Chapter 25: A Mystery on Dantooine

Author's Notes: Okay, finally managed to get this chapter out. Been a busy week hence why I haven't been writing like I usually do. I'm moving into a new apartment and then went on a weekend vacation. I've just had very little time or motivation to write this week. Hopefully things will go back to normal next week, or this week I guess since its almost midnight as I finish this chapter.

Bastila looked at the Twi'lek Jedi. "What's the problem, Master Bolook?"

"There has been a murder here," the Twilek, Bolook said in Huttese.

Calak frowned. "The last of the Mandalorians were right nearby, guess they managed to take more victim before we got to them?"

"Ah the Mandalorians have been stopped? That is good!" Bolook exclaimed. "But I'm afraid this was not their doing. We've seen a few bodies of murdered settlers and this doesn't match. Smaller blaster shots."

So, it was another blaster wielding killer.

Calak looked at Bastila. "Should we stop? I mean... we have already delayed quite a while getting back to the council?"

Bastila thought for a moment. "The force obviously brought us here. I doubt it was too simply refuse a fellow Jedi."

She then turned to the Twi'lek. "We'd be honored to help you Master Bolook."

"Thank you, Padawan Bastila," Bolook nodded.

Mission sighed. "Well, I doubt the force brought me here. If it's all the same to you I'd like to continue on back to the temple. We've been through so much today!"

Seeing as that was true, Calak himself did feel like he could use a break. But as a Jedi he had to stay.

"Arr!" Zalbarr agreed.

T3 beeped in a series that told Calak he wanted to stay.

"I think I'll stay as well," Carth said. "Just in case you need an extra set of eyes."

"Thanks," Calak said.

"Count me out," Canderous scoffed. "Not my problem to find out who killed this weakling."

That earned the Mandalorian a frown from the more morally inclined members of the crew. They could trust and count on him in a fight but they might not always like him.

"Fine," Bastila said. "The rest of you can go back to the enclave, you at least have probably earned a break, Mission. I suppose getting captured can be rather taxing as well. Calak, Carth, T3 and I will meet you there after we finish here."

Canderous, Mission, and Zalbaar nodded with the young Twi'lek eagerly grinning. The three of them continued forward in the direction of the enclave. This left Calak, Carth, Bastila and T3 to follow Bolook to a nearby area where two human men, both dark haired, with one being fat and clean shaved while the other had a beard. Both of them were restrained and watched by a protocol droid. If they tried to run, they'd have no chance against a Jedi who could call on the force to catch up to them with ease. They had no choice but to wait for the outcome. The droid had a nice light blue plating. Also nearby was a dead body.

"I have two suspects," Bolook said. "We received a call for help and I sped over here quickly.

These two men are Rickard Lusoff-

He gestured to the fit bearded man.

"And Handon Guld."

Bolook now motioned to the fat man.

"Listen to their stories and see what you can make of it," Bolook advised. "One of them has to be lying."

Both the men held different emotions. Calak could sense fear in them both, which was unsurprising as they were both murder suspects, and a wave of impatience as well as anger from the bearded man. That could be a sign that he was the murderer. Perhaps he was angry he'd been caught.

"Alright," Calak nodded.

He approached the witnesses first, starting with the bearded man, Rickard.

"Another Jedi huh?" the man said in a gruff sort of voice. "Helping that Twi'lek out, I guess? He seems stumped."

"Yeah," Calak agreed simply. "So, can you tell me what happened from your perspective?"

"Well, I was out hunting Iriaz," Rickard said. "I saw one in this area this morning but when I aimed my blaster rifle to shoot it, the sun was in my eyes."

Calak frowned as he recalled the morning. It had been rather cloudy as he recalled. Though there were some patches of blue sky here and there. But Rickard would have to be very unlucky to just get the sun in his eyes. It was possible that he shot Calder accidentally, but it was also possible Rickard was lying. But Calak needed to gather as much evidence as he could.

He now turned to Handon Guld.

"Hello Master Jedi," Handon greeted politely.

He certainly gave off a nicer demeanor then Rickard. But even a murderer could hide behind the guise of someone apparently nice.

"What were you doing out here on the plains?" Calak asked.

"Oh, I was out for a run," Handon said. "I do it all the time. Can't stand speeders never use them!"

He was a bit strange. But then Calak himself had been running around these plains for the past few days as well. So, there were probably stranger people out there. Calak had no reason to assume he was lying… yet.

"I eventually stumbled on this body," Handon said pointing to the corpse nearby. I got out my emergency communicator and called the enclave."

"Did you see anything?" Calak asked. "Anyone that could have killed him?"

Handon nodded. "I did see Rickard come of the bushes nearby holding his hunting rifle. It could have been him. Probably was. He's always had a gruff temper."

For now, Rickard appeared to be the prime suspect.

Calak looked at Bastila. "I think Rickard is most likely the guilty one."

She nodded. "That's how it appears but we need more to go on right now. Let's review with Master Bolook."

The Twi'lek Jedi had simply seemed to hang back in thought. They approached him.

"Well, my young padawan friends, you've heard both their stories. What are your impressions? Do you think either of the suspects are lying?"

Calak nodded. "Yes, Rickard. He claims there was a sun glare that blinded him but it was really cloudy this morning."

Bolook smiled. "Ah yes! I had forgotten that it was very cloudy this morning before the sun cleared it away. There were still some fair amounts of cloud when I piloted my speeder here. So, we know Rickard lied about the sun glare while he was hunting Iriaz, he shot something and

found Calder's body. But that doesn't prove his guilt in the matter. It's possible he shot Calder accidentally, but I doubt it."

Calak nodded. He looked between Handon and Rickard again, feeling their emotions. He could still sense the fear from both of them, but also a faint sense confidence from Rickard which was strange. If he was the killer, why would he be confident?

"So how should we proceed?" Calak asked.

"I think we should investigate whether the suspects had any relationship with the victim," Bolook said. "If they had any motive. Ask them and check with the information retrieval droid. It's connected to cameras and data entry stations across Dantooine."

Calak turned to Bastila. "You ask Handon I'll ask Rickard."

Carth sighed. "Maybe I should have gone back with the others. I never really got much interrogation training, though I guess you didn't either huh Calak?"

"Not really," Calak admitted.

They each went to their own suspect.

"Did you know the victim?" he asked Rickard.

"Yeah, I knew him real well!" the bitter man state. "Hell, we've known each other a good long time. We were even business partners Doesn't mean I like him though. He was a slimeball."

Okay, so Rickard was admitting to not liking Calder. Could that imply he disliked Calder enough to kill him?

"But that doesn't mean I wanted to murder him!" Rickard said in his own defense.

"I haven't said you have... yet."

If only he could tell if someone was lying through the force. That might have been an ability that some Jedi had, but not Calak. However, his feelings told him that Rickard was lying in there somewhere. He looked over and saw Bastila walk over while Carth stood by, watching the suspects in case either of them tried to make a run for it while the Jedi weren't looking.

"What did Handon say?" Calak asked.

"That he didn't know Mr. Nettic to well," Bastila told him. "They've had very little contact according to him."

Calak looked over at the man who had a jollier disposition. He liked Handon better then Rickard, but he could let himself be blinded based on a man's behavior or manner. But one of them could lying, and the information retrieval droid would probably know.

Calak approached the droid who stood silently until it was asked a question.

"Ah, do you need any information for the case Master Jedi?" the droid asked in a male programmed voice.

"Yes," Calak said. "I'd like you to tell me any information you have on the relationships these two men may have had with Calder Nettic."

The droid took a moment to retrieve the information from various databases it was connected to from all over the planet.

"Well, it seems that both men have an uneasy relationship with Calder at best. The Southward Speeder Rentals have a speeder rented that is shared by a Mr. C Nettic and a Mr. H Guld."

Calak's eyes widened. Handon Guld had lied! He'd known Calder well after all!

"And also, there was a report about a loud argument going on at the Garang Spaceport." The droid continued. "Apparently, Mr. R Lusoff accused Mr. C Nettic of cheating him in a business deal."

Calak told this to Bolook.

"So, Guld lied and Rickard felt cheated," Bolook said. "That makes one mark for Guld and two for Lusoff. But we still need more evidence. Ask them about their reasons for this. There was also a blood sample found at the crime scene. I suspect it belongs to the victim, but better make sure. Also, we found two weapons at the scene, one belonging to Rickard… his hunting rifle. But another was just lying on the ground not far from both men and the body. Ask them if they've seen the weapon before."

Calak and Bastila continued the investigation. Calak went with Handon this time while Bastila interviewed Rickard.

"You lied about how well you knew Calder!" Calak told him. "You rented a speeder with him."

Handon's eyes widened. "But I…" he sighed and looked down, knowing he had to be honest. "I realize this will probably sound like a motivation to you. I came to dislike Calder recently. We got along well in the beginning, and he even came over to my house several times. My wife and he were real good friends, or so I thought. They were more… she cheated on him with me."

Calak's eyes narrowed. That did sound like a motive.

"I'd like to punch him in the face but not kill him!" Handon protested. "I just found out the previous night. I'd drunk a bit too much and slept on the couch, only to wake up and find them in my bed. I went out for a late-night run to clear my head."

Calak frowned, not so sure he could trust this man anymore. His polite façade no longer had Calak biased in his favor.

"We'll just see," Calak said. "Now about that weapon that was found at the scene? We have Rickard's but the owner of the other wasn't identified."

He showed Handon a hologram of the rifle whose owner was unknown. Handon's eyes widened.

"That blaster… it was stolen from my house last week! I don't what happened to it! The killer must have taken it and used it shoot Calder! If it's not too much trouble I'd like it back after this is done."

Calak had a feeling that was not true. But he needed more than a feeling, he needed proof.

"Well, I'll see about getting it back to you," he said civilly.

"Thanks."

Calak then walked over to Bastila who was waiting, having concluded her business with Rickard.

"He admits to not loving Calder, but denies wanting to kill him," Bastila said. "I think he did though. We know he was out here with a rifle and lied about the sun glare!"

Calak nodded. "Both of them are liars and have motivation."

"But only one could have killed him," Bastila said. "There weren't multiple shots found on the body. Just one fatal shot, no others."

Calak frowned. "Maybe so. But we need to find out who for sure. There's something I need to investigate."

He approached the information retrieval droid.

"Is there a report of Handon Guld's blaster being stolen?" he asked.

If the weapon was stolen, that could clear Handon's name in this.

The droid looked for a moment but…

"I'm sorry, I seem to be failing you. There is no report of such a robbery."

So, Handon lied again. But there was still one piece of the puzzle that needed to be solved.

"How about the blood sample?"

"I just received it back from the analyst in the enclave. It was infected with dirt and debris so we can't get anything specific aside from the fact it did not belong to Calder."

Not Calder, then it had to be one of the suspects. Calak gazed back and forth between them. Rickard seemed to be fine. But Handon in that moment was gritting his teeth and held his side, as though in pain.

"Hey are you okay?" He asked approaching the man.

"What?" Handon replied in confusion.

"You're holding your side," Calak elaborated. "Are you injured?"

"I-injured?" Handon replied. "No! Fit as a Bantha!"

But Calak could sense worry in the man at that. Calak looked from Handon to Rickard who had claimed to have shot something earlier. But it hadn't been an iriaz… or Calder. But someone had killed Calder, and BOTH of them had motive, Handon for his wife cheating on him… he'd lied about the blaster being stolen. And Rickard thought Calder was cheating him in business. Only one could have killed Calder, yet both had been here.

And now Calak knew what had happened.

He returned to Master Bolook's side.

"So did you find anything on the blood sample and the weapon?" the Twi'lek asked.

"Yes," Calak replied. "Handon lied about the weapon being stolen. And the blood sample didn't belong to the victim."

"Well, that's surprising. It must be one of the suspects then," Bolook said.

Calak nodded. "I think its Handon's blood. He's been clutching his side for a while now."

Bolook looked at the man in question. "You're right. Let us examine him a little more closely."

The Twi'lek reached out of the force and caused Handon's shirt to be pulled up.

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing?" Handon exclaimed in a panic.

But they saw the wound on his side.

"It appears you've suffered a blaster wound to your side Mr. Guld," Balook noted. "You've been in a scuffle of some kind."

"I…" Handon stammered.

"You killed Calder Nettic!" Calak accused. "You did it because he was having an affair with your wife!"

"And you got injured as a result!" Carth said. "Calder must have defended himself!"

Calak wasn't so sure about that. There had been no mention of him having a weapon on his person or a second found… besides Rickard's.

"Fine, I did it!" Handon stated. "I wanted him out of the way so my wife would return to me!"

"That settles it then," Bolook said looking over at Rickard and waving his hand.

The restraints holding the man in place fell to the ground and released him.

"Ah finally!" Rickard said flexing his wrists. "Now I can go home!"

He made to finally leave but Calak spoke loudly. "Not so fast!"

"What? What now?" Rickard asked irritated.

"Yes, no need to keep him trapped here any longer," Bolook said.

"Actually, there is," Calak replied walking closer to Rickard whose nervousness was intensifying.

The Jedi drew his lightsaber in case the man who wasn't the killer but still an offender tried to make a run for it.

"You may not have done the deed yourself but you wanted to," Calak stated. "You thought Calder was cheating you in business! Calder didn't have a weapon that I was told of. But you did!"

Rickard gritted his teeth.

"Yes!" Bolook said as he understood. "Both men had a motive and were armed! They both wanted to kill Calder but weren't working together! They knew Calder would be here at this time and planned their murder not knowing the other would be here as well with the same intent. It would seem that Handon killed Calder, and Rickard soon spotted Handon but mistook him for Calder and shot him, but only wounded him. Handon panicked and thought Rickard wanted to kill him so he called the enclave for Jedi, ruining his own plan."

Rickard growled. "That's right! Damn! I should have just finished you off and run rather then try and help you once I realized you weren't Calder you moron!"

"This is all your fault, Rickard!" Handon snapped, dropping his civil face. "If you hadn't tried to kill Calder at the same as me he'd be dead and we could both be satisfied and not behind bars!"

"Enough!" Bolook shouted. "I'm placing you both under arrest for the murder and attempted murder of Calder Nettic."

He used the force to pull Rickard and the cuffs that he'd a short time ago taken off. He put them back on and put both suspects in his nearby speed, restraining them.

"Thank you Padawans," Bolook praised. "I don't believe I would have cracked this case myself."

Bastila chuckled. "I didn't really do much, this was all Calak. I don't I would have solved this case myself either."

The newer Jedi blushed at the praise. "Thanks, Bastila."

"May the force be with you both! I will see you at the enclave I hope," Bolook said.

He got in his speed with the restrained suspects and sped off to take them to prison.

Bastila sighed. "Now we can hopefully get back to the coucil at last."

"About time," Calak agreed.

"Yeah, I'm ready for some rest," Carth said. "Good job by the way Calak. I think you'll make a good Jedi yet."

They began the final walk back to the temple.