"Welcome Interloper. I have been waiting for you." the spirit said.
"Why?" Revan asked.
"Why what?" Bastila asked.
"You didn't hear it say that it had been waiting for us?"
"They are worthless." the spirit growled.
"What do you mean?"
"It's talking to you?"
"Yeah, but why, Spirit?"
"You could be useful."
"What makes you think I would help you, Spirit?"
"You are no different than I am. Every day you seek to gain more power, with me you can."
"I won't deny that I seek to become stronger, but I won't become like you to get stronger."
"Why? Is one kind of power any worse than another?"
"It's not about the kind of power, it's how that power is used, and how it is acquired. The ends don't always justify the means."
"A foolish sentiment, child."
"This isn't important, Spirit." she said, looking at Bastila and Alek, and seeing that they were uncomfortable. "I came here to bring an end to the chaos you're causing."
"Why? The ones who were slain meant nothing to you."
"It's not that they meant anything to me, its the principle of the matter, Spirit. They were Jedi, my brothers and sisters in arms. And, I know that as I speak that your terentatek are hunting other Jedi for you. Probably heading for the enclave. If they get in, there will be children who get killed, and if someone puts kids in danger, they'll find no mercy or assistance from me."
"You will not help me?"
"No way in hell. You can go fuck yourself, Spirit."
"That's not appropriate, Revan." Bastila said.
"It was the best word for the message that I was trying to convey. A quick, hostile syllable."
"ENOUGH!" the spirit roared. "If you will not serve me, than you shall be destroyed!"
"Bring it on." She said, igniting her twin blades.
It laughed, and said, "That is not how you will be destroyed."
"Then how will you take me out?"
"The only way I can." it said, and a pyramid-shaped object behind it lit up like a star and Revan and the spirit were dragged into it.
-=0=-
Mandalore walked out of the shuttle into the harsh deserts of Tatooine. Looking around him, he said, "Find me some of the locals. They may have the information we require."
A soldier said, "Yes, sir."
"Good. We must find it if we are to have a certain victory."
-=0=-
Revan blinked, and was in a completely white area. "What the hell did you do?"
"I brought you here so that I could finish you and take your form to reclaim what was mine before I was imprisoned."
"What makes you think you could take my form? You said that you couldn't do anything."
"True, I cannot affect others without their permission due to the cage. But, I can not let you leave this place."
"So, we'll stay here until I die." she said, glaring at it.
"There is another way that we could settle our differences. A challenge that if you win, I shall seal myself away within the cage once more."
"What's your challenge?"
"A challenge of wit."
"What kind?"
"I shall ask you a question, and if you answer correctly you ask me a question, until one fails to give a correct answer. The one who's question was too difficult to be properly answered is victorious, and shall leave this place."
"Fair enough. Ask away."
"We start out two, in a few hours, though, we number a hundred. What are we?"
"Gizka."
"Correct. What of your question?"
"They are not a thing that you can comprehend. They claim to be our salvation through destruction. They are controlled by a glowing eight year old who speaks only in bullshit. What are they?"
"I don't know."
"Looks like I win." she said.
"Your question was not fair!"
"You didn't say that the question had to be fair. But, I'll give you three guesses, to be fair."
"Are they a droid fleet?"
"Nope."
"Are they aliens?"
"Kinda, but not exactly."
"Are they your people?"
"Nope. So, can I go now?"
"No! I will not be imprisoned here any longer! Give me your form!"
"You said that if I beat you that I'd get out. Stick to your word."
"You cheated!"
"No I didn't." she replied, "Let me out."
"Never! You will not force me to stay here!" it screamed, flinging stones at her.
She dove out of the way, and said, "I thought you couldn't affect the living. That the cage prevented it."
"I will be free! You cannot stop me!"
"You'll never get out of here."
"We'll see about that." it growled.
-=0=-
Bastila blinked, and asked, "What just happened?"
"I don't know." Alek said, walking over to Revan. He poked her with his foot.
"She's out cold." Bastila said, "I wonder what the Spirit did."
Then, the guardian walked in, and said, "The fool has been taken into the cell as well!"
"How do we get her out?"
"There is only one way. You will have to enter to extract her. But, you have not proven yourselves worthy."
"We can handle it." Alek said.
"Trust us, we'll get her out."
"I have no reason to trust you." it said, poking Bastila and Alek in the leg.
The two Jedi stood still, and Alek asked, "How do we get in so that we can help her?"
"I cannot show you. You do not meet the parameters for being allowed access."
Alek kicked the droid to the ground and lit up his weapon, "How do we get in to extract her?"
"You haven't proven yourselves worthy. I cannot share that information with you until you have."
"Why can't you?"
"My programming prevents me from sharing such information until those who request it have proven themselves worthy."
"How do we prove ourselves worthy?"
"I do not know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Bastila asked.
"That information was blocked off by my Builders. You will have to prove yourselves without knowing what you must do."
"Or, we could just take you apart and pull the information directly. What do you think of that?"
"Your intimidation tactics will not work." it said.
"Fine." Bastila replied, walking over to the device, "I suppose I'll just have to open it up and let both of them out."
"The cage does not work that way. If you open it, you will be dragged in and imprisoned forever."
"We'll see about that." She said, walking towards the pyramid.
Alek grabbed her by the arm, and said, "You can't just go in there like that. We don't know what could happen if you opened that thing."
"We don't know what will happen if we leave Revan in there. Maybe that thing will destroy her and then kill all of the Jedi here on Dantooine."
"We can't be sure that will happen."
"We should just figure out what we have to do to prove ourselves."
"How, Baldy?"
"I don't know. But we can't take that kind of risk."
-=0=-
Revan dove away from the attacking spirit, and said, "We had a deal."
"I will not be trapped in here. I have spent too long in this place! No longer!" it replied.
"You were supposed to have been a warlord." she said, ducking beneath an attack from the spirit, "Surely your word must have meant something to get such a position. Why then, do you now break your word?"
"You have not spent the amount of time in this cage that I have. A blinding sea of white, what you once valued becomes nothing compared to escape."
"So, you let the ones who locked you in here win." she growled, "You let them destroy your honor. If you keep acting like this, you'll just prove them right."
"Honor means nothing! There is only the escape!"
"Why? Do you want to escape as nothing more than an animal?"
"I must escape. I must! If I don't, I will go mad!"
"You already have gone mad! You're mindlessly attacking someone who beat you in a fair challenge."
"You cheated!" it screamed.
"I played fair and square. You just didn't understand the question."
"You did not use things that both our cultures had!"
"I did what I had to in order to ensure my survival. I have things I have to do in the outside world."
"Such as?"
"Quit attacking me and I might tell you."
It paused for a moment, then said, "Very well, you have piqued my interest. Speak."
She was silent for a moment, then began, "When I was a young child, my home was attacked by a group of people who call themselves mandalorians."
"And your people killed all of those who dared attack their home? Proving their dominance in the galaxy?"
"No, we weren't warriors, we were farmers. The only threats we ever had to worry about was random animals killing our livestock."
"So, where were your those who were supposed to guard your world?"
"We lived in a remote system. The military wasn't large enough to have a large contingent of soldiers and ships. So, the mandalorians came, and killed thousands."
"And what happened to you?"
"Quit interrupting."
"Very well."
"Anyways, when the mandalorians came to my house, my parents had me run away to protect me. They were killed by the mandalorians, and one of them found me. He took me to his ship, and sold me as a slave at a place that is controlled by... undesirables. So, to answer your question, what I have to do is simple, I need to find the son-of-a-bitch who sold me, so I can bring him to justice."
"Do you hunt him for justice, or for revenge?"
"Both." Revan said, looking around her. "Can you let me go back out now?"
"No. I will not let myself be imprisoned in here any longer!"
"You'll forever be imprisoned here." she said, running a hand through her hair, "If you manage to escape this place through killing me, what will you have become?"
"I have to escape. I need to get free. I must escape. I do not deserve to be punished! I am above the laws of the Empire! But, they saw me as a monster."
"ENOUGH!" Revan shouted, "Let me out. Now."
"No. I can't. I deserve to be free."
"And I don't?"
"You are not a warlord. I was one of the most powerful warlords of my time!"
"But you aren't anymore."
"I may have lost my power, but I will take it back!"
"With what army?"
"I need no army. I shall destroy your civilization alone!"
"If you think that you can do that, you're a damn fool."
"We shall see." it said, begin to pulsate with energy.
"Bring it on, you bastard." Revan growled, taking in a massive amount of Force energy. As she molded the energy, she glared at the spirit, then released streams of blue lightning.
The spirit took the strike, and laughed at Revan. She glared at it, and charged it. The thing flung a rock at her, but missed her, and then felt her fist connect with it.
It stumbled backwards, and she kicked it in the torso. It groaned as she then grabbed its right leg and broke it.
"You win. I shall release you." it said.
"Good. Let me out, now."
It then laughed, and hit her with a massive rock. She groaned, and said, "Alright, looks like I'm going to have to kill you with my bare hands."
-=0=-
Bastila looked at the pyramid, and said, "These markings are faded, and they aren't in any of our languages."
"So, why don't we go find out how to prove ourselves worthy of getting the information on how to extract Revan?"
"Because, we have no guide on what we'd have to do. Chances are that it's not even programmed with the knowledge we seek. We're going to have to just get her out by breaking the thing open."
"It won't fucking work." Alek muttered, and was immediately slapped by Bastila.
"Watch your language." She growled.
"I'll talk how I want." he replied, "So, we're supposed to break it open? How?"
Then, the droid knocked them both down, and said, "You will not damage the cage."
"Well, you could tell us how to enter to extract our companion so we don't have to." Alek said.
"That information is blocked off for anyone who has not proven themselves worthy."
"What was with your makers society that they had everyone have to prove their worth?" Bastila asked.
"You are not worthy to question the ways of the Builders."
"We'll question it all we want." Alek growled.
"Then you will be destroyed." The droid said.
"Wait, he's just being a pain in the ass. We'll just leave your societal quirks alone."
"Very well. You shall be spared this time."
-=0=-
Meetra stepped out of the temple, and saw a group of reporters run up to her. They all asked, "Master Jedi, why has your Order denied the Chancellor's request for aid?"
"I am not a member of the Jedi Council so I cannot tell you why they denied the Chancellor's reguest."
"You've got to have some information!" they insisted.
"Any information that I may have been told about the motives of the Council I was told on confidence that I would not share that information. So, if the Council has not told people why they aren't giving the Chancellor what they want, I won't be telling either."
"You've got to have something you can tell us."
"I'm done talking to you." she said, walking away.
They continued to follow, pestering her with dozens of questions. She shook her head, and said, "Leave me alone. I am armed, and will not be afraid to use it if you continue to pester me."
The reporters looked surprised and backed off. Meetra smirked, and got into the cab. "Take me somewhere there aren't reporters."
"Got it." the driver replied.
-=0=-
Revan panted, and said, "Alright. Let's finish this."
The spirit laughed, and said, "Yes, let's end this."
The two stood perfectly still, until the ground began to shake, and in popped a man shrouded in darkness. He grabbed the spirit and slammed it into the ground, and said, in a synthesized voice, "The path out is open. Leave now, if you wish to survive. I shall handle this worm."
"Who are you?"
"A man who was once a servant of the dark side. Go."
"Where's the exit?"
"Go back the way you came, it shall be there."
"How do I tell what that is? There aren't exactly any landmarks around here!"
"Just go. I don't know how much longer I can keep this thing in place."
"Fine." she said, running to her left. As she ran through the white plains, she began to feel faint. With every step she felt weaker and weaker. Each step became harder than the previous. At first she felt fine, but now each step was a battle. Every time she pushed a leg in front of the other now she felt a little bit of herself fade away.
Then, after fighting the exhaustion, she collapsed to the ground, her face slamming into the ground.
-=0=-
Meetra walked out of the cab, and saw a large number of thugs moving towards her. One of them, a tall guy with a long, pale, razor-thin scar running along the left side of his face. He said, "Look what we've got here, boys! Fresh meat."
They laughed, but Meetra said, "It would be inadvisable to try anything... untoward. I would rather not have to hurt you."
"You talk big for such a small lady." scarred-face said.
"You may see me as small and alone, but you really, really don't want to pick a fight with me."
"Why wouldn't we?"
"I'm a Jedi. I'm sure you're well aware of how skilled we are. And of the ally we have with us everywhere. You know, a little thing called the Force."
"We ain't scared of no Jedi." A small man behind Scarred-face said.
"Well, you shouldn't fear us, but you should respect us. And, not pick a fight with us."
"We don't care what you are. You could be Mandalore, a Jedi, and a team of Republic Commandos all in one and we'd still kick your ass."
"You're arrogant. Just let me pass and I won't have to do anything beneath a Jedi. Such as taking all of you down and than taking you to the jail personally."
"This Jedi's got an attitude. Time to show her who's town this is."
"If that's how you want to do this, let's dance." Meetra said, her lightsaber flying into her hand as it ignited. With it in hand, she jumped towards one thug, and severed his hand, before ducking beneath the attack of another, and completely removing his arm.
The two fell to the ground, clutching at their missing parts former locations. Then, Scarred-face charged and knocked Meetra back. "You'll pay for hurting my boys!" He shouted, pulling out a repeating blaster rifle.
Meetra molded the Force and pressed it against the man's mind. "You want to put down the repeater." she said.
"You're a complete fool." he replied, waving one hand.
"Very funny." she said, throwing her lightsaber at him.
He watched it come, then ducked beneath it, grabbing the hilt. "You really don't know what I am, Jedi?" he asked.
"No clue. But you're good, whatever you are."
"I'm a Jedi Killer. I've spent years learning how to fight your kind. And you hurt my children."
"Sorry, but you were giving me trouble." Meetra said, cracking her knuckles, "So, how about we call it even, and I just go back to where I came from."
"No can do. You hurt my family, you die." he said, charging her with her own weapon.
"You're a damn fool." she said, pulling the lightsaber out of her hand, and stabbing him through the heart. "You can't beat a Jedi that easily."
"And you can't kill me that easily." he replied, kicking Meetra back. She groaned, and deflected the small blade he'd flipped out from inside his jacket sleeve.
She twirled her blade in a figure eight, severing both of the man's arms. He stumbled backwards, and said, "I'll still kill you."
"Don't make me do this." she said.
"If you want to survive, you don't have a choice."
"The Jedi Code forbids the killing others unless it's absolutely necessary. If you don't quit being such a damn fool, I'll just go, and you'll get to live."
"You're a fool if you think I'll surrender."
"Please, don't make me kill you. I don't like killing."
"Too bad." He replied, kicking her in the gut."
She shook her head, and severed his. "Sorry." she said.
-=0=-
Bastila blinked, and saw that Revan was sitting next to the artifact, glaring at it. "What happened?"
"I was hoping you could tell me that." Revan replied, "I got out of that thing a few minutes ago, and you two were out cold."
"We were looking at it, trying to figure out how to get you out."
Revan nodded, and turned to Alek, "So, was she freaking out, Baldy?"
"Not freaking out," he said, "but definitely worried about you."
Revan laughed, and said, "I'm touched that you care."
"We-we had orders to help you to eliminate the threat. If you died in there, we'd have failed to follow the Council's orders."
"Riiiight. I think we all know the real reason you were so determined to get me out."
"I have no clue what you're talking about." Bastila replied, "Don't we need to find and terminate the final terentatek?"
"Bastila's right, we need to finish this mission." Alek said.
"It's already done." she said.
"How can you be so certain?"
"Because, the terentatek died when the spirit was sealed away in the... pyramid."
"Why do you think that it killed them?"
"They drew their very life-Force from it. With it locked up, they had nothing to support them. All that's left for us to do is get out of here and let the Council know about a job well done." Revan said, walking towards the exit. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and there were a few farmers with blasters.
The leader, a short man with fairly long blonde hair asked, "You three alright? We heard a bunch of noises coming from this direction?"
"We're fine. Who are you?"
"Calder Nettic. Local entrepreneur. This is my business partner Rickard Lussof."
Revan nodded, and starting walking towards the Enclave.
"So, what's a beautiful woman such as yourself doing all the way out here? It's not safe on the plains There are many kath hounds, and we've even found the bodies of huge creatures."
"I'm fine, Mr. Nettic. I just need to go report to the Jedi Council."
"Perhaps I could escort you?"
"Mr. Nettic, I am a Jedi Knight. Your advances are both pointless and inappropriate." she growled.
"Oh, my apologies Master Jedi."
"I told you I was a Knight, not a Master."
"Sorry, Jedi Knight."
"Good, now don't you have a family? Or is that wedding ring not mean anything to you?"
"Oh, yeah. I'll let you three go back to your enclave. I apologize for bothering you."
"Just don't do it in the future." she said, continuing on the path.
"You were harsh on that guy." Alek said.
"I have nothing but contempt for people like him."
"What do you mean?"
"People who make vows, and then later on completely ignore them. They have no honor, and should be treated with as much respect as they gave their oaths."
Alek nodded, and asked, "what are you going to tell the Council happened in there?"
"The truth. There's no point in lying about what happened. We went in, terminated several of the terentatek, and then finished them at the source."
"Shouldn't they know about what was really in there?" Bastila asked.
"No point in telling them. They won't act on it, and if they do, they won't find anything useful."
"What do you mean they won't find anything useful?"
"Whatever was in there, when it's dormant, is just a pyramid. They won't know what it does, they won't know what to do with it, and they could accidentally release the spirit, if they even manage to prove themselves worthy. No, what's in there stays between us. Is that clear?"
"Yes." Bastila said, looking down.
Revan smiled softly, and said, "Don't worry, this is for the best."
"If you say so."
"Trust me. I know what I'm doing." she said, walking up to the Enclave. She hit the com key, and said, "Knight Revan to the Masters of the Jedi Council. The mission has been completed successfully."
"Excellent." Vandar said as the doors opened.
Inside, Revan was greeted by the sight of the entire Jedi Council. And, Master Quatra walked forward and said, "It appears I misjudged you at first, Knight Revan."
"And perhaps I misjudged you, Master Quatra." she replied.
The Cathar nodded, and walked away.
"So, Revan," Vrook asked, "what did you do to handle the terentatek threat?"
"To begin with I left Padawans Shan and Baldy at a safe place, but it was compromised by one of the terentatek."
"How?" Dorak asked.
"I'll be getting to that." She replied, "They managed to get away from the beast, and ran towards the Sandral Estate where I was staying due to a massive storm. I sensed them coming and the terentatek pursuing them so I went out and eliminated the terentatek. After that, I took Padawan Shan and Alek to the crystal cave with me, where we set up a trap for the terentatek. Several came when we laid out the bait, but they were stronger than we anticipated. They managed to break through some of the barriers we put up without being harmed, and there was a fierce battle. In the end we won, but Alek was injured during it. After making sure he was fine, we moved out and continued hunting them. We were attacked by a larger-than-normal terentatek, and while we managed to terminate it I was injured. Padawan Shan managed to heal my wounds, though, and we continued hunting the beasts. Then, I decided to take care of them at the source, so we found the dark spirit and managed to get the upper hand against it and make so that it was no longer a threat."
"Very well done, Knight Revan. You are even better than Grand Master Sunrider told us." Dorak said.
"Thank you, Master Dorak."
"But, could we have a private word, Knight?"
"Of course, Master." she replied, following him away from the others."
In an isolated corner of the enclave, she asked, "What is it, Master Dorak?"
"While you were out hunting the terentatek I looked into the former Jedi Jolee Bindo, and have found a considerable amount of data." He said, handing her a datapad, "This has it all."
"Thank you, Master." she replied.
"It wasn't a problem, Revan." he said, "We need more Jedi like you."
"Thanks. May I return to my quarters, I'm really tired after fighting all those terentatek." she said, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.
"Of course, Knight Revan." the Master said, looking up to the sky.
-=0=-
A/N: Sorry about the long wait! Last week had family in town, and just had trouble writing this week. Anyways, now Chapter seven is up, please, please follow/favorite and review. Reviews make me very, very happy and ensure frequent updates.
