AN: Hey, it's Primordial Soul with the seventh chapter of The Lord of Revenge!
I wanted to get his out on News Years Day, but things didn't work out. So, happy late New Years! Thanks again to Paragon of Awesomeness for betaing my work!
Events in real life are starting to demand a lot of my attention, so updates will slow down once again. I'm sorry, but the coming weeks and months are extremely important to my future and I have to focus on them.
I'm also getting slightly depressed and finding myself unable to do anything creative. Ever since I beat XCOM: Enemy Unknown and watched the ending, I can't summon the energy to really do anything anymore. I'll definitely continue writing, but I'll probably be slow. Any inspiration or motivation would help a lot!
However, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I was looking forward to writing these scenes, especially the beginning and end of the chapter. Tell me what you think!
Important:
Contest is still up! First three to guess the situation in which Revan gets the girl will get a one shot written by me on anything they want me to, within reason.
And about last chapter's hint... yeah, I'm too smart for my own good. I'm really sorry for making it too hard to figure out. In return, I'll give you two easy ones!
Hints:
"To be united by hatred, is a fragile alliance at best." Kreia
"We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life." C-3PO
These quotes do hint on how Revan will get the girl... well, from a certain point of view. At least, from my strange POV who already knows the answer! :)
Crossover Review Responses:
Above the Winter Moonlight: Thanks for the compliments! That is indeed what I was trying to aim for. It's called dramatic irony. We the readers know the truth, but the characters themselves do not know. About the hint, yeah, I was too smart for my own good. Can't say anything else, you know how it goes.
Forcystus5: You have to admit. Constantly duping your greatest enemies has to somewhat make your day. About Sifo-Dyas, I haven't really acknowledged that yet. It should be talked about soon-ish.
Sajuuk: Um... okay. Thanks for the suggestions, but I'm definitely going to follow my plan. Also, I'm just going to say it now. NO HAREMS OR SLASH FOR REVAN. It will be a single girl.
Shadowtail15: Yoda would have some general knowledge of Revan, but there's nothing that points towards him. Would you, given the evidence I present, immediately think that a supposedly dead Sith Lord that lived four thousand years ago would be the culprit? Of course not. Revan is just a barely known historical annotation to Yoda.
JerzyJablonski: Well, thanks for stating your opinion. First, even if Canderous gathered soldiers and wasn't the best politician, which I totally agree with, he had to have some inspirational and political skill to gather them in the first place. Plus, he managed to get the Mandalorians back to some degree of power by the time of the Old Republic. Also, Revan's helped him become a little more civilized before they went forward in time. Don't worry, he'll make mistakes against more seasoned politicians like Palpatine. Second, Bastila would have been composed and together... if Revan returned her affections. Since he didn't, that in addition to the time aboard the Star Forge, made her a little unhinged. Third, I definitely see your point, but I would think that for a time, they would follow Revan's command due to their immense loyalty/fear towards him. Granted, they would probably rebel in time, but it would give the leadership a chance to find someone better to take the throne or install new control measures over the Sith.
Game Review Responses:
Flamefather: Thanks! Glad you're looking forward for more!
Alpha B.A.7: Thanks for the compliments! Can't say anything else!
Well, that was a long author's note so lets start my longest chapter ever written. More filler and character development and foreshadowing. Major plot chapter is next! This Arrival plot arc is almost done!
I think that's it! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I did when I wrote it!
I don't own anything!
The Star Forge
In the private, unknown depths of the Star Forge, two brilliant blades of light crackled and sparked against one another. Each one glided and clashed with the other as smoothly as a silk lined dress and yet with the force of a unabated hurricane. They were engaged in a deadly dance for dominance, one whose rules were formed in the field of battle long ago and refined into seven different forms in the halls of civilization and learning. Each blade was wielded by a combatant who wished to win this duel for different reasons, each using the most effort they could despite the circumstances.
One combatant, wielding a golden yellow blade and using the Ataru form, spun around the flowing sunburst orange blade that came to bisect her where she stood. She then proceeded to jump over her opponent's lightning barrage that followed his attack. As soon as she touched the ground behind her opponent, she immediately vaulted to the side to avoid the flying foot that was about to hit her face.
Once she stabilized herself, she fired her own lightning barrage at the man in front of her only for it to be batted aside with a flick of his hand. Her eyes narrowed as the man spun his lightsaber in a standard Juyo flourish, preparing for her next attack.
"Very good, apprentice. Keep your opponent on his toes. Never give him a chance to recover..."
Bastila immediately dove toward Revan, her blade angled to pierce his neck. Her master's blade then blocked her upward stab, locking the two into place. They stared at each other, Bastila's grey/yellow eyes staring into Revan's midnight black visor.
"Excellent, apprentice, you are learning. I was beginning to worry that all the time I had spent teaching you had been a waste of effort."
Bastila snarled at the taunt and grasped the dark side even further, causing her skin to crack and her eyes to flash yellow. She pulled her blade back and jumped backwards, attempting to get Revan to stumble forward. Only instead, Revan pulled out a small hold out blaster from one of the hidden compartments in his armor and began shooting at her.
Caught unprepared at Revan's unorthodox move, Bastila could only jump to the side as the blaster bolts grazed her sides. As she got to her feet, she winced. The blasters still hurt like a bitch. After all, the threat of one spending hours in a painful infirmary with a pissed off homicidal assassin droid 'treating' you tends to bring out your best.
"Tut, tut, Bastila. You can do better than that. Always expect the unexpected, so you are never taken by surprise." Revan drawled slowly, putting the blaster away as he slowly flanked around her, his orange blade raised halfway to deflect any Force attacks that Bastila may throw at him.
Bastila's eyes darted around the room, looking for a way to catch him off guard. Seeing an opportunity, Bastila grasped the nearby remains of droids that her master had destroyed in a previous training session with the Force and chucked them towards Darth Revan.
Revan half-heartedly deflected the boxes with a Force shield and blocked Bastila's downward, overhead strike that followed her telekinetic Force assault. Their blades locked again, sparks flying as they connected. Bastila grinned. She had him.
Another golden blade emerged from the other side of her lightsaber hilt as she reversed the direction of her stab, bringing her newly activated blade up straight towards Revan's midsection. Her eyes widened in glee. She had finally won!
… Only for Revan's beskar armored forearm to literally bat her blade to the side and bring his own lightsaber to her neck, unhindered by the blade previously blocking it. Bastila froze, eyes centered on the orange blade encompassing half of her field of vision an inch away from taking her head off.
"Better, but if you weren't facing me, that strategy would have killed the both of you as the Jedi would have had the time to impale you dead. Experienced Force users are not easily replaced, my apprentice, especially not one with the power of battle meditation such as yourself. Achieving victory at the cost of your own life is a valid tactic, but it can only be used once. Remember that it is far better to live and fight another day."
"How did you..." Bastila asked. How had he stopped her?
"A warrior never gives up his knowledge to his enemy, and a teacher does not reveal all his secrets to his student at once, apprentice." Revan replied. He removed the blade from her neck and walked twenty paces away from her. Once he did so, he turned to face Bastila. "Now, again."
Bastila growled as she dove deeper in the crevices of the dark side. She would beat him and then take the reward she deserved: Him.
She sprinted towards the Lord of Revenge, dodging Revan's sporadic bursts of lighting. As she got closer, Revan gestured with his left hand and sent Bastila flying into a metal bulkhead.
"Pathetic start, apprentice. Never run into an engagement unprepared. Always test your opponent, always figure out how he works, what his strengths are so you may turn them against him."
"I know this, Master! And I already know yours!" Bastila snarled. She didn't want to hear him beat her down like this.
Revan laughed, amused by Bastila's ignorant declaration. "You think you know how I work? How my mind thinks? What my style truly is? What my strengths and weaknesses are? How powerful I truly am? You're more arrogant than I thought. I assumed I had beaten that sort of thinking out of you, though it appears that the lesson must be reapplied."
Revan deactivated his lightsaber and darted towards her, a sphere of lightning crackling in his palm. Bastila jumped to the side and swung her blade towards him as he ran past her. It was in vain as Revan slightly nudged the blade out of his way with the Force as he brought the sphere of lightning right onto her left hand.
She screamed as the lighting fried the nerves in her hand, only to be cut off as Revan's iron fist impacting the left side of her face. Bastila could feel the blood in her mouth as she flew towards another wall, hitting it with a sickening crack. She spat blood out of her mouth, trying to clear her airway so she could breathe.
"You think because you are blessed with being my apprentice, you are somehow entitled to know me better than I know myself? You think that because of your position, you are immune to criticism? You think that because you are the only practitioner of battle meditation in my Empire, you are more important than Malak was during the height of his power, let alone myself?" Revan demanded as he approached her fallen form.
Bastila's eyes widened as his words hit her. How did he know about that? That was a diary entry she had quickly compiled and then deleted after she was finished with it. There's no way he could have learned that. He had still been the Jedi's puppet at the time!
"I have my ways, apprentice." Revan said, quickly glancing inside his apprentice's temporarily unguarded mind to find that tidbit of knowledge. "I was, am, and always will be beyond your comprehension so long as you remain as you are. You must learn balance, apprentice. Confidence without checks is arrogance. Arrogance gets you killed. Restricting yourself to using only the light or the darkness does nothing more than limit your potential, my apprentice. One most learn to use both sides of the Force if they ever wish to understand what true power is."
Bastila scoffed and replied, "A Sith Lord talking about using the light? Listen to yourself, Master. You're only weakening yourself by using the light!"
Bastila was suddenly grasped by the Force and brought into Revan's tightening fist around her neck.
"I thought we dealt with this problem before, apprentice. The Force is an energy field that binds all living things together. It touches everyone, from the most morally pure person, however idealistic they can be, to the most blatantly corrupt individual, regardless of how monstrous they are. Everything in life is balanced. Revenge by Justice. Betrayal by Loyalty. Malice by Kindness. Hatred by Love. War by Peace. Victory by Defeat. Light by Dark. It is the natural way of all things. Everything in life must be balanced by the Force in order to for it to exist. Nothing is unbalanced, and because the Force flows through us more strongly than most, we must not allow ourselves to become exceptions to that rule. A person must grasp the darkness as well the light inside themselves in order to gain balance, enlightenment, and to reach their full potential. Anyone who denies this truth is an ignorant fool who is defying the laws of nature, for no being is truly light or dark. In the end, we're all just a different shade of grey." Revan said, trying to impart his message onto his apprentice in a rare moment of kindness. She was traveling down a dark path that had led to Malak's downfall, and in the process corrupted his entire group of loyal Force users and hampered even him for a time. He did not want Bastila to follow that path. She deserved more, deserved better.
As Revan spoke, Bastila couldn't help but feel the warmness of the body currently holding her up. Could feel the iron hard grip Revan had her in and how it could be applied to more pleasurable purposes. She could see the hard, sexy lines covered by his armor and his jumpsuit. Bastila could picture the numerous ways she could bring unimaginable pleasure to her master, could see the spots where she could make him scream her name...
SMACK. A sudden backhand threw Bastila out of her thoughts as she flew across the room yet again. Revan advanced on her fallen form, murderous at the thoughts he had seen flickering in her eyes.
"Do not be distracted by petty temptations!" Revan roared. He was trying to teach her! He was trying to give her the knowledge, reflexes, and experience necessary to survive! What was she thinking spurning his offering and wasting their time?
Bastila jumped to her feet, lightsaber in hand, and active. Inside her, she was glad that Revan was expressing his rage, using his anger to empower himself. Now, if he would only embrace it completely...
Revan suddenly took a deep breath and calmed himself, tempering the roaring beast within him. Balance, Revan thought. It was good, necessary even to recognize your anger and to use its power, though with caution. It was not beneficial to use it too much, to rely on it and eventually fall victim to its insidious whispers. Such things were best used in moderation.
"We're done for today, apprentice. Report to the med bay and see to it that your wounds are treated." Revan said concisely as he proceeded out of the training room. He had had enough of her for one day.
Bastila stood there and deactivated her lightsaber, left hand incapable of feeling anything, and contemplated her master's teachings for the day. Despite the damage she had received, Revan always made sure that any injuries Bastila suffered during their training sessions were perfectly and completely treatable... in time. Pain makes you remember your mistakes. Remembering your mistakes allows you to not make them again.
Bastila spat out a little more blood and examined her nerveless left hand. Even so, Revan did go harder on her today than he usually did. She must have pissed him off with her actions today... Good.
In spite of her master's lecture, Bastila believed in what she had said to Revan. The dark side promised power beyond measure, and to use the light for any purpose was to weaken oneself. If Revan did not correct this shortcoming of his, he would eventually fall victim to someone's blade. Even hers if necessary. And it would happen at the moment he least expected it, if it came down to it.
However, she would not turn against him until he was clearly not salvageable. She had freed him from a life of being the Jedi's pawn and returned his identity, his power, and his throne to him. Therefore, it was obvious that he took her opinion with some degree of seriousness. She would break his chains and finally free him from the last holdings of the Jedi's poisonous influence, and the lies of peace that they had implanted within his mind.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
And Bastila would be victorious in her endeavor to free her beloved master.
By any means.
Jedi Temple
Across the galaxy in another institution of Jedi learning, another group of combatants were training. The first, a younger woman wielding two green blades with the Jar'Kai style, attacked the older man with a flurry of attacks, trying to overwhelm and pierce her opponent's defenses. The older man simply and calmly deflected her attacks with his single blue blade.
The woman thrusted her right lightsaber towards the older man's chest, attempting to hit where the man's heart would be. The man swung his lightsaber and locked blades with the one attempting to hit him, pushing against it with some force. The women's second free lightsaber came crashing down, attempting to end the duel with its savage bite. However, the man moved his blade and in extension his opponent's other blade into the path of the lightsaber seeking to eviscerate him. The three blades locked together, leaving the two combatants in a stalemate. They eventually lowered their blades and stared at each other, their brilliant swords glowing between them.
"Your skills have gotten better, my old Padawan. Before, I would have disarmed you by now."
The woman grinned, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "I have learned from the best, Master Drallig" She deactivated her lightsabers and bowed, showing her respect for her former Master.
Cin Drallig, Temple Battlemaster and chief lightsaber combat instructor, smiled at his former Padawan's respect as he too deactivated his blade. "You always were my most prized student, Serra. I'm very proud of you."
Jedi Knight Serra Keto smiled at the compliment her old teacher gave her. The twenty one year old flicked her chin length black hair out of her face and replied, "Thank you, Master, that means a great deal to me."
Drallig's cheerful face then transformed into a more serious one, "However, the moves you pulled during today's fight were reckless. You would have been killed several times over if I had actually been seeking to harm you!"
Serra's face hardened, a vestige of her old rebelliousness flaring up inside her. She had done well, exceptional even. Her Master had said so himself! Then he criticized her for being reckless?
"Well, Master, isn't that the goal of my style? To be unconventional, to be unpredictable, to be dynamic? Who are you to criticize what my entire combat style is based off of? If I am passive when I'm fighting for my life, then I'm as good as dead!"
Cin's body slightly deflated from the barbs Serra had thrown at him. "It's just hard for me to see you risk your life like that, Serra. I've trained you since you were a mere youngling. I've helped you become the prodigy you are today and are becoming… I care about you."
Serra shrank back slightly, humbled and slightly angry at herself for throwing such hurtful words at him. "I'm sorry, Master. It's just that I've had enough scorn directed at me and it's piling up on my shoulders. I shouldn't let it bother me."
Cin smiled, proud of the model Jedi Serra was. "Very good, my former Padawan. Remember, there is no emotion, there is peace. I think we have gone on long enough today. Go on and get some rest."
Serra nodded and proceeded into the freshers, wanting to clean off the sweat and grime that she had accumulated during her spar with Master Drallig. As she entered the freshers, she quickly and swiftly removed the articles of clothing which separated her body from the rest of the world. Putting her lightsabers aside, she stepped into the hot, flowing water and sighed in contentment as the liquid eased tensions, pains and sores she didn't even know she had. Her mind began to wander as the feeling of calm contentment filled her being.
She had been lying to her old Master when she said that the scorn directed towards her didn't bother her. It very much did so. Throughout her time in the Jedi Temple, she had the subject of some pretty nasty verbal assaults about either her recklessness, her unnatural skill with a lightsaber, or her difficulty in controlling her emotions, if not all three.
Serra's face subtly scowled as she recalled the numerous instances where she had verbally blown up at some idiot who pissed her off or when she had spoken her mind regarding current issues plaguing the galaxy. She had always had problems in hampering her emotions, in keeping the serenity and inner calm a Jedi was renowned to have.
However, Serra never understood why. Regardless of what the Jedi had tried to teach her, she was a human, not a droid, and she had emotions. Furthermore, based on what she'd read about the ancient Sith, they had used emotions connected to the dark side such as hate, greed, and fear to increase their power. Why could the Jedi not do the same with happiness, compassion, or hope?
However, this had only earned her repeated lectures and disappointment from the Masters above her. They saw it as a mere rebellious phase, something inconsequential that they thought would disappear from the young girl, only to resurface on brief occasions throughout her apprenticeship. It never did fade away completely. Serra Keto had merely buried it from those who constantly criticized it. The same doubts still plagued her to this day.
Even her Master was slightly guilty of the same, but he had seen the potential buried within her and coaxed it out of the stubborn, rebellious, distrusting girl she was. Despite their gradual separation of their ideological views, Serra still had fond feelings for the old troll. However, she couldn't help but feel that she could be something... more, something greater, that she had more potential than this.
Fifteen minutes later, Serra happily walked out of the freshers, glad to be finally rid of all the disgusting grime and filth that always coated her at the end of her sparring matches. She quickly and quietly walked through the halls of the Temple, wanting to get to her room so she could relax and sleep off her exhaustion.
However, her attention was diverted to a nearby conversation where a trio of Jedi were throwing their opinions around. She walked toward the group and listened in on their verbal exchange.
"Did you hear the news? A new Mandalore has just risen to power." A human Jedi said.
Another Jedi, a Rodian, scoffed at his comrade's statement. "So what? All they are is peace-loving pacifists. Who cares about a new leader for them?"
"But this Mandalore aims to bring back the so-called glory of their past! Apparently, Mandalorians used to be a great warrior race, their culture built around honor, battle, and constantly testing their abilities in every way imaginable. They literally believed that to make war was to be divine."
"Still doesn't matter. His actions will not be liked or tolerated by the population of Mandalore or the Republic. He has lost before he even began." the Rodian sneered. He was a person who believed in the absolute strength of the Republic and the Jedi Order.
"By the Force, have you been paying any attention to this story? The people absolutely love him and literally begged for his rise to power! I saw the vid on Galactic News! He was something else!" the human Jedi said, trying to get the Rodian to see his point of view.
"What I care about," a human female Jedi asked, "is what this means for the Mandalorian people. Is it good? Bad? Absolutely terrible?"
"Of course this is terrible" The Rodian responded. "This... Mandalore will simply turn his entire planet into bloodthirsty savages who will destabilize the galaxy and threaten galactic peace. Besides, he is ruining his planet's admirable efforts to become a part of the galactic community."
"I don't agree with that." Serra said, who stood resolute when the three Jedi turned to face her and recognized her. The Rodian's eyes darkened with dislike, the male's face frowned in apprehension, and the woman merely raised an eyebrow at the sound of her voice.
"Oh? Then what do you think, Serra?" The Rodian asked, spitting her name out like it was something vile. Serra narrowed her eyes at him. She recognized him somehow... Oh yes, he was the one who she kicked in the family jewels a year ago for saying some pretty cruel things.
"I think this is actually a big opportunity for the Mandalorians." Serra began, motioning towards the holoprojection of the Mandalorian news story in front of her. "Over the past few centuries, the Mandalorians have been declining culturally, politically, economically, and more. No one went to help stop their decline because they were happy that the Mandalorians were becoming weak and unable to act against them. However, they have grown as a race and understand now that mindless war and conquest is not acceptable. I've spoken to them myself and they told me that they feel this way."
Serra continued, "I admit that the status quo may be shaken a bit. However, this Mandalore is taking the responsibility to rebuild his civilization upon himself so that his people may become something they were once were, something great. I think that is in fact, admirable. Who are we to deny them such noble goals? We are the guardians of life and peace. Shouldn't we be helping the Mandalorians reach such greatness once again? Wouldn't they remember our generosity and stay on good terms with us, and by extension, the Republic?"
Her audience looked uncertain and worried over her words. "Serra, our duty is to the Republic and galactic peace, not a minor race. The Mandalorians were a savage people whose decline was necessary and wanted. We should not allow them to regain their old strength." The woman said.
"Yeah, Serra. Speak to yourself in your room. No one wants to hear your stupid thoughts." The Rodian said smugly, grinning savagely at the sight of Serra being completely ignored and even being scolded.
Serra could feel anger rushing through her blood at the sound of their refusal to even acknowledge her point. Who were they? Not Jedi. A true Jedi would have understood and accepted what she had said. This... this.. was an outrage!
Serra applied several Force techniques to quell her anger, but all she did was dull its edge. It was still present, waiting for the chance to emerge once again.
"Very well, then. I see that I'm no longer wanted. Good day." Serra said stiffly. Just before she left, Serra told the group "I'd keep an eye on your Rodian friend, if I were you. It is not the Jedi way to be so arrogant." Before any of them could respond, she quickly exited the room, intent on reaching her dorm as soon as possible. She brushed past anyone who stood in her way, most of them staring at her with curiosity or annoyance.
As she entered her quarters, her fist came down on a nearby table, bruising her hand. She had suffered enough bullshit for one day.
Jedi High Council Chambers
Three Jedi Knights stood before the Jedi Council, waiting for the Masters to speak. They had been called up here to receive new orders for a mission they were going to be sent on, and they were curious about what they would be doing.
"We suppose you wonder why you are here." Mace Windu stated, taking the lead during this discussion.
"Yes, Master Windu. We were most intrigued when you called the three of us up here. What would you like us to do?" the centermost Jedi confessed.
"We assume you heard of the situation developing on Mandalore." Master Eeth Koth said.
The leftmost Jedi snorted and replied, "Who hasn't? It's been one of the hottest news topics in the galaxy. Why?"
Mace Windu leaned forward and brought his hands together. "The Chancellor is sending an observation group to Mandalore in order to be certain whether the new regime is following Republic law and is actually helping the people. You three are going to accompany them, and along with Knight Skyfall - who is already on Mandalore and awaiting your arrival - gather information on the regime. Tell us everything you see. And be on the lookout for any possible Sith influence in the area."
The three Jedi stiffened at the uttering of their ancient enemy's name. This mission just got a lot more complicated.
"What if we do find signs of the Sith there, Master? What should we do?" the third Jedi asked.
"If you find any evidence of Sith involvement, contact us immediately. We will decide what to do from there" Plo Koon said.
Mace stared at the three to see if they understood their orders. Seeing that they did, he leaned back and replied, "The Republic observation group leaves tomorrow at 0400 GST. Make sure you're there. In the meantime, you're dismissed."
The three Jedi nodded and left, leaving the Council alone in their deliberations.
The Star Forge
Inside an area of his immense private quarters aboard the Rakatan space station, Revan hummed as he continued his work on the small stellated dodecahedron in front of him. Sparks flew from the small welder Revan wielded as he carefully installed yet another micro superconductor inside it. Once the small connection had a successful installation, Revan sighed and wiped the accumulating sweat from his forehead. He glanced up at the ceiling, frowning. When did the room get so bloody hot?
Revan slowly sat up, wincing slightly from the soreness in his limbs. He walked over to the console and stared at the redoubts blaring at him, saying that the temperature of the room had risen more than five degrees over his preferred temperature, and action was necessary to lower it. Revan lowered the temperature and sighed in relief as cooler air started blowing into the room. Revan moved and sat down, taking a small break from his most recent project.
After finishing with Bastila's training for the day, Revan had checked in with all of his men personally aboard the Star Forge, as well as Canderous Ordo. He had learned a while ago during the Mandalorian Wars that a leader needed to connect with his troops, to really know them and understand what drives them. Then, with that connection established, the troops would give that much more effort out in the field. A clear example of that was at the Battle of Althir. Revan could swear with his hands behind his back that if he had not put efforts to connect with his crew on a personal level and get that extra effort, they would not be alive today.
Anyway, everything was proceeding as planned. His soldiers had taken control of their posts aboard the Star Forge, the Rakatan temple was secured, and the disruptor field was operational once again. He had plans to activate the Star Forge after the briefing he had scheduled with his head officers tomorrow.
Unfortunately, he had recently learned that the holocron he had stored within the Rakatan temple on Lehon's surface had been reduced to dust, most likely by some Jedi explorer who had crash-landed on the planet due to the disrupter field before it had went offline. This Jedi must have eventually came across his holocron in the temple and then destroyed it after sensing the darkness inside it before the dangers of the island claimed the unfortunate Jedi's life. Perhaps it was for the best, as Revan had since become enlightened as to the true nature of the Force and its power after he had taken back his Empire from the evil clutches of Darth Malak. He then made plans to create a new holocron later, one that reflected his newfound beliefs and knowledge.
Speaking of holocrons, Revan turned his head to look at the one he was currently modifying. He had been working on trying to get holocrons, instead of being data repositories, to be active communication arrays through a Force channel for several hours now. He normally would have the Star Forge make them, but he always had to make a working prototype and create digital plans of the object before it could be constructed by the Star Forge. Alas, here he was in a miniature workshop in his quarters trying to get the holocron working. It hadn't been easy. A pair of connected holocrons had spontaneously combusted when he had attempted to overcharge them with the Force, curious to see if an overflow of power would work for creating a comm channel between them.
When that didn't work, Revan moved into reconfiguring the insides of the holocron to accept real time input and output data from another source. He was on his second trial as the first one had short circuited and caused a mini explosion, sending shrapnel everywhere in the room. Revan had to spend a half an hour trying to collect all the shrapnel throughout the room. That was not fun. Hopefully this one would work as planned.
Revan approached the workbench and carefully resealed the star-shaped holocron, leaving no evidence of its cannibalized inner works. He then grabbed a second holocron, its joined pair, and turned on its receivers. Revan then went to the other side of the room and put the first one down on a small table he had set up for this experiment.
He activated the input holocron which let out a small whirr as it started up. A thin beam emerged from the holocron and scanned Revan's form. Once Revan had been fully scanned, it gave a quick beep, ready for communications or recording. Revan sent a small Force impulse toward the machine, telling it to enter active communication mode.
"This is a tested dialogue of Holocron Network Trial Two. I am Darth Revan, the Lord of Revenge, and this is my newfound pride and joy." Revan said jovially. He sent the counter impulse to end the communication. As the holocron powered down, Revan smiled at the sight of a smaller holographic projection of him, appearing exactly like a holocron gatekeeper, dissipate. It had said the exact same words with a delay too small to quantify. He had done it.
"This innovation will definitely have some impact on what is to come," Revan mused as he rubbed his chin, staring down at his new invention. It definitely would.
Revan quickly cleaned up his workstation and saved the plans for the holocron onto his mask's data chip. With that done, he quickly switched into his sleep wear and proceeded into bed. He had a long day tomorrow.
Somewhere far far away...
In the outer rim territories, located in the Quelii sector, laid a temperate world somewhat smaller than Coruscant. Home to the reptilian Kwa over one hundred thousand years ago who had eventually waned from power, it had since become the home of several disciples of the dark side. The Rakata had also visited this world tens of thousands of years ago and removed some of its most ferocious natives, curious about their biology. It had a recorded population of less than five thousand humans and was untouched by the technology that was present on many other worlds throughout the galaxy.
Down below the surface of the planet, hidden very well from any spies or interlopers that may do them harm, there was a coven, recently unified with others and was thriving with life and prosperity. People were living their lives throughout the dark expanse and buildings towered throughout the immense size of one of the many cave networks. Each member of this thriving coven was female, and all held some degree of power and control over the dark side of the Force.
Inside the main building in the center of the coven sat a woman, eyes closed and thinking about the present. She wore a red ceremonial dress typical to the shamans of her people. Her skin was slate white with grey tattoos also signifying her importance to her people. She was the most powerful person in the coven, and was responsible for the prosperity it had reached so far.
A subtle touch of the Spirits caused the woman to open her eyes, revealing them to be shining silver in color. She rose and stood at her full height of over two meters and approached a window, staring out upon her people, her charges, her children. She was responsible for the way they were living their lives. She was responsible for the generosity of the Spirits to give her their blessing to live. Now, she had received something from them that was of great significance to her and her entire clan.
Two shadows detached from the walls, noticing their shaman's discontent and grew concerned for her. Two more women, both wearing similar red clothing but designed more for combat, approached the third one.
"Mother Talzin, what is it that troubles you?" one of the warriors asked.
Talzin turned to face the young warrior, smiling slightly at the professionalism they carried. "The Spirits have spoken again, Naa'leth. They bring news. News that I fear heralds many trials for our people. These trials will not be easy, and many will perish. Yet if we can endure, our clan will live in a golden age the likes of which we have never known!"
"What do you mean?" the other asked, deeply curious at the thought of what could cause their leader to act in a manner such as this.
Talzin smiled warmly and replied, "Someone is coming, Karis. Someone who will bring great changes to our people. A disciple of one of the many aspects of the Fanged God will be arriving here very soon."
The two women briefly gasped and exclaimed, "Why, we must prepare for her arrival! She will change everything! She will lead our people to greatness just like Allya did!"
Talzin nodded and said, "Yes, alert the village. Tell them to prepare for the disciple's arrival and to give her the most lavish treatment possible. She must be impressed by our dedication and be willing to aid us in our quest for ascendance. For only with her aid can we succeed."
The two warriors bowed and left, leaving Mother Talzin alone to her thoughts. This was certainly unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome. She would give this coming woman, this coming disciple of the Fanged God, a welcome that she would never forget.
As Talzin's thoughts drifted to more temporal matters, she didn't notice the subtle warning of the Spirits that she had somehow gotten something terribly wrong in her interpretation of their message.
And that lapse in concentration would change everything.
AN: I hope you enjoyed that chapter of The Lord of Revenge!
As I said before, I loved writing this chapter especially the beginning and end. Tell me what you think!
I'm going to take a small break from this story and write some chapters for my other stories, but fear not! This story will go on!
This story, starting next chapter, will start rapidly expanding plot wise and lots of stuff will go on in the next plot arc. I've already foreshadowed somethings that will go on, but there is some more events I haven't touched on yet. You guys will love them.
BTW, I thought of this really interesting story idea when I was watching Transformers and writing this story at the same time. I might try my hand at it, but since I won't for a while, I'm releasing it for others to use as they please. Here it is.
Transformers/Star Wars Crossover-
Summary
"Wondering Statement: Why, this is such a curious world. An advanced species, one entirely created out of metallic perfection? Oh, the joy of that very thought! A distinct lack of meatbags? Bless my circuits. A whole new challenge for my assassination protocols? How I shiver in anticipation. I wonder how they'll scream..." Cybertronian HK-47, pre war/war Cybertron setting.
If anyone wants to try writing this idea, please let me know. I'm eager to see what others can make out of this.
That's all folks! See you later!
Primordial Soul
