Private Two Sides of the Same Coin

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

The planet of Aruza lay nestled between Confederate and Alliance space. It was an unspoken neutral zone of sorts, which often left the planet to fend for itself when it came to matters of security. The people seemed to prefer it that way, given their long standing history of non-violence, but as those who took that position often discovered, violence still came.

His name was nothing of great importance. Like many of his persuasion it had long been abandoned for the moniker of Darth Anon. Gerwald would never understand the allure of it, despite having rolled a few options around his tongue for the day he may find it necessary. For now, Gerwald Lechner was just fine. The evils and assumptions of the title or mantle of Darth did not cling to him in this manner.

The wolf did not typically monitor the frequencies which surrounded the borders of Confederate space, but with the recent troubles which had been mounting for the Knights themselves, Gerwald needed to know what was happening beyond the space they occupied. It was the reason he found himself bound for the planet Darth Anon had decided to settle on.

A report that would have likely been overlooked was one Gerwald had to give attention to. Any Sith that would attempt to set up some kind of holdings between CIS and Alliance territoy was either bold, stupid, or a credible threat. The Lupine had learned long ago that it was unwise to judge rash behavior as a sign of stupidity. He had been deceived enough to know that rash behavior could often be born from confidence. Just because it was not how he chose to operate did not mean others were the same.

The ship landed in a forest outside the main city, far enough to keep his intentions from the people that would disapprove of the methods he would employ. A crisp scent struck his senses tugging at the wolf within. Perhaps he would run later, after he accomplished what he came to do. Even the wolf might find the satisfaction of tearing into a good amount of flesh as well. One could only hope.

Two lightsabers and his hammer were the only weapons the Lord Commander carried. He did not plan on engaging the enemy unless necessary. A lone wolf could only do so much after all. From the distance it seemed there were only a few sentries posted, likely easy enough for Gerwald to work around. Reaching out with the force, however, told a different story. This Darth Anon had set up an academy of sorts. There were several force sensitives inside the building, and a strong signature at the center, no doubt the Sith himself.

“Chit, I should have brought back up,” Gerwald cursed.

It was late to call for any, so the wolf had a choice. He could leave and bring his squires with him, or the wolf could press ahead. The choice was not a hard one at all.

With a scream, Gerwald charged ahead, immediately gaining the attention of the sentries guarding the entrance. This was going to be fun.
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

Aruza,​

​

The last time she set foot on its surface was shortly after she caused one of the Maw's Knights of Ren to crash there. She had picked the planet almost at random, but the pacifistic nature of its inhabitants made the hunt for the Dark Sider much easier. This, however, was likely also why it attracted those who sought to oppress and grow their power - there was very little resistance if any from the people living here, so any opposition had to come from beyond the planet. ​

​

This time, darkness had traveled to the planet in the form of Darth Anon, a Sith who had been on Valery's radar for some time now as he attempted to grow his influence in more neutral territory. But before making a move against any target, the woman always spent much time doing research, to make sure she understood her target well enough to complete her mission. Now that she had tracked him down to Aruza, the time had finally come to strike.​

​

After traveling there with her stealthy ship, she made a landing outside the capital city, and far away enough from her objective to remain undetected. As a Jedi Shadow, her goal was to complete her mission without being noticed, so she took great care in her approach and immediately obscured her presence in the Force on arrival - she was hunting a Sith, after all. But once she drew closer to his compound, her stealthiness extended far beyond her signature in the Force; she now fully cloaked herself and began her approach unnoticed.​

​

From a distance, she could tell that they had defenses in place - it seemed they were expecting trouble and were prepared for it. But she was almost entirely certain that they weren't going to be able to spot her, so it hardly mattered to her. She was going to approach in Cloak, make her way through the perimeter and strike her target before exfiltrating again. By the time the others had noticed, she would already be gone, hidden in the Shadows. This operation would be like many other missions of the past that she had successfully completed.​

​

Or so she thought.​

​

It began with a loud scream that caused Valery to stop her approach. She looked around and noticed the sentries being alarmed by something or rather, someone - from a distance, a large man stormed towards the guards, clearly confident in his abilities to take them down. It was a bold strategy, and one she'd perhaps admire in other circumstances. But right now? He had likely alarmed the people in the building so much that she couldn't just sneak in and go for the kill.​

​

"Great, there goes that plan."​

​

With a bit of grumbling, Valery accelerated and moved towards the sentries from the flank, still hidden in her cloak. But when she got close enough and Gerwald Lechner was about to strike the first line of guards, she stepped out of her invisibility, leaving only a trail of smoke behind her as two violet blades sprung to life in her hands. ​

​

"Direct approach it is." the woman muttered, as she was about to jump into combat as well.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

The wolf did not wait for the guards to react. His scream certainly grabbed their attention, but it would not keep it for long. Gerwald had a small window of time before the sentries would succeed in alerting the interior of his arrival. His strong legs propelled him forward into the air. Reaching out over his head as though he was going to strike, Strømafbryder flew to his hand. As the beast of a man came down from his leap, the hammer fell onto the first guard with a sickening crunch that echoed through the forest.

Quickly Gerwald turned and launched the hammer at the next target. He did not wait to see if the hammer hit its mark before calling one his sabers to hand. The blade crackled to life with a snap and was immediately plunged into the heart of a third opponent. The free hand of the wolf jetted out, calling the hammer back to him. Three targets, three dead bodies now lay on the ground.

There had not been time to acknowledge the company which the lupine had missed earlier. Two blades, violet in color, found their marks as well, and when the pair had finished dispatching those meant to guard the entrance, Gerwald gave the woman a curt nod.

“I wasn’t aware the Alliance was hunting Anon as well,” his baritone commented as he stepped closer to the woman.

It was an assumption on his part, but Gerwald knew all the Knights under his command. They had been decimated to a small enough number that the wolf could easily place faces with names. This one was not known to him, and with the proximity to Galactic Alliance space logic dictated she was doing their bidding.

“He is secure inside, and from what I have been able to gather, this is an academy of some sorts as well. These sentries are likely the easiest of the obstacles between us and Anon himself.”

Perhaps he was too free with the information, but Gerwald wanted to see what the woman would do with it. There was a ferocity to her, something hidden beneath the surface, which made the wolf curious about her. The light side of the force radiated from her, yet she seemed to have no issue with doing what needed to be done. It was not the time to converse about their respective philosophies, but Gerwald was certain they would be tested soon.

His blade withdrew, and the hammer returned to its place on his belt. Blue eyes turned to survey the fortress. The front door was too obvious of an entrance, perhaps so obvious it made the most sense to just walk through it. Gerwald had a partner in this endeavor now, it seemed, so he would defer to her opinion before bursting ahead. His tactics would have to change now that he was not alone.

“Prefer to walk through the front, or find another way in?”
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

Valery closed in on her targets with immense speed, augmented by the Force to where she appeared like a purple bolt coursing through the air, shifting between targets in rapid zigzag patterns. Each time she passed by one, they fell shortly after with holes and cuts from her weapon's plasma in their armor and body. There was nothing overly brutal about the way she took their lives, but she was certainly quick and efficient.​

​

After the third one fell, the woman came to a stop and turned her orange eyes to the tall man who had taken out the other three of the Sentries. She studied him for a moment with a more intense gaze before she seemed to deem him an ally for now. Following a last glance to make sure no guards remained, Valery then disengaged her lightsabers and clipped them to her belt.​

​

"Good, you're not supposed to be aware," she said with a slight smirk as he approached.​

​

"But good deduction skills - I suppose that means you're CIS. Can't say I've worked with your people before, but we seem to share a common goal here. In this case, enough reason for me to work together here." she briefly glanced over at the building and took note of its appearance and defenses.​

​

"As for tactics, I opted for a stealthy approach but your entrance did change that a bit." she flashed him another smirk. "Now, I believe we have two options. Either we both press through the front door together and take them head-on, or you go through the front door while I use my skills to flank or get behind them."​

​

"Depends on how comfortable you are going through the front door alone. I can be close if you prefer that, or I can add an element of surprise."​

​

"Either way, you can lead the way. So it's your call," she said as she studied him for a moment. After seeing him use a hammer for a weapon, and with his stature, she figured he'd be solid on the front to smash through the front door. His connection to the Force was strong as well, but there was something about it she couldn't quite place.​

​

She had heard about Force users from the CIS before, and how some used the Dark Side. It seemed likely that this was going to be her first encounter with one and while she'd normally not place her trust in someone tainted by the Dark Side, she had a different target today. ​

​

So for now, she'd do her best to fight alongside the tall man.​

​

"Oh before I forget, I don't think I caught your name? I'm Master Valery Noble."​

​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

Feisty? Gerwald could sense a little spunk in the woman. Her retort came easily and without much thought. Stealth was her way, which the wolf could respect. He was a hunter and a warrior, willing to employ all kinds of methods. If he were not so large stealth would be more of an option. Still, he would not rule it out especially now that he had a partner.

"No, it is not often I have worked outside the Confederacy. Though our nations are allies, the politics of your leaders keep me at bay."

It was a true statement from Gerwald's point of view. While he had met some of the key players across the Galaxy, none seemed harbor as much resentment for the Confederacy as the Galactic Alliance, deciliter their alliance. The Lupine never understood it and feared the day the nations would come to blows. It was inevitable, after all, as their politicians frequently raised, Isley Verd was Sith.

He looked to the top once more. A slight smirk tugged at his lips. Was he comfortable going through the door alone? Gerwald did not answer, not at first. Steady steps carried the lupine to the door. A finger set on the material, eyes closed. A ripple of force energy flowed, tainted with darkness. In a moment the door dissolved, the weakness found, shattered by the power the wolf commanded.

"I'll huff and I'll puff… you can flank the guards while I distract."

Gerwald ignited his weapons, the two sabers he carried. One as black as night and the other as bright as the summer sun. He was light and dark at once. Would this Jedi know what to make of him?

"Gerwald Lechner. Lord Commander of the Knights Obsidian. If I find him first, I am not arresting him."

The warning was for her courtesy. She needed to know what his intent was. If she had an issue with it then her window to walk away was now. Gerwald did not wait for an answer. His weapons were ready, and his moment of opportunity was closing. With the force pressed to his legs, he sped into the main hall. The screams of those he killed were the only sounds emerging from within.
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

His statement regarding the distrust for the GA's political leaders was something she could relate to, albeit a lack of trust towards the CIS in her case. Mostly due to the Sith involvement and, in her opinion, reckless tapping into the Dark Side by some affiliated with the nation. But it wasn't enough to dissuade her from working together with the man in front of her. With the building alerted, she could use his skills to get to her target.​

​

She looked forward to seeing him in action more, and to ending this threat with him.​

​

Valery then watched as he used a rather familiar skill to dispose of the door that had kept them locked out thus far. She smirked and offered a final nod of her head before she turned to prepare her own way inside. While she could tear apart the bonds that kept the metal walls intact as well, her plan was a more stealthy approach. This was not the time to be the frontline warrior, even though she could - she wanted to operate from the Shadows.​

​

"See you on the other side." Valery then said with a gentle smirk, but before he left, she heard him speak again. Looking over her shoulder, she briefly studied him and his weapons, taking note of the Dark that radiated from him. Perhaps she would have commented on it in other circumstances, but now they had a mission to focus on. So before he stepped away, she grinned and responded.​

​

"Master Valery Noble, and I did not come here to take a prisoner today."​

​

Whether her response would be strange or not to him remained to be seen - most Jedi weren't the types to be more offensive, and go in with the intent to take a life. But to a Jedi Shadow, hunting down and destroying the Dark Side was a very normal thing, so none of this was out of the ordinary to the woman. ​

​

Either way, there would be no further communication, as she once again stepped into her Cloak, and made her way around the perimeter of the building. Using her senses, she could feel him moving through the facility - he was hard to miss. But she also felt the guards and their fear as the Wolf attacked. To her, it was simply another signal she used to track their movements with extreme precision, which wasn't hard to do at this range, and with the intensity of what was happening.​

​

When she finally found the right spot, she stepped up towards the wall and channeled the Force to alter the bonds between herself and the environment. Almost like a ghost, she walked over and phased her way through the walls, and came out on the other side, behind a group of guards who had their weapons raised towards the incoming Lord Commander.​

​

They stood ready to fire.​

​

Valery saw Gerald incoming and flashed a brief smirk before her twin blades ignited and her focus shifted to the group of guards, her gaze far more serious again. A few quick, purple flashes later and the guards all hit the ground, removed from existence without any pain or suffering. This was the hardest part of her duties - to kill those not tainted by the Dark Side. But there was sadly no other way.​

​

"There are more up ahead," Valery said as Gerald would join her again.​

​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

For a Jedi, Noble sure did not act like one. Gerwald expected a lecture on the sanctity of life, and how he should seek to arrest the dark sider and not kill. It was further evidence to the wolf that neither the dark or light was right. Both toon life as if it was their prerogative when it best suited them. In that sense Gerwald regarded either side of the force as the same. Neither were morally superior to the other, and many innocent lives had been killed in the conflicts to prove which was right.

Neither were.

If her answer phased the warrior it did not show. A simple nod indicated he understood what she had meant before charging ahead. The guards inside did not see Gerwald coming. Blitzing between them, the Knight cut them down one by one until he reached the point where Valery entered, or phased.

“Interesting,” the wolf said aloud as the guards looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Valery smiled at him, a playful smirk, knowingly. He had become her distraction. Feeling a little playful, Gerwald let his blades fall. Looking the combatants in the eye, he pointed, indicating that they should look behind them. Naturally it would be too late as the brunette would cut them down with ease. It was fun working with a partner, yet doing so also reminded the wolf of those he’d gotten close to which were no longer alive or around. What joy he derived soon faded.

It was not just his sorrow in the moment, but the Jedi seemed to allow her feelings to betray her in the moment. It was a sadness Gerwald could share. He was loathe to see the innocent perish, and knowing that it was the price of war did not soothe the wound. The Maw had taken it further, using innocents, slaves, as human shields to prevent the Confederacy from completing their objectives on Rhand.

The moment passed as quickly as it came. There were more enemy combatants to kill, and despite their perceived innocence the pair would cut them down swiftly.

Blades composed a symphony of eclectic hums and clashes as the pair danced about each other. It should not have come as a surprise to Gerwald that two masters of the force would be able to move around each other as though they had been working together for years. With the force as their guide it seemed they knew where the other was at all times. The enemies that Gerwald did not cut down, Valery did. Their blades did not stop singing until the final body fell to the floor, the thud bringing their composition to its final beat.

The Lord Commander closed his eyes as he placed his hand on the door in front of them. Stretching out with the force, the wolf canted his head from left to right, counting the number gathered behind the door. His pause would make it seem as though there was a significant number, but that was not what caused the lupine to frown.

“Tarentatek, two of them.”

His blue gaze turned to the sunset orbs of his partner. He had led the way on the last attack, this time it was up to her. Regardless they would not pass the door without alerting the beasts, and considering their prey, they already knew the two masters were just on the other side of the doorway.

“We doing this my way or you way this time?
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

For a moment, Valery revealed the more pleasant side of herself when he playfully drew the attention of the guards. But as quickly as the smile formed, it also faded when her blades ignited and bodies began to strike the floor. There was no joy in killing, even when it came to Sith and other Dark Siders. ​

​

As a Jedi, she was taught to honor life so the act of killing disturbed the Force from her perspective. But killing Dark Siders or taking a life to save others would ultimately help bring balance, as long as one did not lose themselves in the act. For this reason, she was committed to the path of a Shadow, but always in a professional way. None of this was personal or fueled by emotions.​

​

Once the group of guards was taken out, she teamed up with Gerwald again, and the two continued through the facility with extreme efficiency. It was almost scary to see how in tune the two were in combat - something only true Masters of the Force and their weapons were able to achieve. And even though Valery never intentionally used fear as a weapon, the guards who were sent to deal with the two intruders had despair struck deep into their hearts. ​

​

They were an unstoppable force to these thugs.​

​

Eventually, though, the guards had been taken out, and Valery paused with her posture straightened. She let out a soft breath and raised a hand up through her long bangs, tucking aside some strands and placing them behind her ear. Her reflective orange eyes then turned to Gerwald, and she'd nod in appreciation of the teamwork.​

​

"Two of them?" she frowned but let out a sigh after a moment, as she stepped towards him and the door.​

​

"Let's do this your way. With Terentatek, we should stay together and benefit from combined strength and coordination. I'll take point and knock." the woman said before she stepped past him, and walked over to the door, a slight smirk on her features. H put her in charge, so she was going to take point with confidence in her demeanor.​

​

Then with a light tap against the door, sudden large cracks began to form as the Force struck the metallic structure, and tore it apart through its inherent flaws. The door crumbled and with a hilt in each hand, the brunette walked into the large open hall with the two beasts. She figured this room was created to keep out people like her, but she planned to go right through them.​

​

"Ready?"​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

His way.

Gerwald nodded, understanding what Valery was saying. They needed to hit these beasts hard and fast if they were going to have a good chance at success. The wolf had fought with one hos squires before to kill something much larger, but in this case two added a variable they would have to account for. They had to know the location of each beast.

For a moment Gerwald was certain the woman was flirting with him, how she used the same skill, the smirk, added playfulness, but this was not the time for such errant musings. A curt nod suggested he was ready, the hammer at his side flying to his hand. Even though the Sith creatures were armored, Gerwald knew the force of his weapon had a chance to render one of the beasts unconscious. The moment the door fell, his hammer was released to find its mark.

Legs pressed forward as his blades cut through the air. If Valery would go low and take out the legs, the lupine would be able to follow up with a killing blow. It was a logical move that the first beast would not see coming. Regardless of how correct Gerwald's assumption was, the beast fell quickly leaving the second.

Gerwald did not see it coming. Suddenly he felt the collision as the second charged him, angry from the hammer strike. The wolf hit the wall, the beast still pressing forward. Valery would have to move fast, or the wolf would be pinned against the wall.

He could help. A flick of his wrist saw the hammer return, the lupine hoping it would hit the creature in the back of its head.
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

Seeing the nod that showed his readiness, Valery moved into the room. Still highly in tune with the Lord Commander, she augmented herself and dashed after the hammer he threw towards one of the beasts. So only a split-second after the weapon struck the beast's head with incredible power, the woman was up-close with her target and ready to deliver a punishing blow.​

​

She knew Terentateks often had incredibly resilient skin, but there were always weaknesses to find and exploit, and she was very capable at finding them both with her orange eyes, as well as the Force. So as she approached its legs, she transitioned into a whirlwind with bother her violet blades spinning to cut at its legs.​

​

Loud shrieks of pain followed, and the beast began to crumble to the ground. Feeling her fighting partner approach to finish the beast, she jumped away and watched his blade deliver the final blow to kill it. One down, one to go - everything was going as planned thus far.​

​

But as she looked for the other beast, she watched it rapidly approach Gerwald from the corner of her eye. Its speed was surprising and she felt a jolt of danger echo through her body.​

​

"Watch out!" she tried to call out, but it was too late.​

​

The beast collided with the tall man, and knocked him into the wall - that looked like it was going to hurt. But the creature wasn't done yet, and moved to pin Gerwald against the wall, which considering the spikes on its head, was going to be bad. The hammer he had used to knock the other out was coming back around as well, but it was likely not going to make it in time.​

​

So using an incredible amount of strength, Valery channeled the Force and extended her arms towards the Terentatek to telekinetically grip it. Instantly, she felt the muscles in her legs, stomach and arms tense up, and she'd grit her teeth as she forced it to stop. ​

​

This allowed the hammer to catch up quickly, and it would strike the back of the monster's head with immense force, knocking it forward as Valery released her grip. Her hopes were that Gerwald now had enough time to follow-up, and she'd be charging in from behind to help kill it if necessary.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

H U N T​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Valery Noble

There was a certain amount of concern in Valey's voice when she warned the wolf of the impending attack. It was late, but at least there was a sense of care for the partner in battle. Gerwald appreciated that the woman did not discard him for his use of the dark side. Certainly she had felt the darkness which he had embraced radiate from him. Maybe he was truly neutral enough that she had not noticed yet. One thing was true however, Gerwald was no Jedi.

He was something more.

Much more.

Her effort to slow the beast had been enough to allow the hammer to do what Gerwald had intended it to do. The strike made the creature angry, but had bought Gerwald enough time to respond. Despite the fact the monster was covered in armor plates, it had weaknesses. The lupine knew where they were, and he would take advantage of them.

Gerwald was angry. Angry at himself for allowing the attack, and angry at the beast for nearly killing him. Darkness swirled around him as Gerwald gave into that anger. Bones began to crack and pop as the warrior launched himself off the wall. He leapt into the air as he pounced. Where the man had been, a wolf now flew at the beast, teeth tearing into the soft portions of the dark spawn. He tore at it, growling as he killed the creature. When the deed was finished Gerwald was human once again, blood dripping from his beard.

"It is done."
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Return​

---

Location: Aruza​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Gerwald Lechner ​

​

She had felt his inner darkness before, when they first met and when she had watched him engage those guards outside. As much as there was light to conceal it, the darkness wasn't something her trained senses would miss. But until just now, it hadn't quite manifested itself. To see it come out as he transformed into a wolf-like creature, to see him kill the beast with such intense anger in him - Valery just frowned and watched.​

​

Her tactics to slow the beast had worked, and the hammer had connected with the beast. Mere moments later, the Wolf had slain the large beast with its teeth and claws. So when he returned back to his human form, blood was dripping down his beard, and silence would linger between them, even when he spoke. There was conflict within the woman.​

​

Part of her wanted to add him to the list of things to deal with today, but he had also shown to be a capable ally. With his position in the CIS, any kind of aggressive move towards him would only create tension between factions as well. In other words, there was no realistic motive to turn against him.​

​

"Are you alright?" Valery asked following a soft sigh. From the tone of her voice and her demeanor, he could tell that she was being sincere. She cared for her allies and he had taken quite a hit when he struck the wall. There was reason to believe that he was injured.​

​

"With these two beasts down, we've likely killed his strongest guards. Only one thing remains."​

​

​