Chapter 2
The stars rushed past the Cosmic Dragon in a blaze of light as eighteen-year-old Lexoc Jogri peered out the viewscreen. The stars were no longer as they appeared from planets or realspace: no longer points of light that marked their respective systems, but mere blue lines that stretched across the viewscreen. Hyperspace was quite beautiful, even if hardly anyone ever stopped to reflect on it.
However, Lexoc had little better things to do during the long flight through hyperspace to Niam.
Nerca sat in the back further educating Jesbra, Oliso and Keldu on Verdin, Senator Altamira Tonuu, and Niam.
The students talked amongst themselves, as far as Lexoc could tell, about the possibility of becoming Padawan Learners soon.
Lexoc could hear Nerca as she told about Senator Tonuu. "Jesbra, Senator Tonuu is very dedicated to her planet and to the Republic. She is a great supporter of the Jedi. I highly doubt she 'shammed' this whole thing."
Just then, the ship's hyperspace controls beeped, signaling that they were approaching the Iamese system. Nerca heard the beep and was making her way to the front. She plopped down beside Lexoc and buckled herself in. As she eased back on the hyperspace controls, the ship reverted into realspace. Stars returned to points of light, twinkling around them like glitter.
Lexoc could see Niam ahead, a large planet in an orbit fairly close to the system's star. It was the center of the six-planet Iamese system, a planet mostly covered by water.
As they broke through the atmosphere a light mist swirled around them like a celestial figure descending from the skies. Lexoc could see mining towers in the sea that lay stretched to their right.
"Probably for mining zurite," Nerca said without prompting. "The planet is rich in it and the frequent earthquakes draw it up from the core. It's dangerous work, but the miners make a small fortune." Nerca's attention shifted. "There's Niolia, the capital city." Nerca pointed to a black speck framed against the wide aqua blue that filled the viewport. Lexoc could just make out the shape of buildings.
From the upper atmosphere, the city appeared quite small: perhaps a thousand square kilometers, which, compared to most planet's capitals, was small. Buildings looked as though they stretched only a kilometer tall, which when compared to Coruscant where Lexoc had grown up, was primitive.
As they drew closer, Lexoc could see that the buildings were made from a black stone and studded with blue and green zurite. That probably prevented them from going too high. And the city stretched farther than it looked, perhaps a couple of klicks so.
Nerca maneuvered the Cosmic Dragon expertlythrough the semi-crowded space lanes. Of course the traffic here could never compete with planetary Coruscant's…
The Iamese system's government building, rectangular and heavily studded with zurite, stood high above the rest in the center of the city.
Nerca zoomed towards the private docking garage and a voice crackled over the open comm, "This is the Republic Deferent Democracy of Niam," it said. "The public landing pads are down-level."
"Niam, this is Lexoc Jogri," Lexoc identified herself, "aboard the Cosmic Dragon. On official Republic Senate and Jedi business investigations. Clearance code: one-one-three-eight."
"Roger, Cosmic Dragon," the official replied. "Proceed to docking slot two-six-one, level fourteen."
"Acknowledged." She switched the comm off.
Nerca was already guiding the cruiser into the docking garage. She slid into slot 261 and set down so gently that for a moment, Lexoc didn't even realize that she had set down at all.
When she did realize it, Lexoc grabbed her survival pack and comlink, just like all of the other Jedi did, and strode down the landing ramp. They were greeted by a small group of security guards.
"Jedi," the head security guard immediately said to them. "We will escort you to Tonuu immediately, as per orders."
Though every one appeared calm Lexoc could feel dark ripples flow off of them in silent waves. The necklace gracing Nerca's neck glowed red, the color it turned when she sensed fear. Everyone was shaken by the fact that someone had gotten through security, heightening the level of security to twice of what it should have been. Security guards and droids constantly roamed the halls.
Altamira Tonuu's quarters were in the center of the building, vastly surrounded by guards, droids and sensors. The head guard tapped many keys before the door finally slid open, revealing a frightened Verdin woman.
Tonuu's long orange hair was loosely tied atop her head with many loose strands hanging around her shoulders. Her already pale skin was white in shock, off-set by the rich blue robes that were crumpled around her body. Her green eyes were the only thing that registered anything but fear. Another feeling marked Tonuu's features. Something that Lexoc wasn't quite sure of.
Despite the fact that it had been nearly twenty-four hours, she looked like she had just entered from the attack.
When she saw the Jedi, her look of fear disappeared behind a diplomatic mask. "Jedi, please sit," she said gesturing to lush blue cushions. "I suppose that you'll want me to relate the accident to you immediately."
At their simultaneous nods, she began. "I had just come out of a meeting with the regents of Niam. I was headed to announce the decision concerning the trade system to the people. When I had just come out of the building, I was shot at. I heard the blaster fire and dove backwards. The blast hit an officer. The second blast hit my shoulder." She gestured with a shaking hand to her shoulder. "I had just enough time to avoid the third blast. I was lying flat when the fourth shot struck, not far from my neck. I looked up just in time to see a black figure dart away. That is the last thing I remember before I fainted. I was not so shaken by this until I heard that this same character killed Limono Anicaa."
"Can you give a description of this figure?" Jesbra asked her voice soft and coaxing. She was gifted with a sweet, overly convincing mouth and will.
"It was tall," Tonuu said. "It was stocky and the best I could tell it was Human. I did not see whether it was a man or a woman."
"Do you have any idea of who it might be?" Oliso asked.
"I have no idea."
"Do you have any ties to Senator Anicaa?" Nerca asked.
"I have met him before, but he was only an acquaintance."
"Security was not breached at any time during the day?" Lexoc asked.
"Never."
Lexoc sat back, thinking. A tall, stocky Human or humanoid in black. Not much to go on.
"Senator Tonuu, is there a security holo-tape of that day?" Lexoc asked. "Or a record?"
"I believe that there is a tape," Senator Tonuu replied. "But the records do not show anything. Regardless, I will have the tape and records brought to your quarters after you are escorted there. But you may have to share rooms. Security has been sweeping most of the available ones. Is that all right?"
Lexoc sensed that this interrogation was about to come to an end. Oh, well. Tonuu didn't have any very helpful information anyway.
"That will be fine," Nerca said, standing. "Thank you."
"No, thank you, Masters Jedi," Tonuu replied diplomatically, dipping her head in the Verdinian equivalent of a bow."
All ten Jedi stood and returned the head-dip. And all ten swept quickly out of the room. The door slid shut behind them, sealing them in the broad corridor.
"Did you sense anything?" Lexoc asked the students. It was important that they learn things on this mission, even if they didn't become Padawans.
"I do not think she was lying, yet there is something that she did not tell us," Zela Jan said quietly.
"Yes, I thought so too," ever-impulsive Yovo said, her voice coated with certainty.
"But what would she be hiding?" Jorzan thought aloud. "And why?"
"Even I do not know, but I think we should discover that on our own, without Tonuu's help," Jesbra answered. "We may need her later but not now."
"I also thought that she seemed sad as well as frightened," Nerca said. "But why sad? I also sensed grief."
"Excuse me," a light voice came from behind them, breaking into their conversation. They turned to see a small Iamese woman. "My name is Xera. I am to show you to your quarters."
As the Jedi followed her down twisting corridors, Lexoc smiled. She couldn't help but feel that the murderer was already sliding into their grasp.