Private Where Is My Mind?

[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

The IIum temple was a far cry from the baron green hills of Azbrian. It would have been strange seeing a temple of this style on the planet, but considering he had visited many planets before and after the "incident" it wasn't totally new to him. Being able to explore the confines of spiritual architecture was fascinating, but at the same time, it made his already tired state more into a drowsy mess.

Silas involuntarily released a small yawn and rubbed his eyes in preparation for sleep. It was unusual for him to be this tired after a long walk, considering he had done more demanding tasks back when he was still present on the farm. So, considering there was no one in sight he decided to find a little nap spot.

His feet slowly took him over to a pillar that was out of view from the main walkway and leaned himself against it. Silas slowly slid himself down until he was safely sat on the floor with his legs extended outwards, to the point where his shoes could be seen by any sharp eyes going past.

He made himself comfy and released a deep sigh before shutting his eyes to the world, consuming himself in the black abyss of his own thoughts. Everything seemed peaceful at first, with nothing but himself to think about. However, a locked away memory began to fade through the layer of darkness that protected him.

Plumes of smoke turned the sky black as the raging fires below burned away at the once glistening green grass and anything that opposed it. Not even the cattle which once roamed the farm couldn't escape its touch, their crispy bodies scattered throughout the area had a scent of burning flesh filling the air. Silas certainly knew where he was, and it was never comfortable experiencing the same ordeal over and over again in the place he was most vulnerable. No matter what, his mind would never let him forget that fateful night. Out of the twilight, his body would squirm uncomfortably and thrash in a way that showed he was somewhat trying to break away from what he was watching. Yet, it was clearly no use...

In front of the uncontrollable house fire were five figures, all covered in some kind of red liquid that was spread out across their dark clothing. As he approached, the man in the middle saw the boy and began to walk up to him. Silas froze in fright from the faceless enemy coming his way, the pace of his breath quickening in the real world and dream world. Slowly but surely. The hand began to get close and closer, preparing to grab him and pull the defenseless Silas deeper into the nightmare that plagued him.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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After a rather eventful patrol into a nearby canyon, Valery had returned to the Temple on Ilum to file her official report about what she had seen, and to make sure any potential threats were mapped for future expeditions. But once she finished up, there was nothing left for her to do. She had already gone through her training, her meditations, and with the Jedi who joined her on the Patrol returning to their duties, her day was practically over.​

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But with plenty of time left before she'd go to bed, Valery decided to go for a walk through the Temple and its surrounding area. Not to look out for animals or other signs of danger, but just to think about her own situation. About what she needed to do to get through her current problems.​

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After walking for about 10 minutes though, her attention was drawn away from her own struggles, as she spotted a figure moving rather strangely. She stepped around to see a young boy sleeping, but he didn't seem too comfortable at all — he was having a nightmare, and a really bad one by the looks of it.​

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Normally she wasn't one to wake others and allow them their privacy while they were sleeping, but his entire body seemed to scream for a way out of whatever he was going through in his nightmare. So Valery decided to make her way over, and placed her hand gently on his shoulder, squeezing and shaking it enough to hopefully get him to wake up, but not hard enough to hurt him.​

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"Hey, it's alright," Valery said with a somewhat worried tone.​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

Just as the gloved hand fell to his shoulder, the boy's eyes shot open, and frantically reached up to grab hold of the arm with his hand in a frantic panic. Silas panted as he shakily looked into the face of a Jedi, who seemed to be concerned about how he was acting "M-master Noble?" the padawan croaked, with a face that was full of fear and bewilderment.

Now and then, the same recurring nightmare would slip back into his mind like an unwelcome visitor. The event that scared him was deeply ingrained into his soul, a constant reminder of how he didn't do anything but leave his mother and father to die in the burning house.

"I-I'm sorry if I startled you, I didn't know what was going on..."

With a deep breath, Silas slowly loosened his grip and lowered the arm beside him once more. At the same time, he seemed to finally be calming down, especially his breathing which was now coming down to a more steady pace. Through it all, Silas still had an obscure confusion etched across his face, a polar opposite to the normal stern look that always seemed to be present in whatever activity he did

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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Valery's eyes briefly widened as the boy very suddenly woke up and grabbed her arm in his moment of panic. She leaned forward as a result and blinked, but she understood the reaction quite well. Recently, Valery has been struggling with nightmares and visions herself, and her own reactions were typically similar.​

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"It's me, and everything's alright." She said with a comforting smile as realized who he was looking at.​

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When he slowly let go of her arm, she brought it back to her side and gave him a moment to calm down and collect his thoughts. In most cases, it could be embarrassing or a bit much to have a stranger wake you from a fear-inducing nightmare. So she didn't want him to feel pressured to explain himself.​

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"You didn't startle me, and there is nothing to apologize for. We all have bad nightmares at times." She said with a rather soothing tone of voice, one she used whenever she wanted to have a more calming aura about herself.​

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"But now that you're awake, maybe a drink and some food would be good? If you'd like to join me." she offered. It was an opportunity for him to explain more about his dreams if he wanted to as well, and at his own pace. If he decided against it, the food and drinks would still be nice after a vivid nightmare.​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

Master Noble had always been considered a caring and passionate teacher by anyone who talked about her. He'd heard stories of her heroics throughout the galaxy as soon as he started his training, but he had never seen her up until recently. Although, the way she smiled and comforted him only proved that the stories of her kindness were nothing but true.

"Well, thank you for pulling me out of that mess. I owe you my gratitude" he replied with a respectful nod, a shy smile forming in the corner of his lips. Silas sighed and swiftly looked himself over, double checking to see if he was still presentable, especially in front of a Jedi Master. Even before his training, he was already quite strict on how he looked. Like what his father taught him, first impressions meant everything. How could an alien trust you when you looked like a ragged nerf herder?

"Of course, I'd be happy to join you," the boy said gladly as he slightly ruffled his own hair and used the pillar as a crutch to get up.

He Sheepishly waited for the Jedi to join him before beginning to walk alongside her to the food hall. Silas put his hands behind his back and walked along in a more serious motion, pondering in his own thoughts for a few moments as he walked

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your business here on IIum out of all places?" he questioned in curiosity, his head turning to Valery with all of his attention.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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"I'm just glad you seem to be feeling better." She smiled and watched him fix himself up. While she always made sure to look presentable as well, appearances weren't really that important for developing her first impressions. Unless something was extremely off, of course. She cared about the way people presented themselves through behavior more than anything, and he seemed to be polite and kind — she appreciated both traits.​

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"I'll warn you though, the food here isn't too amazing. But maybe I can get something special now that most Jedi are out and about." she chuckled and began to walk along with him towards the now mostly deserted food hall. A silence then lingered between the two, which she thought was for him to collect his thoughts again. ​

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But instead, he asked her a question.​

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"I'm Ilum's watchman from the NJO, which means I take care of the planet the best I can — I watch over it. Doesn't mean I live here or spend all my time on the surface, but I visit regularly to make sure problems are addressed and people know what to do." She explained before she turned her gaze to him.​

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"Did you come here with the last group of Jedi who helped rebuild parts of the Temple? Or are you visiting for different reasons?"​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

"Please, you don't need to do that. I'd rather have the same grub as everyone else than be given special treatment." the boy declined courteously with a wave of his hand. He appreciated that Valery was looking out for him, but after being on a gang shuttle for months with barely any food he'd settle just fine with anything that was at least edible. Earning the special food would be far more worthwhile than being given it anyway, it was just the way he was.

When Master Noble answered his question, the eyes of the boy seemed to light up. Not once did he divert his concentration away from Valery as she spoke, listening in wonder of how she was a watchman for the planet. Silas could only dream to be given that honor to guard a planet one day, even though it was perfectly within his grasp if he worked hard enough for it.

"You're correct, I tagged along after finishing my initiate training to try and get some experience. So far, building a temple has far exceeded my expectations."

Putting graft into projects was something he enjoyed most, and if an opportunity like this came his way again he wouldn't hesitate to jump at the chance. Considering sitting around all day drove him crazy, he'd do anything to keep himself active.

"And please, if you have any more outstanding jobs I'd be happy to take them on. You won't need to ask twice" Silas offered just as they entered the ghostly food hall.

Sniffing the air, he caught a whiff of the food ahead of them and frowned slightly. It certainly didn't smell good, but it at least had to provide some kind of benefit considering most of the people here were fit and fighting warriors.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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"No special treatment, hm?" she smirked, almost as if she was teasing a little. "Fine, but I'm going to take something better than the standard meal myself," she said, feeling that she had earned it after the rather lengthy patrol out in the extreme cold, and with plenty of dangers.​

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The two then entered the food hall but the smell of the meals hardly phased her. In part because she had gotten used to it, but also because the conversation drew her attention a lot more. For his age, he showed a great deal of respect and maturity towards her, which she wasn't quite used to.​

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In the days of the Old Republic, the vast majority of the Jedi she knew were trained from a very young age, so all of them were taught appropriate etiquette. But since her awakening from stasis, she certainly needed time to adjust to the way many Jedi carried themselves. It wasn't that they were disrespectful, but they were certainly far less formal.​

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"You seem eager to get started." she smiled and moved over to where they could grab themselves a meal. For him, something simple but it was nutritious enough to sustain even a warrior's physique. Valery, though, went for something a bit fancier that still fit her strict diet. Maintaining her body required proper food, after all. ​

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"I'll warn you though, tasks here on Ilum tend to be dangerous and very uncomfortable. So I'm not sending you out on your own. But if you'd like to help, you're free to join me on my next expedition."​

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With her plate of food in hand, she moved over to a table and sat down with him. ​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

Silas could help but grin at what sounded like a tease from the Master. It was obvious the more special and reserved food tasted better, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the sight of the food alone tortured his rumbling stomach.

Standing in front of the food with a small bowl, he looked down to the brown looking soup that had bits of unidentified chunks floating around its very mixture. Without a complaint, he gulped down his pride and poured some of the hot soup into the bowl "I haven't come here to sit around and do nothing, Master Noble" Silas stated while turning around and beginning to walk over to a seat alongside Valery. He found the opportunity to come here a chance to prove himself, even if it was for doing the smallest things, anything could go a long way.

"You kidding? how can I turn down something like that?" the boy replied in a cool tone, trying his best to hide his excitement for such a grand honor. He wasn't expecting to be asked for such a task during his time here, considering he had only just finished his initiate training. That in itself made him think, did she already have knowledge of him before they met? It was obviously impossible for her to know every student she came across, but there was a small possibility she had seen his file. One that was sure to mention his great potential with a lightsaber.

"What are we expected to come across out there? Anything I should be worried about?" he questioned to the Jedi as he placed himself down and took hold of his spoon. Examining the strange nutritious mixture he lifted his spoon and allowed the chunky soup to fall back down with a plop, something of which made him pull a disgusted face.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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Valery chuckled — a desire not to be sitting still too much was something she could relate to heavily. Ever since she was a Padawan herself, she was always trying to keep herself busy, either with training, meditation, or her duties. Sitting still just wasn't an option, although recently it has changed a little for her with the birth of her daughter and her desire to spend more time with her family as well.​

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"Ilum might make you think there's not much out there, but there are some dangerous creatures that live here. The patrols and expeditions I've been doing are with the purpose of mapping dangerous territory, especially if it's close to the Temple," she explained before she turned to her food for a moment. ​

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"So you'll have to stay close and be careful. But as long as you're not going to underestimate it, I'd be happy to bring you along so you can get some experience." She smirked and took a bite from her food again. It still wasn't anything like what she cooked for herself, but it was definitely better than his soup.​

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"Afterwards though, I suggest not lingering on Ilum too long. It's not the best planet for your training — most Jedi only visit for the crystal caves or the odd assignment out here."​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Calm down
Tags: Valery Noble

Silas examined the strange liquid for a few moments longer before bravely putting a spoonful into his mouth, wasting no time to gulp it down whole. The taste matched the special perfectly, but it was something he was able to withstand for now. After all, it only benefitted building up to a fitter physique.

Doing well to hide any telling expressions of the meal, he placed the spoon back into the bowl and listened closely as to what the master had to say. She probably knew the planet more than anyone else, if he were to ask anyone about what life was like on here it was her. Nodding slowly, it was clear the surrounding area was not to be taken lightly.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity, Master Noble. I wouldn't even dream of underestimating a planet I barely knew" he said respectfully as he downed another dreaded spoonful of his soup "And provided were so close to the borders of the imperials, you never know when they could turn up..." He explained, knowing full well it was a front line planet and increasingly dangerous with that fact.

"Agreed, I don't plan on staying long after our mission. My task of helping to rebuild part of the temple would be more than accomplished. There would be no reason or benefit for me to stay here after that." Silas agreed, his gaze forcing him to look upon the more than delicious food she had in front of her for a few seconds

"I'm not sure where it will take me next, but whatever they throw at me I'm sure it will bring a learning curve to go along with it" releasing a small smile, Silas knew he had a long way to go until he really reached his true potential

"And, once a master or knight has been assigned to me that will be when the real training begins..."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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She couldn't help but smirk as she watched him eat — Valery knew how awful it tasted, and she had seen him glance at her food as well. Made her wonder if he regretted his decision not to get 'special treatment' from her. Either way, it was highly amusing to her, and she wasn't afraid to show that. ​

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"That is also a good point you make there. We do sometimes find listening posts, either abandoned or still with people there. My suspicions are New Imperials or perhaps even the Maw." she said before taking another bite from her food to finish her meal. She then pushed the plate away and looked back up at him.​

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"A lot of the Jedi I work with travel between wherever their work is and the Prosperity, so that might be a good place for you to go next. If you stick around a little longer, I can get you a ride too." Valery then paused for a moment and looked at him when he spoke about getting assigned a Master.​

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"I wouldn't use the word assigned — you have a choice as well. A pairing between a Padawan and a Knight or Master goes best when there is some chemistry or if the Master offers something the Padawan really needs. So don't be afraid to take your time and be honest with Jedi."​

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"A wrong decision here is one you'll likely regret for a long time."​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Finish the soup
Tags: Valery Noble

He knew Master Valery had some amusement watching him eat the soup, one of which was starting to make him regret turning down the delicious meal she had. Although that would have been against the very ideals he kept close "Your smirking is making my experience even more dire, Master Noble" the boy said with a grin as he managed to get halfway through the torture.

Snapping back to his usual cold expression, he was intrigued to hear about what they had found on the planet. He already knew the Imperial were always poking their head in, but the Maw? anything with them mentioned was quite alarming. Silas had yet to come across them yet, but the stories he heard sounded like they were heartless savages.

"The Maw... why doesn't that surprise me. What do those brutes want with a planet like this?" He grunted in disgust, his hands slowly swirling the unknown chunks of the soup bowl with a stained spoon

"The prosperity will probably be my next stop. Then who knows, I could be sent halfway across the galaxy to do something else. And thank you, I could use the ride back if you don't mind"

In all honesty, he didn't care where they sent him. As long as he was making a difference and developing his skills, that's all that mattered. Yet, to go further beyond he needed a master to take him the extra mile. Pausing briefly to what she had to say, he slowly nodded in agreement

"You're right, I do have a choice. I need to pick what's most beneficial for me and not for anyone else, a master who can bring the best out of me" he explained. Silas looked up to Master Valery and silently judged the Jedi, comparing her against the other Jedi he had come across.

All the warriors he had met so far had been nothing but kind and supportive. However, Valery was different from the rest of them. She took time to know and look after him after a frightening experience compared to some who would pat him on the back and send him on his way. The master even went out of her way to get something special for him, an offer he unfortunately refused. There was one thing though, was she really the one that was best suited for him? time could only tell.

"Making a wrong decision can also prove to be a learning curve in the future, and that's something I'm potentially going to do now"

Ever since he'd seen Valery smirking at his displeasure, the urge to wipe it away had reached its boiling point. Placing both hands around the half full bowl, he carefully lifted it to his mouth and took his time to consume all of its contents. Not a drop was spilled as he placed it back down to the table with determination, a hand soon being placed over his mouth to stop himself from puking it back out "T-this soup was nothing compared to the crap I've eaten before" he muffled in clear displeasure. Thankfully it still wasn't hot, else his throat would have been fried from the inside out

"A-as meals would go... it wasn't too bad"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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"I'm sorry, it's just always amusing to see how people respond to the food here." ​

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She smiled almost innocently, and what she said was true to an extent. But she mostly just thought it was funny because he had insisted on not getting better food despite it being available. Valery then watched his expression turn more stoic again, and she'd return to her own food for a moment.​

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"The Maw? Part of their goals is to destroy anything related to the Jedi. So Ilum is definitely a target with this whole Temple and the crystal caves that have been used by Jedi for thousands of years," she explained. ​

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It made the Maw an almost unique threat to the Galaxy — they weren't just interested in crippling military forces and the Jedi because of their defensive stance. They were out to destroy cultural pieces and anything that allowed the concept of the Jedi to survive even as an idea. It wasn't just conquest, it was pure destruction.​

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Valery then nodded as he thought about what went into finding a good Master, "That's right. Ultimately, the time between a Master and Padawan should center around the Padawan. Both will learn things during their time together, but it's the Padawan whose growth is most important." she added with a smile.​

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Then he did something she wasn't quite expecting — he grabbed the bowl of soup and downed what remained very quickly. Valery blinked and tilted her head slightly when he lowered the bowl and spoke again, a smirk on her face that made it obvious she could tell how bad it really was.​

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"Mhmm... there is always something worse. I once practically lived off of nutrition bars for a year." She said before she stood up and stretched her arms and legs a bit. ​

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"Unless you need to lay down after eating that, maybe you'd like to come along for a quick patrol?"​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Consume the soup
Tags: Valery Noble

The fact she was amused by what people thought of the food showed she had a good sense of humor. He was used to the serious authority in what most Jedi had, but it was always refreshing to see one that could have a bit of fun and enjoy themselves when they had the chance. Her reply also managed to get a smile out of Silas, who probably would have done the same thing if he ever became like her.

That wouldn't last long though, when she explained h the Maw was against the Jedi and their very existence he snapped back into an expressionless yet thoughtful composure. They really were just barbaric brutes, after all, their emotion for other people was as empty as a black hole.

"I wish there was a way to make them realise their brutality, but I'm sure we're way past the point of no return considering their brutalities..."

He hoped he'd never got to face one face to face, but the chances of that were pretty slim. One day, Silas would have to fight one face to face. No matter how scary they looked, he was going to do his duty and overcome their fierce nature.

When Silas had downed the dreaded soup he did well to not vomit any of it back up, mainly because he had eaten far worse food in his short life to help soften the blow of his ordeal. Back when he was constantly on the gang shuttle, the first few months consisted of moldy food and strange drinking water that tasted metallic. If he was lucky, even a rat was on the menu.

"Nutrition bars? I would have that any day of the week compared to what I was eating for months on end one of the years. Heck, I'd even have that soup if they offered it" Silas replied with a momentary frown as memories from the gang days flooded into his mind. Sometimes thoughts like that were meant to be locked away into the deepest depths of the mind. Although, no matter what they'd still come back as if they happened yesterday.

Raising himself from the chair, he slowly stretched his arms and coughed a few times to prevent himself from gagging from the lingering taste of soup in his throat "No no... I'd be more than willing to come on the patrol. It will probably be best walking it off than suffering in bed anyway" he said to master Vallery while a hand went through his hair

Motioning his hand to lead the way, he followed behind the Jedi and retained the serious posture of his hands behind his back "If we for whatever reason find something out there, what would be the procedure? do you want me to stay back and examine you dealing with the problem?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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"Nutrition bars? I would have that any day of the week compared to what I was eating for months on end one of the years. Heck, I'd even have that soup if they offered it"​

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Valery chuckled and was about to express her doubts about that statement when she noticed his frown. All Jedi came from different places and lived through vastly differing circumstances before becoming a Jedi. Her experiences with bad food came from frontline duties, but it seemed it ran deeper with him.​

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Perhaps his nightmare earlier was about this as well?​

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She then watched him rise from his seat and nodded with a gentle smile, "You're probably right. It never hurts to go for a walk and get some fresh air." she said when he insisted on coming along. He then gestured for her to lead the way, and she did but likely not to where he was expecting.​

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Ilum was known for vast icy plains and to walk across them would take a lot of time. So rather than going outside, she took him into the hangar area, where she stepped up to her speeder bike. All black and with a large exhaust, it made her look like a biker girl but her smirk probably made it clear that she loved taking it for a ride as well.​

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"If we run into something, we do whatever is necessary and makes sense. I don't expect serious trouble but if we do encounter something really dangerous, then I do suggest you stay back a little." she flashed him a grin and sat down on the speeder. The engine fired up and after putting on a helmet, she offered another to Silas.​

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"Jump on, I'll take us to the area I'd like to survey."​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Consume the soup
Tags: Valery Noble

"Walking things off normally does the trick. I doubt a bowl of soup will cause any problems" the boy explains before involuntarily letting out a small burp. Silas put a hand to his mouth and smiled embarrassingly to the Jedi, showing the humorous side of it while knowing it was kind of rude to do such a thing "My apologies..." Silas said with a nervous chuckle while they took their time to head to the hanger.

He initially thought they were going straight outside onto the icy planet and doing the patrol by foot, but soon wouldn't be apparent when Master Noble brought them beside a cool looking black speeder bike. From the look on her face, she seemed pretty excited to give it a ride on the icy plains of Ilum. The same could be said for Silas too, who seemed to have a brewing smirk in the corner of his lips

The speeder brought back many memories of when he was back on the farm, happy ones that involved him test driving a speeder himself. When his mother and father were off planet, he'd always take their speeder out on the grass plains and see how brave he could be. Most of the time he tried to go fast, but considering it belonged to his parents he still had to be respectable and keep at a speed that suited him well. One day, he hoped to go back and do it all again. A possibility that seemed distant right now.

"Yes, Master Valery. whatever is needed" Silas said to her with a small nod, his eyes going back to the awesome speeder to examine it further. After a few moments, he looked back up he took the helmet with one hand and slid it across his head, making sure it was tight enough to keep on and prevent him from any possible head damage if the worse happened.

"Sure, and by all means go as fast as you want" he secretly encouraged before placing himself behind Valery and taking a tight grip of her shirt to hold on. Hearing the rumble of the speeder he couldn't help but feel pumped to get on the craft and find out what Ilum had to offer him

"Ready when you are"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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Noticing the way he looked at her bike, Valery flashed her own signature smirk and got settled on top. She'd wait until he had his helmet secured and held on before firing up the powerful engine that she could feel roaring in her chest. The whole thing had been designed to be able to survive tough environments like Ilum and, of course, she had made sure that it was fast.​

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"Sure, and by all means go as fast as you want"​

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Oh, he didn't have to tell her twice — with a grin on her face, she revved up the engine and took off with a rather sudden burst of speed. If it wasn't for the extreme cold and the fact she carried a passenger, Valery would have loved to let her long hair flow along with the fast winds, but the intense feeling in her gut from the acceleration was quite nice as well.​

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Once she reached a comfortable cruising speed, Valery continued the path over the familiar icy planes, most of which were void of anything beyond small creatures. It was rather dull, but the view of the cliffs and sky could be quite fascinating. Especially seeing the stars at night was something she enjoyed, but it wouldn't have been a good time for a patrol.​

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"We're going to scout out a nearby canyon," Valery called out over her shoulder, right as it appeared on the horizon. ​

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When they finally got there, she gradually came to a stop and let him get off the bike first, before she got off but with the engine still running — a way to keep it warm. Her eyes then shifted between Silas and the canyon and a gentle smile reached her features again. ​

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"There are hundreds of these canyons on Ilum, and most have nothing inside of them. But there are some dangerous creatures on this planet, so be careful okay? Feel free to lead the way for now as well, and take a good look around."​

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[Silas Westgard]

Location: IIum Temple
Objective: Patrol the Canyon
Tags: Valery Noble

The initial jolt of the bike startled him for a moment, before quickly subsiding when they began to pick up speed along the snowy plains of the planet. Silas was smiling from ear to ear, almost enjoying it as much as his driver Master Valery who clearly agreed to his secret hint to go fast. It had been a long time since going this fast on a bike, and to say he was loving every second was an understatement.

Crumbling down to a more cruising speed the padawan finally had enough time to gain his bearings and take in the environment of Ilum. As far as the eye can see was baron, white land. No life seemed to be sustainable other than the odd puny creature who just showed the struggles of surviving on a harsh planet like this. Master Valery was right, the planet would provide no benefit to his training at the very least. Furthermore, the only two things of relative importance were the crystal mines and the temple itself.

"Noted, Master Valery. Are we expected to go deeper or patrol above ground?" he questioned while his head peered over the shoulder of his driver, fascinated by the sheer scale of the Canyon before them.

Coming to a steady stop beside the large hole, he gracefully got off the speeder first and lifted the helmet off his head. He placed it on the back of the vehicle and moved a hand through his well kept hair, offering a calm smile back to the Jedi who explained the game plan for the patrol. Nodding in agreement, his gaze couldn't help but look around him when the mention was dangerous creatures were brought up

"You won't need to worry about me, I know the risks this planet brings..." the boy replied confidently. Silas gave a nod of his head to the master in respect before turning and moving ahead, a hand always close to the holster of his saber.

Below him, the ground scrunched from the pressure of his boots walking along with the clear white snow. Nothing but that and the gentle wind could be heard, and in some ways that were quite strange to him.

"You know, it's quite peaceful here. The lack of towering skyscrapers, hover vehicles and people is a nice change. Can't say the same about the weather though" Silas grumbled as he walked towards the edge of the canyon and knelt down to one knee, looking down into the large drop below with a cool expression

"Reminds me a lot of my old home, but more green and sunny in ways..." Silas remarked solemnly. He was longing to back go back one day, but even he knew the time wasn't right.

"If you don't mind me asking, Master Valery. What did you call home before becoming a Jedi?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ilum​

Valery: Appearance​

Tag: Silas Westgard ​

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Valery's long hair cascaded down behind her after she took off her own helmet and placed it back down. She then shook out her hair and stepped over to the edge of the canyon as well, her eyes shifting down to take an initial glance at what they could possibly expect. But of course, there was nothing they could see from up here.​

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"The peacefulness of this planet is likely the only thing that makes it somewhat bearable." Valery said with a smirk, "The cold winds and lack of anything aren't exactly inviting. You can get used to the cold though, especially if you've learned to use Tapas." That ability was the only reason she could walk around as exposed as she was without freezing to death.​

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Now, the extreme cold hardly phased her at all​

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"Come on, let's head down so we can actually take a good look." It was the canyon itself that Valery wanted to investigate, so she began taking him down a path that would slowly bring them into it. The tall walls on each side allowed less sunlight to help them find their way, but they also acted as a barrier against the winds, depending on the angle. Today, they seemed to be lucky — the winds were very mild.​

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"Home before the Jedi?" she chuckled. "In my time, it wasn't too common for Jedi to begin their training at an older age. I was so young when I was brought to the Temple, that I hardly remember anything about my life before the Jedi. I've never even returned to my homeworld." Valery admitted. Perhaps a strange thing to some, but she simply never felt a desire to explore that part of her past, and there was also never a good reason to go back to Keshi.​

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Stepping further into the canyon, Valery suddenly stopped after a few minutes and a hand came up closer towards her lightsaber. Her fiery eyes narrowed and it looked as if she was carefully listening for something. A few seconds later, and they could feel it too — the ground began to gently shake, but more violently with each passing second.​

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Something was getting closer.​

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"Stay close," Valery stated calmly while her gaze followed her senses. It drew her eyes to the canyon walls, where for another minute or so, she seemed to be tracking something.​

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Then with an explosion of ice and snow, a giant Razhak came out from the canyon walls and moved straight for the pair of Jedi.​

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