Private Questions of fate

[Tae'l Vizsla]

So much had changed since Tae'l brought her daughter into this world. First it was little things like altering the way she slept. The life of a naval commando teaches one to be alert, but even the subtlest of sounds were enough to rouse her from sleep nowadays, always tending to the child's needs at a moment's notice. Usually that need was just food, causing her to ditch the breastplate while around the house to provide more quickly. Definitely a first.

Then there came bigger things. Weightier things. She had gambled with her life many times before, what was one less clone to this galaxy of war and turmoil after all? But now her life was worth two, and she carried that responsibility on her shoulders in a baby carrier. Contracts were kept to a bare minimum, only the safest of small time bounties were taken, just enough to get by while she saved up for a new ship so as to haul the both of them to Mandalore. The child was never left alone of course, she was either with a nanny droid that had received some... very Mandalorian upgrades, or with their shared host.

That being Valery Noble of course.

Tae'l was always a little guarded when interacting force sensitives of course, a habit picked up during many battles against Sith and Imperials, although she was perhaps the least guarded around Master Noble as of late. It didn't hurt that she had trained Iris Arani , who was once a close friend of the young Mandalorian a long time ago. It was only a shame that she hadn't brought it up, for fear that loose lips might bring Aloy Vizsla to her doorstep. The Black Fleet was once reported fighting alongside Alliance ships after all.


Still, she was thankful for the temporary home here on Coruscant. It was probably the cleanest she had kept a home, never knowing when the Jedi might stop by to say hello or help with the kid. In all honesty her insights as a mother had proven invaluable to the ill-prepared warrior. And yet her own knowledge of the jedi was still quite lacking, such as the finer details of what makes them different from sith aside from their actions.

She was quite ignorant in all matters of the force, in fact.

And one question in particular chewed at the back of her mind every day...

Is her little Mir'ika force sensitive?

She knew clones couldn't be force sensitive, not according to her own creators at least. But her child was natural born, would that affect her chances still? Or perhaps it was a genetic trait the Kaminoans had yet to capitalize on? If so, would her child's father- a powerful sith lord in his own way- have any affect on Mirium's abilities? Was she doomed to follow in his footsteps and not her own?


Staring into the mirror finish of the helm in her lap, she asked herself that question over and over until finally it demanded answers.
Picking it up and leaving the bedroom while Mirium slept in blissful ignorance, Tae'l decided it was time to ask their generous host for one last favor.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

Valery stood in the living room of her old apartment, pulling on her boots to get ready for the day. She hadn't stayed here in quite some time, but with Tae'l Vizsla and her child needing a safe home for a while, it hadn't at all felt like trouble to open its doors and make it a place to crash. It was close to the Temple, which made it easy for her to travel between her duties and checking in on the pair, and it had easy access to much of the planet's surface.

Shops were everywhere, restaurants lined the streets and because few knew that she still lived there occasionally, nobody came to bother her at the apartment.

It was quiet and peaceful, only for the three of them.

At the sound of the door opening behind her, Valery turned and spotted Tae'l. She quickly pulled up the zipper of her jumpsuit and flicked her hair off her shoulders to stand ready, "Good morning," she began with a warm smile. "I made breakfast already, so feel free to sit down and dig in." She gestured at the kitchen table, which had plates with scrambled eggs, and bacon and there was salad too if she liked it.

"Any plans for today?"

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

The gunslinger was still perceptive as ever, and the quick movement definitely caught her eye. Maybe longer than it should have. Why was Valery wearing it like this to begin with? she had no idea but she sure as hell wasn't going to tell her host- The Sword of the Jedi- how to dress in her own apartment.

"Good morning,"

"-Hm? oh yeah, real uh, real stellar time of day" Tae'l coughed awkwardly, looking desperately for the closest seat. Hopefully Valery wouldn't ask her any questions if her mouth was stuffed with breakfast. Questions like "what the hell was that" or "are you okay" or even "what are you talking about Tae'l why are you like this", which she was asking herself at the moment.

The food was good of course, just like last time she cooked and the time before that. Her peculiar time in captivity on Jutrand had got her used to good cooking, far exceeding the usual ration bars she was accustomed to before the abrupt end of her military career, but she had been on the run for some time now and Jutrand was far behind. Mornings like these reminded her of the best parts of that strange adventure, although the home cooked quality was hard to beat even for an imperial restaurant.

"Thanks by the way, excellent as always"

She smiled, the very tip of a fang briefly visible in the corner of her lavender lips. But internally she there always some small guilt that hung over her during these little check ins. Valery had done so much for Tae'l and her daughter, housed, fed and advised her whenever she needed these past few days, but what had she provided in return? Not to mention, she was about to ask for something more.

"Any plans for today?"

But that was her cue, she supposed.

"I was going to ask you about that, actually" She said after some time, absentmindedly poking at the last of her eggs.

"Been meaning to do some studying I guess, since I've cleared out the guild for now. I don't know much about it so pardon if this is an obvious question but... Is there a way to tell if someone is force sensitive?"

She threw a glance at the bedroom door, behind which Mirium still slept.

"Specifically without harming the subject?"


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

"-Hm? oh yeah, real uh, real stellar time of day"

Valery tilted her head with an amused smirk, but said nothing of how she stumbled over her words, nor did she call out the look that Tae'l gave her a moment earlier. Valery's smirk said more than enough, and she left it there, choosing instead to focus on serving her guest some breakfast. Tae'l was quick to dig in, either because she was really hungry, or to move on from an otherwise awkward moment.

Whatever the case, she seemed to enjoy it and that's all that really mattered.

"Glad you enjoy the food." Valery returned the woman's smile and walked over to sit down on the opposite side of the table. She had her own plate ready, stuffed with an abnormal amount of food, but there was simply no way to maintain her physique without a proper diet.

As Valery began to eat, she inquired about Tae'l's day, both out of genuine interest, and so she'd know if she needed to stay to watch the kid or arrange a nanny. But Tae'l had something else on her mind first — a question that surprised Valery at first, but she understood why Tae'l hadn't asked it before

She was protective of her child.

"Well, there's a blood test, but a trained Jedi can also sense the presence of others. If I focus and connect, I can tell if she's Force-sensitive, even if her presence is still very faint." She paused and shoved the last few eggs into her mouth.

"Would you like me to try?"

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Tae'l sighed in relief, but she had that stone faced look again. Just like the first time they met while being attacked by pirates. While under fire it would have appeared cold, relatively calm despite such events unfolding in the background. But here, in such a quiet and peaceful environment, it was the total opposite. Such an aimless stare must have seemed empty, troubled even.

She put her elbows on the table, rest her chin atop clasped hands and just nodded.

"I need to know. Just got a strange feeling, I guess you could say? Need to know for sure, so I can plan my next move. Almost got enough for a ship, Gotta stay ahead"


There was a lot riding on the answer, she thought. How well she needed to hide Mirium, from who even. Who she can and can't enlist to aid in that endeavor, and even the kinds of questions that would need answering immediately after the test. She might fumble her words here and there, she might miss certain social cues that someone from a different background or homeworld might pick up on, but that little head of hers was far from empty. She was always trying to stay one step ahead, always so loud up there during her quietest moments.

Normally visits like this were a much needed vacation from all that, but she couldn't stay here forever.



Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

She looked troubled.

Force Sensitivity could be a blessing or a curse to people, so Valery understood that she might feel conflicted. Especially with it being her child. If she was Force-sensitive, there would undoubtedly be people out there wanting to recruit or take her by force, which would change the way Tae'l would have to protect her. But the Twi'lek wasn't alone. Even as she carefully and quietly planned inside her own mind to stay ahead.

Valery had helped her get this far, and she wouldn't just leave a Mother and her daughter to figure their safety out alone. She had more than enough ways to help them out. From other places to stay without needing to share an apartment, to arrange extra protection.

"I'll take a look and if she is, maybe I can help you figure things out, alright? You're not a bother here at all, so you can stay as long as you need to figure out your next steps." Whether those were taken alone or with Valery's help. It was ultimately the woman's choice to make.

Standing up, Valery held up a hand and gave Tae'l the chance to lead her to the bedroom. She didn't want to intrude on her daughter, so only after she was permitted to enter, Valery would step inside the room.

"I'll have to gently touch her head if that's alright? I'm going to try and connect with her." If Tae'l allowed it, Valery would reach out and gently place her hand over the girl's head.

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

She actually smiled some, despite the buzzing thoughts. Some of the internal voices of guilt at least were silenced.

And so she took Valery by the hand, leading into the bedroom though stepping softly as they entered. Mirium was swaddled in cloth on one side of the bed which seemed neater than the other, with pillows arranged to keep the baby from rolling away and to comfort, while the other was was wrinkled and it's sheets strewn from the many times Tae'l would be woken by little Mirium in the night.

And yet for now the little girl was resting still, even as her mother came to pick them up gently in both arms, holding her at an angle so that Valery may go about her work.

"Does she need to be awake for this?" Tae'l whispered, unsure how these strange rituals would proceed.

During times like these she wished she'd asked Leenic Ellsil more questions, being one of the few force sensitive folk she had regular contact with before... before separating herself everything. From everyone.

It was fortunate indeed that the jedi had discovered them when she did.


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

After Tae'l took her hand, Valery let herself be guided into the room. The little one was sleeping on the bed, quiet and peaceful, unlike some other moments during the day. It was the most adorable thing and filled Valery's motherly heart with the same warmth she felt whenever she saw her own kids fast asleep.

They were so innocent and pure of heart and soul.

"She can be asleep," Valery whispered in return to reassure Tae'l, "This will only take a few seconds and she won't feel a thing." Stepping forward, Valery gave Tae'l one last look before she gently rested her hand atop the girl's head. Almost like she was comforting the girl with a pat on the head.

But within the Force, something did begin to stir — Valery's senses reached out, connecting with the girl's mind and that's where she felt it. That connection only a select few people ever developed.

"Hmm," Valery hummed with a smile, "It's there. Your little girl is Force-sensitive."

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Tae'l nodded- glad that her child could rest at least- then took a deep breath. Perhaps in the future Mirium might look upon this moment like any other in her life, but for her mother this was one of the most important.

Valery smiled as she announced the results of their simple test, no doubt to any Jedi or even average citizen this was surely great news.

Tae'l merely closed her eyes, and slowly exhaled while holding onto her Mir'ika just a little tighter, running her strangely blackened fingertips through equally black hair.

She meant no offense to the Jedi or their kind of course, and she saw this coming. Feared it's inevitability perhaps. Of course she would be force sensitive, she was a daughter of Darth Malum of House Marr . It just filled her with such uncertainty. She barely had any business raising a child, to say nothing of a child blessed by the force. Or cursed, if the child's father was to be believed.

There were no enclave seers to go home to, no more Leenic to teach and guide her as he had throughout her accelerated childhood. Bringing Mirium to her father would see both the people she cared about harmed because of one plot or another. The Jedi temple was no place for her either, far away from the one parent she had, further still from her mother's people.

"That's... great news" She forced a little smile at Valery, wishing she could just hide behind that helmet again.

"Sorry, I need to think for a moment" She muttered, starting to box breathe.

slow Inhale,

count to 4,

slow exhale,

repeat.


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

"Hey," Valery said, her voice soft and gentle, but clear enough to hopefully cut through all the trouble that clouded the woman's mind. To help get her attention, Valery placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, hoping it would help comfort her. The news had clearly hit her hard and Valery couldn't blame her. This changed everything, not only for her child but also for their lives right now.

Where would they go?

How would she protect her daughter?

Questions that were surely weighing on her mind, and there was no easy answer. Few people could be trusted with this secret, and even fewer could be trusted to help protect her and the child.

"I know I can't always be there to help, but you're not alone, alright? I'll do what I can to help you both, and I know others who can be trusted to do the same."

She was not alone in this.

"It's going to be alright. I promise."

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Tae'l blinked, glancing at the hand on her shoulder and then up at Valery, giving an appreciative nod.

"I really appreciate all that you've done for us, I want you to know that"

"Maybe we should take this to the other room, let Mir'ika sleep" Then she took that hand in her own for a moment, reluctantly moving it away from her shoulder so that she could set the baby down. before leaving the room.


"Sorry, just... there's a lot more going on right now, more than just pirates. And I know I've kept you in the dark about most of it"

"But, She leaned against the countertop, trying to piece together what she wanted to say for a moment.

"I don't think this is something that Jedi should get themselves involved in. You've been very kind to us, but I'm not sure I'm the kind of person you think I am. And Mirium, she... she needs to be raised as Mando'ade, I need to do it right this time. I need to find the living waters, and then either hide her from the sith or find a Mandalorian who can help her. I... was Enclave, once. Maybe I can find one of the old seers, I dunno"

Tae'l rubbed at the burnt smooth skin on her hands as she poured the thoughts that had been on her mind these past few days into the open. Her voice was resigned, accepting of the shame she'd have to carry. She knew the Alliance and the Enclave went to war sometime after her capture, and she knew she had done far worse things than fight for them. The only course left was to redeem herself by creed, and raise Mirium better than she herself had been raised. To end the cycle.


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

"Good idea," Valery agreed as her eyes shifted to the little one, "She needs her rest." Valery smiled warmly and looked at Tae'l again when the woman gently took her hand. Her gaze lingered for a moment, but she followed her back into the living room and watched the door close. It was a good thing that Mirium was too young to understand all of this. She needed to be protected and raised, but would hopefully not suffer in her childhood because of this.

That was most important.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I know what it's like wanting to protect your child." Valery did her best to sound reassuring, but she did listen to what Tae'l explained. Her desire to raise her child as a Mandalorian, and all the potential trouble and risk that involved. That was a struggle Valery didn't understand directly, but it mattered little.

She still wanted to help.

"I respect the decision and I understand why it'll be hard for Jedi to be involved. Just... if you need help, you know where to find me, alright? I can give you comms codes, too. Anything that'll let you contact me if you really need it." That wouldn't really complicate her choice, right? It was just a life line she could use in times of need.

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

It wasn't quite what Tae'l expected to hear honestly. The way she saw it, she had been withholding fairly important information and sometimes outright lying to her host, yet even alluding to all that did little to dissuade the woman from helping in any way she could. People always told her that Jedi were crazy, but maybe it was a good kind of crazy.

"Wow," she said with a wry smile

"I could tell you I was a war criminal and I bet you'd still ask to help"

Come to think of it, there were numerous Mandalorian factions she had served in that probably had very different standards and definitions as to what the law of war even was compared to the wider galaxy, so it was entirely possible that she really was a war criminal without knowing it. What a person like her did to ever deserve Valery's help, she didn't know. She just knew it felt like more than Mirium's sake, although that definitely contributed.

"Exchanging codes might prove useful, I dunno how effective "online Jedi class" is but I suppose the occasional pointers over holo-net couldn't hurt"

It was certainly a strange situation the galaxy had thrown at them, even if she figured that was just the way of things. She couldn't even imagine all the strange things that might have happened in Valery's life as a Jedi. Admittedly she sort of wanted to continue sharing that life in some capacity, despite her own insistence to push people away as of late.


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

Valery chuckled, "It's because I know why you're doing this. Why you've withheld information from me and why you want to raise her the way you do. It's because of her," Valery said, referring to the sleeping child in the room next to them. "I'm a Mother too and I am just as protective of my children. And, well, you can't ever blame a child for the mistakes of others, even their parents." Not that she meant to say that Tae'l made mistakes, but she wanted to make it clear that she was always going to offer help because Mirium deserved that protection.

And Tae'l clearly wanted to raise her to be a good person.

"Here." Valery dug into one of the pockets strapped to her belt and produced a comms device. She showed her codes, and waited for Tae'l to copy them. These weren't her usual Jedi codes that she offered to others.

Those were her personal ones, so she'd never miss the call.

"For now, I'd like you to stay for a few days. I could offer you some files that will help you teach her the basics of using the Force, even if you can't use it yourself. It'll teach her how to control her connection, so she won't end up hurting herself. It'll take some time for me to set it up, though, so please stay at least until then."

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Tae'l would nod in understanding. For a moment she had completely forgotten that Valery had her own kid to worry about, and that they'd met briefly on Naboo. The young epicanthix was a little odd from what she remembered, but he was a good kid. That brought things into perspective a little.

She still wasn't sure about telling that story yet of course, and not just because she had her ass saved by a little boy, but it certainly leant credit to the jedi's abilities as a mother. Something she'd honed over some time, and something Tae'l was very much still getting used to.


Although her head would tilt upon being informed that "Online Jedi Class" was more or less a real thing. Or at least digital training was to some extent. Either way she was quick to fetch her gauntlet and pull up a hardlight display to punch numbers into while they talked.

"Guess I never considered that I could teach her more than blades and blasters myself. Even if it is just reading off a file, though I suppose that means I'll be studying almost hard as her" She half chuckled

Though it made her wonder...

"Actually, on the topic of blades. I've always wondered how well lightsaber forms translate to metallic weapons, like the Mandalorian Beskade. Mandalore isn't exactly a kyber mine and I'm told there's lots of forms, one of them has work...

I think I heard it called Shii-Joe or something?" She tried to say as best one could from memory...


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

Valery nodded, "Most of the exercises aren't that complicated, and elements of them are even possible without the Force. She'll mostly just need you to guide her, and to encourage her when it doesn't work out right away. It's not easy to learn how to use the Force, and it certainly requires patience." Which kids usually didn't have, so they needed a teacher who could motivate them to keep trying.

Her mom, knowing how much she cared, would be a great teacher for her.

On the topic that followed, Valery couldn't help but snicker, "Shii-Cho and that Form would actually work well with blades. It was originally designed when Jedi transitioned from metal blades to lightsabers, but its movements definitely originate from those ancient styles. Other Forms can be used too, though some will work better than others." Makashi could work with a saber or fencing blade, and Djem So would be fine with an ordinary sword as well.

Ataru and Soresu were a lot less useful.

"Why? Do you want a lesson from a former Jedi Battlemaster?" Valery teased a little.

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

"Shii ch-? Oh. Ohh..." Tae'l muttered to herself, mouthing the correct pronunciation a few times to be sure. At least the Jedi was amused rather than offended by her ignorance.

Actually she was quite informative too, allowing Tae'l to focus on the oncoming information rather than embarrassment. Valery had her undivided attention, the Mandalorian ronin being an attentive student of war as always, though she was as interested in the history as she was the practice. Lightsaber forms in particular seemed so exotic and new to one who had grown up training with knives and heavy cleavers in fact, though knives had become as much a hobby as it was a means of self defense to her.

"Why? Do you want a lesson from a former Jedi Battlemaster?" Valery teased a little.

"Oh, uhm!" Tae'l gently scratched at her lekku, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yes. I guess you could say it's been a curiosity of mine for awhile. Let me see if I have something for this,"

Then she rushed to open one of the lockboxes in the corner, which jingled slightly when opened as it was filled with sheathed knives, the majority of her collection seeming new and unblemished by use.

She returned with a shortsword of unusual blend between Atrisian and Mandalorian aspects to it's design. It was only slightly longer than she was wide from hip to hip, and held in a lacquered sheath.

"You might find it interesting. Not practical as a lightsaber I suppose, but it's easier to produce and uses less power"

It was carefully pulled from the sheath, and crackled to life in a brief show of fiery glow and sparks that sounded very similar to a true lightsaber even if a little off key. Unlike the others in the twi'lek's collection, this one showed signs of use in it's worn hilt and scratched finish.


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

"A curiosity about lightsaber forms? That's interesting." Valery smiled because this was right up her alley. Ever since she was a little girl — a young Padawan — she wanted to become a lightsaber instructor like her own Master. It meant learning and Mastering every Form and with several weapons, too. From a single lightsaber to Jar'kai and the double-bladed lightsaber, and even a saberpike and some bladed weapons.

She was a nerd when it concerned lightsaber dueling. It's why she had become the Battlemaster of her old enclave before stasis had thrown her into the future.

After Tae'l rushed off to grab something, Valery watched and perked a brow. Did she really bring an entire armory along? Of course, she did — she was Mandalorian. The thought made her snicker, though her attention was quickly drawn by the shortsword that the Twi'lek showed off.

"This is really interesting," Valery agreed, "I've actually learned to fight with swords and other more typical weapons, too. Before I became the Battlemaster, I had to prove that I was capable enough to be a weaponsmaster." She smirked and looked back up into Tae'l's eyes.

"If you want a lesson about using it in a lightsaber form, I do have a small training room in the apartment."

Tae'l Vizsla ​

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Tae'l smiled wide, less like a proud warrior and more like a child showing off a cool rock to her friends. She was of course interested the proverbial rocks presented by Valery as well, even if she didn't know the specifics of each term. Battlemaster she assumed was much like the Mandalorian Field Marshall or perhaps even the Mand'alor's Warmaster in more recent times, titles both her mother and Aunt Solus had held in the past. Weaponmaster was a straightforward name however, and though there were no formal equivalents she could think of, she could certainly remember Mando'ade who would qualify if there were such a title among her people.

Tae'l however was not on that list. She was assured by many to be a capable warrior, but her particular set of skills were highly specialized.

She was aware that Master Noble had taken on a far broader education of war, and was thankful to meet the Jedi as a student as opposed to a true opponent. War aside, she was always eager to learn new tricks just for the sake of new experience, and admittedly she was curious about the room she had yet to explore out respect for the Jedi's privacy.

"I would love to" She nodded enthusiastically, sheathing the shortsword and falling in behind Valery.

"Admittedly, Lightsabers are still new to me? I know of them but I do not know them. My uncle carried one but I never saw him use it, and I've only fought a saberist once so far... Hard to get a good look and defend yourself at the same time" Tae'l shrugged

"Still, it's an interesting if unusual energy weapon"


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: New Jumpsuit

When Tae'l accepted the offer, Valery smiled wide herself. She was a teacher at heart, so when someone showed genuine interest in learning something from her, she was always excited. Tae'l was also a formidable warrior herself, so anything Valery would try to share or teach was examined from an experienced perspective.

Valery was eager to find out what Tae'l thought of her Jedi teachings.

"Lightsabers are tricky weapons," Valery began when Tae'l broached the subject, "The blade is weightless, so its handling is very different from most other weapons. For most, it makes it impossible to use without the Force, and I wouldn't quite recommend wielding one if you're not Force-sensitive. Other weapons will be far more efficient for you. That said, not having to worry about edge alignment does make it useful."

And extremely deadly, as Tae'l likely knew from experience.

Opening a door within the hallway of her apartment, Valery led the Twi'lek into her training room. It was one of the bigger rooms and there was little furniture to use as much space for the training area as possible. The floor and walls inside the room were all patted, and along the walls were racks with training probe droids and all sorts of weapons.

"Let's get started, hm?"

Tae'l Vizsla ​