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Chapter 19: Tainted

"Dantooine... it feels like a lifetime since I last set foot on her, but in truth its only been a few months..."

Revan stared at the floating world with a bit of nostalgia.

"Just looking at that world is calming..."

The Ebon Hawk landed at the Jedi Enclave shortly after. Mission was jumping around excitedly at the prospect of seeing a new planet. Canderous was standing to the side, scoffing at the girl's excitement, though he was glad to no longer hear her wailing over what happened to Taris.

Upon landing, Bastila has rushed off to speak with the Council while leaving the others to roam the Enclave. Canderous scoffed at being locked in the Enclave and easily broke out, mentioning something to Revan and Carth about finding a place to drink. Mission and Zalbaar stuck around the landing pad, speaking with travelers and trying to con sentients. Carth sent a secured transmission to the Republic Military Council and was ordered to continue escorting Bastila.

Revan chose to rest in his bunk, knowing that soon he would have to stomach the presences of the Jedi Council.

"Why the hell did I think this place would be calming... With my luck Vrook is around here somewhere..."

Snorting, Revan rolled over and pulled a blanket over him as he drifted into a restless sleep. Bastila meditated quietly in the sublevel of the Enclave as the four members of the Jedi Council spoke quietly over what they would do about the latest developments.

"He's having another dream..."

Bastila said softly as her eyelids twitched in concentration. The four Jedi Councillors fell silent as they waited for the Padawan to describe what she was seeing. Bastila gasped for a moment in shock.

"It- Its so clear..."

She breathed as she struggled to keep the bond open. Revan dreamed of discovering the first Starmap on Dantooine and convincing Malak to follow him. The former Jedi winced in his sleep. Even unconscious, Revan's mind was aware that it was being watched. Whoever the voyeur was, Revan was not pleased with their presence.

"So you want to see my memories?"

Revan snarled into his dream. Bastila's eyes shot open before she could gain a glimpse of what had tortured the man she had felt so strongly for. Gasping for breath, Bastila looked up to see Vrook and Dorak standing over her and speaking in low tones to each other.

"We could have learned something from that!"

Vrook snapped to his fellow Master. Dorak shook his head.

"Whatever is buried in Revan's shattered mind should remain there."

Zhar stepped forward, interjecting between the two Masters.

"We know that the Star Forge exists and is being used to fuel the Sith's war efforts. What we don't know is where it is or the extent of its power. Revan was always careful to capture worlds valuable in resources while Malak seems to burn anything that gets in his path. With Malak's actions... I am beginning to think that the Star Forge is more vital than just being some farfetched myth."

A gruff voice made a noise of agreement.

"We must learn more of this Star Forge..."

Turning his yellow eyes to Bastila, Master Vandar nodded slowly.

"He must be trained in the ways of the Jedi... We will need his strength to defeat Malak."

Bastila was uncertain. Even with the vast power Revan controlled, it was unlikely that this man he had been reduced to would be able to stand a chance against Malak. It would take years of training. Shivering, Bastila nodded numbly.

"Yes, Master."

She replied emotionlessly, though the turmoil within her didn't go unnoticed.

"This is not Revan. Remember that."

Zhar voiced. Vrook snarled angrily.
"This man is Revan. For all we know, Revan could be hidden within his mind and biding his time to destroy that barrier-"

"Master Vrook!"

Dorak shouted, cutting his fellow Master off, but not before Bastila could hear the last part.

"What do you mean, barrier?"

Bastila asked guardedly. Vandar sighed heavily and Vrook merely glowered at a nearby plant as if it was the plant's fault. Shaking his head, Vrook chose to answer.

"Revan's mind was not destroyed when he was wounded. It was not destroyed at all."

Bastila wore an unreadable expression for a moment before it slipped into a look of confusion.

"But- But I was told-"

Vrook shook his head.

"This is not relevant. What is is that Darth Revan may return. He still exists in Tauryn Katarn's subconsciousness. Those two years we watched him amongst the Republic he seemed to be doing things that he was not trained or programmed for... He was doing things Revan would do..."

Vrook looked intently into his Padawan's face, seeing the confusion turned to anger. Rage.

"WHAT!"

Bastila screamed, causing Vandar to wince slightly. Vrook merely narrowed his eyes.

"Control yourself, Padawan!"

Vrook reprimanded. Bastila tried to steady her ragged breathing and chanted the Jedi Code in her mind.

"We had no choice."

Zhar replied sadly. Bastila's anger had turned swiftly to disgust.
"Then you killed him?"

Misery and guilt were evident in Zhar's features as Dorak quickly answered.

"No, we imprisoned him. No Jedi is strong enough to break through the bonds Master Atris placed on his mind-"

"Atris?"

Bastila exclaimed, feeling lightheaded.

"You mean to tell me that the Jedi Council not only knowingly condemned a man to death, but carried out his execution and took what remained of his body and tore away at it like rabid Kath Hounds?"

Vrook and Vandar exchanged glances. Waving his hand, Vandar sent Bastila into a deep sleep before her emotions took control of her actions any further.

"This is not good..."

Vrook hissed in a rage.

"We should have killed him. We should never have trained that bastard Mandalorian."

Vrook replied bitterly. Vandar stared at Bastila's unconscious form before he waved his hand.

"Forget these problems young one..."

Seeing this, Vrook gaped.

"What are you doing to my Padawan?"
The aged Jedi Master shouted. Vandar turned cooly to Vrook and narrowed his eyes.

"What we must do. Already, thousands have been lost from our ranks to this war and the Darkside. I will not lose another. She will not remember this discussion."

Vrook took a moment to calm himself. What Vandar had done was reasonable. He had sensed the turmoil in Bastila and the danger that went along with it.

"None of us must speak of this again..."

Dorak said quietly. The other three Jedi Masters agreed silently.

Revan awoke to find Mission in his quarters and grinning at him. Not liking the devious smirk on the girl's face, Revan furrowed his brow.
"What?"

He asked gruffly. Mission's grin widened.

"Come on! We get to see the Jedi Council!"

She sang. Revan grimaced.

"Great..."

Barely able to pull on his cloak, Revan tiredly allowed Mission to drag him to the Ebon Hawk's landing ramp where Carth was already waiting, immersed in a datapad. Carth looked up from his datapad and frowned.

"Wow, you look like you've been hit with an airspeeder."

The combined stress of his dream, the intruder and the prospect of standing before the Jedi Council and having to feign respect was enough to make the former Sith Lord physically ill.

"I had a rough night..."

Carth grunted for a moment before his eyes scanned Revan's unkempt appearance.

"You know come to think of it Bastila didn't look to well this morning either..."

Bastila had returned to rest on the Ebon Hawk the previous night and had left early that morning, similar in appearance to Revan.

"Do you ever sleep?"

Revan asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. Carth smirked and Mission laughed.

"I guess not... I just sit in the cockpit and act paranoid."

Carth joked, though Revan and Mission merely smiled sheepishly at his comment. Seeing this, Carth scowled.

"Come on, lighten up."

Mission and Revan glanced at each other before bursting into laughter.
"You're. Telling. Us. That?"

Mission said between laughs. Revan recovered first and let out a long, steadying breath.

"Showtime."

"Lets just get this over with. I don't feel like listening to Jedi Masters speak in codes for the rest of this lovely day."

Carth managed to crack from his scowl to a grin at that comment.

"At least I'm not the only one to think like that."

Revan shook his head as he followed Carth with Mission literally running circles around them. The former Dark Lord spotted Zalbaar speaking to a Twilek man near the docks with a worried expression. Shaking it off, Revan followed Carth through the familiar corridors of the Enclave before he was assaulted by an indignant voice.
"How dare you mock our Order by wearing those!"

The voice snapped. Revan looked down at his Dark Jedi robes and then up to the brown-haired Padawan that was glaring vibroblades at him.
"Sorry, I've been stuck playing Sith Lord for the past two weeks and haven't had time to go shopping."

Revan snarled as he walked past the Jedi. Seeing the hostility, Carth backed away, while Mission quickly explained what had happened over the past two weeks. Hearing this from the girl, the Jedi, Belaya, frowned.

"I see..."

She said softly.
"Forgive me... my Master often says I should be more considerate and patient..."

Not listening, Revan nodded, exclaiming that it was a simple misunderstanding and grinning to himself.

"If that Jedi knew who I was... ha!"

Feeling his pride grow, Revan strolled down the corridor and nearly walked into Bastila. Bastila stared at him sheepishly.
"The Council would like to speak with you right away, Tauryn..."

She said softly. Revan immediately felt suspicious by her soft tone. Normally she would have snapped at him, Tauryn Katarn or Revan Bloodraven.

"What's going on?"

Revan asked warily. Bastila merely frowned and motioned for him to follow, not wanting to argue with him over what the Council had decided. Looking back at him as he followed, Bastila sighed. When she had awoken and spoken with the Council they had lectured her on the dangers of the bond with Revan as well as her emotional responses to him. What she knew and he did not though was that the Jedi were not giving him a choice in what was about to be asked.

"Ah, so you are the one who rescued Bastila..."

Zhar began. Bastila stood by, glancing between the Jedi Councillors and Revan.

"Force, please just agree..."

The Padawan did not know why she was filled with such dread over what the Council would do if Revan disagreed, but a part of her suspected it would not be something to be proud of. As the Council droned on, Bastila caught sight of Revan's underlying boredom.

"Just spit it out already!"

Revan snapped after Vandar and Zhar repeated themselves. Vrook scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"They would like to train you as a Jedi."

Bastila blurted out, drawing the furious glare of Vrook and the calculative ones of the other Masters.

"Why would they have any interest in training a lowly Republic soldier?"

Revan asked suspiciously, though he was laughing like a madman to himself. Vrook seemed to see right through his facade and was turning as red as a Sith's saber.

"You and Bastila share a bond... It is unusual for this to develop and we would like to make certain that you are not a danger to her... or she to you..."

Zhar tried to placate before Vrook exploded. Revan smirked, causing the Jedi Masters to exchange glances. They knew that smirk.

"Sorry, don't think so... Well..."
Revan trailed off for a moment, confusing the Jedi Masters. Bastila stared at Revan through narrowed eyes.

"You're lying."

"WHAT! How Dare you!"

Vrook snapped. Revan snorted.

"Jedi lie. What you're really after is the Star Forge Revan and Malak were speaking of."

Vrook's anger deflated for a moment as the truth was dragged to the center of the Council chambers. Bastila shivered at Revan's words and the chilling malice she could feel behind them. It was like looking into the past as he snarled those words.

"If you chose to be honest with me then I might consider being your little slave. But until then I am a Republic soldier and-"

Vrook smirked as he spoke.
"And you are under the order of the Republic Military Council to assist the Jedi in whatever way possible."

Revan cursed under his breath, seeing the triumphant smirk plastered on Vrook's face.

"Glad to see you're enjoying this, Master Jedi. Grinning like a fool is a definite improvement to looking constipated. You know they have pills to help that."

The Jedi Masters gaped at Revan before Vrook growled angrily and stormed from the Council chambers.

"I know I am going to pay for that but it was worth it!"

Revan turned to see Dorak trying to contain his laughter while Zhar and Vandar cracked smiles.

"I think I agree with you, Apprentice Katarn."

Zhar said quietly, not wanting to draw the ire of Vrook's Padawan, which was fully trained on Revan.

"How dare you insult my Master!"
Bastila exclaimed as she balled her hands into angry fists. Revan cursed.

"I forgot about that!"

Bastila's glare deepened as she pointed to Revan menacingly.

"You. Me. Training room."

The Padawan hissed. Revan turned to see the remaining Jedi Masters giving him sympathetic stares. The duel that followed was not one of Revan's proudest. He lost, badly.

'A vibroblade is not a lightsaber."

Revan chastised himself. Apparently in the five years since he had dueled against Bastila, she had improved.

"Sure she ran me through once but we were training and I was sick..."

Revan sighed, accepting that Bastila had managed to surprise him.

"I suppose it's a good thing that I lost. It would look a little strange if I beat the Jedi's holo girl."

Waiting silently as the Healers finished mending his wounds, Revan looked over to see Bastila staring at him with slight concern. Revan grinned widely, causing Bastila to snap out of her slip and glare at him.

"A couple weeks of training, Bastila and we'll have a rematch."

Bastila gave Revan a smirk that sent a chill down his spine.

"We'll see how much of a match you are..."

Bastila replied as she took off down the corridor.

"Hey, wait!"
Revan shouted, squeezing past a Mon Calamari Healer and after Bastila. Bastila slowed her steps and waited while Revan caught up to her.

"You're pretty good, where'd you learn to fight like that?"

Revan asked. Bastila stared at Revan as if he has said Malak was his father.

"Isn't it obvious?"

She asked as she motioned around her. Revan furrowed his brow.

"Well... I know a few forms of Jedi Martial arts and I could tell that yours was... advanced."

Bastila smiled slightly.

"I've been training myself for the past five years with some of the best Masters in the Order. I took lessons from Master Sunrider herself."

Revan raised an eyebrow to that.

"That explains it. That damned Sith Holocron could only teach me so much..."

Revan frowned.

"And I am a little rusty."

The former Dark Lord added to secure his pride.

"Wow..."

Revan replied, acting as if he didn't know who Master Sunrider was. Seeing this, Bastila huffed.

"Want to get something to eat? I'm starving."

Bastila stared at Revan silently for a moment before she nodded seriously and followed him to the Enclave's mess hall. Revan spent most of the meal trying to goad Bastila into a conversation, though the Padawan was content to remain distant for the time being. Over the next few weeks, Revan trained intensely, glad to finally be able to freely use the Force. His advancement shocked the Councillors and many of the other Jedi, though Bastila seemed to grow in her skill just as quickly, much to Revan's surprise and pleasure.

"A little competition never hurt."

The former Dark Lord avoided using his knowledge in the Ancient Sith ways and their advanced fighting styles as much as possible as he dueled and beat Jedi after Jedi. Bastila tried her best to explain the bond and his developing powers to the best of her ability during those few weeks of what Revan began referring to as Jedi Boot Camp. Carth had vanished along with Canderous to a nearby settlement to harass settlers or gather information of their surroundings. Revan soon became used to Bastila being there to help him, though he didn't need the help he saw no reason to not take advantage and try to crack through Bastila's arrogant shield. Smiling a genuine smile, Revan recalled the few times he had managed to get Bastila to actually smile and laugh. It was enough to make him not want to leave this peaceful world.

The former Lord of the Sith's peaceful escape came to a crushing halt when he was called before the Council, one month into his training. Surprisingly, Vrook had stopped being openly hostile, choosing instead to look in open disgust at Revan.

"Why have you summoned me, Masters?"

Revan asked, knowing already what was to happen. As he suspected he was led to a training room with a workbench where he was to build a lightsaber. Choosing the azure blade of a Guardian, partly because he had been one before and mostly because the crystal seemed to glow the same color as Bastila's endless eyes. Revan assembled his lightsaber quickly and trudged back to the Jedi Council chambers to receive his final trial.

"Bet they send me to that damned cave again..."

Revan was surprised when the Council told him he would be investigating a dark presence in a nearby grove that was corrupting the behavior of the Kath Hounds. Bowing, Revan turned to Bastila, surprised when she gave him an apologetic look.

"You must do this alone, apprentice."

Zhar had said at the gesture. Revan nodded, seeing the concern in Bastila's eyes, though her face hid it well.

"Guess this isn't going to be a walk in the park..."

Revan stopped by the Ebon Hawk, snatching his other lightsaber and hiding the familiar hilt away in his black cloak. He had been given the option to have some new robes made and much to the dismay of the Council had chosen simple black robes similar to the ones he had worn on Taris.

"If only I could find a red crystal..."

Revan smirked. It would definitely complete the look he was going for. The robes were worn by both Jedi and Sith and with a crimson blade he could blend in with both sides.

"I'll probably have to before this is all over..."

Revan briefly allowed his mind to wander to the Vong.

"Force I hope they are where I left them..."

Concentrating on the task at hand, Revan quickly told Mission and Zalbaar to find Carth and Canderous before he took off into the Dantooine countryside. The sheer amount of pleas and questions he was bombarded with outside the Enclave was enough to give the Mandalorian Jedi a headache. Ignoring most of the frivolous pleas, Revan made his way towards the only area of the planet that radiated malice and hatred with an intensity that only the Force could back.

The former Dark Lord of the Sith gazed intently at the young woman before him. The anger and bitterness radiating from her would have been suffocating if he had not been there once himself. Seeing past the malice, Revan could send the young woman's despair and sadness that fueled that anger burning within her. Slowly, Revan allowed his presence in the Force to be known. As soon as he had, two cat-like eyes opened and regarded him with indifference. The woman's feline figure rose gracefully from where she had been meditating and she prowled slowly towards Revan.

"I will be you doom!"

The Cathar shouted as she raised a blade of red, burning with the rage of her soul. Revan watched as the young woman raised her hand and sent a wave of the Force towards him. The Dark Lord was unaffected, though he was surprised that one so young as this woman could possess that kind of power. She appeared to be eighteen or nineteen. She wore simple clothing, though not that of a Jedi and her yellow eyes burned with passion.

"Cathar always were an emotional species."

The moment Revan had laid eyes on the woman he had known he could not kill her. The pain she was suffering, the anger and the darkness reminded him of himself when he had given up hope. Lunging forward, the Cathar thrust for Revan's chest. With a small effort, Revan pulled the saber he had created hours before and blocked the girl's furious blow. She was good, Revan nodded in approval as the Cathar leapt away from his counter attack and gracefully vaulted from one of the ruins over his head. She was powerful too.

"Why are you attacking me?"

Revan asked in a calm voice. The Cathar ignored the question and continued to strike furiously. Revan sidestepped her slash and rolled, turning his body so that the blade barely grazed his cloak. Stepping forward, Revan feigned a thrust and ducked beneath the Cathar's block, spinning and slashing for her legs. The Cathar was quick and saw this, leaping over his attack before bringing down a furious blow with a howl. Revan blocked each blow, though not with ease and nodded silently in approval.

"I may have taken her as my apprentice years ago..."

The former Sith Lord mused as he continued to block the Cathar's attacks for nearly an hour. The Cathar was tiring, but she refused to give in. The young woman's determination brought a feeling of respect to rise in Revan.

"You have every right to be angry."

Revan said after nearly an hour of the only sound being heard being that of their weapons striking against one another.

"You know nothing of me!"
The Cathar hissed, her eyes burning with anger, though pain and guilt began to reflect within them. Seeing this, Revan backed away from the duel and waited as the Cathar did the same, breathing heavily.

Juhani looked up at her opponent, enraged that he had not even broken a sweat. The man did not condescend or mock her though, he merely gazed at her curiously.

"You are powerful..."

Revan said softly. Juhani tensed at the words, but could find no mockery in them.

"I have given myself to the Darkside! I am more powerful than you could ever imagine!"

Juhani hissed to her opponent. The dark-clad Jedi merely nodded his head, much to Juhani's shock.

"Yes... you are more powerful than I could imagine. But you have not given yourself to the Darkside."

Confused by those words, Juhani merely stared in silence at her opponent as their blades hummed in the deafening silence.

"What is your name?"

Revan asked after standing for several minutes and staring at the young woman.

"I am Juhani and this is my grove. This is my place of Darkness!"

The woman, Juhani, Revan noted, snarled. Revan nodded his head to the answer.

"Well Juhani. My name is Revan."

The woman stared at Revan for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. The Dark Lord did not block the woman's probe of his mind and even threw in a few images of his crimes. Paling, the Cathar backed away.

"Ho- How is this possible?"

Revan sighed, nodding to Juhani's still active weapon.

"I wish to speak with you on even terms, Juhani."

The Cathar was wary, but nodded her head, deactivating her crimson bladed weapon. Revan followed suit and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked towards the young woman.

"Whatever crimes you have committed pale in comparison to a single day of my reign as the Dark Lord. I ask only that you keep my secret and speak with me of yourself..."

Still somewhat shocked, Juhani nodded numbly and spoke shakily.

"I- I was training with my Master Quatra... and I was angry... I- I struck her down in anger..."

The young woman's anger had vanished in her shock, leaving only pain and remorse. Seeing the sheer amount of sadness in this young woman, Revan grimaced.

"I heard a rumor that a Jedi Master had been injured while training with her student..."

Revan began. Juhani looked up with watery eyes and stared intently at the former Sith.

"She was injured but not killed..."

Revan finished. The relief was immediate. Juhani's shoulders slumped and she released a long breath before her cat-like eyes snapped back to Revan's.

"Wha, but how can you be Revan?"

The Jedi looked around the area and spotted a comfortable looking pile of rubble. Seating himself, Revan sighed heavily.

"I was captured and imprisoned within my own mind by the Jedi Council. I was later freed by one of the Jedi and am now working to right the wrongs I have committed... Force there are so many..."

Revan trailed off for a moment and in that moment, Juhani could see the misery in the man.

"I let the Darkside blind me to what I was doing. I let it turn me into a demon..."

Juhani stared at the intensity of Revan's brown eyes.

"Don't let it happen to you, Juhani."

Juhani looked down to the ground for a moment.

"But... how would I return to them?"

She asked, not wanting to see the look in the former Sith Lord's face. Revan closed his eyes for a moment in thought.

"Anger, fear, despair, loathing, sorrow. You must learn to acknowledge those feelings... but not to ignore them or hide them. Make peace with yourself. You have done nothing that cannot be forgiven. Strive to better yourself in the ways of honor and compassion and you can show them that you are free of those dark feelings."

Juhani pondered his words for a moment, seeing the truth hidden in them and nodded thoughtfully.

"The question you should be asking yourself is... do you want to return to the Jedi?"

Juhani looked down and pondered this for a moment.

"Yes..."

Revan nodded his head.

"Do I have your word that you will tell no one of who I am?"

Revan asked. Juhani blinked, then looked at Revan suspiciously.

"What are you planning?"

She asked. Revan smirked.

"Nothing too sinister. Just want to find Malak and hurt him... a lot. The Jedi seem to be my quickest way to that end."

Juhani seemed to agree with Revan's reasoning.

"How can you ask me not to tell them? This is.."

Revan arched an eyebrow.

"But you forget, I was asked by one of the highest members on the Council to not tell the others... "

The Cathar sighed, nodding her head.

"I give you my work, Revan. That I will keep your secret."

Revan nodded, satisfied. It was rare for a Cathar to break his or her word and Revan felt that this woman would not betray his trust.

"Thank you, Juhani."

Juhani bowed her head before she suddenly looked at Revan oddly.

"Yes?"

The former Dark Lord asked. Juhani smiled slightly.

"What should I call you? I don't think calling you Revan would be... tactful..."

Revan laughed at that.

"Call me Tauryn Katarn... if you can stomach it. I hate this lying and sneaking around... but it is necessary."

Revan allowed Juhani to see the seriousness in his eyes.

"They can't know who I am... none of them."

Juhani nodded.

"You have my word I will not tell them, Revan."

Juhani spoke with Revan for a few more minutes before she headed back to the Enclave. On the way back, Revan stopped for a moment to appreciate the beauty of Dantooine, allowing himself to relax in the warm glow of the planet's sun. The comm on his wrist disturbed him frm his peace.

"Yes?"

Revan asked, annoyed.

"Tauryn, its Carth. Canderous and I are at the following coordinates. We could use your help here-"

"Who the hell is we!"

Canderous' voice barked in the background. Carth sighed heavily.

"We tracked down some of the Mandalorian raiders that have been harassing the locals. Canderous wants to have a fight and I can't say I don't agree with him."

Revan furrowed his brow. If Canderous found Mandalorians he wanted to kill then they must be pretty pathetic.

"Be right there."

Growling angrily, Revan pulled his lightsaber and rushed towards the coordinates.