Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. That belongs to George Lucas. I don't own I only own the life of Kaori and the planets and OC's I come up with. Side note that I apologize for not putting up before, I have this posted at another site as well only there I am JMBulldog. So please no shouting that I stole this. My hearing is not the best in the world and shouting in them hurts. :p Thanks. I really should have posted this when I put this up but, me in my absentmindedness forgot :p

I highly recommend that you play the game as this will have spoilers.

The door creaked open, almost as if the sound wanted to defy the pride in Malak's steps as he entered the Dominator's bridge. His gaze swept past the guardian droids on either side of the opening, past the soldiers at the data terminals, all the way to the very end of the arrow-shaped room. His master, Revan, Dark Lady of the Sith, was watching a small vanguard of Sith fighters flying by the panoramic transparisteel viewport. The small, quick, silver ships were twisting and turning over one another in an intricate pattern. Malak, for a moment, wondered if they knew Revan was watching and were putting on a show. He shook his head. Revan was never one for watching shows. She wanted efficiency, not flashy expressions. That was why he was sure she would be pleased with what he had done. He had secured the loyalty of the former Republic admiral. He had had the man fire on Telos, a somewhat defenseless planet near Dantooine. The planet held no importance to the Sith war effort but Malak was sure his master would overlook that. They now knew Saul Karath would not hesitate long if ordered to bombard another defenseless planet.

"Malak," Revan said, her back to the apprentice. "You have returned."

"Yes, my Master," Malak replied, a pleased grin on his face.

"Tell me," Revan began, tone neutral, "why Telos?"

"Why not?" Malak questioned, a worry edge seeping into his voice. Revan was supposed to be praising his efforts. Instead, Malak could sense that his master was far from pleased. The Sith was furious.

"Why Telos?" Revan repeated, never turning.

"Saul picked the planet," Malak replied. "He said it had to do with his past but would not tell me. I got the sense he wanted to hurt or kill someone specific."

Revan nodded, seemingly accepting that. Malak breathed a small, silent sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed as he closed the distance between himself and Revan. Oddly the soldiers on either side of the gray plated walkway were watching covertly out the corner of their eyes. To Malak, it seemed they were waiting for something and waiting for it eagerly, and with just a touch of fearfulness. He frowned, wondering just what that was. Revan seemed to accept what he had done, even if he had done it without her knowledge.

Quicker than his eyes could track, the Sith master's saber was in her hand. A blinding stream of ruby red and an intense wave of pain were all that Malak remembered. He raised heavy hands to find his lower jaw gone. He turned unbelieving eyes upon his master as his knees gave way under him and he landed in a heap at Revan's feet.

"Medic!" Revan called impatiently as she knelt next to the injured apprentice. With a voice of durasteel and a grip that belied her small frame, the Master informed the pupil of his folly. "I give the orders, apprentice," she hissed. "Not you. Do not think to step past your rank again. Or you'll lose more than just your lower jaw."

Revan stood as a medical team arrived. She regarded them for a long silent moment before spinning to stare once more out the window. Malak knew what the gesture meant. As far as Revan was concerned, the matter was of no importance and Malak was left to his own devices.

The jawless apprentice jerked away from the two who helped him up, pride demanding he not show weakness - especially in front of Revan. The pain washed over him in agonizing waves but the storm inside in his soul dulled it. He let it spread, let it feed on the intense pain until it was a wildfire of rage devouring all in its path.

I'll make you pay for that, Revan, he thought darkly, raising his shield so the thought was not heard by Revan. One day I'll be the master - and you'll be dead!

"Padawan Bastila," Master Vandar said, his tone expressing the gravity of the situation. "We have learned that Revan and Malak will be near Ansion. You will be accompanying Master Rednada Klea and her strike team. Your Battle Meditation will be useful to them."

"As the council wishes," Bastila replied, bowing before the collected Masters.

"You must not fail," Vandar warned. The diminutive Jedi Master stared into Bastila's gray eyes steadily despite the height difference.

"And do not let your head be filled with thoughts of glory," Master Vrook warned, sharply from his place at Vandar's left. The elderly Jedi's face approached a less-than-Jedi-like scowl. "That you do not need."

"Yes, Master," Bastila replied, dutifully.

"May the Force be with you," Vandar said, dismissal clear in his tone.

Bastila bowed once more, spun on her heel, and left the Council chambers. She had much to do and very little time to do it. The strike team left the next morning. She hurried to her quarters to meditate and prepare. She knew she needed to be centered, be focused. She had a feeling she would have to face Revan.

Bastila heard the bones in the soldier's neck snap under Revan's invisible grip and briefly felt sad for the man's family. The man's wheezing gasps had shivers running down Bastila's spine. She and two other Jedi faced the Sith master bravely. This close to the fallen Jedi, Bastila could feel the sweet pull of the dark side, could hear its soft voice whispering in her ear.

"Surrender, surrender."

She shook her head slightly, realizing the dark side's temptation was distracting her and trying to draw her in. She faced Revan. "You cannot win, Revan," she said, pushing the voices out of her head. She stood firm, matching the fallen Jedi's piercing stare.

A blazing warning erupted in the Force, startling all Force-sensitive on board, seconds before a turbolaser bolt from Malak's ship struck the bridge. Bastila was thrown off her feet and landed hard on the deck plating, igniting pain that radiated from her side and her ear. As she went down she saw a data terminal behind Revan explode. Streaking light blinded her to the debris that struck Revan in the back, side, and head.

Bastila struggled to her knees, her breath coming in jagged rasps. She looked over to her fellow Jedi. One was three meters from her, the other was a meter from him. Bastila was happy to see their chests rising and falling with each ragged breath they took. Both were still lying on their backs but both were alive. Bastila turned to Revan, certain that all she would see would be a lifeless body. Gaining her feet slowly and painfully, Bastila made her way over to Revan's body. Grimly she knelt beside it. While she was disappointed that the one who was responsible for all the death and destruction of the war would not be brought to justice, a small part of her delighted in the fact that Revan was dead. Bastila knew the Council's form of justice and she was not certain Revan was entitled to it, not certain at all.

"Bastila," a tired, raspy voice coughed from her right. "Is- i- is Revan -?" the Jedi's voice trailed off, not wanting to finish the question.

Bastila opened her mouth to answer Anor when she felt something in the Force that shocked her. A small flicker of life flared in Revan. Bastila made a rash decision and pounced on the tendril, sustaining it, refusing to allow Revan to die.

"Let Revan go," Anor said, kneeling beside her. "Let the Sith die."

Bastila heard the hatred in Anor's voice but did not comment. Sustaining Revan's life took most of her concentration.

"Jedi do not kill their prisoners," the second Jedi said, coming up on Bastila's left. "Nor do they leave someone to die if they can help."

"Help me," Bastila gasped.

Whatever retort Anor had, died, and Bastila was glad when the two sent her what strength they could as they picked Revan up and carried the Sith off the ship.

Kaori Vahan awoke grunting and groaning.

That'll teach me to swoop race til the wee hours of the morning, she thought, as her head pounded to the rhythm of the beeping comm. Grimly the red-haired, gray-eyed scout stood and stumbled to the desk at the far side of the room. Gingerly she sat in the form-chair and flipped the activating switch. A blue holograph image of a human male in Republic grunt clothes materialized above the activation pad. Kaori half-listened as the soldier drolled on about her newest assignment. The day before she had been approached by a Duros in the Republic black and reds with orders to appear at landing platform 419 on Coruscant in four days. The Duros had handed her the datapad without a word and left just as quietly.

The scout, at first, had been bewildered, wondering just why the Republic military was hiring her. Normally they had their own scouts. Civilian scouts like her were never given any notice. Shrugging, she had turned the datapad on, only to have her confusion intensify. The fleet was heading to the Outer Rim and needed her to translate.

Why don't they just get a protocol droid? She remembered asking herself.

Kaori had just shrugged. She needed the credits and so had made plans to go. She had never turned a job down unless it conflicted with her father's code.

"Miss Vahan?" the nasal voice of the soldier dragged Kaori back from her musings.

"Huh?" she asked, and then realized who she was talking to. "Oh – um – yes, what was it?"

"Were you listening?" the soldier asked, frowning.

Not really, no, she thought. "Sorry," she said out loud. "I just have a headache."

The soldier's expression did not change. "Ma'am, I was just telling you that we need you at the hanger bay now. We have to leave in three hours."

"What?" Kaori cried, instantly regretted it as waves of intense pain crashed across her head.

"The Jedi have to leave now," the soldier replied. "You're needed now. A transport has been sent. It should be at your apartment at 0800."

The transmission cut off and Kaori looked up at the wall chrono above the desk. It was 0645. Kaori groaned and hurried to the refresher to get ready.