CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CORUSCANT

The underbelly of Coruscant was nearly indistinguishable from its sister city of Nar Shaddaa. Promenades of walkways and cantinas, the fast paced atmosphere favored by smugglers and criminals. Small shops where items could be purchased from the hundreds of vendors that dealt in equipment and weapons not found in the more refined stores and shops of mainstream Coruscant. This is where people came to disappear. Here among the dimly lit passages and tunnels is where the real Coruscant lived and breathed. And it was here that three cloaked figures sat in the back of the smelly, smoky cantina, glasses of untouched ale in front of them.

" You asked for this meeting." Carth spoke softly. " Why? And why here?"

" It is better if our meeting remains unknown." Vandar spoke. " We blend in here."

" Jolee… what is going on?" Carth asked. " I've been asked to delay my departure twice by the Senate. And then I get a message that you want to meet me here. I'm beginning to get very frustrated. Even Matais does not know why the Senate wants me to remain. They've been in their emergency session for three days now."

" Just listen Carth." Jolee spoke.

" You've become just as damn cryptic as the rest of the Jedi on the Council since you joined them old man." Carth spoke. " I may have jumped up there in years, but I still know when the Jedi Council is playing games."

" The situation has become difficult." Vandar spoke again. " The Jedi Council is no longer to be trusted."

Carth sat back in his chair nearly floored by the statement. " Excuse me? What the space happen to the high and mighty Jedi Council? The know it alls that are actually part of the problem rather than part of the solution. What happen to them?"

Vandar looked at him from under his cloak. " Infiltrated by the Sith the Council has become." He spoke the words.

Carth's eyes widened, but he wisely kept his voice low. " The Sith?" He exclaimed. " Are you sure?"

Jolee nodded. " Master Vandar felt something stirring among the other Masters. There have been decisions made without the input of myself or Vandar. While this is not uncommon, the nature of the decisions are."

" Decisions? What decisions?"

" Eight Jedi Knights… possibly more… are currently on their way to Onderon to forcibly bring back Master Corna and Padawan Tamari." Jolee told him. " We were not consulted in regards to this decision, and frankly, we have been left out of the loop. We are still trying to ascertain what else might have been set in motion without our knowledge."

" Are you trying to tell me that a Sith Lord is currently sitting on your Council?" Carth spoke.

" At least one. Possibly two." Vandar spoke. " Influencing the others he or she is, bending them to their will. An old technique used by the Sith, but very effective against even a Jedi Master if used properly."

" So you have a Sith Lord on your council influencing the other Masters." Carth spoke with some disbelief. " And they have sent a few of your Jedi to kidnap this Padawan and some other Master, and bring them back? Wait a minute… this Padawan… she wouldn't happen to have black hair, pretty green eyes and currently sharing the same bed as Rev Junior would she?"

Vandar winced at Carth's words. " Yes."

Carth noticed the pained look on Vandar's face and a small smile crossed his face. " And this is the same Padawan that now shares the same type of Force bond that Bastila and Revan have right?"

" Again… you are correct." Vandar spoke. " A shuttle crash nearly claimed her life many years ago. Young Revan was there to heal her life through the Force. It created the bond that they now share."

Carth nodded. " Let me guess. This bond has grown into something else as well right?" He said. " Never mind I'll answer my own question. If they are sharing the same bed, then it sure has. And the Council has not learned from the mistakes of the past I see."

" What do you mean?" Vandar asked.

" I mean you put Bastila in a position to save Revan's life when he was the dark lord. I even will go so far as to say, you knew a bond would be created. But when the bond they shared became something you could no longer control, you attempted to split them up." Carth spoke, sipping his drink. " Bad mistake I'd say. And you are trying to do the same thing again."

" It is true we sensed Bastila's attempt to erase the imprint young Revan left on Anja when she came before us. However… the bond they share we did not sense." Vandar spoke. " It was not revealed to us until young Revan told us about it in the Council chambers."

" That is when this Sith lord must have decided to try and use it." Jolee said. " If they get their hands on Anja, there is no telling what will result."

" I met Padawan Tamari on Alderaan." Carth said. " She didn't strike me as someone who would let others force her to do something she did not want too."

" Very gifted in the Force young Anja is." Vandar said. " It is hard to say what her bonding with young Revan will cause her to do."

Carth looked at him strangely. " I can tell you what it has done. I spoke with Bastila this morning. They are planning to marry as soon as possible. They did not want to wait until this coming war is over."

Vandar turned to Jolee. " Then their bonding is complete." He said.

" Say that again?" Carth asked.

" The bond can longer be broken. If what you say is true then they have surrendered to their love for each other totally. Nothing will be able to break the bond now. Even distance and time." Vandar said.

" Yeah… well I've had some experience with these Force Bond things. I know Bastila was able to draw from Revan many things. Including to some degree, his skills and power. After he brought her back to our side on the Star Forge I watched on the security monitors as they made their way back to the EBON HAWK. She wasn't the same Bastila. She was stronger, faster, her skills with the light saber had nearly doubled, and I saw her pull off some serious Force power things on the way back. I never said anything, but I think it allows them to draw strength and power from each other."

Vandar nodded. " Yes… a Force bond would allow such things."

" And our Knights would not know this." Jolee said.

Carth nodded. " A trap with very pretty eyes, but very deadly teeth."

Vandar nodded. " Part of their plan this is." He looked at Carth. " Much about the Bond Revan and Bastila share is not common knowledge. The Council deemed it too complex to share with anyone outside the Council. And very few outside the Temple know of the bond young Revan shares with Padawan Tamari. Trying to turn the Jedi against Revan is their goal."

" That's the problem with you Jedi and your secrets. Most of the time it comes around to bite you in the backside." Carth spoke.

" A trap it may be, but if we attempt to warn them, the Sith will discover we know they are present." Vandar said. " The remaining children of Revan and Bastila will be in danger, as will the children of Dacen and Knight Kae."

" I could probably send a message." Carth spoke. " I have some contacts that no one is aware of."

" That's too risky." Jolee spoke. " You are being watched as well. I hope you were careful coming here."

Carth smiled. " I have some very good backup." He told them.

" We must trust that they will learn what we have learned and act accordingly." Vandar spoke. " Trust in the Force we must."

" No offense Master Vandar… but you seem pretty sure Rev junior is not going to be hopping mad if someone tries to kidnap his future wife."

" Much like his father he is. However, neither he or his father will ever strike down another Jedi in anger."

" Are you sure?" Carth asked.

Vandar nodded. " I must trust in the Will of the Force."

" Well… assuming what you say is true… then my main communications are being monitored as well. However, not my alternate means of communication. And I would imagine it's safe to assume that if the Sith have infiltrated the Jedi Council, they have infiltrated the Senate." Carth spoke.

" A logical assumption." Jolee replied. " The question remains. Who?"

" With the Sith… it is always a Master and an Apprentice." Vandar spoke. " It is their way."

" Vandar… how do we know these Sith are what we have always faced. Revan told us what he saw beyond the Outer Rim was unlike anything he had ever seen." Jolee said. " There can only be one Master I know. But what if there is more than one apprentice?"

Vandar looked at him. " Very troubling this is Jolee. And you are right." He looked at Carth. " I need you to send a message to Revan Carth Onasi."

" You just told me it would be unwise." Carth answered

" You spoke of an alternate means." Vandar said.

" What makes you think I want to help you?" Carth asked. " As far as I'm concerned the Jedi rank right up there with the Sith in my book. You are your kind have caused far too much pain for my friends over the years. I have no doubt that if these Jedi of yours try to do what it is you say, they will be the ones hurting. Not the other way around."

" Have faith in you I do Carth Onasi." Vandar spoke. " Meet with Revan we must."

" Why should I trust you?"

" Carth!" Jolee exclaimed.

" I've seen how the Council can manipulate Jolee!" Carth snapped. " Why should I trust them after what they did to Revan and Bastila."

" Because Revan trusts me." Vandar spoke calmly.

Carth was silent for a long moment staring at the two men in front of him. He looked skeptical but finally he nodded his head. " I'll see what I can do. How do I let you know?"

" In one weeks time we shall meet here again. The same time." Vandar spoke. " Urgent this is Carth Onasi. The future of the Order and the Republic hang in the balance."

" Yeah. I've heard that before too." He said. " All right, but I will make no promises."

Vandar nodded. " That is sufficient."

Carth watched as the two Jedi slowly made their way out of the cantina. He didn't turn when Vlaina settled into the seat next to him.

" What are you thinking?" She asked.

" I'm thinking we need to get this information to Revan as soon as possible. If the Sith have infiltrated the Jedi Council, then it's nearly guaranteed they have infiltrated the ranks of the Senate. This might change the plans somewhat." Carth said.

Vlaina nodded. " Our form of communication is secure Carth. Tell me what you want me to send and they will have it in the morning."

Carth looked at her. " Everything we have just heard if you can condense it into a shortened version."

Vlaina nodded again. " Shall I leave in your rather insulting and lewd remarks regarding the Jedi Council?" She asked with a smile.

" Revan knows how I feel about them. He'll probably get a good laugh."

Vlaina looked at him, her eyes bright. " Do you have any other lewd thoughts in that mind of yours?" She asked.

Carth smiled. " Only in regards to this delicious young redhead I know. Think you might be able to help out an old man?"

Vlaina grinned. " I could probably arrange that as well. For a price."

" And that would be?" Vlaina leaned over and whispered in his ear, Carth's smiled getting bigger. " Well… that sounds like something I can do quite well."

" I know." Vlaina spoke, taking his hand. " Come… we must get back."

Iziz

Capital of Onderon

Known as the Walled City

The first planet to fall during the Mandalorians Wars forty years ago had changed so much since then. Gone were the blaster scorch marks on many of the buildings. Gone were the half destroyed and un-repaired buildings, and in their place stood newer and stronger structures of elegance and grace. Many built with Mandalorian iron, one of the strongest metals known to exist. The Western Market Square had grown in size and safety. Gone were the days of the Beast Rider thugs and mercenaries that had once filled the streets. These days the streets were filled with vendors and Onderon militia, and thousands of content and happy men, women and children. Peace does that to a society.

After Dacen Vorsut and Canderous Ordo had helped Queen Talia during the attempted coup by her cousin General Vaklu, things had begun to improve almost immediately. Upon returning from the second destruction of Malachor V, at Dacen's request, Canderous had returned to Dxun and extended the Olive Branch of peace and corporation. That had begun a new chapter in the history of this troubled world. And for nearly forty years now, peace had reigned. It was not uncommon to see Mandalorians walking freely among the people of Onderon, in the vendor squares, having dinner in the many restaurants or shopping in the many stores.

So it was not awkward at all for Arren to walk among the many shops of the Square. She pushed the hover stroller in front of her, Anja, Brianna and Bastila walking beside her, all of them enjoying the few moments of normalcy they were experiencing, regardless how short they all knew it would be. Brianna carried one of her twin boys, the other was currently still on Dxun with Dacen. Bastila was pushing her own stroller with her four year old twin sons in them. They were a well known site for the Onderonian and Mandalorian merchants that dotted the square. And word had spread quickly that the very attractive young woman with them was to be the wife of the son of Revan very soon, and all of them deducted she would become a normal site for them on the streets. Though they had changed into more casual clothes, all of them still wore their light sabers.

They were unaware of the four pairs of eyes currently following them through the crowd. The four Jedi Knights stepped away from the vendor's stand where they were supposedly admiring the items. The older of the Knights, a man with gray in his hair, lifted the small communicator to his lips.

" Target acquired." He spoke softly. " Target is one hundred meters to your south. She travels with Bastila Shan. The wife of the traitor Revan. We will take them both. The other two females are of no concern."

" Understood." The voice answered.

The four Knights fell in behind the small group of ladies as they walked.

"… city was nearly destroyed during their civil war." Bastila was telling Anja as they walked. " They have done so much. It has returned to its original splendor."

Anja had to agree. " It is very beautiful." She said.

" How does it feel?" Bastila asked.

Anja looked at her. " What?"

" You will be Revan's wife in a few days Anja. How does it make you feel?"

Anja smiled a dreamy smile. " I have never be so happy and at peace Bastila. Everything is so clear to me now. No doubts… nothing to cloud what I think."

Bastila nodded. " It was like that for me as well." She told her. " Once I heard those words… 'I present Revan and Bastila Panlie' the clarity was amazing."

They both heard one of the boys call to be picked up, and Bastila stopped.

" May I?" Anja asked.

Bastila smiled. " Of course Anja. Always."

Anja bent over and carefully picked up the squirming four year old with dark hair and eyes. " Hello little Carth." She said softly.

Anja looked up quickly when she felt the slight tremor in the Force. Her eyes swept the crowd around them carefully, settling on the group of five men and women walking toward them almost nonchalantly. Casually she turned around and noticed the four men behind them. Anja turned to Bastila a smile still on her face.

Bastila… don't look up! We are being targeted. Anja spoke to her though the bond they shared.

Bastila nodded calmly and tickled her son's nose. Bounty Hunters?

No. Bastila… I think they are Jedi. I can barely discern their Force aura, but they move like Jedi.

Bastila closed her eyes and concentrated on the crowd around them. She was surprised when it took her a great deal of concentration to finally target the men.

You are correct Anja. They are Jedi.

They are coming for me. Anja spoke.

Yes, and me as well it seems. Their hearts are beginning to quicken.

" Brianna!" Bastila called loudly. Brianna turned from the item she was examining with Arren. " Could you assist me with Jacen here. He seems to have contracted a leech of some sort."

Brianna smiled, her combat senses immediately coming active. She moved over to the stroller and knelt down on one knee, shielding her son with her body. Bastila had used a code phrase to warn her they were being followed, and Arren remained standing, talking to her two boys as she quickly scanned the area around them. She could just barely make out the Force auras of the approaching men. She leaned over to straighten the blanket in the stroller." Jedi!" She hissed softly. " Here?"

" They are after Anja and myself." Bastila spoke quietly while adjusting her son's clothes. Revan? She reached out within her bond to her husband. Where are you?

In the command center on Dxun. We are decoding a message from Vlaina that has just arrived. What is wrong Bastila? He asked detecting the hint of concern in her voice.

I believe I have a feeling what Vlaina's message will contain. Bastila told him. We are in Iziz. We have at least nine Jedi targeting us. Anja detected them first. It appears their intentions are to take us. Where is our son?

He is at the sanctuary giving Corna a tour. The dampening field does not facilitate communication. Bas… you are with Anja and Brianna and Arren. Why is it that your thoughts are uneasy? The four of you could easily subdue nine Jedi.

Revan… we brought the children. Bastila told him.

They target you when you have children with you? Revan gasped. Is the Jedi Council insane?

Do you trust me Revan? Bastila asked.

Bas… why do you ask that question? Of course I trust you.

Contact the garrison here in Iziz. Have them deploy with Force inhibitor collars to our location in the square. We will take care of this.

Bas… do not kill them. I sense something more at work here. Revan spoke

I won't, my love. We will see you soon.

Bastila continued to adjust little Jacen's clothes, and kept the smile on her face. " Anja… it appears Rev junior taught you how to dampen your Force signature using your bond."

Anja nodded. " Yes. It was one of the first things he showed me."

Bastila nodded. " Yes… it was the first thing 'my' Revan showed me as well. It comes in quite handy. Perhaps we should lower the dampeners you and I have in place and see what type of reaction we get."

Anja nodded, knowing why she wanted to do this. Revan had shown her one evening the Force aura she projected, and Anja had been stunned. She had no idea she was so strong with the Force. Anja herself was nearly staggered when she saw the auras projecting from Bastila and the senior Revan, and from her 'Revan', and it stunned her to see her aura was nearly as powerful as theirs.

While Jedi of any level and skill possessed Force auras, and were able to detect them in other Jedi, usually only Masters of the Force had such strong signatures. Bastila and Anja possessed very strong Force auras all by themselves, much stronger than any Jedi Master the nine Jedi had ever experienced. The reaction was just as Bastila had hoped when she and Anja lowered their Force dampening shields.

The nine Jedi came to abrupt halts and were inwardly staggered by the power that now confronted them. They immediately turned to try and blend in with the crowd without giving themselves away. The leader of the group closing on them from the rear lifted the small communicator.

" Commander…" She began.

" I know! I have sensed it too." The senior Jedi spoke.

" I have never seen such an aura from a Padawan! And Bastila Shan is far more powerful then we were led to believe."

" It would appear that Anja Tamari has grown much since leaving the Temple." The senior Jedi spoke. " Yet it appears they do not sense our presence. Curious."

" I do not believe that commander." The female Jedi spoke. " I think they are very much aware of our presence. They are baiting us. Waiting to see what we do."

" I concur commander." Another of the Jedi in their group spoke. " The trap we thought to spring has been turned on us. We must retreat."

Bastila stood up and took little Carth from Anja with a smile. " Brianna… would you and Arren please cover the children. I believe Anja and I can handle this."

Brianna grinned. " Of course Bastila. It is my chance to corrupt little Carth." She said drawing their stroller closer to her and Arren.

Bastila… they are wavering. Anja spoke in their bond. Indecision clouds them.

Very well. Let us act then. Take the ones to our rear Anja.

Anja did not even turn around and she leaped into the air, performing a spinning flip move while airborne, and landing in front of the female Jedi, who stared at her with wide eyes.

" Good morning." She spoke as she lifted her hand towards the four of them. Their light sabers were torn form their belts and sent flying to where Arren and Brianna easily caught them in their hands.

The female Jedi reacted quicker than her male companions and tried to use a Force wave to knock Anja back. Her eyes grew even wider when Anja simply absorbed and deflected the wave back at them. The four Jedi went sprawling to the ground with grunts of pain. The female Jedi rolled to her left and came to her feet, only to be met with several dozen blasters leveled at her and her companions. The men and women of Onderon knew who Bastila and the others were, and while they were members of the Republic, the people of Onderon were very protective of the Jedi that had saved their world and even now helped to protect it. The female Jedi froze in her crouch, as did her companions.

" You have chosen the wrong Jedi to attack young lady." The older woman stated, holding the blaster pistol inches from her face. " We do not fear the Jedi here on Onderon. And you can not defeat all of us can you."

Anja looked around her slowly, seeing the people in the square closest to the four Jedi with weapons out and leveled at them. She had not expected this, and was very impressed. She walked up to the young female Jedi.

" Can I get you anything?" She asked in a sarcastic tone.

The senior Jedi Knight could not move anything but his head. And when he turned that he saw his fellow Knights were trapped in the same Force stasis he was. His eyes flicked back to where Bastila walked slowly up to them. It stunned him that her face showed no exertion from holding the five of them in such a powerful stasis field.

" My suggestion to you Jedi…" Bastila spoke. " Is to quickly explain to me why you are here, and why you have decided to confront us when we are in the company of children. MY CHILDREN! When did the Jedi Order abandon their code to not bring harm to innocents! Who are you!"

" My name is Knight Caylor. We… we were tasked by the Jedi Council to detain Padawan Tamari and return with her to Coruscant. We saw you with her and I decided to detain you as well, as a traitor!"

" The Jedi Council sent you to kidnap us?" Bastila asked slightly taken aback. " Since when has the council reverted to kidnapping!" She saw Anja come up next to her. " And I was expelled from your precious Order. Why would they be interested in me?"

" There are those who still view your… your fall to the dark side as criminal." Caylor replied.

" That was many years ago." Bastila spoke. " And from the looks of your age, many years before you were even born. You have undoubtedly sensed our auras. Please… tell me where you have sensed darkness within me."

" The Council… the council believed the son of Revan would corrupt Padawan Tamari and turn her to the dark side." Caylor spoke.

" Well… as you can obviously see, the is no darkness here. Unless… you are not what you claim to be. No Jedi I have ever known would attack two women while they traveled with children." Bastila spoke.

" Padawan Tamari's return is a priority of the Council for some reason."

" I have no desire to return to the Council!" Anja spoke now. " Or to the Jedi. And I will soon be wife to the 'Son of Revan' as you so contemptibly spoke his name. And I am also no Padawan anymore either." Anja lifted her hand and their light sabers torn form their belts as with the others and sailed to where Brianna and Arren caught them.

" Knight Caylor… you are hopelessly outnumbered." Bastila spoke. " The people of Onderon have no love for your Jedi Order, and if you attempt to continue your crusade to take Anja and myself from the lives we have chosen, you will find them to be quite unfriendly I assure you. My suggestion is to do nothing and return with us to Dxun. My husband and son are very easy to talk to, but believe me when I say, if harm is brought to me or his children, or harm to Anja is caused, there will be no place in this galaxy that will be safe for you to hide."

" I expected such a response from someone who used to be the apprentice of a Dark Lord." Caylor hissed, hoping to cause a reaction in Bastila.

" No Knight Caylor… that was the response from a mother and wife. I command both light and dark side powers young Jedi… and the fact that you are not some smoking piece of ash on this street should be proof enough to you that conflict is not what I desire." Bastila stepped forward, closer to him. Her eyes narrowed and took on a menacing stare. " But if you are that ready to die…"

" We will submit." He spoke quickly.

Bastila smiled again. She sensed the Iziz garrison troops approaching and released the five of them from stasis. " A wise choice." She said as the troops moved up to the Jedi and quickly attached Force inhibitor bands to the arms of all the Jedi.

Revan held out the data pad to Corna. " Do you know them?"

Corna reviewed the pad quickly and nodded. " Many of them yes. They are Jedi knights that finished their training on Coruscant before departing to the out lying planets in the Republic to stabilize things after Dacen destroyed the remaining Sith Lords at Malachor."

Revan nodded. " Well they have just attempted a rather foolish thing. They tried to kidnap Bastila and Anja from the market square of Iziz." Revan saw his son come to his feet quickly and he raised his hand. " They did not succeed, and no one has been hurt. Your mother is returning with them as we speak."

" Has the Jedi Council lost their mind!" Rev junior popped.

Revan held out the second data pad to his son. " I got this from Vlaina this morning. Carth had her send it. This might help explain things."

Rev junior took the pad and began to read, his eyes growing darker. " Sith's blood! I was right!" He snapped after a moment.

Corna looked at him. " Right about what?"

Rev junior handed him the pad. " The Sith have infiltrated the Jedi Council."

Corna snatched the pad. " Impossible!" He hissed. " I…" His eyes fell on the pad and he had to sit down as he read on. " By the Force!"

" If Vandar and Jolee have been left out of the loop, it's because they are deemed as a threat to the Sith's plan because they are too close to us." The senior Revan spoke. " They will be out voted at nearly every turn, and will have no real power."

" Will they be confined?" Corna asked.

Revan shook his head. " I doubt it. To do that would make it obvious that something else was going on. The senior Jedi would catch on. Better to let them remain on the council and influence the other Masters."

" Do you have any ideas who it is?" Rev junior asked.

Corna shook his head slowly. " I never had any inkling that this had happen."

" Who was the last Master chosen to sit on the council?" The senior Revan asked.

" Grana." Corna answered immediately. " She was selected asome years ago, shortly after my appointment. But… Revan, I worked with her before that. Many times."

" Father… could it… could it be Vandar." Rev junior asked.

Revan looked at his son for a moment. " No. A member of his species has been on the Council since its inception. They have always been the most powerful and influential Masters. No, I refuse to believe it could be Vandar." He took one of the chairs in the small office. " I was thinking that perhaps Atris has not fully returned to the light. She had access to the holocrons that could have taught her this technique, and she is masterful at being able to mask her true feelings."

" Will you go and meet Vandar?" Corna asked.

Revan nodded. " Yes. As much as I distrust the Jedi Council, and now for good reason it seems, I do trust Vandar and Jolee."

" This might be what they expect you to do father." Rev junior spoke. " Vandar and Jolee could be leading you into a trap without even knowing about it."

" I thought of that." Revan replied. " That's why I must go. Carth and Vlaina have enough influence within the alleys of Old Coruscant to ensure that nothing happens."

" You should let me go." Rev junior spoke.

The senior Revan chuckled. " Son… if you set foot anywhere near Coruscant now, every Bounty Hunter in the galaxy will converge there. As far as everyone else is concerned, your mother and I are still out on the Outer Rim. We can sneak in and out far easier." He looked at his son. " Besides… you have another mission you and Corna must attend to."

Corna looked up. " A mission? You are going to send me on a mission? How do you know I am not the Sith controlling the Council?"

Revan's eyes bore into Corna. " If you were my friend, my son would have killed you long ago. Without so much as a second thought."

Corna looked at Revan junior and saw the same look in his eyes. He turned back to his friend and smiled. " I am certainly glad you are no longer a Sith Lord Revan. I do not believe we would be able to stand against you this time."

Revan smiled, his face relaxing. " Corna my friend, you have no idea what it is like as a Sith Lord. No peace. No calmness of spirit. No love. I have no desire to ever return to those days. And I would kill myself before I let that happen."

Corna nodded his head. " I know. I sensed that from you when we first saw each other after all these years. I am proud to serve at your side once again Revan Panlie. Very proud."

Revan nodded. " And I am proud to have you. Now… let us go talk to these young Jedi Knights. I can not allow them to return to Coruscant. So we must devise a way for them to report their mission as ongoing and make it believable."

" And if we can't make them see what is really happening?" Corna asked.

Revan looked at him. " Then I will be forced to incapacitate them until this war is decided."

Jedi Knight Mace Caylor watched in fascination as Revan Panlie greeted his wife with an embrace and a deep kiss before bending over to pick up his sons from the stroller. He and his fellow Jedi stood on the edge of the landing pad inside the Mandalorian compound on Dxun. He could see Mandalorian troops training in the distance, as well as women and children going from building to building conducting daily business. He watched as Dacen Vorsut walked up to the platform carrying the small child in his arms. Mace watched as he greeted Brianna in the same fashion as Revan had greeted Bastila. He could feel the emotions coursing through the men and women all around him. He watched as Anja walked over to Revan junior and his eyes widened somewhat when they shared a very intense kiss in front of everyone present, without the least bit of shame or embarrassment.

Mace was nearly overwhelmed by the Force auras of the men and women in front of him. Revan Panlie, Dacen Vorsut, Bastila Shan, their children young and old. He had never seen so many powerful Jedi standing in one place. Their auras dwarfed even those members of the Council. His eyes caught site of Master Corna as he made his way onto the platform beside the tall Mandalorian who immediately embraced the young woman with long white hair.

Mace was a student of history like Anja Tamari, and he knew the history of Revan Panlie and Bastila Shan as it was told in the Jedi Archives. It had always fascinated him, to the point of driving his Master crazy with questions when he was a Padawan. He watched as a Mandalorian soldier set the crate with his light saber and those light sabers of his team down on the platform next to where Revan stood. He saw Bastila Shan kiss her husband before continuing off the platform with Brianna and Arren. Anja he saw, stayed next to the younger Revan Panlie, holding his hand tightly.

Revan turned to finally look at him and he lifted his hand quickly and waved. The Force inhibitor bands deactivated and fell from his arm and the arms of his team. He then kicked over the crate, spilling the light sabers onto the platform. Mace looked at Revan, unsure of what was going to happen. He sensed his team was also very confused. They watched as Revan removed the robes he wore, followed by his son and Dacen and then Anja. Master Corna followed suit as the robes dropped to the platform.

Revan looked at him, his eyes hard and uncaring. " I should kill all of you for threatening my wife and children. And I can assure you Dacen feels the same, as does my son. Do you not find it strange that the Jedi Council ordered you to undertake this mission?"

" The Council's directives must be followed!" Mace spoke. " You and Bastila Shan were expelled from the Order, as was Dacen Vorsut. You defied the Council and were expelled! And now you have corrupted a Padawan of the Order, as well as one of the Council's Masters. You must answer for your crimes!"

" No one has corrupted me Knight Caylor." Corna spoke. " I stand here now because I choose too."

Revan motioned to the light sabers littering the platform. " Come Jedi Knight Mace Caylor. Here we are… pick up your weapons and let us do battle. The most wanted 'criminals' in the Jedi Order, as you call us. Here we stand. You have us outnumbered. Take up your weapons and attack. I can assure you however, none of you will leave this platform alive."

Mace glanced at his light saber on the ground in front of him. His eyes returned to the senior Revan, who had not moved from his spot. " You are testing us." he said finally.

" Am I?" Revan asked. " You are the ones who threatened women and children. I don't recall that ever being part of the Jedi Code."

" They could have come freely!" Mace snapped. " The children would not have been harmed! Unlike what you have done in the past!"

" Why would they? Has the Jedi Council and the Jedi who serve it, become so arrogant as to deny the right of free will now? Is that it Knight Caylor?" Dacen spoke now. " You dare speak of past sins when you stand here before us willing to rip a mother from her children, and take a young woman from the man she loves. If that is what the Jedi have become, I am ashamed to have ever called myself a Jedi Knight."

" You stand with a Sith Lord Dacen Vorsut!" Mace spat.

" Do I? Where do you sense the dark side Mace Caylor?" Dacen spoke. " Reach out with your feelings. The Force inhibitors are no longer active. Tell me where you sense the dark side on this moon. You are powerful enough to detect it. Your aura is strong. Tell me!"

Mace's eyes darted around the platform. None of his team had made a move, and he reached into the Force. His being was overwhelmed with the air of peace that saturated the moon. He had not sensed it before. He felt the auras of many Jedi scattered over the moon. All of them were calm and serene. Yet they were different. Through the calmness, he could sense the power of some of them, lying just beneath the surface, dormant and harnessed.

" Jedi?" he asked.

Revan stepped forward slowly. " Yes, Jedi."

" They are different." Mace spoke. " They… they shimmer with power. Yet it is… it is harnessed, controlled."

Revan nodded. " That is the emotions you feel. Their emotions. We do not teach that emotions are the path to the dark side. Emotions are who we are. We teach them to harness the power their emotions bring, to control it. Not let it control them."

Mace looked at him. " That… those are the teachings of the Dark Side!" He gasped.

Revan nodded. " Yet you sense no one tainted by the dark side, do you?"

" No. How is that possible?"

" It is one of the differences that separate us from the Jedi Order." Revan spoke. He held out the data pad. " I received this today Mace Caylor. I want you to see it."

Mace took the data pad slowly. " What is it?"

" A message I received from Senator Carth Onasi."

Mace activated the data pad and felt his team close in around him as the message played. He waited until the message was finished before looking at Revan. " You expect me to believe this?" He asked.

Revan shook his head. " No, that is why you are going with me to this meeting with Master Vandar and Master Jolee, to hear it for yourself. If it's true."

Mace looked at him wide eyed. " What if I choose to ignore them. What if I choose to turn you over to the Council?"

Revan's smile was not pleasant. " Then Knight Caylor, they will collect your remains from where I leave you, and I will return here to prepare for the war that is nearly upon us."

" My team?"

" They will remain here. Dxun is a large moon. I will arrange quarters for them. They can keep their weapons and move about freely. You will be allowed to use our facilities and train if that is your wish. They will not however, be allowed to leave until you and I return." Revan spoke. " I will caution you… the Jedi on this moon do not hold the same ideals as you. What you will see will most likely shock most of your people. I encourage you to not interfere. It will only lead to your people being injured."

" My team are all experienced Jedi!" Mace snapped.

Revan chuckled. " Arrogance! From a Jedi?" He said. " Your team may be experienced Mace Caylor. And I'm sure you are skilled, since you managed to remain undetected on Onderon for a time. But you are not on Onderon anymore, and the Jedi on this moon are far more skilled than the members of your team. Our Padawans are more of a match for any on your team. I suggest you keep that in mind. I'll have someone show you to quarters you can use. We leave in the morning."

Mace Caylor watched him turn away and start walking off the platform. He reached out and his light saber leaped back into his hand, as the rest of his team did the same. He looked up and saw Rev junior watching him from a squatting position on the edge of the platform.

" What do you want son of Revan?" Mace asked with contempt in his voice.

Revan reached out and Mace's light saber was ripped from his hand and leapt into Revan's. Mace looked at him wide eyed. No one had been able to do that to him since his Master nearly twenty years ago. Revan spun the light saber in his hand and straightened up to his full height.

" If you betray my father Jedi. I will hunt you down and bury you." Revan spoke in a menacing tone.

Mace chuckled. " I do not fear you son of Revan."

Revan tossed the light saber back at Mace and executed a Force jump directly at him. The double move threw Mace Caylor off and before he could blink, Revan was next to him, one of his viridian blades out and centimeters from Mace's throat. The other members of his team ignited their light sabers only to suddenly find themselves surrounded by light saber wielding Jedi as they deactivated their stealth shields. Mace's team looked stunned as they had not even sensed other Jedi so close to them.

Mace's eyes came back to Revan, and he saw Anja directly behind him, an identical viridian blade ignited and in an attack position. He gazed back into Revan's sapphire eyes.

" I have seen with my own eyes more death than your feeble mind could comprehend Mace Caylor. I have also seen what the Jedi Council did to my parents. I am not as forgiving as my mother and father Jedi. Betray my father while you travel with him, and it will take you three very long and painful days to die when I find you." Revan growled at him. " And do not for one second believe that you will ever be safe from me."

Revan deactivated his light saber and turned to walk away. Anja fell in beside him, slipping her hand into his before they had left the platform.

Mace reached up to his throat, where he could still feel the heat from Revan's blade. He watched as they Jedi that had appeared slowly made their way off the platform.

" By the Force, what has the Council thrown us into." He muttered.