Star Wars: Secrets of the Jedi (AU)

Chapter Twenty

Jedi Knight Garen Muln and three Coruscant Security officers were looking around Chancellor Palpatine's private office in the Senate Building.

"Knight Muln, come look at this," one of the officers called out.

Garen walked over and took a piece of cloth that one of the officers handed him. "Where did you find this?"

The officer pointed to a corner of the overturned desk. "We ran it through the scanner and we found chemical traces on it. Most of them are industrial chemicals. Whoever was wearing that probably lives in the Works. It's full of smugglers, squatters, death stick runners, spice dealers; not a nice place, Knight Muln."

Garen nodded and tucked the cloth into his robe. "Well, it's a lead."

The officers nodded. "Our first one, really. Whoever this person is, he or she is very good."

Garen smiled. "But not perfect. Come look at this."

He led them over to the doors to the office and pointed to the activation panel outside the office. "See?"

They looked closely, but saw nothing.

Garen pointed. "Right there, it's a...well, for lack of a better word, it's a fingerprint. Only, no organic finger left this behind."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a scratch mark," he explained. "I wasn't surprised when you said that piece of cloth contained traces of industrial chemicals. This scratch mark does as well."

Garen spent a little more time in the office before leaving and contacting the Temple with an update.

"I'll be heading out to the Works, Master Windu," Garen said. "I have a feeling whoever I'm looking for won't be hard to find."

"You're thinking that it's Grievous, the droid we've heard about?" Mace questioned.

"Yes, Master, I do," Garen answered.

"Alright, keep us abreast of the situation, and if possible, take a few of the security officers with you."

"Understood, Master."

Garen rounded up several security officers and they set off for the Works section of the city-planet.

/

After spending the night in a forest that sat between the capitol city and the mountains, Obi-Wan and Anakin were nearly to their destination; the base of the highest peak in the long mountain ranges.

As they climbed out of the speeder, Obi-Wan's eyes scanned the mountain range while he stretched out with the Force.

"Can you sense anything, Anakin?" he asked after a moment.

The young man closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. Nearly fifteen minutes went by before Anakin's eyes opened again.

A frown and a shake of his head gave Obi-Wan his answer.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to start climbing then," he decided. "If Dooku is hiding in these mountains, the closer we get the easier it'll be to sense him."

They worked quickly, shedding their bulky cloaks and getting suited up in the climbing gear they had purchased in Salis D'aar.

"Alright, we're going to climb in a moderate but steady pace," Obi-Wan instructed his apprentice. "You're going up first. Since you're the inexperienced climber, I want you above me."

Anakin nodded. "Understood."

Obi-Wan was amazed of late how mature Anakin had become, especially in tense situations. When Obi-Wan least expected it, Anakin obeyed without question. So, without a word, Anakin hooked up to the rope and began climbing, anchoring them to the mountain every few feet.