Authors Notes: Sorry again for the long wait but I have had more trouble with health and other issues plus more writer's block I think maybe due to high stress, either way it has stopped me writing for months. Hopefully this new chapter is a sign I am past it, and more chapters will follow soon enough.

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(Reekiad)

The planet that greeted Canderous as the ship broke through the stormy clouds was one of endless forests and mountains, but he did see evidence of manmade structures here and there but clearly overtaken by nature. It was quite beautiful he had to admit even though he was not one of admire any planet he was currently on, but this site seemed to appeal to him for some reason.

"I can see why you chose this place to hide the mask" he mused. "There is very little ground to land on as the forests are everywhere" he added.

"This used to be a Sith world once a long time ago but it was abandoned during the first wars between the Jedi and the Sith and was soon lost to memory" Revan explained as he headed for the largest mountain range where the hidden tomb of the ancient Sith he had discovered so long ago was located. "The few structures you can actually still see are all that remains of their former empire, but that is only on the surface below ground are many secrets buried for so many years until I found information back on Korriban which led me here" he informed him.

"Did you bring Malak with you?" Canderous inquired with interest because if he had he had wonder why the so called Dark Lord had not tried to recover the mask and use it to bring the Mandalorians under his banner.

"No I did not inform Malak about any of what I found. As he was not with me at that time he was occupied on the Star Forge preparing the fleet we would need before we started our invasion of the Republic" Revan answered with a brief glance back at him. "I immediately headed out to hide the mask and search through the tombs and bunkers the data I discovered hinted at." He informed him. " I found many secrets and decided not to inform anyone of what I found or where it was hidden, perhaps the force gave me a slight push to ensure I did not inform Malak as I still trusted him then" he mused. "Whatever my reason it has perhaps paid off for us both, more your people than us but still we both benefit with it in your hands" he stated.

"I agree Revan" Canderous replied with a nod of his head. "Did you find anything really interesting in these tombs and bunkers?" he inquired unable to help his slight interest in the matter.

His people had a long association with the Sith and although it had always led to his people suffering large defeats and losses, he could not deny the Sith were powerful and their weapons and secrets were always sought by his people to help give them an edge. Perhaps the fact learning Mandalore the Ultimate had made a deal with the Sith should not have been too much of a surprise given their history, but that he had lied and covered up their involvement in their invasion of the Republic was not something he found forgivable. Mandalore had always claimed the invasion as his own idea and their peoples destiny, he had lied to them and in the end led to them to utter defeat and now he knew he had not done it for their people but for the Sith as a test of the Republic's strength. Which meant he had allowed the Sith to use the Mandalorian people as a means to an end, glory and honour had meant nothing and they were more than likely never meant to win. That angered him as so many of his brother and sisters had died believing they were fighting for the glory of their people for their honour; instead they had died for a lie which had almost destroyed the Mandalorians as a race.

"I did but that is a tale for another time as we are about to land" Revan responded and Canderous looked out of the window to see them approaching the tallest mountain where surprisingly the forest seems to halt just before reaching it. This left a small area where ships could land, and as he looked out he could see there was a camp already set up with a ship already set down. This must be the guard Revan had ordered sent down to secure the sight whilst they were dealing with the coup, he could barely believe that within the space of a few minutes he would be able to claim the helmet and the rank of Mandalore. It was not an honour he had ever expected to fall to him, but he would embrace it and use it to save his people.

"So whose tomb is this?" Canderous couldn't help ask as the landed and the landing bay opened behind them. He noted Mira, Jango, Jagga and Sarine stand up as they felt the ship land, they would be his bodyguard from this point forward and he knew they would each be good advisors as well.

"His name has been lost to history and even the data I found on Korriban did not give it, but whoever he was he was high up in the old Empire before it fell" Revan answered as he powered down the ship and then led the way down the landing ramp to be met by the guard detail he'd had assigned to the tomb.

"General we have detected no intrusions since landing" Captain Sarsen reported as he and his men snapped to attention. "The tomb appears to have been undisturbed" he added.

"Good as no one else should even suspect there is a tomb here" Revan replied with a smile. "Two of your men will remain at the entrance whilst you and the others will follow us in but watch your steps I did booby-trap the entire tomb to ensure the mask remained hidden" he ordered ending in a warning.

"Understood General" Sarsen instantly replied before turning to his small detail. "Corporal Kain, you and Jenson will remain here and keep the opening secure" he decided to which both men nodded in understanding.

"Jagga you stay to help secure the entrance, we should be back soon" Canderous added deciding he had to be seen now giving orders to his own people if he was to be believable as Mandalore.

"As you command" Jagga said with a quick nod before moving to do as he had been ordered.

"I'll take point Captain before you even suggest over wise as I know where the traps are and how to disarm them" Revan interrupted him before he could even turn to another of his men to order him to do just that.

As much as he would like to argue with the General for putting himself in front of what was clearly a dangerous tomb, he had to admit if the General knew where the traps where and how to disarm them then he was best placed to lead them in. He nodded reluctantly and waited for the General to lead them in, he took up the rear position ensuring to cover their backs as they went just in case someone did know of the tombs on this planet. Sarine and Mira followed close behind Canderous whilst Jango helped bring up the rear with Sarsen.

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(Leviathan Class Battleship Revenge)

Vima could not help but glare at Atton once more even Ana continued to talk about what had happened to her and her team back on Nar Shaddaa, the man shifted once more easily aware of the elder woman's ire at what he had almost done to her daughter. A part of him wanted to turn and leave for his assigned quarters but he knew he couldn't, he had to face up to what he had done and he was now Ana Sunrider's bodyguard by the General's command and thus could not leave his post until dismissed.

"Mother would you please stop glaring at Atton" Ana finally pleaded having noted her mother's distraction from her story in favour of glaring at Atton Rand for what he had done and also what he had almost done. "It wasn't his fault and I am working with him to overcome the darkness that overwhelmed him" she insisted.

"That does not excuse the fact he killed two of your team mates and almost killed you" Vima growled turning to face her stubborn daughter. "It is by the force or luck alone that Revan reached you in time to save you, otherwise more than likely he would have killed you and then murdered the rest of your team" she added with her glare once more returning to Atton who this time faced it head on knowing every word she said was correct that if Revan had arrived when he had he would most likely had killed them all.

"You're correct Master Sunrider I could have killed her and the other survivors of her team but I didn't, General Revan stopped me and brought me back to myself" he finally spoke up but not to defend himself as he knew nothing he said would excuse his actions in the eyes of this woman. "I must now seek redemption and make up for the lives I took but first I must understand how I ended up doing what I did and your daughter has chosen to aide me in this I did not ask her" he told her. "I know in your eyes, that puts her at risk once more should I snap once more, but I know that is an impossibility" he stated.

"How can you claim there is no risk?" Vima demanded hotly ignoring her daughter's pulling on her arm to restrain her confrontation with Atton.

"One the General has ensured I am watched and I am certain there is more than one guard whose orders are to watch me and ensure I do not lose control again or threaten your daughter" Atton assured her not bothered by the fact he was been watched as at the moment he would not trust himself to be unmonitored. "Should I pose such a risk I will die by their hands, two your daughter is now armed with her lightsaber and I have no doubt she is skilled with it and I have no force powers I am just a soldier and at times an assassin" he added.

Vima continued to glare at the man unwilling to simply forgive him for almost killing her daughter, she was at least relieved Revan had allowed Ana to retrieve and keep her lightsaber. She hoped the other members of her team had also been allowed to keep their own lightsabers, the fact that Atton had no force powers was also a relief as she did not doubt he would be even more destructive and dangerous. In fact the idea of the man having force powers sent a chill down her spine, she finally broke off her glaring and faced her daughter once more.

"He tried to kill you Ana and yet you decide you can somehow redeem and fix whatever mental issues he may have" she stated only to be surprised when her daughter laughed at what she had said.

"I think you are forgetting mother who it was who ran away to find an ex Sith lord to train her whilst she was still a child" Ana pointed out once she had stopped laughing. "What you decided to do was insane, I am at least a trained Jedi and have experience with mind healing" she continued before Vima could even formulate a response. "Yes Atton tried to kill me and did kill two of my team but not because he wanted to mother, he was just lost in a sea of darkness and rage over the betrayal of Malak and his followers and the supposed death of Revan a man he had dedicated his life to following" she informed her with certainty. "I would bet he was not alone at been affected by Revan's loss on such a scale, and right or wrong it was due to the Republic ambush on Revan that allowed Malak to almost kill Revan but did succeed at killing hundreds of Atton's fellow soldiers many who I would guess were his friends" she argued.

Vima wanted to argue back but found her daughter's words made some sense especially as she found she could not argue that her own actions as a child were far more reckless than Ana's when she was an adult and a trained Jedi. Especially when one compared Atton to Ulric, Atton by his own words was just a solider and assassin whilst Ulric had been a full on Dark Lord of the Sith. Whilst her mother had all but stripped Ulric of his force powers by the time she ran away to search for him, that did not take away just how dangerous the man could have been had he chosen to be so. She had run away due to her mother's refusal to train her and her lack of attention which was more on leading the Jedi than raising her, her choice could easily have led to her death in any number of ways. Thankfully she had been lucky not only in actually locating Ulric and actually travelling to his location without incident or trouble, and also that Ulric was not the monster he had once been and after been reluctant to train her had relented and taken her under his wing and begun her training. Ana was just trying to help someone recover from a major set of losses that had unhinged him, and as her daughter had pointed out she was already trained and experienced in mind healing. Letting out a reluctant sigh she realised she had no real say in this matter and would have to accept her daughter's choice to help Atton, and seen as Revan had taken precautions on the off chance Atton would relapse she should back down and let Ana do what she could.

"Fine you've made your point Ana but that does not mean I forgive or forget what he tried to do, he would do well to ensure he does not lose himself again for if Revan's people do not end him I will find him and I will end him painfully" Vima finally said ending with what she hoped was a very clear warning before turning and leaving the medical bay with Lonna following finding the guard Revan had assigned them so he could show them to some quarters.

Ana watched her go relieved things had not gotten more heated, she felt somewhat ashamed at using her mother's past to actually get her to see reason as those months her mother had spent with Ulric were very prominent ones and had left their mark on her even now. But she knew it would be a very effective way of getting through to her, Atton watched the Jedi Master leave feeling relieved the woman had chosen not to fact on her rather obvious dislike of him.

Carth sat in his quarters trying to focus on forgetting everything he had learned in the Republic academy, and his own traits such as calling out for the Republic every now and again. He was trying to force himself to think and act like a mercenary, he had taken Revan's warnings about Korriban to heart and knew he could not just waltz in as himself and expect to walk about with his son alive. He had also requested a new outfit from Rikka so he looked the part, she had stared at him in surprise at the request but had nether the less given him what he had asked for. The armour she had given him was pitch black with a blue strip up and down the arms and legs, there was no identifying marks to be seen on it. The armour was sturdy and well-made and was of a design and material he had not seen before, he wondered briefly if it had been created by the still mysterious Star Forge they had been hunting since just after the Endar Spire had gone down. From the little Revan had said about it, the space station could create almost anything including armour, he was certain the armour would prove just as effective as the ships and fighters and tanks it had been spewing out.

His mind kept straying to just how badly Dustil had been affected by been on Korriban, and by the teachings of the Sith he was undoubtedly undergoing. How soon before he was just another crazed murderer, uncaring of who he killed or what he helped destroy? Where the idea of friends and family meant nothing, the idea of confronting his son should he have fallen so far chilled him to the bone and made him wonder if he could defend himself should he be called on to do so. What would his wife think of him should they be reunited in the afterlife if he killed their only child no matter the reason? Another idea that chilled him to the very bone, he closed his eyes and tried to refocus on becoming what he needed to be to ensure no one suspected him of been with the Republic once they reached Korriban.

Rikka stood on the bridge but her mind was elsewhere as she contemplated just what she might find on Korriban, Yuthura was the closest thing she ever had to a sister and the last remaining person she could claim as family. The idea of her having fallen and becoming like Malak and his people made her angry and fearful all in one, she did not want to believe it was even possible she might have actually been part of the coup against Revan as it meant she'd also been a part of the attempts on her own life during the coup. That she had taken part in it uncaring of the fact it would mean the death of the person she had once claimed as family, could Yuthura have changed so much become so cold whilst on Korriban? She prayed fervently that was not the case, that she had managed to resist the cold tendrils of the dark side. If she had and been killed for her loyalty to Revan then she vowed she would not leave Korriban to she had killed the one responsible for doing the deed, she would avenge her sister.

Of course there was always the slim chance that Yuthura was alive, perhaps she had managed to convince the traitors she was like them in order to stay alive after been cut off from any chance of escape from the planet. Or perhaps she had fallen prey to the same madness that seemed to have seized people like Shepard and Rand and made them hollow to anything, Rand had killed two people and almost killed a third in his rage at what had transpired during the coup. Shepard and her men had broken off all contact with anyone and become totally isolated before Revan found them, they talked of feeling numb and uncaring of anything after the coup. It was a chilling thought one could lose themselves so much, hopefully Yuthura had not lost herself and had managed to just keep her head low making the task of rescuing her easier.

"You okay Rikka?" Meetra inquired having noted the Twi-Lek's distracted state.

"Just worried what the General and I will find on Korriban, the idea Yuthura might have fallen is hard to imagine" Rikka admitted with a sigh to which Meetra nodded in understanding.

"I remember Yuthura, she was a skilled Jedi and fighter" Meetra told her. "She led many a company during the war with the Mandalorians, she was quick on her feet and quite good with strategy" she recalled.

"Yes she was, she chose to go to Korriban to help train new recruits and ensure they were also good at strategy as she did not think much of some of the people who took up posts there especially Uthar Wynn and his master before him Jorak Uln" Rikka explained. "She felt they were too focused on just turning out cannon fodder, perhaps she realised they might have already become corrupt even before Malak lost his mind" she speculated.

"I remember them both, Uln was egotistical and cruel whilst Wynn was calmer but I still wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him" Meetra recalled with a look of distaste on her face. "Why would Revan trust either of them to run an academy?" she demanded to know.

"I think Malak put both forward to run it and Revan would have of course trusted Malak's word back then as at that point he had no reason to believe anything was wrong" Rikka answered. "What we do know is that Wynn disposed Uln so time ago just before the coup, whether Wynn actually killed him or banished him is still unknown" she informed her.

"I would guess he was banished, Wynn was nowhere capable of defeating Uln unless he did exactly what Malak did and attempted to shoot or stab him in the back" Meetra stated confidently. "Of course if Uln is still alive then been overthrown by his apprentice will not have helped his mental state at all, he might be even more dangerous than before" she warned.

"Agreed, when we go to Korriban I will ensure we keep an eye out for him" Rikka agreed.

"Make sure you do Rikka as Korriban will be dangerous enough even if Uln is dead" Meetra told her. "I would feel better if I was going with you, but one of us has to stay in charge of this fleet and you have a right to go and find Yuthura" she added.

Rikka nodded as she watched the other woman walk away back to the command section leaving her to her thoughts, hopefully Revan would be back soon so they could leave for Korriban.

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(Reekiad)

Canderous was amazed at just how many traps Revan had disabled as they made their way deeper into the tomb, clearly he had wanted to ensure no one recovered the mask unless he wished them to. He doubted he would have managed to actually get through without getting killed considering some of these traps, they were deadly and hard to spot especially in the dark with only a few lamps to provide light. They had passed many murals of ancient battles and other things mostly related to the Sith, some had been broken or faded by time but most were still viewable. Clearly the ancient Sith Lords enjoyed having their accomplishments put in stone when they died to ensure any who ventured inside their tombs would know what they had done, how powerful they had once been.

"How far does this tomb go?" he found himself asking.

"We are almost at the last chamber where the Sith Lord is actually buried, sadly rushing is out of the question due to the traps I placed" Revan answered with a smile that could not be seen guessing the Mandalorian was getting a little impatient at the long trek.

"You sure wanted to make sure no one got in here unless you chose them to" Canderous snorted.

"Indeed as I knew just how dangerous the mask was should it fall into the wrong hands, especially if they wished to start up another war one the Republic was not capable of fighting until it fully recovered from the previous one against your people" Revan explained. "However I hid the mask before I departed for unknown regions in search of the True Sith empire Mandalore had told me about, I had no idea I would be back soon after waging my own war against the Republic in an attempt to save it and rebuild it quickly to face just what I found out there but as I told you it never really came to me to use the mask myself" he mused.

Suddenly they entered a huge circle chamber where in the middle was a large sarcophagus decorated with an image of a face, which Canderous guessed was the Sith Lord himself buried within. He felt cold as he stepped closer and he wondered just what kind of force energies still existed within this chamber, he may not have the force himself but he had long studied the Jedi and the force as best he could. He knew enough that even when Jedi and Sith died they could still affect the world around them, he knew the legends that the ancient Jedi and Sith could become spirits still able to wield some kind of power even beyond death. He watched as Revan set about disabling whatever traps he had left behind which again seemed to be more than he would expect, overkill might be the word but he supposed it would ensure the tomb would be left undisturbed for a long time. Finally after several minutes Revan used the force to slowly open the tomb and he made to step forward only for a lightsaber to sudden ignite from inside the tomb itself, clearly a final trap just in case someone truly lucky made it that far. He doubted Revan would have forgotten about it, and the smile that graced his features showed he hadn't, he removed the lightsaber and then reached in and pulled out something wrapped in heavy cloth and then stepped closer to him. Behind him he felt Mira and the others straighten and become still as statues, the mask had not been seen since Mandalore's death hence this was a very prevalent moment. He removed the cloth to reveal it was indeed Mandalore's mask hidden underneath, Canderous slowly reached out and accepted the mask from Revan.

"All Mandalore's take a title as they claim the mask and so must you Canderous" Revan told him although he was certain the older man knew this. "What will you be known all?" he inquired with interest as the name would tell him much about what kind of leader Canderous would be and whether co-operation between them could be maintained well into the future as they had already discussed.

"I will be known from this day forth as Mandalore the Preserver for I will preserve all Mandalorian history, culture and beliefs" Canderous stated clearly. "I will bring my people back from the brink of slow death and make our name once more one of honour and courage, a name that will echo throughout the ages not as savages who attack the weak but warriors who will fight any and all enemies with strength and honour" he declared before sliding the mask onto his face and turning to face his guards.

As one Mira, Sarine and Jango dropped to one knee and bowed in recognition of his new position, Revan smiled knowing he had chosen well and Canderous would indeed ensure his people would be trustworthy allies in the fighting to come. He used the force to close up the tomb before leading the party out of the darkened tomb and back into the light where Jagga replayed the actions of his fellow Mandalorians at seeing Canderous did indeed now wear the mask. Revan ordered the guard detail to return to the ship before boarding the Ebon Hawk and following them, however he knew the next step would not be so easy as this one had been. Korriban was not a place to take lightly and taking Carth and Rikka there to confront two very emotional issues was not going to be easy, but he would see them done so both could focus on what would happen next. Plus he had his own reasons for going to Korriban, and a plant to remove the planet from Malak's hands and weaken his leadership in one fell swoop.