Chapter 7

(Kashyyk)

Revan cut down the Czerka guards at the gate that led into the Czerka compound, neither had the chance to reach for their weapons. His senses quickly warned him of an incoming attack, glancing up he saw the two autocannons that guarded the gate come online and begin to lock onto him. Using the force he sped towards the left one while Jolee and Bastila went for the right one. He used his lightsaber to cut right the autocannon's ammo storage magazine and watched the cannon blow up in a plume of smoke. Beside him Jolee and Bastila destroyed the barrel and the ammo stack causing the same affect, this left the way to the Czerka compound open. Freyyr growled loudly and as one the host of Wookiees surged forward. Revan and his crew quickly followed into a halo of blaster fire and screaming.

The Czerka guards managed to try and form a battle line, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer mass of Wookiees. They no longer feared the advanced weapons of the corporation now that they had a chief who inspired them to fight along with new allies to aide them. Revan headed straight for the landing pad, he knew some of the Czerka officers would try and escape and he intended to ensure that didn't happen. He found Juhani fighting a rather large Twi'lek in Czerka armor and he quickly moved to help, he also noted T3 on the ramp firing his own internal blasters at another guard.

"They want our ship," Juhani shouted as she sensed his approach.

"Over our dead bodies," Revan vowed and his cut the Twi'lek in half with a viscous swipe of his lightsaber, before spinning sideways and taking the head off the guard T3 was fighting. He ignored the head as it bounded over the landing pad and into the deep jungle. T3 beeped a thank you as it moved closer to him.

"By the force what is happening?" Juhani inquired clearly angry. "One minute I'm checking the port thrusters and the next we are under attack," she told him.

"Revolution," Revan answered simply. "We are helping the Wookiees take back their village, from there they will take back their planet," he explained at her look indicating she wanted a better explanation.

Juhani stared at him for a few seconds as the memories of her past came forward, her time on Taris where she had been captured and enslaved by Xor the slave master of Taris's under city. She felt the familiar anger and instead of fighting it like the Jedi had taught her, she embraced it and ran into the fight wanting to help the Wookiees gain their freedom as Revan had once freed her so long ago. She cut down a guard as he attempted to stab Bastila who was busy fighting the guard who had insulted Zaalbar and got into Revan's face when he retaliated. She ducked the wild swings from the guard who she could see was in a panic about the sudden attack. She forced any Jedi teachings about peace and respect for life from her mind, she focused solely on surviving. Finally she found a flaw in his defense and cut him down with a swipe to his side, then followed it up with a slash across his throat. This was a battle and she intended to survive past it, she had a mission to complete and while she would regret the loss of life she knew it was necessary.

Zaalbar cut down the Czerka manager as he tried to flee with a chest he assumed to be filled with credits, credits from the sale of his people.

Mission cried out in pain as she was pushed out of the way by Canderous, she was about to lash out at him when she saw him take a blade to his back although his armor prevented any real damage. She grabbed her fallen blaster, twisted back and shot the guard as he tried to bring his weapon back around to finish Canderous who was trying to bring his cannon to bear. He nodded in thanks before wading back into the fight. Carth unleashed a hail of fire as he brought down another guard. He then paused as he realized the rest of the guards were been hacked down by the host of Wookiees, blood oozed all over the landing pad as did their bodies. He watched as one rather angry Wookiee picked up one of the remaining guards and then broke his back. The guard yelled out in agony before his neck was broken. He turned away sickened by the sight, it reminded him of the war and what the Mandalorians were capable of. Revan trust his lightsaber into the last guard as he tried to rush him. He smirked as he watched the body fall knowing there was now a few less slavers in the galaxy.

"FREEDOM," Zaalbar shouted as he raised his bowcaster in celebration. As one the other Wookiees did the same. Bastila quickly moved to Revan's side, doing her best to ignore the dead bodies, especially those she had helped to kill.

She knew if the council learned of what had happened here she would be in deep trouble, yet she couldn't find it in herself to feel really guilty. These men had been slavers. They were as evil as Revan had said. That they had found a willing accomplice in Chuundar just made it easier for them to work, all they cared for was greed. She felt the satisfaction Revan felt as he surveyed the dead, in his mind the less slavers the better the galaxy would be. She shook her head, wondering if Revan was affecting her thinking through the bond, there was no way she would have thought such things before she had forged it. She began to worry just what she would become if the bond got stronger. She missed the look Revan shot her as he sensed her troubled thoughts. The more she questioned herself the more confused she would get he knew, but in the end the fact she had took part in the fight showed she was beginning to forget the Jedi's rules and teachings. The roar of a ship made them all look up, Revan frowned as he sensed a force sensitive being in the ship, and he shouted at the others not to open fire and just waited as the ship came in for landing.

"A Jedi?" Bastila inquired having sensed the same thing as Revan had. She also noted Jolee and Juhani had moved forward so they must have sensed it as well.

"Possibly, it is no Sith that's for sure," Revan answered as the ship landing beside the Ebon Hawk. "Just keep yourself armed just in case," he warned them.

Finally the docking ramp of the unknown ship opened and out came a young man in a red and black jumpsuit; it was the lightsaber hanging from his belt that captured their attention. They missed the smile that suddenly graced Carth's features, for once it was clear of any of the usual falseness that clouded his smile.

"Zayne," Carth shouted as he rushed forward putting his blasters away as he did so. "What in the force are you doing here?" he demanded as he pulled the younger man into a hug which was eagerly returned.

"Carth… I cannot believe it is you," Zayne responded as the Arkanian offshoot stepped out of the ship. Revan's eyebrow rose in surprise as he suddenly realized who had arrived, he remembered Alek's tales of meeting both these individuals at the beginning of their attempts to convince the council to go to war. "Thought you were out with the fleet last I heard," he added.

"Ran into some serious trouble and my ship was destroyed over Taris," Carth answered with a sigh. "Hey Jarael," he greeted as the woman reached Zayne's side who nodded back. "We barely made it off in time before Malak bombed it into ruin," he muttered.

"We heard," Jarael said with a bitter and horrified look in her eyes. "It is still hard to believe Alek could do such a thing," she added. "Why did he become such a monster?" she asked. "Taris used to be my home. It was Zayne's home and a half a dozen others that Alek knew and he destroyed it," she spat in anger while Zayne looked away in sorrow.

"You'd have to ask Revan that question and he's dead," Carth finally answered not knowing what else to say. He missed the looked Zayne got on his face as he looked at Carth's companions and settled on Revan.

Revan knew who Zayne was, but he was certain Zayne didn't know who he was. They had never met during Zayne's time as a fugitive. And hopefully the force would not give him away. He knew Bastila wouldn't say anything as she had promised to keep his identity a secret.

"Who said it was Revan's fault what Malak became?" Revan couldn't help but ask, not liking that he was being blamed for what his friend had become. He may have started him on the path, but Malak had chosen to continue down it until he became a tyrant and a monster willing to wipe out millions if only to kill one person. "You have no idea what happened to them out there Carth, Malak could have been the one to find what corrupted them," he pointed out, ignoring the look Bastila covertly sent him.

"Revan was in charge of the fleet Jaks," Carth shot back. "He led them into the darkness of the outer rim in pursuit of the Mandalorians," he argued.

"We didn't come to get into an argument about Malak and what he became," Zayne interrupted the conversation before the argument could get worse. He knew the subject of Alek was still a sensitive one to those who had known him before his fall to the dark side. "We came to find Bastila Shan, we were told she was on Kashyyk," he told them.

"I'm surprised the council would reveal our location to anyone," Bastila said in surprise. Shocked she was the reason they had come to this planet.

"They owe us," Zayne responded with a laugh while Jarael giggled as she recalled the slight argument Zayne had with Master Vandar about this very thing. Thankfully the small Jedi Master had seen sense, it was good to know some of the Jedi still remembered what they have gone through to bring the truth to life and expose the covenant.

"Why are you looking for me?" Bastila finally inquired having shaken herself out of her surprise.

"We were on Tatooine when we ran into a woman in the local bar, she was showing a picture to everyone who would pay attention to her," Zayne answered. "We stopped and listened, I recognized your photo from the local news casts and I asked why she was looking for you," he continued exchanging a quick look with Jarael. "Bastila it was your mother, she wishes to see you urgently," he told her as easily as he could.

Bastila felt her emotional control snap the instant she heard it was her mother who wanted to see her. It evoked memories of her past she had believed put behind her. She noted Revan stagger somewhat from the emotional overload she was sending through the bond, she tried desperately to regain control and stop the flood of emotions and memories, but found it a struggle. The others watched as the two of them collapsed to the floor. Revan growled low in this throat as he tried to block out what he was feeling and seeing from Bastila. Never had he known such a powerful reaction to such a simple word, granted he had never shared a force bond with anyone before either.

"You alright kid?" Jolee asked as he moved to his side and tried to check him out.

"It's not me, it's her," Revan growled in response and pointing at Bastila. "Get a grip Bastila please, I can't take much more of this," he shouted at her making her wince.

Bastila closed her eyes and struggled to regain her control, slowly bit by bit she began to calm down. She pushed her memories of her family back in the deepest recesses of her mind where they belonged. Finally the flood of emotions and memories over the bond stopped and she heard Revan give a sigh of relief. 'I'm sorry Revan,' she managed to whisper to him.

"You okay Bastila?" Mission asked, unsure what just had happened. She knelt down next to her and tried to help her up, but Bastila for now chose to stay on the floor.

"I'm fine I just had not expected that answer. It stirred up long buried feelings where my mother is concerned," Bastila told her and the others. "Sadly Jaks felt the full brunt of it due to the force bond we share," she added as she rubbed her forehead. "I apologize for my weakness in my emotional control," she offered as she finally stood back up aware they had a large crowd which included the Wookiees.

Revan was at least thankful she had managed to remember to refer to him by his false identity, getting back up he felt her regain control of herself much to his relief. Feeling so many wild emotions at once had been disturbing to say the least, the memories even more so, especially as they were not his. Now he saw the negative side effects of the bond they shared, this might prove more trouble than he had first realized still it was the best way he had to gain Bastila's trust.

"I guess even Jedi can have bad pasts," Carth muttered quietly to himself.

"D…Did my mother say why she wants to see me?" Bastila finally inquired as she looked between Zayne and Jarael.

"No, just that it was very important and that she didn't have much time left to look for you, although I'm not sure what she meant by that," Zayne answered, hoping it didn't mean anything bad.

Bastila closed her eyes and tried to think of what it was her mother wanted objectively, sadly her mind refused to cooperate and found the worst things she could think of in this regard. 'We will go to see her, if you don't it could cost you later on,' Revan's calm and rather soft tone cut her thoughts off. 'Worse it is possible Malak might find her, and what he would do to her is beyond what you would wish for most of your enemies,' he advised.

'I don't want to agree with you Revan, but I can't fault your words,' Bastila said with an internal sigh as they conversed over the bond. It was turning out to be a handy thing in keeping Revan's true identity a secret as she had promised, and it was also helpful to have conversations they didn't want the others to hear. "We have to go to Tatooine anyway, I guess seeing her couldn't hurt," she finally said aloud although only Revan could tell she didn't meant that.

"The sooner we leave the better, the more time we waste here the more chances Malak will have to find us," Carth said stepping forward.

"He already has," Revan stated, gaining their full attention. "Calo Nord somehow survived Taris and begged Malak for a chance at revenge. He tried to kill me and Jolee and capture Bastila, but we killed him and his hired thugs," he reported.

"Good riddance to bad garbage," Canderous snarled angered he had not been there to see Nord's death, or more to the point angered he had not been the one to finish Nord and rid him of his life.

"So Malak knows we survived now?" Carth inquired in concern. Now that the Dark Lord knew they lived, it would make their mission all the harder to complete.

"Yes he knows," Bastila agreed with a nod of her head. 'Worse he knows Revan lives,' she thought bitterly. The Council should be made aware of this news she thought, before the idea died as her eyes met those of Revan. Telling them this news may make the Council do something even worse than trying to wipe Revan's mind. Deciding against contacting them she headed for the Ebon Hawk.

Revan let out a short breath of relief as Bastila made her choice, he would have had to convince her otherwise and he knew had he been forced to do so it may have become a heated argument. That wasn't something that would help build her trust in him.