Private Kestri Bonding

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

"Let us know if you need help or anything."

"I will, thank you," Valery told the nurse, who finally left the room after Valery had been adamant about handling the rest herself. About an hour ago, she had been helped out of the bacta tank, which patched up most of the major injuries she sustained during the first training session with Kranak and Shai. Now, she sat on the medical bed, her back turned to the door, while she wrapped some bandages around her arm. She had already put on her pants and armored boots, but she was only dressed in a tight cropped top for now, until she was finished up and ready to put on her full outfit again.

Her body, despite being healed, felt incredibly sore and she was still low on energy as well. Every few seconds, her stomach growled and she couldn't even recall the last time she felt this thirsty. So one thing was for sure — the second she was ready to leave this infirmary, she was going to find some restaurant and eat as much as she felt like.

She had earned it, even if her performance in the training hadn't been entirely perfect.

After a moment, footsteps behind her drew her attention, and without even looking over her shoulder, she called out, "I said I could handle it." There was some frustration in her voice, as she believed it was the nurse again. But when her senses focused on the presence coming up behind her, she realized who it really was and turned her upper body to greet him.

"Oh hey, it's you - sorry about that. I thought you were someone else."

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Kestri | The Citadel of The Kom'rk | Infirmary
Afternoon | Clear Day
Tags: Valery Noble

​

A pair of footfalls echoed in the spacious, well lit halls of The Kom’rk, the home of the Si’kahya; a giant of a Mandalorian, clad in a set of beskar’gam painted jet-black, made his way towards the infirmary at an amble pace; his head hung low, lost in thought as he looked at the touch pad of the datapad he held in his hand. He was going over the notes he had taken in length, regarding the training session they had yesterday. It was a fight to the near-death, the likes of which had seen the Master Jetii admitted to the infirmary to heal her extensive injuries. She was injured the most among the three of them, with he himself coming close to sharing her incapacitated state.

Although it may be seen highly unorthodox for an aruetii, an outsider to their way, battle was the best teacher they’ve had. Actual simulations carried out with mere training rounds barely did the realities of battle any justice. It was a crude imitation of reality. If one sought out to truly improve their combat capabilities, aside from merely warming up with training droids and grasping the basic concept of fighting, they would have to be forged in the fires of true combat in a near-death experience.

They had succeeded in that regard yesterday, regardless of the toll it took on the three of them.

Perceiving he was only a few steps away from the infirmary, having committed the layout of the base to memory, the giant raised his armored visage as he lowered the datapad. Stepping inside the, the all too familiar, omnipresent smell of antiseptics mixed with the acrid smell of blood reached his nostrils. It wasn’t a particularly busy day in the infirmary, with just a couple of rooms under use. Heading towards the room the Master Jetii took temporary residence during her time in the infirmary, the giant gave the door a knock before entering.

"I said I could handle it." There was some frustration in her voice.

The man’s head tilted to the side in wordless response. Assuming she had thought him to be one of the medical personnel, the giant shrugged as he reached for the button beside her door. Pressing on the switch, the door to her room retracted to the ceiling into its housing, allowing the giant access inside. <”Good afternoon,”> the giant greeted her as she went about wrapping bacta bandages around her arm, sitting on her bed with her back facing him.

"Oh hey, it's you - sorry about that. I thought you were someone else."

A gentle chuckle escaped the man’s helmet annunciator as he stepped inside, walking to a chair set beside her bed. Reaching for the datapad at the end of her bed as he sat down, the giant read the full extent of her injuries out loud. <”Several blaster wounds, bruising all across the body, cracks on the zygomatic, maxillary and the left temporal bone, a mild concussion, a penetrating trauma on the right side of the midriff, three inches in length and one inch in diameter, and two broken ribs,”> a snicker emerged underneath the expressionless faceplate of his helmet. Setting the datapad back to the end of her bed, the giant leaned forward on his chair. <”Safe to say we did more than break you down like a Paranaor yesterday,”> he quipped with a chuckle as he looked at the woman’s visage. <”How're you holding up?”> he asked; his voice faintly trilled with mild concern. He had of course expected to cause injury during the training exercise, but not to this extent.

Although he could see for himself regarding her medical status, he preferred hearing it directly from her instead. Although most of her injuries seemed to be taken care of, and bacta did work wonders, she appeared to still have some injuries still; his gaze shifted to her arm she wrapped bandages around.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

After his own greeting, her head followed him as he stepped inside and sat down in a chair beside the bed. She listened, as he began to read out the rather lengthy list of injuries she had recovered from, and it got her to stop patching herself up for just a moment. She turned to face him and watched him curiously — Kranak always felt very professional, even more so than some very traditional Jedi she knew.

It made her wonder a little.

"Is that it?" she joked with a grin when he finished going through it all, "But I'm holding up alright, just a little sore here..." she tapped her abs and sides, where many of the more damaging blows had landed, including his blade that had punctured her left side. "At least I wasn't set on fire though... which, I wanted to apologize for. I'll talk to Shai about it later, but that may have been a little too much." Burning alive, after all, was probably the worst way to go out. She had a feeling the Mandalorians wouldn't care all that much, considering the attacks they had thrown at her, but she also felt that it was too powerful of a technique for a fight where she wanted to limit her use of the Force.

But that was something they could talk about later. Right now, her curiosity got the better of her, and she began to point at Kranak's head. "I don't think I've ever seen you without the helmet. Would be nice to put a face to the voice and man who has helped me so much..." she trailed off, clearly suggesting that she was hoping he'd take it off for a moment. "But if you have a reason for it, I understand."

Some Mandalorians may have scars they were trying to hide, or maybe it was a cultural thing. Or he just simply really liked his helmet and wanted to always be ready. Either way, she'd respect his decision.

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

"Is that it?" she joked with a grin when he finished going through it all

The man heartily chuckled at the woman’s response to the extensive list of her injuries. <”Hah, well… if that was not enough for you, I can easily arrange another session,”> the giant quipped back at her as a grin of his own emerged from his features underneath his armored visage.

"But I'm holding up alright, just a little sore here..." she tapped her abs and sides, where many of the more damaging blows had landed, including his blade that had punctured her left side.

Falling silent for the moment as she spoke, the giant gave a slow nod of his head at the woman as she confirmed she was doing alright, and was only feeling sore. Although he had referred to her injuries jokingly, they had seriously wounded her during the simulation. She was only a hair's breadth away from being considered in critical condition. Perhaps it was the Wardog’s blood she had forced her to drink that saved the woman from her condition worsening. Taking the matter into her own hands, he could not find the time to take a look at her and stabilize her through the use of conventional medicine until he hastily admitted her to the infirmary for treatment.

He’d be lying if he said he did not feel a bit sore after their fight as well; despite the impressive healing capabilities he possessed in the form of a bacta processing implant, his groin and midriff ached and throbbed with pain still. Albeit bearable, and not as severely painful unlike yesterday during their fight, he felt it still.

"At least I wasn't set on fire though... which, I wanted to apologize for. I'll talk to Shai about it later, but that may have been a little too much." Burning alive, after all,

<”Hmm,”> a wordless, approbatory muffled grunt sounded off from the man’s helmet annunciator as the man gave a curt nod of his head at the Master Jetii’s sentiment. Fire had to be one of the most dangerous threats to Shai’s kind, but to his surprise, she had managed to heal up from those injuries like any other. He did not know why, but he was grateful she was okay.

The woman’s sentiment and thoughtfulness earned her a smile from the giant, however. He had worked closely with Jetii before, during war time against an existential threat different than the Maw in the past, against the Bryn’adûl, but he could not recall any of those he worked with to be as considerate as the woman sitting before him, especially towards their kind, Mandalorians; the history they shared between each other, dated millenia back. And it was a violent one at that.

As the woman motioned towards him with a nod of her head, the giant’s head tilted slightly to his left as the man gave her an inquiring look, unsure as to what she desired to express with the gesture of her head, but she would speak a moment after.

"I don't think I've ever seen you without the helmet. Would be nice to put a face to the voice and man who has helped me so much..." she trailed off, clearly suggesting that she was hoping he'd take it off for a moment. "But if you have a reason for it, I understand."

The giant remained wordless and motionless during a brief moment spent in contemplation of her simple, polite request for a second. He did not follow a creed most considered to be extreme, him included; keeping on the helmet at all times in the presence of another sentient being. It posed a lot of complications on its own, such as the treatment of head wounds.

His armor was a second skin for him. He’d feel its absence over his skin after taking it off, it's all too familiar weight of his armor he got used to ever since he was just a young Foundling, having worn very little other than his armor for the most part in his life; the military discipline also had a hand in the fact that he didn’t take off his helmet all that much. They were expected to be combat ready when on base; on deployments into battlefields he would almost never take off his helmet. One could never know if a sharpshooter was looking through their scope at them or not, sweeping the battlefield with their vigilant gaze, seeking to score a kill. Why play into their hands and present them with an opportunity they would not miss?

But neither was he in a battlefield, and nor removing his helm would impose a lack of combat readiness overall.

<"I suppose it's fair you did put a face to the voice,"> the man agreed; deciding to fulfill the woman’s kind request, the giant reached for his helmet in wordless response; the white glowing visor of his Executioner pattern helmet faded slowly into an obsidian black as its interactive heads-up display turned off to save power. The helmet faintly hissed as it depressurized, revealing his features for the Master Jetii to see, to put a face to his voice; several scars both deep and shallow had left their mark on the man’s chiseled features. Always compliant with the Si’kahya’s grooming standards, the man’s raven black hair was kept high and tight. Several scars ran down his clean shaven visage. Although age and almost constant warfare had slowly begun weathering his features, it did not take its toll on him as one would have assumed; the man appeared as lively the way he was in his mid twenties. Although his facial expression appeared to be stern, the man’s dark brown eyes did not convey aggression or resentment as he looked up at the Master Jetii.

Setting both the datapad and his helmet on the small bedside table beside him, the giant reached for his canteen from his warbelt; the alcoholic contents within the canteen sloshed about as he pulled it free from its pouch at the back of his warbelt. Unscrewing its steel cap, the giant took a hefty swig from the clean, bitter alcoholic spirit content of the canteen. “This should help with the aches,” the giant muttered in a friendly tone as he offered his canteen to the woman. The drink had a soothing effect on the body; it helped one bear with a bodily ache easier without resorting to medicine and painkillers, or helped a troubled mind sleep better at night. “It’s tihaar.”

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

The question had definitely sparked something in him, and she didn't really mind that he seemed to need some time to consider it. Whatever the reason was that had him wear his helmet almost constantly, she wasn't exactly expecting him to change that just so she could see his face without it being necessary. So she sat quietly and watched him with a curious smile. At least, until he spoke up and got her even more excited.

<"I suppose it's fair you did put a face to the voice,">

She found herself leaning forward a little, closer towards him, while she studied the face that was slowly revealed when he lifted the helmet. Much like her, scars covered his head, and his eye, haircut, and general appearance made it easy to understand that he was a warrior. A smirk then touched her lips, and while he seemed ready to just continue a normal conversation, she couldn't help but comment on what she saw.

"You look younger than I imagined," she joked with a grin that widened a little more. "But thank you... as weird as that may sound." She blinked and shrugged it off herself while he reached for a canteen and opened it. Valery was used to them being filled with water, but the smell betrayed something else.

"This should help with the aches,"

She reached forward and took the flask, smelled the strong alcohol quickly, and then just took a swig as well. Instantly, she could feel her throat burning, and it proved impossible to hold back a cough or two. But with a grin, she offered it back and tapped her stomach again, "That kicks hard, but thanks, I'm sure it'll help alongside just my self-healing." She then hopped off the bed and raised a hand up through her hair while she adjusted to the feeling of finally being on her feet again. Sitting or laying down too long really wasn't for her.

"So, what's next? I assume we'll take it a bit slower with the training so we can recover fully?"

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

"You look younger than I imagined," she joked with a grin that widened a little more.

The giant chuckled heartily with a grin at what she had to say as the woman’s orange eyes looked attentively at every detail of his visage for a moment. “Hah, yeah… There’s at least one decade ahead of me to start looking like a true grizzled veteran,” the giant joked in response. Aside from having good genes, falling into habit of general self care, along with following an extensive physical training routine way before he had joined up the Union Army in the past, keeping himself in excellent shape, paid off in the present time.

"But thank you... as weird as that may sound." She blinked and shrugged it off herself while he reached for a canteen and opened it.

An intrigued glint faintly appeared in the giant’s dark brown eyes as he looked at her. He wasn’t sure what her extension of gratitude meant, though he welcomed it nevertheless. The man remained silent as he grinned as the Master Jetii accepted the canteen offered to her. He couldn’t stifle a chuckle as the strong spirit had her cough a few times. Tihaar was somewhat of an acquired taste. Only a few aruetiise, outsiders, that had a refined taste in alcohol really appreciated it, outside their culture; he didn’t put it past her to have not drank it before till now.

That kicks hard, but thanks, I'm sure it'll help alongside just my self-healing." She then hopped off the bed and raised a hand up through her hair.

Reaching for the canteen offered back to him with his left hand, the giant pressed the canteen to his lips afterwards, taking another hefty swig from the contents of the canteen as the woman hopped off the bed. Drawing the canteen away from his mouth afterwards, the man lowered the container to his lap as the woman raised him an inquiry regarding training.

"So, what's next? I assume we'll take it a bit slower with the training so we can recover fully?"

The giant gave her a curt nod of his head in response. “Aye, but not for long,” he answered her question. The man gently gave a nod of his head towards the datapad set beside his helmet on the bedside table by her hospital bed, gesturing at the datapad. “I’ve analyzed every minute of yesterday's session while you were under recovery, and taken notes regarding the fight. You can review them and watch the holo-vid recording of the fight from my helmet cam’s perspective in your own time as you get some rest today. We’ll continue tomorrow at dawn,” the man said as he screwed the canteen’s lid back on and tucked it into its pouch at the back of his warbelt. Reaching for his helmet, the giant stood up from his seat as he tucked it under his left arm. He had got what he came here for, which was seeing if she was doing alright, recovering from her injuries without complications.

“Good to see you’re doing alright. I will not lie to you, you had me worried yesterday. For a second I thought I’d have to write a mountain worth of reports and paperwork, seeing you unmoving on the ground like that, all bloodied,” the man cackled with a smirk; although he joked, it had worried him some. But he was glad to see that the Master Jetii was as resilient as he was. The purpose of this training was intended to break her, and get a good measure of her before building on top of her skills, passing on the knowledge and the particular skill set she sought after her, but pushing her too hard had the chance to get her killed, and that would not do.

He’d rather have her not die under his watch during her time here on Kestri.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

"You have recordings?" She blinked, then looked at his helmet. There were some times when Valery had recorded herself training, but it was usually to capture a lesson or piece of instruction that she wanted to share with other Jedi. Not often did she record with the intent to review and improve her skill that way — she always had teachers for it, and now she was the teacher herself. But with his explanation, she could see merit to trying it.

"I think it's best to give the body some rest, too, and I'll review the footage tonight. I already have a feeling about what I could improve on, but it will be useful to check if there's more." She was certainly aware that her use of the Force had been a little too extreme in two situations, so figuring out different ways she could have addressed those particular moments would be useful.

"Good to see you're doing alright. I will not lie to you, you had me worried yesterday. For a second I thought I'd have to write a mountain worth of reports and paperwork, seeing you unmoving on the ground like that, all bloodied,"

Valery chuckled and smirked in return, "It takes a lot more than that to take me down, but it did get close. A little too close for comfort, perhaps. But I trusted that you both would make sure I'd get through alive, so I wasn't worried about pushing myself to the absolute limit."

She gestured around the room and smiled appreciatively, "It seems my judgment was right."

Valery then hopped off the bed and turned to the side to pick up her tunic. With some effort, as it was rather tight-fitting, she put it back on and stretched her arms a little, before putting her armbands on again as well. But right after she did, a rather loud growl came from her stomach, and she could instantly feel her cheeks blushing slightly red from embarrassment. "Huh, I suppose the training made me a bit hungry..." She smiled nervously at him, but then got an idea, as she considered his perspective.

"You must be pretty hungry too? Want to grab something to eat and drink with me? Gives us a chance to talk about all of this a little more as well."

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

"You have recordings?" She blinked, then looked at his helmet.

"I think it's best to give the body some rest, too, and I'll review the footage tonight. I already have a feeling about what I could improve on, but it will be useful to check if there's more."​

The giant gave a nod of his head at Valery, answering her question in a wordless response. Although those who had the habit of recording their training sessions, firefights and battles they’ve participated in with their helmet cameras for varying reasons, the giant recorded with the sole purpose of self improvement; critical of himself, he would watch his combat footage several times during down time with sharp vigilance at an attempt to identify a mistake he might have made, or catch a flaw in his actions during combat to rectify his errors through training.

With a curt nod, a wordless expression of his acclaim to her perception of the flaws she herself had caught came in the form of a muffled grunt at her mention of what she could have done to improve on. Her purpose to be here was to learn how to fight without resorting to her abilities in the force, to peer into the mindset of a Mandalorian in combat; to achieve that, she had to restrain herself greatly from the use of the Force, constrained to fight in a style that was not as familiar to the way she was used to fight.

It was good she could see her own errors during training. They could work together towards their goal more effectively that way.

Valery chuckled and smirked in return, "It takes a lot more than that to take me down, but it did get close. A little too close for comfort, perhaps. But I trusted that you both would make sure I'd get through alive, so I wasn't worried about pushing myself to the absolute limit."

She gestured around the room and smiled appreciatively, "It seems my judgment was right."​

The giant smiled back at her in response. “I must admit, you're one of the more resilient of the Jedi I’ve met,” he said as the Master Jetii turned around and reached for her tunic. “You can take a beating, that much is certain,” he said as he turned and walked past the bed as she put on the tunic. “Well... I better leave you to it, then.” he said; about to walk out the doorway, intending to depart from the infirmary and allow her to get some rest, the giant would come to a halt at the sound of a growling and grumbling akin to that of an agitated gurrcat, coming from his rear.

Looking over the black command pauldron over his left shoulder, the giant could see the reddening features of the Jetii from the corner of his eye as the woman gave him a nervous smile as she spoke.

"Huh, I suppose the training made me a bit hungry..." She smiled nervously at him,

A faint grin emerged from the giant’s scarred features at the woman in response. Yesterday’s training session was not the culprit behind her hunger; it was the fact that she had spent nearly twenty four hours stuck in a bacta tank, healing from her injuries. He knew how hungry, and thirsty, one could be once returning back to the land of the living from personal experience.

"You must be pretty hungry too? Want to grab something to eat and drink with me? Gives us a chance to talk about all of this a little more as well."

The grin on his visage broadened to a smile at her words. She really was more considerate compared to those Jetiise he had worked with in the past. Without much contemplation, the giant gave a nod of his head, wordlessly accepting her offer to get some chow together. “How much of Tor Valum have you seen thus far?” the giant asked as he turned around, fully facing her as he stood in the doorway. “The Mess Hall upstairs usually have some good meals, but I reckon you’d want to stretch your legs some,” the man said, assuming the Master Jetii wanted to also see the city, instead of being stuck in The Kom’rk for the most part during her time here. “Surbhir Tapcaf’s got some high quality dishes, but I can’t say the same for their selection of their drinks,” the giant remarked. “But at least their netra’gal is decent.”

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

When he accepted the offer, her embarrassment completely faded and was quickly replaced by a warm, charismatic smile. Of all the Mandalorians Valery had met in her life, Kranak was not just one of the toughest, but one of the most kind-hearted as well, or at least she felt that way. Of course, she knew that most Mandalorians could be quite brutal in certain battlefield scenarios, but many were very similar and aggressive away from the fields of battle as well. He seemed to be a lot more open to talking to her in a respectful manner, and she appreciated that.

“How much of Tor Valum have you seen thus far?” the giant asked as he turned around, fully facing her as he stood in the doorway. “The Mess Hall upstairs usually have some good meals, but I reckon you’d want to stretch your legs some,” the man said, assuming the Master Jetii wanted to also see the city, instead of being stuck in The Kom’rk for the most part during her time here. “Surbhir Tapcaf’s got some high quality dishes, but I can’t say the same for their selection of their drinks,” the giant remarked. “But at least their netra’gal is decent.”

"I haven't seen much, just the training area and the inside of a bacta tank," she admitted with a smirk before she watched him go through some options in his head, "I'm more hungry than I am thirsty, and I'm not too picky about drinks," she said, clearly interested in exploring a little more and trying something good in terms of food. Part of learning about a culture and the customs of the people here was to try their food as well, right?

"So let's try this sur...bhir... Tapcaf?" She struggled with the name for a moment, flashed another grin, and moved over to nudge him in the direction of the door. Getting out of this medical bay was a good first step — she really disliked the smell, and feeling of being monitored a little too much.

"Oh uh... how do we get there? And... I don't think I have any money. Alliance credits aren't worth anything here, are they?" Another sheepish smile, as she felt bad about basically asking him to cover for her. Together with the fact he spent so much of his time training here, she'd have to repay him somehow.

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

"I haven't seen much, just the training area and the inside of a bacta tank," she admitted with a smirk before she watched him go through some options in his head, "I'm more hungry than I am thirsty, and I'm not too picky about drinks," she said,

At her words that she was more familiar with the interior of a bacta tank than she was familiar with anything else on the planet, the giant couldn’t stifle a warm, hearty laughter. Quick to regain his composure, the man’s laughter dwindled to a soft chuckle as the woman stated she could do with a nice and warm meal over a quality drink, and understandably so. With her wish to see the city and stretch her legs some, Surbhir Tapcaf it was going to be, then.

"So let's try this sur...bhir... Tapcaf?" She struggled with the name for a moment, flashed another grin, and moved over to nudge him in the direction of the door.

“Soor-BEER,” The giant corrected her misspelling of the Mando’a word with a warm smile of his own. “Hah, looks like I will have to teach you some Mando’a while we’re at it,” the giant said with a polite chuckle. Learning a thing or two of their language, as well as their culture, could help her grasp their warrior mindset she sought after that led her here to them.

"Oh uh... how do we get there?"

“I got transportation covered. I have my speeder bike parked outside the base entrance,” the giant answered her question. Tor Valum was considerably far away from The Kom’rk. Although one could still see the bustling, lively city in the distance from the courtyard of the base, and quite easily at that, walking down there from the Cinciri Mountain Range, taking the road, would take about three hours at best; that is if the snow wasn’t so deep. During a snowstorm -which was not so uncommon on Kestri as one might expect- without a proper mode of transportation such as a speeder bike, it would take a lot longer than that to get to the city; not impossible, but extremely difficult.

And... I don't think I have any money. Alliance credits aren't worth anything here, are they?"

At the mention of her concern that Alliance Credits were valid or not, the giant softly chuckled in response to her next inquiry before speaking. “Oh no they’re valid alright,” he said. Noticing a sheepish, shy smile emerging from her visage, the giant briefly fell silent for the moment. “Ah I can cover for the both of us, it is not an issue,” the giant politely said, hoping it would be enough to relieve her; he understood, and had experienced that humbling feeling in the past before. Not in the same scenario she was experiencing now, but the feeling would have been similar still.

“Now come on,” he said as he gently drove his right elbow to her left bicep, giving her a friendly nudge. “Let’s go. Oh, don’t forget about the datapad,” he said as he motioned with an upward nod of his head towards the datapad, set on the bedside table beside her hospital bed.

Walking out of the patient room she resided during her recovery, the giant made his way out of the infirmary. Halting briefly before the infirmary’s entrance, he waited for the Master Jetii to catch up with him. Once she joined him, the Mandalorian would lead her to the turbolifts down the spacious and well lit hallway. Pressing turbolift’s button, they headed for the surface floor of the Kom’rk a moment after.

It did not take long for them to reach the surface thereafter. Exiting the lift once reaching the desired floor, the giant would lead Valery to a path in the hallways, opening into the base’s courtyard with the Vizsla leading the Master Jetii.

Its sensors detecting nearby movement, the blast doors opening up to the courtyard retracted into their housings on the ceiling and on the floor, granting the pair of warriors passage into the courtyard; the clean, fresh and bone chilling air of Kestri began to slowly numb the scarred features of the giant. Heaving a deep breath as he stepped into the courtyard, he could not stifle a smile taking a hold of his features as the cold air stung his lungs like a sharp blade.

“I have been to many planets when I was a kid, chasing bounties and mercenary contracts when I was thirteen,” the giant spoke, reminiscing of some of his memories; his voice trilled with mirth as he spoke fondly of Kestri. Coming to a halt for a brief moment in the courtyard, the man reached for one of his pouches from his chest rig; producing a cigarra, the man drew it to his lips, placing it at the right corner of his mouth.

“My military service has seen me fight our enemies over planets beyond count as well,” reaching for a lighter, the giant briefly turned away from the blowing wind as he lit the cigarra. Tucking the lighter back into his pouch, the giant took a drag of the Copacabana cigarras the Wardog had gotten for him. He had to give it to her, they tasted far better than the others he had smoked before; but the tabac he had found for his pipe still trumped over the cigarra’s, still.

“And none of them can hope to compare to the frozen beauty that is Kestri.” cigarra placed between the first two knuckles in his right hand, the man drew away the cigarra from his mouth after taking a long drag; smoke bellowed from his lips as he heaved a sigh, turning his visage away from the woman to avoid blowing the smoke into her face. Continuing to walk at a slow pace, the giant continued. “Clean air, dense forests, lots of game to hunt… Besides the few large settlements we’ve got here, everything else is practically untouched. Sure it’s as cold, unforgiving and inhospitable as Hoth, but… It’s home,” he said; the mirth in his voice swept away with the gentle, freezing wind with a more somber tone of his voice as he emphasized on ‘home’ . The Mando’ade had to relocate to Kestri for a reason. “It’s everything what Mandalore once was.”

Extending his right hand towards the Master Jetii walking beside him, the giant offered the woman his cigarra. “Do you smoke?”

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

His correction of her butchering the name in Mando'a got her to snort, "I think I've got it now, I'll keep it in mind," she said with a small wave of her hand and a warm smile. Learning the entire language during this relatively short journey would be impossible, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to pick up on a few things.

Her question about transportation was covered quickly too, and at the mention of a speeder bike, he could see some excitement flaring up in her eyes, "A speeder bike, huh? I always love the freedom and adrenaline from them, so I'm curious to see what you got," she said with a feisty grin that fairly quickly shifted back to a more timid smile. The alliance credits she had were going to be accepted here, but he offered to pay for her anyway. It was a kind gesture, but with everything he was already handling for her, she couldn't help but feel a little bad about it. "I can always convert some credits and pay you back later, it's really no problem," she said before she got ready to leave with him.

"Let's go. Oh, don't forget about the datapad,"

She totally hadn't forgotten about that.

Trying to hide her eyes widening, she very swiftly spun around, her ponytail whipping behind her, and snatched the datapad off the table without saying a word. When she turned back, there was just a confident smile and a nod to signal she was ready to get going. The two then passed through hallways and turbolifts until they reached the courtyard, where Kranak stopped for a smoke. It wasn't something that bothered her at all, and she just took the moment to enjoy the fresh air and scenery around them. Until just now, she hadn't really taken the time to appreciate it because all her focus had been on training.

Then, listening to him talk about this planet and what it meant to him, she began to smile again, "You know, I don't think I've ever felt that any place was like home to me. I always considered the Temple my home, but not because of the location, it was about the people. Now it's a bit different in my life, and I'm starting to understand it more."

Her eyes turned back to him, and she shook her head, "I don't smoke, but thanks." Looking at the scenery again, she drew in a deep breath and rolled her shoulders, "As much as I dislike the cold, this is actually a place I'd consider living on. Something to make my home."

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

Then, listening to him talk about this planet and what it meant to him, she began to smile again, "You know, I don't think I've ever felt that any place was like home to me. I always considered the Temple my home, but not because of the location, it was about the people. Now it's a bit different in my life, and I'm starting to understand it more."

Her eyes turned back to him, and she shook her head, "I don't smoke, but thanks."​

The giant gave her a simple nod of his head as he drew the cigarra back to his lips. Taking another drag of smoke as the woman voiced a remark about Kestri as they made their way towards the base entrance through the courtyard, the giant pondered the Master Jetii’s words; she felt home not because of the choice of location, but because of the people. Her sentiment had the man raise an eyebrow in intrigue. It was similar to what home meant for Mandalorians. Although it was nice to have a planet to regard as their home, a place to settle down for a time, they were nomadic at heart. They carried their nation within their hearts, wherever they went.

The philosophy she had adopted in that regard, had sparked intrigue in the giant. He couldn’t help but wonder what other similarities in thought they shared.

Looking at the scenery again, she drew in a deep breath and rolled her shoulders, "As much as I dislike the cold, this is actually a place I'd consider living on. Something to make my home."

The man flashed a grin at the woman as he puffed smoke away from her visage. “It is not as difficult to get accustomed to the cold as you might think. A place is as good as one’s home, so long as they’re surrounded with those whom one regards as family,” The giant said as he tucked butt of his cigarra at the corner of his mouth; coming closer to the checkpoint by the base entrance, guarded by sentries on guard duty, the giant reached for one of his pouches as the sentry approached them.

<”Security clearance,”> the sentry demanded of them with an anticipatory voice; taking the giant’s security clearance he passed to him. The man glanced up at the giant and the Master Jetii beside her as the sentry waited for the scanner to complete verifying the man’s clearance. The scanner in his hands briefly beeped twice, verifying the Vizsla’s clearance. Handing back the giant’s identification, the sentry’s hand extended towards the woman, demanding her identification in return.

Running the same confirmation process of her pass, the man would return the Master Jetii’s pass back to her before turning around to head back to his post by the gate. <”Alright, let ‘em through,”> he shouted for one of them to raise the gate.

Walking out the base entrance, the giant made his way towards his ride not far from the entrance as the gate closed behind them shortly after they walked out. He raised his right hand and gently grasped the cigarra between his lips, “And here’s my baby,” the giant said with a grin as he took one last hefty drag of the smoke, standing before his 22-B Nightfalcon. He raised his visage to the skies above, bellowing smoke with a heave of sigh. Tossing the spent cigarra to the ground afterwards, the giant stepped on the stub, putting it out for good. “One of the more older models of its kind,” the man said as he slipped on his helmet. The obsidian black visor glowed to life with a white as clean as Kestri’s snow; the familiar heads-up display of his helmet laid out right before his eyes.

<”It’s not as fast as other speeder bikes out there, but I quickly grew fond of its balance,”> the giant remarked as he grasped the bike’s handle with his right hand. Leaning into the bike slightly, the giant lifted and swung his leg up and over the seat. Sat on the seat, the man adjusted the long black kama he wore as he spoke. <”Wait till you hear its engine purr,”> the giant muttered joyfully as he produced the bike’s keys from his pocket; although his grin was hidden underneath his armored visage, his voice easily gave that away. <”Come on, hop on,”> Inserting the keys into the ignition and turning on the engine, the repulsorlift engine of the vehicle came to life at a low hum first, but after a moment it quickly turned into a loud growl. The man’s chuckle would have been barely audible over the growling of the engine. <”Hold on tight!”> the giant shouted over the loud grumbling as the speeder bike lurched forward.

Taking the main road, it would not take the two of them any longer than ten minutes to reach the outskirts of the city of Tor Valum, as the giant masterfully drove the speeder bike at breakneck speeds down the wide road covered in small to large patches of clean, lily-white snow.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

The conversation about what home really meant was a nice change of pace from beating the hell out of each other. But after they started walking further, got through the security check, and passed through the gate, Valery saw something that was even better. The speeder bike was almost exactly like what she had pictured in her mind — it was fast and built to last. She had been on similar bikes many times before, and very few things gave her a bigger adrenaline rush.

"And here's my baby,"

"She's beautiful," Valery said with a large grin on her face as she walked around the bike to get a better look. As Kranak explained, it wasn't the fastest model out there, but many others were far more dangerous. This thing could take a hit and be a lot more comfortable to take for a spin. "You can't tease me like that, fire it up." She winked and after he climbed into the seat, she stood still to listen to the engine roar. The sheer power caused her entire body to tremble, and every part of her demeanor betrayed the excitement she felt to climb on top and enjoy the ride.

<"Come on, hop on,">

"You don't have to ask me twice," Valery said before she swung a leg over the bike, sat down behind him, and leaned forward, against his back. She first shifted her hands to his sides to hold on, but when the engine really began to growl, she wrapped herself around his waist and held on tight. The two blasted off seconds later, and she could feel the wind flowing through her long hair, while adrenaline spiked inside of her. "This is great!" She called out, even though he could probably not hear her over the rushing winds.

Valery clearly appreciated that he wasn't taking things slow, and at their incredible pace, they soon reached the outskirts of the city, where he would be forced to slow down to adjust to traffic. It allowed Valery to ease up the grip she held around him, and take a moment to enjoy the scenery, "This is so much better than some boring taxi ride. Thanks for this," she spoke into his ear as she tried to lean closer.

Finally, the two would approach their destination, and she felt Kranak slowing down so he could find a parking spot. As fun as the ride here was, she felt really hungry so getting inside the tavern was almost as exciting. Luckily, she also knew they'd have to go for a ride back, and maybe she could convince him to take a long way around...

It was too much fun, after all.

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

The jet-black speeder bike left a white streak of kicked up snow trailing it close behind in its wake as the giant drove the vehicle down the empty road at lightning speed, headed for the city of Tor Valum. The rows of ceaseless snow covered trees on either side of the road quickly turned into a white, brown and dark greenish smudge as they drove past it at an incredible speed; the sharp scream of the engine echoed all around them.

The almost deafeningly loud grumbling of the repulsorlift engine of one beast of a machine under him, intertwined with the howling wind, as their speed almost doubled while going at a hilldown point on the road. The almost indescribably sweet sensation of splitting the air at such tremendous speeds, and the sheer exhilaration it gave him, had reminded him of the operations he had undertaken where they had to deploy onto an area of operations via high altitude low opening drop with jetpacks.

Although the latter was more exciting than a ride with a speeder bike, as the aforementioned assignments had involved plenty of flak fire from the enemy to blast them out of the skies, and the thrill of combat at the end of it all; but this certainly came close to imitating the amount of adrenaline he had felt in such missions in the past.

The giant deduced the Master Jetii was also experiencing a similar exhilaration with that of the giant; he felt the woman wrapping her arms around his waist, and had begun tightening her embrace greatly as she held onto him. The woman’s words would prove his deduction of the facts to be true as her shout reached his ears; detecting her speech, the helmet had mostly filtered out the loud roar and grumble of the machine’s engine, and the screeching wind. The loud noises failed to drown out her voice, thanks to his helmet.

"This is great!" She called out, even though he could probably not hear her over the rushing winds.

A smile emerged from underneath the man’s armored visage as he chuckled heartily at her words; his vigilant gaze remained fixated on the road stretching before him as the city in the distance drew closer and closer with each passing moment. Eventually, after a certain point, the giant began slowing down his speed in small decretions. Forced to do so, abiding by the law, as he began approaching the outskirts of the city itself, the speeder bike would noticeably slow down, as the machine’s boisterous engine remained at a low pitched growl.

Slowly passing by rows of speeders parked by the curb on the streets, occasionally overtaking a driver or two, the man steered the beast of a machine towards Midtown; taking it relatively slow compared to how they drove all the way here from The Kom’rk, the giant gave the woman a short glance from over his right shoulder as he heard the woman speak, leaning closer to the side of his helmet to whisper something.

"This is so much better than some boring taxi ride. Thanks for this," she spoke into his ear as she tried to lean closer.

The giant chuckled loud enough to be audible for her, undrowned by the growling engine. <”Who needs a taxi when you got this for a ride?”> The man said with a smile as he turned his visage back at the road again after glancing over his shoulder.

It wasn’t long after they'd made their way into Tor Valum they entered Midtown. Following an upcoming turn on the road before him, the giant gently steered the speeder bike at the front of the Tapcaf, not too far away from the structure’s entrance. Turning off the engine as he twisted the key in its ignition after coming to a gentle halt, the giant pulled the key off the ignition and tucked it into his pocket. <”Alright, here we are.”> the giant muttered as he shifted his right foot on the ground and slowly swung his left leg over the seat, dismounting from the ride.

<”Look’s like it’s a slow day,”> the giant muttered as he took a few steps forward towards the Tapcaf, looking into the structure through one of its windows at the front. Pushing open the push-door, the giant walked into the Tapcaf; although there weren’t a lot of patrons inside, the Tapcaf was very lively, with Mandalorians, several off worlders and spacers alike were dining, drinking, playing games of chance or were simply engaged in conversation as the jukebox in one corner of the Tapcaf played a tune as the mouthwatering smell of fine dishes wafted in the air.

Spotting an empty sofa booth by a Window not far away, the giant pointed at it with a curt nod of his head. <”Seems like a nice spot,”> the giant muttered as he walked over to the unclaimed table. Taking his seat at the table across from the Master Jetii, the giant reached for his helmet with both hands; slipping it free, the giant set the helm on the far side table, close to the window to his right. The white glimmering visor faded into darkness as the giant leaned his back against the sofa, getting comfortable.

Summoning a service droid with the simple motion of his left hand, it did not take long for the droid to head over to them and take their order. <”Welcome to the Surbhir Tapcaf! What can I get you today?”> the droid greeted and inquired with a feminine voice as the droid offered them a menu. “I’ll have a large Roba Pie and a pint of Ne’tra gal.” the man ordered his usual without taking a look at the menu.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

<"Who needs a taxi when you got this for a ride?">

"Right?" She grinned and couldn't agree with him more. Valery already knew she'd be staying here for a few weeks, with occasional trips back to Alliance space, so she was going to have to convince him to drive her around on the bike more often. Perhaps she'd even get a chance to take it for a spin herself.

But after they made it to the Tapcaf, she set aside those thoughts for now and focused on the next exciting thing — filling her stomach with way too much food. He had made mention of it being better here than in most places, so she wondered what it would be like. For all her experience with Mandalorians, she had never tried out any of their dishes, so it would be something entirely new to her. "I do like slow days," Valery commented as she followed his gaze through the window. Crowded places didn't bother her, but she had a feeling she'd draw some attention, considering her lack of armor and the lightsabers on her belt.

Being able to peacefully enjoy a meal and some good company would be much appreciated.

With music playing in the background, and a very nice atmosphere in the room, she nodded in agreement when he spotted a place for them to sit, and she lowered herself on the opposite side of the table. Smelling food all around her, she could hear her stomach growl all over again, and leaned forward onto the table with a sigh, "Hmmm... I can't wait until we get our meals. I'm starving," she said with a smirk before she leaned back and relaxed into her chair, her eyes fixed on Kranak until a droid appeared to take their orders.

"I'll try the uh... spiced leathermeat, and I'll take the same drink, thank you!" she smiled at the droid, not having a clue what any of these things tasted like. But she loved meat, so it seemed like a safe bet. A single glance was shot into Kranak's direction to make sure she wasn't making a terrible mistake, though.

Looking back at Kranak, she relaxed again and tilted her head curiously, "Do you come here often? Or more the type to cook yourself and eat at home?"

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

"I'll try the uh... spiced leathermeat, and I'll take the same drink, thank you!" she smiled at the droid.

Noticing the glance she casted his way as the service droid took her order, the giant nodded with a faint smile at her decision. Whether she ordered or ate a Mandalorian dish for the first time or not would remain unknown to him unless perceived later on, her choice for a good meal, namely spiced leathermeat and a pint of ne’tra gal to wash it all down, was a pretty good option for a fulfilling meal; but given her situation in mind, the giant wagered a single portion would not easily satisfy her hunger. The woman’s stomach grumble from before the service droid approached them to take their order was almost as loud as the one that had reached his ears back in the infirmary.

<”A large Roba Pie, spiced leathermeat, and two pints of ne’tra gal,”> the droid repeated back their order, making sure their customers’ satisfaction was met. <”Is there anything else you would like to order? A dessert, perhaps?”> the droid asked the two of them, anticipating a response. The giant scratched his chin as he thought for a moment. A few slices of uj’alayi would go nicely. “Thank you, I’ll have two slices of uj cake myself; but send it after the meal,” the giant politely requested.

<”Great choices! I will be back with your orders in about twenty minutes.”> with a polite nod of its head, after taking both their orders, the service droid went to another table at the summon of another patron in the Tapcaf.

Shifting his gaze from the droid, the giant met the woman’s gaze with his own as she spoke to him, raising him an inquiry.

Looking back at Kranak, she relaxed again and tilted her head curiously, "Do you come here often? Or more the type to cook yourself and eat at home?"

“No, not so often,” the giant said as he shook his head, answering her initial question. “I prefer making my own meal, but I haven’t had the time to do that for a long time. I make do with whatever they serve us in the Mess Hall,” the man continued; reaching for one of his magazine pouches on his chest rig, the man produced a lighter and a Copacabana cigarra. “Nutritious and tasty, but I certainly can’t deny it gets bland after a while, and quickly at that,” The man said with a chuckle as he placed the cigarra between his lips. Rolling the serrated sparkwheel of the lighter with a flick of his thumb, the lighter in his hand produced a small, steady flame.

Lighting the tip of his cigarra as he extinguished the lighter’s flame, the giant set the lighter on the table beside his helmet as he reached and pulled an empty ashtray on the table closer to him. “It’s bearable with sauces though,” the man took a drag of smoke afterwards. Slightly turning his head to the side, smoke rolled out his lips with a puff. “What about you? I reckon you’re not often granted the respite to cook a nice dinner for yourself,” he asked as he drew away the cigarra from his lips; tapping the cigarra onto the lip of the ashtray, the creeping ash fell into the empty tray.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Infirmary

<"Is there anything else you would like to order? A dessert, perhaps?">

Valery barely knew what to order for the main dish, so she had absolutely no clue about a dessert. Luckily, Kranak had it covered and she just nodded along with a kind smile. Some cake seemed fine — Valery wasn't big on desserts or anything too sweet, but this felt safe enough to try. With the orders placed, the droid moved away to get everything ready, and Valery's gaze shifted back to Kranak for some conversation.

"I know that feeling all too well. I love cooking but I've been so busy that Temple food is usually the best I can get," Valery said after she had listened to his answer. It was likely the same for most Jedi and Mandalorians. Always busy with work wherever it took them, so there was little time to focus on other things. "If I make it home in time, my husband will cook me dinner though, so that's always a nice change of pace." They both loved to cook, so whenever they were free, it was a matter of taking turns to prepare good meals, but now she could barely remember the last time she cooked for him or anybody for that matter.

"But at least the Temple food is still better than food rations. Whenever I'm at the front for a while, I eat a lot of the simple energy bars... they are way too chemical." She shuddered at the thought of having to eat more of those. "I'm sure you have something similar if not the exact same thing."

Leaning back, Valery smiled and shifted her gaze away as the droid returned with their drinks. The food was still being prepared but at least they had their pints of ne'tra gal. Valery reached for hers and held it up for a toast, "To better relations between our people? Or maybe getting through this training without 24-hour bacta trips?" She grinned and regardless of what it would be, she moved to touch her glass against his.

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

A faint grin emerged from the giant’s scar ridden features as he regarded her words; the man gave her a simple nod of his head in a wordless gesture of acknowledgement of her sentiment. Like him, and many others who've dedicated their lives towards the service to their people, or servitude in the more broad sense of the word, they seldom had time for such little things, or themselves. One would only truly know the value of such things, until they’ve lost such privileges. They sacrificed such trivial joys of life, and so much more, so their people would not have to.

"But at least the Temple food is still better than food rations. Whenever I'm at the front for a while, I eat a lot of the simple energy bars... they are way too chemical." She shuddered at the thought of having to eat more of those. "I'm sure you have something similar if not the exact same thing."

”Hah,” Listening to her as she continued, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her next words while raising his cigarra to his lips to take a quick drag of smoke. Slightly turning his visage away from her’s, the smoke bellowed from his lips with a sigh. ”I doubt it tastes any worse than ration cubes. Hell, it probably has a taste to begin with,” drawing away the cigarra from his lips, the man tapped the smoke onto the lip of the ashtray, watching the creeping ash freely fall into the tray. ”I have not tasted a ration pack or a food that is as bland as that,” grinning, he shook his head. They were highly nutritious, didn’t weigh much and did not take a lot of space in one’s assault pack, but it lacked any flavor.

It certainly was an acquired taste one would get used to over time.

Sensing motion in his peripheral, the giant looked to his left to see the service droid bringing their ordered drinks. Reaching for his pint, the giant extended a wordless appreciation in the form of a simple gesture of his head at the droid. Turning around with the service tray in its hands, the droid left them to tend to another patron of the Tapcaf.

"To better relations between our people? Or maybe getting through this training without 24-hour bacta trips?" She grinned and regardless of what it would be, she moved to touch her glass against his.

”Less time spent healing from injuries would certainly be splendid,” he chuckled as he raised his pint for the proposed toast to her in kind, before drawing it to his lips. The man fell silent for a moment as he took a big swig from the cold, black colored, sticky sweet ale, pondering wordlessly in the meantime. <If only every jedi shared your warrior heart…> the Vizsla thought to himself in regards to her first proposal for the toast. Although they were far from being enemies, at least for now, as they shared a very common, heinous enemy that would see both of their people erased from the galaxy, he never forgot the fact that their people had waged war against one another in history before.

And neither did she, the giant assumed.

Millennia ago, they had laid waste to planets in the name of glorious conquest of the galaxy; the bloody legacy his ancestors had left behind was one of the reasons why their people, the Mandalorians, were greatly feared in battle by the aruetiise, who generally lacked the combat finesse to take them on in an all out war.

But there were exceptions to that notion, of course. The Mandalorian Excision, he forgot not. The Iron Heart they’ve all adorned on the cuirass of their armor following the Excision, memorialized it; but perhaps he was being too conservative with such thoughts. They were waging war against the same enemy that'd see both of their people die. Why hold grudges against each other and weaken one another in petty squabbles while the arch enemy strengthened their hand to wipe them out?

They were feared still, and rightly so, but the glorious days of waging an interstellar crusade against the entire galaxy… although the warrior within his heart that craved for blood, dreamt of such days on occasions, it was nothing more than that; just dreams. They had their more radical kin who longed to relive such days, but it was just not possible. Not anymore; not after what occurred on Mandalore at the hands of the Sith. There were too few of them left on the galaxy to spent their lives on such meaningless endeavors.

Those who thought for it to be possible were seeing a mirage, and a dangerous one at that.

Drawing the pint away from his lips, the giant lowered the pint -now less than half full- in his grasp as he slightly leaned forward onto the table; closing his eyes for a moment, the man gently massaged his brows with his right hand; the cigarra between his two knuckles reeched a faint column of gray smoke. The giant savored the taste in his mouth in momentary silence; the ale most certainly hit the spot.

With a muffled sigh, the giant opened his eyes, shifting his gaze at her visage as he drew the cigarra to his lips for a drag of smoke again. “So,” he paused, drawing smoke from his cigarra. “How goes the war effort?” he asked, puffing the smoke to the side. He sort of knew of her answer, having read a lot of intelligence reports regarding their war against the merciless hordes of the Maw, but hearing it from a revered warrior such as the Master Jetii, who's been in the thick of it all, was very different than reading after action reports.

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Kestri | Restaurant

"I think the ration bars are very similar to the cubes. Either way, they're all tasteless and I get tired of them very quickly," She chuckled and with her drink now accepted, sat back to just relax and enjoy the conversation. In a way, it was extremely weird to be here — she was used to times when a lot of tension still existed between the Jedi and Mandalorians. Valery was born only about 300 years after the Mandalorian wars, so those who were left hated the Jedi, and she had found herself clashing with them at the time as well.

Now, there was still some tension. History could be forgiven to an extent but never forgotten. The Jedi remembered how brutal the Mandalorian campaign had been, and how many were slaughtered at their hands. But in return, the Mandalorians would likely never forget how much damage the Jedi caused to their people either.

Today it didn't matter, though, and she had no intentions of bringing it up.

"How goes the war effort?"

The question shifted her expression forced her brows to furrow, and she found herself deep in thought for a moment. It was a complex situation, and it was important she could separate her own feelings from reality, "Well, we've launched our liberation campaign to retake worlds in the core — the Era of Reclamation as they like to call it. We were successful on Empress Teta with it, but the Maw barely tried to hold it. They inflicted casualties and are making a tactical retreat to regroup and fight with far more strength against our next plans."

For a moment, she paused and raised her glass up to her lips for a small sip, "I have a feeling the war is turning into our favor, but I don't know if it's going to first swing back into theirs before we push them all the way back, or if some unforeseen trouble stops us from keeping the Maw out. I know many would hate to admit it, but the GA is currently the big wall halting their advance. Which is why I want to keep relations with the Mandalorians strong, and after what the Enclave managed to do on Tython, I hope to see them even more actively fighting against the Maw as well."

"Together, we can beat them."

Kranak Vizsla ​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Valery Noble

​

The question shifted her expression forced her brows to furrow, and she found herself deep in thought for a moment. It was a complex situation, and it was important she could separate her own feelings from reality, "Well, we've launched our liberation campaign to retake worlds in the core — the Era of Reclamation as they like to call it. We were successful on Empress Teta with it, but the Maw barely tried to hold it. They inflicted casualties and are making a tactical retreat to regroup and fight with far more strength against our next plans."

His gaze wavered not away from the woman’s visage as she answered the giant’s question in detail. The giant of a Mandalorian remained silent as he hearkened to her words, puffing smoke away from her visage as he occasionally took a hefty drag of smoke from his cigarra. The man gave a curt nod of his head at her remark regarding the arch enemy’s strategy. The foe had little to gain from unrelenting their grasp over Empress Teta; they were a very smart and cunning opponent. It would spell disaster for anyone to underestimate their capabilities when it came to waging war.

They expected the Alliance to strike back, and had planned for it. They were forcing the Alliance to pay for every inch of territory they reclaimed, draining their manpower and resources in the process, all the while trying to retain theirs.

For a moment, she paused and raised her glass up to her lips for a small sip, "I have a feeling the war is turning into our favor, but I don't know if it's going to first swing back into theirs before we push them all the way back, or if some unforeseen trouble stops us from keeping the Maw out. I know many would hate to admit it, but the GA is currently the big wall halting their advance. Which is why I want to keep relations with the Mandalorians strong, and after what the Enclave managed to do on Tython, I hope to see them even more actively fighting against the Maw as well."

"Together, we can beat them."​

A muffled, pondering grunt escaped his lips as he drew away his cigarra. Tapping it lightly onto the lip of the ash tray, the man flicked the ash into the tray.

He was certain they would make the arch enemy pay for the crimes they had committed against not only the both of their people, but against the galaxy itself. Untold billions suffered from the war; the longer it carried onward, the worse it would get. He too believed the idea they would put an end to their merciless crusade they waged.

But that wasn’t what bothered his mind.

“We will,” the man vocalized the sentiment he shared with her, concurring with her last remark. “I do not doubt that,” he said as he leaned closer on the table; crossing his arms, the giant shifted his gaze from her visage and at the numerous patrons of the tapcaf for the moment. “But what do you think will come after?” The giant raised a question he himself did not exactly have an answer to, as he turned his visage to look at the pair of orange eyes before him. “Before them, came the Bryn’adûl, who threatened the galaxy with their presence alone, before they were eventually rendered a threat no more, through the efforts of the many.” he raised the cigarra to his lips, pausing briefly to take a quick drag of his smoke. “Now, it is the Maw that threatens the lives of untold billions with their very presence in the galaxy. Once they too are dealt with, what sort of threat akin to their predecessors will emerge, I wonder,” smoke bellowed from his lips as he turned his visage to the side for a moment, blowing smoke away from the woman that sat across him at the table.

“Our efforts to fight evil are not for nought… but the fight does appear to be endless as time itself. As much as the warrior within my heart and soul yearns for combat, bloodshed, and the ever satisfying sight of my enemies’ bodies lying on the bloodstained ground before me; broken, lifeless, unmoving… I cannot deny its burden on my shoulders,” the man fell silent momentarily after sharing his sentiment, letting it sink in as he drew away his cigarra from his lips. Raising the pint to his lips, the Vizsla Alor finished the remainder of his drink in one last hefty swig; a muffled patter resounded as the man set the pint before him on the table. “The war between light and dark will never cease. Although its flames may wither and die down under the wind of peace, its embers will never be smothered by it," Drawing the cigarra to his lips for the last time, the man took one last drag of the cigarra he smoked all the way down to its butt "But one day, our fight will come to an end; only in death does duty end.” as he fell silent after his remark, pondering about his words, wondering whether the Master Jetii also shared a sentiment similar to his as he extinguished the lit cigarra butt on the ashtray, stubbing it out, smothering the smoke.

​