W/N - Thank you so much, Jen. You are a wonderful reader. A number of destinies intersect here and we wanted to write a stand up land battle and show Revan's skill at strategy. We'll also look deeper into HK. We'll look a bit at the Shien style of combat. I can understand the exhaustion of swinging a sword for a while and your arms do feel like lead.

Other malarkey - We practiced tameshigiri today, cutting small rolls of newspaper with shinken, the sharpened steel katana. I had two crappy cuts and four nice ones, getting a clean slice with a nice thwop!

Dewa, jaa mata ato de.

Apocalypse – Part IV

Outside The Tomb of Naga Sadow

Carth's gut tightened – something was definitely wrong inside the tomb. He saw Uthar and Yuthura enter earlier and now Lashowe came running out of the tomb, screaming like a rancor was on her heels. He noted that the woman's hair was now white and she was all but incoherent. Carth and Juhani sprinted over to the tomb entrance as Lashowe fled toward them. The captain grabbed the terrified Sith. "What happened in there? Where's Selwyn?"

Lashowe's eyes were still crazed, unfocused and darting back and forth, and she foamed at the mouth, casting spittle in his face. "Revan has returned from the dead; she'll kill us all!" Once, she had idealized the conqueror, even meeting the Dark Lord once, but knew of her power and feared it. The Sith student began thrashing and screaming again until T3 stuck her with a needle and filled her with a tranquilizer. The woman sagged in Carth's arms and he laid her on the ground. She would be of no further help here.

HK's eyes flashed. "Inquiry: Are we just saving her to kill later?" he asked hopefully.

Juhani shook her head and motioned everyone into the tomb. "I just hope Canderous and rest come through on time."

Carth made eye contact with her. They had made a plan, but there were many moving parts in the idea. He nodded to the Cathar. "And Dustil…."

Time was of the essence and they scrambled down the dark hallway, T3 shining a bright light ahead. In the distance, they could hear blaster fire and the sound of humming lightsabers. In his heart, he knew Aerin was in deep trouble. Part of him wanted to let her perish here, an end appropriate for the great traitor, Revan. He slowed for a second and then realized that he couldn't let it happen. With a conflicted grunt, the captain waved HK ahead. "Go, the master is in danger!"

In the Tomb of Naga Sadow

Now was his moment of glory – the master was probably being ripped to shred, her guts hanging out like stuffed sausages, her eyes burned like toasted marshmallows. He could save her. The droid's eyes flashed and he sprinted forward on tireless legs with T3 rolling behind. HK crossed the bridge at a full run and sprinted past the slain Tarentateks without so much as a glance, so focused was he on saving his master.

The droid could see that the Sith were packed into the hallway leading to the acid pool and firing volleys at Aerin and Yuthura, who were whirling their lightsabers, deflecting bolts with the Shien Form. He switched to infrared targeting and his enemy glowed in green and yellow.

HK relayed a series of beeps to T3 and the little droid whirred. This was going to be so much fun, he could barely contain himself. The carnage! The screams! His circuitry was alive with anticipation. HK hurled a pair of grenades down the hall as T3 shot a cloud of noxious fumes into the Sith force. The spheres erupted into light and fire as yellow-green smoke engulfed the Sith. Screams, coughing, and shouts of confusion drowned the hallway and the droids poured blaster fire into the crowd.

Covered in flames, a Dark Jedi charged at the droids, howling and spinning his lightsaber. The man's skin smoked and crackled, but he didn't seem to care. T3 let out a frightened, "Dwoooo!" as HK fired into the Sith, but the man kept coming. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. However, the rust-colored droid deftly flipped his selector to full automatic fire and multiple bolts sliced through the Dark Jedi before he fell right at HK's feet.

"Exclamation: Whew."

Now, caught between the droids, fire, and the Jedis' furious counterattack, the Sith force disintegrated and they fled, screaming past HK and T3. The rust-colored droid fired into the running troops. "Statement: Git some…git some." Oh, watching their backsides flee into the darkness was precious and gave him a warm glow inside.

"Dee reet…dee reet," squawked T3 in imitation.

Soon, Carth and Juhani came up to rejoin the crew, several prisoners in tow. HK looked at the prisoners and rubbed his hands. "Appreciation: For me?" He raised his blaster rifle, but Aerin emerged from the hall.

"Sorry HK, we need them for information," she told him and the droid lowered his head and his eyes dimmed; he was…disappointed. Next time, he thought to himself, next time.

In the Hallway

Aerin was thankful for the reinforcements – it could have gone either way before HK and T3 showed up. She nodded thanks to Juhani, but avoided eye contact with Carth. She looked their captives over and knew it was time to interrogate them. She would try a soft touch at first. The Jedi leaned over the kneeling prisoners with a sweet smile. "Tell me the strength and disposition of Sith forces on Korriban."

One of the officers looked her in the eye. "Bite me, wench."

How dare he? A surge of anger swept her for a brief second, but she choked it down. I've got to get myself under control. I feel more alive…more powerful than ever, but am I trading my soul for power? My power comes through my rage. Is that what happened to me before? I must control myself.

Well, sweetness wasn't working, but she didn't want to use terror – she didn't want to go further down that path. Instead of striking out, she took a long drink of ale and knelt down beside the officer and let her mind envelope his. The man struggled and shook as he tried to resist her, but her mental probe was too much for him. Soon, he was babbling about the Sith brigade that was stationed to defend the Academy. Aerin took mental notes and then stood again.

Aerin and Carth exchanged glances and she nodded her head curtly. "Captain Onasi." She still wasn't sure what to make of him. He seemed less…hateful when Dustil came around, but the image of his angry, bitter face was still emblazoned in her mind. She would keep it professional – that's what had to happen.

He inhaled deeply, seemingly uncomfortable and glanced from side to side. "I…I didn't thank you…you and Juhani for saving Dustil. You did me a great service."

Padawan Dakar gave him a faint smile. She knew how hard it must have been for him to say that for as much as he detested her. "You're welcome. But don't be too thankful yet, Dustil is still in danger and we aren't out of the woods yet."

HK's antenna glowed briefly and he cocked his head as if listening. "Statement: It is with great joy that I am announcing that Canderous has just breached the front door of the Sith Academy. Anticipation: A battle is brewing. It will be meatbag city."

Aerin nodded. The time for action was now. She would need all of her strength and all of her knowledge to defeat an entire Sith brigade. She knew that she had a trump card, but should it be played? Why am I fighting who I am? With my skill and power as Revan, we could end this. I know my weakness is in my ability to counter Force attacks, but I have gained much in the way of Force powers from Jolee and Bastila. She thought about her mentor and how much pain she knew Bastila was in. Perhaps the bond could help her friend. Bastila…I can still feel you through the bond…you are in so much agony. You are so alone. Take strength from me…. I shall be coming to free you. Just hang on.

Aerin will to fight who she was faded and she tapped into an unseen part of her brain and inspiration took hold. Her face then became very serious, eyes focused and bright, and she knelt in the dirt and began to draw a diagram of the valley along with the positions of Sith forces. She could see in her head where the enemy was and what she could do about it. So, this was why Revan was so formidable.

"This is how the battle will unfold…."

As she discussed her strategy, she looked up into Carth's eyes and sensed his thoughts, knowing that he could not help but think of a young admiral, designing the conquest of the galaxy.

The Sith Academy

Canderous placed an explosive charge on the door to the Academy and then scrambled behind some boulders. He glanced over to Mission and spoke, "Fire in the hole," whereupon the Twi'lek cranked a switch handle and the door exploded inward.

The Mandalorian hefted his blaster and ran for the ragged opening, followed by Jolee and the Rodian, Mika Dorin, a loyal follower of Revan. Mika's loyalist force chanted, "Revan!" as they surged through the door, which was shrouded in smoke.

Sith troops unleashed a volley of blaster fire and some of Mika's men collapsed as they ran forward. Canderous' power shields flashed from hits and he sprinted toward cover, hurling a smoke grenade. Jolee followed, slicing away bolts and the two dove behind some stone statues.

In stealth mode, Mission crawled on the ground through swirling fumes, approaching the Sith, who were laying down fire from behind cover. The Twi'lek placed several mines and crawled away. At a safe distance, she pressed the command unit and the mines detonated, hurling fragments, plasma, and Sith into the air. The mercenary grinned broadly – it was time for glory.

Canderous then leapt forward, his red Mandalorian armor polished and gleaming. Ergeron covered his flank, firing through the smoke to keep the Sith down. As Jolee and Mika's force assaulted another Sith position, the mercenaries strode through the fumes and flame like demons, pumping bolts into the enemy.

Canderous charged into another line of armored troops and his eyes widened; he stood face to face with fellow Mandalorians. He raised the muzzle of his weapon to the ceiling. He knew who they were, but were they friend or foe?

"Kelborn, Bralor, what are you doing here?"

Canderous and Ergeron, along with the two Mandalorians, quickly drew their vibrodaggers and took fighting stances. Ordo put on his most terrifying war face, anticipating combat. They would be difficult foes, having fought in dozens of campaigns against the Republic. There was a moment of pause and then four broke into laughter and stood, holding their daggers over their chests, points down. Indeed, he could not kill another Mandalorian unless absolutely necessary. Besides, there was better prey to be had here.

In spite of the nearby battle, Ergeron stepped up besides Canderous and smiled at the sight of long lost comrades. Kelborn, a tall, lean Mandalorian with dark curly hair, slapped Canderous on the shoulder. "We have not seen you since Revan conquered us. The Sith have hired us to protect this wasteland. I suppose it looks a lot better than Malachor Five. I hope your battles have been more prosperous." An explosion rang out nearby, but not one of them flinched.

Ordo's face took on a conspiratorial look and he leaned in close to the others. He had an idea. "Revan lives…. I fight for her now. Join me; her battles have been glorious." The two Mandalorians looked shocked and they glanced at one another. Ergeron nodded his agreement of Canderous' words.

Before they could respond, another Mandalorian burst in and stood before Canderous. A long, pink scar colored his neck and he glared angrily at Ordo. Canderous made eye contact and was initially glad until he realized the hate emanating from this man. What had happened? They had been friends for a lifetime.

"Canderous Ordo," the Mandalorian said through gritted teeth, "I longed to see you again and destroy you for what you did at Althir," the broad-shouldered man said in accusation, pointing a finger.

Ordo could not believe his ears. "Jagi? What are you talking about? We crushed the Althirans."

Jagi sneered at his childhood friend. "You sent us to attack and then abandoned us while you sought your own glory! We died by the scores as you won honors. I have waited for years for this moment. Canderous, I challenge you…right here, right now. Before the remnants of our clan…before the bravest of our people. If you refuse me, you reputation…your name will be nothing."

The sounds of fighting died away as Jolee and Mika Dorin drove the Sith back. Canderous clenched his teeth. This was like a slap in the face. He did what he did to win the battle. "Jagi, you were always close to my heart. It was war; I…I do not regret my decisions." In war, people die, sacrifices are made – Jagi knew this. Why did he hold such a grudge? What changed in his friend?

"Then, Canderous of the Clan Ordo, let us settle this," Jagi said as he drew his vibrodagger slowly and the two began to circle, surrounded by other Mandalorians. Canderous had no choice, friend or not, he had to fight. If his friend wanted a challenge, then so be it – let the best Mandalorian win. Jagi made several feints, stabbing and slashing the air with his weapon. Canderous moved steadily, bobbing and shifting his feet. Jagi growled and lunged forward, but Canderous parried his arm away and kicked Jagi in the gut.

Jagi's armor absorbed much of the blow, but he grunted and kicked Canderous' legs out from under him. Ordo fell backward and crashed to the ground and Jagi leapt on top of him, stabbing with his dagger. Canderous caught Jagi's arm and they rolled on the floor, struggling for control of the weapon.

Jagi elbowed Canderous in the chin and wrestled the dagger away. With a quick thrust, he plunged the point into Canderous chest, just below the collarbone. Ordo grit his bloody teeth and spat red, but he pulled Jagi in closer.

"I will enjoy your dying squirms, Canderous," Jagi whispered. Canderous knew that this man was no longer the friend that had fought beside him. He could feel the cold steel in his flesh, deep in his muscles and sinews. However, Canderous would not die. Instead, he seemed to grow in strength and brought his own dagger up, slicing Jagi's neck below the jaw. It had to be this way. It was the Way of Mandalore. Jagi's face registered horror as he wrinkled his features. Blood sprayed on the ground as the dying mercenary stood and took several steps back.

Canderous also stood and removed the dagger in his chest. He watched as Jagi wobbled and then collapsed. As his childhood friend wheezed weakly, Canderous knelt over him and dipped two fingers in Jagi's blood. As Jagi's eyes rolled back and he breathed his last, Ordo inhaled deeply, taking in the essence of his kill.

As Canderous stood, the other Mandalorians stared at him in awe. Bralor, a massive, heavily-muscled warrior looked at Canderous' wound. "You should be dead."

"Yeah? It's going to take a lot more than that to kill this Mandalorian. There was no joy in this kill. Now Kelborn, Bralor, what say you? Shall we once again unleash the fury of the Mandalore?" His heart was cold now, yearning for the fire of battle and the slaughter of enemies.

Ergeron came forward. "The Mandalore? The name suits you, Canderous," he said as he extended his hand toward the other warriors and they took it firmly. A grin came over Kelborn and Bralor's faces.

"For Mandalore!" they shouted as they charged at the Sith.

The Valley of the Tombs

Aerin led the team out of the tomb and they hastily prepared for a Sith counterattack. As Carth and HK took a position over the tomb entrance, Aerin looked off into the hills and nodded – the storm was coming quickly. The Sith would not easily let them have their way and they knew there would be a fierce battle. Then, she and T3 began laying mines as Juhani spoke to someone on the commlink. As expected, two companies of Sith troops appeared and began to deploy for battle. Yuthura and Aerin peered through their binos and saw officers directing their men forward, using cover. This was what Aerin saw in her head.

"Deedle bleep!" informed T3.

"Yes, it looks like about a hundred men," answered Aerin as they knelt from behind a rock wall. She knew this was just the tip of the iceberg as the two companies were just part of one, giant brigade. Regardless of her strategy, they would be heavily outnumbered.

The Sith troops advanced in two columns down either side of the valley with a squad walking cautiously in the open. As the squad entered the minefield, Aerin picked up a blaster rifle that she had acquired. She looked at T3. "Not yet, let them come further."

The Sith advanced another 10 meters and then Aerin nodded. T3 sent a command signal to the mines and several of them detonated, obliterating the squad amid fire and shrapnel. Immediately, the Sith columns lay down covering fire and the three Jedi curled up behind the wall. Flakes and dust flew up around them, soon to be joined by a high-pitched whine.

"Incoming!" Aerin yelled and pulled Juhani up. With Yuthura, they dashed to another position of cover as a shell landed nearby. T3 rolled along as the shell burst, throwing rocks and dirt high into the air. The blast knocked the droid over and threw the Jedi to the ground. Aerin's head reeled and her ears rang. White spots danced in her vision, but she could see an officer ordering two squads of Sith troops to break cover and charge.

Above the Tomb

From a hidden position above the tomb, Carth saw about twenty men rush from behind rocks, into the open toward the stunned Jedi. Calmly, he pointed them out to HK and the droid swung a heavy blaster around. The captain was in his element, directing his part of the battle. HK's support weapon opened up, barking out bolts that cut through the armor of the Sith and they fell in heaps. The captain smiled vacantly, knowing that far fewer Sith would plague the galaxy.

As the two squads lay dead or dying, Carth slapped HK. He knew the Sith would soon zero in on them, but he could stay ahead of the game. "Move to position two, now."

HK quickly picked up the blaster on its tripod and scurried to the next firing position as cover fire struck their former hiding place. Their timing was perfect and Carth found he worked well with the psychotic droid.

Smoke rounds began to fall in the area fronting the tomb to cover the Sith advance. Troopers and mercenaries moved methodically forward toward the team, firing through the smoke. Aerin had briefed this beforehand and Carth knew that they would do this.

Carth and HK quickly set up the blaster and began hammering out bolts. Several Sith emerged from the smoke and the droid cut them to ribbons. Then, a smoke trail appeared in front of them and grew larger. It was just a matter of time before the Sith got the range on them.

"Rocket!" Carth yelled and dove aside just as the projectile slammed into the rocks that provided them with cover. The captain crashed into a large stone and his ears rang. Dust coated his face and arms and he wiped his eyes and shook his head. He called out to HK, but could not hear his own voice.

Carth looked through the cloud of dust and saw that the support blaster had been destroyed. HK sat there with a long piece of shrapnel protruding from his head and one of his arms hung by wires.

"Statement: Ouch."

Then, three ladders appeared on the ledge and Sith troops swarmed in. The heavy assault troops were closing on them. Carth saw their masks and heavy armor and knew that he was in for the fight of his life.

In Front of the Tomb

T3 righted himself as the smoke rounds began falling and the sound of the Sith charge commenced. The dull, distant battle cry grew into a ferocious howl as troops burst through the smoke, brandishing weapons. From behind cover, Aerin aimed her rifle downrange and squeezed the trigger multiple times. Men fell, but others took their place in the headlong rush. "T3, the rest of the mines!" she ordered, covering her ears.

"Bleep!" he responded, indicating that his command link was damaged by the blast. This was not in her plan at all.

Aerin made a sour face as Sith troops emerged from the smoke at 20 meters distance. Blaster fire from HK cut through the first wave, but a rocket flew overhead and exploded at Carth's position. Chunks of rock scattered down as a second wave of Sith emerged. Aerin glanced up, hoping Carth was ok, but she had bigger worries.

Aerin fired and the muzzle of her weapon flashed. A Sith trooper screamed and fell, but the attack had reached the Jedi. The enemy battle cry was deafening at point blank range and bayonets shined as blaster bolts filled the air. Yuthura slashed away several bolts, but one found her belly. As she staggered back, two men with vibroswords rushed her and they disappeared into the smoke. Aerin watched her fall and moved to help, but she was cut off.

As mercenaries charged Aerin and Juhani, T3 sprayed the attackers with freezing chemicals and several collapsed to the ground. One Twi'lek mercenary leapt over the frozen bodies and fired an ion bolt into T3. The little droid screamed, "Bwaaaaaa!" and went dark. The odds were getting worse and they were going down, one by one. The enemy's numbers were proving to be too great.

Aerin tightened her gut and would go down swinging. She threw her rifle down and she and Juhani drew lightsabers and cut into the line of troops. Now was the time for boldness and Aerin transitioned to Shien, her hand taking a reverse grip on her lightsaber. This was a form to use against multiple opponents and she waded in, using wide, sweeping strokes, cleaving through several Sith at once. Bodies and parts fell as the two Jedi swung their weapons, but the weight of numbers was still against them.

My powers were exhausted in the tomb, thought Aerin desperately as she parried the blade of a mercenary. Her arms were starting feel like lead and her heart hammered in her chest. She didn't have much left and the enemy showed no signs of letting up.

Nearby

Juhani stepped back, whipping her lightsaber through two opponents. She too, held her weapon in a reverse grip from Shien. Another man stepped forward and she punched the pommel of her weapon into his face, followed by an upward stroke that clove him from groin to head. Panting from exhaustion, Juhani retreated, holding her guard with her hand high and her blade down. She couldn't keep this up much longer, but Aerin trusted her to hold the flank. Then, out of the corner of her eye, a mercenary leapt through the smoke. Instinctively, she stabbed him, her blue lightsaber piercing the man's stomach. With a howl, he grabbed her arm, preventing her from removing the blade. "Xor!" the man shouted. Juhani gasped – he gave his life to trap her.

Then, a Twi'lek mercenary rushed at the Cathar and tackled her into the dirt. Juhani cried out as they hit the ground and Xor rolled her over and pinned her arms.

He licked his lips, slobbering on her face. "I had no idea there were any more of your miserable race left, Cathar."

Juhani snarled as she looked at him. She knew who he was in an instant and her gut froze in anger and fear. "No…it's you! From the Taris slave auction." She tried to buck, but he was too strong and her power was nearly spent.

Xor laughed. "I cannot believe my luck. All these years I've wondered what had happened to you. You will finally be my slave."

Lying pinned in the dirt, the Cathar growled and kicked the back of Xor's head with her foot. Xor howled, releasing his grip on Juhani and she rolled away. "My Cathar blood boils with the knowledge that you still live, monster."

Xor saw Juhani's lightsaber on the ground and he dove for it, but Juhani willed it to her hand with her last once of power. With a hateful shriek, she powered the blade and cut down into the dirt as Xor rolled away. He scrambled up and grabbed his vibrosword just in time to parry another cut. Juhani could only see red now as all of the humiliation of her time on Taris came to a head. Xor embodied everything vile in the galaxy and she would see him dead by her hand…even if it meant her own life.

He turned to see more mercenaries coming to aid him and he pointed at Juhani. "Take her alive! I have helped to drive your race into extinction," he told her, keeping his guard, "but I want to keep one last specimen for my own." A dozen men then rushed the Cathar and drove her back.

Above the Tomb

Shells burst in the air and heavy lasers whined, blowing chunks of stone away from the cliff face. All of this merely excited the psychotic droid more. He quickly rerouted power to his damaged arm and was back in the fight, as the master would say. As Sith troopers climbed over the ledge, HK rotated a nozzle at them and a torrent of flame shot forth, incinerating the soldiers coming off of one ladder. Screams rang out and flaming bodies plummeted back to the ground. This was a killer droid's fantasy come true. Troops from the next ladder came on and one cut into the droid's leg with a vibrosword. Sparks flew from HK's leg, but he quickly drew a blaster pistol and shot the Sith at point blank range. The man howled and fell over the ledge.

From the side, Carth pulled out a grenade. He chucked it at the densely packed enemy and covered his ears. HK saw this and braced for the impact – the meatbag captain had done it to him again.

"Sorry, HK," Carth said as the plasma grenade tore the Sith troopers apart.

In Front of the Tomb

Aerin's back was to a wall and a dozen mercenaries hacked at her as she parried desperately, trying to find an escape. Her face showed exhaustion and her guard sagged from fatigue. Her entire body was in agony over the exertion, but she had to keep going. Through the wall of attackers, she could see Juhani flailing at the Twi'lek and his cohorts and the Cathar was also rapidly tiring. She had to do something now or they would all fall under the weight of the enemy.

Still using Shien, Aerin pushed forward, hoping to break through the mass of troops. She beat one man's blade aside and then cut away the top of his head. Three other men then stepped in and their attacks drove her right back to the wall. The Jedi's breaths came in ragged gasps and sweat poured down her face – every movement of hers was strained and sluggish.

Then, tiny points of light appeared on the hillside and several mercenaries fell, hit from behind by blaster fire. The stunned mercenaries turned and Aerin tore into them, forcing her arms and legs to respond.

"It's about damn time," she voiced as Dustil and Mekel led rebellious students down from the hills.

Nearby

Two mercenaries seized Juhani's weary arms and Xor kicked her hard in the gut. The Cathar cried out and her knees buckled. She thought some of her ribs were broken. As her vision blurred from pain, the two mercenaries collapsed, hit by blaster fire from Dustil's force.

Through sheer willpower alone, Juhani forced her body to respond. Every joint, every muscled screamed in agony, but she had to rip Xor's heart out. Her arms free, Juhani picked up her lightsaber and pointed it at Xor's chest. The Twi'lek's face showed surprise as Juhani powered the weapon, sending the blade through his body in a powerful thrust.

Xor collapsed into the dirt and Juhani leapt upon him, tearing his flesh with her claws. She let out a long, heart rending scream as years of pain and abuse poured out from her heart. Blood and skin coated her hands, but still, she ripped at the dead mercenary. There was so much that had to be paid for. Exhaustion took her and all she could do is slap weakly at the corpse, panting and groaning. Soon, all grew quiet. Juhani blinked and looked around her. Aerin, Carth, and Dustil stood there, watching her. What could she say? Shame took her and she knew her friends would think her a crazed fiend. She wanted to crawl away and hide.

With a smile, Aerin extended her hand and Juhani took it. This was unexpected. How could Aerin smile at her? How could she offer her hand to such a terrible person? Still dazed, the Cathar looked around and saw Yuthura nursing her wounds and T3 spinning his head around, trying to dissipate the ions in his system. Nearby, HK complained, his arm still dangling and his chassis scorched by fire.

"Protest: Next time, Captain Meatbag, tell me before you throw a plasma grenade my way."

Carth looked regretful. "Sorry HK. We'll get you fixed up in a jiffy."

"Appeased: Very well. However, the next time you throw something at me, meatbag, I'll throw it right back. Informative: I have received word from the Mandalorian that he is victorious. He will secure a route through the Academy for us to return to the ship when ready."

The captain shook his head with a sardonic chuckle. Then, he pulled his son to him. Juhani watched, glad that Carth had found his son alive and well, but she couldn't feel much at this point. All she could see was Xor at the slave auction, taunting her, running his hands through her fur. Her skin crawled. She looked over to Xor's mangled corpse and was fascinated and repulsed by it at the same time. She could take it no longer and she lost all control.

As Carth and Dustil embraced, Juhani broke down into wracking sobs. Aerin held her for several minutes, wiping away the Cathar's bitter tears. "It's over now, Juhani. You are finally free of your past."

At first, she could say nothing. Juhani nodded as she bit her own arm, drawing blood. It was all she could do to focus. "I was wise to follow you."

Aerin cocked her head as if curious. "One thing I want to know is why was Xor so obsessed with Cathars?" Juhani knew that talking about it would help.

Without looking at Aerin, Juhani answered, "He was part of the force that destroyed the Cathar homeworld and he was severely wounded by my people; he held a grudge ever since. His madness drove my family to ruin and despair. I don't know how he found me here, but it must have been destiny."

Aerin seemed to sense Juhani's earlier shame and she put her arm around the Cathar. The warmth of Aerin's body relaxed her, made her feel safe. "Juhani," she said, "there is no need for shame. I would have done the same thing. Don't you think that my madness after learning my real identity was shameful? I was ready to crawl to the bottom of an ale bottle and stay there. We are sisters, you and I. Your strength gives me strength."

It was everything Juhani needed to hear. They sat in silence for a time, arm in arm, just taking comfort in the other's presence.

Later in the Evening

Aerin watched Juhani sleep after exhaustion had taken her. She could still feel the raw emotions of the Cathar and it was like another wound on her heart. She could understand now what it would have been like to have been a slave to a perverted and sadistic master. How did Juhani survive that? She was indeed a strong woman. She looked over to see Carth and Dustil talking in front of a fire – it was one of her dreams to reunite them and it actually happened. Maybe there was some hope for them all. Even Mekel stuck around and helped out when the chips were down. As she scanned the area, she could see Mika Dorin and the Mandalorians in the distance, drinking and whooping it up over the Sith dead.

Exhaustion threatened to take Aerin too and she started to nod as Yuthura limped over to them. The Twi'lek sat, somewhat cautious of Aerin. Yuthura's body was tense as if she expected an attack at any moment. Aerin could barely move an arm, much less mount an attack. "Master Revan, why did you not kill me in the tomb?"

Aerin didn't miss a beat at being called that. It was like it had been her name all along. "Do you recall the conversations we had in the Academy? When you thought I was no more than a wannabe Sith, you extended to me your trust and friendship. You also flattered me when I asked you about Revan…yes that is a weakness of mine," she said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "You said you admired Revan's strength and intelligence. Most important, you did not attack me because you were evil or because you hated me, you attacked because of what you have learned here from Sith teachings. That is something I can forgive."

Yuthura smiled, seemingly put at ease. "What will you do now," asked the Twi'lek.

"We seek to destroy the source of Malak's power, the Star Forge. We now have its location. What I need from you, Yuthura, is for you to find the Jedi Council and tell them of this. I know you won't let me down."

Yuthura bowed. "It will be done, Revan." Aerin could tell that she wanted to please. She could see devotion in Yuthura's eyes. This was what Revan felt, standing before the adoring masses. Yes, this was good. Aerin paused a moment, noticing the difference in her personality – now, she was confident, assured, and charismatic. The way in which she spoke inspired loyalty and motivated action. She found she loved it and feared it all at once.

Suddenly, a horrible groan shattered the silence and a ghostly figure sat up among the team. Dust motes swirled around the figure and it let out a ghastly moan. Aerin leapt over, drawing her lightsaber as blasters were drawn by the others. Aerin drew back her weapons to strike the seated figure.

"Lashowe?"

The woman shook her body, sending dust everywhere. She saw Aerin standing over her with two sizzling lightsabers.

"Oh, why did I wake up?" she whimpered and lay back down in the dirt.

Suddenly, the team burst into laughter. "How on Korriban did she sleep through the whole battle?" Aerin asked in wonder.