Revenant: chapter2: part 6

"I hate parties." Revan grumbled. "Look at them, all staring at me as though I'm going to suddenly fry them all with force lightning!"

Bastila watched him, amused. The hall the senate had decided to hold the reception and victory party in was huge. Balconies ran around the walls in three tiers and the floor space was large enough to house the Hawk four times over. The party guests were numerous and the swirl of people mingling, laughing and chatting amused her as she felt the force swirl with various emotions. Reaching down to the table, Bastila plucked a couple of Denebian brandies from its wide selection and handed one to him. With a gentle sip, she felt the alcohol in the brandy warm her throat. She would have to limit herself, it wasn't the done thing for a Jedi to be drunk.

"The others are worse though. Eight people so far, heralding me as the greatest hero the Republic has ever seen! They seem to forget I'm Darth Revan, the most vicious Sith lord since Exar Kuhn."

"Were, Darth Revan." Bastila murmured at him absently, as she stared at a suspicious canapé in her hand. She got a look of annoyance in response and sighed. "What do you expect? I know it's hard, my love, but you'll just have to take it in your stride."

"Oh yes? Well then, mind explaining why I've had ten people asking me where the Lady Shan has gone? Wanting to congratulate her on helping me defeat the Sith, but she's nowhere to be found?" He grinned at her innocent expression and felt his own spirits lift. She always knew how to make him smile, especially with the bond working its usual magic. "Wish I'd thought of tactful mingling. Mind you, I suppose there's one person who feels more uncomfortable than me."

Bastila glanced across at the figure of Juhani standing against the wall of the reception hall. The Cathar's fur was raised slightly and her yellow eyes flickered around the large group of people, looking for potential threats.

"Maybe I should go and talk to her." She said softly, watching as Juhani backed away slightly from a group of senators wishing to congratulate her. "Yes, I think I should."

"Fine, go help Ju." Revan watched as another group of Senators wandered over to him, the woman leading the group had a determined expression on her face and he sighed. "I think at the moment I may be about to receive a less than enamoured party."

Bastila glanced across at the group and her eyes widened. "Maybe I should stay."

"No, I agree with you. Go help Juhani cope, before she either runs away or loses her temper. I'll be fine." Bastila nodded and quietly walked across to the Cathar, who glanced up with relief at her approach. Revan reached into his pocket and pulled a comm from it. "HK?"

"Query: Yes master?"

"Status report please."

"Statement: T3 and myself are occupying the security office as you requested master. I can see you and Bastila clearly on the security cams." The droid paused and a tone of longing slipped into his voice. "Do you wish me to activate the crowd suppression system on the group approaching?"

Revan sighed. "No. I actually called to tell you not to do that, and not to react to anything that happens in here okay? None of these people are here to kill me."

"Comment: An assassin, master, is unlikely to parade the fact that he or she is here to do so. Please tell me you are only drinking from unopened and randomly selected bottles."

"Yes. I'll also promise to be careful when I greet anyone, my sabre is on my belt! Okay?"

"Reluctant supplication: Very well, I shall remain here and observe people entering the party instead, master. Will that please you?"

"Yes, thanks, HK. T3, keep an eye on him will you?"

"Beep."

"Annoyance: I do not need a smug garbage can as a chaperone master. I will obey your orders, as I always have!"

"Fine, fine. I've got to go." Revan snapped off the comm unit as the group finally reached him. He picked up his glass and watched as they bickered amongst themselves, before woman who had led them stepped up. She was human, in her mid thirties and had a hard face, softened by light blue hair.

"So. Lord Revan, yes?"

"I used to be Darth Revan once," He looked at her over the rim of his glass and sipped. "I'm Jedi knight Revan now."

"A Harket beast doesn't change its spots for long." The woman snapped and he sighed inwardly. "Damn." The woman narrowed her eyes at his lack of response. "I personally wish you to know that I, of the house of Terat, will not let you go unpunished."

"Really?" Revan looked at her and felt a twinge of guilt that made Bastila glance across from where she was calming a nervous Juhani and sigh. Revan shook his head and turned to the woman. "The discovery that I was once a mass murdering disciple of evil, who lost everything that he was, isn't enough for you then?"

The woman frowned at him and he watched her anger grow. "Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say…"

"No. But then she's itching for a fight. Her planet, Mutrok three, was a victim of Revan's Sith forces… I should come back." Bastila whispered in his mind.

"Is Juhani calm enough to be left on her own? I can see another group coming towards her."

"No. I suppose I'll stay with her. Try to remain calm, she wants you to get angry… she's trying to prove you're still Darth Revan inside, getting angry will fuel her determination."

"You really are good at this negotiation stuff."

"I try my best. Be careful and stay calm."

"Yes, honey." He thought and grinned at her slight, almost immediately banished, annoyance.

"I have to tell you, Revan that I was one of the senate members who voted for you to face war crimes." She looked at him, her body taking a defensive stance. "What do you have to say to that?"

"Well, you'd want me to face a war crimes tribunal who would have to fill me in about each crime? I don't remember anything about my past, a few flashes that wake me in the night sweating, a few tastes and smells that bring stuff back... but Revan is gone, I'm here now."

"I refuse to believe that!" She snapped, feeling her audience beginning to lose interest in the face of his honesty. "You wiped out my world! You were the most evil man in the galaxy, despite what you did before in the Mandalorian wars. I don't know how the Jedi trust you, I never will. I hate you and promise that I will someday see you on trial for what you have done!"

Revan sighed and looked at her with pity. "I'm sorry, madam,"

"What?" The woman asked in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm sorry. It's all I have to give you, all I can give." She opened her mouth, an angry retort on her lips and he held up a hand. "I can't give you what you want, my regret at the destruction of your world. I can't, because I don't remember. For the last time, and please understand, I have almost no recollection of who I was. I am the Revan you see now, and it's who I will be from now on. Please believe me also, when I say I don't want to remember what it was like being Revan." He glanced at Bastila and felt a lump in his throat. "He must have been a very lonely man…"

"I hate you." The senator said, looking away. " I hate you because you remind me of what I've lost. My father, my mother… husband."

Revan felt the lump in his throat grow and it was only the soothing balm of Bastila's gentle reassurance that made him stand there, that let him watch the senators sorrow.

"Revan?" He turned and found Mission standing there, her drink in hand, young face apprehensive. "What's go'in on?"

"Nothing, Mission. You don't want to be here." He watched her brow furrow, the kid was sometimes too smart for her own good. "Leave, Mish, I'll deal with this."

"How can you follow him?" The senator turned to her with a look of horror and her shoulders shuddered, almost as if she wanted to shake the young teenager. "I know all about you Mission Vao, I read your bio on the holonet. How can you follow the man who created Malak, the man who blew your home world into dust?"

Missions face darkened and Revan watched the young woman clutch the glass in her hand so tightly, that the stem snapped with a tiny cracking sound. He was about to pull her back from the senator, when she stepped forward.

"Listen up you!" The senator stepped back in surprise at Missions angry tone. "Revan is one of the few people who actually give a damn about me! Okay, so who he was turned Malak to the darkside, but he didn't have to carry on down the path! It was Malak who blew up my home, you're right there, but what did my Revan have to do with that? Nothing, it was all Malak's fault."

"That man blew up my home, young woman!"

"No! Darth Revan did. My Revan is not the same person, so back off or I'll smack you so hard you'll be in a med-bay for a month!"

"Mission, step away." Revan warned, watching the senator's face turn purple. "Go and see what Jolee is doing, will you?"

Mission stood, her young hands clenched into fists and ready to strike. Reaching out, Revan touched her shoulder and the young Twi'lek flinched slightly and looked at him. He cocked his head at her and with a sigh Mission nodded and backed off.

As Revan turned back to the irate and glowering senator, a sudden shiver in the force made him look up sharply. All his senses were screaming at him, warning of danger and he felt his hand flick to his sabre, much to the horror of the senator, who backed away from him at speed.

"What the…" She began and he ignored her.

A sudden feeling or horror and shock flowed into him from Bastila and he felt her sudden, urgent scream slam into him along the bond.

"REVAN, DOWN!"

The world to him slowed as his mind, jumping at Bastila's feeling of terror, slammed him into accelerated force speed. The senators body moved through time like toffee and Revan span, just in time to see a slow spinning red blur scything towards him, and in consequence, her. Turning back, he launched himself at the woman. Her face managed to register just a tiny tremor of shock before his weight slammed into her, knocking them to the ground. The blur, a sabre thrown with the force, whipped over his head and he felt the heat from it's energy blade, smelt the ozone from it's passage and heard the "vwhip, vwhip" sound as it span.

Bastila had also slipped into force speed and he saw her running even as the blade slipped past him. Her own dual bladed sabre ignited with a snap and he watched her fling it smoothly in a direct reversal of the red blade's passage, managing effortlessly to leap out the way as the blade smashed into a table of food, cutting it in half. Her yellow blur of a sabre zipped past his head, and he turned to follow its passage. It swung upwards into the first tier of balconies and a sudden scream echoed around the hall as a figure, clothed in black, fell… it's right arm missing.

Just as everyone heard the sickening crunch as the body hit the floor, the main doors to the hallway slammed open and a dozen Sith Jedi ran in yelling battle cries. Picking himself up off the floor, Revan's new dual sabre, built after the battle with Malak, snapped into life. Even as he ran up the steps to meet the Sith strike force, he felt Bastila next to him, her own blade whipping back into her hand from the balcony. A sudden familiar battle cry made him glance up, to see Juhani's lithe body whip past him in the air. Her own blade came slamming down into the body of one of the dark Jedi on the left and he crumpled with a scream.

Two came running towards him, and he concentrated on centering himself as their dark blades slammed onto his, fiery sparks crashing off his own as it deflected the lethal energy. A force push slammed one of them into the wall, and he concentrated on duelling with the other, even as Bastila moved to engage two trying to get behind him. The Jedi he fought was good, very good, but not nearly good enough. Using the skill he knew he possessed thanks to his former dark self, Revan parried and thrust equally to his opponent. A sudden mistake by the dark Jedi made him reverse his grip on the hilt and spin his own sabre in a flurry of energy. With a scream, the Jedi collapsed and he looked round to hear a similar cry from Juhani and Bastila's opponents.

Even as the Jedi they had fought collapsed, more attacked the two women, who calmly began to parry and thrust. Revan was about to assist Bastila, when another figure walked in from the doorway. Clad in black, a facemask covering its face, the figure pointed at Revan and ignited a dual sabre blade. The red glow hissed into the marble as it drew a battle line and taunted him. Slowly, carefully, he approached the figure and raising his blade, began to dance a dangerous ballet.

Their sabres smashed into each other with such force, that the sparks blasted off the blades in a massive shower. Revan dodged, as a cunning sweep from his opponent scythed where his heart had been, and he countered by parrying and flipping the blade upwards in a spin. The figure dodged backwards and Revan flipped his sabre against his opponent's once more.

With each parry and attack, the two Jedi, one dark one light, had to employ more and more cunning measures to catch the other off guard. Finally, Revan played his most cunning trick. He span his sabre in a circle in front of him, allowing it to act as a shield of sabre energy, as he walked backwards away from his opponent. Pushed back by the ferocious wall of energy, the figure also stepped backwards, raising its sabre in a defensive gesture. This was what Revan had been waiting for.

With a snap, one of his blades vanished and he dashed at his opponent. It raised its dual blade triumphantly in a vicious swing, designed to take off his head… he wasn't there. As the figure had raised the blade to swing it, Revan had slipped to the floor and slid along the marble surface on his knees. The single blade stabbed upwards, and met no defensive parries, as the figure was unable to turn the dual blades fast enough to block Revan's. With a scream that betrayed the figure as female, his opponent crumbled to the floor, a neat, cauterised puncture wound in the middle of her stomach.

Looking up, he realised that Bastila and Juhani had made short work of the remaining Sith Jedi, while masters Vreik and Sunrider also had a few bodies around them, Sunrider was clutching at her arm and Jolee was binding it gently with some ripped tablecloth. She sighed and gripped him for support, Revan grinned despite his exhaustion, trust Jolee…

A sudden movement made him look around, only to see one of the Sith Jedi picking up a fallen blaster from the floor. Even as the Sith pointed it in his direction, the snub nose of a blaster rifle poked the side of his head and the Sith looked up, into the glowing eyes of the red droid holding the gun.

"Statement: Go-ahead, meatbag… make my day!" HK looked at his master with concern, only relaxing as he got up and began to dust himself off. "Statement: I do not wish to appear smug master… but I told you so."

"So you did." Revan muttered and felt Bastila's hand curl around his. He looked at his soul mate with a smile, knowing from the bond that she was unhurt. "Well, this was quite a party, but I'm not paying to have the mess cleaned up."

"Who were you fighting?" Juhani asked, as Bastila smiled. "I've never seen skills like that, it was… quite astonishing, from both of you."

"I don't know." Revan kneeled gently in front of the still body, and began to tug at the mask. "I can only suggest we have a look."

He yanked at the mask unsuccessfully until Bastila pointed out a small clasp at the side. With a snick, it slid off the still form's face and Revan's eyes widened in shock, along with Bastila's gasp of horror. Juhani looked at the two of them, puzzled.

"What is it?" Her soft purring voice asked. Revan looked at her and his mouth opened, then closed again. "What? Do you know her?"

Vreik and Sunrider walked up with Jolee at that point and Sunrider gasped in shock.

"Telan?" She looked at Revan, at Vreik and clutched her arm tightly. "It was Telan who attacked us? Why?"

"I… I suppose she was in league with the Sith…" Revan shook his head, unable to cope with this. Suddenly, a thought struck him. "How much did she know about the mission the council wanted us to go on? How much did she know about Bastila's mission?"

"All," Vreik's voice was sad, filled with regret as he stared at the lifeless body. "She must have been turned at Korriban, a spy in the heart of the council. This really does smell as one of Darth Revan's ideas."

Revan sighed. "If she knew what we were going to do… No, the 6th fleet will still attack the gas mines, it's too tempting to pass, even with Bastila helping to protect the fleet." He thought for a second, his own tactical brain pondering the problem. "But I bet they have orders to attack the ship she was assigned to, no matter the cost. You need to change the flagship and have Bastila placed on that."

"And you?" Vreik asked quietly. "What about your mission?"

"I'm not leaving that cargo undefended. It's needed on Taris and that's where it's going. I'll be fine, I've got Juhani, Canderous, Mission and my loyal bodyguard." HK stiffened with pleasure. "No, I'll just have to be much more careful."

With a sigh, Revan looked at the body of Telan and felt things getting out of hand. Nudging the Lightsabre she'd used with his foot, he looked at his friends and then at the Jedi masters, the rest of the partygoers giving the group a wide berth.

"What the hell is going on?"

"I'm going to miss you." He felt her unhappiness, her desire to be with him. "I so wanted to have some time with you before I had to go to the fleet."

"We'll see each other again soon, honey." Revan stroked the strand of hair that had fallen across her eyes. "I meant what I said, nothing will keep you from me for too long."

"I know," Bastila leaned into him and savoured his warmth. "But that doesn't mean that the days won't be agony."

The two of them stood outside the Hawk's loading ramp and the crisp morning air slithered around them. The Hawk had been moved to the Jedi temples launching platforms and stood battered but proud amongst the tiny fighters and transports. They had to go soon, the cargo haul was ready to go and that meant Revan and his crew had to leave. Bastila sighed. After the party, she'd hoped she and Revan would have some time for each other, but they'd both been exhausted. Revan had fallen onto his bunk fully clothed, and she'd joined him with a groan. It had been a full eight hours of sleep before she's stirred, to find him holding a cup of caffa in front of her with a sad smile.

"Morning Bastila. It's… well, two hours before we leave. I've got to get ready and help Mission stock the hawk's provisions. I'll… I'll leave you to freshen up."

He'd quickly walked out, obviously upset about leaving her and she'd drunk her caffa quietly, thinking. While she'd been in the Fresher, scrubbing her hair, she wondered how long it would be before they had a chance to get together again.

"Agony? Well, I'll just have to comm you a lot to keep it at bay," his voice dragged her back to the present and she smiled at him sadly. "Ah, don't look at me like that Bast, this is hard enough."

"Sorry, just thinking." She sighed and ran a hand across his chest. "When we get together again, can we… can we make our first night special somehow?"

"Special?" He smiled at her. "Well, we can try… what did you have in mind?"

"I'll let you know," She whispered kissing him. "When I can think of something, I'll tell you."

"I want at least two messages a week from you." Revan whispered, burying his face in her hair and smelling the spicy hair cleanser that formed part of her. "I'll do the same, I promise."

"Oh?" Bastila ran her hands along his back and then slightly lower, he grinned. "I'll keep you to that promise Jedi Revan."

"Rev, we have to go." Mission's voice echoed from the hawk's crew lounge. "The cargo hauliers are moving into position."

"Okay." With a final sigh, Revan bent forwards and kissed his soul mate one final time, feeling her exuberance at his kiss flow into him. "Damn it."

"Go." She whispered at him, pulling back. "I'll see you soon."

With a final touch of her hair, Revan walked up the walkway and was about to hit 'ascend and pressurise.' when a voice cried out from across the platform.

"Jedi Revan, wait! I have fresh orders from the council."

A young female Padawan ran up to the Hawk followed just as quickly by a less flustered female Master. Revan looked at them both and cocked his head.

"Yes?" He asked with a smile at her huffing face.

"I'm… I'm Selyne Hirana, I've been assigned to you as Padawan learner and aid to you during this mission." The young woman collapsed against the Hawk's metal body.

"Padawan?" Revan growled and glanced at Bastila, who shrugged. With a sigh he motioned for the young woman to come abroad and glanced at the master, as she too stood next to the Hawk's open hatchway. "And you are?"

"Jedi master Quatra. I've been assigned to assist you as well. The council does not feel you were safe enough without a master to assist you. I'm here to help you take on any Sith Jedi we meet, although it's still your show Jedi Revan."

"Quatra?" Revan said in surprise. "As in the Quatra who trained Juhani?"

"Why yes," Quatra smiled. "Do you know her? She can be a little quick to anger, but I understand someone helped her through that… although my knowledge is hazy, I've not been to Dantooine for ages."

"Well, this should be fun." He murmured, motioning her to come aboard. "If you want a surprise, I suggest you bunk in the rear compartment, we'll all get to know one another later okay?"

"Oh?" with a nod Quatra slipped past him into the Hawk. Bastila stood alone on the platform and she felt her eyes moisten at his face.

"Bye, my love. Take care."

"I will." He pressed the button and then as the hatch started to close and the Hawk whined into lift-off, threw a small envelope at her.

"A gift Bastila. A thanks for your love and support." As the hatch slipped closed, Bastila stared at the envelope and began to open it.

With a hum of power, the repulsars of the ship activated and it's bulk began to slide into the air. Bastila paid it no heed, for in her hand lay a credit chip and a small note. With shaking hands, she opened the small piece of paper.

For you, because I love you. Your mother and you have much to discuss, to catch up on and it's the least I can do. She needs a rare drug… she knows which one. It was so expensive she didn't want to tell you, as she was scared you'd bankrupt yourself trying to pay for it. This chip has enough to pay for the whole course. I don't know how long it will give her, maybe only a few months at the worst… but I hope it's enough time. Take care of yourself my love.

Revan XXX.

She looked up and watched the Hawk's bulk slowly begin to ascend into the atmosphere. Her eyes, already moist from his leaving her, began to trickle tears down her face, tears of joy. He knew she'd never have accepted this if he'd stayed so he'd left her no choice. As the hawk roared into full power and quickly vanished into a dot she smiled sadly.

"Revan, I owe you for this." She thought and felt his laughter in her head.

"Owe me? Bast, you've given me you. What more could I possibly ask for?"
"I can't take this, it's too much!" She complained at him.

"Uh, uh. That chip is coded for your personal bank account. Use it to help Helena, you've been through a hell of a lot lately. Take this gift and use it, please."

"Alright." She sighed and felt his love for her warm her body. "I don't know how I'm going to get this past mother though. She'll more likely kill you than hug you, when she finds out you gave me the money."

"Well, how else am I going to ask her for your hand in marriage later?"

Her eyes widened with delight and she felt him touch her gently.

"Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Go, use the chip, and sort out your relationship with her. I've got to go."

"I love you with all my heart." Bastila whispered finally, her hand clutching the chip tightly. "May the force be with you, my love."

"Go. I'll see you soon. I love you too."

With a gentle sigh she felt him pull back from the bond and it slowly whisper into a general group of emotions and life force. He would always be with her, but right now, she wished he were holding her.

Bastila looked at the spire of Shintaka hospital in the distance, and then at the chip with anxiety. How the hell was she going to explain this to her mother? Mind you, how dare she not tell her there was a possible drug that could help her. With a groan of reluctance, she tucked the chip into her robe and walked off the platform.

"Here we go…."

Continued in part 3- Purgatory of a traitor.