The Darkness of Love
The Exile, the Scoundrel and the Dark Lord


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Chapter 10
The Academy

"Watch out, Sal!"

At these words, Saleena awoke with a start, her face soaked. Was I dreaming? Who was screaming? Feeling a mixture of nausea and dizziness, she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes with great difficulty, only to see Eevie standing above her, empty cup in hand.

"Good morning! I thought you could use some…refreshments!" Eevie said in a fake caring tone, smiling coldly.

"That is quite thoughtful," Saleena began, slowly sitting up and starting to wipe her face with her sleeve, "coming from a spoiled Mandalorian princess…" she muttered under her breath. Her body felt extremely heavy and it seemed her mind was cloudier than ever before. She felt strangely calm given the situation she was currently in.

The General glanced around and noticed they were alone in what seemed to be a cellar, empty with the exception of an old dusty table. Beside her was a pair of rusty shackles tied to the stone floor by a long metal chain. Well it seems I've been sleeping while chained to the ground…quite hospitable!

"While you were taking a nap, we contacted your boyfriend. It seems he was on to us seeing as he was already on his way over here. He should hurry though because both our troops are ready to fight, on the battlefield and in space, " Eevie said matter-of-factly, walking towards the table where she put down the empty cup.

How could he possibly have known beforehand? What did he find out? Did Ghuj contact him? Saleena, taking advantage of Eevie's turned back, cringed her face in deep concentration and tried to communicate with Revan. Usually it would have taken less than a minute, but she stopped after just few seconds. Nothing. I feel…nothing! Just a void except for this faint hum I hear in my head. "What did you do?" she asked rather calmly, although she knew she had to be feeling enraged. Where's my anger?

Eevie's body was shaking lightly. When she turned around, Saleena saw the redhead was trying to control her laughter. "I bet you feel quite useless and empty without it, don't you?" she asked jubilantly.

"What are you going on about?" the General asked warily. If she's that happy…it can't be good!

"The Force, dear!" she said with a slight tone of impatience.

"That's impossible," the Jedi replied automatically. You can't just take away the Force from someone…can you? Fear clung at the pit of her stomach. She squinted her eyes, trying to read her enemy's mind, but nothing happened. The faint hum haunted her mind once again.

"We didn't take it out of you," Eevie began, as if she had read her captive's thoughts. "We simply drugged you. There's a certain substance only found on our home planet that leaves one's body feeling heavy and numb. We've tested on Jedi filth like you for interrogations, and have discovered that it also prevents the use of the Force. We're literally blocking your access to it and neutralizing your violent urges and emotions, like anger. Of course, the effects are temporary. We gave you the same dosage as the other Jedi, so you should remain incapacitated for another two hours," she said confidently.

"You drugged me?" Saleena repeated, realizing again that she was not furious. It made sense after all. It explained why her mind was cloudy and how she didn't even have the urge to use her powers against Eevie. I can't even feel the Force…so much for trying to contact Revan! How am I supposed to defend myself now? She stared longingly at her lightsaber that rested under the Mandalorian's belt.

"Neat, huh?" the redhead asked happily, tossing her long locks behind her shoulder.

"Whatever," the General mumbled, exasperated. "Until Revan arrives, what are we supposed to do? Bond?" she asked sarcastically.

Eevie gave her a cold smile, her eyes sparkling. "Sure, I guess we can take the time to know each other better before you die," she said seriously, standing with her back against the wall. "So…I've always been curious…how did you get a stud like Revan? I mean look at you! You are so plain!"

Saleena blinked. "I am not talking about that with you," she said stiffly, her ego slightly wounded. "How did you even find out about us?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

The Mandalorian seemed pleased to have been asked the question. "I'm a good observer. The way you looked at each other…all lovey-dovey…it was disgusting to witness, especially when Revan pined over you whenever you were away," she said, revolted.

"How can you actually spot two people who are in love? Now that I know who you truly are, I can hardly imagine you actually being with someone," the General said tauntingly. "I mean, who in their right mind would ever love you?" Her question felt strangely familiar. I said these exact words to Atris before leaving the Enclave... She knew she had hit a nerve when she noticed Eevie's expression. It seemed to be a mixture of shock and rage.

The Mandalorian woman took a long stride towards her captive and kicked her hard in the stomach. Saleena fell on her side, cringing at the pain.

"You know nothing about love!" Eevie hissed angrily, stepping away from the Jedi as if to admire her work. "When you give your heart, mind and body so he can do whatever pleases him…that's a sacrifice you make when you're in love! We loved each other and you took him away from me! I saw the holovids…his tortures…"

Saleena was confused by her babbling, but then understood. She lifted her head to squint at the redhead. "Drake?" she whispered. She tried to restrain herself from crying. The pain inflected to her stomach was unbearable. He and Eevie had infiltrated the Republic together, but only one of them got caught…by me... "I am sorry for your loss," she added, surprised there was sincerity in her voice. She thought it was perhaps because she could relate to losing someone she deeply loved. I would be angry too if I lost Revan… She hurried to escape that morbid thought.

Eevie scoffed and spat in the direction of the Jedi, but missed. "Sorry doesn't cut it, sweetheart. But don't worry because we're already even. I've exacted my revenge a while ago," she said rather casually, taking another step back.

Saleena rolled her eyes. What could she possibly have done? No one close to me has died…Revan's ok… "What is it that you did exactly?" she asked skeptically, slowly sitting back up and folding her arms.

Before Eevie could reply, the sound of loud running footsteps was coming their way. Both women stared at the entrance, and a Mandalorian soldier came barging into the small room.

"Revan's already here! He's attacking our men!" the soldier exclaimed to Eevie in their native tongue.

Saleena caught every word and tried to remain inconspicuous. What is Revan trying to do? Get me killed?

"What do you mean? Didn't you apprehend him at the main entrance? All the other exits are sealed," the redhead said rapidly, the anger rising in her voice.

"They came from the basement. There must be a secret passage."

"They? THEY? He was supposed to come alone!" she shrieked, grabbing the cup from the table and throwing it angrily at the soldier.

Saleena tried not to laugh at the scene. The soldier ducked and although she couldn't see his face, she knew he was scared of making Mandalore's daughter very angry.

"Take the prisoner to the Great Hall while I reassemble the rest of our men. We'll wait for Revan and his friends there. Do I make myself clear?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.

The soldier nodded. He reached for Saleena and yanked her to her feet in one swift movement. She yelped as she felt a searing pain in her stomach, this time fainter. Grabbing her violently by the arm, he dragged her out of the room.

The young General glanced one last time at the room, seeing Eevie taking furiously on her COM link, before facing the long narrow hallway in which she was being dragged.

"So, Revan killed some of your men?" she asked conversationally, wishing she could see his expression. "How many?" she asked tauntingly.

"Latnis!" he hissed under his breath, tightening his grip on her arm.

Ouch…no need to use foul language! she thought angrily. Saleena suddenly came to a realization. I feel angry? This means the drug is wearing off…I guess I have a stronger resistance to them than the other Jedi prisoners! I'm pissed! I want to kill Eevie more than anything right now! She smiled, though she also noticed she still couldn't sense the Force. I'll work on it!

They finally reached a set of double doors that were already opened. As they entered the Great Hall, Saleena had no doubt this would be where the meeting would take place. Besides the doors through which they entered, there was only one other set of double doors that were across from them, closed shut. It will surely be through these doors that Revan will arrive. On her end, all the Mandalorians, including Mandalore, stood at the ready, facing the closed doors.

"Have you slept well?" Mandalore asked politely, turning to see Saleena standing by the door with the soldier still holding her in place.

The Jedi merely nodded.

"Your Commander has complicated things for both of you" he began, a trace of disapproval in his voice. "I expected him to obey my directions…for your sake…"

"Sometimes Revan can be full of surprises," Saleena said stiffly, angry with her lover. If we die just because he doesn't like the idea of blackmail, I'm going to kill him myself in the after-life! "I'm sure he will stop attacking when he will come through these doors. He's been waiting to talk to you for over a year now. He's not going to do anything stupid," she added, trying her best to reassure Mandalore, though she had a hard time convincing herself.

He seemed pleased to know that Revan was as eager as he was to finally meet one another. Soon enough, Eevie arrived with a few soldiers trailing behind her.

"Revan nakoum mireh noshru wa livtna," the redhead whispered to the soldier holding Saleena. The man nodded. He moved to stand behind Saleena, his arm wrapping itself around her neck.

The General was unperturbed by the change of positions. She was pleased to be informed that Revan had three people on his side. Closing her eyes, she tried to push away the effects of the drug.

"What are you doing?" came a suspicious voice close to her ear.

Saleena shuddered at the proximity and slowly opened her eyes. "It's the drug…" she moaned, feigning a headache. "It's making me sleepy..."

Eevie seemed pleased. She merely smiled and walked towards Mandalore. When the redhead was only halfway, screams erupted outside the room, coming from behind the set of closed double doors. Silence filled the Great Hall. Every Mandalorian froze in their places, their weapons raised. Saleena turned to face the doors just like everyone else and waited. They all waited as the screams in the hallways grew louder and the sound of clashing weapons became thunderous.

Revan! She could perfectly distinguish the sound of his lightsaber. Judging from the other noises, there seemed to be at least one more Jedi fighting alongside him. Ghuj? she thought hopefully.

All of a sudden, there was silence, and the double doors burst open.

Revan stood in the large doorway, holding his lightsaber tightly in both hands, his eyes already intent on Mandalore. The sight of the Commander was breathtaking to Saleena, and she could have sworn she saw Eevie gaping from the corner of her eye. His strong yet graceful stance, his menacing stare and his incredible good looks made her heart twitch. Wow…he's my rescuer…my hero! she thought childishly, realizing she should concentrate on regaining her bond with the Force instead. Even from far away, she could see a few gashes on his uniform and on his face. She knew she was the one being saved, but she felt a sudden need to heal him. He quickly glanced at her, and she could have sworn her heart stopped in that second where their eyes met. His eyes were cold, even towards her, which surprised her. He must be angry that I got myself in this situation…when he begged me to stay with him! She could feel herself blushing, wondering if he would give her a lecture about blackmailing after they were done here. Before she could give him a smile of reassurance, he looked back at Mandalore and began walking forward. She tore her eyes away from him with great difficulty, and gasped in relief as she saw Ghuj enter the Great Hall, closely followed by Bao-dur and Bronwyn, a Jedi Twi'lek usually working in the medical wing of the Leviathan. What is she doing here? she thought irritably, knowing full well that the young Twi'lek wasn't fond of her.

"Revan, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Mandalore said cordially, as the Commander stopped about ten feet away from him. "Though I must admit I am slightly disgruntled that you chose to disobey our directives. Not only have you come accompanied, but you also attacked and killed my men," he added dryly.

Revan cocked his head to one side, his lips forming a tense straight line. The Zabrak and the two Jedi now stood behind him. "Take out your blaster," he said calmly, staring straight at Mandalore.

Saleena looked back and forth at both men. She knew he was using the Force to control his mind, but wondered where this would lead. He can only control him to an extent!

Mandalore slowly unhooked the blaster from his holster and held it in his right hand. "What…what did you do?" he asked Revan in a frightened voice, staring down at the weapon resting in his palm.

Revan smiled though it looked more like a sneer. "Here's a perfect example of how inferior you truly are. You might be one of the strongest races physically, but you have the weakest minds I've ever stepped in on. Point your blaster to your head," he ordered darkly.

Mandalore's right hand automatically lifted. The next moment, the tip of the blaster rested to his temple. He tried to jerk it away, but was unsuccessful. "I would applaud you if I didn't have a hand holding a weapon to my head," he said, with a forced chuckle. "No wonder you have acquired so many victories...the way you use the Force...like a true leader. We are not that different you and I..."

"I am usually a very patient man," Revan interrupted, his eyes still intent on Mandalore. "Unfortunately, today I do not have the time or the interest to hear a dead man's parting words unless..."

"Stop manipulating his mind! Leave my father alone!" Eevie yelled angrily, cutting him off. She took a step forward and pointed her blaster at Revan.

"Father?" Revan asked incredulously, a laugh escaping from his mouth. "Well...that should simplify things," he thought out loud. "Mandalore…aim your weapon at Eevie. Now."

There was a stunned silence as everyone watched Mandalore raise his blaster towards his daughter. The weapon shook along with his entire body. He's trying to take control... Saleena thought. She turned to look at Revan, only to observe his mouth curling into some kind of maniacal smile. He's actually enjoying this...this is fun for him!

"Don't...I...can't...will not...shoot..." Mandalore said, out of breath. He was now using all his body strength to pull the weapon away from his daughter. "What do you think will happen to your woman if you make me pull the trigger? Would you take such a risk if it means losing the love of your life?"

Saleena glanced at the three people standing behind Revan, wondering how they would react to Mandalore's choice of words. Bao-dur stared at the ground and Bronwyn's eyes widened in shock. Ghuj already knew, but he seemed as surprised as the first time, as though this was an official confirmation to him.

Revan ignored his questions. "When I heard you took my woman away from me...for an exchange...I must say I couldn't believe it at first. Mandalore the Ultimate, resorting to blackmail? How weak! Desperate! Cowardly!" he said tauntingly.

"Now hold on there, son! How dare you-" he began, the anger rising in his voice. He tried with all his might to turn the weapon towards the Jedi, but it wouldn't budge.

"I'm not done talking!" Revan snapped. "You took something from me...the one thing I care about in the entire Galaxy. Kidnapping her was your biggest mistake...and will most likely to be your last. Had I been someone else, I would have rushed here alone and unarmed, ready to exchange my life for her safety. Unfortunately for you, I am who I am. I am a wielder of the Force...stronger than all of your men combined…and none of you will stop me from leaving with her. Not only that, but I will also bring victory to the Republic as planned."

Eevie was still staring in horror at her father, not seeming to have listened to Revan at all. "Do something...stop him..." she finally mumbled to the other soldiers, nodding towards their Chief. They stared at each other, raising their rifles uncertainly and taking aim at Mandalore.

"Are you really going to shoot your leader?" Revan asked knowingly to the soldiers. The Mandalorians froze for a few seconds and then put down their weapons in defeat.

"If you don't stop, she dies!" Eevie shrieked at Revan, nodding to the man holding Saleena.

The Mandalorian strengthened the grip of his arm around Saleena's neck, strangling her, and brought his blaster to her temple. This time, Revan took more than a few seconds to actually look at her. His stare was impenetrable and his jaw was clenched. As they stared into each other's eyes, Saleena could've sworn she heard his voice mumble something indiscernible in her head, but she wondered if it was the remaining effects of the drug messing with her mind.

Revan turned towards Eevie. "If you hurt Saleena, your dad's going to put you down himself. Now, tell your boy to let her go," he said calmly.

"No," she replied in a defiant sneer.

Revan tilted his head to one side, clearly annoyed. All of a sudden, the Mandalorian's arm loosened from Saleena's neck, and the blaster changed its aim for Eevie. The redhead's face turned livid, now with two weapons aimed at her.

"Nicely done, Ghuj!" Revan said appreciatively. "Not bad for a first try."

Ghuj's face broke into a smile and he turned towards Saleena. The General beamed discreetly. Bronwyn scowled in jealousy.

"Revan, as much as you seem to be enjoying tormenting them, are these mind games really getting us anywhere?" Bao-dur asked politely. "We are running out of time." He glanced at Saleena and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Right! Of course!" Revan said, clasping his hands together and turning towards Mandalore who was still struggling to put down his weapon. "Here's my deal, Mandalore. You bring Saleena to me and I'll make you put down your blaster. We won't attack unless it is to defend ourselves. Those are the orders of Admiral Saul Karath. The Republic wishes to put you all on trial." His tone was disapproving when he said those last words. Saleena had no doubt he was in the mood to gut a few more Mandalorians before departing.

"What about the Generator?" Mandalore asked pointedly.

This time Bao-dur spoke. "Seeing as Saleena did not activate the weapon on time, a timer has been automatically activated and it cannot be stopped...that is how I programmed it from the start. You must accept the fact that the Mass Shadow Generator will go off no matter what. We have an hour to leave this place. The Academy should remain out of harm's way, but the aftermath of the explosion will make it hard for any of us to leave this planet," he said as he slowly took out a remote from his breast pocket. "If you indeed stole all the Generator's information from our server, you will know that we are not lying. Here's the remote, you'll see it's useless." He put the remote on the ground and gently kicked it where it slid towards Eevie.

"Why should we believe you or simply trust you?" Eevie demanded, snatching the remote and glancing at it. "As soon as you'll have that skank in your arms, you'll make my dad shoot me!" she told Revan.

Revan opened his mouth to retort, his eyes flashing in fury, but Mandalore spoke first. "Eevie has failed to give us all the information," he began, his voice rising in anger. His arm no longer tried to put the blaster down. Eevie gulped and looked down. "Fortunately, I can spot a liar when I see one. The technician is not lying. Let the prisoner go," he ordered the Mandalorian holding Saleena.

Slowly, the soldier relieved his arm from Saleena's neck. The young General took a step forward to stay out of his reach. She rubbed her neck and turned to Revan, who was staring at Mandalore's blaster, deep in concentration. He's making sure the gun's still on Eevie... she thought.

"Come, Sal," Revan said calmly, extending his right hand while still looking at his enemy. The words were spoken softly, with a certain longing.

I'm so stupid! She thought he was furious at her, but she now understood he was trying to hide his worry. His words just betrayed the façade he was trying to keep up. In an instant, the previous night became unimportant. He was no longer the stranger she began fearing. He was the overprotective man she fell in love with.

"Sal, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" he asked in a hurry, his voice again revealing his worry. His eyes hardened on Mandalore and he cast a quick glance at Saleena.

She nodded. "Uh, yes…I'm fine," she said, realizing she had been standing unmoving, lost in her thoughts. She began walking steadily towards him, feeling everyone's eyes on her. She stopped when she reached Eevie. "Give me back my lightsaber," she said coldly.

Eevie gave her a loathsome look and slowly unhooked the lightsaber from her belt. "This isn't over," she whispered, pushing the weapon in her hands.

The young General smiled in agreement. "You're right about that...I'm far from being done with you." She slowly turned on her heel and continued her walk towards Revan. The drug was no longer clouding her mind. The lightsaber clutched in her hand, ready to be ignited should the case arise, made her feel strong and whole again. Her bond with the Force immediately returned in full force.

When she was only a few feet away from him, Revan decided to hold his end of the bargain. "Drop your weapon, Mandalore," he said calmly, staring at the Chief. As soon as the blaster hit the floor, Eevie fired her weapon.

Saleena could already feel the weapon being aimed at her back and when the trigger was pulled, she ignited her lightsaber and spun around in time to deflect the bullet. The shot was blocked by Saleena's weapon and went straight back to hit Eevie's shoulder. The redhead screamed in agony and fell to her knees. Mandalore grabbed his blaster off the floor and he, along with the rest of his men, aimed their weapons at the four Jedi and the Zabrak. The Republic soldiers were ready for battle as well. For a moment both parties merely stared at each other while Eevie's sobs rang through the room, until Revan finally spoke.

"You didn't respect my deal. I gave you a chance but..." His frown faded, and he smiled mischievously. "Well to be honest...I already knew Eevie wouldn't be able to resist killing an enemy with its back turned. Let's just say I really needed an opportunity to defend ourselves...to kill you all that is," he said in an almost jovial tone, glancing at Eevie's crouched figure.

Saleena felt a sudden emptiness in her heart as he uttered those words. I was bait? He knew she was going to shoot me and he took the risk? she thought furiously. Not thinking, she took out her anger by throwing her lightsaber towards the Mandalorians. The weapon hit the soldier who held her earlier square in the chest before returning to her. When the man hit the floor, it seemed to be the signal both parties were waiting for as they suddenly charged their attacks. Revan headed straight for Mandalore, his eyes shining with excitement. Bronwyn threw her hand forward, palm up, creating a force push that threw all the Mandalorians on the ground. Ghuj, Bao-dur and Saleena ran forward, ready to strike their enemies with their weapons.

"Hey, General!" Ghuj yelled over the sound of the screams and of the clashing of weapons, while fighting two Mandalorians at once. "That bitch is getting away!"

The dark haired Jedi slashed a Mandalorian and turned around just in time to see Eevie fleeing the scene, her hand resting on her blood soaked shoulder. Saleena made her way towards her, but a large Mandalorian twice her size rammed into her, causing her to fall on her back. She glanced at Eevie passing through the door and Bao-dur running after her. Hopefully he'll take care of her until I'm done with the giant! she thought, jumping to her feet and creating a stasis field that prevented him from knocking her over once again. She swiftly sank her lightsaber through the shield and into his gut, and pulled it out. The Mandalorian stared down at the fatal wound and fell on his back with a large thud that shook the room.

No time to catch her breath, she ran towards the door, eager to deal with Eevie once and for all. She halted at the door to search for Revan. She spotted him in the middle of room, ducking to avoid Mandalore's mace swings. Revan was not attacking. He was simply avoiding getting hit. He's enjoying this...taking his time and making Mandalore tired! At least it's working! she thought, noticing Mandalore's attacks losing force. Some Mandalorians glanced repeatedly at their leader, but did not help him. He already told them not to intervene...it's his fight to prove himself to his clan... Reassured that Revan, Ghuj and Bronwyn where taking care of things, she dashed out of the room.

She made a right turn and ran down the cold narrow hallway, the only sound being that of her footsteps. She had no clue where she was headed and for a moment it felt like she was wandering aimlessly. The lights were getting dimmer and through the darkness, there was an unmistakable presence of a dark evil power that grew more powerful as she went further into the shadows. I couldn't feel it before…but there's a Force floating around, it's different…I don't like it! She wondered what kind of Academy this was. Master Kavar mentioned there were Sith academies across the Galaxy…but here? In Malachor? She ran ahead, lost in her thoughts, until she tripped over an unknown object and fell on all fours.

"Ouch!" she whispered. She brought her hands up to her face and saw they were covered in blood. The young General stared down at the ground and realized she had landed in a small puddle of blood. There, half hidden in the thickness of the crimson liquid, was a severed arm.

"General…" said a faint voice.

Saleena rose to her feet and saw that farther down, huddled in a corner, was Bao-dur. He was covered in blood. She rushed by his side and almost gagged at the sight of her dismembered friend.

"My…arm…" he moaned painfully, his eyelashes fluttering as he swayed between reality and unconsciousness.

"Bao-dur, look at me! I'll take care of you!" she whispered frantically, kneeling in front of him. She tried to make eye contact with him as her right hand landed on the stump where his left arm had been. It's not working! I can't concentrate! He's going to die! It was impossible for her to heal him. What's wrong with me? I can't do it! "Bao…please open your eyes…stay with me…" She held both of her hands gently around his face.

The Zabrak's eyes slowly opened. When Saleena looked into them, she saw something other than fear. She could see her own scared reflection and standing behind her was Eevie, half hidden in the shadows. The anger inside of the General was boiling. Her hands were shaking. She observed the redhead slowly approaching, dagger in hand.

The young Jedi swiftly turned around, her arm raised towards the other woman. Eevie felt her body fly off the ground and into the back wall, head first. Saleena heard voices and footsteps fast approaching, yet she could not tear her eyes away from the unconscious redhead. Is she dead? I hope not…I wasn't done with her…

"What happened here?" Bronwyn asked, soon followed by Ghuj.

"Bao-dur!" Ghuj yelled, running towards the injured Zabrak. Saleena realized he was clutching the severed arm.

"Eevie did this. He's lost a lot of blood…I tried stopping the blood flow but…" She stopped talking when she saw Ghuj's hand resting on the technician's bloody stump. He channeled the Force and soon enough, the stump was slowly starting to heal itself. Why couldn't I do it?

"We'll take care of him, General," Bronwyn said, moving towards Bao-dur. Saleena got on her feet and stepped aside to let the younger Jedi examine him. She suddenly felt useless.

"What's going on back there?" she asked them, referring to the Great Hall, after a few minutes of silence. "Is Revan alright?" She hoped she was the only one who could hear the tremor in her voice.

When she spoke the name, Ghuj looked up with a look of discomfort in his eyes. Right! Now everyone knows about my relationship with Revan! she thought, embarrassed.

Bronwyn answered as she tended to the technician. "Commander Revan and Mandalore are the only ones left. He ordered us to come find you. He was unscathed when we left him."

Saleena realized the look of relief on her face was obvious when she noticed Bronwyn giving her a reproachful glance. "Can you take Bao-dur to the freighter. It would be best to heal him on our way to the Leviathan," she noted. "Is it in front of the Academy?" she asked, turning to Ghuj.

"No, behind," he replied. "We entered through a secret passage in the basement."

"How did you find it?" Saleena asked curiously. "All exits where watched."

"Commander Revan led us there directly. It seemed he knew the place by heart," he answered.

Saleena's eyebrows furrowed.

Bronwyn cleared her throat loudly. "While I keep watch over Bao, perhaps Ghuj could get the freighter and bring it up front. I believe it to be the safest option, right General?" she asked politely, not even looking at her own superior. "During that time you can go get your boyfriend," she added in a whisper.

Ghuj chocked in surprise. "What's the matter with you? Show some respect!"

"Ghuj, it's okay," Saleena assured, flattered by her soldier's loyalty. "While Bronwyn gets over the fact that Revan isn't interested in her like she probably led herself to believe just like the countless other women on the ship, I will go get my boyfriend," she said in the most nonplused tone. Ghuj snorted and Bronwyn blushed furiously while still healing the Zabrak as best as she could. The General turned around to leave when Ghuj brought up a problem.

"What about that skank?" he asked, throwing a disgusted look at Eevie's unconscious body.

Saleena had forgotten about her for a second. "Tie her up. She's coming with us. I'm sure Bron here can look after her as well."

Ghuj smiled and nodded. She glanced at them one last time before breaking into another run, trying to get to Revan as quickly as possible. Her feet felt heavy as the image of her friend's missing limb kept flashing in her mind, making her want to turn back, but she knew he was now in good hands. This time she did not get lost, for she was using the bond she shared with Revan to guide her to him. She turned a corner and could finally see the entrance of the Great Hall. Sounds of clashing weapons could be heard from inside. She slowly crept towards the door and peeked inside. She could see that the fight between Revan and Mandalore was coming to an end.

"Al…Alright! You win! I surrender!" yelled Mandalore, out of breath. He lay on the ground with his mace resting five feet away from him.

Revan approached him gracefully and pointed his lightsaber barely an inch from his enemy's throat. "Mandalore the Great? Surrendering?" he asked in mocked surprise. A cold laugh escaped his mouth.

Saleena had never heard him laugh like that. The sound sent chills down her spine.

"I…I will pull my men out…I accept to go on trial! I will follow the Republic's wishes, I promise!" he panted.

"Take off your helmet!" the Jedi ordered. "I want to look you in the eye when you make promises."

Mandalore froze. "No Mandalore has ever removed his helmet in front of an enemy," he said in an indignant voice. "I would rather die than betray the Mandalorian Code of honor."

Revan cocked his head to one side, as though reflecting upon this information. He smiled in contentment. "Then you shall die in honor, Mandalore. I will let your people know you died with dignity." His voice showed sincerity.

He took a few steps back and turned off his lightsaber. Before Mandalore could react, Revan's right hand shot up into the air and bolts of lightning shot out from above, hitting Mandalore square in the chest. Screams of agony rang through the walls.

Saleena moved away from the door. Her back glued to the wall, her heart was pounding at what she had just witnessed. It's not Revan…he would never do that…he doesn't have that kind of power…it can't be… The screams finally died away and an eerie silence settled in. She remained motionless until she finally heard movement from inside the Great Hall. She took a deep breath and sneaked into the room.

Revan, his back turned to her, was crouched in front of Mandalore's corpse. He did not seem to notice her presence. She took a few tentative steps until she spotted Mandalore's helmet lying beside him. Saleena froze and a horrified gasp escaped from her mouth.

Revan spun around in surprise. "Sal!" he exclaimed, rising. "How long have you been here?" he asked, scratching the back of his head nervously as he made his way towards her.

"I just arrived…" she said slowly, wondering why she automatically lied. Am I afraid he'll hurt me? "You killed him." She did not dare look at Mandalore's face.

Revan stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at the dead body. "Yes, he did not leave me any other choice. He refused to surrender," he said in a grim expression before resuming his walk towards her. It surprised Saleena how good of a liar he was.

"Uh…we need to leave now…Bao's injured," she said distractedly, glancing at the helmet again.

"Alright, but first…I got to say how glad I am you're safe," he said, stopping in front of her. He was greeted by a slap on the face. "Ouch! What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his red cheek with his hand.

Saleena didn't forget she was angry with him. "How about toying with my life like you did earlier? You knew Eevie was going to hurt me and you didn't do anything about it! What if I didn't sense her? I would've died!" she said vehemently.

Revan seemed confused. "Wait, I gave you a warning! I went into your mind to tell you what I was about to do…and to watch your back at all times! Admiral Saul Karath asked Bronwyn to follow me…to make sure I obeyed his orders. She wanted Mandalore dead too and since she couldn't lie, I tricked them into attacking us first."

Saleena was taken aback. "Oh…" she whispered, blushing a little. "They drugged me…all I could hear were mumbles." She suddenly felt guilty for doubting him.

Revan took a tentative step towards her, afraid she would start kicking him. "How could you even think I would be so careless around you?" he asked gently, running his fingers through her long dark hair. "You're the most precious thing in my life…I would do anything just to keep you safe…" He leaned in for a kiss, but Saleena turned her head at the last second.

"We really need to go…like I said, Bao-dur is in a critical state'" she reminded him. He let go of her hair and gave her a small smile of agreement, but his eyes betrayed him. He glanced longingly at her lips, and she bit them when she realized they were trembling. She backed away from him and began walking towards the door. When she turned around, she noticed he was walking the other way.

"Where are you going?" she asked impatiently, stopping in the doorway.

Revan stopped beside Mandalore's corpse and picked up the helmet off the floor. "I need to bring back proof…to show that Mandalore is really dead," he said stiffly, though smiling to himself as he said the last word.

Saleena pursed her lips. She was suddenly reminded of the maniacal smile and the cold laughter she had witnessed from him today. Then there's that lightning power…all these things are connected...something's not right… She shivered as the dark power of the Academy intensified her unease. She chose to leave the room, not waiting for him.

When Revan caught up with her just a few seconds later, they walked in silence for what seemed like an awkward eternity to Saleena. They were side by side, but she basically followed him. His footsteps were confident, as if he could walk out of here blindfolded. She remembered what Ghuj had said about Revan seeming to know the Academy by heart. Even though she felt greatly suspicious, she dropped it for now.

"Eevie told me you were already on your way to Malachor when she called you about the exchange," she began, deciding to break the tense silence between them. "Why?"

Revan shot a sideway glance at her. He seemed angry. I refused to kiss him…he must think I'm ungrateful…I didn't even thank him...

"I did what you asked," he began in a flat tone. "When you left, I checked with Malak to see why his unit was on Malachor and he was as clueless as I was. Then it clicked. Eevie had no reason to be there. She had to be a traitor. I paid our little friend Drake a visit. At first he wouldn't tell me anything and his mind was guarded in a way that made it impossible for me to break through in so little time."

"So you made a deal?" she asked when she read his face. Since when does Revan negotiate with Mandalorians!

He threw the smallest of scowls at her for interrupting his story.

"He gave me complete access to his mind and in return, I promised to transfer him to the Republic station on Mannan where he will serve the rest of his sentence. That's how I learned he and Eevie were both spies working together," he explained. "Can you believe it? He didn't have much to gain here, but he still chose to sell her out!" As he spoke, his pace automatically quickened.

"They were in love," she said quietly as she tried to keep up with him, remembering her conversation with Eevie.

Revan scoffed. "You call it love? He gave me complete access to his mind, Sal! I knew he was taking advantage of her status, but I had no clue she was Mandalore's daughter...that part he hid well! It explains why he didn't ask for freedom. His clan would have hunted him down and executed him for treason! Eevie was infatuated with him and he used that to his advantage, which is how he got so high up in the ranks. That is not love!" he said bitterly.

Saleena had a feeling he was now comparing the Mandalorians' relationship to their own. "What happened next?" she asked, now wishing to steer the conversation away from Drake.

"With Drake's information, I discovered the Mandalorians were planning to kidnap you to blackmail me in case the Republic started winning. So I had a general idea of what was going on. I guessed they found out about the Mass Shadow Generator and that they would demand for its control. When I was done interrogating him, Admiral Saul Karath contacted me to report as usual. I told him about the situation. Don't be mad, but he already knew about us and he's always been okay with it. He let me go to rescue you, but laid out his orders. He asked me to bring Bao-dur to fly the freighter and Bronwyn so she could supervise the mission. While on air, we got Eevie's call about the exchange. When we landed, we found Ghuj and he explained to us what had happened." There was a tone of finality that showed he had finished his story.

"I see…" she said softly, nodding once. He obviously did some editing. What else is he hiding from me?

They finally reached the front entrance. She prayed for the freighter to be there and sure enough, as they opened the large doors, the small ship was standing in front of them.

"We've got about twenty minutes," Revan informed her, checking his timer as they walked towards the landing ramp. Saleena nodded curtly and they both entered the freighter.

The small ship was divided into two areas. They both stood in the dimly lit cargo hold, the door closing shut behind them. The small room consisted of two long benches on either side and a few containers. A door to their right led to the cockpit. The young couple spotted Bronwyn across from them, still tending to Bao-dur in a corner, and Eevie, attached and still unconscious, sprawled on a bench to their far left.

"What is she doing here? Planning to throw her off after we've gained some altitude?" Revan asked in an angry growl, throwing a disgusted look at the redhead.

"She will be trialed and imprisoned for her crimes. Since we won't be able to deliver Mandalore to the Republic, his daughter is the next best thing. Besides, you should know there are worse punishments than death," Saleena replied, her tone colder than she had intended, as she made her way towards Bronwyn.

Revan, angry by the sudden cold shoulder, muttered something unintelligible and entered the cockpit.

"How is he doing?" Saleena asked Bronwyn. The General stared at the spot where Bao-dur's arm would've been if someone hadn't chopped it off.

The young soldier looked up, her green bloodstained hand resting on the Zabrak's torso. "His heart rate is steady, but he lost a lot of blood. He'll survive, but I'm not sure about the arm."

"Thank you, Bronwyn," she whispered with gratitude, unable to take her eyes away from the technician's unconscious body. "You've been a great help."

"You do realize this is your fault, right?" the young Twi'lek asked contemptuously.

Saleena felt as though someone had slapped her across the face. Before she could retaliate, someone intervened.

"Bronwyn, apologize to your superior," Revan ordered menacingly, the door to the cockpit shutting behind him. His eyes were on Saleena when he spoke.

The young soldier's cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Now go to the cockpit. The General and I will watch over Bao-dur and the prisoner," he ordered again, finally glancing at the younger Jedi.

Bronwyn got to her feet, quickly wiped her bloody hands on her uniform and disappeared inside the cockpit. The sudden sound of the engines and of the hyperdrive resonated inside the freighter. Saleena hurried to Bao-dur, making sure he was safely strapped, and then went to sit on the bench beside him. Revan hesitated at first, then sat between her and the unconscious Zabrak. The freighter slowly lifted into the air and began its journey towards the Leviathan.

"I went to speak to Ghuj. He says we'll most likely be on Malachor when the Mass Shadow Generator will go off, but we won't get hit with our altitude. Also, Starfighter 47 will circle around us so we don't get attacked by Basilisk war droids," he said, as if making light conversation. His eyes were looking intently at her, as though challenging her to look his way.

Saleena stared at a bloodstain on the ground, thinking over Bao-dur's explanation to Mandalore about the weapon. "The MSG was programmed to explode no matter what. There was never a Plan B. You gave me a useless remote." There was no trace of accusation in her voice. It was merely a fact she had to voice out. Bao-dur was ordered to lie to me...surely by Revan...and Malak and Admiral Saul Karath were in on this as well.

Revan opened his mouth to speak, but nodded instead. His eyes fell on her forehead. "Sal, you're bleeding," he whispered, gently placing his hand on the side of her head.

"Don't!" she said coldly, slapping his hand away. She moved her hand to her forehead and felt her fingers touch a cool trickle of blood.

"I insist! If you don't heal it now, it'll get worse!" he said rather heatedly. He lifted his hand once again, but Saleena moved down the bench to be away from him. "What is wrong with you?" he asked angrily.

Saleena ignored him. She stared down at her hands that rested on her lap. After a moment, she could no longer suppress her annoyance at being watched. She let out a small exasperated sigh, and turned to look at Revan. Whatever she expected, it wasn't this. Revan, his face half in shadow, clenched and unclenched his jaw repeatedly, as if he was restraining himself from saying something. His eyes frightened her. Last time he gave me that stare was when he yelled at me in Corellia...for leaving him... But as he leaned his face closer to hers, she realized she had misread him completely. His face was torn and his eyes showed a whole other emotion. Sadness?

"Rev..." she began uncertainly. The image of her lover murdering Mandalore flashed in her mind, making it difficult to hide a hint of fear in her voice. "What's up?" She awkwardly slid on the bench to be closer to him.

He closed his eyes, slightly opening his mouth. Saleena froze as she felt his warm breath against her cheek. Despite herself, she enjoyed the feeling, somehow reminding her of their first kiss. She tried to hang on to that memory, forcing herself to forget what she had seen back at the Academy.

"I...failed..." he finally said, opening his eyes and staring at her.

Saleena looked up. "What are you saying?" she asked breathlessly. "The Republic is saved and the Mandalorian threat is gone!" The words came out too quickly, and she suddenly had a suspicion that he was not finished talking. She was right.

"I failed..." he repeated, locking eyes with her. "...with you." His voice was barely a whisper. Saleena had to read his lips to understand.

She stared at his pained expression and quickly looked away, again hypnotized by the bloodstain on the floor. She felt horrible avoiding his gaze when he was opening up like that. I've been begging him to talk about our relationship for months! Now he's willing to do so while we're flying over a battlefield that's about to explode! He always had the worst timing! she thought irritably, though not angrily.

"What...what do you mean when you say you failed with me?" she asked in a forced casual way, though she was miserably failing. Her eyes had returned to staring at her hands. She could feel Revan's warm breath against her ear now. The feeling was somehow appeasing, yet it did not ease the awkward tension between them.

"It feels like whatever I do...I just can't make you happy...no matter how hard I try..." he said in a defeated tone.

She turned to him, suddenly unable the tear her eyes away from his sad grey ones. In a flash, all the feelings of anger and betrayal she felt towards him vanished, only to be replaced by sadness and remorse.

"I was...am happy..." Her voice trailed off. She knew he had heard her use the past tense first. Think before you speak, stupid!

Revan scoffed, giving her a half-hearted smile that did not reach his eyes. "I was right..."

"Where is all of this coming from, anyway?" she asked as gently as she could. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Like you said, Sal, the war is over...or soon it'll be. What's the next step for us?" he asked energetically, though his eyes still full of chagrin. "It feels like our relationship is slowly disintegrating. Is there anything worth saving?"

Saleena opened her mouth, only to close it quickly. She swallowed and took a deep breath, her body slightly shaking. "Are...are you...breaking up with me?" she asked in what sounded to her like an anxious squeal.

"Not at all," he said rapidly. His eyes were sincere and slightly relieved by her reaction. "I thought perhaps you wanted to end things between us. You were talking about it last night."

"Never," she said automatically, sounding like programmed robot. Revan's lips formed a grin, yet there was still a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Tell me, Rev, why do you think I'm unhappy?" she asked tentatively. She finally chose to embrace his pain, making it her goal to take it out of him before they would arrive to the Leviathan. My pain is your pain...like he would always say. I need to make him feel better…

"When I came to the Academy...to save you...I thought you would see me as a hero," he began, grimacing as he spoke the last word. "But you wouldn't even kiss me. You looked at me like I was the monster...like you didn't want me here."

"I did think of you as a hero...as soon as you entered the Great Hall," she explained, blushing slightly and smiling shyly. There was a sudden twinkle in his eyes. Her smile faded as the image of Mandalore's frying body unwillingly flashed in her mind again. "But I've seen things...witnessed horrible things back there..." she continued awkwardly, not knowing how to bring up the subject.

"Was it seeing Bao-dur? Seeing him damaged like that?" he asked. The both of them automatically turned to see the Zabrak lying unconscious.

"No..." she said reluctantly. Some part of her was prepared to make him believe that it was Bao's injuries that kept her cold and distant instead of telling him the truth. "I saw how you killed Mandalore," she forced herself to say in a rushed whisper, her eyes still focused on the Zabrak. She lifted her eyes to her lover's face, wondering how he would react. Would he dare deny it? Say that I was hallucinating?

"Oh," Revan said.

Saleena impatiently waited for him to come up with a full sentence, but he did not. He simply closed his eyes again, resuming the clenching and unclenching of his jaw. There was almost a meditative look about him.

"That's all? All you can say is oh?" she asked, surprised.

Revan opened one eye, peeking at her shocked expression before closing it again. "I'm not proud of myself. I thought I could control it. You were not supposed to see that..."

"Are you saying that if I hadn't seen what you did, you would've kept it from me?" she asked, horrified. "For how long? Until you get the ability to burn people to death? Or crush their throats?"

"Don't be absurd," Revan said calmly, rolling his eyes. "I'm truly sorry I kept it from you," he said with sincerity.

"How long have you had this power?" she asked warily, guessing it must have been a while. The way he used it...it's like he's been using it for years!

"A month?" he asked, almost to himself. "It feels like longer..."

Saleena cringed. "You do realize it's around the time when our relationship began going downhill," she said sharply. "I was trying to deny it...that you had fallen..."

"Wait, what?" he asked brusquely, turning his whole body towards her. "You think I fell to the Dark Side? It's madness!" He sounded offended.

"Name me one Jedi that can do what you did? Someone who isn't a Sith!" she challenged. Revan ogled at her, frozen. "That's what I thought!" she added triumphantly when he remained silent.

His face fell. "I...never...realized. I thought...I mean, me and Malak-"

"What?" Saleena almost yelled. "Malak is in on this? What did you two do? How did you acquire this power in the first place?" Then all the pieces clicked together. "The Academy?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Revan merely nodded, avoiding her glare. "I was ready to tell you last night in the bedroom," he said grimly. "I was by myself, doing an excursion, when I stumbled upon it. I soon returned with Malak, to get another Jedi's perspective on the place. Then we just kept coming back, as if addicted to its energy."

"Why did you bring Malak instead of me?" She was slightly hurt by that prospect.

"I didn't want you to get hurt," he said hastily. Saleena scoffed. "Listen, I knew there was this dark power…intoxicating…overwhelming! You must have felt it too! I thought I handled it well and that I was too strong to fall, but for you? It was right after your trip to Dxun…you went through so much. You came back to me in a state of shock...you were vulnerable. I promised myself I would keep you away from this place, which obviously didn't work out!" he finished with the tiniest of smiles.

"Don't you realize that my unhappiness is due to that visit at the Academy? Ever since we've joined this war, I've had these insecurities and doubts about what we were doing…what we were really fighting for! I wondered to myself if all those people died for the right reasons! I felt confused and depressed, but you were the one constant good thing in my life, Revan. You gave me reasoning and you kept me sane! More importantly, it was your love that made me stronger! All of this changed when we reached Malachor...you changed...drastically...you became cold, angry, distant...violent... The worst part is, you lashed out on me, the one person you were trying to protect."

Revan remained silent. She knew he understood that she was right. The sounds of explosions roared from underneath them. We're passing over the battlefield now, she thought worriedly, wondering how much time was left before the detonation.

"When I hurt you last night...I wasn't myself..." he began in a low whisper, his eyes blinking in pain as if he was the victim that night.

"Exactly," she agreed. "I know that you would never hurt me, which proves that you're no longer yourself, Rev. You lost a part of yourself in that Academy, but I know in my heart that there is still hope for you...hope for us." Her voice was soft and reassuring, and as she spoke, she gently grazed his cheek with her long slender fingers. "Together we are strong, we can overcome anything! Remember what you told me when we first kissed? You told me love could conquer all and that our love would keep us from falling, and I still believe that! I'm here for you and I'm not going anywhere!"

"Isn't it too late for me, though?" he asked in a murmur, his voice flat though Saleena could hear a faint trace of hope.

"No!" she exclaimed, grabbing his face with her two hands, desperate to make him see the light at the end of the dark tunnel. "You didn't fall completely. You are still a good person! There's just a tainted darkness inside of you...that's clinging to your soul. All you need to do is to put the war behind you...to forgive yourself for all the bad things that have happened...and to look in yourself and find that old you again...the young naïve boy I fell in love with," she said with a faint smile.

Revan stood still for a moment, closing his eyes while processing her words. He then looked at her and gave a small derisive laugh, but his smile proved to Saleena that her words have worked their magic. His smile quickly turned into a grin, and his eyes were at their softest. He gently took her right hand to his mouth and slowly kissed the tips of her fingers. It was Saleena's turn to close her eyes. The sensation sent shivers down her spine, the good kind.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked in a gentle whisper. Their fingers were now intertwined.

Saleena gave him a sly smile that didn't touch her eyes, which he noticed. He doesn't think he deserves to be forgiven…but he does…people make mistakes…"Only if you promise me that you'll never hide things from me again and that you'll get rid of that nasty power," she said seriously.

Revan nodded fervently. "I swear!" he said hastily, as if he was afraid she'd change her mind. "I can't be off the hook so easily. There has to be something else. Is there?" he asked hopefully, his lips grazing the inside of her wrist while he watched her think.

She cocked her head to one side, feigning a deep reflection. "Well...you could also promise that this will be the last war for us…and that we'll finally live a much quieter life...a peaceful one..."

"I swear!" he repeated eagerly before she could finish. "We'll get married, have a farm...little Revans and Saleenas running around," he added, his eyes gleaming at that prospect.

Saleena discreetly avoided the first part. Not now... "A farm?" she asked skeptically, shaking her head. "If that's what you want...fine…but you'll be the one catching the little buggers," she informed him, trying to suppress a smile. "Also...well there is that one other thing...but it's embarrassing..." she began with a sheepish smile.

"Tell me. I swear I won't laugh," he said, intrigued.

"Well...I must say that I have taken a certain liking to our current...er...sex life..." she began, mouthing the last two words. "But you could be more gentle...I'll do the same. I'm afraid I'll scar you to death, even with my nails cut..." she added in a whisper that over exaggerated her worry.

Revan stared at her, fully awake now with his mouth hanging open. "I...I...we can work around that..." he managed to say, though he mostly sputtered the words. "Starting tonight?" he asked casually, his warm grey eyes revealing a glimmer of lust.

Saleena snorted. "Uh...we'll see...but don't get your hopes up!" she teased. She couldn't believe they were now flirting.

"Too late, love! You already had me at the word sex," he mused, followed by Saleena's giggles.

He gently pulled her hand towards him, and with his other hand, he cupped her face. He gently rubbed his nose against hers. Saleena felt his warm breath again, now on her mouth. Unable to hold it any longer, she leaned in to kiss him. The touch of his lips suddenly brought her back to that night on Corellia. It had the same intensity, longing and passion.

"Woman...I'm afraid I'll never be able to let you go!" he said between gasps of air, brushing his lips against her jaw line.

The smallest of moans escaped from her mouth. "Then, never let me go, you idiot!" she whispered in his ear. She planted another forceful kiss on his warm inviting lips.

They quickly broke apart when someone clapped.

"That was entertaining," Eevie said, applauding lazily. She slightly hissed at the pain from her shoulder.

Revan turned towards her and smiled scornfully, wrapping his right arm around Saleena's waist. In response, the General gently grabbed his other hand with her left hand. She appreciated the proximity seeing as she's always felt the safest in his arms.

"How does it feel? Knowing you're about to rot in a cell for the rest of your sad pathetic life?" he asked Eevie, as if making light conversation.

The redhead glared at him. "What was that promise, Saleena? About never keeping secrets from one another?" she asked, her eyes still on Revan.

"Mind your own business," Saleena snapped, gently squeezing Revan's fingers, not noticing he did not respond to her touch. Ugh…has she been listening to our entire conversation?

"Hmmm…you see there…it kind of is my problem…" Eevie began airily. "You know what I'm talking about, right Rev?" she asked him in a perky tone.

"Don't pay any attention to her, Sal. Eevie's a bit cranky that I slaughtered daddy dearest," he said, still looking at the Mandalorian. "The woman is capable of anything just to try to ruin my life. She thinks it's her way of avenging her father's death...pathetic." He glanced significantly at an object that lay on the bench beside the redhead.

Eevie turned her head to see and froze. It was Mandalore's helmet. She looked up again and shot him the deadliest of looks, her tied hands shaking in anger. "In the clearing, you asked me how I gained access to your boyfriend's server to get the data of the generator thingy. Did I ever answer you?" she asked in a rather dead voice, though the words slipped in a sort of hurry. She turned her attention to Saleena.

"Shut up," Revan said through gritted teeth.

The redhead smiled. "You were always a smooth talker, Rev, but I think you've said enough. I believe it to be fitting that I should reveal your last secret," she said teasingly, enjoying Revan's look of fear in his eyes. "No more lies! After all, I do want you and Saleena to live a happy life together!" she added, her sarcasm obvious.

"I'm warning you…" Revan growled.

"Tell me what?" Saleena asked Eevie impatiently, squeezing Revan's hand. This time she realized he did not squeeze her hand back. She needed to be reassured, to know everything was okay. She looked up at him, but he jerked his head away, clearly avoiding her gaze. "Tell-me-what?" she repeated, over pronouncing each word loudly. She still spoke to Eevie, but her eyes stayed on Revan, trying to read his blank expression. Her body suddenly felt numb.

Eevie smiled and licked her lips, enjoying the moment that was to come. "While you were desperately trying to survive on Dxun for a week…trying to keep your promise of coming back to him unscathed...let's just say that I kept his bed warm for you."

Saleena's head turned to the Mandalorian, her expression skeptical, but deep down inside she felt there was some truth in her words. She looked down and then closed her eyes. It can't be true. It can't be true. It can't be true… She tried to wriggle her hand out of Revan's grasp, but he clenched her fingers in place. "You're lying," she whispered to the redhead as she unconsciously tried to yank Revan's arm away from her waist. He resisted and clamped it to her even tighter. She suddenly felt nauseated. She felt his eyes on her, but she didn't have the force to look back.

The Mandalorian gave a cold laugh. "That's how I accessed his server. It was so easy. Every time I was done with him, I would do some snooping around while he slept," she said, winking at Revan. "Some nights he would sleep like a baby...for hours at a time...I noticed it would always happen when he closed his eyes and moaned your name while bedding me."

Before Saleena could react to this disgusting revelation, Revan let go of her hand and waist, and lunged at the redhead, grabbing her violently by the throat. He lifted her body from the bench by her neck and carried her to the exit door. He pushed the button with his other hand, and the door sprang open.

"Tell her you're lying or I'll drop you to your death!" he ordered through gritted teeth, slowly moving her towards the large opening until her feet were fidgeting at the very edge. The roars of the explosions from above and the screams from below were deafening now with the door opened. A fiery glow penetrated the cargo hold. From far away, into space, Saleena could perceive Republic starfighters and Mandalorian aircrafts firing at each other. The freighter was about to leave the planet and the door had to stay shut if they all wanted to live.

"Revan! Let her go! We need her alive!" Saleena pleaded, standing up.

"I am not letting that bitch go until she admits she's lying! I never slept with her! I would never do that to you, Sal!" he said, staring into Eevie's petrified eyes.

"What is going on here?" asked a voice from the corner. Saleena turned to see Bronwyn standing right outside the cockpit, her pale green skin looking even paler. "We heard yells and saw the door was activated. You need to close it now, we're leaving the atmosphere soon," she said, her eyes widening at what she was seeing. The only thing that seemed remotely normal was the unconscious Zabrak, still tightly strapped on the bench, unperturbed.

"Leave," Revan snapped, never tearing his eyes away from Eevie's scared face.

"Bronwyn…return to the cockpit..." the General ordered, though it came out more like a plea. Despite the loud raucous, she could've sworn she heard a snort coming from the young Twi'lek.

"I demand to know what's happening!" Bronwyn said, folding her arms across her chest.

Saleena spun around, her eyes slightly twitching at the sight the young soldier. I never liked her! I've always been too nice to her! "If you don't get your ass out of here in five seconds, I'll throw you off this freighter by myself," she said in a threatening tone that came out naturally, even more menacing.

The message was received. After Bronwyn took a second to blink and process what her General had told her, she fled into the cockpit without looking back.

Saleena turned back towards Revan immediately. "Please, Rev! Step away from the door! If you don't, we'll all die!" she exclaimed, trying to put some sense into him. "I believe you! You never slept with her!" The words came out by themselves. She had no clue if she meant them or not, but she didn't care about that right now. She knew she was going to work things out with Revan and that many years from now, they would laugh at that particular moment, at how Eevie unsuccessfully tried to destroy their love.

Revan's body stiffened at those words and he finally took a few steps back. He threw the redhead against the opposite wall and walked towards her, clearly unfinished with her.

Saleena breathed a sigh of relief and rushed towards the door to close it shut, but came to a halt as she caught sight of what was happening outside. She knew the freighter was flying over the battlefield, soon leaving it, but there was an odd feeling of déjà-vu as she looked around, as if she'd been standing in the exact spot once before. The Starfighter 47 zoomed by in front of her, still circling their freighter. My dream…that number... She was so transfixed at what she was seeing that she did not notice Eevie pushing Revan to the ground and running towards her.

"Watch out, Sal!" Revan yelled from a distance.

It was too late. Saleena had barely turned around when she felt her body being pushed outside the freighter, dropping into nothingness. She caught a last glance at a gleeful Eevie, before staring down at the battlefield where she was falling to her death.


Author's Notes: Yes I am still here, surprised? I have a goal for the summer: FINISH THE STORY!! I only have 3-4 chapters left and half is already written so I'm pretty confident I'll make it...especially since I won't have any school work for the next four months! Yay! Anyway...I hope you enjoyed this chapter...it's definitely the longest I've done so far! Keep an eye out for chapter 12...some time in 2009! Ha ha...joking...or am I? Oh by the way I discovered something really strange the other day. The image of Revan that I have in my head (for my story) is actually the actor Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter) and my image of Eevie is the actress Rachel Lefevre (have you seen her hair?). It's just strange because I found out that both actors will be playing in the same movie, Twilight. Ok...it's random...I know...