Saviour, Conqueror, Hero, Villain.
Author's Notes: Here it is, folks! The Leviathan! And for those of you who want to see Carth's dark side, this is the chapter for you. When I wrote his comment, last chapter, about spitting on Revan's corpse, that was one of those things that writes themselves, but I liked it, so it stayed. Now, however, his vindictive streak is intentional, on my part (don't you hate it when characters write themselves?) Enjoy.
Krazed Kaioshin Fangirl: I've finished writing this story - it's in the proof-reading stage - does that answer your question? If not, the answer's yes, I've decided. If you can convince Carth Paranoid Onasi to fall for a Sith Lord who's NOT suffering from amnesia, do tell me how - it's a nightmare getting this man to cooperate with my plot-gizka! That said, you should like the ending, don't worry.
Lord Valentai: I agree, Manaan has to be the most boring planet in the game, IMO. It was supposed to be a bad mental picture! Hence Bastila's reaction! On that note, if you know anyone who could make me a fan-art of that scene, I'd be eternally grateful.
arrow maker: lol - don't worry, we omnipotent authors and reviewers are above such rules... isn't that right, Candy? Hmmm... he's giving me that "drop dead" look... but he's not a Sith, so it doesn't work! lol.
NathanPostmark: Heh heh - well you didn't have to wait too long. But next chapter's huge as Bastila's ego... so I can't promise it'll follow quickly.
Niliav: Glad you like it.
Darth Jenrai: Glad you liked it. And it's not just you - you're not the first reviewer to notice her slipping towards the light side.
rockerbabe: No more flashbacks (unless my memory's Swiss-cheesed)... visions, though - those are always fun. Korriban is an effing huge chapter... so effing huge I had to hack off the end and tack it onto the start of chapter 9! You make a good point with the Uthar/Yuthura dillemma. I'm done with Griff - couldn't be bothered with him.
Prisoner 24601: Glad you liked it. I'm proud of my one-liners... but I'm not the queen of them... just the princess (my mother is the queen of the one-liner). And of course it was Malak - I never denied it!
Data: Poor Saul? Pfft. I don't like Saul. I'd happily string him up on a Kshyy vine by his intestines, still alive, as a snack for my pet Terentatek... that's after I've beaten him black and blue, broken every bone in his body with Force grip, and used him as a conductor for my Force-lightening-powered laptop-computer battery. Yeah. So I don't like him too much.
HK-48: Hmmm... yes. LS-go-bad... I started one (sort of - it starts at the temple summit), but unfortunately it got held up in traffic, by Dustil being too important. I'll get back to it one of these days. As for gizka... Revan just didn't like them.
Rascarin: Thanks.
RollingSkull: Carth can get Kira to fall for him, yes, but I'm not under his spell (I prefer Dustil - more my age and type). If you liked that glimpse of Carth's dark side, keep reading - it gets better. Therein lies the problem with Korriban - tons of plot and much more character development I've seen smaller rancors than chapter 8! Revan loving Malak is supposed to be creepy - chapter 8 (there's that behemoth again) makes it even more twisted. And the "take you over my knee" line follows the same line in that chapter as it did in the game... so :p
darth poop: Not for lack of trying, I assure you.
talar: Wow, long review... don't worry, I like long reviews. Glad you liked the chapter - I also dislike Manaan, and I did my best to fix its boredom factor. If you want my opinion on Saul, read what I said to Data. Hey, cool - I hadn't expected anyone to actually like that scene - I'd expected people to just go "eww, bad mental pictures!" and move on... I'm glad you saw the deeper meaning in it. And your nitpick is right - I'll try not to do that in future (though this chapter's already been proof-read, so I mean from next chapter onwards).
ether-fanfic: Glad you like it. It's good to see my fanfics are good for something.
Rascarin: Here's an update.
x x x
Chapter 7 - Reunion
I caught up with Carth in the common room of the Ebon Hawk, "Carth, listen to me!"
He spun around, glaring at me dangerously, "Why are you doing this? You know how much he means to me! If I can save him, I will!"
"He's a Sith, now, Carth!" I yelled, "If you, Captain Republic, waltz into the Sith Academy and drag the boy out by the scruff of the neck, I somehow doubt he'd be too pleased with you! Not to mention the fact you'd likely be killed on sight, at the door to the place! And if he's been trained by even a semi-competent Sith Master, he'll have no qualms killing you himself if you try that stunt!"
I didn't even see it coming, it was so sudden. My head snapped to the side, and my left cheek burned with pain. I slowly turned to stare at Carth. He had slapped me! "Don't you bloody dare try to stop me, Revan!"
I continued to stare. I hadn't expected him to hit me. As much as he hated me, this was the last thing I expected.
A muffled sniggering drew my attention to the audience we had. The entire crew was staring at us, in shock. With the exception of Canderous, who was the one sniggering.
"What's so bloody funny, Mandalorian?" Carth snarled.
"You just slapped her across the face." Canderous answered, still sniggering, "In Mandalorian culture, that is a challenge to a blood-duel. And by rights, she is Mandalore." I smirked, "You just challenged Mandalore, Darth Revan, the most powerful woman in the galaxy, to a blood duel, you short-sighted nerf-herder!"
Carth stared at me for a second, before saying, "Go to hell, Revan."
"All right." I said coldly, "That sounds like a plan. But I'm taking you lot with me. Jolee, set a course for Korriban!"
Carth blinked, "What the-?"
"Korriban equals hell, duh." Mission said, laughing, "It's where all the evil people go, and I've heard it's a barren wasteland. Seems hellish to me."
Carth glared at me for another minute, during which time Jolee made his way to the cockpit to set pre-launch sequences. Carth really didn't know what to say or do to or about me, so he turned and stormed off in the direction of the cockpit.
x x x
"You could have accepted his challenge." Canderous noted, as I modified my lightsaber, and he sat nearby, "It certainly would have been amusing to watch."
"Perhaps." I said coldly. I was still angry as hell at Carth, for slapping me. "But I think his own conscience will hurt him more than I ever could. He's a good man - slapping a woman is one of the most seedy degenerate things he could think of. He's threatened me idly with it, before now, but I never though he would do it."
"I don't see the big deal." Canderous said, shrugging, "It's an insult to slap someone - implies you don't think they're worthy of your fists - but if a woman did something to deserve it, I wouldn't discriminate. The pathetic double standard with so many modern patriarchal cultures sickens me. They treat a woman like a precious little trinket they don't want to break, then turn around and say they're equal."
"Rights to vote, and equality cost a lot of Coruscanti women a lot of blood, sweat and tears to earn, a few millennia ago." I said flatly.
"Yet they still treat women like delicate flowers. If you're equal, why do men tip-toe around you, standing on archaic courtesy and manners?" Canderous asked.
"Because it's polite." I retorted.
"You just love it, don't you, Revan?" he asked, smirking, "Being treated better because you're a woman."
I stared at him.
"There is such a thing as overcompensating, you know. If anyone dares slight a woman, in your culture, however much she may deserve it, she can say they're discriminating against her just because she's a woman. Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're going to end up with men as the victims of society." he asked, smirking darkly.
I also smirked, "I like that idea."
"You would." he said, laughing slightly, "You have researched Mandalorian culture, you know-"
"That your women really are equal." I said flatly, "They don't get special treatment, unless they happen to be pregnant at the time."
"Pretty much."
"Yet most of them choose not to fight, or join the armies." I said distantly, "A female Mandalorian warrior is a rare thing, but not because you're chauvinistic creeps like everyone seems to think."
"That's about right." he said, smirking, "So what are you going to do about Soldier-boy?"
"Teach him a lesson." I said flatly, "I just don't know what sort of lesson, yet. His son is important to him, and I don't want to hurt him... but he slapped me, and he must pay for that."
Canderous nodded, and I clicked my lightsaber back together. He claimed the workbench as soon as I left it, and proceeded to upgrade his own weaponry. I left him to it.
x x x
I made my way into the cockpit, warily. Carth was sitting in the pilot's seat, staring out into space as we flew through hyperspace, as if he thought he could see Korriban in the distance as we headed towards it. He didn't look at me as I entered the cockpit, but he did notice me, "What are you doing here?" he asked bitterly.
"I came to talk to you." I said quietly.
"I don't want to talk." he said flatly.
"It'll help."
"I don't want to talk to you." he reiterated, in a low growl.
"Why not?" I asked.
"He turned to glare at me, "Because, you bloody evil Sith bitch, you're the reason I lost him in the first place! If I had my way, you'd be dead a dozen times over, Revan!"
"Such sweet things you say." I said acidly.
"You destroyed my life! You killed my wife, and you took away my son!" he snarled, his voice cracking with anger and grief, "How is it fair that you are allowed to go on living, when she isn't? And what gives you the right to steal him from me, as well?"
"I didn't steal your son from you."
"He's at the Sith Academy, isn't he?" Carth snapped, "I suppose he just landed there by accident, did he?"
"You cannot blame me personally." I snapped, "When I was Sith Lord, I was in charge of a vast army. Malak had control of a third of it, and even then, we both delegated management jobs. Something as relatively insignificant as one boy could easily slip under my personal radar, believe it or not!"
"I... I just don't understand why Dustil would join the Sith." he said, running his fingers irritably through his hair, "But I... I have to find out. There's simply no choice." he shook his head, staring distantly out the window again, "All this time I've thought he was... he must be a man by now..."
"Carth..." I tentatively reached out to touch his arm, and he flinched away from me as if I was diseased, "I meant what I said. I know why you took offence at it, but it's the truth. If he is being trained as a Sith, he will likely be incredibly hostile to you. You are a Republic war hero, after all."
He glared at thin air, "I don't need advice from you, Revan." he hissed.
I sighed, but then the ship jolted suddenly, and I was thrown into Carth's lap. He shoved me off him immediately.
"What happened? What's going on?" Bastila demanded, bolting into the cockpit from the common area.
"Sith Interdictor ship." Carth answered her, "They must have been waiting for us on the hyperspace route. We're caught in their tractor beam."
"Do you recognize the ship?" Bastila asked, seating herself in the co-pilot's seat, much good it would do her.
"It's the Leviathan. Saul Karath's vessel. My old mentor." Carth cut the engines, which I considered a wise move - a small ship like this can't fight an Interdictor ship's tractor beam.
The three of us made our way, relatively dejectedly, into the common room, where the rest of the crew had assembled.
"Sith Interdictor ships take hostages using stun fields." I said flatly, "There's no way anyone on the ship can avoid it."
"Stun fields?" Mission asked, "Those only work on organics, don't they?"
"Commentary: That is most likely because of meatbag inferiority."
I grinned, "HK, T3..."
x x x
I woke groggily, to hear a voice taunting, "Carth, it has been far too long since we last spoke. I see the recent months have not been kind in your case. I barely recognized you."
I opened my eyes, and focused a venomous glare on the offending person who had dared speak so loudly when I was trying to be unconscious. I realised we had been stripped to our undergarments, and were held in torture cells. I found this most unfair, because while Bastila and I were wearing skimpy bras and knickers, Carth's underwear could pass for summer clothing.
"But I recognized you, Saul." Carth growled, "I see your face every night even as I promise myself I will kill you for what you did to my home world."
"Did you learn nothing in your time under me?" Saul asked, seemingly exasperated, "As a soldier you should understand that casualties were unavoidable. This was an act of war."
"It was a cowardly act of betrayal!" Carth yelled, "Your fleet bombed a civilian target into oblivion without warning or provocation. And the blood of those innocent people is on your hands!"
"In war even the innocent must die. The Sith would not accept me until I proved I had truly turned my back on the Republic by bombing the planet." Saul said, trying to rationalise it to himself as much as to Carth.
"Saul." I said pointedly, drawing attention to the fact I was awake, "Malak gave the order to bomb Telos. But if you'd disobeyed him, and done as I had ordered him to do in the first place, I would have commended your initiative, instead of kicking both your asses across the Leviathan for the following week."
"You think I am a fool, Revan?" Saul snapped, "Malak would have killed me if I had disobeyed his orders."
"Better if you had been killed than the thousands who died on Telos!" Carth snapped, "My wife died in that attack, Saul. And for that, I swear I'll kill you." he growled dangerously.
"You used to be a man of action, not of empty words." Saul taunted, "Cling to your lust for revenge if you must, but spare me your tired threats. I've heard them all before. You are an insignificant part of these events, anyway. Lord Malak is far more interested in your companions, here. He has great plans for them."
"We will never serve Malak or the dark side!" Bastila declared bravely, "The Sith will be destroyed, Admiral Karath... as will you if you don't turn away from this path."
"Your words are brave, Bastila, but the lure of the dark side is hard to resist - or so I've been told. I wonder if your companion is as devoted to the light as you are?" Saul asked, smirking at me.
"I'd put a fair amount of devotion into kicking your ass, again, Saul." I said brightly, "But light side? Nah, that's not my style, anymore."
Saul's eyes narrowed in anger, but his voice remained calm as he said, "The Dark Lord would probably reward me if I just killed you once and for all. But he may want to question you given the trouble you've caused him... and the history between you."
"Oh, if you killed me, he'd not be happy. He wouldn't want you depriving him of the pleasure, I assure you." I said sweetly.
"The Dark Lord will no doubt torture you for information and for his own twisted pleasure." Saul said, smirking, "Eventually you will tell him everything. The Sith can be very persuasive. However, Lord Malak is in another sector. It may be some time before he arrives, so I suppose I will have to fill in for him until then. Activate the torture fields."
The pain seared through me, but I was getting the psychic waves of pain from Carth and Bastila, too... and my darkness turned other people's pain into my own pleasure. I focused as hard as I could on Carth's agony, and my own pain seemed to fade. I smirked at Saul, and raised an eyebrow, while the other two screamed in pain.
That really unsettled Saul, "Enough! I don't want them to pass out before I question them." he snapped, his voice wavering with mild fear, "Malak will appreciate any information I can give him when he arrives."
"Don't waste your breath, Saul! We won't answer any of your questions." Carth snapped.
"I'm sure you won't." Saul said, too smugly, "However, we both know your friend's loyalties have proven in the past to be somewhat... flexible."
I tilted my head to one side, smirking, "You really think I'm going to tell you anything?"
Saul glared at me, "I doubt torturing you will gain me your true cooperation. Your will is too strong to be broken that way. However, even the strongest of heroes has trouble watching those they care about suffering."
"I'm no hero." I said coldly.
"The interrogation will begin now." Saul snapped, "Each time you refuse to answer or give me a false answer, Carth will suffer."
"My pain is meaningless! Tell him nothing!" Carth shouted.
"Go ahead, torture him." I said coldly, "Do you see me caring?" I hadn't actually said I didn't care... I couldn't say it... I don't lie.
"You expect me to fall for such a transparent ploy." Saul jeered, "You travel half way across the galaxy with someone and you expect me to believe you feel nothing for each other?"
"Well I think he feels seething hatred for me, if that's what you mean." I said blithely.
Saul shook his head, "I tire of these games - now I want answers! On what planet is the Jedi Academy at which you were trained?"
I looked into Saul's eyes, and saw that he already knew the answer... "Dantooine."
"No! Don't say anymore!" Carth snapped.
"An excellent beginning." Saul said smugly, "I am glad you are being reasonable. This first question was a test. Obviously Malak knew the Academy was on Dantooine, and it has since been destroyed by our fleet! Dantooine is an empty graveyard now. Nothing remains but a smoking ruin and the charred remains of your former Masters!"
"My former Masters?" I snorted, "You should be telling this to Bastila. The Jedi Masters can go take a flying leap at Kashyyyk's moons, for all I care!"
Saul snorted, but didn't retort to me. I was successfully scaring him, even though I was locked in this torture cell, "Now... tell me your mission. How were the Jedi planning on using you to stop Lord Malak and our Sith armada?"
Again, I looked into his eyes... he knew this one, too, "Are you just looking for an excuse to torture us, Saul?"
"What?" he asked, startled.
"You heard me."
"I am interrogating you, not the other way around. You will answer questions, not ask them."
I smirked, "We were trying to locate for the Star Forge... again."
"Why? Why... why are telling him this?" Carth demanded.
"You should be grateful, Carth. She is sparing you agony beyond comprehension." Saul taunted.
"Words that betray the Republic bring me more pain than any torture ever could!" Carth growled, glaring at me. I met his gaze steadily.
"Tell me, how did you find out about the Star Forge?"
"Do I have to spell it out for you, Saul? It's on the Sith records where Malak and I found out about the bloody thing!"
Saul glared at me, "I meant how did the Jedi come to be aware of it... I doubt you willingly told them."
I raised an eyebrow at him, and looked into his eyes again... again, he knew the answer, though I was uncertain how he knew it, "Bastila shared my memory of finding it." I said coldly.
"No!" Carth yelled, "How could you betray the Republic like this?"
Saul smirked, "I find your willingness to cooperate pleasing, though it seems your answers are quite upsetting to Carth. Not to worry, we are almost finished here. The information you have given me has been most useful, but I fear our session is over. Lord Malak will want to continue with this line of questioning himself."
"Go screw a Gizka, Saul." I said coldly. I had contemplated using the Force to back up that suggestion, but decided that would be too cruel to the Gizka in question.
"I will leave you here in your cell with a small taste of the horrors you will suffer when Lord Malak arrives." Saul said smugly. With a signal from him, the torture fields were reactivated.
x x x
In spite of my best efforts to resist the torture, I had eventually passed out... when I woke, Bastila's voice greeted me, "Don't try to move too quickly, you might not be fully recovered yet. Admiral Karath had his guards continue to torture you even after you passed out."
"They tortured all of us, though you got the worst of it by far." Carth said flatly, "Saul wanted them to make us suffer. He's become some sort of sadistic monster."
"The dark side has perverted him, Carth." Bastila replied, "Once you start down the tainted path it leads you ever further into the depths of evil. I fear he is forever lost."
I frowned, and looked at the floor, "Thanks." I muttered coldly.
"What?" Bastila stared at me, then, "I didn't mean you were... oh, I... I meant..."
"I know what you meant." I said coldly, "I'm just an essential tool to completing this mission. I'm a bloody hopeless case that's probably going to be locked away at the soonest convenience of the Jedi Council!"
"I didn't mean that!" Bastila said, horrified.
"You implied it. You implied that anyone who turns to the dark side is 'forever lost'." I hissed, glaring at her.
"I am sorry, Revan." she said quietly, "I didn't mean to imply it." she frowned, as if trying to think why she had said it, "I suppose I'm taking the news of Dantooine's destruction quite hard. First Taris, now the Academy... is there no end to the killing?"
"Death is a part of life, Bastila." I said calmly, "It happens to everyone eventually, and while I know you need to grieve, this really isn't the time."
"That's heartless, Revan." Carth growled.
I looked at him, with a piercing stare, "When everything's blowing up around you, and your only way out requires you to think, to focus, grief only slows you down."
He winced. I had hit an accurate memory, and a very raw nerve with that one. But I was right.
I turned back to Bastila, "You can grieve when we're safe. Meditating might connect you to the Force, enough to allow you to sense if they survived or not. Don't let emotion cloud your judgement, Bastila. We need to focus, here."
She nodded, but Carth decided to note, "None of this will matter if we don't get out of this prison before Saul gets back!"
"Saul mentioned that Lord Malak was on his way." Bastila said, frowning, "I think the Admiral left to prepare for his arrival... and to report the results of our interrogation. I only wish you had been able to resist the Admiral's questioning. I hope the information you revealed does not bring the entire galaxy under the dominion of the Sith."
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not totally heartless! I wasn't about to just let Carth be tortured!" I snapped at her. "There was no value in keeping silent, when Saul already knew the answers to the questions he was asking!"
"I've known Admiral Karath a long time and I think you're right." Carth said, looking at me with curiosity, "The interrogation was a sham. Saul was toying with us. He didn't care what we told him. I think it was just an excuse to torture us before Malak arrived."
As he said those words, a wave of malice hit me, through the Force. A cruel passionate anger that I knew was meant for me. "Did you feel that?" Bastila asked, stunned by the darkness that had washed over both of us, "A disturbance in the Force. The Admiral has sent his message, the Dark Lord knows we are here now. Malak is coming." I nodded in agreement.
"Well, then we better hope the droids bust us out of here before he arrives." Carth noted.
I smirked, and closed my eyes, reaching out with my Force senses. While T3 did not exist within the Force, HK gave off an echo that told me its location. From that, I could project, and hear them.
"Query: Are you quite sure this is the correct direction?"
"Beep beep."
"Statement: But I killed that meatbag five minutes ago!" Squishing sound, most likely HK stepping on a corpse.
"Beep boop."
"Theory: You are doing this on purpose."
"Beep."
Blaster fire, screams, and I sensed death.
"Beep beep boop boop."
"Statement: If you did not possess security skills required to release the master, I would blast you too."
"Whoop beep."
"Suggestion: Put an arc-wrench in it."
"Beep boop boop, whistle, beep beep bop." the sound of gears grinding... if my guess was right, they were right outside the holding area we were in.
I opened my eyes, and smirked as the doors opened and the torture cells released us.
"You may be droids, but when this is all over I'm going to see the Republic gives you both medals for your part in this!" Carth said gratefully.
"Report: This tin can slowed me down, master." HK informed me, "If it were not for its inaccurate directions, I would have freed you sooner. I could easily have blasted the door, rather than rely on this junk-pile's navigation sequences."
I sniggered, "HK, remember who does the repairs on the ship."
HK's eyes flashed, but it didn't retort. "Whoop whistle, beep." T3 put in smugly.
"Go let the others out, T3." I said pointedly, trying to diffuse the impending droid-feud.
"Beep." the little droid rolled off, and returned a minute later with the rest of our crew not far behind it.
"If I remember the layout of this ship our equipment should be in a storage chamber just through the north doors." Carth noted, "After we grab our stuff we need to get to the main bridge controls. The bridge is the only place we can open the docking gates of the hangar where they've got the Ebon Hawk. We have to open those gates before we can fly out of here!"
"We better get moving." Bastila said, "I can feel the darkness of Malak's presence approaching, and I don't want to be here when he arrives. None of us is a match for the Sith Lord."
"Hey!" I snapped, "I resent that implication! I was a Sith Lord, too, remember?"
Bastila sighed, "Malak has grown much more powerful, since your downfall, Revan." she said pointedly, "We cannot afford to risk your safety, at this juncture. You are the only one who can locate the Star Forge for us."
I rolled my eyes, "Well, let's get our equipment and blast our way to those bridge controls, then!"
"Surprise and secrecy will serve us best." Bastila said coldly, "A small group might have a better chance of sneaking onto the bridge undetected while the others make their way down to the Ebon Hawk."
"Count me in, then." Carth said quickly, "I've got a score to settle with the Admiral before we get off this ship, and I have a feeling I'm gonna find him on the Leviathan's bridge!"
"I'm going with you." I said flatly.
"That's a good idea." Bastila said, nodding, "The others can get to the Ebon Hawk on their own, but Carth and I might need your help. The three of us will get our equipment and make our way to the bridge. The rest of you head down to the docking hangar where they've got the Ebon Hawk. You'll have to find a way to deal with guards."
"Don't you worry about that." Canderous said, smirking, "I know how to deal with the guards. They won't know what hit them!"
"We'll meet you there as soon as we get those docking bay doors open." Bastila told them, "Just make sure the Hawk is ready to fly when we get there. And may the Force be with you."
"May the Force serve you well." I added. The reproachful look Bastila gave me was priceless, but no one else seemed too bothered, and Jolee actually sniggered.
Canderous led the rest of the crew away, towards the docking bays. I made my way through the north doors to find something decent to wear.
I was smirking as I looted the lockers to find my clothes, "What is so amusing, Revan?" Carth asked.
"The leaders addressing their troops in their underwear." I said brightly.
"You use the plural, leaders, rather than assuming you were the leader." Bastila noted.
"This mission is a joint operation." I said, looking at her, "If anything, you're in charge, not me, Bastila. I have the power, but you have control of me." I noticed Carth was studiously avoiding looking at me, now. "Something wrong, Carth?"
"No, nothing." he said quickly. Where I was looting the locker that held our clothing, Carth began raiding the weapons cabinet.
I threw his orange jacket at his head. "Don't lie to me, Carth. I can tell, you know."
He turned around, holding the jacket in front of him, as if suddenly self-conscious, "Just give me back my clothes, will you?"
I grinned, and threw the pile of clothes at him.
"We don't have time for this frivolous behaviour!" Bastila snapped. I glanced at her, then did a double take - she was fully clothed in her tan Jedi robes, and was clipping her lightsaber on her belt as I stared, "What?" she asked.
"That was quick." I said flatly.
She glared at me, and I shrugged, pulling on my own clothes, which consisted of the dark Jedi robes I had looted on Kashyyyk, and the black cloak I had stolen from Bandon's corpse. It didn't have a hood, which I would have preferred, but it still hung well on me.
When I was fully dressed, with my lightsabers on my belt, I returned my attention to Bastila and Carth, "Let's go."
x x x
We made our way to the bridge, relatively easily. The few Sith that got in our way also got in the way of my lightsabers and Carth's blasters. When we reached the bridge, we were met by Saul, two dark Jedi, two grenadiers, and two Sith soldiers with blasters.
"Very resourceful." Saul said to Carth, clearly impressed that we had managed to escape, "I assume you had some part in this; you learned your lessons well from me."
"The only thing you taught me was betrayal and death, Saul." Carth snapped.
"Don't be a fool." Saul snapped, "I am giving you and your companions a chance to surrender. A chance to live. Darth Malak himself is on his way, he will be arriving any moment."
"He speaks the truth, Carth." Bastila warned, "I can feel the Dark Lord's presence approaching."
"Malak will destroy you, but if you throw down your weapons now I will ask my Master to be merciful." Saul said. I snorted at the very idea.
"I've seen enough of Sith mercy!" Carth snarled.
"You always did like to do things the hard way. Lord Malak would have preferred live prisoners, but corpses will have to do." Saul said. He didn't exactly sound heartbroken at the idea of killing his protégé.
I sensed the guards behind us raising their blasters, and I held out a hand towards each of them, throwing lethal doses of Force lightening at them both. Two grenades flew at us, and Bastila caught them in mid-air with the Force, sending them back to their point of origin.
Four down, three to go. Bastila took on one of the dark Jedi, I charged at the other one. Carth and Saul both stepped forward, while we fought the dark Jedi. I killed my opponent first, but Bastila wasn't struggling, so I left her to it, and watched Carth and the admiral.
I wouldn't interrupt this any more than I would have interrupted Canderous' duel with Jagi. It was a matter of honour and betrayal, and I had no business interfering. Both men raised their blasters simultaneously, but Carth fired first, hitting Saul in the chest. I tilted my head to one side, fascinated - he would die within a few minutes, from that wound... unless some miracle made someone heal him.
Saul's left hand went to his wound, but his right hand held his blaster firmly aimed at Carth... and he fired. But the act of dropping to his knees as he fired really messed up his aim, and the shot just grazed Carth's arm.
Bastila dispatched her opponent, as well, and also turned to watch the duel.
Carth walked slowly over to Saul, and kicked the blaster out of Saul's hand. Then he aimed his own blaster at Saul's forehead. "Take your time, Carth." I said quietly, "Make him suffer before he dies."
"No!" Bastila snapped, "Carth, not like this! Do not give in to the hate."
Carth glared at Bastila, "Don't you understand what this man has done to my life? Do you know the pain he's brought me?"
"Killing him won't ease the pain, Carth. Do not become what you despise." she said calmly.
"Saul is dying, Bastila." I snapped, "And every second of pain before it will satisfy a fraction of Carth's vengeance." I looked at Carth, "But she is right that it won't be enough."
Carth stared at me, uncertainty clear in his eyes, but then he turned to Bastila, "I have to do this." he said flatly.
She frowned and looked away, not wanting to witness her friend commit cold-blooded murder.
Carth hit Saul across the face with the butt of his blaster, and then kicked the admiral in the gut, for good measure. I could sense the morbid satisfaction from him, with each blow. But then he frowned at the admiral, realising his victim was truly helpless... his conscience wouldn't let him kill the defenceless man. He shook his head and growled, "Damn you." then turned and stalked away from Saul.
Saul was on his hands and knees... clearly beaten... but still, he had the determination to reach for his blaster. The sound of the weapon charging reached Carth's ears, and he spun around a second before the admiral could shoot, his own blaster in his hand again. Saul dropped dead with a smoking hole in his forehead.
I smirked darkly, "Can't kill an unarmed man, Carth?" I asked innocently.
"I might yet make an exception for you, Revan." he growled warningly.
I laughed, "I doubt it. You're too honourable."
"By what definition?" Carth asked warily.
I tilted my head to one side, "Much that you'll hate to hear this... Mandalorian."
Carth's jaw dropped and he glared at me, and a wave of indignation hit me in the face. He seemed speechless, in the horrified way.
I smirked, "Your personal code of honour is far from Mandalore's code, Carth, don't worry about that... but the elements regarding honour in battle do match up. You could not kill an unarmed opponent - that is something that would defile your honour. That is why I made the comparison."
He frowned, "I thought you believed in Mandalorian honour? Why did you kill Bandon, then?"
"He deserved a dishonourable death. And while I would consider that Saul did as well, it was your choice to make. Now we don't have time to argue. Malak's on his way."
Bastila bolted for the nearest computer terminal, and typed in the commands to open the docking gates, "There. We can go, now."
x x x
We made it easily enough to the docking level, and slaughtered our way through the Sith guards there. We had almost made it to our ship when another wave of malice hit me like a slap in the face, "He's here." I said flatly.
Bastila stared through the door in front of us, "Is there another way around?"
"No." Carth said.
"What about if we sealed the doors and got the Hawk to fly around to this landing bay?" she asked hopefully. We were standing in the middle of a docking bay that was filled with dead Sith.
"There's no room for the Hawk to land on top of all those fighter ships." I said flatly.
Bastila looked worried, "We can't afford to face Malak, though." she said, almost panicking, "We can't risk it!"
"We don't have a choice, Jedi." I said flatly, "We need to get to the ship... and he's headed this way, anyway."
"I hate to admit it... but Revan's right." Carth said, frowning, "We still need a plan, though."
"I keep him busy, you two run for the ship." I said, shrugging innocently, "When you're safely on the ship, I'll stun him. You be ready to fly when I run after you."
"That seems awfully cowardly to me." Carth muttered.
"When you're facing a superior enemy, cowardice is the best tactic." I said brightly, "And while I don't admit that he's superior to me, he certainly is more dangerous than either of you. Now let's go."
I stepped through the door to find Malak there, waiting for us. As soon as Carth and Bastila stepped through the door, it closed behind us.
"Darth Malak!" Bastila hissed angrily.
"I hope you weren't thinking of leaving so soon, Bastila." Malak said, amused, "I've spent far too much energy hunting down you and your companions to let you get away from me now." he turned his attention to me, "Besides, I had to see for myself if it was true. Even now I can hardly believe my eyes... tell me, why did the Jedi spare you? Is it vengeance you seek at this reunion?"
I smirked, "Well, I suppose a kiss is too much to ask for."
Carth choked when he heard that. I don't think he'd worked out, yet, that Malak was the 'mysterious lover' I had told him so much about.
Malak, on the other hand, just glared at me, "Your sense of humour is not appreciated." he growled.
I smirked darkly, "Yeah, you never did like my idea of a joke, did you?"
His eyes narrowed, "I heard a rumour the Jedi had erased your memories, Revan."
"They tried to block them. Not erase them. But either way, they failed." I said cheerfully, "And you... you tried to kill me, you hairless Wookiee!"
He laughed, "You call that an insult?"
"Oh, go jump in a Saarlac pit, you rancour's ass." I snarled.
He rolled his eyes, and you get the feeling he'd be smirking if he could, "I'm going to enjoy this." he said coldly, igniting his lightsaber.
'Bastila, grab Carth and go. Now!' I projected it through our bond, and she responded with an affirmation that had it not been purely telepathic would have been a curt nod.
I drew my own red lightsaber, and took a defensive stance against Malak. He lunged at me, and a heated duel ensued. I didn't keep track of time, I was too focused on the fight. He was physically stronger than me, and his skill had improved since we last duelled. It took all my concentration to keep up with him and make a few offensive moves, myself.
Eventually, however, it wasn't enough. He disarmed me, and pinned me to the wall, "Vengeance is sweet, Revan. But it seems the Force is on my side today." he held his lightsaber near my face, and his eyes glittered darkly, "I've always wanted to repay this favour, Revan." he moved the blade closer to my cheek, and I tried to shy away from it. I knew he was implying what I did to his jaw. I was genuinely terrified at the idea. I didn't really fear death - I'd come close enough to it, often enough, that I had learned not to fear it - but I did fear the idea of living like that.
"Malak, please... don't." I whispered.
"You're begging me?" he asked, clearly amused at the concept. He thought for a moment, then you'd swear he'd be grinning evilly if he could, "Give me a good reason not to."
I stared at him for a moment, before I smirk crept onto my face, "You know the things I can do with my mouth. Wouldn't you rather imprison and tame me, instead of mutilating me?"
He seemed to actually consider that possibility, for a moment, "No. It would be too much trouble to control you."
"If you're threatening this, I'd be obedient!" I said quickly, desperation tingeing my words.
A flash of gold, behind him, and he grunted in pain, releasing his grip on me and turning to face the threat behind him.
Bastila caught her lightsaber, and held it aggressively, "This isn't over, Malak!"
"Your friends do not give up easily, Revan; you always could inspire loyalty." Malak growled, "But even the three of you together cannot stand against my power!"
Bastila charged Malak, with a flurry of lightsaber blows that backed him through the blast doors, "I'll hold Malak off. You two get out of here! Find the Star Forge!" she called back as she attacked.
"No, Bastila, he's too strong!" Carth shouted, from the other direction.
I tried to run after Bastila, but with a wave of Malak's hand, the doors slammed in my face.
"Bastila! No!" I yelled, hitting the door with my fists.
"The door's sealed, we can't get past! Come on, we have to get to the Ebon Hawk!" Carth said, running up to me, and trying to grab my arm to drag me away.
I shoved him away, and took a step back. "I'm not leaving her behind, Carth." I held both hands in front of me, palms facing the door, but fingers curled so the knuckled touched, and I reached with the Force to the blast doors... I pulled as hard as I could, through the Force, channelling all my strength and focus into it, but they wouldn't budge.
Carth watched, somehow aware of just how much raw power I was putting into my effort to open the door... he seemed awed, stunned, and a bit afraid.
But eventually, I lost my temper, and with it my focus. I threw wave after wave of kinetic energy, spawned from my anger, at the doors. But still, they held fast.
"Bastila sacrificed herself so we could get away. We can't let her sacrifice be in vain! Come on!" Carth said, trying to grab my arm again.
"But she's my bond-mate!" I cried, "I can't leave her!"
"We have to!" Carth snapped, "Bastila doesn't stand a chance against Malak, but we can't help her. Not here. We have to get off this ship and find the Star Forge. That's the key to beating the Dark Lord!"
I stared at the door, trying to burn through the metal with the Force... but suddenly searing pain ripped through my mind. It was Bastila... he was torturing her... it was agony. The proximity caused a feedback through our bond. It was unbearable... I shrieked in pain, and dropped to my knees. I vaguely felt arms around me, picking me up gently... a light rocking as I was carried. The pain eased ever so slightly, but it was still searing my every thought.
I felt cool metal underneath me, and as I was released from the grip of whoever was carrying me, I curled up in a ball on the cool surface. I barely felt the stab of an injection, through the haze of pain and terror clouding my mind... then everything went blissfully blank.
x x x
Author's Notes: Here it is, folks! The Leviathan! And for those of you who want to see Carth's dark side, this is the chapter for you. When I wrote his comment, last chapter, about spitting on Revan's corpse, that was one of those things that writes themselves, but I liked it, so it stayed. Now, however, his vindictive streak is intentional, on my part (don't you hate it when characters write themselves?) Enjoy.
Krazed Kaioshin Fangirl: I've finished writing this story - it's in the proof-reading stage - does that answer your question? If not, the answer's yes, I've decided. If you can convince Carth Paranoid Onasi to fall for a Sith Lord who's NOT suffering from amnesia, do tell me how - it's a nightmare getting this man to cooperate with my plot-gizka! That said, you should like the ending, don't worry.
Lord Valentai: I agree, Manaan has to be the most boring planet in the game, IMO. It was supposed to be a bad mental picture! Hence Bastila's reaction! On that note, if you know anyone who could make me a fan-art of that scene, I'd be eternally grateful.
arrow maker: lol - don't worry, we omnipotent authors and reviewers are above such rules... isn't that right, Candy? Hmmm... he's giving me that "drop dead" look... but he's not a Sith, so it doesn't work! lol.
NathanPostmark: Heh heh - well you didn't have to wait too long. But next chapter's huge as Bastila's ego... so I can't promise it'll follow quickly.
Niliav: Glad you like it.
Darth Jenrai: Glad you liked it. And it's not just you - you're not the first reviewer to notice her slipping towards the light side.
rockerbabe: No more flashbacks (unless my memory's Swiss-cheesed)... visions, though - those are always fun. Korriban is an effing huge chapter... so effing huge I had to hack off the end and tack it onto the start of chapter 9! You make a good point with the Uthar/Yuthura dillemma. I'm done with Griff - couldn't be bothered with him.
Prisoner 24601: Glad you liked it. I'm proud of my one-liners... but I'm not the queen of them... just the princess (my mother is the queen of the one-liner). And of course it was Malak - I never denied it!
Data: Poor Saul? Pfft. I don't like Saul. I'd happily string him up on a Kshyy vine by his intestines, still alive, as a snack for my pet Terentatek... that's after I've beaten him black and blue, broken every bone in his body with Force grip, and used him as a conductor for my Force-lightening-powered laptop-computer battery. Yeah. So I don't like him too much.
HK-48: Hmmm... yes. LS-go-bad... I started one (sort of - it starts at the temple summit), but unfortunately it got held up in traffic, by Dustil being too important. I'll get back to it one of these days. As for gizka... Revan just didn't like them.
Rascarin: Thanks.
RollingSkull: Carth can get Kira to fall for him, yes, but I'm not under his spell (I prefer Dustil - more my age and type). If you liked that glimpse of Carth's dark side, keep reading - it gets better. Therein lies the problem with Korriban - tons of plot and much more character development I've seen smaller rancors than chapter 8! Revan loving Malak is supposed to be creepy - chapter 8 (there's that behemoth again) makes it even more twisted. And the "take you over my knee" line follows the same line in that chapter as it did in the game... so :p
darth poop: Not for lack of trying, I assure you.
talar: Wow, long review... don't worry, I like long reviews. Glad you liked the chapter - I also dislike Manaan, and I did my best to fix its boredom factor. If you want my opinion on Saul, read what I said to Data. Hey, cool - I hadn't expected anyone to actually like that scene - I'd expected people to just go "eww, bad mental pictures!" and move on... I'm glad you saw the deeper meaning in it. And your nitpick is right - I'll try not to do that in future (though this chapter's already been proof-read, so I mean from next chapter onwards).
ether-fanfic: Glad you like it. It's good to see my fanfics are good for something.
Rascarin: Here's an update.
x x x
Chapter 7 - Reunion
I caught up with Carth in the common room of the Ebon Hawk, "Carth, listen to me!"
He spun around, glaring at me dangerously, "Why are you doing this? You know how much he means to me! If I can save him, I will!"
"He's a Sith, now, Carth!" I yelled, "If you, Captain Republic, waltz into the Sith Academy and drag the boy out by the scruff of the neck, I somehow doubt he'd be too pleased with you! Not to mention the fact you'd likely be killed on sight, at the door to the place! And if he's been trained by even a semi-competent Sith Master, he'll have no qualms killing you himself if you try that stunt!"
I didn't even see it coming, it was so sudden. My head snapped to the side, and my left cheek burned with pain. I slowly turned to stare at Carth. He had slapped me! "Don't you bloody dare try to stop me, Revan!"
I continued to stare. I hadn't expected him to hit me. As much as he hated me, this was the last thing I expected.
A muffled sniggering drew my attention to the audience we had. The entire crew was staring at us, in shock. With the exception of Canderous, who was the one sniggering.
"What's so bloody funny, Mandalorian?" Carth snarled.
"You just slapped her across the face." Canderous answered, still sniggering, "In Mandalorian culture, that is a challenge to a blood-duel. And by rights, she is Mandalore." I smirked, "You just challenged Mandalore, Darth Revan, the most powerful woman in the galaxy, to a blood duel, you short-sighted nerf-herder!"
Carth stared at me for a second, before saying, "Go to hell, Revan."
"All right." I said coldly, "That sounds like a plan. But I'm taking you lot with me. Jolee, set a course for Korriban!"
Carth blinked, "What the-?"
"Korriban equals hell, duh." Mission said, laughing, "It's where all the evil people go, and I've heard it's a barren wasteland. Seems hellish to me."
Carth glared at me for another minute, during which time Jolee made his way to the cockpit to set pre-launch sequences. Carth really didn't know what to say or do to or about me, so he turned and stormed off in the direction of the cockpit.
x x x
"You could have accepted his challenge." Canderous noted, as I modified my lightsaber, and he sat nearby, "It certainly would have been amusing to watch."
"Perhaps." I said coldly. I was still angry as hell at Carth, for slapping me. "But I think his own conscience will hurt him more than I ever could. He's a good man - slapping a woman is one of the most seedy degenerate things he could think of. He's threatened me idly with it, before now, but I never though he would do it."
"I don't see the big deal." Canderous said, shrugging, "It's an insult to slap someone - implies you don't think they're worthy of your fists - but if a woman did something to deserve it, I wouldn't discriminate. The pathetic double standard with so many modern patriarchal cultures sickens me. They treat a woman like a precious little trinket they don't want to break, then turn around and say they're equal."
"Rights to vote, and equality cost a lot of Coruscanti women a lot of blood, sweat and tears to earn, a few millennia ago." I said flatly.
"Yet they still treat women like delicate flowers. If you're equal, why do men tip-toe around you, standing on archaic courtesy and manners?" Canderous asked.
"Because it's polite." I retorted.
"You just love it, don't you, Revan?" he asked, smirking, "Being treated better because you're a woman."
I stared at him.
"There is such a thing as overcompensating, you know. If anyone dares slight a woman, in your culture, however much she may deserve it, she can say they're discriminating against her just because she's a woman. Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're going to end up with men as the victims of society." he asked, smirking darkly.
I also smirked, "I like that idea."
"You would." he said, laughing slightly, "You have researched Mandalorian culture, you know-"
"That your women really are equal." I said flatly, "They don't get special treatment, unless they happen to be pregnant at the time."
"Pretty much."
"Yet most of them choose not to fight, or join the armies." I said distantly, "A female Mandalorian warrior is a rare thing, but not because you're chauvinistic creeps like everyone seems to think."
"That's about right." he said, smirking, "So what are you going to do about Soldier-boy?"
"Teach him a lesson." I said flatly, "I just don't know what sort of lesson, yet. His son is important to him, and I don't want to hurt him... but he slapped me, and he must pay for that."
Canderous nodded, and I clicked my lightsaber back together. He claimed the workbench as soon as I left it, and proceeded to upgrade his own weaponry. I left him to it.
x x x
I made my way into the cockpit, warily. Carth was sitting in the pilot's seat, staring out into space as we flew through hyperspace, as if he thought he could see Korriban in the distance as we headed towards it. He didn't look at me as I entered the cockpit, but he did notice me, "What are you doing here?" he asked bitterly.
"I came to talk to you." I said quietly.
"I don't want to talk." he said flatly.
"It'll help."
"I don't want to talk to you." he reiterated, in a low growl.
"Why not?" I asked.
"He turned to glare at me, "Because, you bloody evil Sith bitch, you're the reason I lost him in the first place! If I had my way, you'd be dead a dozen times over, Revan!"
"Such sweet things you say." I said acidly.
"You destroyed my life! You killed my wife, and you took away my son!" he snarled, his voice cracking with anger and grief, "How is it fair that you are allowed to go on living, when she isn't? And what gives you the right to steal him from me, as well?"
"I didn't steal your son from you."
"He's at the Sith Academy, isn't he?" Carth snapped, "I suppose he just landed there by accident, did he?"
"You cannot blame me personally." I snapped, "When I was Sith Lord, I was in charge of a vast army. Malak had control of a third of it, and even then, we both delegated management jobs. Something as relatively insignificant as one boy could easily slip under my personal radar, believe it or not!"
"I... I just don't understand why Dustil would join the Sith." he said, running his fingers irritably through his hair, "But I... I have to find out. There's simply no choice." he shook his head, staring distantly out the window again, "All this time I've thought he was... he must be a man by now..."
"Carth..." I tentatively reached out to touch his arm, and he flinched away from me as if I was diseased, "I meant what I said. I know why you took offence at it, but it's the truth. If he is being trained as a Sith, he will likely be incredibly hostile to you. You are a Republic war hero, after all."
He glared at thin air, "I don't need advice from you, Revan." he hissed.
I sighed, but then the ship jolted suddenly, and I was thrown into Carth's lap. He shoved me off him immediately.
"What happened? What's going on?" Bastila demanded, bolting into the cockpit from the common area.
"Sith Interdictor ship." Carth answered her, "They must have been waiting for us on the hyperspace route. We're caught in their tractor beam."
"Do you recognize the ship?" Bastila asked, seating herself in the co-pilot's seat, much good it would do her.
"It's the Leviathan. Saul Karath's vessel. My old mentor." Carth cut the engines, which I considered a wise move - a small ship like this can't fight an Interdictor ship's tractor beam.
The three of us made our way, relatively dejectedly, into the common room, where the rest of the crew had assembled.
"Sith Interdictor ships take hostages using stun fields." I said flatly, "There's no way anyone on the ship can avoid it."
"Stun fields?" Mission asked, "Those only work on organics, don't they?"
"Commentary: That is most likely because of meatbag inferiority."
I grinned, "HK, T3..."
x x x
I woke groggily, to hear a voice taunting, "Carth, it has been far too long since we last spoke. I see the recent months have not been kind in your case. I barely recognized you."
I opened my eyes, and focused a venomous glare on the offending person who had dared speak so loudly when I was trying to be unconscious. I realised we had been stripped to our undergarments, and were held in torture cells. I found this most unfair, because while Bastila and I were wearing skimpy bras and knickers, Carth's underwear could pass for summer clothing.
"But I recognized you, Saul." Carth growled, "I see your face every night even as I promise myself I will kill you for what you did to my home world."
"Did you learn nothing in your time under me?" Saul asked, seemingly exasperated, "As a soldier you should understand that casualties were unavoidable. This was an act of war."
"It was a cowardly act of betrayal!" Carth yelled, "Your fleet bombed a civilian target into oblivion without warning or provocation. And the blood of those innocent people is on your hands!"
"In war even the innocent must die. The Sith would not accept me until I proved I had truly turned my back on the Republic by bombing the planet." Saul said, trying to rationalise it to himself as much as to Carth.
"Saul." I said pointedly, drawing attention to the fact I was awake, "Malak gave the order to bomb Telos. But if you'd disobeyed him, and done as I had ordered him to do in the first place, I would have commended your initiative, instead of kicking both your asses across the Leviathan for the following week."
"You think I am a fool, Revan?" Saul snapped, "Malak would have killed me if I had disobeyed his orders."
"Better if you had been killed than the thousands who died on Telos!" Carth snapped, "My wife died in that attack, Saul. And for that, I swear I'll kill you." he growled dangerously.
"You used to be a man of action, not of empty words." Saul taunted, "Cling to your lust for revenge if you must, but spare me your tired threats. I've heard them all before. You are an insignificant part of these events, anyway. Lord Malak is far more interested in your companions, here. He has great plans for them."
"We will never serve Malak or the dark side!" Bastila declared bravely, "The Sith will be destroyed, Admiral Karath... as will you if you don't turn away from this path."
"Your words are brave, Bastila, but the lure of the dark side is hard to resist - or so I've been told. I wonder if your companion is as devoted to the light as you are?" Saul asked, smirking at me.
"I'd put a fair amount of devotion into kicking your ass, again, Saul." I said brightly, "But light side? Nah, that's not my style, anymore."
Saul's eyes narrowed in anger, but his voice remained calm as he said, "The Dark Lord would probably reward me if I just killed you once and for all. But he may want to question you given the trouble you've caused him... and the history between you."
"Oh, if you killed me, he'd not be happy. He wouldn't want you depriving him of the pleasure, I assure you." I said sweetly.
"The Dark Lord will no doubt torture you for information and for his own twisted pleasure." Saul said, smirking, "Eventually you will tell him everything. The Sith can be very persuasive. However, Lord Malak is in another sector. It may be some time before he arrives, so I suppose I will have to fill in for him until then. Activate the torture fields."
The pain seared through me, but I was getting the psychic waves of pain from Carth and Bastila, too... and my darkness turned other people's pain into my own pleasure. I focused as hard as I could on Carth's agony, and my own pain seemed to fade. I smirked at Saul, and raised an eyebrow, while the other two screamed in pain.
That really unsettled Saul, "Enough! I don't want them to pass out before I question them." he snapped, his voice wavering with mild fear, "Malak will appreciate any information I can give him when he arrives."
"Don't waste your breath, Saul! We won't answer any of your questions." Carth snapped.
"I'm sure you won't." Saul said, too smugly, "However, we both know your friend's loyalties have proven in the past to be somewhat... flexible."
I tilted my head to one side, smirking, "You really think I'm going to tell you anything?"
Saul glared at me, "I doubt torturing you will gain me your true cooperation. Your will is too strong to be broken that way. However, even the strongest of heroes has trouble watching those they care about suffering."
"I'm no hero." I said coldly.
"The interrogation will begin now." Saul snapped, "Each time you refuse to answer or give me a false answer, Carth will suffer."
"My pain is meaningless! Tell him nothing!" Carth shouted.
"Go ahead, torture him." I said coldly, "Do you see me caring?" I hadn't actually said I didn't care... I couldn't say it... I don't lie.
"You expect me to fall for such a transparent ploy." Saul jeered, "You travel half way across the galaxy with someone and you expect me to believe you feel nothing for each other?"
"Well I think he feels seething hatred for me, if that's what you mean." I said blithely.
Saul shook his head, "I tire of these games - now I want answers! On what planet is the Jedi Academy at which you were trained?"
I looked into Saul's eyes, and saw that he already knew the answer... "Dantooine."
"No! Don't say anymore!" Carth snapped.
"An excellent beginning." Saul said smugly, "I am glad you are being reasonable. This first question was a test. Obviously Malak knew the Academy was on Dantooine, and it has since been destroyed by our fleet! Dantooine is an empty graveyard now. Nothing remains but a smoking ruin and the charred remains of your former Masters!"
"My former Masters?" I snorted, "You should be telling this to Bastila. The Jedi Masters can go take a flying leap at Kashyyyk's moons, for all I care!"
Saul snorted, but didn't retort to me. I was successfully scaring him, even though I was locked in this torture cell, "Now... tell me your mission. How were the Jedi planning on using you to stop Lord Malak and our Sith armada?"
Again, I looked into his eyes... he knew this one, too, "Are you just looking for an excuse to torture us, Saul?"
"What?" he asked, startled.
"You heard me."
"I am interrogating you, not the other way around. You will answer questions, not ask them."
I smirked, "We were trying to locate for the Star Forge... again."
"Why? Why... why are telling him this?" Carth demanded.
"You should be grateful, Carth. She is sparing you agony beyond comprehension." Saul taunted.
"Words that betray the Republic bring me more pain than any torture ever could!" Carth growled, glaring at me. I met his gaze steadily.
"Tell me, how did you find out about the Star Forge?"
"Do I have to spell it out for you, Saul? It's on the Sith records where Malak and I found out about the bloody thing!"
Saul glared at me, "I meant how did the Jedi come to be aware of it... I doubt you willingly told them."
I raised an eyebrow at him, and looked into his eyes again... again, he knew the answer, though I was uncertain how he knew it, "Bastila shared my memory of finding it." I said coldly.
"No!" Carth yelled, "How could you betray the Republic like this?"
Saul smirked, "I find your willingness to cooperate pleasing, though it seems your answers are quite upsetting to Carth. Not to worry, we are almost finished here. The information you have given me has been most useful, but I fear our session is over. Lord Malak will want to continue with this line of questioning himself."
"Go screw a Gizka, Saul." I said coldly. I had contemplated using the Force to back up that suggestion, but decided that would be too cruel to the Gizka in question.
"I will leave you here in your cell with a small taste of the horrors you will suffer when Lord Malak arrives." Saul said smugly. With a signal from him, the torture fields were reactivated.
x x x
In spite of my best efforts to resist the torture, I had eventually passed out... when I woke, Bastila's voice greeted me, "Don't try to move too quickly, you might not be fully recovered yet. Admiral Karath had his guards continue to torture you even after you passed out."
"They tortured all of us, though you got the worst of it by far." Carth said flatly, "Saul wanted them to make us suffer. He's become some sort of sadistic monster."
"The dark side has perverted him, Carth." Bastila replied, "Once you start down the tainted path it leads you ever further into the depths of evil. I fear he is forever lost."
I frowned, and looked at the floor, "Thanks." I muttered coldly.
"What?" Bastila stared at me, then, "I didn't mean you were... oh, I... I meant..."
"I know what you meant." I said coldly, "I'm just an essential tool to completing this mission. I'm a bloody hopeless case that's probably going to be locked away at the soonest convenience of the Jedi Council!"
"I didn't mean that!" Bastila said, horrified.
"You implied it. You implied that anyone who turns to the dark side is 'forever lost'." I hissed, glaring at her.
"I am sorry, Revan." she said quietly, "I didn't mean to imply it." she frowned, as if trying to think why she had said it, "I suppose I'm taking the news of Dantooine's destruction quite hard. First Taris, now the Academy... is there no end to the killing?"
"Death is a part of life, Bastila." I said calmly, "It happens to everyone eventually, and while I know you need to grieve, this really isn't the time."
"That's heartless, Revan." Carth growled.
I looked at him, with a piercing stare, "When everything's blowing up around you, and your only way out requires you to think, to focus, grief only slows you down."
He winced. I had hit an accurate memory, and a very raw nerve with that one. But I was right.
I turned back to Bastila, "You can grieve when we're safe. Meditating might connect you to the Force, enough to allow you to sense if they survived or not. Don't let emotion cloud your judgement, Bastila. We need to focus, here."
She nodded, but Carth decided to note, "None of this will matter if we don't get out of this prison before Saul gets back!"
"Saul mentioned that Lord Malak was on his way." Bastila said, frowning, "I think the Admiral left to prepare for his arrival... and to report the results of our interrogation. I only wish you had been able to resist the Admiral's questioning. I hope the information you revealed does not bring the entire galaxy under the dominion of the Sith."
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not totally heartless! I wasn't about to just let Carth be tortured!" I snapped at her. "There was no value in keeping silent, when Saul already knew the answers to the questions he was asking!"
"I've known Admiral Karath a long time and I think you're right." Carth said, looking at me with curiosity, "The interrogation was a sham. Saul was toying with us. He didn't care what we told him. I think it was just an excuse to torture us before Malak arrived."
As he said those words, a wave of malice hit me, through the Force. A cruel passionate anger that I knew was meant for me. "Did you feel that?" Bastila asked, stunned by the darkness that had washed over both of us, "A disturbance in the Force. The Admiral has sent his message, the Dark Lord knows we are here now. Malak is coming." I nodded in agreement.
"Well, then we better hope the droids bust us out of here before he arrives." Carth noted.
I smirked, and closed my eyes, reaching out with my Force senses. While T3 did not exist within the Force, HK gave off an echo that told me its location. From that, I could project, and hear them.
"Query: Are you quite sure this is the correct direction?"
"Beep beep."
"Statement: But I killed that meatbag five minutes ago!" Squishing sound, most likely HK stepping on a corpse.
"Beep boop."
"Theory: You are doing this on purpose."
"Beep."
Blaster fire, screams, and I sensed death.
"Beep beep boop boop."
"Statement: If you did not possess security skills required to release the master, I would blast you too."
"Whoop beep."
"Suggestion: Put an arc-wrench in it."
"Beep boop boop, whistle, beep beep bop." the sound of gears grinding... if my guess was right, they were right outside the holding area we were in.
I opened my eyes, and smirked as the doors opened and the torture cells released us.
"You may be droids, but when this is all over I'm going to see the Republic gives you both medals for your part in this!" Carth said gratefully.
"Report: This tin can slowed me down, master." HK informed me, "If it were not for its inaccurate directions, I would have freed you sooner. I could easily have blasted the door, rather than rely on this junk-pile's navigation sequences."
I sniggered, "HK, remember who does the repairs on the ship."
HK's eyes flashed, but it didn't retort. "Whoop whistle, beep." T3 put in smugly.
"Go let the others out, T3." I said pointedly, trying to diffuse the impending droid-feud.
"Beep." the little droid rolled off, and returned a minute later with the rest of our crew not far behind it.
"If I remember the layout of this ship our equipment should be in a storage chamber just through the north doors." Carth noted, "After we grab our stuff we need to get to the main bridge controls. The bridge is the only place we can open the docking gates of the hangar where they've got the Ebon Hawk. We have to open those gates before we can fly out of here!"
"We better get moving." Bastila said, "I can feel the darkness of Malak's presence approaching, and I don't want to be here when he arrives. None of us is a match for the Sith Lord."
"Hey!" I snapped, "I resent that implication! I was a Sith Lord, too, remember?"
Bastila sighed, "Malak has grown much more powerful, since your downfall, Revan." she said pointedly, "We cannot afford to risk your safety, at this juncture. You are the only one who can locate the Star Forge for us."
I rolled my eyes, "Well, let's get our equipment and blast our way to those bridge controls, then!"
"Surprise and secrecy will serve us best." Bastila said coldly, "A small group might have a better chance of sneaking onto the bridge undetected while the others make their way down to the Ebon Hawk."
"Count me in, then." Carth said quickly, "I've got a score to settle with the Admiral before we get off this ship, and I have a feeling I'm gonna find him on the Leviathan's bridge!"
"I'm going with you." I said flatly.
"That's a good idea." Bastila said, nodding, "The others can get to the Ebon Hawk on their own, but Carth and I might need your help. The three of us will get our equipment and make our way to the bridge. The rest of you head down to the docking hangar where they've got the Ebon Hawk. You'll have to find a way to deal with guards."
"Don't you worry about that." Canderous said, smirking, "I know how to deal with the guards. They won't know what hit them!"
"We'll meet you there as soon as we get those docking bay doors open." Bastila told them, "Just make sure the Hawk is ready to fly when we get there. And may the Force be with you."
"May the Force serve you well." I added. The reproachful look Bastila gave me was priceless, but no one else seemed too bothered, and Jolee actually sniggered.
Canderous led the rest of the crew away, towards the docking bays. I made my way through the north doors to find something decent to wear.
I was smirking as I looted the lockers to find my clothes, "What is so amusing, Revan?" Carth asked.
"The leaders addressing their troops in their underwear." I said brightly.
"You use the plural, leaders, rather than assuming you were the leader." Bastila noted.
"This mission is a joint operation." I said, looking at her, "If anything, you're in charge, not me, Bastila. I have the power, but you have control of me." I noticed Carth was studiously avoiding looking at me, now. "Something wrong, Carth?"
"No, nothing." he said quickly. Where I was looting the locker that held our clothing, Carth began raiding the weapons cabinet.
I threw his orange jacket at his head. "Don't lie to me, Carth. I can tell, you know."
He turned around, holding the jacket in front of him, as if suddenly self-conscious, "Just give me back my clothes, will you?"
I grinned, and threw the pile of clothes at him.
"We don't have time for this frivolous behaviour!" Bastila snapped. I glanced at her, then did a double take - she was fully clothed in her tan Jedi robes, and was clipping her lightsaber on her belt as I stared, "What?" she asked.
"That was quick." I said flatly.
She glared at me, and I shrugged, pulling on my own clothes, which consisted of the dark Jedi robes I had looted on Kashyyyk, and the black cloak I had stolen from Bandon's corpse. It didn't have a hood, which I would have preferred, but it still hung well on me.
When I was fully dressed, with my lightsabers on my belt, I returned my attention to Bastila and Carth, "Let's go."
x x x
We made our way to the bridge, relatively easily. The few Sith that got in our way also got in the way of my lightsabers and Carth's blasters. When we reached the bridge, we were met by Saul, two dark Jedi, two grenadiers, and two Sith soldiers with blasters.
"Very resourceful." Saul said to Carth, clearly impressed that we had managed to escape, "I assume you had some part in this; you learned your lessons well from me."
"The only thing you taught me was betrayal and death, Saul." Carth snapped.
"Don't be a fool." Saul snapped, "I am giving you and your companions a chance to surrender. A chance to live. Darth Malak himself is on his way, he will be arriving any moment."
"He speaks the truth, Carth." Bastila warned, "I can feel the Dark Lord's presence approaching."
"Malak will destroy you, but if you throw down your weapons now I will ask my Master to be merciful." Saul said. I snorted at the very idea.
"I've seen enough of Sith mercy!" Carth snarled.
"You always did like to do things the hard way. Lord Malak would have preferred live prisoners, but corpses will have to do." Saul said. He didn't exactly sound heartbroken at the idea of killing his protégé.
I sensed the guards behind us raising their blasters, and I held out a hand towards each of them, throwing lethal doses of Force lightening at them both. Two grenades flew at us, and Bastila caught them in mid-air with the Force, sending them back to their point of origin.
Four down, three to go. Bastila took on one of the dark Jedi, I charged at the other one. Carth and Saul both stepped forward, while we fought the dark Jedi. I killed my opponent first, but Bastila wasn't struggling, so I left her to it, and watched Carth and the admiral.
I wouldn't interrupt this any more than I would have interrupted Canderous' duel with Jagi. It was a matter of honour and betrayal, and I had no business interfering. Both men raised their blasters simultaneously, but Carth fired first, hitting Saul in the chest. I tilted my head to one side, fascinated - he would die within a few minutes, from that wound... unless some miracle made someone heal him.
Saul's left hand went to his wound, but his right hand held his blaster firmly aimed at Carth... and he fired. But the act of dropping to his knees as he fired really messed up his aim, and the shot just grazed Carth's arm.
Bastila dispatched her opponent, as well, and also turned to watch the duel.
Carth walked slowly over to Saul, and kicked the blaster out of Saul's hand. Then he aimed his own blaster at Saul's forehead. "Take your time, Carth." I said quietly, "Make him suffer before he dies."
"No!" Bastila snapped, "Carth, not like this! Do not give in to the hate."
Carth glared at Bastila, "Don't you understand what this man has done to my life? Do you know the pain he's brought me?"
"Killing him won't ease the pain, Carth. Do not become what you despise." she said calmly.
"Saul is dying, Bastila." I snapped, "And every second of pain before it will satisfy a fraction of Carth's vengeance." I looked at Carth, "But she is right that it won't be enough."
Carth stared at me, uncertainty clear in his eyes, but then he turned to Bastila, "I have to do this." he said flatly.
She frowned and looked away, not wanting to witness her friend commit cold-blooded murder.
Carth hit Saul across the face with the butt of his blaster, and then kicked the admiral in the gut, for good measure. I could sense the morbid satisfaction from him, with each blow. But then he frowned at the admiral, realising his victim was truly helpless... his conscience wouldn't let him kill the defenceless man. He shook his head and growled, "Damn you." then turned and stalked away from Saul.
Saul was on his hands and knees... clearly beaten... but still, he had the determination to reach for his blaster. The sound of the weapon charging reached Carth's ears, and he spun around a second before the admiral could shoot, his own blaster in his hand again. Saul dropped dead with a smoking hole in his forehead.
I smirked darkly, "Can't kill an unarmed man, Carth?" I asked innocently.
"I might yet make an exception for you, Revan." he growled warningly.
I laughed, "I doubt it. You're too honourable."
"By what definition?" Carth asked warily.
I tilted my head to one side, "Much that you'll hate to hear this... Mandalorian."
Carth's jaw dropped and he glared at me, and a wave of indignation hit me in the face. He seemed speechless, in the horrified way.
I smirked, "Your personal code of honour is far from Mandalore's code, Carth, don't worry about that... but the elements regarding honour in battle do match up. You could not kill an unarmed opponent - that is something that would defile your honour. That is why I made the comparison."
He frowned, "I thought you believed in Mandalorian honour? Why did you kill Bandon, then?"
"He deserved a dishonourable death. And while I would consider that Saul did as well, it was your choice to make. Now we don't have time to argue. Malak's on his way."
Bastila bolted for the nearest computer terminal, and typed in the commands to open the docking gates, "There. We can go, now."
x x x
We made it easily enough to the docking level, and slaughtered our way through the Sith guards there. We had almost made it to our ship when another wave of malice hit me like a slap in the face, "He's here." I said flatly.
Bastila stared through the door in front of us, "Is there another way around?"
"No." Carth said.
"What about if we sealed the doors and got the Hawk to fly around to this landing bay?" she asked hopefully. We were standing in the middle of a docking bay that was filled with dead Sith.
"There's no room for the Hawk to land on top of all those fighter ships." I said flatly.
Bastila looked worried, "We can't afford to face Malak, though." she said, almost panicking, "We can't risk it!"
"We don't have a choice, Jedi." I said flatly, "We need to get to the ship... and he's headed this way, anyway."
"I hate to admit it... but Revan's right." Carth said, frowning, "We still need a plan, though."
"I keep him busy, you two run for the ship." I said, shrugging innocently, "When you're safely on the ship, I'll stun him. You be ready to fly when I run after you."
"That seems awfully cowardly to me." Carth muttered.
"When you're facing a superior enemy, cowardice is the best tactic." I said brightly, "And while I don't admit that he's superior to me, he certainly is more dangerous than either of you. Now let's go."
I stepped through the door to find Malak there, waiting for us. As soon as Carth and Bastila stepped through the door, it closed behind us.
"Darth Malak!" Bastila hissed angrily.
"I hope you weren't thinking of leaving so soon, Bastila." Malak said, amused, "I've spent far too much energy hunting down you and your companions to let you get away from me now." he turned his attention to me, "Besides, I had to see for myself if it was true. Even now I can hardly believe my eyes... tell me, why did the Jedi spare you? Is it vengeance you seek at this reunion?"
I smirked, "Well, I suppose a kiss is too much to ask for."
Carth choked when he heard that. I don't think he'd worked out, yet, that Malak was the 'mysterious lover' I had told him so much about.
Malak, on the other hand, just glared at me, "Your sense of humour is not appreciated." he growled.
I smirked darkly, "Yeah, you never did like my idea of a joke, did you?"
His eyes narrowed, "I heard a rumour the Jedi had erased your memories, Revan."
"They tried to block them. Not erase them. But either way, they failed." I said cheerfully, "And you... you tried to kill me, you hairless Wookiee!"
He laughed, "You call that an insult?"
"Oh, go jump in a Saarlac pit, you rancour's ass." I snarled.
He rolled his eyes, and you get the feeling he'd be smirking if he could, "I'm going to enjoy this." he said coldly, igniting his lightsaber.
'Bastila, grab Carth and go. Now!' I projected it through our bond, and she responded with an affirmation that had it not been purely telepathic would have been a curt nod.
I drew my own red lightsaber, and took a defensive stance against Malak. He lunged at me, and a heated duel ensued. I didn't keep track of time, I was too focused on the fight. He was physically stronger than me, and his skill had improved since we last duelled. It took all my concentration to keep up with him and make a few offensive moves, myself.
Eventually, however, it wasn't enough. He disarmed me, and pinned me to the wall, "Vengeance is sweet, Revan. But it seems the Force is on my side today." he held his lightsaber near my face, and his eyes glittered darkly, "I've always wanted to repay this favour, Revan." he moved the blade closer to my cheek, and I tried to shy away from it. I knew he was implying what I did to his jaw. I was genuinely terrified at the idea. I didn't really fear death - I'd come close enough to it, often enough, that I had learned not to fear it - but I did fear the idea of living like that.
"Malak, please... don't." I whispered.
"You're begging me?" he asked, clearly amused at the concept. He thought for a moment, then you'd swear he'd be grinning evilly if he could, "Give me a good reason not to."
I stared at him for a moment, before I smirk crept onto my face, "You know the things I can do with my mouth. Wouldn't you rather imprison and tame me, instead of mutilating me?"
He seemed to actually consider that possibility, for a moment, "No. It would be too much trouble to control you."
"If you're threatening this, I'd be obedient!" I said quickly, desperation tingeing my words.
A flash of gold, behind him, and he grunted in pain, releasing his grip on me and turning to face the threat behind him.
Bastila caught her lightsaber, and held it aggressively, "This isn't over, Malak!"
"Your friends do not give up easily, Revan; you always could inspire loyalty." Malak growled, "But even the three of you together cannot stand against my power!"
Bastila charged Malak, with a flurry of lightsaber blows that backed him through the blast doors, "I'll hold Malak off. You two get out of here! Find the Star Forge!" she called back as she attacked.
"No, Bastila, he's too strong!" Carth shouted, from the other direction.
I tried to run after Bastila, but with a wave of Malak's hand, the doors slammed in my face.
"Bastila! No!" I yelled, hitting the door with my fists.
"The door's sealed, we can't get past! Come on, we have to get to the Ebon Hawk!" Carth said, running up to me, and trying to grab my arm to drag me away.
I shoved him away, and took a step back. "I'm not leaving her behind, Carth." I held both hands in front of me, palms facing the door, but fingers curled so the knuckled touched, and I reached with the Force to the blast doors... I pulled as hard as I could, through the Force, channelling all my strength and focus into it, but they wouldn't budge.
Carth watched, somehow aware of just how much raw power I was putting into my effort to open the door... he seemed awed, stunned, and a bit afraid.
But eventually, I lost my temper, and with it my focus. I threw wave after wave of kinetic energy, spawned from my anger, at the doors. But still, they held fast.
"Bastila sacrificed herself so we could get away. We can't let her sacrifice be in vain! Come on!" Carth said, trying to grab my arm again.
"But she's my bond-mate!" I cried, "I can't leave her!"
"We have to!" Carth snapped, "Bastila doesn't stand a chance against Malak, but we can't help her. Not here. We have to get off this ship and find the Star Forge. That's the key to beating the Dark Lord!"
I stared at the door, trying to burn through the metal with the Force... but suddenly searing pain ripped through my mind. It was Bastila... he was torturing her... it was agony. The proximity caused a feedback through our bond. It was unbearable... I shrieked in pain, and dropped to my knees. I vaguely felt arms around me, picking me up gently... a light rocking as I was carried. The pain eased ever so slightly, but it was still searing my every thought.
I felt cool metal underneath me, and as I was released from the grip of whoever was carrying me, I curled up in a ball on the cool surface. I barely felt the stab of an injection, through the haze of pain and terror clouding my mind... then everything went blissfully blank.
x x x