Strange Alliances
Lying at the feet of the Jedi strike team on the bridge of her flagship, the Dark Lord Revan looks into the future to determine her fate. She had previously thought she had done all she could for her old apprentice, Darth Malak, considering how busy she was running an army of her making. What happened to the bridge of her ship this day was a clear sign that she had failed him. Her most trusted follower, her old friend, her student had fired on her ship and rendered her helpless against the Jedi. Having probed the future before her encounter of the Jedi, she knew it was not the end of her. This time it was different; she was having second thoughts about how she wanted to live the rest of her life. It wasn't just her failure towards her apprentice that made her doubt herself; it was also everything else. She did not want to lose her power, but losing her memories would be worse. She knew the Jedi could take them away, and she knew they would. There had to be a way she could save both.
Looking into the future was her strong point; it was much like predicting her enemies during the wars. She had a gift. All of her old masters saw this, but now she was way ahead of them. Now her skill could mean saving her soul or leaving the fate of the galaxy in the hands of the Jedi. She had already made that choice; she had already left the Jedi for good. This time she had to look beyond the Jedi and beyond the empire she had built.
She was in the deepest state of meditation there could ever be: not dead but not far from it. Her body had to work just enough for her to feel and channel the force around her. Being around the Jedi, especially one as strong as Bastila Shan, certainly filled the room with the force. At this point one second on the rubble that used to be her command deck felt like days in her thoughts. In fact they could have been days. It was not important because she was more focused that any creature could ever be.
Revan was searching farther and faster than one could measure with a device. It was almost as if she was the force. Time had very little meaning and the size of the universe had to be looked at in a whole new way. She never could have seen things more clearly than now; she had come to realize what she was looking for just by seeing it, just like a baby would know what a color is just by observing it. However, what she was looking at certainly wasn't a color but a representation of where the force has balance and where it doesn't. The first place she noticed this "color" was between her almost lifeless body and Bastila. Though this was just a spot in the universe, it was unique, and though this little spec of light was of the same color as the rest of the light she sought, it had an intensity that could only belong to that particular region.
It didn't take long to find another spot that looked similar to the first, but these spots were never emanating from anyone; they were always part way between a member of her army and another person or life form from the planets surrounding the battle or the republican ships that were merely a decoy in this battle. No, this was not a good place to find what she was looking for: everyone around her was corrupt. They were either too far into the negative specter of this light or too far into the positive specter of it. At either end of the specter, this color is not visible. She had to seek this where the people were isolated from such events. She had to look where the endless battle between the light side and dark side of the force was completely ignored. This would take long to find, but she had time.
She stopped her search in a solar system beyond the outer rim where the population was completely isolated. In this system, the people didn't even know that there were others in the galaxy. Even here the force had its influences. Only a handful of the people in this system had a hint of this specter emanating from them but only one of them had just the right intensity about him. She was surprised to see that none of these people were force sensitive, but this didn't matter to her because she had a plan. The only person who had what she was looking for in all parts of the galaxy was Steve.
For the next few minutes that passed, while the Jedi were escorting Darth Revan onto the assault vessel they used to board her ship, she was studying him. She was in complete awe. It was like peace could walk and talk like anyone else. His body was a sanctuary for peace itself. His soul was pure, and the intensity of the light emanating from him could only mean that within his soul was also a place where the force could be in balance. Steve was an eleven-year-old man who lived with his family in a technologically inferior culture where consumerism and capitalism are the standard activities. In galactic standards, he would be closer to nineteen years old, just after the beginning of his adulthood.
Darth Revan didn't even think of contacting him, nor did she want to…yet. She had to make herself understood by him in another way before approaching him. She had to introduce herself through other means. She knew a lot about him by now: she knew his hobbies, his passions and his secrets. His personality astonished her. She knew she could trust him with anything. The light or dark side of the force would not corrupt him. And more importantly, she loved him.
The dark lord's first apparition however was not to him but to a motion picture maker, who was not even of his generation but from a previous one. She had gone a little farther back in time to shape an idea that would eventually reach Steve and make him understand.
Revan had many ideas of what she could do with the force when it obeys her but this skill was not meant to be used and she was sure the force would not allow such a manipulation but this time it seemed to be void of any resistance. The will of the force did not seem to be opposed to it at all. However, this will was not the will she was used to hearing even when she was a Jedi. She was clearly not a Jedi, nor did she truly want to be sith. Until now, she was only what she had to be.
Acting like a muse through apparitions and dreams, Revan began to spread an idea: an idea that closely resembled her world. This was only the first step that began a chain reaction. Many viewed the motion pictures that were released, and additional stories and ideas were added to it to make books and even games. Knowing Steve's future hobbies, she knew that he would venture through these ideas. Now she had to introduce herself in a more specific way. She had to make many apparitions and leaked many of the important details onto a few video game developers who had created her character along with many other important people that she knew destiny would include in Steve's journey. As she had foreseen, this game had a strong impact on Steve. Though it had far few details for her taste, it served its purpose, and she knew Steve would be able to relate to her when she would finally reveal herself to him.
At first, Revan was introducing herself in Steve's dreams: dreams that served only to shape his subconscious until they would be ready to surface. Most of the time, he would not remember his dreams, and when he did, they almost seemed normal to him until they became frequent. This process took many months, but when it was done Steve realized what was happening to him.
Fleeing the current battle, the Jedi's assault vessel managed to escape without attracting the attention of the much larger capital ships that were too busy with the priority targets which were the republican vessels and bombers. The starfighters pursuing the Jedi ships were no threat to them. This Jedi assault vessel was larger and was designed for exactly this kind of situation. It was equipped with armor and shields that could halt almost every low yield weapons fire, and it also had laser turrets that could fire directly behind them in case of pursuit, which was the current situation. With a Jedi operating this weapon system and another at the helm, it didn't take long to reach the safe zone. It was time for the republicans to leave as well.
Bastila Shan stayed at Revan's side showing the true compassion of a Jedi while preserving the life of who was, and could still be, a most powerful enemy. This was not on her mind though: she was more interested in the outcome that this victory would bring on the Sith empire. She was also more interested in what information Revan could give the Jedi that would help the war… if she could be turned that is. She was confident that the Jedi council would find a way around her almost invulnerable sith protective aura and transform her if they needed too, if only to preserve her life, but the information could be lost in the process. However, Revan had other plans; she would not be transformed… not by the Jedi.
Revan was ready for a full apparition: Steve was ready and eager to find out about his dreams. He was sleeping in his chamber when she woke him up, gently, with the mild touch of her immaterialized hand softly pressed against his shoulder. He woke up without even blinking; he was anticipating something like this and did not feel surprised even though he was. Underneath his calm stare and slow heart rate, he was surprised; surprised that he did not go unnoticed by everyone like he expected to. He was surprised that he was special… at least to someone he was, and he felt at peace with himself more than he ever did. Without knowing why, he understood right away that, in the presence of Revan he could do what he always wanted and be taken seriously. These were times of very few words; the fact that Revan was actually standing there was enough to trigger a series of thoughts that would lead to his destiny.
Revan had to teach him things about the force that were not completely covered in his mind. It was mostly about how to cope with the force and how to listen to its will even though it was impossible form him to feel or hear it, for he wasn't force sensitive. He knew it was not for him the way he was then that Revan was teaching him this, but merely for a part in his future where this information would be his only guide. Steve was a smart and knowledgeable person. Though he had a poor memory, he had a powerful mind that stored much subconscious knowledge that was most often enough to understand Revan's teachings. And for the rest of the time, it was Revan's support that helped get the job done.
Steve was a short man of Revan's size with an athletic physique. He was handsome and the little beauty he lacked from his facial features he gained from his astonishing body. His structure was incredible, and though he was far from being an athlete; he looked like one… maybe even better. He did not particularly enjoy physical training, but now he had the motivation. He had a strength to him that made him endure almost anything. If there was one thing he could do that was Jedi-like it was fencing. He quickly developed a passion for it that made him improve even beyond Revan's expectation. He trained his muscles for speed and endurance while he sharpened his reflexes and coordination to make him incredibly beautiful when fencing. He made sure that he would surprise even the Jedi with that kind of skill. They would not have seen anything like it coming from a non-force sensitive being. He had no intention of challenging the Jedi however; he was merely comparing his skills, and he knew that without feeling the force, he would not be wise to engage in a duel against any Jedi, for swordplay skills aren't what make the Jedi so fast and efficient. This training took many months, and Revan had to make good use of her time, only showing up once in a while to check on his progress.
The day had finally come; Revan had finally laid out her plans to him. She gave him a set of instructions that were quickly made in form of writing. They were plans, designs for Steve's lightsaber and instructions on how to make a perfect functional replica of Revan's original armor and robes that the Jedi surely would dispose of.
She wanted Steve to impersonate Darth Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith, in order to overthrow her old apprentice, Darth Malak. However, this was not possible unless he was given the proper power to go with it: the power of the Dark Lord…
That night, Revan laid down beside him for hours. She was transferring all of her power onto him in order for him to give it back to her once she earns back the trust of the Jedi who, as she lay there, are preparing to strip her body of her powers once Bastila delivers her to the council. She will need to earn a trust strong enough to prevent them from simply stripping her powers again once Steve returns it to her. As Revan transfers her powers onto Steve, she begins to fade away ever so slowly. She has much power to give, but she is also giving him a piece of herself in this transference. It is not just the power of the Dark Lord; it was also her Jedi powers, and both combined is an identity that before now only belonged to Revan. Everything she was will now be part of Steve's life.
As Revan gives her farewells to Steve for the last part of the transference, Bastila, who is curiously crouching over her body on the way down the Jedi enclave of Dantooine, feels a great change. Previously, Darth Revan's proximity was enough to make any Jedi feel uneasy. Anyone of Revan's power could be felt through the force a great distance away. It was usual that Bastila felt that kind of presence in the force; she had frequent visits with the Jedi council, and she was very accustomed to being around power. However, she did not expect to feel a power like that to simply drain away unless death was waiting. She feared for Revan's life and sped the rest of the way to the council chamber where she laid Revan down gently. By then, she had nothing left of her power and lapsed into a coma. Though she was very weak, she was far from dead; she was to be reborn. She would be safe with the Jedi until her powers would return to her.
Revan had much convincing to do to the Jedi.
From this moment forward, Steve was on his own: Revan no longer had the power to contact him. All he could do is wait until she could come get him off his planet. During this time, his training had to be done with even more intensity. Steve had to learn to cope with his new abilities. He did not like being alone like this. After all, he was the only one on his planet with this kind of power. He didn't even think about that; he had much to do and a limited time to do it. Revan would not be released very easily. It could take months for the Jedi to trust her enough to even leave the enclave and much more to let her take back the power she had given, but that meant that Steve only had that much time to fit into his new and temporary role of Dark Lord of the Sith. He certainly wasn't made to be a Sith, but, for him to be convincing, he had to act the part with his every movement. He had to be fearless and immensely intimidating. This took much longer than he expected, but, when he was done creating Darth Revan's armor and robes, he had the missing link. Once he was wearing the outfit and placed the mask on, he felt superior, and when he finished building the lightsaber, he felt invincible. Though this is how he felt, he was sure he wasn't anything close to being invincible. In fact, he knew he was now more vulnerable than ever before. He was now on the path of his ultimate adventure, and there was no turning back. Everything that happens from now on would place him in danger. Still, he had to understand what danger really was before he would face Revan's old apprentice. Though his strength and courage would make sure he would find a way out of danger, he had to see this for himself.
Before now, Steve had not mentioned any of this to his friends or family. It was time to say goodbye to them and begin the final stages of his training before Revan came back for him. At this time, he was going to change a few things on his planet. He was only limited by his imagination. He could do anything. Though what he did on his planet no longer meant much to him, it would mean a lot to others. He gave the matters of his planet his full attention and decided it would be best if he only served to guide people in doing what he always knew was right. This alone was enough to challenge his skills, for it brought much danger; everyone would fear him and hate him for it. The others, the benefactors of his doings, would not care much about him because they would never be free to learn the truth about the events that Steve set in motion. Their government would never allow that to happen. It did not matter that he would only be a myth to the people of his planet: he had other plans to follow, and this was just a warm up. He had done what he wanted.
A week after she was brought to the Jedi enclave in Dantooine, Revan was able to awaken from her coma. She felt weak and vulnerable, but she felt safe where she was. It had been long since she had been there. She remembered that she liked that place. It was quiet and more peaceful that any other academy she had been to. There were not many distractions in this particular enclave. It had a lot to do with the fact that it was on a planet that was used mostly for agricultural farming. More than that, there were few people around in, or out of, the enclave. At this time, she preferred to be around as few people as possible: She was did not feel welcome at all. Every Jedi had judged her for her actions and she did not need to feel hated at that time. It was not long before someone was aware that she had awakened and attended to her pressing needs. Once that was out of the way, the Jedi council was eager to start their interrogation. They had send Bastila Shan into the medical bay to escort her to the council chamber. They had not spoken any words on the way there, but Revan had the feeling Bastila had many questions of her own and an opinion about Revan that was itching to be revealed. It was not the time for Bastila to be accusing Revan though, she was going to have a long enough day assisting the Jedi council in their interrogation. She knew it would be very difficult to extract information about Revan even if she could no longer use the force to block her mind: Revan had many secrets that were not meant for anyone to know but herself. When she first entered the room, master Vrook regarded her with his usual suspicious stare, and everyone around had followed in with an uneasy stare of their own, except for Bastila, who felt a little too strange about the whole scenario to have a suspicious stare. She was surrounded with the people she respected the most, and she knew that this situation was going to get uncomfortable for everyone. She thought of Revan as a most respectable enemy: a Jedi who had fallen to the dark side trying to do what others could not and putting an end to the mandalorian threat.
There were a lot of rumors about why Revan had betrayed the council, but none of them seemed real enough to satisfy her curiosity. She could only look at all the rumors at once and muster the idea that Revan was too complex to be explained this way. Bastila knew she would probably never learn all the reasons for Revan's actions even after months of interrogations. It bothered her very much not to understand what Revan had gone through because she wanted to be able to blame someone for everything that happened. Many of the Jedi had already placed the blame on Revan, and some were not certain if it was more the fault of the Jedi teachings, or lack there of. After all, Revan had many teachers, and she was a hero, even among the Jedi, long before she betrayed them. She was a great Jedi, and it was hard to determine what anyone else would have done in her place. If Bastila had gone to war with the Mandalorians, would she have fallen too? Was falling to the dark side inevitable in that circumstance, or was it done by choice? The Jedi had feared the dark side for so long now that they had no way of answering these questions without having lived it. Only Revan knew what she was doing, and everyone had to live with that for now. Jedi masters Vrook, Vandar, Jarr and a few more were all inspecting Revan for a long moment. All she could do was look back at them.
The Jedi masters had begun their questions in a systematical way. They wanted to follow a chronological order: starting from when Revan first took the initiative to leave the Jedi to lead a war against the Mandalorians. As expected, all of the information that Revan gave, the Jedi had already known... at least for this part of the interrogation it was. Revan was cooperative, however. She had to withhold some details from the Jedi, but they did not insist on knowing them. Some things they knew were better left out of the discussion. They could see that Revan still had respect for them and they were not interested in making matters worse by loosing it. They sensed that Revan did not fear nor hate them and her cooperation could only mean that she was not an enemy… though she was certainly not an ally. Revan remained neutral during the entire interrogation.
When it was time to discuss more recent events, everyone paused, uncertain of the mood it would create around them. Revan knew what had to be done: Darth Malak was not made to conquer the galaxy, nor was anyone supposed to. She had no desire to see the Republic fall forever; she had only intended to stir the galaxy, and it was sufficiently stirred to make way for new events. Darth Malak had to be stopped and though she knew the Jedi could not defeat him, she also knew they didn't have to. All she had to do was make the republic slow Malak's progress down until she could get help.
The existence of the Starforge came as a shock to the Jedi. They expected to hear a plausible explanation for the limitless sith forces that charged in from the outer rim but they had no idea such a device could be built. They had to act quickly because Revan told them how its productivity would increase until it is destroyed. Revan did not care for the thing: it was, after all, just a machine, and it could never be properly used by anyone anymore. It had served its purpose, and now it had to be destroyed.
Though no one showed it, all the Jedi in the room were relieved that Revan no longer seemed to be the dangerous opponent they expected her to be. Everyone was grateful for the information Revan provided them with, but there was much more they needed to discuss. Revan made it clear to everyone that she understood better than anyone what had to be done. She had to convince them that, for as long as Darth Malak was in the Starforge, there would be no stopping him. She told them that they would have to lure him away and strike at the factory with all they had. She did not want them to know the fate she reserved for her old apprentice. Even outside of the Starforge, Darth Malak would not be defeated by any Jedi. Malak had been at war for too long and had learned much from the Dark Lord Revan. Though it was not enough to make him wise like she was, it was enough to make him powerful enough to kill any Jedi in his way. Even if they send all of the strongest Jedi masters against him it would not be enough. Revan knew they would never send a strike force of Jedi masters after Malak unless they were sure of the outcome. She also knew that anything they send his way would not come back. She did not want anyone to die for nothing. It took a lot of convincing, and the Jedi masters could not deny that sending a squadron of Jedi after Malak would have terrible consequences. However, they explained to Revan that they couldn't simply do nothing. This did not go well with her but she could not do anything else than negotiate a compromise:
"Malak will be dealt with in time, I promise you. All I ask is that you postpone your plans to capture him until you have thought it through, and you are certain it will work. I beg you!" She said. Everyone was curious as to why she would promise such a thing. They all knew Revan had a gift of foresight when she was a Jedi, and they did not doubt that she had a good idea of what would happen to Malak if she had her power. However, she did not have her power and it made all the Jedi curious to know why she said that. All of them were probing Revan's mind for an answer to their questions… except for Bastila Shan, who was more interested in Revan's expression of concern for the Jedi's lives. After careful studying of Revan, the masters could not sense anything farther than her honesty and perhaps a combination of feelings that seemed to have been present for a great portion of the interrogation. She had a lot on her mind, and she knew how to make it difficult for the Jedi to read.
Everyone in that room had much to think about, and plans to capture Malak would have to be postponed until the Starforge was destroyed. They could not yet agree to Revan's terms: there were just too many things to consider for the moment. The conclusion of this interrogation would have to be decided after a very long recess. Revan had told them all she wanted, and now the ball was no longer in her court. She already knew what the Jedi would say to her about it in a few days. All she wanted was to warn them of the danger because she cared. She cared about the poor Jedi knights that are given these suicidal missions. It was not right for them not to know it was a suicidal mission and that they had no chance of success. Now she was considering the possibility that she may yet get help before the Jedi do this. She wished she had her powers to see if she could get it done on time to save them, but the less she thinks about that the better. She still had to make everyone trust her, and the first way to do that is not to think about how powerless she is because she still has all the charisma that she used to have. That was all the power she needed. No matter how many Jedi hated her, she still had her ways of remaking friends. She could see that in the way Bastila treated her on their way back to her room. Though it currently served as a holding cell, this room was just like any other. It was not locked, but it was being monitored from the outside. The Jedi had no more reason to think she could escape, but they were not ready to bet on it. Revan was very, very smart and she is capable of surprising just about anyone.
It did not bother her too much to be stuck in a room like this because she was free to have visitors, and that's all she needed. Anyone who had enough respect for her would eventually make their way to her room. She would have her chance at redemption. She was hoping Bastila would stay with her for a while, but with all that was going through the young Jedi's mind, Revan could not expect it from her. She would have to wait some time before things calmed down. The next morning, Revan ventured out of her room to make her way to the cafeteria. She didn't even have to think about it, but, for some reason, she was almost sure they would not bring food to her room this morning. It did not matter much: she understood that everyone was still under the impression that Revan's presence was just a rumor and that no one in particular was assigned to take care of her. She was not an ordinary guest at all. On her way there, she knew she was being carefully watched, though she could not pinpoint who was assigned to guard her. Normally, it would be easy to find who it was by their actions and by the way they looked at her. The problem this time was that everyone was looking at her in the same way and acted the same way: They all seemed to be in utter disbelief. All they did was exchange glances and whispers as she made her way to the fruit table.
It was a beautiful morning like it almost always was in this continental area. Revan had a craving for fresh fruit. All she wanted to do, for now, was to grab a fruit basket and make her way to the little garden near the eastern entrance of the enclave. Luckily for her, this spot was not occupied, and she could attend to her needs in solitude. It was only then that she could see who was following her. She did not care much who it was, but she was relieved to see that she knows this man; it was an old friend of hers. She did not know Vin well or remember much about him, but she knew that she could trust him. He was looking at her from a distance, giving her a look disappointment. She had expected this from him, but she also expected him to approach her, which he didn't. Revan didn't mind that; she felt like being alone for a while. The next set of Jedi that passed along the garden, however, seemed much too frightened to give her a stare like that. The Jedi trainer and the two padawans moved as quickly as they could past Revan and didn't look back. Suddenly she felt too alone.
Fear was far worse to Revan than disappointment. It only meant that some misunderstood her, and for the Jedi to show signs of fear was not good at all. It might take a little longer than she had originally thought to redeem herself in the eyes of the Jedi. When she was done eating, she returned her basket to the cafeteria and made her way back to her room. It was only then that her old friend, Vin, approached her. At first, he was a little nervous. He had no idea how Revan would react to his questions and was even less sure if he was even supposed to talk to her, but he could not help it. Like every other Jedi, he was curious about one thing more than anything else: Is Revan still evil or had she changed? The rumors that spread had mentioned that she had been rendered powerless but failed to mention if the Jedi council was able to turn her back to the light side beforehand. It was not important because Vin was soon going to find out by her reaction to his question.
"I was never evil." Revan said. He didn't seem convinced. He thought that she probably meant that she was not fully evil and that she was able to turn back to the light side of the force. However, Revan meant what she said and did not insist on explaining any of that to anyone. It was better if the Jedi believed that she had been evil for a time and was over it now. Revan was able to answer most of his questions as honestly as she could and saw that it was helping change his mind about her.
Vin was under the impression that the Dark Lord of the Sith would be beyond any redemption and that it would have changed Revan forever even without the dark side of the force constantly whispering to her. He was wrong about all of this, but so were all the Jedi, and even most of the sith believed it too. She was the only one that knew this for a fact, and no one would believe her if she mentioned that she had almost full control of the dark side when she was the Dark Lord: Most of the time she could choose to ignore its whispers if she wanted to. She was very strong indeed. Even is she explained this to him, he would not understand so she didn't bother trying. Perhaps this is what she should have talked to Malak about when she had the time. She was always hoping that he could learn this on his own, but it was too late for regrets.
Some days went by when she had very few visitors, but, when those days were over, she felt it was safe enough to venture around the enclave. The rumors were almost all dissipated and everyone felt a little better about having the ex-Dark-Lord living with them now that they knew a little more about what was going on. Revan tried her best to be as polite as possible to everyone that ventured near her. Moreover, she was being nice to everyone; she had no reason not to. Some of the Jedi were kind enough to act nice around her even though they felt awkward. As expected, most of them just kept their distance and it would take long before they accepted her. When she had nothing to do and no one to talk to, she would go visit the training grounds where all the padawans were practicing many of the Jedi's physical exercises. It made her remember that she had achieved amazing things and it made her forget that, to the Jedi, these things she did didn't mean much anymore: they had other problems and new heroes to look up to. Speaking of which, as Revan was giving a few pointers to two teen Jedi who had a bit of trouble balancing themselves on their hands, Bastila was approaching from a spot she had been observing Revan from. The council was ready to talk with Revan again. This time, on the way there, Revan spoke to Bastila.
"Thank you for watching over me" she said.
"Someone had to do it" Bastila was quick to reply.
"Maybe, but I was glad it was you".
Bastila knew what Revan was talking about: the Jedi didn't expect to get anything from Revan after she was captured and even as a captive she was dangerous… they could have let her die there that day.
When they finally arrived at the council chamber, master Vandar had given Revan the vague answer that she was expecting. The Jedi would do whatever they could to protect the republic after they destroy the Starforge. All the Jedi in the room were satisfied with Vandar's comment and did not add anything more on the subject: they all were too sure of themselves; even Bastila thought they had a chance to capture Malak. It didn't make much difference anymore because soon she would be given a chance to prove herself trustworthy and that was the most important thing for her. Like her, the Jedi masters had many secrets and would never go in many details about their plans even to some of their own Jedi knights, not until the right time anyway. Some of the Jedi would suffer a terrible fate at the hands of Malak and all Revan could hope for is that it wasn't anyone she knew. It was time to address another issue: she still had to have permission to leave the enclave and she wouldn't get it if all she could do was walk around. She suggested to the council that they let her assist the Jedi trainers until they gave her permission to leave. It was not something the Jedi would feel comfortable with and the masters feared that Revan would influence the young padawans too much. However, they wanted to give her a chance to do something so they suggested a counter-offer. They agreed to let her serve as a spotter while the padawans trained. Though it would not be the young padawans that they would let her help; it would be the older and wiser ones that had less chances of being influenced in a bad way. To her, it was all the same: she would not discriminate.
For the next few months, the Jedi were too busy finalizing their battle plans to destroy the Starforge to notice the improvements that Revan triggered in the padawans placed under her care. They were ready to lure Malak away from the Starforge and strike it with everything the Republic had. Their plan had worked as expected; Malak had not expected the Starforge to be found and was too late to defend it. However, he was able to see the good in this situation. The Republic used all the power they had to destroy it and though a lot of their vessels were able to escape after, he could see that they had also been greatly weakened by this attack. He also had a great reserve of ships left patrolling around the galaxy and a lot of the ones defending the Starforge had been left unharmed. His fleet outnumbered the republic's forces and he had only to be more patient to see them fall. The Republicans celebrated their victory but it did not last long. Though they were unaware of Darth Malak's reserve forces, they knew they still had a lot of fighting to do. Their tactics manly consisted of hit and runs on the Sith patrols everywhere they could find some, but Darth Malak used that to his advantage; while they attacked his patrols, he would attack planets and kill countless innocent people. He could strike at people from orbit and remain unchallenged, most of the time. The days of the Republic were counting down and it was only after the Sith destroyed an entire planet that everyone realized that. Thankfully, Malak did not perceive the Jedi that were still alive as a threat. He knew none of them could defeat him and those that tried would be dealt with easily. It was only once the Jedi masters failed to capture Malak that they understood the fate of the galaxy.
From now on, the Jedi had to tend their own flock; it was not a question of attacking the Sith anymore, it was defense. All they could do was set some of their force in key areas of the Republic that were vital to its survival. Malak's plan was not to attack those regions; he would weaken the rest of the Republic until they had nothing left but the Jedi to protect them and then his final victory would come. With jedi like Bastila around those targets, it would not be easy to take them out. He was not about to attack them until he was sure of a swift victory; he would wait for years if he had to.
It was at that time that things started to cool down. The Jedi had much to rebuild and had to focus on making great Jedi knights if they were ever to defeat Malak. That was when they noticed how well Revan was doing her job. Though it was not easy at first for her students to accustom themselves to her teachings, it progressed very rapidly. They were very impressed about how well she could teach them even though she did not have the force. They immediately saw how wise she was and understood where her true power came from. They were very pleased to have her as their instructor and wished she was allowed to teach them more about other fields than just physical training. There was just so much more they could learn from her. Revan did not insist on sharing such knowledge because it would mean she would get into trouble. In the end, it was that silence that made her earn the council member's trust. After a long review of her work, they allowed her to take one of the old cargo ships to go wherever it was she wanted to go. It was a very small thing with minimal weapons and shields; something that they did not use very often. Revan didn't mind. Where she was going, she did not need much more than that. She also knew where to get a much better ship once she had her powers back. Once she took care of business, she would have to go back to the enclave on Dantooine and make a deal with the Jedi for absolute freedom. That is why it did not matter that she gets a better ship yet: she would not need it for a while.
Space travel was lonely for her; she did not find this cargo ship comfortable at all and it was much too empty for her taste. She spent all of her time trying to remember exactly where to find Steve. Though she knew the coordinates of his planet by heart, she found it difficult to remember the city he lived in. They all looked the same to her. Once she was orbiting the planet, she scanned a great part of its surface to see if she could remember parts of it. Meanwhile, Steve could sense her presence and sped his way to the rendezvous point. It was a park near his family's house; a very small clearing surrounded by houses. It was almost systematic; for a certain number of houses, there had to be a field or park. Revan laded the ship relatively quick and could see that Steve was already waiting for her. He had very few bags with him; filled only with the items he needed. He had very few clothes with him. It was time to change his clothing style anyway: he had to blend in with the rest of the galaxy after all. He thought of bringing weapons of his world with him but foresaw that he would not need them. Almost all he had with him were the things Revan had made him make. He also had made himself a black outfit that best fit his style. Though it was the only one he had quite like it and wasn't exactly as best as he could make it, he loved it and would wear it all the time where he was going. It would be his new signature and he was happy with it.
Naturally, everyone around the field just stared at the ship. A part of his family was also there, but they did not want to draw attention. They kept quiet and watched as he left. As soon as he was onboard, the ship took off. He was so happy to see Revan again. And this time she was flesh and blood. She was everything he had hoped. He liked her very much and was very excited to finally start his adventure with her. Steve knew from the moment she appeared to him that he couldn't ask for a better life. For as long as he was with Revan, everything would be beautiful to him. Revan had already told him the same about him many months ago, but it was only now that he could admit the same: Now that everything he wished for had happened. After they embraced themselves, Steve immediately showed Revan the progress of his training. This took the entire trip, as they had not seen each other for as long as Steve had Revan's powers and he had much to show her and many questions to ask. He was not ready to face Malak yet, but he certainly had what it would take. At this point it was only a matter of double-checking everything and fortifying his confidence. He would soon have more than enough confidence to accomplish his mission. Revan wasted no time. She had to introduce Steve to the Jedi.
For as long as she withheld his existence from them, they would never be able to trust her with her old powers back. Once they see what she is trying to do, after Steve could convince them of their intentions, they would not have much choice but to let Steve kill Malak. After all, he did not need to be redeemed. The Jedi had no reason not to trust him, nor did they have reasons to trust him. However, once he does what he will promise, they will have no choice but to leave him be.
Before they arrived at the Dantooine enclave, Revan requested that Steve wore Darth Revan's replicated outfit. He thought that was a good idea. It would definitely captivate the Jedi's attention, and he and Revan would be taken as seriously as they ever could be. Besides, it would be ironic for the Jedi to see someone else wear that armor and see Revan standing next to its wearer. It would certainly evoke the right impressions. It was important to show the Jedi what Darth Revan was really capable of and what she had meant to do with her new life. She was proud of Steve and could not wait to show him off. Steve could sense that from her and was very pleased. Even though the Jedi might not like him because of what he was, he felt great about himself. If the Jedi wanted to judge him in that way, and only see what he represented wearing that armor, it was not his problem. He would gain their respect one way or another, and he was not an enemy. He had nothing to feel bad about; all was well and he wanted the Jedi to understand this.
When the ship landed, Steve noticed that there were many people between him and where he was going. He had to remember his training and act as imposing as ever if he was to avoid a confrontation. The Jedi had no reason to attack him but for the simple fear that he triggered in them as he would walk by. This fear had to be strong enough to keep them away from him and Revan. He held her hand as they walked down into the enclave's entrance. As they had hoped, they met no other opposition but the screams of fear that came out of the younger Jedi. None of the Jedi knew what to do or how to react; all they could do was step out of the way, hands on they lightsabers, waiting to see something happen. Those that knew Revan, from all the time she had stayed with them, thought this was a joke of very poor taste, but when they got closer, they felt the power coming from her companion and immediately copied everyone else's reaction. Never had anyone seen such a scene. Everyone in the area was on the verge of panicking… yet no one dared break the harmony. They all would not believe that an enemy of the Jedi would simply deliver itself them. They recognized that Revan and her companion had very important business with the Jedi.
The way to the council chamber had felt very long for everyone. The tension was very high and the truth was about to be had. Some of the Jedi had the courage to follow the travelers into the council chamber only to be dismissed. Bastila was with the council members at this time: she had felt a disturbance in the force and immediately inquired about it. It was no secret to the master; they were expecting a visitor very soon but did not expect to see this. They were all in awe but did not show it… Except for Bastila, who was not ashamed to appear so. She was focused on Revan's hand. She simply didn't know what to think: Who was she with, and why did everything about this figure seem like Revan's past? That person was an imposing presence in the force and was wearing the Dark Lord's armor. Bastila thought that if Revan's companion was standing alone in front of her, she would be sure it was the Sith Lord she was looking at. But now it was all too confusing.
Revan spoke the first words:
"Steve and I have an important matter to discuss." she said.
"Ah, so it is Steve then." master Vandar said as coolly as he could.
A moment went by in silence, and Steve felt it was time to remove the mask. He had created the mood he was interested in, so he had no more use for it at the moment. He still had to act his part well, so he kept a neutral face. His eyes had a glow that made everyone believe he was serious, and with Revan's power, no one could get a glimpse of his thoughts. In order for the Jedi to truly understand who he was, he had to continue playing his role at all costs. With the use of his mind block, which was mostly a dark side power, he could fool anyone. The less they could learn about him now, the more they would understand what he was all about later.
"In order for our plan to work, we need to share it with you." continued Revan.
No one pretended to know what she was talking about so after a short pause she continued: "Remember when I promised you that Darth Malak would be dealt with?"
Another pause.
"Well Steve is here to fulfill that promise. He is the only one that is fit for the job. He will succeed, I promise you." she continued.
"How does he plan on doing that?" master Vrook snapped. He did not mean to say it that way but could not bring himself to believe what was happening. After all, if Steve was really a Dark Lord, he did not need the Jedi's permission to go after Revan's old apprentice. However, there was nothing ordinary about the circumstances and he should not have reacted like that.
"All he needs is a ship like the one you used to capture me and he will get the job done." Said Revan.
"I need to be dropped off at the sith academy on Korriban when Malak will be there. That means I need a pilot, a gunner and some time." Steve said.
"I also need you to continue housing Revan until I get back. In return, all I demand is that she is released upon my return." He proposed.
"What made you think we would want you to replace Malak at the head of the sith empire?" Vrook tried not to respond as aggressively as the last time.
"I am not proposing that I replace him. In fact, I am suggesting that you allow us to throw the Sith empire into chaos. By killing Malak, the Sith will have lost the only two leaders that they would ever follow. Their entire command structure will collapse and they will follow no one else. I guarantee it." Steve explained.
"We are aware of the status of the Sith's command structure. However, they will replace their fallen leader with one that they deem worthy. Defeating Malak may not be enough to collapse that structure." Master Vandar remarked.
"I can keep that from happening. The sith empire will remain leaderless and all their progress will be halted. What you decide to do to their forces afterwards is up to you. However, I suggest that you don't irritate them while they disassemble themselves; that will only cause them to try and stick together for a little longer." Steve clarified.
"How can you guarantee that you will not take command to the sith empire once Malak is defeated?" Vandar asked.
"I cannot make you believe what my intentions are, but the fact that you have nothing to lose in sending me against Malak and the fact that you haven't killed me yet is reason enough to let me do this." Steve stated.
"A ship with a Jedi crew and replacing one powerful enemy for another doesn't classify as being nothing to lose." Vrook was quick to reply.
"I am not your enemy, I am nobody's enemy." Steve said. A brief pause followed.
"Nothing will happen to your ship and crew. As for the outcome of my victory, surely you can see a glimpse of it through the force. The future is set and if you allow me to do what I asked, it will benefit us all." Steve explained.
"I do not foresee there will be any harm in what he asks, master Vrook… and it is premature to assume he is our enemy. Don't you agree?" Master Jarr asked his friend.
"Perhaps. What is it you want to do after this stunt of yours, dark one?" Vrook replied.
Steve had not expected to be called that, although he dressed in dark robes and his hair was dark, he still did not feel that title was appropriate. It bothered him a little but tried to accept it might not be too far off his role to be called that. He did not expect that to feel wrong, but it did. Seeing the hesitation in her friend, Revan spoke for him:
"We will leave here and live in solitude and peace in an isolated part of the galaxy. We want to be left alone and start over again. No war, no politics… no empire, no order… just the two of us and perhaps a few others that seek our sanctuary." Revan was excited about it as she was saying it and had almost forgotten that she should minimize the details. It did not bother her that they knew there would be others with them, but it bothered her that they know she knew that. It would have been best not to mention others at all, but at least this way she didn't have to lie. She had to appear unsure of herself in order for them not to speak of the subject: There were going to be others in their journey and the Jedi were not ready to know of them. Not yet.
The Jedi masters felt it was time for a recess. They had a habit of discussing matters between each other for hours before reaching a conclusion they already knew they would reach from the beginning. It was their method of feeling secure about their discussions. This way, they felt all the angles were covered and they didn't leave anything out. Of course, they were not all-knowing and they often left things out, but what they didn't know did not hurt them.
During this recess, Steve and Revan retired to her room. They could hear all the commotion on their way there, though they did not see anything. All the Jedi were curious to know what happened between their masters and the visitors, but, as usual, they had to create rumors. This time, the rumors were on target: they simply mentioned something about negotiations between Revan, her companion and the Jedi masters. The rumors described Steve as being a Dark Lord of unknown origin, which was not far from describing his current role: He had to represent the dark side of the force at this time. He could not be mistaken for a Jedi or even a dark Jedi: he had to be something else. Though a Dark Lord was far from being what he was, it would serve as an image for the Jedi's narrow perspective of his true nature. He felt a lot like Revan did when she claimed her title of Dark Lord of the Sith: It was only an image that people could understand. It was never her true nature. She was far more than that. However, it was necessary for her to be called that in order for her empire to be built. All the key events depended on her role and she excelled at playing it. Her power, her outfit and her incredible wisdom were a flawless combination to shape things the way she had to. Now, it was Steve's turn. For however briefly he would play this role, it would make all the difference in the world. Everything would be better from now on, and it would be better if the Jedi were not to blame for it. The galaxy had to fix itself, and, from now on, Revan would only intervene when she had to. If she did everything right, that would become very infrequent. That was why Steve was there. He was there to make Revan set things right. With his pure soul and Revan's powerful will, it would guarantee that things would be done right. They completed each other. Eventually, no one would deny that, but, for now, they had to remain with somewhat of a lower profile.
Not long after they settled down in Revan's room and began to discuss her situation in more detail, Steve sensed someone approaching and slipped his mask back on. Shortly after the door opened, Vin stepped into the room. He did not look happy at all. After taking a quick look around the room, he said:
"How could you bring him here with you!" He was pointing in Steve's direction. Though his mask was back on, the rumors had spread that he was in fact a man of significant dark power. "I thought you were through with the Sith… how could expect people to trust you after this?" He cried out. He was not interested in seeing Revan associate herself with the Sith after having gone through all the trouble of earning people's trust. It did not make sense to him. He thought Revan had told him the truth about her current alliances, but, now, he was not sure it was true.
"He is not of the Sith, Vin. He hasn't even seen another Sith yet." She replied calmly. She did not want to scare him; she knew that, if he had more fear than this, he might do something stupid. He was not a bad man, but fear could drive him crazy like it could do to almost anyone. Though he had as much time training as a Jedi as Revan, he was not quick at improving himself. He was a mere Jedi knight and not a particularly good one at that. He was not very strong in the force, but that did not excuse his slowness of learning. He was simply far too distracted, and, though it was not a bad characteristic, it could get him into trouble. This was not a good time for him to get into trouble, so Revan had to calm him down however she could. Telling him the truth seemed like the best solution. It would not reach anyone of importance in time to alter anything. Though Vin had friends, none of them were directly linked with anyone on the council. Also, Vin respected Revan's privacy, and that included her secrets. If she told him now, he would only tell his most trusted friends, and it would not travel far after that. His friends were not distracted as easily as he, but they would spread the word eventually. With Revan's power, Steve could see the positive in what Revan started. He saw into the future that some of the Jedi would be influenced in a positive way with this information. He let Revan continue.
"How is that possible? I can feel his power. You can't deny that!" Vin shouted. "He has more power than anyone, but this power does not come from the Sith or the Jedi, I promise you." Revan said soothingly. "I don't know where you dug him up, but, since nobody knows who he is, you might be telling the truth. I can still feel the dark side about him though." As Vin said that he took a step forward with his hand on his belt near the hilt of his lightsaber. At the same time, Steve slowly took a step back and lifted his right hand up, signaling Vin to stop. With his other hand, Steve was making a gesture that conveyed the message that he wanted Vin to calm down. Vin suddenly calmed down and stood still for a moment. He then turned to Revan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed not far from where Vin was standing now and a little farther from where Steve had been standing before the interruption.
"What are you up to Revan? Why would you jeopardize your good relations with the Jedi? This is an odd move, even for you." He said in a semi-whisper.
"I just want to be left alone; I don't belong here, you know that… I am not going to cause trouble if that's what you're asking." Revan confessed.
"I know you don't feel like you're very much wanted here, but people were starting to open up to you, and you can do it again. It's not too late." Vin said.
"You don't understand, Vin. I never truly believed I belong here, even before the wars… even before we met the first time. I respect the Jedi, Vin, but I don't want to live like this anymore. I have great things awaiting me out there, and I could never do them for as long as I am trapped here." She explained.
"I am always going to be friends with you Revan, and there are others like me. There will always be a spot left for you among us if you ever need anything. I just hope what you're about to do will be worth it, but I guess I'll find out eventually." Vin stood up straight and looked over Steve's direction again. He stared at him for a moment and then left the room.
Steve and Revan had some time before the council would inform them of their discussion. They had many things to do. It was not long ago since Steve had even seen a spaceship. If he was to be able to operate any machine or computer in this region of space, he had learn the most important ones quickly. The most important thing for him was to learn how to use the communications devices. The most used one was the com-link, but that would be very easy to learn. The other method was the use of holograms. This method was more complex because it had to be done through a computer interface. After he had learned that, he wanted to take a shower. It would take a long time before he would have another chance to take one. Before he took the shower, he had to go through his plan with her. Revan got to work on a datapad that contained most of what he would need, including the schematics of the sith academy on Korriban. Soon after he got out of the shower, he was ready to go.
Before Bastila could knock on their door, Revan and Steve exited the room and followed her to the council chamber. Bastila was not comfortable beside them, so she followed them from behin, trying to observe them. She did not like what was going on; it felt wrong, and it didn't make sense. She had been a Jedi for as long as Revan had, and, in all her experience, she was rarely wrong to trust her feelings. Once they entered the council chamber, they found that there were just two of the masters there: Vrook and Vandar.
"Jarr went to prepare the ship for you, it won't be long until it is ready to depart." said Vandar. "Once you have completed your mission, we will allow you and Revan to leave." Vrook said.
Once they were dismissed, Steve and Revan made their way to the landing pad together. This time Bastila remained with the council members; they had matters to discuss. The ship was bigger than Steve had expected. Before now, he had only seen one ship from close. This one was astonishing. It looked a lot more professional. He was happy with it. Since everything was a new experience for him, he had to treasure every moment. They both climbed onboard and visited the interior of the assault vessel. It was very clean compared to the cargo ship. When they entered the storage room, they noticed two Jedi talking to each other. These were going to be his shipmates.
"We are just about done here. If you have anything to do, make it quick." One of the Jedi said. It was time for Revan to get off the ship and wait with the Jedi for his return, just as they promised.