36:04:04
It was too early to be up, but the force visions keep getting stronger, more chaotic and disturbing. I am certain now that the Inquisitor that affected my dreams before is here now.
Unable to sleep, I headed out to the lower level of our base where Garnet and the youngest varactyls are stabled. Sacha, Sprend’s varactyl, was still away. He must be out near the Gorinth Canyon shield generator still – I hope everything is alright. I decided to head out to check on them – I sensed a dark disturbance in that direction – it may be that Inquisitor.
No comms are difficult; I wish we could at least temporarily stop the jamming – intel from Bin Prime and the space battle above is important. Assuming anyone was out there. When I looked up I could see the shimmering translucent blue shield arcing high overhead, slightly distorting the view of anything beyond our atmosphere. The false dawn was beginning in the east with a subtly altered hue, and stormclouds were gathering in the dark shadowed west.
I asked Jumper, who was on early guard duty, to leave a note in my room since his shift was almost over. We saluted, and I rode off through the deep canyon and into the wilds north of Bin Prime.
The gentle rhythm of Garnet’s gait, the wakening song of the few pre-dawn birds, and the fresh air rushing past lulled me into a half-sleep.
And then I saw Via.
The vision was clear, her exotic features distinct. Deep violet hair framed her flushed face. She called my name, and I felt a wave of fear. Mine or hers, I could not tell.
The vision shifted. Varentari, clothed in black. I saw a double-bladed lightsaber, and then his face split in two.
A raven’s call startled me, and Garnet nearly spooked as a dozen of them exploded up from the dense foliage in front of us.
I took a deep breath, then altered course for Imperial Centre.
May the Force be with us.
The wild, rocky terrain turned to regular paths and then we hit civilization. I received a salute when passing by one of Baron Telmarr’s commando squads who were patrolling the edge of the city. I felt some reassurance that not all was lost. Yet.
Once the buildings began in earnest, I directed Garnet onto the high rooftops for a more direct route. The city flew beneath Garnet's bounding feet, great leaps over shadowed streets.
The sun rose.
Not many vehicles were out; most citizens appear to be holed up, and I could see the remains of fires smoldering to the west and far south. I passed within a klick of the Swift Manor on the hill overlooking the city centre. It was dark and still.
Arriving at Imperial Centre, I dismounted and left Garnet near a fountain, ordering him to wait. He looked at me sideways, and shook his head. Whatever that means.
Varentari’s guards were stationed at the door, and all seemed normal. With a wave of my hand I Influenced them enough to let me in. I did not have time to waste. Inside the lobby I saw a different scene. All four night guards were dead, cauterized decapitations and gaping holes. Clearly a lightsaber.
I started for the turbolift, and noticed a slumped figure who whimpered as I neared. “You…” A weak sound, barely audible. I bent down and stared at the gaunt face of Cor Starkon.
“I… didn’t know… betrayed…” Starkon wheezed. I realized that he was missing an arm and a leg. I nearly vomited.
“Who did this?” I asked in a low voice, in case the Inquisitor was still here.
“She… she promised wealth… just needed… to meet Varentari…” His face grimaced in pain. His shoulder moved, as if to reach out the arm that was not there. “I was… wrong.”
His eyes glazed over. How typical – dying before revealing the truth.
An idea came to me as I stared at the shell of the formerly confident businessman. His severed arm was not far from his body, and as I suspected, his hand was clenched in a fist. I grimaced, then pried the fingers apart and found a datachip. Unfortunately, I have no time to find out what is on it.
I unsheathed my lightsaber, igniting it more for the comforting hum than anything else. I called for the turbolift, and stepped inside. More dead bodies.
On my ride up to Varentari’s office I pondered Starkon’s words. I remembered Kay mentioning that Varentari’s spies could not trace some suspicious communications… we just did not have time to follow up on that lead. And if Starkon was actually answering my last question, this was not the same Inquisitor – it was a female instead of the hulking brute we had encountered before.
I banished the thought of Circe immediately. Focus on the task at hand - I cannot dwell on ghosts when the living are at risk.
The doors hissed open, and I stepped past another pair of dead guards several paces beyond the lift. Odd… their weapons remained holstered; no signs of a struggle. There was no way anyone could have surprised them at that distance. I shook my head – I simply did not have time to figure it out.
Varentari’s office was closed. I pushed through the archaic oaken doors, swinging on well-oiled hinges. I always admired his taste, even if he is a conniving usurper. His office was still immaculate – shelves of ancient tomes, busts of former political leaders, a map of Balmorra spreading across one wall. Varentari lay in the centre of the room across a silken rug with a carefully embroidered scene of a garden.
Dreading what I had to do, I walked over and checked his pulse. Still alive, barely. I rolled him over to see the lightsaber wound across his face, and the barely perceptible rise and fall of his chest. And another lightsaber wound through his chest, where his heart should be. Impossible.
I shouted into my comm, and then realized everything was still jammed. Cursing, I started dragging Varentari out of the room.
And then I heard her voice behind me, faint but familiar. “Baron…”
Decryption error… entry continued in new file…
