Chapter 27 : The Investigation - Part 1
[POV: Anakin Skywalker]
The CS headquarters smells like caf and frustration. Anakin hates these places—bureaucratic monuments where action dies in committee meetings and proper procedure. But Detective Varen requested Jedi presence, and when sixteen civilians die in single night, the Council takes notice.
The conference room is cramped. Too many bodies. Not enough answers. Varen stands at holographic projector, displaying footage that makes Anakin's blood run cold.
Twenty-foot military mech tearing through Black Sun defenses. Chain guns shredding cover. Missiles obliterating vehicles. The massacre is clinical. Efficient. Terrifyingly one-sided.
"Atlas-class Titan," Captain Rex identifies immediately. His voice is flat—the tone he uses when combat analysis overrides emotional reaction. "Frontier Wars era. These were decommissioned twenty years ago. Supposed to be, anyway."
Varen nods. "Except this one appeared in Level 1313 last night, killed sixteen gang members in four minutes, then disappeared back into Red Spire territory."
"Gang members," Anakin repeats. "Not civilians."
"Technically correct." Varen pulls up additional footage. "But gang warfare doesn't usually involve military-grade mechs. We've traced weapons escalation over past month. Someone's supplying advanced equipment—blasters, shields, now this."
Rex studies tactical data with professional interest. "Weapons show consistent pattern. Off-world manufacture, multiple technology bases. Halo-pattern rifles. Mass Effect pistols. Titan mech. Whoever's supplying this has access to military arsenals from various sources."
"Who?"
"Kade Varro. Off-world merchant. Licensed importer with Commerce Guild documentation." Varen projects identification—human male, mid-twenties, unremarkable features. "Except everything about him is manufactured. The credentials are falsified, the licenses are forged, the shipping records don't match actual imports."
Anakin moves closer to the hologram. Studies the face. Nothing remarkable. No obvious threat indicators. Just another criminal hiding behind paperwork.
"But criminals don't usually cause this level of escalation."
"Where is he now?"
"Unknown. Last known address abandoned three weeks ago. Multiple false identities. Syndicate protection. He's operating through shell companies and intermediaries—every transaction is technically legal based on documentation."
"Sixteen people died last night."
"Gang members died. Fighting gang warfare. With weapons they purchased from dealer operating legal business." Varen's frustration is evident. "I need evidence for arrest warrant. Right now I have suspicions and circumstantial connections."
Anakin's hand moves to his lightsaber unconsciously. "I'll find him. Jedi authority—"
"Only applies to wartime military operations," Varen interrupts. Not hostile, just tired. "This is civilian jurisdiction. CS protocols apply. I can't arrest someone because we suspect them."
The bureaucratic walls are suffocating. Anakin wants to act—track Varro down, end this before more civilians die. But Varen's right. Without evidence, without proper procedure, any arrest gets thrown out and Varro walks free.
Rex intercepts before Anakin says something that compromises investigation. "General. Different approach. Let CS build their case through proper channels. Meanwhile, we gather our own intelligence. Find his supply chain. Identify contacts. Build complete picture."
It's the voice Rex uses when reining in aggressive tactics. Calm. Professional. Implying Anakin's instincts need tempering before they cause problems.
"We don't have time for slow investigation. Next deployment could target civilians directly."
"Unlikely," Rex counters. "Pattern suggests supplier is businessman, not terrorist. Profit-motivated. Civilians don't pay well. He'll keep selling to gangs until market exhausts."
Ahsoka enters conference room—Anakin didn't realize she was invited. His Padawan studies the holographic display with analytical focus.
"Master. The Titan deployment shows tactical sophistication. But also restraint. Mech could have leveled entire city block. Instead, targeted only gang territory. Minimal collateral damage despite overwhelming firepower."
"Sixteen dead isn't minimal."
"Sixteen gang members fighting gang warfare. Zero civilian casualties. Zero Republic casualties. This Varro is careful. Calculates risk. Avoids drawing authorities until now." She manipulates hologram, showing additional data. "If we pressure him too directly, he might panic. Panic means unpredictable behavior. Maybe he dumps inventory to highest bidder without discrimination."
The logic is sound but frustrating. Careful investigation versus immediate action. Anakin's every instinct screams to hunt Varro down, end this tonight. But Rex and Ahsoka both advising caution means the tactical situation is more complex than his anger recognizes.
"What do you recommend?"
"CS builds arrest case properly," Ahsoka says. "Meanwhile, we investigate through intelligence channels. Captain Rex can assign clones to track Varro's movements. Find his safehouse. Identify contacts. When CS is ready to move, we provide them with everything they need for clean arrest."
"And if he kills more people while we're being careful?"
"Then we respond proportionally." Rex's voice carries weight of experience. "But rushing investigation means he escapes through legal technicalities. Better slow arrest that sticks than fast arrest that fails."
Anakin hates this. Hates bureaucracy. Hates letting criminal operate while they build perfect case. But the logic is undeniable—procedural mistakes mean Varro walks free and continues operations elsewhere.
"How long?"
Varen checks his datapad. "Two weeks minimum to build solid case. Maybe less if your intelligence work identifies smoking gun."
"Two weeks is too long."
"Two weeks is what proper investigation requires." Varen doesn't back down despite facing Jedi General. "Sir, I understand your frustration. But this Varro is connected—Red Spire Syndicate definitely, possibly Republic officers based on our preliminary traces. Taking him down means exposing entire network. We do this right or we lose everything."
Rex adds quietly: "General, rushing investigations is how we lose battles we should win. Patience."
The room goes quiet. Anakin recognizes the tactical wisdom but hates accepting it. Somewhere in Coruscant's underworld, Kade Varro is preparing next sale. Next transaction. Next escalation. And they're sitting in conference room debating jurisdiction.
"But Rex is right. Ahsoka's right. Rushing gets criminals released on technicalities."
"Fine. Two weeks. But I want daily updates. Any movement, any transaction, I need to know immediately." He turns to Rex. "Assign your best intelligence operatives. Find this merchant before he escalates further."
"Yes sir."
The meeting concludes with procedural agreements. CS builds arrest warrant. Jedi gather intelligence. Republic military provides tactical support. Coordinated operation to take down arms dealer before he causes more casualties.
It should feel like progress. Should feel like justice approaching. Instead feels like delay while criminal operates freely.
Anakin leaves CS headquarters with Ahsoka and Rex. Coruscant's eternal night presses down—billions of lights hiding countless criminals in shadows between illumination.
"Master, you're troubled."
"Sixteen dead, Snips. Because some merchant decided profit matters more than lives."
"Sixteen gang members," she corrects gently. "Fighting gang warfare they chose. Varro didn't force them into criminal life."
"He enabled their violence. Made it easier. More lethal."
"True. But is he responsible for their choices?" She's playing devil's advocate—the role she adopts when challenging his thinking. "They're criminals. They'd be violent with or without his weapons. He just makes it more efficient."
"Efficiency that kills people."
"Efficiency that might end gang war faster. Fewer total casualties if one side wins decisively rather than prolonged conflict." She pauses. "I'm not defending him. Just noting that moral calculus is complex. Varro is criminal. But he's not terrorist. Not war criminal. Just businessman selling to anyone who pays."
Rex adds: "General, we've fought Separatist commanders who arm militias for political gain. This Varro is different. No ideology. No cause. Pure profit. Makes him predictable. We can use that predictability."
They're both right. Varro isn't ideological extremist—just merchant optimizing profit without concern for consequences. That makes him dangerous but also exploitable. His pattern is consistent: supply whoever pays, avoid direct violence, minimize Republic attention.
Until last night's Titan deployment forced Republic attention anyway.
"What do we know about his contacts?" Anakin asks.
Rex pulls up tactical pad. "Red Spire Syndicate is confirmed client. Possibly Black Sun before the schism. Intelligence suggests Republic procurement officers might be purchasing off-books for special operations. Some clone units report access to non-standard medical supplies—may be related."
"Clone units?"
"Unconfirmed. But several companies suddenly have quality bacta despite official shortages. Source unknown. Pattern matches Varro's operation—filling gaps official channels don't cover."
Anakin's jaw tightens. If Varro is supplying clones with medicine they can't get through proper channels, that means Republic logistics is failing badly enough that soldiers resort to black market dealers.
"Another systemic problem the Senate ignores."
But that's secondary issue. Primary concern is arms dealer escalating gang warfare with military technology.
"Find him," Anakin tells Rex. "Two weeks or two days, I don't care. Find him before he sells something worse than Titan."
"Yes sir."
Anakin walks Coruscant streets after Rex and Ahsoka leave. The upper levels are clean, safe, well-lit. Down below—where Varro operates—the galaxy is different. Dirty. Dangerous. Governed by credits and violence rather than law and order.
"Somewhere down there, merchant is counting profits from last night's massacre. Planning next sale. Calculating margins while bodies cool."
The thought bothers Anakin more than usual. Not just because of casualties—war produces casualties constantly. But because Varro represents something that troubles him: pragmatic evil. Not ideological. Not passionate. Just calculated profiteering from violence he enables but doesn't directly cause.
It reminds him of certain tactics he's used. Certain compromises made for strategic advantage. Times when pragmatism overrode idealism because winning mattered more than moral purity.
"Am I really different from this merchant? Both enabling violence for goals we consider justified."
The comparison is uncomfortable. Unwelcome. Anakin pushes it away.
Finding Varro is priority. Everything else is philosophical distraction.
But walking back to Jedi Temple through Coruscant's eternal night, Anakin can't shake feeling that merchant with unremarkable face represents something dangerous: normalcy of evil. Person who causes deaths without malice. Without ideology. Without even recognizing what he's become.
That kind of evil is harder to fight than Separatist commanders or Sith Lords. Because it doesn't think it's evil at all. Just business.
Two weeks until they have enough evidence for arrest. Two weeks that Varro has no idea storm is gathering. That Republic authority and Jedi enforcement are coordinating operation to end his business permanently.
Anakin hopes merchant enjoys his profits while they last. Because time is running out faster than criminal realizes. And when Jedi General decides you're target, procedural delays only postpone the inevitable.
The hunt has begun. Varro just doesn't know it yet.
Reviews and Power Stones keep the heat on!
Want to see what happens before the "heroes" do?
Secure your spot in the inner circle on Patreon. Skip the weekly wait and read ahead:
💵 Hustler [$7]: 15 Chapters ahead.
⚖️ Enforcer [$11]: 20 Chapters ahead.
👑 Kingpin [$16]: 25 Chapters ahead.
Periodic drops. Check on Patreon for the full release list.
👉 Join the Syndicate: patreon.com/Anti_hero_fanfic