Star Wars: Traits Of Descent

by Madman007

  Chapter Seven

  On the Errant Venture: Booster Terrik's office

  Booster Terrik had an intimidating appearance for those who first met him. With his sandpaper voice and his trademark fur-lined sleeveless vest he could lean negotiations in almost any deal his way. There were only a handful of people who were immune to his rough nature. An automatic inclusion was his own daughter, Mirax. She had enough of her father's traits to counter his own methods. Another one was Corran Horn, who Mirax just had to make her husband. Even though Corran did have the Force, no one else in the galaxy could see through Booster Terrik more than Luke Skywalker.

  Luke now sat in Booster's office with the Captain of the Errant Venture sitting across from him. Outside of the office they could still hear the pandemonium of eleven ex-Vigos from Black Sun and Black Nebula voicing their complaints. Mara and Corran were busy settling down the mix of alien and humans.

  Booster nodded to the door and spoke in his gruff voice, "Sounds like Corran has his hands full. And my daughter isn't even involved."

  "Mara is helping him," Luke stated.

  Booster gave a deep chuckle. "With her here I'm confounded at who will shoot first."

  Luke said plainly, "Mara's not like that anymore."

  Booster grunted. "Once an Imp, always an Imp, if you ask me."

  "I wasn't asking you."

  Most who mouthed off at Booster would have gotten a leg full of blaster. With the Jedi Master Skywalker, Booster just laughed. "You know, Skywalker, you're just too fun to have around. I know it seemed like I gave you and Mon Mothma a hard time when you first proposed this idea of yours to me. When I had time to think about it, I'm actually getting a better deal."

  "Of course. You are being well compensated, as Mon Mothma promised."

  "True. But that's not the sweeter end of the deal. See, this isn't like when Bel Iblis more or less demanded I turn the Venture into a facsimile of a working Imperial Star Destroyer."

  "Your services were well appreciated. The results were acceptable."

  "Maybe for the New Republic. All I got was a new paint job and a new turbolaser battery. The term upgrade was turned into middle-grade. There's still problems on this ship that Iblis ignored. We have a faulty guidance system, for crying out loud. Sure, we have state of the art turbolasers but we can't see what we're shooting at!"

  Luke gave a short laugh. "We have an NRS agent on board the Jade's Fire who will be assisting in watching who's coming in. You don't mind if she takes over for your Communications Officer if your guidance system is not adequate?"

  "Do I have a choice?"

  Luke assured, "I understand your frustrations, Booster. I didn't mean to have all of this dumped on you, but your ship was the most obscure place I could think of."

  "Well, this time you actually played to my advantage."

  Luke crinkled his brow. "I don't follow."

  Booster folded his huge arms and leaned them on his desk and leaned closer to Luke and said, "You may believe that moving the top scum of the galaxy to my ship will stay a secret, but it won't be for long."

  "I'm actually counting on it."

  Booster stared at the Jedi for a few moments. He could read almost anyone's expressions except Luke Skywalker's. He let out a heavy breath and sighed, "Looks like I may have a serial killer on the way."

  "Mara and I will handle him when he comes."

  "Let's hope he doesn't go after my guests."

  "I don't think that's his plan."

  "Well, they're my concern. When my competition finds out I harbored the last remaining Vigos, it will be priceless."

  Luke smiled. "You're expecting word of your bravery will expand your business. Recognition and money."

  "Emphasis on money. I may be able to gain enough to run Diamond Level on a regular basis."

  "And that's why you didn't mention that to Mon Mothma."

  Booster nodded. "The amount she's giving me for all of this is will be petty cash compared to what I can get from high profile gamblers."

  "And you didn't want that information leaked to the ex Vigos who may warn your competition. Which is why I'm in here alone."

  Booster gave a rare smile. "I knew you would understand. Now, I have bunks set up down here for them. I'm having food and drink sent down. You don't have to worry about the riff-raff from Traders Alley coming down here. They don't even know this level exists."

  "What I'm afraid of are the ones who do know about this level."

  "If they do, they know not to cross me to come down here."

  "Still, we'll want to keep watch on all the passages down here."

  The noise outside of the door rose and suddenly there was a thump against it.

  Booster remarked, "I think Mara and Corran need some help out there."

  "Sounds like it." Luke got up as did Booster and approached the door. Booster opened it and there was a older human male wearing an elaborate Idiaccia gown leaning up against the door. When the door slid all the way over, the male's torso slumped into the entrance of Booster's office.

  Luke looked up to see Mara Jade standing a few meters away in a defensive stance.

  She announced with clarity, "You better think twice the next time you attempt to flirt with me!"

  Luke looked over at Booster and said, "I think Mara's got it under control."

  "Apparently," Booster agreed. He bent over the old man who Mara threw at the door and uttered, "Still can't keep off the beautiful woman, can you Jarvis Wasine? This time you really picked the wrong female to mess with."

  As Jarvis got himself up, he muttered, "Ask me if I care."

  There were eleven of them. Only three were human. Two were Rodian. The rest consisted of a Bothan, an Ithorian, an Ayth, a Devaronian, a Neimoidian, and the ever mysterious Anzati species with its coma enducing tentacles coming out of each face cheek. One of Booster's protocol droids named T-2C was close by for translation purposes. Immediately after the comotion over Mara versus Jarvis died down, all the attention was focused on Luke. They voiced their complaints and concerns in each of their languages. The silver-gray protocol droid could hardly catch up with the multiple tongues speaking all at once.

  Luke called upon the Force to instill a feeling of patience into them. It worked to some extent and he took the advantage to address all of them. "Quiet down, please. Thank you. I understand that all of you have questions and concerns, but let me address them at once. I don't know if you're aware of your recent situation. If you've paid attention to the HoloNet you know there has been some brutal murders of ex-Vigos within the past several days. Let me be blunt. It is my belief that this murderer will keep on killing until you are all dead. Your lives are in danger as the NRS agents who led you here may or may not have warned you. It was my opinion that your safety would have been compromised had you stayed in your individual homes. Therefore, I set up this undisclosed location to ensure your safety."

  The Neimoidian burst out, "How are we safe here? That murderer can find us and kill us all with one stroke." Murmurs of agreement rang throughout the crowd.

  Luke exclaimed before it became a roar. "Should the murderer find his way here, he will have to deal with the likes of myself and Mara Jade here. The killer has yet to encounter such opposition."

  "Why he kill us?" cried one of the Rodians in broken Basic.

  The human Jarvis broke in. "Revenge! Don't you see?"

  "Why now?" asked the Devaronian. "Why after all these years?"

  Jarvis barked, "The best time to set out for revenge is after your enemy forgets about you. It's like I said earlier. It's a conspiracy against us and what we used to be a part of. The galaxy wants the remnants of Black Sun and Black Nebula to disappear. In fact," he glared at Luke, "I wouldn't be surprised if the Jedi were in on it."

  Shouts of accusations toward Luke followed but Luke lifted a hand and stated calmly, "I can promise you that is not the case. Both myself and Mon Mothma have dedicated ourselves to stop this monster. He is handing out h
is own brand of justice. The Jedi have always been committed to protect any and all citizens of the New Republic."

  Jarvis sneered, "No matter what kind of scum we represent?"

  Luke looked straight at Jarvis and emphasized, "Any and all."

  Jarvis spat out with sarcasm, "Thanks for thinking of us, Jedi."

  The Neimoidian cried out, "How long are we to stay here?"

  It was a question that Luke didn't have an answer to at that moment. His goal of bringing the victims together in one place in order to avoid chasing the killer all across the galaxy had been met. What now? Luke tried to answer as best he could. "We will have to play this as we go. Mara and I will be researching further in our investigation to possibly find more about our suspect. We will keep a careful watch of traffic going in and out of this ship and keep track of who comes aboard."

  Jarvis gave a snort. "From what I hear this ship couldn't detect a rancor in a gundark's nest."

  Booster spoke sharply at Jarvis. "This ship has more surprises than you have pickup lines for the ladies, Jarvis."

  "Ask me if I care," Jarvis replied.

  Luke stepped in before another scene broke out. "Let us accept our situation as it is now, gentlemen. As I understand it, Booster has made arrangements for food and drink to be delivered down here. He has also set up each of you with your own bunks."

  One of the other humans was an elderly man and he asked, "Can we at least have a sabacc table set up? We may be here a long time."

  Booster nodded. "I can arrange that, Azil. Provided that you bring your ego to the table so I can shoot it down in a game."

  Azil gave Booster an icy stare and Luke continued. "For your own safety, we ask that you stay on this level of the ship."

  The Devaronian cried out, "What? We can't be stuck down here with just a Sabacc table. They have Barr'aca slots in Trader's Alley."

  "How do you know that, Trock?" questioned Booster.

  Trock gave a wide smile. "You'd be surprised at what I know, Booster." He glanced at Corran and added, "Like how your daughter married the son of the hack CorSec officer who sent you to Kessel."

  "You kriffing..." Corran lunged forward but Mara turned her body towards him to block him.

  Mara snapped, "Corran! Ease up. You don't want to start anything with this crowd."

  After Corran eyed Mara and settled down, Luke reiterated, "I want to elaborate that the reason we can't have you on the upper levels is because we can't take the chance that someone up there will recognize you. And that is information that we cannot afford to be leaked. Now, if there's no more questions, I'll let Booster and his men get you settled in. Thank you."

  As the crowd dispersed with grumbles, Booster and his men tended to their guests. Luke went over to Mara and Corran. "You all right?" he asked Corran.

  "You tell me."

  Luke glanced at Mara. "Nice block."

  Mara replied, "Hey, I can't take them all on. That was a good bit of control there, Luke. No one got shot, so that's a plus."

  Luke asked in a hushed voice, "Is I'hela set up on the Jade's Fire?"

  "Yes," Mara spat. "I don't like strangers on my new ship, Skywalker."

  "I know. But this way they don't know about her. They think we're using the Venture's guidance system. If they leak that out our killer may get that information and think it'll be easier to sneak on board."

  Mara noted, "You seem to be inviting our killer here."

  "I agree," Corran said. "Almost like you're drawing him into the fight. Solo style. I like it." Corran gave a quiet laugh. "Still, this is a whole steaming pile of risks, Luke."

  "Maybe. But they're worth it when it throws off our killer's plans. Nothing wrong with thinking outside the cube."

  Mara retorted, "Unless you get trapped inside of it."

  The protocol droid, T-2C, came up to them. He looked similar to Threepio except for the silver-gray color and the head being more square. T-2C was a more recent model than C-3PO. His voice was masculine with a slight effeminate quality, yet deeper than Threepio's. "Would any of you like some refreshments?"

  "No thanks, Too-See," answered Corran.

  "Are you sure, Sir Corran. It would be no trouble."

  "Positive. Go on and see if any of the Vigos need anything."

  "Oh, yes sir. I am so thrilled to speak to the Anzati. His language is most peculiar. A very awkward dialect for his species. I must say the accent..."

  "That's nice, Too-See. If you don't mind, we have some important business to discuss here," Corran cut in before Two-See could go on.

  "Certainly, Sir. I am sorry I interrupted."

  As T-2C waddled away, Corran looked to Luke and asked, "Do you think I'hela will be all right working alone?"

  Luke replied, "I don't see why not. She's dedicated for sure. Maybe I'll check on her later."

  Jarvis Wasine stumbled up to them, or rather to Mara, and ignored the men standing next to her. In his hand already was a can of Gizer ale, supplied by Booster. He spoke to Mara with way too much sugar in his voice. "Don't count me out because of my age, Ms. Jade. I may look as old as a geezer, but I have the wildness of a vornskr."

  Mara stated firmly, "I've killed a few vornskrs in my lifetime. Keep it up and I can easily add another."

  Jarvis laughed after taking a swig of his Gizer and repeated, "Ask me if I care."

  "Mr. Wasine," Luke said to him with a wave of his hand, "you will go back with the rest of your fellow Vigos and leave Mara Jade alone."

  Jarvis had a sudden dazed look and he recited absently, "I'll go back to my fellow Vigos and leave Mara Jade alone." He turned around and headed back to the group without a second thought.

  "Now, why didn't Mara think of that?" Corran asked.

  Luke replied before Mara and shrugged, "Difference of execution?"

  Mara joked with more than a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, yeah. This is going to be fun."

  The Jade's Fire cockpit

  A few hours later, the sabacc game had started and the ex Vigos were now starting to enjoy themselves. They couldn't remember the last time they had all been together and they began to reminisce.

  Luke took the time to enter the Jade's Fire cockpit to keep Lt. I'hela Broadwater company. As he came in, I'hela was looking very attentive to the readouts of the Fire's scanners. There was nothing in the space around them to report. She was so focused on the screen that Luke came up behind her and she jumped.

  "Oh! You startled me," she gasped.

  "Sorry. Thought you might like some caf." He set down a hot cup of the black liquid on the console near her.

  "Oh, thank you, Master Skywalker." She reached for the cup and took a careful sip of the hot, but refreshing drink. "I've been thirsty ever since I found some packaged Karkan ribines in Mara's reefer unit. Hope she doesn't mind."

  "I'm sure she wouldn't want you to go hungry. If she says anything, I'll say I ate them. Karkan ribines are my favorite. Did she have any tomo spice?"

  "No. They were pretty bland. At this point I settled for just satisfying my hunger and not my preference."

  Luke let a small silence in before he asked, "Nothing more to report?"

  "Just the two smugglers racing in their fancy ships. Other than that, nothing. And here I thought space couldn't be more dead. I've maintained my obscurity from the Vigos as you ordered. I hid the Horizon Star in the back of the hangar here. I assume you got my silent message to you about the hot-rod smugglers."

  "Yes. Though, I admit that I had a regressive moment when I read it," Luke reflected with a nostalgic smile.

  "Why is that, sir?"

  Luke plainly answered, "Because if this was a few decades ago, I would have been out there racing along with them."

  She gave a surprising smile and questioned, "Really? You? I can't see you with that big of an ego."

  "Well, I was a different person then. Becoming a Jedi calmed my ego quite a bit."

  "I just can't imagine you being like that."

  "You didn't know me
then. Of course, I haven't totally dismissed that part of my life. It's a part of my past and I've accepted it to be part of my future."

  I'hela suddenly stopped smiling and turned back to the empty screen. She sipped more of her caf, which was cooling off now.

  Luke could catch a flicker of something in her emotions after what he said. He didn't have time to feel it because it disappeared as quickly as it arrived. He tried focusing on her mind but it went back into hiding behind her mental walls. It was peculiar that I'hela's block of her mind was nearly as strong as Mara Jade's. He was amazed at the stamina it would take for a woman with no Force potential like I'hela to maintain that mental block.

  She quickly changed the subject. "I'm impressed with the guidance systems Mara Jade has on this ship. Very state of the art. And some of the modifications may be illegal. Don't worry. I won't report her."

  "I would strongly advise against doing that anyway."

  "I especially like the transponder cloaking. Those smugglers really thought I was speaking from the Errant Venture when I warned them to stop."

  Luke only nodded as he asked, "Back at Nolog's home on Rhen Var, you mentioned that you had a late start in your career. What did you mean by that?"

  I'hela answered silently, "I suppose you've noticed that I'm a bit older than most cadets coming out of the NR Academy. In the days of the Empire, I could have never passed the durability test to advance to Carida."

  There it was again. The sharp ping of emotion. The opening of her mental wall. Luke pounced on it. "Just like your father, who failed it as well."

  She turned her head so sharply at him that he almost flinched. She snapped, "How did you...oh, I forgot. I'm dealing with a Jedi. And the Jedi at that." She went back to the empty scanner but her mind wasn't paying attention to it. She sighed and admitted, "It's true. My father was one of those who tried out for the Academy on Carida and came up short. He didn't pass the test but he showed enough intelligence and instinct to become a security officer at the Imperial Palace. Back then, that was considered a sideways promotion. He avoided being cast out as a failure."

  "What happened to him?"

  She shot back, "Why don't you tell me? You seem to know the answers already."

  Luke calmly stated, "I can only read emotions, not details."

  I'hela reflected, "He died almost a standard year ago. He was so sick. I had to take care of him."

  "Hence, your late start."

  "Yes. My career was put on hold. I dropped out of the NR Academy when he started deteriorating several years ago. After he died, I picked up where I left off. I didn't graduate with honors like I could have if I hadn't quit. But I wouldn't trade honors for time with my father for anything."

  "I know how you feel. What about your mother?"

  "I never knew her."

  Luke nodded. "Just like me."

  I'hela questioned, "I thought you didn't know your father either? Wasn't he some great Jedi killed in the Clone Wars?"

  Luke sometimes forgot that the people outside of his circle of friends was not aware of his true heritage. Luke swallowed and replied, "Can I tell you something in confidence, I'hela?"

  I'hela's attention was now completely on Luke as she confirmed, "Of course."

  "My father was Anakin Skywalker. He was a great Jedi during the Clone Wars along with General Obi Wan Kenobi."

  "I've heard of them. But I was taught that Kenobi was part of the Jedi conspiracy against Palpatine."

  "I'm not surprised. If your education was done in Imperial City they wouldn't have made my father and Kenobi into heroes. Palpatine saw to that. What history also doesn't tell is that Anakin fell to the dark side of the Force. He therefore became a member of the Sith Order."

  "But I thought the Sith were wiped out thousands of years ago."

  "They made a comeback. The Emperor himself was a powerful Sith Lord. His apprentice was Darth Vader."

  "I've heard of Vader. Wow, that brings the Empire in a whole new light."

  "It does. But there's more. You've heard of Vader, but he was once a great Jedi himself who had fallen to the dark side. He sustained serious injuries during a lightsaber battle with Obi Wan that forced him to wear the environ suit and his breathing mechanism."

  I'hela's eyes went wide and a horrified look was on her face. "No! You mean...Anakin Skywalker..."

  "Was Darth Vader. He ceased to be Anakin and became a whole new identity deep in the dark side."

  "Oh, my stars. Darth Vader was your father."

  "Right." Luke let that information set in her thoughts. He didn't need to relay that story very often anymore. He was amazed at how short the story was. Of course, there were many more details that Luke saved from I'hela. He went on to say, "Look, I'hela, I know you may think your talents are wasted here by doing tedious work, but just know that it is an important part of this mission."

  "I understand. I would never complain about orders, Master."

  "Luke. Just Luke, if you could."

  "Ok."

  "You and I are alike in a way, I'hela. We both got a late start on our careers but we came out all right anyway." Luke stood up and said, "I have to get back. Have to make sure no one is killing each other back there. That'll just make our killer's job easier. You alert me by silent comlink if you see anything out of the ordinary."

  "I will." I'hela nodded and went back to the screen. When he was about to leave, she stopped him and said, "Thank you...Luke. For the caf."

  "Don't mention it."

  The Errant Venture - Black Level hallway

  "What?" the Devaronian, Trock, whispered his exclaim. "Lohl Ch'la was murdered?"

  Jarvis Wasine walked with the Devaronian in a quiet section of the Black Level. It had been hours since the Jedi Master's speech and almost all the Vigos were either asleep, passed out, or lying awake in worry. Trock and Jarvis couldn't sleep so they walked around the level's hallway. When Jarvis made sure they were alone, he disclosed the information he received from his source about Lohl Ch'la. Jarvis answered Trock in a hushed tone. "That's what my source said. It was on the HoloNet but they said it was a suicide. There's many poisons that can leave no trace and look like a suicide. We of all people should know that."

  Trock muttered, "It makes sense. If you ask me, poisoning was too good for Ch'la. If I knew he was on Lianna, I would have taken care of the traitor myself."

  "As would I. Lohl cost us too many leaders and clients with his selfless act. That aside, there is another rumor my source tells me. It's about the suspect the NRS and the Jedi are looking for."

  "Who is it?"

  "You're not going to believe it."

  "Just tell me, Wasine."

  "The man who was supposedly behind the infamous Vigo suicide pact. Remember? After Xizor died?"

  Trock's red eyes widened and his horns twitched. He whispered, "Voxan? Surely he must be dead by now."

  Jarvis gave a small chuckle. "There was a time when I thought Skarce Voxan was immortal. Still, there can be many reasons for it to be true. There was a hint of a son."

  "I heard that one. There also could be cloning."

  "That's a more dreadful thought."

  "If that's who it is then these Jedi have more than they bargained for."

  Jarvis spat out, "The Jedi seem to believe they can take on Voxan. They have a rude awakening. You don't mess with Voxan. No matter what form he's in."

  "True enough. Do you really believe he was involved in the pact?"

  "I don't know. There's no longer any proof left anymore. I was still in line for Vigo under Sraje Gherit at the time, so I wasn't invited."

  "I am not ashamed to admit it now, but I was invited. But I knew what tradition called for at the edge of Black Sun's dissolution. I fled and exiled myself on Duros all these years."

  Jarvis padded Trock's shoulder. "You weren't the only one, my friend. There's a fine line between tradition and reality. The old Vigos never realized that."

  "Of course, if Voxan was involved
it brings a whole new perspective on the pact."

  There was a sound heard at the other end of the hallway and Jarvis made a shushing gesture.

  Coming through the opposite end of hallway was T-2C. He greeted the man and alien as he approached. "Master Jarvis. Master Trock. A pleasure to meet you here. Have you both completed your sleep cycles for the night?"

  "No, we don't sleep," answered Jarvis roughly.

  "Really, Sir? It was my understanding that humans such as yourself required a mandatory amount of hibernation."

  Jarvis smiled mischievously and said with humor the droid did not detect, "I'm not human, droid. In fact, I'm a figment of your imagination. Now move along and leave us alone."

  "That is strange, Sir Jarvis. My photo receptors are working in proper order. And my auditory sensors are receiving your voice very well. I don't see how you could not exist in front of me."

  Jarvis and Trock laughed. Jarvis said to the droid, "Maybe you're broken and you don't even know it yet."

  "Perhaps you are right," answered Two-See seriously. "I shall head to maintenance at the earliest opportunity to run some diagnostic tests. I have not had a full overhaul in quite some time."

  Trock cried out, "Why wait? Can't you leave now?"

  "Of course," the droid answered. "I shall leave you both at once." Two-See started to walk past them.

  Jarvis repeated his phrase, "Ask me if I care."

  The droid suddenly stopped in its tracks and did an about face in front of Jarvis. It stayed silent.

  "What? You going to say something?," Jarvis taunted. "Hey, why are your eyes red?"

  That was all he got out before Two-See suddenly retracted it's heavy metal alloy arm and swung it quicker than expected across the side of Jarvis' head. The blow knocked Jarvis to the metal floor of the hallway with a thud. He landed with a bloody contusion on the side of his head and was too stunned in pain to react. Trock did react as he swiftly tried to reach for Two-See's deactivation switch. Two-See simply brought up his arm and back handed the Devaronian across his nose, sending him down on the floor as well. Whereas Trock brought his hands up to his nose in pain, Jarvis stayed still from feeling too much pain. Trock then yelled in an ear-piercing call for help.

  Two-See didn't stop. It went over to the semi-conscious Jarvis and reached for his neck with its metal fingers. It grasped the man's neck and started to squeeze. Jarvis started choking with what oxygen he could gasp at. Two-See started to pick Jarvis up by his neck and squeezed tighter. As Jarvis continued to choke, Two-See suddenly froze and it's grip on Jarvis loosened. The man's head slumped to the side and his limp body dropped once again to the floor unmoving.

  Corran Horn came from behind the protocol droid with his hand hovering in the air. He had used the Force to depress Two-See's deactivation switch. He looked over at Trock with a bloodied nose. "You all right?"

  Trock could only give a nod.

  Corran looked at the scene before him. Jarvis Wasine looked to be on the verge of death. His head lay on the floor in a pool of blood. He stared at the dormant droid frozen in an act of murderous rage. Corran muttered, "Two-See, what did you do?"

  Errant Venture - Droid Maintenance Bay

  Luke and Mara entered the bay while Corran and Booster were already there. They were watching over a lean young man wearing a loose white lab coat. He was busy working on a disassembled Two-See.

  Luke addressed Booster, "You called us in?"

  Booster replied, "Yes, Luke. Close the door."

  Mara flipped the controls behind her that brought down the bay's door. "What's going on?"

  Booster started, "First thing is that Trock is all right. He's got a nasty bacta patch on his nose, but he'll live. Jarvis...died on the operating table. The blow to the head combined with the suffocation was too much for him to survive."

  "Tarkin's Ghost," Mara uttered. "Was it a malfunction?"

  "Not exactly," Corran answered darkly.

  "What do you mean?" Luke questioned.

  Booster stepped aside to present the young man working on Two-See. "I'll let Soj tell you." He turned to the young man and called out, "Soj." No answer as the man continued working on the droid. "Soj!"

  With a head jerk, Soj looked up and snapped, "What...oh." When he looked up, they could see he was wearing oversized magna-glasses that made his eyes look as big as dinner plates. He flipped them off and the young man with unkept dark blonde hair stepped out from behind Two-See. He was obviously nervous. He didn't seem comfortable to be the center of attention. "Sorry. I've been the busy boy today."

  Booster announced, "This is Soj Nodew. He's the Chief Technical Supervisor on the Venture. He found some interesting things with Two-See. Didn't you?" Soj only stared in silence. "Didn't you?" Booster loudly repeated.

  "Oh, yes. Yes. Uh...wow...um, let me just say...Luke Skywalker. I'm a big fan of all of your...things you've done, which is to say....everything."

  "Soj," Booster grumbled, "get on with it."

  "Oh, yes. Uh, Two-See's little murdering incident was not an accident."

  Luke asked, "How is that?"

  Soj said with no small amount of pride, "Well, I could get technical, but I'm sure you wouldn't..."

  "Try me," Luke cut in.

  "...have a problem in understanding. Ok. Someone reprogrammed Two-See's power coupling. It was bypassed into an old circuit board that has never been used. His LSC," Soj paused to translate, "his Locomotive Servo Controller, was diverted to an alternate communication module."

  Mara spoke at once, "All right, I'm not up on my droid-speak like Luke here. Translate that into Basic."

  "In short, Two-See was converted into an assassin droid."

  "Who could have done this?" was Luke's next question.

  "That, I so do not know. I'm as confused about that as Commander Raleigh was with the Space Drones."

  "Who?" Mara asked.

  Corran supplied with, "It's from a fantasy program on the HoloNet. WarTrek."

  Soj emphatically pointed out, "It's not a fantasy show. It's science drama."

  "Shall we move on?" Booster impatiently sighed.

  "Oh, yes. Uh...who could have reprogrammed Two-See? Basically, anyone with a working knowledge of protocol droid systems and their history. There aren't many. I, myself, am honored to be one of them." He smiled proudly for a moment and then an awkward pause passed until he frowned. "It's...not me. I'm not a killer. Except on the HoloNet gaming site."

  Luke interrupted, "What did you mean by history?"

  Soj explained, "Well, virtually all protocol droids are capable of violence. Some of the earliest models were designed for battle. Two-See's model was later but that command has always been sitting there all along doing nothing. Just sitting there all by its lonesome. Basically, someone woke it up. When you think about it, protocol droids are perfect for wetworks."

  "Diving?" Luke gasped.

  "Assassinations, Farmboy," Mara corrected.

  Soj confirmed, "Yes, that's what wetworks is. I mean, look at a protocol droid. They're sleek. They mimic human mannerisms better than any other droid. They're unassuming. They can blend in."

  "Protocol droids don't exactly blend in," Corran countered.

  "True, but...not to counteract your...uh...counter, but I think we all agree that protocol droids are ignored because they're rather...uh...annoying." He gave a nervous laugh then stopped abruptly.

  Booster added, "Tell them what else you found."

  "Oh...yes. In Two-See's language vocabulator, I found a small recording. And that was hooked up to the communication module when it was activated. It was linked to the power coupling which basically told Two-See its target."

  Mara asked, "What was the recording?"

  "Well...here...listen to this." Soj backed up behind Two-See and reached into its head and the sound of a voice was heard. It was clearly a recording of a familiar voice and phrase.

  "Ask me if I care."

  Corran stated the obvious. "Jarvis Wasine.
He was targeted. When he said his favorite phrase Two-See was activated into an assassination droid."

  Mara uttered, "There goes the accident theory."

  Luke asked in wonder, "How long would it take to do all this?"

  Soj looked in the air to calculate and said, "If they already had the recording, and knew exactly what to do...I'd say five...ten standard minutes tops."

  Mara noted, "That recording had to have been imprinted since Wasine's arrival with the droid already here."

  Luke looked to Booster. "Two-See's duties didn't take him anywhere else but Black Level?"

  Booster answered, "No. I had him on serving duties and as acting translator for the alien Vigos. As far as I know, Two-See hasn't been up past Black Level tonight."

  Corran looked closer at Two-See's face and asked, "Why are his photo receptors red?"

  Soj answered, "All protocol droids have infrared lenses. For some reason they went active. Maybe it was from switching power couplings. I...don't know everything."

  Luke reassured, "It's all right. No one asked you to be perfect."

  "Yes, but I now consider myself a lesser god."

  Luke gave a laugh and restated, "Jarvis was singled out. Who else but an ex-assassin would know how to reprogram a droid into a killer?"

  Corran replied, "We can't prove that, Luke. For all we know, it could have been any one of the other Vigos. Maybe they had an old grudge with Jarvis. He was annoying himself."

  Soj cut in, "Actually, I may have some proof. I found something on Two-See's servo motor plating. I didn't know what it was. I thought it was a manufacturing etch, but it looks too fresh." He beckoned them around to see and he pointed out the etching. He took the huge magna-glass and hovered it over the plating. "See there? It's a series of Aurabesh symbols but they don't seem to be saying anything. There's the symbols for the numbers one and ten with a symbol I can only translate into 'open'."

  Luke examined the symbols and thought aloud, "Not open. One...over..ten, maybe? No, that doesn't make sense."

  Booster looked carefully and after a certain point his memory kicked in. "No, that middle symbol isn't the usual Aurabesh. That's the Old Republic version of the Aurabesh alphabet."

  Corran added, "Which the Empire did away with and formed its own version. We use new-Aurebesh now days."

  Mara asked Booster, "So do you remember what that last symbol means?"

  Soj added with humor, "Too bad we can't ask Two-See himself." They fell silent looking at him and he said, "I'm not gonna. Don't worry, I removed his violent tendencies."

  Corran said, "I don't think that's a good idea."

  Booster said with sudden remembrance, "Ah, that's the symbol for 'go'."

  "Go?" Soj questioned. "As in, Go, killer?"

  "No," Mara uttered. "As in one down..."

  "Ten to go," Luke finished. He gave a heavy defeated sigh. "Looks like my efforts here are wasted."

  "Why do you say that?" Corran asked.

  "Because," Luke said, "our killer is already on board."

  * * * * *