Stoic Fury
The moment had finally arrived for Samuel Creed to meet with Grandmaster Valery Noble, the esteemed head of the New Jedi Order. Samuel had carefully crafted his request to speak with her via holomail, ensuring it would not disrupt her many responsibilities. In his message, he emphasized that this meeting was of personal significance rather than a necessary duty tied to their shared roles as Jedi. Master Noble's reputation preceded her—Samuel knew of her not just because she led the Order and her name was prominently displayed on the Jedi roster, but because her dedication to aiding students in their training was often spoken of, despite her already burdensome workload.
By the Grandmaster's invitation, Samuel found himself approaching the Jedi Temple on New Cov. Having recently completed an assignment, he had spent several weeks stationed at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but now his path led him here. The Jedi transport touched down gracefully, and as the ramp lowered, Samuel descended along with other members of the Order, all heading toward the towering entrance of the temple. The lush, verdant landscape of New Cov spread out before him, a stark contrast to the stone architecture of the temple—an ancient, almost forgotten style in this modern age, but one that commanded reverence. He took a moment to appreciate both the surroundings and the weight of the meeting ahead before stepping forward toward his destined conversation with the Grandmaster.
Through the limited clearance granted by his rank, Samuel Creed had pieced together fragments of Valery Noble's past. Before she ascended to the role of Grandmaster, and even before earning the title of Sword of the Jedi, she had served in a role similar to his own. She was what many referred to as a Jedi Shadow—a Knight or Master who operated covertly, often behind enemy lines, to carry out the Order's most discreet and sensitive missions. Their achievements were rarely spoken of, their actions shrouded in secrecy, and their methods less scrutinized than those of the more visible, frontline Jedi.
Samuel, though he refrained from labeling himself as such, had long performed in a similar capacity. He moved through his assignments with quiet confidence, adopting the mantle of a Jedi Knight with no desire for recognition beyond what was required. Yet, this meeting with Valery Noble promised to be enlightening. Her experience, both as a Jedi Shadow and now as Grandmaster, meant she possessed knowledge few could access. And certainly, as the head of the New Jedi Order, there would be no limit to what she could uncover in the Jedi Archives, including the records of Samuel's own path.
