Private Investigate This

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's eyes widened briefly as Asher's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. The unexpected boldness caught her off guard for only a moment before her smirk returned, her amber eyes narrowing in playful challenge. She leaned back just enough to look him square in the eye, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, so you're an expert now?" she teased, though she let him guide her movements, her own steps naturally falling into rhythm with his. Valery might have been a Jedi, but she could adapt to just about anything — including this sudden change of pace.

As they moved, her smirk widened. "Not bad," she admitted, her voice low enough that only he could hear. "But if you're going to take the lead, you'd better make it convincing. I'm not the type to settle for mediocrity."

She let him guide her into a spin, her hair catching the light as she moved with a graceful flair, perfectly in sync with the beat. As the dance brought her closer again, she leaned in just slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Now, while you're showing off your fancy footwork, keep an eye on the group in the corner," she murmured, her tone smooth and professional despite the playfulness in her gaze. "They're our next target, and I'd rather not have to step on your toes to remind you why we're here."

She smiled coyly, her playful banter seamlessly blending with their purpose, and waited to see how he'd respond.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

Oh, so you're an expert now?

"In a few things, yes." He said as he pulled her up from the lean in to separate for a second. She shook her hips and he shaked his to mimic. "And I don't doubt you settle for mediocrity when you have to."

He grabbed Valery by the waist, led her in a circle and glanced at the new group of targets.

"You're in my country now, Jedi." he murmured back. "Only toes being stepped on are me and mine."

"The second group is a woman, two men, one of them neither." He said and stopped to slowly spin Valery around so that she could catch a glimpse too. "One of them is nursing a bruise, the others…"

He pulled her in.

"Hard to tell."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery let herself be guided through the circle, her amber eyes sparkling with intrigue as Asher described the group. The playful smirk tugging at her lips didn't waver as he spun her around, and her gaze flickered subtly toward their targets. She caught a glimpse of the woman and the two men — one of them looking distinctly out of place, their posture stiff and unpracticed in blending into the crowd.

"Hm," she murmured as Asher pulled her back in, her voice low and smooth. "I'd say the bruised one's a fighter. The stiff posture on the other? Amateur. And the woman…" Her lips quirked into a teasing grin as she tilted her head slightly. "Well, she's trouble. But you already knew that."

Her hand rested lightly against his shoulder, and she let the music guide her movements, her hips swaying in perfect time with the beat. As she stepped closer, her body brushed ever so slightly against him — a deliberate touch that carried just a bit of her teasing edge.

Her amber eyes flicked to the targets again, her expression thoughtful yet amused. "The woman's in charge. She's too confident not to be."

Valery twirled herself out of his grip with practiced grace, her movements fluid and purposeful, only to step right back into him. Her hand slid down his arm to take his hand again, her smirk never faltering.

"So, what's your next move?" she asked, her tone playful yet challenging. "You're in your country, right? Show me how you handle things, then." She leaned in just slightly closer, her amber gaze locking with his, daring him to step up to her challenge while the rhythm of the dance — and the mission — continued.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

That was a read, and one that Asher could agree with. And while this Jedi lady kept trying to rile him up, this dance was a very specific choice on his behalf since the heart of the movements and the little gestures were meant to tell a tale of passion, love, and drama.

Her body brushed against his, her hand sliding down his arm until he pulled her in close, seemingly for a kiss only to push her back at the last second, his hand against his forehead before he pulled her back in within his arms again.

"You're right." He said before finally disengaging from the dance with a bow, one hand on his heart and the other to his right as if to prostrate himself and surrender to the woman's wiles at the end of the story.

"Aaand if that's how you want to play it…" He grinned and unholstered his blaster, primed the energy cell and then glanced over his shoulder to look at Valery as he holstered it again.

"Okay, fine." He said at her disapproving look. "Bad idea anyway."

"Let's just talk to them, but stay ready."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery arched a brow at Asher's theatrical display, her lips tugging into a smirk despite herself. His antics were a constant mix of irritation and charm, and she wasn't sure whether to roll her eyes or laugh. But as the blaster left his holster, her amusement melted into a sharp, disapproving look that stopped him in his tracks.

"Talk first. Shoot later," she murmured, her voice low but carrying enough weight to let him know she wasn't joking. Her amber eyes held his for a moment longer before flicking toward the group they'd been observing. The playful edge she'd carried earlier was gone, replaced by a sharp focus that hinted at the Jedi Master beneath the surface.

She stepped closer to Asher, her voice dropping into a near whisper. "The woman's in charge, but the bruised one — he's the key. He looks out of place, unsettled. If there's a weak link, it's him." Her gaze swept back toward their targets, her mind already working through the next steps.

"Let's see what they're hiding. We approach them, casual but deliberate. We'll be charming and curious, and we watch how they react. If they run, we'll know we're onto something. If they talk, we'll find out exactly why they're here."

Valery tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "But no blaster moves, Asher. We don't want to startle them… yet."

Without waiting for a response, Valery adjusted her stance and started moving toward the group, her steps measured and confident. She cast a glance back at Asher, her expression filled with just enough mischief to remind him that the challenge wasn't entirely forgotten.

"Come on," she said, her voice carrying a quiet intensity.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

Quiet intensity, loud silence, both equally descriptive of the situation. With the thumping music growing less aggressive by the second. The trio of suspects eyed the duo as they approached the bar.

"Whiskey on the rocks." Codeword maybe? Asher tried his luck again, and this time he DID get a glass of the most common drink in the universe. "Thanks."

"First night at the rose, eh?" The tender asked. A… Code response, maybe? The tender looked at the beautiful lady at Asher's side.

"Something like that." He answered and took a small chug of his drink and approached the threatening trio.

"Hey, me and my wife here," He wrapped an arm around Valery's waist and shook her a little. "We couldn't help but see you from across the bar and we liked your vibe, why don't you tell us a little bit more about yourselves?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery felt Asher's arm wrap around her waist and smirked. She played along seamlessly, though, leaning into the role he had thrust upon her. "Oh, darling," she said with a playful lilt, her amber eyes sparkling with just enough mischief to mask her sharp focus. "You always know how to spot the most interesting people."

Why not have some fun while she was at it?

Her gaze shifted to the trio, taking in their reactions as Asher spoke. The woman in charge regarded them with a calm, assessing look that barely masked her suspicion. The bruised one glanced nervously between his companions and Valery, his posture stiffening. Valery caught the subtle shift in his footing, a telltale sign that he was prepared to bolt if things went south.

Perfect.

"We don't mean to intrude," Valery added smoothly, her tone warm but carrying a subtle edge. She leaned slightly into Asher, her hand resting lightly against his chest to complete the act. "But we're new here and always eager to make friends. You all seem like you've got some stories to share."

As she spoke, Valery subtly shifted her weight, keeping her posture relaxed but positioning herself just enough to react if things escalated. She wasn't going to let the man run without getting some answers first. But for now, her focus was on reading the group — their reactions, their body language, and any sign that they might crack under the pressure.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

Oh, wow, okay she was almost too eager to play that part. Asher hid his surprise behind his smile as he gave his 'wife' a gentle squeeze with the one arm around her waist. Her very supple but firm waist. Was there such a thing as being eerily in shape?

"Right, we're looking to get something of a middle ground." He said and grinned. "She's a topsider and I'm, as you can see, street trash. Real Romeo and Juliet story, would love to tell you it over wine."

The crew looked at each other and then back at the couple before they laughed.

"Cut the act, Asher." The woman said. "We know who you are, and your… Wife."

The man unwrapped himself from Valery with a raise of his arms as if to offer a mock surrender.

"Fine." He said with a chuckle. "Fine, you got me."

He didn't know her, but she certainly seemed to know him which he figured meant they most likely already knew why they were here. Few liked barging into crime scenes, and word traveled faster than any boot ever could.

"You're here about the dead guy on main." Her voice was cold, distant. "Picked a fight, didn't win." The leader said and took a drag of her cig. Her eyes set on Val. "Ain't that right, Master Jedi?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery caught Asher's glance and the slight squeeze of her waist, her smirk deepening as she leaned into him for a moment, her hip brushing against his. The playful flicker in her eyes quickly vanished, replaced by a sharp, focused calm as the trio before them dropped their pretense.

When the leader turned her attention to Valery, calling her out with a cool, calculating tone, the Jedi Master remained unfazed. Her amber gaze locked onto the woman's with quiet intensity.

"That's right," Valery said, her voice steady and firm. "But I'm not here about the fight itself — I'm here to understand why it happened and what it's tied to."

Her gaze shifted to the bruised man, lingering just long enough to make him squirm. "Fights like this don't happen without reason. So, why don't you tell me your connection to him?"

The leader took a slow drag from her cigarette, her eyes narrowing. "You've got guts, Jedi, walking into my bar with questions like that."

Valery's smirk sharpened slightly. "Boldness is kind of my thing," she replied, her tone cool but edged with authority. "Now, save us all some trouble and talk. Or should we ask him?"

Her head tilted subtly toward the bruised man, her amber eyes flicking briefly to Asher. She trusted he was ready for whatever came next, but for now, the room's tension rested squarely on her shoulders.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

The woman scoffed.

"What? Orzo here?" She mocked Valery. "Fell down a flight of stairs. Ain't that right?"

"Yup." Orzo grunted, his voice surprisingly nasal for his look.

"Tried to run from a happy-go-lucky enforcer that didn't know when to stop and all that. Kind of like your friend, but less… Well, dead."

"We get it you're a cool badass type of girl," Asher groaned and shrugged. "Were you responsible for the whole thing or did you just so happen to know who it was that did it?"

The woman looked at Valery and then Asher.

"How much you paying for that information?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's smirk didn't waver at the woman's mocking tone, though her amber eyes sharpened slightly, cutting through the room's tension like a blade. She turned her gaze to Orzo, her expression unreadable, before shifting back to the leader.

"Must've been a pretty angry set of stairs." Valery said, her tone dry, laced with disbelief.

Asher's interjection earned a subtle glance from her, and she allowed herself a flicker of amusement at his casual approach, though she didn't let it soften her edge. When the leader asked for payment, Valery straightened slightly, her calm yet commanding presence filling the room.

"Payment?" Valery's voice was steady, with just enough steel to make her intent clear. "I think you misunderstand the situation. We're not here to negotiate. We're here to figure out what's going on, and we will get to the truth, one way or another." She wasn't offering payment if this woman was potentially involved.

Her gaze locked onto the leader's, unwavering and unyielding. "But if you'd like to cooperate and you weren't involved, a reward isn't out of the question."

"Your call," she added, her voice calm yet charged with unspoken authority.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

The woman took another drag between her lips that had curled into a smirk and a grin. Classic topsider, coming here to act like the big cheese. Well, there was probably a saying about that. Something about the big cheese and the rats.

"My call?" She bit back with a mock hurt oof. "If the option is death or death, then I choose… Death. Just not by you. Well, indirectly anyway."

The woman was quick to turn her back on the duo and return to her drink. She was in her den and these people wouldn't touch her, she knew that much. Especially not for a topsider, or a Jedi at that.

"Byeee, Valery~"

Asher raised his brow at the Jedi and then back at the thug leader.

"At least tell us about Lyla." He demanded.

The leader's brow rose in equal measure surprise and curiosity.

"Her?" She chuckled and turned her head. "Probably drowning her sorrows by one of the bars."

Asher's brows sank. That was awfully familiar to…

He quickly turned around to look at the bar he had ruffled feathers at. The trio were all gone, out of sight and mind. Without thinking he grabbed at Valery's hand and began to pull her along as he ran over towards the disk.

"Where'd she go?" He asked. "The girl with the bottle."

The tender looked him up and down and shrugged.

"Left for the day probably."

"Chit! When?"

"I'unno, ten minutes?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery allowed herself a momentary flicker of annoyance as the woman dismissed them with her smug attitude and flippant farewell. Her amber eyes narrowed, the edge of her composure sharp enough to cut, but she let the woman turn away. There were bigger priorities now.

When Asher grabbed her hand and began pulling her toward the bar, Valery followed without resistance, her steps quick and purposeful. She could feel the urgency in him, the way his determination burned through the haze of frustration.

At the tender's response, Valery's jaw tightened slightly. Ten minutes. Long enough for Lyla to get lost in the labyrinth of lower levels, or worse, fall into the hands of someone dangerous. Her hand tightened briefly around Asher's before she let go, her mind racing as she scanned the room for anything that might give them a lead.

"Think," Valery said, her tone calm but urgent as she addressed both Asher and herself. "If she left ten minutes ago, she couldn't have gotten too far. Did she mention where she might be going? Another bar? Somewhere else she frequents?"

Her amber gaze flicked to the tender, sharp and expectant. "Anything you remember could help. What direction? Who she was talking to?"

Without waiting for an answer, Valery extended her senses through the Force, searching for any trace of Lyla's presence. She was cautious not to push too far too quickly, not wanting to overwhelm the chaotic energy of the lower levels, but she needed something. A flicker of emotion, a lingering imprint — anything.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

Drunk despair, watched over by two others. They could be looking for groups too. Asher frowned.

"She was well into that bottle. Might have been carried." He grumbled and began to look for the door. "Lyla was involved, makes her a liability. Hot property, in a sense. Needs to be disposed of."

He frowned.

"They left with her." He then added and moved to grab Valery's hand again. His fingers brushed against the delicate skin on the back of her hand before he caught himself. "Sorry, old habit." He cleared his throat and tilted his head. "Let's go."

They got to the exit. People queuing, others peeing on the wall around the corner, a usual night out in other words.

"Catch anything, Jedi?" He asked and turned to Valery. "Other than the stench of piss and vomit?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery moved through the crowd with Asher, her amber eyes sweeping over the chaotic scene unfolding outside the cantina. The pungent smells and general disorder did little to faze her — she had seen worse in the galaxy's shadowed corners. But her focus shifted sharply when his hand brushed against hers again.

The contact was brief, fleeting enough that it could have been nothing more than an instinctive gesture. But it wasn't nothing. Valery's gaze flicked to him, catching the slight hesitation, the way he pulled back with a quiet apology.

Her lips curved into a faint, almost teasing smile, but the warmth in her eyes carried something deeper. "It's alright," she said softly, the words carrying a note of something unspoken.

Her focus returned to the street, though the brief touch lingered in her mind like an echo. There was something about the way he moved, the way his walls seemed to falter for just a second, that stirred an odd sensation in her chest. Something that was equal parts curiosity and understanding.

At his question, Valery took a slow, deliberate breath. The air was thick with the stench of spilled drinks and unfiltered living, but beneath it, she reached into the Force, letting it expand her senses.

"There's desperation here," she murmured, her tone low and thoughtful. Her gaze locked onto a faint trail of muddy footprints leading away from the cantina's back exit. "Fear, panic. It's faint but distinct."

She gestured toward the tracks, her expression sharpening. "We follow this. It's not much, but it's a start."

Without waiting for a response, she stepped forward, her movements fluid and purposeful. But even as she focused on the task at hand, she couldn't quite shake the fleeting sensation of his touch — or the way it made her feel like there was more to him than the persona he so carefully projected.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

There was desperation everywhere around them, but this "Valery" had earned enough of Asher's respect to not be on the receiving end of some would-be attempt at being a witty little butthead. Instead he gave her grave nod and followed along.

All things considered she was a welcome change of pace, and a good reminder of times past.

The duo followed along the trail into the dock sector. The trail which took them to the alleyways and maintenance tunnels of the ring that plummeted from the sky above and well into the abyss down below.

Up ahead was a small confined space along the main street, but the trail of emotion that they had followed was coming to a close. They were right there. Two men and a woman standing with each foot halfway past the precipice.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes met with Valery's for but a moment before she slowly began to lean backwards into a fall and the death she desperately craved. The two men seemed entirely uncaring of the situation.

"No!" Asher exclaimed and reached out towards her as if he could somehow stop her from disappearing over the ledge.

Perhaps Valery would have greater luck with that.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's amber eyes widened as they reached the confined space, her gaze locking onto the woman standing on the edge of the precipice. The tears streaming down her face, the raw desperation in her expression — it all struck like a blow to Valery's heart. There was no mistaking the hopelessness that radiated from her.

The woman's fleeting glance toward Valery was like a silent cry for help, but it was followed by her body beginning to tilt backward. The abyss yawned open beneath her, ready to claim another life.

"No!" Valery shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.

Her hand shot forward, and the Force surged at her command, wrapping around the woman like an unseen tether. With a fierce pull, Valery yanked her away from the ledge and back onto solid ground, the suddenness of the motion leaving the woman gasping in shock but alive.

At the same moment, Valery's free hand clenched into a tight fist, her fiery eyes snapping to the two men who stood there, indifferent to the near tragedy. The Force swirled outward, seizing them both in an invisible grip that locked them in place. Their bodies froze mid-motion, their expressions shifting from apathy to alarm as they realized they were entirely at her mercy.

"Asher!" Valery's voice rang out, a call not just for his presence but for action.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

He froze for a moment and looked at his hands as if he had pulled the girl off the ledge. He had obviously not but the illusion was immense for the moment that his mind had thought it true.

"Got it." He exclaimed back at Valery as she held the two men in place. He raised his blaster at one of them and pulled the trigger. It was a stun round, always had been from the start. He pointed it at the other and dropped him unconscious on the ground.

"You got her?" He shouted from the adrenaline. "Is she alive?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's grip on the trembling woman softened before she released her hold. Her focus, however, was quickly drawn to Asher as the faint hiss of stun rounds echoed through the confined space. The two men dropped to the ground, unconscious but unharmed, and Valery let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"I've got her," Valery called back, her voice steady but tinged with an underlying tension. She moved over and gently guided the woman to sit on the ground, her hands firm yet reassuring as she checked her over. "She's alive."

The woman's tear-streaked face tilted up, her eyes wide and distant with shock. Valery offered her a soft, comforting smile, brushing a loose strand of hair out of the woman's face. "You're safe now," she murmured. "Just breathe."

When Ashed caught up, Valery glanced his way, her expression a mix of gratitude and relief. "Thank you," she said, her tone carrying a genuine warmth despite the adrenaline still coursing through her. "You acted fast, and I needed that."

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before shifting back to the woman. "We'll figure this out," she assured both the woman and Asher, though her fiery eyes glanced briefly toward the unconscious men. "But first, we need to get her somewhere safe."

Valery's hand brushed against the woman's shoulder as she steadied her and prepared to move. "Can you walk?" she asked gently, her focus still split between comforting her and staying alert for anything else that might go wrong.

Asher ​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

"Yeah, of course." Asher said and knelt down next to Valery and the woman. They were alive and that was a good start.

The woman was in a clear state of shock and unresponsive. Desperate to live yet desperate to die. Asher frowned and stayed out of it. Something told him that the last thing she needed right now was another man trying to push her one way or the other.

He stayed out of the way, for now.

The woman didn't respond to Valery's questions. She didn't move much at all.

"Come on, we can take her to a place I know nearby." Asher said and stood up. "I think you better carry her. I'm not sure she needs someone like me looking after her right now."