The Epilogue: Rallying the Darkness

It's been nearly 2 years since the Battle of the Star Forge, that's the official name for it at least, and despite all the challenges, things seem to be getting along fine. Katarina and myself have finally properly established the Final Order, our organization of Sith that are dedicated to a balance in the Force, an equilibrium between the Light and the Dark sides of the force. We currently set up a small base on Felucia, hidden far in its jungle. While the wildlife, most specifically the Acklay, had caused us some problems in the beginning, the large 6-legged creatures had soon learned that the metal fortifications and cannons weren't to be messed with. We are still small, only a hundred Sith currently, but all of them are trustworthy, and after all my fears of Malek's Sith infiltrating having been proven wrong, we can safely begin to recruit in larger numbers and expand the order.

I look around my office, seated behind my metal desk. The walls were a shining silver, with only a single banner hanging from each wall. While part of me thinks that it always is slightly egotistical to hang them around my office, I figured it looks better if I look infatuated with my organization. The symbol was Katarina's design, a circle within a pentagon, all green with red lines connecting each corner of the pentagon. A lot of the Final Order was designed by Katarina, while I simply worry more on the logistics such as income, supplies and weapons. Not nearly as exciting as it could have been, but this all is to prepare for the future!

Suddenly, with a hissing, my silver door slides to the left into the wall, unlocked as it has always been, and of all people, she walks in. Despite the year of hard work, Katarina looks like she hasn't aged a single day. Her hair was still as bright as ever, however this time her hair was tied up, a ponytail which flowed down to her shoulders. She's wearing her new uniform, the uniform of a Final Order instructor, the same that I find myself wearing. The design was similar to that of the Jedi, that being a loose fitting shirt and pants with a cloak draped over it, while I feel this design is mostly for the physical affect, I don't have a better design and so I have no reason to object to it.

"Jason, has the shipment arrived today?" she asks, her hands placing themselves on their hips like always.

"Kat…" I say, taking a deep breath and moving my holo-screen out of the way to look at her properly "I told you before, the shipment won't be here for another week. The last shipment got caught by a pirate raid and Mission is trying to get some information about who attacked us. You're going to just have to use vibroblades for now"

"The blades don't mimic a lightsaber Jason" she mutters, partly because she knows there is nothing I can do to speed up the order "You said you wanted the next group combat ready within the month, I can't do that without letting them use proper equipment"

"Then don't" I reply "We'll just have to delay that session while we get the crystals in. While it would have been advantageous for us to have another deployable team, I'm not deploying them until they're ready, regardless of how long it takes"

Katarina's left hand waves, using the force to close the door behind her and walking forwards, sitting herself on the front of my desk. "You know, I never expected this to happen..."

I raise an eyebrow, not understand what she's trying to imply. If she was expecting everything to be running perfectly smooth in the first few years, then she was thinking ahead of even me. "I'm not sure I understand…"

"Us…." She says "I don't know J, I just feel like ever since we started the Final Order, we've been growing apart. Like, the only time you talk to me these days is when its work related…"

I let out a deep breath, knowing that Katarina is right. Ever since we established a base, I suppose I've been so heavily focused on getting it all set up I hadn't spoken to her because I wanted to, not because I had to. Part of me hates that she's right, but in part I'm thankful for or agreement…

"Listen Kat…" I start, getting a glare from the Sith.

"No, don't say this again. Don't tell me 'we're preparing for the future'" she says, mimicking my voice "You said that last time and nothing changed…I know what we agreed on, but I thought at the very least we'd stay close…" Despite everything, she didn't sound angry. In fact, if she was angry with me I think it would be easier to handle, because she sounded sad, defeated… All because of me.

"I…" I place my head in my hands, rubbing my eyes with my fingers before pushing them past my face and resting them on my desk "You're right…It's just, I've been so busy trying to sort out everything"

"I know you have" she says sympathetically "But you need to remember that you don't have to do everything on your own. I'm here, as…as your friend" I look up at her, and I can see through her and know it kills her to say that word "Please Jason, finish what you're doing then just, stop. For a day or so, just relax"

I look at Katarina, right into her eyes. I know, and part of it kills me, to see her in constant pain. In an ironic way I was lucky, my crush on her burnt out quickly, hers has been there for over a year now. And maybe if it was before the Final Order, I'd of considered of letting that fire ignite between us. But now, now I fear letting us burn together. What we're starting is bigger than both of us, and I fear that if we got into an argument, we could destroy everything we've worked so hard to build. Maybe, if I feel the fire starting in me, I might consider it. But for now, it's far too risky. I care and respect Katarina too much to intentionally hurt her.

"….Ok fine Kat, i'll message Mission and let her know what the plan is about the pirate raids…I presume you've finished today?" I ask, getting a nod from the red-haired girl as I glance at the local time, 15:59.

"I finished an hour ago…" she says, probably knowing I'd seen the time "The team did really well so I gave them the rest of the day off. I'm going to grab some late lunch, I presume this won't take long?"

I nod my head "Just gotta finish the message, give me 10 minutes max. If I'm not in the lunch room by then, come grab me…"

Katarina sits up, and walks towards the door, but pauses before she opens the door "Our room…" she says "Kitchen will be busy setting up for dinner, plus I wanna sit down on something that doesn't feel like a rock" With a flick of her hand, the door slides open and she exits, a hissing confirming I'm alone a few seconds later.

I continue typing up my message to Mission, informing her about the next shipment of crystals and requesting she use her mercenaries for protection, in exchange for credits. While we were friends, Mission's operation was still young and needed all the work it could get, but more than that, it was trustworthy. Sending the message, I sit up, only to notice a flashing button on my keyboard, the letter 'R' flashing green. As quickly as possible, my hand presses the button and, standing in front of my desk, Revan appears. Well, not Revan, but the hologram of Revan.

"Revan" I say tensely, he never used this communication system, so whatever it was, this was big.

"Jason" He returns my name as I finally notice he's wearing his robes, robes he hasn't worn since the Jedi refused him and Bastilia entrance to the order because of their love "I'm not going to insult you and try and pretend this is anything other than what it is, a goodbye…"

I feel ice race through my veins, I knew one day this would happen, but it's been only two years since the Forge! "You can't be leaving this soon. Two years, it's only been two years"

"I know it has Jason, but you must understand this is bigger than just me or you…" He says, repeating words I've heard before "Whatever this danger was, I've got to deal with. All I know is something happened to me out there, and I need to know. I need to stop it…"

"But what if-"

"That's what you're for" Revan interrupts "That's why I'm not bringing anyone except HK and T3 with me, in case I fail, everyone who stayed behind like you are building an army. An army that can surely defeat anything that hides in the darkness"

I let out a sigh, I know that there is almost nothing I can say to change Revan's mind. Hell, Bastilia surely would have tried and the chances of him listening to her is more than him listening to me. "So when will you come back…?"

"You know as well as I do, I have no idea when I'll be back, if at all…" he says sighing "I know you're not happy with this, but I've made my decision Jason…"

I let out a sigh "So when are you leaving?"

"I've already left…I'm transmitting at the end of where I can without losing contact. I just wanted to let you know, you deserved to know that I'm leaving…"

I shake my head "I suppose…that this is goodbye then?"

Revan simply smiles as his hologram shimmers, the transmission weakening. I suspect he's currently flying to, whatever it was he was meant to go "No, not a goodbye. I know you Jason, and I'll see you again, one way or the other…"

That's right as he vanishes, the hologram failing. I stare as where Revan was standing, before powering down my computer and heading towards the door, opening it up and beginning my walk to my room. Katarina had gotten my food for me, and I might as well try and relax the rest of the day. After all, Malek's Sith are gone. There is nothing left out there, and with Missions information control and my Sith army forming... We can keep track of any Sith forces out there.

Author Notes:

Hey guys. I figured I might as well right something to wrap things up for this part. This is also, in part, due to Part 2 has begun and I figured I might as well direct people to it in case they enjoyed this. So here is the link to part 2: s/12107051/1/Knights-of-the-Old-Republic-2-Conflict-of-the-Sith

Again, thank you guys for everything and I'll see ya later.