Private Crystalline Flight

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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

Oh, she definitely caught that glare.

Valery had been working hard to help Kahlil contain his emotions whenever people he cared about were threatened, but... there was something about that protective glare that gave her the butterflies again. She subconsciously bit her lower lip as a result, but snapped out of her thoughts when the mob decided to stand down, and Kahlil calmed himself to focus on Katherine again. He removed her from underneath the stall, and finally Valery was able to set it back down.

"Good workout..." she muttered to herself, a bit sore now from having to hold her arms up for so long.

"Yeah we'll get her back on the speeder and maybe take the Bastion? I... think she might need some time away from the busy Coruscant, don't you think? Unless the Healers can address what's happening to her." But given how dark it felt, maybe Kahlil and Valery could actually be of more use.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Katherine hesitated initially, staring up at her Master. Now that he was more up close, it would be plainly apparent to him how much the infection had spread in the Padawan. Her entire arm, where the crystals had grown, were strikingly pale compared to the rest of her skin. Black veins spun around her arm like a mass of vines.

The Padawan raised her arm up to take Kahlil’s hand, only to realise it was the crystal-infected arm. Katherine pulled back like she had been burned, as if she feared she’d infect her Master by just touching him with that arm. Instead, she used her other arm to awkwardly take Kahlil’s pulling himself up onto her feet.

“I…” Katherine tried to speak, barely able to look her Master in the eye. “...I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes, trying to halt the flood of tears that were threatening to spill.

Before more could be said, both Nobles’ commlink would beep to life. Whichever one answered it, a familiar voice would be heard.

“Master Noble? It’s Healer Jakobs.” The one that had been tending to Katherine, and had been subsequently knocked out when she escaped. “It took us some time, but I think we’ve found what has been happening to Padawan Holt. Have you been able to find her?” He inquired, then waited for an answer before speaking once more. “Then please bring her back to the Temple asap. Unfortunately, our time might be limited.”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"No, I'm sorry."

Kahlil carefully helped her to her feet. The infection in her arm, he should've caught sight of it sooner. He should've known sooner. If either of them were going to apologize, it was going to be him. Right now they needed to get her back. The com call only confirmed that. He had a bad feeling about the crystals in her arm already, but if they were worried, well.

"Val, you're driving. We gotta be fast. .. And sorry, didn't realize you were still holding that."

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

"You can make up for it later."

She smiled, just briefly, and ran back towards the speeder with the others in tow. The bike could hold all three of them, but they'd have to sit close together and hold on a little. Especially with Kahlil asking her to go fast — as if she'd ever go slow? With a grin, she fired up the engine and the three of them took off at a solid pace. Not as dangerously fast as when they tried to catch Katherine, but fast enough to bring her back to the Temple in no time.

When they eventually reached the Hangar, Valery powered down the speeder, stepped off and offered to help Katherine if she needed it.

"Love, let's both stay with her this time, yeah? I'll have my meeting cancelled for it. I think she could use some good support." She looked at Katherine and offered the young woman a warm smile.

"Everything will be okay."

 

[Katherine Holt]

“...”

She wanted to argue, but Katherine didn’t have the energy. She was the guilty party here, not her Master. If she had just told him about being on Elom, and encountering Carnifex, then perhaps all of this could’ve been avoided. But no, she had to be stupid and not want to bother him about it.

The Padawan remained silent as the trio made their way back towards the speeder. Katherine made sure she was secure enough for Valery kicked the vehicle into gear and headed off.

During the journey, Katherine couldn’t help but notice the presence; the infection had become more of an ever present itch within her. Now that the wind in her sails had been diminished, the sheer amount of adrenaline had plummeted. The negative emotions it fed off were no longer erratic.

Eventually they landed back at the Temple, settling down in the hangar. With her legs feeling a bit wobbly, she took Valery’s offer to help her get off the speeder. Katherine returned the woman’s warm smile, with a slight one of her own. The Padawan however remained ever silent.

It was a brisk walk to the medical bay, where Healer Jakobs was awaiting them. He immediately offered Katherine a welcoming smile. Who in return looked relieved to see the Nautolan was alright, that she hadn’t killed him.

“Welcome back, Padawan Holt. If you could please take a seat on your bed, we’ll see to healing you right away.”

Katherine hesitated for a moment, glancing towards both Kahlil and Valery individually, before slowly walking over to it. Jakobs remained where he was, taking a moment to address the Masters.

“I’ll try and be brief, as said over the comm, our time might be limited.” The Healer took a breath before continuing. “I was doing some research after Padawan Holt’s condition worsened. But I hadn’t been able to properly compile it all before she unexpectedly awakened. While you were both away tracking her down, I believe I was able to discover the issue.” Jakobs pulled out his datapad, interacted with it briefly before handing it over.

‘Creeping Lignan’ was clear to see at the top of the screen. What followed it was a compilation of past reports involving the substance, the common aspects of it, the specific timeframe before irreversibility. It painted a picture that Katherine’s case of it was somewhat unique in comparison.

“It’s only been forty-eight hours since the assumed infection point. But given the Padawan Holt’s nature as a Sithspawn, I’m concerned the timeframe might’ve been shortened. She needs to go through some rigorous Force Healing soon as possible.”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil nodded, giving Valery a brief smile before focusing on Katherine herself. He could feel it too. Darkness, foreign in her body. Whatever it was, it certainly didn't belong, Sithspawn or not. Course, once they arrived and the Healers started to explain it Kahlil couldn't help but grimace. Force Healing on a Sithspawn didn't always mean good things. Or helpful things. If her body couldn't handle it, wouldn't that mean healing would just damage her?

He glanced to Katherine, giving her a simple nod. Whatever the case was, this thing inside her was making it worse.

"They're going to help you. And we'll be right here to make sure of it. Don't worry."

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

After bringing Katherine to the medical bay, Valery stepped beside her husband and listened to the healer's assessment. Despite what happened earlier, she still trusted him and the others to be able to help the Padawan. She surely couldn't, not with her lack of healing skills, so all she could do was offer her support.

"He's right, we're not leaving this time."

Valery reached down to squeeze her husband's hand. If this had been her Padawan, she would have been extremely nervous and worried, so she felt like he was going through something similar. He almost always seemed calm, but she knew him better than anybody else — he cared a lot about his Padawans.

"Is there anything more we can do to help? Just name it, and we'll make it happen."

 

[Katherine Holt]

Katherine gave her Master a small nod of understanding, before carefully shifting herself so she was laying on the bed. She winced slightly, flashes of memory of lurching out of this bed in a fright not too long ago.

Healer Jakobs smiled, giving them both a nod. “Myself and two others will focus on the healing, but we could do with you both present by Padawan Holt’s side. As Master Kahlil is aware, Sithspawn and Force Healing do not mesh well. The potential for a violent reaction is high.” Jakobs continued on to explain their plan. Given the symbiotic nature the substance eventually establishes, they were going to hit it from three different ‘angles’. Push it down to a fine point where they can expunge it. “You’ll be needed not just for physical restraint, but to help her keep focus, encourage her. Padawan Holt is as crucial to this process as we healers are.”

Once everything was understood, Jakobs walked over to Katherine’s bedside, taking his spot alongside his fellow Healers.

“Are you ready?” He asked towards the Masters. Jakobs took a deep breath before initiating the healing process. One by one, each of the three healers began to channel the Force into Katherine. And for the first few minutes things seemed to be going smoothly.

Until they didn’t.

All of a sudden Katherine began to thrash about in the bed. She screamed in pain, arms reaching up to try and stop the nearest healer.

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

This was the part he expected.

Kahlil stood beside Katherine, reaching down to gently touch her temple. And trace a rune along it. He couldn't do much to stop the pain, but he could also at least dull it with the proper rune. "Stop, Katherine. I know, it's like your nightmares. But we're here to help you. You're safe. You will be okay."

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

Valery nodded in acknowledgement to the healers, and stepped around to the other side of the bed. She wasn't going to get in the way, but while Kahlil was on one side, she figured it'd be for the best if she covered the other. Perhaps to offer comfort throughout the process, or worst case, to stop her from lashing out or trying to escape again. This was too important for her future, so no matter how uncomfortable it was, she'd have to push through.

Just not without help.

"You can get through this," Valery then chimed in, as she began to thrash around with the start of the healing process. It was awful to see, but Valery could set all of that aside to help the young woman. "We're right here with you, and we're not leaving until this infection has been dealt with."

"We promise."

 

[Katherine Holt]

The Padawan’s body seemed to ‘calm’ somewhat from Kahlil’s application of the rune. She was still thrashing and twisting about, but it was nowhere near as violently as before. Her arms still flailed around, attempting to grab someone or something nearby. But all attempts were thwarted by Valery.

One would have made the argument that strapping her down to the bed would’ve been a better option. But it seemed like not just knowing, but also feeling that the Nobles were there, had its effect on the Padawan.

Katherine’s screams had dimmed to a pained whimper, her teeth almost grinding together at times.

“I…can’t. I can feel it crawling inside, it’s going crazy. It burns!” Her infected arm suddenly shot up with quickened reflexes. But it stopped midway from grabbing Valery. Fingers flexing as if trying to still reach, until they began to stiffly curl in. Katherine was trying to rein some control of her body’s erratic actions.

“It’s…deeply rooted. Doesn’t want to let go…”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

So it was something of the dark.

Engineered, probably. What exactly was it that infected her? Kahlil Let out a sigh before gently squeezing Katherine's shoulder. This was ultimately the healers domain, after all. He glanced to Valery, giving her a nervous smile.

He honestly wasn't sure what to do to help more than they were.

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

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

Even as Kathrine's hand went right for her throat, Valery remained unmoving. She saw the woman resist against it, and gently reached for her hand, as her fingers curled up again. "It's okay, you can resist," she reminded her again, while she gently held Katherine's hand and squeezed it for comfort. For a moment, all of this reminded her of the parasite that was put within her when she had been in stasis.

The pain, the feeling of not being able to do anything against it.

She then glanced to Kahlil, offering him a gentle and hopefully reassuring smile, before she placed her hand over Katherine. Valery didn't want to risk causing any harm, but there was darkness within her. So while she wouldn't blast the Padawan with Force Light, she did allow some of her inner light to pulse out, and hopefully have a soothing effect on the Padawan.

"How does this feel?" She asked. "Maybe we can help you fight it." Much like her, Kahlil could also tap into the Light very well, so why not try if it works? Should it hurt too much or fail, however, Valery was ready to withdraw her hand immediately.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Jakob’s hairless brow furrowed as he continued to focus on the healing. “The infection has spread too far, each time we try to corner it from multiple angles, it finds a gap to get through.” Despite the frustrations, each of the healers maintained their concentration.

The Dark presence that could be felt around the bed continued to pulse and churn around Katherine. It knew it was under threat, and was poised to lash out again. That was until Valery placed her hand over the Padawan. Her raised arm slowly fell back down to her side, her breathing began to even out.

Until the moment Light entered the equation, causing Katherine’s entire body to suddenly become rigid. The voice that had been haunting the Padawan was screaming inside her head.

“It’s working! Whatever you do, do not let go of the Light. The infection is reacting, recoiling away from its presence.” All they needed to do was capitalise on it, but the more it went on, the more painful it was going to get for Katherine. “Hold on, Padawan Holt. You must be strong, focus on the Light, remember your Master’s teachings.”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

The Light on a Sithspawn?

Kahlil inwardly grimaced, but he knew there was no other choice for it. Rather, he reached down to trace other runes along Katherine's arm. Protection, mostly, as he had with the Sithspawn prior to keep them from being outright destroyed or in pain from the Light.

"Hang in there. They're getting rid of it, bit by bit."

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

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

"I won't hurt her, I promise."

She looked at Kahlil for just a brief moment, while she continued to let her light wither away the darkness. With any other Jedi, this would have been an easy process, but Katherine's very nature complicated it immensely. To the point where Valery understood she was taking some risks, but with Kahlil's runes protecting her, and her own experience as a Shadow, she felt confident that she could make it work.

Whatever it was that really affected the young woman, Valery wasn't going to let it win.

"We're right here, Katherine. Listen to our voices, and feel our presence around you," Valery added to what her husband told his Padawan.

"Let it guide you, and push away the darkness."

 

[Katherine Holt]

“I’m trying to…but it burns so much.” Katherine’s entire body felt like it was on fire, as if she was trapped in that house that always haunted her dreams. She was doing her best to focus, to concentrate and not let the infection lash out again. The Padawan could feel the temptation swelling within.

Just tear out one of the crystals, consume it!

But Katherine resisted, just barely.

The Force Healing was doing its work, bit by bit. Progress was gradual, but the introduction of Valery’s Light was helping a lot. It was either riding the waves of Healing, assisting in pushing the infection back, or filling in the gaps it tried to escape through.

But it was also harming Katherine, as was Light’s nature when it touched a Sithspawn. Kahlil’s protective runes did their best to minimise things, but continued exposure was going to do lasting harm if it persisted for too long.

As the infection’s influence became smaller and smaller, Katherine felt her consciousness slip into her mind. The familiar surroundings of the Jedi Temple faded away to a void. Every direction was pitch black, aside from the ground. Where the only thing that distinguished it was the ash falling across it.

Katherine was laying on her side, barely strong enough to lift her head up as she heard someone approach. She looked up to see a familiar figure. Orange-red hair, bloodstained wings, but with pale skin and a pair of corrupted yellow eyes staring down at her.

“Looks like our time together is coming to a close.” Her doppelganger crouched down, a clawed finger reaching down and forcing the Padawan’s head up more. “But don’t you worry Katherine, this won’t be the last.”

Back in reality, Katherine’s body suddenly lurched up in the bed, held in a painful arch. She remained there for a few moments, before unceremoniously collapsing back down onto the bed. Her body stilled for several seconds, until her chest began to steadily rise and fall. The Padawan was alive, but unconscious.

Jakobs let out an exhausted sigh, stumbling back slightly as he opened his eyes. “It’s done. The infection has been eradicated.” The healer grabbed a nearby chair, slumping into it before his legs could give out. “All that’s left…we can safely extract the crystals from her arm, then she’ll need to remain in a bacta tank to heal her body.” Jakobs let out a tired chuckle as he looked up and over at the Nobles. “Suffice to say, no more training for Padawan Holt for the time being.”

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble
​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil let out a sigh of relief when it was finally announced that the crystals had been taken out. Whatever they were, they'd certainly need more study on the. He had the uncomfortable feeling that it wasn't just Katherine that could get infected by this. Worse, it was Carnifex that had infected her in the first place. His lips pulled to a thin frown.

None of this was okay.

".. That's fine. We'll bring her to our home for the time being. It's got clean air and well, it's not Coruscant. I think it'd be good for her to take a break from the city here while she recovers." The Epicanthix wouldn't judge her for what she was, either. It'd be good for her not to end up in another confrontation with prejudice and hate.

".. If that's alright with you of course, Val."

Valery Noble | Katherine Holt

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

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

Finally, it was over.

As scary as it had been to watch these final moments of the healing process, Valery was able to let out a breath of relief when Katherine was unconscious but safe on the medical bed. The Healers would handle the rest when it came to her direct healing needs, but recovery was going to require a lot more than that. No training or physical exertion, and plenty of time to rest up and recover. Looking at Kahlil, Valery agreed it would better for her to do that away from Coruscant.

As much as Coruscant had to offer, it always felt very restricting as well.

"Of course, we can set up a guest room and we'll keep her there until she's ready to return." It didn't matter how long that would take either. Valery never liked the idea of people beyond her family staying for too long, mostly because she liked to have some privacy with the people closest to her, but Padawans were always an exception when they needed it.

Katherine really needed this.