Chapter 7: Visions
Carth sat alone with his thoughts in the cockpit of the Ebon Hawk. Canderious had flown the ship up from the Rakata planet and docked with the Liberty. He stared blankly at the screen until his communicator beeped dragging him out of his thoughts.
"Yes?" He talked into the communicator.
"Carth, this is Admiral Dodonna," The communicator spoke.
Carth sat up straight, "How can I help you Admiral?"
"Most of the fleet is moving out, and we have decided to postpone the official ceremony. It will be held on Coruscant, the Liberty will be joining the ships heading to Coruscant so I'm sure they won't mind you hitching a ride, and Doctor Mirria tells me it will be awhile before… Revan is back on her feet."
Carth caught the hesitation in the Admiral's voice when she said Revan, "Yes, Admiral, thank you for informing me." Carth saluted her.
Carth stared at the communicator for a few minutes, trying to decide his next course of action. He suspected the Liberty, and most of the other ships would be on there way shortly.
Might as well find something to do… He thought.
******
The republic fleet shimmered above the Rakata planet like so many stars. Many were damaged and many more had been lost in the fight over the Star Forge. Quickly they turned away from the planet, engines glowing as the fleet moved out and jumped into hyperspace. Only a handful of ships were heading to Coruscant, many others were heading to space docks for repairs and the bulk of the fleet to continue the fight against the Sith. The Sith fleet was in disarray and the chain of command was breaking down but they were still a threat and like injured animals they fought back, refusing to give in so easily. But with the Star Forge destroyed and Malak dead who would take command and try to rally the Sith against the Republic…
******
Mission watched the corridor, waiting for an opportunity to sneak past the nurses. The two nurses were chatting as they walked down the corridor and didn't notice Mission hiding in the shadows. She careful snuck out of the corner and quickly walked into one of the medical rooms.
"Hey Mission," Revan smiled at Mission, "Did you manage to get what I wanted?"
Mission grinned, "Yup and no one noticed me." She placed some folded clothes on Revan's bed.
"Excellent," Revan grinned back like a naughty girl, "I'm getting so bored here, time to get out for a while."
Revan careful got out of bed and snuck into one of the back rooms and quickly changed into the Jedi robes Mission had brought, carefully avoiding her left side. Revan was still weak but she was getting really bored with sitting around and having the doctors poke and prod her. After changing she walked out and smiled at Mission who was holding up a stealth generator.
"You've thought of everything, haven't you," Revan chuckled, walking over to Mission's side, limping slightly.
"Lets get to the Ebon Hawk and play a game of Pazaak, it will be much quieter there." Mission beamed, while fitting a stealth generator around her waist. Revan did the same and activated it.
Together Revan and Mission snuck aboard the Ebon Hawk, it was mostly empty except for Zaalbar and Jolee who was meditating in one of the back rooms.
Zolee chuckled as Revan tried to sneak past him, "What are you doing out of bed Revan?"
"Darn It," thought Revan, "He noticed me…"
"Um, just trying to find some peace and quite…" Revan replied as she deactivated the stealth generator, Mission did the same.
Jolee opened his eyes and raise one eyebrow, "I see… care to join me?"
"I promised Mission a few games of Pazaak but afterwards… sure," Revan answered.
Jolee nodded and continued his meditations. Mission smiled as they walked into one of the back rooms, Mission's favorite spot. Setting up the cards Revan eased herself down onto the floor. Together they played for a little while, each trying there best to outwhit the other.
Mission had won two games and Revan one, "Good games," Mission commented, "I do believe your getting better."
Revan laughed, "Well, I will never be as good as the great Pazaak player Mission Vao!"
Mission laughed, "Well your one heck of a good swoop racer, but you can't be good at everything."
"Yup, sector champion counts for something." Revan grinned as she shifted slightly.
CHIRP!
"Sorry Hoppy," Revan stared at the tiny Gizka that was curled up in her lap. "Thanks for taking care of him," Revan said to Mission smiling warmly.
Revan had become very fond of the little Gizka, although she wouldn't have mentioned it to just everyone. She scratched the little creature behind the nubbins that passed for ears.
"Revan…" Mission sounded slightly hesitant.
"Yes?" Revan encouraged as she watched the blue Twi'lek shift uncomfortable.
"Thanks," Mission watched Revan's face.
Revan eyed mission, "for what?"
"For being there for me, and for sticking with us all, even through everything and for most of all rejecting the Dark side and coming home to us," Mission motioned around the ship with her hand, "So, yeah, thanks for everything."
A few tears weld up in Revan's eyes as she watched the Twi'lek. Mission came forward and gently hugged Revan.
"I should be thanking you, if it wasn't for you and everyone I'd be dead now or worse…" Revan sniffed, "I think It's time I try to meditate, thanks for telling me." She smiled at Mission.
******
Revan walked over to where Jolee was meditating and sat down next to him. They exchanged a few words and Revan closed her eyes and concentrated on the Force, letting it wash over her like a warm blanket. She could feel that familiar inure struggle, the pain… but she calmed her mind and focused on relaxing. Her mind drifted through the Force, detaching herself from her body. It seemed to drift across space… and then she was suddenly standing on a ledge over some barren rock. Toppled stone buildings in the distance and black smoke billowed from the fires. A sickly yellow sky beamed down on the decimated world, black clouds covering its face. She looked down to see the dead world… except for one tiny pool of brackish water at her feet.
Revan gasped as she looked down at that tiny pool of water and the struggling life within. Dipping one hand into the pool she scooped out a tiny lizard-like creature. It gasped for air as it lay in her hand, sucking the hot, burning air into its frail lungs. It used to be beautiful but soot and soil covered the spikes and the attached charred membrane. Two little, fan-like ears stuck out from its wedge shaped head and the last finger on its front hands was elongated and a tattered membrane stretched from the finger back to its body. Its prehensile tail curled around Revan's fingers as the creature lay in her hand.
Revan stared at the poor creature as it lay dieing in her hand, she felt its tiny spark of life dimming as its burnt body gave out. Revan called to the Force and wrapped it around the struggling lizard, mending its burning lungs and shattered body. Revan's mind could not explain why she wanted to save the little life… the last life on this broken world. Suddenly the creature sucked in new air and lifted itself to its back feet, staring at Revan, the little jeweled, blue eyes blinking at her. Then a dark shadow blocked out the sky and Revan looked up to see a massive fleet, a Sith fleet…
The little lizard gave a cry of fright and took the wing, chirping anxiously. It took off and winged down into a small crater.
"Wait!" Revan cried after it as she followed the little lizard.
She ran, tripping over rocks and burned trees. Revan slipped and fell into the crater, groaning she lifted her gaze to see many Sith ships landing on the tattered surface. A soft, tentative chirp to her right caught her attention. The little lizard was perched on a ledge next to an opening…
Revan quickly got up and ran into the opening, the little creature following her and chirping worriedly. Revan felt the darkness within the cavern; the dark side was strong there. Down she walked into the musky cavern, stumbling over boulders and debris. There a light twinkled in the darkness, and rounding a corner Revan gasped as she stared up at the tombs entrance. Crystalline light twinkled from red stones that were suspended around the chamber. A large abyss separated the chamber and the tomb could only be reached via a rock bridge. Revan stepped carefully onto the stone bridge and looked over the edge… the blackness seemed to go on forever.
Revan gulped and carefully picked her way across the thin bridge, the little lizard gliding behind her. Finally she reached the tomb entrance, its huge pillars towering over her and filling her with dread. Voices seemed to whisper from the shadows as she quietly creped to the door. Strange symbols were pressed into the stone as Revan passed a hand over them. Using the Force she examined the room more carefully and then she noticed the glowing symbol off to the right, lifting a hand she pressed it and felt in sink into the wall, the tomb doors opened and blackness surrounded her mind…
Revan fell against the back wall, shaking herself out of the mediation "vision." She gasped as she felt the impact of the metal and blinked several times to try and detach herself from whatever had her in its grip. Jolee was staring at her with a questioning look.
"You ok missy?" he asked kindly.
Revan shook her head to try and clear her mind, "Yeah, I'm fine…"
"What the hell was that…" she asked herself.
Jolee got up and offered her his hand. She took it and felt him steady her. Revan did feel much better, less sore so the healing meditation had worked, just what the "dream" or "vision" was she could not say. Jolee continued to eye her strangely and finally she couldn't stand it anymore.
"What's wrong?" she asked him, "you keep staring at me, have I grown another head or something?"
Jolee chuckled, "No, there's something else. When we were meditating I felt the Force flow strongly through you, but it was strange… distant, are you sure nothing happened?"
Revan stared at him slightly shock, "I shouldn't be surprised she told herself Jolee seems to pick up on everything."
"Alright...." Revan sighed, shifting uncomfortable, "I saw something… it was strange, almost like a dream but so real. I felt like I was actually there, actually seeing it."
Jolee's expression changed slightly, "What did you see?"
"A world… a dead world. It was burning, the stone buildings were destroyed and the sky looked wrong…sickly. Everything was dead… except…" Revan cut off thoughtfully.
"Except what?" Jolee urged her to go on.
"Some kind of native animal… a lizard, it had little wings and a sail on its back. It was drowning in a pool at my feet, and it was burned so badly you could barely recognize was it was…" Revan grimaced at the thought.
"Hmmm, something must have boomed or destroyed the planet… it must have been something very destructive…" Revan mused.
Jolee stared at her, a slightly worried expression on his face, "What did you do?"
"I picked it up and healed it with the Force… then I think I saw something overhead… a fleet of some kind and the lizard took off flying, and I followed it." Revan frowned slightly, trying to remember exactly what had happened, "I think it lead me to a cavern or a cave… and something was in there. I can't remember anything else."
"Hmmm that is very interesting, maybe a memory? Or possible a vision?" Jolee speculated, " Oh no I sound like the council," Jolee grimaced.
Revan laughed lightly and winked at her good friend. "In either case I feel much better, In fact I maybe go dig something up to eat before someone comes looking for me and tosses me back into bed." Revan frowned at the prospect of being bored out of her mind again.
Jolee laughed, "Your better off going to the mess hall, at least they serve something that's somewhat edible, unlike this hunk of junk." He motioned at the Ebon Hawk's food dispenser.
Revan smiled at her friend and headed off the ship bumping into Zaalbar and Mission.
"Where you going?" Mission asked.
"To try and dig something up to eat, want to come?" Revan commented.
"What do you say Zaalbar, you've only had five meals today and I know you get faint unless you have your eight square meals a day."
"Sure, I'm starving," Zaalbar replied in woofs and growls.
Revan, Mission and Zaalbar walked off the Ebon Hawk and headed to the Mess Hall.