Private Get a Clue

[Levi]

THEN
MANOR, EXTERIOR

A cigarette butt dropped to the ground, it’s final cinders stamped out by a well-polished boot.

“Time to get to work.” The suspect hummed a tune to himself, equipping the tools of his trade just as the night began in earnest.

It was an impressive home, no doubt, but old-fashioned. And old-fashioned was the suspect’s specialty.

The thing about rich folk as that in many ways they were almost too easy to steal from. Too much time dawdling away atop the ivory tower makes one feel much more invincible than they are in truth.

Still, such a break-in was atypical of the suspect's typical MO. But even more atypical would be to leave a job unfinished; If there were rare jewels to be found, there were rare jewels to be had.

The window lock gave way easily, offering no hint of his infiltration beyond a faint but satisfying pop.

And just like that, Levi slid his way into the lower floor kitchen.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

Standing outside the kitchen window hours after the burglary had taken place, Miri was searching among the bushes with the help of a magnifying glass. Sure enough, she spotted a cigarra butt lying in the grass. She reached down and plucked it up, holding it between two gloved fingers.

"If I were more than an amateur detective, I'd be able to take this down to a lab and analyze it," she informed... well, nobody was around. Miri just had a habit of thinking out loud. "I'd be able to put together a DNA sample, although this looks pretty dirty, so it's probably contaminated anyway..."

The magnifying glass was turned upon the window. The lock wasn't broken, but there were signs it had been opened recently, mainly in the form of misplaced dust and dirt that had showered the sill. The mansion was an old beauty owned by a wealthy heiress with a love of antiques. In this case, she may have taken her appreciation for the old-fashioned a little too far, using outdated locks and an alarm system that lacked the sophistication of newer models. In short, the place was practically asking to be broken into.

Easing open the window, Miri peered inside the kitchen, examining the floor directly below it before she stepped inside, following the thief's footsteps...

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi strode across the room with confidence, past any and all distractions toward his destination. That confidence, however, was quickly washed away when the door swung open, nearly smacking him in the face.

Instead Levi's quick-footed nature took him behind the door, temporarily concealing him from the would-be spoilsport. Into the kitchen walked a burly figure, the watchman. So the home wasn't without its own methods of security after all.

Worse yet, his hiding spot wouldn't last, as the door lazily swung back the other way. The man only had to shift slightly before his peripheral caught sight of a devilish figure standing awkwardly against the wall.

Before he could get a word out, Levi reacted on instinct; He grabbed a large glass on the counter next to him splashing the indistinguishable liquid in the man's face. In a flash, he slipped behind him, using the distraction to leverage a chokehold on an otherwise physically superior figure. Thankfully, a choke done right was unreliant on strength, and Levi was able to make short work of what could have been a serious hindrance.

"Take a little snooze, chap." Gently he laid the unconscious watchman down, and counted his lucky stars before resuming his duty. He slipped through the still open door, and into the hall. On one end, a staircase up, on the other, a staircase down. Levi's tip said the safe was in the cellar.

And to the cellar Levi went.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

"This one?" Miri asked, pointing to the now empty glass that had been hastily replaced on the counter.

"Yeah, that one," the watchman confirmed. "Guy was hiding behind the door over there when I walked in. I turned and saw him, and he grabbed the glass and threw it in my face."

"Did you get a good look at him? What did he look like?"

"He was a devilish-looking feller."

"Devilish how?"

"He had horns, a little 'stache, and a goatee. Pointed ears, too."

"Ah. Very devilish indeed. Did he have cloven hooves, or humanoid feet like me?"

"Uh, like yours... I think. I didn't really look at his lower half."

"Most likely a Devaronian, then. You told all this to the police, right?"

"Of course. I mean, I'm sure they're out looking for the perp as we speak. Say, why are you here, anyway? Are you with the police?"

"No, not exactly. I'm more of an amateur sleuth. And a Jedi Knight, which certainly helps."

"Oh! Huh. Does that mean you can use the Force or whatever to solve crimes?"

"You betcha. Speaking of which, I should head down to the cellar now and check out that safe..."

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi took each step with soft, measured movements. After all that, the last thing he needed was a particularly creaky plank of wood to snitch on him.

But such a betrayal never occurred, and Levi crept into the dusty basement without further interruption. Inside there was little of note, at least to him: any number of untold antiques hoarded away as little more than storage. But stowed among them was treasure. A tar black safe of unexpectedly modern design. A sign that it held what he was after.

Levi crouched down and studied the coffer more intimately. It seemed to operate with a digital code. Likely complex, but beyond a matter of time, it was a non-issue. The devaronian withdrew a security spike, connecting it with the safe's interface and initiating a system override. He patiently (and metaphorically) chipped his way through the firewall, until the panel burst with a few dying sparks, and the safe door slid open.

But what laid inside seemed to displease the thief. He grumbled, and took the collection of rings that were tucked inside. Most curiously, the stacks of credits also in the safe remained untouched, as did any other valuable antiques in the cellar.

It seemed that if he were to finish this job, Levi would have to head all the way to the top.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

"He left the credits?" Miri was back to thinking out loud, perusing the safe's contents without anyone else nearby. "The heiress said he only took a few rings, none of them particularly valuable. All these antiques were left untouched, too..."

An examination of the code-cracking on the safe itself didn't yield any more clues, either. The panel was fried.

"Time to check the rest of the house..."

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi began his trek to the second floor. About halfway up, one step almost seemed to rock unstably. The carpeted tread tore under his shoe, ripped up by a loose nail emerging from the riser, "Damn house is falling apart on me." He was unable to help but monologue, even in the faintest of whispers.

He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but his contact had warned him of such a contingency. The real prize was being kept in the heiress' boudoir. And if that information still rang true, "Third door on the right." He stalked forward, leaving all the other entrances untouched.

Practically in slow motion, Levi eked the door open, confirming his suspicions as inside laid a private lounge, plastered with all manner of garish decor. And atop the vanity, a jewelry display bust, draped with an ornate necklace of gems and gold. "There you are…" He gingerly snatched the necklace, and tucked it away in his vest.

But now came the best part. As planned, Levi then pulled out a faux necklace of equal design. Simple in its make, but to an un-attentive eye, there would be no reason to assume it was anything but the original. If the heiress did not see it was stolen, then she would have no reason to examine it until long after his contract was complete.

Though the rings would be well and gone, it was his hope that their absence would further improve their chances of overlooking that which was seemingly still there.

With the necklace in tow, Levi unlocked the second story window and slipped his way out of the manor, escaping just in time for a butler to find it open.

His employer, an estranged rival heir, would be happy to know one of their family's oldest heirlooms would soon be his to claim.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

There were signs the thief had gone upstairs, but the police hadn't been able to determine which items had been stolen in any other part of the house. Only the cracked safe in the cellar was obvious.

It was fortunate, then, that Miri happened to have a great interest in gemstones. She was not a geologist - her love of rocks was truly just a hobby - but even she could tell a fake corusca gem from a real one. It had a different luster, appearing less fiery and brilliant in the light of the heiress' boudoir.

"This necklace is a counterfeit," she mused aloud. "Was it the thief's main target?..."

A few comm calls later, she was in touch with the heiress herself.

"I knew it!" Miss Winnick exclaimed. "This must be Davyd's doing! He's wanted our family heirlooms for years, but Mother and Father cut him out of their will after he married a gold-digging lounge singer!"

"Uh-huh," Miri murmured, suppressing a yawn. "And where can I reach Davyd?"

The heiress rattled off an address. "I wouldn't be surprised if that strumpet has already convinced him to sell it off - assuming she isn't wearing it as we speak."

"Well, I'm on my way over there now, so we'll see what's become of the necklace soon enough."

Levi​

 

[Levi]

"So, I take it you're satisfied?" Levi watched as the heir and his wife ogled over the precious regalia.

"Yes indeed, Mr. Dorne. Thanks to you we can-"

Levi wagged a finger, "Your business with the necklace is your own. The less we expound on our working relationship, the better."

"Ah, r-right. Well, you have more than upheld your end of the bargain. Never let it be said that I am not a man of my word as well." Davyd handed over a case of credits, which Levi then opened to confirm his prize.

"You are generous, sir. Just as we had agreed upon." He shut the case and tucked it under his arm, offering a slight bow of thanks to his employers.

The other great thing about rich people? It's much easier to charge them a higher rate. They'd throw any absurd amount of credits to get their way. Levi was all too happy to oblige.

"Then with that, I believe our business has concluded. I wish you and the missus a lovely evening." With another parting bow, Levi turned to leave. Normally he would not be so abrupt, but he knew that lingering would only hurt his chance at a getaway. Had he not caught the attention of the house's staff? Then perhaps Levi would be more inclined to relax. But time was short, and he was uninterested in being further entangled with family squabbles.

He had his payment. It was time to get off-world. The risk now being that the way back to his ship was the same direction as the house he had just robbed only a few hours ago.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

Her Force senses tingling, Miri brought her speeder to a sudden stop on the street outside Davyd's residence. Something was up.

She looked around, stretching out with the Force... and there he was. A Devaronian exiting the home, carrying a briefcase under his arm. Miri watched him, trying to get a good idea of where he was headed. Would he leave on foot, or in a speeder? Probably the latter, unless he had some other contingency plan. Or he was stupid - which, given that he had been seen by the staff at the house he had robbed, maybe wasn't such an unlikely possibility.

She wasn't dealing with a mastermind criminal, that was for certain.

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi stepped into a nearby alley, emerging from it shortly after atop a speeder bike. He secured the case in the back, then made a break for his ship. Fast enough to make it quick, but without catching any further heat. He would take the long way around the crime scene.

All the while he kept a careful eye on his surroundings. If he noticed anything, he had no outward reaction to it.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

"Looks like I found our Devaronian," Miri said, following the speeder bike at a distance. This time, she was talking to someone - the local police.

"Where is he headed?"

She gave the street name. "Presumably on his way to the spaceport. Could probably just have security detain him there. He's carrying a briefcase - that's suspicious enough for those TSA people." Her experiences growing up with an archaeologist father who was always traveling with "suspicious items" had taught her that. "I'll keep tailing him just in case. For all I know he could be a Sith or something..."

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi had marked the speeder behind him, but kept his focus ahead. He opted for a simple tactic; taking an unlikely winding path to see if the other bike would follow the same route. That alone would be enough for him to reconsider his options.

He went in the opposite direction of the spaceport.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

The Devaronian's path was becoming winding, and he was headed in the opposite direction of his (presumed) intended destination. So he knew he was being followed. Well, it didn't matter how long the perp dawdled. Unless he wanted to be laying low on this planet for weeks or months, he'd eventually have to come to the spaceport. It was entirely possible that his patience was that great, however, so Miri decided not to take any chances.

She kept up the pursuit, dodging other vehicles as she began to gain on him. Once there were no more cars in the way, she hit the gas and attempted to rear-end his bike.

Levi​

 

[Levi]

“There you are.”

Sure enough, the chase was on. And if his pursuer was so confident to engage like this, then in all likelihood they had more up their sleeve. They didn’t seem to have the trappings of a cop, though. Most curious.

Just as the bike neared his own, Levi kicked it into high gear, breaking over the limit and right through an intersection by the skin of his teeth.

He continued on his uncertain path, but relied instead on speed to get one over on the other speeder, rather than complex twists and turns.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

Miri managed to slam on the brakes right before she could head into the busy intersection. Had she not done so, she probably would've totaled the speeder and potentially injured or killed several people. Not good.

A more skilled Jedi might be able to track him with the Force, but such applications of the mystical energy field were beyond Miri's capabilities. She waited for the light to change, then proceeded ahead, not really sure where to go now that she had lost sight of the Devaronian. The only option seemed to be wandering around and trusting in the Force (or luck) to put him in her path again...

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi celebrated his apparent triumph with a laugh, and continued straight ahead to his destination.

Not the spaceport, but Davyd’s own private dock on the other side of town. Here Levi was permitted to land his ship for the job, alongside the heir’s own. Just another perk of associating with the privileged.

He sped through the open entrance, coming to an uneasy halt just ahead of the Outrider 2’s ramp.

Oh, and it would seem Davyd and his wife were of a similar mindset, as down the previous intersection, they could be found heading the very same way.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

With a sigh, Miri called the police again. "I've lost him. Sorry, but I've never been good at the pursuit part of catching suspects..."

"Well, luckily for us, we've been tailing Davyd and his wife. They headed to their private dock, and it looks like your Devaronian did the same."

"Really?" Both the hired criminal and the employers using the same escape route simultaneously? That couldn't have been planned, it made the connection between the two a bit too obvious. "Did you get them?"

Levi​

 

[Levi]

Levi was in the process of prepping his ship, when through the cockpit viewport he saw Davyd's arrival. He smirked, "Right on cue."

The police were just behind, and when they arrived to confront the culprits they would find a YT-2400 already hovering, with Levi himself watching from the ramp. He gave Davyd and his pursuers a departing bow, like a performer at the curtain call, as the ramp raised shut to punctuate his escape.

As soon as he was out of sight, Levi made a mad dash for the flight controls, taking off with a resonant burst of the engine, and into the stars.

Once confident he was in the clear, Levi reclined back in his seat, and pulled out the regal pendant, admiring its priceless splendor.

Alas, the one held by Davyd and his wife was a second fake.

If there was one thing more important to Levi than a job, it was another, higher paying job. The gullible heir presumptive was ultimately just another mark. Now Davyd would take the fall for conspiring with a thief, Levi's original employer would soon have the rare jewelry they desired, and Levi himself got a nice little bonus to his paycheck.

The only clue Davyd could offer to the police was where Levi had come in from: Nar Shaddaa.

Miri Nimdok​

 

[Miri Nimdok]

Miri soon discovered that the Devaronian had pulled a fast one on Davyd and his wife, delivering another fake necklace to them while he presumably made off with the real one. The police were largely stumped, but they did have one clue. The Devaronian hadn't wiped the records of where he had come from, and they were able to trace his passage from Nar Shaddaa.

The case file was promptly transferred to the authorities on Nar Shaddaa, without much hope of anything more being accomplished. Nar Shaddaa was a crime-ridden cesspool with a notoriously corrupt police force. Miri headed there aboard her personal vessel regardless, determined not to give up, but she was aware that she likely wouldn't be able to rely anywhere near as much on the help of the police while she was here.

Posing as a potential client, she started asking around about thieves for hire in the underworld. Her background as the daughter of an archaeologist who had obtained priceless (and often dangerous) artifacts through less than legal means would've helped to lend some credence to the charade, but she knew she had to seem ignorant, so she feigned unfamiliarity with the lingo and blinded herself to the obvious tells of a scam. After all, she was looking for a scam artist...

Levi​