Chapter Twenty-Nine
Disclaimer: I do not own KotOR2.
"Hey," Brianna said suddenly as they were closing in on Malachor V. "Revan's not on the ship!"
"Sarcastic praise: Very good, meatbag!" HK exclaimed.
"Where is he?" Brianna asked urgently. "And where's Bastila?"
"Bastila was only really here because Revan was," Canderous pointed out.
"And Revan wisely chose not to put himself in a position where he would have to struggle against his inner darkness," the Exile explained.
"That sounds like an excuse," Mira said skeptically.
The Exile walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are very fortunate, Mira, to not understand the sort of struggle that Revan faces every day. I sincerely hope that you never do."
Her skepticism not abating, Mira opened her mouth to respond when the ship started shaking.
"What's going on?" Visas asked, startled.
"I believe the ship is crashing," Bao-Dur reported calmly. "I would recommend that everybody hold on."
T3 beeped.
"Atton doesn't always crash," the Exile disagreed. "And I'm sure that, like all the other times, there is a perfectly good reason for this."
"'All the other times'?" Canderous repeated. "He sounds like he's as bad a pilot as Republic!"
The ship began to shake harder and lurch downwards and everyone scrabbled to grab onto something.
"I really wish this ship had better safety protocols," the Exile said wistfully. "Maybe places for us to strap in in the event of a crash."
There was one final crash and then the Ebon Hawk was still.
"Is it over?" Brianna asked hopefully.
"Are we dead?" Visas wondered.
Atton stumbled out into the main room.
"Don't tell me you were piloting drunk," Canderous said disgustedly. "Who do you think you are? Revan?"
"Could Revan pilot drunk?" Atton asked, frowning.
"I'm sure he could if he wanted to," Canderous sniffed.
"Enthusiastic agreement: Naturally! My master is the least meatbaggy meatbag I've ever encountered," HK chimed in.
"If we translate that into 'inhuman human' then I might agree," Atton mumbled.
"The Force does love him," Visas noted.
"I'm not drunk!" Atton snapped.
"As. So you're just a terrible pilot sober," Canderous realized. "That might be worse. At least you could stop drinking."
"It's not that!" Atton insisted. "The gravity on this planet…it's almost like it was trying to trap me."
"Oh, right, it was the planet's fault," Canderous mocked. "Next thing you know you'll claim there was some sort of disruptor beam."
"I have to go find Kreia," the Exile said solemnly. "And hopefully talk her out of suicide."
"And I need to go kill things," Canderous announced.
"Statement: I need to do that, too," HK agreed. "Clarification: That is the only reason I left my master to travel with you meatbags."
"Would it bother anyone if I were to blow this planet up?" Bao-Dur inquired.
"While we're on it?" Brianna asked, alarmed.
Bao-Dur shook his head. "Of course not! That would just be silly. I intend to send my remote out to locate four crashed ships, fix them, and then prime the mass shadow generator to explode literally seconds after we clear the atmosphere."
"With Atton as the pilot?" Canderous asked, horrified.
"I've heard good things about his ability to flee from explosions," Bao-Dur said, nodding respectfully Atton's way. "I heard about Peragus in particular."
"Of course you did," Atton muttered. "Did you also hear that that wasn't my fault?"
Everyone ignored him.
"Why do you wish to blow up the planet, anyway?" Visas wanted to know.
Bao-Dur shrugged. "I don't really know. I think it will be awesome."
"We can't go around blowing up planets because you think it will be fun," the Exile said reprovingly.
Bao-Dur looked put-out for a moment. "Any ideas?"
"Suggestion: Malachor V is an 'evil' planet and its existence harms the galaxy," HK suggested. "Exclamation: We should blow up Korriban, too!"
"I've actually never blown up a planet before," Canderous said musingly. He grinned. "I like it!"
"Well, I suppose they are both evil and unoccupied," the Exile said thoughtfully. "Hey, it just occurred to me that since Revan's not here nobody thought to ask about the remote."
"He'll explode," Bao-Dur answered matter-of-factly. "But it is a worthy sacrifice."
T3 beeped.
"Yes, definitely for the best he's not here," the Exile agreed.
"I'm going to go with you," Atton said suddenly but firmly. "I'm not just going to go out on the surface and kill things; I'm actually going with you."
"But Atton…I must go on alone at this point!" the Exile protested.
"Why?" Atton asked bluntly.
"I…don't…know," the Exile admitted.
"Then I'm going," Atton said as if that settled everything.
"Why would you want to, though?" the Exile asked him, confused. "This place is so dark side that even I don't want to go but I know that I have to."
Atton frowned. "Well…I don't, really, but I'm worried and I don't want you to have to go alone."
The Exile hesitated. "Alright. So Atton is going with me, Bao-Dur's remote is going off by itself, and HK and Canderous are going to go kill things. Is that everyone who wants to leave the ship?"
"I think that I would like to go and see the surface of the planet but that's it," Mira decided.
The six of them exited the Ebon Hawk to find a desolate wasteland of a planet.
"Well, there goes my curiosity," Mira muttered, turning to go back onto the ship.
"Mira!" growled a Wookie.
Mira froze. "Hanhaar?"
"I love how she automatically knows who it is," Atton remarked.
"Well, maybe he's the only Wookie that she knows," the Exile theorized.
"Hanhaar, I haven't seen you since Nar Shaddaa and that was months ago!" Mira cried out. She turned to face him and reached for her lightsaber.
"You left and I couldn't kill you," Hanhaar complained.
"You couldn't kill me anyway," Mira pointed out. "And of course I wouldn't seek your permission."
"The grey female brought me here," Hanhaar growled.
"…Why?" Mira asked him.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Something about making you stronger?"
"At least Kreia has faith in you," the Exile said, trying to be supportive.
Mira snorted. "I'm so grateful. Really, I am." She took out her lightsaber and quickly cut off both of Hanhaar's arms.
"Hey, that's cheating," Hanhaar protested, waving his stumps around.
"So?" Mira asked blankly.
Atton coughed something that sounded suspiciously like 'Jedi.'
"Oh, right. I'm a Jedi," Mira remembered. "Sort of."
"Hanhaar is right, you know," the Exile told her. "That's not very Jedi-like."
"It was self-defense!" Mira claimed.
"You'll have to kill me or I will hunt you forever," Hanhaar vowed. "And I do mean forever. I've really got nothing else to do for the rest of my life. At all. And I don't see that changing. Ever."
Mira shrugged. "Well, you heard the man."
Hanhaar's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're actually going to kill me? What kind of a Jedi are y-"
He fell silent then as Mira cut him in half.
"You could have at least let him finish," the Exile pouted.
"Huh. I guess I could have," Mira realized. She looked around. "Hey, where are Canderous and HK?"
"Oh, they got bored watching someone else kill someone and so they went off to go start killing things of their own," the Exile explained.
"Well…good luck," Mira said a little awkwardly before practically fleeing to the ship.
Atton and the Exile were about to enter the building (apparently called the Trayus Academy) when at least a dozen impassive Sith materialized in front of them.
They both dropped into a fighting stance and waited for the Sith to make the first move.
To their great surprise, however, the Sith merely dropped to their knees in two rows with space for the pair to walk between them.
"I don't understand what's going on," the Exile admitted.
"Neither do I but I think we should just go with it so we don't have to fight these people," Atton advised.
The Exile nodded. "Good idea."
Though the Sith waiting outside the Academy apparently were not hostile, everyone on the inside was and they had to hack and slash and Force lightning their way through the place.
"I really wish we had a map of some sort," Atton said grimacing as they walked through a room that – if the corpses littering the floor were any indication – they had been in before.
"Me, too," the Exile admitted. "Maybe…uh…that way?" She asked, pointing at random.
Atton shrugged. "I don't see why not."
Fortunately, the Exile had either gotten lucky or the Force had gotten tired of them failing so badly and worked through them because that room did indeed contain Darth Sion.
"Is this a 'yay, we're making progress' moment or a 'crap, we just found Sion' moment?" Atton wondered.
"Maybe both," the Exile replied, shrugging.
"What is he doing here?" Sion hissed, glaring at Atton.
"He wouldn't take no for an answer," the Exile replied.
"He has no part to play in this," Sion said firmly.
"Actually 'he' does," Atton disagreed. "Maybe the Exile will have to face Kreia on her own or whatever but I can certainly help here."
"I refuse to acknowledge your presence further," Sion informed him before turning to the Exile. "You must go back the way you came."
"Why?" the Exile asked curiously, tilting her head.
"Because Kreia is going to destroy you and so you are better off dying on the surface of Malachor V," Sion replied.
"Actually, if I was planning on leaving then I wouldn't die on the surface of Malachor V because I'm not stupid. Instead, I would take the ship that I obviously arrived on and depart. And not die," the Exile explained. "But why do you want me to die, anyway? It's not very nice."
"I don't want you to die," Sion corrected her.
"But you just told me to," the Exile pointed out.
"Your death is inevitable," Sion revealed.
"Even if I go back to my ship?" the Exile asked.
Sion thought for a moment. "Yes."
"So you want me to go die on the surface because…?" the Exile prompted.
"Kreia will break you. It's really much kinder that you just get torn apart by the creatures or die from lack of food, water, or exposure," Sion promised.
"I don't believe you," the Exile told him. "And Kreia needs my help. Atris said she's a suicide risk."
"One such as her would never willingly choose to die," Sion said, scoffing at the very idea.
"Why are you so concerned about 'protecting' me from Kreia?" the Exile wondered. "I mean, your idea of protection is really, really skewed but the point still stands."
"You are beautiful to me," Sion revealed. "I hate you because you crawl inside my head like she does but you are just a presence and not hateful words and commands."
"Hate is the Sith equivalent of love, you know," Atton explained for the Exile. "And I'd just like to remind everybody that I got here first and the Exile and I are very happy."
The Exile nodded. "Indeed we are."
"You shouldn't even try to fight me," Sion warned. "After all, all that will happen is I will kill you or you will kill me and I will rise again. And if you kill me again then I will rise again. Each time you kill me I will rise again. You can't kill me forever and even if you could nothing would change and so it doesn't matter."
"Wow," the Exile breathed. "So if I lit you on fire you'd come back."
"I would," Sion agreed.
"And if I cut your head off, you'd return," the Exile continued.
"That is the case," Sion confirmed.
"And if I cut your chest open and pulled out your organs, you would still return to life," the Exile pressed.
Sion's eye twitched. "Is this going somewhere?"
The Exile nodded. "It is, actually. You only became immortal ten years ago at Malachor, yes?"
"You know that that is the case," Sion replied.
"Did any of those things I just mentioned happen to you? Or all three of them? Multiple times?" the Exile inquired.
"Why?" Sion asked suspiciously.
"It's just…it's great that you can't die and all but you've done some really hard living since then," the Exile answered. "I've spent the last ten years in exile and it was not an enjoyable experience but I have really got nothing on you. What have you been doing the past ten years?"
"Well, I did test my immortality for a bit," Sion began, "and my Master enjoyed testing it as well. Other people who may have been technically stronger than me killed me as well but, as you can see, I am here and they – I regret to inform you – are not."
"Is it really worth it, though?" the Exile asked, frowning.
"I…" Sion trailed off, blinking rapidly. "What do you mean?"
"You seen to have spent the last ten years dying all the time and it must have hurt like nobody's business. I have to think that you're still in constant pain. I doubt you can even see out of that one eye. And what do you have to show for it? A master who likes to kill you, who has already betrayed you, and who you mean nothing to?" the Exile asked rhetorically. "I am not in the habit of recommending suicide but at this point, Sion, I honestly have to ask what it is that you are living for."
Sion growled at her and for a moment there almost seemed to be color in his white as death cheeks. "You lie. My Master needs me and once you are out of the way then she will value me. She will have no choice."
But the Exile shook her head. "I hate to break it to you, Sion, but I think she would rather treasure nothing than treasure you."
There was a flicker in his eyes. "But…why? I do everything she asks! Everything! Why you and not me?"
"Let me answer that question with another one," the Exile said pleasantly. "Have you ever thought of turning away from the Force?"
"No, I have not," Sion answered honestly.
"Well there you go, then," the Exile said, shrugging.
"But I would die without the Force. I'm not exaggerating, really. I think that without the Force and my own willpower holding me together that I would literally die," Sion informed her.
"Kreia doesn't care, I don't think," the Exile responded. "If anything, it might make her hate you more. Kreia hates the Force and that's what you are: a living embodiment of the Force."
Sion suddenly slumped. "So I'll never get what I want," he said dejectedly. "And thinking on it, since Nihilus and I cast her out, I really don't know why I wanted what I wanted in the first place. I'm feeling so very lost and unfocused right now."
"Just let go," the Exile said invitingly. "You don't have to be in pain anymore, I promise. And I won't die, either. I'll face Kreia and I will prove victorious. I promise. It's alright."
"It's alright," Sion echoed, sounding very far away. "I'll hold you to that."
His good eye rolled back in his head and he collapsed suddenly like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
The Exile and Atton just stood there for a moment looking at each other.
"…Did you just talk a man into suicide?" Atton asked at last.
Wordlessly, the Exile nodded.
"Just checking," Atton told her.
"Listen, Atton, I appreciate that you want to come with me and help me but I think that facing Kreia might be too much," the Exile said gently. "I don't really know what I'll find but I know you two don't get along and I don't want any unexpected complications."
"I understand," Atton said solemnly. "Promise me that you'll keep that promise to Sion."
The Exile smiled at him. "You think I would lie to him and be honest with you?"
"I don't think you'd lie at all but I'd appreciate the extra bit of reassurance all the same," Atton confessed.
"I promise."
"I love you," he told her.
The Exile was strangely tempted to say 'I know' but fought the impulse. That wasn't very Jedi-like. "I love you, too."
She pulled Atton close for a quick kiss and then headed off to meet Kreia.
The Exile looked around at the rather creepy and decidedly evil settings. Kreia was standing in the middle of a platform and though she was impatient to get things moving, she decided against shouting at her or hurrying to meet her. Instead, she continued her walk at a slow, leisurely pace.
"You look different," the Exile said in lieu of a greeting. "Did you change your hair?"
"I did," Kreia said, pleased. "So good of you to notice."
"Please don't kill yourself, Kreia," the Exile begged. "You've got so much to live for! And you apparently reconnected with you long-lost daughter and everything!"
"All that is true," Kreia said, nodding. "But I have no intention of killing myself."
That stopped the Exile cold. "You don't? Ah. I see I was misinformed then. What are you doing here, if I might ask?"
"You may," Kreia said tolerantly. "I'm waiting for you to kill me."
"And…why would I do that?" the Exile asked, confused.
"Because I am a Sith," Kreia told her.
"Former Sith," the Exile said pointedly. "You were doing so well for awhile there! I'm so sad to see that you've fallen off the wagon."
"I was never on the wagon, actually," Kreia corrected her. "Since before we even met I've been manipulating you. I even gave you the Force back though I feel that that was a mistake because you were more beautiful without it."
"You did?" the Exile asked, surprised. "I should thank you, then."
"You should," Kreia agreed.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Kreia replied. "And before you ask, I didn't make Atris fall, I just pointed out she was already fallen and she reacted poorly. I did send Nihilus and Sion after you because they were a threat to the Republic and to me so I let you draw them out so you could kill them. And I hate the Force because I believe that following the will of the Force is akin to being a slave to it and so I want to see it die. It's entirely possible that this will wipe out most sentient life in the galaxy so maybe we should go slow. Either way, I know that you're the key to murdering the Force."
"N-no I'm not," the Exile denied, her voice shaking.
Kreia shrugged. "It does not matter to me whether or not you accept this because it is true regardless. And now it has come time to end this."
"Please reconsider, Kreia!" the Exile pleaded. "It's not too late for you!"
"Yes, it is," Kreia disagreed. "Even if you are too much of a Jedi to see it, I have chosen this path and I do not intend to turn from it now."
Without moving, Kreia used the Force to send three lightsabers she had hanging from her belt out in front of her and activated them.
Reluctantly, the Exile ignited her own lightsaber and prepared to do battle with the woman who had taught her to feel the Force again.
Before she could get anywhere near Kreia, however, she first had to destroy two of the three lightsabers and they definitely didn't make it easy for her. Once she managed to get the first one destroyed, the second fell a little easier. The moment that the second was gone, the third flew back into Kreia's hand so she would not be defenseless. Fortunately, this meant that the Exile needn't concern herself with facing an armed opponent.
Eventually, the Exile got the opening she was looking for and plunged her lightsaber into Kreia's stomach.
"I am so sorry!" she apologized reflexively.
Kreia chuckled as she stumbled back. "Still such a Jedi. How the Council could have ever seen you as a threat is beyond me."
"Don't talk," the Exile entreated.
"I'm going to die; nothing will stop that now," Kreia told her. "And I wouldn't want to stop it even if I could. Would you like me to tell you about your friends?"
"What do you mean?" the Exile asked, puzzled. "I already know my friends pretty well."
"I can see into the future," Kreia revealed. "And I really doubt that you do."
"W-what?" the Exile asked startled. "Could you do this the whole time? If you could, why in the world didn't you do so earlier?"
Kreia shrugged. "I didn't want to. Is that a yes or a no?"
"Yes, please," the Exile said. "Tell me what happens to Revan."
"Revan will reluctantly take control of the new Jedi Order. His consolation will be, of course, that he makes it completely unrecognizable from the old Order. If nothing else, his new order boasts far less lust-induced falls to the dark side," Kreia revealed.
"Less people falling to the dark side is good," the Exile decided. "And Kavar?"
"He marries Queen Talia and counsels her during her long and prosperous reign. Their descendents will rule over Onderon for many a generation and ease their slide into the Republic," Kreia told her.
"And…Atton?" the Exile asked almost hesitantly.
Kreia laughed sardonically. "He is a fool and the Force watches out for those such as him. He has nothing to offer one such as you and he knows this all too well."
The Exile frowned. "Well that's just not true at all. I mean, if nothing else there's always the sex."
Kreia started coughing. "Wait, what? You're a Jedi!"
"It's simple," the Exile told her. "You said Revan is going to rebuild the Jedi Order and he is in love with Bastila and has apparently been in a relationship with her for quite some time. I can't imagine the 'no attachments' rule is going to stick around."
"And you're okay with that?" Kreia asked uncertainly.
The Exile nodded. "I always trust in the wisdom of the Council. But what about the Republic? What's going to happen with the true Sith?"
"I foresee that the Republic will be severely tested in three hundred years but, with any luck, it will ultimately stand," Kreia told her. "Now I really hope that that was the last of your questions."
The Exile nodded. "It was."
"Good because that's all the time I have to answer them," Kreia said, slowly sinking to her knees. In a few seconds, she had stopped breathing.
The Exile blinked. "Wow, that is convenient timing!"
The En-
Actually, wait, no it's not.
Because that would be stupid and not an ending.
To be continued so Review Please!
