Thank you for the feedback!! I really appreciate it : )

Actually, I write more Star Wars then LOTR. I've got about 30 Star Wars stories (no I'm not joking ;) and it wasn't until I read some of Cassia's and Siobhan's LOTR work that I decided to give it a try : ) but it truth I'm more of a Star Wars writer.

My last name is Tachi. Siri Tachi. I'm not sure where this name comes from since I don't think Jude Watson ever mentioned it, but somewhere along the line the official Star Wars website mentioned it and it's kind of become my official last name : )

As for spoilers, I don't think there are any, though I may be mistaken.

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Kuro-N: Chapter 2

Please see Chapter 1 for details

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Kioyto was a red planet, the deep crimson of the sandy surface had an eerie look and the very light and air seemed to have the tinges of red. They landed on the docking platform that had been reserved for them. Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon out of the transport and Qui-Gon's eyes took in everything: the strange buildings of Kioy, the capital, had layered square roofs pointing up towards spires. The dark haired natives moved quickly through the streets, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's even slightly tanned skin was a sharp contrast to the surprisingly pale skin of the Kioyzahns. Obi-Wan was hanging close to Qui-Gon as the men passed them.

"We are going straight to the capital building." Qui-Gon whispered to Obi-Wan. The boy locked his eyes on the huge palace ahead. There were three spire roofs in a row, but they all belonged to the same large stone building. Qui-Gon studied the red sand that had been packed down by the many feet that walked on them. It had a sparkling look to it as well as being the deepest red Qui-Gon had ever seen. The Jedi soon reached the Emperor's palace, a man with dark eyes and hair hanging around his shoulders showed them in and then he passed them off to a middle-aged woman.

"Greetings Jedi." She bowed to them. "I am Mai Kumiko, I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Qui-Gon bowed to her in return.

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi." Obi-Wan bowed when he was introduced.

"I am the Emprincess' aid. Her uncle, and our Emperor, has requested her to meet with you, as he has business he needs to complete before he can meet with the honorable Jedi." Qui-Gon nodded.

"That is quite all right." He had wanted to meet with Kadiri as it was. They were shown into an exotic sitting room, the walls had strange mosaics of battles and victory celebrations. Qui-Gon sat down next to Obi-Wan on the two of the low, hard seated chairs, which also had elaborate designs on them.

"Emprincess Kadiri Rieko Yoshika Nouo." From another room separated by long strings of coral beads, a young woman entered. Her hair was pulled back onto the top of her head with two long pins topped with carved gold pieces, her deep red and purple dress reached to the floor and her sleeves were very wide at the opening. A thick sash was wrapped around her waist and her feet made a light tapping noise as she walked. The young woman studied the two Jedi, her dark eyes flicking from one to the other. She sat down in a disdainful fashion.

"Leave us, Mai." The woman bowed her head and stepped out of the room. Qui-Gon waited a moment before speaking.

"Emprincess Ka--"

"Call me Kadiri." The young woman corrected sharply. "Until I am Empress I do not wish to be reminded of my other rank." Qui-Gon nodded simply.

"Kadiri, we are here to investigate your father's death."

"Yes I know," Kadiri poured tea for the two Jedi. "My uncle is trying to clear my name, he must not realize that he will never sway the people." Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow.

"Why do the people think that you killed your father?" He asked.

"They do not want me as an Empress." Kadiri's eyes were cold. "I believe they would do anything to choose their own leader, even accuse me of a crime I did not commit."

"What is the evidence against you?"

"My uncle will not tell me. He says it is best if I do not know." Qui-Gon nodded.

"I can see the prudence in that." Qui-Gon paused, uncertain if he should ask the next question. "What is the evidence for you?" Kadiri's eyes turned fiery.

"I did not murder my father."

"It won't take your defense far."

"If they cannot trust me, then they will not trust anyone else. I shall be Empress, it is not their decision."

"If the people don't want you as an Empress." Qui-Gon continued. "Why would someone kill your father?"

"He had many secrets." Kadiri said moodily. "Many he never told even my deceased mother."

"Do you think maybe your father killed himself?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. Her eyes turned into hot anger.

"Who are you?" She demanded rising to her feet. "That you would dishonor him so?" Qui-Gon was passive but he could see his mistake was not a smart one.

"I simply mean that if the people don't want you as Empress--"

"I tell you I *will* be Empress, and they have no choice!" Kadiri pulled away from them.

"Your highness--"

"Out!" Kadiri screamed suddenly. "Mai!" the handmaid appeared out of a dark corner.

"Ma'am?"

"Show our Jedi friends the door." The girl whirled on them, silver beads clacking against one another as her skirts twisted sharply.

"Honorable Jedi, I am afraid you must leave..." Mai said nervously, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were already to the door.

"That is quite all right, Mai, we will leave."

Outside Obi-Wan looked over the shoulder.

"This will be difficult."

"Why do you say so, Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked.

"She doesn't seem to want to see her name cleared... And honestly, I could easily believe she would kill her father." Qui-Gon nodded.

"Still there is something else to this and it doesn't seem to fit." Qui-Gon recalled what Kadiri had said. "She said her father had many secrets. I wonder what they were."

"Maybe Masao will be more helpful." Obi-Wan murmured.

"Yes, let us hope so." Qui-Gon nodded.

***

Masao turned in his grand chair to face the two Jedi standing behind him. His face was the picture of uncertainty, but he nodded to them.

"Jedi." He said smoothly.

"Emperor Masao," Qui-Gon bowed along side Obi-Wan, and they were seated at the table across from the Emperor. "You had a chance to meet my niece." He said easily.

"Yes sire we have." Qui-Gon tried not to show anything.

"She is still in shock from her father's death I think." Masao said in defense of his young relative.

"I see." Qui-Gon didn't think that was it at all, but he said nothing more on the subject.

"Jedi, it comes to this: my brother's people need a new leader, but they don't want me and they don't want my niece. There is a murder they've foisted off on Kadiri, and on me..." He shook his head. "They'll find some way to make me incapable of having office. The people want a democracy and they won't be satisfied until they get it." He sipped his tea and stared hard at the Jedi. "But I think if we prove that this murder was not Kadiri's fault, the people have nothing to keep her from being Empress, then they will see what a grand leader she is." Qui-Gon nodded. "So, you need to find out who the murder is." Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow.

"Emperor, we are here to protect you, and as far as the investigation goes we are supervisors."

"I asked for someone to investigate--" Masao began.

"And investigate we will," Qui-Gon broke in. "But we are not here to figure it out ourselves."

"My security have turned up nothing," Masao hesitated. "Except the evidence against my niece."

"What evidence is this?" Qui-Gon asked easily. Masao paused.

"We may have some primitive ways, but we do establish security cameras in our Emperor's rooms. On the tape you can clearly see someone murdering him, then that same someone reached up and--" He shook his head. "I really should just show you the clip." He clapped his hands three times and a servant moved from the corner and went to retrieve the tape. A moment later, he was back and had flicked on the holo clip.

Qui-Gon studied the picture. It was a knife murder, but even that was difficult to tell in the dark. He concentrated on the picture and saw the outline of the murderer, a small person. The audio was difficult to hear; the thunder rumbling in the background was easily audible, but no words were spoken. Suddenly the murderer turned, the figure moved to the security camera, and right before the murderer shut it off, there was a flash of lightning giving a full picture of a young woman. Her hair was dark and looked wet, her eyes were angry and fiery, and her dark red lips were open as she recaptured her breath. Then the picture went dark. "Now, she looks exactly like Kadiri, and she *would* have gotten wet hair walking from her room to his because you have to go out into the courtyard to get there." Masao sighed. "We've been trying to find a girl who looks like her, but it's just not happened, so many girls her age live on Kioyto, so we have just been trying to find a woman like that."

"You aren't factoring her into the equation." Qui-Gon murmured.

"What do you mean?" Masao said.

"I mean question Kadiri. If she didn't do it, asking her where she was at the time could turn up some compelling evidence." Masao's eyes were icy.

"I would sooner try to question a starved dinko." Qui-Gon caught Obi-Wan giving him a strange look and Qui-Gon smiled.

"I'm afraid it's important."

Masao waved a hand. "Then do as you wish, but I will not be held responsible for the results."