Seeking What Was Lost

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa gave her outfit one last adjustment in the mirror, and then left the hotel room, her bag slung over her shoulder. It was getting light outside, but Rai'raa was still dozing peacefully on the bed, her lovely green skin surrounded by the downy bedding.

She'd written a note and left it on the pillow. Really, there wasn't much more to say to the half-breed. Rai'raa was a good traveling companion, and she'd certainly taught Saa about the galaxy at large during the time they'd been together. Plus it had sent her mother into fits when she found out what Saa had been leaving with, which was always good.

She tossed her keycard into the trash before she left the lobby, and headed to the Imperial Garrison to talk to someone about the recent APB that had been posted regarding one James Prent.

[Hurst Falco]

"Captain, you have a visitor."

Hurst looked up from his desk to see RK-442 peek into the corner office in the Administration level that served as Captain Falco's inner sanctum. Picking his boots off his desk, he righted himself up in his chair.

"Tell 'em I'm busy."

Which was to some degree true. He was sifting intel on a drug mule op that was supposed to go down in the Ugnaught quarter within the week.

"It's about that all points bulletin you posted. That Rebel Prent. Somebody's got a tip."

The datapad went clattering to the side of the desk and Falco was all business.

"Should've told me sooner, trooper. Let the informant in."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa followed the Stormtrooper back into a corner office where she was informed Captain Falco would take her statement.

Of course, she didn't really have a statement, she had a question. Saarrreeaa adjusted her mini skirt and leather jacket, and walked into the office. She wasn't intimidated by being surrounded by Imperials, who all hated non-humans, if the reports were true. But then Cizeracks held many of the same prejudices, only about non-Cizerack.

Besides, once you cracked open the hard shell, Stormtroopers were just as soft and fleshy as any other forrrda. "Captajin Falco," she said. "jIss thjiss Jamess Prrent the ssame ass Ssanjiss Prrent, the ssmuggler?"

[Hurst Falco]

Now that was a wrinkle he didn't expect. A felinoid teenager piping in to ask about another mark on the Imperial hit list.

"They're not the same, no. I'm keen to hear about both though, now that you mention it."

He gestured to a seat opposite his desk, standing to reach for a carafe of water. It always paid to keep your interviewees hydrated. Filling it, he pushed the glass to Saa's side of the desk.

"Got something on your mind about Prents, Miss?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Mjisss Raurrssaatta. And jyess, jyou could ssajy that," Saa said, sitting down and accepting the water. The hyu-mann across the desk was older, but not unattractive, with a rough hewn look about him. Like someone had carved him out of granite.

"Prrrent jiss a notorrrjiouss crrrjimjinal, and he rujined mjy famjil - famjiljy's forrrtunesss sseverrral jyearrrss ago." She flushed a little when she stumbled over the unfamiliar Basic word.

[Hurst Falco]

Falco frowned a bit as the alien chewed through a mouthful of basic, the sound itself not sounding unpleasant really, but certainly making deciphering her words a task that required effort.

He hid his thoughts behind a sabacc face, noting with interest that this felinoid had a lot of emotional chips on her shoulder that could be used.

"Just so happens that our APB you responded to, this James Prent, is related to Sanis Prent, from what I've got. They're both suspected rebels, and both persons of interest."

The faintest of smiles, and he continued.

"Miss, er, Raurrssatta, anything you can offer this investigation would be helpful. Point of fact, if it leads to either of the Prents' capture, you stand to make a tidy sum off your information."

He leaned forward a bit, placing his palms on the desk as he eyed her.

"Can we make a deal?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She did not lean forward to match the Captain, but remained sitting back comfortably, the glass of water in her hand. "A deal? jI don't know about that."

Saa crossed her legs carefully, and said, "jI don't want to thrrrow what jI have to the wjind. jI need to ssee Ssanjiss Prrrent face to face." She leaned forward and put her glass on the desk. "jI know what sshjip he fljyss. And otherrr thjingss. jI'll ssharrre what jI know, jif jI can actjiveljy worrrk wjith jyou to locate hjim."

[Hurst Falco]

"Actively work with me?"

This certainly was more than just a concerned citizen with a hot tip. She seemed to want more than just the satisfaction of knowing she helped put an enemy of the Empire away. Falco wasn't necessarily against the idea. He was a fan of the unorthodox.

"Talk like that sounds like the guild to me. You fancy yourself a bounty hunter?"

The teenager didn't sport any gear, but if looks could kill, he'd almost believe she had a kill or capture list already.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa tossed her hair back, pleased that he'd thought she could be a bounty hunter. "jI wjill be one ssoon," she vowed, "And jI plan on makjing Mjisssterrr Prrrent mjy forrrajy jinto the fjield to make the Gujild take notjice."

She cocked her head to the side, adding, "Sso, do jyou want that jinforrrmatjion orrr not?"

[Hurst Falco]

Hurst cracked a smile at that.

"Tell you what, Miss Raurrssatta. You help me get one or both of these Prent characters, and I'll front your entry into the guild to boot."

He had to admit, he liked her moxie. It remained to be seen if she had the smarts to match it, but he had a feeling she would be able to deliver.

"We've got a deal."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Grrreat." Saa leaned forward more and shook the Imperial's hand. A placard on his desk read Captain Hurst Falco. "Then jI'll tell you about the Layla, Captajin Falco."

Fifteen minutes later she'd laid out nearly everything she knew about the Corellian YV-666 light freighter she'd learned to pilot in. "And of courrrsse you know he'ss taken up wjith the Rrrebelss lateljy. Rrrogue Ssquadrrron, jI beljieve."

[Hurst Falco]

"That corresponds with our dossier. A ship matching his has been sighted attacking one of our planetary garrisons, as well as aiding a Rebel convoy."

He was impressed. She was a fount of knowledge on this Prent guy, who seemed to be on the pulse of more than his fair share of Rebel operations. With him now being confirmed as a Rogue Squadron pilot, it made him a very important target to deal with.

"You've given us plenty on Prent. All we need is a place to look, or better still, a way to draw him out."

The skin at the corner of his eyes tightened a little as he leaned in.

"I suppose you've got an answer for that one as well?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Her lips quirked up in a crooked smile. "jI happen to be rrrelated to hjiss fjirrrsst mate. Ourrr rrrelatjionshjip jiss compljicated, but jin human terrrms jI am hjiss sstep-daughterrr.

"jI am not above ussjing mjysself asss bajit, but jI wasss hopjing that perrrhaps jyou mjight have sssome jideass to contrrrjibute."