Careful with that thing; it's been though hell

XVI - Hidden

"Find the padawan, Second Sister." The Grand Inquisitor is furious, the small vein on his temple twitching as he speaks. "Lord Vader will not be happy to hear about this." He leans forward, his head filling the holoprojector in her hand. "You remember the reason for bringing Kestis to Coruscant. If he discovers what has happened..." He trails off, his expression darkening impossibly. "We will both take the fall for your failure."

Trilla purses her lips behind her mask. She doesn't need the Grand Inquisitor's petty threats—she knows well enough the consequences of her mistake. Still, she swallows her venomous thoughts down and speaks. "Understood. I will not disappoint you again, Grand Inquisitor."

Even as a hologram, he manages to meet her gaze through her mask with his piercing yellow eyes. She's all-too-familiar with that expression, but it's not usually directed at her. "See to it that you don't." He takes a deep breath, and his demeanour seems to switch. His long face settles into a look of cold indifference—a look she's even more accustomed to. He steeples his fingers and leans back in his chair.

"I wish to discuss another matter with you." He pauses. "We have an update on the whereabouts of Cal Kestis' companions."

Trilla holds her breath. "Yes, sir?"

"They will be joining us very soon." He's smiling now, the poisonous twist to his lips almost unnerving. "Meanwhile, we have made the necessary preparations for their arrival."

Trilla nods. She can already picture the said necessary preparations: if they have certainly spared no expense this time...then Cere, the Nightsister and the Latero will not escape. Not this time. "Understood, Grand Inquisitor. Will my presence at the Fortress be required?"

"That is not necessary, Second Sister." His smile fades. "Your focus should be on finding Kestis. I think we will manage without your intervention." Before she can reply, the Grand Inquisitor ends the transmission.

She pockets her holoprojector, stifling a bitter laugh. They're close, so very close, to the only instance where Cere's imprisonment is guaranteed after years of evasion—and now she won't even be there to see it happen.

Ah. It's almost cruel, how fate can be.

Trilla forces her hands to unclench, looking around the cleared-out speeder interchange, thinking about her current predicament. But then a voice speaks up.

"Second Sister, we have an update on the Jedi's position."

She turns to acknowledge the Purge Trooper now standing behind her. "Proceed."

"We can confirm that Kestis had help. Together, they eliminated the squad we dispatched. A bounty hunter identified them." The trooper waves someone forward, and a purple-skinned Sakiyan male Trilla hadn't noticed earlier steps forward, a rifle strapped to his back.

Trilla nods at the bounty hunter. "Tell me what you know."

"Of course." The Sakiyan sweeps into an exaggerated bow. "But first, Inquisitor, I must ask: how much are you willing to pay for this intel?" A sleazy smile graces his scarred features. "My services don't come for free. You understand, of course."

Trilla shakes her head. Foolish bounty hunters: they never learn when to stop pushing their luck. It doesn't help that she isn't in the best of moods right now. "Is that so?" She rests her hand against her saber, watching his gaze follow the subtle action. "You'll find that the only payment you'll be lucky to receive is the opportunity to walk free, bounty hunter."

"Okay, okay." The Sakiyan holds up a gloved hand, taking a step back. "Whatever you say, ma'am." He pulls out a holoprojector. The fuzzy projection of a dark silhouette in a helmet forms in his palm.

"That's who you're looking for," He says, gesturing. "Folks from the lower floors call him the Courier. You see, that's what he does: transports all sorts of goods between floors. He's the one who gunned down your troops and led your Jedi away."

Trilla takes this information in. Then she narrows her eyes. "You're a bounty hunter, are you not? The Jedi has a reward of fifty thousand credits on his head. Did it not occur to you to go after them?"

"Uh, no." The Sakiyan scratches the back of his neck, an expression of regret flickering across his features. "Look, lady, I'm not a fan of getting diced by that light sword of his." He shrugs. "'Sides, I just watched the two of 'em take down a squad of Imperial forces. I ain't about to mess with that."

That gives her pause. "A lightsaber," She corrects, frowning. "What colour was the weapon?"

"Hmm." The Sakiyan scratches his square chin. "It might've been green. I dunno, I was..." He trails off, turning his gaze to the floor. "Yes, yes, it was green."

Trilla nods. Either this Courier somehow got his hands on a lightsaber, or they have yet another Jedi to deal with now. Interesting. Five Imperial-ruled years since the Purge, and yet members of the Order still remain elusive on Coruscant. But no matter: it is for fools like him that the Inquisition was created. They'll find him soon enough.

"Capture any information you can," Trilla instructs the trooper. "Report back to me later." She turns away, dismissing them both.

Trilla barely has time to organise her thoughts before she's approached next by Third Brother. Unlike her, he hadn't been as fortunate during their confrontation with the Separatists earlier: he's now sporting a smeared grey bruise on his cheek, a souvenir from a particularly determined super battle droid with a faulty wrist rocket. Trilla can't help smile to herself as she looks at its unfortunate placement.

Third Brother seems to notice. "What's our next move?" He asks, feeling his jaw, a disgruntled edge to his voice.

"We will wait," She explains. "Draw him out. Knowing Cal Kestis, he will continue his escape without this ally of his once he's above ground. In the meantime..." She glances at the Purge Troopers now escorting the Sakiyan out, considering their next move. "We have a new target. Prepare to move out."