Knights of the Old Republic II: Sith Lords - Volume 2: Telos
Knights of the old Republic and Starwars are owned by George Lucas (I think he owns them both). Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to Joss Whedon. I own nothing here. As said by many wise men..and women…please don't sue me.
The timeline for Buffy takes place about three years after the end of Buffy. No exact date has been decided. KOTOR 2 timeline starts right from the beginning of the game. I apologize now for my lack of grammar etc, etc. I've never posted anything I've written until now. This bug has been floating in my skull since I first read Slayers of the old republic by Michael Weyer. It definitely fed my imagination. Thanks Michael. Anyways on with the show. Please comment. It won't get better in quality or quantity without constructive criticism.
Chapter Six
Giles stepped through the entrance of the Ebon Hawk and instantly felt comfortable within it's confines, the small freighter had a feeling that made him think of home, he smiled, and embraced the feeling for a moment before turning to the task that brought him here.
The sound of the small droid T3 told him everything he needed to know, following it through a short corridor he found the person he was looking for, Faith, sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, her former mining droid in front of her and various tools spread around her.
A small portable computer unit was next to her, attached to the droid, she was reading it with a strange intensity he had never seen before, T3 was on the other side of her, one of his tool arms stretched out, likely doing something to the internal workings of her droid.
"So, the secondary nodes connect with the primary actuator, allowing a stable connection between the memory core and the processor?" she asked, receiving high pitched series of beeps from the tiny droid.
She smiled at T3 "See, I told ya I'm edumatcated" she joked.
Giles cleared his throat "How can you understand that beeping?".
Faith turned her head slightly "Wondered when you'd say something" she smirked "T3 programmed a translator program into this portable display, it translates what he says into English".
Giles stopped "It understands written English?".
"Had to program that too G" she said as she picked up a small tool and leaned into her droid "took a lot less time though, T3 knows more languages than anyone we likely both know".
"I see" he said.
"So, why ya here?" she asked, then stopped "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that".
The Watcher nodded "I know" he sighed "I..i just wanted to talk with you, I wanted to know how you were doing".
"Five by five" she said.
Giles nodded as he leaned against the bulkhead "Faith, in the last few years you've become quite easy to read" he said firmly.
"Like glass huh?" she asked.
"More like an ancient book of weapons" he smiled "In a forgotten language".
She looked at him "Damn, that bad?".
He chuckled "Faith, before you ended up here, you were slowly becoming apart of the family, it sounds rather harsh I know, but you were so close to becoming the woman, I never thought you could be".
She didn't say anything as he spoke, she just watched him.
"What I'm trying to say, is that one week here seems to have been a good thing for you, you've grown so much, I think it's just taken everyone by surprise" he explained.
"Good I hope" she stated.
Giles nodded "More than good" he moved closer, only a few feet though "That is why everyone is more than a little surprised by your willingness to accept Xander and his newly acquired sense of responsibility".
Faith nodded slowly, then moved to stand, "Giles" she started "You want to understand why, I get that, I really do, the thing is, I'm not sure I get it myself".
Giles didn't respond, he could see how the young woman was working things out in her own head.
"When we got here, when I found out about Dawn and Xander, I almost freaked, but in less than a day, I saw a change in them that I found comforting, sounds messed up, but that's how it feels" she said, staring off to the side "Dawn and Xander were chosen by something, to wield this power, that's how it feels to me, whether it's the truth or not, that's how I see it, and no good will come from doubting them".
"Faith, keep in mind that the rest of us just arrived, to us their change is so abrupt, so sudden" he said.
"I can see that" she nodded "But I also see how deep down the both of them are still the same, Xander definitely hasn't lost that sense of humor, and Dawnie, well, I never really got to know her, so that ones hard to pin down".
Giles nodded "I guess I just want to understand".
"So do I G, but after a week here I came to a really profound conclusion" she smiled "And my rather expanded vocabulary is not it".
Giles chuckled again "And what is that?".
"I feel more at home here, with Dawn and Xander, than i did back on earth" she said quietly "Not once did they question me or doubt me".
"So you are returning the favor?" he asked.
Faith shook her head "There's no favor to return, I trust them both Giles, with my life, they both earned that" she sighed "I can't give you the answers you want G, I don't know how to explain everything I'm feeling, I can only tell you that in time, you'll see what I see, you all will".
Giles looked into her eyes, and saw something he never saw before, wisdom, it was comforting and terrifying all at once, but it filled him with a feeling of pride he never expected to feel.
Faith smiled "I got a question".
Giles nodded "I may have an answer".
"Wanna help me fix my droid?" she smiled.
Giles smiled slowly "On one condition, that the others are never told I willingly agreed to this".
Faith nodded "I'm sure we can arrange something" she turned and sat back down, Giles moved to join her.
The Interceptor
Buffy moved carefully through the Sith vessel like it was enemy territory, even though less than a few hours ago it was.
She heard two voices up ahead, Atton and Jonathan, she smiled and crossed the last few meters, stepping into the much smaller cock-pit.
Both men turned as she entered "Hey Summers" O'Niell smirked.
"O'Niell, Atton" she nodded "I was wondering if I could have a word?" she said looking directly at Jon.
Atton nodded "Were pretty much done here, you've got the basics" he said to the younger pilot.
O'Niell nodded and turned the chair slightly as Atton got up to leave, "Thanks Rand".
"No problem, just watch out for power surges, you'll do fine" the dark haired pilot said as he left, nodding to Buffy as he passed.
Jon turned to the blonde and motioned to the now empty co-pilots chair "Care to sit?".
Buffy nodded and moved to the chair, finding it surprisingly comfortable "Wow, this is nice".
"Isn't it" Jon smirked "So what's up?'.
Buffy looked to the door before speaking "I just wanted to thank you for this".
"For what exactly?" he asked.
"For willing to keep an eye on Xander and Faith" she smiled.
He just shrugged his shoulders "They needed a pilot".
Buffy snorted "Right".
Jon shook his head "Okay, okay, it was only part of it, but hey, at least in this chair I can make sure they don't get killed".
Buffy nodded "So you can really fly this thing?".
Jon smiled "Remember our talk, before we left?".
Buffy nodded .
"This is going to be easy" he smiled "Surprising really, that this Galaxy has had Hyperspace technology for nearly twenty thousand years, and they haven't improved the technology nearly at all".
Buffy stared at him "The stuff you played with before was more advanced I take it?".
He nodded "Granted the stuff I played with was alien or derived from alien tech, but except for one or two species we had deals with, most others, even earth, had much more advanced systems, take the deflector shields on this thing, no where near the level I'm used too, the weapons are pretty equivalent though, just different, and not as efficient".
Buffy nodded "So, you really are a clone" she stated.
Jon chuckled "Finally believing it?".
"Hey, I believed it, I just didn't…believe it" she said defensively.
He nodded "I get it" he leaned back in the chair "So what made it really sink in?".
"Your professional attitude, and the different way your reacting to all this than two others I can think of".
"Finn and Miller will come around, their just a bit overwhelmed is all" he nodded "Their good guys, willing to do what needs to be done and take orders".
"I already know that, I just wasn't expecting them to both be so damn mopey" she said.
Jon nodded "Why not?, Riley left behind a wife and daughter, Miller was engaged".
Buffy stopped "I knew he was married, but he never told me…".
"You're the boss Summers, of course he wouldn't tell you" He shrugged.
Buffy sighed and turned to look out the cock-pit window, the starboard side of the Ebon Hawk was just barely visible.
"Okay, what's up?" Asked Jon.
She shook her head "Nothing…okay something, but it's not really relevant, not really..".
Jon shook his head this time "Out with it Summers, I don't have all day".
Buffy almost snapped at him, until she saw the smirk on his face, she smiled slightly "I'm thinking it should be obvious to one with nearly fifty years of lifes experience".
Jon nodded "Maybe it is, but in my decades of experience, I find it helps to actually talk about what's bothering you".
"Xander, Dawn and even Faith…they've changed so much, and here I am sitting on the side lines, while they willingly take the lead" she said quietly.
"And, what's the problem with that?" he asked.
"What's the problem?..the problem is it really looks like the fate of a Galaxy is sitting on their shoulders, and all I can do is stand here while they deal with it" she said louder.
Jon nodded "Well, your pretty spry for a woman sitting there doing nothing" he quipped.
Buffy shook her head "Okay, so I'm not actually sitting on my ass…but I feel like it, I just feel like I should be up front taking the heat while everyone backs me up…it's what I'm used too".
"I remember feeling the same way after I was cloned, kinda" he shrugged "The real O'Niell get's to go off world, hang with the team, save the world, make bad jokes at inopportune times" he sighed "while I got saddled with high school and beating up the Jocks that picked on the science club".
Buffy winced "Ouch, High school?, twice in one life?, how'd you survive?" she smirked.
"Yeah yeah, anyway, I just felt completely left out, I actually didn't talk to the real me for nearly a year, the team another few months, then we started to find a new place, I became something like the nephew, someone to look out for, but with the bonus of being able to rub old humiliating stories into everyone's faces" he smiled at the memories.
Buffy nodded "So what your saying is I'll eventually find a way to deal and contribute to the mission".
"No, your already doing that" he smiled, then turned back to the ships controls "I'm done here and the ships fully loaded, so unless your coming with us, ya might wanna check on the others" he winked.
"Okay, okay, I'm getting off your ship" she smiled and stood up, stopping to rest a hand on his shoulder "thanks for the talk Jon".
"Yeah sure, you betcha" he winked again, and watched her leave the cock-pit.
Ebon Hawk- Cargo Bay
Dawn moved carefully through the short corridors of the Ebon Hawk, knowing her quarry was onboard, she didn't search long however, as the woman she was stalking was currently making quite a bit of noise.
Stopping just in the arch to the cargo bay, she spotted the white haired Handmaiden practicing with her Staff, the form was like nothing she had ever seen before, the ease and grace in which she pulled off a few maneuvers definitely proved that the woman was a warrior.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you" Dawn lied.
The Echani warrior stopped her practice and turned to look at her with a nearly unreadable expression on her face "No, It's alright, I should be moving my belongings to the Interceptor".
Dawn stepped just inside "I'll be quick then, hurt Xander, or anyone else for that matter and I swear, there will be no where in this Galaxy that you could run to that I won't find".
The woman locked eyes for a moment, finally, the Handmaiden nodded "I believe you".
"Good" Dawn said "So, you got the hot's for him" she added.
The newest addition to the group simply stared, this look was one of confusion however, "Hot's?".
"Oh, please, I'm not blind Handmaiden, you see something in Xander, something that you like, I think that's why you joined up with us" Dawn stated.
Handmaiden sighed "As I said before, I am here at the request of my mistress".
"No, I'm sorry, try again" Dawn retorted "In the few minutes I spent in the presence of your esteemed mistress, I got a feeling that she wouldn't have simply left you in our cargo bay, if she really wanted you to come along, she would have told us".
Handmaiden didn't respond, she just stared at a spot at Dawn's feet.
Dawn sighed and took another step, "Look, whatever your reason, it's none of my business, as long as you're here to help, and as long as you have no ulterior motives that involve screwing us over, I'm glad that your with us, we definitely need the help".
"Thank you" Handmaiden said quietly.
Dawn simply nodded and turned to leave "Your welcome".
Research Facility
Buffy entered the final corridor that led to the Hangar bay, after seeing Jon working with the Interceptor, she felt a lot better, the man was confident that he could pilot the ship, that thought would have to be enough.
Entering the Hangar Bay she spotted Giles just stepping off the Ebon Hawk's ramp, he spotted her a second later and waved, then moved towards her.
"Hey Giles" she said as they closed the distance.
"Buffy" he said curtly "How are the preparations on the Interceptor proceeding?".
She smiled "Good, the security lockouts were no problem for Bao'dur, and O'Niell says he can pilot the ship easy".
Giles nodded "That's good".
Buffy nodded but didn't say anything, so Giles continued.
"Do not worry about them, Xander and the others will be fine, you've seen him in action, you know he can do this" he said quietly.
"I know, it's just that I'm feeling all fifth wheel here, just without an actual wheel" she huffed "Xander, Faith and the others are leaving for a world that these big bad's came from, without me, without us".
Giles wrapped an arm over her shoulder as they walked towards Droid Maintenance "I understand, I feel the same way, but Xander feels he can do this and Shayla is right, with the three of them together we likely won't have time to find the Jedi Masters".
"I know, I know, it needs to be done" she sighed, then looked up into the eyes of the man who had basically become her father "Just make me a promise that if we find another ship on Dantooy..".
"Dantooine" Giles smiled.
She rolled her eyes "That if we split up into a third group, that you will stay alive and all in one big piece of Giles".
The elder Scooby smiled "I shall endeavor to remain in one piece".
"Good, now let's go find Xander and say good by, the Interceptor is ready to go" she added.
Giles nodded as they entered the next corridor, the sounds of voices ahead of them echoed throughout the halls.
Entering Droid Maintenance they stopped, standing in the middle of the room was Bao'dur, Xander and Shayla, in between them was a hunter killer droid.
"This has got to be an older model" the Zabrak engineer said as he examined the machine.
Shayla nodded "The corrosion across the armor and framework is not that bad, it can be repaired".
Xander shook his head "Whoa, slow down, this is a hunter killer droid, and, it was locked up in the sealed room on the Ebon Hawk, we have no idea what it was programmed to do".
Buffy slipped from under Giles arm "Fix it up then, we ask it questions and if it goes all killer droid, we break it".
Shayla smiled at Buffy's words and nodded "I agree, it might know where the others are coming from, maybe even who sent it".
Bao'dur nodded "I can fix it, but not now, we need more parts".
"Stow it back on the ship then" Buffy added "Under lock".
Boa'dur nodded and retrieved a dolly without any wheels, the bottom began to hover a few inches from the ground as he gripped the handle, and with Xanders help they easily moved the droid to the dolly.
"I'll make sure it's secure" Bao-dur said and left for the ship, leaving the four behind.
Shayla looked at Buffy and smiled "I'll give you guys a few minutes".
Buffy nodded, and watched the Jedi leave, then turned to Xander, "The interceptor's ready" she barely managed to say.
Xander nodded and slowly approached her "Don't worry buff, we'll be fine, just a quick retrieval mission, in a few days we'll be drinking martini's in a cantina on another world".
Giles smiled "I don't think this galaxy has martini's".
Xander nodded "But if they did" he smiled.
"Are you absolutely sure about this Xander?" Buffy asked "We just found you guys, are you ready to go this alone?".
Xander smiled and moved closer to his friend "Honestly, I don't know, but Vash, Cordy, whoever she is, is either heading to a bad place or is already there, alone".
Buffy sighed "Just be careful, I just got you back".
"Don't worry about it, we'll be fine, just a bit dusty the next time you see us" he grinned.
Giles stepped closer "Though it goes against the very nature of who I am, I think a group hug is in order".
Both Xander and Buffy looked up at the man in shock, then too each other.
"Did he?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, he did" Xander nodded.
A second later both of them had wrapped their arms around the former Watcher, only to be interrupted by a rather annoyed voice.
"A group hug without us!, how dare you!" bellowed Dawn.
All three turned just in time to see Dawn launching towards them, Willow's red hair bobbing along right behind her, the two joined the hug in short order.
"Don't worry guys, we'll be quick and careful, and we'll meet you at Onderon" Xander said, looking into everyone's eyes.
Dawn nodded "You better, cause I will tear this entire galaxy apart if you disappear on us".
"She'll start at one end and I'll start on the other" Buffy smirked.
Xander laughed, Giles shuddered "God help the Galaxy if it should come to that".
Facility Hangar Bay
Faith saw Shayla enter the hangar bay from the droid maintenance corridor, the smile on her face told her that something was up, likely with the Scoobies "Hey Shay, what's up?".
The slightly older woman adjusted her walk in order to join her, Faith put down the data pad Bao'Dur had given her, it contained a beginners course on Droid maintenance.
"As you would say, not much" Shayla smiled "I just thought Xander and Dawn would like a few minutes alone with the others" she said.
"Yeah, they're a close bunch, nearly ten years of fighting evil and averting apocalypses will do that" Faith smiled.
Shayla nodded "They're a family, it's good to see" she hesitated thoughtfully "So why aren't you in there with them?".
Faith smiled "Not one for the touchy feelies" she said "I'll grab a quick hug before we leave, hopefully at the last second, emotional stuff and me don't really mix".
Shayla nodded thoughtfully "I expected as much" she glanced around the hangar bay before continuing "Faith, promise me that you'll take care of everyone, yourself included".
Faith, still smiling, nodded "Don't tell me that your getting all touchy feely with me?, Damn, they've rubbed off on ya".
Shayla chuckled quietly "Truthfully, in the last week, you, Dawn and Xander have become something I…I'm not very good at expressing emotions either it seems" she sighed.
Faith stepped closer "Hey, no sweat, I understand" she said "I promise we'll all come back in one piece, just promise me the same alright?".
Shayla nodded "I shall try".
Faith smiled "Good, now, a quick hug before anyone stumbles in and off we go to our respective ships".
"Maybe they're rubbing off on you?" Shayla smirked as they embraced each other.
"Don't you even think of saying anything to them, this girl has a reputation to keep" Faith winked as she wrapped her arms around the blonde.
"Your secret is safe with me" Shayla said quietly, then took the Slayer by her shoulders and pushed her back slightly.
"Promise me that you'll come back to us safely, all of you" Shayla said seriously.
Faith could see the emotion in the woman's eyes "I promise" she finally said.
Shayla nodded "Good, now let's see you to the Interceptor".
Faith nodded as the two walked off "I really think we need another name for the ship though".
Facility Hangar Control
Willow watched the Zabrak Engineer work his magic on the hangar bay doors one last time, the difference in artificial light and real sunlight was instantly noticeable in the hangar bay as the massive roof doors parted.
"So, this is it" Willow said, more to herself.
Bao-Dur tilted his head "Hmm?".
"Sorry, I was talking to myself" she quickly added.
He just smiled and moved towards the door, stopping only a few feet from her "Miss Rosenburg?".
This caught her attention "Huh..oh, it's just Willow" she smiled.
He nodded with a slight smile "Willow" he said, like he was trying her name out "We shall be alright, as will you and everyone one the Ebon Hawk".
Willow could see the sincerity in his large blue-grey eyes "Thanks".
"No problem" he smiled, and left, moving towards the small Sith Interceptor, parked right beside the Ebon Hawk.
"I just hope your right" she sighed, looking around the room one last time before moving towards the door herself.
Next: Volume Three-The Enclaves (Korriban and Dantooine).
Sorry about how late this chapter was, work has occupied more of my time than anything else lately. Good news is, I've got another copy of the game, so Volume three should be up shortly, once im happy with the first chapter that is.
I know I promised a heart to heart with Atton and Dawn, but what can I say, I felt like drawing that out.
I do promise more Willow action, and the not so frequent members of the groups will get some airtime.