Private A Vision

[Valery Noble]

Jedha

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The deserts of Jedha stretched endlessly beneath a pale sky. Valery stood alone within the desert, her dark hair pulled back against the wind as sand swept around her boots. Somewhere beyond the horizon lay territory claimed by the Sith Covenant. Close enough that coming here carried risks, especially for someone like her. But Jedha had called to Jedi for thousands of years. Its history remained buried beneath the sand, carved into ruins and scattered through places the Galaxy had long forgotten.

That was why she had come. The vision had pulled her away from everything, and deep into the unknown regions. At first, Valery had been wary of it, but eventually she followed its guidance until it brought her here. But she wasn't going to continue this journey alone.

Valery had learned better than to ignore visions that insisted on repeating themselves. She also knew better than to trust them blindly. Whatever waited somewhere in this desert, she wanted another pair of eyes on it. Someone capable, someone she trusted, and most importantly, the person the Force itself had placed beside her.

So she'd sent Jand Talo a message.

A request to meet her there without much explanation as to why. Nor did she explain anything about her disappearance and return just yet. She figured he'd trust her after all the time they had spent training and fighting together, and hoped it held up, even now. He had a big part to play in what was to come, and this is where it would all begin.

Jand Talo ​

 

[Jand Talo]

ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ: ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴠᴀʟᴇʀʏ ɴᴏʙʟᴇ ⟐ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴊᴇᴅʜᴀ​

Jand had been given little beyond coordinates.

Coming from Valery Noble, that was enough to catch his attention. Jedha made it more interesting.

The desert stretched beneath the Star Runner-class interceptor as Jand descended toward the marked location, pale ground broken by stone and traces of ruins beneath the sand. He kept the vessel low through the final approach, sensors sweeping beyond the rendezvous point while his attention shifted between the readings and terrain ahead.

A series of tones sounded from behind him as new data populated the display.

Sith-controlled territory lay close. Close enough that lingering in the open would be unwise.

"Understood, Deetoo."

Jand adjusted course toward a stretch of ground suitable for landing.

The interceptor settled some distance from the coordinates, landing gear sinking slightly into loose sand. Jand stepped down moments later, robes shifting beneath the dry wind, lightsaber at his hip. Deetoo remained with the ship, already running another sensor sweep while Jand paused beside the vessel to look across the horizon.

Nothing obvious.

That meant little.

Jand started toward Valery.

There were questions surrounding her disappearance, along with the fact she had since returned. He had not gone looking for answers. Valery would explain herself when she intended to, and Jand had known her long enough to leave it there.

For now, she had summoned him across the Galaxy to a world bordering Sith territory.

That was reason enough to come.

He spotted Valery ahead and continued through the blowing sand, approaching until conversation no longer required raising his voice. His attention passed briefly over the surrounding desert before settling on her.

"Master Noble."

Jand inclined his head.

"You selected an interesting place for a reunion." His gaze shifted once more toward the horizon. "I assume our purpose here involves more than the Sith."

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Tags
Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Jedha

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery dipped her head in return, a warm smile settling across her features. She had known Jand would come. The message had offered him little beyond a location and a request, but after everything they had been through together, she had trusted that would be enough.

"It's good to see you, Jand." Her gaze lingered on him for another moment before drifting toward the desert. Wind swept across the open sands and pulled loose strands of dark hair across her face. Valery brushed them aside and turned toward the distant ruins, where the Force had been drawing her attention ever since she arrived. The Sith were close. She could feel their influence pressing at the edges of her senses, but they weren't what had brought her all this way.

"You're right. This isn't just about the Sith." Valery folded her arms and studied the horizon. "I've spent a lot of time since my return trying to understand what happened while I was gone. The Alliance is gone. The Jedi are scattered or at odds with each other, and everyone seems to have their own idea of what comes next."

Her expression tightened slightly. She had seen Jedi survive division before, but something about this felt different. The Galaxy needed them, perhaps now more than it had in years, yet there was no single path forward.

"I had a vision," Valery continued as she looked back at him. "It brought me here, but I wasn't alone in it. You were with me." A faint smile returned. "That's why I called you."

She turned and began walking toward the ruins, trusting him to follow.

"I believe the Force is leading me somewhere, and that you're supposed to help me find it."

Jand Talo ​

 

[Jand Talo]

ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ: ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴠᴀʟᴇʀʏ ɴᴏʙʟᴇ ⟐ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴊᴇᴅʜᴀ​

"And you," Jand said, holding her gaze. "I hope all is well with your family."

Jand fell into step beside Valery, boots shifting through the loose sand as his attention moved toward the ruins ahead. He wondered if that was their destination or simply one stop of many. It did not matter much. Wherever Valery intended to lead him, he would see it through.

It occurred to him that somewhere over the years, he had become taller than Master Noble.

That gave him pause. Jand could remember looking up at Valery often enough when he was younger that the difference felt strange now. His attention lingered on it only briefly before returning to the path ahead.

As Valery spoke, Jand saw no point in softening what had become of their people.

"The New Jedi Order still stands, though it is not what it was before the Alliance fell. Many who once gathered beneath it have moved elsewhere or died, and those who remain are spread thin. Some move between other Orders as well, returning when the need arises, but few are beholden solely to the New Jedi. I was named Sword of the Jedi. I did what I could, but we both know I am not a diplomat like yourself."

Jand glanced toward Valery as they continued.

"So when it comes to the Jedi as a whole, I agree with your concern."

The division Valery spoke of extended well beyond the Order. Jand had seen enough separate groups of Jedi emerge over the years to know that much.

The vision interested him more.

Jand had answered Valery's summons because she had asked. That alone had been enough. Learning that the Force had apparently placed him within whatever she had seen gave him considerably more reason to understand why.

Jand looked ahead again.

"What did you see?" he asked. "Beyond the two of us being here."

He studied the weathered structures as they drew closer, looking for some indication of where Valery intended to lead them.

"If the vision was profound enough to bring you to Jedha, it must have left you with a strong impression. Do you have any sense of what it could mean?"

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Tags
Valery Noble​