What's Past is Prologue

[Jason Russard]

The Scotch had lost its appeal as the night wore on and no call yet from Adelaide.

His father had gone up to bed, or Jason had assumed so when the Old Man's nurse, Lissell, had wheeled him from the room. But sometime later his father had returned settling down in his favorite chair, blanket draped around his shoulders, to play round after round of Solitaire.

Jason the Younger stepped out from his uncertain brooding, relinquishing his thoughts on the events that may have transpired since he'd dropped Adelaide off in the Dirge District, and watched his father. Age-spotted hands, still strong and surprisingly steady, placed one card, then another on the table in front of him. Solitaire was a game that passed time, nothing more. It took no real thought, barely minimal concentration. It was an activity for the hands more than for the mind and with a stab of revelation, Jason realised that his father was doing the same thing as himself. Jason the Elder was waiting.

"Father?" Jason asked, his voice strangely hoarse with worry after sitting quiet so long, "....What did you do?"

The Old Man played out the last three cards, unhurried. He took his time so much so that an observer might think he had not heard the question. Jason the Younger knew better. After a moment, Old Man Russard lifted his steel blue eyes to his son, "With luck, I've saved her you damned idiot."

[Old Man Russard]

The calls he'd made had been painless, with the exception of one.

His son had a lot to learn if he thought the Old Man would be content to sit in the dark. He had been aware of Jason's activities over recent months - his keeping tabs on Adelaide and making enquiries into the whereabouts of Kimiiki Crei on her behalf. The Old Man had friends that were loyal to him long before they were loyal to his son. Jason the Elder was far from being in the dark.

The significance of the news on GNN earlier tonight reporting the break-ins in the Dirge had not been lost on him, and if there was any questions of his son's involvement, those had been answered by his uncharacteristic behaviour of the evening.

The Old Man had recognised the need to intervene.

What he couldn't tell his son, what Jason would have to learn on his own, was that it was a mistake to give a woman exactly what she wanted. Oh, not in the general things - fur coats, new homes, the power of the holovid control...not those. But when it came to monumental events such as exacting revenge, a man just had to cowboy up and tell her no, for her own good. Some people could take lives and have it not destroy them. Adelaide Kasperian-Kazaar was not one of those people. Any idiot knew that.
But some things you only learn the second time round, unfortuantely. If you ever got a second time round.

And this brought the Old Man to the last call he'd made. A request for a favor to someone he was already indebted too from a long time ago. He knew she would agree freely. Knew that she understood what it cost for him to ask her. And that she'd not begrudge what it may eventually cost herself.

The Old Man returned to his cards, sweeping them up and shuffling the deck to play once more. He only hoped he'd acted in time.

Like his son, all he could do now was wait.

What he didnt know. What his son didnt know, was that he was already too late.

[Adelaide Kasperian-Kazaar]

Strong hands pulled her back from Crei, but it was not immediate that she looked at who it was. She found it nearly impossible to tear her gaze from the deep, yawing, hole that had been the Albino's throat. A ragged, hideous gash that continued to seep out blood held her in its thrawl, the hot, crimson flow bubbling to a froth as air from Kimiiki's windpipe escaped into its viscous streams.

"Del...Del" Kazaar spoke her name, more insistant each time, so that she finally looked up at him. Her eyes were huge, awash in the swell of tears and Kazaar took the knife from her grip, tucking it down into his boot.

If he was shocked to see her here, he didn't show it. Nor would it have even registered on her if he did. Adelaide blinked as if she didn't quite know where she was. ".....Aurelias...?" she croaked.

She looked around her, as if trying to peice together what they were both doing crouching over the naked Crei. Kazaar was here...that hadn't been the plan. Oh, he'd been with her many times since he'd left that rainy evening on Brentaal - only coming, however, in her dreams or in her waking moments of escape. He'd come often and always smiling. He wasn't smiling now.



Del looked down at her hands, they were covered in blood. Her pants, her shirt were sullied too. This made her angry. Angry that Aurelias should see her this way, doing this.

"What are you doing here?" she riled on him suddenly. Her turn of temper confounded him for a second and so when she pushed him away and stood up abruptly, he wasn't ready for it. "I asked what you are doing here!" Her voice rising and a little shrill.

"Quiet Delly, there are others.."

She didn't care. She had to get away from the look she saw in his eyes now, the pity, and the understanding. She couldn't stand to be stripped to such blatant exposure of herself - to see the compassion reflected in his face. Not him, of all people. She defended against it by blows. "Get away from me, Kazaar" and shook herself from him. She made for the door, but as she got to it, two of Kimiiki's men entered through it.

Kazaar dropped one instantly with a loaded right-cross to the jaw and the other he twisted by the head until there was a 'snap' so that he, too, fell. Grabbing Adelaide by the arm, he hurried her into the hallway, looking back as the echo of thudding footsteps coming up the stairs reached them. He ushered her into another room, what looked like a guest bedroom, and crossed quickly over to a set of rickety french-doors that led outside to a small juliet balcony. He pushed Adelaide through. "Get down t'the street 'n wait f'me there" he instructed. Del looked the balcony over, checking the distance to the ground...was he crazy? "Use t'pipe" he said, and disappeared back inside.

Adelaide clambered over the balcony ledge hanging onto the rail and on her tiptoes navigated along the narrow ledge lip to the stormdrain pipe. Stretching her arms to reach, she managed to thread her hands around it and what seemed an impossible thing to do, was able to launch herself onto it and not fall off. Inching down as best she could, her feet scrambling against the brick surface for purchase, Adelaide progressed downward.

She thought she must be almost at the bottom, when strong hands grabbed her waist and pulled her the final few feet down. Flanking her on either side were two men she had never seen before. Afraid that they were more of Crei's crew, she struggled and attempted to scream out for Aurelias, but firm hands clamped over her mouth and onto her arms, muscling her into an awaiting hover-car. Inside the sleek, leather interior, Adelaide looked a wretched mess and the female occupant sighed heavily in disapproval as the vehicle speed them away from the scene.

Some moments later, when Aurelias rounded the building by way of the back alley, there was no sign of Adelaide - or anyone else for that matter. He looked up despite his certainty that his ex-wife was not still on the balcony or dangling somewhere in between. Nothing.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Wasn't th'first time Delly'd disappeared, Kazaar hopped over a small fence t'get as far from th'scene as possible. Sure it wasn't th'first time, but somethin' didn't seem right with 'er disappearance. Hell, a lotta things made no frackin' sense at all. How in th'blue frack had she made it t'Crei's before he had and how th'frack had she ever known that gutterslut was there? All these questions jumbled up th'former bounty hunter's mind as he made his escape.

'Course he had t'make sure th'Velvet Crimelord was dead in th'first place, since that damn Albino was all 'bout havin' HRDs, hell probably had a body double'll two 'round. Kazaar black eyes gave a quick inspection: definitely wasn't an HRD, coulda been a body double but Kazaar wasn't so sure 'bout that. Turned out Delly hadn't almost cut off Crei's head too. Made o'deep enough mark, but th'Albino wasn't in danger o'physically losing his head when they buried 'im (or burned 'im whatever th'frack his wishes were).

Damndest thing o'all was th'gangster's expression. Kazaar was pretty frackin' sure Crei wasn't all serene-like when Delly'd slashed his throat. But this guy's face was calm'n cool. Like he was takin' a nap o'some type. That caused Kazaar's black eyes t'narrow and, just t'make frackin' sure that schuttascum wasn't comin' back, he shot 'im in th'chest. Just t'make sure. Delly might never have peace 'gain, but 'least she'd know the man who killed 'er kid was doin' his best impersonation ovva corpse.

Kazaar's escape wasn't th'easiest thing he'd done either. Had t'make sure it looked like someone (or several someone's) attacked th'place which meant stormin' back inside and releasin' all th'aggression th'vengeful an' angry man had stored up in his bones. It meant makin' sure Crei's henchmen died in violent ways (stabbin' one in th'eye with a vibroblade, then blowin' his head off with a blaster) which only someone like Kazaar could ever accept'n pull off. Also meant makin' sure th'ICPD guys didn't get killed. F'most people that'd be pretty frackin' tough, but wasn't so bad f'Kazaar. Helped th'cops were in uniform, that made it easier t'figure out who th'frack was who. Worst those guys got was a few bruises (and Kazaar may've accidently broken a bone're two). Plus, Kazaar smirked, they never saw who 'e was.

Still...Delly's disappearance didn't make any frackin' sense. 'Less she got 'er head on straight pretty frackin' quick while Kazaar was gone, no way in hell was she able t'vanish like she did. Her ex-husband wasn't th'best at figurin' out mysteries (leave that t'the Kid and th'cops) but he could put some puzzle pieces t'gether. And Kazaar had plenty o'time t'put 'em together while he drove th'beat up speeder he'd used away from Crei's hideaway.

His first stop was to a water filtration unit where Kazaar tossed th'knife Delly'd use inna tank. That'd wipe 'way any prints which might dump th'poor girl inna cell o'some kind and help ease 'er conscience. Kazaar woulda prefered havin' Delly herself do th'tossin', but he knew anythin' dealing with Crei meant ICPD'd be payin' him a visit at some point. Nice as it'd be t'see Whiskers 'gain, Kazaar smirked, be better if it wasn't inna cop/suspect situation. 'Sides, not a lotta people knew th'two'd hooked up in more ways than one on Tatooine. Even if it'd only been f'three days, it was better t'keep it that way.

Kazaar got back in 'is beat up speeder. How Delly'd gotten th'training t'actualy have some force behind her punches was a question he'd hafta figure out for 'nother day. Ever since that rat bastard Haman'd duped months ago, Kazaar had Mirko Spendrim try t'keep an eye out on th'girl. 'Course she'd done a pretty damn good job o'disappearin' so Spenny'd had a tough 'nough time figuring out who it was. And if Spenny did ever come through on th'delivery, Kazaar and th'guy who taught Delly how t'kill were gonna have words. A lot o'em.

Th'former bounty hunter reached into his pocket an' cursed. Damned docs tellin' him not t'smoke. 'Course he didn't have any cigars with 'em since he'd actually listened to 'em f'once. Kazaar scowled as dark thoughts swirled 'round his head. How th'frack had Delly made it into Crei's hideyhole t'begin with? On his own way there, he'd noticed a couple chronos looked like they'd been reset and Kazaar'd overheard one o'th'goons at the strip club mention there'd been a power outage o'some kind near Crei's place. His black eyes flashed onna sign which proclaimed in bold letters Imperial Center Electrics: We keep Coruscant lit and snorted. Well not tonight ya didn't. How th'frack did ya have equipment go down. Then his eyes caught somethin' else...a big puzzle piece which caused Kazaar t'almost crash th'beat up speeder.

Beneat th'sign, in dark letters, were four words: "A subsidiary of Russard Industries".

Kazaar ditched th'speeder three miles from 'is apartment'n grabbed his swoop bike. Fifteen minutes later, he was stridin' into th'Russard Estate, his eyes on fire. Time for th'Russards t'answer some questions.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

The Fallowhole Club - smoking ruin,3 hours later


Tarruurri picked around the debris left from the blasted-out shell of the Club. The place was a headache as far as forensics was concerned, everything all blown to Nal Hutta and back, and then an electrical fire having finished off what was left of the lounge - sparked after the inner wiring had been exposed, and snaking wires live and jumping with incendinary spite had caught a mark and set flame with a will.

But the witnesses were worse. Everyone who was willing to speak to an ICPD detective (and there were a fair few considering the nature of the establishment) had a story to tell, a theory, a description. And the one thing they all had in common, was that none of them corroborated the other - and each were as absurdly conflicting as the last. It was a man, it was a large man, it was a large woman who looked like a man..He was tall, he was stocky, she was enormous!

Kajeela rubbed her head. It had been quite a trying night. She looked to her partner for commisseration, but Remkah was in no better state. They would be here for hours yet.

"jYou gettjing anjythjing worrrthwhjile? she asked as he approached her, his face ashen and cast in a deep scowl.

[Jonas T. Remkah]

"You wont like it" Remkah warned, fishing out his packet of cigarettes from the depths of his leather coat.

Lighting one up while Tarruurri waited, her tail twitching backwards and forwards in impatience, "What? What wont jI ljike?" she pressed.

"Got word Crei's place was hit again" he said.

Kajeela held her questions, seeing in her partner's eyes he had more to say and getting a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"They got 'im" Remkah said, with feeling. "They killed our star witness" he exhaled loudly, blue-grey smoke funnelling up to join the remnants of vapor drifting in the Club ceiling.

[Jason Russard]

The shouting came from downstairs, originating in the entry hall and progressing up the stairs. The Russard men tossed uncomprehending looks to each other, "What the?"

Jason moved from his chair to stride across the room in order to investigate the commotion - were they being robbed?? No, thats silly, a thief comes quietly, not shouting the roof down on top of his unwitting benefactors.

Just as Russard approached the door, Kazaar burst through it and grabbed Jason by the shirt fronts, propelling him back into the room roughly.

Bewildered at first, Jason was quick to recover and knew the upshot of the visit immediately.

Adelaide.

Had she gone to her ex-husband after all? She'd been dead set against it before, but....women changed their minds, didnt they?

"If you'll just calm down--" Jason began, trying to pry the crazed body guard off himself.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

"Where th'frack is she, Russard?!?" If Kazaar's black eyes were blaster bolts, Jason The Younger would have two holes in 'is head right now. Prob'ly knock some sense into th'guy too. "Why th'frack did you help're out?!?"

"She came t-"

"Oh an' ya just happened t'let 'er go kill a guy. Ya frackin' realized ya just frackin' destroyed her!" Th'furious bounty hunter hadn't let go o'Russard's shirt yet. "I oughta just smack ya but I ain't sure that'd frackin' work."

He finally let go but hadn't stopped lookin' Russard in th'eyes. "You stupid bastard. Ya stupid frackin' bastard." Kazaar lowered 'is head an' wiped it. "Do you even know what th'hell you've done?"

[Jason Russard]

Jason threw the first punch. It was the hardest punch he'd ever thrown and, unlike the last time at University, this one found its mark. It was difficult to know who was the more stunned - Jason or Kazaar, or the Old Man sitting witness from his wheelchair.

Jason didn't even really know what possessed him to do it, except that the words Aurelias spat at him cut him to his soul, they were the same words his father had rebuked him with (only with less expletives). They were the same damn words he'd been tormenting himself with all night. The need to whollop something had just been too strong and Kazaar was just too perfect a mark.

"Some one had to do something for her!"

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Kazaar took a couple steps back after th'punch landed on 'is face. He was 'bout t'challenge Russard t'hit 'im again, when the guy mentioned someone havin' to "do something".

"And you're just kinda swell guy t'frackin' do it, aren't ya tough guy." Kazaar chuckled sarcastically. "Yeah, lettin' a grievin' mother lash out by killing th'guy who killed 'er kid. Ya ever bother t'think maybe Delly needed a shoulder t'cry on an' some emotional support from someone who wasn't th'kinda guy t'go out with blasters blazin'?"

He pointed towards th'door an' snarled. "She needed a friend ya frackin' gartal. Not some Force-damned enabler."

[Jason Russard]

Jason held his fists up, ready, like a prize-fighter, like his father had tried to teach him to do when he was a boy - "never drop your guard" the Old Man had said. Funny how it was coming back clear as crystal now.

"That's exactly what she needed" he countered back. "She'd been the victim for years. She couldn't beat Bren's sickness or you're absence in her life. They were things she couldn't change. And then when Crei came on the scene, she lost everything all over again. What she needed was a victory and if I could help her get that, then there was no question what I should, or shouldn't do."

Jason was fuming now. "You were her husband! He was your son! And YOU walked away!"

[Aurelias Kazaar]

"You're a frackin' idiot." Kazaar snarled again, partially shocked he hadn't knocked Russard to th'carpet yet. Guess th'Kid'd been affectin' him more than not. Either that or he was just too tired t'give a damn. "She ain't like me. She ain't th'kinda dame t'go out and lash out at someone.

"You're right. I did leave 'er. To protect 'er. T'keep 'er from gettin' hurt again." Kazaar set 'is jaw. "Guess I was wrong (no thanks to you ya damn idiot). Now...ya gonna help me find 'er or are ya gonna pretend t'be ya dad and punch me again."

[Jason Russard]

Jason took another swing.

Kazaar's arrogance knew no bounds and the man had insulted him enough.

Aurelias saw it coming this time, though, and deftly deflected it twisting into the punch sideways, clapping hold of the wild arm and bringing it with him to pull it up behind Jason's back. A snugging tug on it shot a jab of pain up Russard's arm and into his shoulder, letting Jason know he wasn't getting out of the hold with out a break someplace.

"No--Im--not--going--to--help" Jason ground out obstinately, wriggling to get free despite knowing the effort was useless.

Kazaar tugged again, harder.

"Ahhhhhhhhh" Jason yeowled.

"Where is'she?" Kazaar demanded, another accompanying tug.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhyousonofa.."

"WHERE?!!" Kazaar could do this all night.

[Old Man Russard]

"SHE'S GONE!"

The old man's voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard.

He'd watched these two mooks knock heads for long enough and was fed up. Jason and Aurelias turned in unison to look at the Russard patriach, having almost forgotten he was there.

"And she'll be better of for it, away from you two fools"

Jason ceased his struggles and Kazaar allowed his hands to fall free.

"How?" Jason asked.
"Where?" demanded Kazaar.

"Away" the Old Man answered, his blue eyes cut hard in their judgement of the pair's handling of this whole affair. "She's in good hands, with an old friend of mine" he added, relenting. "Someone who I trust." This was a weighty attribute as the Old Man trusted precious few.

"When Adelaide is ready, she will contact you" He looked to Jason first, then Aurelias, and his son hoped that held some small signifigance for himself.

After a moment, the Old Man observed, incredulous that the snippet of a girl had managed what so many had no doubt longed to accomplish - "So...he's dead"

[Aurelias Kazaar]

"Head wasn't damn near cut off, but Delly did a helluva job at slicin' his throat." Kazaar's eyes were still blazin' at th'entire frackin' thing. Wasn't that he was mad Delly was th'one who'd killed Crei, but he was pissed off she was th'one who had t'do it. If he'd gotten Crei in th'first place back at his mansion...

"I shot 'im in th'chest just t'make sure but he wasn't movin'."

[Jason Russard]

"So, she's safe..unhurt?" Jason said, a mixture of relief and pride that Adelaide had actually done it.

Kazaar snorted derisively over his shoulder at the question, but if he was honest, he was feeling a similar response.

"I should be getting confirmation soon" the Old Man answered, "Till then, Im going to bed." He waved a hand and his nurse, Lissell, wheeled him from the room.

Jason and Kazaar were left alone together in the room, and Russard lowered his eyes. "I was trying to help" he said quietly, not quite an apology but a...compromise in acknowledgement that perhaps it wasn't the best course to have chosen.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Kazaar snorted, but it seemed more tired than not. "Yeh we all were. Ya did things your way, I did 'em mine." He raised a gloved finger and stared straight in Jason the Younger's eyes. "Ya better promise me, Russard, when she gets ahold o'ya...you better frackin' promise me you'll take care o'her."

Jason matched his gaze. "And if she gets a hold of you first?" He had to ask, even though they both knew she'd call th'Russard before she talked t'Kazaar.

Kazaar gave a half-smile. "I'll try t'help, but she'll end up with ya anyway. Delly's a good girl, Russard, ya know that. She's like you, or was, not th'kinda person t'go 'round with fists flayin'. She uses 'er brain pretty well.

"Hell." He smirked. "She had to t'get past Crei's crew and th'ICPD." Th'smile/smirk faded. "Sure hope ya know what you're doin'."

Russard nodded. "So do I."

Kazaar left after that, headin' back t'his apartment in th'Works. Still quiet 'cause Estelle and k'Vik weren't 'round (and who knew what th'frack those two were doin'). Sittin' down in his chair, Kazaar gave a long gaze at th'bottle o'bourbon that sat on 'is refrig. He hadn't opened it inna while (doc's orders) and really wanted o'drink now. Kazaar almost took it, but instead walked over to his bed.

"I'm so sorry for everything I've messed up." Delly said it long time ago, back when neither o'them were sure what was gonna happen with 'em. Instead, Kazaar left 'er, thinkin' it was th'right move. He couldn't expose her to th'Rebellion, not after everything that'd happened to her. Fighting mooks like Crei was one thing, but th'whole damn Imperial machine? Somethin' else entirely.

At th'time he'd believed it was th'right decision. Now he didn't know what th'frack t'think.

Kazaar pulled open 'is nightstand where he normally kept a holdout blaster and vibroblade. But there was somethin' else in there. Something he didn't always look at 'cause it hurt 'im too much. Three holos. Th'first was a pic o'Ashley, th'first person he'd ever failed. Kazaar's black eyes misted as he stared at it.

Th'second was Adelaide...holo taken 'long time ago...before it all went t'hell. She was smilin' then, a smile that was all lovey 'n kind at th'same time. Delly'd helped 'im so much before leavin'...pulled 'im away from th'abyss that'd threated t'take him. Kazaar couldn't help wipin' an eye

Th'third hurt th'most. He'd had a copy made o'it from Bren's grave. Th'innocent eyes and th'podracer. Brentaal 'Ace' Kazaar...A racer kept off the track. Taken before his time. No parent should hafta outlive his kid. No frackin' parent. Th'tears were comin' now.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry t'all of you."

But Crei was dead...that was somethin' t'be happen 'bout right? And in his death...Kazaar lay down on th'bed starin' at all three holos starin' back...th'Ablino destroyed three lives.

Kazaar closed his eyes. 'Least he had his dreams.

And it was all right again...

[Adelaide Kasperian-Kazaar]

"Only for a while, Delly. You'll only feel the hurt for a while" Kazaar said gently, his arms folding around her again. "Dont relive the moment and the images will fade" he murmured softly in her ear, consoling her. "Soon it will all go away--"

The comforting delusion was torn from her like a blanket stripped roughly from a bed as the woman seated opposite her spoke, jarring Adelaide back into her awful reality with an affront like a slap across the face.

Adelaide struggled to sit upright against the smooth surface of the limo seats. All fight had fled from her and she tried to look the woman in the eye. She couldn't.

Adelaide thought she'd replied, but now didn't recall the sound of her own voice, didn't even recall the question. She pushed her hair back from her face with a hand and the bloodstains on it once again shocked her in their stark reminder of what she'd just done.

The woman spoke again and Adelaide did her best to focus. Who even was this woman?

[Eliessa Corta]

"I assume that isn't your own blood all over you" Eliessa stated bluntly.

The girl was a wreck, slumped and bloodied and looking every bit a deranged streetfly. God knows what kind of debacle Jason Russard had drawn Corta into in asking her to retrieve her. He'd been intentionally vague on the details, which was why Eliessa recognized the seriousness of the request. The Judge pressed her lips together in disapproval. The less she knew, the better. She pressed no further.

It had been years since Eliessa and Jason had spoken. Many things had changed since that time - the galaxy was now firmly under Imperial rule, Corta had risen to Sector Chief within the Judicial Department and Jason had built a financial empire of his own. A long throw from the days of prize fights and youthful dreams. They were both much older. Much wiser. Or hoped they were. Sitting here now, opposite this wreck of a girl, Eliessa was beginning to think - perhaps not so much.

The call had been unexpected and could not have come at a more inconvenient time. Corta had come to Imperial Center to oversee a motion that was presently being argued to grant the Order of Solomon a greater freedom of access to Military archives, freeing them from many of the restraints enforced upon them by red tape and pre-approvals. She was the big-gun of the whole movement. Known in judical circles as "The Hangman" Eliessa was reknowned for being a hard-liner, a throw-the-book-at-them kind of judge, prosecuting the guilty to the fullest extent of Intergalactic Law. Those who fell under her gavell rarely rose up again. She was to have given her closing arguments this evening, only Old Man Russard had put the kaibosch on that, forcing her to postpone. But that was how it was when friends were in need. For Jason to call, not for himself but for another, was typical of the man's character and Eliessa had never been able to deny a noble gesture. Not from Jake, at least.

She motioned to one of her 'people' - a large fellow Del remembered from bundling her into the vehicle - and he leaned forward obediently to drape a soft travelling rug over her, careful to tuck the edges around her shoulders to keep off any draft.

"You're in my care now" Corta said, "As a favor to our mutual friend"
She put her stylish reading glasses on with a flick of her wrist and peered over their rim, "If you're smart, you'll be glad of it. If not - I can drop you off wherever you prefer and that will be the end of it." She turned back to what she had been previously reading, "Your choice" she added with finality.

The girl blinked at her and the Judge wondered if she'd heard a word that she'd said. After some time, with no response, Eliessa saw the girl had sunk into an exausted sleep. Watching her there, quiet now, she looked a little like Corta's own daughter. They were close in age, she guessed, though Adelaide was younger by a few years.

And that was where the resemblence ended, thankfully. Eliessa had heard no word from her own child for almost a decade. No one had. It was rumoured she was dead and, inwardly, Eliessa hoped that to be true. Everyone would be the better off for it.

The limosuine left the City confines - speeding up beyond the reach of most of the buildings to the landing platform of her Hotel. They would enter the Judge's barge, the "Light Bearer" and leave Coruscant for Eliessa's home. And a new future for one very bedraggled and unimpressive Russard ward.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

GNN news story, three days later

Missing Body

>>Body Of Alleged Crime Lord, Kimiiki Crei, Stolen

(Coruscant) -- Currently embroiled in an apparent civil war within its ranks, representatives from Kimiiki Crei's organization want to know where the man's body is. Crei was discovered dead inside his Dirge District dwelling of an apparent heart attack and his body was taken to the Imperial Center Police Department's morgue for an autopsy. But Crei's representatives say the body disappeared three days later and hasn't been seen since. ICPD spokesperson Officer Hans Kamatov says police are investigating into the disappearance but wouldn't go any further in his explanation.

Best known for his days as the bounty hunter called 'The Velvet Hunter' Crei's alleged criminal activities ranked him below the list of alleged crime lords such as Gorgja the Hutt, Sorsha Kasajian, Kal Olorin, and the Black Bloods' pirate leader Kvettch, but reports suggest he had at least one meeting with representatives from the Empire, ironically the site of Predka Oorka's death, some time last year.

Crei's star has also apparently fallen in recent months. After an attack on his home about seven months ago, there were rumors within the criminal element the 'Velvet Crimelord', as Crei had been called, was losing power. Although he would never appear on a 'Most Wanted' list, he was still considered important enough to have made a reported 500-million credits worth of assets. Where that money goes isn't known at this time and funeral arrangements are pending.

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Michael Vestipul