Disclaimer: KOTOR belongs to soemone, but not me. cries
A/N: In case any of you were wonderign, I haven't fallen off the faceof the Earth, and am still alive an kicking. I'm so sorry this took so long to get out, but I got caught up in another story. Well here it is.
Some of my reviewers were wondering why my revan isn't so ruthless. The fact is that after I watched KOTOR II, I sorta thought that Revan wasn't really ever that eveil In fact, eh seemed like a good leader. So I sorta mad thie Darth revan in my own image. Keep reading, Barachiel, My Darth Revan does turn ruthless, but it may take a while.
Thanks to Sith Lord Darth Revan for letting my borrow some of his ideas from A Casualty of War. If it hadn't been for him, I'd be lost.
This chap is utter bliss, just a warning. On with the show!
Chapter 4: Rakata Rain
The air around me felt cold, and I felt that my back was pressed against a hard surface. I opened my eyes, and wished that I had kept them close. That same woman, Kreia was standing before me. Malak was there too. That laughed and spat at me.
"This foolish girl is falling for him," Kreia cackled, "She is no Jedi."
I didn't know what they meant. I didn't want to know what they meant.
"She is a puppet," Malak said, "nothing but a pet of the council."
"No I'm not!" I cried, "I'm not a puppet."
"Yes you are," Kreia leered at me, "They ask you to use you Battle Meditation, and you comply like a fool. You obey their every word. You are nothing but a tool."
"No I'm not!"
They continued to laugh and jeer. I shut my eyes and covered my ears from their wicked howls. I wanted to be saved from their amusement.
Suddenly it was quiet, and still. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise Kreia and Malak were gone. Revan was there dressed in a golden color, like the sun. I stared in awe at him, like he was a god.
He pulled off the slab I had been resting on, and held me at his chest. My heart was drumming in my ears, and I thought I would swoon.
He leaned in towards me, and I softly shut my eyes. His lips were just about to touch mine.
My eyes opened, and I was staring into darkness. I shut my eyes again wanting to fall back into the dream, to feel his kiss again. The moment was gone. I could never get it back.
I knew that something had woken me up, but I couldn't figure out what.
A soft whimper came from the room. I looked in the direction, and knew it had come from the bed in front of me.
Revan? Was something wrong with him? I left my nest of blankets and stood by his side. He was muttering and crying out in his sleep. His handsome face was bathed in sweat; his hair sticking to his cheeks.
What sort of demons was he dreaming? Was it even a dream? Could he be having some horrible vision from the Force?
My heart wept with him as I saw his terror. I brushed his cheek with my hand wanting to soothe him.
The minute my skin touched his, his eyes snapped open. He grabbed my wrist in an iron grip so unnatural to me.
I yelped and pulled away, taking few fearful steps back.
Revan was breathing heavily, still overcoming his dream. He sat up, wiping a hand across his brow.
"I'm sorry, Bastila," He said sincerely, "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Are you alright," I asked, "What was going on?"
"I was having a night mare," Revan said, "Even Sith Lords have nightmares.
I had never thought about it before. My masters always said that the Sith were evil, I suppose nightmares was never something anyone had asked about.
"What were you dreaming about?" I asked. What had scared Revan so bad that the horrors of it continued to haunt him?
Revan was silent; he looked at his lap like he didn't want to say anything.
"Oh please, are you to proud to admit your fears to me?" I asked, "I promise I won't tease you if that will help."
"That's not it," Revan said, "Its just…I've never told anyone what happened…ever."
I looked at him slightly confused; I was afraid for what he had to say. "Please, you can tell me."
He sighed, then looked into my eyes, "I was a prisoner once, I'm sure you didn't know that."
He was right, I didn't. I masked my surprise as best I could, and willed for him to continue.
"The Mandalorians attacked my base on Malachor. I was outnumbered, and they captured me."
"Wh…what did they do?" I was almost afraid to ask.
"They tortured me for nearly a month," Revan said. I cringed inside. "Malak and Derek caught up with them on Malachor V."
So I was to hear about the final battle against the Mandalorians. A battle that very few escaped from alive, some of those that died had been Jedi I had known.
"Mandalore wanted me to see the end of the war. I challenged him to a duel; he made me fight him with my bare hands." He stared at his clenched fists like they were soaked with blood.
"He was about to kill me, but I somehow grabbed his neck and forced him to watch as Derek and the Irodian mechanic detonated the bomb. Then I killed him."
He put his head in his hands as the horrifying memory swept through him, "In my dreams I can still remember what he did to me, but I can never forget what I did to him. I can still see that blinding light as the Mass Shadow Device took thousands of lives. Yusanis, a comrade, called me a murder. Sometimes I think that I am…I know that I am."
I had never seen him so…helpless. The Council had always described Revan as a cruel man who slaughtered thousands on Malachor and more now that he was a Sith, but they were wrong. I could see that now.
I saw down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. This man had suffered so much. No matter what the Council or the Republic said, he was a man not a monster. A man who had felt pain and had seen the deaths of friends countless times.
I sat next to him for a long time, just sitting in silence. I don't know when I fell asleep, but I must have. I did not wake up in my nest on the floor. Instead I was in Revan's comfortable bed. Revan wasn't there, I wished that he was.
My reflections on Revan continued to change as each day passed. After he told me what happened on Malachor I knew that he trusted me, at least a little. I never told him this, but I trusted him. He was my friend, and secretly something more.
My views on the Council were fading. I looked to their teachings as empty words. I could see faults in the Code, and the Order's philosophy. I didn't tell that to Revan either.
My days as a prisoner were less dull, I chatted with Kayla often, and my conversations with Revan were more pleasing. We would spar occasionally, although I always lost. I would carefully watch him in our little duels to see what methods he used to make him so successful. With practice, I thought that I might be able to beat him.
Once when I was in our, I mean Revan's quarters, I found myself transfixed on the planet below. It seemed tropical, and lovely. It wad difficult to determine exactly what climate it was, since I was in a space station above it. I wondered what it was called, and what beings lived there. How was it connected to the Star Forge?
While I pondered over this, Revan had entered and snuck up behind me.
"Does the planet interest you?"
I jumped off of the chair I had been sitting in and would have fallen over if Revan hadn't steadied me.
"Do you enjoy scaring me to death?" I asked sounding upset, but not meaning it in the least.
Revan smiled, seeing through my mask, "I only do it because you do."
I blushed, and looked away.
"Does the planet below interest you?" Revan asked again.
"Yes it does," I admitted, "Have you been there?"
"Only on one occasion," Revan said, smiling again, "I would like to visit it again, but I would prefer it if someone would join me."
I grinned a little, "Are you inviting me?"
"No actually Malak, but seeing as he's not here you will have to fill in."
I burst out laughing at the joke. Revan had told me many times how he didn't care for his apprentice's company any more. Seeing Malak trying to kill Revan had been enough to convince me.
"Do you want to go?" Revan asked.
"Of course," I said, "it is much better than staying here."
"Excellent," Revan said and then escorted me from the room.
We took a shuttle from the Star Forge to a large temple on the planet. The temple was a stone structure that seemed ancient, but well intact. I saw strange technology that was not at all similar to anything from the Republic. Even the architecture of the temple was unique.
When we left the temple, just me and Revan, I was awed by the beauty of the world. I had been correct in thinking it tropical. Large palms spread a leafy green canopy over our heads, and we walked on a carpet of white sand. Far off I could hear the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shores.
"This place is beautiful isn't it," Revan said smiling at my amazed expression.
"It is," I agreed, "What is this world called?"
"Rakata," Revan said, "Malak and I crashed here on our first…"
Revan paused when he saw three creatures walking towards us. They were a peculiar race, with yellow-orange skin, and a pointed head. Two eyes stuck out of their heads almost like ears. They were tall and graceful, their demeanor suggesting that they were also wise.
Revan said some words to them in their language that must have been a greeting.
The Rakatans didn't appear pleased to see him; I wondered why.
The leader of the small group shouted some angry words at Revan. I of course couldn't understand what was going on, but Revan seemed to know them.
He responded to them calmingly in his persuasive voice. Damn, I wanted to know what he was saying. I longed for that war mongrel droid, HK, but he had disappeared weeks ago on a mission. Revan had been disappointed when he heard about that. As much as I hated that thing I could use it to translate the conversation in front of me.
After a little while the Rakatans seemed to accept whatever Revan was saying, although they still appeared displeased. One of them pointed to me, and asked something.
The corners of Revan's lips curled upwards as he responded to the Rakatan. Now I really wanted to know what they were saying.
Eventually they nodded, and after saying what might have been goodbye they disappeared into the forest palms again.
"What were they saying?" I asked, "What did they ask about me?"
"Oh they asked me if you were my mate," Revan replied ignoring my first question.
My shocked face must have been a sight to see because Revan laughed at me, "Don't worry, I assured them that you were otherwise."
"That's a relief," I said, "So where are you taking me?"
"A special place," was all Revan said.
"So what is it?"
"You'll see," His smile was like a little boy hiding a surprise for a parent.
We walked for ours, climbing a large hill filled with palm trees. We passed a few crashed ships; Revan explained that the Energy Shield form the Star Forge had knocked them down. He told me that the same thing happened to him and Malak when they had first come here. Revan and I talked and argued over some matters, mainly about the Republic and the Jedi.
"You fought for the Republic for so long, I just don't understand why you would leave it," I said as I stumbled on a rock. I caught myself, and maintained my balance.
"I already told you why," Revan said, helping me up a step incline.
"Yes I know about the Senate, and the Council, but why turn to the Sith?"
"Their ways are more understanding, and balanced," Revan replied.
"So you lost faith in the Republic."
"No, I just think this galaxy needs a change. It needs new leadership."
"But why destroy something corrupted by corrupting it, why not just change it?" I asked, "It just doesn't make sense."
"Perhaps not now," Revan said, "You need to forget your trust for the Council and then see it."
"I don't trust the Council," I said it without knowing. I clamped my hand over my mouth wanting to haul those five words back in.
"Ah, now this is interesting," Revan said, halting. He turned to me, "So you have given up the Jedi."
"No," I said, "But admit it that you are right. The Council isn't perfect, by neither is the Sith."
"But which side will you choose?" His green eyes piercing mine.
I looked away, afraid of the tremble I felt, "I don't know. I haven't chosen either."
He smiled a little, "I thank you for the honesty."
We continued up the hill. My mind wandered to where he was taking me. It seemed like we had been walking forever, and my anticipation grew with each step.
"Here we are," Revan said, pushing aside a large branch from a low palm. I gasped at the sight I saw. We were standing on a high cliff over looking the ocean White waves crashed against the rocks, sending a salty spray into the air. Islands dotted the blue ocean. I could see a long stretch of the beach far off, the sand as white as snow. It was a paradise.
"I've never seen anything more beautiful," I breathed still staring in awe at the sight.
"I have," Revan replied. His eyes stared at me with an emotion I couldn't quite read. What did he mean when he had seen something beautiful like this before? A thought crossed me mind, did he mean me? I was excited by the thought that he thought me beautiful. The Council would have forbidden such thoughts, but I took pleasure from it. I was beautiful.
A drop of water fell from the sky puling us from our trance. We looked up and saw a dark cloud hovering over our heads. More drops fell, within seconds sheets of rain were pouring down on us.
"Some powerful Jedi we are," Revan laughed, "can't even predict a change in the weather."
I laughed and brushed away a strand of wet hair from my eyes.
Revan laughed too, "Come on," he grabbed my hand and we ran down the hill.
The rain was coming down so thick that we couldn't see where we were going, "If we go on like this we're going to get lost," I yelled.
"We should find some shelter," Revan said, "this storm shouldn't last long."
He continued to hold my hand as he led me to a broken ship. One of the wings had stayed above the ground, acting as a make shift umbrella. We stood under it as we watched the rain cascade around us.
The wind had picked up and I became aware of the fact that my dress was completely soaked, and now see through. The white silk clung to me like a second skin, and did nothing to keep me warm. I shivered, and hugged myself, but the hateful wind continued to chill.
Suddenly Revan pulled me to his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I was shocked, and stood dumb for several seconds. Heat rose up in me, but I remained where I was. I liked being in his embrace, feeling his warm breath tickle my cheek. It was a pleasant feeling, but also a scary one. I looked at my emotions with caution, but I couldn't suppress the excitement no matter how hard I tried. In his arms, I could remember the kiss we had shared, and the dream I had had. Oh how I wanted him to kiss me again.
When the rain stopped, Revan released me. I was cold again, but didn't say anything. We walked back in silence, out of words, caught completely in our thoughts. Revan had power over me. He didn't know it, but he did, and that feared me even more. I knew that something was happening, I didn't know what.
I would soon know, but how I would learn was terrifying and heart wrenching.
TBC
A/N: Oh, cliff hanger. Sorry folks, couldn't resist. Don't worry, I am really looking forward to writing the next chapter, so expect it soon. R&R.
