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Chapter 31: Brothers

Darth Malak drew his thoughts from the space battle as he felt a disturbance in the Force. Surprised, Malak felt Revan's presence vanish, while his apprentice's presence seemed to grow obscured with the flood of emotions he sensed from her. Bastila Shan had won their duel. Darth Revan was dead and there was nothing challenging his leadership of the Sith.

It did not give him the satisfaction he thought it would. Malak slowly stared at the faces of the Jedi, suspended in the pods around him. Some he recognized from his own time as a Jedi and others, he did not. Sighing, Malak followed where he still sensed Bastila, not knowing exactly what he would find or what he would do.

Two Jedi leapt from the air ducts, a blade of emerald and of bronze attacking in unison. Malak instantly knew the two Jedi were a Master and a Padawan and did not hesitate to defend himself against their well coordinated attacks. Twice, the two Jedi nearly broke through his defenses, but Malak avoided each time and soon was pressing the older of the two Jedi into a defensive while the other struggled to keep the Dark Lord on the defensive.

It didn't work. Malak blocked the bronze blade of the Padawan, in the same motion, using his superior strength to drive his blade into the Jedi Master. The Master blocked with his emerald blade, Malak's attack nearly knocking him on his back.

Malak swiftly pressed his left palm against the Padawan's chest. The Master had time to shout a warning before the Padawan was sent backward by Malak's Force push.

The Jedi Master didn't have time to cry out as he sensed his Padawan and himself becoming one with the Force. Darth Malak removed his crimson blade from the Jedi's heart, eyeing the Padawan's slumped form, blood pooling beneath him from a wound to his head. Sure they were dead, Malak moved on towards the Command and control center of the Star Forge.

Bastila was sitting with Revan's head on her lap while she held her hand against the wound in his belly. Malak could sense Revan was already dead, but for some reason, a part of his old friend lingered. Then he saw it, Bastila was doing the same as she had years before, trying to preserve the flicker of life within Revan. But this time, the Force was not with her.

The former Padawan's eyes opened to see her Master. Instead of bowing, or cringing in fear, Bastila's blue eyes begged silently with the Sith Lord.

"Malak, please, help me..."

Darth Malak slowly walked over to the two figures, staring down at Revan's features. There was a sad acceptance in those features that reminded Malak so much of the sacrifices he had his friend, his brother had gone through during the Mandalorian wars.

Bastila's eyes continued to plead with him. Malak looked between his apprentice and his former Master, baffled as to why he felt anything other than joy.

"Why do you try to save him, Bastila?"

Malak asked harshly, confusion in his eyes. Bastila knew she couldn't defend herself if Malak decided to kill her. She wouldn't let go of the faint life she could feel, she prayed she could feel in Revan.

"I love him."

No confusion or fear, only desperation. Desperation to save Revan. Malak's eyes narrowed. The rational Sith within him told to kill Bastila but something buried deep within him stayed his hand.

"Love?"

Malak's mechanical voice was not as harsh as it had been. That was something Malak didn't understand. He thought he had loved once, but had turned his back to it as nearly every Jedi had done to stay within the Order. Then he had followed Revan into Darkness and that feeling he could not describe remained. Perhaps he had even loved Revan as a brother, they had been friends their entire lives and Malak wondered what would have become if they would have never sought the Vong, or the Star Forge.

The Sith in him told him those were dangerous thoughts, that only led to his end, but Malak began to wonder what was the point in life. The conquer the galaxy? Wasn't that what he and Revan had sought to stop the Vong from doing? To further his own power? To what end? It would not give him back his face.

Revenge had carried him a long ways, so had madness in a sense, but for the first time in half a decade, Malak questioned his own actions, what the cool and rational Sith in him told him to do. And he could not do as it asked. He could not sever the bond that kept his friend, his brother between life and death.

"Why do I do these things?"

Malak muttered mechanically, sounding almost as he used to when he would follow Revan on some damned fool crusade. Lowering his hand to Bastila's, over Revan's wound, Malak closed his eyes, his rationale screaming that Bastila was only using this as a means of him letting his guard down.

"So be it."

Reaching deep within the Force, further than he ever had before, Malak felt the faint bond he had once shared with Revan, the one uncorrupted by their fall to the Sith. There he grasped the tendril of life and held, wondering if there was even a point to this. You couldn't stop someone from dying, you couldn't cheat death.

"Revan..."

Malak smiled mentally at his thoughts. If anyone had cheated death on numerous occasions, it was Revan, if anyone would come back from death, it would be Revan. The man was practically indestructible.

Bastila felt the strain on her power lessen some and panicked, wondering if Revan had slipped to far and had become one with the Force. Then shock filled her mind as she realized Malak had done exactly as she had asked, he had helped her. She would have argued why if she were not so concerned with Revan. Drawing on the Force, Bastila could feel its power burning through her veins, she ignored the pain as she channeled more and more of its power, its light into Revan.

It still wasn't enough. The wound was healing, but he wasn't coming back, he wasn't there. Panicking, Bastila reached further into the Force, further than she ever had before. The pain was escalating and she could feel Malak's concentration slipping.

"Don't you let go of him."

She hissed. Malak's presence came back and the strain she felt lessened some. For a brief moment, Bastila felt Revan and a slow, smile came to her face before she fell unconscious from the pain that throbbed throughout her being.

Malak felt the strain on Bastila and wondered briefly if she were pushing herself too far. The thought barely registered before Malak felt Revan. Opening his eyes, Malak saw Bastila had passed out and that Revan was staring at him.
"You've won, Malak."

Revan's eyes. There was something in them Malak had never seen before. Something he had seen in the eyes of a thousand Republic soldiers during the Mandalorian wars and something he felt within himself shortly after. But never, never had he seen it in Revan. A lack of hope.

"You saw something?"

Malak questioned, feeling through the old bond of friendship he and Revan shared that it was true. Revan laughed, grimacing as he moved his hand to his abdomen. The hand fell on another and Revan turned his eyes to Bastila, some of the despair leaving his eyes, though not all.

"You didn't kill her?"

Revan's voice was gruff as he struggled to sit up. Malak felt himself wanting to chastise his old friend, but his anger was soon returning.
"I owe you something, Revan."

Revan turned his eyes back to Malak's, his hand crossing over Bastila's forgotten saberstaff and slowly working its way towards Malak's kneeling form. Malak brought back his weapon arm, driving his fist into Revan's face. The former Dark Lord grunted as stars filled his vision. Then laughed, letting go of Bastila's weapon. Malak too laughed, clasping his hand on Revan's shoulder as the Star Forge shuddered.

Both former Jedi's eyes turned to the holo of the battle, seeing that things were not going well for the Sith.

"I think its time to leave, my friend."

Revan muttered, ignoring the blinding pain in his abdomen as he sat up. A hand rested on his shoulder, stabilizing him and Revan nodded thanks to Malak as he used the Sith Lord for support. Malak eyed his friend, his once sworn enemy and his once sworn brother. For an instant he thought of how Revan's head would look mounted on a wall, but forgot the thought when the holo of the battle flickered and died. Malak began moving for the Star Forge's hangar bay and stopped, turning with an exasperated glimmer to his eyes as he saw Revan trying to lift Bastila's unconscious form and fall himself.

Sighing, Malak quickly made his way over to the two, throwing Bastila over his shoulder and helping Revan stand up.

"Can you keep up?"

Revan's jaw clenched as he closed his eyes against a wave of pain.

"Its just pain, I've felt worse."

Malak nodded, making his way through the Star Forge with Revan following closely behind.

Canderous blinked as he caught sight of Malak carrying Bastila's unconscious form through his scope. The urge to pull the trigger was there, but Canderous ignored it, throwing the weapon over his shoulder and leaping from the top of the Hawk. A warrior like Malak you killed with a blade, not a blaster.

"Good to see you too."

Revan growled, startling the Mandalorian as he brandished his vibroblade. The turret of the Ebon Hawk followed Darth Malak until the Sith Lord stopped, glaring at the cockpit and waving his hand.

"Don't kill him, he's just in a bad mood."

Revan joked to his old friend. Malak grunted mechanically, turning his eyes back to Canderous and giving the warrior a calculating glare. Canderous smirked, nodding towards the unconscious former Padawan over Malak's shoulder.

"I take it Revan has convinced another poor soul to join him?"

Malak glared silently at the Mandalorian, beginning to wonder why he didn't just kill Revan.

"Where are we going? I don't really feel like decaying in a Republic cell or listening to the Jedi speak of my doom."

Revan chuckled, wincing in pain a moment before he concealed the pain that threatened to drive his consciousness from him.

"I was thinking something sunny and temperate... maybe Corellia? It's a Core world but the Republic doesn't have a large presence there..."

Malak was silent a moment before nodding, pulling Bastila from his shoulder and carrying her up the walkway of the Ebon Hawk where he was assaulted verbally by a young blue Twilek girl. Malak ignored the girl until she pointed a blaster in his face. Before he could kill her, Revan intervened and snatched the blaster from Mission's hand, whispering something to her that Malak could not hear before he graced him with a death glare and stomped off to the rear of the ship.
Canderous sneered as he watched the display.

"Is everyone getting soft these days?"

Rolling his eyes, the Mandalorian made his way to the Ebon Hawk's garage. If Revan was in redemption mode, he had to shut down HK-47 before the droid got wind of Malak's presence.

Revan found Carth unconscious on the floor of the cockpit and ignored the piercing glare he received from Juhani.

"Why is Malak still armed?"

Juhani hissed. Revan turned, irritation in his features. That lightsaber to the stomach hurt like hell.

"You want him unarmed, you take it from him."

Revan snapped, turning back to the controls. Juhani looked back to see Malak sulking in the common room of the Ebon Hawk, his arms crossed as he glared down at Bastila's unconscious form. Jolee was attempting to joke with the Sith Lord as he made certain Bastila was only unconscious and was rewarded with the promise of death in Malak's eyes.

After enduring two minutes of Jolee's banter, Malak stalked towards the cockpit, eyeing Carth's unconscious form as he stepped over him.

"You put up with these... people for how long?"

The Sith Lord questioned, disbelief in his eyes. Revan chuckled at his friend's demeanor. Disgust was better than homicidal rage. All Revan knew right now was that he needed to get the hell away from the Star Forge and the Republic fleet that would likely incinerate the Hawk if it discovered who was really on board.

"Carth, can you hear me?"

Admiral Dodonna's voice cracked over the comms. Malak rose an eyebrow as he heard the voice.

"Forn is leading this attack? How did they even manage to get past my patrol pickets while we were being aided with Bastila's Battle Meditation?"

Revan recalled briefly the Republic Admiral and her politically motivated strategy during the Mandalorian wars. Sure she saved soldier's lives, but at the cost of the Mandalorians getting footholds where they couldn't afford them. Carth groaned and Revan cast a glance over his shoulder.

"Better put him out again, Malak. I don't think he'll like you."

Malak's eyes smiled as he kicked Carth in the head and ignored the horrified expression on the Cathar Jedi's face.

"What the Force is going on?"

Juhani finally cried, not understanding a damn thing that was going on. Revan pulled the Ebon Hawk away from the Star Forge, charging its engines and deflector shields to full as he began cursing a stream of very creative curses.

"I died."
Revan shouted over the noise that racked the Ebon Hawk as the debris from the Star Forge began striking her hull. Malak chuckled darkly at the thought while Juhani grabbed Carth's unconscious form and began pulling him away from what she was beginning to think were two completely insane Sith Lords.

"Reminds me of Dagary Minor."

Malak laughed as the Ebon Hawk was consumed by the flames of the Star Forge's fall. Revan smirked, feeling the same thing Malak had, they wouldn't die here.

"When you led that entire squadron of Mandalorian fighters right to me and they decided to shoot the fueling station rather than capture it and I had to outrun the explosion?"

Malak continued laughing, a sound that was making the rest of the Ebon Hawk's crew very wary. Revan shook his head, switching off the comms as he programmed Corellia into the Ebon Hawk's navigation system and leapt into hyperspace.

The former Dark Lord stood, clutching his abdomen.

"Not if you'll excuse me, Malak. I think I might be needing that lightsaber."

Malak glanced down at his belt innocently, pulling Revan's captured weapon, which he had gained while capturing Bastila free and handing it to his old friend.

"Like old times..."

Revan nodded, his eyes shimmering as he hugged his friend.

"Things got pretty messed up, huh?"

Malak returned the gesture uncertainly, his eyes turning to the rear of the ship.

"How are we going to handle this, brother?"

The Sith's mechanical voice spoke. Revan released Malak, eyeing the entrance to the cockpit.

"Stay here, let me explain it to them. Just... don't touch anything."

Malak laughed at the old joke. This was the best he had felt in a long, long time. Then, it finally caught up with him. The billions he had killed, the betrayal, the pain the death. Malak lowered his head, nodding silently. He needed to be alone to think about what had happened. In saving Revan's life he had finally broken the Darkside's hold over him, and was finally beginning to pay the price for his actions.

Revan felt the guilt come crashing down on his friend and turned, leaving him alone. Malak would deal with it as he was. It would never be gone, it would haunt him the rest of his days but he would deal with it. Deal with it or die. Revan needed soldiers strong enough for the battle that was coming. The one he had seen a glimpse of when for an instant, he had become one with the Force.

That feeling, that completion was something that baffled Revan. Until that moment all that had mattered to him was protecting Bastila. His own redemption meant nothing and he was willing to do anything to protect Bastila. Protect her and redeem her before it was too late for her. He had thought he was beyond redemption, but that one tantalizing instant had broken that train of thought.

Redemption was not beyond him and he would stand against the seemingly invincible threat of the True Sith. He would do it with Malak, his brother, his friend at his side. Together, maybe they would stand a chance.

Revan's eyes fell on Bastila's unconscious form as he staggered into the Ebon Hawk's medical bay. Jolee turned to him, looking as if he wanted to speak, but holding his tongue as he saw Revan sit beside Bastila and take her hand in his.
"I died, Old Man..."

Revan whispered, his eyes turning to theaged, former Jedi.

"I felt it... saw it... it was..."

Revan trailed off. It was simply indescribable. The feeling of becoming one with the Force. Joining all those who had died within the hold of the light before him. It felt like it did when he looked into Bastila's eyes and saw he smile. It was simply indescribable.

"Its alright kid... but there's one thing that isn't... That is the two, make that three Sith Lords on board that are all armed."

Jolee nodded to Bastila's saberstaff, still attached to her belt. Revan sighed, his hand traveling to his stomach while he called on the Force to mend the remainder of the wound.

"One is unconscious and the other two are so mad they won't kill anyone."

Revan spat, pained. Jolee cocked an eyebrow.
"You're not turning him in?"

Revan slowly opened his eyes, glaring at Jolee.

"Would you turn Nayama in?"

Revan felt something dark surge in Jolee as anger flickered in the old man's eyes. Jolee finally calmed himself, sighing.

"No kid... I don't think I would..."

Revan injected himself with a pain killer, ignoring the curious look Jolee cast him.

"The others... I don't think they would understand... Juhani maybe. Canderous wouldn't care... but... Force, Jolee. This is madness."

The aging Jedi nodded his agreement, seeing Carth stir.

"I better explain things to flyboy before he gets himself killed."

Revan nodded his agreement, feeling the drugs working their way through his system.

"I think..."

Revan began, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as the pain finally overwhelmed him and he collapsed forward, his head resting on the side of the medical bed.

"I'm going to rest my eyes a bit..."

Author's Notes: I was sorta hinting to a Malak redemption in recent chapters. Doubt is really all it takes... well doubt an then a major slap in the face. I hope you all enjoyed it and don't want to kick my ass. Upcoming chapter. Revan meets up with the Rebel Sith on Corellia and has a conversation with Bastila and the rest of the Ebon Hawk crew. Be certain Carth isn't going to take this all very well.