Private Observations

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

After a long and dull meeting, Valery finally made her way down into the Hangar section of the Temple. She had scheduled to meet Kaleleon there today for two reasons. First, he was going to reveal the new bike she had ordered from him after a trip with Kahlil Noble resulted in her old one getting bombed, and secondly she was planning to bring him along for an assignment. The Council's decision to have Kaleleon pass through trials once more meant that they'd also have to support him, and actually be around to observe him in the field.

What better way than to work together?

"Padawan Seleare?" Valery asked once she entered the rather large Hangar bay. She began to look around for him, while her senses searched for his familiar presence. She was trying to hide it a little bit, but she was quite excited to meet up with him and see the end result. Especially after having made some plans to take it out for a spin and show it off to her family.

Just how fast would it go?

 

[Kaleleon]

Bobbing my head up and down, I was listening to some music on my headset. Honestly, was just playing it on a shuffle as I was cleaning up the speeder bike. Using some ceramic washing spray to help protect the paint on the bike, and to make it shine in the hangar. Making it look as nice as possible for Master Noble.

It had been a bit since my demotion. But it was coming along. Most of it was just going over things that I had already done before. Refresher classes and the like. However, the trials were likely to be very different from what I had been used to in the past. Having to go over them again would be much more challenging. Even more so with how much baggage I had.

Suddenly, an alarm was going off in my ear. Pulling out the music device, I shut it off and put away the headphones. I knew that she would be here soon. And like the force itself was timing the both of us, I heard my name. While it was strange to hear the term Padawan again, I was starting to get used to it.

"Over here!"

Yelling just loud enough to grab her attention, I waved the Jedi Master over. Bowing my head to show respect for the council member, I then turned around and had open hands presenting the bike.

"You had quite the difficult challenge to build Master Noble, but it allowed me to flex myself a little and really figure things out. So thank you!"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

"Over here!"

Valery turned as the sound of his voice reached out to her, and followed it down to the source. With her senses adjusting as well, it didn't take her very long to spot the Jedi, and she was quick to make her way over to him. Kaleleon then bowed to show his respect, and Valery dipped her own upper body down into a bow as well, before she began to rise back up with a gentle smile on her face.

Not that many Jedi showed mutual respect like this anymore, but it was something she could always appreciate. Still, her thoughts didn't linger on that for too long — she had spotted the speeder bike he presented and her eyes visibly widened for a moment, while a fiery sparkle burned inside of them. The kind she always had when she was confronted with the fun kinds of danger. Valery's gaze then turned to Kaleleon while her lips carried a smirk, and she dipped her head.

"Oh my, it looks amazing." She began to walk around it a little while she stared at it. "I'm glad it was a fun challenge too and, well, I think you've done an amazing job."

Her husband was going to love this for sure.

"Is maintenance very tricky for it? Usually I ask my husband to repair anything, but if it's too specialized, I might have to take it elsewhere."

 

[Kaleleon]

She was enthralled by it. That much was very self evident. Her smirk, her emotions, and the way her face and eyes lit up brighter than a saber's illumination. I took great value in my work, and I would do everything I could to make sure it showed. Walking over to the speeder as she walked around it, she asked about maintenance. Nodding my head, I went ahead and pulled a little lever on the back of the seat. it opened up the motor bay so it could be worked on without having to remove it entirely. That is, the more easier maintenance could be done that way. If a motor blew, then you would have to replace it.

"Basic efforts in maintaining the motor, repulsor emitters, and the Speeder in general, even you could do. More of the specialized parts, like the HUD system, or the electrical components, I had to rig up myself. Otherwise, the hardware, either of you could do."

I would never freely admit this, but this speeder bike was such a labor of love for me, I almost didn't want to give it away. Such a sleek design and built from the ground up? Only way it could be better is if I could own it.

"It does have some shielding just to help prevent debris from hitting you, but it can't protect against everything, so I highly recommend wearing some equipment like a helmet and a suit to prevent injury. Plus, it can keep you warm with the whipping winds."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

"Basic efforts in maintaining the motor, repulsor emitters, and the Speeder in general, even you could do. More of the specialized parts, like the HUD system, or the electrical components, I had to rig up myself. Otherwise, the hardware, either of you could do."

Valery snickered internally at the last part of that. As much as she loved to ride bikes like this, she was absolutely not a mechanic. Even swapping a headlight would be something she'd ask Kahlil Noble to do for her. Because even if she could, she felt a lot better letting someone who knew what they were doing handle that kind of stuff.

"That's good to know. I'll let you know if anything comes up, though," she said with a kind smile before she once more looked at her new bike. She was already imagining herself going through some dangerous roads in the mountains, or blasting off down long straight roads.

This was going to be great.

"I've got a helmet but maybe I'll get a jacket as well," she said, her eyes briefly falling down to her exposed arms. Usually she didn't really switch into more appropriate clothes for driving, but with this bike...

"Anyway, thank you again for wanting to build this for me. It's much appreciated." She smiled gratefully and raised a hand up through her hair before she continued, "But that's not the only reason for meeting here. If you're ready, I'd like to discuss a small assignment as well."

 

[Kaleleon]

I furrowed my brow. Master Noble wanted to give me an assignment? I thought my assignment was to do the trials and to become a Knight again? Letting the thought of the gear go by the way side for now, My thoughts were stuck on what this assignment could be. Sure, She requested a bike from me to be made for some specifications, but this wasn't an attempt to get into the good graces of the order. All I would have done is maybe make someone else smile from having the fun and adrenaline from riding the bike.

Looking down, I found a sudden fascination in my boots, with a jingling of the keys to the bike in my off hand. They clinked together as I closed my hand then looked up to the Jedi Master.

"I had a feeling you asked me to hand deliver it to you not just because you like seeing my pretty face. This assignment you speak of, Who is it coming from? Why is it being given to me? What are the details. Being left in the dark is not something I have grown fond of."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

Valery blinked at the bombardment of questions — was he the impatient type? She tilted her head after a moment and then met his gaze again with a smile, "The assignment is coming from me, and it's not just yours. I plan to bring you along on a mission so we can work together and get to know each other a little better. You're not being left in the Dark. I just haven't been given a chance to explain it all yet." She chuckled and gestured for him to follow her.

As fun as the speeder bike was, reaching other planets with it wasn't going to work. So she guided him over to the Bastion instead, the light-freighter she owned with her husband.

"The decision the Council made was for you to go through trials again, but I wouldn't be a good judge of you if I never really took the time to work with you, right?" She looked at him for a moment, then continued. "The mission will take us to Aaris III, a planet bordering the Sith Order. We believe it might be a target in the near future, and the local populace is currently panicking as well. They aren't a very strong people ever since a sentient artifact drove them into a civil war, so I'd like to go there and assess our options."

 

[Kaleleon]

She was right. I was rushing into the assignment a little much. Pushing ahead and jumping the gun quite a bit. Giving her no time to give information or get a word in edgewise. I took a breath. Breathing in deeply with my diaphragm. Holding a second then releasing so she could finish giving me the information. Nodding my head that I understood silently. As she mentioned that we would be heading to Aaris III, I reached behind me. Shoulder holster flying to me and almost sliding directly onto my back, pistol flying to smack into my off hand to be placed in its holster. Saber flying over to be clipped onto my utility belt, a second holster, and blaster set flew over to be thrown on and thrown into the holster. Walking hunched over to tie the thigh string up so the pistol wouldn't be slapping the hell out of my leg. Finally, the gloves flew the longest distance sliding right onto my hands.

All like I had practiced this many times before.

"Recon, assess, and head from there got it."

As we got closer to the ship, I realized I forgot something. Turning around for a half second, my poncho crossed the distance from the work table and was caught in my hands. I just held onto it for now as we continued to cross the distance to the Exploration vessel. Finally, I was able to ask questions on the mission that would actually be useful.

"I'm assuming we are going not as Jedi to prevent potential conflict. My main question is what do we already know about this sentient artifact, and what options for this artifact you have in mind for the moment?"

Options, and missions change. I knew that all too well. the reason I asked for what options she may have already have, is for the pure reason of trying to be on the same page as the master. If the first option was to capture, with second to destroy it, or the other way around, I wanted to know. So then I was not trying to do something else and mess the mission up, or unnecessarily put ourselves, or others in danger. Of course being so close to Sith space, we would likely be going in as low profile as we could. If push came to shove I'm sure we could get out of it, and come up with some reason for why we were there. I just had questions because its what I am used to with being in war time where everything is already planned out, and then you yourself have to plan for the fallout of said operation.

Its a different time now, and I had to get used to that.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

"Do you really need the Force to collect all of your gear like that?" Valery asked with a tone that made her sound curious, rather than accusatory. Her traditional training meant that she didn't use the Force as a crutch or for menial tasks like picking something up when there was no pressure on her. But she supposed that the Jedi had changed a lot in that regard as well, and moved on towards the ship.

As they walked over to the Bastion, Kale asked a few more questions about the mission and Valery turned to him with a smile, happy to answer them, "As long as we don't make it obvious that we're Jedi, we should be fine. Though it could just as easily help us too. Remember, we're on a planet bordering the Sith Order's territory — I'm sure that some people there might find comfort in knowing that we're thinking about them and trying to help."

It was also possible that some were welcoming the Sith, however, so caution was still the best course of action.

"As for the artifact, we don't need to worry about that anymore. It was sent into space many years ago. But their civilization never really recovered from it, and I fear it's possible that some people might even be suspicious of outsiders like us."

 

[Kaleleon]

Did I really need to do that? What is it with these newer Jedi that wanted to critique all of what I did. First it was off to fight the Empire when they were sitting back waiting to see what happened, all the way down to trying to get ready as fast as possible so then I wouldn't keep Valery waiting. Yet I still get almost chastised for it. I just let it go. Instead of trying to voice something and that also getting looked at with a microscope, I just listened to whatever explanation she had for me.

The idea that maybe some would side and aid us if they knew we were Jedi, was one I didn't think of. First thought was with a planet being so close, they would be more loyalists to the Sith than not. Benefit of the doubt is the rule here if we can give it. That would be easy enough. However, I had assumed the artifact had still been planetside. Instead, it was just the lingering effects of said item, due to the nature of the artifact now just floating around in the void of space... which honestly was not the greatest way of throwing away trash. Now someone could just find it and use it to their advantage.

"Very well. Is there any other information I need to know before we get there?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Bastion

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

"Not really, though I'd keep in mind that these people are going to be difficult and perhaps unpredictable to interact with. What the artifact caused has shaped their future, and the nearby Sith presence might affect them too. So keep your guard up, even though we're there with good intentions." It was likely something he understood perfectly fine, but it was still a unique situation they were going into. A civilization brought nearly to destruction by a foreign artifact.

It was hard, if not impossible to relate to how they felt and how their views of outsiders had been shaped by the events that nearly wiped out their ancestors.

The two Jedi then made their way onto the Bastion and after getting inside, Valery guided him straight to the cockpit. Along the way, he'd see plenty of signs that this was more than just a ship to the Nobles — it had been their home. There were pictures of the family, including the kids, and there were bedrooms to accommodate the growing size of the family too. But for this mission, none of that really mattered.

"While we travel there, I figured we could get to know each other better too. I'm quite curious about what you feel your strengths are as a Jedi, or what areas of expertise interest you the most? Well, besides being a mechanic of course."

 

[Kaleleon]

Other than keeping a cautionary aspect of the mission, it was an aspect of trying to reason with people if we could. After the information was given, I stayed silent for the most part. Keeping my thoughts to myself about this situation. We were walking into a situation where some people would openly accept help, while others may very well distrust anyone who came to even remotely help them due to having that trust broken by the artifact left by the Sith. What made it more difficult was that as Jedi, there would likely be Sith Sympathizers, or even Separatists among them. Making our job possibly difficult. If we became exposed, two jedi against an entire, literal, world was not going to be in our favor. That's partly why I carried firearms because a Lightsaber can be hidden till the last moment. Having the pistol be open and eyes drawn to it instead of something else. A diversion of sorts. Hell, even magicians used it to do sleight of hand.

Yet, these thoughts were taken away and replaced by the sight of the interior of the Bastion. An exploratory ship that was half converted into a mobile home for the Nobles. Picture frames, even a sight of a toy sitting in one of the seats for one of the younger children. I felt a little awkward. This was their home, and I was intruding to some degree. Yet, as Valery led me through the ship to the cockpit, I moved to sit in the Co-pilot seat should she need an extra hand. However, until she needed me, I kept my hands in my lap.

The question posed for me, was for knowing more about me. Mostly as a Jedi. What I was good at. I took a moment to think before I answered her.

"In the usage of Lightsaber combat, I use a combination of Form Five, and Form Three. Blocking and Countering as much as possible, and hold out against an opponent for a counter attack, or to wear them down for an opening. In terms of the force, I find myself using it to supplement my combat style. Lots of shields, barriers, or physically altering my body to perform actions a normal human couldn't. In the past, I had a friend call me a 'Paladin' because I reminded him of a character from a Holofilm he watched when he was younger. I defend people as much as possible. Even using my shields on people instead of myself. There have been a few times I used a shield around an enemy to prevent them from moving, or taking actions towards others outside of it."

While I spoke, I pulled off the Signet ring I wore. Letting it float in the air for a moment before a purple sphere surrounded it. Showing that the shielding was in the form of a bubble I could fine tune and control to be small enough to barely surround a ring, all the way towards a person, or group of people like I had explained. Even remembering a time in which I had created a barrier to defend myself, Narma, and a few other Jedi from a bombing run done by Air-to-ground ships. The bubble then fazed away and the ring fell back into my hand. yet, there was something else I wanted to add.

"It may be a strength or a setback, but I don't like killing people. Ending the life of someone, anyone, isn't something I enjoy or am fond of. While I do have weaponry that can end someone's life, I use it as the absolute last resort. If I can get them to surrender, I will do everything I can to make that happen. A soldier could just as easily be someone who needed a job and were in the wrong place at the wrong time, as they could be a zealot who would love to see blood spilled by their hands. If I can avoid needless things, then I will. Its a moral thing for me. I follow the Jedi Code to respect all life in any form, but it has put me in situations that were much more dangerous instead of just ending the life of whatever it was."

I knew without a doubt that Valery would be able to easily see the shift in tone. How I hung my head and felt guilty for the lives I had taken. While I could count them all on one hand, its not a number that I wanted to increase. Nor a number I wanted to even have. If I could, I would have never killed those people if I could have avoided it. Its part of being a peacekeeper. I did everything to keep said peace, even if it meant possibly putting myself in serious danger.

She likely may not remember the exact words said during my investigation in front of the council, but I had directly said, my job as a Jedi, a peacekeeper, was one I considered thankless, an expected painful death, with a short life. I was not afraid to put myself in harms way to protect someone I never met before, and would likely never see again. Even one person's loss of life, was too much.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Bastion

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

After he got seated and was posed the question, he began his answer with his view on lightsaber forms and his use of the Force. While interesting, she was far more curious about what he explained after that. A philosophical strength, or as he put it himself, perhaps even a weakness. But it was that whole bit that told Valery the most about his character, and what she could expect of him out in the field. All jedi were trained with a lightsaber and used their preferred styles to get through assignments, and each Jedi had its own specialization with the Force.

But what truly made them unique as people and as Jedi, were their views and how they decided to use their skills and experience to complete the tasks given to them.

"I think that's very Jedi of you," Valery said with a chuckle. "I grew up learning the Conquers & Honors, a more traditional philosophy tied to the Jedi Code. One of them is to Honor Life, and that's essentially what you describe. Avoid unnecessary deaths, and kill only when it's necessary to preserve life." With all of her years of service in war, she was more than aware that she had taken a lot of lives, but it wasn't something she liked or felt proud of.

It had been necessary to save others.

"You say that your desire to prevent killing has put you in danger before, but has it put the lives of others in danger as well? I don't mean that question as an accusation. I'm just curious about how strong this desire is. I've met Jedi who were complete pacifists, and I've known Shadows who killed far too quickly and far too easily."

 

[Kaleleon]

I smirked lightly at the Jedi master. While my face was looking down at my hands still. Even as she posed her own values to be along with what I had in mind, she continued to ask about myself. Asking if what I had done, had put others in risk of being in danger. Quickly I answered her with a sentence.

"Yes, and No."

Breathing in deeply, I let it exhaust itself from my nose cleanly and evenly.

"Have others been put into danger because of it? No. Not by my actions. Yet, the actions I have taken to not harm someone, has allowed them chances to get around me to harm someone else. I distinctly remember when fighting the Brynadul. A Jedi who I don't even remember the name of, was fighting off against half a battalion by herself. She was in a very bad situation. Without me being there, she would have died. But, I didn't kill my enemies. Using my talents to just get us away from them. Shielding her and myself from all they threw at us. I had broken bones, and bled to make sure she was safe, but the Bryn commander I had a chance to take down, would have been done so with my, or her death. I made the choice to have us escape to fight another day."

Looking to her directly this time, making it very clear.

"Even if it meant the war would have been shortened because one commander had been taken down, I chose to save the life of a woman I had never seen, or heard from since. Many Jedi protect the populace, at the expense of one who must perish. That is too much for me. One life is too much a sacrifice to make. Who are we to say that one person's life, is less important than someone else?"

Reaching into the bag, I pulled out a small holo-projector. Filtering through some settings before bringing up a planet. Just rotating.

"This is the plant of Weik. Its situated out in Wild Space region. The only habitable planet in its system. Yet, little to no outside galactic powers have been there. Its Isolation means its insignificant. No military factories, no massive space stations. No venture to be gleamed from it. So its okay if this planet were destroyed so that the rest of the Galaxy was to live and thrive?"

The Hologram shut off. Shaking my head, I continued.

"Weik is my home. Its a planet of Farmers, and small towns that is living in an age where the best technology they own, is back from periods before the battle of Yavin Four. Thousands of years behind us. I grew up carrying crops we had harvested on a wheeled cart three days walk from our farm, so that I could sell it to make some money for my family. Every person I have ever met, or interacted with, has something like that. A life, a strife, a will, and a soul. If this planet was attacked, people would be saved, sure. Yet, if it was a choice between the Galaxy, and the Planet?"

I released my pent up emotions about this. It has been something I always struggled with. To have that kind of weight upon my shoulders, was difficult, but I would never let anyone else carry that. If I had to, I would carry that burden alone. As my father would say, "To the Edge with a Smile."

"Freedom has a high price. One that I will pay, so that someone else, won't have too."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Bastion

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kaleleon

"It's always a difficult dilemma, the choice of sacrificing few to save many. As a Jedi, it's easier — we're taught to be selfless, so many of us wouldn't hesitate to self-sacrifice in order to save others. Even just a single person," Valery said while her eyes shifted out through the viewscreen. They were well on their way at this point, but the trip was quite a lengthy one. There was more than enough time for this deep dive.

"But having to sacrifice or kill one person to maybe save many others is very different." She turned to him now with a more somber smile. "I was raised in a very extreme Enclave. The Jedi there did not believe in the redemption of Sith or Dark Jedi, so any one we encountered, we were taught to kill. Among them, I was a Jedi Shadow as well. It was my job to hunt down individuals who were potential threats to the Jedi or Galaxy, and I'd be tasked to kill them."

"For a while, I even used to lead them."

Her hand instinctively reached for her wedding band — the one piece of jewelry she'd always be wearing. A sign of her marriage to someone who had once been a Sith Lord. "Coming out of stasis and meeting Kahlil was quite the culture shock. I changed my views drastically since then, and it has made me a lot more protective of life as well."

Though, just like many other Jedi, she wasn't quite as extreme on that end as Kale was either. During the last war, she had killed many, but always according to Jedi values in protection of others.

 

[Kaleleon]

Valery came from Jedi Shadows. A group of Jedi that were known to, in some cases, be rather ruthless in their hunt against Sith and Dark sided beings, or artifacts. It made sense now why she was so adamant about me coming along with her. Pieces were starting to fall into place about how she was during my hearing for what was to be done about me. Why she wanted the consequences to be as they are. She wanted proof that I wasn't going to just go off and do that kind of thing again, but I cannot lie to myself or anyone else.

She valued life, but not to an extreme like I did. And I understood it more clearly. They were a threat that needed to be put down, but there was one point of contention I had with her words.

"I am coming to understand why you and so many others choose to end the life of someone. And it has been told to me again and again through the years. Even when my Master, Romi Jade had taught me to fight, to be willing to kill, it seemed to only strengthen my resolve to not do so. I wanted to almost prove to her that I could be the Jedi she expected of me, without taking life."

Her solemn demeanor meant she was being true to me, and I was going to be so in turn.

"As a Jedi, its harder to make that choice. The weight of those actions cannot just be thrown to the side for me. I know that this mission for you and I is to get a better idea of who I am, but I am going to be upfront with you."

I played with my fingers a moment. Feeling like I was likely going to make my voice and words be the downfall of my association with the Jedi Order.

"It was said that I am a good Jedi, but not a good Soldier during my hearing. And I will always stand by that. I am a Jedi. A peacekeeper and someone who fights for hope that could very easily be lost. A soldier fights because its their job. To me, a Jedi is a Duty. Not a job. If I have to make the same decision again, even if knowing what it would do in the end, I will take it."

Looking directly at Valery's eyes. Filled with all of the truest intent I could ever bring within me.

"If I have to forsake everything in my life to do the right thing, I wont hesitate."

Valery Noble