Chapter 11: Purposes

Revan had just entered the door to their suite when she was nearly bowled over by a blue ball of energy. "Revan, you're okay!" it said. A Wookiees roared in relief. Dustil stared anxiously at her and Carth from behind Zaalbar.

"Mission! I'm okay, yeah. Calm down, everything's alright," Revan said as she draped a comforting arm over the distraught Twi'lek rogue.

"Query: Shall I blast the meatbag assaulting you, Master?" HK-47 asked hopefully.

"No. There will be no blasting of anyone or anything, especially not in here. Go with T3-M4 and recharge or something," Revan said in exasperation.

HK-47 managed to pout despite his lack of lips, but went off with T3-M4 to their recharging stations.

"Mission, I'm glad you and Zaalbar are here, but I really need to go clean up. Jolee, Juhani, you know where the guest bathroom is," Revan said to the other Jedi, who nodded and moved off. She gave Mission a quick hug before dragging Carth along to the refresher.

When Revan and Carth came back out, she with her customary robes and him in a worn uniform, they found the others sitting around the table in the kitchen, eating cookies, while JC-01 stood by with hot beverages. Zaalbar had his own Wookiees-sized plate.

Juhani noticed Revan's thoughtful frown. "What are you thinking of, Revan?"

Revan sat down and held up a cookie, looking at it thoughtfully before biting into it absentmindedly. "That the attack on us tonight stinks. Of what, I don't know, yet. But I'd bet all the considerable number of credits I have that it's linked to the same one on Dustil." Dustil and Carth looked alarmed.

"How can you tell?" Carth asked worriedly. "You think they'll try again?"

"Bloody, bloody hell. Yes, I think these attacks won't stop until we're dead. And there's more of them than there are of us." Revan bit into her cookie forcefully.

"Damn. Well, what're we going to do, then? Hide?" Carth's grimace showed how distasteful he found that option.

"Me and Big Z'll help, Revan! Whatever it takes!" Mission said. Zaalbar nodded.

Revan smiled at the inseparable pair. "Thanks." She sighed. "There's good news, and bad news. Good news is, we've probably taken down the best they've sent against us. Any subsequent attacks will probably have less capable people. The bad news is, that could mean they'll just use methods that will be either more subtle or less. HK-47 would be quite glad to list all of them for us, I'm sure."

"That still doesn't answer the question of what we're going to do. Why haven't the Jedi Order or the police gotten back to us on this?" Carth asked irritably.

"Both organizations are probably still investigating. It's only been a day or so since they attacked us in the spaceport," Revan replied. "As to what we do... well, we'll just have to take the battle to them."

Jolee looked skeptical. "And just how do you expect to find them, my dear? Space is a big place to hide in."

Revan shook her head. "There must be trails we can follow. They're getting credits and weapons from somewhere. Weapons which may have makers' marks on them." She rubbed her brow tiredly. "Although digging through all the clues are more in line with what the police can do. They have the resources and manpower to do the investigating."

"Well, I don't like sitting here doing nothing. I feel like a walking target, now," Carth said. He sipped at his caffa, frowning.

"We may not have a choice, Carth, unless the Force gives us a vision, or the police and Jedi between them get a break in the case," Revan said, equally disgruntled at their helplessness.

Jolee made a small noise of dawning realization in his throat. The others looked at him inquiringly. "I think somebody may have had that premonition or vision, Revan. Something, anyway. The High Council has been closeted for hours today. That's why it was only Juhani and I who came to help you. I wouldn't be surprised if you received a summons from the Temple tomorrow."

Revan raised her eyebrows at Jolee's certainty. "Really? Where's Bastila, anyway?"

"She's out with the Republic Fleet, mopping up the remnants of the Sith army. Apparently she knew a great deal of their operations when she turned to the Dark Side and became Malak's apprentice," Juhani answered.

Revan grimaced. "Bet she enjoyed hearing that. I hope she doesn't get too many painful flashbacks."

Carth looked at Revan, face grim. "It's only what she should do, to make up for helping the Sith."

Revan waved a hand impatiently at Carth. "Yes, yes, I know. I told her that, myself. I can't help feeling for her, though. She won't find many friends in the Fleet." She turned to Mission and Zaalbar. "What are you two doing here, anyway? Taking a break from troublemaking?"

Mission looked indignant. "Troublemaking? We weren't!" Zaalbar shook his head at Revan from behind the Twi'lek. Revan looked amused at the young scoundrel's protests. "Well, okay, maybe a little. But only if they started it first!"

Zaalbar growled at Mission.

"Oh, yeah. Well, we came to tell you something, actually, but then I heard a report on the police band that you, or someone who looked like you, were in a big fight somewhere. We came running, but it was already too late! If me and Zaalbar had known, we would've come and help kick some Sith ass!" Mission said.

"Monitoring the police band, huh? Not that I'm surprised," Revan said, smiling. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, we were coming here to tell you that, well, we want to go back to Kashyyyk, so that Zaalbar can take over his father's job," Mission said. Zaalbar vented a growl. "Yeah, I know it was my idea, but I thought it was what you wanted!" She poked at the Wookiees.

"Is it, Zaalbar?" Revan asked the Wookiees. Zaalbar nodded, a little sheepishly. "Well, I certainly have no objection. Do you hesitate because of the life debt?" Zaalbar nodded and growled.

"Yes, you owe me your life, but I surely owe you mine a dozen times over. You've helped me so much, Zaalbar, if anything I should--" Revan stopped speaking abruptly. A smile appeared slowly on her face. "Hmm. Yes..."

Carth raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

Revan didn't answer, but stood and beckoned to Zaalbar before entering the living room. The others followed, curious to see what she was up to.

"Zaalbar, do you have Bacca's Blade?" Revan asked when she stood in front of Zaalbar in the middle of the room.

Zaalbar nodded and unsheathed it from where he had it slung across his back. He held it out to her, one hand gripping it carefully by the guard, hilt crossed over his wrist.

Revan took the sword in her left hand. "Zaalbar, son of Freyyr, I swear mutual life debt to you. Your enemies are my enemies, your troubles are my troubles. Let there be no obligation or debt between us. Only honor, and friendship. Unto death."

Revan grasped the naked blade with her right hand and drew it slowly across her palm, her face showing no signs of pain. Blood spurted and dripped to the floor. She offered the bloody sword over her wrist to Zaalbar.

Zaalbar had gaped at Revan in shock since she had first spoken the words of her own version of the life debt to him, but now he took the blade carefully from her. He drew it across his own right palm, then transferred it to his bleeding right hand and held it back out to her, point down.

Revan solemnly placed her right hand on the hilt protruding from Zaalbar's furry hand, letting her blood drip down over it to run slowly down the blade, mingling with his own.

"By my blood, I so swear," Revan said simply. She turned her head to look at the others, who were staring at her with wide eyes. "Witness!" Her voice seemed to thunder in the room.

Juhani, Jolee, Dustil and Carth nodded. Carth smiled at Revan. Mission's eyes were still wide in surprise.

Revan smiled at Zaalbar, and used the Force to heal both of their wounds. She showed him the thin, fine scar on her bloodstained palm. "There, I've sworn my own life debt to you. We are bound together by honor, wherever we may both go. Can you go back to Kashyyyk now, with a clear heart and conscience, and rule wisely and well over your people?"

Zaalbar resheathed Bacca's Blade and nodded. He growled.

Revan shook her head. "I merely balanced both sides of your vow, Zaalbar, no thanks is necessary. Go in peace, and may the Force be with you." She paused. "But perhaps not tonight, surely?" She sat down on a couch and looked at Mission. "You're going with him, Mission?"

Mission blinked. She nodded. "Yeah. Where Zaalbar goes, I go. I was thinking, you know, with those Czerka creeps gone, someone should manage the spaceport, you know? I could do all that stuff, like talk to visitors and translate for the Wookieess."

Revan smiled. "I think you'd be perfect for the job, though you might need some training and a staff." She pursed her lips in thought and turned to Carth.

"Maybe you could ask your contacts in the Fleet, Carth, if there are some retired soldiers who'd like a change of pace and would like to move somewhere clean, with fresh air? And really tall trees."

Carth nodded, smiling. "Sure, there are lots of people who retired from the Fleet who still itch for adventure. I'll make some calls tomorrow."

Revan turned to Jolee. "And maybe a few Jedi would like to see if the Shadowlands have good meditation spots? There's already a humble little cabin there."

Jolee pursed his lips, eyes crinkled. "Sure, must be lots of old farts, er, Jedi, who'd like to get away from the hectic rat race of life, and meditate somewhere quiet. Well, relatively quiet."

Revan turned back to Mission and Zaalbar. "I hope you don't mind my unilateral decision to send you some help. But I think Kashyyyk, being what and where it is, may be vulnerable to reprisal from Czerka or the Sith. Or some other Czerka wannabee who wants to take over their operations. I hope Freyyr won't mind another seeming invasion of his village."

Mission shook her head. Zaalbar growled.

"Yeah, Big Z's right, we never even thought that far ahead, Revan, thanks!" Mission hugged Revan. Zaalbar clapped a huge hand on Revan's shoulder. Mission nodded her head at Zaalbar when he growled. "Yeah, Freyyr totally won't mind if we're on his side."

"Hey, it's the least I can do for my little sister and friend, right?" Revan hugged Mission back. She noogied the Twi'lek. "Promise you'll call me if you get into trouble, right?"

Mission squirmed around in Revan's grip, but couldn't escape. "Ow, ow! Alright, I promise, I promise! Stop!" she giggled. Revan laughed and let her go.

"When do you plan to leave?" Revan asked, draping an arm around Mission's shoulders.

"Well, today we've been scouting out the best places to buy supplies and stuff to bring to Kashyyyk. Once we pay the credits, we can leave in, oh, maybe a week. But... you're being hunted by the Sith now, we can't just waltz off into the sunset and abandon you!" Mission said, looking worriedly at Revan.

Revan shook her head. "The fewer targets the Sith can find, the better. You and Zaalbar should be safe on Kashyyyk, where I wouldn't have to worry about you. If it weren't for Carth's own vow, I'd like to see him out of harm's way, too."

Carth sat down on Revan's other side and took her hand in his. "No way are you getting rid of me, beautiful. Like Jolee said, I'm on a little Sith list, myself, anyway."

Revan took out her hand and cupped Carth's face. "I know. You gave your word, I don't question it." She turned back to Mission and Zaalbar. "If what Jolee says is true, can you wait the day or so to see what the Council says? Then we can go to Kashyyyk in the Ebon Hawk. Just like old times."

"Sure! That'd be great!" Mission smiled. She tried to suppress a yawn, but was not quite successful.

Revan looked at the time display. "Wow, is it that late already? Mission, you should get to bed if you're tired." She made a little shooing motion at the scoundrel.

It was a sign of her exhaustion that Mission did not protest, but instead went to the door to get to the suite she shared with Zaalbar.

"Oh, alright. Come on, Zaalbar, we've got lots to plan in the morning. G'night, everyone!" Mission said before she stepped through the door. Zaalbar chuffed and followed her, waving his goodbye at the others.

"Jolee, Juhani, why don't you stay here tonight? We've got no shortage of guestrooms. You wouldn't have to make the trip back to the Temple," Revan suggested. "And JC-01 will make you breakfast."

"Well, since you put it that way, how could I refuse?" Jolee said with a grin. Juhani nodded.

"Well, good night, kids. This old man is tired, too." Jolee waved and headed towards a bedroom. Juhani smiled, nodding to Carth and Revan, and moved to her own room.

"Good night, Father, Revan. See you in the morning," Dustil said to his father and Revan, before disappearing into his room.

Revan blew her breath into Carth's ear. "I think our little vacation is coming to an end, flyboy. Let's make the best of what time we have left." She looked at him from under her eyelashes, her half-lidded eyes sparkling.

Carth felt her hand move up his thigh and smiled. "Let's get to it, then." He stood and held out his hand to her, pulling her up. They moved to their own bedroom.