Title: Episode 1.03 Teacher

Chapter: 1, Everybody's Fool

Author: CarthsLostPadawan

Summary: Revan's reeling after having murdered the TSF officer and it seems no one will let her live it down... not even Dustil.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything but my dignaty. Leave me be!

Dedication: This and every story after this goes out to my dear friends (and fan club) over at Carth Community. I love you guys!

The blanket wrapped around Revan's upper torso proved to be nothing more than a useless accessory as she stared blankly out the window at the space cruisers humming by. The world was one big shade of gray, the people within it moving through like mindless ghosts to her. Then again, she had to think, maybe it was she who was the mindless ghost. She felt numb, barely aware that she was standing, let alone still breathing. On the other hand, she couldn't find it in her heart to care either way.

Revan had been like this since she woke up the following morning after the incedent. In fact, that was all she was able to refer to it as to herself, her mind not capable yet of fully handling the fact that she had taken another innocent human life. Lethargic and apathetic, she haunted the walls of the compartment, leaving a cloud of despair wherever she tred.

Revan... why fight it? From within you, it devours. And when you finally fall you'll bring down with you chaos and bloodshed once again to this retched Galaxy. Malak's voice floated from behind her. She could see his reflection in the crystal-clear blaster-proof flas window. This time her eyes met his, locked there, searching. The coal black orbs didn't even reflect light and she had to wonder if it truely was her that had brought him to this.

"I'm not like you Malak." She covered her thoughts with a voice filled more with exhastion than resentment. She was tired, tired of having to fight everyday. That didn't mean, however, that she was ready to throw in the towel and jump shift to the easy team.

Not like me? Oh Poppet, you do slay me with your words. Revan flinched inwardly at the remembrance of the old nickname he gave her years ago. I must conciede though, dearest. Of course you are not like me, but we find that it is the contrary. I am like you because you made me. And though Malak couldn't smile with his prostetic jaw, she could hear the satisfied smirk in his voice.

"I'm not a killer Malak. I'll never be anything near your maliciousness." She stayed with her arguement, as if her saying those words would somehow maker her beleive them. Malak rolled his eyes.

Ah. You kill not without reason, therefore justifying your actions. I follow in your footsteps blindly and fall victim to both your pretentious lies and your blade. You however, walk away with a new life and a slap on the wrist. Just because it's all in the name of the Republic. Malak stopped for a moment, moving to her side to life her face to his. And just like that, all the life and emotion returned to Revan and she trembled. Maybe we should ask the poor fellow who's blood you spilled just yesterday if his death surved the Republic well.

His words stung, but still she repeated. "Nothing like you." Her voice was just a whisper now. She could see her breath in the air, a sign of just how close she and the spectre were. She adverted her eyes to it, using it's wonder as an excuse to turn away from him. It was in this time that the visage of Malak changed, though in his dark robes, he appeared like his light side self. His face resembled the young knight that she had once loved deeply.

You see, love. I'm the cure to your deepest afflictions. I provide confort and resolution to the chaos inside of you that your fly boy just can't manage to touch. Revan's head snapped up, her eyes full of fire.

"You are the chaos within me, Lord Malak." She spat the name with venom and hatred that she didn't know she still possessed. "Of course you're the antidote to my afflictions because you are the sickness that caused them! Carth has nothing to do with this!" Malak only smiled more.

Oh, but your dear old Carth has everything to do with this and more. It was his time to speak with loathing, a loathing so strong that even though he was a spectre the air turned redhot around him for a moment at the mention of Carth's name. Like me, Carth follows you blindly. He let's his heart rule his head. You will destroy him, like you did me. And then it will be he that falls by your blade next. He'll be the one you'll have to save your precious Republic from. You'll ruin another soul with your futile attempts to save this dieing empire, but your cycle will continue in the good name of the Republic! Revan moved to slap him, finding her hand went straight through the ethreal vision. How was it that he could touch her as if he were flesh and blood and bone, but she couldn't even brush his skin?

Their reunion was short lived however, as Dustil stormed his way into the room. Malak vanished on cue without notice from Revan or Dustil both. She turned towards the estranged youth and for a moment, neither spoke. He just leered at her with the same kind of look she had given Malak not two minutes earlier. Once she found her voice, she spoke with a strain. "Carth's not here."

Dustil scoffed dramatically, a dark air beginning to surround him like the one he had given off back on Korriban. Anger, frustration, confusion... it all raged inside the young Onasi and surged off him in wafts of energy, screwing with Revan's already conflicted emotions. "Imagin that, Father's gone once again. Should have known his 'lets be a family again' speech back on Korriban was a crock of Bantha poo-doo."

"Dustil, you know your father wants to build a relationship with you. You're just overreacting." The sudden lack of compassion from Revan wasn't helping the situation any, but she was emotionally worn and couldn't find the strength within her to care. She did note, though, the sudden change in the stressed Force Adept was strange and unsettling.

"You think you know Father? You don't even know yourself!" Dustil's comment went straight through Revan's heart, leaving her wounded. Her face had shown it and a feeling of rejected tears found their way to her eyes. She wouldn't shed them though, he pride had been broken once today. It wouldn't happen again. "Father's a deserter." He continued. "Always ready to skip off and play hero, but never a husband and definately never a father."

Revan said nothing, she couldn't. The pain and anguish in Dustil's overall attitude wouldn't allow her. She couldn't even remember her parents, nevermind a similar situation. She had no grounds to defend Carth... so she went with the generic. "Your father loves you Dustil. And he loved your mother, you know that!" Her shot was futile, but all she could muster against the oddly enraged man.

"He loved Mother, but he couldn't save her! No, back then his only love was work, he had no time for family. He was constantly sent away because of you!" His eyes were fierce and for once it was clear that he had never truely blamed Carth for what happened to their once happy home. He had blamed Revan. He advanced on her, eyes full of emotion, his hands shaking. Revan picked up another feeling from him... fear.

"I didn't-"

"No! It was you who lead him through the Mandalorian Wars while my mother struggled to care for me with no help, no Credits. It was you Father was fighting during the begining of the Jedi Civil war when Mother was getting sick. And when you caused the attack on this planet, Father was gone trying to stop you elsewhere and couldn't save Mother or his baby she was carrying!" He screamed the last part as if it was a century old secret that he'd been dying to make known. Revan blinked at him.

"Carth never mentioned another child..." Her voice was soft, distant. Dustil just sneered.

"He couldn't very well mention something he never knew about!" His voice was reverberating off the metal walls. "I never had a little brother, I never had a family, because of you! And even as we speak now, Father's off cleaning up another one of your messes!" Revan furrowed her brow to Dustil, her face screwed up in deep thought. Before she could draw any conclusions Dustil continued. "Don't play stupid, I saw you kill that TSF officer!"

Her face paled as she stared at him, words far from an option. She felt sick to her stomach again, it dropping plum into her feet. In her mind, she could see herself killing the defenseless man over and over again until it became too much for her. "I AM NOT A MURDERER!" She screamed suddenly, the force of her outburst rocking even Dustil to the core.

Dustil, taken off guard, drew his long sword defensively though agression showed in his eyes. It wasn't in his purogative to hurt her, but in his mind she was unstable. Definately capable of taking him. "I saw you kill the officer. You passed out, I hid the body, and drug you back here. Father's a fool, so fabricating a story to cover you." He moved a little closer, wanting to make sure he was calling the shots before he continued. "Now I'll swear not to tell Father if you promise to do me one thing."

"What?" Revan's voice was odd sounding to her own ears, mousey even. In any event, Dustil knew he held the high card.

"Train me. Teach me everything you know, Force, combat, and otherwise." His conditios were simple and definately no what Revan had epected to hear.

"What will you get from it?" Dustil only smiled.

"Simple. If I learn everything you know, then when you go back to your old self..." Dustil paused, lowering his voice and running his blade in a cut-throat action across his neck. "I can kill you." His words chilled Revan to th ebone, but part of her agreed with him. Why not have a failsafe in case things got ugly? There wasn't one she knew alive that could best her at anything. And she wasn't being concieded in thinking so. After a long while, Revan gave him a solemn nod.

Maybe this was just the thing she needed, if she could be trusted alone, in combat, with another human life.

Sorry it took so long guys! But since I'm in ISS right now, I can crank these out no problem. I've got two more days left, so if you have any ideas for the remaining chapters, let me know!