Private Pulse of the Unknown

[Gil Horn]

Location: Planet | Location
Tags:

Gil nodded, Valery's words grounding him as they always seemed to. Her calm strength in the face of chaos was something he both admired and leaned on more than he cared to admit. He cast a glance toward the survivors they'd found—Lena clinging to Valery and the young man leaning heavily on his shoulder. Their vulnerability only steeled his resolve.

"You're right," he said quietly, his voice steadying. "We'll handle this the right way." His green eyes sharpened as he added with a hint of his trademark humor, "And I'll do my best not to smash anything I don't have to."

With that, he closed his eyes and reached out through the Force, letting its currents flow through him. The oppressive weight of the ship's darkness tried to press in, but he pushed past it, searching for the faint flickers of life that still clung to hope amidst the void. It was subtle, like scattered embers in a dying fire, but it was there—small clusters of fear, desperation, and determination.

"There," Gil said, his eyes snapping open as he gestured down the corridor. "About fifty meters ahead. I can feel them. They're scared but alive. And…" He trailed off, his mechanical hand tightening on his saberstaff. "There's trouble. Droids. A lot of them."

He exchanged a look with Valery, the weight of understanding passing between them. Without another word, they pressed on, moving quickly but carefully. The corridor twisted, the sounds of the ship groaning under its own weight growing louder. And then they saw it.

A large, reinforced door loomed at the end of the corridor, makeshift barricades piled haphazardly in front of it. Several droids surrounded the door, their jagged limbs hammering relentlessly against the barriers. Sparks flew as their metallic fists struck the barricades, the sound echoing like thunder through the corridor.

Gil didn't hesitate. "Stay with them," he said to Valery, nodding toward Lena and the young man. "I'll keep them busy."

With a flick of his wrist, his saberstaff ignited, the twin green blades cutting through the dim light with a sharp snap-hiss. The droids turned at the sound, their glowing red photoreceptors locking onto him as he charged.

"Hey, tin cans!" Gil shouted, his voice ringing with defiance as he leapt into the fray. "You've got terrible timing and worse manners!"

His saberstaff spun in a blur of green light as he clashed with the nearest droid, the hum of his weapon punctuated by the screech of metal meeting plasma. The first droid fell with a clean slice through its torso, but the others moved to surround him, their attacks relentless.

Gil danced between them, his movements fluid and precise as he deflected their strikes and countered with quick, decisive blows. Despite the chaos, a small, determined grin tugged at his lips. This was where he thrived—turning impossible odds into opportunities.

Between strikes, he called out to Valery. "I'll keep them busy! Get that door open and make sure the survivors inside are okay!"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery watched as Gil sprang into action, his saberstaff a brilliant blur of green light cutting through the chaos. Even as the droids converged on him, his determination was palpable, a beacon of defiance against the darkness that permeated the ship. She couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride — this was who he was, a warrior with a heart as big as his courage.

But there was no time to dwell on admiration. The pounding of the droids on the barricaded door and the frightened flickers of life beyond it pulled her focus sharply back to the task at hand. She nodded at his shouted instruction, her fiery amber eyes narrowing with resolve.

With Lena still clinging tightly to her shoulder, Valery turned to the young man, who was visibly struggling but still upright. She lowered her voice, her tone gentle yet firm. "Stay close and keep an eye on her," she said, carefully transferring Lena into his arms. The little girl whimpered softly, but Valery brushed a reassuring hand over her hair. "I need you both to stay safe. I'll handle this."

Straightening, Valery turned her attention to the reinforced door. The makeshift barricades were sturdy but buckling under the relentless assault of the droids. She reached out with the Force, her senses honing in on the mechanisms within the door. It was locked, but she could feel the worn, damaged circuits straining under the pressure. It wouldn't hold much longer, not without help.

Her violet blade ignited with a sharp snap-hiss, the hum of her lightsaber resonating in the confined space. She stepped forward, positioning herself between the door and the droids still hammering on it. With a precise flick of her wrist, she swept her blade through the nearest barricade, cutting it loose from the pile and sending it tumbling into the droids. The sudden disruption caused a momentary pause in their relentless assault, buying her precious seconds.

Valery stretched out her free hand toward the door, her connection to the Force deepening. The circuitry within flickered and sparked, and with a focused push of will, she bypassed the damaged mechanisms. The lock disengaged with a groaning hiss, and the door slid open just enough to reveal a handful of frightened faces peering out from the dim light within.

"Come on," Valery urged, her voice firm but encouraging. She stepped back, her lightsaber raised defensively as the survivors hesitated for a moment before scrambling out. A young woman supported an elderly man, their faces etched with fear, while a teenage boy clutched a makeshift weapon.

"Stay behind me," Valery instructed them, her gaze snapping toward the droids that were now shifting their attention back to her. A few had broken off from Gil's relentless assault, their glowing red eyes fixed on the new targets.

"Gil!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I've got them clear, but we're going to need to finish this quickly!"

Gil Horn ​

 

[Gil Horn]

Tags: Valery Noble

Gil heard Valery's call, her voice cutting through the cacophony of clashing metal and the hum of his saberstaff. His green blades blurred as he deflected another blow from a droid before catching sight of a new detachment of reinforcements entering the area. His smirk faltered slightly as he realized they were outnumbered even more severely now.

"Great," he muttered under his breath, leaping backward in a fluid motion to rejoin Valery and the survivors. The droids shifted to follow, their heavy metal limbs clanging against the deck as they advanced relentlessly.

Landing beside Valery with a practiced grace, he deactivated his saberstaff with a sharp snap-hiss and clipped it back to his belt. His breathing was heavy, but his determination burned brighter than ever. "Alright," he said, his tone grim but steady. "Time to get creative."

Gil extended both hands, his mechanical fingers curling slightly as he reached into the Force, drawing on every ounce of strength he could muster. The shattered remains of the destroyed droids scattered across the floor trembled, then lifted into the air. Bits of armor, severed limbs, and jagged shards of metal hovered for a split second, crackling with energy as they coalesced into a deadly storm.

With a sharp motion, Gil thrust his hands forward, sending the debris hurtling toward the advancing droids. The broken parts smashed into their targets with explosive force, knocking several of them off balance and sending others crashing into each other. Sparks flew as the impact threw their ranks into disarray, buying the precious seconds they needed.

"Valery, move!" he shouted, his voice laced with urgency as he turned to the group of survivors. "Everyone, stick close! We're getting out of here now!"

The makeshift barricades behind them groaned under the strain, but Gil didn't wait to see how long they would hold. He placed himself at the rear of the group, his saberstaff ready to ignite at a moment's notice. His sharp green eyes scanned the hallway ahead, ensuring their escape route was clear.

As they began to move, he glanced at Valery, his voice low but tinged with his usual humor despite the tension. "I hope you've got another trick up your sleeve, because I'm running out of droid parts to throw."

He smirked briefly before his expression hardened once more. They weren't out of this yet, but together, he knew they had a fighting chance.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery turned to glance at Gil as he landed beside her, his saberstaff deactivating with a sharp hiss. Despite the tension, his presence was grounding, and she offered him a brief, fiery grin as his barrage of droid debris sent sparks and shattered parts flying.

"Creative and effective," she quipped, her voice steady despite the chaos. Her violet blade hummed in her hand as she positioned herself in front of the survivors, a defensive wall against the relentless tide of droids.

As the storm of debris disrupted the advancing droids, Valery quickly assessed their escape route. The groaning barricades and growing reinforcements weren't going to wait much longer. Her fiery gaze darted to the survivors, their fear palpable but their resolve holding steady as they followed Gil's lead.

When Gil called out to her, Valery smirked at his humor, the sharp edge of determination glinting in her eyes. "I always have a trick or two," she shot back, her voice tinged with that confident playfulness she wielded so easily, even in the heat of battle.

Her free hand extended, and with a subtle gesture, she summoned destroyed droids and folded them into barriers to block enemy routes and shield the group.

"That should buy us a little more time," Valery said, her tone calm but firm as she stepped closer to the group. Her gaze flicked to Gil. "Let's move while we've got the chance."

Taking the lead, Valery directed the group down the hallway, her saber held at the ready and her senses keenly attuned to any threats. The rhythmic thud of approaching droids echoed faintly in the distance, but she pressed on, her voice carrying back to the group.

"Stay close, stay together! We're almost there."

Gil Horn ​

 

[Gil Horn]

Tags: Valery Noble

Gil fell into step behind the group, his saberstaff unlit but held at the ready, his senses extended to catch any hint of pursuit. His sharp green eyes scanned the darkened corridor behind them, the faint echoes of droids in the distance keeping him on edge. He tightened his grip on the staff as he spoke, his voice low and calm, aimed at Valery but pitched so as not to alarm the survivors.

"Valery, what's the play from here?" he asked, his tone carrying a casual confidence. "I'm assuming you've got some brilliant plan to get everyone out of this mess. Maybe one of those tricks you mentioned?"

The survivors shuffled nervously ahead of him, their fear evident despite their attempts to stay calm. Gil caught the uneasy glances exchanged between them and decided to press on, his words carefully chosen. "We'll need to figure out how to make room for… well, everyone," he said, letting his voice dip slightly as if he were thinking aloud. "No sense doubling back once we reach the hangar."

He didn't elaborate, trusting Valery to pick up on his meaning without broadcasting the logistical challenge to the already-frightened group. Instead, he turned his attention back to the rear, his eyes narrowing as he caught a flicker of movement in the distance.

"Still clear for now," he called forward, keeping his tone light.

As they continued, Gil fell into a rhythm, his focus split between the group's safety and maintaining his calm. The weight of the survivors' lives pressed heavily on him, but he forced a small smirk as he added, "So, Val—what's the Jedi equivalent of carpooling? Asking for a friend."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's lips quirked into a faint smirk at Gil's comment, the lightheartedness of his question cutting through the tension hanging in the air. Her fiery gaze remained fixed on the path ahead as they moved quickly through the corridor, but she couldn't help but answer.

"The Jedi equivalent of carpooling?" she repeated, her voice tinged with playful exasperation, "In this case, just cramming and hoping it'll fit, I suppose." She glanced over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at him, though her grin betrayed the humor she found in his remark.

Her smirk widened just slightly before her expression shifted back to something more focused. "As for the real plan," she began, her voice lowering slightly so only he could hear. "The hangar should still have a shuttle big enough to carry us all, but it'll take some improvising to get it off the ground with those droids on our tail. If we can clear the hangar and get the ship prepped quickly, we'll be out of here before they can regroup."

Her violet blade pulsed faintly in the dim light as they pressed onward, her senses keenly attuned to the echoes of the droids behind them. The group shuffled close, their fear palpable but balanced by the hope of escape.

"Just keep the rear covered and let me know the moment you spot anything. The faster we move, the fewer surprises we'll have to deal with," Valery added firmly. Then, without missing a beat, she added over her shoulder, "And if we make it out of here in one piece, drinks are on me. Deal?"

Her tone was light, but the determination in her gaze never wavered. They were almost there.

Gil Horn ​