CHAPTER TEN
CORUSCANT
Carth's eyes opened slowly to feel hands holding something to his head. The bright lights hurt his eyes and he squinted against the harsh light until they were able to focus enough to see Vlaina above his face, holding the Kolto bandage to his forehead.
" Are you an angel?" He asked with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
" No!" Vlaina popped. " But you are a republic fool! You could have been killed!"
Carth focused enough to see the blood on her neck and shoulder. " You're hurt!" He exclaimed.
Vlaina shook her head. " It is your blood. Just as I jumped to bring you to the floor you turned and covered me with your body. The piece of glass that hit your thick head would have sliced through my throat. You saved my life."
Carth groaned. " Yeah… well, I had to do the hero thing."
Vlaina looked at him her blue eyes boring into him. " If you ever do something foolish like that again Carth Onasi, you will regret the day you took me into your bed. I will not have the father of my future children risking his life needlessly. Do I make myself clear?"
Carth smiled and touched her face. " Very clear." He said, moving to sit up. Vlaina helped him into a sitting position. " Matais?"
" He is fine. His security was outside the room. They moved him into the bedroom." Vlaina spoke.
" Carth!" Matais' voice could be heard.
Carth turned to see him come out of the bedroom pushing away the hand of one of his security personnel. Carth got shakily to his feet and Vlaina slid her shoulder under him to help him support his weight. " Matais… I'm sorry. I didn't think they would try to assassinate me."
The older man came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. " I'm just glad you are ok. I have ordered an emergency session of the senate members in residence. We have three hours. Let's get to more secure facilities. You need to present the information you have."
" Me?" Carth spoke. " Matais… this is your purview not mine. You…"
" You fought with Revan Panlie Carth Onasi. You know him better than anyone on Coruscant. Do you want to leave this to someone else? If what you have told me is true, Revan Panlie not only did not want to become a Sith Lord… but for every life he claimed… he saved five. And after he found his way again, he saved the Republic again. I am older than you Carth… and I am disgusted by what has become of the Republic. The corruption, the back room deals. We have grown complacent in our ways. And if we continue down this road it will destroy us all. You must present this information. Together we must make the other senators see what is going on. We can not be caught flat footed again."
Carth looked at Vlaina searching her eyes. She nodded to him.
" Then let's get going!" Carth said. " If I'm going to present this information I have other plans to make as well."
" What do you mean?" Matais said.
Carth looked at him. The eyes that gazed upon the older man were the eyes of a man who was 38 once more, and preparing to go into battle next to a friend.
" I mean once I make this presentation, I'm leaving Coruscant and taking command of whatever fleet I can muster. After that… I'm going to find my friends. I will no longer stand by and let them take it on the chin for the Republic by themselves."
Vlaina's arms squeezed his tightly. " Mandalore would be proud to once more stand by the man he calls 'Republic'" She said.
" Let's get moving."
ORD MANTELL
Lena and Anja walked into Jaspar Tamari's hospital room the next day, after passing four very stern looking, heavily armed men. The minute Jaspar saw his daughter, he came forward in his bed.
" Anja… would you mind explaining to me how the pilot that brought you here was able to pay my medical bills? I had already worked out a payment option with the accounting office here. He just handed over a credit chip and 'poof'… all my bills are gone. How does a pilot get that kind of money?" Jaspar looked around. " Hey… where is he? He said he would come back later."
Anja looked at him surprised. " He was here?"
Jaspar nodded. " He was here early this morning. He told me that he had taken care of some protection for me through his Mandalorian contacts. Said the mission you two were on had made your mother and I a target. You want to fill your father in on what is going on? That young man is no pilot. He reminds me of some of the officers I knew in the service. He commands respect. A leader. What is he? A senior officer on some sort of secret mission? You can tell your father."
Anja looked at her mother who squeezed her hand. " Perhaps it is time you shared with your father what you told me last night."
" Uhu? What is going on?" Jaspar spoke, looking at the holo monitor. His eyes opened a little wider. " What's this?" He reached for the panel and increased the volume.
" Papa… I really need to tell you what is going on." Anja said stepping up to the bed.
" Wait! Look! Isn't that your friend?"
" What?" Anja turned to the holo monitor and her eyes went wide. It was indeed a picture of Revan. It was a holo image of him and Arren walking into the Jedi Temple courtyard. " Turn it up papa!"
"… once again. Please stand by for a broadcast of an emergency meeting of the Republic Senate. We have been asked to clear all channels and conduct a live broadcast. Apparently… Senator Carth Onasi will be conducting some sort of briefing concerning a new threat to the Republic. It has also come to our attention that emergency briefing may be connected to the brief visit to the Jedi temple of the oldest children of two of the Jedi Order's most infamous Jedi. The former Dark Lord turned hero Revan Panlie, and the exiled Jedi Knight Dacen Vorsut. This channel has obtained exclusive information that the two individuals seen here in this intercepted image are in fact the son of Revan Panlie and the daughter of Dacen Vorsut." The man put his hand to his ear. " Hold on… yes… the Senate is being called to order now with those in residence present. Any Senators not able to attend are being copied in via holovid, an unprecedented event in the history of the Senate. We are going live now…"
The scene switched to the inside of the massive Senate Chamber. Hundreds of repulsorlift platforms circled the enormous room. Every planet within the republic was represented in this chamber, and for the first time in the Republic's history, those few hundred Senators not currently on Coruscant were able to watch the proceedings through a holovid connection provided by local news channels.
"… chair recognizes the distinguished Senators from Alderaan." The Chancellor's voice carried over the holovid.
They watched as the repulsorlift platform moved up from the side and came to a stop in front of the Chancellor. They saw the older man stand up. Anja saw Vlaina sitting next to Carth on the platform. He wore an old republic military uniform, and Vlaina had changed back into her Crimson Guard armor.
" Honored friends and colleagues, I bring to you a message of dire importance to the Republic. A new threat to our great Republic has made its first moves against all we hold dear. I present to you a colleague and a friend. Senator Carth Onasi."
Anja looked around the room and saw both her parents glued to the holo monitor. She glanced into the outer corridor and was amazed to see almost every man and women standing around the four monitors on the floor.
Carth stood up and moved forward, nodding to Matais. " Fellow Senators… most of you know who I am and what I once was. I have fought for or served this Republic for all of my life. I have few regrets, and if asked… I would do it all again, without hesitation. I'm here today because I would like to tell you a story of sorts. A mission I was on nearly thirty four years ago. A mission with a nineteen year old Jedi Padawan by the name of Bastila Shan. Most of you are unaware of what I am about to relate to you. An attempt was made on my life earlier this evening to keep me from telling my story to you. I stand here now… in thanks due to the love of a woman. A Mandalorian." Carth motioned to where Vlaina sat, and she nodded to him with a smile. This brought many murmurs from the assembled Senators. " But that is another story. I am sure you have all heard of Jedi Knight Bastila Shan. She is renowned for her deeds during the Jedi Civil War and her efforts in the Battle of the Star Forge. She is also, as you are all aware, one of only four Jedi in the Order to be expelled. The reasons for her being dismissed are not well known. I am here to relate them to you. And I am also here to relate to you about a man. The man she fell in love with. The man who saved this Republic. The man who nearly brought it to its knees, and the man who saved it once again. You all know who I speak of. Jedi Knight Revan Panlie." Carth held up the message cubes in his hand. " What I have here… and what you will all see for yourselves in a moment, is not one, not two, but three personal logs of Revan Panlie. We need to watch these logs today. On these logs are the reason the Mandalorian wars began, the reason Jedi Panlie fell to the Dark Side, and the reason that on this day, right now, Revan Panlie and Bastila Shan, as well as exiled Jedi Knight Dacen Vorsut and his Jedi wife are out there, still fighting for the Republic. Why their oldest children are now the most wanted individuals in the galaxy, and why their younger children are in hiding somewhere." Carth moved the first cube to the imager. " This was recorded one week before the battle of Malachor V. The battle that ended the Mandalorian Wars."
The huge image appeared above Carth's platform. It showed the inside of a republic warship, in what appeared to be the quarters of an officer. Two men entered the room, one wearing black and red armor and gauntlets.
"… all plans are set. We will draw them to Malachor Five and Dacen will set off the device." Revan's voice could be heard speaking.
" Do you trust him Revan?" Malak's voice brought murmurs from the senators watching.
" Dacen will do what is ordered of him. He is one of the finest men I know, and he joined us from the start knowing what would happen. He has led his forces with courage and honor." Revan spoke.
" He seems distant of late."
Revan nodded. " He is deeply troubled by the war, and all he has seen. All we have seen. The countless deaths of civilians and friends. The butchering of children and helpless men and women. The Mandalorians go against their very tradition with the ferocity of their attacks and indiscriminant slaughter."
" Will you force him to join us?"
Revan shook his head. " If I asked him… he would. Without question. But this war has changed us all Malak. He has been closer to many of the battles than us. He has seen more of his men butchered. It has changed him. I can not ask him to follow our path. He does not know why we will do what we have to do."
" Revan… he would understand. He would join us."
" I know. That is why I must let him go. Something pushes me to let him go. For all his pain. All his anguish, he will be the one to save us Malak."
" The Order will banish him." Malak spoke.
Revan hissed. " The Order! Yes, they will banish him. And they will never understand what drove us to do what we have. They will throw away their only hope to understand. They are so blinded by their Code. It sickens me that they could sit there and let millions be butchered and do nothing. Do nothing while we fought and died to protect them! To save the Republic. They sensed that something was behind the Mandalorians' senseless killing. And they were right. But they do not understand its power. If we had not confronted them, it would have fed on the death and only grown stronger."
Malak looked at Revan. " And now we must become their enemy. In order to save them, we have to become what they despise the most."
Revan reached up and removed the armored mask he had taken to wearing during the wars. There were hundreds of gasps as everyone in the senate chamber saw the youthful face of a twenty-two year old General of the Republic.
" What choice do we have?" Revan spoke. " We found their darkness for them. They sensed it out there. And it gave us a choice. Serve it… or watch all that we have come to love and cherish be destroyed and butchered. I can not… I will not allow that. If I have to become a monster to save them from a larger monster, then so be it."
Malak stepped up to his best friend. Everyone could see the pain etched into his face, and on the face of the young Revan. It was a palpable thing. " We will never see our friends again Revan. Our families. You will never be able to look upon that young Padawan you saw on Dantooine again. The one that stirred you. You will be her enemy. All Jedi will be our enemy."
Revan looked at him, the fire in his brown eyes returning. " You are right. And she will hate me for what I must become. They all will. But if that's what it takes to save them… I will accept that. The Order is wrong. Keepers of the Peace we may be Malak. But if we sit back and do not use our power for the greater good, what does that make us?" He moved to the large window in the quarters and looked out on the fleet of ships in the background. " Those that understand will join us. Those that don't… will die fighting us. Republic and Jedi alike. We have to secure this Star Forge he told us about. We have to use it to conquer the Republic we love so much. Conquer it… in order to save it. The only thing that keeps me on this path Malak, the only thing I must hold in my thoughts, is that for every life I am forced to take, ten will be saved. For every father or mother that dies, their children will live to see the republic continue. And when we have turned what he showed us against him and destroyed the darkness forever, then… then I will quietly take myself to Coruscant. And let them judge me for what I have done. And when they execute me… then I will be at peace." He turned to look at Malak once more. " We have already started down this road my friend. Now… now would be the time to leave and never look back. You don't have to come with me."
Malak stepped up to him. " I have stood beside you all these years Revan. I will not change that now."
The image faded, and Carth wasted no time in placing the next one in. " This was recorded only three days after the destruction of Telos. My home world… and the reason I came to hate Darth Revan."
This image was of a similar room and all saw the body fly through the air and impact with a loud grunt against the bulkhead.
" Do you realize what you have done!" The voice yelled as Revan came into view. He wore the same armor as the earlier holovid, yet the dark power in him could almost be seen radiating from his being.
" I… I took Telos. As you ordered!" Malak's voice replied.
Malak was ripped to his feet and whisked across the room to be suspended in front of the shorter Revan. He was clawing at his throat.
" Did I order you to destroy Telos my apprentice? Did I order you to slaughter millions? My instructions were to capture the military base and production facilities. My orders did not state you were to turn this world into a wasteland you fool! I was already in negotiations with the leaders of this world to join us! You have destroyed facilities we could have used for the battles that lie ahead."
" I… I only… thought…"
" Malak… I have told you before. You must resist the power of the dark side. You must focus on our plan. Do not let your power consume you my apprentice. Harness it for our goals! Shape it to your will! Do not surrender to it!" Revan's voice boomed.
" Yes… yes Lord Revan!" Malak was still clutching at his throat, trying to suck in breaths.
" Malak… for three years we have had to kill our friends and former mentors. We have become Sith. Our names are feared wherever we tread. Planets tremble in our wake, and still you have not learned to harness the power we have. Millions hate us for what we have done. What little support we gain, you just as quickly shatter with your misguided attempts to test your power. I will not abide by your mistakes again. What we once shared as friends is all that keeps me from crushing you."
Revan released Malak from the Force choke and he collapsed to the deck, gasping for breath.
" What we do is for a purpose apprentice. Your ridiculous attempts to impress others is leading you away from our true reasons for doing this. I have forsaken all that I am to try and protect for others what is lost to us! I will not allow your desire for power to undo my plans!" Revan spoke.
" Yes…yes Lord Revan." Malak gasped. " I will not… I will not fail you again."
" I know…" Revan's blood red light saber ignited and with a speed almost inhuman in nature he struck. Malak fell back screaming in agony as his hands went to his face. Blood poured from between his fingers as his strangled cries filled the room. " If you fail me again Malak, what you have just experienced will pale in comparison to what I will do." He turned, deactivating his light saber. " HK-47!"
The large red droid marched into view from off image, his Mandalorian Assault rifle at the ready.
Statement: I am ready to serve Master
" HK, take this fool to the med bay. See to his injuries. You will remain on this ship after I have left. See to it that my orders are not disobeyed again." Revan ordered.
Statement: Shall I vaporize your apprentice meatbag if he fails in your orders master?
" No. Simply hold him."
Statement: As you order Master.
" Remember this day Malak." Revan spoke. " The Jedi are planning an assault. We need to be prepared for it. Report to me when you have… cleaned yourself up."
Everyone saw the huge droid grab Malak by the back of his robes and start to drag him out of the room. They watched as Darth Revan moved to the window on Malak's ship. He was silent for a moment.
" Oh Bastila. The one I love. The one I have always loved. What have I become?"
The image faded and cut out.
Carth looked around at the gathered Senators. All of them were in shock at what they had just witnessed. " What you have just seen are the events that led up to the capture of Darth Revan by the Jedi. The attack he spoke of… he knew it was coming. What he did not anticipate was the betrayal of Malak during that attack. The Jedi sent a strike team onto his flagship to capture him. During this attack, Revan was seriously injured. His mind was destroyed. He was saved only by a Force bond initiated by the nineteen year old Bastila Shan. She was able to keep the small life he had left in him alive until they got back to the Jedi Council. I… I lost my wife in the attack on Telos. And nearly my son. I hated Revan for that. That was my drive for going on. And then I was sent on a mission with this Bastila Shan to Taris. That is where I met Revan. Only he was no longer Revan. The Jedi Council was so desperate to discover the secrets of the Star Forge that they implanted a false identity into the destroyed mind of Darth Revan. As I fought beside this man for the next few months, even I was amazed at the goodness in him. The passion to save the republic and the Jedi. And I was amazed at the bond of love that grew between him and Bastila Shan. We became a family, them and I, and all the others who helped us during those months. Our luck ran out as we were trying to use the shattered remnants of his mind to find the location of the Star Forge. By this time… his memories were returning to him. He didn't understand why he was able to see these things. These terrible things. And it hurt him to not know. We were captured by Malak. Captured and tortured. Our friends rescued us and we nearly escaped. Until Malak arrived. Seeing him… hearing Malak tell him who he really was, he nearly broke. When he discovered that Malak had captured Bastila, it nearly destroyed him." Carth held up the last message cube. " I did not discover until a few days ago that it wasn't Revan who destroyed my world and my wife. You see… I decided many years ago, in the days that followed our escape from Malak, that the real Revan Panlie had returned. What you are about to see is a message he left for me just before we assaulted the Star Forge. I received this only a few days ago."
The image came into view as Carth slid the cube onto the imager. It showed a young Revan again, in what appeared to be a small dormitory section of a small ship. The face looked young, but the eyes, the eyes were ancient.
" Carth Onasi… I am leaving this for you in case I am unable to stop Malak and you are able to escape. My memories have returned with a vengeance Carth, and I have sat here alone these last few days as we head for our last battle together. We have fought side by side now for months… and we never really knew each other. Everything I have done these years… all I have attempted to accomplish… Malak has destroyed. My intent from the end of the Mandalorian wars until now has never changed. It was all about saving this Republic and the Jedi. Looking back… there may have been another way… but it does not matter now. I loved Bastila before I left for war Carth. She was just a child then really… but I loved her no less. And now… with this bond we share… well… it has increased even more. Even as Darth Revan, my only thoughts were of the Republic. And I weep at the lives I have ended in my quest to save all that I have ever known. Bastila's love saved me Carth. Her love… and the love of you and my friends. I was so alone before. Malak was letting the power consume him. For some reason he was not able to harness the dark power as I did.
" He has turned her Carth. Tortured her beyond belief, until she finally let the darkness wash over her. I have sensed this. But I will save her. I will return her to the light or… or I will kill her. It is the will of the Force… I see that now. She loves me Carth… loves me with every fiber of her being, and I must use that. She will try to stop me… but I will succeed. The Jedi Council… I hate them for what they have done. How they used us both. Used us all. They will never allow us to be together. Even though our love for each other will save us, their damn code will keep us apart. The darkness is still out there Carth, the Star Forge is only part of it. But perhaps with its destruction we can buy ourselves some time. I will need you to look after Bastila once this battle is over. I will need to leave. She will not understand why, but it is something I must do. I must see if I can buy us some time to prepare.
" I can not atone for what I have done Carth. But I will try. Bastila and I will have children… that I can see. And our children will fight bedside us. Other than that… I am unable to know. We will fight this coming battle together my friend, but the larger one… in the future… I believe that only Bastila and my children can help me fight that one. However many years pass before you see this Carth… make them understand what I did was only to protect them. I will defend the Republic and the Jedi until the last breath leaves my body Carth. And then it will fall to you and my children. Good luck my friend Carth Onasi. And May the Force Be With You."
The image faded and Carth took a deep breath, wiping away the tears that had spilled from his eyes. Vlaina stood up and took his hand, squeezing it tightly. He nodded and removed the cube from the imager.
Carth looked up. " Fellow Senators of the Republic… the war that Revan spoke of is almost upon us. For the last thirty years he and Bastila have lived in exile fighting this war. They have gathered the remaining Mandalorian clans under one man, a man who fought beside both myself and Revan. They have protected this Republic from the shadows for three decades. Who do you think stopped the civil war on Onderon? Who do you think was able to unite the factions in the Outer Rim and stop the Trandoshan insurgency. They have fought for years, and as he promised me… so have his children. His son even now travels to rally myself and those who fought with him before. And it is my understanding that a huge bounty has been placed on his head, and the heads of any who travel with him. Including the woman who his son loves with the same fervor and passion as he loves Bastila…
ORD MANTELL
Jaspar Tamari's eyes snapped to his daughter, who stood frozen staring at the holovid monitor, tears streaking from her eyes. His wife was nearly in tears as well.
" The… son of Revan!" Jaspar gasped.
They all heard the commotion outside their room.
" It's him!" A voice called. " It's him!"
" It's the son of Revan!"
Anja turned, her heart nearly jumping from her chest as Revan appeared in the doorway, flanked by half a dozen Mandalorian troopers.
" Anja… we need to go." Revan said. " We need to go now!"
" Revan?" She sobbed. " I…"
Revan motioned to the Mandalorian troops with him, and they came into the room quickly and began gathering what items were there. One large Mandalorian simply bent over and picked Jaspar Tamari up.
" Wait a damn minute!" Jaspar yelled. " Where are you taking us?"
" Someplace safe." Revan replied. " I did not expect my Uncle Carth to do what he has done. It will undoubtedly lead to bolder attacks from our enemies. I…"
Carth's voice filled the room. " … passed on to you all the information I have. It is now up to this Senate on what their course of action will be. I will be stepping down from my position as Senator. I will take command of several Mandalorian ships now entering Coruscant space. Those ships I will take and I will join my friend Revan. I will not let him fight this battle alone. Not anymore. Thank you for your time."
Revan looked at Jaspar. " I will explain more on my ship." He said. " Trust me." He looked at Anja quickly and saw the sadness in her tear filled eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but turned to the Mandalorian next to them. " Get them to the VICTORY. I will join you shortly."
The Mandalorian nodded. " Yes sir!"
Revan turned and walked out of the room. Anja moved to follow him, but the Mandalorian soldier stopped her. " He was very clear Lady Anja." The man spoke. " You and your parents are to leave now!"
" Where is he going?"
" He has some business before he joins us. That is all I know."
" I have to go with him!" Anja nearly cried.
The Mandalorian picked her up in his beefy arm. " I can't allow that."
" Put me down!" Anja screamed.
" The son of Revan Panlie saved me from death Lady Anja. I will not allow harm to come to the woman that holds his heart."
Anja slumped in his arms as he carried her from the room following his men and her parents.
THE OUTER RIM
Bastila stared at her husband with her huge blue eyes, tears streaking her face. " All this time. You never told me." She said.
The senior Revan's face split into a boyish grin. " Bas… you were only fourteen." He said. " I don't think the Order would have approved."
" The Order!" Bastila snapped. " To the pits of Korriban with the Order!" She looked at the smirk on his face and felt her heart melt as it always did. " Revan Panlie you insufferable bantha farmer!" She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply.
" I didn't expect Carth to present those logs." Revan spoke, holding his wife as he stood up. " Rev gave them to him didn't he?"
" Who else would have had access to your personal files?" Bastila spoke. " He is trying to make sure we are somehow redeemed."
" Leave it to my son to do something I would have done." He said with a smile. As he turned, he never saw the fist that connected with his jaw. The blow knocked him into the holo imager they had just used to watch Carth's announcement.
" Dacen!" Bastila shouted reaching down to help her husband to his feet. She didn't understand the smile on his face.
" You knew!" Dacen snapped as Brianna came running into the hold. " You knew Malak would fall. You knew even then that I would come find you!"
Revan looked at the man who he had called friend for so many years. " There was only one man I trusted more than myself Dacen." Revan said. " That was you. You were stronger than Malak ever dreamed of being, and I knew only two people would be able to save me from what I had become when I was finished. You or Bastila." He straightened up. " I didn't see what would happen to you, or the events of the Star Forge itself… but I always knew either you or Bastila would finally come for me and yank me back from the edge of the abyss. That is why I let you leave at the end of the Mandalorian wars."
Dacen shook his head. " Revan, I swear by the Force sometimes you scare me with what you know."
Revan grinned. " Well… it might help that I have no idea what is going to happen now. Our paths are being guided as are the paths of our children. But I can't see the outcome."
Dacen looked at him. " Then we'll do what we have always done." He said, holding out his hand. " And we'll do it together."
Revan embraced the man he considered a brother. " Yes we will."
" What do we do now?" Brianna asked.
" Now… now we head for the rendezvous with our children. If we miss that… the Force knows what they will do." Bastila spoke.
Revan nodded. " I agree. The last thing I want to see is Revan junior and Arren laying waste to the Sith all by themselves."
The four of them shared a small laugh and headed for the cockpit.
Anja stood with the Mandalorian soldier at the bottom of the ramp into the shuttle waiting. She had threatened to crush his throat if he at least did not let her wait with him on the ramp. That was fifteen minutes ago, and they both were getting anxious.
" Where is he?" Anja gasped.
As if on cue, blaster fire erupted from within the confines of the star port. Their heads snapped around to the direction of the weapons fire and they saw half a dozen men retreating towards the star port. In the center of the group was Revan, his twin viridian blades deflecting blaster fire back at the as yet unseen enemy. He was also using the Force to hurl large objects back along their path. She heard a large explosion further up the path they had already come. More of Revan's Mandalorian troops came out of the ship at the sound of the weapons fire, their eyes immediately going to that direction.
Anja's eyes went wide when the enemy they were fighting finally became visible. She could see the flashing red light sabers of at least two dark Jedi, as well as at least another dozen heavily armed men that from their appearance were bounty hunters. " We have to help him!" Anja screamed.
" Two dark Jedi and some bounty hunters are no match for him!" The Mandalorian snapped.
As if to confirm his words, one of the dark Jedi closed on Revan and attacked. It was a poorly planned attack against someone as skilled as Revan was with his light sabers. He side stepped the clumsy attack and neatly decapitated the dark Jedi. Two bounty hunters chose that time to rush him with their vibroblades flashing in the light. One ran straight into the large barrel Revan tossed at him and it crushed his skull. The other was a Rodian, and he stopped short of Revan, sizing him up, his blade spinning in the air in front of him. The blaster fire had disappeared except for a few single shots that were answered immediately.
" Revan!" Anja screamed his name. She saw him turn quickly to face her, and that is when the dark Jedi chose to attack.
Revan turned back, Anja's voice distracting him for the split second it took the dark Jedi to step close and lash out with his light saber. Revan easily dodged that attack, but was unable to dodge the bounty hunter as he plunged his vibroblade forward. Revan winced in pain as the blade bit into his side, and he nearly faltered.
" No!" Anja screamed, bursting into a run towards him, knowing that it would never be in time.
Revan managed to reach across his body against the burning pain in his side, and his light saber cut the bounty hunter in two, including the sword. He turned back to the dark jedi who had raised his light saber to strike.
" Time to die son of Revan!"
Revan smiled a cruel evil smile. " Not likely Sith scum." He spat. His eyes motioned behind the dark Jedi and the man whirled. His eyes went wide and he screamed as the towering brown haired Wookie let loose a savage howl and brought the gleaming blade of his massive sword down on the dark Jedi's head.
Revan was smiling as he struggled to his feet and yanked out the four inches of the broken vibroblade that had remained in his side. " Nice to see you again F'yakk."
The Wookie looked at him with his brown eyes. His barks and growls were gibberish to almost everyone except Revan.
You were distracted Revan.>
" I know. I know… I let my guard down." He said, as the Wookie reached out to steady him. " Where is Arren?"
Dralor is docking with your ship now. She dropped me off to assist you.>
Revan nodded and gripped the Wookie as Anja ran up. She reached out for him with her hands. " Revan… you're hurt."
Revan stopped her from touching him. " No." He said. " You have made your feelings known Padawan Tamari. I do not need your assistance."
Anja stopped in her tracks at his words. Revan… I…
Go with your parents Anja. I do not need your help. We will drop you off at Onderon. You will be safe there.
Anja could only stand there as her heart was ripped from her chest. She watched as the Wookie helped Revan limp towards the ship, and she knew it was her own fault.
Arren glared at Revan as he sat on the table in the med bay on his ship. The Mandalorian frigate the VICTORY had been Revan's command ship for years, and like his father's ship was heavily modified and extremely well armed.
F'yakk stood near the door as the medic bandaged his side with Kolto patches.
" Are you finished playing hero?" Arren snapped. She had washed out her hair and returned it to its natural color. It cascaded past her shoulders and framed her very upset face.
Revan looked at her with a grin. " Hero?" He said.
" I spoke with Ragnar as you were returning." Arren said. " He told me what you were doing just before those two dark Jedi attacked! That was exceptionally foolish."
" Perhaps… but I needed to do it." Revan said.
" Revan… if you don't settle this thing with her she will get you killed." Arren spoke, her voice softening. " The Order has had her for too long. She is fighting the emotions and the love she feels for you. You need to leave her on Onderon."
" I intend too." He spoke, sliding off the table and rising to his full height.
Arren sighed heavily and stepped up to him. " I wish it could be different for you." She said. " Her love for you is so obvious. It saturates her Force aura. But until she can come to grips with her feelings she is a liability."
Revan nodded. " I know." He said, touching her face. " As much as it pains me to send her away, it has to be done."
" My father contacted us. They will be rendezvousing with us in three days at Onderon. As planned." Arren said, holding his arm.
Revan nodded. " Yes… father told me as we were landing. Uncle Carth will arrive shortly after that. It will be time to gather our forces and begin the war."
My father makes final preparations Revan. Our people will be ready. F'yakk spoke now. The life debt sworn to your father by mine was released many years ago, but the life debt our people owe him has not faded with time. We will be ready.>
Revan looked at him and smiled. " I know F'yakk. I hope with what forces we have it will be enough."
" You don't think the Republic or the Jedi will help us do you?" Arren said.
Revan shook his head slowly. " Their code will prevent them from helping us." He said with some contempt in his voice. " And the Republic is too corrupt to do anything but squabble amongst themselves until it is too late."
" Then we will succeed alone." Arren said. " As we have for all these years."
Revan nodded with a smile. " Yes. We will."
Arren embraced his as a sister would embrace a brother, but she could not sense Revan's worry about what lay ahead of them. Only three people could, and two of them felt as he did. The third was a mass of confusion.
Only time would give them the answer. Time and The Force.