All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
and one man in his time plays many parts...
William Shakespeare, "As You Like It", Act 2 scene 7
As the door to her new quarters closed with a faint hiss, Bastila leaned against the wall. Slowly she slid down to sit on the floor, her mind reeling as recent events sent her thoughts into a jumbled chaos. The young Jedi swallowed hard, determined to regain control of her emotions.
Slowly a strangely familiar scent worked its way into her awareness. Her brows furrowed slightly as she stood back up and looked around. A startled gasp caught in her throat as her grey eyes settled on the source of the scent. A large vase of white flowers with light yellow stripes sat on a small table against the far wall. Bastila walked over to the flowers, lightly running her fingers over one delicate blossom.
There was no mistaking the flowers; she had spent so many hours on Dantooine gathering the lilies when she had the time off from her studies. Bastila found herself blinking back tears that threatened to fall as a rushing wave of memories swept through her mind, triggered by the familiar flowers. Suddenly she stepped back from the bouquet and shook her head to clear her mind.
"No, no, pull yourself together Bastila," she chided herself. Glancing back at the vase of flowers, she frowned. How could he know? Having spent the majority of her life among the Jedi, she did not believe in coincidences. The next logical thoughts disturbed her even more. It was becoming obvious that Revan knew a great deal more about her than she knew about him.
She turned and settled down into the nearest chair. Blushing again, she remembered how she'd made a fool of herself staring at Revan earlier when she finally saw him without his mask for the first time. Bastila leaned back in her chair and tried to imagine what Revan might have been like, before… Before he became a Sith Lord.
The image of his face came to her mind and she found herself wandering what it would have been like to see those deep blue eyes sparkling with happiness. Before the Wars came, before he changed, what was he like?
Revan stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Reaching up to put his hands behind his head, he frowned as the scar on his chest resisted the movement. Another two inches and people would have been accurate in calling me heartless, he thought wryly. He heard the door slide open and he looked over as HK-47 stepped into the room.
"HK, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be looking after Bastila."
"Statement: The female meatbag is asleep."
"Her name is Bastila, and that is all the more reason for you to be there and not here."
"Statement: I will be brief, Master. There are some questions that have been looping through my core for some time now."
Revan sighed and sat up. "Very well, HK. What's on your mind?"
HK turned to face his master, "Commentary: I have seen you kill or break thousands of Jedi. Yet you allow this female Jedi a conspicuous amount of freedom, and seem content to ignore her insolence. Query: Why?"
Revan scowled as he stood, stepping towards the droid. "I have my reasons, and I am not inclined to discuss them."
"Query: Master, are you damaged in some way? It appears that your vital signs are fluctuating greatly from the normal levels."
His jaws tightened. "I am fine, HK. If I wanted my condition analyzed I would have gone to the infirmary to discuss it with a med droid."
HK's photoreceptors flashed brightly. "Objection: Master, you may not care about your existence, but I do. Advisement: I am only concerned that the presence of this female meatbag is having a detrimental effect on you."
Revan glared at the droid. "What are you talking about?"
"Observation: Master, I believe you are, as you meatbags put it, 'going soft'. I find that to be an interesting turn of phrase since meatbags are, by their very definition, soft and squishy."
The Dark Lord growled, "I am not going soft, HK. Now get back to work! You are not to leave Bastila unprotected again, or I will throw you in the scrap heap. Understood?"
HK wheezed a disgruntled sigh. "Acquiescence: Yes, Master."
Revan frowned as the droid turned and left the room. Abandoning the hope of getting any rest, he ran his fingers through his hair and got dressed. He paced across his room, thinking. Although he tried to convince himself that the opinions of a droid didn't matter, the truth behind it did concern him. HK-47 was likely not the only one on the Star Forge to notice Revan's preferential treatment of his Jedi "guest". No doubt many reasons and rumors were being bandied about the Star Forge behind his back.
The dark shadows that always lurked at the edge of his mind stirred. They will think you are weak, Revan. You should destroy the Jedi, or break her. Revan spun around, slamming his fist into the wall. "No! Stay out of my head." The shadows slipped back to the edges once more, but the lingering doubts gnawed at him.
He knew he had nothing to fear from Bastila, but those who followed him; they were different. They followed him because he remained strong, they did not dare to challenge him openly. However, the Sith teachings were full of betrayals and conspiracies. If anyone could find a way to use her against him, to use his growing feelings for her as a weakness, it could be fatal to both of them. He would have to decide what to do about her, and soon.
Bastila rolled over and her stomach growled. Blinking away the haze of sleep, she sat up. Her stomach grumbled again and she realized that she smelled food. Looking around, she spotted the tray on her table. Her brows furrowed as she realized someone had managed to get in and out of the room without waking her.
Shrugging it off, she got up and walked over to the table. The tray was filled with a tantalizing assortment of light foods for her breakfast. Bastila settled down to eat. She started with the soft mild cheese and a slice of fresh bread. There were also thin slices of lightly seasoned meat and cooked eggs. She finished the meal off with a bowl of fruit.
Standing up, she decided to find Revan. The restraint collar was rapidly eroding any shred of patience she had. I know this probably won't go well, but I have to get this collar off, which means asking him. She took a quick shower and changed clothes. Pulling her hair up in two loose tails, she tied it and glanced at herself in the mirror. She scowled at the faint bruising along her neck where she'd tried to get the collar off.
Stepping out of the room, she narrowed her eyes at HK-47. "Where is Revan?"
The rust colored droid turned his head toward her. "Answer: The Master is in the command center."
"Well, get moving. Take me to him."
"Statement: Very well, Jedi. But don't blame me if he kills you. The Master was not in a good mood this morning."
"I'll take my chances. I'm not exactly in the most congenial mood myself."
"Amused observation: There is a ninety percent probability of violence. This could indeed be most entertaining."
Bastila followed the droid as he led the way through the Star Forge. When they reached the command center, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room. The sight that met her caused her to freeze. Revan turned to meet her, his cold blue eyes holding her as effectively as any stasis field. Bastila swallowed hard as she struggled to regain her composure.
She finally looked away, and realized her heart was pounding harder. By the Force Bastila, get a hold of yourself, she chided herself mentally. Never had anyone had such an effect on her, and she found it extremely disconcerting. The sound of his approaching footsteps caused her to look back up, and again she felt herself swept up in those fathomless sapphire eyes. Revan stopped in front of her, one eyebrow arching up to partially disappear beneath the unruly strand of his hair.
"Are you here for a reason, or was the view last night not enough for you?" A roguish grin danced across his lips.
Bastila blushed and then felt her anger flare as his grin broadened in response to her obvious discomfort. Without even thinking, she reached out and slapped Revan. The Sith Lord's eyes darkened to a furious midnight blue. Bastila stepped back as her anger suddenly dissipated and she realized what she had just done. She settled into a defensive stance, expecting retaliation.
Revan moved forward and his right hand closed on Bastila's wrist before she was able to get out of range. Twisting sharply, he forced her arm up at a harsh angle behind her back. Bastila winced and a hiss of pain escaped her lips. She felt his left arm close around her neck, pulling her back against his armored chest. Fear gripped her mind and she swallowed hard, feeling the rough armor on his forearm dig into her neck as his grip tightened. Bastila felt the Sith Lord lean in close, his lips nearly brushing her cheek. His voice was calm but low as he spoke.
"Be careful what you start, Jedi. You may not like how I finish it." Revan released her and turned her around to face him again. "And to answer your question, no. That collar stays."
Bastila tensed, wondering how much of her thoughts he'd been able to read. Focusing her mind on the irritating collar, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Why? I am being slowly driven insane by this wretched collar. Or is that what you want?"
He tilted his head and the untamed locks of his hair fell forward over the corner of his left eye again. "That collar is what's protecting you from the Star Forge."
She scowled, "I don't need your protection. I'd rather take my chances with the Star Forge than feel myself slowly going mad."
Revan laughed and turned his back on her. Walking away from her, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Your overconfidence is amusing."
She sighed, "Revan…" Bastila bit her lip, and then continued, "Please? Must I beg?"
He turned around, and their eyes met. For a split second, Bastila thought she saw a flash of emotion in the Dark Lord's eyes, but then it vanished, and she wondered if she had just imagined it. "Do you truly understand the risk? If I remove that collar, the Star Forge will seek to break you. It will destroy you as it does everyone who comes here."
She straightened up and nodded, "I understand, and it hasn't broken you."
A wry grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, "It will… eventually." Shrugging, he motioned with one hand and the collar dropped to the floor. "HK, take Bastila back to her quarters and keep an eye on her."
Revan watched as HK-47 escorted Bastila out of the command center. Turning, his gaze fell upon the collar where it had landed. He could feel the Star Forge's power surging, swirling around at the edges of his mental barriers, and constantly testing his will. He walked over and picked up the collar, tucking it into his belt.
I hope she's as strong as she thinks she is. He pulled his mask out and put it in place. Taking a deep breath, he felt the weight of his role settle on his shoulders. It was time for the Dark Lord to make his rounds of the Star Forge, but as he stepped out of the command center, he found it difficult to keep his thoughts off of the young Jedi.
Revan realized the danger in being distracted, and forced himself to bury any thought of Bastila. The last thing he needed was any of his followers to pick up on stray thoughts. As he walked, his surface thoughts became occupied with replaying one of the many dejarik games he'd played with Master Vandar.
"Well played, Revan. You win again."
"You always lose, Master, because you are not willing to sacrifice your pawns."
"Revan, it is a challenge to find victory without such sacrifices."
"Perhaps, Master, but one must always be willing to make sacrifices when they are necessary. If not, you will always lose."
"There is logic in such thinking, but be careful that you do not sacrifice too much, or the victory may be shallow indeed."
The old Jedi Master's words struck a nerve as Revan remembered them. How much was too much to sacrifice in order to save a galaxy from itself?
Closing the door to her quarters, Bastila leaned against the wall, shaking. Revan had warned her, but she was quickly realizing that she had underestimated the sheer ferocity with which the dark powers of the Star Forge would assault her mind. She sank down to the floor, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to block out the clawing shadows that tugged and poked at her.
The young Jedi had lost all track of time, and nearly screamed as the door opened beside her. Catching herself, she bit her lip as Rylla stepped into the room. The Twi'lek looked at her; concern and bewilderment clear in her amber eyes.
"What is wrong, Bastila?"
Bastila shook her head and stood up. Shakily she moved over to sink down on the edge of her bed. "It's nothing. I'll be alright."
Finally she actually looked at the other girl, and she caught the absence of the Twi'lek's slave collar combined with a particularly cheerful smile. She arched one eyebrow upward and Rylla seemed to catch the unspoken question.
Her smile grew even bigger, "Lord Revan set me free. I am no longer a slave. But I still wanted to stop by and see if you needed anything."
Bastila smiled weakly, "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. What will you do now that you're free?"
Rylla blushed, "Well, I believe that Lord Revan set me free because he discovered that I love someone deeply, but as a slave I was unable to do anything about it."
Bastila's jaws tightened and she felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy but pushed it aside. "Oh?"
Rylla nodded, "I really didn't expect him to approve of it, and I certainly wasn't expecting to be freed."
Bastila went pale, and began shaking again as the Star Forge renewed its efforts to break down her resolve. She didn't even hear Rylla calling to her, or notice the girl leaving the room in a hurry. The only coherent thought Bastila was able to form focused on one person. Revan!
Revan was just leaving the large meeting room after a conference with his officers and ranking staff. As he stepped out into the corridor he felt the laughter and sense of triumph in the dark power surging through the Star Forge. If you will not be ours, she will be.
The thought ripped at his heart and he growled as he took off for Bastila's quarters. His com-link beeped and he answered it as he stepped into the elevator. "What?"
"Observation: Master, we have another situation. The Jedi…"
Revan cut the droid off, "I know, I'm on my way, just keep her as safe as you can."
"Understood."
As he reached Bastila's room, Revan nodded to HK, "See that we're not disturbed."
He opened the door and stepped in as it closed and locked behind him. Bastila sat on the floor shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks. Revan slipped his mask off, tucked it into his belt, and knelt down beside her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and was nearly knocked off balance as she buried her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around him.
"Bastila, listen to me closely. There's two ways we can deal with this, an easy way or a not so easy way."
She looked up at him, "Revan I can't put that collar back on, I just can't. Please, there must be some other way."
He touched her tear stained cheek and nodded, "There is, but it's a bit more complicated. You have to trust me, completely. Can you do that?"
His deep blue eyes met her cloud grey gaze as she nodded. "Yes."
Revan moved her away from him, and knelt beside her. "Alright, focus on my voice."
She nodded once more and tried to calm her breathing.
"I want you to remember the Enclave on Dantooine. Remember the teachings of the Masters. Remember the Jedi Code." He smiled slightly as he could hear her reciting the Code in her mind. "Remember the sunlight across the plains, feel its warmth. Remember the fields of lilies that grew near the river, and hold on to that thought." He felt her stop shaking, and her breathing slowed.
Revan closed his own eyes and he shielded her as he had the first time when they had arrived. Forcing the darkness back away from her, he faced the angry shadows of the Star Forge. She is ours, give her to us, the darkness demanded. No, you will not harm her. Your darkness will not touch this one, he countered. The Star Forge slammed against his mental shields in anger. You cannot deny us, Revan, why do you resist? His body tensed as the effort of protecting Bastila drained him. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew even he could not hold the Star Forge at bay for long.
He swallowed hard. Opening his eyes, he looked at Bastila. The recent memory of her head against his chest and her arms around him made the decision clear. Necessary sacrifices. The thought echoed in his mind. Returning his attention to the raging darkness, he lowered his head. You will not harm her; you will never touch her mind with your darkness ever again. Swear it, and I will give you what you truly want.
The Star Forge nearly shook with utter delight at its victory. Agreed, you stop fighting us and we will leave your Jedi alone.
He leaned forward, using the Force to gently nudge Bastila into a restful sleep. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. Gently he wiped the last trace of tears from her cheek. He brushed the hair back from her face and smiled softly. He closed his eyes briefly and then turned away. He placed his mask back on and left the room. He took a deep breath and lowered his mental defenses. The full power of the Star Forge surged through him, engulfing him in the darkness.
Bastila woke with a start as a bolt of fear lanced through her mind. Momentarily disoriented, she blinked as she tried to reconcile the confused memories of her last conscious moments. Sitting up, Bastila glanced around the room. Gingerly she reached out with the Force, and sighed with relief as its warmth poured through her. Comforted by the familiar feeling, she was also immediately struck by the lack of anything more than the quiet presence of the dark power of the Star Forge.
Whatever Revan did, it worked. I should find him and at least thank him. The thought of what might have happened to her without his help chilled her as she remembered the brutal assault on her mind the night before. The Jedi wondered if the gentleness she seemed to recall from Revan had been real or merely imagined.
Bastila stood up and started toward the door but crumpled to the floor instead as her world was turned upside down. Her mind was suddenly filled with extremely strong, chaotic emotions; rage, pain, fear, sorrow, hatred. She struggled to pull her mind away, to regain control. After several moments passed, she finally succeeded in shielding her mind from the raw surge of emotion. She took a deep breath and stood up again, still shaken by what happened. However the source was unmistakably clear to her. Revan.
Bastila gathered herself together and stepped out of the room. HK-47 stood guard, his blaster rifle cradled in his arms. The droid turned his head as the door opened, his photoreceptors glowed a deep angry orange.
"Observation: You appear to finally be functional." The droid almost sounded disappointed.
Bastila stepped further into the corridor, and turned to HK. "Yes, where is Revan?"
"Answer: The Master is in his quarters, and left orders that he is not to be disturbed."
"That may be, but I really need to speak to him. Will you take me to him?"
HK-47 bristled, "Statement: I will not disobey the Master's orders. He instructed me that he did not wish to be disturbed, especially by you. Irritated Query: Haven't you caused enough trouble, Jedi?"
Bastila fumed and glared at the droid. "Me? Don't you try to blame me for anything you overgrown garbage bin! Now, take me to Revan, or you'll just have to keep up while I search the entire Star Forge for him since you are also under orders to keep me safe."
The metallic assassin shifted uneasily, and he appeared to be reconciling his standing orders within his core. Finally, HK shook his head. "Statement: I cannot keep you safe if you insist on seeing the Master, as the Master does not want to be disturbed, by anyone. Therefore, should you disturb him; I cannot guarantee your safety. Amused Speculation: Despite the fact that I would find it tremendously amusing to watch my Master obliterate you, it would be in direct disobedience to my first order from my Master. Assessment: That is why I must also strictly obey the more current order. You are not to bother him."
Bastila shook her head, and stormed off down the corridor, the maelstrom of emotions she had first encountered still raged. Opening her mind to it just a little, she would let it guide her to Revan like beacon. HK followed, still protesting, but his complaints went unheeded now as the Jedi focused her thoughts on Revan.
By the time they reached the corridor that Bastila recognized as leading to Revan's quarters, HK-47 had stopped his string of complaints and protests. Suddenly, the sensation of strong emotions that Bastila had been following stopped. She swallowed hard and tried opening her mind a bit more, reaching for the beacon that she had been focused on, but it was gone. All she could feel now was the dark brooding power of the Star Forge.
Bastila rushed forward, stopping at the locked door of Revan's quarters. Glaring at the stubborn lock, she turned to the droid. "HK, you can unlock this, right?"
HK stepped forward, studied the lock for a moment, and then nodded, "Statement: Of course I can."
When the droid made no further move, Bastila's temper flared. "Well then do it! Unlock that door, now!"
"Objection: The Master did not wish to be disturbed."
She whirled around to face HK squarely, "Look, aren't you also supposed to have some programming that involves protecting him? I was feeling a strong surge of emotion coming from him all the way here but that's stopped now. I can't feel him. That means there must be something wrong. You have to help me get in there, now."
HK considered for a moment, then sighed and stepped closer to the door's lock. Seconds later the door slid open and Bastila stepped inside. The scene that unfolded before her caused her to freeze. The room had been completely devastated. The destruction reminded her of the many tales she'd heard about war zones, and how things looked after attacks. Many pieces of furniture had been utterly smashed; others showed scorch marks from having been attacked by a lightsaber.
Then her gaze finally landed on Revan. He was lying in the floor on his back, wearing only his pants and boots. Bastila felt the breath catch in her chest as her own emotions crashed into each other in her mind. Stepping forward slowly she felt a wave of relief as she noticed the rise and fall of Revan's chest as he breathed. His breathing was rapid, as one would expect to see after a great deal of exertion. Glancing around the room again, she guessed that he had worn himself to exhaustion.
Revan's eyes snapped open as she got closer, and she was unable to stifle a gasp as his once clear deep blue eyes burned now with an almost feral amber fire. He shifted himself into a low crouch, glaring at her.
"Get out! Now!" His voice was harsh, colder than she'd ever heard it, and that along with the fury raging in his eyes sent chills down her spine.
The young Jedi stood her ground, shaking her head, "No, Revan. I am not leaving."
Revan stood, fists clenched tightly. "HK-47, get her out of here, now."
The droid started forward, but Bastila waved a hand, locking him into a stasis field. "I said I am not leaving. What happened to you? Why are you doing this?"
"You are a fool, Jedi. I thought you might be different, but you're just as blind and naive as the rest of them. Just go away, leave now before I decide to kill you."
Bastila could feel the chaotic waves of emotions surging through him again, flaring like a signal fire. She swallowed and took a deep breath, realizing that he was struggling to hold back. He could have killed her already, catching her off guard. Bastila took another deep breath, strengthening her resolve. Reaching out to the Force, she felt it's comforting warmth wrap around her. She stepped closer, defiantly meeting the Dark Lord's gaze.
Lightning sparked across his fingertips as Revan raised one hand toward her. "Bastila, don't."
"Try and stop me, Darth Revan." Her more rational mind screamed at her, telling her to stop being foolish, to run while she had the chance. But there was something deeper, as she looked into his eyes, she felt compelled to stay despite the risks.
A ball of lightning flew toward her, instincts took over; she shielded herself with the Force, and only felt a slight tingle through her body as the lightning dissipated. She circled around him, steadily moving closer to him. Bracing for another attack, she watched him closely, trying to anticipate his next move.
Time seemed to slow, for that moment nothing else seemed to exist. There was only her, and Revan. She winced as a stronger surge of lightning slammed against her shield, making it clear that the first attack was only a warning. He had been holding back. Revan's eyes narrowed and Bastila could hear his low growl as he turned, keeping her in sight. Her thoughts raced, knowing she couldn't survive long against the full strength of his powers, especially if the Star Forge was fueling them.
The thought struck her harder than any lightning could have, suddenly she understood and the realization chilled her to the bone. He was losing himself to the darkness, and it was because of her. He saved me, but now he's suffering because of me. I have to do something. She studied Revan as they moved and she could see the years of training now showing as flawless skill. Even without the Force, he was a very formidable fighter.
A sudden movement from behind Revan caught her attention and Revan spun around to face HK-47. The droid lowered his weapon, and stepped back. Revan sank to his knees and then collapsed. Bastila rushed forward and dropped down to her knees beside him. She looked up at HK, brows furrowed with concern.
"What did you do?"
HK tilted his head, "Answer: I tranquilized him. Warning: The sedative will likely not last long; his training gives him a high resistance to most poisons. Statement: There was a 98 percent probability that he would have killed you if the confrontation had been allowed to continue. However, you are responsible for this situation. Now you will have to fix it, or he will kill you when he regains consciousness."
The rust-colored droid turned and left the room, making it clear that he would not interfere a second time if things went wrong. Bastila turned her attention back to Revan, gently taking the dart out of his shoulder before rolling him onto his back. She took a deep breath and placed one hand lightly on his chest. She frowned slightly as she noticed the scar and wondered briefly how it happened. Closing her eyes, Bastila worked to calm her mind enough. She had to still the jumbled tangle of thoughts and focus. Reaching out with her senses, she felt the steady beating of his heart beneath her hand. She could also feel the raging darkness that gnawed at his mind. Calling to mind the same images she had focused on when Revan had saved her from the Star Forge's darkness, she sought to push that darkness away from him.
Soon nothing existed in her thoughts except Revan and herself. She could sense the anger from the Star Forge, but she dismissed it. Bastila worked to strengthen Revan's mental walls, to break the Star Forge's hold over him. She lost all track of time and almost jumped when she felt a hand touch hers. Opening her eyes, she saw Revan's hand close over hers, and his eyes met hers. They had almost entirely returned to their normal deep blue, but she could still see flecks of amber as well. Bastila swallowed hard as she felt herself being drawn deeper into that fathomless gaze. Her hand trembled as it was lightly trapped between Revan's chest and his hand, and she felt unfamiliar emotions stirring in her mind.
Revan studied her for a moment before a wry grin played across his lips. "Be careful, Bastila. Don't start something you won't want me to finish."
Bastila's cheeks burned as she could almost feel the innuendo in his velvet soft voice. Pulling back, she forced the Dark Lord to catch himself from the sudden lack of her support. "So glad to see you're feeling better," she huffed.
Chuckling softly, Revan sat up and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. The destruction of the room around him did not escape his attention, and the severity of the situation sank into his mind. He sighed and closed his eyes again. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
Bastila frowned, "What do you mean? I couldn't just let it destroy you, not after…" Her frown deepened as she remembered the night before when Revan had come to her rescue against the Star Forge. "This happened because of me, I had to do something."
Revan scowled and shook his head. A stray strand of hair fell forward, partially hiding his left eye. "Did you tell HK to shoot me or did he think of that himself?"
"I didn't tell him to do it. I was actually shocked, but it gave me the chance I needed." She felt her own heart beating faster and she tightened her mental shields, hoping he wouldn't notice.
He looked at her, his eyes darkening. "You really are a Jedi after all."
She stood up, confused by his words.
Revan stood up as well and closed in, catching her hand and pulling her closer to him. "Thank you, although I am afraid that your efforts are too late. I am beyond saving. There is no redemption for the likes of me. The Star Forge will not give up on me now after finally getting me. You've only succeeded in putting yourself in considerable danger for trying to save me. "
Bastila looked up at him, meeting his eyes steadily, and she saw what she thought was a flicker of sadness there. "It doesn't have to be that way, Revan. No one is beyond redemption or beyond hope, not even you. You do not need to worry about me, this time I am prepared for the Star Forge."