Author's Note: The droid question with Battle meditation I've answered in this chapter. I was planning on doing it anyway, as many people would probably be confused as to how I perceive things. I view the force and the mind differently that most, and it is reflected in this fic. Any other questions, sign a review and I will be happy to answer them in author's notes or otherwise. Now, on with the story.
Small Mercies.
Bastila sat in the women's quarters' area of the Ebon Hawk. Or, rather, she kneeled.
Her body was in the room, but her conscious mind was busy elsewhere. Using her rare talent of battle meditation to help her friends and comrades through the base effortlessly.
This in itself was nothing new for her; it did surprise her though, when she found she was able to directly influence HK-47 through the force.
She didn't know how exactly, though she suspected it was from its Star Forge origins. Most ships that came out of that factory had a very faint force signature. She couldn't manipulate the ships themselves, but it did help her to identify which ships belonged to either side at the beginning.
When her gift of battle meditation surfaced, she was overwhelmed by the sheer scope of things she that perceived through the skill. Once the Sith started to use more and more Star Forge based ships though, she was able to slowly cope with it. It acted as a sort of radar for her.
If not for that small mercy, it would have taken me a lot longer then only a few weeks to become competent with my abilities.
Now, she found that HK-47 had a large enough signature that she could direct the droids movements enough to give it an extra edge. It wasn't large enough to do much else with it, but it was something.
Concentrate... Her mind tore away from that frame of mind, seeing HK go through the two Dark Jedi in the cloaking chamber with ease with her help.
'The droid can at least reason well, I will give it that.' Bastila took a closer took at the generator.
It was surprisingly well for something that could use the force and science to create a field where no eye could penetrate, and only very high quality sensors could detect a hint of anything.
If one didn't know it was being used, the device could allow a ship to go nearly anywhere without being detected. Even to the Republic Military HQ on Coruscant.
Seeing the droid begin to pack the device away, she went back to the other group. Jolee and Zaalbar were acting as the shock troops while Carth and Canderous poured their respective blasters into another horde trying to get off the elevator to the side of the main one. She could also see Mission and Juhani a few feet from in the main elevator.
Using the force, she began to weave augmentative speed around the small group of prisoners. Considerably lessening the time for them to reach the top of the ladders.
'Hopefully that will speed things up...' Suddenly she felt a wave of surprise, then cold fury emit from the bond with Revan. What happened?!
She did a quick scan of the base with her senses and confirmed there was little resistance, and so she broke off her meditation and ran out of her quarters.
Upon entering sickbay, she reached out to Revan, who seemed to be having a nightmare in his mind, though it did not show on his body.
The fury was still there, but she could not pinpoint why... perhaps I should find out. This anger is not healthy for him.
Taking a nearby chair, she seated herself next to her love, and took his hand in her own.
She began to sink into a meditative trance, letting the bond between them pull her into the expanse of Revan's psyche.
X X X
She awoke as a third person observer.
Looking around, she saw that she was in the medical bay of the Jedi Academy on Dantooine.
At least, before the bombardment that crippled the Council of the Jedi.
She noticed Master Vandar and Master Vrook standing over the barely alive body of Revan, which was on a medical hoverbed. It didn't look like it, but she could sense that Revan was awake, if only barely.
He was always able to survive despite being severely injured...but then, after his flagship was pummeled, that isn't a surprise.
She could see, and walk around the room, but not venture out of it. I must be experiencing one of Revan's memories prior to the mind surgery.
The main problem was, she couldn't hear anything.
That, and the room itself was very blurry, but she could still tell the differences between objects.
She stepped closer to the two Masters, and saw that were adamantly discussing something. What, however, was beyond her grasp, as they were whispering, and she couldn't tell what they were saying from this distance.
She stepped closer, and was able to hear at that point, though only barely. Vrook was speaking, "...is the only option we have left."
Vandar replied, "We have discussed this. We will proceed with the operation as soon as the specialists are here."
Vrook sighed, "They can't come soon enough. I had always known that Revan would most probably fall, given his craving for-"
The Master stopped speaking, as if cut off.
Bastila looked down, and to her horror saw Revan's hand clenched tightly.
He was using the force to choke Vrook!
Vandar immediately stepped in, and used a force blast to send Revan back into unconsciousness. Bastila followed him.
They were standing in a black void now, and the dark side was rolling off of Revan in waves. His aura was glowing a bright red as he sought to control his fury.
He seemed to be muttering something under his breath, but she couldn't catch it.
He was extremely tense, and Bastila was wary as she approached him.
"You can come closer, I am angry at another, not you." Revan's cold voice echoed through the void.
Bastila began a slow stride with more confidence, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Revan actually managed to smile, and began to turn to her, "Yes, you did. But I appreciate it, I really do. Not many would care about my well being now, like you do." He beckoned her closer.
Bastila sighed, and walked up to him, pressing herself against him and raising her arms to circle his neck, "I love you, you know that. Now..." She kissed the tip of his nose, "Why were you so angry?"
Revan circled his arms around her torso, and shook his head. "I would rather not speak about it right now."
"Are you sure? I was once the same way, and look where it got me." Bastila replied, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.
Revan chuckled, "I am sure. This...healing trance." He looked around, "seems to be slowly repairing my memories. I can actually access more then before now." He frowned. "I thought that I had most of my memories back, but apparently, I was wrong." He shrugged, "Doesn't surprise me though, considering what I went through."
Revan sighed, "I am starting to remember parts of my life I never thought happened, Princess. They really didn't try to repair the damage at all. I would be able to tell if something wasn't fractured or broken in here, but everything is garbled."
Bastila frowned, "I had suspected as much would happen eventually. I will help you as much as I can. You know this."
"I know" He sighed once more, "It amazes me what I am finding in here now. I can literally feel my psyche bending and putting itself back together." Revan looked down at Bastila with a sad face, "One thing I am afraid of though, is losing myself to my old persona. I know that the old Revan will eventually resurface if what I am sensing is right. When that happens...I don't know what I will do. At least not yet."
Bastila raised a brow to that.
She didn't want the Revan that was the Sith Lord. She knew that Revan had surrendered himself completely to the dark side before, though he didn't become completely sadistic like most dark Jedi seem to do.
This man was so much more then just Revan. The essence was still there, everything that made Revan was intact, but the memories and experiences were different.
If the Sith Lord resurfaced in Revan's psyche, she was truly afraid that she would lose her love to the dark side again.
That one thought widened her eyes and she looked at him fearfully, with pain evident in her eyes.
"Don't worry, Princess. I have not gone through the hell that has been my life so far because I am weak." He smiled and tilted her head up to give her a small kiss on the lips. "I want to explore a bit more. Once I wake up, I want to talk with you about something. But for now, you should leave this place." he gently pried Bastila's arms from him, and pushed her away.
"But I want to help you..." Bastila pouted.
Revan smirked, "You can help me more by making sure our friends get on this ship on one piece." His eyes seemed to go unfocused for a moment, "I have a feeling they need your help right away, you should go now." with that, Revan severed her connection into his psyche, and she floated away.
X X X
She woke up once more into the medical bay, only to hear the sounds of yelling and blaster fire almost right outside the ship.
Bastila blinked, and bolted for the exit ramp.
"Jolee, throw another field over those blasted idiots!" Carth screamed out from outside.
Bastila hit the button to lower the ramp, and was greeted by her companions being fired on by the Republic strike team.
Canderous looked up and noticed Bastila, "It's about time you got off your ass and did something. What happened? I felt that connection you usually use through battle meditation break off. Did your boyfriend manage to tongue tie you again?"
Bastila glared at the Mandalorian, and put right hand on hip, 'I'll have you know I was trying to help that boyfriend of mine with a problem, thank you very much." She looked to the strike team, and frowned, "What happened with them?"
Carth growled, "They figured out the charade."
Bastila sighed, "It is to be expected. This team was with the group that went after Revan on his former flagship."
Jolee, who was blocking blaster bolts left and right, as usual, grumbled, "You could have told us that /before/ Missy. Now stop standing there and help us!"
Bastila rolled her eyes, "How was I supposed to know until after my battle meditation session? I am not exactly privy to that sort of information you know."
Jolee shook his head, "Nevermind that, get that saber of yours out and help us!" three more blaster bolts were sent into the air by the two Jedi already outside.
"Fine." Canderous, Carth, Mission, and Zaalbar, with the Sith commander in tow, began to head into the ship. Jolee, Juhani, and Bastila provided cover. HK was nowhere to be found just yet.
Just then, the turrets on the ship began to fire at the ground around the strike team.
"What's that droid trying to do, kill them?" Carth turned on his comm, "T3, don't try to kill them, they are Republic soldiers, just disable them!" but it didn't listen, it was programmed to respond to any threats, and Carth was not its Master. Two riflemen were knocked unconscious by the turbolaser turret as it narrowly missed.
"Damn it! Bastila, you had BETTER try to leash that thing, or else we will be incriminated for murder!" Carth yelled again.
Bastila turned on her comm. once more, "T3, stop your firing. Those soldiers are not to be harmed. Disabled yes, killed or otherwise maimed, no." She looked around as her saber staff twirled, "Where is that demonic droid of Revan's?"
Another ten seconds later, HK came into view with the main assembly of the cloaking generator in its hands as it used its droid mobility to run as fast as possible to the ship. "Report: I have something the Master will probably want. I suggest you meatbags get on and we leave as soon as possible."
Jolee waited until the droid was on board, then gestured for Bastila and Juhani to follow suit. The exit ramp closed, and lift-off was initiated.
"Glad to have you back you two." Carth commented, "If we had known you both were prisoners, we would have gone for you sooner."
Zaalbar, however, was not to be deterred, and roared, "What were you thinking Mission? When I learned you were captured by the Sith, I nearly went into a fury!"
Mission cringed, "I can take care of myself, big Z. Sheesh! I don't need a babysitter, I ain't no kid." She looked at the Wookie and silently pleaded, "While I appreciate your concern Big Z, I really can look after myself."
"You snuck off, got captured by the Sith, and barely managed to escape a fortified Sith base, and you say you can take care of yourself?" Zaalbar growled.
Mission sighed, "I got out, didn't I?"
"Only because we and the Republic destroyed the main generator complex." Zaalbar Retorted.
"I would have figured something out eventually"
Zaalbar roared, "That's besides the point!"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down you two. We have more important business to attend to. Like, trying to escape this planet without rousing suspicion." Carth evenly interjected.
HK spoke up first, "Statement: I am holding the cloaking generator that was used for the base. I believe that with some tinkering, it could be used in a similar fashion for this ship."
Bastila, for once, agreed with the homicidal droid, "For once, it did something right."
HK's eyes flashed at her.
"Easy now...give it to me HK, I'll see if this ship can use it." Carth replied, stepping closer to the droid.
Carth tried to grab it, but only managed to end up nearly crushing his foot from the weight.
"Give me a moment, I will put this human down then take that." Carth looked at Zaalbar warily as the Wookie roared, but assumed correctly, and stepped away.
Zaalbar dropped the human, and Jolee moved to pick the man up before heading to the sickbay with him as well. Zaalbar picked up the device with only a tiny amount of difficulty, "I will take it to the room before the cockpit."
Carth looked at Zaalbar, and sighed, "I'll go set a course for the mountain range in the distance, it should give us enough time to examine it."
Mission and Juhani went right for the women's quarters, and the droid went to the cargo bay to recharge.
She was alone, and after that meeting, she blinked. Well, they have come a long way from the suspicious and inexperience to a cohesive group. Revan sure knows how to pick them.
She turned, and followed Zaalbar and Carth to help with the cloaking device.
