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 SeventeenPalpatine pushed a button on his secure communication equipment. A wavey image of Dooku appeared before him. "Yes my lord?" Dooku asked.
"Revan has been taken into custody," Palpatine said without preamble.
"I still wonder master, to what end will this accomplish?" Dooku asked. "The Jedi council will, without a doubt push for his release."
"The Council has a deep, and abiding respect for law and order," Palpatine replied. "It will take them several days to work through the bureaucracy and secure Revan's release," he explained. "In the intervening time we must persuade Revan that it is in his best interest to escape."
"Such a move would irrevocably shatter any trust the council might have in Revan," Dooku realized. "But surely Revan will see through your plan. All of the histories say that there has never been a more cunning strategist."
"It is my intention to place Revan in a situation where he has no choice but to attempt a jailbreak."
"Bastila Shan?"
Palpatine nodded, "Revan's weakness for the woman is legendary."
"Still my lord, how do you know Revan will fall into your trap?"
"Revan will challenge me, I have foreseen it.''
"Yes my master." Dooku said as he stifled his annoyance. Dooku was not impressed with Palpatine's so-called divination. He had not foreseen Revan's arrival, that was obvious, and yet now he was trying to claim that Revan was a part of his grand vision. Dooku knew better, Revan and Bastila were outside prophecy. They presented an opportunity to change the balance of power for whoever was able to seize it, and Dooku was determined to be that person. "Laugh now you old fool," Dooku thought. "Soon you will see who truly deserves to be the Dark Lord."
"Is everything in place?" Palpatine asked, breaking Dooku's train of thought.
"Yes master," Dooku answered. "What instructions shall I give the men?"
"Kill Bastila Shan if possible, otherwise place her in as much danger as they can."
Dooku bowed low, "I will see that your will is done my lord."
Revan was shoved into a holding cell by a beefy Gamorrean guard. "Get in your cell you worthless piece of slime!" the Gamorrean grunted.
Revan looked around the small cell as the force field door snapped into place. He knew he was still on Coruscant; the ship that had captured him had not gone into hyperspace. However that was hardly a comforting thought; in Revan's time there were prisons on Coruscant that were every bit as bad as Kessel, and Revan figured that Palpatine was not interested in prison reform. Revan fingered the neural disruptor around his neck. He found it disconcerting and it took tremendous concentration on his part to keep his wits about him. It felt like he was moving through mud.
"Hello Mr. Jedi," a voice said from behind Revan. He spun around and saw a life-sized hologram of a human standing in front of him. "I hope you aren't offended that I'm not meeting you in person, but we have protocols you understand. Welcome to Republic Detention Center P-1158, or The Pit, as it is somewhat unimaginatively called. I am Warden Nil Jestyrn."
"When is my trial to begin?" Revan asked.
"Your trial? You don't understand, you've already been put on trial. The chancellor has the authority to try anyone in absentia if he deems it in the interest of Republic security."
"The Jedi Council will have something to say about that," Revan shot back.
''And just why should they care? You tried to kill the Chancellor. Besides, the Council doesn't know you are here. The Pit is where people go to disappear."
"Oh, I see," Revan said. "Tell me, who do you serve, Chancellor Palpatine, or Lord Sidious?"
The warden's eyes flashed with anger. "I should kill you where you stand for even mentioning the Dark Lord's name."
"Then why don't you?" Revan taunted. He was betting that Palpatine was not yet willing to see him dead.
"The Dark Lord has not granted me that privilege...yet."
"So how long will I stay here?"
"Until you are willing to listen to Lord Sidious's proposal."
"And if I'm not?"
"In that case I've been instructed to dispose of you and Lord Sidious will turn his attention to your companion. I'm told he has already a plan to capture her."
"In that case I wish you luck, you're going to need it," Revan said with a chuckle.
"You Jedi, always so smug. We have a team that has been training for just such a mission. We will capture her and Lord Sidious will make her his apprentice."
"Is this going anywhere or are you just going to stand there taunting me?" Revan asked he tried to force disinterest into his voice, and was partially successful.
"That is all I have to say," the Warden said. "Oh, there is one thing. The neural disruptor around your neck, it is wired to a thermal detonator. Do not try to remove it."
Revan nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."
The hologram disappeared and the holding cell snapped open. The Gamorrean jailor rudely pushed Revan out of the cell and into the cell block. Revan walked down the dimly-lit hallway until the Gamorrean brought him to a stop in front of another cell. Revan was roughly shoved into the cell and the Gamorrean stomped off without as much as a snort.
The cell Revan found himself in was dark, and bigger than he expected. A large shape loomed in the shadows and a guttural roar confirmed what Revan suspected, his cellmate was a Wookie.
"Who are you?" the Wookie growled as he stepped out of the shadows. Revan's cellmate was big, even for a Wookie.
"Just a prisoner, like yourself," Revan said quickly. Obviously the Warden thought pairing Revan with a Wookie would encourage Revan to see things his way. All things considered it wasn't a bad idea Revan thought ruefully.
"It figures they would put a human in my cell," the Wookie grumbled to himself.
"And you think I'm thrilled to be bunking with a Wookie?" Revan shot back.
"You understand Shyriiwook?" The Wookie whuffed in amazement.
"I've been to Kashyyyk a few times," Revan allowed. "I've picked up some of the language. It's a beautiful planet."
"Few of your kind would say that," the Wookie snarled.
"Then that is their loss," Revan earnestly replied. "There are few sights in the galaxy as majestic as the wroshyr trees of your home world."
"Don't say such things," the Wookie moaned. "It only makes me miss my home that much more."
Revan nodded, "I'm sorry, I know how strong the Wookie's connection to Kashyyyk is. Tell me, how did a Wookie wind up in a place like this? We're a long way from Kashyyyk."
"My story is mine!" the Wookie roared. "It is not something to be shared with strangers."
Revan thought back to Zaalbar, and how reticent he was about telling Revan his story. "Another time then, we aren't going anywhere. Can I at least know your name?"
"I am called Wrorwyyr ," the Wookie replied.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Wrorwyyr," Revan said. "You can call me Aarn."
"Simply leave me in peace human and we will have no need to quarrel," Wrorwyyr told Revan.
"That's fine," Revan glanced around the cell and noticed the bunk beds attached to one wall. "Do you want the top bunk or can I have it?"
"It doesn't matter to me, I cannot fit on either," Wrorwyyr snarled in reply.
Revan climbed onto the top bunk and watched as Wrorwyyr paced about the cell. It was readily apparent that the Wookie was being mistreated by the prison guards. He was rail thin, for a Wookie, and his pelt was patchy. Obviously spending all of his time locked in a windowless cell was killing Wrorwyyr. Revan did not know why Wrorwyyr was imprisoned, but he resolved to help the Wookie if it was at all possible.
"Why are you staring at me" Wrorwyyr demanded.
"There's not much else to look at here now is there?" Revan calmly replied. The last thing Revan wanted to do was get Wrorwyyr angry with him.
"I don't like it when people stare at me," Wrorwyyr growled.
"Don't worry, I won't be around for much longer," Revan promised Wrorwyyr. He glanced out of the cell and watched a service droid as it rolled past. The droid swiveled it's head and twittered when it saw that Revan was looking at him.
"Nobody leaves the Pit," the Wookie moaned. "Not even the dead."
"There's a first time for everything," Revan pointed out.
"Keep dreaming human," Wrorwyyr shot back.
Revan smiled, but didn't push the issue. Instead he closed his eyes and attempted to meditate. The neural disruptor interfered with his ability to reach the Force, but he eventually managed to slip into a meditative trace.
Revan thought about the future, and Palpatine. The Wookie Wrorwyyr troubled him. The distrust and fear he felt towards others was symptomatic of a galaxy ruled by the Sith. If Palpatine was allowed to achieve his goal the Sith ideals of gaining power over everything else would have fertile ground to grow. Paranoia would become the watch word as friends and family betray each other to curry favor with their Sith rulers. The Sith would crush all that was good in the galaxy out of existence.
Yoda might think he had Palpatine contained, but no one was able to predict the future with complete accuracy. To pin all their hopes on something that might come to pass was in Revan's mind almost criminal. The Sith presented a cancer that had to be removed as quickly as possible.
Revan's meditation was interrupted when he felt two furry hands grab him by the throat. His eyes flew open and he saw Wrorwyyr standing over him, his hands wrapped around Revan's neck. "Wrorwyyr," Revan choked out. "You don't have to do this."
"I'm sorry," the Wookie howled. "But I have no choice."
The world swam in front of Revan as he ineffectually pounded on the Wookie's strong arms. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the service droid roll past the cell door again. The droid whistled frantically and Revan felt the neural disruptor around his neck deactivate.
The world immediately snapped back into focus and Revan felt his control of the Force return. Revan held up his hand and unleashed a blast of Force energy directly into the Wookie's chest.
The blast caused Wrorwyyr to fly across the cell and he crashed into the opposite wall. Before the Wookie could recover Revan bound him with the Force. "Thanks T3," Revan told the disguised droid. "You'd better get out of here before the guards figure out how I got the collar off." T3 twittered its understanding and rolled away.
"Now for you," Revan told Wrorwyyr. "What's your story."
"Just kill me and be done with it," Wrorwyyr moaned "I'll never see my home again."
"If I kill you that's certainly going to be true."
"The Warden, he said if I killed you I would be released. What other choice did I have?"
"But how did you end up here?"
"My mate on Kashyyyk is sick and she needs an off world medicine to treat her condition. I approached a trader who claimed to have the medicine, what else could I do?"
Revan nodded his understanding. "Go on." He knew how Wrorwyyr's story was going to end, but he wanted to hear it from the Wookie.
"The medicine, it was very expensive. More than I could afford. But the trader would sell it to me if I was willing to work for him."
"And you agreed," Revan said.
"Of course I did, my mate was dying!" Wrorwyyr thundered. "You probably guessed what happened next. The trader wanted me to be hired muscle for him. I did many things I am not proud of, but I did it all because I had to save my mate."
"Did you?" Revan gently asked.
"She got her medicine. I'm not so naive as to be fooled like that. However I have not seen her since so I do not know if she did recover. Not long afterwards the trader was arrested and I wound up here."
Revan could tell that Wrorwyyr was telling him the truth. He released the Force bonds that held the Wookie in place. "I was not lying when I said I'm not going to be here long. I'll be sure to make sure you get released when I do."
"And why should I believe you?" Wrorwyyr asked.
"I am a Jedi," Revan replied. "Righting injustice is what I do."
"Forgive me if I'm skeptical human, but I haven't had any hope in a long time."
"Restoring hope is my specialty," Revan said lightly. "Trust me, tomorrow will be better."
The next morning Warden Jestyrn walked up to the cell. "Ahh, good morning Wrorwyyr. Did you have a pleasant evening?"
"I don't know about Wrorwyyr, but I slept like a log," Revan said. "What, surprised to see I'm still alive Warden?"
"I will deal with you later," Jestyrn warned Wrorwyyr.
"Actually no you won't," Revan said sharply. "Jedi Master Mace Windu of the Jedi Council is here about my release. I'm leaving and taking the Wookie with me." Revan leaned heavily on the warden's mind with the Force as he issued his instructions.
"Alright fine, take the Wookie with you," Jestyrn said without realizing Revan's influence on him. "We were only holding him here to keep him from testifying against his boss. Not like that case is going to trial. The Hutts made an example out of him, a rather messy oone from what I understand."
Revan motioned for Wrorwyyr to follow him and they walked out of the cell block. Windu was waiting for them on the outside.
"Found yourself a friend I see," Windu noted when he saw Wrorwyyr.
"I was just doing what a Jedi's supposed to do," Revan replied. "Help the hopeless. We need to get this Wookie on the next transport to Kashyyyk immediately. The Warden might not be pleased to find out he granted an early release."
Windu nodded, "Then let's not dawdle."
HK-47 stumped into a bar located in the underbelly of Coruscant. He quickly scanned the bar and walked over to a dark corner of the room. HK brushed aside the Trandoshan standing guard over the table. "Query: Are you the organic known as Werin Restak?"
Restak was a large human who was known to work for one of the Hutt crime syndicates with business interests on Coruscant. He wore a well-tailored suit that was at odds with the seamy surroundings. "Who's asking?" Restak's right hand ducked under the table, most likely to his blaster. His Twi'lek escort girls all scurried away from the table; a life spent in the criminal underworld told them trouble was brewing."
"Statement: I am KH-74, special missions droid."
"And what exactly are these special missions?" Restak asked dryly.
"Commentary: My primary function is protocol and diplomacy."
"I see, and why does a 'protocol droid' need heavy armor plating and weapon mounts?"
"Statement: For the same reason a 'simple garbageman' such as yourself needs a Trandoshan bodyguard."
Restak chuckled lightly, "I see your point. Now state your business before I have my Trandoshan put you in the scrap heap."
"Statement: I am looking for work, and I heard you are looking for someone to do a job."
"And who is your master?"
"Commentary: No one. I am an independent operator and frankly the thought of an inefficient organic meat bag being my master gives me great displeasure."
Restak didn't quite know how to digest HK's statement and decided to move on. The droid was so obviously illegal that it had to be telling the truth. "Alright then, what are your qualifications."
"Statement: I'd gladly demonstrate them." Before Restak could reply HK produced a virbroblade from a hidden compartment and jammed it into the gut of the Trandoshian guard. The Trandoshan looked down at the knife in amazement before pulling it out of it's belly. The lizard-like sentient grinned as it licked the blood off of the blade.
"That's enough," Restak said quickly. "I don't want to see my favorite bodyguard come to anymore harm. Ok droid, you have skill. What is your fee?"
"Commentary: The sheer joy of killing meat bags is payment enough for me. However I do require a nominal fee to ensure my upkeep. I am well skilled with all manner of weaponry and other forms of meat bag termination. Additionally my assassination protocols hide the identity of my employer from even myself until the mission is accomplished in case of capture, and after payment is recieved I purge all memory of the job. Query: Are these sufficient for your needs?"
In all his years Restak had never seen a stone-cold crazy droid, until now. Part of him screamed to run away from the psychotic red droid, but he did have a contract to be filled and the droid looked like the perfect fit for a crazy assignment. "Yeah, I think I have a job for you. Do you have problems with taking out a Jedi?"
"Statement: A Jedi is a meat bag just like any other organic."
Restak shook his head, whoever programmed this droid had been a psychotic son of a bitch. "Well the target's a Jedi, named Brin Kyja." Restak produced a datapad with a picture of Bastila on it.
"Statement: Target criteria has been met," HK said automatically. "Switching to assassination mode." HK drew an obscenely large blaster and fired a shot into Restak's head, blowing it apart like a ripe melon Before the Trandoshan could react HK spun and put two rounds into the bodyguard. HK then fired several more blasts into Restak's already dead body.
HK walked away from the table, leaving the datapad behind. Revan's orders to him had been very clear. He was to track down everyone offering a contract on the meat bag Bastila Shan and terminate them. HK had reacted with unfettered joy at his master allowing him to operate in accordance with his original programming. So far Restak was the third underboss he had terminated since returning to Coruscant.
The rest of the bar watched in muted silence as HK walked out of the bar. They wanted no part in such an obvious hit ordered by someone very high up in the crime world. Werin Restak was a trusted Hutt lieutenant and a person like that wasn't killed unless the person ordering the hit had serious juice of his own. Not to mention that the droid looked like it wanted to make sure there were no witnesses.
Once outside the bar HK tapped into the holonet and scanned for anymore appropriate looking classified ads. HK knew that the main point of his mission was to scare people away from taking the bounty on Bastila's head, but until people got the message the droid was determined to enjoy every moment of his killing spree.
"I do not know how to thank-you Aarn Delwynn," Wrorwyyr barked. They were standing on a landing pad in one of Coruscant's many spaceports. Behind the Wookie stood a transport bound for Kashyyyk.
"Just get back to your family, and don't swear a life debt to me," Revan said half-jokingly. "I've already had one of those, and you need to get home to Kashyyyk."
"I can see why a Wookie would swear a life debt to you," Wrorwyyr replied. "You are a true friend of the Wookies." Wrorwyyr reached out and wrapped Revan up in a crushing Wookie hug.
"Alright, that's enough. You don't want to miss your ship," Revan choked out as the Wookie squeezed the life out of him.
"I don't know how I can repay my debt to you. If it wasn't for your actions I'd still be in that hell..."
"I know, I know. Wrorwyyr all you have to do for me is go home to Kashyyyk and live your life. Doing that will give me more pleasure than anything else you could do for me."
Wrorwyyr nodded and walked into the transport. "Thank-you again, I will never forget what you did for me Aarn Delwynn." The transport's boarding ramp closed and the ship took off.
Windu had watched the goodbyes from a short distance away. "Here's what's puzzling me," he said as Revan walked up to him.
"What's that?"
"Why would you take the time from your quest to help a single Wookie who probably belongs in a prison for some of his actions?"
"He was coerced into that. His intentions were honorable, even if his actions didn't end up that way. Besides, what's so surprising? Somebody had to look out for that Wook."
"Yes, but you're Revan. You have the fate of the galaxy Restakg on your shoulder, yet you stop to help one being."
Revan stared at Windu. "If you really need that explained to you then you don't deserve the title Jedi Master. To save one soul is to save every soul, and if we forget that then the Dark Side wins."
Windu's expression turned serious. "No, I understand that well enough. I was just curious if you did."
Revan stopped walking and sighed. "Look, Master Windu. I have to confront Palpatine. I know Master Yoda has his prophecy, and Bastila has her vision, but if I don't do this then I'm not being true to myself. We all have our parts to play, and this is mine. Besides, Palpatine expects me to do this. If I don't then he might suspect something is wrong, and that might bring your whole little plan crashing down around your head."
Windu nodded. "We can only be who we are. Just remember, so long as you stay true to the Light you will prevent Palpatine from gaining total victory. And personally, I hope you kick his ass."
Revan smiled. "Thanks for the encouragement." Revan paused, he realized that this was probably the last time he was going to see the Jedi Master. "And thanks for everything." He held out his hand. "May the Force be with you Master Mace Windu."
Windu shook Revan's hand. "May the Force be with you Master Revan. Trust me you've earned the title," he added when he saw the shocked look on Revan's face.
Revan nodded then started to walk away from Windu. "Revan!" Windu shouted. "You're going to need this." Windu tossed Revan his lightsaber.
Revan caught the lightsaber and smiled. "Thanks." Revan turned and ran off.
Windu watched Revan disappear into the crowd of the spaceport. "I hope you know what you're doing Revan," he muttered to himself before walking away in the opposite direction.
Chancellor Palpatine climbed into his official speeder to travel to the Senate for a day of parliamentary procedures. He eagerly awaited the day that he could dissolve the Senate and put the corrupt, weak-willed fools that sat in it's chamber to death. He did enjoy manipulating them to do his bidding, but their constant need to debate and hold committee meetings on every piece of minutiae strained even Palpatine's considerable patience.
Palpatine was so occupied in thought about the upcoming appropriations bill that he did not even pay attention to the other figure sitting in the speeder. As chancellor he was so used to having aides hovering around him that he paid them no mind.
"Hello Chancellor," Revan said.
Palpatine jerked his head around and saw Revan sitting across from him. "Revan? Aren't you supposed to be in prison." He fought down the moment of panic that at first welled up in him.
"What can I say, I have friends in high places. Chancellor, we need to talk."
"Oh really? Then why don't you schedule an appointment with my secretary like everyone else."
"Because I don't think your secretary handles these kinds of appointments."
"So this is about the matter we discussed earlier," Palpatine said more as a statement than a question.
"I cannot let you conquer the galaxy," Revan said flatly.
"I take it that means you are rejecting my offer?"
"I've served the Dark Side once before and repeating mistakes is not one of my faults."
"I see, that leaves us where then?"
"Meet me on Korriban in two days, we'll settle things there," Revan said flatly.
"It's to be a duel then, you challenging me for who controls the galaxy. I don't know Revan, that sounds like an awfully Sith thing to do."
"I'm not doing this for me. I'm fighting you for everyone in the galaxy who cannot stand up for themselves. I'm fighting to make sure the people keep control of the galaxy."
"The people," Palpatine scoffed. "What do they know? They want me in power, and when the time comes they will gladly hand me control of the galaxy. The Republic is dead, it just doesn't know it yet."
"People will oppose you," Revan predicted. "Freedom is too powerful an idea for you to destroy."
Palpatine chuckled. "By the time I am done any resistance or rebellion will be so insignificant that it will be an easy matter to crush it."
"All the more reason to stop you now," Revan countered.
"And If I do not attend your little showdown?"
"Then I suppose I'll have no choice but to form my own resistance movement, gather together some like-minded Jedi to me and some Outer-Rim systems. I think Anakin Skywalker would be interested in joining such a cause." Revan could tell he had struck a chord with Palpatine. "Make no mistake Chancellor, I can throw your entire army into disarray, smash your navy and burn your shipyards."
"If you're so confident in your abilities then why not do that?"
"Because it's what you want, the Republic torn to shreds. I don't want to destroy the Republic in an attempt to save it, unless I have no other choice."
Palpatine stared into Revan's eyes and saw the determination that blazed in them. "You know it's a shame the Jedi never gave you the respect you deserve..."
"Save the false platitudes for someone who cares," Revan said harshly. "Korriban, two days, I'll be waiting." Before Palpatine could say anything more Revan threw open the door to the speeder and jumped out.
Palpatine looked out and saw Revan land on top of a cargo speeder. "Truly remarkable," Palpatine thought to himself as he watched Revan fly away.
-to be continued-
Author's Notes: Yeah, this chapter took forver and a day to
finish. Combination of work and creative blockage. I started
out hating the chapter, but in the end it stands on it's own.
Also, there are bound to be typos and whatnot in here, but I'm
just so sick of staring at this chapter I don't feel like doing a heavy
proofread right now. We're now entering the part of the story
that I've been waiting to write for almost a year now. Chapter 18
is almost halfway done already and the last two chapters should fall
down in short order following that. Thanks for reading and
reviewing.
-sam