Note: Whew, I know its been awhile since I updated this but here it is. That's what I get for taking on too many stories I suppose. This chapter was very challenging to write, I had to re-write several parts to make it good.

When last we left our trio, they were planning to head into town/market to do some preliminary investigation/interviewing before heading to the caves.

Let's go!

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The three made their way on foot to the market; it was a decent five block walk and three blocks over. The market was one long row of uniform structures, many of the shops seeming to double as dwellings. It was early dawn, but there were already signs of the shopkeepers beginning to set up their wares. Awnings had been erected, doors propped open, products set up on tables outside the shop or in windows.

The roads were dusty and the streets bare; market goers were obviously still abed while their counterparts began their work day. The only beings present were, of course, them.

Jyesella scanned the area with a scrutinizing eye.

"All right. Looks like we're right on time." She looked around and watched as a human female moved out of the shop and placed a box of fruits under a brightly colored blue awning.

A human? That was odd. Her hosts never mentioned that there were humans living in the town. She supposed it wasn't really out of the ordinary; humans had migrated to other worlds before

"What's wrong?" Ben asked.

"Nothing." She dismissed.

There was no use making something out of nothing.

A dark gray-skinned Twi'lek male exited the very same shop and touched the female's arm gently.

Interspecies relationships were very uncommon. Though out of other interspecies relationships, Twi'leks were very close to humanoid so it wasn't all that strange as others might be.

She shrugged inwardly.

Jysella turned to Ben. "I want you to start with that couple. A human could have a different perspective. I'll question the mechanic down at the end, Valin, you check out that fabric store."

"Roger that." They said in unison.

"And be careful how you word your questions. We don't need to go offending these people."

"I think you worry too much, 'Sella."

"That's Jysella to you, and with you I worry as much as I have to—especially on this planet. Skywalkers tend to attract trouble."

Valin heaved a sigh. "'Sella, I think you need to give the kid a bit more credit than that. He is a Jedi Knight."

Ben took on an irked look at hearing 'the kid'.

"Point taken."

"Good, now can we continue? Before we become the main attraction."

"Right. You know your objective; get to it, troops."

Jysella then made her way carefully toward the garage where a Rodian was exiting his shop. Rodians usually resided within their own small sector.

"Everyone needs a mechanic." She murmured, approaching him. "Excuse me." She called out.

The Rodian, a bulky male, turned to face her. He began speaking in his native language. Luckily for all of them, the Jedi were indeed schooled in various languages so as to fulfill their missions to the best of their abilities.

'And who are you?' He asked.

Jysella switched over to Rodese "I'm Jysella Horn and I need to speak with you if you have the time."

"What's this about?" He responded.

"I'm investigating an incident. A Twi'lek female went missing a few weeks back. I'm here to find out in anyone knows anything."

"Opahli'srik's girl?"

"That's right. Did you notice anything that night….hear anything?"

"No, I was working on a speeder that night. It was very loud so I had my soundproof hatches down. The speeder belonged to some young offworlder girl—real rich types; crashed it good. She and a few of her companions were making too much eye contract with the males and less with the road."

"And by males you mean.."

The Rodian gave her a 'please' look.

"What do you think?"

It was a well-known fact that Twi'leks were a weakness to most human males. It was not highly known that human females had an interest in the males of Ryloth. There were a few though.

"So you didn't hear anything?"

"I said I didn't."

Rodians' ears were good, but not good enough to hear through soundproof walls.

"How about anything out of place? Did you go outside anytime that night?"

He shook his head. Negative.

"I was getting paid overtime to have the fancy speeder ready for the next morning. Made her pay big." He gave what Jysella considered a smile. "Next time she'll rethink where her eyes wander."

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The irony of the situation going over at the mechanic would have been lost on Ben. He stood face to face with the pair. He introduced himself before conducting the preliminary questioning.

The Twi'lek male—whose name was Lovor'edan— had stopped lugging crate of fruit to stop to talk to the red-haired youth. His companion…wife? He didn't quite know…was working on sorting and making the produce look appealing to the eye. She was brunette female, much smaller than the male He would go as far as to call her petite—much like his Aunt Leia.

She introduced herself as Leiyla. Leiyla Devoi.

Ben suppressed a snort of amusement. He turned his attention instead to his the male.

"Ah yes…" Lovor'edan murmured, his Twi'leki dialect thick. "I recall that. It was a very big deal in the community." He went to help the woman adjust the awning a bit more. "It was shocking that such a thing could happen to one so young. The whole town was in frenzy with fear for a few days."

"It was really awful. "Leiyla said, with a sorrowful nod. "That poor girl," Her words were tinged with a bit an accent that Ben couldn't place. "She wouldn't have hurt a soul…it's terrible that something like that should happen."

"You knew her well then?" He asked.

"She came around yes."

Her partner straightened a table cloth."She often bought food from our shop. We even would have them over occasionally. She and her father."

Leiyla inserted, "She's an only child," but didn't add much more. Ben suspected that the two of them were trying to restrict the information down to the essentials.

"Did either of you see her the night of the incident?"

"So that's what this is about." Lovor'edan said, furrowing his brow.

"Yes, and anything you can tell me would be helpful."

The woman looked at him with concerned eyes. "Is it that serious?"

"We're hoping it isn't as bad as it looks." Ben assured. "This is just a precaution."

Lovor'edan and Leiyla shared a look.

He then nodded, as if confirming something, and looked back at Ben. "There was something." Lovor'edan admitted. "A noise; I remember thinking it had been a yowl from some animal. I had been sleeping so I thought I merely dreamed it up. Though thinking back, I realize no creature around could have made that sound."

"What sound?"

"The sound of a girl screaming."

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The green-skinned Twi'lek female was stretching out a bolt of cloth when Valin entered the shop.

A chime went off overhead and she turned, smiling pleasantly upon see him. "Yes, what can I help you with?" She spoke accented Basic. It was a pleasant lilting voice. Another trait of the Twi'leks; they had a distinct, yet exotic way of speaking.

"Perhaps." Valin said, putting on his official Jedi-business voice. "My name is Valin Horn; I'm investigating the disappearance ofUna'srik."

"So that's what was going on down the lane." She said, her lekku twitching.

She was a mature female, easily above her teen years, but not quite elder. She was most likely in her 20s.

"Yes, we're interviewing townspeople and seeing if they know anything that might be pertinent to our investigation."

"About Una." She sighed. "Horrible…that such a thing could happen."

"So things like this don't happen often?"

"Of course not." She said vehemently. "I do not claim that Ryloth is without its faults, but no one would intentionally bring harm to another." So he'd heard.

"What are your thoughts on it?"

"On Una's disappearance and recovery?"

"Then you're aware she's back?"

"Yes, it's a small community." She bustled over to another shelf, arranging some silken fabrics.

Valin waited patiently. He didn't want it to seem like he was pressuring the woman so he let her decide the pace of the conversation.

When she was almost done with the shelf, she looked over her shoulder.

"I was visiting friends in Kala'uun, so I missed most of the initial search. I didn't know about it till I came home."

"Kala'uun." He repeated. "That's a ways off from here."

"Yes." She stopped working. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. We have heard about what happened on Coruscant though…not right away of course. We heard it through offworlder and traders several weeks after it. Some fear that whatever destroyed part of the city-planet, has somehow come to Ryloth. A dark entity…" She trailed off. "I do not know if this is true, but I have heard what happened to Una. They say she became deranged."

"And it couldn't have been some sort of fever?" He asked cautiously.

"No, disease that I know have has left any being on this planet in such a state. It's true that I was not there for the initial search, but I was there when they found her. I saw them bring her home, she looked like all the liquid had been drained from her body—she was ashen. She is a Rutian Twi'lek, a very rare breed, but her beautiful skin was stripped of its glorious blue color. Una was raving half the time; incoherent and clearly out of her mind." The female sounded distressed.

"You believe whatever happened on Coruscant has brought its tragedy here?" He tried to keep the skepticism out of his voice.

"I know I sound deranged, but the people of Ryloth are not so far removed to completely not know what's going on in the galaxy. She paused. "We heard of Jedi being driven mad…that a dark entity was supposedly the cause of it, and that the Jedi formerly known as Jacen Solo, was the cause of all the suffering even after his own demise."

"I'm sure the Jedi are doing their utmost best to keep the peace."

She shook her head. "I—with many—have come to a doubt the validity of the Jedi as the so-called order of this galaxy." She sighed heavily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my shop. If there are no further questions that is."

"Do you know any of the people that brought Ms. Una back to the city?"

"I do." She looked at him carefully.

"Is it possible for me to get the name? I ask strictly for the purpose of my investigation. I want to help find out what happened to Una'srik and put a stop to it."

She nodded. "Very well. Do you have a something to write on?"

"Better." Valin extracted out a recorder. "Speak into this. Name, as well as locations if you know them." He thumbed the device on.

The Twi'lek proceeded to give them the names of six members whom she was acquainted with.

"I'm afraid I don't know the rest." She apologized. "But those people might."

"Thank you." He said, putting the recorder away. "You've been of great help."

"You're quite welcome. Please don't hesitate to come by before you leave, I can give you a good discount on some silken fabrics. Prime for presenting to a female." She gave him a winsome smile. "Please ask for Mi'la."

"I will."

"One more thing." She stepped forward, locking her eyes on Valin's. "How is it that you're so sure, you'll be able to stop whatever this is?"

"Because I'm a Jedi, and that's my job." At her surprised look, he continued, "I know you feel like the Jedi have failed you, have failed this galaxy, have failed Una'srik, but I assure you my compatriots and are here to ensure that whatever did that, will not hurt another being."

She closed her eyes, sighing. "I hope you can keep that promise, Sir Knight."

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