KoTOR: The Grey Empire

by The Mercenary Chef

When Mar'kul Sunborne discovers that he is, in fact, Revan, he decided that the manipulations of the Jedi Council must stop for peace to be obtained. Rather than returning to the Sith ways, Revan decides to rebuild the Grey Order, with Mission Vao as his first apprentice. Adult situations will abound.

7. Starting to heal

Alright, ladies and gentlemen. First things first, I have changed my name here. It's been a long time coming, and I hope you all find it in your hearts to forgive the sudden change. Second, I know it took a while to get this out, but demand for my non-writing skills have been increasing what with Covid restrictions lifting, and I'm spending a lot less time at home.

Third, and finally, this chapter marks the end of the KoTOR timeline. the next few chapters will be fluffy, smutty, and full of world building for the between times until we enter into a very different Sith Lords telling.

Sit back, relax, and May the Force be with you.

With Tanis Shaderush leading the way, Bastila and I half dragged, half carried Mar toward the designated conference room. Juhani followed close behind. Before the door opened, Mar stood up straight, whispers of Force energy just on the edge of my senses as he made his way forward and into the room. Had to make a grand entrance, I guess. We all slipped in behind him, fanning out to watch the proceedings. He had told us to affect a relaxed posture, and to avoid looking at all threatening. Me? Threatening? Never.

The Republic commanders were all sitting at the far end of a table that had been filled with all manners of delicious smelling food, with the oldest and highest decorated of them seated at the far end. Only he seemed to have a sense of calm about himself. Considering they were unarmed and surrounded by people they believe to be their enemies, it was really unsurprising that most of them looked scared and angry.

Mar moved to the head of the table, motioning to the food that had as yet remained untouched. "Please, eat. The battle was hard fought, and I've never been one to stand on ceremony." he wobbled slightly as he eased himself into his seat. "Of course, I don't seem to be able to stand much as it is, right now." He added with a soft chuckle.

There was a murmur of polite and nervous laughter, but no one reached for any food. It was as if they thought it would be poisoned, or something. Like we would go through all that trouble when they could have simply been spaced out of an airlock. Seriously, some people have watched entirely too many Holo-dramas.

Seeing everyone's reticence, Mar used the Force to lift five Alderaanian pears from a bowl. And, after taking one for himself, sent the rest to us as we stood behind him. I will swear, upon pain of death, that I absolutely did not almost moan in pleasure when I took my first bite of that juicy, succulent fruit. Okay, maybe a little. But it was just so good, especially after the crummy rations we had on the Ebon Hawk.

Finally, the Republic at the end of the table grunted something unintelligible. Then, after running an exasperated hand through his short silvery hair, he reached for the leg of some kind of bird that had been roasted. The younger men seemed to take that as an all-clear, and began to dig in, themselves. Sensing that there would be no business discussed until everyone had their fill, Mar motioned for us to take seats near him. And, while I may have tried a little bit of everything, I definitely didn't pig out on half a dozen more of those pears, and there were most certainly not sweet, sweet juices dribbling down my chin.

The atmosphere, which had slowly been edging toward relaxed, shattered when one of the younger men at the other end of the table slammed his palms down on its surface and stood abruptly. "This is ridiculous! You're all sitting here as if there is nothing wrong with the fact that we've become the prisoners of a thrice damned Sith Lord that surrounds himself with women and children!" He then jabbed an angry finger toward Mar. "And you! Do you really think us so gullible? That this would be enough to sway us?"

I'd always laughed at people who used the term 'the silence was deafening'. Like, how could the mere absence of sound be compared to the concussive blast of a stun grenade? But, that's exactly what that man's words had been: a concussive blast that had robbed the entire room of noise. No one made a peep, but I could feel the troopers shifting uneasily around the room. Sure, the Republics were unarmed, but they had them outnumbered almost two to one. That's rarely good odds for the cannon fodder.

The man only seemed to get more agitated when no one else spoke up, until a deep, throaty laugh, riding on wings of the Force, fluttered through the room and into everyone's minds. "It would seem to me that my men did a poor job of explaining what has happened today. My dear fellow, I am no Sith Lord. I am the man that has defeated a Sith Lord. I am a man who has stared into the darkest reaches of Uncharted Space, where the True Sith await the perfect opportunity to return and subjugate humanity. Nay, the entire Galaxy, both human and alien. All sentient life will fall to their whims should we let them."

He then motioned for us to stand and line up beside him facing the man. As I moved, I felt a tug at the back of my belt, and was surprised to find my hold-out blaster floating in front of Mar's face. Just what the Hell was he planning? "As for these 'women and children' who you are so easy to dismiss, they are some of the most powerful Force-users I've had the pleasure of meeting." The blaster then floated toward the man who looked just as shocked as I felt. "There is one charge left in the power cell of that blaster. I wish you to fire at one of them." He sent us a mental command to deflect to disarm, which I imagined to be for Tanis' benefit.

The officer grabbed the blaster, holding it nervously before himself. It looked like he barely knew which end to point at us. "You want me to shoot one of your subordinates?"

Mar waved away the concern. "I want you to try." The wave turned into something of a 'hurry up' motion. "Go ahead, no harm will come to you."

I could practically see the wheels turning in his head, debating whether or not he should simply turn the weapon on the man who gave it to him. Though, he seemed to realize that even if he did, he and his compatriots would be dead long before the shot connected. Resolve washed over his face, and I felt the barest tingle of danger as the barrel of my blaster was leveled at my face. It seemed to happen in slow motion; the white-orange flash of light glowing and growing as it raced toward my face, and only instinct coupled with Mar's harsh training allowed me to ignite and lift my blade in time to deflect the bolt back at the weapon, hitting just above the trigger well and knocking it out of his hand.

I quickly rushed over to retrieve my lucky blaster, making sure I didn't accidentally damage it. Satisfied, I changed out the power cell and tucked it back into its holster. +Could you at least warn me next time you plan to do that, Master?+

"Tell me, why did you choose my apprentice over the others?" He asked the Republic, pointedly ignoring my question.

The man had paled somewhat at hearing that I was Revan's apprentice. "Because she seemed to be the least dangerous, and easiest to kill."

Mar leaned forward, "Because she appears as a child compared to you?"

He hesitated, definitely realizing where this example was heading. "Yes."

A small smirk played at Mar's lips. "And does the Republic make a habit of firing blasters at children?"

The guy's agitation spiked again and he nearly shouted, "You told me to make a choice, so I chose what I felt would have the highest chance of success!" While I didn't like being underestimated, with the exception of the troopers, his assessment might have been true. Just meant I had to train harder.

Mar then leaned back in his seat, arms spreading slightly in a 'there you have it' gesture, and his smirk shifting into something much more amiable. "Our choices are what lead us to where we are, Commander. Years ago, I chose to defy the decisions of the Jedi Masters, forsaking their teachings in order to help the Republic against the rising Mandalorian threat. I chose to defend the weak and helpless instead of offering empty platitudes and calls for patience and understanding. Action instead of debate. I chose to bring war to a people who only understood war.

"Because of my choice, and the choice of the dozens of Jedi who followed me, the Republic survived the Mandalorian War. Unfortunately, the end of the war was not the only thing to be found on Malachor Five. Knowledge long forgotten was found, that spoke of an ancient threat waiting in the darkest reaches

I knew that I would find no help from the Jedi. After all, if they would not act when war was at their doorstep, what hope did I have of convincing themselves of this previously invisible threat? You men and your Republic troops would be of little help. You had barely survived, and needed time to rebuild from the devastation wrought by the Mandalorians. No, I would need to find another way."

He paused, taking a moment to sip from a glass of a very dark red wine, it almost looked like blood. "Using knowledge I had gained, I sought out the Star Forge, knowing it to be the key to building an army to face these mysterious 'true Sith' and hoping I could use these forces to bolster your own fleets. Unfortunately, by the time I had been prepared to make my offer, the Jedi Council had declared me Fallen, and branded me, former Knight of their own order, a Dark Lord of the Sith.

At that point, I had two options: Surrender myself and the Forge to their judgement, put the greatest tool for Galactic defense in the hands of men who would never use it, leaving us all vulnerable to the coming enemy. Or, I could fight back, take control of the Galaxy, and prepare it for yet another war.

That was my choice. To become their boogeyman, Darth Revan. To save the galaxy, by bending it to my will, if I must. And though I wore that mantle, I still did everything I could to treat all creatures of the Galaxy with as much respect as I could. It was not until the Jedi sent assassins after me, and the betrayal of Malak, that the war as you've known truly began. Malak had never been interested in defending the weak, and truly became the Dark Lord that I had been made out to be. That path of destruction he wrought was a being entirely of his own creation.

Though he had hoped me dead, I healed. And with no memory of who I used to be, I became Mar'Kul Sunborne. It was that life that allowed me to meet the women before you, as well as many other powerful warriors, including your very own Carth Onasi."

Surprise was etched on many of the older officers' faces, making it very clear that they knew the name. "He and I rarely saw eye to eye about the methods we were forced to employ on our journey, but he has seen what awaits the Galaxy if we do not stand united. Gentlemen, I need you to stand with me. To save the Galaxy so that it may survive for your children and our children's children." He finished his speech in a low, impassioned tone, one that almost screamed his sincerity. His solemn face nearly pleading with them.

The men before us were stunned into silence. This was the Dread Lord Revan? He was so… human. I watched as they seemed to hold silent conversations with their eyes. Eventually, the younger officer stood again, although with much more care, and turned to Mar. "If we all have choices, what happens to us should we choose to remain faithful to the Republic?" a few nods from the other men made it clear that this was their concern as well.

"An important question." Mar conceded with a nod. "I expect that at least a few of you think that I would use the fear of death to sway you. Fortunately for you, that is not the kind of person I am. No, those who choose their loyalty over unity, officer and soldier alike, will be returned to Republic-controlled space so that they may return to their people."

The man blinked, incomprehension and disbelief etched on his face. "That's it? No threats to silence us if we expose your plans to the Jedi or the Senate?"

Mar shrugged. "To what end? I've already given you multiple examples of the Council's inaction, and the Senate has been so busy fighting amongst itself over petty things to even consider bringing war to the table unprovoked." He took a long, slow sip of his wine. "Besides, were I to even attempt to silence one of you, it would make you a martyr, a symbol for the Republic to rally behind. Why would I give that kind of weapon to someone who might wish me ill?"

The man sat down again, a troubled expression on his face as he considered Revan's words. As I scanned the room, everyone seemed to be deep in thought. Even Bastila and Juhani, who knew almost all of what he had said, were pensive. It really made no difference to me, though. Mar was Revan, and Revan was Mar, and the choices that brought him to me were his. The only things that mattered now were the choices we all were going to make together.

Eventually, the oldest one of the group, a stubby glass of some kind of amber alcohol in his hand, stood. "I was with you for nearly a dozen battles throughout the Mandalorian War, Revan. Anyone who fights on behalf of the weak and helpless as vehemently as you did can not be the evil megalomaniac that we've all been led to believe that you are." he then raised the glass toward Mar. "I will stand with you against this new threat."

Mar gave the man a serene smile and tipped his own glass toward him. There was a brief murmuring between the others, and soon every officer in the room had agreed to join our cause. I was really surprised that even the one who had been leading the verbal confrontation had acquiesced.

Finally, the meal ended, and everyone had enjoyed at least one drink while their food settled. Mar slowly stood, leaning slightly against the table for support. "I thank you all for siding with us against the coming threat. Please return to your ships and inform your men of their options and send your modified rosters to Moff Sybaris of Fleet Command in twenty-four hours. Good night, gentlemen." He then strode purposefully out of the room as we filed out behind him, keenly aware of the Force energies he was using to sustain himself.

As soon as the door closed, he slumped slightly, leaning heavily against me, and I struggled to hold him up. "Let's stop here for a second, Sapphire." He said, and I helped him limp toward one of the walls. "Not going to lie, that actually took more out of me than the fight with Alec." He chuckled. "Or maybe I'm just finally tapped out. It has been a long day, after all."

Bastila was immediately at his left side, once again. The amount of fussing she was doing over the wound, especially after knowing that she couldn't do anything to fix it herself was a little annoying to me, but I understood that she was feeling really guilty about it. I'd probably have been doing the same if it had been me. Mar just kept giving her a soft smile, showing her that he was not holding it against her at all.

Before we had a chance to do or say anything else, the comm units in our ears crackled to life. "Ordo to Sunborne."

"Go ahead, Canderous."

The old Mandalorian laughed jovially. "Quite the set of speeches you made there, Revan." He emphasized the name. "Reminds me why we lost the war. You and your followers could inspire greatness from even the lowest caste of warrior."

"Words and action did that, my friend. The ability to speak well is not a bad thing if you can also fight with the same skill."

Candy's grim laughter echoed through the comm. "I'll stick to glorious battle, Whelp." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm going to leave now to return the Mandalorians to Glory. We will rise again. Clan Ordo will rise again."

Mar smiled knowingly. "May you die in Glorious Battle."

As the comms went silent, I sighed. That old Mandy was leaving us to continue on his personal quest, but I had a weird feeling that we'd be seeing him again in the future.

With Juhani's help, and Bastila's lead, we made our way through the Forge. Eventually, she stopped in front of a fairly large and ornate door. "This will be our quarters until we are ready to leave the Forge. It is large enough to comfortably house all four of us." She reached for the security panel in the wall, but stopped and turned to her pierced apprentice. "Tanis, please be a dear and bring our Lord to the nearest medical bay while I help these two refresh themselves."

"Yes, Mistress." The raven-haired former Sith easily took my place and half carried, half dragged Mar down the hall and out of sight.

Fond smile on her face, the Princess opened the door to probably the most lavish apartment I'd ever seen. Decorative white stone and dark woods were everywhere. A large sitting area off to the left of the door had a number of plush chairs and couches in various shades of red, and I could see two doors on the far side. One was closed, and I assumed it to be the refresher, the other was wide open, and I could just make out a very large bed in the darkness. She ushered us in and led us to the refresher, and I could not believe how opulent it was. The white stone theme continued, and there was a bath basin that could comfortably fit at least six people. With a wave of her hand, the golden faucets began pouring hot, somewhat flowery smelling water.

Bastila gave us a sad smile before she began to unfasten her robe. "Once I had made my promise to serve him, Malak gave me these quarters. Looking back now, it was clear that he was doing everything he could to ensue my subservience." She sighed as her robes hit the floor, a strange mix of relief and remorse. "I should have seen his manipulations for what they were, but I was too eager, too full of my misplaced anger…" She had her back to us, and her head dipped, shoulders slumping. "How am I going to make everything right with Revan? I hurt him so much, and not just physically." I could feel her closing in on herself as she began to mumble to herself, seeming to forget that we were even there. It was when I heard her say "Will he even want to look at me, anymore?" That I realized I needed to do something.

Gently, yet firmly, I wrapped my arms around Bastila's waist, resting my chin on her right shoulder, and my cheek brushed against her ear, causing her to shudder in my grasp. "You're thinking too much, you know that, right? Didn't Mar already answer every thought bouncing in that pretty little head of yours? Didn't that knee-bending, toe-curling kiss show you just how deep his feelings went?" I could see her cheeks start to go pink, and I knew I had her. "There isn't a single thing anyone can do to make him stop loving you, or us." I then peeked a bit further over her shoulder and down her body as I cupped a pair of breasts that were definitely bigger than mine, but smaller than Juhani's, and annoyingly perky at that. "And with these babies, I would definitely not be worried about whether or not Mar'll be willing to look at you."

Bastila immediately wriggled out of my grasp, her arms covering her chest and a scandalized look on her face. "Mission!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, come off it, Princess. I know you want to hop on his flight stick just as bad as we do."

"Be that as it may," She huffed, not denying it as she eased herself into the piping hot water. "it's still a little surreal. I can feel his emotions toward myself, and those he holds for the two of you. And beyond that, I have felt echoes of the sensations you've all shared together. The touches, the ecstasy. It… it just feels off, knowing that I'm so far behind the two of you, but holding such a place within him." The way she moved her hands in the water was uncharacteristically shy, completely different from the confident woman that had travelled with us before.

Juhani sighed, a mixture of frustration and a contented groan as she also eased into the waters. "Bastila, I have already explained, our Master desires nothing more than for us all to be on the same page. In fact, if you were to enter his mind right now, you would see exactly how much he wants to get you 'up to speed'. I must say, his thoughts make me wish to do them to you as well." She purred saucily, leaning forward.

The brunette's cheeks flared brightly, and I knew that she had done as the Cathar had suggested. Coughing loudly to clear her own thoughts, Bastila turned toward me. "I must confess, I find it unusual that Revan was able to sense the latent Force sensitivity within you where the Jedi Council could not." Not the most graceful change of subjects, but I wasn't going to judge her for it.

Juhani scoffed at her words. "The Jedi could not see beyond their own noses, and the plans that they had lain for our Master. They could not be bothered with something as insignificant as a young Twi'lek Hanger-on."

"They still should have sensed it." She argued. And I suppose that was true, they should have sensed the fact that I was a Sensitive. The fact that they didn't said a lot about them. "Could you tell me how it happened, please?"

So I did. I told her everything about the training, my conversation with Juhani, and, to my eternal embarrassment, having accidentally projected my thoughts and feelings for him. She had gotten an especially good laugh out of that. After a moment's thought, she sighed. "We are exceptionally lucky that he has as large a heart as he does. Otherwise, I fear that there would be two broken hearts amongst us."

"Three broken hearts, Bastila." The Cathar corrected. "If our Master's heart was only large enough for one, then it would still belong to the Exile, Surik."

"But, she has been gone, vanished into the Outer Rim for years. No one has seen or heard from her since the trial on Coruscant."

"Would something as trivial as that prevent him from loving her?" Juhani pressed.

"No, I suppose not." Bastila replied after a brief pause. "Still, we are blessed to have him, and for him to be the person that he is."

That made me think for a moment. Would it have really mattered to me if he had gone Dark again? Would he still have loved me? Would I have loved him still? I thought back to that moment on Tatooine as he debated with HK-47 on how to handle the Sand People issue. I could see just how close he had been to storming the enclave and slaughtering every single Tuskan Raider they came across. Not just the men, but the women and the children, too. Part of him seemed to revel in the idea, much as the droid had. That was when I had realized that everyone had a darkness within them, a compulsion to take the easy or violent solution. But I knew, even then, my love for him so strong that I would follow him anywhere, even into the deepest darkness. Summarizing my thoughts, I merely said, "I think, as long as Mar loved me, I would have followed him. Even if he became Darth Revan again."

"I feel I would have as well." Bastila added thoughtfully. "The emotional freedom I've experienced of late is not something that I would willingly be able to give up and return to the Jedi. Were Revan to return to his old ways, and still extend his hand to me, I would not have hesitated. Though, I fear that our fight would have played out far different were he to have chosen Light or Dark."

Juhani looked pensive. "I am… uncertain." She began. "While his strength and will are nearly overwhelming in their potency, without his great compassion, I would not have survived our encounter on Dantooine. Would Darth Revan still be as compassionate as our Master? I can not answer."

"I don't believe for a second that Revan has been anything other than a caring, compassionate man." Bastila declared. "Even at his darkest, he was still mindful of the needs of others, and still cared greatly in his own way. It was why Malak turned on him. He saw that as weakness. No, Revan may have been ruthless against those who continually stood against him, but there is no way that the bombardment of Taris, Telos, and Dantooine would have happened under his direct command."

Bastila suddenly turned her head toward the door, a slow smile spreading on her face. "It seems that Tanis has returned with our foolish love. She has settled him in the bed and dismissed herself for the night." Her smile turned into a mischievous smirk. "I know he will probably be too tired to fully appreciate it, but what say we give him a little 'show of appreciation' to thank him for being the man that he is?"

The Cathar's lips quirked into her own smirk. "Did you have something in mind?"

A few minutes later, we were all washed up and walking into the darkened bedroom, completely topless and wearing nothing more than skimpy little unders hugging our hips. Juhani's strut put her body completely on display. Her tawny fur sleek and thin down her front, hardened nipples peeking through, and accentuating her muscular curves. Bastila, though less confident, still stood proudly, her impossibly perky breasts bouncing slightly as she sashayed her way into the room.

I, on the other hand, felt like I was sporting a full-body violet blush, my body felt so warm as I realized that Mar's gaze was fully on us. He had looked up as soon as the door had opened, and his eyes had nearly bugged out of his head at seeing us bare-chested. Brief pangs of desire washed over me through the Bond, and my own need responding was so not helping me focus.

Honestly, I had been surprised at Bastila's suggestion. When I asked, she merely said that part of her had been wanting to express herself to Mar for weeks before her abduction, but the Jedi teachings would not allow her to take that step. Add in the flashes of memories that she had gotten when the Bond completed, and she didn't feel the need to slow things down now that she was with us. And that made me very happy. Juhani was also beyond words.

Like us, Mar was also shirtless, his wonderfully defined torso propped up by a mountain of pillows. His left shoulder was heavily bandaged, and I could make out the splint securing his right knee. That meant we really had to be careful, but there was no way we were going to let him suffer alone. He had saved the galaxy from Malak, and saved Bastila from both the Jedi and the Sith, saved Juhani from her darkest impulses, and of course, saved me from a short, brutal life on Taris.

As we had agreed, Juhani stepped to the foot of the bed first. "Masterrr…" She purred, striking a pose the moment she reached the very large bed before beginning a sensual crawl toward him, her breasts swaying hypnotically. "Do you like what you see?"

The moment she was within reach, Mar's right hand cupped her cheek, caressing it gently. Warmth spread through the Bond. "Without a doubt, Kitten. You are all beautiful and I am blessed to have you. I do not know what I would do with even one of you." Mar then drew her closer, pulling her into a soft, yet passionate kiss. It sent waves throughout the Bond, stoking the gentle fire that had ignited the moment we entered the room.

The phantom touches alone had my legs feeling like Ithorian Slug Jelly, and wobbling slightly, I made my own way to the bed, leaning over Juhani to steal a kiss. Mar's hand started to caress my Lekku, sending electric jolts through my body, and eliciting a strangled moan from Bastila. I looked over my shoulder to see her shuddering, eyes closed. "It's only going to get more intense, you know." I laughed a little as she nearly collapsed onto the bed, panting heavily.

"That… that was incredible." Her voice coming out in a breathless whisper. Shakily, she crawled up to Mar's left side, carefully nestling his wounded arm between her breasts. "I should probably tell you that I'd always admired you, Revan. From the moment you stormed out of the Masters' chamber at the Enclave in order to take the fight to the Mandalorians."

The fire, which had been growing steadily, wavered a moment as Mar's attention turned fully to Shan's words. So much for sexy time, I guess. His hand sliding down my back to play along and underneath the band of my unders, however, told me he wasn't done with us yet. "Truly?" He asked.

Bastila nodded resolutely. "Yes. The way you stood up to the Council, speaking so passionately about something you believed to be right. It was more than any Youngling, Initiate, or Padawan could ever dream to do. I had wished to join you on that day, but I had not yet constructed my lightsaber, and my Master continued to claim that I was not ready to begin training in earnest. I would have been a hindrance.

"No sooner had you left than the Masters began to poison our ears, telling us all that your march was a thing of the Dark Side, that by creating a schism within the Order, you had doomed billions. Force help me, but I began to believe them." She squeezed his arm tightly, treating it like a security blanket. "By the time the Jedi had begun organizing their strike against your flagship, I believe that you were indeed as dark as they claimed. Yet still I held on to a sliver of hope. That by going, I could somehow convince you to walk amongst the Light once again." She shook her head at her own foolishness, wavy chestnut hair flowing around her shoulders. "The things a girl will do for a silly childhood crush."

That stopped me cold. Bastila'd been crushing on him this entire time? Seven years of unrequited love that not even the teaching of the Jedi could fully suppress. That had to have been why she was so harsh with him whenever he strayed from the 'Precepts of Light' during our journey.

Juhani chuckled and sighed, a movement that pressed her large breasts against Mar's equally bare chest. She then lay on his right side, leaving me in the middle. "Our stories are not so different. Mere months after your Jedi joined the battle, I was aboard a freighter that had been fleeing Mandalorian controlled space. We had been forced to land on a forest moon. We thought we had escaped them in the dense woods until we had been surrounded, backs against a rock face that none of us would have been able to scale. As two score warriors closed in on us, and myself being nothing more than a frightened orphan, I had resigned myself to the knowledge that I would become a slave to those scum.

"It was then that I felt a hum of Power, and suddenly there was a man in grey robes and a dark hood obscuring his face standing between us and them. And when he spoke, his words were as honey and steel. "These refugees are no threat to you, Mandalorians. What glory is there in tormenting women and children?" The eerily calm voice with which he spoke seemed to have most of our pursuers on edge.

"One however, stepped forward. "You speak well, Jedi." He said, earning a laugh from his companions. "No, the clans are in need of servants. Your death, on the other hand will bring my men and I great Glory."

"The cloaked man sighed as the enemy readied their weapons. "Is there truly no way to convince you? Very well…" His lightsaber seemed to materialize in his hand, a bright violet beacon within the fading sunset. Many were cut down with his first strike, as he had jumped within their ranks too fast for them to react. The rest had put up a feeble resistance, with only a single Basilisk posing the barest of threats. No match for the warrior they faced.

"I was shocked. This one man had stood against a force as great as the one that had burned down my village and killed my family. Stood against them and emerged victorious. I knew at that moment that I desired to be like that man, that I desired that man. "Please," he spoke suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts, "If you would follow me, there is a vessel nearby that will be able to take you to Republic Space."

"It was not until I was aboard the new ship that I found out who the man I owed my life to was. A Republic soldier has been complaining about having been taken out of the fight in order to transport refugees. The man seemingly materialized from around a corner, serene voice already escaping his lips. "Saving the victims of war is every bit as important as stopping the threat itself, soldier. The moment we forget that is the moment we become no better than the Mandalorians."

"The soldier had nearly tripped over himself to stand at attention, his face nearly ashen. "My apologies, General Revan. I was simply hoping for a chance to take the fight to the Mandies." to which you had replied, a grim smile on your face. "Do not worry. By the end, you'll have had more fighting than you could possibly have dreamt of.""

Juhani gave him the most loving look I'd ever seen from her, and I could see vague traces of the young Cather orphan, beset by the heights of hero worship. Or maybe I was projecting my own feelings from when I met him. Before I could think about it more, she continued. "It was then that I swore that I would become a Jedi like you: powerful yet kind, passionate yet calm. I arrived on Dantooine to learn that your name was a curse amongst the Masters, with Vrook being the most acerbic at any mention of you. I kept my devotion to you and the ideals you showed me secret, and seeing them in another caused feelings for my own master to bloom, even as my resentment of the Council grew.

"It all came to a head on the day I confessed my feelings for my master. She immediately rebuffed me, telling me my feelings were the Dark Side, and that I was even lower than you, the 'disgrace of the Order' for letting my passions rule me. To hear someone I thought I loved speak so ill of you was something that I could not bear. That was the true reason I attacked her and fled to the Khunda Plains. Over time, I lost hope; hope that I would be like you, that I would find you. I despaired, sullied as I was."

She nuzzled her cheek against his, as much a symbol of her affection as a way to calm herself after telling her story. "The day you found me, I did not recognize the man I desired, and I attacked. You defeated me so easily, your movements and speech rekindling my memory even though you had lost yours. I had found you at long last, and I swore myself to you, to give everything I am in order to serve you." She then rested her head on his shoulder, pressing as close to him as she could while his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, a silent gesture of comfort.

To think, they'd both been holding torches for him for so long, and here I was, somehow right in the middle of them all. Did I really deserve to be?

Mar's chest began to rumble with soft laughter, and I did my best to glare at him from where I lay on his chest. "Why wouldn't you deserve to be here, Sapphire? You are smart, cunning, and graceful, not to mention possessing healthy doses of determination and passion. And while it is true that they've known of me for many years, you, my dear Mission, have the distinct pleasure of being my first true Apprentice." He smiled at me as I fought my blush down. That damned infuriatingly sexy smile. I decided that his smile needed to go away, so I dragged myself up his body, doing my best to ignore the way my nipples danced over his chest, and pressed my lips against his.

It wasn't really a chaste kiss. No, that went out the window as soon as I ran my tongue over his lower lip. But neither was it the most frenzied lip lock I'd shared with Mar. I'd just wanted to get us away from our memories and into the present. Seriously, we're almost naked, and all the way horny, why hasn't he…

I was suddenly made very aware of the way his very naked thigh was pressed up against my barely covered bits, the muscles in his leg flexing and relaxing in a way that caused some very delightful sensations to crawl up my spine. I was vaguely aware of my other two bondmates moans, Mar's hands obviously getting up to some mischief. I was tempted to let my own hands wander, since there was something really stiff poking into my stomach, but before I could even try, I felt soft hands grip my Lekku and begin to stroke them. All the joy and arousal I'd felt since getting in bed coalesced and exploded like a hyperspace jump, and my eyes clamped shut so tightly as the pleasure crashed into me that I was actually seeing stars.

We all lay there for a few minutes, catching our breath, but I could feel Mar's eyes watching me as my chest heaved, pressing my boobs against him. I looked up and saw something I never thought I'd ever see; his cheeks were tinted red. Though whether it was from embarrassment or exertion, I couldn't tell. It didn't matter to me, either way. I just gave him a tired smile and a whispered "I love you." before resting my head back on his chest.

"I love you, too, Sapphire." He replied. "And you, Kitten," He began when Juhani began to purr. "I had no idea you were amongst that group of refugees, but I am truly glad that I was there to protect you that day, for it brought you here to me now. I love you." His body shifted slightly to his left, giving Bastila a soft kiss on her forehead. "Princess, Had I known that you had wanted to join me on my quest, I would have taken you and trained you, myself. But, because that didn't happen, you were in a position to save my life on the day Malak betrayed me. I am glad you were there, just as I am glad that you are here, now. I love you."

I could see, hear, and feel his weariness, so without another word, I bent backward in a display of flexibility that allowed Mar to drink in the sight of my naked chest, grabbed the sheets, and pulled them over us all, snuggling myself back into my new Revan body pillow.

I was content, Mar was happy, Bastila was safe, Juhani was… Juhani, and we were ready to take the Galaxy by storm.

Sorry if things felt a little rushed at the end, I spent so long trying to find a way to smooth the end of the chapter, but it just kept fighting me. they were tired, I'm tired, let them sleep it off.

As I said before, the between years start in the next chapter, and Mission finally gets what she's wanted.

Until next time, Kitties.