Chapter 15
"If you are here to tell me I must wear a restraining collar you need not bother." Skye said tossing said item to Bastila as the knight stepped into their shared quarters. "Inspect it. You will see that it is fully operational."
"You heard then the conditions the Masters have stipulated will take place in order for this…contest to continue?"
"No. I suspected as much. Onasi is no match for me in a melee contest even before my Jedi training. There is no opposition or defence he can offer if the playing field is not levelled. This is an honour match. No honour can be maintained if the fight holds great disadvantages for one of the combatants."
"Then you mean to go through with this." Shan said in a voice that wasn't at all surprised.
"I have had enough of him. He gave me little choice."
"There is always a choice."
"Yes. I chose not to kill him." Ravensong said matter-of-factly. "Had I not taken the oath of the Jedi, he would be. This match would still have happened but it would have been to the death, not to the pain of surrender." The chill in her voice frightened Bastila. "Now either put that thing on me or give it back so I can do it."
Shan shook her head and for a moment it looked like she was going to hand the collar back instead she put it around the neck of the Nagai, but didn't activate it. When Skye gave her a questioning look Bastila offered the explanation. "Once you're on the field it will be activated. Skye those collars… they zap your energy so swiftly it will bring you to your knees. How you plan on fighting with it on?"
"I was conditioned within the Monastery as a youngling to overcome the effects of the collars. The Tof like to place them on their captives when they process them for slavery. Those trained to be a Nightblade are especially conditioned to withstand it. Our actions are slowed but we are not incapacitated. Besides if you can withstand the effects via the Force who is to say I cannot?"
Bastila visibly winced. "Skye… just…." she signed. "Be mindful, this will not be the same was it was during your time at the monastery." She said the words as if she were chewing on something acidic-ly bitter.
"No dire warnings about razor edges, heretical thoughts or the dark side?" Skye challenged, a little surprised at the words offered by her bond-mate.
"The Masters are allowing this. What is there for me to say? I trust in their wisdom. Besides Carth did bring this upon himself and the Masters may have foreseen the necessity of this honour-bout to quell his paranoia which could hamper the success of our mission."
'A fallen foe may rise again but the reconciled one is truly vanquished.' Perhaps this contest is the best way to reconcile whatever difference lay between Ravensong and Onasi. For clearly there is one.' Bastila pondered.
She watched as Skye methodically disrobed her clothing and placed them on her bed. Her boots she placed near her footlocker which she stored her training saber. She then put her robe back on. At Bastila's questing eyebrow the Nagai shrugged, saying only: "Propriety's sake."
The only weapon she carried was the Tehk'la honour blade. The blades themselves were far from ceremonial. They featured both a serrated edge and vibration generators to aggravate damage when withdrawn from a wound. Additionally, the blade was well balanced, capable of being used with the offhand by those who were capable of using two weapons simultaneously. The balanced blade also made it a useful throwing knife. These weapons were not simply used to battle opponents but to cripple them upon victory.
The Nagai warriors never parted with them willingly. To have one and not be a Nagai it was said it was either taken off their corpse or it was thrown at you and if it hit, you were either dead or going to die when it was pulled out of you. And if it was deliberately thrown at your feet, that meant they wanted it back by duelling.
Skye Ravensong: Nightblade of the Nagai Monastery, Disciple of the Night Mother and Jedi Neophyte wanted her blade back.
KOTOR~KOTOR~KOTOR~KOTOR~KOTOR~KOTOR
Her blade was a part of her, like the stinger of a wasp. How in blazes was he supposed to fight her? Carth shook his head; there was no way he could stand up to Ravensong in a melee contest. He seen her take down Marl the blademaster in Adjuur's arena and defeat him, Twitch and Starkiller… both masters of firearms, both felled. And that was before the Jedi training.
Carth had no great skill with a combat knife never mind duelling with a dagger, no more than any other solider passing through Basic that is. Holding the honour blade a… Tehk'la if he remembered the proper name of it correctly, he felt the remarkable balance of it. It was finely honed, its serrated teeth sharpened into a razor's keen biting edges. The vibro-generator made it an even more deadly weapon. Nearly as deadly as a lightsaber in the right hands. Since she was the age of four, Ravensong had been trained in a Nagai monastery to master the martial arts. Of course, all Nagai trained within the monastery were instructed to be an assassin or so persistent rumours claimed.
'How old were you when you took your first life?' Carth wondered. He had heard the rumours and stories about the Knives being sent out to kill their first mark at the age of twelve. Had Skye Ravensong killed so young?
He held the blade as he might have a sword, 'There is no way I can go head to head with her and survive.' He stared at the dagger in his hand and wondered at the true beauty of its forging. It surely was a thing of deadly magnificence, much like the woman who owned it.
'Oh, frack Onasi, how in the hell did you get yourself into this one?'
Maybe if he solicited one of the Masters, they could put an end to this madness. Vrook seemed to be a reasonable man and if Carth was any judge of character he was a bit more sensible than the more indulgent Vandar. He clearly saw something in Ravensong that needed to be tempered, reigned in and leashed lest she become another Revan. If he appealed to Master Vrook, Onasi might get a reprieve. Vrook obviously had no quarter with Skye's flamboyant behaviour. She was more than just a scout now, she was becoming a Jedi it was high time she started to behave like one. Onasi felt like a new man with a new purpose as he set off to find Master Vrook.
As he exited came face to face, or rather it was more fair to say face to knee, with Master Vandar. "Master Vandar?"
"I see that you have yet to prepare for the honour-duel."
"I… I…" the human scratched at a spot at the back of his neck. "I didn't think strutting around the Temple grounds naked was a particularly good idea."
"Is that not what the barrowed robe was for?" the Master challenged. Was it just Onasi's imagination or did the little green impish figure just smirk? "Though I believe the rules of engagement allow for the wearing of undergarments, I find it fascinating that honour duels of the Nagai and contests of battle prowess of the Echani are so very similar and yet the two species could not be more different. Hum… most fascinating."
"Yes, fascinating" Carth humoured the older male. "Sir, I know you said that this was perhaps the only way to smooth things over with Ravensong, but is it very Jedi? I mean isn't she indulging in her people's traditions and not adhering to your Code? Is that allowed?"
"Young Ravensong is an Initiate but she was not raised within the Order as a one. One cannot expect her to suddenly and so very quickly adhere to the precepts of such a ridged code. She is not a droid to be given a memory wipe and orders to obey a new master." For some reason the miniscule master looked away before continuing. "We are allowing this so there might be peace between you. I have been informed that Initiate Ravensong has taken it upon herself to wear a neurocollar so your fears of facing her should be diminished. You have no need to cower, Commander Onasi."
"Cower? I'm no coward…"
But the diminutive Jedi had by this time began to move off leaving Carth to stew in his own predicament. At least there was some hope now. With a collar strapped around her neck Ravensong would be unable to tap into the Force- they'd be on relatively equal ground. Still she was a master of melee combat, and he had only the average training of Alliance training.
Glumly he followed Vandar past the meditative gardens and the Great Oak, to the training grounds. Already masses of students, temple servants and various others had gathered. Sitting at the front were Ravensong's staunchest supporters: the Wookie, the kid and the Mandi. The woman in question was nowhere to be seen. He didn't even see Bastila, which was odd. There were several hooded Jedi standing in the backlines, but no Ravensong, unless she was amongst their numbers.
'No doubt she's meditating somewhere, just ready to spring into action the moment the fight is announced just like she had done on Taris. Fracking brilliant.' Onasi muttered to himself. He looked behind him and saw an empty chair, presumably there for him. He took off his orange flight jacket, boots socks, and gun belt. There was no way he was going to strip down to his skivvies in front of all these people! The very idea of fighting in your underwear was sheer lunacy. It was just another way to humiliate him, Carth knew it, well frack Ravensong, he sure as blazes wouldn't do that!
He stood defiantly with his arms crossed over his chest, the blade strapped to his high feeling heavy and alien.
Voices clambered into a single buzzing almost deafening white noise. As Master Vandar made his way to the center of the training arena the voices gradually stilled until they hushed and grew silent.
"To many this bout no doubt seems to be outside the confines of our Code." He looked directly at Onasi when he said this. "And while Padawans and Knights rely on the wisdom of the Code to steady them, sometimes conflict will still arise. There are times when it is called upon for a Jedi to adapt to a new situation.
"Many times, a Jedi has had to partake of a tribal custom or ritual with another species if only to make peace, open lines of communication or ensure a more diplomatic solution. Sometimes those rituals are of a martial focus: a test of skill or strength. Such contests generally have rules to regulate the outcomes. This is one such contest.
"While the teachings of the Jedi Order discourage a hold-fast to old ties of one's cultural customs for the good of the all and the Jedi Path, we of the Council have made an allowance for today's event. Initiate Ravensong is new to the Order, and what has transpired has happened while in service to the Jedi but before she was inducted into the Order. There is an old wisdom that states: 'A fallen foe may rise again but the reconciled one is truly vanquished.' Today we are here to see a reconciliation between two who should be allies. But fear has blinded one, and anger the other.
"This is a contest of honour, one performed by the Nagai people. It is not a contest to the death, nor to first blood but to the surrender of an opponent. The reason for this contest of honour has come because of careless accusations and swift anger in the retaliation that such accusations are unfounded.
"I see that Commander Onasi stands before us. He stands here today after making numerous claims that Initiate Ravensong is responsible for the attack of the Endar Spire, for the actions and betrayal of former Republic officers and their joining of the Sith. The destruction of Taris and of obeying the words of the Council rather than submit to his personal inquisition. Initiate Ravensong has taken great exception to these accusations and claims such false testimonies have tarnished her honour and will not abide the forced mantle of wearing another's sins as her own. "
The old master turned to the crowd and offered an explanation. "The rules of the honour-contest of Blade Wronged, clearly states no armour or outer garments to neither cover nor conceal the combatants. I see that you have opted to interpret those rules differently; very well it is your choice of course."
Onasi grounded his teeth. Vandar was working the crowd masterfully, if one excused the pun. All of a sudden, he's the bad guy. Could no one understand his need to keep guarded? That to trust is to allow yourself to be betrayed?
"Initiate Ravensong? Are you ready?"
"I am." A voice from the back called out. Pushing past the throng of people standing in the back of the room was the blue cloaked figure of Skye.
Seeing her garbed, Carth sneered, "I see I'm not the only one who decided not to follow…"
Onasi's words stuck in his throat as the robe came off and before him stood a very naked Nagai warrior. The only thing to adorn her body was the neurocollar around her neck. The blade in her hand was as naked as she.
He had been made the fool of after all.
"Onasi, as you can plainly see I am no male." Her hair was pulled up from its normal loose ponytail into a high one that revealed the tapered points of her ears. "I am Nagai, not a Human. As my word, has never been good enough I have summoned a med-droid to pull a blood tissue and DNA samples to confirm my species and sex."
His face flushed. "That… that won't be necessary…"
"Oh, but it is!" hissed the Nagai. "I have said more than once I AM NOT Saul Karath! He is a human male! I am a Nagai female. And yet you refuse to believe it. Time to put the first accusation to rest. Droid!"
"Coming at once, Mistress Ravensong." A silver mono-wheeled medical droid meandered from the ranks of Jedi to Skye's side. She offered her arm and the droid took the necessary samples. It only took it a moment to process. "Your findings?"
"As predicated Mistress Ravensong you are not a male nor are you human. You are female and Nagai. DNA shows you are not Saul Karath and there is no data collaborating to say you have ever had an alias of that name or similar. Records state you are Skye Ravensong: formally Nightblade of the Nagai Monastery, Disciple of the Night Mother and now Jedi Initiate soon to become Padawan."
"Thank you. Now leave."
"Of course, Mistress, glad to be of service." It turned swiftly on the single wheel and rolled away.
"Skye, you know that's not what I meant… and about the Endar Spire I… you were… it was odd was all, you being one of the only survivors." Onasi went on, his flushed face lost all colour.
"So were you. Three of us survived the attack. You, I and a Jedi Knight. I was there at the behest of the Jedi Council. I was chosen by them to be there for the skills I possess, those very same skills that saved your ass time and again on Taris, which insured Bastila's freedom and ultimately bought our escape. And the same skills you say are the skills of a traitor, a conspirator."
"I never said you were a traitor or that you will conspire against the Republic only that…"
Skye flipped her dagger into a reverse hold. She looked ready to pounce, there was no way he could explain his view not to her, not to anyone. He'd never make them see the validity of his reluctance to trust anyone.
He was in far over his head; he realized just how far he had pushed this woman. The idea of the contest was one thing, but now to be in the ring with her was yet another. He saw the clear resolve in her crystal blue eyes- she was going to make him pay for all of his tantrums, accusations and torrid words. And she was going to do it with the full consent of the Jedi Masters; he had no choice, no way of saving face other than committing himself to the duel.
A duel he had already lost because he was unwilling to adhere to one of the basic rules of not wearing clothing. Master Vandar's speech had done him no favours in blinding the gathered Jedi and civilians to his valid point of view. And Skye's further demeaning demonstration in proving her sex and race was made only to mock him. Without raising the edge of her dagger, Skye had cut deeply and he was already bleeding out.
He understood now the dance of Blade Wronged. The physical aspect of the duel was secondary; it was the words before that was the deciding factor in who was going to be declared the victor. He supposed that it was only just as it was words that put him here in the first place.
Every eye was on him now; watching, waiting. He sighed took off his shirt folded it and tossed it on the chair behind him. His aim missed and the garment fell to the floor beside the chair with a soft floof. Great yet another feather in Ravensong's cap, he appeared even more the buffoon jumping at shadows.
Bastila watched the bout, she knew first hand from sparring with Ravensong just how swift the Nagai moved. Yes, with the neurocollar on her Skye would be much, much slower but her talents would not diminish.
Instantly dropping into a fighting crouch, the Nagai brought her blade to the level of her face, teeth bared in a delighted snarl. Onasi was smart enough not to charge her; he held his ground circling around her like a hound looking for an opening. They were sizing each other up.
Onasi shifted his stance putting his weight on his right foot; it was enough to move Ravensong. She slid her deadly blade down and to the right, ducking at the same time to avoid the enviable counter sweep. Metal rang out; sparks flew as the Nagai shoulder rolled past Carth. He dodged the attack, but just- had it not been for the collar the Jedi's blade would have connected, taking a bite out of his leg.
Carth lunched at the Jedi, taking advantage of her momentary lapse in coordination. Each blow the pilot tried to make was instantly blocked. As fast as he lunged or retreated, the collared Jedi outpaced him.
Bastila realized as surely as the rest of Jedi present that even collared Ravensong could have taken Onasi at any time. She was playing him; wearing him down, spending his strength and all the while feeding him false hope that he was going to walk away with his ego intact.
Bastila watched as Skye slipped between Makashi and Ataru techniques fluidly despite her handicap. Through their bound, she felt the Nagai pulling heavily from the Living Force, drinking from its very essence as if it were expensive brandy. Just as Bastila had overcome the collar on Taris, Ravensong was overcoming her own. But it had taken Bastila four days to defeat the effects of the collar Brejik strapped around her by slipping deeply into a meditative trance. Skye was doing so in mere moments.
Shan looked over to the masters. Concern for Ravensong's ease in overcoming the effects of the collar was readily apparent on each of their individual faces. Vrook in particular was clearly troubled. Their eyes meet and the questions slipped his mind echoed into hers:
'Are you helping her?'
'No Master.' Shan gave a subtle shake of the head.
'Perhaps you are unaware of it? Revan was always very adept at controlling the Force, even going as far draining the life-force of another to fuel her powers.'
'Master, I assure you, she is not drawing strength from me.'
'She must be taking it from Onasi then. He falters while she grows stronger.'
'I don't think so…'
'You are still young as is your knowledge of the Force.' Vrook chastised her.
'I would feel it if she were doing so, Master. Such a technique is similar to Battle Meditation; I would feel it through our bond.'
'This farce as gone on long enough. I am putting a stop to it.'
'No! Forgive me Master Vrook but I think…no I know now this is necessary. Commander Onasi has been deliberately taunting, bating and prodding Skye. Even a kath hound leashed and muzzled would snap back if continually antagonized.'
'A Jedi must rise above such petty emotions!'
'She's not a Jedi…yet.'
'That is the first correct thing you've said since her arrival here. She will never be a Jedi. Do not let her false identity sway you Bastila, that is still Darth Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith!' Even in his mental dialog the master's voice was a seething snarl of contempt.
Bastila looked back to the fight or rather refocused on the fight as her eyes had never left the dangerous dance of blades. 'No, that is the product of what we turned that woman into.'
Vrook took a step forward but was caught by his robes when Vandar's tri-fingered hand shot out and stopped him. "Oh, I apologize, Master Vrook, with my short stature it is difficult to see if you move forward. I'd appreciate it if you would be kind enough to take a step back." The hint was subtle but very clear: Vandar was not going to allow any interruption to the duel.
Grinding his teeth, the old human took one step back, "Of course, Master Vandar." He said in false and forced politeness.
The aged Grand Master merely nodded his emerald skin. "Thank you." There was nothing faked in his tones.
Carth saw it too what Bastila had observed earlier. He was being whittled down, bit by bit, piece by piece. This wasn't the swift deadly attack of the tusked panther Ravensong had displayed in Ajuur's arena. This was the flittering swooping buzzing guerrilla warfare of the dart-bat. The collar firmly around her throat, Skye had to readjust and adapt her fighting style. It was almost as if she were using the melee contest as a training exercise.
The very idea galled the proud pilot. He would not be mocked! Not by the likes of a knife-eared arrogant little scout…that saved his ass more times than he wanted to admit. FRACK!
Skye spun on her heel connecting with Carth's gut he toppled over, the next kick landed on his head, causing his whole body to whip around and fall. Ravensong pounced. She was on Carth's chest almost immediately. She moved with incredible speed and agility, Onasi had no defence; no chance to counter. Her blade was at his throat, biting into the flesh.
"I am Skye Ravensong, Nagai Nightblade. I am Jedi. And I want my dagger back."
Her words rang as an echo in his ears; a trembling hand relinquished the blade back to its owner. It was snatched up with Skye's free hand and then scissor like both weapons were at the human's neck. She bent low, so low that her bare breasts were touching Carth's chin. "Remember this human, the next time you dare toss careless accusations around," she hissed. "I hold my hand for the benevolence that is the Jedi I am becoming. Should you ever be so very stupid to cross that line again you had better be prepared to back it up with proof or pay for your fear and lies with your life." Her lips pulled back into a snarl. "I am still a Nightblade, understand?"
She stood up and began walking away. With her left hand, she reached for the neurocollar and almost nonchalantly she sent a tendril of emerald lightning through it. Sparks flared to life, around her neck coursing through the rest of her body. She gritted her teeth- the only outward show of the pain and ripped the ineffective collar from around her neck and dropped it on the ground. In the next instant, her blue Zeison Sha outer robe flew into her outstretched hand. She swirled it around her shoulders as she put it back on and continued her purposeful stride back to the dormitories.
Carth groaned, his head was throbbing, his body ached and the wound at his neck stung. He put a hand to it as he wearily climbed to his feet. His forehead dripped with sweat, and trickled into his eyes. Wiping his face free of the battle-grime he looked up to see Master Vandar staring at him.
"You can have that seen to in the infirmary. It doesn't look too deep." He spoke with an instructional tone rather than compassion. "Mastering one's fear and anger is not just a lesson for our Padawans. Many can benefit from such instruction. I hope this has brought a closure to any confrontation you have with your companion."
Carth nodded and winced for the cut was on the muscles in his neck. "And what of her, your Padawan?"
"She will continue her instruction in the ways of a Jedi. Her power is immense and she must learn to control it, to master it." There was an unmistakeable hint of worry in the old one's voice.
KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR
Bastila found Skye stepping out of the shower, water dripping from her freshly washed body. They didn't speak; nothing needed to be said. The honour blades were in their sheaths on the Nagai's bed as were her robes which she was now donning.
"You'll be questioned after that little demonstration you put on with your collar." Bastila said at last.
"I removed the device, what of it?" Again, there was a nonchalance to the Nagai's demeanour.
"You deliberately displayed a forbidden power." Bastila folded her arms, looking quite cross at her bond-mate.
"What? There is nothing is inherently evil about summoning lightning; it's all in the manner of the person wielding it. Energy is energy; I thought we had this discussion. Besides lightning can be a wonderful deterrent against enemy clankers. Screws with their CPU's," Skye tapped her skull, "shorts them out long enough to put them out of commission so you can deal with other threats. Very effective especially when you are outnumbered."
Bastila shook her head. "Skye…"
"Search our bond Bastila, what do you feel?"
The young human did as bidden. She closed her eyes, stretched out her mind and connected with Skye's. She found only simple resolve and an ease that hadn't been there before the confrontation with Carth. Bastila could sense no lie, no darkness residing within the Nagai. The summoning of the emerald lightening had been nothing but a tool; it wasn't even a means to an end. Ravensong didn't think of the talent as anything extraordinary. But it was in fact astonishing she was capable of it. Had Revan been capable of it when she had gone to war? She had heard the Dark Lord was capable of summoning lightning. Perhaps to 'Ravensong' this was just a recall of lost talents and hidden memoirs.
Indeed, the older woman saw the technique as a way to incapacitate electronics, droids nothing sinister as it would have been in the hands of a Sith. The fact that it was emerald and not purple was very significant. It was summoned from a sense of justice rather than vengeance. But it was considered too closely aligned with the Sith Lightning which was why it had been considered one of the forbidden Force techniques. Some masters however had studied it under controlled conditions. They had discovered that its energies can also be contained in a ball of pure kinetic force knowns as a kinetite. Bastila couldn't help but wonder and admittedly a little anxious to see if Skye could control the emerald lightning like that.
'How much do you tell the Masters of our talks?' Skye asked within the bond. She took a seat on the bed to put her boots on.
'Not everything. I answer only their questions as needed.'
'As needed.' Skye repeated.
'They only want to know how you are acclimating to the training, to your new life. This is a new situation to all of us- one that even the Masters did not foresee.' Aloud the human said. "You are a constant shifting variable. Your mastery over the lessons; the control of the Force that you wield; the fact you adapt to it so very quickly…"
Blowing out a breath, Skye turned to her counterpart. Well if she was going to be bent-out-of-shape by the woman, two could play at that game. 'Time to play.' The smile Skye held was for herself alone. 'Besides, she had such a cute expression when wound up by flirting…'
Bastila took a long look at the other woman, admiring the frame that housed such a powerful spirit. "I've been watching you closely to see what kind of progress you have made since your training at the hands of Master Zhar."
Skye smirked. "I think we both know the real reason you've been watching me." Skye flexed as she rose to her feet in one fluid motion. She heard a satisfactory gasp of desire escape from the younger woman.
'Get a hold of yourself, Bastila! Remember you're a Jedi, above such base want.' "You never give up, do you? I admit I'm interested in you… I find you intriguing, compelling even, but not in that way!" 'LIAR!'
Skye smiled deeply more to herself than anyone else.
"You have a great gift Skye! You have an awesome command of the Force and I tremble when I think of how you might misuse it."
Skye padded up to Bastila purposely invading her personal space, whispering huskily into the shapely round ear "I make you tremble? Do you get all tingly inside too?" Skye placed her hand very close to Bastila's stomach but did not touch it. Again, Bastila's voice hitched. Skye moved up along Bastila's arm near millimetres from touching flesh. Skye's near touch had sent shivers straight to her core, causing her body to instinctively respond to a touch that would give her such pleasure.
"What?" Bastila's voice was husky with that want. "I… No!" she shivered. "No… of course not!" 'LIAR! She makes you wet! Admit it!' her body screamed at her. "No, not like that!" Bastila took a step back forcing her mind to regain control over desire. "I meant…" she swallowed hard to get the next words out, "in many ways you are… you are dangerous. You can be the saviour of the galaxy or you can bring untold destruction to us all! I have seen you resist many temptations and continue to walk the path of the Light Side." Bastila shivered once more, regretful that Skye was now several paces away from her. She longed for the warmth ebbing off of the other woman. "Very commendable, but I am afraid you might stray from the path. You need to see what the Dark Side represents in its entirety for it is what we battle. Only the wisdom of a Jedi Master can truly explain this, but I will do my best to make you understand."
"What are you trying to tell me?" Skye had long given up hope that subject was going to be dropped.
"Skye, the Dark Side is not simply giving into anger or temptation to use the Force to destructive ends. These things only lead to the Dark Side. The Dark Side grows stronger, more insidious the closer you draw to it. It begs you to surrender to it, to release all its terrible power. It becomes harder and harder to resist. And once you stop resisting it is too late. It twists you up inside and turns you into a mockery of everything you once stood for." This time the shiver Bastila held was not for Skye's seductive presence but for the woman… the Dark Lord Revan. Pain etched her voice of a memory long passed but also a wound reopened and a seeping out her life-force.
"You seem to know this temptation well." Skye folded her arms over her chest.
"I am no less resistant to temptation than any other. I simply have the benefit that you do not. But even the training of the Jedi might not be enough to save us." Bastila's tone became a twinge of regret. Regret for the friend she once called Revan.
For some reason, Skye's mind, had replaced the words: 'save us' with 'save you.' It was as if she, not Malak, was the paragon of what it is to be the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Bastila's words drew again Skye's attentions. "We only have to look at the atrocities which have been committed by those under its sway to understand the terrible corrupting evil of the Dark Side. Millions of dead and far more suffering. What sort of person would you have to become to do such deeds gladly?" Bastila looked to Skye as if she could explain why the Jedi heroes became dark and claimed the rule of the Sith.
"I don't know." Skye said honestly. She knew Bastila wasn't accusing her even though it felt for a moment she had been once more nailed for others' sins. It was more than poorly veiled accusations. Bastila was hiding something. She was saying something more than she was. What knowledge did Bastila hold along with the Council that was kept in shadow from Skye? Did they fear because she was the only Nagai since Revan to become a Jedi that she too might turn on them? Surely it couldn't be such an easy answer as bigotry.
"I don't know either. I hope I never know. It's so easy to think that we would never fall prey to such horror. That we have unlimited control, vigilance and foresight- if only that was true." Bastila said mournfully. As she looked to Skye, a shadow of the past swept past her eyes. "What greater power is there than to turn an enemy to your cause? To use their own knowledge against them?" Once more she turned from Skye unable to meet those azure eyes. "We are weakened while they are strengthened. We must harden our hearts to do whatever is required to fight against the Dark Side. Even when the battle becomes wearing." 'Even when you have to bring deceit and betrayal to everyone in the name of the Light,' were Bastila's unspoken words.
Skye's hand came to Bastila's arm and she turned the other so that their gazes met. "Do whatever is required? Such as?"
Bastila almost forcefully pulled away. "I don't know." 'LIAR!DECEIVER! This is NOT the Jedi way! The Council is wrong, you know it! She has the right to know the truth, least she find out on her own and turn to the Dark for she cannot trust the Light!' "The visions of our future are clouded by shadows cast by the Dark Side. But I sense something ominous is lurking in those shadows." It was then Bastila almost lost her resolve, her oath to the Council that she would keep silent about the truth of Revan.
'You must do whatever is required Knight Bastila for the good of the Order, for the Light and the galaxy. Use your connection to whatever ends to turn her to our cause- to gain her trust and most importantly her knowledge of the Starforge.' The words of Master Vrook were lead in Bastila's heart. 'Harden your heart for she will bend you if you do not. Trust not any seeming friendship that might present itself for it is pretence only. Revan is a master of charisma and persistent-, never forget that. Bend her will to us.'
"Words alone cannot save us from the Dark." Bastila said to both to herself and to the memory of the conversation she had with the Masters.
"Oh, I don't know." Skye attempted to bring a bit of levity to the melancholy woman before her. "I knew this woman. She had such a way with words that she could inspire battalions of soldiers as nearly was good as your Battle Meditation. No soldier under her command would sway from their duty… she... her name is…." Skye frowned. "Now isn't that queer? I can't recall her name. I know she was a Jedi; she was a general in the Mandalorian Wars. A natural leader… powerful… charismatic. They said she should have been Revan's true apprentice not Malak. Some of the Jedi said she had a unique bond to the Force, like she had a Force Bond with the Force. Weird… hard to read…" Skye shook her head trying to force the memory of the Jedi general into her mind. "Dusky brown sorta blonde hair- cut so unruly it was like a thistle-top. She was very attractive. Blue eyes. Half-breed Nagai-human… I … don't know why I can't recall her name… well never mind. Point is she could turn the hearts of warriors under her command with only her voice, no Jedi tricks, and it didn't stem from the Force but from who she was."
"The Exile," Bastila supplied.
"Meetra Surik… that's her." Skye nodded. "Exiled for following her heart, for doing what was right and fight to protect the innocents? She was a great woman, a fantastic leader. Only Revan held greater loyalty."
Bastila looked up at Skye's words, waiting perhaps wondering what else lay under the surface of buried memories.
Skye's voice became a whip of a storyteller's cadence. "All those Jedi that went to war with Revan did so because of the Jedi teachings, not to spite them. Protect the innocent, battle the darkness, save those who cannot save themselves and when they went they were ridiculed for it, shunned, executed and cast out. Exiled."
"Skye… please… those were hard times for all. The Council only did what they knew… that they thought best." Bastila looked imploringly to the other woman, hoping to make her understand.
"So did they that went to war! Don't you think those Jedi that defied the will of the Order hadn't meditated on their actions before they took them? Don't you think they weighed the will of the Council over the Way of the Jedi? When is the Way of the Jedi cast aside for the will of the Council? They are not always the same. You said it yourself everyone is fallible. Perhaps the Masters more so because they have far removed themselves from the people they claim to protect. They lose touch and become as dusty as ancient archives of forgotten holocrons.
"Explain this to me, the anger Master Vrook holds- is that the way of the Order? Don't tell me you haven't questioned if he hadn't been touched by the Dark Side. Or perhaps he is just another human bigot who dislikes anyone who in his eyes is alien? It is to the young to heed the words of the wise. But there comes a point when the young become the wise and they can only do so if they question their predecessors."
Bastila had to admit that Skye was right on every account. Even now she was questioning the words of the Council over what the Knight knew were the true ways of the Jedi. Jedi do not practice deceit in such magnitudes. "Perhaps. I only hope when the time comes we are all strong enough to do what we must."
"As long as we follow the true Jedi way I think we will grain strength from it and each other. The ways of the Council are not always the way of the Jedi Code. I'm not saying we know better- far from it. All I'm saying is that some things have to be re-examined." Skye's voice had become softer.
"The Code says there is no emotion there is only peace. What you are talking about is more Sith. That peace is a lie…" Bastila was growing wary of her companion's words, her beliefs.
"Don't you see Bastila, in some instances it is? Take the natural world for instance. The tusked panther and its prey are prime examples. Try telling the deer the panther hunts there is only peace while it's being stalked. The panther isn't of Dark Side it is following the natural course of its life-cycle; the deer dies to feed the panther. That isn't peace that's a lot of blood, it is death and it's life. That's very messy. Even in the cosmos there isn't peace. A super nova isn't peaceful. It is destructive and powerful. It is chaos, not order and definitely not peaceful.
"Ask any woman who as ever given birth. They will tell you the birthing process sure as hell isn't peaceful. It is wonderful and glorious, messy and painful but it isn't peaceful. I'm not saying I agree with the Sith Code at all. Peace isn't a lie. Listen to the sounds of the water lapping up against the shoreline, the soft kiss of a summer's breeze through a glade in a forest, or a baby's laughter, these are things of peace. Vrook may scowl at the sound of an infant's laughter; ridicule it even for being emotional. No doubt he'd tell a woman giving birth she was going all Dark Sidey because she was succumbing to the labour pains. But it isn't the Dark Side, it's life."
Bastila nodded agreeing to Skye's viewpoint. "Your words have truth to them." She smiled. "Though I doubt even Master Vrook will chastise a woman for her labour pains."
"You never know, it seems to be his favourite pastime."
Bastila bashfully grinned at the jib then more soberly she said: "As for those things you mentioned yes there is chaos in the cosmos and in the natural world there is little peace. But those things are not sentient. They cannot make a choice based on morality; they are ruled by instinct or by astrophysics. But you and I are self-aware and are accountable for our actions."
Skye titled her head studying the other woman a moment before she spoke. "When you say these things, who are you talking about me, or you?"
Grey eyes grew wide: "What?"
"These warnings- are they for me or are they for you?"
"They… I…."
There was a sudden thump at the door bringing the conversation to a sudden halt. Skye turned back to Bastila and smirked, her voice dropping a seductive purr. "You know you're cute when you're flustered." When she heard the almost inaudible gasp, the Nagai's smile deepened. She stepped up closer to her bond-mate. "Very cute…" she winked and then went for the door.
On the other side was not who Skye was obviously expecting because she had to look down to meet the eyes of her visitor. The diminutive Master Vandar was evidently accustomed to taller sentients expecting someone of their own height.
"Skye and Bastila, may I come in?"
Ravensong moved aside and gestured for the Grand Master to enter.
"Thank you. There is much to discus, I think."