Thanks for reading!!

Chapter 4

CorSec Headquarters

Ros looked at his chrono again and wondered where Nejaa could possibly be. He expected the Jedi Master to be there waiting for him. He lifted the mug of stimaf to his lips, and as he drank, he hoped the stimulant in the caf soon kicked in. He only had thee hours of sleep. He hated pulling double shifts to begin with, but with the adrenalin rush from yesterday morning's trip inside the baron's mansion, he felt more drained than normal from a double shift.

He sat the mug down and stifled a yawn as he looked at the warrant again. He truly was shocked that the judge gave it to them, but the holographic evidence that the painting was in Saffore's possession was something only the most crooked of magistrates could ignore.

Again he glanced at his chorno. "Where is he?" he said to himself.

"I'm sorry if I've kept you waiting."

Ros turned an annoyed expression on the Jedi Master as he sat down in the chair beside his small desk in the cubical that served as Ros's office. Then he looked at Nejaa and said only half teasingly, "Stang, Nejaa, you look as beat as I do."

Nejaa quickly looked away and said, "That's because I only got about an hour or two of sleep."

Ros instantly stiffened. Something in Nejaa's response made him wary. "What exactly did you and Scerra do last night?"

Nejaa looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Ros instantly realized just how jealous his question sounded. He relaxed and laughed at himself. "Then I wonder why over half the force thinks something is going on between us. I'm sorry, Nejaa. I suppose I sometimes get a little overprotective of Scerra."

"I've noticed." Nejaa grinned, then added, "Let me get a cup of caf and I'll ease your mind…at least a little." He stood and picked up Ros's empty cup. "I'll refill yours too, you look like hell."

He returned a moment later with two steaming mugs of the pungent morning necessity. After reclaiming his seat and sipping his mug, Nejaa said, "Scerra and I had dinner at The Mermaid and afterward spent the night on the beach."

"All night?" Ros asked taken aback.

"Yeah." Nejaa took another sip from his cup. "She's an amazing woman. We spent the night talking, and before we knew it, the sun was coming up."

"Just talking, huh?" Ros stared at the Jedi. He knew Scerra was attracted to Nejaa, but he assumed the Jedi Master would never encourage it, despite his own feelings.

"Yes, just talking." Then Nejaa nodded over the top of his mug toward the holographic seal on the official document lying on the top of a stack of flimsy. "Is that the warrant?" he asked, clearly trying to redirect the conversation.

But there was something in the way the Jedi said it that had Ros's mind working overtime. The Jedi was good at deception, but he was a cop and made a career out of seeing through it.

After a moment, he said, "Nejaa, may ask you something?"

Nejaa looked up as he sat his mug down. "Of course."

Ros swallowed, he wasn't exactly sure how he was going to say this without sounding like he had more interest in Scerra then just friendship. He hoped the Jedi was smart enough to realize the truth. "What are your intentions with Scerra?"

"What do you mean?" Nejaa asked smoothly.

"You know damn well what I mean." Crossing his arms over his chest, Ros sat back in his chair and regarded the older man. "You surely see Scerra's attraction to you. And I think you are a more than just a little attracted to her. I don't know the rules for you guys, maybe this sort of thing is allowed, but I thought Jedi didn't marry."

Nejaa grinned and replied, "I hardly think a few dances and dinners, or even one night talking on the beach means we are headed down an aisle."

"No, I suppose not, but I know Scerra. If she's falling for you, she will fall hard and I'd hate to see her get hurt."

Nejaa held his gaze steady and responded, "I don't want her to get hurt either."

"Good then we're in agreement."

Ros than picked up the holographic document and said with a grin, "Now let's go have ourselves an official look at the Baron Saffore's Tyrena estate."

Chateau Saffore, on Gold Beach, near Tyrena, Corellia

This time Nejaa let Ros do the talking, and they didn't walk into the estate of the president of Corellian Engineering, but rather drove up in a CorSec unmarked speeder. The front door opened with the same butler as the day before standing in the opening, but not a hint of recognition appeared on the old man's impassive face.

"Good day, sirs. What may we do for you?"

Ros held out the warrant along with his ID and said authoritatively, "I'm Lieutenant Rostek Horn and this is my associate Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon. We would like to have a word with the baron, if he's in, if not we would like to have a look around."

The butler read the search warrant, and after seeing the official seal, he motioned for them to enter. "I will inform Baroness Saffore that you're requesting an audience."

"Thank you." Ros looked at Nejaa as they followed the butler into a parlor.

Nejaa had sensed Ros's trepidation when the same butler answered the door. Clearly he expected to be recognized from yesterday. Nejaa gave him a lopsided grin, causing Ros to only shake his head in wonderment.

They waited ten minutes in an elaborately decorated sitting room furnished with the finest couches, chairs and tables all in the best fabrics, leathers and woods. Artwork decorated the walls and low tables, while the color scheme was one of pleasingly happy colors that were to encourage conversation by the occupants of the room. However, they remained stoically quiet as they waited for the lady of the house. Finally, a young woman of probably no more than twenty-five walked into the room.

She smiled at them and it was easy to see why Saffore had married her. She had dark brown hair that hung to her waist in long curls; her eyes were just as dark and were speckled with gold, setting them alive with an inner fire; and her shimmering day gown of deep blue enhanced every curve she possessed. She smiled graciously which truly was her crowning jewel. She was definitely a lovely woman.

"Good day, gentlemen, I'm Baroness Jolana Saffore." As she greeted them, it was also easy to see why she was probably willing to marry a man at least twice her age. Not one of her fingers was without a precious jewel adoring it and around her neck hung an extremely rare multifaceted durindfire gem worth at least a million credits.

"Baroness Saffore, I'm CorSec Lieutenant Rostek Horn and this is my associate Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon. I'm sorry for this interruption, and we will not take longer than necessary, but we believe you and your husband may have been deceived in a recent purchase of an Alderaanian painting."

As Ros spoke, Nejaa gently probed the woman. It was clear that she didn't know anything, but she was nonetheless surprised; though, considering her youth, she covered well.

"How recent? My husband hasn't bought any paintings in at least half standard year." Jolana gave them a small coy smile and added, "And that one was of me. You are welcome to view if you like; it's in Franses's private study."

"No," Ros said obviously figuring out also just what type of painting the woman's husband would have commissioned, "that's okay. The painting we are looking for is definitely Alderaanian." He looked at Nejaa, who gave him a small nod, then he turned back to the young baroness and added, "Our warrant gives us permission to have a look around. You are free to accompany us, of course. We won't touch anything unless it looks suspicious."

Smiling again at Ros, she said, "I'm confident that you won't find anything, but I'll help show you around the house. I still get lost sometimes and I've been married to Franses for almost a year."

They worked their way through the mansion, going from room to room, pretending to be looking for the stolen painting. Eventually, they made it to the private study of Baron Saffore and Jolana keyed the lock as she turned to Ros. Smiling seductively, she said as she met Ros's eyes, "You'll have the opportunity to see my painting anyway, Lieutenant Horn."

Ros returned her smile and moved to follow her into the room. Nejaa could feel the woman's attraction to the tall CorSec officer, but it was Ros's oblivion to it that caused him to snicker. Ros looked sharply at him and Nejaa only shrugged as he followed him into the library. In the center of the room was a large desk, the walls were lined with shelves holding datastorage containers of every type. A window was directly behind the desk, and directly in front of the desk, over a small stone fireplace, was the painting of Jolana Saffore. She was standing on a stylized beach with the ocean before her as she looked over her bare shoulder at the viewer with an extremely seductive expression in her gold-flecked brown eyes. Her only clothing was a wispy white gauze-like wrap encircling her to cover her most private parts, but it was pretty apparent she was nude and the covering did little but enhance that fact.

Ros stared at the painting for a moment, until she stepped up close to him and said almost too low for Nejaa to hear, "Do you like what you see, Lieutenant?"

Ros quickly looked down at the wife of one of the most powerful men in Corellia, if not the Core, and stammered, "Umm…I…"

"It is a beautiful painting, Baroness, but it isn't the one we're looking for," Nejaa rescued his partner. The young woman looked at him as if she had forgotten about the Jedi, not surprising since all of her attention had been focused on Ros. Ros's expression was one of relief; he finally realized what all the attention to him was trying to accomplish.

"Thank you, Master Halcyon," she said, but was clearly annoyed that Ros wasn't alone. "Well, shall we move on?"

"Yes," Ros said, following her from the room, but not before stealing one more glance back at the painting and grinned. Nejaa raised an eyebrow, maybe the cop was more aware of her attraction then he let on and maybe it was even mutual.

After leaving the study, Ros and Nejaa subtly directed the search. Jolana was becoming bored and her sudden quietness indicated that she realized that her flirtations wasn't going anywhere in trying to seduce the CorSec lieutenant. However, it was also obvious that she didn't realize what was hided in the storage room. She actually was the one to suggest that they look in there first once they reached the appropriate level.

She opened the room and deactivated the security alarms. "This is a storage room that Franses uses to store art in that we haven't decided where to place." She moved into space and made her way around the crates.

Nejaa moved further into the room and found the tripod with the covered painting on. "What's this?" he said as he pointed to it.

She came up beside him. "I don't know. That must be new, but Franses hasn't been home in two months."

"Really?" Ros asked as he stood on the other side of Nejaa.

She smiled again at him, saying, "Yes, he's on Coruscant for business. I've been here all alone."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Ros said, but looked back at the white drape. "May we have a look under the drape? The size fits the painting we're looking for."

She shrugged. "I suppose. You do have a search warrant, after all. You really don't even need my permission to do anything. I will make sure CorSec is made aware of your courtesy."

Nejaa bowed his head slightly and said," Thank you, Baroness. We are not convinced your husband, or you, have done anything wrong. But we do think the painting is here."

Ros gently lifted the drape, much as he had the morning before, and she gasped in utter shock when she saw the painting. "That's the Prince and Princess of Alderaan!"

Ros looked at her surprised. "Yeah, how did…"

She looked from the painting to Ros. "How do I know them?" she completed his question. Ros nodded and she answered, "Because I'm a distant cousin of Breha's. Most people think I'm related to the Corellian Antilles, but actually my father was Alderaanian." She shook her head and looked back to the painting. "My great uncle was quite put out when this was stolen from him. You mean it was here the whole time?" She all but squeaked as she turned to Nejaa.

Nejaa slowly shook his head and responded, "No. We think the man Baron Saffore has buying art for him is involved. Carvon Mikkels."

She continued to stare wide-eyed at the painting. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. I never did like him."

"Well, that truly is a shame, Baroness."

All three of them turned to the new voice, Jolana screamed and Ros reached for his blaster. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, CorSec," a powerfully built, middle-aged man said as he stepped further into the room, a small, deadly blaster held in a two-handed grip and pointed directly at them. "Now, nice and easy put your hands in the air."

"Mikkels, what are you doing?" Jolana said after calming herself enough to make a coherent sentence and she raised her arms above her head.

He moved in and easily removed Ros's blaster from its holster. Snarling, Ros said, "Nice hiding place. To bad it wasn't good enough."

He smirked as he backed away, tucking Ros's blaster into his belt, while his blaster was trained on Nejaa. "True. I figured old Saffore had all the judges bought off enough to never get a warrant even on their desks, let alone signed." He stepped before Nejaa as he went on, "But it doesn't matter. It only makes things a slightly more messy. Blood stains are a pain to get rid of."

Nejaa looked at him, and Mikkels waved the blaster threateningly. "Your lightsaber, Jedi."

Nejaa calmly gazed at him as he drew on the Force. "I don't think you require my lightsaber."

For about a second the crook looked profoundly confused. Then he shook his head, "No, I don't need your lightsaber."

In that moment of doubt, Nejaa pulled the weapon in question from under his green robe. Ros, realizing what the Jedi was up to, grabbed the panicked and confused Jolana, pushing her to the tiled floor. Nejaa ignited his silver blade just in time to deflect a blaster bolt heading toward Ros.

Ros tucked and rolled, while Nejaa parried another blast. To confuse things more, Jolana was now screaming uncontrollably with her arms protectively covering her head as she withered on the floor face down. Nejaa pressed forward, deflecting one blast after another into the ceiling of the room. Finally, he had gained enough on him to corner Mikkels against a large create.

"Give up," Nejaa said calmly but determinedly, "You cannot win, and if I'd have wanted you dead, you would have been with the first shot."

Mikkels was desperate and Nejaa knew desperate men did stupid things. "You tricked me!"

"Yes, that is pretty obvious," Ros called from where he crouched beside Jolana, trying to calm her. "Now do what the good Jedi commanded and give up." He stood and came up behind Nejaa.

It was clearly a sign of a trust that startled Nejaa at first. If Nejaa missed any of the shots, Ros could be hit. The realization was enough to spur Nejaa into finishing the fight. In a movement almost to fast to track, the Jedi stepped forward, and with a backhanded twist of his wrist, deflected yet another shot, and in the return swing, sliced through the blaster, taking with it the dealer's trigger finger.

He instantly dropped the blaster and howled in startled pain. Ros quickly moved forward and grabbed him, retrieving his blaster from Mikkel's belt as he spun him around and held him with his arms caught behind him.

"Now, buddy," Ros growled as he pushed him hard against the crate, causing it to tip dangerously to the side. "You are under arrest in the name of Corellian Security." In a smooth motion that slightly surprised Nejaa, Ros applied a pair of binders and added with a smirk, "I hope you enjoy your vacation, Mr. Mikkels. I hear the weather is absolutely fabulous on Kessel this time of year."

CorSec Headquarters

"So, now you're going to tell me just how you got that holo," said Yarlet Jenaves as he finished reading Ros's report. He pinned the lieutenant and the Jedi with a look that demanded to know.

Ros sighed and glanced at Nejaa, who smiled lopsidedly as he rubbed his chin. "If I tell you it won't change the fact that we caught our art thief and recovered a very valuable painting."

"No, it won't," Yarlet agreed, "but it will give me an idea of just how far above the law you are willing to go."

Nejaa raised an eyebrow in question and Yarlet laughed, "Oh, come on, Master Halcyon, I know you two must have sneaked into the Chateau and got the holo. I just want to know how in the galaxy you managed it."

Nejaa laughed and said, "Okay, you caught us. It was my idea because I knew that I could get us past the personnel and the security cams. How I did that is simple—by using what you all affectionately call Jedi mind tricks."

"Yeah, Cap," Ros grinned at Nejaa, "it turns out Nejaa here is the master of mind tricks."

Yarlet laughed and said, "I'm not sure that makes me feel better or worse about it, but I'm surely glad that you didn't get caught. That would have been difficult to explain." Ros was amazed at how well Janaves was taking this. He was about to make a smart comment about their explanation being that Nejaa put him under a mind trick when the captain's features hardened. Ros knew that expression well. "But if you," he pointed to Ros, "ever do that sort of thing again, I will skin you alive. Do you understand, Lieutenant Horn?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you," he pointed to Nejaa, "if you intend to stay and work with Corellian Securtiy, you will stay within the law. Do you understand, Master Halcyon?"

Nejaa gave him a respectful bow of his head and replied, "Yes, Captain."

"Good!" Yarlet then stood up from behind his desk and came around to stand behind the two younger men. He came up between them and slapped them both on the shoulder. "Now, go have a drink and get some sleep. You both look like hell."

They left the captain's office and headed back toward Ros's cubical. "So, would you like to go down to the Ranto for that drink? Then I'll take you home."

Nejaa glanced at his chrono and then grinned as he said, "Actually, as much as I'd like to razz you about your new girlfriend, I think I'll pass on the drink. I can still get two hours of sleep in before I meet Scerra."

"New girlfriend? I'm not the one needing sleep because I've spent all night on the beach with my dancing partner."

Smirking, the Jedi shrugged and said, "True, but I still can't believe you didn't pick up on her seduction long before the painting."

Ros glared at Nejaa as he gathered his things to leave. "Maybe I was toying with her and just playing dumb."

Nejaa snorted. "Right. But the look on your face when you saw that painting was priceless."

Ros chuckled at himself and admitted as he hoisted the carryall on his shoulder, "Well, I am a red-blooded Corellian man. You can't tell me that you didn't appreciate that painting." Nejaa shrugged and then Ros smirked. "Thanks for the save by the way. As much as I liked the painting, I had no desire of actually seeing the real thing. No matter how red-blooded I may be, becoming Baroness Saffore's latest boy-toy wasn't going to happen."

"Any time, my friend," Nejaa said as they headed out of the office.

"So, you're meeting Scerra. You planning another night on the beach?"

Nejaa glared sideways at Ros and shook his head. "Not exactly. She's invited me to a dinner party at her mother's friend's home. It should be interesting. I hope it's not as dull as she claimed it would be, because I'll fall asleep if it is."

"Let me guess, Mazy Callowin?"

"Yeah. You say that as if I should run in the other direction."

Ros laughed and said, "If I were you, I would."

"That doesn't sound encouraging," Nejaa said as they entered the lift that would take them to the exit.

"I just wish Adelyn would just realize Scerra is a big girl, and for the most part, can take care of herself." As he said it, he glanced at Nejaa and suddenly hoped it was true. He got the feeling Nejaa and his best friend were on a very slippery slope and headed for a mess at the bottom. A mess he hoped wouldn't end up hurting them both.