"On Pain of Death"
A sequel to "Ashes of Redemption", by DestinyOfAshes.
Prologue.
Three year old Revan triumphantly held up a colourful Dontooinian cane toad to his younger friend,
"Bastila! Bastila! Look what I found!"
She bounded happily across the meadow to inspect Revan's prisoner. Utterly unimpressed by the whole experience, the toad freed itself a few moments later as Revan held it out for Bastila to see. With it's neck frill fully extended and emitting a menacing hiss, the normally fearless young toddler was suddenly reluctant to attempt a recapture.
Young Bastila laughed at Revan's reluctance, despite himself he started to laugh too.
...so innocent.
The Jedi Enclave of Dantooine stood protectively over the two. A few moments later a Jedi appeared around the corner of the building, a look of concern quickly replaced by relief as he laid eyes on the children,
"There you are! How did you get away?" He scooped the still laughing toddlers up and carried them back toward the Enclave.
How did they get away? Where did they go?
The Enclave melted as soon as the three stepped out of sight, consumed by darkness. The smell of fresh grass, the high pitched and cheery background chirping of the Dantooinian floraxes abruptly disappeared as well. The humming was back. It's monotonous, low pitched and malevolent throbbing reminded him he had not actually stood in that field in many years.
It stands in ruin now… burned in Malak's attack…
Yet another victim. I wonder... how many is that?
Shut up. I can't be responsible for every death. Did I order the attack? Did I control Malak at that point?
Would Malak have ever ordered that attack if not for you? It was you who sought the star forge, you who drove Malak down the path to becoming the Sith Lord. How can you consider yourself not to answer for what happened? Are you trying to deny responsibility? Tell me, for someone once known as 'Revan the butcher', is that not a little bit... pathetic?
I was redeemed for what I did!
Redeemed?! Of all the lies! How were you redeemed?! Is the galaxy not in a worse state now for your having been part of it? Had you never lived it could not possibly be in a more desolate state!
The darkness resolved and suddenly there was Coruscant. The ghastly stench hit him first, he choked on it's toxic oder. All around the poverty was abundant. Even the bottom level of Taris had never been this bad. The slums were poorer than ever, relief funding had been cut during the Jedi Civil War and never reinstated. Always "more important" priorities had been chosen by the Senate. It was a Senate that didn't want to know, much less care.
Guards had been posted to 'maintain order', in fact they were there to keep the poor in the poor areas so the rich could happily ignore them. Many of the guards themselves had even taken pity, contributing what money or food they had or could gather. Some had even given all they had.
Above stood the towers. They were high, totally uncaring and happily ignorant.
What wretched beings there were hardly moved from day to day, what was the point?
Observe your redemption.
Now who is lying?
You know this is your memory. You saw this with your own eyes. This is why you left the known galaxy… when you fled like a coward. You knew then, as you know now...
Coruscant melted away, replaced by the smoking ruins of some nameless world. In fact there were so many, where to start with trying to decide which one?
Nothing and no one moved. The scene was a picture of death.
I give you: your redemption.
I hate you.
That was how it started, wasn't it? The killing. This is how it ends. Everywhere you walk… your redemption is nothing but Ashes in your wake.
Shut up!
These are the ashes of your redemption!
Leave me alone! ...please.
Even if I did the truth never will... you can end this now, listen to the voice of reason… come with us.
...enough.
You know what this means.
I'll do it. Just stop it. Stop it now!
Once again the darkness rose to consume everything. This time is was different. This time it melted into grey. Soon there were lights, then noise.
The voice, when it came, was different... it was... real.
"Welcome back to the galaxy... Darth Revan."
From the Author:
Please, if you have enjoyed this even slightly, do leave a review with your assessment and thoughts... for that you will have my sincere gratitude. Kindest regards, DestinyOfAshes.
About my preceding fanfiction - if you intend to read it click away now:
(I'll be the first to admit that it's far from the greatest piece of fiction ever written, however the below forms background and relevant information to this story).
- Bastila sets out across the galaxy, encounters various challenges including circumstances which force her to destroy a demented HK47.
- She makes friends, loses them and is secretly pursued by a shady assassin named Motten.
- She winds up locating a washed out Revan in a scummy, backwater colony.
- Our heroes are captured by their in-story nemesis: the dastardly Admiral Kulhoun of the corrupt Republic military, employer of the assassin Motten.
- The revelation: Bastila has previously operated as an agent for the now corrupt Republican government (which has suffered without the guidance of the Jedi council).
- Several of the protagonists from the second KOTOR game (who are now part of a group calling themselves 'the resistance') arrive and cause sufficient disruption to allow our heroes to escape.
- Ultimately Bastila and Revan are forced into a showdown with Kulhoun, who it's revealed is in fact a cyborg and Motten.
- Bastila kills Motten, is injured and manages to escape while Revan kills Kulhoun, defeats the rest of the enemies but is captured.
- Later, the true enemy and overarching puppet master reveals himself as Grand Admiral Marcos Sparren as he confronts Admiral Carth Onasi to offer a bargain: the life of Carth's captured son Dustil in exchange for Bastila's death.
- Forced to make an impossible choice, Carth attempts to rig the system by convincing Visas to sever Bastila's connection to the Force in order to fake her death.
- The story ends on an uneasy note.
A note re ownership rights:Clearly I do not own any rights to any of the Star Wars characters or properties, nor do I claim any. The is a fan-fiction meaning that I have created it on a not for profit basis purely because I enjoy the story. Therefore I can only request humbly that you please respect the work I have put into this - please do not copy it, ban it, distribute it, steal it, make money from it or otherwise do anything outside of the spirit in which it has been created: for your hopeful enjoyment. Yours sincerely, DestinyOfAshes.