Private Behind the Smoke

[Seo Linn]

Seo usually worked alone. While the Knight was never opposed to working with a partner, she didn't usually seek them out. Sometimes, though, she felt another perspective and second mind were needed. This was usually the best course of action when it came to missing people. So she arranged to meet with a potential coworker and was now waiting to meet her.

Sitting in a quiet corner of the Temple cantina, Seo watched the patrons coming and going. One of her old pastimes was people-watching. One could pick up many details and information just through observation. This was back when she was working at the library on Lorrd. It almost seemed like it was a different life for the woman. In a way it was, she had been a teenager and not yet trained as a Jedi. A newly freed slave, with her freedom, she went to work at the library. She regretted nothing about this choice, and she would do it again if she could.

Coming out of her musings of the past, the Jedi lifted her drink to take a sip of it and set the glass back down on the table. She wore clothing better suited for a desert and had a veil hanging around her neck. Some gold threads were sewn throughout the outfit, which was how Seo liked. Call it part of her quirks. She could fit into most societies as a Shadow, but she chose to stand out today by wearing this.

Finishing off the plate of food, she pushed it to the side and continued to wait for the woman she was waiting for to show up.

Thea Nyko

 

[Thea Nyko]

Thea strolled into the Temple cantina, her pace confident, and her senses alert. She wasn't hard to miss with her pale skin facial markings. Her piercing eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on Seo, a smirk tugged at her lips. This was the Jedi she was supposed to meet.

As Thea approached the table, "Seo, I presume?" she asked, her tone light but not disrespectful. She didn't bother pulling out a chair and sitting as they would be leaving anyway, so she remained standing.

"Desert gear in the middle of a city? Interesting. So, what's the plan for this little mission of ours? Missing people, right?" Thea's voice was laced with curiosity.

 

[Seo Linn]

Thea was a woman after her own heart—a person who wasn't much for words and who wanted to get right to business. Nodding when she was identified, she stood up and was glad she had finished her meal. Having already paid for it, there wasn't anything holding them back from leaving the cantina.

"I travel a lot, and this is what I'm comfortable wearing. My homeworld is Lorrd. Have you heard of it or been there?"

Seo replied to the clothing comment and listened to the other questions. Reaching a hand into one of her pockets, she pulled out a reader and passed it over to Thea.

"Yes, we have a report of two missing children. Brother and sister. All of the information I have is on the datapad. Look at it while we go to the suspected abduction scene."

Unless Thea stopped her, she would wave down a taxi and climb aboard. If she weren't stopped, then she would provide the address of the family whose kids had been kidnapped.

Thea Nyko

 

[Thea Nyko]

Thea accepted the datapad, her fingers brushing over its surface as she skimmed the initial details. "Lorrd, huh?" she muttered, glancing up at Seo with a small smile. "No to both your questions."

Turning her attention back to the datapad, she frowned as the information about the missing children sank in. "Brother and sister," she echoed softly, her voice carrying a note of empathy. Thea followed Seo out.

Once they were in the taxi, she leaned closer, her voice low. "Any leads on who might be behind this? Or is it just speculation at this point?" The weight of the mission pressed on her, fueling her determination. She would do whatever it took to help these kids.

 

[Seo Linn]

Returning the slight smile, Seo nodded.

"There was once a great library there. If you enjoy reading, I suggest you look it up. When I was a teenager, I worked there. At the same time, I learned about the Force, leading me to join the Jedi."

Thea was treated with the kind she would give to anybody. It was friendly but professional. Seo did not judge her for the race she was.

"I don't have any positive leads yet, but I do have a few ideas, so this is mostly speculation. However, I do not feel either parent is involved. They both have alibis, and their finances are...well, more than I'll ever see in my life.

"Keeping up the speculation, it could be a rival house. There's information about those on the datapad as well. The worst case scenario would be human trafficking. Possible but unlikely, in my professional opinion."

The blond fell silent and gave Thea the time she needed to learn about the case and form her own opinions.

Thea Nyko

 

[Thea Nyko]

Thea listened intently, her brows drawing together as Seo spoke about her time at the library. There was a wistfulness in her gaze, a hint of intrigue she didn't bother to hide. As Seo moved on to the details of the case, Thea's face grew serious. She was silent for a moment, absorbing the information, before finally speaking up.

"Rival houses wouldn't surprise me, though that doesn't make it any less troubling. Power struggles like that get messy fast. If you think trafficking is unlikely, another option could be political motive."

Seo Linn