Private Reconnecting (Valery)

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

Valery Noble
​

Occupying the lightly furnished veranda, she stood opposite the sitting area, some several feet away from two sofas and a bubbling fountain, the room was illuminated by disk-shaped lamps, though most of the lighting here was natural. The ceiling and walls were of a ribbed design, arching over the rooms to allow natural light to flow in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive skylights. Even the edges found some occupation, several handing orbs and vases dotted the darkest corners of the room. She'd spent most of her time tucked away, preferring solitude and the company of her husband nowadays -- she was in the middle of a transition.

Or, she'd liked to refer to it as such. Still wasn't sure what that meant.

Currently she was hanging a painting, a piece of art that had been given to her as a gift. She didn't lay claim to many, but of those things she did possess, this one meant quite a bit to her...not only had it come from a dear friend, but it depicted a time in her life where she found herself stepping into a role that'd she realized she had been groomed for; it was a memory culminating in her life's work. It was of a place that meant a lot to her.

Most days she preferred the empty hum of a far flung facility. Anything that was reminiscent of Deneba was always her comfort zone. That's was Jakku was for her, except it was all hers.

Hanging this picture made this place, which had largely been furnished by Johannes, feel slightly more comfortable.

All she could hear in the back of her mind while leveling the art was...

"Save the dream."

She didn't have the answers right now.

Having confined herself to Lemmi Vi all this time, she'd actually come to Hapes to reconnect.

------

Val has forced me.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

The death of Kahlil Noble , her beloved husband, had been the start of what she believed to be much darker times in her life. He had always been the anchor that kept her grounded, the shield that protected her when she was vulnerable, and the loving partner with whom she wanted to raise children. But his desire for her to be happy in life, paired with the amazing friends she had supporting her, allowed her to finally take steps forward again. It still wasn't easy, but she was starting to adjust, and spending time with her daughter only helped her even more.

But that path of recovery also took the next step with a small trip to Hapes, one she decided to make when Briana Sal-Soren had reached out to her about an assassination attempt against her life. It meant business on the planet, but she also had friends here who she planned to visit, such as Briana's mother and now Romi Jade as well. The woman had been among the first of this age's Jedi who Valery met after a trip to Jakku, and with the opening of Jadelight Beacon and the resettlement of Jedi on Ossus, the two had developed a strong bond as friends.

Today was a chance to reconnect.

With a steady pace, Valery approached the veranda, where she spotted Romi hanging up a painting. She made her approach quietly and stopped a meter or so away, a smile on her face from seeing her friend. The last time they saw each other was just before the battle on Tython, so it had been some time.

"It's good to see you again, Romi," Valery said, waiting for her to finish hanging up the painting before she stepped closer to pull her friend into a quick hug.

"How have you been?"

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

She stepped back, curling a finger over pursed lips -- Did it look balanced?

From her peripheral, she spotted a silhouette emerging through the shadow, just on the edge of where it met the natural light. Jade whipped around and her face lit up.

"Val, hey. It's good seeing a friendly face." She'd immediately taken to Valery when they first met. Working together had brought them closer, and they shared moments together over that time. She'd come to feel like she could let her guard down when in her company. "It's been soo long-" she went in full for their embrace. "-no complaints, i've been well."

"First of all welcome, please come in." she emoted, gently tugging on the Keshians hands, "And second how have you been? It's been a minute I know but it feels like its been ages, how's the family?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

"It has been long," Valery said as she squeezed her friend gently in their embrace. During tougher times, it always helped to find familiar faces again, and have some distraction from the lesser things in life. "But I'm glad to hear it, you look great!" she added after pulling back from the hug to smile at her friend.

"First of all welcome, please come in."

Valery followed Romi inside with a bright smile and looked around to admire the whole place. Hapans had a strong love for beauty, and it even showed in architecture and decorations — it almost made her jaw drop. But she was quickly distracted from it, as an inevitable question was asked in return.

"I..." she stopped walking for a moment and let out a soft sigh, "Kahlil, my husband, died saving my life some time ago. It has been hard but I've had a lot of support and taken some time to myself and to spend with my daughter," Valery admitted, her tone somber but there was a sparkle of hope in her eyes.

"It's part of why I came here. To visit some friends and maybe try to have some fun again." She looked at Romi with some guilt, as she hated taking the spotlight of a conversation with such terrible and personal news.

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

"Val, I-" She stopped herself short, hoping not to say anything else wrong. "-I'm so sorry-I didn't realize...If there's anything you need, you or your family, please do let me know." The last she saw the two was at her own wedding reception. She had always admired the couple, their devotion to one another and the family they were creating together. She hadn't gotten to know Kahlil much, but anyone who was connected to Valery had her respect.

She let the moment rest for a second, she could understand.

"I hear you, well I hope our reconnection today can provide some relief." She sauntered towards the sofas, "Please forgive me for bringing that up, I really meant no harm." She motioned for her to take a seat, "Please, relax."

She took her own seat, and walked her gaze out to the cityscape just beyond the floor to ceiling windows. Perhaps a minute had gone by before she realized she had been staring off into the distance. "There's actually something I hoped I could speak to you about...in relation to family. You have your own..." Her head whipped back around, "...and I value your opinion."

Sigh

"I'm not sure why this is such a heavy subject for me--I've been considering taking an indefinite hiatus from the Order." It did something to her visibly to say the last part. "Johannes and I have been discussing our future and I...All I've ever known was the Jedi. I honestly never saw anything for myself beyond that -- I followed my mission."

"I've come to a crossroads where I owe my family more of me..." She looked over at Val, "Could I share something with you?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

"It's okay, and I really appreciate it, Romi," Valery said with a soft smile for her friend. She knew how difficult it was to try and comfort or talk to someone who was going through loss. There just weren't any words that could ease the pain, and any attempt at talking about it felt like walking through a minefield. She had made her peace with her loss, and while she would never forget her time together with Kahlil, she also knew she couldn't linger in the past forever.

As some of her closest friends had helped her understand, she needed to focus on herself, and slowly find her way forward in life again.

"I already feel a lot better just being with friends, and you really didn't do any harm," she assured her friend, as she got seated and relaxed on the couch. A moment of silence then passed, with both of them gazing off into the distance. Around good friends, there was no need to constantly fill the void with words — they could find joy just being in each other's presence. But eventually, Romi did have something she wanted to talk about.

"I'm always happy to offer my opinion," she said with a nod before she listened quietly and intently. What followed was something Valery never would have really expected — a bigger focus on family, perhaps, but an indefinite hiatus from the Jedi? The reason, however, was something she could understand as a mother.

"That's quite a big step, and one I hope to take one day as well. So I believe you should if you feel you're at that point in life where it's time to focus on family," she said with a warm smile.

"Could I share something with you?"

Valery tilted her head curiously but nodded, "Of course, always."

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

"I-I can't actually bear children."

A beat.

"I lost the ability due to some complications earlier in my career when the war was hot with the Sith Empire. When I found out, I was numb--I didn't think it would make much of a difference since I'd completely dedicated my time to the Jedi and the war. Here I am years later, dealing with the emotions of it..."

Romi had gotten injected with sith poison earlier in her career, for a large part of that war she had been sick and dealing with its effects on her own, but it had been idle for too long and had done some damage on a molecular level that inevitably took away her ability to carry children of her own.

It had never been something she thought about until she started dating Johannes, and the prospect of family became more and more apparent as the one thing she'd never truly have on her own -- she was adopted earlier on and then went to train as a Jedi, but at the end of that she would never be able to create her own family to make up for the one she never had.

Coren Starchaser & Cotan Sar'andor had found their partners and could entertain the prospect if they wanted, and despite her close bond with them both -- they'd have their own families to tend to in the end.

It just began to dawn on her more and more; the sacrifice.

The notion was one of many that contributed to her and Johannes separating at one point, but then...."I did eventually learn that I was pregnant..." that was followed with a somber air, "but I miscarried...on assignment." it carried a defeated tone. Though it felt somewhat good to finally be able to talk about it with someone. "I was in complete denial about the whole thing that I neglected myself, and the well-being of that child. I didn't know how to process any of it."

"I say this now because -- we've gotten a surrogate." she threw it out.

"That's the driving force behind me taking a hiatus, I want to prioritize this the right way, but I am afraid-" had she ever been afraid in her entire life?

"- after what happen last time, am I a good fit for something like this?"

Romi had never been fearful of anything, but here she was afraid of motherhood.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

"I-I can't actually bear children."

Valery frowned slightly for her friend and spent the moment of silence thinking about just how hard that must be. She couldn't even imagine it — Vera was the most important person in her life right now, and she would have never had the little girl if she had been in Romi's position.

Romi then continued about the miscarriage, and Valery shifted over a little to place a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder, The life of a Jedi was always challenging, and at each step along the way, new obstacles had to be overcome. But nothing could quite compare to these kinds of personal issues. There was no training that could prepare you for it, and very few people could even understand the type of pain. "I'm so sorry, Romi," she said before going quiet again so the woman could continue.

At the question she asked while covering an incredibly hard subject, Valery smiled softly and squeezed Romi's shoulder, "I'm quite sure you are. Few things can really prepare you for being a parent — it will always be difficult, tiring, demanding, and sometimes very frustrating. But with the kind of commitment you have, and how caring you are towards others, you'll do everything you can to protect and raise your children."

She paused a moment and took a small breath, "I was afraid about it, too, and especially at the beginning, I was awake every night to watch my daughter sleep. I was just so scared something would happen to her, that I had to be there, no matter how much I sacrificed for it. You're the same way, and that's why you and your husband will get through it together, and raise a happy family.."

"Of course..." she added with a slight smirk, "I'm always one call away from coming over to help babysit, offer advice or just help you with anything."

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

She wasn't sure of who else she would share this with other than Val, of course her younger sister Kyra Perl would be at the top of the list and had knew of some of her personal obstacles, but they hadn't spoken in so long... what that dynamic was like now she didn't know. Romi had been a recluse.

Regardless it was burden off her shoulders to finally be able to share in whole and with another beyond the one she was married to.

She relished in the comfort of her friend, she was a mother after all -- she would understand; she did.

She took a moment to absorb it all, "Perhaps you're right--I just I guess I dwell on this often now because of our calling. As Jedi we sacrifice soo much to serve everyone else...but when it all falls still...and we're alone, what do we have left?" Long ago this wouldn't have been anything she wallowed over, but everything she'd experience since then would change that. "That's quite the question..."

Family as she understood it then was not the way she saw it now, and that's why it was an emotional place for her. Heck it took building a relationship with Kyra for her to learn how to operate in those spaces. If anything, she just wanted to be fit for it.

She broke out into small laughter, "You'll definitely have to show me what to do when the little bean arrives, I literally have no idea what i'm doing."

She sat with her friend for a moment in silence and then -- "Hiatus it is. I've got a different beast to conquer."

"Enough of my poodoo--what brought you to this side of the Galaxy anyway? I know you said you were gonna be nearby. Jedi business?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

After offering some comforting words, Valery noticed that the atmosphere began to shift a little. Prior tension about the topic was partially resolved and Romi seemed to already feel a little better. From her own experience, she knew just how difficult and demanding the subject was, especially as a Jedi and the traditional beliefs about relationships and self-sacrifice. That understanding, and how Valery had successfully deviated from the overly traditional ways was what helped right now.

"This is why I was never against more meaningful relationships. To have something to fight for... it's life-changing. When I'm out there and I know my little girl is waiting for me, I just feel so much stronger," Valery said while she beamed her friend a warm, and especially encouraging smile.

"I'd also be happy to help you start, but I'm sure you won't need it as much as you might think. When I just got Vera, I was so worried, that I had to always keep her close. I was watching her constantly, making sure she was fed and taken care of. It's very, very tiring but nothing is more rewarding than having a healthy baby."

Valery just knew Romi would take care of her kid like that as well.

"As for me being here, it's actually just to visit friends. I have a few who live here on Hapes, so it's just to have some fun and be around close friends. It was... very much needed after everything."

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

"You're right, about meaningful relationships...I guess I hadn't thought about it like that before."

"We'll see very soon, she's in her third trimester, and been on bed rest. He or she could come any day." This could have been why she was so anxious about it all, being in the final stretch brought on more fear than she initially thought. "I'll keep you posted."

"I understand," Val perhaps just need a break, they were necessary sometimes. "Though, everything has been going well otherwise? How're your students? The New Jedi Order?"

It honestly wasn't any of her business -- a consequence of shutting herself off recently.

"I feel so out of the loop on everything I guess."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

"Oh, they haven't tried to determine gender yet? Or is it being kept a surprise intentionally?" Valery asked with a caring smile. It was typical to have it be known for preparations to receive the baby, she figured, but perhaps the baby was positioned in a way that made it hard to tell, or they had their own reasons for it.

Either way, it was just simple curiosity.

"I'll keep you posted."

"I'll make sure to visit when the little one is here with you," Valery said with a dip of her head before the topic shifted to her Padawans and the New Jedi Order. "Oh they're doing great, but I'm about to lose 2 of them to Knighthood," she chuckled, but it was of course very significant. Letting go was never an easy thing to her when it came to Padawans, and Iris and Briana had been her first two.

"The Order is doing better than it has in a long time, too. A lot more unity, very promising Jedi, and despite the war taking its toll on us all, I believe most are still able to stay themselves. Sure, there are some obstacles along the way, but... I'm quite hopeful about the future of the Jedi."

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

"I don't want to know..." She responded, "Finding out when they arrive gives me the most peace of mind about the situation. I didn't want to go in with any expectations or anything lingering over me."

Conversations about the gender had brought on more politics than she had ever cared for, but she could understand why it meant more to Johannes. Women are an important aspect of Hapan society, a girl would be most suited; his heir. It would also mean more to him that he had a girl due to the death of his sister.

Romi had no real preference, it was all about its health and her ability to parent properly that followed her. "Johannes hopes for a girl, I've been more so concerned with its health. As long as the baby is healthy, I'm good."

"I'll make sure to visit when the little one is here with you," -- "I'd like that very much. I suppose I should let my sisters know too."

"Knighthood? That's awesome news. Congratulations are in order, let's have a drink?" She sprang from the sofa, locked in two glasses and poured them both a refreshment. "Not quite sure what this is-but you deserve it Val. Teaching is no easy feat, in fact I think it's the hardest of all we do--I was always a chit teacher anyway so there's that."

She truly was. Her methodology was to just throw them in and learn that way.

"War does suck...and it sucks even more that there's never really any break. War is born from war...there's always another to fight. Though, I am glad to hear the NJO is doing well."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

"Right, that makes sense," Valery said with a slightly nervous smile — she had almost forgotten about the Hapan culture. Women and men were viewed quite differently on Hapes, so from that perspective, it made sense that there was hope for a girl from the father, but Romi as a Jedi and a mother had different views about it.

Like a true mother, she cared most about the well-being of her child.

"Regardless of gender, I hope that your kid will be healthy. You two deserve a happy family, and it'll be a lot easier and less stressful when everything starts out okay."

With that said, the conversation shifted to her Padawans, and Valery was proud to announce they would become Knights very soon. "Thank you, and I'm always up for a drink to celebrate," she smirked and accepted the glass before raising it, "Hmm, to a healthy child and a good future for our Padawans."

After taking a sip, she nodded in response to the comment about war, "I feel we're going to be able to drive the Maw back, but I fear that even if we manage to defeat them, another threat will show its face. But... can't ever give up, hm?"

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Inkari Penthouse suite, Hapes

​

"Hmm, to a healthy child and a good future for our Padawans."

"I love that," she rose her glass, and a collision followed, one that spoke of the joys of leisure. "Hear, hear."

Mmm

She sucked her teeth, after clearing her throat -- "No. We can't."

"It's a cycle really, not sure if it'll ever break. The Maw has been somewhat of an enigma...their whole rise to power is somewhat unprecedented, but I'm sure the Alliance can stomp it out; they have to. It does bother me that whatever happened with Solipsis...isn't over. Just the vibes I get...snakes always have plans within plan."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hapes
Tag | Romi Jade

After clinking her glass against Romi's, Valery pulled her own back to her lips for a small sip and listened to her friend. At the mention of it being a cycle, she briefly frowned and looked down — it's how she had felt about it all as well. The Galaxy as a whole cycled between times of war and peace, but at an almost abnormal rate.

When one force of evil fell, another was waiting to make its move already.

"I'm quite sure we will bring them down eventually but I agree... it won't really be over after that." she let out a soft sigh and ran a hand up through her long hair. "But it's also easy to be overly pessimistic about everything. There are obviously very good parts about life right now too."

"As I'm sure you know." She smiled warmly, knowing the excitement of expecting a child. "It makes the hard days of war just a little more bearable, don't you think?"

​