Private We meet again

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

"I'm going to need to know who you're working for."

Valery looked down at the slaver she had forced to the ground and allowed her demeanor to make it perfectly clear that she wasn't playing around. While she didn't look like a Jedi with the tight shirt, jacket and jeans look, the lightsaber she had drawn to defeat him combined with her use of the Force had likely exposed that. She was here on a mission to expose what she believed to be a deeper Sith plot — they were working with slavers now to reform powerbases or perhaps something more sinister.

Regardless of the reason though, she came to Brentaal IV to stop it.

She was in undercover gear, had her lightsabers concealed and her presence in the Force was buried so nobody could detect her from afar. In this stretch of space, she wanted to make sure that nobody recognized her — she had enough enemies already, and as long as she could remain undetected, she was able to continue her efforts here longer. Part of it made her feel like she had returned to her duties as a Shadow but stopping something as awful as slavery was something that any Jedi would sign up for.

Especially when Sith were somehow involved in it as well.

"Well, are you going to talk, or do I need to be more persuasive?" She stepped over, and briefly looked at the men she had taken out, the ones who had been under his command until Valery busted her way into this compound to take them all out.

"The choice is yours."

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Alvarex had been alerted to the situation on Brentaal IV. Cormond wasn't the place to play around, most especially the Eye. Filth-ridden wasteland of Cormond, the district was where anyone who wanted anything could go. It was the part of the city that Brentaal IV had a habit of turning a blind eye to, although not the only place where it happened. The bigger cities often let various criminal underworld elements fester, it was what allowed him to operate. ​

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A long dark coat that hung over his tight black shirt, and blasterproof vest, belt, and jeans - dark blue that fit snug around his body. He knew the presence long before he let the sound of his footfalls be heard, the wet-musky odor of the back alley didn't dissuade him, nor did the knowledge of who this presence belonged too convince him to leave the path. "Leave her to me, keep the packages moving." He informed his network of agents that soon disappeared into the shadows.​

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The night was dark, it was black enough to be a deep mirage of blue that cascaded through the dimming of half-broken neon signs and aging durasteel shanty towns and markets. On one side, a blade that rested in its sheath embedded in it was cortosis, while his own personal lightsaber was withdrawn. Rex didn't hesitate to use Force Push in his attempt to move Valery off his agent. "Go, now." Barked Alvarex as he kept his momentum toward Valery, "your fight is with me." ​

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He growled as the red lightsaber sprang to life. ​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

Despite her attempts to get the slaver to talk, he kept his mouth shut and forced Valery to get closer. She didn't like using mind tricks to make people talk, but this operation was dangerous enough, and it involved slaves — she was gladly going to do whatever it took to get this man to talk and reveal where the other slaves were being kept.

"You're going to tell me-" But before she could finish her Jedi mind trick, a sudden surge in the Force sent her over the agent, and rolling over the metal floor inside the compound. She finally came to a stop and pushed herself up to hands and knees while her eyes shifted to the source of the attack. But she already knew exactly who she was dealing with before her eyes met his.

"Alvarex," she muttered before she stood up and drew the lightsaber into her hand. The sudden Force push was clearly something she couldn't appreciate — she seemed very ready to go at him for it, and he challenged her directly now too. "Your people aren't going to be around selling slaves much longer." A violet blade ignited and with her fiery eyes turned to him, she began to move.

With her speed augmented by the Force, she moved in a pattern to make herself as unpredictable as possible, and the moment she moved into striking range, she jumped up and aimed a powerful sweep at his torso. For now, she wanted to draw out his guard and get the fight to be dynamic. But plans to bring him down were already brewing in her mind as well.

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Inwardly, he grinned, now he could truly see what she was made of. Something he had been robbed of when he was forced into helping her. A power darker than he had known prompted him to aid her then, but today? Today was a simple operation, send the slaves to their next port. Here she was with her holier than thou mantra, perhaps he was simply the first to realize their connection but it - as much as he knew it was - a double-edged sword.​

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She wanted to draw out his guard so he leaned into it, for Alvarex he wanted to see what she would do, how she fought. The Sith Lord would remain predictable for her so he could see how unpredictable she would be. Figure out her pattern, "but we will continue our operations." A brief pause as he let the hit come in. "Cut off one head, many more will grow in its stead." He feigned his pain, the Epicant was curious as to how she would react. ​

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Their cyclical bond connected once more, he rolled up to his feet with a quickness that was outright demonic. "Not bad," his voice dropped lower than it had a right to, then with a chuckle, "you're cute when you're mad, did you know that?" Admittedly he was enjoying this way more than he should have been. "Did you wear that just for lil' ol' me?" Rex gestured to her outfit as he stepped around her, lightsaber still drawn. "​

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"C'mon... " Rex's voice with lust drawn into it, "Mrs. Zambrano, show me, what you got."​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

Their lightsabers clashed with great power behind them, and the violet plasma of her blade began to hiss against his crimson. Rex's guard had been simple in nature, but it was effective and allowed him to study her technique as well. But as their blades met, she felt him through the Force again as well, and somewhere deep down, she realized their cooperation during their first encounter could also work against them. Despite it though, Valery kept on fighting, even as he faked his pain — she could feel it wasn't genuine and narrowed her eyes.

"No, it won't continue," she then said through gritted teeth as she tried to keep pressure between their weapons. But Rex had other plans and used his own speed to disengage from her. The comments that followed really ignited the fire in her eyes, and while he moved around her, she followed him closely through the Force as well. "I'd be careful with your choice of words, Rex. This time I'm not carrying your ass back to your mommy for help."

She grinned a little herself, but her eye visibly twitched at what he said next.

"C'mon... " Rex's voice with lust drawn into it, "Mrs. Zambrano, show me, what you got."

Oh, I'll show you... she thought, as the Force began to flow through her like a hurricane. While she had used some of her skill against him before, Valery now tapped into her mastery of Telekinesis and raised her hand. Her eyes locked on and with a sudden grip, she tried to constrict his body and pin his own arms against his sides. But it wasn't to hurt him or crush his body — no, she wanted to throw him as fast as she could, and directly into some containers not far off from where they were fighting.

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

"Oh no, words my one weakness," Rex quipped and mocked all in the same turn, "you would have perished on that forsaken world without me, I still have the scars." The three-lined scar on his face that mirrored hers was proof enough. He wouldn't remark on being taken home, instead, he would only project an image in her mind. A consequence of their actions, one she likely would do her best not to make again. The sound of lightsabers clashing was enough to drive away from most of this section of the district. Many began to flee their homes so they wouldn't be part of the collateral damage. ​

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Before he could do much more in their saber clash, he was thrown back - he landed against an apartment building. Containers that had been stacked there fell on top of him. There was for a moment a brief panic as one landed on his head, one far more genuine than what had been feigned earlier. The feeling was fleeting, for the rage that erupted afterward caused the container to freeze, so much so that it became brittle and fell apart as it grew colder.​

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She was using her energy to focus on pinning him there. Rex spoke one word in High Sith, "cser." Which meant to pull, and pull the spell did his eyes focused on her just a simple - pull on her shoulder. "It shall," continued Alvarex as he walked toward her, "it will continue as it has for thousands of years. Even in your vain attempt to stop tonight's operations, you must realize that it is but a small part."​

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"And yet..."​

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His eyes shifted to the all familiar alpha red, their color bright, it was a look that might have seemed familiar to her. "Here you are, wanting to do more than your part, how ... Noble."​

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The way he said her name, mocked her, and so he once more projected an image into her mind but one that hadn't been seen or experienced. "You could do so much more, with all the right resources." The ground cracked beneath their feet, as he spoke, " csuct'ah to csar..." a deep guttural laugh began to emerge from his voice, " ch'an'vsi neo vur." Break the earth, and anchor their hearts is what the phrases loosely translated into. His hand moved in a circle as he repeated the phrase, the ground continued to crack, and a red light sprung forth and moved like a spirit in an attempt to grab them both. ​

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He lent himself to it. "You understand..." his voice now oozed with darkness, "what I could offer you."​

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"For if it is the peasantry you care so much for, then their cause shall be mine."​

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"My Queen."​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

"You would have perished on that forsaken world without me, I still have the scars."

Valery just rolled her eyes and kept the continuous clash of blades going to test him but it was a show of strength as well from her side. In a duel, Valery was always in her element the most, and it likely showed in her technique and ability to adjust to his attacks and parries. But this fight was quite different from others, and especially when he projected images into her mind, a brief flash of anger would show through the fire in her eyes. It was something she usually never tapped into, but now she did without really realizing it until it was already over.

The Force she had channeled to lash out at him was more powerful because of it and had sent him flying against an apartment building. Containers around him collapsed and Valery made a slow approach, her blade drawn low at her side as if she was ready to try and finish it off for good.

"You've gone too far this time, Rex."

She could feel his pain from the attack, as well as the fury that was awakening within him, but it mattered nothing to her anymore. Where they had worked together for survival during their first meeting, she was adamant about bringing him down no matter what this time. Especially after he had lashed out at her mind — it was still weakened from her clash on Tython, where other painful images were turned against her. Now he tried to do the same, and she couldn't forgive him for it.

"Here you are, wanting to do more than your part, how ... Noble."

The woman's eyes narrowed at his mocking comments, and she stopped as the Force grew darker around them through his spells. The ground around their feet began to crack and almost as if it symbolically represented the barrier of her mind, it too broke and another painful image flashed into her vision. "No..." she muttered, her muscles tense and her mind struggling hard to keep him out.

"I'm not your Queen, and I never will be," she felt tears in her eyes from the mental pain but forced herself through it with sheer willpower and her strength in the light. The red darkness he allowed to grow would be met with her fiery light, and like before, she drew her weapon up, ready for the kill. "This ends now," she said, and whilst still overwhelmed with pain and emotions, she charged straight at him, ready to lash out with a flurry of attacks.

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

If there could have been a camera to see the smile that he concealed behind his enigmatic features... Alvarex would have had a million credit smile, she was weakening - her connection to the light faltered. The images in her mind tortured her, of which, he was truly sorry - it was all he knew to do. The fiery light that connected with the red glow of darkness created ablaze, unlike any other, and one that consumed the debris around them. "You're right," conceded Rex, his voice not tainted by the darkness - it was his voice. ​

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He took the charge, fully and completely, he didn't attempt to stop it rather instead he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry," apologized Rex, his own internal struggle surfaced briefly - one that Valery could feel. The darkness around them subsided as his azure gaze looked down upon her. His knees left behind the imprint, the dents and marks of the sheer power behind the charge but behind him again, was a wall. A wall that as sure as it would have come down on top of them, did not, for he willed it up pushing it back into place with the Force. ​

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Rex settled into the ground, and he felt her tears on his sleeve. "I-" stopped Rex in the middle of his sentence, his arms for a moment left her, unsure if he should have even held her. "Tython, huh?" Questioned aloud, but it was rhetorical. Instead, Rex leaned against that half-broken wall and put his arms around her once more. She was still angry, upset, and he had violated any sort of trust he had built with her and for that - he was guilty. ​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

"You're right,"

Words she wasn't expecting to hear from him now, but it wasn't enough to stop her from pursuing her assault. The events on Tython had left her mind shattered, and every night when she tried to sleep, those memories came back to haunt her. He had forced them back into her mind, made her relive all that pain and more... and she could still feel his darkness beating deep within.

It collided against her light to devastate the area around them but it wasn't stopping either of them from meeting each other head-on. However, where Valery was expecting another clash of blades, something changed about Rex and she could feel his arms wrap around her. Valery's eyes widened as her arms were pinned against her body, and she'd look at him with the chaos of all her emotions flowing through her expression, and out into the Force. "What are you..."

She gritted her teeth and tried her best to set herself free, which only worked when he loosened up for just a moment. "Tython, huh?" he said, and while he tried to move his arms around her again, Valery took the opportunity and lashed out. Her hand came up, and with great power, she attempted to send him flying again, but back through the unstable wall behind him. Unlike the earlier hit he took, this was going to be much harder, and much more painful.

Tython had indeed scarred her mentally, and while she didn't blame him personally for any of that, she wasn't truly listening to him anymore. His guilt, his regrets — they didn't matter to her at this moment.

"You should have never come here," she said, her words like venom while she ignited her blade and held it low at her side. Slowly, and with pain and fire in her eyes, she began her approach towards where he landed, her intent very clear to him. "I was wrong about you. I believed you could be different, that you could change but..." she stopped and tilted her blade up towards his chin.

"No, I'm not the one who is right. I was wrong all along."

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Rex let himself fly into the debris, he let the pain hit him - he endured it all. The pain provided him power, and strength, enough that he could have lashed out and he should have. Instead, he threw the debris out and over her, away from them both, and he corrected her, "change doesn't happen overnight, and you are hurting." He pointed out as he struggled to get back up, Rex realized his leg had become impaled on a pipe of some sort. ​

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"Do it then," dared Rex as he inched closer to the lightsaber, "end my misery, end this now. For what is between us cannot be resolved so easily, you must feel it too."​

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He didn't ask to become bonded, Rex didn't ask to find her - to fall in love with her. To covet his brother's wife and there he was, willing himself to death. "DO IT!" Angrily, his shouts bellowed there was pain there, pain that he felt from her. "I can feel your pain, the hurt, your words are laced with venom but they are spoken in anger."​

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His own tears flowed from his eyes, lips quivered as he stepped just a little bit closer, the blade of her lightsaber burning into his skin. "End me, end my existence, but promise me you will let yourself feel everything."​

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"Promise me, you will allow yourself to feel the hurt, the anger, and the pain," his eyes locked onto hers, and with a hand, he slowly reached out for hers. Rex gently guided it toward his heart so she could feel it beat, he then lowered the other hand - lightsaber, and aimed it for his own heart. "End it all tonight, for I was wrong."​

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"I have forsaken our trust, what little of it I had built. I have forsaken you and my oath."​

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Rex stepped up, and the lightsaber's edge burned into his clothes and onto his skin. "It is okay to feel hurt, anger... pain, it is how we deal with those emotions that matters." He wasn't afraid of death, or the pain that she brought forward to him, but by now she must have felt his own. "Admittedly, I am very bad at handling them, however; you... you are vulnerable, you should be at home. At home with your husband, confessing to him that of which you feel."​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

"Shut up,"

Her words were still spoken with a hint of anger behind them, albeit controlled — she didn't need him to try and correct her. She wanted to end this once and for all, and with the way he struggled to even move now that he was badly injured, she was only seconds away from achieving that goal. But as the tip of her lightsaber lowered down to his chin and he called out for her to do it, Valery froze and tensed up. Striking down Sith in this position had never been difficult for her; it had even been one of her primary jobs in her days as a Jedi Shadow.

Now, she did feel something, and it made her extremely conflicted.

"DO IT!" he shouted angrily, but Valery didn't move a muscle, and looked down at him as the tip of her lightsaber burned into his skin. During their time in Wild Space, she had felt something of a bond form between them. Not nearly as powerful as the one she had with her husband, and one very different in nature, but it had made her believe that she could change him. That he could leave behind this life of darkness and open his heart to the Light as well.

But maybe she had just been foolish to believe it could happen this quickly, or at all.

"I... won't do it," she said with a frown, even as he lowered her lightsaber down to his heart and told her to end it all. This wasn't the right thing to do — she couldn't allow herself to strike him down in a moment of anger and pain. She wouldn't be any better than the Sith she was often fighting if she gave in to her emotions like that.

"It is okay to feel hurt, anger... pain, it is how we deal with those emotions that matters."

"I'm not as vulnerable as you think, and I will not strike you down in anger," she disengaged her lightsaber and took a few steps back while she kept looking at him. The anger and pain she felt were still burning in her heart, but she was getting control over herself "You may meet your end someday, but it won't be my blade. Not tonight, anyway." She held the hilt of her weapon tightly in her hand and looked away.

"Goodbye, Rex."

The only thing she felt he was right about was where she should be — she wanted nothing more than to get away from her pain, and be with her husband and daughter. So with that in mind, she turned around to leave him behind in his own pain. And as she stepped away, the Force tapped into her emotional state and began to slowly wither away whatever had formed between them. No bond could persist if she wanted to be free of her conflict.

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Valery would have felt it first, the cold grip of death's hand as it curled its fingers around Alvarex's heart. Rex had no time to react, he felt the blade through his chest, and his knees buckled down to the ground. "It is a pity she couldn't do it herself, but I suppose if you want something done. You must do it yourself," whispered Xathrael as he twisted his sword. It cut deeper, and tore more of Rex's flesh apart, "but alas, dear brother, your end has come."​

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The devil himself, slicked-back hair and dressed as if he had just arrived from some gala. Xathrael one hand still on the hilt of the sword, used his free hand to peel back some sort of device from Rex's neck. "Do you know, just how easy it was to place this on his neck?" Xathrael addressed Valery directly as he ordered his purge troopers to surround the area. "I want her to watch," his voice colder than the morgue he had most assuredly sent his brother to. "I want you," Xathrael's unwavering tone, that devil in the diamond look in his eyes, "to watch as he breathes his last."​

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Xathrael once more turned the sword, and of no doubt, Valery could feel that cold blade pierced into Alvarex's redundant organs. The man laughed as he watched blood spill from his brother's lips, the laughter was malicious, "did you know, Valery, that this pathetic waste of a man - actually thought that you could love him." He mocked his brother with his next words, "he believed that if he could just show you that our family wasn't as bad as that wretched traitor made us out to be... that you would love him." ​

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Violently, Xathrael jerked the sword out of his brother's body and kicked him down to the wet, duracrete floor. Xathrael kicked his brother over, rolling Rex onto his back, "look at your precious love," ordered the youngest of Salara Kaine's brood. "Do you see this cancer before you, Valery?" Xathrael's gaze turned toward the Jedi, "this sickening monster, thought himself, worthy of your love."​

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"Pathetic."​

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Rex laid there his hand tried to reach out for her, but he couldn't. Instead, Rex could only feel his life slipping from him, blood pooled on his shirt, and rolled out onto the ground spilling around him. Xathrael stepped in the pool of blood, sword in hand as it hung over Rex's chest, dripping with his blood. "Make her kneel," ordered the youngest and perhaps most cunning of Alvarex's siblings by his mother. ​

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"This is your doing, you can turn a bastard, but the price for an Heir... Well."​

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Xathrael slowly shoved the blade into his brother's chest, Rex wanted to cry out in pain but his cries were muffled - he choked on his own blood. Rex focused with the Force, with what little strength he had, and pulled his lightsaber toward him and before Xathrael realized what had happened. Rex swept his lightsaber across, severing Xathrael's arms from his body. ​

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He had always warned Xathrael to be mindful of his surroundings... ​

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The purge troopers shifted - enough for Valery to take advantage, but the situation would soon change as thunder rolled above them all. A cold, unnatural wind swept through the area, and time itself came to a stop... ​

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Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

Valery turned and was ready to leave all of this behind her, but sudden pain echoing through the Force behind her forced her to stop, and turn back around. Sudden darkness seemed to envelop the entire area around her, and she quickly realized that she was no longer alone with the wounded Sith. Another had appeared and while he hadn't introduced himself just yet, she already knew that he was an extension of the Zambrano family as well.

"You coward," Valery said through gritted teeth, as she looked at the blade piercing through Rex's chest.

She had decided not to kill Rex in a moment where she felt so much pain and anger, but that wasn't going to extend to this Sith; his brother. Her violet blade ignited to show her intentions, but she was forced to stop again. Purge troopers surrounded the area and with their sheer numbers, Valery knew it would be risky to try and fight them all. She had to remain calm and think her way through this, or she'd end up like Rex as well.

"I want you," Xathrael's unwavering tone, that devil in the diamond look in his eyes, "to watch as he breathes his last."

"You're not leaving this world yourself," Valery said with great determination in her tone. She wasn't going to kill him to take revenge, nor did she want to lash out with anger — he was a true Sith and a great danger to anybody on his path. Allowing him to leave would mean condemning so many more to an early grave, so she had to stop him.

"did you know, Valery, that this pathetic waste of a man - actually thought that you could love him." He mocked his brother with his next words, "he believed that if he could just show you that our family wasn't as bad as that wretched traitor made us out to be... that you would love him."

Valery looked down at Rex as the sword was pulled out and blood spilled from his wound and from his mouth — even now, after what had happened between them, it was a horrific thing to see, "It seems I wasn't the only one who was wrong about the Zambranos..." she looked up at Xathrael with her usual fiery spirit, "Or well, most of them, anyway."

"Make her kneel,"

"I wouldn't count on that happening," Valery replied as she transitioned into a stance ready for battle. But mere moments before she planned to engage the Sith, she watched Rex draw on the Force, and in a single sweep, Xathrael was down one of his arms. It completely altered the situation in an instant, and Valery was left stunned for just a second or two. But as thunder rolled above to mark the arrival of another great threat, Valery turned to the purge troopers, "Last chance to leave," she warned them but again, her attack would never come, as time itself seemed to slow down to a full stop. It had happened to Valery before, so she recognized it quickly and turned her gaze to the source of the darkness she felt.

Someone was coming.

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

Alvarex wheezed, blood dripped from his chest, and he had managed to rise to his knees. Blood stained his teeth, his lips, a deep crimson followed by the black ooze - the same ooze Valery would have known from the planet she and Rex had been on. "Always," began Rex, "be mindful." He continued, as he tried so desperately to gather his breath, "of your surroundings." Again Rex drew on the Force, he drew on his pain, both physical and emotional. He grabbed Xathrael's now dispatched hand and took the blade from it. ​

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Foot to the ground, slowly, the giant would stand to his feet. He staggered as he walked, and just as he could take a step forward, he too felt the unnatural cold air cut through his clothes like a knife. A grin formed on his face, "oh, you, silly, silly boy." Mocked Alvarex who turned to look over at Valery - his gaze both one of sorrow and regret. "Apologies, amoris." Blade in hand, Rex felt the heat from his hand draw into the hilt and the blade itself. He kept his focus on Valery, for as time would come to standstill. Alvarex would recall his mother's training, her words, and how to move when time wouldn't. ​

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"I fear that this, will be the last that we see each other, but at least I have gotten to see you." He drew one last ragged breath. "One. Last. Time," the tears that formed in his eyes, the regret that fell with them the blade in his hand as it burned, glowed a hot ember orange, and then a searing inferno of white. Rex plunged the sword without hesitation into his brother's chest. Rex withdrew the blade and in a quick motion ran the blade through his brother's neck, decapitating him in one fell swoop. ​

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Rex fell to his knees and again to the ground, beside his lifeless brother. The purge troopers that surrounded them all were unsure of what to do, fearful that they couldn't move. Lightning struck several places at once, and suddenly they began to shake as electricity coursed through their veins. The smell of burnt flesh and hair began to permeate the area. Thunder above continued to drum above them all, and time finally came to stand before her. The Grand Alchemist of Panatha, First Wife of Kaine Zambrano... Salara Kesare Zambrano.​

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A woman none too pleased with how her children had acted, embarrassed was an understatement. Valery would hear the tip, tap of the woman's cane before she saw the woman's shadow. Sky Troopers descended, they were clad in black with only the Eye of Solomon sigil on their shoulders. Salara was petite for an Epicant, but surely as the wind blows - did this woman command the attention of all around her. ​

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Not too far behind her, Sarlow and his son, Roquzel called Roq seemed to flank the Grand Alchemist on either side. Salara motioned for them to go Rex, while she stopped beside Valery. "If only Xathrael had heeded my word of warning," said knowingly, "but I suppose his impatience comes from me." Salara's demeanor came across like ice, hard and cold. She slowly turned to look at Valery, "you are the woman who has wormed her way into my son's heart."​

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If daggers were words, then each one cut Valery directly. "Like cancer, his love for you poisons his mind," she continued. She walked behind Valery, examining her like a specimen behind glass. Salara looked at her as if she were looking at someone beneath her station. Salara paused and leaned in, she whispered into Valery's ear - words meant for her only. Then she continued to study the Jedi. "I suppose I should thank, Xathrael. At least now I can cleanse you from my son's memories, and you will no longer be able to offend myself or my legacy."​

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"Return to the filth you call husband and continue on with your pathetic crusade," a small pause as she added, "I suppose you and dogs do have something in common..."​

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Valery would be able to feel Alvarex's life fade from him. She could watch as Sarlow and Roq collected Rex onto their shoulders, as the Sky Troopers scooped and swept Xathrael's remains into a bag. With a snap of her fingers, Salara allowed time to resume its course.​

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Finally, Salara concluded.​

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"Running after pointless balls."​

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Valery Noble ​

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[Valery Noble]

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Location: Brentaal IV | The Eye district
Appearance: Link
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Alvarex Zambrano

While Alvarex fought against the pain and loss of blood, Valery just watched. He was getting up to his feet behind the other Zambrano, who had been left completely stunned by the sudden attack, and Valery knew exactly what was going to happen already. Rex picked up the blade that had fallen to the floor and looked directly at her.

"Apologies, amoris."

She frowned and gritted her teeth as she resisted the stoppage of time as well, and felt the heat flowing between his hand and the blade. The intentions of the man were as clear as they could be, and despite time not flowing forward, she believed his brother knew as well. The second his arm had been severed, the fight had already been over.

"I fear that this, will be the last that we see each other, but at least I have gotten to see you." He drew one last ragged breath. "One. Last. Time,"

It was as if flames had been drawn into his blade, a technique she knew all too well, and with a powerful thrust through the other Sith's chest, she felt life slipping away in the Force. The weapon was drawn out just as quickly and with a final sweep, Xathrael was decapitated. Valery quietly watched his lifeless body hit the floor and looked up at Rex.

"It will be the last time," she said as her eyes fell on the purge troopers around them. She drew in a deep breath and readied herself for whatever decision they were going to make now that their Master was felled. But before they could do anything, lightning struck from above and she could feel them all getting wiped out in seconds.

A woman appeared, joined by two other Zambranos she recognized, and now the area was being swarmed with her own personal guards. Valery had no idea who this lady was, but she demanded attention and showed confidence in the way she carried herself much like Valery always did. Even now, face-to-face with a greater evil than before, the Jedi Master stood strong.

She watched quietly as Salara walked around her, but when her whisper reached Valery's ears, there was another flash of anger in her eyes. A spark that reignited the fire, and almost made her want to lash out with a blade, "Do not speak of my husband, you witch," she said, almost as if she hated the woman, but her words weren't quite filled with such powerful emotions.

Following Salara with her eyes, Valery felt the life from Rex's body fade, and she understood that everything was going to change. Even if he survived, she was going to cleanse his memories, and all her hopes of him leaving behind this family of evil would be wiped away in an instant. Rex, much like other Zambranos she had tried to help, would never be able to break the familiar chains.

"A shame, that a mother can do such things to her children, and still believe her legacy means something."

 

[Alvarex Zambrano]

"My legacy will far outweigh, yours." Salara retorted as she watched Alvarex and Xathrael being carried away. "A mother will do what it is necessary," her tone did not waver. "In time, you will come to understand that there are decisions, choices that we make that impact our children." She let her shoulders relax but her gaze did not turn away from Valery. "They will live, I will pull their souls from the Netherworld itself, but it is time for you to leave. You will not remember this place, you will not remember my son, you will only remember that you were successful tonight. You stopped the slavers operations - such a noble Jedi."​

​

Salara uttered a spell and sent forth her magic, cast it toward the woman before her. Valery would likely only feel something of a headache, however painful it would be. Salara wouldn't erase the memories, rather, she would lock them away - and when the time was right. They would be unleashed and hit far harder than the Jedi could ever anticipate. "Come along children, we have other matters to attend to." Quietly she walked past the Jedi, the Sky Troopers, and her sons would be gone. Lightning would cast down toward the filthy, wet-duracrete floor and Salara Zambrano would disappear. ​

​

She would make contact with her husband and inform him to ready the gates. ​

​

The Mother of Alvarex and Xathrael was only glad that this matter of Valery Noble had been resolved, and she would no longer offend her bloodlines. Although now, perhaps, Salara could see why the woman was dangerous, "and so I see now, the danger this woman poses, husband. I'll join you soon enough to see to her demise."​

​

- FIN -​