+TR+
(Leviathan Class Battleship Revenge)
Canderous stepped off the transport feeling like a different man as he noted the looks that greeted him from Revan's people, they knew exactly what the mask he now wore was and more importantly what it represented to his people. His fellow Mandalorians now took up guard positions around him as expected from his newly formed group of bodyguards and advisers, they were not taking any chances in case any of Revan's people could not put the past behind them. He noted Carth enter the deck decked out in new armour and looking very much like he belonged with this fleet, he had dropped his colourful jacket and pants which kinda stood out. Clearly he was preparing for his journey into the heart of Malak's Sith Empire, hopefully the amour would serve him well. Following him came Rikka and Meetra, he waited as Revan moved to meet them.
"Meetra I want one of our cruisers stripped of personnel for Canderous to use to send out his call to rally the Mandalorians, it won't do for him to be seen without his own ship and means of support or he will be considered a puppet and that is not what he is" Revan ordered surprising him. "Ask for a crew of volunteers to help man it until he has gathered enough for the ship" he added.
"Will there not be some who still consider him a puppet if his ship is in this fleet on its own?" Meetra inquired even as she saw Revan's point of view on the subject.
"Yes they will, which is why he will take the ship to the very edge of the system" Revan countered "Out of range of our fleet until he has proved his stance as Mandalore, I do not want a shooting war to start up between us and those who answer Canderous's call" he stated.
"Do you expect many to challenge him?" Carth couldn't help but inquire.
"I would expect some challenges Carth as it is the nature of my people to ensure only the strongest lead" Canderous was the one who answered. "Seven challenged Mandalore the Ultimate, five of them during the course of the war" he informed him. "Strength is the only thing that matters more than honour, if you are not strong you cannot lead" he finished.
"I'll find a cruiser for him to use and some volunteers to help man it" Meetra stated.
"Hopefully we'll be back from Korriban without too much issue and we can begin to plot our campaign against Malak and his forces" Revan told her. "I want Major's Shepard and Schaefer's team assembled and ready to deploy as our backup, they will land outside the academy's sensor range and deploy some mortars and heavy lasers cannons and be prepared to strike if we get into trouble" he went on moving onto other matters. "Make sure they are suited in heavy stealth armour, they are only to act if I send out a call otherwise they are only there to shadow us and ensure we make it off the planet" he explained.
"Understood, I'll have them assemble and follow you out" Meetra nodded in response. "Are you taking the Ebon Hawk which they will be expecting or will you be trying to land incognito in one of our unmarked shuttles?" she inquired.
Revan considered the question and knew Meetra was correct in that they would be expecting the Ebon Hawk to arrive on Korriban eventually, they would expect him and his team to still be looking for the star maps if they believed he was still mind wiped and cut off from his followers. Not many of those formerly loyal to him who had joined Malak in betrayal had seen him without his mask for many years, hence he would be leaving it here but did that mean he could infiltrate the academy without been recognised. Was it worth the effort to try? He wondered as he suspected there would be some on the planet who did know what he had looked like and would recognise him even now.
"We'll take an unmarked shuttle on the off chance we can get in and out without causing too much trouble" he finally decided. "Slim chance of one but worth a shot, HK will shadow us inside the academy wearing a stealth generator and help in extracting Carth's son" he told them turning to face Carth. "We go in carefully, we will play by their rules until we know for certain our cover is blown so no running off shouting 'for the Republic' no matter what you see" he added as a warning.
"I get it Revan and I promise I'll keep quiet no matter what I see as hard as it might be" Carth assured him even as Meetra moved to the comm and alert Shepard and Schaefer of their new orders. "I've been trying to get into the mind frame of a bounty hunter, also why I changed outfits so I don't stand out" he added.
"I'll be changing into some new armour as well, be ready to leave in ten minutes, Rikka collect Niks, T3, Melkor, Jarrik, and ensure all are equipped in heavy armour and weapons" he ordered before departing for his quarters to change leaving everyone else to get ready.
Canderous stayed where he was wondering just how many challenges he would have to go through before he cemented his place as the new Mandalore, he was confident in his skills to succeed in any fight but he did not want to get bogged down constantly defeating would-be challenges when he had plans to set in motion to ensure his race and culture survived.
+TR+
(Corustant, Chancellor's Office)
Valorum stared out of his office over the now darkened city as he contemplated just how complicated things were getting, it was bad enough when Revan and Malak first returned and started the war that now waged across the galaxy. Then it seemed a bit of good news had come in when Revan was reported killed by the Jedi, except he now knew that was a lie and Revan had instead been captured. Still he had been removed from leadership and he had hoped it would throw the forces left to Malak into confusion, instead Malak had quickly reordered those forces as he had been planning a coup against Revan and had executed it exactly as the Jedi launched their ambush. Then the real slaughter and destruction had begun, whereas before their enemy seemed to take planets quickly and easily now they took their time laying waste to whatever they could, more lives had been lost since Malak took command than in the sole year and a half Revan had commanded the war.
Now even as he was forced to order his forces to pull back and reorder themselves he learns not only that the Jedi had lied to him, but that Revan was still very much alive and in command of forces still loyal to him. But whilst they were at the moment not a threat to the Republic as they were focused on gaining their revenge against Malak and his followers, they could soon become a threat again once Malak and all of his people were dead if they did not seem open to changing how the Republic was run. Revan and his followers believed the Senate was corrupt and he could not really argue that point, many of the senators were only out for themselves and would eagerly stab him or any of the others in the back to gain more power for themselves. It was something you learned early when in politics, never truly trust anyone not even your own allies.
But he doubted any of those senators would even think of giving up their power now matter if Revan and his people threatened them, they would rather sacrifice hundreds of soldiers defending them than give in. A second war with Revan was more than likely coming and he did not like that thought, the Republic would be lucky to survive its war with Malak he doubted it would survive another facing the Revanchists and their leader a second time. Admiral Dodonna was of the opinion letting Revan go was a mistake, but he agreed with Admiral Tia that right now they needed Revan and his people to defeat Malak as quickly as possible. As bad as it was to admit the Revanchists might be the only hope the Republic had of surviving Malak's crusade, letting out a sigh he stood and looked out over the night filled cityscape wondering if people knew just how bad the things were looking for the Republic or even if they really cared.
He also wondered if he could really trust the Jedi after they are lied to him for so long, and then he also had to take into account the fact several of its council members men and women who were supposed to be the most trust worthy of that order had betrayed them all by staging a coup. Atris had fully fallen to the dark side which was another sad fact was considering all the other names he could put forward who had fallen before her, Vrook, Kai-El were in prison along with a few others for helping the coup Atris had begun. Kavar and Vandar had failed to act to stop it and whilst they were not in prison they no longer seemed as trustworthy as he would have believed before this event. Vima and Vash had left with Revan to try and be a bridge to prevent a second war breaking out, but could they even possibly succeed and was it not possible they could be convinced to see things the same the Revanchists saw them whilst they were there. It was all now so complicated and he did not know how to navigate the Republic out of it, what happened next would define how he was remembered in the history to come.
+TR+
(Leviathan Class Battleship Revenge)
Meetra watched the shuttle carrying Revan and his rather small party leave even as the larger shuttle which was to carry Major Shepard and Schaefer's teams was finished been loaded. She was confident Revan would make it back after all he could walk into the darkest of places and return, he had done it before and he had done whilst she had been exiled still thus he could do it again. Still going to Korriban was not going to be easy especially if Carth failed to keep himself in check, plus Revan had not taken any of the others from his party with him and Bastila was still recovering from over extending herself. But she could see the advantage of taking a small party, plus once the shadow team arrived they would have back up ready to aide them should they get into trouble. She watched as the second shuttle closed up behind Schaefer and Shepard as they boarded it behind their respective teams, nodding she watched it leave before heading for the bridge with Canderous and his small party following behind her whilst they waited for her to find them a ship.
In the quarters they shared Zayne was somewhat happy to be allowed to stay and rest after so many adventures in quick succession, he was also more than happy to be able to spend more time with Jarael who he had missed so much since they had arrived at this fleet. Not that he had questioned leaving her behind, after almost losing her to that damn Hutt back on Tatoonie he'd not questioned leaving her behind when they had gone to Nar Shaddaa which was one of the main bases of power for the damn creatures. Nor had he argued leaving her behind when they had gone to Corustant, whilst he knew she was fully capable of defending herself and fighting just as well as he could. He did not want to put her at needless risk if he could help it, and the problem was more of a Jedi one anyway and in his mind she had dealt with enough Jedi problems since meeting him. He lay holding Jarael as she slept beside him, he hoped Carth could rescue his son from Korriban. He did not envy them going there, he had already had his close calls with such dangerous worlds in his previous travels but Korriban was something he did not want to experience.
Jolee meditated in his own quarters grateful for the rest after the trying experiences he'd had since joining Revan's group not that he regretted that choice, but he was no longer a young man and each mission took more out of him than it had used to. He was glad he had not been asked to go to Korriban, he had been there once before many years ago during the New Sith Wars of begun by Exar Kun and Ulric Qel Droma. He had fought his corrupted wife and killed her during the battle that had waged, it had been the point where his true belief in the Jedi Order and its beliefs had ended. He had stayed until the war was over and then had faded away and gone into exile, when he reached Kashyyk he had decided to stay as it presented the best place to stay hidden. Revan and his team would have its work cut out for it to get in and out of Korriban without too much trouble, but he was confident they could pull it off. For now he would rest for he knew once Revan returned the war of retribution would begin, and he would need all his strength to fight it as he had already decided he would stay and fight for a better Republic. Not for himself but for the people who looked to it for protection, who deserved to have leaders who actually cared about them and not the corrupt and inefficient ones they currently had.
Juhani sat in the cantina wondering if she was doing the right thing just sitting here and doing little, since learning of Revan's survival and coming to this fleet she had been effectively benched not out of mistrust. But because Revan had not wanted to risk her been captured by Hutt's, like she had been back on Tatoonie or in the case of the coup not wanting to put her at odds of defying the council even though he had given Bastila and the others that choice. Even if Jolee and Zayne no longer considered themselves a part of the order they were still Jedi, as was Bastila. But they had needed Bastila's battle meditation and thus the choice was given and her fellow Jedi had agreed to help, honestly she did not know what she would have done had she been given the choice which perhaps was why Revan had not asked. In this case she was glad she had not been asked to go as Korriban was a world that scared her, especially after her brief brush with the dark side before been assigned to Bastila's group. That it had been Revan who had pulled her back from the brink even if she had not known it was him at the time was ironic, as Revan was the main reason she was alive and more importantly a Jedi. But she still was still nervous of his intentions once Malak and his people were dead, she decided she would seek out Master's Sunrider and Vash who she now knew was on board and discuss everything with them. Perhaps that way they could help her sort out her troubled thoughts, and help her make a choice when the time came.
Mission and Zaalbar were busy playing a game of Pazaak to keep themselves occupied as Rikka was now off on a mission and the others were either resting or just absence, both were thankful they had not been asked to go to Korriban considering the nature of the planet but even with that they were both growing somewhat weary of been left behind. Both had decided when Revan got back they would insist on been included in the next mission no matter what it was, Zaalbar could not consider he was honouring his life debt to Revan if he was not beside him to help protect him. And Mission just wanted to help those she considered her friends, Revan had done nothing but help since she had met him back on Taris and she was intent on repaying that kindness.
+TR+
(Shuttle)
Revan stood calmly in the back of the shuttle calmly repairing and altering his twin lightsabers to more match those he had lost when Malak betrayed him, he first replaced the crystals inside each so the blade now emitted a violet purplish glow instead of the usual red, green or red. He then adjusted the power settings and the ignition switch to more suit his quicker style of drawing the weapon and jumping into combat, once he had finished his work he switched both on and was satisfied as both activated quicker than before and eliminated his features in the purple glow of their new crystals power source. Deactivating both weapons he reattached both to his belt and moved to sit down, he looked over to see Carth staring down at an object with clear affection and sorrow. At a guess he would suspect it was a holo of his wife and son, something taken well before the war currently waging, hopefully it would help him focus on not giving them away.
Rikka he noted was meditating as was Melkor and Niks who for once was not piloting as that job had been left to Jarrik, T3 and HK were both powered down after been retrofitted for the trip with new armour plates and heavier weapons. T3 had also had his hacking software upgraded whilst HK had undergone having the stealth generator attached to his inner arm, once they landed both would be powered up and ready to go. Closing his own eyes he focused his own thoughts as he knew he would more than likely have to once more embrace the dark side before they left Korriban, as he felt into his thoughts he felt the pulse of the dark side from the sword of Ajunta Pall which lay close by wrapped up so as to be returned to Ajunta's tomb. The blade pulsed with the darkness of the dark side and he found it difficult to ignore, he quickly deduced it was due to the fact Bastila must still be unconscious as thus the bond between them was weakened. Hardening his focus he ignored the pulsing sword and prepared for whatever was awaiting them on Korriban, his fists closed as he relaxed into full meditation.
(Korriban)
Yuthura had done all she could to prepare for Revan and his team's eventual arrival, those few allies both trustworthy and not were well placed to ensure the General would survive his journey here. Now tired and bored from waiting she decided to head to the local cantina in the small centre of trade set up to oversee most landings as well as any trade and business, Czerka had an office set up there as part of their business alliance with the corporate entity. The cantina had been added as a place to unwind from training for both trainees and full on Sith, she was glad it was there as it allowed her to escape from Uthar's watchful gaze. And more importantly right now it got her away from Darth Bandon who constantly stalked the academy awaiting Revan's arrival, even after a week or more since arriving he did little else. Sometimes he'd take his anger at the fact that Revan had yet to arrive out on the trainees or even some of the teachers, he was a twisted and evil man just what she would expect from Malak's apprentice. What was amusing however was that for all Bandon's supposed power and foresight, he'd failed to notice his assassins been murdered and replaced by Sith loyal to Uthar as part of his plan to kill both Revan and Bandon and lure Malak to the planet so to kill him as well so as to replace him as the new dark lord.
Exiting the academy she made her over the red sands towards the small trade centre taking notice of several new arrivals lined up outside, clearly been made to wait for admittance by the guards sadistic pleasure and amusement. Shaking her head only slightly at the sight she moved on, she past a few bounty hunters clearly on the planet to try and find work or were there for the cantina to relax after completing a job for the Sith. She did not like bounty hunters, she considered them untrustworthy and willing to stab even their clients in the back should enough money be offered to them. Entering the central hub she headed right for the cantina where she hoped to spend a few hours relaxing, here very few bothered to keep up appearances and just basked in the music and booze and perhaps whatever entertainment was on hand if any. Still she knew better than to relax too much as she was certain, Uthar and Bandon would have people watching her.
+TR+
(Leviathan Class Battleship Revenge)
Bastila groaned as she began to awake feeling sluggish and with a rather large headache, she let out another groan knowing she had overused and more than likely over strained herself during putting down the coup. Never before had she tried to influence so many people in three different theatres of a battle, no wonder her head felt she'd had a couple of tanks dropped onto it. Slowly she tried to sit up only to feel someone quickly push her back down onto the bed, she frowned as she knew instantly it was not Revan.
"Take it easy Shan, you are suffering from extreme exhaustion from overusing your powers" a voice told her as she felt a female hand move to check her pulse. "You are lucky you've awoken so soon as I suspected from the signs I detected before you'd be out for a day or two perhaps longer" the voice continued as Bastila finally managed to force her eyes open to see who it was speaking and was surprised to find it was a Zeltron.
"Who are you?" she inquired.
"Doctor Senna Vos and I will be keeping you here until I deem you fully recovered no matter what you say" Senna responded with a smile. "Not only are you my patient but I also know you are important to General Revan and he'd have my head if I let you leave and you end up back here due to complications of you overusing your abilities, so I expect no arguments" she told her. "You will stay and rest, do not use your force powers at all no matter how small you might think the usage" she instructed. "Are you in any pain?" she inquired.
"My head is pounding as if a dozen tanks have dropped on it and I cannot fully focus cause of the pain" Bastila admitted deciding not to argue with the doctor whilst trying not to react to the fact some of Revan's people seemed to know she and Revan were more than just simple allies in the fight against Malak.
"As to be expected" Senna responded with a nod of her head before moving to the nearby side table and picking up a pain dispenser and plunging it into Bastila's neck for a few seconds. "There that should help begin to dull the pain as well as help you sleep, I'll have someone come down in a few hours with some food and something to drink, for now rest and let me know immediately if you feel any worse than you do now especially if they are symptoms beyond your headache" she instructed seriously to which Bastila managed to slowly nod in acknowledgement.
"Where is Revan?" she inquired fighting off the sudden tiredness that swept through her as the pain in her head began to quickly fade as Senna had told her it would.
"The General has left for Korriban and I doubt he'll be back anytime soon, but do not concern yourself with that as the General is more than able to defend himself" Senna answered. "Now rest" she ordered before moving away before Bastila could ask anymore questions.
Bastila would have liked to see Revan before he left for Korriban, the planet which had been the heart of many Sith attempts to raise an Empire. Just thinking of it made her shiver in disgust and not a little fear, she did not doubt Revan's ability to defend himself. What she feared was the effect of the concentrated dark side energies of the planet on him whilst she was so far from him, and she doubted their force bond would and its effects would transfer through space over such distance. Hence she would not be able to help keep him in the light should it be needed, letting out a yawn she prayed to the force to watch over Revan where she could not before succumbing to sleep.
+TR+
(Korriban)
Revan looked down upon the red planet as their shuttle came into land knowing this mission was going to be trying, but he was determined to not only remove Korriban from Malak's control thus weakening his position. He was also going to ensure to find Carth's son and retrieve him from the academy, as well as locate Yuthura and determine her true loyalty. Three tasks to complete whilst he was here as well as dealing with any dangers and roadblocks in his way, such as Uthar Wynn the academy master. Whilst not in his league in force power and skill with a blade, that did not make him less dangerous as he still had control over the students and if he discovered who he was then he could make the mission far more difficult to complete. Numbers did count for something in a battle, and he'd rather not have to wade through the entire academy if he could help it.
"We've been given landing clearance General" Jarrik reported.
"You will stay with the ship Jarrik, allow no one inside it" Revan ordered to which the pilot nodded in understanding.
He turned and then headed back to reactivate HK and T3 whilst letting the others know to prepare for landing, as soon as HK came back on line he ordered the blood thirsty droid to activate its new stealth generator. Grabbing his helmet he placed it on his head and gathered to once more step onto the surface of Korriban, he made sure to grab Ajunta's packaged sword and strapped it to his back. He glanced over at Rikka and Carth as they put on their own helmets, both looked tense yet determined to complete their own tasks. He knew Shepard and Schaefer's teams would land soon to back them up, he was counting on a lack of update of the planet's sensors to ensure they came down without detection. He felt the ship touch down, then finally the ramp begin to lower he looked at the others before leading them down onto the planet.