Private At the Edge of War

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

Valery swallowed hard and could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She had told people how she felt so many times, and it was an almost daily occurrence that someone expected her to tell them what was right and wrong. It was, in essence, her job to guide other Jedi like that. But Alicio wasn't just some Padawan — he was one of her closest friends and she cared about him far more than she'd ever have allowed herself back in the day, before her stasis.

But those 30 years of her life where she blocked a lot of that emotional connection made it hard to confront him like this. And now he was putting so much trust on her, that it felt like a huge weight on her shoulders.

"I... can't," she said with a frown, and for the first time in a long while, she felt weak. "I'm not talking to you as Jedi Master Noble, but as Valery, your friend. I've seen what can happen when good people cross the line with good intentions, and find it impossible to come back. If that happens to you, the damage will be immense."

"Whether we like it or not, we're in positions of authority. So many people look up to us and listen to us, and some people will even blindly follow anything we say. That responsibility means that we can't allow ourselves to be corrupted. If you were to fall, we'd not just have a father and husband who fell to the Dark Side, but an influential senator too. A man who countless refugees rely on, and someone with the strength to cause a lot of harm."

She let out a shaky breath and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm worried this will get worse."

 

[Alicio Organa]

"I... can't."

That was what Alicio had been afraid of.

What she was saying made sense. Of course it did, Valery was one of the wisest people he knew. But he couldn't accept what she said. His ideals, his drive, the very core of his being, wouldn't let him. Just like how her ideals kept Val from commanding him to stop.

He couldn't, wouldn't let fear of the Future define his present. He'd learned that lesson with Vera. He couldn't, wouldn't let fear keep him from doing what was right. He learned that in the Senate. And he couldn't, wouldn't, pull his punches when lives were on the line. He'd made that mistake on Alderaan.

But responsibility was something he understood, too. He had a duty to his people, to Amani, to his children, to be there for them. And if he wasn't...

Alicio was staring down at his boots again, a headache pounding behind his eyes as his thoughts barraged each other. He could've lied, said that he wouldn't ever perform the Force power again, but he didn't entertain that thought for even a moment. He finally spoke again. "I... I'll try not to use it. I'll exhaust every other option before I touch the cold again, and I realize the danger. But... I won't forsake people, if it's the only option to save myself, or those around me."

"This is the only promise I can make, Val. I'm... I'm sorry." Alicio set his jaw, a facial expression he had performed against so many corporatists who told him he was naïve, wrong, though he didn't look at her. He was letting Valery down, he knew it. How would she see him now?

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

"I... understand."

Did she like it? Not at all, but she could tell he was being honest with her and that mattered a lot to her. If he had told her that he'd never use the cold again and do it anyway, she would be extremely hurt. This, she could at least accept. He wasn't a Jedi, and he was very much in control of himself - if he remained cautious and didn't actively tap into the Dark Side, he would be alright.

Or so she hoped, at the very least.

"If you ever feel like your control is slipping or if something just feels...off, please feel free to reach out to me. I know you have Amani and she is amazing, but I will gladly help too." She smiled just a little again and stepped forward to try and pull him into a hug.

She couldn't allow tension to linger between them. He was still one of her closest friends and that wouldn't ever change.

"You uh, feel ready to keep going? I can call in relief for us if it's too much right now."

 

[Alicio Organa]

"If you ever feel like your control is slipping or if something just feels...off, please feel free to reach out to me. I know you have Amani and she is amazing, but I will gladly help too."

Alicio had been bracing for the worst. Perhaps for her to yell at him. Plead for him to reconsider. Perhaps he expected her to confirm things would be different between them. Say that she couldn't trust him, anymore. He hadn't expected the hug.

The Count nearly sobbed all over again, though he managed to keep it together this time. The thought that he would lose her friendship had turned his stomach to poison. Her hug, the unspoken assurance that they were still okay, relieved that tension in his gut. "I... I'll let you know if something happens. I will."

"...Thank you."

"You uh, feel ready to keep going? I can call in relief for us if it's too much right now."

Alicio passed a sleeve over his eyes, his jaw setting again, this time as he surveyed the world around them. "I won't leave these people to die." And this time, I won't use the Cold.

"I'm... with you."

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

Valery needed the hug as much as he did. Confrontations like this could break friendships if they weren't handled right, and as much as she believed them both to be considerate adults, there was a lot of emotion involved in this. So much that they easily could have said the wrong thing and walked away from the bond that had formed all those years ago.

But she wasn't going to let that happen, and she knew he wouldn't want it either.

"Thank you for talking to me about it," Valery said with a faint smile before she drew in a deep breath to calm herself down. The emotional control of an experienced Jedi Master returned, and she looked back to where they were planning to go with a newly lit fire in her eyes.

She was ready.

"Our push has forced them in retreat, and the locals have them surrounded from what I can feel. But they might be struggling to break through." She looked at Alicio and smirked. "Let's finish this."

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Thank you for talking to me about it."

Alicio tried to smile back, but found he couldn't. Instead, he looked to the ground again, shame burning up where there had been cold before. They were still friends, still just as close as before, perhaps closer with time, Alicio reasoned, after bearing his soul to her. But still, something had changed between them. Something kept him from meeting her fiery orange gaze with his icy greys.

But he couldn't linger on it. Not now. There was work to be done, and promises to be kept.

So Alicio would have to be ready, too.

Hearing the rundown, Alicio nodded, his lightsaber finding his synthetic hand once more. He flicked his eyes to her, finally able to conjure the tiniest of grins, before having to break eye contact. "Then let's break through," he responded, walking in the direction of the fighting. Already, his eyes were flicking back and forth, viewing the coming battle they were about to bust into.

"It's... difficult to see ahead. I think I saw a junk starfighter headed our way." A bit of his former confidence returned. "Nothing we can't handle."

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

"I don't think the locals have starfighters, so we'll need to deal with that," Valery said, though also with a confident smirk. These pirates were likely going to be far too confident flying a starfighter over a battlefield if there was little resistance. That would give her and Alicio a chance to bring it down, one way or another. But until it showed up, Valery pressed forward and focused on the enemy defenses.

They were on a small floating man-made Island of metal, set up behind large containers or smaller crates for cover. It wasn't a terribly solid position, but the locals had trouble with their mostly unorganized attack. Worst of all, along the main routes leading up to the island, the pirates had placed small turrets.

The heavier bolts it could spit out at fast rates were too much to handle for most.

"I'm going to assault that position and draw the turret fire to myself. It should give the locals an opening, and I'm sure they'll call in their starfighter to take me down. But you can handle that, right?" She flashed a grin and began to walk along the open path. Seeing her lightsabers ignite, the turret immediately turned to her and opened fire.

Now they had to play the waiting game.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Archae Teuthis didn't seem to have much of an airforce. Alicio nodded to Valery, understanding coating his expression. They would need to ground the starship. Destroy it, somehow. Frankly, Alicio didn't know how, but he supposed they would cross that entrenched, turret-covered bridge when they got there.

Alicio nervously rolled the hilt of Introspect across his knuckles a few times, only stopping when he saw the man-made island the pirates had been forced onto. The local forces were holding their own, but couldn't push past the chokepoints the raiders had set up. They needed someone to break through. They needed a couple of Force-users.

"I've never... taken down a ship, before." Alicio clenched his cybernetic fist, thinking hard. He wasn't powerful enough to pull it from the sky. If he could only use his ice, perhaps he could freeze an engine...

No, he'd promised not to. Not unless there was no other way.

Alicio watched on as Valery took on the island of pirates single-handedly, staying back to observe the fighting. She wouldn't need his help. His job was to deal with the fighter. Somehow.

That didn't stop him from assisting from a distance, wrenching some weapons off-kilter with the Force before they could aim Valery's direction. At least, until his vision became true, and flying low over the ocean was a piecemeal ship, made out of some combination of X-wing and Maw patrol craft parts. It was closing on them quickly. Soon, it would stop above their heads, and rain death down upon them.

<Okay, I have a plan,> Alicio communicated telepathically with Val, taking a few preparatory steps back, and igniting his blue and black blade. <Can you... toss me at it? With the Force?>

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

"Sure you have... sort of. Think of it as a speeder... but one that flies." She smiled sheepishly and decided to very quickly start her assault on the enemy position, just in case he wanted to make fun of her for it. The turret then opened up, and Valery started deflecting the bolts away from her. They were too heavy to very precisely deflect back, but she was managing quite well with her defenses.

It not only stopped the turret and pirates from gunning down locals, but it also allowed them to advance. With Alicio pulling weapons away at the same time, the pirate's defenses were falling apart rapidly — all that remained was handling the fighter, and Alicio pitched an idea for it.

An idea she didn't really like.

<You want me to what?> She blinked and paused her advance for a moment when he asked her to throw him. <I think Amani Serys will kill me if she hears about this, but alright...>

The enemy fighter was already making its approach and getting low enough for a strafing run. The perfect chance, but timing was important. She didn't want to throw him straight into the fighter's path, and being too late or too early would get him to miss as well. It had to be just right, and she called on the Force to perfect her timing.

With a sudden surge, Alicio found himself yanked up into the sky, right as the pilot began thinking about using its guns. But the man on board had seen the lightsaber-wielding Count blasting up into the air, and just watched in disbelief.

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Yeah, sure Val." Alicio couldn't resist the last teasing jab she knew was coming, as she escaped his presence to begin the assault.

His plan was taken... about as well as he could have hoped, honestly. He had a nasty habit of proposing strategies that put himself in the most danger, and this was no different. But it made sense to him- he couldn't very well hit the ship with his lightsaber from all the way down here. <Not as bad as she'll kill me,> he responded with a nervous smile.

Alicio took a few careful steps back, keeping an eye on the future to time his jump. He began with slow steps forward, incrementally gaining speed until he was sprinting at the oncoming ship. Calling upon the Force, the Senator leapt into the air, feeling his heart catch in his throat as Valery propelled him even further, launching him like a projectile towards the fighter.

Alicio soared up, making eye contact with the pilot of the ship. He couldn't keep a slightly amused smirk from his face as he saw the man's flabbergasted expression. The flying Count arced over the right wing of the ship, letting his lightsaber slide along one of it's s-foils, severing it completely.

As Alicio began his fast descent back to the planet's surface, so too did the starfighter.

The Count slowed his fall as best he could with the Force, but it wasn't a skill he was very well versed in. So when he landed heels-first into the tumultuous ocean below, he landed hard. The force of the landing, plus the shock of the cold, nearly knocked him out, then and there. But he stayed conscious.

At least, conscious enough to send out a quiet, telepathic <help, please> Valery's way.

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

<That's... fair enough.> She definitely wasn't going to be the one to tell Amani, and she certainly wasn't going to share the after-action report with her either. This feeling grew more intense when she saw just how high the Count got up into the air, and how fast he was moving to an already quick starfighter. Even a slight miscalculation would result in a collision that'd have Alicio become dust in the wind, never to be found again.

But between his ability to focus on the future and her own experience, they'd make it work.

With her heart pounding in her chest, she looked up as Alicio moved along one of the fighter's wings, and struck with enough precision to take it down, but without digging in so deep that the impact would send him tumbling. It was just enough, and sent the fighter spiraling down into the depths of the ocean around them. But Alicio awaited the same fate, and even though he absorbed much of the impact himself, Valery could feel that her friend was in trouble even before he called out to her.

"Alicio!" She called out, as she rushed over to the edge of the platform and extended a hand, hoping to find him so she could pull him out. But as she stood and summoned the Force, she also exposed herself. A single bolt, fired by a hidden sniper, struck her right shoulder-blade and instantly severed her focus on him. She yelped in pain, flung back her arm to send the shooter flying, and decided in a split-second to jump into the water.

Propelled by the Force, she intercepted him like a torpedo, and swam back up towards the surface while she held him close against her, "Come on, wake up," she muttered with a strained voice. "I'm getting you out and you'll be back home soon. With Amani and the kids waiting for you." In her panic, she wasn't really focusing enough on her senses to know whether he was in a life threatening situation or not.

All she cared about was getting him out of the water.

 

[Alicio Organa]

There was a moment of peace, beneath the shifting black waves above. Fully submerged, there was no sound to assault the vaguely-conscious Count. No tastes to mar his tongue. Everything looked velvety and pastel around him, the dark insistent and inviting. His only companions were the chill of freezing water around him, and an intense solitude.

Is this what awaited him, at the end of his current path? Coldness, and loneliness?

But then, there was Valery Noble, diving in to save him. The collision hurt a little, jostled his freezing limbs, but then they were shooting up, breaking the surface of the water.

Alicio got a breath of air, and his senses came back to him. Taking a few shuddering gasps, Alicio looked back to his friend, a weak smile on his face. "I'm okay," he mumbled, injecting as much surety into his voice as a half-drowned prophet could. "I knew you'd find me."

Then, Alicio made a face as if tasting something bad in the air, and as Valery assumedly began swimming them towards the nearest dry area, Alicio laid delicate fingers on her shoulder, and began to heal her wound with warming energy.

Of course he disregarded his own health to help Valery. That was simply... who Alicio was.

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

"Of course, you'd do the same for me," Valery said with a smile of her own while she tried to keep her teeth from chattering. Having grown up in a tropical environment, Valery despised the cold and being wet made it even worse. Her hair was ruined and she knew the ride home was going to be really uncomfortable in soaked clothes. But those were worries for later — she was thankful that her friend was alive, and from the looks of it, the locals had things under control.

The enemy position was overrun, and more of them began to surrender.

Valery then picked up on the face he made, and blinked, "Sorry, got my hair in your mouth?" She asked and swept away her hair. Then... she remembered his whole way of perceiving the Force, and felt like an idiot again. If he were to tease or ask her about it, she'd just tell him that his half-drowned state was making him delusional.

Yeah, that'd work.

A hand settled against her injured shoulder and her first reaction was to grimace. But once the Force began to flow between her, she suddenly felt relief instead. "You know, I should smack you for using your energy to heal me, instead of focusing on yourself." She pulled him up on shore, and rolled away so things wouldn't get too awkward between them.

"H-here, come c-closer," Valery muttered with a weak smile, before she brought her hands together with the palms facing up, and created a small, controlled flame for warmth. "We'll need to get changed and I think a hot meal would be great too..."

 

[Alicio Organa]

Thankfully for her, Valery's comment about her hair seemed to go uncommented on by the Count. He just focused on healing her. A small recompense, for saving his life.

"You know, I should smack you for using your energy to heal me, instead of focusing on yourself."

"Yeah," Alicio relented, humor coloring his cheeks where there was only bone-white before. "You probably should." It didn't stop him from continuing to do so. Perhaps there was a silver lining to his cryokinesis, a secret good- he'd gotten a lot better at manipulating life forces. Her wound was closing quickly. Amani would be proud, he figured.

Dragged up on shore, Alicio laid on the beach a moment, letting his breathing steady, and checking in with himself. Deciding that nothing was broken, Alicio sat up, frowning as an aching pain accompanied the sensation. That's what he got for falling a pretty long distance into freezing water.

Scooting closer to Val and her flame, Alicio remained quiet. He wasn't shivering. It seemed he didn't notice the chill at all. "I wouldn't mind either of those things," he said, smiling mutely. But something else was on his mind.

"Thanks... for saving me." The senator said it with a frown. He meant every word... but the fact that he'd kept from using the Cold, then immediately had to be saved at all caused him some pain. "I really do appreciate it."

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

Valery snickered at his response and finally was able to relax just a little, "I'll let Amani know just how much better I felt after your healing." A gentle tease, but also a compliment. Her shoulder had felt sore and tense after getting hit, but with the flow of healing energy soothing the wound and the area around it, she was feeling much better already. "Thanks, that feels... good." She chuckled and moved her shoulder and arm in small circles to get a feel for it again.

She then watched him get a bit closer to the fire she made, but instantly noticed that he didn't seem to be cold at all. It was strange to her, and there was something about his demeanor that caught her attention too. When he agreed that a change of clothes and a hot meal would be good, she couldn't quite see it yet.

But she knew the moment he thanked her for saving him.

"You don't have to thank me," Valery said with a smile, but some confusion as well. "You're one of my best friends. I'd have jumped after you even if that was lava." She let the flame die once she realized that they both didn't need it anymore, and tilted her head just a little.

"Is everything okay?"

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Why, thank you," he said, returning a tired smile. Of course, if Amani knew how he'd been getting better...

He would tell her. He would. Once he understood his feelings on the subject better. Valery had given him a lot to think about.

Valery stopped her fire, and Alicio pursed his lips. He may not have been cold, but that didn't mean he hadn't enjoyed the warmth. He shook it off quickly, though, especially as Valery continued to talk.

"You're one of my best friends. I'd have jumped after you even if that was lava."

That unburdened him of his morose attitude, at least for the moment. He covered a snort with his hand, smirking at Valery. "Yeah? Well, I appreciate that. I'll let you know next time I leap into an active volcano." At this rate, Alicio was bound to do it sooner, rather than later.

Then, he returned to his natural, grim state as his friend asked if he was alright. He let out a slow breath. "Well, if our previous conversation today is anything to go by..." He tried for a smile, then gave up. "I didn't use the Cold. But the only other way I could think of to deal with the threat left me... a liability for you."

"I don't want to be in your way... Royalty, in need of rescue." He brought his knees close to his chest, staring at the water. "I just... wish I were more like you. In control. Confident."

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

"I'd love it if you did," Valery said with a smirk, and it seemed like she wasn't even exaggerating. Even now, she was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and the idea of taking a picture of herself going into a volcano was quite cool. The kids would love it and she'd be the most awesome Mom in the Galaxy.

She already was to them, of course, but she liked showing off for the little ones.

Valery then listened to his worries, and nodded along, "Well, I've been a Jedi for a very long time. I had 30 years of experience when I taught you some lightsaber basics, and that has been years ago too. It's my experience that makes me confident." She didn't really like it when people compared themselves too much to her. Everybody had their own strengths, and there was a lot about Alicio that she looked up to.

"You weren't in my way at all, Alicio. I really think you've done well, and that you can make the difference that you want to make out in the field, too." Even without the cold, but she was going to leave that conversation to Amani. Some things were best to leave to close loved ones.

"Believe in yourself a bit more. You just cut a starfighter from the sky," she lightly punched his shoulder and smirked. "The timing on that wasn't easy at all."

 

[Alicio Organa]

What did Valery just say?

Alicio shot his friend an extremely arched eyebrow, though he couldn't keep down his amused grin. "Yeah, whatever Val," he laughed, reaching over to push her uninjured shoulder mischievously. "You know, most people don't look forward to a hot lava bath."

Of course, the mirth had to end. There were looming thoughts on Alicio's mind. And Valery had answers.

"It's my experience that makes me confident."

Alicio frowned harder at that. The people of the Alliance didn't have time for him to gain experience. As much as Alicio wished they could delay the Mandalorians, the Sith, for thirty years. But he didn't fight the point. He just let it go, and listened.

There was wisdom in what Valery was saying. He had come a long way since their first meeting on Coruscant, their first sparring session on New Cov. He was improving. Doing things he couldn't dream of, all those years ago.

"Believe in yourself a bit more. You just cut a starfighter from the sky. The timing on that wasn't easy at all."

Alicio's durasteel gaze softened, as he stared out over the water. "Well, that's cheating. I just looked ahead to when the best moment..." He stopped talking. He still had to learn to take a compliment. "Thank you. I have been... practicing dilligently. And I wouldn't be opposed to more lessons with you in the future. I'd love to show you how much I've improved since our last spar."

"It's still not enough. I... I don't think there ever will be 'enough'." Alicio sighed. "I'll think about what you said, today. I swear."

- Valery Noble -

 

[Valery Noble]

Archae Teuthis

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers
Tag: Alicio Organa

Valery pouted just a little at his comment and nudge, but moved on to the more serious topic when he did as well. She could see that her advice sparked mixed feelings and it made sense to her. He wanted to be helpful now and not in years from now. The war with the Mandalorians wasn't going to wait until he was ready. It wouldn't wait for anybody to be ready. But all she wanted was for him to not hold himself to unreasonable expectations.

Everybody had a way to help, and his role in the Galaxy was already crucial.

"I'd love to see how far you've come," Valery said, deciding to let the comment about him cheating slip for now. He had used an ability he had refined over many years to do what he did. That wasn't cheating at all — tapping into the Dark to make something easier was. But she decided against mentioning that now.

"That said, you're right about it never being enough. It isn't for me either. We always have to keep working on ourselves. Just... don't beat yourself up for not being able to do certain things yet." She smirked and gently nudged his shoulder again, "You're pretty awesome already, and I know a lot of people will be able to count on that in this upcoming conflict."

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio was filled to the brim with unrealistic expectations. They were how he'd grown so quickly. And why he was so incredibly hard on himself.

The Count crossed his legs, twitching the corner of a lip up at the Jedi Master as she nudged his shoulder back. He didn't say it, but he was blessed to have a friend in Valery. And, perhaps lucky that she was there to confront him, before it was too late. Her advice was... conflicting. Contrary to what lessons the galaxy had taught him in years past. He would need to ponder what it all meant. Where he stood. What was right.

"You're pretty awesome already, and I know a lot of people will be able to count on that in this upcoming conflict."

"'Count'? Is that a pun, Master Jedi?" Alicio chuckled weakly to himself. It shouldn't have been that funny, but he found himself laughing about it regardless.

Alicio stood from his crossed position with grace, shaking his head. He didn't feel particularly awesome. Those lessons he'd learned, those unrealistic expectations, kept him from seeing himself as anything other than small. "Let's... go get warm, Val. It wouldn't do the galaxy any good for us both to come down with a cold on the eve of war."

He let a lengthy pause touch their conversation, before adding, "I hope they can."

- Valery Noble -