Chapter 20
"I believe the Council wished only you, me and Carth to go into the ruins." Bastila said as they were mounting the swoop bikes.
"Oh they might have insinuated that but they didn't insist. And even if they did I'm not complying." Skye responded matter-of-factly. "The others have to know what's at stake and what they're risking their lives for, Bastila. Right now, we're united by hate- and that is a fragile alliance at best. Mission wants Malak because of Taris maybe Big Z too if only for her; Canderous is Mandalorian- he's sporting for a fight, and Zaalbar outside watching over Mission is searching for himself, for honour and I don't know why. Carth, well he has massive anger issues anyway and he definitely wants fracking payback.
"You and I... have a Code we must follow and will follow because of who we are. This isn't a way to unite a team Bastila, not by hate, we both know it. The Council has been sitting in nice cushy seats for far too long. They've forgotten what it's like out in the field trying to get a team to work together that 'ain't military. They have forgotten what its like to work with non-Jedi.
"You and I are responsible for all of them, Bas. We have to make them want this. We have to make them want this more than they want their hate or battle lust. They have to see whatever stirred up Revan and Malak for themselves. I can't ask 'em to risk life and limb and keep them in the dark. And telling them what we saw is no good either. They have to see. They're going in and after we finish up if they want to walk, then they can walk. I won't hold them to this. But at least they're in the know. We deal with what is in front of us- right now it's the ruin and what's inside."
Bastila found herself agreeing with Ravensong's outlined reasons for defying the Council's 'recommendations' for infiltrating the ruins. The others needed to know that was expected of them, what they were being asked to risk their lives for. It was something they had to experience for themselves.
The others filed out of the Enclave and took their perspective bikes: Mission ridding with Skye; they had Teethree strapped to the back of their swoop bike. Carth joined Bastila leaving Ordo and Big Z. The last two created a comical image-a massive Wookiee sitting behind a muscle bound Mandalorian. It wasn't an image that sprang naturally to mind.
Blue-grey eyes fell on Mission as the young girl settled in behind her hero on the bike. The Twi'lek was practically bubbling over with excitement, twittering away like an Alderaanian cairoka bird. The former dark lord smiled indulgently as she listened to the girl's chatter, answering questions and even making a few jokes. Nostalgia struck the Jedi Sentinel hard as she recalled similar moments back before Revan's fall to the Dark Side. The part that Bastila had fallen in love with, the part of her that she was falling for once more.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts Skye looked up meeting Bastila's gaze. The Nagai's smile brightened which had a causative effect on the other woman inspiring Bastila to return the smile. The wink made Bastila blush slightly and she quickly turned away.
"You like her." Mission giggled in the Jedi's pointed ear as they zipped across the plains.
"Sure, I do, I like you and Big Z too. Grandpa Candy is tolerable enough and hey who doesn't like an astrodroid?"
The young Tarisian giggled at the use of the merc's new nickname. She also noted Carth was deliberately left off the list. Mission highly doubted that relationship would repair itself any time soon. She jostled Ravensong glibly in the back as they rode, "You know what I mean. You like her like her. I saw that wink and that smile, you really really like her."
"Yes, I guess I do. Bas is smart, beautiful, sexy and talented even if she puts on a bit of airs she's..." Skye stopped, keeping the word angel to herself. "Guess I have it bad."
"Yep," Mission nodded, "sooo whatta' ya going to do about it? I mean being Jedi... and those rules and all."
"Well the one about attachments is... mostly a guideline from my understanding of things. And guidelines don't have to be followed... strictly speaking."
"So er... 'strictly speaking', how you gonna make Bastila not follow them guidelines?"
Ravensong craned her head over her shoulder and flashed her most seductive, alluring smile which caused butterflies to flock within the young scoundrel's tummy. "Oh... I have my ways, youngling," she winked causing Mission to blush deeply. "I think I can handle a little Jedi seduction." Skye smiled once more as she purred the next two words. "Trust me."
Mission cast a look over to the speeder bike Bastila was driving then back to her hero. "I hope you get her Skye, you two belong together. I know it. You two, you're so beautiful together... so cute." Mission swooned. "I bet you'll get together, then you'll be married and then what if... what if the Force let you both have a kid? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Skye smirked, "What- marriage, old age and a lot of little Jedi children?"
"The first two, why not? " Mission shrugged happily. "And hey you Jedi say the Force moves in mysterious ways so maybe it can, I don't know, help you conceive a child between you both. So sure, why not all three?"
Skye lost herself in the idea of possibilities. It wasn't until they came to the standing stones of the ancient ruins that the former Sith lord recalled herself.
"Hey Skye... you okay?" Mission seemed to sense the sudden change in Ravensong. "I didn't mean to cloud your mind with, you know, stuff."
"Yeah. Just... thinking. No worries my little one you didn't cloud my mind," the Nagai answered. She looked at the standing stones for a long moment before she spoke again. "Look Kiddo you're going to do something. If things get to hairy, or too big, you hit your damn stealth belt and get the hell out of there- you and Zaalbar."
"Skye..."
"No!" the word was a strike of force in the young woman's mind. "You and Zaalbar get the frack out. Whatever is in there was heady enough to do something to Revan and Malak before they turned. It was enough to make them rethink everything; it bent and twisted everything they believed in. So, if things get too ugly, you and Big Z get off this planet and get lost in that big Black. If you let it the 'verse will swallow you whole and that is just what you're going to do. I want you both to disappear."
Mission nodded, "I will Skye. I can be pretty good at disappearing."
"Good girl. Now that's not to say I don't want you and Teethree slicing any tech in there and doing your magic. I know Canderous has been teaching you about munitions; we just might need things to go boom."
Mission smiled. "Don't worry Skye. We got this."
Ravensong nodded. "Then let's do it"
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~
The wind blew out the northeast in cold, fierce gusts. It billowed every free-hanging piece of cloth worn by the companions as it whispered and whistled through the ancient ruins. Centuries of dust swirled in miniature cyclones. A black metallic cylindrical figure stepped out of the gloom of the vault's shadows.
It didn't look like anything the companions had ever seen before. It stood two meters high, crawling towards them on four clanking spider legs. Its body was segmented into three sections not unlike an insect. Three yellow sensors shimmered out of its 'head.'
Everyone, including the Jedi, brought their weapons to bare waiting for the droid to react. Which it did, but not as any of them had expected. It just spoke. Though it did so in a strange and unfamiliar language. Skye frowned looking to Bastila to see if she recognized it, but the younger Jedi seemed as lost as she.
"What language is that? What are you trying to say?"
Again, is spoke this time is something that almost seemed to be a dialect of the Tusken Raiders, the sand people of Tatooine. But again Skye, who was a poly-linguist, could not fathom the words.
"Bastila do you have any idea what it's saying?" the Jedi said.
"I think the droid is trying to communicate with us by cycling through a variety of native languages. Each time it spoke it was using a very different alien dialect." Bastila answered loquaciously. "The droid can probably understand us. The only problem is the droid may not be programmed with the phonemes of a language we understand."
"But don't you speak a whole bunch of languages, Skye?" Mission asked.
Once more the droid spoke and once more it was another dialect.
"Hey! I understood that," the Nagai brightened up
What the droid had said was: "I can use any language of the slaves of the Builders."
"I recognize this language as well." Bastila echoed Skye's jubilation. "It's an ancient variant of Selkath dialect used on Manaan," her brow furrowed. "But why would a droid on Dantooine be programmed with ancient Selkath?"
"Communication is vital to ensure the slaves that constructed this temple understood the wishes of the Builders," the droid answered. "But you are not of the slave species nor are you the Builders. You are like the other one who came before."
Bastila swallowed. "It must be referring to Revan," she cast a nervous glance to the former Dark Lord. In an instant the charade she was forced to play in the shadows of truth might be dragged into the light. "The Dark Lord and Malak likely encountered this droid when they explored these ruins."
Skye noted the title but said nothing as she retuned her attentions to the ancient droid. "What are you? Why are you here, are you some kind of guardian?"
"I am the Overseer. The Builders programmed me to enforce discipline among the slaves while this monument to the power of the Star Forge was constructed. At the conclusion of the project and the execution of all slaves involved, I was reprogrammed to remain at this site should any Builder seek information about the Star Forge."
"How long have you been here?"
"My chronological circuitry marks that I have been here over ten full revolutions of this system's outermost plant around the sun since the Builders left."
"Ten revolutions would take more than twenty thousand years. If this is true then this droid is nearly five thousand years older than the Republic itself!" Bastila shook her head in disbelief. "There... there... must to be some mistake."
"There is no mistake. The Builders had equipped me with chronological circuitry using the same technology used to construct the Star Forge itself. My calculations are infallible," came a digitized, if somewhat indignant, answer.
"Who are the Builders you keep talking about?" Skye demanded.
"The Builders are the great masters of the galaxy. They are conquers of the worlds. The leaders of the Infinite Empire and they are the creators of the Star Forge."
"These Builders must be an extinct people. But it is strange that there are no records and even the archives of the Jedi academy make no mention of them." Bastila frowned. "In the years before the Republic, the Hutts were a dominant force in the galaxy but they never constructed an empire. In fact, I know of no species that would fit with this information."
"Something must have happened to wipe the Builders out." Skye concluded. "Some kind of intergalactic extinction level event. Or they turned on each other."
"The Empire of the Builders is Infinite and everlasting. Their might unchallenged as is the power of the Star Forge."
"Have you seen a Builder recently?" Skye challenged the increasingly aggravating droid.
"I have been here ever since the completion of the monument all this time with no interaction with a Builder since the completion of the Star Forge."
"Okay so what is this Star Forge?" pressed Ravensong.
"The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their Infinite Empire and their unstoppable conquest."
"But what is IT!?" Skye was losing her temper. She had just about enough of the Builder propaganda poodoo.
"The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex..."
"Oh do shut up. I get that part." Skye snapped.
The Nagai felt Bastila's gentling hand upon her shoulder. "The droid is obviously not programmed with the knowledge we seek. The Star Forge must be a device, a weapon perhaps. In fact it could be anything." Bastila sighed dejectedly.
Feeling calmer because of Bastila's influence quieting her storm, Skye's voice was no longer sharp. "Could it have been a factory? Or a weapons plant?"
Bastila nodded, leaning more of her weight on the taller woman without actually realizing she was doing so. "Maybe. That would explain why the Sith were able to gain a massive fleet so quickly. But I suspect this Star Forge is more powerful than a mere factory. Maybe the droid has more information we can use. It seems to respond to you," she whispered softly looking into deep ocean blue eyes. "Perhaps you should ask it something else?"
Skye nodded; there was something to that, but the Jedi didn't think the antiquated automaton was responding to her as much as it was to 'Revan'. "I'll give it a go, Babe. But I doubt it has anything more. Still... it couldn't hurt." She folded her arms under her breasts and looked directly into the yellow sensor of the droid's ocular device. "What is your purpose here now? Where can we find the Star Forge?"
"I am here to test those that seek that knowledge-those that are like you, not Builders, not slaves and find them worthy. The information about the Star Forge is sealed behind the two locked doors on either side of the monument. There was another who came but he was not worthy and paid the ultimate price."
Bastila turned looking at the body of an elderly human man. He looked as if he had suffered concentrated blaster fire. "The droid must be talking about poor Nemo. The Council sent him here to investigate and it cost him his life."
"Did you kill the Jedi laying there?" Skye demanded.
"I am not programmed for combat. I did not harm the one who failed. He faced the guardians beyond the doors."
"So how do I prove worthy?" for a moment Skye felt as if she were back on Taris talking to old Wrinkle Skin in the Undercity.
"You must face the trials left by the Builders, behind each locked door. Those seeking knowledge must understand the worlds of the Builders. Those who fail will be destroyed." Overseer explained.
"That doesn't sound good. We don't even know what the Builders really are." Carth piped up. "If these tests can beat a Jedi, I would place safe odds on some of us not coming out on top."
"Revan and Malak unlocked the sealed doors and uncovered the secretes of the Star Forge. Now Malak is using the Star Forge to fuel his conquest against the Republic. We have to find out that they uncovered. We have to find a way to unseal these doors to learn more about the Star Forge. The Republic is depending on us." Bastila said commandingly.
"I agree but... some of us shouldn't be tested." Carth's hint was loud enough and unnecessary. Skye was already thinking of how to send Mission and Zaalbar away that wouldn't humiliate them, especially after Bastila's comment of being counted upon them succeeding.
"That's the problem with some of you Republic types." Ordo deliberately goaded Onasi completely ignoring what was being said between the lines. "A test 'aint no real test unless you're willing to risk your life on it. And beating a Jedi isn't that tough if you're smart about it."
Skye looked to a nervous looking Mission and an ill-looking Wookiee. "Someone has to bring Nemo back to the Enclave."
"I had my share of corpse-duty." Canderous shook his head. "Find another for that detail."
"Mission, Zaalbar if you would be so kind as to do this for the Jedi I'd appreciate it." Skye said diplomatically giving the teenagers an opportunity to save face.
It suddenly dawned on the Mandalorian why Skye brought the subject up. And he actually agreed with it. This was no place for a kid, even a street-smart kid from Taris or her Wookiee pal. They weren't quite up to the task. Well the big walking carpet might have been but the girl would only get in the way.
"Um okay if you're sure um... yeah okay," the cerulean skinned Twi'lek bobbed her head. Her lekku relaxed a bit now that she was allowed to leave. Besides, Skye was counting on her to do the right thing for the poor old guy that bought the farm. Yep, she could do that no probs.
"The Jedi should be returned to his people." Zaalbar barked in his native tongue. In his dark brown eyes both Jedi saw relief that Mission was being put out of harm's way.
'Nicely spoken and wisely played.' Bastila spoke through their bond. Along with her words and her approval a little something more slipped though. The human was swift to conceal her growing affection but it had touched Skye's heart all the same. It had caused her to smile.
Bastila knew her heart's truth touched Skye deeply. She turned her face not for shame that she was going to love this woman (again) but because a sudden bout of shyness.
Skye walked past Bastila touching the side of her cheek as she did so. The Nagai forced her attention to the droid.
"Overseer you will open those doors, for we will take this test of your Builders and find ourselves worthy. You will comply."
"The doors are open," the droid said. "Your trials begin."
"We gonna hit this two by two?" Carth asked which caused Teethree to bleat indignantly at being left out.
"He didn't intentionally mean to ignore you Little Guy." Ravensong patted the droid on his cylindrical head. "Onasi's a little slow on the uptake that you're a person too," this caused the astromech droid to bleep happily and almost arrogantly. Teethree also created a 'raspberry' sound at the human male. "And no, we're not splitting up. Nemo fell and we don't know how. We don't know enough about these tests. The old man was a Jedi and he was killed. He was a man who used his mind not brawn. I've got a gut feeling it's going to take a bit of both to beat this. Revan and Malak did it together. So are we. Anyone arguing about what's already been decided, walks out the same door Mission and Big Z just did."
Turning around Skye Ravensong- reborn Jedi Padawan, once Dark Lord of the Sith, once hero Knight of the Republic, marched with purpose into a chamber to face a test she had once passed but had no memory of.
The air was thick and stale like the rest of the ruins. Motes of dust swirled around the companions' ankles like little waves in a tidal pool. Again, there was movement from the shadows as there had been when the companions first entered the ruins. Two now familiar looking guardian droids crawled into view. These however were not in the conversational mood like the Overseer. As soon as their seniors detected movement the ancient machines opened fire.
"Take cover!" Onasi bellowed as he ducked behind a steel girder and pulled out both pistols and fired at the droid's head but its shield deflected each blaster bullet.
"Go for the joints." Ravensong advised the others. She summoned the emerald lighting and sent a bolt into the core of the cylindrical chassis. Dozens of green electrical fingers surged around the droid, curling around the four spider legs. "Teethree hit those things with a sonic pulse."
The little astromech droid bleeped compliance, its little electrical charge wouldn't touch the ancient mechanoids, but a sonic blast would weaken them.
The droids moved fast, skittering across rubble completely stable despite the enormity of debris. Their weapons were unlike anything any of Ravensong's group had ever faced. Their lasers were coupled with a cryogenic blast. It not only froze a combatant in place but also cooked them from within like a microwave. Such a beam from the second droid swirled on Onasi who ignored the Jedi's advice. The ray hit his chest and sent the Republic officer flying head over heels like a tumbleweed. He smacked into the far wall- metal clanged against metal, his body encased in frozen foam.
Skye struck the second with a bolt of lightning calling its attention to her. It opened fire but she rolled into a ball and somersaulted out of range. Its beam hit the first droid, freezing it in place. Bastila took the open opportunity of the sudden crowd control and distraction by bringing the duel golden lightsaber over her head and swung at the active droid's legs causing the thing to topple. A second blow took off the conical head.
Both Jedi smiled. Without communicating even through the bond, they worked in utter and complete harmony.
Teethree ignored the battle and rolled over to Carth. The little droid lowered his sonic emitter towards the cocooned human and blasted. The sealant covering the body shattered freeing the officer within. His armour saved his life as did the little droid which was currently bleeping and hooting what sounded like a chastisement for ignoring the master's commands.
Canderous levelled his heavy blaster not at the central core of the droid as Onasi had but at its neck-joint. The head popped right off. The droid spun around in circles for a moment before recovering. Before it did completely, a black saber was thrust through its chassis from behind impaling it.
"Nice touch Whelp." Canderous complemented.
"Not bad yourself, Grandpa Candy." Skye turned off her saber before she saluted the man in a playful manner.
"Don't you even start!" growled the Mandalorian. "I'm going to take that little shit urchin across my knee for giving that up."
Skye just chuckled. She cut a glance to Carth who was now walking to them looking a little chagrined for once more ignoring Ravensong's orders.
"Nice of you to join us Republic," jibbed the older male. "Don't worry your weak orange ass; the real warriors met the little challenge while you were taking a nap."
"I fear that was just the warm-up." Bastila intervened just as Onasi opened his mouth to protest. "That was merely the test of strength, we must now see to the test of the mind."
Skye looked to the 50,000-year-old computer terminal across the room. "Hopefully they are still functioning."
"Whatta ya mean? They worked for Revan, didn't they?" Ordo asked.
"Yes, and if she didn't want anyone following her or discovering the secrets of the Star Forge," Ravensong answered "she could have sabotaged the console in any manner of ways. I would have."
Bastila shot the other Jedi a look. "I suppose that is possible," she muttered. "Perhaps that is what truly killed Nemo."
"Time to find out." Skye commented approaching the semi-circular computer terminal. The keys didn't look familiar to at all. There was a small fraction in the former Dark Lord that she might have recalled seeing it and knowing what to do. If she spoke to it, or touched it would the computer recognize her? And yet the Overseer responded to her but didn't seem to know her as Revan.
Unless I had something to do with that after I got what I wanted? The Nagai mused, which was entirely possible. The other possibility was that Revan ghosted it meaning she didn't want to draw attention or allow anyone to know she had been there so left as little trace as possible.
Taking the proactive approach Skye simply spoke to the terminal but nothing happened, but at least it was functioning.
"Maybe it doesn't have the same adaptive programming the Overseer does," Bastila said.
"Maybe. Or maybe it has to learn our dialect." Skye nodded. The next time she spoke to the computer it was using the ancient Selkath dialect then switched to Galactic Basic. That actually got a response. A small port opened on the side of the computer which accepted Ravensong's datapad.
"What's it asking?"
"Something rather elementary." Skye frowned as the simplicity of the computers inquiry. "It wants to know the three-death giving seed world types." Skye typed in 'barren', 'desert' and 'volcanic'.
"I would surmise that the east chamber's computer will wish to know the three life-giving worlds: oceanic, arboreal, grassland." Bastila added.
"Why simple questions like that? It doesn't make any kind of sense," Carth frowned, "that's supposed to be a test of the mind? Any elementary school kid can answer that."
"I think we'll find out more as we go." The former Dark Lord shrugged. "Somehow it will tie in with the Star Forge."
The east chamber did indeed hold the questions Bastila had said it would. It held two guardian droids as well, though this time Onasi listened to the orders given to him by the Jedi.
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~
Upon leaving the last room, the Overseer approached the companions. Once more it addressed them in ancient Selkath which of course only the Jedi understood. "You have proven yourself worthy. The sealed doors are now open. If you wish to learn the secrets of the Star Forge you must pass through the doors beyond."
"We've come this far. Let us see what secrets are buried here." Skye said leading the other three to the far chamber.
Upon entering, a two-meter-tall portly obelisk, hummed and clanked as it came alive. Obviously, it was activated by the close proximity of organics. The sides of the obelisk opened not unlike an orange that had been sliced open. The room flared briefly with a dozen different strobing lights before settling on a single holographic configuration of the galaxy. It was in a few words, breathtakingly beautiful.
"This must be what Revan and Malak found when they entered this temple," Bastila said starring at the orbiting map. One could lose hours just staring at it. The humans voice grew softer almost regretful as she shifted her gaze from the map to the woman standing next to her. "This is must be where their journey down the Dark Side began."
"What is this?" Skye asked, the question was more to herself but Bastila took it upon herself to answer.
"This is a map. Some sort of intergalactic navigational chart. Revan and Malak must have used this to lead them to the Star forge. We can use this map to follow their path and find the Star Forge ourselves. But we must be wary," she cautioned, "they may have laid traps or concealed what they found."
"So what is the Star Forge exactly?" Canderous murmured watching the map slowly turn.
"I don't know. But Revan and Malak were very interested in finding it. It must be a tool of some kind or maybe a weapon. Perhaps the Council can tell us more, but I think this map might be the key in finding the Star Forge whatever it is." Bastila moved to stand within the projection of the map. "See this world here? This looks like Korriban, a Sith world. And if that is Korriban then this is Kashyyyk." She pointed to another cluster of starts and a world highlighted within the system. Then she pointed to another. "And Tatooine. And here's Manaan. There are pieces missing. Incomplete hyper-space coordinates, corrupted data. And there doesn't seem to be anything indicating where the star Forge itself might be."
"Well perhaps we'll find out more if we go to these worlds too. Look it goes back to those simple queries the computers were asking. Dantooine is the grassland, Kashyyyk is the arboreal and Manaan is oceanic. The desert world is Tatooine, Korriban is barren and the volcanic... is a world we have to find. That's why the computers asked those questions."
"I was thinking that too. This map can't take us to the Star Forge, but I know that Revan and Malak visited Korriban at least once. Perhaps they discovered something more there. They may have sound something on each of the other worlds that completed this map. Maybe if we can find all the pieces it will lead us to the Star Forge and some way to destroy it."
"That sounds like quite the supposition." Carth piped up. Ever since he lost face he had become even more embittered. "What if you're wrong?"
Bastila pinned the reluctant male with a look of thin tolerance. "What if I'm right? We can't ignore this. Finding the Star Forge might very well be the key in defeating the Sith. We must inform the Council of what we've discovered. They must decide our best course of action. But I suspect our task has only just begun."
"I think you're right. I and if we faced a trial here to prove worthy, we'll be facing more on each of these worlds." Skye said. "Teethree make sure you get a full recoding of this and send it the Hawk's nav-computer."
The little droid bleeped an affirmative.
As they were walking back out of the temple the raven-haired woman watched her fellow Jedi become deeper and deeper lost in her own thoughts. She turned to the men-folk. "You two go ahead. Bastila and I'll catch up. Oh and take Teethree with you."
"Leastwise it 'aint a dead body." Canderous said. "Hey Republic, you're riding bitch."
"Get on the back of the swoop bike with you? I don't think so." Carth looked as if he rather eat kath hound vomit than trust his life to a Mandalorian.
"Then walk," Ordo growled not comfortable with the idea of Onasi riding with him either.
"Both of you can walk if you don't get a move on." Skye ordered. "Now get."
The command was not disobeyed a second time. They men strapped Teethree on the back of the second swoop bike then reluctantly climbed aboard one after the other and took off at speed.
Now alone, Skye turned to her bond-mate and said. "Something bothering you, babe?"
"Hum? No not bothering me exactly," the younger woman shook her head.
"Well clearly something is on your mind, and I get the feeling it isn't about the Star Forge thing that's troubling you."
"How did you know?"
"Well your face is all scrunched up like a kinrath pup." Skye smirked teasingly.
"An amusing description but we both know that is hardly the truth. We both know the real reason you have some idea of how I am thinking. There is a bond between us. I do not dispute that I can feel it as I'm sure you can."
This again? Skye tried to remain open minded. She knew it wasn't easy for Bastila to be bonded to a former lover come enemy... and pretend Skye was a stranger. In a certain light that was most definitely true. Skye Ravensong was a stranger wearing a familiar face.
"My mind lingers about what the Jedi Council said about the two of us. The nature of that bond and the effects on our mission remains in question." Bastila continued.
Skye didn't think she liked where this conversation was heading. "Doesn't the bond mean my presence is necessary?"
"Necessary perhaps but there is no guarantee of our success," there was less shadow and more chill to the words now being spoken by the other Jedi. "I admit I am a little concerned of how a bond could be formed in the first place."
Skye remained mute.
Bastila continued to speak, at times it was as if she was unable to meet the older woman's' blue eyes. "Our connection allows us to see glimpses into each other's minds. We can feel some of what the other feels. And what I feel in you troubles me. A padawan must receive considerable training both to control their emotions and darker impulses. Often it takes years before using the Force can be considered safe. The fact that you are so strong in the force and had such relatively little training could have terrible consequences. For you and everyone around you."
Skye shrugged deciding to go for a more levity. "Well you can warn me before I do something bad like blinking once for Dark Side twice for Light."
"This is not a joke," scowled the human. "The choices you make could affect both our destinies, not to mention the fate of the Republic and the entire galaxy. There is much at stake," her voice once more became a whisper; a shadow of words. "Thankfully you extended a degree of compassion and self-control up to this point, but I sincerely hope you can maintain those traits in the future. We must always resist the influence of the Dark Side. It is everything we are fighting against, this is doubly important for you... with your natural affinity with the Force."
"Right... right... right..." Skye nodded. "Something has you really spooked Bas. Ever since we came out of that temple you've been looking at me to see if I've gone all veiny and yellow-eyed. Of course, that statement is a bit unfair to those races like the Cathar who have naturally golden eyes. Why are you getting so upset?"
"I am sorry if I came across as harsh," Bastila quickly covered the near slip. "But I am concerned for you, for our mission and for myself as well. Our destinies are intertwined. Everything one of us does will have consequences for the other. Any reckless behaviour on your part is likely to affect me as well."
"Oh, so now I'm the dangerous one. What about you Princess? What about crap you do, it will affect me too. You're the one that got herself captured without so much as a fight and her lightsaber snatched away by a bunch of lowlife spice-sniffing goons. Talk about reckless. Or do you think yourself too pristine, too good... that you won't frack my life up. From where I'm standing you pretty much already did that. Or is there something you're not telling me? You think because I'm a Nagai that I'll do what Revan did and become the next Dark Lord? This works both ways, doesn't it?"
"Skye I... I never meant to imply that I am infallible. Or that I am above temptations from the Dark Side. Or that..."
"You're better than anyone else because you killed but didn't kill the great dark scourge of the galaxy?" seethed Ravensong.
"No! I don't believe that I'm better. I don't want to fight with you, Skye." Bastila shook as she reached out with her hand and touched the taller Jedi on her arm. "It's... only the sheer power of your control over the Force, its strength is almost overwhelming. Your affinity could be a gift or a curse. It makes me tremble to think of it."
"Oh," Skye moved in closer to the other woman, "I think we both know the reason I make you tremble," she touched the other woman's cheek and purred into a soft curved shell-like ear. "And the Force has nothing to do with it."
For a moment Bastila was grateful for the playful flirty side of Ravensong to rear its head. It gave her something to focus on. Battling her desire to kiss Revan... Skye, was growing more and more difficult to deny. The bond between them flashed with their equal want of each other. Swallowing, Bastila took a step back. "Must you be so persistent? You... you can be so impossible sometimes."
"It's a gift." Smirked the Nagai once more pleased to see pale cheeks flush with desire.
"Clearly you think so." Bastila attempted to create the best displeased scowl on her face which to Skye made her all the cuter. "I know very little about you," the human said trying another approach to change the subject.
There was a snort. You know more about me than I do. The sarcastic thought slithered into the former Dark Lord's heart.
"I'd like to ask you some questions, given our relationship." Bastila attempted.
"Our relationship, eh? Oh, now see I like the sound of that." The Nagai flashed a playful flirtatious grin which caused Bastila to blush profusely.
"That is not what I meant and you know it!" the indignant Jedi Princes was back in full haughty mode to cover up her building attraction.
Yep, you want to know if I remember Dark Lord Sith stuff. Okay Princess. Let's play.
"Fine I'll answer your questions, Princess."
Bastila said nothing about the mocking nickname. "Don't worry, these will be harmless. Nothing too intrusive. I saw your service records when you were first transferred to the Endar Spire but I know nothing beyond that."
Skye's eyes grew dark for the blatant lie.
"First, what kind of background do you have?" Bastila was definitely fishing now.
"No."
"No?" clearly this was not what Bastila was expecting. Her face did indeed scrunch up.
"No," another flat answer. "I'm not doing this. I will not answer questions you already know and read about, you want to know me then know me Bas! I will not stand here and be judged by you, you have no right to do that." Skye shook her dark locks.
"I..."
"No." Skye held up a finger. "No apologies, no excuses. You listen, I speak. You got spooked in that temple, you're spooked about the Star Forge and more importantly you're spooked I'll turn into the next Dark Lord of the Sith. Okay then let us play a game, then shall we?
"Let's just say for grins that Revan, the woman you are so very famed to have killed, was standing right here right now in front of you. What do you think she'd say to you knowing the truth? Knowing that your fame for her death was a lie perpetuated by the Council?"
Bastila paled. Skye felt the other Jedi's mind attempt to slip into hers but she forced her out. 'None of that.' She sent telepathically. "You figure out the answer for yourself, Princes. You don't get to go traipsing through my mind to see what I think the answer might be. No Jedi mind games, I think I've had quite enough of that."
Bastila was stuck dumb.
"Get on the bike. We have to catch up to the guys and let the Council know what we found in the ruins."
Silently Bastila obeyed. Her hands went around Skye's waist and she leaned forward on the finely tuned muscles of the other woman's back. They were half way across the plains when the Nagai heard two words.
"I'm sorry."