Private The Sands of Ophus V

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Yeah." Colette said quite simply and fell into a silent mood. If not for the occasional need to point out a direction to go in order to reach their next landmark, the ride would most likely have been kind of quiet.

Colette let out a small, quiet but worried humm as they approached the cave she had suspected the tribe had sought the cover of. On the approach it was clear that someone had been here, but that wasn't all.

"A cave-in…" Colette muttered as she almost stood up in the moving car. "And…"

A big body could be seen under the front of the rubble. A bantha.

"Oh no."

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"Stay seated," Valery said with motherly worry, as Colette began to rise. She could tell that something terrible had happened, especially after noticing the Bantha's body. But the only way for them to help or figure out what happened, was to at least not endanger themselves.

No heart attacks for Valery today.

"Let's try to use our senses. Maybe others are still stuck inside," Valery then added, as the speeder came to a stop close to the collapsed entrance of the caves. Normally, Valery would have maybe waited for Colette to test her senses as an exercise, but with lives at stake, Valery was shifting her own focus outwards too.

"We can do this, Colette," Valery tried to encourage.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

As the speeder came to a halt, Colette didn't really care much. She threw herself at the rocks and began to shuffle around the rocks to try and find somewhere to start. Valery placed her hand on Colette's shoulder and the kid slowly eased up.

"I can feel them in there. Faintly." She frowned and panted as she tried to calm herself down. Despite everything, they were still here people, damn it! "We need to be careful. These rocks are unstable, they will collapse unless we lift from the top and work our way down."

The kid was clearly distraught when she extended her hand towards the rubble and tried in vain to lift the rocks.

"Work, damnit!"

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"Calm down, Colette," Valery said with a soft voice, while she raised her hand and channeled the Force. "The weight or stability of these rocks won't matter to us, as long as we're calm. Don't let panic or emotion control you - not now." She knew that was easier said than done, but if Colette kept herself focused, she would be able to help these people.

It was worth the effort.

"Follow my guidance, and we'll clear the way." With lives at risk, Valery wasn't going to just leave this to her Padawan. She tapped into the Force herself, and began to pick up larger rocks to set them aside. At the same time, she kept herself ready in case of an unexpected collapse.

Together, they would get through it.

"Remember your training. You can do this."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

She had come to feel so despised by the people that she had thought of as her own family and yet the idea of seeing them in danger filled her with so much despair that she began to panic. As Valery began to shift the force and bring Colette back a step or two she slowly turned around to look at her master and took a deep breath.

Her head bobbed up and down, she nodded.

Colette extended her hand towards the rubble to help lift the smaller rocks over and out of the way as the two of them managed to clear the rubble over a few minute's time. There was life in the cave, they would both feel it but the signs were very faint. Not dead, maybe oxygen starved. A dozen souls had been held captive by nature itself, but not anymore.

"Hello?" Colette said as she stepped through the dust and ignited her saber to see in the dark. "Everyone okay in here?"

She stepped over the flattened bantha carcass with an uneasy frown.

"Colette?" A vague voice called out from within. "No, you were- you were gone!"

The kid continued further into the cave with her blue blade acting as a beacon for the others to see.

"Wait, that…" Another voice mumbled.

"That's fresh air!" A young voice called out.

"We're saved!" Another joined in.

Colette turned towards Valery and let out a sigh of relief. At least, until he came into view: Victor. Colette's teeth visibly gritted for a moment but quickly passed as the others began to pour out of the cave and let in deep breaths. There was absolutely no denying the state of this cave. Cramped, full of what few supplies that they had managed to salvage from within the cave when it had caved in, which wasn't a lot.

"Thank you!" One of the mothers exclaimed and approached Valery and Colette as they stepped outside again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

They practically hugged and kissed Valery for what they thought that she had done. They stepped up to Colette and gave her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. It was clear that none of them really believed that Colette had done much in this, and Colette didn't really want to point that out either. Instead she just kind of slouched up and made herself small.

"That was the easy part." She said and stepped out to hide behind Valery with a frown. "Now they have to make it across the desert with us."

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

As soon as the rocks were finally removed from where they had been, oxygen rushed into the caves and the blue light of Colette's lightsaber acted as a beacon. Like moths to a flame, those who had been stuck inside rushed out, first to catch their breaths and stretch their limbs, but then to thank them as well. Or, well, thank Valery — most seemed to pay little attention to Colette, and Valery was very quick to notice how it made her feel.

An arm reached out to wrap around Colette's shoulders, and the younger woman was closed. "I'm glad that you are all safe, but it's not me who you should be thanking." A part of her knew that Colette wasn't one to want to draw attention to herself like this, but there was no reality where Valery could accept this.

"I'm a stranger to this dessert, its dangers, and to your people. She guided us here," Valery said with a soft smile, before she looked down at Colette and nodded.

"You did good, and we'll get them across this dessert. Just... I want you to know that I'm very proud of you, okay?" Valery's smile brightened, and only after that, did she turn back to the others.

"We're going to need to work together to make it all back safely. But if we trust in each other and help each other out, we can make it."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The people stopped for a moment to let their attention set on Colette for a moment and the girl felt herself wanting to hide behind Valery again. Maybe it was just her mind playing on her doubts but they didn't really seem to think that the girl was behind this. They looked at her with weak smiles and a questioning eyebrow but gave her a nod. Perhaps because it was awkward to have thanked the wrong person in the first place, or perhaps because they didn't want to believe it.

It was an apprehensive mixture of both. Valery would be able to tell that much.

The people got their equipment sorted not too long after they were given the orders to get ready. They salvaged what they could from the crushed livestock and then they set off towards the horizon.

Colette mourned the loss of her appreciation for the moment she had enjoyed the most as a child. This had been the highlight of her days back then. It was difficult to set off and realize that nobody here wanted her there.

"I want to go home." She whined to Valery at the end of the day. "I want to be back on New Cov."

"Good." Victor grumbled as he passed the fire that Colette had set up for Valery and herself to sleep around. She didn't want to sleep next to the other family that had turned her away. It didn't feel right.

"... I hate that man."

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"We'll be home soon," Valery assured her with a motherly smile, mere moments before Victor earned himself a death glare like Colette wouldn't have seen before. She clenched her jaw, balled her hand into a fist, but then forced out her breath and looked at Colette instead. He wasn't worth the trouble, even though Valery was more than ready to fold him over and remind him who he should be thanking.

"While we protect even the lives of people like that, he's not worth anymore of our attention. He's sad and pathetic, ungrateful and egotistical. Let him drown in his own anger and misery." She shot the man one final glare, just to let him know that if he dared to say a word to Colette again, he'd be eating sand for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Valery wasn't above defending her Padawans against filth.

"Come here," she then said, as she shifted closer and wrapped an arm around the girl. "Let's get some rest, and we'll be on our way again soon, okay? Maybe we'll take some days to just rest up and do something fun when we get back."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It felt wrong to lean so closely on Valery in all of this for some reason, but wrong didn't mean unthinkable. She leaned into the hug and let herself relax. Victor was a piece of chit, and Valery had shown her what it meant to have someone care for her. At least beyond what Red and Nix had. But the difference there was that while Red and Nix did it, there was still a whole group of people around them that wanted the kid gone. Two people out of two dozen didn't make for a stable family in an environment like that.

That evening passed in uneasy slumber. Colette felt herself waking up at several points throughout the night. Eventually the morning came around and the rest of the camp began to stir. Colette helped pack up what little they still had before they set off on the road again.

She wasn't in a particularly talkative mood, and most of it was because she just didn't know quite how to describe what it was that she was feeling. Betrayed? Not really. Disappointed? Immensely, yet that was not quite it.

The day passed and at the end of it they could see the mountains near the spaceport peek up from the horizon. Just far away enough to warrant one last night around the fire.

"They're still going to cast me out." Colette said as she sat down in front of the fire with Valery for the evening. "I can…Feel it."

"It's the way they look at me. How none of them seem to really want to talk to me like they once did. Or maybe... Like they just don't want to talk to me even more than they didn't want to before and I just didn't know."

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

Valery's own night had been uneasy as well. Sleeping wasn't something she could do, whenever those close to her were struggling. Still, Valery hadn't made it obvious that she was awake a lot more than she usually would be — she didn't want to add to Colette's worries, and would only turn around if she seemed to need some help or hear a reassuring voice. But eventually, as always, the sun would rise again and they'd be on their way.

Mostly in silence, like on the way there.

When they day of travel had passed, the two Jedi found themselves sitting by the fear again, comfortable in terms of warmth, but uneasy otherwise. She could feel the tension in Colette, and kept herself close as support as all times. With the occasional death glare for her people, of course.

"Well, I can't claim to know why they are this way. But I can tell you that they're not worth the trouble of finding out. Despite their behavior, you came back to help them, and they still treat you like this." Valery wrapped an arm around Colette again and sighed, "I know it's difficult, but we all have the ability to choose our real family, and these people aren't it."

"This is going to be over soon."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Valery's words rang true and Colette would try to focus on that as she tried to fall asleep through the night. It was mostly another night of getting the occasional wink of sleep, but dreams and memories began to stir each time that she did. Long forgotten slights, the silent whispers they didn't think the stray would pick up on.

"This little venture is about to be over then?" A woman asked Colette and Valery both. "You will be leaving?"
"Right. Yeah." Colette frowned. "Probably."
"We are grateful, you know." The woman felt compelled to lie. Or so Colette read the situation.
"Doesn't—" Colette stopped herself. "Yeah."

There were a few remarks the closer to the spaceport that they got to the spaceport. Praises from people that felt more at ease talking to a stranger than an outcast. Colette felt smaller than she ever had. Her shoulders slumped, she walked with a hunch as if she felt compelled to carry the world on her back.

The whole caravan just dissolved as they entered the town around the spaceport. People rushed to reunite with Red, Nix, and the others that had gone with the elder. The elder who was standing with a cane out by the oasis that housed the clans that were currently visiting.

"That's that." Colette mumbled and stepped up behind Valery to look at the happy people. "Our good deed for the year. Or something."

She was just… So tired of it all. The tears were there, just about ready to burst, held back by nothing more than her pride. She didn't want to give them the satisfaction to see how badly they broke her. At least not until,

"Victor!" One of those who had left with Red shouted with joy as he embraced his brother.
"Brandt!" Victor cried out and hugged his brother. "You won't believe what the mystic did!"
"And Colette?" Brandt asked his brother as they separated. "She basically set the plan up the second she found out."
"Nothing. Useless like alw-"

That was it. Colette snapped in two as the tears began to stream down her cheeks like they had so many times in the last few days alone. The kid extended her hand towards her worst bully to let the force drag him through the sand. He let out a scream in confusion and fear that only stopped once Colette held him by the collar in both of her hands.

A torrent of rage bellowed inside of her mind as she stared deep into his soul to find where his heart had once been. There was that small voice in her mind that told her how easy it would be to end all of his torment right there and then. Everyone stared at her in horror. Beyond Keer's visit there had never been any real understanding of what the Force could do and what it meant to wield it, and now someone that had once been their own was using it against them — and for violent means no less.

Colette was different from who she was back then, that was true, but that didn't mean that it was for the worse. Her hands tensed until her arms shook. She wanted this man dead more than anything in the world but her conscience still held her back. Her breathing began to run ragged, each of them grew wetter than the next as she struggled to do anything.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

Valery kept herself rather quiet. If these people had hopes of conversing or finding a connection, they'd have to think again. They lost that privilege when they made one of their own feel unwelcome, and Valery wasn't going to make Colette feel even more pushed away by engaging with any of them.

She just stuck to her Padawan's side, offered her the comfort she might need, and work towards getting them back home. Already, she knew they were going to take some days off after this.

Some time to just focus on better things.

But right when Valery believed that they had gone through the worst, she overheard a conversation and felt anger spike through the Force. Valery turned to Colette to stop her, but it was already too late — she had lashed out with the Force, and pulled the man down onto the ground. Kicking and screaming, he was dragged closer and closer, and for a moment, Valery just stood still and watched. Some people called for her to interfere, and she knew that she should, but after everything this man had done to Colette?

It almost felt like justice.

"Colette," Valery said after a moment, as a hand settled on the girl's shoulder. "That's enough. I know how you feel, but he's not worth it." She tried to gently pull Colette back, and placed herself between the girl and her people, as a way to shield her from whatever might come next. Not a single one of them would lay a hand on her.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

In through the nose, out through the nose. Victor was scared at this point. He recognized the hate in her eyes and the pain she wanted to cause him but just barely kept herself from unleashing upon him. Valery would try to put herself between Colette and the man, but the kid shook the hand from her shoulder.

There was one more thing she needed to do. She tightened her grip on his collar and lift him up one last time to shake him awake.

"You would have died in that cave if it weren't for me." She hissed. "Every day of your life from this point on is a blessing that I gave you."

"Every time you kiss your wife goodnight, that's because of me. Every year you get to spend watching your children grow up, that's because of me."

"Every single driplet of joy that you are able to feel is because I saved your life." She growled by now. "No matter how hard you tried to put me down, I still saved your life."

"You are alive, because I allowed you to be. Don't you ever forget that."

Colette threw the man back to where she had pulled him away from. He tumbled around and the others walked on over to check up on him. He was alive, but quite clearly in shock. The kid didn't say much more. She began to make her way over to the ship, and that would be it. She had said what she needed to have said, for better or worse. They could exile her all they wanted, they weren't her family anymore. It would hurt not to have Red and Nix in her life, but they were poor counterweights for everything else.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ophus V

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

Valery withdrew her hand and watched Colette lift the man up by his collar. She would have stopped it if she had felt more intent to cause harm, but Valery could tell that her Padawan merely wanted to leave a message behind. A strong message that would cement her place within this group of people forever. Or, rather, the lack thereof. They had outcasted her, treated her like trash, and now insulted her with their complete lack of gratitude for what she had done for them.

This time, Valery wouldn't do anything or even say a word, even if people looked at her with expectations. Colette needed to air her frustrations, so as long as she did without causing more harm, she'd be given that chance.

Moments later, Colette threw the man back towards the other and turned around to head into the ship. Valery followed after her without sparing those people any glances, and caught up to her Padawan, "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Colette," Valery said, knowing that there were no words to heal those wounds.

She just needed time and a better place to be.

"Let's go home, alright? We're not coming back here."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Me too." The kid mumbled as she made way to the ship. "And I'd like that."

Once aboard the ship it would take a few moments, but once the bustle of the port was swapped for the silence and hum of space there was just no holding the tears or the anger back anymore. Colette screamed, she cried, and she attacked the punching bag in the cargo hold with absolutely no remorse until her voice couldn't carry her anymore and crumpled into an involuntary silence.

In the end she hugged the bag and fell to the floor where Valery would promptly help her stand up again much like she always did. The kid wrapped her arms around her master with no intent to let go as they went over to the kitchen for tea and other means to help the child get her voice back. At least as much of it as she could manage before they got home again.

Things were back to normal eventually, yet nothing was ever the same again. Colette had no-one and yet she had everyone at her side. It took a few weeks for her to get her head back on straight again, but eventually a small invite was sent to Valery to meet Colette in the backyard for a spar and some words of wisdom.

The rest after that was history.