Strange Alliances

by darkmanmod

A story of love, revenge, compassion, war, and family. It's what happens when you complete Revan's power and wisdom with her soulmate's love and respect. It's the story of a couple that has a responsibility towards the galaxy.

5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Moving In.

It was a strange morning on Dantooine. It looked like it was about to rain, yet it never fell. Steve was the first one up this time. That was very unusual. He was the kind of person that doesn't believed one can get too much sleep. He took a shower and slipped into his new outfit. He stepped outside for some fresh air and enjoyed the scenery. There wasn't much to see from outside Revan's quarters, but it still felt rather new to Steve. There were few Jedi already wondering about that morning. He inspected them as they walked by. They were always preoccupied with something, never looking back. It was interesting to see people like that. On his home planet, Steve felt everyone was stalling their entire lives… he was one of them. He felt like wandering a bit farther. He couldn't resist snooping around the enclave. He was mostly curious to find out what the younglings were like. He wanted to know what a Jedi started off as, to see how it differed from his culture. He made his way to a portion of the training area. The first group of people he encountered were not younglings, they were young adults, perhaps a couple of years younger than him. They were training their saber techniques against remotes, like they did most of the time. This was the best training a Jedi could do; not only because it taught them how to defend themselves against energy weapons, but also because it required them to focus very hard on the force. Steve remembered how he trained to do that. He didn't have remotes on his planet; he had to use a rock launcher he had made himself. Depending on the rock's shape and weight, it would have a different trajectory, so he had to predict what was coming at him, just like these Jedi were trying to predict when the remotes would fire. He didn't have a lightsaber at the time though; he had to use a large rod to deflect the rocks. He approached a Jedi trainer and asked if there was a group practicing saber dueling techniques. The trainer pointed him in a direction. Steve followed the instructions and went into a very large and tall room. In the middle of that room, there was a very small group of Jedi; this time, they were all his age or older. All around the room there were obstacles: large objects that could be moved around to be repositioned anywhere in the room; that way, it would never be the same battlefield. Also there were walkways everywhere, multiple levels of them. The walkways were made of strong alloys and had perforations in them everywhere so you can see what was going on from any level. Steve watched the battles made by the teams of Jedi in the room. He never had a chance to see that in real life. His duel with Malak was not at all the same. Besides, it took every ounce of his concentration to keep himself alive in that duel. He couldn't exactly observe what he was doing like he could observe these Jedi. It was kind of interesting: they were not as skilled as he believed, not even the trainers seemed very good. After thinking about it for a moment, he realized this kind of training was rather very rare among the Jedi: they had very little reason to engage in saber duels in reality… If it weren't for the Sith, they probably never had to. There was no material in the galaxy that could withstand the intense heat of a lightsaber. No blade could ever resist it; the lightsabers were hot enough to melt diamonds almost instantly. However, there were some weapons developed with forcefields protecting them from coming in contact with the laser beams, but they were very rare. No one used weapons like that except for the Echani and perhaps other warriors that trained in versatility. Steve wondered how he would fair against a Jedi the way he was. He was confident his wound wasn't going to conflict with his techniques. He was very skilled in the arts of fencing. Just because he didn't feel the force anymore, it didn't mean he had lost his skill; it only mean he wasn't as fast or as strong… or as cunning as the Jedi, but what he still had was skill. He probably could predict his opponents move without the force, though it wasn't nearly as efficient as the force. He was curious to know how fast his brain was without the force… but it wasn't a good time for that. He thought he should ask Revan to make some training sabers for him and find out later. It was still a passion for him. The only thing he thought was not good about that plan was that, if he wasn't fast enough anymore, Revan would get bored of practicing against him… but perhaps he would be of good use to Bastila; she still had much to learn of dueling.

The moment Revan stepped outside of her room, the clouds that covered the sun disappeared. To her, it was just like it started off this way. She had time to eat and get her things ready for the day. Bastila had met her in the cafeteria. The Jedi council had spoken to her this morning. If it hadn't been for that delay, she would have been there earlier. Bastila was on a tight leash for a great part of her life, and, ever since she volunteered to spy on Revan, she was held even tighter. There were no pressing matters: it was just a routine meeting with the masters. Bastila was given the day to make sure Revan and Steve left the enclave safely. She was not to follow them anymore however. He assignment was officially over, and she had to be on standby for a new one. That meant that she had to stay at the enclave. She wondered if she would ever see Revan and Steve after this day, but something told her she would. When they were finished eating, they went looking for Steve. Obviously, it didn't take long for Revan to find him. He was like a living beacon to her. She was the only one there that could sense him from afar. Everyone else could only sense him like a regular human being, not aware of his unique and powerful signature through the force. As she had discovered, that was because it was outside of everyone's perceptibility, just like microwaves, and infrareds, and ultraviolets, and so on. When Revan entered the training room, she noticed how Steve was very attentive. He was observing the Jedi's every move as if he were to be tested on it afterwards. He didn't even notice Bastila and Revan sneaking up on him until Revan placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Good morning. I was going to go back to your room, but I was so distracted looking at these Jedi. You see that tall one over there? He's faster that all the rest, even faster than the trainer, but he keeps losing the battles because he doesn't move around enough. And that woman there, she's so elegant when she fights, but, every time she lifts her two feet at the same time, she loses her focus." Steve started to give his observations away. Revan was very content listening to him; she enjoyed the fact that he could find almost anything interesting. For a Jedi, none of this was very exciting anymore. The Jedi didn't do anything for the excitement of it. Bastila, for instance, never had motivation for her saber techniques because she didn't feel it was very useful. She was strong enough in the force to be somewhat of a natural though, and that's all she originally needed. However, that was before her close encounters with the Sith. Now she had more of a reason to spend time learning some moves.

"We have to go now. Someone outside the enclave needs our help… remember?" Revan said in his ears, trying to win back his attention.

"Of course, let's go then!" He said as he snapped back into reality for a moment.

"Do you think we can get some of those training sabers?" Steve asked Revan.

"I'll make some for you when I have the time." She answered.

"Bastila, did you see the Echani today?" Steve asked out of the blue.

"No, I haven't seen her." Bastila responded.

"What has she been up to these days? Is she feeling well?" He said. He had seen her briefly the day before but hadn't spoken to her.

"The healers said she is doing very well. I don't think she likes wandering around though, you know how she is." Bastila said.

"Right. Let's not forget to pick her up and bring her home, right Revan?" Steve said and they all laughed. Revan wasn't about to leave her behind, but the thought of forgetting her was kind of funny. She was rather like a ghost that one: she was really on a low profile wherever she was.

Bastila borrowed a speeder from the Jedi officials. It wasn't because the journey was a long one but rather for safety reasons. Steve was very happy. It was like going on a boat ride: as the speeder glided above the tall grass, it looked like they were on green water. The air draft created by the speeder sent out waves through the grass. Ahead of them, the way was perfectly clear. There were very few obstacles along the way. After a few minutes of riding, Revan, who was piloting the craft at the time, had to slow down to avoid a rather large flock of herbivores stampeding away from something that had scared them. That thing was not the speeder. Revan maneuvered safely around them though. Once they were safely past the frightened beasts, there was nothing left around. No matter how far away you looked, there was simply nothing in sight. What these animals were running from must have been far away but not too far away for a speeder to catch up to. Just over two minutes later, on the other side of a grassy dune, there was finally something that could explain the beast's reaction. Directly ahead of the speeder, there was a kath hound. It was running full speed towards the speeder, face to face. On either side of the dunes, there waited more of them. They all seemed to want to attack the speeder. As they got closer and closer to the incoming kath hound, everyone's heart was beating faster and faster. Steve and Bastila expected that animal to get out of the way or something, but it just kept running towards them… it had a death wish. Five seconds later, there was a loud thunk as the front of the speeder rammed over the thick skull of the beast. Just behind them, the passengers could see the dead animal roll through the grass like a large oddly shaped boulder that had rolled down a steep hill. Farther beyond the dead beast, there were the other hounds that kept chasing them.

"Why in the world did you do that? You could have TRIED to avoid it!" Bastila said loudly enough to bury the sound of the engine and the thin plate of bent metal under the speeder that was rubbing against the ground.

"That hound was possessed." Revan said simply.

"I've never seen an animal do that. There's no doubt they are completely insane." Steve added. Bastila didn't say anything more. She just kept an eye behind the speeder. They were all still pursuing them, but the gap between them was growing large.

"Somehow, I doubt they are going to stop." Steve said.

"We're almost there… if they aren't tired enough by the time we get there… we'll have to kill them too. But I'm sure they'll be too exhausted." Revan said.

Revan stopped the speeder at the entrance of a short canyon. It was an interesting site. Earlier in history, this entire plain must have been a sea. This was probably an area where there must have been an amazing river delta. There were many openings like that. Above these short canyons, there was more tall grass. From the air, you probably couldn't see it was even there. When you were standing at the same level, it was a pretty site. The brown-red rocks that made the canyon walls were a contrast from the evergreen of the plains. The passengers exited the speeder, and they all stood at the entrance of the canyon, waiting for Revan to finally give away her plan.

"Bastila, would you be a sport and lend Steve your lightsaber?" Revan asked, not feeling she had to explain everything to her younger friend.

"What's wrong with yours?" Bastila asked instinctively.

"Have you forgotten the color of my blade?" She answered equally instinctively. Steve didn't say a word because he was far past asking dumb questions to Revan. If she wanted something done, she had the best of reasons for it, and, sometimes, it was better not to ask. Besides, she always said everything that was important to know. Steve just extended his arm and took the cylinder object that was offered to him.

"Steve, there's a Jedi on the other side of this canyon. Bastila and I can't help you on this one: If I go, this Jedi will be consumed by fear… If Bastila goes, she will get angry… She is lost, she needs a guide." Revan said. Steve was thinking about how he felt about handling a lightsaber like this… He thought about the dueling the Jedi were doing in the academy, and, though he may have felt capable of doing that, there were many other things a Jedi could do that he couldn't.

"Are you sure I can do this?" He asked. Revan could see what he was worried about.

"Don't worry my love. The Jedi would never use a force power against a normal human. Not even a Jedi that is tainted by the dark side… She won't consider you… threatening enough. Just relax, and do what you do." Revan gave out a faint smile and Steve nodded.

Steve loved the feeling of carrying a lightsaber. His suit didn't have a belt on it or anything to hang it on, but it didn't matter; he preferred to hold it in his palm. These were such beautiful weapons. They were all hand crafted and personalized by their wielder. They carried with them a signature, which made every lightsaber unique. They were majestic weapons that, when used, displayed a most astonishing spectacle of light. The lightsaber Steve held carried Bastila's signature: a part of her very being. It was ironic that, not very long ago, the vivid yellow blade extended by this single hilt was the very one that threatened to kill him that day on Nar Shadaa. Now it became his guardian. It belonged to one of his very few remaining friends, and a wonderful woman she was. Had it not been for Bastila, he would have been dead twice over. She was a good friend, and he loved her. He wondered if they would see each other after this day. He wondered what would happen to their friendship. It wasn't unheard of for Jedi to take vacations and visit others, but, if the masters wanted to, they could keep Bastila from ever seeing him again. He suddenly stopped thinking about that and returned in the moment.

Steve had just reached the other side of the canyon where there was now a clearing. It kind of looked like an oddly shaped crater, the way the canyon walls surrounded it. On the far right side of this clearing, there was a ruin. It was some sort of collapsed stone structure. There were still some pillars that stood erect from the ruins. The stones were of a dark gray marble that hardly seemed natural. He knew this is where he would find what he was looking for. He didn't need to feel the force to know this area was strong in the dark side. He didn't fear it though: he was taught to cope with the dark side as if it were anything else. It was as part of the force as the light side was. Though, alone, it was of a terrifying evil, the dark side of the force was never free of impurities. The path of the dark side may have been an easy one, an easy way to gain quick power, but, just like any absolute, it had its limits. Revan was among the only people who still possessed its power and who could combine it successfully to that of the light. Such a thing was forbidden to do. The dark side was an enemy to the Jedi, and the light side was an enemy to the Sith. It was like a betrayal of the force itself… only it wasn't. Those that were able to combine the two at the same time were easily targeted by both Jedi and Sith. Revan was a rogue, and it was because it was only the Jedi that knew what she was that she could continue like this… and it's clear that they had tried to stop her already. Had the Sith known of her current state, the Jedi would not lift a finger to help her. She had no allies she could depend on... only friends. It wasn't fair though; Revan was far from evil. She had everything she needed though, and, soon, she would disappear off the map and be safe. All she wanted now was to do things her own way with the people she cared most about.

Steve stepped on the solid ruin floor and look at the shadows being cast down by the stone pillars that still stood. Just ahead, he could see a shape moving through those shadows. The figure was moving towards him. When it reached the light, it stepped out for Steve to see. It was a female Cathar. At first, Steve was a little frightened. From what he knew of the felines on his planet, they were all vicious. This woman reminded him of that. He thought, if she was that vicious before the dark side tainted her, this would prove most difficult. Now that she was tainted however, he had more to worry about than just that. Steve put aside his thoughts of feline stereotypes and looked at this woman as an individual.

"The council insults me to send a clown like you after me. You have interrupted my meditation and invaded my new domain. Soon, you will trouble me no more. I will strike you down in a heart beat." The Cathar spat in annoyance before igniting her blue lightsaber.

"I'm not here on the council's behalf. I have no association with them…" Steve started.

"LIES! You may not feel the force, but you still carry the weapon of a Jedi." The Cathar said.

"This weapon is only for my protection. If it were anything else, you would kill me." Steve continued.

"I will destroy you human!" The feline woman yelled before charging out of the ruins. Steve activated Bastila's lightsaber and held his ground. The Cathar attacked fiercely without much concern for defense. It was common for those that were just new to the dark side to attack in such a way. It was a poor tactic to use against anyone that had experience in duels. Steve knew how to handle this, but it felt completely different to fight without the force. Also, he had no wish to attack the woman. His only concern was to defend himself. This made things very difficult because the Cathar's attacks were made to oppose just that kind of behavior. At first, Steve felt completely unprepared for this fight. In times past, he didn't have to be prepared for something like this, but, now that he was normal again, he was unsure of himself. His heart was beating incredibly fast. The adrenaline had been instantly released into his system the moment the Cathar attempted to land her first strike. He felt clumsy at first and was stepping back to avoid the deadly strokes of his opponent's blade, but, the more his heart was pumping, the better he felt. The Cathar sensed his fear and didn't hesitate to continue her aggressive tactics. It didn't take long for him to adapt himself to his condition. After his body was sufficiently supplied with adrenaline, his actions seemed to catch up with his mind. As he hoped, his brain was still very fast. He could see very clearly where the Cathar was attempting to land her next moves and was able to intercept them with much more ease than he expected. He was very reassured that his skills were intact. He was improving so much in so little time. The Cathar was suddenly surprised to see this. In her perspective, it looked like this man was making fun of her at first, pretending to be weak. Now, he fought like a Jedi Knight. Still, she felt like she was a good challenge for him.

"You aren't as weak as you appear. If only you were a Jedi, I wouldn't feel bad about killing you. Now it seems to be a shame to waste someone of your natural talent." The woman said before speeding up her attacks. It appeared that she, too, was holding back on her abilities. Still, Steve held his ground and kept improving himself. It was almost a coincidence that he could improve as fast as the danger was coming. It was as though he had just what it took to stay alive every step of the way. There had been a time where he was fast enough to challenge a group of people of the Cathar's skill. He was slowly remembering that feeling. By the end of this fight, he would have improved enough to challenge the average Jedi, or hopefully even more. He started using only one hand for a moment to see what he was capable of. When the Cathar saw how well he was doing and how he always modifying his techniques, she realized Steve was not just skilled, he had knowledge of what he was doing. He seemed to have even more potential than she did at this time. She felt enough shame for herself already that she began slowing her attacks. Steve was also slowing down his moves. The Cathar finally gave up, knowing Steve had no intention of harming her. She finally decided to give him a chance to speak. Steve was breathing hard, harder than she was. It took a moment before his breathing slowed enough for him to speak.

"I'm here to help you, I mean you no harm." He began while catching his breath.

"Who are you, and, if you're not a Jedi, then why are you here?" The woman said in a low tone of voice.

"My name is Steve… I came here on Dantooine for… medical reasons. I'm not alone here: there are others with me… I was told you were in need of help. Why are you like this? What happened to you?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"I've killed my master, I've stuck her down in anger. I have nowhere else to go anymore… This is where I belong now, alone with my shame, and guilt, and hate. This place is the only place that can make use of these feelings… I do not wish to be bothered. Please leave." The Cathar said in despair.

"Wait, I must know your name. I need to understand more of what happened to you. Let me stay a moment, I beg you." Steve pleaded.

"What is there to say? I failed. I was not strong enough to resist my anger against my own master. And even with the power of the force… the power of the dark side, I can't even defeat the likes of you!" She said in shame. Steve was about to comfort her, when he noticed her attention shift behind him. It was Bastila and Revan who just exited the canyon.

"These are my very best friends, perhaps you already know them. Don't fear them. They are the ones that found you; they only wish to speak with you. The one on the left is Bastila Shan… and the one on the right… is Revan." Steve said, not knowing what effect it would have on the woman.

"Impossible. It can't be… No." The Cathar said. It wasn't directed at Steve, though it seemed to be meant to convince herself.

"I heard you disappeared after you were released. I heard you lost your power, but you… you did not." She said to Revan.

"What is your name?" Revan asked the Cathar.

"I'm Juhani." The Cathar answered.

"I know what you are going through, Juhani. I know what it feels like to fall to the dark side; I know what it feels like to strike down those you care about in anger… I know what it feels like not to belong anywhere, and I know what it's like to be lost." Revan began.

"You are Darth Revan, of course you know of these things. What do you want from me?" Juhani asked.

"I'm here to tell you that YOU, Juhani, are not lost. You are not a slave to the will of the dark side, and you do belong somewhere. You are far from being lost. You are a good person and a good Jedi." Revan said.

"I… I've killed my master. I can never go back…" Juhani explained.

"You did not choose this path Juhani, it was just an accident. You have not fallen yet. From here, it is a question of choice. You did not choose to kill your master. If you could, you would go back in time and prevent it wouldn't you?" Revan said.

"I… I did not wish for my master to die! I have failed her! I can never go back…" Juhani cried out.

"You're wrong. You can go back, if you choose too. Be strong Juhani. Look inside yourself. You know what you want; this is all that matters. Go back to the enclave. Speak to the masters. They will forgive you as they have forgiven me. This is my friend Bastila Shan; she can help you. Try being a Jedi again. You are not alone in this. They can help you… we can help you. If you go back and still feel you don't belong, you will be welcome to live with me. In my home, you will be at peace, safe from the dark side and free to do what you want. If the Jedi do no sympathize with you, speak with Bastila; she will guide you, and, if you wish to get away from it all, she can guide you to me. You will always have somewhere where you belong my friend, always." Revan said softly.

"If my master was alive today, she would want me to return… I will go back, and, if they accept me, I will try even harder to become the Jedi I always wanted to be. If they don't, what will become of me?" Juhani asked.

"If you want to be a Jedi, Juhani, you will be. Let's get you home." Revan said.

Steve couldn't help but smile. This is what he was meant to do, and it was because of Revan that he could do it. He didn't want it to be any other way. It was the most wonderful feeling to help people like Juhani. Bastila didn't say anything, but everyone could see that she was happy too. Revan was proud of everyone, and that was the kind of happiness she liked the most. While walking back to the speeder, Steve realized he still had Bastila's hilt in his palm. He was surprised she didn't ask for it back as soon as they were together. She must have been distracted.

"Here, take your lightsaber back, Bastila. Thank you for lending it to me." Steve said as he handed it over to the young Jedi.

"You put your life at risk to help a fellow Jedi, Steve, it's I who should be thanking you." Bastila smiled.

"You would have done the same for anyone." Steve observed.

"I know, but I'm the Jedi, not you." Bastila clarified.

Steve smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Bastila blushed and Revan smiled.

"Besides, I think you would have done the same for anyone also." Bastila added.

"I'm not so sure… I can't put a value on anyone's life, and that's why I would be tempted to rescue just about anyone… but that works both ways: sometime I forget to think, "What is my life worth?" Steve said honestly.

This time, it was Juhani that spoke her wisdom:

"You are not a Jedi, and you swore no oath to protect others yet you do it anyways. You are a treasure. Forgive me for my past actions against you; I am ashamed of what I have done… People would be fools not to risk themselves to save you, Jedi or not Jedi. I commend you."

"I can see you are already a great Jedi Juhani. I will never regret my actions here today. I'm honored to have met you, and I thank you for your compliment." Steve said.

As Bastila sat in the rear seat of the speeder, she felt the warmth of her lightsaber hilt against her thigh. It reminded her of the brief piece of the duel she had just witnessed. She reached over to Steve, who was sitting just in front of her, and said:

"You… you did good in that duel Steve. I'm glad you still have some skills with a lightsaber." Bastila thought it would take a greater effort to say it but was relieved to find that it was rather easy.

"Thanks Bastila, that means a lot to me." Steve said. Bastila was about to say something else, but Juhani said something first:

"What do you mean still have skills?" The Cathar was curious. Bastila turned to look at Juhani, who was sitting next to her and said:

"Ehm… Steve here… he ehm… well, he's actually the one that killed Darth Malak." She couldn't say it straight because it sounded so unrealistic to say. It WAS him who did it, but there was much more to it than that.

"I was told it was Revan who did it… but I guess she didn't have her power." Juhani said realizing that all she heard of it were rumors. Revan, who was finishing he repairs underneath the front of the speeder, overheard the conversation and looked up to say:

"It's complicated, that's why you haven't hear the true version of the story. Steve pretended to be me: he wore my suit and wielded my blade… along with all the power I possessed. On the record, I'm responsible for Malak's death… off the record, Steve did it." She said as quickly as she could so she can proceed with the repairs.

"It's not important to know how it happened exactly. All that matters now is that the Jedi freed Revan, just the way she is." Steve added. He was curious to know what Bastila saw of his duel; he wanted the opinion of an outside observer.

"What did you see of the duel?" Steve asked his friend behind him.

"I didn't see much. Shortly after I was able to see you, you stopped. I'm just saying you must have done a good job." Bastila clarified.

"Oh. I can't wait to try that again… I mean with training sabers." Steve said.

"What for? There isn't much you can use it for." Bastila said in a dissuading tone. She still couldn't quite understand his fascination of it. She thought it was because he intended to use a lightsaber in battle: That would be a bad idea. That question and the tone it was posed in was her way of expressing her concern.

"It's not like that: It more for the exercise at this point. I have a skill for it, and I would like to improve it. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to transfer some of what I learn to someone else. I've observed how Juhani fights, and I'm pretty sure I can help her improve. Revan taught me so much of dueling, a lot of which I can't do anymore, but I can still help." Steve explained what his intentions were.

"Just promise me you won't try using a real one like we do… It'll get you in trouble." Bastila said.

Steve smiled at his sweet friend and said:

"I promise. I understand how it can bring more harm than good. I'm not interested in getting into trouble." He said. Revan jumped into the speeder, and the four of them were on their way back to the enclave. It was passed midday now, and they had other things to do before they could leave.

The speeder arrived in the garage where Bastila had taken it. When the Jedi officials saw the damage done to the front of it and the extra passenger onboard, they were upset. Bastila tried explaining that they ran into trouble during legitimate Jedi business, but the officials knew that if she really was on an official Jedi business, they would know about it.

"Look, we didn't expect to run into blood thirsty kath hounds ok?" Bastila's temper shortened a little. Steve put his hand on Bastila's shoulder to calm her down and to tell her it was ok.

"We don't want any trouble… I apologize for the damage done to the vehicle, but we need to speak to the council. If you don't need to hold us up, please, let us leave." He said calmly.

"Alright, you can go speak to the masters, but, if your story doesn't check out, we'll need some compensation. These speeders don't grow off trees you know." The man said in a calmer matter.

"I understand." Steve said after nodding in Revan's direction.

After leaving the garage, Bastila said:

"I was almost sure he wasn't going to let us go."

"Well, technically, he didn't; I mean, we aren't off the hook yet. We'll have to mention this to the council." Steve said. They all went into the passage that led to the council chamber only to be halted by the guards. Apparently, there was already a meeting going on. This wasn't uncommon. Revan and the others simply weren't expected. Moments later, the meeting was over and the guards let the group go down into the council chamber. The masters all seemed very pleased to see these particular individuals enter the room at the same time.

"Juhani!" Master Jarr was pleased to see her.

"Revan… Bastila, you brought her back? How did you know?" Vrook asked surprised.

"Revan felt Juhani's distress, master. We all went to retrieve her, to bring her back safely." Bastila was proud.

"We are very grateful for this. There is something you must know, Juhani: your master, Belaya, is still alive… and well, I might add." Vrook said.

"How is that possible? I… I was sure she was dead." Juhani started.

"She is doing very well Juhani: she was testing you." Master Jarr said.

"I have failed her. I'm so sorry. I was not strong enough. I'm just glad she is all right." Juhani said sadly.

"You didn't fail young Jedi. The fact that you are here before us is proof that you were successful in resisting the dark side." Master Vandar said.

"Mater, without the help of these people, I would have been there still." Juhani said honestly.

"No one said you had to face it alone, Juhani. There will always be an alternative to the path of the dark side. That is the lesson your master wanted to convey to you as her final teachings to you; she believes that you are ready to become a Jedi knight." Master Jarr said softly. Steve looked at Juhani and nodded at the accuracy of this fact and saw how quickly Juhani was cheering up.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much… all of you." Juhani looked at everyone around the room as she said it.

"I believe master Belaya is waiting in the garden. I'm sure she would love to tell you of this herself." Master Vandar said. Juhani bowed at everyone and left to find her former master. She was so happy that things turned out so well. It made everyone around her feel good too.

"We are aware you are planning on leaving today; we don't need to hear the full details from you. Bastila can stay and do that." Vrook said to Revan and Steve.

"Masters, if you please, I wish to discuss something else with you." Revan began.

"What's on your mind Revan?" Master Vandar asked calmly.

"As you know, I'm about to retire in a secure zone… a hideout, if you will. There, I will continue my training with the help of Steve. However, I will still be required to perform certain duties… operations… in the galaxy to maintain peace. Since I do not wish to interfere in Jedi business, and I do not want any trouble to follow my actions, I would like it if we worked in harmony. Me and the Jedi alike: sharing our plans and intentions, so we don't cause any problems. I don't wish to know all of your plans, just the ones that focus on the problems I will be dealing with. In that perspective, I would like to declare Bastila my ambassador, if she agrees. She can relay information between us and coordinate our efforts. It won't require her full attention; it would merely take a moment a day." Revan proposed.

"Hmm… We will speak privately of this with Bastila, and, if she agrees, we will consider this proposal." Master Vandar said. Everyone bowed at each other. Revan and Steve left the room as serious as they could be, and, when they were out of sight, Steve jumped in Revan's arms and kissed her.

"That's such a good idea! We can be like a big happy family! This way, they won't keep us from seeing Bastila whenever we want." Steve was very happy. Revan put her arms around his waist and kissed him some more. The guards that were not far away just stared at them, but the couple didn't seem to care. After their long kiss, Revan and Steve went back to her room and picked up whatever belonged to them and transported it back to the Ebon Hawk. On the way there, Revan stopped by the cafeteria and picked up a meal. She already had a full stack of food on board the Hawk, but, whenever she had a chance to get precooked food, she did. As she was purchasing the food, Steve went to get the Echani woman. She was all ready to leave; she had very little with her. Steve used this opportunity to thank her for rescuing him from his cell.

"You did the same for me when the Sith man came after me at the cottage." She replied.

"We're going to take you home. It's yours, but, if you don't mind, Revan and I would really appreciate it if you let us live there with you… in your former mistress' academy." Steve said.

"It's too big of a place to manage alone. You're both welcome to stay for as long as you wish." The Echani woman said.

"Thank you so much. There are so many reasons why it's perfectly suitable to us. You have no idea how much it means to Revan and I." Steve thanked her.

"I'm honored to share my home with you both." She said.

When they reached the cafeteria, they noticed Revan wasn't sitting alone. She was with an older woman: a Jedi master by the looks of her robes. Steve and the Echani woman sat down quietly next to them, trying not to interrupt their conversation.

"This is Steve, he is the man that took all the risk getting Juhani back. Steve, This is Balaya, Juhani's former master and friend." Revan introduced them to each other.

"A pleasure to meet you." Steve said happily and bowed politely.

"I owe you my gratitude young man. You did a great thing today, and you will not be forgotten." She said to him.

"The council said that your apparently fatal injury was… a sort of test for Juhani. I was wondering if it was… a common practice to… deceive your padawans. I'm merely curious of your way, and I mean no offence by my question." Steve said.

"My methods are somewhat harsher than that of most masters, but I take great care in my teachings, and I would never do anything like that to Juhani unless I was sure she could prevail." She said proudly.

"You were right to think she could prevail, and now she is in an even happier… I mean greater, more meaningful situation than she ever was. For that, I think what you did was amazing, but, if you didn't plan on us to intervene, who were you expecting to retrieve her? For curiosity's sake." Steve said again, trying not to sound offensive or un-Jedi like.

"In fact, I was going to send my next padawan learner to retrieve her just later today." She explained.

"She was sure you were dead, you know, that kind of thing is incredibly hard to deal with. I just wish there was a… a less tragic way to teach her the same thing." Steve gave his opinion.

"A Jedi life is a hard life; there is much risk involved in the training of our people. It's important to consider the outcome of a situation just as much as the methods of achieving it." She said.

"I understand. I'm not sure I would enjoy being in Juhani's position, but I suppose that's not the point. If creating great Jedi knights is what you value beyond anything else, I can understand your position. Juhani will surly become just that, and I respect you immensely." Steve said.

"Thank you for understanding. I hear you're quite respectable yourself." Belaya said.

"Perhaps we will meet again sometime." Steve said before turning to Revan and saying:

"I need to feed myself. I'll be on the ship." Steve said before getting off the table, bowing to Belaya and leaving. The Echani woman followed shortly after to leave Revan and the Jedi master to converse alone. She was also happy that they were finally leaving Dantooine. Her stay here had been unpleasant. It wasn't just the physical pain and discomfort of the gash on her belly, but it was also the psychological pain of losing her sisters. She wasn't much loved by the rest of them, but they were family; the only family she had. She knew she would miss them. She wished she had another chance at getting along with them. Perhaps, if she had done it that way, all of this could have been avoided.

"What does he mean by feed himself? Why doesn't he eat here with us?" Belaya asked Revan.

"Steve was stabbed in the stomach by a lightsaber, not very long ago. His digestive system is completely shutdown." Revan said.

"That's terrible. What happened?" Belaya asked curiously, not knowing is she wanted to hear the details… at least not as she ate.

"Atris did that to him to get to me. She fell to the dark side. We couldn't save her." Revan said while minimizing the details.

"I didn't think I would hear that name again. I thought she was on a very long and important mission. What happened?" Belaya was curious.

"She fell onto some sensitive materials… strong in the dark side. It took many years, but, finally, she succumbed to it. She was very strong and wise, but she was pained by the wars. There was nothing that could be done for her, we tried our very best." Revan answered.

"Who did?" The Jedi master asked.

"Steve, Bastila, and that Echani woman you just met." Revan answered.

"I don't understand… Atris was in isolation for so long. Why did you have to go after her? I'm sure she wouldn't suddenly become a nuisance to anyone." Belaya asked.

"Things were… more complicated than that. She left me no choice." Revan started.

"What did she do?" Belaya continued.

"When she realized Steve was going to survive his wound, she took him from me… and tortured him." Revan said.

"How awful!" Belaya sympathized.

"Actually, that's why we are here; he was dying, and we had nowhere else to go… no one else would help us." Revan said.

"I see. Well I, for one, am truly glad you are here. It's wonderful to see he's doing so well… and to think he was just in a duel against a Jedi… amazing." Belaya was astonished. At that moment, Revan was summoned to the council chamber by one of the Jedi guards.

Bastila was standing in the middle of the room with a small smile on her face. It seems like they agreed to Revan's proposal. Bastila, acting for the first time as an ambassador, explained the council's opinion in her own words:

"The Jedi are looking forward to participating with you in the future. I'm honored to accept the responsibility you have bestowed upon me. I shall stay in touch with you, and, whenever I can, I'll come visit you, I promise." Bastila said and bowed. Revan was finally on her way home.

Steve settled himself in the starboard bedroom and took off his suit to replace it with the ugly robes he was offered at the medical bay. This way, he could keep his robes untied to provide an entrance for the tubes to go in. He preferred to connect the tubes on his side, just below the ribcage. That way, he could place the blood pouch on his lap when he sits and have the use of his hands. He could also carry the pouch under his arm and walk around freely. Just as he was inserting the needles into the predrilled holes on his side, the Echani woman walked in and sat next to him.

"Does it hurt?" She asked pointing at the needles.

"Last night it did, but now it doesn't hurt much." He answered.

"I'm sorry about what my sisters did to you." She said seriously.

"I'm sorry about your sisters and what they did to you." He said while pointing at her belly.

"How does it look?" He asked about her scar.

"It's hardly noticeable anymore." She answered.

"Listen, something's been on my mind ever since… well ever since my abduction: Why did your sisters hate me?" He asked softly.

"They don't hate you… personally, Steve… they hate… hated… men." She confessed.

"They feared men?" Steve asked.

"Yes. They had a… a difficult past." She said.

"What about you?" Steve was curious.

"I had a different mother… I wasn't raised the same way they were. It was only when our parents died that we lived together as a family." She confessed.

"Why would they… turn against you… like that?" He asked.

"We are a race of warriors. We train all our lives, and, when we become mature, we enter servitude. When that happens, we swear our loyalty to our superiors; a loyalty that we have learned to respect and protect with our lives. It isn't supposed to be more important than family, but… because Atris was a Jedi, she influenced us and somewhere along the way, family became… less important than duty." She said.

"Atris must have been a good person. It's a shame that we all had to experience her fall to the dark side. Haven't you noticed some signs of this fall though? Haven't you noticed a change in your mistress?" Steve asked.

"I'm… I don't know much about the dark side that you speak of. I was not allowed to speak of that subject. Atris thought it was important not to distract us with the Jedi ways." She answered.

"I see." Steve said simply.

"I'm not in her service anymore… I wish to learn of what you speak." She said.

"Sure, sure. Well, the dark side is the opposite of what the Jedi believe in. Where the Jedi find peace, the dark side finds struggle; where they find love, the dark side finds hate. The force itself is a combination of the two. The force has a strong influence on every event that takes place in the galaxy. Those that can feel the force are partially controlled by it, and, in turn, they can influence the force around them. This is the source of the Jedi power. The force has a will that can be heard by those trained to. When a Jedi hears the will of the dark side of the force and follow it's calling, they can become trapped… consumed by its power and become slaves to it. The people who fall to the dark side become completely different people. They usually hunger for power to dominate others. They become aggressive, dangerous and evil. Of course, everyone's case is unique, but, generally, that's how it goes down. Your sisters were most likely influenced by the very presence of this power. When you are around such darkness, you can lose yourself easily. Perhaps that's why Atris didn't tell you about it. She worked with holocrons of the dark side. These objects were the cause of your mistress' fall. She resisted the taint for a long time, but it all caught up to her in the end." Steve explained it similarly to how Revan would have.

"You mean my sisters fell to the dark side as well?" The difference between Atris and the others was hard to understand.

"No, it's different. Your sisters were only influenced by it, mostly on a subconscious level. Falling to the dark side is when you become a slave to its will. Your sisters could have been easily been pulled away from it, but not Atris. Your mistress couldn't simply ignore it. She would have had to confront it herself… to fight it until she could break free. It's not an easy task at all. In fact, it's almost impossible to do without the help of others. Even then, it takes a very strong will to break free." He clarified.

"Is that what Revan did? Break free?" She asked.

"I suppose so. She needed a near death experience and a very strong will to break free though. In a way, she had no choice, but it turned out exactly like she wanted. She couldn't ask for a better outcome. Hey, what are you going to do now that you don't serve anyone?" Steve asked.

"I really don't know. I will have time to think about it." She said.

"I'm glad to hear it. Maybe you'll think about making a new family of your own." He said seriously.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"Well, I'm just saying you can do whatever you want now; you don't have to live in isolation anymore, but, also… your family suffered a great loss… you're the only one left who can make a new family of your own. If that means anything to you, you should consider it. I have a brother and sister back home who can continue our family. If I didn't, I would feel compelled to continue the family line… It would be my responsibility… You know?" He said.

"I… I never thought about it." She said honestly. Steve left the Echani woman to ponder while he got the ship as ready to leave as he could. He had learned a few things about piloting and navigating it before his injury. There wasn't much he felt qualified to do, but it was a start. This way, as soon as Revan got here, they would be on their way. Revan showed up shortly after. She stood in the doorway to the cockpit and observed the young man at the controls, wearing a loose robe with a blood pouch on top of him. Steve caught a glimpse of Revan with the corner of his eye and spun the chair around to face her.

"What did they say?" He asked about her meeting with the council.

"They accepted. Bastila is our ambassador now." Revan smiled.

"Waw, that was easy. Did you have to reach a compromise or something?" He asked.

"No. They just said yes." Revan added.

"Sweetness!" Steve was excited.

The ship soon left the planet. They were on their way to Telos. The polar region of the planet was going to become their sanctuary. They would be safe from everyone. Its location was a secret to almost everyone. Even the Jedi didn't know where it was… only Bastila knew. This was how it had to be. The masters that sent Atris there in the first place didn't know exactly where it was. They left it to her to find a secure place, and they didn't need to know where she had conducted her work… She was, after all, a Jedi master, and they trusted her with the details. Hyperspace was very peaceful this time. The passengers didn't have anything to worry about at the moment. They were free and well on their way of making a new life.

The ship reached its destination without complication. Once it set on the surface of the snowy plateau, they all exited the ship and went in by the small entrance that was hidden in the snow, just as they had done before. According to the handmaiden, the docking bay could only be open from the inside. Instead of staying on the ship and waiting for the Handmaiden to get it open, both Revan and Steve followed her in. She didn't know why, but she didn't ask any questions. Shortly after descending down the entrance into the facility, Revan halted everyone.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"Someone's waiting for us. A trap… Steve, you need to go in there alone. Just use your head; get passed the trap, and then just be yourself." She said seriously.

"Should I go unarmed?" He asked equally as serious.

"Yes, you won't need anything." She said.

"How can anyone be expecting us in here?" The handmaiden was concerned: she knew full well the secrecy of this place. For there to be trouble inside the facility could only mean something was terribly wrong.

"You'll know soon enough. It's not as bad as you think." Revan said.

"Go Steve, you'll be all right." She continued while placing her hand on his shoulder for encouragement.

"I'll see you soon." He said and then he went down the hallway all by himself.

He walked very slowly and as stealthy as he could while closely inspecting the way ahead for traps. It was not very difficult to be stealthy; all he had was his new black suit that didn't require shoes… it was very quiet. He came closer to the main room. It was a very large room that only had sofas in the middle of it. It was a common room much like the one in the Sith academy of Korriban. It was just a room that led to others, only it was smaller than the one on Korriban. Also, a strong cylinder shaped pillar that was a fraction of the size of the room held it up from underneath. Just at the edges of the room, there was a lip that separated the empty space, leading far down to the actual ground level, and the thick walls that separated the rocky cliffs outside from the rest of the facility. There was no contact between the rooms within the facility and those contouring walls. Instead, there was faint force field that kept the air from reaching that wall. It was a very efficient method of insulation. If this shield failed, the inside air would heat up the wall and the wall would heat the rocks and finally, the rocks would melt the snow around the facility. With this method, the heat signature produced within the facility never reached the outside; it was a perfect mask. It was just at the entrance of this room that something was different. All the lights were closed. This was to be expected. From what the Echani woman said, this facility was largely automated. If the lights were closed, it meant there was no one in the room… or, rather, no one used it for a long time. This was obviously not the case, and so Steve could predict the trap was set just beyond where he was standing. He thought for a moment and decided to look carefully at what laid just underneath of the walkway he was crossing. He hung on to the lip that separated the edge of the walkway from the emptiness and dove his upper body down to take a look underneath. There were tubes of various sizes with a large metal beam that held the walkway up. Just a few meters away, there was a small red light that flashed periodically. It came from a small circular device; it must have been a sensor installed on some sort of grenade. Steve believed it was a stun grenade made to incapacitate anyone. It must have been a very fancy device to be able to work through the thick materials of the walkway. There was obviously someone in the other room that knew what he/she was doing.

Steve held on to one of the tubes and held on as tightly as he could while he slipped off the lip to hang directly underneath the walkway. When he was hanging on tightly enough, he released one of his hands and grabbed a large wire that went right by the grenade. He pulled on it lightly, at fist, to make sure it made no noise. When it was safe enough to pull it harder, he pulled enough of the wire to create a little slack in it. With that amount of slack, he could swing it around the grenade and move it a little. Hopefully, it would be enough to unhook the grenade. Most importantly, he hoped it wouldn't set it off. He was hoping it was only sensitive to life signs. If it were a normal grenade, he would never have even tried this because any other grenade could be used on more that just life forms. Since this was made to stun people, it must have had been trigger by life signs. When he pushed it off the walkway, it didn't activate. He exhaled the stressful breath he had taken before doing this. When he was calm enough, he started using the tubes to move underneath the walkway, just like a monkey swung from branch to branch. He tried his best not to make any sound. He got into the main room from underneath. No one could hear or see him. It was a perfect stunt. From the middle of the room, the wires and tubes diverged in many different directions. Steve took the route that lead the farthest to the opposite side of the room, not knowing exactly where the ambush would be waiting from. When he reached the other side, he started pulling himself up the lip. At first, he did it just enough to peak into the room with only his eyes.

He noticed a figure crouched in the shadow not far from the entrance the grenade had been at. This person was just waiting for the thing to set off. Steve continued pulling himself up until he was safely on the surface. Then he got up and made absolutely no noise sneaking up behind the red headed woman crouched in the shadow. He got as close as he could and inspected the person as best he could, trying to find a way he could successfully unarm her. She was a bounty huntress by the looks of it. She had a blaster ready in one hand, and she wore a large wristband on each arm. No doubt, she had other weapons hidden in them. Even if he could manage to get the blaster away from her, she would surely regain the upper hand with another weapon. He gave it serious thought, trying to find a weakness, and then he finally gave up. He sat down quietly behind her and whispered to her:

"Who are you?" The woman spun around in a flash and held her blaster at the side of his temple. Steve had his arms up in surrender. The lights suddenly came on and another woman walked in the room. It was one of the Echani women… a survivor. She must have been the fourth of them judging by where she had been shot by the droid. She must have been hit in the lung, just under the breast and survived it. She walked in the room with a cold look in her eyes. The bounty huntress stood up and lifted Steve up with the gun still pointed at him. She held him tightly with her forearm. The handmaiden had a bag in her hand. She set the bag on the floor in front of Steve and searched the contents of it and said:

"Thank you Mira, good work." The fourth handmaiden pulled out a small syringe from the bag and stood up tall. An instance later, she was pumping its contents into Steve's neck.

"Is that the stuff I sold you?" Mira asked the handmaiden.

"Yes it is." She affirmed.

"That's a lethal dose! You said there would be no killing!" The bounty huntress was upset. She must have been told a different plan… a lie.

"You said you didn't kill your hunt and you're not… I am." The Echani spat.

"That wasn't the deal!" Mira yelled.

"What are you going to do about it?" The Echani asked. Mira pointed the blaster from Steve's head to the other woman.

"Girls STOP!" Steve yelled.

"If I'm about to die here, the last thing I want is for you two to kill each other over my dead body! Echani your sister is here… don't screw this up. She's the only family you have left, and she loves you. When she gets down here, don't do anything stupid…" Steve said before collapsing to the ground. Mira helped slow his descent, and, the moment he hit the floor, she let go of him. She took out a capsule from within her wristband and opened it. Inside the metal capsule, there was a syringe.

"What are you doing?" The Echani asked.

"I'm the one who sold you that poison: you think I would be stupid enough to run around without the antidote?" She said annoyed before injecting it at the same spot the other one had penetrated.

"How dare you interfere with my plans?" The Echani was angry.

"You broke the deal, now I'm making a new one." Mira answered.

"You're making a mistake: his friend is here, waiting just outside. You won't make it out of here alive." The Echani said plainly.

"What, your sister? You think I'm afraid of her?" Mira laughed.

"No, not my sister… someone else." The Echani liked being in a position of bargain.

"You didn't mention anyone else!" Mira raised her voice at the same time she stood up. At that moment, Revan entered the room along with the last handmaiden behind her. She held her lightsaber in her hand but didn't turn it on.

"Step away from him, and no one will be hurt." She ordered. Mira knew how to recognize a Jedi, and, for some reason, this one seemed familiar to her. She couldn't put a name to that face, but she knew better than to attempt herself against a Jedi. She did what she was told and stepped away form Steve. Soon later, the fourth handmaiden did the same. Revan walked to the man on the floor and crouched over him to look into his eyes. He couldn't move his body, but he could look back at Revan. When he regained control of his face, he smiled and said:

"Hello again." Revan and the Echani then turned their attention to his attackers.

"Hello sister, I'm home. These are my friends. I told them they can live here with us. I didn't think that would be a problem…" The last of the handmaidens said sarcastically.

"I'm glad you're still alive, sister. We have so much to say to each other…" The last of them continued.

"What makes you think any of you are welcome here?" The fourth Echani countered.

"Please sister, we're not your enemy. We know you had no choice, we know you had to obey Atris. It's over sister, we are free now. Atris forgave Revan, those were her last words." The younger Echani said.

"Why should I believe you? You betrayed her!" The older handmaiden accused.

"NO. Atris betrayed you!" Steve managed to say aloud.

"She's been keeping her duty a secret from you, she wasn't building a Jedi academy here. She betrayed the Jedi; she lost control of herself. She couldn't tell you what she was really doing because she knew you wouldn't let her continue her work." Revan continued for Steve.

"She was working with Sith holocrons, sister, and she fell to the… she was influenced by them." The last handmaiden rephrased.

"They're all over in her meditation room. That's why she didn't allow us to go in there. Go see for yourself." She continued.

"I've been there already; I've seen things in there, but they don't mean anything to me. I was more concerned with the body of our mistress, the one you left dead on the floor!" Her older sister said.

"We had to leave: Steve was dying, and I needed to be treated as well. Please sister, give us a chance to convince you. We are sister; we need to stick together. Let me help you understand." The last handmaiden pleaded.

"Alright." Her sister finally said. The two sisters moved closer to each other and were heading to talk some more in the next room.

"Wait! Haven't you forgotten something? My payment perhaps?" Mira said loudly.

The older handmaiden stormed out of the room and soon returned with a few credit sticks. She went straight to the bounty huntress and threw them in her face. Mira picked them up off the floor, keeping her cool, and, when the two sisters left the room, she turned her attention to Revan.

"How about a little extra credits from you?" She asked with a serious face. Revan just stared straight at her face for a moment but didn't say anything. She was thinking.

"I know who you are, REVAN, and I know where you live, who you care for… How much money do you think that's worth to so many people around the galaxy?" Mira said seriously.

"You have a lot of guts to speak like this to me." Revan said plainly, but she didn't mean it as a threat: she was merely stating an observation.

"If you thought it was a good idea to kill me, you would have done it already. Good move on your part… even dead, I can cause a lot of trouble for you. But now… now I want something from this." Mira thought Revan's comment was like a bluff, and, as such, she called it.

"What do you want Mira… What do you really want?" Steve entered in the conversation. Mira turned her attention to the man who was now sitting up.

"I want what the both of you seem to want… I want this place. My business can improve so much with a place like this… with a place that I can consider sanctuary. No one can find me here." Mira said straight.

"You want to live here with us?" Steve didn't know if she meant she wanted to claim it for herself or to share it.

"Exactly." She confirmed.

"That's reasonable… but that decision doesn't lie with us." Revan explained.

"Well, if you know what's good for you, you'll make sure I get a spot here." Mira said to Revan.

"I'll see what I can do." Revan said.

"You know you'll have to TRY and get along with everyone right? The Echani woman included. Are you sure you're willing to do this?" Steve asked seriously.

"I'm not the kind of woman who holds grudges forever. I'll be fine." Mira answered.

"That's good to hear. Thanks for the antidote by the way." Steve said before he finally stood up beside Revan.

"Hey, no problem… just like I expected, you were worth more alive than dead. Consider your debt paid." She said with a smirk on her face. Steve shook his head and said:

"If we are going to live together, I suggest you at least pretend like you respect us." Steve said, offended by her attitude.

"Hey, I meant not offence. Business is business, you know." Mira said defensively.

"I'm not sure I like your line of work, but I'm willing to look past that if you're willing to show some respect." Steve offered in disappointment.

"You know what? I think I like you already. I don't think there'll be much trouble between us." Mira smirked.

"I'm not sure you'll get the same from that Echani woman though. You better watch yourself around her." Mira said.

"Yeah, I bet… I've already been through her idea of hospitality, and I'm not interested in getting on her nerves." Steve said.

"I donno what went on between the two of you, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty… he he… I bet I have a better chance at getting along with her than you do!" Mira was amused by this situation. That Echani woman wanted him dead. She had told Mira that Steve was responsible for the deaths of her sisters. Now that Mira knew who Steve was and had an idea of what he was like, she didn't think it was all true, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the Echani handmaiden believed it, and that made this living situation very amusing. It was going to be a madhouse.

"I'll take that bet." Steve said with somewhat of a serious look. Revan and Mira looked at him confused.

"No, really, I have no intention of going on without fixing whatever issue she has with me. I'm not going let her think I'm someone I'm not. Not if I can help it." Steve explained.

"Brave… but foolish. She doesn't care a thing for you." Mira said with a more serious tone.

"You're wrong about her." Steve said.

"If you say so. Just as long as you pull your head out of the krayth dragon's mouth before it snaps!" Mira smirked. Steve couldn't help but laugh at her expression: it was so appropriate for this situation. Revan was too concerned to laugh, but she did smile. She had every confidence in Steve, but it was still dangerous.

"Alright, let's go talk to the sisters about our deal." Revan said.

The room the sisters went in was the dining room. I was built very large to accommodate at least two-dozen people. There were four tables spread apart from each other as much as they were away from the walls. In the middle of the two farthest tables, there was a passage to the kitchen. The two women were conversing on the table to the left of the kitchen doors. It looked as though the young handmaiden was successful in convincing her older sister. She was, after all, closer to this sister than the rest. This was why this one hadn't helped her sisters when they were attacking the last of them. Still, that was all she was willing to do for her. Steve's only hope was for the sisters to get along. He was already friends with the younger one; that would help him a lot to gain influence on the other one. Revan, Steve and Mira sat at the large table to see how things were going.

"What is SHE doing here?" The older sister said while pointing at Mira.

"Actually, that's what we're here to talk about." Revan began.

"She got what she came for. What does she want now?" The fourth Echani said.

"She wants to live here with us… all of us." Revan explained.

"UNBELIEVABLE! You can't take a hint can you?" The older Echani yelled at Mira.

"Listen, we have enough problems as it is. We need to arrange this now. It may seem hard to believe, but Mira will be more trouble away from us than with us. Tell her Mira, tell her you're going to behave yourself around her." Revan said.

"It's true; I'm not here for trouble. This is the only way we can all get what we want." Mira confirmed.

"You scum! I should never have hired you. You were useless anyway! What gives you the right to enter my home like this?" She yelled.

"Please, just stop your shouting. This is our problem, our responsibility. We won't force you to accept this proposal. Whatever you decide… we will honor it. I just want you to know how important this place is to us all. This has nothing to do with Mira; she was just doing… her job. Now, it's a different matter. We have to decide if we can all work together. If you allow us all to stay, I guarantee you none of us will cause you any trouble. In fact, if there's anything you need help with, we will offer our assistance." Steve proposed, looking at Revan for her approval to make the promise to the Echani woman.

"I have nothing left but this place and my sister, all because of you. I'm not stupid though: I know Revan meant a great deal to Atris, otherwise she never would have been so angry with her. I don't care what kind of trouble you are trying to escape by coming here, but know this: Atris was supposed to have built this place for the Jedi… or so she said. Technically, Revan has as much right to be here as we do. I'm not going to deny you this place; that was the last mistake Atris made… Just stay out of my way." The furious woman said.

"Thank you." Steve said. The woman left the room.

"That went well." Mira said.

"If you will follow me, I'll show you to your rooms." The Echani woman said.

The young handmaiden led everyone to the main training room and moved to the left side of it. There was a small hallway there with rooms on either side. In total, there were six rooms.

"Why are the rooms so close to the training room?" Steve asked curiously.

"It is customary for our kind to wake at the sound of battle." The woman answered.

"Ah." Steve understood.

"The first two rooms on the left belong to my sister and I. You can share the other rooms as you see fit." She said seriously.

"I guess we each have a room, and, when Bastila comes, we'll have a room for her too." Steve said.

"Actually, the room at the end of the hall, on the right, doesn't have a bed anymore… we use it for storage… weapons storage." The Echani clarified.

"Oh. Well, in that case, Bastila will have to take my room. Revan and I will share a room… right Revan?" Steve asked.

"Of course my love. I wouldn't have it any other way. If I recall correctly, you're the one that wanted to sleep on the other bed in the Hawk…" Revan smiled. She almost forgot she had an audience. She could feel it made Steve a little humiliated.

"You know I can't sleep well when I'm not alone… but I'll get used to it. It's just that I move a lot in my sleep, and I don't want to wake…" Steve started but was silenced by the finger Revan placed on his lips.

"I know baby. You don't have to explain it to me. I'll take good care of you; you'll sleep like a baby in my arms, I promise. What kind of hero would I be if I couldn't even make the man I love comfortable sleeping with me?" She said before pressing her lips against his and moving closer to his body as she caressed him with her hands and chest in a tight embrace. The two spectators were too interested to look away in politeness. It was not every day they could see a love like this… a love so pure. Besides, they would soon get use to this kind of display since they all lived together now. They would be aware of everything that went on in that small hallway. It didn't bother them. In fact, they all felt happy for the couple as they watched in envy. It didn't bother any of them that he was the youngest one in the facility. He was a man nonetheless… a great man. Even Mira could see this of him. Steve had an effect on the wise, it seemed.

"We'll take this room." Revan said as she lightly kicked the door that was just beside them. It was the first room to the right.

"We still have to get the Hawk in the hangar, if you don't mind." Revan said to the handmaiden. The woman was still smiling at the couple.

"Of course, follow me." She answered. She led Mira and the couple to the hangar bay control center. It seemed Mira had landed a small fighter in the middle of the hanger and had to move it to make room for the Hawk. When the vessels were secured in the hanger, the handmaiden raised the camouflage shield back up and invited everyone back to the dining room to offer an evening meal.

"You must all be hungry, I'll make you something nice." The Echani said as she disappeared into the kitchen. The rest of them sat at the table.

"Well, at least I know I can get along with that Echani. Hehe, I don't meet many people who would cook for me." Mira said.

"She's nice. And she's quiet. You'll like her." Steve said.

"Who are you anyway? Steve… I haven't heard anything about you." Mira asked curiously.

"Should I be giving you a reason to know who I am? Are you going to tell anyone if I tell you?" Steve teased her.

"Hey! I may know a lot about the bounties on people's heads, but I never collect on anyone I think isn't scum." Mira said, defending her professional position.

"Don't you think that's a little risky? I mean, aren't you afraid of making mistakes… how do you know who to trust?" Steve asked.

"I have my ways. Besides, I don't trust anyone; I usually have to find the truth for myself." Mira answered.

"That's unusual for someone in your line of work. Doesn't it make your job so much more complicated?" Steve asked.

"Sure it does, but I'm good at it. I get a lot of business because I'm one of the best. Anyone can find out how I do my job, so whoever hires me has to know my rules. That's why I don't usually have problems doing my work." Mira said.

"So that's how you make sure you can have at least some trust in your employers; by setting rules?" Steve continued.

"Yes. Now are you going to answer the question or are you going to continue avoiding it for the rest of the night?" Mira said sarcastically.

"There isn't much to say really. I just got here not too long ago, so it's not like I had time to piss too many people off." He said sarcastically.

"Well, I guess you had bad luck with the Echani then because she seemed pretty pissed to me." Mira teased. Just then, the last handmaiden walked out of the kitchen with a big platter of steaming vegetables on a rice-like cereal. Everyone dug into the food except Steve, of course.

"Aren't you going to eat something, Steve?" Mira asked while sticking her fork in the plate.

"He can't…" Revan said before Steve could answer.

"What is he, on a special diet or something? Are you trying to make him leaner than he already is, Revan?" Mira laughed, but no one else did.

"No, he can't eat anything at all or he'll die… His system was badly damaged when my mistress… attacked him." The handmaiden said completing what Revan couldn't.

"So, what? Is everyone trying to kill you or something?" Mira said in a more serious way, realizing it wasn't a pleasant subject to anyone else.

"Let's just say I didn't get a very good start at things here… If I didn't get help from Revan and Bastila and the Handmaiden… my life span in this section of the galaxy would have been shorter than that of a mosquito." Steve exaggerated a bit to bring back some smiles in the room.

"Who's Bastila?" Mira asked.

"Bastila Shan… the Jedi. Don't tell me you haven't heard of her." Revan said.

"Oh, Bastila Shan, yes I heard of her. So you need the Jedi to protect you now?" Mira was teasing again.

"If I had to give her a credit for every time she saved my life and Revan's life, she would be the richest Jedi in the galaxy." Steve was being playful.

"You're not joking… you really DO need protection? How come everyone is after you and I don't even know of one Steve on my list." Mira said more seriously.

"It's not like that; it's just that I happen to be around trouble a lot. Everyone seems to think of me as a barrier between them and Revan… so you see where that leaves me." Steve said playfully again.

"So you were trying to protect Revan when Atris attacked?" Mira asked.

"No… Revan doesn't need my protection… What Atris did was another story." Steve said.

"You could say that Steve was an obstacle in that case too, but Atris didn't want to get to me physically… only emotionally." Revan added.

"Ohhh. She did it because you love him?" Mira remembered their display of affection in the hallway and got the point.

"She did." Revan said simply.

"You guys must have been through a lot… and you say you just got here? Sheesh. I'm lucky you're not my boyfriend." Mira teased and everyone laughed.

"I need to take a shower, and then I'll prepare for sleep. I'll see you all in the morning." Steve said.

"Wait! Do you know where the shower room is?" The handmaiden asked.

"Yes, I've been there before… I think I remember how to get there." He said, remembering the painful stay he endured here previously.

"I thought you guys are new here." Mira said.

"Well… we were here before, but I think Steve got to see more rooms than the rest of us…He had a more extensive stay than we did." Revan said a little trouble of the thoughts that entered her mind.

"He was brought here for torture for a few days until Revan and Basila… and I… came to rescue him." The handmaiden filled in the harsh details that Revan wouldn't give away.

"A few days… Sheesh! Even I don't torture people, and I deal with the worst scum in the galaxy… was that before Atris injured him?" Mira asked the handmaiden.

"… The… the torture was in addition to his wound…" She confessed.

"Revan, you must be worth a fortune on the market! I can't believe how many enemies you have!" Mira was dead serious now, and she felt very sympathetic to their situation. She knew what it was like to be hunted, she was after all, a bounty huntress… but what she didn't know was what it felt like to have so many people hunt… and torture the one you loved.

"Now you know why it's so important that we stay sheltered here, where no one can find us." Revan said equally as serious.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea…" Mira said.

"What are you guys going to do tomorrow?" Mira asked.

"I'm going away for a while… I have some things to take care of… Sith business. There are so many things that were left unfinished. I'm also going to need to get some money from them. I'm going to need some to purchase weapons and anything else we may need in the future." Revan said.

"You're going back to the Sith?" The Echani was concerned.

"Yes. For as long as they don't know what to think of me, they are going to cause problems. They need to understand that I wish to be alone once and for all. Even if I'm not around, I can still control them. I have some countermeasures: people I need to entrust to keep things in order around there. They will keep things together in my name, and that will insure peace. I'll leave early in the morning. It will take close to a week. Watch over Steve for me will you? I'm going to sleep. I have a lot to do tomorrow." Revan said before she left the table.

"Is this woman for real?" Mira asked.

"I'm afraid so." The Echani woman answered.