Private Cutting the Wire

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

The shuttle hummed with quiet efficiency, the soft thrum of its engines a steady undercurrent beneath the occasional flicker of hyperspace outside the viewport. Within the cabin, the air was calm but charged with the quiet tension of what lay ahead. Valery sat across from Kellen, her gaze fixed on the galactic map projected between them. Red markers pulsed, scattered across the holo-display like scars on the edge of Sith space. They weren't heading for a battlefield. Not yet. But what they were about to do would help offer an advantage.

She leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, and tapped a few keys to highlight a cluster of smaller installations. "These are Sith listening posts," she began, her voice steady. "They're positioned along key hyperlanes that the GA uses for fleet movements. We believe they're feeding intelligence back to the Sith — tracking our deployments, identifying supply routes, maybe even anticipating assaults before we make them." She let that settle for a beat before looking up.

"We're going to take out one of these links."

The fiery glow of her gaze met Kellen's, measuring his reaction. "Most of these aren't heavily fortified. Small crews, automated defenses, maybe a few Sith overseers if we're unlucky. They rely on secrecy more than firepower." Another key press, and the image shifted, breaking down the structure of the installations. "We'll strike fast. Get in, plant charges, erase their data, and get out before reinforcements arrive. The less time we give them to react, the better."

She sat back, watching him carefully. "Thoughts?"

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Valery's Shuttle, Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

The holoprojector displayed between the two changed displays as it flicked between differing Sith installations with similar layouts. Kellen soaked in their designs as well as noting strengths and weaknesses where found. The Sith were efficient if not bland in their pre-fab structures. Built for quick and easy use but leaving little in the way of imagination.

Though war rarely left anything pretty intact for long.

As Valery began to speak and lay out their plans, Kellen looked up and made eye contact with his vaunted leader. This wasn't their first outing together and no doubt going to be yet another successful venture against the Sith as before. Every little bit helped.

"I have no objections, of course." Kellen reached into his armors utility belt and removed a dataslate from one of its pouches. "Though I do have a recommendation." Placing the item on the table between them, Kellen slid the slate to Valery with a amused grin upon his bearded face.

"What say you to some trickery and deception of our own, Val? I had my contacts within the GADF analyze these routes and provide a convincingly false fleet action. Nothing too grand, simple reconnaissance following Woostri. We estimate this can cause a bit of confusion and move a few Sith pieces here and there. Enough to leave them scratching their heads before they connect the dots about the subterfuge."

Kellen's face was still plastered with a amused grin, clearly having found enjoyment in this. His contacts among the Alliance military brass were always so helpful and anything that benefited them would receive a positive response from himself.

"We would not have much time before the Sith catch onto their LPs going dark but if we send these orders off with the right authorization codes it might just play havoc on their combat readiness in this sector."

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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery arched a brow as Kellen slid the dataslate across the table. She picked it up, skimming through the information, and a slow smirk tugged at her lips.

"Trickery and deception, huh?" she mused, fiery eyes flicking back to meet his. "Kel, I think I'm rubbing off on you."

She set the slate down, tapping her fingers against the edge as she considered his plan. A false fleet action, just enough to kick up dust and throw the Sith off balance — make them hesitate, second-guess their movements. It was clever and exactly the kind of misdirection that could buy them more time before the enemy realized what was really happening.

"I'm on board," she said, leaning back slightly, a playful glint in her gaze, "If we time it right, they'll be too busy chasing shadows to realize their listening posts are already burning."

A pause, then, with a small chuckle, she added, "And here I thought I was the reckless one."

She reached for her datapad, fingers already working to send off the falsified orders through the appropriate channels, weaving it seamlessly into the Alliance's broader operations. "But if this works," she continued, glancing up at him with a wink, "I'll make sure to give you all the credit. Wouldn't want your contacts thinking you're just a pretty face in a flight suit."

Her smirk widened.

"Let's make some noise, shall we?"

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Valery's Shuttle, Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

His icey blue gaze met her own as she spoke, her words getting a heartfelt chuckle from the man. He surely did not mind if anything from her rubbed off on him. Especially considering who she was and the amount of experiences she has lived through.

The plan itself was indeed doable. Not only would it buy them time to do what they needed to at each outpost but it would ensure a longer reaction time from Sith forces in the sector. Not to mention the benefit to allowing Alliance assets to properly regroup and maneuver following Woostri. A more prepared response was always preferable to a hasty one.

Kel picked up on her playful tone and facial expressions as she teased him more.

"Well, I don't know about reckless. I prefer the term...hastily cautious."

He chuckled as he ran a hand through his thick but well trimmed beard at her words, attempting to hide the blush appearing on his cheeks. This woman was as good at her words as she was with a saber, that was for sure.

"Aye, can't let you take all the glory of filling out flight suits now can I?"

Kel's eyes were playful as he shot a quick look downward as he stood up to move to the cockpit. Whichever target they decided to hit first would surely set the tone for this quick operation. As he walked off he glanced over his shoulder and matched her smirk.

"Show me how it's done."

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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery let out a laugh, shaking her head at hastily cautious. “That’s a new one,” she mused, leaning back slightly in her seat. “You’ll have to teach me how that works sometime.”

But her teasing faltered just slightly as she caught the way his hand moved through his beard — absently, almost like he was trying to steady himself. And then there it was. The faintest tinge of color creeping up his cheeks. It was brief, subtle, but she saw it.

A slow, knowing smirk curled at her lips as she tilted her head, but she didn't say anything. Her smirk said more than enough.

Then, as he shot a glance downward and tossed back his retort, her smirk deepened. “Mmm,” she hummed, standing up from her seat with effortless grace. “I hate to break it to you, but nobody fills a flight suit quite like I do.” She winked, stepping past him toward the cockpit with the kind of confidence that didn’t need proving.

Still, the mission was the priority. She shifted gears quickly, her playful demeanor settling into something sharper as she brought up the nav display. Their first target loomed ahead — one of the Sith’s listening posts, built into the side of an isolated asteroid facility. No heavy fleet presence nearby, no immediate defenses beyond what was already stationed inside.

Perfect.

She tapped into the ship’s comms, her voice slipping into something firm. “We come in low, right along the asteroid’s shadow. They won’t see us until it’s too late.” Her fingers moved quickly over the controls, preparing the ship for the final approach. Then, she glanced at him with a grin. “We’ll drop straight from the exit ramp — quiet and clean.”

With a final adjustment, she locked the ship’s course and stepped away, rolling her shoulders in preparation. “Ready to make some noise?"

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Valery's Shuttle, Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

Kellen chuckled at her comment and made the mistake of musing on all of what they had to teach each other. But that was for another time when he wasn't so...well, distracted.

He also used every ounce of willpower he had to keep his eyes level until after she walked pass him. Then they dropped downwards again and he could not help but mutter to himself. "By the force, you're all too right about that..." Whoever designed that material certainly did not skimp on the quality.

Shaking himself from his reverie he followed after her and into the cockpit proper. Picking up on the change of tone he easily glided into the co-pilot seat and began assisting with navigation and dampening their energy signature. As they approached low and slow he could not help but smirk at her words. This was his type of mission.

"Quite and clean with a sprinkle of flash on top. For style, of course." He glanced her way with his signature half grin before standing and double checking his utility belt. Everything seemed in order. "I'll get as loud as you require, Val." He flashed her a quick wink before strutting for the exit ramp.

Kellen smacked the button to open up the exit ramp a few moments later and watched as a duo of Sith troopers on sentry duty gazed up wondering what exactly was happening, all in that split second before two Jedi descended down upon them.

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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's smirk lingered as she stepped toward the exit ramp, but she didn't move right away. Instead, she turned just enough to glance over her shoulder — just in time to catch the flicker of movement as Kellen's eyes snapped back up from where they very clearly had just been.

Oh, she knew.

Her lips curled ever so slightly, amusement dancing behind her fiery gaze. But she let it go without comment — for now. Instead, she took a single step closer, brushing past him as she moved toward the ramp. "Enjoy the view, Kel?" she murmured low enough for only him to hear, her tone as smooth as the transition from hyperspace to realspace. Then, as if nothing had happened, she simply stepped onto the ramp and let the moment hang in the air, her smirk just barely visible.

The instant the ramp fully opened, Valery shifted. The teasing edge disappeared, replaced by razor-sharp focus. She gauged their approach, the distance, the terrain — her body already moving before conscious thought had fully caught up. Then, in a breath, she dropped.

The weightless moment between the leap and landing was one she'd always enjoyed. The freedom, the rush of air against her skin, the sheer precision of it — before her boots touched down on solid ground, soundless, perfectly balanced. Not a whisper of noise. While Kellen made his entrance, Valery had landed just outside the main engagement, tucked into the shadows. That was the advantage of being small — she could move unseen, slip past attention before it ever had the chance to settle on her.

She exhaled, already moving.

<Right this way,> she told gim telepathically.

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Valery's Shuttle, Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

Kellen's face regained a slight blush at the passing words of Val. It was not often, nor many people, who could cause such a reaction in him. But her? She was trouble. He, however, enjoyed it. For it was not often he felt comfortable enough around others to just be himself. He was always on the edges of space performing task and staying on the trail of one opponent or another. Helping some war torn planet recover or fighting over it.

Civilization and the civilized people within it were not always welcoming of some backwoods Jedi Master with a penchant for direct opinions. But his diplomacy and charismatic suave had seen him through many a conversation and heated argument.

Once the shuttle had the right velocity and passing, Kellen free fell from the ramp the same as Val. His landing, though gracious, lacked the subtlety of his counterpart. Somewhere between a thud and a quieter softer landing was his go to. He quickly reached out his hand and used the Force to subdue the one sentry who had seen their incoming shuttle. Thankfully, said sentry didn't get the chance to report what he saw as he slumped onto the ground.

Moving quickly, Kellen followed after Val as he heard her non-verbal command. He stayed low and moved with a more rigid crouched form. He was less trained in this area while Val no doubt shined due to her background as a Shadow. But for a Guardian? This might as well be a workout in a area he did not excel.

Still, he would not risk the mission for his comfort.

As they found their way around the complex, he noted a hatch which no doubt entered into whatever maintenance tunnels this small installation utilized. Better for them to maneuver that way than find a way into no doubt key padded doorways. Kellen moved towards it and examined the entry.

"Here, Val. Hope you're not afraid of a little tightness."

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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery glanced at the hatch Kellen had pointed out, her smirk returning as she moved toward it with that same effortless grace. It was a smart call — these facilities always had maintenance tunnels running beneath them, meant for quick repairs and discreet movement. For them, it was the perfect way in. But she wasn't about to let his choice of words slip by unnoticed.

She stopped beside him, glancing up just enough to catch the way he was watching her. A slow, teasing smirk curled at her lips. "Oh, tight spaces don't bother me," she murmured smoothly, her voice just low enough to make sure it landed exactly the way she intended. Then, without another word, she turned and crouched, slipping into the hatch ahead of him. And, of course, she knew exactly what kind of view that gave him.

For just a fraction of a second, she hesitated, knowing full well he was watching. Then, she disappeared into the tunnel. The air was thick with stale, metallic scents, the walls closing in just enough to make it a snug fit for both of them. But Valery moved like she was made for it — silent, fluid, barely making a sound as she advanced deeper into the passageway.

<Still with me, Kel?> she sent through the Force, her voice a quiet echo in his mind, tinged with amusement.

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

Kellen smiled knowingly as he watched her enter the tunnel, letting her devious words float into the wind like a whisper. He then proceeded to follow in behind her. Her choice to take the lead just another one of her teases. However he enjoyed their banter, he was also appreciative of the fact they were both professional enough to know where and when.

Their banter fit in between their stoic personalities when push came to shove. They both knew when to focus but also didn't let that focus drain all the fun out of things. It took veterans like themselves to know how to balance those two things. It's why he always loved taking on task with other experienced Masters. The tone was always more...fluid.

As then advanced via the maintenance shaft, which was barely wide enough for them both, Kellen kept trying to focus anywhere but Valery's...ample backside. But with literally no where else to look besides forward it proved pointless. They remained crouched and moved silently, showing this was not their first time doing such espionage.

As he once again found his eyes drawn to Valery, he wandered forward aimlessly while lost in thought. Until her voice suddenly appeared within his mind. Kellen at been caught off guard, like a child caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, causing him to lift his head in acknowledge and shock. The sound of his head impacting the top of the shaft reverberated throughout followed by a quiet curse.

"Fuck me!"

He whispered under his breath while rubbing the top of his head. He decided to not respond in kind. That was all the acknowledge she needed. Kellen could already visualize the amused smirk on her face. He opted to continue moving forward as he eagerly awaited a way out of this embarrassment.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery didn't need to turn around to know exactly what had happened. The sharp thud, followed by the hushed curse, was more than enough to paint the picture — and, oh, what a picture it was. Her smirk widened, amusement curling at the edges of her expression as she moved forward, her movements just a little slower, just a little more deliberate. A sway in the way she moved, subtle but unmistakable.

<You alright back there, Kel?> she sent through the Force, her tone teasing, <That sounded painful.>

She didn't stop, though. Professionalism dictated they stay on task, but Force, did she enjoy getting under his skin. Even in these tight quarters, the mission demanded precision, silence, control — and yet, she knew. Kellen had a sharp mind, a soldier's discipline, but he was still a man. And she was having way too much fun with it.

As the tunnel narrowed, Valery pressed forward until she reached the grate at the end. With a careful glance through, she took in their next move — dim lighting, no immediate guards, a clear opening. Perfect. She braced herself against the edges of the tunnel, fingers gripping the metal grate as she gave it a testing push.

It came loose without protest.

With the same effortless grace that defined her every movement, she swung the grate aside, then turned slightly to glance over her shoulder. "Stay close," she murmured, the barest hint of teasing still lingering in her voice. Then, without hesitation, she dropped down, landing silently in the shadows below.

Now the real fun began.

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Outfit: Jedi Robes & Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

He could hear it in her voice. She was enjoying this way too much. Not that he could blame her. If only he had taken the lead he would have put on a show for her as well, see how long it took to break that professional exterior Val was known for. He smiled at the very thought.

<"Quite alright, my fearless leader."> He shot back via the Force. <"Though I do appreciate the effort you're going through to present yourself right now.">

Kellen smiled silently. There were some who might take this invitation from either of them to lose some discipline and act on their feelings. Or to turn a little teasing into more joking, delaying or impeding the mission. Such acts would only get a scorning from either of these two Masters. They both knew where to draw the line, especially when crawling through tunnels in a Sith outpost on the edges of Alliance space.

As they neared the exit hatch, Kellen moved to crouch right behind her as he attempted to get a sense for things on the other side. But Force knows this woman made that hard to do. As she turned to look back over her shoulder at him his poor breath caught in his throat for a moment. The thought of reaching forward and grabbing a tuft of her hai-he cleared his throat.

As she jumped down, he moved to the edge and glanced around himself. Noticing all the same details as she he then followed suit. Kellen landed with a quiet thud as he utilized the Force to dampen his landing. He was always jealous of the Shadows and their training, being able to move so silently and unseen. Being a Guardian himself he wasn't as good in this area of expertise.

Kellen managed to locate Val in the shadows and moved to join her just as a light approached. A patrol lazily walking their assigned route? One could only hope. Kellen looked around for something to hide behind quickly, his blue eyes searching the darkness in anticipation of getting seen.

Blast it.

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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery heard Kellen land behind her, his movements quiet but not quite as seamless as her own. Typical Guardian, she thought with a smirk. He was strong, direct — built for the battlefield, not for the shadows. But he kept up well enough, and she appreciated that. The appreciation, however, turned into something far more serious when she felt his sudden spike of urgency through the Force.

A patrol.

Her eyes flicked toward the approaching light, the lazy shuffle of boots against metal. They had seconds before they were seen. She didn't think — just moved. Before Kellen could react, Valery grabbed the front of his armor and yanked him sideways, pulling him into the nearest available hiding spo t— a narrow supply closet tucked just barely out of sight.

The door slid shut behind them with the softest hiss, and then she realized the space was tiny. Pressed together in the darkness, Valery could feel the solid warmth of his body, the way every breath was suddenly much too noticeable. The dim emergency light overhead flickered, casting faint shadows across his face, and Force help her, she could feel his heartbeat thrumming through the air between them.

For a split second, she just let it sit there, the weight of proximity, the tension humming beneath the surface. Then, her lips curled into something dangerously close to a knowing smirk.

"…Comfortable?" she murmured, voice just barely above a whisper, her breath teasing against his jaw.

Outside, the patrol passed, completely unaware of the two Jedi currently squished together inside their supply closet sanctuary. The second the footsteps faded, she exhaled sharply, her amusement clear even as she made no immediate effort to move away.

"You know," she mused, tilting her head slightly, "This wasn't part of the plan."

Kellen Mynn ​

 

[Kellen Mynn]

Somewhere in Space
Weapons: Lightsaber & Blaster
Apparel: Jedi Armor
Tag: Valery Noble

Kellen was distracted by searching for somewhere to hide when he was suddenly yanked into a dimly lit crevice of a room. He barely had time to register what had happened before he felt the sudden change in...proximity.

Valery had found them a relatively small space to seclude themselves to avoid the passing patrol. Which was smart, better to avoid conflict instead of invite it. The longer they could remain unnoticed the better their chances with accomplishing their mission. Even if they could take down this smaller outpost between the two of them, it was no reason to risk a alarm going out.

As the door shut, Kellen looked down to the tuft of brown hair obstructing his view. Though he did not need to see to know how close they were. She was pressed against him most comfortably and every breath created a certain friction. He tried to not breath to avoid rubbing against her too much but it was useless. Might as well enjoy it.

Kellen passed a gloved hand through his hair to remove a couple of strays from his eyes. As she spoke he looked downward towards her and smirked, he could hear the teasing within her voice. He intentionally pressed himself against her harder, pushing her into the wall of the small closet firmly but gently.

"Very. You are by far my favorite small spaced companion, Val." He teased as his breath tickled on her ear as he leaned directly in.

While their game of verbal cat and mouse remained unnoticed, Kellen stiffened as the patrol passed directly in front of their door. He placed a strong hand onto her hip and gripped it firmly in attempt to hold them both in place. As if them merely breathing could alert the bored and no doubt unaware sentry outside.

Her hips, however, proved enough to handle.

As the boots quieted outside and moved further away, Kellen leaned in enough to catch her eyes as he smiled teasingly.

"Hm. You should adjust your future plans when I am involved." The man flashed her a wink before intentionally pressing deep into her. "I rarely follow them."

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