It Wasn't Me, I Swear

It Wasn't Me, I Swear
Date of Scene:	21 July 2024
Location:
Synopsis:	Genn Theos reveals his involvement in the Clawdite's death.
Cast of Characters:	159, Pike Windu, Cayde Alexis, Navi, Heydan Seegil

---

Athena (159) has posed:
It's a day like any other at the Temple, with various Jedi coming and going about their business. In the wake of the vehicular homicide attempt on Sanzo Laa that had resulted in putting Senator Burkenn under scrutiny, now, more than ever, recents events needed investigation.

And the easiest avenue of further examination the group of Jedi involved in was simply to look more deeply into the case of the Clawdite who had committed suicide on Temple grounds. The man the Clawdite had impersonated had been drugged and fast asleep during the entire endeavor, but naturally, that employee had a supervisor, who more than likely knew more than the man...

So the group might find themselves outside of the office of the maintenance technician supervisor.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Master Pike Windu stands by, glancing around. To no one in particular, he muses, "I do not believe I have been in this part of the Temple before. Hmm."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde had finished his usual study and training routines for the day, and remembers that Clawdite who had killed himself earlier. Ann had been studying the roster to see who was in charge of that team, and so he'd headed to the supervisor's office. First he checks if the man is in, or anywhere nearby, reaching out into the Force in search of his mental presence.

Athena (159) has posed:
The supervisor is indeed in his office, doing busywork. He looks up when Pike appears near his office, and stopping his work, brows furrowed, he says, "Ah, master," he addresses the elder Jedi. "Is there an issue you'd like to address?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    "Greetings, sir. Padawan Alexis has some questions for you."

     Pike bows and steps aside.

Navi has posed:
"I've been here, Master. But it's been a long, long time since then," Navi adds, blushing slightly. The Sephi cultist is making up the tail of the group, and looking around like some Moira-just-off-a-starliner tourist. She's almost startled when they finally reach the office.

"Wait... Master, you're letting Padawan Alexis ask the questions?" she asks. Just when she thought she'd been surprised enough for the day, too...

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    However, Cayde doesn't respond immediately, as he's busied himself searching the supervisor's mind for what he might remember about that day when the Clawdite had drugged and then tried to impersonate an employee. Was he aware of what happened? Had he seen any Clawdites himself?

Athena (159) has posed:
The supervisor doesn't remember anything terribly erratic about that one particular employee that day. He'd clocked in as usual, left for an hour for a lunch and shift break, then had re-reported in at night when that strange problem with the fountain had occurred.

What was erratic about that day, however, was the sudden breaking of the fountain near the gardens. It had been recently installed, and the fact that it had malfunctioned so quickly had seemed strange to him. The other strange thing the supervisor had noticed that day was that he'd seen that supposed documentarian, Genn Theos, poking around back entrances to the Temple in the evening, after dinner.

His brows furrow when Cayde makes no response to anyone. "Has some questions for me, or is going to take the answers without permission?" he says, folding his arms. Cayde will then become acutely aware that the man is cognizant of his probing.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu abruptly looks at Cayde and frowns...deeply. The Master shakes his head and sighs in disappointment. Turning to the supervisor, "my sincere apologies, the Orders sincere apologies. I thought Cayde might have learned restraint. Apparently not. That i mistake."

Navi has posed:
Navi blushes faintly and gently nudges Cayde's shoulder. "Cayde? Can you stop that, please? The gentleman is quite aware you're poking around in his mind, so it would probably be best to stop," she advises gently.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns, remembering that Genn Theos had seemed rather disingenuous. Perhaps he'd broken the fountain. But it still wasn't clear what the Clawdite had been trying to do. Kill someone? But who? It was also odd that no one else had foreseen it, even with the some of the elder Jedi's mastery of the Force.

    Then Navi is nudging him, and he blinks, turning to her. When did she get here?

    ...Was Genn Theos still here?

Athena (159) has posed:
"Eh," the supervisor says, "it's alright, I've seen him around before, I don't mind and don't have anything to hide, would just like to be warned when I'm about to be part of a training exercise," he says, standing and shaking Cayde's shoulder slightly to make sure he's fully back in reality, "eh, boy?"

"His master must have got caught up in other affairs, I assume."

"Now, do you have actual questions about what you saw, or is this failed exercise in restraint over?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu nods at the supervisor, thankful for the being's discretion. Looking at Navi, "any questions?"

Navi has posed:
"Well, there's one... a while back, we caught a Clawdite, a shapeshifting species that can look like anyone, impersonating a maintenance tech. It was on the night that the fountain broke down. I believe the actual maintenance man was in his room asleep and drugged into staying that way," Navi replies, a bit worriedly. "We were wondering if you'd noticed anything unusual around that time, or since. There was some concern that more Clawdites might be about."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde looks toward the maintenance supervisor when the man shakes him, nodding vaguely but still not saying anything.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Well, yes," the supervisor says, "I'm aware. If you were wondering, that employee is doing just fine now. He thinks someone slipped something into his water pouch while he was on his lunch break. He was in the cafeteria when that happened, so it had to have been someone who was there around lunchtime the day prior, or one of the droids in the kitchen were re-programmed. I've had my technicians check them, however, and we found no evidence of slicing," he continues, "so it had to have been a bystander. I suppose you could try asking your fellow Jedi, but that seems unlikely."

"Have you tried talking to that documentarian, Genn Theos? He abruptly vanished from the Temple grounds after that incident. And I'm sure you as well many other Jedi in and around the temple are aware he had a habit of being in places he technically shouldn't have been. I do have the location of his personal office on hand, if you'd like it." He produces a datacard with an address on it.

Navi has posed:
"Very much! Thank you, Sir," Navi replies enthusiastically, accepting the card. "I've met the man, and he's always seemed most unsavoury, at best."

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu smiles at Navi's efforts and glances at Cayde. He says to the supervisor, "Sir, your assistance on this matter is most helpful. I will see that you are well rewarded."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Oh, and one more thing," the supervisor adds. "the last time I spoke with him, he actually seemed to be in a rush to... leave. And he didn't exactly say why, or in so many words that he was leaving the planet, but that is the impression I got from him," he says. "So if you're going to try to track him down, I'd hurry."

"Of course," he says cordially to Windu. "I want justice, and answers, just as much as the next person. Good luck, you'll need it."

They'll discover that the address on the card isn't actually very far from the Temple - a good fifteen to twenty minute walk away.

Pike Windu has posed:
    "This isn't too far. We may catch up to this conspirator. Let's hurry, while I alert Planetary Control to hold all takeoffs from this sector."

    Windu sprints away as he activates his comlink.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde glances at the address on the datacard as the man hands it to Navi. Oh, that wasn't too far from here. He turns and immediately starts heading out of the Temple toward the specified office, following Master Pike.

Athena (159) has posed:
When the two of them arrive, they'll find they're just in time - Genn Theos is outside his office, moving several boxes onto a hovercart. Looks like the supervisor hadn't been kidding when he'd said that Theos had seemed in a rush to leave.

But when the curly haired human spots Pike and Cayde heading for him, he drops the box he's carrying and starts sprinting in the opposing direction!

Pike Windu has posed:
    "Not so fast!" Accelerating to close the distance, Windu reaches out and grab's the being's jacket.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde leaps up onto a second floor balcony right above the man and tries to jump down in front of him to cut him off.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Wha--!" Genn cries out when Pike catches up to him and manages to grabs the hem of his jacket. He's momentarily jerked back.

He tries to wiggle out of the jacket in order to escape, but then Cayde leaps up onto a roof, and then back down again in front of him.

"Look, I didn't do anything, I swear! Vlaven put me up to helping him, but I swear on light that I had no direct hand in anything."

Pike Windu has posed:
    Jacket in both hands now, Windu pulls Genn so that they are face-to-face. "You're going to tell me everything, the truth. If you don't, my colleague here will KNOW. And he'll get it from you anyway."

Navi has posed:
Navi catches up to her friends just in time to see Genn captured by Pike and Cayde. "You sure have a habit of being places you're not supposed to, Mister Reporter," she observes sardonically. "But for once you're actually /not/. Doesn't change things. You were helping Vlaven, and now you're going to tell us why."

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil happens to nearby completely disguised as a Bith and lost in the billions on the planet. Playing a soft tune he makes sure to add in a sour note every once and again. He is just here trying to build up an appearance to make his false identity appear more real while investigating those after him. Just as he is coming to the end of a song the person who warned him to leave Coruscant come running down the street chased shortly being by Cayde who grabs at their coat. Realizing this is not the best place for him to be with not just one but two of the people who might be able to see through his ruse are nearby. There is nothing he can do so he just attempts to play it cool and look shocked as the two wrestle in the chase.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    As Pike manhandles Genn, Cayde just stays where he is, watching the reporter intensely. There is not much to add to what the Master Jedi has already said. Either he willingly tells the truth, or the padawan will extract it from him against his wishes. Surely, the first one is much easier.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Okay, okay!" Genn grumbles, knocking Windu's hands away. "I get it, I don't need you to tell me about how Jedi can read and erase minds. I -know-." He gives Cayde an uneasy look, and Cayde won't really need the Force to sense that he's afraid of Cayde, and for his own life.

"Listen, I didn't know, okay? Vlaven gave me a few extra credits and asked me to leave a door, or window open for a contact of his. He didn't say who it was, or why, even though I asked him about it multiple times."

"I broke the fountain, okay? We needed an excuse for the Clawdite come in and work the night shift, because those technicians don't usually work night shifts. And then all of sudden, the guy is dead, and I have no idea why, or what I even let him in for."

Pike Windu has posed:
    The Jedi Master has a flash of insight. Scowling, he grab's Genn's jacket again.

    "I don't like what you said. One more time or he plays jigsaw with your mind."

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil continues to stand close enough to overhear what is being said but not close enough to be all to noticeable or involved. It was common for tourist to gawk on Coruscant and on occasion even the natives, especially when there was a lightsaber on someone's belt. With the music he was playing stopped an alien bystander next to him asks what is going on to which he shrugs and replies in Bith that he doesn't really know.

Navi has posed:
Navi watches the rather un-Jedi-like interrogation with interest. "Remind me never to make you mad at me, Master," she observes, just a bit impishly. "My mind is quite jumbled enough."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde shakes his head slowly as the man tells a half-truth.

    <That's not the full truth...and you know it>

    If Genn wasn't already aware, he'll now be quite aware that the young Jedi is already in his head, and will know immediately should he lie or fail to tell the full truth yet again.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Ah! Shit--ow!" Genn grunts when Pike grabs him. "Okay!" he yells.

"Listen, I don't have anything personal against Seegil, nor does Vlaven. He was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Vlaven wanted to sabotage the gala, and Seegil happened to be a convenient target. And then he started blabbing, and refused to take his bribe, and that made everything worse. He said he just wanted to 'clean up neatly and quickly.' But then that damned musician ended up not even going there, so I have no idea how the cards are going to land now. But he doesn't like loose ends."

He squirms in Pike's grasp, glancing desperately at Navi or anyone for help, as he's very discomfited by Cayde's psychic intrusion. "It's not like Vlaven told me any of this. We used to be good friends, he and I. But lately he's been hiding a lot of druk, and I didn't want get in deep without knowing what the kriff was going on. So I spied. He doesn't know, but if he finds I squealed, I'm dead meat."

"Look, best of luck trying to prove him guilty. He somehow managed to even get the doctor to falsify a toxicology report. And I'm certain he's embezzled money here and there from varying people and places, but you're not going to find that flimsi trail unless you have a really excellent slicer."

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu releases Genn and looks at Cayde for confirmation. "Well?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde nods, although he doesn't withdraw immediately, as he is searching for anything else that the man might have intentionally or unintentionally left out...

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil is a good deal of distance away but due to his impeccable, maybe inherent Force augmented, hearing he is able to perfectly pick up what is being said. Quietly making mental note of everything he is overhearing, but aware of Cayde's psionic abilities having seen him do this on several occasions he goes through the extra length to encrypt his own thoughts into Bith.

Athena (159) has posed:
"That's all I got," Genn says, starting to step away from them. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm getting out of here before Vlaven guts me, like he meant to do to Seegil."

He turns to run off, but as he's retreating, Cayde will be able to glean that the original reason why he'd been so nosy at the Temple was because Vlaven had paid him a few extra credits on Gianka's behalf to snoop. And Gianka had some secretive agenda to find out about her family members, because her mother had a wasting disease and needed a matching donor. Originally, it'd not been so secret. But then, something terrible had happened - Theos isn't sure of the details, but after that, Gianka had done her damnedest to keep her investigation into her mother's side of the family secret...

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu makes no effort to stop Genn. Turning, he waves Cayde and Navi to join him in consultation. "What's our next move?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns, remembering seeing a picture of a woman who definitely resembled his mother on Gianka's desk earlier. But why would that have to be so secret? Surely, there's nothing wrong with needing a donor for a loved one?

    He doesn't respond to Pike's summons and question immediately, immersed in these additional findings...

Navi has posed:
"The Jedi could protect you, you know," Navi adds toward Genn. "And your testimony could put Vlaven away where he couldn't harm anyone ever again. Including you. Does that mean nothing to you?"

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil decides to let Glenn go their way. There was nothing more to be gained from Glenn and now he at least knew where to look and what he was going to need to do. Once he has the information then he can quietly drop it in someone else's lap, maybe even Cayde's. It was best not to get directly involved right now. It would only put him back into danger and so far as it sounded from their discussion they don't think he is on Coruscant anymore which was good. No it is best just to keep listening in and learn how deep this rabbit hole goes before he pulls an all nighter.

Athena (159) has posed:
Genn turns back, only to throw an obscene gesture in Navi's general direction. "I'll take care of myself!" he sneers.

And then he disappears into the crowd, passing the disguised Seegil as he makes his way to the spaceport, his CAM droid in tow.

Navi has posed:
"Jerk," Navi murmurs, shaking her head. "You can lead a fool to wisdom, but you can't make him /think/."