The interior of the government office was, thankfully, easier on the eyes than the outside.
Katrina stood observing the clean lines of its waiting room, somewhat crowded but not half as much as those waiting in line outside. The three miners stood in a group murmuring to themselves.
"We should make sure that their problem is resolved before asking about our own." Bastila murmured next to her.
Katrina frowned. It felt and sounded like the condescending order she was sure Bastila hadn't meant it to be. She had had to fight with herself not to make some kind of snide remark as she passed the woman who had denied them entry twice on the way in. She was also fighting to ignore a sense of smug triumph at having the dumb luck to meet with three people who had an appointment with the committee.
"I think finding out who's trying to kill me is a little more important than the local union dues." She felt the Jedi's gaze, heard the words that she probably was dying to say to her.
But Bastila said nothing, and Katrina felt a tap on the shoulder. Margot and the others stood behind her.
"They're ready for us." The girl's voice carried a hint of uncertainty, as if the Committee could possibly be a group of very understanding politicians, or could possibly be a group of very unsympathetic Hutts.
Both Jedi turned and followed the three Anellians through a set of security doors.
The room was set up to allow whoever was in front of the governing body their full attention, or their full scrutiny. The only light was a single large spot in front of a long podium where about fifteen dark outlines of men and women sat, staring expectantly at the circle of light. The rest of the room was dark, and probably nothing but shadows and vague forms to the Committee.
There was a marked absence of guards, but from what she had seen so far, Katrina wasn't surprised. There was probably some kind of fail-safe system if anyone was idiotic enough to attempt some kind of attack.
"Representatives of the Anellian Mining Corporation." The voice that beckoned them was not harsh or impatient, but it was firm enough to make Margot, Sach, and Loredo scurry into the spotlight immediately.
Katrina and Bastila hung back in the shadows, watching.
"Honorable members of the Committee," Margot began, the fear in her face nowhere present in her voice, "We come to you today to discuss the plight of the workers of the Anellian Mining Corporation."
"The Committee acknowledges that. We also acknowledge that this is the third time you have come before us with such a discussion." Margot's face colored deeply, but Katrina couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger.
The Committee seemed to have a sole speaker; that same firm but not brusque voice that responded calmly to everything the miners said.
"Unless you have new evidence to present to us, the Committee feels obliged to tell you that we will respond with the same advice that we have on your previous two visits: Take it up with the Anellian Mining Corporation."
"Not only do we have further recorded injuries to report to you, but we also have two highly respected Jedi to validate our claims." There was a low murmuring among the members of the Committee. Katrina glanced at Bastila.
"Apparently here a lightsaber carries some kind of weight," she murmured to the Jedi.
"Indeed it does, Master Jedi." The Committee apparently also had excellent hearing.
Bastila stepped forward first, wincing momentarily upon stepping into the light.
"You must forgive our surprise, Jedi..."
"Bastila."
"...Bastila, as we have not had Jedi on our planet for nearly six years." Katrina raised an eyebrow.
"Six years? Why so long?" Her answer was a few seconds in coming. Probably because of the members of the Committee straining to see through the shadows the second Jedi who wouldn't yet step into the middle of that harsh spotlight.
"Aside from being near the Outer Rim and usually falling out of the Republic's sights, the Jedi were refused their last request of our government. This may account for their marked reluctance to return to the planet."
"Yes," Margot added loudly, "And now they have returned to assist us in our struggle for worker's rights." Bastila looked back at Katrina, eying her pointedly as if trying to will her to enter the light with her.
The Committee seemed to take another moment to draw a breath.
"We are very sympathetic to the plight of the miners," Bastila said haltingly. "And we wish to offer the support of the Jedi Council in helping to improve their working conditions."
Feel free to jump in any time, Katrina.
"What was the last request of the Jedi?" Her impetuousness was against the Jedi Code, and she hated the Code, and she was disappointed in herself for not agreeing with the Code.
A Jedi doesn't ignore the people. A Jedi doesn't forget to help someone just to help themselves.
Margot gave her a dirty look, as she had betrayed them.
"Representatives of the Anellian Mining Corporation," that same voice finally said, "Consider your request granted. The Committee will meet with the owners of the Corporation to discuss further safety precautions. Perhaps the Jedi will harbor no ill will towards us any longer if we address an issue they seem to be so passionate about." The voice seemed to break from its calm for a moment and sounded amused.
"You do? Oh...well, thank you very much, members of the Committee. We'll be on our way now...I guess," Margot replied; she, Sach, and Loredo eying Katrina as through she had just cast some kind of magic spell. The trio exited the room, watching both Jedi over their shoulders as they faded into the shadows.
"As to your question, Master Jedi," the voice continued, "The Jedi last requested the use of our facilities and resources to aid the Republic against the Mandalorians in the Mandalorian war years ago. When we refused, their representatives were quite...angered by it." The voice grew flat when speaking of the representatives.
Katrina closed her eyes, trying to remember being here before, trying to remember standing in this room, conversing with this voice, making a case for the Republic.
She remembered nothing but her current frustration at being in the same situation again and having no memory of the previous one.
Katrina stepped forwards towards the spotlight.
"We must confess to you, honorable members of the Committee, that we have an ulterior motive in meeting with you," Bastila said.
"I should think so. The Jedi care little for the plight of the everyday man." Bastila looked incensed. Her narrowed eyes scanned the vague forms of the members, seemingly trying to find one to focus her anger on.
"We are investigating an attack made on a highly respected Republic war hero,"Katrina said,pausing. She always stopped when she was forced to say Revan's name, forced to hear it and know that it was synonymous with 'myself'.
She looked to Bastila. The Jedi looked right back at her. Clearly Bastila would not bail her out this time. She stepped directly into the pool of light, blinking for a few moments at the sudden change of illumination.
"And the former dark Lord Revan,"Katrina finally added.
"Revan?" This voice was different now. The calm, resolved voice that had spoken before was replaced with a gritty one that said her name like it was some unsavory dish.
"We have heard the rumors of Revan's death," another completely different voice added. Apparently Revan would be the subject that gave the rest of the members of the Committee a voice.
"We have also heard rumors of her involvement with the fall of Malak," said another.
"The rumors are entirely accurate," Bastila quickly said. "Revan indeed was resurrected when Malak turned against her, and returned to the light side of the Force and helped to destroy the dark lord who had risen in her stead."
"What does this attack have to do with our planet, Jedi Bastila?" This voice spoke Basic but with a hint of Twi'leki accent. "Surely many planets would have possible reasons to attack a former dark lord."
Katrina basked in her anonymity for the moment; in a few more they would all be stoning her to death.
"Our investigations on the attack show evidence that the weapon used was a specialized demolitions device, such as the weapons produced here on Anelli," Bastila continued.
"We have reason to believe there is a connection between this planet and Revan," Katrina said.
My reason being the supremely suspicious behavior of the Jedi Council and the vagueries of an assault droid.
The Committee was silent for some time.
"Revan visited this planet with Malak as a representative of the Jedi," one of the voices continued."They were the ones who approached us and demanded the use of our resources in the war."
"They later returned again, this time as lord and apprentice, and again demanded the use of our resources in the war."
"I assume you refused both times." Bastila murmured.
"Yes."
"Why didn't the Sith attack the planet when you denied them supplies?" Katrina asked.
Through the shadows she could sense a pair of eyes on her. She had no doubt the entire Committee's eyes were on them, but this pair seemed to be staring deeper into her than most. It was the feeling she got when Bastila, with their unshakable bond, looked at her.
She gazed at the vague forms of darkness in turn, trying to identify which it might be.
"Who are you, Master Jedi? We have yet to hear your name." The resolute and unflappable male voice that had greeted themsuddenly returned, every word carefully pronounced as if he was reading from a datapad.
'Katrina' hung on the tip of her tongue but she could feel the eyes of Bastila and her unknown watcher on her. Her delusions of identity wouldn't serve on this occasion.
She would have to be who everyone said she was.
"I am Revan." It felt like acid down her throat.
"You haven't changed." The voice stayed steady, though its tranquil qualities had vanished. They were replaced by a hint of barely suppressed excitement. "When you returned as a Sith I could barely see your face, let alone recognize it." She noticed the marked difference that this voice was using the first person tense; I. There was no 'we'.
"You were angry with me then; I wonder, are you still angry now?" A sense of intimacy came from his words, and the odd thing was that Katrina felt the sense of intimacy rather than her usual indifference when people spoke of their past encounters with her. The feeling of being close with someone she had never met or seen was unsettling. Her hand gripped the hilt of her lightsaber involuntarily.
"I'm sorry, whoever you are. I have no memory of you."
"Revan." The voice spoke her name unbelievably, in awe.
"It's me, it's Phineas." The voice was desperately trying to convey that she should recognize the name, that she should instantly remember. The fact that she couldn't only frustrated her further.
"I'm sorry," she said more forcefully. "I don't know you." Though she had the distinct feeling that she did; a wisp of déjà vu that she had no way of triggering to know whether it was true or not.
"You knew me as Jedi and as Sith. Whatever you are now, you should still be able to recognize your own brother."