A/N: I'm really sorry for this late update.I've started working/ waiting for college to startand have been rather lazy in my updates. To those who are following this, please don't worry, I won't be stopping any of my fics.
After playing KotOR2, I'm going into denial. So any mushy and unrealistic stuff written, please forgive me. The lack of romance, interaction, and the plot holes have rendered me numb and uncreative.
And man, where did everyone go /Looks around/ I can't improve when no one tells me where I've gone wrong, you know.
BlackpoolBird: You're welcome! Yup, poor Carth. As for Revan, I don't know… :p But I have plans for her…Rub hands together with an evil smirk. Diabolical plans initiated Muahahahahahahahahaha! And...I apologise for the late update. Very sorry!
Prisoner24601: I'm still writing. The only thing is it takes me ages to get a chapter uploaded. Blame it on lazy-me. :p But be rest assured, I'm not giving up on my fics that easily. I'm even cleaning up the first few chapters. My eyes hurt from all the structural problems and stuff. I agree on the baggage part. I never was one to believe in baggage-free relationships, and in Revan's case, hers is even harder to get, considering her past and her ever-growing paranoia. And the situation grows more irritating for Carth.
CrazyMissSarah: Thanks! Actually, I haven't...just been late... :p sorry!
Revan frowned at the Rakatan chattering in front of her and scratched her head in mild frustration. She held up a hand to stop the Rakatan's non-stop jabbering. (Slow down Ek. You're going so fast you could win a swoop bike race.)
Ek, the said-Rakatan, widened his eyes at her and apologised quickly. (I shall repeat what I said again. The Elders said to wait. There are some things they need to do before talking to you.) His eyes switched to the group standing behind her. Jolee gave a frown similar to Revan's.
"Can we get moving? I'll be dried meat if I stand under this sun for such a long time! An old man can't take such heat."
Revan rolled her eyes at him and smiled at the Rakatan, an indication that she understood what Ek meant. Reluctantly, she turned her attention to the four men standing behind her and gave a small smile. "Guys, go back to the Republic base will you? I think I'll be here a long time."
"What? We follow you all the way here and now you want us to go back? Why, how thoughtful of you, child." Jolee grumbled and sulked. Revan could barely stop herself from narrowing her eyes at the old man in irritation. In return, Jolee gave her a smirk.
"Are you sure? These grounds aren't safe." Carth gave her a worried look before scanning the area around them. Several Kath Hounds were in the distance but posed no threat to the group of sentient.
Revan chose to ignore him. Dustil however was curious.
"Not safe? Why?"
"Kath Hounds inhabit the fields on Dantooine. They're carnivores and those teeth of theirs are sharper than a blade." Canderous provided him with the information. His eyes dropped to a particular spot on her thigh.
Revan pursed her lips at the Mandalorian. "It was just a scratch. No big deal. Please can you guys go now?" Her eyes darted from the Rakatan to them, signalling to them that the Elders did not want them there. The four men nodded and left her standing alone with the Rakatan in front of the Ancient Ruins.
(Take me to them, Ek.) She spoke to the Rakatan in his own tongue again. Ek merely bowed and gestured for her to follow.
"How did she know how to speak the Rakatan language?" Dustil kicked a stone in front of him. She could've been up to something. Probably, scheming with those aliens and planning to do something corrupted.
"She knows a lot, alright. That woman picked up my language in just four days by sitting in a room with the kid you saw the other day. She's not that good, but I've got to give it to her. She's damn stubborn." The boy eyed the Mandalorian walking beside Jolee with circumspect.
"But the Rakatan language? We couldn't understand a word they were saying."
"When she was you-know-who she forced Galactic Basic into their heads and their language into hers. She couldn't speak it at first, but that's the result from being at the Jedi Temple for too long. You'd get so bored you'd do anything to make time pass. I saw her sitting in the courtyard learning the language from scratch." Jolee said brightly.
Dustil nodded his head in silence.
Carth kept quiet throughout the conversation, obviously unhappy about Revan pushing him away again. "Father, are you alright?"
"Huh?" Carth jerked. "Uh, I'm fine, son. Just doing some thinking."
"You'd want to watch yourself, son. The Kath Hounds looks more vicious than the last time we were here." Jolee pointed out. "By the way, why are you still here, Canderous? I thought you wanted to get to Tatooine."
Canderous just snorted at him and gave a simple reply. "The attack damaged the ship, which meant it couldn't take me there."
Carth just nodded absent-mindedly and returned to his thoughts. Perhaps I should write a handbook and call it "1001 ways to get back your girl", eh… no, "Chasing Revan" would be better. What's that woman thinking about staying at the ruins on her own? She'll get hurt like the last time. Crazy woman!
The dagger in her hand carved through the wood easily without any difficulties. Dustil couldn't make out the intricate designs, but they fascinated him nonetheless. Revan was too engrossed in her carving to pay any attention to the others in the room. She had tried earlier to lock herself in her room but Mission and Juhani insisted that she join them in the lounge.
(Why can't my friends be here? They don't understand your language.) Revan questioned the Elders that stood before her.
(It is better to be cautious, Revan. We do not trust anyone in this matter.) A Rakatan Elder answered her.
(You trust me.) She said pointedly.
(You have proven yourself trustworthy among our kind. The others have not.)
She examined the room that she was standing in. The grey walls never seemed so dark before. Six Rakatan Elders titles were gathered in the same room with her, others were busy studying the ruins that were built by their ancestors.
Dustil saw her sigh and frown at the carving. Her hands were deft and small bits of wood fell to her black trousers. She stretched her legs out in front of her and her carving slowed down. The frown on her face grew even deeper.
Back on the giant ship that the Republicans carried us to this planet, the younger ones saw something that made us distrust others.
(What did they see?) Revan crossed her arms in front of her.
(A man in a room, fiddling with the dials and buttons on a console. At first they thought that he was just another officer on board doing his duties, but then they noticed that he was the only one in that particular room and the room was unlit. When the bombing on Dantooine started he ran out of the room like a gizka being chased by a Rancor. They never saw him since.)
(Are you sure that he was involved with the bombing, and that he is a traitor in the fleet?) She queried the Elder.
(When the man left, the younger ones found this on the floor.) One of the Rakatan Elder passed a datapad and microchip to her. Revan accepted it and studied it. Just like any other ordinary datapads and chips. What's the specialty in it?
(Examine them, if you will. We did not touch them since your technology is somewhat alien to us. They might provide you with the information needed.)
Revan kept her silence for some time before speaking again. (Do you have any description of this man you speak of?)
One of the Elders nodded her head vigorously at her. (Yes, yes. The younger ones saw his face.) She waved a hand at a few younger Rakatans and they hurried towards them. They gave Revan the description of the suspected traitor and she took down what they told her in her own datapad.
An hour later she took her cue to leave. One Elder stopped her and Revan gave him a weary smile. (Yes? Elder Rin?)
(Please remember this Revan. Tell what we told you only to those who you trust with your life. If even a Republic officer can betray his own people, anyone else can do the same.)
Revan bowed politely at the Elder. (I understand, Elder. I know what to do now. Thank you.)
Revan stopped her carving and stared at the bare wall in front of her. Dustil continued on studying her.
"Can't take your mind off something, hmm, child?" Jolee raised his eyebrows at Revan. The Twi'lek sitting opposite him dropped her pazaak deck onto the table and waited for her to reply the old Jedi's question. Hmm? Just leave it? I have no idea too.
The woman Jedi gave him a speculating look and smirked at him. Standing up, the specks of wood fell from her to the ground.
"Nothing really. Excuse me, I need to get my beauty sleep." Revan replied to him jokingly.
Jolee snorted at her remark and Mission gave her an amused look.
"Afraid of getting wrinkles?" Mission teased.
The older woman gave no answer but simply waved at her over her shoulder. The pazaak deck in front of Mission levitated and smacked her gently on the face.
"OW!" The Twi'lek got up and threw the deck back at Revan, who dodged just in time and with a laugh.
Dustil sniggered at Mission and she shot daggers at him. A datapad came flying at him and he ducked just in time to avoid it.
"What did I do?"
"And a press here…" Revan nearly cried out in frustration when the datapad she held in her hands gave a loud negatory beep.
T3 stirred and gave her a long string of beeps. She looked at him with a frown and rubbed her temples.
"I've been trying to decipher the code on this bloody damn thing for the past three hours and nothing happens! Nothing!" She growled in irritation.
The droid beeped at her again and she looked at it in disbelief.
"I'm so stupid. Why didn't I think of you?" She got up quickly and handed the datapad to T3.
The droid whirred for a moment and the datapad popped out of it onto the floor.
"Thanks, T3."
The device showed her an insignia and she studied it. It's so familiar… Where the hell have I seen this? Revan chose to ignore the symbol and went on examining the datapad. Her frown grew deeper when she read the contents.
"Deactivating system code: AX45485425346PFG365784
Deactivating system time: 15:55"
Deactivation codes…what is this?
She flipped through the screens again and her eyes widened at a message.
"Do what you have to do on the aforementioned time. It will be yours."
It will be yours? What is this supposed to mean?
Revan turned off the device and examined the cover. She found a name engraved on to it. Klyrat, Cett.
He should be a Republic soldier.
"You can't sleep?" A young masculine voice interrupted her thoughts. Revan turned her head at the source of the voice and smiled.
"Yeah. I don't sleep that long." Dustil…why are you awake?
They boy joined her at the window seat and sat opposite to her. He tried hard to find the words to say. "Uh…nice moons huh?" He avoided looking at her face. The small bubble of anger began to grow bigger and bigger as he stayed in the same room with her, alone.
Revan nodded and looked out of the window too.
"They came out late tonight. That's the indication to the farmers that the Harvest should be near."
Dustil's head turned to her. "The Harvest?"
"It's the time of the year when all farmers starts harvesting their crops. In the past the people used to do ceremonies to welcome the day of Harvest during the night and get themselves drunk. That brought too much trouble when the people started attacking their neighbours because they ran out of alcohol. The authorities banned the ceremonies when five families got killed in the attacks. The Harvest was never celebrated ever since." Dustil saw that she kept her gaze on the moons while she spilled the knowledge to him.
Why the hell is she telling me this? And why does she know so much?
"People get drunk when they get bored, I read." Her gaze returned to his face.
Dustil was shocked at her sudden statement. She read my mind?
"You read my mind?" His brown eyes widened at her.
The black-haired woman in front of him chuckled and shook her head.
"Nah, could never do that. Just figured it out since your eyes are almost popping out of their sockets." She smirked and the boy blinked a couple of times.
The two remained quiet for the next few minutes.
"So…" Dustil attempted at beginning a conversation. "I heard Mission saying that you…lost your memories." His hand tugged at the hem of his shirt.
He had expected the woman to get angry or slightly agitated. But when he saw the faint smile on her face surprise besieged him. You're very good at acting Revan. But you can't fool me. You killed my mother.
"Yes. I don't remember my past, and was provided with a false one." Revan leaned her head on the wall and the smile stayed on her face.
Dustil shifted uneasily in the seat and tried to smile at her.
"I'm…sorry for asking." Why do I even bother to apologise?
She faced him and pursed her lips. "Don't be. I'm fine with it." The silence returned to the room.
The thoughts and questions in his mind swirled around in a maelstrom. His curiosity mingled with the fear and hatred that he had for Revan and he thought twice before asking her again. "Are you really fine with it? I mean, not being able to remember anything from your past must be frustrating."
Revan's silver-grey eyes bore into his before she answered his question.
"It can be frustrating at times, when people know more about you than yourself." Her gaze hardened as she continued. "But would you wish to remember a past like mine, that's tainted with treachery, lies, death—anything that is dark and sinister?"
"I…I think not." I shouldn't have asked her about this. She's depressing me.
"I don't think so either. It's not easy living with a past such as mine."
Dustil dared another question. "How can you feel guilt for something that you don't remember doing? Like bombing planets into submission!" His voice rose at the end of his sentence. Realisation streaked across his face but he refused to apologise. You destroyed my homeworld. It's no way I'm going to apologise.
Revan raised an eyebrow at his sudden outburst. To his great annoyance, she looked at the intricate illustrations on the ceiling and replied to him without a change in her tone. "Guilt, can haunt a person at any given time. I can't remember, but I'm neither deaf nor blind. I hear what others say about me, and I see the results of what I have done."
Dustil couldn't speak. His eyes flared with anger as he glared at the woman sitting in front of him. Revan lowered her head to look at him again.
"Many would tell you that it was not my fault that your planet was destroyed. I would say otherwise."
Still he wouldn't speak. Dustil decided that she was not going to get the satisfaction on being able to make him mad. He chewed on his lower lip as his anger grew inside of him.
"Malak was the one who gave orders, Saul was the one who carried it out. But I was the one responsible for the two of them. Without me, meant that the Sith wouldn't have returned, and many planets wouldn't be obliterated. Without me, Malak may not have turned to the dark side. All I can now is to live on and live with the sins of my past, and do my best to reduce the pain I have caused by helping others. "
"You expect forgiveness?" He sounded venomous through his gritted teeth. The tension in the air grew thicker by the second and to his dislike, Revan remained calm and cool. Her eyes were fixed on him and he felt the urge to gouge them out. You damn murderer!
"No. Nothing of that sort. I don't deserve it, not even after saving the galaxy." Revan looked out of the window, her tone never wavering. "Hate me if you must. I don't have the right to demand that you don't. My conquering days have passed."
His brown eyes widened with astonishment. He looked at her hands that were laid gently on her lap. These are the hands that killed so many. The hands that are tainted with death…tainted with my mother's death… Mother… Dustil felt the rage overwhelm him. His hatred towards her poured from his heart as he remembered those who suffered because of her. As swiftly as he tried, he stumbled with the short blade, which was left beside the window seat, and he brought it near to her throat.
"You killed my mother!" He hissed through his teeth as the blade threatened to penetrate the black choker and into her throat. Revan didn't even blink. She slowly turned her head to face him and she seemed…serene. "You should've died a miserable death when Malak betrayed you!"
"I won't blame you."
His hands shook violently as he tried to hold the blade in its position. His feelings raged through him like a stampede of banthas. The things in his mind swirled and made him nauseous.
"Calm down, boy." Jolee's voice was low and cautious. The old man held out a hand as if attempting to transmit calmness into the boy's mind. Dustil's breathing became louder and the blade began cutting into the choker.
"Revan didn't bomb Telos into a junkyard. Malak did. Saul did. Please calm down and listen." Mission's voice suddenly echoed in his head. Dustil shook his head to forget what she had said.
"You don't want to do this, boy."
"Let him be Jolee. He has the right to do so." Revan said without looking at the old man. Jolee shook his head disapprovingly at her.
"Now don't you get all suicidal, lass."
"I'm not." Her tone was plain, flat, and emotionless.
Dustil glared at the two Jedi for daring to squabble even when he was trying his hardest to drive the blade into her neck.
"She didn't bomb Telos, Dustil. She blew up lots of planets before but she didn't blow up Telos. She's a completely different person now."
Dustil shook his head. Shut up, Mission. She caused me too much pain for me to forgive her.
"Hey! Then what about you? You were a Sith too. I can swear to you that she's totally different now. Look, if it wasn't for her, you'd still be a cocky Sith idiot walking around in Korriban! And I've got one question for you. If she can't even remember her past, how can she still be Revan?"
He snapped out of his fury. She was right. Who am I to judge Revan? She saved me from suffering the same fate as her… He looked at the woman in front of him in. The rage and anger died down. But this hate…it'll never go away. Not when she's still alive. I can't kill her…
Dustil slowly lowered the blade and let it fall with a small thud. Jolee heaved a sigh of relief. Revan maintained her expressionless composure.
The young man turned to look at the old man and saw that a Force shield had been raised to shut out the shouting. He turned to face Revan again and saw the she was looking out of the window, acting as if nothing had happened.
"I…I'm sorry." Dustil choked on the words reluctantly. The old man moved closer to them and he knelt to check Revan's neck. She waved irritably at Jolee and the old man gave her soft whack on her head.
"It's alright, Dustil." The black haired woman looked forgivingly at him. "I would've done the same too if I were you. It's hard to forgive." Jolee tried to pry the choker away from her again and received a whack on his head in return. "I'm fine, old man."
Jolee growled at her and stood up. "Don't come running to me if that NT-S23 of yours malfunctions. I just wanted to check if it was still intact."
"I would be like a fish gasping for air by now if Dustil really damaged it." Revan replied indignantly at him. She turned to the young man and gave him a small smile. "Go get some sleep. We've probably got a long day tomorrow."
Forgiveness. Dustil thought. Forgiveness from her even when I tried to kill her. You're a good actress, witch, that I'll give you. He nodded his head in agreement. Jolee held the boy gently on the arm and led him out of the room.
"Go get some sleep yourself, lass. You're delirious."
Revan chuckled and waved the two away. The old man led the boy out while his lectures rambled on. Dustil stopped at the door and shot her a look. "This doesn't mean I've forgiven you. I'll be watching you." Jolee grunted in disapproval at Dustil's attitude and Revan gave him a nod and a small smile. Once the two where out of sight, Revan's smile faded and she closed her eyes. She got up and went to the 'fresher.
The mirror reflected her pale face and hollow eyes. I look like crap. Gently taking off the choker on her neck, she saw a decent cut next to the NT-S23 bleeding. She called to the Force, and watched the cut heal. I'm surprised, Dustil. That you waited this long to seek revenge. But in the end, you couldn't do it. Just like you father. Too soft, even when your past has hardened you.
With a hiss, the door to the Republic quarters opened and a cold morning breeze greeted her. She stepped out from the quarters and began her stroll towards the fields. A pack of Kath hounds were snoozing around in the distance and the manta rays had just started their morning hunt.
Just as she walked out of the fenced area she felt a strong presence. Her hand went immediately to her sides, reaching for the absent lightsabre. "Shit." Instinctively her hand went for the dagger hidden beneath her trouser leg.
"Hello, Revan."
Revan turned around, and her eyes widened with surprise.
"You…"
Blame FFnet for the change of to ( )...It's not working...