Disclaimer: I didn't design the Dynamic-class freighter, Interdictor-class heavy cruiser, or Hammerhead-class light cruiser.
The Ebon Hawk climbed out of Rakata Prime's atmosphere. Ahead, the Star Forge hung still and silent, constantly drawing on the star below. Republic and Sith capital ships were visible, and small flashes of light showed that fighter craft were engaging each other. T3 flew while Carth and Jace stood at the holodisplay to communicate with the incoming Republic fleet. The holodisplay projected the image of a woman in her late sixties, wearing a Republic Navy uniform. "This is Admiral Forn Dodonna to the Ebon Hawk, do you read us?"
"Admiral Dodonna, this is Carth Onasi," he replied. "We are receiving your transmission."
"Carth, I'm glad to see you're still alive," said the admiral. "We've begun our assault on the Star Forge, but we're taking heavy losses. How did the Sith ever manage to build something of this scope?"
Carth shook his head. "The Star Forge wasn't constructed by the Sith, Admiral. We don't have time for me to fully explain it, but that space station is far older than you can imagine."
"Maybe we should pull the fleet back and retreat," mused Dodonna, "I don't know if we have the firepower to go up against this alien technology."
"You can't do that, Admiral," said Carth. "The Star Forge is a factory of immense power. It's been churning out the capital ships, snub fighters and assault droids that have powered the Sith war effort. You have to destroy the Star Forge now or you'll be fighting an unending wave of reinforcements."
Dodonna nodded. "Then I guess we have no choice. But it isn't going to be easy. I can't even get our capital ships into position to start bombarding the Star Forge. The Sith fleet is too well organized. It's like they can guess our every move and counter our every strategy."
"It's because of Bastila, Admiral," said Carth, "she turned to the dark side and became Malak's apprentice. We suspect she's somewhere on that space station right now, using her Battle Meditation against you and your fleet."
Admiral Dodonna nodded; her image shifted to the side and a short alien joined her. "This is Master Vandar. A number of Jedi Knights have joined our fleet under his command."
"If Bastila is using her power to augment the Sith then Malak's fleet is invincible," said Vandar gravely. "Our only hope is to somehow stop Bastila from using her Battle Meditation."
"How can we do that if she's on the space station?" asked the admiral.
Jace stepped up to the holodisplay. "I'm taking this vessel in to land on the Forge; I have three Jedi on board to go after Bastila. A few other groups of Jedi landing around the station would be useful as well. They should go after the production lines, repair bays, and refueling and rearming stations to keep the Forge from sending more ships into the fight."
Carth spoke up. "Admiral, we'll need fighter escort."
Dodonna frowned. "I hate to ask you this after all you've done, Carth."
"Don't worry, Admiral," said Carth, "The Ebon Hawk and her crew are going to see this through to the end." Admiral Dodonna faded out; Carth returned to the cockpit.
"Master Vandar, a moment, please," called Jace.
The Jedi Master turned back to the camera. "Yes, Padawan Jace?"
"I know," Jace said simply.
Vandar sagged. "I am beyond sorry, young one. Tearing your mind apart was a terrible crime. We didn't know any other way to stop the Sith, but that doesn't make our sin any less. Can you forgive us, Revan?"
Jace smiled. "Never call me Revan again. I prefer Jace." Vandar lowered his head; tears rolled down the old Master's cheeks. "Now tell me, Master. How do I save Bastila?"
Vandar shrugged. "How did you save Juhani, or the Sith who followed you from Korriban? You always had a gift for turning people to your way of thinking, Rev- I mean, Jace. Your bond with Bastila is unique; her fate and yours are intertwined in a way that we have never seen. Your destiny leads to the Star Forge where Bastila and Malak are waiting. What happens there is in your hands. May the Force be with you."
Jace ended the transmission; the holodisplay shifted to fire-control. Mission and Zaalbar took their seats, T3 plugged in, and HK headed up to the dorsal turret. Jace took the copilot's position next to Carth, with Canderous at his usual station in the chin gunner/navigator seat. The radio crackled. "Ebon Hawk, this is Silver Leader. Fleet has assigned my fighter squadron to escort you. I am sending coordinates for the landing zone; Gold Squadron is on station in case you need bomber support. A second transport is inbound to your landing zone as well."
A sleek silver vessel swung into formation with the freighter; a familiar voice came over the comm. "Ebon Hawk, this is the Shifting Shadow. Father, what are your instructions?"
Carth grinned. "Dustil, I'll lead the way in. Fire coverage is as follows: your quads cover high and low; your twin guns have the rear. My top turret and chin gun have forward, my wing turrets have the sides."
"Aye, aye, Hawk," replied Dustil, "Shadow out."
The two ships shifted into a line-ahead formation, with a dozen fighters sweeping in front of them. Ahead, the battle raged around the Star Forge; five support ships lay in wait, along with a swarm of interceptors.
"Ebon Hawk to fleet command," called Carth, "there is a Sith flotilla blocking our path; three destroyers and a pair of frigates. We need more than that bomber squadron to make it past."
"Hawk, your group is to continue on course," came the reply, "A cruiser is on the way to clear those ships."
In a moment, Jace saw the large warship coming from the right. It was Hammerhead-class, like the Endar Spire. "Ebon Hawk, this is the Harbinger. We are moving to engage the Sith ships in your path." The fight was desperate and close. The Harbinger had the smaller Sith ships outclassed, but they were faster, especially the frigates. The cruiser was able to knock out two destroyers and damage the third, but the frigates launched a salvo of proton torpedoes and wrecked the Harbinger's weapons systems. "Sorry, Hawk. That's all we can do. Harbinger is withdrawing for repairs."
Carth pursed his lips and studied the situation. "Ebon Hawk to Gold Leader-we need an attack run on the two Sith frigates." The bombers dove towards the Sith ships; the Sith fighter wing broke formation and moved to intercept. "Silver, it's your turn, scatter those bandits! Shadow, we're going in behind the bombers. That damaged destroyer is yours-ready torpedoes."
Dustil acknowledged and the two ships bored in. The Republic and Sith fighters met and tangled into a swirling fight, with blaster fire zipping in all directions. The bombers made it through largely unscathed and rolled in on the Sith frigates. The Gold Squadron pilots wove through a punishing wall of quad laser fire to release their torpedoes against the Sith warships. One frigate's engine room was blown apart, and it slowed out of formation and began to spiral down into the star. The second ship took hits to its bridge and sensor arrays and its fire slackened as the gunners were forced to aim by eye. The Ebon Hawk and Shifting Shadow soared between them and dove toward the destroyer. Several fighters broke out of the dogfight to pursue. They scored hits on the Shadow, but didn't stop her attack. Carth swooped at the destroyer, the Hawk's guns hammering away and drawing the ship's fire. As they pulled out, Dustil launched his two torpedoes. One struck amidships doing little damage, but the other hit the main reactor and the destroyer was obliterated. Carth marked a landing zone, and the Hawk and Shadow continued on to the Star Forge.
Carth led the way into a docking bay in the central spherical section of the Star Forge. The LZ was hot; dozens of Sith troopers and war droids were firing from catwalks, hatchways, and hasty defensive postions on the pad. Canderous opened up with the chin gun, returning fire as best he could. Fortunately, they only had to buy time for Dustil to bring the Shadow into the bay and swing the larger, slower ship around, allowing Sarna, Yun, and Marks to join in with the three twin repeaters in the stern. The hail of fire forced the Sith to cover. Both ships lowered their ramps, and the crews rushed out, sweeping the defenders out of the bay.
Jace looked over the group who had made it to the Star Forge with him. "This is the plan," he said, "Non-Jedi will remain here and hold the docking bay for our exit. What is left of Silver and Gold Squadrons are patrolling just outside. Several other groups of Jedi have landed; they are attacking the Star Forge's facilities to help our fleet. Belaya, take your group and do the same. Juhani, Jolee, and I are going after Bastila."
Zaalbar stepped forward. "I'm coming with you, Jace."
Jace shook his head. "No, you're not. By your life-debt, I order you: keep Mission safe."
Zaalbar opened his mouth to object, then closed it and nodded. "Good luck." T3 let out a whooping whistle. Canderous made a fist and pounded his chest above his heart: a Mandalorian salute. Carth saluted more conventionally; Mission threw Jace a thumbs-up.
HK raised his cannon. "Request: give that meatbag Malak my regards."
Jace led his Jedi into the Star Forge's corridors. At the first junction, Belaya and her group split off, leaving Jace and the others to continue towards the Star Forge's central shaft. The corridor opened into a large room filled with large modular storage containers. As the Jedi approached, Sith soldiers stood up on top of the boxes and opened fire. Jace and the others batted their blaster fire back at them. The containers opened up to reveal dozens of war droids, and more troopers charged from behind them with vibroswords and double-blades. Juhani and Jace took on the swordsmen; they carved a path through the Sith, slowed only by their sheer numbers. Jolee summoned a Force whirlwind, flinging droids and troopers into the air. More and more Sith entered the fray, both man and machine. Jolee braced his feet and raised both arms; his entire body tensed with his effort. The vortex expanded to fill the entire chamber. Entire cargo modules with droids still inside were drawn into the air and spun around the room. Jolee broke the whirlwind with precise timing, hurling dozens of large pieces of debris at the enemy. The Sith attack was literally crushed. The Sith troopers broke and ran, but the war droids made a hopeless last stand like the automatons they were.
A massive tank droid stomped into the room. It fired on Juhani with a twin cannon turret and engaged Jace with a flamethrower. Jace lifted a piece of shattered container between himself and the flames. He threw his saber beneath the improvised shield, severing one of the droid's legs. It crashed to the ground; Jace was on the droid in a flash, shredding its computer core. The Jedi searched the ambush site and found a door control.
Massive hangar doors slid open to reveal a beam of yellow-orange light. The core of the Star Forge was a cylindrical space kilometers tall; there was a circular catwalk on each deck, with many doors on the outside wall. A curving ramp spiraled around the inside, connecting the decks. The shaft housed huge array of tractor beams, moving subassemblies and finished vehicles up from the factory area to the launching bays. As Jace watched, the entire hangar bay of a cruiser floated up the beam, with a squadron of Sith fighters already locked into the catapult rails. A Sith landing craft descended from above; it fired at the Jedi with twin repeaters turrets in the forward fuselage. Jace and the others took cover; the shuttle pivoted and dropped its rear ramp. Standing in the troop compartment was a squad of battle droids. They dropped to the ramp and opened fire.
Jolee swore and grabbed at his side. "Watch it, you two, they're using slugthrowers!" Juhani moved in, moving too fast for the droids to track. She scattered them with a blast of the Force, then slashed at one of the droid riflemen. It parried her attack with a vibroblade bayonet and knocked her backward with its rifle butt. Jace moved in to help and got a slash in on one droid's head. His saber didn't cut the robot's armor; another droid fired at Jace, grazing his shoulder. The Jedi retreated to cover among the containers.
"Cortosis-plated droids," said Juhani worriedly. "That's a new one."
"Stay down, I've got this taken care of," Jolee grunted. He lifted the tank droid chassis and threw it at the advancing battle droids. The droids tried to dodge, but were crushed by the tumbling wreckage. The Jedi emerged from cover to a horrific sight. The crushed droids were leaking blood and gore; it appeared that the droid shells had housed living brains and organs.
"Oh, my God," said Jace, "what am I looking at?"
Juhani shook her head. "I'd heard about these, but I thought it was rumors, or propaganda. The organic brain allows the droid to move and fight like a living being. They're not really alive, they just… 'recycle' dead soldiers." She looked at Jace. "This place is an abomination! We must destroy it, before this evil can spread any farther."
They moved out onto the ramp and headed up towards the command deck at the top of the shaft. As they reached the next deck, Sith apprentices and Dark Jedi swarmed onto the catwalk and charged. Jace and his companions ignited their sabers and met the attack head-on. These Sith were numerous but lacked the skill of those he had fought on Korriban or the Leviathan. They made their stand on the ramp standing shoulder to shoulder, six or eight at a time, facing the three Jedi. Jace advanced slowly, trying not to take on more than two at once. Juhani was everywhere, knocking foes off balance and opening holes in the enemy defense for Jolee to exploit. The Sith were too tightly packed for any real swordplay, so they simply surged forward and died on the Jedi's blades, hoping to be lucky. The mob of apprentices thinned as the Jedi struck them down by the dozens. Sith Masters joined the defense, fighting singly or in pairs. Jolee hung back to counter their Force attacks and let Jace and Juhani take them on with lightsabers. The Jedi had almost reached the deck below the command center when Sith fighters hovered into view in the central shaft. They began firing their cannon at the ramp, hovering in the beam like airspeeders. Juhani took a fantastic leap over the railing, landing nimbly on one of the fighters' wings. The Cathar lopped the wing off with her saber, then sprang to a destroyer's laser turret. She threw her sabers at the remaining fighters. One was destroyed, and another spun out of control, firing wildly into the Sith defenders. Jace and Jolee pressed their attack, finishing the last of the Sith. Juhani jumped from one piece to another until she had reached the highest catwalk. She ran to meet them in front of the command center door.
The Cathar reached for the door control, but Jolee stopped her. "No, Juhani, this is as far as we go."
Jace frowned at Jolee. "Why stop here?"
The old Jedi smiled. "Swirling Force, my boy. Bastila is in there, and the rest is up to you. We're going back to the ship; we'll wait for you there." He turned away; Juhani followed. Jace watched them until they entered the hallway back to the Ebon Hawk, then opened the command center door.
Bastila was sitting cross-legged with her back to him, watching a huge hologram of the battle. As Jace approached, she stood and turned to face him. "Revan-I knew you'd come for me."
Jace spread his hands. "I told you I would, and I meant it-both times. I'll never give up on you, Bastila. I know you can still be saved."
"You are wasting your time," she said contemptuously. "I have seen the Jedi for what they are: weak and afraid. The Sith are the true Masters of the Force. You have forgotten that lesson, Revan." Her expression was twisted and cruel; Jace was shocked to see that her eyes had changed from grey to a sickly yellow. "Now you must pay the price. Here on the Star Forge the power of the dark side is at its strongest. This time you will not defeat me!"
The entire room emitted an odd metallic hum; violet lightning gathered along the walls and ceiling. It struck Bastila from every direction. Bastila smiled, invigorated. She ignited her saber and charged; Jace parried and the two circled, looking for an advantage. Bastila spun her saber underhand in an attempt to knock Jace's guard up and expose his side to a slash. Jace stepped in, denying her room to generate big swings. Their blades sizzled in a saber lock; Bastila threw Jace back with surprising strength.
She's drawing on the Star Forge, thought Jace, this won't be easy. Bastila charged back in with a spinning leap, bringing her blade down with her entire weight behind it. Jace angled his saber to deflect the blow without taking the brunt of the impact. He shoved, and Bastila fell and rolled to the side; she scrambled quickly to her feet. Bastila held her saber diagonally and flicked one blade at Jace's eyes before stepping in and slashing the other end low at his left knee. Jace blocked and swung a kick into Bastila's unguarded left side. She stumbled backward, grimacing in pain and holding her recently healed ribs.
"I see now why Malak followed you," said Bastila. "Even though you are only a shell of your former self, you are still a formidable opponent. I can't even imagine the power you must have wielded when you were the Dark Lord. You were a fool to give it all up and follow the light side."
Jace doused his saber. "I am as strong in the light as I ever was following the dark side."
Bastila smiled. "The dark side has made me stronger than I ever was before! I have a greater command of the Force than all but the most powerful Jedi Masters." She placed her hands on her hips. "As Malak teaches me the greatest secrets of the Sith, I will unlock more of my potential. Eventually there will be no limit to what I can accomplish with the Force!"
Jace shook his head. "You're wrong, Bastila. You have only yourself to draw on for strength. As you face me, you also face my friends and fellow Jedi. They share their strength with me, for all our sakes. You may draw on your hate and rage, but in the end, a Sith is always alone."
Bastila shot him a look full of sorrow and hate. "You would never have been alone, Revan. I offered myself to you fully. I would have been apprentice, and friend, and lover. We would have stood together against the entire galaxy, and I would have been glad to be yours. But you chose them, the unworthy people of the Republic, and the weak Jedi they serve." Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. "You chose them… over me. So I chose the dark side."
"What kind of life is the dark side, Bastila?" cried Jace, "you're dooming yourself to an endless cycle of death and betrayal!"
"No, Revan," retorted Bastila, "it is you who are doomed!"
The command center hummed a second time; Bastila raised her lightsaber for the dark energy to strike. As the violet lightning hit her, she stretched out her free hand and directed a Force storm at Jace. Five separate bolts arced from her fingers; Jace caught the electricity on his saber and deflected it to strike the walls all around him. Bastila ran at him, howling with fury; Jace met her halfway and they clashed. She forced him on the defensive, hammering on his guard from all directions. He retreated, parrying and dodging as best he could, but Bastila was able to inflict small wounds all the same. She began throwing kicks and chops, knowing that Jace was trying to avoid hurting her.
Can't save her like this, Jace realized, I have to win the fight first. So, as usual, time to change the rules. Jace surprised Bastila, attacking her all-out with his full might. He did not wait to defend her attacks; instead he struck at Bastila and forced her back. They dueled all around the map in the center of the room. Titanic energies surged and crashed as they blasted each other with the Force. Their swordplay scarred the walls and floor, Jace attacking and Bastila retreating, shock on her face. She threw a flurry of quick strikes to distract him, then cartwheeled to the side and stabbed at Jace's back. He blocked her and slammed his hilt into her stomach. Bastila's breath whooshed out and she dropped to one knee. Bastila tried to catch him by surprise with a powerful uppercut from below; Jace was not fooled. He caught her wrist and threw her to the floor. Bastila hit and rolled before flipping back to her feet. She came in again, wrath getting the better of her judgment. Bastila locked sabers with Jace one final time, throwing everything she had into forcing the crossed blades through his flesh. Jace dropped down below her blades and Bastila lurched forward, off balance. Jace struck as she went past him; he gashed her leg, just as their very first opponent had nearly a year ago. The cut was not life-threatening, but Bastila could barely stand, let alone fight. She conceded defeat by bowing her head and switching off her saber.
Jace reached out to help her stand, but she threw his arm off and limped away to sit on the edge of the holodisplay. "This is not possible!" said Bastila. "You have rejected the dark side, you are a weak and pathetic servant of the light! How can you stand against me? Why can't I defeat you?"
Jace shrugged. "Now you see that the dark side is not stronger than the light."
"Yes," Bastila sighed, looking down, "I see you speak the truth. I am no match for you." She looked up into his eyes. "Please, for the sake of what we once shared, do not make me suffer. End my life quickly."
"No one deserves execution," said Jace, "no matter what their crimes."
She looked up desperately. "What other choice do you have? I have fallen to the dark side. I am the apprentice to the Dark Lord himself. You cannot let me live."
Jace shook his head. "Bastila, I was the Dark Lord himself. The Council gave me a second chance; you deserve no less."
Bastila looked down despondently. "No… I'm not strong enough. There is too much anger inside me now, too much hatred and fear. I can no longer find peace in the Force."
Jace clasped her hand. "Use our bond, then. Take your strength from me."
Bastila smiled sadly. "You always had more strength than I did. I told you that. I felt so… helpless before your destiny. You were Revan and I couldn't tell you… it was agonizing! Even worse when I began to… feel closer to you. I despised myself for it. And even now I feel your strength. It does help me, thank you. I think I can face the end, now, if you are the one to end it for me."
"I could never kill you," said Jace. "I love you, Bastila. I can't abandon you, ever."
"You love me?" Bastila snorted. "I… there was a time when I yearned for and yet dreaded to hear those words." Bastila tilted her head. "It was my fault, did you know? I created your new identity. I don't mean I used our bond to place it in your mind. I designed 'Jace Kilraen,' shaped the memories of your false past. I made Jace a good man…" She blushed. "I made you the perfect man, at least to me. And then, in time, I realized that it wasn't the memories. Revan-you-were a good man all along. I couldn't help falling for you. I loved you too, but I could never… face who you were. Malak knew how I felt. Any part of the light that was within me would be extinguished when I killed you." Bastila put both hands to her head. "But what good is love? It cannot save me from the sea of blackness I am drowning in. I have betrayed everything I ever believed in! How can I atone for that?"
Jace reached into his belt pouch. "Remember who you are." He placed the holocron on the deck. Bastila's father appeared before her. She swallowed hard, trying to regain control of herself. Jace slipped an arm under her shoulders and turned her towards the holodisplay. "Bastila, we made it. We're on the Star Forge, and our mission is not over. There are a million beings of the Republic fighting out there, and they need their Battle Maiden."
Bastila brightened. "Yes… I could join you in your battle against the Dark Lord. That alone would not make up for all I have done, yet… it would be a step in the right direction." She looked at Jace strangely. "But how would you be able to trust me? How do you know I wouldn't turn on you when you faced Darth Malak? How do you know the dark side wouldn't make me betray you again?"
Jace dropped his saber and spread his arms wide. "Then kill me, Bastila. I don't want to live a moment without you. I love you and I believe in you."
Bastila nodded gratefully. "You will go on to defeat Malak, of this I have little doubt. You will have gone from being the Sith Lord, himself, to the savior of our galaxy." Her eyes were grey once more. "And… you said you loved me. This may not be the best time to say it, but… I love you, too. With all my heart."
Jace cocked his head. "You aren't afraid to love anymore?"
Bastila chuckled. "After this? No, nothing could make me feel safer than to be loved by you." She took a breath. "You should go. Malak awaits. This isn't over, yet… for any of us. I will stay here in this chamber and use my Battle Meditation to aid the Republic fleet. You have to hurry. Once I turn the battle in the Republic's favor we won't have much time to escape the Star Forge before it is destroyed. Good luck, my love… and may the Force be with you."
