Private Investigate This

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's amber eyes softened as she looked at the woman, her heart aching for the visible pain etched into her expression. She wasn't responding — no words, no movements — just the distant, hollow gaze of someone who had been pushed far beyond their limit. Valery exhaled slowly, her calming presence radiating through the Force as she reached out to the woman again.

Gently, Valery slid her arms beneath her, lifting her with care as though she weighed nothing. The woman's head rested against Valery's shoulder, her breathing shallow but steady. "I've got you," Valery murmured softly, her voice soothing. "You're not alone."

She turned her attention briefly to Asher, his quiet presence reassuring despite the tension that still hung in the air. His suggestion to carry the woman himself wasn't lost on her, but she understood his hesitation. There was a sensitivity here, and Asher's self-awareness in stepping back earned him an appreciative glance.

"Thank you," she said, her tone warm but steady. "Lead the way. I'll make sure she's okay."

As Valery adjusted her hold on the woman and began to follow Asher, her gaze flicked momentarily to the unconscious men they left behind. Whatever this woman had gone through, they had played some role in it, and that would be addressed in due time. For now, though, her focus was on getting the woman to safety.

Walking closely behind Asher, Valery cast him a sidelong glance. "You did well back there," she said, her voice low but genuine. "And I'm glad we're in this together."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

The place was a motel of sorts. A good place to rest that didn't ask too many questions. Asher paid for a few days upfront and led Valery and Lyla to their room.

"Thanks." He said as he opened the door. "Sometimes less is more, and all that."

He fell flat on his butt on the nearby couch while Valery put Lyla to bed. The woman was shaking and shivering down to her bones. Panic and fear and regret all seemed to boil over in the little package that was her short-grown body.

He buried his head in his hands and dragged them across his face.

It had gotten way too close for a moment there.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery gently laid the woman down onto the bed, her movements deliberate and careful as though even the slightest jostle might break her. She tucked the thin blanket up around the woman's shoulders, her fiery amber eyes watching the shivers wracking her frame. The storm of emotions in the room — panic, fear, regret — was nearly palpable, and Valery's heart ached for her.

After ensuring the woman was as comfortable as possible, Valery turned her attention to Asher. Seated on the couch with his head buried in his hands, he looked as if the weight of the galaxy had just been dropped on his shoulders. She watched him quietly for a moment, reading the tension in his posture and the exhaustion etched into his every movement.

Walking over, Valery crouched slightly in front of him, her voice low and soothing. "She needs some time to rest, and I think we should give her space for now. Let her have a moment to feel safe."

She reached out, her hand hovering near his arm before pulling back, respecting his space. "You've done a lot already," she added, her tone both steady and warm. "But you look like you need a breather, too."

Valery straightened and motioned toward the door. "Why don't we step out for a bit? Find somewhere quiet to sit and regroup. We can talk about what comes next, but more importantly..." She offered him a faint, encouraging smile. "You can take a moment to catch your breath."

Her words were calm, not pressing but gently urging. She understood how much this had taken out of him — for all his sharp edges and bravado, there was no denying the toll of a situation like this. And just as much as she wanted to give the woman peace, she wanted Asher to find a moment of his own.

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

His eyes were pried open by another run of his hands down his face and they kept staring the Jedi down for a moment before he sighed yet again. This was exactly why he never got too involved with this shit, the Underworld always chewed people up if they showed weakness.

"Sure." He said and pushed himself out of the couch. "Shouldn't leave her out of sight. 'case the other two come knocking."

"Look, I-..." Asher grumbled as they stepped outside. "Call your friends. You have a lead, I can't do this again."

"These things never lead anywhere good. I can't just… I don't know."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stepped into the hallway alongside Asher, the tension in his voice clear as he spoke. She turned to him, her fiery amber eyes softening slightly. "You've done more than most would," she said, her voice steady but kind. "You stepped in, you helped save her. That counts for something."

She leaned against the wall, her arms crossing loosely as she studied him for a moment. "You don't have to do this alone. I'll call in help, and we'll figure out the next steps. For now, though, let's just focus on what we can control."

Her gaze lingered on him, the weight of the moment clear in her tone. "You care," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "And that's not a bad thing, no matter how messy it feels right now."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

He only had one per day, but this was an exception he made for an exceptional day. Asher shakily reached a hand into the inner pocket of his jacket and withdrew the pack of cigarettes, lit one up and took a long drag.

"I used to do this before." He admitted as he took a seat on a nearby bench. "A lot more often."

"Soup kitchen, a couple of levels further down. Got burned down for interfering."

"Tried to run something off-world. Fell apart."

"There is nothing good that can last down here. No good deed that goes unpunished."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery watched Asher quietly for a moment, her amber eyes catching the glow of his cigarette as he took a long drag. The bitterness in his voice, the weight of past failures, it all hung between them like a cloud of smoke. She didn't flinch away from it. Instead, she stepped closer, leaning lightly against the wall near him.

"That's the thing about good deeds," she said, her tone steady but laced with quiet determination. "They're not always about lasting forever, and we don't do them for us. They're about what they mean to the people you helped, to the difference you made. And that woman is now alive because of you."

Her gaze shifted down the dim corridor, her voice softening slightly. "Sometimes, it feels like it doesn't matter. Like the Galaxy just eats good people alive and spits out the ashes. But they do matter, and they do save people."

She glanced back at him, her expression calm but resolute. "You said it yourself — nothing good lasts down here. But you keep trying. That says a lot about you, even if you don't see it."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

"Right." Asher sighed and took one last drag before throwing away the half-finished cig. "Look, I get it. But then days like this happen and you just ask yourself why you do it."

He stood up from the bench and raised his hands with his palms up, hoping Valery would follow suit.

"Do you trust me?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery tilted her head slightly, studying him with her fiery amber gaze. The weight behind his words wasn't lost on her, nor was the shift in his demeanor. She straightened, her hands brushing lightly against the folds of her cloak before raising them to mirror his gesture.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't trust you," she said softly, her voice steady but warm. There was no hesitation, no doubt in her tone, only the quiet conviction that had carried her through countless uncertain moments.

Her lips curled into the faintest of smiles, offering a touch of reassurance. "Whatever this is, Asher, I'm with you."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

"Then I want you to know that, if things were different…" He said and gently brushed his hands against the Jedi Master's palms. "If I was a bit younger, and you…"

He ran his fingers between her fingers. Perhaps she noticed it, perhaps she did not. Not that it mattered much, he curled his fingers into fists that he slowly unfolded in her palm once more to deposit something into it.

Her ring.

"This would be the part where I made a move on you. Asked to perhaps stay, or… I don't know, something silly like ask you for a drink with the intention of wooing you for myself." He smiled and looked up into her eyes. "But I won't. Whoever, that belongs to deserves better than that."

"But I will say that you are an amazing woman, and that whoever this ring symbolizes is the luckiest man alive."

"You kind of reminds me of Abby, in a way. Always helping out, doing… Jedi stuff."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's fiery amber eyes softened as Asher's words unfolded, his tone carrying the weight of something bittersweet. She felt the gentle brush of his hands against hers, the subtle vulnerability in his gestures as he placed the ring back into her palm. Her fingers curled instinctively around it, the familiar weight grounding her in the moment.

A faint smile tugged at her lips, warm and full of understanding as she listened. His honesty, the rawness of his words, struck a chord within her. When he mentioned Abby, her expression softened even further, a quiet respect glimmering in her gaze for the memories he clearly cherished.

Valery stepped closer, her free hand lightly resting on his arm as she met his gaze. "Asher," she said softly, her voice carrying both kindness and sincerity, "You're a good man, and your heart is in the right place. Don't ever lose that."

Without hesitation, Valery leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek — a gesture not of romance but of gratitude and deep respect. As she pulled back, her smile lingered, her hand giving his arm a light squeeze.

"Thank you for the kind words," she added, her tone warm but steady. "But I think whoever Abby was, she's the lucky one for having had you in her life. Just like you've been for everyone else you've helped, whether you see it or not."

Her fiery gaze remained on him, her smile encouraging yet calm, ready to carry forward whatever weight he might still wish to share.

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

It felt nice to be kissed on the cheek. Although that probably didn't say a lot, being close to someone was always pretty nice. Of course, it helped that Valery was a bombshell and Asher was more like the messy aftermath of a bombshell, but that was beside the point.

"Abby was my old boss. Inspired people. Had a whole soup kitchen set up to help arm those who were willing to fight for change." He shook his head. "Made a few enemies. Some got put in the ground, until the last one put us in the ground."

"Helped people like Lyla, ran a few arms and supplies to other cells, stuff like that." He explained. "The Alliance swept in. Had a few of these… Really unlikable types in the Order, so given everything going on we left."

Asher laughed.

"And let me tell you, I have no idea how you topsiders can live without a ceiling. I swear it always feels like something is about to reach up and pull me into space or something everytime I have to visit."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery chuckled softly, her fiery amber eyes shimmering with amusement at Asher's remark about topsiders. The tension from their earlier conversation seemed to ease just slightly, replaced by a quiet camaraderie. She leaned back against the wall, her arms folding loosely across her chest as she looked at him.

"Living without a ceiling does take some getting used to," she admitted with a playful smirk. "But I promise, space isn't as eager to pull you up into the stars as it might seem. Most of the time, it's just vast and empty — not nearly as exciting as life down here sounds."

Her tone turned more reflective as she glanced down briefly, the weight of his earlier words about Abby settling over her thoughts. "She sounds like someone who really believed in making a difference, no matter the risks. A lot of people don't have that kind of courage or drive to inspire others the way she did."

Her gaze flicked back up to him, her smile softening. "And neither do they have the resolve to keep helping, even after losing so much. You and Abby gave people hope when they needed it most. That's something that leaves an impact, even if it feels like it's all been lost."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

"I don't know that I actually did something other than help her cause the trouble. She was the inspiring one, but you're kind to say so." Asher rubbed his hand across the back of his neck with a shrug. "She just kinda had that effect on people."

There was an old forgotten gleam of longing in that stare of his. A wish that he hadn't been so quick to fear and just seized the moment. It was a shot not taken and a shot lost that mattered more than any other shot he hadn't taken before.

He nodded his head.

"Fine, we'll find Lyla somewhere safe to rest, but she's safer somewhere far away from here." He cleared his throat with a chuckle. "Don't uh, suppose the Jedi Temple would have a guest room for her?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's expression softened at Asher's humility, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She could see the weight of memories and missed chances flickering in his gaze, a bittersweet ache that resonated deeply with her own past regrets. For a moment, she remained quiet, allowing the silence to stretch between them like a bridge of understanding.

"You know," she began, her tone warm but steady, "Being inspiring isn't about grand speeches or bold actions alone. It's about showing up, doing what you can, and making people feel like they can fight for something better. And whether you see it or not, you were part of that. You made a difference."

When Asher mentioned Lyla and the Jedi Temple, Valery's smile turned into a soft chuckle. "The Temple has guest quarters for travelers and those seeking sanctuary. She'd have a safe place there if she's willing to stay, though she'd have to deal with all the rules and she can't wander off much."

"But we'll figure it out." She paused and sighed, "Speaking of which, should we go check on her?"

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

There was little he could do but nod along to the wisdom that Valery was parting with. Sure enough they would figure out the rest, but now was the time to see if Lyla had improved.

He moved to input their code the door and it slid open with a hiss to let them into their room. Lyla was already up, she was staring out through the window that looked out across the open void of the docking port that led both deeper into the ground and up into the wide open space above.

"Oh, you're up." Asher commented out of sheer habit before he bit his tongue and gave Valery a nod to take over.

"Yeah…" Lyla hissed, her voice barely able to carry anything more than a whisper. "I shouldn't be."

The woman turned around to face the two of them.

"Why?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stepped forward, her fiery amber eyes softening as they met Lyla's. The woman's whispered words carried a weight that hung heavy in the room, but Valery's expression remained calm and steady, a quiet strength radiating from her.

"Lyla," Valery began gently, her voice warm but steady, "We were looking for you because you might be able to help us solve a case — a murder that needs answers. I believe what you've seen or experienced could be the key to finding justice for someone who can't speak for themselves anymore."

She paused for a moment, gauging Lyla's reaction before continuing. "But when I saw the scene unfolding — when I saw how close you were to being hurt or worse — I couldn't just stand by. I couldn't let it happen. Whatever you've been through, whatever has brought you here, you didn't deserve to have it end like that. Nobody does."

Perhaps a strange answer to hear in the underworld, but Valery was a Jedi at heart, and she meant it.

Valery took a slow step closer, her tone softening further. "You're here now, and you're safe. That's what matters most. I won't push you into anything you're not ready for, but if you're willing to help, we'll make sure you're not alone in this."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble
Her eyes darted between Asher and Valery.

"Jarec." She whispered. "So what, you pull me back just to put me down, that it?"

"I didn't want to shoot him! They didn't leave me a choice, it was him or me, and he told me it should be him!"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's gaze remained steady on Lyla, her fiery amber eyes filled with compassion and understanding. The pain in Lyla's voice, the rawness of her emotions, struck a chord deep within the Jedi. She took a calming breath and stepped closer, her movements slow and deliberate to avoid overwhelming the woman.

"Lyla," Valery said gently, her voice as warm and steady as before, "We're not here to put you down. All we want is answers. A Jedi lost his life, and I want to understand why."

Her gaze flicked briefly to Asher, silently acknowledging his presence and support, before returning to Lyla. "Please, help us and tell us what you know."

Asher​

 

[Asher]

Valery Noble

"Because he found the rocks, you idiot." Lyla fired back, tears welling up in her eyes. "He found the fucking rocks, and they knew it."

"I told him to drop it, I told him to back away but he wouldn't."

"So they sent me and two more to take him out. I wasn't going to but he said I had to. Jarec told me to take the shot. He told me to kill him, okay?!"