Chapter 12: Mission
The huge capital ship hovered over the barren planet like a bird of prey over a corpse. One figure stood at the viewing window staring down at the destruction. The bridge crew stole brief glances at her black form as they nervously worked. She could sense the Admiral's presence approaching even before the click of his boot alerted her. The Admiral bowed as she turned around and she stared down at his form.
"My Lord may I have a word with you?" He spoke slightly hesitant as he kept his face downcast.
She folded her arms as she eyed her Admiral, "Yes Admiral," With that she confidently walked to a room joining the bridge.
The crew watched her leave with the Admiral trailing behind, some of them shivered slightly but all felt a sense of pride; soon she would bring the galaxy to its knees they thought.
The Sith Lord walked to a star map displaying the known galaxy, "Speak…" she spoke icily.
"The assassins failed to do their job my Lord," he turned his head downward as fear clutched at his heart.
The Lord nodded as she turned around and stared down at the Admiral's form, "Rise," she said.
He did so but still remained in the at attention pose. "Shall I send more out?"
She stared straight into his face, and the Admiral felt something clutch at his throat. He gasped slightly.
"Do not assume my next orders Admiral, your job is to listen and obey…" Her voice grated in his mind.
He nodded, one hand at his throat, "Good, I have a much better plan to capture her." She smiled to herself as she turned away from the Admiral. Then she pointed to a spot on the map, "Here," she spoke, smiling at her plan.
******
Revan stared over the bridge into the abyss, the blackness went on forever, just like the blackness in her mind. Empty, cold, alone was all she felt as she looked down there. Chilling breezes wafted up and flapped at her robes. It would be so easy… so easy to fall into that abyss, to fall forever and completely forget.
Voices whispered from the darkness telling her stories of pain and despair, "Jump…jump and forget everything, jump and loose your pain." They said, cries and eerie screams whispered in that dark room. Revan just stood there and stared at the blackness, unable to do anything but wonder.
A tentative chirp made her look to her right. That strange lizard perched on a rock ledge overlooking the tomb's door. Revan walked over to it and to her amazement she lifted her arm up to the lizard. It responded immediately and perched on her arm, she looked into those crystal blue eyes. It was strange, so strange to look into them, another voice whispered to her, "open the door…and face your destiny," it crooned to her.
Revan stared at the tomb door and placed a hand on the symbol, sharp grating sounds assaulted her ears at the tomb groaned open. This time she didn't black out, but stared down the hallway. Large stone pillars stood on either side of the hallway, fire burned; lighting the way. Revan stepped into this strange place and stared at the pillars; crystals of different colors were pressed into the stone. Most of the crystals were shattered, Revan noticed, as she creped down the hallway, but a few remained intact.
Revan stopped in front of one pillar and stared at a blue crystal. Lifting her hand she went to touch it, as her hand neared the crystal, echoes whispered through out the hallway. Revan pulled her hand back rapidly and eyed the hallway. She looked at the crystal again; a flash of memory crossed her mind as she stared at it. Again she reached out and touched the crystal, an inner blue light flashed and she saw a blue ocean, there was water, tons of it. A water world perhaps? It looked like Manaan.
"Revan!" Revan heard someone talk but her mind was confused and groggy, "Revan…" Revan was startled out of sleep when someone shook her.
Mission was hovering over the older women. Revan looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "What… what happened?" she asked.
"Sorry I startled you like that but you were having a bad dream. I thought that maybe I should wake you up," Mission seemed a little sheepish.
Revan frowned, trying to recall the dream. She sighed, slightly groggy, "Thanks…I think. What time is it?"
"Almost morning," Mission commented, folding her arms slightly.
Revan nodded, "Well, since we are both awake we might as well wait till breakfast." Mission nodded.
Revan pointed to the restroom, "you go first."
Revan frowned as she tried to recall the dream again; it was so odd, so distant to her. Instead she remembered the events of the past week, the ceremony, the assassination attempts, and the meeting with the council that had taken place a few days ago. They still hadn't told her about their decision… apparently they wanted her to stew over it.
Mission walked out of the restroom and noticed Revan sitting on her bed, apparently musing over something. A mischievous grin crept up her face. She grabbed a towel and chucked it at Revan, It bounced off her face. Revan was startled back to reality and glared at Mission, an amused smile tugging at her lips.
******
Jolee watched Carth twitch nervously and tap his fingers on the table. Obviously something was distressing him, you didn't need to be a Jedi to figure that out.
"Ok, spit it out," Jolee growled.
"Huh?" Carth was startled slightly and looked over at the old man.
Jolee scowled and crossed his arms, "well something is obviously bothering you, and your making me nervous."
"Yeah, something is bothering me… Dustil will fly in today and I'm just really nervous… I mean, what am I going to say to him… I'm just worried," Carth frowned.
Jolee nodded, "hrmm, I'm sure it will work out, but first do us all a favor," Jolee motioned around the room, "your acting like a Tach near a viper Kinrath, you need to chill," Carth mumbled something unintelligible, but he did try to act calmer.
******
Revan stood in the council chamber again, she was describing more of her dream to the Jedi Masters, and they seemed very disturbed by it.
One Master spoke up, "I believe that these dreams are being sent by the Force, you have had similar things happen before…"
Revan glanced at the Master, "Similar things happen before? Does he mean the Star Forge dreams? Or even before that…" Revan wondered.
"Yes, I believe the Force is trying to tell us something, it moves in mysterious ways…" Vandar spoke.
Murmurs rose from the council members as they thought about that possibility. Revan frowned, "Not more fait crud… not another "mission."
"Yes, it would make sense, especially after recent events…" Master Dru'uke spoke up.
"Recent events?" Revan asked herself, "hmmm."
Revan shifted slightly uncomfortable from standing, "Master?" she asked.
Master Dru'uke stared at her and clicked his claws slightly, "You said when you touched that crystal you saw a water world? Could it be Manaan?"
"So he's not going to tell me about the recent events…very well," Revan thought.
"It is possible Master…" Revan frowned slightly.
The Master nodded and turned to a red twi'lek to his right, "We should send someone to investigate," he whispered to her, just loud enough for the other main Masters to hear. Revan wondering what he was talking about.
"I agree… but we don't have enough clues to support this theory, except the other events," Vandar offered. The Masters looked at Revan.
The other Masters whispered back, "Yes… we should send someone, but it wouldn't be safe to send her."
"It's our only choice," Vandar sighed, "Very well, we request that you go to Manaan and investigate Revan." He spoke loudly.
Revan stiffened, "I knew it."
"With all do respect Master's I am not so sure I want to take this mission, you haven't even told me your decision regarding Carth…" Revan calmly replied.
That caught the Master's off guard, Vandar just sighed and shook his head, "You must learn to trust in the Force Revan, you are the only one who can go."
Revan looked straight into the Master's face, "I do trust in the Force."
Vandar opened his mouth slightly in surprise, but he quickly recovered himself. There were other surprised murmurs throughout the chamber, it was clear that she didn't trust them.
Revan waited for her answer, there was no way she was going to let them send her off on a mission without her knowing.
Master Vandar finally spoke, "The council has not yet reached a decision, you must be patient."
Revan nodded, she had expected as much, but she wasn't going to let them make her wait forever. "I will go to Manaan."
Vandar nodded, "Also the Republic has a mission for you, they request that you help with negotiations with the Selkath. The Selkath specifically requested you." Revan nodded.
"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this…but Manaan is an ok world, and maybe I'll get to run the swoop circuit again," Revan thought.
"Which of my companions will be coming?" Revan asked.
"Bastila cannot go, she has been accepted for retraining," Vandar commented.
Revan eyed the Master; it was obvious he wasn't too happy that Revan wouldn't be getting retrained at the moment.
"Juhani will be helping rebuild the academy," Vandar continued, "Speak with your other companions and see who will go with you, but the real reason for this mission is not to be spoken of." Vandar motioned with his hand, Revan sighed.
"Very well," Revan nodded.
"You leave tonight," Master Dru'uke commented, "You are dismissed."
After Revan left the council chamber the Master's turned to each other, "Are you sure it is safe to send her away where we cannot observe her?" One Master commented.
"We cannot ignore the significance of recent events, the Dark side still blinds us, and continues to grow. The Sith have become more bolder and each day they are gathering more and more of their fleet. I cannot say what they are planning, but it won't be good." Vandar commented, several of the Masters nodded and exchanged looks.
******
"Bastila?" Revan creped into Bastila quarters.
Bastila looked up and eyed Revan, "Yes."
"Can I speak with you…" Revan sighed.
Bastila nodded and motioned for Revan to take a seat next to her. Revan eased herself down in front of Bastila.
Bastila watched Revan and finally spoke, "I hear you will be going on a mission…"
"Yes… I'm not happy about it… and they said you couldn't go because you will be "training." I would really like you to come…" Revan looked down and then watched Bastila.
Bastila raised an eyebrow, "I think we need to trust the council in this matter…"
Revan stared at Bastila, "I think you know how I feel about trusting the council. But this doesn't have much to do with that. I can't help but feel there is much more to this mission that they are not telling me. I really want you to come."
Bastila watched the older woman for a long moment, she really did look up to Revan. She also knew that Revan was at war with herself… but what could be done?
"I can't disobey the council…" Bastila sighed and looked away.
"Why not talk to them? Convince them that you should come," Revan commented.
"I can't…" Bastila looked down at the floor.
Revan sighed; it was part annoyance and part weary, "Fine… maybe I'll see you later after I get back then." With that Revan got up and left.
******
Revan was watching Carth work on some armor in the Ebon Hawk's hold. Apparently he hadn't noticed her yet. Revan had talked to the others; Mission, Zalbaar, that cranky old coot Jolee, HK-47, T3-M4 and Canderous all had decided to come with her on this "diplomatic" mission. She had also talked to Bastila and Juhani, they weren't happy about being left behind but they knew they had other things they must do.
Revan continued to watch Carth, she knew he wouldn't be happy with her running off to another mission, but in the end it would be better for Carth and Dustil to spend some time together, without her being a factor yet. Dustil wouldn't take Takera being Revan easy.
She cleared her throat and Carth looked over his shoulder, "Hey beautiful." He smiled.
She smiled back at him, "Hey flyboy."
He walked over to her, "Meetings finally over?"
"Yeah…" Revan looked down at the ground. She wasn't looking forward to telling him about the mission.
Carth used one finger to raise her head, he arched one eyebrow questionably, "Something you want to tell me?"
"The councils sending me on a mission," Revan looked away briefly.
"What?!" Carth asked, "But we're suppose to be relaxing, the Star Forge is destroyed…"
"I know, I'm not exactly happy about going," Revan frowned, "Don't worry it is mostly a diplomatic mission."
"Mostly…" Carth scowled, "This has something to do with those dreams you've been having. Doesn't it?" His voice was much softer now as he studied Revan's face.
"Damn the council," He thought, "Sending her on a mission so soon…so soon after that attack…she's still broken…" He could see that, see that she was still hurting, still "broken" and those dang dreams were just making things worse. She needed time… time she would not get now.
"Yes…" her voice was hollow, trying to conceal the pain she felt.
"Carth… there's something else," Revan frowned, "We leave tonight…"
Again Carth looked angry, "What?! But why so soon… Dustil arrives today and I… I was hoping he would get to meet you again… and this also means I can't come with you."
Revan looked away, "I know, but maybe it's best this way. It will give you some time alone with your son." Revan looked up into his eyes, "Time that both of you will need."
Carth nodded slowly, what could he say to that? "But why so soon?" Carth sounded slightly mournful, he was not happy with this situation, but it was obvious that she had made up her mind, no matter how reluctantly.
"I don't know," Revan shook her head, "But that's what's planned, and frankly… I want some answers to these dreams."
"Ok… it's obvious that I won't be able to convince you not to go… and since it's already planned…" Carth sounded put out, "But where are you going? And who's going with you?"
"Manaan, and Canderous, Jolee, Mission, Zaalbar, HK-47 and T3-M4 are coming with me. Don't worry, we will be fine." Revan smiled at Carth, trying to calm him down.
Carth sighed, "Ok, but promise me you will be careful and send holo cards."
"I promise," She said, shifting slightly, "and I'll send lots of holo cards." She winked at Carth.
Carth walked forward and gathered her in his arms, "Don't stay away too long, ok?"
"I'll try," Revan smiled at him. He smiled too and then kissed her.
******
The Ebon Hawk took off from Coruscant, three figures stood in the docking bay waving her good bye. The Hawk glinted in the sunlight as she left the atmosphere. Revan punched in the coordinates for Manaan and prepared to enter hyperspace… prepared to search for her answers.