CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DXUN
" I was the only one who returned to the council after Malachor V, only to be accused of disobedience and immediately exiled. I was not as angered as I was devastated, devastated that the Jedi Order could not even admit their mistakes. That perhaps their teachings were too extreme. That maybe it was better to endeavor to understand why we few Jedi favored action over inaction at the start of the Mandalorian War." Dacen spoke quietly on the edge of the platform.
He and Brianna had walked with Arren and Anja as they made their way to the freighter that was being readied for them. It was Anja's question about why he had chosen to come here after his Knight status had been returned. Dacen had looked at Brianna, and she had squeezed his hand nodding her head. He had shared his thoughts with her alone all these years and now it was time to share them with others.
" The council called us rash and battle hungry. The dark side, they said, is what drove us, what we sought. I couldn't understand how the Jedi Masters could compare us to such evil when we had sacrificed so much to aid the Republic, which would have surely lost if we had not intervened? People were dying by the millions, and they did nothing.
" Those Jedi, Atris among them, they are who I began to look on with a different eye. I saw their faces as they judged me on Coruscant. Even they, the twelve great Masters, could not hide their emotions of anger, of hate, emotions that feed our darker side. This hate and punishment, from the supposed 'compassionate, open-minded' Jedi Masters is probably a reason why so many chose to leave the order and follow Revan on his quest."
" You did not follow." Anja said.
Dacen shook his head. " Malachor V tore me apart, so many had died that it left an emptiness in me. Revan saw this, and he allowed me to leave. And now we all know why he allowed me to leave. He knew… he knew I would survive and be the one to bring him back. And he knew that all this… everything we have built… would bring us to this day, this coming war. We talked many nights out there in the jungles of Dxun, the ghosts of our brethren all around us. Sometimes we could almost hear them with us, giving us direction and purpose. They died in the beginning of the war we must now end. If we fail… then every one of them will have died for nothing.
" I found peace again… not in the absolutism of the Jedi Order and their Code… but in the arms of a woman." Dacen turned and looked at his wife with adoring eyes. " The echo… the wound… as they called me… even after the Second Battle of Telos. The echo was silenced when I came here with your mother Arren. And the wound they said I created, never really existed. I can not help but feel guilty that we must now take up the battle the Jedi are unwilling too. They chose not to fight once and thousands of our Order died. They will choose not to fight again, and it will fall to us. Again. The exiles. The 'Lost Jedi' as Kreia once called us."
Dacen looked at Anja. " And Rev junior… he is so much like his father it is scary sometimes. He is the key."
Anja sat up straighter. " The key? What do you mean?"
Dacen nodded. " I do not fully understand it. I am… I was a Jedi Guardian. He was a Jedi Sentential. They got into all that history and other Force focus poo doo; something to do with the balance of the Force and Rev junior being a Paradine. A key to the coming war. I do know this though…" He looked at Anja. " That man is the most powerful Force wielder that I have ever known, even more than his father. And Revan senior is about as powerful as they come. He emanates power. He'll never admit this to anyone, but his father told me once. The only thing he has ever wanted in his life…" Dacen looked at Anja with a knowing smile. " Besides you that is." He grinned when Anja blushed. " The only thing he has ever wanted was to hold the title of Jedi Knight. To redeem his father's name." Anja looked at him with an astonished expression. Dacen chuckled. " He's never told you uhu?"
Anja shook her head. " The only thing I've ever sensed from him in regards to the Jedi Order is contempt and distrust." She said turning to watch Revan talking with Dralor by the ramp of the freighter.
Dacen nodded. " He's good at masking his feelings. He gets that from his father. It drives Bastila nuts! It will drive you insane too… wait and see. Don't let him fool you Anja… he may have a lot of problems with how the Order's teachings are taught… but that young man embodies everything the Jedi Order is meant to represent. Everything his father and I thought the Order represented when we joined. Love. Devotion. Duty. Protectors of the common man. He deserves to be a Jedi Master in my book. Remember that he loves you more than the gravity fields of some planets I've seen. That will save you both one day."
Anja looked over just as Revan and Dralor started towards them. She smiled. " I won't forget." She said.
" Good." Dacen got to his feet as Revan and Dralor walked up.
" Ok, we're all loaded." Revan said.
" Remember to tell Vogga I said hi." Dacen spoke.
Revan laughed. " Yes, I'm sure that will make him feel so much better."
Dacen embraced Revan. " Remember the plan. Stick to it. We'll join up with you at the designated coordinates in three weeks."
" I will Uncle Dacen." Revan replied. He turned to where Brianna stood and gave her a hug as well.
" Watch over Arren for us Revan?" Brianna said softly, so Arren would not hear.
Revan smiled and nodded. " I will. Don't worry."
Revan stepped over to where Anja stood and slipped his arm around her as Arren embraced her parents and said her good byes. She and Dralor had already embraced and kissed their children before leaving them with their nanny.
" May the Force guide you." Dacen said, as they turned and headed for the ship.
Brianna hugged her husband tightly. " Dacen… why do I feel we will never see them again." She asked softly.
Dacen looked at her before pulling her close. He stroked her hair. " Have faith Brianna. Trust in the Force. Trust in what we have taught them. We must believe."
" I'm pregnant." Brianna said, looking up into her husband's eyes.
Dacen smiled. " I was wondering when you were going to tell me."
" You sensed the baby didn't you?" She asked, taking his face in her hands.
Dacen nodded. " He's strong."
" He?" Brianna asked with a smile. " Last time you thought it was a he, Hanna was born."
Dacen shrugged. " Maybe I'll get it right one of these times." He leaned over and drew his wife of nearly thirty years into a warm gentle kiss.
CORUSCANT
" … have been unable to execute the Council's Order Master Atris." Mace Caylor reported. " Master Corna and Padawan Tamari have left Dxun. The security around them was extremely tight."
Atris and the other Master's looked at the image of Mace as they sat in the Chambers. This news did not make them happy.
" We can follow Master Atris. We have arranged for transport on a civilian freighter that is capable of trailing the Mandalorian frigate." Mace continued.
" Do that Knight Caylor. And your edict now includes Revan and Bastila as well as the Exile Dacen Vorsut. They will be returned to this Council to face punishment for their crimes against the Republic and the Order." Atris spoke.
" Does the Council require them alive?" Mace asked. " I ask because you must know the Dark Lord will not come freely. Are we authorized to use lethal force against them?"
Grana leaned forward. " Yes. The Council authorizes you to use whatever means necessary. If that includes lethal force… so be it."
Mace nodded in the blue holo image. " I will need more Knights Masters, at least a dozen, and the more senior the better. The younger Knights and Padawans will not understand why the Council is doing this. Revan and Bastila are not currently on Dxun, but they will return in a few days if my information is correct."
" Whatever information you can discover about this Sanctuary they speak of." Ki-Van Or said. " Gather that as well. Their children will need to be dealt with also."
Mace nodded. " As the Council orders."
Mace turned from where he stood during the transmission and looked at Revan. " I… I am stunned." Mace said. " Even though I know the truth… what they just ordered me to do is paramount to murder."
" These Sith will not care who is murdered, as long as they achieve their goals." Revan spoke.
Mace stepped forward and took the cube from the holo imager. " I will take this and the message from Master Vandar. I know many of the most senior Knights in the Order. I will show it to them."
Revan stepped up to him. " Then what Mace. You must not ask them to fight for me. This… this war could very well destroy the Order. I don't want that on my head."
Mace looked at him. " The Order is being destroyed already Revan! You know this! I am finally seeing what is going on!"
" Mace… I can't… I can't be responsible. I went to war once, against the wishes of the Council, and I watched far too many friends and fellow Jedi fall. I can not do that again." Revan said.
Mace gazed at this man, Revan Panlie, a savior of the Republic, an enemy of the Republic, and a savior once more of the Republic. He took a deep breath. " I remember a holo recording I saw once, many years ago. In it a young Jedi Knight spoke of protecting the Republic we live in. And that the Jedi Order was wrong for not joining the fight." Revan shook his head, knowing where this was leading. " In that holo vid… he said these words… 'If we do not use the power we have to help the innocents, that makes us no better than the Mandalorians who are killing our Republic.' You said that Revan Panlie… three weeks after you left for the Mandalorian wars. We are Jedi Knights Revan! We serve the Republic! How can we not follow you?"
" The Jedi Council has not approved this Mace." Revan said.
" The Council is corrupted by the Sith!" Mace argued.
" They won't remain that way Mace. War is not the Jedi way!" Revan spoke. " You can't throw away all that you have done. I won't let you."
" Even if the Council was not corrupted Revan… you would not be able to stop those of us who hold the lives of innocents and the Republic above the Teachings of the Order." Mace spoke. " You and Dacen Vorsut are leaders of men. As is your son. I see that now. All these years you have fought, even after what the Jedi Council did to you. You have fought for the survival of the Republic and the Order. Fought against the very threat you warned them about. And they did nothing!" Mace drew himself taller and looked at Revan, even though he was several inches shorter. " Is it true Revan? What you told me about your son? That is all he desires?"
Revan nodded. " That… and peace and the love of the woman that now shares his life."
" Padawan Tamari?" Mace asked.
" Yes."
" And has he ever failed at obtaining what he desires?" Mace asked.
Revan shook his head. " Not that I am aware of."
" Then by the Force… I will do my part in making sure we all have that!" Mace spoke, gripping his arms. " And I will not rest until it is done. Like your son."
" He's coming." The holo image showed the deep purple, almost red skinned Sith Lord.
" Yes, my Master." The female voice replied.
" I do not want him or any with him to survive."
" They will not Master. I swear to you."
" You have done well Apprentice, far better than I had hoped for only two years of training. Complete this mission for me and you will take your rightful place at my side."
" I will not fail Master."
" Contact me when it is done."
The image faded and the blue skinned female Twi'lek turned to the twenty dark Jedi under her command. Her Lekku were draped seductively over her shoulders, accenting the low cut of her black specialized fiber armor. The armor conformed to the many curves of her lush body. Her ample chest and moist lips had always elicited prolonged glances from males of all races, her blue eyes like glowing orbs. She wore the single light saber attached on her waist, and the black cloak scrapped along the floor.
" Prepare the traps in the tunnels." She spoke, her voice full of command. " I want them herded to the freezing chamber."
" We should attack they moment they set foot on the station." One of the dark Jedi commented.
The woman reached out with her hand and the dark Jedi's eyes widened as his hands went to his throat. She brought her fist together and the rest of them heard the distinct snap of their comrades' neck. His limp body crashed to the floor.
" Does anyone else wish to challenge me?" She spat viciously.
None of them did. They turned and began to exit the room as the Twi'lek female walked to the one window hatch in the room.
Mission Vao's piercing blue eyes stared into the center of the cluster of black holes known as The Maw.
CORUSCANT
Revan sat on the floor of the small guest room in Carth's suite of the Senate hotel. They had been able to sneak into the hotel with a minimum of difficulty and a small use of Force persuasion. Carth had offered them the use of the large bedroom, but Revan had refused. Bastila was curled up under the blankets of the bed sleeping soundly. Using the Force, but blocking his aura from being detected, Revan had detected the presence of four dark side auras. All of them were centered near his location, and he silently thanked Dacen's fabulous tech specialist Bao-Dur for developing the stealth Force shields. With the activated shields in place and on their person, he and Bastila could move around nearly unnoticed by any of the Jedi on Coruscant, as well as undetected by the four Sith apprentices.
He and Bastila had watched news holos of the Senate in session, and it disturbed him that the Senate had not changed in nearly thirty years. They bickered about everything, and this he knew would lead to the eventual downfall of the Republic. Not for many thousands of years, but in the end, their own internal corruption would destroy them.
Revan was deep in meditation and reached out to his son who he sensed was awake through their bond.
How did the meeting with Vogga go?
As planned. We have the codes and are on course for Kessel. Father… I sense something strange in the Force. Familiar… yet different.
I feel it too. It is a person, strong in the Force, but tainted by the dark side. It is familiar, but the darkness taints the aura.
Then I will be more careful. They may well know we are coming.
Trust in your feelings son. They won't betray you.
I will.
Where is Anja?
Sleeping. We trained hard today. She is becoming very skilled with the light saber father. It's almost as if she is able to mirror my actions.
Revan smiled hearing the pride in his son's voice. She is smart Rev. She's drawing on your skill and using it to supplement hers. It is how your mother became so skilled. As time passes, the skills will become part of her and she will no longer need to draw on your strength.
She is far stronger than she lets on father.
Yes I know. Work more on her Force powers son. She needs better focus and more control. She is powerful… but as you can no doubt tell she is not as tempered as you. They held her back at the academy. They should have developed her Force skills more during her training.
I will father.
Revan my son… the Jedi… they are going to begin coming over to our side. Mace revealed to me that many in their ranks are not happy with the direction the Order travels down. I sensed this in Vandar as well.
What aren't you telling me father?
I want to put them under your command. Your contingent of Jedi is the smallest.
Father… I am not mother. You can not block your feelings from me. What is wrong?
Revan, I can't have that on my head again. I can not lead Jedi to their deaths. Not again.
If they come father, it will be because of what they think of you. Not me. I will accept them if that is your wish, but I think you are making a mistake. No matter what the Council spews in their words… you are a hero in the Order. Many still look up to you even now. I could sense it while I was on Coruscant, when they saw my face.
And what if…
Father… as you have told me so often… we can not live in the past. What you did all those years ago you did with the benefit of the Republic always in your mind. You alone knew what this threat we now face could do. I believe the Jedi Order is going to realize it very soon as well. This is not a war they can let pass them by. They will have to get involved. It is our sworn duty… their sworn duty… to protect the innocents. The Republic. If they allow a repeat of the Mandalorian Wars, the Order will fall.
Your mother and I are going to remain on Coruscant for a time with Carth. We may be able to determine who on the Jedi Council and in the Senate are influencing the others more quickly if we are here.
Be careful father. To influence the Masters on the Council is no small feat. Even if they are all as dense as Krayt Dragons.
Revan chuckled. I will. I have your mother's calm to keep us on the path.
I must sleep father. Kessel is not that far from Nar Shaddaa and I want to be ready.
May the Force guide you my son.
May it guide you as well father.
Revan opened his eyes and let out a long breath. His son was right. He had to face his demons. He got up off the floor and moved to the bed and slowly sank into the soft mattress next to his wife.
Bastila stirred as his arms found her and she pressed against him with a contented moan. Revan stroked her bare shoulder, staring at her skin as the memories of all they had shared over the years stirred him. He leaned over and kissed her shoulder softly.
Bastila's eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. She reached up to touch his face, her fingers stroking his jaw. " What is it my love?"
" You are the most beautiful woman I have ever gazed upon." He said softly.
Bastila smiled and moved closer to his reassuring embrace, pressing her naked body to his. " You are not so bad yourself."
" Bastila… if I told you I wanted another child, what would you say?" He asked his voice serious.
Bastila came fully awake now and looked at him. " What is wrong my love? I thought… I thought we agreed that after Jacen and Carth we would not have anymore."
"I know. I was just asking. To see what you would say."
Bastila smiled and kissed his chin. " I would love to have another child with you Revan Panlie." She said softly.
Revan nodded. " I'm glad." He said. He reached up to turn down the lights and lowered his head to the pillow, closing his eyes.
Bastila looked at his face slightly surprised. " That's it?" She said.
" What do you mean?"
" You woke me up to ask if I would like another child?"
Revan nodded. " Yes. That was all." He closed his eyes again.
Bastila's eyes narrowed and her hand went to some place more intimate. " Revan Panlie… I suggest you start to make good on your claim."
Revan's eyes flew open. " Now… my love… that… that isn't necessary!" He winced slightly.
" Isn't it? I thought with your advanced age you might need some extra encouragement." Bastila spoke with a smile.
" Advanced age!" Revan rolled over on top of her faster than she thought possible and he pinned her to the bed. " I'll show you advanced age!"
Bastila laughed. " Now that is my Revan." She whimpered in desire as he brought his lips down onto hers and pulled her close.
KESSEL
Kessel is home to the largest spice mining operation in the galaxy. Glitterstim spice is not only a euphoric psychotropic drug beneficial in therapeutic uses the photoactive fibrous strands imbue a user with a temporary increase in latent telepathy. This, combined with the rarity of the substance, makes it incredibly valuable… valuable enough to kill and die for. It is smuggled quite regularly, and many a smuggler has made a fortune on one load of the spice.
Revan sat in the cockpit of their freighter with Dralor and studied the asteroid planet. Arren and Anja sat behind them. They could detect the regular traffic entering and leaving the mining star port, and they had transmitted their transponder code to the star port control and were waiting for clearance to land. While they waited, Revan went deep into the Force to try and determine what it was that caused him the uneasiness he felt. He searched as deeply as he could without causing a ripple that could be felt by force sensitive individuals on the planet. What he found caused his body to jerk in surprise. Everyone in the cockpit noticed this and Anja reached out to put her hand on his shoulder.
" Revan?"
His eyes popped open. " Dustil is here." He said softly. " He's injured badly, but masking his presence regardless."
" Dustil?" Arren spoke. " Here? How?"
" He's found Mission." Revan's words were soft still.
" Mission! Mission is here?" Arren was stunned.
Revan got up and left the cockpit, moving into the main hold of the ship. Arren and Anja followed quickly behind him.
" Revan!" Arren called. " Revan… what's wrong?"
Anja stopped and looked at him as she felt him through their bond. Her eyes widened a little and she looked at him, but said nothing. Arren grabbed his arm and spun him around.
" Revan… what is going on?"
" She has turned." Anja said in almost a whisper.
Arren's head snapped around to look at her. " What! What are you talking about! Turned?" She looked back to Revan. " Stop talking within your bond and tell me what you sense!"
Revan met her eyes. " Mission has become one of his apprentices." He spoke slowly, the words causing him a great deal of anguish. " We… we sensed she was Force sensitive some time ago. The Force never manifested itself directly within her, but that is why she was always so gifted. He tortured her. I can feel the remnants of the scars on her being. He has turned her to the dark side Arren."
Anja shook her head slightly to clear the images Revan was sharing with her through their bond. " She's been torturing Dustil. Trying to turn him as well."
Arren glanced between the two of them. " Dustil followed her here?"
" She lured him here." Revan corrected. " Using the love he has for her, she lured him here and captured him."
" Revan… Dustil is no push over. He's a powerful Jedi Knight." Arren said.
" And that is why he has lasted for so long." Revan spoke.
" The Council must have sensed his pain Revan." Anja said, looking at him. " They had to have sensed the agony he is in, the darkness that permeates all around him."
" Dustil was once a Sith. My father showed him the way back to the light on Korriban." Revan explained. " That is the darkness you sensed. He is like Arren and I. He draws on both sides for his power. But… but she has done terrible things to him. He is near his breaking point. We must get to him quickly."
Revan moved to the com net and brought up the secure channel to Kelborne's command ship. The older Mandalorian appeared in the bluish holo image.
" Revan… something must be wrong for you to have contacted me now. What is it?" Kelborne asked.
" Kelborne… we are walking into a trap." Revan spoke. " Dustil is on the planet, along with one of the Sith Master's apprentices. There is no need to confirm if a base exists. How long before you are in position?"
" Two hours." Kelborne answered.
Revan nodded. " We will go to the surface and rescue Dustil. Commence your attack immediately upon arriving in position."
Kelborne nodded. " Good. It will give us additional surprise."
Revan turned as the image faded. Arren took his arm. " Revan… what about Mission?"
" She is filled with hate and anger." Revan spoke. " We can not help her. The dark side consumes her."
" Revan you can't…"
" This mission is about the Sith base that obviously is very much operational. Not about finding Mission." Revan told her. " We will enter the base, find Dustil and we will leave."
" I will not leave Mission here to die!"
Revan's eyes blazed. " You will do as you are ordered Arren… or I will leave you on this ship! Is that understood?"
Arren looked taken aback. " She is our friend Revan." She said softly.
Revan's eyes were hard flints of sapphire blue as he stared at her. " Not anymore."
Revan turned and walked away from her heading for the cargo area of the ship where the twelve Dxun Jedi and Mandalorian troops were readying their weapons. They looked at their commander as he came into the cargo hold, not understanding the look of anguish on his face.
Dralor brought the freighter screaming into the star port and at the last possible second fired the braking thrusters and set down. The abrupt entrance of the freighter caused heads to turn in terror at the deafening sound. The heavily modified freighter had four gun turrets which were now manned by Mandalorian gunners, and the moment the bay doors opened to allow the spice operations guards to come storming into the bay they were ripped apart.
The loading ramp came down and Revan led the Jedi and remaining troops off at a run. He had decided for an impact approach and as he had hoped it caught the base and the Sith off guard. As a half dozen dark Jedi and nearly twice as many Sith troops in their silver armor poured out of doors all around the battle was joined.
Revan and Anja Force jumped right into the midst of the dark Jedi their light sabers slashing in a coordinated attack that took down two of the black clad attackers in an instant, their heads rolling across the bay floor. The Sith were unprepared for so bold an approach and were still momentarily disoriented from the suddenness of the attack.
It cost them dearly.
Arren unleashed a devastating Force waved fueled by her anger and rage at what had become of her friend. Six Sith troopers were sent crashing into the unyielding bulkhead their bodies crushed by the power of the wave, their armor constricting on them to the point of shattering bones within. The Dxun Jedi were far better trained and more powerful than Mission had anticipated and they were wreaking havoc among the Sith troopers. Every light saber blow severed a limb or took down an opponent.
Mission watched on the monitors from within the Sith base, her anger growing. They knew she was here, and their rage at her turning was fueling feats that she had not expected. She turned to the Sith commander.
" Deploy all your forces down the main corridors!" She barked. " We must stop them from reaching the base!"
The Sith officer bowed his head. " As your order Lady Vao!"
Mission turned back to the monitors to see Revan appear in front of one, his face a mask of unbridled rage. She involuntarily stepped back when Revan lifted his light saber and destroyed the camera.
" Revan." She whispered.
Revan dispatched another Sith soldier and whirled around to the that the bay had become silent. There were some innocent workers cowering in the corners, but they had only to look at the bloody bodies strewn everywhere to know not to move.
Revan's eyes found Anja first, where she stood a pile of bodies surrounding her. Her face was set in a determined expression, yet her green eyes were blazing. He moved up to her quickly, her face relaxing somewhat when he touched her. She could feel his calming presence through their bond and she sent him reassurance back. Arren came up to him.
" Find Dustil." Revan said. " He's down that corridor." Revan motioned with his hand to one of the side blast doors. " Take half our Jedi and Anja."
" Where are you going?" Arren asked.
" To find Mission." Revan replied. " I can not allow her to leave here and go back to her Master."
" Revan she is our friend!" Arren popped.
" Arren… please. Follow my instructions."
" If you hurt her Revan…"
" She is our enemy!" Revan growled at Arren. " Do not question my orders!"
Arren was taken aback by his response and she turned her head away, signaling for the Jedi to follow her.
Revan! Anja reached out to him.
I will be fine my love! I need your presence to keep Arren calm Anja. When she sees Dustil, she will want revenge. Keep her focused. Our mission here is important.
Anja nodded. May the Force Guide you my love
Revan turned to the Mandalorian commander. " Take your men four hundred meters down that corridor. Set the charges there. It will sever the power conduits connecting the mining operation and the Sith base. It will also destroy the shield generators protecting the outer blaster turrets. Once that is done… return to the ship."
" Yes sir!"
Revan turned and started toward the blast doors that would lead him down the other corridor. To kill a friend.
" Here!" Arren called as she brought her light saber in a downward arc, lopping of the head of the Sith trooper who blocked her way. They had left a path of bodies and smashed droids as they fought into the depths of the Sith base. Arren allowed her anger to flow through her, and she seemed nearly invincible as armored Sith troopers fell all around her. Anja followed right behind her, dispatching those troopers that appeared from doorways or adjoining corridors. They were moving quickly, and though dozens of Sith soldiers tried to stop them, the nine Jedi proved more than a match for everything thrown at them. Anja stayed as close to Arren as she could, trying to use her powers to project a calming influence over Arren, lest she slaughter everything.
Arren finally stopped outside the blast door, her mind focused. Anja came up to her.
" Arren?"
" He's in here." Arren said, looking at the wall for a set of controls.
" Stand back!" Anja barked, stepping in front of the door. She lifted her light saber and plunged it into the metal of the door burying it to the hilt.
" Anja… what are you doing?" Arren asked, wide eyed.
" Revan installed a Solari crystal in my light saber. I can regulate the power output!" Anja replied. " We can't find a lock, and we don't have time to look for a control panel. I'll melt the door!" She used her thumb to depress a button on the shaft of her light saber and Arren watched in awe as the steel surrounding the light saber began to dissolve away, and with it, any locking mechanism that might have existed.
It took only seconds before there was a wide hole in the door and they heard the last of the locking cylinder release. The door parted and they rushed in.
It was a small storage room, dimly lit, but Arren could see the body slumped against the plasteel cylinders. " Dustil?" She gasped.
Dustil Onasi looked up slowly, as if lifting his head was an effort. Arren recoiled in horror. Dustil's face was horribly burned, the skin blackened and crisp. One of his eyes was swollen shut and obviously infected. He pushed himself away from the cylinders and they saw he was missing his left arm below the elbow. Anja didn't hesitate and went to his side immediately, holding back the urge to vomit from the smell of burnt flesh. She helped ease him into a sitting position, careful not to touch any of his exposed skin. Arren recovered enough to join her at his side.
" Dustil? Dustil… who did this to you?" She gasped.
" Miss… Mission. Must save her." The words came out in a croaked groan.
" Mission did this?" Arren let out a horrified gasp.
Dustil's brown eye looked at Arren. " I tried… I tried Arren. She's not… she's not herself. She's… she's still fighting… fighting who she has become. Wasn't… I wasn't strong enough. Help her. You must help her!"
Arren had tears in her eyes as Dustil's pain finally overcame him and he slumped into blackness.
Anja grabbed her arm. " Arren… I need your help! We have to get him back to the ship!"
" How… how could she do this? They… they loved each other!"
" It wasn't her fault!" Anja spoke. " The dark side controls her!"
" Revan will… Revan will kill her won't he?" Arren asked, looking into her eyes.
" Help me with your friend Arren. He needs us now." Anja said softly. " Only the Force can protect your friend Mission now."
Arren shook her head, but bent to help her lift Dustil. " The Force will not protect her from Revan." she said softly.
Mission whirled around as the door to the command center she was in buckled and caved in under the force of the massive wave of Force energy. She watched the broken bodies of three dark Jedi sail across the center and impact with sickening thuds against the far wall. She turned back to the shattered door as Revan stepped through the opening. The six Sith troopers in the center with her lifted their weapons to open fire. The barrels of their weapons had barely come up before the blinding flash of Force lightning ripped into their bodies cooking them where they stood. Mission was stunned as the lightning had not touched her.
" Hello Mission." Revan spoke, coming fully into the room.
Mission let out an ear splitting scream and rushed him, her red light saber igniting. She brought it down intending to cleave him in two with one stroke. The viridian blade intercepted her swing with ease and the two blades crashed together sending sparks flying. Mission glared with hate and rage into the face in front of her, the sapphire eyes nearly glowing.
" My Master has ordered I kill you!" She hissed. " I will carve you into tiny pieces and send them back to your father!"
Mission pushed away from him and began attacking with quick powerful strokes. Revan had only one of his blades ignited and he easily blocked all she threw at him. Her anger and hate made her powerful, and she was exceptionally skilled with the light saber. While not on a level with him or Anja, she was easily a match for Arren, and he was glad he had not sent Arren after her. Anja had passed to him Dustil's condition through their bond, and his grievous wounds, all inflicted on him by the woman now in front of him. The Sith Master had turned her love for Dustil against her, filling it with hate and anger at being abandoned. He had twisted her mind against the man she loved.
Mission stepped back, breathing heavy from her flurry of attacks. Revan had not even broken a sweat and that enraged her more. " You can not defeat my Master!" She screamed.
Revan walked slowly around the room, facing her. " He will be defeated. I don't want to kill you Mission. You are my friend. You and Dustil were going to be married. What you have done to him… the injuries you have inflicted on him. How could you?"
" He left me!" Mission screamed. " You left me! I waited for weeks. They tortured me! Raped me! For weeks! You left me to die!"
Revan shook his head. " Dustil has been searching for you every since you were lost Mission. The Jedi Order expelled him when he would not return. His love for you kept him going. We've had people searching the galaxy for you since that day. I would never leave a member of my crew. Never! You knew that! He used that against you! Don't you see… he lied to you Mission. not us!"
" They… they raped me! Over and over again! They used… they used terrible things on me! And then my Master came for me. He saved me. He taught me strength and power. He taught me to use the Force. Something your father never did!" She screamed. " Surely you can feel it. The son of the great Revan. You can feel the power you could wield. Join me. Join us and I will be yours!" Mission's voice turned seductive and she let her fingers travel down her body as she moved closer to him. " I know you find me attractive. You always have. You've wanted me. You can have me. Join us."
Revan sent her smashing into the wall with a powerful Force push. " You disgust me!" he shouted. " You love Dustil! I can feel it still burning in you! You are ashamed of what you have done to him!"
" Never!" Mission yelled leaping at him. She used the Force to propel the pieces of a shattered command panel at Revan. She brought her light saber up again as Revan stepped into the swing, waving the deadly pieces away from himself with ease, and igniting his other light saber. Mission's eyes grew large as both his blades stopped her single red one.
He towered over her, pushing her down. " Reach into yourself Mission. Reach for the light that is still there! I can feel it! Don't make me kill you. Even as Arren carried him back to our ship Dustil's only thoughts were of saving you. Please Mission…"
" I will not give up the power my master has given me!" She screamed, rolling away from him and coming up in a defensive stance. " I will kill you and I will have his favor! Not Natal!"
Revan looked at her his eyes full of sadness. " Return with me Mission."
" Never!" Mission screamed lunging at him again.
Revan's eyes changed then, becoming hard flints of sapphire blue. " So be it." He said quietly, and then he attacked.
Mission's eyes went wide as she brought her blade up to parry and knew immediately she was no match for Revan. His light sabers were a blur and his attack began to push her back with it's speed and power right from the start. All she was able to manage was to stop his light sabers from connecting with her body. Fear poured forth in her eyes as she stumbled over a fallen console and fell to her back. She rolled to her left and avoided the flash of the viridian blade as it passed millimeters from her waist. Her eyes grew even wider when he twisted and sent one of his light sabers flying across the center to impale the lone dark Jedi that had entered the room. She barely recovered in time to deflect the continued attack from his single blade, which now moved at a speed she could not defend against. She screamed in pain when the blade sliced into her leg, and then snapped up to clip her shoulder. She slumped to the floor, her light saber dropping from her hand. Revan simply sent it spinning in two pieces with a flick of his wrist as his light saber cut through it.
He stood above her cowering form, his eyes nearly glowing in the dim light of the command center, his light saber casting a greenish silvery light against his face.
" As we once were friends Mission Vao… reach for my hand. Let me help you recover who you are!" Revan extended his hand to her. " Let go Mission. Let go and come with me. Dustil will live! You can have the life you wanted with him. The life he still wants. The life you still want! No darkness could bury the Mission Vao I knew. Nothing could extinguish the light she carried within her!"
" My… my Master! He will…"
" Your Master will die by my hand Mission. This I swear to you! Make your choice now! You are out of time!"
Mission looked at him, tears pouring form her eyes. " I can't…"
" I want my friend back!" Revan screamed at her.
Mission shook her head and struggled to her feet, backing away from him. " I… no… I…"
Revan shook his head with sadness. " I'm sorry Mission. I have no choice."
Revan launched his light saber forward with all his strength as Mission's eyes grew wide with pain and fear.