Private This Too Shall Pass

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx​

Weapon: xxx x2​

Tag: Valery Noble​

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Coruscant had been attacked. To some the news had been devastating, to Judah it seemed par for the course. Naturally he would never express that opinion out loud, but it seemed if it was not the Sith trying to sack the planet it was some other organization. This particular organization seemed to blame force users for the evils of the galaxy, and yet only the Jedi strongholds seemed to be the ones burning. Judah found their rhetoric to be hypocritical at best and disorganized rantings of nonsensical delusion at worst. It was the way with such groups. They always appealed to the lowest common denominator.​

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Judah now stood in the wreckage of where the attack had been. He had wanted to leave the charity gala immediately but wise counsel from Solenne Abraxas had seen the Jedi pause long enough to see the event through to the end. His heart went out to the families who had lost their loved ones in the attack. He understood loss better than most, and his resolve to see justice brought was born from it. They needed closure, and Judah would get it for them.​

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“Be careful not to touch anything directly, especially if it is evidence.”​

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Cleaning droids were already getting to work clearing the debris as other Jedi worked alongside them to find the source of the explosion. Judah sighed as he squatted low and began to pick through smaller pieces of debris, looking for anything that looked like a control, a detonator, or some kind of timing device. There was nothing about this New Way which was sophisticated, other than Judah was still in the dark about who their leader was.​

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He stood and took his gloves off as he walked toward his speeder bike for a break. A tumble full of hot black caf was sitting in a makeshift cup holder. The morning was cold, and Judah could see his breath as it was exposed to the elements. He leaned against his bike and shook his head as he took in the devastation once more. While it did seem normative for Coruscant, Judah was still crushed by the weight of lives lost, that there were those who loved the wanton destruction of innocents. All for what? They sought to prove a point? Make a statement?​

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It was then Judah sensed a familiar presence, one that had become more and more recognizable as time went on. They had grown close for reasons Judah had yet to understand. The pair always worked well together when tasked to see a mission through. This was not one of those times. Judah knew her visit was more of duty than assignment, as was his. Did Judah have to be there, no, but he wanted to be. He wanted to help with the investigation. After all, he was a shadow, and one of the most senior among them.​

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“We do not have anything to report yet,” he said as he approached the woman. Judah wondered how she was taking in such devastation after losing her own husband some time long ago. “How are you holding up with all of this?”​

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This was her chance for honesty. Judah did not see any signs the others recognized her presence at the scene just yet. Once they did her responsibility to them all would be to have the face of hope and dedication. If there was any part of her that wavered from those beliefs or convictions, Judah was giving her the space to voice them and confront them.​

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[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

While she had never really been an investigator, Shadows were exposed to intelligence gathering often enough, so she did understand how to carefully move around a place like this, and knew what to expect. Her reason for being here, though, was not to assist with it at all. She had left it to a familiar Jedi who was more experienced with these types of jobs than she was. All that she came to do was get an update and see it all for herself.

There was so much damage and so much evidence everywhere, yet they didn't have enough to find the one truly responsible for it yet. Hopefully, with the efforts of the Jedi and Alliance personnel here, a breakthrough would be made soon enough. She trusted either Judah or someone he worked with could.

"We do not have anything to report yet,"

Valery offered a faint smile and dipped her head, "I figured, but I just had to see it for myself," she admitted, her eyes wandering around again. It wasn't the ruined buildings or blown apart street that bothered her the most — the fear and pain that lingered in the Force were by far the most haunting of it all. She was extremely sensitive to it, and while she could block most of it out, she felt it would be inappropriate to do so.

When he asked his follow-up question, Valery looked back and sighed, "This isn't about me..." she replied, but a look into his eyes and she knew he wasn't going to accept her shifting focus away from her this time. So somewhat reluctantly, she continued, "In all honesty, it's making life a lot more difficult. I can't seem to get any rest and even a short vacation didn't really help me fully recharge. The gala on Hapes was supposed to be my one night to not think about the war or... this."

"But it's not important. Not when people lose their lives and loved ones to cowardly attacks like this." She looked away briefly with a frown and focused on a few memories that flashed through her mind. People screaming as they looked for others who were caught in the blast... crying, bleeding, pain. With a shake of her head, she snapped back out of it.

"What about you? You've been here for a while now."

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

He supposed she was right, this was not about them, but at the same time it was. Neither of them had seen much of each other since her husband had passed. Judah had naturally sent his sympathies along with a token of his sorrow at the news. It was not enough, not for the degree of their friendship. Something within him had beckoned him to keep his distance, a feeling that he could not shake, so he had. Judah often wondered if it had been a mistake. Had he abandoned a friend when she needed him the most.

Her answer did not surprise him, but it still disappointed him. Even though she was being honest she kept pointing to what was around them as if it were an excuse to ignore the pain and turmoil she carried inside.

“Even the Sword needs a respite,” he chastised, then smiled. “You cannot lead to the best of your ability if you neglect yourself. There are some things we cannot do for you.”

She knew it to be true, living it out was another matter entirely. Judah would be a hypocrite if he suggested that he knew how to stop and take care of himself. His relationships with others were what they were because he could not. Yes, he had begun to mend ties to those he had once been close to, but even that felt different in a way. They knew his nature now, and it would make them more cautious.

Judah cleared his throat.

“I have been here for some time. It does not get any easier to block out the residual cries of those who no longer have a voice. Their blood still calls from the ground for justice.”

He would not speak of that any further. It was simply to acknowledge the fact the scene was still littered with the sounds of death and dying. It was palpable, and Judah did his best to ignore it all for now. There would be time to mourn later, time to give a place to the things he sensed. For now it was his duty to be focused, the ever ready Jedi.

A long sip of his caf was taken as he pondered the rest of his answer. How was he holding up? Having the question turned back on him almost made him scoff. Had he not known who it came from he may have. Valery was concerned for his well being as much as he cared for hers. Their relationship was certainly an interesting one. Both of them desited intimacy, and yet held it at arms length at the same time. Judah often stopped just short of full honesty to keep Valery from worrying anymore than she needed to, and to keep from being as vulnerable as he could. Just because the woman reminded him of Katara did not mean she was. Nor was she a replacement for her.

“It is not the present I am concerned with. I have recently reconciled with a friend from my past, and with my son as well. I would like to not repeat the mistakes which forced the need to do so. You, however, we have not truly talked since your own loss. I know it’s pain better than most. I know it is not something that simply vanishes.”

His eyes looked for hers.

“How are you doing… really?"​

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"I know, I know..." Valery said with a slightly frustrated sigh. Ever since Hapes. she hadn't quite been herself anymore — she seemed tired, was easily agitated and it was difficult to find a genuine smile on her face. She knew very well that it was important to take good care of herself, and she wanted to. Hapes was supposed to be a night out with her boyfriend to just enjoy each other's company, the one day they had, and that too was ruined completely.

She was so, so tired of it all and she no longer had the energy to hide it.

It was so utterly maddening, that Valery almost welcomed the shift in topic to what had happened, even if it involved a terrible act of terrorism. As much as work kept her from taking the rest she needed, it also provided her with the distraction that kept her from going completely insane at the same time. It was an awful loop to be stuck in, but it was her life right now and nothing or nobody had been able to pull her out of it. Not her boyfriend and not even her own daughter.

She wasn't expecting Judah to make a difference for her either, but still, the company of a friend was something she welcomed. Every little bit helped, and he was a very different kind of friend than most others. He was honest and straight with her, even if she was stubborn and difficult, and few others were able or willing to stand up to her like that. Secretly, it was something she greatly appreciated about him.

"I'm very glad that things have been going better for you, Judah, and... you're right," she said with a frown, as some recent memories flashed into her mind. "I keep getting reminded of what happened. Not just through dreams or visions anymore, but parts of that past still breathe." She was referring to what they had originally believed to be a clone of Kahlil. Now it turned out that her husband had been the clone, which matters nothing to her, but the dark side 'version' of her late husband was still out there and on the hunt. It was unsettling.

"How are you doing… really?"

Her eyes snapped back to him and she let out another sigh, "Honestly? I don't know where my life is going anymore, or what I want from it. I'm just stuck in a routine, and I like some of it, but I'm just not... that happy anymore. I need some rest and time alone with just the people closest to me."

"But what I want, is something I can't seem to ever get." She wasn't looking for pity at all, and her voice made that very clear. It was just a simple fact to her, albeit a very tiring one.

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

Judah understood the answer Valery gave him more than most would likely would. Their connection was one Judah often did not know how to place. They were friends and yet they knew each other better than most lovers. There was a familiarity with how they approached life. She was nothing Cambria Zadira . Where Judah was also close with the Twi’lek the shadow nature of Valery Noble made her outlook different. Neither were wrong, and neither somehow held any less value to Judah. It simply was the truth.

The Sword had always been honest with Judah, and the Shadow had always been honest with her. It was odd because Judah could not remember anyone he had been so honest with, not recently anyway. There was no one who would ever hold a torch to Katara Starkos even if Judah found his heart finally open enough to explore what could be with others.

Valery had approached her loss differently. She already found solace in the arms of another, or so it seemed. Her confession to wanting time with her daughter and this new man told Judah enough of what he needed to know on that front.

He simply nodded.

Judah had been there before, and unfortunately it seemed Valery was experiencing the same pull to what duty required.

“Be careful your daughter does not grow up resenting how often her mother is absent,” he cautioned. “I would hate to see you repeat my mistakes.”

It was an honest statement. Judah not only cared for his friend, but he was very aware of his own faults. He could see the path of how he had gotten to the place he had just warned about. At this age he knew, had he only seen the warning signs when he was younger, when his family was newer…

He pushed the thoughts from his mind.

Stuck in a routine.

Valery continued.

Whether it was appropriate or not, Judah rest a hand on Valery’s cheek. His eyes looked for hers as if to say one comforting thought.

I understand.

He let his hand fall after just a moment, the force radiating from him in a way that would envelope them both in a calm and peace which could only come from the light side. Life was never easy, especially for a Jedi.

“Share the load. I do not have the same responsibilities to my family that I once had. I can take care of this work here, other things. Rely on your council more. When it gets overwhelming, just remember I have been where you are right now, and I promise I can just sit without making some wise crack. Your my friend, Valery, and there are only two three people I can say have gotten closer to me than you, and they are considered family.”​

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"I'm not making that mistake," Valery said without even a hint of hesitation or doubt in her voice. The mere idea to have Vera be without her too often wasn't something she could ever accept. She would sacrifice anything to keep her little start close. "We moved back to Coruscant so I can see her every day and usually, spend a good amount of time with her too. She started her training at the Temple as well, so I see her there regularly." That was perhaps one of the few things that could help brighten her up a little bit — being with loved ones.

But all the stress in her life and all the problems that were stacking up constantly made it difficult to enjoy it the way she should. It offered her mind no rest and so as time went by, the entire atmosphere around her deteriorated. Eventually, there would be a breaking point, and she had no intention to find out what would happen if she reached it.

Judah then reached out with a comforting hand against her cheek, and she looked up into his eyes with a frown. She wasn't bothered by the gesture, nor would she stop him, but it changed very little for her. It just helped reaffirm that she wasn't entirely alone in this struggle. "Thanks, Judah..." she said after his hand lowered again, "I've been trying to share the load more, and my boyfriend pushes me a little to be more open, but it's hard."

Valery had never been one to bring others to help deal with her problems, but time and experience had made her finally realize that it was sometimes exactly what she needed to do. Now, she was only extremely picky about who she turned to, and it typically came down to just her boyfriend and closest friends.

"I'll leave this one to you, just... send me a report so I can read it later," she added with a soft smile. "Hopefully, when all of this is over, I can get a small vacation or something to help me relax and unwind. I'm way too tense."

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx​

Weapon: xxx x2​

Tag: Valery Noble​

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“It’s hard because you are not wired that way, and because not everyone understands this specific pain.”​

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It was a matter of fact statement, nor did Judah offer it in any other way. Valery did not need to be handled with gentle words when it came to certain things. She knew who she was, and not everything about what she faced required a comforting touch. Judah knew that better than most because he had walked through this path himself.​

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“Just be sure that when this is over, does not turn into when the next thing is over. You need to get away even if it is for a couple days of just you and your daughter.”​

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Judah surveyed the rest of the explosion site. He knew the crew was in for a long day of clearing rubble. He did not need to be there to supervise it all, but he did need to be close. His lips pulled into a small smile as his head nodded toward a nearby diner. It was the kind of place that did not serve anything healthy, a regular greasy spoon.​

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The aroma of fried breakfast meats and all kinds of other unhealthy delicacies filled the air. Fortunately the crew Judah was working with were still a majority of the mechanical kind. They would not need anything and Judah could let them continue to work.​

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“Say I’ve been at this all night, and could go for a quick bite to eat. If you want we can look over some of the evidence I have while I take care of one of my basic needs too.”​

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He grinned.​

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“What do you say?”

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

There was something in the way that Judah talked to her about these issues that got her to smile. He wasn't going down the same route of offering pity or comfort that some others would, but rather, he expressed his understanding of her situation and only offered advice that she knew was right deep down, but was hard to really accept. But, of course, there was no way she could ever push herself to keep working when it meant sacrificing all of the time she could have spent with Vera.

If anybody could keep her from literally working herself to death, it would be her little star.

"I will... she has been asking me about going to the park or arcade, but she really wants another day out like the one we had a while ago. I took her to a festival with some friends, and she still talks about it all the time and makes drawing of what we did there." She smiled lovingly at the thought and let out a sigh. "I want to see her happy like that again. Nothing means more to me than seeing her smile the way she did that day."

Valery then let out another sigh and followed Judah's gaze to the nearby diner. The smell was quite... off-putting, but the offer he made certainly was not.

"Say I've been at this all night, and could go for a quick bite to eat. If you want we can look over some of the evidence I have while I take care of one of my basic needs too."

She paused for a moment and smiled sheepishly, "Could we maybe... leave out the work part? Just eat and talk, and leave work where it should remain," she said as she stared at the entire bomb site around them. If there was one thing she really didn't want to do right now, it would be thinking about all of this. Even though a part of her felt like it should be the only thing on her mind.

"What do you say?"

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

“Valery, not wanting to work,” Judah feigned surprise as the sarcastic remark left his lips. They turned upward into a smile as he simply nodded. “I would like a break from all of this too.”

He motioned toward the diner and offered his arm. Valery did not have to take it, but the gesture spoke to the level of comfort Judah had with the woman. He knew where he stood with her, and he was fairly certain she knew where she stood with him. There was a boundary neither of them had dared to cross, even if Judah often floated close to it. He often thought about the subject, but it had never gone beyond that. Judah was not one to jeopardize the friendship they shared.

“You will make her happy, you already do,” he encouraged as they neared the diner.

Judah opened the door for Valery. Immediately the smell of grease and cooking food assaulted their nostrils. It was not going to be a healthy breakfast by any means, but Judah was fine with that. He grinned at the aroma as he found his usual booth.

“Good to see ya, Judah,” came the voice of a blonde waitress. “Got some company today,” she added with a wink as she set a menu down for Valery and a caf for Judah.

He smiled.

“The usual huh?”

She tapped something on the hand held data pad she held in her hand.

“Sure thing, love. I’ll give your girlfriend here a little time to look at the menu. Be right back hun.”

Judah shrugged before Val could even say anything.

“So I am a regular here. The caf is good, and so is the bacon.”

A small chuckle escaped his lips. Judah knew Valery was not going to buy that at all. Especially as Judah let his eyes take a peek at the posterior of the waitress as she walked off.

“Did I mention the bacon is really good here?”​

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[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"Valery, not wanting to work,"

She rolled her eyes and grumbled a little, but decided against trying to defend herself against the comment — she knew she ticked all the workaholic boxes, and was reminded of it and teased about it often enough already. So she just turned around and made her way over to the diner with him. The second they entered, she could smell what kind of food they made there, and it hardly surprised her.

But she was hungry, and this wasn't about getting a fancy meal.

After settling in a booth and spending some time looking around, the voice of a waitress soon caught her attention, and Valery was not surprised that she knew Judah. If anything, he was a regular here because of her. Of course, Valery still greeted her with a smile and let Judah place an order for them. All was well, and she looked forward to the meal, but then the woman made a comment that got her to blink.

"I'm not his-" she sighed and narrowed her eyes as the woman wandered off before she could even respond.

Looking back at Judah, she rolled her eyes again, "Uh huh, the bacon..." she followed his gaze to the woman's rear and shook her head a little. "I think you're the only pig here, Judah. Stop staring like that, she knows you're doing it."

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

“She is also inviting me to do it,” he said even though he turned back to look at Valery.

Judah pointed to the menu.

“None of it is healthy, but it tastes good. You’ll be adding another thirty minutes to your workout, but I promise it is well worth it.”

The pair sat in silence for a moment while Judah let the Sword look over the menu for a little. Eventually the waitress returned, slightly unhappy that Valery seemed to have Judah behaving. She flirted for better tips, but that really did not matter with Judah. He was going to be generous whether she used her beauty and personality to invite it or not.

When she left Judah finally broke the silence between them.

“So this new boyfriend of yours… is he nice?”

This was definitely small talk. Judah did not really know how to talk to Val about anything other than work, or without flirting. He was making an attempt hopefully one she would notice.​

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[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"She is also inviting me to do it,"

Valery made sure he caught the roll of her eyes when he looked back at her, "Sure she is," Valery said with a shake of her head. Of course, she knew the woman likely was, whether it benefited her financially or not, but she wasn't going to admit it. Instead, she focused on the menu when it was offered, and blinked a little at the options. She didn't mind cheat days at all, but this was going to count for a whole week.

"Yeah, no kidding. But it's alright, I can handle it," she chuckled and watched the waitress make her way back over. After placing orders, she left and Valery sat quietly for a moment, both to enjoy not having to focus on work or personal problems, and because she was tired and drawn into her own mind a little too much. Judah's question, however, got her to blink and her eyes snapped back up to meet his with a sheepish smile.

They didn't often talk about the little things in life, but she understood that he did because of her request to leave work out of coming here. She appreciated that.

"He is," Valery said with a weak smile. She didn't really want to talk about some of the struggles, so she kept things simple. "I used to work with him in the SIA, but I got him back in recently after he retired early." She paused for a moment and looked at Judah, "How has your own personal life been? Not too busy with work either, I hope?"

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

Valery was not in the mood, it seemed, to banter as she had in the past. Even though it was Valery, Judah still did not remove the mask he wore. Some shadows hid behind a mask when they were on missions, and others wore them in pubic when they were around others. For Judah it was different. He always wore the mask, and there were only three people who had ever truly seen what was behind. One of them had passed on, and the other two he had recently reconciled with.

How was his personal life?

Judah shrugged.

What was he supposed to answer? They had talked about it before, and not much had changed. Well, there was one thing that had.

“JJ and I reconciled, and an old friend has come back into my life.”

The way Judah spoke it seemed as though he were trying to downplay the importance of it all, but nothing of it was insignificant. Cambria was a good Jedi, and an even better friend. Her position in Judah’s life was fixed, though he had long wished for it to change. Katara had been gone a long time now, and if there were anyone who could accept him for who he was, the lives he had taken, and the touch of darkness which shrouded him as a shadow, it was her.

He smiled when the server returned and set a plate of food in front of him. Her attention turned to Valery and smiled as she asked to take her order. Judah waited for their interaction to finish before he continued.

“It is good to work with old friends again. Though I do not think mine will be turning romantic anytime soon. I’d marry her if she wanted, but she is committed to the old ways. I’m just glad she is back in my life.”

Judah wondered if Valery knew who he spoke of. If she did not there would be no need to dwell on the subject. Judah would remain as he was, for now. In truth he was far too past the age where trying to find a wife was something he needed to be doing.​

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"That... sounds great...?" Valery said somewhat carefully but still with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Reconciling with important people in one's life was something to be celebrated, but she heard the way he seemed to downplay it. She wasn't sure of the reason but felt it wasn't appropriate to really push for answers on that front.

The waitress then appeared to take orders, and after choosing something that was likely going to make her want to sleep for a few days, she turned back to Judah. Slowly but surely, he seemed to open up a little more about this friend he had met again, and the mention of it not going romantic anytime soon didn't escape her. Valery immediately began to smirk and dipped her head knowingly when he spoke of the old ways.

"You know, I was once a very traditional Jedi like that as well, and look at me now," she tried to joke with a slight grin. But she knew that it wasn't that common for Jedi to change in that way, and the last thing she wanted to do was give him false hope. After the loss of his wife, things had been difficult enough already.

"Either way, I'm glad you two have found each other again at least as friends. Can't have enough of those, nowadays," she said and finally, she seemed to relax a little. As the conversation went on, duty and stress of life began to fade further into the background.

"So who is this friend of yours? Anybody I know?"

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

“The Twi’lek, Cambria Zadira.”

Judah could imagine the answer would cause Valery to roll her eyes. The only other answer which could be stereotypical of the mask Judah hid behind was if he had said the woman was a Zeltron. Maybe he should not tell Valery there was one of those in his past as well. The way he talked about Bri should have been enough to help her understand there was a deep connection.

“It is not everyday a shadow finds someone they can allow to know the real person behind the facade. I have been fortunate to know three.”

His eyes made contact with Valery. Whether she wanted that place in his life or not, it was there. Sure most of the time he kept up the act because others were watching. When there were no eyes on them, however, she had been the one to see past it all and find the hurts which were buried deep in a place no one could reach.

“She definitely will not be changing her mind anytime soon, if ever. We both know at my age I will be lucky to find anyone willing to put up with me. Besides, I cannot serve the Jedi in the same way if I am hindered with attachments.”

Did Judah mean it? Maybe. What he did know was that his life was no longer truly his to live. There was a mission that still remained incomplete. How he wished he would have listened to the other Jedi who tried telling him his contributions would not make a difference. Judah had broken his body for a mission that was all consuming and never ending. It was a battle the next generation would inherit, and the one after that would be left to pick up the pieces that remained.

They were all lost in a cycle. If it was not the Sith, it was the New Way, and then it would be whatever aggressor popped up next.

“Now if JJ would just hurry up and make me a grandpa…”

Judah chuckled and picked at the food on his plate.​

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"You're already 'hindered' by attachments," Valery said with a slight roll of her eyes again, but she did mean it. He had literally just told her about reconciling with family, and he knew of the strengths those bonds had. "Not that it's a problem because they're also a strength for you, even if you might not want to admit it," she said and hearing him talk about being made a grandpa only confirmed that to her. Family could be a huge strength and source of motivation, and any attachment had that potential, as long as they were managed well enough.

Turning her eyes to her food for a moment, Valery tried a bite and blinked — she could almost just feel herself gain weight by eating this, but it did taste pretty good. So for this one time, she was going to allow herself a proper cheat day.

"So... a twi'lek, huh?" Valery then suddenly started again, this time with a more teasing grin pulling on the corners of her lips. "Can't say I'm surprised, but I do really hope things go well between you two. Whether it's just as friends or a mutual agreement to be hindered by attachments~" she teased before taking a long sip from her drink.

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

“I suppose I am,” he said with a sigh and a wink.

Was it a bad thing? No more than it was a good thing. It simply made Judah who he was. There was a strength he found in his devotion. It had been what allowed him to resist the call of the dark side. For others it had been the thing which had seen them fall to it.

“It is a Lesan trait, I suppose.”

Val should have recognized that as a reference to his ancestor. Judah wondered what could have been if Valery believed what she did now. It was a different time certainly, and she had done what she thought was right. Judah did not hold any ill feelings toward her because of it. In many ways Valery had played a role in who Judah was today. She was just fortunate enough to see there were still Lesans serving the Jedi Order in a masterful capacity.

“A twi’lek that will always remain a friend. It may just be my fanciful wishes, or the fact that of anyone I am closest to her. What we share is enough despite other carnal wants. And you can laugh all you want at how stereotypical it seems of me to be talking about a twi’lek, but you should get to know her.”

Valery would like her.

Judah finished what was on his plate and paid for the meals. A sizeable tip was left on the table as Judah stood up. He needed to stretch, and as he did a yawn escaped his mouth.

“I have been up all night, and nothing. Perhaps I should take my own advice when it comes to rest. Yet, I find myself loath to leave your company.”

The Jedi grinned.

“Do you trust me,” he asked offering his hand.​

​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Judah Lesan

"It is a Lesan trait, I suppose."

There was a slight dip in her demeanor because she knew exactly what he was referring to. It wasn't his intention to remind her of her mistake in the past though, so she quickly offered a nod and smiled again. There was no point in being upset over something that happened such a long time ago, and no tension lingered between them because of it.

The conversation then shifted back to the Twi'lek, and with every word he said, the grin on her face widened. Perhaps it wasn't intended this way at all, but he seemed a little defensive about the woman and his relationship with her. "Oh, I will laugh," Valery quickly assured him when he brought it up. "But only because I enjoy teasing." She waggled her eyebrows and reached for her drink to take a long sip.

Messing with friends was clearly one of her favorite hobbies.

"I'm glad you've been able to talk to her again, though. It seems to brighten up your mood and right now, all things considered, I think anything positive should be welcomed with open arms." Between the New Way and their bombing, the war, and just general business of life, there was enough to be miserable about already.

At this point, they had both finished their meals, and Judah was the first to stand up and stretch after leaving a tip for the waitress. Of course, Valery shot him a grin because of how big the tip was. Judah then offered his hand and asked a question that got Valery to tilt her head.

"You know, I've never liked it when people ask me that." She chuckled and took his hand to pull herself up to her feet. "Where are we going?"

 

[Judah Lesan]

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Wearing: xxx
Weapon: xxx x2
Tag: Valery Noble

Naturally she would take advantage of teasing him. Judah smiled and nodded. Reuniting with Cambria had been a happy moment, even if their respective paths would mean they did not see each other often. Judah had thought he lost a friend, a sister, and it felt good to know they had found their own path back to peace. Judah did not need a romantic relationship with Cambria to be happy, even if he still held feelings for the woman. She knew about them, and as she would often say, they were held for what they were and then let go of.

Judah lifted a finger in hopes to keep Valery from mentioning the tip.

“That’s because you got in a huff when she called you my girlfriend,” he teased.

It felt good to have the upper hand. Valery asked where they were going, but she trusted him well enough to take his hand regardless. Without a word he walked her to his speeder. She would know it from other missions they had been on.

“You’ll see when we get there.”

He smiled as he climbed onto the seat and waited for Valery to follow. There was no way she was going to let her curiosity go until she was satisfied. Judah was a known quantity to her, and he was trusting that would at least give him enough pull to see her follow through. A smirk pulled at his lips when it was clear they were ready.

“Hold on!”

With little warning he gunned the engine. It was a longer ride than just something around the corner. Buildings passed them by as did the various speeders Judah navigated between and around. It was fun, the wind in his hair and the city sounds speeding past his ears. It was not until they reached Monument Plaza. It was the only natural bit of nature which one could set their feet on. Built on top of the peak of Mount Umate, it was considered one the best scenic places to visit. It was untouched by the blast. They could not even see the devastation from where they were.

This was a different Coruscant than the one which never slept. Here, Judah could kick off his boots and let the grass touch his toes.

Which he did.

“Sometimes the way you tease…” he finally said.

It was the closest he was going to get to what he had been thinking since they left the diner. He wondered if the woman was aware of any feelings Judah had for her. Because of who she was, he often left them unspoken, but he was certain he had slipped enough times that she knew he liked her. They were friends, yes, and there were parts of Judah that wished they were more. He often found himself cursing those parts because of the scandal it would be. The shadow was far beyond the age where scandals were something he jumped into blindly.

“How often do you visit this place,” he asked, trying to change the subject. It was a bit obvious. “Even in the mess of a planet wide city there is still some beauty and nature to appreciate. It kind of makes it special in a way. Something to preserve.”

There was something hidden in what Judah was saying. He was not even sure he knew what it was, but he was often known for profound statements even when he was not trying to be.​

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