A Death on Utapau

## **TRANSCRIPT : Story will come soon.**

Master Kenobi.

Inspector June. We came as soon as we received your message. Thank you for the opportunity to properly retrieve the body.

Out of respect it had to be done. I'm sure you'll handle it in a professional and timely manner.

How did she die?

Our chief coroner has yet to determine the cause of death. What was she doing on Utapau, if I may ask?

I'm afraid that's a mystery to us as well. Perhaps if we can see the body?

Yes, yes. I can assume you'll use discretion in this matter?

Of course.

Jedi presence here is often seen as a, harbinger of things to come.

Master Tu-Anh.

She was the first Jedi to visit Utapau in many years. This is precisely the way we found her; no obvious external wounds.

I'm picking up unusual neurological activity.

Can you be more specific?

It's as if her mind was left, unsettled.

She never reported her whereabouts to the Jedi on Coruscant?

No, I'm afraid Tu-Anh was something of a maverick, much like my own master Qui-Gon Jinn. She would disappear for long periods, conducting rogue investigations, her activities often unknown to even the Council.

If there was something here worth a Jedi's attention, I should like to know what it was.

You and I both inspector. You and I both.

According to the police report Master Anh's body was found here.

Maybe she fell.

If she fell there would have been traumatic injury to the body; cranial damage and bruising. There was none.

What about the scrapes on her knees and elbows?

Yes, that was peculiar. She may have died in this spot, but it doesn't mean this is where she was attacked.

You think those marks are from crawling?

Exactly. This surface is quite rough, so if she's facing this way-

It means she came from there.

Anakin look. My guess is she was watching someone in that building and they spotted her. Can you see in those offices?

They're empty, all of them. Wait a second.

What is it?

The tiniest hole in one of the windows.

As if made by a laser?

How'd you know?

The neurological damage you sensed back at the morgue. What if Tu-Anh was hit in the optic nerve by a precision laser dart? It explains a sudden death with no visible wounds.

The electromagnetic pulse would've created a massive seizure.

Causing her to crawl.

Over there before she died.

Now all we have to do is find out who, or what she saw in that window.

That's quite a shot, even with a precision laser dart.

Which means whoever was in this room had to have the sophistication to use it.

That or it was a droid.

Yes it- do you mind?

I sense our fellow Jedi stumbled onto a rather formidable gathering.

A plot of some kind?

Yes. Anakin look at this.

Whatever it is it's recent.

Some sort of residue perhaps: don't touch it.

Uh, too late, I touched it.

Let's get a sample.

Ugh, look at this stuff.

You there.

Wha- me?

Who was in this room when the Jedi was killed?

I told you, I know nothing about any meeting!

Who said anything about a meeting?

Listen you flapping sack!

Anakin!

Stop it!

I know toydarians. Nothing goes on under their watch without them knowing. Now start talking!

Hey- ey ey- I- I tell you the truth! I swear on my Grandma Venta!

Okay okay! All I know is two or three days ago a droid gives me twenty drogas to leave the building open, and tells me not to ask any questions.

A droid? What kind of droid?

Eh, droid, uh, a big scary one with low voice and red eyes.

Red eyes? Could be a magnaguard.

There are hundreds of droids with red eyes.

But there aren't many droids who can kill Jedi.

We have the results of your residue. It's slime-

Well I could've told you that.

From the skin of the amani.

Amani? That's unusual for Pau City isn't it?

Some are out in the plains but yes, most live deep underground. I must warn you, the amani can be very dangerous.

They're also primitive. Too primitive to have precision laser darts.

That only supports our magnaguard theory. Inspector, we're far from understanding what's going on here, but any collaboration between Grievous and the amani is an unsettling one, for this planet, or any other.

I don't disagree with you, but, before you proceed any further the governor would like to see you in his office, at once.

The governor?

What does the governor want with us?

I believe he wants you to leave.

The death of a Jedi has upset the people here on Utapau.

It's disturbed us as well Your Honor, I assure you.

I'm sensitive to your desire to find answers, but my responsibilities are to my constituents. The presence of two Jedi poking around, strong-arming citizens-

We didn't strong-arm anyone.

Anakin.

I'd like to strong-arm you.

Governor, the latest development in this case has made it even more imperative that we stay.

Oh really? And what development is that?

The possible involvement of the Separatists.

There's no Separatist presence on Utapau.

Not at the moment.

We have evidence that General Grievous may be involved with whatever is going on here.

And what would he be doing here?

That's what we're trying to find out. Utapau has long been a target of the Separatists. Dooku and Grievous haven't been able to make inroads with the pau'ans or the utai but if they can enlist the amani to revolt from within, that could cause dangerous civil unrest.

Thank you, but I can manage the internal affairs here.

You don't want our help?

No, I want you to leave. I thought I made that clear. And take the deceased Jedi with you. That will be all.

Where does he get off ordering us around?

He clearly doesn't understand our resolve. Just remember Anakin, we're still guests on his planet.

Just so I'm clear, why do you think Master Anh was investigating the amani?

It appears she was on the trail of General Grievous or one of his magnaguards, tracked them here to Utapau and stumbled onto a highly secretive meeting.

A plot to form an alliance.

Yes, which is why we're going to the lower levels to try and contact the local amani's and see what they know.

Still doesn't explain the governor's reluctance to help us. Maybe he knows something we don't.

Something or someone.

Be careful Anakin. The amani were once fierce headhunters so don't anger them.

Got it.

And definitely no strong-arming.

Ha ha, very funny.

We mean no harm. We're here to investigate a murder in Pau City.

There are reports of a union between several amani and droids from the Separatist army.

Uh oh.

Easy.

I'm sorry to have upset you but your help is much appreciated.

What did he say?

He said several members of his tribe recently saw an amani outcast from the plains prowling around with what appeared to be two droids. And that the guards themselves were last seen holed up in a cave not far from here.

Did he tell you where?

Where do you think we're going?

Smells perfectly safe.

Well that wouldn't bother the droids now would it?

Well it's bothering me.

Just as we thought. Magnaguards.

Well that confirms Grievous. What's our next move?

We'll need to capture one of them so we can download information. So don't go chopping off their heads all at once.

Oh my.

Get our ride up here!

Good. They're going to the surface!

Anakin, now!

Thanks friend.

Anakin, we need them still functioning!

We only need one. Make it yours!

I don't know where mine is.

Keep it intact he says! Always doing it the hard way!

I'm done with this. Oops, I broke it!

Anakin we need to question him!

So question him before I dismantle him!

Alright. Start talking!

No, no! Implementing circuit overload!

No, it's shutting down!

Did you get it?

Sugi's? They are major arms dealers. There's no known sugi presence on Utapau is there?

It appears that General Grievous is using the amani as bodyguards to facilitate a major arms deal.

An arms deal?

What can you tell me about the sugi on this planet?

Utapau is a bit of a melting pot, and because of that we attract our fair share of bandits and bounty hunters and-

And arms dealers?

There are a few.

Well inspector, it seems that these few are using your planet to make a major weapons deal with the Separatists.

And a Jedi was killed investigating it.

What's especially troubling is if Grievous is personally involved in this transaction, I assure you it's no ordinary weapon.

What do you need from us?

When we downloaded information from one of the magnaguards we captured, we found an image of this amani. Can you identify this tribe?

That is one of the plains amani.

Well then, I guess we know who we're going to visit next, don't we?

I just spoke to the Council and told them about the arms deal.

Don't tell me. Master Yoda said return home at once.

On the contrary, he told me not to let Master Anh's death go in vain.