Private Times of Peace?

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Do you think they'd let us run out of air if they still have saboteurs on board?" She asked, clearly a bit worried that they would actually kill their own people just to take everybody out on this ship. Unless the infiltrators had their own air supply, or a way to get off the ship before it was too late, of course. Either way, the incoming Sith vessels were more than likely going to intercept them long before they ran out of air, and that surely meant trouble.

"If that's the case, I doubt they actually want to destroy this ship. Maybe they're just wanting to kill the crew and take it over, to access Alliance systems and files." Of course it was still possible they just wanted to blow everything apart, but it mattered little. In both situations, everybody was going to get killed.

"Good point, let's get them." Valery sighed softly and climbed down to the right deck with him. Much like the bridge, it was dark, with only a few emergency lights offering a way through the darkness. But at the very end of the hallway were the closed blast doors of the engineering room, with the crew and saboteurs all inside.

"I could shatter the door?" She asked, referring to her skills with shatterpoint. "Or should we try a more stealthy entry? There will be friendly crew inside there too."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Calmer might be better. It is our ship, and we don't know who's an enemy and who's an ally. Last thing we want to do is hurt someone we shouldn't."

While it did sound awesome, yeah, safety of the crew was still the priority. He nodded once to the door, chuckling after a moment. Of the two of them, Valery was certainly the more subtle. He crouched a bit, one hand on his lightsaber.

"I'll follow your lead."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Fine," she said, jokingly disappointed that she couldn't break down the entire door and go in like a true Noble. "You're right, though. We should be careful," she added with a smirk, before she quietly walked along the door and gave it some thought. When brute force couldn't work, she still had her skills as a Jedi Shadow to rely on.

It already gave her an idea.

"Stay here, I'm going in and will open the door from the other side after I take a look around." Valery winked, blew a kiss and then vanished in the Force. She knew that even if she was invisible, he'd know exactly where she was, so she walked forward and phased her way through the door to take a look inside. But as she did, and before she could open the blast doors, Kahlil would hear his comms.

With the sound of blaster fire in the background, he'd hear the Captain's voice.

<...Jedi...intruders...bridge.>

 

[Kahlil Noble]

<Seems there's trouble on the bridge too. Think you can handle this?>

She could. He knew that much. Which is why he already disappeared. One of the runes he'd recently created, he made sure to leave one on the bridge as they left. Barely a second, and he was there on the bridge, his saber snapping to life as he looked for whatever threat was currently lingering on the bridge.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

<Wait->

And he was gone, leaving her alone inside an engineering bay full of friendly crew members, but armed saboteurs as well. She could handle it though, and she knew he could easily handle the bridge on his own as well. What worried her most was the possibility that even more of them would show up in other parts of the ship, making it increasingly more difficult to address them all.

But they would find a way, as they always did together.

<I've got this, love.>

With that, Kahlil appeared inside the bridge, with several crew members dead by his feet already. A firefight was ongoing, with both sides wearing Alliance uniforms. At one side, the Captain was hiding behind a console, her face bloodied but she looked fine otherwise. "Master Jedi!" One of the defenders called out. "They are among the crew!" He added, and as he did, several turned to Kahlil and opened fire.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

<Oh I know. Or I wouldn't have left.>

Kahlil hid back the grin as he faced down the assaulting force on the bridge. Within an instant he brought out his saber and ignited it's blade. Well, 'ignited.' The cool blue of the Entropite crystal within activated as he stepped forward to meet those firing at him. His blade passed through their shots with ease, absorbing the energy rather than deflecting. And as he passed the blade through, he knocked them out, rather than kill them.

"Stay in cover! I'll handle them."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery didn't hide her brief grin after she heard his voice inside her mind again. They both knew each other's strengths better than anybody else, so there was no worry or tension about this situation. They'd each handle their part, and only the chance of more saboteurs showing themselves remained an actual issue.

Well, that and the approaching Sith vessels.

Inside the engineering room, Valery stepped out of her cloak only after she had separated friend from foe, and picked out her targets. So the very second she appeared, saboteurs began to hit the deck. None of the first she targeted were killed, but as soon as a firefight broke out, some were shot and killed by other crew members.

Meanwhile, Kahlil fought his way through the saboteurs without too many problems. They had clearly been prepared for this attack, but it's unlikely they had expected two Jedi to be on board to stop them. Their shots were absorbed, their numbers dwindled, and soon the bridge was cleared, leaving behind a Jedi Master, a lot of unconscious people, and some wounded bridge crew.

"We have to shut down the ship and get power-" the Captain was interrupted as a huge explosion caused the ship to vibrate heavily. She turned to one of her crew members, and didn't need to ask before she got an answer. "Explosion came from the engineering deck," he said, now with a worried look towards Kahlil.

But of course, he could tell Valery was unharmed.

"Getting power up might be an issue, and enemy interceptors will be reaching us soon."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Well that's certainly a problem."

Kahlil hummed in thought, glancing out the window towards the incoming ships. The explosion was alarming, but no more than a normal explosion would be. Valery was fine, so that meant she was handling it.

But what to do about the interceptors? He stepped about to find a spot in the room before sitting down, closing his eyes. "Keep the bridge secure for me, I'll keep the ship safe while Valery figures out how to get it running again." Then, he did what he did best. The Force moved under his guidance, filling the room with his various runes to form the sequence he needed. A bubble around the ship, to keep it sealed and protected from the enemy ships.

For now, that's all he'd do. Focus on being the Shield.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Sith shuttle is boarding us, Captain!" Another crew member called out, before Kahlil stepped in and acted as shield for the AVS Tython while Valery was still down there, not communicating but working on a way to get power back up. Her efforts were easy enough for him to understand, but the bridge crew was mostly in the dark, and certainly on edge.

Then, the first wave of Sith ships began their attack-runs, and Kahlil would notice that they weren't interested in ripping apart the hull. Their shots eere all precisely aimed at critical systems, such as Weapons, shields and life-support.

They wanted to neutralize it, not destroy it.

"Captain, should we abandon ship?" One asked, having no idea how long the Jedi Master could hope to shield such a large ship. "They're on board and out there, and we're just sitting ducks."

"If we abandon ship, we'll be captured or killed," the Captain countered with a sigh. But she was starting to consider surrender at this point, and that hesitation became a ripple the Jedi could feel as well.

<Love, I'm inside the generator,> Valery said, already completely dirty and covered in sweat from being down there. <I think a Sith has entered the ship though. He might be heading for me.>

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil let out a sigh as he stayed where he was, focused on maintaining the shield. Even the enemies blasts couldn't get through, but if he stopped even for a moment, they'd start ripping the ship apart. This wasn't a problem he could solve in the slightest. At least on his own.

"The ship is safe for now. They will kill anyone who tries to flee. Honestly, I expected more of you. Master Valery is handling the engine, and you talk of fleeing because some Sith got on board?"

He opened his eyes, briefly.

"I fear we won't survive the coming war if this is all it takes to have you run. Hold the bridge. If I can't keep this barrier up, we all die."

<If he is, handle him. I'm trying to get those who remain to stop panicking. It always surprises me how quick people can be to run.>

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Aren't Jedi supposed to know when it's not a good idea to fight?" The man snapped back at the Jedi Master, but Izah wasn't having it anymore, and raised her hand to get her crew to stand down. "Master Noble is right, we'll die if we surrender or abandon ship. So if we are to die, I'd rather put up a fight and go down with the ship."

She then looked at Kahlil, her eyes perhaps showing a trace of emotion for the first time today. A shimmer of hope that relied so heavily on him and Valery. "I don't know how much longer you can hold them back, but until power is back, our lives are in your hands, Master Jedi." And the Sith were going to put it to the test.

Their fire was condensed on specific targets, and increasing in intensity with each passing moment. But down below in the engineering deck, another fight was starting as well. <Yeah, please keep them there. I'd rather not be left behind here,> Valery said with a sigh, before she returned to her work. A long moment of silence continued - one that likely felt much longer given the circumstances.

But after a minute or two, power on the bridge came back online with a roar.

"Captain! We still have no engine power, but shields and weapons are online! We can fight back."

Izah nodded, "Give them everything we got," she told him before turning to Kahlil. "It seems your wife and the mechanics have opted to restore what we needed most first. Maybe you wish to go down there and assist them with the intruders that managed to slip in?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Captain! We still have no engine power, but shields and weapons are online! We can fight back."

Kahlil let out a breath and relaxed. The barrier he'd made faded, leaving it to the ship's own defenses. Then he stood, casting a glance towards the Captain. He gave her a simple nod before looking back to the double doors to the bridge.

"The Sword is fine. She'll protect your people and keep the Sith from any further sabotage. And they know it." As he spoke, he could see the flash of red as a saber plunged into the steel of the locked doors. He stepped forward, raising a hand. Runes scattered behind him, creating a smaller version of the barrier he'd made prior to cut him off from the rest of the bridge, then reached down to ignite is blade in a flash of green.

"The bridge is their target, as well as any other important systems. Get your forces to secure them. I'll keep the Sith here from taking the bridge."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"You have a lot of faith in her," The Captain said, her own tone betraying some hesitancy. It's not that she didn't trust Kahlil to know his own wife, but knowing a Sith was down in her engineering bay made her want to send just about every capable fighter to kill him, and Kahlil was one of them. As another red blade punctured into the durasteel doors of the bridge, however, she quickly changed her mind.

"Alright, we'll-"

The sound of a blaster bolt cut the Captain off, and with a huff of air escaping her lips, she crumbled to the ground. She was still alive, just stunned by the round that was fired by the helmsman — the man who had urged them to abandon ship earlier. Another crew member quickly reached for their pistol, but was also stunned before they could stop him. Clearly, his skills with a blaster exposed some deeper training than the ordinary bridge crew would get.

"I'm afraid they won't be secured, Master Jedi," He said, his pistol by his side for now, ready to be aimed at Kahlil, who had created a barrier to separate himself from the rest. The Sith was still trying to force his way inside, thereby trapping the Jedi Master between the helmsman and himself.

"From here, I sadly can't lower shields and weapons," he continued, hinting at Kahlil and the way he had secured the bridge. "But I can make sure your wife won't make it back, if you don't surrender." Valery, at this point, was still down below, unharmed and working at restoring the rest of the ship while she dealt with intruders. But his words were filled with venom, and Kahlil could feel that through the Force.

"Maybe I could gas the engineering deck, or vent them out into space," he said with a grin.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"If you were wise,"

Kahlil didn't turn. He didn't have to. Instead, the Force reacted to his will. A crushing amount of gravity erupted around the man as he spoke his venom. If he died, he died, but Kahlil wasn't going to take the chance as he'd force him flat against the ground. Instead, he kept his focus ahead on the Sith trying to carve their way into the bridge. He lifted his saber, holding it in the typical Soresu stance.

"You would've started venting the air. Your threat is meaningless when I can stop you without even looking your way. I thought Sith were smarter. Captain, on your feet. Secure him." He moved his hand as a different rune formed atop her body, where she was shot. It'd seal the wound, undo the damage. Rewind time, as it were, though it wouldn't do much for the pain or blood loss.

"We'll get through this."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"If you were wise,"

The man's hand twitched into motion, but before he could pull a weapon or activate anything, he was flattened against the ground. His nose broke on impact, staining the metal flooring red with his blood, but he survived the fall. He wasn't going to get up and do anything anymore, but captured alive, he could potentially be valuable to the Alliance. So with his rune healing up the Captain, Izah climbed up to her feet and let out a soft sigh.

"I apologize for doubting you and your wife's capabilities, Master Jedi," she said, her tone as professional as before. The Twi'lek then straightened out her tunic, grabbed her own pistol and stared down at the one who had betrayed her.

"You missed," she told him, before a stun round knocked him out entirely. Izah then dipped her head to Kahlil, helped the others up, and quickly moved away to leave the Sith to him. Seconds later, the huge Trandoshan Sith Lord burst through the doors, his blade drawn and his tongue hissing at the Jedi.

"It seemsss, that I get to kill the Shield today."

Despite an obviously defensive stance from Kahlil, the giant Trandoshan lunged forward with his blade drawn up high, hoping to capitalize on immense natural and Force-augmented strength to bash his way through Kahlil's defenses. At the same time, down in the engineering deck, Kahlil could feel that Valery's battle had begun too.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"You don't."

Kahlil didn't move from where he was as the Trandoshan Sith charged forward. There was no need to. Just as the man would reach him the ground would light up with another rune before the whole of the section he'd cut off.

"Sith need to stop underestimating me."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

With her top tied around her waist, her body and clothes covered in grease stains, and her skin glistening from a layer of sweat, Valery stepped through the bridge doors that had been cut down, only to find that the battle was already over. She sighed, wiped some black stain from her cheek, and looked over at her husband with a smirk.

"I know, love," she said, having overheard him through their bond. "I wish I had been able to help though. They sent an Apprentice after me. Can you believe that?" She huffed, looked down, and realized that she wasn't exactly dressed very appropriately for Jedi duty anymore.

But it was just the two of them.

"...it was very hot down in that generator, alright." Valery chuckled and began to wrestle her way back into her top. "Power should be back up, so as long as everything else is secured, we can get this thing moving again."

She paused, "Everything okay up here?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

".. So far, yes. There was another traitor in the ranks, and I'm sure it won't be the last. But for now things are stable. We'll have to get people out of here though. Hyperdrive operational?"

If he was affected by the way she was dressed, he certainly didn't let it known. At least visibly. Through their bond there was all manner of his thoughts clear for her to listen to. His gaze shifted back towards the bridge, where he raised a hand to pull down the barrier he'd made.

"Captain, get us out of here if you don't mind. We need to inspect the ranks before we can try this again."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

AVS Tython

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Of course it is." Valery flickered her hair like it was the most normal thing in the world for her of all people to repair anything. "The mechanics fixed that part." She smirked and briefly looked him in the eyes, as she felt thoughts through his bond. It made her look forward to coming home already to do all kinds of things.

A thought that she shared with him through their bond.

Valery then made sure her top was back on, not because she was getting cold, but because this view was only meant for his eyes. They still had a job to do, so she had to be serious again as the barrier lowered and the Captain appeared. "We're jumping to Alliance Space, and I'll be putting the entire ship on lockdown," she said, her eyes shifting between Kahlil and a grease covered Valery.

"Thank you both for what you've done already. But... you don't happen to be able to find any other infiltrators in our ranks somehow? Even if it's a slow process, you may stay on board and use a guest room if you want to clean up a bit first." Valery perked a brow, knowing she was referring to the way she looked at the moment.

"Well, what do you think, love? Should we get involved in this, or leave it to the Navy?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"We will help where we can, Captain. But we are not Inquisitors. Finding those hiding among your ranks is not an easy task, and whatever help you might think the Jedi would be would involve digging into peoples minds. It's a cruel process."

And one Kahlil did not want to do. If a threat arose, they would be there to meet it, but the proactive side of rooting out traitors would put too many loyal soldiers and volunteers in harms way. Alerting the people to it as well would only push the traitors to act while they still could.

There was no easy path, but there were ones that involved less harm.

"You can count on us to at least keep this vessel safe."

Valery Noble