Coincidences
Chapter 12: Through Time

"Master Alek, are we trapped?" asked a small twi'lek girl who looked to be no older than twelve. She wore the tan shirt and brown pants of a Jedi padawan which stood out from her blue skin. Her brown eyes were wide as she looked up at him.

Alek turned away from his padawan and back to the door, unsure what to tell her. It had only been a month she had been his padawan, his first padawan, he was still getting used to the idea. Alek Onasi was his full name; he stood around five feet ten inches. Everyone always told him how much he looked his mother and acted like her. Though he didn't believe a word of it, if he was anything like his mother he wouldn't have gotten them trapped here.

"I'll think of something," he told his padawan as he looked at the door. As usual he found himself trying to think of what his mother would do, or what his sister would have done. Letting out a low breath, he decided he should at least inspect the door.

As he took a step forward, pain shot through him as an extremely heavy object slammed into him. At the same time he heard his padawan shout in surprise as she was hit by another "object."

A frozen moment passed, then he felt a chuckle come from the object that had rudely landed on him, "Oh Nayru, not again."

There was the sound of shuffling clothes, then the object that had landed on his padawan demanded in a very outraged voice, "What the Force just happened?!"

The weight on his back disappeared then he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, you alright?"

"Link," the other object growled, then there was the sound of clothes again, "you better explain this," the tone of the voice changed, "Hey there young one, I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

"Master?" asked Alek's padawan, he sensed her leap to her feet and back way from the human arrival. "What the Force is going on?"

Slowly Alek stood and looked at the two new arrivals. One of them, the human male, looked vaguely familiar as if Alek had seen him countless times, but he couldn't place where. Despite this the one who had landed on him, this Link, didn't look remotely familiar not even his features.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" he asked slowly, looking from one to the next, his light blue eyes narrowed as he inspected them closely. The male human was Jedi, the robes and braid in his hair signified him as such. This wasn't the only part, Alek could sense the Force in him, it was strong, but didn't seem to be used as often as a consular would use it, but more so than a guardian would. This meant he was a sentinel either that or Alek was completely insane and imaging all of this. With his genetics one never knew.

The human Jedi was the one who responded to his question, "My name is Marth Arisawa, my master is Vackar. My companion is Link, a Hylian. As to how we got here; that is exactly what I would like Link to explain as well."

Link rubbed the back of his neck nervously and scuffed his boot on the ground, "I'm magic?"

Marth gave Link a very unimpressed look, and gestured for him to elaborate. Link glared sullenly back at him, "In my homeland I was once known as the Hero of Time. As the name suggests I have the ability to travel through time. Sadly I have no control over this ability and thus I tend to get swept along without my consent. And this time I guess you did as well, Marth."

Alek looked at them for several long moments as Link's words sunk in, but he couldn't seem to reply. Instead his padawan laughed, "This sounds like a tale the Grand Master told us whenever we had time at the end of her classes. It started out with an unknown alien hitting her and then she would continue the story by telling us about their struggles on trying to get him home." She grinned at the memory, "I miss those lessons sometimes." Her eyes widened, "Not that I don't like your lessons, Master Alek."

Looking at her sternly, he turned back to Link and Marth. "We'll have to figure this out later. Right now we have a mission to complete and have to make it to the cargo hold before she does." Turning back to the door, he started to bypass the locks. This was just too strange for his liking, sure he had been through events in his life which were strange, but not like this.

"Ignore him," stated his padawan, "he's just grumpy because I landed us in here. By the way, I'm Padawan Shicar and that's Master Alek Onasi, one of the three Onasi's in the Jedi Order, see the other two and be sure to call out their first name otherwise you have another two to deal with. You can always tell my master apart though, because he has black hair. The other two are harder because they look a lot alike." Alek took a deep breath as he worked. He didn't mind Shicar saying all of this, but this really wasn't the time.

Link laughed, "I know what that's like. There used to be twins in the village I lived in. They were impossible to tell apart. And they loved to confuse everyone about who they really were; whether they were one twin or the other."

Marth jostled Link's shoulder, "If you don't mind my asking, where exactly are we?"

"Coruscant, a merc base to be precise, Mandalore showed up and asked us for help with a few thugs who left the mandalorians because they didn't like the idea of a human Mandalore. Ha, if only Revan could have seen that one coming then this would have been a simple matter. The Force was with us on this though because she was able to narrow down where they were in a matter of minutes on Mandalore's arrival," Alek explained. "Guess surviving in the Mandalorian Wars was a good thing after all even if the outcome was only another—" he paused, smiling to himself. This was a perfect opportunity to see if Shicar had been paying attention to her history lessons. "—how many wars have happened since, Shircar?"

"Three if you include the one Master Kyn fought in and the one that is going on now between the Jedi and Ra'kei," she replied without pause.

"Good, I'm glad you didn't sleep through your lessons after all," he smiled. Perhaps having a padawan wasn't so bad after all, though he still couldn't figure how the council had ever thought him ready for one.

"I like Master Revan's lessons. Besides I don't think it would be possible to fall asleep or doze off in her classes. Every time a youngling does they wake to find themselves suspended upside down," she giggled at this. "It's always funny to see their expressions."

"Master Vackar does that to me all the time," Marth mumbled distractedly before fixing his gaze on Alek, "Wait, you said that there have been three wars since the Mandalorian one? So that means…we're in the future?" Marth's eyes went wide for a brief moment, "Well at least I know now that we win.

At Marth's words Alek's hand slipped, slicing open on jagged metal of the door. "Wait, what?" he looked at Marth. "You are – were fighting in the Mandalorian Wars." He shook his head at the mere prospect, "But you look to be in your late teens, a Padawan, when you should be over fifty by now."

Marth gaped at him, obviously surprised by that fact. Link, choking back laughter, shook his and grinned, "Welcome to time travel, Marth."

Marth shot a glare at Link, "There are times when I want to drop you out of a speeder. This is one of those times."

Throwing his head back, Link barked a laugh, "It would take more than that to kill me." Link gestured to a scorched hole in the fabric of his tunic down on his stomach. It was a blaster shot wound, one that had gone through the cavity of Link's abdomen.

Muttering several oaths under his break, Alek turned back to the door. He could heal Link's wound once they got out of this mess and completed the mission. In a few deft strokes the door slid open. Standing, he said, "Come on, we should get going before we screw up the plan." Quickly he shot off, not waiting for the two of them to reply.

"Wait!" Shicar shouted, racing after him. He could sense Marth following as well, but it was impossible to see if Link was.

"We must hurry, if we miss the quae this entire mission will be for naught," with that said he sensed Shicar speed up. It didn't take them long to reach the cargo hold. Skidding to a stop he looked around only to see several mandalorians, judging by their armor alone. Quickly he summoned his lightsaber to him, activating the green blade.

"Ah, a Jedi," stated one of the mandalorians as he stood, holding his blaster idly in his hands. "I shouldn't be surprised, Mandalore is weak, of course he would go to his old friends the Jedi." He sneered.

"Or he's just really old," Shicar stated, holding her green blade underhanded. Alek shot her a glare; he had to teach her to shut her mouth. "What, he is!"

Marth, activating his own lightsaber, stifled a chuckle then sighed, "It seems some mandalorians have refused to give up their love of violence. How sad."

"I've had enough of killing mandalorians today," Link groaned, "Can't I just go over and knock them all out?"

The light tap of a wood on metal prevented Alek from replying. Good, she was on time. At once all of the mandalorians' blasters were wrenched from their grasps and flipped until they were pointing at their heads. Just as this occurred another mandalorian appeared, but he wasn't wearing armor like any of those around them. His silver armor gleamed as he slammed down on the first before whipping around and hitting his blaster into another.

"Die!" he snarled, shooting the leader squarely in the chest.

At once the others backed away only to find they couldn't move. "Subtle as always," a figure limped from behind a few boxes. She leaned heavily on a roughly carved cane, one hand in the air as she held both the mandalorians and their weapons in place. Her hood was up, casting shadows over her face. "Though one can never deny the fact you do get the job done, my friend." She paused, "They're all yours, I would advise you get them to Dxun before the Republic becomes aware of the fact a few had broken off from your group, Mandalore."

Mandalore crossed the space between them. "Ni dinu ner gaan naakyc, jorcu ni nu copaani kyr'amur ner vod," he spoke the words in an undertone, and Alek slowly lowered his blade deactivating it. "They will be taught traitors aren't tolerated among us," he glanced at the group. "I will see you again, when it is needed. Until then," he hesitated, "may the Force be with you." With that he shouted a few words and mando'a and several more mandalorians came running. Before Alek could blink they had the rouges in hand and were herding them towards the door. Mandalore soon followed, not even waiting for a reply.

"Well, ain't he nice," stated Shicar deactivating her green blade. "Not even a thanks and he's off," she said huffily. "You'd think he'd be more grateful for stopping a civil war between his people."

"He did thank us," stated the master, her shadowed gaze on the far end of the cargo hold. "Ni dinu ner gaan naakyc, jorcu ni nu copaani kyr'amur ner vod. It means: "Honor my offer of truce, for I would not willingly shed my brother's blood." That is a thank you, coming from him."

"That's a weird way to say thank you." Link observed almost absently. He was digging diligently through the pouch hanging from his belt, but with a sound of pleasure he withdrew a corked bottle full of a dull red liquid from it. Uncorking the bottle, he took a small sip then made a face as all the wounds on his body healed, sealing up, "Hello, Revan."

Slowly Revan turned to look at them. Several long moments passed before she spoke, almost laughing, "Link? By the Force, it's good to see you… again." She limped over to them, turning her attention to Alek. "You were late; Mandalore was getting impatient, which really isn't news there. What happened?"

"It was my fault, Master Revan," mumbled Shicar, looking at her feet. "I thought I saw someone enter a room and followed. Master Alek warned me not to, but I just…"

"It wasn't your fault," Alek placed his hand on her shoulder. "You were only ensuring no one else was there and the plan still worked." He smiled, "Besides you didn't shout my ear off like Kullen once did. I swear I'm still trying to regain hearing in one ear."

"You have your father's sense of humor that is for certain," stated Revan. "Now—" she straightened, "—we should return to the temple before Carth decides to send out a search party, if he hasn't already done so. Also I will need to speak with Link and—" her gaze turned to Marth, "—Padawan Marth." It was then the name clicked in Alek's mind, Marth, as in one of the greatest masters who wasn't on the council. All right now he was certain he was going insane, even more so than Revan and that was saying something.

xxx

"Oh, I love reunions!" Link clapped his hands together, "And now we get to have a private chat and…" Abruptly Marth clapped a hand over his friend's mouth, silencing the rambling that he knew was forthcoming. Marth could only guess that the reason that the blonde was the way he was because of his past but sometimes he was stopped in his tracks when wondering what made someone so…perky. Link's optimism was mind-boggling at times and annoying at others.

A hot tongue licking his hand wetly made Marth yelp and he jerked his hand away from Link, who was smirking devilishly at him. Marth stared at him, wiping is hand hastily on his pants, "You licked me!"

Marth's eyes narrowed in a glare as Link's smirk widened but when he spoke he addressed it to Revan, "So, we gonna catch up on old times or what?"

Revan ignored this statement, turning she started forward. "Don't take it personally," said Alek lightly. "Her mind is more than likely elsewhere at the moment. Come on, Shicar," with that the two Jedi started off after Revan, catching up to her quickly.

Link waved his hand dismissively as Marth and he followed behind them, "Don't worry, we're both pretty used to her now."

Marth rolled his eyes; sometimes his friend was so transparent, "But what he really wants to know is when food will be available."

At this Shicar laughed, "Do boys only ever think of filling their bellies? I swear all the boys in my class were concerned about was food and comparing lightsaber forms."

"Which would explain why you passed which such high scores," stated Alek almost dully as if he really didn't want to be there at the moment. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes, "At least a few younglings passed this year. So few make it past the tests I'm surprised we have enough to even work. Though only starting out with ten servers from the Old Order and only one of them being a master at the time, we've done okay for the past twenty-five years." They entered a speeder, Alek taking the controls instead of Revan. She took the passenger seat, leaving the ones in the back for the other three.

"Old Order, New Order, you seem to forget there have been no changes made to the Order, except for in the first few years. Now we're the same as the "Old Order" in a sense of the word," stated Revan. "Only difference was Shera was an idiot deciding to recruit me back into the Order. One would think she would have the common sense to realize the Republic hates me."

Letting Shicar and Link clamber in before him, Marth took the last available seat and settled himself in. He was trying to absorb everything that Revan and Alek had said but he was having trouble keeping up. There had been three wars, the Old Order had died out to be replaced by the New Order, and he was pretty sure that some information about Revan was missing from the entire picture. And it was proving nearly impossible to wrap his mind around the thought that he was now at least fifty years in the future.

Force, how was that even possible?

Suddenly a question occurred to him and he felt embarrassed that it had taken him this long to think about it, "Tell me, is Master Vackar still around?"

Suddenly a question occurred to him and he felt embarrassed that it had taken him this long to think about it, "Tell me, is Master Vackar still around?"

"Never heard of him until you came here," stated Alek as he activated the controls and the speeder to the sky.

Revan shifted, but otherwise remained silent as she moved one of her hands to her hood. She still seemed reluctant to allow anyone to see her despite the fact she no longer had the mask.

Marth was struck dumb; if Alek didn't know who Master Vackar was then that probably meant that his Master had died. That proved to be a nasty shock. Beside him, Link, sensing Marth's loss of aplomb, observed casually, "You know Alek, you and Revan seem to look very similar."

"What? No, not one bit," Alek spoke hurriedly, casting a glance at Revan.

"Are you so ashamed of such a fact you deny it?" asked Revan casually. "Yes we look similar; however, if Alek does not wish to divulge why then I will honor his decision." She paused, "Marth, you're assumption is correct, Vackar didn't survive the Jedi Civil War… the war following the Mandalorian Wars."

Marth started then nodded slowly. He felt a gap suddenly open up in his life; it was hard to think that his Master could and would die, "Thank you for telling me."

Link patted Marth's shoulder sympathetically but he asked of the group in general, "Where are we headed?"

Revan pointed to a rather flat looking building set out from the rest. One tower rose from its center, statues lined the paths into the flat building, and Marth could see people, some Jedi some not, making their way in and out of the building. "The Jedi temple, we need to report the mission to the High Council as well as your arrival," Revan explained. "Much has changed; don't be too surprised by that fact."

Before he could reply to this, Alek parked the speeder by several others. "Come on, the rest of the Council are waiting," Alek shot Revan a smile. "I'm sure Master Kyn will be displeased by the fact you didn't stop Mandalore from leaving, she wanted to speak with him before he left."

Revan climbed out of the speeder as she spoke, "You would have better luck stopping a stampeding rancor than Canderous – sorry, Mandalore." She limped forward, Alek, and Shicar close behind her. Slowly Marth and Link followed them, remaining silent.

As they entered the temple, several younglings paused before racing off, shouting in glee. Shicar made to chase after them, but Alek caught her shoulder. "No, Padawan Shicar, you were part of this mission, you will report to the Council with us." Slowly she nodded, staring after the younglings with sorrow in her eyes.

The temple was huge. As they made their way towards the first set of wide stairs, Marth looked around. The carpet in the middle of the floor was red with the stone and metal walls looking old but well kempt. Stone statues were on either side of the stairs, each holding a lishtsaber.

Revan slowed as they started up the stairs, she seemed to be struggling to make it up. Alek paused, taking her hand and helping her to make it up the stairs. "Perhaps we should see Master Mical first, Master Revan," he said in an undertone. "You haven't walked this far since—" he glanced at Marth and Link, "—since Ra'kie's last attack."

At this Revan snorted, "And what, have him state the same nonsense he has for the past few months. I will not be healed. It's a waste of time and there are more important uses for Mical's talents. Besides he is with the rest of the Council at the moment."

Marth sensed it coming but he was unable to stop Link before he said, "So, I finally get to meet the council! It's a good thing I can't get old since it took fifty years to get in to see them."

He knew that it was incredibly un-Jedi-like but he felt that the situation merited it. Hand lifted, Marth slapped Link upside the head, making the blonde wrap his arms around his head with a yelp, "Sometimes I get the feeling that your mouth runs without your brain's knowledge." He shook his head and turned his attention back to Alek and Revan, "Sorry about him, Master Revan, Alek. He didn't mean any offense."

Alek blinked at this, shocked. Shicar giggled, stating, "Here I never thought I would see a master's younger self hit someone." She grinned, blinking up at Marth before racing off after Revan who had ignored this and continued forward.

Silently Alek followed, cocking a disapproving eyebrow at Marth as he passed the two of them. "Come on!" Revan called back to them. "We don't have all day." At her words Alek shot after her, catching up in a matter of seconds.

It wasn't long until they made it up the last flight of steps and were in a short hall. At the far end of the hall was a large metal door with a droid standing beside it. Revan headed for the door without pause, not even stopping to ask the droid if they could enter when normally one had to do so. This was so no one interrupted the council while they were in session.

The door split, sliding open and Marth hesitantly followed Revan into the large circular room. Chairs lined the outer portions of the room, only six of the many chairs were occupied. The strangest part of it was that one of the chairs between two masters was empty.

The master to the left of the empty chair was a hologram, showing he was off world at the moment. He was a human, his hair done neatly with a few strands falling lightly into his face. He had a slightly unshaven look and appeared to be built more like a soldier than a Jedi. To his left was a female cathar, her cat like eyes fixed on them as they entered. To her left was what appeared to be a human at first glance, but she wore dark red robes, the hood up, hiding her eyes from sight.

One the right of the empty seat, sat a Jedi who Marth could have sworn he had seen among the Revanchists. Her hair was straw blond with many streaks of white throughout. Her dark blue eyes were locked on them. Beside her sat another male human with neat blond hair, a streak of gray on one side of his head. His blue eyes shone as he watched them. The last member of the council was a zabrak male, his tan skin appeared to be cracked as all his races did and he had horns adorning his head.

Revan limped across the space, taking the empty seat as the man to the left of it spoke. "I was getting worried," he smiled at her.

"Worried is an understatement," stated the woman on Revan's right. "You were ready to send a search party after her." She turned her gaze to the rest of the group, frowning at them. "It appears we have two more." Cocking an eyebrow she turned to look at Revan, "For once I would like it if just one of your predictions didn't come true, Rev."

Marth stood quietly, unobtrusively observing the people who constituted the Jedi High council of this time. For a moment he felt the urge to look to his right for his master since the only other times he had been in this room were when Vackar had to report, but he controlled himself. All of this was just too strange.

Beside him, Link dropped into a deep bow then coming up grinning, said to Marth, "I think this is the first I've been expected in the future by someone other than an owl."

Marth sighed, rolling his eyes slightly, and shot a look at Link. If he ever understood the alien beside him, he'd known that it was his time to go. Returning his gaze to the Council, Marth put that rather disturbing thought out of his mind.

The woman to Revan's right looked at him, confused. "What the Force is an owl?" she shook her head. "Never mind. Revan—" she looked back at Revan, "—I noticed Mandalore isn't with you. Didn't you convey my message for him to wait?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Revan more closely, "And why are you wearing your hood up?"

"I did convey your message, Master Kyn; however, Mandalore could not stay too long here. The Republic still does not trust his people," Revan said, seeming to ignore the question about the hood. "Alek, report on your part of the mission."

Alek started to tell them of what he and his padawan had gone through before and after Marth and Link had appeared. "Shicar is making great progress in her skills," he smiled at his padawan, speaking this as a closing statement.

The man on Master Kyn's other side leaned forward, inspecting Link closely. "So you are the one called Link. Revan has told us much about you," he said slowly.

"After her memory returned and you finally met her," the man beside Revan said, smiling at Revan. He turned his gaze to Alek. "Alek, I would like you to stay after the meeting for a quick word. The comm. link only links to this room."

Alek bowed his head, "Yes, Master Onasi."

"Wait, what do you mean her memory returned? Did she do something crazy again? Or does this have to do with the…erm…uh," Link trailed off, looking away and scratching sheepishly at his neck, "ya…why is your hood up Revan?"

"Force," muttered Revan. "You see what you started Carth," she looked at him, speaking in a teasing voice. Turning back to Link, she said, "This discussion is best left outside the council chamber. Before we end this meeting there is another matter to see to. Link, I have searched for a "cure" for your disease; however, there is none from what I have found. Despite this, there are ways for you to gain more control over it. Alek, Mical, and myself will help you to do so."

"Seriously?" Link grinned brightly, "Wow, thanks Revan! Goddesses, it'll be nice not having to worry about it every second of the day."

"You worry?" Marth drawled blithely, lifting an eyebrow.

Glowering at him, Link growled then pouted, "Some friend, always being mean to me." He turned to look at Shicar, "Do your friends treat you this way?"

She blinked at him, shifting uneasily as her gaze turned to the masters. Before she could reply, Revan spoke, "We will convene again later tomorrow." The other masters nodded and all but the hologram of Carth stood. Revan limped over to Link followed by the blond human, "Come, Link, Marth, Shicar. Alek, we will be waiting outside for you." Alek nodded and Revan started towards the door.

Before the man could follow, Alek spoke to him in an under, "Master Mical, is there anything you can do for Master Revan?"

Mical looked Alek in the eye as he said, "Not unless she wanted me to act, young knight. Speak with your father on this, the Force knows he's the only one who could convince her to go through with treatment." He nodded in Carth's direction, "Your father is waiting, may the Force be with you." With that he gestured to Link and Marth.

Marth followed behind Mical as he left the room, Link close on his heels. Marth left it to Link to break the silence, which, predictably, the blonde did, addressing a question to Mical, "Are you a healer?"

"Healer and historian," he smiled at them. "That's how I ended up following Shera in the first place. Who would have thought it would have ended with me on the council?"

"Kreia," stated Revan bluntly. "Shera said she had a prediction just before she died which stated thus."

"Nayru, sometimes I wish I could see the future. That way I would know what I'm getting dumped into beforehand. Hey wait, didn't one of those ladies in there say that you'd had a prediction too Revan?" Link asked curiously.

"I saw you return, other than that I didn't see much," she shrugged. "It helps that you told me we would meet in the future, many years in the future." She came to a stop just outside the council chamber and leaned up against the wall.

"Hm…well I guess I have to remember to tell you that when I get back now." Link chuckled.

Marth, listening, felt his brain take a strange plunged. Until this moment he hadn't really realized all the intricacies that were involved in time travel. Whether you tell someone when you got back to the past, or if you had to leave hints, and if you did, make sure they were the rights hints so that time followed its proper course. Marth felt a headache coming on; he groaned, "This is so confusing."

"Trust me, you don't know the half of it," stated Alek, exiting the council chamber. "Master Revan, a word?" he asked. Slowly she nodded and followed him a little ways down the hall.

They returned only moments later. "Come, we have much to do and little time to do it," stated Revan, her voice hard.

Marth blinked and said at the same moment as Link, "Why?"

Link laughed, "Not that I'm objecting. Anything you can teach me I'll be grateful for."

Alek wasn't looking at any of them as he started after Revan. "Family concerns," stated Mical. "I wouldn't get into it if I were you."

"So they are related!" Link exclaimed, pleased with himself, "I knew it. He's her son, isn't he?"

Marth stared thoughtfully after Alek, but hopefully, he waited to see if Mical would answer. Instead it was Shicar who replied, "You're slow on the up take, aren't you? Of course Master Alek is her son." She grinned, "They think alike too, rather creepy at times mind you."

"I noticed that part and you're right, it is creepy" Link snorted, "I just never thought of Revan as the type to have kids. You know what I mean." Link gestured, a bit helplessly, trying to illustrate his point.

"Surprises behind every corner in life," stated Revan, sounding better now. They descended to the main part of the building and Revan led the way into one of the larger rooms set aside for duels between two younglings. Not surprisingly it was empty. Turning to them, Revan at last lowered her hood as she spoke, "Now, Link come forth and kneel in the center of the room." Her hood at last came down, revealing her features at long last. Marth blinked in shock. Revan looked almost exactly the same as she had in his time. The only difference was a long scar cut down the left side of her face. It started just in the hair line, cutting through the eyebrow before leaping over her eye and continuing down to be level with her mouth.

He didn't particularly notice as Link ambled past him, stopped in the middle of the room and knelt down. He could just feel the stupid comment coming. Link, shifting so that his scimitars and sword settled more comfortably, then stared quietly at Revan. Marth nearly gaped in surprise when the blonde's mouth continued to stay shut.

Apparently, Revan was right. Surprises were behind every corner in life.

xxx

Link had to fight the urge to laugh as he watched Marth's brows furrow in a glare at him. He knew Marth was expecting him to make a tactless comment, but he really didn't feel need to at the moment. Contrary to what Marth believed, he very much wanted to find a way to decrease his stress level. And finding ways to control his little problem was at the top of his list.

"Marth, Shicar, please remain silent and try not to move during this," Revan said, her eyes locking on Marth before moving to Shicar. Turning her attention back to Link, she said, "Link, the three of us are going to enter your mind and to sooth you. While we do this I would like you to try to remain calm. As we work through your mind to find what emotions trigger the disease and which ones keep it back the best. I will not lie to you, this will take concentration on your part and will continue to do so until you have complete control over each emotion." Her eyes turned to the others in the room. "This also holds danger for the entire temple, one slip up and the disease will take control of Link. Shicar, Marth, I would like the two to stand guard by the door. Ensure you can stall him long enough if this backfires."

Slowly Shicar nodded her blue skin pale at what Revan was telling her and Marth to do. "Yes, Master Revan," she squeaked.

Marth's nod was quick since he had seen firsthand what Link could do, and he moved to take a position in front of the door. Link quickly dropped his eyes from Marth; he felt ashamed that Marth had seen him in that state. He switched his attention back to Revan, "I will try my hardest to keep it at bay. But I think that first I should tell you everything about it. The curse was laid upon me by my Goddesses because of my arrogance. It's a piece of my soul, and its purpose is to funnel every detrimental emotion that sentient beings experience, dilute them to the point of harmlessness then release back into the fabric of the world so that they cannot upset the balance and create chaos."

He hesitated, but gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he forged on, "It will attack you, to try to shred your mind to pieces because it understands that if we succeed in this it will be put into a tighter cage. Please promise to be careful with yourselves." He stared hard at Revan, begging her silently to promise him, "I want you to kill me if I lose control. It has already promised that it won't let me go the next time it gets loose."

Revan gave the slightest of nods, showing she would do so, but he could see a deep seeded pain in her eyes at his words. "Then," she slowly began, "we'll tread carefully. Let's begin," lifting her left hand, placed it inches from Links forehead. Mical was behind Link, his hands on either side of Link's head while Alek used the Force to restrain Link. They were taking nearly every precaution to make sure he didn't get loose. "Try to relax," Revan said softly as she closed her eyes.

Two small tendrils of furan thought slipped into Link's mind, no where near as harsh as the last time Revan had entered his mind when they had first met.

That really didn't seem to matter to his parasite because it immediately put its hackles up and lunged to attack. Resolutely Link blocked it, snarling at it and trying to force it to stay in the ruined and tattered corner of his mind that he'd confined it to. For the first time, someone other than him got a look at the thing that had been devouring his mind for years uncounted.

This piece of his soul was pathetic, barely passing for human. Its fingers had an extra joint and they tapered off into long fine black points. It was emaciated, resembling more a skeleton than a person, and its skin had a strange black metallic sheen to it. The feet were strange copies of its hands, grotesque in the worst sense of the word. But its worst feature was its face. The thing was lipless, its fangs bared in a scream, its hair hanging in lank chunks around its head. The most horrifying were the empty black sockets where eyes were supposed to be; the bruised, scabbed skin that surrounded them intensifying their hollowness. Link still found it reprehensible to admit that it was a part of him. But it looked so much like him that it was pointless to deny it.

He sent a thought to Revan, "Ugly, isn't it?"

"Believe it or not I have seen worse," she replied through thought. To Mical she added, "Mical, try to sooth it, we can't afford it to break loose." She dove deeper into Link's mind, adding her strength to his to corner the beast. "Link, do you think if we erected a strong enough barrier in your mind it would hold it at bay for awhile?"

He thought for a moment, "I suppose so. Though it has this nasty little ability of slipping around barriers. We can give it a shot."

The creature screamed again, turning its empty sockets on Link, "Why do you betray me this way?"

Link ignored it.

Link ignored it.

Link saw it move past the barriers Revan was putting up. Before he could stop it, it began to take hold once more, blasting the three Jedi away from him.

xxx

Quickly Revan set to work, erecting mental barriers around the thing. It was too quick, the disease slipped past the walls before they were fully up. "Mical!" she shouted but too late. Revan was blasted way from Link as were Mical and Alek. Quickly Revan used the Force to catch Alek and Mical before they would hit the wall or the two padawans. "Link!"

Link cried out in anger, pain and rage but his eyes conveyed desperate fear as he met Revan's eyes, "Rev! Please…I can't- HELP!" He clutched at his head then, and dug his palms into his eyes. He fell to his side and began writhing painfully on the floor. At once he began to change as the image she had seen in Link's mind began to manifest.

No, Revan leapt her feet, pain shooting through her right leg as she raced over to Link. Taking hold of him with Force, she plunged into his mind. The disease sensed her do so, shrieking it writhed as it fought against her.

"You… will… not… have… him!" she ground out the words, forcing it back, trying desperately to free Link from its grasp.

It was too late, the disease had already sunk its claws into the rest of Link's soul and it forced its advantage, taking a step that had never dared to before. The strange sound of bones cracking, elongating and shifting shot through the room. Link's scream of pain was drowned in the sounds, making an ugly harmony of them. As they all watched and Revan struggled, Link's fingers grew long and tapered along with his feet, his body lost all muscle on it, his stomach caved in on itself, his skin gained that strange black sheen, and his face took on that of the parasite's, his eyes dissolving in their sockets. Link hacked, blood flecking his lips, then in a guttural voice that sounded nothing like his regular melodic tenor, rasped in Revan's face, "I already do."

Snarling, Revan threw all strength behind the next assault on Link's mind, her will matching the creature's will. Slowly, inch by inch she began to win the battle, forcing back the creature as her mind fought against it. "No!" it growled, trying desperately to push back against her, but its efforts were for naught. This was her battle field, the one she had been forced to live in for five years and she knew every trick in this game.

"Release him," she growled the words deep in her throat as she advanced in on the mind. It shrieked at her and she pushed harder, "Release him, now!" It cried out one last time before at last giving in. Before it could react any further Revan erected powerful barriers around that corner of Link's mind, ensuring it would take that thing years to break through again.

Gasping, she began to pull back. Fire shot through her mind as the all too familiar presence of another mind hit hers. Too drained to fight it she fell back as memories began to be pulled forward as a mental shield against the imposing mind.

xxx

Images shot into Link as he found himself slipping into another's mind. Memories pouring into him unbound and unwanted. He was standing on a strange ship, in a rut in the center of the room. There were ramps to either side of him and tanks all around holding dead bodies which had curled in on themselves.

"I don't want to fight you!" blinking, he saw Revan dodging a red lightsaber held by a figure which looked oddly like Malak. A metal device was around Malak's mouth and his ears, his eyes a cold gray as he lunged towards Revan.

"The title is rightfully mine!" Malak's metallic voice filled the room. "You are a shadow of your former self, Revan!"

"Malak, please stop this, it isn't too late. You can still return with me, just turn your back on the Dark side, I'm begging you!" Revan shouted at him, blocking his blade before it could slice through her head. "We're friends! Remember?! You called me your sister once! Fight this! I did, you can!"

"Die!" shouted Malak. "I won't hear your Jedi preaching, Revan!" Revan blocked another blow and another. Before she shot forward, Malak made to move out of way, but stumbled, the purple blade plunging deep into his chest.

"Malak! No, Malak!" Revan's cries filled the chamber as the images began to fade, being replaced by calmer ones.

Revan stood alone in the cockpit of a strange ship. A man with brown hair entered behind her, looking exactly like the hologram of one of the masters. "Sighta, are you alright?" he asked in concerned voice, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I-I killed him, Carth," she whispered in reply. "I killed him, if he had only listened," tears spilled from her eyes.

"Hey," Carth turned her around, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You did nothing wrong, Sighta. If you hadn't acted then…" he trailed off, hugging her to him and kissing her lightly on head. "Don't dwell on it," he whispered to her. "Think on what you accomplished today: you saved Bastila, helped destroy the Star Forge, and refused to return to the Dark side. I'm proud of you for turning away from it, I can't even imagine what you must have been thinking of then."

Slowly Revan looked into his eyes. "I wanted to go with her, to return to the Dark side," she admitted slowly, "but then I thought of you and what you would think if I did so. I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't told me you could put what I had done behind you."

The image of the cockpit slowly vanished once more, being replaced with Revan in a dark stone room. Chains bound her arms and legs, suspending her in the air and in a y shape. Blood coated her body, but all Link could see were scars of long since healed wounds covering her. All she wore were a slight shirt over her chest and underwear. She looked deathly thin and far too pale.

Slowly the door creaked open and a tall man entered, his skin a dark red and black hair tucked behind his oddly shaped ears. Crossing the room to Revan he thrust a pike into her shoulder, causing her eyes to fly open and her to make an odd gagging noise.

"Tell me, Revan, will you answer me today or need you more persuasion?" asked the man softly. Revan glared at him, her mouth clamped shut. "Have it your way then," he drew a dagger and slashed it across her chest and stomach in one swift motion before repeating. "I will break you, no matter how long it takes!" he snarled between strokes of his blade. After several long moments he paused, wiping his blade off as Revan fell limp. "Still you block me, Jedi!" he snarled. "You're mind is a strong one." He gestured to another man who had been lurking in the shadows. "Heal her, I want her ready for the duels within the hour." With that the man left the room and the images began to fade once more.

With the force of a Goron's punch, Link's mind slammed back into his own body. For a moment he felt his body stall, stunned by the sudden inhabitation, and he felt a bubble of panic in his chest. He couldn't seem to get his body to take a breath; he could his heart burning in his chest. Then with a great gasp, his body caught up with his mind, and inhaled. Relief flooded through him, and the air felt life a cold fire washing through his veins.

As he lay there, his body suddenly decided to relay to him all the aches and pains it had acquired during the few minutes of the disease's possession. And Goddesses, it felt like Darunia had given him his brotherly pats, except all over his body.

He groaned painfully, "I feel like I died and someone thought it would be a good idea to bring me back."

"Funny," muttered Revan, sitting up from where she'd hit the wall and rubbing her head. "Though highly unlikely," she winced as she stood before falling back to the ground as her bad leg gave out under her. Letting loose a stream of curses no one but Link could hear, Revan summoned her cane back to her and stood once more. This time she had more success. "Mical, Link, I would like to speak with two of you alone," her unsettling gaze swept the room.

Taking the hint, Alek beckoned for the others to leave and only followed once all of them were out. He looked one last time at Revan before the door slid shut behind him.