Chapter 13: The Road To Skako: Bombshells
"They were thinking of finding other employment," replied the captain, tersely. "We had our conversation, Padawan. Neither you, nor your master can connect me to anything. So I suggest you be on your way."
"Oh, we are far from done," came Shaak's voice as she strode into sight from behind a fuel tank. She would absolutely not be condescended bythis man. "Insidious. What does it mean? And how have you come about your information?"
The captain sighed. Wasn't that supposed to be Shaak's thing?
"Very well, if it will make you depart. I cannot reveal my sources, you understand. I noticed the shift in hostility towards Black Sun some time ago. I did not have a good idea as to the source – until recently. This mess with Stark was the equivalent of flipping over a political rock – in the scramble to avoid exposure, some interesting things came to my attention. Most notably a Senator and several fuzzy transmissions with Darth Jadus. Things became drastically clearer as this senator, I am reliably informed, is in firm opposition to King Ars Veruna of Naboo – a recent ally of Underlord Garyn."
Shaak frowned. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but Naboo was not it. "That could be a lot of possible senators; Veruna is rather controversial. Who is this senator?"
"If I were to tell you," said the captain, "I suspect I would not live to the end of the week. There is one more thing I could tell you: I suggest you take a firm look at Muunilist. Specifically, The Intergalactic Banking Clan and its lobbyist groups. I shall say no more. Now kindly take your ship and depart."
[Hyperspace]
{You've been quiet… since we left Kalist, began Fe-Sun, {I'm… not especially good at this but… do you want to talk about it?
Shaak drew herself from staring out into hyperspace to turn her attention back to Fe-Sun.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just," she paused, searching for the words. "We've always been prepared for the possibility – of the Senate being infiltrated. It's… it's just that now we're here, now that it might be happening. It brings with it, well, the possibility of an end to the ceasefire."
{We have to fight them though, replied Fe-Sun, {right?
"Well, yes, we will. But," she sighed, how many sighs had she made lately? "You weren't there last time, it was… horrible, to put it bluntly. I would not wish it on anyone, much less you and the other Padawans."
{Is that wholly it?
Shaak stared at her for what seemed to be an aeon. She was... honestly stunned. Wasn't it supposed to be her making the sage observations of Fe-Sun?
"You're growing up," she said, finally. "I suppose not. I suppose, I don't want to go back to what was. I will not lie to you, Fe-Sun, it was bad back then. Not as bad as the Republic Dark Age, about halfway through the war, but it was still nasty. Even with Yoda, Depa and the like, every day seemed like it would be the end. Like any moment the Sith would drop into Coruscant and scatter us, as happened in the Great Galactic War." She shook herself, lekku flapping slightly. "Sorry, I'm being morbid. Let us get back to-"
As if on cue, a beeping occurred from the controls – an incoming transmission. Shaak was now certain that The Force was laughing at them.
{Oh what now?} snapped Fe-Sun.
Shaak pressed a button and a hologram of a Republic officer burst into life.
"Master Ti? Are you available to divert course to Chandrila? A child of the senatorial Mothma family has been kidnapped."
Shaak frowned. Was this, really necessary?
"Can Chandrila's watchman not handle the situation?"
"Afraid not, Master Jedi," continued the officer, "Master Shaptives is tied up with Sennex slavers at the moment and every second the Mothma child is missing makes it less likely to find her."
"Acknowledged, I and my Padawan are on my way."
The hologram shut off and Fe-Sun slammed her head into her head rest. It probably wasn't good for her, but Shaak felt that such advice would not be well-received.
{Ugh. No, no, no… do we have to?} she demanded of Shaak.
"I am afraid so," said Shaak, wearily. Sighing, she adjusted course and in mere moments, they were flung out of hyperspace above Chandrila to face whatever The Force had come up with this time. Whatever it was, it had better be worth it.
[The city of Hanna, Chandrila, the Chandrila system]
"So as you can see here, the kidnappers left quite a mess," said the officer as Shaak and Fe-Sun gazed around the ransacked bedroom. Overturned furniture, scattered datapads, clothes strewn across the floor – although Shaak doubted the clothes were a result of the kidnapping.
The victim was fourteen-year-old Mon Mothma – barely a blip on the political radar due to her age. Her parents were another story however, being heavyweights in Chandrila's power structure. Which, if Shaak's years of experience had taught her anything, was generally suspect at best.
After taking everything in, Shaak crossed to the ripped-open window and inspected it.
The view of the glittering skyscrapers in the morning sun was pretty, as were the hilly meadows and forest on the horizon, past the city's borders. Shaak would be willing to bet that the price of this view could feed a town for decades.
"How many stories up is this?" she asked the officer.
"Two hundred and…" he glanced at his datapad, "twenty three. The family says the kidnappers used a speeder. Flew in, smashed through the window and dragged her, kicking and screaming, off."
"Hmm…" Shaak scratched her chin, "I think it would be a good idea to know who The Mothma's political opponents are."
They left the room and descended to the lounge, where the girl's parents were waiting nervously. The mother was keeping a fair poker face, but the father seemed close to hyperventilating. And neither seemed surprised by the situation - a red flag so red it matched Shaak's skin.
Master Shaptives had forwarded his files on The Mothmas to Shaak. The mother, Tanis Mothma, was governor of Hanna and something of a political mastermind with 'more fingers in various pies than she should logically have fingers'. She was, however, on good terms with Shaptives and had frequently provided extremely useful contacts. The father had a reputation as a ruthless diplomat and notable philanthropist - less interesting, but less suspect.
Shaak also caught a sense of… something. She wasn't quite sure what. Fe-Sun seemed to sense it too and was looking around her as if expecting to find something.
Shaak motion for Fe-Sun to stop peering intently at a grandfather clock as if it was withholding information.
Time to probe.
"There is something you are not telling us," she said to the two, bluntly. "And I mean aside from the usual politician deception."
Everyone – even Fe-Sun – looked taken aback. It seemed that they would need their hands help through this.
{What makes you so sure?} Fe-Sun asked.
"Their body language; see how they are distraught but at the same time definitely not surprised," Shaak replied, then fixed her eyes sternly onto the two parents. Her death-glare couldn't quite match the monolithic gaze of nightmares she'd seen Master Windu use, but in her own humble opinion, it was adequate. "Crestfallen, resigned and, in the case of the father, in panic – as one would be on hearing that a dying person has died. The two of you know exactly who did this and why."
Tanis, pursing her lips, spoke up.
"We may have had… ostensible disagreement with The Centis lately over… certain policies."
"Ostensible?" said Shaak, shrewdly.
She and her husband glanced at each other. Shaak had seen such glances before – extensive, non-verbal debate in mere seconds.
Apparently winning the unvoiced discussion, Tanis spoke again.
"It's possible," she began, "that certain favours were… heavily implied in return for… our disagreements carrying weight in public discourse-"
"What did you, or did you not, promise The Centi family," snapped Shaak, "as bribery to enforce your will on the people? I am not in the mood to entertain political intrigue – must I remind you that your daughter is in danger?"
It was possible she was coming across harshly. It was more possible
The father spoke up this time, "The Centis second son has been… getting along swimmingly with Mon as of late… we and his parents felt it would go a long way to build bridges between the families if they were… encouraged to foster their relationship."
There was an extremely long silence.
It dragged on.
And on.
Finally, Shaak pinched the bridge of her nose with a very pained sigh.
"So. To be crystal clear," she said, "Your two families were intending to prostitute your children as bribes. And presumably the arrangement deteriorated, leading to our present situation."
"Yes, if you insist on describing it like that," replied Tanis.
Shaak put a hand to her chin, thinking. That unknown she had sensed was still perceivable. What was it? It was bugging her.
"That doesn't quite add up though – surely The Centis have more intelligence than to try this approach, so wh-"
She froze.
It hit her.
Of course. Everything clicked into place.
The window, The Centis, The Mothmas, their lack of surprise, the strange sense she felt. It all made sense.
She deflated, resignedly. One thought bubbling to the surface.
'Why?'
Why did it have to be that?
Fe-Sun stiffened; she had also figured it out. She turned a pleading gaze on Shaak, as if that would somehow make it less true. It wouldn't.
"There is one serious problem yet to be addressed," said Shaak. Her voice was almost a ghost. Secretly praying she was wrong; even though she almost certainly wasn't.
She slammed her hand against the grandfather clock and ripped the front off it with The Force.
"The window was broken from the inside."
Inside the clock, bound and gagged, was an unconscious, pale, brunette teenager.
Quiet.
Deafening quiet permeated the room.
"When I saw the window, I initially concluded an inside job," Shaak eventually continued dejectedly. "But your account of matters combined with the presence I couldn't quite pin down changed that. Your story only made sense if one of you was the insider. Fe-Sun is much more astute at locating things than me; she has quite a talent."
Shaak gave a long sigh. Another sigh for the pile of sighs today.
"So when I remembered her being drawn to the grandfather clock, I realised what you had done. I very much doubt The Centis had anything to do with this beyond being your target. And the worst part is, had Shaptives been here, you likely would have deceived him – after all, he trusts you, Tanis. Take them away please."
And with Fe-Sun in tow, Shaak left. Admittedly, 'stormed out' would be a better descriptive.
The lift-ride down was suffocating. Fe-Sun could feel the despondence radiating off of Shaak. Her shoulders were slouched, her face drooping and she leant against the transparasteel wearily as the golden rays from outside bathed them in warmth.
The silence persisted in the glare.
Fe-Sun almost felt as if she were in a desert. For all the sun's glow, everything seemed bleak.
She didn't like this.
And Shaak just looked…
Tired.
And the ride stretched on.
And on.
And on.
The hum of life on the streets was a sweet mercy. The 'water' of life and sound ending the aridness of the clear box.
Finally, when they neared the docks, Shaak spoke again.
"This… was not a good day for me. It was not good day for me to investigate this. I'm sorry."
{Sorry?} replied Fe-Sun, {Don't be sorry – I know what I want to be now!}
"You do?" said Shaak, "What?"
{I want to be a Sentinel. You're right; I am good at finding things. I can track and I can hunt and I wasn't too far behind you in figuring out whodunit!} she plastered a grin – that looked frankly bizarre on a Geonosian – onto her face. {So wallow in how bad things have been, if you want. But don't you dare be sorry for today, Master.}
In spite of herself, Shaak felt a small, catlike grin creep into existence.
"What would I do without you, my young padawan?"
{Fall into manic depression?} quipped Fe-Sun, {Now let's get to Skako.}
[Skako, The Skako system]
Shaak and Fe-Sun settled down in the oxygenated room as the airlock admitted Overseer Umbrag – He glided in and adjusted one of the dials on his pressure suit before taking in his visitors.
"I thank you for taking the time to answer my call for Jedi assistance," he said in a mechanised drawl, thanks to his suit. "Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that the matter has since been resolved. I am deeply sorry for any inconvenience."
{What?} replied Fe-Sun incredulously, staring at the Skakoan.
Shaak sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that day. Were she alone, she may have taken to burying her face in her hands.
{Do we even get to find out what we were called here for?} continued Fe-Sun, anger rising with each syllable.
The Skakoan hesitated but eventually replied.
"If you must know… I believed a work colleague of mine had stolen one of my plans as her own. As it happens, this was simply a case of parallel thought – one in a million chance."
This was it?
This was the reason they'd spent the past fourteen-odd hours running around the Galactic Core?
"Excuse me?" said Shaak, drawing herself up to her full height. Maybe she was being overly callous. Frankly she had ceased caring. "Are you serious? You called a Jedi master out here over extremely minor intellectual theft? Let me make something crystal clear to you, Overseer Umbrag: Jedi are not to be called upon for such frivolous things. Please do not do this again."
She got up, followed by Fe-Sun, and departed.
{I want to punch something,} growled Fe-Sun.
"Anger leads t-"
{Don't even start with me. Can we just go home?}
Shaak gave one final sigh. Or she hoped it would be final.
"Yes, Fe-Sun. Yes we can."