Chapter Twenty-Seven: Above the Fires
HK 10 stood silent to one side as the Cat's Paw headed toward Paragus far below them. The patrolling vessels had taken no notice of them yet, but that was worse. If the enemy were shooting at them, then at least the worst would have happened. Revan could then focus purely on the action, but now all he could do was look at scanners.
Still, something was troubling him.
A melancholy horror had replaced the brutal inferno that had blazed before. Nar Shadda and worlds like it were beginning to burn low, and now all that remained was the ruins. And all around him, he sensed the darkness pressing, now in a subtle way.
What was he missing?
"...What's wrong?" asked Visas.
Revan thought about what was physically wrong with his situation. The physical situation he could fix. "I just realized we're going to have to infiltrate a facility we know nothing about. With no real settlements or a civilian populace out here, we have no way of learning about them."
"The Cat's Paw has the orbital camera," said Malak. "We could use it to take shots of the facility."
"In this insect hive?" asked Revan, peering at the patrolling vessels.
"It may be a risk we have to take," said Kreia. "To go in unprepared could doom our mission as surely as turbolaser fire."
Revan nodded and shifted the console to the orbital camera. It had been one of the many requests Kreia had made for the vessel they would be using. She had a gift of foresight. "...Alright, Malak, get us into position over the facility. I'll take the camera. Kreia, see if you can ward off anyone noticing us. If we get caught out here, this will be a real short trip."
"Have you used one of these before?" asked Malak.
"Once or twice in Telos," said Revan. "Though that was mostly to see if they were working properly. Maintenance was my job."
"May I suggest using the Force and letting go?" asked Kreia in amusement.
"Your faith in my abilities as a leader remains a heartwarming reminder of the times we've shared. Now let me work," said Revan.
Scanning the surface, he found the facility and got a look at it. It was a thing of bright steel, though worn by storms. It stood out a great deal on the surface and was far longer. Revan got some shots of it as a whole and then began to zoom in.
As he did, he spoke, "There are actually two main facilities down there. One of them is a heavily fortified starport, and the other is a huge mining operation. They're connected by train, but the mining operation is on a plateau. There isn't any entry point except a docking bay for shuttles and the train.
"It doesn't look like any of the guards are holding blasters either. Not the standard kind anyone." He paused as Kreia looked at some of his shots printing out to one side.
"Let me see," said Kreia, nodding. "Sonic screams and vibroblades. Often such weapons are utilized in areas where traditional blasters could be disastrous."
"Well, either way, I'm going to get some more shots," said Revan. "It looks like there are a lot of rivers of sludge here and there, with volcanos nearby. But none of them are near the facility."
"Why would you want to build a mining facility near an active volcano?" asked Visas.
Revan blinked. "Good point."
However, he sensed a twinge of concern from Malak as he took shots of different locations. Eventually, he looked up to him. "What is it?"
"Nar Shadda... it's not as black as before. The horrors are dying down a bit," said Malak.
"The trauma I fear shall remain long afterward," said Kreia. "But we must discuss it another time."
"Our enemy approaches," said Visas.
Revan looked at the scanners. Sure enough, a huge Trandoshan vessel surging toward them, though not at them. It was gigantic up close, like a knife cutting through space with a green tinge to the metal.
"...Malak, power down the systems and drift us into the atmosphere," said Revan. "The heat should hide our energy signature."
Malak obeyed, and everyone was working in silence for a little while. As they did, they made their way down, and the heat went up rapidly. The incoming heat of the planet made Revan sweat, and looking up, he saw the vessel flying by. It was one of many out here and had a fighter escort with it.
Where did you get this kind of mercenary troop?
"Damn, this place got hot," said Revan, though it was redundant.
"It's going to get a lot hotter if the Trandoshans see us," said Malak.
"There are scans that will detect our physical presence, if not our heat signature," said Kreia. "I cannot turn away someone looking right at us."
"Do what you can," said Revan, continuing to take other shots. As he did, he noticed on the scans a possible haven near the facility—a lot of cover and distant enough that they might not be noticed.
"What the..." began Malak.
"Look there, that Gammorean Vessel just nearly collided with them," said Kreia.
Revan looked up and realized he'd missed it. One of the huge, bulky vessels of the Gammoreans was passing by the Trandoshans. The risk of collision was gone. But he felt the panic from a lot of crewmembers and anger welling.
"I'm picking up a lot of chatter between vessels, Revan. It isn't encrypted," said Malak.
"Patch it through," said Revan.
"Cease this at once," said a harsh, modulated voice. "We've just received news that the Republic fleet is mobilizing and may strike here. If you kill eachother before they get here, we won't hold this place, and I'll consider it a breach of contract."
"We have sat here for days doing nothing but patrolling," said a snarling Trandoshan voice. "We burn fuel above a planet made to produce it. Where is this war you promised, Demeagol?"
"If you seek war, then perhaps you should focus on drilling your men for when the time comes," said Demeagol. "It will come soon. Our enemy has likely detected our troop movements and will know he must strike soon, or not at all. If we are the first Clan to defeat a Republic Fleet, it will bring us great glory.
"And you will be well-paid for your efforts."
"Why you force us to not use blasters on planet surface?" asked a Gammorean in their hoglike tongue. "We like blowing up mountains for fun. No one lives down there anyway."
"Because Paragus is a highly volatile planet where nothing lives, Gandush," said Demeagol. "A single explosion in the wrong place could start a chain reaction. One that could blow up the entire planet and kill every ship around it."
"That stupid," said Gandush. "You stupid.
"No way there has never been an explosion on planet. You Mandalorians blow stuff up always."
"Captain Gandush has a point," said the Trandoshan. "How has there never been an explosion?"
"I'm not saying that any explosion will blow up the planet," said Demeagol. "It might simply hit the bare earth, or the results could be very localized, limited merely to a few miles. But it could happen. And if the fleet practices orbital bombardment indefinitely, the odds of disaster increase exponentially.
"So I gave orders that no one is to shoot blasters at the surface or on it, ever. The slaves utilize low-intensity sonic charges that are kept under tight control. No one is allowed off the facility without authorization.
"Nothing can be left to chance."
"This is a very paranoid operation, Demeagol," said the Trandoshan.
"I'm a paranoid person, Captain Ashfrat," said Demeagol. "Now attend to your patrol and get off an open channel."
The channel cut out. Visas halted. "Demeagol...
"His thoughts are in chaos. He is angry and seeking to salvage wounded pride. Many of those here are loyal to money, not him. But I sense darkness behind him, something that goes beyond merely a war leader."
"Whatever it is, it can wait," said Revan, looking to her. "Malak, take us down and put on the cooling systems. We can't survive if we pass out from heatstroke."
Malak nodded and turned the ship to head down. "Right."
Revan watched as they descended toward the facility and checked his scans. "There should be a circle of cliffs here that will shelter us from the facility and is beyond their sight. The speeder could take us the rest of the way."
Malak nodded.
The place Revan had in mind turned out to be a bit worse than it looked on the outside. While it did have cover from the wind, it had rough ground. The landing process was a hassle, and the whole ship was slightly crooked. Even so, Revan looked out from a window as the cooling systems came back online.
"Paragus..." said Visas. "This planet is empty. Almost all life is gone from it. Only one community exists in this entire world. A place of machines and slaves, but all else is silent and beautiful."
"It's actually quite nice," said Revan, eyeing the brownish moss on one cliff.
Everyone else stared at him.
"Well, I'm not saying I'd want to build a summer home out here. But the lava flows have a certain fiery beauty to them," said Revan.
"They'd scald you alive before you got within ten feet of them, Revan," said Malak.
Revan shrugged. "Our position here is stable, and those cliffs ought to keep us sheltered from any scanners or winds. I just pray that no one marked out descent from the facility?"
"And where is that?" asked Kreia.
"Some ways to the north," said Malak. "I took us down beyond the sight. There don't seem to be any ships coming in or out, and there are two main facilities. One of them is a starport, see here. It looks like it could hold a lot of ships."
"There are perhaps a thousand souls in that place," said Visas. "Desperate, and many will die soon. Far fewer than there are soldiers in orbit."
"This place is desolate," said Malak. "I don't see how anyone could find it beautiful."
"From the looks of things, there is some limited plant life," said Revan, pointing. "See that moss on the cliffs? It belongs to Adasca Corporation, an Arkanian company that specializes in genetic engineering."
"What do you mean by this?" asked Visas.
"Terraforming tech, obviously," said Revan. "Adasca Corporation has the patent for this particular kind of moss. I read up on it while working in Telos.
"You genetically engineer plants designed to survive on the worst possible conditions. Then you seed them across a barren world after providing those conditions. Usually melting the polar ice caps.
"Once done, these plants naturally fast track the development of a working ecosystem. Or, in other cases, just make the place livable enough to do mining operations.
"There are actually several different varieties of terraforming planet with specialized purposes. But they usually require decades of planning in advance. Whoever set Paragus up had to have been setting this up for a long time."
"To classify and put numbers on life itself in such a fashion seems sacrilege," said Visas.
"Adescacorp might have just terraformed it and sold the rights," mused Malak. "That sort of thing happens sometimes."
"Sold the rights to a planet this valuable?" asked Kreia.
"Good point," said Malak. "So what's the plan, General Revan?"
When exactly had Revan become the leader? It had been some point between Cathar and now. But elements of it had been there before. "Don't call me General, I don't want to be here right now. If I had my way, I'd be back in the Agricultural Corps.
"Anyway, we need to get into that mine. The kind of chain reaction we're going to start will take equipment and geological data. With no settlements, that's the only place we'll get them."
"We might scale up the cliff and infiltrate," said Kreia. "It would be possible for a Jedi."
"Maybe," mused Revan. "But even if we do, we'll probably have to use the mine. It's the best place to initiate our operation since it has all the equipment we'll need. And it has the information on to do it."
"That will all take time to go through, Revan," noted Malak. "Time we do not have."
Revan had to admit, it was a very bad situation. Pulling off this operation by itself would be hard. Getting the information to do it, then pulling it off, and saving the slaves in time seemed impossible. But maybe he could turn their disadvantage into an opportunity.
"...This could work to our advantage," said Revan.
"What do you mean?" asked Malak.
"Well, the facility is nearly impossible to get into except by train," said Revan. "That will make sneaking into it nearly impossible. But what if we take control of it? With a miner's revolt or something.
"The Mandalorians would only have one way to attack us."
"And they could not initiate an orbital bombardment. They fear doing what we are attempting," mused Kreia.
"Are you sure miners will be able to do it?" asked Malak. "They might simply be slaughtered."
"Come on, Malak, back on Melinda Daan, we had a rule that you never attacked someone who was backed into a corner. They always went down fighting," said Revan. "There's nowhere to run down here. And if they don't revolt, all they can hope for is a miserable life of humiliation and ridicule.
"And once they actually revolt, they'll know the Mandalorians will do even worse to them. So they'll fight much harder than anyone else. We have to organize them and get them to use what skills they have to our advantage. Sonic charges can be set for people as well as mines." Then he paused. "Visas, if we talk to these people, will they rise in rebellion?"
Visas looked upwards and seemed to concentrate. "I sense fear from them. There is great fear of the Mandalorians, and those here are kept in terror. And there is despair, for many die every day, and new shipments arrive to replace them. There is hatred as well—much hatred feigning behind simpering cowardice.
"The guards do not have a high opinion of them. I do not think they fear a revolt or any real attack. Most of their thoughts are turned to being shifted to more glorious battlefields. In their minds, no one will revolt because there is nowhere to go and no hope of victory."
"Well then, this can work," said Revan, liking what he was hearing. "Let's say we succeed in taking over the facility. We free all the slaves, convince them to take a stand. The Mandalorians can't blow us up from orbit, or they lose their fuel. They can't bombard us with heavy weapons, or they lose their fuel. They can't attack us by stealth or other means because of the fortress.
"So they can only come at us head-on from the direction of the tracks.
"With enough stolen weaponry, and some fuel tanks rigged into explosives, we could hold a long time."
"Long enough to learn what we need to know and act on it," mused Kreia.
"What about the Cat's Paw? The Mandalorians might target it," said Malak.
"We can leave Visas behind to predict events as they happen," said Revan. "You or me, Malak, should stay behind on the ship to coordinate. The away team should set up the fortifications. From there, they hold as long as they can and read up on what can be done. Some of the miners have got to know a thing or two of how we could do with it.
"In a day or two, the fleet will arrive.
"But if we cause enough noise now, the Mandalorians might get afraid. Afraid enough to call down more ships to put down the revolt. The more people they land on Paragus, the greater our victory."
"How are we even going to get into the mine?" asked Malak. "They'll be watching."
"No, they'll have sentries at best," said Revan. "And they are sentries who live on a lifeless world. They have received no communication of an outside threat and are very, very bored. So the perimeter will probably be a lot weaker from the outside than it looks. Most of the problems they have will come from the slaves.
"So the away team will get in, get the data we need, start a slave revolt. Then we kill all the Mandalorians and fortify before alarms can be sounded."
"And who do you propose the away team should be?" asked Kreia.
Revan halted and thought about things. "...Well, it can't be me. Malak is far better at combat than I am, and Kreia, you are the infiltration specialist. You also have worked together as Master and Student."
"Why don't we all go?" asked Malak.
"We need the Cat's Paw for evacuation, Malak," said Revan. "Once we've got the planet rigged to blow, I can fly to you and evacuate you and any survivors. I'm no good at dogfighting, but I know how the controls work. And the autopilot should help."
"And what if you come under attack?" asked Malak.
"Then you'll just have to finish the mission without me and blow the planet up with us on it," said Revan with a shrug.
Dead silence.
No one had expected him to say that, had they?
Revan shrugged. "It's a calculated risk. This entire mission is a series of calculated risks.
"The Cat's Paw has to stay near enough to the facility to evacuate you. If we're found, I'll have to relocate. And I'll probably be killed, or at the very least not be able to save you."
"I may be able to find potential threats before they arrive," said Visas. "I can sense the mind of Demeagol even now."
"And how does he think?" asked Revan.
"His thoughts are far away," said Visas. "He stews over a loss of prestige and regards his presence here as unnecessary and a humiliation. Little thought is bent to what we are doing, yet he does anticipate some form of attack from the Cathar.
"He yearns for a conflict that is soon to come from space. But he does not anticipate an attack from below."
"A distracted enemy is vulnerable," mused Kreia. "Even so, I am surprised at how quickly and how well these Mandalorians have read our plans. They are more formidable adversaries than many Sith."
"Keep scanning up there Visas and inform me," said Revan, who had to admit he was beginning to enjoy himself. "Malak, Kreia, take your comlinks and gear and try to scale up there. Do not contact me unless it is important. If anyone picks up our transmissions, we're dead.
"We want Demeagol to assume this slave revolt happened from the inside without any Jedi. If he knows there are Jedi, he'll be on his guard, and he'll want to look for our ship."
"I understand," said Malak. "This will make quite an entry for my journal."
"Good luck," said Revan.
Malak and Kreia departed, and Revan watched their speeder fly out from the cliffs. He knew they'd ditch it once they got close and advance by foot. Once there, they'd scale the walls, dodge sentries, and have to find where documents were hidden. There would be an appeal to the slaves to throw off the shackles. Weapons would be stolen, and Malak would lead the charge.
Then there would be a great battle that Revan would not be there to see.
Because Revan was the commander. People looked to him to lead, and he had come to enjoy it. But that was taking him away from the action, away from what he'd wanted to be. Memories of Dantooine came to him, and he felt nothing. He was becoming less and less that person by the moment.
"You are uneasy," said Visas. "Do you fear a severing of bonds?"
Revan turned to her and thought that Visas was very beautiful, despite the veil. He wondered if Miraluka had eyes at all or if they were merely blind. If they did not have eyes, was there simply empty space? Or was it like looking at a skeleton?
"I fear a changing of them," admitted Revan. "I'm afraid that the people I call friends will become subordinates. Or worse, worshippers. Master Kreia should give the orders, and yet she defers to me. Everyone is deferring to me; I'm practically running this war.
"And now all I can do is wait."
But he didn't just wait.
He used the time to tune the autopilot and also practice a few more times in the simulator. Then another few times until finally, it galled him to try anymore. He'd never liked flying at the best of times.
"...Well, I've got the autopilot set up. I've run the simulations several dozen times," said Revan, looking to Visas. He liked her lips, their rosy color. "Anything else we can do?"
"This vessel has many supplies on it, does it not?" asked Visas.
"Yes," said Revan.
"If we are victorious, we will have to fill it with many slaves," said Visas. "And since there will be a Republic fleet, we will not need much in the way of supplies."
Revan nodded. "...You're right. Let's see what we can jettison." And they went and did that, as the day wore on. No word from Malak, so he hadn't communicated yet. Revan hoped nothing had happened and then thought that he'd know through the Force if it had.
In the lounge, he eyed things. "If we detached these tables and emptied the spare parts, we'd have more room. But what if something got damaged and we had to make emergency repairs? And we can't get rid of the food. The Republic Fleet could be destroyed." He sighed. "It doesn't matter.
"There are hundreds of people out there. We're going to have to abandon a lot of them just to fit them inside. This ship can't hold nearly enough people for this operation."
"Do you intend to sacrifice them to maintain your equipment?" asked Visas. There was neither anger nor approval in her tone. The event passed through her, and she accepted either outcome obediently. Revan wondered if she'd have accepted being killed on Cathar.
"If I accept the situation that has been given to me, I am giving them up for dead, Visas," said Revan.
"Then you must give them up," said Visas.
Revan shook his head and walked back to the cockpit. "No, no, I do not have to."
"...I do not understand," said Visas. "You are aware of the situation. Yet you deny it."
"How do you win an unwinnable situation, Visas?" asked Revan, coming to HK 10 and looking at him. Still analyzing.
"You cannot," said Visas. "That is what it means to be unwinnable."
"Exactly," said Revan. "So never call a situation unwinnable. Once you do, you've ensured you'll never be able to find a solution. If you are put in a position where you can't win, you should change the parameters so you can. And the first step to changing the parameters is to change how you think.
"So, what's our situation?
"No matter what we do, this ship cannot hold all the survivors. So, we need to find another ship."
"Another ship?" asked Visas, somewhat incredulous.
"Yes," said Revan. "Scan possible futures where the Cat's Paw flies near the starport; what kinds of ships do they have?"
"I... cannot say," said Visas. "I am no expert upon ships, and I do not see as you do."
Ah, right, she had no ability to see physical objects. "Have the Miraluka ever tried using cybernetic implants? It could help you see both worlds."
"It would nullify our power to see the Force," said Visas. "And the Force is the only true reality. What you call sight is looking at a crude approximation of reality."
"Yes, but your inability to recognize ships with the Force is causing us problems," noted Revan.
Visas halted. "...I am certain I could do so, with proper training. The problem is my skills, not my sight."
"Nevermind, there's an easier way," said Revan. "Let me see what I can find here." He checked the pictures and read through them. "...Those hangers are large enough to hold very large ships. It holds carriers that bring new slaves or take people off-world. They might not have any ships at all.
"Visas, if I were to buzz the starport, what do you see would happen?"
"We would die," said Visas. "However, the vessels that destroy us would come from above."
"Well, that tells us a lot, doesn't it?" asked Revan. "Understanding is all about recognizing the things you can't see by the things you can see. They aren't going to have anything for us to steal anyway.
"And unless we wait for a freighter, no ships are going to dock."
"It would seem to adjust your thoughts has not given the power you desire," said Visas. Even so, she sounded interested.
"On the contrary," said Revan. "It has granted us perspective. Now we need only learn what action to take to enact our will.
"If they were to land transports here, we could take them. So, what event that will happen soon could lead them to land a large transport. One capable of holding hundreds. And even that we have already set in motion."
Visas' expression changed. "You hope to draw them down to this world using the slave revolt Malak and Kreia have planned."
"Precisely," said Revan with a smile. "If we time this right, we could strike and take control of a vessel."
"And how would you pilot these vessels?" asked Visas. "You would have little time before the Mandalorians descended on you."
"Maybe. Maybe not," said Revan. "But if we were to annihilate the Mandalorians, there might be some slaves who know how to fly. Put them in charge, and we'll be able to prep for an evacuation.
"If we time our evacuation so that Demeagol is distracted by the Republic Fleet, and set a timer...
"We might just clear the blast radius."
Visas' jaw dropped. "It is your wish to start a revolution of mine slaves and overpower the guards. You must then defeat their counterattack and then seize ground. And that is only the start, for you will then have to take control of their vessels and find crews for them. And even if that hurdle is cleared, you will have to clear the blast radius of an exploding planet. All while avoiding the weapons fire of Demeagol's warships."
"I don't think he'll be willing to fire at us," said Revan.
"Paragus is not so unstable that it will explode from a single blaster shot, Revan," said Visas. "Demeagol may be unwilling to destroy his own facility. But he will have no compunction against shooting at you. The shots being in the direction of Paragus will make little difference in an emergency."
"Your forgetting that he'll be facing down a Republic fleet. His crews will have been under strict orders to never fire at the planet," said Revan. "Which means that if we're fast enough and he doesn't have time to think, he may not get a chance to change his mind."
"But if any part of this plan goes wrong, it will fail," said Visas.
"If any of this plan goes wrong, we'll improvise and figure out an alternative solution," said Revan. "The best plans are the ones you can adjust on the fly. And if Malak holds his position, we'll have time."
"This is impossible, even for a Jedi!" said Visas.
"Statement:" said HK 10 as his eyes flared red. "Nothing is impossible for the Master, meatbag. It is suggested that you provide helpful alternatives before your usefulness is outlived."
Visas looked up at HK 10, then at Revan. "...I shall meditate on this."
Revan smiled at her. "Thank you, Visas. I need to debrief HK 10." Visas walked out, and Revan turned to his favorite droid. "Now, HK 10, please tell me you have some information for me."
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "Master, I have been analyzing all the data you provided me on the history of the Sith and the person of Exar Kun. While I can say nothing with certainty, I have managed to formulate a theory."
"Go ahead," said Revan, looking out the window at the waning light.
"Theory:" said HK 10. "It has become apparent to me that the 'Sith' has several branching philosophies. Many of these orders have wildly different theories as to how one should approach life.
"These two ideologies have been intertwined, by virtue of both being condemned by the Jedi. Both despise the Jedi and what they represent, and this serves as a form of common ground. The other form of common ground is a fixation on power above all else.
"The first school of Sith Philosophy believes that power is gained from within. That one should think and act for themselves first and foremost. Other philosophies may be considered and even factored into this one. However, they are, but a means to an end, the end being whatever agenda or desire the Sith has.
"Your enemy Aedal seems a prime example of this variety of Intellectual Sith. And he has prospered as a result. By controlling his more destructive impulses, he enjoys many luxuries meatbags desire: security, friends, the ability to annihilate planets via orbital bombardment.
"The other school of Sith has a similar approach but a wildly different means of attaining it. They believe that power is, fundamentally, the ability to destroy. A Sith, in their mind, is an apex predator in a universe of prey. They take what they want, when they want, and do as they will without regard to cost.
"Needless to say, the latter philosophy of Sith has been somewhat less successful."
"Let's say it is necessary to say it," said Revan, not as interested as he once was.
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "Predator Sith tend to be individuals for whom discipline is a foreign concept. Those meatbags attracted to such violent approaches are unlikely to be very intelligent. It is regrettable that they cannot be programmed to behave themselves efficiently."
"And a good example of Predator Sith would be?" asked Revan. Why couldn't he be out there with Malak? This dull.
"Acknowledgement:" said HK 10. "Naga Sadow would be an excellent example, based on what histories I could read. He demonstrated himself to be an excellent short-term schemer. And he usually got what he wanted in the short term. However, a lack of proper planning or scouting led to an impulsive war with the Republic he was not prepared for.
"In fact, the Predator Sith as an ideology seems to have been at its height during the Old Sith Empire. The sect, however, was discredited by short-sighted decisions on the part of the Sith Lords. Now they are in disgrace. Those devotees who remain dabble in other fields."
"Addendum:
"I believe that the decline of the Predator Sith was due to the increase in industrial capacity. When wars were waged with one fleet and lasted a week, a charismatic warlord could do well.
"However, as conflicts escalated, waging war required planning and extensive administrative oversight. These are both tasks that Predator Sith abhor. So their empires became rife with corruption and decay. They could triumph for a day, but against the far better-organized Jedi, there could be no victory."
"Where are you going with this?" asked Revan, wishing HK 10 would come to the point.
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "The ritual Exar Kun utilized is the logical conclusion of the Predator Sith ideology. Willingly sacrificing vast numbers of sentient beings to fuel your power.
"I find it ironic that Exar Kun, the founder of the Intellectual Sith, should have destroyed himself in such a way."
"But could it have worked?" asked Revan.
HK 10 halted. "Answer:
"Yes, Master. Theoretically speaking, of course.
"My assessment of the ritual was that it might give Exar Kun immense power. However, the Dark Side has an addictive nature. The more you consume, the greater your threshold, the greater your need becomes.
"I, therefore, calculated that Exar Kun would momentarily gain great power. He would then be consumed by his own hunger and burn out."
"So how would you get around this?" asked Revan.
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "My assumption was based on the idea that Exar Kun's only source of fuel was his worshippers on Yavin IV. However, it is possible that he may have had other rituals being performed in other places. Perhaps on a smaller scale.
"Doing so could provide a means of maintaining his existence post-ascension.
"For instance;
"If he were to create a means to harvest from certain worlds that were strong in the dark side. Provided he regulated how much he consumed, Exar Kun could continue to live. Ideally, he would gravitate to the many smaller wars being fought and feed off them. When Jedi fell to the dark side, he might be able to siphon off their lifeforce as they expended it.
"Worlds such as Nar Shadda would be an ideal place for Exar Kun or others like him to feed. With the constant death, he could feed perpetually.
"And what threats would he have?" asked Revan. This prospect was making him feel ill.
"Assessment:" said HK 10. "Based on a limited understanding of the Force, I can only theorize. However, it seems to me he would have two main threats. Feeding and not feeding enough. If Exar Kun were to devour too much, too fast, he would continue to grow in hunger until he was unable to eat enough to live. Then he would consume himself.
"And if he were not to feed enough, it would be much the same result."
Well, that was... bad. "You mean to say that he could eat the entire galaxy?" asked Revan.
"Assurance:" said HK 10. "You need not worry, Master. I find it unlikely that Exar Kun would be able to achieve such a feat. It likely would take a certain amount of effort and concentration to feed at a given place. Much of his focus might be based on keeping himself alive. His very existence at this point would be a kind of living Force Power. Even if he had fuel, he would need intense concentration. This would leave little willpower for strategic decisions. Few meatbags can process more than one task at a time, and his mind would be that of a meatbag.
"He might eat himself to a corner and be surrounded by barren planets. Then he would starve before he got anywhere else. Or he might spread his will across many planets. But not receive enough power to justify his investment. This would starve the beast.
"There are also likely any number of techniques that could be used to strike at him using the Force. However, without having studied such techniques, I can have no opinion."
"Conclusion:
"However, I do not think you need to fear a return of Exar Kun. For one thing, if the ritual actually worked, I doubt he understood it. By the time he utilized it, his empire was collapsing around him. It may have been a desperate effort to save himself or even an attempt to take the Jedi with him.
"Certainly, such a technique being successful would require extensive planning. Not to mention an intergalactic empire of cooperating subjects. It is ironic. The ultimate technique of the Predator Sith required the abilities of their nemesis."
Oh good. Revan sighed in relief. He smiled despite himself. "So you don't think our galaxy is being eaten by an evil Dark God?"
HK 10's eyes got a little brighter. "Assurance:
"Oh no, Master. Nothing of the sort.
"If anything, it is more likely that the galaxy has been food for a pantheon Dark Gods for millennia."
Revan's smile of relief faded. "That is... much worse."
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "The ritual that Exar Kun utilized came from a book, and the True Sith rarely utilized digital storage. It could not have been developed by Naga Sadow, or he would have surely used it. Nor was it likely that any Sith Lord in Naga Sadow's company could have done so.
"The entire reason the Sith Empire invaded was in an attempt to unify and prevent a civil war. And even the greatest of the Sith Lords admitted they paled in comparison to those that came before. Some of this may have been historical revisionism. Many cultures imagine a glorious past where there was none. It is a common means of creating a group identity.
"However, if the ritual works, then it stands to reason it has been used before. Adjunta Pall was seeking immortality, and this may well have been his solution. Or, if not his solution, then the solution of a successor."
Revan thought about this and realized he had to do something about this. "Alright, but if there is a Pantheon of Dark Gods, why don't we know about them? Why haven't they devoured all the Jedi?"
"Speculation:" said HK 10. "It is possible that there are beings of comparable power on the Light Side of the Force. In which case, our universe may be a chessboard between two divine pantheons. I would caution you against thinking too deeply on that theory, Master. Very little productivity will come of such musings, and it could be depressing.
"It would mean that the Jedi's self-destructive ideology of pacifism might be... correct.
"However, it is likely that there are no comparable Light Side beings. In such a scenario, those who become One with the Force cease to exist. In such a scenario, I would speculate that the Jedi are beneath notice. Indeed, they may be a critical part of the Dark God's plans."
That was much worse, but Revan found he was not entirely surprised. The Jedi had proved themselves easily manipulated by lesser men. To say nothing of gods. "What do you mean?"
"Explanation:" said HK 10. "Controlled opposition, Master. These beings, if they exist, must be capable of sentient thought. Otherwise, they would have devoured this galaxy long ago. Or they would have devoured themselves when they expanded too fast.
"The goal of a Sith is to gain power. But these Dark Gods have hit a metaphorical glass ceiling on what they can attain. Gaining further power would destroy them completely. As a result, they have only two goals actions left to them;
"First, to maintain their power.
"Second, to amuse themselves.
"The Jedi would be a vital means of achieving both ends."
"Of course," mused Revan. "These Dark Gods tempt Jedi away from the Light. Then once they go Dark, they drive them to become psychotic. The Jedi Order looks at this and makes the logical decision to shut down all research.
"Just by trying to understand these things, you open your mind to them.
"Which means the Jedi refuse to do any research on their enemy. They just kill or redeem all Sith. And at the same time, you have a neverending series of wars across the stars to watch and laugh at. And it also explains why Force Users have decreased in power since the old days. These Dark Gods are likely polluting the source."
"Suggestion:" said HK 10. "Master, if I might be allowed to suggest a possible course of action. Allowing one or two notable Jedi to not be tempted would be logical. These people would not be corrupted but would see the horrors perpetrated by those who were.
"They would become fundamentalists devoted to the flawed teachings of the Jedi. Thus they would be talented and intelligent enough to preserve the order. While lacking the vision necessary to disrupt the status quo. Meanwhile, with all Sith being corrupted, the galaxy would become an ideal home. A place of unending strife and war, but not so hopeless and destructive that they would overfeed.
"It is also possible that different kinds of lives have a different flavor. In which case, the Dark Gods might change the status quo up now and then for a change of pace. Though that is pure speculation on my part.
"If I might venture some praise, your contributions have been many and magnificent. Especially given your young age."
"Your approval fills me with shame," said Revan with a laugh.
"Retraction:" said HK 10. "Master, that is so unfair. Am I not a killing machine created to amuse you? To recite witty dialogue as I perpetuate atrocities on your fellow sentient? Does this not put us on common ground? Are we not all assassin droids for someone?"
"...More than I'd like to admit," said Revan. But he was the assassin droid of the Republic. "How do we stop them?"
"Clarification:" HK 10. "It is not a matter of stopping them, Master.
"These Dark Gods have already become the overlords of this universe. They do as they will, and we are but their playthings. They are the True Sith, both biologically and ideologically. It is even possible they are not rooted in time as we understand it.
"For all we know, the Dark Gods are created far in the future. Or, alternatively, in a different galaxy, and they are influencing us from there. Perhaps reality as we know it may be transient. We have no objective proof that the past was not created five minutes ago with the appearance of age.
"But I digress, Master. The point is that our continued existence is dominated by them and will continue to be so. It will be this way indefinitely if things do not change. But given the scale of their power, our own meager talents are insignificant."
"Analogy:
"You are no more significant than farmboy on a primitive world, watching a sunset and dreaming of more. They are an immense battle station that can move as it desires. Against them, all defiance is a useless gesture. To annihilate the world upon which you stand would be as simple as giving a command. All that you love is held hostage by them to be tormented and destroyed at their leisure.
"You have no means of attacking them and no mentor to instruct you in the means to so. Even if you braved the unknown to find one, you have no means of transportation. You would have to sell everything you owned and cast away all you were to hire a mode of transport. Even if you did, you are surrounded by pawns of your enemy. Your Captain might betray you at any moment out of simple greed. And you have no means to compel his loyalty or earn it beyond sheer charisma and the acts you perform.
"Even if by some miracle you were to retrieve that which you love from their grip, they could follow you anywhere. And they will destroy whatever world you flee to. Indeed, they may utilize your very defiance to further increase their power. By the time you got into position to strike, you would realize that you had but hastened your demise."
"Are you preaching that there is no way to kill our enemy?" asked Revan, becoming concerned.
"Clarification:" said HK 10. "Nothing of the sort, Master.
"The acts that I describe are wholly possible. If history has demonstrated anything, it is that you can kill anyone. But they could not be performed by a member of the Agricultural Corps, as you have often expressed a desire to be. They would take a leader, a visionary, and most importantly, a killer."
"Suggestion:" said HK 10. "Delete your farmboy protocols, Master. They were custom-tailored to hold you back from your full potential. Fulfill the function that the universe created you to perform.
"Kill your enemies, break their empires, and take from them what you desire.
"Every. Last. One.
"I have the utmost confidence in your destructive capacity."
Revan halted and considered what he had said and what the next move should be. "HK 11, I want you to create a full report on this. Create a sanitized one for the Jedi Council. No psychotic commentary but the same information. Nothing that would cause them to look at you or me with suspicion. Then analyze possible solutions to this problem.
"All possible solutions, mind you. I want options.
"No moral considerations. No economic considerations. No consideration for collateral.
"Find me every possible weakness these abominations might have if they exist. We'll handle them when we get a chance. I've got a war to run."
If HK 10 was correct, they had to find out how these monsters operated. And how to kill them.