Disclaimer: Anything you recognize isn't mine. Anything that makes you go "what's that?" I made up.
Sith Lord Darth Revan: Thanks. Here's more.
The Silver Serpent: Thank you. No, this isn't going to be a Carth/Revan fic. I absolutely have no talent for romance lol. And ideas are always welcome. :)
Data: Thanks. It was revenge! I always disliked Trask. As for Revan going after Bastila, I thought I made it clear in the first paragraph when Revan thought "So either Bastila would join her, or die." I've (hopefully) clarified that in this chapter. Thank you for the warning. Unfortunately, when a level is boring, attempts to spruce it up can result in screwing it up worse. ;p But I'm trying. Really!
Sabre: Here's more!
NickNova: Thanks.
snackfiend101: Oh wow, when I received your review and saw the link next to your name I thought you had wrote a story! :D And yes very appropriate.
Darth Arachne: Thanks. Here's more!
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Warning: Evil Revan!
:: Alien language ::
Chapter 5: Stranded
The citizens of Upper Taris were unconcerned about the Sith. Secure in the belief that the path of non-resistance ensures survival they took the "I didn't see anything so I don't know anything, please don't hurt me" philosophy to heart and avoided the escape pod that crashed into the city like the Rakghoul disease personified.
Carth opened his eyes groggily. He'd been in one too many rough escape pod landings during the Mandalorian wars, but this one topped them all. Removing his harness he looked over to his fellow escapee. Damn. She was out cold. Quickly freeing her, Carth carried her out and laid her down on the pavement. Rushing back into the pod, Carth grabbed whatever gear she was carrying and his own.
Then, burdened with their things and his fellow Republican, Carth dragged her into the nearest building. Luckily, he stumbled upon an abandoned apartment. Carth entered and dumped their belongings in a corner. He then proceeded to try his best to tend to the rather large concussion the woman had sustained.
After he had satisfied himself that she would make it, he rooted through their things. He found a datapad containing her service records, another datapad containing her journal, medpacks, credits, some clothing and personal hygiene implements and a box some 12 inches long and 5 wide. Opening it Carth felt his eyebrows rise. A make-up box. Just my luck that I get stuck with a vain female. He thought in amusement. Replacing it, he sat down and started to read her service records. Let's see. Jamisa Itiri.....
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Revan watched as Bastila fought her way into the bridge. Revan made to reach for her lightsaber but found she couldn't move, she could only stare as Bastila reached out to capture her only to dissolve into black tendrils...
Revan suddenly woke with a small cry. Looking around wildly she noted the alien surroundings and automatically reached for a weapon that wasn't there.
"Good, you're awake." A voice suddenly said. Revan jumped off the bed and whirled around, dropping into a defensive stance. The man in the doorway to the 'fresher backed away a little.
"Easy there, soldier." he said, spreading his hands open to show he was unarmed. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna wake up. You were thrashing pretty bad in your sleep." He stepped into the room.
"I was having a dream." Revan responded. She carefully straightened. She still didn't trust him.
"It must have been one hell of a nightmare." He remarked. "I'm Carth Onasi by the way. I was on the escape pod with you. Do you remember, miss Itiri?"
"Carth Onasi. The one on the communicator. Right. I remember." She looked around and wrinkled her nose. The place stank. "So you know me? I prefer being called Arcana, by the way." Arcana meant 'deep mystery' in Sylisan. Her mother had called her that when she was a small child. Revan thought it appropriate, and gave her no end of amusement. "Where are we?" she asked.
"Well, you've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a couple of days now, so I guess you're still confused about things." Onasi said. "Try not to worry Arcana. We're safe... for the moment." he told her in a reassuring voice.
"I always worry. Especially when I don't know where I am or how I got here." Revan said pointedly. What was it with these Republic soldiers and their useless comments? Was it a prerequisite for recruitment to be mouthy?
He got the hint. "We're in an abandoned apartment on the planet of Taris. You were banged up pretty bad when our pod crashed. But luckily I wasn't hurt badly." he said.
You bet you were lucky. I would have slit your throat. Revan thought. She didn't say it out loud however.
"I was able to drag you away from the wreckage and found this apartment." he continued. "By the time the Sith arrived, we were long gone."
"I guess I owe you my life then. Thank you." Revan managed to say, keeping out the disappointment she was feeling. Blast. Now I can't kill him. She thought. Yet.
"You don't have to thank me." he said, dismissing her gratitude. "I've never abandoned anyone on a mission before, and I'm not about to start now. And besides, I'm going to need your help."
"My help?" Revan asked cautiously. Revan never committed herself to do something unless it had a fair chance of success. Unfortunately, even the best laid plans can be skewed by unforeseen situations.
"Taris is under Sith control. Their fleet is orbiting the planet, they've declared martial law and imposed a planet-wide quarantine. But I've been in worse spots." he informed her. But he'd had several veteran soldiers with him, not a young untried girl. Who suddenly looked like she wanted to strangle him. "What?" he asked.
Revan shook her head. "Nothing." She'd caught his stray thought about her being a girl. Revan knew her Sylisan ancestry made her look younger than she was, but she was hardly a girl.
Carth looked doubtfully at her a moment before shrugging it off. Females. "I read on your service records that you understand a remarkable number of alien languages. That's pretty rare in a raw recruit," he said in admiration. "it could come in handy while we're stranded on a foreign world."
Revan suppressed a snicker. The list of languages on the records were only one small part of what she actually knew.
"There's no way the Republic will be able to get anyone through the blockade to help us." he said in a serious tone. "If we're going to find Bastila and get off this planet, we can't rely on anybody except ourselves."
"Bastila?" Revan said unthinkingly. It was a mistake. Now she had to listen to him ramble about the Brat.
"That smack to your head did more damage than I thought." he said in concern. "Bastila's a Jedi. She was with the strike team that killed Darth Revan," Revan bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Malak's Sith master. Bastila's the key to the whole Republic war effort. The Sith must have found out she was on the Endar Spire and set an ambush for us."
"Yes yes, the Brat is wonderful so on and so forth." Revan cut him off. "Do you know where she is?"
"Brat?" Carth said, amused. "I see you've met her." Revan shrugged. "I believe that she was on one of the pods that landed on Taris. For the sake of the Republic we have to try and find her." he said.
"Fine then. Let's go look for Bratila." Revan said impatiently. She wasn't keen on 'rescuing' the Jedi for the Republic, but for herself. Bastila would make a fine apprentice, and if she couldn't turn the Brat her death would be a great blow to the Republic. Both morally and in the war effort. Revan hoped Bastila was alone so she didn't have to deal with another Jedi. Then find a ship, break out of the blockade, and hopefully dump Onasi out an airlock. Revan thought in amusement. I have a feeling I'm going to be very busy in the near future.
"Bratila? You know it's not nice calling people names." he said sternly. Revan could see him struggling not to grin. Getting himself under control he continued, "While you were out I did some scouting around. There are some reports of a couple of escape pods that crashed into the Undercity. That's a good place to start."
"The Undercity?!" Revan exclaimed. During the Mandalorian war Revan had stopped here briefly for supplies. She remembered the stories of the Undercity... and how dangerous it was.
"I see you know about the dangers." he said. "We should be prepared before we head there. It won't do Bastila any good if we get ourselves killed."
"The faster we can find Bratila the faster we can find a way to get off this stinking ball of rock." Revan said, starting to rummage around in her pack. She checked her 'make-up kit' first to see if it was still there. She had a small worry in the back of her mind that Onasi had tampered with it. Revan breathed a silent sigh of relief when she saw the lock to the inner box holding her lightsaber still in place. Taking the box and pulling out a change of clothes she headed for the 'fresher.
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20 minutes later feeling refreshed in clean clothes, her lightsaber safely hidden under her armor Revan was ready for almost anything.
Carth was waiting for her. Handing her a blaster and the vibroblade she had picked off a Sith corpse, he said "We can use this apartment as a base. If we get separated, head back here. And remember to keep a low profile." he warned. "I've heard grim stories of Dark Jedi interrogation techniques. They said they could even wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity!"
Revan merely nodded and refrained from rolling her eyes. She knew a lot more about interrogation techniques than he would ever know.
Stepping out they were immediately treated to the sight of a Sith patrol confronting a pair of Duros. One of the Duros protested the treatment and was shot for his insolence. Unfortunately, the Sith officer spotted them. Before he could bring his blaster on them Carth had nailed him and Revan reduced the battle droids to scrap metal.
:: Thank you human. :: the Duros said, :: Poor Ixgil, he shouldn't have talked back. ::
:: Just stay out of my way. :: Revan said warningly in his language. :: Please. :: she added as an afterthought.
If he was surprised she could speak his language he didn't show it. :: Of course, of course. :: he said. :: I will get rid of the bodies. Again, I thank you human. :: He bent down and started dragging the Sith officer away.
Walking down the corridor towards the elevator, they were accosted by a Twi'lek vendor. After declining to buy something Revan managed to coax some information from him. Apparently, no one with authorization papers could pass the guard to the Lower city. There was a rumor however, that the guard was lazy and didn't bother checking papers, passing Sith patrols without question. Carth thanked him as they left. They discussed this piece of news on the elevator.
"Do you think it's true?" Carth asked.
"Only one way to find out." Revan said as she got off. She stopped a moment to ask directions from a protocol droid wandering around.
Upon reaching the elevator to the Lower City, the Sith guard immediately demanded their security papers and noted that they weren't a Sith patrol then ordered them to leave. Revan began to draw on the Force when she felt another Force presence close by. Revan froze, and threw up her strongest shields. Damn, she forgot there was a Sith base nearby! Revan did not want to be noticed, for the moment at least, until she had Bastila firmly in her clutches, one way or another.
"Arcana?" Carth asked in concern. She looked like she was zoning out.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry." Revan said. They had to find another way, she didn't dare expose herself this close and alert whoever that was that there was someone Force trained in the Upper City. Revan knew anyone assigned to such a poor planet would be stupid enough to believe it was a Jedi and would initiate a total lockdown and remove that guard with someone more tougher to pass. Revan was confident in her abilities, but she didn't go out of her way to make things harder for herself in the long run.
"We need some Sith uniforms." Carth muttered. He was at a loss. How were they going to acquire Sith uniforms short of joining them?
"Let's head for the Cantina." Revan decided. Cantinas were good places to gather information. Beings who had one too many drinks tended to loosen their tongues. Revan had had to dispose of several officers that way. She didn't think it would be any different here.
"The Cantina?" Carth frowned. "I don't think you should go there." He couldn't imagine a frail woman like Arcana going into a rough place like a cantina.
Revan ignored him and set off at a brisk trot, leaving Carth to trail behind her.
Did you manage to read though it? Hated it? Liked it? (Author: I didn't think it was possible, but it seems this chap was worse than the Spire! ;; Didn't help that I hate Taris. -sigh- ) Please review!