First Reply [Nar Shaddaa] A Misunderstanding

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The suffocating glow of neon signs painted the streets of Nar Shaddaa in blues and pinks, their flickering light dancing over grimy pavement slick with rain. Valery moved like a shadow through the labyrinth of alleyways, her amber eyes sharp as a predator's. Somewhere ahead, her target — a Twi'lek arms dealer tied to Sith-aligned factions — was slipping deeper into the urban sprawl.

Valery tightened her grip on the hilt of her lightsaber, though she kept the blade dormant. A Jedi didn't ignite their weapon unless absolutely necessary, and tonight, she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She rounded a corner, catching a glimpse of the Twi'lek's lanky frame darting into a narrow passageway. Valery's heart raced as she prepared to close the distance — but a shout froze her mid-step.

"Stop right there! Hands in the air!"

Valery's head snapped toward the voice, and her stomach sank. A group of local law enforcement officers had emerged from the shadows, their blasters raised and their expressions unreadable beneath mirrored visors. Their uniforms bore the insignia of the local police force, but Valery knew better than to assume they were allies. This planet's law enforcement was infamous for corruption, often working hand-in-hand with the very criminals she sought to bring down.

"This isn't what it looks like," Valery said, lifting her hands slowly to show she wasn't a threat. "I'm with the—"

"Save it for later," sneered one of the officers, stepping closer. His voice was rough, his tone skeptical. "You don't look like you're here on official business. Running around in alleys, chasing shadows? Sounds more like you're up to something illegal."

Valery exhaled sharply, biting back her frustration. "I'm pursuing a—"

"We're not interested in your excuses," the officer interrupted, motioning with his blaster. "Turn around, hands behind your head. Now."

Valery's jaw tightened, her mind racing. She could easily disarm them, incapacitate them without so much as breaking a sweat. But that wouldn't help her case — it would only solidify whatever narrative they'd already decided on. With a reluctant sigh, she turned and placed her hands behind her head.

The cold snap of stun cuffs closed around her wrists, their hum vibrating against her skin. Valery glanced over her shoulder as the Twi'lek's silhouette disappeared into the distance. Her mission was slipping away, but for now, she had to focus on defusing this situation.

"Alright," she said, her voice calm but edged with irritation. "You've got me. But you're making a mistake."

"Save it," the officer muttered as he nudged her forward.

The next thing she knew, she was being guided into the back of a police speeder, the door shutting with a finality that echoed her current predicament. Through the rain-streaked window, she could see the city lights glowing faintly, her thoughts already calculating her next move.

It was all a misunderstanding. But getting that through to the people who had just arrested her? That was going to be the tricky part.

Open
Underworld characters are preferred, or people I don't already write with constantly!​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

Nar Shaddaa

The Smuggler's Moon had always been the shadier twin of Coruscant. Where the Core World was something of a pleasant place, Shaddaa was rotten. a haze of polluted air, and corruption everywhere. For Eujan, it was someplace that digusted him. All of his gut intuitions as a former security officer told him this place was tainted like a gangrenous wound. Yet, his policing days were a lifetime ago.

Now the Pantoran wore the trappings of a bounty hunter. Modified armor that bore no allegiance nor badge. Only the scars and scuffs from one score or another. He found himself on this gods-forsaken place in search for such a bounty. Some lowlife wanted back in Galactic Alliance territory. His attention was brought to an alleyway, and the sounds of arrest.

The hunter followed the noise to just close enough to make out what was going on. A couple of disgraces to the uniform, arresting a seemingly harmless woman. Eujan observed carefully, recognizing her. Jedi Master Valery Noble. He had seen her face in the occasional HoloNet feed. He debated on whether or not to become involved.

"Karabast..." He grunted to himself, hoping he would not regret his next move.

He approached the scene carefully, knowing from experience some officers could trigger-happy. Especially with mysterious strangers in menacing armor. He kept his rifle holstered to keep tensions low.

"She's with me, officers." He spoke authoritatively, pulling out a holo-badge that displayed the insignia of the Bounty Hunter's Guild, "What seems to be the issue?"

It was lie, sure. But one spoken with confidence, and hopefully one that helped garner the trust of a Jedi.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's amber eyes narrowed slightly as the bounty hunter stepped into the scene, his confident tone and holographic badge halting the officers mid-step. She tilted her head, her brow arching in a mix of intrigue and skepticism. Bounty hunters weren't exactly known for their altruism, especially not on Nar Shaddaa. Was he here to help her? Or had she somehow become a target herself?

Her instincts told her to tread carefully.

The officers exchanged glances, their mirrored visors obscuring any readable expressions, but their body language betrayed their uncertainty. One of them stepped forward, while the other shoved Valery into their vehicle.

"And who the hell are you?" the officer barked, his tone sharp and distrustful. "This has nothing to do with the Guild."

Valery's lips quirked into a faint smirk despite the situation. Typical. Corruption ran so deep on Nar Shaddaa that even law enforcement didn't want their schemes interrupted — not even by someone with an apparent Guild connection.

"Yeah," another officer chimed in, his grip tightening on his weapon. "You walk in here flashing a badge like we're just gonna hand her over? What's your stake in this, bounty hunter?"

Valery's gaze flicked toward Eujan, her fiery eyes narrowing as if to say, What are you up to? But she remained silent for now, curious to see how he would play this out. If he was here to help, fine. If not? Well, she wasn't exactly defenseless.

The air grew heavier with tension, and Valery's mind worked quickly to calculate her next move. She could sense the unease radiating from the officers, the faint flicker of doubt in their stance.

Alright, bounty hunter, she thought, her eyes narrowing as they settled on Eujan. Let's see what game you're playing.

Eujan Vidokh ​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

Nar Shaddaa

The Pantoran's helmeted face was stoic as he observed the response of the two so-called lawmen. Yet of course, like Nar Shaddaa itself, the cops here were dirty. His gaze kept on Valery as well, giving her a slight nod to signify he was friendly to her.

"I am Eujan Vidokh. I once wore the uniform of an officer myself." He explained, "Little agriworld called Hetzal...not that you boys care."

He was wary of the one officer ready to draw his blaster. This was going south quicker than he would have preferred. Then again, his was a dangerous profession.

"More importantly, that woman there is a Jedi." He tilted his head toward Val, "Isn't that right, Master Noble?"

He carefully drew his hand near his own holster. Eujan kept his visored eyes on the Jedi, as if to tell her to Wait for my signal.

"I believe she and I seek the same prey. Now...." He had a bit of warning in his voice, "She could ragdoll you both with her powers. Or I could put down two dirty cops like the rabid akks they are."

His body was in a stance of tense, potential energy. Like a viper, just before it snaps its fangs at the skittering rat. He kept himself trained on the officers and the Jedi. He certainly hoped she lived up to her legend.

"But we don't want that, do we, boys?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The officers froze at Eujan's words, their stances stiffening as tension thickened the air. For a moment, they exchanged nervous glances, clearly weighing their options. A Jedi? Here? They had to know the stories, and now, standing across from one and a confident bounty hunter with a sharp tongue, their bravado was fading fast.

"She's a Jedi?" one officer finally muttered, his voice betraying his unease. "Why didn't you say so?"

"Because you shoved me into the speeder before I could," Valery replied dryly, her fiery gaze locked on the officers.

The lead officer scowled but said nothing. Instead, he barked an order to his partner, who grudgingly opened the vehicle door and yanked Valery out, shoving her unceremoniously onto the damp ground. She caught herself with her knees and glared up at the man as her hands, still bound by stun cuffs, strained against the restraints.

Without another word, the officers exchanged a final glance and retreated to their speeder. The vehicle's engine roared to life, and it peeled off into the neon-lit chaos of Nar Shaddaa, leaving Valery and Eujan alone in the aftermath.

For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the distant hum of city life. Valery rose slowly to her feet, brushing off the damp grime from her knees, her bound hands making the task awkward. She turned her gaze on Eujan, her expression caught somewhere between gratitude and caution.

"Well," she began, her tone neutral but firm, "I suppose I owe you a thank you for getting rid of them." She shifted her hands slightly, gesturing toward the cuffs. "Although I could use a little more help."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him, the wariness not yet gone. "You realize that won't be the end of it, right? Those two are going to call in reinforcements or worse — someone's going to take notice of all this attention. Trouble isn't far behind."

Eujan Vidokh ​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

The hunter kept a careful gaze as the two, corrupt cops sped off like a couple of spooked falthier. When they were out of sight, his body relaxed back into a neutral stance. He turned his sttention to the Jedi.

"I know." The vocoder of his helm rumbled, "Like cells of a malignant tumor."

He looked to her bindings. He slowly and carefully held on to her wrists, as to not startle the uneasy alliance they seemed to be forging. The Pantoran's helm tilted, seeming to figure out a solution. Eujan nodded to himself before pressing a few buttons on his vambrace.

"Keep your hands at that level." He spoke firm, "And for Goddess' sake, keep still."

He aimed his own arm at the circuitry of the bindings. From his vambrace came a beam of energy. A wrist laser, but set to a much lower power to be more precise. The hunter kept the beam focus on the binders' locking mechanisms. The circuits soon overheated, causing the locks to fail and release. He instantly turned his laser off.

"There." He nodded to Valery, "Now, let's find some cover. I believe we have a discussion to be had."

His visor scanned the nearby area, his vision attempting to seek momentary shelter. Seeing potential in a nearby rooftop, he motioned silently. He stroke carefully in that direction, hoping the Jedi would intrigued enough to follow. After all, it was not every day a bounty hunter acted so charitable.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery flexed her fingers as the stun cuffs fell away, the faint burn from the restraints still tingling against her skin. She rubbed her wrists to ease the sensation and glanced at Eujan, her fiery eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and lingering caution.

"Thanks," she said simply, her voice calm but edged with the weight of everything that had just unfolded. "Getting those off will make moving around a lot easier."

She adjusted her posture and took a quick glance around, her sharp gaze scanning the underworld's neon-lit chaos. The flickering lights and the distant murmur of activity pressed in from all sides, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Trouble might have peeled off in a speeder, but it wasn't far behind.

When Eujan motioned toward a nearby rooftop, Valery nodded in agreement and fell into step beside him. Together, they moved quickly through the narrow alleys and dimly lit passages of Nar Shaddaa's underbelly. The air was thick with the smell of spice and oil, the muffled sounds of distant shouting and machinery creating an oppressive atmosphere. Valery kept her steps light, her senses stretched through the Force to detect any incoming threats.

After a few moments of walking in silence, Valery finally broke it, her voice low but curious. "Alright," she began, her tone steady as she glanced sideways at him. "I'll bite. Why help me? You could have just walked away and left me in the hands of those corrupt officers. Yet here we are."

Her fiery gaze lingered on his visor for a moment, her expression a careful blend of curiosity and skepticism. "You're a bounty hunter, and I doubt altruism is part of the job description. So what's your angle?"

Eujan Vidokh ​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

Eujan glanced back at Valery as they climbed the last few steps toward the rooftop. His voice, calm but edged with distaste, carried over the muffled chaos of Nar Shaddaa’s streets below.

"Corrupt officers," he muttered, shaking his head. "Never could stomach them. Used to be a lawman myself, back on Hetzal. Can’t stand seeing people abuse the badge—or the power that comes with it."

He reached the top first, the faint hum of machinery and neon buzz filling the air. Turning, Eujan extended a hand to Valery, offering a steadying grasp to her as she climbed up beside him. Once she was safely on the rooftop, he stepped back, the neon-esque glow of nearby holo-signs reflecting off his visor. A moment passed in silence before he reached up and unclasped his helmet, lifting it free with a hiss of pressurized air.

His pale blue skin caught the light, his short white hair ruffled slightly by the breeze. The dark, lambda-shaped tattoo across his face stood out, marking him as Pantoran. He placed the helmet under his arm, meeting Valery’s gaze directly—a small but meaningful gesture of trust.

He pulled a small device from his belt and activated it. The bounty puck flickered to life, projecting a grainy holo-image of a Twi’lek with crimson skin and sharp features.

"This is Oghii Kaash," he said, gesturing to the image. "Oghii’s deep in the black arms trade. The Guild got contracted by the Milvayne Authority. Authority wants him taken down, but they can’t risk starting a political incident by arresting him here on Nar Shaddaa."

He paused, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "But finding him hasn’t been easy. He’s slippery, and I’ve got reason to believe he’s taken sanctuary with one of the gangs here. Hutt Cartel is my guess, but the leads are drying up."

Leaning slightly against the ledge, Eujan turned his gaze back to Valery.

"Which brings me to you. You’re a Jedi—a high-profile one at that. What are you doing on a skughole like this?" His voice dropped, his tone laced with curiosity and suspicion. "Jedi don't gallivant into the murk without reason. So tell me, Master Noble....what do you know of this man?"

And thus the Hunter's hand was partially played. Oghii’s mugshot flickered from the puck tauntingly. The recognizable face she had been hunting just a few moments earlier...

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stepped up onto the rooftop, her boots brushing against the durasteel surface as she turned to face Eujan. She watched in silence as he removed his helmet, revealing the sharp, pale blue features of a Pantoran beneath. Her fiery eyes flicked over the lambda-shaped tattoo on his face, briefly studying him, but it was the bounty puck he produced that captured her full attention.

When the holo-image of Oghii Kaash flickered to life, Valery's expression hardened. The crimson-skinned Twi'lek was unmistakable—the same arms dealer she had been pursuing before those officers had intervened. She let out a slow breath through her nose, her fiery gaze shifting back to Eujan.

Her lips curled into a smirk.

"Small galaxy," she remarked, her tone light but laced with sharp purpose. She folded her arms across her chest, her posture relaxed but radiating confidence. "I've been chasing him too. Oghii's been moving weapons to Sith-aligned groups, and that's a problem I can't let slide."

She glanced at the bounty puck again, her smirk widening faintly. "But I'm guessing you're not here out of the goodness of your heart. The Guild doesn't exactly work for free."

Valery tilted her head, her fiery eyes locking onto his golden gaze with an amused glint. "Here's the deal: I'm not interested in credits. I'm here to take Oghii off the board, and if that means working with you, so be it. You bring him in, you collect the bounty, and I make sure he doesn't funnel another blaster to the wrong hands."

Her smirk softened into a more serious expression. "What do you say? Two sets of skills are better than one. We team up, take him down, and we both walk away with what we're after."

Eujan Vidokh ​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

For a moment, Eujan quirked a brow. Of all of the luck in the Galaxy, he had the fate of meeting the one Jedi who sought the same prey. His own lips curled up in response to her smile. He placed his helmet back on, the seal pressurizing once more. His visored gaze returned to the Jedi partner he found himself with.

"Deal.," He nodded simply, "And while the creds do keep my ship in working condition, I have my own reasons for capturing this Twi."

His posture stiffened some. He was unwilling to vocalize what it was that had him seeking the arm dealer. Yet, a trained Jedi could tell it was something relating to pain. Anger. Suffering. Vengeance of some sort. The hunter snapped to, pushing those emotions back to keep his focus. Eujan returned the puck to the pouch on his belt.

"Any suggestions as to where to start, Master Jedi?" He questioned her, his eyes scanning to neon-lit hellscape of Shaddaa, "As I said, my leads were beginning to dry up. My last modicum of information has him placed somewhere in this district."

And yet, that task alone was like trying to find an angel in the Iego system. Not impossible, but certainly the odds were not favorable. A ecumenonopolis like this or Coruscant was a labyrinth of back alleys and secret warehouses, speakeasies, and hideouts for the various gangs that infested the city.

"Any of that Force talent that could be helpful?" He asked gruffly, unsure if they even taught Jedi Investigators like he had read about in the Old Days...

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery studied Eujan for a moment, sensing the flicker of something deeper beneath his words — pain, anger, something personal. But she didn't press. That wasn't her place, and she had no interest in dragging someone's demons into the light unless they wanted them there. Instead, she simply nodded, her fiery gaze steady.

"Then we understand each other," she said, her voice calm but firm. Whatever his reasons, they aligned with hers. That was all that mattered right now.

Her arms unfolded as she glanced back toward the neon-lit streets below, her expression shifting into something more focused. "Unfortunately, this whole mess cost me my line of sight on him," she admitted, exhaling through her nose. "But I know where he was likely heading. There's a club nearby — one that caters to people like him."

She turned back to him, her smirk returning, though there was a sharpness to it now. "Not exactly the kind of place that welcomes Jedi, but I've been in worse."

Her eyes flicked to his visor. "I'm guessing you have too."

There was no question about it — this was Nar Shaddaa. They weren't about to stroll into some respectable establishment for a quiet drink and a casual chat. This club was the kind of place where blasters were drawn over spilled drinks, where criminals brokered deals in darkened corners, and where questions tended to get people killed.

Valery adjusted her stance, her hands resting on her hips. "We start there. You up for it?"

Eujan Vidokh ​

 

[Eujan Vidokh]

"Hell, a cantina on Nar Shaddaa is practically an average Taungsday for me." He gave a wry chuckle, "I'll have my blaster and bag of tricks ready. If need be, you can flash that laser blade "

He truthfully did not bother to check his new companion for her lightsaber. It mattered not to him. He had read the stories growing up of great predecessors like Master Yoda, or Satele Shan. If Valery was even a quarter of the Jedi her public exploits claimed to be, then a lightsaber would not be needed. He tilted his head toward her, seeming to gesture something mischievous despite the helmet obscuring his face.

"Race ya down." His voice filled with a slight boyishness.

He took a running start to the edge of the rooftop before leaping off the side. He descended a few feet before activating the rockets on his jetpack in short bursts to alleviate his fall. His boots met the pavemented ground with a soft thud. The next order of business was tracking their mark. He pressed a button on his gauntlet, with a holoprojected map of the district coming forth. His visor scanned the marker on the map indicating his position, and then that of their club.

"Should be about half-a-click this way." He pointed in the direction of their destination, "After you, Noble."

His voice was that of stoic playfulness. It had been some time since he last had a partner on an investigation, and it brought him back to his Hetzalian days. It was good to have company.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery chuckled at his playful challenge, her smirk tilting just a little sharper. "Race me, huh?" she mused, amusement curling in her voice as she watched him take off with his jetpack, descending in sharp bursts of controlled flight. Efficient. Effective. Valery, on the other hand, had something else in mind.

As Eujan hit the ground, she moved. With a sharp breath, she pushed off the rooftop, but instead of descending straight down, she twisted mid-air, landing fluidly on the next rooftop over. Then another. And another.

Where he relied on his jetpack, she let the Force guide her, her body weightless, movements precise and elegant as she leaped effortlessly from one rooftop to the next. Her speed was something beyond human, beyond natural — each stride covering ground with impossible ease. And just because she could, just because the energy of the moment called for it, she threw in a flip, twisting over a rooftop ledge before landing in a crouch, one hand skimming the duracrete as she smirked down at him.

"C'mon," she called, playful but smug. "I thought you were fast." She took one more step and, this time, let herself drop, landing in a controlled slide against a slanted rooftop before pushing off into a final, effortless descent. Her boots hit the ground next to him in a smooth motion, barely making a sound.

The whole thing had been a bit of a show, but hey — he started it.

She turned toward him, her grin still in place, but already, her focus was shifting. Her gaze flicked toward the entrance of the club — their destination. The neon-lit archway pulsed in the dark, the entrance flanked by two bouncers who looked like they'd rather chew glass than let someone in without the right credentials. The inside would be worse.

Valery exhaled slowly, then smirked as she looked back at Eujan. "Think I should follow your lead?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Unless you want me to just waltz in and see how many people try to kill me first?"

She arched a brow, clearly leaving the choice to him. He seemed to know his way around these kinds of places. Maybe he had a way in. Or maybe they were about to kick down the front door. Either way?

This was about to get interesting.

Eujan Vidokh ​