Ask Coruscant Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

[Amarante Proulx]

The chirping of her comm startled Mara out of her awkward slumber. She had fallen asleep on the couch after an evening of wine, pizza, and a binge of the best moments from Space Love Island, and it was supposed to be her weekend off, no calls, her editor had promised. However, there he was, calling her comm and she paused, wondering if she should send it to silence, but instead she answered it. Mara rubbed her eyes with her palm, listening to him explain the situation, she knew better than to argue, and he also knew she would follow orders. Rolling off the couch, the woman quickly changed her pants and gathered her belongings. She was not worried about the rest of how she looked, the speeder ride, though short, would give her curls some flair and it was dark enough that no one would be necessarily looking at her make-up. Though a quick glance in the mirror would bring the woman an ease that she looked somewhat presentable.

The speeder ride to the crime scene from her flat was unusually quick, it was a garden commons, clearly an obscene murder in such an area spoke of white-collar crime and corruption. It would make a great piece to draw in readers, let them repeat the questions she will ask, and light the fire under the feet of the cops. Action was something Mara enjoyed seeing, but she had to get close enough to the scene. A crowd had started to gather around the area, the garden was a fairly public place that many on Coruscant visited in this area by themselves and with their families. Perhaps it were to be a warning of something more, or something greater...Mara could only hope of course.

She pulled out her holocam and started recording as soon as she arrived, trying to avoid getting trapped with the crowd, she pushed her way up front to get a clearer view of the crime scene.

@Killa Ree

 

[Vera Coulter]

Vee already felt about twenty years older, just standing here at the edge of the crime scene. She was too old for this kriff, and too tired to care properly if she looked 'presentable'. You woke up old bones at 2 am, you dealt with the string of curses from old bones at 2 am, that was the deal. So she staggered out of bed, shrugged on her blaster vest beneath her jacket, strapped on her stun blasters and drove her way from the rabbit hutch of an apartment 'assigned' to her and gunned it to the crime scene.

Kark, but she hated this planet.

By the time the vulture reporters started swarming, Vera was already there, leaning over a cloth-draped body. Even from here there was that smell. Greasy, slightly sickly-sweet, almost like barbecue. But one look at the pile of human charcoal briquette and you'd lose a few lunches for sure. As it was, she glared down her nose at the remains like they deliberately set themselves on fire to spoil her rest.

"Miss, no recordings, please," one of the perimeter officers said, arms out to discourage Mara from getting a clear shot to the body, and the Ranger leaning over it and lifting up the white sheet. But they had the misfortune to be within hearing range of the older Ranger. She slowly stood up, features calm, but hard. Dark glasses obscured her vision, but if any could see, the sharp, barely contained annoyance would be seen from the stiff set of her shoulders and jaw as she stalked towards the disturbance.

@GABA

 

[Amarante Proulx]

Mara continued the feed, remembering this time to have it transmitted to her external storage to ensure it did not get lost in any confiscation. These scenes were ones she detest, the smell is what made it the worst to be around and she preferred her white collar, politician scandals over something like this. However, her editor knew she would get what he wanted and it would be on the holonet within moments. It seemed things were rolling just fine until one of the officers told her there were no recordings. A deterrent Mara has heard many times before, but she kept recording, "It is our right under the protection of FWA law." she cited, though as her gaze left the perimeter officer, she clearly saw a face well-recognized within the Sector Rangers.

She was a veteran member, one that Mara had seen time and time again on cases, though she was pretty certain Ranger Coulter's last case went cold. The journalist couldn't help herself, "Comments for the public record, Ranger Coulter?" Mara called out, "Last reported record is that you didn't solve your last case, how will you ensure no more deaths occur like the one here tonight? Do you think there is a connection?" the journalist asked knowing very well she would have ruffled the feathers of the old maid.

As Mara waited for her response, there was shouting a few meters away, a woman who clearly was hysterical managed to break through the perimeter.

"Walter!? Is that him?! Is that my Walter?! Oh by the Force!" she ran over to the draped body, attempting to grab at a corner to reveal who was underneath. An officer grabbed her though, holding her back from disturbing the crime scene.

@Killa Ree

 

[Vera Coulter]

She snapped her head over to the kid talking.

Young, fresh, she was no doubt about her daughter's age, but she knew that voice before. She'd heard it somewhere, but the name was rusty. Stalking over, she hovered over the woman, purposefully blocking the feed and looking over her shoulder. "Bring the remains back to the lab, and..." she gestured vaguely over to the hysterical woman, deliberately keeping her features remote, distant. "Her as well, for plausible ID."

Yet behind her glasses, blue eyes flashed at the cheek of the young pup, and loomed over her, hands on her hips as she stared down the reporter with something like disdain.

"Last reported record, huh? Some things ought to stay sealed out of snoops," she snipped back, glaring. "Until we gather evidence, it is presumptive to assume any connections, and a young kid like you ought not to be out in this hour. This ain't a free for all or a barbecue, go home and wait for the press release. Miss," she snapped, stalking back with a stiff, hard-footed gait.

Kids these days. Thought if they talked smart enough they would get whatever the kriff they wanted. FWA regulations, my ass.

@GABA

 

[Amarante Proulx]

Mara seemed to catch the attention of the detective immediately and internally a grin widened as the woman seemed to hold some heavy level disdain for the young reporter. Though Mara was certain she was taller than the Ranger, the woman seemed to tower over her and it was no doubt it was purposeful, blocking anymore holocam feed for her report later. Mara's thumb slid across the device, pausing her recording and then pocketed away as Ranger Coulter engaged with the young journalist. She did not seem too pleased about her records being released.

"Most of it is public record, Ranger." Mara couldn't help herself with the jab, she certainly did not like this woman, who was clearly old enough to be her own mother, telling her when she should be doing her job. Always the most convenient for the Rangers, it was a common public complaint. Mara's frown turned into a scowl and her attention turned to the woman who had been hysterically crying over the victim. She was being ushered away by officers and Mara quickly ran over, holocam activated as she tried to capture as much audio as she could over the yelling.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! Did you know the victim? Do you know who killed them?" Mara called out and the woman paused, she stuttered to find her words, it was taking a moment to process and realize there was someone else speaking to her, instead of pushing her back to a police vehicle.

"I'm certain it was the Black Sun! They were always showing up to his work!" she cried and started bawling again, though more compliant in climbing into a speeder to be taken to the morgue for identification.

Mara paused her holocam, watching the speeder take off with the woman as she chewed on who was the perpetrators of this crime. Crime organizations were always big news, but it was uncertain territory, lots of dead ends, and dead bodies, much like the cases Mara had seen Ranger Coulter follow.

@Killa Ree

 

[Vera Coulter]

Was this little snippet going to give her grief, bawling to the FWA about how she was treated unfairly at a crime scene?

Well, boo-karking-hoo.

Nostrils flaring, she spun back around.

"You want an exclusive, girl?" she barked out, keeping her away from the sobbing woman. "Bring them both to the station, this woman," she nodded to the sobbing mess, "with a black and white, get her calmed down at the station before ID. And you," she whipped back to Amarante, "you're coming with me. You'll get to see exactly how the justice system gets to work. But shut the feed off, this is going into private property and I'd hate to sue you for FWA violations."

The option was clear. Do as the Ranger wanted, and get an exclusive... or don't, and slog behind the news like the rest of the jackals.

Vee had dealt with those hungry wolves at her door before, and she didn't wait for an answer or indignity, she simply stalked off towards her car, jaw tight and lips in a thin line.

She was too kriffin' tired of snotty kids and their righteous attitude. She wanted a story, ohh Vera was gonna give her a story.

@GABA