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- #1
Valena Karasu (née Cross)
Lightsaber/sword forms:
Ataru
Juyo
Trakata
Jar'Kai (dual wielding sword form)
AGE: 27
Strengths and weaknesses:
Val is a very understanding and fair individual. This doesn’t change the fact that she can be pretty arrogant. Her patience runs out rather quick and she can jump to illogical conclusions. However, on an overall, she has the constant thirst for knowledge and wisdom. As a result, her curiosity often gets her in trouble.
Gear:
Plain clothes, small knife, one standard blaster, two lightsabers, one Force katana
Armor:
-Stonewall Multipurpose Gauntlets
Designed and built by Jiang himself, the Stonewalls are technologically advanced gauntlets that extend from the hand to the bicep given to Val for a wedding gift. Made of a mix of armorweave and reinforcing durasteel plates, the Stonewalls are extremely rugged. They are able to briefly resist a glancing blow from a light saber, and outright stop blaster pistol and handgun-caliber slugthrower rounds. Cooling veins are networked throughout a thin layer of soft, shed-proof fabric lining the inside of the gauntlets, which ensures that they remain comfortable at all times.
The Stonewalls are perhaps the most comprehensive -and expensive- multipurpose tool in Jiang's inventory. Utilizing modified magseal technology, each gauntlet can produce a 5-foot tall, 3-foot wide wall of protective energy. The shields, resembling glowing blue rectangles composed of dozens of 3 inch wide hexes, are resistant to all weapons fire.
While the shields can last for hours without draining their power cells, their effective lifespan is reduced to mere minutes once brought under fire. Impacts from blaster pistols and slugthrower handguns have little effect on the shields, but blaster rifles and heavy machine guns will quickly whittle down and disable them. EMP grenades and ion weaponry is noticeably effective as well. Furthermore, the shield’s strength is relative to its size; the smaller the dimensions of the shield, the more powerful it is. A two foot long, foot wide shield is extremely powerful. In fact, a shield of that size is useful even in duels against lightsaber-armed opponents.
Possessions: Chain bracelet symbolizing marriage, photographs
Ship:
Borrows from the Order
Pets:
A Gungan……..just kidding. No pets. -_-
Distinguishing Marks:
Burn scar all over left arm and upper torso, black tattoo of a crow in flight on inner left forearm
Family
Biological Father: Valen Cross
Biological Mother: Lena Cross (Deceased)
Adoptive Father/Master: Weisheng Winters
Brother: Vincent Cross
Husband: Huang Karasu
Son: Raziel Karasu
Daughter: Emi Karasu
Personality:
As mentioned previously, her biggest weakness is her short temper. Val is a kind individual, but she can often lose track of things and let her heart do the guiding. She often battles with what logic dictates and what her emotions want her to do. This usually lands Val in a lot of unfortunate situations and deviates her off the path of an ideal Jedi. She has a good heart, but has been known to make questionable decisions. Overall, she has a very bubbly personality, though a little opinionated.
History:
The Youngling Years
Valena was standing amongst other younglings, snot accumulated around her nostrils from the excessive crying she had been doing. She wasn’t the only one. Every young child around her had the same tragic faces. They were all wearing blindfolds and it was the first lesson in lightsaber form I: Shii-Cho. The children had been learning about the Force for the last few years, and now it was time for them to learn some saber combat.
The kids were all around the ages of 9 to 12. Valena was on the younger end at 9. She wanted nothing more than to run away, but here she was, lightsaber hilt in hand, scared beyond belief. She could feel herself trembling. The fear of everyone around her hit her like a wave, a testament to her obvious sensitivity to Force. The only sense of comfort she had was the warm presence of her brother, Vincent, who was only a year older.
“Children! Focus! Stop crying. You are young Jedi, remember? Jedi don’t cry.”
This caused Valena to suck it up and only sniffle for a bit. Their master urged them to focus entirely on the force and use it as a sixth sense. The force would guide their movements. ‘Yeah right,’ thought Valena. She was terrified of slicing off her own head with her saber. Of course, she doubted the Jedi trainer would allow that to happen. All she could do was look over at her older brother.
"Vince!"
"Come on, Val, stop being a chicken."
"Shut up!"
“Begin!”
With that, the children ignited their sabers and simultaneously began mimicking the movements they had been taught for years on practice swords. 9-year-old Valena quickly tapped into the force and was surprised to find that it guided her movements much better than her regular senses could. In secret, she followed her brother's aura, allowing it almost empower her. For as long as she could remember, Val had looked up to her older brother.
The two Cross children did practically everything together, with Vincent always correcting Val on her mistakes and doing cool tricks with the Force that awed her. In turn, Val was determined to impress him as much as she could. Before long, it had turned into a bit of a rivalry to see who could be a better Jedi.
Although the two continued to train together, Val started noticing that her brother became more and more distant. His heart wasn't in the teachings and he always appeared disinterested. She didn't notice this at first, too immersed in her training. This was her mistake, as she never realized that her brother felt as if she had stopped needing him. She was the only family he had, and vice versa, but Val was blinded by her desire to become a Knight.
Shortly after Val's thirteenth birthday, a shocking revelation shook Val's core. Her brother had fallen to the dark side, explaining his recently distant demeanor. He had gotten darker and much more reclusive. She had been summoned to his exile hearing, but could say nothing. Val simply stood rigidly, watching her 14-year-old brother, best friend, everything be cast out. She made no move to stop him, no move to run after him. She could only feel disgust at his actions and condemn him for going against everything they were taught. She could see sadness and pain in his eyes, but she had nothing but anger in hers. That was the last time their eyes met.
The training had continued for years. Valena was 16 and now known as Val. She actually looked forward to the blindfold training, as her focus on the force was much better to deal with than all the negativity that encompassed the world. It was a temporary isolation from the usual ambiance of life around her. With the blindfold training, all her senses were heightened and she could completely hone her focus all into one focal point. Her lightsaber had become the extension of her body. Of course, as she was still considered a youngling, she couldn’t learn all the other forms. Thoughts of her brother's exile had pained her every single day for the last three years. It was buried under her rigorous training, but she yearned to see him every day. She would have given anything to turn back time and to run after him, stop him and bring him back into her life. His exile had completely and utterly shattered their lives and she could never stop blaming herself for not putting a stop to it.
“Valena Cross.”
Val looked up, quickly shedding her thoughts. Her old trainer smiled at her.
“You’ve grown so much. I believe the day has come when you are no longer a youngling.”
“What does that mean, master?”
“It means you are now a Padawan. You can begin your training as a Jedi Knight.”
Excitement welled up in Val’s chest. The trainer continued.
“Keep training. You will be given a notice in due time to begin your knight training.”
Val smiled and nodded. She would begin extensive training and further her blindfold lightsaber tactics before training to be a knight. She was ecstatic, as she would finally be able to participate in missions. And then she would be on her way to work up the ranks. It would take years of work and perseverance, but she knew she was born to do it.
Becoming a Jedi Knight
From the beginning Val met Sheng, she knew they would become friends. He had a large and daunting frame in comparison to her minuscule 10-year-old self. How small she had felt that day. The training proceeded immediately, with Val making plenty of mistakes and Sheng making sure every one was corrected.
The few short years Val spent with Sheng were the best. He had become like a father to her, forever becoming her guide. She was laughing more, playing more and learning quite a bit. However, as they say, all good things must come to an end. It was no different with Val and Sheng, as a terrible crime had been committed and he let his emotions take over. The result was Sheng leaving the Jedi order. Val tried hard to stop him, but it was to no avail. She knew Sheng and if he made up his mind, he stuck to it. He gave her his lightsaber and the blocks he had used to train her with. The goodbye was not tearful, as it was not the Jedi way. On top of that, Val vowed to find Sheng once again and bring him back to the order. Bring him back home.
Jamal reminded Val so much of Sheng that it was almost painful. That's why, when she first discovered him to be her new trainer, she was initially rather cold and distant, always wallowing in her sorrow over losing Sheng. This changed quickly as Jamal ended up being just as goofy and fun-loving as Sheng.
Training to be a knight was tougher than Val had imagined. As a child, she had gotten everything down instantly. However, becoming a knight required more difficult applications of the Force. Her biggest struggle was healing. She had been trying for years without success and had almost given up in the area. As Val grew as a Jedi, it was apparent that her skills lay in lightsaber combat. She was very adept with the Force, but she was very good at the saber form Ataru, using her lithe and nimble form to its full extent.
With Knight training, came missions. Her first was uneventful at first, but soon she learned all about using and shooting blasters. Val's second mission required more effort, as it consisted of going to a club and handing over criminals to the authorities. This was a harrowing experience for the young Jedi, as she had never truly interacted with the galaxy outside of Jedi life.
After the missions, she found a friend in a Kasa Horansi named Jiang. He had been suffering from amnesia, but was a true friend to Val whenever she needed him. Thus, it came as no surprise that he jumped to help Val embark on her most important mission: finding Sheng. It was as important to him as it was to her.
Knighthood was granted to Val, but she felt no real change. She prided herself in being a rather human Jedi, still carrying all her emotions and utilizing them when she needed to. Her path was slightly different from that of a perfect Jedi. She did not wish to abandon all the things that made her weak. She wished to embrace them and enhance herself to compensate. Emotions, to her, were vital in instilling a personality within a person and she had no desire to abandon them.
Adventures
It wasn't long before Val had proven herself to be a valuable addition to the Jedi Order. While others that had been ranked Knight along with her focused on training Padawans, Val's interests lied in what lay outside of the Jedi Temple. She wanted to set out to forge her own destiny, add her own chapter to the history of the Jedi. More than anything, she wanted to apply all she had learned in a real setting and to finally escape the tight walls of the academy.
Val had made many friends along the way, her love for missions taking her to all corners of the galaxy. She knew that she was not living up to expectations by not taking in as many padawans as she could. Val had no problem training others, but her training was more accelerated and very kinesthetic compared to others. Val had finally decided that hanging around the temple and training others was not her path. Perhaps this is a reason she believes she will never be a Master.
Shortly after she had set out on missions, Val was stationed on Coruscant, primarily to oversee the construction of the temple. As feared, there had been many instances of Bogan activity in the area. Val saw it as an honor to be stationed near an area that could potentially be so dangerous. Being unlike most Jedi, adventure was her first love, and she never turned down an opportunity to make a stand against those that threatened to disturb the peace.
Her first encounter with a Bogan came shortly after a member of the Order had fallen to the dark side. The Knight's padawan meant to follow in her footsteps. He arrived at the Jedi temple on Coruscant and was shortly joined by a Bogan Crusader that intended to carry him off. Val arrived on the scene immediately and called over Raphael Caelestis, a member of the Jedi Council.
The two Jedi had attempted to negotiate a way to make the Padawan return to the Jedi side, but the attempts were futile. Out of nowhere, the Bogan made a run for it, the padawan following in tow. A great chase ensued, as the two Jedi were joined by Raphael's padawan who piloted the ship to help them track the two down.
Although the Jedi had made a great effort, the Bogan and padawan disappeared, never to be seen again. Val had never felt like such a failure, but that was when she began to develop a powerful urge to eliminate Bogan. Although her Jedi teachings had taught her to be peaceful, Val knew that being soft and passive often allowed evil to simply escape.
Val always understood that she walked the line that separated a good Jedi from a bad one, but she never denied disagreeing with many Jedi beliefs. As the days went by, she honed her skills, particularly with the Force. She had always been extremely proficient with a lightsaber, which allowed her to focus on Force to enhance her abilities over all.
Perhaps it was the Force that allowed her to sense a presence in the Jedi temple on Coruscant one night. Without calling for aid, Val approached the temple and was met with a high ranking Bogan. She could already tell he was beyond help, but she nevertheless attempted to talk him out of infiltrating the temple. When he refused, she knew she had no choice but to attack him.
A long and grueling fight ensued as he attempted to break into the temple for reasons unknown to her. Val grew frustrated as this man only fought for a moment before running to the temple, leading her to chase him. At long last, she finally had him cornered and the two fought again.
At some point during the fight, it had become clear that there was something mysterious about this particular Bogan. A picture he had thrown at her confirmed that he was Caed Ultor, son of the Jedi Grandmaster. This thought disturbed her, but it added to his reasons for wanting to infiltrate a temple. During this small moment of compassion, Val was tricked by Caed into believing he was attempting to take his own life. When she moved to stop him, he abruptly yanked her down to leave her hanging from a window, inches away from death.
Then a moment happened that changed Val's belief in everything: The Bogan pulled her back up, making it clear he had no intention of killing her. However, he also had no intention of leaving the temple alone. Val, although her mind protested, engaged him in battle again. This time, she had the upper hand as she sliced off one of his hands. As Caed fell to the ground from exhaustion and blood loss, Val used the opportunity to help her back to her home.
Many thoughts crossed Val's mind at this time. Allowing a Bogan to reside in her apartment was possibly the highest crime she could commit as a Jedi. Although all these thoughts tainted her mind, Val nursed Caed back to health. There was still one last obstacle: Rev Ultor. She knew the Grandmaster would arrive in no time and she would possibly be cast out of the Order. However, her morals told her strongly that it was important to have them reunite.
At last, the Grandmaster had arrived. Unfortunately, tensions grew between the two and Val, without thinking, broke open a window and allowed Caed to escape. Much to her astonishment, Rev ultimately understood that things had happened for the best and had forgiven her. Her bold actions also led to her initiation into the Jedi Shadows, a sect of Jedi that worked in secrecy to find out about Bogan and ultimately eliminate them.
Val had forgotten about the Bogan incident and began to go on more missions. Most of her missions had forced her to put on an act, hiding her Jedi identity. One of the most peculiar disguises she had to adopt was to be a prostitute. She was joined by an overly moody soldier, a goofy pirate wannabe and various other characters that made her wonder what she was doing.
Shortly after the mission, Val had been assigned to Kashyyyk to investigate a slave trade. As she arrived at the camp, she barely moved before the slavers began to attack her. Minutes later, a shadow came down and annihilated all of the slavers, saving her from certain death. Val was shocked to discover that it was Caed, the Bogan she had allowed to escape months ago.
They were quickly joined by another Bogan, a high ranking woman who made it appear as if Val had been ambushed. It was quickly discovered that Caed had been against this woman as well when he released a mob of angry wookiees on her. Caed and Val quickly escaped the scene, running far away from the camp.
Upon arriving at an elevated wookiee city, Val decided she needed to walk into a bar. This was possibly one of the stupidest decision in her life as she quickly discovered she was a lightweight. Becoming utterly useless, Val only hindered the mission to escape Kashyyyk as wookiees mistakenly thought of them as the cause for the slave activity.
The next thing Val remembered was waking up on a ship, realizing that Caed had applied pressure to her neck to knock her out so she wouldn't betray their location in her drunken stupor. As she spent more time with this odd character, she began to harbor feelings for him, thought she did not understand them at the time.
Their adventures took them to an abandoned house on Dantooine. It was discovered that it was, in fact, Caed's house when he was a child. It was here that the two finally confessed their feelings and sealed their love for one another.
Neither could pretend that they could continue being lovers, primarily because Val was a Jedi and Caed was a Bogan. Throughout the days, Caed had drifted apart from the Bogan, becoming more independent and escaping the hold they had on him. It wasn't long before Val invited him to stay with her.
They had only lived together for a few weeks before Caed decided that he needed to set out to learn a new way with the Force that was far different from Bogan or Jedi teachings. Val knew it was for the best, although she hated the thought of letting him go. He left that day, and she hadn't seen him since. It was heart-wrenching, but Val at last learned not to hope for his return.
Thankfully, many new adventures had come up to distract her from gloomy thoughts of Caed and the ache she felt from losing him. Val had learned that Jiang wasn't who he said he was. The situation had gotten much more dire, which caused her to immediately arrive on the scene to find out more information.
Much to her surprise, she was met with a large man named Leon pointing a gun at her shortly after she arrived at Jiang's apartment. Val immediately began to run, knowing there was little possibility of her being able to overcome this man in a fight. More than anything, Jiang was a high priority, not this man.
As the man caught up to her, she learned that he meant no harm, but he was connected to Jiang in a way. Val finally agreed to follow this man, Leon, to find Jiang. It was then that she found Jiang at a bar threatening to kill someone and more wild than she had ever seen him. She had realized that this was not her Jiang, but the Sonam that Leon was talking about.
Going against protests in her mind, Val threw an EMP grenade to knock Sonam out, allowing CSB to quickly tie him up. The group boarded a ship where Leon explained to her exactly what was going on with Sonam and what had happened. Always being a sucker for letting emotions overwhelm her, Val refused to believe it and fled the briefing room.
The Jedi made it out to the shipyards just in time to find Sonam escaping on a ship. She boarded the ship, not thinking twice, and remained hidden. After a while, she revealed herself and was delighted to discover that this Sonam had Jiang-like qualities about him. However, she knew that it was not him. He was completely tortured and she began to formulate a way to help him.
Val got into a rather heated, yet comical, argument with Sonam aboard the ship. At the conclusion of it, he decided he needed a drink, which fit well with her plans. To her surprise, the giant tiger was completely done and was promptly thrown out of the bar. Val consoled him as he drunkenly sobbed and cried on her. Through all of it, she learned his past and exactly how awful it was.
It was then that Val performed a Force technique she had never applied before. She delved into Sonam's mind and erased memories of Jiang, although it pained her to do so. The process allowed her to tap further into her abilities with the Force, something that she had been deprived of lately. She only hoped that she would be able to ultimately help Sonam and perhaps meet the real Jiang one day.
When Sonam awoke from his slumber, he realized that the memories that were not his own were suppressed. He felt more like himself than ever before, and the feelings were his own, not something already stored in place. Val found that Sonam was someone she could really get along with, and the two spent more time together. It was only a matter of time before she began to have feelings for him. Her attunement to the Force told her he felt the same. However, the feelings she held for Caed had also remained with her, putting her in a position from where she couldn't move away. She knew it was too early to be involved in anything, but she couldn't help how she felt about Sonam.
The feelings between Val and Sonam were kept quiet by both parties, and they simply reveled in their time together. All of it came unraveled when Val began to talk about Caed and the pain she suffered. Sonam comforted her, helping ease her mind. Lost in the moment, the two leaned in for a kiss. It was at that moment that Val realized she was rushing into something she wasn't ready for. She knew if she had been with Sonam at that point, she would have hurt him. At the back of her mind, she was till waiting for Caed's return. Val left behind a stunned and devastated Sonam, walking out his door and not looking back.
Val spent the next few days alone, tapping into the dark side of the Force and always teetering on the brink. Her eyes flashed gold when she tapped into the darker thoughts that consumed her mind. Val stopped eating correctly and was a complete mess. She was in her apartment when she received a call from Dalang Winters. Though hesitant at first, Val eventually gave in and went to meet with him.
Dalang revealed that he knew about the incident between Val and Sonam. She explained her side of it, and Dalang appeared to understand where each of them were coming from. However, Val had a moment of weakness, once again tapping into the dark side. Dalang, someone who wasn't a Force sensitive, did not understand it and was terrified. As Val turned and ran, afraid of what she would do, Dalang called the authorities on her. As a result, Val left the system, fleeing until she could regain control of her emotions. As a result, she left her friends behind...
A New Chapter
Val had pushed thoughts of Caed from her mind, believing that he would never return. She knew she couldn't spend her time doing nothing, as it only made her spiral downward even quicker. Val hadn't been involved in the Order for some time. She took this time to look into it again, and found that a council member of the Order had taken to teaching advanced lightsaber forms. Val, always adept at saber combat, decided that it was the right time to pick up a new form, along with the form known as Trakata which was recently invented.
Much to her displeasure, her journey took her back to Ossus. It was a mockery, the peaceful serenity a stark contrast to the raging inferno within her mind. She hated being around such peace, anger always boiling within her mind. Val finally arrived at the training room, awaiting her master. To her shock, it was Huang Karasu, someone she had worked with years ago on a mission. Back then, she had thought him to be a strange, odd man that did not fit the image of a Jedi at all. That was not what she saw now. She simply saw the eyes, the yellow eyes that strongly reminded her of Caed. It was as if Fate was slapping her in the face.
Because Huang's eyes reminded Val of Caed, she instantly harbored ill feelings towards the council member. She attacked him on many occasions during their training, always aiming to harm him. He remained cold and passive, completely untethered by emotion. This made her even angrier. He only enraged her further by putting her through the most difficult tests he could concoct. Val excelled through them, but only after she began to gain a better measure of control over her emotions. Huang picked up on this and praised her for it. As the months went on, Val began to forget Caed, focusing on her training instead. Though Huang remained emotionless and withdrawn, his silence was peaceful. She never felt judged, something that helped her regain control of herself again.
It was around this time that she stopped being closed off when it came to positive emotions. As she spent more time working with Huang, she found herself drawn to him. He was silent, but there was wisdom there and the strict control he had was a complete opposite of how she was. This opposite dynamic attracted her to him. He also possessed an ethereal beauty that no human could ever match. She had only seen him as a council member before, but the mystery surrounding him beckoned her to learn more.
As her training came to a close, Val was adept at Juyo and the form Huang himself had invented, Trakata. On the last day of her training, Val decided to step out of her comfort zone and do something drastic. She told Huang there was a mission on Coruscant that demanded their immediate attention. Fortunately for her, the Jedi Master believed her, following her to the industrial planet. Once there, Val landed them in a rather seedy, yet lively district on the planet. It was full of clubs and casinos, a place that Huang wouldn't otherwise be caught dead at. Making up a cover story about problematic Rodians, Val managed to drag Huang into a club.
As the night progressed, she learned more about the mysterious Sephi and his origins. It was the first time she began to see that he had more depth to him than simply what his title entailed. Alcohol eventually got the best of her and she dragged him out to the floor. It took several tries before Huang stopped attempting to escape the floor. In a comical, yet memorable display, Val taught the sword master how to dance utilizing lightsaber forms. The two were intertwined, causing a crowd to gather around them from their dancing. It was then that Val finally accepted her attraction to him, alcohol taking away any inhibitions she would otherwise have had. She leaned in for the first kiss, but they were quickly interrupted. Val was injured by a blaster bolt as the club erupted into chaos. Huang quickly lifted her and escaped the premise, leading them to the Jedi temple on Coruscant.
The temple held many negative memories for Val as she had met Caed there. She turned away from it, Huang following her. There was a quiet moment where he healed her injuries, and he slowly leaned in again. This time, they were both aware of what was happening. Val knew it was too late to go back, but he withdrew abruptly. Huang was reminded of his position within the Order, reminding Val that she was his pupil, many years younger than him and there was no possible way to allow this to happen. As he walked away from her, Val stopped him, finally pulling him into the kiss they had almost shared so many times throughout the night. Huang initially gave in, but he pushed her away once again. It was then that Val realized he truly was incapable of harboring such feelings. Not quite skilled with the Force, she could not understand the whirlwind that raged within Huang’s mind.
Val turned away and offered him a ride back to Coruscant, which he politely declined. With a heavy heart, Val returned to her ship, attempting to push thoughts of Huang away. For a long moment, she simply berated herself for being so foolish and beginning to fall for someone that obviously was incapable for harboring such feelings. Huang was a cold, emotionless shell, someone that was extremely efficient and deadly. Exactly the kind of warrior the Jedi Order needed. Val began to prepare to leave the planet when Huang abruptly emerged on her ship, claiming to have left his robes. To her surprise, he decided to take her up on the offer of a ride back to Ossus.
An awkward silence hung the entire time the two flew back to Ossus, though Val was determined not to say anything. Her Force energy betrayed nothing, and Huang was no different. Minutes before they were to land, Val finally turned to apologize for her forward behavior. This was timed right with Huang rising from his seat and pulling her into a kiss. Her shock melted away as she gave into the kiss, finally realizing that he had no intention of pulling away this time. There was no reason given, nothing shared, but at that moment, the two acknowledged their feelings for one another.
Val remained on Ossus to be with Huang, though they kept what they felt for one another a secret. She visited him every day after he finished training his padawans, posing as a student herself. The two had countless adventures together, most of them extremely comical. Val had begun to see a completely different side of him, realizing that he was one of the most lively individuals she had ever met. How he managed to subjugate all of that under an emotionless mask was appalling. Val never pushed him, the two not having a name for the kind of relationship they had. There was romance, but it was mostly enjoying one another’s company. Val knew she was falling for him, but she had no intention of letting him know, realizing that such proclamations only lead to pain in the end.
All of that changed when Huang took Val to a mansion in the mountains after a full day of outdoor activities that had exhausted them both. The location was stunning, and for the first time the two of them were able to spend time alone away from the Order. By now, Val had developed stronger feelings for Huang, realizing she was falling in love with him. Yet still, she uttered none of this aloud. As the evening passed, Val knew the night would be different. For the first time, she felt true emotion radiating from Huang, laced passion she hadn’t seen since she had seen him in combat. Ultimately, the two made love for the first time that night, a testament of their desires and feelings for one another.
Val knew the relationship she had with Huang had grown much more serious now, as they had consummated their love for one another. Neither had said the words aloud, but it existed in their body language. Val had asked Huang to forge a sword for her, as he was a master of blade crafting. It was one of the few times he was truly happy, and she knew nothing would make him happier. He agreed to it, to her delight. Val knew she wanted to keep something of his with her forever. She couldn’t remember ever feeling like this about someone, even Caed.
As the day came when he finally completed the Force katana, Val was astounded at its beauty. The blade even bore his symbol, a crow in flight. She knew the blade would never leave her side. In return, Val gave him a necklace that was looped through a block. Though it looked insignificant, it was something she had kept since she was ten years old, as it was a block Sheng had used to train her. Huang wore it around his neck, promising never to take it off.
As weeks went on, Val was finally content. She believed that everything was in perfect balance and she could finally return to her friends. She was in love, and Huang loved her back. He was not brash like Caed and she knew he would stand by her side. However, all of that changed when Val realized she was pregnant with Huang’s child. Her world turned upside down in an instant. She initially thought about going to Huang and telling him, only to realize that the confession would completely devastate him. He was the Sword Master of the Order, on the Council and he would have fathered the child of his apprentice. Val knew she could never put him through that. Against every fiber of her being, she made up the decision to run away, a trait she had picked up from Caed. Val went to visit him one last time, completely heartbroken. She had hid her thoughts well enough to where he could not pick up on her intentions. Val kissed him one last time and walked away from him, fully intent on never seeing him again. She knew it was best for him to be ignorant of the fact that his child grew in her belly. Val disappeared from Ossus, running away once again.
Her journey took her to a mid rim planet called Malastare. The planet was full of vice, the perfect getaway for someone on the run. Val was almost ambushed, but she was saved by a strange man named Cedos. He was handsome, though he projected dark energy. She did the same, her eyes golden by then. Val allowed Cedos to lead her away from the thugs. The two interacted for a while and he presented her with an opportunity to embrace the dark side without falling to the Bogan. Val was tempted by the offer and was about to accept when something caught her attention. She followed the noise and to her shock, found Caed.
The former Bogan had gone through Shade training and looked completely different, unmarred by the taint of the dark side. Val, on the other hand, looked somewhat like a Bogan with her fiery eyes. The shock of seeing him brought back past memories. Ultimately Cedos left the picture, allowing Val and Caed to reunite. At that moment, she foolishly forgave him for everything, highly delusional. She had already locked away thoughts of Huang and she did not bring up her pregnancy just yet. The two turned to leave together when Cedos returned, this time accompanied by a powerful Bogan. The Bogan was hunting Caed, believing him to be a Bogan on the run still. When Caed did not come quietly, a fight erupted. Val and Caed fought against Cedos and the Governor of Ando Prime. Ultimately, Val’s saber pierced through the heart of the Bogan, but not before he managed to let off a powerful Force Blast. The impact burnt her upper torso and left arm, knocking her out. Cedos’s fate remained unknown to her.
Val awoke next in a hospital. She was on Ossus, Caed having exhausted the last bit of his energy in bringing her back to safety. She quickly found him again, happy to be reunited. Over the next few weeks, they were separated and each interrogated and questioned on their whereabouts. Adrian Bac was assigned to Val to help her control her emotions again. This led them on a journey to Iridonia, which ultimately resulted in a friendship between the two Jedi. When she returned, she learned that Caed had revealed the location of Ando Prime to the Order, something she was truly proud of him for. It showed that he had truly shed his Bogan past.
After having gone through the training to chain her emotions, she knew it was right to tell Caed about her pregnancy. She was a few months along now and she knew there was little point in hiding it. Val was slightly delusional still and wanted to marry Caed and run away to raise the baby together, expecting him to fully accept the baby once he learned the father was out of the picture. However, he was utterly disgusted with her, calling her child a bastard. Val had never felt pain like this before, left feeling dirty and as if her child were meaningless. In the end, Caed accepted her back into his life, though he rejected her proposal for marriage. The two left the planet immediately.
As more time passed and her pregnancy became obvious, Caed showed more and more distaste towards her and her child. Val could feel the negative energy radiating from him. She knew then that it was impossible for him to truly accept her while she carried another man’s child. She had made the decision to leave Caed, realizing that her child had to grow up in a loving environment where he felt as if he belonged. Before she could, Caed told her he was leaving, once again disappearing from her life. This time, the pain wasn’t devastating.
With more time to herself, Val decided to get more involved in the Order. Her pregnancy was almost at its end, but a lucrative business deal with Thustra presented itself. She volunteered for the job, accompanied by Jedi Master Loki and Jedi Knight Lirinid. They accompanied her to meet Senator Ulrees of Thustra. Right in the middle of the discussion, Val went into labor. She had to fight back the embarrassment, thankful that the senator was extremely understanding, having her rushed off to a ward. The delivery was normal, though Val was painfully aware of her solitude during it. Images of Huang by her side resurfaced within her mind, though she hadn’t thought of him in months, tightly locking the memories away. As soon as she saw her beautiful baby boy, she knew what to name him. Raziel already resembled his father, with his incredibly pale skin and tiny pointy ears that were miniature versions of Huang’s ears.
Val spent some time on Thustra to recover, spending more time with Ulrees and learning more about Sephi culture and customs. At the end of her trip, he presented her with a pendant for her son to wear. Greatly thankful for his gratitude, Val made her way over to the Order to report on the alliance forged between the two. Shortly after that, she went to Cularin, a planet rich in evergreen. It was also strong in the Force, allowing her to remain aware of her surroundings while being provided with a peaceful environment. Val went there to raise Raziel on her own, fully believing that she would spend the rest of her days alone with her son. At the very least, she would love and cherish him and he would never suffer the hardships she had to.
As Val spent more time on Cularin, she fell completely in love with her son, having all the time in the world to bond with him. He looked more and more like Huang each day, though the fact did not bother her. Val also noted that as he aged, his eyes began to shift from blue to a light yellow. The unique trait was, once again, derived from his father. She could already sense that the boy was strong with the Force, which she had already expected. As days passed by, Val made friends with the locals, completely putting her past behind her and enjoying her new lifestyle.
One day, out of the blue, Sonam arrived at her door. She couldn’t begin to describe her surprise. There was no tension between them and he was fully recovered from his injuries. The two had a moment just like old times, filled with lots of laughter. Raziel especially took a liking to Sonam, clinging onto the Kasa Horansi every chance he could. As the day went on, Val offered to let Sonam stay over if he wished. That was when he brought up their past, something she hoped not to face. He asked why she had never given him a chance, an answer Val herself did not know. The night turned upside down, tensions rising between them both. A comment about Raziel’s lineage caused her to draw her saber, losing control. Val ultimately told Sonam that they could never be, something that utterly devastated him as he had quietly loved her from afar for a long while now.
Sonam vowed to never speak to her again, turned on his heels and left. Before he did, however, he demanded that Val stay true to the next man she fell in love with and to never run again. She had caused pain to many because of her tendency to avoid situations. Sonam walked off after that, leaving behind Val crying and on her knees. At that moment, she was ready to take her life, bringing the saber hilt to her throat. However, Raziel’s cry distracted her thoughts, causing her to rush to his side. The baby had saved her life, though he had no idea what he had done. Val vowed to never take her own life, as she had to stay alive for her baby. As she looked upon Raziel’s face, she knew who she had to be with.
Val had planned on leaving Cularin to return to Ossus to find Huang again. However, fate would have it so he found her instead. He had been sent to Cularin to scout for younglings. He had sensed her in the Force and found her apartment, literally crashing in through the window. Normally a reserved and closed off individual, he completely shocked Val with his outward display of raw, unbridled fury. It was all fueled by the betrayal he felt after she had left him. The two engaged in battle, though Val was vastly outmatched. She had no desire to harm him, as seeing him completely released the floodgates of the love she had locked away. At long last, he had her inches from death and she began to accept it. However, she was reminded of Raziel and the promise she had made to him. Brutally pushing Huang aside, she finally proclaimed the truth about him having sired a child.
To her shock, Huang wanted to take responsibility immediately. He knew exactly the complications he faced, yet he wanted to take Val and their son with him. She had never been happier, though she knew it was going to be nearly impossible to keep this hidden. Regardless, she followed him and the three left Cularin to return to Republic space. The next few days only made her happier than she ever thought possible, as she got to spend a lot of time with Huang and their son. It was as if they were a family, with Raziel having both of his parents there to love him. Huang held an unusually soft spot for Raziel, a side only Val and the little boy saw. Outwardly, he remained the cold and collected sword master, but his loved ones saw an entirely different side of him.
Within weeks of being back, Huang was called away to command the Jedi in a battle to liberate the Taen people. Val stayed behind, as she had Raziel to care for. She fretted over Huang, much as she had done during his battle on Ando Prime. While he was away, Val took to tending to the injured soldiers from Ando Prime. She often left Raziel in the care of padawans who did not question or object to her having a child. Huang had returned in no time, with the blade of the Taen king to boot. The three decided to remain on Alderaan, where she was finishing up her healing duties.
One of those nights, Val was returning from her duties when she found Caed waiting for her. Initially she was angry, but she had grown up drastically since their last meeting. She was a mother now and happily involved with a man she loved. Caed had grown up as well, as their meeting was one of goodbye, though it ended on good terms. Before he left, he left his saber with Raziel, the latter of which had taken quite a liking to him. Val did not reveal who Raziel’s father was and was thankful Caed did not pry.
Val found herself wanting to spend more time with Huang. They had limited time as a trio and even less time with just one another. As a result, they found missions to do together. Huang had left for Coruscant on business, though the details were vague. Shortly after he returned, the two were sent on a mission on a backwater planet. They arrived at an abandoned town, but were soon surrounded by bandits. The battle involved a shoot out, along with explosions. Val was injured and the two were separated during the fight due to ysalamiri. However, they ultimately found the gang leader and fought him side by side. It was during this pivotal battle that Huang proposed to Val, right as they prepared to deliver the killing blow. Though her initial answer was incoherent muttering as she was busy decapitating the enemy, Val immediately said yes. The two discussed in detail exactly how they would marry and how they had to keep it a secret. Val knew it was a difficult step to take, one that went against everything he stood for. However, it showed her that their love mattered to him more than anything, and she was willing to fight for it. At long last, the three became a family. Val legally changed her last name to Karasu, though there were no official records of their marriage. The council was suspicious about the change, but there was little they could do to object it without evidence of their union.
Although the two had to keep their marriage hidden, they managed to live together as a family. Huang and Val decided to have another child. This was a daughter they decided to name Emi. Unlike her older brother, she looked significantly more like her mother. Both children were gifted with the Force from birth, although Emi was significantly more attuned to it. From a very young age, she displayed skills with the Force, though it often lead to disaster. Neither parents could explain the odd phenomena, hoping she would grow out of it eventually. Meanwhile, Raziel displayed skills more oriented towards lightsabers, as he was naturally extremely dexterous and agile.
As the years went by, Val's activities within the Order heavily declined. She often remained home to take care of the children. She knew she had to be the one to step back, as Huang was far too important of an asset to the Order. However, as their children grew to be youngling age, Val began to train them. It also allowed her the chance to return to being active within the Order. Fortunately, their marriage remained a secret.
KILLS:
N/A
DUELING RING MATCHES:
WIN: Val vs. Jamall
WIN: Val vs. Koran Mak
GRAND TOURNAMENT MATCHES:
N/A
ROLE-PLAYS:
Youngling Training
Knight Training
Returning Home
Jedi Business
Falling From Grace
Winters Arc
The Final Step
Patchwork Hearts
On A Wild Goose Chase
Unspoken Legacy
The Simple Life
Some Wounds..
Huang/Family Arc
Val's Advanced Training
Two Houses
Expanding The Order
Honey! I'm home!
My Mind Is Telling Me No
Calm After The Storm
Lightsaber/sword forms:
Ataru
Juyo
Trakata
Jar'Kai (dual wielding sword form)
AGE: 27
Strengths and weaknesses:
Val is a very understanding and fair individual. This doesn’t change the fact that she can be pretty arrogant. Her patience runs out rather quick and she can jump to illogical conclusions. However, on an overall, she has the constant thirst for knowledge and wisdom. As a result, her curiosity often gets her in trouble.
Gear:
Plain clothes, small knife, one standard blaster, two lightsabers, one Force katana
Armor:
-Stonewall Multipurpose Gauntlets
Designed and built by Jiang himself, the Stonewalls are technologically advanced gauntlets that extend from the hand to the bicep given to Val for a wedding gift. Made of a mix of armorweave and reinforcing durasteel plates, the Stonewalls are extremely rugged. They are able to briefly resist a glancing blow from a light saber, and outright stop blaster pistol and handgun-caliber slugthrower rounds. Cooling veins are networked throughout a thin layer of soft, shed-proof fabric lining the inside of the gauntlets, which ensures that they remain comfortable at all times.
The Stonewalls are perhaps the most comprehensive -and expensive- multipurpose tool in Jiang's inventory. Utilizing modified magseal technology, each gauntlet can produce a 5-foot tall, 3-foot wide wall of protective energy. The shields, resembling glowing blue rectangles composed of dozens of 3 inch wide hexes, are resistant to all weapons fire.
While the shields can last for hours without draining their power cells, their effective lifespan is reduced to mere minutes once brought under fire. Impacts from blaster pistols and slugthrower handguns have little effect on the shields, but blaster rifles and heavy machine guns will quickly whittle down and disable them. EMP grenades and ion weaponry is noticeably effective as well. Furthermore, the shield’s strength is relative to its size; the smaller the dimensions of the shield, the more powerful it is. A two foot long, foot wide shield is extremely powerful. In fact, a shield of that size is useful even in duels against lightsaber-armed opponents.
Possessions: Chain bracelet symbolizing marriage, photographs
Ship:
Borrows from the Order
Pets:
A Gungan……..just kidding. No pets. -_-
Distinguishing Marks:
Burn scar all over left arm and upper torso, black tattoo of a crow in flight on inner left forearm
Family
Biological Father: Valen Cross
Biological Mother: Lena Cross (Deceased)
Adoptive Father/Master: Weisheng Winters
Brother: Vincent Cross
Husband: Huang Karasu
Son: Raziel Karasu
Daughter: Emi Karasu
Personality:
As mentioned previously, her biggest weakness is her short temper. Val is a kind individual, but she can often lose track of things and let her heart do the guiding. She often battles with what logic dictates and what her emotions want her to do. This usually lands Val in a lot of unfortunate situations and deviates her off the path of an ideal Jedi. She has a good heart, but has been known to make questionable decisions. Overall, she has a very bubbly personality, though a little opinionated.
History:
The Youngling Years
Valena was standing amongst other younglings, snot accumulated around her nostrils from the excessive crying she had been doing. She wasn’t the only one. Every young child around her had the same tragic faces. They were all wearing blindfolds and it was the first lesson in lightsaber form I: Shii-Cho. The children had been learning about the Force for the last few years, and now it was time for them to learn some saber combat.
The kids were all around the ages of 9 to 12. Valena was on the younger end at 9. She wanted nothing more than to run away, but here she was, lightsaber hilt in hand, scared beyond belief. She could feel herself trembling. The fear of everyone around her hit her like a wave, a testament to her obvious sensitivity to Force. The only sense of comfort she had was the warm presence of her brother, Vincent, who was only a year older.
“Children! Focus! Stop crying. You are young Jedi, remember? Jedi don’t cry.”
This caused Valena to suck it up and only sniffle for a bit. Their master urged them to focus entirely on the force and use it as a sixth sense. The force would guide their movements. ‘Yeah right,’ thought Valena. She was terrified of slicing off her own head with her saber. Of course, she doubted the Jedi trainer would allow that to happen. All she could do was look over at her older brother.
"Vince!"
"Come on, Val, stop being a chicken."
"Shut up!"
“Begin!”
With that, the children ignited their sabers and simultaneously began mimicking the movements they had been taught for years on practice swords. 9-year-old Valena quickly tapped into the force and was surprised to find that it guided her movements much better than her regular senses could. In secret, she followed her brother's aura, allowing it almost empower her. For as long as she could remember, Val had looked up to her older brother.
The two Cross children did practically everything together, with Vincent always correcting Val on her mistakes and doing cool tricks with the Force that awed her. In turn, Val was determined to impress him as much as she could. Before long, it had turned into a bit of a rivalry to see who could be a better Jedi.
Although the two continued to train together, Val started noticing that her brother became more and more distant. His heart wasn't in the teachings and he always appeared disinterested. She didn't notice this at first, too immersed in her training. This was her mistake, as she never realized that her brother felt as if she had stopped needing him. She was the only family he had, and vice versa, but Val was blinded by her desire to become a Knight.
Shortly after Val's thirteenth birthday, a shocking revelation shook Val's core. Her brother had fallen to the dark side, explaining his recently distant demeanor. He had gotten darker and much more reclusive. She had been summoned to his exile hearing, but could say nothing. Val simply stood rigidly, watching her 14-year-old brother, best friend, everything be cast out. She made no move to stop him, no move to run after him. She could only feel disgust at his actions and condemn him for going against everything they were taught. She could see sadness and pain in his eyes, but she had nothing but anger in hers. That was the last time their eyes met.
The training had continued for years. Valena was 16 and now known as Val. She actually looked forward to the blindfold training, as her focus on the force was much better to deal with than all the negativity that encompassed the world. It was a temporary isolation from the usual ambiance of life around her. With the blindfold training, all her senses were heightened and she could completely hone her focus all into one focal point. Her lightsaber had become the extension of her body. Of course, as she was still considered a youngling, she couldn’t learn all the other forms. Thoughts of her brother's exile had pained her every single day for the last three years. It was buried under her rigorous training, but she yearned to see him every day. She would have given anything to turn back time and to run after him, stop him and bring him back into her life. His exile had completely and utterly shattered their lives and she could never stop blaming herself for not putting a stop to it.
“Valena Cross.”
Val looked up, quickly shedding her thoughts. Her old trainer smiled at her.
“You’ve grown so much. I believe the day has come when you are no longer a youngling.”
“What does that mean, master?”
“It means you are now a Padawan. You can begin your training as a Jedi Knight.”
Excitement welled up in Val’s chest. The trainer continued.
“Keep training. You will be given a notice in due time to begin your knight training.”
Val smiled and nodded. She would begin extensive training and further her blindfold lightsaber tactics before training to be a knight. She was ecstatic, as she would finally be able to participate in missions. And then she would be on her way to work up the ranks. It would take years of work and perseverance, but she knew she was born to do it.
Becoming a Jedi Knight
From the beginning Val met Sheng, she knew they would become friends. He had a large and daunting frame in comparison to her minuscule 10-year-old self. How small she had felt that day. The training proceeded immediately, with Val making plenty of mistakes and Sheng making sure every one was corrected.
The few short years Val spent with Sheng were the best. He had become like a father to her, forever becoming her guide. She was laughing more, playing more and learning quite a bit. However, as they say, all good things must come to an end. It was no different with Val and Sheng, as a terrible crime had been committed and he let his emotions take over. The result was Sheng leaving the Jedi order. Val tried hard to stop him, but it was to no avail. She knew Sheng and if he made up his mind, he stuck to it. He gave her his lightsaber and the blocks he had used to train her with. The goodbye was not tearful, as it was not the Jedi way. On top of that, Val vowed to find Sheng once again and bring him back to the order. Bring him back home.
Jamal reminded Val so much of Sheng that it was almost painful. That's why, when she first discovered him to be her new trainer, she was initially rather cold and distant, always wallowing in her sorrow over losing Sheng. This changed quickly as Jamal ended up being just as goofy and fun-loving as Sheng.
Training to be a knight was tougher than Val had imagined. As a child, she had gotten everything down instantly. However, becoming a knight required more difficult applications of the Force. Her biggest struggle was healing. She had been trying for years without success and had almost given up in the area. As Val grew as a Jedi, it was apparent that her skills lay in lightsaber combat. She was very adept with the Force, but she was very good at the saber form Ataru, using her lithe and nimble form to its full extent.
With Knight training, came missions. Her first was uneventful at first, but soon she learned all about using and shooting blasters. Val's second mission required more effort, as it consisted of going to a club and handing over criminals to the authorities. This was a harrowing experience for the young Jedi, as she had never truly interacted with the galaxy outside of Jedi life.
After the missions, she found a friend in a Kasa Horansi named Jiang. He had been suffering from amnesia, but was a true friend to Val whenever she needed him. Thus, it came as no surprise that he jumped to help Val embark on her most important mission: finding Sheng. It was as important to him as it was to her.
Knighthood was granted to Val, but she felt no real change. She prided herself in being a rather human Jedi, still carrying all her emotions and utilizing them when she needed to. Her path was slightly different from that of a perfect Jedi. She did not wish to abandon all the things that made her weak. She wished to embrace them and enhance herself to compensate. Emotions, to her, were vital in instilling a personality within a person and she had no desire to abandon them.
Adventures
It wasn't long before Val had proven herself to be a valuable addition to the Jedi Order. While others that had been ranked Knight along with her focused on training Padawans, Val's interests lied in what lay outside of the Jedi Temple. She wanted to set out to forge her own destiny, add her own chapter to the history of the Jedi. More than anything, she wanted to apply all she had learned in a real setting and to finally escape the tight walls of the academy.
Val had made many friends along the way, her love for missions taking her to all corners of the galaxy. She knew that she was not living up to expectations by not taking in as many padawans as she could. Val had no problem training others, but her training was more accelerated and very kinesthetic compared to others. Val had finally decided that hanging around the temple and training others was not her path. Perhaps this is a reason she believes she will never be a Master.
Shortly after she had set out on missions, Val was stationed on Coruscant, primarily to oversee the construction of the temple. As feared, there had been many instances of Bogan activity in the area. Val saw it as an honor to be stationed near an area that could potentially be so dangerous. Being unlike most Jedi, adventure was her first love, and she never turned down an opportunity to make a stand against those that threatened to disturb the peace.
Her first encounter with a Bogan came shortly after a member of the Order had fallen to the dark side. The Knight's padawan meant to follow in her footsteps. He arrived at the Jedi temple on Coruscant and was shortly joined by a Bogan Crusader that intended to carry him off. Val arrived on the scene immediately and called over Raphael Caelestis, a member of the Jedi Council.
The two Jedi had attempted to negotiate a way to make the Padawan return to the Jedi side, but the attempts were futile. Out of nowhere, the Bogan made a run for it, the padawan following in tow. A great chase ensued, as the two Jedi were joined by Raphael's padawan who piloted the ship to help them track the two down.
Although the Jedi had made a great effort, the Bogan and padawan disappeared, never to be seen again. Val had never felt like such a failure, but that was when she began to develop a powerful urge to eliminate Bogan. Although her Jedi teachings had taught her to be peaceful, Val knew that being soft and passive often allowed evil to simply escape.
Val always understood that she walked the line that separated a good Jedi from a bad one, but she never denied disagreeing with many Jedi beliefs. As the days went by, she honed her skills, particularly with the Force. She had always been extremely proficient with a lightsaber, which allowed her to focus on Force to enhance her abilities over all.
Perhaps it was the Force that allowed her to sense a presence in the Jedi temple on Coruscant one night. Without calling for aid, Val approached the temple and was met with a high ranking Bogan. She could already tell he was beyond help, but she nevertheless attempted to talk him out of infiltrating the temple. When he refused, she knew she had no choice but to attack him.
A long and grueling fight ensued as he attempted to break into the temple for reasons unknown to her. Val grew frustrated as this man only fought for a moment before running to the temple, leading her to chase him. At long last, she finally had him cornered and the two fought again.
At some point during the fight, it had become clear that there was something mysterious about this particular Bogan. A picture he had thrown at her confirmed that he was Caed Ultor, son of the Jedi Grandmaster. This thought disturbed her, but it added to his reasons for wanting to infiltrate a temple. During this small moment of compassion, Val was tricked by Caed into believing he was attempting to take his own life. When she moved to stop him, he abruptly yanked her down to leave her hanging from a window, inches away from death.
Then a moment happened that changed Val's belief in everything: The Bogan pulled her back up, making it clear he had no intention of killing her. However, he also had no intention of leaving the temple alone. Val, although her mind protested, engaged him in battle again. This time, she had the upper hand as she sliced off one of his hands. As Caed fell to the ground from exhaustion and blood loss, Val used the opportunity to help her back to her home.
Many thoughts crossed Val's mind at this time. Allowing a Bogan to reside in her apartment was possibly the highest crime she could commit as a Jedi. Although all these thoughts tainted her mind, Val nursed Caed back to health. There was still one last obstacle: Rev Ultor. She knew the Grandmaster would arrive in no time and she would possibly be cast out of the Order. However, her morals told her strongly that it was important to have them reunite.
At last, the Grandmaster had arrived. Unfortunately, tensions grew between the two and Val, without thinking, broke open a window and allowed Caed to escape. Much to her astonishment, Rev ultimately understood that things had happened for the best and had forgiven her. Her bold actions also led to her initiation into the Jedi Shadows, a sect of Jedi that worked in secrecy to find out about Bogan and ultimately eliminate them.
Val had forgotten about the Bogan incident and began to go on more missions. Most of her missions had forced her to put on an act, hiding her Jedi identity. One of the most peculiar disguises she had to adopt was to be a prostitute. She was joined by an overly moody soldier, a goofy pirate wannabe and various other characters that made her wonder what she was doing.
Shortly after the mission, Val had been assigned to Kashyyyk to investigate a slave trade. As she arrived at the camp, she barely moved before the slavers began to attack her. Minutes later, a shadow came down and annihilated all of the slavers, saving her from certain death. Val was shocked to discover that it was Caed, the Bogan she had allowed to escape months ago.
They were quickly joined by another Bogan, a high ranking woman who made it appear as if Val had been ambushed. It was quickly discovered that Caed had been against this woman as well when he released a mob of angry wookiees on her. Caed and Val quickly escaped the scene, running far away from the camp.
Upon arriving at an elevated wookiee city, Val decided she needed to walk into a bar. This was possibly one of the stupidest decision in her life as she quickly discovered she was a lightweight. Becoming utterly useless, Val only hindered the mission to escape Kashyyyk as wookiees mistakenly thought of them as the cause for the slave activity.
The next thing Val remembered was waking up on a ship, realizing that Caed had applied pressure to her neck to knock her out so she wouldn't betray their location in her drunken stupor. As she spent more time with this odd character, she began to harbor feelings for him, thought she did not understand them at the time.
Their adventures took them to an abandoned house on Dantooine. It was discovered that it was, in fact, Caed's house when he was a child. It was here that the two finally confessed their feelings and sealed their love for one another.
Neither could pretend that they could continue being lovers, primarily because Val was a Jedi and Caed was a Bogan. Throughout the days, Caed had drifted apart from the Bogan, becoming more independent and escaping the hold they had on him. It wasn't long before Val invited him to stay with her.
They had only lived together for a few weeks before Caed decided that he needed to set out to learn a new way with the Force that was far different from Bogan or Jedi teachings. Val knew it was for the best, although she hated the thought of letting him go. He left that day, and she hadn't seen him since. It was heart-wrenching, but Val at last learned not to hope for his return.
Thankfully, many new adventures had come up to distract her from gloomy thoughts of Caed and the ache she felt from losing him. Val had learned that Jiang wasn't who he said he was. The situation had gotten much more dire, which caused her to immediately arrive on the scene to find out more information.
Much to her surprise, she was met with a large man named Leon pointing a gun at her shortly after she arrived at Jiang's apartment. Val immediately began to run, knowing there was little possibility of her being able to overcome this man in a fight. More than anything, Jiang was a high priority, not this man.
As the man caught up to her, she learned that he meant no harm, but he was connected to Jiang in a way. Val finally agreed to follow this man, Leon, to find Jiang. It was then that she found Jiang at a bar threatening to kill someone and more wild than she had ever seen him. She had realized that this was not her Jiang, but the Sonam that Leon was talking about.
Going against protests in her mind, Val threw an EMP grenade to knock Sonam out, allowing CSB to quickly tie him up. The group boarded a ship where Leon explained to her exactly what was going on with Sonam and what had happened. Always being a sucker for letting emotions overwhelm her, Val refused to believe it and fled the briefing room.
The Jedi made it out to the shipyards just in time to find Sonam escaping on a ship. She boarded the ship, not thinking twice, and remained hidden. After a while, she revealed herself and was delighted to discover that this Sonam had Jiang-like qualities about him. However, she knew that it was not him. He was completely tortured and she began to formulate a way to help him.
Val got into a rather heated, yet comical, argument with Sonam aboard the ship. At the conclusion of it, he decided he needed a drink, which fit well with her plans. To her surprise, the giant tiger was completely done and was promptly thrown out of the bar. Val consoled him as he drunkenly sobbed and cried on her. Through all of it, she learned his past and exactly how awful it was.
It was then that Val performed a Force technique she had never applied before. She delved into Sonam's mind and erased memories of Jiang, although it pained her to do so. The process allowed her to tap further into her abilities with the Force, something that she had been deprived of lately. She only hoped that she would be able to ultimately help Sonam and perhaps meet the real Jiang one day.
When Sonam awoke from his slumber, he realized that the memories that were not his own were suppressed. He felt more like himself than ever before, and the feelings were his own, not something already stored in place. Val found that Sonam was someone she could really get along with, and the two spent more time together. It was only a matter of time before she began to have feelings for him. Her attunement to the Force told her he felt the same. However, the feelings she held for Caed had also remained with her, putting her in a position from where she couldn't move away. She knew it was too early to be involved in anything, but she couldn't help how she felt about Sonam.
The feelings between Val and Sonam were kept quiet by both parties, and they simply reveled in their time together. All of it came unraveled when Val began to talk about Caed and the pain she suffered. Sonam comforted her, helping ease her mind. Lost in the moment, the two leaned in for a kiss. It was at that moment that Val realized she was rushing into something she wasn't ready for. She knew if she had been with Sonam at that point, she would have hurt him. At the back of her mind, she was till waiting for Caed's return. Val left behind a stunned and devastated Sonam, walking out his door and not looking back.
Val spent the next few days alone, tapping into the dark side of the Force and always teetering on the brink. Her eyes flashed gold when she tapped into the darker thoughts that consumed her mind. Val stopped eating correctly and was a complete mess. She was in her apartment when she received a call from Dalang Winters. Though hesitant at first, Val eventually gave in and went to meet with him.
Dalang revealed that he knew about the incident between Val and Sonam. She explained her side of it, and Dalang appeared to understand where each of them were coming from. However, Val had a moment of weakness, once again tapping into the dark side. Dalang, someone who wasn't a Force sensitive, did not understand it and was terrified. As Val turned and ran, afraid of what she would do, Dalang called the authorities on her. As a result, Val left the system, fleeing until she could regain control of her emotions. As a result, she left her friends behind...
A New Chapter
Val had pushed thoughts of Caed from her mind, believing that he would never return. She knew she couldn't spend her time doing nothing, as it only made her spiral downward even quicker. Val hadn't been involved in the Order for some time. She took this time to look into it again, and found that a council member of the Order had taken to teaching advanced lightsaber forms. Val, always adept at saber combat, decided that it was the right time to pick up a new form, along with the form known as Trakata which was recently invented.
Much to her displeasure, her journey took her back to Ossus. It was a mockery, the peaceful serenity a stark contrast to the raging inferno within her mind. She hated being around such peace, anger always boiling within her mind. Val finally arrived at the training room, awaiting her master. To her shock, it was Huang Karasu, someone she had worked with years ago on a mission. Back then, she had thought him to be a strange, odd man that did not fit the image of a Jedi at all. That was not what she saw now. She simply saw the eyes, the yellow eyes that strongly reminded her of Caed. It was as if Fate was slapping her in the face.
Because Huang's eyes reminded Val of Caed, she instantly harbored ill feelings towards the council member. She attacked him on many occasions during their training, always aiming to harm him. He remained cold and passive, completely untethered by emotion. This made her even angrier. He only enraged her further by putting her through the most difficult tests he could concoct. Val excelled through them, but only after she began to gain a better measure of control over her emotions. Huang picked up on this and praised her for it. As the months went on, Val began to forget Caed, focusing on her training instead. Though Huang remained emotionless and withdrawn, his silence was peaceful. She never felt judged, something that helped her regain control of herself again.
It was around this time that she stopped being closed off when it came to positive emotions. As she spent more time working with Huang, she found herself drawn to him. He was silent, but there was wisdom there and the strict control he had was a complete opposite of how she was. This opposite dynamic attracted her to him. He also possessed an ethereal beauty that no human could ever match. She had only seen him as a council member before, but the mystery surrounding him beckoned her to learn more.
As her training came to a close, Val was adept at Juyo and the form Huang himself had invented, Trakata. On the last day of her training, Val decided to step out of her comfort zone and do something drastic. She told Huang there was a mission on Coruscant that demanded their immediate attention. Fortunately for her, the Jedi Master believed her, following her to the industrial planet. Once there, Val landed them in a rather seedy, yet lively district on the planet. It was full of clubs and casinos, a place that Huang wouldn't otherwise be caught dead at. Making up a cover story about problematic Rodians, Val managed to drag Huang into a club.
As the night progressed, she learned more about the mysterious Sephi and his origins. It was the first time she began to see that he had more depth to him than simply what his title entailed. Alcohol eventually got the best of her and she dragged him out to the floor. It took several tries before Huang stopped attempting to escape the floor. In a comical, yet memorable display, Val taught the sword master how to dance utilizing lightsaber forms. The two were intertwined, causing a crowd to gather around them from their dancing. It was then that Val finally accepted her attraction to him, alcohol taking away any inhibitions she would otherwise have had. She leaned in for the first kiss, but they were quickly interrupted. Val was injured by a blaster bolt as the club erupted into chaos. Huang quickly lifted her and escaped the premise, leading them to the Jedi temple on Coruscant.
The temple held many negative memories for Val as she had met Caed there. She turned away from it, Huang following her. There was a quiet moment where he healed her injuries, and he slowly leaned in again. This time, they were both aware of what was happening. Val knew it was too late to go back, but he withdrew abruptly. Huang was reminded of his position within the Order, reminding Val that she was his pupil, many years younger than him and there was no possible way to allow this to happen. As he walked away from her, Val stopped him, finally pulling him into the kiss they had almost shared so many times throughout the night. Huang initially gave in, but he pushed her away once again. It was then that Val realized he truly was incapable of harboring such feelings. Not quite skilled with the Force, she could not understand the whirlwind that raged within Huang’s mind.
Val turned away and offered him a ride back to Coruscant, which he politely declined. With a heavy heart, Val returned to her ship, attempting to push thoughts of Huang away. For a long moment, she simply berated herself for being so foolish and beginning to fall for someone that obviously was incapable for harboring such feelings. Huang was a cold, emotionless shell, someone that was extremely efficient and deadly. Exactly the kind of warrior the Jedi Order needed. Val began to prepare to leave the planet when Huang abruptly emerged on her ship, claiming to have left his robes. To her surprise, he decided to take her up on the offer of a ride back to Ossus.
An awkward silence hung the entire time the two flew back to Ossus, though Val was determined not to say anything. Her Force energy betrayed nothing, and Huang was no different. Minutes before they were to land, Val finally turned to apologize for her forward behavior. This was timed right with Huang rising from his seat and pulling her into a kiss. Her shock melted away as she gave into the kiss, finally realizing that he had no intention of pulling away this time. There was no reason given, nothing shared, but at that moment, the two acknowledged their feelings for one another.
Val remained on Ossus to be with Huang, though they kept what they felt for one another a secret. She visited him every day after he finished training his padawans, posing as a student herself. The two had countless adventures together, most of them extremely comical. Val had begun to see a completely different side of him, realizing that he was one of the most lively individuals she had ever met. How he managed to subjugate all of that under an emotionless mask was appalling. Val never pushed him, the two not having a name for the kind of relationship they had. There was romance, but it was mostly enjoying one another’s company. Val knew she was falling for him, but she had no intention of letting him know, realizing that such proclamations only lead to pain in the end.
All of that changed when Huang took Val to a mansion in the mountains after a full day of outdoor activities that had exhausted them both. The location was stunning, and for the first time the two of them were able to spend time alone away from the Order. By now, Val had developed stronger feelings for Huang, realizing she was falling in love with him. Yet still, she uttered none of this aloud. As the evening passed, Val knew the night would be different. For the first time, she felt true emotion radiating from Huang, laced passion she hadn’t seen since she had seen him in combat. Ultimately, the two made love for the first time that night, a testament of their desires and feelings for one another.
Val knew the relationship she had with Huang had grown much more serious now, as they had consummated their love for one another. Neither had said the words aloud, but it existed in their body language. Val had asked Huang to forge a sword for her, as he was a master of blade crafting. It was one of the few times he was truly happy, and she knew nothing would make him happier. He agreed to it, to her delight. Val knew she wanted to keep something of his with her forever. She couldn’t remember ever feeling like this about someone, even Caed.
As the day came when he finally completed the Force katana, Val was astounded at its beauty. The blade even bore his symbol, a crow in flight. She knew the blade would never leave her side. In return, Val gave him a necklace that was looped through a block. Though it looked insignificant, it was something she had kept since she was ten years old, as it was a block Sheng had used to train her. Huang wore it around his neck, promising never to take it off.
As weeks went on, Val was finally content. She believed that everything was in perfect balance and she could finally return to her friends. She was in love, and Huang loved her back. He was not brash like Caed and she knew he would stand by her side. However, all of that changed when Val realized she was pregnant with Huang’s child. Her world turned upside down in an instant. She initially thought about going to Huang and telling him, only to realize that the confession would completely devastate him. He was the Sword Master of the Order, on the Council and he would have fathered the child of his apprentice. Val knew she could never put him through that. Against every fiber of her being, she made up the decision to run away, a trait she had picked up from Caed. Val went to visit him one last time, completely heartbroken. She had hid her thoughts well enough to where he could not pick up on her intentions. Val kissed him one last time and walked away from him, fully intent on never seeing him again. She knew it was best for him to be ignorant of the fact that his child grew in her belly. Val disappeared from Ossus, running away once again.
Her journey took her to a mid rim planet called Malastare. The planet was full of vice, the perfect getaway for someone on the run. Val was almost ambushed, but she was saved by a strange man named Cedos. He was handsome, though he projected dark energy. She did the same, her eyes golden by then. Val allowed Cedos to lead her away from the thugs. The two interacted for a while and he presented her with an opportunity to embrace the dark side without falling to the Bogan. Val was tempted by the offer and was about to accept when something caught her attention. She followed the noise and to her shock, found Caed.
The former Bogan had gone through Shade training and looked completely different, unmarred by the taint of the dark side. Val, on the other hand, looked somewhat like a Bogan with her fiery eyes. The shock of seeing him brought back past memories. Ultimately Cedos left the picture, allowing Val and Caed to reunite. At that moment, she foolishly forgave him for everything, highly delusional. She had already locked away thoughts of Huang and she did not bring up her pregnancy just yet. The two turned to leave together when Cedos returned, this time accompanied by a powerful Bogan. The Bogan was hunting Caed, believing him to be a Bogan on the run still. When Caed did not come quietly, a fight erupted. Val and Caed fought against Cedos and the Governor of Ando Prime. Ultimately, Val’s saber pierced through the heart of the Bogan, but not before he managed to let off a powerful Force Blast. The impact burnt her upper torso and left arm, knocking her out. Cedos’s fate remained unknown to her.
Val awoke next in a hospital. She was on Ossus, Caed having exhausted the last bit of his energy in bringing her back to safety. She quickly found him again, happy to be reunited. Over the next few weeks, they were separated and each interrogated and questioned on their whereabouts. Adrian Bac was assigned to Val to help her control her emotions again. This led them on a journey to Iridonia, which ultimately resulted in a friendship between the two Jedi. When she returned, she learned that Caed had revealed the location of Ando Prime to the Order, something she was truly proud of him for. It showed that he had truly shed his Bogan past.
After having gone through the training to chain her emotions, she knew it was right to tell Caed about her pregnancy. She was a few months along now and she knew there was little point in hiding it. Val was slightly delusional still and wanted to marry Caed and run away to raise the baby together, expecting him to fully accept the baby once he learned the father was out of the picture. However, he was utterly disgusted with her, calling her child a bastard. Val had never felt pain like this before, left feeling dirty and as if her child were meaningless. In the end, Caed accepted her back into his life, though he rejected her proposal for marriage. The two left the planet immediately.
As more time passed and her pregnancy became obvious, Caed showed more and more distaste towards her and her child. Val could feel the negative energy radiating from him. She knew then that it was impossible for him to truly accept her while she carried another man’s child. She had made the decision to leave Caed, realizing that her child had to grow up in a loving environment where he felt as if he belonged. Before she could, Caed told her he was leaving, once again disappearing from her life. This time, the pain wasn’t devastating.
With more time to herself, Val decided to get more involved in the Order. Her pregnancy was almost at its end, but a lucrative business deal with Thustra presented itself. She volunteered for the job, accompanied by Jedi Master Loki and Jedi Knight Lirinid. They accompanied her to meet Senator Ulrees of Thustra. Right in the middle of the discussion, Val went into labor. She had to fight back the embarrassment, thankful that the senator was extremely understanding, having her rushed off to a ward. The delivery was normal, though Val was painfully aware of her solitude during it. Images of Huang by her side resurfaced within her mind, though she hadn’t thought of him in months, tightly locking the memories away. As soon as she saw her beautiful baby boy, she knew what to name him. Raziel already resembled his father, with his incredibly pale skin and tiny pointy ears that were miniature versions of Huang’s ears.
Val spent some time on Thustra to recover, spending more time with Ulrees and learning more about Sephi culture and customs. At the end of her trip, he presented her with a pendant for her son to wear. Greatly thankful for his gratitude, Val made her way over to the Order to report on the alliance forged between the two. Shortly after that, she went to Cularin, a planet rich in evergreen. It was also strong in the Force, allowing her to remain aware of her surroundings while being provided with a peaceful environment. Val went there to raise Raziel on her own, fully believing that she would spend the rest of her days alone with her son. At the very least, she would love and cherish him and he would never suffer the hardships she had to.
As Val spent more time on Cularin, she fell completely in love with her son, having all the time in the world to bond with him. He looked more and more like Huang each day, though the fact did not bother her. Val also noted that as he aged, his eyes began to shift from blue to a light yellow. The unique trait was, once again, derived from his father. She could already sense that the boy was strong with the Force, which she had already expected. As days passed by, Val made friends with the locals, completely putting her past behind her and enjoying her new lifestyle.
One day, out of the blue, Sonam arrived at her door. She couldn’t begin to describe her surprise. There was no tension between them and he was fully recovered from his injuries. The two had a moment just like old times, filled with lots of laughter. Raziel especially took a liking to Sonam, clinging onto the Kasa Horansi every chance he could. As the day went on, Val offered to let Sonam stay over if he wished. That was when he brought up their past, something she hoped not to face. He asked why she had never given him a chance, an answer Val herself did not know. The night turned upside down, tensions rising between them both. A comment about Raziel’s lineage caused her to draw her saber, losing control. Val ultimately told Sonam that they could never be, something that utterly devastated him as he had quietly loved her from afar for a long while now.
Sonam vowed to never speak to her again, turned on his heels and left. Before he did, however, he demanded that Val stay true to the next man she fell in love with and to never run again. She had caused pain to many because of her tendency to avoid situations. Sonam walked off after that, leaving behind Val crying and on her knees. At that moment, she was ready to take her life, bringing the saber hilt to her throat. However, Raziel’s cry distracted her thoughts, causing her to rush to his side. The baby had saved her life, though he had no idea what he had done. Val vowed to never take her own life, as she had to stay alive for her baby. As she looked upon Raziel’s face, she knew who she had to be with.
Val had planned on leaving Cularin to return to Ossus to find Huang again. However, fate would have it so he found her instead. He had been sent to Cularin to scout for younglings. He had sensed her in the Force and found her apartment, literally crashing in through the window. Normally a reserved and closed off individual, he completely shocked Val with his outward display of raw, unbridled fury. It was all fueled by the betrayal he felt after she had left him. The two engaged in battle, though Val was vastly outmatched. She had no desire to harm him, as seeing him completely released the floodgates of the love she had locked away. At long last, he had her inches from death and she began to accept it. However, she was reminded of Raziel and the promise she had made to him. Brutally pushing Huang aside, she finally proclaimed the truth about him having sired a child.
To her shock, Huang wanted to take responsibility immediately. He knew exactly the complications he faced, yet he wanted to take Val and their son with him. She had never been happier, though she knew it was going to be nearly impossible to keep this hidden. Regardless, she followed him and the three left Cularin to return to Republic space. The next few days only made her happier than she ever thought possible, as she got to spend a lot of time with Huang and their son. It was as if they were a family, with Raziel having both of his parents there to love him. Huang held an unusually soft spot for Raziel, a side only Val and the little boy saw. Outwardly, he remained the cold and collected sword master, but his loved ones saw an entirely different side of him.
Within weeks of being back, Huang was called away to command the Jedi in a battle to liberate the Taen people. Val stayed behind, as she had Raziel to care for. She fretted over Huang, much as she had done during his battle on Ando Prime. While he was away, Val took to tending to the injured soldiers from Ando Prime. She often left Raziel in the care of padawans who did not question or object to her having a child. Huang had returned in no time, with the blade of the Taen king to boot. The three decided to remain on Alderaan, where she was finishing up her healing duties.
One of those nights, Val was returning from her duties when she found Caed waiting for her. Initially she was angry, but she had grown up drastically since their last meeting. She was a mother now and happily involved with a man she loved. Caed had grown up as well, as their meeting was one of goodbye, though it ended on good terms. Before he left, he left his saber with Raziel, the latter of which had taken quite a liking to him. Val did not reveal who Raziel’s father was and was thankful Caed did not pry.
Val found herself wanting to spend more time with Huang. They had limited time as a trio and even less time with just one another. As a result, they found missions to do together. Huang had left for Coruscant on business, though the details were vague. Shortly after he returned, the two were sent on a mission on a backwater planet. They arrived at an abandoned town, but were soon surrounded by bandits. The battle involved a shoot out, along with explosions. Val was injured and the two were separated during the fight due to ysalamiri. However, they ultimately found the gang leader and fought him side by side. It was during this pivotal battle that Huang proposed to Val, right as they prepared to deliver the killing blow. Though her initial answer was incoherent muttering as she was busy decapitating the enemy, Val immediately said yes. The two discussed in detail exactly how they would marry and how they had to keep it a secret. Val knew it was a difficult step to take, one that went against everything he stood for. However, it showed her that their love mattered to him more than anything, and she was willing to fight for it. At long last, the three became a family. Val legally changed her last name to Karasu, though there were no official records of their marriage. The council was suspicious about the change, but there was little they could do to object it without evidence of their union.
Although the two had to keep their marriage hidden, they managed to live together as a family. Huang and Val decided to have another child. This was a daughter they decided to name Emi. Unlike her older brother, she looked significantly more like her mother. Both children were gifted with the Force from birth, although Emi was significantly more attuned to it. From a very young age, she displayed skills with the Force, though it often lead to disaster. Neither parents could explain the odd phenomena, hoping she would grow out of it eventually. Meanwhile, Raziel displayed skills more oriented towards lightsabers, as he was naturally extremely dexterous and agile.
As the years went by, Val's activities within the Order heavily declined. She often remained home to take care of the children. She knew she had to be the one to step back, as Huang was far too important of an asset to the Order. However, as their children grew to be youngling age, Val began to train them. It also allowed her the chance to return to being active within the Order. Fortunately, their marriage remained a secret.
KILLS:
N/A
DUELING RING MATCHES:
WIN: Val vs. Jamall
WIN: Val vs. Koran Mak
GRAND TOURNAMENT MATCHES:
N/A
ROLE-PLAYS:
Youngling Training
Knight Training
Returning Home
Jedi Business
Falling From Grace
Winters Arc
The Final Step
Patchwork Hearts
On A Wild Goose Chase
Unspoken Legacy
The Simple Life
Some Wounds..
Huang/Family Arc
Val's Advanced Training
Two Houses
Expanding The Order
Honey! I'm home!
My Mind Is Telling Me No
Calm After The Storm
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