Private Of Things and Thieves

[Neriamel Loraya]

Twi Knoss Gallery, Daalang

"Director Selona is awaiting you. Please follow me."

The assignment seemed simple enough. Years ago, the Twi Knoss Gallery - named, apparently, after some philanthropist who seeded its collection - had received an anonymous donation years ago which had been gathering dust since then. Only now had they got around to cataloguing it, and in doing so discovered an artefact which one visiting scholar had pointed out showed engravings consistent with ancient Jedi practices. The gallery had contacted the Order and asked for an expert to be dispatched to inspect the artefact and determine its authenticity and nature.

This was hardly an issue of galactic importance, or really of much of any importance at all, but it was still a matter of prestige for the Order to respond to scholarly requests and remain the authority on anything connected to the Jedi and their history. It was not warranted to send a senior Jedi, but Neriamel was perfectly capable of taking care of this while her Master was occupied otherwise. What she did not quite understand was why she had not been simply sent alone, but in the company of another Padawan. Apparently, it was just not done to let a Padawan appear anywhere, at least on official Jedi Order business, alone. But to her, the other Padawan seemed out of place in this endeavour and she found herself resenting his presence. She had been polite, but distinctly reserved with him on their journey from Coruscant to Daalang.

The polished stone floors caught the light streaming in through tall windows. The corridor was lined with display cases showing items not part of the public exhibitions, seemingly only for the museum staff's delight. The director's office was tucked away on the upper floors far from the areas usually accessible to visitors. The assistant who had received them led them towards an ornate door at the end of the hallway, knocked twice, and ushered them inside.

Director Saelis Selona, a mirialan, was pacing nervously in her office, unable to appreciate the view of the opposing wing of the building offered by the ample windows behind her desk. Her hands were clasped behind her back, not in a relaxed fashion but in some manner of contortion, as though to bind them and inhibit the urge to fidget. When the door opened, she stopped mid-pace.

"Ah! You're here." She waved them to come closer. "Please..."

Neriamel approached her with measured steps, holding her hands in front of her stomach, resting in herself. Her gaze swept around the room slowly. Right now, she looked more at home in the director's stately office than the director herself. The frayed state of the Director's nerves was not lost on her, but she was unimpressed and unaffected by it. Perhaps she was simply the nervous type, perhaps she found something intimidating about meeting Jedi - one never knew what sort of ideas people spun in their own heads.

"I'm Director Selona. Saelis Selona. I'm the one who messages you... Welcome." She was clearly anxious and distraught. "This is terrible timing. Just terrible. You've come all this way, and now..." Her hands finally let go of each other and reunited in front of her where they proceeded to knead each other.

"Neriamel Loraya. This is Jin Kimura." Neriamel introduced them and looked at the woman, waiting for what was to come. It was obvious she was very uncomfortable about something. When Director Selona didn't speak for another second or two, Neriamel grew impatient and put her finger on it.

"And now?"

"Well, I don't know how to tell you... I have to apologise. The item you were to examine - we don't have it anymore. There's been a heist, many prized artefacts were stolen, among them it. You can imagine - it's very difficult, we don't know where to start..."

"You could have let us know." Neriamel made no attempt at hiding her displeasure. She could very well guess why the director hadn't sent word - she had feared that if she did, the Jedi would regard the matter as closed. But now that they were already here, she was counting on them to feel obliged to help in the search for the stolen items. She was probably correct in that expectation, too. If they were to simply turn back now, it would not reflect well on the Order - and no doubt the masters would also say they had failed in their duty to aid the innocent. Neriamel felt used and didn't appreciate it.

"I am so sorry. The police, we had to close a whole wing... Visitors are disappointed, some travel from far away!"

Neriamel was quite convinced that she didn't simply forget, but held her tongue.

Jin Kimura​

 

[Jin Kimura]

Of Things and Thieves
Weapons: Lightsabers & Sidearm
Gear: Jumpsuit w/ Utility Belt
Assets:
Tags: Neriamel Loraya

Jin followed along as they were escorted through the Gallery. He had never been to Daalang but certainly heard of it, seeing as he was from Kijimi. Which was another world which fell within Hutt Cartel space and within their direct influence. It had created a...unique experience for Jin's childhood. Growing up on the cold, violent streets as a half street urchin and half syndicate runner and eventual enforcer.

Those times were behind him now. Nowadays, he was a Jedi. Or at least attempting to be. Though Jin was always self-conscious of other Jedi like the Padawan he was sent along with to assist. Figuring they had a better foundation for making it this far within the Order, something he had missed the chance on. Though he was not envious nor jealous. Those feelings were beneath him. He did look forward to getting to know her, even if the trip was spent with her could shoulder and his awkward social skills. Or lack there of.

Jin was still learning how not to be a lone wolf. It wasn't going very well, so far.

The polished floors and all the items on display as light streamed through the windows certainly made this place seem beautiful. In a weird way. Jin wasn't that into art...at least he thought so. Jin didn't know what he was into outside his plethora of Jedi skills.

He focused back on their escort as they came upon an ornate door as the assistant knocked twice before entering. Jin entered last, glancing quickly over his shoulder as he was ever the vigilant Shadow. His hazel eyes settled onto the Mirilian Director as they entered, noting her nervous behavior. Following Nerias lead, Jin glanced to his fellow Padawan and noticed her stoic posture and facial features. He smiled slightly in approval before returning his observative eyes to the Director.

Jin simply nodded his head when Neria introduced him, keeping silent for now and allowing the more diplomatic of the pair to speak. Though as the Director revealed the events leading up to their arrival and her apparent anxious behavior, Jin's brows scrunched together as he went into full investigator mode. This trip was turning out to be rather exciting than what the Council originally briefed them.

"So you planned to wait until our arrival to oblige us into aiding you recover these items?" Jin spoke directly and without hesitation to call the Director on her plot. He folded his tattooed arms across his chest, glancing pass the woman and towards her desk. "No matter, your ploy worked. We're here. Now we will need a inventory manifest of the stolen items and whatever other information you're able to provide."

Jin was sure she was more worried about the Gallery's rich patrons rather than the disappointed visitors but he held that thought to himself. Jin turned to glance at his fellow Padawan, his face displaying a serious expression while his eyes held an excited, energetic look to them.

"Seems this relic assesment just got a whole lot more complicated."​

 

[Neriamel Loraya]

Neriamel turned her head to her companion when he spoke. There was a tinge of surprise in her look, and disapproval. It was good that he had understood the situation, but what was he trying to achieve by calling the museum director on her ploy quite so bluntly? And at the same time, now she didn't even need to beg. It seemed really unnecessary. And now there was no way out of this at all, of course.

Director Selona's eyes, in turn, widened when Jin accused her of making a 'ploy', and then closed in relief when he confirmed that the Jedi were indeed offering their assistance.

"Master Jedi, you have my gratitude. Please - speak to Inspector Renn, he is still at the site with his team... They're downstairs, Zira will take you there." She looked past the Jedi to spy her secretary, the young human woman who had been standing quietly by the door since leading the Jedi here. "We've told them everything we know and they have no doubt already found out more. It's difficult to follow..." Neriamel thought that was her way of saying, but not saying, that she had more important things to do. She didn't like this woman.

Neriamel looked at her fellow Padawan. Seeing his face, she suddenly understood why he had reacted the way he did. He was subtle about it, but his eyes betrayed him: he was eager, he was intrigued. He wanted to tackle this case, and was perhaps even delighted that an opportunity might have arise to apply his skills, in place of the scholarly mission on which he was, essentially, superfluous. It figured - these young men always had something to prove.

"Seems this relic assessment just got a whole lot more complicated."

"Seems so." Her curtness was not a sign of disapproval, that much had already become clear to Jin. She merely didn't seem to like to say things that weren't necessary, she wasn't the type to keep up a conversation just for the sake of sociability, rather than to exchange information.

She turned around to look expectantly at Zira. "Thank you for receiving us, Director", she said over her shoulder, as if she had almost forgotten to take her leave from the director.

—​

The vault of the museum, as well as a whole wing of it, was cordoned off. It wasn't exactly crawling with policemen - there was simply too much space, and too few bodies. There was a forensics team at work, but they seemed more like forlorn wanderers. They had a lot of surface area to scan for finger- and footprints and were still at it. There were also the cut marks on the ventilation system that the burglars had forcefully made their way through. Meanwhile, slicers were analysing the security camera system that had been hacked.

The man in charge turned out to be an extremely tall, lanky middle-aged Devaronian.

"Inspector Torvak Renn", he introduced himself gruffly. "Jedi, eh? You think this has anything to do with your... thing? Here's everything they got." He pushed a datapad practically into Neriamel's chest. Somewhat taken aback, she took it and studied the list. There was a whole of seventeen items and no indication that the supposed holocron had been targeted specifically. It was all relics, items of historical significance, or at least items that came from history and were tied to some event or other. There was little art among them - which made sense because this wasn't the art section of the museum, it was the historical section. A millennia-old drum from Kashyyyk, used by wookies in ritual recitations. An Alderaanian royal seal from before the planet's destruction. A precision scale that counted as some sort of regalia for a spice-trading Hutt crime lord. From what Neriamel could tell, it was ultimately just a grab-bad of curiosities that would be of interest to collectors. Still, these things were rare, and she presumed that they would fetch a price among enthusiasts.

She looked up, shrugged, and handed the datapad to Jin.

Jin Kimura​

 

[Jin Kimura]

Of Things and Thieves
Dalaang
Weapons: Lightsabers & Sidearm
Gear: Jumpsuit w/ Utility Belt
Assets:
Tags: Neriamel Loraya

Jin followed the secretary and his fellow Padawan back through the museum and to the crime scene. There were investigators and analyst crawling over the area, trying to find any and all clues or evidence that would hopefully give them a break in this new case. Jin eyed each of them with studious and practiced eyes. He knew what he was looking for and none of these people showed signs of it.

Good. So far.

The young man eyed the Inspector as he practically shoved the datapad into Neria, he could tell the Devaronian had no interest in them being assigned to help nor in what they had to say. That was fine with Jin. The less folks knowing what they were doing and the less oversight made their work easier. Glancing over her shoulder, Jin did a mental accounting of the list of items the thieves had stole.

Very specific and worth a lot of creds. To certain individuals and that itself was already a clue.

"Seems we're looking for professionals." Jin could see the Inspector wonder at his remark and so he elaborated. "Only professionals would have the necessary contacts and information to identify and find buyers for these items. They're too specific and rare. Should make building a suspect list easier."
​

Jin may be a teenager still, on his way to Knighthood, but he used to be among the types that perfected crimes like these. He knew how they thought and how they operated. He did not need decades of police experience to point out things with clarity.

 

[Neriamel Loraya]

"Suspect list. My, my, aren't you quite the optimist."

"These items hold no significance to the Jedi Order", clarified Neriamel in response to Inspector Renn's original question. "The inclusion of the suspected relic is incidental."

She turned to her companion. "Do you feel this is important?" There was skepticism in her voice, but the question was genuine. She wasn't asking if he thought it important - she was very deliberately asking how he felt about the situation. Because she felt absolutely nothing about it, and for a Jedi, that meant something.

Jin Kimura​