A/N: Phew! Been a busy couple of weeks since I uploaded the first chapter, most of it spent creating my new website (address on my profile), and sending sample packs off to agents.

Anyhoo, on with the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 2 – the Jedi part one

'I don't need your protection,' Van Darlok said snootily. The short, stub of a human heaved his massive frame into his oversized, bantha-leather chair and leaned back. Despite the height difference, compounded by the fact the merchant had sat down, Van Darlok still managed to stare down his nose at the two Jedi.

'I am confident in the skills of my personal bodyguard. The best Echani money can buy. I have no need of Jedi.' He gestured to the two guards dressed in Echani combat suits, standing silently on either side.

Tophur Rand suppressed the disgusted look that threatened to cross his face, and took a deep, calming breath, repeating the Jedi mantra to himself.

There is no emotion, there is only peace.

'As I already said to you, Sir, we are not here to protect you. Myself and my colleague have been tracking the perpetrator of several murders among high level merchants, such as yourself. We believe they all had dealings with a local loan shark called Dax, with whom they recently severed ties.' Dien Dok'fur said. Tophur was impressed the Caamasi Jedi Consulor kept his voice so calm.

'Preposterous! I have never lowered myself to associate with such scum. I am a model citizen of the Republic, honourable and legitimate. You can't come in here and accuse me –'

Tophur took a step closer to Van's desk. The surface was kashyyk-wood that had been polished until it glowed. Like all the furnishings in Van Darlok's office on the eightieth floor of the Thallaroy Tower, it was very expensive. The floor was covered in a plush, burgundy carpet, whilst various statuettes sat on pedestals along the wall. He was fairly certain that a number of them were of long-dead famous Jedi. Behind the desk the wall had been replaced with a big, floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the Coruscant city-scape. Repulsorcraft flitted past outside in a constant stream. If Van Darlok had acquired even a fraction of his collection through legitimate business practices, then he was a far better person that Tophur gave him credit. If he was legitimate, then Tophur was the son of a Sith.

'We are not accusing you of anything. I am an investigator. I know you have had interactions with Dax on several occasions, and that you, like your ex-partner, Gotu, severed connections with him quite recently. Gotu kept excellent records right up until his untimely death last week. I'm sure you heard about it. After all, that was around the time that you started to hire your protection, yes?'

The fat little merchant paled.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

'To be frankly honest with you,' Tophur continued. 'I couldn't care less whether you are legitimate or not. I am not here to investigate you. I am here to stop a sapient from murdering anyone else. Clear?'

Van Darlok nodded.

'Good. Now, Gotu and the others received a death threat before they were murdered. Have you received any?'

'Yes, just this morning.' Shaking, Van took out a small sheet of flimsy, and handed it to the Jedi.

The message was short and to the point.

You don't end your business with me. I end it with you.

It had been printed rather than handwritten, and Tophur was quite sure that an analysis would turn up no traces of fingerprints, skin follicles, scales, or any other means of identifying the individual who had produced it. Which meant there was nothing to pin it on Dax.

For a loan shark, he was a smart. Perhaps the only area he had slipped up was in how he contracted an assassin to deal with his ex-business associates. The paper trail had gone through a number of dummy businesses before a holonet message was sent. Had Tophur not already been investigating Dax, he probably would never had found it. Even so, it took weeks to identify the recipient. By then, two merchants had been killed.

Assuming of course, it was Dax. The evidence pointed to the loan shark, but his instincts were less certain. And his Master had always urged him to go with his instincts.

'Tell me about your dealings with Dax,' he asked.

The merchant stared at him uncomfortably for a few moments. Tophur wasn't sure he was going to answer him at first, but eventually he said, 'Gotu introduced us. He was a pleasant fellow. Always willing to provide gifts and parties for his friends. He was interested in my business, importing Tarisian ale, among other spirits. With his backing, I was able to secure larger shipments. Then one day, he came to me – well, an associate of his did – and requested, politely, that on some of the shipments we also transport some innocuous crates. Nothing illicit, I was told. I agreed, until Gotu told me what was in the shipments.'

'And? What were they?'

'Blasters, explosives and the like. He was using me to ship his armaments! I wasn't having it. Like I told you, Jedi, I'm a legitimate businessman. So I severed all contact. Then Gotu died.'

Tophur nodded. He was telling the truth. There wasn't a single trace of a lie in his thoughts. Though he was fairly certain it took a while before the fat little merchant got enough courage to do anything. Everything he'd gleaned from his contacts told him this Dax was to be feared. He certainly had his hands in many pockets.

'Very well, I believe you.'

The comm on Van's desk beeped. 'What is it, Gisella?'

'Sir, the representative from Ryloth is here to see you.'

'Very well, show him in.' Van looked up at Tophur. 'I'm trying to open relations with the Twi'leks to export Rhyll. They are being very cagey about their business partners.'

'We will wait outside. I think it best if we stay nearby.'

The merchant gave him a sickly smile.

'I must admit, I am impressed by your interrogation style. I did not think that you would be able to get much out of him without using the force,' Dien Dok'fur said once the doors to Van Darlok's chamber's had closed behind them, leaving them alone in the wide corridor. Paintings line the walls. All were of landscapes, though not of any planets Tophur recognised.

He shrugged. 'You'd be surprised at what a little intimidation will get you.'

'I had no idea investigators put so little faith in the Force.'

The corridor ended at a turbolift, and they took it down to the reception. The representative from Rylos stepped in as they got out, and smiled at the Jedi. Tophur frowned back at him as the doors slid shut.

'We have faith in the Force. But we are trained to use our minds as well to conduct our investigations. My Master always believed one should use one's head as well as one's intuition. That's why so many investigators spend their time working with planetary police forces. It's a comfortable fit.'

'Does that also explain your attire?'

Tophur stared down at his clothes. Like his colleague, he wore the typical robes of a jedi, but they were padded across his torso where body armour had been added. A wide leather belt was cinched around his waist, from which hung numerous pouches, his lightsaber and a blaster.

He frowned and scratched his narrow sandy beard. 'What's wrong with my clothing?'

'The armour is ... a little unorthodox. As is your blaster. Is not the lightsaber enough?'

He patted the grip of his blaster. 'I keep this for backup.'

'I see.'

'Which means you don't.'

'No, I suppose I do not. You are an anachronism, Tophur Rand. A Jedi who is not a Jedi.'

There is no passion, there is serenity.

Tophur raised an eyebrow at that. 'That depends on your meaning of Jedi, Dien Dok'fur.'

The Caamasi lowered his head. 'My apologies, I have insulted you.'

'There was no offence taken. Though I don't quite see how my choice of clothes affects my standing as a Jedi. But then, this was not our original point of discussion. I follow my intuition, but if I'm to arrest any suspects, guesswork is not enough. I must have physical evidence to attain a conviction.'

'I see. I must think on this. You are an interesting companion, Tophur Rand. Perhaps that is why the council placed us together to track down the killer.'

Tophur shrugged. He wasn't entirely sure why the Jedi Council had put them together, though he suspected that it was because he spent far too much time away from the Order, working alone, and Dien Dok'fur was there to keep an eye on him. But then Tophur rather liked working on his own. It meant he didn't have to listen to inane prattling. He was confident in his abilities as an investigator.

He suppressed a grunt. He could imagination the comments that thought would bring: "confidence is but a step away from arrogance. Arrogance is the path to the dark side". It seemed like the sort of thing his old tutors would say.

There is no chaos, only harmony.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. There was no point in getting agitated. What is, is. Once this murderer had been caught, perhaps he could find an assignment off-world again.

Tophur frowned as a thought occurred to him. 'Didn't Van Darlok say the representative was from Ryloth?'

Dien Dok'fur nodded. 'He did.'

'Ryloth is the Twi'lek homeworld. Why would they send a human to conduct business? Why not one of their own?'

'That is odd, one must admit.'

Tophur strode over to the reception desk. Giselle was Zabrak, reaching her middle-years, her crown of vestigial horns painted with a thin veneer of gold. She stared up at the Jedi.

'May I help you, sir?'

'The individual who just went up to see the merchant. Was that the representative from Ryloth?'

She nodded. 'Yes. Mikal Thor.'

'Not a very Twi'lek name.'

'Not really, no. The original representative was a Twi'lek called Zhar Decura. Unfortunately he was suddenly taken ill. Mr Thor was his replacement.'

Tophur turned to stare at Dien Dok'fur.

An abrupt dagger of fear clawed at his mind and dragged his gaze to the ceiling. He knew the location; Van Darlok's office.

'I felt it too,' Dien Dok'fur said, drawing his lightsaber.

Moving to the lift, Tophur pressed the call button, but nothing happened. The assassin had disabled it. Reaching out with the force, he ripped the doors open. There was a groan as the durasteel protested and the doors buckled and bent, revealing a dark lift shaft, lit only by dim emergency lights.

'What are you doing?' the receptionist shrieked. 'That's private property, you can't just damage it!'

'Jedi business,' Tophur replied. 'It's this or your boss dies. Take your pick.'

Not waiting for her response, Tophur stuck his head into the shaft and looked up. Far above, he could see the bottom of the turbolift.

Dien Dok'fur appeared at his side, and the two Jedi drew grapple guns from their utility belts. There was a low whump as the grapnels shot from their launchers, trailing fine cables behind them. Magnetic clamps engaged the moment they struck the bottom of the turbolift. The pair shot up into the shaft. Lights flicked past them, producing a faint strobing affect. They slowed as they reached the lift. Two quick slashes from Dien Dok'fur's lightsaber cut away the bottom and the Jedi pulled themselves into the turbolift.

Fear was still emanating from Van Darlok's office.

'We should hurry,' Dien Dok'fur said. 'I doubt this assassin will delay much longer.'

'Which begs the question as to why he hasn't killed Van Darlok already. His guards are good, but so were those of the other victims, and they are all dead. Something does not feel right about this.'

With greater care than when he'd ripped the doors open below, Tophur gently teased the upper level doors apart. There was barely a hiss as the doors silently slid open.

Two dead bodies lay on the floor of the corridor. Two of Van Darlok's Echani guards. Neither had managed to draw either their blasters or the vibroswords sheathed on their backs. On closer inspection, as Tophur crept along the corridor, he could see that they had been killed by slashes to the chest and neck. Quick and clean.

The doors to Van Darlok's office were ajar. Now that he was much closer, Tophur could sense other emotions that the sharper tenor of fear had hidden.

Expectance. Anticipation.

'He knows,' Tophur said, straightening.

'Indeed. How do you wish to play this, Investigator?'

'Follow my lead. Be prepared to protect Van Darlok if it looks like the assassin is about to kill him.'

Unclipping his lightsaber from his belt, Tophur pushed the door open and stepped into the office.

It was a mess. The desk lay on its side, ornaments and datapads scattered across the floor. One of the chairs that had sat in front of it was on its back, the seat hacked almost in two. Three more Echani lay dead on the floor, with similar wounds to the first two corpses. At least one had put up a fight, with cuts on her arms and legs, but a stab wound to her stomach indicated where her defence had failed.

The assassin stood before the big window, Van Darlok held before him, a vibroblade against his throat, humming softly. The hilt of a sword protruded from behind the assassin's left shoulder. Tophur couldn't see much of the assassin. Despite Van Darlok's shorter stature, he held himself in a half-crouch so that all he could see were gloved hands and part of a bald head.

'I am impressed. There aren't many who can take out five well-trained Echani, let alone do so quickly and without injury.'

'Compliments no mean much to me.'

'Release the merchant. You are under arrest for the murder of four merchants and one Senator, and the attempted murder of Van Darlok.'

There was a low, guttural laugh. 'Stoopah Jeedai. You no arrest me. I kill Jeedai.'

'You must realise you are hopelessly outmatched.' Tophur ignited his lightsaber with a snap-hiss, closely followed by Dien Dok'fur's.

'You no come closer, or I kill merchant.'

Van Darlok whimpered as the assassin dug the point of his blade into his neck. A bead of blood blossomed and began to fall down his throat.

'Release him.' As he spoke, Tophur pushed out with the force, backing up the force of his words.

'Jeedai mind tricks no work on me.'

Tophur smiled. 'They weren't meant to. It was jus a distraction.'

The assassin frowned. Before he could react, Dien Dok'fur seized his chance. With the Force, he yanked the vibroblade from his hand, followed by Van Darlok. The fat merchant squealed as he sailed through the air to land with a crash at Dien Dok'fur's feet.

'Surrender. You have nowhere to go.'

The assassin gave a short, snorting laugh. 'I could go through you.'

'You can try.'

'I got better plan.' He held up one hand. There was a small cylinder in his fist. Before Tophur could act, the assassin pressed the button on top.

Explosives had been planted around the edge of the window. They were small, not powerful enough to kill them, but more than enough to perform their task. The entire transparisteel window disintegrated as they detonated, showering the room with a lethal hail of fragments. Tophur ducked and dragged a chair to protect him, whilst Dien Dok'fur did the same with the desk to cover himself and Van Darlok. Hundreds of tiny transparent splinters embedded themselves in the back of the chair and the desk.

When he looked up, the assassin was still standing in front of where the window used to be, completely unharmed, though the light suit he wore had been shredded, revealing a dark, armoured bodysuit underneath. A faint shimmer of a personal shield surrounded him.

'You catch me, Jeedai!' the assassin shouted, and turned and leapt out of the ragged hole.

Tophur rushed to the hole, expecting to see the assassin plummet to his death. A breeze tugged at his clothes, but there was no hurtling body. Instead he saw the assassin, floating through the air to a roof a hundred metres away and thirty metres down, thanks to the tiny repulsorpack he wore.

He cursed. He was not going to let him escape. This was the first break they'd had in weeks. He eyed the distance, and moved to the back of the office.

'Forget him,' he told Dien Dok'fur.

He broke into a sprint.

There is no death, there is the Force.

Tophur Rand leapt out the window. A strong breeze tore at his blond hair and his robes as he sailed across the gap. He barely made it, even using the force to boost his jump. As it was, his boot thumped down onto the parapet, and slipped. He dove forward, propelling his weight into a roll that brought him fully onto the roof. He came up running.

'A Jedi should have perfect balance,' Dien Dok'fur chided him. Tophur spared a glance back to see his fellow Jedi Knight land gracefully without even needing to tumble to absorb the impact. His robes flared as they caught the wind. Tophur grunted.

It was easy for the Caamasi to say. His species had an excellent sense of balance.

On either side of them, skyscrapers rose into the early evening sky, forming a massive artificial canyon of sheer metal and transparisteel. Beyond the tops of the buildings, the Coruscant sky was turning a deep umber as the sun set.

Repulsor craft rushed past, producing a ceaseless cacophony of thruster noise and doppler-shifted horns. It was never quiet in the upper levels of Coruscant. There were always repulsorcraft coming and going in the traffic lanes. Most were above the level of the buildings, though a few of the fast lanes dropped below the roofs.

Ahead, their quarry had almost reached the end of the roof. The assassin was fast. But he had run out of rooftop. There were no other buildings close by whose roof he could leap onto. He halted at the edge and stared down before turning to face his pursuers.

His repulsorpack must be drained, Tophur thought with a smile.

Tophur and Dien slowed to a stop and approached slowly. For the first time, Tophur got a good look at the sapient they'd been chasing. He was fairly certain it was a male, though he couldn't be entirely certain. Whereas before he had appeared as a bald human male, now the figure was slender, almost asexual, and what he could see of the face was reptilian, with large eyes and a wide nose.

A Clawdite.

'I guess that explains why no one caught the killer on holorecordings,' he said.

Dien Dok'fur nodded. 'Enter the building as one individual, kill your target, and leave as another. Tricky.'

'Not tricky enough.' He raised his voice. 'Surrender Clawdite. You've nowhere to go now. You are under arrest.'

'Think not, Jeedai.'

The repulsorcraft rose up from below to silhouette the Clawdite. It was a big vehicle, and had probably started life as a transport of some kind. Not anymore. Armour plating covered the sides, and blaster cupolas protruded from the frame, lending it a bulbous appearance, as if it were suffering from malign growths. The original repulsors had been replaced with heavy duty models. And beneath the cabin, on either side of the spotlights, sat a pair of long-barrelled blaster cannons. Alone, the vehicle broke who knew how many Coruscant traffic bylaws. Somehow, Tophur doubted Dax cared. The vehicle was probably untraceable, and only ever came out when needed.

The blaster cannons swung to line up on the Jedi. Tophur threw himself at Dien Dok'fur, knocking him aside as they fired. The section of roof they had been standing on a moment before vaporised as the bolts struck.

When Tophur looked up, the transport was already swinging away from the rooftop, the Clawdite assassin standing at the hatch, waving at them.

'Sithspit!'

He gave a low growl and pushed himself to his feet. He was not going to let the assassin get away. Not if he could help it.

He ran after the transport. When he reached the end of the roof, he gathered all his might into his jump, and leapt. His hand reached out to grab the transport's tailfin. It wasn't until the transport moved away, and out of his reach, that he realised the stupid mistake he'd made. He flung one hand out toward the rapidly receding craft, sending a tiny black speck spinning toward it, as his arc reached its zenith.

With a wordless yell, Tophur Rand started to plummet.

A/N: review please!