FORSAKEN - Target: Zero

CHAPTER TWELVE

The standing order for all law enforcement and intelligence agencies require them to report any suspected Jedi activity. Few officers have had contact with the extinct mystic warriors, let alone spotting one for years. Barring the use of laser swords or witnessing some blatant supernatural phenomena, none of them possessed the training or experience to identify anything applicable to file such a claim, hence mistakes happened. Jedi swords had ended up in the hands of the odd outlaw or bounty hunter; members of Force-worshiping religions had been wrongly accused; and extra-natural enhancements often led to misreports. Anything deemed abnormal became grounds to suspect the involvement of members of the extinct order. So, the massacre at Nero's fell under the purview of the improbable.

At first, the local branch of the Imperial Security Bureau refused to file the report, for fear of the embarrassment it would cause the forces garrisoned in Nevarro City. But the security forces had failed to come up with a plausible explanation on how a single bounty hunter could slaughter an entire platoon of veteran clone troopers, capture an ISB agent, and disappear without a trace. Stumped, the ISB had no choice but to make the report—much to the chagrin of Nevarro's head of security, Colonel Valin Hess. It didn't take long for the Order of Inquisitors to show up.

Colonel Hess entered his office on the second floor of the Imperial base built on the side of a cliff, where now a female figure in black armor stood looking out the wide window to a canyon outside the capital. The way the shadows blended around the Inquisitor gave the impression she had spawned from them. She ignored the colonel's arrival—even though he had summoned her. Yet another aggravation Hess had to suffer from the unwanted visitors. He had been assigned to bring order to the wild streets of Nevarro due to his callous, uncompromising methods, which had brought the planet to heel in no time. But now he had to endure the humiliation of failure, and kowtow to the disruptive presence of the Red Blades.

Colonel Hess waited to be acknowledged. Tired of the awkward silence, he proceeded to give his report, "We've yet to locate the Twi'lek dancer. We believe she's probably hiding in one of the more remote outposts. I'm confident we'll have her in custody within a few rotations."

The Inquisitor continued to ignore him.

"We reconstructed the events of the night based on the owner's interview," Hess resumed. "An Ubese bounty hunter in raider armor came into the cantina while a platoon of the 327th Star Corps enjoyed some R&R after the day's patrol. ISB agent, Major Bendic Oldar, was also present among them. There were no civilians other than the owner and the dancer.

"The bounty hunter ordered a drink at the bar, was approached by three stormtroopers, and a fight ensued. The bartender maintains he was hidden behind the bar for the duration of the conflict, coming out once it was over. He claims he ran away when he saw the carnage, fearing for his life. The Twi'lek was gone by then.

"During our investigation, we found evidence that Agent Oldar might have been involved in the sale of sensitive information to parties yet to be identified. We believe the bounty hunter was sent by one of these contacts."

"Were they all clones?" the First Sister said in a soft voice.

"Yes. Project War-Mantle has yet to be implemented in the Outer Rim." The Empire's initiative had been replacing the ranks of the military with conscripted humans, rather than clones.

"What about the Bounty Hunter's Guild?"

"The contract didn't come from them. It must have been done on the side, which points to the involvement of a criminal syndicate. I've issued an order to round up all Ubese bounty hunters for interrogation."

"That's a waste of time. The armor was used for misdirection."

Hess ran out of patience. He folded his arms behind him. "I'm sorry, but I fail to see how this investigation is of any concern to the Inquisitorius Program. Everything points to a matter of intelligence security, not to the paranormal activities of an extinct order of monks."