The Mandalorian Wars4

Chapter 7

A battalion strode silently through the abandon city of Jurkoukis maintaining their formation with perfection as they spreaded out to search for any life. Leading them on either side were Jedi, once merely Knights or even Padawans, now Generals and Commanders. Unlike their former leaders, the Jedi found it necessary to lead in battle versus watching it safely in the Republic ships. One Jedi in particular studied his surroundings with ease, breathing slowly through the mask that covered his face, as if trying to take in they mystical Force around him. He wore no special insignia, no special ranking or title in his dress, but his aura preceded him. He showed who he was in his stance, his walk, and the way he silently commanded the Republic dogs like the beasts of burden they were. This had to be the great Revan.

It had been several months since he had defected along with several hundred Jedi to the Republic fleet. Revan had become the director of the fleet almost overnight and since then, the Mandalorians finally got the challenges of battle they so longed for. He was a master strategist and had led the Republic to more victories in the past few months than they'd earned alone over the past year. The Jedi, his Jedi, were spread on separate ships, serving as healers, soldiers, pilots, or anything that was required according to spies. Even Malak, his second in command, had earned a place of respect as a Commander of the Ravager, his own ship. Yes, Revan would have made a worthy Mandalorian.

But Revan did not take his victories easy. The Mandalorians were not in the habit of giving away anything. He may have brought victories to the vaunted Republic, but at the cost of many Republic lives, sometimes ten for every one Mandalorian. Even Jedi lives had been claimed. But even worse, were the actions of the Council because of his defiance. In their cowardice, the Jedi Council went into their own sort of exile, calling all active Jedi back to their prospective enclaves and refused access to anyone else. No Jedi were allowed to leave under the direct orders of the Council and none of the Jedi Rebels were allowed in any Jedi halls. The Council would remain behind their walls, cowering while Revan did their job for them. Though many Mandalorians were finding it hard to not have a deep respect and admiration for Revan, they were finding it even more difficult to have anything but contempt for the rest of the Jedi.

A few weeks ago, Canderous's mission had been authorized by Mandalore the Ultimate. It was a rarely used strategy, to assassinate the leader of the opposing side. Mandalorians much preferred the utter desecration of an opposing force. But this was not just any leader. Without the leadership of Revan, the Republic would fall, plain and simple, and Revan fought as a Mandalorian – out in the open with his troops. It would be too much an easy tactic to just simply allow Revan to mow through their troops without attempting to take his life. If the Republic were smart, they would train their best soldiers, or send Revan's strongest Jedi to do the same to Mandalore, but it wouldn't stop the Mandalorians. To them now, the only one worthy of the honor was Revan, and soon he would be dead.

Canderous and his soldiers continued following Revan's party in stealth-mode. They walked quietly through the rubble of the ancient yet recently destroyed city. It stood to reason that they were searching for survivors, a futile tactic. Mandalorians were not in the habit of completing a job half-heartedly. If demolishing a city or a planet is what it took to destroy a Republic military base, then that is simply what they did.

Just as Canderous knew he would, Revan soon separated himself from the group, asking them to fan out for survivors in the rubble of the city while he searched the main computer network of the base. It wouldn't be long now.

Revan walked emotionlessly through the tattered remains of the Mwowi Republic base. Malak had pleaded with her to rest while he completed this mission, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Nothing felt the same anymore, not even sleep. Here was the answer to how she could end this war; she could feel it. There was a time that she agonized on whether or not it was right to take a life during a mission and now after killing so many as well as leading her soldiers to their deaths she felt nothing. She could feel her command of the Force progressing, shifting, adapting itself to the new Revan. She wasn't who she used to be. Kreia had been right. This war would change her and the Jedi forever.

She Force-pushed a door open as she continued walking unconscious of anything but the Force around her. It was pulling her deeper into the complex, for what purpose, she couldn't be certain. All she knew was that it had been her only ally in this war. It hadn't abandoned her before and she had no reason not to trust in it now.

This was brutal, even for the Mandalorians. They didn't just destroy the towns, but had brought their own nuclear holocaust to the entire planet. It would be a long time before life could be sustained here. Even now, it was her concentration melding with the concentration of the other Jedi that kept the Republic soldiers safe from the radiation. The masks and suits were given to simply make them feel more secure. The truth was, if it weren't for the Jedi that lead each battalion, the soldiers would have died as they traveled to the surface.

Revan stopped suddenly in front of a decapitated statue. She could feel the Force shifting around her. She glared at the air, trying to make out the strange hazy figures she saw around her. Then it hit her. In a few swiping moves she Force-pulled her lightsaber from her belt and cut down a Mandalorian assassin before he could fully reveal himself. Ten more surrounded her and she made quick work out of them as well, evading every blaster shot and melee weapon. She disabled the war droids that accompanied them, crushing each into small spheres she used as to finish off the last Mandalorians around her as the Mandalorian leader appeared.

"You would make a great Mandalorian, Revan," the man spoke through his mask.

"I'm honored," Revan responded, her voice sounding deeper through the mask than they had anticipated.

"You should be. Only the greatest warriors are worthy of assassination by the Mandalorian clans. In death, you will earn a place of honor among the greatest of the Clans."

"Sorry, but I don't plan on going anywhere."

The Mandalorian chuckled. "Good. I'd hate to see you give in so easy." He began shooting at the Jedi as well as throwing grenades, sending poison and shards of metal her way. She was able to evade them, however, using the Force to push each away. In a matter of minutes, she had cut his blaster rifle into scrap and held one end of the double-bladed lightsaber at his throat. She remembered how difficult her first battle with a Mandalorian had been in comparison to this one. She was growing stronger.

"End it," the Mandalorian spoke and for a second, Revan contemplated it. "Avenge your dead."

"I will, on my time," Revan spoke gutturally. "But first, I have a message for you to deliver to your leader. Tell him that if he truly wants to defeat me, I'll be waiting for him . . . on Malachor."

She felt the Mandalorian jump a bit. "Malachor?"

"Yes, Malachor, your demon world. If Mandalore the Ultimate would see the end of Revan, he will have to come to Malachor to get it."

Canderous could feel the power of this warrior. This was no idle boast. The fate of the Clans and the Republic would be decided on Malachor. If Mandalore did not answer the challenge, then the Clans would disband, no longer finding faith in his leadership. The only honorable solution was to agree. "Very well," he muttered as Revan released him. That said, he tapped a few buttons and walked away, camouflaging into the background as he did.