Welcome to Gaia! ::

Erica stared at Laurel a second or two more before nodding. "I see." She continued walking expecting Laurel to follow after. "Do you have any idea of who took this cousin of yours? And why?"

Xeen kept pace with Erica, although was listening intently to Laurel's story.
"Did you make any enemies while you traveled? Any likely people that this would be?"

***

A long, long ways away, on Earth, Eric's pocket began to buzz. Climbing out of the cockpit of his latest pet project, he pulled out his PDA, he looked at the screen. Sighing heavily, he hopped out and made his way to the Star's Light to use it's long-range comm.
He hammered in the following message: "Give me a day. Star's Light won't be useful forever, working on a back-up."
After replying to the message, he left the ship, to go back to finish work on the one the message had interrupted.

Erica shook her head, "yes and no. You were taken by a bounty collection group, but they were alerted, or I should say became interested in your situation, because of your fervent attempt to seek out me. Most people who look me out are in trouble, and most people in trouble have a decent price on their head. So long as you're not Thesian, that price tends to be fair game in the community. If it had turned out you had no price, however, they'd have just sold you to the flesh trade."

Erica let out a soft sigh, "I'm sure my daughter had a fancy mark on her head, and has already been sold off. The good news, however, is all Thesians have a current ban on trade with the Kore, so she couldn't be placed directly into their hands, at least not easily. Unfortunately, if she was passed on to a third party, that assurance is nulled." Erica's eyes shadowed slightly, "but, if she is truly my daughter, she will escape. If she cannot escape, then by natural right she deserves the fate that will follow. So for now, we will let Ora deal with her crisis on her own."

Erica took a ring off her finger and tossed it back to Laurel, it was a thin gold band with an oak leaf crafted on the side. "That will keep you safe in Thesys. If you see others wearing a similar ring, they are connected to me, or under my protection."

Xeen paused, lost in thought.
"One week. In one week, if she has not returned, I will find her, and I will bring her back here. More importantly than her being our daughter, she will be useful in dealing with the Kore. She is powerful, and intelligent. In chess you do not idly throw away your Queen or Bishop. We will not do the same here." He replied, crossing his arms behind his back as he began to walk again, "This is the most dangerous game, Erica. If it would be difficult for the Kore to get her directly, then we must act before someone else does."

"If you or I were to keep her on a leash, she could not fold. I am giving her a chance to get out on her own, Erica. But we are going to need her. There are... Situations that one can get into that they have no other choice but to get help. I needed that to find you, and we are going to need it to deal with the Kore. I am trying to avoid us hanging ourselves, Erica. There is too much we can loose."