"The life we lead, the path we walk
the journey we take, the choices we make
all conspire to make us who we are.
With each step, we affect those around us.
Hope and regret walk side by side."
Showers of sparks surrounded him as the twin sabers in his hands hummed and hissed against those of his opponents. Five Jedi pressed in around him, each seeking to penetrate his defenses. A low growl echoed in his throat and his eyes blazed with fury behind his mask. Around him he could sense the entire bridge crew watching, waiting to see if their Lord would fall to the Jedi.
A sudden explosion knocked him off balance. His mind reeled as he tried to reason the cause, but pain surged through his body. The scent of smoke mingled with that of his own blood as he collapsed to the floor. Just the thought of breathing became excruciating, and he felt the darkness of oblivion closing in upon his vision. A face hovered above him and for a brief moment the pain subsided enough for him to focus on that face. It was that of a young woman with brown hair in short braids. Her hair was slightly disheveled from the fight, and her grey eyes filled with compassion. The pain surged again, obliterating everything else from his mind.
Revan woke, a flash of panic gripping him. He sat up and his cold blue eyes darted around the room. Sweat beaded on his face, his breathing rapid as his mind struggled to regain control. He closed his eyes tightly, and gradually his breathing slowed and reason returned. It had been a vision, not a nightmare. Of that much, at least, he was certain. The nightmares often kept him from sleeping, but they no longer frightened him. This vision, however, disturbed him.
He ran his fingers through his hair and looked around the room again, as if to reassure himself of his surroundings. He was still in his quarters on the Star Forge. The images of his vision were seared into his thoughts as his mind went over them again. In the vision he clearly recognized the bridge of his flagship, the Dark Vengeance. But Jedi attacking him on his own ship? How could that happen? He shook his head as he tried to piece the puzzle together. The Force had sent him the vision for a reason. What had caused the explosion? Revan's fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white. "Malak," he hissed.
The explosions Revan had seen were the turbolaser blasts from Malak's ship firing on his bridge. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle began to fit into place. Revan was very rarely caught by surprise. Rarely, he grudgingly admitted to himself. He had been caught by surprise once. The man who had been his friend for many years, and had become his apprentice toward the end of the Mandalorian War had managed to catch him off guard. His memories of that night resurfaced.
The power of the Star Forge was his after a long journey piecing together the star maps. Revan managed to keep control of himself, vowing to use the dark side but never to let it consume him. However, Malak was not as strong, and the darkness began to swallow him. Revan knew the way of the Sith and knew that Malak would likely challenge him for supremacy at some point.
Revan's mistake had been in not seeing it coming so soon. He had not expected his friend and apprentice to fall so far so fast. When Malak rushed at him with his lightsaber ignited, the Master was forced to accept the challenge.
"You are a weak fool, Revan! You deny the full power that is at your fingertips. You do not deserve the title of Dark Lord."
Revan bristled, scowling beneath his mask. "No, Malak, you are the fool. You have given your soul to the dark side. It uses you. I remain Master because I do not allow anything or anyone to control me."
The command center of the Star Forge crackled with tension as the two clashed, sabers hissing and sparking against each other. Malak had the advantage in brute strength and height. Revan was a bit shorter but made up for it in speed and agility. Revan preferred the more aggressive and agile lightsaber forms, and Malak quickly began to falter against the faster attacks.
The end came when Revan's saber slipped past Malak's defenses. The apprentice fell as Revan's crimson saber sliced through his lower jaw, removing it completely. Malak writhed in pain, blood beginning to pool around him where he had fallen. Malak reached up one hand to the source of his excruciating pain. Where his chin had once been, his hand met only a torrent of blood. Revan started to step forward, intending to end his apprentice's life. Memories of the friendship they once shared seeped through the haze of darkness and anger that swirled through his mind and Revan's saber hesitated, hovering above Malak. With a disgusted sigh, Revan stepped back. He ordered soldiers to take his apprentice to the infirmary and to see that Malak survived his lesson.
Revan shook his head to clear away the ghosts of his past. He knew that the injury and being left to live with it had only fueled Malak's hatred and anger towards him. Malak's actions recently had proven to Revan that he had not learned his lesson. Instead, Malak seemed to be falling ever deeper into the darkness. It did not bother him that it was certain Malak would try again if he ever saw an opening; Revan expected it. Now the Force had given Revan a vision, and Malak's choice of betrayal was clear.
Revan slipped out of his bed, emotions raging through his mind in a chaotic storm. He began pacing, letting his mind work through the vision once more. It made sense. If he was fighting a team of Jedi on his own ship, of course it would leave him vulnerable to an attack from his apprentice. It would present the perfect opening, one too beautiful for Malak to resist. But how would Malak know? Revan knew the Force well enough to realize there were no coincidences. That meant Malak would have to get a spy on Revan's ship. His thoughts puzzled at how a Jedi strike team could accomplish boarding his flagship. He prided himself on his defenses and security.
He stopped dead, his body motionless. "Pride," he muttered. More pieces of the puzzle clicked together. "Pride is the flag of fools, as is overconfidence." Had he truly become so absorbed in his plans that he missed something so obvious? His mind began analyzing the last few battles in his war. Resuming his restless pacing, he berated himself for the flaws he only now saw. "Yes, you've gotten careless. Too sure of yourself, arrogant fool."
Revan shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Very well, forewarned is forearmed. Malak will try to betray me. That I can fix." He smirked as he considered the scope of the Star Forge's power. "The Republic is another matter, and a strike team is an unusual move for the Council. I think it is time that my spies earn their keep."
Going over the numerous reports that he had gotten from his network of spies, Revan searched for clues to the Republic's plans. He was seated at the table in one of the meeting rooms on the Star Forge. Some of the spies had been close enough to deliver their reports in person. The rest had sent theirs via encrypted transmissions. Most interesting to him were the reports from Coruscant.
Suddenly he found what he was looking for, and more. The image that popped up on the monitor brought the last piece of his puzzle into place. A young woman with brown hair, in short braids with unmistakable grey eyes. He felt the breath catch in his chest as an image of the face from his vision superimposed itself over the image before him now, matching perfectly except in expression. Reading over the information accompanying the image, he smiled. "Padawan Bastila Shan, skilled in the art of Battle Meditation. So you were the thorn in my side in the last few battles." The information indicated that she was only nineteen. He found it interesting that the Council would trust so much to one so young. Disturbed, he realized that he had not detected her Battle Meditation during the previous encounters. Could it be that her skill with the Force was truly strong enough to conceal her use of the Battle Meditation? Or had he simply been too focused on other things to notice it? Still, the thought gnawed at his mind and pointed to the potential for grave errors if he had continued to be unaware of it.
He used his spies, but never fully trusted them. His mind always wondered if they had lied to him or omitted some vital piece of information. Revan was aware that desperation often led to extreme tactics, and the Republic would try anything at this point. Still, if the reports were accurate, his spies had given him what he needed. The Republic and Jedi Council were indeed concocting a trap for him. A small Republic fleet would be acting as bait, seeking to draw him into battle, and to distract him while the Jedi strike team boarded his ship. A grim smile crossed his lips behind the mask. Traps could work both ways. Thanks to the warning his vision had given him, this time, the hunted would become the hunter.
Reaching out with the Force, he touched the mind of his apprentice. Malak.
Yes, Master?
Ready my assault fleet, the Republic needs another lesson.
As you wish, Master.
Revan leaned back in his chair, regarding the image of the Padawan once more. His fingers lightly caressed the image, "You are a pretty little pawn for such a dangerous game of Dejarik." Standing, he turned the monitor off and slipped the data chips into his pocket. He left the room and headed for his quarters to prepare for the coming journey.
Within the hour, Revan's assault fleet was assembled and ready for departure. Twenty-five capital ships, and many other smaller support ships and the full contingent of fighters jumped into hyperspace on Revan's order. Malak remained unaware of his Master's vision.
Revan's thoughts were restless as he paced the raised walkway that formed the center of the bridge. The only sounds were the beeping of computer consoles and his footsteps as he walked. The bridge crew went about their work in silence, none daring to draw the attention of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Always in motion, his mind conjured a strange thought. He wondered when he had truly stopped feeling the almost claustrophobic stuffiness of his mask. He mentally swept the thought away; just another thing he had grown numb to over the years. The mask he wore served to keep those around him at arm's length. If they could not read what he was thinking, the advantage would always be his. It also served another purpose. Behind that mask he could separate his true self from the Sith Lord he had become out of necessity. He had grown to loathe the masks he wore, both the real and the invisible.
Shrugging, he reminded himself that sacrifices were necessary. As long as the goal was achieved, it no longer mattered how he did what needed to be done. He faced the central view port watching the blurred streaks of hyperspace. His arms folded over his chest, a comfortable pose that had become habit for him. Around him, he could feel the tension of his crew. Their surface thoughts provided a definite background buzz in his mind. Turning, he swept his eyes over them, and a wry grin twitched at the corner of his mouth as he felt many shift uncomfortably beneath his masked gaze. He resumed his pacing, another habit he noticed idly. He let his mind drift as he filtered through the thoughts of his crew.
The Captain of his personal guard stood close at hand, quiet readiness in his stance. He regarded the quiet, subtle power of his Lord's presence and admired it. There was also a faint undercurrent of fear, though the middle aged soldier did well to control it.
The navigation officer fidgeted as he often did. He wondered where Revan was leading them this time. The coordinates the Dark Lord had given him were unfamiliar to him, and that worried him.
The ship's Admiral, Davon Blair, stood quietly with his hands clasped behind his back and reflected on his orders. They had been vague, as usual, but he accepted that. He respected Revan's power and would not question his authority or reasons.
Revan smiled slightly as his mind touched that of the sensor specialist, she had been a part of his crew since the Mandalorian War. Her relatively innocent mind was almost refreshing to Revan, although her adoration amused him. She was remembering the Battle of Althir, one of many victories Revan had handed the Republic. He turned his mind elsewhere while suppressing a chuckle. Somehow he didn't remember that battle going so smoothly, despite the victory.
He turned his attention back to the view ports. His was a motley crew. Some were career veterans who had never known anything but the soldier's life. Others were still fairly raw recruits, recently drafted to fill "vacancies". Revan read the currents of their thoughts. Some admired or even respected him, others feared him, and a few blatantly hated him. However, they all served him. Behind the mask, the Sith Lord didn't trust a single one of them. Betrayal was the way of the Sith, and ambition could strike at any time.
Ruefully, Revan remembered other battles. He had succeeded where the Republic's finest had failed miserably. He had accomplished the utter defeat of the Mandalorians by slaying the Mandalore in combat, and then the culmination of the war… the Battle of Malachor V. Part of him regretted the necessity in that, the destruction of the planet and the catastrophic losses on both sides. He found it hypocritical that because of the devastation and brutality that ended a war, he had been hailed as a Hero of the Republic. Hero. The word left a vile taste in his mouth. He was no hero, not then, not now. He simply did what had to be done, regardless of the cost.
His musing returned to the upcoming battle. The Republic had been trying to stop him for two years while he continued his relentless advance through the Outer Rim worlds. Regardless of what they tried, Revan remained unstoppable. Now in a desperate ploy, they thought to catch him in a trap. He cautioned himself against overconfidence. A chill ran down his spine as the memory of the vision reminded him of the price of failure if he grew too careless.
He considered the possibilities of what would happen if he fell to the Jedi. Provided he survived; he knew that Jedi never executed prisoners, however the Republic might demand his death. If the Jedi had their way, most likely they would have him stripped of the Force and left as an exile. His jaws tightened. Death would be preferable to such a fate. Regardless, he knew that he could not allow himself to fail in this battle. He must accomplish his plans, and those plans did not include being killed or captured, especially by Jedi.
The Republic fleet dropped out of hyperspace. The grizzled Admiral wasn't entirely keen on playing tag with a Sith Lord, and he hoped that the Jedi's plan would work. His executive officer stepped up beside him. Her fiery red hair contradicted her steady, calm nature.
"The fleet is in position, Admiral Kern."
He nodded, "Inform all ships to maintain formation."
Suddenly alarms sounded and he shouted to his crew.
"What's going on?"
"Admiral, we have a large fleet dropping out of hyperspace about ten thousand clicks to starboard."
"Can you bring up a visual yet?"
Admiral Kern was answered by the image of the oncoming fleet, and a shiver ran through him. Even for someone not sensitive to the Force, there was no mistaking the dark aura that hung around the lead ship of that fleet. "It's Revan."
He turned to the small Jedi Master, "Master Vandar, I have a bad feeling about this. We just got here and got in position, Revan must have found out about this plan. We have to retreat, if he knows we were planning a trap it will never work."
Master Vandar sighed, shaking his head, "We must try, Admiral. We will not get another chance. Prepare your ships for the fight, and I will go instruct the strike team to be ready."
He shook his head, but turned and nodded to the executive officer. She nodded grimly and went to carry out the orders.
As Revan's fleet materialized back into real space, he gave the order to engage the Republic ships. His capital ships spread out into the standard formation and a veritable swarm of snub fighters rushed toward their targets. Behind the fighters, the more fearsome destroyers and cruisers closed in on their prey. Revan stood at the front of the bridge, watching the fleet's maneuvers through the central view port.
He turned, catching his Admiral's attention. Responding with a slight nod, the man moved to his Master's side and fell into step with Revan as he walked. The pair remained silent until they crossed through the doors into the small room off of the bridge.
"Yes, Lord Revan?" Admiral Blair spoke as the door sealed behind them. His voice was calm and even, showing no hint of fear or nervousness. His once deep auburn hair was graying at the temples, lending to the look of wisdom in his face.
"I have suspicions." Revan 's voice was equally calm, holding none of the icy venom he usually reserved for conversations with various minions.
The Admiral tensed slightly, but he kept his hazel eyes steady and waited for Revan to continue.
"I believe Malak is planning on betraying me and has placed a spy within my bridge crew."
Even behind his mask, Revan's cold glare was palpable. The Admiral swallowed hard. Surely Revan didn't doubt his loyalty, not after all…? The Sith Lord waved one hand casually.
"No, relax Admiral; I know where your loyalties lie. You've served me well since the Mandalorian Wars, one of few such who remain. However, one of the crew is a spy, and that displeases me. Are there particularly new additions to the bridge crew or anyone else that suggests disloyalty? Speak freely."
The old officer nodded. He sighed as he remembered the excitement he once felt at the thought of battle. Now, it was just business as usual. "Navigation officer is always acting nervous, not sure if it is just because of your presence, Lord, or if he's hiding something. The assistant helmsman and the communication officer are both new recruits, Sir. I'd wager a guess that if there's a spy it'd be one of those three. If I may ask, Lord, do you have a suspicion about what Malak might be planning?"
Revan regarded Admiral Blair for a moment. The man had proven himself many times to be loyal, but also extremely talented, making him the ideal choice to command Revan's flagship. Revan valued his experience and wisdom. "Davon," he dropped the formality of the Admiral's title. "I informed you that we were headed to intercept a Republic fleet."
"Yes." The older man shifted into an "at ease" stance. The abandonment of stiff formalities reflected the mutual respect between the two men.
"What I didn't tell you before is that a Jedi strike team is going to be attempting to board the ship, and I intend to let them."
Davon blinked; a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "Is that wise, Revan?" Suddenly worried that he might have overstepped himself, he bowed slightly. "Forgive me."
Revan chuckled, raising one hand casually, "A valid question. In other circumstances, the answer in fact might be no. However, I believe this time, it is wise. I have made certain arrangements. My suspicion is that if Malak has a spy on board, they would let him know and he would see it as an opening to attack me, using his ship to fire on mine."
Davon cleared his throat as he looked at Revan. "I see." Aware of the shrewd, calculating mind behind the Sith Lord's mask, he tilted his head, "I'm guessing you made arrangements for that as well?"
"An astute observation." Amusement colored Revan's voice.
The Admiral smiled slightly, "I do try. I'm getting older, but haven't gone blind yet."
Revan nodded and turned for the door to return to the bridge. "Thank you, Admiral."
Recognizing the dismissal, the Admiral bowed, and returned to his customary position. From where he stood, he had a clear view of both the navigation and the communications officers. His brows furrowed slightly over what Lord Revan had told him. The more he thought about it, the more he realized the navigation officer lacked the backbone to even consider betraying Revan. He regarded the communications officer more closely. The young man had sandy blond hair, and had seemed rather promising as an officer at first glance. But the new officer's confident smirk and determined dark eyes caught the Admiral's attention. No doubt, Revan would also draw the same conclusion. It would be a shame to be replacing the communications officer again so soon; however, the Admiral was all too familiar with how Revan dealt with those who betrayed or failed him. Admiral Davon Blair stayed alive because he had no intention of ever doing either.
Jedi Master Jenna Kothari studied the members of her team as their small ship headed toward Revan's flagship. Her soft brown eyes regarded them all, and she was filled with the sad knowledge that many might not return from this mission. She glanced over at the Padawan, Bastila Shan. Her brows furrowed and she again forced down the knots of uncertainty that gripped her chest. She had actually tried to talk Master Vandar out of sending the girl with them, but he had insisted that her skills would be useful and that she was ready. Jenna doubted that. Who among them was ever truly ready to face a Sith Lord? It was even worse, since Darth Revan would have the advantage of being on his ship.
Besides the Padawan, there were four Jedi Knights also accompanying her. Jenna knew them all well, and regretted that such a dangerous task lay ahead of them. Along with the team of Jedi, there was a small squad of twelve Republic soldiers that would be assisting them in getting to the Dark Lord. The possibility that Revan knew of their planned trap unnerved her greatly, but Master Vandar had convinced her that they had to go ahead with the plan and hope it worked. Revan's forces were steadily depleting the Republic's resources as he stormed through the Outer Rim worlds in his conquest. The galaxy had seen enough of war. He had to be stopped.
While she usually trusted the wisdom of the Council, Jenna's mind still wondered at the advisability of sending a Padawan, even a particularly talented one, against a Sith Lord. Bastila's skill with Battle Meditation was well known, but her abilities in actual combat had not yet been proven. Master Jenna just hoped the girl would not end up paying for the Council's overconfidence in her abilities.
"This is it, be ready. We're headed into the hangar of Revan's ship now," the pilot informed the team.
Jenna took a deep breath and noticed that most of her team did as well, each trying to steady their nerves. She looked at Bastila, who seemed strangely calm and collected. Jenna found it odd that a young Padawan seemed more at ease with the mission than she did. There was no turning back now. Once they landed in the hangar, they would have no choice but to fight their way to the bridge.
Revan smiled as he watched the battle unfold from the bridge view ports. No one would see that smile hidden behind the mask, no one expected a Sith Lord to smile. He could feel the Jedi's transport drawing closer and he knew that they would soon be aboard his ship. His arms folded over his chest, the fingers of one hand tapping on the other arm, his mind constantly in motion as he continued to plan and scheme.
His thoughts drifted to the Padawan. Revan chuckled to himself, the Jedi trap would backfire and Bastila would be caught in his trap instead. The entire contingent of his forces aboard the Dark Vengeance had been instructed to kill any Republic soldiers accompanying the Jedi, but they were to let the Jedi come to him on the Bridge. He had also made it clear that this Padawan in particular was not to be harmed. He would capture her, yes, but anyone responsible for harming her would end up dying a slow and painful death at Revan's hands.
Revan chuckled to himself as he heard the alarms announcing that the Jedi transport had boarded his ship. The Force rippled with the presence of the Jedi strike team, including Bastila. Even from a distance, he could feel the strength of her Force signature shining like a star. He grinned as he thought of the little surprise he had in store for her. Turning away from the view port he motioned to the Captain of his guards. The soldier stiffened out of reflex, a habit ingrained in Revan's forces when he was prone to frequent and brutal executions of anyone who annoyed him.
"Yes, Lord Revan?"
"Is all in readiness?"
The soldier nodded and tapped the pouch at his belt, "Yes, my Lord."
"Good."
Revan had prepared a special restraint collar for the Padawan, one strong enough to dim even his considerable connection to the Force. He turned back to the view ports, his eyes focusing briefly on the Leviathan, his apprentice's ship. Behind him, he heard the bridge doors burst open as the strike team charged in. A small squad of dark Jedi rushed forward to counter the strike team. They were careful not to harm the female that their master was so intent on capturing. At the same time they were trying to keep her occupied.
Slowly, almost casually, Revan turned to watch the scene taking place. He counted four Jedi Knights, two human and two Twi'lek. There was also one Master, and the exceptionally talented Padawan he was after. The dark Jedi fell quickly which displeased Revan greatly and he made a mental note to reevaluate the training of his dark Jedi. With a disgusted sigh, he stepped forward and his saber sprang to life. Master Jenna stepped forward to meet him, her bright green saber held ready. Revan smirked and dropped into a solid ready stance and waited.
"Surrender, Revan. You're out numbered."
Revan laughed, "You presume much, Jedi. You have no authority here."
Jenna sprang forward, her dark eyes searching for an opening and Revan fluidly shifted to parry the attack. With a flick of his wrist Revan called on the Force to shove his opponent back. As Jenna fell, Revan lunged and his violet saber hissed as it struck. She cried out in pain as Revan's saber seared a deep trail across her hip and upper thigh. The Sith Lord smiled coldly beneath his mask and stepped back as his prey struggled to her feet. The Jedi nodded to her team and as she rushed him, the four Knights also closed in.
The Dark Lord grinned at the added challenge. His left hand dropped to his belt and a second lightsaber ignited with a bloodthirsty hum. Revan shifted his stance to accommodate the use of dual sabers and his eyes caught the hesitation in the Knights' advances. As the flurry of his opponents' blades converged on him, the Sith Lord let his instincts and the Force guide his motion. Weaving and ducking, twisting and blocking, the six combatants were locked in a dangerous dance.
Whirling with deadly precision, Revan's twin sabers spun and hissed as he pushed the Jedi back with his relentless attacks. The Jedi Master fell as her right arm was severed by one saber while his other saber sank deep into her chest. One of the Twi'lek Knights made the fatal mistake of charging straight into the Sith's blades. Revan spun sharply and the Knight's head was quickly removed from his body. One of the human Knights found himself gasping for breath as the Sith Lord crushed his throat with the Force. Throwing his victim to the side, Revan smirked as the limp body crumpled to the floor. The two remaining Knights backed up to stand in front of the Padawan whose grey eyes were beginning to show hints of concern.
"Lord Revan!" One of the Bridge officers shouted to him.
Taking a step backward to give more distance between himself and the Jedi, Revan kept his sabers ready as he responded. "What?"
"My Lord, the Leviathan has broken from formation and our sensors indicate her weapon systems are targeting us."
"This is not unexpected, Lieutenant." He nodded to the Admiral, who silently returned the gesture. "Set maximum power to the bridge shields and prepare to return fire if necessary. However, I expect the problem to remedy itself very shortly."
"Yes, my Lord."
Revan didn't bother turning around as the Leviathan burst into a massive cloud of debris when the self-destruct program took over. He shook his head with an almost inaudible sigh. Malak's loss was regrettable but the apprentice had made his own decision. Shoving any further emotion regarding his former apprentice aside, Revan returned his attention to the matter at hand. The Sith Lord reached out to the Force and with a wave of one hand, the three remaining Jedi were locked in sparkling stasis fields.
"Enough; I grow tired of this foolishness. Three dead Jedi are enough of a mess on my bridge."
Revan extinguished his sabers and returned them to his belt. He walked over to the soldier who had been holding onto the restraining collar for his new prisoner. The soldier handed him the collar and Revan grinned as he moved to stand in front of the paralyzed Padawan. He casually touched her cheek, letting his gloved fingers linger for a moment as he looked into her steel grey eyes. He saw the flash of disgust and anger as she was held helpless by the stasis field. Her brown hair was starting to slip free of the short, loose braids giving her a somewhat tousled appearance.
He locked the collar around her neck and smirked at her shocked expression as she felt her connection to the Force suddenly blocked. He took the lightsaber from her and tucked it into his belt before turning to also disarm the other two Knights. Revan chuckled to himself as he felt the fierce defiance burning within her even with the collar in place. Dealing with her will be interesting, he thought.
"Take these two Jedi to the brig." Soldiers moved into obey his orders, dragging the incapacitated Jedi away.
Revan stood a moment longer, studying the young Padawan, a satisfied smile hidden by his mask. "Captain."
The soldier stepped forward."Yes, Lord?"
"This one, I will be keeping with me. However, should she attempt something as foolish as trying to escape, stun her."
"Understood." The soldier nodded, pulling out his blaster and adjusting its settings for stun.
Bastila felt the stasis field fade. She glared at Revan, incensed by the callous way her fallen companions' bodies were treated. Her hands balled up into fists, and she was infuriated by the emptiness she felt in place of her connection to the Force. Reaching up, she tugged at the collar that separated her from the Force. Noticing the soldier shifting his blaster into a ready position, she let her hands fall back to her sides. Trapped on Revan's bridge, unarmed and without the Force, she realized the odds of escaping were against her.
Revan stood several feet away, watching her. The mask concealed the amused grin that played across his lips. He motioned to her. "Come."
Bastila folded her arms over her chest stubbornly and turned her back to him. "I am not some Kath hound to jump at your command, Revan."
Gasping, she felt the Force tighten around her throat as she was lifted into the air and pulled closer to him. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes as she was spun in midair to face him. Her feet touched the floor again but the iron grip on her throat didn't ease up at all.
"You will do exactly as I say, or your short life will be ended prematurely and painfully."
Finally the grip on her neck subsided and she took several deep breaths. Her eyes locked defiantly on the mask hiding his face. Despite the fear gnawing at her heart, rekindled by Revan's threat, it was her own anger that concerned her the most. She had always been quick to show her temper, something her masters had constantly reprimanded her for. But now, here in his presence, it seemed as though her anger was even more eager to boil to the surface. No doubt that is what he wants, she told herself. You saw it, Malak's ship was destroyed. He probably intends to make you his new apprentice. Her thoughts shifted to the feel of his touch upon her cheek. She shivered and clamped down firmly on her mind before she followed that train of thought.
Revan turned and stalked to the front of the bridge, his anger finding a new target. The air nearly crackled with the Dark Lord's fury as he swept the bridge crew with his gaze. Finally his eyes came to rest on the sandy haired communications officer. Visibly paling, the man looked up at the Sith Lord from the operations pit that surrounded both sides of the central walkway. The officer was gripped by an invisible fist and dragged up from his console to be dropped on the ground at Revan's feet. The Sith Lord's boot moved to rest on the man's neck.
A strangled yelp escaped the man's lips as the Dark Lord ripped his way through the officer's mind. "Jedi strike team on board, Revan distracted." Revan echoed the words of the message the officer had sent to the Leviathan before it attacked. Revan laughed as he leaned forward feeling the officer writhing and struggling beneath his boot. "I am never that distracted and you were a fool to serve the apprentice over the Master." Pressing a bit harder, he released a satisfied sigh as he felt the man's neck snap and the body went limp. "Get this trash off my bridge."
Soldiers jumped to attention and dragged the body away. Out of the corner of his eye, Revan caught the disgusted scowl and disapproving glare in Bastila's cold grey eyes. She made a point of staying as far away from him as he would allow. Behind the stifling shadows of his mask, a part of Revan's mind mirrored that disgust, with himself. He truly did not want to harm the young Padawan. There was something inside her that he hadn't seen in many years, and he had no desire to destroy that naive innocence and beauty. However, he was fully aware that everyone would be watching him. If he showed her any kindness or mercy, if he displayed any weakness, or allowed her too much lenience it would undermine his strength and control.
He relented enough to allow her some space, but not too much. So she followed him; never closer than three paces, but no further from him, as though kept at the end of an invisible leash. He kept his shoulders squared, lest she sense the weight bearing down on him even with the collar on. His mental shields stayed locked in place. For now, he accepted that she would hate him. Deep inside his mind, that knowledge stung like a swarm of bloodsucking insects.
Master Vandar leaned heavily against the console, sadness and regret gripping his heart. "Admiral, we must retreat."
"Master? Are you alright?"
He shook his head. "The battle is lost, Admiral. We must retreat now and save what ships we have left."
"What of your team?"
The old Master sighed deeply. "I felt Master Jenna's death in the Force. However, the dark veil that surrounds that ship interferes in my sight. I cannot sense any of the others. We must assume they are lost as well. If they are not dead, Revan will surely turn them to the dark side to use against us."
The Admiral swallowed hard, and nodded grimly. "Very well."
He motioned to his executive officer and the orders were relayed to the rest of the fleet to retreat. One by one the Republic ships broke off and fled into hyperspace.
Watching the view ports, Admiral Blair noticed the Republic's retreat. "Lord Revan?"
Revan turned his attention to his Admiral. "Yes, Admiral?"
"The Republic is running. Their ships are jumping to hyperspace."
"Naturally. Recall the fighters and get the fleet ready for the journey back to the Star Forge. See that we depart as soon as possible."
"Yes, my Lord." The Admiral nodded and went about carrying out Revan's order.
The Sith Lord let his gaze follow the retreating ships. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Run while you can; this isn't over, Vandar. It seems you still can't beat me at Dejarik, he thought to himself as he glanced over at Bastila, and now I have your precious pawn.