Chapter 4. The Trial
The Ebon Hawk landed in the clearing of the Jedi enclave in a hurry. There were people there that were waiting for its arrival. There were four men, in pairs, carrying two stretchers. One group was meant to carry the Echany woman while the other was meant for Steve. Once the ship landed and the ramp was lowered, the two groups rushed in; one went to the starboard bedroom and the next went in the port bedroom. Revan and Bastila followed Steve's stretcher until they reached the emergency room. The Echany woman was sent to another room, given her much less threatening condition. The emergency room was a small but tall room. It was all relative, however; it only looked small because it was filled with equipment. Also, because it was a tall room, it added to the optical illusion. On the right side of the room, against the wall, there was a giant kolto tank. At the foot of the tank, there was an elevator platform meant to bring everything to the top of the tank for easy access. This way, they didn't have to move the injured people much. In the middle of the room, there was an operation table with rollers added to its feet for easy circulation. The rest of the room was filled with countless medical devices. The two men loaded Steve onto the table that was surrounded by two women; they were Jedi healers. Once Steve was secured on the table, one of the Jedi healers said:
"Everyone out. I'll be sure to come get you when we are finished here. You can wait outside." The two men were no longer needed and Revan and Bastila could only slow things down. It was too tight of a room to have witnesses around. Revan and Bastila left the room and waited just outside of it, peacefully. Revan leaned against the hallway wall in silence while Bastila just stood there, looking at the floor and at Revan at times.
Steve was unconscious, as he had been for a long time now. His loss of blood made him too weak to stay awake. The two women healers around him had begun working on him. The first thing they did was to insert a device into Steve's bleeding wound. Once it was correctly seated in the cylinder-shaped hole, it stretched outwards and blocked out the open blood vessels. His wound expanded to the size it was created in. It looked even worse than the two Jedi healers had thought it would look. The bleeding stopped quickly as the tool performed its job well. The next step was to get Steve ready for insertion into the kolto tank. One of the women, the younger of the two, started sliding on the customary white shorts that all patients wore when inserted into the kolto tank. The older of two removed the towel that was wrapped around Steve's midsection and said:
"Don't put that on him: it's too tight look… it'll hurt him." She said to the other Jedi healer while pointing at Steve's swollen genitals. She searched around the room and brought back a long white cloth.
"Here. Wrap this around him." She said to the younger healer as she handed the cloth to her. The healer wrapped it around him and held it together with a pin. The two women then pushed the table onto the loading platform and began their elevation. Once they reached the top of the kolto tank, they began setting the tank's equipment. They first inserted a breathing tube inside Steve's throat and sealed his mouth around it. The next thing they did was place a vital sign sensor on his chest; it was a small circular object that held in place with a pin that pierced into the flesh. They also inserted a wide needle into Steve's back. It was connected to a clone-blood dispenser. This blood was made with high concentrations of pre-built protein strains and adenosine triphosphate; everything the body needed to rebuild itself without the use of the digestive system. The older of the Jedi healers placed a pincher on Steve's nose and turned on the respiratory machine while the other woman helped lower him into the clear blue liquid of the tank. Once everything was secure, the two women lowered themselves down to the floor. The older of the two went to the opposite side of the room to begin her report while the other healer went to inform the two visitors outside that they were finished.
"You can go in now." The Jedi healer said before making her way down the hall into the medical personnel's office.
Revan and Bastila entered the room and circled the kolto tank to look at Steve's suspended body. After a moment of looking at him, Revan said:
"You know, all he really wants is to be your friend, Bastila." Revan said to her companion as sincerely as she could.
"You know I can't." Bastila said sadly.
"Bastila… you already formed an attachment to him… the damage is done. I would really like it if you considered being his friend. Give him a chance… Give yourself a chance. Don't answer yet, I just want you to consider it." Revan pleaded. Bastila understood that she had already formed a connection to Steve. Normally, she could control herself better than this, but her feelings for Steve were unexpected. There was something different about him. He was not so easy to ignore, and Bastila didn't expect it. Forming friendships like that was against the Jedi code. Bastila was not about to break this rule, but, as she was asked, she would consider it.
The older Jedi healer finally approached behind them to explain their progress.
"He should be ready in just over a week or so." She was about to continue, but then she saw that Steve had opened his eyes.
"He's stronger than he looks… it'll probably take less than a week for him to heal. I think most people in his condition would have died in his place. I don't think I've seen anyone regain consciousness so quickly after having lost so much blood. It looks like this one's a survivor; he has a strong will to live, I would say." The healer said before returning back to her report.
Revan and Bastila looked closely at Steve. He was looking all around him, unaware of how he got in a tank of liquid and how there were tubes sticking out of his body. At fist, he looked frightened of being stuck in such a confined area in such an exposed way, but he soon realized he was being watched over by the two women he trusted the most. He felt safe again. He was happy. Even with a tube stuck in his shut mouth, he could still managed to show a smile. Revan put her hand against the glass and smiled back. Steve then put his hand against the glass where hers was. He noticed that, not far from his extended hand, there was a keyboard with large keys attached to the glass. On the other side of it, between Revan and Bastila, there was a black screen that displayed what Steve could write. The first letter that showed up was 'I' . It was written in a large green capitalized font. It took Steve long to type in another letter because it was hard for him to distinguish the symbols from within a liquid like that. It took a while to get used to the underwater vision, but he slowly made progress on his message. The next word that followed was "LOVE". As expected, the next word was "YOU". Revan and Bastila smiled at the message, and, when they noticed that Steve was still trying to type, they kept looking at the screen. The final word of his message was "BOTH".
An instance later, there was a flash that came form the back of the room. The Jedi had taken a picture to include in her report for the archives, just as she had done with every other patient she inserted into the kolto tank. As she looked at the picture she had taken, she noticed it was nothing like the usual pictures she took. The look on the faces of those included in this picture was worth gold. The man in the kolto tank had managed a smile regardless of the discomfort around his mouth; he must have been happy, and he looked so peaceful… The woman nearest to him had her hand on the class where the man's hand was and possessed a most beautiful smile. On the other side of the tank, another woman was there, looking at the man. The awe that she expressed with her face was like the awe of a child that just discovered something incredibly beautiful for the first time in its life. That look alone was a treasure. In between the two women was a message displayed on the black screen. It said:
"I
LOVE
YOU
BOTH"
The Jedi healer could not believe the picture she took and had to look up to see it for herself to believe it. She stood up from her chair to get a better view of what had become one of the most beautiful moments she ever witnessed in the line of duty. This was the greatest picture she ever took.
After the moment passed, she approached the tank and told the two visitors:
"I should sedate him… His stay here won't be pleasant if he stays conscious the whole time." The woman said softly, trying not to spoil the moment. Revan and Bastila left the room slowly as the healer activated the automated sedative dispenser. The door closed automatically behind them. Bastila stood still for a moment and turned around to face Revan who was following closely behind.
"I would love to be his friend." Bastila confessed after careful consideration.
"Thank you so much!" Revan said as she reached over bastila to give her a hug. Bastila smiled and hugged her back. Things had finally set between these two girls; they had finally become friends.
The time had come for Revan and Bastila to be debriefed by the council.
"Is there anything you would like to say before we start?" Master Vandar asked Revan.
"Yes, I do. I thank you for saving my friend." Revan answered.
"You understand that you must face trial as a result of our agreement?" Master Vrook asked.
"Yes. However, since I am not a Jedi, my rights are somewhat different: I would like to exercise my right to a public trial." Revan said simply. Everyone looked at her oddly, even Bastila.
"What exactly do you have in mind?" Master Jarr asked.
"Because I am being judged for my actions from the perspective of the Jedi, I believe it would be appropriate for the vote allocation to extend to all the Jedi in the enclave. I find that that would be the most diplomatic thing to do, considering that I am not part of your order." Revan proposed boldly.
"If your wish is to make your trial open to the Jedi public, then we will respect your wishes. However, as leaders of the Jedi, our responsibilities are much greater; I believe our votes must have a stronger impact on the outcome than that of the ordinary Jedi." Vrook replied.
"I agree" Master Vandar said. The other masters nodded shortly after.
"Then we will hold our trial in the customary way of the Republic. We will be the prosecutors representing the Jedi's best interest. You may choose to have a representative to defend your case or you may represent yourself." Master Vandar said.
"If she agrees, I would like it if Bastila helps me in my defense." Revan proposed and looked over to her friend.
"I will aid Revan in her defense." Bastila said after a moment of reflection.
"It is settled then: the trial will begin in four days. You may gather all the evidence you believe you may need and ready your witnesses." Master Vrook said with the same unpleasant tone as before.
Upon exiting the room together, Bastila asked Revan:
"Why do you want your trial to be public?"
"I think it would be more favorable for us if we include the rest of the Jedi in this." Revan answered.
"Aren't the rest of us even more untrusting and fearful of you than the Jedi masters?" Bastila tried to understand what Revan was hoping for by allowing the rest of the Jedi to participate in the trial.
"The other Jedi have a much greater chance of imagining what I went through. Some of them were in a position to choose the way I did, like you. They are in a far better position to judge me now that I changed because they can relate to my situation more than the master. Hopefully, those that were never presented with a decision like that will be innocent enough to keep an open mind… which is more than we can expect from the masters." Revan explained.
"Maybe, but, just like the masters, most of them will be very hard to convince." Bastila gave her opinion.
"I never said it would be easy. I am just saying it would make more sense this way. You were never easy to convince about anything either, but, because you were curious, you gave me the attention that I needed. The other Jedi may share that same curiosity that you possessed and that the council does not." Revan clarified.
"Are you sure I am qualified enough to defend you in this trial? I mean, wouldn't you be better off representing yourself?" Bastila asked.
"You are more than capable of helping my case. Besides, I think it's necessary to have a friendly face defending me in this trial. It isn't all about finding the right arguments; it has a lot to do with impressions. Everyone respects your opinion Bastila; you will no doubt make a strong impression just by being with me." Revan answered.
"What do you think our chances are?" Bastila asked.
"I can't be sure… There are many things that can change the course of this trial. Mostly, I fear the outcome of this trial will still reside in the Jedi masters' decisions." Revan answered.
"I don't like the idea of this trial." Bastila said honestly. Revan looked at her curiously.
"Don't get me wrong, for long I have dreamed the day that Darth Revan was brought on trial for her actions… but not like this. This isn't the same at all. Not only do I believe that you are no longer Darth Revan, but it's also the way the Jedi masters forced this on you by using Steve's life as bait. None of it feels right because of that." Bastila clarified.
"I know what you mean. Steve would definitely be upset about that if he didn't care so much what the masters think of him… of us." Revan said.
"Why would he care what the Jedi think of him? He doesn't even know them much at all." Bastila asked her friend.
"He knows that the Jedi are the peacekeepers of the galaxy. Even though they don't always succeed at doing that very job, their very existence demands his respect. He respects them like one professional would respect another that shares the same job and possesses a similar passion for it. He cares what they think about him because he is a lot like you are: his approach to the problems we have is different that yours, but the outcome he seeks is the very same." Revan said.
"How much different can his methods be?" Bastila asked about her new friend.
"Well, you saw some of what his methods are all about: Do you know anyone else who would go into battle with only a shield to defend himself?" Revan attempted to explain Steve in ways Bastila could imagine.
"No, I can't say I do. Isn't that kind of extreme… to the point of being foolish?" Bastila asked. Revan laughed.
"You would have to have witnessed what I did to understand just how extreme it is. That's not the point though. It was actually better that way… safer, for everyone. He transfers his intentions onto everyone with his every move: his soothing voice, and the way he keeps his coolness in any situation, the way he never becomes angry or how he never disrespects anyone for any reason… even the way he fights conveys the message of his peaceful intentions… the main reason why he chose the shield in the first place. He makes it clear that he does not wish to harm anyone and that, alone, made him survive the previous battles that he encountered. If it was done any other way, if he was not true to himself when he does battle, he would not be alive today." Revan said. She was so proud of him.
"You mean Atris would have killed him?" Bastila asked.
"Oh yes! Do you even doubt that for a second?" Revan asked.
"I suppose you're right; I just haven't thought about it." Bastila said.
"If he even survived the encounters before that, Atris would have killed him as she had intended to. It was not his helplessness or his fighting abilities that saved him that day; it was his heroism, his courage, and most important of all, his intentions that had dissuaded Atris from finishing what she had started on his abdomen…" Revan said.
"He really knew it would happen to him didn't he?" Bastila asked.
"Oh yes. I told him something like that would happen." Revan repeated what she had told Bastila earlier.
"Did he know it would be his… heroism that would save him?" Bastila asked.
"No. There was just no way to predict anything in that detail. He was simply being himself and hoping for the best." Revan clarified.
"So he really is who he wants everyone to believe he is, isn't he? He was really being honest about everything wasn't he? I couldn't really believe him… I tried, but he just seemed so unrealistic. I really didn't think it was possible for anyone to be like that. I wish I had believed it sooner." Bastila confessed after Revan nodded to all of her questions.
"He is all of that and more. His soul is pure. That's why I chose him, you know, but, when I got to know him personally, it was more than just that. I fell in love." Revan said.
"You said something about that earlier, but you didn't finish." Bastila asked.
"For now, let's just say that, while you were watching over me that day, when you came after me, I was looking for something, and I found him. I did everything I could to make sure he was prepared for everything that happened since then, and here we are." Revan tried to be as brief as possible, fearing that details could reach the ears of someone they were not meant for.
"You felt you could trust him more than any of your followers?" Bastila asked.
"I chose him over almost everyone in the galaxy, not even my own followers could be trusted like he could. I can trust Steve with anything, we all can. He would do anything for you or for me of for peace." Revan said.
"Why does he like me so much?" Bastila asked.
"Oh that's no secret. You are a beautiful woman, a young Jedi, and you care so much for others. You have a strong compassion, like he does. Also, you saved my live and his own." Revan said.
"What about you, why do you like me?" Bastila asked.
"You are unique Bastila. You're one of the rare Jedi that isn't afraid of their emotions and you aren't ashamed of it either. You're a very good person, and, sometimes, you remind me of Steve." Revan said.
"What are we going to do about your trial?" Bastila asked after thinking it was time to go back to business.
"We should prepare our witnesses, let them know what to expect from the trial." Revan answered.
"Do you already have people in mind?" Bastila asked.
"Yes. There are few people here who got to know me after I was brought here; I think they will represent the majority of our witnesses." Revan answered.
"That must have been hard for you." Bastila consoled her friend as she looked a little saddened by that fact.
"It was, but I had something to look forward to; it helped me get through my loneliness." Revan said. The two women went to work preparing their witnesses while Steve was healing in the kolto tank and the handmaiden was recovering from her injury.
That night, Bastila couldn't calm herself enough to fall asleep. She decided it was time to ask the questions she always wanted to ask Revan. The moonlight lit her way to Revan's room. It was as good a night as any to shed some light on certain aspects of her client's life and newfound friend. Bastila entered Revan's room and realized that she forgot to knock. She looked around the main room, which was also the bedroom and found no one. Revan could soon be seen arched against the doorway that led into the next room.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to knock. I was distracted. I hope I didn't come at a bad time." Bastila apologized.
"Nonsense. Please, sit." Revan said to her friend while pointing at the bed.
"What's on your mind?" Revan continued while sitting next to the younger woman.
"I was thinking about the case… there is something I need to know before the trial… I mean, I need to be prepared for when you are interrogated about… about your past." Bastila was hesitant, trying to mask her real question.
"I doubt the masters will interrogate me on that subject… It's clear to them that I was guilty for that… What they want now is to focus on the present and my future. I am sure they have no intention of bringing my past up during the trial. I'm sure they would rather leave everyone in doubt rather than face the truth." Revan said plainly.
"What? No… how typical… You keep judging the masters! How do you expect them to trust you!" Bastila said defensively as she stood up from the bed. Revan held her arm and said:
"Please wait! I'm sorry: I didn't mean it that way. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry! Please sit. I only meant that they weren't interested in my past at this time… I meant no offence by it. It didn't sound right, and I apologize." Revan said. When Bastila calmed herself down and sat back down next to her friend, Revan continued:
"What do you want to know?"
"I want to know why you betrayed us." Bastila said after staring at her feet for a moment, unable to look into her friend's eyes. Revan thought for a moment and then held Bastila's hand.
"Sure Bastila, I'll tell you anything you want to know. But I can only give you my point of view, so try to understand it as best you can." Revan said and smiled when Bastila finally built up enough courage to look into her eyes.
"When the Mandalorian wars began, I was about your age, perhaps even younger. As you probably know, I was very gifted and wise. Because of that, the council had given me many assignments at a young age… much younger than most. So, at that time, I already had a lot of experience in battle. When I first heard of the Mandalorian threat, I was getting ready to be sent there. That time never came… The council never sent anyone. They feared something. I wasn't going to just sit there waiting while entire worlds were being conquered. But I was no fool; if the Jedi master's felt we shouldn't intervene, there was a reason for it. Back then, I had learned to read between the lines so very well. When the Jedi masters withheld information from me, when they prevented me from learning farther, I simply found other ways to get what I wanted. That's how I had gained so much skill and knowledge. I had to be able to read the masters' minds without actually taping into them. They would always give me hints when they didn't want to give me answers. That time was no different. I knew what they feared. I thought about it a lot, meditated on it, and found out exactly what they feared for myself. As I expected, it was the dark side they feared. They believed the Jedi were too vulnerable to it; they believed this particular war would corrupt their Jedi Knights. They were right, of course. However, I could also see that the war would be lost without our intervention. Those that followed me into this war had to sacrifice themselves in this war… It was our fate to succumb to the dark side. Knowing that fate, I felt it was necessary to learn as much about the dark side of the force to better prepare me for it. I learned all I could about it from the masters. When I felt ready, I went to war and brought all the help I could get. I fought like a real Jedi, Bastila. I did everything I was taught to do. Like the masters, I felt it was wise not to let our followers know of our fate… I only gave hints like the masters did… just to get the idea out in a whisper… Except for Malak. He was a close friend. I couldn't keep it hidden from him for long. When we could, Malak and I learned about the dark side from those that knew the most about it. We learned many things. We did what we could to insure a smooth transition to the dark side: I did my best not to fall to its will. I had learned enough to keep myself from being under its complete control. By the time the war ended, we had nowhere to go. Those that could return, those that were spared by the dark calling, were able to go home… but we could not. Malak and I had gathered those that were in our situation and disappeared. When we had learned enough about the dark side, I declared myself the Dark Lord of the Sith… if only to keep another from doing so. For as long as I remained under a certain amount of control of myself, I was clearly more capable of limiting our corruption. If it had been someone else who had assumed that role… things would have been much worse… just look at how far Malak had gone…" Revan closed her eyes and held her face in her hands for a moment. Bastila placed a hand of Revan's back and was about to comfort her friend, but, just before she said anything, Revan continued:
"I created the Sith empire… just like anyone else would have done. I learned the secrets of the Sith and kept them to myself… it was not done as much to further my power over others but for the protection of others. I guess it didn't seem that way from anyone else's perspective… Still… I had to appear to be the strong leader I was. That was when I discovered the Starforge… I was looking at sources of dark side power and found the first Starmap in the ruins of Dantooine… Not far from the enclave. It was the will of the force to bring me to the Starforge. I'm still not certain if it was the dark side's calling or if it was what I was accustomed to hearing… I'm not sure why I can't tell, but, nonetheless, it was its will." Revan sighed.
"I guess, in the end, it was either because I had to destroy it or because I had to use it… or both… I did both." Revan looked away from Bastila's face and took a deep breath.
"There are many reasons why we chose to turn against the republic. Mostly, because it was a power that needed to be opposed… they are after all… responsible for the Mandalor… never mind. I… I can't… No excuse is good enough for that, I know… but I want you to know that it wasn't my plan to destroy the republic… or even to fight against the Jedi. I suppose the Jedi thought the risk of defending the republic against us was… acceptable this time. I'm sorry Bastila I really am. It seemed to be a good idea at the time. I didn't mean for it to go as far as it did… I didn't mean for Malak to have fallen so far either! I thought he was stronger than that; I thought I was stronger that that! I didn't want it to happen… I… It wasn't necessary… What Malak did… I… It was my fault! I'm so sorry Bastila! If only I paid more attention to what I was doing! Maybe I could have taught Malak to control himself… Oh Bastila! I'm so sorry!" Revan had tears crawling down her cheeks. As Revan sobbed, Bastila put her arm around the woman's shoulder and squeezed her against herself.
"Steve would never have allowed me to do something like that, he hates war, and I hate war! I love him so much Bastila. I know that… for as long as I'm with him, I'll never do something like that again. You have to believe me Bastila! The council doesn't have to strip away my powers… I promise I'll stay out of the way! I'll go hide in my little corner of the galaxy with Steve and never show myself again if I have to! I'm just so happy he's going to be ok, and, if the council want to confiscate my powers as ransom, then so be it."
Revan was calmer now… much calmer. Bastila held her tight for a while.
"It may not come to that." Bastila said simply.
"I don't understand… how come you don't want to be a Jedi anymore? You're welcome here with us. I mean… if you wanted to be a Jedi again, they would never strip away your powers." Bastila said softly.
"I respect the Jedi, Bastila, but I truly don't belong here. If I wanted to continue being a Jedi, I never would have disappeared after the Mandalorian wars. I've learned too much… I've made some realizations. As much as I see the good in your cause, I just can't ignore the faults in the Jedi code." Revan responded.
"What's wrong with our code Revan?" Bastila said trying not to be too defensive.
"I suppose most of it is good, but I simply can't ignore how wrong it deals with emotions." Revan said.
"You know only too well why we have that code!" Bastila said, protecting the Jedi way.
"I know first hand how dangerous emotions could be Bastila. The problem is, instead of controlling their emotions, the Jedi try to completely shut them out. Until they learn from their mistakes, I simply won't belong here." Revan answered.
"We don't shut out ALL our emotions… we still fell things… like compassion and such. But we have to stay away from the stronger emotions." Bastila clarified the way of the Jedi.
"Without those strong emotions, Bastila, the Jedi would never exist... they would never have been created. I can't imagine how much the first of the Jedi were far better off than you are now… I suspect, at first, they were in far more control over their emotion. I guess it must have gotten worse over the ages as the Jedi forgot something very important." Revan said.
"What did they forget?" Bastila asked.
"Well, it's just my opinion, but I think they must have forgotten, Bastila, that Humans, Twi'leks, Rodians, Cathars, Hutts… are all animals. We are made to have these emotions Bastila. The Jedi have forgotten that the consciousness only takes up ten percent of our brains… And the nest of our emotion will always flourish deep in our minds; it simply cannot be shut out… not without causing problems. Like many of the other intelligent beings, humans tend to overestimate their will power. They think they have power over their basic animal instincts and emotions. They don't seem to realize that, no matter how well they ignore them, there emotions will always manifest themselves through their actions, even if you don't realize it. Our dreams remind us of this all the time; trying to fulfill the many needs that were not realized. And it changes people… Our personality is greatly affected by it: master Vrook expresses his emotions through his harshness and his facial expressions… his doubts, his fears, his tough-love… we can see them easily through his tone of voice. Master Jarr has a much more stable personality, he expresses his compassion through his calmness, and, for those of us who know him well, we see how his shift of emotions can suddenly end his calmness and turn into something better or worse. Master Vandar, however, shows very little signs of his emotions. Perhaps it's because he isn't made the same way we are… he is more alien than the rest… Or maybe it's just his old age that gave him the opportunity to learn how to mask it better than the rest of them. And you, Bastila, you care so much for others and it shows every time. With every outburst, you show us you're ready to defend others or yourself even. You're so alive with emotion, but you're still young. In the future, you no doubt would become more like one of the masters… or you could cope with your feelings in your own way." Revan said and then looked carefully into Bastila's eyes observing how well she was absorbing all of what she said. When Bastila looked like she was ready for more, Revan continued:
"There are more reasons why I don't belong here, but this reason is enough for me to refuse to stay. Those that are emotionally balanced have the potential to achieve great things, to find peace within themselves, and, in turn, transfer some peace around them. It makes everything seem more pleasant… in harmony. The Jedi will never achieve this until they are willing to understand their emotions instead of shutting them out… and the Sith, Bastila, the Sith are just a group of failed Jedi who don't nearly have enough experience with emotions to understand them, and the way they use them insures that they lose themselves to them. I'm not saying it's easy to achieve such a balance, or even control of your emotions. Hell! Most normal people, even with ages of experience, can't control their emotions. For a Jedi, it would be much harder to achieve such a thing due to their lack of experience. Nonetheless, it's something I wish to learn… It's unlikely that I will be able to do this, but, knowing that an inner peace like that can be reached… it's really reassuring. Besides, whenever I'm around Steve, I feel I don't need to achieve it." Revan took another pause before concluding her opinion. Bastila was still listening very attentively, so Revan continued:
"That young man floating in the kolto tank is an animal. But he knows this and it changes things. He understands his needs and limitations very well. He is one of those lucky ones. He found his inner piece; something unbelievable that insures that, no matter the circumstances, he can trust his emotions to lead him in the right direction. He is a very emotional being, driven by compassion and fueled by love. No matter how badly you torture him, he will never get angry or burst into uncontrollable fear because it will never be enough to surpass his compassion. He's forgotten how to hate. Sometimes, I believe he was always incapable of hate. Because of this, he has never done anything that could be considered even close to evil… ever. We talked about this before, he and I, when we had a chance. We talked about emotions and all, and, when I expressed my awe about his inner peace, you know what he told me? He said: 'I've never dreamed about killing someone.'" Revan was getting excited and was anxiously waiting for Bastila to reply.
"That's not possible; everyone dreams of… of that!" Bastila was quick to respond. Revan was happy to hear what Bastila said; it made her smile. She nodded and said:
"I said almost the same thing, and you know what he said? He said: 'Well… sure, but when I do dream of killing people, they are dreams of action and adventure. The people that die in them don't have faces or personalities. What I mean is, I've never dreamed of killing anyone I know: I can never associate a person's face or personality to any of them because, in my dreams, they are mere obstacles. They never represent actual people. Not even my greatest enemies… never.' " Revan observed Bastila.
"That's crazy!" Bastila was a little confused and was lost in her thoughts for a moment.
"Not crazy… just special… really special. My point is, when you find that your goals and your dreams are in harmony, you find yourself incapable of doing anything you don't truly want to do. Do you understand?" Revan clarified.
"I don't know… I mean, I've never really though about things like this before. It all sounds very strange… I suppose you know him well enough to believe him…" Bastila was very confused. She had many things to think about, and she was glad to have a friend with whom to talk with. Knowing how stubborn she was, she thought it would have been a much more difficult conversation, but Revan seemed to know how to deal with her. It was rather comforting. It was rare that Bastila didn't spoil moments like these because of her volatile nature. She suddenly appreciated Revan's friendship far more than she expected. She remembered how well things went when she was around Revan and Steve. Now she understood what friendship meant. It was far greater than earning respect. It made her remember what she felt when she stared the message on the monitor attached to the kolto tank. She understood that such a friendship was a derivative of compassion and love. It didn't seem wrong for a Jedi to have friends like that anymore. She had doubts of her choice when she accepted Revan and Steve's friendship; she was going to mention it to Revan, but now she didn't need to. She made the right choice.
"He's so young. Don't you find it… I don't know… annoying, sometimes?" Bastila changed the subject. She wasn't interested in political matters anymore. She wanted to talk as friends with Revan. Her friend suddenly laughed in surprise at the sudden change of subject. Revan had a giant smile on her face.
"Well… sometimes. He doesn't have the experience we have, but he's a smart man. I hardly notice his innocence when I speak to him. I don't find it very different with him than with an older man: I've always been a leader, so I suppose I'm used to being around men who are… less wise than I am… Steve may not be a leader like me, but he is very wise. I feel comfortable with him. You may notice his innocence, but it's more because of where he came from than his age… You have to realize that, not very long ago, he didn't even know Jedi existed; he didn't even know other human cultures existed outside his planetary system. Most people would be lost in his situation, but not Steve… He's very open-minded. It didn't take him long at all to adapt to this new reality. He's really amazing. When you get to know him better, you'll probably feel the same way about him. Besides, he must be only five years younger than you are. That kind of difference is hardly noticeable… or, at least, it will be in the future. Our age difference is much harder to ignore, but it doesn't bother us; it doesn't seem to bother him in the least." Revan said.
Four days had passed, and it was time for the trial to begin. It was held just outside the enclave where there was enough room for the all the Jedi who wanted to, or could, participate. Against the enclave itself, there were stands for the Jedi council members and for the witnesses. In front of that, there was a bench for the defendants, and, just past that, there was room for everyone else. Most people would have to stand up though. The first part of the trial was an introduction to the situation. Actually, it was more of a hearing in preparation for sentencing rather than a trial. This was not about proving Revan's innocence for her crimes at all: it was already decided that she was guilty. The difference is that, if Revan had in fact changed, she had to convince the Jedi she has nothing but good intentions for the future. If not, she would be striped of her powers, or worse. A lot of people didn't show up for the introduction. In fact, there were few people there, it was troubling at first, but more came eventually. The council members shared their point of view about the events that transpired before and after Revan's capture while Revan gave further details and shared her own point of view. When everyone was properly briefed on the situation, the crowd had doubled. When it was time for the actual argumentation process to begin, the witnesses began to be called. The first witness was Bastila Shan. Since she had a first hand view of many of these events, she was a perfect witness. It was made clear to everyone that Bastila was not only the person responsible for Revan's capture, but, also, she recently had the mission of gathering intelligence for the Jedi council concerning Revan's plans and attitudes. Revan was mostly the one questioning this witness. The council members were more interested in listening to Revan's arguments and interrupting her when they had things to add. Their goals had already been made clear; it was up to Bastila and Revan herself to defend their case.
"Why did you save my life that day of my capture?" Revan asked for everyone to hear.
"I was in a position to keep you alive, and it was my duty to make it happen." Bastila answered.
"What was your purpose in doing so? What was going through your mind at the time?" Revan asked.
"I was interested in finding out what difference our victory would make on the outcome of the war. I was thinking about whether or not you would give us any information." Bastila said as professionally as she could.
"What did you think the Jedi's chances were on extracting anything valuable from me?" Revan continued.
"I believed our chances were very slim." Bastila said honestly, regardless of the attention she was receiving from the council members.
"Did you believe I could still be dangerous as a captive?" Revan asked.
"If you still had your powers after your recovery, yes." Bastila said.
"You decided to save me regardless of the little hope that I would bring more good than harm." Revan stated, in her words, what Bastila was doing.
"Yes, I did." Bastila confirmed the accuracy of Revan's statement.
"Would it have been considered an acceptable loss if you were to let me die there?" Revan continued in the general direction of her argument.
"Yes. It would have been acceptable if you did not survive." Bastila answered.
"Whether it was better if I survived or not was a decision that was left to your discretion was it not?" Revan asked.
"It was ultimately my decision, yes." Bastila confirmed.
"What was that main feeling that made you choose; what was that part of your personality that made your choice seem obvious?" Revan asked.
"Compassion." Bastila answered after a moment of reflection.
"Jedi masters, isn't that an exemplary quality for any Jedi or anyone in general to have?" Revan asked the masters next to Bastila.
"It is a very good trait for a Jedi to have." Master Jarr said.
"Where is your line of questioning taking us? I hope you will make your argument soon enough." Master Vrook added.
"I'm getting to it, master Jedi." Revan said.
"You believed I deserved to be saved because you respected me and because you believed that I deserved a chance at redemption. In your opinion, were your best hopes realized?" Revan asked.
"Things turned out far greater than I had hoped." Bastila said frankly.
"After I was captured, you were surprised because I was cooperating. You were also surprised that I was able to find comfort where there was none. You were surprised that I was not hopeless or discontent while being held captive. Why was I that way?" Revan asked.
"You were waiting to be united with Steve." Bastila answered.
"From that time until now, was I the only one responsible for all the events that transpired?" Revan asked.
"No. Steve was also responsible." Bastila answered.
"Your goal here, Revan, isn't to place blame on anyone else." Master Vrook spat.
"I understand master, this isn't about blame. I am simply trying to say that I no longer have the responsibilities that I had before. I now share my responsibilities with someone I trust. This is one of the many things I have changed about myself. It is important to include him in our discussion because, without him, I would not be here." Revan explained.
"What do you think about Steve, and how would you describe his intentions?" Revan asked her friend.
"He is the most incredible person I have ever known. He is very compassionate, and his intentions are most honorable." Bastila was brief but to the point.
"Did we both earn your trust in our time together?" Revan asked.
"Yes, you both earned my trust." Bastila replied.
"You were not able to convince the council to trust us, however. Why is that?" Revan asked.
"I suppose it is because I was not able to transmit the details that made it obvious to me that you are trustworthy." Bastila responded. This time, it was Vandar that interupted Revan:
"Clearly you have Bastila's opinion in your favor. However, that hardly stands as an argument alone."
"Oh but it does! You may not have reason enough to trust me, but Bastila has never lost your trust. If you trust her judgment, it makes a great argument. If you want me to move on to other witnesses, I won't object." Revan said.
"You may proceed with another witness." Vrook said still holding a grim look on his face. Revan called her old friend Vin to the stand. The tall Jedi made his way to the stand looking somewhat nervous. When he looked calm enough, Revan began:
"The first time you came to speak to me, when I was captive, you were glad I was still alive, but you didn't know what to expect of me… you feared that I was still an enemy. The next time we spoke, did you feel the same way?" Revan asked coolly.
"No. I didn't. I was convinced you were not an enemy anymore." He said.
"What about when I came back with Steve, how did you feel then?" Revan continued.
"I was confused. You were well on your way of making a good life here with us. I couldn't bring myself to believe you would throw it all away. When I saw him, I saw your past, I saw the terror you once became. I was frightened. I didn't want you to repeat the same mistake." Vin said.
"You almost attacked him because you feared what you didn't understand. What made you stop?" Revan said.
"It was the tone of your voice… and the look on your face. If it wasn't for your calmness, I don't know if I would have been able to control myself." Vin said.
"Who was I trying to protect when I calmed you down?" Revan asked.
"I guess you were… you were protecting me from myself." Vin felt a bit of shame. He had to admit his failure in front of all the Jedi. The only thing that made him feel better was to be able to help Revan in this trial. She was a hero to him, after all, regardless of her passage to the dark side.
"Steve had done nothing to anyone. You had no right to fear him, if not for your discrimination of appearances. Your fear of the dark side could have caused you to lose your live, but I was there to protect you not only from your fear but from the dark side itself. Was that the action an enemy of the Jedi would take?" Revan said.
"No. I'm sorry masters. I should have told you about this event earlier… I'm truly sorry. I didn't know what to think, and I lost control of myself." Vin said after looking at the unpleased look of all the Jedi masters. It was obvious they did not expect this.
"We will deal with you during recess." Master Vrook said to Vin before shifting his attention back to Revan.
"You may present another witness." Vrook said. Revan called forth the Handmaiden and let Bastila take over. Bastila approached the bench and tried her best to keep the line of questioning in the same direction.
"You are you well aware of Revan's crimes against the republic?" Bastila asked the Echani woman who was still recovering from her wound.
"I am." The Echani responded.
"When you first encountered Revan, she was looking for shelter, looking for a home, but your mistress refused. Then Atris sent you to follow us… to spy on Revan, despite the obvious danger of it. What did Revan and Steve do when they discovered you on their ship?" Bastila begun.
"They made room for me… offered me hospitality." The woman answered.
"Later, we discovered that your mistress intended to upset Revan, to upset her in the worst possible way… Do you think she may have sent you on their ship to irritate her, to begin her terrible plans?" Bastila said trying to hold back her sadness about this disturbing subject.
"That is a possibility." The white woman responded.
"If that was the case, do you think it worked?" Bastila said casually.
"No. In fact, they seemed rather comfortable around me. Especially Steve. He was being very friendly… But I had my duties; I tried not to be in their way as much as I could." She answered.
"When you became aware of your mistress' sinister plans, how did you expect Revan to react?" Bastila asked.
"I expected her to take the bait; she was clearly in love with Steve. I expected her to try to protect him the same way anyone else would have done in her place… like any lover would have done." She responded.
"What did she do?" Bastila continued.
"She waited." She said.
"Why?" Bastila asked.
"She waited until Atris understood her plans had failed, that she would not have her revenge against Revan." She answered.
"Was she aware of the danger it placed Steve in?" Bastila asked.
"Yes." She said.
"Why did Revan care what Atris believed? What purpose did it serve to convince Atris of her failure?" Bastila asked.
"She wanted Atris to forgive her. She helped Atris by showing her it was possible to forgive even the most evil crimes." The woman said. Bastila looked directly at the masters and said:
"If Atris was alive today, she would have confessed that Revan's actions… Revan's and Steve's actions actually succeeded. Atris was able to forgive Revan, but it was herself she couldn't forgive. Revan understands the dark side better than anyone. She was able to sense what Atris wanted, and it was because of that that she was able to prevent Atris from being completely consumed by the dark side. I was there. I can't imagine there was anything else that could have been done for Atris. I believe this was, in great part, Steve's doing. They were aware all along of Atris's corruption and tried their very best to undo it. They knew what Atris had planned for them, and that's why Revan didn't peruse her when she abducted Steve. She knew it had to be done that way."
"Is this true?" Jarr asked in disbelief. He had heard Bastila's debriefing but didn't know how important these details were. They were not emphasized in the debriefing, but now it seemed to place the event in a new light.
"It's true. In fact, Atris had not originally planed to abduct Steve, she was there to kill him. Steve was able to dissuade her from that goal and was spared. If it weren't for him, Atris would never have had a chance at redemption." Revan added. There was a long pause, and whispers spread around the clearing like the wind: Even the masters began whispering. When they were done whispering, master Jarr said:
"If you have no other witnesses at this time, we shall have a long recess. In the mean time, we will revive the final witness. We understand Steve is still in a fragile state, but his presence here has become necessary. When he is ready, we shall continue the trial."
The crowd broke off for recess. Few of the people stayed in the clearing to discuss it farter. The masters went back in the council chambers to speak with Vin. No doubt, they had some sort of punishment for him. It wasn't uncommon for the Jedi to withhold bad information from the masters… just as the masters withheld things from all the Jedi. What Vin did, however, was a humiliation for all the Jedi, and that does not go unpunished. This was going to be a long recess: It would take a while for the sedatives in Steve's system to wear off after they take him out of the tank. Even once that is done, he is still in no condition to run around the enclave. Bastila and Revan made their way to the medical bay to welcome Steve back among them.
Upon entering the room, the Revan and Bastila noticed they were alone with Steve. The Jedi healers were not there. Revan took a closer look at the displays from the monitoring station. Everything seemed normal. Bastila was just about to leave the room the get the healers, but, just as she reached the door, she saw the two same women as before walking down the hall towards her. She supposed they were on the way back from the trial. It was good to see they had made time for it; these women worked hard in the past few days.
"Hello. We are just about to get started on your friend here. It won't take long. If you wish, you can stay and watch." The younger of the two healers said and grinned. The older woman smiled at her apprentice and moved to the elevating platform. Bastila and Revan stepped away from the tank and stood far enough not to be in the way. When the two healers reached the top of the tank, they pulled Steve out of the liquid and washed off the remaining fluid that was dripping off his silky skin. After the tubes were taken out of him, they turned off the system of pumps that provided Steve with air and recycled blood. They patched up the holes that were left by the needles that rested in his veins. They lowered themselves down to the floor and moved Steve onto the operation table. They took out the cylinder they had left in his wound to stop the bleeding. They inspected the interior of the wound thoroughly for a while.
"He's healed very, very well. I don't think he'll need to be placed in the tank anymore, but he will need to rest a lot. He hasn't moved at all in the past three days, so, when he wakes up, don't let him get too excited." The older Jedi healer said to the two visitors. The younger one opened a miniature freezer and took out strips of clone skin-graphings and a bottle of clear-blue fluid. The older woman took out a scalpel, a heat gun and a syringe from underneath the table. It was strange to see how tightly packed and out of the way the tools were. It must have been hard to organize everything that way. The women flipped Steve over on his back and shaped one of the skin-graphings on his wound. They cut the strip of flesh into a circular patch just a few centimeters larger in diameter than the wound. When it was properly shaped, the older woman applied the bonding grease that was in the syringe around the opening of the wound and seated the skin-graphing on it. With hot air circulating from the heat-gun, the bonding grease melded with the flesh from both the clone skin and Steve's skin, forming a thin protective layer over the wound. They repeated the operation a few times until the layer was thick enough to provide a strong mattress of flesh. When that was done, the healers flipped Steve on his back. The older woman emptied the contents of the bottle into the wound until the liquid leveled with Steve's abdomen and began the skin-graphing process to his front side.
"You can't let him eat anything anymore. Should he swallow anything, you have to make him spit it back up. Do you understand?" The older woman said to the two women staring at the operation like zombies. Revan nodded at the healer.
"You have to feed him intravenously until… well… for a very long time." The younger healer added.
"Thank you, thank you so much." Revan said to the two healers when they were finished with Steve.
"You're welcome." The two healers said while fitting the unconscious man into some comfortable looking robes. They were dark purple robes with brown lapels and collar. It wasn't very good looking, but it would have to do for the day.
Revan and Bastla held Steve upright and dragged him to the residential quadrant. When they were out of the medical bay, Bastila noticed Steve's eyes flickering open. The first thing he did when he regained consciousness was tip forward and hurl a thin yellow layer of gunk on the ground, and then he hyperventilated for a moment. He looked right and left to the women on either side of his shoulder and said:
"I feel better now." Revan nodded, and the three of them walked slowly to Revan's quarters, helping Steve with his steps along the way. When they got there, they laid him on Revan's bed.
"How do you feel?" Bastila asked.
"Tired." Steve answered.
"You've been sedated. The effects will ware off in a few hours." Revan reassured him.
"How long was I out for?" He asked.
"Four days." Revan answered.
"You two look worried, what happened in the last four days?" Steve asked.
"The council decided to put Revan on trial." Bastila said.
"… Oh…" Steve said not surprised at all about that.
"Actually, the trial is still going on; this is a recess. In a few hours we will all be called back, and you'll be put on the stand to testify for me." Revan said while running her hand through Steve's dark damp hair.
"Sure. Sure, I'll testify… how is it going so far?" Steve asked.
"I'm not so sure." Revan answered.
"It's not over yet." Bastila added.
"That good eh? Well, that's alright; I'm sure they'll find it in their hearts to do the right thing." Steve said while thinking about how much he respected the Jedi masters. Revan caught his thoughts and said:
"Actually, the trial is public… the voting is opened to all the Jedi here." Revan said and smiled, happy to see how well Steve was dealing with the situation: like a true optimist.
There was a pause, and Steve used this opportunity to loosen his robe and inspect his abdomen.
"Waw! They did a good job." He said while stroking the flesh that covered his wound. He couldn't feel it at all.
"I feel cold inside, what did they put in me?" Steve asked plainly.
"A kolto solution, I think. Does it hurt?" Bastila asked.
"No, I don't feel a thing." Steve replied.
"The healers said you should rest… At least until the trial begins. I'll wake you when it's time." Revan said while tucking the young man in her bed. She laid a soft kiss on his lips and stepped back from the bed. Steve closed his eyes, and then Bastila crouched over him to kiss him on the cheek. Steve smiled and then was fast asleep. Revan walked into the next room and signaled Bastila to follow her. Bastila went in the next room with Revan and looked into the small room. Against the far wall, there were tools and fabrics spread across a large table.
"What is it?" Bastila asked while observing the unfinished project on the table.
"It's a surprise for Steve. I'm making him a new suit, just like he'd always wanted it to be. Can you help me with it?" Revan asked her friend.
"Sure… I don't know what to do though." Bastila said.
"I just have a few pieces left to put on it. With your help, we can finish it before the trial starts." Revan said.
While Steve slept, Revan and Bastila kept their minds off the case. They enjoyed the distraction this project offered them. They both felt good about doing something that would bring joy to another. It also felt good to share a goal with someone else. Bastila had not had a master for a long time. She was still a padawan, mostly because she never had time for additional preparations to begin her trial for knighthood, but also because she didn't quite feel ready. She had all the motivation in the world to become a great Jedi Knight; she was also very strong in the force. The problem was that she doubted herself; doubted her ability to control herself. Another problem was the obvious reason why she didn't have a master: She was already performing duties that a Jedi knight would; duties that required her to operate independently from others. It was because of her battle meditation. In the past few years, she had been forced into countless battles to use her powers. She didn't have much time to train anything else because of that. She had to sacrifice her education for it. This was the biggest reason why she wasn't ready to be a knight. It gave her great pride to be important to the war and to the order, but, as she understood what was being sacrificed, she began to see it as a burden. What she regretted the most was that she had been too busy to think of other things than the war. She regretted not being as wise as Revan. Had she been wiser, she could have multitasked during the war: sharing her training with her duties. She could have become so much more. As she thought of that, she realized how powerful Revan must have been. With all her responsibilities, she had still gained incredible amounts of power and wisdom during the wars. Bastila realized that what she had learned of Revan's power must have been but a fraction of its potential. Moreover, Revan probably knew so much more than she had displayed to her. What she felt while working around Revan was just like being with a mentor. The bond that developed between them after Bastila saved Revan had very similar properties to that of the bond between master and apprentice. In fact, it felt better. They were true friends. If she were allowed to, she would love another opportunity to learn from Revan's infinite wisdom, for as long as it wasn't forbidden knowledge…
Two hours had passed, and it was time for the trial to continue. Revan sat on the bed next to the sleeping man and whispered in his ears:
"Wake up my love, wake up." All together, the three of them left the room on their way to the big crowd of Jedi. Steve was called to the stand. He was nervous, more nervous than even Vin was. He shouldn't have been so nervous, but the crowd was big, and he knew his lover's fate rested with him. He didn't like the pressure of that responsibility: he always relied on Revan to take over the great responsibilities, as she was meant to. This time, it rested on him. Moreover, he was young. It was not a good start because the Jedi may perceive that as a sign he had something to hide. Steve had no intention to hide things though. He would have to make up for his shakiness by choosing his words carefully. He was confident the truth would set him free. This time, however, it was the Jedi masters that asked the questions while Revan and Bastila observed. It was only fair that way; the masters didn't know anything about this man. Furthermore, because Steve did not feel the force, they could glimpse into his mind while questioning him.
"Where are you from, young one?" Master Vandar began.
"I come from a system you call Octavis." Steve said, remembering what Revan called his star system.
"Ah… an isolated system. Far from here." Vandar replied.
"Indeed." Steve said plainly.
"Why have you come here?" Vandar asked.
"What… what do you mean?" Steve asked not knowing what answer the Jedi master was looking for.
"What made you choose to leave your home and come here? Do you not have a family you left behind?" Vandar explained his question.
"There were many reasons why I left. I do have a family there, but I have a new one now. I feel I belong here." Steve said while thinking of all the other reasons he had come here.
"Come here to kill Malak, have you?" Vandar continued.
"I… I suppose." Steve said.
"I sense you have more to say about that… see through you, we can." Vandar said.
"Killing Malak wasn't my goal, but it was… inevitable." Steve said.
"You've come here to do Revan's bidding, to do what she could not do at the time." Vrook added.
"I did." Steve said honestly.
"Are you a killer?" Vrook said while frowning.
"NO! No… I'm not!" Steve said.
"We see right through you. Ever since Revan brought you here, you've killed. You can't deny this." Vrook spat.
"I've killed people, I admit. But you can't blame it on Revan. I killed Malak for you, because YOU could not, not because Revan couldn't. If we waited longer, Malak would have done far more damage…" Steve admitted. Revan turned away, not liking the direction the questioning was taking. It wasn't fair to blame Steve for any of that. He was far from being a killer.
"You've killed others, I can see this." Vrook said.
"It was in self defense. The Sith gave me no choice." Steve said.
"Your thoughts betray you." Vrook said annoyed of Steve's ignorance. Steve closed his eyes in shame and remembered that he had killed two Sith in the academy on his way to the chamber. The thought that he hadn't given them a chance to withdraw from their attack must have crossed his mind when Vrook questioned him.
"I've killed… I've killed two Sith men on Korriban. I remember now. I acted on instinct; something told me they were dangerous. After all, they did engage me." Steve said honestly.
"You did feel the force at that time; I wonder if it was the dark side that led you to that action." Master Jarr cut in.
"I can't answer that… I'm not in a position to answer that." Steve rephrased.
"Perhaps not." Vrook said coldly. He was sure Steve had very little knowledge of the force and may not know the difference.
"When you arrived here, you were tainted by the dark side. You wore Darth Revan's robes and mask, you walked like a Sith, talked like a Sith and had the power of a Sith. What do you have to say about that?" Vrook asked.
"Don't judge a book by its cover." Steve said, knowing there was no better response than that.
"Why do you seem to think you didn't belong to that category of people?" Master Vandar asked calmly, very interested to know what Steve would say.
"Because I've never followed in their ways, never acted like a Sith… walk, talk and clothing aside. When I first met you, I still hadn't harmed a soul. Never had a reason to. Perhaps you couldn't read my mind then, but know this: my thoughts were never impure." Steve said.
"Perhaps not, but your still hiding something." Vrook stared at him. Steve closed his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. It wasn't wrong to hide what he was hiding, but, if the master really must know, he wasn't going to withhold it.
"I had to ACT like a Sith, that was just as important to the mission as anything else. It's not my fault if you were tempted to fear me rather that understand… just like Vin… just like Bastila and just like everyone I crossed paths with. I don't feel the force anymore and I never will, let's not talk about that anymore, please." Steve pleaded.
"Very well." Vrook said.
"Perhaps we should call for another recess" Master Jarr proposed, seeing how Steve wasn't feeling very good considering the psychological stress that added to his physical condition.
"Thank you, master Jarr, that's very considerate of you. I'll never forget your kindness. On that thought, I want to use this opportunity to thank all of you for saving my life." Steve said while stepping down from the stand. He had a terribly sad look on his face. He didn't think this trial was going good at all. It wasn't his fault though; he was being honest. He was relieved that Jarr noticed his distress and called for that recess.
Steve retired with Revan and Bastila, heading towards a quieter place where he could clear his mind. In the distance, he could hear the voice of a woman:
"I have some new evidence that might help."
Steve looked to the woman who said it. It was a Jedi healer, probably one that was assigned to heal him, but he couldn't see well through the kolto tank, not well enough to confirm her identity. She was handing over an envelope to one of the masters. The masters took out the sheets of paper that were in it and distributed them amongst themselves. Steve turned around and kept moving. He just wanted to get away. He, Revan and Bastila retreated to the cafeteria. No one felt hungry, but, since the cafeteria was empty, they would take the opportunity to snack while escaping the sadness that surrounded them. Steve was well aware he couldn't eat. Not only did he feel it, but he also knew enough about his anatomy to know it was a very bad idea… He was content to sit by and watch while his friends ate. Just the soothing aroma of the food was enough to distract him.
"You did ok out there, Steve." Revan tried to reassure him, though she knew it would not cheer him up.
"She's right Steve, you did. You'll have your chance to make yourself understood… I just hope it comes before the trial finishes…" Bastila tried to cheer him up but didn't realize she was making things worse. Steve buried his face in his hands, covering his eyes and mouth.
"This is alllll wrong. I feel terrible!" Steve moaned.
"See, what I mean? He cares too much what the Jedi think." Revan said to Bastila, reminding her of a previous conversation. Steve sat up straight and held Revan in a strong embrace. He wasn't crying, but that would have been the same. He just stayed like that for many minutes, just holding Revan against him as comfortably as he could, shutting his eyes and pretending there was nothing else in the world.
"This isn't going anywhere Steve; we have to get you out of this mess. We have to cheer you up. Walk with us; let's get out of here… breathe some fresh air. It'll do you good." Revan said, knowing that it would do exactly that.
Bastila, Steve and Revan walked out of the enclave to stroll through the grassy plains of Dantooine. The sun wasn't far from setting; there were maybe a few hours of daylight left. The air was cool and clean. The three of them walked for a while and spotted at a brook. It looked like a nice place to sit around for a while, and so they did. They settled down on large boulders that were scarce around the brook. The sound of the water was soothing; it mixed with the sounds of the wild life: there were birds in the sky and herbivores trotting in the fields. In the distance, there were barks: not those of dogs but definitely those of predators… perhaps those of the kath hounds. Revan's stare was lost in the horizon; she definitely sensed something.
"What is it?" Bastila asked noticing a change in her companion through the force.
"I don't know yet." Revan answered before she cross-legged and closed her eyes, entering a state of meditation. Steve lifted an eyebrow and looked into Bastila's eyes, which seemed to share the confusion. Steve stood up and approached Bastila. He extended his had and said:
"Come with me." he said gently. Bastila was confused but decided she could trust him. Steve led her on top of a hill, not far behind the brook, and looked far in the horrizon. Bastila did the same.
"There; those animals, do you see them?" Steve pointed far into the horizon at small figures that looked like no more than small pebbles in the distance.
"Yes, I see them." Bastila nodded.
"I think there's something wrong with them. Do you sense anything?" Steve said, knowing full well that Bastila had a far greater chance of finding out what was troubling Revan than he did. Bastila closed her eyes and focused for a moment.
"I don't know… It's hard to see." She said after giving up.
"Is it usually this hard to see?" Steve asked curiously.
"No, actually, it isn't. There is definitely something going on." She said. Steve and Bastila walked back to the brook to see what Revan found out.
"What is it?" Bastila asked Revan when her friend was done meditating.
"There's someone out there that needs our help." Revan said coolly.
"Shouldn't we go help?" Bastila asked, getting ready to leave hastily to the aid of another. Revan shook her head and said:
"She'll be there tomorrow. Today, we can't help her." Revan said.
"We have to go back to the enclave now, they are waiting for us." Revan added as she was getting off the rock she was meditating on.
"But…" Bastila started.
"Don't worry Bastila. Be patient, there's nothing we can do about it today. Trust me." She said while placing her hand on Bastila's shoulder. The young Jedi nodded and followed Revan and Steve back to the enclave.
When they got close enough to the crowd, they felt something had changed. There were many whispers and voices going around as usual, but, this time, it looked as though people were… happy… almost cheerful. A lot of the people were passing papers around. Some people were holding it above their heads, waving the papers at others. It was hard to make out from this far, but, as they got closer, Steve, Revan and Bastila all noticed something familiar displayed against the master's stand, facing the crowd. It was a rather large poster displaying something that they couldn't make out until they got much closer to it. "I LOVE YOU BOTH" was the message that was displayed on the kolto tank in between the two beautiful women. Steve laughed of joy at the picture: This was definitely what he needed to cheer him up. He couldn't see well through the tank but from this perspective, it was amazing to see the faces on those women… completely amazing. This was the picture that was flying around in the crowd. Steve walked to the stand where he was called, with much more confidence this time.
"Are you the man in that picture?" Master Jarr began. Steve pondered the every meaning of the question and smiled at the reassuring clarity of his answer:
"I am."
"You are not a Jedi and your motivations are not the same… but they are very close. You are the man in that picture, which means Revan must be the woman standing at your side. They say a picture paints a thousand words. Do you understand the meaning?" Master Jarr asked. Steve nodded and said:
"I do."
"We can't see into Revan's mind the way we can see through yours, but, through you, we are beginning to understand. This picture supports the fact that Revan has truly changed. As you said, our fear was unfounded. What do you think?" He smiled.
"I think I like you, master Jarr; you're a good man. It's good to see there are others who can see through my eyes, and trough Revan's eyes. You won't regret it." Steve said joyfully.
"I haven't regretted a decision in a very long time." Jarr smiled.
"Neither have I." Steve smiled was even bigger.
"Before we move on to the voting, I want to make it clear to everyone that we are not here to judge Revan's darker past but to decide how we will remember her in the future." Master Vrook said as plainly as he could.
Steve stepped down the stand and rejoined Revan and Bastila. Meanwhile, the Jedi formed lines and began entering their votes into the computers organized on either side of the stands. Many took this opportunity to pass by Revan and inspire confidence in the results of the trial. Masters Jarr and Vandar were among them. Also, the two healers came by to discuss the picture that they had taken. Revan thanked the older woman for having introduced it in the trial. The padawans that Revan had helped train not long ago also stopped by. Some of them carried the pictures; they asked for Revan and Bastila's autographs, and some even asked for Steve's. The last ones to vote were the masters. Because of their vote-point allocation, theirs made the biggest difference. Everyone suddenly went silent as Vrook gave out the final result as loudly as he could:
"The vote is complete; the results… are in Revan's favor."
The crowds burst out in applause. Steve wrapped his arms around Revan and Bastila and almost cried of joy. It was such a difference from what he had felt just a few hours ago. Revan was free to go. It was almost nighttime though, Revan and Steve would stay overnight… they also had some business to take care of the next morning. Steve had to prepare his "meals" for next few days because his needs were now far different than before. Revan stopped by the medical bay and purchased a few instruments that Steve needed. Steve would have preferred to sleep in the Ebon Hawk where he had been accustomed to sleeping: just one bunk away from Revan… most of the time. However, he had been told that the Ebon Hawk had been off-limits to anyone for the total of Revan's stay at the enclave. It wouldn't have been impossible to get permission to get back in the ship that night, if they asked, but Revan had already settled back in her old room. When Steve got back to Revan's quarters, he saw that she and Bastila were already in there, waiting for him. They were holding something behind their backs. Steve smiled knowing what that meant: they had a surprise for him. He dropped the supplies he carried on the side of the entrance and approached the two women with a big smile on his face.
"What have you got there?" Steve asked happily. Revan and Bastila offered him what they had in their hands.
"It's perfect! Even better than I imagined it! Thank you so much!" He said after inspecting the outfit's every detail: Just as he wanted, it was a one-piece black suit made of strong and thick materials with a zipper in the back. He tried it on right away. It fit him like a glove, down to every last bulge of his ribs and muscles. He was relieved that he didn't have to walk around barefoot anymore; just like his previous suit, it had paddings like shoe soles built into the suit. It had a stretchable interior to make it easy for him to slip his feet into place, and the outside of his suit was hard, similar to hard leather armor, to protect him. The craftsmanship was outstanding. Just as he wanted, it had a thick rounded collar that gave plenty of room for his neck to expand. Also, on his shoulders there were strong protective pads that covered from his collar bone to his shoulder plates; these were the only parts of his body that he was seriously concerned about, though the more he thought about it, the more he was concerned for protecting… another part of his body, one that was not so easily repaired. Nonetheless, the suit was better than he ever dreamed. He hugged and kissed the two women and realized how tired he was. Bastila was off to bed as well and left the two of them together. Before going to bed, Steve immediately thought of feeding himself. It had become a dirtier business now… He had to mix some supplements together into a solution that he would inject directly into his bloodstream. The worst part was that it took a very long time to perform: the contents of the flexible pouch couldn't simply be added to his system because there was a limit of blood volume the body could handle at a time. The idea was to have the blood circulate into the pouch and mix with the food before returning into the body. Because he couldn't cut up a vein and create an inlet and outlet on himself, it would take a long time for the mixing to occur. It would have to be done by a much slower pumping process. This is why it would be a good idea to do it overnight even though it would be uncomfortable… it would also be an obstacle to other nocturnal activities... During the day, he would have to make time to feed himself this way, at least once per day. It wasn't very good for his metabolism, but, considering that there was now a pool of liquid that replaced what was once a portion of his intestines, a vital organ, there wasn't much he could do that would make him perform physical tasks like he could before. He felt all right though; as long as he didn't have to lift himself up with only his abdominal muscles, he would be just fine.