Private A New Weapon

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Verun​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Ship: Factory link ​

Tag: Kyyrk ​

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It was time for change again.​

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In the days of the Old Republic, Valery had grown into a Jedi Master and leader who was known to wield a double-bladed lightsaber, a weapon originally developed by the Sith but one that was adopted by the Jedi later. It fit her style of fighting perfectly but after her time in stasis, there had been no time to create a new weapon like the one she had. Now recently, one of her lightsabers had been destroyed as well, so it was finally time for some change again.​

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With her life stabilizing, she wanted to not only develop an entirely new one but raise the standard in terms of materials and design. Normally she'd try to build the weapon herself, but with the crystal she planned on using for this lightsaber, a more skilled Artisan was going to be needed as a precaution. Hours were spent searching in the archives to find the right one as a result, and eventually, one name stood out to her.​

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Or well, especially the way it was tied to her past was quite fascinating. She had heard about other Jedi who were active during the Old Republic or Clone Wars but Kyyrk and his family history were tied to the smaller Enclave she was once the leader of as well. Very little remained of that part of her life, so meeting him was going to be something she looked forward to for more than one reason.​

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After digging through more records, she finally made the decision to board her fighter and travel to Verun, hoping to meet this man in person and request his help in the construction of a weapon she'd likely wield for many more years in the wars of this Galaxy.​

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[Kyyrk]

Regnum City, Verun​

"Sir, we've just been cleared to land. Welcome home." Kyyrk looked up from the datapad he was reading, out the window he was sitting beside. The Horizon of Verun was collapsing in on the viewport, widening until it covered the entire expanse before him. The dark sky melted away to a vibrant blue as they descended lower into the atmosphere. Kyyrk turned the datapad off, and stood, walking through the cabin towards the boarding ramp. Though the family he'd rescued from the clutches of pirates did not want to travel to Verun, they had been relocated to somewhere safe. With people Kyyrk could trust. And that was all that mattered.

As soon as the boarding ramp began to lower, Kyyrk walked down onto the platform, his eyes immediately scanning the landing pad for the Mistress of Coin. She, however, was not waiting for him. Whatever meeting she was in, Kyyrk was sure it was far more important and dull than meeting him for his return. But that mattered little. He was home once again. And they would have all night to each other.

As Kyyrk walked, his support staff fell in beside him. He was no Aklin Dex, that much was certain. But he did his job well. "Welcome back seh. We've finished analyzing the scans you brought to us, and we think we have a clearer picture of where the Vault is located." Kyyrk glanced over, taking the datapad that was handed ot him. "Let me guess, nowhere near the Tomb." "Aye sir. It's a good thousand kilometers from there." Kyyrk nodded quietly, listening to the briefing his assistant was giving him. Part of Kyyrk didn't miss this life. But another part of him couldn't turn down the resources that Primus offered. As they drew near to the capitol, and to Kyyrk's chambers, his assistant remarked, "Oh, and some Jedi showed up wishing to speak with you, seh. One Valery Noble. I believe you two are acquainted?"

Kyyrk frowned. What would the Jedi want with him? "By reputation only, I'm afraid. Send her in." Kyyrk stepped into his chambers, and set his helmet on the small cabinet that sat in the corner of the room. It was sparsely furnished, what decorations lie within were tributes to prior conquest. Or had the hand of a woman on them. Perhaps a significant other that couldn't bear to trust Kyyrk to decorate his own space. Kyyrk reached up, and tied his long hair into a messy bun at the back of his head. He wasn't going to make the Jedi wait while he freshened up. No, whatever she was here for must be important. He glanced towards the door as it opened, and the woman that had arrived to see him was ushered in.

"Master Noble." He offered a stiff bow of greeting. "A pleasure to welcome you within our halls." He gestured to a door in the opposite wall, to the balcony beyond, and the chairs that lay waiting. "Please, have a seat."​

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Verun​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Ship: Factory link ​

Tag: Kyyrk ​

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After getting clearance to make her landing, Valery had walked onto the landing pad and followed the instructions she was given. The assistant had requested her to be escorted to a waiting room until Kyyrk was ready to receive her, and so she waited, her eyes wandering around the room to take in the various decorations that were placed within. ​

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She wasn't kept there for long though, as soon the assistant called for her to enter Kyyrk's chambers. Looking around when she entered, Valery took note of how little decorations were used — it reminded her of how Jedi set up their own quarters. Or at least, how they used to in the old days. From what she had seen during her last 3 or so years in this new future, the Jedi had changed a great deal in that regard.​

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But her thoughts quickly shifted to the reason for her journey here, and she greeted Kyyrk with a kind smile.​

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"Thank you for the warm welcome," Valery said after returning the bow to show her respect. She then followed him and gently lowered herself into the seat he had gestured to. ​

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"I hope all is well and that I'm not visiting at an inconvenient time — there was just something I wished to discuss with you that I don't believe many others can help me with," she smiled and let a brief moment of silence linger, in case he wanted to say something. ​

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"I'm looking to build a new lightsaber with a rather special crystal I collected. In this case, I can't do it myself but from what I know and have read, I believe you would be able to make it work," she said, slightly hinting at the fact she knew about his history as an Artisan, and perhaps even his family's history with the art.​

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[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk smirked at the Jedi Master as she spoke of needing his help. "I'm sorry, we've already met our quota of Nexu Kittens rescued from trees for the cycle." The smirk spread into a grin at his wit, and he sat down in the chair next to her, turning to look out at the city below. "I jest, of course. Though I am curious what I may do to assist the noble Jedi Order." Kyyrk glanced down at his hand, realizing he still had the datapad in his hand. He lifted it, to hand off to his assistant who was standing close by.

The Jedi spoke of the need to forge a blade. Kyyrk frowned at the idea. A hint of confusion in the gesture, but mostly speculation. Why him? Why not one of the many sabersmiths in the Jedi Order? "I could certainly offer a consultation for such a thing. Though I'm afraid whatever you've read has over-sold my abilities." Kyyrk glanced at the Jedi Master, interrupting his own line of thought to ask her, "Care for a drink, Master Jedi?" He held out a hand to gesture to his assistant, indicating he would fetch them something if the guest desired. He allowed a moment's silence for the Jedi to make a request, if any, then continued.

"I dabble in the practice from time to time, and am certainly proficient enough to construct a blade of my own." Kyyrk squinted as he looked out into the harsh sunlight. "But if it's a special crystal, I'd be afraid to cause damage to it." He shrugged. "Sounds to me like you'd need to track down an Artisan. I'd be more than happy to assist you on that regard, but...uh...my rolodex got lost in the move." Kyyrk chuckled at his own joke again. "I seem to recall hearing something about an old hermit out on Ilum, perhaps you could see if there's any truth to that?"​

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Verun​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Ship: Factory link ​

Tag: Kyyrk ​

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Valery chuckled at his joke and looked out into the city below, but her rather relaxed and joyful expression shifted into somewhat of a frown when he said his abilities to craft lightsabers had been overhyped. After all the research she had done to find the right person for the job, she had been so convinced that she was on the right track to finding the best possible Artisan to help her. Did she overlook something or make a mistake somewhere?​

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But before she could go into it, the conversation briefly shifted to a question, and she offered a smile alongside the dip of her head, "A glass of water, please." she requested politely and when the assistant moved away to prepare it, she turned back to Kyrrk so they could continue their conversation.​

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"Apologies if I came here to ask something of you that you can't help with, but I was under the impression that your skills as an Artisan were not exactly... over-sold," she said, using his own terminology. Valery then reached for a small datapad she had brought along and offered it to him.​

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"These are files from my old Enclave on New Cov that go into the times a Cortrin Verros visited the Temple to help Jedi construct their lightsabers. He helped me build my first when I was a Padawan — so it didn't surprise me to hear that you had such skills too, considering that it seems to run in the family." she smiled softly and allowed him to take the datapad if he wanted to look at some of the old records.​

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"But if you believe it is best I look for this hermit on Ilum to help me, I'd appreciate any direction you can give me to locate him there."​

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[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk's face remained twisted into a grin, and he quietly thanked his assistant as the man brought back a pair of drinks for the both of them. He glanced over to Valery as she continued to explain why she thought she had the correct person. It would seem Kyyrk's attempts to dissuade her meant nothing to the woman, such was her resolve. He took a sip of his own drink, then paused as the woman mentioned a name he'd not heard in a long time, and hardly ever uttered by a mouth other than his.

Cortrin Verros.

Kyyrk slowly lowered his glass, and set it on the table between them. "Androl, leave us." The assistant bowed, and turned to leave without question. Kyyrk's tone carried an unspoken message: Unless the city would fall, he was not to be disturbed. When Kyyrk heard the door slide shut behind them, he sighed quietly, lifting a hand to decline the datapad that Valery offered him. "Hazards of a double life. Particularly when parts of it would be best left forgotten."

Kyyrk continued to look out over the city, not looking at Valery quite conspicuously. "I know the man of whom you speak. And that knowledge tells me a good deal about you." Kyyrk sighed quietly. "That you are also a being out of time. By my count, Master Cortrin has been dead for some four and a half thousand years." Kyyrk fell quiet again. The name had an effect on him, that much was clear. But it may not be immediately clear why the name had such a profound impact on him. "You say he helped you build a lightsaber. Was he your mentor? Or just a resident Smith tasked with building lightsabers for all of the padawans?"​

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Verun​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Ship: Factory link ​

Tag: Kyyrk ​

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"Androl, leave us." ​

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While it seemed like a simple request to have a private conversation, Valery could feel the atmosphere of the room change fairly quickly. She had a feeling that mentioning old family was going to have some sort of effect, but perhaps she wasn't quite expecting just how serious he was about not wanting to be interrupted. ​

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"I'm sorry if I brought up something you've wanted to remain in the past," Valery said at the mention of how some things are best left forgotten. As important as building this new weapon was to her, she did not want to put Kyyrk in an uncomfortable position. So if he requested it, she would drop it completely.​

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But he didn't drop it and with what she believed to be some reluctance, he opened the conversation further with a question about Cortrin, "You're right, I'm out of time too — it's why all of this stood out to me." she said in confirmation, "As for Master Cortrin, I believe he visited various Enclaves to assist them with lightsaber construction. He wasn't my Master or a personal mentor, but he did help me and I learned a lot of the fundamental skills from him that I later developed further."​

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She smiled softly and for a brief moment, images of the past flashed through her mind, reminding her of a time where everything still felt simple in life. Valery was in the middle of her training, but none of the scarring events that would later haunt her had happened yet.​

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"Without his help, I would likely not be able to build lightsabers. I just never committed enough time and practice to the craft to be able to make what I'm looking for now. But if someone would be able to, it would have been Master Cortrin... which is why I hoped that you would also be able to help me."​

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[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk was quiet for a long time. The look in his eyes was far away. His brow was knit together in a feeling not readily identifiable. But it was easy enough to presume the man was troubled by what had been said. Kyyrk finally snorted quietly, a slight grin creeping back into his features. "I'm impressed Cortrin ever bothered to become a sabersmith. He always hated lightsabers...." He finally looked back to Valery. "But you are right. I could have been considered an artisan. Long ago. In a different life."

Kyyrk's brow furrowed again, this time in study. His curiosity about Valery was irrevocably piqued. "If you studied under Master Cortrin, then I would imagine that you're a good deal younger than I. Cortrin was little more than a child when he...when I died." Kyyrk's face sang of nuance and double meanings. Surely he could not have meant actual death. Or perhaps he did? Death was not impossible to overcome. But the cost it carried was tremendous. The pause Kyyrk gave when speaking of the last time he and Cortrin crossed paths suggested that it was not as simple as "Kyyrk Died."

"If you think he was capable enough to craft what you needed, then you have indeed come to the right person. I taught the boy everything he knew." Kyyrk extended a hand, silently asking to see more information about the blade he was being approached to craft. "Though I rarely understood how the boy's mind worked, if he was a friend and ally, then so am I." ​

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Verun​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Ship: Factory link ​

Tag: Kyyrk ​

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Valery would not disturb the silence that lingered between them and simply turned her gaze out into the environment as well. She knew the topic had at least troubled Kyyrk somewhat and allowed him whatever time he needed to process what had been said. After a moment, he turned back to Valery and spoke again.​

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When he first talked about how Cortrin had initially disliked lightsabers, she smiled a bit — it meant a lot had changed in the man's life, after all. But what he said after caused the woman to blink in confusion. He had died? The comment about him being older slipped her mind completely and instead, she wondered what it meant, considering he was still sitting here.​

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She didn't, however, feel that it was her place to ask questions about what she presumed to be a rather personal topic.​

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"He was very capable and even after I was knighted, I trusted him and the knowledge he imparted on me enough to use it in the construction of lightsabers that I used for years, and in some of the most dangerous battles of my life. If you taught him what he knows about the craft, then I have that same trust in you as well," Valery said with a soft smile. To some, these things were often overlooked but the job of an Artisan came with a lot of responsibility as well. If a weapon was designed poorly, and it failed a Jedi out in the field, the consequences could be severe.​

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At the extension of his hand, Valery opened a different file on her datapad and offered it to the man. It contained some rough schematics and ideas for the weapon, with a noticeable lack of information about the crystal chamber and the alignment process. That was going to be the difficult part.​

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"I have brought along the crystal as well if you wish to see it. I'm sure it'll be crucial in the actual crafting process."​

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[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk's brow furrowed in concentration as he was handed the datapad. "Cortrin was a byproduct of the Zakuul War. Those of us that taught him instilled a single ideal above all others." Kyyrk glanced up from the datapad, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "When function ceases, your are left with a toy. When form ceases, you are left with a weapon." They did not build for aesthetic or regality in the old ages. They built for dependability. "Though I take it you've strayed from that mentality in your old age."

Kyyrk gestured to the schematics pointing at various nodes. "The circuits here, and here, can be simplified. And I cannot in good faith recommend doing...that." Kyyrk's nose wrinkled as he gestured at a particularly offensive junction of components. "But who am I to judge. Ideology is not, nor should it ever be, law." Kyyrk handed the datapad back to the woman.

"I would very much appreciate the ability to meet the crystal destined to power this blade. The crystal chamber is, in all, a simple matter of construction. But the Crystal itself is...far more difficult to manage." Kyyrk looked back to Valery. "Tell me of its story. How did you come across it? How did you connect? And perhaps most importantly, what does it think of you?" ​

Valery Noble