Private The news is pink

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Yula Perl Jem Fossk ​

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Valery waved Dagon Kaze off as he turned his vehicle around to head back for the spaceport. He had dropped her off at his and Yula Perl 's apartment and decided to circle back to make sure nobody had tracked her. It was unlikely, given her experience at avoiding people following her, but better safe than sorry. Especially considering the reason that she was here in the first place - she was carrying a child.​

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But as the woman stepped up towards the door of the apartment, something suddenly struck her. Had Dagon messaged Yula to let her know she was coming...?​

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Chit.​

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This could get really awkward, really fast. How often do people get visitors knocking at their door, explaining they'll be staying because they need protection during their pregnancy? Sure, Dagon was a friend who she knew quite well, but she had only met Yula twice, and one of those times was in the aftermath of the Battle on Coruscant. Not exactly the time and place to socialize. ​

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Valery sighed and decided to just go for it.​

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Knocking three times on the apartment's door, Valery waited so she could greet whoever opened with a slightly embarrassed smile. But she knew that once everything was explained and well, the time here with people she considered friends would be quite memorable.​

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[Jem Fossk]

Jem opened the door, her thin frame draped in another one of Dagon Kaze 's old tees. A groggy blink was level up at the jedi overhead, before a hand rubbed away a bit of bedhead and recognition shot across Jem's face like lightening.

Jem closed the door, nearly on Valery's face. Doe.

She wasn't sure why she did that. She could feel the shock resonate from the other side, and Yula's footsteps coming up from the garage put a sudden sense of pressure on her to--

"Ahem."

She peeked back through the door, the hinge slowly swinging open to show the girl and the stingy hall behind her.

"Master Noble..." A tight bow. "What are you doing here?" Came the brash response. Her first thought was that they had been found, which was chit for her. Dagon was going to drill her senseless if it turned out she let her trail drop again. He was very serious about keeping them below ground from everything. Even the order. A Jedi master standing before her wasn't a good sign.

Jem squirmed in a little in place, her arm firmly baring the way in.

 

[Yula Perl]

"Valery…?"

With respectable confusion, Yula pulled off her goggles and stared at the other woman in bewilderment. The visitor had tripped the door sensors, sending a ping to her datapad while she worked in the garage. Making her way up the stairs put her at Jedi Master's back, and she could see Jem's defensive stance in the partially open doorway.

This was…odd. Which side of the Jedi coin did Noble fall on again?

"Everything okay?"

It was doubtful that Valery would come out all this way just for her, nor would she have any reason to. Or that she'd have an easy time finding the hideaway, which had recently been upgraded to throw off sensors and fade into the side of the building with distortion tech.

Nah, she was here for another reason. Whether she was invited or not would determine how they'd handle this. Fortunately, Yula was still wearing her heavy work gloves—the thug's speeder she was boosting could wait.

Valery Noble Jem Fossk Dagon Kaze

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Yula Perl Jem Fossk ​

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Seeing the door open, Valery was about to speak before it was suddenly and quickly shut again, almost hitting her against the face in the process. She blinked, somewhat surprised, but still offered Jem a smile as the door opened again. She would, however, take note of the Padawan's defensive stance - this really had become a hideout of sorts.​

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"Padawan Gaelor," Valery said with a respectful dip of her head.​

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"I uh, came to see.." she was interrupted as a voice behind her mentioned her name. Turning around, Valery spotted the pink woman she had first met on Jadelight beacon, and greeted her with a faint smile, albeit one that showed the awkwardness she felt in this moment. ​

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"Yula, it has been a while."​

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Where to even begin? Every sentence she tried to form inside her head made the situation seem awkward and strange. Was there even a way to make this all sound normal?​

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"I'm... okay," she said, which wasn't entirely true. "I'm really sorry if I'm bothering, but Dagon dropped me off. He's heading back to the spaceport to make sure nobody tracked me but..." she paused again for a moment, not sure how to continue.​

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Just freeking say it, Val.​

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"I need to lay low for a while — I found out I'm pregnant and there are too many threats looking for me. Dagon suggested that I should stay with you all for a while, here on Denon." She could feel her face turn a shade red, purely from embarrassment in having to explain and ask such a thing. There were many details she missed too, but emotions were high when it came to this topic, so she wasn't like her usual self.​

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Valery also hated feeling like a burden on people, and couldn't help but feel that this was a lot to ask from someone she didn't particularly know too well. She really should have brought Dagon with her before letting him head back to the spaceport.​

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[Jem Fossk]

Jem's mouth fell open, her hazel gaze leaving the Valery's to fall on Yula's in shock.

"...Well chit," she mused. Her arm dropped from the door, allowing it to swing open in a slow and awkward creeeeeek.

"... He did it again." Only this time, it wasn't her being dropped into the fire. She couldn't help the slight crack of her lips. Come on, it was a little funny. Just a little.

She awaited Yula's response, a smidge too eager

 

[Yula Perl]

"I need to lay low for a while — I found out I'm pregnant and there are too many threats looking for me. Dagon suggested that I should stay with you all for a while, here on Denon."

"... He did it again."

Yula's expression didn't shift away from her initial polite surprise. Nary a twitch. What on Denon had that man done? She'd question his late-night crimefighting excursions if their paths hadn't crossed on the job so many times. Now she was questioning everything else.

"Oh."

With a half-step forward, she gestured to the now open doorway. Her lower eyelid twitched.

"Go on inside. Jem will help you get settled."

At some point, the heavy harris wrench tucked into her belt had found its way into her gloved grip.

"And where is Dagon now, exactly?"

Because he was about to be at the bottom of a lake.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Yula Perl Jem Fossk ​

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Looking between Jem and Yula, Valery could feel the atmosphere of the room change. Even though Yula wasn't showing much of a change in demeanor, there was just something in the air that made things feel tense. It only further reinforced the feeling that she was being a burden, or that something was off. So with a gentle frown, Valery nodded and stepped towards the door.​

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"He's uh, at the spaceport nearby. Landing pad 12-C, where my ship is kept." Valery said as she watched the wrench move into the Zeltron's hand.​

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Oh man, he's in trouble.​

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"Yula." Valery then said as she stopped in the doorway.​

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"Thank you." The words were simple but sincere - no matter how you'd spin the situation, being host to a pregnant woman who has plenty of enemies was a responsibility of some kind. And Valery knew very few people she could turn to, considering that she hasn't been out of stasis for that long. With Aayla and Dagon helping her, the two friends she does have are both involved, and Yula and Jem were now dragged into it as well.​

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Valery then finally turned to Jem, and followed the younger girl inside the appartment.​

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[Jem Fossk]

It was at that precise moment that Jem realized there was no where to settle Valery. Unless you counted the couch, which at this very moment had been serving as Jem's bed. She faltered in front of the living room doorway, and gave Yula a pleading glance.

Notherbed.

She sighed, her shoulders dropping as she slipped in ahead and gathered up her blanket and pillow into one bundle. If there was any rules still remaining from the dishelved remains of their order, it was that jedi masters, and pregnant ones to boot, did not get floor duty.

Jem relocated herself to the ground before Dagon would have to have a say, the heap dropped with little bravito into the corner.

"I hate my life," she announced, to no one in particular, plopping into the heap and straightening it out.

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula caught the sincere look in Valery's eyes as the woman thanked her.

"Mhm. Don't mention it."

She still didn't know what to make of the situation. First Jem, now Val. At least she kind of knew Val beforehand, but the circumstances were...different. Weird. At least Jem seemed to be taking it in stride, even if it meant floor duty.

With the perimeter breeched by a new presence, Emily zipped her way through the apartment to confront the Jedi Master. Yula paused, half a step in the opposite direction when the droid's angry beeping reached her. Like hell she'd let Jem diffuse this situation, not after she'd nearly punted the little bionic spider into the atmos.

"Woah, hey. Em c'mere, I've got a job for you. Go to the spaceport and get Dagon. 12-C. C'mon, go!" She shooed the droid away just as Emily had reared up on her hind legs and let out a series of trills in an attempt to intimidate Valery. The spider scurried out the door, but not before sending one last threatening whistle to their guest.

Emily's intervention seemed to have shaken Yula awake, making the Zeltron a little more ready to handle this situation. "Sorry 'bout that. Em don't like strangers too much." Blowing a tuft of hair from her face, Yula fixed her gaze on Valery, now with some level of clarity.

"So, who's the dad?" The question came flatly. A wrench would be flying if she said Dagon.

Valery Noble Jem Fossk

 

[Jem Fossk]

Jem's gaze slid up in palpable tension, no breath drawn as she waited for the answer.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Jem Fossk Yula Perl ​

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Valery began to follow Jem into Yula's apartment and briefly stopped as the girl removed her blanket and pillow from the couch to place them on the ground. She knew that because of this situation, she had condemned the Padawan to floor duty, and couldn't help but feel bad about it.​

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"Hm." she hummed as Jem plopped down into the heap. "Since this might take a while..." she looked at her stomach for just a moment, "...I'll buy you a proper mattress at least. I'm sure we can squeeze that in here somewhere if Yula is alright with it." she offered but before a response could come, she heard some angry beeping approaching her.​

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Turning around to face it, she noticed the little spider droid and just watched — it reminded her of her old astromech droid, who occasionally screeched at unexpected visitors as well. But luckily, there were fewer explosions with this little droid.​

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"Oh it's quite alright," she assured Yula with a smile. ​

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But then the inevitable question was finally asked, and Valery's smile faded almost instantly, replaced with a frown she quickly turned down towards her stomach. She remained quiet for just a moment, which unknown to her, was likely only adding more tension to the situation.​

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"The father is Kahlil Zambrano," she said as she fought back a more emotional response. There was no way she was going to cry or show too much emotion in front of the two, but it would be clear enough that she was a bit saddened. "He recently departed and fell to the Dark Side to take down his father. So he's unaware of the child, and the plan is to keep it that way. Until well... I can hopefully get him back."​

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"That's why I'm here, to keep the child safe from his family and whoever else would be willing to hurt it."​

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[Kyra Perl]

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[Jem Fossk]

Jem grew somber in an instant, her fingers twisting into the comforter as she looked away.

Dejavu rocked her body and she had to fight to keep her breath even as panic took hold. The darkside had recently touched her family too, only she didn't know the mother that tried to protect her. Her father was still lost.

Dagon and Yula were now the only ones standing in his way.

The juicy drama of Valery's appearance turned sour in her mouth. Jem said nothing. She just shimmied a little deeper into her blankets acted like she hadn't heard at all.

Breathe in breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

 

[Yula Perl]

"Oh."

Yula blinked, then exhaled in an almost exaggerated manner. "Oh, okay. Whew! I thought you were gonna say Dagon, but like, that wouldn't even—" The somber mood put a stop to her relief, wordless grief emanating from both Valery and Jem. Zeltrons were essentially organic conductors for unspoken emotion.

"Sorry, that…wasn't. I'm just turned around, is all." Setting the wrench down on the kitchen table, Yula pulled out a chair and landed in it with a tired thud. "Did you say Zambrano?" Her lips thinned into a tight line as she worked her thick gloves off. This was a lot to take in—first an apprentice whose father is one of the most notorious Sith in the galaxy, now a pregnant Jedi Master who's baby daddy is a member of the galaxy's most dangerous Sith dynasty…who apparently wasn't dark sided, but now was.

Anyway.

Yula sighed and tossed her gloves on top of the wrench. Then she leaned forward, elbows on her knees and clasped hands wresting under her chin, and stared. At both Valery and Jem, but the former moreso than the latter—almost as if she were trying to appraise the new arrival with the scanners and sensors built into her bionic eye. "Dag did the right thing by bringing you here." She admitted after what seemed like a long while given how tense the air was. "It's not much, but this place has its own tricks and defenses. And you're more than welcome to bunk here while you need, Valery."

Exhaling slowly, Yula pressed her hands to her thighs and rose from her seat. It only took her a few steps to reach the kitchen, and she called out to Valery while rummaging around through the cabinets. "I'll need a list of your enemies. Anyone that could be after you or the kid, what you know about them, capabilities, ties, last known whereabouts, etc. Anything you can think of." Walking back into the living room, she returned with a bottle and three drinking glasses, two empty. She handed an empty cup to Jem, and the water to Valery.

"Course I can't guarantee anything, but on Denon things find a way."

She poured the Padawan a glass of wine. Not that Jem was holding an actual wine glass—it was a typical glass. One that you just sometimes happened to drink wine from. A glass is a glass.

"To the baby,"

She poured herself a dangerously full glass.

"And our nerves."

"…nobody tell Dagon."

She threw her head back, cheap wine down the hatch. The galaxy was going crazy, might as well ride it out.

Valery Noble Jem Fossk

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Jem Fossk Yula Perl ​

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"Oh, okay. Whew! I thought you were gonna say Dagon, but like, that wouldn't even—"​

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Instantly, the tension of the whole situation she felt earlier made a lot more sense. Valery's eyes widened for a moment as it registered and she'd turn her gaze to Yula, who she quietly stared at for a moment. She wasn't sure what to even really say, but two words slipped out.​

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"Oh, Lord."​

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She shook her head and waved a hand dismissively at the thought, "It's alright, and yeah - Zambrano." Valery confirmed. She knew the name was quite familiar to many, mostly due to Kahlil's father. So the reaction it prompted was to be expected. Valery then took a deep breath and calmed herself down again too, now that she also felt some relief that the situation was cleared up between them.​

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The somber tone she carried washed away mostly.​

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"As for a list of enemies, I'll get you one written up. There are... a few." she blinked at that and watched as Yula began to look through cabinets in the kitchen. Normally, Valery wouldn't mind a glass of wine herself but she definitely wasn't going to drink whilst being pregnant.​

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So she happily accepted the glass of water and raised it along with the others.​

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"To the baby." she finally actually smiled again and took a sip before lowering the glass.​

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"I'll also do my best to help you out around here, Yula. I love cooking and I can take care of the apartment if you and Dag are out for work or whatever. I don't want to just be a burden." ​

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[Jem Fossk]

"To the baby..." Jem mumbled, with less enthusiasm. Didn't babies cry? Wait was she gonna be on the floor with a crying baby?

She matched the other's motions and chugged her glass back, only for the sour substances to burn and catch-- a sputtering cough of shock filled her corner spot.

"That's disgusting," she croaked, looking at the glass in abject horror. All these years of anticipation, waiting to be old enough to partake in the treat...

It was a damn lie.

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula snorted at Jem's abject disgust and apparent sense of betrayal.

"Get used to it, it'll help."

Oh, she could feel Dagon glaring holes into her from the spaceport.

Yula stared down into the small crest of red liquid remaining in her glass, giving it a little swirl with thought. They'd have to do some rearranging, she might even have to rent another space for her work—but that would look suspicious. She and Dag would have to go over security as well, figure out what needed fixing and develop a contingency plan. The next few months wouldn't be simple, but Valery and Jem were both competent and determined. That made it a little easier.

"We'll figure it out." She admitted to no one in particular. "Jem, you won't be on the floor for long, but the Order appreciates your sacrifice."

Yula was not a part of any Jedi Order, nor did she think too highly of them. Which was funny, because now she was running the Jedi Fucking Temple of Denon.

Valery Noble Jem Fossk

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Denon​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Yula Perl Jem Fossk ​

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Valery couldn't help but chuckle at Jem's dislike of the wine, and the whole interaction that followed between her and Yula after. After a difficult few weeks, it was nice to be able to laugh about something as simple as this. So she looked at them with a smile and sipped away the rest of her water.​

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"We will figure it out," she said, looking at Yula. "I appreciate all the help and the warm welcome."​

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The corners of her lips curled up into a final smile and with that, the start of an interesting couple of months was marked. Without a doubt, there were going to be challenges along the way, but many fond memories were likely to be formed as well. She looked forward to it all.​

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Sometime later...​

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The first rays of morning sunlight began to shine into the apartment, where Valery lay asleep on the couch while Jem was still condemned to the floor. They'd get her something better soon, but their focus had been on security first, especially after Valery had given Yula the rather lengthy list of potential enemies. ​

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"Ugh.." Valery muttered as her eyes opened.​

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But being used to a larger bed, it took her too long to realize that she was sleeping on a couch. Her orange eyes widened the moment she realized her butt had shifted off the soft surface, and she fell down on the ground with an audible oomph. She really hoped Jem had cleared away far enough from the couch.​

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With a soft moan, she got up to her feet and rubbed her rear while her eyes shifted over to the kitchen. Crap. They hadn't gotten food yet, and she was unusually hungry.​

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She sighed and looked around to see if the others were awake. Maybe they could get some food somewhere?​

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[Yula Perl]

The moment Valery slid from the couch, Yula meandered into the living room with a yawn. She stopped short in the doorway, hand rubbing sleepily at her head while scrutinizing Jem and Valery with hazy eyes.

Wha…?

Oh. Oh!

The events of yesterday caught up with her, and Yula realized that the pregnant one was on the floor.

"Oh chit- you alright? You hurt??" More awake, she rushed to the Jedi Master's side and eased her up. Yula wasn't used to tending pregnant women, especially ones who'd fallen from crappy couches.

"You eat anything yet?" She hadn't taken stock of the pantry in a while, busy as she and Dag had both been. Huttaburger reigned supreme. Yula glanced over at the bundle of Jem and blankets on the floor, unwilling to disturb the Padawan if she was still sleeping. Floor duty sucked. Maybe they could grab her one of those fancy muffins from the second-rate cafe a few blocks over in apology.

Valery Noble Jem Fossk

 

[Jem Fossk]

“Ow,” Jem protested, a rustle of blankets untangling to finally reveal the girl sprawled out like a starfish across the floor.

Val hadn’t fallen in her persay, but it still felt necessary to protest.

She had gotten back late with Dagon after a night of rounds and no amount of sleep would feel like enough. She stirred anyway, her internal clock protesting her exhaustion.

“Whattimeisit?”

(Phone post)

Dagon Kaze Yula Perl Valery Noble