Lost & Found

[Judah Dashiell]

Large, bulbous eyes of the Rodian widened in surprise, if that was even possible. Fingers came to rest on the keys of his datapad and he furiously zoomed in on the image. The private detective clicked a few times, moving the camera angle around. Associates from Ord Canfre has sent along the holoimages from nearly a week ago. Ord Canfre was always ripe for the picking, being nothing more than a spaceport and ordnance depot. Merely a stop on a chain for most vessels.


Wern had been looking for this particular person for six years. Six long years he had been on payroll. The first year he had been excited and attacked the case. As the years dwindled on he had put it more on the backburner. Most of the time he had been looking not for the person but for other signs. Use of her personal credchip account. Name logged into manifests, real estate holdings. Nothing until now.


He moved to save the data and send it along.


----------------


Mon Cala | Sirene Islands, Dashiell Household | Late evening



Judah stretched out in his home office, sound of the waves crashing against the beach the only noise in the home. Well....maybe not the only sound, Makai was snoring upstairs in his room. He picked up the caf and took a sip as his eyes searched the document in front of him. It was a bit unexpected. After six years he had given up the chance of actually finding anything. Wern remained on payroll looking for signs of identity theft. Given the large wealth [member="Thessa Kai"] would have gotten it was highly possible someone would have tried to tap into it.


Ocean blue eyes searched the video, replaying it several times. It looked similar but it was difficult to say. Years had past and features changed. The woman in question had a large scar. Possibly Galan. There were probably a hundred women who could fit the description.


Wern would have to further investigate.


He would have to keep Makai out of the loop. Years later it was still painful. There was no reason to get anyone's hopes up in case it wasn't their intended target. Or...and even worse scenario, Thessa didn't want to be found. He wasn't about to put Makai through such a thing until he knew for sure.

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Ord Canfre

Jane hadn't left the homestead for almost six years. When they found her 'dead' on that beach, it took her almost two full years to recover physically from those injuries. She still had a slight limp. And when it rained, that cold rain that came across the fields in winter and spring, there was always a twinge at her back.

She wasn't as young as she used to be and she was still recovering in other ways. Another person bumped into her shoulder. She winced and ducked her head.

Crowds were kind of the worst. The doctors said it had something to do with the trauma she got to her head in the accident. But she didn't have a choice. The couple she'd been staying with ever since....

They were sick. Both needed medicine that wasn't available on-world. So, the Galan had been forced to leave. To leave the comfort of the farm. She never knew why farming of all things had felt so much like...home. Maybe familiar?

There was another bump as a rodian ran halfway into her. She cringed, eyes squeezed closed for a moment. Hand tightened around the credchit in her pocket.

"You can do this," she murmured to herself. Eyes finally opened and she took another hesitant step forward toward the apothecary.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

| [member="Thessa Kai"] |



....Buzzt....Buzzt....Buzzt....


Annoying sounds reached his ears, drawing him out of a deep sleep. There was a slight grumble as his had reached out from the sheets to grab his comm. Harsh light assaulted his eyes as he squinted to try to figure out who was trying to contact him. Given the nature of his work it wasn't unusual to be contacted at odd hours of the day. None of the usual suspects were popping up across the screen however.


"Hello?"


"Mr.Dashiell? Its Wern. Following the suspected woman at the moment. I'm still unsure but sending you some images now. Wait a moment please."


Yawning, Judah moved to sit up, resting his back against the exotic wood headboard. Hand went through a mass of thick curls, doing his best to wake up and be alert. A chime would occur again on his comm a short while later, letting him know the data had been received.


Image opened of the same woman in the video, now wearing a flight jacket. It was standard Republic issue, a little tattered and worn. It matched the one sitting in his closet,a second one Thessa had in reserve. He searched for a rank or name tag but couldn't find out. Yet how many Galan women had served as fighter jockies? Less than a handful no doubt.


"Mr.Dashiell? Are you looking at what I sent you?"


"I am Wern. Follow her but do not approach. Find out where she is going..."

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Ord Canfre

Without a mental breakdown, she made it to the apothecary's shop. Door swished open, the air weaving through strands of driftwood hair. Scale-speckled fist clenched a bit tighter around the credchit.

There was a small line.

Iced-azure gaze flickered behind her shoulder. Eyes may have been playing tricks but she thought she saw a Rodian watching her from the shadows. She took a second glance as she moved up.

He was gone.

It was bad enough not to remember anything, now she must be seeing things too. Head shook slightly. A voice snapped her from her own head.

"What can I help you with?"

Jane pushed the credchit over the counter. "I need some medicine." Fingers pulled out a crinkled list from her pocket with a specific name of the drug. It was clear she lived on a backwater planet. The paper was old and creased as if from constant use.

The pharmacist studied the handwriting and frowned, taking the credchit. "This stuff will cost you. You don'thave enough for both. Just one dosage."

Jane balked at that.

It was all of her savings. She knew the couple didn't have anything else to spare. They were barely keeping the farm afloat as is.

"It's all I have," she whispered. A hand going to press at the scar over her temple. A habit she picked up over the past half dozen years.

"This ain't a welfare station, miss."

"There has to be something I can do-anything. Please."

"Listen, you take what I can give you, come back with the money for the rest or you go on and get out of here."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Thessa Kai"]



Wern had to be creative on the job. In the back of the apothecary, Wern was fixing his jacket to look more cloak-like. He was hoping the overall impression would be one of a religious monk but he would have to just make do. Wern grabbed a tin of salve and went to work.


Slowly making his way to the front, Wern slowly approached the counter. Time to put on the act. Dashiell better pay him well for this.


"Excuse me Sir. I believe I can cover the balance for this woman."


Hand went down and pulled out enough credchips for the second batch of medicine and the tin of salve. Finger pushed the credchip across the counter as he plastered a serene look upon his face.


"Its my duty as a monk of the Order of the Righteous Mi'lor." Wern picked his salve back up. "Eternal blessings to you Madam. Perhaps you'd be interested in our Order in the future."

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

"Wha-," she stammered as the monk came up. She couldn't even get a glimpse at his face but he seemed familiar. "I can't accept...," voice trailed off. She didn't have a choice. She had to. They were counting on her.

"T-thank you," she stammered. Hand trembled slightly as she took the medicine and quickly pocketed it safely within her flight jacket. The only thing she had left of an old life she didn't remember. The pharmacist waved to the next person in line and she found herself being jostled with the monk toward the door.

A hand went to reach out to try and catch the sleeved robe of her benefactor. "Wait. Is there anyway I can repay you? Please?"

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Thessa Kai"]


Wern was putting the salve into the makeshift cloak outside the shop when the woman approached him. The Rodian investigator immediately froze, silently hoping he wasn't about to get busted. There were enough odd religious sects out there. Enough for him to scrape by on the the lie though?


"The Order of the Righteous Mi'lor would never let me accept any gifts. Its my duty as a Monk to serve those in need. Clearly you needed."


Wern hoped this sounded decent. Sounded like something a religious monk would say, right? They were always coming to his apartment door, it was about time he put the visits to good use.


"Excuse me Miss? Can I follow you to your home planet? I...uh...it is part of my religious pilgrimage to visit worlds and spread the word.....I am unsure where to go next, but it seems the Highest Mi'lor is directing me to your path."

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Driftwood brows lofted. She may have long term memory issues but she wasn't born yesterday. The following to her home planet sounded a bit...off, especially with the free handout. And she wasn't a very religious person, even after the accident. At least, she thought she'd never been.

Still, he may be a little weird but he'd essentially saved mister and misses Allen's lives.

"Um. Sure? I'm taking the next public transport and it departs from Bay 37." There'd be other passengers, so she wasn't worried about being murdered. "You're welcome to join...or follow." Shoulders shrugged. A hand came up to rub at the scar's edge over her temple. She winced, once. If he looked at the transport schedule, he'd see which planet the 37 was going to.

"Are you sure that's all?" She pressed one last time.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Thessa Kai"]


Wern's eyes looked about, searching for the large board that displayed the transport information. Public Transport Flight 37 was headed to Garqi, an agricultural planet. It explained some of her behavior to him but not at all. Although the closer he stood to the woman the more sure he was about a positive identification.


Eyes looked her over, searching.


"Of course Miss..." Eyes fell on the tattered name bar on the jacket. "........Kai. I won't be requiring anything else. Sometimes one just needs a push in the right direction. Many blessings."


Wern completed his little show with a bow before shuffling away in the direction of the transport. He'd follow to get a better idea of location, but agriworlds didn't have a large population. It wouldn't be hard to find someone who knew her exact location.

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Ord Canfre

"Kai?" Driftwood-brows scrunched together as the odd monk walked away. Iced-azure gaze panned down to her jacket. The name plate was rusted, scraped and cracked. There was definitely an 'i' at the end, something in the middle that she always assumed was an 'o,' and the first letter, she could never make out what it was. The Allen's had tried too. They'd spent many a night coming up with different names until it became more of a game. Until they'd given up.

She could see it now. Maybe. But why had he been so sure? As if it was obvious?

Hands rubbed uncertainly up and down her arms. Head was aching something fierce. Her limits were being reached on this outing. Turning, she headed to the shuttle, that small limp in her stride.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Thessa Kai"] would not longer be tailed by Wern the not quite Monk. Instead a rather innocuous looking droid took over, a maintenance one to be exact. No one would dare give a second glance to his ace-in-the-hole. The droid would transmit where 'Jane' was headed and that was that. Wern would remotely monitor from his office and his team would pass along the expense to Mr. Dashiell.


------


A week later Judah was flying out to the agriworld of Garqi. Sirena cut through the black, emerging to view the odd haze around the world. It was beautiful in a way, the slight purplish hue that was coming from the otherwise green and blue orb. Sirena banked and moved towards a spaceport close to where the farm 'Jane' was spotted heading to. He wasn't worried about sticking out like a sore thumb, there was already a plan in place to 'cover' him with any issues that arose.


Landing in the small dirt-packed field, Judah paid the fees and spoke to the attendant about which way to head. With a point in the right direction, he started walking along the unpaved gravel roads to the farm. Walking would do two things for him. One it would make him fit in more. Two it would give him time to think and remain calm. That was going to be the more difficult part of the task at hand.

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

"Saw that droid again. I think the little guy's lost," Mister Allen mumbled into his coffee.

"I think you're obsessing again," his wife and doctor elbowed him lightly in the side. Jane smiled. Jane Kai? She hadn't had a chance to look into the name given to her by the monk any further. She'd been using all her spare time to run the farm and get the Allens back on their feet.

The sickness that held them wasn't any joke and considering their age.

"Not obsessing. Just wondering 'bout who here got a new one for their farm."

"It's not that new," Mrs. Allen chided lightly.

Jane found herself smiling. But it quickly disappeared. She was a little envious of what they had. Had she ever had that? It felt familiar. Maybe.

The skies were darkening a bit outside. One of those spring rainstorms. A hand went to rub at her back where it always ached. "I better get the equipment under cover. It's going to rain soon."

Even with her back, she loved the water. Just standing in the rain. The Allens thought it was her species, though, even they weren't quite sure what she was. And there weren't many resources on planet to find out.

"Don't over do it, Jane," Mister Allen called.

"Don't worry, you know me," aqua-lips smiled briefly.

"That's what I'm afraid of," he muttered.

She pushed open the screened-in and wood-framed door. They didn't have much of metal out here. Just for the farm machines and droids. With a slight limp in her step, she headed to the far fields, the ones that paralleled the road.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Dark skies started to rumble half-way through his journey. Humidity lay thick in the air before the storm's arrival, signaling it was going to rain and rain hard. His pace quickened, boots crunching against the gravel as he tried to get there before a storm drenched him. It wasn't looking promising, especially since he could hear faint drops splattering against the ground every so often.


Ocean-blue eyes scanned for some type of cover. He was close to the farm but he wasn't sure how close. Besides, would total strangers let him in their household? Probably not. He finally saw a large wooden barn in the distance. Booted feet left the gravel road and started moving through the waist-high grain fields. It would be as good a place as any to wait for the rain to pass over.


[member="Thessa Kai"]

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

It was starting to sprinkle by the time she was driving their last of the farm equipment into the barn. For a moment, she remained perched on the high-seat, scarred face turned up to the sky. The cool water ran down her scale-speckled face and began to soak through her driftwood strands of hair.

Time to move, Jane.

She scowled at the name. Even after six or seven years, it didn't feel like her own. Taking one last breath of the humid air, she maneuvered the loud, tumbling machine into the barn. The engines were cut with only the sounds of the rain getting harder on the roof above. And the sounds of someone...

Iced-azure gaze snapped around, zeroing in on the stranger. They widened slightly in alarm. And for some reason, her head ached in that moment.

Fingers pressed to the scar.

"Mister," she found her voice above the rain. "You...lost?" She didn't know what else to say. They didn't get too many new faces around here.

Her half-soaked self remained on the high tractor.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Thessa Kai"]


Judah reached the barn as rain had started to fall. His hair got a little wet, shaking his head as he entered. Dim light filtered in from cracks in the boards, reminding him a bit of the barn back home on Saleucami. He found a place to sit, a weathered wooden trunk his new sat for who knew how long.


Pulling out his comm, he worked on some business while waiting. There was no service but he could type up what he needed and have it sent once back at the spaceport. Lost in his work coupled with the rain and thunder completely made him miss the sound of a tractor nearing his location.


Head snapped up at the sound of her voice. She was rain soaked and staring at him as if he'd grown three heads. There was no shocked look to her face. No anger. No surprise. Nothing that indicated to him that Thessa actually knew who he was. Eyes narrowed a little. Almost too good of an act to put on.


"No, Thessa. Seems I stumbled upon where I need to be." He looked about the barn. "This is where you've been all these years? Letting Makai and I think you were dead...."

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

For a moment, she was too surprised to speak. Out of any reaction, she hadn't expected that. And then for a second moment, she was relieved. When he said Thessa because he clearly wasn't talking to her. Head looked around, expecting to see this 'Thessa' person that made him so angry.

But there was nothing. They were alone in the barn together. She remained on that tractor, for her own safety. Why were the crazy ones always good looking?

"What are you...," she trailed off. Head ached a bit. That name. Makai. Face scrunched up. "Listen. I have NO idea who you are and I think you're looking for someone else."

She stood, cautiously, preparing to climb down. There was a rake in the corner if she needed it. She doubted she could run faster than him, though. She had that limp and her back was beginning to throb.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"No [member="Thessa Kai"] , I know who I am looking for. You may not want to come to reality and face the situation but here it is. I knew it was a mistake coming here."


Comm in his hand searched through the holoimages section. He had images of Thessa throughout their time together, mainly ones containing Makai. Eyes went from the comm to the woman across the barn. They narrowed for a moment, trying to find differing features between the images and the flesh-and-blood woman. Beyond aging and some scarring, he wasn't seeing much of a difference.


He hadn't even seen her for five minutes and it had already been a disaster. Judah had no illusions going in she would run into his arms and everything would be alright again. He was here for Makai, wanting the boy to have some comfort in knowing his mother was alive. To try to persuade Thessa to come and see her son every so often.


Despite his low hopes, the meeting stung and stung deep.


"I'll be going now."


Comm went back into his pocket and he pulled on the discarded jacket, walking past the tractor without another glance to the woman and out into the rain. If he pushed it he could reach the spaceport before dark.

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

If this was a Hallmark movie, the moment she saw him, it would trigger some memory and suddenly everything would come rushing back. But this wasn't a Hallmark movie, or a Christmas Hallmark movie, or When Calls the Heart. This was Star Wars.

Aqua-lips parted and iced-azure gaze widened further. She could see the hurt and betrayal on his face. And there it was again. Kai. She was so shocked, she couldn't move when he walked out that door. She just stared at his back as he dipped into the pouring rain as if it was nothing.

Kai.

That same name the monk had come up with. All within a week? Driftwood brows furrowed in severe confusion. Part of her wanted to let him go. He was clearly misunderstanding something. And angry. Very, very angry. And she had a major headache. There were a THOUSAND reasons to just let him walk out. But there was one very important reason to try and stop him.

What if he really knew her or knew something about her life before the accident? Before she became Jane.

Head shook and she stumbled out into the rain after him, a few paces behind. Teeth grit as she limped, pain lancing across her face. Limp didn't help to catch up to his huffing strides. He quickly became further and further away from her.

"Wait!" She called above the pounding rain, streaming down her face. "Wait. Please. Did you just say Kai?"

 

[Judah Dashiell]

What crappy Hallmark movies had [member="Thessa Kai"] been watching? Sounds like someone is one step away from five cats and a mumu......



Rain pelted down his curls as he was making the trek back through the tall grain. Wind had picked up, making the thick drops even worse the moisture trying to find its way into his shirt. Judah could have accepted the fact Thessa didn't want to be bothered. He would have preferred her to have the guts to come clean and say it rather than pretend they had never even met.


Her voice reached his ears and he slowed pace down, coming to a stop so she could catch up.



"Yes, Kai. You never went by Dashiell so why bother with schematics now?" Judah tucked the jacket closer to him. "Look, I get it. You left so you didn't have to be bothered with Makai and I. Don't worry, I'm not dragging you back with me."

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

She slowed, a hand pressed to her lower back. Cold rain never did it any favors. Another grimace crossed her face. She listened quietly, her heart racing. She tried to piece everything together.

Kai. Dashiell? Makai?

Drag me back...

"Wait. Wait," the second an urgent whisper. "You're saying you knew me...before?" A hand went up to try and forestall his storming off. "Because six years ago I was in an accident. The Allens," hand hooked over her shoulder at the farmhouse beyond. "They found me. I was dead," she shuddered thinking how ludicrous it was that she was sharing very personal and intimate details with a stranger. Still. If he was telling the truth. And there was a chance he really did know her....

And she shuddered about the accident. And the death. Still so many mysteries about that let alone her life before.

"Misses Allen is a doctor and she brought me back. Well, most of me," a palm pressed against her head.

"I can't remember beyond the accident. The Allens took me in," shoulders shrugged. She was soaked through now. "I wish I could remember. I want to remember but I can't."

And deep down, maybe she was a little scared to. Who was she before? A villain? Someone not worth finding again?