Private The Acquisition of Knowledge

[Helen Lupercal]

Helen sat at her seat on the bridge of her flagship, the frigate named The Hellion, tapping her finger on the armrest. She was normally a jovial woman, always smiling and cracking jokes at her bridge crew. Teasing them or asking about how their home life was going. But whenever they were on a raid she always got a little nervous. These were always a risk, one she wasn’t altogether happy to take.

But it had to be done. The galaxy was a cruel place, so the only way to make one’s way in it was to fight and take what you needed.

They hid in the shadow of a moon nearby a refueling station. One they knew that a small convoy would be stopping at. And once it was locked into the fueling position they would jump the convoy. Board it, and take some of the cargo on board.

She never took everything. She was well aware that the rest of the galaxy had needy people too, and she wasn’t about to rob people of everything they had. But she had to have some things for her people too. So she would take what she needed.

And as far as she could tell this was a routine raid. A normal shipment with minimal security, of normal things. A shipment of food and other necessities bound for coruscant, as if those people needed anything. So it would be routine. Board the vessel, take the crew captive for a little while, take what they needed, damage the hyperdrive to give them escape time, damage the comm unit so that they wouldn’t be pursued by anyone else for a little while, and leave without spilling a drop of blood. Maybe stomp on the captain’s face a few times to make it seem like the threat of death is real. But usually it’s never more bloody than a broken nose or dislocated jaw. Maybe a few teeth knocked out. But no one ever died, she made sure of that. Her crew knew to keep their weapons on stun, they had lethal ones but only for use in emergencies.

“How long Scylla?” She asked her helmswoman, a rescued Twi-lek slave that turned out to be an excellent pilot.

“Another thirty minutes Captain.” She answered, “The crews are ready to go.”

“Good. Let’s keep this clean and quick. I want us in and out in no more than one hour.”

---

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery sat in the cockpit of her X-wing, the hum of the engines and the faint crackle of the comms filling the small space. She was on her way back to Coruscant after a diplomatic mission in the Mid Rim, her mind half-focused on the starlines of hyperspace streaking past her and half on the reports she needed to review once she landed. It had been a long day, and she was eager to get back to her family and the comforting normalcy of home.

But then it came — a strange tremor in the Force.

Her amber eyes narrowed as her fingers instinctively tightened on the controls. The feeling was faint at first, a ripple in the vast ocean of the Force, but it grew stronger with each passing second. It wasn't the cold, sharp sting of the Dark Side, nor was it the serene flow of peace. It was tension. Potential energy building, like a taut string on the verge of snapping.

Something was about to happen.

Valery straightened in her seat, her senses sharpening as she reached out into the Force, trying to discern the source of the disturbance. It was close — closer than she liked. Her head tilted slightly, as if listening to a distant whisper. Images and emotions flickered at the edges of her perception: a ship hidden in shadows, a predatory patience, and a quiet desperation woven with resolve.

"Not good," she murmured to herself.

Her gaze flicked to the nav computer, which displayed her route back to Coruscant. The next system in her path was unremarkable on paper — a refueling station near the shadow of a moon, a waypoint for small convoys traveling the trade routes. But the Force rarely stirred for no reason, and Valery had learned to trust it without question.

With a flick of her wrist, she adjusted her course, dropping out of hyperspace sooner than planned. The X-wing emerged into realspace with a flash, the stars returning to their familiar positions. Ahead, the refueling station came into view, its modest structure orbiting in the shadow of the moon. A small convoy of ships was just beginning to dock, their movements calm and routine.

For now.

Helen Lupercal ​

 

[Helen Lupercal]

The three ships in the convoy docked, and began the process of refueling. Helen allowed them to start so that they couldn’t be quickly pulled out of the docking clamps, then she made her move. Two ships made themselves known. A smaller one, a Destroyer called the Rascal and the Frigate named the Hellion came around the moon and locked weapons on the station, but didn’t fire. Several mismatched troop transports began making their way to the station from a third ship that followed behind them, a barge simply named The Oreo. The landing of troops on the station would begin very soon, and the Pirates would start taking their prize.

Interestingly enough Val wouldn’t feel anyone dying. Though she would see a few gunfights break out. From this distance it was hard to see. But the Pirates were firing blasters with yellow bolts, a color that was not normally lethal and was often used for training exercises and law enforcement as it would leave its targets stunned for several hours, but not hurt them with anything more than a mild burn. Unpleasant to be sure but not at all fatal.

Helen had hopped into her own fighter, The Songbird, and made her way to join her crew in the assault. The small convoy’s even smaller security teams were poorly prepared for this surprise, especially with so many of them having begun to disembark to await the end of the fueling process by grabbing a bite to eat, leaving them in disarray from the start.

Helen and her crew worked fast. By the time Valery was able to get onto the station the comm units and hyperdrives of each ship were already disabled. And the pirates were beginning to take some of the cargo on board, so that it could be loaded onto the troop transports and The Oreo, so that it could be taken elsewhere.

Helen had already had the bridge crews, captains and chief officers of each vessel and the station be gathered up in one place to be guarded by her and a few others. A total of eighteen people. Displaying to Valery a remarkable level of coordination among renegades and rapscallions. They were almost as good as bounty hunters.

But not as good as Jedi.

---

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery adjusted her flight path the moment the pirates' ships came into view. The Hellion and Rascal flanked the station, their presence imposing, while smaller troop transports swarmed toward the docking ports like a school of predatory fish. Her X-wing's sensors picked up the faint energy signatures of blaster fire — unusual yellow bolts that stunned rather than killed. It was odd, but not enough to make her hesitate.

"Not your typical pirate raid," Valery murmured to herself, her voice steady despite the tension building in her chest.

She guided her X-wing into a docking sequence, her practiced hands moving across the controls with precision. The docking clamps latched onto her ship with a faint hiss, and as the canopy opened, Valery wasted no time in leaping out, her Jedi jumpsuit catching the dim light of the station. Her amber eyes swept across the bay, now partially occupied by pirate transports unloading their crews and loading stolen cargo.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her lightsaber as she moved, her presence in the Force radiating calm control but with an edge of unyielding authority. It wasn't long before she encountered a small squad of pirates corralling a group of the station's personnel. The workers were scared but unharmed, their faces pale but defiant.

"Stop." Valery's voice cut through the clamor like a blade, drawing every set of eyes to her. Her lightsaber remained unlit at her side, but her stance left no doubt that she was ready to act.

"I don't know what game you think you're playing," she continued, her tone sharp and commanding, "But this ends now. Release the crew and stand down before this escalates further."

Valery's gaze didn't waver, her focus unwavering as she waited for their next move.

Helen Lupercal ​

 

[Helen Lupercal]

Valery’s arrival was not altogether unnoticed. The bay she arrived in was clear of any civilian presence, the crew that had been taken captive already having been moved elsewhere, while the cargo was being loaded onto the transports. This was when Valery made her presence known, and ordered the pirates to stand down.

None of them gave her order any thought, half of them, roundabout twenty or so, immediately leveled their weapons at her and began to loose a fusillade of remarkably accurate fire for a group of pirates. The mismatched group of rapscallions showing people from numerous races, though interestingly enough there was a large number of twi-lek among them, and all wore clothing in various states of disrepair. None of them seemed particularly wealthy or lavish. And if she were to take the time to look, most of the cargo they were stealing consisted of foodstuffs, tools and a few other things that weren’t particularly profitable to sell.

While she was faced down by the fire of the twenty, the rest hurried to finish loading the cargo and send the ships off to deliver their haul to The Oreo so that it could be taken off to wherever it was going.

Helen, on her side of the fight, heard over the comms that a Jedi was on board. And she immediately began making her way over to the hangar Valery had landed in. She wasn’t about to let a Jedi endanger her people.

“Kreet.” She instructed one of her crew. “Go to the security station and standby to initiate lockdowns and void the hangar.”

---

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery reacted the moment the pirates raised their weapons, her instincts sharpened by years of battle. With a quick flick of her wrist, her lightsaber ignited, the violet blade springing to life with its signature snap-hiss. The air hummed as she moved, weaving her weapon in precise arcs to deflect the incoming blaster fire. Each bolt that ricocheted off her blade sparked against the walls and floor, sending flashes of light through the chaotic hangar.

Despite the hostility, Valery's sharp amber eyes scanned her surroundings, quickly taking in the situation. The pirates were numerous, well-organized, and their aim was surprisingly accurate for a group of supposed outlaws. More troubling, their cargo choices were odd — foodstuffs and tools instead of the usual high-value items that pirates typically targeted. It painted a picture that didn't quite align with what she expected.

This wasn't a standard raid.

"You're making a mistake," Valery called out over the clamor, her voice steady despite the chaos. She advanced slowly, her saber a blur of motion as it intercepted shot after shot. "You're not going to get away with this, and I don't want to see any more of you hurt."

Her words were firm but carried the calm authority of a Jedi offering a path to resolution. Whether the pirates would heed them remained to be seen.

As the cargo was loaded onto the transports, Valery made a calculated decision. She crouched low and extended her free hand, the Force gathering in a powerful wave. With a burst of energy, she aimed to send several of the transports skidding away from their docking positions, hoping to disrupt the pirates' plans without causing harm to the civilian workers they had taken hostage.

"Stand down!" she shouted again, her voice echoing through the hangar as she pushed forward. But even as she fought, she could sense something else. A presence — focused, determined — was closing in on her. This wasn't over yet.

Helen Lupercal ​

 

[Helen Lupercal]

One of the pirates in question sent another message to his fellows. They had interestingly not taken any civilian workers to haul the cargo for them, and it was all done by the pirates themselves. So there were no civilians in the bay for her to hurt, thankfully.

The cargo ships began to take off, some of the cargo they had intended to steal left behind. If they encountered resistance like this it was better to get out with everyone alive and no haul than to risk losing someone for the cargo. They had gotten plenty already. So a few of the ships were damaged, and they had trouble as they began to take off thanks to Valery’s interference. One or two of them crashing and damaged to the point of being unable to take off. The pirates inside began to bail out, and a few engaging her went to help their comrades as they began to fall into a fighting retreat, half of them laying down fire on her while the other half ran a certain distance then the half that ran laying down fire while the first half began running.

All the while the presence she felt drew closer and closer. Until finally it arrived just as the pirates had reached the exit to the hangar. From the Pirate line a tall, imposing woman stepped out in front and leveled a pistol at her. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, it was just another blaster. But when she fired it above Valery’s head, a warning shot, the prospect of just another blaster in the firing line would vanish.

The pistol kicked backward in her hand with a loud crack that thundered through the hangar. A significantly longer bolt of red plasma shot from the barrel above her head. It wasn’t intended to hit her but rather to give her warning.

Her Hollenbrenner pistol was something to be reckoned with too. Given the power behind that shot it would be unwise to deflect or block any of its shots with a lightsaber. Normal lightsabers might short out on contact. If they didn’t short out it would certainly be very taxing on the arms to take such force. This was a weapon specifically designed to fight lightsaber wielding foes, gifted to her for her assistance by Kallous of the Diarchy. Something she was now very grateful for.

All the while the Pirates poured out of the hangar and into the hallway.

“Kreet close the blast doors for hangar four.” The woman spoke into her communicator, backing off into the hallway, gun leveled at Valery to keep her out while the doors were being closed.

“Stay out of our way Jedi and no one has to get hurt. Get in your Star fighter and leave. In thirty seconds we will evacuate the atmosphere in that hangar. Go back to your temple where you belong and stay there. That’s all your kind are good for.”

---

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Ship: Link
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's amber eyes narrowed as the powerful crack of the warning shot echoed through the hangar. Her gaze followed the shot's trajectory, the scorched metal above her head a stark reminder of the weapon's potency. This was no ordinary pistol, and the woman who wielded it was no ordinary pirate. Every detail, from the controlled retreat to the calculated threat, told Valery that this wasn't a typical ragtag crew of outlaws.

Her lightsaber hummed at her side as the remaining pirates fled through the exit, leaving her in the quickly emptying hangar. The imposing figure's words lingered in the air, and Valery could feel the tension thickening like a storm cloud.

With a flick of her wrist, her lightsaber deactivated, the violet blade retracting into the hilt. She clipped it to her belt, her expression set in steely determination. "You're going to regret threatening innocent lives," she muttered under her breath.

Valery surged forward with a burst of speed, her connection to the Force amplifying her movements. As she crossed the hangar, her focus locked onto the doors. She extended a hand, and the Force rippled outward, catching the edge of the closing blast doors. Gritting her teeth, she pulled, the immense resistance testing even her considerable strength in the Force. The doors slowed briefly but didn't stop entirely.

Sweat glistened on her brow as she made a split-second decision. Using the last moment before the doors fully closed, she tapped into the Force and phased, allowing her to pass right through the metal door. The imposing woman stood at the far end, her weapon still leveled, its crimson glow an ominous threat. Behind her, the pirates were retreating deeper into the station, hauling what cargo they could manage. Valery's voice cut through the tense silence, clear and unwavering, as she suddenly appeared before them again.

"You don't scare me," she said, her lightsaber casting a violet glow across her determined features as it ignited once more. "And you're not leaving with that cargo."

The Force swirled around her, charged with her resolve. Valery didn't know exactly who she was facing, but she wasn't about to let them succeed without a fight.

Helen Lupercal ​

 

[Helen Lupercal]

The pirates certainly looked the part of a ragtag group of outlaws. Their weapons weren’t even uniform, being of various make and model. Varied species, varied clothes, varied everything, they certainly seemed like they would be pirates. But they had clearly received some formal training of some sort, they behaved like professional soldiers when faced with an enemy.

And their retreat was far more orderly than it should have been for pirates. Definitely not what they seemed to be.

Helen watched as the Jedi appeared behind her again and sighed. She reached up with her free hand and tapped her earpiece, and with a voice loud enough for Valery to hear she said, “Rupture the fuel containers and overclock the power grid. I want this place up in flames in three minutes. Everyone get to your transports and evacuate. OREO, prepare to jump as soon as your crew has boarded. All other vessels prepare the same. If I’m still on the station leave.”

Then she turned her earpiece off, and addressed the Jedi. “I don’t care if I scare you. And I don’t care if you stand in my way. We will be taking that cargo back with us. And as it stands you have three minutes before this entire station self destructs with everyone inside. You have a choice, you can try to stop us or you can save the station and its people. Your call.”

She didn’t go to shoot the Jedi, and Valery would easily be able to tell that Helen didn’t particularly like holding anyone hostage. But when faced with a Jedi, especially one as powerful as she seemed to be, she knew that the nuclear option was the only one that would work.

Helen was holding her breath, hoping that this Jedi would just go and deal with the power grid. That way no one had to get hurt and her crew would get what they came for.

They stood facing each other, weapons ready and at a stalemate until Valery made her decision.

---

Valery Noble