Bastila's eyes were closed, but sleep continued to elude the Sith Apprentice. For the past three hours she had been lain awake in their plush bed, her Master's arms wrapped possessively around her. It was his presence alone that granted Bastila a modicum of peace, even as her raging thoughts continued to torment her.

The past month had seen some improvement in her mental condition, but the Sith Apprentice was still far from being declared legally sane. A steady stream of antidepressants and therapy sessions allowed her to remain normal most of the time, but her mental state remained fragile. If she fought on the battlefield again, Bastila had no doubt that she would once again fall to pieces.

Despite her turmoil, however, the past month had still been somewhat enjoyable. She threw herself into her training, and the Sith Apprentice's powers continued to grow at an astonishing rate. Simultaneously, it was incredibly satisfying to witness the establishment of the Empire and the total deconstruction of the false Republic that had mired the galaxy in oppression and corruption for so many centuries.

The Sith Empire had swiftly occupied Coruscant and established firm control over its entire surface. The Jedi Temple was in the process of being converted into a Sith Temple, which would eventually replace Korriban as the headquarters of their order. Revan had likewise swiftly moved to occupy the Republic's Presidential Palace. The former residence of the Chancellor was now the center of Imperial governance.

The Senate had been disbanded, with most of its members exiled from the planet and returned to their homeworlds. The Chancellor and other Republic leaders (both military and otherwise) had been rounded up and were awaiting trial. Revan had moved quickly to establish a new system of government. Democracy had been firmly supplanted by a monarchical system. Power was outright concentrated in a single leader, though the Empire's constitution established fundamental rights for its citizens and separated the Empire from a totalitarian regime.

These changes had unnerved Bastila initially. In truth, she hadn't given much thought to the opposing systems of governments of the Republic and the Empire since she had switched sides. As a Jedi, Bastila had been a strong believer in Democracy. As a Sith, she wasn't certain what system of government she believed in, although she was pretty sure that she was supposed to believe in a strong monarchy, given the Empire that her new Order served. The war had not allowed her much time to consider these beliefs, and regardless she was convinced after her conversion that the Empire was in the right.

Now that the war was over, the question of governance had been brought to the forefront of the Sith Apprentice's mind. Unable to produce an answer herself, she resolved to discuss the issue with Revan and learn what he thought about the subject. Despite being an Emperor, she had never heard him espouse the virtues of Monarchy over Democracy, even in an official address to the public.

Two Weeks Ago...

Bastila walked briskly into the atrium of Revan's office, the elite guards standing vigil at both sides of the entryway giving her a curt nod. An Imperial Secretary sitting in the desk two feet to the right of the door looked up at her. The young woman failed to conceal the scowl prompted by Bastila's presence, but sighed and reluctantly buzzed her in. Due to the fact that a majority of the Palace hated her guts, the Sith Apprentice had long become accustomed to this type of reaction. Regardless, as the Emperor's most trusted servant and a valued... associate of His Majesty, the Sith Apprentice was one of the few with unfettered access to his presence. Bastila thanked the Secretary and walked through the opening door, receiving no reply. The door shut behind her.

The office was large, containing a massive desk at its center and several sets of small tables and chairs scattered around the edges of the room, placed in the event that it would have to accommodate a larger gathering. Blue velvet carpeting covered the entire floor, and a diverse collection of pictures and paintings spanned the walls.

Revan was sitting at his desk, pouring over reports from across the Galaxy. Running an Empire was hard, but establishing one was even harder, and the stress could clearly be seen on Revan's face. Behind him, a massive window that formed the entire back wall of the room provided a breathtaking view of Coruscant's evening skyline. The Emperor had no time to watch the sunset however; his eyes were fixed on the desk below him. He looked up and noticed her presence, and his expression immediately brightened.

"Forgive me Master, but I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?" Bastila asked, giving him a quick bow.

Revan nodded. "Of course, my young Apprentice, have a seat," he replied, gesturing for her to sit in the large chair opposite his desk. She did so.

"Now, what is this about? Don't tell me you Force Pushed a therapist through a window again. I had to pay the last one a truckload of credits out of my personal account to ensure her silence."

Bastila shook her head. "Thankfully not. I want to talk to you about the government we're setting up. I would be lying if I didn't say I had concerns," she admitted, looking down at her hands folded in her lap. "When I was a Jedi, I was a firm believer in Democracy. Now that I'm a Sith...I don't know. But a government that concentrates pretty much all the power in a single individual still makes me uncomfortable."

"Even if it's me?" Revan asked, his expression unreadable.

"No! I mean yes! I mean...I trust you with my life, and there's no one else I'd rather have running the Galaxy than you. But you won't live forever, and neither will I. With this system in place, eventually someone who doesn't have the people's best interest in heart will come into power. It could end up being worse than the Republic!"

Her Master nodded. "You're right. If someone malevolent became Emperor, the consequences would be disastrous. But for now, it's a risk we'll have to take. The Galaxy needs strong leadership if we're going to beat those that wait in the Unknown Regions. In the unlikely event that both of us die, I've established a long line of succession made up of competent people that I trust."

Bastila agreed with what he said, but she still..."So you really think that Democracy doesn't work? You don't have faith in the masses?" she questioned.

"Yes and no." He shrugged. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. The government I'm creating right now is designed to counter the downsides of an Empire and maximize its advantages. That's why we have a Constitution that prohibits anyone, even me, for infringing on citizen's basic rights. In general, my faith in the populace is mixed. A government run by the people helps protect their interests, but sometimes the general public doesn't know what's best for the Galaxy. And with the largest war in history looming upon us, I feel it's best to have a strong leader with the best of intentions than it is to leave it up to the masses. Who knows? Maybe after the war is over I'll be able to create a government that combines the best of both; a powerful leader with input from the people," he mused.

Bastila nodded. "Thank you, Master," she said, standing up. Her doubts weren't completely assuaged, but she did feel better about the situation. She had taken enough of his time as it was, and the data reports on his desk weren't growing any smaller. The Sith Apprentice turned and began to walk out.

"I'll see you tonight," he called after her, smiling.

Bastila grinned, shooting him a sly wink as she left the office.

Present

The Sith Apprentice smiled faintly at the memory. Sighing, Bastila gave up on trying to fall asleep naturally and placed her hands on her chest. A brief exertion of power was all it took for her to drain the consciousness from her body. Finally, Bastila's eyes closed as she fell into oblivion.

POV Switch

Revan's fingers drummed the armrest as his boredom mounted. For an hour, he had been locked in a meeting with dignitaries from both Corellia and Taris, two worlds who were currently in a dispute concerning the tax revenue gained from the Hydrian Way. The final call would be his decision, but both planets had sent representatives to argues their cases before him, and (if possible) come to an amicable agreement that did not require the Emperor's input.

Revan and the two dozen dignitaries were currently situated in the Palace's spacious throne room. A large conference table took up a significant portion of the center of the room. Most of the representatives and several of Revan's advisors were currently seated in the many comfortable chairs that surrounded it. Two meters separated the end of the conference table and the foot of a small raised dais, on top of which sat Revan's large yet simple throne of black marble. On the opposite side of the room were two large closed doors of solid metal, designed to deter any potential assassin or armed assault on the Emperor's person. Thick stone columns standing parallel to the conference table supported the room's high ceiling, and behind them stood walls strong enough to withstand an artillery blast. The entire was covered by a rich purple carpet, its only anomaly being a wide streak of red that extended from the doors, extended under the conference table, and ended at the edge of the stone dais.

The Palace was now the center of the Imperial government, and thus had been assigned an almost absurd level of security. Several fighter wings were stationed in the building's massive hanger, and at any time at least one was patrolling the Palace's airspace. Far above the building, ten state-of-the-art warships continuously circled the Palace's orbit, preventing any potential space-based attack. On the ground checkpoints manned by elite Imperial Guards covered all potential entrances, and inside the building Guards further sequestered restricted areas, only permitting through those with appropriate access. The throne room was the most heavily guarded section of all. No one was permitted to enter without an official appointment other than himself and his most trusted advisors.

The level of security was often cumbersome and very expensive, but Revan knew it was necessary. Across the Galaxy there were billions who prayed for his death, and the Empire's recent triumph made many desperate enough to attempt to act on their desires. His own powers and intelligence made him more than capable of overcoming any assailant, but even he was not infallible, and being taken by surprise was always a possibility. And Revan knew that with his death, any chance the Empire had of resisting its enemies fell drastically.

There were several trusted Imperial Guard members throughout the room, on the off chance that one of the representatives was secretly an assassin. Standing on the sides of the room with their backs to the wall, they observed the proceedings with silence, their faces stoic. It was only when their shift ended or a threat attacked that they would break their silence and make their presence known. Only ten were currently present, though more were often stationed in the room when he held Open Audiences, allowing representatives of any world to discuss their concerns with him.

Bastila often stood next to his throne during meetings, though currently she was in the middle of a therapy session. The purpose of her presence was not because her advice was useful, indeed she had little experience or abilities as a statesmen, having devoted her life to combat training. This was troubling, for as his Apprentice she was next in line should he perish. This was not to say that Bastila was unintelligent; his Apprentice's wit and intellect often surprised him. However, she remained unfamiliar with many aspects of ruling an Empire, and often allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment (a flaw that had grown more apparent after her conversion to the Sith. In the hopes of preparing her to lead, Revan had mandated that she attend him as often as possible in order to learn as much as she could. (As well as to reinforce her status as his successor.) In the unfortunate event that he was killed, Bastila would need to at least be familiar with how the Empire was run.

Standing to the left of the foot of his dais was the Imperial Head of Operations. Colin was his name. The man was in his mid-forties, and generally remained quiet and soft-spoken during proceedings. Despite this, however, the Secretary was incredibly skilled in the areas of organization and punctuality, and his assistance in keeping track of Imperial affairs was invaluable to the Emperor.

"My lord?" Colin beckoned, startling Revan.

"Yes? What is it?" he replied, drawing his attention away from the meeting.

"Forgive my interruption, sir, but Palace Control is reporting that we have an unidentified craft approaching our airspace," he said, his hand covering the comlink in his right ear. "It appears to be a Hapan Shuttle, my lord. Shall I tell the hanger to scramble all fighters?"

Revan shook his head and expanding his mind outward, searching for the shuttle. He found it within seconds; further probing with the Force revealed both who the passengers were and their benign intentions.

"Have the hanger establish communications and allow them to land. Provide them an escort and have their leader and any she chooses to accompany her shown here. Have the rest taken to and settled in rooms in the Executive Wing," he ordered. "This meeting is postponed until noon tomorrow. I am satisfied with the progress we have made, but an urgent matter has come to my attention. You will all be enquarted in the Palace's diplomatic wing; anything you should require will be provided for you. Dismissed," he said to the grateful dignitaries. It was clear that they were eager for a break. As they left, Revan called for the table and chairs to be moved to the side of the room, and a legion of servants quickly accomplished the task.

Several minutes later, the doors to the throne room swung open. The first to step through was a young red-haired woman, who walked several paces toward the throne and looked him in the eye.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Amelia, Chume'da of the Hapan Consortium!" the herald announced with pride as the woman in questioned stepped into the room. The Princess carried herself with royal dignity as she walked down the red carpet, stopping at the edge of the dais. She bowed respectfully, and behind her the herald (reluctantly) did so as well.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for arriving unannounced, but I come here to discuss a matter of grave importance. Do you have a place where we may speak in complete privacy?" she asked smoothly.

Revan nodded. "Follow me, Your Highness. Colin, have Ms. Velia here shown to a room in the Executive Wing," he said, rising from his throne. Amelia's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't appear overly shocked by his ability to read her attendant's mind. Odd.

The Emperor walked down the dais steps and made for the back of the room. Directly behind his throne was a small archway that constituted the only entrance to his private office. His throne room was suitable for large meetings, but his office had been designed both as a private meeting place as well as a workspace. Its door was flanked by two guards, both of whom stepped aside and allowed the two Royals to pass.

"Please sit," he said, indicating the large chair in front of his desk. Amelia did so as the door shut behind them.

"How did you know that we would be requiring rooms to spend the night in, as well as my attendant's name?" she asked. Her tone was crafted as to indicate innocent curiosity, but Revan could tell that the Princess was more aware than she let on.

"I remembered her name from the night we visited your Palace, and the fact that you brought so many advisors with you indicated that this would be a lengthy stay," he explained, hiding his dismay. His telepathy was an enormous advantage in negotiations, particularly as few knew he was capable of it. Only the most powerful Sith, such as Bastila and himself, could read minds with accuracy. Evidently, the Hapans were aware that Force Users could perform telepathy. Silently, he attempted to read Amelia's mind and found it sealed.

The technique to counter mind-reading was entirely mental, and did not require an affinity for the Force. Though it was difficult, sharp minds could keep out even the most skilled telepaths. Unfortunately, it appeared that the Hapans were aware of this as well.

Evidently, the Princess's seemingly innocent face hid a shrewd intellect.

"Of course," she replied, though Revan could tell that she wasn't convinced in the slightest. He hadn't interacted with her much during their visit to Hapes, having been occupied by his discussions with the Queen Mother, but Bastila had had lengthy discussions with the Chume'da. His Apprentice had informed him that the Princess had appeared to be intelligent, kind-hearted, and was well suited to rule. He had sensed that Bastila hadn't told him the full story, but Revan could no longer read her mind, and regardless he trusted her judgment. If he had needed to know, than Bastila would have told him.

"Would you like something to drink? I could order some tea if you prefer," he offered, trying to change the subject.

Amelia nodded.

"Where is your Apprentice? I would much like to speak with her again," the Princess suddenly questioned, breaking the silence.

This was interesting. A budding friendship had clearly formed between the two women. Bastila, bless her heart, probably hadn't this in mind when she gained Amelia's regard, but any connection with the Hapan government could prove to be immensely useful.

"At the moment she is currently finishing up a rather intensive training session. After we've finished here I am sure that she would be very happy to speak with you," he replied.

"Excellent. I look forward to sharing her company again," the Chume'da replied, giving him a reserved smile.

"I'm sure she will as well," he replied as their tea was brought in by a serving droid. A large tray was placed on the table, containing a large steaming pot and several small silver cups.

"Thank you," she replied, pouring herself a cup. The Emperor did likewise, taking a sip and enjoying the strong rich taste.

"I'll cut to the chase then," she said, breaking the silence. "A week ago, Hapes was visited by a man claiming to represent a 'True' Sith Empire. He informed us that his Empire controlled large swathes of territory in the Unknown Regions, and was backed up an enormous and advanced military. He presented us with an offer: ally with his Empire militarily, and in return have our territory doubled after your forces were defeated. He added that if we refused, no harm would come to us. My mother declined. The man was appeared reasonable, but the Queen did not trust his words, and regardless the Consortium rejects all war except in the name of defense. The emissary was escorted off the planet, and we hoped that that was the end of it."

As the Princess spoke, Revan's horror mounted. Not only was their enemy prepared to launch a war of conquest, it was already making overtures to other Galactic governments. And they were doing it wisely. The governments of the galaxy were proud, and would not cow to threats of annihilation. There were some, however, that might be willing to join in on a conflict if there were promised substantial spoils. Revan could not let that happen.

"I appreciate your government's refusal," he replied diplomatically. "A galaxy under their control would be a living nightmare."

Amelia nodded. "We are a peaceful people. The Hapans do not shy from war, but we do not seek it out. And despite their emissary's words, it is clear that their aims are that of domination and destruction of all that is. Why else would they hide from the rest of the galaxy for so long, only to end their isolation with an immediate war?"

"Will the Consortium join us in the defense of the galaxy?" he asked. Though not as large as his forces, the Hapan military was well-trained and heavily armed. It could be an enormous asset in the coming war.

The Princess shrugged indecisively. "If it comes to that, the Queen Mother will seriously consider it. I can offer no promises on behalf of the Consortium, however. Our government is strictly isolationist, and many nobles will argue that it is not in our interests to aid other planets and join a war that is not our own. We will do our best to convince the detractors, but it will not be easy. Many will not believe that the enemy is a threat to us all, and Hapan women are notoriously stubborn."

"I understand, but you must force them to realize that if they defeat my military, yours will be crushed soon after. Their Emperor will accept nothing less than total control of the galaxy. The Consortium will either join him as a vassal state or be brought to its knees and assimilated entirely. In either case, I doubt he would permit your government to continue. Even if you allied with him, he would eventually move to take direct control and establish a puppet regime." The words he spoke were true, but he was not sure if the Chume'da believed them. He couldn't quite read her. The Princess was clearly a seasoned diplomat and very capable of concealing her true feelings, whatever they were. Revan wished he could read her mind.

"Perhaps," Amelia replied, "But that will be difficult to prove. In any event, I have been sent here to correlate a joint war strategy in the event that the Consortium allies with your Empire against those in the Unknown Regions. To this end, I hope you will be willing to supply us with all of the intelligence you have on the enemy, in order to ensure that the Hapan military is as prepared as possible to meet the threat."

The Chume'da's words set off alarm bells in his head. Though it was likely that she was telling the truth, it was also possible that the Princess had a far more sinister motive.

"I wish I could trust you Princess, but galactic diplomacy is never that simple. How can I be certain that the Consortium did not in fact accept the Emperor's offer?"

Amelia's eyes narrowed. "I do not take kindly to being patronized, Lord Revan. In any event, if the Consortium had accepted the Emperor's offer, why would I be speaking to you now?" she questioned. The Chume'da was clearly affronted by his response, or at least she appeared to be.

"In order to learn as much as you can about our military forces. Information about our numbers and strategies would be immensely helpful to the enemy. In addition, you could feed us false information about your own armed forces," he explained.

"How dare you?" Amelia demanded, her tone calm but article cold. "The Consortium would never agree to a war of aggression! Your accusations are not only completely unfounded but quite frankly are insulting."

Revan knew the Princess was probably telling the truth, and regretted pissing her off, but it was an issue he had to acknowledge, and it was better to get it out of the way immediately.

"I apologize, but if the enemy received this information our war effort would be cripp..."

"I agree with Amelia," a familiar voice suddenly interrupted.

The Chume'da jumped in surprise at Bastila's sudden appearance. His Apprentice was standing six inches behind and to the right of his chair. Her appearance was immaculate, and she was dressed in her ceremonial Sith robes.

Revan, who was used to his Apprentice teleporting behind him, merely frowned in annoyance.

"Is that so?" Revan replied. "Perhaps you would like to explain why you've decided to barge into a confidential meeting and frightened a visiting royal?" he questioned, his voice testy.

"I'm fine. It's great to see you again Bastila," Amelia spoke, smiling.

"Likewise, Your Highness," his Apprentice replied, anger now evident in her voice. She turned to him. "Do you honestly believe that the Consortium would ally with the True Sith Empire? The Queen Mother would never be so kriffing stupid!"

"Language, Apprentice. We're having important diplomatic deliberations as you might have noticed," he said calmly but firmly.

Bastila glared at him. "I apologize, but I'm not the one who offended our guest," she pointed out.

"I need to be absolutely certain the Consortium wouldn't betray us before I hand over our vital military secrets!" he argued. Revan's exasperation was building. It didn't bode well at all for their future cooperation that they couldn't move past this issue.

"And how would you like me to prove that?" Amelia questioned, her anger clearly beginning to flare again.

"Drop the barriers around your mind and allow me to ascertain the truth," he said simply.

"How do I know that you yourself do not have sinister intentions?" the Chume'da demanded, dropping all pretense that she wasn't aware of his telepathic abilities. "If I allow you into my mind, you would have full access to all of the Consortium's secrets. Perhaps you intend to use this information to overthrow our government and increase the size of your own forces. I know it's unlikely, but I need to be absolutely certain you won't betray us before I hand over our vital military secrets!" she imitated.

"Enough!" Bastila shouted, slamming her fist onto the desk. "We're allies here, remember? The enemy is making inroads into the Galaxy while you two are squabbling like a bunch of children!"

The Emperor and the Princess stared at her, both at a loss for words.

"Master, I understand your concern, but you must realize the Consortium would never commit to a war of aggression. They've isolated themselves for thousands of years, and never tried to expand their borders even when they realize could have," she said more calmly. "Amelia, I realize you are insulted; you have every right to be. However, I don't see why you cannot allow my Master to briefly look into your mind. I can assure you he has no ulterior motive."

Revan was surprised that Bastila addressed the Chume'da by her first name, and even more so that Amelia did not appear perturbed in the slightest. Evidently, the two were even closer than he had realized.

"Even if he doesn't, I still don't feel comfortable with someone else poking around inside my head," the Princess argued.

"Just tell him. He's not going to reveal any of your secrets. You told me," Bastila countered.

Now Revan was thoroughly puzzled.

"The difference is: you're a Sith Apprentice, he's the ruler of eight tenths of the galaxy. I'm sure that his intentions are good, but he would expose me if he felt it was in the galaxy's best interest," Amelia replied.

"Oh please. When would it ever be advantageous for him to expose the Empire's biggest..." she stopped as the Princess darted forward, closing the distance between the two women in an almost inhuman display of speed. She snapped her hand over the Sith Apprentice's mouth, cutting off whatever Bastila was about to say..

"Don't!" the Princess pleaded, lowering her hand.

"What the hell is the matter with you two?" he demanded, diplomatic conduct forgotten.

"Just tell him," Bastila implored. "He's never betrayed my trust and would have absolutely no reason to ever expose you. If he knew the truth, the two of you might actually be able to trust one another."

Amelia scowled, clearly overcome with indecision.

"For the good of the galaxy, we need to be united," Bastila continued. "I'm sorry, but you know this is something you have to do."

Thirty seconds passed before the Princess finally sighed deeply lowered her head.

"The truth, Lord Revan, is that I hold many beliefs that are completely opposed to the Consortium's most venerated traditions. I reject the notion that our society should remain isolated from the outside world, it's only made us into a conservative and stagnant people. I also firmly in the innate equality of everyone before the law, regardless of a person's gender or social class. And, most importantly, I'm a sympathizer of your Empire, and would choose it over the Consortium's government any day," she admitted.

Revan was silent for a few moments. The Princess's admission didn't shock him as much as it would have, as he had been well informed of her compassionate disposition, but the Emperor was still thoroughly surprised. It almost seemed too good to be true a huge supporter of his Empire being the heir to the Hapan throne. Grandiose plans began to take shape in his mind: when Amelia was Queen Mother the possibilities would be endless.

That is, if she was indeed telling the truth.

Outwardly remaining calm, he responded. "That is excellent to hear Princess, truly. However, that still brings us to the same impasse; how do I know you are telling the truth?"

Amelia's face contorted with anger. "How DARE you-!"

"Why don't I read your mind?" his Apprentice interrupted. I'll only go in far enough to ascertain that you're telling the truth, and I won't tell anyone anything else about what I learn, if I even learn anything at all," she offered.

"Even you don't believe me!" Amelia hissed with disbelief.

"Of course I do. But Revan needs to be certain and this is the only way he will be," Bastila replied.

Amelia sighed, lowering her head. "Very well. I trust you," she finally conceded. "But be as quick as you can, the whole concept of someone in my thoughts just unnerves me," the Chume'da added.

Bastila nodded. "Lower your defenses and look me in the eye," she said.

Amelia did as instructed. A few seconds later, Bastila smiled and lowered her gaze. She turned to him.

"As was obvious from the beginning, she was telling the truth," his Apprentice reported. Revan's heart filled with relief. Now it was official; the future queen of the Hapan Consortium was firmly aligned with the Empire.

"I regret that this was necessary, and I apologize again for offending you, Your Highness. I'm very glad to know that you're a friend to the Empire, and look forward to working with you in the future," he said.

Amelia smiled warmly. "Likewise. I am sorry for my outrage, trust has always been a sore point for me. As you know, in the Consortium's government betrayal and back-stabbing are practically expected of every politician, and that's something I always hated."

"I understand. I am curious, however...what made you decide to trust Bastila almost instantly after you met her? For that matter, what made you become a secret supporter of the Empire?" Revan questioned.

Amelia shrugged. "I'm a Hapan Princess. Reading people is second nature to me. I have very good instincts when it comes to studying others. It didn't take me long after watching your speeches to know that you were genuine, and I was able to instantly peg Bastila as someone compassionate and trustworthy. My mother has always said that discerning a person's nature is my greatest talent."

Revan nodded. "In any event, I think that's enough for today. We'll meet in my throne room tomorrow at noon to begin to sort out the details, if that is acceptable to you Princess," he said.

"Very well. In the meantime, I wouldn't mind taking a walk around the Palace. If you're free, Bastila, would you mind showing me around? Amelia asked.

"I can't say no to a Princess, now can I?" the Sith Apprentice replied, grinning.

"Excellent. Now that we've gotten this incident sorted out, I'm confident that we will come to a suitable agreement. Until tomorrow, Lord Revan," the Chume'da answered.

Bastila bowed then turned and left the room through the main exit. Amelia followed a second. Revan remained at his desk, deep in thought.

Something wasn't right. Bastila had confirmed that she was speaking the truth, and he trusted her skills in telepathy. And yet...

Amelia seemed far too intelligent to become an Imperial sympathizer merely by seeing some of ha speeches over the Holonet, nor did she appear naive enough to spill all of her secrets to Bastila after having known her for a mere five minutes. And then there was that moment when she had physically stopped the Sith Apprentice from speaking.

Revan had his suspicions, and if they were correct, one of Amelia's secrets remained hidden, even to the Princess herself.