Private Growth of the Jedi

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

The New Jedi Order was growing.

Almost every day, new Jedi were welcomed at the Temple — mostly younger students but sometimes older ones returned as well. But no matter who it was or how experienced they were, Valery felt compelled to meet them, welcome them into the order, and help them on their way if they needed or desired it. The Jedi, while not as numerous as they were in the past, were strong these days, and she believed much of that could be credited to those who spent their time keeping them together and focused on common goals.

Whether it was the Brotherhood of the Maw, the Empire, or local issues on individual worlds, the Jedi were ready and able to respond. Valery's role in it was often viewed through her role as Sword, but equally important to her was the guidance of the Jedi around her. Many were young and less experienced, but that never stopped them from completing their tasks. All they needed was the right advice and direction.

Today, though, she was meeting with one who wasn't inexperienced at all, but it didn't matter — she still wanted to welcome the woman into the Order, and make sure she was ready to be a Jedi of the NJO. An invitation was sent for a meeting in the Temple halls, and that's where Valery would wait, dressed in her usual attire and with her mind focused despite the difficult times she was going through.

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

Solenne had moved through the halls of her old stomping grounds with relative ease as a visitor. The auburn-haired woman followed every regulation, certainly, but had actively avoided meeting with members of the Council. It wasn't out of disrespect. She merely wished to observe before the recruitment packet was inevitably passed in her direction. It was the nature of the Jedi to try and bring all of their Order behind a single shield.

Strong, alone. Stronger together.

Azure robes pulled across the polished floors of the temple without so much as a whisper but her informal smile and doe-like expression caused others to nod their head in her direction. They wouldn't know her from an acorn in the mud, but the air nearest to her felt lighter, softer, whereas the further away they moved the harsher reality set in. Shadows were longer. Her force signature was hidden; but her nature was not so easily suppressed.

She was a true Jedi Guardian—And had been since the Fall of the old Alliance.

To be within her sphere was to feel infinitely safe. Protected and well-cared for.

The Hapan-born woman knew that the Sword was waiting and she had an errant thought that Korvan would not be pleased with her company for the afternoon. There was something about Master Noble that left him unsettled, despite, remaining relatively cordial. Solenne was not yet certain why that had come to pass, but, her sharp mind could make several educated guesses.

Not to mention, she had ears. Padawans loved rumors almost as much as ill-begotten sweets.

Master Noble reminded Master Toldreyn of his own humanity. His own indiscretions committed in the embrace of grief and youth. He called it a mistake. Solenne refused to refer to herself as a calculated error and instead mentally referred to it as an unexpected, however welcome, gift of truth. A moment in time where the dishonesties fell away and they had been…As intended.

He hated that.

A delicate hand slipped from the sleeve of her robe to gesture that the portal which led to the Sword open at her will but she was halted by several attendants that seemed intent on verifying the official invitation she had received. It was interesting. She had passed through the Temple proper for weeks without incident, but when it came to a meeting with someone of import—The atmosphere changed. She noticed things that she might have otherwise missed.

When those that barred her entry were satisfied, they very seriously allowed her entry and she gifted their serious expressions with a beaming smile that could have melted ice caps. It took them by surprise. Most complained or fussed about having their time wasted but Solenne seemed to have infinite patience. She passed through and approached Valery Noble with a certain level of curiosity but was taken aback, momentarily, by that which plagued her.

Solenne was a natural born empath.

It was the reason Korvan could and never had been able to lie to her. It was the reason hazel eyes softened while they swept over the official-looking Master that awaited her. Her efforts toward professionalism should have been commended as visually Sol could not find a crack in her armor. She seemed to be everything the Sword of the Jedi ought to be—And would have no way of knowing Solenne thought or felt anything different.

It was not pity that the blue-clad Jedi felt. It was compassion.

"Master Noble…", Solenne inclined her head slightly and chocolate tresses slipped over her shoulder while she paid proper respect. It didn't matter who was the elder—Only the one who held the lit torch of the New Jedi Order. "It seems by your invitation that you wished to speak with me?"

She didn't bother offering her name or rank. If the Sword was half as intuitive and resourceful as she had heard, by invitation alone, she already knew.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

Alone in the ancient halls of the Coruscant Temple, Valery's fiery eyes were left to wander. They settled on a statue meant to eternalize a historic figure of the Jedi Order, but her thoughts were not so far in the past. Instead, they lingered on more recent events that had kept her so busy and torn — from the war and its increasing demands now that the Empire had also made an aggressive move against Ilum, to the loss of her beloved husband.

The life of a traditional Jedi was often restless and full of self-sacrifice, without any gain beyond the satisfaction of having helped someone else get a better tomorrow. But few followed those exact traditions now, as many have found themselves stronger by accepting the need for more personal bonds, as long as a level of self-control was maintained. Valery had believed herself to be among the lucky few who stabilized into a beautiful relationship like that.

But now she was left to wonder if Luke Skywalker's message to the first Sword of the Jedi would forever describe her life.

"Yours is a restless life, and never shall you know peace, though you shall be blessed for the peace that you bring to others. Take comfort in the fact that, though you stand tall and alone, others take shelter in the shadow that you cast." - Luke Skywalker​

The sound of opening doors drew her out of these deeper thoughts, and when she turned around, the woman she wanted to speak to made her approach. Much like Solenne, Valery dropped her head to show mutual respect and allowed her smile to briefly vanquish the somber tones that lingered around her in the Force. She was aware of them and understood others could feel them, but she was not yet ready to conquer them.

"A pleasure to meet you, Master Abraxas, and that's right," she said before her eyes briefly shifted to the doors, "Apologies for the security measures — they insisted." She was not fond of being shadowed, guarded, or treated like she stood above others. But given recent events, she could make no sound argument against it.

"As for this meeting, I was mostly hoping to get acquainted and perhaps be able to help you find your path within the NJO if you're interested in being an official member," she offered with the same smile. "How has your stay here treated you so far?" She went on to ask before a hand came up to gesture in the direction of the mess hall.

"If you'd like, we can get some tea or coffee while we talk."

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

Just like any other army or government, the New Jedi Order followed a hierarchy to aid in the flow of command. Though they were all equals in the Force, Master Noble, was a senior and seasoned member of the Order. Based on sheer know-how and her place on the Council—Solenne would not lift her bowed head until the Sword did in kind. While she might have had her own skills and experiences the Hapani Jedi had not yet achieved such a station. Thusly, this meeting would open with deference.

The way her mind followed the Jedi Ranks was most definitely reminiscent of an old structure. Solenne had been taught and raised by those that deeply respected the Jedi Code—While at the same time taking in the adaptations made eons ago by Luke Skywalker. Her line of thought ran almost identical to that of Korvan Toldreyn with the exception of one, small area, and it would eventually show.

"No need to apologize. They were quite pleasant, really."

An effortlessly composed smile caused the edges of her lips to turn upward, though, it didn't quite reach her eyes. Solenne did not know this Jedi anymore than she knew this Order. Her eyes were a burnished, glimmering orange, that oft presented within Sith—And while her overall personage felt of light and air—Her attire bespoke danger. But, she was the Sword. Not a Shield.

Perhaps that was the difference.

Master Noble skipped pleasantries and got right to the point. Solenne appreciated that, to a degree. She didn't need the window dressing that made things appear one way when they were really the opposite. She preferred honesty, to a fault, and omission by a governing body was often born of the fact that there was something to hide. An issue or difficulty that the general public wouldn't be able to handle—But Sol was neither of those things. She had witnessed the outcome of madness when the Sith had their fill of hiding in the shadows. When shadows crept, silently, into the purest of hearts.

To that end—Solenne did not need to be led or sheltered.

"I have not yet decided, to be truthful. My stay has been…As expected. I spent most of my formative years here. It is a homecoming, of sorts."

Solenne had left Coruscant after the Fall and had rarely returned for reasons that were both necessary to serving the people of the galaxy and her own. The refugees had shattered to the stars while the Sith opened great wounds in Coruscant. She fought until she hadn't the strength to lift her head—But there was always more work to be done. Eventually, Galactic City was retaken. Bit by bit. Piece by burning, melted, bloody, piece. "It has not changed as much as I expected. Even though the Temple has been rebuilt and changed several times over there is always something about it that I find familiar. I know these walls, the ground. It knows me."

A pause. Again, Master Noble was rewarded with a smile.

"Tea would be lovely."

Solenne wasn't a coffee drinker simply because she found it grating and bitter. No amount of sweetness took away the lingering punch to the throat or the force-forsaken jitters. That was the last thing she needed when speaking to a member of the Jedi Council. "I have spoken of the Order with several colleagues that you host, here. I would like to hear your take on the New Jedi Order and its relationship to the Galactic Alliance—And its people."

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

"No need to apologize. They were quite pleasant, really."

"I'm glad to hear it," Valery said with a soft smile, "It's just unusual but, of course, it was meant without disrespect." Luckily, Solenne didn't seem bothered at all. The occasional Padawan didn't quite understand or disliked having to go through security checks, but she seemed like a very calm and composed Jedi just at a first glance alone. A true Jedi Master, like herself and those she knew in the past. These days, the Jedi were often a lot less traditional, but Valery found strength in the old ways, although her views on relationships had changed like they had for Luke Skywalker and his NJO.

Bonds could become a weakness, but when controlled by someone experienced enough, they were perhaps the biggest strength a Jedi could draw from.

The response to her other inquiry was met with a slight nod, "There's no rush or pressure to decide, and all Jedi are welcome here regardless of their Order if they even consider themselves part of one." Many Jedi were out there completely on their own, after all. "This is a familiar place to many of us, and while it can help to be strong together, the Force sometimes has different plans in mind for us, and I believe that should always be respected."

She paused and smiled at her fellow tea-enjoyer, "Tea it is."

While she guided the woman to the mess hall, she continued to listen and dipped her head in response to the question, "When I joined a few years ago, there was great tension between the Jedi and Senate especially, which prompted problems between us and the people as well. But since then, it has improved greatly and with the New Jedi Order being viewed as a shield against the Maw after their push into the core to reach Tython, the people's opinions have shifted too." She paused a moment and stepped into the mess hall, where she quickly turned to the kitchen.

While tea was being prepared, she continued, "I suppose it helps that our Chancellor now is a former Jedi too, but I'll admit, it's... not easy to keep the public perception good. The NJO, in my opinion, suffered from some taking action for their own agendas, rather than to help the Alliance where they need it most. Sometimes with methods that were... questionable. It isn't really that bad anymore, and the Jedi have really stepped up into protecting the Alliance, but there is a lot of history that people remember."

"Most of which I was not around for, but have to address now," she said before pouring two cups of freshly made tea. One was gently slid over to Solenne, and the other she raised to her lips for a careful sip.

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

Solenne had a healthy admiration for those who were tasked with duties that could be occasionally unpleasant or frowned upon. It was the reason she took no offense to the security detail that had been assigned to Master Noble. It couldn’t have been an easy task, protecting someone so prolific, while at the same time existing in a mere shadow of her abilities. Those that served the will of the Force through the Service Corps or even simply by remaining Temple Staff were just as vital to their success as any Jedi.

It was her duty not to make their lives more difficult by expecting special or differential treatment.

Hazel eyes followed Master Noble while she moved. Not with undue scrutiny but simply out of a need for knowledge that she did not currently possess. The assurances that she need not succumb to the call of the New Jedi Order unless she felt ready, or, the Force felt it time were well met. The attendee that had initially greeted her had been very keen on indoctrination versus understanding that she was merely present to visit a few colleagues. An old friend. While Solenne understood she simply didn’t know if it was a sentiment shared by the upper echelon of the governing body as well.

Any outsider would assume that war was on the horizon.

It made sense that the Jedi Temple would be looking for soldiers. Hands, skilled, and ready to press back the wave of ever-encroaching dark.

“The Force…It can be a fickle thing, can it not?”

The question was likely considered heresy in some circles but the way her tone wrapped around the words was almost fond. Akin to the way a mother might watch a wayward child, or, the way a child might regard a beloved eccentric elder. Solenne had spent many years following the steady threads of effervescent energy through the galaxy. Traveling, almost nomadic, until she felt the need to return to the origin of her story. Back to Coruscant, back to the Temple. Back to… Simple memory.

Simpler times.

Sol followed the lead of the Sword of the Jedi when indicated and tucked her hands into the long billowing sleeves of azure robes. It wasn’t as if she was chilly, but it was a habit to stand in such a way. Poised and ready for anything the universe might throw in her direction while at the same time seeming entirely peaceful and at ease. Keen ears listened, absorbing information while holding any commentary until there was a lull in which she might speak. “I recall stories of Jedi being gathered up and remanded to the Temple. A beacon of light, of hope, suddenly turned prison.”

To say that there had been “great tension” between the people of the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi who served them was an understatement at best. She had even heard whispers, suspicions, that it if tempers strayed from the careful balancing act on the tip of a knife—It might have resulted in a modern-day purge. Naturally, the opinion changed when the Light succeeded.

Jedi could be seen as vile sorcerers when things went wrong, but, when things went right? When the day was saved? They were regarded as friends, heroes, and defenders of civilization. Solenne was more than used to such shifting states of being and took them all in stride. It was a reaction born of hubris and fear. A Jedi did not let such things control them, but the everyday private citizen? They simply didn’t have the necessary tools to fortify themselves against it.

The scent of tea brewing caused the barely notable tension in her to relax and unthread. While it wasn’t Master Noble that had placed such a thing within her—There were other things constantly on her mind that were only often put to rest through careful meditation. “It has never been easy to manage public perception. It is a tale as old as time. We have ever been insulated from the galaxy, by design, and that leaves us to be characterized as monstrous through the HoloNet. Whether we are stealing younglings in the night or stealing power from the Senate…It will always be a challenge.”

That was a fact that would never truly change whether or not the Chancellor was a former Jedi or not. They were sorcerers, brainwashers, elitists, and kidnappers—And that was all on a fairly normal day. Hatred of the Jedi ran deep and few mourned them when they were gone. People feared what they did not understand. This, was a result of that fear.

It did not help when rogue elements made things difficult.

“The sins of our forbearers…”, Solenne mused, mildly, thanking Master Noble for the tea. She did not drink it right away but held it in her hands to absorb the warmth. Breathe it in. “Can be difficult to correct. I imagine that it can be mentally taxing, especially, when so many things seem to contradict our primary nature.”

“I cannot help but note that the Temple seems far more militant than I remember.”

Security for a Master? Even one of great import? Unheard, of. The Sword was the one in which they took shelter from the rising storms. Even glancing around she saw more armor beneath robes, more weapons, and even more classes that seemed to focus on battle. It was important for any Padawan to learn to fight as it was in their nature in order to defend, but was it still considered the nuclear option? “I have felt…Called, back to Coruscant. The reason is still unclear to me. I cannot help but wonder if more will be called still…”

“There is something looming in my mind. A storm that I cannot quell. Cannot reach—Regardless of how many hours I spent in contemplation. I believe…That these skirmishes are no longer cold. Should we not adjust, correct our path, it appears to be an ode to a coming war.”

The delicate admission was met with a saddened expression. Violence begets violence—Hate begets hate.

It made her heart ache.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

"It can certainly be challenging to interpret correctly," Valery said with a dip of her head. There were Jedi — the Seers of the Consular specialization — who dedicated much of their life to receiving and interpreting visions. Signs of the Force that could guide not only them but the Order as a whole. It wasn't an easy thing, and its path was rarely a straight line from point A to B, but rather a journey with obstacles, twists, and unexpected turns that helped carve out the way a Jedi felt about the Galaxy, the Force, and themselves.

It made it less surprising that Solenne felt as if the Force called her back to Coruscant, but a question remained about what part of her journey she was on. The Alliance and Jedi are planning big moves to liberate the core and push out the Maw, whilst also searching for the Empire's superweapon prototype and associated facilities. Perhaps Solenne's future as Jedi Guardian involved helping with these tasks, but there was so much more it could mean.

"It has been very challenging, and not only do we have to address that and ongoing issues, but I've also noticed that the war is taking its toll on the spirits of many. I keep a careful watch over my fellow Jedi, but I alone can't help them all if they struggle." She helped her four Padawans, and guided countless others but still, it felt as if it wasn't enough sometimes. Two Jedi have recently been imprisoned for assaulting other Jedi, and she knew others who were a far cry from the ideal Jedi.

"I cannot help but note that the Temple seems far more militant than I remember." ​

Valery nodded again and firmly held her cup of tea between her hands for warmth as well, "War changes the Jedi, whether they like it or not. I'm being guarded now, mostly because of my recent... personal loss, but it's still an adjustment, and so many other things have changed. It's why I prefer to spend my time on smaller Temples, far away from the Core when I can."

She slowly raised her cup up to her lips for a sip and listened quietly to Solenne, nodding only after she finished, "The devastation the Empire caused on Ilum, both against us and their own forces, is just the beginning. We have to stop it from escalating, keep back the Maw, and in the process, ensure we do not become the monsters we're trying to resist."

"It's a challenge, and I may have come across as quite negative but..." she paused a moment and offered a soft smile, "We have a lot of really good Jedi as well. Far more than when I returned to the Galactic scene. It gives me hope that we can get through it all together."

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

Solenne released a soft laugh that thrummed sweetly, almost, as if there was some sprinkle of visceral or tangible joy laced within it. Her hand came to hide her smile with the sleeve of her robe until it faded away though it didn't keep a glimmering light of humor from showing in hazel orbs. The color shifted with her amusement. From green to blue and back again. "That's an understatement.", the auburn-haired Jedi amended, and without fear of reprisal.

The Force worked as the Force willed. The living and unifying Force should have offered invaluable knowledge about their place in the universe and to some extent it did. The guiding hand, the callings, it was all part of some grand design. There was a place for all in the tapestry—But truly discerning where that place might be? Where it might lead them and through what exact tribulation to get there?

Sol would have a better chance trying to hit an angry loth-cat by throwing a live bee at it through a wormhole. Not that she would do such a thing, but the imagery was there. Mental point made. With that lack of information and no metaphysical map, she had done the only thing she could do. Come home. Return to the invisible hand that beckoned and seek her designed purpose.

It was here.

She just didn't know what it was yet. Nor what it involved—Or who it revolved around.

The azure-clad Jedi Master seemed to shift in paradigm from a fleeting sprite to someone that had seen far too much for one so relatively young. The seriousness that stilled the ever-shifting waters of hazel orbs seemed to carry with it a slender piece of steel. It kept her back straight and poised while talk of war drained any levity that might have existed. Of course, it drained morale. "It must be exceedingly difficult to shepherd so many. Especially, because you cannot be everywhere at once."

War was needless and bloody. Solenne disliked very few things on any level, simply, because it wasn't in her nature to do so. Hate was not in her vocabulary. But War? Even when she accepted it as a necessary historical milestone to the revolution of an era—It left her unsettled in ways she had not words for. It should have been the last resort. A final movement, a dying breath, when hope dwindled down to its lowest flame. And even then…It should be questioned and resisted.

There was no doubt that it changed her brethren. How could it not? It destroyed ecosystems, land, cities, and from time to time even planets. How could that not leave a mark?

"War is…The absence of understanding. Peace can never be kept by force, alone. Does the New Jedi Order still seek diplomatic means or do they believe military application should be the appropriate response? The final full measure?", Solenne breathed, though, the statement that Master Noble made was multifaceted. She had not missed any of it. "You are the Sword—Yet it is your loss that requires your guard?"

That was interesting.

The tea was cool enough to enjoy and Solenne drank of the squat cup thoughtfully. It seemed that Master Noble already recognized some of the apprehensions she held. But, perhaps also noted that there was no immediate cure for it. At the slight bit of backtracking, Solenne waved her hand dismissively to simulate the Sword had done nothing wrong. "There are always good Jedi. Worry not—I am not an impressionable padawan that can only see a single side to the coin. I asked for the truth. That is what I expect. No matter how challenging it may seem."

Life was a series of challenges designed to promote growth. Lingering in the shadow of impending bloodshed and inevitable war was not living. That—Was surrender. Dying just a little, losing hope, every day. That was the cause of sinking morale. Solenne leaned in the chair and reached up to brush dark waves of hair from her face. It fell back right where she moved it from, but somehow, that seemed to be enough. What was not enough—Was to merely accept this state of anarchy. "The Jedi have often risen above difficulties in the past. I share your optimistic outlook that we might also rise above this…But whatever it is that we do now…We cannot compromise ourselves in the process."

"We bear the Light, do we not? Even when all light seems to have burned out…There will always be one that we can reach for. The Force flows through us, not from us. We cannot forget that."

There was help. Aid—If only they could all remember how to seek it from within themselves before letting it all pass through. It was the nature of the Jedi to provide hope to the galaxy. But, they oft mistakenly kept little for themselves.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

"It must be exceedingly difficult to shepherd so many. Especially, because you cannot be everywhere at once."

Valery chuckled a little to what she knew was quite a truthful statement, as she experienced it daily. Almost every time she returned from the front or an assignment somewhere in the Galaxy, there were new challenges waiting for her back at the Temple. From Padawans seeking guidance about training or personal issues to more severe cases that demanded a stern approach from her. But that was the role of the more experienced Jedi in her opinion. To guide and facilitate the path of a Jedi — that of an eternal student.

"Difficult, but very much worth it. Now is not a time for the Jedi to be too divided or busy with only the pursuit of personal agendas, after all," Valery said before she allowed the topic to shift to the bigger subjects they were wanting to discuss. The war, and the Jedi's place within it all.

"With the Empire, we had an alliance they broke, and even now, after the invasion of Ilum and the test of their new weapon, the current decision is just to fortify borders to keep them protected, and to look for the prototype superweapon. I hope a more diplomatic resolution can be found, but I fear their construction of such a weapon does not bode well for the future," Valery said with a soft sigh. It was a very tiring problem and one that split the Alliance's focus between two vast borders. If an all-out war could be prevented with the Empire, it would be crucial everything was done to achieve it. "As for the Maw, their new leader believes that everything must be destroyed, and they are not receptive to negotiations or discussion. They've now attacked worlds in the Pacantha reach for no other reason than to raid, destroy and exploit the chaos there."

"Perhaps if they're forced on the backfoot a lot more, but I'm not too hopeful. When we liberated Empress Teta, they fought for the planet not to try and keep it, but just to inflict as many casualties as they could, civilian or otherwise." The wounds from those battles were still quite fresh, as many had lost dear friends there. So she understood with the Maw, that the only option now was to push them back, liberate lost worlds and shatter their ability to set worlds ablaze again. Another Csilla or Tython could never happen again, but perhaps these views are what made her the Sword.

"You are the Sword—Yet it is your loss that requires your guard?"

"Well, if it was up to just me, I wouldn't have any of these guards around me so often," she tried to joke to keep things a little light, "But as much strength and hope as close bonds can give, losing one does leave a mark. I'm going to be alright, but I understand it's a precaution. We've had a lot of assassination attempts against senators and even our Chancellor, so it's not beyond the realm of possibilities that someone will try it again, but targeting me while I'm not as focused as I usually am." It had technically already happened a few times, but not since she was elected as Sword.

Valery then listened quietly again while she sipped from her tea and offered the woman a smile, as she explained her perspective on the future, and the hope she shared for it. As dire as the war had seemed at times, the Jedi and Alliance were more united than they have been in a long time, and with the guidance of more experienced Knights and Masters, the newer generations were very promising.

They could stay true to who they were, and carry the torch forward.

"We won't forget," she said, knowing it was quite a statement to make. "Mistakes will be made along the way, but I believe we will rise above these challenges, as long as our younger Jedi receive the guidance they need." From her own days as a Padawan in a very traditional Enclave, she understood just how important proper training and guidance were. Her Master and those around her prepared her for times like this, and she knew it was why she could keep going despite experiencing immense loss and having to push through almost impossible odds.

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

"Personal agenda has very little to do with it. No matter your skill—Eventually, something will break beneath the pressure. There appears to be too much weight and not enough hands to hold it."

Solenne had seen what happened when there were too few seasoned Jedi among a herd of willful Knights with a hero-complex. It could have been said that they all had such a complex but there was a line to be drawn. It was thin, nearly translucent, but there. They had so much on their shoulders with such high expectations that it became a stressor of what they would and wouldn't do in order to save the day. What they would and wouldn't sacrifice.

The thinner oversight became—The more missteps would happen until it snowballed as the system collapsed under its own girth. Truly, Master Noble could not be everywhere. She could not be everything to everyone whether she was the Sword or not. "You should coerce your fellow Council members into sharing more of the burden. The elder Padawans can gain responsibility by keeping an eye on the Initiates."

The armistice between the Galactic Alliance and the Empire had always on shattered ground. It was the best diplomatic option at the time, but for the survival of the Alliance itself, it was always doomed to fail. Few seemed to recall the roots of the Empire. From a time before they were a behemoth nation of imperials—Their birth had been from a splinter in the Sith.

It was true that they were not the same as their forefathers. They were not the same as they once were—But they had not lost the penchant for swift brutality. The grimdark aura that their leaders held burned, through and through, and always had. "There was the hope, once, that the Empire might have been willing to learn from historical failures…But that does not seem to be the case. The Maw…"

Solenne breathed, eyes closing, in recollection of their madness.

"Must be brought to heel."

It was all a matter of how these issues were addressed. It was possible that the Empire could once again be reasoned with, regardless, their super weapon. It was possible that the Maw could be brought into the Light but that was just as likely as bringing the Sith Empire of old into the fold. Unlikely. That didn't mean they had to resort to the same final tactics. The Jedi did not need to become shameless killing machines and murderers—Simply, because it was the easier path.

Her lips pursed and she sipped quietly at her tea for a moment while contemplating the dilemma. The balance, for the first time, felt as if it had shifted. "What of the Silver Jedi Concord? Will they not lend their support?"

The topic shifted faintly toward the guards that watched Master Noble and Solenne found herself more perplexed by this new information. Her levity was taken with an indulgent half-smile, but it would be clear that the wheels were turning. "…I am uncertain how to interpret that…"

"You are not weaker for your emotions. Loss does leave a mark but so does the memory of that which you cared for empower you. Every moment of joy, peace, and love…That is what will keep you centered during this time. You need not sentries to see it through. Death is a natural part of life, Master Noble.", Solenne spoke quietly, more than a little concerned, that it came across that the Sword could not be trusted to perform her duties nor protect herself while a shroud of sadness wrapped around her. She gently half-quoted the wise words of a Master that had long since departed. "Rejoice…For those around you who have transformed into the Force. Miss them, do not. Mourn them, do not."

"We take our love and bury it in the back of our hearts where it may linger, grow, and remain ever-green.", she continued, offering an almost knowing smile, before letting the conversation drift back to immediate matters of state. Solenne had seen enough widows to know what one looked like. It was simply rare to see or feel that level of loss in one of her brethren.

She wished that she had better tidings for the dark-haired woman that sat across of her. Solenne had a bird's eye view of the situation. She was not part of it in the way Master Noble was. Perhaps, that clouded her vision. Claiming that the New Jedi Order had not forgotten caused her to shake her head, slowly, albeit a little sadly. "Do you not see?"

"Mistakes… They will happen, that is true. But the system seems to be broken. Our brethren fight amongst themselves and Jedi like Rakaan Horne are slipping through the cracks. Swept away without a sound, like the waning tide, quietly rolling in the night without a trace. Something…Is broken."

Solenne breathed. She hadn't meant to get into such deep conversation during her first meeting with the Sword but that was one of the most glaring reasons she had come to her oldest friend, first. The loss of a student, even temporarily, was devastating. Korvan Toldreyn was one of the most adept and knowledgeable Jedi that she knew of. To know that his pupil had gone to the dark?

That was telling.

"Perhaps it was chance. Perhaps, it was isolated. I wish for that to be. I hope for that to be—But in order to correct a problem, it must first be acknowledged. Forgive me, Master Noble. I cannot watch with blind eyes. I cannot be mute while the Force seems to be leaving signs with every breath. The loss of one of the Order is merely a symptom. Not, the disease."

Which meant that his return did not mean the New Jedi Order was cured, at all.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

Valery nodded in agreement with the statement about the Maw, as well as the unfortunate situation with the Empire. But at the mention of the Silver Jedi, she let out a short sigh, "A few Jedi from the Silvers have come to our aid regularly when the Maw began to invade the core, but most of them have also decided to officially join the NJO recently. So it's not as separated as it once was. I actually started my journey in the Silver Jedi as well a few years ago, but found my place here later."

She was well aware that the relationship with the Silvers hadn't always been like this.

With the conversation shifting to her loss, Valery only offered a kind smile, "I know it is a natural part of life, and I have found a lot of peace and strength recently." She paused a moment, "During a recent trip to Lothal, I meditated where the Jedi Temple and its nexus once stood. I'm not quite sure yet where I ended up, but he was there, and we talked." A gentle smile tugged at her lips while her gaze softened, showing the peace it had helped her find. Memories of him and the family they started together would always be a part of her, as a source of strength.

The conversation then shifted to what quickly felt was the real reason behind her visit to Coruscant — Rakaan, a troubled Jedi whose infiltration of the Empire had nearly sent him into a fall to the Dark Side. He was back with the Jedi now, and Valery was actively helping him, so she very much understood the problems on that front. "I do see, and it's why I went after him, and why I'm spending a lot of time with him and many others," Valery assured her before focusing on what mattered most "But I don't believe it's just isolated. Some of it might be more specific to him, as he had always been a difficult student, even under Master Toldreyn's training, and he's one of the best. But the larger problem the NJO has suffered from is the great imbalance between the young and inexperienced who really need the help, and those able to guide."

"It is as you say - too much weight, too few hands to hold it. There has been an increase in capable teachers recently, notably with Master Yenna and Knight Arenais joining us, and several Knightings have been planned that might help long-term as well. But there's no quick cure to this 'disease'." After convincing Korvan to work with her to bring back Rakaan, she had spent a lot of time with the young Knight, but he was just one of many. Not all Jedi struggled, and the majority didn't need that level of guidance. But no Jedi should be forgotten or left to struggle alone. "It leads to further problems in that it becomes hard to keep track of everybody. Rakaan was trained during a time when we had a lot of Padawans without Masters, so they received even less attention than they should have. That problem has changed, but there's still much to do."

She paused a moment to take a sip from her tea before she looked over at Solenne again, "Is this where you believe your calling might be? To help keep Jedi from falling through the cracks?" she asked curiously, now that she felt the Jedi Master was quite passionate on the subject.

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

That was disappointing.

So few of the Silver Jedi Concord had turned toward the plight of their like-minded neighbor. They had become increasingly isolated in the years since the Bryn'adûl had lit their worlds aflame. It seemed that not even the threat of the Maw nor the Empire could lure them from their slumber. The notion of the majority of the Silver Jedi joining the NJO seemed, frankly, hopeful wish-wants. Solenne could certainly imagine a few doing so, however, they were a nation that spanned thousands of systems that shared a completely different philosophy.

Solenne placed a pin in that discussion. It would neither be fruitful nor helpful because in the end, the Silvers were still the Silvers. They would always be their own, until, they collapsed.

If the majority of the Jedi had truly pulled away from the Concord?

It was grim tidings indeed.

Sol took another tentative sip of her tea and listened while the Sword began to describe the details of her loss. She seemed more at peace when she spoke of Lothal but there was still an obvious shroud. Slowly, the auburn-haired woman nodded her head. "It is good to have made your peace. If those memories are your strength, now, is it not time to remove the shackles and let the Sword shine? If I can feel your burdens…I imagine I am not the only one."

"Though I daresay I feel it more acutely than others."

Most Jedi were full of empathy for their fellows. It was a natural state of being to hold compassion for those they sought to caretake and protect. Solenne, was a natural empath. Having empathy and being an empath were two very different things. She could taste the flavor or pain and knew the sweeping joy of true happiness. The Hapani woman could feel it as if it were her own when it radiated from others.

She could also use her gifts, in dark times, to take pain away. When someone was in the end stages of life, she could let them leave peacefully while taking their terror, fear, and negative emotions away. The only caveat was that those emotions had to go somewhere. Solenne brought it into herself.

That was the reason she knew, for certain, that something in the Temple had broken.

She could feel it.

The difficulties that the New Jedi Order faced did not start and stop with Rakaan. It was admirable that Master Noble had managed to bring him home before anything could turn truly terrible, but as noted, it was merely a symptom. An elegant eyebrow rose with question at the brief description of the Knight in question and she sighed, gently. "I must disagree. No student is difficult. They are merely younglings coming into their own—and it is our duty to guide them while they find their path."

"It's less an issue with a lack of oversight, but moreso, what the children do see. This generation has only known war. So many battles, deaths, and bloodshed. Entire planets have been destroyed. Many of them likely feel…", Solenne breathed, softly, trying to find the words that would suffice. She did not disagree entirely but as the galaxy had become a darker, more difficult place, so would the younglings need to adjust. They would need to find the appropriate balance of temperance. "Helpless."

"That helplessness will drive them away from their teachings."

There would never be a quick cure for anything they were facing. Nothing quick, nothing easy, and nothing without a healthy level of sacrifice. "Master Toldreyn is a dear friend of mine. We grew up together in the last Alliance—And even then, it had its difficulties. He wouldn't have neglected any of those in his care. We both know what it's like to be forgotten."

Left behind.​

When asked of the road map that the Force was slowly revealing to her, Solenne tilted her head, thoughtful, and a sense of gentle repose exuded from her delicate but proper posture. "Perhaps, however, I would always assume that to be one of my duties to begin with. It just seems more pressing, now. The cultivation of young minds is paramount to most anything."

Most, anything. Certainly, other things like basic survival would take precedence but in the interim while they still had a chance? Raising a new generation of Jedi had to be a priority. Something in the back of her mind still seemed unconvinced that this was the only reason the Force had called to her. She could have watched over initiates and padawans on Hapes. So, why here?

Why now?

"Master Toldreyn has asked me to speak with Rakaan. Perhaps, I might aid him once I learn his perspective."

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Temple
Tag | Solenne Abraxas

"That is the plan, I'm in the process of preparing several new missions so hopefully I'll lose the..." she turned her eyes briefly to the doors that had guards on the other side. "Shackles." Looking back at Solenne, Valery offered the woman a kind smile. She understood that she was a lot more empathic than most already, as it was something she could relate to. It helped her have a connection to Padawans and the people around her that she did.

And it helped them both understand a lot about what others struggled with.

"I agree that these are difficult times and that it can make them feel helpless, and perhaps even hopeless," she said with a frown. Ever since her return to action, she had heard Jedi who believed there would never be an end to the war, and as someone from a very different time where all Galactic powers were at war too, it sure was difficult not to give in to it. The galaxy had an almost cyclical relationship with war and peace following each other.

They had to do everything they could to strife for those times of peace again.

"But the right amount and right kind of oversight can help make a difference." She then let out a soft sigh, knowing that while it was an important subject to never neglect, nothing said today could have a profound impact, and the two Masters were very much on the same page about it all. So for now, she shifted the conversation to Solenne and her reason for returning.

"You should talk to him. He has mostly interacted with Master Toldreyn and I about his struggles, so a new perspective might be welcomed. When I met him recently, we talked about dreams he was having, and I've taken him on a trip to an old Temple I used to visit to learn something about the past. He asked me to stay there for some time alone, but I haven't yet talked to him about how it went."

"Perhaps he'd like to talk to you about it as well."

​

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tag: Valery Noble

Solenne remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding her head in approval. The personal business of the Sword of the Jedi was not for her to weigh in on unwarranted or unasked for. Master Noble seemed to take it well enough, however, it reminded the auburn-haired woman that she was letting her innate attention to detail distract from the matter at hand. She was not part of the world that the woman across from her belonged to. She dealt with difficulties on an intergalactic scale whereas Solenne was mired with the difficulties of small villages and towns.

The plight of the common man was what the azure-clad Jedi Master knew best.

While she might have normally left matters well enough alone in what should have been capable hands—Her instincts were begging for attention. She tended to feel through the Force when it came to matters that required decisiveness. This was no different. It wasn't just the student of a friend that brought her forward with concerns. It was the student body as a whole.

"I've been walking through the Temple halls for weeks. Mostly, unnoticed."

Solenne wasn't offended in the slightest. She was exceedingly skilled in not being seen when she wished it. Clever applications of the Force made it so that the gaze of others slid away from her as easily as rain fell from the sky. She was a shimmer. A memory. A figure in the mind's eye that was as delicate and fragile as a soap bubble. Ephemeral—And translucent. Solid for a moment, barely there, and then gone in the blink of an eye. There and gone. "The storm cloud that hangs among some of the Padawans and even the Initiates didn't build overnight. Proper tutelage can help…But it seems to be more than that."

"When they connect with the Force—What do they feel? What do they see?"

The leftover nightmares that the Bryn'adûl left had ensured that there was a blood-soaked legacy to carry through a force wound in the Eastern Reach of the galaxy. The Maw had ridden the coattails of wanton destruction to new heights while the Empire proliferated violence and called it order. Justice. Coruscant had been made victim of more than once in the past. The next generation seemed to be missing something intrinsic. Something, that even in her youth, she had managed to hold on to.

"More violence. More needless, senseless death. I feel as if…", Solenne trailed off gently, though, her voice slowly became wistful. "They've missed an era of miracles. The things that gave us hope—Something to strive for without idolizing to the point of misunderstanding. They need to experience…"

"Life."

Whether it was a flower twining into bloom or a newborn youngling reaching for them with chubby fingers and innocent eyes—They needed to be brought back down to earth while learning the tools required to protect and defend. The connection that they were often warned against. Compassion.

Auburn waves of hair moved with her in the dark river while she shifted in the spartan seating. The fair-skinned woman had long since finished her tea. Master Noble seemed to think, as well, that she ought to interact with Rakaan Horne. Solenne would try. Not just because Korvan had requested that she do so but because she believed she had something more to offer. Understanding. The youngest of them, the best of them, had been left to mature in a hurricane. She could be a port in the storm.

If Jedi Horne was willing.

"I'm not certain that he would like knowing that I've been directed toward him by two Masters, though, some things are better left unsaid.", Solenne returned with a gentle smile that made itself tender at the kiss of her mouth. She did feel called toward the situation by more than just the obvious sources. It was just…Something. Something that she needed to do. To meet one heart, one mind, of their youth at a time. "I've been waiting for the right time…"

"Perhaps, I will need to make the time right."