Private Into the Hornet's nest

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"We have each other's backs."

He didn't need to say it out loud — she knew what was going on inside of his head, as much as he knew what was going on in hers. It was strange at times, and something that had taken time to get used to, but now it just felt right; normal. She then pulled back after a light squeeze of her hands and smiled at him.

"Alright R6, time to bring us down."

...

Stepping out of the shuttle and into the dark, abandoned Hangar, Valery looked around and let her senses wander. The eyes were able to deceive a Jedi, but the Force was an ally they could trust, and it was very clear about the darkness that lingered within this station. Yet somehow, it wasn't entirely channeled through something living — it felt as if the structure itself amplified what they could feel.

"This place... it's like a conduit," Valery frowned and reached up to pinch her temples. The Dark Side always had a strong effect on the mind and one that Kahlil as Epicanthix wouldn't feel as much. But Valery had to put more effort into fighting it, and that's where her exhaustion didn't help much. "It feels awful."

She then looked at Kahlil, squinted at the green light from his weapon, and nodded.

"Alright. Creepy. Lets be quick, yeah?"

"Right this way," she said as she moved with him to leave the creepy hangar behind. But the second they stepped into the adjacent hallway, the shivers down their spines would likely only get worse. There were a series of pods lined up along the wall, similar to those Valery had once been stuck in for thousands of years. But all of them were cracked and strange liquids were dripping from them. The floor was covered in dried-up blood, and that darker feeling beating against their minds was getting stronger.

Then, a sudden sound of movement behind them caused Valery to turn around, but she couldn't see anything yet. It was too dark, and the light from the green blade made it hard to focus her Keshian eyes on other spectrums.

"What was that?"

​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Oh hell no.

Kahlil grimaced as he looked over the pods. The blood. The broken glass. It looked like one of his old labs when an experiment went wrong. Exactly like one of his old labs. His grip tightened on his saber. Then movement. His grimace worsened as he couldn't see what it was that had moved. Then tightened his grip on his blade. The green saber itself extinguished, leaving the pair in darkness.

Then a different blade emerged. Light, pure, emerged to replace the blade. Glowing blindly bright to those of the dark. Lightning up the whole room in the process.

"I've got a terrible feeling about all of this, love."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"I... do too..." her voice was a little strained, and right as his new blade ignited, Valery could be seen shaking her head and blinking as if she was trying to physically remove something from within her mind. The dark side that hung in the air, amplified by the station acting as a conduit, was quite strong and taxing on the mind. But Kahlil's strength from having the Epicanthix mind was an anchor for her, and she looked up at him with her usual spirit.

"Let's keep moving and figure out what's going on," she said as she pushed through and moved in the direction of the sound they had heard. It brought them underneath flicking light and through puddles of blood and other liquids they couldn't identify as easily. Something had gone terribly wrong here, and they were in the middle of it now.

Then another sound passed by behind them after they moved beyond a junction, and she quickly turned around. There was a vague outline of something that looked humanoid, but its red eyes and strange posture made her feel uneasy. It was staring directly at the two Jedi but made no move just yet.

"Show yourself," Valery demanded, and with a few steps, the figure stepped close enough for Kahlil's blade to shine light upon his face. The figure had a presence in the Force like any other Force-sensitive, but very little remained of what had once been a person. It had grown unnaturally and only its pain and anger kept it together. "What th-" she couldn't finish her sentence, as it suddenly jumped straight for her. A claw came around, looking to add another scar to the woman's face.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil moved. There was no hesitation as he met the creature's swipe with his own. The blade passed through everything without harming a thing. Doorway, floor, not a mark was left behind. But for the creature, it's skin sizzled and burned. It hissed, fleeing from the Light as he lifted his blade. Eyes narrowed on the creature before them. ".. This was a person once. They did alchemy here. A very poor imitation of it."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

The sweep of Kahlil's blade forced the creature away, and Valery watched it closely while she drew her own weapon, "Look at its body," she said as it seemed to consider options for attacking again. Right now, Kahlil's strange weapon was its focus, which showed it had a level of intelligence to understand threats and peculiar things.

"Some of it looks like it has grown disproportionally to the rest. As if most of its body grew faster than a few other bits..." she frowned at the thought of how much suffering that could cause. Had they been experimenting to alter the growth rate of beings so they could be turned into these monsters? Or were they doing it to torture them into submission?

Then another thought hit her — these people had targetted their little girl. Is that why they needed the accelerated growth?

"Love, these people..." a brief flash of anger lit up her eyes, but it faded quickly. They had to remain calm and do something about it. But before she could come up with a plan, the creature jumped back at them with incredible speed, and this time, Valery channeled the Force to slam it against the wall.

It let out a deafening shriek in return, and suddenly, from the direction they had come from, a dozen more similar shrieks answered its call. There were more of them.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Children.

Kahlil let out a sigh as he let his blade fade away. Leaving both the Masters in total darkness. These were children. His arm lowered as he heard the other shrieks in the darkness. More children, forcibly grown and altered through Alchemy alone. This was what they wanted Vera for? He stepped over to the malformed creature Valery had pinned to the wall. Smiled softly as he crouched down.

Set a hand on it's head.

"It's okay."

He knew the process that had made them. He could see it written in it's flesh. Haphazard, simple. Childish and rudimentary. The creature hissed in anger, but fell silent after a moment. The Jedi kept his hand on it's head. Closed his eyes.

A flash of light took over the room. Blindingly bright. When it faded Kahlil was standing. A slumbering girl in his arms.

"There are more that need help."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery squinted and looked away when a bright light enveloped the creature, and when it was over, she stared at the little girl with widened eyes. She was hardly any older than Vera and seemed so peaceful asleep. It got Valery to swallow hard while she glanced at her husband, who had somehow reverted the darkness turned against the young girl.

"Love..." she shook her head. "Right, there are more of them. If I pin them down, can you help them?"

It wasn't something she liked to bring up, but all her methods of dealing with Sithspawn ended in their destruction. That was a part of her past as a Jedi Shadow she couldn't change and had to accept, but he was different. His Light could save these people, which was always something the two Jedi Masters would aim for if they could.

"There they are..."

A group of about 10 of them was coming in with bloodlust in their eyes, but Valery felt far more confident to handle them now. There wasn't the fear in striking them down — just the knowledge that they could help them. So with all her might, she turned to the Force and focused her fiery gaze on them. Her hands came up and very abruptly, none of them could move.

The master of Telekinesis held them in place and forced them to be frozen.

"Babe..." she said through gritted teeth as she fought hard to hold on. But as she did, a strange kind of pain moved down from her mind through her body, which Kahlil could pick up on, but he'd likely have to focus on these people. It was the effect of this place on her especially, and it was getting stronger the longer they were here.

They would have to stop it.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil turned, not saying a word. He lowered the girl, carefully laying her down on his jacket before turning to the group that Valery had immobilized. His eyes glanced briefly to her as the pain echoed through their bond.

"Just a moment longer, love." Then he was beside them. The mangled and tormented. It wasn't a quick process. Their changes were all diffferent, and he needed the time to find what had been changed so he could undo it without burning away all of them. Light adgter light flashed as he went through. Children, of various ages, but all young.

His expression hardened as he lifted them all into his arms. An advantage of being as large as he was, it seemed. Then turned his gaze to Valery.

"Back to the ship."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

No matter how painful or difficult it was, Valery wouldn't allow herself to fail here. She kept them all pinned down until Kahlil had slowly but properly undone the alchemy that was used against them. But the moment it was done, Valery fell down to hands and knees. Her hair fell around her face, she was breathing heavily and trembling from the after effects.

But from something else as well.

"The one responsible..." she muttered as she tried to catch her breath. "Ahh..." she gritted her teeth as she felt incredible pain in her mind. She was talking about the darker presence that was still within this station, likely defended by the masked figures. They could sense those people out there somewhere, but they were deeper inside.

"Love, you have to go. Something's...." she couldn't finish her sentence and through their bond, Kahlil could suddenly hear faint whispers. As if someone was invading, and directly speaking into Valery's mind. Normally, she would be more than capable of blocking them out, but her exhaustion wasn't helping. "Something's wrong...."

"GO!" she looked at him, a flesh of anger in her eyes, but it wasn't her own. Through the Force, dark tendrils surrounded the Jedi Master, and slowly but surely, she was starting to lose herself, as the conduit that was this station allowed the puppet master to influence her already weakened mind.

Then, another voice echoed in Kalil's mind.

"Mommy would never hurt you, right daddy?"​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Mind control.

He hadn't picked up on it. And now he was kicking himself in the ass over it. He should've noticed it sooner. Despite his high mental fortitude, he actually knew what it felt like. Well, to be the controller. No part of him wanted to leave as he watched the anger in Valery's eyes. She was holding herself back, as much as she could. His expression hardened as he tightened the grip on the children.

"I'll be right back."

It was a promise. They'd come here to solve what was happening, together. And they'd leave together. The large man turned and took off in a mad dash, sprinting from his wife as he clicked on the com to his ship.

"R6! Get the ship running and ready to go! We're not staying."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Please..." A tear rolled down her cheek as a mixture of anger and sadness echoed out into the Force, into their bond. She was trying whatever she could to resist but whatever caused this station to act as a conduit was too strong for Valery in her current state. It was something she could only blame herself for, having chosen against taking more rest, but there was no time to worry about that now.

She was trying to find the puppet master, the source of her agony, but... no.

Valery couldn't focus or resist it. While Kahlil ran off, Valery got up to her feet and drew her lightsaber back into her hand. The crystal within the hilt was trying to resist activation, but she wasn't too far gone — she wasn't dark. A violet blade ignited and with pain and anger flowing through her, she began to move through the station, looking for her husband.

Meanwhile, on the Bastion, R6 would be working in overdrive to get the ship ready, and the kids situated. They could easily lock their whole vessel down and ensure the safety of the kids, but Valery was still out there, trying to fight against the mind-control, but she was starting to lose the battle. Her time was running out.

"Kahlil... love... Ahhh!" she reached for her head and screamed. "Please help- Where are you?!"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil made sure each of the children were carefully set down. They were, thankfully, still asleep. But for how long, and what the darkness here would do to them when they woke up, well. He didn't dare think about it. Instead he stood. Turned to his ever faithful droid companion with a smile.

"Take them to the temple on New Cov. Find Iris, or any of the other healers to tend to them until we get back."

There was a worried warble, but it was silenced as Kahlil patted the R unit's red dome. He said nothing further before hopping from the ship as it took off to complete his request. R6 would either return to pick them up later, or he'd find another way for them to get off this forsaken space station. Lightsaber in hand he turned back to the exit of the hanger they'd used earlier, patiently smiling. Waiting.

He could feel her.

"I'm here love. It'll be okay."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

There he was.

The anger and pain in her eyes settled on her husband's form, but even through her current state, he'd still be able to feel her. She was resisting it the best she could, but the lack of rest and all the exhaustion from the continuous battles made it impossible to throw up the almost impenetrable mental shield she had developed during her time as a Jedi Shadow.

"Please...it hurts..." she looked at him with teary eyes but after she closed them for a moment, and opened them again, the hate of the puppet master overpowered the loving gaze of his wife. The muscles in her body tightened, and so did the grip around her lightsaber, as she moved closer to him.

"You should have left while you still had the chance."

These words were no longer her own, and deep within their bond, the desire for his help and comfort was strong. But physically... she channeled the Force and dashed right at him. Once in range, she opened their clash with a powerful sweep aimed at his body, but less than a second after the attack, the power behind it diminished abruptly before it came back again.

The clash within her continued, even as she tried to attack the one she loved so much.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"We made a promise. Together, in and out."

Kahlil was speaking both to Valery and whoever it was that seemed to be controlling her. He kept a calm smile, staying still where he was. Lightsaber in hand, but extinguished as ever. Waiting, watching. Keeping himself calm. The children were safe. That's what he focused on, less he let anger drip into his focus. He had no reason to be angry, not right now. Not while he wife needed him.

The moment she sprang forward though he moved.

His blade sprang to life. Not the lightsaber, but the one of Light. Passing through her sabers with no resistance. Through her with no resistance or effect. His blade couldn't harm anything.

Except for the being controlling her. The Force echoed with their pain as he carved through them as if they were the ones in front of him. Severing their strings that they'd put on Valery. Trusting that by doing so she wouldn't in turn cut him down as he left himself open. Trusting the Force they both trusted with their lives.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

The moment his blade of light ignited and passed through her, something within Valery woke up, and even though she could have tried to strike him down while he was exposed, she didn't. She would never harm her husband. The dark strings attached to her mind through the Force were instantly severed in the process as well, causing Valery to fall down to her hands and knees while she gasped for air.

The hilt of her lightsaber rolled away over the ground, and for a moment, she just sat there. Through their bond, she regained the strength to keep herself shielded, but the feeling of having turned against someone she loved so much lingered, and it hurt.

"Love..." she muttered, as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry."

She didn't know what else to say and slowly got up to her feet, her body turning so she was facing him again. The tears disappeared, leaving behind slightly reddened eyes, but she stepped forward and looked to wrap her arms around his waist, so she could be held in comfort for as long as he kept her there.

"The kids are all safe, right?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil let out a relieved sigh the moment Valery spoke on her own. And immediately lifted her up into a far too tight hug. No hesitation, no waiting to make sure it worked. He was just glad he didn't actually hurt her. ".. The kids are fine." He muttered after a moment, finally answering her question after a moment of silence. "R6 took them away. We'll have to either wait for him or find our way off the ship. Both come with their own risks, though we could go search for this puppet master."

He pulled back, offering a brief smile.

"What would you prefer?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Ahh..." Valery squealed when his tight hug lifted her off the ground, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Her own arms wrapped around his torso the best they could, and he'd likely still feel her fingers digging in a bit. Throughout the whole mind-control attempt, she had been completely aware of what was happening to her, and the idea that she was possibly going to hurt him... it was difficult.

But as her head came to rest against him, she listened to their options and felt some relief, but also a new source of determination.

"Let's find this puppet Master and his followers. If we stop him, this can't happen again." She watched him pull back and looked up into his eyes with a warm smile.

"I promise I can keep myself shielded against his tricks." A hand came up and she summoned the hilt of her lightsaber back into her hand while her eyes stayed fixed on his. "Let's get him together, love?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Together." Kahlil nodded once. Even if Valery said no, he'd probably go after this dark sider on his own. Whoever this was needed to be stopped, if only to spare any more children from this kind of horror. He turned from her, looking ahead, his smile fading to something far more serious. Solemn. His green blade ignited as he gave a single nod. "Let's go get em."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Bastion | New Cov
Appearance: Link
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Together.

She briefly smiled at that before she too reached for her lightsaber and tapped its activation switch. The violet blade exploded into existence and her eyes settled on the dark hallway ahead of them. The puppet master was out there, deeper within the station while some of his followers were likely going to try and intercept the two Jedi Masters.

But after what they had gone through and seen here, they weren't going to stop the couple. They had gone way too far.

"I sense a few up ahead. I'll draw their fire and you stun them?" She whispered. He was a lot better equipped for that than she was, and as terrible as these people were, it would be best to take them prisoner.

Only her Jedi Shadow side considered neutralizing the Dark presence, but they would cross that bridge when they got there.

"Here they come." Right as the two Jedi began pushing to the center of the station where they could get an elevator up, a group of 3 masked figures armed with blasters appeared. And immediately, Valery jumped over them with grandiose acrobatics to draw their attention. Stunning them or taking them down would be easy for her husband now.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil didn't hesitate. The moment Valery moved, he moved behind her. Bringing his ligthsaber through each of the three in a far too quick display of aggression. He was angry. The children, his wife. What they wanted to do to Vera. But, they fell to the ground unharmed. Alive, breathing, just unconscious for the moment. The alternate crystal in his saber made it so he couldn't hurt them, even if he wanted to in the back of his mind. He was angry.

But a Jedi knew how to accept those emotions and make the right choice anyway.

"Deeper within. I can feel him."

Valery Noble