How to Catch An Environmentalist (Aurynn Jacot)

[Syrius Cline]

Oh how he loved Tatooine...

The all black wearing detective/Jedi Padawan spat out the second of three bugs that had flown into his mouth, following by the third. Learning his lesson, he covered his mouth.

It was the windy season. On a desert planet that meant catastrophe. It was doing unspeakable acts on his gelled, bleached hairdo. The small learners braid he had gone along with *wapped* his ear and his eyes burned from sand getting through. All in all, it was a nice day on Tatooine, as far as nice days went on the horrid planet Syrius dispised. He was not a desert person.

A rather disgusting cab driver rode up beside Syrius. He drove a broken down speeder but it was enough.

"How much for a quick jump outside the town mate? Small little farm, not too far."

The cabbie spoke in fluid Huttese. A language Syrius never took the time to learn other than a few vital words. He caught the words "wamma" which meant "pay" and "donocha" which meant twenty credits. Sure it was a rip-off for such a short trip but he was lucky to find a cabbie that would idle long enough to speak with an outsider. Syrius replied in one of the only complete sentences he knew in Huttese. It came in handy..

"Ting cooing koo soo ah," which meant I've got the credits. The cabbie spoke basic he assumed but he never liked coming off as a tourist.

The cab nodded and gestured towards the back. Syrius got in, keeping his one piece luggage with him, instead of putting it in the trunk. In Mos Espa luggage in the trunk would be considered a tip by the slimy business men in these parts.

"I'll give you directions as we go."

He'd gotten a brief rundown of the location before departing for here. They don't have addresses out here. The driver nodded and grunted.

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After a short trip, Syrius came to the location. He gestured for the driver to wait for him, which didn't bode well for the creature. However, he waited as Syrius walked up to the door.

As he knocked on the door he heard soft music. He looked about to find several wind chimes blowing gently in the wind. Hmm, the wind had died down. He took a second to imagine what it'd be like with a wind storm. The soothing song would become a deafening clatter.

"Hello?!"

Syrius yelled as he knocked on the door, louder this time.

[Aurynn Jacot]

The door remained closed and there was no sound from inside hinting at the presence of another. For a few long moments all that was heard was the wind and the chimes, which were becoming increasingly twisted on their wire hangings.

Thu-bump! The door suddenly shook, hit on the other side by a stick of wood. A thin, gravelly voice shouted out, much louder than was necessary.

"Hey! Hey! Who's there? Awww, if that's you Harry I'm gettin' my blaster!"

There was a scuffling, scraping sound and the clunk! of a deadbolt being turned. Syrius was suddenly confronted by an elderly man with a tanned face, covered in wrinkles. He might have been tall once but one could not tell anymore, he was so hunched over. A knarled cane held him up, and he gazed at the detective padawan with a sharp eye. His features were hard, knotted in confusion.

"Who're you? I don't want anything that you're selling! I got a family to provide for and my wife don't need me buying flangdingers or whatever it is you got. Go away."

Lorin Jacot slammed the door just as suddenly as it had been opened. Everything went quiet again. A moment later the old man was again out on the porch, this time looking at Syrius with an awed expression.

"John! John, I'm sorry, I thought you was one of thm salesmen, always comin' 'round here... You haven't changed a bit!"

He ushered Cline into the house and locked the door again. Pointing to a chair the old man hurried into the kitchen to get some glasses.

"Sit down, sit down John. I haven't seen you since..."

Lorin stopped, trying to remember.

"...Since... Well, when was it? It must have been... Hmmm... Ages John, it's been ages!"

[Syrius Cline]

Oh boy Syrius commented in his inner thoughts. He was in for more than he bargained. He took the seat, not wanting to aggrevate the man anymore than his mood swings took him.

As he waited, Syrius opened his bag, pulling out a binder. In it was all the information he had gathered or retrieved on this woman he was searching for.

Alright, let's see... Mother dead, well that's not good. He'd have to deal with the old man directly, without an interpeter. No mention of a John. Ah, a Jacrey... but that's was a bit far from John. Couldn't be that.

"Mister," he refered back to his notes, "Jacot, I came here to talk with an Aurynn, your daughter. Do you know when she'll be back?"

[Aurynn Jacot]

John, John, John, what's with all this 'Mr. Jacot' business? You call me Lorin, none of this formal stuff. I don't care if you joined the military, you're still just plain ol' John."

The old man seemed as though he weren't going to answer the question as he shuffled around, getting water.

"Eh? Little Aurynn? Now what do you want her for John? Anyhow, she's still at school, be back soon I 'spose. Got a new teacher, the school fired the old one. Good thing too, I didn't like the old one. It's 'bout time they got a male kindergarten teacher. Whip the kids into shape."

He hobbled out of the kitched, glasses in hand, and over to the table. Setting one of the drinks in front of Syrius, Lorin went to his own seat, groaning as he lowered himself into it.

"These bones aren't what they used to be. But wait... No, she's not... Oh John, I forgot..."

The man took on a faraway look.

"Sometimes I forget things John... I can't remember right... Aurynn... She's grown up now John. So fast,"

He whistled.

"They grow up so fast. And she got no respect for her elders anymore either. Just took off with them Karrian girls from teh next farm over. Said "Bye Daddy!" and just left. Middle of harvest too John, can you believe it. And didn't leave me no one to talk to. GOne on another of her vacations I suppose."

He had a sour look on his face, and turned to 'John' for sympathy.

"She don't even have kids yet John. I got no grandkids. At my age a man is supposed to have grandkids. 'Course, there was that one fella, Jeffrey...No, Jason. No wait, it was Jeffrey. Not the brightest kid John but he had a little girl. Sweet little girl she was too. Now, what was her name? Amy.... Andi..."

Lorn mumbled to himself, hands cupped around his glass of water that he hadn't touched. His face brightened for a moment as if he had just won universal peace.

"Ashley! That was her name! Oh, John, that was a sweet little girl. Don't know what happened to her though..."