Have I missed something...? (Veiere Arenais' return to Commenor)

[Darlyn Excron]

"I doubt that'll be needed Lori. Still you can go look once I bring everyone up to speed if you want. For now I think you'll at least get something out of hearing everything we've managed to put together. So to start, Veiere, I'll answer your questions. Because your wife is really, really good at giving me a headache. She probably did what she does every Thursday it feels, and slipped out through some hidden path she knew. Since it all happened within a night we didn't get much time to catch onto it, the hikers only found the corpse because they were out early. Had they been a few hours slower the agency would've been alerted long before the public found out."

"The body found had its neck twisted entirely around, facing the back, however showed signs of a struggle. Kay's speeder was wrecked quite a ways away from the campsite we found the body. Viribus, Kay's dragon, confirmed the body is not the same to which he was imprinted, providing evidence that the body is not that of Kay herself. As to who or what is behind it and where she is, there is no clear cut evidence of substantial worth in a court. However, it seems.. a certain individual has interested himself with the case and has been spending his time since combing through every camera feed in the city." He tossed a datapad to Lori. "That datapad is the one he should be sending the information to, when it comes back. We should be able to expect it within a few hours at most."

"Onto other evidences, Voph for some reason believes her to be on Folor. This wouldn't be a problem if he wasn't trying to get it done swiftly, we don't have any evidence to believe his story save his word. Nor do we have any Force Sensitives who have sensed her there either, or in some capacity can validate his claim. Should we search and fail to find her swiftly, I would rather not have stepped on a sovereign nation's toes. Similarly I had a force vision of our mysterious assailant. About human sized and shaped, face perfectly convex and mirrored. Black robes. I didn't sense the Force in my vision, nor did I sense any semblance of life. However at least one other can validate my vision, as I let them see my memory of it."

"I also believe I know who the corpse is. The most likely candidate is a known clone of Kay, dancer from a club. After I returned to my office, I spent time tracing evidence of her. Trail runs cold a few months back, like she simply ceased to exist. Considering the circumstances I am willing to bet it was her we found, but truthfully there's little we can do to know if it is or simply another clone. Regardless this fits with my vision as I said, where I saw our assailant dragging two different bodies, likely Kay and the body we found. I do not believe she is dead, else this would be a pointless exercise." He took his whiskey flask from his robe, and asked one question before taking a healthy drink of it. "Does that answer questions?"

[member="Loreena Arenais"] :|: [member="Silfe Sosuri"] :|: [member="Jairdain"] :|: [member="Veiere Arenais"]

 

[WolfMortum]

"Do we have any idea who this contact is, this person who seems to be so interested in helping us?".

Veiere had listened to everything that [member="Darlyn Excron"] had told them, deciding first to consider the unknown element that he had mentioned. Darlyn had done well to keep track of, and investigate the ordeal; Veiere knew that this went beyond business for the man, but that he and Kay were like family to Darlyn and they considered him to be the Uncle to their Children. None of what they were dealing with right now, was anything less than difficult for any of those involved.

"Thank you" Veiere added, wanting him to know that he appreciated Darlyn's support and assistance in all of this. To be told that Kay was alive, it was the hope that he needed to hear when despite their Force Bond, he could not sense his Wife anywhere; "Who ever is responsible, whether they're practiced in the Force or not, they must know something. I cannot pick up on Kay's signature at all, and we are bonded in the Force. Even across different worlds there is usually some trace or telling feeling that she is there" it was certainly possible that his wife was being kept behind some sort of nullifying field, technology that kept Veiere from being able to communicate with her through the practice of the force. Such things weren't unheard of, after all.

"Commenor isn't short on enemies..." Veiere soon pointed out; "After the Sith forced us to choose sides in this War, I imagine we have more than our share seeking to undermine or destabilize our Government. It sounds like they've succeeded to some extent too...", he had to admit that whoever was doing this, had done their research and played their cards well. "Have their been any other note-worthy disappearances lately? Or incidents that have been reported to you, that might have some sort of connection to this. There must be some trace that could give us further insight..." He had to hope at the least.

[member="Loreena Arenais"] :|: [member="Silfe Sosuri"] :|: [member="Jairdain"] :|: [member="Darlyn Excron"]​

 

[Jairdain]

Through the briefing or Darlyn's report to them, Jairdain was silent and listening.

"Voph would be a good person to track her. He is so much stronger in that aspect of vision through the Force."

Taking a small gulp at the description of death, her own hand absently went to her neck and rubbed at it slightly. Though she was paying attention to what was said, there was a distant look to her face. Another one of the royal family was missing, but it wasn't her fault this time. Even if she felt there should have been something she could have done.

"I agree with Loreena and some search of her quarters should be done. They might provide some additional clues. Who else has bad blood for Commenor?"

To her knowledge, it had only ever the Sith that did anything aggressive to them. News of additional enemies was a surprise.

Then she turned her head to Silfe, a woman she had once considered a friend. Now that relationship had been destroyed and she didn't know if it could ever be repaired, but she looked at her with sorrow. There was the hint of tears in her eyes and even though she was blind, she couldn't even keep her focus on her for more than a few moments.

"I am sorry for everything, Silfe."

[member="Veiere Arenais"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] [member="Loreena Arenais"] [member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori took the datapad in hand. She knew who [member="Darlyn Excron"] was talking about. He meant [member="Vigil"] . Something was telling her that the AI was up to no good, but she couldn't quite pin her finger on why she felt that way. Maybe it was due to how some of the others reacted around her.

[member="Jairdain"] seemed to agree with her in regards to searching her Mom's room. So she did just that. While Darlyn, [member="Veiere Arenais"] and [member="Silfe Sosuri"] remained downstairs, she went up the spiral staircase into her Mom's bedchambers.

The room looked normal. No sign of struggle as far as she could tell. The bed was made, just waiting to be slept in. Hmm. She glanced to the datapad in her hand and then set it down on the vanity before going through the drawers.

Lori wasn't having much luck though. There wasn't anything hidden in there. The datapad came to life, beeping as a series of windows popped up. At quick glance, she noticed that they seemed to be a bunch of advertisements. For vacation spots? Messages popped up too, a series of communications between her Mom and some travel company.

That could be a clue!

"Dad! Uncle Darlyn! I think that I got something!" Well it wasn't her so much as it was Vigil. Still, she hurried down the stairs with the datapad above her head, skidding to a halt in front of them. "Were you and Mom going on vacation?"

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

Silfe set her datapad down in order to fully listen to [member="Darlyn Excron"] update them on all that had happened since Kay's disappearance and the clone's death. She made quick notes to add to the speech she was preparing for [member="Loreena Arenais"] as he spoke, picking a few key things that would mollify the public and give them enough information so that they felt informed and considered in all this. It was a lot of information to process, but Darlyn was good about keeping things to facts. He was succinct enough that he gave what was necessary and a little extra to help [member="Veiere Arenais"] understand the situation. The update was appreciated and not just by the King.

She gave a small appreciative smile to Darlyn and continued to make notes until [member="Jairdain"] started speaking. Again she listened. Jair had been an adviser long before Silfe had come to Commenor. They would all be wise to listen to her council even if she had little to add other than support. Surely the kidnapping had to be the work of someone who wished Commenor, the royal family, or specifically [member="Lady Kay"] ill will. She hoped that the mysterious person would find out more information and soon.

Sensing Jairdain looking at her more than seeing the movement for herself, Silfe turned automatically to the woman. They had not spoken since the Commenori Liberation Ball where Silfe had found out that her friend had lied to her. For good or ill reasoning, it had still caused a rift and Silfe had not been keen to mend it. Perhaps it was petty to have withheld her friendship from Jairdain for seemingly so little a reason, but Silfe was hurt and for once, she allowed herself to wallow in it. She had been hurt all her life by her father and his friends. She had been hurt by Brad after coming to Commenor. She had been hurt to find him engaged to be married and had never been able to sit down and talk with him since he had disappeared. None of her inquiries into his disappearance had come to fruition. So when Jairdain's deception had been revealed, Silfe had not wanted to forgive her or even discuss it.

Now Jair was apologizing in a place where she could not really leave since her duty required she stay here. But no matter how much Silfe wished to hold onto her pain and shy away from people and forming friendships and attachments, she couldn't look at Jairdain now and continue to be upset. The look on her face was so affecting, Silfe swallowed the newly developed lump in her throat and looked quickly down at her datapad. She nodded and closed her eyes, saying, "I know." in a soft but emotionally charged voice. She looked up, dark eyes resting on her friend's familiar face. "I understand why you did it... I just couldn..."

"Dad! Uncle Darlyn! I think that I got something!"

Silfe stopped mid-sentence and looked over at the stairs to see Lori come bounding down them with the datapad in hand. She was obviously excited. Silfe stood, eager to hear what Lori had found.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"I wish I didn't. His name is Orwell. Or at least he goes by Mr. Orwell. Information broker, thorn in my side. Always manages to skirt my authority, not that I could do much to him if I tried. He's good at what he does but I trust him about as much as I'd trust a Hutt. About as much as they exercise." He let the others talk a moment, so he could take another drink. Enemies... Enemies... "Certainly not Sith. Doesn't fit the MO for most of them. At least not the ones willing to glass a city to make a point. Not to mention there would probably be saber burns or electrical burns on the corpse. Not to mention if they wanted to hurt us they wouldn't make us think she was dead. She would be. Whoever it is wants or needs her alive to do whatever it is plotting. Maybe someone who wants her to be locked away in some cell until she withers away."

"As for other crimes, there doesn't seem to be much out of the ordinary. Assaults, few drunken brawls, couple of missing persons, the normal fare. The most striking thing was the disappearance of our records of Kay's clone leading up to the corpse being found, at least that I had found so far. And as much as I would love to trust Voph's visions and senses, I can't exactly justify putting legal faith into them. They turn out true, we set precedent. They turn out false, we suffer for it. The Force is only evidence to those who understand it. Now if he could produce some form of proof.."

He was interrupted when Lori came back, excited and asking questions. Vacation? He couldn't help but a single dry laugh. "If we didn't know the body was fake she'd be on quite the permanent one wouldn't she? Still though, were you two planning a vacation?" He politely motioned Lori over, curious to see exactly what she had found that prompted the question. He could tell that was the datapad Orwell was supposed to contact... which meant something specific and useful was picked up.

[member="Silfe Sosuri"] :|: [member="Loreena Arenais"] :|: [member="Jairdain"] :|: [member="Veiere Arenais"]

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere visibly swallowed at the question, his last discussion with his Wife having been the suggestion that they get away from all of this. The Politics. The risks and danger to their Family and Friends. Yes, Veiere had suggested a holiday, though he hadn't yet had the mind to talk to [member="Lady Kay"] about his true feelings on a life that had become more of a detriment to their family lately, more so than anything positive. "We hadn't decided on a location yet, but yes we had talked about a holiday away from all of this...-For a little while I suppose".

"Living the live's we do, you wouldn't believe how long that it's been since your Mother and I actually spent some time together...-Even if it had to be in public, I cannot remember the last time she and I talked about something that wasn't revolved around the needs of Commenor. Some time away, just for the two of us, sounded like a very nice dream at the time" Veiere smiled weakly for a small time, the thought still sounding so heart-warming despite the fact that he'd lost hope that it might ever come to pass now.

[member="Darlyn Excron"] ran them over some further details though Veiere couldn't keep up, his mind to distant and swallowed up in his own thoughts for Kay's safety, his concern for their Children, as well as the fact they were having to deal with a trauma to their family that wouldn't likely end here but happen again if things didn't change in their lifestyles. What next? Their daughter go missing?

[member="Silfe Sosuri"] | [member="Jairdain"]​

 

[Jairdain]

The sudden and loud return of Loreena didn't really phase Jairdain. Her attention should have been on the issue at hand but instead, it was focused on the past. The wrong she had done to Silfe and the others present was almost unforgivable. Lady Kay had forgiven her and she hoped the others had too. However, she needed to know it personally from Silfe.

Maybe this was a poor place to apologize but it was the first and only opportunity to do it. Things should have been taken care of months ago, but it had never happened. Now was the time and Jairdain seized it.

Silfe started to speak and allow the arrival of Loreena to stop her from finishing. Letting out far more of a mental sigh than anything physical, at least the first step had been made in trying to repair their relationship. For now, they would need to work together and try to figure out what happened to Kay. Then they could figure out if they could ever be friends again.

Listening to what Darlyn was saying, her brows drew together.

"Do you think whoever took Kay might also have had something to do with Brad also missing?"

It was jumping to conclusions, but she had no idea what had happened to Brad. Without any clues or hints to him, at least with Kay, they had something to work with.

"I don't think whoever is holding her intents to allow her to wither away, Master Excron."

What Veiere said about the potential vacation sparked up her memory of talking to Brad. Not that they going to take a vacation exactly, but get away from Commenor to work on his training. A training they had barely returned from before he disappeared. Now her sigh was physical and guilt plagued her.

"What are we going to do? Trust the words of a questionable source? If it is all we have to go on, then I say do it."

[member="Veiere Arenais"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] [member="Silfe Sosuri"] [member="Loreena Arenais"]