"The Republic fleet must have gotten the message I sent as we were crashing into that planet," Carth said, hunched over the holoprojector plate in the middle of the Ebon Hawk's main bay. "I'm picking up a transmission now."
The holoprojector suddenly became active, washing into existence the form of a Republic fleet officer. "This is Admiral Forn Dodonna to the Ebon Hawk. Do you read us?"
"Admiral Dodonna, this is Carth Onasi," Carth answered, clasping his hands behind his back. "We are receiving your transmission."
"Carth, I'm glad to see you're still alive," the holographic admiral said. "We've begun our assault on the Star Forge, but we're taking heavy losses. How did the Sith ever manage to build something of this scope?"
"The Star Forge wasn't constructed by the Sith, Admiral," Carth replied. "We don't have time for me to fully explain it, but that space station is far older than you can imagine."
Through the holographic field of the communications device, Carth saw Kagi turn away, heading toward his crew cabin. He idly wondered where the Jedi was going, but decided he didn't need to know.
"Maybe we should pull the fleet back and retreat," the admiral said. "I don't know if we have the firepower to go up against this alien technology."
"You can't do that, Admiral," Carth replied, shaking his head. "The Star Forge is a factory of immense power. It's been churning out the capital ships, snubfighters, and assault droids that have powered the Sith war effort. You have to destroy the Star Forge now, or you'll be fighting an unending wave of reinforcements."
"Then I guess we have no choice. But it isn't going to be easy. I can't even get our capital ships into position to start bombarding the Star Forge. The Sith fleet is too well-organized."
As the admiral spoke, her holoimage compressed down and shifted to the side, replaced with a tactical holoprojection of the battle as it was unfolding. Carth recognized right away that the Sith fleet had set up a perfect picket line around the Star Forge capable of hammering the Republic lines, and crippling any ships that tried to strike out solo at the Forge.
"It's like they can guess our every move, and counter our every strategy."
Carth swore, hammering his fist against the projection plate. "It's because of Bastila, Admiral. She's turned to the dark side and become Malak's apprentice. We suspect she's somewhere on that space station right now. Using her battle meditation against you and your fleet."
The miniature holoprojection of the admiral turned to the side and nodded, and her holo expanded to full size again, before she stepped to the side of the transmission field, motioning for another figure to join her.
"This is Master Vandar," she said, as the miniscule, large-eared Jedi Master stepped into the transmission field. "A number of Jedi Knights have joined our fleet under his command."
"If Bastila is using her power to augment the Sith, then Malak's fleet is invincible," Vandar said gravely, mincing no words. "Our only hope is to somehow stop Bastila from using her Battle Meditation."
"How can we do that if she's on the space station?" Admiral Dodonna asked.
"I will send a squadron of Jedi Knights to the Star Forge to find Bastila," Vandar replied coolly. "Their small ships will be able to fly through the Sith blockade and dock on the space station. If they can find Bastila, they may be able to distract her attention from the battle overhead." The diminutive Jedi looked up at the Republic admiral beside him. "That should allow you to move your capital ships into position for a final assault on the Star Forge itself."
"With Bastila still on it," Carth said.
Vandar turned his attention to the Republic soldier, meeting eyes with the man from across the reaches of space. "Optimistically, the Jedi strike team should be able to capture her and return her to us. But keep one thing clear, Captain Onasi. Destroy the Sith, we must."
"Kagi's not going to like that idea," Jolee muttered to himself.
"I hate to ask this after all you've done, Carth," Admiral Dodonna said, "but the Jedi may need all the help they can get…"
"Don't worry, Admiral," Carth said with a nod. "The only way you could keep the Ebon Hawk and her crew off that Star Forge would be to blow us out of space."
"And may the Force be with you," Vandar said, nodding to the soldier as the holoprojection faded out of existence.
Once the transmission had ended, Carth immediately made his way toward the cockpit of the Ebon Hawk. "Canderous, I'll need your help flying the ship into the Forge. Jolee, do me a favor and go see what Kagi's up to. The rest of you, get ready for a bumpy ride."
As the crew dispersed to prepare themselves for what they hoped would be the last confrontation, Jolee turned and strode through the ship's corridors, toward the starboard crew cabin.
The aged Jedi entered the cabin just as a blue flare of light flashed from the handle of the lightsaber that Kagi had been using up until this point. "Now is there any reason why you just destroyed the energy couplings of that lightsaber?" he asked.
Casting aside the ruined lightsaber, Kagi picked up the one he had been constructing, and began welding sections of the disassembled neural disruptor onto the securing collar around the activation plate. "I know you know about Korriban, Jolee," he said quietly. "About what happened to me there."
"I know you came back from the darkness, Kagi," the old man replied, crossing his arms. "That's the important part. That you did it is irrelevant; that you came back from it is what mattered. But that still doesn't answer my question, damn it! Why'd you break that lightsaber?"
"I took that lightsaber with me to the dark side," Kagi answered, welding the last seal between sections of the disruptor. "It would forever be tainted by the darkness. Besides, I have my new one to use." He picked up the last piece of the neural disruptor, and slid it neatly beneath the overhanging strips of metal to cover the activation trigger.
Standing up, the young Jedi tapped his thumb against the activation plate, and a brilliant amethyst blade of energy leapt out of the weapon's emitter. Kagi swung it a few times, testingly, then thumbed the activation plate again, then hooked the lightsaber to his belt where the old one had been stored.
"I'm ready for anything, now," he said quietly.
---
At maximum acceleration, the Ebon Hawk shot between the capital ships of the Sith picket, ducking and dodging to avoid the heavy turbolaser blasts from the antiship weaponry. In mere moments, the light freighter had cleared the blockade, and began its run on the Star Forge itself.
A quartet of Jedi starfighters formed up around the Ebon Hawk, creating a diamond formation around the larger ship as they approached the Sith weapons factory. As they got within two kilometers, the Star Forge's own turbolaser batteries opened up, filling space around them with bolts of red energy and golden flashes from near misses.
The ships spread out as they came closer to the Forge, providing plenty of space for the vessels to juke and dodge out of the way of incoming fire. Behind the Hawk, the Jedi starfighter at the rear of the formation intercepted a turbolaser bolt and exploded violently, scattering spinning chunks of shrapnel into space. Almost simultaneously, the first starfighter in the group flew into a turbolaser, detonating in the same manner.
But now, the Ebon Hawk and the remaining two Jedi ships were beneath the umbrella of the Star Forge's turbolaser batteries, and the three ships split apart to land in different docking bays. Firing her landing jets, the Ebon Hawk lowered her landing gear and settled hard to the deck of the landing bay, the under-belly autoturret gun sweeping the area for any hostiles.
The crew once again convened in the main lounge, mentally preparing themselves for what was to come. "HK, Mission, Zaalbar, I want you three to stay behind and defend the ship," Kagi said. He looked from one comrade to another, gauging their expressions. HK's expression was no different than it always was. Mission looked a little scared, and Zaalbar's furry features were fiercely determined.
"Jolee, Juhani, I want you two to join up with the Jedi that made it onto the Forge. Distract the Sith forces, scatter them, do whatever you must, but I want you occupying all of the enemy's attention."
The two Jedi nodded, determination mixed with dispassioned serenity on their faces.
"Carth, keep the engines running. Once Malak goes down, we're going to have to get off this ship in a hurry. Canderous, you're with me. We get to break things."
"Now that's my kind of assignment," the Mandalorian replied, his face hidden under the helmet he wore.
As the quartet exited the ship, they were greeted by three of the Jedi that had survived the boarding attempt. "You made it," she said, relief evident on her features and in her voice. "Several of the Jedi have already gone ahead into the Star Forge. We have to strike now while we still have the element of surprise. If we don't stop Bastila from using her Battle Meditation, the Republic fleet will be lost."
Kagi nodded. "Leave Bastila to me. I need you and the rest of the Jedi to run interference for me. Delay the Sith, sabotage them, whatever you have to do. I want their attention on you, not me."
The Jedi nodded, then turned to her fellows. "Come on, before they–"
Too late. From the far side of the landing bay, a door deeper into the Star Forge opened, expelling a handful of dark Jedi. Lightsabers blazing, the Sith defenders rushed out to meet the invaders.
The Jedi task force leader swore. "So much for catching them unprepared. Let's go!"
The three Jedi, as well as Jolee and Juhani, activated their lightsabers, running toward the Sith interlopers. "For the Republic!" one of the Jedi cried.
Behind them, the belly gun of the Ebon Hawk opened up, providing cover fire for the Jedi as well as keeping down the heads of any Sith reinforcements waiting in the wings.
One of the dark Jedi broke free from the fierce melee, charging directly for Kagi and Canderous. With his left hand, the Jedi Knight seized the Sith warrior in the Force and threw him directly into a burst of blasterfire from the Hawk's gun.
Then he and Canderous were on their way, charging deeper into the Star Forge.
---
In another part of the Forge, a silver-armored Sith Master approached Malak. "Lord Malak, a team of Jedi have penetrated our defenses. Their fighters have landed on the Star Forge."
"This is not unexpected," Malak replied, unconcerned. "The Jedi are formidable opponents. Send the Forge's battle droids to deal with them."
The Sith Master blinked in confusion. Mere droids? Against Jedi? "L-Lord Malak, forgive me… but how can mere droids be a match for Jedi?"
"You underestimate the power of the Forge's droid army," Malak hissed. "Dispatch the droids."
"Of course, Lord Malak."
---
Kagi's violet lightsaber blade arced up, severing the left arm of a Sith trooper. Continuing his forward motion, he fluidly curved the blade down to his left, then back up again, severing the trooper's right arm. He took another step forward, pivoting to the right on his left foot to turn his back to the unarmed trooper, then drove the blade of his lightsaber into the man's chest.
As he withdrew the glowing blade from the dead soldier, the two doors on either side of the catwalk leading deeper into the Forge exploded inward, disgorging a pair of battle droids each.
"Battle droids!" Canderous warned, leveling his heavy repeater. "Take 'em down!"
The Mandalorian warrior focused on the droids coming from the left, taking shelter behind a power conduit and leaning out to unleash a hailstorm of blasterfire on the droids their, collapsing their shields in an instant.
Kagi took the ones on the right, his lightsaber arcing and dancing before him to deflect their blaster bolts. One ricochet bolt struck home, burning into the 'head' of the leftmost droid and pitching it backwards off the catwalk. As its comrade turned to see its fate, Kagi charged himself up with the Force, burst forward at inhuman speed, and swung his lightsaber like a baseball bat, cleaving through the midsection of the droid with enough force to shatter durasteel.
The Jedi looked behind him, in time to see a thermal detonator explode at the feet of the remaining droid on Canderous' side, utterly shattering the droid as well as blowing away the catwalk in that direction. The Mandalorian turned, shrugging sheepishly at his companion.
Kagi shrugged as well, and jerked his left thumb in the direction his droids had come from. "Guess we're going that way."
The pair turned to the right, heading toward the next door. As Canderous approached it with an explosive charge, prepared to blow it open, Kagi suddenly shot out his left hand, seizing the Mandalorian in the Force and pulling him back toward him. And not a moment too soon.
The door they'd been approaching exploded violently, sending chunks of durasteel flying in their direction. Hastily erecting a Force shield, Kagi deflected the largest chunks away from them, as well as stopped cold the blaster bolts fired by the two droids ambushing them.
Moving forward, the duo responded to the attack as a single entity, Kagi's lightsaber shattering the face of the droid on the left as Canderous' overhead smash bore the second droid to the ground, where a burst of blasterfire finished it.
Nodding to one another, the pair continued onward, turning left where the catwalk turned deeper into the Forge. At the next door, wary of the ambush they had faced at the last one, the pair stopped, allowing Kagi to pull the doors open with the Force.
No explosive surprises were waiting for them this time, but two droids were near the far door. The Mandalorian immediately opened fire on the right droid, peppering its armored shell with blaster bolts.
Once more, Kagi reached out his left hand to the droid on the left side, lifting it off the ground with the Force. This time, however, he tugged toward him in the Force, drawing his lightsaber back across his body as he did so. As the droid sailed into striking range, Kagi's lightsaber cut out, severing the head of the droid from the body. The Jedi calmly stepped to the side, allowing the two pieces of the battle droid to sail serenely past him.
As the Jedi moved forward, approaching the next door, a well-aimed burst of blasterfire mowed down the remaining droid, the explosion spraying hot metal ejecta onto Kagi.
Beyond the door, the catwalk curved around to the left, and Kagi could see the flashing lights and humming clashes of a lightsaber battle. He turned to Canderous and grinned. "Now the fun begins."
"Nothing gets my blood pumping like killing Jedi," the Mandalorian replied. At a glance from Kagi, he shrugged. "Well, Sith, Jedi, very little difference really."
Shrugging as well, Kagi spun his lightsaber around his hand and led the charge, effortlessly cutting down another pair of battle droids as he ran. But it was in vain. As the droids went down, he saw the first of the Jedi follow suit. The numbers game began working in the favor of the Sith.
Halfway to the battle, another Jedi fell. Then, as Kagi gathered the Force inside him and leapt from the catwalk he was on, with his lightsaber blade crashing down to cleave open a Sith warrior, the last Jedi went down, hard, a smoking hole in his gut.
As Kagi stood up, spinning his lightsaber again, he found himself surrounded by three dark Jedi. And then two, as a hail of blasterfire from Canderous burned down one of them, too busy focusing on Kagi to perceive the threat that the Mandalorian posed.
The second dark Jedi quickly spotted the Mandalorian, and turned to take him on. Unfortunately for him, that would carry the Sith warrior right past Kagi. The evil servant did not realize this until he had run completely through the Jedi's blade.
Smiling wickedly, the Jedi turned his attention to the last remaining dark Jedi. "And then there was one…"
Letting out a wordless scream of rage, the dark Jedi charged Kagi, swinging her blade around from her left, with the obvious intent of taking his head off. With genuine ease, the Jedi blocked the blow one-handed, then pushed her saber down toward the ground.
Spotting his opening, the Jedi's left hand shot forward, seizing the cloth of her tunic and shoving her backwards, knocking her off-balance, her lightsaber flailing to her right. His right boot came up, clapping the Sith in the side of the head, further reeling her. Kagi leapt up twisting his legs around her neck in a head-scissors vice, then rotating in midair to flip her over and slam her on the ground.
Landing nimbly on his feet, Kagi spun his lightsaber around his hand three times before bringing it up and slamming it down into the dark Jedi's chest. Then he pulled his lightsaber out and released it, the blade deactivating as it left contact with his hand. The hilt spun lazily in the air until he caught it, upright, and thumbed on the amethyst blade again.
"Impressive display," Canderous commented off-hand as he finally caught up to the rampaging Jedi. "It's no wonder you defeated us in the Mandalorian Wars, with moves like that."
Kagi waved it off light-heartedly. "Eh, it's just a couple things I picked up here and there."
The Mandalorian laughed. "Then I should travel to the places that you've been too."
"Sounds like a plan," Kagi said with a nod. "Soon as we get done here. Let's go."
They turned and continued forward. Ahead of them, at a curve in the catwalk, two dark Jedi were waiting for them. The Sith warriors charged, lightsabers glowing fiercely. Changing his grip on his lightsaber, Kagi reared back and hurled the energy weapon like a spear, enhancing its speed and guidance with the Force.
A scant second later, the rightmost Sith collapsed to the catwalk, Kagi's lightsaber protruding from her chest. The other Sith, expecting Kagi to be easy pickings without his lightsaber, charged at him, lightsaber swinging.
But the Jedi spun in place, his motion slowed as though he were moving in water, and a powerful, visibly-blue wave of Force energy rippled off of him, smashing into the gut of the dark Jedi and sending her flying off the catwalk into the machinery built into the walls.
Retrieving his lightsaber from the chest of the dead Sith, Kagi led Canderous on, deeper into the Star Forge.
---
In the central construction pillar of the Star Forge, Malak watched as more and more Sith interceptors were being built by the massive construction devices in the depths of the factory. Fighters rose past him by the dozen, heading toward docking bays where they would exit and join the battle raging outside.
"Why have you disturbed me?" he asked of the approaching Sith Master.
"I have news, Lord Malak," the Sith responded hesitantly. "About the Jedi."
"Ah, the Jedi," Malak said, as though the man were talking to him about the weather on Hoth. "Did my droids pass their test? Did they destroy our enemies?"
"No, Lord Malak," the Sith answered defeatedly. "The droids could not stop them."
"Strange," the dark lord mused. "I did not think there were any among the Order who could survive an attack by an army of the Forge's battle droids."
"It…it was Revan, Lord Malak," the Sith Master stammered, as though afraid to utter the very name. "Your old master is with the Jedi, here on the Star Forge!"
"Yes… That would explain why the droids failed. Revan always was strong in the Force." Malak turned toward the Sith Master, clenching his right hand into a fist. "Very well, send out all available troops. The apprentices, as well."
"Do you really think that will stop him, Lord Malak?"
"Of course not! But they will slow him down, and that will give me the time I need to fully prepare the Star Forge's defenses. I am curious to see the extent of this space station's capabilities. One as powerful as my old master will make an interesting test subject."
With that, Malak turned and walked away, moving toward the Forge's control room.
---
Another massive explosion sent a trio of dead Sith troopers airborne near the central pillar. Blasterfire shot back and forth between the half-dozen still alive, and the section of wall that Kagi had torn down with the Force for Canderous to take cover behind.
The Jedi didn't even bother to watch the flying troopers, as he nimbly shunted a Sith apprentice's lightsaber into the path of another, then jumped up, rolled over the back of the first one to strike at him, and landed in a crouch behind them, sweeping his lightsaber back and cutting them both down at the kneecaps.
In the distance, he saw five more Sith apprentices coming at him. Jumping to his feet, he sent one of the troopers flying toward the first apprentice with the Force. The apprentice reacted instantly, swinging his lightsaber to cleave the trooper in half, but that moment of distraction was all Canderous needed to burn his face in with a hail of fire from his heavy repeating blaster.
Kagi leapt high over the falling apprentice, tucking into a roll upon impact with the ground. He slid past the next apprentice, his lightsaber lashing out and taking off the Sith's knees. The apprentice collapsed back, his head falling right onto Kagi's waiting lightsaber blade.
As another pair of Sith troopers screamed and died under the Mandalorian's fire, Kagi swept forward to the next apprentice, his violet blade striking in and severing the woman's saber arm at the elbow. His blade curved around to his right, a similar predicament befalling her left arm, and then he shoved his left hand out toward her, blasting her back into the next two apprentices with a hard shove from the Force.
The Jedi calmly strode forward, spinning his lightsaber around his hand, as the two Sith apprentices tried to get out from under their armless comrade. One of them managed to lay a hand on his lightsaber before two swift strokes from Kagi's lightsaber took them both down.
The last apprentice stared in horror at the spectre of death and annihilation marching toward him. Faced with almost certain death, he made a smart choice. He turned and ran. Kagi raised his lightsaber to go after him, then spun around quickly and slashed out with his lightsaber, taking the head off the last Sith trooper, who had been trying to sneak up on him and knife him in the back.
"How many is that?" Canderous called out as he ran to catch up with Kagi. The Mandalorian chuckled. "I've lost count."
"Me too," Kagi replied, grumbling. "They just won't stop coming."
"Almost makes you think this place is cranking out soldiers too, doesn't it?" Canderous asked as the pair entered the turbolift labeled 'Command Center.'
"You got that right," the Jedi nodded as the doors closed and the lift began rising to the upper level.
---
In the command center, Malak intently studied the holographic readout of the space battle around the Star Forge, ignoring the footsteps of Bastila approaching behind him.
"Why have you summoned me, Master?" she asked. "Without my Battle Meditation, there is a chance the Republic capital ships could break through and attack the Star Forge."
"This will not take long, Bastila," the Sith lord answered, a malicious tone in his voice that even she didn't care for. "You will be able to resume your Battle Meditation soon enough. I only wanted you to know that Revan is here on the Star Forge."
"Revan?" she asked in disbelief. "But…"
"The Force is bringing us toward a confrontation with my old master," Malak interrupted. "The Star Forge has drawn our enemies together so they may all die in a single, glorious day! You must kill Revan to prove yourself worthy of being my apprentice, Bastila. You must finish what began in the Rakatan temple."
"Y-yes, Lord Malak," Bastila replied hesitantly. Kill Revan?
"I sense your fear, Bastila," Malak said, waving a hand nonchalantly. "But it is unfounded. The power of the Star Forge will feed the dark side within you. It will give you the strength you need to defeat my old master. Stay here in the command center while you use your Battle Meditation against the Republic fleet. Revan will find you here in due time. It is inevitable."
"Of course, Master. I will not fail you again."
As Malak turned and walked away, Bastila seated herself, facing the holographic display. Almost immediately, she fell back into the trance of Battle Meditation. On the display, the Sith fleet once more swept out to deal crushing blow after crushing blow to the Republic forces.
At the other exit out of the command center, Malak turned to regard his apprentice. "Perhaps you will triumph, Bastila," he mused to himself. "But even if you fail, it will give me the time I need to complete my preparations of the station's defenses. And then we shall see if Revan can stand against the full fury of the Star Forge!"
Malak's evil laughter echoed around the command center.
---
Kagi's lightsaber left a violet flourish in the air as he quite literally disarmed a heavy Sith trooper, then shoved the man into the station's wall with a violent push from the Force. He turned again, his lightsaber bouncing a trio of blaster bolts back into the heavy trooper that had fired them. The soldier collapsed bloodlessly to the deck.
Behind him, Canderous had blown out a huge section of the station's wall and was using it for cover, exchanging heavy fire with a dozen Sith troopers. The Mandalorian glanced over his shoulder, saw that Kagi's path to the command center was cleared, and called it, "Go! Get to the command center! I'll handle these guys!"
Seeing that it would be pointless to argue, Kagi gave Canderous assistance in the form of another massive Force shockwave, bowling over half of the troopers that he faced. With that done, the Jedi turned and dashed toward the command center, intent on allowing nothing to stop him.
Several empty corridors later, a hole cut through a door yielded Kagi entry into a vast room, occupied by a huge holoprojector currently displaying the space battle around the Star Forge.
And seated on the floor before the holoprojector, a feminine figure that he knew all too well.
As she stood up and turned to face him, he returned his lightsaber to his belt, slowly shrugging his arms out of the cloak that she had gotten made for him. The mass of cloth pooled on the floor around his feet and he stepped forward out of it, drawing his lightsaber and igniting the amethyst blade.
With a cruel smile twisting her features, she reached behind her back, pulling out the overly-long lightsaber hilt that was an identifying feature of her and holding it horizontally in front of her. With a twitch of her right index finger, a crimson blade of red energy shot out of the right side of the hilt. As her left hand drew away from it, she discreetly pressed a second button, and a second blade of energy shot out of the other end.