Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 4
The time seemed not to exist in the prison. The neural disruptor around his neck dulled Revan's senses to such an extent that he was unable to determine when the battle in the Sernpidal System happened. Was it a week earlier? A month? Or maybe just a single day? He truly had no idea. His mind tried to wage war against the cold metal device, but his efforts turned out to be in vain. Despite being able to free himself from the restraints of the neural disruptor in the past, Revan failed to repeat his achievement. The device strapped around his neck was much stronger than the one the Mandalorians used on him when he was captured, and he decided to seize trying, simply to lessen the amount of pain inflicted upon him.
The difference between night and day has slowly faded into nothingness in his cell. Hours have blended with each other, and minutes seemed not to exist. And with his mind weakened so drastically, counting seconds became impossible. Not to mention that the neural disruptor didn't allow him to focus so much.
Many people believed that the neural disruptor rendered someone's mind useless almost immediately after strapping it around a person's neck, but it wasn't the truth. At first, the inconspicuous device would make it slowly more and more difficult for the person to concentrate – for a Jedi, the result was that they couldn't reach out to the Force unless they were willing to endure the seemingly endless torture of being constantly electrocuted. It was possible to withstand it and get rid of the neural disruptor without someone's help, but the cost could sometimes prove itself to be too great.
Then, when that person was unable to concentrate and focus any longer, there were two options. One was that the mind would slowly begin to shut down, capable of coming up only with the most simple, most shallow, and meaningless thoughts until the person became incapable of using the brain anymore. Revan knew that such things happened in the past, mainly after the Great Hyperspace War when the Jedi would test those devices on the captive Sith, blindly following the Code about not killing their prisoners. Instead, they've offered them a fate worse than death – those who didn't die on the battlefields slowly became empty shells with brains damaged too deeply to be able to keep on living on their own.
The second possible outcome of wearing the neural disruptor for a longer time was insanity. When a person lost control over their own mind, and the brain would cease working properly, the emotions would start running unchecked. If the person was incapable of maintaining control over their feelings with their mind functioning properly, insanity was the fate that awaited them. That also happened to many of the captured Sith over a thousand years earlier when the neural disruptors were still a new thing, and no one really knew what would happen to a person after wearing it for a longer period of time. Those who didn't become vegetables were driven insane with their emotions uncontrolled and ended up filling mental hospitals on Coruscant, where they remained until their deaths.
Revan didn't know what would happen to him if he continued wearing the neural disruptor, but with the remnants of his mental strength, he realized that he wouldn't like either of the outcomes.
The Jedi Council has interrogated him only once, and it seemed as if it happened ages earlier. Or, perhaps, it has happened just a day before? Revan truly had no idea. The memories were both fresh and so distant in his mind that it was impossible to determine when it happened. He could vaguely remember feeling like that, at some point in his past, when he was Mandalore's captive. He spent a month as his prisoner back then. Or maybe only a week? He didn't remember, and he didn't care. Besides, the thinking was too painful and too difficult for him at that moment.
Past was in the past, unchangeable, and it was pointless to think about it. Only now mattered, but it was impossible to comprehend it with his mind. He could only feel, though he didn't want to. The feeling was as painful as thinking, but he didn't know why. Was he thinking without realizing it, which resulted in him feeling pain? Or perhaps it was caused by something else? Revan flinched when a jolt of electricity traveled through his already weakened body. Don't think, he managed to say to himself, only to be electrocuted once again. He raised his head to look at something in front of him. It was a person who had unnatural colors and was staring back at him. He moved his head, only to see that person mimic his movement. Recognizing that person to be himself, he shook his head as if he wanted to say to himself not to think… only to receive the punishment from the neural disruptor once again.
His thoughts weren't that what was causing him pain, though, but the Jedi also weren't responsible for that, at least not directly. After their interrogation, the Masters seemed to forget about him, allowing the Republic soldiers, handpicked by the Chancellor, to visit him frequently. They haven't asked him even a single question – torturing Revan was all they needed. In their minds, they were delivering justice for every crime he had ever committed against the Republic.
Electrical whips were their favorite toy during the time they spent with Revan. Each hit quickly followed by a jolt of electricity running through his body, causing his mind to focus on the pain, only to be punished by the neural disruptor. He passed out many times, although he wasn't fully aware of it. With time, he became unable to realize what was happening to him – the pain was the only thing he could still recognize.
After each visit, a medic would take care of him to make sure that Revan wouldn't die. And during each visit of the Republic soldiers, Rex, Fox, and Wolffe would scream at their General's torturers, sometimes begging them to show him some mercy. They've tried convincing them that Revan had enough and he could die if they didn't stop, but the medics said otherwise. At the end of each day, someone made sure to stabilize Revan's physical condition while his mental health was slipping away from his grasp slowly but steadily. It was only a matter of time before he would join the list of the Sith that met their death in one of the mental clinics on Coruscant.
The door to the prison was opened with a hiss, and a small group of people walked inside. Revan's soldiers gritted their teeth angrily, certain that the Republic men came to continue tormenting their leader, but it wasn't the case. Instead of them, four Temple Guards came in, approaching Revan's cell. Four elite units of Force Sensitive people, trained from a young age to protect the Temple. At least, that was their origin. Time degraded them, and their ranks were being filled with students unable to complete their Jedi training. They were nothing more than apprentices, not even Padawans, who were given a second chance.
The force field of Revan's cage was turned off, and two of the Guards approached the Dark Lord of the Sith. He cast them an absent glance and said nothing when they lifted him from the floor. He was exhausted. Strapping him back to the wall was pointless – he couldn't run away in such a state. His mind was incapable of coming up with any idea of breaking out of the prison, and his muscles were contracting instantly due to the electrocution.
Rex, Fox, and Wolffe could only watch, helplessly, as their General, the man that had been leading them for over four years, was being taken away. They knew that threats would mean nothing at that moment, even if they tried. They were in a lost position. It was the first time in their lives that they've seen their leader so broken. His cries of pain were something they were forced to listen to, unable to do anything about it.
The door to the prison was closed with a hiss, and the three soldiers were left alone. None of them have said anything. Looking at one another, they've only been wondering if it was the last time they've seen their friend and leader.
Revan collapsed on the marble floor of the Council Chambers, in the very same spot where the Temple Guards have dropped him. His hands and legs were still cuffed, and at that moment, they were also pinned to a small metal circle, protruding from the floor. Normally, it would be easy to pull it out, but not after what he's been through.
"Perhaps now you will know your place," Atris said in a cold voice, breaking the silence. Her words slowly made their way into Revan's mind. He furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't feel pain. Hesitantly, he tried to focus on the sensations of his body, almost gasping in surprise upon not feeling the cold metal around his neck. Still, Revan was able only to stare blankly at the Grand Master. He still couldn't focus himself enough to look clearly at Atris, but he could easily connect the voice to the person. He doubted he would ever fail at doing that – his hatred towards Atris was one of the things that defined him.
Was this the purpose of all of this? He asked himself, still struggling to regain control over his body. To make me kneel in front of the Council? He had noticed that the way he had been placed on the floor had actually made him kneel before the Masters.
"I assume that you've made good usage of the time that had been given to you and have rethought your behavior. You've always enjoyed learning from any source, so consider it to be just another lesson," Master Vrook spoke, glaring at Revan from the height of his chair. He was supporting his head with his hand, and he placed one of his legs over the other. Again, Revan could do nothing. His body continued shaking slightly after the numerous electric bolts had coursed through him. His breathing was shattered, and his muscles refused to listen to him as he tried to calm them down.
"Are you going to be cooperative now?" Master Lucien Draay asked, watching him carefully. His hand, as well as many others' hands, was resting right next to his lightsaber, waiting for Revan to do one wrong move. Although it was unlikely, it was still possible that he would reach out to the Force. The Masters were waiting for that, ready to react immediately.
The rest of the Council was only staring at Revan, silently agreeing to treat their prisoner in such a way. Slowly, the Dark Lord of the Sith bowed his head slightly before lifting it up in an affirmative nod.
"Very well then," Atris commented with a victorious smirk dancing in the corners of her lips. She nodded at other Jedi Masters. As one, they've all started entering Revan's mind. With the neural disruptor just removed from his neck, Revan's senses were eager to absorb all sensations from around him. Unfortunately for him, what he absorbed the most was pain, caused by twelve people entering his mind. He let out a small gasp, unable to do anything else; the pain immobilized him more effectively than a Force Stasis. His mind was being raided, and he could do nothing to stop it. He could only feel.
The Council members have found themselves in a place that resembled a library – the very same Library located in the Jedi Archives. Small cubes, resembling Holocrons, were lying on the numerous shelves. Atris had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised. She smirked; it couldn't have been any easier. It was almost as if Revan himself wanted them to gain access to his memories. The Grand Master looked around, noticing that the other Council members were also smiling. Even Vandar and Nomi seemed to be glad that it turned out to be so easy.
Master Vrook approached one of the shelves with Master Q'Anilia accompanying him. It seemed way too easy. The old Jedi picked up one of the Holocrons and turned around to face the other Masters. Atris nodded her head, giving him permission to open it. A few other Council members have followed her lead and also nodded their heads. Q'Anilia placed her small hand on his shoulders, staring at the Holocron with her unseeing eyes, hidden behind the veil.
"Be careful," she muttered. Vrook nodded his head before rotating the small cube in his hands as if he wasn't sure if he should open it. After all, it was Revan's mind – there could be traps waiting for them. Cautiously, he unlocked the small Holocron.
To his and the other Masters' surprise, nothing has happened. Vrook watched helplessly as the Holocron disappeared from his hands, shattering into countless tiny pieces. The old Master looked around, disorientated. The other Council members had similar perplexed expressions on their faces. Atris was the first one to shake off the initial shock.
"It can't be," she muttered, approaching another shelf. She didn't waste time on wondering which Holocron to pick and if she should really open it. She unlocked it immediately, only for it to shatter into countless tiny pieces, just as the first one.
"Son of a bitch," Lucien commented. He joined Atris and started opening random Holocrons, although his efforts turned out to be in vain – the result was always the same. The other Masters have followed their lead, and soon twelve people were scanning the Library frantically, but none of them had found anything. It didn't take them long to destroy every single Holocron – each one of them turned out to be empty.
"He had to remove everything from his mind," Q'Anilia commented simply. "Or hide it from us."
"Impossible," Atris countered immediately. "That's impossible!" she screamed, enraged.
"Not exactly," Vandar replied, drawing the attention of the other Masters. Atris made her way through the other people and approached the oldest Jedi alive. She quickly noticed that he was staring at the floor. Following his gaze with her eyes, she found something that caused her breath to get stuck in her throat, and her face started turning red from anger.
On the floor, thousands of shattered pieces have formed a single word: 'no.' Atris was staring at the letters, unable to speak or move even a single muscle. Only her face was twitching with anger from time to time.
"Son of a bitch," Lucien muttered again. The other Masters were equally stunned.
Atris started shaking uncontrollably. Even despite their surroundings, Master Vandar could easily sense her hatred and anger, radiating off of the Grand Master in waves. Her emotions were so strong that the tiny Jedi could almost touch them with his own hands. He furrowed his eyebrows as he gazed upon the much younger woman. Some of the other Masters have sensed Atris' emotions as well, subconsciously wondering if her eyes turned gold. With a quick movement of her hand, Atris drew her lightsaber and ignited the azure blade.
"What are you doing?" Master Nomi asked, surprised at Atris' actions and suspicious of her intentions.
"This is still Revan's mind," she replied, looking around the Library; the shelves were empty, and the Holocrons were lying on the floor, destroyed. "If I can't get anything from him, then I'm going to make him give me what I want," Atris explained, raising her weapon; she hauled off, ready to strike at the nearest shelf that she believed was a representation of Revan's mind before any of the Masters could react.
However, before the Grand Master managed to attack the interior of the Sith Lord's mind, a loud roar rang across the entire Library, causing the shelves to shake slightly, threatening to collapse on the gathered Jedi Masters. The Council members looked around, stunned, feeling the blood freezing in their veins. They didn't have to participate in the Great Hunt to recognize that sound – it was a source of nightmare for many Younglings and even adult Masters, especially those old enough to remember the events that led to the deaths of many Jedi.
The shelves started shaking again, although not continuously but with short intervals. Each trembling was accompanied by a soft thud that reverberated through the floor and the walls of the Library. One by one, the Jedi Masters turned around, attempting to locate the source of the terrible sound; twelve lightsabers were waiting in the hands of their wielders, one ignited and eleven ready to be brought to life.
Atris was almost certain that it was nothing but a trick, prepared by Revan, simply to scare them off. Despite having pale skin all her life, she paled even further when she saw that it was not a trick. The temperature around the Masters seemed to drop drastically as they stared in disbelief at the creature that was slowly approaching them.
It appeared seemingly out of nowhere, taking slow steps towards the group of Jedi Masters. It followed the scent of the Force to its source; the entire Library was shaking with each step the beast took. The mutation caused by the Dark Side and the Sith Alchemy has caused the Terentateks to become immune to Force attacks, and their hides were thicker than Rancors'. One by one, the Jedi Masters started igniting their lightsabers, preparing to defend themselves against the beast.
Suddenly, another roar rang through the halls of the Library, though it came from an opposite direction. Stunned, the Masters turned around; their eyes widened after noticing another Terentatek approaching them, seemingly out of nowhere. Instinctively, they formed a circle, protecting each other's back without removing their eyes from the beasts. Determination filled Atris as she prepared herself to fight against anything that Revan's mind was going to throw on them.
A third roar traveled through the Library, though it didn't come from the two creatures that were slowly approaching the Jedi Masters. The shelves started shaking much more violently as another Terentatek joined its two brothers, following the scent of the Force to the circle of the Council members.
"They have been wiped out," Atris reminded the other Masters, trying to maintain her resolve, though she had to admit that she felt cold shivers running down her spine. The Great Hunt was organized to get rid of the Terentateks in the Known Galaxy, not in Revan's mind. "Our ancestors have killed hundreds if not thousands of them, and we can do the same," she added, speaking with more confidence than she felt.
Unlike previously, the appearance of the fourth beast was not heralded by a vicious roar. The Jedi Masters decreased the distance between themselves, tightening the defensive circle. Some of the Council members looked up cautiously, wanting to make sure that the shelves wouldn't collapse on them. Luckily for them, the furniture didn't pose a threat to the group of Jedi.
Another roar, one far louder and more menacing than all the previous three combined. The footsteps that followed were causing even the walls and the floor to shake; dust fell from the Library's ceiling, landing on the Masters' heads. The monster that soon came into view turned out to be at least twice the size of the previous four Terentateks. Its head was bowed, due to its weight, and it was dragging its claws on the marble floor of the Library, ripping through it as if it was made of paper. Its fangs could almost match the size of a fully grown person; a green liquid was gathered at their tips.
The fifth beast raised its head and let out a sound similar to sniffing that sent cold shivers down the Masters' spines. A short while later, it started salivating, no doubt eager to feed on the nearby Force Sensitives. It increased its pace, followed closely by its four brothers, threatening to reach the Jedi Masters in a moment.
Master Draay raised his hand, although he was well aware that the Terentateks were immune to the Force attacks. He channeled the Force through his body, sending it towards his outstretched palm.
Only for nothing to happen.
Not only the Terentateks didn't stop their advances, but Lucien Draay also hasn't felt the usual sensation that accompanied the usage of the Force. It was as if some invisible strength blocked his connection to the Force, not allowing him to draw upon it when he most needed it. The other Masters noticed it as well, causing fear to settle in them more firmly.
"Those beasts awaken from their hibernation when the Dark Side is strong in the Galaxy," Master Q'Anilia spoke, trying to keep her voice calm, though it was trembling a little. "And, right now, we're in Revan's head – in the whole Known Space, you won't be able to find a place more strong with the Dark Side."
Nonetheless, Atris wasn't a person to give up easily. The Force wouldn't aid them against the Terentateks even in the real world, but they still had their lightsabers. She swung it in her hand… only to find her movements clumsy and uncoordinated. Her eyes widened in fear and shock as her gaze traveled from the beast to the hilt of her weapon. Despite never taking part in any serious combat, she still was skilled when it came to wielding the lightsaber. However, at that moment, it seemed as if all this training has never happened, and her muscles didn't remember a single thing. To her horror, she noticed that her companions seemed to have similar problems with wielding their own weapons.
"We must get out," Master Sunrider spoke firmly, though fear accompanied her words. She turned off her lightsaber and retreated deeper into the circle. Atris turned her head to stare at the other Master, surprised by her words. In a few seconds, Nomi Sunrider disappeared from the Library, and from Revan's mind.
Using the fact that the Terentateks haven't yet reached them, many of the Masters followed Nomi's example, and started disappearing from Revan's mind, further decreasing their chances of winning against the beasts. And only when she was left alone, Atris had decided to retreat as well, mere seconds before the Terentateks managed to reach her.
The Council sat in their seats in silence, somewhat grateful that they had managed to escape Revan's mind with their lives. However, they had absolutely no idea what to think about what they had just witnessed. The Dark Lord of the Sith has managed to defend his mind and its mysteries, but the majority of the Masters had actually expected him to, at least, try to do that. What none of them considered, though, was that Revan would be able to succeed at that and fight off the might of all twelve Masters combined. To top it off, they've made sure to weaken his mind with the strongest neural disruptor they had in the Temple.
One by one, they turned their eyes towards Revan. He was still kneeling on the marble floor with his head dropped; the neural disruptor and the recent attack had depleted his strengths significantly. His black hair was covering his features, but one tiny detail was visible behind the dark curtain – his lips were curled up in a smile. Or rather, a smug grin. His muscles didn't allow him to do anything more than that.
"Did you real… really th… th… think, that I wou… would go out withou… without a f… fight?" Revan managed to ask, forcing the muscles of his face to work, despite their protest. His lips were shaking, not allowing him to form words without a struggle. His breathing was shallow; his lungs weren't getting enough oxygen for him to function properly. Revan chuckled quietly, forcing himself to raise his head.
Atris was furious; she was shaking visibly, gripping tightly the armrest of her chair. Vrook and Lucien, who were sitting on both her sides, feared that she would break the piece of furniture. The Grand Master stood up quickly and closed the distance between herself and their prisoner in a blink of an eye. The silence, which fell upon the Council Chambers after Revan's words, was broken by a loud smack. Revan's head flew to the side after receiving the slap in the face from Atris. The strength behind the blow was so great that his body followed his head, almost causing him to fall to the floor.
"I see that you haven't learned anything for the past week," she commented with the same cold tone as before. A week? Was it only a week? Revan could swear that he spent at least a month in that cell. He looked up at Atris, still grinning, despite the sudden strike. The upside of being electrocuted for such a long time was that his pain threshold had increased greatly. He almost didn't feel Atris' blow.
"Careful, A… Atris," he stuttered. "Anger leads to th… the Dark S… Side," he finished. Slowly but steadily, the numbness of his muscles was fading away. Revan earned himself yet another slap in the face from the Grand Master, aimed at his second cheek. His head flew to the side again, but his smirk didn't fade away. Atris was seething with anger at that point.
"Your arrogance seems to know no boundaries, Revan," Vandar spoke. Revan managed to look in his direction, finding the tiny Jedi Master with his eyes. "You're still headstrong and proud, just as you've used to be as a Padawan, and later, as a Knight," he added, though his words weren't filled with anger, unlike Atris'. Revan chuckled at that.
"Of course, I am the arrogant one," he commented without stuttering. His tongue wasn't fighting against him anymore. He chuckled again.
"How were you able to defend yourself?!" Atris yelled at him, demanding an answer. Revan returned his gaze slowly towards the Grand Master of the Order.
"I've studied countless teaching of the ancient Sith," Revan revealed to her, somehow taking some of the Masters by surprise. Although it was expected of him, it was still difficult for a few of them to learn that their former pupil had fallen so far. "You will never be able to rival my knowledge about the arts of the mind," he finished, continuing to smirk smugly.
"But this will do the trick," Atris commented, encircling Revan's neck with something that the man didn't manage to see. Before he knew it, he was once again trapped within the confines of the neural disruptor, although it was much weaker than the one he was forced to wear for the past week. "I will find a way to get inside your mind," Atris promised him, poking the side of his head. "And if that means that I'll have to crack open your skull, I won't have any second thoughts about that," she said, reaching for her lightsaber that was clipped to her belt.
"And you dare to say that you value all life?" Revan replied immediately, deciding to use the Jedi Code against the Council. Truth be told, he was terrified. He had absolutely no doubts that Atris would fulfill her threat, especially that the other Masters weren't doing anything to stop her. The leader of the Jedi Order has ignited her lightsaber; Revan felt the heat of the blade on his face. "Go ahead, Atris," he challenged her, still subconsciously hoping that he would be able to find an ally in at least one of the other Masters. "Wipe me out from the face of the Galaxy. But if you do, don't dare to call me the arrogant one," he added, causing Atris to hesitate, at least for a split second. "Have you already forgotten about the threat you'd warned us during the Mandalorian Wars? Have you forgotten that I had contacted you a year ago to warn you about that threat?" he asked, looking the Grand Master directly in the eyes.
"The only threat that laid behind the Mandalorians was you, Revan," Q'Anilia commented. Some of the Jedi Masters nodded their heads in agreement. Revan chuckled again. "Your entrance into the war is what caused many Jedi to die, and countless others have fallen to the Dark Side. And that's all because of you. Tell me, Revan, how can you live with yourself, knowing that Meetra's and Malak's – your friends' – lives were lost to the Dark Side?" she asked. "How can you live with yourself, knowing that it is all your fault?"
"My fault?" Revan asked in disbelief. "How dare you blame me for Meetra's fate?" he asked, spitting at Atris' feet. "You've exiled her, even though she was the only one to return to Coruscant after Malachor V!"
"It was a time of great uncertainty," Kavar replied, straightening himself in his chair. Deep down, he still mourned the loss of his Padawan. "We had to make an example out of her."
"Of course," Revan commented, nodding his head slightly. "She needed your help, and you cast her out – a noble act, indeed."
"Be silent!" Lucien ordered, rising from his seat.
"Truth hurts?" Revan queried, looking at the Jedi Master.
"We should just kill you now," Vrook stated, putting one of his legs on top of the other. Some of the Council members were shocked after hearing his words, especially after hearing Revan's previous accusation. However, the majority nodded their heads in approval. "The Dark Side swirls around you even now as we speak; this evil that you represent must be stopped."
"I bet that Tol Cressa has demanded it from you," Revan muttered. "Go on, then. What are you waiting for? As you can see, I am unarmed and unable to defend myself," he teased the Jedi Masters. "But be aware that by doing so, you will put an end to the Republic and the Order," he added with a smirk.
"What do you mean by that?" Nomi queried, also rising from her seat. She approached Revan and Atris and placed a calming hand on the Grand Master's shoulder; it didn't seem to bring any result.
"You will find out quickly if you decide to kill me now," he replied, continuing to smirk. His words were followed by a small chuckle. "If I go down, I'll take someone with me," he revealed to them, recalling everything he knew about the Force Bonds. He noticed Master Vrook stiffening in his seat. Good, he knows. "And when I do," he continued. "You will never be able to defeat Malak and that which shall come after him."
"Your threats are empty, Revan," Atris countered, not believing him. "You're not in a position to endanger us in any way. Not anymore," she added, lifting her lightsaber high above her head, ready to strike the Dark Lord down. The blue light was reflected on one side of Revan's face and in his eyes, wide with shock and fear.
"Put away your blade, Atris," Nomi spoke, intervening in the last moment possible. Revan's small sigh of relief has failed to escape her attention. "We've tried your way to make him talk. Perhaps it is the time to use the Jedi way," she suggested, knowing very well that she had just insulted the Grand Master with her words. Atris stared into the older woman's eyes, trying to intimidate her. However, Nomi has managed to endure her hateful gaze. "Besides, we need the information that is inside of his brain," she added, whispering those words so only Atris could hear her. "By killing him, all of it will be lost forever."
"I agree with Master Sunrider," Vandar said, joining the discussion. "None of us have a single doubt that we have a Sith in front of us right now, but we cannot lower ourselves to his level," he reasoned with the Council, earning himself a few mutters of agreement from several Masters. "We are the leaders of the Jedi Order. If we allow ourselves to act as the Sith this one time, how can we possibly hope to keep our students on the path of the light?" he asked, looking around the Council Chambers. Even more of the Masters started agreeing with him. "Evil can only be stopped with good, not another evil."
"What do you propose, Master Vandar?" Zez-Kai Ell asked from his seat, watching him carefully. "Do you really believe that Revan would talk if we just asked him? We've tried that a week ago," he reminded the other Masters. All of them nodded their heads in agreement.
"It certainly wouldn't hurt to try again," he countered, approaching the broken Sith Lord. "You've mentioned something about the threat behind the Mandalorians," Vandar said, addressing the prisoner; he decided to begin the conversation from another topic. "Perhaps you would like to say something more about that?" he suggested. Revan only huffed at that.
"You hadn't listened to me a year ago," he reminded the Jedi Masters. "Why would you listen to me now?" he asked, looking Vandar straight in the eyes. Their gazes met at the same level at that point. "I have nothing else to tell you," he added, turning his head to the side, refusing to look at any of them; the neural disruptor was slowly starting to have its effect on him.
"So much for your idea," Atris commented sarcastically; her lightsaber was still turned on.
"Not so fast, Atris," Nomi scolded her, squeezing the younger woman's shoulder. "We didn't say that Revan doesn't deserve a punishment for his actions, but there is another solution," she said, looking at the Sith, who was kneeling in front of her. Revan sensed her gaze upon himself and raised his head, looking her in the eyes. "There is a way to put an end to the threat you are, Revan, without ending your life," she said calmly; it was that calmness of her voice that terrified him the most at that moment. "We have the power to cut you off from the Force, and I'm afraid that it's what must be done," she revealed to all the people gathered in the Chambers. The Masters ponded on her words for a while. Revan only gasped in shock; Nomi could easily sense his fear.
"If we enter his mind again, we will most likely die in the process," Q'Anilia said, reminding everyone about the creatures inside Revan's head.
"If we do that by ourselves, then yes," Nomi agreed with the Miraluka. "But there is someone who can help us."
"Bastila," Vrook guessed after a moment. Nomi smiled at him.
"Her Battle Meditation should give us the advantage we need," she clarified, looking back at Revan. He was staring at the floor, shaking with fear. "I think we can dismiss him for now," she commented. "We will summon you before us when all the preparations are done," she informed him. Nomi quickly contacted the Temple Guards, who were waiting outside the Chambers, and ordered them to take the prisoner away. The Council members watched as the Sith Lord was being escorted back to his prison.
Bastila's peace that she had managed to achieve in the Room of a Thousand Fountains was shattered. She felt Revan. At first, she was surprised that she could sense him, even though she was so far away from him that she had almost forgotten that he was in the Temple. That's why she was so surprised to feel the pain that her former best friend was feeling.
Why have you betrayed me? His words echoed within her mind. Bastila has found herself on the verge of tears. She could clearly sense what was happening to Revan, and she couldn't believe that the Council had given permission for that to occur.
Bastila felt every splash of the whip, every jolt of electricity, Revan's hunger, and his pain when the Masters have invaded his mind. She could sense everything, even if lessened significantly. She could only imagine, though she feared to do that, what Revan was actually going through.
Revan was tossed back into his cell unceremoniously. The Temple Guards have turned the force field back on and left the room, leaving the four prisoners alone. The Dark Lord still had his hands and legs cuffed, and he struggled to get himself into a comfortable position. He was staring absentmindedly on the wall of his cell, sitting on his knees; his face wasn't showing any emotions.
"What happened out there?" Rex asked, daring to break the silence. They hadn't been speaking for days at that point, and he was afraid that Revan wouldn't answer him again. And he didn't; he was only swaying back and forth on his knees.
They're going to kill me, he kept repeating in his mind. Despite the fact that it wasn't entirely true, that's what life without the Force would mean to him. He would be degraded to no one. After achieving so much in his short life, he would be cast down to the very bottom.
"They're going to kill me," he whispered after a moment of silence, surprising his soldiers. After hearing his words, the three men stood up immediately, enraged.
"But you've said that…" Fox started saying, but he was quickly silenced by Revan's outstretched hand.
"I know what I've said," he countered, not looking at any of them. "But I was wrong," he admitted shamefully with a resigned sigh.
"How is it going to happen?" Wolffe asked, watching him intensively. All of his men wanted to know the answer to that question.
"They're going to cut me off from the Force," he revealed to them. He wasn't sure if Bastila would suffer the same fate, but he was certain that she would feel his pain. Revan heard a relieved sigh escaping Fox's mouth.
"Don't scare us like that," he replied. "It's not the same fate as death."
"It is to me," Revan countered, finally looking at his men. "For a Jedi, it is a fate even worse than death," he clarified, recalling what Meetra was going through after Malachor V. "And I'm afraid they're going to punish you similarly to me," he continued speaking. "But you're not Force Sensitives. I'm afraid you will be killed," he added, whispering the last sentence.
"We are warriors," Rex replied immediately. "We've always been ready to die."
"Warriors die on the battlefield, as free men," Revan countered, looking at him. "Not in chains like a slave. I'm so sorry that I've got you into this," he added after a moment of silence. "This is all my fault."
The four men were silent after that. Rex, Fox, and Wolffe were only staring at their leader, unable to speak. Fear for their lives has started making its way into their minds.
Bastila was staring at Master Sunrider absentmindedly. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. It can't be true, she reasoned with herself. She had to mishear.
"I'm sorry, Masters, but I'm not sure if I have understood correctly, what you have just said," she replied after a few minutes of silence.
"Revan is too dangerous to be left as he is now," Nomi explained to her patiently. "Cutting him off from the Force is our only option now," she said. Why have you betrayed me? Revan's words resonated inside her mind with full strength. Only then has Bastila truly realized what he meant by that; she felt tears stinging her eyes. She had to hold them back, though, at least for as long as she remained in the Council Chambers. She would allow them to fall freely once she was back in the safety of her own room.
It wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening.
"But, cutting one off from the Force can result in one's death," she said, looking at the old Jedi Master.
"We are aware of that," Vrook replied, gaining her attention. Bastila looked at her mentor, not believing her ears.
"Then how can it even be considered?" Bastila asked, looking around. None of the Masters seemed to share her objections. "It goes directly against the Jedi Code!"
"It depends," Master Q'Anilia countered, scrutinizing the young Padawan with her unseeing eyes. "When someone is being cut off from the Force, they are given a choice. They can give it up and still live or cling to it desperately and perish with it. So, in the end, it will be Revan's decision whether he lives or dies," she explained to her.
"That's no choice at all," Bastila argued. "The Force is everything for a Jedi."
"You seem to forget that Revan is no longer a Jedi," Atris countered, scolding Bastila. "He's a Sith now."
"That doesn't make any difference!"
"Control your emotions, young one," Vrook reprimanded her. Young one, she thought. Revan would always call her by her name or some nickname, but her master wouldn't. He only referred to her as 'Padawan,' 'child,' 'kid,' or 'young one.' He has never called her directly by her name. Was that what she was in her mentor's eyes? A nameless student? "This is why the Jedi are forbidden to form attachments. We are well aware of your previous friendship with Revan," he informed her, earning himself a surprised look from Bastila, though she quickly tried to hide it. "But Revan that you grew up with is long dead. It's time for you to accept that."
"There is a reason why we are telling you this," Nomi said, gaining her attention once again. Bastila looked at the old Master. "Revan has proven himself to be… uncooperative today," she informed her. "But we are sure that your Battle Meditation could lessen his resilience and allow us to deal with him. You will be accompanying us tomorrow."
"You are dismissed, Padawan," Vrook said before she could reply. "Go back to your room and get some rest. You will be needing it most certainly. We will summon you when the time is right."
Bastila spun around on her heel and left the Jedi Council, unable to speak. She didn't remember anything from her walk back to her quarters. Her mind was going through everything she had just heard. It took her hours to cry herself into a restless sleep.
