Private Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Loud noises and sticks. Fascinating. Colette observed as the master approached in the trees, clearly having expected to have come face-to-face with something — or perhaps, someone — else. Knowing that Valery would most likely try this again under better circumstances, Colette stowed the information away and stepped back into the cave to get the fire started.

She grabbed a stick from the tinder pile and placed it in a small notch she had carved out for it.

“Just about.” She responded to Valery’s shouts. “Just have to start the fire.”

Her palms began to rub together with the stick in between them. She needed to grind the end against the opened notch in an effort to cause enough friction and heat for the thing to catch fire. Of course, a lightsaber could have done that in under a second, but that wasn’t nearly half as fun.

“Figured I’d do it like we do back home.” She said and looked up at Valery as she could feel the heat from the rubbing begin to warm up the stick. “No lightsaber.”

“... Did you find everything we needed?”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

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

Valery blinked and watched Colette work on starting a fire the old fashion way. She had learned how to do it like that as well, should there ever be a need for it, but Valery had easier methods that also didn't require a lightsaber. "Uh..." she blinked and snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I've got bedrolls, some rations and other emergency supplies." Not that she planned to use much of it, but she wanted to take this seriously.

A lot could go wrong in the New Cov jungles, and few knew that better than Valery.

She then stepped further into the cave and began to unpack, so she could set up the beds while Colette made the fire. The natural ventilation in the cave was good enough to keep it going while they were sleeping, and because they were inside, no predator would be able to see the flames either.

"It should be getting dark soon, so make yourself comfortable. Maybe we can exchange some stories before we go to bed, hm?" she smirked.

"Tomorrow, I'll show you something else that might be interesting while we do some more training."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The log was set ablaze with one last dose of friction.

“Oh, so you got a bunch of crutches, hmm?” Colette smirked at Valery before she sat down on the cold hard ground by the fire and began to gently blow into the nascent fire. “Comfortable?” She asked as her smirk gridened into a grin. “You already know I am perfectly comfortable on the ground as is.”

The fire began to take a hold. Without the presence of a lighter fluid it took a bit longer, but the duo had generally agreed upon making this as authentic as possible.

“I think stories could be good.” Colette smiled. “I imagine you have a bit more of those than I do though.”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

"Crutches?" she snickered and shook her head. "Mostly food rations and some first aid supplies, just in case we end up needing it. I'm sure survival isn't a problem for you, but I'd rather play it safe with my Padawans." She was, after all, quite an overprotective Master sometimes. If anything did happen, though, it would be hard to explain to fellow Jedi why she brought a Padawan into jungles this dangerous without any precautions.

This would help ease the minds of many.

Valery then rolled her eyes at Colette making herself comfortable, and promptly threw one bedroll at her. "Your back isn't going to agree in a few years from now if you keep that up. Set up your bed," she said with an almost motherly tone. In reality, Valery knew Colette was as stubborn as she was, so this was the one language she did understand. Hopefully.

The topic of stories seemed to interest her as well, so Valery began to smirk. "I suppose I can start. Do you want a scary story from when I was a Padawan or about the siege of my old Temple?" She paused and chuckled, "Or I could tell a little more about how I ended up in stasis as well."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

“We have people who can close wounds with their mind, I am pretty sure we have the means to set a back into place again.” Colette said and grinned as she caught the bedroll. “But sure, I can make the bed if you want to, mom.”

The teenager snickered as she turned around to unroll the bed on the floor and shift herself over and onto it. The rush of the waterfall crashing made it difficult to tell if anything was outside right now, but given how out of sight the two Jedi were it didn’t seem to matter much. And then there was that occasional spritz of water that managed to find them.

It was nice, this whole thing was very nice.

“Your temple was under siege?” Colette asked and sat up to wrap her arms around her legs. “I read about the last attack on our temple.”

“What happened?”

“... With your temple, I mean.”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

Valery couldn't help but smile a little when Colette called her mom. It was meant as a joke, but she knew that she treated her Padawans almost like her own children sometimes. She deeply cared about them and protected them the way a mother would protect her kids. "Good, we're not abusing the Force to fix your back when a simple bedroll can prevent it. It's also much warmer this way." She nodded to herself, and watched Colette set up her own bed.

Good.

The idea of story time also seemed to interest the Padawan, and especially the mention of a Temple siege sparked interest. Valery just chuckled, made herself comfortable and looked over at her Padawan. "This was a long time ago, but we used to have a Temple on Caamas as well. It was discovered by the Sith of Acina's old Empire and they launched a surprise attack. Back then, we had far more younglings and Initiates, so it was crucial to us that we allowed them to evacuate." She frowned a little when she thought about that day again.

"I summoned every available Jedi to the entrance of the Temple, and we made our stand together. For three days, we were able to hold them off, until we made our retreat when Republic reinforcements arrived. It wasn't really my home, as I spent the majority of my time here on New Cov, but it was one of the scariest moments of my life."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The story felt alien to Colette. She had never been under siege, but she had most certainly seen death in her camp. Violence was just universal, even despite her culture’s strong aversion from violence due to the small number of people in any given group. Loss of one could mean the loss of many more. If the wrong person died it could even mean the death of the entire group.

“I understand.” Colette said with a thoughtful frown. “When I was a child,” Spoken like someone who thought themselves to no longer be such a thing despite their young age. “I saw a wild beast tear open the ribcage of a member from my group.”

“We had been wandering through the deserts to sort of ensure the safety of a local watering hole. Except when we got there we found nothing but carcasses and blood. We didn’t really need to test the water source to know that it was already tainted from the blood and guts that had started to seep into it.”

Colette ran a nervous hand through her hair and tucked it behind her ear.

“We never found whatever had caused the taint, so we decided to move on before it came back. Problem was though, the reason that we never found it was because it had already found us. As some of the tribespeople were readying to leave, I felt this weird huff of air on my back.”

There was amusement in her voice, her heart, but it was weighed down by something else: dread.

“I thought it was one of the other children trying to scare me, so I turned on the spot to… Well, I was going to punch them in the head. Except instead of soft skin, my hand would strike against the soft fur of… I don’t know what it was. It was cat-like, yet more similar to a lizard too somehow.”

Her arms wrapped around her legs again, Colette hugged her knees tightly.

“It reared back for a moment before it pounced at me. Except one of the adults in camp must have seen it by then. They threw themselves at the beast to get it away from me, and the beast was not— it wasn’t—…”

“I think…”

“I think that was the day I understood what I wanted to do with my life.”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

Valery had tried to tell her story without too much emotion seeping into her voice. At the time, it had been one of the scariest moments of her life, and the loss of those who died that day weighed heavily on heart and mind. But it was also a very long time ago, and when she told these stories, it was more to give herself and others a reminder about the nature of the Galaxy. About the nature of the Sith and others who can cause harm so easily.

What Valery hadn't expected was for Colette to tell such a difficult story of her own.

Slowly, as Valery listened, she began to shift over with her bedroll, and positioned herself right next to her Padawan. So that the very moment she hugged her own knees tightly, an arm could be felt wrapping around her shoulders. Valery kept her close and rested the side of her head against Colette. "Sometimes it's the worst memories that shape us the most. Losing friends, family, or being scarred for life yourself can have a huge impact on your future."

Valery gently rubbed along the side of Colette's arm and looked at her with a softer, almost motherly smile, "I'm glad you made the decision to dedicate your life to something like the Jedi. You're a strong and caring person, and even though you can be stubborn as hell..." she smirked a little to brighten up the mood with a small joke. "I know you're going to be amazing at what you want to do with your life."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Colette leaned into the side hug and closed her eyes to try and think about something else. The memory wasn’t as fresh as it once was, but it was a very real one nonetheless. To have someone to lean on both after the fact and in this moment when it resurfaced meant a lot to the kid as she kept herself from breaking into tears.

“Thank you, Valery.” Colette spoke through a shaky sigh. Just this once, titles didn’t need to be spoken. This was more as one friend to another. “I have a good mentor for it.”

“And, I don’t know…” She grumbled in… Well, she didn’t really have the word for it. Frustration felt too harsh, sadness felt too inaccurate. “I was told that it wasn’t my fault, and… I guess?”

“Just… Never want to feel that helpless again, or make anyone else feel that helpless.”

“If that’s what makes a good Jedi, then I guess… Yeah. Good thing I ended up here.”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

"It does make for a good Jedi, as long as you stay true to yourself and understand when you can't save someone as well," Valery said, knowing it was a tougher topic for a lot of young Jedi. Especially for those who never wanted to feel helpless ever again.

"There have been examples of Jedi falling because they wanted to save someone they couldn't. Good intentions, but the methods..." She frowned and decided to move on from the topic with a quick shake of her head. She then tightened the hug for a brief moment before withdrawing her arm, so Colette could lie down if she wanted to.

"For now, let's get some sleep and we'll explore in the morning. Maybe train a little more before we head back. Then...it might be time I take you on a proper assignment."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The kid merely nodded at her master’s words of wisdom. She understood well enough that death was a part of life, but that didn’t make the bad cases stick out any less. In the end it was just part of life. Not something to be celebrated but also not something to be forgotten either. It was simply the soul returning to what it was before it was born into this vessel of flesh and blood, and the soul was eternal but the flesh was not.

It brought her comfort in situations like this despite how morbid it was. Pain was better assessed than avoided. Although her thoughts went into a dark place for a moment, it was only through actively talking herself through it that she could get away from it.

So, by the time Valery mentioned good intentions she was all good again. At least as good as any shook child was when confronted with memories of their first accidental kill. Although the wound wasn’t old by Valery’s standards it still felt like a lifetime ago to Colette.

“I’d like that.” She said and gave Valery a small but rather weak smile. “Sleep well, Valery.”

Although the padded roll hadn’t been her choice of bedding it would still prove to be for the better. As much as ‘toughing it out’ felt like a good way to remind herself that she was alive, there was also no denying that sleeping on a slightly softer bed was just a little bit better.

As the darkness of the cave blended with the darkness of her unconscious mind, Colette would slowly start to twist and stir. She was clearly having some sort of dream, but whether it was a good one or not…

“The children!”
“I’ll tame that beast.”
“The elder has asked that we keep you out of their camp, forever.”

These three sentences from vastly different times in her life played over and over in her head, and they got louder and louder. One from the beast having attacked the camp, the last few words she had heard before her ears began to ring. The other two from a ‘social dance’ from little less than a year ago, before and after Colette had beaten up another elder’s son.

The kid woke with a gasp and clutched at her bedroll before she began to look around.

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

"Sleep well, Colette."

Valery offered a final smile and finally decided to lie down herself, knowing that a lot was still on her Padawan's mind. But to tackle it all in one night wouldn't help either of them, and sometimes good rest was the best way to heal, or prepare the mind to confront difficult tasks again. Whether those tasks be about past memories or just training with a difficult Master the next morning, she needed to be well-rested.

Eventually, a long night turned into morning again, as rays of sunshine made it inside the cave. Valery opened her eyes, rolled around and groaned a little, but ultimately woke up when she heard her Padawan gasp, and noticed her sitting upright rather quickly to grasp at her bedroll.

"Heyy..." Valery muttered, her voice as sleepy as the look in her eyes. "You okay?"

She turned around onto her side and squinted at her Padawan while her Keshian eyes adjusted to the light. Finally, she did sit up, and ran both her hands through long, messy hair.

"Looked like you were having a bad dream. Want to talk about it or just get the day started?" Dreams were often just that, dreams. They tapped into uncomfortable memories or fears, and the only thing to do was just move on. But if she wanted to talk about it, Valery would always listen.

 

[Colette]

“It was just the ghosts of the past.” Colette sighed and shook her head. “They usually make themselves felt when I talk about them too close to sleep.”

The kid rubbed at her eyes and stood up with a groggy groan and began to roll up her bed. Nightmares weren’t exactly uncommon, most people had them for a reason. They kept you on your toes, and although her heart beat against her chest she refused to just let that fear rule over her.

“I once beat up another kid,” She said and tied the roll up. “For calling me a beast, trying to impress his friends as if I was some sort of conquest.”

“Every time I am reminded of that attack, I am somehow reminded of him too.”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

"Well, that sounds familiar," Valery blinked and then chuckled. "When I was a Padawan, I joined an early track for becoming a Lightsaber Instructor. It was uncommon but I was starting to make a name for myself as a duelist and I liked the idea of teaching. Of course, other Padawans used it as a reason to challenge me a little too much," she explained before scratching the back of her neck.

"Didn't go so well for them, but it did get trickier for me after I got scarred. I lost a lot of my confidence, and some Padawans tried to exploit me being vulnerable." She paused for a moment and suddenly began to smirk before she shook her head. Perhaps it was best to leave it there, and not go too far into what happened after.

Standing up, Valery stretched and walked over to the waterfall to take a look outside. Everything seemed to be calm and peaceful, so she turned back to look at her Padawan.

"I'm sure you spotted the mountain in the distance, off to our right when we approached this place, right? We'll be going there but there's one rule. You're not allowed to touch the ground — we're moving through the trees." She grinned, and once everything was packed up, made her way outside to jump to a thick branch high up. To Valery, it was as natural as walking along a path, but she held back and set a decently steady pace instead.

It required Colette to think ahead, and plan her steps carefully.

"Come on, keep moving!"

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

“That doesn’t fall in line with what a Jedi does.” Colette frowned and looked over at Valery. “Exploiting a person’s state of mind is just wrong.”

With the bag packed, Colette put it on her back and shuffled it around to find a comfortable sweet spot. Stepping out into the open she let in a deep breath and let herself soak for just a little while longer in the vapors from the crashing waterfall before turning around to look at Valery who was now perched in a nearby tree.

Figure she would try to involve that somehow.

The kid jumped into a nearby tree trunk and pulled herself up in order to be able to stand properly. She looked at the next tree and then Valery who was already gaining ground on her. First she jumped, she steadied herself and looked over at the next tree, and the cycle repeated in a clumsy skip between the branches.

“You—” She grunted between jumps. “Are going— really- fast!”

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

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

"Some Padawans need more time before they really act as proper Jedi than others."

She was going to leave it there. Colette was already an excellent Jedi in mindset, albeit a little bit too stubborn at times, so it wasn't a relevant topic. Instead, she focused on getting up in the trees and started moving ahead, one tree at a time as she jumped from branch to branch. The kid was quick to follow the way up, but seemed a little slower in pursuit — not too strange if this was her first time.

But there was a lesson to it.

"Try to think ahead!" Valery called out, now momentarily slowing down to let Colette catch up. "Plan your path and don't focus too much on a single landing point!" With that said, Valery sped up again and occasionally glanced over her shoulder, hoping that her Padawan was getting more comfortable with it.

Especially because they were approaching the last few trees before having to drop down to go on foot, and these last ones had thinner branches. Jump to the wrong one and...

"Careful out here!"

Valery knew the safe paths by heart, and eventually settled on the ground, where she'd wait for the young Jedi to arrive. Or be ready to catch her falling.