I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. All rights reserved.
This story follows an original storyline where Revan doesn't get seduced by the dark side, but retakes the Star Forge. Rather he regains some of his memories from being the Dark Lord, so he knows that he needs the Star Forge, but he doesn't know about the threat lurking beyond the Outer Rim. After retaking the Forge, he discovers that all his efforts from before Malak's betrayal have been ruined.
In this version, none of the major characters have been killed off. Revan went into the temple alone and he returns with Bastila to retake the Star Forge. This is intended to be like a DS ending transition to KOTOR II. Comments or criticisms are most appreciated. I've already taken one's into account and hope I improved on it.
Return to Grace
Malak fell to the deck with a hole in his chest as the rightful Lord of the Sith withdrew his lightsaber. Although Malak had been brought to his knees, he still was almost at eye level with his former master. His labored breathing echoed through his vocabulator, broken by the intermittent coughing. He almost couldn't believe what had happened. "No, this is not possible. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith. I had surpassed you in every way."
The once befallen Lord Revan shook his head, slightly smirking as he watched the one who ruined everything fall before him. "It was not curiosity that killed the Kath hound, Malak, it was greed. In your lust for power, you wrongfully took something that did not belong to you, but now it is back in the right hands."
Over another cough, Malak leaned his head forward and nodded. "I suppose that you are right. I had spent my entire life thinking I was second to no one, no one except you. Even when I thought I had killed you, I always had this feeling on the back of my mind... that I had not truly surpassed you." He coughed again, blood steaming out from under the voice box. "I thought that if I had the power of the Star Forge, I could rule the galaxy just as well. The destiny was yours, not mine."
Revan stepped back and gestured all around. "This? Do you think that I really wanted this?!" In great rage, Revan grabbed Malak and lifted him almost back to his feet. "You stupid fool! You don't realize what you've done!"
Upon being tossed back to the floor, Malak struggled to raise his head. "Yes, I was a fool to try and challenge you. But you've clearly proven your superiority. Even with the Star Forge, I could not best you. You are the one who deserves... who deserves to be the Dark Lord." He coughed again and removed his jaw piece as if it were obstructing his breathing. "When we fought in the Mandalorian wars, I thought we were equals, but it was always you who lead the way. I only followed in your wake. You are the Dark Lord, not me. This is the fate I deserve."
Revan kneeled before his fallen enemy. "No, Malak. There will be no escape for you. I assure you that you will live for a very, very long time."
Malak's eyes widened with fear when he realized what his former master was about to do. Revan turned towards one of the undamaged alcoves which suspended the body of a dead Jedi knight and he deactivated it. As the body fell to the deck, he silently paid his respects to the dead.
When he heard Malak struggling behind him, Revan turned about to find him stretching out for his lightsaber. Just centimeters from his reach, Revan raised his hand and tossed the lightsaber away with the Force. "You will receive no mercy, for you deserve none. I won't give you the satisfaction of death until everything you've destroyed has been restored." Revan extended his arm towards Malak.
Malak, weak as he was, struggled with what little strength he had left, but couldn't break away from Revan's Force grip. As he was lifted into the air, he knew fear. Less than an hour ago, he had been so sure the galaxy was his to command. He never so much as considered that he might have been defeated, let alone condemned to the terrible existence between life and death.
Revan spoke his last words to Malak, maybe taking a perverted pleasure in tormenting such a vile creature. For everything he had done, it seemed a fitting place for him. And Revan wanted to force Malak to acknowledge his failure. "Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I achieve victory. Through victory, my chains are broken." Revan stepped aside so that he could throw his defeated opponent into the hungry jaws of the Forge. "Let's see if it's true."
About ten meters away, Malak had been violently thrown into the alcove. Slamming into the wall, the device activated and brilliant streams of energy channeled through his battered body. Although the energy shorted out his vocabulator, his convulsive shaking and violent twitching almost seemed to echo with the same intensity as the loudest scream. The pain of having his life energy extracted was especially excruciating because he had been alive to feel the Star Forge's corruption of his body.
Revan watched with some satisfaction as Malak writhed in agony. After what he had done to Bastila, it felt good to watch that monster endure a similar fate. Revan didn't believe himself a sadist like Malak, but he felt that pain and death were appropriate when properly administered. Unlike the Jedi, who discouraged violence and execution, Revan believed they were tools best used to punish the guilty. He knew that for what happened to Malak, the damage he caused could not be undone. Yet there was the satisfaction in watching a war criminal suffer for his crimes.
It took nearly a minute for the body to stop twitching, but eventually all signs of life had faded. Revan tried to smile, but it was the smile of desolation. All that went through his mind was of sadness over the tragedy and the waste from it all. He knew that for all the misery of which Malak inflicted upon the galaxy, he couldn't help feeling responsible for it all. Perhaps if he had not lost focus of the moment before Malak betrayed him...
Then he shook his head; it didn't matter anymore. Malak had betrayed him and all his plans for bringing stability to the Republic were compromised. Still it was difficult to accept the reality that so much effort and planning and preparation had been destroyed by one person who stepped out of line. But at least Malak had been eliminated and the Star Forge was back in the right hands. Yet Revan did not cherish reclaiming such a powerful asset, as he knew the price that came with it.
In the corner of his eye, Revan saw the explosion of a Republic capital ship as the Sith fleet closed off their escape. As the Sith armada bombarded the helpless Republic fleet, Revan saw that their lines had crumbled and all remaining ships were fleeing the battle. Considering that the Sith fleet had effectively repelled their attack, Revan saw no need for those lives to be lost if he could save them.
He had rushed to the observation deck, where Bastila had been using her battle meditation to augment the Sith fleet, and she stood up from her meditative stance to praise him. "I felt it! I knew you would succeed, my love!" She embraced Revan and shared a very passionate kiss. "You were always the Dark Lord, not him." She kissed him again very forcefully, but more briefly. "After today, you will be truly invincible. No one will ever question your authority again." And kissed him again. "You will rule the galaxy."
The distracted Revan gently pushed her aside and proceeded to the holographic projector in the center of the room.
Bastila seemed very confused that he was not overjoyed at what he had just accomplished. She didn't need a Force bond to realize he was troubled. "What is it, my love? Victory is assured. The cowards are fleeing. Does that not please you?"
Revan didn't turn around as he made his way for a console near the edge of the display. "No, everything worked out for the best. There is just one more thing that I have to do." When he logged on to the computer system, he accessed the communications system.
Bastila then smiled and nodded when she believed she figured out what was wrong. "I see, you need to spread word of your victory? Not everyone will be convinced; but when they see Malak's broken body, they will know who was always the strongest."
Revan raised his head slightly, not quite enough to look Bastila in the face, but as if to silently say 'not quite.' He turned his gaze onto the console and opened a channel to all the Sith ships. "This is Darth Revan. As of now, I have retaken the title of Dark Lord of which my usurping apprentice had stolen from me. I am now in command of the fleet." He looked back to Bastila and then to the holographic display in front of them. "All Sith vessels are to cease fire immediately and allow all surviving Republic ships to escape."
Bastila couldn't believe what she had heard and questioned his authority over the comm channel. "What are you doing?! They are..."
Revan raised his arm to shush her. "Those ships are filled with frightened and demoralized troops. They will return to the Republic and spread word of what happened here today. This is a direct order to cease fire and allow the Republic fleet to retreat. If any Republic ship does not cease fire within the next 20 seconds, then you are authorized to fire. Anyone who disobeys my orders will suffer the consequences. Any Republic ship receiving this ultimatum are advised to cease fire immediately. You will receive no mercy if you continue hostilities and you will have no hope of escape if you don't comply. You have 20 seconds to stand down." He closed the communication channel and looked to Bastila. "If you have a problem, you address it in private. Don't ever question my orders like that again."
She didn't appear frightened so much as concerned for him and bowed her head. "Yes. It will never happen again."
He turned his gaze upon the holographic projector and saw that the majority of the ships were following his orders, but at least three Sith ships haven't cease firing. He accessed the control panel and eagerly sought to identify those ships and override their captain's orders. While Revan attempted to take control of the battle, he addressed Bastila's outrage. "Now then, what is your concern?"
She stepped beside the control panel and placed her hands on her hips. "What was that about?"
"You heard exactly what I said. Letting them escape gives us a strategic advantage."
"You know very well that you cannot lie to me. It does not matter whether they are afraid of you or not. With the Star Forge, you can dominate any enemy with impunity... and you still show mercy to people who defy you? What does sparing them get you?"
He looked her directly in the eye. "That's what separates me from Malak. Sparing them represents more than you realize." Without another word, he made his way back to the observation deck to seek solitude. Bastila had changed much since being subjected to Malak's brutality and it troubled him. Before reaching the door, he twisted his head around to look back.
Bastila had assumed he was looking back to check the status of the battle over the holo projector, so she told him the situation. "The Republic ships have ceased fire and are fleeing. Our ships are taking positions alongside them... in case they have something else in mind. If they are foolish enough to try attacking us again... they will die before they even realize they made a mistake."
Revan actually was more concerned for her than the status of the battle. Bastila had changed so much from the woman he used to know. She didn't quite turn against him as Malak had intended, but she had become just as hostile and nasty as any Sith. She was just confused. After weeks of enduring some of the most brutal torture imaginable, she had become so full of anger and hate. That wasn't who she was.
It was then when Revan thought back to that moment when his world had turned upside down. Ever since he learned of his true identity, he could never quite come to terms with the truth. It just didn't seem possible that he could ever become like the Dark Lord, yet that's exactly what happened. That new identity the Jedi Council programed him with... it was a lie. Revan was his true self, yet most of that life was gone. He had hoped retaking the Star Forge would give him some peace, but being reunited with such a terrible thing only intensified his anxiety.
The Star Forge was perhapse the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, but it was dangerous to wield. As Revan walked upon its command deck again, he glared at his fallen apprentice as the Star Forge corrupted his body. Just the sight of him filled Revan with a terrible rage. All that he knew was that he had a plan for the Star Forge which wouldn't involve becoming corrupted by its power, but Malak's greed and stupidity ruined everything.
He closed his eyes and turned away, desperate to keep his anger in check. The Star Forge intensified such feelings and Revan didn't want to give in to such temptation. Every single thought and feeling that went through his head just seemed like the difference between control and chaos, but suppressing them only seemed to make it worse.
When it became too much, he started bashing his fists against the door. It was painful, but it felt better than holding it in. When his knuckles began bleeding, he realized that it really didn't matter. Whatever havoc Malak had caused, it was still Revan's responsibility to wield the Star Forge until the true threat had been neutralized... only he still didn't know who they were.
