Disclaimers: I do not own anything from the Star Wars Universe. I have borrowed them from Disney, the rightful owners of the galaxy far, far away. Let it be known that I did extensive research in Wookiepedia and used planets and Jedi from that research. Credit goes to the authors who wrote them in various books and novels. If any of these creators protest my use of them, please notify me and I will remove them immediately. Also, let it be known that the plot is borrowed from a real life news event. I've just rearranged it a bit and placed it in outer space and created my own characters. No real person from the event was used. I attest that all original characters in this story are of my own making and any similarities to real people or other fictional characters are purely coincidental.
Author's note: This story contains original characters. If that is not your thing, then this story is probably not for you. I welcome all criticism. I am not easily offended. If you do read this and don't like it, please tell me why. I have probably been too cautious in the rating, but there are sexual references in later chapters, although there is absolutely nothing descriptive in the writing pertaining to sex. There is no slash or any reference to it. This story is complete, but still in the tweaking process. It is short, only six chapters and an epilogue. I will do my best to post a chapter weekly.
Chapter I
Master Ry-Gaul and his padawan, Tru Veld, were in the Jedi Council Chambers receiving orders for their next mission.
"It has been more than a month since that transport was hijacked from the Galactic City Spaceport and the local authorities aren't that much closer to finding the perpetrators and recovering the stolen credits," Jedi Master Mace Windu, the tall, dark Korun leader of the Jedi Council, was telling them.
"Impatient, the Chancellor has become. Requested our help has he," said Master Yoda, the small, ancient grandmaster of the Jedi Order. "Believed to be the work of organized-crime boss, Malcom Bukada, it is. Disappeared after the hijacking he did. With him, his family he took. About his current location, no one to question, there is," he explained.
"Three of the workers who were found bound and gagged in a storage compartment were able to tell the local authorities that they recognized one of the men as an associate of Bukada's, but they don't know his name. They only recognized him from images on past HoloNet news stories that broke about Bukada's prior troubles with authorities. That is why they have put Bukada at the head of this heist. There were two other men with the associate, but none of workers could identify them," Master Windu explained.
"Was there no tracking device on the ship, Master?" asked Ry-Gaul.
"There was, but the hijacking took place as soon as the ship landed," Master Windu replied.
"Quick and cunning, these men were. Carefully planned this robbery was," Yoda told Master Ry-Gaul.
"The workers on duty that evening were the same ones who were on duty each month when the transport was scheduled to dock. They were to load the shipment into an armored transport for transfer to the InterGalactic Bank here on Coruscant," said Master Windu. "When the shipment did not arrive and the bank was unable to contact anyone at the spaceport, they contacted local authorities who then tracked the coordinates of the ship. They were able to track it to one of the shipyards on Kuat. However, by the time they arrived, the transport had been abandoned and void of its contents," he continued.
"Stolen from the same shipyard, three small, unmarked ships were," Master Yoda chimed in. "Part of the plan we believe this to be."
"These ships are small, but equipped with hyperdrives," Master Windu told Ry-Gaul and Tru. "The supervisor at the shipyard told the authorities that a small fleet with this new design had just come from the assembly line, but they had not yet put the markings on them or installed the extras including tracking devices. Because of the timing of these two raids, the authorities believe the guard on duty at the shipyard was in on the plan even though he was found dead the next day." This news seemed to disturb Master Ry-Gaul. "It has made it nearly impossible to find these men without markings or tracking systems on these ships," Master Windu went on to explain.
"And there are no other leads, Master?" Ry-Gaul asked.
"One, there is," said Master Yoda, "but possible it is that turn up nothing it will."
Master Ry-Gaul and his padawan listened very carefully.
"A docking bay worker at the spaceport named Pietro L'mar went missing the same time as Bukada and his associates. He is alleged to be the informant in this plot. The authorities feel that L'mar is the one who informed one of Bukada's associates, or Bukada himself, that shipments of millions of Republic credits on untraceable paper were being flown in once a month from monetary exchanges for naval servicemen and tourists on Anaxes. It is also believed that he helped Bukada in the planning stages.
"L'mar had only been working at the spaceport for little more than a year. Not many people knew him and those that did know him, knew very little about him. One co-worker said he spoke often of a sister who lives on the island of Kla'taal on Kothlis in the mid-rim," explained Master Windu. "Her name is Domenica L'mar-Zainos."
"Believe, the authorities do, that hiding with the sister L'mar is. Go to Kothlis and find her you must. Question her you will. If hiding with her L'mar is, back to Coruscant for questioning you will bring him." Yoda ordered.
"It will be done Master Yoda," Ry-Gaul assured him.
"Here is a data reader with all the information you will need and the coordinates for Zainos's location on Kothlis. It also contains a copy of L'mar's identification from his employment files.
"Thank you Master Windu," Ry-Gaul replied.
"May the Force be with you, Master Ry-Gaul," Master Windu told him.
Ry-Gaul and Tru bowed to the council members and took their leave.