CHAPTER TWENTY

CORUSCANT

Revan could only smile as he sat on the floor in Carth's suite, Bastila next to him. Anja was filling them in on the events occurring on Dantooine. Revan could feel the relief wash through his wife when Anja told them that Revan was unhurt except for a minor wound and battlefield exhaustion. She told them of the battle and the arrival of the Cathar Jedi and nearly a thousand force sensitive troops and how they had tore into the Sith soldiers that had made the mistake of attacking the enclave. Revan opened his eyes only when Anja told them she wanted to return to her Revan's side.

The senior Revan opened his eyes and looked at his wife with a grin. "And again I say you thought I was devious?"

Bastila shook her head. "I knew Juhani was still alive, but I never imagined this."

Revan nodded, getting to his feet and helping Bastila rise as well. "Jolee told me that she was training force sensitive soldiers on one of his visits. Only he and Vandar knew they existed. I did not realize however that our son knew of them, and that he had pledged them to defend the Jedi enclave on Dantooine."

"How much else has he kept from you?" Bastila asked with a smile.

Revan returned the smile. "Probably much more than we know." He replied. "It's no coincidence that the Sith hit the only known Jedi enclaves at the same time. They were trying to wipe them out. They are afraid of them. They know if the Jedi join the effort, things will not be as easy."

They both felt Carth about to enter the suite and they turned to face the door as it opened.

"… is about to start Carth." Matais's voice carried to them. "What is so important that you needed me to come to your suite?"

Matais came to an abrupt half when he saw Revan and Bastila standing in the center of the suite's lounging area. His eyes went wide as Carth and Vlaina came around him into the room fully. "By all that is holy!" Matais gasped. "It's you!"

"Good day Senator." Revan spoke.

Matais stepped into the room closer to them not believing what he was seeing. "You are here! How long have you…?"

"We've been here a few days Senator." Revan replied moving up to the man. A small smile crossed his face when Matais backed up slightly. "You have nothing to fear from me Senator. I am not the enemy."

Matais relaxed visibly and he shook his head. "Revan Panlie." He said. He looked at Bastila. "And your wife Bastila Shan."

"Bastila Panlie." Bastila corrected him.

Matais nodded. "Of course, I apologize. Given your history, I should have known you would be here on Coruscant somewhere."

"Senator we…" Revan began.

Matais held up his hand. "Please call me Matais."

"Matais…" Revan began again. "I asked Carth to arrange this gathering between us before this next Senate meeting for several reasons. I'm sure you are aware of the attack on the Jedi Temple here on Coruscant?"

Matais nodded. "Yes. When Republic security responded they were barred from entry by several dozen Wookies. They were told the situation was now under control."

Revan nodded. "Yes… Master Vandar and Master Jolee are leading the clean up there, but it will be several days before the Temple is once more declared free. Senator… Matais… I am not here to beg forgiveness for my past sins, nor is Bastila. We are here because the Republic we both love is once more in danger. You have seen the information Carth has presented. I also understand that you and many others are not convinced I am not still the Dark Lord returned to finish what I started."

Matais nodded slowly. "Yes, that has been discussed. Many feel this is just a subtler attempt by you to reclaim your title as Sith Lord and conquer the Republic. You obviously have the remaining Mandalorian clans on your side, as well as those extremely volatile Wookies. Those forces alone are enough to bring about great destruction and death."

Revan nodded. "Yes. I know. I also have the backing of the Onderonian Queen and people, the reformed Catharian Quorum, and two dozen wide ranging criminal organizations along the Outer Rim." This revelation caused Matais's eyes to go wide again. "Matais… if I wanted to complete what I started as the Dark Lord I would have done so long ago. You know as well as I do the Republic Senate is corrupt and the Republic is on the verge of collapse. I have spent the last thirty years since the Jedi Order expelled Bastila and I working towards only one goal, and that is the preservation of this Republic. As I did when I entered the war against the Mandalorians."

"Yet that war caused you to fall to the dark side of the Force Revan." Matais spoke, not backing down. "And your wife too as I recall."

Revan nodded. "I am not denying that. You have seen the message cubes that Carth presented. My son gave him those without my knowledge. My only request to Carth was to inform the Senate of this new threat and hope that they made a decision before all of the forces I have managed to gather up to now were destroyed. I had no intention to come here to Coruscant and plead my case. I abhor politicians, especially the ones on the Jedi Council that refused to help me against the Mandalorians."

"Yet you are talking to me now." Matais said.

Revan nodded. "Yes. It was actually Carth's idea. Matais… this Sith threat is unlike the one I led against the Republic. This Sith Lord is of pure Sith blood. His only goal is the complete and utter destruction of the Republic and the Jedi Order. He will not do as I did and spare worlds, or attack only military facilities. He will crush anything in his way; slaughter any number of innocents that he deems necessary. And his forces will not exercise any restraint. They will have been ingrained to do whatever it takes to achieve victory. If they have to fire bomb entire planets to accomplish their goals they will do just that. The attack on the Jedi temple should be proof enough to you that his reach extends everywhere. If not for my son arranging the Wookie reinforcements that are now at the Temple, every Jedi there would be dead. Including two of my sons, and two of Dacen's children."

"How was he able to breach the Temple Revan? I was under the impression the Jedi Temple was nearly impregnable."

"He was able to do it the same way he is delaying the Senate from doing anything." Revan replied.

Matais looked at him strangely. "I'm not following."

Bastila stepped forward to stand next to her husband. "There are apprentices to this Sith Lord sitting in your Senate, and on the Jedi Council. They are using an ancient form of Sith alchemy… magic if you will… to influence what others think and say."

"Impossible!" Matais spoke immediately.

"You yourself have fallen under his spell while in that Senate chamber. Would you care to speak with Master Vandar?" Revan asked. "He can confirm it for you. He can also tell you that the Sith have already begun their incursion into republic space. A force of nearly three thousand Sith troops and bounty hunters and mercenaries hit the Jedi enclave on Dantooine this morning. Their attack failed due in part to a thousand Catharian troops assisting my son in repelling them. Forces under my son's command also destroyed a large Sith forward base hidden on Kessel. I would imagine the destruction of this base made the Sith very upset. We are rapidly running out of time before this war begins in earnest. That is why I am coming to you."

"If what you say is true, and I am not discounting it please understand that." Matais said. "If what you say is true, how can I help you? If there are Sith in the Senate, how do you propose to expose them?"

"I would need you to allow us to come to this next meeting with you." Revan spoke. "Once word that the attack on Dantooine failed, the Sith bastard on the Jedi Council will undoubtedly reveal who he or she is. And if I make an appearance in the Senate chambers, the three who occupy seats there will undoubtedly attack me instantly."

"Attack you?" Matais said. "Why?"

"Because Matais, the only thing standing between this Sith Lord and the Republic right now is me." Revan replied.

Matais could detect Bastila shift uncomfortably. "You are not comfortable with this I take it?"

Bastila looked at him. "Senator… I love my husband with everything that I am. How do you think I feel with him exposing himself to such obvious danger?"

Revan smiled. "You'll be there Bas." He said. "Who would attack me with you next to me?"

"You insufferable nerfherder!" Bastila snapped.

"I do not herd nerfs." Revan replied calmly.

Matais couldn't help but smile. "I see that the underground holovids about you two are at least somewhat accurate."

"Excuse me?" Bastila asked.

"You two have quite the section on the underground holonet. An entire collection in the romance section. How you turned from the Jedi order because of your love. How you were expelled for it. There's even a collection of holobooks detailing your time as Jedi with numerous storylines of where you vanished too after you were expelled. It's quite extensive. It even goes into some detail how you two trade barbs back and forth."

Revan's smile was wicked. "Now that is something I will have to look into."

"You will do no such thing!" Bastila told him. "They can not possibly accurate in the least."

"Bas… think of the credits we could make off endorsing them." Revan spoke looking at her.

Bastila's sapphire eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Revan Panlie, if you even suggest that again you'll be sleeping on the floor for a week."

Matais couldn't help but shake his head. "I see there is much truth to some of those holovids." He said with a smile. "You two are unlike any Jedi I have ever known."

Revan looked at him. "Yeah, we get that a lot." He smiled and winked at Bastila. He turned back to Matais. "Will you help us?"

"I was one of the first Senators to request the Jedi Council help us in our battle against the Mandalorians. I was rather angry when they refused as millions were left to die on the Outer Rim. But then you came forward against the wishes of the esteemed Jedi Council. I have talked with Carth quite a bit about you since he returned to Coruscant Revan. He has made me see things in quite a different light than many of my fellow Senators."

"Is that a yes Matais?"

Matais's reply was immediate and without question. "What is it you need me to do?"

THE JEDI TEMPLE

The bodies lay strewn all over the courtyard, blood staining the once sacred temple. Dozens of Wookies and Jedi worked through the pile of corpses, pulling their dead from among the attackers. They had been at it for nearly a day, and they were still finding wounded among both the mercenaries and the Temple defenders. Master Vandar had decreed that all wounded would be cared for, but the mercenaries would be treated after any wounded Jedi, Wookie or Mandalorian. Squads of heavily armed Wookies stood guard at all the entrances to the Temple now, and none were allowed entry. Only after speaking with Vandar were the Republic medical teams allowed in. What they saw caused many to be sick right there in the courtyard. The smell of death hung heavy in the air.

Dorak Panlie and Hanna Vorsut were working with a large group of the Temples' Jedi Padawans, and half a dozen Wookies. After the initial surge of the Wookies arrival, Dorak and Hanna had joined the battle in the courtyard. Nearly all of them were covered in dirt and blood, and they moved among the dead and wounded with their light sabers ignited. Many wounded mercenaries had tried to attack their rescuers. They died quickly.

Hanna knelt next to the body of a wounded Jedi and used the Force to quickly toss aside the bodies of the three mercenaries from atop her.

"Here!" She called turning to find help.

Hanna did not see or sense the grizzled mercenary open his eyes and look at her, while moving the small vibrodagger to a different position. The young man standing behind her however did see the obviously unhurt mercenary. He watched as the man lifted the blade and plunged it forward.

"No!" He barked, reaching out with the Force and yanking Hanna towards him just as the blade stabbed into the spot she had occupied only milliseconds before. He used more force than he intended and could not stop Hanna from slamming into his own body. They tumbled to the courtyard ground as a Wookie let out a howl and brought his huge blade down on the mercenary.

Hanna twisted atop the young man who had just saved her life, causing him no small manner of embarrassment as her body was pressed tightly to his. Hanna looked into the dark eyes and ebony skin of the young man as he struggled to regain his composure.

"I… I must apologize Padawan Vorsut." He spoke with a sheepish grin. "I used more power than I intended."

Hanna flashed her pale blue eyes and him and kissed him full on the lips, his eyes going wide in surprise. "Thank you Tovar." She spoke softly.

The young man's ebony skin hid the flush of embarrassment that her kiss had caused, and he could not deny the response he was having from having her lush body spread across him so intimately. He gave a weak smile.

"You… you are welcome." He finally spoke.

/Are you two finished/ The brown haired Wookie asked towering above them. /We don't have time for mating rituals./

Hanna got up slowly, making sure to press against Tovar in all the right spots as she did. Of all the young Padawans at the Temple while she had been here, Tovar had always been the friendliest and most open to talking with her and spending time with her. Tovar did not immediately let go of Hanna's soft hand as he got to his feet.

"What did he say?" He asked.

Hanna smiled at him. "You don't really want to know."

/Hanna you should just take the human male and make your intentions known./ The Wookie told her with a grin that showed his fangs.

Hanna looked up at the towering Wookie. "That probably would not go over too well Chorwn." She spoke.

Tovar looked at her. "You can speak their language?" He asked.

Hanna nodded. "I understand their language yes. As for speaking it… that's another story entirely. The vocal cords of humans do not allow for the precise nature of the tones needed."

"So what did he say?" Tovar asked.

Hanna looked at him. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"He said we don't have time for a mating ritual and I should make my intentions known." Hanna told him.

Tovar looked at her stunned. "Ummm… I…"

Hanna smiled and stepped closer to him, only inches away. She kissed him again. "Thank you for saving my life Tovar." She said. "I'll have to make it up to you somehow."

Tovar watched as she turned and flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder, hitting him in the face. His eyes couldn't tear themselves from her as she intentionally sauntered away in a most enticing manner. He heard the Wookie growl in what appeared to be an amused tone and looked at him.

/Retract your tongue into your head young Jedi, there is much work to be done yet./ He walked past the young Jedi with a Wookie grin as wide as the beaches of his home world.

Zhar and Dorak stood with Hanna and several other Padawans and two Wookies in the center of Jedi masters in the Council chamber at the top of the highest sphere. Vandar could barely contained the smile that kept wanting to creep across his face as the children of Revan and Dacen held their heads high, not intimidated in the least that they stood in the chamber of the Jedi High Council.

/… finished clearing the lower levels Jolee Bindo./ The tall dark haired Wookie spoke. /We continue to search the living dormitories and training levels, but the Temple is yours again. We will remain on guard as the son of Revan has requested./

Jolee nodded. "Thank you Chorwn." He answered and turned to look at the other seated masters. "Chorwn and his people have cleared the lower levels of the Temple and are searching the dormitories and training levels. I don't believe any mercenaries made it that far into the Temple, but he will conduct the search regardless."

"Thank him Master Bindo, but please advise him he needs to remove his Wookies from the Temple grounds." Atris spoke.

"Excuse me? We just beat back an attack on this very Temple by over a thousand highly assorted mercenaries and bounty hunters." Jolee spoke. "Without their aide and the aide of the Mandalorians sent by Senator Onasi, this Temple would now be a smoking ruin."

"The Jedi do not need the protection of these… these Wookies." Atris spat with venom in her voice.

"These Wookies saved us." Vandar spoke.

"They only assisted us." Atris said. "We would have prevailed. I am more concerned with the actions of Dorak Panlie then anything else! He used Battle Meditation did he not?"

Vandar nodded. "He did."

"Then his mother passed on her gift of this to him." Atris said. "We should isolate him so that we may employ his talents in the future. And guide him away from the path his mother has put him on."

"There is nothing wrong with the path my mother put me on!" Dorak popped.

"Silence child!" Grana snapped at him. "You do not speak in our presence!"

"Silence yourself!" Zhar retorted hotly. "We do not answer to this council or any of you who sit on it! We answer to only one person in this matter. And none of you could ever hope to be him."

"What do you mean?"

"Young Dorak and his companions were brought here not for protection but to protect." Vandar spoke. "To protect us."

"Vandar… what is going on?" Atris barked. "What do you mean with your riddles?"

"The attack here on our Temple has failed. I was informed earlier that the attack on the Jedi enclave on Dantooine also was a massive failure. And soon, this new Sith Master will have no more influence on the Senate, for Revan and Bastila are at this very moment preparing to eliminate them. Whichever one of you is the apprentice… you will not leave these Chambers alive."

Vandar's scornful words took the other Jedi Masters by surprise. He had always been the most cautious of them, always counseling peace and calm.

"Revan and Bastila are here? On Coruscant! And you did not inform us?" Atris barked.

Vandar slid out of his chair and moved to stand beside Dorak and Zhar. "This need not end in bloodshed." He spoke. "Surrender yourself to me."

Vandar and the others simply stood there as the other Masters suddenly went rigid in their chairs, their faces twisting into contortions of pain. The news Vandar had shared with them had the desired effect, and the Sith apprentice was losing his hold on the other Masters as his rage built.

"Your Master's plan did not work." Jolee spoke, his hand slowly curling around the hilt of his light saber. "Revan junior crushed your forces on Dantooine! He slaughtered them to the last man! He engineered the arrival of the Wookies, and we slaughtered the mercenaries who came here! Your plan has failed! No longer will you influence this council and our actions!"

The eyes of the six Masters snapped open and in a blink they had come to their feet and ignited their light sabers, though none of them knew why. Events moved almost inhumanly fast from then. Zhar sent all six of them smashing into the walls of the chamber with a massive Force wave he had been building. He deducted the apprentice or apprentices would be prepared for an attack and would not be knocked senseless by the wave.

He was right.

Master Grana and Master Or scrambled to their feet immediately, their light sabers coming back up, while Dorak and Hanna broke one way and Jolee and the Wookie another. Vandar simply stayed motionless, his green light saber snap hissing into life.

"Ah, two of you." Vandar spoke. "It allowed you to control this council with ease. But no more!"

"You can not hope to stand against us!" Grana screamed. "Our Master will reward us well for butchering all of you!" She raised her light saber to strike Atris, who was woozy from the wave but coming too, her eyes opening. In an instant she brought the blade down, intending to remove Atris's head from her shoulders.

Her eyes went wide when the blazing blue blade intercepted her yellow one only inches from Atris's wide eyed face. Grana looked up and into the face of Hanna Vorsut who had used a burst of Force speed to reach Atris in time. Hanna's face was calm and serene, her pale blue eyes bright.

"I will not allow you to harm my Aunt Atris Sith witch!" Hanna hissed, causing Atris's eyes to grow even larger at her words.

Hanna used a technique Revan had taught her many months ago for close combat with light sabers. He had warned them that any Sith apprentice or master would undoubtedly be more skilled with the light saber than the level Hanna had achieved. The only course of action would be to use deception, and Hanna employed that now with mastery. She loosened her grip on the hilt of her saber and saw the glint in Grana's eyes as she misinterpreted the loosened grip for fading strength. She let out a howl of victory and brought her light saber up with a flick of her wrist. Her eyes went wide when Hanna's blade came up with equal speed and parried the blow. Her move had created the opening Hanna had wanted, by no longer threatening Atris, and leaving Grana's side open for attack. Grana recognized the move for what it was, but she was far to slow to keep Hanna from burying the poison Trandoshan dagger into her exposed side, the point of the blade driving deep into her chest to slice into her heart.

The fast acting Trandoshan poison killed Grana before she could take another breath as it invaded her heart and immediately began pulsing through her body shutting down her organs. Grana's light saber deactivated and fell from her limp fingers and her eyes fluttered one last time before she collapsed to the floor.

The action had taken only seconds, and in that time no one else had moved. Ki-Van or now stood alone, his green light saber out. He was not near enough to any of the recovering masters to kill them, and he knew Vandar would counteract any force power he tried to use. He spun his light saber in front of him.

"You will not find me so easy to kill." He growled.

Zhar stepped in front of Vandar with an almost evil smile on his face. "Oh, I think we will." He spoke. "HK… activate assassination protocol four one."

Ki-Van Or could only watch in stunned fascination as the figure of the huge red droid appeared not three feet from him as the stealth shield came down. The extended arm held the Mandalorian heavy blaster as steady as a rock.

Statement: Deflect this Sith meatbag!

HK-47 pulled the trigger. At close range the heavy blaster punched through Ki-Van Or's head splattering matter and blood over the wall behind him.

Observation: Just like the old days!

"Thank you HK." Zhar spoke. "You may stand down."

Statement: As you order Master Zhar.

Inquiry: Permission to assist the Wookie meatbags in their clean up of the Jedi Temple.

Zhar could only shake his head at the still apparent bloodthirstiness of his father's favorite assassination droid. "Permission granted HK. But use discretion please. Kill only those that act in a threatening manner."

Statement: Of course Master Zhar.

Jolee stepped up to Zhar as HK-47 moved for the elevator. "That thing has been here all this time?" He asked incredulous.

Zhar nodded. "My brother programmed him to remain hidden until I gave the command for him to act."

Vandar stepped up slowly to the cooling body and lifted his hand. Or's light saber flew into his grasp. "The Council is now free of the Sith influence."

Hanna was helping Atris to her feet, her eyes on the stunning young woman who had saved her life. "You called me… you called me your Aunt?" Atris asked.

Hanna nodded while she attached her light saber to her belt. "Our mother told us such."

"I… I thought your mother despised me. Your sister…"

Hanna smiled. "There are times when Arren lets her emotions get the better of her. She is older than us, and remembers better the first years of our parents' forced exile. Our mother forgave you long ago Aunt Atris. She has told us quite a bit of what she learned from you, and while she still remembers what happen, she speaks fondly of who you were. And who she hopes you will be again one day."

Vandar nodded. "It is time for old hatreds to be cast aside. The Jedi Order must come together now as never before. The threat before us looms larger than any we have faced in the past. We must be united to meet it." He said.

"I must contact my father and brother and report what has happen." Zhar spoke. "He must know before he goes to the senate."

Jolee nodded. "I'll go with you. I wish to speak with him and Rev junior as well."

Hanna turned to Vandar. "Dorak and I will rejoin our Wookie friends and finish clearing the Temple." She said.

"Atris… will you accompany young Hanna?" Vandar asked.

Atris picked up her light saber. "Yes. We have much to talk about. I owe her my life."

Vandar nodded. "Indeed. We all owe much to one who can never hold the title to which he covets." He said softly. "And one who continues to teach us what is right."

Revan nodded to his son's image from the holo emitter. "Very well Zhar. I'll contact you as soon as this session is over here in the Senate." He said. "Continue to watch over the others will you?"

Zhar's face nodded. "Of course father."

Revan lowered the holo emitter, tucking it back into his robes. He pulled the hood back up over his head and stepped back into the corridor where Matais and Bastila waited. Carth and Vlaina had gone on ahead of them when Zhar had signaled.

Revan looked at Matais. "There were two Sith apprentices on the Jedi Council." He told them. "They are both now dead."

Matais nodded at the news. "That just leaves the three here in the Senate."

"Three here in the Senate." Bastila said. "That does not mean there isn't more spread all over the Republic. He's had years to infiltrate agents across the Republic."

"Bastila is correct." Revan said. "But for now we will deal with the ones we know of." He took Bastila's hand. "Ready?"

"Ready for you to stick your neck out needlessly?" Bastila asked him. "No. Ready to stand beside you? Always."

Matais nodded. "Come, the Senate is calling itself to order."

The mammoth Senate chamber was filled to capacity with representatives from every planet in the Republic. The Senators were discussing back and forth the events of the last few weeks, and not really accomplishing anything. Matais led Revan and Bastila onto the platform. Carth was already seated on the platform, Vlaina conspicuously absent. Matais went to the control panel and engaged the repulser jets and the platform ascended to the center platform where the Chancellor of the Republic sat.

He looked at from the conversation he was having with an aide. "Senator Kamas."

"I wish to take the floor Chancellor." Matais said.

The Chancellor came to his feet and the voices across the chamber died down. "The chair recognizes Senator Matais Kamas from Alderaan."

Matais turned to look around as all eyes came to him. "Esteemed colleagues, we have sat here nearly a month now pondering what to do with the information Senator Carth Onasi has provided. Why are we still discussing this? All of us have seen this information. We have even been provided intelligence from Republic military sources. And just this morning I have been given additional information. Over the last week this new threat has struck the Jedi Temple here on Coruscant as you all know. I have learned they also attacked the Jedi enclave on Dantooine, and only a combined defense led by the son of Revan was able to repulse them. This war we have calmly been talking about has already begun! And we sit and do nothing while others fight and die!

"We were elected to serve the people of our respective governments here in this Senate, yet all we do now is sit and squabble amongst ourselves over petty items that mean nothing!"

"Petty!" The Selkath Senator's platform came up from its position now. "Insuring this is not an attempt by Revan to conquer the republic is not petty!"

"What indications do we have that what you say is true? None!" Matais snapped. "You sit here representing a government that was neutral during the last two wars because you have the only source of Kolto in the galaxy. You play both sides of the coin. That can not be allowed to continue!"

"Where did this new information come from?" The Senator from Neimoidia spoke now, his platform rising. "How can you be certain Revan did not stage these attacks himself to try and destroy the Jedi Order before an assault on the Republic itself!"

"I have spoken with Master Vandar!" Carth spoke coming to his feet. "These attacks were repelled by men and women loyal to Revan. His own children, as well as those of Dacen Vorsut helped in the defense of the Temple here on Coruscant! Do you question now the integrity of Jedi Master Vandar?"

"The Jedi Order is dying!" The Senator from Mannan pooped. "It is better to let them die! And you still have not answered the question put forth to you. Where did you receive this information?"

"I gave it to him." The cloaked figure spoke from where he sat.

"And who is this Matais?" The Selkath asked. "Another lackey in your employ?"

Revan got to his feet slowly and pulled the hood back with his hands revealing his face. The intake of breath from nearly five thousand Senators and aides was like thunder in the huge chamber.

"REVAN!" The Selkath hissed.

Revan turned to the Selkath Senator, his face a mask of hate and anger. "We destroyed your base on Kessel Sith scum! My son crushed your attack on Dantooine! We massacred those you sent against the Jedi Temple here on Coruscant! Your Master is not going to be happy that we have now discovered you and your cohorts here in the Senate!"

The Senators from Mannan and Neimoidia let out howls of inhuman nature and pulled blazing red light sabers from under their clothes. The snap hiss could be heard as clearly as any voice, and they leaped toward the platform Revan stood on. Bastila came to her feet in the blink of an eye, casting off her cloak and igniting her double bladed light saber just as the Senator from Neimoidia landed and brought his light saber down intending to behead Revan. The blade never connected as Bastila's own blade stopped it from ever reaching her beloved husband. Her face twisted in rage and she spun quickly on the small platform, sweeping her light saber around and severing the legs of the Sith apprentice masquerading as a senator. His scream echoed in the chamber as his body bounced once on the edge of the platform before toppling over the side and falling the several hundred feet to the bottom of the chamber.

The Selkath Senator's red light saber was trapped between Revan's two blazing violet ones. He had switched to the light sabers he had carried during the search for the Star Forge, and it was like he had rediscovered a child's toy. The Selkath apprentice had only three seconds to look into Revan's blazing dark eyes before his light saber was ripped from his grasp and his arms were sliced off above the elbow. As he opened his mouth to scream, Revan's blade bit into his neck and neatly decapitated him. His headless body slumped onto the edge of the platform while his head tumbled to the chamber floor far below. Revan spit on the corpse and shoved the body off his platform.

The third Sith apprentice wisely had stayed silent during the exchange, and now he stood to leave quickly. The door to his platform opened and the armored form of the red haired female appeared. He lifted his hand to use the force, but Vlaina had walked in pulling the trigger of her assault rifle, and the Hyporian apprentice felt the first blaster shot rip into his chest, the pain overloading his senses. Vlaina unleashed another six shots at the Sith apprentice, her face emotionless. All six shots burned into the apprentice, his body doing a macabre dance of death as each shot took him closer to the edge. Vlaina stepped up to the man, now nearly dead on his feet and she viciously butt stroked him in the face with her assault rifle. The blow carried enough power to lift him off his feet and over the edge of the platform. His body fell quietly until the sickening thud of it hitting the chamber floor resounded.

Carth had his blasters out and looked down to where Vlaina stepped to the edge and looked up at him. His smile was bright and she smiled back.

"Oh, I do so love that woman." Carth spoke, bringing a smile to Bastila's face.

The Senators in the chamber were excitedly shouting at each other and the Chancellor. Revan leaped the ten feet to the Chancellor's platform and the man looked at him wide eyed in fear.

"My apologies Chancellor." Revan spoke. He motioned to the internal com system. "May I?"

The Chancellor nodded somewhat taken aback and still very rattled. Revan touched the panel and adding just enough of the Force to his voice he shouted one word.

"ENOUGH!"

The chamber became deathly silent at his pronouncement. Matais turned to look at Bastila with a small smile. "I have been trying to do that for years." He said.

Bastila returned the smile. "He does have a way with people." She said adoringly.

"Yes! I am Revan! The former Dark Lord turned savior of the Republic! Heroes of the Republic you called us, my friends and I! I answered your call in the war with the Mandalorians and I saw this senate for what it is! And it has not changed! You are no different now! You sit here still and claim some special status as members of this council. Yet you accomplish nothing! You claim you are here to help your respective worlds, to the betterment of your people! Yet you do nothing except for personal power!

"This is the reason I took on the mantle of Dark Lord!" Revan screamed, his passion pouring forth in his words. "As Darth Revan I saw this threat we now face! I killed millions to try and prepare for the war that is now upon us! I see I was wrong back then! I should have come right here and conquered Coruscant! At least then this Republic would have a chance at what we now face!"

Carth leaned over to Bastila as Vlaina jumped from the platform she had commandeered and took her place next to Carth. "Does he always get this worked up?" Carth whispered.

Bastila looked at him. "I've never seen him like this." She said.

"I am not here for redemption!" Revan shouted. "I have been redeeming myself every day for the last thirty years! I will do so no longer! What I did then I can never take back! I will bear those scars for the rest of my life! As I stand here now I am no longer Darth Revan! I am no longer a Jedi Knight. Now, all I am is a husband and father, with a desire to save the Republic I live in. The Republic I believe in! And yet as I stand here, I see the reasons for what I did all those years ago. I stand here now, and others already stand across this republic ready to fight for this Republic. You demean them and all they stand for as you sit here and bicker! You think the war I waged against you was horrible and evil? The enemy that is now preparing to invade this Republic is a hundred times more horrible and evil.

"Billions of lives depend on what you do right now! Trillions of men, women and children will feel your decision across this galaxy. Will you sit and do nothing while the enemy slaughters your people? They infiltrated your beloved Senate! They influenced you with dark magic. What will you do now?" Revan shook his head slowly. "All of you may hate me for what I once was, and that is your right! But I will not sit idly by while the Republic I love is destroyed. Not anymore!" Revan lifted his light sabers into the air and rammed them into the side of the Chancellor's platform. "The corruption needs to end! The constant squabbling needs to end! You need to make decisions that will decide the fate of millions! And you need to make those decisions now, before it is too late! You want to hunt me? Fine! You will find me at the front of the coming battle leading those who have already decided to fight for this Republic! And it appears I will do so alone! Again!"

"NO!" The voice echoed through the chamber with the effect of thunder. All heads swirled to the diminutive green alien stepping onto the platform mid way up the chamber wall. Behind him filed a dozen others.

The platform lifted into the center of the chamber to hover next to a wide eyed Revan and Bastila, their faces showing their disbelief.

Master Vandar Tokare stepped to the center of the platform, flanked by Atris and the other Masters of the Jedi High Council. "You will stand alone no longer Revan Panlie. The Jedi Order will stand with you in this fight!"

Bastila stepped forward and gripped Revan's arm tightly, her eyes clouded with tears.

"Senators of the Republic!" Vandar spoke, his voice still carrying like thunder due to his use of the Force. "The members of the Jedi High Council stand before you now! We pledge our support to the Republic as we should have so many years ago. Keepers of the Peace Jedi are, yet in times of great need we must all become soldiers. The darkness that threatens to overwhelm us must be met! We must face it head on, and we must be victorious! If we are not, all that we hold dear will perish! As I speak to you now, transmissions are being sent to every Jedi Knight throughout the Republic with orders to assemble.

Vandar took a deep breath and said the next words with more feeling and sadness than Revan and Bastila had ever seen from him.

"We must assemble for war!"

AND IT BEGINS