Chapter 1- Nar Shadaa
I served in the war, you see, the Mandalorian Wars. I witnessed like one or two really big battles maybe but never directly fought. I longed for it, I was good with a blaster. My grip would tighten around it and I would become one with it, unstoppable. I served on Dxun mostly, we always saw the battles. Well, okay, we always…glimpsed...battles. The Revanarchists, or "Sith" as we were told to call them were the ones fighting. They were led to victory by the strongest Sith of them all, he was Darth Revan. He was saving the galaxy and preventing the slaughter of innocence, he was a hero, how dark could the man be?
Single handedly he killed Mandalore the Ultimate over Malachor V, where Meetra served, he brought peace and ended the greatest war that had befell upon the Galaxy. He was a hero, my Hero. I nor any other sentient being on this side of Muunilist could comprehend why Revan was marked a traitor by the Jedi Council and the GalacticRepublic. I left the Republic eager the join him, but I knew it was going to be impossible to find him let alone fight for him. So I flew to Alderaan, found my shuttle and flew to Sleheyron. I was a stealth specialist with an interest for engineering and mechanics. Using the mechanical skills I acquired while serving in the wars I was able to hack into ship's navicomputers and fly me a course straight to Nar Shadaa without a single spot of trouble.
I landed in the Refugee Sector because I had heard a Quarren working for the Exchange needed a Smuggler - this was my calling. He was located in the offices right above the refugee smuggling rink. Naturally before going to meet him I headed for the Pazaak Den, really I just needed a drink but if you got a super power why not use it? Mine was Pazaak, I never lost...except for the first four games I played upon arrival. I'd bribed the den's guard to let me in, and then I was away. Pazaak was the only thing that felt more natural than the two blasters that I held in my holsters. I counted cards, not illegal in Nar Shadaa…as long as you don't get caught.
Soon I made my way to my fourth table, a young pale grey Twi'lek girl sat and was just finishing up on her last game when I approached. She looked at me for a second, intrigued. Her interest in me made me think of her as Exchange – they would come after me and beat me to death two rounds after playing with her. This girl intrigued me too. She was undefeated. She was perfect. She was a beauty. Part of my retirement goal included me having a young Twi'lek wife, I didn't love her, no, but love isn't something that just comes. Love is forged. My opening line was...uh, embarrassing, so, so embarrassing I forgot it- or repressed it. It was something about playing Nar Shadaa rules, but I have a feeling for our first date she would want our clothes to remain on. My ribbed jacket was going to be staying on my back.
I played with her for hours. She took her first loss of the night to me, but for every one that I lost she obviously would win. I counted cards, she counted cards - this made game all the more exciting. Then I remembered the Exchange meeting and panicked, I had forgotten and missed it. I had heard rumors, Quarrens got grumpy if they were kept waiting. I was dead, even more dead if I actually turned up. It would've been better to keep playing Pazaak. That way I could at least gain some credits and bribe any Exchange mercenaries that came my way. Sweat broke out on my forehead, those boys would come and break my neck. My neck, the only neck I had- and I wasn't prepared to lose it.
"Running scared?" came a voice, the Twi'lek's voice. She knew, she knew I was in trouble with the Exchange. Maybe, maybe she was Exchange. She was probably holding a blaster under the table. My doom was coming, she was going to shoot me in the gut. A wrong move or reach for my blaster and my stomach would be spilling out over my knees. What a way to go, shot to death by the woman you were going to marry over a Pazaak table. "Well?" she said again, I realised I hadn't replied to her... 'previous enquiry'. "What? Sorry? Just thinking." I replied in Basic, I didn't know how to speak Twi'lek and she knew that surely - the least she could've done is speak Basic to me. "You look as though I've cornered you." Oh my god! She was going to murder me! "What ever do you mean?" I asked in hopes that she wouldn't think I was onto her. "Your end is coming." "..." Not only was I speechless, but my mind was dead. I was terrified, she had just admitted to my death. Then she raised her hand, her right hand. It came over the table. It was probably a blaster, she wanted me to see what killed me, more noble, more comforting. Then...she placed a card. She placed the winning card! Son of a Bith! She was such a Gran! That...that Kath Hound! A Duros played the game more noble then that! She…she bested me!
I gave her the credits and stood, walking away. She smiled, she liked me. But now I couldn't win her over with credits. I headed over to the bar in the corner of the room, I was tempted to go to the cantina under the impression that the drinks would be better there but I had a feeling I'd have to bribe the door guard again, and now I had no credits. I knew that members to the Pazaak Den got drinks for free. The bartender droid was recharging via Czerka input in the wall. There was a Devaronian bartender on duty. Upon getting there he opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when the door burst open and five Trandoshan thugs ran in. Blood squelched under the feet so I assumed the door guard was dead now. Lucky me, wouldn't have to bribe him again. An old human looking out his window by the game table turned to face the thugs and then his face went pale. It felt like the color just left his face, converted to blood, and drained from what I expected would become a blast hole through his chest. Without a second's delay the front Trandoshan pulled out what appeared to be a Wookiee War Bowcaster and fired upon the man six times, he splattered against the glass behind him. The glass cracked but didn't shatter. The thugs walked out the way the came in, laughing to each other. And just like that it was done.
I guess I admired the thugs, a Bowcaster was the ultimate killing machine. But it made you less of a man to use a Wookiee weapon. The thugs were Exchange, without a doubt. But this wasn't there style, usually they extort before murdering. This was outrageous, but awesome. Was I really that sad that I found this murder amusing? I felt sorry for the poor guy, but this was war. This was the war of Nar Shadaa, the motto of the moon should be "Nar Shadaa, beautiful as long as you're on spices. Come at your own risk, because your life span here is halved." Okay, so that may not be a good motto, too big, but kind of effective…and truthful.
"So? Are you going to order something or just stand there and look pretty?" It was the Devaronian bartender. Like my Twi'lek Pazaak partner I'd forgotten he even existed. "Oh sorry, I'll take a pint of Juma Juice." I gave him a classic Atton one million credit smile. The man chuckled and leant over to the taps. He soon returned with the glass. "Here ya go. And I spiked it with some Kinrath poison seeing as you think of yourself as some sort of a hotshot heavy weight." It was by then I'd realised I'd already taken a gulp and suddenly I felt it coming back up, and out, all over the counter. Nice going there Rand. The Devaronian just stared. "That was a joke." He waited a few seconds and broke out into laughter before continuing to clean his glasses behind the counter. I proceeded to smack my head upon the counter thrice more before having another sip. I looked up, the Devaronian was wide-eyed and in shock. It was time to crack some wise, Atton style when I realised he was staring behind me at someone else. To confirm my suspicions I noticed no one in the room was talking, there was no music, no gulping of juices, and not a single slap of a card. It was the Exchange, it had to be, and they were looking for me. I dared not show my face, I looked down at the near empty glass but was distracted by the sound of heavy boots plummeting down on the floor. They were getting nearer.
A dark figure appear in the corner of my eye and pulled back a bar stool. He spoke soft yet with such intimidating words. He was comforting yet incredibly fearful. "What does a man have to do to get a drink around here? I'll take what he's having." He said to the bartender. That confirmed two things: he was a human male, that was detectable, and he was definitely talking about me. There was something else, his voice was muffled and he held a peculiar aroma. It was unlike most of the smells of Nar Shadaa. Instead of spices, tar and poverty this man smelled of smoke. He was a traveler, probably not with the Exchange then, but still not a friend. But heck, I wasn't gonna look at him. All I saw was the black. He was wearing something black. Then he spoke again.
"Heard you're looking for employment." I had to man up, I wasn't scared...okay I was, but I wasn't going to show it. "Yeah? Who'd ya hear it from?" He chuckled lightly as the bartender placed his glass on the counter. "Just because I hear it, doesn't mean I heard it from someone." What? What kind of an answer was that? This guy had been snorting too many red spices. He spoke again. "Now why did I order a drink? You know how hard it is to order a drink...no...you know how hard it is to drink a drink with a mask on?" Confused I decided the best course of action would be to reply honestly. "Well sir, can't say I do." "Sir? What's with all the formalities? I just wanted to offer you a job." I was interested, I looked up from my glass to the bartender's curious face. I think the man noticed I was interested too. I was careful not to look at the man sitting beside me, it showed weakness. "What do you think of the Revanarchists?" He asked. "Noble, while the Republic laid back and watched the war go on, the Revanarchists actually did well, and right, they saved a lot of lives." "So you'd say you don't agree with the Republic?" Careful Atton, this guy could be a Jedi, don't want to get in trouble now do you. I didn't answer. "I can hear it in your voice, you didn't lie to me just then. Truthful, I like that. You aren't half bad. Now, let's talk about getting you a job." He seemed kind. So I turned to him. The darkness I saw from the corner of my eye wasn't a false. He just wore a black hooded cloak robey thing that them Jedi wear. The hood swayed ever so slightly revealing his face, or what was concealing it. A red mask. Revan's mask.
That's why the bar had gone quiet.
Darth Revan.
Darth Revan was here.
Darth Revan was here on Nar Shadaa.
And he was here looking for me.
I nearly threw my drink up for the second time that night. He wanted me, to work for him. I was in no danger. "Alright, I'm your man." I slammed the glass onto the counter, not hard enough to smash it but just enough to scare the Gizka out of everyone there. The whole Den flinched with the smack on the bench. They were all jumpy, with a flick of his wrist all the people in this room could die an unimaginably painful death. "So kid, what's your name?" "Atton Rand, and what would you have me call you." The man in black chuckled. "...uh, please. Just Revan will do." He stood. "You wouldn't happen to know a way off this planet now would you Mr. Rand?" "We can take my ship, the Violet Horizon, fast freighter but weak if we're shot at." He headed out the front door and I followed. Out the front I noticed the dead door guard, but Revan didn't seem to notice...or maybe he just didn't care. This man was legend. In the cantina lobby were four Sith soldiers and a Sith officer. Revan spoke, "Officer Renly, contact first Admiral and tell him that we will be on our way in an unregistered space craft. Your orders are to stay here and wait for retrieval."
I led the Sith Lord out through the Refugee Sector and smiled as everyone who walked by wet their pants in horror. I led Revan to the Violet Horizon where we were 'greeted' by two thugs. One Aqualish and one Rodian. Man I hated Rodians. He spoke first "Are you Atton Rand?" I gave a glance to Revan and then back at the thugs. I smiled, and humorously said "Why yes I-" and with that I whipped out my dual blasters and sent the thugs all the way to Aargau. I could feel Revan's glance on me, he was humored and quite impressed.
Before either of us could say another word three more thugs came from the ramp of my ship. A Trandoshan amongst the lot stated "The Exchange wants you dead Atton." He pulled out one of them Exchange Negotiator electrical stun charge dagger things and waved it about threateningly. I pulled out my blasters, the same ones only seconds earlier I had holstered. But before I could fire upon them Revan smoked the lot with his Force Lightning. I was awestruck. Revan, he was legend. We headed up the ramp together and I showed him to the bridge. I was so excited, I was going on an adventure. Then a sudden realization hit me.
"Uh Revan?" "Yep." "Where are we going?" He punched in a few coordinates on my navicomputer. "To Malachor V." "Great! Where is that exactly?" "You'll see soon enough. Is there a spot I could meditate Atton?" "Yes, the starboard hold." I was really wondering something though so I prepared to stop him before he left, and I realised he hadn't even gone when he stated. "Something's troubling you." I was shocked, these Jedi mind powers were amazing. "Wait, you could tell I was troubled, just by using the Force?" He waited a second to think of an answer. "No. You scrunch your face up when you're thinking really hard." ... right ... now that was kinda hurtful. "Why me?" "I see potential in you, potential for things you can't even begin to imagine existed within you. One day you'll find out, and you'll fall in love, and you won't be able to handle it. Everyone deserves a second chance, and you will have yours." With that he walked off out of sight down the hall. What? That didn't even make sense!
I always wanted to be a Smuggler. When Revan offered me this 'opportunity' I just figured that smuggling would become like some retirement plan. You know, when I become old. Not that I'm ever going to be old, I'm living forever you see. I'd settle down with a nice (young) Twi'lek girl (who is also a dancer) (and knows how to play Pazaak well, but not too well, and can drink a lot)...and I guess we might have a kid...or two. Little Atton jr, or Attonette? ...I figured once I finished working for the Dark Lord of the Sith I could settle down and relax and think about my past as if it were a distant memory. ...but oh was I wrong, my time with Revan was a feared time, a time I could only wish to repress, it would be a memory from recent present and most certainly unforgettable. While they claimed I would become unreadable, they surely enough broke me. And I allowed it, not only did I allow it but I enjoyed it and embraced it and eventually used it to fuel an anger I never knew I had, an anger I would eventually suppress but never fully get rid of, an anger that rose up with the arrivals of the witch Kreia and her little puppet Mical. Charming little Mical. Charming and dead-to-me Mical. But my anger didn't come straight away... I'll get to that soon.