AN: Hey there, FFW with a new chapter up. Its a little early, but that's a good thing, right?
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Disclaimer: The only thing I own that is anywhere related to SWKOR is my personal copy of the game. Other than that, nothing is mine!
Chapter 2: Confessions and Upper Taris Part 1
Revan sat up in a flash, gripping his head in pain. "Damn, what happened?" he asked out loud.
"You smacked your head on the side of the pod," Carth answered from a corner of the room. "Luckily, Trask and I escaped unscathed. After we dug you out of the wreckage, we came upon this abandoned apartment."
"Where's Trask now?" Revan asked, noticing that the soldier in question was nowhere in sight.
"He's trying to find a change of clothes. Walking around a Sith controlled planet in a Republic uniform isn't the best idea," the pilot explained. "There's one thing that's been bugging me though; just who are you?"
Revan sighed, not wanting to start an arguement with Carth. Unfortunately, he knew that the pilot would chain him up until he talked. "I'll tell you my story, Carth, but we must wait for Trask to return. I promised him that when we got to the surface, I would tell him everything," the ex-Dark Lord replied.
They didn't have to wait very long until Trask returned. "You're awake," the young soldier stated, seeing his companion at the apartment's workbench.
Revan smirked as he turned away from his little project. "Thank you, Captain Obvious," he joked.
"Alright," Carth announced, "he's back. Now can you tell us what's going on?"
"I will, but first you must hand your weapons over to Trask. I don't want you giving away our position when you lose your temper," Revan replied. Carth gave the man a strange look, but did as he was asked.
"Good. Now, you know me as Kale Kohn, but he was an engineered personality the Jedi Council had planted in my mind, after they had wiped it. You must understand, I did some very dark things in my life, but everything I did was for the sake of the Republic," Revan continued. "My name is Revan, Ex-Dark Lord of the Sith."
"You bastard!" Carth shouted, launching himself towards Revan. Thankfully, Trask grabbed his arm, holding him back. "You destroyed Telos. You killed my family."
"Commander, maybe we should hear him out. If it wasn't for this man, I probably would be space dust at the moment," Trask stated in an attempt to calm his CO.
Revan continued his story, not wanting a shouting match to take place. "That was not me, Carth. I specifically told Malak not do destroy Telos, but the moron did anyways. For his disobedience, I removed his lower jaw.
"Anyways, after the Mandalorian War, Malak and I took half our fleet into the Unknown Region, in pursuit of the bastards. What we discovered was far worse than the Mandalorians. We found the Sith."
"But aren't you Sith?" Trask questioned.
Revan shook his head, "No... well sort of. The Sith that you are thinking of is the remainder of my troops. We found the True Sith. There is a difference, but we don't have time to discuss that.
"Moving on, after fleeing the True Sith and returning to known space, I took on the mantle of Lord of the Sith, since I knew the Jedi Council would never support me, even if they believed me. So I took matters into my own hands," he explained.
"You attacked the Republic," Carth stated, venom in his voice.
"My goal was not to destroy the Republic, but prepare it for the coming invasion. The only way I could accomplish that was to conquer the Republic."
"Say I believed you, what will you do now?" Carth questioned, crossing his arms in front of him.
"Well, at the moment, my only plan is to rescue Bastila. After that, I have no idea," Revan answered truthfully.
That interested the pilot. "What is your connection to Jedi Shan?"
Revan sighed. What was between him and Bastila was theirs, and theirs alone. But, to gain Carth's trust, he had to be truthful and not hide anything. "The Jedi Council can never know what I am about to tell you. Bastila is my wife and soulmate," the force user answered.
"WHAT!"
"Be quiet!" Revan hissed. "Bastila and I have been married since before I joined the Mandalorian War. We'll go into details later, but the Jedi can't find out. If they ever did, the two of us could face dire consequences."
"You said something about a force bond while we were still on the Endar Spire. What exactly is that?" Trask asked.
Revan smiled. "You see, a force bond is extremely rare. One only forms when destinies are shared, or in this case, soulmates are found," he explained.
He then turned to Carth. "Carth, I know that you don't believe a word I just said, but right now I need your help. Bastila is injured and alone. I begging you to help me save my wife. She means more to me than anything else in existence," Revan pleaded, speaking from the heart.
Carth was stunned. There, on his knees, was the man that he blamed for the death of his family, begging for help to save his own. Somehow, Carth knew that Revan was telling the truth.
"I'll help you, Revan. I don't trust you, but I see the fear, the worry, the pain in your eyes. I promise that I will do whatever I can to save Bastila," the pilot swore.
Revan stood up smiling, holding out his hand. "Thank you, Carth. I know it won't be easy, but somehow I will gain your trust."
Trask grinned, seeing the two men shaking hands. "Alright, I talked to some of the residents and found out that we can make some credits from either Pazaak, the dueling ring, or collect a couple of bounties," the soldier explained.
Revan nodded. "That's good, but before we discuss anything else, can someone please tell me what planet we're on?"
"Taris," answered Carth.
Revan smirked. "Taris, huh. There are a couple people that owe me some favors here. The only problem is that they live in the lower section of Taris," he stated.
Turning towards his companions, Revan explained what they were going to do: "We need credits, so I'm going to enter the dueling ring. Trask, how skilled are you at Pazaak?" he asked the youngest member of the group.
The soldier grinned. "Enough to make a good amount of credits," he replied.
"What am I going to do?" Carth asked.
"You, my good sir, are going to find a way to get your hands on some Sith armor," Revan answered. Seeing the look on the pilot's face, he added, "We're going to need it to access the Lower City."
Carth sighed. "Fine, but I am not getting into bed with anyone," he stated.
"I never said you had to," Revan replied with a smirk. "Anyways, we should probably get moving.
"Exiting the apartment, the three men ran into a Sith patrol giving the local aliens a hard time.
"Move aside, scum," the human in charge ordered, "we are searching for any Republic outlaws that may have hidden here."
"You cannot just come into our homes and order us around," one of the Duros replied, earning him three blaster rounds through his chest.
Turning around, the Sith noticed Revan's party. "They're Republic soldier! Destroy them!" the human commanded.
Carth and Trask traded fire with the two droids as Revan charged forward. Drawing his swords, the Dark Lord decapitated the single human. The droids followed, a well placed shot to each head.
The surviving Duros approached the group. "Thank you. That will teach the Sith to stay out of our homes."
Revan nodded. "Yes, but won't someone come searching for this patrol?" he asked.
"Do not worry, I will dispose of the bodies," the alien replied.
"Thank you, my friend," Revan said. Turning around, he saw that Carth and Trask had already searched the remains, judging by the blaster rifle Trask was holding.
"We found a couple of grenades too," the soldier stated, seeing where Revan's eyes were.
"Good, you're learning," Revan replied with a smirk. Turning towards Carth, he said, "Carth, why don't you take a look around here before meeting us at the cantina."
Carth nodded, walking away in the opposite direction.
Exiting the apartments, Trask turned to Revan. "So, what do you know about Taris?"
Continuing on his way, Revan told the soldier everything he knew about the planet they were on: "Taris is divided into three sections. The first is the Upper City, which is where we are currently. Here, the rich and wealthy run the show. The second is the Lower City, which is controlled by the Swoop Gangs. The final section is the Undercity. I've only been there once, but it was not pretty."
Trask nodded, absorbing the information. "So, who are these contacts of yours?" he asked.
"The leader of the Hidden Beks, one of the swoop gangs, owes me for saving his life when their base was attacked by the Mandalorians. The other is a young Twi'lek named Mission. She had been captured by a Mandalorian raiding party, and was going to be sold into slavery. Luckily, I lead an attack on the base and rescued her. She then spent a week with us before we had to leave. Last thing I heard, she had befriended a Wookie," Revan explained. "Oh, I almost forgot the little favor the Hutts owe me."
"Huh?"
"Long story short, I saved an important Hutt and was rewarded with unlimited information whenever I need it," he explained.
"So basically, the Hutts are now your best friends," Trask chuckled.
"Basically. Oh, I also get 10% more from business deals with any Hutt," Revan added.
"That'll help us earn credits alot quicker," Trask commented.
Revan nodded his head as they entered the cantina. Turning to Trask, he said, "Alright, try to make as much as you can, but don't piss anyone off. Once you're done, wait for me in the lounge."
Trask nodded before approaching the other Pazaak players.
Revan left, seeing that the soldier had everything under control. Entering the arena, he spotted an old acquaintance of his.
"Ajuur, it's been a while," Revan greeted the slug-like creature.
The Hutt turned his head in the direction of Revan's voice. "Do I know you?"
Revan smirked, approaching the Hutt. "You hurt me, Ajuur. Do you not recognize the face of an old friend?" he asked in perfect Huttese.
Ajuur tried to recall this man's face, but he could not. "I'm sorry; I do not recognize you."
Revan smiled. "I thought you might forget, but surely you recognize this," he said, removing the left side of his shirt.
Ajuur's eyes bulged. There, on this man's shoulder, was a tattoo of a raven in flight, the mark of the Savior. "Revan! I am pleased to see you alive, but how? I thought Malak had killed you."
The Ex-Dark Lord grinned. "You can thank my wife. After Malak fired on my ship, she took me to the Jedi Council for help. They healed me, but attempted to erase my memories in the process," he explained.
The Hutt laughed. "They have made a grave mistake. Do they not remember you have the backing of the entire Hutt clan? Anyways, how is the lovely Bastila?"
"That's why I'm here, Ajuur. I need information about the Republic escape pods. Bastila was in one," Revan explained.
Ajuur frowned, rubbing his chin in thought. "Hm, I have heard that the Black Vulkars captured a female officer, and are planning to offer her as the prize for the annual swoop race. They didn't find any identification on her, but did find a strange weapon. Now that I think about it, it sounds like this woman could be your wife," he stated.
"Who are these Vulkars?"
"The Black Vulkars were a lesser swoop gang up until two years ago, when Brejik took command. Brejik had the support of Davik and the Exchange, so no one stopped him. Now, he has sworn a blood feud on Gadon and the Hidden Beks," Ajuur explained.
Revan nodded, storing the new information for later use. "Do you know where they are holding her?" he asked.
The Hutt shook his head. "I am sorry, Revan, but I do not. I believe that the only way to free her would be to win the big swoop race, which is in a few days. If you asked Gadon to sponsor you, I believe he would happily help you."
Revan nodded. "He still owes me for saving his blind ass. Anyways, I need some credits."
Ajuur smirked. "You could always enter the Ring. Think about it, 'The Mysterious Stranger Returns!' The fans will pay thousands to see you back in the Ring."
Revan grinned. "I believe you are correct, Ajuur. I'm ready when you are," he stated.
Two Hours Later
"There you have it folks, the Mysterious Stranger has reclaimed his title of champion."
Revan exited the Ring, walking towards Ajuur. "That was actually fun," he said to the Hutt.
Ajuur laughed. "Of course you would, Revan. Here is your winnings, 4400 credits. Also, there was a bounty on Bendak's head, so I suggest talking with Zax if you wish to collect the credits," the Hutt stated.
Revan nodded, pocketing the money. "Thanks for informing me about that, Ajuur. I'll look into it. Oh, I wanted to ask if I could keep the blaster," he said, holding up Bendak's blaster.
"It is yours, Revan."
"Thank you, my friend," Revan thanked, turning to leave. Before he did though, the Dark Lord informed the Hutt of a feeling he had: "Oh, Ajuur, I suggest finding a way off the planet. I have a feeling that Malak is on his way, and we might see a repeat of Telos."
The crime lord's eyes bulged. He knew, from past meetings, that Revan was rarely wrong when he had a gut feeling. "Thank you, Revan, I will see what I can do," Ajuur stated.
Revan smiled. "No problem. The only thing I ask of you, is to round up as many duelists as you can. I will need soldiers if I am to complete what I started."
Ajuur smirked, seeing a profitable arrangement. "I will try, my friend. Where do you wish us to meet?"
"I believe the Yavin System would be the best spot to hide an army. The fourth planet is littered with abandoned temples, so I suggest setting up there," answered Revan. "I am placing you in command until I arrive."
Ajuur nodded. "Thank you, Revan, it will be done. Do not bring this up with Zax, though. Davik has the traitor in his back pocket."
"Thank you for the warning, my friend. I will leave you to start your work," Revan said, exiting the room.
Trask was waiting for him in the lounge, just like he had asked. "Nice job, Revan. How much you make?"
"4400. What about you?"
"750. The guy refused to play after I beat him the fifth time," Trask answered with a grin.
Revan nodded. "Have you seen Carth yet?" he asked, not seeing the pilot anywhere.
Trask shook his head. "No, haven't seen him. Oh, you know how you told me not to piss anyone off?"
"What did you do?" Revan groaned.
Trask rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, there was this woman. She yelled at me since she hadn't gotten her drink yet, and demanded that I got it. I told her that I didn't know what she was talking about and to get it herself. She ran off, saying that her daddy would hear about this," the soldier explained.
Revan sighed. "Good going, moron. You managed to piss off the daughter of one of the governors. She's probably going to put a bounty on your head. If you didn't play a vital part in my overall plan, I'd let you deal with this crap yourself. You're lucky I need you, Trask," Revan stated, glaring at the young soldier.
Trask let out a nervous chuckle. "How 'bout we go see if Carth is at the apartment? Or why don't we go buy some supplies?" he asked, wanting to distract his companion.
Still glaring, Revan held out his hand. "Give me the credits. I'm going to go talk to some people while you wait here for Carth. I suggest you two talk to that woman at the bar when he gets here," the Sith Lord ordered.
Trask nodded with a gulp. "Understood."
Exiting the cantina, Revan let out a sigh. Trask was not helping to improve his mood. He had not heard from Bastila since he awoke.
"Bastila, can you hear me?" he asked through their bond. Not expecting a reply, Revan jumped when he felt another mind within his own.
"Is that really you, Revan?" a feminine voice questioned.
The Dark Lord smiled. "It's me, Bas. I've missed hearing your voice," he replied.
"I missed you too. Tell me, how do remember everything? I thought the Council wiped your memory?" she questioned.
Revan chuckled. "Well, I sort of bonked my head aboard the Endar Spire. Next thing I knew, all my memories played in my mind. Did you try to stop them?" he asked.
"I didn't know that they did it until after they healed you. They had kicked me out of the room beforehand, probably so I couldn't interfere," she replied. "I'm sorry, Revan. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. There was nothing you could have done," Revan stated. "Bas, can you tell me where you are?"
"All I can see is my cell door. They have a Neural Inhibitor on me. I'm having a tough time speaking with as it is. I'm sorry that I can't tell you more," Bastila answered.
"As I said before, it's okay. I will rescue you, Bastila. I even have some help."
"Who?"
"Carth Onasi and a young soldier named Trask. I told them everything, and I mean everything."
"Even about us?"
"Yes, even about us. Bas, um, I got to go. There's some woman approaching, and she has a couple of thugs with her. I love you," Revan said over the bond.
"I love you too."
Revan smiled, feeling better now that he talked with his wife. Turning to face the approaching woman, he asked, "Can I help you?"
"You were with that jerk at the bar. Nobody disrespects me and gets away with it. Get him boys," she replied, not even bothering to answer Revan.
This can't be good, thought Revan.
AN: Well, there's chapter two. That was the best spot to end it. It's kinda a cliff hanger, but we all know (those of us who played the game that is) how the situation plays out. I couldn't help myself from not making them man and wife. Hope you don't mind. Oh, and I bet no one saw the Hutt scene coming. Nowhere have I ever read the Hutts being friendly towards Revan.
Anyways, review and tell me what you think. Also, it might take me a little longer to write chapter 3. Next week is finals, then I have to clean the house for my open house, and graduation practice. Being a senior in highschool sucks, well the part where you have all this crap to do. Well, I'm gonna stop ranting now. FFW out.
May the Force be with you...