Before - Legends C.S.I. Corellia, a young Rostek Horn story completed

Sure but...

Thank you



Chapter 18

Maura was pissed off. She had found casings, indicating a fire-fight. One would match with the slug taken out of officer Magaron’s lung. But she had found no fingerprints, no blood and no footprints in the hard rocky soil. The person had played dead and had vanished.

Lydia was pissed off. The fire had been of such great intensity that there had been no bones, no DNA, no teeth, no implants, in short nothing of the officer to identify who he had been.

Jack was pissed off. He had found an abundance of crispy critters, all because of the intensity of the fire. But he had found no incendiary device, no molten metal indicating a bomb, no accelerants, no cause at all for the fire. The only thing that he had found was the shield, deformed to the extreme and revealing nothing about the identity. And what had him really angry was that the crime scene in the Zavala estate was disturbed. He had returned there to collect the Dorsetti holocron with Maura, Lydia and Semendiger. Shifting through his holopics he found that holocrons were missing, not only the ones looking like the Dorsetti holocron but different ones too. The only new thing he had found was the slug that had gone through Steve’s shoulder. He was putting the last tool back in his metal case.

“You ready?” That was asked by Semendiger.

Jack looked up. “Yeah the Dorsetti holocron and some of its friends are gone. And who shot Steve will remain a mystery. I want to go back and to the hospital to see how he is doing.”

“A bacta-dunk and he will be alright,” Lydia remarked.

Jack paled. Something from very long ago – he was just a student – surfaced in his mind. He had been examining the remains of a fried Nerf – taken away from the restaurant after a delicious dinner with Nerfsteak – when Steve cut himself. He had rushed to the first-aid kit, had taken a bactapatch and had slapped that on Steve’s finger before any protest was given. A lengthy explanation about allergies had followed when Steve removed the bactapatch immediately to reveal the beginning of a rash. He shouted “no bacta for Steve. He will get rashes. I have to contact the university-hospital… now.”

“You can,” major Semendiger had his comlink in his hand and was activating it before giving it to Jack.

Jack went through the various com-stations before he got the right connection.

‘ER desk’

“Jack Wells, CorSec. Can you tell me if Steve Magaron, the man who I brought in today, is out of surgery?”

‘Hey Jack… Just a minute… Patient Magaron is in surgery.’

Jack sighed and mumbled “Kick is taking his time. Tell them that Magaron is allergic to bacta.”

‘Nick and Doug are busy with him to get bacta out of his lung after a green clad guy belonging to the Jedi followed by the two guys who were with you rushed into the ER and towards the bacta-tank room. Those guys saved him from the bacta and left ten minutes ago.’

“Kriff uh… Thanks.” Jack closed the connection and gave the comlink back to the major. “Steve will be very pissed off when he wakes up with a respirator down his throat.”

“We all are pissed off,” Major Semendiger grumbled. “Let’s go back to Corellia and see if we can solve the Dorsetti case without the holocron.”

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Well, Jack, Maura, and Lydia have worked really hard to find not-much-of-anything. How frustrating. At least they were able to contact the hospital and determine that Steve's all right. They're all going to be more than ticked when/if they figure out how they were deceived into letting the thieves tamper with their evidence.

 

I agree with Kahara. Frustration abounds and the perps are doubtless feeling very clever If the investigators stumble on clues, it'll unfortunately probably have to be after another crime and the thieves becoming overconfident.

 

“We all are pissed off,” Major Semendiger grumbled. “Let’s go back to Corellia and see if we can solve the Dorsetti case without the holocron.”

I love you using rough army talk! Especially knowing what a sweetie you are in person.

 

Will they figure everything out?

The thieves were clever and....

They are Corellians



Chapter 19

‘No child should grow up without the loving care of two parents,’ Rostek thought when he saw his friend Nejaa playing on the floor of the examination room with the toddler taken from the orphanage. A stuffed toy – an animal resembling a nerf or a pittin, Rostek couldn’t tell because the toy was worn down to threads and stuffing was escaping from the seams – was in the hands of Djon.

Rostek was back at headquarters watching the holorecords from the Raging Ronto security cam with Jono and Nejaa after a stop at his apartment to get dry clothes followed by the stop at the orphanage. Sure the place where Djon v’Ima had been since the death of his parents had been a nice one with the caretakers. But there were many caretakers, each with their different manners and no one was coped to deal with the weird behaviour of the child. Djon loved animals and as soon as he was able to crawl he had begun to take them inside the room where he was staying when he found injured or lonely ones. He cared for the animal and released it as soon as it was cured and ready to fly or walk away. Djon was different. That way none of the visitors – wishing to adopt the child – had taken him. ‘This is the first time he reacts with a smile to a human.’ Rostek remembered what the caretaker had told Nejaa when the Jedi had taken the child and the inseparable toy – the whatever-stuffed animal – in his arms. Nejaa had replied that the child was gifted with the Force and would get a whole new family. ‘And you are one of that family but doing what all Corellian Jedi do. You are dating…’

“Scerra is the most,” Nejaa began with a smile on his face.

“Hey look,” Jono was pointing at the viewscreen.

“What?” Rostek was immediately riveted to what was appearing on the viewscreen. A handsome man was leaving with Aira Dorsetti. Both were smiling.

“Kriff,” Jono was using the enhancement tools. “I cannot get a clear picture of him and the conversation is garbled. We have no ID on the man.”

“An inferior recording device or just a bad part of the recording,” Rostek said. “But he sure is going with her. Let’s see if the record from the sec system of the apartment shows him arriving.”

“Load the rec,” Jono began when he got a far away look on his face and continued “I need to go to Steve.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Rostek enquired.

“Frost is having difficulty to wake him,” Nejaa stood up. “Rostek stay with Djon. I will go with Jono to the hospital.” And with that said he left the room with Jono.

“Jedi-things again,” Rostek turned to the child and saw a fleeting thoughtful look that turned into a smile.

“Steve alright,” Djon waved wildly with the stuffed toy sending stuff everywhere when the seams broke.

“And I will get someone to repair that toy,” Rostek took his comlink with a big smile on his face. ‘Nejaa will be surprised when he comes back.’

- - -

Nick wasn’t surprised anymore to see the Jedi accompanied by the CorSec lieutenant arriving. The ER desk was paging him when he saw two faces appearing before the transparisteel window of the recovery room where Doug was busy to wake his patient. He had gone outside and had taken Jono Bel Hana to a scrub-room to dress up after the man had explained that Dunai elder were a bit difficult to wake up after sedation. Now he was peeking through the transparisteel and watching the lieutenant.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Perhaps the apartment recording reveals something? Sweet with Djon becoming more communicative. Hope to meet Scerra too eventually.

 

So cute! That poor kid, so gentle with animals but unsettling to adults who find the Force-sensitivity strange. I'm glad Nejaa found him and was immediately kind and welcoming. Hope that the Council doesn't have a snit over Djon being too old (though maybe he's still young enough that it won't matter.)

And now they've got a lead on someone who was seen with Aira. Maybe all isn't lost, yet.

 

Rostek was calling someone

He is 2. And the someone...



Chapter 20

“Steve wake up. Now.”

That was a voice. But there were more noises, beeping noises and the swoosh swoosh noises of a ventilator and something else. Squeaking noises of gloved hands and those hands were lifting. Steve opened his eyes and saw only a hazy blue blur. The hands were settling down again.

“You are on a respirator.”

‘A what?’ Steve heard the familiar voice of Jono and connecting hands on his forehead to what Jono was doing he mindtalked again ‘what is a respirator?’

“I see. It is the same as a ventilator. Corellians are a bit old fashioned.”

‘How long?’ Steve felt a cloth wiping his eyes and blinked to see a second blue blur. And moving his left hand a bit he was beginning to feel something, somethings to be precise. His right hand refused to move.

“Steve asks how long he will be on the ventilator.”

“Until your right lung has healed.”

‘Who is that?’ Steve blinked a few times with his eyes and saw a blue clad figure.

“That man is Doug Frost.”

Steve was now feeling itchy things and something attached to his left hand. And he felt the air being moved in and out of his lungs and heard the soft beeping sounds and a hissing sound, accompanied by something constricting around his right arm. ‘I am in an ICU. He is not the man who put me under. Was the injury that bad?’

“Doug helped you after Nejaa Halcyon rescued you from the bacta-tank.”

‘Kriff. Nobody was there to tell them that me and bacta don’t agree at all.’

“Sorry Steve. We didn’t figure out that Kick Hangolo would put you in a tank. I was very tired and hungry after supporting you. Jack and Rostek beginning about slugs and bugs had us headed back to the corvette and to headquarters. There Maura and Lydia joined Jack to go back to Semendiger. I was there with Rostek watching the records from the security cam when I began to feel your trouble. Nejaa Halcyon did too and he took me and Rostek on a ride to the hospital. Nejaa saved you and Nick Remick was intubating you when Doug came in.”

“Nick Remick has been your surgeon. He can tell you all about your right lung and the muscle-damage in your right shoulder. After he tells me when you can breathe without difficulty I will wean you of the res uh ventilator. If you feel uncomfortable I can give you sleepmeds.”

‘Just after you have been to all the trouble to wake me up,’ Steve mindtalked with laughter.

“Doug couldn’t convince you to open your eyes for him and Nick neither. I rushed here, Nick guided me to a scrub-room and gave me greens and stayed outside and I could reach you with a nice dream.”

‘Dreams… Sleepmeds will be nice. Did Jack transport his bugs here? I feel icky all over. My legs the most and I am quite numb at the right side.’

“He likes sleepmeds and is icky.”

“You have rashes everywhere. They will heal and are covered with salve and bandages. Do you want the sleepmeds now?”

Steve nodded and saw the man reaching for a syringe ‘Jono what about the Dorsetti case?’

“We are still busy. Your wake-up trouble had me distracted and coming.”

‘Alone or,’ Steve was beginning when he felt the sleepmeds kicking in.

“I was again with Nejaa Halcyon who was again taking me on a Jedi-ride.”

‘Thrilling and breaking speed-records I sup,’ Steve fell asleep.

- - -

“Rostek! Hey Scerra.”

Rostek heard the voice of Maura Grimes and looked up from where he was sitting on the floor with Djon. The child had told him that he celebrated his birthday yesterday. The two year old was clutching a new toy in his arms but eyes were riveted on what the woman sitting next to them was doing. She had given him the new toy but she was repairing the old one. A sewing kit was open. A bag with stuffing was open. New and old stuffing was everywhere.

“Is this a crèche? What are you doing?” That was Semendiger with a nice kind voice.

“We had some emergencies with Steve,” Rostek replied. “Nejaa Halcyon and Jono saved him.”

“I know,” Jack came in. “I remembered something from long ago and contacted the ER to tell about Steve’s allergies.”

“Steve awake,” Djon piped waving with his new toy.

“That’s Djon v’Ima the new Jedi-youngling,” Rostek grinned. The child had kept him informed about Steve with his two word sentences. “We returned here after getting him from the orphanage and were busy watching the records when Jono had to go again because Frost was having trouble waking up Steve. Nejaa charged me with watching Djon and with his toy breaking down I called Scerra. Nejaa and Jono will be back soon I think and we can continue our research.”

“I see,” Maura sat down at the table. “Jack, Lydia let’s have a look. We can continue.”

“We were just at the point where a man followed Aira outside,” Rostek said.

“We have to view the whole record,” Maura said.

“I will stay here,” Jack placed his metal case on the floor and took a seat.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Fantastic banter and now looking forward to the continued clue-hunt.

 

“We were just at the point where a man followed Aira outside,” Rostek said.

“We have to view the whole record,” Maura said.

Just viewed all your records. You update so often that I always feel guilty when RL is filling out most of my time. I hope to catch up with everything the next to weeks. For your banter is always great.

 

The clues are unraveling

And again an update with some revealing conclusions



Chapter 21

“Aira Dorsetti is acting weird.”

“Yeah she drank from the water in her glass and now there is some on the floor leading to a connector.”

“I did found marks of electrical currents through her body.”

“Did we test the water?”

“Not yet.”

“Stop the record. I will go.”

Jono heard the conversation when he passed Maura and came in with Nejaa. It had been a long day. He was tired but his eyes were drawn immediately to the viewscreen that was showing a now frozen Aira Dorsetti in a weird pose standing in a small puddle of water.

On the floor was Djon playing with his now repaired toy and the new one. With him on the floor was Scerra.

Nejaa got a big grin on his face “Scerra.” He had eyes only for her.

“Rostek called me to repair a toy,” Scerra stood up, flew in Nejaa’s arms and kissed him. After a lengthy kiss she disentangled and continued “you have found a new Jedi I see.”

“Sure on his second birthday and that celebration drew me to the orphanage,” Nejaa bowed down to scoop up Djon v’Ima and his toys. “He was giving a cured animal his freedom and using the Force to call the animal’s relatives.” And seeing the setting sun through the window he continued “oops I have to catch my transport to Coruscant. “Now you…”

“I will give you a ride,” Scerra laughed. “I know you will come back to Corellia.”

“Be very careful with him,” Jono said with a tired and mischievous smile. “He just gave me another one of his famous Jedi-rides.”

“I keep to the speed-limits and traffic-rules,” Scerra said. “He sure is eager to go back. Jedi duty is first but I know.”

“I will find a way to be with you,” Nejaa hurried out of the room with Scerra following him.

“He will marry her,” Jono shuffled with feet that could barely support him to a chair. He sat down resting his head on his arms. “Of that I am very sure.”

“And both love children,” Rostek pointed to the scattered stuffing and the sewing kit. “Can you show us the record again?”

“We can with Maura busy examining the water,” Jack moved his hands over the controls and the record from the sec system of the apartment began anew. “The first thirty minutes just show her sitting on the couch.”

“She is alone and just sitting and staring for a long time,” Jono lifted his head a bit.

“Now look Jono,” Jack urged.

“She is acting weird,” Jono said. “She is going with halting steps to the sink. What is she doing?”

“We only did find fingerprints from her and her friend Julia,” Lydia said. “Did she have words with the man? When she left the Raging Ronto with him we couldn’t get a clear picture and the conversation was scratchy.”

“We have no ID on that man at all,” Semendiger stated. “She could have met another.”

“She is like a puppet with someone pulling the strings,” Jono said. “Look how she is holding that glass of water. She is reluctant to drink.”

“As if she is having second thoughts about what she is going to do,” Lydia said. “Look at the fright showing on her face and the shattered glass. What happened to her between her visit to the Raging Ronto and coming home?”

“Now a weird dance and a flash,” Jack said.

“The electrocution killed her before the poison did,” Maura came in. “I found traces in the water from allotrara weed. The weed kills slowly eating intestines away. It explains the weird dance. She must have begun to feel the pain of the poison. We can close the case. She committed suicide.”

“Yeah but she was happy when she left the Raging Ronto with her new friend,” Rostek said. “What did change her mind to commit suicide?”

Jack asked “was she going mad? Or having an incurable disease?”

“The allotrara weed erased any traces of a disease,” Lydia said. “I check that always and couldn’t find any traces of malignant growth.”

“I felt a lingering darkness in her apartment,” Jono grumbled with a soft voice. His hand was covering his mouth. “I felt darkness from holocrons in the Zavala estate. Koro Zavala was murdered and holocrons were stolen by Blonde Dolly and her gang.”

“The Dorsetti holocron wasn’t there when I returned to the estate,” Jack muttered. “Sniper creep torched the officer and his speeder and got away with the evidence and more holocrons.”

“But we don’t need the holcrons anymore,” Semendiger said. “The Dorsetti case is suicide. The Zavala case was solved when we caught Blonde Dolly and her gang. We only have the case of the missing sniper and the death of the Hollowtown officer.”

“And the holocrons now missing,” Jono turned to Rostek moving his head with his hand. “I saw you putting a holocron in a clearplast bag when we were at the Zavala estate.”

“I must have misplaced it,” Rostek patted his pockets. “I transferred my stuff after changing clothes.” Standing up and more patting of pockets followed and he gave a big yawn. “Great, during the emergency with Steve I must have lost it.”

“You Rostek and you Jono home and take a day off tomorrow,” Semendiger said. “I will continue with the Hollowtown officer case.”

“Or you can give it to captain Eustache,” Maura said. “She can find out if one of her officers is missing. We don’t have any idea about who the officer was. We don’t have that much evidence. We have footprints in great abundance but mostly from the fire-fighters. The sniper may have left Hollowtown or not. We just don’t know anything about him and the officer.”

“Come Jono,” Rostek helped Jono to stand. “The Dorsetti case is solved. We have to get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” Jono put his arm on Rostek’s shoulder for support. “And I don’t need sleepmeds like Steve. Tomorrow I will call the hospital to see how he is doing. And you have to make your report for your mentor.”

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Yeah. A report for a mentor.

*smirks

 

Super detecting and sweet with Nejaa and Scerra with a reference to the "Edited" entries

 

and what will he do?

Nejaa will return to Corellia



Chapter 22

“Huh!” Sleepy eyes opened. Hands moved over a face, raked through hair and stretched. Eyes closed and opened, blinked and closed again and arms and legs stretched. A stomach was rumbling loudly. Lips were parched. A nose sniffed. There was sweat and the more pungent odour of something else. And ears picked up a buzzing sound. Eyes snapped open and the owner of those eyes saw. “Kriff, the bugs and flying crawlies are having fun with my clothes.”
Rostek knew. He had deposited his dirty clothes yesterday on the floor before changing into clean ones. And the clean ones had joined the dirty ones after he had come home again after guiding Jono to his home. Making his report had been more important and he had done that after a shower and sitting on the side of his bed. He jumped out of his bed, felt a pressure and made a beeline to his fresher. “I have to take a leak first.”

- - -

“Thank you Mr. Palpatine.”

The handsome young man nodded after giving the key to the drop-box back to the employee and headed out of the building with the package. With his powers he felt something. But he would wait. First he headed to another building. The Rodian and human had done their job. The rest of the agreed credits would be transferred and some more. Palpatine was very satisfied. The package contained the real stuff. ‘Torturing the woman for the information and making her drink that water and yes the added touch of a trail of water will meet the approval of my master. Suicide will be the cause of her death. My master taught me all about poisons. But I won’t show him the holocron. The prize is for me.’

- - -

‘He can try. I have put the respirator on assist mode.’

Steve had heard this long or not so long ago. He was unaware of the time that had passed. He was feeling numb after feeling very uncomfortable for some time. The itchy feeling of the rashes had faded after a nurse had put something in the drip. He was inhaling. ‘That is easy with the ventilator – respirator for those guys here – assisting me. Now let’s see if I can produce some noise. In Noranan I had the docs rushing to my bed.’ He exhaled and listened, inhaled and exhaled and listened. ‘No noise, no beeping bleeping warnings at all that I want to get rid of this thing. Hey guys, I want to leave as soon as possible.’

- - -

Beep pi beep pi

Sleepy eyes snapped open. Their owner was awake instantly. Hands grabbed on the nightstand and caught the offending thing, a comlink.

“Bel Hana.” He wondered why he had this croaky parched voice.

‘Steve is awake. I like you to be here with him. You can reply to his questions.’

“I will be there. Wait for me.”

Jono jumped out of his bed and hurried to his fresher. This was great news. And only now he saw the rays of the sun and thought ‘that’s why I am so thirsty. It’s almost noon. You were very tired Bel Hana.’

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Nejaa and Scerra are sweet together. It was nice to see them.

Hmm, Aira’s death hardly looks like suicide as Palps is hoping it will. Nobody seems to be fooled and they’re definitely going to want to know who the man was that she was walking around with before she went home. Yet they aren’t going to find the Sith unless it goes AU.Hmm.

Steve’s obvious annoyance at being stuck in a hospital bed was amusing. He’s going to be making an escape as soon as possible unless they keep an eye on him.

Rostek and Jono being bleary was funny, though I almost worry about their thirstiness – normal, and I don’t think they’ve had the chance to get poisoned or anything, but with what we now know about Dorsetti it’s a little concerning.

 

“Bel Hana.” He wondered why he had this croaky parched voice.

When I first read that sentence, I was puzzled. Then I laughed out load. I probably communicate too much in Dutch with you via PM these days. We should use German or English only!

 

Just being tired and sleeping for more than 12 hours will do that. I experienced the same after a night and day fighting a big fire. I managed to crawl in my bed and awoke at noon the next day.

Bel ... there are a lot of Corellians beginning with Bel...



Chapter 23

Rostek was occupied. After his visit to the fresher he had taken the smelly clothes and had deposited them in the laundry machine after remembering a lecture from his mother. As a teenager he had forgotten to empty his pockets. The result had been a laundered and gleaming hydrospanner used by him to tinker with his speeder-bike and his mom mad at him for wrecking the laundry. The sharp edges of the hydrospanner had caught in the laundry, shredding it and ripping it. Now he had emptied his pockets before putting his clothes in the laundry machine.

He was staring down at the clearplast evidence bag with the holocron in it and his finished report. He had written that report on a flimsy sitting on the edge of his bed before slipping between the sheets and falling asleep. And he was getting ideas.
‘The Dorsetti case is closed but I will put this thing where I store my copies of my reports. Steve acted weird, Jono acted weird and even Nejaa had a frightened look on his face. I don’t know what’s wrong with this piece of art but I don’t want it near my friends again. I will hide it in my place in the woods near Firwood Lake where I played as a youth.’

He grabbed the report from his nightstand and headed with it and the holocron to his living room. He made some porridge and a large pot of tea. And seeing the time of the day he decided to add eggs, fruits and some sweet-rolls too. ‘More like brunch time. I must have been very tired to sleep almost until noon.’ During his brunch a copy was made of the report, a note attached and a flimsy with the Corellian news of the day. Steve had taught him to do that. The news was giving each case some background information for the historians.
Satisfied with the report he sealed one in a bag marked with the CorSec logo and put it on the table. The other – with the holocron and note – went in a clearplast bag. Taking that bag he went to his speeder and headed out of town.

- - -

“We have given Steve medicines for the intense itchy feeling the rashes are giving him. The respirator is on automatic assist mode.”

Jono was scrubbing his hands after changing into greens. He had – after his ride to the hospital – grabbed a fast snack and fruit juice in the hospital restaurant before heading to the surgery wing.
Doug Frost had instructed him how to use the faucet, soap and brush and was busy too.

“What is automatic assist mode?”

“He can breathe in and out on his own what I didn’t expect at all this soon. I think he is ready for extubation.”

“But he will need a breath-mask and monitoring until his lung has fully healed,” Nick Remick entered the scrub room. “He isn’t ready to leave the intensive care ward. We have him on medicines to keep him unaware of the healing rashes.”

“I see,” Jono began to smile. “We have to convince our escape-artist that the beeping thingies ward is the best place there is.”

- - -

Palpatine had opened the package. There in clearplast evidence bags was what he craved for. But…

The holocron he had seen on the viewscreen at the Dorsetti place was lifeless, showing no messages at all. There was no power. It was clearly a fake, a piece of glass and metal and just that, a piece of skilfully crafted art.

‘I have tortured the woman to death for a fake. I did feel the dark in her apartment. Was it something that had been there long ago?’

He reached for the next holocron with a wicked smile on his handsome face.
‘I am glad I hired those thugs to go to the Zavala estate. They earned the extra credits I have given them. They gave me the fake and some more. This is the real one. Now my knowledge of the Jedi will increase, adding to my power.’
And he lifted the Jedi holocron out of its clearplast evidence bag.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

I like the precautions Rostek took with the evidence and report. That genuine Holocron will cause trouble down the road. Steve looks to be mending better than expected.

 

Steve acted weird, Jono acted weird and even Nejaa had a frightened look on his face.

I´ll join them in their devastation...

 

But what will the hidden holocron do? That is the subject for a Kyp story that's coming

Chapter 24

Rostek had parked his speeder on a large clearing with some buildings, cabins and shacks. Most of the buildings were new and completed almost five years ago after the Jedi order bought the abandoned property with an old big farmhouse to establish a training facility. Fruit-trees and vegetable- and flower fields were surrounding the farmhouse and now well tended.

He smiled, closing his eyes for a moment and inhaling the fragrant smells of flowers. And he was seeing the old property as he had seen it in his youth. He had discovered it on one of his trips, visiting his aunt and uncle who had a house in Firwood and owned a boat. He had often borrowed that boat for a trip to the wilderness and the discovery of the abandoned farmhouse just after he had celebrated his 16th birthday led to more visits. He had been with his grandfather that time and the old man had pointed him to the various flowers in the wild garden. The farmer who had abandoned the property had been a lover of botanical hybrids. Grandfather Horn had – being an expert himself – recognised the various species immediately.

A shack at the back of the farmhouse was his destination. The Jedi had no use for the shack, closed with an old lock. He unlocked the door, entered the shack and moved the tarpaulin that covered the floor to reveal a trap-door leading to a large cellar hewn out of the natural bedrock. It was his secret place since his youth.
A large durasteel box was opened and items – bringing fond memories – were taken out and put aside. One was the book about flower-hybrids that he had inherited from his grandfather who had passed away two years ago. The clearplast bag was put in the box. Items went back and the last was the book.
Rostek smiled. How he liked to pick up the passion of his grandfather and grow hybrids but that had to wait. He had to graduate first and maybe a wife and kids. He headed back to his speeder after making sure that everything was as it was. ‘I will go to the hospital after bringing my report to CorSec headquarters. Steve will be awake.’

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Chapter 25

Steve was awake and quite annoyed. Jono had explained all about the automatic assist respirator. After getting rid of the pesky tube he had found a breath-mask being placed on his face. Some ice had taken away the sore feelings in his throat and with his voice improving he had tried to argue with Doug Frost and Nick Remick about his release from the beeping thingies room. He had a new idea and voiced it. “I have to go back to my student.”

Jono began to smile. He had seen the green flash before the window of the door leading to the intensive care ward and Doug going to the intercom system minutes ago.

“What’s funny about that,” Steve eyed his friend.

“Your student is here,” Jono laughed. “And he is soon your ex-student. I am impressed by his actions. Semendiger too and…”

“Yeah he saved me and came with the important clues about the holocrons,” Steve interrupted. “He will be soon my ex-student. Uh by the way, is the Dorsetti case solved?”

“He can tell you himself,” Jono said.

Steve followed Jono’s gaze to see Rostek coming with Doug towards his bed and sitting down.

“Soon to be ex-student Horn reporting to his mentor,” Rostek had a smile on his face but that disappeared when he saw his mentor covered from head to toes with bandages with only the face free. And that face – covered with salve – was showing the healing rashes. Leads and tubes were snaking everywhere and fluids were in waste-bags. Monitors were beeping softly and showing stats.

“I will make a full recovery but that will take time.” Steve – seeing Rostek’s reaction – understood now why Doug and Nick wanted to keep him in the IC. “You and Jono will have to keep me occupied. And the begin is…”

“Me telling about the Dorsetti case,” Rostek continued. “You must be eager to hear how it is solved. We saw the records from the Raging Ronto and there she was leaving with an unidentified man.”

“The recording was very bad,” Jono said. “We couldn’t get any idea who he was.”

“And we didn’t see the man anymore,” Rostek said. “Aira entered her apartment alone and was acting weird.”

“It was if she was there arguing with someone but no speech was found on the record,” Jono remarked. “Lip-reading revealed nothing.”

“Was she arguing with herself? Was she planning her own demise?” Rostek continued. “She made grotesque faces. She was crying. We saw tears and a wet face. We saw her very reluctant beginning to drink from a glass. The water was there on the floor and leading to a connector. And the final moment shows Aira in a weird dance before the entire system shortens out. Semendiger listed the case as suicide.”

“Suicide,” Steve struggled to lift his head and gave a soft gasp and settled down again. “I want to see those records. Records can be manipulated. Was the man there and was this the darkness we sensed? I sensed it too in the Zavala estate.”

“Our senses couldn’t lead to real evidence,” Jono muttered showing sadness in his voice. “I have seen the records Steve. We don’t know who the man was. Aira Dorsetti was alone in her apartment. We don’t know what happened between her leaving the Raging Ronto and coming home. And more… Holocrons were missing when Jack returned to the Zavala estate. The sniper was gone and the officer and his speeder were burned to a crisp. No ID was found. The sniper and officer are two mysteries. Semendiger gave the case of the dead officer to the Hollowtown squad.”

“Weird,” Steve grumbled. “And the particle slug dug out of my lung? Was that traced to a weapon?”

“Hey,” Rostek stood up. “We didn’t examine that part. Come Jono. We have to secure the evidence.”

“Follow my ex-student,” Steve began to chuckle softly and gasped for breath when he saw Jono standing up as well and hurrying after Rostek.

“And you know now why you have to stay here,” Doug grinned. “You are without the pesky tube but need the mask to assist your breathing.”

“No arguments,” Steve whispered.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Chapter 26

A month had passed. Steve had been released yesterday from the hospital. His right arm was supported by a sling. He had to take it easy until his shoulder had gained the full flexibility and use. He was very pale. His suntanned skin had been replaced by new skin. His right lung had healed but he had to regain his stamina. He had been out of breath after jogging along Rostek to reach the entrance of CorSec headquarters after his soon to be ex-student had parked his speeder quite a distance away from that entrance. The graduation ceremony was planned this day.
The particle slug dug out of his lung had been traced to a military grade sniper rifle. And no, the sniper nor his rifle had been found. The culprit could be anywhere. The dead officer case couldn’t be solved either. Hollowtown had no unaccounted officers.
He had been watching the records of the Dorsetti case. Weird but he couldn’t find any evidence that she didn’t commit suicide. He was left with an uneasy feeling for both cases and had voiced that the ‘dead’ officer could be a partner of the sniper. He was watching Jack’s pictures from the Zavala case and noticed the missing holocrons. “Hey did you see that?” He grabbed one of the earlier pictures and placed that next to the one where the holocrons were missing.

“Sure and we don’t know where they have gone,” Rostek began when the door to the office opened to reveal Jono and Nejaa. The latter had a very surprised look on his face and hurried to the table and took the picture with the holocron.

“That is a Jedi holocron and by the looks of it the real stuff,” Nejaa said. “I hope the one who has it doesn’t recognise the real value and will sell it.”

“Sniper and officer did everything to keep us from getting the holocrons,” Steve muttered. “I was shot before we could collect the first piece of evidence.”

“The Jedi can find the holocrons,” Nejaa said. “Can I take the pictures back with me when I go back to Coruscant?”

“Sure but you have just arrived,” Rostek said. “What did you bring here?”

“Your graduation ceremony of course,” Nejaa grinned. “And Scerra and she will be eager to hear more about Djon v’Ima.”

Steve asked “who is Djon v’Ima?”

“A two year old Corellian human boy I have found in an orphanage in Coronet City,” Nejaa replied. “He showed remarkable Force powers. I could take him with me after some ‘paper-work’ you know.”

“Paper-work,” Steve grinned. “In triplicate?”

“Yes and some more,” Nejaa laughed. “But Djon is now a Jedi-initiate with a new family.”

“And you will form a family in due time,” Jono chuckled when he saw who was at the entrance with a very bright look in her eyes.

“She has to finish her studies first,” Nejaa – pictures falling on the floor – hurried to his great love and kissed her and carried her into the room.

“Ahem, sorry to interrupt this reunion but we are waiting for you,” Major Semendiger was the next one to arrive.

“Yes,” Rostek stood up and hurried after Semendiger.

Nejaa, Scerra, Jono and Steve followed and were standing at attention when Rostek spoke the vow of a CorSec officer.

Rostek was beaming when he fingered the pips on his collar. They were the first and he aspired to become an inspector. And he spoke the words of the CorSec creed that meant most to him in the old Corellian language “Ihn Corellisi nyeve min bhiq suman ehin nyiad.” (A Corellian never turns his back on someone in need.)

FIN

Nyota's Heart
AzureAngel2

 

Super wrap-up. The mysteries still linger but the personal stuff is terrific.

 

Hmm, case closed but Rostek still has a holocron hidden away somewhere. I suspect that will come back to haunt him.

There's a nice sense of work/bonding and friendship between the characters, as there was throughout. Even if they didn't catch the killer, at least they all made it through. Liked that we got to see Rostek graduate with his mentors and friends around.

 

mysteries are there to solve and thanks for supporting this story

I love to write OC's and give canon characters more background. Thanks for your support. The holocron will come back to haunt Rostek's friends in
http://boards.theforce.net/threads/cold-case-corellia-movie-quote-challenge-kyp-durron-ben-seha-valin-jysella-corran.50021466/#post-51656718]Cold[/url] case Corellia