Love and Redemption Part 3
Revan moved past the series of consoles and machinery in the hallway without a single glance. There was only one thing in mind as he moved toward the door at the end of the hallway, Malak. He had been an amazing Jedi, and an even greater friend. But now they were the worst of enemies. Why? What had Revan been thinking as he had corrupted his own friend and comrade Jedi into a Sith?
Malak had to be stopped, there was only one other option; and Revan had no intention of surrender or retreat. But could he strike down his own brother? Revan's only hope for avoiding conflict was to appeal to the good man Malak had once been and turn him back to the light side. It seemed impossible, but Revan could not call himself a Jedi or a friend if he didn't at least try.
Finally, Revan reached the doorway. Before he could even reach the console to unlock it, it opened to reveal a tall, red-mesh armored figure. Darth Malak. Malak strode toward Revan past two Jedi being strangled through the Force without Malak even raising his hand. Malak stopped and looked over his shoulder at the Jedi. His lightsaber sprang from his belt activating and slicing the first Jedi in two. At the same time, Malak used a frightening display of Force-lightning on the remaining Knight, frying him to a crisp. Malak then turned his pale, bald head toward Revan, who was doing his best to not let his anger get the best of him.
"I tire of these games, Revan," Malak growled in his menacing mechanical voice. "You and the Republic are nothing but thorns in my side. You have no hope of victory over me here on the Star Forge."
"It's not too late, Malak," Revan desperately begged his friend. "The council saved me, if you surrender they can do they same for you."
"You call wiping your mind clean like a slate and forging a false identity for you 'saving you,' Revan? You are even more of a fool than I would have thought."
"Please, Malak. You were a good man once. You--"
"I was a fool, a coward, and weak! I am none of those things anymore; I have surpassed you!"
"Malak, don't make me fight you."
"Fight me?" Malak chuckled evilly. "You can't even hope to compare to me, Revan. Rather, I'll leave your execution to the Star Forge itself!"
The doors slammed shut and locked with a hiss. Revan heard the humming of machinery and turned just in time to see 7, 8, 9--10 Star Forge droids deploy and begin to train their weapons him! Revan fired his light side lightning at the droids and deflected their blaster-shots with his saberstaff, destroying almost all of them at once. But then more droids deployed and the process continued. Revan was being slowly backed into a corner by the overwhelming surge of droids. For every one he cut down, two more would take its place. Revan was barely an inch away from the wall when once again, from above the wicked received their just reward. Rakatan Elders and their battle droids leapt down and began engaging the Star Forge droids. After a brief moment of surprise, Revan quickly had the Rakatan rally around him and start pushing the enemy back. A Rakatan field scientist ran away from the group and began slicing a control console before anyone could say otherwise. Within moments, more battle droids began deploying from the machines and began fighting beside Revan and the remaining Rakatan Elder Warriors. At last the final droid was turned into a scrap heap.
"Why did you come here?" Revan asked the captain of the Rakatan. "I thought this was to be carried out by me alone. And how did you get inside?"
"To answer your first question," the captain answered calmly. "You have done far more than your share of the bargain, Revan, and helped us immensely. We are here to repay the debt. As to your second question, it does not matter, for the secret will be lost when the Star Forge is destroyed..."
"I thank you for your aid. You must now leave with your wounded, Malak is my problem. And I don't think there is enough room on my ship to hold you all."
The captain nodded and began giving orders his guttural speech to his warriors as Revan stepped onto the elevator and prepared for the final duel with Malak. One way or another, it would all end here...
Revan stepped off the elevator once the doors reopened. The room he entered had to be the central spire. It was spacious like the rest of the ship, but windows on the walls showed the space battle outside. Lining the walls were strange bacta tanks that held people suspended in them but had no bacta. At the center of the room, with his back to Revan, stood Malak. Revan detached the short lightsaber from the bottom of the long lightsaber and reattached it to top. If Malak did not turn, Revan would have to use the form he had created in order to defeat Mandalore the Ultimate at the end of the Mandalorian War years ago.
As Revan slowly approached Malak turned to face him: "Well done, Revan. I did not think you would survive the Star Forge's droid army. In another time, I would have stripped of your will and made you my apprentice, as I did Bastila."
"Malak, turn back to the light. The dark side only will destroy you. If you turn, you may yet be shown mercy by the council."
"Enough! I have heard these words before, Revan, and I will give you the same answer. The only way one of us shall escape, is by killing the other."
Without another word, Malak activated his extended lightsaber and charged. Revan, without blinking, activated the short blade to defend against Malak. Malak brought his lightsaber forward for a one handed thrust. Revan blocked his blade quickly and pushed him away. Malak spun, swinging his saber at Revan's exposed legs. Leaping over Malak's head, Revan kicked back hitting Malak on the back of the head. Angrily, Malak spun and swung at Revan's midsection. This was it. Revan pulled the lightsaber hilts apart, activating a connecting green beam between the two and combining with the shortblade. The attack from Malak hit the center beam of the saber-spear, catching him totally by surprise. Revan forced Malak's blade down and stabbed! Malak managed to shift his chest away from the blade, but his shoulder caught the strike, releasing a cry of pain from within his mask. Malak turned and ran toward one of the bacta tanks, Revan watched him with his grip on his saber-spear still tight. What was Malak up to, now?
"I commend you, Revan. Few could ever catch me by surprise like that. But as much fun as this reunion has been, it is time for it to end."
"What are you talking about, Malak?" Revan asked cautiously, eyeing the tank Malak stood next to.
"When you first found the Star Forge, Revan, all you saw was a factory of an endless fleet," Malak said arrogantly. "But in many ways, this station is a living being, capable of so much more.
"Take a look around you," Malak spread his good arm and gestured. "You should recognize your fellow Jedi from the enclave. Taken from the bombardment, and in all respects dead, except for one difference."
Malak gave Revan an evil look with his yellow eyes: "I have not allowed them to become one with the Force. Now, witness the full power of the Star Forge!"
Before Revan could move to stop him, Malak drained all the power from the floating Jedi into himself leaving a blackened, empty shell still floating in the tank. The wound on Malak's shoulder shrunk as the tissue reformed itself with the dark side. Revan could almost feel a scream of agony in the Force, and looked at Malak with pure sadness and disappointment.
"You have allowed the dark side to twist your mind," Revan spoke quietly. "Until now, you've become the very thing we swore to destroy..."
"Don't lecture me, Revan. I offer only this one chance to you to surrender, otherwise if you're not with me, you are my enemy."
"Only a Sith speaks in absolutes," Revan spoke with sadness in his heart. "I will do what I must..."
As Malak's blade extended, he replied: "You will try..."
Revan leapt at Malak the same time he did, their lightsabers sending sparks to the floor! They landed on their feet and continued to slash, stab, parry, and block with their sabers. Slowly, Revan began to be pushed back as Malak increased the ferocity of his offense. Revan realized the only chance he had was to release the trapped Jedi, allowing their residual Force energy to strengthen him. Using Force-push, Revan sent Malak spinning backwards and prepared for the biggest release of light side lightning he could summon! Raising his hand into the air, the energy struck all remaining bacta tanks and released the Jedi spirits from their torment, allowing them to become one with the Force.
The rush of energy was incredible, almost making Revan think he could have floated without trying! Malak screamed in rage and attacked again with another thrust. Revan moved with the grace of a flock of birds in migration, and with the speed of the fastest cat. He parried Malak's blow and retaliated so fast that Malak could barely move fast enough to block it. Revan leapt into the air and swung at Malak, this time using Malak's parry against him as he leaned and carried himself through the air behind Malak, stabbing three times as he went. Malak again barely blocked the blows, but the third one nicked him in the arm. Revan landed in another ready position and struck again.
Blow after blow was made, even after the effect of the energy wore off Revan still had the advantage. But within Revan's mind, he was in conflict with himself. He had had several opportunities to finish off Malak but had not taken them. All things aside, he was still his old friend. Revan did not want to kill him.
Leaping back, Revan landed on a ramp at the top. "It's over, Malak," he cried. "I have the high ground!"
"You underestimate my power, Revan," Malak responded, bending his knees.
"Don't try it!" Revan warned.
Ignoring him, Malak leapt. As he attempted to sail over Revan, Revan responded by slashing twice in the air with his saber, cutting off Malak's right arm and across his stomach! With a cry of pain and disbelief, Malak fell down to the deck. He managed to raise himself into a sitting-up position using a pillar, his left hand covering the slash on his stomach. Revan destroyed Malak's fallen saber with a flick of his wrist then deactivated his own while making his way to the Sith Lord's position.
"I-Impossible," Malak coughed through his mask. "I cannot be defeated. I-I am the dark lord of the Sith..."
"This is the way of the dark side, Malak," Revan said quietly, as he lowered himself onto one knee to look Malak in the face. "All things end in death."
"St-Still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi, I see. Perhaps there is more truth in their code than I ever believed..."
Malak returned Revan's gaze with his own, his eyes no longer yellow. "I cannot help, but wonder, Revan: what if I had been the one the Jedi captured, and not you? Could I have turned aside the path you led me on, renounced the dark side, as you did?"
Revan sighed and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, comfortingly. "I apologize for leading you down the dark path, Malak. But you made the decision to follow it."
"I see now... I must take responsibility for my own actions. I chose this path, I must take the blame. I wanted to be Dark Lord, but that fate was not mine. It may have once been yours, but never mine..."
Malak coughed again, this time much harder. He raised his gaze to the new scar on Revan's left eye: "Revan, before you go; Bastila, did you kill her?"
"No, my friend."
"That is good, for she loves you, and I think you love her too. She is a strong woman, take care of her, Revan."
"I will, my friend. You may rest assured, I will."
"Good. Now, as the darkness takes me...I am nothing..."
Revan let the tears run freely as he watched his lifelong friend and former comrade dying in front of him. The shudder in the deck finally tore his mind to reality: "You must go, Revan."
Revan left the observation deck and moved quickly to the hangar. Upon reaching it, the crew, the remaining former Sith students, and Bastila were all waiting for him. Everyone was soon on the Hawk without a word.
Carth leapt into the pilots seat. "Let's go!" He cried as he punched the gas. The Ebon Hawk whirred and coughed...and did not budge.
"It's damaged?!" Carth cried incredulously as he stared blank faced at the controls. "It must have taken damage to the engines in the battle!"
Before anyone could respond, though, the ship lurched forward at an unbelievable speed! Revan reached out upon feeling the Force and looked out the view port toward the hangar of the exploding Star Forge where the Malak's body was slumped.
Take care of her, Revan, was all he heard in the Force-message before a beam fell and blocked Malak from sight...
After the awards ceremony on Rakata Prime, Revan sought out solitude on the beach. He sat on a rock, staring out onto the vast body of water, until Bastila appeared and turned Revan toward her and kissed him on the scar over his left eye.
"There was nothing you could do," she said softly.
"I can't believe he's gone," Revan replied, even quieter. "I will never be able to forgive myself, but at least I was able to see the good man he was, one last time."
"Everything works out in the end, my love...it always has...and always will..."
"I know...and I am glad you are the one to tell me this...'kinrath-pup face.'"
Bastila's eyes widened in shock and anger at Revan's tease. "I do not look like--"
She was cut off immediately as Revan pulled her forward and kissed her deeply and lovingly, soon she returned the kiss just as passionately. Revan would keep his promise to Malak, his friend, he would take care of Bastila, and he would always love her even after he became one with the Force...
The End