The internal speakers sprang alive at the same time as the jarring motion hit the ship.
"This is Commodore Onasi, We are under attack by a fleet of Sith fighters. I need someone to head to the lasers. The rest can prepare themselves for the incoming fire we might take."
Revan was up in a flash, eyes quickly darting to the beds where Aaron and Ariana slept. They both stared at her, confused at the rocky movement of the ship.
The hidden meaning of Carth's message played in her head, Revan stay with your son. As she moved towards the children she realized she was the one best suited to head to the turrets.
Using the force she sent a message to Juhani, "I will go, you can stay here." At the same time she gestured to the children, responding immediately they left their beds and moved towards her.
"I have to go, stay here with Juhani, she will guide you." She brushed a quick kiss across their foreheads as the door slid open.
Neither woman spoke as they changed positions, Revan leaving the room and Juhani moving to Ariana and Aaron.
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There were five Sith fighters flying around them. Revan slid into the turret and immediately shot out some random blasts before finally locking onto a target.
The agility of the small ships, compared to the large vessel they were in, made their shots count more then hers did. The ship was taking some hard blasts. Alone the blasts were nothing, but when they were coming from five different directions they made the ship shudder in response.
She knew Carth was trying to outmaneuver the smaller crafts but wasn't having much success due to the large mass of the Fore Runner.
She needed to talk to him, searching frantically for the communicator while still trying to fire off some shots.
Locating the device, she strapped the headpiece on, locking in on a target but having no success as the ship rocked from another hit.
"Carth, I need you to keep the ship steady, stop trying to outmaneuver them, I can't get an accurate shot off." She returned more fire, noticing that at least one shot had found its target.
"Revan, what the hell are you doing up there, I thought Juhani" his voice was filled with annoyance.
"No time flyboy, I'm the better gunner and you know it, now keep the ship steady." She cut off her message, already feeling the difference in his tactics.
Once the ship remained even she was able to take down three of the fighters. The other two eluded her as they continued to fire at the Fore Runner. The blasts didn't have the impact anymore and it gave her the time she needed to switch positions. Locating one of the remaining fighters she sent off some shots while replying to Carth, "So, Commodore?" question apparent in her voice, "Why didn't you tell me?"
She took out the fighter and moved to search for the last one.
"It seemed to pale in comparison to you not telling me you were a mother," he shot back. "I've missed you beautiful, but shouldn't you be back with Aaron?" his tone was playful but also held some concern.
She felt a quiver flow through her body as she realized this was the first time he had spoken her son's name. She recovered when the ship took another blast.
"As I told you, I'm the better gunner," she paused, "despite giving birth" she found the last fighter and sent off some shots. "Almost done up here anyway, have any plans for later? Perhaps something a bit more challenging? These Sith are nothing compared to raising kids," she replied while firing off another round at her foe.
"I'm sure I could think of something" his implication apparent, missing the plural form of the word kid entirely.
The last ship exploded in a shower of light and Revan sent a final message before leaving the turret, "Hold that thought handsome, we still need to have our talk."
She felt exhilarated. Nothing like having a good fight and winning while sharing some friendly banter with the man you loved.
Her joy was dampened when she thought about what his reaction might be when they spoke later. She knew she had a lot to answer for, a lot to explain and a lot to make up for. She imagined a dozen different reactions Carth could have, none of them pleasant. Her heart was pounding and she grew frightened.
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Ariana greeted her with a silent message, "Ma'ma were those bad people?"
Revan moved towards her while flashing her a smile, "Yes they were" speaking aloud.
"I felt it, I've been feeling a lot of things." her response came through the force.
Revan replied, once again aloud, trying to encourage her to speak instead of communicating through the force. "What else have you been feeling?"
"Weird stuff, you've been happy and sad. Mostly sad, until yesterday. Aaron felt it too." Again she replied through the force. "He said you were upset in the morning and the man on the ship was the reason. Is he a bad man too?"
"No sweetie, he isn't. He's actually a very good person and a very good soldier. Many people think of him as a hero." She stood in front of her and noticed Ariana's eyes grow wide.
"Will I be a hero someday?"
"Not if you keep talking through the force" she shot her a playful smile. "You need to start talking Ariana, you too Aaron, this communication will not be allowed at the Temple. You should only use your force powers when you must. They can't be used as something to hide behind. Soon you will be meeting a lot of people and they will want to be addressed verbally. Do you understand? Now is a good time to start that practice."
"Okay" she replied.
Revan was elated that she had spoken the word aloud. She turned to Aaron but he simply nodded his head. "You too," she said.
Slowly he replied, "Okay."
She beamed at them, "Good. Now can I have a hug?"
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Revan left the children as they mediated in the room, telling them to stay there until she returned. She met up with Juhani and they both moved towards the cockpit.
Carth was waiting for them and began, "I have identified the ships that attacked us, they are from the remote planet of Ackertan. I've sent an inquiry about the planet to the Republic command center. Another attack is imminent now that they know we are here, I'm sure it was reported. Currently, I cannot leave this spot until my mission is complete, but the people responsible for carrying out this phase have been separated. I haven't heard anything since early yesterday. I need to find them, they are on the surface of Malachor V."
Juhani spoke first, "We can't land this large vessel there, I will take my ship."
"I think I'm the one who should go, this is my mission." Carth replied, determination in his voice.
"Actually, I should go" Revan spoke, "I'm most familiar with the planet. I'm the best option. Not to mention I'm a Jedi."
"You're always the best option," Carth replied. "In your own head" his eyes sparkled as he grinned at her before growing serious again, "But I'm sorry, you have other … obligations. I can't allow it."
"Carth, no one else can fly this ship. You cannot go." Juhani's tone was clear.
"And your ship is out of fuel" he shot back.
"We can transfer some fuel, You need to fly this ship and Revan needs to stay here" she shot a look to Revan, waiting for a challenge, but it didn't come. She returned her gaze to him, "We don't have time to argue, give me the details Carth, who I'm looking for, where they landed. I can use the force to find them."
Carth nodded, sending one of the droids to transfer fuel from one of the smaller ships that had been loaded on the Fore Runner to Juhani's. "Revan, you'll have to connect the hoses while I brief Juhani. You should also move to a room closer to the escape pods, just in case."