Private A New Light Rises

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The morning sun bathed the peaks of Tython and the courtyard of the Jedi Temple in soft gold. The world was calm this early in the day, broken only by the faint rustle of wind through the trees and the hum of ships in the distance. Valery stood near the main steps of the Temple, her posture relaxed and calm. Clad in her usual dark jumpsuit, she watched the sky with patience, sensing the approach of someone new. She had read the transmission only hours before: Kell Masaara, a new Padawan, was scheduled to arrive.

Not every Jedi greeted new students in person, but Valery made time when she could. Especially for those just beginning their path. The Temple could be overwhelming at first. Its ancient halls held history, discipline, and weight. A friendly face at the gates sometimes helped ease the transition.

As a small transport came into view, its silhouette cutting across the light of the sun, Valery stepped forward. She could already feel the presence inside. Unrefined, uncertain perhaps, but there was strength in it. Potential waiting to be shaped by years of Jedi training.

She waited at the base of the platform, arms at her sides and expression open, ready to welcome the newest addition to the Order.

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

Kell could do little but marvel at the natural wonder that sprawled out below her in silence. Well-accustomed to the sometimes claustrophobic, neon-bathed streets of Nar Shaddaa's busy cities, the mountains seemed to her to cup the temple in vast hands, shielding and supporting at the same time. A sublime sort of stillness, not choked with speeder traffic and smog. Breathtaking. It's so... Full. Of life, of air, of... freedom? Let's not get ahead of ourselves, kid, it's still a religious order, they got rules around here.

With a polite thank you to her pilot, Kell disembarks with a duffel bag over her shoulder - not a child or teenager, but squarely a dark haired and freckle-faced adult human woman. Not usually what the stories sounded like when they talked about padawans and younglings and all that jazz. Bedecked in her finest, which is to say least old, pale green shirt, beige vest and pants, and what were once likely quite handsome leather boots, she turns her blue moon-eyed gaze to the temple itself with a mouthed "wow". Jerem steered her right, she figures, if this is where he wanted her to end up.

However, she's clearly not alone here. So caught up in the awe was Kell that she effectively missed the woman on the platform on the first pass. With a double take and some rapid blinking, she regains her composure enough to jog closer with a hand offered in greeting, her accent tinged with someone probably more familiar with Huttese than Galactic Basic, but fluent nonetheless.

"Hi, my name is Kell Masaara, I'm supposed to find Jedi here."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery smiled warmly as the young woman approached. She dipped her head in a respectful gesture and reached out to take Kell's hand in a firm but gentle shake.

"You have found one already," she said, the smile reaching her eyes. "I am Master Valery Noble. Welcome to Tython and our Jedi Temple." She allowed a brief moment to pass before she added, "I serve as the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. So if you were looking for someone to get you settled, I think you're in luck."

There was no arrogance in her tone, only some reassurance because she understood how daunting all of this could be. Her gaze then briefly flicked to the transport in the distance before returning to Kell.

"Was the journey here alright? I know Tython can be a bit remote despite being in the Core. I hope it treated you well."

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

Oh, dip, we bow here, okay. Kell hastily mimics the gesture with one of her own as her handshake is taken. We like a firm grip around here, firm grips are honest! Or, you know, at least they inspire a bit of confidence in who you're dealing with. Grandmaster though? That's exciting... and a little intimidating, way more of a welcoming committee than she expected. Be cool, Kell! We're cool. So cool. Love being so cool. Does she greet all the new arrivals? That's cool too.

Much to consider, and it shows, delaying her response to Valery if only just, "My trip? Oh, yeah, I could have fallen asleep back there, smooth as silk! Better than half the speeders I've been in, and I flew most of 'em. Fella ought to get an award for it," she grins, "pleased to meet you. I've got a, um, hang on," Kell's expression drops as she stops to rummage in her duffel. Nope. Not ther- ope, there it is. She fishes out a datapad, makes a few taps on the screen, and reverses it to offer to Valery.

"This. For you. Not you specifically, I mean, but I was going to share it with who I found," It's an apology letter typed out for Kell, but at the bottom is a locked segment of the file addressing a 'Master Jedi', with its unlock hint reading 'The piece of our code, forgot', and space for seven characters. Intentionally excluded, perhaps.

"My former master left it for me."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's smile lingered as she watched Kell's rapid-fire train of thought tumble out. There was an energy to her that Valery found both amusing and refreshing. A little chaotic, perhaps, but in a way that hinted at a sharp mind and a good heart underneath it all.

She carefully accepted the datapad, briefly flicking her eyes over the screen. The note was clear enough, but the locked section caught her attention most. Her expression grew thoughtful for a moment.

"The piece of our code, forgot," she repeated softly, more to herself than anything. Then she looked back at Kell and offered a warm, knowing smile. "I think I have an idea what the passcode might be. I'll try it later."

Her fingers gently adjusted her grip on the datapad before slipping it into a pouch on her belt for safekeeping.

"But first, you've just arrived. I imagine you wouldn't mind seeing a little more than the landing platform and me." She gestured lightly toward the path leading into the Temple courtyard. "Would you like to take a walk with me? We can talk, and I can show you around. Help you get your bearings."

She turned slightly and gave Kell a small nod of encouragement. "No rush, of course. But I find it's easier to settle in when the place doesn't feel so unfamiliar."

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

Kell's glad it didn't have a counter for failed attempts, she'd been taking stabs at that code for the entire flight down - could anyone blame her? Dope Jedi secrets, just on the next line... Imagine the possibilities! Throwing stuff! Running on walls! Something other than increasingly difficult hide-and-seek with the Force! But that's what the temple is for, no more need for head scratching and hoping for answers. Not that she could have mastered any of it on the shuttle if she DID crack it, but a gal can dream. Maybe Master Noble will reveal the forbidden arcane mysteries within, some day.

"Sure, love to, didn't come all this way to just laze around, right? Lead the way, l- grandmaster." Kell hups her bag strap a little more securely on her shoulder, ready to rock. There's gotta be all sorts of cool aliens to meet, weird rocks to find, and... Water features, surely, Tython has safe water all over the place, there's no way they just left it sitting on the ground. Or maybe they did. Natural beauty, and all that. She's gonna find out soon enough.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery began to walk, her pace steady as she led them toward the grand staircase that rose ahead. The sun caught the white stone in a soft glow, making the whole Temple feel much more radiant. Birds called faintly in the distance, and the breeze stirred gently through the trees that framed the Temple grounds.

She glanced over at Kell as they walked, her expression thoughtful but warm.

"I'm glad you're eager," she said. "There's a lot to see here, and even more to learn. This Temple has been rebuilt, but many generations have been here in one of its previous iterations. It's a place of reflection, history, and purpose."

They reached the first steps, and Valery turned her gaze upward toward the archways beyond.

"So, tell me," she asked, returning her attention to Kell. "What do you already know about the Jedi? Have you had much training, or is most of this still new to you?"

Her tone was curious, as she adjusted her pace slightly to keep beside the Padawan.

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

They don't even use lifts for the front door, that's how you KNOW they're fancy. Enough resources to make you walk up to them, none of that minute-long-ride bombarded by advertisements nonsense just to get down to street level. Most of the money is in the advertising deals, everybody knows that. White stone, though. Real white - this stuff would have never lasted back home or, frankly, quite a few planets she's been to. Something about crime hubs always seems to muck things up. Wonder if there's something to meditate on, there.

Regardless, her eyes follow the path upward, up and over the arches that beckon her forward - it was like a dreamscape, almost, so radiant and clean. It was stuff like this her and the crew dreamed they'd have in the back garden of their mansions some day when the Tunnel Krayts made the big time. Kell cracks a small smile - how far she's come since then.

"Admittedly not a whole lot - I know the code, I know we're meant to be defenders of the weak, calm and considerate, peacekeepers first and warriors distant second. My master tought me a lot about extending my senses with the Force, and how to hide my own presence in turn, but beyond that I'm kinda wet behind the ears," Kell rubs the back of her neck. She hopes whatever was in the report that preceded her didn't hype her up too much - she'd hate to let somebody down day one.

"You said this place was rebuilt? I know the order is really, really old, but how far back does this place go?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

As Valery and Kell reached the top of the grand staircase, the view widened into the vast, sunlit space of the Temple's main hall. The polished wood of the curved walls reflected the natural light spilling in from high windows, and the air itself seemed to hum with a gentle presence. Around them, soft holoprojections flickered to life, shifting between the images of Jedi from across the ages — some Kell might recognize, many she likely would not yet.

At the center of it all hovered the Eye of Zallow, a massive dodecahedron that turned slowly in the air, its surface etched with intricate detail and lit from within. Two holocrons orbited it gently, casting moving shadows across the chamber floor.

Valery slowed her pace, allowing Kell time to take it all in.

"This is the heart of the Temple," she said softly. "The main hall. Every part of our lives here passes through this space. It is where new students arrive, where we honor the past, and where we gather in times of peace and crisis alike."

Her gaze lingered on one of the carved statues standing beneath the Eye, the likeness of a Knight who had fallen in the Core Wars.

"Tython has always been important to the Jedi," Valery continued, turning back to Kell. "The Order has returned here many times across history. But this version of the Temple is recent. It was rebuilt this year, after the Core was freed from the Dark Empire. We needed a strong home. One rooted in our history, but looking forward."

She gave Kell a faint smile.

"You are joining at the beginning of something new. And that means your path here matters more than you might realize yet."

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

Never mind what she thought earlier, THIS is the fancy stuff. A hutt could never. An audible "whoa" escapes Kell as she drinks in every detail from the elegant wood, to the decorative ceiling, to the giant... floating... thing in the middle, almost entirely missing the response to the question she just asked. Mouth held slightly agape, she whispers, "This is probably the coolest thing I've ever seen." She almost doesn't want to continue, casting her gaze over the statues and holoprojections. Was that...? Ah, too late. Maybe next time, when you're not gawping like fish that's never looked above the waterline before.

"The Core Wars," she stated almost blankly, still enraptured by her surroundings, "Master Jerem was glued to the coverage, maybe that's why he chose this temple." Kell shakes her head, returning squarely to a mental terra firma despite the temptation to keep staring, before continuing, "It's an honor to be here already. Don't talk me up too much, though, I'll start to grow an ego."

Kell grins at Valery briefly but, despite her best efforts, can't ignore the Eye of Zallow, gesturing toward the floating... thing, sculpture, artif- just ask, girl, "What's that?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's smile returned at Kell's awe, and she let the silence linger just a little longer. She remembered her first time walking into a grand hall like this one, younger, less sure of herself, and still so full of questions. It was good to see that same spark now.

Her eyes followed Kell's gesture toward the massive floating form at the center of the hall.

"That is the Eye of Zallow," she explained gently. "It is a monument, named after Jedi Master Ven Zallow. He was one of the many who fell when the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was sacked generations ago. He stood his ground in defense of the Order and the people who called that Temple home."

Valery's gaze lingered on the dodecahedron as it slowly turned, its etched surfaces catching the light.

"After that attack, the Jedi were scattered for a time. Eventually, they returned here to Tython and began again. This world has always been a place of renewal for us. A place of beginnings. So we built this monument to honor the past, to remind ourselves of what was lost, and to ground what we build now in the memory of those who stood before us."

She looked back at Kell, her tone steady.

"You may not feel part of that history yet. But being here, choosing this path, means you will be."

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

Ven Zallow... Why does she recognize that name, now? The look of recognition struck Kell's features as her brow furrowed - it had to be something her former master tought her, or at least talked about, for... something. Cocking her head slightly and casting a more considerate look around as Valery speaks, it truly clicked when catching the grandmaster's lightsaber in the corner of her eye.

The futility of training her to fight.

"Actually, I do recognize that name, hearing it in full. I was never trained to use a lightsaber - never made one, even. It would have taken too much time," Kell pauses to prepare an imitation of her master's voice, "If you or I are ever forced to draw a saber, it is already too late. The greatest fighters of their eras died more often to the blade than passing into the Force. Tulak Hord, Ven Zallow, Count Dooku, Obi-wan Kenobi, Darth Revan. No one is safe from a lightsaber."

She considers Valery's final words for a few moments, head cocking the other direction. To become a piece of history, in a place of new beginnings and renewal. There's no way this was a coincidental choice, and it struck her as thoroughly unlikely that it was a convenience pick - no, she was meant to be here.

Still would've been cool to make a lightsaber, though.

Kell nods, more to herself than anything else, and turns her face to the grandmaster, content to continue, "I'm ready to make some history, if you are."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's smile grew as she listened, clearly amused by the imitation but also thoughtful. There was truth in Kell's words, and a wisdom that not many grasped so early. Her respect for the girl deepened, though she kept her tone light as she responded.

"Sounds like your Master had strong opinions," she said, nodding slightly. "But I agree. The lightsaber is a tool, not the heart of who we are. Your strength does not begin or end with it."

She let her gaze shift back to the monument for a moment, then turned again toward Kell, that same warm smile returning.

"Well, I am glad to hear it," she said. "And I hope you're ready for a lot of walking too, because this place has no shortage of places to explore." Valery gestured lightly down one of the side corridors that led deeper into the Temple.

"Would you like to start in the archives and see what knowledge you can uncover? Or should we head outside and visit the training grounds? Your choice, Padawan."

Kell Masaara ​

 

[Kell Masaara]

"A weapon, a tool, a symbol - he was... more intense than I expected Jedi to be, very driven," Kell nods for emphasis, and gives the top of her thigh a slap as a wide, eager grin returns to her face, "these puppies were made for walking, running, climbing, and even tripping if the circumstances allow, I could go all day." Kell has clearly been kept in good shape, whatever her training looked like, but doesn't appear particularly musclebound. It's entirely possible she was, in fact, running, climbing, et cetera for most of her apprenticeship so far.

But what first? Training grounds immediately pique her interest, but what does she have to train? It's day one. No, the more reasonable destination is the archive. Can't run before you can crawl, and there's gotta be sweet Jedi lore just ripe for the viewing in there. It wouldn't ever replace a master, but it's a pretty good place to start.

"Let's start with the archives - it seems more intuitive to me to explore this place from the inside out, rather than bouncing between the two, and there's more likely to be other people to meet along the way." Sounded logical to her. She cast an eye around the paths out of here... which one leads to the archives...?

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery smiled at the answer, a short laugh escaping when Kell slapped her leg. There was no doubt the energy was real, and she could appreciate the eagerness even if it was wrapped in a bit of chaos.

"Inside out it is," she said with a nod. "Follow me."

She led Kell down one of the arched hallways that curved gently through the second story of the Temple. At the end of the corridor, Valery stopped before a wide doorway framed in bronze and stone, the entrance marked by a Jedi sigil above the arch. The doors were already open. She stepped aside to let Kell enter first.

"This is the heart of the Temple," she said as they stepped inside.

The dome above stretched high overhead, filtering soft light across the space below. Shelves of ancient texts and holobooks filled the outer walls, arranged across multiple levels, each lined with suspended holocrons glowing steadily in the air. Between the shelves, cool blue light pulsed gently from data terminals and embedded script.

The center of the floor was arranged for study, with long curved tables already occupied by a few Knights and Padawans deep in their work. The air smelled faintly of old stone and something metallic, like holodiscs just activated.

Valery turned her gaze toward Kell again.

"Anything catch your eye?" she asked, her tone lighter now. "We've got everything from basic history to some very complicated theories about the Force. No tests today, though. I promise."

Kell Masaara ​