Private Abduction on Naboo

[Gatz Derrevar]

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Naturally, Valery didn’t expect anything from him, even after what she’d done for him. And really, Gatz ought to have been grateful for that: she’d already done more for him than he could ever repay her, and she didn’t even know. Or, well, he supposed she actually did now. He had kind of spilled the beans on that one while he was crying.

Great. She really held all the cards in her hand now.

But there was reassurance in the fact that Gatz knew Valery would never willingly manipulate him. Well, at least not for her own ends. A part of him suspected she’d be willing to play those cards if it meant keeping him on the straight and narrow, and really, that was something else he should be grateful for: that someone else wanted him to turn his life around, and was willing to offer guidance instead of criticism.

Despite how Valery felt, Gatz knew he still wasn’t a good man. Temptation still ruled him. His killing of Kragan’s son, his… less than respectful thoughts of Valery when she’d removed her shirt… they were proof of that. At least now he had someone who had faith he could overcome that, and if he didn’t, she’d just smack him upside the head.

Coffee. He could hold himself to that promise. Besides, Gatz could have been blowing the whole bounty thing out of proportion. It was entirely possible that Kragan’s ability to hunt and capture him had been vanquished with that Sith Knight. Most bounty hunters wouldn’t risk hunting a target on truly civilized worlds, and Naboo was pretty damn civilized.

As long as he avoided seedy worlds, like the places he used to deliver spice too, he was probably going to be fine. Right?

Somehow, that line of thought didn’t reassure him. Knowing that he’d be safe with Valery did, though, and so Gatz felt at ease agreeing to her request.

“Alright, but… maybe we should agree to do that on Coruscant, and not somewhere in independent space. I don’t think many bounty hunters would be bold enough to hunt me on the upper levels. Plus, that puts you closer to home.”

This time around, she’d come to his world after all. It was only fair that he came to hers next time. And… well, he supposed Coruscant had been his home for the first ten years of his life. He wouldn’t exactly mind visiting it.

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Tags: Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Sith's Ship

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

"Coruscant hm?" Valery asked after quietly watching him go through some internal debate about the whole thing. She wasn't entirely sure why he made grabbing coffee with a friend such a big deal, but at the same time, he had confessed a lot about how he felt about her, and the things she has done to help him already. Paired with Kragan and his past always haunting him so much and...

Yeah, she could understand why he was hesitant, but Valery also felt it would be good to push through that. Being held back by fear was no way to live your life, after all.

"Sure, I know some good places where we can grab lunch. I technically don't live on the planet anymore, but I have my old apartment for when I'm on the planet again for a few days because of Jedi duty." She pursed her lips and nodded to herself.

"I'll send you the address, and you can come over in a few days or a week or so? Then we'll head into the city from there."

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

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She didn't live on Coruscant? Shoot, then maybe they ought to change plans. Go to her actual homeworld. It was the least he could—

No! No this was better. The less Gatz knew about Valery's family, the safer they were. That was the conclusion he'd come to back on Sovereign Station. If Kragan ever realized that he'd been helped by a Jedi Master, the man would inevitably target her and her family too. Mishandling children, as they both knew, wasn't beneath the Quarren.

If Kragan's goons did catch up to him, and if they did ask questions instead of just shooting him, he didn't want to give any information away. Kragan most definitely believed in torture, and Gatz didn't know how hard or how easy he'd crack. He couldn't tell them where Valery hung up her lightsaber if he didn't know. And so he couldn't put her family in danger.

He was a dead man walking, but he didn't have to drag anyone else down with him. Beating the information out of him wouldn't work if he didn't have any information.

It was the least he could do for her.

"Coruscant in a week," Gatz breathed out in relief, which Valery would certainly note as odd, "I think I can manage that. Just..."

How was Gatz supposed to tell Valery not to tell him about her family? "Hey, thanks for saving my ass and taking an interest in my life, but I want nothing to do with yours." He didn't think she'd take that statement well. That would be cruel. And, technically, it'd be a lie. He wanted to know, he just shouldn't.

And then he realized how stupid he was being about this: he was a smuggler. Criminal scum. There was no way Valery would let him near her family in the first place.

That thought both stung, and brought relief.

"...Just get some rest now, alright," Gatz gave her a small smile, "I'll take care of the rest. And I'll wake you up when we land."

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Tags: Valery Noble