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Chapter 4: A War of Shadows

Historians look back on the dark period that followed the Jedi Civil War and the Mandalorian War as the War of Shadows. It is rightly named since much of the actual fighting was done far from the eyes of the Republic. The Republic, which had stood for thousands of years crumbled so quickly that none could have stopped its descent. The True Sith brought with them terrible weapons and creatures that annihilated whole star systems.

With the light the Jedi Order brought to the galaxy diminished, it seemed evil grew in every aspect of life. On the crowded streets of the great cities of the fallen Republic crime grew. Anarchy became the set government and the sentients of the Core worlds took to space, trying to flee from the hold of the Sith and their vengeance.

It was the darkest period the galaxy would know. Reviving an ancient technology, the Sith destroyed entire stars and burned more worlds than Revan and Malak's Sith and the Mandalorians ever had.

The people of the Republic longed for a time when the Mandalorians and the Sith of Revan's Order threatened their borders. The True Sith knew nothing of mercy. Nothing of conquest or slavery. They knew only hate. Billions of lives were extinguished in mere moments as the Sith moved ever closer to the heavily populated worlds of the Core.

Then, by some miracle, the advance halted. The Sith withdrew. They withdrew faster than they had attacked and within a matter of a few days it was as if they had never been.

Miracles are rarely what they appear. The Sith home world fell under attack and the Lord of the Sith recalled all of their Forces to hold off the invaders. Normally the Sith would ignore such an act and deal with it after their final victory over the galaxy, but this time it was different. The Jedi it seemed had returned. Or in this case, two former Jedi.

"How long can they keep this up?"

Admiral Carth Onasi asked as he turned to the Jedi Master accompanying his strike force. The Master's face was set with grim determination as she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Not much longer. Battle Meditation can only do so much and-"

The Jedi Master cut herself off. She wouldn't bother thinking about Revan at the moment. There were just too many unresolved issues. Carth rose a brow as the Jedi cut herself off.

"What about Revan and Kenobi?"

The Jedi Master's blue eyes hardened as they locked with his.

"Kenobi and Revan have decided to fight a two-man war against the Sith. I think its safe to say they are completely mad and completely suicidal."

Carth chose to say nothing. Obviously Bastila had some issues she and Revan needed to work out before they were on speaking terms again. Revan had not taken the news of their lie all too well and with the Sith invasion had a convenient excuse to ignore the problem. It seemed the idea of Bastila waiting for him was enough. Bastila had set aside her commitment to the Jedi Council to follow him and had been turned away by she needs of the crumbling Republic.

"Servants of the Republic as always."

Carth heard Bastila mutter to herself as she scowled and left the bridge of the Sojourn. The Republic Admiral sighed, shaking his head.

"Kids."

Revan rubbed his aching shoulders wearily as he seated himself on a fallen log.

"How close do you think we are?"

His companion asked. Revan shrugged, casting a wary glance at his surroundings. The forests of Ziost seemed to change each time he set foot in them and they had ventured far from their ships.

"I don't know. Canderous' assault team sent us word before we landed that they were going to be delayed. We don't know when the Onderonian fleet or the Mandalorians are going to get here and we can barely sense anything..."

Ian nodded, his eyes studying his old friend silently before he turned away and looked skyward.

"You and Malak were here for four years and you still can't find your way around here?"

The former General asked with a smirk. Revan rolled his eyes wearily.

"Malak was the navigator."

Revan smiled as he remembered how his friend always managed to get to the ship first.

"Are you certain the Patron is on-world?"

Revan closed his eyes a moment before nodding.
"I can still sense him here. His is not a presence one forgets."

Both of the men fell into a silence as they listened to their surroundings. In the distance a beast moved through the forests, breaking branches and howling mindlessly.

"Do you think they will recall their forces?"

Revan asked, his uncertainty finally working its way to the surface. Ian nodded.

"We're attacking their point of power. They need to make a statement that they are more powerful than we and destroy us. That is why they went for the Core worlds."

Revan took in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy huff as he started and leapt to his feet.

"Canderous is here."

Ian reached out with his senses and felt the arrival of Mandalore.

"Why didn't we bring the Republic... well what's left of the Republic forces and the Jedi with us?"

Ian asked as he followed his friend towards the general direction of Ziost's capitol. Revan continued onward, his lightsaber in hand as he replied.

"They've suffered enough by my hand."

Ian rose a brow, wondering if Revan meant the Jedi, the Republic or a certain blue-eyed Jedi Master. Sensing where his friend's train of thoughts was taking their conversation, Revan decided to strike first.

"How are things with Atris? I've barely seen her since we left Rhen Var."

Ian, who had been taking a drink of water from his flask choked and spit the water out, glaring at Revan.

"Atris is trying to recover from being immersed in the Dark Side. Something you have not done."

Revan smirked.

"I got my memory erased and then given back. I think I've had enough Jedi in my mind for one lifetime."

Both men fell into a long silence as they worked their way through the twisted trees and rocky paths of the forest. Revan reached out, sensing Canderous and the Onderonians high above the mountainous world.

"If all goes according to plan they will start bombing the mountains overlooking the capitol in an hour."

Ian rose a brow.

"Aren't we going to the capitol?"

Revan smirked.

"You're insane! We'll drown when they melt the ice or be crushed when the rock and mudslides begin. Force, Revan you're mad."

Shaking his head, Revan checked his surroundings once more before turning to his friend.

"We're being tracked. Be on guard."

Casting a paranoid look over his shoulder, Ian nodded, silencing his rant and feeling the presence of the Sith warriors that had been tracking them since they had landed.

"Queen Talia and Mandalore's alliance should buy us the time we need."

Carth shook his head.

"We should pursue them. Wipe them out. If we don't get them now they'll be back in a hundred years and do the same thing."

The representative of the Core Alliance, what passed for the Republic in those dark days shook his head.

"I know you're right but... You saw what the Sith could do over-"

The representative cut himself off, shaking his head.
"Now is the time to rebuild our strength. Unite what can be salvaged of the Republic."

Carth scowled.
"I know that, but we need to help the Onderonians and the Mandalorians. You know they can't fight entire Sith Empire off. We couldn't even slow their advance."

The representative rose a brow.

"You are aware that the Mandalorians did the same thing the Sith are and that the Onderonians have had ties to Darth Revan and Malak's Sith Empire?"

Carth sighed, knowing he was going to get nowhere.

"I do."

The representative nodded.

"Then you also know that Revan is on the Sith home world doing who knows what. We can't allow Darth Revan to return. If he is in control of these Sith-"

"He is NOT in control of these Sith."

Bastila Shan's voice cut through the debate. The representative turned and rose a brow.

"I seem to recall a certain traitor who was exonerated by the Jedi. Who no longer have ties to the Alliance."

An outraged expression crossed Bastila's features for a split-second before a calm Jedi mask fell into place.

"I seem to recall a young woman being used as a sacrificial shield against the Sith and then being tortured to the point of madness."

Bastila returned her eyes calm and calculating. Shivering slightly as the Force gathered heavily within the room the representative left without a word while Bastila ignored her gathering anger and turned to Carth.

"We need to help the Onderonians. Telos should bring this before the Core Alliance's council. I will speak with Master Sunrider and the Council. I think it is time the Jedi came out of hiding."

Carth couldn't agree more.

"Lord Mandalore."

Queen Talia nodded to Canderous as she looked out of the bridge of her ship. Canderous gave a respectful bow. Ever since the incident with the Exile on Dxun, the Onderonians had given the Mandalorians permission.

"As if we needed it."

Canderous scoffed mentally. To train on Onderon's moon. In the months following the Exile's confrontation with Darth Traya, Canderous was able to gather hundreds of other Mandalorians from all around the galaxy. While they were significantly diminished by the previous wars, Canderous still held hope that his people would return to their former glory.

"Has Lord Revan contacted you?"

The Onderonian Queen asked. Canderous wordlessly shook his head, his gaze traveling to the Sith's home world of Ziost that loomed in the distance.

"So this is where Revan chose to fight all those years..."

Even without the Force, Canderous could feel a chill and a small flicker of fear within him as he stared at the world. The warrior in him knew that many of his people would die here. Remembering when the Sith had challenged the Mandalorians to invade the Republic brought a cold rage to the Mandalorian warrior. He did not enjoy being manipulated and he would be certain to bathe in the blood of the Sith he killed on this world. The Mandalorian wars had brought glory to the Mandalorians that would never be forgotten, but it also destroyed them.

"I've seen the Sith's tactics. I've seen their warriors and their ships. They would've been crushed by us. The only reason the Republic is having such trouble with them is because they lack effective warriors and cohesion."

The Mandalorian leader smiled at the irony.

"Exactly what they were lacking in the last wars."

Knowing Revan was on that world filled Canderous with pride in his own people. Even if they were defeated, the Mandalorians would go down in a fight. Just as they had on Malachor V. In the end, Canderous knew his people were doomed to diminish but they could still break the hand of the ones who pulled their strings. The Mandalorians were no one's puppets.

"I will begin landing my warriors in the capitol. Anyone that deserves to live will be out of there by the time you begin the bombardment. You just make sure you can keep the Sith fleet at bay. I'm certain the Jedi and Bastila will show up at some point."

the Onderonian Queen nodded.

"I hope you are right, Mandalore."

Canderous silently agreed.

"Hell maybe even Republic boy will make a warrior out of himself a show up."

Excited over the coming battle, Canderous made his way to the ship's hangar. A Basilisk war droid and several Mandalorian fighters as well as a transport ship, loaded with landing pods awaited him as well as three hundred Mandalorian warriors. Beyond the forcefield of the hangar he could see the salvaged Mandalorian battle cruiser he had taken from the wrecks of Malachor glide gracefully past the Onderonian fleet and to the front as its turrets and cannons began targeting the incoming Sith fighters from Ziost's surface.

"They don't even have a planetary defense grid."

Smirking beneath his helm, Mandalore raised his vibrosword in the air and gave a war cry as the Mandalorians rushed to their ships and began lifting away from the Onderonian Capitol ship.