Saga A Destiny Changed...WARNING Strong Content...HELP NEEDED!!!

This is a repost of sorts. I combined two stories and touched it up. I hope you enjoy.

A Destiny Changed

He sat alone, slumped in a dark and dank corner of the cantina. Shadows covered him in a false invisibility. He watched as smoke from hookahs and cigarras filled the cantina with a thick blanketing fog that seemed to stick to everything. His vision blurred and hands shook as he reached for his glass. He had tasted the highest caliber beverages throughout the galaxy, like Wheyrens Reserve, as well as the worst, concoctions not much above hyperdrive coolant. Todays poison was low grade ale from some planet he couldn?t remember the name of, or care less about. As long as it killed brain cells, that?s all that mattered. He emptied one glass as another arrived to take its place. He looked about casually as he removed a thin elongated capsule from his jacket. Discreetly he cracked it open along its center and quickly inhaled the glowing blue sparkled powder held within through both nostrils. The brief rush of the glimstick adrenalized and calmed him all at once.

Air rushed into his lungs causing him to cough lightly. His pupils dilated to the size of a credit chip as the red bloodlines in his eyes flared like a desert lightning storm. His head throbbed with the rhythm of the high. Sounds around him had become muffled as if heard through a filter. Objects within his visual range gave of a radiance that placed a small delirious smile on his lips. Soon his heart rate slowed as he regained control of his breathing. He sank back down in his seat and closed his eyes as the cantina slowly began to spin.

The sound of the band faded into the background as his thoughts drifted to his past. He always fought the memories. Sometimes he won?sometimes not. He was young when it happened, only eleven standard years young as he was suddenly back in the moment. The day started as any other, but as he struggled through the memory, fighting to change the outcome he knew he could not, he would be an orphan when it was over.

After the morning meal and meditation he followed his clanmates to their first lesson of the day. With a war raging throughout the galaxy and the Jedi stretched thin, only a few instructors and council members remained in the temple. Iant Brar and many of his clanmates were within the age of padawan selection, a time when Jedi masters would begin to show an interest and take the younglings as their padawan learners. Unfortunately the war and the losses suffered by the order had put that tradition and the fate of the younglings in limbo. Their only reassurances came through the council that if they continued their studies and followed the ways of the Force, the order would always have a place for them.

Iant found this to be only mildly placating as he found it difficult to suppress his desire to grow beyond the classrooms of the temple and find a way, any way, to help the order. He had trained hard in what he felt might be needed in a time of war. He had surpassed many of his fellow clanmates in the ways of the lightsaber. He studied texts of military strategy as well as ancient holocrons of Jedi wisdom. He strived to be as physically and mentally prepared for when he would be called upon.

He had progressed so far that many of his clanmates often sought him out for help and advice. One clanmate that sought him out the most was Sharra. She was younger and they shared an instant bond. He looked out for her as an older protective brother would a younger sister. They were often teased but Iant never let that bother him, he only trained harder.

Iants clan was in an intergalactic agriculture class when the instructor stopped. A general sense of panic engulfed the entire clan but no one knew why. The instructor instinctively palmed her lightsaber but did not activate it. This heightened the sense of panic in the clan.

?Remain calm everyone.? Iant remembered bitterly. ?Follow me.?

Silently the younglings obeyed as the master led them from the classroom.

?I?m scared Iant.? Sharra whispered.

He

 

Iant sat in a garbage bin for what seemed like days before finding the nerve or energy to remove himself from it. He wandered about aimlessly, trying not to mix with the indigent citizens of Coruscant. He was alone, dirty, and scared. He spent his nights huddled near heat vents in filthy alleyways and his days wandering the semi busy walkways eavesdropping for tidbits of information.

News had filtered down to the lower levels about the new Empire. Iant had even heard rumors that it had been a fellow Jedi that betrayed the order and led the massacre at the temple, which angered him. He could not believe that a fellow Jedi would do such a thing. Yet he remembered hearing of the former master Dookus turn to the dark side and starting the war, so he thought anything was possible.

He sat dejectedly between a trash bin and the exterior wall of a club alone with his thoughts. It had been days, maybe weeks since his life turned upside down, all he knew was that he could no longer will away his hunger, filth caked him so completely he wondered if it would ever come off, and even he could no longer ignore the noxious odor emanating from his body. He had already been depressed, but these realizations took him to a new low. He tucked his head between his knees and sobbed.

?Are you alright?? a soft voice asked.

Unwilling to look another being in the eyes, Iant replied with a muffled ?Yes.?

?Well you do not look alright. Are you hungry? I?ll get you some food if you are.?

Slowly Iants head lifted up and he shook it with an affirmative nod. He tried in vain to dry his eyes as he climbed up from his seated position. The dirt on his sleeve spread across his face as he wiped the dingy cloth over his puffy eyes.

?You may call me Ajhira.? The woman offered. ?Who might you be??
?Iant. Iant Brar.? The youth sniffled.
?Well let?s get some food in you, and then we can get you cleaned up.? she smiled.

Ajhira led the boy less than a block away to a small corner café. They sat close to the main entrance with Iant taking the seat that gave him a view of the walkway as well as the incoming patrons. As Iant ordered what little he recognized from the menu, he could sense the waiters disgust and contempt for him, but considering how filthy he was he paid it no mind.

Despite how hungry he was, Iant ordered a small amount of food. He did not want to take advantage of the kindness showed by the older woman. Ajhira ordered a drink that Iant had never heard of. While waiting for the drinks to arrive, Iant caught a glimpse of troopers heading down the walkway towards the café. Ajhira caught the boys heightened tension and turned to see what had gotten him so rattled.

?No. Don?t turn around.? he quickly pleaded.

Ajhira complied as Iant watched the troopers continue to march past the café.

?You?re not a fugitive, are you?? Ajhira asked.
?No. Not exactly, I?m a?runaway.? Iant replied.
?Oh. I see. And what would make a smart little boy like you run away from home? I bet your parents are worried to death!?
?My parents are dead.? Iant said sadly. ?It?s not something I like to talk about.?
?I see. Well I didn?t mean to hurt your feelings Iant. After we eat, let me help you get cleaned up. Maybe I can help you.?

Iant said nothing. He shrugged his shoulders as his meal was placed before him. He ate it without pausing to breathe. After the meal Ajhira again offered to let Iant cleanup. He accepted. He followed the elderly woman to her living space.

Despite having survived in the lower levels of Coruscant for the last few days, Iant could not hide his shock when they reached Ajhiras living quarters. Various species laid about half unconscious along the walkway and against the stairwell leading into the complex. Iant had paid particular attention to a human and a Rodian in close conversation. The human produced something from his pocket which the Rodian grabbed at. The human pushed the Rodian away and the situation quickly devolved into a fistfight.

?Drunks and stimheads?that?s all that seem to be here now. I remember

 

The years moved by as Iant successfully moved up the spice and stim supply chain. He started in Nal Hutta and moved within the Hutts organizations rapidly. He had learned from the floor up the entire infrastructure of the spice trade, from harvesting to processing and smuggling to distribution. He was able to move freely amongst the various Hutt gangs and negotiated the supply and demand for many of the outer rim territories.

Iant didn?t particularly care for the Hutts but there was one he despised above all others. Of all the Hutts, this one haggled every shipment Iant brought to well below market value, cutting into his profits. To make matters worse, this Hutt established his operations on the worst planet in the outer rim. Two suns beat down mercilessly on this planet and it was sparsely populated, meaning there was not much of a demand for what Iant supplied.

Jabba had always used the planets population as an excuse for undercutting Iants prices, but he knew Jabba was moving the spice out of the small spaceports to other systems within the Hutts empire. Jabba employed a small fleet of smugglers to run spice and one of them, Iant had heard, had done the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs, which would be impressive if the rumors were true.

All previous visits to Tatooine that Iant had made had been all business, in and out. But for reasons he could not fathom he decided to have a drink and relax after the latest stress filled encounter with Jabba the Hutt. Iant was blissfully enjoying his high until the cantina grew silent.

?You?ll be dead.?

An old man stepped up next to the young man that was being threatened. Something was oddly familiar about him.

?This little one isn?t worth the effort. Come let me get you something??

Iant sat up and tried to focus, but everything was still a haze, the words muddled. He leaned closer as he watched the disfigured human throw the younger human to the floor, his Aqualish companion drawing a blaster.

?No blasters. No blasters.? The bartender yelled as he ducked behind the bar.

Faster than the speed of thought a blue light appeared from the old mans robes. He made two quick slashes that severed the Aqualishes arm cleanly. The old man waved the blue blade slightly as he scanned the rest of the cantina, assessing threats. The blade disappeared back into the old mans robes, the band started playing again, and the patrons returned to their drinks.

Iant sat for a moment in quiet awe. He rose from his table and flipped a credit to cover his tab. Stepping over the severed bleeding arm, he made his way out of the cantina. He entered the docking bay that held his ship. Once onboard he sat in his cabin. He replayed the incident at the cantina slowly in his mind several times until he found the answer he was looking for?Kenobi.

Iant knew he recognized the presence; memories of the temple flooded back into his mind like a floodgate had broken. He remembered when Obi Wan Kenobi visited his clan, to seek master Yodas advice about a missing planet. He remembered how proud he was when he responded correctly.

?Master? Because someone erased it from the archive memory??

He remembered it as if the question had been asked yesterday. Kenobi was alive, he survived somehow. Perhaps others did as well. Shame and disgrace filled Iants heart as his eyes welled with tears. He reflected on his life after the temple fell. He remembered Sharra and Ajhira and had become physically sickened. He stumbled towards his fresher as he remembered Sharras innocent smile, Ajhiras unquestioned love. He twisted everything they stood for. Everything he thought they wanted him to be, what he thought he should have been. He had wasted his life because his destiny had been altered and he screamed aloud and cursed himself for wallowing in self pity.

Iant walked to a console and punched in a security code. A small hidden compartment opened and he removed two items. He hefted a small pouch that contained his private sample of glimsticks gingerly in one palm. After a moment of debate he h

 

bump...

 

I'm a sucker for the seedy side of Coruscant and you've done a great job capturing down and out in the center of the Galaxy. Great twist at the end--that's what happen to the swift little kid from AOTC. Fall from grace, but considering the circumstances, at least he's still alive.

Would you PM me any updates?

 

This is very interesting!

I really enjoyed having the information given slowly, it really added to the suspense! Not knowing who the addict is, then realising they were a Jedi who escaped a purge, and an unfamiliar character at that AND THEN finding out he was that cute little boy!

Simply fantastic. I also loved how we find out he was there when Ben and Luke were at the Cantina. I am so glad the old Jedi's presence knocked some sense in to him. I was beginning to fear..

I can't wait to see what happens next. Will he and Obi-Wan cross paths? Please add me to the PM list!!

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this...I will gladly PM you to let you know when I update...This one is a tiny one but more will be added soon.


Touching the Force after such a long period affected Iant in a way he had not anticipated. He had felt refreshed, more alert than he had in years. Revitalized and now with a purpose Iant formulated a plan to make sure other children would not fall to the same fate he had. The Spice trade had a new enemy?Iant Brar.

He would use his connections and affiliations to destroy the trade from the inside out. With the Jedi still considered to be extinct he knew that discretion would be necessary. He punched up his itinerary from his navcomputer. He wasn?t due on Ryloth for a few days, then on to Nar Shaddaa.

The next few weeks flew by as Iant waged his one man war on the spice trade. Slowly he gathered the information he needed as he moved up the spice distribution line for the outer rim territories. He knew that his strikes were effective as rumors of a vigilante started to surface in the social circles of his spice trading associates. Iant was amazed that he was able to keep his cover so completely and that no one suspected him.

Little did he know that that was about to change.

 

Ryloth to Nar Shaddaa, some of the nicest places in the Galaxy!
Neat premise about taking on the spice trade. I think you've done a good job establishing how it affects beings. You might want to slow down your pacing a bit so that others can catch up. This looks like its going to be a pretty cool story.

 

The story continues...Thanks for reading.



Altis Sooso passed through the hangar doors into the dimly lit bay and surveyed the scene before him. Damaged and destroyed cargo containers had work crews hastily cleaning their contents as if they contained hazardous materials. Four dead bodies of different species, some with limbs severed, littered the deck. Black scorch marks from a firefight were evident about the hangar walls and along the loading ramp of the docked freighter. Despite the death in the hangar the air had a clean smell to it. Altis breathed it in deeply as he started making his mental notes.

He knelt down to examine the body nearest him; a brown skinned Rodian male lying prone. Altis gently rolled the Rodian over to reveal blackened evidence of a blaster bolt to the chest. Light green ooze drizzled from the wound as Altis let the body go. He scanned the other bodies as he stood up, noting their position from one another. Each body was barely four meters apart from each other and based on how they had fallen Sooso formed an opinion that they had surrounded what these victims thought to be prey, a mistake that had cost them their lives. Whoever had done this did so at close range.

Altis walked over to where a severed limb lay not too far from its human owner. He examined the arm which still held, rather firmly, the blaster of the deceased. The limb showed no signs of being torn, the flesh was smooth and the wound cauterized. Altis knew of only one weapon that could do such damage with bloodless efficiency, but it was not possible. The last time he had seen a wound of this sort he was literally a green rookie back on Coruscant. Altis made his way up the loading ramp and into the empty cargo hold when a young but familiar voice called out.

?So whatya make of this old timer?? the young voice boomed.
?Not sure yet, but you NSDF types don?t make it easy traipsing through all the evidence.?

Sooso despised the Nar Shaddaa Defense Force for being a shill law enforcement agency. The only law they were here to enforce was that which benefited the Hutts and the Hutts alone. He often referred to the NSDF as the ?No shame defense force? for being so obviously bought and paid for that he had to laugh when they called him in for any assignment requiring real investigative work. He sorely missed the times that he was in respectable law enforcement.

?Did anyone run the ID on the freighter?? Altis asked aloud to no one in particular.

The same young voice replied. ?Yes. HFT111325. It was due to leave for Kessel within the hour.?
?So that?s why the NSDF has such an interest in this.? he thought as he glanced back toward the cleaning crews near the cargo containers.

Altis knew nothing legitimate ever came out of Kessel. The HFT designation marked the vessel as a Huttese Freightways transport, this one belonging to Moorga the Hutts legal shipping franchise. The Hutts didn?t waste time with naming their freighters; they simply assigned them a serial number. Altis figured the Hutts had been hit by hard times if they had to resort to using their own freighters for smuggling, which would place them in an uncomfortable situation.

When the spice trade was slow many smugglers would find more lucrative transporting needs and lease out their services, placing a strain on the Hutts distribution which they were not accustomed to. Shipping their own spice not only cut into their profits but also put them at a legal risk. The Empire did not reach out this far?yet, still garrisons and outer rim outposts were increasing as the Empire sought to expand. The Hutts still managed to do business into the mid rim territories with little to no Imperial interference while the Black Sun organization maintained a stranglehold on all the core worlds. The Hutts could ill afford the Imperial blockade of Nal Hutta that would surely come if one of their legal freighters were ever boarded. The Hutts needed the distance from these illicit activities that smugglers provided.

The young NSDF officer approached Altis and h

 

great updates!

I love how Iant is working against the spice trades to help children, to make sure people don't end up in his position..wonderful. And they haven't caught him, but someone will find out soon..I'm very intrigued to find out what happens next.

 

I just read the first part, what a powerful post, and I really like your original character. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Excellent writing, my friend.

 

Second Section

He sat dejectedly between a trash bin and the exterior wall of a club alone with his thoughts. It had been days, maybe weeks since his life turned upside down, all he knew was that he could no longer will away his hunger, filth caked him so completely he wondered if it would ever come off, and even he could no longer ignore the noxious odor emanating from his body. He had already been depressed, but these realizations took him to a new low. He tucked his head between his knees and sobbed.

Well written!

I can just feel his pain, and guilt, and Ajhira was right to kick him out

Really interesting character Zane, and I will catch up soon.

 

Just caught up, you know that scene in the cantina reminds me of another fic you wrote, and I liked how that moment changed Iant's life.

I have a feeling Iant is going to have his hands full soon, I think they are on to his vigilantie ways.

I really liked your tie in with the movies...brilliant! Excellent work, Zane

 

I am grateful that you are all enjoying.

TS...thanks for the comments on the cantina scene. It was something that just kinda popped into my head. I was hoping for a Forrest Gump of the GFFA type of character...only slightly more intelligent...Anyways. On with the show.



Two standard hours earlier?

Iant Brar crouched low in the high shadows of the air vents that ran along the ceiling of the docking bay. A small line of light ran across his eyes as he observed the illegal activity below him. The muscles in his hands and cheeks had begun to twitch subtly. He calmed himself and connected with the Force to ease the withdrawal symptoms. It had been less than three standard weeks since his last use of intoxicants or stims and Iants body had fought daily for the substances it craved through the years of abuse and moral depravity he had put himself through. But now Iant was a changed man. He vowed to destroy the roots of his pain, not entirely sure if it was of the sense to protect others from his fate, or out of revenge for the path it placed him on. But in Iants mind it was the first step on the long road back to whom he once was, and that was a positive enough for him.

Below him a small congregation of pirates and smugglers had disembarked their freighter. A Rodian barked out orders in its own language to the others and they started to unload the freighters cargo hold. A tall wiry human of lean build nervously approached the leader and engaged him in quiet conversation. The human appeared nervous as he spoke. His hands shook and what little Iant could hear of the conversation, his speech was rapid but slurred. The human had been sniffing constantly since disembarking the freighter, a tell tale sign of a user. Iant could sense anger rise in the Rodian as he backhanded the human.

//Idiot!// the Rodian yelled, causing the rest of the crew to stop working.

The strength of the blow knocked the human back a few meters as he rubbed his now aching jaw.

//Back to work?all of you// the Rodian barked.

Iant cautiously made his way to the floor from his perch. He unsnapped his holster and grabbed a small cylinder from his belt. The crew had just finished unloading the freighter as Iant reached the deck. He scanned the area, checking the crews location before stepping out into the open.

?So where are all these party favors going?? Iant asked as he stepped from behind a column of stacked crates.

Everyone stopped what they were doing as they turned their attention towards the stranger; some reached for their weapons. With speed that surprised Iant, the Rodian already had his blaster drawn and aimed at him. Iant remained calm and focused.

//What is it to you, human?// the Rodian asked smugly.
?Lets just say I?m a customs agent not on a Hutts payroll. This doesn?t have to get ugly?all you have to do is walk out of this hangar as if nothing happened.?

The Rodian laughed arrogantly soon joined by his crew. Iant noticed that the three other smugglers now had their blasters trained on him as well and had slowly begun to circle him.

//I?m sorry human, I can not do that. My employer would do things to me far worse than you ever could// the Rodian teased. //Besides, we have you outnumbered four to one//

Without thought the Rodian fired. A fraction of a second later he fell to the deck, a victim of his own shot. Iant spun defensively towards the remaining smugglers as they opened fire. His azure blade easily deflected their shots off into harmless trajectories about the hangar. Iant drew his blaster and fired two quick shots dropping one of the smugglers.

Iant sensed the fear in the last two smugglers as he advanced on them. The tall thin wiry humans hand shook violently has he fired at Iant in vain. A supple spin of his wrist brought his blade through the scared humans forearm separating it cleanly. Iant side stepped around the human and fired a shot at close range directly to the back of his neck, ending his miserable life. Iant blocked another two shots before dispatching the lone remain

 

Really nice stuff! I just got caught up on this. I love the concept and the action scenes are great! If you don't mind, PM me when you post more!

 

I agree, this is one of the best OC's I've read, Zane.

He looked down on the junkie he had killed and wondered if he saved himself from a fate similar to this and for the briefest of moments felt grief for a total stranger he knew so well?

So well written and your action scenes--amazing!

Looking forward to hearing more about Iant.

 

Excellent chapter.
I love the Scoundrel-Jedi hybrid.
Looking forward to more.

 

Great update!!

Glad he didn't get shot, and the end bit was very bittersweet and sad..

But I feel like something bad is going to happen..

I don't know if he'll get out of this one without detection..

Please post again soon so I can find out!

 

Welcome Jen...Thank you all for the support. It means a lot.


Altis entered his cramped yet neatly organized office. With a heavy thud he plunked down into the chair behind his desk. He leaned as far back as the wall would allow as he kicked his tired feet up onto the corner section of his desk. He removed his datacard reader and the datacards given to him by the junior NSDF officer. He switched the device on and continued scanning through the first card.

The data contained on the card was a non listed case for the NSDF. It detailed the death of a Devaronian gang leader that led a small pack of deathstick pushers south of the E district. The E district was short for the entertainment district that glowed of bright neons. Orange, red, blue, green, violet, an artist?s palette of dreams of all colors covered audacious signage and advertising along the casinos and cantinas. The section was so brightly lit it could be seen from orbit.

Any vice could be found on Nar Shaddaa, for a price. If one had the credits to burn, odds are one could find what they sought. Loose laws and being under control of the opportunistic Hutts made Nar Shadda a haven for borderline illicit activities as well as outright illegal ones. This drew every sort of shady figure and fringe type to the place commonly known as the ?smugglers moon?.

The Devaronian, Dez Bishwa, and two of his associates had been found in an alleyway the victims of foul play. There were no holos of the crime, or the bodies, only a description of the wounds found and a brief theory of what the victims last few moments of life may have been like. Altis noted the fact that broken deathstick tubes were strewn about the alley and each victim had portions of the sticky substance either on their skin or clothing.

Altis pondered that for a moment as he inserted the next card and was not surprised to see a similar circumstance. Beings of questionable ethics and backgrounds found dead. Drugs appeared to be the only common link to the murders. The only question in Altis? mind?was this the handy work of a serial killer, or a vigilante? One thing was apparent; he would need to hit the streets and alleys. He needed more facts.

Altis also decided to stop by and see what passed for the medical examiner on this moon. The cauterization of the wounds disturbed him, perhaps there was another explanation for them. The only other reason he could explain them sent chills down his spine and he hoped he was wrong.

Iant knelt in the relative comfort of the cabin aboard his ship. He was calm and at peace as he meditated on his actions. He felt no remorse for what he had done, years of the violence he had been around numbed him to that, but occasionally doubt would surface. At times, over the last few weeks, he would wonder whether he should have stayed in the life he was accustomed to. He thought back to that day not long ago on Tatooine that changed his destiny. He had felt the will of the Force clearly that day, even through the haze of his drunken high. Still there were days when he cursed that damn Kenobi for putting him back on the path of the light, of a Jedi.

He had no illusions. Iant knew the order; the Jedi as he knew them would possibly never exist again, at least in his lifetime. He had to keep his activities low key. He couldn?t risk being identified as a Jedi for fear of what the Empire might do to him. He had heard of bounties being offered on anyone showing Jedi potential. Rumors ran rampant at what happened to those unfortunate enough to have been turned over. Iant vowed to never let that happen.

He maintained his identity as a representative of the Hutts, better to die in the outer rim than at the hands of Imperial agents. Plus this helped maintain his information network and kept him in on all the major trafficking deals. He would always know the who, the when, and the where of any major spice shipments.

Iant started his war on spice at the lowest level, the streets. He went after the dealers and pushers that sold the product to anyone with credits.

 

Okay, so far I've only read the first post, and all I can say is...holy crap! That is good $#1+, my friend. Beautifully done. I see your angst is greater than mine. I'm jealous! Can't wait to read the rest. Well done.

 

Great update!

and the plot thickens..

Can't wait to see what will happen next...

The cauterization of the wounds disturbed him, perhaps there was another explanation for them. The only other reason he could explain them sent chills down his spine and he hoped he was wrong.

oh dear..

Please post soon!

 

Another great update!
I like how you've also added a new OC, it'll be interesting to see Iant from a different POV.

 

What will Iant do next? Looking forward to finding out!

 

Welcome JediMindTrick...If you like the first post, wait til you get caught up.

I am very pleased at the response this story is getting. I posted it well over a month ago and got promptly buried. I bumped it up and then it seems to have taken off. I can not express the gratitude that I have for all of you reading this. I hope that it continues to entertain you and exceeds your expectations.

Thank you very much.

Altis noticed the sudden drop in temperature immediately. The morgue or ?slab city? as it was affectionately termed by the locals was divided into seven different climate controlled zones based on varying alien physiologies. Each section was separated by a sanitizing ray shield barrier that killed germs and contaminants that entered the zone. A sterile ozone smell that reminded Altis of his younger days on Coruscant before a rain storm filled each zone to counter the odor of decay. It was in this third zone where Altis found what he was looking for.

He approached the medical droid, a new 21-B model that was working on a familiar cadaver. Altis recognized the Rodian from the crime scene at the docking bay. His eyes never left the beings open chest cavity as he cleared his throat.

?Sorry to bother you, I was told I could find you here.? Altis began.
?I am in the middle of an autopsy?? the droid said flatly.

Altis noted the droids attitude. ?Great, all the surliness of a real flesh and blood doctor?? he thought.

?What do you need human?? the droid continued.
?I?m investigating the crime scene this Rodian was involved in. The NSDF thinks that this may be related to others cases. Do you recognize this one??

Altis activated his datapad and a holo of Dez Bishwa flickered to life.

?As the medical examiner of this sector, all deceased beings are processed by me. This Devaronian was processed two standard days ago. He is still here if you wish to examine him yourself.?
?Perhaps?I am more interested in his cause of death. One of his limbs was severed, just like one of the?victims at the docking bay. Do you know what type of weapon could do that?? Altis asked.

The droid paused as if trying to recall data from its memory core.

?In this beings case, the cause of death was multiple bolts to the upper body. The severed limb had nothing to do with termination. Hypothesis: based on this beings physiological makeup, in a state of shock, which could have been produced by the loss of a limb, Devaronians release a chemical, delio-toxin that masks the pain but has the capability of increasing blood flow at an abnormally high rate. This causes an overload of blood pressure in the heart. It has been proven in this species that sudden spikes in blood pressure puts them in a state of rage. That may have been why it took so many bolts to stop him. The wound from the lost limb was cauterized instantly. Explanation: the weapon used would have to generate over twelve hundred BTU to seal the wound as the limb was removed. I have no knowledge of any weapon with that BTU output, however, there are tools that do. Perhaps a handheld plasma torch was used.?

Altis allowed that theory to roll around in his mind for a moment but dismissed it. If a plasma torch had been used it would have to have been post mortem. It would take some amount of time and no species was strong enough to just stand there and take that kind of searing pain. Also there would be no point to removing a limb, unless it was some type of trophy. That was a common trait of serial killers, but the severed limbs were found at the crime scenes.

?What about a lightsaber?? Altis asked tentatively.
?That word does not compute. Do you still require assistance??
?No. Thank you, you?ve been a big help.? Altis responded with a slight edge in his tone.

Altis made his way through the various climate zones on his way out. His suspicions about whom or at least what he was dealing with was starting to take shape. His instincts told him vigilante. His mind raced as he tried to fit pieces of this puzzle together, and he didn?t like the