Private Change of Fate (NJO Entry)

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

It hasn't been that long since Talon was once part of the Jedi Order and had taken up to defending the people from the Maw's wrath. It had worked in the past, and right alongside him was his trusted padawan. A Qurran named Jet Wirtod. Together they fought and overcame many obstacles together in the name of peace. That was the goal that every jedi and the Alliance had strived for. Something that Talon had once fought for without question.

However, that all had changed one day when Jet fell in battle against the Maw. All because Talon had ordered the padawan to stay behind and protect the refugees. To the padawan's credit, the Quarren accomplished just that at the cost of their life. Jet had spoken that he had no regrets, but the death still weighed heavily on Talon's aching heart. To many who were present that day, Jet died a hero. To Talon however, he failed to protect his padawan and bring them back alive. The hardest obstacle was to give Jet a proper Jedi burial with their family and friends present.

Ever since then, deep down Talon blamed himself for his incompetence. Unfortunately in his darkest times of regret, Talon turned to drinking alcohol. At first it was just to cope with his loss, but eventually it just turned into a nasty habit of drinking until he was nearly black out drunk. Then as if the Force itself played some twisted joke, the toxicity was either suppressed to the point he can’t feel how drunk he was or it was just gone entirely from his system except for some side effects. Usual things like increased body temperature, light buzzing in his head, delirium flood through his senses. That sort of thing.

On this particular day, it was just another episode of drinking until he could no longer drink. At one of the many cantinas in Coruscant as he downed a shot of something that was clear blue liquid. The scent was filled with citrus as it practically burned his nostrils. Talon felt a chill run down his spine as his stomach tightened up before he took the shot. However, Talon ignored the warnings before he downed the shot in a single go. The second it hit his tongue the taste was fruity and yet had a coconut-like taste to it. It was fine until it went down as there was some heat building up in his mouth and down his throat.

His body wanted to cough the uncomfortable feeling, but Talon shrugged off the instinct and simply let the feeling pass. It was easier and graceful to let it pass that way rather than hacking up a lung. The cantina was filled with chatter, laughter, music, and good food had flooded his senses. Behind the counter was a blue twi’lek woman with some peculiar rings along her head tail. Her hands were busy filling up more drinks for the customers when she raised her eyes over Talon's direction with a mirthless smile. Once the glasses hit the counter for the expecting customers, the bartender moved over to stand in front of Talon with a look of disappointment.

“Hun, I’ve seen you drink more than a wookiee on a pay day around here. I don’t know how you’re not passed out drunk yet, but I’m going to have to cut you off for the night,” She said in a clear yet calm tone. As Talon had never raised so much as a fuss over anything nor has he said much either. There was one particular shot that Talon had not drank yet as it remained on the counter next to an empty seat. Talon blinked as he looked up to the twi’lek with his flushed face and yet surprisingly calm.

“It just takes practice love,” he said as the twi’lek scoffed and turned her head to look off somewhere along the bar. Then she looked at the assumed drunken man as she aimed to strike a match of motivation or something within the dark haired man.

“Practice or not, you seriously need to get some help. I don’t really know much about psychology, but why don’t you pay the Jedi Temple a visit? I hear they’ll give anything to spread their word of the Force to any willing soul,” in truth the bartender simply wanted Talon out of the cantina. Not because the man was disturbing the place as no one seemed to pay him any mind, but she recognized a broken man when she saw one. The irony was that Talon was in fact a Jedi, or rather still was in fact. Talon had never been part of a major faction before as he often stayed in the outskirts of the galaxy where few major powers had little influence over. Or failed to compensate for that matter. But after Talon’s failure to keep his padawan alive from the last defense. Talon felt like the fight was hopeless if he couldn’t uphold his promise.

“Maybe you’re right,” he muttered as the bartender sighed through her nostrils with a slight frown. Before she could say anything, Talon stood up on his feet and laid out loose credits of the exact amount plus a sizable tip.

“Keep the change,” he followed up as he turned to leave with a light stumble and weave from the delirium wrecking his senses of balance. The twi’lek wasn’t expecting that the man had that much credits on his person. Let alone leave more than ten percent tip. Her jaw partially dropped as she looked down at the counter, but she regained her composure and quickly collected the credits so that she could wash up the glasses.

The instant Talon stepped out the door and into the bustling streets. What was filled with scents of smoke and food was quickly washed away with the choking smell of soot and grime. Despite how much he actually drank, the smell was enough to leave a metallic taste in his mouth. Yet with the choking hazard was the cool breeze that combed through the streets. It was a pleasant feeling on his warm body as the cool fingers combed through his dark hair.

Tucking his hands in his jacket pockets as he felt a familiar cylindrical device in his right pocket. Talon began to wander throughout the streets of Coruscant as he welcomed the cool air and explored the area. He noted several landmarks, but Coruscant was so vast that it would be nearly impossible to mentally keep track of them all. Truthfully Talon did not think much of the direction he was going until he came upon the looming dark shadow that towered over some of the buildings. A large flight of stairs that led up to the dark silhouette that Talon already knew was the Jedi Temple. Not that there were any neon signs or glorious writing in gold that indicated as such. Rather, it was the soft whispers within the Force that said as much, and he could feel multiple strong presences further ahead.

“Jedi Temple huh…” he muttered to himself as his green eyes continued to rest on the silhouette. His mind churned in debate of whether he should make the trip to said temple or to just continue wandering around and hope something happened. The life of a Jedi was a path he had trained for practically his entire life. In truth he had never thought of a life outside of being a Jedi, but even if he had. Talon doubted that he would’ve chosen this path. Perhaps one day he could have the last of his days in peace, but with the Maw still on the loose and the restless conflict within the galaxy. There was so much turmoil, so much strife, and suffering was being etched on every planet one way or another.

“Jet would’ve wanted to keep fighting for these people… even if it would cost him an arm, a leg, an eye, or even his own life…” Talon muttered to himself as each word bolstered his spirit like striking flint and steel for sparks to catch fire. The fire that started off as smoking embers gradually built up into a proper fire. Or maybe that was the booze having an effect mixed with confidence.

“Well, I might not lose a limb or two, but if anything they might be able to help me get through this mess,” he mumbled with a strike of motivation swelling within his chest. Talon began the stairs that he would quickly begin to loathe later in the future. He never liked stairs that much.

At any rate, after some time had passed Talon would continue onward through the night hours until he arrived in front of the pair of giant doors. Sure there was some lighting however dim it might be, and Talon felt more than a few presences on the other side of the doors. Somewhere in the back of his mind was a whisper, a beckoning to turn back. Have another drink, wallow in misery. Or so the whisper beckoned to him. However, he knew that was too late to turn back. Besides he wasn’t doing this just for him, but for Jet as well. So with a push on the door, Talon opened the door and stepped through. Only the Force knew what was in store for him.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant Temple
Tag | Talon Barova

It was a fairly typical night for Valery — she had spent most of her day training, teaching others, and going through various meetings about the war efforts. It was exhausting and left her with very little free time to rest, but it also felt incredibly rewarding. There wasn't a day where she felt her time was wasted, and she really felt progress was being made on all fronts. Especially her Padawans had been doing so well recently, which was something she felt quite proud about.

Now it was almost time for her to go to bed, so she could go through yet another day of it all, but sleeping so quickly after intense training was difficult. So in an attempt to ease her mind first, she went for a quiet walk alone through the Temple halls. Occasionally, she saw other Jedi up and awake as well, but the vast majority were already asleep, allowing her to find some peace in the silence within the halls.

But as Valery approached the lower section, she felt a sudden tremor in the Force, and her eyes were drawn out towards the entrance. Someone was out there, she could feel their presence, but there was turmoil surrounding this person as well. Perhaps he was in trouble or just needed help, so she quickly made her way over and waited.

When the doors finally opened, a man stepped inside who looked like he had gone through quite a lot, and after looking him over once or twice, he certainly had that aura about him as well, "Greetings and welcome to the Temple," Valery said as she made her approach and dipped her head. "I'm Master Valery Noble, how can I help?" She paused and looked him over again, now that she stood closer.

"You look like you've had a rough night, but you're not one of our Jedi, right?"

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

Talon wouldn't go out as far as to say that the Force had planned this encounter, but it was a bit coincidental that he should run into a Jedi Master so soon. It wasn't to say that he rarely encountered other Jedi Masters in the past, but there was a sense of deja vu in the mix. His mind flickered with an image when he was much younger and yet was in a similar situation as he was now. The major difference was the circumstances that led to this event. Perhaps Talon was supposed to come to this place to begin with, but he always avoided large corporations and jedi orders.

Unlike other Jedi that was more traditional with their choice of attire. The one later introduced as Valery Noble wore a rather form fitting choice of clothing. Not that Talon could say anything different as he certainly didn't dress like traditional Jedi either. Her introduction was met with a small smile that did not match his eyes.

"My name is Talon Barova," Talon introduced himself before he took a hand out of his pocket and extended to her as if to shake hands. The question of whether or not he was one of her Jedi, there was a spark of his old self as he was unfortunately a bit sarcastic with his words.

"I am not one of your Jedi, but I wouldn't be opposed to the idea either, Master Noble," he suggested with a hint of honeyed words. Followed with a wink before his expression slightly shifted to be more formal. A little drop of flirtatious words here and there certainly wouldn't do any harm, no? Well one would be surprised how people reacted to even a breath of innocent flirting. Still Valery seemed to be more mature and held an aura of responsibility that made her visually appealing to say the least. But on another note.

"Forgive my rough appearance, but I was hoping to learn what I might do to offer my services to your order? I'm not exactly… familiar with this step," he questioned as a fire lit firmly within his green eyes. His sincerity was both masked by his not-so-flushed face and his troubled connection to the Force. It was perhaps clear that his connection and strength within the Force was not a question. Rather it would perhaps be his own internal conflict that might warrant concern. Talon might look and act like an idiot. But he was aware of how troubled his presence might be.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Classified
Tag | Talon Barova

"My name is Talon Barova."

He introduced himself with a smile and extended his hand, which she accepted so she could firmly shake it. But beneath the surface, she could feel that his emotions didn't really match the facade. It was impossible for her to tell what exactly caused it without talking to him more, but she was an empathic woman and understood something wasn't entirely right. For now, though, she focused on why he seemed to be here.

"Well, you're talking to the right person. If you're already a Jedi and want to be part of the NJO, it's simple enough to arrange," she said with a warm smile. Of course, she had picked up on his slightly more flirtatious wink and tone, but it was met with just a friendly smile for now. He was a handsome man, but it took a little more to actually get a proper reaction out of her — she wasn't easily caught off guard.

"I just need you to get through some paperwork, and you can be assigned to missions. Of course, as an NJO Jedi, we do want you to listen to our Council on important matters, and we expect that you will set a good example while you work. But I assume that won't be a problem?" There was another brief smile, and with a gesture of her head, she tried to get him to follow her, as she began to walk through the large Coruscant hall.

But somewhere along the way, she paused and gave him another look over, "I can't help but feel that the rough appearance isn't just an external thing, Knight Barova?" she asked, both to test his willingness to be open about his problems, and see if he considered himself a Knight. He definitely didn't look like a Padawan, after all. "You seem determined about joining us, but something else is on your mind as well?"

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

As he was already a Jedi, he imagined that it would be something as simple as filling out some paperwork so that Talon would be officially part of their system. However, Talon did not dismiss the possibility that he might have to prove his abilities to the Order. Whether it was through a mission, training, or something as simple as playing a game of 20 questions. Although Talon didn't mind questions, sometimes it got out of hand in the past.

Master Noble was as Talon suspected, charming and perceptive. Not so much of a reaction was seen from Talon's basic wordplay save for a friendly smile. He'd really need to do better with his choice for words, but Talon always felt like it was more effective if such words were said at the correct moment. It was almost like negotiating, except it was a dance of words that spark a fire in their hearts. With that in mind, Talon does the courtesy to simply push those thoughts away as Valery questioned him.

"But I assume that won't be a problem?" She questioned with a brief smile. To which Talon answered with a slight shake of his head.

"Not a single problem from my end. Just a question, what is the goal for the New Jedi Order?" Talon dropped an important question, one that he doubted that Valery could answer in a single sentence. Most Jedi Orders from the past had the same goals albeit their methods were pretty similar. Jedi were the Galactic peacekeepers who protect those who cannot do so themselves. Despite what the Order stood for however, each Jedi had their own goal. Some may not admit to it and say the obvious answer while lying to themselves. Others wholeheartedly say their true goal in life. Regardless of the answer, Talon would simply listen and take notes of what was being said.

With a suggested motion of her head, Talon followed Valery into the large Coruscant hall. That was until she paused as she looked him over once more. Talon knew how he looked, but it wasn't exactly like he was going to steal someone's jewelry. Still, the Jedi Master practically called him out not just on his appearance, but what's really going on with him. There were a lot of answers that Talon could say, but frankly between the exhaustion and the previous uncountable drinks prior to this visit had taken away what energy he had.

"Love, I can tell you more about it on a later date, but let's just say I'm doing someone a favor as well," he said with a small smile that tugged the left corner of his face. He neglected to say what the favor was, but everyone had their own inner demons to deal with. Even Jedi are not prone to such things. Part of Talon's is the bottom of a bottle, but another part is the source of his own pain and regret. He's just not in the mood to spill out his troubles when it's something Talon simply needed to learn how to live with it.

"I can assure you that I will be on my best behavior. Jedi business is my profession after all," he said with confidence as he truly had only ever done Jedi-like tasks while perhaps lending a hand on occasion. Still he knew that action spoke higher volumes than words could ever express, but for now words were about the only salve Talon had to offer. Whether it eased her worry or not remained to be seen, but at least for now it possibly could be saved for another time.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Classified
Tag | Talon Barova

"Not a single problem from my end. Just a question, what is the goal for the New Jedi Order?"

She looked at him over her shoulder and smiled, clearly pleased with the question he asked. If he was interested in potentially joining the Order, it would be important for him to know exactly what he was signing up for, after all. "Our short-term goal is to liberate the core worlds that were taken by the Maw on their path to Tython. We successfully kept them from destroying the planet, so now we're pushing them back. We already liberated Empress Teta, and soon more will hopefully follow," Valery explained as she continued guiding him through the halls.

"The bigger goals are to eventually defeat the Maw altogether - they are responsible for Csilla's destruction and so many more lost lives, so it's crucial they are stopped. But more recently, the Empire has become aggressive towards us as well, so protecting our borders against them is vital too."

After stopping again to ask him about his appearance and the internal conflict she felt, Valery tilted her head slightly at his response. Especially his choice to call her "love" seemed to spark something of a reaction. "Your internal struggles are your own, so I will not inquire too much. But if you feel the time is right and you want to talk about something... it's something I'm always available for," she said with a sincere tone and a warmth that carried through the Force. Even though she was seen as the order's finest warrior, their Sword, she was a very caring woman as well.

"I can assure you that I will be on my best behavior. Jedi business is my profession after all,"

"I don't doubt your sincerity, but I do believe it might be a good idea to test you in the field. Either I could assign you a mission, or you can join me to help tackle one of my assignments." She was fine with whatever he decided here, as both options could allow him to prove himself as a Jedi Knight. She just knew that some preferred to work alone, while others appreciated pairing up with fellow Jedi a lot more.

"I'd also appreciate it if you could tell me a little more about yourself. Where have you been and what have you been up to while you weren't part of any order?"

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

As Valery explained what the Order's goal was. Both in the short term and the long term. So Talon had done the courtesy by simply listening to Valery's explanation. The mention of the Maw however was something he cannot seem to go anywhere without hearing about that treacherous group. Whether it was in the frontier, or on the core worlds. What Talon hadn't realized was how much the Maw had wreaked havoc upon the galaxy as a whole. To make matters worse, the Empire which Talon wasn't aware of the tension between them and the Galactic Alliance.

It wasn't the time to deal with two threats at once. While one faction was chaotic and brutal; the other was organized and crafty. Taking both factions at the same time would put great stress not just on the Alliance's military and resources. But the public influence might be fractured if the Alliance doesn't handle the situation in a correct manner. Or at least that was what crossed Talon's mind as Valery finished explaining.

"I see… things are going to be busy then," Talon muttered as he seemed to be in thought before he returned his attention to Valery. Frankly it wouldn't be any different from how Talon usually performed. Whether it was settling issues amongst the people, delivering necessary supplies, and even defending people from raiders and each other. One would be surprised how often miscommunication would be the source of their troubles. Talon never spread word of his credit and frankly neither did his padawan. Instead they left the people to believe in the Jedi as a whole rather than themselves individually.

"I'll consider the offer, thank you," Talon responded after Valery respected his decision and yet still left the door open for him to confide what troubles him. It certainly was a tempting offer as he felt the pulse of warmth through the Force. He wasn't exactly empathic unless he concentrated on the person, but Talon always liked to read the person and other body language signals without the Force. It was just entertaining this way. Even so, Talon simply didn't wish to dump his troubles on anyone if he could help it. His padawan had often pointed this out to Talon before, but it was something he often did. A sort of habit of solving issues when it's personal, or if it didn't affect what objective they were currently on then Talon wouldn't say anything about his issues until a more opportune time had come to light.

"A mission would be helpful I suppose, but I'm not opposed to helping you on an assignment. It'll be a fresh change of scenery from my point of view," he said with a smile as he felt genuine. On the surface, Talon seemed to be accepting of either choice. Underneath however, Talon viewed himself under a logical perspective. It hasn't been long since he had done the usual jedi tasks, but the truth of the matter was that Talon didn't fully trust himself either. Frankly, Talon preferred to have someone close by in case something went wrong somehow. He doubted that something drastic could happen with himself, but he has seen a lot of grieving people who suddenly turn to drastic measures as well. No matter how much he tries to bury it there will always be a hole in his heart. Not literally of course, but figuratively it felt like there was a piece missing.

"The better question would be where have I not been to," he quipped with a smirk before his eyes briefly glazed in thought. His smirk faltered before the man continued.

"Mostly concentrated on the Mid Rim and Outer Rim. A lot of frontier planets with limited resources and extra hands. You'd be surprised how often they're either missing someone or simply lacked certain resources. Like medicine, medical supplies were always in high demand so we would always carry some supplies on our ship whenever we venture out just in case," Talon briefly explained a bit more in detail, but as he's talking he subconsciously sounded like he was talking about more than one person. At first he didn't realize it, but by the time Talon did it was too late. He wasn't going to stress over it though.

"Anything else you wanna know? Although normally I'd say let's grab a coffee somewhere and talk; but I'm not even sure if there's a café open at this hour," he chuckled as he attempted to lighten the mood. In his defense at least he mentioned something that was not alcoholic. So that was a plus in his mind.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant Temple
Tag | Talon Barova

"Very busy," Valery echoed as they walked through the empty halls and continued their conversation. The offer for him to talk about his troubles was something he seemed appreciative of, but he wasn't quite ready for it yet. Given that they had only just met, she didn't blame him, and he likely wanted some rest first. But as long as he understood that there were other Jedi who could help him whenever he needed it, Valery was satisfied for now.

"A mission would be helpful I suppose, but I'm not opposed to helping you on an assignment. It'll be a fresh change of scenery from my point of view,"

Valery dipped her head and listened to what he said about his work in the Mid Rim and Outer Rim. It gave her an idea about what kept him busy during his duties, and sparked some thoughts about what she could do, "Well, most of my duties take me to the frontlines or other missions related to the war, so you could join me for that. But I do occasionally take on assignments in the Outer Rim as well, or just less... combative missions. Either way, I think it would be interesting to work together." With her position within the Order, she valued learning about her fellow Jedi quite a bit, and something about him piqued her interest a little more.

"Anything else you wanna know? Although normally I'd say let's grab a coffee somewhere and talk; but I'm not even sure if there's a café open at this hour,"

She chuckled and gestured in a new direction, "The kitchen is open but there's nobody there. So you're in luck - I'll make you something fresh myself while we chat," she said with a warm smile before she entered the mess hall with him, and moved over to the kitchen to prepare some fresh coffee, "How do you like yours?" she asked. Valery herself didn't drink coffee, so she began preparing some tea as well and looked up in his direction.

"Earlier you mentioned you worked with someone else while you were in the Mid Rim or Outer Rim. Other Knights? A Padawan?" she asked, hoping it was a light topic to talk about while they waited for their drinks to be ready. If he wanted to talk about something else or ask her questions, that would be fine too. This wasn't really all that official, after all.

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

Typically when it came to such matters of potentially waging war against a faction as chaotic and large as the Maw. It was possible for the Alliance to emerge victorious, but from what he’s seen from small skirmishes and heard from drastic invasions. The issue with the Maw was simply due to their ideals and drive to eliminate everything in their path. Whether it was the army, city, or even the planet itself. They weren’t shy in delving into the darker forbidden arts of the dark side that even the Sith would normally hesitate to even learn let alone use it. It was their ferocity that earned them the respect of being considered as a major threat to the Galactic Alliance and the galaxy at large. Reasoning with them wouldn’t be possible as they were determined to burn the galaxy whether it was by fire or cause the planets of life to rot with their dark rituals.

In short, just from the Maw’s actions, the balance of the Force has been drastically shifting. However, the Empire was an organized faction with a sizable military presence. If they pointed their blade of conquest over to the Alliance’s direction as well, the casualties that the Alliance was already struggling to prevent would only increase even further. If only they could come to a compromise until this situation with the Maw was dealt with. However those who lust for power and greed often waste not an opportunity to seize what they hoped to gain. It was unfortunate, but perhaps it was only a matter of time before those who lurked in the dark fought to seize territory during such difficult times.

“Well, most of my duties take me to the frontlines or other missions related to the war, so you could join me for that. But I do occasionally take on assignments in the Outer Rim as well, or just less... combative missions. Either way, I think it would be interesting to work together." Valery followed up with Talon’s brief explanation of his history. It didn’t surprise Knight Barova that Master Noble ventured out to such regions as most Jedi often went out to such areas. There was plenty of work to be done, and far too few hands to go around. Even well established worlds such as Loronar could be affected by the ongoing struggle.

“Indeed,” Talon simply said before they turned to the topic of refreshments. Fortunately there was a kitchen, but then again what sort of large organization would a Jedi Temple be if they didn’t have a kitchen? It wasn’t like Jedi were sustained just by breathing… right? Well Talon guessed there were some who might have picked up on that trick, but where was the fun in that? The offer of getting fresh coffee was honestly delightful as Talon honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had a cup of coffee. If anything it was a nice change of pace.

“I appreciate it,” he expressed as they turned to the kitchen area. As Valery had said, there was no one in the area at this hour. Despite Coruscant being a planet that never truly slept, the same didn’t apply to the residents either. So at least to say it would be more surprising to find someone in the kitchen area other than grabbing something equivalent to a late night snack or something. While Valery went to prepare two separate items, both Talon recognized them for brewing tea and coffee. Not everyone liked to drink coffee, but tea had its own merits as well.

“How do you like yours?” Valery asked as she started on the coffee. Talon leaned on the counter as he folded his arms over his chest. The flicker of metal reflected the lighting from his jacket pocket as Talon felt the weight of his lightsaber shift to press against him.

“Cream and sugar will do fine love,” he answered with a smile still present on his face. In truth he doesn’t really think about the term that he kept referring to Valery. To him it felt natural as he didn’t put too much thought into it. It was definitely better than some guy calling the bartender ‘baby girl’ or ‘sweetheart’ in Talon’s opinion. Not like he’s done it himself, but there has been more than one occasion where the person subjected to such terms would be triggered from past trauma. Last thing he’d want was to trigger something equivalent with Valery, but little did he know that she prepared the reverse uno trick.

"Earlier you mentioned you worked with someone else while you were in the Mid Rim or Outer Rim. Other Knights? A Padawan?" The question logically was a reasonable one, and usually Talon wouldn’t mind it too much. Yet on this particular occasion his mind played the instant film of memories regarding his Padawan’s last moments. Such memories caused a ripple of unrest through the Force, but it wasn’t something that Talon couldn’t tolerate. He needed to work it out somehow, Talon thought.

“Occasionally there would be a knight in the jurisdiction. Sometimes they had a Padawan in tow as well. More often than not I allow them to complete their task unhindered unless our goals just happen to line up. Like there was this one time on Drogheda, there was a feud between a noble house and one of the local people. It was a typical romantic soap opera. The daughter of some important house falls in love with a man of lower status, and the father didn’t approve of it and sought to disrupt the bond one way or another. His actions had only strengthen their bond and love; but with her father’s increasingly aggressive methods it also scared them,” Talon began to explain as he honestly enjoyed this little tale. Mostly because he was part of it, but also because it was like a fleeting dream that people rarely make it into a reality. Talon paused for a moment as he took some time reflecting on the past.

“By the time I had found them at a cantina, they had bounties on their heads issued by her own father. They already had bounty hunters coming after them, and thank the Force I happened to be in the right place at the right time because there were some altercations. Once I intervened to protect the couple, and shortly after one of the Jedi Knights from the Silver Jedi named Aayla had arrived to answer their distress call. They simply wanted to get off world, but with her father throwing out bounty hunters on their way they were scared of going anywhere. So with a little coordination between Aayla and myself; we managed to secure them a passage to travel off world without their presence being known to anyone except for the pilot and the crew. And we might have given the bounty hunters the impression that the couple was protected by Jedi that caused many aspiring hunters to drop the bounty. I went along with the couple to Telti, and that was where I met my Padawan,” he paused as another ripple of pain reverberated from within.

“He was a good kid…” he muttered in a low tone. His green eyes drifted to the solid surface of a counter as his mind reflected on his thoughts. Even his smile faltered into a stoic expression. A sigh could be heard from Talon as he simply buried those memories before turning his eyes over to Valery.

“What about you? Any Padawans that are fortunate to be trained by you?” He turned the question back to Valery. Truthfully Talon wouldn’t put it past her that she’d train a Padawan or two into knighthood. Padawans were typically a lengthy investment of training and frankly the bond was equivalent to a parent. Or at least, that was how Talon viewed such a bond since Padawans tended to do what they thought was right and yet make mistakes in the process. Their morale hits to the bottom as a result, but after some pep talk and getting their hands busy the Padawans tended to get right back to it. Or perhaps that was just Talon’s Padawan? Who knows?

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant Temple
Tag | Talon Barova

Valery made sure to prepare his coffee exactly the way he liked it, and soon enough, his cup was set down in front of him. With her tea ready as well, she pulled the cup between the palms of her hands and listened to him while she carefully blew against the surface of the hot liquid. The subject of his partner in the Mid Rim or Outer Rim seemed to have sparked something in the Force, but he wasn't too hesitant to talk to her about it.

But she did make sure not to be overly pushy and remained quiet so he could go over whatever he wished to share with her. However, at the mention of Aayla, Valery's fiery eyes widened a little and a warm smile flashed through, "Oh you've met Aayla Shan? She's a very close friend of mine." It didn't really matter for the story, but it was an interesting little coincidence. Aayla had once helped Valery when she needed it most, and Valery had been there for her as well.

So whenever the name popped up, she couldn't help but smile.

But then the story shifted to his Padawan, and the way he talked about the kid and the way his emotions shifted told her everything she needed to know. Valery had lost Padawans during her lifetime as well, and with how easily she formed Force bonds to those close to her, she had experienced pain like no other because of it. Right now was not the right time to go into it, but the gentle smile she offered him likely made it clear that she understood him quite well.

They both knew what it was like to lose people close to them.

"What about you? Any Padawans that are fortunate to be trained by you?"

Valery chuckled and nodded, "I have a few, although some are closer to Knighthood than I might like. I... tend to grow quite close to my students, so it's also a little hard to see them grow up and eventually reach that point where they no longer need me. But it's also the most rewarding feeling at the same time. I'm very proud of them all."

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple (Main Lobby)
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

Talon would of course accept the coffee with a nod and a smile. A gesture of appreciation in addition to his acceptance. Holding it with one hand as the warmth could be felt from the touch. Yet the aroma as steam vapors crawled upward to the ceiling that reminded the Jedi of a campfire. As he brought the cup to his lips, it was truly surprising how the correct amount of sugar and cream could turn something bitter into… well, bitter and sweet. The liquid was warm, perhaps near boiling even, but with Talon taking only small sips it only made him more sober. As the warmth coursed down to his core and his hand was steadily warming up to the hot temperature.

"Oh you've met Aayla Shan? She's a very close friend of mine." Valery chipped in as she immediately knew who Talon was talking about. Then again, Aayla definitely was hard to mistake to be anyone else. Small galaxy it was that Talon met someone who recognized the others by name alone, but then again with Valery being a Council member it made sense to his mind.

“Yeah, that’ll be her. She was pleasant to work with, but I’m afraid that was the last time I’ve seen Aayla. Part of the issue with being a Jedi with no particular order to follow was that more often than not we’d only meet other Jedi once or twice,” he informed her as in truth it wasn’t exactly bad. However, between the Brotherhood of the Maw and now the Empire acting up it was difficult to ignore and standby. Not when he could be out there as part of an Order of Jedi to do more for the galaxy. Each day that passed was another day that the Force would be further unbalanced. Talon was no historian, but if left unchecked then the Force itself will resort to drastic measures in order to restore balance. What those methods were, Talon did not know, but frankly he would like to not give the Force a chance to resort to such drastic measures.

The gentle smile from Valery’s charming lips was enough to assure Talon that he wasn’t alone with the sentiment. It was truly disheartening how dangerous the Jedi life was, but it was precisely the reason for the Master’s teaching to be vital as it’ll ensure their Padawan’s survival. For the galaxy held many dark secrets that threaten to trick anyone into their temptations. Whether it was by corruption of the dark side itself, or death by the hands of a more powerful Sith.

"I have a few, although some are closer to Knighthood than I might like. I... tend to grow quite close to my students, so it's also a little hard to see them grow up and eventually reach that point where they no longer need me. But it's also the most rewarding feeling at the same time. I'm very proud of them all." She explained as she sounded both proud of her Padawans and sad for their future of becoming Knights. Talon listened to Valery’s answer as he took another sip of his coffee. Savoring the bitter and sweet taste as his taste buds started to grow used to the bitterness.

“I know the feeling, but such is the path of growth. I still remember my Master and I haven’t seen that man in fifteen years now after he knighted me. But I do remember one thing he did say to me before he left…” he cleared his throat as he corrected the memory to its appropriate timeline. “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave,” truthfully Talon did not fully understand behind his master’s words during that time as his mind drafted thoughts that remained unfinished.

“I guess what he really meant was that failure was our greatest teacher; for through failure we learn what mistakes were made on our end and try not to repeat those mistakes in the future,” he said as he was uncertain as to why he was saying these things. But that was his interpretation of his master’s words. Talon took another sip from his coffee as his thoughts brought up a statement that he’s been eluding this whole time. I still need to learn from mine, he thought to himself.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant Temple
Tag | Talon Barova

The topic of her friend Aayla had brought out a very charismatic smile that persisted even as the conversation shifted to her Padawans, and how much she struggled with the idea of eventually letting them go. It wouldn't be the first time, as she Knighted Padawans before, but it never really got any easier for the overly caring Jedi Master.

"I know the feeling, but such is the path of growth."

"It really is," Valery said with a nod before she listened to what he had to say about his old Master. It reminded her much about her own, and some of the lessons he once taught her — lessons she was now teaching her own Padawans. "My philosophy regarding failure is actually quite similar," Valery said after he finished.

"When my Master first showed interest in training me, he pulled me aside and asked me what failure meant to me. What he taught me back then is very similar to what your Master taught you. Now it's something I try to convey to my Padawans as well, and just recently, I asked the same question about failure to a young student."

It was odd how sometimes all of these things seemed to work out so well as if it was a coincidence.

Valery then looked him up and down again as he sipped away from his coffee and smirked a little, "If you'd like, I can show you a room you can spend the night in. It has a shower and everything you need to start tomorrow a little better. Then we can look into our mission together and really get you started within the Order."

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

The similarity of how one was trained through failure honestly didn't surprise the drunkard. More often than not, the greatest jedi was taught in a similar method, or basically through trial and error. Most of the more perfectionist and the naive or ignorant would say that the best jedi were those who succeeded. That Jedi never lost to anyone or anything. Even the elitist would believe they could do no wrong and thus have no chance for error except for their own hubris. However the path might lead them, failure is guaranteed to happen. No matter how they fought and resisted this fact. Failure always came for everyone both big and small.

What some don't understand, or rather didn't comprehend; was not what they failed. Rather they failed to understand what they must do with the failure. Some of the more hasty and impatient individuals struggle to find the answer as they attempt to wrestle it from the Force. However, Talon learned early on that if one struggled to find the answer, then simply let the answer find them instead. Sometimes to find something is to not look for it. As strange as that sounded, it held some truth on some occasions. Like losing their keys somehow and no one remembered where they were last seen. Eventually the keys would be found, but only when they least expect it to be found.

Talon doesn't notice Valery's wandering eyes as she looks at his rough figure. It wasn't that he simply didn't care how he looked, but rather he just accepted his appearance for what it was and moved on. Both Valery and himself were in agreement of how they were taught and how they aimed to instruct their Padawans.

As they were beginning to wrap up their conversation; Valery suggested that Talon stayed the night in one of the rooms so that he may get cleaned up. Tomorrow was the promised day to begin on a mission and to officially restart Talon's career as a Jedi. Honestly it wasn't the opportunity or the staying for the night part that brought some relief to the Jedi. It was the part that he can actually shower somewhere. As part of the Jedi business Talon never settled down anywhere and his only source of transport originally was a small freighter that Talon had to sell off some time ago. Sure he's gotten himself cleaned off before, but it was always with cold water that was sometimes freezing.

"That sounds wonderful actually," he admitted before Talon glanced at the door and then looked back at Valery.

"Would you mind showing me to the room then," he asked with a smile to his lips. As Talon had no qualms of being escorted around the temple with a lovely face; but he also didn't know where the rooms would be for sleeping arrangements. Last thing he needed was to mistake someone else's room as his and rudely wake them up in the process. Talon might be a drunkard and might come off as a smart-ass sometimes. But sleep is the one vital thing where even a drunk Talon wouldn't disturb if he could help it.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant Temple
Tag | Talon Barova

"Of course, right this way."

Valery beamed a warm smile and guided him out of the mess hall, and back through the large hallways that ran through the Temple. They passed by grand statues, decorated floors of marble, and even the occasional Jedi, who were up late at night either because of duties or a lack of sleep. It was a more common occurrence in these times of war — Jedi were everywhere to help people handle it, but many brought back their own internal problems. Valery was one of few more experienced Jedi able to guide those affected by it.

"The room isn't too big, but it's quite comfortable and has everything you need," Valery said once they reached the elevator. With a tap of the button, it opened up and after stepping inside, she selected the correct level that held the quarters for Jedi. In the past, these would almost always be filled up with Jedi, but there were far fewer Jedi these days, so there was plenty of room.

"Alright, here it is," Valery touched a panel at the side of a door, watched it slide open, and gestured for him to follow her inside. There wasn't much furniture — just a bed, meditation chairs, a desk, and some cabinets to store the few items Jedi had. A bathroom was present as well, but not much more. "It should get you through the night, but if you need help at any point, feel free to contact me."

Valery brought up her vambrace and tapped something into the integrated computer, "These are my communication codes. You can message me at any time, but preferably not too late," she said with a smirk.

"Any questions or anything else before I let you go for now?"

​

 

[Talon Barova]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Equipment: Casual Clothes, Lightsaber (Teal), Comlink
Tag: Valery Noble

Without much of a protest, Talon finished his cup of coffee before he followed Master Valery down the halls once again. Occasionally they would pass by other knights and staff on the way to the turbolifts. Some of them looked to be a tad exhausted, but some of them were troubled with something. Not to the degree that Talon had experienced, but he could still feel their emotions rippling through the Force. The time of grief was on some of their faces, and at the same time they held that fiery determination to right the wrongs. Such was the tempered wills of light as the conflict forges them into greater heights.

"The room isn't too big, but it's quite comfortable and has everything you need," she informed him as they walked. Talon smiled as he wasn't disheartened by it.

"As long as it has a bed and showers, I'll be fine," he humbly answered with a smile still present. Truthfully he never cared much for having extra space when he usually traveled across the galaxy anyways. As long as he had the basic necessities Talon was content. With a tap of a button, Valery opened up the elevator door so that they may step inside.

As they were ascending up to the designated floor, Talon took a moment to turn and look outside. It was dark save for the twinkling lights and a sea of air speeders that soared to their respective destinations. In a sense, the city of Coruscant was lit up in congested areas and where the nightlife was located at. Not so long ago, very recently in fact, Talon was once suffocating in that life. It was only due to this change that Talon felt like he was able to breathe easier.

Once they reached the floor, Talon followed after Valery as she led him to the designated room.

"Alright, here it is," she said as she tapped the panel next to the door. A door opened to reveal a small yet comfortable room. With a gesture of her head, Valery led the sobering drunkard inside the room.

"It should get you through the night, but if you need help at any point, feel free to contact me." To this did Talon nod in acknowledgement.

"I think I can manage for a night,” he winked as Valery sent Talon the communication codes. To which he smirked. Normally he would make a comment, but Talon’s tired mind didn’t have the energy to come up with a witty remark.

“But how late is too late?” Talon asked since it was pretty much dead of the night and here they were. He wasn’t certain if Valery was usually up this late or if she was going on outside of her sleep schedule. And frankly Talon would like to know when and when not to message the Jedi Master. Other than meetings of course.