Private Darkness Beyond the Border

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"There are a lot of pilots who don't have the Force, but fly better than some Jedi can," Vera said with an encouraging smile. "I don't know if you care enough to become a very good pilot, but... you're amazing at anything you set your mind to." There was perhaps a hint of jealousy in her voice. Aris could never use the Force the way she could, but despite that hindrance, and even though he had only been around for a few years, he was still her equal.

In some ways — maybe a lot of ways — he was better.

Beyond her visions, Vera knew she wasn't quite like Mom or Dad. She wasn't as talented with a lightsaber or even with the Force. All she had were troubling images to guide others.

But that was enough for her.

"15 minutes," Vera finally answered, her voice barely masking that she had something on her mind now.

 

[Aris Noble]

"I will try to get better at flying."

She wasn't wrong with anything she'd said so far. It was logical for him to learn how to fly, especially if it meant helping others when necessary. The last thing he wanted was to be useless when someone was in trouble. But it was clear there was something more there she wasn't saying, and he wasn't going to pry. Perhaps he should, but at the same time he wasn't sure if he really wanted to just yet.

There were a lot of emotions he was still trying to figure out.

"What has you feeling off?"

And just like that he asked anyway. As much as he felt like he shouldn't, he also couldn't help but want to help those around him. Something was eating at her, and he didn't want her to feel off. Especially given where they were heading and the problems they were trying to face together.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"Is it that obvious?" Vera was visibly glad that her brother decided to become a better pilot, but she couldn't mask the way she felt inside. As her brother, he could see that even without being able to sense a thing. They had a connection far stronger than most Force bonds.

Annoying at times, but also helpful.

"I've just been feeling uncertain about being a Jedi. I know things are harder for you, but you still seem to excel. I'm just... not as gifted with most things." Vera sighed and turned her eyes to her brother, "I failed the recent exam. I haven't told Mom and Dad yet and it scares me a little. I actually tried this time, but I just..." Vera sighed again and looked a little defeated.

"I worry I'm just going to disappoint as a Jedi when I'm not getting visions to help people."

 

[Aris Noble]

"The things I excel in are the things I can. I can't participate in anything to do with pulling around the platforms so I can complete the obstacle runs." Which was more embarrassing than anything else. That and any other thing he had to do without the Force was already difficult, but to add that up with the fact he couldn't even participate in some lessons because the Force was mandatory just made him stand out that much more. And not in a good way.

"Find what you're good at. And use those skills to help with everything else. You don't have to do something in any set way. Be creative."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

Vera frowned and rubbed the side of her arm, clearly still bothered despite the encouraging words, "Yeah, but there are things we have to do no matter what our strengths are. The History classes, math, culture and basic things about the Galaxy. Things that aren't practical classes, but are needed in the field."

"I just failed one of the core classes, Aris. If I keep failing them, I won't become a Jedi Knight." She drew in a deep breath, and let out an equally deep sigh. She didn't want to worry too much after one failed test, but it just bothered her. As far as she knew, Aris nailed all of his exams and had no trouble with the practical things his skill set allowed.

Telekinesis was not a required class, as embarrassing as it must be not to be able to lift a rock. At least he could make up for that with his blade skills and the things Mom taught him.

"...could you help me? With studying?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked slowly before looking back at her with a rather surprised expression. Then, he reached out to poke her forehead. A frown had formed shortly after. She'd spent so long saying he didn't need to study, only to need to study herself? She'd even stolen his notes to tease him about it. On multiple occasions. It was rare for him to feel annoyed, and it flashed briefly in his expression, but he let out a sigh regardless.

She'd asked him for help, even with all that. "Okay. But you're going to have to focus. No goofing off, Vera."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

Vera blinked when he poked her forward and went completely blank for a moment, oblivious to his frown or other expressions. Then she blinked again, snapping back to reality, and looked him in the eyes. She knew she had teased him about his studying before, and she was still going to do that - he took his studies pretty far, after all.

But she did need to step her own up a little bit. Not as much as him, but enough to pass her exams and not let everybody down.

"Fine. I don't think I'll be quite like you, but I want to do better. I'll goof off after class." She grinned a dangerous little grin to him and shifted back into her chair.

"Do you think Mom and Dad will be upset that I failed the exam?"

 

[Aris Noble]

"Not if you tell them and make an effort to do better, like you are." They'd never judge them for failures, so long as they tried their best. He sighed though, as Vera made it clear she still wanted to goof off. Perhaps he shouldn't be too hard on her for that, they were still kids. But if she didn't want to fail she'd have to try something more. Put in the effort.

That wasn't something he could make her do, though.

"We'll make something work, I imagine. So long as you put in the effort."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"You're right..." It was still scary to tell them, but she couldn't hide it forever. Neither Mom or Dad had ever made her feel bad about her performence either, so why was she scared? She supposed she just didn't want to let them down. Or have people feel like she wasn't a true Noble.

Nobles saved galaxies, but she couldn't pass a simple test?

Vera suddenly squinted with even more determination in her eyes. She turned to her brother, nodded and shifted back only to focus on flying them to their destination, "I'm going to get a perfect score on my next test," Vera said with a huff.

"Thanks to your help. Thank you, Aris."

 

[Aris Noble]

"You don't have to thank me, you know." They were family. No matter how much she teased him, he had every intention of helping her out whenever she asked. Not that he was going to make it easy on her. Studying wasn't just something to do half assed or unfocused. It was going to be difficult.

But he knew she'd be up for it.

"Once we're on our way back we'll start the studying." Which wasn't a suggestion or a question. They were. The sooner they started the better.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"On our way back already?" Vera blinked and turned to look at her brother, but he was actually being serious. She had hoped to maybe start once they were home and somewhere comfortable first. But she wasn't going to poke at him now, right after he accepted to help her study. Besides, if she wanted to get a perfect score on her next test, she needed every bit of time to study she had.

Then, once she succeeded, she was going to find a little gift for him.

"Alright, but let's first see how this goes, hm?" She smiled and reached for the Hyperspace lever to bring them back to real space. Onderon was right up ahead now and Vera felt a familiar tremor reach out instantly. "What was it like? On Onderon?" She asked him while she started their approach.

"I know Mom went back, but she has spoken awfully little about it."

 

[Aris Noble]

"It was a time."

Aris muttered softly. It wasn't something he wanted to talk about, not openly. Thinking further about it they shouldn't come here at all, given the last attack. He let out quite the sigh as he frowned and stared out the viewport at the planet.

"Let's make this quick. Please."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"You're being quiet..." Not a rarity in and of itself, but he was being awfully short, even for his sake. That concerned her more than the visions she had seen or the risk of their mission out here. If he didn't want to talk about something, it meant he had seen something truly terrible. Even Mom had been abnormally quiet, but she assumed that Dad knew what was on her mind. Even without their whole Dyad thing.

Aris... was harder to read.

"It won't take long, but I need you with me, Aris." Vera brought the ship down through the atmosphere and closed her eyes. Her senses called out to her, and she used those to guide them into the jungle. They weren't going to land at the spaceport, or anywhere near civilization.

Somewhere in a small clearing, she brought them down near ancient ruins.

"I feel something here. Faint but dark."

 

[Aris Noble]

"There was an attack. I happened to help." He knew she was worrying, but he didn't want to go too much more into detail with it. Aris stayed beside her as they landed, staring out the viewport. He didn't recognize where they were on this planet. But if she felt something dark, he couldn't help but frown more. "What do you feel, exactly? Is it something slumbering?"

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

If he didn't want to talk about it, she wasn't going to pressure him.

After years of having been close siblings, she liked to think that he knew he could talk to her. When he was ready and when he wanted to. Until then, Vera focused back on their mission and brought them down into the Jungle. Almost immediately, she lowered the ramp and guided her brother towards it.

What she feels?

"In scarier movies, do you know that feeling you get when someone walks down a scary-looking hallway or room? When the music begins to pick up, and when you can see the hesitation in someone's eyes? That's what this feels like," Vera said with a frown as they stepped into the ruins together.

"This attack was just the beginning. Something much scarier still has to reveal itself."

 

[Aris Noble]

"If there is something much scarier on it's way, we should leave then."

He truly did not like that they were putting themselves in danger, especially here. Especially if she could feel something was on it's way back. They were still children, and still Padawans. His expression thinned as they stepped through the ruins, staring around.

"Let's go."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"Not yet." Vera turned around and placed her hands on het brother's shoulders. A comforting grasp, hoping it would help him be more at ease, "Nothing is coming here directly to us. The danger I feel... It's much bigger than just Onderon." Perhaps a relief to hear, as it meant nothing was coming for them, but it was even more troubling at the same time.

Onderon was the start of something far greater.

"Besides, we can handle ourselves. Mom was fighting on battlefields when she was our age. I'n sure we'll be fine." Something she heavily criticized now, but Mom turned out okay, right?

"I want to check out the ruins. Is that alright?"

 

[Aris Noble]

He wasn't at ease. Not here, not knowing there was some threat she could feel. He couldn't. He didn't understand how it all worked, not in practice. And with what happened the last time he was here, he didn't want his sister in the middle of that level of violence. Even if their mother had been in wars at their age, this time was different.

"Fine. Carefully."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

Vera chuckled and suddenly reached for his hand. She snatched it, then started tugging him along while they entered the ruins together. While Aris couldn't sense it himself, the expression on Vera's face still gave him an impression of what lingered in the Force - there was something dark and disturbing that grew in intensity.

But there was something else, too.

Vera stopped, blinked, and changed directions, now choosing to head down a different path. "I feel something familiar!" She called out, clearly excited. She passed underneath a broken arch of stone with him, and entered what had once been a large building within this ancient village, decorated with inscriptions and beautiful stained glass along its walls. Right as the two Nobles entered, however, there was a sudden, bright flash of light and a surge in the Force.

Vera squealed and fell over onto her rear, but she quickly opened her eyes when she realized that they weren't alone anymore.

"Hello."

A young girl about their own age stood behind them in the doorway, smiling faintly. With fiery orange eyes and long, dark-brown hair, she looked awfully familiar, but young and without any sign of scarring on her face. She was dressed in traditional robes and a braid hung down her shoulder.

"You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

"...Mom?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris grumbled as Vera pulled him along after her. He still didn't want to be here, but he didn't want her to be alone here even more. It was probably the only reason he was still following along. He frowned, stared around them. Listened and searched for the physical threats that could be there. With his heightened senses it made it easier for him to at least be ready if a threat was there.

But to see what came next had even him blinking in complete surprise.

He recognized her of course. It felt weird to recognize her, but he did. It was their mother. As a child. It was clearly the Force at work, but what this meant he had absolutely no idea. He just looked to Vera, then back to the Padawan version of their mom.

".. What makes it dangerous?"

Vera Noble