Fwurg

[Ariana Danacia]

"This flower is the only remaining clue that I know of. We should find out what kind of flower it is. Maybe this will tell us who is behind this or who their next target is."

Ariana waits for T'sal to look the flower up on the holonet. Ariana tries to help her by describing the distinguishing features of the flower.

((Check: 17 = 10 Force Level + 7 Reason -- Describing the features of the flower to aid T'sal in her search.))

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: Checks: approved))

Finding out what kind of flower it was on the holonet was fairly easy. T'sal quickly found out it was a naturally occurring flower, not a patented artificially created one. This was a good thing as it meant information on the flower would be easily available.

The flower was called 'Song of Death', native to the Excaria System. It was known for its beauty and for the fact its roots secreted a substance that was deadly to most other plants. The result was that other flowers in the same piece of soil would die, this was where the flowers name came from. The substance it secreted was harmless to people, no matter their species. There was some folklore about the flower that said the flower was a bad omen. Stories of failed crops and people going insane to protect the flowers beauty. Most weren't very credible.

The other flowers in the flowerbed were an assortment of flowers from all over the Union.

As Tera examined the flowerbed she noticed a few plant particles that were very similar to the particles she found in the victims wounds.

[Tera Inogo]

"Mmm, there's some particles here that seem to match the plant particles on the victims we already found."

"Maybe the killer was here first, or he even killed those people here and moved their bodies to where we found them?"

She turned her attention to one of the security officers: "Can you get an investigative unit over here? We need to carefully document and classifiy any trace evidence."

[Ariana Danacia]

"Interesting. Unfortunately this does not help us with motive or a next step to turn our investigation towards.

I am afraid that I am out of ideas for the moment..."

Ariana waited and hoped for one of the others to come up with a clue for their next move.

[T'Sal]

"The flower is native in the Excaria system. It's roots secreted a substance that is deadly to most other plants, but not harmful against people. It is considered a bad omen according to folk lore.

Maybe this is the answer to the question: what will happen in the galaxy?
One killing the rest around it."

T'sal waits and let it sink.

"The next question is: at what scale will 'it' happen? Is the killer nearby somewhere in the next street or further, maybe even moving to other planets?"

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: First of all, sorry for the long wait. I was busy with school and christmas which left me a little to tired to post here. Second, I would like to clearly state that this mission is pre Union-Slave Rebellion war, just to avoid confusion.))

"There are a lot of embassies in this district, so it's very well monitored." One of the police officers started. "It's unlikely someone managed to murder anyone without being noticed, much less several people. I doubt this is the crime-scene. But I'll call in the forensic team."

As the officer turned around to make the call, his colleague looked at the flowerbed thoughtfully.

"You could always go and ask around with the Unity Beautification Bureau. They are responsible for maintaining these flowerbeds. Perhaps one of their employees saw something." He suggested.

[T'Sal]

"That is a good idea. I'll give the Unity Beautification Bureau a call and ask them, about this particular flowerbed and if they have seen something."

With that T'sal walks a bit away so she can contact the Unity Beautification Bureau to get some inquiries.

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: I can't continue if only one person posts.))

[Ariana Danacia]

((OOC: I am out of ideas and don't mind you responding to T'sal))

[Tera Inogo]

((OOC: There's very little I can do here, but wait. The investigative unit isn't here yet, and you can't really call someone with two people at the same time — or at least, if T'Sal says that she'll call, then Tera has to wait at least until she contacted them and put them on speaker...))

Tera waits until T'Sal has something, or until the investigative unit arrives.

[Dragonmaster352]

T'sal was answered by a secretary. After she greeted and identified herself to the secretary, the secretary became nervous. She stuttered and rambled for a bit, but she didn't seem like she was trying to hide something. In all likeliness she was just nervous talking to a Jedi Knight. As the secretary's nerves had caused her to forget her function, T'sal kindly asked if she could speak to the manager. She was promptly (if a little clumsily) connected to the manager.

The manager was much more composed then his secretary, though he was surprised about being called by a Jedi. He told T'sal the employee responsible for that area had just arrived at their office, which was located near the Senate Building, and that the Jedi were welcome to come and talk to him, if they wanted to.

The Senate Building was fairly close from their current location. The forensic team hadn't arrived yet, but the two officers could hold the scene if the Jedi wanted to go to the UBBs office.

[Tera Inogo]

After T'Sal placed the call, Tera follows T'Sal to wherever she is going.

[Ariana Danacia]

Ariana followed the others, since there was not much left to do at this location.

[T'Sal]

T'sal asks the manager if the employee could wait so they could have a talk with him/her.

Together with the others T'sal takes the car to the office of the Unity Beautification Bureau.

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: Sorry for the late post. Happened because reasons.))

Arriving at the office, which happened to be quite close to the Senate Building main entrance, the three Jedi entered the building. At the front desk sat a young woman. Her hair was tied into a bun and she wore glasses. Working at her terminal, she looked up as the trio approached. Seeing the lightsabers hanging from their belts, she stiffened momentarily. She regained her composure almost instantly and greeted them with a smile.

"Welcome to the Unity Beautification Bureau, I take it you are the Jedi that called earlier?" She said. T'sal recognised her voice as the secretary she had spoken with, the nervous tone was hard to miss.

After their confirmation the secretary got up and got out from behind the desk. "I will take you to the manager. This way please." She told them as she headed for a door to the left of the small lobby. Just as she had passed the Jedi, she tripped.

She didn't just trip, she in such a way that would normally only be seen done by specific characters in fiction. She tripped over absolutely nothing. Letting out a small yelp as she fell, one that would make people doubt if it was either comical or cute. She fell flat on her face with her arms stretched above her head, a foot still sticking out into the air.

[Tera Inogo]

Tera, not exactly sure what the secretary's problem is, helps her get up.

"Are you all right miss?", she asks.

[Ariana Danacia]

Ariana had several thoughts running through her mind. Did she miss something? Was the girl ill or did she have a special medical condition? Was this a distraction? Did she have something to hide? Again she thought, what did she miss?

She whispered. "What did we miss?"

Although Ariana was still considering her options her instinct and training immediatly kicked in. Ariana reached down and checked the vital signs of the girl. After reading her vital signs she decided to unpack her med-kit that was still in her bag.

((Check: 19 = 10 Force Level + 7 Reason + 2 First Aid -- Checking the vital signs of the girl and deciding how to continue from a first aid perspective.))

[T'Sal]

While Teru and Ariana where checking on the secretary T'sal takes a look around. Are there other people who seems to be acting strange?

((Check: 13 = 9 Force Level + 3 Vision + 1 Stealth -- Carefully taking a look around if others are acting strange))

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: checks: approved))

After Tera asked if she was alright the secretary lifted her head. Tera could see tears gather at the corners of the secretaries eyes, her face red from embarrassment. It might all just be an act, but she could also just be clumsy. She sat up and looked at the three Jedi for a moment.

From what Ariana could tell there was absolutely nothing physically wrong with the secretary.

Unfortunately there wasn't anyone else to in the lobby, at this time most employees would probably be hard at work.

"I... I'm sorry." The secretary said in a small voice. "I'm just nervous because I got to meet real Jedi. I've idolised Jedi since I was a little girl and now I'm making a complete fool out of myself. I'm so embarrassed. Now you probably think I'm a bother, because I am such a cluts and now I'm keeping you from whatever important reason you came here. But please, please, don't hate me. Jedi are just so cool and awesome. I couldn't bare it if you hated me. I'll do anything, just don't hate me."

As she rambled she looked at the trio with pleading eyes.

[Tera Inogo]

Tera looks at the secretary with some uncertainty. She wasn't sure what was up with her, but the girl did seem to have an unfortunate fixation on Jedi. In Tera's opinion Jedi weren't all that cool or awesome, as she has discovered that many seem to have their own demons to battle just like she did.

After Ariana finished her check-up, Tera helped the secretary up onto her feet. She used her sleeve to dry the tears from the secretary's face. "Don't worry about it. We won't think anything less of you for being a bit overwhelmed. I'm Tera Inogo, by the way. What's your name?"

She paid close attention to the secretary's expression as she helped her and spoke with her, hoping to determine what her actual deal was.

((Check: 8 = 4 Force Level + 4 Intuition -- read the secretary's "actual deal"))


((OOC: So, since you are really laying the "it might be an act" on very thickly, I'm kinda feeling I should make a check for that to keep the story going. But... We don't usually do social checks. So I went with a bare Intuition check, on the idea that a Jedi like Tera probably picks up way more cues than a) you could describe in a post and b) than her consciouss mind processes. Since literally no skill appies because we do not have social checks, I took the full Force Level instead of the Untrained Force level))

[T'Sal]

Things were getting awkward.

"We will not hate you for that. You do not need to be nervous.

Let's get going." said T'sal with a smile.

Hopefully, the secretary would feel more at ease so they could continue with their investigation.

[Tera Inogo]

((OOC: Might it be an idea to find a suitable end-point for this mission? The ST has been inactive for about a month, and while I think there are good reasons for that inactivity, I suggest not leaving an open mission lying about.

Then again, I am not sure how far along in the mission we are; we might be nearing the finale.))

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: I will post somewhere this weekend.))

[Dragonmaster352]

((OOC: Check: approved))

The secretary looked at Tera with an admiring look. News and media outlets often depicted a slightly distorted picture of the Jedi, the holo-movies usually depicted Jedi more as superheroes then actual people, with all the flaws that came with that. Because of this it wasn't too uncommon to find Jedi fans. Tera, who had seen the Jedi Order from the inside, was likely to have a more disillusioned view then an outsider.

All in all, Tera couldn't see any sign suggesting the secretary was anything less then honest.

At this point the door they had been heading towards opened and a middle-aged man stepped out. The man started asking the secretary if the Jedi had already arrived, but stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Ariana, T'sal and Tera. The man introduced himself as the manager and asked the three Jedi to follow him. After telling the secretary she could go back to her duties he led the Jedi through the door he came from. Going past a few dozen cubicles until the came to a door to a small office. The name on the office read: "Thomas Thomas".

The manager knocked on the door and called out the Jedi had arrived to whoever was inside. After a few moments no reply had come.

[T'Sal]

It is strange that nobody answers after the knock. T'sal waits for the manager to open the door.
In the meantime she tries to feel what there is in the room on the other side using the Force.

((Check: 13 = 9 Force Level + 4 Energy -- Using the Force to feel if there is someone on the other side in the room.))

((OOC: Not sure if I got right Attribute for this.))