Star Wars: Traits Of Descent

by Madman007

  Chapter Eight

  Jade's Fire cockpit

  Defeat was a concept that Luke Skywalker was all too familiar with. From his destruction of his Skyhopper on Tatooine to his failure at confronting Vader for the first time in Cloud City, Luke recognized the taste of defeat. Over the years he had learned to turn his mistakes into opportunities for future victories. His latest challenge was turning his failure to allow a serial killer on board the Errant Venture into a victory.

  The message that Soj Nodew found etched on the droid told them a few things. At some point, their killer took the time to reprogram Two-See into an assassination droid. Before that, the killer would have had to supply the droid with the recording of its target, Jarvis Wasine. Add to the fact that the etched message was meant to taunt them. This was proof that who they were dealing with was someone with skill and arrogance. A person like that would have a specific past that would make them like that. If there were two people who knew all about their past forming their future, it would be Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade.

  Mara was currently searching on the HoloNet into the past of Skarce Voxan. There wasn't much. She used all of her resources she built over the years as the Emperor's Hand and as Talon Karrde's second-in-command and nothing specific turned up. Her frustration was getting to her and at one point she nearly had the urge to pull the computer out of the wall. Then, Skywalker entered. She never knew a reason why, but it seemed that whenever Luke Skywalker entered a room, hate, anger, and panic vacated the area.

  "Anything yet?" he asked, knowing full well the answer. Mara considered that Skywalker sometimes asked questions not to get answers, but a reaction of how the answers were given. It wasn't the first time that Mara thought Luke could have been a decent interrogator.

  "A few things I scratched from the surface. Unfortunately, the surface is all you're going to get when researching Skarce Voxan."

  "I can't believe a person can just disappear that easily."

  "It's not that easy for someone untrained. For assassins, it's second-hand knowledge. I should know. I disappeared from the galaxy for a time."

  "Yes, but only a handful of people knew who you were. Voxan's name has been synonymous with the boogeyman for generations."

  "You had never heard of him before now," she countered.

  "Have you seen the desert I grew up in? Not exactly a wealth of information there."

  "I don't know. I would think the smugglers and various scum in Mos Eisley would mention Voxan at some point."

  "I didn't exactly hang out in Mos Eisley."

  Mara went on. "Well, look at your Ben Kenobi. One of the greatest Jedi to live and all he does to disappear is only change his first name. Always wondered how Vader never found him."

  "He wasn't looking. Tatooine would be the last place Vader would want to revisit."

  "I got that from him too. Confusing then. Understandable now."

  Luke shifted gears. "So, what did you find?"

  Mara sighed. "Found some old data on Voxan's last known victims. It matches the data on that old holo of Obi Wan mentioning that family, the Helans. I dug deeper and found an old private holo of the family. The Helans were having a Life day party for one of their sons. Doesn't tell us much, but at least..."

  "It gives us a face to the victims."

  "Something like that. Here it is. Do you want to see it, or are you going to stare into space?"

  "What? Oh, sorry. Just thinking of what Obi Wan had said about them. Go ahead."

  Mara started the holo and a blue-white image appeared of a family sitting at a kitchen table. One son was at the head of the table with his brother and his father sitting on each side. Coming into the frame was the mother carrying a flat tray containing a cake. It showed her setting it down in front of her son. There was no sound but it was obvious that they were singing to the boy. Their happiness did not need to be heard. The Helans' future was perfect in this moment in time. After this holo was shot, their future was not as promising.

  Luke broke his own thoughts to ask Mara, "Where did you find this?"

  Mara answered casually, "I still have access into the Empire's archives. What's left of them, anyway. There's not much else on the Helans. I did find some data on that Deponent Program of Kenobi's." She was about to shut down the holo when Luke stopped her.

  "Wait. Do you notice something about the mother's belly?"

  "Yes, she's pregnant. Good eye, Luke. You'll make a good detective someday."

  Luke reflected without acknowledging Mara's sarcastic compliment, "Their youngest wasn't even born yet. They were so happy then."

  "Yes, and they found themselves in a mess with Black Sun and got themselves killed."

  Luke looked at her. "That's a rather cold view, Mara."

  She shrugged. "It is what it is. In both of my lines of work, before and after Endor, attachments got in the way. Your Old Republic Jedi were on to something when they banished them. Friendship, romance, family...all lead to pain that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. And you know that I have quite a collection of worst enemies."

  Luke wanted to argue her view. He wanted to tell her that his victories were because of his friendships and family he developed over the years. It wasn't the time for that discussion. He skipped the argument to ask, "Why were the Helans the last victims?"

  "Didn't say they were. They're just the last known victims. And even the connection to Voxan is sketchy at best."

  "What did you find on the Deponent Program?"

  "Just basics. Found a list of the volunteers. Black Sun would have loved to get their hands on that. Mostly the names are single men or women. Lohl Ch'la included. The Helans were the only family to enter the program."

  "How did Voxan find the family and not Ch'la?"

  "It's like Kenobi said in your holo. The lower the number of people involved the easier it was to hide them. Try hiding a whole family of five versus one single man. They would have stuck out like sore thumbs no matter what their new names were. I couldn't find a date when the program actually ended. I can tell you there were no more volunteers after the Helans."

  "Because the Old Republic had a war to fight."

  "A war in which they lost. And all the old archives were destroyed. Well, not all."

  "Can you dig deeper into that archive?"

  "I can, but I don't know how long I'll have before I'm spotted. I can't guarantee some tech in Bastion will be asleep at the controls."

  "Just try until you can't anymore. We have to know who we're dealing with."

  Mara nodded in agreement but changed subjects. "Did you see them take the body of Jarvis away?"

  "Yes," he answered solemnly.

  "Did you notice what was still on him?"

  "Sorry, I wasn't into details at the time."

  "His Black Sun chit. He was still wearing it."

  "Meaning our killer didn't take it."

  "Of course not. When he made the droid into his killer, he didn't have a chance to take it."

  "Maybe he plans to take it later."

  "No. That means he's getting sloppy. Careless. The worst thing an assassin can do is to improvise. Without the meticulous planning, mistakes are made."

  "He still got his man."

  "Maybe so. He had to revert to making a protocol droid do his work for him. You changed his plans, Luke. I know you've been discouraged since we realized he snuck on board. Trust me when I say that you are getting to him."

  "All right. How do we get him out in the open here on the ship? He won't go for any bait we give him."

  "I don't know. He somehow knew where we would be. He knew when everyone was on board. The only two ways he could get that information is physically or mechanically."

  "We already scanned everyone for transponders. And Booster has alerts if one is spotted."

  "So it has to be someone giving him the data somehow." Mara thought a moment and asked, "Do you know what a data trail is?"

  "Heard the term before. Never was involved w
ith one myself."

  "We can try that and see where it leads us."

  "Who do we start with?"

  "I have a few suspects. One of them has to do with something else I found." Mara turned to the computer and typed in some commands until she reached the right screen. "This just came in a few standard hours ago."

  Luke checked the screen and asked, "Is this correct? You verified this?"

  "Talked to the source himself. Don't worry, I used a secure channel."

  "I don't believe this. I can't believe this."

  "And there goes your application for spy. You're too trusting, Skywalker. Still, I do say there are two sides of any story."

  "Maybe you should handle this. You're better at it than I am."

  "Couldn't have said it better. I'll get to it on the first chance. Right now, let's get Corran and work on the data trail."

  Errant Venture - Black Level storage facility

  Waiting. That's what I do in the name of justice. The bowels of this ship are dark and quiet. Patience is called for in this situation. It will be worth it. My source had been correct. The Anzati is down here alone. He must have convinced the Jedi that he needed time alone. How careless of them. And for what? Religion. The Anzati has to pray to his god. They are a mysterious alien race. Such devotion, yet dangerous to deal with. The Anzati are a paradox.

  This plays into my hand perfectly. Skywalker may have changed the game, but I have adapted well. My source came through, as usual. It will be a sad day when I have to confront and kill that channel. The source is also the beginning. And it shall be the end as well. In due time. All will be dealt with by then. The last to be served my justice.

  It has been a standard hour and not a soul has been down here. The Anzati is alone. Time to act. It will be a pleasure to deal with this one personally. I was robbed of my satisfaction at ending Jarvis Wasine's life. That task I gave to the droid. It almost seemed impersonal. Separate from the joy. I didn't even get to collect his chit. The Black Sun chit is the symbol of all the Vigos' roles as puppets. Father used to tell me the stories of their cowardice behind their power. And how they planned to use that power to eliminate him. You showed them, father.

  Stop it! No emotions! That will surely give away my location to the Jedi. Damn Skywalker for changing the rules. He has proven to be a worthy adversary. Like his own father. Now there was a man who I would have loved to confront and defeat. The next best feat would be to destroy his son. The weakness in the son is different from the father. Jedi Skywalker's weakness will be easy to exploit. He is so full of weak emotion and passion. All it would take is to inflict pain of those he loves. One in particular. Not yet. Not until I am finished.

  Enough sentiment. Time to act.

  I must be cautious when I approach the Anzati. I can't look at him directly. They have a telepathic ability that renders their victims motionless. The tentacles on their cheeks have a proboscis that can suck out brain matter through the nose. Not an experience I want to endure. I almost wish the Anzati would attack first. I can sever his tentacles with my blade and that would weaken him. His death would be mine to take. At least I can collect his chit.

  There he is. Alone. Sitting. Praying. It will soon be his last prayer. His back is to me. Can it be this easy? Hand on my blade. Ready for anything.

  Including him standing up. Does he know I'm here?

  He turns his head. Yes, he knows. I forgot how ugly Anzatis are. Rough pink-gray skin. The lumps of flesh on each cheek that are home to the tentacles. Stay back. Don't make direct eye contact. He speaks.

  "Welcome. I have been waiting for you."

  The Anzati accent is peculiar. Hard to fully understand at first. I got the message. He knew I was here. Telepathic, indeed. Too bad I have to end his life. I wonder what his role was in Black Sun. I don't even know his name. So mysterious.

  He prods for my response. "What? No greeting? That is all right. I am glad to finally meet you."

  "The feeling's mutual," I say.

  "A vocoder. Don't want me to hear your true voice?"

  I gesture to my blade. I make sure he sees how shiny it is before I cover it with his blood. I tell him, "This is my voice. I make it speak for me. It speaks for justice. You were a part of an organization that formed its own justice. Now it's my turn to show you mine."

  "Is that so? I see you have your hood over your eyes. You've done your research. I can't affect you without eye contact. Nice get up, by the way. That tight black tunic with the hood makes you look like a hybrid of Palpatine and Vader."

  "I'll take that as a compliment."

  "Just so you know, your reign of terror is over."

  "You cannot defeat me. I know how far your tentacles extend. Go ahead. Try it. I will slice both of them off like they were roast ronto."

  The Anzati started to laugh.

  Oh, he will receive extra pain for that.

  He continues to taunt me. "You see, I actually have the advantage here."

  "You have no training that can defeat me. You don't know what I am capable of."

  The Anzati chuckled. "There is much that you don't know."

  He starts to step closer. I back away. Keep your distance. Wait! The steps are spaced too close together. Unnatural. Clever. Very clever, I admit. "You are not an Anzati."

  "I was wondering when you would notice."

  "What are you? A changeling?"

  "Not quite. Allow me to introduce myself." All of a sudden, his features dissolve. The pinkish-gray skin becomes more pink flesh. The lumps on his cheeks flatten. Dark brown hair replaces his short blue-black hair. A goatee forms on his chin and around his mouth. A human. He finishes his change and says, "I am Corran Horn."

  My shock almost defeats me. Horn. Interesting. "How did you do that?"

  Corran shrugged. "I have some hidden talents. Though I must say not all Jedi can master the art of deception."

  "Jedi? You were once a mere CorSec agent."

  "I was. I found out that I have other traits which were descended from my father. Same as you."

  "Me?" I reply innocently.

  "Don't play games. Skarce Voxan is your father, isn't he?"

  "Why ask questions you know the answers to? I suspect you have one of my names courtesy of Mara Jade?"

  "Mahc Teirnan."

  "Resourceful woman, that Jade."

  "She is."

  "You still cannot defeat me." I check the distance from me to the storage room door. As soon as I thought it, the door shut itself on its own. I turn back to Horn. He has his hand raised in a casual wave.

  "You're not going anywhere, Mahc."

  Clear my mind! Shut it down. He can feel it. No emotion.

  Horn continues. "I know what you're doing. You can't hide from a Jedi. I have some questions for you. Easy ones first. How did you get on board undetected?"

  "Stealth and distraction," I reply.

  "Hmm..stealth is easy enough. You have a cloaked ship. What was the distraction?"

  "The only activity in space in the past twelve hours."

  Corran's eyes lit up. "The pirate race. You hired them so you could slip in under them. We may have had an infrared detection system. How did you know we wouldn't use it?"

  "Ignorance." I took that moment to throw a dimonium cap on the floor. Penetrating mist filled the room. It made Horn step back in confusion. That was my chance. I turned to the door controls and opened the door to exit the room. I ran.

  Horn recovered from the burst quicker than I could imagine. I could hear him yell after me. "I can read you! I know where you're headed!"

  Shut it down! No emotions!

  I spotted the ventilation shaft where I entered the level. He'll know where it is and where I'm going. If I can just get into a crowd. I climb up the shaft and ascend to the upper level. Is this panic I'm feeling? No! Shut it down! Panic induces errors. Keep going. Not long now. There. Climb out of the shaft. Traders Alley. Many minds to add to the confusion. Can't hear Horn anymore. Doesn't mean h
e's not there. Determination is his passion.

  Need to find a physical disguise. There! A human gambler. He's heading to the 'fresher. Alone. He looks drunk. All the better. Check the layout. No one following him. Everyone is busy drinking and gambling. Get behind him. Grab his head in a choke hold. Snap the neck. Your gambling days are over, my friend. Set it down in a stall. Nice oversized tunic. Excellent cover. Push hood down under new tunic. Vocoder off. I hate feeling this exposed. Damn the Jedi! They will pay for this!

  Stop it! They can feel your hatred! Shut it down!

  Now for the mental half of my disguise.

  Focus. Concentrate. Your motivation is now greed. I need to gamble more. I kriffed away a hundred credits. Only have twenty more. No more sabacc for me. Too rich for my blood. Ah, there's a Barr'aca slot. Perfect. I need another drink first. I have to wade through this crowd to get to the bar.

  "Fogblaster!" I yell at the Bith 'tender. He sets my drink down. He goes back to his many other patrons. I search through the crowd. I nudge the rodian sitting next to me. "Hey, ishn't that Corran Horn?"

  "Who wants to know?"

  "Nobody. I'm jusht wondering what he'sh doing here."

  The rodian scoffs. "You don't know much, friend. Or you're too drunk to realize anything. Horn is the Captain's son-in-law."

  "Ah, I shee." I watch Corran Horn pass me by without a second thought. I feel a smile of elation coming on. I need more money. To the slots, I go. Here. This one's a winner. I can feel it.

  Jade's Fire lounge

  "He disappeared?" asked Luke.

  "I'm sure he didn't disappear, Luke. He's still on board. His mind disappeared. I can't explain it any better than that. I followed him through the ventilation shaft. I felt his panic. Then...nothing. No emotions from him. By then all I could read was the thousand or so thoughts of greed and frustration from the gamblers."

  Luke uttered, "I knew that all those guests would be a problem."

  "What can you do, Luke?" Corran questioned. "Booster can't exactly ask them to leave."

  "We could stage an evacuation."

  Corran scoffed. "And induce more panic? The whole ship already knows about the dead guy in the 'fresher. Staging an evac now would create too many more questions that can lead to the press. We might as well tell everyone there's a serial killer loose on the ship."

  Luke said, "At least the guests in Trader's Alley only know about the one death. For all they know, the man got too drunk and fell to break his neck." He looked over at Mara on the lounge chair across from him. "You've been quiet, Mara. What do you make of Mahc's mental disappearance?"

  "Strong mind," she replied. "He did the same with me ages ago on Tepasi. I followed his mind one minute, and the next it blended in with the crowd. A skill like that has to be trained. He disguised himself physically and mentally."

  Corran wryly asked, "Is that an assassin's skill?"

  "It can be. I could do it at one time in my youth and get away with it. I'm not as young anymore. The difference with Mahc is that I haven't been tracked down by many Jedi."

  Luke muttered, "C'Baoth?"

  Mara reiterated, "Any normal Jedi."

  Corran sneered humorously, "Are you trying to say my Force tracking abilities are inadequate, Ms. Jade?"

  "No, Mr. Horn. I'm saying Mahc has quite a skill. I would have lost him too."

  Luke suggested, "What if I had been chased him?"

  "I don't know, Luke. That ability gives him a whole new identity. It'll be hard to weed him out."

  Corran nodded in agreement. "There's something else. Mahc took a long time to finally enter the storage room. Before that, I could feel his anticipation to act. Uunderneath that, I could feel a hatred I can't describe. It was a mix of hatred and regret."

  "Perhaps that's linked to his reasoning," Luke said.

  "I have no doubt," Corran said. "I've never felt that much hate in someone who wasn't deep in the dark side."

  Mara quipped, "Good thing the prerequisite for being in the dark side is to be Force sensitive."

  Luke shot back, "Evil acts don't always have to involve the Force, Mara." He ignored her look of disdain at him and suggested, "Mahc knows we're on to him now. He can't go anywhere. We have his ship."

  Mara warned, "Don't think he's just going to end this just because he escaped our trap. He will find a way to try and end this."

  "All right. Then we should take shifts in guarding the Vigos. We can't let them out of our site."

  Mara nearly screamed as she leaned forward in her chair, "Did you not hear me when I said I'm not playing babysitter to a bunch of ex members of a crime syndicate?"

  Luke's voice matched Mara's intensity. "You're in this now, Mara! You're the only one with a connection to this man. But if you want to keep bickering and leave, then you know where the exit is. I'm sure you have better things to do. Just remember that you'll be allowing this madman to run loose and kill freely. I know these Vigo aren't exactly law binding citizens. That doesn't mean I will allow them to die on the whims of a murderer. If you think you can live with their deaths, then go ahead and leave."

  An awkward silence followed before Mara flashed a rare grin and said, "Getting cocky over the years, Skywalker."

  He fired back, "I've always been cocky. I just hide it well these days."

  Mara softened her voice to state, "Look, all I'm saying is my role in this would be better for research and not guard duty."

  "Fine. Then I wish you can find me a third guard."

  At that moment, I'hela entered the lounge. Her demeanor was down with her shoulders slumped in defeat.

  Mara looked at her and then at Luke and raised her eyebrows. "Your wish is your command, Master."

  Corran then smiled and uttered, "Hey Luke, could you wish in a few million credits now?"

  "What are you all talking about?" the NRS agent asked.

  Corran replied, "Nothing, I'hela. How is Booster?"

  I'hela sighed. "Mad as hell. Screaming. Cursing."

  "So, basically the same," Corran quipped.

  A smile lasted a few seconds on I'hela's lips and then went back to a frown. "I heard from Booster that you lost our killer."

  "I didn't lose him. I know exactly where he is. Somewhere on this ship."

  "I guess you already know they found Mahc's ship. Parked right under the sensor array."

  Corran nodded. "An old smuggler's trick."

  I'hela took a deep sigh and stated, "I feel so responsible for letting him on the ship. I'm sorry I didn't see him."

  Luke assured her, "It wasn't your fault, I'hela. Mahc used those pirates to stage a distraction."

  "But I could have used the infrared system."

  Luke countered, "You didn't know it was there."

  "But I should have. I wasn't familiar with your set up. Plus, I didn't know I would need it."

  "Always expect the unexpected," Mara stated. "They didn't teach you infrared systems at NRS Academy?"

  "Not your system. It looked rather homemade to me."

  "Benefits of strong connections," said Mara proudly.

  Luke suggested, "Corran and I are going to talk to Booster about our watch on the Vigos."

  "And to possibly calm him down," Corran added.

  "Why don't you let Mara show you her infrared system?"

  "Skywalker, there's probably other duties I'hela can do. Didn't you say you needed a third guard?"

  I'hela brightened, "Yes, I can do that. I will do anything to help and make up for my mistake."

  Luke shook his head slightly and decided to stop reassuring the woman. "All right. We'll get back with you on the specifics of the watch. While we're talking with Booster, you can help Mara with the research on Voxan. The more information we have on him the more we can use against his son."

  Mara reluctantly nodded and addressed I'hela. "Come on."

  As Luke and Corran left the room, I'hela followed Mara to the Jade's Fire comp station where she had previously kept watch on the activit
y in space several hours earlier.

  Mara told her, "Sit at the main console and I'll show you my modifications to the infrared systems. I trust I don't have to go over the basics of detection of infrared with you."

  "No. Basic detection rely on measuring the electromagnetic waves around a ship. A cloaked ship hides the waves but infrared reads the outline."

  "Right. The problem with that method is that most traditional infrared systems can confuse the electromag waves surrounding a ship with those of an asteroid. The infrared system I have can see under those waves and see the ship itself."

  "How did you manage to get that equipment?"

  Mara uttered smugly, "I don't reveal my connections. I did have prior knowledge of cloaking devices when I was with the Empire. Palpatine made its development a priority. Thrawn managed to actually produce a prototype but it sacrificed durability for invisibility."

  "Did you find out what type of ship Mahc has?"

  "I glanced at the specs and it looks like an old Cloak Shape fighter."

  "A Cloak Shape? I thought Kuat discontinued those years ago."

  "They did. Mahc's ship was heavily modified. Advanced weapons, double-plated hull, extra mobile thrusters. With all of that it probably won't make lower than .7 on the hyperdrive. You give up speed with a cloaking device."

  I'hela whistled. "He must have had deep pockets to finance all of that."

  "Or deep connections. Now, go ahead and bring up the guidance system. Ok, see that symbol for infrared? Punch that in."

  I'hela followed Mara's instruction expecting a screen for steps on infrared detection. What clicked on the screen was something else. "Oh. I must have hit the wrong button. This looks like a report of some kind."

  "No. It's correct. Read."

  I'hela proceeded to read the screen and her reaction turned from confusion to anger within seconds. She uttered, "You kriffing liar. What is this?"

  "I was hoping you could tell me. What I see there is a NRS restriction order from your Chief Holt banning you from this case. Any idea why he would issue that?"

  I'hela scoffed in anger, "He's being overcautious."

  "Why would he have to be?"

  "I have no clue."

  "Oh, I think you do." Mara allowed a pause and then asked, "Do you know what a data trail is?"

  Confused as to the purpose of the question, I'hela started to answer, "Yes. It's a method to find out where an information leak..." She stopped suddenly upon realization. "You think I am the leak?"

  "We told our suspects about a Vigo needing to be alone in the storage room for his religious beliefs. Each of our suspects were informed of a different Vigo. Corran stayed down there disguised as each Vigo. No one showed up until he was disguised as the Anzati."

  "You informed me that the Anzati needed to be alone in the storage room. You didn't trust me?"

  "It's not a matter of trust, I'hela. It's a matter of facts. We only told you that the Anzati will be down there and Mahc appears on that information. Then there's this restriction on you from your Chief."

  "That is another matter."

  "I believe they're related."

  "It's not possible."

  "Isn't it? I didn't give it much thought until after this restriction came through. It doesn't say exactly why your Chief wants you off this case. I have my theory. I just need to prove it."

  "How?"

  "I'm going to ask you a question and I expect an honest answer." Mara leaned into the woman who backed away while still sitting in the chair. Mara stressed her next words. "And I will know if you're lying."

  "All right. What's your question?"

  Mara asked, "Is there a connection between you and Skarce Voxan?"

  I'hela gulped and answered at once, "Yes."

  * * * * *