Knights of the Old Republic: Jedi Secrets

by Elizabeth Carter

A retelling of Knights of the Old Republic:Femslash L/grayside FemRevan/Bastilia/ (friendship) Juhani. Skye Ravensong a scout for the Republic begins to see through the memories of the Sith Lord and she remembers how she once loved a Jedi before heading off into war. Revan struggles with the mist of lies the Jedi told her and what was before the fall. Through it all is Bastila.

17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The one thing Skye wanted more at this moment was to have a shower and get the stink of kinrath blood off of her. When she had come back to the enclave she had gone directly to Master Zhar as he had instructed along the muck of battle and all.

Standing in the shower stall as the water poured over her shoulders down her still raw back, Skye felt each scornful stinging rivet of water trickle across the abrasions left by the crystals and the talons of the kinrath. She accepted the pain, welcomed it. It was a physical diversion from the pain inside her head, of the ramifications of what the Masters has done and why they had done it. What—Bastila had done.

"What did they do to me? Did they take all of my memories? Rewrite them? No-no they want me to remember them. Remember how I gained my power, but not remember being Revan. How much did they fuck with me?" Once more the former dark lord fell back, staggered by the reeling implications. This time it was the cool wet surface of the tiles of the shower stall rather than jagged crystal formations that kissed the flesh of her back. Was that Bastila's function? Was her function to insure just that, that Skye recall just enough information about Revan's amassing power but not being the Dark Lord?

Once more time evaded the Nagai but enough of it elapsed for the seemingly endless supply of hot water to turn to cold. She turned off the faucets and abandoned the refresher. Numbly she donned her Matukai apprentice robes; she had to find the answers but she had to do it the smart way. Not the Jedi way. But the way of the scout the Masters turned her in to. That meant asking seemly innocuous questions of the Masters here at the Enclave. All of them including the belligerent hypocritical hate-monger Vrook. By the Night Mother's frozen tits, she hated talking that that fracking sleemo. Talking to him was like going into a quack Outer Rim dentist for a voluntary root canal without aesthetic—in fact that seemed more fun and far more pleasant.

First on the scout's list perhaps was the more approachable Master Dorak. The Chronicler was amicable enough, though he did prattle on a bit. He might be a librarian but he was no storyteller. Was it a wonder the novices in his history classes tended to nod off?

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

"Have you come seeking knowledge of the past? Those that do not do not learn from history are doom to repeated it or so they say." Dorak said as Skye entered the archives.

"In fact I have," Skye said carefully monitoring the tone of her voice.

"As chronicler of the academy here on Dantooine I feel it is my duty to share the history of our Order the newly initiated. Unfortunately, our recent history is one of tragedy and bloodshed. The Mandalorian Wars, the Fall of Revan and Malak, the Rise of the Sith, there are important lessons to be learned from these events if we do not wish to repeat the mistakes of our past."

Skye nodded. "Share away Master Dorak, I am eager to hear what you have to say about those past days." She kept her face neutral, schooled not giving away any hint she at the very least knew who she truly was. Once more she needed to know. There was so much of her past she couldn't recall. So much of it was fog, and lost.

"Of course, I cannot account for our entire history."

The Nagai smiled at the small joke.

"That stretches back thousands upon thousands of years. We are as old as the Republic itself. Instead I will begin forty years ago, with the war of Exar Kun. Like Malak and Revan—Exar Kun was once a Jedi who fell to the Dark Side and led an army against the Jedi and the Republic. Exar Kun was defeated but the war left the Republic and our own Order severely weakened. For twenty years, we struggled to rebuild, trying to erase the scars of the terrible conflict."

"What has this to do with Revan?" the woman prodded, pushing the human into the direction she wanted the conversation to go.

"All things in time, Padawan. You will learn that history is an intricate weaving of many events. No one thing can be understood without the proper context. Twenty years ago, the Mandalorians, aware that the Republic was in a weakened state, began conquering small worlds on the Outer Rim.

"They were careful to choose only planets outside the Republic's jurisdiction. After much debate, Senate choose not to intervene. As long as the Mandalorians avoided planets that were not part of the Republic itself there would be no retaliation."

"So, they left millions to die to their fate?" Skye was disgusted.

"Well you can hardly blame the Republic. The memory of war was still fresh in everyone's mind. No one was eager to relive the horrors of an extended campaign against the Mandalorians. But in the end it was unavoidable.

"The Mandalorians stockpiled resources from their conquered worlds, preparing for a massive assault. Seven years ago, they launched a simultaneous attack in three separate systems within Republic space. The Senate had no choice but to retaliate with the entire Republic fleet. The Mandalorian Wars had begun."

"So, when did Revan and Malak step in?" she said as she moved to one of the tables within the library and sat not on a chair but upon the table top itself.

"The Republic petitioned the Jedi Council for aid, but there were many factors to consider before we allowed ourselves to be drawn in by another conflict so soon after the war with Exar Kun. While the Jedi Council preached patience, there were many among our Order who were eager for us to join the battle. Two young Knights in particular demanded immediate action. Revan and Alek who later took the name Malak.

"They rallied many of the Jedi to their cause and against the wishes of their masters and joined Republic fleet battling the Mandalorians. Revan was a brilliant military leader. And the Republic Fleet began to win victory after victory. Four years ago, the Mandalorians surrendered unconditionally."

"What happened next?" another gentle push. Skye leaned forward balanced her upper body weight on her elbows which she rested upon her bent thighs. Her deliberately duplicitous relaxed body language gave nothing away of the spinning thoughts in her mind.

"Revan and Malak were heroes, the great saviours of the Republic. A third of the Republic Fleet was under their direct command. And then something happened. Instead of returning after the War's end, the ships under Revan's command went deep into unexplored space. They claimed to be searching for the last remnants of the Mandalorian Fleet.

"All contact was lost. For many months, it was assumed some great disaster had befallen the entire fleet. Everyone thought they were dead. There were unsubstantiated rumours that Revan and Malak had been seen on a number of different planets during these months. Scattered sightings that were never confirmed."

"What do you mean? What happened to them, where did they go?" Ravensong's body reflexively sat up straighter, her reaction this time not faked.

"Perhaps they went far beyond the edges of Republic Space; perhaps they found previously undiscovered hyperspace routes that led to the ends of the galaxy. Nobody knows for certain," Dorak frowned sadly. "Three years ago, they returned at the head of a massive invasion fleet. Revan had assumed the title of Sith Lord: the hero had become a conqueror."

"Where did they get all the ships?" Of course, this was the very question that plagued the Masters, why they allowed the 'Dark Lord' to live as Skye Ravensong—because they did not know. Right now, Skye didn't know herself.

"Some of the ships they returned with were previously apart of Revan's command during the Mandalorian Wars. But many more were of an alien design we had never seen before. The source of this massive fleet is one of the mysteries about the Sith we cannot explain. It seems impossible to have created it in such a short amount of time. Yet we cannot deny its existence.

"The source of the Sith soldiers is unfortunately much easier to understand. Initially the bulk of the soldiers were a part of the forces under Revan. With each conquest thousands, more flocked to join the invaders, swelling their numbers. Even many of our own Order have betrayed us. Lured by Sith promises of riches and power."

Skye nodded. "When did you decide to implement the plan to kill her?"

"The plan was to stop her, capture her if possible not to kill her. Jedi are not assassins, young one."

"What of the upper echelons? Within the ranks of the Consolers there are the Sages and then there are the Shadows. Do the Shadows not harness the Force to conceal themselves from the perceptions of others? And as a result, these Jedi can move unobserved among their enemies—perfect for political assassinations and striking down your enemies from behind. I thought Revan was a Shadow."

"Yes, that is so," Dorak said hesitantly. "The Shadows work from stealth and as their name implies- the shadows. It is why some feel they walk too close to the dark side. Master Kreia, Revan's first master and the one young Jedi who returned near the end was also a Shadow.

"Bastila, however falls under the classification of Knight and has chosen the ways of the Sentinel for her more advanced training. As I said the orders of Council were to capture Revan, not to kill.

"For two years, the Sith were all but invincible. Fortunately for the Republic, Bastila and her Battle Meditation allowed her to win a few key victories and kept the Sith from total triumph. In desperation, we set a trap for the Dark Lord.

"As you probably know she was there at Revan's end. That was nearly a year ago,. But things have not improved. Malak has stepped in and assumed the mantel of Dark Lord for himself, though he is far from Revan's equal in both strategy or tactics. Still, his fleet continues to grow in both ships and soldiers. If we do not find some way to stop them, the Sith will overwhelm us with sheer numbers.

"Revan's tale shows us how even the greatest can fall to the Dark Side. You must always be on your guard against the evil that dwells with in you. Think hard upon this young Padawan."

"Believe me Master Dorak," Skye tilted her head in a slight bow, "it is the foremost on my mind."

"May the Force be with you."

"And with you Master," the Nagai said as she used her arms to hoist her body off the table. And with a slight bow of her dark-maned head she left the archives.

Her mind could not but help latch on to the phrase: 'The Dark Lord's end.' -not death- 'end', so the Masters are definitely playing the 'it's the truth from a certain point of view' card.

She had just exited the lower levels of the Enclave when she heard: "I see you insist on roaming the halls of our Enclave when you should be studying your lessons." An unpleasant voice growled behind the Nagai, in response blue eyes rolled contemptuously.

"Actually, you're just the one I was wandering the halls of your enclave to find. I wish to ask you some questions, about the past." Ravensong spun 180 degrees on the ball of her left foot in order to confront the old human face to face.

"I suppose such desires are inevitable. Though I fear you seek knowledge for which you are not prepared. But I will do my best to guide your quest." Congeniality from the man was an alien sound to the ears.

'Not prepared? Oh buddy-boy you have no fracking idea.' Verbally the former Dark Lord said: "I want to know more about Bastila."

"I should not be surprised you want to know of her considering your connection. Bastila holds great promise, and great danger. She can do much for the Council and the Order. Without her skill in battle meditation the Sith armada would have conquered the galaxy long ago. But despite her command over the Force she is still young. She's a Jedi—a Knight, but she has not yet gained the rank of Master. The Council would do well to remember this when laying the fate of the galaxy on her slender shoulders.

"And you would do well to focus more closely on your lessons. The Force is strong with you but you need training and guidance in the ways of the Jedi lest you suffer a fate similar to Revan."

"The 'fate of Revan'? And what fate would that be exactly, Master Vrook? Sending a slender shouldered Knight to assassinate me? Or falling to the Dark Side? Just what fate are we talking about here old man? Or perhaps you had something else in mind? I have to wonder what exactly are you implying about me?

"It is more than evident that you have an agenda either against me personally- which I can't even fathom what it is- or you are a bigot. Which is it? Because all your cryptic warnings sound awfully bizarre from where I'm standing." She smiled a mouth full of teeth, "It sounds like you have something to hide."

Vrook scowled. "You overstep your boundaries Initiate. As for bigotry, you should know a Jedi and especially a Master is above such petty things!"

"Jedi are mortal with mortal sins. Which means we are all fallible. Even Masters. And I seem to be able to push your buttons without even trying. So, what gives, Vrook?"

"That's Master Vrook to you, Initiate."

Ravensong bowed like a Sith acolyte before a Dark Lord. "As you wish-Master." The toothy smile returned. "With your leave, Master, I shall return to my studies rather than wandering the halls of your Enclave."

Skye stalked away on heavy heeled feet, face-palming her own stupidity. Yeah, she could push Vrook's buttons like no one's business but he pushed hers just as equally hard. She was fracking stupid showing her hand as she did. No pazaak player showed their deck like she had. 'Dumb dumb dumb, you stupid knife-ear! Why not just tell the sleemo you know who you are? FUCK!'

The black-haired Jedi took in a deep steadying breath. 'Right. "There is no emotion, there is peace." Stick to that when dealing with that son of a motherless old-goat and you might actually retain the ground you gained. No more stupid mistakes, knife-ear.' she rubbed her forehead but it would do nothing to alleviate the headache amassing behind her eyes.

Finding anything more about Revan and Malak at this point was utterly useless. The Masters would tell Skye the same history with a different voice with the same warnings of the Dark Side crawling into her head like parasitical little bugs.

No, the path now was to find out more about Bastila. Revan might have known her but to Skye she was just-an acquaintance, a forced bondmate. When Skye sought out Master Vandar, Bastila was the only soul on her mind, the only one the scout cared to find out about. Revan—could wait.

Vandar was sitting upon his small circular cushion when the former Dark Lord approached him. She sat cross legged on the floor next to the impish figure waiting to be acknowledged.

"Master Zhar tells me you constructed your new lightsaber or should I say lightsabers. So, you are to become a practitioner of Jar'Kai. I am not surprised." He smiled. "I am also to understand you found a rather unique crystal."

"Yes, a black one. Though there was another crystal there I might have liked better. I'd say I'd be envious of the Jedi who it is intended for but that would be an emotion and that would just be all kinds of awkward." Skye smiled. "Oh wait." she held up a finger. "Envious… that would constitute an emotion as well. Gee, two-for-oh… not batting a thousand, here am I?"

To the Nagai's amusement Vandar chuckled. At first, she didn't think the old guy had even heard of skyball. Apparently, he had or at the very least the cultural reference. Not a surprise. half the core worlds played the sport.

"It is not that Jedi are not to feel emotions but rather not to be dominated and controlled by them. You seemed to have grasped this concept rather well during your first trial."

Now it was Skye's turn to look amused.

"What seems to be troubling you young one?"

"Ah you know-questions. Always with the questions." A disarming cordial smile was accompanied by a child-like shrug. "Actually considering the bond, I share with her, I'd like know more about Bastila."

The aged Jedi nodded and made to rub his chin as if to stroke the beard that wasn't there. "Bastila will be a great Jedi someday. Even amongst the Masters of the Council it is rare to find one so skilled in the art of battle meditation. Bastila was there when Revan was slain. Did you know that?"

'Slain? Not Revan's end—like the others? Slain? He actually used the word slain.' Blue eyes narrowed. "Yes, she mentioned as much." 'So now here is the greatest liar of them all. Beware the demon, my child, that whispers sweetly. The bitterest of truths tastes better than the sweetest of lies.' Skye quoted the cantons of the Night Mother.

"Bastila, herself does not like to talk about it."

'Yeah, I bet.' aloud Skye said not a word.

"She was to accompany the strike team that confronted Revan when the Dark Lord was destroyed. Her role in the death of a promising young Jedi such as Revan upset her greatly. But Bastila knew she had to set her personal feelings aside for the sake of the galaxy and the Republic. The Force is strong with her now. And without her battle meditation we would have lost this war long ago. The way forward will be difficult for young Bastila and for you, but you must draw strength from each other."

So, lost in his words Skye almost missed Vandar's next question. "Is there anything else you would like to know?"

For a moment, Skye had no thought in her head, it was almost a shock to her when she realized her mouth was uttering words her hind-brain had no mind to utter. "Master Vrook doesn't seem to like me much. In fact, he seems to have great disdain for me."

"Master Vrook may seem harsh and critical but he understands the dangers that lie in your path. He wants you and Bastila to be fully prepared when you finally face Lord Malak."

"I see. Thank you Master Vandar." As she had with Zhar and Dorak, she rose up with a nonchalant grace to her movements giving nothing away to her inner most thoughts and especially her emotions. She would not slip with the Grand Master as she had done with Vrook.

"Is there anything else young Padawan?"

"No." It was a clipped response. Of all the Masters, here at the enclave the Nagai had respected Vandar the most. But the lies were mounting up and the fact that the Grand Master said the 'death of Revan' and not the 'end' placed the proverbial last nail in the coffin as far as the former Dark Lord was concerned. They were all definitely playing the 'truth from a certain point of view' card very close to the chest.

This was not to Skye's mind a chance to go all vein-faced and Dark Side-y but she placed as much trust in the Council as she did Davik Kang. Though she knew both had something in common: in the end, all they wanted to do was frack with her, use her and toss her aside. Skye wasn't about to let that happen while she couldn't do to the Council what she had done to Kang, the Nagai knew one thing was for certain: she'd be on her guard from here on out. And trust… yeah maybe that shit head Carth had something there. Trust was going to be a very hard community to buy back.

And damn that blasted ugly orange-jacketed-wearing human to oblivion for making her side with him on the whole "don't trust anyone" issue. 'Stupid human.'

"Very well. May the Force be with you." Vandar said in his prosaic voice.

This time the Nagai gave no acknowledgement of the words, she simply left.

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

Skye slipped out into the garden, perhaps seeking solace, and/or some piece of mind under the branches of the great oak. It had become something of a friend to her. She supposed it had become something of a friend to many.

Sitting there she felt her body slip deeply into a meditative trance. Her mind continued to circle around and around the truth of who she was. But who was she truly? The memories implanted into a damaged mind became more and more prominent. The vagueness of being Revan was like the far distant memory of a recalled dream of a child. The details are gone and all is left is the impressions the phantoms left behind.

"Oh I'm sorry."

A voice clattered against the Nagai's still mind so suddenly it caused the former Dark Lord to lose her concentration. She landed with an 'oof' on to the earth around the roots of the great oak.

"Oh, Padawan I didn't mean to intrude, or make you fall."

Skye grimaced a bit; she had been a meter off the ground during her mediations when interrupted. She landed awkwardly on her shoulder and elbows incidentally hitting the funny bone on her right arm. Tingles shot up her arm making her wince all the more.

"It's okay." The scout looked up to the speaker and discovered a sandy brown-haired human near her, stretching out her hand to help pull Skye back to her feet.

"It was Belaya, wasn't it?" Skye asked taking the offered hand and reclaimed her feet.

The human nodded. "Yes. You remembered."

Skye delivered a lopsided grin. "Well it's not often I get chewed out for being in the wrong uniform when I first walk into a building."

Belaya blushed profusely. "I do apologize again. But I was right about the Force being very strong with you." She smiled shyly, "I never mastered levitation during my meditations. And you seemed to do it without any effort at all."

Skye shrugged. "You'd think that is a rare feat. Bastila said she doesn't either. Guess with her battle meditations it be bad if she was suddenly jarred back to the mundane world by falling. I don't think about floating really, it just sorta happens. Maybe you're trying too hard. Just let yourself go, think about it as floating on your back when you're swimming. It's a lot like that actually. Put too much thought into it and you sink but relax and poof- you're floating."

The human gave a dry laugh that never reached her eyes. Skye was quick to note that expression on her face matched the distressed stance the senior Jedi held however carefully it had been concealed.

"I take it you weren't expecting to find someone here" the Nagai whispered softly.

"Err, no. There are always a few within the shade of the oak, it's just…"

"I'm in your favourite spot?" The Nagai offered.

Another nod. "Or… rather a good friend of mine… she is… lost…" Belaya sucked in a deep breath. "Please ignore me. I say too much. I should go." She started to turn away and retreat towards the dormitories.

"Wait!" Skye blurted. "Hey if your friend is lost… surely we can organize some kind of search…."

"Please…" Belaya held up a hand and shook her head violently. "It's not what you think. She has to return on her own… please I can not speak of it …" with that the human darted away but not before Skye noticed glassy eyes that threatened to shed unwanted tears.

Skye was left standing utterly baffled. Apparently, she stood thus for quite some time for when Bastila came upon her the sun had started its long journey towards the western horizon though it had not quite settled upon it.

"I'd say you were lost in your own thoughts, although I can not fathom what they are."

The Nagai gave a start when she heard the refined accent of her bondmate. Almond shaped blue eyes grew large. She took half a pace back before regaining her composure. Suddenly she drew close to understand Belaya's sudden need to flee for Skye had no desire to face the human woman now.

"You would know my thoughts? Can't you just pluck them from my mind if you are so inclined?" Ravensong said with more venom then she intended. She looked into grey blue eyes, eyes that held secret betrayals.

"No… of course I wouldn't. Why would you think that?" Bastila could not keep the hurt from her voice.

Their gazes met Skye was the first to look away. "Never mind, I spoke out of turn."

But Bastila would not be so easily detoured. "Skye…" she took a step forward; the Nagai took a step back.

"I can feel your unrest… something happened in the cave, didn't it?"

Skye looked up and shook her head. "I- I have to… to… not be here." Like Belaya before her Skye took off into the bowels of the Enclave, unwilling to discus what plagued her mind and heart.

Bastila started after her but stopped mid stride thinking better of it.

"That is the strangest thing..." a young Chagrian spoke.

He was so young his horns were only foot above his head and his twin lekku barely draped over his shoulders. Standing next to the young blue-skinned male was a Miraluka female who wore a slender sliver and blue visor over her non-existent eyes. Neither one of them could have been older than fourteen.

"What is strange Padawan Bintang?" She asked of the male, she knew the other one to be named Kium.

"Skye was talking to Knight Belaya only five minutes ago, and she took off after they had a few words. And now Skye takes off just in the same way."

"Maybe something's wrong with the tree to make everyone so twitchy." Kium teased.

"Belaya?" Bastila frowned not because she didn't recognize the name but she couldn't imagine what the two had in common that she and Skye would be speaking about. Apparently, the younger Jedi mistook her question for a lack of knowledge.

"Yes, you know the one; she was knighted three months before you arrived Knight Bastila," the Miraluka said. "You know about her and Padawan Juhani right? They had a tryst before another Padawan snitched on them to their masters and they were forced to stop. Belaya sulked in her chambers and Juhani took off into the plains."

"Yes, I had heard of it." Bastila answered, "and as Jedi you should know better than to gossip like the common market rabble." Both youngsters looked down to stare at their feet in shame. "For your poor lack of judgement, I instruct the pair of you to run a hundred laps around the Enclave."

"A hundred? But that's not fair!" Bintang pouted, his blue lekku twitching in agitation.

"Make it two."

The Chagrian lad opened his mouth to protest further but a hand was clapped over it from the young girl. "Shut up Bin, you'll make it worse."

"Listen to your friend, Bintang. She has shown wisdom for you would not like to run three hundred, I think. Now go and be back before the sun fully sets."

Both Padawans bowed and took off at a resentful lopping jog for Enclave's outside parameter.

The words of young Padawans echoed in Bastila's mind drawing her back to a time when she and Revan… her Revan had shared intimacies. How very secretive they were and how fortunate the only one to find out about them was Meetra who had her own secrets to keep. It could not have been easy for the knight to keep her relationship with a master secret: especially when said master was on the Council, and the relationship was of a romantic nature.

Bastila's heart went out to Belaya and Juhani, but better it ends now than to be forced into a situation as she had been with Revan. Shan didn't wish that on anyone. Now of course her situation was far more precarious-to be linked with the person you once loved, one who had embraced the Dark Side, and now couldn't even remember who she was or what they had together. And it was killing Bastila to look into the eyes she once knew so well and see a stranger looking out of them.

Something happened to Rev… to Skye in that cave. She saw something during meditations amongst the crystals. Question was, did she see into the past or into the future?

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

Skye felt like a coward fleeing Bastila's side as she had but she couldn't face her at that moment knowing now who she was. The Nagai knew the whispered history of the closeness between Bastila and Revan but she had no memory of it. At least not now. She saw in those blue eyes the perpetrator of deceit and trickery.

She didn't want to see those lies continue to live in those storm-grey eyes. At least not right now. She wasn't ready to confront her bond-partner or even simply to pretend to go along with the charade and make believe like the rest of them that she wasn't Revan.

She had decided not to go in but out. Perhaps true fresh air outside the Enclave proper might clear her head. In addition of seeing two Padawans jogging around the building circumference, the former Dark Lord spotted an odd sight in Canderous and Onasi actually getting along or rather a distinct lack of not fighting. They seemed to be caught up in conversation with another man. A local by the look of is of his attire and a farmer by trade by the simple practicality of them.

As soon as the Nagai approached them the Farmer pushed past the other men and was on her with a verbal assault.

"You, Jedi! How long can you people sit by and claim to protect us? Protectors? HA! You sit in your enclave safe from the Mandalorians while we suffer!"

"What in blazes are you talking about? The Mandalorians have been pushed back," Skye frowned.

"No! They've been raiding planets and farms in this sector often. You Jedi think you drove them off because they haven't harmed you, while they steal our property and destroy our land and worse."

Carth moved up to Ravensong's shoulder. "I say we look into these Mandalorians. I've fought them in the war. They're nothing but vicious pirates. We… we should stop them, here."

"Those Mandalorian bastards killed my daughter after they raped her." The farmer continued seeing an ally in Onasi.

Canderous who stood on the other side of the Jedi shook his head. "You should have protected her better. And you call yourself her father."

"And what am I supposed to do against a dozen Mandalorians and Duros? Nothing! There was nothing I could do. They came to our land demanding our livelihood but Elsa, my Elsa said no."

"You let them take her?" Skye's voice was nearly accusatory as Canderous had been.

"I told you, there was nothing I could do! There was too many of the Mandalorians and their Duros allies. I come here to ask you Master Jedi, please stop these raiders and get revenge for my daughter" the farmer pleaded.

"I'll see to it." Promised the Nagai

"I'll give you all that I have, just please annihilate them from the face of this planet."

"Bribing me isn't necessary." Ravensong asserted. "Who are you?"

"Jon, my name is Jon Valjean."

Skye nodded. Not that she particularly cared at this moment but it seemed odd to involve herself in a mission without knowing who it was she was championing, outside the civilian population of Dantooine that is.

Ravensong went back into the enclave intent on confronting the masters of this. She was incensed that the Jedi once again did nothing against the Mandalorians and this time the frackers were on their doorstep while Jedi Masters yet again sat on their asses.

Anger flooded the young Jedi before she squashed it down and reigned the passion in. Her first target was the two-faced Vrook. What excuse would he give? As chance, would have it when she approached the Council Chambers the human was in conversation with the Grand Master.

"Once again you leave your studies Padawan. This has become a habit of yours." Vrook chastised the dark-haired Nagai.

"Maybe I decided not to shut myself up when I hear of the innocent dying like some." Skye's blue eyes blazed. "You allow rape and murder to take place on your own lands. Why? Tell me is there something darker at work here or are you lot simply cowards and will not put an end to the Mandalorians here on Dantooine?

"You continue to be defiant and disrespectful. Your arrogance will be your undoing." Vrook snarled.

"Yeah maybe. At least I actually take my duty seriously. Are Jedi not protectors? So what are you going to do about it, if anything?! A farmer named Valjean's daughter—a girl named Elsa was violated and slaughtered before his eyes." Ravensong challenged.

"They have been harmless up until now. It is tragic that someone had to die before we took action." Vrook said in a gentler tone.

"But you didn't take action! If you had before now, no one would have died. No child raped!" Skye roared. "You just do not give a shit? You're no better than those Sith Masters at Korriban. No! You are worse. Because you are supposed to care and you don't! By allowing these reprobate Mandies to land and pilfer, rape and murder, you are condoning them, sanctifying their actions by your inaction. Do something! WE are Jedi. WE protect! We do not allow wanton destruction on our doorstep!"

"You little ungrateful..." Vrook started but Vandar put his hand up stopping his fellow Master from speaking. He would not admit how it startled him to hear the exact same words coming out of Skye's mouth as they had Revan's so many years ago.

"I can understand your frustration young one at our inaction. But it is not because we lacked compassion or the gumption to act. As I said before now the Mandalorians were not a threat. We thought they would keep their activities down with our presence here. But it seems we were tragically wrong."

"I'll say." The former Dark Lord sneered. "But frack, you're tragically wrong about a lot of things."

Vandar sighed sensing there were more to the words the young Nagai said then what was before them. He studied her for a moment but her mind was well shielded. Perhaps it was the anger within her concerning the Mandalorian threat here on Dantooine, but for a moment the Grand Master could have sworn he saw a flicker of Revan behind those blue eyes. Of course, it could have been the reflection of the words mirrored that caused him to see Revan standing before him and not Ravensong.

"You have our leave to deal with these Mandalorian raiders as you see fit, should you encounter them." Vandar finely said.

"Indeed, it will be good for training your skills." Vrook nodded.

Canderous snorted. "These raiders are a disgrace. No true Mandalorian would stoop to raiding farms when whole worlds were ours to taken."

"Ending the lives of rapists and murderers is more than just training skills, Masters. I will do what you should have done when those sons of Hutt's spawn slugs first hit dirt. I'm going to evict them."

When she turned away from the Council Chambers, Carth was the first to speak. "How are you going to evict them?"

"I'm probably going to employ violence." She turned to him. "You want in?"

"You have to ask?"

"How about you Old Man?"

"I'll come along for the ride. Could be entertaining." Canderous commented. "Heard what your so-called leaders said in there about good training. Maybe not for you Whelp, but I'm thinking maybe the kid could use some real experience."

Skye nodded. "Good thinking. And no doubt Big Z could do with a bit of exercise as well. Not healthy for anyone concerned keeping a Wookie cooped up."

Canderous smirked. "Have to say Whelp, I liked the way you called those Jedi Masters out. Sounded like something Revan might have said when she rebelled against them. I'd bet a thousand credits from the look at that human he didn't much care for your attitude. Maybe you hit it a little close to home."

Skye frowned at the thought. "Have you ever been in battle with Revan?"

"Ha! I was there on the bridge of Mandalore the Ultimate's flagship when they battled and Revan took his head and his mask." Ordo proclaimed.

"Really?" The young woman bit her lower lip and took a breath. "Would you… would you recognize her if you saw her again?"

"Why? She's dead and besides she wore that grey and red mask of hers. It was just as iconic as Mandalore's helmet. In fact, it's fair to say Mandalore gave her the idea to employ the mask in the first place. One hell of a tactician, though. Took that little spoiled Jedi princess's battle meditation to take the Revanchist down."

"You really shouldn't call Bastila that." Skye muttered half-heartedly as her mind chewed over the words Ordo had said. "At least behind her back." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Sooo you never saw her without the mask."

Ordo shook his head.

"What about you Onasi? You ever see Revan without her mask?

"No. Ordo's right. No one save for her closest confidants. Malak, well at the time he was called Alek and Meetra Surik and a handful of other Jedi had ever seen her without the mask. She was charismatic, powerful, and respected. She was called hero to most, at the time I even called her that. To others she was a brash crusader—but all soon referred to her as the Revanchist.

"That mask became a symbol to rally around. I don't know how many of our troopers painted their chest plates with the mask's markings. They even marked their faces in war paint to mimic the mask's look. But as for seeing her no up close, never did. I was in the same war room with her and her Jedi generals when she was coordinating strategies. But I never spoke to her. Skye, why this sudden interested in her? She became a traitor…"

"I don't want to hear your ranting of the past Onasi, and as for the interest-LOOK at me!" The scout narrowed her blue eyes on the human male. "I am the only Nagai since Revan to be a Jedi. Don't you dare tell me that you didn't even start to compare me to her or that anyone hasn't. I hear the whispers, the murmurs and I see the veiled looks. Maybe I just want to know how closely I resemble her."

Onasi opened his mouth to say something then thought better of it. He shrugged once before rediscovering his voice. "Yeah, I guess I can see why you'd want to know about her face. You can always ask Bastila… she knew Revan before-."

Ravensong grunted. "She- is less than comfortable talking about the woman she supposedly killed." The dark-haired woman shook her head. "No. Let's just drop the whole thing and get the others and go Mandie hunting."

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

Exiting the Enclave grounds fully the three began their trek into the Khoonda plains. Zaalbar and Mission had yet to meet up with them but the two Tarissians had radioed back saying they were on their way.

The path now ahead, as Skye took time to look as she hadn't before when on the quest to find her crystal, was cut out between two hills. By the look of the rock faces she estimated that perhaps a millennium ago some natural disaster must have cut the vast hill in-twine and the 'ravine' had long since healed and became prairie land.

It was here that some traders set up shop as they were not allowed to sell their wares outside the Enclave's space port. Yes, they could have set up kiosks within the town outside the Enclave but there was enough traffic of young Jedi, farmers and other civilians to warrant the small stands.

Skye noted a Sullustan with a kiosk near his sky hopper as well as what looked to be a farmer no doubt she was selling a few of her crops. Roadside stalls like that always appealed to Skye as fresh vegetables and fruit were far better than synthesized crap any day. Not to mention that biting into a juicy juma fruit on a warm afternoon was a tiny bit of heaven. Skye loved the way the soft meat of the fruit burst in her mouth as soon as her teeth bit into it. Hopefully the woman had such offerings. From what they served in the mess hall, the young Nagai knew that some of the local farmers grew it.

Skye approached ready to spend a few credits-

"Oh, thank the heavens you came! I was beginning to think the Jedi might have my denied request." The woman burst out as soon as she saw the blue Jedi robes and lightsabers.

'Damn… no juma fruit.' Skye pouted a little. 'And my mouth was all ready for it too. Blast.' She sighed. Might as well hear her out. "First, what is your name?" Skye shook her head; she was growing very weary of people running up to her expecting her to aid them without a proper introduction.

"Oh, sorry Master Jedi, my name is Elise."

"Have you been to see the Council?" Skye thought perhaps she was yet another victim of the Mandalorian raiders. But that seemed unlikely as the woman was prime slave meat, they would never have let her go.

"Errr no. Not yet." the young human shook her head. "I spoke with a protocol droid. He told me I'd have to wait until he could present it on the agenda for the Masters."

'So, it's nothing too dire. Of course, those old goats didn't think the Mandies being here weren't dire threat either' the Nagai thought to herself. "Why don't you tell me what happened. If I am able I might be able to lend assistance."

It sounded like something a young knight might say even if said knight was only a Padawan and if said Padawan was actually an amnesiac former dark lord of the Sith. Still… good karma is good karma especially on this grassy rock.

"We were working my farm north of here. I was working in the garden outside and he was working inside. I heard the door to the house open but not close. I went to see and found it wide open." Elise was very near tears. Her voice was thick with it. "I searched everywhere, but I could not find him. I'm worried so much. I need him back so badly."

Skye's softened a little. On Taris a missing person might be easy to explain with the swoop gangs, Kang's thugs and the Sith skulking about on the streets above and below. And in the bowels of the planet there were all the rakghouls. But on an idyllic agricultural planet a missing person wasn't so easily explained. Then again, this place was apparently crawling with rabid kath hounds, kinrath and bloody Mandalorian raiders.

"I wonder if he could have been kidnapped?" Elise echoed the Nagai's thoughts.

"Possibly. Do you have any enemies or rivals?" Onasi asked.

"Not that I know of. Err, none of my neighbours know he's actually there. Maybe it was the Mandalorians or maybe kath hounds." Elise frowned. "But no, the door wasn't damaged and kath hounds are not intelligent enough to open doors." Her sun-tanned faced scowled. "Though they have been more vicious lately. No! It had to be someone capable of opening the door by himself. Come to think of it the door was locked."

Something about this wasn't right. If it was the Mandalorians, this grief-crazed woman would have been either taken or killed as well. So, it was no Mandie. "Locked? So, it could have been opened from the inside?" pressed Skye.

"Well yes it could have." Elsie confirmed. "But he had no reason to run away. His programming…"

"Wait!" Skye held up a hand. "'Wait a minute. His programming'? Do you mean to tell me your missing person is a droid?"

"Well yes." Elise nodded seemly confused as to why this was suddenly relevant. "He is a droid. But he is very important to me all the same. He is the last piece of my poor passed away husband that I have left. He is very very dear to me, my Precious."

Skye wrinkled up her face. Carth's mouth gapped and Canderous looked extremely puzzled and repulsed.

'Oh this is so so so wrong.' Skye thought. 'Eww a sex-bot? Really? She wants me to go after her sex-bot? A walking-talking vibrator? Oh, come on I have better things to do. Frack I have better things not to do….'

"I don't know what I'd do without him." The human was trembling, tears freely falling from her eyes now.

'Err buy a real vibrator?' Skye's thoughts continued to make light of this woman's plight. 'They don't run away.'

"He's the only companionship I have on all of Dantooine."

"Yeah there's probably a reason for that sister," Canderous scoffed, "you're nuts."

Elise scowled ignoring him. Apparently, she was quite used to such comments. Her great brown eyes begged the Jedi to listen. Skye did but not out of any sense of civic duty. It was humorous and having the day or rather days she'd been having it was good to have something to brighten the mood. Of course, she was the only one desperately struggling to keep a straight face and by his pinched expression so was Carth.

"You're, er, very fond of it, aren't you?" Carth said nearly losing his control over his laughter.

"He is a personal assistance droid! My husband was a genius at constructing droids. He made this one capable of taking care of me for the rest of my life." She sounded as if she were speaking of a lover not automaton. "As the last legacy of my husband and for my own personal peace of mind I. Need. Him. BACK! His absence gnaws at me like a gaping wound!" She was all but on her knees now.

'I'm not going to laugh. I'm not going to laugh…' Skye still struggled with not bursting out in hysterical giggles. Canderous had all but left the crazed woman and was striding down the grassy corridor the hills created to a Sullustan trader. Carth was wiping tears from the corners of his eyes caused by the pent-up snickers. Give the man credit, he kept it together.

"PLEASE! I beg of you," Elsie fell to her knees cupping her hands before her chest looking so woebegone at the Nagai Jedi. "Bring my Precious… my droid back to me."

Skye took a moment to compose her voice. "My companions and I are hunting Mandalorians at the moment but I'll keep an eye out for your droid." It took all her scouting skills to say that with a straight face.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Master Jedi!" Elise popped up and kissed Skye's hand as if she were royalty. "If you find him, send him home to me. Thank you so much!"

Skye disentangled herself from the human's grasp and took a healthy step backwards nearly colliding with Carth as she did so. He was close enough to whisper: "She's a little gone upstairs, isn't she?"

"And then some." Skye murmured back. "Rule number one when dealing with the crazies? Humour them."

"You know if this were a penny dreadful, I'd say she killed her husband after he made Precious so she could keep him alive forever in that tin shell."

Skye stuck out her tongue as if tasting something foul. "Oh, that's too twisted. But man, I hope not. Kinda fits, though doesn't it? Creepy."

Just was they were turning to meet up with Canderous and the merchant, Mission and Zaalbar came sprinting towards them. The Wookie gave a curious look to the human female by the air speeder who was looking at the Nagai with the sort of hero worship gaze Mission sported, but he thought very little more of it.

"He-ey!" Mission waved to the older trio. "Glad we caught up with you before you hiked all the way out there. Got your message but Big Z was in the middle of his mid-evening snack and you know how hard it is to pull him away from food."

Skye smirked. "Yeah, damn near impossible."

"I am no glutton." Zaalbar protested though growls and grunts. "I'm still growing."

"Yeah sure you are. Sideways!" Mission snickered causing Skye to laugh with her. Zaalbar snorted a warning that he did not find the joke all that particularly humorous.

"Hey you two just missed it." Skye felt now free to express herself. "See that human lady over by the land speeder?"

Mission cocked her head a round to look for the person in question only to see the farmer wave at them or more specifically to Skye. The young Tarissian urchin gave a tentative wave back. "Yee-ah, what about her?"

Skye placed her arm around the younger female and as they started for the plains proper began relate the rather bizarre encounter much to the Twi'lek's delight. By the end of the tale all five of them were in hysterics- fortunately they were well out of Elise's earshot.

The companions did not have to wait long for violence to ensue once they had left the property boundaries of the enclave. Though it was not the two legged-well armed varieties but rather it was the four legged, strong jawed, many teethed sort.

"This is wrong." Zaalbar growled as the pack surrounded them. "We are many. They should not engage in a hunt."

One the horned hounds sprinted straight for Skye. She was quick enough to spin away from the jaws, her duel blades humming as she struck in a spiralling whirlwind. Striking, one-two-one shoulder, chest, head and she felled the beast. "Maybe you should try telling them that!"

Two of the hounds had flanked Mission seeing her as the weakest of their prey, Zaalbar was there in an instant, he flung his friend well behind him caught the first hound by the throat crushing it, and like a discus he hurled the carcass at the second hound.

One of the kath hounds lunged forward to impale Carth with its enormous claws, only to be deflected by the hardened chest-plate of his armour. Instead of being skewered and carried away, Carth was sent flying backward by the momentum of the beast's dive. He hit the ground and rolled several times before spring clamouring his way back to his feet.

Three more were on Canderous who was only just holding them off but laughing the whole time, loving every second of the battle. His massive Zabrak battle cannon shredded the hounds into so much wasted meat.

Skye charged for another horned hound not waiting for it to attack. She reached out to touch its mind, bring her will down with the crushing force of pneumatic hammers. The kath hound's body shuddered under the impact of her mental assault and it roared in an ear-shattering protest that pierced the still air and rose up over the grasslands.

"Call in." Skye said turning away from her kill.

"I'm okay." Mission piped up. "Little bruised when Big Z tossed me, but okay."

"Same here." Carth said.

"Good way to start the evening." Onasi piped up. "See you took out yours—no problem. Using your Jedi magic instead of your blades? Not exactly sporting, is it?"

The former Dark Lord said nothing.

"She stopped them as a Jedi. What does it matter how?" Zaalbar growled which earned him an appreciative look from the one who held his life debt and a smile from Mission. Not able to understand Shyriiwook neither human responded.

"You were right Zaalbar. This isn't normal hunting patterns for kath hounds. I can see them going for one or two sentient stragglers maybe but not in our number. And they should have never gone after us with you in our company. They should have seen you as a superior predator Zaalbar. They are more vicious, just like that woman Elise said.

"It's likely that we're gonna run into more crazed packs." Canderous said slinging his mini cannon onto his back. "Think maybe the village has a bounty on their heads? We could clean up. Or are you too Jedi now Whelp to accept awards? If you are I claim your share if'n there is a bounty."

Skye snorted a mockingly. "If you intend to make claims on a bounty best take proof of the kills. Incisors should do the trick but ahh-I thought you were done with taking money for training exercises."

Canderous snorted in the correctness of the Whelp's words. Damn, too long on Taris it poisoned him for a moment. "Humph. Just so you know if we come across a pack of rancors, I'm claiming bounties on those ugly ass things."

"Fair enough." The former Dark Lord smirked. "Easy way to take them out is to use a back pack filled with meat dusted with pheromones and bunch frag grenades. It blows a cave-sized hole in their guts."

"Yeah that's how we took out Fido that was in the sewers." Mission piped up. "BLAM!" The girl threw her hands into the air, "Rancor guts everywhere. It was awesome."

Just as the Mandalorian was about to respond Skye held up a closed fist signalling for silence. "Over the next rise. I'd say we found our raiders."

"How many?" Carth asked in a hushed tone.

Skye stretched out her mind using the Force to sense sentient life just beyond the ridge. "I can feel seven maybe eight of them." She turned to her crew. "We take them like a tauntaun. Mission, Carth flank them from the left. Canderous, Zaalbar take the right. We strike them from both sides like the horns of the tauntaun. I'll take point become the 'head' and gain their attention. As soon as they respond either with guns or their mouths you will strike." She motioned with her arms starting out stretched behind her then coming out in front of her chest. "Just like a charging bull.

" Mission, I want you to go cloaked. Slide mines under any of their vehicles, then get out. Canderous do what you do best with that 'peace-maker' of yours. Zaalbar, Carth- both of you use rapid fire pinning them down. We take swiftly. No doubt they will have energy shields on, I want sonic changes lobed at them first, take down their shields as quickly as possible. Once you are in position fire at will. Mission, when the mines are in place fall back."

By placing two rapid fire gunslingers on opposing flanks with a heavy hitter and a saboteur, the Mandalorians had no hope of evading their inevitable fate. It was a solid plan. One Canderous found all too familiar... as did Carth.

Revan had used the same horned-tauntaun attack against the Mandalorians several times. In each time whether in space or ground-side, it was a very effective manoeuvre. One that was difficult to counter. Of course, the Revanchist had far more numbers than just the five they were today but the theory was the same. The tauntaun formation comprised of three phases.

The 'head' was first. Troops were usually displayed with twenty soldiers in the center comprised into four rows of five which made up the head of the formation, then with two groups of fifteen warriors who were the fastest and most dexterous became the 'horns'. The 'head' advanced first with the 'horns' hidden behind it, this was phase one. Phase two was simple enough: when the command was given the 'horns' swept out on both sides flanking their targets. Phase three: the horns will encircle the enemy and close in and pin the enemy forces down.

The largest reserve however was the 'tail'. Which was placed, seated behind the 'head' with their backs to the battle. The 'tail' would be committed wherever the enemy threatened to break out of the encirclement. The scheme was elegant in its simplicity, and well understood by the warriors assigned to each echelon. And it had devastating effects.

On the plains of Khoonda the effectiveness was put to the test. As ordered Mission and Carth scuttled to the left keeping hidden under the grassy knoll, likewise Zaalbar and Canderous took the right. They need only wait for the signal from their leader to strike.

Armed with lightsabers in either hand Skye pulled deeply from the Force and empowered her body with its essence. She leapt over the rise just in time to hear a quivering farmer begging for his life. She was about to intervene when she heard him tell the Mandies to take his wife and daughter to do what they wanted to them if they'd only spare him. Disgusted with the human's betrayal of his family the former Lord of the Sith allowed the Mandie to kill the bastard before she allowed her presence to be fully known.

"What do we have here boys?" Said the one who killed the farmer. Apparently, he was the appointed commander of this squad. "A Jedi playing hero."

"I am no hero." Skye hissed. "I am simply Jedi." The Force already rippling through the Jedi's body surged out from her finger tips in the form of emerald lighting. The bolts engulfed the lieutenant's body in agonizing electricity. It crippled him, bringing him to his knees, his cries echoed across the grasslands.

"Shoot her! Shoot her!" One of the Duros screeched over the cries of his dying sergeant.

As planed the 'horns' shot out from both sides Carth and Zaalbar continued to fire volleys into the nest of pirates. Canderous followed his Wookiee companion, his cannon delivered slower but more powerful shots cutting into the main body of the enemy drawing their attention.

Like a child tossing a toy Frisbee, an invisible Mission flung frag mine after frag mine under the sky hoppers and swoop bikes, somersaulting away as she cried out "Fire in the hole!"

The companions took cover as ordered. The Mandies reacted to the call as well just as Skye knew they would. It was their undoing. Motion sensors in the mines blared to life.

In nanoseconds, they set off an explosive chain reaction. In a single glorious mushroom cloud of destruction: vehicles and raiders alike became not but shrapnel of blood, bone meat and metal.

Skye smirked, pleased with the results. "One squad down, let's find out how many more of these sleemo Hutt-slugs we have to finish off. Canderous access their logs; they have to have a base of operation close."

"Access their logs? How you blew up their vehicles."

"To be fair, Mission did." Ravensong said a little flippantly. "And that arm over there still as an operating comm. I assume you still remember Mandie comm-shatter. Use it." the voice was now one of command. Ordo obeyed.

"Skye, your lightsaber—I've never seen one like that." Carth said coming up to the Jedi. "A black blade? I didn't even know saber crystals came like that."

The Nagai shrugged with a smile, "Yeah well the Force is just full of surprises. It's the crystal that called to me." She activated the blade with a snap-hiss. It hummed in the air when she displayed a small flourish. She disengaged it and strapped the hilt to her belt.

"It sorta makes the white of your tunic glow." Mission smiled. "It's actually kinda cool. It reminds me of the black lights in the cantinas. It has the same purplely glow"

"Purplely?" Skye cocked an eyebrow.

"What? It's a word."

Skye gave a near parental shake of her head and rolled her eyes.

Cancerous looked to the Whelp… and shook his head. How she got him to obey and scrounge amongst dead flesh for a comm he didn't know. He hadn't even hesitated, he just did it. It had nothing to do with the fact she was a Jedi. She was a natural leader. A general. Just like Revan.

"I found two locations, Whelp." Ordo called out reminding himself perhaps that he didn't have to kowtow to the Jedi. "And the possible location of their base camp. The only way to know for sure is if we take out those smaller bands, if nothing else it will call their leader out. He's not a proper Mandalorian, but if he has any kind of honour he will demand a challenge against the one who took out his men."

"That's exactly what I'm counting on. Where are they?" Skye said walking towards the older sentient.

"Looks like there's another batch on the west side of the Matale grounds, we already took out the ones in this grove and there's a third squad stationed in a south-central of the Sandral estate."

Skye nodded. "And their leader?"

"Someone named Sherruk. Never heard of him, and there is no clan listing." Canderous gritted his teeth and the sheer audacity of these creatures that dare call themselves Mandalorians. He'd have their heads for that insult alone never mind the pathetic raids on this little agro-world. "As I said they're not proper Mandalorians. They're rouges. Cast out from whatever clan they had blood with."

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

Alone in her chambers she shared with Skye, Bastila went to the far corner on her side of the room and pushed away a book shelf, then stretching out her hand she used the Force and caused a section of the floorboards to shift and move aside revealing a small cavity. Within the darkened hole the young knight pulled out a metallic box.

It was a unique security depot-box that did not require a key but rather the Force to unlock. It was in this aspect not unlike a Holocron. The young Sentinel sat quietly with her legs folded tailor style as if meditating and rested the box upon her lap. Placing her palms on the seemingly plain and unadorned surface of the box Bastila focused her mind as she would with a Holocron within the archives. The Force rippled through her soul and out from her fingertips and fused into the locking mechanisms. Cogs and gears turned like an old-fashioned clock-work toy. The surface of the lid changed, shifted and with a final click opened.

Bastila opened her eyes and looked down, within was an object covered in black cloth. Hesitantly she lifted her prize free and gingerly unwrapped it. In her hands was Revan's mask. The knight had taken it when the strike team captured the critically wounded Dark Lord. Bastila never told the Council she had it. No doubt they would have made her either surrendered it to them or worse destroy it.

The human Jedi didn't know why she had kept it after Revan's fall. Perhaps she sensed even then their fates were intertwined. It symbolized Revan's dark past—a relic from a time when the great hero had become lost. Now Bastila feared that if she showed Skye the mask it might trigger something inside the Nagai's mind. It might awaken some dormant evil; rekindle the spark of the dark side and unleash the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Bastila wanted to keep Revan's past at bay. Maybe it was selfish on the young Jedi's part. Maybe it was just fear. Skye was becoming another person, free. Someone Bastila admitted she started having feelings for.

Revan was gone. Had to be gone. Human fingers traced the sleek lines of the scarred red-and-grey faceplate of the worn helmet. Few had ever seen Revan without it during her time in both the Mandalorian wars and during her time as Darth Revan.

Lifting the mask, Bastila closed her eyes and placed it over her head. A moment later her blue-grey eyes opened to see the world as Revan had nearly a full year ago.

Quietly, a Jedi Knight wept for the woman who was lost, for all that had happened. She felt shame in her despair. She was a Jedi and was supposed to be above such things. The golden mantra ran uselessly through her mind.

'There is no emotion: there is peace.'

This thing with Skye was that it had Bastila repeating the words over and over again. Daily if not almost hourly.

Taking the mask off, Bastila reverently re-wrapped it in the black sackcloth and placed it back into its box. Once more taking great measures to insure it remained carefully hidden. The last measure was to banish all thoughts of the mask from her mind so that its existence could not be plucked from her thoughts.

It was strange that it was the thoughts of another couple's troubles that brought her to this low state. Juhani and Belaya's love affair had been found out, exposed and the Masters ordered it to be extinguished.

But in its termination, it had caused a ripple effect. Belaya fell into deep disappear and Juhani had run. The Cathar's Master Quatra had given the younger woman a day before she set out after her. Belaya's master simply allowed her displeasure in her student to be known but allowed Belaya time to recover herself and remember to be a Jedi. That as a Jedi she was forbidden such base attachments, such as the affection and love of another.

Bastila wondered should something ill happen to Juhani what then would become of Belaya? The younger human already displayed her resentment to the other student that informed the Masters of the affair. Shan could not help but wonder if Belaya was not pondering abandoning the Order altogether. She surly would if Juhani fell.

Bastila argued with her inner thoughts, she for so long trusted the wisdom of the Council. Clung to the safe advice desperately- they were right, they had a greater understanding of the Force.

But what-what if Revan… no no no. Skye. Her name is Skye now! What if she were right? In their wisdom, the Masters have forgotten what it is to be sentient. What works well in esoteric philosophical theory does not often translate into the real world.

NO! Trust the Code! Trust the Masters!

'There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos there is harmony. There is no emotion there is peace.'

Damn and blast it all! The Council didn't share a Force-bond with Skye Ravensong, did they? What did they know? Skye was all passion, extremely chaotic and chalk-full of emotion and it was bleeding into Bastila.

Right now, Bastila could feel her bond partner's exhilaration, excitement of battle, her pride and protectiveness toward Mission and Zaalbar. And it was all very… becoming. Bastila secretively, vicariously allowed the rush to wash over her, through her.

It made her feel human. It made her feel alive.

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

By the time the companions crossed paths with the leader of the rouges the heavens were swathed in oranges, deep set reds and deep golden colours of sunset. Only the sounds of the early eve settled around them: insects, baying of kath hounds and the swish of tall grass along cloth and mettle clad legs.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" Skye drawled as she approached the red armour-shelled leader of the band of rabble-rousers. Her elegant face was a mask of cold-blooded concentration betraying no sign of the relentless anxieties troubling her mind.

She and her team had taken out the last of the two wing squads leaving only Sherruk and the raiders he had with him to deal with. The loss of his men no doubt rankled the leader to the lengths of his anger. Skye needed to push him just a bit further.

"Are we playing dress up as Mandie pirates today or did your mommies actually let you out of the house looking like that you sodding bunch of milk-drinkers?"

The smirk on the Nagai's face nearly unhinged her foe. The others drew their blasters. Rage rippled through them like a bad rash touching one, then another then another until they were all growling and gnashing their teeth waiting to fire on the bitch as soon as the word was given.

"Milk-drinker?! You fucking little knife-ear! I will drink your blood Jedi-whore. I will add your head to those of the other Jedi I have killed, and take yet another lightsaber for my own! Now you will know why the Mandalorians are feared!"

Canderous grinned broadly. "Now this is what I've been waiting for!"

"Apparently, you can't count. I have two sabres and you're not getting either one. But you speak well." Skye shouted back to Sherruk in his native language which clearly shocked the rogue and his followers as well as Canderous. The insult hit the so called Mandalorian harder and deadlier than any blaster bolt and caused the others to gasp. Mandalorians were warriors; they had nothing but contempt for diplomats and politicians. The former Dark Lord had just implied Sherruk was nothing but talk.

Skye was all triumphant smirks now. "Maybe that's why you are only capable of shooting pathetic spineless old men, unarmed farmers and raping children. You're so busy running your mouth."

That did it! Sherruk- utterly enraged- bellowed a scream of complete hatred and blindly rushed the Jedi.

Exactly as she wanted him to.

Her orders were clear, wait until Sherruk rushes her and attack without impunity on his lackeys. That bastard was hers.

Sherruk opened fire almost immediately with his carbine. Skye's reactions were faster, she snapped off to the left to dodge the blaster-fire, deflecting them back, then reversed her direction with a flying salmon leap toward Sherruk. As she had in the Taris arena, Skye plunged the black blade through the vulnerable joint between chest plate and the right pauldron of his hardsuit. It cut far more easily into the meat of his flesh and bone. Instead of dislocating and breaking the collarbone as had happened with the metal vibroblade, the lightsaber's plasma blade severed the appendage and drove directly into Sherruk's heart.

The man was dead before his faceplate smacked into the hard-grassy turf of the hill.

Ordo was impressed with how swiftly the Whelp had dispatched her enemy. The more he watched her the more he was reminded of Revan. He was reminded vividly of that day on Mandalore's bridge when the Jedi General had done a similar technique on his leader. The difference was that the Revanchist had allowed Mandalore to live long enough for him surrender.

Like Revan, Skye wasn't afraid to kill but Canderous saw that she took no pleasure in it. Even before she was accepted within the ranks of the Jedi, Ravensong did not relish her kills, she simply preformed them almost as a predator took a prey, there was no malice or remorse in what she did, she simply did. It was instinctual.

"Find what you can on the bodies." Ravensong gave the order was if she were a scout rather than a Jedi. For her own part, she kicked the body of her kill over and reclaimed the lightsabers the rogue Mandalorian had boasted about.

Having returned her own to her belt, she ignited both: one blue, the other green. A thought popped through her mind like a rubber ball held beneath the water then released. Did one of these sabres belong to Belaya's lost friend? She wouldn't know the answer to this question until she returned to the enclave.

To ask Belaya to identify the sabres was crass and insensitive. No, Skye knew she had to present the weapons to one of the Masters. Besides, Ravensong concluded, she could confront them with their lack of initiative to safeguard their own planet. Not only had they allowed the murder and rape of the people who looked to them for protection, the Jedi had failed utterly to watch over their own. Such actions were worthy of the Sith, not the so called self-appointed Guardians of the Galaxy.

Skye looked to the hilts in her hand. She concluded they must have belonged to Padawans. Skilled yes but not yet fully trained. It was only due to her numerous years spent in the Monastery of the Night Mother was Skye a sword master. Newly promoted Padawans were barely more than Younglings: most were only thirteen years of age.

They did not have such generous benefit of skill and technique as a fully trained Jedi or even a sword-master. And a lone young Padawan against such overwhelming odds made for easy prey, even if they were exceptionally gifted in the ways of the Force.

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

Trekking back across the grasslands did not take as long as when the companions first started out as they reclaimed the Mandalorians speeders. The vehicles had not been destroyed as had their predecessors in previous encounters not simply because there were very few mines or grenades left to utilize but because it was a waste of resources.

The tauntaun tactic had not been deployed against Sherruk as it was impossible to surround him. Rogue or not, the Mandalorian had strategically positioned his crew against a stone wall, cliff and barricade of standing stones.

Instead of allowing the enemy to bunker down Skye had lured the enemy to rush them into an ambush. Where the three men caught the Duros and Mandies in a cross fire while Mission, under the cloak of her stealth generator, snuck behind the raiders and planted the last of the mines so when they were forced to retreat they blew themselves up. She also managed to sneak live grenades on to two of the Duros persons –in seconds they were not but green paste.

Though swift the trek back home was not completely uneventful.

The rush of air in the ears, the whine and hums of swoop bikes and hoppers did not drown out the sounds of battle over the grasslands. Deep throated growls and the clank of mettle revealed the combatants to be kath hounds and a droid.

For a moment, the companions were almost content to watch or perhaps assess the situation before engaging. The droid would have been outnumbered if only one hound attacked it, but it was up against seven of the red manned slathering canines. It would be scrap before long. Skye pounded for a moment allowing beasts to have it. It was only for a moment.

"Take over!" She ordered the Twi'lek girl sitting behind her on the swoop bike before she sprung from the saddle straight into the air, somersaulted and landed with the nimble eloquence of a tusked panther. So inhumanly smooth and graceful that she appeared to be striding briskly away before her black leather boots even touched down upon the grassy earth.

With a snap hiss the black blade came to life attracting the attention of the nearest bitch. The hound left its prey, lunging for the Nagai instead. Swirling around Skye charged forward with a burst of speed to deliver a vicious two-handed slash of her blade that cleaved through bone and sinew- cutting off the head in a single stroke. As the creature fell to the ground, Skye thrust her free hand out toward the nearest beast, palm open. Two of hounds flew backwards, lifted off their paws and hurtled across the plains by the Force until they slammed into earth far across the knoll. They did not move again.

With the kath hounds' attention focussed on the Jedi wreaking havoc in their pack, the hounds completely ignored the other lifeforms. The four companions took full advantage of the situation, driving forward they opened a barrage of blaster fire from the sky car and swoops bikes mounted cannons. The volley of blaster bolts completely engulfed the pack, shredding the remaining wild dogs into shreds of so much wasted meat.

While the others waited in their vehicles Skye approached the droid with some curiosity.

"Thank you for saving me Master Jedi. I am Ceefour-Two a personal assistance droid." The automaton introduced itself in the high formality usually only found in protocol droids.

"Why where the kath hounds attacking you?" asked the Nagai Jedi.

"Who knows? They have been very aggressive of late. I am sorry I seem a bit abrupt but I must be moving along. I am rather in a hurry." The droid said cordially.

"You're not an Enclave droid. Where are you going?" Skye watched him.

"It is not so much where I am going to as much as where I am going from. I believe my human has become too attached to me. Obsessed really."

"Oh, you must belong to that woman Elise."

"Yes. You must understand Master Jedi she tried to treat me as her dead husband. It was not healthy for her."

"Yeah no kidding. So er... she treated you like her husband… um all the time?"

The droid shuddered, actually physically shuddered. "You do not want to know."

"Probably not." Ravensong grimaced.

"She's obsessed, rarely sees other people. She has fixated on me as her dead husband. She was becoming more and more insular." He sounded almost sentient. "I thought it best that I leave. She would meet other people this way. In fact, that was the reason I came out here and sought out those kath hounds."

"Hold on a minute you sought them out. What, so they can destroy you?" came an incredulous question from the Jedi.

"Yes. I cannot self-terminate. I thought it best if I was no longer factor. She would meet new people, real people. Please will you destroy me?" C4-2 pleaded.

Skye thought about it for a moment. "As much as your thought was a good one this could cause her to become even more unstable. You should go back to her. She's lonely and needs your support. Maybe you can convince her to see other people, in fact if she sees you as her… um… husband you can in regard urge her to do so. And what if you being scrapped makes her so unstable she commits suicide?"

"I think you're right. How could I be so selfish? I must not think only of myself but of her. She must be so frantic."

"You don't know the half of it." Skye muttered.

"If she lost me she would be devastated. I know she will do self-harm. I cannot allow her do to that. I must return to her. It is my duty!" C4-2 declared valiantly. He scuttled off as swiftly as his cobbled legs could carry him.

"So, we saved a droid." Canderous sneered, "What gives?"

"Something to do." Skye smirked.

The answer didn't seem to impress the others. "Look it belonged to that Elise woman. You know the one who's a little bonkers over her 'Precious'?"

"She's a little off her game." Carth said. "So, that clanker belonged to her, ehe? I have to admit I'm a little tempted to see how this plays out."

Skye nodded. She was intrigued as well; if nothing else it would be entertaining. That however was not foremost on her mind. It was the bizarre actions of the kath hounds. Ravensong shook her head. Something was definitely very wrong and it wasn't the psychosis of a very lonely and slightly demented woman. "They shouldn't be doing this."

"They do not smell of disease." Zaalbar barked.

"No, I don't detect it either. Neither rabies nor distemper but something has stirred them up."

"It's like the other packs," Mission kicked at the head of one of the hounds. "How many is that now we've put down? Five?"

"More like nine." Carth piped up. "So if they're not plagued what is it?"

"Oh, they're plagued just not by disease," the Jedi said. "They've been tainted by the Dark Side for sure. I can feel it. All of them. They should have left that droid alone or ignored it as landscape as much as a rock, log or tree. The most aggressive thing they should have done was to piss on it. Even a pup after biting it the first time should have left it be as something not to be eaten."

The Nagai's blue eyes narrowed. First the Mandies touch down without so much as an opposition from the Jedi now kath hound packs were running amok tainted by the Dark Side. And what were the Masters and other jedi doing about it?

Nothing.

Why?

It made no sense to the young warrior. She wanted answers. Then again, she wanted answers for so many things of late and wasn't getting any of them. This was just another question that begged to be answered.

Zaalbar lumbered over to one of the hounds' corpses and picked it up and slung it over his great furry shoulder. And did the same with another hound over the other shoulder

"What on earth are you doing?" Onasi demanded of the Wookiee who growled his answer back to him.

The human looked to Skye or Mission to translate as he didn't understand Shyriiwook.

"Dinner," Ravensong translated. "And no, I will not field dress them with my lightsaber. You want to gut them, do it yourself." She tossed him one of her small concealed daggers.

"Hold on?" Carth shook his head, "You're actually letting him eat a kath hound."

"Let him?" Thin eyebrows shot up to a dark forelock. "You want to tell an eight-foot tall Wookiee what he can and cannot eat? You're far more foolish a man than I gave you credit for," Ravensong chastised the human male.

Zaalbar snorted challengingly, if a snort could be called a challenge.

"Um, good point." Carth held up his hands in surrender. "Good idea. Let him eat whatever he wants."

By the time Zaalbar had field dressed both his catches, the sun had truly and fully set. All vestiges of its golden-orange glow had slipped away and disappeared leaving the sky bathing in purples and blues and starlight.

Strangely enough when they arrived to the back entrance of the Enclave and the turf covered byway, C4-2 hand only returned to his Mistress's side if her exuberant hugs were any indication.

Spotting Skye, Elise let go of her droid long enough to wrap her arms around the Nagai and give her a rather sound and fierce bear hug. Which was a feat in of itself considering Skye was still mounted on the swoop bike.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! I don't know what I would have done if I lost him."

Elsie let go of the Jedi and returned to the clanker's side. Once more she hugged her droid and kissed him on his mettle cheek. She leaned her own against his chassis.

"No problem," said Ravensong. Suddenly making the droid go back to her seemed to be a very very bad idea.

"It's just so good to have him back! We're going to go home right now and celebrate aren't we my lovely little droid?" She stroked his chassis as a lover might.

Mission and Carth gave a dubious look to one another then cast their gaze to their leader then to Elise who was still crooning over her droid.

"Don't worry I'm going to oil you, hug you, care for you and make sure you never get away again," she purred stroking the droid.

"Please kill me." C4-2 implored to the Jedi.

"You know I don't think I've ever felt so bad for a droid before," Carth frowned.

"HA!" Canderous laughed boisterously. "I guess that droid will really serve his master tonight."

"Oh, that is just all kinds of wrong." Mission grimaced. "She's not going to make him…um… you know… do the nasty?"

"Five will get you ten she will." Skye scrunched up her nose. The Jedi scout liked droids well enough, tinkering on them but there this was going a bit too far. "Come on, side show's over." Skye dismounted the bike.

"We have a few things to finish up. Um Zaalbar, I don't think the Jedi would appreciate your butchering skills inside the gardens. Take the kills back to the Hawk and finish dressing them there. But. Not. Inside. I don't want the stink of a butcher's shop in my ship. Mission make sure Big Z stays out of trouble.

"Canderous, Carth see what you can get for air car and put the swoop bikes in the cargo hold along with the one that's already there. Never know they may come in handy. I have to see a farmer about dead Mandies and turn in the sabres to Master Vandar."

KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~ KOTOR~KOTOR~

"Recognize these from any more missing Jedi?" Skye said dropping the lightsabers on the floor where they rolled to a stop at Master Vandar's feet. "I took them from the corpse of a Mandalorian you didn't deem a threat."

Bastila who had been in conference with the Grand Master stared at the fallen swords. "You're terrible!"

"Not as terrible as ignoring a problem and allowing it to fester and become a pustule. Knight Belaya lost a friend; she's very concerned- I want to know if one of these lightsabers belongs to that friend."

The impish green Grand Master picked up one saber then the other. His face darkened a shade before he looked up the young woman. "No, neither of these sabres belongs to the person in question."

"Are you certain?"

"Most certainly."

"Then who do they belong to?"

"I do not recognize them immediately as belonging to anyone within this Enclave."

"So, no one else is missing?" Skye narrowed her eyes staring at the older Jedi before her.

The aged master nodded his head.

"There is a distinct possibility this man was lying or bought recovered lightsabers from the war on the black market," offered Bastila.

"I doubt he bought them, might have stolen them from a black marketer or taken them after he killed him. Sherruk didn't strike me as a fair-trade sorta guy." Ravensong looked to the iconic weapons of Jedi and Sith alike. "You know it's a good thing most Jedi are snatched from their families at an early age and made to forget about them. Makes awkward moments like this irrelevant, you don't have to explain to loved ones you misplaced their daughter or son. Of course, telling them that 'Oh sorry we didn't think the Mandalorian raiders landing on our Jedi owned planet would pose any kind of threat. After all they have no reason to be resentful of us; we didn't go to war with the Revanchist and her Jedi so they shouldn't have had an agenda against us or our students. Guess we were a little mistaken. Well rest assured your kid died well enough fighting the good fight and all, oh yes here's their lightsaber.'"

Vandar closed his eyes before speaking. Bastila could have sworn she heard the Grand Master repeated the mantra: 'There is no emotion, there is peace' before he opened his dark hazel eyes once more. "Young Padawan, I can understand your frustrations and the reason you choose a more… sardonic approach in which to display those frustrations. It has been a very trying transition for you going from being a front lines Scout to becoming a Jedi.

"And while we thank you for ending the threat the Mandalorian's presence here, you must strive for a better understanding of the ways of the Order which have served the Jedi well since its incarnation. You have proven that you understand the Code, but your interruption of it has caused some… deterrents in your path that need not be there.

"We are not as uncaring as you perceive. The Council will launch a full investigation into the missing Jedi. This I promise you, as I promise the spirits of those who had fallen, their deaths will not go ignored."

He took in a deep steadying sigh. "At dawn, you will meet with Master Zhar. I believe it is time for your final trial to become a full Padawan."