Private The Zone

[Valery Noble]

The Zone

​

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

"Oh my," Valery commented when the two soldiers went flat against the ground. No, three soldiers. Valery blinked and looked up when she realized a third had been in the woods on the opposite side of the road. This scorcher, as they called it, continued to scramble her mind, so she hadn't even noticed the soldier. If she had been here with any other Jedi, it would have been a far bigger problem.

"We're clear, love!" Valery called out a moment later, as she crouched down and began to look through one of the soldier's items. Besides his weapons and tools, he carried paperwork as well. A simple survival guide all soldiers were given, but also a small journal with a strange symbol on the front.

"Hmm, they almost feel like religious fanatics. This journal talks about a holy wish granter they must find and keep from others. They believe it's at the plant that had a meltdown. Do you think that's why they might be patrolling here? To stop others from reaching the plant?" Valery stood up and looked at her husband to gauge his thoughts.

"I think our first step is to take down this scorcher, though." She paused and looked around once more. "Do you want to inspect any of them? Or ready to go?"

Kahlil Noble
​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"It would make sense. Religion is often the basics people in crisis turn to when things can't be explained." And often how people were taken advantage of. Kahlil frowned deeply in thought, not even sparring much mind to the people he was keeping flattened as he looked out towards where he figured the Scorcher would be. It was the next step, that was for certain.

But these people. He glanced to them, frowning. There was no law here, no way to keep them detained without leaving them to the beasts that would devour them. But to leave them free would mean they could go back to harming others, or perhaps even trying to go after them.

"Should we kill them? I can't see a way to keep them safe while also keeping others safe from them."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

The Zone

​

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

"Kill them?" Valery looked at the few he kept flattened and frowned. She knew why he proposed the idea. Leaving them unconscious or restrained meant they were potentially easy prey to the mutants. But letting them go meant they could harm other people or come after them and cause more trouble. Still, she didn't like the idea of taking their lives. It didn't feel right, even with what they were doing.

They were already defeated, after all.

"What if this scorcher is also affecting them somehow? Maybe all of this isn't their fault?" Valery proposed as another angle that only complicated the idea of taking their lives. But she brought it up for a reason. Even now, killing could never be something they'd take lightly, so they needed to consider all options.

"I don't like the idea of killing them, love. We could knock them out and tie them up, or perhaps Mind Trick them into walking back towards the military camp? They'll be able to defend themselves on the way there, and once they make it to the soldiers, they'll be detained?"

Kahlil Noble
​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I can't control people that well, love."

And they didn't know how to get back as it was. The complication only made it worse as he glanced to the pinned soldiers. Eventually he let out a sigh. The easiest solution?

"You stay here with them, I'll go handle the Scorcher. If they are being affected and this clears them up, they'll be very helpful."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

The Zone

​

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

This wasn't even close to the most dangerous situation they found themselves in together, but even now, there was that shimmer in her eyes. That brief moment of worry at the idea of splitting up. Separating. Without realizing it, Valery had taken his hand and gently squeezed it, while her mind worked to catch up with what he proposed. It wasn't a bad idea at all, especially since proximity to the scorcher made it harder for her to focus.

But she saw herself again, standing in the rain that night in Imperial space, when he told her to go. She hated splitting up when they were supposed to be together.

"Alright," she said with a somewhat pouty expression. "A kiss before you go?" she asked almost nervously. Even if she didn't like splitting up, she was able to set aside her own feelings and do what was right.

"And be safe, okay?"

Kahlil Noble
​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil glanced to Valery for a moment before letting out a faint chuckle. He stepped back to her side, leaning down to kiss her forehead gently. He understood why, but he wasn't going to make it something bad or depressing. The wound would always be there, but lingering on it wasn't going to help it heal. Smiling would. He ruffled her hair as he stepped away, turning towards the woods.

"I'll be back soon, don't worry. Just don't get caught again so I have to save you, mm?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

The Zone

​

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

Valery closed her eyes and smiled when he leaned down to kiss her forehead. She could steal a lot more from him later, but letting him go after seeing him smile and feeling this kiss would help her more than anything. Though, as he reached up to ruffle her hair, Valery grumbled and quickly planted a gentle punch in his gut.

"My hair," she said with eyes squinting at him.

"Just go already, and try to learn more about all of this," Valery huffed playfully. "I won't get caught, but you better not either." She would go to hell and back a thousand times for him if she needed to. But she hoped she never would have to feel that kind of pain again. For now, she focused on his smile and waited.

Once Kahlil departed, the forest around him would be much the same. Dead trees, branches, and no sign of anything alive. The animals that once lived here were either long gone or had been mutated into beasts far beyond what anybody could imagine. But despite this, something far worse waited up ahead.

The scorcher looked like it had once been some kind of antenna complex, likely built to transmit long-range messages. Now, the invisible waves it sent into the environment lashed out at the minds of anybody who dared get close. Around the scorcher was a tall fence with two gates opposite of each other. Guard towers stood on each side of these gates, and several soldiers patrolled the terrain.

This place was heavily defended.

Kahlil Noble
​