Standard Disclaimer: Neither Star Wars nor Knights of the Old Republic belong to me. All are George Lucas' and Lucas arts, etc. The only thing I'm claiming is the impressions of the main characters and, in later chapters, the A/U plot. Which, believe me, isn't all that original to get all bothered about
This is a sequal to "Things Left Behind" which is a sequel to "Unbalanced" and "There is no Peace but Passion". They are only connected through time, one can definitely be read without the other.
Remnants –
Night fell. However, out on the landing pad the Ebon Hawk was still surrounded by light. No longer the glitter of the sun, but the glitter of hundreds of windows lit from the inside of the omnipresent buildings and signs bearing marketing slogans to a willing public. All bathed the hull and the man sitting just outside the airlock.
It was night and Revan still had not returned.
Carth had set a deadline. A point in time that he would wait until before he allowed himself to take action. He even counted it down to the last moments as he prepared for the eventuality. He'd left a message to automatically send itself to Command if he did not return to countermand it and not only were his customary pistols at his hip, but a third was tucked in his jacket, just in case.
He was going to find Revan and not letting anything stand in his way was not so much a decision as a fact.
He entered the temple grounds, steps echoing. He'd gotten to the first turn in the hallway when a young Jedi approached from a side room. The robed man moved quickly, but unobtrusively, to stand in the hallway.
"Commander, can I help you?"
"You can. Take me to Revan, now."
The Jedi offered an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Commander. But it is not our custom to disturb or allow disturbances to come to people who have sequestered themselves."
"And it is not my custom to let people get in my way." Carth's expression was stone, "You can either take me to Revan or I'm searching every room in this damn temple until I find her."
"It is," the Jedi's smile widened a little in an attempt to share humor, "a very big temple."
"And I am a very determined man." Carth was unmoved. "Now move."
"If you'd like, I can give you a tour, certainly, but…"
"I told you to move."
"I think you may wish to calm, down, Commander. No one is keeping Revan against her will. You don't want to…" The Jedi began, raising his hand and beginning to gesture, ever so delicately to the side.
In an instant, pistols were drawn, unerringly aimed.
"I. Wouldn't." Carth grated at the Jedi.
The young Knight's hand did freeze in mid air. His amiable expression settled into alertness, a shift of his weight preparing to motion.
Fingers tightened on the triggers, long skill bringing them within a hairs breath of firing pressure.
"That's enough." A woman's voice, crisp and authoritative, broke across the corridor.
The Jedi turned and then inclined his head in acknowledgement. "The… Commander is rather forceful in expressing his wishes. Even when they are not wishes that should be acceded."
"Yes, I know." The woman's steps echoed on the floor. "Carth, that's enough. Lower the guns. You are a guest here, or have you forgotten?"
Very slowly, Carth lowered the pistols and then jammed them back in their holsters. His eyes, openly hostile now, did not leave the young Knight, however. "I haven't forgotten. Have the Jedi?"
"Knight Matti, you may leave. I have the situation under control." The woman ordered, and then came to stand by Carth. She studied him for a moment, "You look horrible."
"And you look as lovely as ever." Carth finally turned his gaze away from the departing Knight to look at the woman now standing at his side. His jaw tightened again, "I arrived with Revan, earlier today. She didn't fall. When she left. She didn't fall to the Dark Side."
"I know." Bastila said. "I know."
There was something different and both of them recognized it in the other. Carth saw faint lines around Bastila's mouth where there had not been before. And while he wondered what had caused them, there were more important queries on his mind. "Are you going to take me to her, or not?"
Bastila's brow furrowed as she measured the changes in her companion as well. The only hint to what she found was given in the thoughtfulness of her tone. "Yes," she said slowly, then repeated, "Yes. I will. Provided you can behave yourself." She began walking down the hall.
"Behave myself?"
"Yes." Bastila said simply. Carth fell in line beside her. "Revan has had some hard decisions to make today. As I'm sure you know." Her eyes slide over briefly, then returned to the hall ahead, "She's finally brought herself to make them and she needs your support now. Not an argument."
"She's… decided?"
"Yes. Well, I'd imagine that this is one of those things that does not become more clear the more its thought on. I went to visit her about two hours ago and conveyed her wishes to the Council."
Carth fell silent. He didn't know if he could have spoken anything beyond a dull repeat of Bastila's words, even if he wanted to. He hadn't known that she was in trouble. But he'd been willing to fight his way to her if she was. He hadn't known what he could say to her, would say to her, to try and help. Because, in truth, he didn't know himself what to think or feel. But, he'd of done anything to be there.
He always wanted to be there. He thought that she might have needed a little time, but..
But…
She'd made her choices.
Without him.
… and perhaps that meant that… that was her choice.
They walked.
Silence rushed in the wake left by Bastila's words. And she did not stop it.
-authors notes-
For some reason I could not get page breaks to format so, against my preference, had to chop this up into chapters. Sorry for the shorties, but at least there are a few of them :)
Happy Holidays, all! Again, I know I had a huge delay. I had written out the next chapter literally within days of the last posting. And while that chapter seemed okay, somehow, nothing flowed from it. Everything I tried to follow it up with fell flat. So I scrapped it. I almost even scrapped my last posting but… I'm seeing if this will hold.
And, in truth, I've got some issues about this posting :) Almost didn't want to publish it, but perhaps I'm being too silly. So, if you feel led to review? Let me know what you thought :)
Firera – Dum Da DUM! The choice has been revealed. Now, which one do you think she'll choose, mmm?
Schally - Thanks! And I do believe that Cand/Basti is going to be my next project.
Ether-fanfic - Phew! I was worried that the not-naming came across as a too obvious device to keep me from having to do my research ;)
Sammie teufel – (grins) And why do I think that you likely don't feel any better about the traitor now? At least, not if I wrote it right ;)
Arrow – (smiles) Thanks. Well, even though Revan and Carth have decided to actually let each other know what they think, that doesn't mean that all is perfect. Or that their fears can't be played off of by others. (nods) And I always felt bad for everyone calling the character Revan all the time. Like who she was before she remembered wasn't important. At the same time, I couldn't think that the Council would be so actively cruel, or stupid, to make a Smuggler and then try to make her fit back into the Jedi. Soo… this was my explaination :) And I have to admit, Jolee is my favorite coot ;) He should run the Council!