The first of many AGFAJ CHRONICLES. These will take place over the course of random years, but there will never be one that is farther past the current book that is out. So, for example, if Book IV isn't out yet, then there won't be any CHRONICLES from the time after book.

C.1

"There's always a bigger fish."

The planet of twin suns: Tatooine.

Tatooine was a place that had been the site of many battles of two different wars. The battles, however, weren't always solely military. There were battles of the mind and battles of time. Jedi and Sith had been there and both had lost something, or they gained something.

It was home to a number of species including but not limited to: humans, Ithorians, Gran, and Rodians to name a few. There was also the occasional Hutt that would find refuge in the badlands away from Jabba - even though he was dead now - but close to small towns. Supplies were always being shifted around throughout the towns, giving people who wanted to be heard but not seen the ability to survive.

Mos Eisley was a good place to lay low. There wasn't much of a ruling security bureau besides the Hutt's merry band of goons that patrolled the streets when they weren't getting drunk. Many smugglers and bounty hunters used the small apartments in the city to hide out when they wanted to stop. The spaceport wasn't as expensive as one might think when it came to long amounts of time spent there. Short times were more expensive due to convenience.

And convenience was everything.

But, sometimes, that very commodity was what made people slip up.

Just like with Seraph Ungoli.

Scrolling through his reputation profile on my datapad, I looked over to Kink, my clone team analyzer, "It's a wonder how he's been able to stay off our radar for so long."

Kink nodded, "A bounty hunter and a smuggler makes his job twice as dangerous."

"Not to mention he's had problems with Jabba as well as the Black Sun." I said, "With Jabba dead that would have provided some needed security, but not for long. Not to mention, the Black Sun is a crime syndicate who keeps a grudge. After they nearly fell apart when Maul took over, they have been keeping themselves very close to the vest."

"It also means their operations are even more difficult to pinpoint." Kink said as we made it down the hall of the entryway to the detention area.

I smiled and handed him the datapad, "That, my friend, is why we are still holding him. He might be able to help us."

"I didn't know that the Jedi were actively investigating the Black Sun at the moment." Kink said.

"They aren't. Neither is the Rebirth." I said back, seeing the reception desk up ahead, "The RIA is. They asked me if I would help them find any leads to Murton Lyle. I've been working on a lead or two for a few days with Ahsoka, but nothing came up. This man, though, might be just want I'm looking for."

"If he's a smuggler and he ripped off the Black Sun, then how would he know anything?" Kink asked.

I thought for a moment, then spoke, "I'm counting on the fact that he might know drop off points or vehicle models. That would give me something to go on."

We reached the desk within the next few seconds. I looked around beyond the desks to the hallway. The sides of the hallways, beyond the first blue ray shield, were lined with small cells guarded by red ray shields. Some of the rooms were just holding rooms until they could be transferred to the Gauntlet permanently.

I turned my attention to the receptionist. To my surprise, it wasn't Agent Drawg. This time it was a woman. She looked to be about thirty with long blond hair pulled back into a bun. Her gray uniform was freshly pressed and the buttons at the top of her shirt, near her neck, were unbuttoned so she didn't seem to be too uptight. However, her initial disposition showed how much power she actually had, and what others were supposed to believe was her power.

The most interesting thing about her was the tattoo that was slightly visible on her collarbone. I could make out the purple ink and it looked like the tip of a bird's wing.

Regardless, I gave her a kind nod, "Good morning, Agent."

Surprisingly, she only gave a curt nod back, "Cell 1248."

"I'm sorry?" I raised an eyebrow, "You don't even know who I want to see."

"You don't get to my position in the agency and not know who's coming and why." She said simply. "Seraph Ungoli."

For a good minute, I stared at her, then I nodded, "Well, thanks."

"Mhm." She hummed, leaning to the computer once again.

"What's your name?" I asked.

She looked up at me and for the first time I realized that her eyes were a shade of lavender. Her gaze sharpened for a moment as if she was thinking about her next words.

"SA Maya Shade." She said. "22nd division form the RIA academy."

"Just wanted to know your name." I chuckled slightly, completely throwing away her tone in general. There was no need to get into a fight with someone I would never see again. Especially when that someone was just an RIA agent. There were plenty of them that came and went. She would learn what happened later on.

I started to walk away when she spoke again, "You know, you're not what I expected."

"What did you expect?" I asked.

Maya cracked a smirk, "Someone taller."

I deadpanned, "Sorry to disappoint."

"Quite alright." She said. "Cell 1248."

Kink and I moved from the desk and down the hall. Along the hall there were small cells, as mentioned before, but there were more of them filled today then on a normal afternoon. Granted, there wasn't a new criminal being caught every single day, but it was more often than not.

Coruscant had a population of over a trillion people. Out of that number, about a twentieth of them fell under the poverty line despite the amount of jobs that needed to get done on the surface. Therefore, some had to turn to petty crime to get by on a weekly basis.

The Senate had done all it could, as did the Jedi, but there wasn't a planet in the entire galaxy that didn't have some type of problem with crime.

Before I knew it, I was in front of the cell. I nodded to Kink and he deactivated the shields.

"I hate to ask this." I said, smiling at Kink, "But, can you get us some water?"

"Kriff." Kink muttered.

"Thank you." I said quickly, then walked into the cell, the shields reactivating behind me.

In front of me sat a man, about my age, with a caramel colored skin tone. His hair was short and curly, but his sides were faded and his top hair was slightly fluffed up. His glasses were pressed tightly against the bridge of his nose as he crossed his arms. He didn't make eye contact.

I cast a look around the cell, then I looked back at him, "Just saying, I don't want you in here as much as you don't want to be here."

"How you figure?" He asked gruffly, his voice a mixture of shaded bravado and irritation, mixed with a bit of fatigue.

"I don't waste my time with people that don't deserve it." I said. "You make your living how you make your living, but you were carrying a crate of Pseudo Spice. Now, I don't remember everything, but I'm sure that's illegal."

"Tatooine doesn't have laws against it." He said back.

I nodded, "You're right, but Tatooine is under Republic jurisdiction at the moment until a new leader is appointed. Jabba the Hutt was killed in the Shadow War." A lie, but he has no idea of that. Tatooine isn't in any jurisdiction. That would be more than problematic.

Seraph uttered a curse, then leaned back in his chair, making eye contact this time.

His posture is more relaxed, a mixture of defeat and confusion spreading across his face. His eyes dart around the room, searching. The muscles in his face tense. He doesn't favor the information given to him.

"Why am I here, Jedi?" Seraph tried to sound tougher than his posture suggested. "And, who the heck are you?"

"My name is Blaze Marko. I'm sure you've heard of me. But, even if you haven't, I'm sure you've heard of this." I pulled up my wrist-pad and pressed the hologram button. Suddenly, an image of the Black Sun insignia appeared. Seraph's face changed in that instant but only slightly. It was a mere twitch of his eye, but I caught it.

"Black Sun." I said. "More specifically, Murton Lyle."

"Don't know why you're asking me about him." He said quickly. "I can't help you there."

"Oh, I think you can." I said, switching the image to Seraph's mug shot with his rap sheet summarized below it, "This shows that you've had several dealings with the Black Sun. And, in fact, that spice shipment was for them. But, something went wrong."

Seraph scowled darkly, caught in his act, "Yeah, yeah, I tried to skim and it backfired."

I chuckled, "More than backfired." I scrolled down a bit, highlighting some text, "They sent a hit team after you. In fact, my troops reported that when they picked you up you were being chased by a group of ten. Good thing I sent thirty troops from the nearby station."

"Thanks." Seraph grumbled.

"Oh, you're welcome." I said. "Now, to repay me, you can tell me where you met with Murton Lyle during your deals."

"You think he's gonna go back to the same places?" Seraph snapped, "He's smart, not dumb."

I closed the distance between myself and the other chair and sat down, "That depends on your definition of dumb. I would call you dumb."

The muscles in his face tense. His facial heat flares. He's angry.

Before he could respond, I continued, "You obviously have a lot of physical prowess, being mixed up with the syndicates and all. I would think they wouldn't take too kindly to people who couldn't fight." I pulled down the chart to the last physical examination he had, which was a year ago, and gave a slight whistle, "Physically fit, like I said. Though, you have an allergy to Mority berries." I couldn't help the chuckle that followed.

"Why's that funny?"

"That was the first drink I had here." I said. "My then-interest, Ahsoka Tano – now my wife – gave me some when we made breakfast together. I enjoy those."

"We all don't get that luxury." Seraph said. There was some underlying emotion in her tone.

I raised an eyebrow, "No. We don't." It clicked, "Especially, when some of us spend our time alone."

Seraph frowned, "Don't profile me, Jedi. You don't understand my past. There is a reason why I am alone."

"There's also a reason why you decided to take advanced hand to hand combat courses in Coruscant's lower levels." I said firmly, "There is a similar thing between both of those: you want to be tougher than everyone else."

Seraph shifted his weight a bit and crossed his arms, "Growing up in the slums makes you want to be better than those who used to strong arm you."

I nodded, then I got an idea. I stood up and pushed the desk over to the side of the room. I took off my gray robe and laid it over the table. I unhooked my sabers and laid them down as well and cracked my knuckles.

"What's this?" Seraph asked.

I smiled slightly, "I've got a proposition. Fight me. If you can win, I'll let you go. I'll even have the charge lifted. But, if I win, you give me the drop sites. Even if he doesn't go there anymore, he might have agents in those areas."

"You'll cheat." Seraph said.

"You have my word." I said. "Plus, it's the best option you have. And, it's the only option you have."

Seraph was quiet for a bit, then he rose to his feet. He cracked his own knuckles, then his neck. He dropped into a standard fighting stance and his face changed from uncompliant to battle-ready.

"Good choice." I said, falling into my own stance. Let's see what you're made of, Seraph.

Seraph moved immediately, lunging forward with his right fist closed. The distance closed was impressive, but I sidestepped the punch and threw my elbow towards his face. Surprisingly, he titled his body slightly and my attack grazed his shoulder.

He kicked his leg out to trip mine and shoved me backwards with a huff. I regained my footing and leapt at him, throwing punch after punch, which he blocked with apparent ease. I feinted an uppercut and he fell for it, getting socked in the gut as my left hand delivered a massive blow.

"Quick." I said, "But, not quick enough."

Seraph groaned for a moment, then threw the back of his fist to the side, nailing me in the jaw, sending me spiraling to the wall. With almost no time to react, he threw another punch, this time to my shoulder, popping the bone sharply.

Painful, but it was something I had endured before.

I cried out for a moment before throwing a knife hand to his neck. While he was trying to regain his composure, I threw my head forward, head-butting him like a champ. He reached for his head as he kicked his leg out, striking the wall as I rolled away.

He had been given significant training, it was apparent. His stance suggested that it was someone outside of the syndicate that had given him these moves. He had gone to a dojo in the underground levels of Coruscant for the most part, but I had been there as well and they didn't teach such stances.

His wasn't completely blocked off. The stance taught by the dojo didn't have many openings; however, there was room for movement. This stance was almost flawless, even when he was hurt.

I swung my leg down, knocking his out from under him. He fell to the floor, knocking his head against the ground and groaned loudly, arching his back in pain.

I put a foot down against his chest with a smile, "That was good."

Seraph gave a shout and kicked his leg to strike my lower back, pushing me off his body completely.

"You talk too much!" He got to his feet in an instant and continued his assault, taking quick jabs at my face and torso.

I spun around one of his attacks and drove my elbow into the nape of his neck, then giving a quick roundhouse kick to his ribs. He flew to the side of the room, landing on top of the metal table I had moved. He shifted then crouched.

He leapt at me one last time, but I kicked my leg out, pushing his chest inward as he collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

"You've got to be kidding me." Seraph rasped.

I cracked a smile, "Not."

Seraph rolled onto his front, slowly getting to his feet, "I thought you were just a lightsaber and a face."

Using the Force, I pulled my sabers to my belt, "Now, it's you who don't know my past. You'd be surprised at who taught me."

"Who?"

"If I told you, then I would lose the advantage." I said, then hardened my tone, "Time to pay the piper, Seraph."

Seraph scoffed, then groaned as he leaned against the nearest wall, "Nal Hutta."

"The Hutt home planet?" I asked. "You're sure?"

Seraph glared at me, "I'm more than sure. The drop off point was ten clicks away from an old battle ground near one of the three streams leading to the palace. It's out of the way and inconspicuous." He rubbed his neck, "You should have no problem getting there."

"You mean we." I said, cracking a smirk. "You're coming with me, Seraph."

Seraph's face turned red with anger, "That wasn't the deal!"

"I'm altering the deal." I said, "Pray I don't alter it further."

"Your kind are lying pieces of shit, you know?" Seraph spat, his body stance indicating he wanted to take another swing at me, but lacked the proper reserves of strength to do so.

"This is purely tactical, Seraph." I said, pulling my robe back around me, "I'm mostly sure that not all of his lackeys know of your betrayal, but it will circulate at some time. However, that small window is what we will be operating on. His agents will know of you and you will get me into the fray."

"Are you insane?" Seraph shouted. "We don't even have anything trade! They will shoot anyone, despite their ranking in the syndicate, if you come empty handed!"

"So, we will use the spice." I pulled my wrist-pad back on, "It isn't that difficult to get access to it. The spice will come back to Lyle, and then I can take him down."

"He is always surrounded by his inner circle." Seraph shuddered, "I don't care how good you think you are, or how good you actually are. You won't get close enough to shake his hand! You can forget about arresting him!"

I shrugged, "That just makes me want to try it all the more."

"I'm not coming." Seraph said. "I would rather be in jail for life than get killed."

I crossed my arms. There were times that I was glad that the last ten years had happened. Not only did I have friends everywhere, but I also had power everywhere. Most people would go power hungry, but, when you have a family, there is no room for that. It isn't even a thought.

But, that power came in handy when you needed it.

"If you can help me capture Murton Lyle, then I will have your sentence thrown out the window." I said confidently.

His jaw loosens. His facial heat lowers. His muscles become less tense. His stance changes to one of piqued interest.

"You can do that?" Seraph raised an eyebrow, moving his glasses up a smidge.

I nodded, "My good friend is the Chancellor of the Republic. I can basically do anything. But, yes, I can get the charge dropped." I held out my hand, "Deal?"

Seraph looked at the hand, then frowned hard at me, "I want it in writing."

"What?"

"I want the deal in writing from the Senate office." Seraph repeated. "Then, we have a deal."

I lowered my hand just as Kink deactivated the shields, a water jug in his hand. I turned to him, "We're done here. Leave the water with him." Kink nodded and placed the water on the table, slightly noting that it wasn't against the wall when he left.

Kink exited the room and I followed, but before I completely left the room, I turned my head back, "I'll be back tomorrow. Be ready."

Seraph gave a sarcastic salute, "Aye, aye, captain."

The laser wall activated behind me and I walked down the hall to the desk again. Kink gave me a look, then smirked. He nudged me with his elbow, then broke out into a full-blown laugh.

"How bad?" He laughed.

I smirked, "He's a dick." I shrugged slightly, "But, he's useful. I'm on a trip tomorrow. Kink, tell the RIA that I've got a lead and I'll be taking a small team to investigate and no I don't want any of his men."

Maya Shade looked up from her computer, "That's not procedure."

I snapped my fingers, "You'll see soon enough that I don't do procedure. I do things my way."

"Dangerous." Maya muttered. "Maybe even idiotic."

I gave her a look, then realized that the tattoo she was wearing was the black sparrow. It symbolized death. My gaze then drifted to her earrings: black pearls. They weren't cheap. In fact, they ran for about two thousand credits a piece. As an agent, there was no way she was parading around wearing those. She obviously was familiar with Coruscant, so she knew the dangers of wearing something so flashy. Even at work, the people she was around, the things she came into contact with, the people from outside the job, that should have thrown up a warning sign.

But, it was only me that saw it.

The black sparrow symbolized sorrow as well.

I tore my gaze from the tattoo and met her now piercing gaze. Crystal blue eyes that, in fact, were like shattered glass.

The Force whispered a slight warning to me. Involuntarily, my hand went to my lightsaber. It rested on the sleek middle section.

"Miss Shade." I said carefully, "Why did they send you to cover for Agent Drawg?"

"They had to send someone and I was done with my assignments for the week." Maya said nonchalantly.

"What division are you normally in?" I asked.

"I'm in the chemical division." She said. "But, I'm no stranger to having to deal with ruffians…or their paperwork."

I reached out with the Force and touched her mind ever so gently. At first, nothing but work-related stuff. I wasn't trying to reach deep within her subconscious, but it felt like it was trying to interact with me on purpose.

Then, I felt it: dark intention.

I unclicked my saber from my belt and held it downward, "You know, I can sense lies. Also, I can sense intentions. And, you have something dark in your head, Miss Shade."

Maya's face shifted to annoyance, "It's because I've been having thoughts of killing my competition for the place as Lead in my department." She grumbled, "I wouldn't do it of course."

I hooked my saber back to my belt, "Murder is murder. Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't." She frowned. "I'm much smarter than that, Master Jedi."

I nodded and walked off, heading towards the exit. Perhaps that was just what I sensed. She hated someone. That darkness felt just like that, but, then again, I had been wrong before.

I just hoped that I didn't make an error in judgement.