Private We Hunt the Dark

[Maeve Linahan]

Riding the turbolift to the top of the Council Spire always had the effect of making Maeve feel like a Youngling again. Each time, she tried to look out the transparent glass at the sprawling expanse of Coruscant, tried to let the endless noise of the city drown out her distracting thoughts and help her focus on the mission she was about to receive. And each time, the reflection she saw staring back at her was the girl she had been.

Youngling, Padawan, a Knight with her braid freshly cut.

Now, the face staring back at her was different. Darker. All edges and sharp angles, hair loose at her back. She had trained and suffered and grown to one of the finest Shadows in the Order, and now, she'd been called to see none other than Valery Noble, Beacon of Light, Sword of the Jedi.

Maeve could probably rattle off a hundred more titles the Councilor had earned over the years. She was an accomplished warrior, and a woman she'd admired since her training. She shared in Maeve's more hardline approach to the Dark Side, how it must be destroyed, purged, no matter the cost. As long as the Sith breathed, they were a threat to the galaxy.

The doors into the council chambers slid open. With an indrawn breath, Maeve stepped through, looking more poised than she'd ever been. And inside, cast in the light of a morning sun, stood Valery.

"Master Noble," Maeve said with a respectful nod. "It's an honor."

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

Valery stood alone in the Council Chambers, her fiery eyes focused on nothing in particular as she stared out of the window and allowed her mind to wander. Years ago, when she made her return to Coruscant after a long time away, the Galactic Alliance had just been drawn into what would become the bloodiest war she has lived through. The Brotherhood of the Maw has been responsible for the death of billions, and the destruction of two planets.

Now, after so many had dedicated and sacrificed so much, the end of their tyranny felt closer than ever before. But Valery knew better than to take victory for granted, and until their hordes were all wiped from the Galaxy, she wouldn't rest. Today, it meant a mission to cripple their efforts even further, and to complete it, she had requested the assistance of a Jedi with a similar mindset.

A Jedi she could trust to complete this task with her.

The elevator came to a standstill in the center of the room, and once its doors opened, Maeve stood there to greet her. Valery turned and offered a respectful bow of her head before a gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Knight Linahan, it's a pleasure to meet you." She stepped away from the window and walked in front of her chair, but she didn't sit down.

"I've heard much about you. There aren't many Jedi Shadows left these days, so I'll admit that I'm quite curious. Today's mission should be an excellent opportunity for a Shadow to shine."

 

[Maeve Linahan]

The first thing Maeve noticed about Valery was her eyes. Fiery, like molten gold. She was struck by their intensity, the years worth of experience behind them. She must have fought hundreds of Sith in her time, fought in dozens of battles, and seen Jedi rise and fall like the tide. They were the eyes of a natural-born leader, and someone Maeve knew she could trust.

She had seen the woman before, both at the gala on Hapes and during Amani's wedding, but never up close, never like this. She almost had to wonder what had prompted Valery to summon her for this mission. Had she read her reports and recognized her potential? Or had she seen her back on Alderaan, drinking with Hayes, and thought to test her?

Maeve dug her nails into her palm. Whatever the reason, she would prove her worth.

"Thank you, Master Noble," she said. "The life of a Shadow isn't easy, but I know firsthand what the Sith are capable of, and what the Dark Side can do to those who welcome it." She lifted her chin. "I've been working to destroy the Sith for as long I can remember. This isn't an opportunity I take lightly, and I won't disappoint you."

Hands clasped behind her back, Maeve was the very picture of a Jedi. She was ready.

"What's the mission?"

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"I know you won't," Valery replied, her tone calm but very serious. "That's why you're here. The Maw is at its last breath and the Alliance is preparing to finish what we started with the liberation of Empress Teta. But there's still much to do, and the Maw has become increasingly unpredictable since they've been forced on the back foot."

Valery raised her arm and tapped a button on her vambrace to activate the projector in the ceiling. It displayed a Galaxy map in the center of the room, where a single planet was highlighted in red.

"This is Batorine. A while ago, I led a strike force there to neutralize a spaceport used to supply the Maw Corridor with weapons. Recently, I've learned that something darker sits on its surface." She tapped another button, and now a large facility was being displayed from an orbital holo-image.

"Under the leadership of a Sith Lord, a group of scientists here conducts experiments on creatures and people to twist them into mindless monsters." Valery's muscles tensed at the idea, and her eyes were burning much brighter. "We're going to infiltrate and take down this facility together." She knew that Maeve would understand what that meant.

Turning back to the woman, Valery looked her up and down and narrowed her gaze just a little. "What I've noticed with Shadows these days is that their training has changed immensely, if they even get training at all. Have you been shown how to cloak yourself?" If not, this was going to be an even more interesting opportunity to learn.

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve looked up at the series of holograms Valery projected between them. It was a lot of information, but nothing she couldn't handle. Her only shock was at the mention of the facility, the experiments.

"Sith abominations," she murmured. A knot twisted in her gut at the thought of innocent men and women, captured and carved up by Dark Side alchemy, transformed into monsters and nocturnal beasts. She'd fought her fair share of them. Worse, she had experienced it firsthand, when her own family had been imprisoned by Sith cultists. Shackled. Dissected. Murdered.

Maeve could not restrain the disgust in her voice. "I shouldn't be surprised a Sith Lord would be responsible for this. They can't be allowed to live and continue their work."

That much was obvious. How they'd go about it, on the other hand, was a question that left Maeve wondering. A facility this secure would be near impossible to simply waltz into, especially under the watchful eye of a Darth. This took planning, care, and… Force cloaking?

Maeve hesitated. "I'm familiar with the technique, but I still have plenty of room for improvement," she said, which was an elaborate way of saying, I barely know how.

She was not much for specialized Force abilities. She relied on her lightsaber, on surprise and close combat. During missions, she used real disguises and camouflage. Acting as a highborn duchess, or playing the role of a gutter-born orphan.

Manipulating light and sound waves was not a gift she knew well.

"Of course, that shouldn't prevent me from successfully completing this mission," she reassured. "There is more than one way to infiltrate a Sith lair."

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"Then we agree," Valery said.

There were times when even Valery believed in redemption — it was something she once deemed impossible or not worth the risk, but her husband had altered her perspective immensely. However, there were also Sith and other corrupted beings out there that couldn't be redeemed. People so evil that the only solution to their dark side taint was to return them to the Force, swiftly and without suffering.

This was one such Sith Lord.

On the topic of Force Cloak that followed, Valery paused for a moment. "Perhaps it's something I can help with. While not a necessity, it can be extremely useful for a Jedi Shadow to be familiar with it." Part of the old Shadow training was learning and mastering the technique, but back in those days, there were far more Jedi able to instruct and guide others.

"Other than that, I've arranged a shuttle for us with some stealth technology. It'll make it easy to reach the system and get us down to the surface. The rest is for us to figure out once we're down there. Intel is, as I'm sure you can imagine, limited about a facility in enemy territory."

"Any questions or concerns before we depart?"

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"If it's a technique you're willing to teach, then it's one I'm willing to learn." Maeve cast Valery a short smile. She was grateful. Master Severin, her former mentor, had taught her almost all there was to know about the Force, but she knew there was still so much more to learn, and there was no one better than the Sword of the Jedi herself to show her the way.

"Thank you, Master Noble."

She glanced back at the holographic projection of the facility. Force cloaking. Stealth tech. Secrecy was an obvious must for a mission like this, but Maeve had to wonder just what that would entail. Killing the Sith Lord in his sleep, or when he least expected it? Sneaking into the facility and setting the entire place to blow? These questions piled in the back of her mind, but she trusted Valery would have the answers soon enough.

They still had a long trip to make, and plenty more lessons to learn. There was no time to waste. Maeve was prepared to undertake the risks ahead.

"No questions from me," she said. "I'm ready."

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"It'd be my pleasure to show you," Valery assured her. Not only would it help make sure that Maeve learned it properly, but she'd also be aware of the few shortcomings Force Cloak had. They were often overlooked by those who believed themselves to be untouchable, and it could have disastrous results. Shadows often worked alone and behind enemy lines, so even the smallest mistake could lead to death and a failed mission.

But before covering it all, she wanted to get them going.

"Alright, let's head to the ship then," Valery said before she guided the woman through the Temple, and to its hangar area. A shuttle was waiting for them already, equipped with jammers and scramblers to keep sensors from detecting them. It had no cloak that made them invisible, but that wasn't necessary.

They weren't going to be spotted.

"If you've looked into Force Cloak, you know it works by bending light and sound waves. This requires a focus on a much deeper level because what you're manipulating is something you can't really see anymore," Valery explained. "I always envision it as removing yourself from an image completely — you don't allow light to be reflected in a way that makes them able to see you. It just applies to sound as well."

She paused and got herself seated in the cockpit. "But there's something to keep in mind. It does not mask your Force presence, and it won't mask your smell either. You can keep your presence buried through Force Concealment, but using it at the same time as Force Cloak can be more demanding, and difficult when you're first learning how to Cloak yourself."

"Masking your smell is... difficult. So keep that in mind if you're trying to move through areas with creatures guarding it. And understand that if they have your smell, they might be able to track you."

She turned to Maeve while she finished strapping in and grinned, "Any questions about this?"

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve followed Valery through the temple, past marble pillars and down stretches of red carpet, until they reached the hangar, where a stylized transport ship sat in waiting. One look and she could tell it was a more advanced class, outfitted with a wealth of spy tech.

What more did she expect from the Jedi Master? She'd been a Shadow too, once, and if the archives were accurate, a dangerously good one.

Boarding the shuttle, Maeve listened intently to what Valery had to say about the Force cloaking technique. She had a general understanding of what it was. Bending light and sound waves—on paper, it might've sounded ridiculous to the outside eye, but she'd seen it practiced by a few other Jedi in the Order, her former master included. He'd tried teaching it to her as a last gift before her knighthood, but then… Tython happened.

After that, it was just Maeve.

"No questions worth asking," she answered Valery with a nod. "I know it'll take practice, but burying my presence in the Force has never been too much of an issue for me. And my scent? Well, I've never been much for luxury perfume."

Settling in the co-pilot's seat, she raised her hand to the dashboard. Closing her eyes, Maeve began to focus, feeling the flow of the Force around her. After a painfully long moment, two of her fingers vanished into thin air. Cloaked. She opened her eyes and offered Valery an embarrassed smile. "I'm afraid this is the best I can do right now."

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"It's not perfume you should be careful with. Mostly blood." Valery cringed for a moment, as memories resurfaced. Escaping with Force Cloak whilst injured wasn't easy, especially when bloodhound Sithspawn were chasing after you. But she figured that Maeve got the idea, and decided to move on to focusing on the mission.

They entered the ship together, and while Valery quickly went through all the pre-flight checks, Maeve began her demonstration of Force Cloak to show her progress. Valery blinked, seeing two of her fingers disappear, and chuckled, "Well, I'm sure it'd be useful in some situations to become a floating head, but it'll be tricky now," she said, not to ridicule but to try and keep the atmosphere light.

Jokes always helped with that.

"It's hard to say how to get better exactly, but usually it revolves around focus. Force Cloak requires a tremendous amount of Focus — so much so, that using other abilities besides some very simple passive ones gets tricky. You have to really empty your mind entirely of thoughts, emotions, and memories, and connect on a very deep level." Perhaps Maeve was already doing just that and only required more practice, but it was the most common obstacle for Jedi learning it.

"We used to always practice Empty Meditation within the Shadows. It's very basic, but we were forced to do it a lot for weeks, before we even started our Cloak training."

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Blood. Of course."

Maeve nodded. She was familiar with how strong the scent of blood could be. Like rusted iron, metallic and pungent. Most Sith abominations or spawns could chase down a blood trail in moments, like sharks out of the water, making a technique as useful as Force cloaking utterly worthless. Maybe that was why she stuck to normal disguises. It worked, didn't it?

Relaxing into her seat, she surveyed the dashboard, listening to the hum of the ship's engines as it came to life. She took in a deep breath. "Empty Meditation. I understand," she answered. "I'll admit it's been a while since I last practiced it. Lately I've come to rely on my feelings, my gut instinct, on the field. It has its advantages… and its weaknesses."

Maeve hesitated. Meditation was integral to life as a Jedi Knight. And yet, she'd rarely spent more than an hour trying it, always moving from one mission to the next, bouncing between planets like a wild pinball. It wasn't that she was incapable of meditating—she just never saw much use in it when she could be out saving lives or eliminating Sith.

"I promise I'm not as incompetent as a Jedi as you might believe. My lightsaber is my greatest strength. In that, at least, I won't disappoint." She folded her hands into her lap. "Well, that or knives. Depending on how quiet you would rather we keep this mission, I can do both."

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Council Chambers

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"You wouldn't be here if I thought you were incompetent," Valery assured Maeve with just a faint grin. Missions like this required people who could rely on each other for mission success and to make sure no lives were unnecessarily lost. Valery trusted Maeve to have her back, and she would cover hers.

They'd complete their mission and both make it back home.

"Your lightsaber will be fine, and likely more useful. We're going in quiet, but I doubt we're getting out undetected." So that likely meant blaster fire and maybe a Sith's lightsaber they'd have to deal with. Either way, the two Shadows were more than capable of taking them on.

Eventually, enough time had passed, and they were approaching their target. Valery took them out of hyperspace and activated a pre-planned trajectory that helped them bypass as many sensors as possible. What couldn't be evaded would either be scrambled or suppressed by stealth systems.

"I'm taking us down a small distance away so we're not spotted, but there will be patrols we need to bypass. We can't strike any of them down, or they'll know we're coming before we're ready to hit our actual targets." Valery turned to Maeve and smirked a little. "I'm going to let you lead the way to get us to the building."

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve resisted the urge to smile at Valery's reassurance. She knew she wasn't incompetent, of course but hearing it from the Jedi Master brought its own relief. The only reason she was there to begin with was because she was the best person fit for the task. Because she was a Shadow same as her.

Raising a palm over her lightsaber, she felt for the kyber crystal within and the connection they shared. She'd slain many Sith over the years with it, and it had saved her life more times than she could count. Much as Maeve valued her strength in the Force, she had come to depend on her lightsaber far more, and she found it twice as effective in cleansing Dark Siders. Violently.

"I thought as much," she said, understanding the risks. She offered a smirk. "Stealthy entrance, dramatic exit. Those are my favorite kind of missions."

As the ship dropped out of hyperspace and descended into planetary orbit, Maeve drew in another breath. A small part of her wished she'd spent more time practicing the cloaking technique, to ask more from Valery before they hit the facility, but she was ready enough. She was ready to lead.

"Understood," Maeve replied. Shutting her eyes a brief moment, she focused and upon re-opening them, looked down to her hand, now completely invisible. "It's an improvement from two fingers, but… I may have to sneak in ordinarily for the time being." The ship rattled with turbulence as it broke through the atmosphere. "Do we know how many patrols are on watch?"

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Ship

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"Stealthy entrance, dramatic exit. Those are my favorite kind of missions."

"That makes two of us," Valery said with a grin of her own. Even though she had given up on being a Jedi Shadow in favor of being a more visible leader for the Jedi, she could never shake that part of who she was. The training, the mindset, and the methods of how they operated were all part of why she was now the Sword.

It also meant she could take on these missions and do what was required.

Valery then watched as Maeve attempted to Cloak herself again, and while there was quite an improvement already, it would not be safe for her to try and rely on it. So with a nod, Valery showed her agreement. "I'll shadow you from Cloak, so I have the ability to separate more easily, or take people by surprise if you're detected." Not that she thought Maeve would be discovered when she tried to be stealthy, but there was no harm in this approach.

"As for patrols, three groups of five circle the perimeter. There are gaps in the safety net they create though, so we should try to exploit those."

At this point, the ship had broken through the atmosphere and to avoid being compromised, Valery quickly took them down to a low altitude and continued their path until they reached the landing coordinates. It would still be a decent walk to the facility, but nothing they couldn't handle. "While I'm in Cloak, I'll speak to you through comms. Otherwise, you won't be able to hear me."

Valery stood up, lowered the ramp of the ship, and gestured outside. "Ready to get going?"

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"I understand. Sounds like a good idea."

The plan Valery had in mind made sense. Maeve would carve a path on her own, and she would follow shortly behind, Cloaked and without fear of detection. Still, she hated to feel like a burden to the Jedi Councilor. Even if that was far from what the woman intended, Maeve had taken on this mission in order to prove herself, to show she was a Shadow worth trusting. She would not disappoint.

Once the ship settled onto the surface, Maeve followed Valery into the main cabin, checking her gear. Delicately, she plugged in an earpiece and activated her comms. Then, she cast her a confident smile. "I've never been more ready than now."

With that, they descended the ramp and into the wilds of Batorine.

They had landed in a small clearing amid a cluster of trees. The planet was heavily forested, blanketed in pines and redwoods and oak ten times her height. It would make for good cover, she understood, and in seconds she capitalized on it, climbing onto the nearest oak she found. At first, Valery probably would've thought it strange.

Until Maeve started sailing between the trees.

She leapt from one branch to the next, silent as the night. It wasn't just the Force or her Jedi training that buoyed her movements, though. Maeve had learned to move between the trees since she was a child, fresh after fleeing from the cultists who'd murdered her family. For months she had lived in the wilderness, survived on her own. Now was little difference.

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Batorine

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

From below, Valery watched Maeve climb into the tree with a curious expression and a slight tilt of her head. One that was satisfied when the woman started moving between the trees. Almost immediately, Valery jumped up herself and followed after her with similar ease. The Enclave she had grown up in was on New Cov, a jungle planet, so moving between trees was a skill she had learned at a young age too.

Right now, it allowed the two Shadows to move quickly.

<Look, up ahead,> Valery said soon enough, as a smoke plume could be seen rising from within the forest. The facility was out there and likely producing the smoke somehow. But before they could get there, the two Jedi would have to get around some patrols. One moved through the forest itself, as they likely did not expect people to be able to move through trees.

But right around the facility of stone and metal, they had created a clearing. It allowed them a security perimeter and two patrols were there. They couldn't cover the entirety of it constantly, but it was no easy task to bypass them either.

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve spotted the smoke plume and nodded. They were close.

She leapt to the next tree, careful not to make even the smallest sound. Branches swayed and ached as she landed, but compared to the songs of nesting birds and insects, she was barely a whisper. Evading the first patrol, who were busy hunting the shrubbery below, was easier than breathing. She and Valery had nothing to worry about there.

The clearing was another problem, but Maeve didn't let it intimidate her. She remembered what Valery had told her about the patrols. Groups of five. Gaps and blind spots. Staying high in the trees offered an excellent vantage point, enough for her to determine the best path to infiltrate the facility, and after a long minute, she had a pattern memorized.

Maeve descended down the tree, landing on the ground with a soft thud. The grass in the clearing was of decent height, but nowhere near enough to disguise her approach. Fortunately, she had an idea.

She closed her eyes and focused. The Force began to flow into her, through her, around her, as her breathing slowed and her mind shut out feelings of panic and fear and doubt. The air around her shimmered, just once, and by the time her eyes opened again, Valery would see what she'd done.

Maeve's head disappeared.

Now, she looked like a headless, walking corpse.

"This… feels weird," Maeve said via comms, but shrugged aside the strange sensation. Without another word, she ducked into the clearing, her lower body masked in the grasses as she cut a path straight to the compound and through the circle of patrolling guards.

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Batorine

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

<That's... quite something,> Valery said in response and she couldn't help but snicker when she spotted the headless woman moving through the grass. From above in the tree, Valery was still able to see her, but the patrols down below would have no idea. Somewhere in the back of her mind, though, she wondered how they'd respond if they ran into a headless woman. Would they open fire? Or would they be so terrified that they'd run?

Hopefully, they didn't have to find out.

Once Maeve had moved across most of the clearing, Valery jumped down and followed after her. The outer fencing and walls were up next, and this is when she decided to show another skill she had mastered as a Jedi Shadow. Upon physical contact with the barriers, Valery phased her way through like a ghost and ended up on the other side. Both Cloak and Phase were difficult techniques and made it nearly impossible to focus on anything else.

But for quietly getting in and out, they were perfect.

<Do you see a way inside?"

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve had to reserve her jealousy when she saw Valery phase through the perimeter fencing. While she had to traverse it the old-fashioned way, leaping and climbing over it before the nearest patrol could notice, all the Jedi Master had to do was walk through it. Yet another skill she needed to learn. For a Knight and Shadow, Maeve felt woefully inexperienced in comparison.

Which was why she had to make up for it in every other way.

"I see our opening," she whispered in turn, ducking back into the shadows that curled around the facility, the wind carrying the scent of pine and smoke. Smoke, she'd realized. The facility had been pumping it out earlier, billowing over the trees, which meant it had a ventilation system on the roof. Quickly, Maeve ascended the side of the compound's wall, a spider on a web.

Upon reaching the rooftop, thankfully clear of sentries, Maeve searched for the closest smoke-shaft. "Better we infiltrate the compound by the ventilation system than through the main halls. We can avoid surveillance or patrolling guards that way. Maybe find the main security room or even pinpoint this Sith Lord's personal lair. Just one problem…"

She stopped and leaned over an open vent, carefully removing the grating on top of it. At the moment, there was no smoke to suffocate them on their descent, but the metal walls were hot to the touch, enough to burn skin.

"I hope you don't mind a little heat, Master Noble," she finished, then slipped on a pair of gloves. Then, sucking in a deep breath, Maeve squeezed inside.

Valery Noble​

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[Valery Noble]

Batorine

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Maeve Linahan

"Oh?" Valery asked, curious to see what opening Maeve had in mind. The answer came swiftly, as she began to make her way up to the roof, and she already didn't like where this was going. While there wasn't smoke coming from the vent at the moment, Valery vividly remembered an incident that involved her getting stuck in a ventilation shaft for a while. This one was incredibly hot too, so it was another problem to take into account.

"Heat isn't the issue but my body is not built for narrow shafts." She chuckled and despite not liking it, Valery decided it was best to go down through it with Maeve. It was possible to phase her way inside but it'd involve splitting up, as phasing through the roof wasn't possible.

Now was the time to stay together.

So once Maeve had slipped inside, Valery crawled into the shaft as well and followed after the woman. Luckily, she was able to avoid her exposed arms hitting the walls, and even her long hair didn't ignite.

"I think I see something there," Valery pointed out after a while, as they approached another opening. "We should get out here because the other end of this shaft is somewhere we don't want to be." Smoke didn't travel through a ventilation shaft on its own, after all. Some kind of ventilator had to be there, and she didn't want to get stuck in those blades.

Down below, however, were two guards in the hallway.

"One each?"