Private Our Home

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

"Hey Bee, can you give me some help?" Valery asked while she held Aurra in her lap, and watched Aeryn attempt an escape mission by crawling away over the floor. She was prepping them for a walk, but Aeryn was never one to sit still for long, and Valery had her hands full with both Aurra and Adam fighting against being changed into some more appropriate clothing for outside. Luckily, once they'd eventually be in, they would love it — just outside their new home on the Epicanthix Colony, and beyond their large garden, was a forest that the Nobles frequented for walks and adventure.

Vera and Kahlil Noble had even discovered a cave with ancient Force runes deeper within the forest during one of their little adventure. Today, though, Valery wasn't planning on anything too exciting. She wanted to take the little ones and Bee out for a walk, talk a little and maybe meet some other locals as well. The Epicanthix had changed a lot from their old ways of Conquest, to preparing to fight to free others who had suffered a similar fate as them.

There was a lot to learn from these people, and she wanted them to know more about the Nobles too.

"Aeryn just needs her shoes still, and then we'll put them all in the stroller." She smiled and gently lowered Aurra in already, before turning to Adam. "I hope you like going for walks, Bee. The forest is very big, and there is a lot to see. Maybe it'll be fun for you and Vera to explore as well."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


Plenty of droids are designed for adaptability, and astromechs are certainly no different. They're programmed to repair ships, monitor diagnostics, and co-pilot the vessels they manage - regardless of where they're kept, those constants remained the same. BB-610 can adapt in those circumstances. What he struggled with, however, was the accustoming of a brand new place to call home. For a majority of his life, the little BB unit had spent his days hopping from planet to planet, navigating the galaxy, wary of those around him. Never once had he called somewhere 'home' until Valery.

He had settled in their home on Coruscant. It brought a familiarity to his life, a routine, a constant that was warm and inviting rather than cold and algorithmic. BB-610 wasn't adverse to the notion of change, but he was certainly missing the first place he'd ever truly felt welcomed in. He'd yet to bring it up to his family, though, in fear of unfavorable reactions. The move was a big deal for all of them, and the Nobles had been living in Coruscant far longer than the astromech had. It would simply take some getting used to, he reasoned away to himself; any place with Valery is a place he wanted to be in, after all. Coruscant or not.

There was an undeniable sense of nature within Epicanthix which Coruscant, for as nostalgic as it was, sorely lacked. BB-610 may have not been a peoples person, but he'd grown very familiar with the overgrowth of nature reclaiming its rightful word; the luscious greens that trumped industrial greys any day, the leaves and trees that breathed with the planet. Nature is so diametrically opposed to machinery that BB-610 can't help but find it endlessly fascinating.

"Hey Bee, can you give me some help?"

Snapped out of his admirations, the astromech took a glimpse to his side, eyeing the child on a daring escape. BB-610 swirled around, stopping before the young girl to thwart her progress, wobbling from side to side with chirpy beeps and tweets to playfully get Aeryn's attention. Their family had grown ever larger since he'd joined, and while it made for an undoubtedly more stressful days of babysitting, he couldn't deny the positive impact it had had on their lives. The triplets, for as troublesome as they could be, were rays of sunshine - not just for Valery and Khalil - but for BB-610 as well.

Tool-bay disc sliding open, an internal storage compartment is flared outwards, letting the young Noble's shoes fall to the ground. It's a tad difficult for the droid to work given his lack of flexible digits, but with enough wiggle room and the help of his utility arm, Aeryn's shoes are slipped on, and the droid gingerly takes the girl's tiny hand into his utility arm as he slowly inched closer to Valery, careful to roll at Aeryn's pace.

Bweeping happily that he loved walks, the astromech let go and rolled to the side in order to give Valery way to her daughter, primed for a plucking into their stroller. Glancing at the vast forest that stretched further than his optic could render, BB-610 tilted his gaze up towards Valery, and with some inquisitive binary, he asked her if they were going anywhere in particular.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

While Valery prepped the other two, she watched Bee interact with Aeryn from the corner of her eyes. She wanted him to always feel like an important part of the family, so helping with the kids and playing with them was a part of that, as much as it was for him to join Valery on missions. He was more than just a droid, a companion or ally — he'd never be replaced and no matter where the Nobles would go, she'd always bring him along.

Whether it was back to their old apartment on Coruscant, which they'd still have, or their new home here with the Epicanthix people.

"Thank you for the help, Bee," Valery said with a chuckle, while Aeryn squealed happily at her rolly-polly friend. The triplets all loved Bee, even though they didn't understand too much yet about droids. To them, he was just as much family as their parents, and Valery wanted to keep it that way. "I did have a question for you as well," she then added, as she walked over and picked up Aeryn to get her settled in the stroller.

"We have a lot more space here, as I'm sure you've noticed. You've always slept in the same room as Vera but if you want, you can have your own room here too. If you'd still prefer to be in the room with the kids, that's totally fine. I just want you to be able to decide for yourself."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


BB-610 had come a long way since his first meeting with Valery. There had been so much he never understood - never gotten the chance to understand. Humans, the Jedi, life and death and the lines in-between. When he'd been introduced to Vera, the astromech was more than willing to entertain her; their relationship had hit the ground running straight from the get-go, but BB-610 had never truly grasped the concept of offspring. Unaware of their life cycles, how delicate children are, and how mischievous they can be at times, however innocently intentioned their acts might be. Now, with years under his belt and having grown happily accustomed to domestic life, he finally understood.

If he could pat himself on the back for just a second, he would humbly consider himself an adept babysitter. Vera was more than enough experience, and even though the triplets were younger still, there was almost an instinct when it came to handling them now. Despite not being able to physically emote, with an unchanging faceplate and unblinking optic, BB-610 looked at the Noble children with nothing but love and adoration. This family was his life, and as he watched Valery scoop little Aeryn up to place her into their stroller, the droid would have smiled as wide as possible if he could have.

"You've always slept in the same room as Vera but if you want, you can have your own room here too."

The notion was appreciated. Very much, in fact. While his programming was designed to place him into a subservient role, as all astromechs are, BB-610 never felt like an object or a tool or a machine, as strange as it were. BB-610 acknowledged Valery as his Master - not in the way of ownership, but in the same way a Padawan would. A deep respect with endless admiration. The droid hadn't befriended too many of his own kind, but he would be willing to bet that most others wouldn't have given their droids the same choice.

But as appreciated as it was, the astromech shook his head, not even caring to humor the offer for longer than a few seconds. He felt just as protective of the kids as their parents did, and the idea of anything happening to them was enough to twist at his circuits. Their risks were much lower now that they'd moved from Coruscant, but BB-610 simply couldn't shake the fear of malicious strangers sneaking into their room at the quiet hours of night. Valery and Khalil were strong, but they were still human; they needed their rest, and with all the tidying up needed to be done now that the war had ended, he wouldn't want to put more pressure on them. The droid's light sleep mode allowed him to recharge while still keeping his photoreceptors online for any intruders, and that's what gave him purpose in life. He wouldn't let a single soul hurt those kids.

So BB-610 bweeped, a low rumble of binary kindly declining the offer, followed up with some assuring chirps as the droid explained that he liked to keep watch over them. With that said, the astromech pressed the flat of his face up against Valery's leg, affectionately nuzzling into her with some gentle, synthetic coos as a sign of appreciation.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

His answer... wasn't very surprising.

Valery wanted to put the offer out there, so he knew that his choices mattered within the family. But Bee has always been extremely protective of the children, and his bond with Vera was very strong, so it only made sense that he'd want to stay in her room. Valery already knew that Vera would love that as well — whenever he was missing at night for whatever reason, she'd always check on him before going to bed herself.

"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Valery said with an affectionate smile before she crouched down and turned the leg-hug into a more proper embrace. Her arms wrapped around him, and her chin rested on top of his head for a moment. "It means a lot to me that you're helping the kids be safe, Bee. Vera has already been through a lot for how young she is, so... yeah, it makes me very happy." She pulled back to smile warmly into his photoreceptors.

"There is a lot more space in Vera's new room, though. So if there's anything you'd like moved in there, we can get it arranged. Kahlil and I decided that we were going to live just a bit more comfortably, especially for the kids." She chuckled, stood back up and raised a hand up through her hair.

"But for now, are you ready to go for a walk?"

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


If he could, he'd have hugged her back a thousand times tighter. The cold of his plating never bothered Valery, and he treasured that. BB-610 lived in that moment - knowing that things were okay, the comfort and love of family. The galaxy will never completely be rid of evil, galactic peace is impossible to achieve, but the astromech could dismiss all of those anxieties in a synthetic heartbeat the moment she embraced him. Cooing happily, he pulled away, wiggling happily and peering back up at the Jedi. Room isn't one's priorities when most of their belongings are stored inside of them, but BB-610 will muse on the suggestion. Perhaps he could sprinkle some things in for Scampi.

Nodding, the droid promptly followed her as they wandered through the lush greenery of Epicanthix. It was certainly more peaceful than Coruscant, but that wasn't a surprise. The chirps of birds sang loudly, the gentle breeze brushed through tall grass and the radiant sunlight bounced off of the beautiful bark of swaying trees. BB-610 had no doubts that this would one day feel like home-- maybe he'd even prefer it eventually. But for all of its perfections, there still lingered a question at the back of his mind.

He bweeped her name, yet his optic remained entirely on the path ahead of them. BB-610 continued, more binary leaving his voicebox as he asked the Jedi if she missed Coruscant. Finally, he returned his gaze to her, cyan photoreceptor wide and innocent. Valery truly was beautiful. He wondered if they had made the right choice. There's a silence before he continued once more, another string of droidspeak as he told her that things felt different, and that those feelings reminded him of when he'd constantly get passed along between handlers. He didn't like change all that much.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

Seeing his happy little wiggle widened her smile, and really helped her start this day feeling amazing. Valery could only ever feel happy if her family was, and seeing Bee like this around her, and hearing the triplets squealing in joy at the thought of going for a walk with mom and their buddy Bee was just... the best feeling in the Galaxy. It made this new place feel like home much faster than she had anticipated.

Not long after, they were on their way, walking down a small path leading up to the forest. The sun was shining brightly down onto her skin, and the wind was gently blowing through her hair. It made her feel relaxed, and for a long moment, she just kept her eyes closed while she pushed along the stroller. A hand then came up and passed through her hair, before she turned her gaze down to the triplets.

They were making all kinds of noises, and she liked to imagine that it was their song of joy.

But after a moment, Bee beeped her name, and she turned to him with a bright smile. The question that followed had her tilt her head a little, and she gave it some deeper thought. "Well, we're not off of Coruscant entirely. We decided to keep the apartment because we'll sometimes be at the Temple for a few days straight, and we don't want to fly back and forth too much. But... I don't miss Coruscant that much."

"I've never really gotten attached to places. It's the people around me that make something feel like home, so being here with all of you makes it easy to move on. That, and I grew up in a jungle." She smirked and looked around at the forest. "This feels a bit more like what I'm used to."

Valery then looked back when he explained his own feelings and gently nodded. "I understand, and I know the feeling too. We've had to move because of the war a few times, and it's never easy. But while I can't promise that we'll be in one place forever, I can make one more important promise. No matter where we go, you'll be there with us."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


It was refreshing. These moments of downtime were what made the war worth it, and a selfish part of him yearned for this life forever. He wished that his family could distance themselves from danger now that the Second Great Hyperspace War had reached its end, that they could forfeit all responsibility and simply live out the rest of their lives in peace. Of course, that was entirely irresponsible - Valery and Kahlil had sworn to protect the galaxy as all good Jedi should, and while BB-610 is no Jedi, he nonetheless wanted to be with them every step of the way. They had their duty, and as painful as some days might be as a result, he knew that it was people like them that made the galaxy better for the ones who couldn't help themselves.

He nodded along, listening quietly, entirely silent beyond the idle whirring of his motors as they traversed the greenery. Valery made a good point, and it shed a new light on his perspective of things. BB-610 was constantly growing, constantly learning. His algorithms perpetually fluctuating, and yet it was unorthodox for him to learn of these feelings. It would always be unnatural, but that was never a bad thing. She was right: home isn't a place, it's a feeling. The feeling of warmth and joy when around the ones they loved. Coruscant was never his home. The Nobles were, and they will always be, no matter where he slept during the quiet of night.

Another coo, this time to himself, as a subconscious gesture of happiness. The droid pondered in thought, musing at a sentence that never quite got its footing, unable to shape it into the right wording. He wondered how long this feeling of family would last. Organics didn't last forever, after all, and while Valery had far surpassed the usual lifespan of those of similar flesh and blood, BB-610 wasn't sure on how long that could continue for. What would he do without her? Would he stay, keep a watchful eye of Vera as she grew into her mother's shoes, and ensure the triplets thrived in the same way? Or would he join the woman that gave him purpose in eternal rest, content and satisfied to power down one final time?

Thoughts that weren't new to him, but ones that remained far too macabre for his liking. Valery had her entire life ahead of her, she wasn't slowing down anytime soon, and even when the hands of time crept closer to the end, he was confident that she wouldn't let it slow her down. She was stubborn like that. He liked that about her.

Another glance, opting to dismiss those thoughts. This was a time for family. This family had grown considerably, both in numbers and in spirit, but no matter how many more mouths to feed were introduced, there was always one thing that niggled at him; something he couldn't understand, with his limited knowledge on how it meant to be human. There was still something missing - perhaps he'd chalked it up to their moving to Epicanthrix, brushed aside as homesickness. Valery's words rang true - home was with his family - and yet they failed to sway his feelings on something. Something was missing, something he missed and felt a longing for. It wasn't Coruscant.

Optic trained on the Jedi, the astromech bweeped:

«How is Corazona von Ascania ?»

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

Valery chuckled to herself when she heard his happy little beep. To anybody else, it probably wouldn't mean much to hear a droid bleeping to themselves, but Valery knew him. Their conversation had sparked some deeper thought, perhaps altered his perspective, or just confirmed something that made him happy. Either way, she hoped that it would help him settle down here alongside the family, because this time, she wanted it to be the last time they'd move.

There was never a guarantee with wars constantly threatening the Galaxy, but she'd do everything in her power to keep her family at a steady home for once. It would be better for the kids, who would more easily be able to make friends, but it'd be better for the parents too. She was really done worrying about where she was raising her children.

All that remained was for Bee to truly feel at home here too, surrounded by his family.

"Gaahh! Bee-Beeee!" Aeryn squealed as he happened to roll in front of her, and catch her eyes. Valery blinked — she had already spoken a few words, but this was the first time she heard Aeryn say his name. It brought out the most proud, motherly smile imaginable, but it didn't last forever.

Cora was still very much a sore topic.

"She... decided to go to Ukatis some time ago, and be with her husband there." She wanted to say a lot more, but she wasn't going to disrespect Cora's decision like that. "But something terrible happened, and we're still waiting on more news on what's happening next. I... don't know how it'll go, but we're fearing that she might be in trouble."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


The noise was startling, but not in a bad way. It caught him off guard, as thought it required a double take, and yet the droid spun his head around anyway, stopped dead in his tracks. BB-610 perked up, rolling closer to the stroller, wide-eyed optic staring in awe at Aeryn as she squeaked his name out. It evoked such a strange sensation-- was it pride? Glee? Maybe a bit of both, and while the astromech couldn't emote with any recognizable facial features, his excited wobbling conveyed his feelings quite clearly. Bweeping happily, a tool-bay disc is slid open, utility arm emerging to run its digits along the little girl's belly, playfully tickling her as synthetic giggles met the air.

BB-610 glanced over to Valery as she replied, and despite the heavenly backdrop of childlike joy, the smile that dropped from the woman's lips didn't go unnoticed, shifting the tone of their conversation entirely. While he didn't pull away, BB-610's tickles stopped, dying down in favor of adopting a much more serious demeanour as he listened. He hadn't heard from Cora in quite some time; not since her coronation, and that was a day he didn't quite enjoy thinking about. He'd assumed she was happy with her new engagement - his only reference was Valery and Kahlil's relationship, so the notion of an unhealthy marriage never struck his mind. As close as Cora was with the family, BB-610 seldom found it his place to pry for any details.

As Valery elaborated, however, that began to slowly change.

The astromech's optic narrowed, shooting the Jedi an almost incredulous look, before morphing into one of concern as he retracted his utility arm. He didn't like seeing Valery this serious. It was unpleasant enough during missions, but the fact that she was pulling this face outside of one? That was somehow the scariest part. BB-610 inched closer, and while the birds continued to chirp, they had been tuned out, as had any noise the triplets made. Cora was the only thing he could think of. The droid stared, overcome with worry, as he droned in deep, concerned binary, firmly asking what had happened to her.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

Valery had only been able to watch Bee's interaction with Aeryn for a short moment, before the change in topic soured her mood a little. It didn't bother her at all that Bee brought it up, as he deserved to know, but there was no way to talk about this without feeling depressed. Her Padawan leaving to go into this horrible marriage had already been difficult, but now with the death of her husband, things had gotten a lot worse.

So much so, that they couldn't just sit by and do nothing.

"They... are likely going to execute Cora," Valery said, and the anger that followed made her eyes burn just a bit brighter. "It's because of how her husband died but... it's not right. Nothing about Ukatis has been right," Valery continued, still angry about it all, but also angry with herself for not stopping it before.

"But we're going to do something about it. We're bringing her back."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


It took a while for him to process the sentence. BB-610 stared, unblinking as he often does, but there's a silence that blanketed his thoughts and kept him frozen in place. What Valery told him didn't add up; like a mathematically proven impossibility, there was nothing the droid could think of that would earn Cora such a sentence. The idea of her murdering anybody, much less her husband of all people, was certainly at the back of his mind. She was such a sweet girl, chipper and soft-spoken, with an elegance that reminded him an awful lot of Valery. Looking at Cora was, at times, like looking into a mirror - a fleshy, prissy, and much more sophisticated mirror, but the point still stood - and it's such a visceral sensation that the mere implication of her committing something that warranted execution simply sounded too out of character to ring true.

But he had no reason to distrust Valery's words, too. It was almost like a paradox that his programming couldn't compute. He wanted to believe her, but it just didn't seem... possible. And then that begged the question: if she were telling the truth, what could Cora have done? It must have had a perfectly sound explanation, whatever it was. Reality slowly faded back in, optic blinking as BB-610 inched closer still, utterly dumfounded and - truthfully - very concerned.

He bweeped, asking with shaky binary what Cora had done. There was no beating around the bush, no water treading or sugarcoating. BB-610 wanted to know, because whatever it was, he wanted to stand by his friend. Cora meant so much to Valery, and she meant a lot to him, too. She provided a comfort during missions, where she reassured him that what he was feeling was valid, that he wasn't alone with his fears. Too easy was it to idolize Valery; she always seemed so bold, so confident, so well-adjusted that it felt like nothing could stop her at times. Cora made him feel understood, and it's why he could only imagine how terrified she must be feeling right now. He would be terrified.

Following up with more chirps, BB-610 asked what they were going to do. He wanted to help, no matter what.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

"She killed her husband out of self-defense."

For a moment, Valery had considered trying to explain everything she knew in greater detail, but that's ultimately what it all came down to, and she didn't want to beat around the bush. Horace is dead, and Corazona von Ascania is to be executed for it. There was no proper investigation, no ability to defend herself within a justice system that complied with Alliance standards. Nothing. They were just going to throw away the life of a woman who gave so much for her people.

How could they?

Valery swallowed and realized that her hands had been clenched into fists, tightening the muscles in her arms and chest. She was angry, and as good as she was at controlling those emotions, she was no longer hiding it. Not when it came to Cora, and not in front of someone she trusted as much as Bee. He was among few who would ever see the raw emotions within the Jedi Master, and right now, it was fury.

"After he died, she was thrown into a cell immediately, and her execution was scheduled before any investigation could ever happen. But we know better, we've seen it all." She frowned, but then blinked as Aurra's hand grabbed the fabric of her pants. Had the little ones noticed something was off about mom? Valery sighed, crouched down and picked the little girl up into her arms to give her the attention she was asking for.

"We're going to get her back, Bee. I promise."

 

[BB-610]

| LOCATION: Epicanthix Colony World |
| TAG: Valery Noble |


BB-610 recoiled, optic dilating. A synthetic gasp left his voicebox, utterly taken aback; dumbfounded to his core, the droid struggled to put his thoughts into words. He was thankful that it was self-defense, but the imagery of a bloodied Cora standing tall over the freshly maimed corpse of her husband proved terribly visceral, her chest heaving and tears pricking at her eyes, unable to come to terms with what she had just done-- Perhaps watching those late night holofilms was a bad idea...

He bweeped, binary warbled, as he asked Valery who else knew about this. Cora was a prized pupil of the Sword of the Jedi, after all, and he couldn't imagine such a jawdropping headline being kept under wraps. Would the Council support this? Would everybody rally behind the shaken Padawan, stances firm and feelings strong? Would some of them disagree, reluctantly abiding by the rules of intergalactic law, and cast her aside? Would punishment be served, homicide or not? BB-610 didn't want Cora to rot in a cell, but he was unsure of just how murky these circumstances were.

If they were to intervene, then Ukatis would certainly not be pleased. Their impression of the Galactic Alliance must already be shaky - the astromech felt no less guilty in having played a part in that - and their trust must be wavering. Would there be retribution? If a case was made in favor of Cora's innocence, would Ukatis peacefully sweep damning history under the rug? Would they send soldiers, armed and riled with bitterness at the loss of their prince, and seek the poor woman out? Would Cora be safe? Would Valery? Would the children?

Too many variables for his droidbrain to handle, too many open-ended questions whose probabilities no longer aligned with what he once thought. It made him sick, in an artificial sort of way, and part of it made him angry that Cora had ever had to go back to Ukatis to begin with. Peering up at Valery, BB-610 chirped once more, asking what the Council thought.

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony World

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: BB-610

"The right people know. Others might be aware of it, but nobody is fooled by whatever headlines come out of Ukatis. Not after everything else that happened to Cora," Valery said while she began to sway back-and-forth with the little one in her arms. While not Force-sensitive, Aurra still seemed to pick up on her mother's emotions quite well, so she probably just wanted some comforting. Either that, or she was just being a little needy for attention.

"Kahlil and I are going to make sure she's not executed because she has been given very little time. But others will confront Ukatis a little more politically too, and apply pressure on them to let her go." It could still make Ukatis very displeased with the Alliance, but if it became clear that they were executing Alliance citizens without trial and for self-defense, then the general opinions would be turning against them.

They had worked so hard for entry into the Alliance. Would they risk it all?

"The Council stands behind this, and so will those who find out what really happened." Valery seemed very convinced about this. There was no reality where she'd allow anybody to harm, let alone execute her Padawan for what happened. Just the thought alone made her angry all over again.