Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, even though I am an avid fan of it. Star Wars and KOTOR belong to George Lucas and BIOWARE.
Chapter 2: Beating the Odds

With Master Guan off to prepare for Revan to announce to the Sith Empire of his return, Revan left the observation room and took an elevator to the War Room where Bastila was using her Battle Meditation to wipe out the Republic Fleet.

The elevator slowed to a stop and it door opened to reveal the holographic display of the battle going on around the Star Forge and Bastila kneeling before the display in a deep trance; concentrating all her unskilled Battle Meditation powers into conducting the Sith Fleet, while still draining the Republic Fleet as well.

Revan's presence in the Force seemed to influence Bastila for a moment, strengthening her efforts for a few seconds, before her concentration broke and her eyes fluttered as she removed herself from the trance. She looked at Revan's black form and rose to her feet; after a bow she gestured to the elevator that lead to the observation room that Revan had come from, "Welcome back Lord Revan, I knew you pitiful apprentice would be unable to defeat you, the true Lord of the Sith." She turned to face the holographic battle as it flashed with the movements of the ships surrounding the Star Forge, "As you can see, the Republic Fleet is in complete disarray, our attacks have destroyed any hopes they had of reforming their battle lines and are falling back. My Battle Meditation is not even needed to ensure our victory."

Revan shook his head, "No Bastila, I want your influence on this battle until the last Republic ship is destroyed, as you know the Republic and their Jedi pawns have an annoying habit of beating the odds and I won't give them that chance."

Bastila bowed, "Of course Lord Revan," she then knelt again and entered into her trance so she could tap her Battle Meditation. Revan watched as the Sith Fleet's attacks suddenly became more clean and precise while the Republic, already outnumbered, became sloppy in their battles.

With a satisfied smile behind his mask Revan walked over to the elevator on the opposite side of the one that had brought him here to begin with.

After walking down a short hallway Revan arrived at another elevator, however this time the elevator pad was not here. Revan quickly called of the elevator pad to come to his level and them he suddenly felt a tremor in the Force.

He looked down the elevator shaft and saw three figures standing on the approaching elevator pad. Two were just Jedi Knights, but the third, easily a fourth the size of the other two Jedi was no other than Jedi Master Vandar.

Revan's eyebrows shot up in shook, How could he have survived? I saw his Republic Cruiser explode! But some how Vandar had survived and was now coming to confront Revan.

However, as the elevator rose it stopped on the level below him and the three Jedi all got off the pad. Revan felt his anger well up inside him, No!! He may have escaped my Fleet but he will not escape me!! Revan then jumped down the elevator shaft, using the Force to slow his descent until he landed in a crouch on the waiting pad, his cloak pooling around him.

Beyond the closed elevator door Revan still felt the strong presence of the Jedi Master and with a smile under his mask Revan walked through the elevator door and saw a heated battle between the two Jedi Knights and a pair of Dark Jedi that had been sent to stop Revan and his crew as they made their way to Malak.

However, as Revan walked in he couldn't feel Vandar anywhere; bitter anger welled up inside him as he realized that Vandar had slipped from his grasp and he took it out on the two unsuspecting Jedi Knights. Deadly bolts of Force Lightning shot from his fingertips and the two Jedi fell to the ground in a sparking, smoking heap before they even realized they were in danger.

Revan walked up to the two Sith, who still held their active lightsabers, and pointed to the first. An elderly Sith holding a single bladed ruby lightsaber and most likely the younger woman's master, "Have either of you seen a third Jedi that came with these two?" He gestured to the scorched remains of the Jedi Knights.

The elderly man shook his head and his apprentice started to do the saw, but then she stopped and pointed behind Revan. The black clad Dark Lord spun quickly, expecting Vandar to be attacking him, but instead he saw the small Jedi Master returning to the elevator.

Revan swore motioning for the two Sith to follow him as he charged after Vandar. He had been distracted by the battle and the Jedi Master had been able to hide his presence from Revan until it was too late for the Dark Lord to do anything to stop and now Vandar was getting away again. By the time he reached the elevator it had already ascended to the Command Level where Bastila was.

Then Revan realized that Vandar wasn't here for him, but he was here to capture Bastila. Revan called out to Bastila in vain, knowing that the young unskilled girl was giving all of her concentration to her Battle Meditation, ignoring everything else. Only a strong push through the Force could alert her and Revan knew that Vandar wouldn't alert her to his presence and Revan himself was to far away.

Standing there, knowing that Bastila was being capture, yet powerless to prevent it filled Revan with rage. Suddenly he felt Bastila become aware to Vandar's presence for a moment, then the drowsy feeling coming off her told him that Vandar had her in Force induced Stasis.

He repeatedly called the elevator pad to him and finally in came, he and the Dark Jedi took it to the Command Level. The elevator door opened to confirm Revan's fears Vandar had taken Bastila. With a black rage in his heart Revan lead both Dark Jedi to other elevator, the one that Vandar had used to escape him.

The elevator arrived at their level and Revan quickly typed in a command for the elevator to take them to the last stop it had made; where Vandar and Bastila were.

As the elevator descended Revan realized how obvious it was, Bastila's Battle Meditation was allowing the Sith Fleet to coordinate well enough to trap the Republic Fleet here until its doom. Plus, if Vandar captured Bastila and brought her back to the Republic's side the conquest of the Core Worlds would become much more difficult to accomplish.

The elevator had descended five levels before it stopped and the door opened to show a small group of Republic craft all landed on a single pad. One transport and four Jedi starfighters were there, while ten Republic soldiers and four Jedi Knights watched over the hangar. Meanwhile Vandar, Admiral Dodanna, and six more Republic soldiers carried the unconscious Bastila aboard the transport.

When Revan and the Dark Jedi entered the hangar Vandar's small form turned to face him. In a surprisingly loud voice he called to the Dark Lord, "Revan!! Turn away from the Dark side and leave the evil of the Sith or you will be destroyed with them."

Revan responded by drawing his orange-red lightsaber containing the legendary Heart of the Guardian crystal in his right hand and his aquamarine lightsaber containing the Mantle of the Force in his left hand. Vandar and the rest of the party carrying Bastila quickly ran up the ramp while the Jedi Knights scrambled to their fighters. The ten Republic soldiers made a thin battle line in front of the transport while the ship began to start up.

One of the soldiers yelled something to the others and they began to open fire. Revan effortlessly blocked the volleys of blaster fire while slowly advancing toward the soldiers. Beside the Sith advanced as well, the elderly man using his single ruby lightsaber and his young apprentice using her violet lightsaber. Beside him the elderly Dark Jedi cried out in pain as a trio of blaster bolts struck home. His apprentice grabbed her fallen master's lightsaber and advanced with an enraged fire in her eyes.

The soldiers seemed to waver for a moment as the two Sith steadily advance toward them. Then the four Jedi starfighters thrummed to life and rose into the air, the rear two turned to aim at the two remaining Sith with their laser cannons.

Even Revan froze as he saw that amount of firepower aimed at him his lightsabers still humming in his hands. The Republic soldiers began to board their transport while the Jedi held the Sith back; once the last soldier was aboard the transport began to lift off.

In a angry cry Revan ran forward with a speed that could only be reached by using the Force, the two Jedi starfighters fired, but Revan was out of their line of fire before the laser bolts hit him, the other Sith wasn't so fortunate and with a cry a pain she was vaporized by Jedi attack.

Revan swung at the transport, but his blades hit empty air as the ship escaped the hangar. Behind him the Jedi starfighters were turning to bare on him and Revan glanced over his shoulder and with another burst of speed ran for the elevator while laser bolts hit the hangar deck sending explosions everywhere.

The elevator rose into up to the hangar where the Ebon Hawk was docked, while Revan silently cursed Vandar. The Jedi Master had just made Revan's victory much harder to accomplish.

The elevator arrived at the hangar and the door opened to reveal Canderous Ordo and HK-47 waiting at the Ebon Hawk's ramp. With a calm air of power Revan approached the freighter, with Canderous Ordo and HK- 47 waiting at the base of the ramp. The two of them walked out to meet him as he neared the freighter.

Canderous spoke first, "Good to see you back Revan, I knew Malak couldn't defeat you."

HK-47 nodded in agreement, "Statement: Did you enjoy blasting your meatbag of an apprentice, Master?"

Revan chuckled, "As a matter of fact I did HK. Now I want you to come with me to the Maintenance Level, I'm going to upgrade you systems and programs with the Star Forge's technology, including the Jedi-Killer program that Malak used with in the Star Forge's battle droids," he looked at Canderous, "Canderous ready the Ebon Hawk for lift off, we're going to the Rakatan Temple once I return. There I will name you Commander of the entire Sith Fleet and the chief leader of the invasion of the Core Worlds," Revan watched as the Mandalorian's eyes grew a excited look, "I know you and your fellow Mandalorians never got the chance to attack the Core Worlds because of me, but now you can have your chance."

Canderous bowed, "Thank you Revan I will be honored to lead your forces into glorious battle against the Republic." Canderous glanced at Revan's robes and noticed how the edges were burnt and had two blaster holes in them. He pointed to them, "What happened to your robes, Revan?"

Revan glanced down at the damaged robe, pushing them behind him, "Somehow Jedi Master Vandar and Admiral Dodanna survived the destruction of their ship, managed to board the Star Forge to capture Bastila, and escaped with her alive." Revan paused as he reached for Bastila's unconscious presence; it was near, but faint for a moment, then it disappeared suddenly, "If I had to guess, I'd say their ship just entered into hyperspace and without Bastila's Battle Meditation more ships could have escaped as well," with his voice full of disgust Revan continued, more to himself than to Canderous, "the Republic has managed to beat the odds again."

Revan walked off toward to the elevator, "Come on HK-47." The coppery droid followed its Master as they were whisked to the Maintenance Level, leaving Canderous to ready the Ebon Hawk.