Reven looked out in amazement at the MTTs stretching across the horizon. There were enough MTTs to take 1120 battle droids, super battle droids, and destroyer droids into battle and even more were held back in defense of the Separatists base. AATs, dwarf spider droids, hailfire droids and homing spider droids also raced alongside the MTTs toward the next battlefield of the Clone Wars.

"This will be an impressive battle indeed," Reven muttered to himself.

"I would hope so," Jaina said from behind him.

"So, you're back," he said in a scornful tone.

"I am."

"What do you want?" scorn still evident in his voice.

"To warn you."

"Warn me? Just like you were going to guide me?" he asked.

"Today, in the field of battle, you will be faced with a choice, a choice between life and death. What you choose will decide whether or not you will ever be able to return from the Dark Side."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," he stood, past her and out to prepare for the battle ahead.

"Reven, whom where you talking to just then?" Dooku asked as Reven stepped out.

"It was no one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Dooku, I am."

The massive droid army appeared on the horizon. The Republic attack gunships started to hug the ground as their clone troopers jumped out, the battle had begun. Several clone troopers would not see the action of this battle, their gunships being destroyed from afar by the tanks and bigger battle droids.

"Ready Master?" Anakin asked as their gunship drew closer to the ground.

"Yes I am," Obi-Wan said as he jumped out into the battlefield, Anakin followed.

They activated their lightsabers and led the clone troopers into battle. Gunships flew overhead, taking out the droids from the sky, and eliminating some of the tanks.

Reven sped out ahead of Dooku, his cape flailing behind him. His swoop bike picked up speed for Reven was anxious to get into battle.

"There it is," he muttered to himself once he saw the battlefield.

He removed his right hand from the handle bar and grabbed his lightsaber. He sped through the droid battle line and broke into the clone trooper front line. With his lightsaber activated, he attacked his enemy with all his might. In the distance he spotted his target, a Jedi. Plo Koon raised his saber at the sight of the Dark Jedi. As Reven approached, he slashed. Their sabers clashed as Reven sped by. Jumping off the swoop, he turned to face his new opponent.

Reven lunged forward, Plo Koon blocked his attack, but Reven continued his offensive. With him parrying every one of his Reven's attacks, Plo Koon was a formidable opponent. Reven pressed his attack on further and faster; Plo Koon was barely able to keep up. Reven knocked his saber out of the way and sliced his leg, arm and cheSt. He fell to the ground.

"You're good, but I'm better!" Reven raised his saber, "Now, prepare to become one with the Force!"

He brought his saber over his head with the full intention of bringing it down on Koon's head. He tried to deal the final blow, but couldn't. He always stopped himself, Jaina's words echoing in his mind.

"Why," he muttered between gritted teeth, "Why can't I kill you?"

He mustered up his anger and courage and with the power of the Dark Side he brought his weapon down onto Koon. His blade clashed against that of another, he traced the saber back to the source.

"Skywalker!"

"Karrde!"

Anakin knocked Reven back, away from the Jedi Master.

"Always have to be the hero, don't you, Anakin?"

He didn't respond; he just entered a battle stance.

"You should join me, Anakin," Reven offered.

"I will never join!"

"You don't know the power of the Dark Side."

"I don't need to know it to know that I don't want it."

"If you shall not be turned, that you will be destroyed."

Reven ran forward, attacking with all his speed and might. Anakin parried his attacks, and went on the offensive. Anakin lunged forward, Reven blocking the attacks, but Anakin succeeded in driving him back. Anakin brought his saber down on Reven's head, blocking it with one hand; his other grabbed his second saber. He activated the sword and slashed out at his adversary, causing him to jump back.

"Anakin!" Plo Koon yelled, throwing him his lightsaber.

He activate the saber and renewed his attack. Their battle continued for several more minutes. No winner was in sight, but in reality the Separatists were losing the battle.

"Don't tell me you never wanted the power, Anakin!"

"Never!"

"Never? Not even when your mother was killed?"

That statement sent the battle into a stare down. The rage was swelling in Anakin, and Reven knew it. In fact, he wanted it. He wanted Anakin to get angry and with that hatred he would tread ever closer to the Dark Side. They stepped closer to each other with the full intent of continuing their battle. Just before they could attack, a siren rang through the air, stopping both of them in their tracks.

"What?! Retreat? Now?" Reven said to no one in particular.

Retreat, Reven! He heard Dooku's voice in his head.

"We'll have to finish this later, Skywalker."

He deactivated his lightsabers and returned them to his belt. He brought out a flattened cylinder, punched in a few commands and in a short time his swoop bike raced back to him. Anakin, unwilling to end the battle without a victor, ran toward him. Reven shook his head, extended his arm and unleashed a volley of lightning that strike Anakin and stopped him in his tracks long enough for Reven to escape.

Reven raced from the battle, having spared both Plo Koon's and Anakin's life, Sidious will not be happy. Disposing of as many clones as possible, he retreated back from hence he came. He saw a strange figure ahead of him, a Jedi.

"Eeth Koth," he whispered to himself, "Maybe this battle won't be a complete loss after all."

Koth turned as Reven drew closer, slicing off part of his bike. Reven jumped off seconds before the strike hit. Reven drew his saber and the attack began. Reven chopped off his hand, brought his saber around in a semi circle and took his leg as well. He held his saber up to Koth's face. A choice between life and death. Jaina's words echoed in his mind and he brought his blade down in anger on the Jedi Master. What you choose will decide whether or not you will ever be able to return from the Dark Side. He heard the words once again as he stood over his prey. His victory was short lived, he jumped onto an AAT and rode it back to the base.

"What is the status on the four Jedi sent to lead the clones into battle?" Darth Sidious asked.

"Plo Koon won't see another battle on Byss, he probably isn't even on the planet anymore," Reven said, sitting on the edge of the window, looking out over the vast droid army.

"What about the other three?"

"Eeth Koth won't see the light of day again, I made sure of that," Reven replied, "The call for retreat came before I could defeat Skywalker."

"What about Kenobi?" the question was now directed to Dooku.

"I could not bring him down, Master."

"It is imperative that you do not give up this base, you cannot surrender until the droid battleship has been destroyed or the droid army is totally eradicated. "

"Yes, Master," Dooku said as the image of Sidious disappeared.

"Are the clone armies here yet?" Dooku asked, walking toward Reven.

"No, I'd say we have at least another two hours for the clones to regroup, rearm and travel here." Reven didn't turn his gaze away from the future battleground.

"Enjoy the calm while you can."

"I always do," he muttered as Dooku left.

"Greetings Reven."

"So, you're back," he spoke to Jaina without looking at her.

"Yes, I'm back."

"What do you want this time?"

"Do you not like my company?"

"No."

"So the hate has consumed you, then I must bid you farewell," she turned and walked away as she slowly disappeared.

"Goodbye and good riddance," Reven dropped the pendant she had given him.

The sound of the metal clanging on the ground caused her to falter slightly before she disappeared forever. Once again Reven was all alone.

I will always be alone.

The bridge shook violently as it was hit once again. The battle was going grim. The clone army was pressing their forces deeper through the front line and already they have lost several battleships. They, on the other hand, have only managed to down one of the Republics assault ships. The clone pilots were too good for their droid controlled fighters.

"Sir, another battleship has been severally damaged and is pulling out of the system."

"Press the attack further," the admiral said calmly.

"Sir?"

"It is impossible for us to win this battle now," another battleship flickered out of existence, "but it is possible to take several of them down with us."

He watched out as a large volley of laser shots rammed into an assault ship, destroying it.

"Sir, reenforcements have just left hyperspace!"

"I see that, captain," the admiral responded, "Due to resent development pull back two squadrons to defend the damaged ships." he said as two more assault ships were wiped out of existence.

"Yes, sir."

With the tides slightly turned the battle recommenced, the Separatists not willing to give up Byss, and the Republic not willing to back down.

Reven watched the battle unfold from his window seat. This time the clone army had a harder time breaking through the droid front line, with only one exception: a Jedi. Someone carrying a blue lightsaber was breaking through the line with incredible speed. The other Jedi, also carrying a blue saber, was lagging behind. He was, without a doubt, more worried about winning the battle than reaching the Separatist base.

I guess I will see you soon, Skywalker. Reven thought, getting up from his watching place.

Anakin raced through the droid army, eliminating everything in his way. He could see the target in front of him; the tall, looming base of the Separatists and, within those walls, Reven Karrde. He finished off the final droid and thrust his saber into the door, melting it away. He stopped when he had formed a hole big enough for him to walk through. As he walked through he was greeted by only two super battle droids.

He reached out with the Force, knocking them both to the ground with an unyielding wind. He jumped up into the air, bringing his saber down, stabbing one foe, then the other.

Good job, Skywalker.

Karrde?

Follow that hallway down and make a left as soon as you can, there you will face me.

Anakin did as he was told and came upon an elevator. He stepped on it and it immediately took him up. It stopped in a room barely lit with a few lights. One figure was all he could see, the figure of Reven. He stepped off the platform and it returned to the first floor. But it didn't matter to Anakin, all that did matter was that he was now able to face Reven once again. Reven activated his lightsaber, turned around and lifted it so the blade was horizontal across his face.

"The time has come, Skywalker. Nothing will stop me from completing what I came here to do. One of us will not leave this arena, alive anyway."

Anakin chuckled a bit as he activated his own lightsaber.