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A/N: A brief reminder this is rated T and some of this story will be graphic.

Chapter 2 - Murder on 1500

Master Duran led Caden to a large opening in the city flooring. Looking down it seemed to never end.

"As you may know Coruscant is divided into different levels. The level we are currently on is level 5127. We are heading to level 3010."

Caden looked towards his new master with his mouth slightly agape. "That's… That's over 2000 levels below."

Nevras smirked at the comment from his young padawan. "It is indeed. However, it is a good midpoint between the lowest levels and the surface. Most of our investigations tend to be in the levels below 3000, but we also need to have relative access to the Jedi Temple's archives."

Nevras led Caden to a transport docked to the edge of the ventilation shaft. As they entered, Nevras flashed an ID to the droid pilot and pressed a button for level 3000. "He is with me." He gestured to Caden for the droid to see. They then proceeded a few rows back in the transport and took a seat on the bench-like seating.

"The CFS will provide you with an ID, so that you may travel freely between the levels using these transports. If you lose it you will have to climb and use turbolifts to get to where you need to go, so don't lose it."

"Yes, master."

After a few minutes the transport finally undocked and started its descent down the portal stopping every so often for others who had gotten on with them to get off. After about an hour they finally made it to level 3010 and proceeded to get off. Nevras continued to lead Caden through the streets of the underworld. They passed by mostly humans on this level, but they all looked down and out on their luck. After passing a few merchants and a homeless encampment they made their way down an alley. Nevras lifted a small container and pressed a button with the tip of his boot and a door appeared in the wall.

Nevras opened it and gestured to Caden to step inside. "After you."

Caden entered and Nevras followed suit and sealed the door behind him. The inside of this building was much nicer than the outside. Artificial sunlight shined down on a small garden in the center of the room and state of the art equipment lined the walls. There were three corridors, one to the left, another to the right, and third on the opposite side of the garden.

"Let's give you a tour shall we."

Nevras walked into the garden. "This is the closest you will get to the sun down here. I find this to be the best place for meditation. The corridor to your left leads to the barracks for any CFS working with us. The corridor behind me leads to a few conference rooms that we have in this facility. And this corridor… follow me." Nevras began walking to the corridor to Caden's right.

"This leads to our rooms as well as the stairs. We have a basement that has a shooting range for CFS as well as a training hall for us to use."

Master Duran then started to head up the stairs with Caden following quickly behind. "Up here we have a small kitchen and dining area as well as our lab for investigations. Let's see if Uruk is in."

The door opened and a CFS underworld officer sat at the monitors flipping through security footage. The officer had his helmet off and turned to look at the two Jedi.

"Ah, welcome back Master Duran." The middle-aged human officer stood up from his chair. It appeared as if he had lost his right eye as in its place was a glowing red cybernetic eye and around it was severe scarring. His head was shaved and had a patchy grey beard that had scars where there wasn't any hair.

"Detective Lin? Where is Uruk?"

The detective looked to the floor and shook his head before making eye contact again with Master Duran. "The blasted Lieutenant reassigned him. He said and I quote, 'You have the Jedi and if they are so great then you don't need the Ugnaught's assistance.'"

Caden noticed the briefest flash of anger on his master's face before going back to the normal calm demeanor that he had seen from him thus far.

"Divo will continue to be a thorn in our side until he finally realizes that we do good work for him. Uruk will be missed. Have you tried to go over his head?"

"I have begun the process to try and overwrite his decision, but I'm not optimistic. Anyways…" the detective sighed. "I assume this is your new padawan. I am Detective Yaro Lin."

Lin reached his hand forward for a handshake and Caden took it. "My name is Caden Vash."

"Well met Caden," the detective then looked back to Master Duran. "I have a meeting with Lieutenant Inspector Yur T'aug about our Uruk situation. Ever since he worked with Master Jinn and Master Kenobi he has slowly changed his opinion on Jedi assistance with CFS investigations. I'm hoping he will be able to help deal with Divo."

Yaro grabbed his helmet off the desk and put it on. When he spoke again it sounded almost like a droid. "Wish me luck."

After Yaro Lin had left the room Nevras turned to Caden. "Well this is problematic. Uruk was our forensic analyst. He assisted us with analyzing any evidence collected from blood samples to tapping into a droid's memory banks. Let me show you to your room here."

They made their way back down the stairs and entered into one of the rooms near the base of the stairs. "This will be your room, go ahead and put away your things. When you are done, meet me across the hall in the training room."

The room had two beds on opposite sides of the far wall. Between the two beds were two desks; the desk on the left side had a holonet tablet and miscellaneous tools and equipment. Caden set his bag on the opposite desk and emptied the contents into the desk.

Caden then made his way from the bedroom to the training hall. Master Duran was in the center of the room levitating with his legs cross-legged and several boxes levitating around him. He then lowered to the floor and stood up. "Your turn."

Over the next hour Caden attempted to levitate himself and the boxes, but was only able to levitate himself and a few of the boxes by the time his master told him to stop.

"You have an impressive connection to the force. It took Renna a few days to accomplish what you did today. Let's call it a day. We will get you your ID and get to work tomorrow."

Turned out that the room Caden was in he would be sharing with Master Duran. Sleep eluded Caden for the first few hours. The excitement from finally getting a master and the new experiences he was about to go through excited him and his thoughts were all over the place. Caden then began a breathing exercise to calm his mind so that he could fall asleep.

In the morning Detective Lin had returned and printed off an ID for Caden as they sat down to eat breakfast an alarm trilled from the lab. The detective rushed to the room to answer the call. Several minutes later he returned to the kitchen.

"We need to move out. We have a murder on level 1500. The wife of the Twi'lek refugees leader on that level was found dead outside their home. The husband's name is Yim'batu and the deceased's name is Aalaynam'eta."

Master Duran set his eating utensils down on his plate having just finished his meal and looked to his young padawan. "This looks to be an interesting first day for you. Make sure you have your ID."

Yaro Lin placed his helmet over his head and the trio quickly made their way out of the safe-house. As they made it into the alley. Detective Lin opened a panel on the wall and typed in a code that Caden wasn't able to see and the wall opened up revealing a BARC Speeder and a Panther Police Interceptor.

Lin got on the speeder. "I'll see you two there."

Nevras took the driver side seat of the Panther and Caden followed suit and got in the passenger's seat. "Normally we take the public transport, but a murder related to a high profile individual like this requires us to get there as fast as we can."

Nevras turned on the Panther's lights and siren and made his way down the underworld portal to level 1500. As they made their way down the streets of 1500 Caden could see that this level seemed entirely populated by Twi'lek refugees. They arrived and saw several CFS underworld officers setting up a perimeter around the home.

One of the officers approached them as they emerged from the Panther. "It's me. We are setting up a perimeter and I've got men inside with the husband. He seems upset, but something feels off. The body is just outside the home. She was almost to the door when she took a blaster bolt to the back of the head."

Nevras, Caden, and Yaro made their way to the body. Her teal-skinned around the head was charred from the blast. She was dressed modestly and nothing seemed disturbed from the body.

"Do we know where she was last night?" Nevras asked.

"According to Yim'batu she has been meeting with an individual that goes by the name Grinn Tor. I ran his name and he has some petty crimes and a smuggling history with the Hutts. Yim'batu is convinced that this smuggler is responsible for the murder of his wife."

Nevras turned to Caden. "What do you notice about the body?"

Caden looked over the body one more time. She was dressed comfortably and modestly, her shoes were simple sandals and her feet looked clean.

"She doesn't seem to have been running from anyone or anything. Her feet are clean and clothes look like she was comfortable with whomever she was meeting."

Nevras smirked. "Good analysis my padawan." Nevras put on gloves before turning the body over. "Based on the condition of her clothes she only hit the ground once she died. If she was running we would see some oil stains on the clothing and maybe some dirt around the knees if she had fallen. She believed she had made it home safely when she was shot. Do we have a location for this Grinn Tor?"

Detective Lin looked at his tablet. "He has a hanger that he is renting a few blocks from here."

"We will investigate the hangar and search for Tor. Finish collecting statements and evidence and we will meet you back at the safe-house."

Nevras and Caden made their way back to the Panther and took off for the hangar. They landed on a landing pad outside the hangar doors and could see the smuggler's ship and smuggler working on it as sparks flew as he used a fusioncutter to cut open a section of the hull.

As they approached the smuggler removed the goggles he was wearing and set down his fusioncutter. He was blue-skinned Twi'lek and his face was covered in grease from working on the ship.

"Master Jedis, what can I do for you?"

"Are you Grinn Tor?" Nevras asked.

The Twi'lek cocked his head, seemingly confused by the situation. "I am."

"Did a miss Aalaynam'eta come visit you last night?"

"Yeah Aalayna has me doing odd jobs for the refugees while I'm grounded here. Last night she dropped off payment for my services and let me know about another potential job. The "Crimson Stinger" here can't fly, so I need the money to repair her."

Grinn Tor set down his fusioncutter and crossed his arms defensively. "Did something happen to her? Is she alright?"

He seemed to have genuine concern in his voice.

Nevras looked to Caden before speaking again. "Yes, she was murdered last night on the way home."

Grinn covered his mouth with his right hand before sitting down on a nearby crate.

Nevras approached Grinn and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She was more than just a client wasn't she?"

Grinn was clearly holding back tears. He sniffled and set both of his hands on his knees. "I've been here for a year now and yes during that time we became close. We've been having an affair. I even considered leaving smuggling behind and selling the ship just so I could be with her."

Grinn stood up and tossed a hydrospanner across the hanger. "Damn it all!"

Caden noticed his master slip a homing beacon onto the side of the Crimson Stinger while Grinn went to pick up the hydrospanner he threw.

"We are sorry for your loss." Nevras then turned and began walking back to the Panther and motioned for Caden to follow.

As they got back in, Caden spoke up. "Master, I believe he is innocent of this. He seemed legitimately devastated."

"Always keep an open mind Caden. Sometimes the characters we deal with are great actors."

Nevras started the Panther and they made their way back to the home of Yim'batu.

"I thought we were meeting Yaro back at the safe-house?"

"We will. I would like to question Yim'batu myself and see if he has any other leads."

The body and the barricades had been removed from the premises. Nevras knocked on the door. A portly green-skinned Twi'lek opened the door a few moments later. "Can I help you?"

"We are the Jedi Investigators assisting the CFS in the death of Aalaynam'eta. Are you Yim'batu?"

The man frowned as he looked between the two Jedi. "Come inside."

They entered the home and it was much nicer than the streets outside. The pure white furniture glistened in the artificial sunlight. "I am Yim'batu."

Yim'batu extended his hand to Nevras who shook it. "Jedi Master Nevras Duran and this is my padawan Caden Vash."

Yim'batu then extended his hand to Caden as well. Caden shook it and a vision much like with Renna invaded his mind.

Caden could see Yim'batu crying and angry as he opened a secret compartment on the wall revealing a set of blaster pistols. Yim'batu took one of them from the compartment and made his way out a side door into the alley next to the home. Aalaynam'eta walked past the alley and Yim'batu came out from his hiding place in the alley and shot his wife in the back of the head before heading back to the side door.

Caden shook his head after letting go of Yim'batu's hand.

"Are you alright young Jedi?"

Caden said nothing as he made his way past Yim'batu and pressed against the wall the same way as Yim'batu had in his vision. The compartment opened revealing the two blaster pistols. Yim'batu shocked, turned and ran out the door with Nevras quickly on his tail. The Jedi Master tackled him to the ground outside the home and quickly placed binders on his wrists. Nevras pulled out his comlink.

"This is Master Duran we have a murder suspect in custody at the home of Yim'batu on level 1500."

"Acknowledged dispatching units to your position."

"You can't do this to me. I am Yim'batu the leader of these people. They need me!."

"You should of thought of that before murdering your wife."

Caden made his way out of the house and Nevras turned to look at his apprentice. "Well done, Caden. You will have to inform me on all you saw after CFS takes him away."

CFS showed up shortly after and took Yim'batu into their custody. Caden and his master then took the Panther back to the garage on level 3010 and sat down in one of the meeting rooms of their safehouse.

"I saw Yim'batu open that compartment crying with rage. He took the side door into the alley and waited for his wife to come home. When she passed by the alley he quickly came after her and shot her."

Caden placed his head in his hands as he leaned his elbows against the table.

"Attachments often lead to jealousy. This is why we as Jedi forbid such attachments. It leads us to do terrible things. Your connection to the force has given you visions of the future and now of the past. We will work on harnessing it. I want you to make meditation in the garden a daily practice. It will help you not be as affected by these visions."

"Yes, master."

Caden felt confused by what was happening to him. He had never had any visions until recently, but Master Duran seemed to know more about his potential and abilities then he let on. Masters Yoda and Windu mentioned that Master Duran had wanted him as his padawan years ago.

Caden wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at his master. An alarm then trilled.

Nevras stood up, "That's the proximity alarm."

Nevras rushed from the room and Caden followed him to a terminal near the front door.

Caden looked at the monitor. "Is that Grinn Tor?"

"It is indeed."

Nevras opened the door and Grinn entered.

"You know it's rude to leave things like this on someone's property." He tossed the homing beacon to Nevras who caught it in his right hand.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the first investigation. I really enjoyed coming up with Grinn's character and hope you all enjoyed that cliffhanger ending. The next chapter will be a little shorter, but you will get to learn more about the team and its members.