Private Eat this...

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

Fioria Lithior​
Slaver Facility​

The facility was highly secure, with advanced security protocols and armed Syndicate guards stationed at every notable entrance or exit. Kardek and Alpha had been to this exact same facility on multiple occasions as buyers of their offered sentient products, building up a certain level of familiarity between them and the Syndicate in anticipation for such a day as this: a visit by none other than the head honcho himself... Mr. Fioria Lithior... founding father and Syndicate Mob boss, known for having a rather quick temper as well as an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Often the boss would "Skim" some off the top of his living products, favoring the more tender and innocent selections of his herd... children and young women were always preferred. But if today went according to plan, then the rather off-putting appetite of the founding father would have satiated it's last morsel. The man had been near the top of Kardek's personal hit list for some time now, but the perfect timing had finally presented itself...

"We have an exquisite selection today, Mr. Borks. Some from as far as the core... All tested and preserved at our highest quality standards, as I am sure you already would expect from your past dealings with the Syndicate."

Mr. Borks.

That was Kardek's Alias. He smirked slightly every time he was referred to by it. It brought him a sense of childlike delight, to be sure. Kardek nodded at the man with a sense of removed disinterest, as if this was the last place he wanted to be; "Yes yes. Please bring me to the product immediately, I don't have much time..." Kardek checked his watch, not for the urgency of himself, but instead to anticipate the arrival of the man of the hour...

Fioria Lithior.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

Even more slavers.

Not too long ago, Valery had assisted in bringing down a small operation on Sleheyron, and now she had caught wind of another organization trading the sentient against their will. It was disgusting and every rational person in the Galaxy despised it, but Valery had more personal reasons to hate it as well. Personal reasons she had to set aside in order to focus. She was a Jedi, after all, and an integral part of being one meant control over emotions, and decisions and actions based on knowledge.

She was here to stop their illegal activities and to save people — not to satisfy some personal quest against slavery.

Valery, however, knew there was little time for her to prepare an infiltration attempt. She had heard about the big boss visiting through the SIA, but they discovered this very late. So rather than finding a more traditional way in, Valery had accepted this as a solo assignment, so she could tap into her training as a former Jedi Shadow and enter the facility unnoticed. With techniques such as Force Cloak and Phase, she couldn't be seen or heard, and no wall or obstacle could stop her from passing right through.

It was this way, that Valery entered the room with a man that caught her eye immediately. She had no idea who Kardek Alpha was, but because of what she felt through the Force, she knew he was out-of-place. Had the SIA gotten someone inside without telling her? Or was it something else?

Whatever it was, her eyes struggled not fixating on him, as he was led through the facility...

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

A large durasteel door slid open, revealing rows and rows of slaves of all ages, species, and genders. All were frozen in a carbonite-like process, standing upward, the expressions of fear etched solemnly onto their faces. As Kardek stepped into the large chamber his eyes estimated that there were at least 200 capsules present. The Gunslinger raised his vambrace slightly and typed out a communication to Alpha, who was still inside The Harbinger in the docking bay. Alpha was overwatch, actively scanning the facility and providing feedback and detailed information back to Kardek. The two of them had done such missions on dozens of occasions, and were very comfortable with the procedure they had set in place.

Kardek studied some of the capsules, pretending to be considering a purchase while in actuality he was contemplating how to free so many slaves. 200 was more than he could fit onto his ship... he would need to improvise.

"We have product for all types of purposes." The spokesman was a slender, almost malnurished-looking sentient with pale skin and long grey hair pulled back into a ponytail. He sported an exquisite suit, which almost seemed like an attempt to cover up the sickness that dwelt underneath it. "...But allow for me to assume some knowledge retained from our previous dealings." With that, he turned towards Kardek and pressed a button on the holopad in his hands, causing a low-toned mechanical noise to emit from the facility. Slowly, the capsules began to rotate, the previously front-facing occupants being pulled down into the floor while the ones behind them pushed forward, until finally Kardek was presented with some rather young women.

"Hopefully these specimens will be of special interest to your master." The spokesman continued on in his rather airy, high pitched tone, sounding as if he had lost his voice previously, however it was just the nature of his voice. "We've collected some of the finest girls in the galaxy. Completely untraceable, from poor communities with no resource to invest in their return. We promise you... no one will come looking for them."

Kardek looked over the specimens, doing his best to not break character and resort to choking the corrupted host until the life slowly drained out of his eyes with mitigated pleasure. He placed his hand on his chin, slowly stroking it as he seemed lost in thought. "Yes... They should do nicely." He mused.

"How many would your master require?"

"All of them."

The sentient looked up, a sense of pause in his motion as his finger lingered over the datapad. "All of them? That is quite an appetite... does your master have the means to acquire so many?"

"Yes." Kardek tightened his fist into a ball, doing his best to relieve the fury that was growing within. "He does."

The sentient shrugged, looking down with a sense of delight as he entered in some commands and numbers. "Fantastic."

The dull sound of a transport could be heard above them as it billowed through the sky, arriving at the same transport terminal as The Harbinger. Kardek looked up at the ceiling, following the sound, "Who is that?" He asked rhetorically, knowing that it was the man he was after.

"Oh... just another interested customer." The sentient lied. He then quickly turned and headed towards the exit, obviously feeling needed by the new arrival, "I will have the merchandise transported to your vessel once payment has been confirmed. If you need anything, you know how to find me." With that, the sentient left the room, the durasteel door sliding closed behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Kardek ran over to the closest capsule, his expression changing from one of indifference to one of concerned intention, "Alpha! There are too many! We might have to commandeer another ship..." he said, placing his hand on the top of one of the capsules as his eyes took in the horrifying sight before him.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

In a similar way to how she had wandered through the facility thus far, Valery phased through the large durasteel door to follow Kardek, and watched as a huge chamber full of captured people was revealed to him, and unknowingly to her as well. Slavery always left a sickening feeling in the Force — so many people terrified for their lives created a powerful feedback loop of despair. But right now, with all these people frozen in a carbonite-like process, she felt nothing, and for some reason, this void of emotions in a room like this felt even worse.

There was, however, something she did feel.

As the disturbing conversation between Kardek and the spokesman began, Valery could feel anger rising within the 'buyer'. It made no sense at all if he had actually been here interested in slaves, so it only further confirmed what she believed. Whoever he was, he wasn't here to acquire slaves, and right now, that made him an ally. Because as much as she'd wish she could handle this mission on her own, she had not been expecting so many slaves either.

She could never fit this many people in her ship.

Luckily, Kardek seemed to have the same problem. After the spokesman left to deal with another potential buyer, Valery picked up on what Kardek was telling his droid, and finally, she took this opportunity to reveal herself. At a safe distance away, she stepped out of her Force Cloak and presented herself openly, hoping it wouldn't startle him. But given the fact she was literally invisible to him, she expected him to possibly shoot or react violently in his confusion.

For that reason, the hilt of her lightsaber already rested in the palm of her hand, and she did her best to offer a charismatic smile while she spoke, "Please don't be alarmed - I'm a Jedi," Valery began, hoping to calm him down with that revelation. "I'm here to free these people and I have a ship. I can help you if you let me," she said, her eyes finally connecting with his own properly for the first time, and for just a few seconds, she found herself lost in his.

She really hoped he'd want to work together to help these people.

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

Kardek, sensing a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, instinctively beckoned the small hidden blaster under the sleeve of his coat with a simple motion of his wrist. The blaster found its way immediately into the palm of his hand, being then raised instantaneously towards the head of the intruder who had mysteriously revealed themselves.

Kardek's sharp gaze darted in the woman's direction, his brow furrowed with a mixture of confusion and deadly intent. How she had materialized instantaneously before him was beyond his understanding, but it was evident that she could be a deadly threat to his operation. Still, he withheld himself from pulling the trigger, knowing that the noise of a blaster shot would likely trigger the security protocols.

Strangely, however, the woman appeared to express a disarming sentiment. She revealed herself to be a Jedi… and not only that, she was here to help. With the revelation, Kardek allowed for his nerves to settle, slowly lowering the weapon as his expression shifted to one of curiosity and intrigue. Their eyes seemed locked intimately together for a moment, and he found himself truly mesmerized by the absolute beauty of a woman standing before him. He did not know how she got here... or why she was here… but her presence was truly welcome…

Still, he was ever a man of caution.

"Where is your ship?" He asked inquisitively, his tone rather low, yet not hostile. He was still unsure of her allegiance, specifically do to the orangish hue to her eyes… he had come across many Sith who had shared a similar trait. It was possible that it was related to her ancestry though…

"What species are you?" His eyes looked her over subtly, noting the scare on her face, as well as… other impressive features…. He blinked, pulling his eyes up quickly back to hers.

Best not to get distracted. There were hundreds of lives in the balance after all.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

Despite him drawing his weapon and leveling it with her face, Valery didn't seem frightened, nor did she make any move to disarm him or ignite her own weapon. Through the Force, she already felt there was no reason to be afraid, and when he lowered his weapon upon realizing that she was a Jedi, an ally, Valery had her confirmation. Their eyes then locked and to her surprise, there was a moment of silence and tension between them. She wasn't entirely sure if it was because of her strange eyes or her appearance in general, but she set it aside when he asked a logical question.

"I have a small freighter not too far away. Together with your ship, I'm sure we can bring all these people out." Which also meant they'd have to coordinate and work together beyond the point of getting themselves and the captives out of there. Not that she'd mind if it meant saving all these people, and he didn't seem like the worst type to work with either...

The question that followed after that, though, got her to blink in surprise, "I uh," she shook her head and realized that it was because of her eyes. "Keshian, it's why my eyes are orange," she assured him before she noticed his eyes had shifted down, and quickly flicked back up to meet her own. Was he looking at my...? She tilted her head and felt a rush of heat rising up from her chest to her face.

Why wasn't she getting angry? Maybe because he himself looked very...

She shook her head and snapped out of it, and to avoid things getting awkward, she decided not to comment on him looking, and simply offered a friendly smile, "The spokesman is talking with a big client. You want to stick around and ambush them here, or do you have a different plan?" She gestured to the side, "We can hide together there and wait for them to return."

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble


Kardek nodded slowly at her answer, evidently deep in thought as he began to re-assess his original strategy. This many people would surely be tricky… They would not be able to just walk out the front door with hundreds of slaves without starting a firefight. His original plan was to use the facilities own loading system, keeping them in stasis. But hundreds? That would take time.

"He's not a client." Kardek stated, leaning slightly against one of the capsules and scratching his chin. "His name is Fioria Lithior. Crime boss of the Lithorian Syndicate. That's his shuttle that just landed." He paused, looking at the woman as he continued to process… what would be the best way to do this?

"He not only sells slaves… he eats them. Specifically…" Kardek motioned solemnly towards the girls that were still frozen in their prisons.

"That's why I've been buying them from him for the past few months… trying to save them from that kind of fate. Trying to get them home."

He balled his fist and hit the top of the capsule in frustration at the horrible situation, furrowing his brow. He had not been able to save all of them, he knew that all too well. It was his self-appointed duty to end this horrific cycle. He turned back towards the woman, a look that expressed resolution evident on his face,

"We're not just going to save them… we're going to kill him. If you're not comfortable with that, I get it. Just let me do what I have to do when it comes to him, ok?"

Kardek looked towards her hiding spot, then nodded in agreement. They couldn't do anything until the security system was down anyways, and there was a tiny window of opportunity approaching that would allow for Alpha to slice into the system.

Besides… he wouldn't mind getting to know this mysterious woman a little better.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

"He... eats them?" Valery frowned and snapped out of her earlier trance by looking away from him and towards the pods with young women in them. To think that someone not only exposed these poor people to slavery but also killed them in such a way... it made her blood boil and perhaps even Kardek, who barely knew her at this point, would notice the fire in her eyes burning just a little brighter.

This had to stop.

Kardek then went on to explain how he had slowed this man down thus far, and Valery found herself admiring him a little more again. It couldn't be easy to play the part of a slave owner, even if it was just a cover to help them. It still put him at risk every single time, and it meant he was always in these dark environments. It showed a strength of character that she could appreciate, "It'll be alright, we've got this together, okay?" she then asked, her tone softer and kind, when she picked up on his frustration.

She couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did, but the suggestion that followed made her frown. A desire to kill this slaver was easy enough to understand, but she was still a Jedi. Luckily, she had one idea that might be able to change his mind. "We should keep him alive if we can. If he's dead, we stopped one person but if we capture him, we can extract so much more information from him. Maybe we can save a lot more people," Valery offered, but then realized she had been saying we a lot as if they had agreed to work together more.

Her cheeks reddened a little and she cleared her throat to set her thoughts aside.

"Come on, let's hide and we'll catch them first. Then you can release the people from those pods and then... well, let's see if our plan holds up first. We'll figure out the rest as we go." With that said, she slipped between some of the pods, which meant she had to move sideways and squeeze her shapely body through. Kardek would be right behind her, and together, they'd end up in a fairly cramped space with perhaps inches between them at most.

"I uh.. didn't catch your name earlier. I'm Valery," she whispered while they waited for their targets to arrive.

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble


The gunslinger picked up on the fire that seemed to burn a bit brighter in the Jedi's eyes. It seemed that the horrific revelation had ignited something within her, something he could surely relate to very intensely himself. He felt a sort of connection with her… sharing a zeal that unified them despite being complete strangers. He couldn't help but let an almost affectionate smile cross his lips for the briefest of moments. It felt good to have someone to share this sense of injustice with… someone who truly seemed to care. He had carried so much injustice on his own for so long it had become a lonely burden on his shoulders.

As she countered against his desire to end the mans life, Kardek also found himself frowning. He knew what she was attempting to do… she was a Jedi after all, a group that adhered to some of the strictest guidelines the galaxy had ever known. However, he couldn't deny that there might be some value in keeping him alive… that's just not the way he usually operated. But hey, being a Jedi she likely worked with the Alliance, who had much more resource than he did. Maybe he could be ok with releasing him into her custody.

Kardek then smirked with a bit of amusement as he also realized that she had apparently already decided that they were a team beyond this mission. His eyes glistened with delight that this woman, this Jedi, seemed to be rather fond of him already. He must have made a fantastic first impression!

And then her cheeks reddened slightly. Oh my! There was definitely something there. Kardek felt a bit euphoric that such a stunning woman had appeared to taken such an interest in him. He quickly flashed her a receptive and charming smile, somehow seeming to completely forget that they were standing in a chamber full of frozen slaves, his attentions now very much transfixed on her. She was truly a beautiful creature, but it was not only her beauty that captured him… it was her desire to make a real difference… to bring real justice.

Now THAT is a woman.

Yes. Let's hide.

Kardek followed behind her, unable to help his wandering eyes as she squeezed herself through the pods. Was he dreaming? How in the kriffin' galaxy had this girl just popped up out of nowhere? Was this a trap? His mind for the briefest of moments considered the possibility, however he quickly shushed his concerns.

If it was a trap, then he had fallen for it completely.

He pulled himself through the pods as well until she stopped in a tight, hidden spot. He did his best to keep a smile off his face as he pulled himself in as well, the two of them now facing each other with mere inches to spare between them.

"Hi." He said softly with a smirk and an air of flirtatiousness, trying to add a bit of humor to divert any potential awkwardness they might be feeling at being so close to each other. "I'm Kardek. Nice to meet you Valery." His voice was soft and quiet, matching her tone. He looked around and chuckled softly, shaking his head in humorous disbelief, "You realize were surrounded by frozen slaves right? Don't turn to your left… one of them is looking right at you." He couldn't keep the smile off his face anymore as it spread across his features. His green, piercing eyes focused intently on hers.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

His smirking and the charming smile he had flashed her after her cheeks reddened hadn't escaped her at all, but she chose to turn away and focus on the next part of their plan instead. It was too easy to get lost in the way he looked at her, and shift too much of her attention to him, but she couldn't forget why she was here. Luckily, his own intense desire to help these people and take down Fioria made it a lot easier, and together they decided to hide and wait for the right moment to strike.

She knew he wanted to kill Fioria as well, rather than turn this ambush into an attempt to capture the man, but it still felt like she had gotten through to him a little with her offer. A good sign, in her opinion, both because of what it meant to the mission and because of what it said about him.

He seems open to reason too...

After squeezing her way between several pods and ending up in a space between them that was even tighter than she had anticipated, Valery, with some effort, turned around to see Kardek's chest suddenly inches away from her face. Her eyes briefly widened and she was quick to shift her fiery gaze up to meet his. But while she tried hard to compose herself, he flirted a hi that sent another wave of heat up her body and into her face. She didn't know why it affected her like this and so strongly, and knew it shouldn't considering her personal life, but it did, so she had to be careful.

Stay calm...

"Hey..." she muttered, not without her usual confidence but he was the type who understood what his words did, so he'd be able to tell that she was om edge because of him. But he was also someone who cared about doing what was right, just in his own way and with a bit of an outlaw style to it. Maybe that's what drew her in so much - the attitude and confidence.

"I'll take your word for it." She smirked and didn't look away, but that only meant his piercing green eyes found their way in, and they awakened a lot of strong feelings and desires she needed to keep under control.

Would he be able to notice?

To distract herself, she offered her own charismatic smile, and raised her hand to tuck some of her long hair behind her ear, hopefully without making awkward contact. "So uh...what do you normally do? Or work for?" She asked with sincere interest. If they had to wait here together like this for a while...might as well get to know him better~

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

It was an interesting situation to say the least. He could perceive her strong attraction towards him, and could not help but let his own show as well. He felt comfortable enough to enjoy the moment, despite their serious situation, knowing that Alpha was monitoring the scanners and would alert him as soon as the window of opportunity arrived. He had assumed that she would divert her gaze after a moment, but they both seemed to be locked intently onto each other. A sudden urge to lean in and kiss her arose within him, however he resisted the temptation, not wanting to rush in so quickly and risk a subversive reaction on her part. Besides, he wanted to know more about her. He was deeply intrigued about many things.

As she posed a question regarding his occupation, he nodded subtly, considering it as good of a starting point as any. "Well… This." He said, motioning with a nod of his head towards the slaves that surrounded them on all sides. His expression seemed to grow a bit more thoughtful and almost serious as he contemplated how to better answer Valery's question. "I find people… communities… planets… that have a boot against their throats, choking out their voice… and I remove the boot." He shifted a bit, seeming almost uncomfortable as he felt a need to clarify that he was, in actuality, not a good person. For some reason he felt a desire to be entirely honest with her. He cleared his throat, breaking eye contact with the Jedi for a moment as he looked up, trying to find the right words…

"Let's just say that… I use to be the boot." He looked back down at her, his brow slightly furrowing as he recalled the horrific things he had done in his past life, "I'm not a hero, Valery. I have no delusions of grandeur or self-righteousness. I'm just a man trying to repay the sins of a former life."

His eyes then observed a stray lock of hair that had fallen back onto the woman's face. Without thinking, the gunslinger instinctively lifted his hand and touched her face, pulling it gently back behind her ear with a soft touch. He immediately froze, feeling a rush of intense desire flow through him as he looked deeply into her eyes, his hand still resting against her skin for a moment. He blinked, fighting the growing urge to kiss her… as he somehow feared that he might ruin something… something that he couldn't quite understand. Normally he would give it no further thought and simply kiss a woman who showed this much interest in him, but for some reason, beyond his comprehension, he felt a desire to protect this budding connection between them. So, instead, he carefully pulled his hand away, swallowing quietly as he tried to process what he was feeling and what was so different about this women that he barely knew. His face expressed a mixture of confusion, uncertainty, and attraction, all swirling together violently within him.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, his eyes intrinsically fixed on hers. He felt his heart pounding out if his chest. Could he resist this strong urge to kiss her?

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

While she'd never say it out loud to confront him with something personal and private, Valery could feel the emotions swirling deep within him. Without the Force, he couldn't safeguard what he felt, and she could even feel his intentions to some extent. The more powerful they became, the stronger the echo would bleed out into the Force, and as their eyes locked within this cramped section of the facility, she felt something incredibly strong. A kind of desire that only a powerful mind or will could resist, and if it wasn't for the situation they were in with this mission, she was certain he wouldn't have stopped himself. For now, he decided to focus on her question but the tension never faded, and it kept her eyes frozen, as they stared into his.

"Stopping slavers is a very good cause," Valery said, a little surprised that all of his work revolved around it. At a first glance, he didn't seem like the type to commit so much of his life to stop the worst types of people this Galaxy had to offer, but she detected no lies in his words at all. Only a deeply rooted discomfort that he went on to explain as well, even though she would have never asked such a thing of him. Something or in this case, someone compelled him to be completely open and feeling that from him sparked something deep inside of her again. He trusts her. "Acknowledging wrongdoings and changing your life around to commit so much to doing the right thing is nothing short of heroic," Valery said with a caring tone, and again, rosy cheeks appeared to cover her face in a cute, red blush.

No matter what happened in his past, he had the strength to redeem himself, and that was a quality she admired greatly. So much so that she wasn't bothered at all when a lock of her long wavy hair was tucked away by him. With any other man, in any other situation, she would have snapped for getting into her personal space like this, but this time she didn't. Her breath hitched at the touch of his hand against her cheek, and her fiery eyes, burning so brightly and beautifully, widened as they looked up into his emeralds. That feeling from before was there again, perhaps even stronger, but his face showed his uncertainty, and she was afraid to show him a clear response.

She knew that she shouldn't, but her emotions were wanting to invite it, even if it was just this one time...

"It's okay..." she said softly, her own heart beating faster as well. "You're a good man... thank you," she whispered, her voice barely anything more than a breath escaping her lush lips.

Just do it.

No, wait...

Should he?

Should I?

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

Her words seemed to slam violently against his core. Her persistence that he was a good man… that he was heroic…. His mind declared war against such notions, reminding him vividly of specific moments, specific actions that he had committed with his own hands…. She doesn't know me, he thought. If she did, she wouldn't say those things. She would be horrified. She would hate me.

And yet, in the midst of this inner battle with himself, his eyes remained locked onto hers. A part of him wanted to believe that she was right. A part of him wanted for her to prove him wrong against all odds. He could feel her soft breath exhaling against his skin, the tension between them seemed to grow stronger with every passing moment. Her voice was barely a whisper now, wide eyes looking up into his. Finally his resolve seemed to waver, an expression of desire now fully washing over his face as he brought his hand up again, gently touching her chin with the backside of his finger. Kardek's gaze drifted down to her lips, longing to touch them with his own.

I'm not a good man...

He shook his head slowly, ultimately unable to accept her assessment of his character.

"No I'm not." He said with the softest of whispers. His eyes looked back up into hers, searching… hoping for her to refute his statement once again… He slowly stroked her chin, his lips drawing slightly closer to hers. He wanted more than anything to be with her… Feeling such a strong connection that he could barely take it anymore…

Valery…

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

Valery could tell how conflicted her words had left him even without the Force. He had once been the boot to hold people down, and because he was a good man, he couldn't find it in himself to truly forgive himself for what had happened. For the terrible things, he may have done when he was a different man. No matter how much he did to make it right in the present. This is how she felt about redemption cases — it was important to never forget, but it was equally crucial to also forgive and move forward in life again.

Whether he would accept this one day or not remained to be seen, but those internal battles didn't take away from the tension that remained between them. Their eyes were locked, exchanging emotion and testing each other to reveal what lay dormant deeper within. Valery's breath then hitched again when his finger tucked up her chin just a little, so her eyes truly couldn't leave him and shakily, it left between slightly parted lips. She could feel her own walls and barriers crumbling and the entire world around her seemed to fade into the background, but some doubt remained.

Both in her and in him.

"You've changed, I can feel it," Valery whispered back and even though they had only just met, there was incredible conviction in her tone. As if she had looked deep within, studied him for years, and drawn a conclusion no person alive or dead could ever refute. "You just need to accept it..." she said softly, her eyes closing slowly as he approached. She could feel her hesitation increase along with the tension, but she couldn't stop herself anymore. She stood there, frozen and overwhelmed by desires she tried to suppress.

The feelings were simply too strong but right as he leaned in close, his comm began to beep and they could hear the hiss of a door opening — their target was entering the room. Her eyes opened and with her breath held, she looked into his eyes expectantly.

What would he do?

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Location: Lithorian Syndicate Slaver Facility on Ulmatra (Hutt Space)
Target: Fioria Lithior (Crime Boss of the Lithorian Syndicate)
Tags: Valery Noble

​

The man was beyond himself at her words. She spoke with a conviction that seemed to go much deeper than their actual knowledge of each other. He slowly closed his eyes as well, his finger gently nudging her own lips up even closer to his own,

"As you wish…"

The breath of his words brushed her lips softly as he paused for a moment, breathing in her smell. Kardek felt truly euphoric, enraptured in her mystery and beauty. He finally moved in to kiss her mouth when…

Bleep!

They both opened their eyes simultaneously, now so close that they both appeared a bit blurry to each other. Kardek blinked. His eyes looked a bit shocked and disoriented, as if reality had suddenly rushed back in and he was waking up from a daydream. He looked at Valery Noble , an almost immediate sense of regret setting in as he realized that this enrapturing moment was over. His hand fell to her shoulder, twisting slightly so that he could better see the message coming in on his vambrace. It was Alpha. The targets were now approaching the chamber, and the assassin droid had successfully sliced into the mainframe. The security protocols were disabled.

Kardek turned back to Valery, an almost apologetic expression on his face as he pulled away from her. "It's time." He said softly. Just then the doors slide open, and two figures entered the chamber.

"You can take him with you. I won't kill him." He stated, motioning for Valery to go left as he squeezed himself silently out of their hiding spot, heading towards the right.

He brushed his black leather trench coat back on both sides, pulling both TSF-SBP/01 Heavy SmartBlaster™ Pistol's from their holsters, trying to get to a position where he could better observe the boss. He hid behind one of the capsules, overhearing the conversation between the two of them. It sounded like the host was suggesting some special offerings for the boss' next meal.

"Don't kill him…" He muttered to himself, trying to remain faithful to his promise to Valery as he turned the settings on his blasters to stun.

The gunslinger twirled out from behind the capsule, raising both blasters and aiming one at each of them, his trench coat flowing swiftly around him with his movements. "Fioria Lithior!" He yelled, causing both of them to look in his direction with a bit of surprise, "You're coming with me." With that, Kardek fired his right blaster, releasing a loud cracking sound as the stun bolt zipped through the air and hit the timid host in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and fall to the ground unconscious.

Mr. Lithior looked down rather nonchalantly at the host, a slight sense of amusement at the whole situation apparent. Kardek furrowed his brow, not expecting such a casual response. He focused both barrels now on the man as the boss looked back upward toward Kardek, a crooked smirk on the mobsters face.

"You are mistaken, my friend." He said in a low, raspy voice.

"Really!" And why is that?" Kardek shouted back.

What could the man possibly have up his sleeve that would give him the upper hand in this situation?

Fioria Lithior

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

"As you wish…"

She felt his warm breath prickle her lush lips and a shiver ran down her spine, created by the mixture of tension and apprehension that filled the air. One part of her, the logical side of her, urged her to stop now and break the moment until it was appropriate. She wasn't single anymore, had been happy with her relationship, and so she couldn't make these mistakes. But the emotional side of her, the part that was so vibrant and overpowering, made her want to keep going. Kardek was something else... a man who naturally found his way passed her strong barriers.

Could she resist it?

While she didn't move, still afraid and hesitant, Kardek moved in closer until...

Bleep!

Their eyes opened and Valery pulled her head back when she actually realized just how close he was to kiss her right there and then. A shocked expression was left on her face, one of regret but also one of relief. As much as that one side of her wanted it; as much as she wanted to try and see where things could go with him, it was probably for the best that nothing happened now. Whether she liked it or not, and she seemingly didn't, the comm going off had saved her from doing something she might regret heavily later.

She wasn't one to make moves behind her partner's back.

"Seems like it..." she said softly, her own smile apologetic as well, not because the kiss never happened, but because she hadn't told him about her situation. Now, she knew for sure that when all of this was over, she was going to tell him. Whether that would break everything between them or set up something for the future, remained to be seen.

Valery then slid around to the right and waited for Kardek to make the first move — if he could draw their attention, she could flank around and offer assistance. He was quick to do so, and she watched him closely as he moved with grace and strength. His voice projected it as well when he called out to Lithior and the host, but that's when Valery felt something very strange. A dark, sinister feeling sent a shiver down her spine, and right as Kardek stunned the host, she understood what it meant.

"You are mistaken, my friend." He said in a low, raspy voice.

"Really!" And why is that?" Kardek shouted back.

"Kardek, watch out!" Valery called out, as she jumped away from cover and launched herself toward them. Fioria's hand was already rising, and a surge of lightning was fired towards the gunslinger, looking to burn him down before he too could be consumed. But before it could make contact, Valery was able to throw her body between them and ignited a lightsaber to catch the attack. "He's... dangerous..." she said through gritted teeth. Her attempt to help had placed her in a shaky stance, and with the power behind the lightning attack, Valery was suddenly launched backwards and hit one of the metal pods with her back.

A yelp of pain left her, as some of the lightning arched through her body, and she fell down to the floor, alive and not too badly injured, but shaken.

 

[Kardek Alpha]

The gunslinger's eyes widened with the sudden realization that his enemy was much more than he seemed, the twisted hand outstretched in his direction, preparing to strike him down with powers beyond his own ability to properly defend.

"Kardek, watch out!"

Kardek shot his gaze over to Valery, who was now launching herself in-between him and the dark force user. As the lightning shot out of the man's hands, it struck the bright blade of the Jedi.

"He's... dangerous..."

As she was launched backward, Kardek holstered one of his blasters and darted in-between her and the lighting in an attempt to help shield the Jedi from any more harm, "Valery!" He exclaimed with concern as his free arm extended up into the electricity, the leather shredding almost instantly around his arm, revealing a modified electrostaff armor underneath that crackled against the last bits of the attack. Kardek grunted in pain as the lighting broke out a bit and struck him slightly. Luckily it was the end of the attack, otherwise the outcome could have been far worse for the gunslinger.

Kardek raised his blaster as he switched the rounds to lethal, rage beginning to flood his body as he unleashed a flurry of blaster fire at the man. He knew it was likely futile, but hopefully it would provide enough of a distraction for Valery to regain the upper hand. He needed her for this fight… she was his only hope of making it out of this alive.

The dark force user kept his hand raised, freezing the bolts in place mid air. A crooked smile spread across his face as he tilted his head, looking at the gunslinger with a sense of perverse humor at his feeble attempt to pacify such a powerful opponent. His eyes then looked past him towards Valery, brow furrowing as he addressed the Jedi for the first time,

"A decision you have, Jedi." He muttered with a mocking tone. Suddenly he pushed his hand forward, the bolts shooting back towards Kardek, stopping only inches away from his body. Kardek flinched, anticipating the impact, however he opened his eyes, looking straight at the bolts right in front of his face. Well… this was not ideal…

Then, the twisted man slowly raised his other hand… pulling it into a claw-like form as one of the girls, frozen in their capsule, was broken from it's restraints and lifted up into the air. A cracking sound could be heard as the module began to show signs of intense pressure, almost as if it was beginning to collapse in on itself.

"The gunslinger?… or the child…" The man looked at Valery with an intensity that would make anyones skin crawl.

Kardek tried to move, but an invisible force kept him bound to his position. He labored to turn his head, catching a glimpse of Valery behind him. His speech was labored as he forced out his words slowly,

"Can… we… kill… him… now?"

He offered a forced, short laugh, trying to lighten the horrifying situation somehow. Kardek then turned back towards the bolts, closing his eyes as he tried to prepare himself for what could be the end. Subtly, he sent a distress signal to Alpha through their shared neural connection. He knew his trusted friend would figure out something...

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

With some effort, Valery pushed herself off the ground and looked up to see Kardek now standing between her and the Dark Jedi. He had absorbed some of the lightning with his own body, even though he knew he had no way to block it, just to keep her from getting harmed. She could feel the pain it had caused but she felt no desire from him to step aside and let her get hit anyway. He was determined to shield her, no matter what it would do to him. This only strengthened her resolve even more, and while he opened fire to pressure the Dark Jedi and buy her some time, Valery climbed up to her feet and drew her weapon back into her hand.

Her fiery eyes settled on their target, but what she saw got her eyes to widen — a swarm of blaster bolts was levitating around him, and he had manipulated them to kill Kardek, who was frozen by the Force, at any moment he desired. Simultaneously, one of the slaver pods had been ripped off its foundation and was being crushed up in the air.

She was left with a tough decision to make.

"The gunslinger?… or the child…"

Valery gritted her teeth at his words and stared him down with an intense fire burning in her eyes. Kardek didn't even have to ask anymore — any thoughts she had about taking him captive were gone entirely. Someone as dark, corrupted, and twisted as Fioria could only be returned to the Force. She was, however, not in an ideal position to make a move against him.

Or so he thought.

If there was one thing Valery had always honored from her days as a traditional Jedi in the Old Republic, it would be her measured use of the Force. She never abused it to make her own life easier, nor did she want to tap into its strength to harm someone else. It was an ally that helped her protect herself and others. But right now, she was left with no choice and in an instant, it seemed as if her eyes began to glow. The air around the Dark Jedi trembled at a molecular level, and right as Valery's hand clenched into a fist, incredibly hot flames ignited around the Dark Jedi to burn his body and force him to lose his focus.

She killed the flames almost instantly, not wanting to kill with such a tremendous amount of pain, and used her own mastery of Telekinesis to catch the slaver pod and project a barrier around Kardek. The blaster bolts that had been frozen flashed before his eyes, but none managed to break through.

"Now, Kardek! Shoot him!" She screamed, not able to engage herself after using so much energy so rapidly.

 

[Kardek Alpha]

The Dark Jedi's eyes widened at the surprising attack, never having anticipated such destructive use of the force by a Jedi. He was unprepared for the flames that scorched around him in an instant, immediately crying out in pain as he attempted to draw the force back to himself for protection.

Kardek's eyes opened, seeing the flames engulf the man. Holy chit… was Valery doing that? She was truly a powerful Jedi, having been completely underestimated by the dark one. Kardek gripped tightly onto the blaster still in his hand as he was freed from the invisible prison, drawing the other blaster quickly as Valery projected a shield around him to absorb the impacts of the bolts. Adrenaline filled him as he saw his opening to attack. He would make the man pay for what he had done to these sentients… and for hurting Valery.

"Now, Kardek! Shoot him!"

The gunslinger stepped forward swiftly, quickly switching to his explosive rounds and raising both weapons. A barrage of munitions rained down on the Dark Jedi as the flames dissipated, the man quickly raised both hands up, desperately attempting to counter the attack. As the force pushed against the shells they exploded violently right in front of the Dark Jedi. He let out a painful yell as the heat and shrapnel pierced through his skin over and over, forcing him to take a step backward to try to create some distance from the explosions. Kardek, with fire in his eyes, quickly shifted the vector of one of his blasters to the back wall right behind him, continuing the bombardment. While the Dark Jedi was focused on the frontal attack, the rounds began to explode directly behind him, sending the man spiraling forward as he was slammed forcefully the ground.

Kardek pulled his fingers off the triggers, the gunslingers gaze sharp and piercing as he stared the man down. The Dark Jedi's body was torn, but he still had life in him as he groaned, slowly beginning to pick himself up off the floor.

It was about this time that Kardek became shockingly aware of a terrible burning sensation that was eating away at the skin of his arm and shoulder. He let out a painful cry as he dropped the weapon in one of his hands, grabbing frantically at the shredded trench coat that had apparently ignited from the lightning attack. He tore it off completely and tossed it on the ground, grabbing frantically at the armor on his forearm that had done its best to dissipate the heat, however was now overloaded and was beginning to emit a searing pain to his flesh. It clanked loudly as it hit the floor, the gunslinger breathing heavily through gritted teeth as he held the wounded arm in significant pain.

His torso was now barely covered by a tattered grey shirt that had also received damage from the lightning strike, exposing parts of his muscular chest and abs. The toned arms rippled and convulsed slightly from shock of the scalding flames. The electricity had taken its toll on the gunslinger, yet the fight was not over. He gritted his teeth as he raised the blaster still in his hand in the direction of the Dark Jedi, who was now standing back on his feet.

The Dark one offered labored breaths, clearly in significant pain as he glared at both Kardek and Valery. But in his eyes there was an unmistakable sense of fear… His power and energy had been drained, and he was now vulnerable. Still, he let out an angry and blood-curdling scream as he stretched out his hands once again in an attempt to muster the dark side to his aid against the gunslinger, hoping to kill him where he stood… and hoping that the attack would prohibit the Jedi from being able to strike him down if she would choose to focus her energies on protection instead of attack.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ulmatra

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kardek Alpha

Until the last of the frozen bolts had impacted the barrier and dissipated against it, Valery was forced to keep her distance and focus her efforts on shielding him with her Force Barrier, while she also lowered the slaver pod to protect the young woman inside of it. No matter what happened, she wasn't going to allow anybody to fall victim to his evil today. Just by looking at him and feeling his sinister presence in the Force, she knew of the terrible crimes he committed. So many lives were lost; so many families were torn apart by his need to feed himself. Together with Kardek, she was going to stop it all and give these people a much brighter future.

A flash of blue light was all that Kardek could see after he had pelted the Dark Jedi with explosive rounds and shredded his body in the process. Blue lightning arched towards him in retaliation from the broken and beaten man, who in a desperate attempt tried to force Valery's hand and end the gunslinger in the process. But in the blink of an eye, Kardek would suddenly see Valery standing very close in front of him, almost as if she had just teleported there. In reality, she had tapped into the Force and moved with untrackable speed from up behind him, before phasing through his body to get in front of him.

She raised her hand and a blue funnel of Force energy formed within her palm, through which she siphoned in the lightning and neutralized its lethal potential. The energy that passed through her body, as a result, was converted to replenish her own pool, and she immediately tapped into it to release a sudden, bright flash of Force Light in response. The withering strength of it against the Dark Side drained the Dark Jedi of even more strength, and that was the opportunity she needed to engage. With immense speed, she closed the distance and drew her violet blade up high again, ready for a powerful strike. Her jaw clenched, her fiery eyes pierced into his corrupted yellow eyes, so filled with fear, and with one final swing, she severed his head from his torso before he had a chance to react.

As the head fell down to the ground, his body toppled over and Valery turned around, not interested in seeing any of it. Her blade disengaged with a tap of her ignition switch, and for a few seconds, she just stood there to suppress her inner flames and gain full control of herself. Whenever she really tapped into the power deep within, she always had to be careful not to lose herself completely.

"Kardek?" She finally asked when everything that had happened rushed back into her mind. She looked over in his direction, her fiery eyes searching for his emeralds, but upon seeing him so exposed, her eyes briefly dropped and she felt her cheeks redden again. Just for a moment, though, as she noticed how injured he was. "Come on, we need to get these people out of here and... get you some medical help," she continued after rushing over to take a much closer look. He was burned and while that was easily treated even by someone without a lot of medical training (like Valery), it was likely quite painful right now. "Can your droid help or uh, need me to help you out?"

She seemed genuinely worried about him, and finally looked back up into his eyes, when she realized she was staring a little too much for this awful situation. "You'll be okay. All of these people will be, because of you."