Nar Shaddaa

Layne had left a message at the Republic Compound, asking for a meeting with Vatou; a message that said it was perfectly fine if he'd come with a protective detail. That she was alone, and that they'd meet somewhere public and relatively safe, if he was concerned about such things.

And then she waited.

Vatou came to the coffee outlet along with a small detachment of Republic soldiers. "Are you Layne," he asked nervously, looking around, "I'm not a Jedi and I don't know where any Force artifacts are."

That was an interesting opening.

"Now that just makes me think you do," she said with a smirk. "But that's not why I'm here."

She half-circled the little group, watching the soldiers for a few moments before addressing the selkath again.

"You run an orphanage, yes?"

"Oh. Yes, I mean, I used to train with the Order. Did you know that? I don't know." He sighed. "Yes. Not on Nar Shaddaa, to be specific, but yes I do."

"Right," she said, circling the other way now, "and someone, is attacking the people who bring these kids to you. Did you know that?"

"Wait, they told you? How much did they tell you about me?! Who else did you tell?!" The Selkath then sighed and thought on the matter more as the answer did not matter much. Vatou shook his head and then paused. "I suppose that does make sense. They didn't show last time I went there."

Skiddish. Very skiddish.

"That's because they've gone underground. At least until all this blows over. And that is problematic, so, I am here to put a stop to it. And you're the guy who'se going to help me do that."

She paused, and smiled. Which probably didn't help because she didn't really know how to smile without looking creepy as fuck.

"For the children."

"A bunch of child-kidnappers and you want me to do something about it?" He gave a nervous smile back, one that added well enough to the creepy one. "I do want to stop them, for the children, as you put it. But I don't know what I can do."

"It is not you who will stop them. It is me. You will just be the one to point me in their direction."

"I have no idea who did it. The Jedi might know better. They're investigating the attacks." A pause. "I'm not sure if either of you will work with one another."

"I have no problem working with the Jedi," she said. "You are connected to the Jedi. You can contact them for me and see where their investigation is at."

"I could call right now, if you'd like. Maybe. I don't know if they'd pick up."

What a pathetic creature, Layne thought. Surrounded by soldiers and still he practically cowers before her.

"Then by all means, do so."

Of course, where there was a squad of soldiers, there was often an officer in charge. Once the inside had been secured, Niall entered the caf outlet, dressed in his full Republic officer uniform.

Upon spotting Lanye, he slowed, his expression taking on the look of a man who'd just taken a bite of something, and wasn't sure whether to swallow, or spit it back out. "Oh." His lips twitched. "Layne Hoshin. I didn't expect to be seeing you again."

Oh great.

Her reaction was somewhat delayed; her face slowly turning toward him; her expression clear that he had interrupted something.

"You are?"

She was mocking him, right?

His lips twitched again. "Okay. We'll do it that way." His expression had gone blandly neutral, and stayed that way as she apparently failed to recognize him. "Captain Niall Organa, Republic military."

"Don't let me interrupt your conversation. If that's what was happening." He frowned at the nearly trembling Vatou. It didn't seem like he was talking much at the moment.

"Ah yes. I think I remember you," she said, before turning back to the Selkath. "He was just about to contact some Jedi for me, I believe."

"I regret missing the first half of this conversation." Niall said, dry as ever. "Contact the Jedi regarding what?" His expression grew a bit more interested, a bit more concerned.

She looked back to him. Then back to Vatou. Then back to Niall. She seemed to be deciding whether to indulge his request for more information.

"Someone's grabbing kids," she said, "it's cutting into business."

"Oh." Niall's eyebrows go up. "Yes. I've heard about this, from a few different sources. I believe it's been confirmed."

Then his eyebrows drew down, his lips pressing together. "And what is your interest in this? Cutting into business?" He grimaced. "What business? Slavers, I imagine?"

"I seek to put a stop to it," she said, allowing the rest of the answers he sought to be left to the imagination, as suited her persona.

Niall gave a slow nod. "And any children that we were able to save, the Republic would want either returned to their families, adopted, or placed in orphanages. What would you say to that?"

"I just got off communications with Master Mersl. She says, 'I believe the Captain will do well.'" He shrugged. "I don't understand her."

"I don't care what you do with them," she said to Niall's question, before looking back at Vatou.

Niall raised an eyebrow at Vatou's contribution, but made no comment.

Instead, he looked back at Layne, mentally sighing as she had apparently dismissed him from her attention again. "Okay. That's good enough for us, then." He sighed. "I apologize for making you repeat yourself, but what's your suggestion? Were you looking to combine our investigations? We would be amenable to that."