Chapter 3

The Raid

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon arrived at the CSF Headquarters once more, where a police droid met them.

"Ah, there you are. Come right this way, Jedi. We've been expecting you."

The two Jedi followed the police droid through the station and into a small, dimly-lit room, where a number of police officers sat facing a holotable. An officer standing by the holotable saw the Jedi enter the room and stepped forward to greet them. "Jedi. I'm Lieutenant Breau, CSF Special Weapons and Tactics. Welcome to the SWAT briefing room. Have a seat."

The Jedi sat down amongst the police officers. Both could sense the slight discomfort from these hardened professionals towards the odd, robed interlopers in their mix. We stick out here. No matter. We're here to catch Vick Reego, and catch him we shall.

Patience, Obi-Wan. Watch and learn. The information you see and hear in this room may save your life in a few hours.

Lieutenant Breau walked over to the holotable and flipped a switch. An image came up of Vick Reego. "All right, men. Tonight, we're serving a high-risk arrest warrant. Our suspect is a Gran male named Vick Reego. He's a mercenary and assassin believed to be responsible for the murder of a Jedi Master and our very own Inspector Clooso roughly a week ago. He is armed and extremely dangerous. The Underworld Police traced the last sighting of his speeder to this building here." Breau pressed a button, and the holotable's image changed to what looked like the layout of a tenement building. "The Underworld Police have a perimeter set up around the area, and SWAT will have an inner perimeter around the building itself. We'll have marksmen on rooftops covering here and here." Breau gestured around the building as he continued the briefing. "The entry team, along with our visitors, will come in via gunship, on the roof. Given the danger the suspect poses, we're going in with no warning. Keep as quiet as possible until we locate Reego, and keep an eye out for civilians in the building; the police aren't too popular in this neighborhood. Once we find him, move fast and take him into custody. We'll exfiltrate via the gunship, and then give the all clear so that the CSI droids can pick his hidey-hole clean. Any questions?"

No one responded.

"Very well, then. Get your gear and get ready. We move out in an hour."

The gunship touched down on the rooftop, and the officers turned off the holotable in the center of the passenger compartment where they and the Jedi had been studying the floorplans on the flight. The SWAT officers were clad in helmets and armorweave vests, with large goggles and belts loaded with stun grenades, less than lethal weapons, and binders. Most carried blaster carbines, with a few carrying shotguns. All carried their service pistols on their belts. A sergeant standing by the door jumped out onto the roof and signaled the entry team to exit. They egressed the gunship and dashed onto the roof, with the Jedi in trail. This is a new experience, Master. I've never been on a SWAT raid before.

Don't be nervous, Obi-Wan. The Force will guide us, and our allies.

Obi-Wan released his anxieties into the Force and followed his master towards a maintenance entry that led to the apartments below. They followed the entry team through the door and down into the dark maintenance corridor. The sergeant raised his fist, signaling his men to halt. He then made another hand signal, and the officers fiddled with their goggles. Night vision goggles. We don't have any equipment except for our utility belts and lightsabers.

Concentrate, young Padawan. We have the Force as our ally.

Obi-Wan cleared his mind and focused on his surroundings, sensing them with the Force.

The Force is my guide, and with it I can navigate the darkness.

Soon, he could perceive his surroundings clearly, and the entry team continued through the corridor with the Jedi behind them. They entered another hallway, this one with apartments on either side of it. Suddenly, Obi-Wan sensed something in one of the rooms. Reego…he's in there. I can feel it. Master? I heard you, Obi-Wan. I sense it too. I'll see if I can convince the police to search that room. "Sergeant?" The sergeant signaled his men to halt and moved towards Qui-Gon. "Keep your voice down. What is it?" "Do you have a way of looking through doors?" "We can look under them: we have miniature cameras. Why?" "That room, over there. My apprentice and I think that might be where Reego is hiding." "And you need me to check it out. What makes you so sure?" Qui-Gon said nothing, and the sergeant scowled at him. "It's the Force, isn't it? Ugh…" The sergeant reached into a pouch on his utility belt and produced what looked like a small rod. He pushed it under the door and pressed a button on his goggles. After waiting for a few seconds, he stood up, and the Jedi could sense his amazement. "We've got a male Gran in there, with what looks like personal baggage. I hope you're right about this, Jedi." The sergeant returned to the head of the stack and signaled to his men. They took up positions on either side of the door, and one of them stepped forward with a small thermal charge in his hand. He placed it on the door handle, fiddled with his wrist gauntlet, and stepped back, raising his left hand. He counted to three with his fingers, and then pressed a button on his gauntlet. The charge detonated, blowing the door open. In an instant, the entry team rushed into the room, training their blasters on the startled Gran. "CORUSCANT SECURITY! PUT YOUR HANDS UP! PUT YOUR HANDS UP! GET ON THE GROUND! GET ON THE GROUND! GET ON THE GROUND NOW! DO IT!" The Gran barely had time to get out of bed before one of the officers grabbed him and threw him to the floor. The officer pinned the Gran down while another cuffed him, all while two others kept their blasters trained on the Gran's head. The officers then stood the Gran up and pushed him against the wall, proceeding to pat him down. Qui-Gon simply stood there as the Gran turned his face towards the Jedi Master. He thought of Figaro's lifeless body for a moment, and then released his anger into the Force. "Vick Reego, in the name of the statutes and laws of the Galactic Republic, you are under arrest for the murders of Jedi Master Figaro Leet and Inspector Clooso of the Coruscant Security Force." The Gran simply stared at Qui-Gon, no emotion in his face and no words coming from his mouth. The entry team and the Jedi rushed the Gran down the hallway, up the stairs and onto the roof, where the gunship awaited.

Once again, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood before the Jedi Council, this time with happier news. "Masters. Obi-Wan and I have just returned from a police raid in the undercity. We are glad to inform you that Vick Reego, the murderer of Master Leet and Inspector Clooso, is in custody."

"Much evidence against him, there is. Swiftly convict him, I believe the courts will."

"Excellent work. Both of you. Reego will take no more innocent lives."

"Thank you, Master Tiin."

"Master Qui-Gon. Troubled, you still seem. What are your concerns?"

Qui-Gon cleared his mind, trying to push aside his uncertainty about the true nature of the case and his annoyance at Master Yoda's perceptiveness.

"We have found Reego, Master Yoda, but this case does not end with him. He is a hired assassin, and while he is in custody his employer is not. Given that Reego likely only kills for credits, his employer was the one truly behind Master Leet's death. And I sense that whoever ordered Master Leet's death had a far more sinister motive than just blood money."

"What would you have us do then, Master Qui-Gon? We don't have the foggiest idea who would have wanted Master Leet dead to the point that he would pay Reego to do it. As you are no doubt aware, his anti-gang work made him many dangerous enemies."

"We go back to the Archives, Master Windu. Check Reego's affiliates. Whoever might have hired him recently. Any other assassins or other professional contacts or group affiliations he had. If we can assemble a list of who he worked for, the chances are that someone on that list might have hired him to kill Master Leet."

The Council went silent for several moments, but both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan could sense their grudging acceptance of Qui-Gon's idea.

"Sanction your idea, we will. However, alone you must pursue this."

"Master Yoda, if I may."

"Have anything to add do you, Master Sifo-Dyas?"

"I would like to help Master Qui-Gon and his Padawan in this investigation. With the Council's permission, of course."

"Permission, you have. However, remain on Coruscant, all of you must. Soon will the murderer's trial be, and needed you are to testify."

"Yes, Master Yoda."

Sensing the discomfort of Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Sifo-Dyas, Mace Windu quickly stepped in.

"That is all. You and Obi-Wan are dismissed, Qui-Gon."

Both Jedi bowed and walked out of the room.

The trial took several months, but finally the verdict was handed down. Vick Reego was convicted not only of the murders of Master Leet and Inspector Clooso, but also of five others he had committed on other worlds. He was given seven life sentences, one for each of his victims. Meanwhile, between testifying in court, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Sifo-Dyas spent their time reading as much as they could about Reego and his connections. It spanned the usual gamut for such a being: various assassins, bounty hunters, mercenaries, and black market gunsmiths; through crime lords, shady corporate bigwigs, and even rumors of a Senator or two. However, one connection stood out from the others, both in frequency and in suspicion.