Note: While this story is currently T-rated, I may change the rating to M, depending on the content of future chapters.

A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR AWAY…

STAR WARS

KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC:
THE DARKEST WEAPON

It is a time of uncertainty in the Republic.
With the last of the Sith Lords defeated,
a relative peace has descended upon the
galaxy, however the slowly reforming
Jedi Order remains cautious.

There are too many unanswered questions
regarding the disappearance of Darth Revan.
Revan's belief that the True Sith would soon
return has made many uneasy, and so the
Jedi Order has made it their priority to
locate Revan, in order to learn the truth
of these stories.

Split between her duty to rebuild the Order
and her desire to find Revan, the Jedi Exile
has requested the services of one who
might be able to track Revan through the
Unkown Regions, a being know only as
The Weapon…

Chapter 1

Republic cruisers filled the space around Coruscant, a reassuring presence to the civilian and trade space traffic arriving and leaving the planet. Among this hustle and bustle, little more than procedural attention was paid to the small, unmarked shuttle craft that exited hyperspace and headed for the planet's surface. The craft responded to the hails of Planetary Traffic Control, stating its purpose as bringing immigrants from the Outer Rim. With people flocking to Coruscant in search of work, many such ships arrived at Coruscant each day, and so the craft was granted planet clearance with little ado.

However, upon entering Coruscant's atmosphere, the shuttle did not head for the immigration districts set up for newcomers to the planet, and instead made straight for the towering spires of the Jedi Temple. The Temple was undergoing refurbishment, so the shuttlecraft blended in seamlessly with the myriad of cargo ships landing in the Temple's hangars. Nevertheless, a few Jedi with acute perceptions felt a momentary disturbance in the Force. Most dismissed it as being of no importance, yet one did not, for she had been expecting it.

Seated in the council chamber in the central tower, the Jedi Exile roused from her meditation and spoke two words. "He's here."

"Who is, Master?" Asked a Twi'lek female, seated behind her. Sa'kasha her seventh Padawan learner, and had proved highly competent at administrative duties. The Exile liked to keep her close at all times.

"Ah, this will be your first time meeting him, Sa'kasha," The Exile said. "The being we are about to encounter is unique in this universe. He is a creature that embodies the very essence of the dark side. A living weapon, created by the Sith to enact their vengeance."

The Twi'lek jumped to her feet, her hand instinctively reaching down to her lightsabre. "Then you are in danger, Master! We must call more Knights-"

The Exile held up her hand for silence, a humourless smile on her face. "We are in no danger from him."

"I don't understand…" Sa'kasha was confused, her hand still resting on her sabre.

"The Weapon was created by the Sith Lords Traya, Sion and Nihilus, with the sole purpose of avenging them if they were killed," The Exile calmly explained. "He possesses the most fearsome traits of each one, and is more powerful than them all."

The Twi'lek shook her head frantically. "If he is truly as powerful as you say, how can he not be a threat to us?"

"I have met him before," The Exile stated. "He sought me out shortly after my confrontation with Darth Traya. It seems that in his twisted mind, he feels no loyalty those who created him. He told me that he believes the galaxy needs stability right now, and the Jedi are the ones who can provide that."

"So he's an ally." Sa'kasha relaxed visibly.

"I wouldn't say that," Her Master said solemnly. "He is an amoral creature, with no concept of compassion or empathy. He will only support our goals for as long as it interests him, and if he did decide to turn against us, I fear there is very little we could do to stop him."

The end of the Exile's speech was followed by the ominous noise of footsteps in the outer hall. Sa'kasha swallowed hard. From her Master's description, she was expecting some sort of hideous monster to burst through the door, and despite her Jedi training, she could not help but feel a stab of apprehension.

The doors of the council chamber slid open and Sa'kasha was taken aback. The Weapon was nothing at all like the mental picture she had built up. He was a young human, maybe only just out of his teens, wearing a long black coat. He had flawless white skin, flowing black hair, golden eyes, and an almost feminine appearance. To the Twi'lek, he was one of the most beautiful humans she had ever seen.

The grin on his face as he stepped into the room, however, was anything but beautiful. There was something off about his teeth. The canines on his upper jaw seemed longer than they should be, almost like fangs. The consequence of which was to give him a grin reminiscent of a predatory creature cornering its prey.

The Weapon bowed mockingly, his eyes fixed on the Exile. "We meet again, Master." The last word was spoken with heavy sarcasm.

Sa'kasha couldn't help but notice something else unusual about him – he had almost no Force signature. She could feel her Master's aura, glowing like the sun, but from the young human, there were only the faintest wisps of energy. The Exile knew the reason for this – the Weapon's aura was so powerful that he kept it suppressed most of the time, so not to drive those around him insane.

The Weapon made to step closer, but the Exile pointed a finger to stop him. "Stay over there."

"Still cautious, I see." The young human chuckled. He stayed where he was and looked about the room, until his eyes settled on Sa'kasha. "Hmm…"

The Twi'lek met his gaze and found she could not look away, his golden irises held her locked in place. His aura, which she had barely even felt until now, suddenly flared up, and she was hit with a wave of pure, crushing terror. She could not move or breathe, and worse, amid the fear were certain other emotions, which as a Jedi, she was meant to reject. It was a horrible, invasive feeling, and yet, there was an uncontrollable part of her mind that wished it would go on forever.

"Stop that, now!" The Exile commanded. Sa'kasha fell to her knees, gasping for breath as the Weapon released his hold on her. She looked up and saw he was laughing.

"If all your Jedi are as weak as this, your New Order isn't going to last very long," The Weapon addressed her Master.

The Exile gritted her teeth, forcing herself to quell her anger. "I didn't call you here to ask your opinion of my apprentices."

"Of course. I know full well why you summoned me. You seek Revan." The Weapon spread his hands in an understanding gesture. "You see, I also have a strong desire to find him. In this, our goals are the same."

"Very well," The Exile nodded, bitterly. "I will grant you the use of the Ebon Hawk. Its droids, B4-D4 and that psychotic HK unit are also at your disposal. However, I have a condition."

"Oh?" The young human raised an eyebrow.

"I insist that a Jedi accompanies you at all times, and reports on your actions. Do you have any objections?" The Exile watched him intently, daring him to argue.

"Fine with me, lady." The Weapon turned to leave. "Send me someone interesting. Space travel is long, I might get bored." And with that, he walked out of the room.

As the door slid closed behind him, the Exile relaxed visibly. She turned to her Padawan. "Sa'kasha, are you alright?"

"I am now." The Twi'lek had regained her breath and gotten back on her feet. "How can such a creature exist?" She asked in shock. "That power is… impossible…"

"He was created by three of the most powerful Sith Lords since Exar Kun." The Exile pressed her head into her hand. "They formed him from their very own existences, pouring their power into him. Nihilus' hunger, Sion's immortality, Traya's deception. Between them, they created a monster."

"You're sending a Jedi with him," Sa'kasha questioned, "Who?"

"Liana Minas," Her Master told her. "I believe you know her."

The Twi'lek nodded. "Liana is a talented fighter and is extremely dedicated to the Jedi cause, but what's more, she had an incredible talent at repelling mental attack. You have made a wise choice, Master, if there is anyone who could resist that power, it would be her."

"And yet I fear…" The Exile shook her head. "Tell me, do you know what a Krayt Dragon is?"

Sa'kasha was puzzled. "It's a creature that lives on Tatooine, so I've heard."

"During my travels, I learnt a story from a bantha herder," The human recounted. "The herders lived in constant fear of the dragons. Banthas are their preferred food and a single dragon could devastate an entire flock. To counter this, the herders would tether a bantha near the dragon's cave, in the hope that the dragon would be appeased by this sacrifice and spare the rest of the flock. I fear… I fear I may have done the same thing here." Sa'kasha was seeing a side to her Master that she had not known existed. "I have sent men into combat before, sometimes with no hope of survival, but this… this is different."

Sa'kasha knelt down before her, looking into the human's eyes. "You should not say such things, Master. Your path has always been the will of the Force. We all believe in you, and would follow your decisions with all our hearts."

"You're right, Sa'kasha," The Exile smiled. "We must place our hope in Liana. If it is the will of the Force, she will find the power to overcome the darkness, and will return stronger from it."

As the Exile and her Padawan conversed in the council chamber, the Weapon headed for the hangars, his coat swirling around him as he walked. He grinned in anticipation. "Revan…" He said to himself. "I will find you." And then he laughed – a hollow, unsettling sound, which echoed through the corridors of the temple.

On a distant planet, a hooded figure sat next to a fire under a starry night sky. Though the night was warm, the figure suddenly shivered. There was a disturbance in the Force – something immense was coming.

To be continued…