A/N: For all intents and purposes, the Tales series should be considered 'finished'. This is a character piece taking off the ending of Tales Episode Five, but I consider it to be outside of that story arc, which means it won't be included in the series. Simple, right?
Endings and Reunions.
The Star Blade had been struck by an asteroid. Its hull was breached in multiple places, and Revan knew the ship was a total loss. Alarms were screaming, and the status board was lit up like Coruscant on Republic Day. He grunted slightly as he tried to push the fallen wall panel off him.
It refused to budge.
The ship shuddered again as a turbolaser blast struck. This was his other problem. He had been drifting through a derelict system, trying to fix the hyperdrive, when a pirate vessel had started firing on him. He had tried to evade by entering an asteroid field, but he'd miscalculated, accidentally running into one of the large rocks. Now they were moving in for the kill.
It had been fourteen years since he had left Coruscant on his trip. He'd come to terms with Bastila's death after only a few years, but rather than return to the Jedi, Revan had decided to stick to his plans, traveling the galaxy, solving minor issues and keeping an eye on the situation. There had been a few close calls. He had nearly run into Jedi on several occasions, including Rachel and Arianna. He had to avoid the Core Worlds to keep from being recognized and arrested--somehow he'd been falsely connected to a murder--and it made traveling difficult. There was even a contract out on his life. It seemed like he couldn't please anyone, but that was nothing new to him.
The addition of a new alarm startled him from his daydream. Straining to read the display, he saw that the ship was being pulled by a tractor beam. No doubt they intended to seize his non-existent cargo. While the bays were empty, he still had nearly two million credits sitting in the coded storage container in his dormitory. And they'd likely want to try to sell him into slavery. If I wasn't stuck under this panel, I'd show them what I think about slavery! he thought, trying once again, unsuccessfully, to lift the panel.
It pained him to admit it, but he wasn't a young man anymore. He'd noticed how he was slowing down after his fiftieth birthday, but, being Revan, he ignored it. And now look at me. I can't even lift a steel plate! The feeling of increased gravity struck him, and he felt the ship settle down onto a hard surface, followed by the sound of shouting.
"I'm not letting them have me or my ship!" he said angrily. Reaching out with the Force, he followed the path of the wiring to the computer, and triggered the self destruct. "Auto-destruct sequence enabled. Sixty seconds to detonation." the computer announced.
Sixty seconds. Not a whole lot of time for a review of life. he thought jokingly. He heard an explosion, and the computer reported a hull breach in the cargo bay. Revan briefly considered. The explosion of his ship should be large enough to take the pirate ship with it, which meant there was no point in fighting if they found him in time. Laying his head back against the deckplate, he sighed. After all he had done, it seemed a bit...anticlimactic to die like this. Then again, maybe a quiet exit isn't so bad. I could think of worse ways.
He heard shouting. Looking at the screen, he saw there was twelve seconds on the clock. "Come and get me!" he shouted, laughing. The shouting became louder, and a man appeared in the cockpit. "There's someone in here!" the man called out. Then the pirate noticed the screens all counting down. Revan grinned. "Not what you expected, is it? No cargo, and now you're all going to die with me. Pity, really."
The man tried to run, but before he could even turn the clock reached zero. Revan heard the explosion as the hyperdrive went critical, and the flash was the last thing he saw.
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The floor was hard, and cold. His cheek stuck to it slightly as he pushed himself up from the floor, coming to a kneeling position. He was in what looked like a room. It was dim and gray, with no apparent windows, doors, or lights.
"And so the day has come. It has been a long time, Revan."
Revan stood, turning around. It was Malak. But not Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith. Instead, it was Alek, childhood friend, as he had been just before they had left for the Mandalorian Wars.
"Where am I?" Revan asked.
"Here. This place...it does not have a name. You are dead, Revan."
Revan nodded. "I was aware of that. I didn't expect to survive the Blade'sexplosion, but I certainly didn't expect to end up...where ever I am."
"Few do. I must say, you took longer than any of us expected. But now, you must be going." Alek said, placing an arm around Revan.
Revan watched as Alek led him to a door that wasn't there previously. "Going? Where am I going, old friend?"
The door opened, revealing blackness inside. "Do not worry. It will be over soon." Alek said, with a touch of sadness. He gestured for Revan to enter.
Revan stepped inside. The door slammed closed behind him. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. As his eyes adjusted, he saw he was in a darkened hallway. He walked down it.
As he did, he heard noises ahead. Rounding a corner, he came upon a scene. It looked like a holovid, but it was so much more real. As he realized what it was, his gut twisted into a knot. He was watching the time when he had killed his first Mandalorian. Back then he had been so angry he had actually enjoyed the kill, savoring the butchery; now it only made him want to throw up as he saw how brutal he had been.
He walked on, trying to put that image out of his mind. He came upon another scene; the time when he had ordered the activation of the Mass Shadow Generator. He saw himself walk to a command console.
"Rachel, this is Revan. The command is given. Activate the weapon!"
The comm crackled. "Revan, we need time to pull back our fleet! Give me just five minutes!" Rachel asked, desperation in her voice.
"Negative. They knew their duty. Their deaths will serve as a reminder to the galaxy of our sacrifices in this war. Activate the generator. Now." he replied coolly.
There was a hesitation on the other end. "I will do as you command, Revan."
The scene changed to show Rachel aboard the command vessel, entering the final activation codes. He watched as Malachor shattered from the energy coursing outward, then saw the ships being dragged into the gravity well. He saw Rachel collapse onto the floor, screaming and writhing in agony.
Revan turned away, unable to watch any more. He continued down the hall, coming to the scene when he disfigured Malak. He walked by, passing the battle on his flagship, when he had been betrayed. The scenes from his quest for the Star Maps were equally disregarded.
He stopped at the scene of his final battle with Malak.
"Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. You are all things, Revan...and yet you are nothing. In the end you belong to neither the light nor the darkness. You will forever stand alone."
There it was. The line that had affected him far too much over the later part of his life. In a way, he had made it come true by leaving the Jedi, and disappearing into memory. Walking on, he passed scenes revealing the years he spent in self-imposed exile, searching for the True Sith. He saw Cade wrestling with the Star Forge. That still troubled Revan. Could that have been the catalyst for his later fall to the Dark Side? He continued, until he came to the one memory he wasn't ready to see.
"Revan, I don't feel well." she said tiredly.
"No. Don't make me see this. Don't make me go through this again." Revan said, falling to his knees, pleading to someone, to anyone. He felt himself move. As he raised his head, he realized he was experiencing the memory again. He was there again, holding his dying love in his arms.
"No..." he whispered faintly.
"No, don't leave me. I...I want to be here with you." she murmured.
"I won't leave you, Bastila. I'm here." he replied.
"Good." she said weakly. "I love you so much, Revan."
He squeezed her, the tears falling freely this time. "Don't go. Stay with me." he said.
"I wish I could do that, my love." She sighed. "I'm so tired, Revan."
"Go to sleep, Bastila. I'll be here when you get back." he replied, his voice cracking.
She smiled. "You always were."
Her eyes closed, and she grew colder in his arms.
Revan felt his heart breaking again. Losing her the first time had been painful enough. Losing her a second time was sheer agony. He rocked back and forth, holding her, weeping and shaking. It felt like hours before he heard another voice.
"Are you ready to leave?" It was Alek, standing behind him.
Revan couldn't speak. He nodded, gently lowering Bastila's form to the floor. As he turned to follow his friend, the room darkened again, with the only light coming from the exit.
"Why?" he asked Alek.
"Because you had to experience it again, to fully understand. The Force is balance, my friend. You had to experience an equal amount of pain to that which you dispensed."
Revan shook his head. "I had no idea..."
Alek looked sideways. "We never do."
They walked out of the door. The area was different now. The formerly dark room had changed into Coruscant, or what looked like Coruscant. People milled about, talking, laughing. Even after what he had just been through, Revan couldn't keep a smile from his face. It seemed so normal that it looked out of place.
"Is everyone here?" he asked.
"Everyone who has died becomes one with the Force, yes. Unless they choose not to." Alek turned to him. "And now, we part. Don't worry, I'll be seeing you later. But there's someone who has been waiting for you, for a very long time."
Hope appeared in Revan's eyes as he realized who Alek was talking about. "You mean..."
Alek nodded, grinning. "She's in there." he said, pointing to a large tower.
Revan walked toward the entrance. "Thank you, Alek. For everything."
Alek merely waved and walked down the street.
The doors opened, revealing a directory terminal. He punched in 'Shan, Bastila' and received a room number: 343.
Taking the lift to the third floor, he walked down the hallway, coming to the door. This was it. He knocked.
It was only a few seconds until he heard "Coming!" through the door. Revan felt like a boy all over again. The door opened, revealing her.
The two of them stood for a minute, regarding the other. Bastila suddenly jumped into his arms. "Revan! You've finally come! I told them...ooh, I am going to kill that Alek!"
Revan hugged her tightly, laughing. He carried her into the apartment, shutting the door with his foot.
"I've missed you." she said.
"As have I. I don't want to ever be without you again, my love." he replied.
"You don't have to be. Not anymore. We can be together for all eternity here. There are so many people who will want to see you again."
"Can they wait? I want to be alone with you for a while." he explained.
"I'm sure some of them would say no, but I think you've earned a little alone time with me." she replied, smiling slyly.
He held her in his arms as they talked about old times.
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Revan pulled the confetti from his hair as he exited the elevator. Bastila was beside him. "I'm not sure who was happier to see you, Mandalore or Jolee."
"Definitely Mandalore. Did you see how he wouldn't leave my side? I was afraid we had a real Force-bond going on!" he said jokingly.
She laughed as the door opened. "Revan, let's go to bed a little early tonight." she said, pulling him toward the bedroom.
He laughed again, following her.
_________________
Revan lay in bed that night, thinking. For the first time, he wasn't worried. He didn't have to plan, or prepare, or think about the following day. He was free. Shifting, he spoke. "Bastila?"
"Yes, Revan?" she replied sleepily.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Revan. Sleep well. We've got a busy day tomorrow."
He settled onto the pillow. "Good night."
With that, he fell asleep.
The End.
A/N: This ended up turning into one of the most curious pieces I've ever written. I'm sure I violated canon several times, but for this piece I really didn't care. For those who did not recognize the Bastila scene, it's from Fall of a Jedi, Episode Four of my TotOR series, though I retailored it to fit this story. As usual, I don't own Star Wars. Please review, as always! Thanks for reading!