World of Masks (JA)

(Well, here's my first attempt at a JA fanfic. Hope it's not too mind-numbing.

Sorry about the extremely short first post, I wanna start off with a cliffhanger for a hook. I'll be back with another post tomorrow. In fact, this isn't much more than a prologue.

My story starts, as many do, with a murder. The who/when/where/why will be explained later...

Bare with me.)

World of Masks

-"In this world of masks, who knows the truth?"-

-------

Frij Draet ran hard and fast down the street, heading for a populated area as fast as he could. Behind him, he could hear the killer's footsteps. Too close.

Frij turned down a nearby alleyway and instantly regretted it. Dark and foreboding, the passage stretched on to a dim light at the end. But there was no turning back now. Or was there...

Desperate, he leaped for a nearby fire escape and climbed for life. Draet was startled by the insanity of it all. One of the most successful men on the planet running for his life in a dark back alley. From who?

A flurry of blaster bolts alerted Frij that his pursuer had caught up. He was almost to the roof now, if he could just reach it...

There was a sting in his side, and Frij was suddenly falling. <Oh...> he thought, disconnected, <I must have been shot. Pity.> He heard rather than felt the THUMP of his limp form hitting the ground.

In a moment his attacker stood over him. The last thing he saw was the killer's face. <A complete stranger. How anticlimactic...>

 

Good start... more please!

 

Wow...no story of mine ever got a reply that fast! Don't worry, I'm already halfway through the second paragraph, and I've only been writing a minute!

 

*imagine a series of 'eek' smilies here*

Wow, great start! Can't wait to see more!

 

The last thought: <A complete stranger..how anticlimatic> What a great way to end your first post! So, now there's a lot to explain and I can't wait!!

 

"Oh. I've been shot." How dry! Who is this Frij and why would a complete stranger want to kill him? Where do our favourite Jedi come in, and when?

Let me answer that last question.

SOON!

 

Excellent start Wampy! I was wondering where you were. Definately got me hooked!
Now please post more!

 

Very interesting!

 

C'mon Wampy! It's not fair to keep people dangling! MORE!

 

"Wow...."

Obi-Wan Kenobi's first word upon entering the atmosphere of the planet Cincade. All those lights, beautiful landscape...

"...murdered a week ago." Qui-Gon Jinn droned on in the background, "The assistant producer has taken over. Now evidence seems to suggest that the WithAll Actors Guild may have been in league with one of the planets prominent criminal organizations. Our job is basically to find proof...You're not hearing a word I say, are you? Are you? ARE YOU!?"

"Huh?" Obi-Wan snapped his head from the viewport to look at his master. "What were you saying?"

Qui-Gon sighed. "You really should pay more attention. Lack of information could get you killed. Now listen. I'm going to go over the planet in general. Cincade is-"

"I know all about the planet, master." Kenobi interrupted.

Who didn't? Cincade, planet of the stars. Home to a variety of climates, favorable weather and very little native wildlife. This naturally made it an ideal location for shooting many holofilms. Now the planet was littered with huge studios, and the galaxy's famous lived in huge mansions.

<And our hosts are rich...> Obi-wan reminded himself, <Who knows what kind of accommodations they've arranged?>
***

"What is this?" Said Kenobi disgust idly, looking around the room they'd been given. It didn't take long.

Jinn glanced at him from beside the window. "What? This is no worse than anywhere else we stayed."

"Well, yes, but...I thought, considering the financial state of our hosts, that they would put us somewhere nicer-"

"Don't think they didn't try. I turned them down outright. We don't need it, after all."

"Oh...good." Kenobi said halfheartedly.

"Don't worry about it. We shouldn't be spending much time here anyway. In fact, someone should be picking us up any minute to give us a more through meeting and escort us to the producer."

"Nice of them to give us a chance to settle in." The padawan mumbled.

Moments later, the door chime rang. Qui-Gon answered it, and a short woman entered with the most earsplitting voice Kenobi had ever heard.

"You the Jedi?" She asked.

He nodded. "I'm Qui-Gon Ji-"

"Good. Now come this way, no time to waste!" And with that, she took off down the corridor.

Soon they were in a landspeeder, hurling toward their destination at breakneck speed. <These people always seem to be in a rush.> Qui-Gon observed.

The office building they were brought to was a considerable improvement over their hotel. It looked like any highprofile office building on Coruscant.

"Right this way." Their guide said, walking quickly to the nearest entrance. "The director is waiting."
***

The producer, Emir Glant, was of a much slower pace. Not surprising; he looked as if he'd lost alot of sleep.

"Basically, we had to Acting Guilds competing to have their guy play the lead. The WithAll and the Bek Ell Actors League. The evidence leads us to belive that the WithAll Guild, in conjunction with some lowlife criminal gang, found out Mr. Draet was going to pick the Bek Ell man for the part the following day. I don't know how; he hadn't announced his pick to anyone at that point, not even me. They must have been watching his home or something.

Anyway, after they killed him, I took over, and already there've been several threats to do the same to me if I don't, 'Pick Right'. They've been very careful not to mention the WithAll by name, even though we know as well as they do who they mean.

So you see our dilemma. I can't go on with production until they're captured. But we have no proof."

Qui-Gon's head raised slightly. "Interesting problem. I'll do what I can, first I want to meet with the leaders of the WithAll Guild."

"I've already arranged it."

"Good. Then if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our wa-"

That was the last he got out before a stream of red blaster energy shot through the window and right by his padawan's head.

"Get down!" He ordered, rushing to the window. A flurry of motion from a nearby hill alerted him to their attacker's location. There was no ti

 

Wampy, that just makes me want to beg for more!!

So POST MORE!!! I love it!

 

Yeah, Wampy. MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!!

 

Whoa... more please, Wampy!

 

Bringing this back up!

Hey, that's a good phrase Healer Leona. "Post soon, post often."

So, the pressure's back on you Wampy! Your adoring public want MORE!!!

 

Excellent.... I hope we get more soon!

 

(Hmm...the first post was suspense, second action, this one's got intrigue)

The landspeeder roared as it flew, never having been meant to be pushed to such speed. But speed was what Qui-Gon needed.

Approaching the hill, the Jedi master saw his attacker raise his rifle and ducked just in time as a blaster bolt singed past. Then the mysterious figure leaped into a waiting airspeeder with another man.

<Oh no you don't...>

Applying an extra burst of speed, Jinn felt the engine sputter beneath him. He wasn't going to make it. Might as well throttle down before the speeder exploded.

"Master!"

Slumping in the seat, Qui-Gon turned and saw his padawan running for him, followed closely by Emir Glant. "Master, are you alright?"

"Yes Obi-Wan, I'm fine. But our sniper got away."

Glant slumped noticeably.

"Wait..." Jinn said, his memory coming to him, "Wait! There was a symbol...on his jacket!"

"Emir Glant instantly produced a pad and pen from his pocket and handed them to Qui-Gon.

His face paled when the Jedi master finished. "The Zune."

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both looked up at him. "What?"

"The Zune. Worst gangsters on the planet, responsible for many deaths, suspected ties to Jabba the Hutt and other major galactic criminal organizations. We're in more trouble than I thought."

Jinn stroked his beard thoughtfully. "At least we've taken a first step. Now all we have to do is link the Zune with the WithAll Actors Guild. And the best way to do that is to meet with their leaders."
***

It was dark. There had been light, earlier. But now...it was dark. He liked it better that way.

In a hidden sanctum, currently on the planets night-side, Kol Vlice stared at the person sitting across from him.

"I understand your first attack on the Jedi failed. You assured me they'd be dead, but they're not. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kol felt a small measure of annoyance. "Don't threaten me, fool. You don't want to be on the wrong side of the Zune."

"Of...of course not. I'm just worried. These Jedi could ruin everything!"

"You overestimate them. I personally think it's all just nonsense. Mumbo-jumbo and all that."

"Well...just take care of them, alright? They're making me nervous."

"You were born nervous. Now get out of my sight. I'll contact you through the usual channels if needed."

As the figure rushed out the door, Kol Vlice, leader of the powerful Zune crime syndicate, stood and laughed. This idiot thought he was so smart with his little schemes, yet the moment there was a little pressure, he crumbled. Truly pathetic.
***

Qui-Gon was surprised to find that they would not be meeting with Oun and Yilia Planue, leaders of the WithAll Actors Guild. Instead, they were given a holo at the front desk.

~Master Jinn.~ The holographic image of Oun Planue appeared and nodded, ~I'm sorry to miss our meeting, but we've decided to spend some time with our family while we can. Our assistant will be more than happy to help you in any way.

Please believe us. We did want the job, but on the lives of my children, WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT MURDER.

You're our last hope.~

 

Going up.

 

Yep! MORE!!!! I want to know what happens!

 

Well, I finished the post, but there's some parts I'm not happy with so I'm doing some last minute tweaking. It should be up tonight.

 

Love it Wampy!

Can't wait for the next post. You said tonight right? I'm going to hold you to it! hehe

 

Well, due to a major plot loophole I discovered, this "Tweaking" has turned into scrapping the whole post and writing a new one. I SHOULD be done today. If not, I'll be in the Chamber of Shame...

 

(You wouldn't believe the going exchange rate for hours of sleep to words of story.)

"Obi-Wan, this leaves us in a difficult situation."

Standing outside the building, Qui-Gon grimaced.

"How so master?"

"Indeed they say they had nothing to do with it, but with them gone, there's no way for us to gauge their sincerity."

Standing nearby, Emir's face lit up. "I know! The function, tomorrow night! You could go there!"

"Pardon?"

"They're having...a party of sorts. To say goodbye to friends, I'd imagine. Everybody of importance on the planet is coming. I'm invited, and you could come as my guests!"

Qui-Gon considered it. "We would have to be disguised, otherwise I'm afraid they might find some way to avoid us."

"Of...of course! I'll talk to our costumer, I'm sure she can come up with something."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Very well. Tomorrow, then."
***

Late that night, a thin black line snaked it's way down the wall of the hotel: a climbing rope. And another, and another.

Dark figures climbed down the wall, stopping at the room the Jedi were staying in.
***

Even in his sleep, Qui-Gon Jinn could feel the Force. %Get up...%

%Get up, there is danger here.%

Blinking, groggy, Qui-Gon sat up.

And a blaster bolt burned through the pillow he'd been lying on.

Spinning around, the Jedi master briefly caught sight of the three assassins: a Glymphid, a female Human and another figure standing in the background that he couldn't see.

And then he was leaping across the room, lightsaber drawn. He heard a groan to his right and realized that all the noise had awakened his padawan. A moment later a shaft of blue light cut through the shadows in the room.

The Glymphid pulled a long, thin knife and advanced on Qui-Gon. Jinn feinted to the left as the Glymphid lunged forward, missing his arm by inches. He slammed his arm out to the side, knocking the assassin to the ground.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan had engaged the third killer, which Qui-Gon now saw was a Okirida. Smooth and fluid movements dodged swipe after swipe of Kenobi's blade. The human...Qui-Gon quickly checked her location and was startled to see she was raising her blaster straight at him!

She fired, but he was already gone, having jumped to the side without a moment's hesitation. And even as she aimed again, he could sense her unease. They had obviously come here intending to murder them in their sleep, not prepared to do battle with two Jedi.

And it looked like they wouldn't have to, because an airspeeder had just pulled up near the window. The woman backed up, firing as she went, as the Glymphid got up and stumbled to the window. The Okirida took one parting shot at Obi-Wan, then backflipped away.

As the assassins boarded their transport, Qui-Gon felt a moment of indecision from his padawan. Too late, he realized what the boy was planning.

"Padawan, don't-"

But it was too late. Kenobi had already leapt out the window and latched onto the tail end of the departing airspeeder.
***

As the vehicle sped through the run down, neon lit streets, Kenobi held on tightly. Sooner or later, probably sooner, they'd feel his extra weight. He had to prepare himself for that. And the first step was to stop dangling from the back of the speeder.

Swinging one leg up and over, Obi-Wan pulled himself to a crouching position as quietly as he could.

"That was close. The job didn't mention they were Jedi." He heard the womans voice over the whine of the engine.

"It shouldn't have mattered." The Okirida said with annoyance, "I almost had the boy. Why did you order the retreat?"

"Yidar was down. They would have defeated us, you know it as well as I do. We'll try again when we're better prepared."

The Glymphid known as Yidar snorted. "You think Vlice is gonna give us another chance? You know what he does to failures. We'd best go into hiding."

The Okirida cast a predatory grin on the woman. "You know, that Jedi was getting rather close. I wonder, if you perhaps ordered the retreat more out of concern for your own person than-