Music: Dantooine[My absolute favourite music in the whole game
]
Ohhhh... I love this scene here, when you first go south through this area to get to the grove. The first time you hear the Dantoonine music, with the sun behind that lone tree on a hill... absolutely beautiful. This is the first-person view, by the way; it really doesn't get much of a workout except when you want to make screenshots like this.
Entering the grove immediately gets the attention of a good-sized group of kath hounds, including a couple of the larger, tougher horned ones. We still cut through them fairly quickly, though.
Turning right, we run across a Twi'lek in Jedi robes standing on a bridge.
Bolook: "I am Bolook, a Jedi from the Enclave. I was sent by the Jedi Council to investigate a killing that took place here a few hours ago. Communication does not pose a problem, as both the suspects and I speak Basic and Huttese. I was going to handle this case myself, but now that you are here this could be an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate how well you have been learning your lessons at the Academy. Though you are not yet a full Jedi, perhaps you could assist me in sorting out the truth from the lies."
Bolook here has already worked out what happened, but the Jedi never give up a chance to test people. This sequence is kind of long and very dialogue-heavy, but fairly worth it, if only because it gives you something to do other than "stick the lightsaber in the bad guy/animal".
"What do you want me to do?"
Bolook: "Listen to the stories given by the two suspects. I have brought an information retrieval droid with access to the archives both at the Jedi Enclave and the planetary capital. I will use my wisdom and experience to offer you some guidance, but I will not solve the case for you. There is little benefit if you do not solve this problem yourself. Consider each man's account and check the facts with the information droid. Once you have gathered all the evidence you think you need, run through the possible scenario with me. If you are unable to come to a satisfactory resolution, then I will take these men to the Enclave and deal with this myself."
Bolook: "The dead man, Calder Nettic, was shot in the back with a blaster rifle. A rifle was found lying near his body with blood stains on it. It has been sent back to the Enclave for analysis. Two other men were found at the scene when I arrived. One was Handon Guld. He was unarmed. The other was Rickard Lusoff, who was carrying a hunting laser. Bot men say they did not do anything, and that they came across the body. But both also accuse the other. Obviously ther eis more to this than what we have been told."
"Is there anything else I should know?"
Bolook: "There is one last thing. When I arrived Handon was holding his side and Rickard was favoring one of his legs. You would do well to remember this as we progress through the case."
Wheeeeee Bolook talked a whole bunch there. But he's finally finished, so we can get on with the case. Time for:
Hazar Denolo, P. (Jed-)I.!
"What did you find out about the body?"
Droid: "My preliminary analysis of the body indicates that he was killed approximately 3 hours ago by a single energy blast to the torso."
"Tell me about these plains."
Droid: "These plains are rife with wild animals, not all of them benign. The iriaz are mostly docile, but can easily be provoked to violence. Kath hounds, on the other hand, are much more deadly... There have been over 35 catalogued attacks on settlers by kath hounds in the last 2 weeks. A general advisory was given out three days ago to carry a weapon at all times when on the plains. Small farms and holdings dot the plains, and can provide safe refuge for those in need."
"I will have more questions later."
Let's humour him.
[Lie] "Ah, yes of course, Mr. Guld."
Handon: [Success] "Really? *Ahem* Well, then, I assure you on my reputation I had nothing to do with the killing. I will help you with the case as best I can, though. You see, I was out here running earlier today - yes, running, I do that a lot. Can't stand speeders, never use them. Keeps me in shape too, you know! Anyway, I was out running on the other side of that bridge there... When all of a sudden I heard a shot coming from over here. I ran over and found this man Calder lying on the ground dead!"
"Go on."
Handon: "I saw Rickard come skulking out of the shadows of the rocks south of the river, and I knew something was wrong. I hit my emergency button and called the Enclave right away. Well... there, that's my story. Now please hurry up and arrest Rickard so I can get on with my day!"
And here's Rickard. What a lovely cast of characters here.
"Tell me what happened."
Rickard: "Well, I was out hunting iriaz, when I spotted one over here by the birdge. I pull out my rifle and aim at it. I couldn't see it that well, mind you, cause the damn sun was in my eyes. So I shoot it and it drops. I walk over here and find Handon standing over Calder's body! So why don't you get this whole farce over with and send that whiner Handon to the prison he belongs in!"
... I just noticed something... may as well inform Bolook about it.
"I want to discuss the murder."
Bolook: "Very well. We should start at the beginning. If we find the truth behind each piece of the puzzle, we will no doubt resolve the case. Handon said that he was nearby and heard a shot and ran over, only to find Calder already dead. He said Rickard came out of the shadow of the rocks holding a blaster in his hands. Rickard said that he was hunting iriaz, saw one through the glare of the sun and shot at it. It is possible that Rickard may have shot Calder accidentally and Handon my have found the body, but that seems a very unlikely explanation. It is more likely that at least one of them is lying."
"Rickard is lying. It was cloudy; there was no sun glare!"
Bolook: "Yes, well done! It was very cloudy this morning. If it had happened as Rickard said, the sun would not have been visible at the time of the killing. You seem to have caught Rickard in a bit of a lie. It seems I was correct in assuming you could help me with this case. This lie doesn't prove Rickard is guilty, but I think you have taken the first step in unravelling this mystery."
Now to bug the droid.
"What can you tell me about Calder and Handon?"
Droid: "The Southwood speeder rental business has records that, over the past several weeks, a speeder had been rented by Mr. Nettic and Mr. Guld."
...I thought Handon didn't like speeders? But that's not the point here.
"What can you tell me about Calder and Rickard?"
Droid: "According to the municipal authorities near the Garang spaceport, there had been news of violent drunken activity in a cantina attached to the port. Apparently a Mr. R. Lusoff was making accusations at a Mr. C. Nettic about cheating him in a business deal. Jedi Tooka was dispatched to the scene and restored order."
Back to Handon:
"You're holding your side. Are you injured?"
Handon: "In... injured? No, of course not! Why would I have been? Fit as a bantha! Har har! Yes... I run. I don't know if I mentioned that."
"Why would someone want to kill him?"
Handon: "Um... well, you see, Calder was involved in some pretty sordid business from time to time. More often than not, I've heard. Disreputable business practices, even more disreputable clients. I've even heard he had dealings with... a Hutt! A Hutt here on Dantooine! Now I bet you're wondering if I had any reasons to kill the man, but I tell you I hardly knew him! Saw him once or twice, yes, and I have hard some pretty unkind things about him, but..."
"You knew Calder better than you admit. You rented a speeder with him!"
Handon: "But I... I realize this must seem like a motive to you, but I assure you it isn't. I dislike Calder, true. I would punch his face in, given the opportunity. But I would not kill him!"
...I never said that was a motive. But apparently there
is one.
"Punch his face in? Why?"
Handon: "My wife was cheating on me with him. They slept in my own bed while I was in the next room! But... as much as I may hate him for that, I could not kill him. It may have been my own fault for driving my wife away. I must not try to take the law in my own hands. I was just out running, trying to clear my head for the divorce proceedings, not stalking him to kill him. Running is not a crime."
Now for Rickard.
"Bolook said you were limping. Are you hurt?"
Rickard: "Well... uh... I kind of sprained my ankle running through the bush before I found the body. But it's nothing that serious."
"Why would someone want to kill him?"
Rickard: "You Jedi are so predictable. Always seeing some greater purpose behind everything, when the simple answer is usually the right one. Can't you see that it must have been Handon? I found him standing over the damned body! I don't know why this is causing you so much trouble. You almost seem as lost as this Bolook guy."
"You thought Calder was cheating you!"
Rickard: "Now, I don't love Calder, but we go back a long way. We run a sub-orbital shipping and transport company out of Garang spaceport. We've been partners in that business for well over twenty years, and we've been doing just fine the way we are."
"You can deny it, but there was bad blood between you!"
Back to finish the second phase of this bit.
Bolook: "We know Rickard lied about the sun blinding him while he was shooting, but we need more to go on. Let's examine the relationship of each man with the victim. Handon told me he barely knew the victim. On the other hand, Rickard and the victim were business partners. However, according to Rickard they got along quite well. On the surface, neither man seems to have a motive for killing Calder."
"Rickard is lying. They had a fight over business matters."
Bolook: "It is not unusual for business partners to disagree sometimes, but if he found proof Calder was cheating him things could escalate to violence. Well, that certainly is a motive for murder. The case is taking shape; however, you mustn't jump to any quick conclusions. Perhaps we should now focus on the murder weapon itself. You might want to see what information the witnesses and the information droid can provide you about the blaster found near the body."
You know the drill.
"Tell me about the weapon found at the scene."
Droid: "We cannot get any more specific analysis from that sample other than the fact it did not belong to Calder."
Hm. Handon was closest, let's see what he has to say.
"What about the weapon found by the body?"
Handon: "That blaster was stolen from my house last week! I never knew what happened to it. I hardly have enough money to afford a single blaster, let alone another. I can't tell you how important it is to have a weapon on hand with all these ravenous kath hounds around. Even an iriaz can take a man down if it gets in the mood. Every settler has a weapon. It's our most prized possession. I would most appreciate it if I could have that back after you determine that Rickard is the killer."
Alright. Maybe the droid knows who stole the blaster, surely there was an investigation into that.
"Is there a report of Handon's blaster being stolen?"
Droid: "I am sorry, but I seem to be failing you. I have searched and searched, but I cannot seem to come up with anything at all. I thought to find the record of the missing weapon report Mr. Guld filed with the authorities, but there does not seem to be one."
...Uh-oh. Better tell Bolook about this.
"The blaster is Handon's. He lied about it being stolen."
Bolook: "So we have caught Handon in a lie. Interesting, but I think we may need one final piece of the puzzle. There was a blood sample on the weapon that had been sent back for analysis just before you arrived. Perhaps you could inquire with the information droid about it."
"Tell me about the blood sample."
Droid: "I have just received back an analysis of a sample of the blood found on the weapon. It had been sent back to the Enclave just before you arrived. The blood on the weapon is definitely not Calder's. Unfortunately there was a bacterial contaminant in the sample that had been taken back to the laboratory, and it had become degraded. We cannot get any more specific analysis from that sample other than the fact it did not belong to Calder."
Not Calder's. Both were wounded, but only one has a wound that could be bleeding...
"It's Handon's blood. He is clutching his side."
"No, they are both guilty."
*gasps and murmurs in the courtroom!*
Bolook: "A bold conclusion... one most people would not arrive at. But we are not like most people, we are Jedi. Still, I would like to know how you came to this conclusion. We know Calder was cheating Rickard in business, but what possible motive could Handon have for wanting Calder dead?"
"Handon admitted that Calder was having an affair with his wife!"
Bolook: "Yes, well done! Both men had a reason to want Calder dead. This is my theory of this morning's events: both men knew Calder would be out here this morning and each plotted to kill him. Handon found him first and shot him because of the affair Calder was having with his wife. Shortly after, Rickard arrived on the scene. From a distance he saw Handon and thought it was Calder, so he shot him in retaliation for the credits Calder had cheated him out of in their business. Handon would have dropped his blaster - the one we found at the scene covered in blood. He probably thought Rickard was going to kill him so he called us, hoping he could convince us it was Rickard."
Rickard: "Damn you! Damn both of you!"
Another case closed and shut by...
Hazar Denolo, P. (Jed-)I.!
"You did good. You might just make a proper Jedi yet, who knows?"
Bolook: "Good day, and may the Force be with you."
And also with you.
Whew! That's some reward for slogging through all that! Now if only there were some reward for transcribing all that text...
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Topic: Let's Play: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Read 55360 times)