This story incorporates cut endings from KotOR II and therefore some of the dialogue is not mine, but is taken from the cut script (my props to the script writers). Even though I have used some of the cut dialogue, a lot of it is modified and I have also added my own dialogue into the mix.
This story is told from Atton Rand's point-of-view. I know tons of people have written about Atton, but seriously, who can avoid such a fun character? This story uses the cut ending where Atton fights Sion and...well, you'll see.
Those who read this story and have played KotOR might wonder why some of the characters are missing from the story (indeed, some are missing from the cut endings and it's a puzzle to figure it out). For the sake of the story, these are the assumptions I've made: 1) Mandalore stayed behind to strengthen and regroup his Mandalorians after the attack on The Ravager, 2) HK-47 is not with the Ebon Hawk since he went off to the HK factory, 3) GO-TO and Bao-Dur's droid go off on their "missions" some time during the story, though Atton is not aware of this so no mention is made.
And now, for the ending to Knights of the Old Republic II as seen from Atton Rand's point-of-view...
Atton held his hand to his throat, coughing violently. As he did so, he took the time to scope out the room he'd been so roughly shoved into. It was a long with four walls made of simple dark steel. Nothing adorned them. There wasn't even a pallet to sleep on. I've been in way better prisons than this, he thought. He rubbed his neck some more. Force Chokes hurt more than he had thought. His throat was burning. It was that old malicious witch who had done this to him…and the others.
Atton began to pace his cell. In his mind, he was reliving the last few hours, hours full of nightmares and failures. It began when they had crashed onto Malachor V. He'd been piloting and had taken a nasty hit to the head that had put him out cold. When he'd awoken, he'd found everyone else in various states of health. Most of them were okay, except for Bao-Dur. The technician had taken the worst of the crash. Still, he was well enough that he'd made his own decision to stay behind and restore the Ebon Hawk. "We'll have to get out of here somehow," he'd said to Atton. "You just go after the General."
The "General", the Jedi Ganya B'jorna, had been missing when Atton had searched the ship. He'd known in his gut where she'd gone. He'd watched her enough and knew her so well that he could have traced her actions in his sleep. She'd made sure they were all safe and then she'd set out on her own after that old witch, Kreia, or Darth Traya, or whoever she was. Curse her selflessness, Atton thought. She was always doing that, thinking of others before herself. She'd taken off without them to spare them any danger. In doing so, she was walking into the most dangerous place she'd ever been.
It was then that Atton had thought up his fabulous plan. Those that could would follow after Ganya. They'd stand with her and fight by her side. Mira had been all for it. Visas had spoken in favor of caution, but had finally relented after Mical decided to go as well. With that, the four of them had headed deep into the depths of Malachor toward the Sith stronghold known as the Trayus Academy.
They'd only made it as far as the entrance when Kreia had appeared. She was standing calmly, her hood thrown back to reveal her atrophied white eyes. It was as if she had been waiting for them all along.
At first, Atton had feared Kreia had already taken Ganya down, but that fear was soon dispelled.
"So," the witch had said, "Her servants come like little lapdogs begging at her heels. You are nothing. Once she has defeated the Sith within this academy, she will fall to the Dark Side. There is nothing you can do for her now."
Atton's heart had leapt at the news that Ganya was alive…for now. He had no doubt Kreia was determined and would find a way to face the Jedi alone.
Mical had spoken up first. "She will never fall to the Dark Side. We will defeat you and we will stand with her."
Kreia had breathed out in disgust. "You? You're children playing with lightsabers, not Jedi. You cannot hide your masks." Her blank eyes turned to Mira and she scoffed, "A reluctant assassin." She moved her gaze to Mical. "A worshipper of the vanquished Jedi." Visas came next. "A blind slave." And finally, Atton found Kreia's attention on him. She paused and then snorted derisively. "And a fool." He'd bristled inside, but maintained his calm exterior. He didn't want her to see she'd riled him. Kreia had suddenly smiled and Atton had the uncomfortable feeling she'd just read his mind. Why did I forget Pazaak at a time like this?! he chided himself.
"I see you for who you really are," Kreia spoke on to the group, "And I tire of your banal loyalty. Which of you wishes to try yourself against me? As you can see, I am unarmed."
Mical responded by switching on his lightsaber. Its bright blue energy rippled to life with a hiss.
"Ah," Kreia said. "Her greatest admirer. Come, boy, face me now—do not make this one of the many battles you have run from."
Atton had cringed at her words. Her greatest admirer. Mical had shown him up this whole trip and he would be the first to take on the old witch. If Mical took her down, would Ganya choose him for…Atton felt ashamed for thinking this way. How could he be thinking such appalling thoughts at a time like this?
Mical threw himself into a Makashi form, but Kreia deftly avoided all his blows. He took another couple stabs and Kreia only laughed, moving with speed that belied the power embodied in such a small, old woman. Then, as if she was tired of dealing with Mical, Kreia had turned and simply stared at him. His body had risen in the air, spinning around chaotically, and then it had slammed into the ground. Mical groaned and clutched at his chest.
Kreia walked over to Mical's lifeless form. "You should have thought before you threw away your life for her. Now you will lose everything. Your lusts unfulfilled. A dance, unfinished." Suddenly, bolts of energy shot out from Kreia's hands and Mical screamed, writhing in pain.
This had been too much for Mira. She had thrown herself at Kreia. "Stop! Leave him alone!" Kreia had broken off her attack on Mical and turned to the huntress rushing forwards with her glowing yellow lightsaber. Atton knew Kreia would have had Mira down in a moment if Visas hadn't intervened. As it was, Kreia only had time to Force Push Mira aside when Visas stepped in front of her.
"Kreia," Visas began in her always soothing voice, "the Force runs strong within you, but in the howling of a storm, it is difficult to hear the whisper of the blade. You have forever been the blind one. You were given a gift few are ever given, and you let your gift of sight warp you, tw…" But she didn't get out another word. Within a second, Visas was caught up in a force storm.
"You think your existence under your Lord was torture, Miraluka?" Kreia chided. "I will make you see."
Atton had watched as Visas screamed and covered her face with her hands. She collapsed to the ground, shaking. Mira had stood back up and had already made her way back to Kreia.
"You'll pay for this," she muttered before swinging her glowing lightsaber at Kreia's face. Kreia easily sidled past the blade and in a moment had levitated Mira, using the force to bind the woman's arms to her sides and draw Mira close to her.
"Yes, the huntress," Kreia spoke softly. "Always the one to choose raw power over finesse. I've a surprise waiting for you." Kreia waved her hand and Mira fell, suddenly enveloped in a stasis field.
It was then that Kreia had turned to Atton. Atton hoped he looked more confident than he felt. He glared back at her. Inside, he knew he could never defeat her and the failure of his plan was eating him up. I got us all killed…and I failed Ganya.
Kreia looked at Atton in amusement. "And now...at last, the fool. You only delay the inevitable. You have been difficult to sense before... but not now. You can cloak your mind only for so long. It is only a matter of coaxing the right thought to the surface. Your desire to protect the Jedi...and the hope that will kill the guilt inside you."
Atton bravely lit his lightsaber. It hummed softly at his side and illuminated him in a green glow.
"I wouldn't try it if I were you," Kreia spoke matter-of-factly.
"I won't let you hurt her," Atton growled.
"You can't stop me and you know it. That's what makes you a fool. You never let reality fill your mind." Atton had just begun to rush forward with all his strength when he found himself in a Force Chokehold. His lightsaber dropped from his hand and extinguished as he gripped for his throat. He could feel the life being choked right out of him. Kreia only cackled softly.
"You thought she could love you?" she whispered. "You are beneath her. Your heart is a center of unbridled emotions…Anger, hate, passion…You cannot control them. You will never be true Jedi and that is all she could ever love."
Atton gulped, trying to gain air. His eyesight began to dim. As darkness slowly descended, he saw a gray creature emerge from the shadows, Darth Sion. Sion walked up to Kreia's side. She looked over to the wretched Sith.
"That is the last of them. Take them. Three of them could be strong in the Force and would have their uses." She looked to where Mira lay in stasis. "Give her to the Wookiee. But do not let him kill her."
"And this one," Kreia continued, turning back to Atton. "You deal with him. He is useless to me. I will go to the core and await the one stronger than they."
Sion simply nodded. Kreia released her Force Choke on Atton who would have fallen if Sion hadn't gripped his arm. With that, Sion and several Sith students had taken the four of them into the Academy.
Atton stopped pacing as his review of the last hours came full circle. Frustration brimmed on the corners of his mind. They had failed her. He had failed her. Now he was stuck waiting. Waiting for what? Kreia had told Sion to deal with him. Atton didn't know what was coming.
"I don't think I even want to know," he muttered helplessly to himself. What would Ganya do? he thought, then sighed. He knew. She would meditate and prepare for the battle to come. Great. I'm hopeless at meditation. Ever since he'd trained himself to play Pazaak in his head anytime he tried to be quiet all he heard were numbers in a Pazaak game.
Shaking off his reluctance, Atton sat down in the middle of the long cell and closed his eyes. He tried to do what Ganya had shown him. He tried to center himself in the Force and reach out to his surroundings. Faintly, he felt a stirring in the Force. Another life was near him. It wasn't in this room, but still near. He focused on that life. Suddenly, an image of Mical flashed through his mind. Atton's eyes flew open. He was startled by what he had seen. Mical was lying in a cell similar to his, only he was barely moving.
I saw him, Atton breathed. He'd never had anything like that happen to him before. Determined to do even more with the Force, he closed his eyes again and this time he saw the flash of Mical only briefly before two other life-forces intruded on his awareness. Yes. There was Visas, farther away than Mical and yet close to Atton as well. She was moaning. At the same time, as if he were watching a monitor of two broadcasts at once, Atton saw Mira. She was covered in blood. The image shook him. Still, he held on. If I can just reach farther… farther…There! He only caught her feelings dimly, but he knew it was Ganya. She was focused, concentrated in battle. Atton couldn't make out her attacker. But she's alive still, he thought. It was then that Kreia's words came back to haunt him:
You thought she could love you? You are beneath her…You will never be true Jedi and that is all she could ever love.
Ganya could not love him. His brief connection to the Force was broken as his mind turned to this gut-wrenching thought.
"Then why did I come this far?" he spoke out loud. The hope of love was all that had kept him with this strange group of companions, some of whom he wasn't ashamed to admit he didn't like. "It isn't fair. I came all this way for her…and I get nothing."
No, his own voice spoke to back to him in his head. You know that's not the only reason you've stuck around with them for so long. You want to make up for your past and you know it.
Atton shook his head. This honest way he was suddenly talking to himself shocked him. He'd hidden behind bravado so long that he'd forgotten how to even be real with himself. But ever since he'd confessed his horrid crimes to Ganya, his strategically built walls had been coming down. It scared him and yet, he realized that he felt freer now than he had ever felt in a long time. Ironic. I have to be thrown into a prison cell to be free. In spite of himself, he laughed. "That old witch would love to know even I'm beginning to speak to myself in riddles." Inside, his doubt rose back to the surface. What if I am just a fool, a fool to think I can make up for the past. Would saving her change what I've done?
"It doesn't matter!" he shouted with sudden conviction. My past is my past. I have to try and save her. And then maybe…maybe then I can tell her. And maybe she can love me back.
He had just finished these thoughts when the door to his cell swooshed open. Atton looked to the far end and saw Darth Sion standing in the doorway.
Atton slowly stood, staring back at the Sith. Skrag! While he'd been getting all introspective, he'd forgotten to meditate! Nothing for it, he thought. The scoundrel in him was coming to the surface as he frantically thought of how he was going to handle this situation.
Sion strode confidently toward Atton and muttered in his gravely voice, "And I get the fool." He sounded disappointed.
Atton threw his head back and said in his best nonchalant manner, "Funny—that's just what I was thinking." He hoped Sion couldn't read his mind like Kreia and see through his false bravado.
"Shut up, fool! It will not take me long to deal with you." Sion stretched out his hand and Atton found himself hovering off the ground. The familiar feeling of his throat being slowly crushed took over his mind. Trying to stay awake, Atton kicked his feet helplessly in the air. He managed to get a breath and spoke haltingly.
"Just going…to Force Choke…me to death…That's…original…" He gulped another precious breath. "Couldn't…take me…in a…fair…fight…huh?"
Surprisingly, Sion smiled broadly. Even on the verge of death, Atton couldn't help but think how ridiculous the Sith looked when he smiled. Sion let out a short guffaw and Atton crashed to the ground.
"I'll play it your way, fool. You're no match for me," Sion said with contempt.
Atton stood and tried to ignore the unsteadiness in his legs. Sion threw a lightsaber to the floor in front of Atton's feet. Picking it up, Atton heard the hiss as he switched it on. The green glow from his own lightsaber made him feel strangely comfortable.
Across the way, Sion lit his own lightsaber. He looks even worse in red, Atton thought as the saber's light covered the Sith in an eerie red glow.
Sion made the first move before Atton even had time to plan his attack. The red lightsaber grazed his right arm as Atton tried to parry. A sharp burning sensation caused Atton to curse aloud. He didn't have to time to think about it, though. Sion was back.
In desperation, Atton reached out to the Force and tried to let it flow through him as Ganya had taught him. He caught Sion's next two blows squarely on his green blade and sparks flashed. Sion's next target was Atton's chest. He just barely managed to throw his own lightsaber up to protect himself. That would have gone straight through my chest! he cried out to himself inside. Sion tried two more thrusts as Atton parried.
Sion stepped back then and Atton glared at him. He isn't even breaking a sweat! He spoke aloud, "Getting tired?"
Sion was unperturbed. "I do not tire. But you do." Atton could feel sweat beading his face.
"Let us end this," Sion said. He came at Atton again and this time the blows were faster and more accurate. As Atton did all he could to fight against this monster he had a terrible thought. He's just been toying with me this whole time. He could have killed me a dozen times by now. I can't win. Sion was making every thrust count now. Atton found himself with burning wounds all over. Angrily he realized the Sith wasn't trying to kill him yet, just cause him pain. As the red blade singed him over and over, Atton's determination flagged. Yet not until Sion ripped the lightsaber out of Atton's hand did he stop fighting.
The green glow hissed out of existence. Atton crumpled to the floor. He could smell his own charred flesh. His stomach threatened to vomit. He clutched his hands close to his chest.
"Kill me already!" Atton cried.
Sion reached down and grabbed the scoundrel by his jacket, lifting him off the ground.
Atton looked down at him. "I have something…to tell you," he spoke through the pain. Sion cocked his head as Atton continued. "I'm no match for you…but this is." Atton looked down at Sion's feet. Sion followed the direction of Atton's eyes and he abruptly dropped his prey. Atton wasted no time and scrambled out of the way as fast as he could.
Not even a second later, Atton heard the explosion of his thermal detonator. He'd only just managed to get it out of his jacket and at the feet of the Sith while he'd lain on the ground. Atton felt the heat from the grenade wash over him. He was crouching down, covering his head and praying he'd make it through this.
After several seconds, Atton looked up. Far on the other side of the long cell was a still, gray body. Atton looked down at his own body. His clothes were singed and fresh burns were evident everywhere. Still, he'd made it out of the range of the detonator.
Standing, Atton limped over to where the Sith lay. Sion's skin hung loose as if it had been melted. He heard labored breathing and saw that Sion was still alive, albeit severely wounded.
"Can't…die," Sion murmured.
Atton knew what the Sith meant. He was strong in the Dark Side, so strong he could keep living when he should be dead. Atton knew he didn't have much time. He had to get out now. Still, he felt elated. He'd defeated his first Sith. Never mind that he hadn't used the Force. He still knew how to survive and he'd proved it. Sion hadn't seen this trick coming. Even with his incredible prowess in the Force, a simple smuggler's trick had felled him.
Atton remembered back to something he'd heard long ago on Nar Shaddaa: Always keep an extra grenade handy. Wise words.
Atton moved over to his discarded lightsaber, picked it up and clipped it to his belt, then turned to the door resolutely. "Now to get us all out of here."