Private The Marionette Murders

[Magnus]

Corellia, Obrim Estate
The previous night…​

A peaceful silence had fallen upon the Obrim Estate. The lady of the house, Catherine Obrim, had been fast asleep in her office. That was until an odd sound echoed from elsewhere in the home. Someone was playing the piano, one that had hardly been touched since she had moved in. It was practically a centrepiece, nothing more.

Catherine rose in a sleepy hazy, not really putting thought into what she was doing. Checking the sound yes, but she really should’ve checked in with her guards. Alas she did not, instead caution was drowned out by that haze.

She pushed open the doors to find a man sitting at the piano, dressed in a way that made it apparent they were not one of her guards.

“Who are you?! How’d you get in!” And just like that the sleepy haze snapped away. “Guards, guards!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t bother with all that.” The man continued to play as he spoke. “They’re all having a little nap right now. Out like a light.”

Catherine went to run, but the moment she moved to turn, the shutters on all the windows and doors slammed down, locking her in.

“Tut-tut, Ms. Obrim.” He stopped playing, raising one hand to show the remote he had in it. Obviously taken from one of her fallen guards. “You have a lovely piano, such a shame it’s so out of tune.” The masked stranger slammed the piano shut with the last word.

“Wha-what do you want?”

“I want to make you into art, Ms. Obrim. Killing you will be one of my finest works.”

Present day​

The sun had barely settled in the sky by the time the Obrim Estate was cordoned off by local authorities. One of the guards had finally woken up to discover their client’s fate. A call had immediately been made to the Corellian Police. It was all early enough that they had avoided alerting any news outlets. But it was only a matter of time before they caught the smell of a scoop, and came running like a pack of kath hounds.

Detective Wells let out a sigh as he waited, leaning against a pillar outside the estate. He had a cup of caf in his hands, doing his best to keep himself awake and alert. On one hand he was glad this had been a quieter affair, and yet on the other he wished he hadn’t been called out so damn early. Now he was just waiting for their guest to arrive. One he still held a little doubt would actually show up. But the Chief had sent a message to the NJO, and sure enough he got a response back.

Wells just hoped the Jedi had the thought to be discreet in her appearance and arrival. The last thing he needed was for the news outlets to catch wind that the freaking Sword of the Jedi had been brought to a crime scene.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Corellia

​

Outfit: Operative Suit
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber (Concealed)
Tag: Magnus

"Good morning, detective Wells," Valery said as she approached him from behind. Even if she wasn't trying, the former Jedi Shadow was often very stealthy. She also wasn't wearing her typical attire — the outfit she wore on every poster and news announcement about her. Instead, she had chosen one of her form-fitted suits, and even a pair of blasters were strapped to her hips to sell the image of law enforcement.

She had no desire to be noticed.

"What's the current status here?" she then asked. All she was given was very rough information about a murder, but one so mysterious that it apparently demanded Jedi investigation. It wasn't a typical job for the Jedi Master, but one that she was more than happy to accept.

It also meant some time away from war fronts.

"I'd also like to take a look myself when that is possible. The Force can guide me."

 

[Magnus]

The detective almost jumped out of his skin when he heard a voice behind him. Instead, some of his caf went down the wrong way eliciting a spluttering cough. Wells turned to face Valery, his cheeks flush with embarrassment. But as he calmed down, the man let out a small laugh.

“Well, I’m glad to see you took the Chief’s request to heart.” He looked her up and down, taking in her choice of attire. Yeah, if he hadn’t known before, Wells wouldn’t have suspected her to be a Jedi.

“I’m Detective Richard Wells,” he said, holding his hand out to shake. “Thank you for coming here, Master Jedi.” He knew the Jedi was no doubt curious why she had been specifically requested. And honestly? Wells didn’t really know either. But the message had been loud and clear, only one person fit the ‘calling card’ left by the killer.

“Let’s walk and talk, shall we?” He led the way inside. “The victim is Ms. Catherine Obrim, she owns the estate. In the early hours of the morning, we got an alert from one of her bodyguards. Apparently someone was able to knock out all the perimeter guards, before getting inside and doing the same for those stationed within.” Everything they passed by in the house looked neat and orderly, nothing indicated a crime had been committed. Nothing that was fancy or expensive looking was missing.

“Eventually, one of the guards stirred and awakened his fellows. They found part of the interior had been in a security lockdown. After deactivating it…they found her.”

As he finished speaking, they finally entered the main hall. It was a bustle with activity, of officers documenting the crime scene. At the centre of it was the victim, sitting motionlessly at the piano. From afar there was nothing, but as they drew close thin wires could be seen dangling from the ceiling. Each one had been painstakingly applied and wrapped around Catherine’s arms, fingers and neck. She had been deliberately positioned as though she was playing the piano.

Even the lighting above had been altered to act like a spotlight shining down upon her.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Corellia

​

Outfit: Operative Suit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber (Concealed)
Tag: Magnus

Valery blinked when the man choked on his drink but showed or said nothing to make his embarrassment worse. She just offered him a smile and dipped her head once he had gotten his composure again. "It's not a problem, although I'm curious why I specifically was requested. We do have other Jedi available for investigations," she told him, but her tone still made it clear that she wasn't bothered.

Just curious.

"Master Valery Noble," she then introduced herself and took the offered hand for a firm shake. "let us," she added before following him into the crime scene. Valery carefully listened to what he said, but her eyes were already analyzing each and every part of the room. She could feel lingering emotions, and death, and began to search for a possible motive. The killer clearly wasn't interested in theft, so why kill this woman?

Finally, they reached the room of the murder, and Valery just stopped for a few moments, as she looked at the woman behind the piano. A frown settled on her face, but it faded after a few seconds. "Are there any records of other murders where people were tied up like this?" she asked, her mind already going into work mode.

"This isn't just murder. This... seems like a message."

 

[Magnus]

“No recent records, no. But well…let’s just say this isn’t my first time seeing a scene like this.”

Richard watched Valery as she went about examining the scene for herself. The Detective was for the most part unperturbed by the sight. One part having seen it hours ago, but also because it had been a long, long time since he was a rookie that got disturbed by this kind of thing.

Made him wonder if there was any humanity left within him, to just be so desensitised and emotionless towards death.

“You’d be correct, Master Jedi.” He said, walking up and around the back of the piano. “And to answer your previous question of ‘why you specifically’...” Richard gestured for Valery to take a look, stepping aside to give her space.

Obscured from view initially, was the symbol of the New Jedi Order painted on the floor. Painted in blood. And in the centre of it was a decorative sword embedded into the wood.

“There’s possibly other interpretations, but I think you can see now why we requested your presence.”

Valery Noble​