Private Shadows in the Undercity

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery stood at the edge of a rooftop, her dark cloak blending into the shadows of Coruscant's lower levels. The vibrant lights and endless stream of traffic high above barely reached this part of the city, leaving it steeped in darkness. Below her, the streets were alive but not with the same energy as the upper levels — down here, everything felt tense, as if the undercity itself was holding its breath. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of her target — a dilapidated building nestled between towers of industrial complexes.

The Force pulsed around her, guiding her toward the task ahead. Beneath the grime and chaos, the Dark Empire had its hands deep in the city's underworld, its spies gathering critical information from those who passed through these shadows unnoticed. For days, Valery had felt the pull toward this sector, and now she was certain — the spies were here, and she had come to put an end to their operations.

With a steadying breath, Valery crouched low, her fingers brushing the edge of the rooftop. She visualized her path — a series of leaps across narrow alleys and towering structures. The distance was daunting, but for someone like her, it was second nature. With a burst of energy, she leapt from her perch, soaring across the gap between buildings. Her landing was silent, her boots barely making a sound as she rolled forward and quickly sprang to her feet.

Without pause, Valery jumped again, this time aiming for a rusted metal beam that extended from one building to another. The wind whipped through her hair as she vaulted gracefully across, her focus never breaking. She could sense the building she was approaching — the pulse of malevolent energy growing stronger with each leap.

As she reached the final rooftop, she slowed her pace, crouching behind the edge to observe the street below. The building was just ahead, its dim lights flickering. Shadows moved within, but the Force alerted her to more than just foot soldiers. These spies were dangerous, skilled in deception, and well-guarded.

But none of that mattered. Valery had come prepared.

With one final glance at her surroundings, Valery prepared to descend into the heart of the enemy's operations. The hunt was on.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

It wasn't everyday he descended into the furthest depths of the city world that was Coruscant. Not because he didn't find cases there, the Sentinels often had them there, but because he didn't like how dark and musty it was. His skin made him stick out like a sore thumb most of the time because of just how pale it was. Not to mention his hair. It was hard for him to work down there in a stealth capacity. Plus the lack of sunlight was just depressing. He honestly felt bad for the people that lived down there.

But he'd finally gotten a lead that seemed promising, and given that it was his priority case, he had to investigate it himself. Passing it off to someone else was not an option. The lead was so promising that he thought about contacting Katarine, but he doubted she'd want to work with him again, even if it meant cracking the Ansion case. She didn't seem to like him, and he had an adverse affect on her because of his alignment in the Force.

He'd picked out a charcoal gray tunic to go with the standard black pants and put that on over the undershirt and cuirass. Then he'd descended into the depths of the city, making his way quietly from one part to the next, approaching not from a straight line in case anyone was watching for that. He didn't want anyone to know until the last minute that he was on a course that would bring him to a location thought to be connected to the Dark Empire and their spy activities.

There was some light activity among Force users in the area, but he wasn't picking up anything out of the ordinary, even as he eventually approached the location through a darkened alley, diminishing his own presence as he idled in the shadows to watch the compound. They had a good amount of protection, given they were a spy network. Too much, really. They should have been found out a long time ago. Perhaps they were counting on the appearance making them seem like nothing more than a criminal organization. Hiding in plain sight.

Either way, he aimed to take them down, even solo, and figure out if any of them had a connection to Ansion, or at least get access to their data in order to find out if they had information that would help him find the person who did. He wasn't really counting on the presence of Valery Noble , though. She could throw a wrench into things...

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery crouched on the rooftop, her fiery eyes scanning the compound below. A river of Coruscant's airborne traffic flowed far above her head, but the lower levels felt more disconnected — shrouded in darkness, dampness, and the ever-present hum of machinery. As she prepared to move, she felt a presence rippling through the Force, causing her to pause.

She focused, narrowing her gaze as she tracked the source. Down in the alley below, concealed within the shadows, stood another, his eyes and mind focused. What's he doing here? she thought, frowning slightly. Crossing paths with another looking into these spies could be trouble, but it could be no coincidence either.

Was this the Force at work?

Her instincts kicked in and Valery shifted her weight, muscles coiling as she launched herself from the rooftop. The wind rushed past her as she dropped soundlessly into the alley, landing just a few feet in front of Tycho. She straightened, her lightsaber at her side but unignited, as her fiery gaze met his.

"Greetings," Valery said, her tone measured but carrying an edge of curiosity. "What are you doing down here?"

As her eyes adjusted and looked him over, Valery noted the way his pale skin and silver hair stood out against the dimly lit alley. His strong, defined features and the intensity in his golden eyes gave him an undeniably striking appearance. Despite the tension of the situation, Valery found herself momentarily taken aback by his attractiveness — there was something about the mix of danger and elegance in his demeanor that drew her in.

With a quick shake of her head, she forced herself to focus and awaited his answer.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

Something was off. He could feel a shift in the Force around him. It's flow, ever present, slightly changed. It put him on edge, but he didn't move. The feeling wasn't coming from within the compound, but above him, and even though he felt a shift, he didn't feel immediate danger. So he waited to see the end result, his eyes still focused on the compound ahead of him even as a woman, one Valery Noble , landed in front of him, clearly dressed for combat and with her blade at her side.

His golden eyes drifted to her eyes, focused on them for a moment, and then looked past her as he tilted his head to get a better look at his target.

"Working," he said in answer to her question.

No lie, just a blunt answer. She seemed, from the brief glimpse he'd taken of her visage, taken aback by his appearance, but this was nothing out of the norm. Many people stared at him. Most of the time he found it unsettling to get so much attention. He didn't particularly care to be focused on in such a manner. It almost felt like he was famous and he hated the very idea of being so.

"I get the feeling you're doing the same given where we area, Master Jedi."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Working, huh?" she responded, an almost playful edge in her tone as she looked from him to the compound, her gaze now on the target in the distance. "You're right, I'm here for the same reason. Intel on this compound suggests Dark Empire involvement — spies gathering information for something bigger." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her curiosity piqued by his direct nature.

But they still had to figure out where to go from here. Would one of them drop their mission to let the other handle it? Valery didn't quite feel comfortable doing that, having no idea how skilled he was.

Valery crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head slightly, humming in thought, "So, how do you want to play this? We're after the same people, so perhaps we can work together?" She wasn't opposed to the idea, even if he wasn't a Jedi. But would he agree to such a plan?

At first glance, he didn't strike her as someone who would collaborate that easily.

"What do you say?"

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

Work together. Wouldn't be the first time he worked with a Jedi. Almost certainly wouldn't be the last given his recent interaction with Ran Serys . It was probably going to be a common even, also, since he was basing his company on Coruscant, which was a Jedi aligned world, and given that he worked well with the Alliance. Still, they were there for different reasons and if there was info to solve his case in there, she could very well destroy it without any intention to do so.

She seemed capable, but she also seemed like a flirt.

"I need to interrogate the people in charge in there and get a copy of the data in their systems," he said, still not looking at her.

Part of him figured the flirtatious nature she was exhibiting was to either put him off, or distract him. It wouldn't work, but it was a NOBLE effort (see what I did there?). So far they hadn't been noticed even though she'd jumped off a building in an alley across from where guards were keeping up their post. Thankfully.

"If you can allow me that, I don't mind working together."

Probably the best bet was to manipulate the guards from afar, as far as he could tell, and then quietly sneak inside. That's what he would do if he was alone, and it would be the same as a duo. Anything overly dramatic and they'd flush, which would allow most of them to get away.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery tilted her head slightly, her fiery gaze lingering on Tycho as she considered his request. There was something about him — the focused, no-nonsense attitude mixed with an undercurrent of wariness — that intrigued her. But his directness was refreshing. He wasn't here to waste time, and neither was she.

It was time to get to work.

"Interrogation and data retrieval?" she repeated, her lips curling into a softer smile, "Alright, I can work with that. I'm expecting some trouble inside, though. We'll have to find a way to handle it before they destroy anything we want to acquire."

She cast her eyes toward the compound ahead, assessing the guards and the security patterns. It was a familiar routine for her, and she could already see the openings in their defenses, the places where they could slip by unnoticed. "They probably have guards inside," she continued, her voice lowering to a more serious tone. "If we move quietly, we can stay under the radar until we reach the heart of their operation."

There was a pause as she straightened, her expression focused now as the mission took precedence. With a nod, she gestured ahead. "Let's do this. And before I forget..." She paused, then blinked, "I'm Master Valery Noble," she said, having nearly forgotten to introduce herself.

Not that she was expecting him to use formal titles, but it was important to know each other's names.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

Trust a Jedi to jump into things quickly. Granted, he was eager to get in there himself. Taking down the cell would be beneficial to everyone even if what he was looking for couldn't be found inside.

"Once I have access to a dataport on the inside they won't be able to hide anything," he assured her.

His datapad was equipped with all kinds of little tricks, including software that was automated to infiltrate systems and prevent data corruption from any source, whether intentional or not. It could then copy directly to his datapad, and transmit that back to the systems at Sentinel headquarters. The trick was to get inside without anyone knowing they were in there, which, fortunately for them, was something he could accomplish without too much trouble. Provided she didn't make trouble.

Reaching into the Force, he drew on a power that a Jedi was unlikely to use and reached out to the guards at the entry across from them. He tapped into their minds and bodies, inflicting a slowness upon them, causing everything about them to slow to a near halt. They'd live, but they'd be unable to react to anything for a very long time. Think of it like living statues.

"That should buy us some time to get inside," he said before moving past her to the edge of the building, and then starting across to the entrance.

As he did, he also clouded the vision of any cameras at the entry.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

"As long as they don't have anything physical they can destroy before we get our hands on it." She was certain that he'd be able to keep any data intact when hacking into their systems. But it was possible to store things on physical drives or datapads not connected to networks or mainframes, right?

She'd leave that assessment to him.

Valery's fiery gaze followed Tycho as he moved past her, a flicker of intrigue crossing her features as she felt him reach into the Force in a way she was less familiar with. The slowness that enveloped the guards was palpable, their forms nearly frozen like statues in the shadows. She appreciated the subtlety of his approach, though his methods were not those of a typical Jedi.

"Impressive," she admitted with a playful smirk, stepping up beside him as they neared the entrance. Her lightsaber remained at her side, unlit, as she followed Tycho's lead, trusting his skillset but staying alert for any threats that might arise. This wasn't exactly how she would have entered the building, but her own skills were just as unusual, and wouldn't allow him to slip inside with her. So, for now, she chose to follow his lead and extended her senses, reaching out for any additional guards or potential traps they might have missed.

Soon enough, the two of them neared the entrance, where she noticed cameras going blind. She took a mental note of it but focused her mind again once they reached the door. With a flick of her hand, the heavy metal door shifted open, unlocked, and without any alarms going off.

"After you," she said softly with a dip of her head.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

She flicked open the door and he stepped into it, quickly scanning the interior. The entrance seemed clear, but there were many doors off of it that could open at any time. He was now in focus mode, and stepped inside to walk quietly towards the first door while listening. In the distance he could hear noise, people playing a dice game, idle chatter. Likely coming from the main room, but he didn't need to get to that just yet. Nor did he want to. Gaining access to their internal systems was his first priority.

There was someone on the other side of the door, but only one so he looked over to Valery Noble and held up a single finger to indicate one occupant. He tapped the door release and quickly stepped inside, finding a single man sitting at a computer station. Imagine that. They'd found the security room on the first try.

"Who are-"

Before the man could continue his sentence, Tycho used the Force to pinch off his airway just enough to keep him from talking. Then he walked over and, with a downward chopping motion of his hand to the mans neck, knocked him unconscious. He slumped over in his chair and Tycho released his grip of the mans neck before pulling out his datapad and plugging it into a dataport on the security console. They probably should have had more security than just one guy.

"Close the door," he said to Valery before looking at the cameras. "Let's get a look at things before we take them on."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers


Valery's gaze lingered on the unconscious man as Tycho swiftly incapacitated him. There was a brief flicker of discomfort at the use of the Force to choke him, but she held her tongue. It had been practical, and his target would survive without any lasting harm. She had also done much worse back in the day.

When she had first joined the Jedi Shadows.

With his request for her to close the door, Valery nodded and turned around. She moved quickly to shut the door behind them, her presence in the Force sharp and alert for any movement outside. "Let's hope he wasn't scheduled to report in," she murmured, her tone quiet but laced with tension as she watched Tycho plug into the system. Even if he wasn't scheduled to report in, they were on a timer now, as far as she was concerned.

They had to secure the data and not waste any time.

Her fiery eyes scanned the security monitors after that, flicking between different camera feeds. The room where the dice game took place was packed with potential threats, and she could spot armed guards patrolling further into the compound. "Looks like we're in for a fight if we push deeper," Valery observed. "But if we time this right, we might still get the drop on them." She glanced at Tycho, her expression serious but calm.

"How long do you need to pull the data?"

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

Ok, so, she was attractive, all things considered. When she wasn't looking, he couldn't help but look her over again. It was probably the suit, and probably intentional, but attractive was attractive, and coming from a Kage, who'd grown up around the most attractive people in the galaxy, that wasn't something he'd throw around. But still, he had to focus, and she was becoming a visual distraction. He steeled his mind the way he'd been taught to when being trained as a warrior and focused back on the screens.

"Their data is already being transmitted back to a secured data center," he said, scanning the cameras again. "Once that's done my program will self-destruct and there'll be no trace it was ever there."

The guards were rotating, some of them were getting near the access hall. He had a feeling they were going to have to fight it out from then on out.

"We're going to have company shortly, I believe."

He turned back to her and searched her over... for weapons. Definitely for weapons. All he noted was her saber, though. Was she any good with her hands? Well, they were about to find out.

"I would suggest we avoid our sabers for as long as we can."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery noticed Tycho's quick glance, the subtle way his gaze moved over her, and a small, playful smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. She shifted slightly, bending just enough as she leaned over the security console to check the screens, knowing full well the attention it might draw. "You think these guards will give us a real challenge?" she asked, her voice soft but laced with a teasing edge.

Straightening up, she turned to face him, her fiery gaze meeting his with a spark of amusement. "Though I have to say... avoiding lightsabers? That's quite a thing you're asking." She crossed her arms across her chest, her posture confident but relaxed, as if daring him to keep up with her energy. "But I suppose if you have a plan, I can hold off. For now."

There was an air of mischief in the way she spoke, but her readiness for action was undeniable. She wasn't just playing games; she was a warrior in every sense of the word, and the glint in her eyes made it clear that she was more than prepared for whatever came next.

"Let's get this done, then," Valery said, her tone shifting to something more serious as she looked at him, her gaze lingering as she looked him up and down to make sure he was ready. And just for that reason.

"Before they realize they've already lost."

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

And then she leaned over the console and he had to avert his gaze lest he bogged down in something else other than work. She had a strange way of taking care of business. Especially given that he'd never told her his name and they'd only known each other existed for all of ten minutes. Maybe twenty minutes, it was kind of hard to say. That being the case, he couldn't allow her to distract him from the mission at hand, so he took one last look at the monitors instead of her.

"I expect a Jedi to be able to handle themselves without cutting people to pieces," he said, moving to the door.

If he timed it right, they'd open the door and he could take the first one down without much effort. He positioned himself on the side the door opened from, and as soon as it started to move, he lunged through, grabbing the first man by the throat and continuing his momentum to drive him into the wall opposite the door he'd just come through. It didn't look pretty, but it had him by surprise, and it allowed Tycho then to use the fact his opponent was briefly stunned to land a few solid punches to his abdomen and then a knockout blow to the chin.

He could only hope that Valery had taken out the other one.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

As the door slid open, Valery moved with swift precision. She stepped into the path of the guard, her eyes calculating every move before delivering a sharp, well-placed jab to his midsection. The breath left his lungs in a gasp, and with a fluid sweep of her leg, she brought him crashing to the floor. Before he could even comprehend what had happened, a quick strike to his neck left him unconscious, his body slumping against the wall.

Valery exhaled slowly, her posture calm and controlled, but she didn't waste any time lingering. With the guard neutralized, she knelt down to check for any signs of awareness, ensuring he was out for good. Satisfied with her handiwork, she stood tall and took a moment to adjust her appearance. Her fingers deftly tucked loose strands of her dark-brown hair back into place, pulling it away from her face with the same care and precision she'd given to the task at hand.

Turning toward Tycho, a playful gleam flickered in her fiery gaze, and a knowing smirk curled at the edges of her lips. "Handled," she said, her tone calm but laced with an unmistakable sense of confidence.

"This one had something on him," Valery produced a card she had slipped out of his pocket and showed it to her companion. It was an access card, likely used for secured rooms or to get into particular systems.

"You're better with tech, so I'll leave using it to you." She offered him the card, then turned away from him, her eyes scanning the room for anything worth noting.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

With his target neutralized, he turned to her to make sure the other was taken care of. Satisfied, he checked over the one he'd knocked out, but didn't find anything of import. Lots of odds and ends, creds, that sort of thing. He left it all on him and then turned back to her when she mentioned she'd found something. The card she handed to him was definitely an access key, which could come in handy. It would probably get them into the main room where the majority of the group was hanging out.

"Thanks," he said, palming it and scanned the other doors.

One was the fresher, the others were probably small storage areas that could be searched later. What they really needed was to take out the goon squad in the main room, preferably without having to kill anyone.

"This should get us into the main room but that's going to be a problematic fight. Lots of them, two of us, need them alive. Thoughts?"

If he were alone he would have approached this whole ordeal differently than he was now. With her along, it was sure to be a different situation and there was no avoiding combat. On the plus side, they did have access to their main data and it was safely being stored in a place where they wouldn't be able to keep it out of the hands of the authorities. But he knew that some data was best stored in the mind, which meant that the person in charge of this cell was very important for them to take alive. Probably also meant they were going to have to deal with the others trying to kill that person if they got desperate.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's fiery gaze locked onto Tycho's as he spoke, a small, confident smile playing on her lips. "Problematic?" she hummed, her tone playful but tinged with seriousness as well. She then reached out with her hand, a subtle ripple forming in the Force as she began to vanish before his eyes. Her form shimmered for a moment, and then, she was gone. Using Force Cloak, she rendered herself invisible, blending seamlessly into the environment around her. Without a sound, she took a step toward the nearest wall, her focus shifting entirely to the group of enemies gathered in the main room.

Tycho had his way of infiltration, but so did the former Jedi Shadow.

She closed her eyes, reaching deeper into the Force, feeling the energy of the room beyond the wall. Once she had the layout of the space and the positioning of each person within, she stepped towards the wall. Her body shifted, becoming intangible, and without waiting for her companion, she phased through the solid wall as if it wasn't even there.

In the next moment, she materialized inside the room, still invisible, silently observing the group of thugs who had no idea she was there. Their conversation continued uninterrupted, unaware that the Jedi Master had infiltrated their ranks.

Her sudden appearance would be the last thing they'd see before their minds slipped into darkness. With her Force Cloak slipping away, Valery stood behind the group, her hand rising not to lash out at them, but to extend her telekinetic grip before they could hope to resist or fight back. The guards, each of which strong and well-trained, froze solid as pressure was applied to every inch of their bodies.

A chance for Tycho to enter and swiftly take them out.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

Well, that was unexpected.

There were a lot of ways the Force could be used and he'd read about a great many, but he'd never seen most of them put into practice. Then there were abilities that he didn't even know about. The first she used, to disappear from sight, he knew of, but such illusions, as that type of skill was, was something he was not particularly gifted in conjuring. He relied more on physical stealth and manipulation of sound and machine to sneak his way through spaces, which meant that sometimes you just couldn't sneak through. That was not the case for her.

And then she was in the room behind the group as if she'd passed through solid matter. That was something he didn't even know was possible. Honestly, it stunned him for a brief second when she just appeared where she shouldn't possibly have been able to be. But he overcame that as he noticed that she was keeping the group from moving.

Stepping in, he moved swiftly to each and aimed a precise strike of the side of his hand to the correct spot on their necks, depending on their species, to knock them out. The ones he was unsure of he quickly cold-cocked in the jaw, which hurt his hand more, but was sufficient in knocking most people out cold, at least momentarily. Stung, but that sort of pain was something he easily bottled up and stored away to channel into something else should the need arise.

"Impressive," he said, giving her an approving nod.

A glimpse of movement cause his eye and he darted past Valery Noble and disappeared into a corridor opposite. Someone was running out of the room, someone they either hadn't noticed, or who had just been about to enter before the two of them had moved. He wasn't about to let them escape, but he hadn't had time to warn her. Hopefully she couldn't handle checking the rest of the rooms.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

As Tycho finished knocking out the last of the guards, Valery couldn't help but notice the way he moved — precise and efficient, a soldier through and through. She smirked at his comment, the edge of her lips curling in amusement.

"Impressive? I try," she quipped back, a playful glint in her eyes, though the seriousness of the mission still hung between them. She shifted, fixing her hair quickly as she took a few steps closer, her lightsaber still clipped to her belt.

Before either of them could say more, a glimpse of movement caught Valery's attention from the corner of her eye. She turned swiftly just as a figure darted out of the room, trying to escape unnoticed. Her senses flared, instinct taking over as she reached out through the Force, attempting to slow the fleeing target.

"Someone's running!" she called out, choosing not to follow while Tycho bolted after the runner. The task wasn't over just yet, and she wasn't about to leave any threats behind. Valery turned and quickly made sure that the unconscious guards were tied down and had their mouths covered with some cloth.

No further risks.

When she rose to her feet, Valery sighed and carefully continued forward to scan the rest of the building. It meant placing her trust in Tycho to handle the runner, but he had given her no reason to doubt his skills.

Tycho Arak ​

 

[Tycho Arak]

Outfit: Sentinel Standard Garb (In charcoal gray)
Weapons: Lightsaber
Other Equipment: Binders

They were slowed but seemed to shirk it off after a moment. That belied a moderate level of connectivity to the Force. As Tycho neared the person, he could feel that was indeed the case. This person was probably the one in charge of the spy operation, unless he missed his guess. They pulled a blaster and started firing back at him, but he lifted his hand and essentially caught the shots. In reality he was dissipating the super-heated plasma before it could strike him, rendering the attacks useless.

And when they paused firing? He yanked the weapon from their hand, which caused them to spin around and slam into a nearby wall, their momentum getting the best of them.

"That's far enough," he said after tackling them to the ground.

The culprit was a woman, not much older than him, her eyes a vibrant orange, but not in the way he liked to see them. Her teeth were grinding and he realized what she was trying to do, quickly immobilizing her jaw with the Force as he grabbed his binders and snapped them onto her wrists. Then he pulled her mouth open, reached in, and plucked the false tooth away she'd been trying to break.

"No, you don't get out of this like that."

He patted her down, probably more thoroughly than a man should a woman, to make sure she didn't have anything else on her. There was a datachip hidden somewhere it shouldn't have been, which he pocketed before making her decent and dragging her to her feet. To keep her from screaming obscenities or doing anything else, he kept her jaw locked with the Force. No sense in letting her make an even bigger ruckus than her blaster shooting had already done.

Taking her back to the main room, he pushed her down onto a couch. With her hands bound as they were, she wasn't going anywhere. Then he stood in front of her and put his hand on her head before delving into her brain against her will.

"Let's see what you've got in there."

Valery Noble