Private Here I Go Again

[Judah Dashiell]

Nuns of G'aav'aar'oon | Location : G'aav'aar'oon Asteroid, former Jedi Fortress

​

Returning to his spartan room on the asteroid fortress, eyes fell to the table, a neatly wrapped package on top. Eyebrow perked, moving over to look it over. Nothing much to tell from the outside and he made short work of opening it, finding out the package was from Danger Arceneau . Inside contained some cookies, several notes, a thick pieced together journal with numerous tabs and a taped on note that simply stated 'read me'. Judah noted the 'read me' wasn't in the Trade Queen's handwriting, and set the journal off to the side for now. Grabbing a cookie, he fished out a letter instead.

This one was from Danger, very short in nature. A general 'stay safe and hope you're doing well, the kids are doing good and the girls are having fun' and not much else. Finishing off his cookie, Judah carefully folded the note and placed it on the table. Inside were notes from Rue and Persie, as well as one from Myra. Cleaning out the box, Judah stacked all the notes and pulled out the cookies, ready to break down the packaging when something caught his eye. A very glossy magazine entitled Rogue Magazine, with one very annoying Jedi on the front cover. How it got mixed in with his care package, Judah didn't have much of an idea, there was no name on it.

Beyond his datapad that was only allowed to be used at certain periods, there was nothing else to read or do inside the covenant. Well, besides self-improvement, but one needed a break from that from time to time.

Picking it up, on the front was Jedi CEO Valery Noble . There was also a feature on Felucia fashion and a fall line of coats. Rolling his eyes, Judah sat back and opened the magazine to the article featuring the one and only Jedi CEO.

Born a thousand years ago? Explains why she's so cranky.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Why did it have to be her?

The Force, the Galaxy or someone had to be playing tricks on her. All across the Galaxy were people in need of help, and she would always answer the call. But who had deemed it the right decision to call her to help him? Valery sighed and slowly walked down the hallway towards his room. She could still turn around, run, and never look back. The thought had crossed her mind more than she'd ever admit to anybody.

But she couldn't turn around.

Judah needed help and the nunnery had contacted her to request her assistance. So, as a Jedi, she wouldn't ever tell them no and leave someone hanging.

As annoying as he was.

Soon enough, Valery finally reached the door of his room and waited just outside the door. She drew in a deep breath, went through her mental routine of finding excuses to leave one last time, but ultimately forced herself to go through with it. Her hand came up to knock on the door, but as she did, she realized it had been open. The door that had been slightly ajar now opened enough for her to see him, sitting at his table with-

What?!

At least he was fully clothed, she supposed, but seeing him actually reading the magazine with her on the cover was not something she had expected in a million years. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"...Good afternoon, Mr. Dashiell," Valery began politely, but she couldn't stop her gaze from obviously dipping to the front cover of his magazine.

Judah Dashiell ​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

He was at the point in the article where the interviewer was speaking to Valery about her signature bodysuit, fashion choices, and their potential impact on Jedi culture. The shaggy salvager took another bite of cookie, at this rate they wouldn't last a day.

Jedi culture? If one does it they all do it? Does seem a bit cult like...

About to read her response to the question, voice reached him that sounded suspiciously familiar. One he didn't want to hear for the rest of his days in the universe. Yet here was she was, standing in front of him, eyes darting between himself and the magazine that contained her image. Oceanic blue eyes looked over the top of the magazine, resting on the woman who had entered his room.

Valery Noble

Of all the Jedi that could have harassed him, it had to be her. The wife of the punch happy one. Jedi manager of ...what had she said? War? Seemed about right.

"Mrs. Noble. Welcome to my humble abode. What do I owe the pleasure? I assume you're here on a site visit, checking in on the Nuns, speaking to a few underlings before jetting off to the next...you call them Temples, right?"

Magazine was set down but he didn't make an effort to move. Judah assumed she was here to check in on the Nuns and Jedi Healers who worked on the asteroid. Ensure everything was up to snuff. She probably saw his name on a file somewhere and decided to come and annoy him.

"Cookie? I think Myra made them.."

Not that the name Myra would have any connotation for her. More of an assurance that he wasn't trying to poison her.

 

[Valery Noble]

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"I'm not here for the nuns, actually," Valery said, her fiery gaze rising to meet his for a moment. But as he calmly put down the magazine and revealed the cover once more, Valery couldn't help but look at it again. She felt her heart racing, for more reasons than one, and that urge to turn around and leave grew exponentially. He was already going to be a difficult one for her to help, but now there was another layer between them that could make this uncomfortable.

At least, he hadn't said anything about the magazine yet.

"The Nuns contacted me, asking if I could visit to help you," Valery said, her voice softer as she walked inside the room and closed the door behind her. No, even though the desire to leave was there, she wasn't going to turn her back on someone who needed help. Even if she was probably the last face he wanted to see.

Valery then looked at the offered cookie, smiled, but shook her head, "No, thank you. I've already eaten and I can't add too many cookies to my diet." Something he likely knew if he had been reading her interview.

"Look," Valery then continued with a sigh, hoping to just break whatever wall was still there. "The nuns asked me to help you, but they don't know about our history. I want to help and do my best for you, but I won't stay if you want me to leave. You're not here against your will and I won't push you to talk to me against your will either."

Judah Dashiell ​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Noticing her eyes flicking to the magazine, he idly wondered what she was thinking. Judah wasn't throwing darts at her image, after all, sharp objects seemed to be banned on the Jedi fortress. He hadn't gotten too far in the article before being interrupted but perhaps there was something inside the Jedi CEO didn't want him to read? Shouldn't have mentioned it in the record then.

"Are you okay? Didn't get a copy? I wasn't done reading but you can have it, I've got other things to read."

Like the journal Myra had sent along. The letters from the girls.Or some of the texts the Nuns left. Those were of the headache inducing, self-reflecting variety though.

"You can take a seat you know. I'm not going to attack you. I'm not a cad."

Just because he didn't like the woman didn't mean he was going to be a complete ass. He just wasn't going to fawn over her like she was some Jedi goddess some to life.

Eyebrow perked at the mention of helping him.

"Didn't know I was such a hopeless case that they called in the big guns. Really makes me feel great about my progress."

A small pause.

"Help how?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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"I'm fine," Valery said as she forced her gaze away from the magazine, "Just wasn't expecting to see a copy here, I guess." Or rather, a copy owned by him of all people. Either way, she smiled sheepishly and took up his offer to sit down. The last time they were on opposite sides of a table, she had been seriously tempted to throw a hot drink into his lap, but now she was here to actually help him out with something.

The Force truly was a mysterious thing.

"I wouldn't say you're hopeless," Valery continued while she settled in her seat. "This isn't really the type of assistance every Jedi can provide, so the nuns contact those they believe they can." The more open and empathetic Jedi. The ones who were kind and good listeners.

Qualities she had, but hadn't exactly shown him much yet.

For good reason.

"The how is something we'll have to figure out together. I'd like to talk to you about how you feel, and figure out when things started to change. Then, we go from, there." Without realizing it, her eyes dipped to the magazine again. Should she ask him to put it away or maybe throw it out through the window herself?

It felt weird, seeing a sexy image of herself in a nunnery.

Judah Dashiell ​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Eyebrow raised once again as she stared at the magazine after speaking. Was she enamoured with herself? Possibly. Maybe she thought he was using it for other purposes? In her dreams, the Jedi was far from his type.

Silently, he reached forward, flipping the magazine over. The backside had an advertisement for a ladies perfume, an artsy image of some women jaunting through a field wearing flower crowns.

"I...do not feel comfortable with you knowing that much about me. Especially considering our past encounters."

Anyone else maybe he would have at least tried. Sure he could talk about his feelings,maybe. He preferred to keep his cards close to his chest, even in a place that was supposed to be helpful.

"I could compromise and ask for your perspective on a matter. Perhaps you have ideas that I have not thought of. Or a different way of looking at an issue."

Despite his feelings about the Jedi CEO, Judah did appreciate a good perspective. He could appreciate new angles and approaches to a problem, it was something that drove him in business. Right or wrong, he was approaching his stay at the nunnery much like he did in his professional life.

Gain insights from experts and professionals and apply it as he saw fit to the problem.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

"I can't say I blame you," Valery said, relieved that he flipped the magazine at the very least. She also knew that with their history, this wasn't exactly going to be easy. In his shoes, she wouldn't have just opened up about how she felt and what was going on either. She barely did towards people close to her, so why someone who she had butted heads with? Perhaps he was similar, and all of this was a waste of her time.

But maybe it'd also help her understand where others could not.

"I'd be happy to give my perspective, though," Valery added with a kind smile. "Tell me what you're comfortable with and I'll give an honest perspective." Perhaps it'd help him or maybe it'd just confirm something he already knew. Either way, she was hoping to make a difference for him.

Whether it was small or something significant.

Who knows — maybe it'd even clear the air a little. She wasn't one to hold grudges, so even as she sat here and listened, she already felt much calmer than last time.

Judah Dashiell ​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Apologies if I'm vague. I'll try to clarify if possible but I believe I can keep it general enough yet still get my point across. "

Judah crossed his legs in front of him, wishing he had a cigarette or cigarra. There was no smoking for obvious reasons on the asteroid, and he doubted the Nuns would allow a day trip some where just to smoke a cigar. He had went cold turkey when Makai was born and lasted some time before he had picked up the habit once again. Judah could blame business, often greasing the wheels of progress required a little bit of drinking and smoking and bullshitting to get some traction going.

"So, I'm at this crossroads, so to speak."

A small pause.

"On one road, I can keep the status quo. Meaning, my normal life and what I do on a day-to-day basis. Its not a horrible life, I've been lucky in many regards, but it can be a little lonely. I've also gotten used to it and I've found other ways to fill my time. I've got my work, I've got various hobbies that I haven't given much time to, but after this, maybe that can be changed around a bit. As I said...not a horrible time but its not quite how I pictured my life and it can be frustrating."

Frustrating was a mild term for how he felt. The Jedi CEO didn't need to know any of this. Judah figured his point was made either way.

"Or, on the other road, I can try something new. Now, typically, that doesn't sound all too terrible. However...if I fail at this new venture, its...going to be a point of no return. As in, if I don't succeed or mess up or get goes sideways, there's quite a bit of collateral damage. So much so, I would probably have to slink off into the outer reaches and not return. This road, while fun and exciting, isn't one you can take your eyes off. When you crash and burn, its it..."

A deep sigh.

"Of course, one only has one life....well....I only have one life. Not sure if I want to look back in ten years regretting not taking a chance or look back in ten years at destruction and ruin caused by one action. So its quite the conundrum. Each road has its pros and cons, weighted almost evenly I would say."

Valery Noble