Private 28 Days Later

[Valery Noble]

Colony

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Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

The way up the staircases was slow and deliberate, meant to give them a chance to not only safely reach the roof, but keep an eye out on what else was within the building. She had sensed undead further above them, and it was likely more zombies were present on other levels too. But there was something more to their slow approach, as her occasional smirk to him showed clearly. Valery was having fun being just a little playful, and it sure helped keep away overly negative thoughts about their situation as well.

Even so, they still ran into a problem along the way — people had barricaded the staircase with furniture and other items they could quickly get their hands on, which meant they would have to take the long and more dangerous way around. All apartments had ladders going up and down from balconies in case of a fire or other problems that required evacuation. It was their only way up now.

The only relief it gave was that she doubted any zombies would be on the ladders.

"Sounds like a plan," Valery whispered in agreement with the plan before she took lead and began to move down a long corridor. She glanced at the doors on each side but searched for one near the outside of the building, preferably the side that wasn't exposed to the majority of the city in case any undead were watching from outside. However, as they were making some progress, the sound of a whole group of undead approaching reached them both. Not sure about a way out, Valery was reaching for her weapon to take them on, but Alex had a better idea.

Hiding.

Without discussing it, he wrapped an arm around her waist, forcing her eyes to widen as he pulled her along into a room to their side that wasn't locked. The suddenness caught her by surprise and she wanted to move, but she backed up straight into him and realized they were in a small closet. "How cozy..." she muttered, still with her cool intact but the darkness hid her slightly flustered cheeks quite well. It lingered especially because his arm was still around her waist. "Thanks but I'll be okay~" she teased with a grin before she pressed her ears against the doors to listen.

Footsteps approached and slowly passed by, making her believe the threat was slowly fading into the distance. But when they all suddenly stopped, Valery blinked in surprise and looked over her shoulder and up into his eyes, while she still stood close to him. "I think they-" She could never finish her sentence, as the arm of a zombie suddenly punched through the door, and a hand gripped around her throat. Valery couldn't yell or scream and was thrown against the wall inside the hallway, where several undead jumped her and clawed away at her flesh in an attempt to pin her down and devour her alive. With all her strength, she kept them from biting even in the chaos of the moment, but her shoulders were already bleeding from the scratching, one strap of her tank top was severed and they were clawing holes in her clothes to get to her skin as well.

"A-Alex!" she called out for help.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

Silence fell upon them, with only the sound of the zombies’ shuffled approach. But for Alex, he could feel both his hearts beating rapidly. Only now did he realise the tight space they were in, not the apartment he had assumed. The K’paur mumbled something, missing what Valery said initially. It was only when she mentioned his arm, that Alex realised he was still holding her.

“Sorry…” he whispered, letting her go. Not like there was a whole lot of room to move, but it gave the Jedi manoeuvrability to get up close to the door. Alex let out a sigh, until he was reminded of the limited space and felt his cheeks burn hot, probably the warmest so far.

Thank god the darkness of the closest was concealing it. He would’ve heard no end of the teasing from Valery.

Alex’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, allowing him to see things clearly. His eyes almost seemed to glow slightly as he watched the door closely, and certainly not glancing anywhere else. He listened as the shambling footsteps passed by them and seemingly faded out. Alex frowned, realising he heard nothing beyond that. No zombies hitting the doors to open, nothing…

The K’paur’s eyes widened in realisation just as Valery turned to look at him. She barely spoke three words before a hand suddenly smashed through the door. The zombie was demonstrating its individual strength as he managed to pull Valery through the door, shattering it and slamming her into the opposite wall.

Something deep within Alex clicked. A part of his K’paur biology that he had suppressed for years began to crack through to the surface. Hearing Valery call for his help was the last piece.

He raged.

Alex let out a roar, drawing the zombies' attention away from the Jedi for a moment. He raised a knee, smashing one of the undead’s heads between it and the wall. Another stood up and tried to bite at him, but the K’paur raised his left arm. The zombie found purchase, but all it received in return was broken teeth against metal. With his free arm, Alex unsheathed his knife and stabbed it into the shoulder of a zombie trying to get a bite into Valery.

With a show of his own strength, the K’paur pulled the zombie away with just the embedded knife. The zombie tried to retaliate, but Alex yanked the knife out and stabbed it into the infected’s head.

At this point he could see Valery was able to get back control, so he focused on the zombie that was now toothless gnawing on his cybernetic arm. Letting out an animalistic growl, Alex slammed the zombie against the wall, trapping it. He stared into the undead’s lifeless eyes as he drew his blaster and fired a single shot into its temple.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

Rage.

She was familiar with the feeling not from her allies, but usually from her enemies — the Sith especially. Right now, she felt it as a powerful tremor originating from Alex, who had moved out of the closet to engage the undead with anger and strength she'd have never seen if she had brought along another Jedi. It was always a difficult thing for her, as part of her Jedi identity rejected the idea of giving in to emotions like that, but she also understood why others did, and that it wasn't as dangerous to them. Especially when it came from friends or loved ones, it had a way of showing how caring they were as well.

They had only just met, but she could feel that he wasn't going to let her get hurt.

With strength, calculated precision, and clever tactics, Alex easily got the majority of the undead off of her, which offered Valery the relief she needed to take back control. A push of her hand was sent to the one directly on top of her, and through the Force, she sent him flying head-first into the ceiling to burst open his skull and finish him off. She then jumped up to her feet and summoned the hilt of her weapon back into her hand, which she ignited and promptly stabbed through another zombie.

From the corners of her eyes, she spotted him fighting his way through the other undead, and with the threat lowering significantly, she even managed to send a smirk his way, as well as a thankful nod. Only when the last of the zombies had dropped dead, Valery leaned back against the wall and sat down to catch her breath and adjust to her adrenaline lowering again, which meant she finally felt some pain from the injuries she had sustained.

They weren't too serious but had a risk of getting infected with their dirty claws tearing open her shoulders, chest, and waist. The bleeding was minimal, though, and while her clothing was torn up a little, she still had it in herself to keep going. "Thanks for the help... I wasn't expecting that to happen," Valery admitted with a sheepish smile. Normally, her senses alerted her to danger long before she was taken by surprise, but she had lost her focus in that closet a little.

"You uh, okay as well? You were really going at them but none were able to bite you or injure you, right?" she asked, a caring sign of worry in her soft voice.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

Alex didn’t respond to Valery initially. He was staring at the wall he had just killed the zombie against. Its body had since fallen and crumpled onto the floor. Alex’s chest was heaving with heavy breaths, but as moments passed it seemed to steadily decrease. Until the K’paur’s entire posture seemed to relax, and the man himself snapped back to reality.

“I’m okay yeah, none of them managed to get a bite or scratch in.” Alex paused, looking at his left arm. “Well, one tried to take a bite of this, but it seems they don’t agree with metal.” He chuckled quietly, before turning his attention to Valery. Alex immediately frowned upon seeing her injuries.

His gaze lingered across body, but it was abundantly clear his only focus was on the scratches. “Let’s get into the apartment, they should hopefully have some medical supplies.” Alex stepped aside to collect his knife, scanning the surroundings one more time before leading the way into the apartment.

The K’paur grabbed a chair, placing it down in the middle of an open space for Valery. He disappeared into the bathroom for almost a minute before returning. “We’re in luck,” he said with a portable medical pack in hand. Alex walked back over to Valery, assessing her injuries again, debating what to tackle first.

“I’m going to look at your shoulders first, okay?” He paused for a moment to take off his jacket, revealing the full extent of his black and gold metal arm. Alex placed another chair behind Valery, and sat down.

And immediately he noticed the first conundrum. “Ah, Valery, could you lower your top’s other strap? It’s gonna get in the way as I tend to the scratches along there.” Once Alex was sure she was comfortable enough, he began tending to her shoulders. And opting to strike a conversation rather than maintaining silence, Alex decided to bring up an earlier topic.

“So, you wanted to know more about K’paur?”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

Valery looked at the cybernetic arm and snickered when he mentioned a zombie trying to bite down into it. She hadn't seen it happen but could imagine it pretty well — teeth shattering, perhaps even confusion from an undead who tried to turn the marine into a snack. At the same time, though, it was a scary thought that one of them had gotten remotely close to infecting him. Even if it was likely planned that it only bit into metal.

"Well, I'm glad we're both relatively unharmed. These scratches will heal easily enough with some basic medical aid and my use of the Force." She couldn't heal others, but her mastery of Curato Salva not only lengthened her lifespan greatly, but it heightened her natural healing as well, so she always recovered much quicker than others. Valery then felt his gaze wander over her body but unlike before, he was actually focusing on the injuries and quickly made up his mind.

They were going to stay down here longer to first tend to them, before going up to the roof.

The two moved inside one of the apartments, where Valery sat down in a chair and waited while he collected the needed medical supplies. It took a moment, and with adrenaline entirely fading out of her system, she felt an uncomfortable sting wherever the undead had managed to scratch or tear open skin and flesh. Mostly her shoulders and part of her chest, but there was a nasty scratch along her stomach and waist too from a zombie that tried to pull her down.

Alex soon returned with the medical kit and sat down behind her to get started. She glanced over her shoulder with a brief smile and nodded when he asked about her shoulder, "Yeah the shoulder hurts the most. They slammed me into the wall with it and one of them really dug in with his nails..." she grumbled before bracing herself for the disinfecting especially — that always sucked. But nothing happened at first, and he asked a question.

"Ah, Valery, could you lower your top's other strap? It's gonna get in the way as I tend to the scratches along there."

Valery blinked and froze for a few seconds while she held her breath before she finally moved her hand up to slide the strap off her shoulder and down the side of her arm a little to reveal the injuries. "Not too bad, I hope?" she asked, a little out of her element all of a sudden. His attempt to make conversation did help and got her to smirk a little again.

"Mhmm, what you said about their connection to the Force was interesting. But... I'm sure there's a lot I don't know?"

 

[Alexander Hayes]

“Nothing too bad, no. Like you said, they’ll heal up with some Force usage. They just need a little bit of basic aid to ensure there’s no infection first.” Alex wasn’t exactly the most knowledgeable about Force Healing, but he knew enough basic medical aid to know there were potential complications if a wound was healed too early.

“Hmm…quite a bit, yes. I suppose I should start off from what I previously mentioned?” As Alex worked on one of Valery’s shoulders, he began to describe the three distinctions of K’paur. “As I mentioned, I am of the Hayi otherwise known as ‘Pure Kanakurian’. Those that adhered to the Way of Control, learning both control and mastery when we’re young. I suppose we’re the equivalent to your Jedi, although I believe we also in some respects also align with Dark and Gray Jedi.”

The K’paur continued on to talk about the Edri, the Errant Ones. Those that eschewed from the Way of Control, opting to accept their most basest natures. Which made their nearest equivalent be the Sith.

“We have deep connection with the Force, so much so that we have few I suppose ‘innate gifts’. But at the same time, just over fifty percent of our kind are force sensitive. The rest are known as Nuut, the Invisible.” The way Alex spoke made it clear his thoughts were troubled when talking about them.

As he continued to talk, Alex made quick and efficient work in checking and tending to Valery’s shoulder. But as he moved over to the other, he noticed the Jedi shiver. “Hmm, getting a bit chilly in here, Valery?” He knew she didn’t need to see it, to sense the grin on his face.

“My apologies, alas my cybernetic arm doesn’t come with a heated setting.”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

"I hope it'll lessen the pain a little..." she grumbled but despite the stinging of the disinfectant spray, Valery sat still and let him do his 'work' while she focused on what he had to say. She had encountered countless species in the Galaxy at this point, but the K'paur were entirely new to her, so she was fascinated to hear more about their culture. It, like some others, had elements with particular views of the Force as well. But one thing there stood out to here.

"I... hope you can avoid dark completely, though," she smiled sheepishly and had a somewhat hopeful glance. Given the rage she felt from him earlier, she had a feeling that he wasn't quite as light as she was, but she didn't like the idea of him giving in to the Dark Side at all. Then again, he wasn't quite as trained in the use of the Force as most Jedi were, as far as she knew. The conversation then shifted some, and she listened with her usual focus again.

It was quite a lot and he was only scratching the surface, but she listened very intently.

At the same time, Alex continued to work on her shoulders and switched to the other, which is when he noticed that she was a bit cold. Valery gained rosy cheeks at his comment and brought her arm around her chest to rub the side of her arm, hoping to hide it a little and warm herself up. "It's alright, I can use the Force to keep myself warm if I really need it. But this was just... unexpected." She hadn't really considered that the cybernetic arm would be used and that it would be cold.

"So uh, what brought you to the Alliance instead of working on your own planet? Longing for the stars or is it common for your people to join and fight for the Alliance?" she asked, hoping to continue the conversation a little by going back to something where he couldn't get revenge for her earlier teasing.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

Alex paused before he could tend to her other shoulder too much. He thought on Valery’s words, realising this was the first time he was discussing this with a Jedi. One that was both very powerful and knowledgeable.

“I suppose it comes down to differences in teaching. Your concern, I'm guessing, stems from my actions back in the corridor?” He leaned forwards slightly, to gauge the reaction on her face. “That rage wasn’t influenced by the Dark, but was more drawn from my inner self. The K’paur have a warrior/hunter culture, and we utilise it when facing a worthy opponent. Or protecting someone.” There was more to it than that, but Alex wasn’t about to tell her all of it.

“But your concern is not unwarranted, I’ve not tapped into that side of myself in years.” He was starkly reminded of how he felt after the fight was over. The determination he had to call upon to not turn towards Valery until he had calmed down.

Alex fell silent after that, focusing on tending to her shoulder and listening to what she said. It was definitely good to know she could keep warm with the Force. If he was right about the time, night was soon to fall over the colony.

“Honestly, I’ve no idea if it's common to join the Alliance. Although I feel if I went back home, I’d probably be scorned for joining the military.” With one last bit of disinfectant spray and a check, Alex was done with Valery’s shoulder. “Okay, I’m all done here. You can readjust your top.”

The K’paur stood up from his chair, taking a moment to ensure he still had enough supply for the remaining scratches. Confident that he did, Alex walked around to stand in front Valery, before kneeling before her. “Alright, now for your stomach. Could you lift your top please?”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

Valery offered a slight dip of her head in response to his question and looked over her shoulder when he leaned forward to show him her confirmation, as well as mild concern she had for him. He was still Force sensitive so despite differing views and upbringings, he was still susceptible to the Dark Side. Luckily, Alex was quick to clarify where the rage had originated from, and Valery gained a much warmer smile almost immediately, "Protecting someone, hm?" She smirked. "Well, as strange as it can be for me too feel such rage and to accept it...thank you. I would have probably been infected if it wasn't for you," she said with a genuinely grateful tone and lingering fiery eyes.

A moment of silence then passed, during which Alex finished patching up her shoulder. With the pain most entirely gone now, Valery sighed in relief and raised a hand to rub gently over her left shoulder. She would be a little sore there from the impact into the wall, but it was nothing serious at least.

She then comtinued to listen to what he explained about his people while she readjustes her tank top, and something he said caught her attention and forced an eyebrow to raise, "Why would they scorn you for joining the military here? I'd imagine a warrior culture celebrating something like that..." She looked him in the eyes as he stood up and walked around to get in front of her.

But then he kneeled dowm and asked a question that sent a brief wave of warmth up her body and into her face. It faded quickly though, and was replaced by a grin before fingers slipped underneath the hem for her top. She raised it until just underneath her chest to show the large scratch that went around her waist and over her abs. Again, nothing too bad, but it definitely needed to be cleaned. "This okay? I can...take it off if that's easier too." She asked with a slightly playful smirk to test his reaction a little.

It probably would be easier for reaching the injuries that remained but she didn't want to make it too awkward for him either. He was no healer so this wasn't exactly typical business for Alex, especially not with what she had felt from him today.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

Alex chuckled quietly as he knelt before her, keeping her gaze. “You’d think so wouldn’t you? But K’paur, especially Hayi are raised and taught to be the top of the food chain, to be the apex predator amongst our own.” Which certainly gave an impression on the kind of behaviour and beliefs you’d find in that kind of culture. “By being in the military of another, I’d be seen as subservient, especially as I’m not a leader.”

The K’paur froze as he watched Valery lift her top up, exposing her stomach. He was reminded of back in the storage closet, of his arm wrapped around her. That even despite it being his cybernetic, he could still feel through it.

Valery’s follow up got Alex’s cheeks burning, but he sent her a playful glare in response to her smirk. “Sure, why not. It’ll make things easier when I get to the last scratches.” He waited until she was comfortable again before starting to work on the stomach injuries.

Now, where was I again? Ah, that’s right!

“Mind you, this is all second-hand knowledge, I have only a few memories of my early childhood on Kanakura. The rest were growing up on Nar Shaddaa.”

As Alex worked, he made a ‘sneaky’ effort to use his cybernetic hand more. He occasionally stole a glance up to see Valery’s reaction. Although as he continued to work, the K’paur noticed something.

“I see you’ve started using the Force to warm up.” Alex looked straight into her eyes, a small smirk on his face.

Valery Noble
​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

"Apex predator, hm?" Valery asked with quite a smirk lingering on her lips. "I'd say marines get pretty close to that, even if they aren't in command. But perhaps you will be a leader there one day." Probably wouldn't change much about how his people felt about him, but he clearly had it in himself to become a leader if he wanted to. If not, he'd always at least remain a true soldier. A warrior.

Valery then looked down as he quietly began to clean up the stomach injury, but his reaction to her offer was far more interesting to her than even his lingering gaze. He blushed like a young man again, but still playfully glared and winked her way while he agreed, much to her amusement. Valery slowly pulled the top up and over her head before dropping it to the floor. She then shook out her long, beautiful dark-brown hair and let it cascade down behind her back again. "There, that should be easier, hm?" She asked with a smirk of her own.

While he comtinued to work on tending to her injuries, she listened to what he said about his childhood and nodded, "I can relate to that. I know very little about my people and homeworld from having been there too. Still haven't gone back since I went with the Jedi as a young child." Valery explaines before she blinked at his last statement.

"I can use the Force to retain my body temperature, not to warm up." At least not without her Pyromancy. "And I haven't been using it..." she admitted with a slightly sheepish smile. She just wasn't cold anymore. Yep.

"I uh, also think it's getting late. Once I'm patched up, let's take a look from the roof to find the facility and then head back down. We can use these apartments, lock them, and spend the night here. It's best we don't wander around at night."

 

[Alexander Hayes]

The K’paur chuckled when Valery mentioned using the Force to retain body heat. Alex was certainly no expert on how Jedi trained to use the Force on themselves. But he was more than capable of identifying the differences. He knew she hadn’t been using it.

“Oh, I know.” Alex said, glancing up at Valery with a small grin. The K’paur continued carefully cleaning the larger scratch, taking note that it was probably the worst out of the ones Valery had taken. None of them were severe, but it was evident just how much the zombies had caught her by surprise.

Somewhere deep within Alex, that rage from earlier began to simmer.

He was too focused on listening to what Valery was laying out for a plan. “Sounds good to me, as much as I can see in the dark it might not be the best if we find survivors and have to evacuate them immediately.” Alex still held out hope they’d find at least a couple people that had survived. But he had no doubt they’d panic in the dark.

The K’paur hummed something to himself as he neared the end of his work. Tracing the larger scratch along Valery’s waist and up across her abs. Ending up at a point where his face was at level with her’s. Alex froze, remembering the moment earlier and immediately stood up and turned around.

“You should be all good now, I’m gonna go wash up. Oh, and feel free to take my jacket, don’t want you having any more wardrobe malfunctions now do we?” With that, Alex disappeared into the bathroom.

Valery Noble
​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

"Oh, I know."

Valery blinked again and raised an eyebrow while she quietly looked at him for a moment. He had changed quite drastically since they first met at the start of this mission. He had seemed a little nervous and easily flustered, but now there was the aura of confidence and strength that one would expect from a Marine. He even dared to poke back at her, which very few ever did when she was going at them in a fun way.

She knew when to stop and how far to push things.

"Yeah, that's what I figured. I can see well at night too but we can't risk having to drag people along who can't. Not with these undead who seem to have really good hearing and smell," Valery said while he finished patching up her stomach and moved his way up to the smaller scratches on her torso. The pain had almost entirely faded but she did feel that rage lingering deep within him, still. Was he angered about what they did to her?

As he moved up, their faces leveled with each other and Valery could feel the awkwardness spike in him again, so she did the only thing she could in response, and shot him a quick wink. While he quickly turned around and began to talk, Valery reached for her tank top and put it back on, before also taking the jacket, "Thanks, it's a little big but should help." She smiled and put it on but kept it open for now.

By the time Alex returned, she was on her feet again, wearing his jacket, and gestured for the door, "Anything else before we move up to the roof? It's a bit of a climb using the ladder so it's for the best to get everything out of the way first."

 

[Alexander Hayes]

While he was away in the bathroom, Alex took a moment to splash his face with water. This mission had not gone in any way he anticipated. But then, did he ever really have an idea? The Alliance had come and scooped him up, assessed him and deemed him fit enough to return to service.

A return to bootcamp was his expectation, not to be sent on a simple mission as backup for a Jedi. And not just any Jedi either. He had no real idea what Valery Noble was like, only seen snippets from the Holo. What he hadn’t expected was to feel so at ease around her, feel comfortable talking about the past.

Well some of it anyway, he had pulled back from speaking too much about his childhood. Even to this day, it was a touchy subject.

Don’t drag down the mood Alex, she’s probably picking up on this even from this distance.

He also needed to keep a check on the rage that had escaped him earlier. Alex hadn’t expected years of suppressing that side to suddenly unravel. There was something about Valery that was capable of drawing it out.

And a part of the K’paur wasn’t complaining about it.

The marine shook the thoughts away, before walking to the door and stepping out of the bathroom. He looked over to see Valery had put her tank top back on, along with his own jacket. Alex’s gaze lingered over her for several moments.

It looked good on her.

“Nah, nothing else comes to mind.” He said, walking over to pick up his rifle and reattach it to his belt. “I’m just hoping we don’t run into any more trouble.” Which Alex also hoped he hadn’t just jinxed.

He walked over to the balcony door, opening it but then pulled it aside and looked towards Valery. “Ladies first,” He said with a small grin.

Valery Noble
​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

"We might not run into trouble here but out there..." considering what they had already dealt with just to get to this point, she expected the rescue attempt tomorrow to become quite a dangerous task as well. But now that they had gotten an impression of each other's skills, even though still somewhat limited, she felt confident they could get through it together. The only thing that worried her was how the survivors would affect their ability to keep moving.

They were definitely going to be slowed down, but to what extent? Could they get all those people out of there safely?

She set aside the questions for now and focused on their more immediate goals — reaching the roof and finding the facility from up there. Alex had joined her and picked up his weapon, then gestured for her to take lead in a way that got her to smirk, "MmmHmmm, such a gentleman. But I'll happily take lead~" she teased with that knowing grin, before stepping out through the door onto the balcony.

The way up the ladder was luckily very easy, albeit a little chilly with the wind blowing against bare skin. But they attracted no attention and managed to reach the top soon enough. There were no zombies up there, so she let out a sigh of relief and walked over to the edge to take a look. People had clearly been on this roof before, as personal items were scattered around them. From sleeping bags to basic tools and other items they gathered in a hurry.

"I think I see the facility over there," Valery commented quietly as she walked over to the edge and placed her hands on the little wall that was built around it for safety. She pushed herself up but blinked as she felt cold metal against her fingers. A hydro spanner was nudged aside just enough to fall down, and she could hear it rattle against the side of the building before it made a loud bang down below.

The undead roared, not just in the streets below, but it even came from the stairwell behind them. Valery looked at him with an apologetic gaze and genuine panic in her eyes, before she sprinted over and closed the doors that led up to the roof. She used her body to keep it shut, right before a zombie crashed into it. "Alex!" she called out, "We need to barricade it!"

 

[Alexander Hayes]

As the pair made their ascent to the rooftop, evening was shifting to night and a windy chill was beginning to settle over the colony. The K’paur felt it as he climbed, eliciting a shiver and that concerned Alex greatly. He could feel it settle into his bones, and in that moment he admittedly regretted giving Valery his jacket.

That’s not good…

But the marine pushed it aside and focused on climbing. Eventually they reached the rooftop and Valery made a beeline for the edge. He watched her hoist herself up enough to get a look over the half-wall. And then she suddenly froze, as if in surprise. The K’paur frowned, until he heard the telltale sound of something hitting the side of the building.

He was already running by the moment Valery sprinted for the door.

Atop the roof’s half wall was a hand railing that stretched across the perimeter. Alex scanned along it until he found a long enough piece of it. Without missing a beat, the K’paur grabbed it and tore it free.

He rushed over to Valery, immediately sliding the metal railing along the door. Alex repressed a shiver as he grabbed the metal with both hands, and with some natural strength bent it around in several places. He gave Valery an affirmative nod, before stepping away from the door.

The zombies continued to slam into it, but Alex’s makeshift lock was secure. He looked at Val and placed a finger against his mouth, signalling to remain quiet. From there, he silently walked over to the far side of the roof.

“As long as we stay quiet enough, they should lose interest eventually.” Alex said quietly, a second later shivering against the cold.

Damn it.

Valery Noble
​

 

[Valery Noble]

Colony

​

Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

Valery kept her back pressed against the door to keep the undead from breaking through, but more and more were making their way up, so she knew she couldn't last forever. Her eyes desperately searched for Alex, hoping he'd be able to somehow help her but even with their combined strength, it would only be a matter of time until they were exhausted and could no longer resist the horde trying to devour them. Alex, however, had a very different plan and seeing him rip apart the railing got her to stare in his direction with mild surprise.

She knew he was strong but that little display got her to wonder.

Alex then rushed over to her and while she kept the doors shut with everything she had, he was able to twist and bend the metal railing until it served as a lock. Valery stepped away and watched as the infected continued to pound into the door, but there was no way for them to get through now. With this solution, they were effectively stuck.on the roof but with the Force as her ally, she had a way down and she could safely bring him along as well. Not tonight, as the risk was still far too great, but it meant they would have to sleep up here, in the cold and whatever else the elements threw at them.

"I'm...so sorry," Valery said with a frown and guilt in her voice. This was all her fault and it really complicated their mission, so she could barely look him in the eyes as she slid down against the side of the outer wall with her back to sit down. When she finally did look up, Valery noticed something almost instantly. "You're cold," she said, her tone more caring now. She then maneuvres her way out of the jacket and offered it back.

"Take this, you need it more than I do right now. I'd also make a fire for warmth, but I fear the undead will never leave then." Hopefully the jacket would be enough but she wasn't quite aware of his species' problems with the cold yet. Perhaps they'd have to find other solutions.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

The K’paur frowned when he heard Valery apologise. He turned to look at her, but she refused to look directly at him as she took a seat against the outer wall. Alex opened his mouth to speak, but was immediately hit with a bone rattling shiver.

Why am I shivering this badly? It shouldn’t be that cold, unless…

But it was what got Valery to look at him again, concern in her eyes. She shifted where she sat, removing his jacket and handing it to him. Alex flashed a sheepish smile, not trusting his voice right now as he reclaimed his jacket.

He let out a sigh as he slipped it on, immediately zipping it up. Fortunately it was already decently warm, giving the K’paur enough reprieve to talk.

“Valery,” he began, crouching down in front of the Jedi. “It’s alright, you couldn’t have known what was going to happen when you hopped up there. And I don’t want to hear any ‘but it never would’ve happened otherwise’, you don’t know that. What’s important is we’re both alive and well.” He spoke softly throughout, and ended it with a warm smile.

Afterwards he slumped over to the side, taking up a seated spot next to Valery. He had thought about a fire, but she had voiced his similar concerns. If the visual of the fire didn’t alert the undead, the smoke would’ve.

“Here’s another fun K’paur fact for you,” Alex said with a small chuckle. “We’re vulnerable to extremes in temperature. This colony isn’t exactly Hoth, and it shouldn’t be hitting me as hard. But I have a sinking suspicion that my months in a medical facility haven’t helped.”

Valery Noble
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[Valery Noble]

Colony

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Outfit: Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Alexander Hayes

After giving him his jacket back, there was a noticeable change in how he felt already. The shivering wasn't as bad anymore and because she had maintained her body heat with the Force, the jacket would feel nice and warm for a little while longer. It offered just enough comfort for him to speak again, and he took that opportunity to crouch down in front of her and assure her that it wasn't her fault.

She was quite literally about to protest when he seemed to predict her stubbornness, which caught her by surprise and got her to smile a little. Perhaps, this one time, she could accept that this incident wasn't really her fault and just unfortunate circumstances. "You're right, thanks, Alex," Valery said with a warm smile. She watched him sit down beside her with his back against the wall, and for the first time today, it actually felt like they had a moment to just catch their breaths.

The time patching up in the apartment didn't count for several reasons.

Her eyes shifted to Alex, who went on to explain why he felt so cold, and Valery couldn't begin to imagine how annoying that must be. A lot of planets in the Galaxy had very extreme weather conditions, so each and every one of them would be uncomfortable for him. It made her own complaining about bad weather feel even more silly. "Wouldn't surprise me. It has probably... weakened you a little," she said carefully. It wasn't meant to hurt his warrior's pride, but it surely would have affected him physically in some ways.

"If it gets too cold, let me know though. We can't have you freezing to death up here," she said while she shifted closer to him so the side of her arm was touching his. She then gave him a nudge and smirked, "I'm keeping myself warm through the Force, so just sit a bit close and it might help. The wall shields us from the wind as well, so hopefully, we can manage, hm?"

She really hoped he'd alert her if more help was needed. The last thing she needed right now was for him to suffer from hypothermia.

 

[Alexander Hayes]

Alex caught that careful tone in Valery’s voice, and his lips split into a grin. “Oh it’ll take more than a bit of cold to bruise my warrior ego. It’s been suppressed deep down for so long, it’s probably warmer than me.” At that, the K’paur laughed quietly. He did think on Valery’s suggestion though, and his gaze swept across the various personal effects that had been left on the rooftop.

“Hmm, actually I might have an idea. I’ll be right back.”

The K’paur carefully stood up and made a quiet trek across the rooftop. Zombies were still smacking against the door, but the lock was still holding fast and didn’t look like it was going to budge anytime soon. Alex eventually returned with a large sleeping bag in hand.

Big enough for Valery perhaps, but far too small for Alex. However, the K’paur made his intentions clear as he unsheathed his knife and cut into the material.

“If we’re going to be sticking close to keep warm, then it’s best we have something that can keep the heat in.” A few more cuts from his knife, and Alex fanned the now cut open sleeping bag into a makeshift blanket.

He retook his seat by Valery’s side, holding the material out to her. “You take this end, and I will take the other. It might make things a bit snug, but I promise I don’t hog the blankets when I sleep.” Alex’s eyes were full of amusement as he looked at Valery.

“Although speaking of sleeping, worry not about having to keep watch. K’paur can last a few days with minimal sleep. So I’ll be more than happy to maintain a lookout.”

Valery Noble
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