Destruction of the Innocent (Anakin Skywalker)

~33~

The air was warm outside on my balcony. Normal for a night in June. The smell of smoke was beginning to fade finally, and busy restaurants replaced it with the smell of good food as the city grew alive below me.

My eyes fall shut with a sigh, and I hang my head in exasperation. I slam the rest of my whiskey and coke then walk back inside, the curtains flow in the breeze of the reading nook.

"Alright Onyx", I breathe out. My dark companion jumps onto the back of my chair and twitches his tail in curiosity. "This droid isn't gunna finish itself, hmm?"

I scratch his ear as I walk by and head back to the table. Setting my empty glass on the edge, I sit down where I had bits and pieces of metal and wires scattered around of a seeker droid I was supposed to take apart over the weekend then rebuild for my engineers course.

As I finish snapping the legs back into the compartments, I look around for my screwdriver and spot it on the end of the table. My hand raises and the handle snaps into my palm. I place the panel over top and fasten it in.

"Ok", I shrug. I pull my goggles down over my eyes and hesitantly lean forward to press the button on the center. It shakes to life then the red light glitches on and it hovers before me.

I relax my shoulders and scoff as I lean forward again."Alright, third times a-"

The droid begins to smoke and then explodes and sends pieces flying everywhere around the living room, making me duck under the table. Onyx scrambles by with no traction as he tries to run away as fast as possible.

"God dAMMIT!!", I yell. taking my goggles off and throwing them.

 My fingers pinch the bridge of my nose. I stand frustrated and grab my glass again, heading to the liquor cart for another when my hologram indicates an incoming transmission.

I groan, pouring myself another glass of straight liquor saunter over to my coffee table. Lazily, I click a button and cross my arms.

"This is Godfrey", I say, sipping the glass.

My Father's holographic figured takes shape in the center of my coffee table.

"I'm sorry to bother you, I know it's late", he nods.

"Don't be. I was just up working on a project", I shake my head.

"I'm afraid we have a bit of a situation I need you to handle", he continues. My eyebrows furrow to this and I step forward.

"What kind of situation?", I ask.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My speeder pulls up outside of Neon Nights, of the biggest clubs in downtown Coruscant.

"Alright, I'm here. I don't see anything out of the ordinary just yet", I say, my eyes flicking back down to the hologram in my center consul."Now what?"

"Our last report says they were seen in here a little over 15 minutes ago. Baylan was rumored to be the one calling the meeting", my Father says on the other end. The sound of regret clung to his voice and my eyebrows knit together once more.

"Baylan? But he's one of us", I shook my head.

"We thought that as well, but we can't be too sure. Trust no one, Nova. And be safe. Report back to me if you find anything out", he says.

"Over and out", I reply.

     The door of my speeder opens and I step out onto the street. My door hisses shut as I flip my hood over my head and make my way inside.