Author's Note:Good day everyone! I'm happy to give you all the next chapter in Revan's latest tail. I apologize for the length, I normally go for something longer, but things have been busy lately and I've had less time to write. Enjoy!
Aboard the Ebon Hawk
Revan set the ship on autopilot as they made the jump to lightspeed. He knew how to gain Skirata's trust, the answer was right in his face. They needed to rescue his sons from Coruscant. But that would take time to plan. The Imperial blockade around Coruscant was undoubtedly growing stronger every day. Palpatine was no fool. Revan was sure of that. No. He needed to incorporate complexity into his plans of the likes he hadn't been forced to implement since his Dark Lord days as a Supreme Commander. It was easy to move around the galaxy unnoticed with everyone's attention focused on the war. But now, he needed to rely on the side of caution. Revan himself couldn't enter the public eye, not yet. He was nowhere near ready.
He stood up from his chair and thought back to what Skirata had said earlier. A mandalorian named Shysa had already declared himself Mandalore. The question was, had Shysa found Mandalore's Mask? If he had, Spar needed only to challenge the man to single combat, as was their people's tradition. However, if he had not claimed the mask, then his role as Mandalore was a false one, should another find the mask.
Revan stepped into the main hold of the ship. Spar was there, sitting at the main console as he flicked through the different star systems.
"Skirata mentioned a man named Fenn Shysa. Who is he?" Revan inquired.
"He's one of the Protectors; they're essentially all that's left of the True Mandalorians. He's been attempting to convince every clone he can find to become Mandalore because we're regarded as Fett heirs in the eyes of some people."
"So why did he become Mandalore?"
"Your guess is as good as mine; I would assume it was because he knows what's going to happen if there was no Mandalore. The Empire would come and take what they want, and there'd be no way for us to fight back if we wanted to."
"Alright, tell me. Does Shysa have Mandalore's Mask?"
"No, I don't think he does." Spar responded.
"Alright, then we have to find it."
"And why can't I just go and challenge Shysa to single combat for the title?" Spar countered
"Because, without the mask there's no legitimacy to your claim as Mandalore. But if we can find the mask, your title of Mandalore would go unquestioned, it would have to be accepted by the clans."
"Alright then where do we find it?"
"If I knew that then we'd already be there. Where was the last Mandalore killed?"
"The last Mandalore? That was Mandalore the Hammerborn. He died around nine years before the Battle of Galidraan, he was killed by the Death Watch, but two of his Protectors escaped."
"Well do we know who they were? Maybe we can find them and that'll point us in the right direction."
Spar shook his head, "No, not possible. They were both killed at Galidraan."
Revan paused then said, "I have only heard and read about the Battle of Galidraan briefly since I arrived to this time period. I know the battle ended in a massacre for the True Mandalorians, but I would appreciate some details."
Spar nodded and began. "The Battle of Galidraan, was twenty five years ago. The Death Watch and the True Mandalorians were fighting on the planet. A local politician gave up the True Mandalorians to the Republic, claiming they were the Death Watch. Tor Vizsla and the rest of the Death Watch escaped when a team of Jedi landed on the planet. Jango was the only Mandalorian to survive the massacre.
Revan nodded to indicate he was paying attention and waited to see if Spar had anything else to add. He looked like he did but suddenly, Fett's clone hesitated and his eyes went wide, "Wait… that's it."
"What is it?" Revan asked him curiously.
"The mask. It's on Galidraan. I'm sure of it," Spar stated.
"How do you know that?"
"Jango's memories. Something went wrong with the cloning process. I inherited his memories, I remember everything…" Spar's voice trailed off as he remembered Jango watching all three hundred of his men die before his eyes. He remembered how Jango killed six Jedi with only his bare hands. "The mask is on Galidraan. I'm sure of it."
Revan took a deep breath, "If you're sure of it, then we'll leave for Galidraan as soon as we refuel back at Tython."
"Revan, if you don't mind. I would rather handle this one on my own… it's more of a personal matter for me if I'm going to become Mandalore." Spar requested.
Revan glanced at the warrior sitting beside him, "If you need to do this alone then I won't stop you. But, it doesn't hurt to have someone watching your back. I'll stay in orbit around the planet while you retrieve the mask."
Spar nodded, "Thank you."
Coruscant – Imperial City
Darth Vader stepped off of his personal shuttle. He had just returned from eliminating another Jedi Knight. Their numbers were dwindling quickly, while the Empire tightened its grip on the star systems across the galaxy. Where once they arrived as liberators of the droid army, they now returned as conquerors.
An imperial officer approached him, wearing the new solid black uniform given to ranking officials within the Imperial Army.
"Lord Vader, the Emperor demands you make contact with him."
"Dispatch the 501st to Kuat," The Sith lord ordered. "We must ensure the shipyards understand our current arrangement."
"As you wish my Lord."
Vader left the officer on the platform. In the month since the Empire's declaration, he had been working tirelessly to ensure the authority of the Empire was accepted across the galaxy. The small pockets of resistance that did exist fell swiftly to the might of imperial Stormtroopers.
Still, as his work to control the Empire kept him focused, Anakin Skywalker still pulled at him when he allowed his thoughts to stray. But the Jedi wasn't strong enough to break Vader's resolve. The Sith Lord would not rest until Skywalker's former master no longer drew breath.
Vader stepped through the Imperial Palace. The former Jedi Temple had been entirely reconverted into the seat of his master's power. The halls were redecorated and restructured until no trace of the Jedi remained. Another part of Vader's forgotten life reduced to nothing more than durasteel and dust.
The royal guards stood at the entrance to the Emperor's throne room.
"I must speak with my master." The guards stood silently as the Lord stepped inside the chamber. Darth Vader glanced at his master sitting upon his thrown before kneeling before him.
"What is thy bidding, my master?" Vader remained still.
"Lord Vader. There is a great disturbance in the Force."
"I have felt it." Vader replied. Ever since Order sixty-six had been issued, Vader could feel a presence within the force. There was something growing in the regions of the galaxy unknown to him.
"We must move quickly. There is something moving against us."
"The Jedi are regrouping." Vader declared. He wasn't sure what other explanation could be possible, a Jedi strike against the Empire was the only realistic response.
"Perhaps. And even then, perhaps not. If it is not the Jedi, I sense that it shall lead us to them."
"Such as Kenobi." Vader stated, a hint of resentment in his voice.
"Perhaps, if he still lives. For now, patience my friend, I have dispatched spies to Kashyyyk, and other planets known to have strong Jedi ties. Should we find them, I trust you to eliminate them, Lord Vader."
"It shall be done, my master." Vader replied.
Tython's Orbit – Star Forge
The Ebon Hawk docked in one of the Star Forge's hangars shortly after exiting hyperspace. As the ramp lowered, Revan could see the maintenance droids through the durasteel window making preparations to refuel the vessel. As the pair left the ship to check if there were news from the others, the automatic doors at the mouth of the hangar opened and Dooku came through.
Revan raised an eyebrow at his quick presence. He had tried to hail Dooku when they exited hyperspace near the Star Forge but the Count had not replied. He must have been on route towards this particular hangar. But even if he felt them arrive through the Force, it should have taken him longer to walk all the way to their current position in the gargantuan space factory.
Before he could comment about it, the elderly man approached Spar and inclined his head in…Revan wasn't sure. Deference? Apologetic regret? His eyebrow rose much higher, however, when he heard the next thing that came out of his mouth.
"Please, allow me to accompany you to Galidraan," The Count said in an almost pleading tone.
Spar blinked. He turned to look at Revan but when he noticed he looked as surprised as him he turned back to Dooku and asked the obvious. "How did you even know about that?"
The count took a deep breath, and Revan thought he appeared to be trying to quell ghosts from his past. The former Sith Lord wasn't far off.
"I experienced the most powerful Force vision I had felt in decades a couple of hours ago," Dooku exhaled. "In it, I saw the planet that shook my faith in the Jedi Order so long ago: Galidraan. And I saw you, Spar, finding Mandalore's Mask on-world."
Revan quickly analyzed what he was hearing and put two and two together wide eyes. "You were part of the Jedi strike team that was tricked by the corrupt governor into slaughtering the True Mandalorians," Revan realized.
Dooku remained silent but he made no attempt to deny it. Spar was looking at his very, very closely now as if old memories from Jango had spring from his subconscious mind to the forefront. If that was the case however, he said nothing about it. He just stared at Dooku with void detachment that reminded Revan of men that were executioners by profession.
"And what exactly," Spar said with an emotionless tone, "do you think gives you the right to make such a request after having participated in the downfall of the Mandalorian group once led by my clone template?"
Dooku stayed quiet for a long moment. Spar let him; giving him a moment to compose himself before responding. When he started talking again, Revan realized he wouldn't have needed to be Force-sensitive to feel the regret rooted in his tone.
"I committed terrible acts against your people that day," Dooku said flatly, and Revan wondered if he was talking to Spar or if he was hoping Jango Fett could listen through him from beyond the grave. "And even if I hadn't talked about it much since my last years on the order, I have carried that regret with like a lightsaber blade looming over my neck, just waiting for the right time to distract me with that regret in the middle of battle and behead me," Dooku confessed. "The truth is, I don't have the right to ask you to take me with you to Galidraan in your search for your culture's mask of all things after I heavily participated in the attack that nearly destroyed it but I want to make amends. Take me with you and I will gladly use my visions to guide you to the mask."
Spar seemed to be considering his words carefully and he took his time doing so. Then he raised his chin as he locked gazes with Dooku. "Will you follow my lead when it comes to Mandalorian matters and accept not to interfere if I ask?"
Dooku nodded as he voiced his agreement. Spar looked thoughtful for a moment before slowly closing the distance between him and Dooku. If Revan had been more attuned to Shatterpoints than he actually was he may have been able to confirm his suspicion that what was unfolding before him was a shatterpoint surrounding an event. Without a clear knowledge of what may happen if he chose to interfere, however, he decided to remain completely still and quiet.
Spar stopped walking directly in front of Dooku and Revan let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding when the clone extending his hand and Dooku shook it with enthusiasm. "Then let your decision to make amends for my people be the first step in that journey of yours," Spar said with a deep tone and a small smile.
"Of course," Dooku said with a nod just as the maintenance droids announced they were done with refueling the Ebon Hawk.
Revan was about tell them to get onboard when he sensed another presence on the hangar…one that shouldn't be there. His jaw dropped when he recognized it wasn't his friend Gonar Endac the one who was known to history as the Jedi Exile.
As soon as that presence registered in his senses, the Force spun wildly around him, with multiple visions of the future intersecting his perception at once. Many possible outcomes filled his gaze but one thing became as certain to him as the fact he was alive: the best outcome for the near future from his visions would come to pass if he allowed Dooku and Spar to travel to Galidraan to get the mask and then head down to the Jedi Temple on Tython as soon as possible.
The entire burst of epiphanies had only lasted a couple of seconds but his sudden conviction was iron clad by then.
"May the Force be with you both then," Revan said.
"Wait, you are not coming?" Spar said as he blinked.
"You said you wanted to make this a personal trip," Revan pointed out. "Three is a crowd in this regard and besides, Dooku has history with that planet and the events surrounding the True Mandalorians. Me? Not so much. But don't worry, I will try to prepare something in the meantime that could help us rescue Skirata's sons from Coruscant. Just let me know when you are done. Oh," Revan added with a grin, "and don't you dare scratch the paint on my ship."
"All right," Spar said after a pause. "Take care Revan." And with that, he headed towards the Ebon Hawk, with Dooku following close behind.
Revan watched them ignite the engines and head out. As soon as he was devoid of organic company he said aloud. "All right, show yourself."
Nothing happened. Revan sighed and decided to follow his gut feeling and head down to Tython.
AN: Well, there you have it! I recently reread the Revan novel and it reminded me that we cannot have a Mandalore without Mandalore's mask, and while I've been waiting to hear back on the conclusion from my beta reader in regards to Plagueis and Barriss, I wanted to add something to the story. So here you are. Thanks everyone!
-CaptainCakeless117