Trouble: A Knights of the Old Republic Fan-fiction
by: Sam Lincoln
Revan stepped over the headless corpse and sat on the bed. "I managed to break into Palpatine's office, and found him waiting for me. He knew who I was."
Bastila raised her eyebrows, "What did you do?"
"Tried to bring him back to the light, I had to make the effort."
Bastila nodded her understanding, they were both proof that anyone could turn away from the Dark Side. "Let me guess, he said no and you made some sort of dramatic exit?"
"I jumped out a window," Revan admitted.
"Of course you did," Bastila said, her exasperation showing through. "Heaven forbid you do something sensible, like not going there in the first place!"
"But at least now we know for sure who Palpatine really is, and I got away unharmed, so everything came out more or less ok."
"Does this look ok to you?" Bastila demanded as she pointed at the headless corpse at their feet. "Revan, he knows who we are now, and where to find us."
"And we know the same about him, but we have the advantage."
"How do you figure that?"
"Who cares if he announces who we really are to the rest of the galaxy. I never wanted to hide that anyway."
"You know as well as I that isn't what he has in mind."
Revan sighed, "I know, he'll move to discredit me so the Council thinks I'm not to be trusted and will ignore me if I unmask Palpatine. Not that it matters," he added bitterly.
"What do you mean by that?" Bastila asked.
Revan glanced around the room. "Not here, let's talk on the Hawk."
Bastila looked at Revan in disbelief, but followed him out of the room and down to the landing pad where the Ebon Hawk sat. "For the last time Revan," Bastila demanded as soon as they were aboard the ship. "What the bloody hell is going on?"
"When I got back from my 'meeting' with Palpatine Master Yoda was waiting for me. We had an, interesting conversation." Revan paused. "He knows Bastila, he knows who Palpatine is."
"What?" Bastila asked in disbelief.
"Yoda knows that Palpatine is the Sith Lord, he has for years. He's even counting on a Sith takeover of the Republic."
Bastila felt her knees weaken and she sunk down into one of the sofas in the Hawk's lounge. "But...why did he send you to find the Sith if he already knew?"
"They had to do something with us, we were asking about the Sith. Sending me off on a wild goose chase across the galaxy was their way of getting rid of me."
"He's not Sith, is he?" Bastila couldn't imagine the kindly green Jedi being a servant of the Dark Side, but she felt compelled to ask.
Revan shook his head, "No, he's not Sith, he serves the light, well technically at any rate."
"Then...why?" Bastila's question was simple, but it was the only way she could vocalize the confusion that swirled in her.
Revan threw up his hands in disgust, "There's something about a prophecy, tainted Force, averting a millennia of chaos, and a 'Chosen One.' I don't know, it all sounded like rationalizations to me." Revan slumped down on the couch next to Bastila.
Bastila took a deep breath. This was the missing piece of the puzzle that had troubled her mind. It still did not answer why a Jedi Master would allow the Sith to conquer the galaxy, but a few things were now more clear in Bastila's mind. "We must approach this rationally. Yoda is a Jedi Master, he wouldn't take this course of action without good reason."
"He doesn't understand the true nature of the Sith," Revan said with disgust in his voice. "He really thinks the chaos of a shattered Republic is worse than a Sith-controlled galaxy. He's never seen the Sith burn a world because it amuses them. The callus disregard for life. The butcher's bill of a new Sith Empire will be beyond imagination."
Bastila felt her heart clench, everything Revan said she knew to be true and then some. Revan could only remember witnessing the destruction of Taris, for Bastila it was much worse. She could remember the depravations of the Sith with a vividness that Revan's forged memories could not provide. Bastila understood Revan's position, and even agreed with it, but she still held a great deal of respect for anyone with the title Jedi Master, and she could not dismiss Yoda's actions as cavalierly as Revan. "Isn't there a chance that what Yoda says is true?" Bastila asked. "There is a great deal that we do not know after all."
"I just can't sit idly by when there's a chance I can prevent this terrible thing from happening." Revan held up a hand. "I know, I said the same thing when the Council didn't immediately intervene in the Mandalorian War. This is different, I'm different. I fought Malak in the heart of the Star Forge and turned my back on the power it offered. You don't have to worry about me falling to the Dark Side."
"Alert: Jedi Master Mace Windu is approaching the ship," HK called out from the cockpit. "Query: Shall I blast him before he gets any closer?"
"Negative HK," Revan replied. "Open the boarding ramp."
"I wonder what he wants?" Bastila asked rhetorically.
"I've got a pretty good guess," Revan said grimly. He stood up and walked over to the boarding ramp. "Welcome aboard Master Windu," Revan told Windu. "What can I do for you?"
"Why don't you take me for a ride in this magnificent rust bucket," Windu replied.
"Any place in particular?"
"Just a quick hyperspace jump will do," Windu instructed Revan. "Anywhere out of the way and free from prying eyes."
Revan nodded, "I'll see what I can do. We'll take off immediately." Revan walked through the lounge and past Bastila on his way to the cockpit.
"Revan, what does he want?" Bastila asked.
"I'm here for a joyride," Windu said as he walked into the lounge. The ship lurched as Revan powered up the engines. "Sometimes it's useful to get away from the bustle of Coruscant, reduces the chances of being distracted."
"We're about to make the jump to light speed," Revan said over the shipboard com. "If you haven't strapped in yet I suggest you do so now."
Bastila and Windu were barely in their seats before the ship shuddered as it made the transition to hyperspace. Revan walked into the lounge from the cockpit as the two Jedi were unstrapping themselves. "We're headed for a small, uninhabited system," Revan said. "When we get there we'll make another jump, just to be sure nobody followed us. Now what's this all about?"
"Yoda told you the truth, or at least part of it," Windu said with preamble. "That's not something to be discussed lightly on Coruscant. I thought we might take a little trip and I could clarify a few things for you. Yoda enjoys being obtuse."
"Yoda told you about our conversation?" Revan asked.
Windu nodded, "He told me he was going to. He knew what you saw in the Council Chamber yesterday, and he decided you needed to know why you cannot oppose Palpatine."
"How could he have known that?" Revan wondered.
"Yoda is stronger and wiser than you can imagine," Windu explained. "There isn't much that escapes his gaze."
"Except for Palpatine," Bastila stated.
"To an extent," Windu conceded. "However, it also serves Yoda's aims to let Palpatine stay where he is."
"What exactly are those aims?"
"Restoring balance to the Force and keeping the galaxy from spinning into total chaos," Windu replied.
"I don't understand," Bastila said. "What do you mean by restoring balance to the Force?"
"It has to do with the intrinsic nature of the Force and how the Jedi and the Sith view it," Windu replied. "Think of the Force as a single continuum, with the Light and the Dark occupying opposing sides. Now as you know the Dark Side encompasses all of the negative emotions in life, anger, hate, and so on. Naturally then, it follows that the Light is embodied by the opposite of those emotions."
"But that's not what the Jedi Code says," Revan interjected. "There is no emotion," he quoted.
"Correct, and that is at the crux of the dilemma the order now faces."
"It's the culmination of four thousand years of denying that most species are emotional creatures," Revan said bitterly.
"The Order never denied that people are emotional," Windu replied calmly. "However, miscalculations were made. We have not embraced the emotions that exemplify the Light Side the way the Sith have embraced the primordial emotions of the Dark Side."
"And this is how the Force is unbalanced?" Bastila asked. "Because the Force doesn't feel all that different to me."
"But you can feel the taint, correct?" Windu replied. Bastila nodded. "You can feel that because the Sith are growing stronger as the Jedi grow weaker."
"I think I understand," Bastila concluded after a moment's thought. "The Sith are currently stronger than the Jedi--even though they are numerically inferior to the Jedi -- because they better understand the nature of the Dark Side."
"Essentially yes," Windu agreed.
"So what do we do about it?" Revan asked.
"Anything you could do Yoda has spent the past five hundred years doing," Windu told Revan.
"He hasn't tried everything," Revan countered. "He hasn't directly confronted Palpatine."
"That time might still come," Windu allowed. "However there is only one person with the strength to defeat the Sith Lord and that person is Anakin Skywalker."
"This isn't a question of strength," Revan said. ''Palpatine is strong, but he's not remarkably so. You are more than his match Master Windu. Why does it have to be Anakin?"
Windu shook his head, "It's not my place to say. I know that's not the answer you were looking for. I also know that nothing I can tell you will change your mind. However, I think Bastila might. Did you tell him about Rakata?"
Revan looked over at Bastila. "What about Rakata?"
"How do you know about that?" Bastila asked Windu in amazement.
"I don't know the specifics, but that was where we hoped you would go."
"So the story about the Star Map on Kashyyyk?"
"Was true, and your help was greatly appreciated. It also had the added benefit of inducing you to visit Rakata. Master Yoda and myself both knew that you had to make that trip."
"What about Rakata?" Revan insisted.
"I went to Rakata with the droids," Bastila explained. "The Rakatans...they're extinct. They wiped themselves out. I visited the Temple of the Ancients, and there I had a vision, well it was more than a vision really."
"What was it?"
myself, I think. I faced the darkness within myself that remained from my time as a Sith, and before," She admitted.
"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Revan asked Bastila.
Bastila shrugged. "I would have eventually, but it was an intensely personal experience and I still needed time to sort it all out. However, before the vision ended I was given a warning. There is a storm coming Revan, and if you are not careful you will fall to the Dark Side again. That is why I wanted to you to delay confronting Palpatine, and that is why I think you have to listen to what the Council has to say. I don't want to see you fall to the Dark Side."
"You don't think I can defeat Palpatine?" Revan asked.
"It's not if I don't think you can, because I know you can," Bastila replied. "It's that I don't know if the cost will be worth it."
"I would have thought you would understand why we have to stop Palpatine now," Revan said defensively.
"Don't play that card with me Revan," Bastila said sharply. "There are other ways to stymie Palpatine. We could form a true resistance movement, and sap Palpatine's strength that way."
"Even if you do nothing you are a thorn in Palpatine's side," Windu added. "He will never be certain just when you will emerge to challenge him for supremacy of the Galaxy. That seed of doubt in his mind very well could be the edge we need to defeat him in the coming years."
"Hiding will hardly get the job done," Revan protested.
"I'm surprised at you Revan," Windu said. "I would have thought that someone with your alleged strategic ability would be able to see what the real problem is."
''Oh, what's that?"
"The state of the Force. We're standing on the knife's edge, and if balance is not restored the consequences will be dire."
"I would have thought that destroying the Sith would restore the balance," Bastila said.
"The imbalance is not the work of the Sith, not totally at least. Stopping the Sith will do nothing to repair the damage the Jedi have inflicted on the Force."
"So all the Jedi must die because the Council screwed up?" Revan shouted.
"The Jedi must what?" This time it was Bastila who was in the dark.
"One of the first things Palpatine will do when he consolidates his power is attempt to eliminate the Jedi Order, and Master Windu is willing to allow it to happen."
"And just who do you think Palpatine will take special care to destroy?" Windu asked pointedly. "Following this path will cost me more than you know."
"Then don't follow it," Revan said. "Take the fight to him."
"And you think I won't? When the time comes I will fight the Sith with every fiber of my body. I do not expect to survive the encounter, but if I do then I won't complain."
Silence fell over the room as the all digested what Windu said, and its implications. Bastila stirred uncomfortably in her seat. She did not like the morbid tone the conversation had taken. "Well, I think it's fairly obvious that we're at an impasse. The question now is where do we go from here?"
"That is entirely up to Revan," Windu said.
"If you're looking for some assurance that I won't move against Palpatine you're not going to get it," Revan told Windu.
"What about you?" Windu asked Bastila. "Do you believe that we need to strike quickly, or will you place your trust in the Force."
Bastila looked between Revan and Windu before speaking. "I am not as certain as Revan, but I stand by him. We have come so far together that I can hardly do otherwise."
Windu nodded, "If that is your decision then we will all have to live with the consequences. I won't try to stop you.''
"Anymore than you already have you mean," Revan pointed out.
"True enough," Windu admitted. "What I meant to say was that neither Yoda or I will do anything more than try to talk you out of this." Windu paused. "Personally I hope you do manage to pull this off. I'd rather not see the Sith conquer the galaxy."
"I'll try not to let you down. Can you at least tell me one thing. Why Anakin? I know it's not your place to tell me everything, but what can you tell me?"
"What I can say is that Anakin is the result of a not-quite eugenics program of Yoda's. Over the years he has kept various Force-sensitives from joining the Order and made certain that they had children."
"The result of which is potentially an incredibly strong Jedi," Revan concluded. "In theory at least."
"Anakin lives so we've obviously moved past theory," Bastila commented. "What I want to know is how will Anakin defeat Palpatine."
Windu smiled coyly. "I'd think the two of you would know how better than anyone else." Windu stood up and waked towards the starboard crew quarters. "Now what do you have to eat on this garbage scow?"
Bastila looked at Revan. "Now what?"
"The way I see it we have two choices. Find a planet to hide on, or confront Palpatine head on. I think you know which I'm in favor of."
"Yes I do, and you know I'm not convinced you're right."
Revan sighed, "You're worried I understand that, but you have to understand that Palpatine is not indestructible, despite what Master Windu would have you believe."
Bastila shook her head. "I don't think that. Believe me Revan, if there's anyone in the galaxy capable of short circuiting prophecy it's you, but I keep thinking back to my vision on Rakata. It was very clear, you cannot do anything to stop Palpatine. If you try you will be destroyed, and I really don't want to lose you."
Revan looked into Bastila's eyes and saw the fear that lay in them. "Alright," he relented. "When we get back to Coruscant I'll meditate on this some more, maybe even travel to Rakata myself. How's that?"
Bastila smiled wanly. "That's a good start. You know you really have grown. The old Revan wouldn't have been nearly as open to listening to the concerns of others."
"The old Revan would have challenged Palpatine for the supremacy of the Sith by now," Revan pointed out.
"Just make sure you don't do that," Bastila said lightly.
"I'll see what I can do princess," Revan replied.
Bastila reached out and hugged Revan. "See that you don't you frustratingly stubborn and lovely man," she said before kissing Revan's cheek.
Revan brought the Ebon Hawk out of hyperspace. The swirling star field resolved itself into the familiar space around Coruscant. Hanging in space directly in front of them was a large Republic cruiser.
"Attention civilian freighter," a voice blared on the com. "You will heave-to and accept boarders.''
Revan keyed the com, "Republic cruiser, this ship is on a mission for the Jedi Council please explain."
"We have information that says the assassin who attacked Chancellor Palpatine is aboard your ship. If you do not comply we will disable your craft and forcibly board you."
Bastila and Windu walked into the cockpit. "What's wrong?" Bastila asked.
Revan turned and faced Bastila and Windu. "It seems they think Palpatine's attacker is aboard the Hawk."
"Good guess," Windu noted dryly.
Bastila looked at Windu, "Isn't there something you can do?"
"That won't be necessary," Revan said. "I'll turn myself in."
"You'll do what?" Bastila asked in amazement. "But isn't that what Palpatine wants?"
"Statement: I will be happy to break you out of whatever prison you are stored in Master," HK said.
"That also won't be necessary," Revan told the droid. "I'm no good to Palpatine in prison. He's just letting me know how uncomfortable he can make life for me if I qcontinue to fight him"
"Revan no, you shouldn't be doing this," Bastila protested.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Master Windu will be able to get me released," Revan looked over at Windu, "You will right?"
Windu nodded, "I'm confident I can pull a few strings and make that happen. It will take time; maybe a day or longer depending on which hole you get thrown into."
"A night in jail won't kill me," Revan told Bastila confidently.
"But what if Palpatine tries to have you eliminated while you're incarcerated?"
"Relax, I have a plan," Revan said as he glanced over at T3.
In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant Obi-Wan was leading Anakin through a training exercise in Force awareness. Anakin was doing a handstand on a round boulder, and directing a ball through a maze using the Force. All the while a droid threw small objects at Anakin. Anakin had to deflect the projectiles and steer the ball through the maze at the same time. A small box slipped through Anakin's defenses and hit him in the stomach; causing Anakin to tumble to the ground.
"Enough!" Obi-wan called out. "Anakin, what's wrong? You seem distracted."
Anakin picked himself up off the ground. "I'm sorry master, I've been thinking about something Master Delwynn told me yesterday."
Obi-Wan sighed to himself, "What sort of nonsense did Revan put into the boy's head?" he wondered to himself. "What was that?" He asked his Padawan.
"He said that love is what separates the Jedi from the Sith."
"Master Delwynn is correct. The Sith, and anyone else who follows the Dark Side, are ruled by their anger and hate. However, Master Delwynn is not talking about the kind of love you see in a romance holo vid."
"What other kind of love is there?" Anakin wondered.
"Compassion," Obi-Wan replied. "A Jedi must feel compassion for those he protects. That is what Master Delwynn was referring to." Obi-Wan knew full well that Revan was not talking about compassion, but Anakin did not need to know that. It would only serve to muddle things for Anakin at a time when he needed simplicity.
"That seems like a wishy-washy answer," Anakin said petulantly.
"Anakin, once again you must respect the accumulated wisdom of the Jedi Order. The strictures of the Order were put in place for your protection, not to inconvenience you!" Obi-Wan snapped as his temper flared. "Look at it this way, everyone has a mother they care about as much as you do yours. As a Jedi it is your duty to protect everyone the way you want to protect your mother. Does that make sense?'' Obi-Wan figured Anakin's thoughts were on his mother. Most of Anakin's questions regarding the Jedi Code revolved around her.
"I guess," Anakin admitted grudgingly.
"If you allow yourself to become fixated on one person how can you expect to serve the galaxy as a whole?" Obi-Wan continued. "Being a Jedi is a calling that requires no small amount of sacrifice on your part."
"Is it worth it then?" Anakin asked.
"Of course it is," Obi-Wan replied. "You will do tremendous good in the galaxy as a Jedi, of that I have no doubt."
"What good is that if I can't help my mother?"
"How many other mother's have you helped while you have been my Padawan?" Obi-Wan countered. "Don't their families deserve the chance to live a life of peace?"
"It just doesn't seem fair that my mother has to be punished because of who I am."
"Would it have changed anything if you had not left with Master Qui-Gon and joined the Order?" Obi-Wan asked. "This way at least your mother knows that you are free, and I'm sure that means more to her than even her own freedom."
"She still deserves to be free," Anakin insisted.
"As do all who are held in slavery. You have to take those feelings yoou have for your mother and apply them to everyone. Only then will you truly be a Jedi."
"I am doing my best Master Obi-Wan," Anakin said defensively.
Obi-Wan smiled, "I know you are Anakin."
Anakin fell silent for a moment. "How do you do it master?"
"Do what?"
"Turn off you emotions? You make it look so easy."
"It's not that I turn off my emotions; I simply do not let them rule me," Obi-Wan replied. "It's a matter of practice Anakin, and nothing more. All you need to do is focus more. Now let's work on something different shall we?"
"As you wish master," Anakin replied as he followed Obi-Wan out of the training room.
From a hidden observation room Yoda watched Obi-Wan and Anakin leave the training area. "Coming along well Anakin is," Yoda mused to himself. "But be ready in time will he? Pushing events too fast Revan is. Threatening everything he is." Yoda sighed. All he could do now was watch and hope that his life's work would not be in vain.
-to be continued-
Author's Notes: Chapter 16 is done. Kind of a treading water thing. Coming up next, Shawshank Strikes Bank.
by: Sam Lincoln
Rating: PG
Summary: A hyperspace accident throws Bastila and Revan into a galaxy of intrigue. Whatever happend to happily ever after?
Spoilers: If you haven't finished the game you'll be damn lost.
Trouble: Chapter SixteenRevan stepped over the headless corpse and sat on the bed. "I managed to break into Palpatine's office, and found him waiting for me. He knew who I was."
Bastila raised her eyebrows, "What did you do?"
"Tried to bring him back to the light, I had to make the effort."
Bastila nodded her understanding, they were both proof that anyone could turn away from the Dark Side. "Let me guess, he said no and you made some sort of dramatic exit?"
"I jumped out a window," Revan admitted.
"Of course you did," Bastila said, her exasperation showing through. "Heaven forbid you do something sensible, like not going there in the first place!"
"But at least now we know for sure who Palpatine really is, and I got away unharmed, so everything came out more or less ok."
"Does this look ok to you?" Bastila demanded as she pointed at the headless corpse at their feet. "Revan, he knows who we are now, and where to find us."
"And we know the same about him, but we have the advantage."
"How do you figure that?"
"Who cares if he announces who we really are to the rest of the galaxy. I never wanted to hide that anyway."
"You know as well as I that isn't what he has in mind."
Revan sighed, "I know, he'll move to discredit me so the Council thinks I'm not to be trusted and will ignore me if I unmask Palpatine. Not that it matters," he added bitterly.
"What do you mean by that?" Bastila asked.
Revan glanced around the room. "Not here, let's talk on the Hawk."
Bastila looked at Revan in disbelief, but followed him out of the room and down to the landing pad where the Ebon Hawk sat. "For the last time Revan," Bastila demanded as soon as they were aboard the ship. "What the bloody hell is going on?"
"When I got back from my 'meeting' with Palpatine Master Yoda was waiting for me. We had an, interesting conversation." Revan paused. "He knows Bastila, he knows who Palpatine is."
"What?" Bastila asked in disbelief.
"Yoda knows that Palpatine is the Sith Lord, he has for years. He's even counting on a Sith takeover of the Republic."
Bastila felt her knees weaken and she sunk down into one of the sofas in the Hawk's lounge. "But...why did he send you to find the Sith if he already knew?"
"They had to do something with us, we were asking about the Sith. Sending me off on a wild goose chase across the galaxy was their way of getting rid of me."
"He's not Sith, is he?" Bastila couldn't imagine the kindly green Jedi being a servant of the Dark Side, but she felt compelled to ask.
Revan shook his head, "No, he's not Sith, he serves the light, well technically at any rate."
"Then...why?" Bastila's question was simple, but it was the only way she could vocalize the confusion that swirled in her.
Revan threw up his hands in disgust, "There's something about a prophecy, tainted Force, averting a millennia of chaos, and a 'Chosen One.' I don't know, it all sounded like rationalizations to me." Revan slumped down on the couch next to Bastila.
Bastila took a deep breath. This was the missing piece of the puzzle that had troubled her mind. It still did not answer why a Jedi Master would allow the Sith to conquer the galaxy, but a few things were now more clear in Bastila's mind. "We must approach this rationally. Yoda is a Jedi Master, he wouldn't take this course of action without good reason."
"He doesn't understand the true nature of the Sith," Revan said with disgust in his voice. "He really thinks the chaos of a shattered Republic is worse than a Sith-controlled galaxy. He's never seen the Sith burn a world because it amuses them. The callus disregard for life. The butcher's bill of a new Sith Empire will be beyond imagination."
Bastila felt her heart clench, everything Revan said she knew to be true and then some. Revan could only remember witnessing the destruction of Taris, for Bastila it was much worse. She could remember the depravations of the Sith with a vividness that Revan's forged memories could not provide. Bastila understood Revan's position, and even agreed with it, but she still held a great deal of respect for anyone with the title Jedi Master, and she could not dismiss Yoda's actions as cavalierly as Revan. "Isn't there a chance that what Yoda says is true?" Bastila asked. "There is a great deal that we do not know after all."
"I just can't sit idly by when there's a chance I can prevent this terrible thing from happening." Revan held up a hand. "I know, I said the same thing when the Council didn't immediately intervene in the Mandalorian War. This is different, I'm different. I fought Malak in the heart of the Star Forge and turned my back on the power it offered. You don't have to worry about me falling to the Dark Side."
"Alert: Jedi Master Mace Windu is approaching the ship," HK called out from the cockpit. "Query: Shall I blast him before he gets any closer?"
"Negative HK," Revan replied. "Open the boarding ramp."
"I wonder what he wants?" Bastila asked rhetorically.
"I've got a pretty good guess," Revan said grimly. He stood up and walked over to the boarding ramp. "Welcome aboard Master Windu," Revan told Windu. "What can I do for you?"
"Why don't you take me for a ride in this magnificent rust bucket," Windu replied.
"Any place in particular?"
"Just a quick hyperspace jump will do," Windu instructed Revan. "Anywhere out of the way and free from prying eyes."
Revan nodded, "I'll see what I can do. We'll take off immediately." Revan walked through the lounge and past Bastila on his way to the cockpit.
"Revan, what does he want?" Bastila asked.
"I'm here for a joyride," Windu said as he walked into the lounge. The ship lurched as Revan powered up the engines. "Sometimes it's useful to get away from the bustle of Coruscant, reduces the chances of being distracted."
"We're about to make the jump to light speed," Revan said over the shipboard com. "If you haven't strapped in yet I suggest you do so now."
Bastila and Windu were barely in their seats before the ship shuddered as it made the transition to hyperspace. Revan walked into the lounge from the cockpit as the two Jedi were unstrapping themselves. "We're headed for a small, uninhabited system," Revan said. "When we get there we'll make another jump, just to be sure nobody followed us. Now what's this all about?"
"Yoda told you the truth, or at least part of it," Windu said with preamble. "That's not something to be discussed lightly on Coruscant. I thought we might take a little trip and I could clarify a few things for you. Yoda enjoys being obtuse."
"Yoda told you about our conversation?" Revan asked.
Windu nodded, "He told me he was going to. He knew what you saw in the Council Chamber yesterday, and he decided you needed to know why you cannot oppose Palpatine."
"How could he have known that?" Revan wondered.
"Yoda is stronger and wiser than you can imagine," Windu explained. "There isn't much that escapes his gaze."
"Except for Palpatine," Bastila stated.
"To an extent," Windu conceded. "However, it also serves Yoda's aims to let Palpatine stay where he is."
"What exactly are those aims?"
"Restoring balance to the Force and keeping the galaxy from spinning into total chaos," Windu replied.
"I don't understand," Bastila said. "What do you mean by restoring balance to the Force?"
"It has to do with the intrinsic nature of the Force and how the Jedi and the Sith view it," Windu replied. "Think of the Force as a single continuum, with the Light and the Dark occupying opposing sides. Now as you know the Dark Side encompasses all of the negative emotions in life, anger, hate, and so on. Naturally then, it follows that the Light is embodied by the opposite of those emotions."
"But that's not what the Jedi Code says," Revan interjected. "There is no emotion," he quoted.
"Correct, and that is at the crux of the dilemma the order now faces."
"It's the culmination of four thousand years of denying that most species are emotional creatures," Revan said bitterly.
"The Order never denied that people are emotional," Windu replied calmly. "However, miscalculations were made. We have not embraced the emotions that exemplify the Light Side the way the Sith have embraced the primordial emotions of the Dark Side."
"And this is how the Force is unbalanced?" Bastila asked. "Because the Force doesn't feel all that different to me."
"But you can feel the taint, correct?" Windu replied. Bastila nodded. "You can feel that because the Sith are growing stronger as the Jedi grow weaker."
"I think I understand," Bastila concluded after a moment's thought. "The Sith are currently stronger than the Jedi--even though they are numerically inferior to the Jedi -- because they better understand the nature of the Dark Side."
"Essentially yes," Windu agreed.
"So what do we do about it?" Revan asked.
"Anything you could do Yoda has spent the past five hundred years doing," Windu told Revan.
"He hasn't tried everything," Revan countered. "He hasn't directly confronted Palpatine."
"That time might still come," Windu allowed. "However there is only one person with the strength to defeat the Sith Lord and that person is Anakin Skywalker."
"This isn't a question of strength," Revan said. ''Palpatine is strong, but he's not remarkably so. You are more than his match Master Windu. Why does it have to be Anakin?"
Windu shook his head, "It's not my place to say. I know that's not the answer you were looking for. I also know that nothing I can tell you will change your mind. However, I think Bastila might. Did you tell him about Rakata?"
Revan looked over at Bastila. "What about Rakata?"
"How do you know about that?" Bastila asked Windu in amazement.
"I don't know the specifics, but that was where we hoped you would go."
"So the story about the Star Map on Kashyyyk?"
"Was true, and your help was greatly appreciated. It also had the added benefit of inducing you to visit Rakata. Master Yoda and myself both knew that you had to make that trip."
"What about Rakata?" Revan insisted.
"I went to Rakata with the droids," Bastila explained. "The Rakatans...they're extinct. They wiped themselves out. I visited the Temple of the Ancients, and there I had a vision, well it was more than a vision really."
"What was it?"
myself, I think. I faced the darkness within myself that remained from my time as a Sith, and before," She admitted.
"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Revan asked Bastila.
Bastila shrugged. "I would have eventually, but it was an intensely personal experience and I still needed time to sort it all out. However, before the vision ended I was given a warning. There is a storm coming Revan, and if you are not careful you will fall to the Dark Side again. That is why I wanted to you to delay confronting Palpatine, and that is why I think you have to listen to what the Council has to say. I don't want to see you fall to the Dark Side."
"You don't think I can defeat Palpatine?" Revan asked.
"It's not if I don't think you can, because I know you can," Bastila replied. "It's that I don't know if the cost will be worth it."
"I would have thought you would understand why we have to stop Palpatine now," Revan said defensively.
"Don't play that card with me Revan," Bastila said sharply. "There are other ways to stymie Palpatine. We could form a true resistance movement, and sap Palpatine's strength that way."
"Even if you do nothing you are a thorn in Palpatine's side," Windu added. "He will never be certain just when you will emerge to challenge him for supremacy of the Galaxy. That seed of doubt in his mind very well could be the edge we need to defeat him in the coming years."
"Hiding will hardly get the job done," Revan protested.
"I'm surprised at you Revan," Windu said. "I would have thought that someone with your alleged strategic ability would be able to see what the real problem is."
''Oh, what's that?"
"The state of the Force. We're standing on the knife's edge, and if balance is not restored the consequences will be dire."
"I would have thought that destroying the Sith would restore the balance," Bastila said.
"The imbalance is not the work of the Sith, not totally at least. Stopping the Sith will do nothing to repair the damage the Jedi have inflicted on the Force."
"So all the Jedi must die because the Council screwed up?" Revan shouted.
"The Jedi must what?" This time it was Bastila who was in the dark.
"One of the first things Palpatine will do when he consolidates his power is attempt to eliminate the Jedi Order, and Master Windu is willing to allow it to happen."
"And just who do you think Palpatine will take special care to destroy?" Windu asked pointedly. "Following this path will cost me more than you know."
"Then don't follow it," Revan said. "Take the fight to him."
"And you think I won't? When the time comes I will fight the Sith with every fiber of my body. I do not expect to survive the encounter, but if I do then I won't complain."
Silence fell over the room as the all digested what Windu said, and its implications. Bastila stirred uncomfortably in her seat. She did not like the morbid tone the conversation had taken. "Well, I think it's fairly obvious that we're at an impasse. The question now is where do we go from here?"
"That is entirely up to Revan," Windu said.
"If you're looking for some assurance that I won't move against Palpatine you're not going to get it," Revan told Windu.
"What about you?" Windu asked Bastila. "Do you believe that we need to strike quickly, or will you place your trust in the Force."
Bastila looked between Revan and Windu before speaking. "I am not as certain as Revan, but I stand by him. We have come so far together that I can hardly do otherwise."
Windu nodded, "If that is your decision then we will all have to live with the consequences. I won't try to stop you.''
"Anymore than you already have you mean," Revan pointed out.
"True enough," Windu admitted. "What I meant to say was that neither Yoda or I will do anything more than try to talk you out of this." Windu paused. "Personally I hope you do manage to pull this off. I'd rather not see the Sith conquer the galaxy."
"I'll try not to let you down. Can you at least tell me one thing. Why Anakin? I know it's not your place to tell me everything, but what can you tell me?"
"What I can say is that Anakin is the result of a not-quite eugenics program of Yoda's. Over the years he has kept various Force-sensitives from joining the Order and made certain that they had children."
"The result of which is potentially an incredibly strong Jedi," Revan concluded. "In theory at least."
"Anakin lives so we've obviously moved past theory," Bastila commented. "What I want to know is how will Anakin defeat Palpatine."
Windu smiled coyly. "I'd think the two of you would know how better than anyone else." Windu stood up and waked towards the starboard crew quarters. "Now what do you have to eat on this garbage scow?"
Bastila looked at Revan. "Now what?"
"The way I see it we have two choices. Find a planet to hide on, or confront Palpatine head on. I think you know which I'm in favor of."
"Yes I do, and you know I'm not convinced you're right."
Revan sighed, "You're worried I understand that, but you have to understand that Palpatine is not indestructible, despite what Master Windu would have you believe."
Bastila shook her head. "I don't think that. Believe me Revan, if there's anyone in the galaxy capable of short circuiting prophecy it's you, but I keep thinking back to my vision on Rakata. It was very clear, you cannot do anything to stop Palpatine. If you try you will be destroyed, and I really don't want to lose you."
Revan looked into Bastila's eyes and saw the fear that lay in them. "Alright," he relented. "When we get back to Coruscant I'll meditate on this some more, maybe even travel to Rakata myself. How's that?"
Bastila smiled wanly. "That's a good start. You know you really have grown. The old Revan wouldn't have been nearly as open to listening to the concerns of others."
"The old Revan would have challenged Palpatine for the supremacy of the Sith by now," Revan pointed out.
"Just make sure you don't do that," Bastila said lightly.
"I'll see what I can do princess," Revan replied.
Bastila reached out and hugged Revan. "See that you don't you frustratingly stubborn and lovely man," she said before kissing Revan's cheek.
Revan brought the Ebon Hawk out of hyperspace. The swirling star field resolved itself into the familiar space around Coruscant. Hanging in space directly in front of them was a large Republic cruiser.
"Attention civilian freighter," a voice blared on the com. "You will heave-to and accept boarders.''
Revan keyed the com, "Republic cruiser, this ship is on a mission for the Jedi Council please explain."
"We have information that says the assassin who attacked Chancellor Palpatine is aboard your ship. If you do not comply we will disable your craft and forcibly board you."
Bastila and Windu walked into the cockpit. "What's wrong?" Bastila asked.
Revan turned and faced Bastila and Windu. "It seems they think Palpatine's attacker is aboard the Hawk."
"Good guess," Windu noted dryly.
Bastila looked at Windu, "Isn't there something you can do?"
"That won't be necessary," Revan said. "I'll turn myself in."
"You'll do what?" Bastila asked in amazement. "But isn't that what Palpatine wants?"
"Statement: I will be happy to break you out of whatever prison you are stored in Master," HK said.
"That also won't be necessary," Revan told the droid. "I'm no good to Palpatine in prison. He's just letting me know how uncomfortable he can make life for me if I qcontinue to fight him"
"Revan no, you shouldn't be doing this," Bastila protested.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Master Windu will be able to get me released," Revan looked over at Windu, "You will right?"
Windu nodded, "I'm confident I can pull a few strings and make that happen. It will take time; maybe a day or longer depending on which hole you get thrown into."
"A night in jail won't kill me," Revan told Bastila confidently.
"But what if Palpatine tries to have you eliminated while you're incarcerated?"
"Relax, I have a plan," Revan said as he glanced over at T3.
In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant Obi-Wan was leading Anakin through a training exercise in Force awareness. Anakin was doing a handstand on a round boulder, and directing a ball through a maze using the Force. All the while a droid threw small objects at Anakin. Anakin had to deflect the projectiles and steer the ball through the maze at the same time. A small box slipped through Anakin's defenses and hit him in the stomach; causing Anakin to tumble to the ground.
"Enough!" Obi-wan called out. "Anakin, what's wrong? You seem distracted."
Anakin picked himself up off the ground. "I'm sorry master, I've been thinking about something Master Delwynn told me yesterday."
Obi-Wan sighed to himself, "What sort of nonsense did Revan put into the boy's head?" he wondered to himself. "What was that?" He asked his Padawan.
"He said that love is what separates the Jedi from the Sith."
"Master Delwynn is correct. The Sith, and anyone else who follows the Dark Side, are ruled by their anger and hate. However, Master Delwynn is not talking about the kind of love you see in a romance holo vid."
"What other kind of love is there?" Anakin wondered.
"Compassion," Obi-Wan replied. "A Jedi must feel compassion for those he protects. That is what Master Delwynn was referring to." Obi-Wan knew full well that Revan was not talking about compassion, but Anakin did not need to know that. It would only serve to muddle things for Anakin at a time when he needed simplicity.
"That seems like a wishy-washy answer," Anakin said petulantly.
"Anakin, once again you must respect the accumulated wisdom of the Jedi Order. The strictures of the Order were put in place for your protection, not to inconvenience you!" Obi-Wan snapped as his temper flared. "Look at it this way, everyone has a mother they care about as much as you do yours. As a Jedi it is your duty to protect everyone the way you want to protect your mother. Does that make sense?'' Obi-Wan figured Anakin's thoughts were on his mother. Most of Anakin's questions regarding the Jedi Code revolved around her.
"I guess," Anakin admitted grudgingly.
"If you allow yourself to become fixated on one person how can you expect to serve the galaxy as a whole?" Obi-Wan continued. "Being a Jedi is a calling that requires no small amount of sacrifice on your part."
"Is it worth it then?" Anakin asked.
"Of course it is," Obi-Wan replied. "You will do tremendous good in the galaxy as a Jedi, of that I have no doubt."
"What good is that if I can't help my mother?"
"How many other mother's have you helped while you have been my Padawan?" Obi-Wan countered. "Don't their families deserve the chance to live a life of peace?"
"It just doesn't seem fair that my mother has to be punished because of who I am."
"Would it have changed anything if you had not left with Master Qui-Gon and joined the Order?" Obi-Wan asked. "This way at least your mother knows that you are free, and I'm sure that means more to her than even her own freedom."
"She still deserves to be free," Anakin insisted.
"As do all who are held in slavery. You have to take those feelings yoou have for your mother and apply them to everyone. Only then will you truly be a Jedi."
"I am doing my best Master Obi-Wan," Anakin said defensively.
Obi-Wan smiled, "I know you are Anakin."
Anakin fell silent for a moment. "How do you do it master?"
"Do what?"
"Turn off you emotions? You make it look so easy."
"It's not that I turn off my emotions; I simply do not let them rule me," Obi-Wan replied. "It's a matter of practice Anakin, and nothing more. All you need to do is focus more. Now let's work on something different shall we?"
"As you wish master," Anakin replied as he followed Obi-Wan out of the training room.
From a hidden observation room Yoda watched Obi-Wan and Anakin leave the training area. "Coming along well Anakin is," Yoda mused to himself. "But be ready in time will he? Pushing events too fast Revan is. Threatening everything he is." Yoda sighed. All he could do now was watch and hope that his life's work would not be in vain.
-to be continued-
Author's Notes: Chapter 16 is done. Kind of a treading water thing. Coming up next, Shawshank Strikes Bank.