Private To You, 10,000 Years From Now

[Acier Moonbound]

[ R E D A C T E D ]
WILD SPACE​

Damp. Damp was the best way to describe this planet with seemingly no name. Acier was at the end of his rope now, no more leads, no more credits, and no transport. Ace had poured what was left of his funds into booking passage to these coordinates. Ace had purchased information from an info broker on Nar Shaddaa, he was told of an ancient Jedi Temple being located on this planet. Frustrated at his progress on finding his parents and learning more about the Force, Ace didn't even bother validating if the information was solid - rookie mistake on his part.

The speeder bike hummed beneath the snow-haired explorer as he traversed the endless, damp grasslands of this uncharted world. Mist clung to the air, and the scent of wet earth filled Ace's lungs. He was alone with no way off this planet. As his surroundings passed him in an instant, he recalled of first landing on this planet. The pilot he'd hired found amusement in Ace's ambition, but was kind enough to leave him with the speeder and a sarcastic "good luck" before departing

Now, luck alongisde determination and blind hope was all he had. As he neared the Temple's coordinates, hidden somewhere in this rolling fog, Ace couldn't help but wonder what lie in this Temple - if it were even real. Answers? Knowledge? Power? Or just more questions. Regardless, his freckled face scrunched with determination to find out. At the back of his mind, Ace couldn't help but feel concern over how he was going to get off world once he'd got what he needed, this was a concern he kept buried for the time being.

Ace's hope and determination would soon be rewarded though, a smile crept on his face as he made out the faint silhouette of a large structure in the distance.

There was something about this planet, something Ace couldn't describe. The energy, it felt... distant, like a memory fading in the dark. He couldn't help but shake this sensation and wondered what this meant or where it came from? Did this have something to do with the Force?

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The wind rolled low across the mist-cloaked hills, brushing tall grasses and stirring faint ripples through the stagnant air. Somewhere in the haze, a lonely Temple waited — its presence a shadow in the Force, ancient and quiet, like the last breath of a story half-forgotten. Valery stood near the edge of a shallow rise, the nose of her starfighter hidden beneath a natural canopy of hanging moss and rock. She hadn't needed directions to this place — the Force had tugged her here with an insistence she couldn't ignore. It felt like memory and mystery entwined, a ripple too soft to make sense of, but too loud to dismiss.

She adjusted the strap across her shoulder, her lightsabers strapped to her belt, and exhaled a soft breath into the chilled air. Her eyes narrowed — she felt a presence. Faint, like a candle flickering on the far side of a storm, but unmistakable. Someone else was here.

Valery closed her eyes for a moment and reached out further. The sensation sharpened — not threatening, but far from polished. Someone looking for something, perhaps? A small smile touched the corners of her mouth. She'd been that kind of seeker once, too.

She began to walk — not toward the Temple directly, but toward the flicker she felt in the Force.

"You picked an interesting place to get lost…" she murmured to herself, her voice low, amused. The grasses parted softly as she passed, and her silhouette faded into the mist, one quiet step at a time, heading toward the source of the presence she felt.

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

The mist thickened as Acier approached the ancient structure. The whine of his speeder echoed through the planet's barren silence, a sharp contrast to the stillness around him. As the Temple's silhouette grew larger with each passing second, so did something else - an undercurrent, woven into the forgotten melody of the Temple's ancient stones.

It wasn't the gnawing dread that usually crawled into his gut when danger stalked near. This was something different. Something strong. Powerful.

But not hostile.

No... not friendly either. Benevolent, maybe? Like the quiet pull of a still current beneath water. Present. Watching. Waiting...

Then he saw it = a figure in the distance, a humanoid one. It seemed to be... approaching him? Ace's brow furrowed. He eased off the throttle and shifted his weight, foot brushing the brake. The speeder hissed as it kicked into a sideways skid, carving a sharp crescent into the dirt before coming to a halt in a cloud of mist and grit - a move ripped straight out of a holofilm he'd watched a dozen times back at the orphanage.

A woman?

Ace was finally able to get a good look at her. Ace's hand hovered close to his lightsaber, he didn't know how to use it but he wasn't afraid to either. Whoever she was... she wasn't just another ghost of this place.

He said nothing, waiting for her to make the first move. His brown eyes locked onto her, unblinking. There were a few things he noticed right away - her eyes burned like twin embers, one crossed by a scar. She was tall, confident in her stance. But it was the lightsabers clipped to her belt that grabbed his attention?

A Jedi?

Could this finally be his lucky break?

...Or more likely, she was a scavenger who collected lightsabers off corpses.

Either way - she wasn't getting his.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The mist curled around Valery's boots as she stepped through the veil, her silhouette taking clearer shape with each measured stride. Her hands remained relaxed at her sides — no saber drawn, no tension in her frame — but there was purpose in every movement. Confidence, like someone who knew exactly where they stood even in a place long forgotten by time.

When the young man came into view, she slowed.

He had that look about him — half-defensive, half-curious. One hand hovering near a saber he didn't know how to use yet, brown eyes sharp and wary. Valery didn't blame him. Out here, in a place like this? You learned quickly that nothing ever appeared without a reason.

But she wasn't here to fight him. She stopped just short of him — enough distance to be respectful, enough to show she wasn't a threat — and tilted her head slightly, her amber eyes meeting his, "Easy," she said gently, a small smile tugging at her lips. "If I wanted to take your lightsaber, you wouldn't have seen me coming." The tease was light — just enough to break the tension, but not enough to mock. Then her expression softened further.

"You're not from the Temple," she observed, voice steady and warm. "But the Force led you here anyway, didn't it?"

She glanced past him toward the silhouette of the ancient structure, its edges half-consumed by the fog. Then her gaze returned to his.

"I'm Valery," she said, nodding once. "And you are?"

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

"Easy." she said gently.

Acier's shoulders dropped - just a little. His hand stayed hovering near his lightsaber, but his stare softened. For the first time since he'd seen her, he blinked, caught off guard by her words.

She knew. Knew exactly what he was thinking. What he was feeling. Maybe... maybe she was a Jedi after all.

He kept his eyes on her while she spoke, noting how easily she guessed he wasn't from the temple. When she wondered aloud if the Force had brought him here, Ace gave a short, flat answer.

"Could say that."

She introduced herself - Valery. The name fit her. Her gear, her calm, the way she held herself... she was far more capable than he was, and they both knew it. If she meant him harm, she would have acted by now. So maybe he wasn't in danger after all.

"Acier." he said, just as flatly, finally giving her his name.

The white-haired boy reached for the ignition and cut the engine. The speeder gave a tired whine as it powered down. Acier swung his leg over the side and dismounted, boots crunching soflty in the dead grass. For a few quiet seconds, he stood across from her, sizing her up - not just her stance or weapons, but her presence.

"You a Jedi?" he asked, voice dry, guarded.

The air around them stayed still and silent, like the planet itself was holding its breath. Just him, her, and the massive ruin that loomed behind them.

Acier gave a glance over his shoulder at the temple. "You know what's in there?" he asked, jerking his thumb toward it.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery let the silence linger a moment longer after he asked. Not because she needed time to answer — but because the question deserved more than a simple yes. She glanced down, the corners of her mouth tugging into a small, thoughtful smile. Then her amber eyes lifted again, meeting his without flinching.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I'm a Jedi." She stepped closer, slowly, and turned to look at the massive Temple behind him. Its silhouette loomed through the mist, cracked and sunken, like the mountain itself was trying to forget it existed, "I know what it was," she continued, her voice quiet now, "A sanctuary. A place for learning, for growth. A waystation for Jedi who needed rest or purpose between the stars. Places like this existed all across the galaxy, once." She let that thought hang as she stared into the veil of fog curling around the Temple's broken spires.

"But now?" A long breath escaped her. Her arms folded loosely. "I don't know what we'll find."

Her gaze flicked sideways toward Acier again — steady, honest.

"The Force called me here. That much I trust. As for what's waiting inside..." She shrugged slightly. "There are echoes. Wounds. Maybe answers. Maybe nothing at all. That's the thing about places like this — the only way to know is to go in."

A faint smile returned to her lips, wry and warm all at once.

"You planning to keep riding by yourself, Acier? Or are you coming with me?"

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Valery confirmed it. She was a Jedi. The word alone stirred a storm in Ace's mind. Questions, hopes, half-formed thoughts crashing into each other. But one rose above the noise like a flare in the dark:

Did she know his parents?

They had to be Jedi. Why else would someone leave a baby at an orphanage with only a lightsaber?

His foot shifted back instinctively as Valery stepped forward—still wary, still watching. His gaze followed hers to the crumbling temple, and he listened as she answered his question. She called it a sanctuary. The way she said it—soft, reverent—made it sound like more than just a ruin. It was history. Memory. A place that had once been alive.

Ace found himself imagining what it must have looked like at its peak: voices echoing in the halls, robes swaying, lightsabers humming in training chambers. That vision faded fast, replaced by the quiet emptiness standing before them now. Just stone and silence.

"Places like this existed all across the galaxy, once."

Once?

The word landed heavy. Ace's eyes dropped to the dirt beneath his boots, brows drawn in thought. If there were sanctuaries like this all over the galaxy, why were they gone?

Bonadan didn't offer much in the way of education, but Red had taught him a few things. Enough to know the galaxy was bigger, older, and more complicated than he could grasp. And even Red hadn't known everything. Maybe Ace didn't either.

The Jedi wasn't giving him answers—just more questions. Possibilities. But even that lit something inside him. He noticed Valery smile and, hesitantly, gave one back. Or tried to. To anyone else, it probably looked like the corner of his mouth twitched from a muscle spasm.

"Guess I am," he said, finally answering her question on whether he was going with her or not.

Then, true to form, Ace turned and started walking—bold, unthinking. Leading the way without even realising it.

The Temple loomed over him now—massive, solemn, and quiet. It had no gates, no guards, no fanfare. Just an open entryway, yawning wide like the mouth of some ancient, sleeping beast.

Ace slowed as he reached the threshold. For a moment, he didn't step in. The wind whispered past him, brushing against his skin like invisible fingertips. It carried the scent of dust, stone, and something older—something strange. Not exactly familiar, but not foreign either. A scent like memory.

He glanced back at Valery, just a flick of the eyes. Then, turning forward again, he exhaled slowly and stepped inside.

The air shifted. It wasn't colder, but it felt heavier. Like he'd walked into a place that remembered being alive. His boots clicked softly against the cracked floor tiles, echoing faintly down the long, shadow-drenched hall.

The Temple's interior was worn but not broken. Vines snuck through gaps in the stone. Light filtered in through the fractured ceiling above, slicing through the darkness in quiet, golden beams. Dust floated in them like weightless ash.

His hand brushed the lightsaber clipped to his side, grounding himself in the cold of its metal. He didn't know how to use it, not really. But having it reminded him that he wasn't just some street rat anymore. He was here, in a Jedi Temple, walking the same ground as people who once mattered.

He wondered if he was meant to be here too? He hated how fast the thought came. How much he wanted it to be true. In an attempt to distract himself from these thoughts, Ace spoke up:

"What's your story? Looks like you've seen a few things."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stepped in behind him. Her eyes lifted to take in the temple's hollowed majesty — the shafts of light, the dust like ghosts in the air, the weight of memory pressing in from every wall. But her gaze didn't linger on the ruins for long. It was the young man ahead of her that held it.

She watched Acier move — cautious, but curious. Something in the way he walked the line between defiance and uncertainty reminded her of the Jedi she'd trained. The way they all carried fire, even if they hadn't learned to name it yet. His question broke the silence, and a smile touched her lips. She folded her arms lightly across her chest as she walked beside him.

"My story?" she echoed, voice low in the wide, echoing space. "It's a long one."

There was no boast in her tone, just honesty.

"I've fought in wars most people only read about now. Led soldiers, stood before Sith Lords, and buried too many friends along the way. I was once put into stasis — frozen in time — and woke up to a galaxy that had kept going without me. Had to relearn everything. Rebuild."

She let the words settle like dust.

"And somehow, despite all of it, I'm still standing. These days, I lead the Jedi Order. Grandmaster." She glanced over at him with a faint smirk, her tone lighter now. "Not as glamorous as it sounds, trust me. More politics than lightsabers."

Her eyes softened again.

"But I do it because it does mea something. If we don't protect the light — if we don't teach the next generation to carry it — then all of this," she gestured to the cracked walls, the fractured ceiling, "Is just history. And the galaxy doesn't need more ruins."

She looked at him again, steady.

"You asked about my story. But something tells me you're just starting yours."

Then, with a nod toward the deeper hallways of the temple, Valery added quietly, "Let's see what the past has left behind for us."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Ace continued walking through the temple, only half-listening to Valery's words—until she said "stasis."

He stopped dead in his tracks. Turning toward her, his eyes widened, and his mouth slightly hung open, caught mid-thought. Then the rest of what she said caught up with him:

"I've fought in wars most people only read about now."
"Frozen in time."
"Woke up to a galaxy that had kept going on without me."

His mind reeled. She wasn't just old—she was ancient. Living, breathing history wrapped in Jedi robes. The things she must have seen… Red would've lost his mind just hearing her talk. For the first time since they met, a real smile tugged at Ace's face—awkward, crooked, but genuine.

"Pretty spry for a grandma." he said, voice dry as sandpaper.

She went on, her calm unwavering. And the more she spoke, the more it made sense. Of course she was the Grandmaster. Who else could carry themselves like that after waking up to a galaxy that had moved on without them? Ace caught himself wondering: maybe he could learn something from her while they were here. Force tricks. Lightsaber stuff. Control.

She talked like someone who'd seen things crumble and rebuild a dozen times over—and somehow still believed in people. That wasn't just strength. That was… something else. Something rare.

But when she told him he was at the start of his story, Ace said nothing. Not because he was doubtful, but because he was thinking. She was right. He was just starting. But the irony wasn't lost on him—his story seemed to begin with looking backward. Digging into the past. This temple's… and his own.

He gave a small nod in agreement, turned on his heel, and continued forward—eyes sharp, thoughts sharper.

The corridor narrowed, funneling them into a high-domed chamber where the air felt heavier, older. Light from above filtered through a cracked skylight, spilling golden ribbons across a far wall.

Ace slowed, eyes narrowing as he stepped into the center of the chamber. A mural stretched across the stone—aged, fractured, but still clinging to the surface like memory. Faded pigments outlined robed figures with lightsabers, locked in formation against dark, abstract shapes. The Jedi stood not as warriors—but guardians. Protectors.

It didn't look like war. It looked like preservation. Ace stepped closer, brow furrowed as he traced the lines with his eyes. One section of the mural depicted the construction of great structures—temples, libraries, archives. In another, Jedi stood with outstretched hands, offering peace to alien delegations. There were no battles here—no glory. Just legacy.

"I was told this place was active at least 10,000 years ago…" he muttered aloud, remembering something Valery said—sanctuaries all across the galaxy. "You old enough to even know what was going on back then?" he asked with a playful jab, eyes still locked on the mural.

The figures felt distant, but not unreachable. They felt… familiar. Like he'd seen them in a dream, or maybe a memory that wasn't his.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stepped into the chamber after him, her pace slower now. The air in the room had weight, the kind that settled on your shoulders and asked you to listen. Her eyes swept over the mural as Ace studied it, and for a moment, she said nothing. Then she heard his voice again — the teasing lilt of it — and she squinted sideways at him, arms crossing loosely over her chest.

"Ten thousand?" she echoed dryly, one brow arching. "Do I look like I'm ten thousand?" Then, with just the faintest smirk: "Careful, though. Clean-up duty is still on the table." But the edge in her voice softened as her eyes returned to the mural.

The Jedi depicted there weren't wielding power. They were shaping something — building, preserving. Their lightsabers weren't drawn in anger, but in defense. And even worn by time, the artistry still pulsed with meaning. This was the heart of what it meant to be Jedi. Not the politics. Not the wars. This.

Her voice lowered as she stepped forward, the toes of her boots whispering across ancient stone.

"I don't remember this specific place," she said, thoughtfully. "But I know what it stood for. There were temples like this all across the stars, each one a flame in the dark. Places to learn, to reflect… to heal. We lost so many of them over the centuries. Buried by war, time, fear."

She looked over at him again, her expression gentler now.

"You're right, though. This one feels different. No bloodshed in the art. Just purpose." Her gaze lingered on one of the figures in the mural — a Jedi with a hand outstretched in peace, offering something to an alien figure cloaked in shadow. She tilted her head slightly.

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Valery took his playful jab in stride, earning a dry snicker from Ace. But as she answered his question more seriously, he quieted, listening closely while continuing to study the mural. Her words painted a broader picture—how sanctuaries like this were lost not just to time or war, but to something else. Fear. That part lingered in his mind. Fear from outside the Order? Or from within?

His gaze drifted from the mural and finally settled on Valery. She wasn't looking at him. She was still watching the wall—but not all of it. A specific figure had caught her eye, one Ace hadn't paid much attention to before. He followed her line of sight, curiosity piqued. But the moment passed.

He dropped his eyes to the stone floor beneath his feet, his face drawn with thought. He had hoped to feel something here. A pull. A connection. Maybe even an answer. But so far, it was just questions. Always questions.

Without a word, Ace turned and walked away. Not far. Just… elsewhere. He didn't look back to see if Valery was following. His boots echoed softly against the cracked floor as he passed beneath another stone archway, slipping into a corridor half-lit by fractured beams of light. He wasn't sure where he was going. But maybe this place knew.

The deeper he walked, the quieter everything became. No more wind. No more distant creaks from the crumbling structure. Ace's boots moved carefully across the stone, his steps unconsciously slower now.

Finally, he stepped past a cracked archway and into another large circular chamber. Massive stone pillars ringed the space, each one etched with glowing blue symbols that pulsed faintly with energy. Statues lined the walls—hooded figures in Jedi robes, hands folded in meditation or extended in teaching. Their expressions were calm, almost solemn. Watching.

In the center of the room, a raised platform. No controls. No consoles. Just an empty ring of old stone, waiting. Ace took another cautious step inside. The moment his foot crossed the threshold a low hum filled the space.

Then a burst of flickering blue light surged up from the platform. A figure began to take shape. Robed. Tall. Arms gently outstretched. The projection stabilized, and the hologram stood before him—ancient, wise, yet impossibly present. Ace froze, heart pounding. He barely whispered.

"…Whoa. You're... seeing this too, right?"

The hologram didn't speak right away. It just stood there, like it was waiting too. Waiting for someone who belonged here. Ace glanced over his shoulder toward Valery, then back at the figure.

"I think your Jedi-ness just unlocked something." he said under his breath.

He stepped closer to the projection, eyes wide with awe, questions building behind them like a flood pressing against a dam. But the projection, it spoke first.

::I am Master Caldras Massan, Watchman of this system and historian of the Jedi Order.

This sanctuary stood during an age of rebuilding. We did not fight wars here. We preserved knowledge. We guided quietly, from the edges of power. But fear crept in—not from the galaxy, but from within. Fear that our way was fading. That the Jedi no longer belonged. Some clung to tradition. Others sought control. We lost balance… slowly, silently.

So we hid these sanctuaries, hoping one day, someone would return. Someone who would listen. If you're hearing this, you're not here to protect the past. You're here to learn from it. The Force doesn't move forward in a straight line. It turns. When the stars forget the names of their keepers… the lost flame must light the way::

The hologram dims.

::Your journey may not begin here—but it may begin because of here::

And just as swift as it appeared, the recording was gone. Ace watched in silence, staring at the empty space where the hologram stood. He felt... disappointment swell within him. What did this even mean? Still, no answers, no hints of anything that could help him.

"Hope that was useful for you." he sighed.

All of this for nothing, and now he was stuck here with no way off world. An exasperated groan escaped him as he dropped to the floor and hung his head low, resting his arms on his raised knees.
Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery didn't follow him right away. She lingered for a moment longer in the mural chamber, eyes fixed on the outstretched hand of the Jedi in the painting. That offer of peace — it wasn't dramatic or forceful. It was quiet. Like the voice of someone who knew they wouldn't see the change themselves but planted the seed anyway.

Then she moved.

Her steps were soundless now, boots barely whispering against the floor as she followed the faint pulse in the Force — not just from the sanctuary itself, but from Ace. There was something raw in his presence. And she found him just as the hologram faded, the final words echoing softly in the silence.

"…the lost flame must light the way."

Valery's gaze swept over the chamber — the statues, the stillness, the residue of old power humming through the stones — and then settled on him. He looked smaller, sitting there on the floor with his head bowed and his arms resting on his knees. Like a man expecting to open a door and find a map… only to be handed a riddle.

She approached slowly, not saying anything until she was close enough that her voice wouldn't have to carry.

"Why do you look so defeated?" She didn't ask it with judgment. There was only curiosity. Valery lowered herself beside him, her posture relaxed but alert, as if she could sense the tension inside him even now.

"You walked into an ancient Jedi sanctuary. Heard a message meant for those who still believe in rebuilding. And all I see in you right now is disappointment."

Her eyes turned to the platform where the hologram had stood.

"What were you hoping to find, Ace?"

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Tilting his head slightly, Ace glanced at Valery, now beside him. Her concern was evident, and her question valid. What was he hoping to find? A direction? Guidance? He had been so driven to reach this place that he hadn't paused to consider his true intentions. He sought answers—but even that was a nebulous goal.

With a sigh, he lifted his head and sat upright. Unclipping his lightsaber, he held it out for her to see. The hilt was distinctive, appearing as though it had been assembled from salvaged parts.

"I never knew my parents. Don't even know where I was born," he confessed, avoiding her gaze. "I was dumped at an orphanage fresh outta the womb, with only this."

Running a hand through his hair, Ace rose to his feet and took a few steps forward, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. Facing away from Valery, he examined the lightsaber in his hands, his brown eyes tracing its details.

"I've known I had the Force since before I knew what it was. Even now, I barely get it."

Turning his head over his shoulder, he finally met Valery's eyes.

"I'm not trying to become a Jedi. I think. I just want to know who I am, where I come from. I need to know who my parents were, you know?"

He paused, his gaze dropping as he reflected once more. What was he truly hoping to find?

"I was hoping to find answers about my past, some clues. Or at the very least, a better understanding of this." he said, glancing at his outstretched palm, contemplating the mysterious force that flowed through and around him.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stayed quiet while he spoke. She didn't need to fill the silence — it said enough on its own. The weight behind his words, the way he didn't look at her until the end, the raw truth in his voice. She listened, not as a Jedi Master or mentor, but as someone who had once stared into the unknown, aching for a past that didn't have neat answers. She understood that feeling — the need to belong to something. To someone.

"You know," she said softly, "A lot of Jedi come to places like this, looking for revelations. Visions. Some kind of map in the Force telling them exactly who they are, and where to go." Her voice was calm, even. "But that's not how it works. The Force doesn't hand out answers."

She turned her head to look at him more fully, her eyes steady and warm.

"Maybe you were drawn here not because this place would tell you who you are... but because it would help you cross paths with someone who can help you find out." She let that sit for a beat, then added with a small smile, "And maybe that someone is me."

Rising slowly to her feet, she didn't reach out — not yet. She let the offer stay in the air, unspoken but unmistakable.

"I can't promise I'll find your parents. I can't promise the Force will hand us all the pieces. But I can help you make sense of what you do have."

A soft exhale.

"If you're willing, I'll help you. And who knows, perhaps this place does hold a key we haven't yet discovered. We've not seen everything just yet, have we?"

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

The snowy-haired orphan tensed after his confession, immediately steeling himself upon realising he'd just opened up to a complete stranger. Ace hung his head low, white locs falling over his face, a sense of humiliation washing over the temporary display of vulnerability.

Valery acknowledged his openness and began to respond. Her tone was calm—the kind of calm he'd come to associate with her in their short time together. Her words made sense, even if the truth was frustrating. Logically, why would the Force simply hand him the answer to a question that had shadowed his entire life? Nothing in this galaxy came easy, especially something this important.

Ace's head rose upon hearing what Valery said next.

"Maybe you were drawn here not because this place would tell you who you are... but because it would help you cross paths with someone who can help you find out."

His eyes lit up with a sense of recognition. That made sense—in some strange, innate way. He turned to face the Jedi Master, studying her intently. Then she said it: perhaps she was the one he was meant to find, the one who could help uncover his past.

She offered her help freely? That couldn't be right; it tugged at Ace's core. People didn't just offer help without expecting something in return. His freckled features betrayed his contemplation, brown eyes momentarily averting from Valery. Then, after a moment, they met hers again.

"And the catch?" he asked, skepticism in his tone "I fly away with you to your temple? Become a Jedi? Fight for peace... or whatever?"

Ace turned away from her once more, resting his knuckles on his hips. He sighed to himself. No, Valery hadn't presented herslef as the type of person who'd need a catch. Why would she? This was just old, unhealed wounds surfacing.

Still facing away from her, he spoke up "I-- Sorry. I know you don't have any ulterior motive. It's just--" Ace stammered, giving up on his response "...Yeah." he resigned himself.

The young man, lost and confused, bit his lip and turned his head to meet her gaze once more. He was biting his lower lip, his features apologetic. Ace nodded, accepting her help. He struggled to find the words, be an overwhelming sense of appreciation filled his heart. No one had been there for him before, not since Mila. No one just... offered a helping hand without expecting something in return. This experience was new but... it was refreshing.

As the silence settled between Acier and Valery, a subtle hum resonated through the chamber. Drawn by the sound, Acier's gaze shifted to a nearby alcove where a faint, pulsing light emanated. Curiosity piqued, he approached and discovered a small, intricately designed cube—its surfaces etched with ancient symbols, glowing softly.

He reached out, and as his fingers brushed the artifact. Nothing happened. Ace picked it up and stared at it, he could feel something emanating from the device. Fiddling with it, Ace scanned the cube's symbols and shook it slightly in frustration.

"Valery... what is this"?

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery watched the shift in his expression — from guarded to apologetic, from skeptical to open. She didn't press when he turned away or flinched from the idea of trust. The galaxy had taught him to be wary. That wasn't something a few kind words could undo.

But the nod? The look in his eyes when he met hers again?

That was enough.

"No catch," she said softly, stepping toward him at a calm, unthreatening pace. "I'm not here to sign you up or hand you a lightsaber. You don't become a Jedi unless you want to. And if all you want is a place to rest and a way to understand what's calling to you? That's enough, too."

She let the words settle for a breath before shifting her gaze toward the soft hum that had broken the silence. The glow drew her attention to the alcove, and as Acier approached, her brows lifted slightly in surprise.

He picked up the cube, and she felt it — the low, unmistakable thrum of the Force vibrating just beneath the surface of the object.

"A holocron," Valery said, stepping closer to look at it. "It's a kind of knowledge vault. Jedi use them to store teachings, messages, even pieces of themselves. They only open when touched by someone the Force recognizes."

She smiled a little at him then.

"Seems like it responded to you."

Tilting her head, she examined the etchings — older than most she'd seen, intricate in a way that suggested this was no ordinary archive. Slowly, carefully, she reached out and placed her hand next to his on the device, letting her presence meld with the subtle energy within it.

"Holocrons don't just offer lessons. Sometimes, they answer questions you didn't know how to ask yet."

She looked at him again, her voice quiet.

"Let's find out what this one has to say."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Valery seemed to always know the right thing to say. His shoulders felt lighter and an exhale of relief left his lips. Having her around felt like a walking holobook, like she had all the answers ready for him.

As she explained what the device was, his eyes inspected the details of the holocron. The soft glow from the cube pulsed gently in Ace's hand. Steady, warm, and oddly familiar. He could feel it vibrating faintly, not like machinery, but like something alive. It was the same kind of thrum he'd feel in his stomach when the Force stirred in him without warning. His curiosity piqued at what secrets it held within.

Acier's head lifted, eyes fixed toward Valery's ember eyes. For a brief moment, he took in the scars over her eye - wondering the story behind it. He responded to her smile with a smirk of his own before lowering his gaze once more. Ace glanced at Valery's hand placed near his, her presence grounding him.

The holocron responded. It clicked once, then twice. A thin beam of blue light surged upward from the cube, twisting into form until a new figure appeared: an older Lasat Jedi, seated cross-legged in meditation, eyes closed. The figure opened his eyes slowly, and the projection smiled.

Ace's breath hitched. Briefly, he glanced at Valery before returning to the holorecording.

Spoiler: Holocron's Message

::Welcome, young one. If you've activated this archive, then you have already taken your first step.::

::I am Master Renn Khados, once an instructor at the Miran Temple. This holocron was created for those with questions, those uncertain of what the Force is, or how to hear it::

The hologram rose gracefully to its feet and gestured toward a small, floating rock that projected beside it.

::Let's begin simply. Sit. Breathe. Focus not on your strength, but your stillness. The Force is not muscle, it is motion. Connection. Feeling. Place your hand out and don't command the object, invite it. Let the Force meet you::

The projection smiled

:: Do not worry if you do not succeed the first time. You are not here to master the Force in a day. You are here to meet it. As it meets you::

Still smiling, the projection bowed before interlacing his hands behind him.

::This knowledge was left not for a time… but for a soul. To you, however far into the stars you've come. May the Force be with you::

The light dimmed and then the projection faded.

Acier stood still, heart quiet but stirred. This almost felt like a wink from the universe. Or the Force. It all felt so convenient.

"May the Force be with you...?" Ace repeated to Valery, in the form of a query.

He waited for Valery's answer before stepping away and looked toward a small stone off in the distance. Recalling the instructions of Master Khados, he mimicked the gesture displayed in the holo. Stretching his arm toward the stone, palm out. Acier inhaled deeply and closed his eyes tight, straining slightly. Nothing happened at first. But as he focused, he stopped straining, stopped reaching. He just allowed himself to feel.

Ace's eyes opened just in time to see the stone twitch ever so slightly. It wasn't much but it moved.

For the first time, a genuine smile of pride crept on the corner of his lips. He did it.

Still smiling, he turned to Valery "Valery..." he looked down at the holocron, smile fading "Are you alright with me keeping this?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stood silently as the holocron faded, her expression soft — not with surprise, but with something quieter. As if she'd just witnessed a spark catch flame in someone who hadn't realized they'd been holding the kindling all along. She heard his question before he fully formed it.

Her head tilted slightly, and a small smile touched her lips.

"It's a greeting. A farewell. A reminder," she said gently, her voice threading between wisdom and warmth. "We say it to wish strength… but not in the way people usually mean. Strength to listen. Strength to trust. To walk your path, even when you can't see where it leads yet." Her gaze followed him as he stepped away. And when the stone moved — just the smallest twitch — her arms folded, and her smile deepened with quiet pride. He had done it. Not through will. But through feeling.

When he turned back and asked his question, she met his eyes again.

"You're not just allowed to keep it," she said. "You were meant to find it." Valery stepped closer, glancing once at the now-silent holocron in his hands.

"Holocrons don't wake for just anyone. They respond to the Force — and something in you called to it. That message? That teacher? He was speaking to you."

She reached out, brushing her fingers lightly across the top of the cube before letting her hand fall.

"So yes, Ace. It's yours. It's a part of your story now." A quiet pause followed, and then — just a hint of teasing in her voice — she added, "Besides, you already made it respond. You can't back out now."

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

His smile returned. Like a kid opening a gift on Life Day. All the possibilities of what he could do with this holocron filled his head, like using it to learn more abilities in the Force.

Then he reflected on Valery's statement - how he was meant to find it. His thumb traced along the cube's etching as he continued to think. Logically, it just seemed so implausible. Was he really supposed to believe this ancient device was sitting around for 10,000 years, waiting for him to find it? It felt naive to even think that way. Ace slightly puffed his cheeks out before exhaling, shaking his head as he shook the thought. It didn't matter, it was what he needed and now it was his.

Ace's eyes met Valery's again and he smiled once more. Feeling a warmth in his chest he hadn't felt since Mira. It was something he hadn't expected to feel again since she passed. He wasn't sure when it happened, but something had shifted. Valery didn't talk to him like he was broken, or like she was waiting for him to prove something. She just listened and offered help without strings. It was unsettling at first. People never did that. But the more time he spent with her, the more he realized he wanted to listen when she spoke. Maybe it was the beginning of the formation of trust, or something similar. Whatever it was, it didn't feel heavy. It felt... steady.

Part of him wanted to stay with her, learn more, maybe even find a home with her. But... that was way too soon, right? And, he needed to find his parents or what happened to them at the very least. Acier knew he'd never be able to truly rest or find peace until he had the answers. This in turn led him to speak up, it was time for him to go.

"Well, I guess that's it for me. Thanks, for all this. It helped a lot..." pausing, he remembered what she had told him about that saying the Jedi Master said in the hologram. "May the Force be with you... is that how--damn!"

Ace hung his head low and rested a hand on his hip, letting the other hang at his side.

"I, uh-- I've got no way of getting off this rock." he confessed, smirking sheepishly "Reckon you could give me a lift to the nearest inhabited system? Or, could you send transport to here?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's expression softened as she watched him wrestle with the moment. There was something endearing about the way he tried to play it cool, even while clearly moved by what had just happened. When he stumbled through the farewell, she bit back a grin, and when he finally admitted his situation, the chuckle escaped.

"Well," she said, one brow lifting, "Good thing I didn't leave yet." She stepped closer and gently tapped the holocron in his hands. "You can keep practicing your Jedi farewells on the way. No one gets it perfect the first time."

Then she looked back toward the clearing behind them where her ship waited, half-obscured by the rise in the terrain. The sun was starting to dip low, casting the path in gold and shadow.

"I'll give you a ride," she said warmly, "Wherever you need to go. Even if it's not close." A beat passed, and she glanced sideways at him, a small smirk tugging at her mouth.

"You're not as much trouble as you look, anyway."

She turned then, her cloak catching a breeze as she started back toward the ship.

"Come on, Ace. Let's get you moving toward that next piece of your story."

Acier Moonbound ​