Private Darkness Beyond the Border

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

While the Padawans all looked rather troubled, Adam looked ahead of himself with a calm smile. He knew something, and when his eyes turned to Aris, he realized that Aris understood that as well, "That's right, and I'm starting to believe that we're dealing with something quite mysterious. Onderon has a lot of history between Jedi and Sith, and much more history to be made, hm?" He glanced at Vera and chuckled.

"We have to figure out the when of what we're seeing. Perhaps our Seers wrongly judged this." He glanced at Aris and Vera and gave them an encouraging smile. They were going to be more important than he had realized.

Up ahead, the group would soon see a path leading into a mountains, but one that was closed by blast doors. A facility was beyond it, one that looked relatively new.

A path perhaps familiar to the Nobles.

 

[Aris Noble]

"When is always the most difficult part."

There was some relief in knowing that at least Master Adam was aware something more was going on. What specifically he knew they'd figure out later, for certain. Right now it was important for them to focus on what was ahead. He tilted his head at the facility, humming in thought.

"Where is this? Where the vision was?"

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

<This is where Mom goes into stasis.>

Vera had paused for a moment to take a better look and draw the conclusion. The place looked different from the visions she had seen about it, but only because she had seen it about two decades from now. When Mom was older and fighting here to keep another Sith invasion away. Master Dawn sure was right about Onderon and its history.

Now, it was their turn in the future to deal with it again.

"This is a very strategically important point. It's the only safe passage through the mountains," Master Dawn explained. "The facility inside is a research station to study the jungles, but it also has medical facilities. From there, we discovered another tunnel into the mountains that was never completed."

"At the very end, is where we need to be."

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked slowly as surprised filled his expression. He glanced to Vera. Right. Onderon. It made perfect sense, but it still surprised him that this was the facility. Even more so that Valery had been here once as a child herself. "Then.. To the very end we'll go. I'm sure we'll find some kind of answer to the vision there, or at least a clue to the next step."

And maybe Vera might see something, though he kept that to himself. He didn't want to put that level of stress on her shoulders.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"I think so, too." Adam was looking at Vera now and smiled to himself. The two Zambranos were the key to what was happening here, but perhaps to what was to come as well. Whatever the case, he could tell that something unusual was happening here, and it would be wise for them to find out more.

Soon enough, after passing through the blast doors, the group of Jedi stepped inside the facility. With its research and medical purposes, it was extremely clean and taken care of - a strange contrast to how Vera had seen it in her visions.

It was strange to think that Mom would end up here for so long.

"This facility is currently still controlled by the Republic," Adam began to explain. "But as you can see, everybody has been evacuated just to be safe. It's a strategic point, so it is only a matter of time before the Sith attack." He looked at the three Padawans and seemed a tad more stern.

"Stay close to me, just in case."

 

[Aris Noble]

So this was when the Sith would take control. From what he remembered of Mom's stories about this, this place wasn't run by the Republic. He gave a nod to the Master regardless. While they were here, they would stay by his side. And Vera would have to stay close to him. He wasn't sure on it, but with how unnatural this already was he had an inkling that something would happen with her.

A vision, for certain.

"Do you know why they want to attack here?"

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"The tombs ans ruins of Onderon have much to offer, young Padawan. Some Sith believe the power they csn gain from its secrets will allow them to rise above all others." He chuckled a little at that idea. Onderon sure had a lot of history, but the idea it would be so defining for the Galaxy's future, he sincerely doubted.

Of course, he had no idea that it wasn't a Sith, but a Jedi who would build ties to Onderon that would later shape the course of Galactic events.

"Onderon isn't terribly far from a Hyperspace junction either. A few jumps from here, and fleets can go down paths deep into Republic space. The combination of that and its history makes it interesting." There were also the beasts of its jungles and especially those on Dxun, capable of being turned into highly dangerous Sithspawn - but that was a minor reason.

"Aris?" Vera asked as they continued to walk. "I feel something but it's not just this place..." She eyed young Mom for a moment, hinting that her presence was tied to what she felt as well.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris nodded at the bit of history Master Adam provided, but such thoughtfulness shifted to watching Vera from the corner of his eye. She had picked up something here? From their mother? If he was being honest now he was even more confused. It was their mom, but in the future at first. And now their mom, but the her now. He frowned lightly before nudging her.

I need context.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"You will see."

Vera nodded to something up ahead - the chamber that Adam had mentioned. Unlike the rest of the facility, there were no wall or floor panels here - the workers had made this tunnel to expand the facility but upok reaching this open cavern, they had stopped and decided to leave it be.

For good reason.

All along the walls were carvings, showing what looked like a series of events. Disastrous events, and the carvings that portrayed the city of Iziz suggested it all revolved around Onderon. In total, there were five carvings. Two of them showed battles from long ago, the third seemed to draw Adam and little Valery closer - they recognized it.

<The fourth is when Mom disappears. The fifth is our time.> Vera looked at Aris, and then looked at the fifth carving. If they connected with that one, maybe she could learn more about what happens in their future?

In their own time, this cave was destroyed so this was her only chance.

"Do you recognize anything here, young Padawans? We believed these carvings show the sequence of this war. But beyond the third, we don't understand them yet."

 

[Aris Noble]

The fourth was mom freezing, and the Fifth current? Aris squinted at the mural with a frown. That meant the third was likely whatever was about to happen here. Were they supposed to help? Or were they only here to find the information they needed for their own time? Now he was even more confused on what they should do, instead looking to Vera.

He didn't know what to do now, and it showed in his face. He wasn't used to not knowing what to do next.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"Just follow me this time." Vera smiled and reached for her brother's hand. So many times, she had found comfort and understanding in following after him. He was strong, fast, and almost always knew exactly what to do, and what not to do. He was an amazing Jedi, and an even better brother. But this time, she was going to be his guide, and as she pulled him along towards the walls, her eyes were set on only one image alone.

The very last.

<We can't change the past, Aris. But we can change the future.> She reached out with her hand towards the last of the images, and both Nobles experienced a bright flash that took them away. Once more, they saw Onderon, but it looked far more familiar now. Aris would see flashes of his own encounter on the planet, but the image flickered to their Mother as well, taking down an entire Sith Tomb with raw Force power.

Then it flashed again.

In front of them was a world of the ancient Sith — full of tombs, statues and an ancient Academy, all covered by a sandy texture. It was burning. Hundreds of ships clashed in the skies above, and countless soldiers and Sith were in battle down below, sending the world into ruin.

Then it flashed again.

From one image to another, the Nobles saw various worlds, some familiar and others perhaps not. There were battles between Sith and Jedi, between loved ones and enemies, and the familiar sight of the Coruscant Temple, abandoned by the Jedi.

A final flash of light opened their eyes, but they were no longer in the caves. There was no Master Dawn or Padawan Valery Noble anymore. Instead, both Nobles were down on their backs within the ruins where it all began.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris could only offer Vera a nod. He trusted what she said, what insight she had in this. He, however, was not prepared for the vision that came. He'd never had something like this happen. He didn't like it. He didn't like having something he couldn't control or understand or even turn off. By the time it was finally over he jolted right up to his feet, looking around the room in quite the panic.

It took a moment for him to calm. He had his hand on his lightsaber, as if ready for a fight. Paranoia at it's finest.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

Unlike her brother, Vera didn't rise to her feet with a lightsaber drawn. She was completely still, rolled onto her side with her back turned towards him. She was breathing — that much was obvious — but it looked like she was still in deep slumber. The frown that twitched and pulled on her facial features, however, showed it was no peaceful sleep.

It was a nightmare.

"Mom..." she squeaked.

"Daddy?" She rolled onto her back, her chest heaving with heavy breaths. "Aris?!" she yelled with her eyes closed as if she desperately needed his attention.

"I need... help."

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris, paranoid and panicked as he was, zeroed right in on the call for help from his sister. Even as he gulped back the panic of his dried throat he put his saber down to instead rush to her side and take her hand in his. Squeezed firmly. "I'm here. Vera, wake up. The vision is over. It's okay to wake up now Vera." He repeated those words, trying to break through the haze of the vision calmly to try and pull her back to the waking world.

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

With a gasp for air and shock in her eyes, Vera woke up and immediately moved to sit up. She was looking around frantically, ready to fight or run, but she calmed down as soon as she saw her brother by her side. The grip on her hand steadied her and helped her focus just a little.

The vision was over, she kept reminding herself.

"I don't feel so good..." Vera muttered, her skin a tad pale and her eyes weary. "Are you okay?"

 

[Aris Noble]

"I don't either. .. Is it always like that for you?"

He'd never envied her before about her abilities, but experiencing it first hand just nailed it in how much he didn't like this. Didn't like being unable to control himself when that happened. If that's how it always was for her, it was honestly surprising how well she handled it. She truly was someone amazing to be able to handle it. He just wasn't sure if he should.

Aris watched his sister for a moment longer before smiling faintly and reached out to pat her head.

"Good job."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

"They're not always that bad, but they do feel this intense." Vera wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed the sides of her arms. She was still processing the things she had seen and tried her best not to show just how worried she was. The planets that were burning and the battles that were ravaging entire planets apart had been terrible, but there was something else too. Something she had managed to keep from Aris.

Something worse.

Vera looked up when she felt his hand atop her head and pouted a little, "I'm going to kill you if you mess up my hair." She couldn't help but smirk for a brief moment, allowing herself to forget what she had seen.

She knew that if she told him, it'd worry him.

 

[Aris Noble]

He watched her, as he always did. There was little that could actually escape his eyes. The subtle shift in her demeanor, the deflection as she spoke to focus on him messing with her hair. Aris didn't think he was good at emotion, but when it came to it and she looked upset like she did, especially as she tried to hide it? He poked her forehead.

"Don't hide things."

Vera Noble

 

[Vera Noble]

Niv Hani
​

Tag: Aris Noble

Vera blinked and froze for just a second.

The classic Noble reset had her focus on her brother again, and she knew that he knew. Aris always thought he wasn't good at understanding emotions, but if there was one person he understood, it'd be his sister. Vera sighed at that and pulled her knees up against her chest while she looked at him.

She knew she couldn't avoid it anymore.

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise me not to get too worried. It's just a vision and they don't always come true. Especially when we work hard to prevent them or make them different, and-" She paused, realizing she was rambling in her own panic. Of all the things she had seen in her visions, this was perhaps what had shaken her the most.

"...I saw Mom," Vera continued with quivering lips. "I saw Mom, dying in the war."

 

[Aris Noble]

"I promise." Is what he said. Aris smiled at his sister, fully believing in his promise to not get too worried. No matter what she saw, he wouldn't add to that burden on her shoulders. He would stay calm, listen, and help his sister handle the problem that this vision had brought her. He honestly, truly, believed that he would be able to handle it.

Even a vision of their mother wouldn't have been a problem, until she spoke about her dying. His expression fell in an instant. He couldn't control it. The pure fear in his face, the sheer concern in his eyes. For the first time he seemed like a kid his age, terrified that something was going to happen to his parents. It lasted only for a moment before he caught himself and tried to bury that expression away. She'd seen a vision, but she ha dalready said that they could change the future.

He trusted that.

"What happened? What do we need to do to stop it?"

Vera Noble