AN: Good day everyone! After a much longer than planned writing period, Chapter 25 is finally complete, and now the story has now broken 100,000 words. Once again I apologize for taking so long, Enjoy!
Star Forge – In Orbit over Tython – 14 Standard Hours before the Rescue Mission on Coruscant
Barriss flipped yet another page of Plagueis journal. The theories and experiments of her creator were so fascinating to her that she almost didn't noticed the presence approaching the door of the room Plagueis left her in. The Mirialan stiffened just before she heard the knock.
"That must be Revan," She thought in wonder. "Come on in!" She called out eagerly.
The automatic doors opened and for a split second Barriss was disappointed the legendary man wasn't wearing his famous mask. She would have loved to see if the painting she made of it back in her early Padawan days was close to the real thing. Her disappointment was Force-crushed, however, when she felt his presence up close. For in that instant, she sensed the most unique Force presence she had felt in her entire life.
It wasn't just the sheer power that was coming off him in waves. After all, both Yoda and Plagueis were very powerful as well. No, what set the time-displaced Force user was nature of his power. It felt like a black hole and brilliant star at the same time. Only instead of clashing, they both submitted to Revan's will instead of trying to influence his mindset.
Abruptly, she remembered the tales that spawned from a mission in which she participated. When she was around 17 standard years old, she went with her former Master to an uninhabited world deep in Wild Space. Few people outside of the Jedi and the Obroan Institute of Archeology knew of its existence but Barriss and Luminara were sent to retrieve the artifacts imbued with Force energy that the archeology team had found.
According to the studies made by the institute, the isolated human population died out 3 centuries earlier in a major but unspecified cataclysm that has baffled scholars to this day. Before that point, the planet boasted a considerable number of trained Force users. While they lacked a wide variety of Force powers compared to what was known to the Jedi Order, the research suggested that their experiments with the Force on metallic objects were quite intriguing. Years later, when Luminara and her read more discoveries once the researchers broke the code of the primary language from the previous civilization, her master mused that the native Scadrians may have developed their own variant of Sith Alchemy but not necessarily with a focus on the Dark side of the Force; if the translated names and descriptions of their Force techinques were any indication. Feruchemy, Allomancy and Hemalurgy certainly sounded more scientific and physical than mystical, even if the power source had roots in the Force but research on the planet stopped abruptly when the Clone Wars erupted.
Still, Barriss couldn't help but remember a translated Scadrian text she once studied about someone the Force-sensitive population referred to as the "Hero of Ages". At first, she had thought it was the native equivalent for the Prophecy of the Chosen One but by the end of the text she changed her mind.
According to Scadrian legend, an extremely powerful Dark side entity known as Ruin will break out of his prison one day and seek vengeance on Scadrial for past transgressions. On that day, his Light sided counterpart known only to the codebreakers of the institute as Preservation, will not be strong enough to contain him. And so, the Light side entity will call forth a champion among the Scadrians. A powerful mortal capable of using the darkness of destruction and ruin for the preservation of life. And by saving their people, that champion will be known forevermore as the Hero of Ages.
When Barriss read the tale, she asked her master if the "Scadrian Chosen One" never arrived or at least failed somehow. Luminara told her not to take the legend seriously, dismissing the possibility that a god-like Dark side entity could have existed in the near past, never mind wiping out an entire civilization in the process without the Jedi Order sensing even a hint of its presence. Barriss ended up publicly agreeing back then, especially since it became unpopular to talk about the Hero of Ages at the temple when it became clear the legend meant the candidate to the local prophecy had to "bring balance to the Force" by using both the Light and the Dark side.
Now, however, she remembered her breakthrough on the Dathomirian belief system being connected to the Family of Mortis. Maybe Ruin and Preservation were the Scadrian names for the incredibly powerful Force entities Skywalker, Kenobi and Tano discovered. And if the Scadrians were right about that then maybe the Chosen One and the Hero of Ages are both meant to do the same thing to achieve their ultimate goals.
Reaching a state of harmony between the Dark side and the Light side. A state perhaps not unlike the one she is sensing in the presence before her.
Revan raised an eyebrow as he looked at her with a calculating gaze. "Interesting theory."
There was a deep silence for a few seconds as the Mirialan's jaw dropped to the floor. Then she shook her head to clear it and stared at him in shock. "You just read my mind?" She asked incredulously. "That easily?"
Revan shrugged but nodded. "I managed to teach myself the Force ability back in my Sith Lord days. Quite a useful skill to have when you jumpstarted a civil war among the Jedi but it is hard to sustain, especially on strangers. When I lost my memories, however, I also forgot about that particular skill and I didn't really get the chance to employ it once I recovered my lost memories until I reached this time period. I have only used it a few times on my…more questionable allies since I got here though, to determine their worth and their allegiances."
Barriss frowned and crossed her arms at the implications. "You offend me, Prodigal Knight," The Mirialan stated. "And I have always been a big fan of yours."
Revan stared at her and his calm but immovable gaze sent momentary shivers down her spine. "You may have studied historical records about me but the reality is that we don't know each other very well so let me tell you a few things about me: I have saved the Republic twice before. I shattered the Mandalorian Empire. I fought Jedi forces and armies of the Dark side. I even kept a world devourer at bay for 3 centuries, therefore allowing the Republic much needed time to rebuild and prepare for his eventual attack. And through all that, you know what I have come to realize?" He asked as his expression hardened. "That betrayal is one of the most disruptive and unpredictable forces in the entire galaxy."
Barriss gulped slowly, remembering what she read about Malak's betrayal of Revan and seeing where this was heading.
"So, tell me a little about yourself, Barriss Offee," Revan demanded. "And tell me why I should risk trusting you after what you pulled with that bombing and the way you framed the friend that was relying on you."
The Mirialan turned pale. This was not how she had envisioned her first meeting with Revan ever since she realized getting to know her idol was now possible. Trying to reorient her thoughts she tried to come up with an answer that could placate him while she thought of something better. Then she remembered some bits from Revan's history and realized that the truth would serve her better. Raising her chin, she stared at the legendary Force user.
"Honestly? I came to believe that the Republic and the Jedi Order had long lost their way and the Clone Wars was bringing all that corruption to light. I saw the need for revolution inside our own ranks before we all ran out of time. During my imprisonment, however, I realized that my methodology to get my message across was… flawed, to say the least," The Mirialan admitted with a wince at the painful memories. "In retrospective, I now see that I just…snapped, I guess. How much of it was the Dark side of the Force swaying my thoughts and how much of it was just my own growing resentment with my Order turning to a head I am not entirely sure but the more I reflected upon my actions, the more I realized that my "rebellion" wouldn't amount to much compared to rebellions of the sort leaders like Dooku were able to pull…or you, by that matter," Barriss realized as she looked at him.
Revan remained quiet for a moment as he analyzed her words. Then he shrugged a little. "I have heard much worse."
The former Jedi raised an eyebrow at that before he continued.
"Barriss, you would be surprised at how many Jedi like you I have met that were in a similar position," Revan declared. "Full of inner turmoil as they are unable to reconcile the indoctrination in the Jedi Temple with the realities of the larger galaxy and the complexities of governance, especially when the Republic is a dirty example of corruption and inefficiency during their lifetimes. In fact, two of the biggest reasons so many Jedi flocked to my side during the Jedi Civil War was because they not only saw truth in my teachings but that they already had the drive to shake the status quo to its foundations by force if necessary. What they really needed was direction, which I provided; at least until Malak betrayed me, anyway."
Barriss was surprised at his calming words. But as the silence drew longer, she saw wisdom in them. What she really needed then was a more appropriate way to direct her will to effect change in the galaxy. Her desire to make a difference.
"Barriss Offee," The former Sith Lord said slowly, "I am willing to give you a chance to channel your darker emotions into productive contributions to society. And I will help you in that quest when I can. But I am only going to give you this warning once: many, many beings have tried to kill me, with plenty of them being far more powerful than you. Some of them were even people I relied on and so caught me off-guard. And yet I have outlived them all, for I am the last one standing among us. Keep that in mind should treachery ever manifest in your thoughts."
The Mirialan looked at him right in the eyes for a moment, then nodded. "I won't let you down."
"Excellent," Revan said with a calculating gaze. "I am afraid I can't have you coming with us to our mission in Dathomir. My Jedi friends are too uncomfortable working with Dooku and Plagueis as it is. Adding what they would perceive as a terrorist that used to be a member of the Jedi Order on such short notice might be pushing it. But I will introduce you to them when we return. I have a feeling they will be more inclined to listen to me after the success of that mission."
Barriss tilted her head in his direction, wondering if he had a Force vision on the matter but didn't say anything else. "In the meantime, I have given the droids authorization to fly you to Tython should you wish to explore the old Jedi Temple. Just wait until we are gone."
"Understood," The Mirialan said simply.
As Revan turned to leave her room, however, she couldn't help but say what was on her mind.
"You would have been proud of your son."
The former Sith Lord froze and turned around slowly. His penetrating stare made her swallow.
"Explain," Revan demanded.
Inhaling sharply, she began. "I read of him in a history text that talked about the best and brightest senators from before the Ruusan Reformation that never reach the position of Chancellor for one reason or another. His name was Vaner Shan," She paused for a moment to let Revan realized what the anagram was for, then continued, "and the history book painted him in a very good light. He wasn't born Force-sensitive, which many noted somewhat strange considering his lineage but he still became very, very relevant in the reconstruction efforts of the Republic during peace time. The societies of many planets loved him for pushing so many legislations that helped the war-torn people rebuild their worlds and their lives. In fact, a historian from the Cold War era between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith empire went as far as to make a doctoral thesis about him and claim that without his determined efforts to rebuild so much necessary infrastructure system to system the Sith Empire would have probably had it considerably easier when it came to conquer the worlds from the mid and inner rim they did manage to occupy.
Revan was silent for a long moment and Barriss almost saw his eyes retreat in time. Then a sad smile crossed his lips before sighing. "Thank you for telling me this. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't share it with the others, though."
The Mirialan raised her hands in a placating gesture and Revan took that as his cue to leave. As she laid there sitting, Barriss thought on her first meeting with the legendary man and smiled.
"That was different but in a good way."
Hyperpsace – En Route to Mandalore
Zeego looked back and forth between the mysterious alien, dubbed a Voss Mystic by HK-47, and the sadistic droid that was pointing a blaster at her head. While he had no idea how she knew about Revan, the Neimodian had a feeling the former Sith Lord would not appreciate them gunning down an emissary from someone wishing to establish a formal alliance with their cause without even hearing them out. Before he could tell that to HK, however, the droid made a grunting sound and lowered his weapon.
Declaration: "The only reason I hadn't tried to kill you is because I remember that a considerable number of Voss Mystics joined the Order of my Master Revan before his disappearance from the past". Statement: "I will listen to your explanations but I hope for your sake that you have more to offer than the sentiment of past allegiances."
Yana-De nodded but before she could start to elaborate on her explanations Ordo interrupted them all.
"No one is having a private time to chat in this vessel until someone tells me why the Mandalorian hell are we talking about The Butcher in present tense," The war veteran sentenced in a menacing tone.
Zeego swallowed at that, realizing that this could be a security leak of the first magnitude but not sure what to do since Ordo and the others were in Spar's inner circle. The tension in the room only increased when HK-47 turned to the Mandalorian warrior and raised his blaster at him.
"Remark: "That is not for you to know, meatbag." Threat. "Leave this room and speak of Revan to no one if you wish to live."
The seasoned veteran glared at him but refused leave.
"Repetition: I am only going to say this one more time, Mandalorian: move or die."
Ordo scoffed. "I thought it might come to this. The second I saw you at the meeting on Mandalore I knew a droid armed to the teeth like you would be trouble. So," he added with a smirk, "I took the liberty of planting a bomb inside of you on the way to Coruscant. You know, while you were turned off."
Zeego watched transfixed as HK's photoreceptors beeped.
Analysis: "My diagnostics seems to indicate a small EMP device attached to my glorious chassis." Declaration: "You shall pay for that desecration, Mandalorian."
"You could make me pay but first tell me, does your analysis also makes note that EMP is tied to my heartbeat?" Ordo asked with a smug tone. "Pull that trigger and you go down too."
Hesitance: "You are bluffing."
The experienced clone smirked behind his mask. "Are you willing to risk it?"
There was a long moment of silence where Zeego dared not do anything that could ignite the scene. Then, HK dropped his blaster very deliberately on the floor.
Recognition: Well played, Mandalorian. Addition: Perhaps my Master will consider you a valuable ally after I give him my report of this mission. Resignation: You may stay and listen."
Zeego sighed in relief and moved to close the door connecting the cockpit and the rest of the vessel, not wishing to push their luck with more potentially hostile Mandalorians. He then turned to Ordo and grimaced a bit before spilling.
"Long story short, the last time the history records make mention of Revan speculate that he was destroyed in the Foundry when in fact, he accidentally used a Force power that sent him to the future; our present to be precise," The Neimodian explained.
For once, Zeego suspected he didn't need the Force to sense immense shock around him. Even with the helmet on, he could see it rolling off the Mandalorian in waves. He also turned around to check out the Voss´ expression and if he wasn't sure if she was telling the truth before he sure as hell was now, for the alien looked a little bored.
"Am I…" Ordo stammered a little before regaining his composure. "Am I to assume that Revan is now an ally of Mandalore? Because we are going to have a big problem otherwise."
Zeego grinned at that. "He was actually the one that convinced Spar to find the Mask. Revan has no quarrel with the Mandalorians in this time-period, don't worry. He knows things have changed. Besides, now he has an Empire to defeat that also happens to wish to occupy Mandalore. We are better off as allies than enemies.
"Perhaps," Ordo acknowledged. "But what if that changes? Revan was our greatest foe once. Forgive me if I have my doubts."
"There is nothing to forgive," Yana-De chimed in. "Those are valid concerns.
The Neimodian, the droid and the Mandalorian stared back at the Voss stowaway and almost simultaneously came to a decision.
"Order: Explain how you know about my Master," HK-47 demanded.
"It's a long story," The female Mystic replied with her fingers interlocked in front of her. "But I suppose we have time so long as we are in hyperspace."
She looked pensive for a moment and Zeego couldn't help but wonder why he had never heard about her species before. She certainly looked striking, compared to the company he used to keep and the Neimodian has always traveled a lot.
"As the droid of the Prodigal Knights said, I am a Voss Mystic," The woman began. "That means I come from a very long line of Force users that are excellent at predicting the future. For a long time, we used to live mostly on the planet we named after our own people with some exceptions, such as the mystics that went to join the growing Order of Revan during the Cold War. For the most part, however, we didn't really interact much with the people outside our solar system."
Yana-De paused, then continued. "Until the New Sith Wars, that is. Our homeworld became collateral damage during the last major war that involved thousands of Jedi and Sith combatants on either side and this event turned my people into refugees. Eventually, most of us found a new world to call home deep in the Unknown Regions and far away from the Republic -now Empire- so that we could rebuild our civilization in peace. But, occasionally, some of us mystics get an unusually strong vision from the Force that leads them back to the known galaxy to fulfill a purpose. And that was the case for me."
Zeego exchanged a glance with HK then raised an eyebrow. "You mean to tell me a Force vision alerted you of Revan's arrival?
The female Voss smiled sheepishly. "Yes, but, to be honest, I didn't quite realize it was Revan at first. All I knew for sure was that the Force was compelling me to head out to the Deep Core and that there I would meet someone that would eventually provide me with what I needed to seek out the person in my visions.
"Hmph," Ordo grunted as he started to catch on. "Would that be the mysterious benefactor you alluded to?"
She nodded. "I actually started working for him as I waited for more guidance from the Force. Then, a few weeks before the formation of the Galactic Empire I sensed a remarkably powerful disturbance in the Force and that was when my foresight revealed the Prodigal Knight in my visions."
Query: If you have known of Revan's existence for this long, then why didn't you seek him out?" HK-47 demanded to know.
"That's a good question," Yana-De acknowledged. "The short answer is that even though I knew Lord Revan had arrived in the present, I didn't know where in the galaxy he was. I followed the news about the Ebon Hawk every time it was sighted but the trail always turned cold."
"Then what changed?" Zeego asked with curiosity.
The mystic's expression darkened. "The Jedi Purge," She said in an offended tone. "After Palpatine gave the unthinkable order to annihilate the Jedi, I received a Force vision where Revan rescued a Jedi Knight from the temple by the name of Serra Keto. And you see, that's when things got interesting because my benefactor is actually a relative of Serra."
The trio expressed surprise at that but made no comment and motioned for the alien to go on.
"After discussing my visions with him, we realized it would be mutually beneficial for us to make contact with Revan and make him our offer. And besides, my benefactor really wants to see Ms. Keto after so long. So, when I last tried to peer into the future and saw this group heading to Coruscant, we decided to make our move. I would stowaway on Revan's famed vessel and my benefactor would cover our retreat. And so, here I am."
There was a long moment of silence as Zeego, Ordo and HK processed her words. Then the droid took a step forward.
Comment: I see that Voss Mystics are still resourceful even after all this time. Order: Tell me who your Benefactor is."
"I know you are trying to look out for your Master, HK-47 and I respect that, but I am afraid I have strict orders not to reveal his identity until we are at least in the presence of the new Mandalore. Once we get there though, more will be revealed."
Ordo crossed his arms. "You do realize I am duty bound to protect my Mandalore and that I could throw you out the airlock if I believed you were trying to deceive us."
"I know that," Yana-De said with a nod. "But you don't believe that, do you?"
The veteran's gaze penetrated her from behind his helmet for a moment before relaxing his posture somewhat. "No, I don't," He recognized. "Still, even if you can help Revan's cause, and I still have a hard time talking about him in present tense, I fail to see how your offer would help Mandalore and that displeases me."
"I thought you might say that," The Voss Mystic replied as she opened her bag, "which is why I was authorized to show you something my Benefactor acquired recently. Consider it a peace offering that may hold great value to your leader," The female alien said as she throwed something at Ordo.
The clone caught the object with his fast reflexes and gasped. "Is this what I think it is?" He asked in awe.
"The one and only," The mystic said with a satisfied grin.
"Huh? What's that?" Zeego asked them.
Ordo turned back to the Neimodian and gripped the object tighter. "An ancient Mandalorian relic of great importance. I apologize, but I would prefer not to say more until I get permission from my Mandalore."
Zeego frowned but in the end, he shrugged and decided to let it go. Then he turned back to their stowaway.
"Fine, you'll get you wish and follow us to Mandalore. I will also contact Revan as soon as I can and inform him of the situation. Can't promise he will agree to meet you, though."
"A chance is all I ask." She replied.
"All right, then I guess we wait," The Neimodian said as he stared at the wonders of hyperspace outside his window.
Coruscant – Imperial Barracks
Lord Vader walked through the halls of the Imperial Barracks quickly, his movements were almost robotic due to his various mechanical replacements. His gait was stiff as he moved through the corridors. While no one could see Vader's expression behind the black armor that encased him, his presence was powerful enough for them to understand. Even the passing stormtroopers could feel the lingering rage that accompanied their Supreme Commander wherever he went.
But now Vader felt something else besides rage. Curiosity. There had been a skirmish in one of the old Industrial yards. Two squads of stormtroopers were killed, a couple commandos had gone missing, and to top it all off, a light cruiser was destroyed in a mid-air collision. The attacking freighter's origin was impossible to pinpoint. It had come out of lightspeed in atmosphere. Vader suspected they could trace the salvage to wherever it came from, but there was none. The ship's cargo holds must have been filled with tabanna gas or something of the like because the entire ship was vaporized on impact, there was no trace of it left on Coruscant. There were no accounts of who had killed the troopers, but the imperial cruiser was able to identify the ship that had blasted its way out of the industrial yard. Its silhouette matched that of the Ebon Hawk.
Vader could sense something moving in the shadows, and he had no idea what it could be. But he was determined to find out. His own duties would keep him from doing so, but he was determined to stay in the loop. He had ordered the barracks Commander to inform him of any new developments, and when the trail was found, Vader would follow it and destroy the Jedi at its source. He was certain that there was a Jedi involved, and he would not rest until every last one of them was dead, alongside Anakin Skywalker. He pushed all thoughts of the Ebon Hawk out of his head as he prepared to board the imperial fleet bound for Onderon. Another survivor had been found.
Hyperspace – En Route to Dathomir
Revan sat in the shuttle's cockpit, their trip to Dathomir was a long one and piloting the ship for a bit was an easy way to pass the time, although he often thought of how he would spend hours with Mission learning how to play Pazaak. The classic card game had served as a pastime for much of his crew. As he was rechecking the ship's safety straps he quickly found himself pondering the differences between his previous company and the current group that he found himself travelling with.
And yet, no matter how many times he tried to think of someone else, he always found his way back to Bastila and Serra. Every time he glanced at the Jedi survivor, he couldn't help but notice the shocking resemblance between the two, and not only in appearance. Serra's attitude and her persistence only added to the list.
The automatic doors behind him opened and as Sira-Talis stepped into the cockpit, Revan let out a deep sigh for his nostalgic train of thought was broken.
"I can feel your uncertainty," He began. "You have something to ask me, don't you?"
Sira bit her lip, as if she was afraid to ask, "I've been studying some of the texts we found Tython's archives, and Plagueis told me about Darth Vectivus, the Incorruptible."
Revan cast a curious glance in her direction. He had never heard of Darth Vectivus and quickly realized that he must have been part of the Bane lineage that had descended from his own teachings. He waited for Sira to continue.
"My training was never finished before you saved me, I had only just built my lightsaber a few days before Master Divesius and I left to find you. He and other masters have told me over and over what their interpretation of the Force is. I want to hear yours." She stated. Revan understood what she was asking. If he was to train her to open her up to both sides of the Force, he would to share some things with her. Plagueis may have given her some insight into the dark side, but there was no way she could find balance unless she continued training in both sides of the Force, and most importantly, the middle ground and how they were connected.
Revan was quiet for a few minutes, Sira stroked her arm and then got up to return to the main hold, wondering if she had crossed a line before Revan interrupted her.
"The Force is a paradox. It empowers and imprisons, it destroys and unites, it binds the galaxy together, and… and it tears people apart…" his voice trailed off, as the last memory he had of Bastila replayed in his mind, he could remember her waving goodbye as he departed Coruscant in the Ebon Hawk.
He took a deep breath, "It has a will, but needs a commander. I can't tell you how many times I've witnessed Jedi sacrifice themselves just to delay their allies' defeat. It's always in motion. You've been taught that the Jedi approach the Force as companion, while the Sith try to enslave it." Sira stood silently, her head angled toward the floor. "I understand that this is the greatest challenge you could ever face – to change from within yourself in this way. But the Force is like a flowing river. You can follow, or try to fight it… but it is always there," he emphasized.
"You're saying the old ways of the Jedi aren't enough anymore." Sira assumed.
Revan smiled, she was a quick learner. She was right, the old teachings had lead the Jedi to grow complacent, and he couldn't allow that to happen again.
"You could say that." He replied. "After all, the Force existed long before the Jedi and Sith divided it into Light and Dark and it will be here long after every government in the galaxy crumbles.
"But how do you know where to draw the line?" The youthful Iridonian asked. "At which point does the power you draw from the Dark side starts to corrupt everything about you?"
"That's an excellent question," Revan said with a nod of respect. "The short version is that it depends on the circumstances. After all, every Force sensitive encounters different trials through their lives. But if I had to give a single answer based on my own experiences, I would tell you to train yourself to exercise restraint when using the Dark side, even if your goals are very noble."
At Sira's long silence, Revan decided to expand on that. "To give you an example, when my then friend, Malak, and I found the Star Forge for the first time and it started to sink in the vast amount of power that was ours to command, Malak wanted us to fully unleash the Dark side within us to accelerate the production of warships for our armada but I decided to be more cautious. By that point I had come to realize that the Infinite Empire of the Rakatans collapsed because they had become too dependable on their technological Force wonders. And even though I could produce a vast fleet more than capable of bringing the Republic to its knees, I didn't want to make the same mistakes as the Rakatans. Besides, at the time it seemed a better idea to grow into my power as Dark Lord exponentially instead of getting everything on a silver platter.
"No," He went on, "deep down, I wanted to truly earn my position as Emperor before I was to prepare the known galaxy for the inevitable invasion of the Sith Empire and for that I needed a real challenge. And so, I showed restraint in my command of the Dark side that day, and continued to do so during the war. And you know? It was working remarkably well. By doing things the hard way I was forced to up my game as a tactician even more and by establishing my word as my bond, planets knew they could negotiate with me in more reasonable terms, unlike many of the old Sith conquerors."
"Well," Sira said after a pause, "aren't you quite the overachiever."
The former Sith Lord chuckled. "You don't know the half of it. Do you have any more questions?"
Sira looked hesitant for a moment but then she raised her gaze. "What went wrong? Seriously, how could the Jedi have been so blind when it comes to Palpatine? I know we were having a hard time using our senses to lift the veil of the Dark side but the extent of this conspiracy beggar's belief."
Revan paused as he pondered the best way to get his point across. He settled for the answer he found in his personal research. "When I arrived in this time, I sensed that the Force was out of balance in a way I have never sensed before. The future seemed clouded by the influence of the Dark side but more than that, I got the feeling in the back of my mind that the Force itself was waiting for something painful to take place. Looking back on it now that I have done some research in the weeks we have spent on Tython, I would say that the pain I felt from the Force was akin to someone submitting themselves to a tumor removal surgery without anesthesia because even though the pain will be terrible, the surgery is needed for the long-term health benefits it will provide the body as a whole," Revan explained as Sira's eyes widen in dawning understanding. "And yes, if I would have guessed what was all of that about, I would say it was probably the Force trembling in anticipation of the fast approaching Order 66 and the death and suffering it would bring a large percentage of the trained Force-sensitive population."
"But…but" Sira mumbled in clear distress before bit her bottom lip and starting again, "if what you say is true, it would mean the Force decided to cut its losses by allowing the Jedi Order to be nearly destroyed."
"Nearly being key word," Revan stressed. "But yes, that's what I meant."
"But why?" The Iridonian asked as her heart sank. "I know the Jedi weren't perfect but we always tried our hardest to do the right thing and seek justice."
"I know," Revan said with eyes full of sympathy. "That's the problem."
"Huh?" Sira asked, her going mind blank.
Revan sighed, then continued. "Sira, let me ask you something, if the Jedi had been acting in accordance with the Force, in doing what was right, then how could the Sith had succeeded in tipping the balance? How could the Dark side have constantly gained ground year after year this last generation until Order 66?"
A shiver ran through the Iridonian's spine as the answer came to her. "The Jedi must have lost favor with the Force," She said in a small voice.
Revan nodded. "And I believe one of the biggest reasons was that they continued to serve as enforcers and marshals of Republic interests even after it was becoming more and more clear that the Senate was rotting under the weight of its own corruption. The Jedi started to execute the Republic's business as if it were the business of the Force. But has a political body ever succeeded in being the arbiter of what is right and just?" Revan demanded.
Almost without energy, Sira just shook her head. Revan grimaced as he noticed the effect his words was having on the young teen but she needed to listen. "The Jedi may have thought that by trying to do their good work across the stars, they could have been counterbalancing the omnipresent corruption that was plaguing the Republic. But I suspect the Light side didn't saw it that way. Instead, it may have seen their continued service to the rotten government as turning their backs from the Light side, which may explain why the powers of the Jedi had been diminishing these last few decades and why the Dark side has risen to prominence. So yes, I suppose it could be said the Jedi lost favor with the Force at some point."
Sira grew as quiet as empty space. She then lifted her gaze and looked at Revan straight in the eyes. "Then how do we get it back?"
The Master of both sides of the Force considered what to tell her for a moment, before shaking his head. "You demand a simple answer, refusing to look for it within. I can't give you a simple answer to such a dilemma, especially because I hadn't had enough time to ask Plagueis for key information regarding Palpatine's activities concerning the Force. I can, however, tell you one of the main things I feel we will need to do start regaining favor with the Force.
Sira stared at him expectantly and nodded. "That would do for now."
Revan took a deep breath. "In case you hadn't realized it by now, we are going to have to play the long game to defeat Darth Sidious. Even with the Star Forge on our side, the Emperor has too many worlds and resources, not to mention interstellar military-industrial complex for us to win in the near future. So, we are going to have to be patient and smart as we build up our forces in secret even if takes us years. As a result, regardless of how many Jedi survivors we end up rescuing, whatever remains is going to have to adapt and reform, not just to survive but to eventually become powerful enough to challenge the one that engineered the near annihilation of the Jedi Order. That is going to take some getting used to for many of you, as the order has not suffered significant reformation in centuries from what I hear. But if we pass that test and emerge stronger for it, then we will just have to prove to the Force that we are still worthy. And," Revan said with a small smirk, "defeating Sidious could be an excellent demonstration in that regard.
Sira remained quiet for a time as she pondered those words. Then the Iridonian surprised him when she bowed before him.
"I appreciate your insight, Master Revan. Thank you."
And then, she turned around and left him to ponder his own thoughts in the cockpit.
"Hmm," He mused as he turned back to the controls. "If only I could set this thing on auto-pilot sooner. Ah well, it won't take much longer now. And then I can finally explain the team about what may await us in Dathomir. After all, prophecies are tricky business."
AN: Well everyone, that's the chapter for you. Act 2 of the story will be coming to a close soon, and I aim to have it finished by the the end of the year. I've written portions of future chapters, and it has definitely given me motivation to start devoting more time to writing. Until next time!
-CaptainCakeless117