Private Flash of the Past — We'll Meet Again

[Valery Noble]

"Shouldn't I?" she asked smugly, but that confidence didn't last very long, as his hand settled against her cheek. A soft breath left her lips, and while he patted her cheek and walked passed her, Valery bit her lip and stood still for a moment. There was something about him that just... made her feel all sorts of things inside.

Things she had never felt before.

Quickly, Valery turned on her heels and followed him to the kitchen. "I can cook but I don't know what ingredients you have," she said with a smirk, but after looking through some cabinets, she pulled a few things together to start preparing a nice meal. While she cooked, Valery began to hum a melody.

One that seemed random now, but one he'd learn a lot more about one day.

"So uhm, once I get things going with the Enclave, where will you be heading? Are you going to stay on Spintir or do you feel more drawn to flying around with the Bastion?" Her question seemed innocent, but she was definitely hoping that he'd at least visit often enough. If he couldn't... she almost felt like she'd rather just join him instead of forming this Enclave.

Is this what it's like to be in love with someone?

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Honestly? Probably fly around."

He helped find some food, stuff to cook with. Kahlil really needed to refill the fridge. It was part of the reason he'd gone to New Cov to begin with, though naturally his.. Distraction with Valery was just.. Well. There was little to think about otherwise. He scooted back to let her work, arms crossed over his chest, leaned back against the table as he listened to the hum. Something to remember, for later.

"I figure you'll need supply runs, so I'll keep swinging by, if that's what you're worried about."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"That...is what I was worried about," she admitted without looking over in his direction. The tone of her voice showed she was a bit shy to be open about it - she wasn't used to wanting someone around so much that it was on her mind constantly. She was afraid it'd turn him off, as irrational as it was.

But if he said he'd keep swinging by, she would be happy.

"Do you uh, sometimes take days off, too? I mever did much but..." She bit her lip and cut up some vegetables. "I just, yeah, want time alone with you too." She blushed and continued humming again while she finished up cooking their dinner.

But while Valery worked, Kahlil would faintly be able to hear a transmission coming in. The voice played in the cockpit, so Valery didn't hear, buf he could.

<This is- Dis.... Call. We are....attack....>

<...help!>

Then the already fickle tranission cut out, and Kahlil was left with a choice to check it out, or keep it to himself for now. The journey to spintir was a long one, but apparently they had something waiting for them there.


| Kahlil Noble |

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Well, she was at least honest with what she was asking. Kahlil regarded her for a moment in silence. Really took a moment to actually think, rather than keep flirting like he had been. There was an actual conversation to have with her about that. Not just about him swinging by, but everything else that came with it. Something they really needed to talk about. Who he was, the past he had to face still, they'd become issues, he knew.

But, well. The transmission was something that caught his attention immediately. He turned his head, glancing to where the sound came from with his brow furrowed in worry.

Then moved to head that way.

"That's something we'll talk more about in a bit, alright?"

They certainly were. And he wanted her to make sure she understood that much.

Then he rushed towards the cockpit to get the signal back, trace it, where he could.

"R6, can you find that signal again?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery tilted her head slightly while she looked over her shoulder. There was no teasing grin anymore as be looked at her in silence, and no flirty sparkle in his silver eyes. He was seriously thinking about something, which made her feel both relieved and worried at the same time. Was he doubting their potential as partners or was there something important he needed to discuss with her?

Considering last night and all of his flirting this morning, she settled on the latter.

Then, much to her surprise, something seemed to catch his attention and he turned away rather quickly. "Oh uh, of course." She offered a smile and watched him leave, before she returned to cooking their meals.

Once Kahlil had reached the cockpit, he gave R6 a task that his little droid easily completed. Scans came Through, coordinates were determined and processed, and one location immediately apeared.

Spintir - Frostwall village, at the base of the mountain leading up to the Temple Valery had been working on.

"Hey, is everything alright there?" Valery called out while she plated the food and brought it to the dinner table. Kahlil got an answer to the question as more voices came in.

<...too many of them! Please....help!>

<...is burning!>

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

".. I'm gonna say no. Looks like some folks back on New Cov are in trouble."

Kahlil didn't bother making it linger. He pulled down the lever for hyperspace, having them drop out as he took up the controls to turn them right around and send them right back the way they came.

"Looks like you're gonna have to be a Jedi for a little bit longer, mm?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"Wait, what?" Valery looked over, concern all over her face at the mention of New Cov and trouble. They had only just left it behind, so was it a coincidence that suddenly something went wrong there? She had a feeling that this was connected to them somehow, but there was only one way to know for sure.

If she had been alone, it would have probably been difficult, but Kahlil taking them out of Hyperspace gave her a moment to just think and ready herself. People needed her help, and she was still a Jedi, even after all those years in stasis.

"I... just..." she walked over and plopped down in the co-pilot seat. On the outside, she seemed to be doing alright, but a closer look would make it clear enough that she seemed defeated. A sigh followed, and her eyes shifted to Kahlil, "I really can't do this alone. It's hard on me, and my body is still getting used to serious fighting."

Valery then rubbed her eyes and sat still for a moment, "They're at the Temple. I can see them," she then said. "My old Enclave... but why?"

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Huh?"

Kahlil blinked, watching her for a moment. Then smiled. Just a little as he reached a hand out to pat her shoulder. Right, she was in a completely new time. And who knew just how much the whole hibernation stasis thing took out of her.

"We'll find out when we get there. We got this."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"I really hope so," Valery said, clearly with some difficulty, but she still managed a smile as he patted her on the shoulder and offered his support. It was a little strange to think about it. They had only just met, and he was so caring and supportive already. It felt like far more than just a Jedi's desire to help and protect people who needed it.

This wasn't something she'd ever forget.

Her smile, however, faded as soon as they dropped out of Hyperspace. Even from beyond the atmosphere, they could see the intense fire in the jungles down below, and a quick scan made it clear that Valery's old Temple was in the center of it all. "No..." she frowned and looked at Kahlil. "Who would do such a thing?"

Thinking about it, she only had one explanation.

"Maybe they followed me... the people who kept me in stasis intentionally." It would explain why they were destroying something so closely tied to her, but the reasoning hardly mattered. Other people were at risk down below too, and she really hoped they would be able to still preserve what little was left of her Temple.

"How close can you get us to the Temple?"

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Seeing a fire spread across the planet, that wasn't at all what he expected. Kahlil didn't hesitate to have the ship glide right down to the surface. She wanted to get close? The ship went right for the Temple. Where he got up even as it continued.

"R6, get us close enough to jump."

He paused, glancing towards Valery.

".. Well no how high can you jump from? Don't wanna just assume."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"Jump?" Valery asked with a raised eyebrow, but she caught on to his plan rather quickly and turned to R6. He had taken control of the Bastion and was bringing them right over the Temple despite the danger lurking down below. For them to be willing to put themselves and their ship at risk just to help her felt heartwarming.

"I can manage a big drop, so don't worry about getting too low. The higher, the better - makes it harder to hit us on the way down."

She offered a faint smile and followed Kahlil to the ramp. Once it lowered, she stared down at the burning Temple for just a few seconds, and a grim expression followed. One she forced herself through.

Valery then let herself drop alongside him, and landed on her feet, before transitioning into a roll to ansorb more of the impact. They were on the landing pad now, where a small group of mercenaries were setting equipment ablaze.

They did not seem surprised to see the Jedi.

"There she is! We need her alive!" One called out as they raised their blasters.

"Seems we get another one for free," another added, who turned his rifle to Kahlil and opened fire.

Valery started deflecting incoming shots immediately, but she wasn't used to feeling bolts connect with her blade anymore, amd the overwhelming sense of danger was something her senses needed to adapt to as well. She was sloppy, almost fearful in her movements, and under heavy pressure.

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil just chuckled as he followed her lead and dropped to the ground beside her. Landed with a bit more ease than her. He didn't use the Force much, but he still knew a couple tricks. His gaze shifted as he felt danger.

Then he pulled his own blaster and fired. One bolt, right to the chest of the one that was about to fire at him. Then to the next. He didn't bother hesitating with people who'd set a fire like this. If anything he just moved to let Valery be the shield while he played the sword. It made sense, right? Jedi were better at defending anyway.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Bang.

The man who had tried to shoot Kahlil dropped dead, and Valery watched it happen with widened eyes. The idea of Jedi using blasters was still odd to her, but then again, Kahlil's journey had been very different. Right now, she was just happy to have his assistance, because she feared that fighting on her own wouldn't have gone so well.

"I'll cover you!" she then called out, before moving ahead to be his shield.

From the Temple's entrance, a small group of mercenaries soon appeared, and with all of her focus, she made sure that none of their blaster fire slipped passed her defenses. It gave Kahlil the freedom to aim and take them out, at least until one thug with large canisters on his back appeared. A wave of intense flames erupted out towards Valery, who raised one hand to project a barrier.

But the Force energy she gathered was fickle, and her barrier flickered.

Some of the fire was stopped by the barrier, but one wave got through, burning her hand and drawing out a yelp of pain from the woman. She pulled back her hand and cradled it against her chest, while she stumbled back from the pain she felt. "Take him out!" she screamed, as she felt a surge of danger in the Force.

He was seconds away from burning her alive.

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Flamethrower.

Well, that made sense. If they were fighting Jedi, why wouldn't they use a flamethrower? And it hurt Valery. His brow knitted together at that before he raised a hand. The Force flexed under his grasp, wind kicking up all around them. Then it was gone. The flame, devoid of oxygen, simply went out. The mercs around them followed in suit. One by one the lack of oxygen was a sudden and overwhelming. Kahlil kept his eyes narrowed, continuing to suffocate them. Remove the threat, with some finality.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery turned her face away, expecting the worst as the flamethrower roared to life again, but the flames never came. She felt a shift in the Force and in the currents of the air all around her - Kahlil had taken away the Oxygen needed to not only sustain the fire, but also their breathing.

One by one, they all dropped to the floor.

Valery let out a pained breath and didn't move a muscle in the burned hand, which she kept close to her own body to shield it. Even a slight breeze blowing against burned skin already hurt.

"T-thanks..." She said, struggling hard to try and hide her pain. She didn't really understand why, but she did not want to seem weak or fragile to him, even though she was barely keeping herself together. Who would want a relationship with someone unstable?

"The Temple... why..." She frowned and despite her pain, rushed into the burning building. The fire had to be stopped, these people had to be stopped. She couldn't lose what little she had left from her past. But after running into the main hall, she fell down to her knees and looked around in shock, as she witnessed just how much damage was already done to her home.

Why?

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil frowned just a little as he lowered his hand. The Force wasn't easy for him to use, not like this. Not sustained. And then she ran into the burning building. He followed behind, mostly because he could tell by the burns she had she was in pain. But to see her drop. He let out a breath before raising his hands. Reached out again to pull the air from their surroundings. At least put out the flame that he could before his hand dropped and he crouched beside her.

"Lets get you back to the ship. You need bacta."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

She really tried.

To be strong, to push herself through this the way she had forced herself through the misery of losing everybody after her time in stasis. But it was just too much. As Kahlil crouched down beside her, she'd have her face hidden behind her long hair, and he'd be able to hear gentle cries and sniffing.

Everything hurt, from her body to her soul.

"Okay..." she said softly once he urged her to return to the ship. It was at this moment, that she finally looked at him, the fire in her eyes dimmed and they were full of tears.

"I don't think I can do this, Kahlil," she said as she slowly began to rise. "I don't know if I can be a Jedi anymore."

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He helped her up, slowly, carefully. Had her lean against him as he clicked on the com to call R6 down now that the fires were at least slowing down. The jungle would take over eventually, regrow as they always did after a fire. Life always found it's way to survive. Kahlil said nothing, though. Not at first. Just listened to her. It was an incredibly personal thing to talk about. Her belief in the Jedi, her thoughts on not being them.

"Lets get you fixed up, then we can talk about that, alright?"

Kahlil did his best to give a comforting smile in her direction as he carried her now.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"Alright," Valery said while she leaned into him and allowed his arms to slip underneath her legs. Her head gently came to rest against his chest while he lifted her up and carried her away, back to the landing pad. R6 had received the signal and brought the Bastion down, so its ramp could lower, allowing the two to step inside.

Almost immediately, adrenaline was starting to fade, causing her to wince more as even subtle movements of her fingers seemed to hurt. She had been burned before, but it never stopped hurting badly.

"Thanks for having my back out there," Valery finally said, once they had reached the medbay on board. "I uh, think I need something to clean the wound, some burn salve and some bacta?" She was not a healer at all, but she had been hurt enough to roughly know what the healers used to do to patch her up.

| Kahlil Noble |​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I've got a full tank if you'd like to just soak in that. Burns aren't any fun to deal with."

And a good space to clear her head. There was nothing like sensory deprivation to still the mind. Give some perspective. Especially with the rush of emotions she was going through right now. He watched her for a moment once they were settled in the medbay, just watched closely. Curiously.

"What'd'ya think?"

Valery Noble