Daniel drew a new, double bladed blue lightsaber. Saleairy remembered seeing Bastila's double blade the first time and wincing. A Jedi tool or a Sith weapon in the hands of Brejik seemed very wrong.

"You are going on your mission now Revan." Daniel hissed. Saleairy decided she wouldn't speak when battle was eminent.

It was clear Daniel never thought of defeat as his lightsaber clattered across the hallway as he fell to his knees. Saleairy lowered her weapons, calling the double blade to her hand.

"I am beaten. Strike down your cast aside experiment Revan." Daniel said.

"I won't strike down a defenseless Jedi. Maybe you should remember that you are a Jedi rather than a cast aside experiment. I'm no longer Revan but I will answer for her crimes. Are you ready to depart?"

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Are you ready to depart? Will you follow me?" Saleairy asked.

"Yes, Saleairy." Saleairy extended her hand and the Shifter took it.

"You are not a mistake I would want to correct."

Carth was left behind with Saleairy's followers. Carth watched them all leave, one by one. The droids left with Revan. Canderous followed soon after and Carth suspected his mission to unite Mandalorians sprung from a desire to help Revan, if not direct orders. He didn't stop the Mandalorian from leaving because if Saleairy needed Mandalorians, Saleairy could get them without dredging through the mercenary web of hired guns. Jolee and Juhani were acting under the Council's wishes and contacted him on occasion to see if word had been sent from Saleairy. Mission left and didn't say where. Griff didn't hang around long after his sister disappeared. Zaalbar was an odd one. He stayed on Telos, aiding the Ithorians until he could think of another way to help serve his life debt to Saleairy. Bastila stayed for a time but eventually her patented Jedi patience wore thin. She chased after Saleairy. Carth was left alone with Dustil, both wondering how their lives would progress without Saleairy.

Dustil got his answer when Jolee and Juhani asked him to come with them on their Jedi missions. Dustil went and contacted Carth often. Carth knew he too would eventually chase after Saleairy. Carth knew that wasn't what she wanted.

Carth wasn't given much of a purpose. Serving the Republic wasn't the same anymore without Saleairy to believe in. His only purpose was waiting for Saleairy. It was hard. Not a day passed without thoughts of her beautiful face, and what he would do if he ever saw a lifeless version of the Jedi he loved. He would wait.

Saleairy sighed as she wandered the gray planet. The Sith influence turned everything that was once pure gray. She had seen worlds that were black from Sith influence. Her journey was nearly over. It'd been so long she hardly remembered a normal life. Daniel left to fight in a war worlds away. She had been alone for a long time.

Saleairy collapsed at the end of her journey. Memories flooded back of screams, death and pain as she stared at the teachings that had brought a Jedi and a galaxy to their knees. It wasn't written. It wasn't recorded. It was its own presence. She couldn't defeat it alone. She had failed.

Saleairy started awake from what felt like a death coma and felt danger. Before she opened her eyes her hand was up and she'd used force wave. She heard two startled cries, one beast and one human. She opened her eyes and saw a large, lizard like creature fold under its death struggle. She turned and saw a man wearing Jedi robes looking very startled. His face was tan but paled under her gaze.

"Revan?" He asked. She didn't attempt to stand.

"I am Revan no longer." The man blinked and she could feel thoughts buzzing incessantly in his mind.

"Then why are you here?" He asked.

"To destroy what Revan couldn't." She said. She looked again. "You seem familiar."

"I am a Jedi." He said, still on guard. She remembered traces of moments and she swore she knew him.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"Ayden Venoda." He said.

"Ayden. I almost remember you. You knew Revan once, didn't you?" She asked.

"Yes."

"It has left a mark on you, even under the scars of Malachor." Saleairy made it to a sitting position.

"Are you injured Revan?"

"Call me Saleairy." She said.

"Saleairy. That's a beautiful name." He held his tongue from voicing the fact that he would rather hear that name than Revan's. He would rather see Saleairy than Revan because Saleairy's eyes weren't the eyes of a soulless Revan.

"Thank you. Ayden, why did you come here?" She asked.

"To find you." Ayden said.

"Why?" Saleairy said.

"It didn't seem like anyone should face this alone." Ayden said.

"You are right."

"So, you are Revan?" Ayden asked.

"In a manner of speaking. Why?"

"Admiral Carth Onasi wants you to know he'll be waiting for you. He'll wait forever." Ayden said. Ayden was startled when Revan cried. A tear never graced Revan's cheek, even when she heard news of her parents' death at the first Mandalorian strike.

"Ayden, thank you."

"You are welcome. I know it would only help to hear from those you love." Ayden said. His thoughts wandered to Handmaiden and he sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"Sit with me, please Ayden." Ayden did so, staring at the Jedi he'd grown up with. Malak, Revan and Ayden had been close friends even when their paths drew apart. The Jedi Order had a strange way of separating friends, to test them. Test whether a friend would remain a friend after a period of absence. Before the war, Revan and Malak weren't on the best terms. Malak swore he loved Revan and Revan had never felt anything like that towards anyone. Then the war drew them together. Ayden wasn't sure what occurred after that since he was used for his battle talents, dispatched to Malachor and many battles before. Malak had him sent to Malachor because he suspected Revan loved him and scorned Malak because of it. Revan had looked into his eyes after years of absence and blinked.

"You are a leader, Exile." She knew then that he would be exiled for his actions. So many people had called him the Exile, but she had been the first. It had made his skin crawl.

"Do you remember much of me Saleairy?" Ayden asked, swallowing.

"Glimpses. Not much more than I remember of anything else, but I've never remembered a person as much as I remember you."

"There has been a Jedi Civil War. There aren't many of us left, but there are enough to recover, once we solve this threat." Ayden said.

"Do you feel something strange about this place?" Saleairy asked.

"Yes, it feels dead." Ayden said.

"This place isn't dead but the presence that lingers here is nearly dead and death makes it desperate. This threat feeds off of death, the death of the force makes it stronger." Ayden winced.

"Maybe I shouldn't be here."

"Part of healing a wound is finding it Ayden. If you believe you are a wound in the force, you can do the most to heal it." Saleairy said.

"What must we do?" Ayden asked.

"Listen."

Light and dark only coexist when one covers the other, creating a gray that can consume anything. When light covers dark, the wounds of darkness heal but the wounds remain gray. Gray because of the presence of light and dark.

The same was true for Revan and the Exile. They had been dark once and their light covered the wounds they created. The wounds remained gray, consuming much of their pasts, but they were light. Gazing upon them, they are the light side. Knowing them, they are the birth of the new Jedi order, capable of light and dark and the remnants of the battling forces.

Saleairy woke with a groan. She couldn't move. She'd been injured countless times in her journey. The Exile, Ayden, carried her in his arms to the Ebon Hawk. She hadn't seen the ship for ages. She shut her eyes. She could feel where she was being carried. She didn't like it, the sensation made her ill. The gifts of cleansing an impurity of the force were higher perceptions. She wasn't sure if she could handle the unreal perceptions when she would be going back to the real world. She heard voices around her.

"Is that who I think it is?"

"Yes Atton, it was Revan." Ayden said. He sounded wearied.

"Was? Is she dead? Good riddance."

"No. She is Revan no longer. Her name is Saleairy and she is the reason the Sith teachings that held the galaxy by the throat are gone." Ayden said.

"You make it sound like she killed Kreia." Atton said.

"Ayden, where should we go?" A softer voice asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Off this planet. It is good to see you." Ayden said. This was the Handmaiden his thoughts had leaned towards.

"Exile, good to see you alive." Saleairy recognized that voice. Canderous. She opened her eyes and realized they weren't in the medical bay with her. They were somewhere else on the ship. She was connected to the ship, the people, the very force they depended on. She slid from the cot, groaning. She wondered what quest had brought the group together and led them to where they stood. She walked to the main hold, limping like so many times before. She didn't have Carth to use as her crutch. God she missed that man. She missed him like she missed being able to breath without feeling the drawl in her ribs. Carth was essential to living and now that she'd closed her past, he'd opened her future.

"Revan." Canderous was Mandalore now but still carried a fondness for the fallen Jedi. He was at her side, supporting her and holding her close in an embrace that echoed the tenderness of a parent.

"Yes, Revan." Atton didn't look comfortable in her presence.

"She has said she is Revan no longer and there is a difference." Handmaiden said, blinking. "I have seen you battle as Revan and now, you battle things that were once hidden from me. You are different."

"Bah, Jedi mumbo jumbo. I want real proof the dark Lord isn't going to pierce me with her lightsaber." Atton said, narrowing his eyes.

"You're a Jedi, you wouldn't let me run you through any sooner than I would desire to." Saleairy said.

"Where are T3 and HK?"

"They're with everyone else, waiting on that moon near Telos." Atton said, placating by the answer and the gentle look he received.

"I'll set the course." Handmaiden followed Ayden and Canderous carried Saleairy back to the medbay. Atton followed.

"Canderous, how did you end up-"

"Canderous? Is that your name Mandalore?" Atton asked.

"It was. It is like me calling you Revan my dear Jedi, it's a term of endearment and respect for the past." Mandalore swung her to the cot and she smiled.

"Well, um hey, I can help you with your, injuries." Atton said.

"Good, you do that Jedi boy, and I'll make some stims for her once she's ready to move around. And I'm sure I can find something so none of them scar. Republic would appreciate that." Mandalore disappeared and Atton rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't want this to be weird." Atton said.

"There isn't anything to make it weird Atton. I need your help because I'm tired and I would wander around injured without a second thought. Then Mandalore and Ayden would get rather upset, and Handmaiden would take personal offense-" Saleairy smiled.

"All right, I get the picture. I'm happy to help. After all, you did help Ayden. I'm not sure that he would've made it back without you since he didn't take any of us. Never would guess it but Handmaiden was in pieces the entire time." Atton made conversation as he healed her.

"I could guess that and I wouldn't have made it without him either." She said.

"But you're Revan." Atton was startled by the admittance to the debt.

"I'm Saleairy and a Jedi needs help sometimes. Just like he needed your help." Saleairy said.

"Well, thanks for helping him back." Atton said.

"You're welcome Atton. And I'm sorry if Revan hurt you." She said.

"Well, you're not Revan and I was stupid enough to get involved in the first place." Atton said.

"You aren't the first Jedi to call themselves stupid for following a great leader and a seemingly worthy cause." Saleairy said, smiling.

"Well, I am the first Jedi to heal the great leader after being just smart enough to run." Atton said, smiling at the gray eyed women. Her eyes glinted in the light.

"You are the first of many things and healing me is hardly the pinnacle, Atton."

Saleairy slept until the ship took an ungraceful landing. She opened her eyes and wondered why they felt heavier than anything she'd even lifted (she'd lifted Zaalbar before, only an inch or so but it was still Zaalbar).

"It's okay. Take your time Saleairy." Ayden had a soft, strained voice and leaned on the doorway.

"Where are we?" She asked, propping herself up. She doubted her ability to walk simply because she felt like she'd fall asleep again or at least fall.

"Some moon near Telos. We were ordered by an Admiral to land." Ayden shrugged his shoulders. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Ayden wrapped an arm under her shoulder and helped her walk along to the engine ramp. He was gentle and it was obvious he had once cared for Revan. They'd talked quite a lot about their past. Revan didn't remember anything but felt certain things. Pain she'd caused as Revan surfaced now because Revan was blinded to it. Ayden had commented that hindsight was 20/20. She'd chuckled and yanked on his bangs. He'd said Revan did the same thing.

Ayden helped her down to the ground and she looked up at the amethyst sky as the sun set. The crew, most of which Saleairy didn't know, were scattered around. Atton swallowed.

"Hello Admiral Onasi." Atton rubbed the back of his neck. Saleairy turned to see if what she'd fought for was really waiting for her.

Saleairy uttered no sound as she dove into Carth's arms. Carth buried his face in her neck as she buried her face in his chest. Her arms clung around his neck as he supported her.

"What a heart warming homecoming." Atton said, chuckling. The Admiral was a bit old for Revan but Atton figured it took some experience to keep a former Sith Lord attached.

"She deserves this homecoming Atton." Ayden said.

"You deserve a homecoming too. You brought her back." Atton said, winking at Handmaiden.

"Nothing would've kept her from returning Atton." Ayden said, ushering his group away from the silent pair.

Carth Onasi was complete once more as the Sith Lord Revan clung to him, tears streaming down her face without any strange facial contortions since she didn't care if she cried on his shoulder.

"I waited for you beautiful." Carth wondered how long it looked like he waited. Those years had taken their toll but he felt the force dripping off Saleairy. She hadn't changed much and Carth already felt younger because the folly of his youth and the wisdom of middle age brought his lover back. She met his eyes and he blinked. Her eyes were much lighter. They seemed silver in the fading sunlight and they were definitely older. She'd experienced many things she'd never speak of.

"You'll never wait for me again." She kissed him.

"Are you sure you're done saving the galaxy beautiful?" Carth kissed her and she sighed, looking up at him as her arms hung around his neck.

"It takes strength to save the galaxy and I won't ever have the strength to leave you again, my handsome pilot."

The End

It's done. I'll have more stories with Saleairy but it'll be more like a few glimspes of family life etc with Carth. Snicker. It'll be funnier this time around, now that thegalaxy is okay. What did everyone think? Also, Ihave a short story with Atton and the female Exile, Skills and Fools. Kinda funny...Luvs and thanxfor all the luvs via reviewers.