Private You can run, but you can't hide

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Kathol
Tag | Kragr Krayt

"Why of all places would he come here?"

Valery powered down the engines of the shuttle after she had taken it down in a clearing within the Kathol jungles and turned to Kragr. For some time now, she had offered her help to him to take down a huge slaver operation — it was part of her desire to repay the Mandalorians for their training and hospitality, and they had been very effective at their work as well. But now that the slaver ring was almost entirely dismantled, its leader had fled. Valery and Kragr were soon able to track him down and discovered he had gone into hiding on Kathol.

A most strange world to hide on.

"Jungle planets like this are extremely dangerous for the unprepared. Do you think he has a proper hiding place here? Or is he somehow hoping we won't find him so deep into the jungles?" She shrugged, got up to her feet, and made her way out through the ramp she had lowered in the back. Once outside, Valery drew in a deep breath of fresh air and looked around. This place reminded her of New Cov, the planet her Old Enclave was located on, and quickly brought back a lot of good memories.

"Do you have any ideas to track him? Or do you want my senses to guide us through?"

​

 

[Kragr Krayt]

Outfit: Bio
Location: Kathol
Tag: Valery Noble

Ambience

Kragr couldn't believe his luck when he was getting ready for busting down a slave ring, which had been trafficking and selling slaves almost as young as 9 or 10 years of age. He had kept an eye on the slavers for some time, waiting for the right moment to get them as they had managed to avoid him each time he attempted to take them down.

So colour him surprised, when the one person, more importantly, the woman he had been thinking ever since their first meeting, found him and offered her aid to him. Kragr accepted her aid with open arms, not before he couldn't handle it on his own, but her Force powers and skills would just make the whole operation a lot smoother if they were two and on a plus side, Kragr got to see the strong but ethereal being known as Valery Noble again.

And oh boy did the bust on the black market slave ring go smoothly. Going in guns blazing, they managed to take the whole slave ring with the pants down, and hit down on all the major players who ran the whole operation, not to mention, caught all from politicians to known criminals and everything else in between as customers.

Having almost entirely dismantled the slaver's whole operation, meaning that the leader of it all, managed to flee in the chaos, causing Kragr and Valery to partake in a ruthless chase through the entire city, only to watch the slave leader escape by ship, right before their eyes laughing into their faces.

Having taken a shuttle, Kragr drove shotgun and had quite enjoyed the ride to the jungle planet Kathol. Every so often, he had gazed at Valery with deep awe-struck fascination and silent but heartfelt lustful sigh as their fight earlier with the slavers had only reinforced his head-over-heels explosive feelings for the woman.

~Kathol touch down~​

He listened attentively to Valery speak and it did strike him as an odd place at attempting to lay low for a criminal with such a large slave operation going. Nevertheless, he could only shrug as Val did and with his helmet in hand, he followed the Jedi down the ramp.

Immediately upon touching down on the soft jungle floor, Kragr was hit by the moist, heavy heat of the jungle and he knew this was going to be a very warm and sweaty hunt ahead of them. Not only could they both feel the heavy heat of the jungle, but all from birds singing, to distance primate howlings and insects... a lot of insects.

Taking the time to look around, it soon became apparent that without Valery's force sensitivity, the hunt would most likely have taken an incredibly long time. They knew the direction they would have to go, thanks to a tracker Kragr had fired onto the leader's ship, but the tracker went cold not long after they entered the atmosphere.

Just to make the hunt more interesting, the jungle was massive, with threes as big as those on Kashyyyk if not bigger, but with a lot more windy and twisting roots and branches, at least in Kragr's opinion. In fact, Looking at where they both stood, the sheer size of the trees around them, felt as if they had shuriken down to the size of ants.

"The tracker said north before it disappeared. Might as well go in that direction, but do keep your mind open with the Force, I have a feeling we'll gonna need it" agreed Kragr and snapped his helmet to his belt, checked for his weaponry, vambraces and climbed up a branch that had grown into the ground. The branch was massive, wide enough for three people to walk on and looked strong enough to hold the weight of an AT-ST.

Turning around he looked down at Valery, "let's get higher, we might get a better vantage point" suggested the Mandalorian and waited for the beautiful woman, known as Valery Noble, to give her opinion as Kragr very much values it.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Kathol
Tag | Kragr Krayt

"North it is," Valery confirmed with a nod before she took a moment of silence to focus on the environment. Guiding with her senses went far beyond trying to track their target — she also made herself aware of wildlife and whatever else could spark tremors of danger in the Force. Sure, it would be easy enough for them to deal with predators or other creatures trying to attack them, but every encounter would slow them down and buy the slaver more time.

If they could avoid trouble along the way, it would benefit their mission.

"This place is swarming with life, and some of it is bound to be dangerous," Valery said after a moment, as her fiery eyes shifted back to Kragr. His suggestion to get up high in the trees was met with another nod, "Good idea but be careful if you're using a jetpack. Don't set anything on fire," she said with a smirk. It wasn't a joke though — she was not here to cause immense planetary fires, and it would only alert their target as well.

So with that said, Valery shifted into the Force and suddenly exploded upwards, high above what any person could naturally jump, and landed further up the massive tree they were on. From there, she calculated her way up and made a series of augmented jumps to reach the thicker branches that hovered high above the surface.

"The jungle might be too dense to see something yet, but we're bound to run into him if we move fast," Valery said once Kragr joined her up top. "I do sense something in the North as well, so let's keep heading there. But be careful... I feel a strange tension in the Force as well. As if we're being watched."

With how many animals were around them, this was likely not a surprise.

​

 

[Kragr Krayt]

Outfit: Bio
Location: Kathol
Tag: Valery Noble

Ambience

A light-hearted snort gave way from Kragr when Valery asked him not to set fire the everything. But inside, he wasn't planning on just burning down an entire jungle for shit and giggles. Of course, he couldn't be held responsible for what might be an accident but that is a whole 'nother can of future problems if that would happen.

Kragr just stood on the branch and watched the Jedi showcase an impressive athletic feat as she made her way up probably a good couple of 100 feet or so to other branches that spread out and intermingled with many other bright green trees. A smirk spread, as he simply couldn't get enough of that woman's show of strength and prowess. There was just something raw about it that he couldn't put his finger on.

Unclipping his helmet from the belt, he reequipped it over his head and cracked his neck two times and simply just stepped over the edge and dropped into a freefall. Within seconds Kragr's jetpack blasted to life and the giant felt the rush and pull from the fire burning out of the ports of the jetpack.

The Mandalorian soon found himself up on the same branch as the Jedi and landed safely with a sense of expertise behind it. "Show off" teased Kragr with a smile behind his helmet.

Listening to the Jedi Master explain, Kragr could only agree with the statement. Giving a once look around them, using his helmet's internal scanner, he found no signatures that visible animals that looked to be stalking them. He did see quite a lot of primates watch him and Valery with a sense of passive curiosity. Then there were a lot of birds, some passing by, others calling or interacting with each other on other smaller branches.

"Well, let's not diddle daddling," said Kragr, feeling comfortable enough that they wouldn't get attacked right at this moment. "Try not to slip when running" teased Kragr with a smirk walking backwards over the edge of the branch before blasting himself into the air. Turning around in the air, he quickly passed branches upon branches, so they wouldn't be too far from each other if Valery could catch up so if something were to happen, they both could quickly react and aid each other.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Kathol
Tag | Kragr Krayt

"Show off"

Valery turned her fiery eyes his way after making an elegant landing up on top of the large branch. She rolled her eyes a little at the comment and focused again on the path ahead. During their time together to take down the slaver operation, he had undoubtedly gotten to know her better — both the intense warrior side, now unsuppressed as she did allow herself to tap into the Force, as well as the kind and more personal side to her.

Which now meant he likely noticed the latter was almost entirely gone. She seemed intensely focused on the mission alone, and barely smiled or showed friendliness at all. She hadn't told him, as she hated burdening people with her problems, but the death of her husband had left a huge mark on her soul.

"I won't slip. I grew up in jungles like this," she informed him before she exploded back into the air and began to move along large branches and parts of the tree trunks with Force-augmented movements, so fast they were difficult to track with the naked eye. It allowed her to keep up with Kragr, whose jetpack made it much easier to avoid obstructions from nature. Slowly but surely, the two were getting closer to their target this way, until Valery finally stopped and looked up at the Mandalorian.

"We're close!" she called out. "You see anything from up there?"

​

 

[Kragr Krayt]

Outfit: Bio
Location: Kathol
Tag: Valery Noble

Ambience​

As they both sped through the massive unexplored jungle, Kragr kept an eye out for anything and made sure to pay attention to the helmet's HUD for activities that might near their position. The giant had noticed the almost sombre-like darkness that have failed over the Jedi who ran so effortless from branch to branch, keeping up with her partner in crime, so to speak. However, Kragr haven't said anything as one, they were on a mission and two, now was not the time as they were blasting through the jungle at high velocity.

"We're close!" she called out. "You see anything from up there?"

Checking his HUD's scanner, Kragr scanned the surroundings in a wide area in front of them and did pick up something large. "My scanner is picking up something, yes!" Called the large Mandalorian only to feel like he was hit by a truck when something powerful hit him straight out of the air. The last thing Valery saw, was Kragr plummeting into the darkness below them as they were so high up above the surface below them.

It must have been something with an incredible long-range shot fired, as it not only hit Kragr with enough punch to make him break, but also knock the air right about of him. It wasn't even a blaster bolt, as that would have been easy for both of them to pick up on, even Kragr's HUD as blaster bolts was slow enough when fired to be seen.

No this was a slug thrower and a particularly mean type of sniper rifle shot from incredible range. Another shot was fired but at Valery. There wasn't even any shot, until after the shot was fired and within nanoseconds from blasting a hole in the Jedi Master's head at the size of a raisin. The worse of it all, whoever was shooting was hidden, concealed from the naked eye.

While Valery most likely could pinpoint the shooter if she concentrated, she and Kragr had been caught in a particularly open area on the massive branches. Not to mention, if the first shot missed, Valery would have to react within nanoseconds to another slug fired.

The sound of Kragr's jetpack carrying him back up, though further back where a tree trunk could be used as cover. "Kriffing hell that one hurt" hissed Kragr, leaning up against the tree trunk with a drawn blaster. His armour was not broken but there was a small dent in the armour, where the shot hit, which should tell both that this weapon was incredibly dangerous to get hit by.

While Kragr could survive, the shots were still powerful enough to completely knock him back on his ass and leave dents in very resistant and strong heavy Mandalorian armour.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Kathol
Tag | Kragr Krayt

"My scanner is picking up something, yes!"

Valery looked up at him expectantly, only to see something with great power blast him out of the sky. She knew his armor protected him against almost anything, but heavy impacts could still be damaging or become lethal, especially if it resulted in a fall from great heights. But she was given very little time to worry about it, as a tremor of danger rippled through the Force, and shifted her focus to self-preservation.

A hand came up and Valery quickly focused her efforts on creating a layer of Force energy in front of her palm, allowing her to deflect the incoming rounds up into the sky. She could still feel the kinetic force behind them, causing her to be knocked back several steps, but now she understood what they were dealing with.

Slugthrowers.

"Kriffing hell that one hurt"

"Are you injured?!" She called out right as she hopped from her position and relocated to get some cover from the gigantic tree. They had an idea where the shots were coming from, and it was logical to assume this sniper had some kind of elevated position too. But getting to them would be very difficult.

"Hey uh, Kragr? You wouldn't mind playing bait, right?" Valery asked with a slight smirk. "Your armor can protect you in case you get hit, so if you move and draw attention, I can pinpoint their location."

​

 

[Kragr Krayt]

Outfit: Bio
Location: Kathol
Tag: Valery Noble

Ambience

Kragr still felt the vibration in his body after getting hit by such a high calibre and could only thank his beskar'gam for keeping him from plastering the trees with blood and guts. "No I'm fine, but karking hell that hurt. Now I am really pissed off" called Kragr back with a fury like no other as he with his legs, rose by sliding his back up against the massive tree trunk. However, when he looked over to Valery, his fury got subdued for a second as he saw the incredible reflexes she had, dodging a shot within nanoseconds of getting her entire head taken out.

He just couldn't help it, but he just stood there and admired the perfect beauty that was Valery Noble. How her gorgeously trained muscles flexed in the warm jungle light that shined through the treetops. Or how she expertly moved through the air like a beautiful enchantress performing a dance of prowess.

Even while shots kept coming at their positions, completely shredding pieces of bark and wood off of the treetrunks they were hiding behind. No doubt, the sniper was trying to put them under pressure and hoping Kragr and Valery would make a mistake.

It took a second or two for Kragr to shake himself out of his awe and admiration of Valery's goddess-like beauty, but most importantly, her impressive feat of strength. However, blinking back to reality, Kragr fell directly back to business and nodded to the Jedi Master's plan with a smirk of his own behind his helmet, Kragr launched himself into the air.

The moment the giant Mandalorian came into view in the air, the sniper fired making Kragr only barely dodge the shot in the air. With a blaster in each hand, Kragr proceed to cause quite the distraction as he performed some rather impressive air manoeuvres while simultaneously being as annoying as possible. The sniper seemed to have his focus completely on Kragr at the moment, firing continually at the Mandalorian, while Kragr just as rapidly fired back in the general direction where he suspected the sniper was located.

Over the comm between the two, Valery heard kragr's voice, "Now! While he's distracted!"

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Kathol
Tag | Kragr Krayt

For a moment, Valery wondered if he had even heard what she was saying — she couldn't see his face behind the helmet, but he was just blankly staring. She knew that her feats of Force use and lightsaber skills weren't all that new to him. But whatever it was, he snapped out of it quickly and agreed to her plan, which got her to grin a little while she prepared herself to make a move as well.

Kragr wasted no time and jumped out to draw the enemy sniper into firing at him. He dodged the first shot just barely, but the movements and pistols opening fire made it a lot more difficult, so the shots that followed from the sniper were all far less accurate. But after a few more were fired, she had a good idea as to where their target was.

"Now! While he's distracted!"

With nigh untrackable speed, Valery suddenly exploded away from cover and positioned herself between Kragr and the incoming shot she felt through the Force. With its strength and guidance, she raised her hand again and deflected the bullet back along its original trajectory, completely warped but with so much velocity still that it was an incredibly deadly projectile.

Then there was silence.

"He's likely armored, so that may not have killed him, but we got a chance to move!" she called out, and this time she gave Kragr no time to admire or watch. She began to bounce from one tree to another again, quickly trying to close the distance to what she hoped would be their target neutralized.

​

 

[Kragr Krayt]

Outfit: Bio
Location: Kathol
Tag: Valery Noble

Ambience​

Kragr was quick to blast after the Jedi Master, seeing as the sniper engagement had ceased, which most likely had been due to realising Kragr had been a distraction. The moment Valery reached the other side from where the shots had most likely been shot, she found a massive anti-tank rifle left. The barrel of the anti-tank gun was not only long but incredibly large and looked to be able to deliver a devastating punch to armour.

However, what she did pick up, was a small hidden bunker a good thousand meters from her location. Not long after Valery found the discarded anti-tank rifle landed Kragr beside the brunette and witness the bunker as well.

Holstering his blasters, Kragr immediately activated his scanner and walked over to the edge of the massive branch. "My scanners don't pick up any life signatures outside. Whoever shot at us, must have somehow made inside of the bunker" relayed the large Mandalorian and shut down his scanner to look at Valery.

Pulling his War Mace from his belt, "let's go say hi," while Valery was greeted by the emotionless face of Kragr's helmet, she could hear the devious smirk in his voice. Taking one step over the edge her simply just let gravity carry him down towards the dark undergrowth as the bunker was located on the ground, but hidden away from the air which meant also it getting little light down.

Kragr activated his jetpack before he would reach the ground and negated what otherwise would have completely broken his bones due to the height from where he and Valery had stood.

Being in almost complete darkness, he waited for the beautiful woman that was Valery to get down, before he continued on foot towards the bunker. With his deadly War Mace in one hand, Kragr simply walked up to the front gate of the bunker surprisingly easy and unharmed.

Upon standing in front of the door, he found it both odd and alarming that nothing had stopped him or Valery to reach the bunker's front gated blast doors.

The bunker's exterior was obviously built to stand against heavy artillery fire and reinforced blast doors with a simple handprint recognition keypad. As Kragr looked at the door, then at the handprint keypad and then taking a couple of steps back, he looked around the exterior of the bunker and then lastly at Valery. "Odd would have expected some kind of opposition on our way up to the bunker. This is a first" admitted the fire-kissed Mandalorian, showing clear distrust of the quiet.