Chapter 2. The Deed

The Jedi assault vessel was now leaving the atmosphere. All Revan could see of it now was the faint light of its engines lighting up the clouds. She had only met Steve in person less than two days ago and he was already gone. Now she had to go back to being alone and unwanted. The events that had stirred before Steve left on his mission left everyone in doubt. This time, it wouldn't be long before she could be with him again. It would also mean that she would get her powers back. She wasn't really looking forward to it though: for the next few months it would only bring trouble to have them back. On the other hand, anything was better that staying in a Jedi enclave filled with ignorant people. She didn't care about their ignorance though; it was too common of a thing in almost any culture.

Steve's plan was explained in as much detail as possible to the crew he was given. The two Jedi listened carefully, as if it were any other mission. They were acting on direct orders from the council, and they would do what they are told. It would be a simple drop-off and pickup mission. Though it had its dangers, it had a very high chance of success: They would exit hyperspace as close to the planet as possible and speed their way down to Korriban's Sith academy. By the time the Sith detect them, they would have unloaded their passenger and would be on their way out into space. The only danger was the defenses the Sith may have around the landing zone, which was said to be almost always deserted. The rest of the danger would be left for Steve to handle. The two Jedi thought this mission Steve was on was bold and unrealistic. No Jedi would possibly accept to be dumped on a Sith planet and expect to make it into the academy. Furthermore, the details were that Steve had to make his way deep within the academy itself to reach his goal: Darth Malak. Steve was no Jedi, however, and it was not their place to give their opinion about the mission. Steve would make no use of it.

On the way out of hyperspace, the Jedi pilot noticed a Sith ship. No doubt Darth Malak's flagship waiting for the Sith Lord to return into space. Though this was not a problem at the moment it could become one when, and if, Steve's mission was completed. However, Steve did not seem alarmed at all about it, and it gave the Jedi more confidence. The rest of the way down was without any dangers. The landing site was clear of any detectable defenses, and there were very few people around. The drop-off was swift and effortless.

On his way down to the academy, Steve noticed that everyone was going about their business. No one even looked in his direction. It would be the same if he were a ghost. He was lucky to go unnoticed for even a few minute, but he soon reached the main doors of the academy. As usual, it was lightly guarded. This particular guard was a fool and never took anything seriously. When he saw the dark figure approach, he was sure it was meant as a joke. Steve had kept the same pace on his way down and never even glanced at the guard. When he was close enough, he summoned the force and lifted his hand at arm lengths in front of him with his palm facing forward. The door began to screech and clinch, as the mechanism was being forced open. Looking at the door, in dismay, the guard could think of nothing to do but to keep his mouth shut. His job, after all, was to keep the unworthy out of the academy, and this was no longer his jurisdiction.

Steve kept on walking at the same pace as before, as if everything was normal, down into the academy's interior. The first room was the main room. It was more like a threshold because all it did was lead to other hallways. It was a very big chamber though and people used it as a common room. There were a dozen Sith students and trainers in this room, and they all felt Steve's presence. As soon as he stepped into their visual range, they stared at him. Amongst them was master Uthar. Uthar was currently speaking to a number of new recruits, and, when he saw the dark one making his way to the other side of the room, he froze.

"Is this even possible? Could the Dark Lord be alive? Why has she waited so long to return?" He whispered to himself as he watched the short figure walk past them.

There were a couple of students that were walking in Steve's direction. They had come back form the training room and were on their way out to celebrate their newfound skills. As they were discussing how powerful and fierce they were, they noticed the short figure walking towards them. They felt sure of themselves and thought they should make a comment on his size. Steve did not look big and wasn't big, but he had surprising strength for his size. It did not bother him one bit to be called names like that because their ignorance of strength was his advantage. However, he did not need his strength right now. He had to save that for later. The two persistent students stood between him and the hallway, getting ready to fight. Everyone was watching quietly and master Uthar made his way to the center of the room to get a closer look. As the two Sith were drawing their lightsabers, they realized something was wrong. They could not move. Their chests started to feel immense pressure. They were panicking. That pressure soon became unbearable and their lungs and hearts couldn't expand one bit. Death was imminent for those two, and they collapsed to the ground before Steve had even reached them. He didn't slow down or even look back, as he walked passed the two motionless corpses. He was just gliding through the academy.

"So it is Revan." Uthar spoke almost inaudibly. He was the only one in the room who had seen Revan in person before. He was fond of her powers and wisdom. He had always expected her to come back one day or another. He didn't think Malak deserved her title. Though he was very strong, he lacked the charisma and wisdom of a true leader. Revan had all that and more. He was ashamed when the word that Revan had been killed reached him. He felt it was cowardly of her apprentice to betray her from afar like that. Not worthy of a true Dark Lord. However, he could not deny that without Revan, Malak was by far the strongest Sith and had no choice but to follow him.

After following the map on his datapad, Steve reached Malak's giant meditation chamber. The bulky door was shut as it was always. There were very few people who would dare enter that room. However, this is where Malak sought his solace from when he felt confused or regretful, which was most of the time. He found it gave him great power to focus on the regrets of his past. He would think a lot about the Jedi and the wars and he thought a lot more about his old master. He felt a lot of regret about what he did to her and loved to rethink of other ways he could have challenged her for supremacy.

As he was buried in his thoughts, Malak felt a strong presence at his door. When he realized that that presence wouldn't leave, he made his way to the door's control panel to open it. As the door opened, he had a thought that had just become true. His old master was here to challenge him in a fatal ceremony. There was great honor in challenging one's master in a duel, and he wanted a piece of it. Though what he did to Revan was the most realistic thing to do, he couldn't help but feel remorse about it. He respected his old master far too much for that and realized it only after he had acted. He wished he could take it all back and do it the right way. This was his chance.

"I did not expect you to survive Revan. But now I am glad to see that you did. So tell me, is it revenge you seek at this reunion?" He asked.

Steve couldn't answer in words or it would throw the whole thing off. Instead, he answered by removing the lightsaber hilt from his belt and spinning it vertically in his hand. In a sign of acknowledgement, Malak grabbed his lightsaber and stepped back to the middle of his meditation chamber. Steve followed him in the room and the door closed behind him. Many of the people he crossed on the way down would have loved a chance to see this duel, but it was not meant to be seen by anyone. Only one person would leave that room alive, and it was up to that person to reveal the details he wished to share.

After a moment of stillness, Steve ignited his perfect crimson lightsaber and swirled it into the stance Revan had preferred to use. It was a very intriguing stance that was meant to demonstrate will power. It was used to send that message when Revan used it, but now Steve was using it as an identity that only Revan would have. It was like a signature that would prove who he was supposed to be in case there would ever be a doubt: Though he had Revan's power and teachings, he had a personality of his own that would most likely show itself during the duel. It was not unexpected for people to change a habit like a fighting style, but, this way, it was safe to assume Malak would remain fooled until his time comes.

Malak ignited his lightsaber very shortly after and couldn't keep himself from giggling. He was happy right now, and, if he still had a jaw, he would be smirking. The duel began with Malak's swift pounce. He was hoping to use his sheer size and strength to knock down his opponent. As he expected, it didn't work. His old master was much too quick to be had that way. He was even happier now. The next thing he tried was what he had practiced the most under Darth Revan's teaching: he used the force to give him immense physical speed and strength, which was just as soon matched by his opponent. The next few minutes of dueling were among the most intensive demonstrations of speed and agility anyone could ever hope to witness in the last few millennia of Sith-duel history. The air would not sit still long after the duel would be over. The speed of their muscles would be enough to tare anyone else's ligaments or even brake their bones. The impact caused by their interconnecting blades could be felt through their entire body and shook the very floor they were standing on.

"I see that you haven't lost your touch with your techniques, but I sense something different in your fighting. You don't strike with as much anger as you should. Perhaps it is because you have left your title of Dark Lord with me for too long. Perhaps you should have come back sooner. Don't you feel the need your vengeance is creating within you? Don't you wish to die honoring that call?" Malak inquired.

Again, Steve had to respond with motion only. This time however it was something of his own. It was certainly not a new maneuver, but it certainly wasn't something Revan had taught him, and it may be enough to surprise Malak. It was an aggressive maneuver. It consisted of marching towards the enemy until they are too close to each other to swing their lightsaber, and then it would become an elegant display of wrist spins ant trusts that were very hard to avoid form that range. Though it served to make Malak uncomfortable for a moment, it did not create an opening that was suitable for a mortal blow. Steve had to come up with another trick.

This time, Darth Malak felt he should try something new. Even now, he followed into Revan's ways. If Revan did something, he had to do it. Revan was incredibly wise and anything she did served a purpose. Even now, he would try to learn a piece of her wisdom. He wanted to try something new himself. He wanted to try using some hand-to-hand techniques in addition to his attacks for a while, once again hoping for his superior strength to give him the advantage. This method, however, was highly discouraged amongst the Jedi and even the Sith because it was very risky: Most of the time it would end up costing someone's limb. It is very difficult to defend oneself with a lighsaber and defend the limb one attacks with at the same time. However, these two people were incredible. They would be capable of doing it. It did not go as he had expected. The hits he landed did not make his opponent budge as he had hoped. He had hoped the pain and bruises it would cause to break his opponent's concentration, but, instead, it only served to fortify this one even more. After a few hits and kicks, Steve was so focused that he could almost write down the next series of moves down in details before they happened. It was like he was struck by lightning, and, instead of wounding him, it gave him power. This time, he would do the hitting. The first few moved he made were meant to seem defensive while we mustered the power into his arm to hit Malak. As he had foreseen, it hit him straight onto his rib cage, and there was a snapping noise. He had successfully broken two of his ribs. If Malak were smaller, it could have been three, but he was a big man. Unprepared for such a powerful blow, Malak stepped back with one hand pressed against his side. He was in pain, but he would endure it. This wasn't enough to defeat him. The next few time, Steve had success in landing a few more hits, one after the other. He was getting tired of hitting. He had to end this.

Before he could try something else, he predicted that Malak would attempt to throw him away. Malak felt he was losing and had to use his force abilities instead of his damaged body to defend himself. It failed miserably as Steve simply stopped his attack and continued fighting. Malak was beginning to feel hopeless, and it made him more aggressive. His despair had made him irrational and weak. He tried to kick his enemy on the chest only to have his leg caught by him instead. With one had on his saber hilt and the other one holding Malak's foot Steve could end this battle however he saw fit. Instead of decapitating or striking him dead, Steve decided to give him a slow death: Enough time to let him know who he was facing. Besides, he had promised to deliver a massage to him. It was something both he and Revan wanted him to hear. Steve quickly threw Malak's leg to his side that started Malak on a fierce spin. He then used his free hand to capture Malak's wrist and slid his lightsaber down against his until it split Malak's hand and hilt in two. Immediately after, Steve turned around and shoved his blade, in reverse, into Malak's stomach. Steve then holstered his lightsaber hilt and removed his mask. Darth Malak fell to his knees and on his only good hand. He looked up at the face of his opponent. Steve's face and hair was sweaty, but he was not out of breath. He breathed silently and looked down at Malak with a minor look of sadness. Killing people was not something he wanted to do. When it's a person that he knew a lot about, it felt like shit. However, he knew everyone would live happier after this, and that made it feel at least a little better.

"Who…cough…cough … who are you?" Malak coughed slowly.

"I am a messenger of Revan's. She wished to convey a message to you before you died." Steve said coolly.

"She wishes you to know that she takes a great part of the blame for your fate… Be still and listen. She wants you to know that she regrets not having spent more time concentrating her efforts on you and less on the battlefield. She feels that you could have been a much greater man if she had trained you the way she wanted to. Most important of all… she forgives you for betraying her. She is sorry to have brought this fate upon you and wishes, most of all, for your forgiveness." Steve conveyed the message, understanding a part of what Revan was feeling when she asked this of him. He was feeling sorry for this man. He had done everything he felt was right and he followed the only one that could make sense of things. Revan was the only leader that was capable of gathering people like that. She brought togetherness to those who felt none. She was a great hero and a role model. It would be ridiculously hard not to follow her. After all this time, it turns out that she had misplaced some of her attention and ended up costing her apprentice's life. It could easily have been her own life instead, if it weren't for the compassion of the Jedi… of Bastila. This was the biggest reason why she wanted Malak to forgive her. She wanted him to understand that it should have been her that died, and because she didn't, it was impossible to go back to the way things were. Malak knew Revan longer than Steve did and understood what the message meant.

"I…forgi…ve …" Malak tried to continue but couldn't. He was dead.

After a moment of inspecting himself, Steve found that he wasn't wounded. He had only been bruised in a few places. He didn't let the pain influence him much. He then placed the breath mask back on and looked around for a computer console. When he found one, he took out the datapad Revan had given him. He plugged it into the computer and uploaded the audio message. This computer was not safeguarded by any password or encryption because it was in a very secure zone. Once the message was uploaded, he followed the instructions left by Revan and begun playing it while he added his holographic presence to the transmission. It was sent to every computer in the Sith fleet. It was a top priority message that could only be sent by the Dark Lord himself. Everyone in range of a Sith console would see the hologram and listen to Darth Revan's words.

"My apprentice, Darth Malak, is dead. His treason has been dealt with. Let this event remind you who you truly serve. There can only be one Dark Lord of the Sith and since Malak failed to kill me, it was not his place to claim this title. For as long as I live, you will serve none other. Everything that Malak has ordered must be stopped immediately. Put your weapons down. There will be no more attempts to conquer what you cannot control. The war is over, and the galaxy is in need of rebuilding. The army must disassemble. You may go back to whatever occupation you wish. As for me, I will be around. I will be a shadow that watches over the galaxy. Anyone who interferes with my plans will regret it. Let this be a warning to those that would betray the Dark Lord Revan."

As he said that, the holographic projection shrunk in size until it could include Darth Malak's corpse, in the middle of his meditation chamber. At that moment, everyone knew what had to be done. Darth Revan was their leader now and always. Everyone understood that Malak had made a mistake to oppose her. She was the true power of the Sith and Malak could never replace her. Though the audience listening to the hologram didn't know why Revan would reject Malak's plans, they would not question her authority. The army would disassemble, and everything would return to normal. The Sith would still have their academies and their old ways. That was how it had to be. Revan had done all she could do with the Sith, and it was time to leave them as she left the Jedi. She did not intend to lead the Sith anymore, and she made sure no one else would either. The chaos that her absence would cause would restore some peace in the galaxy, and, if a new opposition would arise, the sith would be ready for their master to return.

Before Steve left the computer, he sent a message to the Jedi ship that was standing by. They had been hiding in the system of planets around Korriban to hide from the Sith patrols. This way, they would be within range of mid-range transmissions and could return to the surface for a quick pickup. Steve told the Jedi not to fear the capital ship orbiting the planet and to land in the same place as before. They were glad that the mission was a success, but they felt it would be best to keep their distance from the Sith vessel. As promised, it did not pursue them on their way down.

Steve was walking back the way he had come from. This time, all the Sith stood out of his way. When he reached master Uthar, he was greeted with a polite bow. Steve stopped and responded with a polite head bow of his own and kept moving towards the surface. Everyone else followed Uthar's gesture and lowered themselves into a bowing position. Steve did not care about them though; their bow didn't have the same meaning as Uthar's. He kept moving.

Once he was on the Jedi vessel, he felt it was time to take off his mask and uncloak himself. He then sat next to the pilot and sighed. His job was done, and he was happy to go back to Revan's arms. He wanted to give her back what she had given him and more. He couldn't wait to see Revan back to her full potential. Her wisdom and power had become a legend, and he couldn't wait to make it a reality once again. The Jedi did not know it was about to happen. To their knowledge, this power had been Steve's all along. It was impossible to perform a force transference and survive it. It was much less likely for Steve to have been trained so well in such a hurry. No. To their knowledge, Steve had been some kind of rogue who had lived his entire life in training with countless powerful people. They figured he served Revan in one way or another. Whether it was helping her in the Mandalorian war or it was accomplishing various tasks, he had to have been there all along. Though it would be very unlikely that he had served in the wars and not be known to anyone, it was a possibility. The Jedi council could not detect anything from his past, present or future. His mind block was impenetrable. A trait he no doubt gained from Revan herself.

It would not be long now before the Jedi learn who he really was and what he had really come to do. Revan and Steve had no plans to be around the Jedi when it was going to take place though, and, when they do find out, they will not dare stop them. However, they would do something about it, and, given the chance, they would try and take her powers away. It was their duty to the galaxy. Revan was their responsibility, and, since they had been able to control her, they had to make sure no one would. They had to punish Revan for her crimes, and they could not let her disconnect herself form the Jedi and keep such dangerous powers. It would be bad for their reputation to let her leave them again with all of her capabilities. Though they believed she was worthy of being redeemed, she still represented the Jedi's failures everywhere she would go unless her connection to the force was permanently severed.

Steve knew enough about the Jedi to know what they would do when Revan had her powers back, but after glimpsing at the future he saw that, in the end, it would all be well. He had to return to his present concerns because, by now, the Jedi pilot had begun a conversation.

"Who are you? Really… I must know." He asked.

"It's better if you don't know… don't concern yourself about it. In time, you may learn who I am, and, if you do, you will not care much about it." Steve responded.

"I was wondering, how is it that you could promise that no one will take over the Sith empire? I wasn't informed of the details, and this is one question that I had to ask." The pilot inquired.

Steve turned around to get a good look at him. He could see that he already knew the answer to that question and was merely trying to confirm it. After a moment of consideration, Steve confessed, giving away the answer without making anything clear:

"By making them understand that they still do have a leader, no one will step up. It is the Sith way; they will only follow one person at a time."

"It's Revan. I knew it. Because of you, they still follow her don't they?" A pause followed and Steve didn't answer.

"Why would they follow her the way she has become?" he continued.

"They will never question her authority, and they never did. She will always be a leader to them. Besides, they don't know that she lost her abilities, and those that find out wont share that information with anyone." Steve explained the situation.

"What do you mean those that find out?" he inquired.

"Well it won't be a secret for very long. Whatever the Jedi know, the Sith will eventually discover" Steve clarified.

"But if they know she is powerless, why would they keep it a secret?" the pilot asked.

Steve could help but laugh at his confusion. How can a Jedi not understand his enemy enough to know the answer to this? How could the Sith ways be such a mystery to them? Why haven't they learned this about them just as any warrior would learn of his enemies? Sure, the Jedi masters knew all this, but why keep it a secret? Like many other things, Steve thought it was probably because the Jedi masters didn't even trust their own people with information that could distract them or influence them. What they didn't know didn't hurt them. The masters could keep their people ignorant for as long as they want. This was their way of keeping them under control. Steve couldn't help but see the irony in that. The Jedi were a lot more like the Sith were then they realized. It was only the method of control that was different, but the belief system was the same. The masters used their wisdom to dominate their pawns, and the sith used their power. Both ways were wrong. Dishonesty could seem a more peaceful method of control, but it was still wrong. From the moment they are conscious, the young Jedi are taken in the order and kept under control. They are told that emotion and attachments were dangerous. A Jedi had to live in a prison of their mind for their entire life. A person was simply not meant to go on without forming attachments and responding emotionally at times. The combination of having Jedi powers and strong emotions always turned into a disaster. The solution was simple: these two things had to be kept separate. It was the responsibility of the Jedi to keep themselves under control. Those that did not want to live without emotion, and realized that they were never given a choice about it in the first place, were the ones that could become dangerous. It happened often. Almost all of the true Sith consisted of those very people, and this is why the Jedi keep the Sith ways a secret from their own people. The Jedi that were easily tempted by emotion often fell to the dark side; they were called the dark Jedi. Though it took a lot more then that to become a true Sith, it was the beginning.

"The Sith that find out Revan is powerless would not tell a soul because they would take advantage of it and try to kill her themselves. If they could kill her, they could easily gain enough prestige to become Sith Lords themselves. But if all the Sith know, they would not consider killing her worthy of anything. For as long as she lives, the Sith will be kept at bay." Steve said.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" the pilot asked.

"Why not? You deserve to know the truth don't you?" Steve answered with questions of his own.

"No I… Well yes I deserve to know, but, what I mean is, why would you trust me with this information?" He asked.

Steve smiled and said: "We are not enemies. That's all the reason I need."

Steve was going to make a smooth escape from cockpit to get away from this interrogation. Before he was off his seat, he was asked another question.

"What are you and Revan going to do? If what you say is true, and she now has control over the Sith fleet, won't this make us enemies somehow?" This time his confusion made him a little unhappy.

After thinking about it, all Steve could say was: "No."

Before he left the room, Steve added: " Revan has no intention of keeping the Sith fleet in space for long. Like we promised."

The ship landed in the clearing of Dantooine's Jedi enclave, just where it had been over a day ago. No one expected them to arrive so soon except for Revan who had nothing else to do but wait. As soon as she received word that Steve was coming back, she found a spot near the pad as sat there waiting. As soon as the ship's ramps came down, she ran straight into Steve's open arms. They were so happy that they made everyone around uncomfortable. Bastila was on her way up to the landing site to escort Steve to the council for a full briefing. Steve and Revan didn't want to separate again.

"Can she come with us?" Steve asked Bastila while taking Revan's hand. Revan was noticeably older that he was and it made Bastila… uncomfortable. Bastila felt young, but, when she saw this, it made her think of what she was missing in her life. She always wanted to have a friend like that: A man friend. If she didn't feel Steve was too young for her, she would have been a little jealous. Instead, she was envious. She never considered getting involved in a serious relationship with a man and much less with a younger one. When she observed the couple in front of her, she felt it was natural and wasn't upset about it anymore.

"I'll inform the council of your request." She answered.

Bastila Shan suddenly felt lonely. She was a good person, but, because of the way she acted around people, she had trouble making friends. She was proud, stubborn and mostly unpleasant to be around. Before now, she didn't care much what people thought of her. She knows that anyone that can't see past her indisputable faults was not worthy of being her friend. Bastila realized that Revan was the only one in a long time who didn't seem to have a bad impression of her. She was curious to know why. Sometimes, Bastila felt like such a bitch and couldn't expect anyone to like her. After Steve had left the last meeting, the Jedi council members had given her an assignment that would give her the chance to find out why Revan, of all people, could see past her bad side and be interested in her. For now, this would have to wait.

All of the council members were present this time. They let Revan in with Steve, knowing that she would hear everything that was discussed in this meeting afterwards, regardless of Jedi confidentiality. Steve did not have to play by their rules and would have told her everything anyway. Once again, Steve had to avoid giving any details of his mission. Everything had to be as general as possible, enough to be convincing though. The masters didn't insist on hearing the details now because they were patient. They would know all they needed to know in good time. To accelerate the interrogation process, Steve handed them the datapad that Revan had given him. He had deleted everything except the holographic image of Malak's dead body, lying in the middle of his meditation chamber. It was enough to convince the masters that the deed was done.

"Very well, you and Revan may go." Said Vandar, looking up from the holographic image.

"Just remember that we still don't trust you, and, if our paths cross again, we may not be as compassionate. Our business is done here and if we meet again, we will do what we want with the both of you." Master Vrook threatened. He was not the only one on the council who opposed the idea of letting them go. Now that they held their part of the deal, they would not repeat this mistake again, if they get another chance. Steve bowed as politely as he could and left the room with Revan.

As much as they wanted to, they couldn't just leave yet. They still couldn't go anywhere without a ship. Since the Jedi didn't need the cargo ship they had leant her, Revan thought she could probably afford to buy it off them. When she talked to the Jedi officials, she got a much better deal than she expected. No doubt this ship had been prepared with homing devices. They expected her to be desperate enough to get off the planet that she would not care if it was going to be tracked. They were right; Revan didn't care if they tracked her for a while. She would soon find and deactivate all of the devices before they reach a permanent residence. Besides, she was going to trade the ship in to get a better one, eventually. For now, it really was time for her to find a place to go to. In order to find a residence that fit her needs, she would have to look into the galactic database. Previously, a database like this could be found on Taris. However, Malak had turned that planet into rubble. Revan would have to go to the next best choice. There were several galactic databases on Nar Shaddaa. Revan did not like that planet at all. It could be dangerous, but it was better that the alternative planets. At least, while she was there, she would be hard to find.

The journey would take very long with such a slow ship. Since she and Steve had much to do, it was only convenient to have the time and place to do it. For as long as they were in hyperspace, they could do all they want. They got started on the transference right away. It was a little different than the last time. Not only was it Steve who was conducting it, it was also different because they were both present in the flesh. They could feel each other for the entire time. They were connected much more intensely this time, and they felt very comfortable. They could feel each other's thoughts as clearly as their own. It was a perfect moment. Nothing in the world could feel better. It was love.

After a transference like that, there could never be any secrets between each other. Though Steve had given Revan back all of her powers, he still had some of her in him. There was a place in him that had remainders of Revan's soul. What he gave to her was the same. He had given her a piece of his soul. With that and her powers back, Revan felt almost perfect. All she needed now was to hold Steve in her arms.

She adored him. After what they had shared of each other, she couldn't find anything at all about him that she didn't adore. Even his lust for her was adorable. Seeing into his mind, she knew he would not ask her to make love to him. Though he certainly loved her with all the purity of his soul, he had the intention of treating her as his leader rather than a lover. He had unimaginable respect for her and that was far more important to him that mere animal lust. They were undeniably soul mates though, and his intense respect would not oppose it if Revan were seeking sexual pleasure from him. In fact, he would love to have sex with her.

Revan waited until Steve felt more energetic. The transference had tired him a lot, but he recovered fairly quickly. When she saw that he was feeling better, she started taking off the parts of her uniform that was still on him. At the same time, she was undressing herself. She was not interested in wearing Jedi robes; instead, she wore a simple white tank top with a red vest and flexible dull-gray pants. When she was finished taking his clothes off and was half way done with hers, she felt his skin was a little colder to the touch than normal. She laid her naked bosom against his lying body while she worked off the rest of her clothing. While she kissed him, she reached down to his manhood and guided it inside her. It didn't take long before she warmed him up to a normal body temperature. Revan had a lot of heat to send his way. They were terribly comfortable in each other's arms and they wanted to stay like that forever. They slept in each other's warmth.

Many hours later, Revan woke up. She had to get up to check on the ship's current trajectory. Steve was still sleeping. She covered him with some robes and got dressed. When she sat in the cockpit and looked at the horizon, she realized there was nothing about this ship that was suitable to them anymore. They were behind schedule, and Revan had only to look at the hyperspace window to see that they were moving slower than she had ever seen a ship fly. She thought she might as well shop for a better ship while she was in a city. She had almost forgotten that she had her powers back. She had gone long enough without it, and, now that she had it back, she realized she had many things to do. Much of the future could be seen in the many hours of hyperspace travel that was left. She meditated the remainder of the trip.

What she saw wasn't unexpected. She looked closely at what was awaiting them on Nar Shaddaa and saw that she had very little to worry about. She would have to prepare Steve for it though. He had no weapons anymore. The lightsaber was hers to use now, and she would have to ask Steve if there was another weapon he would prefer to use. She had an idea of what he would answer, but, since Steve was no warrior, she could not be sure what he would want. Steve woke up a quarter of an hour before the ship reached its destination. He put on the clothes he had made for himself back on his old planet and joined Revan in the cockpit.

"It's nice." She said. Steve didn't know what she was talking about until she pointed at his outfit. It was a tight black single-piece that had a zipper in the back instead of the front. It covered everything except his hands and head and part of his neck. It covered his feet with a thick padding of some kind. He didn't like wearing boots. This was like a compromise between wearing shoes and wearing nothing but sox. His outfit was not perfect though. It looked like it was patched together instead of being made of a single piece of fabric. It looked sturdy though.

"Oh that. Thanks"

Steve then talked about it for a while, about how he wanted to make it originally and how he had to make a few compromises. It was mostly how he wanted it. Revan had to talk to him about weapons though.

"What would you like to use as far as weapons are concerned?" She inquired.

"More than anything else?" He asked. Revan nodded. "Well actually, I'd like to have a shield… Just a shield for now I guess." He answered.

"Just a shield?" She asked, a bit surprised.

"Ya, well I'd like to defend myself, but, if I can run from trouble, I will. A shield would definitely keep me safe while I let you deal with the rest." He smiled.

"Don't you want a blaster or something to go with it?" She asked.

"No. Well… not yet. I don't think it will be very useful against anyone with a lightsaber. Besides, I don't have any other enemies at the moment, and I don't plan on making any. You know what, I'd be more comfortable with a shield in one had and nothing in the other. This way, I could concentrate more on my escapes. It wouldn't be easy to open a door with both hands full." They both laughed.

"Well you know what; I think that's a great idea. I'll get you something really good." Revan promised.

They approached a landing pad and signaled their intensions to land. The voice that was communicating with them mentioned the price, procedure and such. When they landed, they were greeted by the one that sent the communication. Revan paid him, and he left them alone.

"I want you to stay with the ship ok?" She asked Steve.

When he looked closely at her expression, he understood she was serious. It meant she foresaw the events that were about to take place, and Steve wasn't going to question her decision; he trusted her more that he did himself. He answered with a nod and a kiss of her hand as Revan made her way to the city. She wouldn't be able to gain access to the database until she reserved it. She would have plenty of time to spend with him before she did the rest of her shopping.

Steve went back in the ship for a moment, and then he turned back. He preferred to stand outside rather than to wait in the ship. After an hour of waiting, he started to walk around the landing pads, never leaving the ship out of sight for long. He found a set of stairs that led to a lower section of the port. It was a clearing that was directly underneath the landing pad that the ship was on. It was set parallel to the edge of the tall structures that made the city reach the sky. It was a long way down to the surface from here. He didn't like cities. One that was at such unsafe altitudes made him hate cities even more. He looked out into the horizon to where the sun was setting. He wasn't used to traveling very much and almost forgot it was always a different time zone wherever he went. He had just slept; which meant he would be awake during the entire night here on Nar Shaddaa. He looked up at the ship and saw everything was still in order. He wanted to continue walking around.

He was about to climb up the stairs he had taken to come down only to be stopped midway. There were two men slowly descending towards him. They were Sith from the looks of things. Steve started stepping backwards down the stairs. The two men smirked and took out lightsabers from their outfits. Steve kept walking backwards until he reached the lower level. There was no escape from here… except off the ledge. Steve though about it but didn't like the idea of plummeting down to his death anymore than being split by a lightsaber. However, he remembered that it was Revan's idea that he should stay there, and that meant that, whatever would happened, he would be safe. He didn't run away. The two Sith split up and surrounded their prey. They were no doubt waiting for Revan's return and hoping to catch her off guard. When they saw the man she was traveling with guarding the ship, they waited until the right moment to trap him.

The two Sith ignited they lightsabers and began circling their prey. They wanted to have some fun before killing Steve. He was unarmed and they couldn't feel the presence of the force about him. They started with mild hits of their fists and feet while keeping him inside a tight circle using threats of attacking with their laser blades. They slowly hit him down to his knees, enjoying every moment. Steve was not hurt, but he was humiliated, and, to the Sith, that was enjoyable. The two Sith started waving their lightsabers around him, close enough for Steve to feel the life-threatening heat they could unleash. This little parade of theirs didn't last long. The Sith man that was closest to the steps had been pierced through the chest by a yellow lightsaber blade. When he fell to the ground, Steve noticed bastila descending the rest of the way down the stairs. Using the force, she dragged her lightsaber back into her hand and reactivated it. Before he could react, Steve was jabbed in the back of the head by the bottom of the Sith's lightsaber hilt; enough to disable him for a few moments while the Sith attacked the Jedi. When Steve came back to consciousness, he saw that Bastila had her handful. This Sith knew what he was doing. When Bastila paused, the Sith decided to take advantage of the situation and made his way back to Steve. Steve was trying to get up at the time, and, when he saw the Sith come for him, he started rolling slowly to the ledge of the clearing. The sith was smiling at the fate Steve decided for himself and followed his movement, slowly walking towards the edge himself. He wanted to see it when it happened. Steve rolled all the way to it and griped it tightly with both his hands as the rest of his body followed gravity's pull. The Sith was laughing. He was waiting to see if he was going to let go or cower in that helpless position for long.

Bastila was about 15 feet behind the Sith, observing what was going on. She didn't care much for Steve's life, however, if Revan knew Bastila could have saved him, everything might be jeopardized. Still, she wasn't going to get herself killed trying to save him. Steve was not in an easy position to be saved from. She had to wait until the opportune moment to intervene.

"Push him off the edge!" Steve shouted.

In a split second, there was a shockwave that sent the Sith flying off the edge and all the way down to his death. It also pushed Steve's hands a little and made one of them lose its grip on the edge. The other one was hanging with only two fingers now. Bastila quickly grabbed his arm and help him back up on the flat surface.

"What the hell happened to you? You have some explaining to do little man!"

Bastila shouted annoyed by the fact that nothing Revan did was less that a mystery. She kept her lightsaber on, not knowing if Steve would attempt an escape. He wasn't about to run; his head hurt. Besides, he felt safe with Bastila. Moreover, from whatever little he knew about her, he liked her. He could tell she was a good person from the moment he saw her. Sometimes, during the meetings, she would show signs of concern that gave it away. Though she was a great Jedi, she also was a lot more emotional that the others. Steve really liked that about her; it made her seem more real. He didn't care that she was being aggressive towards him now because he was really looking forward to talking to her. From what Revan had told him about her, she had a knack at creating bad first impressions of herself. That made him like her even more.

"Why are your powers gone? Tell me now!" She requested while reminding him that she had a ready lightsaber, ready to dig the answers out of him if she had to.

Steve hadn't left the floor from the moment he was helped off the edge. He was on his knees with one hand on the floor and the other on the back of his head where he had been hit.

"I gave it back… all of it." He answered.

"What are you talking about? To whom?" She didn't understand.

"Revan. I gave it back to her." He clarified.

"What are you talking about? Where is Revan?" She was getting annoyed.

"She's gone shopping in the city. She only leant her powers to me temporarily. I gave it back." He said simply.

"Why would you lie to me? I saved your life! Answer me." She insisted.

"No doubt you've been send to spy on us. Well, let me tell you in ways you can understand: Revan has all the power she ever had and maybe even more. Me, I have no powers. Whether you believe it or not, I never had any until I met her. I am just simple man from the primitive cultures beyond the outer rim." He explained.

"You are more than you are trying to make me believe or Revan would not be with you." Bastila observed.

"Maybe she just likes my company, haven't you thought about that?" Steve teased.

"Don't joke about it. She expects something from you, what is it? What does the Dark Lord want with someone like you? I want the truth." She demanded.

"Look, why don't we go someplace else and talk about this? Revan will be back soon and I think, maybe, you should be prepared with the right idea before you see her." Steve proposed.

"Alright, let's get to your ship and talk." She accepted.

As soon as they entered the ship, Steve made his way to the medical compartment that was right next to the loading ramp. Bastila readied her lightsaber for any trickery that Steve was preparing. When she saw the bandages and painkillers he took out of it, she placed her hilt back on her belt and helped him wrap the bandages on his head. Steve swallowed a few tablets and then turned around to look directly into Bastila's eyes.

"Look, I… Thank you for saving my life. You have no idea how much it means to me." He thanked her.

"I'm a Jedi, I did what I had to do." Bastila confessed.

"No, don't say that. It's not because of what you are that you do the things you do. You didn't have to save me… and you didn't have to save Revan that day… Though I am sure as hell grateful about it." Steve remarked.

Bastila noticed that he was talking about Revan's life when he was saying that he was grateful and remembered how they held each other at the landing site of the Jedi enclave, just a few days back.

"You like her don't you?" She asked realizing her question was a little off subject.

"I love Revan and she loves me. You saved both are lives and she will remember you forever." He answered.

"She is the Dark Lord of the Sith; what makes you think she would care about what a Jedi did for her." Bastila questioned.

"She isn't the Dark Lord anymore… well, technically she is, but you'll see what I mean when you see her." He let the mystery fill the space for a moment.

"I've notice some strange behavior coming from her, but noting she did was enough to prove she has changed. Apart from her obvious attachment to you, I suppose." She remarked.

"I never said it would be easy to convince you. I am just saying that you will see how she changed eventually. You are here to spy on us aren't you?" Steve asked as the bandages were finished being wrapped around his injured head.

"Yes I am" She replied.

"Well, hear me out, I have a suggestion to make. Why don't you travel with us? Revan mentioned that she was getting a bigger ship. We will have plenty of room for an extra passenger. It'll make things easier for all of us. This way, you'll do all the spying you were sent to do and more." Steve suggested.

Bastila was confused. She thought: Why the hell would he make a suggestion like that? What possible advantage would it bring them? If Revan wanted to kill me, she could do that very soon… It wouldn't make sense to have me around reporting back her every move to the council.

"Why would Revan want a spy onboard her ship?" Bastila finally asked.

The answer to that question was obvious to him but understood why Bastila could be confused.

"Because I want to be your friend. She wants to be your friend. We want to be friends with you Bastila, and we only want the greatest of things to happen to you. Why should you travel alone? Why would you deny yourself the simple pleasure of having company? Don't answer. Just think about it. When Revan gets here, you'll have a better idea of what to answer." He said.

Bastila felt Revan's approach. When she went down the ramp with Steve, she noticed she was holding something in her hand. Steve immediately recognized the item and went to pick it up when Revan offered it to him.

"Thank you, it's perfect" Steve said after observing the force shield. It was a simple but effective device. It was shaped like big kite that, when set down, would cover up to Steve's collar bones. It was made of a strong metal along the perimeter of it, where the force field mechanism was. The rest of it was mostly empty space so you can see perfectly well trough it at all times. It had only an arm brace in the top center of it. That was the only thing holding it together, but it seemed very stong regardless. The armbrace was a great idea. Instead of holding the shield with your hand, this held the forearm in place making it impossible to drop even under heavy impacts. After taking it from her hands, he gave Revan a hug. After the hug, Revan pulled back enough to get a good look at his injured head and touched it gently. Revan smiled and looked at Bastila, who was still standing on the ship's ramp, observing everything that was happening.

"I know what it is you did and I thank you. You will always be welcome in our home Bastila Shan."

"We have a lot of things to discuss you and I." Bastila said calmly.

"Of course, I would be happy to answer any question you ask."

Revan made her way back in the ship with Bastila and Steve. They sat down around the only table in the ship.

"The Jedi council sent me here to spy on you. What do you have to say about that?" Bastila asked.

"Well, I understand why they want to spy on me and that's why I am willing to cooperate. I have nothing more to hide. They can observe what I do and choose to believe what they want to believe. I am just glad they sent you." Revan confessed.

"I volunteered. They wanted to send someone and I immediately stepped forward." Bastila responded honestly.

"Why did you volunteer?" Revan asked.

"I wanted to be the first one to gather this information. No, I wanted make sure I could access the every detail of our findings. This was the only way." Bastila confessed.

"There is more to it than that… you must have wanted to come here to ask questions of your own. Questions that you wanted to keep off the record. Didn't you?" Revan observed.

"I… Yes there are many things that I wish an explanation for. Everything about you is mystery to everyone." The Jedi answered.

"It will all come in time, I promise. Just try to keep an open mind about what you learn on your stay here in Nar Shaddaa and wherever else our travels bring us." Revan said.

"Steve mentioned that I was welcome to travel as a passenger on your ship… and I'd like to discuss that with the council before making a decision… If you feel the same way as he does, that is." Bastila noticed the smile Revan sent in Steve's direction.

"I would be happy to have you as a passenger on our voyage… our next ship will be more suitable for all of us." Revan said.

"Steve and I have some more business to take care of here. We should be ready to leave here in less then six hours. I will meet you here and take you to our new ship when it is done." Revan added.

Bastila nodded and left the ship.

She was thinking about everything. A lot of it didn't make any sense. She went back to the ship she came with. It was a small fighter with hyperspace capabilities. It wasn't much, but it had been fast enough to catch up to Revan's cargo ship and follow it closely enough to land near it. Bastila activated her communications array and summoned the Jedi council. Most of them were there.

"I have very important information about Revan." Bastila started.

"Go on." Master Vandar said.

"Somehow she was able to regain her powers. Also, her companion lost his power… all of it. They told me that…" Bastila begun until she was interrupted by master Vrook.

"Why have you approached them? Your duty was to spy on them and report to us." Vrook said plainly, meaning no disrespect.

"I had to. A Sith faction had followed them here and attacked Steve." She reported.

"Why did you defend him and reveal your presence?" Vrook kept inquiring.

"He was defenseless! I couldn't just let him die. If he died… and Revan found out I could have prevented it… who know what she would have done." She clarified.

"You made the right choice. Revan could have guessed we were onto her." Master Jarr approved.

"Continue." Vandar said.

"As I was saying, Steve explained to me that it was due to a force transference. He also said that he was originally from the primitive cultures of beyond the outer rim and that it was. I don't know if any of it is true for sure. However, since Steve did not have his powers anymore, I probed him. I didn't sense any deception… Could such a transference be done?" Bastila inquired.

"No. A successful attempt of such a thing is unheard of. Besides, you were there when she had lost her powers… Her companion was not." Vrook answered.

"I was there. Somehow I don't think it was her near-death experience that made her lose her powers. I don't know what to say except that, in the current situation, Revan has the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith and all the power that comes with it. Steve was not who we feared him to be. Of this, I am sure of."

She explained.

"If so, why was her companion attacked by the Sith?" Vandar asked.

"I don't know… all I know for sure is that he was not their primary target: they attacked him for the simple pleasure of it… I saw it. They must have been waiting for Revan to come back to her ship to ambush her. I can't explain why they are after her. Somehow, I don't think Revan was surprised by the attack." She continued.

"What do you think Revan and her companion are up to?" Jarr asked.

"I don't know. Their plans completely elude me. There are so many mysteries that surround Revan. She seems different. Happier. I don't sense much of the dark side in her… though it is unquestionably there." Bastila answered.

"You may continue to spy on them. At the first sign of trouble, report to us." Master Vandar ordered.

"Wait, there's more. I was invited to travel as a passenger aboard their ship. For some reason, they seem interested in me. I want to go with them. There is so much more I could learn if I can keep my eyes and ears at their side." Bastila added.

"You may do as you wish. However, if Revan still has the taint of the dark side within her, she cannot be trusted. She is still very dangerous. I expect you to be vigilant about this." Master Vrook said with unease.

"I don't think she wants to harm me or she would have done it already." Bastila observed.

"There are fates that are far worse than physical harm. If you travel with them, you must distinguish whether or not their intentions are honorable." Vrook said.

"Yes master." She said.

"May the force be with you young Jedi." Master Vandar said before terminating the connection.

After the transmission was over, Bastila Shan went back Revan's ship to wait form them to return. She had thought of some of the possibilities of what Revan might try to do. Bastila wanted to be ready if Revan had plans to escape. When she arrived at the landing platform, she sat down and meditated on the possibilities. She was preparing herself. If she had to track down where Revan was going, it would make things easier to know where to find the clues. She searched in her mind.

In the mean time, Revan and Steve were walking in the city. They suddenly stopped at a public bar.

"There are more Sith here hunting us. I want you to be my decoy: Draw them out to you. I want you to go in there and order a drink. Wait a while and get your shield ready. Stay alive until I come help." Revan said. Steve nodded and walked in the bar to sit at the counter. He did what he was told. He kept his shield strapped around his forearm and let it stand next to his stool while he drank his beverage with his other hand and waited. Twenty minutes later, the doors swung open. It was the only way in or out of the bar and right now, there were four Sith assassins walking into the bar.

They looked around the room and noticed Steve sitting by himself at the counter. The four Sith walked straight for him while everyone else was running out the door in anticipation of their business there. Moments later, there was only a few spectators left in the room, too drunk to care what was happening and too far away to be in their way. Steve kicked over his stool and readied his shield. Once activated, it had a very silent hum that accompanied a very dim blue-transparent light that covered the full front side of the structure. The force field also bent a little around the edges to protect the side of the shield, all around its perimeter. The only danger to this setup was the attacks that came from behind the shield, though it would be very hard to catch Steve off guard. When the four Sith came within ten feet of their prey's current location, Steve jumped onto the counter and climbed down on the other side of it where all the liquor was. There was no way out of there, but, at least, this way, he could separated himself from the Sith for a moment. Soon after, one of the assassins ignited his lightsaber and jumped over the counter to join Steve. The rest of the Sith stood around to watch the hopeless fight that was about to take place. They would enjoy every moment of it.

The man that followed Steve on the other side of the counter started to strike at Steve's shield. His efforts were in vain, but he had many other tricks he would try. When he was annoyed by his failed attempts, he used the force to push Steve onto the glass shelves that held all the liquor bottles. Steve's body shattered all the glass while it was being projected towards the nearest end of the counter. Steve then smashed against the wall at the end of the counter. He was surprised to see how well his outfit had protected him from the shattered glass and by how he was left unharmed by his abrupt landing. The Sith all laughed at the show and became silent when they saw Revan enter the room.

They all looked over at the swinging doors, except for Steve, who already knew what was going on and couldn't see it even if he tried since he was on the floor of broken glass underneath the counter. He took advantage of the distraction. He quickly got up on his feet and charged at the Sith that had been attacking him. The sith saw it coming and readied himself for the impact. Steve slammed against him and pushed him all the way past the middle of the counter. The other three Sith went after Revan.

Revan was summoning the full power of the force to create an excessively powerful electrical field between her and the nearest Sith assassin. In an instant, there was a flash of thin blue lightning strips that went through the Sith's body. He was dead before he hit the floor. The electricity had conducted itself through his bloodstream and instantly burnt his internal organs to a crisp. The other two Sith radically slowed their pace down as they realized that Revan was no longer the powerless prey they were sure she was. They cautiously activated their lightsabers and surrounded her. She took her hilt of her belt and lit up the perfect crimson blade Steve had made from her instructions.

Steve still had to help himself for as long as Revan was busy with the other two assassins. He quickly pressed his shield on his opponent and picked up a liquor bottle from the unbroken part of the bar's shelves. He then took a step back and threw the bottle through the red blade that was being waved at him. As it made its way towards Steve's opponent, it started to split itself on the red blade. A fraction of a second later, the bottle blew itself to bits and unleashed a river of flaming liquid onto the Sith's face and chest. The flames soon died out as the liquid quickly vaporized itself. The Sith was still alive and now, he was an angry man. Steve quickly picked up another bottle from the shelf. Just as he was about to toss it, the Sith moved his blade out of the way. He was quick to learn but Steve was quicker. Immediately after the blade was out of the way, Steve drove the lower part of his shield into the other man's Adams apple. He noticed he had successfully injured his enemy. Moments later, he realized that the Sith assassin was not just distracted, he was choking on his own caved-in larynx. Steve looked over at Revan who was still fighting off the two Sith. Steve thought: If she hasn't killed them yet she must be trying to learn something. Steve observed as Revan only defended herself at the same speed the attacker were attacking. She was probing them for information at the same time. When she was through learning what she could, she swung her lightsaber around herself at arm's lengths as fast as it could be done. The two Sith around her became four separate pieces.

"Let's get out of here." Revan said to Steve while pushing through the crowd that was waiting outside of the bar. They held each other's hands and found a quiet alley to lay low for a while and kept quiet as the city officials rushed to the crime scene. When they were gone, Revan pulled Steve's hand to tell him to keep following her.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"I want to show you where our new ship is." She answered. When they were in a safer part of the city, they slowed down their pace.

"I saw how you fought back there. I am very proud of you." Revan observed.

"Nothing makes me happier than to make you proud, Revan." Steve smiled.

"I was expecting you to ask me to buy you a blaster to go with your shield, but now I see how just having the shield can be even greater." Revan explained.

"Well, I guess I'll never cease to amaze you, now won't I?" Steve smiled.

"Of course! Why else would I let a commoner, like you, follow me around?" She teased him and they laughed. Revan kissed him on the cheek and put her hand on his shoulder. As they approached the shipyard, Revan pointed at they new ship.

"There it is. They told me it was called the Ebon Hawk. It's a small cargo ship, but it's bigger and much more passenger-friendly than the Jedi ship. There are six beds I think. There are two bath rooms and it has a centered gun turret. Apparently, it was recently salvaged and repaired. I sold our old ship for more than I bought it, so I can afford this one. Hmmm. I have to go now. I have access to the database for the next hour, so I have to make good use of my time. Go get Bastila and bring her here to our new ship." Revan let go of his shoulder and left in a hurry.

Bastila was meditating. She was imagining many scenarios trying to understand more about Revan. She could never get close to anything that made sense, but she persisted. When she felt someone approach, she opened her eyes and looked at the incoming traveler. She saw Steve walking towards her with his shield alongside him. He was smiling. When he was close enough to talk, he said: "Hey". Then he walked up to where she was sitting and continued:

"Revan showed me our new ship. I hope you like it; it should be comfortable to all of us." Steve lent a hand to Bastila to help her get up, but she stood up on her own.

"Follow me." He said with the same smile he had approached with.

They walked in silence for a few minutes and then Bastila talked:

"Why is Revan so mysterious?" She asked almost only to herself.

"She isn't mysterious; she is mystified; it's different. What people think they know about her is wrong and it makes the things they don't know seem impossible. I don't blame them. I mean, she has changed a lot from the moment she left the Jedi, and, even now, she is changing. What you have to understand, and what people don't want to understand, is that Revan was never evil. Believe me, when I met her, she was filled with the dark side. Even then, she was true to herself. She told me she could control the dark side and ignore its temptations. She could use its power to do what she had to do and never regret it. Everything she had done was a duty to her. Now it's different. She doesn't feel that she has a duty anymore… she only wants peace." Steve tried to explain it as best he could, hoping Bastila believed him.

"I never heard of anyone who could use the dark side of the force and not become a slave to its will." She said.

"Well, you probably never heard of someone transferring her force powers onto someone else who lives on the other side of the galaxy either… You probably haven't heard of it because no one lived to tell the tale. You'll have to get used to witnessing strange things when you are around someone as powerful as she is." Steve explained.

"I don't doubt Revan's abilities; it's her intentions that I doubt." Bastila clarified.

"But you do doubt her abilities! You said it yourself: everything about Revan mystifies you. It's because you doubt her abilities that you doubt her intentions. Let me explain: Revan's greatest power is her wisdom. She understands things at a level no one ever achieved before. With the force, she can see into the many futures that can be shaped. Revan always did what was in her power to do. As a Jedi, she had the power to help others, and she did. When the Mandalorians attacked, she had the power to stop them, and she did. She had to give everything up for it. She even had to break her oath to the Jedi and learn the ways of the dark side to win that war. When she felt the dark side calling to her, she did everything in her power to tame it. When she learned more about the force, she gained even more power. She did make mistakes. I can't deny that, but she learned so much from it that she found a way to fix it… and she did. It's still happening now, all around you. Where she had gone wrong, it's becoming a right. The war is over, Malak is dead and people are more unified now than they ever were. She's still learning now, you know, and she will never stop learning. But from now on, she won't need to intervene much to help make things better for everyone. She isn't needed anymore, and all she wants to do is go her own way and keep an eye on the galaxy. She would like a chance to learn what she still has to learn. She strives for the power to keep people from starting wars. Revan and I are here so we can find a peaceful home, away from everything, where she could continue what she started. When you see what she is capable of, you'll understand what her intentions are, I promise you." Steve explained.

Bastila started to think about it for a while. She was not expecting all of that information and felt Steve was honest during the whole time. She was relieved to know some of her many questions could be answered but didn't know if the information was accurate. She had to find out from the source: from Revan herself. She still didn't trust her though. She wanted to, but she feared the worst all the time, and that didn't help anything.

When the two of them reached the ship, they went in to tour the interior. It was far nicer than the other cargo ship, even if this one had many scorch-marks and unrepared components. The first thing Steve noticed when he entered the starboard bedroom was that there were no doors. There was very little hope for privacy in this ship. He found that exciting. It would serve to prove to Bastila that they had nothing to hide, and that would make things easier. After inspecting the rest of the ship, Steve made his way back to the starboard room. He placed his shield in the narrow closet and sat on one of the three beds. He liked the way the room was lit. The lights came from next to the beds and gave it a comfortable feel. His head didn't hurt anymore. He unrolled the bandage off of his head and sighed. He didn't like wearing that thing. It didn't look good on him either. When he was done with it, he threw it in the garbage disposal. He looked at his hand to see if he was still bleeding from the small cuts the glass had done at the bar. It was in very good shape. He didn't bother cleaning it. He then observed his outfit. He couldn't see if it was cut on his backside, so he unzipped it and slipped his torso out of it, followed by his arms. He kept the rest on in case Bastila came back in the room while he was naked. It wouldn't bother him, but he thought it might bother her. He didn't want to look idiotic in front of her. He wanted to be her friend more that anyone else in the world, and he was not about to make her feel uncomfortable.

He laid the upper part of his single-piece outfit beside him on the bed. He spread the sleeves apart and inspected it from the inside first. As he expected, some of the glass pieces had found their way trough it to cut his back. He couldn't even feel it, but when he touched his back and looked at his hands, he found a little blood there and figured most of it had to be dry by then. He then looked at the backside of his outfit and saw a few pieces of glass that were stuck inside it. He took them all out, one by one, and threw the pieces in the garbage. Bastila had finished her inspection of the ship. She had a lot more experience around starships than Steve had, so she had many things to look at. When she saw Steve with all the little cuts on his back and neck, she decided to get the first aid kit out and help him clean it off. Steve would have a hard time doing it on his own and thanked her for her help.

"You're welcome." she said.

"Have you thought some more about traveling with us?" He asked as Bastila zipped his zipper back up.

"I am going to travel with you." She answered.

Steve tuned around to look at her and smiled.

"You won't regret it." He said. "Even though you're not very comfortable in our company, you'll find it more peaceful than you think." He said.

"I really hope you're right." Bastila responded.