Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Chapter 48

They left Rakata Prime in time to see the Republic fleet dropping out from the hyperspace. Led by Admiral Forn Dodonna, an armada composed of Hammerhead-class cruisers and Foray-class blockade runners appeared in the Lehon System, steadily approaching the Star Forge.

Revan and the crew, except for Wolfie and Atton who were piloting the Ebon Hawk, were gathered in the main hold around the holoprojector. Everyone was waiting in anticipation for the outcome of what was going to happen. Their quest edging closer to completion.

"I'm picking up a transmission coming from the Republic fleet" Carth announced after playing with the holoprojector for a while. "It is good to know they've received our message. I'm broadcasting them now."

"This is Admiral Forn Dodonna to the Ebon Hawk, do you read us?" a hologram of the Republic leader spoke. Revan made sure to remain out of sight. Dodonna, after all, was one of the not many people who could recognize him even without his mask.

"Admiral Dodonna, this is Carth Onasi. We are receiving your transmission" the Republic pilot replied, straightening up. He intertwined his hands behind his back.

"Carth, I'm glad to see you're still alive. We've begun our assault on the Star Forge, but we're taking heavy losses. How did the Sith ever manage to build something of this scope?"

"The Star Forge wasn't constructed by the Sith, Admiral. We don't have time for me to fully explain it, but that space station is far older than you can imagine."

"Maybe we should pull the fleet back and retreat" Dodonna suggested. "I don't know if we have the firepower to go up against this alien technology."

"You can't do that, Admiral" Carth objected. "The Star Forge is a factory of immense power. It's been churning out the capital ships, snub fighters and assault droids that have powered the Sith war effort. You have to destroy the Star Forge now or you'll be fighting an unending wave of reinforcements."

"Then I guess we have no choice" Dodonna commented, directing it more to herself than anyone else. "But it isn't going to be easy. I can't even get our capital ships into position to start bombarding the Star Forge" she complained. "The Sith fleet is too well organized. It's like they can guess our every move and counter our every strategy!"

"It's because of Bastila, Admiral" Carth replied, earning a surprised gasp from his conversationalist.

"Bastila? It's impossible! She's on our side!" Dodonna exclaimed.

"Not anymore, Admiral" Carth countered. "She turned to the Dark Side and became Malak's apprentice. We suspect she's somewhere on that space station right now, using her Battle Meditation against you and your fleet."

The Admiral frowned at that and looked at her feet. She seemed to be thinking hard about what she's just heard. After few seconds she stepped aside, allowing another person to appear in the holoprojector.

"This is Master Vandar" she introduced the small figure. "He, alongside other Jedi Masters of the Order, including Grand Master Atris and a number of Jedi Knights have joined our fleet, aiming to support us in this battle. He's one of only two survivors of Dantooine's massacre."

"If Bastila is using her power to augment the Sith then Malak's fleet is invincible" he commented, not looking at those he was speaking to. "Our only hope is to somehow stop Bastila from using her Battle Meditation."

"How can we do that if she's on the space station?" Admiral queried.

Revan interfered in the conversation at that point. Removing his mask, he walked up to the holoprojector, allowing those on the other side to see him. He knew it was a risk, but there's been some time since Forn saw him last. And since that time, he changed a bit.

"This is something I can take care of, Admiral" Revan replied, mimicking Carth's pose. "Master" he acknowledged Vandar. "With your permission, I'll land on the Star Forge and find Bastila. Otherwise, we are doomed to fail." May we speak in private, Master? Revan asked in his thoughts, hoping that Master Vandar would hear him

"I will send a squadron of Jedi Knights to the Star Forge to accompany you, then. Their small ships will be able to fly through the Sith blockade and dock on the space station. If you manage to find Bastila, you may be able to distract her attention from the battle overhead" he replied. "That should allow you to move your capital ships into position for a final assault on the Star Forge itself, Admiral," Vandar said, addressing the woman next to him. What is it, Revan? The former Dark Lord heard Jedi Master's voice in his head.

"That's a good idea, Master. If we want to board the Star Forge, we will be needing a distraction. Otherwise, their artillery will blow us out from the sky in no time." Is Atris truly here?

"Then may the Force be with you." Yes. She's on the second ship.

The holoprojector went dead but everyone remained in their places, engaging in some sort of conversation. Revan stayed focused on his mental connection with Master Tokare.

I'll bring Bastila back, Master Vandar, he said sternly. I won't give up on her. She can still be saved.

I believe you, the Jedi Master replied. Light is in all of us. No one is ever beyond saving.

I'll send her back to the Republic fleet once I convince her. I beg you, Master, help her. She's been through a lot recently, so don't judge her for her fall. And most of all, do not allow Atris to get to her. She will want to take vengeance on her for Vrook's death.

So it is true, then, Vandar commented. Vrook truly is dead.

Yes, Revan replied, I slew him and Kavar on Korriban. But that's not the point. I'm asking you to help her because she's been through something not many can imagine. Do not blame her for her fall, because no one would be able to survive what she's been through and walk out from that unharmed. She'll be needing all the medical and mental help she can get to get past through it. I trust you, Master, which is why I believe you will be able to help her. I would do it myself, but… Today is the day I told you about. Today the Republic must stand aside.

Master Vandar said nothing to that. Revan was wandering for a moment if he was even still listening to him.

Are you sure of that? He asked after few moments of silence.

Absolutely, Master, Revan replied. Today is the day the war ends. My Empire will disappear from the Republic Space and I must go with them. Once again, please, take care of Bastila.

I will, Vandar promised. Revan let out a sigh of relief.

Thank you, Master. Now, I have to go complete the unfinished business with my former apprentice, he said, breaking the link between them.

"Prepare yourselves!" Revan announced. "We're approaching the Star Forge now!"

Everyone walked to the cockpit now, wanting to see the infamous space station. As they were getting closer and closer, the Star Forge was getting bigger and bigger, eclipsing everything around. Now, no one of them was actually able to see the full space station – only the hangar, which they were steadily approaching.

"Steady as she goes, Atton," Wolfie said, focusing on the task at hand. The Ebon Hawk was being accompanied by many smaller starfighters. Many of them were already blown out from the sky, leaving only a few ships to help the Ebon Hawk.

Their ship shook violently when another starfighter exploded right next to them. Some of the crew members held their breaths as if in fear of being shot down themselves.

Luckily, nothing like that has happened. Soon, the Ebon Hawk started to lose its speed. They heard the characteristic hiss of air coming out from the air brakes. Wolfie proceeded to press numerous buttons in order to extend the chassis. The Ebon Hawk lost all of its velocity and bounced once up and down when it rested on the landing gear.

They were inside of the hangar.

"Fox, Wolfie, Atton, and HK will go with me" Revan announced, leaving the cockpit. "The rest stays on the Ebon Hawk. This is our only way out from the Star Forge" he said in a tone that left no place for argument.

Revan and those he appointed went to the loading ramp waiting for it to drop down. The former Dark Lord put his mask back on.

As soon as the loading ramp was down, they ran out from the Ebon Hawk. Revan ignited his lightsabers in the process, passing by the members of the Jedi strike teams. They were engaged in a combat with the Dark Jedi. Fighters on both sides stopped in their tracks when they saw a man wearing the characteristic red mask.

Revan used their distraction to cut down the Dark Jedi. He ignored the surprised and terrified looks he received from the Jedi who were in the hangar and made his way deeper into the Main Deck; his soldiers were following him closely behind.

They were running alongside the narrow bridges, so far encountering no resistance. This quickly changed, though, when from the nearby halls the war droids emerged. They were similar to those they met on Manaan. Revan groaned in frustration. He really didn't want to have to fight against them, simply because he considered it to be a waste of good soldiers, but he had no other options.

He and his men quickly defeated the droids and continued along, turning right on the fork in the road. They ran alongside the narrow metal bridges, causing the loud echo to spread across the Main Deck. Revan could feel a cough slowly returning. He cleared his throat in an attempt to delay its assault on his air passages. It was the worst moment for it to return.

He wasn't paying much attention to the soldiers, droids and the Dark Jedi they were encountering during their run. Some were killed by him and the rest were taken care of by his men and his assassin droid. That way they cleared the entire Main Deck and managed to get towards the elevator that was leading to the Command Center. There, as Revan sensed, Bastila was waiting.

"My Lord" Fox called him, attracting his attention.

"What is it?"

"Perhaps you may want to come here," his soldier said from in front of one of the smaller rooms that were located on the Main Deck. That room was filled with the computer terminals only.

"What's so special here?" he asked. He hated to waste any more time.

"The thickener will soon disappear from your blood" Fox stated. "Remember what we said about your armor?"

"It was destroyed" Revan replied.

"But it can be remade" Fox countered. "You created it here. The computers should contain the data in the storage concerning your armor. If so, you should be able to create it again. And perhaps it will save your life."

Revan thought about it for a second. He didn't want to lose more time than he already had, but his soldier was right. He could feel a cough growing in his lungs, threatening to erupt in any second.

Making a decision, he nodded his head and entered the computer room. It was a small chamber containing three computers. He walked up to the middle one.

It was just as he remembered it. And the interface seemed to remember him as well. Revan searched through the database of the computer, checking its history of usage. Searching through the time period when he was the Dark Lord of the Sith, he indeed found the data concerning his armor. Smiling, he clicked few buttons and soon the container that was standing at the far end of the room flashed with light. When the light faded away, the perfect replica of his well-known armor was floating in the container, waiting for him to wear it.

Revan's smile grew, though it was unnoticed because of his mask that was still covering his features. He walked up to the container and picked up his robes. Now, he truly felt at home. He dressed up quickly, discarding his previous robes.

"Let's go," he said to his followers after leaving the computer room. The group of five proceeded towards the elevator that was at the far end of the corridor.


"We've lost contact with the Main Deck, Admiral Sommos" one of the Intel Officers reported. The Admiral cursed silently under her nose.

"What about the cameras? Do you have the live footage?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, Admiral, all cameras were destroyed."

"Admiral, someone is using the elevator and is heading to the Command Center!"

Before she could react in any way, the elevator doors opened themselves. In a blink of an eye, two lightsabers flew out from the elevator, chopping off heads of the soldiers who were standing on guard in the Command Center. Their lifeless bodies fell to the floor with a loud thump.

"Admiral Sommos," a voice said. The voice she knew perfectly well.

"Lord Revan" she replied, bowing deeply. Trembling slightly in fear, she looked up to see that in fact, Darth Revan was standing in front of her.

"You may rise, Admiral," Revan said. Noma did just that. "It's good to be home, Admiral. I'm reclaiming the Star Forge and I will gladly welcome you back to my service."

"Of course, my Lord?" she replied, bowing again. She straightened up quickly and took a formal pose. "What are your orders, My Lord?"

"I'm going for Malak now" Revan replied. "I'll teach that treachery scum the lesson he deserves. Also, tell my fleet to disengage and prepare the Star Forge for the jump into hyperspace. The war with the Republic is over."

"My Lord?"

"You heard me, Admiral. The fleet must disengage. Order the ships to make the jump to Onderon and prepare the Star Forge to make the same jump."

"My Lord, with all due respect, we don't know how the hyperdrive works. It can be risky, to say the least, to jump into hyperspace."

"This station is capable of working on three hundred percent of its capacity. Surely, it must be able to make a jump at such a short distance. Also, there is a ship on the Main Deck. Its signature is 34-P7JK. It is bound to leave the Star Forge unharmed. I'm not going to take it lightly if it will be blown out in the battle, understood?"

"Understood, My Lord" Noma Sommos replied. She looked at the Intel staff who were watching her, not knowing what to do. "Well, you heard Lord Revan. Do as you've been told to."

"Take this if you'll want to contact me, Admiral," Revan said, giving her the communicator. "Also, do not inform the fleet about the shift of power. I'll inform my Empire myself as soon as I'm done with my former apprentice. I'll leave my men with you, just to be sure you won't try anything stupid. Stay here" he addressed Fox, Wolfie, Atton, and HK.

With that, he left the Command Center and proceeded towards the room where Bastila was waiting.


"Revan, I knew you'd come for me" Bastila commented, not looking at him. She was sitting at the holoprojector that was displaying a hologram of the Star Forge and the ships surrounding it.

"I would never give up on you, Bastila" Revan replied. "I know you can still be saved."

"I've seen the Jedi for what they are: weak and afraid. There is nothing you can do to make me return to the Order" she countered, standing up. She still wasn't facing him. Slowly, she ignited the saberstaff that was, until now, resting, attached to her belt.

She closed the distance between them by jumping high into the air and landing right in front of him. Revan ignited his own lightsabers just in time to block Bastila's attacks. The two engaged in a ferocious duel – Bastila was the one who kept on attacking. Revan's recent discovery made it impossible for him to deliver any blow in fear of hurting her. He would not risk that much.

Bastila could easily see that Revan wasn't trying to attack her at all. She clenched her teeth, aiming for ending the life of her opponent. The fact that, once again, she couldn't break through his defenses angered her even more.

The young Talravinian woman kept on delivering powerful slashes at Revan that would have easily killed him if he didn't keep on defending himself. Which was rather easy due to the fact that he was using two lightsabers. Countless times in his life, it proved to be very efficient against the saberstaff users.

Surprising him, Bastila brought her heel high into the air, kicking him into the masked face. Revan stumbled backward, trying to regain his footage. He did it just in time to block another assault from his wife. She used the Force Wave to push him back. She succeeded in doing that and, as the result, Revan was sent against the holoprojector, hitting it with his back. His spine cracked loudly after hitting the metal.

"You were a fool to give up all your power and follow the Light Side," Bastila said, sounding unnaturally peaceful. Her eyes were burning with hateful gold. She used the Force to grab parts of the ceiling that were hanging freely. She sent them flying at Revan.

"There is no more Light Side or Dark Side for me" Revan replied, deflecting the metal parts with ease.

"The Dark Side made me stronger than I ever was before" Bastila countered, attempting to grip him in the Force. Her effort came to no avail.

"I don't want to fight you anymore, Bastila," Revan said, neglecting her Force attack.

"Eventually there'll be no limits to what I can accomplish with the Force!" she exclaimed, trying to attack him again. Once again, her effort came to no avail.

"Malak will never let you become that powerful" Revan countered, turning off his lightsaber. "He will kill you first!" he tried to reason with her. Bastila laughed humorlessly at that.

"Have you forgotten the ways of the Sith already, Revan?" she asked, shaking her head. "Eventually, I will challenge my master. If I'm worthy, he'll die by my hand and I will become the new Sith Master! Then I'll take on my own apprentice and the cycle will begin again. But you won't live long enough to see it!" she exclaimed, raising her blade back to the fighting stance.

"Then go on" Revan urged her. Both of his lightsabers were now turned off, clipped to his belt "Kill me now, Bastila. Show me what kind of a Sith you are!"

Her eyes refilled with hatred. She raised her blade at the height of the neck, aiming for decapitating him in one swift strike. She hauled off and dropped her saberstaff. Revan closed his eyes, preparing for the hit that was going to separate his head from the rest of his body

The hit didn't come, though. Something held her off, making her stop the blade just a few centimeters from his neck. At that time, Bastila couldn't tell what stopped her. It wasn't the Force because she didn't feel a blockade created by her opponent. It was something stopping her from the inside, making her incapable of moving the saberstaff few centimeters in the left.

Revan knew he was risking a lot, but it was a risk he was willing to take in order to get his wife back. He could feel the heat of her lightsaber literally three centimeters away from his neck. Slowly, he raised up his hands to remove his mask.

Bastila watched as Revan revealed his face to her. She looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but… love, as she realized after a moment. And it was directed at her.

"Why?" she asked after a moment of staying in that position. "Why can't I kill you?"

"You know why" Revan replied softly. He made a risk by taking a step forward. As he expected, Bastila's blade didn't get closer to his skin. "And you can't deny it."

Revan watched gratefully as Bastila's eyes slowly began to turn back to grey. They glazed over.

"I love you, Bastila," he said, risking another step forward. She did not back away. "And I know you love me." He raised his gloved hand to rest it on her cheek.

"How can you love me?" she asked. Her eyes were closed and from beneath her eyelids, tears were streaming down. "How can you love me after all I've done?"

"I should be the one asking this question" Revan replied with a smile. "And there is nothing you could do that would make me stop loving you, Bastila. You're the only person in the Galaxy I can love sincerely. You are my wife, Bastila" he finished, lifting his other hand. She looked down to see the ring in his palm. The same one she destroyed in the Temple.

Bastila gasped slightly and looked up. When she did, she felt Revan's warm lips on her own. All thoughts about killing him evaporated from her mind instantly.

"You still want me?" she asked after they separated. Her voice came in a whisper.

"I never stopped wanting you" Revan replied. He moved his hand to put on the ring on Bastila's fourth finger. She accepted it hesitantly. "I never stopped, and never will stop loving you, Bastila."

Tears were now freely running down her cheeks. Revan used his fingers to wipe them out. He kissed her lightly on the lips again.

"Go to the hangar," he told her, holding her by her shoulders. "Carth is waiting there in the Ebon Hawk. From there, you'll make it safely to the Republic fleet. Master Vandar will take care of you."

"And what about you?" she asked, looking him in the eyes.

"I have to deal with Malak" Revan replied.

"Will I ever see you again?" Bastila queried, seeing past his words.

"I really hope so" he answered honestly. Bastila's lower lip trembled and her eyes refilled with tears.

"Go," Revan said after giving her one last kiss. Unwillingly, Bastila complied, running out from the Command Center to the elevator that would take her straight to the hangar. When she disappeared, Revan turned on his communicator.

"Jolee, do you hear me?" he asked, waiting for the reply.

"I hear you" the old man answered.

"Bastila is heading towards the Ebon Hawk, unarmed. Once she's on the ship, leave the Star Forge and take her to the Republic fleet. Master Vandar will be waiting for her. And be there for her, Jolee. She'll be needing as much help as she can get. And give me Mission and Carth."

"I will." There were some noises on the other side and soon Revan heard Mission's voice.

"What is it?" she asked concerned.

"Mission, Bastila will be needing your help. You're a kind woman and she'll need such kindness. Be there for her as you have been for me on Korriban, okay?"

"Okay" she replied hesitantly, not fully understanding what Revan meant.

"Carth" he addressed the pilot. "I tried to entrust as little to your safekeeping as I could during our quest, because, in my opinion, you're a fucking imbecile. But you're a good man, Carth" he added before the pilot could reply in any way. "And I trust you to take my wife and the rest safely back to the Republic. Revan out" he finished, not waiting for an answer.

Now, he was ready to face Malak.


Okay, that's it for today. Eh, the encounter with Noma Sommos and the Star Forge, in general, looked much better in my head XD. And no, I'm not 100% sure if the Star Forge had a hyperdrive, but if the Death Star had, why the Star Forge wouldn't? Sorry if this chapter seemed pretty lame but I just had no idea how to write some parts. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it. As always, leave a review. See you in the next update, which, most probably, will be the last one in this story ;)