Private So far, so good

[Colette]

Valery Noble

So usually Jedi were children? Colette frowned at that. Maybe she was too late then? Was this a recipe for disaster? No, Valery seemed to have faith in her, but the seed of a doubt had been planted and there was no real uprooting it now.

What the Jedi was trying to say seemed like a good thing. Moderation in all things, essentially, but there was something that Valery said that caught Colette's attention.

"What's… Stasis?" Colette raised her brow in further confusion. "Is it, like, that electrical thing?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

Valery blinked.

Right, to her talking about stasis was the most normal thing in the world, and she had gotten used to everybody knowing about it already. Even people who hadn't met her seemed to sometimes feel as if they knew more about her time in this galaxy, the stasis included. But it made sense that Colette wasn't familiar with it at all.

"Stasis is almost like hibernation," Valery tried to explain. "I got wounded in a battle on Onderon and was placed inside a medical pod that artificially put me in a very deep kind of sleep. It keeps your body operating at minimum capacity and sustains you. There are other ways to do it as well, and it was once used to travel the stars. You'd make people sleep for hundreds of years, if not more, so they could survive the long journeys of their primitive ships."

She then paused and chuckled, "For me, the stasis was roughly 4000 years, and the scientists who found my pod experimented on me as well. It gave me a lot of trouble later, even ignoring just how difficult it was waking up to a Galaxy where everybody you knew is long gone."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

This time Colette kept from asking what Onderon was and merely settled for a slow nod. Valery had seen battle and needed a bacta bath, except this one was a bit too effective and put her in a deep sleep. It was funny how easy it seemed to be for Valery to laugh at the fact that all of her friends were long dead, but… Eh, there were members of Colette's tribe who had laughed in worse situations.

The most difficult part of this conversation was how to even react to it. Something told Colette that it was a little too late for sorry, yet that some kind of compassionate response was called for. Her brows furrowed in worry for a moment before she snickered and wrapped both her hands against her bottle on the table.

"I—" She exhaled another uncertain laugh. "I suppose you can only take something like that in stride."

Colette smiled, pushed the boundary of where she was comfortable just enough to make a small joke.

"At least you don't look your age, Master Noble."

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"It was very difficult for me at first, but I've had some great people help me get through it. One especially has always stayed with me," Valery chuckled and rolled her wedding ring between the middle finger and thumb of her right hand. "So it's different now, and I can't imagine being in a different... time, I guess."

"At least you don't look your age, Master Noble."

Valery looked back at Colette and snickered, "I hope not!" she laughed and showed the young woman a bright smile. Some age jokes could draw out a different response, but this was still amusing to her.

"Hmm, why don't we continue our walk through the Temple? I'll show you a few things and maybe we can meet for some first training in the morning?" She didn't want to say it just yet, but Valery already felt a bit of a connection to Colette. One she always felt with Jedi who became her own Padawans, so it was one that she hoped to explore more through some training.

Kahlil was definitely going to tease her about possibly taking on another Padawan, though...

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Oh thank god! The joke went over well. Colette's shoulders slumped just a little in relief as she listened to the rest of what Valery had to say. Training? Walk? She seemed surprised for a moment, but for all Colette knew this was routine amongst the Jedi. Meet, great, get beat? Well, maybe not so much to get beat as it was to get some form of exercise in.

"That would probably be good." She said and nodded. "This temple is like one big, really tall maze."

"And, wait, training?" Colette seemed confused. "Keer said it might take a bit to get started with that, on account of how much I need to read up on my history, and the fitness regimen that I need to catch up on."

"Inexperience with the galaxy, good core strength but best improved?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

When Colette seemed surprised about training, Valery just grinned — she loved to train, and even without any experience, she had ideas on how to get started. This wasn't her first student who was practically here on her first day, so everything would be alright. Hopefully. "You don't need to read history to learn some basics of the Force, or basic lightsaber combat," Valery said with an even wider grin.

She loved this a little too much, perhaps.

"Physical exercise and training the body like that will also make your mind stronger. It's a good outlet, the skills you'll learn are useful, and... it's also fun." Of course, she had no idea what kind of Jedi Colette would become, but there were very few students who didn't enjoy a bit of training away from the archives.

"So, what do you say? I can teach you some basic lightsaber skills or something about the Force." Perhaps both if there was enough time, but this question gave her a chance to see what excited the Padawan more.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It made sense what Valery said, unlike what Keer had said. From what he had said it seemed that Colette could expect to sit on the bench for a while until she was picked for a group to be tutored or have a master be picked. But it made little sense for her to have to read and exercise made little sense just to be picked. Still, whether or not the Keer had spoken the truth or not, Colette could still accept an offer to be taught something until then.

The options were the force, or something about lightsabers. The kid frowned for a moment to contemplate the option. On one hand she had never used the force before, at least not that she knew of, and on the other was a fancy sword. Colette had used weapons before, how much different could a lightsaber really be to a vibrostaff?

Still, in times of stress familiarity was still somewhat more reassuring.

"I think going with something familiar is good." Colette said and slowly nodded. "I've used weapons before, a lightsaber is just a fancier weapon. So, I mean…"

"The saber exercise could be good, I think?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"I wouldn't underestimate a lightsaber too much," Valery warned her, the tone a little more serious all of a sudden. "They are not easy weapons to handle and only a Force-sensitive can really get the most out of them. With you, I want to work on controlling it safely, and go from there."

Much like how Initiates were taught the basics of Shii-Cho to safely use them in the past.

"That said, it'll still be fun, and it involves a little bit of Force training too. Before you know it, we'll be going into far more serious abilities and get you some field experience too." She smirked and was reminded of something when she mentioned the more serious training.

"Oh, I'll also be taking you on a trip with Kahlil Noble , my husband, and me. We sometimes bring our Padawans together on training journeys or missions. It's a good way to learn more about working alongside other Jedi."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Right." Colette said and straightened her back. "Sorry for the oversimplification, Master Noble."

Still, the master took the error in passing and in reality Colette probably didn't have to apologize. To the teenager's surprise there was even a little bit of both involved in what they would do. Something related to the part where only force sensitives could wield such a sword properly.

Colette looked at her hands. Her very ordinary hands that were the same hands as before, and yet she seemed to expect to see something there. She wasn't quite sure what, but at the very least something. Perhaps something to make herself believe that she was as sensitive to the force as Knight Keer's tests had seemed to imply.

But then Valery said the weirdest thing.

"W- wait, your padawans?" Colette's brow rose as if to try and grab a hold of her hairline. "I me— I mean, I would love to meet them. I'll absolutely ruin my first impression with them, but it'll be good to have friends to train with for when I get a master or tutor of my own."

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"It's quite alright," Valery chuckled and waved her hand a little. She understood why Colette had said what she said, and only wanted to make sure that she wouldn't underestimate the training. When she watched Colette look down at her own hands, it seemed that it had at least sparked some deeper thought.

So with that, Valery moved on.

"Mhmm, my Padawans," Valery said with just a gentle smirk on her face. Nothing was official and Colette would have to agree as well, but Valery was already plotting her next move. "It'll be good for you to learn alongside a variety of Jedi, and I do enjoy being able to at least train together or go on an assignment once." That was the case for all Padawans who weren't her own.

Just with Colette, she was already hoping that it could be as Master and Padawan.

"Don't worry about it, though. We'll first get you settled in properly, alright?"

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Those first few moments of this whole interaction were starting to feel silly almost. The stammering and stuttering along the uncertainty and fear at even just looking at Valery. Now Colette was looking not just once but several more times at Valery per minute. Not because she had to avert her eyes from a god-like creature but because she needed to take in the environment they were in, which right now seemed to be some sort of corridor. One of many, there were a lot of corridors in this maze of a temple.

"I think that might take a bit." Colette chuckled — yes, actually chuckled — and hummed a small 'hmmm'. "I mean, one day I was shoveling bantha shi— iiiiiin... bones," A flawless verbal save. "As my people camped on the road to an old sacred resting spot for my people, and the next day I was here."

"I know I said it before but there is so much people here, so many different ways to interact with others. I met a man who had to wear a gas mask because he couldn't breathe this air."

"I saw a student lift an object twice their size and weight with their mind." She continued, at first filled with joy and ecstasy. Yet as she continued to talk something sparked in her chest, a pain within her heart. "None of this ever even seemed real in my tribe. It was a fairytale, things kids pretended to be when they played around and now— I—"

Oh god, no. Not now. This was supposed to come later, just like they had the days before!

"I am here, and—" Her eyes hurt. Someone sprung a leak. "And I'm living this absurd yet real fantasy while my family just—"

"They just—" Snivel, snivel, cough. "They can't."

Her arms wrapped around Valery with a tight squeeze. It didn't matter much if she wanted it or not, Colette just needed something real right now to ground her to the floor and keep her out of her head.

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"I know, I know — it can be very overwhelming if you're not used to it," Valery chuckled in response to Colette, but she was all smiles now as well. From barely being able to look her in the eyes and constantly stumbling over words, to an actual proper conversation. They had made a lot of progress in just about an hour or so. But even with that progress, the conversation shifted to something a lot more difficult.

Family.

"They just—" Snivel, snivel, cough. "They can't."

Valery stopped and turned to see the tears that formed in the young woman's eyes. A caring, motherly smile appeared that always helped Vera get through emotional moments too, and with her arms widened, she pulled Colette into an embrace. Not one that she rushed either — she kept her arms locked around her and held her close for as long as she needed. Whether it was 20 seconds, 20 minutes, or even another hour.

"It's okay, just let it all out," Valery said, her voice soft and soothing. Her fiery eyes shot a look in the direction of a few Jedi who entered the hallway, and they got the message instantly — they left. Colette and Valery were left standing alone, and gently, Valery ran her hand up and down the girl's back.

When the embrace eventually broke, Valery placed both her hands on Colette's shoulders and looked her in the eyes, "If there's one thing that applies to family all throughout the galaxy, it's that they'll support each other no matter what. I'm certain that your tribe, your family, is very proud of you."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It hurt to think about how lucky she was to have been found like a needle in a haystack that spanned a whole galaxy. Colette had gone from an insignificant nobody to being someone in an incredibly privileged position in just a matter of days. She carried the weight of those that never got that chance on her shoulders because that was what her new duty was to become no matter how scary it was.

It felt good to have someone to lean against in the middle of that turmoil. It was a lot of weight to carry but such was the case when the fate of others rested on your actions. What mattered from here on out was just how Colette used said actions.

"I…" She sobbed as she separated from Valery's hug. "Needed that."

She wiped the remaining tears and gave a snivel.

"I've never had this much responsibility before. It's scary. It feels like if I don't succeed I'll be failing everyone, everywhere, at the same time."

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"I know the feeling, but you won't fail anybody if you make mistakes or don't always succeed. Being a Jedi is not an easy thing, and there will be times when your mission won't be a success. But as long as you learn and give it everything you have to do better next time, you'll never fail anybody," Valery assured her with a smile, her hand now shifting to the young woman's shoulder for a comforting squeeze.

She then let out a chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck, "If it helps, I sometimes struggle with the weight of the responsibility as well, and I've been a Jedi my whole life." Kahlil Noble knew all about it, and often helped carry that burden, or just offered his support when it really was something she had to carry on her own shoulders.

Colette would also have people who'd help shoulder those burdens.

"Hmm, why don't we head to the room of a thousand fountains? It's one of the most beautiful places here, in my opinion."

 

[Colette]

There was a comfort to that, she supposed. Failure was unavoidable, it was just a matter of how you handled them. Valery did her best to support her with that, but in the end a mindset wasn’t changed overnight. Colette took the words to heart but didn’t really commit to them. Failure was unavoidable but also just not an option.

But then…

“Room of a thousand fountains?” Colette asked with an incredulous look across her face. “As in water fountains?”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

"Luckily. If they were chocolate fountains, I'd have a battle every day to get Vera out." She flashed a stupid grin and gently nudged Colette in the right direction, so they could start heading there. "But that's right. Waterfalls, fountains and flora from all over the Galaxy. It's quite lovely."

And also not too far away from where they were.

Walking into the room was like a breath of fresh air in the morning, and Valery visibly relaxed even more when she looked around. The plants and trees, the sound of water - it would be easy enough to understand why so many Jedi used it as a meditative retreat.

At least, to a Jedi.

"So, what do you think? I like to come here to meditate or read quietly." She paused and chuckled. "Sometimes to entertain my daughter, too."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It felt so surreal to step into a room where the water poured as freely as a river. Actually it wasn't just surreal, it was almost more apt to say that it felt unreal. There Colette stood in a room where the atmosphere had been tailored to be as calming as possible, and yet it still contained a waterfall where each second allowed for a stream to pass through it that was worth a small clan's weekly supply of clean water. Which was to say water that was, by Colette's standards and definitions, some of the cleanest that she had ever seen.

"Wow," She whispered as they stepped further and further into the room. "So much water."

"How can…" She stumbled over her words again. "This is…"

"I don't know if this is the coolest thing I've ever seen or the biggest waste of water in the whole universe." She said and turned back to Valery. "How— how does the temple HAVE this much water? I— I haven't seen a single lake or heard of a single oasis on this planet, yet everyone seems to have so much of it."

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Colette

Once again, Valery snickered, "This Temple is a lot bigger than most think, or perhaps the Force just works in mysterious ways~" Valery teased. It wasn't really an answer to the question, but she didn't actually have a clue herself about how it was all possible. Engineering, science, and management of structures like this were not her thing at all. Even Vera was already getting better at handling datapads.

Another little secret she wasn't telling any of her Padawans.

"I don't think it's a waste though. Water supply isn't really a problem." At least, not in these parts of the Galaxy. On desert worlds out there, it was likely a different story.

"Have you ever tried to meditate? Or focus very deeply through mental exercises?"

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

A slightly annoyed yet clearly amused chuckle burst through Colette's scrunched nose at Master Valery's joke. Right, the force just shifted the layout of a whole building. She had seen some things so far with the force, but not that.

And, sure, water supply wasn't an issue NOW, but what was the plan in case it suddenly became one? Would the fountains act as a reservoir? Where was the next closest source after this one? Colette was almost ashamed to admit that she kept a small backup flask in the drawer to her nightstand just in case something like it would happen, but then she also figured that was part of her past that still haunted her — metaphorically speaking.

"I haven't managed to get it right." Colette mumbled and rubbed at her upper arm. "They say I am too unfocused."

What followed after that was Valery giving the offer to help guide Colette through some of the exercises. The burgeoning understanding of what a 'center' was even supposed to be began to grow from that point. It took effort and a lot of it to get there, but eventually it too would sprout into…

Well, nothing all too impressive but something impressive (to Colette) at the very least. Colette was spent by the time that the evening rolled around, and the days that followed was spent doing much of the same routine until eventually, things changed for her in ways she had not foreseen.

But that was a story for next time.