Darkside Killer

[sparrow]

Tez yawned as he wiped down the tables in the now-empty cantina. Located near the outskirts of Soldon, the establishment was frequented by Republic and Sith personnel alike. Patrons of the various factions often traded verbal barbs with each other, especially after a few drinks, but the bouncers had managed to keep things from devolving to physical blows so far. With the recent escalation of tensions, that was becoming more difficult any day. A ticking time bomb, liable to blow any minute.

But until then, the drinks flowed and the credits were good, so he couldn’t complain too much.

A sudden clattering sound from the alley outside caught his attention. Putting down the table rag, Tez peered his head outside, looking for the source of the sound, expecting to see some possum or other creature that had wandered out from the nearby forest rifling through the wastebins.

Nothing.

Strange. He could have sworn he heard something. He felt his foot bump against something, and he looked down, staring at the two motionless bodies that lay on the ground in a slowly spreading pool of blood.
______

Sagitta crinkled her nose slightly at the smell of dried blood hung that hung in the air as she approached the alleyway next to the cordoned-off cantina. She wore a dark militaristic tunic, a bronze thunderbolt affixed to the lapel signifying her membership in the Sith Cult of Strife, and her medium-length black hair was tied back into multiple short braids.

Prazhi security forces had roped off much of the air, but they stepped aside to let us her through. Medical staff, both Prazhi and Sith, milled about the area.

“What’s the situation?” she asked the shorter, blonde-haired woman who met her near the entrance of the alley. Wearing a dress that looked far too fancy for the setting they were in, Milan made a face of exaggerated annoyance. “The situation is that I had to cancel my reservation! Anyways…” her face flashed back to a serious expression, “Bartender was closing up last night when he found the bodies. No sign of the attackers though.”

She examined the surrounding area for a bit, before kneeling down to look at the pair of bodies. One had a long diagonal slash across the chest, the other a cut between the shoulder and neck. Both were missing their hands, cut off cleanly at the wrists. “They’re both ours,” Milan explained. “Acolytes from the Academy. I think this is the fifth attack, third after Nar Shaddaa. All Acolytes. All missing hands.”

Sagitta nodded. “Sounds like someone is trying to cause trouble for us. Still, this sort of thing is usually under the purview of Ascension or Truth.”

“Wrong place at the wrong time for us,” the younger Sith said with a shrug. “They had Inquisitor Jervada on this before, but then he got himself blown up over Nar Shaddaa, and no one’s picked it up since. And now all resources are being directed towards the upcoming arbitration.”

“Lucky us.”

_______

Later, inside her office within the Sith embassy complex, she pored over the files that Milan had managed to dig up from Jervada’s previous investigation, which turned out to be surprisingly useless. Still, the lack of information was telling in its own way. She had some theories on that, but all the theories in the world would mean nothing without at least a bit of proof.

“I need to attack this thing from another angle,” she muttered to herself. Reaching for the comm, she recorded a message for the Headmaster of the Korriban academy. “I need a few volunteers…”

[Rugs]

Karn’s shuttle roared through Prazhi’s atmosphere. He sat in the back, watching Soldon slowly come into focus from the endless expanse of green land and dark blue sea across the world’s surface.

He had already been en route to Prazhi — he was to deliver files to the Sith Embassy on behalf of his master, Darth Viren — when the Korriban Academy’s headmaster made contact with him. Someone was killing Sith on Prazhi. Acolytes, at that.

Details were scarce, so far. He knew only that he was supposed to meet with Lady Sagita upon arriving at the embassy.

A string of killings so close to the arbitration, he thought as the ship rocked through the sky. He narrowed his milk-white eyes in thought. Someone trying to cause trouble with that? Or something else?

---

Karn strolled through the Sith Embassy a short while later, after delivering Viren’s files to a diplomat, who would turn them over to the Empire’s legal team that was preparing for the arbitration with the Republic. He wore a pale grey coat, slashed with white along the sleeves. His long-handled lightsaber still swung at his waist, because his shuttle — which had already departed again — set down directly at the Sith Embassy’s small landing pad. He’d have to leave it behind, if he stepped beyond the embassy’s walls.

He followed a meandering course to Lady Sagita’s office. Upon arriving, he paused, taking a moment to run a hand through his pale hair. The door hissed open after a knock and he stepped in.

“Lady Sagita,” he spoke smoothly as he bowed his head respectfully, “I am Acolyte Karn Albrecht.” A quick glance around told him he was the first to arrive — or that, if there had been others, they’d already left. Sagita wore a bronze emblem of the Cult of Strife; his master’s cult. “The headmaster instructed me to meet with you to assist with an investigation.”

[Ash]

Being temporarily attached to the Sith embassy on Prazi sucked. Or for most Siths it would. For Exryla, it was rather nice. It gave the young woman time to read and study, stuff she did most of her waking time when not on some duty or training. It was perfect for the young Sith.

Up until recently, she didn't have any problems, but now, acolytes were being murdered... Murdered in cold blood when this should be a peaceful planet. And of course no one will do anything to solve the problem. At first that was. As more and more started showing up dead, then things began to roll. It was good because she didn't want to be killed... not a problem if she didn't leave the Embassy and had her weapon on her.

"New orders... a new change..."

Ex walked down the hall, soft steps barely sounding off in the silence. One other set of footsteps was heard ahead of her somewhere, unimportant to her. Rounding the corner, she finished her walk and, after a quick knock, entered the office of Lady Sagita.

"Lady Sagita, Acolyte Exryla Xar reporting as ordered."

She stood at attention, golden eyes looking at the back wall. There was one other Acolyte here, meaning she wasn't the first one. So be it.

[Valcor]

Leisurely, Janse strolled off of his luxury transport, and onto the docking bay.  Janse was clad in full regalia, as for him, this was no simple mission.  The noble could not care less about the fates of a few acolytes in some alley, but the name that requested the aid... that he was most interested in.  For Janse, this was political and an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the upper echelons of the Sith Order. 

So the youth wore his finest garb; pure pressed whites and highlights of purple hung spotless from his form.  A formal, double-breasted, military coat was pulled snugly about his torso, with long purple gloves over his hands, and matching white jodhpurs on his legs.  Finally Janse wore his planet's emblem upon his yellow beret, ensuring he was representing his family to the best of his ability.

With nose turned upwards, and hands folded behind his back, Janse strode towards the office that had spawned the request he answered.  All down the halls his heels clicked rather loudly, his practiced steps echoing until finally halting outside the office of one "Sagitta".  With a courteous knock signalling his arrival, Janse then entered the room.  It was only when he found himself in a moderately populated room, that his confident demeanor wavered, if only for a moment.

He could have sworn he had ordered his pilot to arrive early!  He will have words with the lowborn after this for the embarrassment.  Janse was quick to recover however, and even quicker to offer Sagitta a formal bow, removing his beret as he did so. 

"Janse Fashad.  At your service ma'am." He said as he rose back up and returned his cover to his head.  When the noble was upright again, he gave the other acolytes a once over, he found a familiar face there, one he struggled to place for a moment.  His brows then jumped when the face was given a mental connection for Janse.  With a slight incline of his head, and a small smile, Janse silently greeted Karn with an air of politeness that he knew would no doubt irk the Arkanian and settled in, content to stand with hands behind his back and posture straight.

[planxty]

Nova felt a surge of excitement as her shuttle landed and when she stepped foot on Phrazi. She had never been to this planet before, and the thrill of visiting new places never failed to ignite an extra spark of energy within her. However, Nova had to remind herself that this was not the time for giddy excitement, not with the gravitas of the situation. She was here to investigate the murder of a number of Sith acolytes, easily one of the most important tasks that she had ever been trusted with...but somehow even thinking of it that way managed to excite her even more.

Though her heart and thoughts were racing, Nova moved slowly and carefully, just as she always did in an unfamiliar place. Her attention was all focused in on her Force sense, and she tried to take note of every detail of her surroundings. She did this not because she was particularly impressed by this new place, but for practical reasons. If she didn’t familiarize herself with her surrounding when she had time and had her mind clear she ran the risk of finding herself lost, confused, and nearly blind.

Maybe, though, she took too long. She stepped inside the office to find that two others had already arrived and were waiting. Nova felt a jolt of panic, but regained her composure quickly and greeted Sagitta with a polite bow. [b}”And I’m Acolyte Nova Grii.”[/b]

[sparrow]

Sitting with her hands folded in front of her, organic fingers intertwined with metallic, she regarded each of the Acolytes as they entered. There were four in total, two men, two women, all of similar age, but different physiques, mannerisms, and strength in the Force. She tried to visualize in her mind what they would look like mixed in a group together with the victims while they were still alive, wondering if any of them were ever in the same classes. Yes, I suppose they’ll do…

Waiting until the last one, Acolyte Grii, finished her bow, she pressed a button her on desk console, switching on the holo-projector that projected out a three-dimensional map of Solden and the surrounding jungles. A series of blinking red dots marked the locations where each of the victims were found. Most were near the outskirts, including the most recent pair, part of a rather lively quarter known for its cantina and gambling dens, as well as a frequently jumping off point for jungle expeditions.

“Let’s get right to the point,” she said, gesturing towards the holomap. “I assume you all read your briefings. Then you all know about the killings that have been happening, that have all been linked together by the killer’s propensity to cut off the hands of the victims. We believe the killer to be targeting Acolytes specifically. A coward, but a dangerous one.”

“They were able to successfully evade the Inquisitor who was previously tasked with this investigation, so they must have skill, or resources, or both. But you, they won’t be expecting you. You can draw them out.” She paused for a moment to observe their reactions. Yes, in a sense she was using them as live bait, but it was as bait that could bite back. “Think of this as a chance to prove yourself.”

“How you choose to approach this is up you. Work together, split up, doesn’t matter. That said, your primary objective is information. I want to know who they are and how they operate. Defend yourselves as needed, but if you feel a need to get yourself killed in a duel in pursuit of glory, report in your findings first.”

“I’ll send the rest of the information we have to your datapads, as well as give you access to a priority comm channel where you can reach me or one of my fellow Praetors should you find yourself in over your head. For emergency use only.”

“Now, any questions?” She expected some, but hoped there wouldn’t be too many. Talking for long periods made her jaw uncomfortable.

[Rugs]

The door hissed open. Karn, hands in his coat pockets, glanced over his shoulder. Some girl he almost thought he didn’t recognize, until her name clicked. Exryla. He vaguely remembered her from the Valley of the Dark Lords, some weeks back.

He turned his head back to the Praetor as Exryla introduced herself. It wasn’t long after that the door opened again, and another acolyte drew Karn’s gaze.

This time, his attention held.

“Janse Fasahad. At your service ma’am.”

Karn’s ivory eyes narrowed to a silent glare at Janse as the other acolyte noticed him and shot him a polite smile. Anger roiled within. He’d not seen Janse since that day in the sparring arena. He ached for revenge; for payback at the embarrassment Janse forced upon him, but now wasn’t the time.

He snorted through his nose and turned away. A strange nervousness ran up his spine. Karn wasn’t quite sure how to place it; he wasn’t afraid of Janse, but the memories that came to mind at seeing him were less than pleasant. For a fleeting moment, he thought he could feel lightsaber blades burning against his ankle.

That couldn’t be; the wound had healed completely, with some kolto.

Another acolyte entered. This one, Karn also recognized — Nova Grii, from the Valley of the Dark Lords.

Lady Sagitta spoke up, cutting short Karn’s introspection. He listened quietly as she reviewed the case, gaze focused on the holographic map of Prazhi’s sprawling capital city. A killer who targeted Acolytes, cutting of their hands. Karn’s right hand tightened his fist in his coat pocket. And we’re to draw them out.Then what?

“I have two questions, Lady Sagitta.” Karn spoke politely, but firmly, ready to assert himself as a leader among the group. “I know their affairs are not ours, but do we know if this killer has targeted anyone on the Republic side?”

Karn did not know the extent to which the entourages of the Republic and Empire had arrived on Prazhi, but he did know Soldon would be packed with dignitaries from both in a matter of days. The peace between the two was already cracked; it’d only take the right push to shove them over the edge. Stopping any efforts to derail the arbitration would go a long way, for both nations.

More importantly, outing a secret Republic plot would no doubt please his new master, and perhaps even curry favor with the Empress herself. “Do we have any reason to suspect,” he went on after a moment’s pause, “that it might be coming from the Republic’s side?”

“And if we are confronted, are we to slay this murderer, or bring them in?” Personally, Karn saw no issue with killing, if they were attacked. However, he wanted the protocol to be as clear as possible, if things spiraled out of control.

[Ash]

A few more acolytes joined Ex and Karn quickly enough, each being right behind one another. It was a man and woman, only one of which she knew at a glance. She didn't say anything or make a motion save for her initial glance at the new people. Save for these two, no one else joined them.

Lady Sagitta spoke up now, cutting right to the case and not bothering with any small talk. As it should be, and Exryla had immense respect for the Lady for doing this. It would allow them to get out there and get to work faster.

Though Ex had respect here, she failed to feel anything for the inquisitor that was previously attached to this mission. If a bunch of kids could do this, that poor inquisitor would probably meet his death. A trace of amusement danced across Ex's golden eyes before they went back to nothingness.

It seemed fairly strait forward to do, and they had ample ways to accomplish this and find the killer. Karn had a few questions, being on if there were any Jedi killed, and what to do if confrontation with the killer was a thing.

Ex held her tongue on the first part. If Jedi were being killed then this would, Ex imagined, be a joint operation with different Rules of Engagement. The second one, however, was a much more intelligent question. She was inclined to go with kill him, but as this was Prazhi... It would honestly be easier to get away with disabling him somehow without weapons and bringing him in. Even if it meant calling in outside help from her or a Praetor. Using your brain was much different than showing weakness and asking for help. Ex also wanted to read over the information before asking any questions as she believed that many questions they would ask would be answered first there.

"Lady Sagitta, are there restrictions on force powers outside of the embassy concerning disabling the target?"

There were no weapons, but the force... couldn't prove much if done the right way.

[Valcor]

A glare... perfect. Janse thought to himself, as he took his place among the other three young Sith. 

It was not out of malice that Janse sought to get a rise from Karn, but simply the desire to amuse himself.  Karn was unstable in their last encounter to be sure; but Janse, for a moment, feared the ivory skinned boy had become more stable in their time apart.  This small show of resentment was all the confirmation the human youth needed to know things were pleasantly the same between himself and Karn.

With that out of the way, Janse focused back on Sagitta and the map she produced.  When her plan was made clear, Janse focused hard on keeping his expression neutral, only the smallest twitch of his brows betraying his opinion.  He had no desire to be bait, in any variety, but he knew better than to make that known to his superior.  When Sagitta asked for questions, Janse kept his mouth shut, and his expression neutral.  Two others had already spoken up, and Janse was content to let them bear the responsibility of their probing.

No, for now Janse would simply smile, listen, and nod.  He knew how to be a good underling, even if he detested it to a degree.

[sparrow]

Of course there would be questions, she thought to herself. She had not worked with any of these Acolytes before, or they with her. Her own soldiers, some of who had she worked with for years, had become quite capable at discerning her intentions, and she valued their ability to take initiative. Byar for instance could take a few terse words and translate them into detailed orders. But for these subordinates, perhaps they were unused to anything less than explicit instructions on how to act, and needed more clarity.

The white haired one has spoken up first. She had given them free rein in deciding how to organize themselves, and this one seemed eager to assert himself early.

“The killer has only targeted Acolytes as far as we know, and we have not dismissed the theory that the Republic may have a hand in this,” she answered calmly, leaning back slightly in her chair. “But this is not a theory we can act upon until we have more definitive information.”

“So as I said, information. Who they are. How they operate. Who is pulling the strings. The killer themself might simply be a pawn. If you find them and kill them… well, corpses can be easily disavowed by whoever they’re working for. So your first priority is bringing back actionable data. If killing must be done, then so be it, but it’s not your primary objective.”

“As for Force use,” she said, turning her head slightly to face the shorter woman who had spoken up, “Standard rules under the Peace of Prazhi still apply. If Prazhi security catch you swinging your saber at someone or throwing around Force powers, you best have a good explanation.”

“If you find this unclear, then I’ll say this. I’m giving you a loose rein on this so you do not feel constrained. There are those who are quite interested in evaluating how you lot operate. But it’s also enough rope to hang yourself with, so be careful.”

[Rugs]

Karn’s gaze shifted to Exryla as she asked a question, though it was hard to tell, lacking irises and pupils as his eyes were. He withheld a snort. Of course we can’t go slinging around Force powers out in the open. Though that doesn’t mean we can’t at all... Lady Sagitta’s answer bore that truth out; the Peace of Prazhi forbade open conflict between the Republic and Empire on the world. Whether their target was Republic-aligned or not, it seemed wisest to Karn to pursue the most subtle options available. Karn had options to work subtly, and without it being immediately apparent that the Force was involved.

Should those fail, we’ll have to see what other options are available, he thought, glancing back at his makeshift team. He was most familiar with Janse’s talents — much to his chagrin. The others, less so, other than that Exryla seemed to prefer using a lightsaber.

“If they’re killing acolytes, we can assume they’re armed to some degree,” he said as Lady Sagitta finished speaking, “or that they’re not acting alone, perhaps. Why should they care about Prazhi’s weapon restrictions if they’re already hellbent on murder?” His narrowed as he knuckled his chin in thought as he muttered distantly, “Perhaps a Force user, to target the Order as they have?”

That left them, potentially unarmed, against an unknown number of opponents. Bait. But for a dire-cat or a Krayt? They’d need time to plan, before heading out to pursue their target.

“We will find this killer, Praetor Sagitta,” he said, nodding politely, “and ensure that the Empire’s faith in us is not misplaced.” And if the Republic is behind this, I will see to it that everyone on this damn planet knows about it. He could not fail; he would not fail. To fail this task would be to fail the Empire, and his master had been very clear on the consequences for such missteps.

“I would suggest,” he said, turning to his fellow acolytes, “that we take time to review the materials we’ve been given and determine where to go from there.” His smile turned too-sweet as his gaze passed Janse; he ached to be out of the Praetor’s presence and to drop the polite facade.

[Ash]

Just as Ex thought about the force. Bus she was able to see it as dont get caught. The power of the Dark Side was unhindered by the rules, and she was sure they would be able to find a good way around everything. Karn shifted his gaze to Ex now, and she stared at him, golden eyes staring through her glasses directly into the other Acolytes eyes. Almost daring him to show something.

Nothing happened of course and she turned her golden gaze back to Lady Sagitta. They were given free reign more or less, to operate as they saw fit. She was running actions through her mind, both including and excluding the rest of these acolytes. Mostly include, as it was the smarter action to work together.

When excused, Ex met the rest of the acolytes outside the room so as to not disturb Lady Sagitta more than was needed.

"If they are armed and operating then we will show whoever they are the proper recourse. You can use your weapons, but I will not be the one to take the fall with you."

She spoke this to Karn, her gold eyes once again looking at him and showing that she spoke the truth.

"I agree in reviewing the material we were given. There may be clues our target left in plain view."

She remained as emotionless and empty as ever as she brought the datapad up, activating its screen.

[Valcor]

Janse, lost in thought, remained silent.  His eyes trained on the map before him, memories of similar moments piecing together a rough idea of how to proceed.  He had dealt with killers before on his home, albeit from the position Sagitta was currently in, and this one struck him as... odd.

Political killings usually had a group or singular person claim credit for their deeds, either by clear political motive, or outright message to the authorities.  Not to mention they usually attempted to kill a person of significant status to give their threat some gusto.  The only people slain here were Acolytes, nobodies effectively to the greater Sith Empire.

No, this was something else, these killings were for personal reasons.  Janse thought harder, gazing at the map, the names on his datapad, the ages, all the things that had offered him clues at home when posed with a similar issue.  None seemed terribly similar, aside from their connection to the order.  

Hmm...

Without realizing the others had left, Janse looked up from his information and spoke to Sagitta with his first question.  

"Pardon my probing Lady Sagitta, but did we have anyone in this sector leave the order recently?  Barring those who have fallen of course.  I would acquire this information myself, however I do not believe an Acolyte has access to that kind of information." Janse said with a furrowed brow.

Far too focused on his current objective, Janse spared neither the smile from Karn, nor the departure of Ex a passing glance.  He would leave when dismissed, not a moment sooner.

[sparrow]

As two of the Acolytes exited the room, one stayed behind. There appeared to be a degree of tension between the two men. Some history between the two of them, perhaps? If the rumors were to be believed, the Arkanian, Albrecht, had recently become apprenticed to the Praetor Magnus, Darth Viren himself, while the other, more formally dressed one, Fasahad, was in some way linked to Aurelius. She wondered briefly how either of the Darths would react if their charges were to be killed under her watch, before meeting Fasahad’s gaze with an expression that suggested “Why are you still here?”

But she had to admit that his question wasn’t a bad one. Unconsciously running her fingers down the plasteel-covered prosthetic on her cheek, she paused to search her memory for any recollections relating to his query. “None that I can think of,” she said finally, “Not in this sector at least. I suppose Aurelius would have more complete information on this sort of thing. From all indications, these killings happened quickly, so I would expect the killer to be more powerful than the average Acolyte.”

“Still, it may be a theory worth considering…”

_______

The room was dark, the only light from the line of flickering candles arranged near one of the side. The one who called themselves the Lightbringer sat cross-legged in a meditative stance, their features obscured by the hooded robe draped over their body.

The door creaked as a pale-skinned man entered the room, momentarily revealing a glimpse of the green foliage outside. The man was of average height and build, and held a datapad in his hand. “Master, they’ve assigned a new investigator.” He held out the datapad, displaying a picture of the most recent crime scene, and the tall, dark-haired Sith woman with cybernetics over the scarred right half of her face.

“She won’t get any further than the last one,” the Lightbringer said. “I’ve been quite satisfied with our first few forays. But with the arbitration happening soon, we should step things up, make our statement louder.”

[Valcor]

With his question answered, and more probing now on his docket, Janse excused himself.  A polite bow and retreat took Janse from Sagitta's office and out into the hall where the rest of his "companions" now stood.  Yet, Janse did not treat them with near the attention he had given Sagitta.  Instead, once the noble was free of her chambers, he buried his nose in his datapad.  With practiced fingers, Janse wrote a message to Aurelius, requesting the information he had not gotten from the Lady.

:Master Aurelius, this investigation has led me to a theory, one which I do not have the clearance to prove or disprove.  I believe these killings are being performed by one of our own order, recently defected.  Is there a profile you have access to that fits with this assessment?

Humbly,
Your Apprentice.:

Janse did not know how long it would be until he got a response, so he had to begrudgingly go with whatever plan his fellows had concocted in his absence.  Looking up from his message as he put the pad away, Janse regarded the pair.

"So.  Any ideas?" He stated flatly, hands folding politely behind his back as he spoke.  He had little faith in either of his compatriots, one for obvious reasons, and the other for lack of knowledge on their skills.  Still, until he got his response, Janse had to rely on their ideas.  If they even have any.

[Rugs]

Karn took his leave from Sagitta’s office as the conversation concluded, with Exryla behind him. Janse, he assumed, would follow in short order. His mind whirred with possibilities they stepped into the hallway.

As they lingered, waiting for Janse to join them, Karn folded his arms over his chest and furrowed his brow. Too many questions to act yet. We need time to think.

We’re bait enough by virtue of being who we are. If the killer waned acolytes, there were now three who’d soon be out and about the city. Still, there was much to consider. Timing, location, methods the killer used to slay the other acolytes.

But more than those, one question kept rising to the forefront of Karn’s mind.

Why acolytes? Was it the work of someone too cowardly to face a Knight or Lord, or did something else lurk beneath the surface?

"If they are armed and operating then we will show whoever they are the proper recourse. You can use your weapons, but I will not be the one to take the fall with you."

Karn, wrapped in his thoughts as he was, blinked at Exryla’s sudden proclamation. She seemed to be staring at him, for reasons he couldn’t begin to fathom. He heard the door whirring open behind them, but his temper was already flashing at the half-breed Sith girl.

“I don’t remember asking for your input or direction on how to handle myself, mutt,” he said flatly, as if speaking to a slow child. “I know the terms of the Peace.” He snorted.

Karn became aware of Janse’s presence as the Human spoke up, before he could say more to Exryla. He turned around to face the lordling and — for the second time — a fleeting hint of fear rippled through his gut. For a heartbeat, he seemed caught off-guard, confusion flickering across his face as he wondered at the source of the feeling. Then it was gone and a half-smile tugged at his lips

“No, none yet, Lord Fashad,” he said too-politely, “we were just waiting for you to come and lead us to glory. But if I may humbly suggest," the facade of respect dropped from his voice, “we should probably find somewhere to sit and plan instead of standing in the damn hallway.”

A diplomat walked by, eyeing the acolytes with her eyebrows subtly scrunched together. Once she passed, Karn spoke again, this time seriously.

“We should review the locations where the acolytes were found dead,” he said as he began to walk down the hallway to find a vacant meeting room. He motioned for the other two to follow. “Maybe visit them, see if there’s any information we can suss out or security footage we can secure.” He paused, then added, as he ducked his head into an empty room with a small table and some chairs around it, "Do either of you recognize any of the acolytes who have been killed?"

[Valcor]

Janse, much too occupied within his own mind, heard Karn's words and merely offered back a blank nod.  Something was wrong here, that much was certain, but the there was something within the Tarkan that twisted at this case.  With white knuckles gripping his datapad, Janse proceeded down the hall largely aimless.

With little consideration for his fellows, Janse simply strolled down in silence, barely even looking for a place to sit and discuss planning.  The young noble felt a cool chill tinge his flesh as he walked, letting the soft ebbs and flows of the Force flow into him.  If his master did not respond, then it would be up to him to solve this himself, and Janse put little trust in conventional crime solving to end this murderer's spree.  No, this had a goal, some more underhanded desire than simple slaughter, Janse knew it, even without the Force he could feel that.

As feet guided him into a sort of waiting room, dotted only with a rather mundane circular table, and two vending machines, Janse let reality sink back in.  With a sigh he plopped himself unceremoniously down into one of the chairs.  In spite of his better judgement, he felt little choice about telling his compatriots his idea.  

"Well.  So far, it seems this killer, or perhaps killers, are after something grander than the simple deaths of our fellows.  Targeting Sith is foolish enough by itself.  But here.  On this neutral world, I know it has a motive.  If we are to catch this... miscreant, we need to figure that out more than we need to go playing detective."

With that, Janse sent a chastising look at Karn.

"I would suggest investigating the upcoming talks more than the crimes themselves.  But I take no leadership here.  We are a... team after all."

With that, the youth visibly struggled with the words, straining to rationalize how he had come so far with Aurelius, yet still remained equals with these... other acolytes. 

[Rugs]

“Playing detective?” Offense filled Karn’s voice, and only some of it was put on for show. He knew exactly what Janse meant, but far be it from him to pass on a chance to turn his companion’s words against him. “Janse, I must admit it’s a bit disquieting that you’d suggest we would be playing at anything here, with so much on the line. My master, the Praetor Magnus, would be greatly displeased, were I to engage in such nonsense,” his lips pulled up in a slight smirk. It was an unsubtle brag — as far as Karn knew, Janse was still masterless, while Darth Viren had taken him as a student.

Still, as much as he delighted in taking the piss out of Janse, he wasn’t entirely wrong. The arbitration, as a backdrop, was impossible to ignore, and Karn found it hard to believe that whoever was behind the killings was blind to that fact.

“Even so, you’re not entirely wrong,” Karn relented, though saying as much to Janse, of all people, made him want to vomit. “We are to work together on this, and the arbitration demands consideration. As Lady Sagitta said, we can’t ignore that the Republic might have a hand here, in some way.

“The goals of the arbitration are no secret,” he said, sliding his datapad across the table to Janse. An array of news articles filled the screen, chronicling the events after the Republic’s attack on Sith forces at Nar Shaddaa to the preparation for the coming trial. “We want the perpetrators of the Republic’s betrayal. They don’t want to give them up. Simple.”

Karn rubbed at his chin, thinking. “But... if the Republic is going through the effort to engage in the arbitration, it stands to reason they wouldn’t want to antagonize us — at least not until this is done. What purpose would killing Sith serve, then?

“So let’s assume until proven otherwise, as I think we have, that this is a third party. What goal does killing Sith, with this arbitration on the horizon, serve? Sowing discord, or sending a message?” Or something worse? If someone was plotting to send the Republic and Empire lurching ever close to war, and they uncovered it... well, that too was a way toward recognition among the hire-ups.

“Even once we know that that puts us no closer to knowing how this killer works. How are they killing Sith? That’s not easy, especially if they’re not a Force user.”