The Silver Dawn, at the head of the Republic battlegroup, dropped-out of hyperspace alert and ready for battle. Ahead of them, the Sith warships shifted out of orbital positions to intercept the new arrivals. Battle was joined instantly as the sides opened fire on one another, fighters and capitol ships entering the fray.
On the Silver Dawn's bridge, Revan stood slightly behind Carth as he surveyed the opening engagements. He could feel the tension in the air, the plain efficiency of a team long-drilled for this moment, when they could do their jobs.
"Looks like we caught them by surprise." the Commodore nodded. "We ought to push them back easily enough."
"Don't underestimate Darth Korlan, Carth." Revan replied. "His affinity with the Force makes him a powerful adversary, and I expect he'll have something in mind for this scenario."
"I don't intend to let him. All we need to do is push our forces into orbit and cover you long enough for you to take the strike team in." Carth said, looking back at him.
"Sir! We've punched through the centre of their line. The Sith are pulling back to regroup near the planet." a junior officer reported. Carth nodded.
"Onward, then." he said. "You'd better get ready. Good luck, buddy." he added to Revan.
"The Force will be with us." the Jedi answered.
"I suppose I can count on that. Good luck all the same. Give Darth Korlan hell for me." Carth nodded. Revan bowed his head slightly, before turning and starting off the bridge.
Canderous, with the help of Laani, had finished loading the Ebon Hawk before the ships had dropped out of hyperspace, and were making their final preparations when Revan arrived. Bastila waited at the bottom of the ramp, with Saralyin, who perked-up at Revan's approach.
"Is it time?" she asked, her voice suddenly high-pitched.
"Yes. The fleet is nearing orbit." he answered, letting them board before him, and meeting Bastila's fleeting glance. He put the feelings to one side; he didn't need the distraction when about to face the challenge that Korlan had prepared.
"You set?" Canderous' rough-edged voice queried. Revan straightened.
"I am ready for whatever destiny awaits us. Are you?" he asked.
"I'm ready to follow the Hero of the Mandalorian wars into battle anytime, anywhere." the large man answered gruffly. "Time to take care of some Sith, I think." he smirked. Nodding with a slight smile, Revan joined him on the Ebon Hawk, and led the way to the cockpit, where Bastila sat in the pilot's seat.
"What are you doing?" Revan asked.
"Preparing for launch. The engines are on pre-heat." she answered. He swivelled her chair.
"You're not flying the ship, Bastila. We need your Battle Meditation to get past the Sith. You can't do both." he replied.
"He's right. You need to get us through." Pex agreed from behind him. Reluctantly, Bastila rose and slipped past Revan towards the main section of the Ebon Hawk. "I sense that you are dwelling on past thoughts, Revan. I hope that you are not distracted by Bastila's presence." the Twi'lek noted.
"I am a servant of the Jedi Council, Master Pex. I do what they tell me to do." Revan answered, pushing the controls that lifted the Ebon Hawk off the deck. "Nothing more." with a slight flourish, he punched the engines and took the ship into space.
Rakatas, as the planet had been dubbed, had changed since Revan had last been there. The 'Unknown world' that had been the site of the descendants of the Rakatan people, the builders of the Star Forge, had been converted from a lush land into a fortress-like planet by Korlan's Sith. The temple that had once housed the disruption field was now the headquarters of the Sith Lord's operation. Little other evidence of Rakatan civilization had survived their eventual invasion.
"We're coming in on the beach. Prepare yourselves." Revan said into the comm unit as he brought the Ebon Hawk in to land on the golden sand, a familiar landing site, where the Ebon Hawk had once before crash-landed. "Ramp down. Canderous, HK, Pex, secure our position." he added, before standing and drawing the twin-bladed lightsaber that hung at his belt, mentally preparing himself for the veritable gauntlet of trials that lay ahead.
"We're down. Took care of a minor patrol, nothing else out here." Canderous noted over the comm. Revan stepped through into the Ebon Hawk's main area, where Bastila had just started to stand after the exertion of her Battle Meditation.
"Ready?" Revan asked. She gave a short nod, though said nothing. "Then we should go."
The trio outside had taken up their own positions ready for the attack, and only Saralyin shifted as Revan and Bastila strode down the ramp.
"The area is clean, Master Revan." she said perkily.
"Statement: You should not remain here long, Master. Doubtless Darth Korlan has detected our arrival and is deploying troops to our location." HK-47 intoned.
"Agreed. We should head for the temple before they can get here." Bastila nodded.
"Very well. HK, I think you can provide a warm enough welcome for them when they arrive."
"Statement: With great pleasure, Master. I shall enjoy this assignment..." the combat droid hefted the disruptor rifle in one hand, and tapped one of the auto-firing blaster cannons Canderous and Laani had set up, with a vague display of excitement.
"Everyone else, the temple is at the top of this hill trail." Revan announced. "Move out." he paused as the group passed him, though Saralyin elected to wait and loiter at his side. He looked at her blandly.
"You seem so strong with the Force in person." she said, gazing up at him with worshipful eyes. "It's amazing."
"I am merely a man, young Padawan. I am no more or less than any other." he replied thoughtfully. He hadn't liked the praise and adoration at all since the events at the Star Forge. It made him uncomfortable, especially when he thought about the damage and destruction he had caused on his dark path.
"I know, but...I wish the Force was as strong with me. Joran Pex is a great Master, but he doesn't have time for me nearly as much as I'd want." she said, her footsteps almost a skipping motion.
"Master Pex is a Jedi." Revan replied. "He follows the Code, as he should. He may not seem as though he has time for you, but you will find that at times he is testing you. A Jedi must have, above all else, patience. Remember the Code, but also understand it, and what it means."
"I...I think I understand." she replied, uncertainly. Revan knew she had little idea what he was talking about, though the advice made sense to him. He gave a faint smile as they approached the brow of the hill.