So, next step on not being a stupid kid from Earth but monumental badass Revan. I walk down to where the lay members have quarters, brace myself and ring the bell.

"Who is it?" comes Alana's voice.

"Revan, I need your help."

It is a matter of seconds before the door opens. Alana looks up at me, eyes afire, "What can I do for you?" she says.

"The council has grounded me. I need a ship."

"What sort of ship?"

"Something a smuggler would envy. Fast, low profile both in real and hyper, able to land and take off quickly."

"That will be expensive,"

"Can we afford it,"

Alana pauses and thinks, "I think so, I'll get right on it."

"Excellent, thank you Alana."

My request takes four days, Alana does not disappoint. She has not only found a first-class ship, but also a pilot. We go to meet them. It's not far, but I get the sense the pilot would rather be somewhere else. No force powers needed He's constantly looking over his shoulder. Then again, if I had a ship like that, I would be nervous too.

My first thought is 'Stealth Bomber'. It's a matt black flying wing gently resting on repulsors. There is a bulge in each wing housing a thruster. Small openings indicate blaster ports. After a bit of concentration, I notice the cockpit windows. This thing looks fast just floating in the hanger.

The pilot is tall scrawny and seems familiar for some funny reason. He's twitchy but brightens when he sees Alana and quickly checks his clothing and adjusts it a bit. Since all that tells me about him is that he's not dead.I follow Alana.

"You the credits?"

"I am, Jedi Revan."

"The anti-slavery guy?"

I nod, "That's me,"

"Thought you Jedi didn't care about that. "

"I care and I will make the Galaxy know how I feel."

"Balsy. So how does that 'muttering nonsense' help?"

Besides me, I can sense Alana stir and I reach out my hand to steady her.

"Because it works. A Jedi's powers come from beseeching the universe for a response, however, what is little know is that anyone can do it?"

"Anyone?"

"I can't have you lifting things or reading minds. However, anyone can benefit from the meditation and the clarity and focus it can give."

"Could you, say, teach someone to blank their mind, so it couldn't be read."

"Depends, if a master tries and can get close or make contact there is little anyone can do, Then again if you need to mask yourself from a regular adept at a card game,.."

The man is suddenly intent, gotcha.

'Well, Jedi, looks like you've got yourself a ship."

"Then we'll leave tomorrow, Mr?" I say holding out my hand.

"Rand, Atton Rand."

Well, damn.

The next step is to pick up the Princess. After giving the gang directions to the hanger I walk to the Temple's cells. She's mainly in there for her own protection. She is a Sith in a Jedi institution after all. On guard is Jalen. Somedays the universe sets to easy mode. I walk up.

"Jedi Revan"

"Jedi Jalen."

"I am leaving with Kalan."

"I can't let you do that Revan, Council orders, besides you have no transport."

"Say that I have. I am intending to return her to her family. She's eighteen standard. Even though she's a Sith she has a mother, a father and a brother."

Jalen flinches. He too has a sister, one that was taken into slavery.

"So is it can't or won't let me past?" I say.

Jalen pauses. While he wrestles conscience against duty I lay a hand on his shoulder, "Come with us, resolve that conflict within you, strike back against a common enemy and rescue your sister."

Jalen winces, "I, I can't." he says.

"Feel that? That is your fear. It has a hold on you."

"But, the council," protests Jalen.

"Are holding you through fear. Is that right? Use the Force, take hold of your passions, your desires."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want?"

Again Jalen struggles internally. It's his devotion and loyalty to the Order against the family. "To rescue my sister," he says at last.

"Is that why you became a Jedi?"

Again a pause, then Jalen looks at me, "Yes."

"Then use that desire, use it to give you strength, let it give you courage, break your chains."

"Yes."

"The Force can free you."

"Yes!"

"Then come with me brother."

Jalen hugs me, "Yes, of course, Revan," he says before keying the door.

Inside Kalan rises, "This privatation is intolerable, you will..."

"Come with us because we are taking you home," I say interrupting the tirade as I hold out my hand.

Kalan briefly regards my hand as one would something nasty and venomous, sniffs and walks past us. "We shall go with you," she announces.

"Great, just do it quietly," I say and take the lead.

Escaping the Temple is almost routine. It's a several thousand years old structure built on what might well be an earlier version and while the main doors and starport are the most used ways in there are others. Along with all the service accesses are several not so secret passages. The Jedi Order is ancient by human standards and has well, let's call them safety vents for a rebellious student to let off some steam. Since the normal result is a sharp lesson in the ways of the world which ultimately proves instructive, everyone kinda looks the other way. I reach the door to the small meditation chamber which has a secret door leading to the outside.

Inside is a kneeling robed figure. It stands and throws back the hood revealing Master Kavar.

"Revan, Jalen. I would ask what it is you are doing, but I believe we all know," he says.

"I am doing what is right," I say. Okay, it's just Kavar, resident Battlemaster, hero of Tolphur V, no pressure.

"If this is right, why are you here sneaking out like a thief? Why not use the front doors?" asks Kavar.

Good point. Very good. An even better answer is needed right now. While everyone is calm and no one has pulled their weapon.

"The front door? Where I will be delayed and detained by words and deceit. I seek to return a woman to her family. I am leaving this way to avoid further pointless debate on the matter." I say.

"Deceit? The word of the Council is that of deceit. That is a very worrying accusation Revan."

"And the Council's attachment to maintaining the Status Quo is equally concerning. Quadrillions suffer Kavar. I know you can feel it. Does it not pain you? Does it not gnaw at your being that such injustice is allowed to continue?"

Kavar pauses. Yes! A hit there I think. Kavar would love nothing better than to take up the lightsabre and carve his way through the scum and villains that infest this Galaxy.

"It is what must be done. Every day the light of the Republic grows stronger. Every day there is progress. We must be patient Revan."

"No! You are being too cautious. You are afraid and this fear is allowing great suffering. Which I can abide no longer. Stand aside Kavar, or better, join me. Fight what you know will be the good fight." I say.

Kavar looks like he might do that but then he smiles, "You are good Revan, but not good enough. See, we are at an impasse, which means I win as all I need to do is prevent you from leaving. So, while admirable, you are misguided. We shall speak of this later."

I reach for my lightsabre, "Oh, but I insist," I say as I draw my weapon. In response, both Jalen and Kavar draw theirs.

Jalen looks nervous, "Revan?"

"Stand down, Jalen. This is between Revan and me. But don't worry, alone he cannot prevail." says Kavar.

"He is not alone." comes Kae's voice as the secret door opens revealing her. With her hand raised a blast of telekinesis slams Kavar into the wall. "Hurry, it will not hold him long."

"Kae! What are you doing?" says Kavar painfully, his face squashed against the wall.

"I am going on a sabbatical, to learn of the true nature of things. Be ready Kavar, for when I return there will no doubt be questions." says Kae making 'hurry up motions'.

We scramble down the passage and from there to exiting the temple. A short while later we are at the starport and we board quickly.

"Okay Rand, we are leaving now!" I call out. Moments later the repulsors hum as they lift the ship. Soon there is a change in pitch as the thrusters engage.

In the passenger suite Surik looks up, "Rand? Our pilot's Atton Rand?" she says eyes wide.

"Nah, I've hired the Iron Fist. Yes, it's Atton. Don't look so surprised. Of course, we would run into this era's Han Solo." I say.

Surik starts nervously checking her kit and armour. All the while she's glancing at the door leading to the cockpit. What is she worried about? So it's another key NPC? Big deal.

The door opens and Atton enters "Okay, we're clear and in hyper, now..." he pauses as he notices Surik. "Well, this job has all sorts of attractions."

Surik is uncharacteristically silent. What's going, wait.

Oops.

I patiently wait a moment. I then decide to let them off the hook.

"Good job Atton. Now, our current destination is Nicht Ta. Yes, Sith world. Yes, Black Hole. No, not crazy." I say.

Atton tears his gaze away, "Sure, Nicht Ta. No problem." he says and turns back to the cockpit.

I then get around to sorting everyone out. Not that hard. Alana seems to have anticipated that we would be growing in number. I'm soon left alone with Surik.

"If this is your idea of a joke," she growls.

"Why are you blaming me?" I say, Surik just stares, "Okay, fair enough but this is not my fault. I just told Alana to get me a ship."

"And she just happens to turn up him?" says Surik.

"For that, we must blame the Force. Anyways what's got you so rattled. We are not our characters." I say.

"He dies in my arms." hisses Surik.

"He does? I thought he vaguely wanders off " I say. The game was incomplete and the ending was a little fuzzy, a victim of being rushed.

"He says he loved me!" Surik continues.

"You sure this isn't some crazy fanon."

"It's bloody real. When we looked at each other I felt it. I lived it."

"Well, that's awkward. Remind me to stay away from Bastilla." I say.

"Be serious for a second. What do I do?"

"Always thought you were experienced in these matters, I'm just a NEET incel scrub. What do I know?"

"Oh, you're no use!" says Surik storming off.

Okay. So that was weird. I struggle to recall events of the second, truncated game. Let's see. there's Kreia, HK, the hot blind chick, the handmaiden, miss bounty hunter. Now Kreia constantly digs on Atton, but, what am I missing? Not being able to recall any pertinent detail I give up for now and go check on our new pilot.

Atton is working on the Navigation computer. He looks up,

"Oh, hey there. Just got the coordinates in. It's a few jumps, say six weeks." he says.

I'm looking forwards to six weeks of this? Great.

"So, who's the cute blonde merc?" asks Atton all casual.

"Surik? She's also a Jedi."

"In all that armour and kit? Could have fooled me."

"She's a little unorthodox, but still a Jedi,"

"Jedi, damn. Just damn. Are you sure? Because I swear I know her from somewhere."

"Quite sure, now, you were interested in some lessons to help shield your thoughts,"

Atton's face changes, brightening as he no doubt considers ways to fleece the previously thought unfleecable.

"Yeah, I did say that. How do we begin?"

"Okay, the first step is to clear your mind."

It's going to be a long six weeks.