The Mandalorian Wars4

CHAPTER 9

Revan felt the true pain of her wounds hit her like a wave. It forced her to her knees and then on her back awkwardly. She fingered her side and was astonished to find that she was bleeding. She was, in fact, bleeding heavily in several places; it seemed her victory over Mandalore hadn't been so clearly defined after all. She had taken his life, but he had very nearly taken hers.

She guessed at the magnitude of her injuries as pools of blood leaked from her open wounds. She probably had a concussion as well as several broken ribs, which were causing further injury to her internal organs. From the pain she was feeling, she guessed she had dislocated hip and shoulder – there would be no walking away from this. She chuckled painfully – the mighty Revan who brought down the greatest threat to the Republic in centuries was brought down herself by the same threat she fought against.

They say that when a person is about to die, their life flashes before them. Her first thoughts were of her brother. It wounded her to think of the misery she would cause him. Her death would hurt him terribly. Despite Jedi training against attachments, they had been attached since childhood. In some ways, they had been two parts of the same whole – he would find it difficult to stand alone. Malak would, however, have to stand alone before the Council and the Republic for her decision. What was worse, thousands more families faced the same isolation. The Republic was saved, but at a terrible cost. A tear mixed with the blood as it streamed across her face. "I'm so sorry, Malak," she whispered in slurred speech. Her eyes began to roll back in her head and despite her best attempts, she was going unconscious.

She could feel the dark energy of the strange structure circling her like a vulture. It was tempting her, begging her to give in to its power. Voices in her head told her that the passivity of the Jedi code would not be enough to help her stay alive. If she merely gave in, she could muster up the strength to call for help. She saw visions of the ancient Sith who's very presence seemed to suffocate her. She could see feel their power and corrupted strength in the Force. This place had been a center of power for the Ancient Sith Empire. She could feel it. As she continued to fight against the intoxicating corruption of the Force, she envisioned something else – something that scared her. She saw the Sith empire, not an ancient memory, but a growing force far beyond the outer reaches of the galaxy. She could taste the very essence of their power! The Mandalorian were not the threat – the Sith Empire was. They would attack soon and the Republic wouldn't be ready. All she had given up was for nothing. She had walked directly into the Sith's hands, single-handedly dividing the Jedi and weakening the already weak Republic.

As her guard against the evil began to wane, she had another vision – this one focused on a familiar place. She saw herself – cloaked in black – on Dantoine. She was walking into another ancient building, but this one felt different somehow. There was no perceived evil in this place, just raw power. She and Malak found a large hologram – some type of map. She didn't know what it was or what its purpose was, but the Force had willed her to see this for some reason. "Shake it off, Revan," she murmured to herself. She didn't have time to die. Something told her that the key to the survival of the Jedi and the Republic depended upon her finding that map.

It took days for the radiation on the surface of Malachor V to subside enough for even the most powerful remaining Jedi to return to it. It was a moment that Malak had both feared and ached for. It was now, that they could search for survivors.

The horrors he witnessed were unspeakable. All life, sentient and animal, Republic and Mandalorian was utterly slaughtered. He knelt beside an old friend, who was cradling someone in his arms. Malak couldn't bear to even imagine the health of Revan.

"I'm sorry, Raye," Malak said when he could finally speak. The girl's body was so badly damaged that it had taken him a while to recognize her as Raye's sister, Janis. He warmly placed his arm on Raye's shoulder, trying to use the Force to calm the man, but had a hard time connecting to him. In fact, he felt nothing. It was as if Raye wasn't even there.

"She didn't deserve this, Malak," Raye finally spoke. "She didn't deserve this."

"I know, old friend. I know." He beckoned a nearby soldier to come towards them. "Help him take her to the ship. I'll continue the search for Revan."

The soldier nodded agreement and reached for the limp body. "No!" Raye ordered, finally allowing his mixed emotions to come to the surface. "Don't touch her! I'll carry her myself."

Silently, Malak prayed for better fortune with Revan.

It took two days of searching to finally find Revan in the rubble of the ancient academy, but when he finally saw her, Malak was paralyzed with fear. She was clumsily laying on the floor a few steps from who he assumed was an armorless Mandalore. He walked to her and cradled her gently in his arms, her blood soaking up the cloth in his uniform. A mass of emotions tumbled over him as he yelled over his communicator for help. He was so angry, so afraid! She couldn't die, she couldn't! She had survived, barely, but her connection with the world of the living was hanging by a thread. She was surviving purely through her power in the Force but that power wouldn't last long. He called on all of his power as he sat there clutching her to give her some sort of chance for survival, but it wasn't enough. Several medical officers came in, one of them prying Revan from his grip. "We're going to lose her," he heard him say. It was then, that he sensed the power surrounding him. He didn't take the time to question it; there was no time. He simply used it. Before he knew it, he had drained the energy from one of the officers, and given it to Revan. He watched her and for the first time, she took a deep breath. It was working! He picked another, then another, until all of the officers were unconscious and Revan's grip on life was stronger. He had done it! He had saved her!

Malak picked up Revan once again overjoyed with his accomplishment, until the second wave of doctors came in. One began checking Revan's vitals; the others checked the vitals of the first group. Malak felt his heart sink. "Dead," the chief examiner said. "They're all dead."

"I stand before you now, not as a commander or a Jedi, but a citizen of the Republic to say thank you. Your sacrifices have saved the Republic from the Mandalorians. No matter what the future holds for all our people, remember that. You are the true heroes and we are all in your debt."

"Commander, what happens now?"

"Now you will be debriefed; volunteers that would like to leave the militia will be discharged. Those remaining will do what they can to help pull the Republic back together."

"Have you heard about the Jedi Order's decree?"

"Yes, they are calling for all remaining Jedi rebels to face the council in a war trial. I will order no Jedi to go to face such a situation. It is everyone's own decision. However, with Revan . . . someone will have to take her place. Someone must stand and answer for what we've done."

"You shouldn't go, Malak. The Order will strip you of your rank and powers."

"We will stand with you, no matter what you decide, but going back is – "

"This is not your decision, it is mine. I will do what I must and so must you."

"How is Revan?"

"She's been removed from the kolto tanks but is still being kept sedated to insure that all of her injuries have the proper time to heal. I'm sure she knows that all of our thoughts are with her. Dismissed."

Malak slumped into one of the chairs when the last soldier left the conference hall. He had wanted to leave them with something more impressive – with a speech worthy or Revan, but choked at the last minute. He wondered if she would awaken before he left.

"Good speech, Commander," a soldier called while slowly walking in.

Malak didn't bother to look up. "Speeches are only as good as the speaker."

The soldier giggled and Malak took a startled breath. That giggle was too familiar. He finally looked up. "Well, then, I'd say it was a terrific speech, then."

Malak stood up quickly and walked to the owner of the voice, examining her with his eyes as if she carried some concealed weapon. She was grinning as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn't she weakly held out her arms to him. He was still eyeing her, then grabbed her in a huge bear hug. "Breathing is very important, Malak."

"You are either the luckiest person I know or the most dangerous," Malak chuckled, releasing her.

"I really didn't think I was that lucky," Revan finally said tilting her head slightly as she looked up at him. "You've changed, Malak. You've grown, I can feel it."

"We've all had to grow under the circumstances."

"I know, but this is different. I sense a confidence I've never felt from you." She gave him a motherly grin and pinched one of his cheeks. "I'm so proud of you!" The grin melted and she took on a more serious look. "I want you to go back to the Jedi."

"I plan to. We're heading back to Dantoine."

"That's not what I mean. What you're talking about is my responsibility. I want you to go exonerate all ties to me and my mission with the Republic."

"What?"

"Tell them whatever you have to. I want you to ask for rehabilitation."

"I'm not doing that."

"You've worked too hard to throw everything away. Your part in this war is over, Malak."

"Revan, what are you talking about? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure I can tell you, because I'm not sure of all of it myself. What I can tell you is that my job isn't over yet. I'm going to Dantoine, but not to face the Council. I need to do something else first. I don't know for sure where this path will lead, but I won't take you down with me."

"Revan, you are my sister and my friend. I've followed you and become more powerful than I've ever been under the tutelage of the greatest Masters the Jedi had to offer. I'm not leaving you. Like it or not we're in this together."

Revan rolled her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Master," Malak smiled, bowing in respect.

"Shut up," Revan smiled, poking Malak playfully in the arm. "Come on. We've got work to do."

It was all a blur. Raye didn't remember all of the words spoken in that meeting. He saw the faces, could hear his own voice, but was detached from the entire thing. When he was done, he stabbed his lightsaber into the pillar in the center of the council chamber and walked away, still carrying the weight of Janis's death with him. Atris had been there, a new addition to the council, but she didn't even seem to care that Janis as well as several other Jedi had died due to the council's delay in action. All they wanted was a scapegoat and since the disappearance of Revan and Malak, it appeared that he was their only sacrifice.

He boarded a shuttle with several refugees. He didn't know where it was going, nor did he care. He only knew that he had to get away. This war had wounded him in a manner that he hadn't prepared himself for. He tired of it. He would now find peace and time to morn on his own terms.