Private Lost Jedi

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

If only Aether could see him now. He was certain his brother would burst a blood vessel if he ever found out Acier had willingly travelled into the heart of the Jedi. Tython. Regardless of the history and current relations between the Jedi and Mandalore, and the warning he had received from Aether. Ace needed answers. And nothing was going to stop him from getting what he needed.

If the vision was true, the name Vinorl should mean something to the Jedi. Which meant coming here. Nothing else mattered.

The Flickerfox dropped out of hyperspace in a quiet corner of Tython's orbit. Ace kept the ship steady, eyes narrowed at the blue-green planet below. From up here, it looked serene. Ancient. But that peace didn't fool him. Places like this had memory.

He didn't land near the temple directly. Better not to draw attention, especially with a freighter painted in shadow tones and war stripes. Ace set her down in a clearing a few kilometers out, tucked between tree-covered ridges. The walk would do him good anyway. The world greeted him with towering stone cliffs and sun-dappled valleys. The air felt different here, heavy, not with moisture, but with meaning. Like the Force was stitched into the roots of every tree. Ace kept walking.

Ace had never been to a Jedi Temple before, not an active one anyway. He'd passed through one before, ruins and hollowed-out husks echoing with ghosts. This was different. He could feel it. The Force here wasn't just a memory. It was truly alive here.

The white-haired nomad pulled his jacket tighter and kept his pace steady, lightsaber clipped at his belt like a secret he wasn't ready to explain. As the Jedi Temple came into view, his pace slowed as he took it all in. Thoughts flashing to, if he had been found as a child - this would be home to him. Not Bonadan. It was fleeting before his mind centred on the task at hand.

He was to meet Valery, at the Temple steps. Seemed he was early, or she was late. It didn't matter, he was here now. As he waited, he realized he hadn't seen Valery in a long time. So much had changed, he had changed. Ace wondered if she'd even recognize him still, it wasn't like she had much to go off of when they met the last two times before. Either way, part of him was excited to see her.

Valery Noble
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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's steps carried her down from the Temple, sunlight catching on the folds of her tunic as the breeze moved through the trees lining the path. She spotted the lone figure waiting at the base of the steps and quickened her pace, a small breath escaping her as she closed the distance.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," she said as she came within earshot, her tone warm and genuine. "Something came up inside, but I did not mean to leave you out here for long."

She slowed to a stop in front of him, and for a heartbeat her eyes swept over him with clear surprise. The man standing before her was taller than she remembered, his frame filled out with muscle, the cut of his jacket fitting him well. He had changed, and not just in stature.

Valery blinked once, then a smile spread across her face, soft and sincere. "You look different," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Stronger. It suits you." Her gaze lingered for a moment, then she folded her hands loosely in front of her and let the smile remain.

"It's good to see you again, Ace."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Acier could sense Valery before he saw her. With his connection to the Force growing, strengthening. It was easier to feel individuals through the Force, to pick them out. To him, everyone had their own unique but defining presence now. Valery was clearer to him now than she ever was before.

She felt like stone. Ancient, carved, and still standing after everything. In the Force, her presence was like a fortress: silent, deliberate, and impossible to miss. Strength didn't flare off her like a flame, it was steady and consistent, settling around her like gravity. At first glance, it felt cold. Distant, maybe. But when Ace looked closer, there was something deeper beneath the surface. A warmth, quiet and patient, like a fire left burning behind a closed door. She didn't move like someone chasing clarity. She was clarity.

When she apologized for being late, he merely smiled and shook his head. Holding his palm out as to stop her from doing so.

"Don't worry about it. Scenery makes up for it."

She'd made a comment on him looking different. Stronger. It caused Ace to give Valery a once over himself, immediately he noticed she was shorter than him now. Not by much, but it was noticeable. That was something he was still getting used to.

"It's good to see you too, Val." He said, voice lighter and softer.

Valery was one of the few people in the galaxy that Ace felt like he could let his guard down arround. The pair had only met face to face twice, but they remained in contact through other means over the time they'd last seen each other. Enough for Ace to feel complete trust in her almost.

"That said, I'm not really here for just a catch-up." He added, falling back to a more serious tone "I need your help. Information. And you might be the only lead I have."

Acier unclipped his lightsaber from his belt, giving it a swift look over before handing it over to the Jedi Grandmaster.

"This lightsaber isn't mine. Remember when I told you it was the only thing I was left with?" Pausing, he let his words hang for a moment "It didn't belong to either of my parents. It belonged to some guy, some Jedi named Vinorl."

Then, he slowly flicked his fingers. Gently lifting the lightsaber from Valery's hands and recalling it back to his own. Clipping it back to his belt, he cast a glance toward her. His face was stoic, almost blank - but his eyes were pleading. Hopeful.

"I don't have a last name or any other info. All I know is he took something called a 'Barash Vow' and... he knew my mother."

That last part would be enough for Valery to know how important this was to Acier. How much he needed this.

Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery listened closely, her eyes fixed on Acier as he spoke. She said nothing at first, letting the silence stretch long enough to show him that he had her full attention. When he offered the saber, she took it carefully in both hands, letting her gaze drift over its design, the weight of it in her grip.

At the mention of Vinorl, her brow furrowed just slightly.

"A Barash Vow," she repeated softly. Her fingers traced along the hilt once before he called it back, and she let it go without resistance. Then, she hummed in thought, arms folding loosely across her chest as she looked back toward the Temple.

"We can start in the archives," she said. "If he was part of the Order before taking the vow, there may be a record. It might not be much, but it's a place to begin. And with luck, we might find something that leads to your parents too."

Her expression softened again, the faintest edge of a smile returning. "Come on," she added, gesturing toward the steps with a tilt of her head. "Let's see what we can dig up."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

A smile tugged at his lips when she confirmed they could look in the archives. It was the type of joyful smile you'd see on a kid during Life Day. But then it quietly faltered when she mentioned his parents. Ace still hadn't told Valery... that he had learned his father was Darth Metus.

It was something he still struggled with. That he had been wondering for months, if he carried the same darkness within him, and if... it'd change the way people looked at him. Valery being amongst the ones he worried about the most.

Nodding toward Valery's gesture, he began his way up the steps - falling in line with her as she led him toward the archives. He was silent for a small stretch of time, contemplating on what was ahead. What they could find.

When they neared the archives, Acier would finally cut the silence.

"What is a Barash Vow?" he asked.

Despite all of his physical training he'd received, Pisti hadn't really taught him much Jedi philosophy. Probably because he wasn't actually training to be one.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The Barash Vow was a powerful concept, and Valery took a moment to make sure she got it right. As she and Acier walked through the Temple, her hands slid behind her back, fingers clasped loosely as she glanced over at him.

"It's a vow taken by Jedi who feel the need to step away from everything tied to the Order," she began, her tone calm. "They don't leave the Jedi path, but they disconnect from missions, politics, even contact with other Jedi. All of it. It's a form of penance, or sometimes just a way to re-center themselves in the Force."

Her gaze drifted ahead again, and she continued, "It was named after the Jedi who started the practice. She believed that the only way to truly commune with the Force was to cut out all distractions, even the Order itself. Most who take the vow do it for personal reasons. Sometimes after something traumatic."

Valery offered a sidelong glance to Acier, watching him process her words as they reached the tall doors of the Temple archives. Ancient, elegant, and humming with history, the chamber opened before them like a cathedral of knowledge. The holoprojectors lining the desks glowed a soft blue, and the tall walls were lined with thousands of digital scrolls, tomes, and records.

She stepped inside first and gestured for him to follow.

"If he was ever recorded here, this is where we'll find the trail."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Ace wasn't used to this side of Valery - the calm, stoic, almost 'straight to business' side of her. It wasn't a bad thing. Maybe she was taking this serious because she knew how serious it was for him. He pondered on that thought for a moment.

Then she went on to explain what it was, a Barash Vow. To him, it sounded like some sort of glorified self-exile. Or a sabbatical. Valery added that most Jedi that take the vow do so for personal reasons usually, borne of traumatic experiences at times.

He wondered if this is why Vinorl took the Barash Vow. If so, what had he seen or... what had he done? Did it have something to do with his lightsaber? Ace remembered Vinorl saying something to his mother. She'd asked him why he still kept it, even when he'd sworn off fighting. He said:

"Because it still remembers who I was."

"What does that even mean...?" He accidentally muttered to himself, thinking aloud.

Ace glanced at Valery, finally. He rubbed the back of his neck, realizing that she may think he was responding to her.

"Not you. I was just... I was thinking about something. It's hard to explain."

When he laid eyes on the archives, his eyes widened and lips slightly parted. This was their archives? He'd never seen anything like it. Bonadan had libraries, sure, but they didn't feel like this. This was like walking into millennia of history, memories, focused into one spot. Part of him wanted to say something, crack a joke, maybe. Just to break the weight of it. But he didn't.

He stepped inside quietly. Like he didn't want to wake the ghosts. His gaze swept the vaulted room, trying to absorb its scale, its quiet pulse of history. Then he glanced toward Valery.

"We can search by name, right?" he asked, keeping his voice low, like he didn't want to disturb whatever presence lingered in here. "Vinorl. First name only, but… if he took the Barash Vow, maybe that narrows it down. We can cross-reference the name with... I assume you keep some sort of Barash Vow record?"

He paused, hands loosely hooked into his belt. "If there's a record of him; mission reports, personal logs, maybe even a location he withdrew to, I have to see it."

Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery glanced over at him as he muttered, but said nothing. She understood that look, so she wasn't going to poke at him. Whatever he was remembering, whatever questions he carried, they mattered. And in here, among thousands of years of Jedi history, maybe some of those answers were finally within reach.

"If he took the Barash Vow and his name exists anywhere in our records, we'll find him," she said with a dip of her head. There was no need to reassure him beyond that. She meant it.

She crossed the room and approached one of the central consoles. The soft blue light of the display illuminated her face as she brought up the interface and keyed in a series of search criteria. Barash Vow registrants, filtered by name, and limited to the years Vinorl would have been active. She adjusted the search parameters again, then turned and stepped back.

"You're more likely to recognize what you need," she said, motioning to the console. "Search through the entries. Look for names, places, anything familiar. If something stands out, we dig deeper."

Her arms folded loosely again as she watched him. "This kind of search takes patience. But if he's in here, we'll find his trail."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Ace nodded quietly at Valery's words, stepping toward the console she'd prepped. The glow from the display reflected faintly in his eyes as he stared down at the search results. List after list of names, dates, entries. It wasn't overwhelming, not exactly… but it felt heavier than he expected.​

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He hovered his hand over the interface, fingers flexing slightly before making contact. His breath slowed.​

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"A lot of names. So many just... up and walked?" he muttered.​

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As he continued his search, eyes scouring for anything that caught his attention, Ace had remembered something. A smirk tugged at his lip. Without averting his gaze from the monitor, he spoke.​

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"Oh yeah, I met Aris and Vera. Total accident, didn't even know they were yours at first." His smirk broadened a little more, he looked over his shoulder. At her. "You did good. With them."​

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Then the moment passed, and his expression settled again as he combed through the entries. Not aimlessly, carefully. Searching for anything that felt wrong. Or familiar. A planet name. A date. A phrase that scratched at the back of his mind. After a short while, his fingers slowed as a name flickered across the display.​

Vinorl Kastan
Species: Human
Born: 842 ABY
Homeworld: Coruscant
Rank: Jedi Knight
Date of Barash Vow – 874 ABY
Final Recorded Location: Dathomir
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Ace blinked. He tapped the entry, and more text unfurled in clean, digitized formatting with a short summary.​

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'Jedi Knight Vinorl Kastan served with distinction in the Mid Rim for several years
Before formally requesting to take the Barash Vow.
No record of incident or disciplinary action.
Reason for withdrawal: 'Personal clarity and re-alignment with the Force.'
Final record indicates he departed for isolation on Dathomir
Citing its strong natural attunement to the Force.
No further contact has been logged.'
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Ace stared at the screen, unmoving for a moment. Dathomir. Of course it was Dathomir. The name hung in his mind like a thread pulled taut - stretching back across everything: The bone spindle he'd found on Peridea. The visions. Vakhari Lutris and her theory of his memories being of Dathomir.​

It had always been Dathomir. Slowly, Ace leaned back from the console. His voice, when it came, was quieter than before, but steadier.​

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"Val." he said, gaze still fixed on the record, "I think I need to go to Dathomir."​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery blinked once, her gaze still on Ace, before it shifted briefly to the screen again. A small smile touched her lips at the mention of her daughter and son. It stayed there even as he turned back to the console. "They're both trouble," she said fondly, arms folded once more. "But I'm proud of them. They've been through a lot, but have grown so much despite it."

Her smile faded just slightly when the name appeared on the screen. She stepped up beside him to get a better look, reading the entry in silence. Vinorl Kastan. Barash Vow. Dathomir.

"Dathomir?" she echoed, brow raising slightly as she considered it. Her head tilted in thought. "That explains a lot, if your instincts have been circling that place for a while now." Her eyes narrowed a little on the screen. "It's in Mandalorian space. There's tension out there from the past, but we've been on good terms lately. If we keep a low profile, we shouldn't have any issues getting in."

She turned to him, her tone firm without being harsh. "But I don't like the idea of you going there alone."

Valery looked him over once, then nodded. "Let me come with you. We'll go together. If this is where the answers are, I want to help you find them."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Tython - Jedi Temple

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Valery mentioned Mandalorian space, and the fact that there were tensions. He grinned to himself, if only she knew she was basically speaking to Mandalorian royalty. Or... the closest thing to it. Still, it wasn't something he'd like to advertise. Not because he was afraid, just didn't want people looking at him differently.​

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"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." ​

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People offering their help was becoming more and more of a common occurence recently. Did he have 'helpless' stamped on his forehead or something? Well, this was Valery Noble after all. She was so pure that she'd offer help to an insect if it looked like it were in trouble. It was one of the things he loved about her actually.​

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Ace confidently placed his hands on hips, flashing Val a smirk that almost appeared smug.​

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"I'm a big boy, Val. I can take care of myself, y'know?" he responded, tone warm and light.​

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It wasn't bravado, not anymore. He'd had training now, months of it. He'd faced down bounty hunters, criminals and took down a MagnaGuard. Safe to say, he was a prodigy. Must've been that Verd blood running through his veins... okay, maybe it was a bit of bravado. But it was warranted.​

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But then his expression softened, turning more serious and a little more real. Val cared, and he appreciated it - she'd been a big influence in his journey toward where he was now. He first met her when he knew nothing about himself. Maybe, it'd only be right if she'd be alongside him when he'd finally get the answers he was searching for.​

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He smiled again, sighing playfully "But... if you really want to help, and you've got nothing better to do. I won't say no to some company and a catch up." Ace snickered at what was about to come next "Maybe I'll tell you what your kids were up to when I found 'em."​

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-TO BE CONTINUED-​

Valery Noble ​