Private Murder, She Wrote

[Maeve Linahan]

Death haunted what remained of the Epicanthix people.

A string of murders had rocked the colony in the last few weeks. Five dead and more counting. Someone seemed to go missing with each new week, and the longer local authorities investigated, the more bodies they found.

Time was of the utmost importance. They needed a detective, someone who didn't balk at the sight of a corpse. Someone experienced. So, it came as little surprise when Maeve was assigned to the case.

Careful to hide her ears, pointed and clearly foreign to the Epicanthix people, she adjusted and padded her hair. If she wanted to pretend to be an ordinary civilian, to blend in among the colonists, then she had sell the disguise. Walking around with a badge or flaunting her lightsaber on her hip wouldn't get her answers and the last thing she needed to do was scare off any suspects.

Admittedly, it was a little difficult not to when she was walking next to man two heads taller than she was, with a build and glower that made almost anyone piss their pants.

Maeve glanced up at him. Adonis Vassak. He was a known and recognizable leader, but she supposed for now, it was fine for him to accompany her on this case. He had a right to. Besides, if her suspicions were true, he would serve as excellent bait.

"These murders stink of the Dark Side," she said casually as they strode down the boulevard. "If a Sith Lord is here, they will do anything in their power to seed panic among the locals." Her eyes searched ahead. "Can you tell me anything about their first victim?"

Adonis Vassak​

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[Adonis Vassak]

Location: Epicanthix Colony
Tags: Maeve Linahan

There was something unusually intense about Adonis' gaze, as he walked through the settlement. For weeks now, his authority on the colony had been challenged, both politically and more directly through assassination attempts and the targeted murder of people around him. It infuriated him because the loss of Panatha had brought his people to the brink of destruction, and now they were fighting each other.

No, he knew that outside forces were manipulating things, and the arrival of Maeve Linahan was a testament to that. Up until this point, Kahlil Noble and his wife had been closely working with him to help his people into a better future, but now the Sword of the Jedi had assigned a Jedi Shadow she trusted to help him. Adonis understood that it meant the Sith were involved once more.

The way they've always been a plague for his people.

"You don't have to hide your appearance, Master Linahan," his deep voice rumbled. "My people will respect you here, or I will see to it that they will." He turned his eyes down to the much smaller woman then and listened to what she had to say. He had learned to trust a Jedi's senses, so this warning of the Dark Side was not one he'd ignore.

"They killed an important assistant to my new 'political' rival and made it seem as if my people were behind the attack. I fear the Sith are trying to cause a civil war. I already feel so much tension that wasn't here before." He frowned and stopped for a moment to look around.

"I have not been able to make any solid progress finding the one responsible."

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Your people may still have respect for mine, but if there is a Sith Lord among them, I don't want anyone to recognize what or who I am." Maeve stared ahead, not bothering to look back up to the horrendously tall Epicanthix at her side. "Better to pretend I am just an ordinary human girl. A diplomat from another world. Perfect bait for a serial killer."

She didn't bother adding that Adonis served as bait as well. He was a vital political icon to his people. A Sith wanting to destabilize the colony would want to murder him at the first chance they could get. While Maeve didn't want to risk the man's life, given his build and height, she suspected he would be just fine.

"That doesn't surprise me," she replied. "A Sith Lord finds his strength in not only fear and panic, but anger and madness. Stirring tensions between political groups is just another reason why I think one is lurking about your secluded colony."

As they walked through a wide marketplace full of bustling merchants and vendors, the air heavy with the smell of smoked crab and sweet spices, Maeve surveyed the crowd. Who would the killer's next victim? Who made an easy target? The Epicanthix people were hearty and strong. Only sheer surprise would be able to take one down.

"Does the colony host many tourists or foreign visitors?"

Adonis Vassak​

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[Adonis Vassak]

Location: Epicanthix Colony
Tags: Maeve Linahan

"You can hide your presence in the Force, then?" He asked, knowing that's what the Nobles had done during their visit as well. Adonis just didn't know if it was a common skill or something certain Jedi specialized in. But given the fact that she was called a Jedi Shadow, he assumed that she knew all of those tricks as well. But while Jedi abilities weren't that surprising to him anymore, the mention of being bait certainly caught him off-guard.

"Let's hope he'll make his move somewhere less crowded, then. I would hate to see my people get hurt because of us." Looking around, there were too many unpredictable factors. People hurrying through the market, children running and playing. One wrong move and it wouldn't be one of them at the end of an assassin's barrel or blade.

It could be any of these people.

"We get very few visitors beyond relief aid, and that has been getting less and less with my people getting settled. Either way, foreigners tend to stick out, so my theory is that our Sith is either Epicanthix himself, or under disguise of being relief aid." Or it could be a weirdly tall human, but that wasn't too likely with so many here standing incredibly tall. Being Epicanthix was also about more than just height.

The Jedi Shadow would be able to feel their fortress minds, and recognize others who lacked that natural shield.

"Any ideas about how we can lure them out?"