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This investigation was quickly turning into more than I could handle. There were too many possibles & not enough definites-a possible kidnapping by the Hutts, a possible kidnapping by the Banking Clan, & the possibility of the warehouse attacker being a clone trooper, or at least impersonating one. As if that wasn't bad enough, none of the girls had been positively identified as Ahsoka, & my main suspect, Captain Rex, was still roaming free somewhere. As much as I hated to admit it, I was out of leads. Rex's new girlfriend, a volunteer pilot named Streena Kolore, was the best chance I had of getting any info.

"Hello, Streena." I said as a young woman in an orange flying jumpsuit approached. "Dispense with the pleasantries, Bane," she snapped, "I know this is about Ahsoka's abduction, so speak your part & get the hell out of here." Cocking an eyebrow curiously, I replied, "The official story is still that Ahsoka disappeared after landing on Muunilist. Why do you say it was a kidnapping?" "Well, I...I just assumed..." she stammered. "Streena, if you know something, you have to tell me."

Sighing deeply, Streena blinked away a lone, thin tear & whispered, "It's Rex. He's the one making me think Commander Tano was abducted. When news first came that she had disappeared, everything seemed normal, so I didn't think anything of it. Ever since you arrived, however, he's been very irritable & agitated about something, to the point of violence at times. He was so angry last night that I stayed with Korba." "Korba Rialo? The Republic's man inside the Banking Clan?" "Y-yes...That's him..."she sniffled. "Streena, I'm going to go talk to Korba, but I need you to tell me if you see Rex." 'He's a good man, Cad. He would never do anything like this." "For his sake...I hope you're right." I growled.

While Rex remained my main suspect, Korba also seemed to fit the profile of the kidnapper. His high-secrecy job had caused him to become quite suspicious of just about everyone, which made him the basic textbook loner-no living relatives, few friends. On the other hand, he's quite loyal to the Republic, & with good reason-before becoming their undercover agent inside the Banking Clan, he had done time for armed robbery & had a bounty on his head for the attempted murder of Zorba the Hutt. The Republic had faked his death to ward off Zorba's wrath in exchange for his full cooperation. Even if he wasn't my man, he may still know something that could help me.

"Cad Bane! Been a while since I've seen your ugly mug!" Korba Rialo exclaimed heartily. "It hasn't been long enough, Korba. You're looking pretty haggard yourself." I joked. "Heh...Can I get you something to drink?" "Sorry, but this isn't a social call." I replied. "Hoo boy...This is about Ahsoka, isn't it?" Nodding, I said, "You're going to tell me everything you've heard inside the Banking Clan about her disappearance. And I better like what you have to say." Glancing around nervously, Korba whispered, "Listen, Cad...I'm sorry about Ahsoka. I really am. But I've got both a criminal record & a bounty on my head, & that fake obituary is the only thing protecting me. If the Republic discovers there's a leak, and they can trace it back to me...I'm as good as dead. Understand?"

This was getting me nowhere. I was going to have to do something drastic to get anything useful out of him.

In a flash, my blaster was out of its holster & Korba dropped to the ground, screaming & clutching the fresh wound in his leg. "Aah!!! Damn, Bane!!!" he shouted. "You...You shot me! You frikkin' shot me!!!" "Relax, it's a flesh wound," I snarled, "But you'l be lucky if that's all you leave with. Now, what have you heard?" "Not much," he gasped, "But I have been hearing that someone in the Republic is involved. And not some low-level pencil-pusher, either. That's all I know, man! I swear!" "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" I asked, holstering my pistol & helping him into a sitting position. "Sit tight. I'll call a medical center & get you patched up."

Stepping into a nearby alley, I activated my comlink & said, "Plo, it's Cad." "Bane, what the hell are you doing?!" the response came. "What? What are you talking about!" "An anonymous tip came in that you had shot & killed Korba Rialo!" Plo shouted. "What?! That's ridiculous! I..." A volley of blaster fire from the adjoining street rang out & interrupted me. "Plo, I'm gonna have to call you back..." I said quickly, shutting off the comlink & rushing around the corner. Laying in a pool of his own blood was Korba Rialo, his chest a steaming mess of gunshot wounds. Laying next to him, tossed on the concrete...My second blaster pistol, the one taken by the attacker from the warehouse. Picking it up, I strained to read the messy scrawl on the wooden handle: 'Try explaining this.'

"There he is! Blast him!" a clone shouted from behind me. Darting into the alley, I weaved through the tight walkways until I finally found the one housing my swoop bike. Hopping onto the vehicle, I sped away down the busy main street, leaving the frustrated shouting of the Republic soldiers & the barrages of blaster fire behind me.