Chapter 3

"What were your orders?" he asked, turning his attention back to the wounded Sith with as much menace as he could muster.

"W….We were to watch for anyone coming for the star maps, especially Jedi" the Sith stuttered in fear, knowing he was dead anyway as Revan was known to not take prisoners, unless he needed to. The only reason he still lived was because Revan wanted to question him. "If the girl came we were to capture her alive and deliver her to Lord Malak at once, we were ordered not to touch her in any way and that Lord Malak would see to her torture and turning personally," he babbled.

"Are there any more of you?" Revan demanded to know.

"N…No I swear," the Sith answered quickly after looking into the former Dark Lord's eyes.

"Where is Malak?" Revan asked, feeling once more that possessive feeling about Bastila and finally wondering when she had become so important to him. Oh he found her attractive and he liked her attitude, but he had only known her for a short time. 'Was it the bond?' he asked himself.

"The Leviathan headed back to the Star Forge to resupply for a mission he is planning, but we don't know what it is, I swear," the Sith answered quickly. "Please my Lord Revan don't kill me," he finally begged.

"I'm not your Lord," Revan spat before he decapitated the man with a swift slash of his lightsaber. He ignored the Wookiee guard who again pillaged the now dead Sith of any useful equipment he had on him. "I suggest when we get back to the ship you put the Jedi on alert, if Malak is planning something, it is more than likely it is aimed at the Jedi," he suggested.

Bastila nodded in agreement even as she tried to ignore the way Revan had executed the wounded man, Sith or not.

The Wookiee finally began leading them to the lift once more, he intended to report what he had seen and heard to Chuundar once he returned to the village. Clearly these outsiders had brought trouble to their planet. He didn't trust them and felt killing them would be the wisest options, but that was up to Chuundar as chief. They got on the lift and waited as they were slowly lowered down.

Bastila used the time to try and consider her options now she knew Revan still lived. Her first instinct was to warn the council, but knowing what they had done even if she didn't really want to believe them capable of it, made her sick. They may try it once more if they knew the truth. Revan would not go quietly she knew and it made her wonder again why he had stayed with her and the others and taken the risk the council may find out about him.

"You never did answer my question before. Why did you stay with us?" Bastila asked, deciding she may as well ask as they were lowered down and it seemed to be a long way down so she had time to get the answer she wanted.

"We need each other Bastila, it is as simple as that. We both want Malak dead and his empire removed from the galaxy," Revan answered, knowing she would ask again given enough time. She was too tenacious not too, not that he minded as he admired it, especially in her. "Also I must admit I've developed a personal interest in you, one that goes beyond your skills," he added, turning away slightly.

Bastila fought to keep a blush from forming, but was only partially successful. Never in her wildest dreams has she expected that admission. "Are you out of your mind?" Bastila asked, using her shock to her advantage to cover how his admission had affected her. Those emotions she had felt when he was feeling possessive of her resurfaced, this time she had a harder time forcing them back down. "I'm a Jedi and you are a Sith Lord," she reminded him pointedly.

"I'm not a Sith Lord any longer Bastila," Revan counted with a shake of his head. "To be honest I don't know what I'm any more, Sith, Jedi neither really suit me," he mused aloud.

"I'm still a Jedi Revan," Bastila insisted unsure of what else to say to him.

Revan didn't respond as he doubted right now she would be receptive to anything else he might have to say, he wouldn't push her. The realization of who he was had to be shocking enough, even more what he had revealed the Jedi council had done to him. He would let it sink it along with his admission of liking her for more than her skills; he had time to win her to his side.

"Moving along from that, I have grown to like and respect our companions," Revan said, moving the conversation along. "They each have their skills, combined they make an unbeatable team and that is something we will need to beat Malak and any other challenges we face on our journey," he told her with a smile. This second admission surprised Bastila even more. He noted her expression and had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "I'm not so stupid as not to see the advantage of having help. Or don't you agree?" he inquired as they began to get near the bottom.

Bastila colored in embarrassment at been called out, but quickly rallied. "No I don't, if you were then you would not have survived the war or become the leader of the Sith," she told him. "I just thought Sith didn't care for anyone but themselves," she said simply.

"I would agree for most Sith, but as I said before I'm Sith no longer and even when I was I was no ordinary Sith," Revan replied as they finally reached the bottom and stepped off the lift. The Shadowlands were the darkest place Bastila had ever been, there was some manufactured light clearly set up by Czerka so they could explore the area. "You see you don't know the truth about me or why I created the Sith empire, why I came back to rage war on the Republic," he told her as they headed off.

"So why did you?" Bastila inquired with a frown wondering at his words.

"That is a story for another time Bastila, for now I will make you a deal," Revan responded, stopping and turning to her. "I will help you find the Star Forge and I will keep you out of Malak's hands, in return all I ask is that you keep my survival a secret from the council," he offered.

Bastila wondered what to do, agreeing to his deal would be a betrayal of the order and yet she knew instinctively that she needed Revan's help to stop Malak. "Ok I agree, so long as you help us and pose no threat to me or our friends I will keep your identity a secret," she finally agreed and shook the hand Revan offered, almost unable to believe she had agreed.

+TR+

(Dantoonie, Jedi Academy)

In the Jedi Enclave, which served as one of many of the Jedi's smaller academies, the small four man council sat in silent meditation which was broken as each of the Masters felt a cold chill run through their body. The force seemed to darken and become less controllable, for the Masters it was an ominous sign. Each tried to slip back into meditation and try to find the source of the disruption in the flow of the force, but not one of them could do it.

"I don't like this," Master Vrook Lamar said with a troubled expression and a disturbed tone in his voice. "Something has happened, something bad," he added.

"It could be the source of this disruption is Malak himself," Master Zhar Lestin suggested. "His power grows every day, it is possible the disruption is a warning," he mused aloud to the others.

"I don't believe Malak is the source," Master Dorak argued very troubled by this sudden break in his connection with the force. That it had affected each of his fellow Masters made him even more troubled and uncertain.

"It couldn't be Revan, could it?" Vrook quickly suggested as he had never been comfortable in letting the man live even with a new personality installed in his head. It was beneath him to feel such a thing as he was a Jedi and a Master at that, but he could not help it as he viewed Revan as one of most dangerous things the Jedi faced in any way shape or form.

"Revan is gone Vrook," Zhar reminded him with a patient sigh, knowing his fellow Master would never be objective where Revan was concerned. "He can no longer threaten us, Bastila and Juhani will keep a close eye on all that remains of him and that is his body," he said with confidence.

"You forget his power also remains, we saw it when they returned from Taris," Vrook argued back, unwilling to let it go just let. "His connection to the force came back and we allowed him to train once more, something I still believe was a mistake," he told them in a stubborn tone. "If any bit of his previous personality surfaces, we will be in more danger than ever before as he will come after us for revenge," he warned them.

"You are seeing threats where there are none," Dorak stated calmly. "We have removed Revan from the board, now all we need to do is deal with Malak," he added. "Bastila, the reprogrammed Revan and their group is our best bet of that and we must have faith that they will succeed," he stated with belief.

"Be on our guard we must be," the final member of the group said. They turned to look at Master Vandar Tokare; the small green alien looked pensive. "I sense great change and danger, but the future is clouded and I can no longer see what may be," he admitted.

"Should we contact the council on Coruscant and discuss this?" Zhar inquired in concern at his friend's words.

"They more than likely felt it too," Dorak told him. "If they believed it was anything that could truly threaten us, they would contact us," he pointed out. "For now I suggest we concentrate on tracing Malak's movements, and hope he remains ignorant of Bastila's survival," he suggested.

"When was our last contact with her?" Vrook inquired, deciding for now to let the Revan matter drop but in no way was he going to let his guard drop where he was concerned.

"Two hours ago, they were about to land on Kashyyk," Zhar answered. "Hopefully they will find the star map quickly and move on, we need to find this Star Forge and destroy it or our chances of beating Malak and the Sith are slim to none," he told them.

"Trust in the force and our friends we must," Vandar stated with as much belief as he could before he got up and left the council chamber, signaling the end of the meeting.

+TR+

(Kashyyk, Shadowlands)

Revan walked silently beside Bastila knowing the young Padawan was still digesting everything he had told her, he knew it was a lot to take in. He just hoped she kept her word and didn't inform the council he still lived. He had no doubt that if she did a horde of Jedi would be sent to either finish him off or worse, capture him again so they could attempt to mind wipe him again. He doesn't know if the force would protect him a second time. She didn't seem the kind of person to go back on her word, but given their circumstances this may push her to do things she didn't usually do. Still he was confident he could escape if he needed to. He had plenty of experience in escaping tough places. They quickly heard the sounds of a fight close by, and more to the point the sounds of what could only be made by a lightsaber. Concerned that the wounded Sith had lied to them and there was another squad here they rushed to see what it was.

They were stunned to find a bald older dark skinned male in the clothes of the Jedi fighting a pack of Katarns. Glancing at one another they pulled their weapons and leapt into the fight, both on guard just in case this possible Jedi was actually a Dark Jedi instead.

Revan cut down the creatures with ease; he ensured his blade didn't even come close to the old man and especially nowhere near Bastila. He didn't want her getting the idea he was turning on her, using the force he sent one of beasts flying into a tree with enough force to break its back.

Bastila hacked and slashed left and right careful not to get close to the beasts claws. The creatures were aggressive to say the least. One leapt at her face, but she ducked and it went right over her. Sweeping her blade behind her she cut the beast down as it turned to attack again.

Revan kicked another in the head as it charged him and then cut it in two, before watching as the older man killed the last of the beasts. The old man shut his weapon off and then turned to them, both Revan and Bastila kept their lightsabers on and stayed on guard.

"Thanks for the help, but I had it under control," the older man said with a grin. "Names Jolee Bindo, former Jedi," he introduced himself taking in the fact they were still on guard and armed. "Not trusting people are you?" he mused.

"If you were us then so would you be," Bastila responded. Sensing no threat from the man she turned her weapon off and indicated Revan to do the same. "You said former Jedi, does that mean you turned?" she inquired.

Jolee let out a quick chuckle at her question. "You Jedi are always so stiff, no I didn't turn, I just quit," he told her as Revan finally turned his own lightsaber off. "Quite an aura you've got there," he said turning to look at Revan. "Damn I've never seen anything like it," he added.

"You can see force auras?" Revan asked with interest as he had known Jedi with the skill before and they had been useful.

"Yeah always had the talent, but not much use for it here," Jolee responded as he wondered why the two Jedi were here. "So why are you here? There isn't much of interest on Kashyyk to Jedi," he pointed out.

"We're here for the star map," Revan stated boldly. "We also have to find a supposed 'madclaw'," he added, deciding to see what the old man knew.

"That blasted map won't be of any help to you friend," Jolee responded with a shake of his head. "I've tried to access it a dozen times, but it always says I don't match the pattern encoded in its databanks," he muttered aloud.

Revan almost smiled at that, when he and Malak had come here in search of the star map he had placed strict security on it to ensure no one else, especially the Jedi would follow them. Things had been simpler then. He and Malak were still friends and both still committed to the cause. But Malak had let the dark side eat him from the inside out, he had become a monster. In fact he had become the monster they were supposed to be pretending to be. Malak hadn't been the only one as half their fleet had become just like him. Relishing in death and destruction, searching for personal power only for themselves and forgetting the cause they had set out to do. Maybe had he actually stamped that part of his army out when it first appeared he may not be in this situation, but he had foolish believed he could still maintain control of Malak and those like him.

Bastila sensed the amusement from Revan and tried to search for the cause, but the sudden flare up of anger at himself as well as a small sense of loss brought her up short. 'Did Revan actually morn Malak's betrayal?' she asked herself.

'I morn who he was Bastila,' Revan answered over the bond. 'Alec was a good man when we first set out to go to war against the Mandalorians, war changed him just as much as it changed me,' he informed her. 'When we took on the mantle of the Sith in our efforts to save the Republic we never considered the full consequences of what might befall us, or maybe we did and just ignored it,' he continued. 'Slowly real darkness and a lust for power grew in Malak until finally whatever was left of the good man he was died. His betrayal of me was the signal of Alec's death and now there is nothing left but a madman,' he finished with anger once more taking over as he recalled how close Malak had come to killing him.

'What did you mean by taking on the mantle of the Sith to save the Republic?' Bastila questioned him in real confusion.

'Later, I told you before you don't know the whole truth,' Revan shot back. "What did you say old man?" he asked, not having caught what Jolee had said due to his internal conversation with Bastila.

"Hey watch who you are calling old, kid," Jolee shot back with a slight glare. "I may be getting on in years, but I'm not old. I could teach you things that would leave you begging for mercy," he warned, but neither Revan nor Bastila believed his threat was serious. "Now if you are paying attention, I said I know where you can find the 'madclaw' although to be honest it isn't mad in my opinion," he told them as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Angry and sorrowful yes, but not mad," he mused aloud intending them to hear him. "He is called Freyyr, used to be the chief of the Wookiee village you came pass to get here, but he was overthrown by his own son," he explained. "Used to be able to talk to him, but these days he is bitter and more akin to attack any who approaches, but it is possible if you can help him that he will let you close," he suggested. "I'll show you where he is if you let me join you, I've grown tired of this planet and want to experience one last adventure before my time ends," he finished with an offer.

Revan considered the old Jedi and while it was clear Jolee was as he said getting on in years, he still had plenty of power within him. He had been holding of the Katarns by himself before they arrived, and another Jedi in the group could be of help in the coming fight. Especially one who wasn't indoctrinated by the Jedi code, Jolee said he had quit the Order which meant his training wasn't complete and he may have views which were counter to what the Jedi believed.

"Very well Jolee, we have a deal," he finally said, surprising Bastila by his agreeing to his offer. "You show us where this Freyyr is and you can join us, but I warn you, the business we are involved in will be bloody with a lot of fighting," he warned.

"I already could tell by your aura," Jolee said with a grin. "I've been in some scrapes believe me, I know how to fight" he assured them. "Now come on, Freyyr is this way," he said.