Coruscant, Jedi Temple
"Oi! Master Vrook!" a young man moving at high speed yelled out
"So disrespectful to your teachers, Padawan Revan," an old man in a long brown cloak replied, "most of your other teachers may overlook this because of your immense natural talent, but I will not."
Revan bowed slightly. "My sincerest apologies, Master Vrook," he said, not the least bit apologetic. "I was just wondering if you knew where Tanya was?"
"Last time I saw Padawan Chen, she was in the archives; which is where you should be, studying."
"Studying? I don't study, I learn through doing, not reading about it."
"Brash as always, Padawan. Your tendency to have the facts right and come to the completely wrong conclusion never ceases to amaze me. Master Kavar finds it quite amusing. Padawan Chen is currently tutoring Apprentice Shan."
"You're right, Master Vrook, I should be studying. Sorry to leave in such a rush, but I have to get to the archives."
"Leave Apprentice Shan alone. She needs to study as much as you do. And I don't want your impulsiveness to rub off on her."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You should be more worried about my arrogance rubbing off on her!" Revan shouted as he sped down the hall. He was running close to his top speed, using the Force to turn corners and avoid obstacles. He was very proud of his physical abilities, especially when he used the Force to augment them. He reached the archives in very little time, pushed on the double doors with the Force and entered followed by a rather large gust of wind.
"Always one for the big, flashy entrances, eh David?" a small girl with short black hair asked. "I don't think there is a person in the entire temple who doesn't know where you are."
"You know me Tanya," Revan replied casually, "I have to be the center of attention. Besides, it always impresses Bastila." He winked at the other, younger girl sitting at one of the terminals looking at him with an awed expression on her face. She blushed at his attention and tried to hide behind her screen.
"David, you are incorrigible," Tanya said, punching him in the arm.
"Ouch," He faked pain in his arm, making a show of it. "There you go using big words which no one else cares about."
"Is Padawan Revan giving you trouble again, Tanya?" A slightly lower voice asked. The rather tall boy asking the question stood behind Revan, casting a long shadow over both Revan and Tanya, "Should I remove him from your presence?"
"Dammit Malak, David's my friend. And stop treating me like royalty. Jedi hold no rank, we are all equals. You don't serve me anymore. Besides, I just finished patching you up from the last time you fought David."
"Don't listen to her, big guy. I'll take you on anytime, anyplace. Besides, how else is she gonna practice her healing skills." Revan dropped into a ready stance, about to draw his lightsaber. He felt a stasis field come over him, and saw one over Malak, too.
"David, don't provoke him. He'd fight to the death if he thought it would save me. Or, if it were against you. He doesn't like to admit anyone is better than he is. Or, that he considers you a true friend."
Shrugging off the stasis field, Revan said, "Tanya, he's a good friend, but he really needs to get over you." Revan walked over to Bastila's terminal. Leaning over it, he asked her, "Do you wanna get out of here? I know this good place for Deralian cuisine. That's your favorite? Right? It's just a few buildings away. Let's go grab an evening meal together."
"B-b-b-but, what about the Masters? Won't they get angry at us?" Bastila asked timidly.
"Sure they will, but with my talent, and your charm, they won't do anything to us. Besides, they're just a bunch of tight-assed old coots. Come on, it's my treat." He took her wrist and almost dragged her out of the archives.
"Do you think we should follow them?" Malak asked, still a little dazed from the stasis field.
"Most definitely. We'll need to keep David out of trouble and Bastila safe from David." Tanya replied; dashing out the doors after them, Malak only a few steps behind.
Deralia, David Revan's homestead, A few months after the destruction of the Star Forge
David woke up with a start. He heard Bastila's soft breathing beside him. He felt her silky smooth skin upon his own. He smelt the fragrance she put in her hair just for him. He reached over and put his arm around her, and gave her a small kiss on the nose. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he crawled out of bed and put on his robes. The dreams of his past were getting more and more frequent, and not all were as pleasant as the one he'd just had. He knew something was out there, beyond the Outer Rim, possibly beyond the edge of the galaxy. He grabbed a cup of caffa and went out to sit on the porch. Deralia was a garden world. It may not be his actual homeworld, but it was home enough. The sun was just rising over the peaks that marked the far end of his land. The Republic had given him this estate in recognition of his actions in the "Jedi Civil War." For a little while, he would live peacefully here, but he knew that time was drawing short. The glamour of his recent actions would wear off and he would be called to answer for past crimes. Crimes which he was only now beginning to remember, and understand. But there was a greater threat out there. One which the Republic could not hope to beat back. He had seen the advance force before. The advance force of whatever this threat was, and he had beaten it back by the skin of his teeth. He could not remember much about the incident, but he knew that he would have to go out beyond the Rim again soon. And this time he might not return.
"David?" Bastila asked groggily, coming out in just the bedsheets, "David, what are you doing up so early? Was it another dream?"
"Yes, although this one was more pleasant. Do you remember when I took you out on what we might call our first date? Before you were a Padawan?"
"The Deralian Diner. Yes, I remember. Was that what you dreamt about?"
"Yes." David stared off into the rising sun.
"Come back in; come back to bed."
"I'm sorry princess, once I'm awake, I don't go back to sleep well. Go take a shower, wake yourself up. I'll prepare the morning meal."
Wordlessly, she went back in. David sat gazing at the sunrise for a couple more seconds before heading in too. He began preparing the morning meal. He heard the shower running, and could faintly smell the fragrant soaps Bastila loved to use. His senses had always been sharp. By the time he had finished, Bastila was clad in her robes and sitting on one of the couches. He brought her meal to her and sat down beside her.
"David, is something wrong between us?" Bastila asked after a few moments
Taken aback by the question, David took a few seconds to reply. "No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"
"For the past month you've gotten quieter and quieter. I'm worried about you. What's wrong?"
"I don't know," he replied hesitantly. "I have this feeling that there was more to my plans as Dark Lord than just conquering the Republic, and I know there's a great threat out there, but I'll be damned if I can figure out what it is."
"You don't have to fight these fights anymore. Just be with me. I love you."
"I love you too, Bastila, but whatever's out there has me scared. Terrified even. I have to go back out there. I'm the only one who can slow them down. I want you to come with me."
"I..., I can't. David, I'm pregnant. We can't put the baby in that kind of danger."
"You're pregnant? How... When... What... Bastila, I can't just ignore this. I can't let you raise a child of mine on your own. I can't let a child of mine grow up without a father. But I can't ignore what's out there either. If you wanted to put me into a difficult decision, then you sure did well. Dammit!"
"David, I only told you because I want you to have a reason to come back. Go, fight the evil out there, but come back and raise our child with me. I want you to have a reason not to die out there, because if you do, it'll kill me too."
That night David Revan took the Ebon Hawk to the deepest parts of space, leaving no trace of his existence behind, except for one exceptionally talented child.
Ebon Hawk, 5 years later, on the outskirts of the Malachor system
"Atton, dammit, where are you?" Tanya Chen was furious. "When I say leave me behind, I mean it!"
Atton backed away from her quickly, "Gee, and here I was thinking you'd thank me for saving you. Sorry, next time you want to throw yourself to the wolves, I'll wish you luck from a galaxy away."
She grabbed his arm, reached around and grabbed him behind the neck and kissed him. Then she slapped him.
"Ok, now I'm really confused," Atton rubbed his jaw.
"The slap was for disobeying my orders. I don't need people to protect me, I need people to survive me. The kiss was the thank you that you wanted. And don't think you'll get too much more than that ever!" As she left the cockpit, leaving Atton bewildered at the woman he fell for, she ran into Mira.
"And get your eyes off my ass," She shouted back into the cockpit, "Oh sorry Mira, is there something you want?" she asked more than a little irritated.
"Nah, just checking to see if you're still ok, and it sounds like you are. You know, if you like, I can bind him for you and stick him in a cargo canister." Mira tried, and failed to hold back a laugh.
Shaking her head, Tanya replied, "No, he'll get what he has coming to him soon enough. Do you know where T3 is?"
"Nope, can't help ya." She started to walk away, the turned around, "You know, I don't care if you want to get yourself killed, but if you're gonna do that, at least give the flyboy some satisfaction. You can't hide that much from me." The she bolted.
"MIRA, I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Tanya screamed, marching into the main hold. She reached over, grabbed the wall and screamed again, "IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO GET INVOLVED IN MY PERSONAL AFFAIRS I'LL OPEN UP YOUR THROAT."
"Deet-dwoo-do deet?" T3 had rolled up beside her. Almost mechanically, she kneeled down and began tinkering with his systems. It was only a few seconds before she began bawling her eyes out. T3 just sat there, quiet. When her tears stopped, she asked him, "Why did he have to die, T3? Why did Bao-Dur have to die in my place? I'm the one who should be dead, not him."
"Dwoo?"
"I'm sorry T3, I didn't mean to trouble you. Thanks for helping me out."
"Deet-de-dee-deet."
"What? A recording? From who? From where?"
"Doo dee-dwoo"
"David? Beyond the Outer Rim? Play it for me."
"Crew of the Ebon Hawk, whomever you may be, I need your help. I am David Revan. If you are seeing this recording, it is because I have not been able to succeed on my own. This T3 unit will unlock the navicomputer for you. I want you to come and find me. Again, whomever you are, I need your help."
"David, after all this time. You're still alive? Oh nii-san." Tanya got up, "Well T3, go unlock the navicomputer and tell Atton to take us to David.