Private Crystalline Flight

[Katherine Holt]

48 Hours after the Caldera Crisis​

In the wake of the events in the Stygian Caldera, Katherine was able to make it safely back to Coruscant. Albeit, not without her fair share of bruises and injuries. One did not survive a crash, then an encounter with Darth Carnifex without coming out the other side in some bad shape, our outright dead.

Katherine knew she was fortunate the Dark Lord had a wholly different objective that day. And they had just been pesky insects that had gotten in his way, and needed to be swatted. She held no illusions to the fact that if he had wanted her dead, she would’ve been.

Unknown to the Padawan however, he had done something far worse. She had been infected with a variant of the Creeping Lignan. In the heat of the battle, Katherine hadn’t even realised what had happened, passing it off as just some ‘weird Sith stuff’ at the time. However, its typical initial effects didn’t occur within the Padawan, instead it started making her ill.

After returning back to the Temple, Katherine had received a message from her Master. That training would be postponed by a day or two, as he had to deal with another matter. Katherine hesitated telling him about what had happened, or just the fact she had been on Elom in the first place. Instead, she just replied with a simple ‘understood Master, see you when you return!’

The hours that followed became hell for Katherine.

She tried to sleep, only to be disrupted by nightmares. Anything she tried to eat, she promptly threw up not long after. Katherine brushed it off as just being ill, and tried to focus on other things. Which worked for a time, until she fell unconscious while walking down a hallway.

A couple Jedi found her and took her to the medical bay. The healer appointed to oversee her, didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. To him, it seemed like the Padawan was dealing with some kind of bug, or flu. Nothing particularly serious that required alerting Kahlil about. So he gave her some medicine, and allowed her to remain in bed for the rest of the day.

That was until the following morning, when the healer found Katherine running an incredibly high fever, tossing and turning in her bed. Her health had done a complete one-eighty overnight. The healer examined her, and immediately noticed parts of her skin were turning pale, with reddish-black veins following in its wake.

A message was immediately sent to Kahlil, alerting him to Katherine’s presence in the medical bay, and that he was urgently needed.

Unfortunately, by the time either Noble could reach the location, chaos had already erupted. The bed Katherine had been occupying was vacant, the healer was slumped against the far wall; just barely conscious, and one of the nearby windows had been shattered.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"I should've known something was up."

He couldn't have, he knew that much. But he felt as if she should've. The meeting with the Senate had pulled his attention from his Padawan's, even though he probably should've brought them along. He was glad he didn't, but for their training he should've at least invited them. But that wasn't even the issue. Something had happened to Katherine. Something terrible. He was practically running down the hallway to the medical wing with Valery beside him.

"She met Carnifex. I should've been told immediately. After what he did to your Padawan, this isn't something that should've been kept a secret."

Perhaps Katherine would've wanted to keep it to herself, but the fact the others present didn't even alert the Jedi of what happened was unacceptable. He'd of continued on if not for the fact that when they stepped in the healer was unconscious. He blinked in surprise before stepping by them.

"What happened? Where's Katherine?"

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

Valery was quiet for once, as she sprinted after her husband through the halls of the Temple. They had cut a mission short just to make it back for this, and for good reason. Something terrible had happened, and the worst part? There was no way to know exactly what had happened to Katherine. One thing was for sure though, they were going to do everything in their power to find and help her, as they would with any of their Padawans.

"We'll handle that later, love," Valery finally said when he seemed frustrated that nothing was said to him about Carnifex and his involvement. "Let's focus on Katherine." She offered him a gentle smile and kept up the pace to make sure she was right by his side when they forced themselves into the medical room.

Within the medical room, there was no sight of the Padawan, and the healer was... Valery frowned, as she spotted them on the floor, slumped against the wall. She crouched down to check a pulse, and let out a breath of relief when she could tell that he was still alive. "Can you sense her, love? I have a feeling our healer here might not have seen her leave," Valery said, before she turned her own senses outwards too.

Hers just weren't as strong as Kahlil's when it came to his own Padawan — she didn't have that same bond, but could pick up on what he felt through their Dyad.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Katherine’s presence in the Force was still relatively fresh, it had not been too long since she had fled. The more concerning part however, was that it
was notably dark. And it felt active, as though it was festering within the Light that otherwise surrounded them.

It was mostly centred around the bed the Padawan had been sleeping in. A ball of emotions swirled within it; panic, fear, desperation. The trail led towards the window that had obviously been shattered with the Force. From there Katherine had taken flight, once more using the Force to gain enough height, before soaring down towards the cityscape of Coruscant.

The trail grew thinner the further out it went, until it disappeared within the multitude of life that filled the streets.

A closer inspection of the bed would reveal the smallest of red crystals, discarded on the floor next to a tiny splatter of blood.

Shortly after Valery had examined him, a painful groan escaped the healer’s lips. His eyes blinking open as he regained consciousness. “W-what happened?”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

So they hadn't seen what happened. Kahlil frowned deeply as he looked over the healer just to make sure there wasn't any visible wounds. She was alright, at least. But it meant it was time for him to focus on where Katherine had gone. He stepped away, looking down towards the city below. She'd taken flight. Which meant this was going to be that much more difficult. He hopped down without delay regardless.

"Go get a speeder! I'll follow as I can till you catch up."

With their bond, it'd be easy for her to find him once she did have a speeder.

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

"No time to explain, we have to run!" Valery told the healer before she just left him behind. The other healers could patch him up once they got to the medical bay — they had a Padawan to find and help before it was too late. So Valery didn't waste any more time and just dipped her head to her husband before sprinting towards the hangar. There were tons of ships and speeders there of any kind, but she figured it was time to go fast.

So no big open speeders or a shuttle. No, Valery took her bike, and blasted off into the busy Coruscant traffic. She had no idea how many traffic laws she was breaking, but weaving through the line of speeders at speeds far faster than allowed was surely going to result in a ticket.

She just didn't care.

<Babe, I'm going to be blasting passed you in about 12 seconds. Jump down over the railing to your left, and I've got you.> She grinned a little, knowing he'd actually trust her to do this.

It wasn't to be flashy either — she was going for speed.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Meanwhile…

Katherine didn’t know how far she had flown, how many levels down she had gone. She had just flown as much as her wings could go, until they could flap no more and simply fell into a glide. She had landed in some type of market, at least that was the impression she got upon crashing into some kind of stand.

Someone was immediately yelling at her, no doubt the owner. But Katherine didn’t care, she just picked herself up and ran down the street. It was decently packed, forcing the Padawan to push people aside as she moved. Unknown to her however, was that her pushes were knocking them back a lot more than they should.

Katherine’s mind was too panicked and erratic to notice any of it.

Oh god. I didn’t mean to hurt the healer! They’re gonna think I’ve gone bad…

You are bad.​

Shut up! You’re not real.

Unfortunately for you dear, I’m very real. Much like the very real chance you killed that healer.​

I didn’t kill him! I just…pushed him.

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Like he was a piece of paper. Head straight against the wall.​

Katherine tried to push the voice out of her head, as she continued running deeper and deeper into Coruscants’ streets

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil was in a mad sprint as far he could get as he traced down where he could feel her. Panic, fear, he didn't ever want his Padawan's to ever feel something like that, and yet they were. It wasn't okay, it wasn't good. He gritted his teeth as he rushed, trying to find her, them, until he heard Valery. He didn't hesitate to jump, and once he landed he just pointed ahead.

"Keep going. She's still panicked and running."

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

Valery didn't even look when Kahlil made the jump — she knew exactly where he was and where he would be, so catching him was an effortless thing to the Jedi Master. He landed safely behind her on the bike, and only when he had one hand on her waist and the other pointing forward, Valery accelerated. She had been going fast up until now, but now that she didn't have to worry about picking up her husband anymore, she was going at absurd speeds.

No police vehicle would even be able to keep up with her, and the only reason she didn't crash them to their deaths was because she allowed the Force to guide her.

"We're catching up," Valery told him, her voice calm and hopefully reassuring. "I'm going to bring us as close as I can, and you'll hop off first. I can always catch up, but she's your Padawan, and we're not leaving without her." She briefly glanced over her shoulder, just to show him her confidence here.

Then, she blasted off, maneuvered her way around any obstacle, and pushed the speeder down a busy street. It meant having less speeders to avoid, but she was right above the heads of pedestrians now.

None would be harmed.

 

[Katherine Holt]

She had left the Jedi Temple in fear that she’d cause harm to those around her. The rational part of Katherine’s brain would’ve pointed out running into populated streets was doing the complete opposite. But that was being suppressed, almost as though someone was just purposely pushing it down.

That’s right, just keep on running. As if you’ll ever escape them.

I’m not trying to, I…I just need to get away!

You can’t run from what is inevitable.

Katherine’s slumber in the medical bay had been filled with nightmares, one’s that she couldn’t escape from due to the medicine helping to keep her asleep. She saw a visage of…something. A being covered nearly head-to-toe in crimson red crystals. Any identifying trait of them had long since been obscured

The Padawan had kept running and running, trying to escape from the creature. But every time she’d turn into a deadend, finding herself facing a mirror. The creature would be right behind her. Katherine tried to fight, to punch, to scratch and claw. But it would always tear off a crystal over its eye, and try to shove it into Katherine’s mouth.

With a matching light blue eye staring down at her, madness and insanity swirling within its iris.

Katherine continued to sprint down streets, turning corners with reckless abandon. She was causing more of a scene with every passing minute, and it was garnering the wrong kind of attention. When she made a mistake turning into a dead end alleyway, it all finally came to a head.

“Would you lookie here, we found the troublemaker.” The Padawan turned around to see a group of civilians, or rather thugs based on their attire. “You’ve been causing a stir on our streets.”

She begged them to not get closer, and pleaded with them to stop. But they refused to listen, mocking her panicked tone. One by one they draw various melee weapons.

“Please, stop!” The moment Katherine threw her hands up, a massive Force blast slipped free. It tore down the alleyway, either knocking the thugs into the walls, or sent them hurtling back out onto the street. None of them moved after the dust settled.

Oh god…

Yessssss, that’s it! This is the strength you could have, if you’d just indulge!

Katherine let out a scream of pain as she felt her arm suddenly burst with pain. She collapsed to her knees, clutching at her arm as a few red crystals began piercing their way through her skin.

No no no! It’s happening!

The Padawan forced herself onto her feet, making a dash through the carnage and back onto the streets. She spared a glance around, increasingly aware of all the people staring at her. But it’s when she looked left, that her skin seemed to grow even more pale.

In the distance she could see a speeder making its way down the street, hovering just above the heads of civilians. She didn’t need to see the driver to know who it was, because she could sense the passenger.

Master! Please no, don’t get any closer. Please.

Katherine didn’t hesitate to turn in the opposite direction and begin running. Instinct kicking into gear, as she used the Force to increase her speed.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Valery wouldn't hurt any, but Kahlil could already feel the people below. Some were in pain. In her panic, Katherine was hurting more and more people. He understood that feeling more than anyone, but she couldn't keep running, not anymore. "Get me close. She's faster than me."

Kahlil's expression was calm, but his gaze was anything but. Focus. His eyes were focused directly on where she was, even without being able to actually see her until they got closer. He'd made a promise not to have a hands off approach to his Padawan's anymore, and he intended to keep that promise. No soon than he was close enough did he full on jump, propelling himself to cut her off in her mad dash.

And he smiled. He knew what this feeling was.

"It's alright, Katherine. You need to stop running, and we need to go back."

Katherine Holt | Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

"You'll be right on top of her."

That was a promise, and she didn't make those lightly. With speeds that would have gotten anybody else killed, she flew down the street and locked herself in on the Padawan. She could feel Katherine move now too, and even see her leaving behind a trail, both physically and in the Force. Fear, pain, panic — it popped up wherever the young woman had been.

This had to stop; they had to calm her down.

Soon enough, Valery managed to keep up, and Kahlil used that moment to jump down and intercept his Padawan. Valery, however, couldn't just hit the brakes, and passed by at an incredible pace, before she started to slow down. It was going to take her a moment to catch back up, but Kahlil would be able to feel her running his way.

She wasn't going to leave his side now.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Katherine’s sprint skidded to an immediate halt, the moment she saw Kahlil had landed ahead of her. The fear and panic that swirled within intensified, churning itself into a whirlpool of emotions.

Ah, so this is your oh so noble Master.

Shut up. You don't know anything about him! He saved me.

Perhaps so, but tell me this Katherine. Did you just trade one cage for another?

The Padawan tried to ignore the voice’s taunting, as she kept her focus on Kahlil. She glanced up for a moment, catching as Valery zipped by overhead. Katherine knew it would take a little bit for Valery to stop the vehicle, but it wouldn’t take long for her to catch up.

“I-I can’t Master…It won’t stop, I can’t stop it. I don’t want to hurt everyone…”

Katherine began to backpedal, before sharply turning on her heels and darting back the way she had come. There was a brief moment, seeing the carnage she had wrought. Civilians thrown aside, either against buildings or on the ground. But Katherine just kept on running.

The Padawan knew her Master would catch up to her eventually. For as much as her ‘enhancements’ bolstered her abilities, Kahlil was still far stronger and quicker. So Katherine began to grab things as she ran, dragging stalls into her Master’s path in hopes of further impeding his pursuit.

But no matter what she did, Katherine couldn’t get enough distance. So desperation took a deeper root, and she stopped on a dime. The Padawan reached underneath a nearby stall, a heavy metal one, and lifted it over her head. It was clear that whatever had gotten into her, had done more than just enhance her abilities in the Force.

“Stop!”

Katherine screamed as she prepared to throw the stall at Kahlil. But in that same moment as her voice cracked, the Padawan screamed in pain. The crystals that had already started to grow out of her arm began to worsen. Katherine felt her legs give out from underneath her, and she collapsed.

For a brief moment, the Force held the heavy stall in the air. But as the Padawan fell to the ground, it followed suit.

Seconds away from crashing atop her.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"I know you don't."

Kahlil smiled, trying to be understanding. No, he did, but conveying it well wasn't his strong suit. Not when there were still people in danger all around. She needed to stop before she did something irreversible. For that reason alone he chased after her, sprinting through the stalls and doing what he could to lessen the damage she was already doing. The Force swelled around him as he tried to both catch her and all the stalls she threw around.

Until she stopped and turned to him. He blinked in surprise. The crystals. There was something truly wrong inside her. But he didn't hesitate to rush forward regardless. He pulled on the Force, catching the stall with one hand as he stooped low to protect her just in case he couldn't keep it aloft.

"Valery!"

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

On the ground, it was much harder to move fast, as people were actually in the way. Still, the rather agile and nimble Jedi Master maneuvered her way through the crowds, and sprinted down the street to follow the other Jedi. She could hear and feel what was happening vividly, both naturally and through their bond. But she didn't stop to think about it, and kept moving until she finally spotted the two.

Both underneath a stall he kept up, but with Katherine on the ground.

"Valery!"

"I've got it, love."

All at once, he'd feel the strain on his body disappear, as Valery tapped into the Force and lifted up the entire stall on her own. She could have gone after Katherine too, but decided to take the load off of him instead. This was his Padawan, so she wanted him to bring her out of there. He understood her struggles better than she did, and she knew he would have done the same for her if this was one of her own Padawans.

"Get out of there, and I'll... set it back down." She smiled faintly, her muscles tense from the pressure, but she was holding out. Sometimes, it really helped being a Master of Telekinesis.

 

[Katherine Holt]

The Padawan’s eyes were wide as saucers, staring up as her Master caught the stall before it could fall on her. Of course he knew he would save her, but that was the rational part of her mind that was still being suppressed. At the forefront of her mind was an overwhelming feeling of guilt.

Her Master was putting himself in harm's way because of her.

As Valery moved in to help Kahlil with the stall, Katherine used the opportunity to scramble away and jumped to her feet. She turned around intending to start running again, only to freeze on the spot.

Blocking her way was a mob of people, namely civilians who had narrowly escaped her crazed dash through the streets. It seemed they all collectively had enough, and wanted to take matters into their own hands. To Katherine? It was her worst fear coming to life before her eyes.

She remembered the incident during her first month on Coruscant. Shopping with Capris, only to get grabbed and attacked by a civilian. He had been on the older side, and had easily recognized the Sithspawn she was meant to be. Katherine had come out of that encounter physically unharmed, but it had left its mark mentally and emotionally.

“Don’t worry Jedi, we’ve got this,” said one of the civilians.

Why are you just standing there? You have the power, just cast them aside and run.

Katherine knew she could. It would be an easy thing to just use the Force and knock them away. But the Padawan didn’t, she was rooted to the spot. For the first time since waking up, Katherine didn’t move.

She was paralyzed with fear.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil let out a sigh of relief as Valery took up the burden for him. He was quick to get out, with Katherine no less to make sure she didn't try to run off again as she'd already done, only to blink in surprise as he saw the crowd. No, that made sense, the crowd after she'd already barreled her way through the streets. Worse, it was essentially a mob. He stepped between them and Katherine, protectively holding up an arm to shield her from them.

So this was something she had to deal with? If it was any other Jedi, he doubted he'd see them glaring like a mob ready to hang a monster.

"Padawan Holt is currently suffering quite the illness. I apologize on her behalf for the damage she caused, and I will take responsibility for it. But she will be returning with me to get the treatment she needs to get better." He wouldn't allow them to think of her any other way. She was, after all, his Padawan.

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Katherine Holt

"We will make sure any damages caused today will be covered, and if you have personally suffered any injury, we will cover that too." Valery glanced at her husband while she still kept up the stall. The mob not only formed a potential threat, but they kept Kahlil and Katherine from stepping away too, which meant Valery still stood with both arms raised to hold the stall in place.

It wasn't too heavy for her, but it kept her locked in one position, and it wasn't exactly comfortable.

"Please, just leave it to us." Valery hopes that the people would recognize them, and maybe gain some trust in all of this. But whether or not they did, she was supporting her husband and his Padawan here. None of them were even putting a finger on Katherine.

It didn't mean that some wouldn't try though. From behind Valery, a civilian who hadn't been standing with the mob began to approach her from behind. She was the only one standing between Kahlil and Katherine being crushed, so perhaps an easy link to take out.

Or maybe he just wanted an autograph.

 

[Katherine Holt]

It seemed a few within the mob had indeed recognised the two Jedi Masters. Murmurings broke out amongst the crowd, their eyes shifting between one another, and the trio of Jedi before them.

“Hmph, that’s what the Jedi take in these days?” One of the civilians commented, looking at Katherine with scorn.

If the Padawan could just disappear where she stood, she wouldn’t have hesitated. Instead, she remained rooted to where she was standing, staring down at the ground before her.

“Where were you when the Sith last attacked? Up there protecting the rich and pompous no doubt!” Another made a snide comment towards the Sword and Shield duo. The man at the front of the mob turned to face his fellows, attempting to calm them down from being further riled up.

The mob did seem to simmer a bit, enough for the man to turn around to face the Jedi once more.

“Fair enough, Jedi. But we better not see her face down here again. We have to deal with enough fending for ourselves, we have no patience for more trouble.” The crowd behind him erupted into a rumble of agreements, before they slowly began to separate and walk away. “Tobias, enough.” The civilian that had been approaching from behind stopped, looking over Valery’s shoulder. He was fairly young, and couldn't be older than his late teens. And had a metal pipe in his hand. Tobias let out a dissatisfied huff, before turning around and walking away.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

It was good the man had already lowered the pipe.

Kahlil's usually passive expression was a full on glare as he raised a hand. He was fully prepared to break that man's arm if he tried anything, regardless of the current situation. People did not get to threaten the people he cared about and walk away, usually.

He kept it in check, for now. If only because he wanted to keep Katherine safe.

"We're off, then."

He looked to Katherine, giving her a smile as he extended a hand to help her up. "We'll have to take the speeder, though. We can't fly."

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt