Private Drawn by the Force

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery didn't look away when Scherezade reached for the mustard. She arched a brow, watching the stream hit the flames and flare up in a burst of golden firelight.

"Dangerous," she repeated under her breath, more amused than offended.

Then came the rest.

Valery stood still through all of it, eyes on the woman across from her. She didn't interrupt when the words started to peel back layers, didn't react when the names were listed like titles on a tombstone. Weapon. Mistake. Pawn. Monster. It was a confession wrapped in fire and arrogance, but Valery caught the edges where the flames cooled.

That burger got held up like a challenge.

And then came the flip-off, mustard and all, complete with tongue.

Valery let out a short, dry chuckle, the smirk spreading into something far more genuine. "There it is," she said, pointing a lazy finger at Scherezade, her voice tinged with a light, knowing humor. "Took you long enough." She grabbed her own plate and leaned her hip against the edge of the grill station, taking a bite like they weren't standing on the edge of a philosophical landmine. Once she swallowed, her eyes flicked back.

"For the record, I don't pity you," she said, tone still even but more serious now. "And I'm not interested in fixing you, either. That's your path, not mine." She let that settle a second before taking another bite, then gave a small shrug.

"But if you've got more to say, I'll keep listening. Besides," she gestured to the burger with her chin, "You're already making a mess of condiments. Might as well make it worth the cleanup."

Scherezade deWinter ​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

That was fine. Scherezade didn't need anyone's pity. The bit about fixing though, that did take her by surprise. Wasn't fixing things supposed to be the Jedi modus operandi? Josh had certainly tried often enough. So had every other Jedi she'd met. Interesting. Valery, so far, was walking her talk. Not an ordinary Jedi.

"Thanks for offering to clean everything up," Scherezade grinned, waggling her fingers at the mustard explosion. "And for the cooking!"

She hadn't planned for any of this to unfold the way it had. But then again, she rarely planned for anything at all. Things happened to her. That was the story. Though somehow, her particular talents usually ensured it looked like she'd orchestrated everything from the start.

She took another bite of her burger and chewed, Valery's invitation to keep talking still hanging in the air. Maybe she could-

A roar overhead. The sound of aircraft.

Scherezade choked and promptly spat out her food, sitting up straight.

"Motherkrakker, I forgot!" she blurted, facepalming hard. "Please don't do anything," she added quickly, locking eyes with Valery. "It's just a package delivery. For me. Don't go all Jedi on their buttocks."

Right on cue, a medium-sized smuggler ship thundered into view overhead, kicking up wind and noise as it began to descend.


Valery Noble