The waves crashed onto the rocks of the beach, creating a fine spray on the soft sand around the lone figure, who was sitting and drinking from a bottle. He didn't seem to care that his robes and hair were getting wet. Taking another mouthful from the bottle, a small smile appeared on his face. "You're like a herd of raging bantha, Jolee."
"Bah, you'd think that stuff would have dulled your senses a little. What is it anyway?" enquired the older Jedi.
"It says it's Corellian, but I have my doubts. Remind me never to buy liquor on Manaan. Damn fish like their water so much they drown their drink in it too."
"Which begs the question: why aren't you enjoying the ale the Republic soldiers took with them to this little shindig? I mean, you are the guest of honour Revan."
The younger man groaned and ran his hand through his hair. "Don't you start Jolee. All I've had is people coming up and congratulating me, saying I'm 'the greatest hero of the age'. What about everyone else? Mission was getting ignored by everyone even though, if it wasn't for her, none of us would be here. Me and Zaalbar had to take her back here to the ship, she was so upset. How's everyone else?"
"Well, Carth's in his element, Canderous is still smarting that we made him take off his Mandalorian armour, Juhani is talking to a young woman called Belaya and Bastilla is, uh, 'enjoying' the company of several eligible soldiers."
Revan laughed at this "Yeah, I know. I keep telling her to persuade him to mate with one of those gizka we brought with us. No luck yet."
The old man chuckled "That bond of yours is pretty handy. I doubt there's a man alive who wouldn't give his right arm to know what his lover was up to." He looked quizzically at Revan who had turned his head away. "What? You can't say I'm wrong Even the droids have noticed. In fact, HK does quite a good impression of Bastilla."
Revan sighed "I don't know Jolee. There's something there and I love her more than I thought possible. But how can I hope that we can continue, knowing that our love and our bond caused her to fall to the dark side? She hasn't said anything but I know it's on her mind all the time. I don't want her to be with me out of…..I don't know, obligation."
"Kid, maybe you need to tell her this and stop talking to a crotchety old hermit like me."
"Revan barked out a laugh "Maybe, old man, maybe." His smile faded again. "And then there's the council. Love is forbidden at the best of times. But between a former Dark Lord of the Sith and a Sith Apprentice? I'll be lucky to still have everything intact once they get through with us."
Jolee put a hand on the younger Jedi's shoulder and leaned in close "Kid, maybe you need to remember something you've already done. You defied the council once before." And with that he headed back in the direction of the ongoing party.
"Yeah," Revan said darkly "And look how well that turned out for everyone."