrogating a suspect in room 4A. No one's been officially assigned to the case, though."

"Thanks."

He pulled himself back from the desk and followed the signs to the interrogation room. Wasn't much of a trek, it was just down the hall, first left and second right. Standing watching the interrogation behind the opaque window was a cop-looking Zeltron. Brenau's partner? Who knows. Dagon moved besides her to observe the questioning.

"This your boss, officer?" he asked her curiously.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

"It is a dead end." The thought permeated the Zeltron's mind like the feeling of a deja vu... But a less elusive one at that. And the worst thing? Kori couldn't do poodoo about it. What was she supposed to say? "Uncle Jori... Uhmmm, sorry, Detective Brenau... My gut keeps telling me you got the wrong suspect. That Trandoshan is innocent, and the two hours you spent on waiting for the protocol droid are as good as wasted. It's more than just my Zeltron empathy talking."

And yet there she was—standing in a dark and empty observation room. Watching the Detective trying to figure out where the Trandoshan had been previous Monday... for the tenth time. Poor Lissa Vikal was Force-knows-where, and the officers—Kori's dad included—hadn't found a single clue yet. Apart from some coin with a weird mark on it, not too far from the purse that Ms. Vikal must've dropped at the scene of her abduction. Now that was something Nykoria was eager to investigate... But going there without asking Detective Brenau first would be unwise. Especially since he didn't know yet that Nykoria was no longer a cadet at CSF Academy. Technically, Kori wasn't even supposed to be at the precinct anymore. She just hadn't told uncle Jori yet.

Too obsessed in her own thoughts and the pointless interrogation, the Zeltron didn't notice the stranger enter the room. The sudden commentary made Kori quiver. Her face quickly turned towards the new arrival. Messy black hair, blue eyes, a cute face. Even his taste in clothing was the same as Nykoria's, with one notable difference: the emblem of the New Jedi Order. It only took Kori a moment to put two and two together, and now that emblem was all that mattered.

"Yes," she blurted out, in hopes that it would spare her the extra scrutiny. Alas, after the word was said, she realized that "Uncle Jori" probably wouldn't attest to that. "No," the Zeltron quickly added, putting herself in an even more awkward position. "I mean... It's cadet, not officer." Another half-truth was said as Kori took a step back. She could almost feel her cheeks assuming a redder shade of purple. "Sorry, I... should go."

Bingo! While explaining the nuances of her status at the precinct, the woman was literally drawn towards the exit. And that last comment perfectly justified her slipping out of the room and trotting down the corridor. That Jedi surely came to talk to uncle Jori. They'd probably wouldn't want witnesses, and would be busy for a while. Disappearing into the evidence vault in the meantime suddenly seemed like the best idea Kori had that day. "Please keep him busy for a while." The "cadet" wasn't sure whether it was the Jedi who was supposed to keep the Detective busy, or the other way around. Either way would work.

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

At first, he only threw a glance her way but his eyes, rather unintentionally, lingered on her as she spoke; sharp, but alluring facial features, midnight-blue eyes, and, well, an awkward disposition. Had his presence startled her? She stumbled for words where usually a cop would just mumble something back laconically when it came to Jedi interfering with criminal investigations. Dagon opened his mouth to speak but her back was already facing him and departing away.

He shut his mouth, took a glimpse back at the questioning where both parties seemed to be at a lengthy impasse, then turned back towards the Zeltron disappearing in the near distance. For a moment the Jedi pursed his lips thoughtfully, then sighed and spurred himself to follow her trail. He wondered whether it was his rational side of the brain refusing to interrupt the interrogation of the detective or the Zeltron pheromones he had only read about pulling him away after her.

Rather careless, Dagon nearly spilled half a dozen cafs on a tray carried by yet another grumpy police officer before he found himself entering the evidence vault. The door hissed sliding close behind him.

"Cadet." he said, the word erupting far more authoritative than he expected. He cleared his throat inaudibly, then with a softer tone, "Hey, uh, didn't mean to-" Dagon gestured back in the direction of the questioning room, then shook his head, "Nevermind; I'm Dagon, Dagon Kaze." he offered her a hand, his signature lopsided smirk slowly crawling on his face, "You working on the Lissa Vikal case, right?"

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The Zeltron was fast. Aware that the Detective and the Jedi wouldn't hold each other for long—especially after her awkward departure—Kori didn't waste any time heading for her destination. Even a few momentary distractions meant that the purple-skinned woman had a head start. And she clearly intended to use it to the fullest. By the time the Jedi caught up, she'd have already had at least a minute in the evidence vault. Just her, that weird coin... And her supposed gift.

Dagon's greeting after he closed the door met the woman's back; her palm on the table, and her body leaning slightly forward. All he'd see was the brown leather jacket, blue jeans, and dark indigo hair tied into a bun. What's more, the authoritative "Cadet!" and subsequent excuses from the Jedi didn't immediately reach the Zeltron. It was an eerie scene; as if Dagon's words traveled slower than usual.

The woman reacted all the same, but with a couple seconds of lag. She gasped and jumped again, turning on her heels. The hand that rested on the table remained there. The Zeltron extended the free one... Alas it wasn't the right hand to offer. In a quick motion, she put the extended hand behind her back, offering the other one instead. "I'm Kori," she replied, before quickly correcting herself: "Nykoria Tallis."

Nykoria closed her eyes and took a deep breath; her other hand still behind her back. Only then did she answer the next question, rather slowly, but with hesitant certainty: "Yes... Lissa Vikal case, right." It wasn't even a lie; she had come to the precinct on her own accord to look into that case. The fact that she wasn't supposed to was a little clerical issue that could be overlooked.

The hand behind her back was still holding on to a piece of evidence she wasn't supposed to touch. To top it off, a familiar sweet feeling was overwhelming her body—in all the excitement, the Zeltron had completely forgotten to keep her pheromones in check. "Kriff! Perfect timing, Kori!" The poor handsome Jedi was definitely within the "blast radius"; under different circumstances, the Zeltron wouldn't mind. But there and then wasn't the place and the time.

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Dagon's eyes narrowed at the Zeltron, her behavior as odd as their interaction in front of the questioning room; when was the last time he'd seen a Zeltron act so awkwardly? Never. Even among the Jedi, they always seemed to bask in being the 'center of attention and more. Here before him, unable to offer an adequate response, stood the exception to the rule - Kori.

Nykoria Tallis .

The surname rang a bell. One of the officers here in the sixth, wasn't it? Pretty sure it was. His daughter? Just as he was about to inquire about her relationship with the Tallis, a faint pink veil enveloped his senses. Mechanically, he stepped in closer to her as if being tugged by an invisible, silken thread. Dagon's slightly rigid disposition faded away replaced by a laid-back attitude, the smirk on his face just growing bigger. Rationality swapped out for desire.

"You working late tonight, Kori?" he heard himself ask, then, "Let's grab a bite, huh?"

Weak. The foreign voice snapped in his mind and Dagon blinked back to a more in-control reality; the lure still softly tugging him. He winced for a moment to recall what he had just asked and upon realizing, he quickly added, "...and talk the case over."

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The Jedi's suspicion and concern were slowly making way for something else... Something all too familiar. "Kriff, it's happening! Pull yourself together, girl, or else..." After the handshake, she took the hand back. Now both hands behind her, she leaned on the table; the coin still in one of her fists. Now, why was she biting her lip?

It was a "feedback loop" of sorts—pheromones evoked emotional response in those nearby, and those emotions were perceived and experienced by the Zeltron, in an amplified form. "Not too late," she replied, not noticing how she was mirroring the man's wry smile. "My schedule ain't rigid. If fact I could slip away right now..." Fortunately, the Jedi found the self-control for both of them to put the discussion back on track.

It was as if someone flipped the switch. The mention of the case left only a trace of that smirk on the purple face. "Yeah, the case..." the Zeltron mumbled, lowering her gaze. "Actually, I need to wrap something up before I can go. Right here." She raised her eyes again to meet Dagon's: "It's case-related. Just give me a few moments and meet me outside?" The Zeltron tilted her head, an expression of pure innocence on her face.

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

He was only half-glad Kori's pull subsided, a residual of it still lingered somewhere deep in the confines of his mind. On the surface, Dagon remained fully standing behind the helm. He glanced at her hand moving behind her back and remaining there and barely arching his eyebrow. This whole case was already starting with a wave of confusion; its sole mention to the Zeltron seemed to invoke a certain dose of tension.

"Sure, yeah." the Jedi casually shrugged, smiled and stepped outside.

He leaned on the wall beside the door and crossed his arms over his chest. The situation was growing more peculiar by the minute and the Jedi hadn't yet even dipped his toe in the case. Dagon threw a look down the hallway in the direction of the questioning room but the Force only held a blank canvas at his face. For reasons unknown to him, the ethereal, or his own gut, pointed at Nykoria Tallis.

This was going to be a long night.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

"Huh? Just like that?" Losing the Jedi and getting some time to herself in the evidence vault proved easier than expected. The Zeltron smiled back and remained still, watching him leave the room and close the door behind him. With a deep breath, she turned to the table and let the evidence slip onto it out of her purple palm. A coin with some weird symbol on it. Nykoria didn't know it's meaning, nor did she need to. All she needed was to sense the coin. A word slipped, a hint of a place... And then to figure out if anything she'd see or hear was real.

...​

Such things took time. The few moments turned into a few minutes, but eventually Kori would emerge from the evidence vault. "So," she exhaled, seemingly more confident now. "Lissa Vikal case. The only thing we've got so far is this," with that, she extended an open purple palm, a round coin-like object resting in it. On it, a symbol that Dagon had seen before. "That and the missing girl's purse is really all the evidence we have so far."

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

The long day's exhaustion was finally catching up on him, its talons sapping his energy continuously. Lately, ever since Ziost, Dagon's nights had been sleepless. The fateful clash with his twin - Aeric - and his bare escape from the maw of death then kept him up; that and his duties to Coruscant. Solving crime and whatnot. And the nights were when all the bad guys decided to go nuts. Always.

The beep of his wrist datapad further proved that point. He opened up his eyes, tapped the datapad and projected the holomessage. An update on the Lissa Vikal case - Mirialan Castyl Tara, the boyfriend of Lissa Vikal, found dead in The Terrix, a brothel acting as a bar in the bad part of Fobosi District. Guess who was the prime suspect. Dagon let a deep sigh roll out and rubbed his eyes. This just gets better with every minute.

He switched off the datapad, pushed himself off the wall and just about turned to open the door to the evidence vault when Kori snuck out. Judging by her tone, the Zeltron seemed to have parted ways with the odd behavior from earlier. She produced a piece of evidence - a coin in her palm for him to see, he picked it up before his face and his face turned pale. The exhaustion replaced by a sudden shiver running down the back of his spine. Even if his lead to Lissa Vikal's case was related to the symbol from the thirty-three vics from Teta, the mark still invoked an unnerving sensation. The girl's purse completely missed his attention.

"I'll take this with me." Dagon said blankly, putting the coin in his pocket, then projecting the update on the case he received a minute ago for Kori to see. "We've got a scene to visit, eat on the way." he said, then added, "Coffee, too." the Jedi hurried to depart but abruptly halted a step later, turning back to the cadet, his serious demeanor sharply rescinding, "You, uh, 've got a speeder, right?"

He had totaled the last one the Order had given him. Speeder chases never ended well.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

"Sorry, there's been a misunderstanding. I'm technically no longer a cadet. I'm not even supposed to be at the precinct, let alone look at the evidence or hand it to you. It's just that sometimes I... see things when I touch something. And they proved to be correct once or twice. So I only came here to figure out if my 'visions' are true. And maybe to help crack the case. Please don't call me crazy. And don't tell uncle Jori... I mean, Detective Brenau?"

That's what Kori didn't say to her new Jedi acquaintance. She probably should have. But things just kind of fell together the way they did. First the Zeltron didn't have it in her to confess; then there was that sweetly awkward moment in the evidence vault. And now Dagon had just taken a crucial piece of evidence from the vault like it was nothing. And invited her to the crime scene. All these events piled up quickly, leaving the Zeltron speechless as the Jedi took charge. Kori only knew one thing for certain: she wasn't looking forward to explaining all of that to Brenau. But perhaps, if she tagged along, she'd find out if the things she saw about that wretched coin were true.

And then Dagon asked about a speeder, making the Zeltron blush in deep purple again. "I uhhhh... Wrecked mine recently," she admitted rather honestly with a shrug. Not wanting to seem useless, the Zeltron quickly added: "The precinct has a few interceptors ready to go though." Yes, the Panthers that Kori didn't have permission to use because she didn't work there. However, she quickly found a solution, with a half-truth mixed in: "I'm not authorized to take them. Could a Jedi requisition one?" She tilted her head slightly, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Things were falling into place quite nicely. If the worst came to pass and she were to be discovered, she'd just say that the Jedi requisitioned her aid without giving her a chance to explain herself. Or that they just went for a coffee together, and ended up at the crime scene. "Yeah, the cover story will take some polishing."

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Any other day Dagon would've probably sensed that there was much more to Kori's odd behavior. But a rumbling stomach, a sleepy head and a resolve to get to the bottom of this case really didn't help his connection to the Force.

He did catch her rogueish smirk, though, and one of his own forming in response, "You know the answer to that."

A flash of the New Jedi badge, a grumpy cop's mumble in response and that's all it took to get his hands on the transponder key for one of the Panthers parked outside. "You won't mind if I drive, would you?" it was a rhetorical question, served with a soft sarcastic jab at her earlier admission to wrecking her own speeder. Ironic coming from him.

Spoiler: CUTSCENE

Feel the night breeze wash over you; a mixture of exhaust fumes, half-functioning ventilation shafts and what unfiltered air reached down from the upper levels. Wasn't any different in most of the other poorer sections of Coruscanti districts. The artificially created bliss of a normal life was left behind them back at the elite part of Fobosi district where the precinct lied. The same flashing neon-signed streets did not change, only their level of ruthlessness. Or the type of it, to be specific. Cutthroat conmen came in suits as they came in rags. The only difference between the gutters of Coruscant and the high rises on top?

No facades to hide the law that defined both - that of the jungle.

The leather jacket kept the Jedi warm from the chill of the breeze blowing at the two's faces through the open window. The same could not be said for his extra-large caf, so he drank it cold. He'd gotten used to that. A tune played softly on the radio, loud enough to break through the background noise but quiet enough to not disturb the tranquility of the ride. Dagon always found a night drive through the ecumenopolis' underbelly as extremely soothing; almost as soothing as a Jedi's meditation trance.

"So how long have you been on the force?" the Jedi asked breaking the magic silence. His innate curiosity stirring to life. It felt good to take his mind off the complicated case.

And off the war with the Sith.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Kori didn't mind. The shift from "visiting the precinct one last time" to "going for a full-on investigation alongside a Jedi" was surreal. So much so that the Zeltron didn't say a word as the newly-formed duo got into the car. Given the circumstances, Nykoria was content with being a ride-along in more ways than one. Words were exchanged only when the time came to order caf and snacks; other than that, there was silence. Not an awkward one; there was a certain serenity to the quiet ride.

For a while, Nykoria would stare through the closed window on her side, occasionally shifting her gaze towards the Jedi. She too had ordered an extra-large caf, but accompanied it with a box of small pink doughnuts. The box was now resting on her knees, and the Zeltron would occasionally snack on the caramel-scented pastry, following it up with coffee. One of the perks of her physiology was the lack of consequences for such choices in food.

Dagon's question caught the Zeltron just as she was munching on another doughnut. She tried to reply immediately, but quickly realized that her mouth was too full for that. So all she produced was an abrupt hum, quickly followed by a sip of coffee. Only then was Kori able to reply, a certain mundanity in her voice: "A few months. Known some people form the precinct since earlier though. Trained for that stuff almost since childhood. It kind of runs in the family." The elaboration was totally uncalled for. Why did I mention it again?

Silence reigned for a few moments. But then the Zeltron turned her face to the Jedi, traces of doughnut topping on her lips and chin: "How long have you been a Jedi?"

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Dagon struggled to recall the last time he'd seen someone devour junk food with such diligence and appetite while also maintaining a visibly athletic form. Oceiros Sunstrider would have his head if he'd done the same on a non-cheat day. His own stomach grumbled silently in response; opting out from eating due to a lack of appetite was never a good choice.

So a CSF lineage. Then she is related to that Tellis at the precinct. Guess it's better than being the heir of a Sith Lord.

"How long have I been a Jedi?" he repeated, brushing away the dark thoughts of his own heritage as he looked Kori. Scarce doughnut toppings on her dark-pink lips and chin. Kind of cute, actually. "Got a bit of--" he gestured at his own mouth before producing a handkerchief from a compartment above the dispatcher "--here." he offered it, then eyes back on the road, "About a decade now, give and take; feels like forever."

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

A gesture was all it took. While the Jedi was reaching for a handkerchief, the woman already cleaned her face with the side of her purple palm. It wasn't perfect at first pass, so she only shook her head and wiped her mouth again. "It sure does," she paused for a while, contemplating how long a dozen of year really was. Kori would've been a pre-teen back then. "So, long enough to know your way around."

The Zeltron's eyes peered at the man curiously, as she caught something else behind his words. Until he had turned and offered the handkerchief, there was some tension about him. Picking up a small pink doughnut from the box, Kori extended it towards Dagon: "Care for a bite?"

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

He set the handkerchief back into the compartment after her preference of using her palm instead. Not long enough, he thought; there was always more to learn and the lessons served always seemed to be nasty.

Dagon felt her eyes linger over him, a question unasked? She reached for one of the donuts and offered it. He glanced at it, thought over it for longer than he intended before plucking the ring-shaped dessert. "Might as well. Thanks." he took a small bite, the appetite refused to emerge. The caramel didn't help either. "You like it? I mean - the force. Heard there was a spike in dropouts."

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

There was another awkward pause, but this time it was... heavier? Only now was Kori able to discern it—the stress and pressure that Dagon was under. The Zeltron's senses told her that young man was carrying a heavy burden, despite his age. It showed even in little details: thinking too long about accepting the doughnut, taking a small bite out of respect more than anything else, the calm yet weathered tone. It was as if the Jedi's mind was elsewhere, despite (or maybe due to) the small talk.

As if Dagon's mood itself wasn't enough, his question pushed Nykoria towards a similar line of thought. Even a sip of caf didn't help when he mentioned "dropouts". It was Kori's turn to take a brief pause, before she finally replied in the same weathered tone: "It's a mixed bag. One day you and your partner nail the case, and it's totally worth it. The next case it's setback after setback, and you're drowning in paperwork until they close it for lack of suspects."

A part of her wanted to come clean; but doing it there and then would've been too soon. No, she'd need results first. Only then would Kori be able to return to the precinct and justify what she had already done. "What is it like to be a Jedi?" she mirrored the question, her gaze now focused through the windshield, at the path ahead of them.

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

The empty, straight stretch of the skylane changed as they neared their destination. Only naturally - they were headed down to the downtrodden entertainment section of the district and it was night time. The breezed caressed their faces and the pink neon signs flickered illuminating their faces and throwing shadows to what demons both held at bay.

Dagon forced himself to eat the whole doughnut, chewing on it as he listened to Kori. He noticed the brief hesitation before she replied, making him wonder what ghosts haunted her. Through the Force he sensed an inner turmoil jittering within the girl, his natural empathetic strings in the ethereal subconsciously gracing her with a dose of hope.

"What is it like to be a Jedi?"

A Jedi.

you are a disgrace to our name.

The intrusive voice of his twin brother, Aeric Kaze , pierced through the fabric of his psyche. He acted like nothing happened, erecting that facade to mask the anguish behind his eyes; ever reluctant to disperse his struggles to anyone, not even those close to him. He would carry the burden. Always.

"Not any different, I guess." Dagon replied casually, then slightly solemnly, "Less glorious than what everyone thinks and far more setbacks than anyone can imagine." The conflict between Jedi on the meaning of a Jedi came to mind, with the recent altercations between Orders and Enclaves on the New Jedi Order's actions in the war against the Sith. The distrust of a galaxy far too used to witnessing the failings of the Jedi and paying with the consequences. "Like I hear many detectives say for their own line of work - it's a thankless job."

"The only difference is we seek no gratitude." the Jedi squinted his eyes, then, "Only to do good." the last sentence delivered with firm belief, zeal even.

The flashing white sign of The Terrix came into view as Dagon descended the vehicle further. He reached for the lightsaber hilt buckled on his belt and clipped it in the inside of his jacket out of view. Too much distrust.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The sun had all but set, letting neon lights take over the changing environment. Yet Kori was oblivious to all of that... Until her hand found nothing but cardboard inside the doughnut box. The caf was also gone, which added to the quiet contemplative sadness that the Zeltron—and most likely, her quiet companion—was experiencing. The revelation brought the woman back into the real world and made her notice the scenery.

She had seen those streets many times. Never paid them any mind. But there and then, for whatever reason, the very presence of those streets seemed to give Kori a sliver of hope. Hope that regardless of what happened, some things wouldn't change. "Maybe my shot at law enforcement career isn't forfeit just yet." Unbeknownst to Kori, the hope and thought wasn't entirely her own. It wasn't even Dagon's own; it had come from conscious effort on the Jedi's behalf.

What Dagon told about the job of the Jedi was very relatable; except for the last point he brought up. "Well, got to earn our living somehow," the Zeltron shrugged, her tone much friendlier than the message behind it. "A Jedi doesn't need to worry about credits for food or utility fees, right?"

Meanwhile, the Jedi concealed his lightsaber. Nykoria didn't need to do the same—the shoulder holster with her Defender-5 blaster was already concealed under the jacket. So would be the badge... if she had it. As the speeder finally came to a halt, the Zeltron would step out; her first order of business was to get rid of the doughnut box and an empty cup of caf. She'd stand by the trashcan, waiting for her self-appointed partner: "So, what's the plan?"

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

"Not as much, no." he answered. They were, in essence, a monastic order, more or less. Most forms of income stemmed down either from donations or the Galactic Alliance's funding. The Jedi lived okay. Not too comfortable, not lavish at all, just 'safe' enough. Credits weren't on their mind. Or weren't supposed to be but he had heard of a few rotten eggs.

"Ask a few questions, look for clues, see if we can find a lead on Lissa here." Dagon said stepping out of the vehicle and shuffling towards the crime scene. Yellow holotapes separated the brothel and forensics team from the gathered masses; murder wasn't a rare occasion down here, it usually did not attract this much attention. So who really was Castyl Tara?

The patrol officer gestured for the duo to halt before Dagon showed his credentials silently and they were allowed to pass. The concealment of his lightsaber on his own volition had nothing to do with the cops and everything to do with the denizens of Coruscant's underbelly. If the galaxy generally had grown into a distrustful disposition towards the Jedi, then Coruscant's lower levels were an intense personification of that distrust to the point that any questions asked would be met with deafening silence.

The two entered the brothel greeted by the typical dim indigo lights, sensual decorations and the lingering residual smell of spice. Not any different than any other such establishment on the ecumenopolis. Except for the toned down to barely audible volume music. No signs of destruction or any form of a scuffle. It might have as well been working.

"We're closed." a sour-faced half-Zeltron girl sarcastically muttered at the two. She stood behind the bar washing empty glasses almost mechanically with her cybernetic arm. Distress radiating from her and anxiety enveloping her in a thick veil. She looked young, too young even. Seventeen? Eighteen? "And we sure as hell don't entertain couples bored out of their mind." she sure did have a tongue of a still for her age.

Dagon blinked plainly for a moment taken aback, glanced at Kori, then brushed away the thought ignoring the barwoman's odd remarks.

"Detective Kaze and detective Tallis." he introduced the unlikely duo, stepping up to the bar while giving a few glimpses of the area around. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least, nothing he could notice. "We're here to investigate the murder of-"

"I said we're closed and I'm not answering no questions."

The Jedi pursed his lips and mentally tugged at Kori for help.

Nykoria Tallis

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Appearances could be deceiving. Even more so when Zeltrons and their pheromones were involved. So when Dagon was about to yield to the "young girl", Kori's lips curled up. She had seen that light-pink face, pint-sized body, and blued duraplast arm before. It was the combination of the cybernetic arm, slender build, and youthful appearance that made something click in Nykoria's mind.

A few years before, Kori was visiting her dad at the precinct and saw that very same Zeltron being questioned, rather rudely at that. When the cadet confronted her dad about that, she found out that the "poor girl with the cybernetic implants being pressured by the cops" was a few years older than Kori herself. To top it off, had a track record of petty crimes. Had it not been for the deceiving appearance and the argument with dad, Nykoria wouldn't have even remembered it.

So yes, seeing a full-blown Jedi being broken in by a sharp-tongued bratty street kid was at least somewhat satisfying. Throughout the exchange, Nykoria had mostly been studying the decorations and pretended to be an object of furniture. Only the mention of a "bored couple" evoked an amused scoff from the Zeltron. That was certainly a situation to imagine.

But amusement or not, Dagon needed help. Nykoria forced a friendly smile on her face; but more importantly, she let her pheromones loose with conscious effort. If not overdone, the pheromones wouldn't make people lose their heads; instead, they'd offer a calming effect and wash away the fear and anxiety. "Look," Kori leaned on the counter with both her arms, almost genuine concern in her tone. "You might end up closed for good if we don't find what we're looking for." Hopefully, the Zeltron had gotten the barmaid's attention at least: "The Jedi are on the case already. They'll be a pain in the rear for the detectives at the precinct, and they'll become a pain in the rear for you."

If it weren't for the pheromones, all of that would've sounded like an attempt at intimidation. But there and then, the barmaid had a chance to weigh up the pros and cons. Not to mention that Detective Tallis was offering an alternative: "All I need is for you to answer my friend's questions and show us to the scene. Then, by the time the precinct is stirred up, they'll have moved on from this place to other leads.""

Dagon Kaze