Saviour, Conqueror, Hero, Villain

by VMorticia

HUGE SPOILER WARNINGS FOR KOTOR! Evil PC character! And it's finished, alternate ending and all. Read, review, and I'll be eternally grateful.

9. Through Victory

Saviour, Conqueror, Hero, Villain.

Author's Notes: And as I said before, one-chapter-per-planet went out the airlock with Taris. Korriban was getting ridiculously long, so I put the end of that chapter at the start of this one... since this one shouldn't be too long. Oh, and the rules to be a successful evil overlord can be found at

Lord Valentai: Glad you like it. I figured Xor deserved what he got, if not worse.

NathanPostmark: Glad you like it.

gamorreanprincess: Heh heh - I figured the hair bit would be a funny interlude.

arrow maker: Ah... sugar. Ok. Glitterstim is better... but sugar is good, too.

Niliav: I ran it through a spelling/grammar checking... so any errors are probably either irrelevant or deliberate. Thanks, though.

Prisoner 24601: Thanks. Yes, but then Kira is evil and petty, so that works. And Ajunta Pall was practically asking for me to use him like that.

Rascarin: Thanks. Don't worry, I will.

Firera: I told ya Dustil was fun to write... wait till you see this chapter. Xor deserved it. As for sparks, well... it depends.

rockerbabe: Wow... long review... I LOVE YOU! Please tell me what, exactly, anyone without a jaw would do with pie. Glad you like, so far. What bad thought might Uthar's hair conjure? Heh heh - yes, that line of Dustil's was fun. And of course, Bandon dies, therefore the Sith who have a chance of replacing him throw a party. Yes... Ronan Bane is the name I mentioned in passing, for one of Dustil's friends in my other KotOR fic - his name was nicked (er, I mean borrowed, yeah) from Harry Potter... I thought the fact he's got black hair was another clue... but you're the first to spot it. Yeah - Xor got what was coming to him, huh? Uthar was more the traitorous apprentice than Yuthura - Uthar was like an adopted son to Jorak, whereas Yuthura had no reason to be loyal to Uthar - who do you think Revan would side with? When she kissed Canderous, it was purely platonic - if she'd meant something by it, she'd have kissed him on the lips. Oh gods, no - rakghouls singing tellitubby songs - you are pure evil! Revan's choices on the Star Forge (regarding Malak) depend on whether she chooses LS or DS... I'll say this, though: someone dies, either way, it's just a matter of who.

RollingSkull: Um... evil is a relative term. You think the Sith Academy reminds you of Hogwarts, eh? "Welcome to Sitherin! The house of the ambitious, the sneaky and the manipulative. Yes, we practice dark arts. No, we're not evil!" heh heh heh, sorry for that outburst. Hmmm... delightful ending you've pulled out of your butt - er, I mean head. But I've written out both LS and DS endings... you're way off the mark.

Brynn: Lessons? From me? Wow, I'm honoured. I would bow, but the little star thingies people use for actions aren't showing up properly on - just assume I bowed, ok?

darth poop: No goody2shoes... don't worry. She'll never return to the light, even if I go with the LS ending.

thesamonthemoon: Yeah... I'd have done worse to Xor, but I'm trying to keep the story PG13. As for the drink - she actually trusts Juhani, that's why she fell for it - it was Juhani's mistake, not Revan's.

arrow maker: Arg... can't... resist... awwwwwwwwww!! Ok, I was gonna upload this on Wednesday, but the Puss-in-Boots eyes! You've found my weakness, damn you!

snackfiend101: Glad you like it. Ajunta Pall's regret effected me, when I was plotting to fall, the first time I played - I'd just realised I was Revan, and thought "cool, let's go DS!"... then I went and raided tombs on Korriban, and met him... it can scare a character off the DS path quite effectively, if they're just starting to fall.

talar: Have I mentioned, I love your reviews? Yeah, I was hoping someone would comment on that - I figured it'd be a fun plot-gizka to have Dustil and Carth both attracted to Revan (though Carth wouldn't admit he's attracted to her). About Xor, that's why I chose to do the drug thing - it's more in-character for him to try a stunt like that (well, that and it led to an evil scene with Dustil/Revan - imagine waking up, like she did, and not knowing what happened - scary - especially considering what could have happened if Carth hadn't shown up when he did). I hate to say it, but the Mandalorian prisoner won't reappear - Canderous will talk to him, and Revan may contact him after the fic ends... depends on the ending, really. Actually, it's a combination of Ajunta Pall's regret, Revan's slowly falling for Carth, and Canderous' comments about the dark side being like a drug (which he wouldn't have worded the right way if he hadn't known she'd been drugged recently, so that was important too), that made Revan start falling back towards the light. I always figured Canderous was smarter, and more insightful, than a lot of people give him credit for. Dustil was not trying to defend Kira's honour when he threatened Carth... he was just pissed off at Carth for showing up at such an embarrassing moment - you saw how he reacted to Carth showing up in the academy, in the game - well I'm sure he'd react much more viciously in this scenario. And of course Carth would "bitch her out" - she told him she was attracted to him, then a short time later he finds her kissing his son - how would you react? And yes, she would have brought Dustil round to the ship eventually... but not before she would have talked to him about Telos, in detail, asking pointed questions that would make the boy consider the possibility that his father wasn't as bad as the Sith had led him to believe - that is what she had started to do before she got the drugged drink, actually. Nice quote from Firefly - I must see it.

HK-48: Don't worry, I won't. Not in this fic, anyway... there's a parody fic I've been thinking about for a while, and... well, maybe.

Krazed Kaioshin Fangirl: It was a very complex and "lucky" (there is no luck, there is only the Force) series of "coincidences" (plot-devices) that were required to get her thinking the dark side might not be all she believed it was - I explained it in some more detail to talar, in these review responses (I also explained the Mandalorian prisoner there, too). Finally, someone mentions the kiss! I thought that would be fun, I'm very pleased you thought so, too.

x x x

Chapter 9 - Through Victory...

I wandered aimlessly around the ship. I had half the day to kill, and no suitable weapons for such an exercise. I was bored, and needed something to take my mind off the final task.

Then, "Revan." Carth's voice, behind me, as I made my way through the common room of the Ebon Hawk... I had sensed him, but I hadn't thought he'd noticed me.

I stopped, and turned to face him, "Yes?" I asked warily.

"I... I wanted to apologise." he said. He was sitting with his back to me... but I could sense that his attention was on me, all the same. A Jedi, he most certainly wasn't, but he was still aware... some faint degree of Force sense, but nothing so fancy as what the Jedi would actually call 'Force sense'... more like heightened awareness of his surroundings. Everyone has some connection to the Force, some more than others... his was an awareness and instinctive skill above that of normal humans - it's probably the reason he survived so long as a solider - but it wasn't anywhere near the level, even, of basic telekinesis. I doubted he even knew that's what it was.

"For what?" I asked warily.

"For hitting you." he said quietly, "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"You were angry... mad at me. I understand."

He turned to face me, now, "Do you? Do you really have any idea?"

"I understand that anger can make a person act rashly." I said calmly, "If you're apologising, now, you clearly think your actions were inappropriate... I've done things I regret, too... so in that sense, I understand."

"You're starting to sound like a Jedi." he said, smirking.

"Hey! There's not need for insults!" I snapped.

He laughed, "Sorry." he said, sniggering slightly, "I didn't mean it as an insult... compared to your usual attitude, sounding like a Jedi is a good thing."

"Yet you don't trust the Jedi." I said flatly.

"I trust you even less, Revan." he said, giving me a wary look.

I smirked, "Have I ever lied to you, Carth?"

He blinked, then tried to think of an example. I could practically read the mental process on his face, as he would think he'd found something, but it turned out to be truth rather than a lie. "I don't think you actually have lied to me." he said, surprised at this conclusion.

"Have the Jedi ever lied?" I asked. He gave me a surprised look at that question, "Let's see, they told you Darth Revan was dead... do I look dead?"

"Well, your hair-"

"Don't... mention... the hair!" I snapped.

He smirked, "I get your point."

"Honesty is more important than motivation and compassion. You can lie with the best of intentions, and it's still a lie." I said, now smirking, "Besides, I've saved your life three times... how many times have the Jedi given a damn?"

"All right, I get the point!" he said, half amused, half sulking.

I stared at him, for a moment... he's so cute when he pouts like that... I just wanted to kiss him...

"You were right, you know." he said quietly.

"Huh?" I asked, snapping out of my little trance.

"When you said it would be suicide to go running into the Sith academy. You were right. Thank you." he looked up at me with a dark smirk, "That's four, now."

"Four what?"

"Times you've saved my life." he answered, his dark eyes locked with mine, "Why do you keep doing it?"

"Because I care." I said, "I hadn't realised I was attracted to you, the first time I saved you... but I do care about you."

He tilted his head to the side, quizzically, "I hadn't thought you were capable of caring about anyone, Revan?"

I sighed, "The last person I cared about, before the Jedi caught me, was severely mutilated by my own hands. Since then, though... the Force bond I have with Bastila forced me to acknowledge the fact I was still capable of love... I love her like a sister." I sighed, "And that little blue brat, Mission... I can't help but feel protective maternal instincts for her. And you..." I frowned, I didn't know where to go from there.

"You really care about me..." he said quietly... I could sense he knew what I'd been trying not to think, but wasn't about to admit it any more than I was. "Define 'severely mutilated', though." he asked, warily.

I gave him a pointed look, "You've seen Malak's face, haven't you?"

"Malak?" he asked, stunned.

"You still haven't figured it out, have you?" I asked, smirking, "When I told you about my 'mysterious lover'... I was talking about Malak."

His mouth opened and closed a few times, before he managed to speak... and even then, he simply repeated, "Malak?" in a higher pitch, and with mild horror in his tone.

I laughed, "Don't bother getting jealous... when he tried to kill me, he succeeded in killing my love for him."

"I wasn't jealous!" he snapped, "I'm just stunned that you would see anything in him."

"Well..." I smirked darkly, "He used to have a very talented mouth."

"Please, stop talking!" he spluttered.

I pouted, and stopped talking.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he spoke again, "When you were on Taris... you mistook me for him." his tone was cold, as he said that.

"Your aura." I said quietly, "You have a good heart, surrounded by anger and darkness. I wasn't thinking clearly enough to discern the subtler elements of your aura, otherwise I would have seen the difference."

He glared at me coldly, "I'm nothing like Malak."

"You look nothing like him... but his aura used to feel a lot like yours does now." I said calmly, "Some elements are different, but in that delirious state, I was lucky to sense your presence at all."

"What happened? If... if you loved him, why did you hurt him?" he asked quietly.

"It wasn't... it wasn't deliberate." I was about to say it wasn't my fault, but the number of things I could have done differently, that would have prevented it, were incalculable. I decided I had to tell someone... I would prefer to tell my bond-sister, but she was both unavailable and unwilling, at the moment... so I would tell Carth. And I would start at the beginning, "He saw the same danger the Jedi Council had seen, but he had no qualms following me into the Mandalorian wars. After I found the first Star Map on Tatooine, however, he started trying to talk me out of it. Still, he followed me, when I refused to listen to his protests... he would have followed me into the jaws of death itself." I smirked darkly, at Carth, "Loyal to a fault... sound familiar?"

"Vaguely." he muttered. He couldn't summon the will to glare at me... he felt sympathy for me, in spite of what I had done.

"By the end of the Mandalorian wars, I had learned to lock away my compassion." I continued quietly, "Lives had to be sacrificed to win the war, and I had made difficult decisions. With those walls of ice sealing away my compassion, it was easy for the darkness of the first Star Map to entice me. Without thought for those I loved, what was there to keep me from falling? The Jedi Code? Ha! After all the emotion, ignorance, passion, chaos and death I had seen during the war, the code had much less meaning to me."

I glanced at Carth, as if seeking his opinion. He was watching me intently, "I tend to agree." he said calmly, "The Jedi mostly hide from reality. Hide behind idealisms they can never succeed in spreading beyond their enclaves."

"Fools who think the dark side won't touch them, if they sever themselves from their emotions." I said coldly, "But perhaps if I had not locked away my own emotions so thoroughly, I would have paid attention to the protests of the man I loved. We had been in love since our teens, we both knew it, and neither of us ever admitted it to each other... not as long as we were Jedi, anyway."

"What made you turn to the dark side? It can't have just been the maps." Carth asked.

"When we found the last map, on Dantooine, Malak all but begged me not to go into the ruins." I said, "I know he could sense what was happening to me... and he knew if he followed me he would be damned as well. But when I ignored him, and found the map, he was at my side, regardless. That was the point of no return. When we found the Star Forge, it called to us. The maps had attuned us to the dark side insidiously, gradually, so that the lure of the power the Star Forge offered was practically irresistible. There is no way to describe how... how perfect it felt. I described the power of wielding a Sith weapon to Canderous... the wording I used was that it felt like the sword was screaming my name in ecstasy... but that was an understatement... and it was still nothing compared to the Star Forge."

Carth was now giving me a curious look.

"What?" I asked.

He smirked, "But the dark side never had you screaming in ecstasy?" he asked, with a bemused tone.

"I don't scream." I said flatly.

"Hmmm. Malak clearly wasn't that great, then." he muttered.

I glared at him. "You want to try to prove that statement, Carth?" I challenged.

"Um... well... I didn't mean-"

"Forget it." I said, dismissively... I was highly amused by his babbling, but I hadn't finished my story, yet. "We had originally planned to use the Star Forge as a defence for the Republic... but when we set foot on it, it called to us... it begged me to use it, to let it taste blood again, after so many millennia asleep."

"It... the Star Forge is a sentient entity?" he asked, stunned.

I nodded, "Yes... it spoke to me... the power it offered... I don't think I can make you understand." I looked at him, walked slowly around the seat he was in. He kept his eyes on me. "You can't conceive of the idea... giving up your morals for power... I don't know how to explain it to you."

"You're probably right... I wouldn't understand." he said quietly, "But try me, anyway."

"I could do literally anything... with the Star Forge, I could rule the galaxy! I almost did!" I said, leaning back against the wall of the ship, "That sort of power... once you taste it, you have to have more... it's..." I suddenly sobered, and looked at him with a cold look, "It's like a drug. And you can never get enough." I looked at the floor, sullenly... I was beginning to realise just how bad it had been... all the things I'd done... I didn't exactly feel guilty for any of them, besides what I did to Malak... but it still hurt to think about it.

"Could you really do anything?"

"Almost." I whispered.

"Could you resurrect the dead?" he asked quietly. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew if the answer to that were yes, he would understand - he would likely give up anything to bring her back, even his soul. But there is no way to bring the dead back to life, not even with the power of the Star Forge... it is a tool of destruction... it takes life, it doesn't give life.

"No. And I couldn't heal the damage I've done, either." I said, still staring at the floor.

"You still haven't told me what you did to Malak."

"There was a battle on the planet Riladae... mostly Jedi versus dark Jedi, though there were a few regular soldiers present on both sides. Bastila had to have been there, too, because there was no way that small group of Jedi should have been able to obliterate my dark Jedi so easily." I shrugged slightly, "Malak and I had to step into the fight. Riladae was a strategic planet, and we needed to win that battle."

Carth nodded, "After you took that world, you had control of several hyperspace routes... not to mention the smugglers who used to run through there."

"Indeed." I said, smirking darkly, "But to fight the Jedi, when they were using Battle Meditation against us, was incredibly difficult. Battle Meditation plants fear and doubt in the minds of the enemies of the person using it... it makes them hesitate, and even lose the will to fight... it takes incredible willpower to resist that sort of influence."

"You almost make it sound like a terrible thing." he noted.

"When you're on the wrong side of it... it is." I said coldly, "I had the willpower to resist its worst effects... but the Jedi I was fighting were practically unstoppable, with its benefits. So I used a Sith skill named Force Rage. It allows a dark Jedi to wrap the dark side of the Force around them like a shield... but unlike the light side shielding powers, this one has a price... it blocks out all rational thought, allowing only thoughts of the kill."

"Turns you into a mindless killing machine? Like a rakghoul?" he asked.

I glared at him, "Not exactly. But I don't feel like arguing semantics. Either way, I used that power, because it gave me total protection from their attacks, for long enough to defeat them. Fighting with no regard to defence, because all you can think of is the kill... it gives a huge boost to offensive power. But it is impossible to tell the difference between friend and foe in that state."

"Let me guess... Malak got in your way?" he asked coldly.

"Yes." I said, staring unseeing at the floor, "He was lucky I didn't take his head off... I could have killed him. After that, he resented me... wouldn't trust me. I don't blame him for it. When I realised he would let me hurt him like that, some sadistic part of me took advantage of it... I hurt him every time he shared my bed... and yet he still came back for more." my voice was shaking... I was having trouble keeping myself from crying... I had hurt the man I had loved so badly, I didn't deserve him. Why was I even telling Carth this?

"You make it sound like you were trying to drive him away." Carth said quietly... he sounded both afraid of me and concerned for me at the same time.

"I was!" I snapped, "He was a fool! Why did he let me anywhere near him after what I did?!"

Carth stood up and walked over to me... he seemed incredibly wary of me, "Perhaps he still loved you?"

I snorted, and stalked across the room, away from Carth, "Yeah, right... and he fired on my ship out of love." I snarled sarcastically.

"Calm down, Revan." he said, following me.

I turned on him, "Don't tell me to calm down! I have every right to pitch a fit!"

"Why is that?"

"Because..." I frowned, and looked away from him, "Because he was right all along. I'm the one who screwed up, but he had to pay for it."

"You're admitting you screwed up?" he asked warily, taking another step towards me.

"Yes." I whispered, "I realise now... the dark side was using me... and I had already figured out your rakghoul comparison, by the way." I sighed, "Why the hell do you think an evil overlord would react like this to the memory of hurting her apprentice? Hmm?"

"You still love him?"

"No. Not anymore. But it still hurts." I sighed, and leaned against the wall, exhausted by the emotions that I had felt at that outburst. "I hurt him, and he still followed me... he hurt me, and I turn against him like that." I snapped my fingers for emphasis, "Fickle, aren't I?" I asked, wearing a satirical mockery of a smile.

"He betrayed you... I'm actually amazed he would follow you after you had betrayed him like that. Even if it was an accident."

I looked into his eyes, "At least I've learned from my mistakes." I said quietly, "I'll never use Force Rage again. And I'm beginning to realise the dark side isn't all I thought it was. The power is... intoxicating... but so is Hypnostim."

"Nice analogy." he muttered.

"And rakghouls... don't forget that analogy." I added, smirking darkly.

He smiled, "Does that mean you're going to turn back to the light?" he asked, half amused at the thought.

I pulled a face, "Hell no! But I'm not going to let myself be controlled again. Ever."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not." he said warily.

"Oh, don't worry, Carth." I took a step towards him, so I was standing right in front of him, "I won't hurt you..." I tilted my head to the side, still looking up into his eyes, "Like I said... I learn from my mistakes..." I leaned towards him and kissed him lightly on the lips. He didn't try to stop me, nor did he back away... but he didn't return the kiss, either.

I took a step back, breaking the kiss. I smirked at Carth's slightly stunned look. Then I turned and walked out of the room.

x x x

At sunset, I approached Uthar, in the central hall. Juhani had protested my going alone, but Dustil had explained in gory detail what might happen if she tried to mess with my final test, so she had backed down. Uthar had been meditating, when he sensed my presence behind him, and stood to face me. "So, then. I take it you are ready to travel to the tomb of Naga Sadow? Your final test should not be delayed."

I nodded, "What exactly is this final test?" I asked warily. I had asked Dustil, but he had been vague, and hinted that the test had changed since Uthar took over from Jorak, which happened after he had joined.

"I will tell you the details when we are there, young one." Uthar said calmly, "You will, however, fight for your life... that is why I suggest you be in sufficient health."

"Sounds fun." I said, without much sarcasm, "I'm ready to go."

Uthar nodded, "Then we go now."

He led me towards the exit of the academy, where Yuthura was waiting for us. Uthar did not break his stride for her, as she silently joined us, walking by my side. The three of us made our way to the far end of the valley. At this time of the evening, what little sunlight hit the surface left long shadows, and stained the ground a blood red colour. It was a beautifully sinister view, which truly showed the darkness of Korriban in all its glory.

I watched as Uthar took out a key, from a chain around his neck, and inserted it in the sealed stone door of Naga Sadow's tomb. The door slid open with a grinding sound, revealing the shadowy interior of the tomb. Uthar stepped through the door, and used the Force to ignite the torches the full length of the corridor. He then beckoned for us to follow him.

I entered the tomb warily... it was much less gloomy than I remembered it, but it was still ominous. "We are now ready for your final test, young Sith. You have earned the right to see if you shall become one of us."

"Indeed you have." Yuthura said, a bit too smugly.

"I dislike your tone, Yuthura. What are you up to, now?" Uthar asked.

"Nothing of course, my master." Yuthura said quickly, "I was merely agreeing with you. Should we not get on with the test?"

"Yes. Yes, of course." Uthar said, shaking his head as if to dispel any concern about Yuthura's smugness, "We are in the sacred tomb of Naga Sadow, young one, the one discovered by Darth Malak and Darth Revan years ago."

"Yeah, who doesn't know that?" I asked impatiently.

He glared at me, but it was only from slight irritation at my interruption, rather than any real warning, "You are to follow in their footsteps and reach the ancient Star Map that lies deep within. There you will find a lightsaber, amongst other things. The lightsaber is for you: your initiation present. Return to us once you have it, for you the test does not end there. Be very cautious, here. This tomb is like the others in this valley, and many of its old defences remain active."

"Find the Star Map. Return with the lightsaber. I understand." I said blithely, "See you later."

I turned and walked away before either of them could add to my instructions. I was a bit sick of being told what to do... first the Jedi, now these self-important Sithlings... it was getting on my nerves. I stalked into the tomb, alert for any threats. What I found, however, was much more annoying.

"Who put that there?" I demanded, staring at the pool of acid across the central chamber of the tomb. Not that there was anyone to hear my demand... but I still voiced it. I stalked back and forth for a minute, on the small ledge... the acid seemed not to corrode the rock around it... it also seemed to have been deliberately planted there.

During my pacing, I stepped on something squishy... a severed arm, holding a datapad. I picked up both the datapad and the severed arm, and dipped the fingers of the arm into the acid, to see how dangerous it was. With a vicious hiss, the whole hand dissolved, leaving me holding nothing but an arm... I dropped the rest of the limb into the acid, and proceeded to read the datapad.

'It seems I need to get across the pool of acid in the central chamber if I am to complete my test, here, but that is not going to be easy. The runes name one obelisk the 'Pillar of Fire'... while the other is the 'Pillar of Ice'. I can only assume that one of the pillars leads to a way to remove the acid pool. Fire or ice... wouldn't fire create toxic fumes? I'm not sure. Maybe freezing the pool would be safer. Well... I'll worry about that once I bypass the terentatek beasts. If I can. I suppose it's now or never.'

"Terentateks? Oh, you have got to be kidding me." I said, sighing... no way I was going to throw myself to that sort of beast willingly. Hmmm... since I've been relearning my Jedi skills... maybe I should try one of them.

I settled in a lotus position on the small area of safe ground, and closed my eyes. I cleared my mind, and focused on my inner light. Let myself lift off the ground. Basic levitation is one of the first skills a Jedi learns, but it requires a calm and focus that no one consumed by their emotions can achieve.

I felt the ground fall away beneath me, as the Force lifted me into the air. I opened my eyes, careful to maintain the focus I needed for this. I was a safe height above the acid, now. I slowly uncurled my legs, and floated carefully over to the ledge on the far side of the pool of acid. I landed neatly on my feet, and spared a glance for the acid behind me, before continuing through the door to the inner tomb.

The engraved lightsaber was held by a statue, beyond the Star Map. I helped myself to the weapon, before turning to the map and recording the coordinates. I then returned to the central chamber, to find Uthar and Yuthura waiting on the far side of the acid pool.

"How did you get over there?" Uthar demanded, "You were supposed to obtain the special grenades, to cross the acid!"

"Yeah, like I was going to walk head-first into a roomful of terentateks if I didn't have to." I said snidely.

"Get back over here, now!" Uthar demanded.

"Give me a minute." I said. I wasn't about to show my light side to these two. They would see it as a weakness. So, instead, I took several steps back, "And get out of my way!" I added, before taking a running leap over the acid. Using the Force to enhance the distance I could jump, I just made it onto the ledge... although, I sure as hell wasn't going to just stand there where either of those two power-hungry Sithlings could just shove me back into the acid... I continued to run, until I reached the junction where two narrower corridors went off left and right.

Uthar and Yuthura caught up with me, "That is the most devious underhand cheat I have ever seen!" Uthar snapped.

"I got the lightsaber, didn't I?" I asked, innocently, "What matter the means, if the result is what you desire?"

He glared at me, "I suppose that is so. Very well." he said, reigning in his anger, and regaining his composure, "You return to us with the lightsaber in hand, as I knew you would. The Force has served you well. You took a great risk in acquiring the artefact. You used your mind and your power... no peaceful meditation, no pacifism."

I smirked darkly, at that. If only he knew, the fool.

"The last part of your test will now commence." he continued, oblivious to my thoughts, "Here you will learn the lesson of competition. All life must compete in order to flourish. Such is the natural way of the universe. To stand still is to know death... one must always be moving forward. So is it the same amongst the Sith. Compete or die. Mercy is irrelevant."

He moved to stand a fair distance from Yuthura and I, making it look like innocent pacing. But his stride was purposeful, and I knew now that he was up to something.

"So it behooves you in this final test to strike down one you are familiar with, for no other reason than to prove you are superior and without mercy. Normally this would be against another student. You, however, get a special treat. You will fight Yuthura, here... my own apprentice."

"What?!" Yuthura demanded, "So this is what you had planned all along. You wish me killed."

"Indeed." Uthar said calmly, "You have become too ambitious, Yuthura. It is time for you to die and someone more... talented... to take your place."

"No, it is time for YOU to die, master. My pupil stands with me." Yuthura said, her earlier smugness becoming even more obvious.

"She's right, Uthar." I said, smirking.

"Do you hear that, my master?" Yuthura asked, smirking, "That is the sound of a new leader rising to replace you."

Uthar was outraged, "So the time has come, has it? You both wish to stand against a Sith Master and perish, do you?" he drew his lightsaber, "THEN SO BE-" he never finished that sentence... I used the Force to choke him, and sent him flying headfirst into the nearest sharp corner of a wall. His head cracked open, killing him instantly.

Yuthura stared at Uthar's corpse, stunned that he had been so easily killed.

"Rule number six for being a successful evil overlord... 'I will not gloat over my enemies' predicament before killing them'." I said calmly.

Yuthura tried not to show her amusement at that statement, as she edged away from me fearfully, "Uthar is finished, and a new order is brought to the academy. Excellent. Unfortunately for you, I don't intend to share power. It's time for you to die."

"Oh, please." I said, exasperated, "You saw how easily I killed Uthar. Do you really think you have a chance?"

She smirked darkly, and I was immediately on guard. That sort of smirk usually means the person wearing the smirk is up to something. She threw a grenade at me, which sent fragments of shrapnel flying up around me. While I was still reeling from that, she lunged at me with her lightsaber.

I barely blocked her, and pushed her back with the Force. I was bleeding from several minor yet painful cuts, as I retaliated, pushing her back with a vicious flurry of lightsaber blows that she only just managed to block. I used the Force to trip her, a few feet away from the acid pool, and she landed on her back with her head inches from the acid.

She immediately wrapped her headtails around her shoulders, to protect them from the acid, but her lightsaber had gone flying and sank into the acid pool with a hissing sound, "Stop! I... I yield!" she cried, "You are... too strong for me. Gather your hatred and strike me down... if that is your will."

I hesitated for a moment... it would be so easy to kill her... and she had attacked me, too, I have reason to strike her down. But... "Just get the hell out of here." I said, taking a step back that allowed her to stand.

She slowly sat up, watching me warily, "As I thought. You are no Sith. A real Sith would have no hesitation in striking me down."

I glared at her, "I'm showing you mercy. Don't push it." I growled.

"You confuse me..." she said distantly, as she slowly stood, careful not to make any sudden movements that I could interpret as hostile, "I didn't think anyone with so much darkness in them could show compassion."

I smirked, "I'm just full of surprises."

"I... was right the first time, back at the cantina, wasn't I?" she asked, "There is something strange about you... more so than I even suspected."

"Indeed there is. I'm Darth Revan."

Her eyes widened, "I see. I should have known... right from the beginning. But you are no longer the Dark Lord you once were, are you?"

"I have... learned much, since I was the Sith Lord." I said, carefully choosing my words, "Be grateful for it... if I hadn't, I would have killed you."

"So what happens now? Will you show me mercy? Will you... just let me leave?" she asked.

"Yes, go... before I change my mind."

"Very well. I... won't stop you, or mention what you've done here." she turned and bolted out of the tomb as fast as she could run, with her headtails still wrapped around her shoulders, like a kath hound with its tail between its legs.

x x x

As I made my way through the academy to leave, I overheard several students whispering excitedly. Apparently, news spread like wildfire that Uthar had been killed in Naga Sadow's tomb, and Yuthura had claimed his title as master of the academy. The assumption was quickly made that Yuthura had been the one to murder Uthar, and I had no intention of correcting the mistake.

I found Juhani and Dustil in the central hall. "Hey... you're leaving, now, right?" Dustil asked, "Juhani said what you were here for was in Naga Sadow's tomb."

"That's right. I got what I came for, now we're leaving." I said, leading Juhani out of the academy.

I hadn't expected Dustil to follow us, but he did, "I want to go with you." he said, keeping pace with us, half a step behind me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well... I've learned all I want to at the academy... I mean, once you learn how to fight with a lightsaber, and use Force powers, what else can that place teach? It's not like learning to be a Jedi, which I've heard takes a lifetime of training." he said, pulling a face at the idea.

"So you wish to leave the academy. Why do you wish to come with me?" I asked, still not slowing my pace for him.

"Because, you're going to beat the crap out of Malak, aren't you? I want to be on the winning side." he answered immediately.

"What about your father?" I asked.

"He's still got that anti-Sith thing in his head... but he's putting up with the fact I'm a Sith, for now... because I make a damned good devil's advocate."

"So you don't think he'd object to you putting your neck on the line in order to make allies with the soon-to-be-Sith-Lord?"

"Oh, he'll hate it." Dustil said, smirking, "But he won't have much choice... if he tries to stop me, I have the ultimate blackmail. You were right when you said he loved me."

I stopped and turned on the boy, "You would use that against him?" I asked, disgusted at the idea.

"Yeah... love is a weakness... I learned that the hard way." he said bluntly.

"Love is not a weakness!" I snarled, viciously enough to make him wince and back up a few steps in fear, "Love is a source of passion... it can fuel the Force more powerfully than the deepest hatred! Love can make a man move mountains, even without the Force at their side! Don't ever call it a weakness, you little brat!"

He backed away another step, "All right, all right. Sorry." he muttered.

"You can come with us if you can convince your father... without threats." I said, smirking.

He sulked, "Fine... that works, I suppose."

"Good." I turned and continued walking back to the Ebon Hawk.

"What happened to you?" Carth asked, as I stepped onto the ship. I hadn't bothered to heal my wounds from the grenade Yuthura had thrown at me. Juhani had realised the wounds were minor, and Dustil just hadn't cared... but they did look worse than they felt.

"It's nothing serious." I said, but even as I said it, I could feel a trickle of blood run down from a small cut on my cheek... it must have looked pretty bad, "Just a frag grenade. Nothing a bit of kolto won't fix. We should get ready to take off. These are the coordinates we need."

"Are you sure you're ok?" he persisted, even as he took the datapad I offered.

"Yes. I duelled the new academy Master in this state, and won. I'm fine. They're just a few minor cuts. I'll be fine as soon as I get to the medbay."

"All right." he said, still sounding clearly concerned. I was about to head for the medbay, when Dustil stepped onto the ship, "Dustil? What are you doing here?"

I decided this show was worth seeing, so I leaned against the doorway to watch. Dustil smirked, "I'm going with you."

"The hell you are!" Carth snapped, "It's too dangerous, I don't want to risk you getting hurt!"

"Oh yeah?" Dustil asked, "I can take care of myself, father. Can you use a lightsaber, and the Force?"

"No... but-"

"Then I'm better able to keep myself from getting killed than you are!" Dustil retorted before Carth could finish speaking, "And I'd think you'd be pleased that I wanted to leave the Sith academy?"

"I am... but-"

"No buts. I'm going with you!" Dustil snapped, "You need all the powerful Force-adepts you can get for this mission."

"That's true, I suppose... I just don't want to see you get hurt." Carth pleaded.

Dustil's expression softened slightly, "Don't worry... I won't." he smiled faintly, "The real reason I want to go with you is to make sure you don't get yourself killed." I could sense he wasn't lying when he said that. I smiled at that - the boy actually admitted that he cared, now. "You're going up against dark Jedi... and you really can't kill them with a blaster, cause they'll just reflect it back at you." he added, as if justifying his concern, when it shouldn't need to be justified.

Carth smiled, "I appreciate your concern, but I can look after myself... it wouldn't be the first time I'd fought dark Jedi in this war, son."

"Yeah... and it wouldn't be the first time I'd duelled with a lightsaber, either. So quit treating me like a helpless kid!" Dustil said, now smirking... the argument was now amusing him.

"All right. You win. But just don't get killed, ok?" Carth asked.

"Ok. It's a deal." Dustil answered.

x x x

"You know how you said you could read people's auras?" Mission asked me, as we sat in the common room. We were on our way to the Star Forge system, and I had already been to the medbay and taken a kolto shot to heal my wounds. Dustil was across the room from Mission and I, apparently immersed in reading a datapad of some sort - he was wearing his civilian clothing, instead of his Sith academy uniform.

"Yeah." I said, glancing at her, "Why?"

"Well... what does Sithkid's aura look like?" she asked.

I looked at Dustil carefully... his aura was red, a sign of the dark side... but there were wisps of blue and violet through it, as well as a barely visible white... innocence. Interesting. "He's strong in the dark side... but he has light in his aura. He's a fighter... but he also has cunning and wisdom. And... I'd guess at one out of three, of the types of innocence I mentioned before... and you have to kill to get into the Sith academy."

"That's... not what I expected." she muttered, "I thought you were gonna say he's like all dark, and whatever."

"Nobody is pure evil." I said calmly, "Hell, even Chuundar had some gold in his dark aura."

"What do the colours mean?" she asked, jumping at that little detail I had mentioned.

"Red is darkness... that's why Sith use red lightsabers." I said calmly, "Blue is a fighter... courage, strength and determination. Gold is skill, intelligence and knowledge. Green is compassion, empathy and kindness. Violet is cunning, charisma and wisdom. White is innocence. The shades of the colours can reveal more detail... and while red can mean darkness, it can also depict passion of another sort, again depending on the shade."

"And you can, like, just look and someone and see these colours?" she asked, awed.

"No. I don't see them with my eyes. I see them with the Force." I answered. "It's not actually colours, as you would imagine them... it's just a way of explaining and representing what we sense - there aren't words for it in Basic, though there are in Rakatan, and the ancient Sith languages."

"What about black? You never mentioned it." she asked.

"Black is void, soulless. Only one living species I have seen has a black aura. Rakghouls. To lose colour in your aura, as the Rakghouls do, is to lose who and what you are. Even if your colours change, you're still you. For example, when you killed that Czerka guard on Kashyyyk, your aura turned a darker shade of blue... the white faded slightly, because it was your first kill... but it doesn't change who you are."

"I guess that makes sense." she said quietly, "What about your aura?"

"It takes a great deal of effort to sense my own aura... but I can categorically say that there is no white in it. Dark red with hints of violet... and recently, I have sensed wisps of green in it... the most dangerous colour for a Sith, as it shows compassion."

"The Dark Lord admits to having compassion, empathy and kindness, eh?" she asked, amused.

"Don't tell anyone." I said conspiratorially, "I want it to be a surprise."

"Oh, it'll be that, all right." she said, grinning.

"Go talk to Dustil. Tell him you forgive him for shooting your stealth belt, and get him to play Pazaak with you for the price of it." I said, grinning.

"I already tried... Carth warned him off." she muttered sulkily, "Can you believe the nerve of that man? He said I cheat!"

"Appeal to a man's greatest weakness... his ego. Ask him if he's afraid he'll lose to a girl. If that doesn't work, dare him." I said brightly.

"When people say you're evil, they mean it." she said, grinning, "Thanks for the advice." she crossed the common room to talk to Dustil, and I made my way to the cockpit.

x x x

I sat in the co-pilot's seat, and stared out into hyperspace. After a few minutes of silence, however, I got bored. "Hey, Carth..."

"Hmm?" he asked, "What do you want?"

"Someone to talk to?" I suggested, "Mission's busy swindling your son out of credits for a new stealth belt... Zaalbar's doing serious damage to our food supply. Jolee and Juhani are getting some rest before we get to the Star Forge. And Canderous is... well, I'm not sure exactly what he's up to, but-" I shrugged, "Besides, I'd kind of prefer to talk to you, anyway."

He shook his head, bemused, "You really know how to make someone feel wanted. You didn't try talking to HK-47 first, as well?"

I shot him a mock-glare, "No. As a matter of fact, I convinced Mission to play Pazaak with Dustil so she'd stop talking to me long enough for me to come up here."

"You sneaky conniving-"

"Thank you." I interrupted brightly.

He sighed, "So what do you want to talk to me about?"

"I don't want you to hate me." I said quietly, "Is there any way I can make that happen?"

"I don't really think so." he said quietly, "Short of you saving the Republic from Malak, I'm not going to trust you as far as I could throw Zaalbar."

I sighed, "I will kill Malak. But I can't guarantee anything else."

"Then you best wait for the flying Wookiees." he said coldly.

I glared at him, "Since when did you develop such a sick sense of humour?"

"Since Taris. I think you're a bad influence on me." he muttered.

"I think you're a good influence on me." I added, in a faint whisper. He looked up at me sharply, and I shrugged slightly.

Footsteps sounded outside the cockpit, then a brief scuffle, and voices, "Just hand over the money! You lost fair and square!" Dustil was saying, in an amused tone. Then we heard more sounds, including what sounded like Mission sniggering, before one set of footsteps retreated rapidly down the corridor again.

Carth and I looked at each other, and by some sort of silent agreement, we both stood up at the same time and went to the door. Dustil was sitting on the floor, holding his right knee, and glaring down the corridor. "What happened out here?" Carth asked.

"The Twi'lek's a sore loser." Dustil muttered, picking himself up, and testing his knee to see that it still worked.

"You beat her?" I asked, stunned.

"Yeah... and she accused me of cheating." Dustil answered.

"Were you cheating?" Carth asked.

"Yeah, but that's not the point!" Dustil whined.

Carth sniggered and shook his head, returning to the pilot's seat, "Hey, we're dropping out of hyperspace in ten seconds... hold on, everyone."

I bolted for the co-pilot's seat, and Dustil grabbed the back of Carth's seat for support, as the ship dropped out of hyperspace.

We flew round the planet, and as the star came into view over the horizon... "The Star Forge... it's huge. I've never seen anything like it before." Carth whispered, awed.

Dustil leaned forward slightly, to get a better view, "It's spectacular." he said quietly.

"Careful, Carth... Malak might have reset the disruptor shields from that planet. Stay outside its orbital path until we can be sure." I warned, trying to ignore the demonic beauty of the Star Forge. Even at this distance, I could hear its siren song.

Carth made a couple of minor course-corrections to allow for my instructions, then he said, "I'm transmitting these co-ordinates to Admiral Dodonna. Maybe a quick strike by the Republic can cripple the Sith fleet."

Dustil was still staring at the Star Forge, as if entranced. I snapped my fingers in front of the boy's face, and he snapped out of it, "What?" he asked me.

"What does it say to you?" I asked quietly. Carth looked up from the message he was typing, with a curious look.

"What do you mean?" Dustil asked me, defensively.

"The Star Forge? What is it offering you?" I asked coldly.

"Everything..." he said quietly.

"Don't listen." I said, with warning in my tone, "It offers power, but sometimes what you get for free costs entirely too much."

"Huh?" Dustil asked.

"Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you have? And what do you truly want, anyway?" I asked.

"There are only two things I would give up everything for... but they're both already dead." he said bitterly.

"Two?" Carth asked, surprised.

"Yes... two." Dustil said, biting his lips together, to show he had no intention of elaborating.

Carth blinked, confused... but I had a fair guess... his mother, who died on Telos... and the girl who had led him to the Sith academy, who he had been in love with, and who died in the Valley of the Dark Lords.

"So is it worth losing what you have left for what the Star Forge offers?" I asked rationally.

"No... no it's not." Dustil said, shaking his head as if trying to make the temptation go away.

"It won't stop calling to you, as long as we're here... be thankful only Force-adepts can hear it... I should go talk to Juhani and Jolee." I turned and left the cockpit.

x x x

I made my way quickly to the female sleeping quarters, where Juhani had woken, and seemed incredibly alert, "Can you feel it?" I asked quietly, sitting next to her.

"Yes..." she whispered, "It feels divine."

"Demonic is more like it." I said quietly.

"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised at my comment.

"The Star Forge... it promises power, but-" I sighed, "I did what it asked the first time I was here... and it didn't go so well. Trust me, you don't want this."

She frowned, "Why shouldn't I?"

"What does it say to you?" I asked, my calm exterior beginning to fray from the Star Forge's influence and Juhani's refusal to do what I ask. 'Just kill her, that'll stop her listening to it' the thought flickered through my mind... and I wasn't sure if it was Bastila or the Star Forge. I shook my head - I wouldn't do that.

"It tells me to give in to my anger... to let it control me, and I can have everything I ever wanted." she said, some of the anger she mentioned tingeing her voice, most likely at my persistent questioning.

"And what do you want?" I asked quietly.

She blinked a few times, and I could practically sense her thoughts clearing as she considered what she wanted, "My life's ambition was to become a Jedi." she said quietly.

"And you cannot do that if you give in to anger." I said, smiling slightly.

"You... are correct." she whispered, "It is a paradox... I do not understand how I can be tempted to give up all I worked for when the temptation is offering to give me 'everything I want'."

"If I'd stopped to think, the last time I was here, I would have realised I already had everything I wanted." I said quietly, "In spite of the losses in the wars, the one thing I wanted stood by me the whole time. If I hadn't let the Star Forge rule me, I wouldn't have lost him."

"Thank you." Juhani said, "For helping me avoid making the same mistake. Once again, your simple words have helped me greatly, Revan."

"You'll need to stay on your guard." I noted, "Because-"

Suddenly the ship shook, and Carth's voice came over the internal commlink, "We've got company... a small vanguard of Sith fighters, coming in hard! Someone get on those gun turrets! Take those fighters out before they report our position to the main fleet!"

I shrugged to Juhani, and bolted out of the sleeping quarters. I practically ran into Dustil, as I reached the gun turrets... apparently he had the same idea as I had. Lucky this ship had two gun turrets, otherwise we might have wasted valuable time arguing over who got to shoot at the enemy ships. It took us less than two minutes to wipe out the enemy fighters... unfortunately, they had pursued us into the planet's orbital path. The ship shuddered, and I fell down the ladder from the gun turrets, landing unceremoniously on my backside.

Dustil, on the other hand, was more graceful, as he landed on his feet next to me, "That's really elegant, Revan." he said, grinning.

I picked myself up, "Watch it, kid." I snapped, smirking, "Do you think it's a good idea to insult a Sith Lord?"

"Not really... but that was funny." he said, sniggering.

I shot him a half-hearted glare, "Now's not the time to argue." as I said it, the ship lurched again, sending Dustil flying into the nearest wall, while I only just kept my footing. "I'll bet you a hundred credits your father just flew into the disruptor field." I said flatly.

"I'm not stupid. I know you'd win that bet, so I'm not taking it." Dustil grumbled, leaning against the wall he had been thrown into, "What now?"

"Brace yourself for a crash landing." I said, making my way precariously towards the cockpit.

I made it to the co-pilot's seat, and fastened my seat-belt, before turning to Carth.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked lightly.

"You were right about the disruptor field. All my instruments are jammed... we've got massive overloads on all systems!" he replied, clearly stressed by it.

"Try and land on the planet." I ordered, "If you can, try to aim for the largest island on the northern hemisphere."

He nodded curtly, and obeyed my order without question.

x x x

"Whew! Talk about your rough landings, Carth!" Mission whined as we entered the common room after the crash. "What's the matter? You're flying like you've been on an all night Tarisian ale drinking binge!"

"That disruptor field fried our stabilizers - we're lucky we made it down in one piece!" Carth retorted, clearly offended that Mission would even imply that he would fly under the influence of alcohol, "But if we can't find the salvage to make repairs I won't even be able to get the Ebon Hawk airborne again!"

"You know, during our rather rapid descent I noticed the hulls of many crashed ships scattered across the landscape. Maybe the parts you need can be found among their wreckage." Jolee said calmly.

"The old man's right: this planet's a technological graveyard." Canderous put in, "I saw dozens of downed ships out there. That disruptor field must have wiped them all out."

"We need to eliminate the disruptor field, otherwise new stabilizers won't do us much good." I butted in.

"How do we do that?" Dustil asked.

"The temple on this island is the source of the disruptor field... that's why I told you to land here, Carth." I said calmly, "But if Malak's got the forcefield up on the entrance to the temple, we'd need the locals' help. I suggest we split into three groups. HK and Juhani, guard the ship - any hostile locals come near it, blast them... Mission, T3, Zaalbar, you go looking for parts - T3's sensors should make that job a lot easier. Jolee, Canderous, Carth, you're with me."

"What about me?" Dustil demanded.

"Might be safer for Mission and Zaalbar to have a Force-adept with them." I said calmly, "A few harmless sparks of Force lightening should scare off the more hostile locals, as long as you avoid the rancors."

"Rancors?" Carth asked, horrified.

"They're smaller than the one on Taris. Mission shouldn't have a problem." I said blithely. Mission giggled, while Carth glared. "Juhani, since you can't use lightening, whipping the sand on the beach into a storm should scare the locals just as much - they have a superstition about people who can 'manipulate the elements'."

Juhani nodded curtly, "Very well."

"Let's go, people." I said, beckoning Carth, Canderous and Jolee to follow me as I made my way off the ship.

Because of our lack of warning for this mission, Canderous was actually not wearing armour - instead, he was wearing tan leather trousers, a belt with two gun-holsters (which he quickly improvised to clip vibroswords to), and a sleeveless top that left his tattoos in plain sight. He shouldered that repeating blaster of his, and that was all the effort he took to prepare for our mission.

Carth always wore his blasters on his hips - I've never seen him without them, except in Manaan's jail - but he didn't waste time on armour, either.

Jolee's ancient-looking Jedi robes were probably a permanent fixture on the old man, as was his green lightsaber clipped to his belt.

I had changed out of my Sith robes, as soon as I had got some time alone on the Hawk, after Yuthura had effectively shredded them with that frag grenade. Instead, I wore the civilian clothes I had worn on Taris, which were the only undamaged clothes on the ship that would fit me.

I led the three men onto the beach, and looked around, "Don't worry about Mission's remarks, Carth." I said quietly.

"Which remarks would that be?" Carth asked coldly.

"On your landing." I said, pointing out to sea, "See that red piece of ship's hull?"

"Yes." he said warily.

I then pointed up to another piece of twisted red metal on the rocks a fair way away, "And that one?" he nodded, and I pointed to a third piece of red hull in the opposite direction, "And that one?"

"Yes... what's your point?" he asked.

"That was the ship Malak and I came to this planet on... he was piloting it." I gave Carth a darkly amused look, "And Jedi are supposed to be better pilots than Force-blinds. Shows how good you are, doesn't it?"

"That's good to hear." he said, glancing at the pieces of red metal out at sea, with unease... this planet gave off an aura of darkness that must be making his skin crawl. The desolation of the crashed ships only added to it.

T3-M4 beeped cheerfully, as it scooted past us. Mission chased after it, "Hey, wait up!" Dustil shouted, following her.

"Blame the droid!" she retorted. Carth watched with amusement, as the two teenagers vanished around a rock-formation, closely followed by the Wookiee. The amusement left his face, however, when the sound of a lightsaber activating could be heard.

I bolted around the corner in time to see Dustil decapitating a local savage that had been wielding a primitive sword. Mission was pointing her blaster at the other savage... but she didn't have time to fire before Dustil threw Force lightening at its feet. The alien took one second to cast a terrified glance at him, before turning and running away.

A fraction of a second later, Carth, Canderous and Jolee caught up with us.

"Ok, what were those?" Dustil demanded, deactivating his lightsaber and clipping it back onto his belt.

"Rakata." I said quietly, "Most of them are xenophobic homicidal maniacs... but the elder tribe are just xenophobic maniacs."

Dustil nodded as if this made sense, "So Rakata and rancors? No problem." he said, smirking.

"What happened?" Carth asked.

"A couple of rabid Rakata attacked us. I killed one and scared off the other." Dustil said, shrugging.

"Let's just get on with this, shall we?" I asked, "Go find parts for the ship."

Dustil nodded, and kicked T3, "And you, don't go rolling off, or I'll roll you right off a cliff." he growled.

"Beep boop!" the droid replied.

"And watch your language, or I'll reprogram you with Force lightening." he added sharply.

"Wistle, beep." T3 chirped contritely.

"That's better." Dustil muttered. Mission giggled at them. The droid rolled off more sedately along the beach. Dustil, Mission and Zaalbar followed it.

I led the three men inland. The temple was in the centre of the island, and it was where we had to go to eliminate the disruptor field.

"Jolee..." I asked, as we walked.

The old man accelerated his pace until he was walking alongside me, "Got something on your mind, do you?" he asked blandly.

"Yes... I need to ask you something without you telling me an hour-long story in response." I said coldly.

"Good luck." Jolee said, smiling innocently.

"The Star Forge." I said flatly, "Can you feel its presence?"

"Yes." he said bluntly, "Strong, isn't it?"

"Understatement." I said flatly.

Jolee smirked, "Reminds me of the time-"

"No stories!" I snarled, "Now is no time to test my patience, old man!"

He snickered, "All right, all right. Let me guess. You want to ask if I'm going to go evil because I listened to the voices in my head? Relax, kid, I'm not that gullible."

"I didn't think you were... but I had to be sure." I said, still wary.

Jolee waved off my concern dismissively, "Don't you worry about me. I'll be fine. Just you pay attention to where we're walking."

I did as he suggested just in time to spot two Rancors in the distance, and change direction to avoid them.

x x x

The temple turned out to be sealed... so I went to the elder Rakata tribe, as I had before. They didn't trust me, but I've gotten used to mistrust, hanging around with Onasi so long. I eventually convinced them to help me... although I had to kill one of their enemies to do so. They agreed to unseal the temple, for me... but I was only allowed to enter alone.

I watched as they began their ritual, to open the entrance to the temple. It was taking at least as long as it had last time, and I was getting bored. So bored, in fact, that I was actually entertaining the Star Forge's visions of mass-murder and conquest, in my mind's eye, just to pass the time.

[Wait... someone is coming!] my Rakatan guide said in his own language, breaking the ritual suddenly.

I turned to see Juhani and Jolee jogging towards me, "Wait... you can't go in there alone!" Jolee said, not even slightly out of breath, as he stopped near us.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"We have had a... a premonition." Juhani explained, panting ever-so-slightly, "The Force has given us a vision. There is great danger within the Temple. We cannot let you face it alone."

"You might be walking into a trap... maybe Malak himself is waiting inside." Jolee added, "Even if he isn't, that temple will be crawling with Dark Jedi. You'll need all the help you can get."

"He's not there." I said flatly, "I would have sensed him. Have some faith, you two. I can take care of myself."

"Your destiny - maybe the fate of the entire galaxy - could be forever changed inside that Temple." Jolee said, determinedly, "I'm not about to let you face that alone. Not after my premonition. There's a reason I had that vision."

My eyes narrowed, "Listen, Jedi." I hissed, "I'm going into the temple alone, now sod off!"

Jolee opened and closed his mouth a few times, then glared petulantly, "Oh, did I ever tell you about the time I visited Sleheyron? The Hutts may not be the most congenial species, but they-"

"Okay!" I yelled, "If it'll shut you the hell up about your constant stories, I'll let you come with me!"

Jolee grinned smugly, while Juhani grimaced. "Knew you'd see things my way, kid." he said brightly, "Now you just tell that guide of yours to do whatever he has to do to get us all inside the Temple."

I turned to the guide, [Continue the ritual.] I said brusquely.

[No! You must enter the Temple alone! I will not lower the shields!] he replied, with determination.

"I don't know what he said, but it sounds like your guide's being stubborn. We don't have time for this." Jolee grouched.

"Look who's talking, old man." I hissed.

"Lower that shield or I'll dissect you with your own misshapen eye-stalks." a voice hissed from behind the guide.

The guide jumped, and turned to see Dustil standing there. The boy's stealth skills are improving, although I might have noticed him sneaking up on the guide if I'd been paying attention. [No... do not hurt me! I... I will do as you command. I will begin the ritual.] he whimpered, terrified. While they could not speak it, I had forced knowledge of Galactic Basic into the Rakatan's minds, the first time I came to this world.

"Not exactly the way I would have handled it, but given the circumstances it'll do." Jolee grumbled, as the guide resumed the ritual chanting.

"What are you doing here, Dustil?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Figured if the two Jedi were tagging along, you might want someone on your side, Revan." he said brightly.

"Sure thing, kid." I said, smirking, "Nice threat, by the way. But won't your father worry about you going into a dangerous situation like this?"

"Probably." Dustil said, shrugging, "But he didn't see me leave the ship, and I won't get hurt, so what's the big deal?"

"Right." I said flatly.

Several hours later, the shield fell, and we entered the temple. It took us some time to massacre our way through the temple, and unseal the door to the summit.

As we approached the door we had unsealed, I couldn't help but notice how edgy Jolee and Juhani were, "Something wrong, Jedis?" I asked.

"We are worried about our vision." Juhani said quietly, "It was on the temple summit that the threat presented itself."

"Do you know what the 'threat' is?" Dustil asked.

"We aren't sure." Jolee said blithely, "But really, a threat is a threat. We figured you'd be better off with backup."

"What type of threat might it be?" I asked warily.

Juhani shrugged innocently, while Jolee examined a stone tile with decorative carvings in it, as if he could read it, "Oh, the threatening kind, of course." Jolee answered.

"You know more than you're telling me." I hissed.

"Do we?" Jolee asked innocently. I glared at the old man's impudent smirk. I barely resisted the urge to use my lightsaber to permanently wipe the smirk off his face.

Then I felt something. A flicker through the Force-bond. Bastila. I looked up to the ceiling above me. 'Come to me, Revan... I'm waiting.'

"Oh, so that's your threat, old man." I said quietly.

"What ever do you mean?" he asked innocently.

"I can sense her..." I said, bolting up the path to the temple summit.

Bastila was indeed waiting for me, as I stepped out into the sunlight.

"Revan - I knew you'd come for me." she said, smirking darkly, "Malak thought you might be afraid to enter the Temple again, but he doesn't know you like I do. Not anymore."

"Quickly, Bastila - come with us! We have to escape before Malak arrives!" Juhani urged, as she also stepped out into the sunlight. Dustil and Jolee stood a few steps behind us, in the shadows of the temple.

"Escape?" Bastila scoffed, "You don't understand. I have sworn allegiance to Lord Malak and the Sith; I am no longer a pawn of the Jedi Council."

I took a few steps closer to her, warily, "No... you're now a pawn of Malak and the dark side." I said coldly.

"You say that as if the dark side is some terrible entity." she sneered, "Malak has shown me how the Jedi Council have been using me the same way they once tried to use you. They've been holding me back because they knew one day I would surpass them all."

I rolled my eyes, "Didn't take long for Malak to break your will, did it?" I hissed.

"I resisted at first." she said coldly, "I endured the Sith torments with the passionless serenity of a true Jedi, emptying my mind. But after a week of endless tortures I finally saw the truth. Malak forced me to acknowledge my anger and pain. He showed me the liberating power of these emotions. Then he made me see how the Jedi Council has denied me what is mine by right! The Jedi Council gladly used my Battle Meditation in their wars, but they still treated me like a child - like an inferior. They were jealous of my power... of what I could become! They wanted me to bow and call them Master and follow their Code and obey their every order. But all the while they were exploiting my Battle Meditation for their own use!"

I yawned, "And I thought Jolee was verbose."

"I resent that!" the old man snapped, "At least my ranting is harmless!"

Bastila glared at us, "With the power of the Star Forge Malak will destroy the Republic and conquer the galaxy. And I will be the apprentice at his side - after I prove my worth by killing you!" She ignited her lightsaber, and lunged at me.

I dodged, and backed away from her. She followed, and I led her slowly away from my three companions. She swung her blade again, and I dodged it again.

"I could kill you if I lay a blade on you." she hissed.

"Then lay a blade on me." I challenged. Only two had ever done so before.

She swung again, and I leapt over her, landing behind her with my back to her. She spun to strike at me again, and I ducked, rolling to the side, and turning to face her. Her blade came at my neck, and I ducked, sidestepping away from her.

The dance continued for some time, before she spoke, "I had not thought you this much of a coward, Revan."

"Would a coward get into a fight where they cannot retaliate?" I asked coldly, dodging another swing of her blade.

"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised, she hesitated in her assault to hear my answer.

"I'm yours, Bastila." I said quietly, "The Force-bond. While you by no means control me, I cannot harm you."

She smirked cruelly, "That is most unfortunate for you, Revan. I shall kill you here." Again, she lunged at me, and again I dodged. One of us would tire, eventually... it was simply a matter of which one. She swung her blade at me again, and yet again I evaded her. This was getting tedious.

"You cannot kill me, Bastila." I said, as I dodged another attack, "You know this."

She glared, and hesitated for a moment, "The Council tried to exploit our bond. They hoped your memories would lead me to the Star Forge. But in our shared visions of the Star Maps I also tasted the power of the taint within you!"

"And now look at us." I said quietly. In spite of being on opposing sides of a duel, we were thinking almost as one, "You serve the darkness you were intended to destroy, and the bond is a debilitating handicap to me as I try to stop you." I couldn't bring myself to say the word 'save', though it was what we both thought.

"Then don't fight me." she suggested, "Together we can defeat Malak and take back what is yours!"

I folded my arms and stared at her, with bemusement, "Yes, and I'd keep around an apprentice who I couldn't strike out against." I said sarcastically.

"But you possess the strength to destroy Malak and reclaim the mantle of Dark Lord." she said, almost pleading, "You will, once again, make a worthy Sith Master."

"The dark side leads to death and destruction." Jolee said pointedly, "I've seen the horrors the Sith have unleashed on the galaxy. Turn away from this path."

"Shut up, old man." Bastila snapped, "Your time is over! The age of the Jedi and the Republic is no more! This is the age of Darth Revan and the Sith!"

"Don't do this, kid." Jolee said, his hand going for his lightsaber, "I don't want to, but I'll fight you if I have to. Even if it costs me my life."

"Brave of you." I hissed, "Any sane person would bow before me, rather than go for their weapons."

"I'm a Jedi... I'll never bow down to the Sith." he declaired, "If you go through with this I have no choice but to do battle against you."

"I shall stand by Jolee, if this is your path, Revan." Juhani said quietly.

I noticed Dustil quite pointedly step to one side, edging away from the two Jedi. A clear statement that he wasn't going to get involved in that fight.

"Kill them!" Bastila goaded, "Rend their flesh! Show them the fate of all who dare stand against us! Embrace the power of the dark side!"

x x x

Which ending? You decide. Vote for dark or light at the end of your reviews. Oh, and I like long reviews - if your reviews are long enough, I might count your vote twice. Mwahahahahahaa!