Disclaimer: The characters and the GFFA belong to Lucas, Bioware, and Obsidian. I make no money from this.
A/N: Special thanks go to my betas, Alexandra3 and Lossefalme. Without their combined feedback, this story would not be what it is.
The war in the Outer Rim continued. The Republic was in the midst of a seemingly never-ending battle on and around the planet of Suurja. As reports filed in, it didn't appear that either side had gained an advantage in the conflict. The only good news to come from that was the Republic hadn't actually lost another battle.
On Coruscant, Revan had been holding informational sessions for interested Jedi, as the Fleet was eager to gain the Council's support. But so far, the Council had been unwilling to reconsider their decision to stay out of the conflict. It seemed the stalemate at Suurja only frustrated the Jedi on Coruscant because they saw their own situation as being similar. The numbers in attendance at the information sessions grew on a weekly basis.
Meanwhile, on Manaan, Judge Duula's attempted murder investigation had gained a little progress. The assailant had been apprehended and was being held in the Ahto City Jail. The courts seemed pleased to have the suspect in custody, but Malak was not. He, Revan, and - to Malak's annoyance - Jek had tried to find more information to link Taren Quinn to the crime. The imprisoned suspect had been unable to identify his contacts and the transaction had been untraceable. It was only a matter of time before the Judges forced a trial. With limited information on the conspirators, the suspect would surely be sentenced to death and the case would be closed. Such was the way of the Manaan legal system.
While Malak tried to get more information from the suspect on Manaan, Revan and Jek decided to visit one of Czerka's corporate offices on Brentaal IV. There, they hoped to find more information that could link Seario and Taren Quinn to the activities on Manaan.
They approached the offices in the middle of the Cormond metropolis in the pre-dawn hours. Their main objective was to reach the administrator's office so they could download the necessary information from the mainframe. Getting into the secure office was the simple part. The more time Revan spent with Jek, the more intrigued with his abilities to bypass so many security protocols she became. She took every opportunity she could to learn from him… often in the form of over-inquisitiveness.
Once inside, Jek set to work on obtaining the proper information. Revan positioned herself to peer over his shoulder. After her fifth question, his annoyance seeped through when he said, "This would go a lot faster if I weren't under interrogation."
She rolled her eyes. "Well you can tell me this stuff all you want when we're in the Temple. But I like to observe its practical uses as well."
"Somehow I'd feel better if I knew you were keeping an eye out for anyone coming."
She groaned, "Fine, fine, I'll leave you alone. Just make sure you don't trip any alerts while you're in th-"
She was interrupted by the sound of alarms blaring throughout the entire section of the building. She stated, "Get what you can while I figure out how to get out of here."
Jek worked furiously on downloading as much information to his datacard as he could. Revan searched the room for every possible way out. She could detect life forms approaching, but one look at the ceiling was all she needed.
Revan said, "Found it. Let's go."
Jek removed his datacard and slid it into a pocket inside his tunic. As he moved away from the desk, Revan said, "Too late."
As soon as the words left her mouth, two doors to the room slid open and a man emerged from each one, bringing heavy blasters to bear. Revan motioned Jek to move to where she stood. He slowly moved with his hands held up for the men to see.
"Any ideas?" he murmured.
"I'll take the big one, you get the other," she advised.
She sent a slight nudge in the Force to indicate her mark. Both Jedi's lightsabers flew to their hands and immediately started deflecting the blaster fire that ensued. With skillful deflection, Revan and Jek were able to return the blaster bolts to the guards. Fortunately for the guards, the weapons were set to stun.
Revan used the Force to pull away the ventilation grate above their heads. She leapt up and grabbed the edge of the opening, pulling herself through.
Jek said, "Revan, I can't fit through there!"
She peaked back through the opening and said, "You will if you want out of there." And then she moved away to wait for his move. She could detect more life forms approaching and began to grow impatient with his reluctance.
She was about to prod him again when he followed her movements and squeezed into the ventilation shaft where she waited. She pushed him back to gain access to the opening. Levitating the grate back to her, she was able to secure it back into place.
She turned to take the lead and made her way through the tight pathway. It was difficult for her, so she knew it was tough for him. "Rev-"
There was no way he was backing out. They had no other option. "It opens up more in about four meters. Just keep moving."
Fortunately, the shaft was relatively clean. Revan found herself very thankful the building superintendents had insisted on sending cleaning droids into their ventilation systems. She could feel the build up of the Force around Jek and suspected he was using it to facilitate his movements. They eventually made it to the space she'd spoken of; although, it didn't open up nearly as much as she'd hoped. Hopefully the little bit would be enough to get Jek moving faster.
"You still with me?" she asked.
"Yes, but it's not like I'm a gizka, you know," he grumbled.
She smiled to herself and was glad he wasn't so miserable as to forget his sarcasm. "Are you calling me a gizka?" she asked with amusement.
"Nimble legs, the ability to move in tight places, I can see the similarities."
It sure didn't sound like a compliment. "You do know you'll pay for that statement?" she warned.
"What? I thought gizkas were supposed to be cute?" he said innocently.
She huffed, "Maybe to some, but I sure wouldn't like my physique to be compared to one."
The light from another grate poured through to illuminate her as she passed over it. She heard a slight groan from behind her. In a suggestive tone, he said, "Trust me, there's nothing wrong with your physique from my point of view."
She laughed throatily as she considered his "view" of her backside.
The two continued to move through the ventilation system until they came to a safe enough area to drop into, which happened to be a utility room. From there, they were able to move about the building undetected. They still had to move quickly; they had no idea how long it would be until the guards in the administrator's office were able to alert others to the Jedi's escape path.
Revan had been concentrating on detecting life forms when they passed an access hatch to the exterior catwalk. Jek pulled her through the hatch and onto the girder walkway just before the building went into forced lockdown. The hatch behind them sealed shut blocking any exit.
Revan looked back at the hatch and then to Jek. "Good call."
"Now how do we get off this thing?" Jek asked as he looked around for the answer.
The wind whipped around them as Revan studied the situation. She pointed to a similar structure about ten meters below them on the next building. A public transport was passing near it at the time. "If we can get to that platform, we should be able to jump on the next transport."
Daylight had not yet reached their current level amidst the tall buildings. Therefore, the jump they made to the lower platform went unseen. The two waited for the next transport to pass by and used the Force to land upon it as quietly as possible. Revan decided the Force was with them, as the transport took them to the outskirts of the metropolis where they had left their ship.
The two boarded the shuttle and didn't waste any time in getting it fired up. It was the same shuttle they had taken many times before. Therefore, startup went smoothly and they soon found themselves requesting permission to leave the planet's atmosphere.
Once he'd set a course to Coruscant, Jek leaned back in the pilot's seat and rubbed the stiffness out of his neck. "That was a long night. I think I could sleep for two days." He looked over at Revan. "Do all of your reconnaissance missions end like that?"
She smirked. "Well, normally Malak and I fight over who gets to take on the big guy." She shook her head slowly as she imagined the added difficulty that would have ensued if her long-time friend had been with her instead. "And there's no way he would have fit in that ventilation shaft."
Jek scoffed, "I didn't fit in it!"
She dismissed his comment. "It appears you made it through just fine to me."
"Well, when you wave a nerf steak in front of a kath hound…" He trailed off with a suggestive smile. His expression changed to that of a predator as he slid out of his seat to slowly move closer to her.
A nerf steak? When he reached her seat, she placed her hand on his chest to stop his approach. "Whoa! First I'm a gizka, now I'm a nerf steak?"
She offered little resistance as he moved away her arm to get close enough to slide his arms around her. He firmly grabbed her behind and pulled her closer to him. Nuzzling into her neck, he nipped at her ear. "You taste much better than a nerf steak."
She tilted her head to give him better access. "I thought you said you were tired."
Revan moaned softly as he continued to kiss and lick along the tender areas of her neck. In a deep voice, he said, "I never said I wanted to sleep alone."
As usual, she melted into his arms as she gave into his ministrations. He pulled back and rose to his feet. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the shuttle's sleeping berth.
It had been almost three months since their first night together. There had been few nights in between when the two had actually slept alone. Revan found this new aspect of their friendship very gratifying.
Upon returning to Coruscant, Revan and Jek immediately started to decipher the data they had recovered from Czerka. They didn't find anything regarding Manaan. But they did find a link to Taren Quinn and a supposed location on the planet Desevro. From what they gathered from the data, the location could possibly be Quinn's main base of operations. It all made sense; Desevro was not a member of the Republic. Therefore, it made a good place to hide from the wandering eye. Its close proximity to the Lianna system would also make it easy for Quinn to keep an eye on his other dealings.
Although Revan had wanted to blast Trae for skillfully leaving his family history out of any conversation, she didn't want to tip her hand to Quinn. Therefore, she maintained her silence with the Senator as she and Jek continued their investigation.
Revan contacted Malak and informed him of their findings. Malak insisted he and Revan travel to Desevro to see what more they could uncover. The Jedi wanted to keep the element of surprise on their side, so making an unexpected visit was best. Sienar Systems was to deliver its first two ships to the Fleet. Most of those involved would have expected Revan to be there for the arrival of the Balron and the Exodus; which is precisely why that time was chosen for their mission.
Revan and Malak agreed to rendezvous on Arjus before making their way to Desevro. From Arjus, they would then wait until nightfall to move on to the designated location in a mountainous area on the northern hemisphere of Desevro.
The complex rested on the outskirts of a small city settled on a plateau. There was plenty of traffic within the region, and the arrival of their ship didn't raise many questions. The complex didn't look nearly as large as it was upon closer inspection. The carefully concealed docking bay - that could have easily housed a large freighter - was only visible to one with a trained eye.
Each entrance was casually watched by an unassuming guard. However, the Jedi certainly didn't go in unprepared. Several old mining shafts surrounded the area. The trick was finding the one that led them within the perimeter of the complex walls. It took two hours before Malak found a usable entrance. He signaled for Revan and they made their way in.
Once inside, they maneuvered from the sublevels up to the upper level chamber they had assumed to be Quinn's control room. From there, they waited for their unsuspecting host to arrive.
The room was shaped in a semi-circle. Several monitors and controls lined the back wall. In front of those was a long desk. Judging from the pleasant smell within the room, Revan guessed it was made from scentwood. It wasn't surprising; Quinn would no doubt enjoy the finer things the galaxy had to offer just as his brother had.
Both Jedi stood in opposite areas of the darkened room where both doors could be monitored. With any luck, they would see Quinn before he saw them. Revan was still uncertain as to what level of Force skills Quinn was capable of. From what she had gathered from his records, he seemed particularly good at interpreting thoughts and employing persuasion techniques.
/I still think we should just break into the computer system, get what we want, and leave/ Malak sent to Revan.
"Quit using the Force," she snapped in a harsh whisper.
Revan could tell he wasn't pleased with her way of doing things. He felt she was giving Quinn more credit than he deserved. After all, Quinn wasn't even chosen as Padawan as far as Malak was concerned. 'He was half way to Telos for the Force's sake,' he had said.
The door closest to Malak slid open. Taren Quinn walked in wearing a black tunic and trousers. He was followed by a young boy with similar attributes. The boy, already as tall as Revan, looked to be in his early teens.
Quinn said, "Load our last game into the dejarik table, Cree. I believe it was your move. I'll be there in a moment."
"Yes sir," the boy said before moving off to a table halfway between the door and where Revan stood. His soft voice indicated he might be younger than he looked.
The older man walked toward the desk and seemed to slow mid-stride. He stopped just short of the desk and Revan could feel his Force probe throughout the room. He said, "You should have called ahead. I'm afraid you've missed the evening meal."
"Then it wouldn't have been a surprise," Revan said with a smile before stepping out of her hiding place. She gave Malak a little nudge with the Force and heard him growl as he reluctantly stepped into view.
Quinn made a quick appraisal of the two visitors. He seemed to regard Malak for a moment longer; no doubt trying to assess his odds. The two Jedi moved closer together.
Quinn smirked. "I must say it's quite impressive the two of you were able to get in here." He paused before asking, "Which one of you is the brains behind this operation?" He finished his words with his eyes solely on Revan to imply he knew the answer.
Malak bristled.
"Taren Quinn, this is –" Revan started.
"The Jedi Malak," Quinn interrupted. He turned his attention to Malak. "Yes, I've heard many things about you. It's an honor to finally meet you."
Malak wasn't always one for pleasantries. "Yes, I've heard quite a bit about you as well."
Quinn's expression held a humorless smile.
The boy was still sitting at the dejarik table paying little attention to what was going on around him. He seemed much more interested in what his next move would be. Revan sent a little nudge to the Monnok. The holographic creature raised a spear and the boy blinked. His eyes left the board to quickly dart around the room. They paused briefly on Revan before returning to the board.
The boy studied the board a moment and then his eyes lit up. Revan could feel a burst of excitement as he entered the command for the Monnok to take out the Grimtaash. He looked back at Revan with a hint of curiosity. She stared ahead with an air of innocence.
"Cree!" Quinn commanded.
Revan could detect the boy's mental flinch, but his body did not betray it. Quinn continued, "Due to the arrival of our guests, it seems that our game will have to wait." The older man watched Revan as he added, "I know you were so looking forward to the match."
Revan smirked at his attempt to make her feel like she had ruined the boy's evening. Quinn ordered, "Go now."
"Yes sir." The boy saved the game and deactivated the display. He glanced at Revan as he passed her with a slight smile. He left through the other door.
"He will learn the game on his own, if you don't mind," Quinn chided.
Revan snorted, "It's not like I gave him the move that would have guaranteed his win."
Quinn glanced at the deactivated table a moment. Revan briefly wondered how good of a dejarik player Taren Quinn really was.
Quinn started, "I'm assuming since you haven't drawn your weapons that you're here for a civil chat. Is that correct?"
Malak smiled, "Sure. You tell us what we want to know and we'll leave just as quietly as we came."
"And what is it you would like to know, Master Jedi?" Quinn asked with a tired expression.
"What's your relationship with Pollard Seario?" Malak always was one to jump right to the point.
Quinn waved a hand as he said, "Pollard and I are old friends. Whenever we're both on Coruscant, we're always sure to capture a performance of some sort. Like myself, he's quite appreciative of the arts." He turned his attention back to Revan. "Did you enjoy the Rodian's performance, Jedi Revan? Some say the brutality was overdone."
"I suppose they would think that if they didn't know anything about Rodians," she answered.
He studied her for a moment. "I would have thought you'd be on Coruscant to await the arrival of the newest members of the Republic Fleet."
"I had other plans."
He shrugged. "It's just as well. From what I hear, it was a rather somber occasion. You know, given the news from the front lines."
Revan didn't want to appear curious as to what he was referring to. The situation she and Malak were in was one that required them to be one step ahead of Quinn. She attempted to come up with a safe response. "Yes, well war isn't necessarily something to celebrate."
Quinn smiled thinly and said, "It is to the Mandalorians." He held his hands in front of him. "Would you allow me to show you the latest footage? I'm sure you have access to it. However, you have been traveling."
Quinn was a hard one to read. She didn't detect any duplicity in his request. But that didn't mean it wasn't there. He recognized her inner conflict. "Jedi Revan, I assure you if I had any intentions of alerting my guards, they would already be here."
She recalled the boy who had just left and knew he was completely capable of drawing attention to Quinn's sanctuary. Malak must have had the same thoughts and Revan knew he would be just as curious. He nodded to Quinn and added, "And I'm sure you're aware that we can handle just about anything you send our way."
"Well, regardless of whether you'd survive or not, I have no doubt you would inflict serious harm on some otherwise good men. Therefore, I would prefer this meeting remain peaceful." He pressed a button from a control on his desk. "After all, I think the galaxy has enough fighting, don't you think?"
A panel on the flat wall behind the desk slid open and a wide drawer emerged to reveal a holoprojector. The image activated to the holonews. The two Jedi listened intently as the news revealed the devastation that had occurred on the planet Serroco. It was reported the Mandalorians had employed nuclear weapons in their attack, killing countless civilians in the process. It would take weeks to get recovery droids through the atmosphere to assess the damage.
If it was a trick by Quinn to distract the Jedi, it definitely worked. However, he didn't take advantage of it. Instead, he chuckled, "Ah, so the Jedi do care."
Malak snorted, "Do you?"
Quinn smiled humorlessly. "I'm a businessman, Jedi Malak. Where war is a very profitable endeavor for me, I still prefer the Republic to be the victor. The Mandalorians don't have much business sense."
"And what is it that you do that makes war profitable for you?" Revan asked.
Quinn's smile turned genuine. "Yes, that is what you came for, isn't it?" He motioned to an arrangement of seats. "Please, may we sit?"
Revan and Quinn sat across from each other, but Malak chose to remain standing. He instead leaned against the edge of the desk.
Quinn began, "I'm certain you already know of various holdings I have in place." He leaned towards Revan. "That was quite clever how you were able to break into Sienar's facilities. I designed that system myself and would very much like to know how you got past it."
She smiled. "I'm sure you would. But let's start with Seario."
Quinn leaned back. "Pollard is a… crafty businessman. The contracts he has in place with the Fleet were very well written. The man stands to gain a fortune by supplying goods to the soldiers. Certainly you understand he has to get such goods from somewhere."
Malak asked, "And what sort of goods do you provide him with? Or is it services?"
"I have a manufacturing facility that produces armor. I have a deal with Pollard to private label the armor with Czerka's name. So far, I've been the only manufacturer capable of keeping up with the demand."
Revan narrowed her eyes. "Why is that?"
Quinn shrugged. "It's hard to say, really."
Revan had a good idea as to what kept other manufacturers one step behind. "Not to change the subject, or anything. But how is it you never made it to Telos?"
Quinn chuckled. "Telos? Me?" He shook his head. "I'm not a farmer, Master Jedi. I can assure you of that."
"So you returned to your mother instead?" she asked.
The older man smiled knowingly. "Yes." He leaned forward to pour three glasses of an amber substance from a decanter on the table between them. Malak refused, but Revan accepted. Quinn continued. "You'll have to excuse my mother, Jedi Revan. Her opinion of Jedi is rather low."
"So I've gathered," she mumbled before taking a sip from her glass.
Malak asked, "Do you still practice your Jedi teachings?"
"Meditations, mostly. I never was able to harness the Force in ways the other students were. Perhaps I didn't care as much." He paused to take a sip from his drink and then added with a smirk, "Perhaps I wasn't cut out to be a Jedi." He set his drink back down on the table and continued, "To be honest, my strengths lie in perceptions. It's an ability that has helped tremendously in my business dealings."
Malak scoffed in distaste, "Mind manipulation to suit your needs?"
With a half smile, Quinn asked, "You don't approve, Jedi Malak?"
"I would say that borders a little too close to the dark side," Malak responded.
Quinn sighed, "It is what it is."
Revan could sense Malak's impatience. It was usually the other way around, but he hated playing games. And Quinn was quite the player.
She did a tentative probe throughout to see how many people Quinn had on staff. She stated, "I sense other fairly strong Force signatures here. Two, I believe. One would be the boy, but the other…" She trailed off as she concentrated on the other presence. Definitely dark.
"That would be Fonaq, my assistant. He was a troubled boy. But I took him in and gave him a job. He's turned out to be one of my most trusted."
"Can I meet him?" Revan asked.
Quinn smiled regretfully. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. He's preparing for a business trip and really can't be disturbed." He leaned forward and set his glass on the table. "And frankly, it's getting late. Although I've enjoyed this unexpected visit, I have a busy day tomorrow." He and Revan stood. He motioned for the door. "Please, you may use the main entrance for a more civilized exit."
Quinn led the Jedi through the well-decorated stone corridors toward the main entrance. On the way, he stopped by a room that housed many artifacts. Upon entering, the three encountered a pink-skinned woman with vibrant pink hair. She wore a skin-tight outfit with a bright, swirling design that clearly defined her curves. The top of the outfit cut away to reveal a substantial amount of cleavage. There was no missing the Zeltron, and Malak didn't even try.
Revan walked around the room with Quinn and admired his collection. When the two Jedi were on opposite ends of the room, Quinn reached for Revan's hand. She jerked it away at first, but then stilled when she realized he was giving her something.
"This wasn't much use to me. Perhaps it will be to someone more powerful… like yourself," he said.
She looked down to see a holocron resting in the palm of her hand. It wasn't like any of the others she'd seen in the archives. And the aura it emitted was undoubtedly dark. The energy pulsed through her palm out to her fingertips and up her arm. She looked back at Quinn, who had been watching her closely. "And the price?" she asked.
"A gift of friendship," he stated.
She heard a giggle come from across the room. She glanced over in time to see Malak fishing something from between the woman's ample bosom.
She looked up at Quinn who watched the pair with an amused expression. He turned his attention back to Revan and said, "It looks like Dalia has made a new friend." The Jedi knew there was no jealousy in Quinn's words. Anyone pairing with a Zeltron had no intentions of remaining monogamous. It seemed the perfect match for someone like Quinn.
Revan smiled. "Indeed." Revan briefly recalled their first and last mission to Zeltros. Malak had been like a gizka in heat. As Jedi, they had the ability to diminish their reactions to the specie's pheromones. However, Malak had chosen not to. The man had walked funny for an entire week after that trip. But not to say Revan didn't have fun. She partied every night and the Zeltron women taught her dance moves she didn't think were possible.
She slipped the holocron into her pocket before returning to Malak. He gave her a questioning look, but said nothing. He and Dalia said their goodbyes and the Jedi continued their journey to the outer doors.
At the exit into the courtyard of the estate, Quinn said, "Oh, there is just one thing I was wondering."
The two Jedi looked at him expectantly. He turned to Revan. "Just last week, you were having lunch with another Knight."
Malak tensed enough for Quinn to notice. The older man chuckled, "No, not Jedi Roon. That's an entirely different conversation all together, isn't it?"
Malak didn't match Quinn's humor. But Quinn continued to address Revan. "This one was female. Quite stunning, in fact. Her hair…" He looked off in thought with a smile playing upon his lips. "It was pure white, but thick and lustrous."
Revan glanced at Malak with uncertainty. He returned a wary look. Revan asked, "What about her?"
Quinn snapped out of his wistfulness and looked at her as if it were obvious. "Who was she?"
Revan tried to contain her laugh as she thought of this man that teetered on the edge of darkness having a crush on Miss Jedi herself. "Her name is Atris."
"Atris," Quinn repeated as he let the name roll across his tongue. He smiled broadly. "Thank you."
The two Jedi sat in the cockpit of the ship working through the take-off procedure. Quinn had claimed to have air defense systems in place. Therefore, the Jedi were required to request clearance before disembarking. Whether it was necessary was unknown, but Revan had insisted on playing along.
Malak said, "So are you going to tell me what's in your pocket?"
Revan shrugged. "I don't know what it is."
Not convinced, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "What do you mean you don't know what it is? Force, Revan, I can feel the taint from here."
She stopped what she was doing and looked at him questioningly. "You can?"
Malak was incredulous. "You can't!"
She snorted, "Well, yes, but I'm blocking it and I didn't realize it reached that far."
She moved over to the nav-console to work on entering their coordinates back to the Core. Malak waited for her to say more and when she didn't, he asked, "Are you going to look at it?"
She sighed. "I suppose I will when I have time to do so. But right now is not the time."
He received the departure code and passed it on to her to enter into the system. "Aren't you curious?"
"Hell yes I'm curious, but I'm fairly certain I'm going to need to be in a controlled environment before I attempt to examine it."
Her aloofness drove him nuts. The direct approach always did serve him best. "Are you planning on including me?"
She didn't answer, which he knew to mean no. Before initiating lift-off, he attempted to block the presence of whatever it was she had stashed away. But he was not completely successful. As long as she put it somewhere else during their travels, he would be able to manage. But it was just one more reason to dislike Taren Quinn.
They weren't on Coruscant for twenty minutes before Revan insisted on going over to Fleet Headquarters to find out what all had gone on while she was away. Malak accompanied her. However, once there, Revan encountered Minister of Defense Challaun. He was there for a debriefing with Fleet Admiral Hanstadt and a handful of other Fleet officers. Malak waited while Revan was invited to join the meeting.
It wasn't the first time Revan had been in such a high profile meeting. In fact, the Fleet had included her on many occasions to add an extra insight to the war that members of the Jedi Council were unwilling to provide.
Once inside the meeting, the primary topic of discussion was the rescue of civilians on the planet Serroco.
Admiral Shinst stated, "We have determined a large scale evacuation will be possible in four standard days. The issue at hand would be coordinating the rescue operations. The First Patriarch is, of course, most concerned with the safety of his people and whether we can provide them with necessary reinforcements. I propose the appropriation of three armed troop transports with a fighter battalion to provide cover."
Admiral Pasch said, "I don't see how we can spare the transports at this time. Certainly not three."
Shinst continued, "The First Patriarch is understandably insistent that we provide all that he requires. After all, he did extend the hospitality to our troops that caused this in the first place."
Revan sent a datapad to an aide requesting access to the information concerning this "hospitality." The aide complied and Revan was given the report on the events leading up to the attack on Serroco. She kept a part of her concentration on the conversation around the room while she perused the data. It appeared Republic troops constructed a base of operations on the planet. Therefore, the attack wasn't on Serroco itself, but on the Republic.
The other occupants in the room were in a heated debate over the efficiency of their resource usage. The conversation drifted a few times to the relative sanity of the First Patriarch himself. Shinst supported Lelin-Dor whole heartedly. Revan did sympathize with the Serroco leader, but that didn't take place of best practices.
After reading the report, Revan had an idea. "I think it would be better to send in civilian transports to retrieve the survivors."
Shinst spoke to her as if she were a child, "This is a rescue mission, Jedi Revan, not a suicide mission." She never did like that guy.
Revan stood her ground. "Well if that's the case, I believe you have it mixed up. I don't believe the Mandalorians are going to attack an unarmed vessel –"
Shinst interrupted, "The Mandalorians have proven their savagery over and over again. If you cannot see that, then you serve no purpose in these sessions."
Revan raised an eyebrow. "With all due respect, Admiral, you seem to be taking orders from Lelin-Dor, a person who is operating on pure emotion. If you cannot see the danger in that, your effectiveness is somewhat questionable in itself." Revan could feel the unease among the other attendees.
The Admiral's eyes grew wide. "I beg your pardon. Obviously the Jedi have nothing to offer in the way of resources or wisdom. Your presence in these meetings will no longer be necessary."
Shinst was an ass. But he seemed to hold Handstadt's ear at the moment. Obviously the man had proven himself in the time she had been gone. Revan had had issues with Shinst ever since she first started work on the Lianna agreement. He had a very poor opinion of Jedi for their lack of involvement in the Republic's time of need. She couldn't really blame him, but was rather tired of taking the brunt of his frustration. In light of the apparent shift in power, she had no doubt Shinst would be sure to exclude her from any future involvement.
As she sat through the rest of the debriefing, the thought infuriated her more and more. First she was held back from joining the war by the Council. Now she was being kept at bay by some sniveling Rear Admiral waiting for a promotion.
She had hoped to speak to Minister of Defense Challaun after the meeting. However, Shinst pushed his way in before she had a chance.
Malak came along side of her. "How did it go?"
Revan waited a moment before responding. "We're running out of options, Mal."
Three years from now, the other attendees of the debriefing would look back on this day as the day Admiral Shinst had sealed his fate.
Jek knew Revan was scheduled to return earlier in the day. He was anxious to speak with her. He had no idea how long Malak would be around. Although he didn't like it, he had to approach her with Tall Bastard at her side.
When he spotted them entering the Temple from the promenade, he moved to meet them half-way down the central corridor. He nodded to Malak, but addressed Revan. "Welcome back. I've been trying to contact you since you arrived."
She didn't look happy. In fact, something was definitely wrong. She said tightly, "I was in a debriefing with the Minister of Defense."
Jek figured he'd ask more on that later since it seemed to be a touchy subject. The three began to walk together. "Did you meet with Quinn?"
Revan nodded. "Yes, we did. No bloodshed. The man was actually quite charming."
Malak gave her a look of disbelief. "Charming?" He scoffed, "What is it with you and guys I can't stand?"
Jek tensed and flashed the taller Jedi a look of contempt. Jek continued, "Senator Krishon has requested your assistance. There was an attack on a Vratix research facility. There were no survivors. The Senator specifically requested you for the investigation. I guess between the rough terrain and the wildlife, they were reluctant to send anyone else. The Council seemed more than willing to grant permission."
Revan laughed sardonically, "I'm sure they were." She sighed, "Fine, when do we go?"
"I was waiting to speak with you before completing the preparations. We can go first thing in the morning if you'd like." Jek ignored the scathing look he received from Malak.
Revan asked, "Can it wait until 0930? I need to check on a few things before we go."
Jek nodded.
Malak asked Jek directly, "Wait a minute. Did the Senator ask for you as well?"
Alarms went off inside Jek's head as he considered Malak's question. He shook his head, "No, he didn't."
Malak looked at Revan, "I don't have to be back on Dantooine for two weeks. I can go with you. I'm sure the Senator would want to have the best available."
As a Jedi, Jek had learned to release his frustration into the Force. But it built up so quickly when around Malak, he found it hard to keep up. "I think I can handle the assignment, Malak," Jek bit out.
The two men stopped to face each other. Malak tilted his head to the side and challenged, "Are you sure, Jek? It could get dangerous. Revan would need someone capable of watching her back."
Malak was baiting him and Jek knew it. However, the knowledge did nothing to stop Jek from rising to it. "I've watched her back plenty of times."
Malak's right eye twitched at Jek's response. He then formed a sinister grin and said, "Yes, but I'm talking about in a fight, not between the sheets."
Jek's irritation spiked as he clenched his fists. He glanced over at Revan to discern her reaction, only to find her gone. Both Jedi glanced around to locate the missing woman.
When they realized she had gone on without them, Malak took the opportunity to speak his mind to Jek. "Face it, Roon, you're out of your league. One day she's going to realize what a weak and pathetic waste you are. When she does, she's not going to want anything to do with you." With that, Malak turned on his heel and walked away.
The words struck a chord that ran deep inside of Jek. As he lay alone in his bed that night, he wondered if being with Revan was worth putting up with Malak.
When Malak returned to Revan's quarters, she was sitting on the floor surrounded by a series of datapads. She was sure she could find enough information to convince Admiral Handstadt to reconsider the troop transports for Serroco's evacuation. She just had to find the reports to support her opinion.
Malak started pacing around the room in an obvious attempt to get her attention. She'd had other things to worry about than words exchanged between the two men. So when they stopped walking, she didn't bother. She was quite sure nothing good would come out of it either way.
Malak was apparently tired of waiting. "Krishon doesn't even like Jek."
Revan wasn't sure if that was entirely true. "He may not like him, but he trusts him."
Malak stopped his pacing and gave her a stricken look. "You don't think Krishon trusts me?"
She looked up from the datapad she had started her report on. "Are you kidding? After the entire incident with his daughter?"
Malak defended, "What was I supposed to do? Say NO?"
She could barely contain her laughter. "Yes."
He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. She shook her head and returned to the data in front of her. After a few moments, he sat on his haunches in front of her to get her complete attention. She really needed to get this report done before she left and he wasn't making it easy.
He began, "Look, this isn't about… whatever the hell is going on between you two." He gave her a pointed look anyway and her mood darkened. Who did he think he was trying to fool?
Malak continued, "He's not as strong as I am and you know there's a chance things could get rough. I've been there. The predators may avoid the Vratix, but we both know they'll attack humans without hesitation." It was true. Their last trip to Thyferra had proven that when Revan was attacked by a vine cat. There had also been reports of presumed rancor sightings.
She said nothing and entered a few references from a report on Althir. The only thing Malak was going to accomplish was pissing her off. He should know that by now. He growled as he shot back up and started pacing again. He stopped by the window and turned around to ask, "I mean, what's going on with you?"
She rolled her eyes. Trying to keep the patronization out of her tone, she said, "Nothing is going on with me, Malak. Krishon trusts Jek. It's not about what I want."
"It's not?" he scoffed. He switched to an accusatory tone. "When you saw him today, you closed off our bond faster than anything I've witnessed."
Her irritation grew. She stated, "I'm not talking about this with you."
He threw out his arms and said, "And that's the problem. You talk to me about everything else. I know every detail of your life since you were born. But you don't talk to me about him. You keep him behind a wall that you don't give me access to. Why?"
She remained silent. She inwardly refused to talk about Jek with Malak. It was something she'd maybe think more on later, but for now she had other things to worry about. He stood waiting for her answer. It was futile, really. His irritation flowed freely, but she detected his awareness that she would not discuss it.
He came over and resumed his previous position in front of her. She didn't bother to acknowledge him. His voice was softer and she supposed it was an attempt to show true concern. "You're sure he can handle it?"
"Yes."
He reached forward to take hold of her arm. "Seriously, Revan."
Force! She snapped, "Yes, damnit! He can handle it."
She glared at him until he slowly released her arm. He did not attempt to hide his anger. Somehow she had a way of bringing it out in him. Without another word, he got up and retired to the sleeping chamber.
Finally she would be able to work on this report. It might take all night, but she felt it was worth it. The Mandalorians would see no challenge in attacking an unarmed ship full of civilians. However, a full squadron of starfighters covering armed transports would present a worthy adversary. She could only hope the Fleet Admiral would have the opportunity to look over her report without any outside influences.
Since the Jedi weren't involved in the war effort, their services to the Republic remained in full force. It was truly the only valid point made by the Council. The Jedi were enforcers of peace and justice. Who would be left to assist people of the galaxy if the Jedi were to leave?
Jek had made all the arrangements for the trip to Thyferra the day before. He was confident Revan would want to assist the Senator. Besides, lately she was a little easier to be around when she was not on Coruscant. The tension of the war increased her frustration on a daily basis. Her inability to do something was based entirely on the hindrance of others. If there's one thing he had learned about Revan, it was that she hated not being in control. And she usually didn't stay that way for long.
A shuttle class vessel was prepared for the trip to Thyferra. Jek waited for her at the docking bay. He still wasn't completely convinced he was going on the mission. He never had spoken to Revan again the night before. And Malak made it quite clear he didn't approve. It wasn't that Jek expected him to. The tension between him and Malak had intensified on a grand scale in the past couple of months.
So as Jek waited for Revan's arrival, he contemplated the strange feeling he had in his gut... anticipation. The feeling of anticipation in itself was hope overshadowed by the fear of disappointment. He supposed to some the feeling would be quite exciting. To a Jedi, it was disconcerting. More and more, he'd come to realize why Jedi should avoid emotional attachment.
Revan showed up at the docking bay at 0945… alone. Jek couldn't help but feel relieved. The brief feeling of elation he felt upon seeing her almost made the anticipation worth bearing. Nothing but a thrill ride, he thought.
Revan was unusually quiet. He waited until the jump to hyperspace to ask her about it. The only thing he could gather through the Force was fatigue. "You seem very tired."
She stifled a yawn that turned into a faint smile. "Just a little." She stretched her feet out in front of her and raised her arms over her head in a long stretch. "I spent the night working on a report for Admiral Handstadt."
"You didn't seem too pleased with the meeting yesterday when I saw you," he said.
She was quiet for a moment before she took a deep breath. "Shinst."
"Oh," he replied quietly. Revan had been butting heads with Admiral Shinst since she first became involved with the Fleet. Shinst felt the Jedi should have assisted the Republic immediately after the start of the war. He viewed Revan's involvement as a half-hearted attempt by the Council to keep amends while watching the Republic fail. For Revan's part, she didn't like the man. She felt he persistently made bad decisions that impacted far too many people.
"I have a feeling I won't be spending much more time at Fleet Headquarters. At least… not as an invited participant." The two stood to leave the cockpit.
"He finally got his way?" Jek asked as they entered the common area.
"I think so," she replied in a defeated tone. She pulled a datapad from the bag she had tossed into a footlocker earlier. "I made a copy of my report if you'd like to look over it. It gets kind of sketchy at the end, but it was getting late. Basically it just goes over my recommendations for evacuating Serroco."
Jek smiled to himself. He'd spoken to Minister Challaun just a few days before. The Minister had hinted that Revan's effectiveness would be much better facilitated along the front. In Coruscant, she was among people vying for power. She had started to stand out as a possible threat when she openly doubted the opinions of high ranking officials and politicians.
"I met with the Council this morning," she said.
She'd had many meetings with the Council. All ended the same. "What did they say?" Jek found a seat on the accelerator couch. She continued to walk around aimlessly
She chuckled. "Same thing as always. Except this time it was added with a stern warning that we won't speak of it again." She ended her statement with mock regality. "Regardless, volunteering is not an option." She paused and wavered a moment and then seemed to make an attempt to release her fatigue into the Force. It didn't appear to work. "They want me to take on a Padawan." She shook her head and then said in a dismissive tone, "They think my desire to help in the conflict is really my own restlessness that can be filled by having something else to occupy my time." She harrumphed.
He grabbed her hand as she walked by and pulled her onto his lap. She didn't resist and rested her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed. Jek wasn't used to seeing her like this. She was normally incredibly determined and unwilling to let anything stop her. However, this time she was thwarted on both fronts. She seemed… deflated.
She let out a big yawn and before it was complete said, "The only good news is Master Dorak will reconsider my request for archive access on Dantooine after we get back."
"How long has it been since you've meditated?" he asked quietly.
She mumbled something before saying, "A week maybe."
A week? No wonder she was like this. "We can talk about this later," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "You need to sleep."
"Mmn," was all she said before he realized she was already sleeping.
Upon arrival on Thyferra, Revan and Jek were given more details of the investigation. Truth be told, the attack had happened in such a remote area that virtually nothing was known about it. The Vratix themselves were still mourning the loss of their brethren and the only human at the station had been killed as well.
Due to its remote nature in the middle of the planet's rain forest region, access by speeder was not possible. Instead, the Senator offered banthas to transport the Jedi and any supplies they would need. The journey to the facility would take two to three days.
As a Jedi, there were many things Jek had learned to overcome. However, being rained on for several days in a row was something he'd found to dislike. Their clothes had soaked through sometime during the first day. They found a spot to camp the first night, but it was not enough time to dry the cloaks they had worn.
Midway through the second day, Jek felt miserable. Their heads were covered with the hoods of their cloaks and they had barely spoken since they'd broken camp.
He could faintly hear her say something about getting over his misery, "…because if I have to go the rest of this trip in total silence, I'll go insane."
He had to chuckle at that, knowing it was true. He couldn't imagine her going a whole day without talking. It's not that she talked too much… she just enjoyed discussions on whatever it was her mind could possibly churn up for the day.
He looked up at her. The hood of her cloak was thrown back and her face pointed to the sky with her eyes closed. Raindrops splashed upon her features and flowed back through her hair. A satisfied smile graced her lips as she reveled in the feel of the rain. He watched her for a few moments with a soft smile upon his face. She lifted her head to look at him with a wide smile. Her face glistened and her green eyes sparkled under rain soaked lashes. His breath hitched in his throat as he realized something he had tried to deny for the past several months - he was in love with her. The feeling would have otherwise frightened him, but at that very moment…
Her eyes danced with merriment. "Give it a try."
He didn't hesitate and pushed back his hood. He tilted his face towards the sky and felt the soft drops cool his face. He heard her say, "Untie your hair."
He let out a throaty laugh, knowing how much she liked his hair down. He untied it and loosened it with his fingers. He swayed back and forth on the beast as he wondered at how she could bring him from misery to bliss in a matter of moments. He lifted his head and looked over at her. Her hair was drenched and long black curls fell into her face.
Without much thought, he pulled up his reigns to stop the bantha. She looked at him curiously and stopped hers as well. He got off the beast and grabbed his and her reigns together to tie both to a tree. He walked over to her and raised a hand to help her down from hers. He wrapped his arms around her as soon as she descended. Before giving her any time to ask questions, he kissed her soundly.
And in the middle of a rainforest, hours away from anywhere, he made love to her. They joined together upon the leaves of the forest floor… where nobody existed except for the two of them.
He spent the next few days learning things about her he never knew before; some good, some bad. They spent a week in the human researcher's modest quarters, reviewing video feeds and any other evidence they could find as to what had occurred there. In doing that, he realized the further extent of her powers and how frightening they could be.
Revan had been going through the footage of the attack just before the feed was destroyed. "Hmm," she murmured.
"What is it?" Jek asked as he moved behind her to peer over her shoulder.
She leaned back and crossed one arm over her chest as she ran a fingertip along her lower lip. "In the time since we left Xozhixi, have you seen any lightning out here?"
Jek thought about it a moment and then shook his head. "No, I haven't."
She entered a command into the console and it replayed the last moments again. "There," she pointed, "did you see it?"
He did indeed see what appeared to be lightning. "Have you checked the weather logs?"
She chuckled, "You mean the ones that say, 'It's still raining'?
He smiled and studied the replay again. "That's not normal lightning."
Revan agreed, "It's Force lightning."
Jek paused and looked down at her. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Positive."
And she did in fact prove it the next day. Without the Vratix presence around the facility, the wildlife had been quite active. Fighting off an attack from one beast or another had been a daily occurrence. On this day, it was with one of the many cat-like creatures that had been becoming more frequent throughout the week. Revan called them vine cats.
Every day the cats had come closer to the small facility. The banthas were most likely what had drawn them in. The Jedi had placed sensors around the facility to alert them when the proximity had been breached. When the alarm sounded, both Jedi drew their weapons as they searched for the intruder.
They weren't happy when they found five vine cats surrounding the two banthas. The cats had become bold and were not frightened away by the presence of the Jedi. Jek yelled out to get the cats' attention as he and Revan approached. It went ignored as the cats attacked their prey.
Both Jedi leapt into action and lashed out at the cats in order to remove them from the banthas. The beasts howled in mournful wails as the razor sharp claws dug into their tough exteriors.
Revan jumped on the bantha with three cats attached to it and swung her lightsaber in a sweeping motion in an attempt to dislodge the predators. She succeeded in freeing the animals from the banthas, but then their attention turned to Jek. He stepped back as one of the cats made two side steps before springing towards him. The Jedi landed a booted foot into the animal's chest just as it started to pounce. The cat screeched, but was not deterred. It quickly regained its balance and jumped at Jek again. He swung his blade to slash through the front left shoulder of the cat.
The other cats tried to use the bantha as leverage to reach Revan. She jumped over one cat's head to land behind him. She swiveled around and planted her lightsaber deep within the cat. The creature yowled an eerily human-like wail before falling to the ground.
Revan began working on keeping the banthas free of fatal injuries. She had managed to dispose of a third cat, but the fourth was being particularly coy with her. Jek was ready to jump to her assistance when the last of the cats noticed him.
The cat approached him in a slow prowl. Jek slowly walked backwards as the cat moved closer. Between the Force and the telltale twitch in the animal's legs, Jek was ready when the cat sprang into action. He brought his lightsaber to bear when the cat seemed frozen in mid air, surrounded by blue light that attacked it viciously. Jek looked in disbelief towards Revan, the source of the stream of electricity. The animal dropped to the ground where it lay lifeless, its fur singed and smoking.
His heart pounded in his chest, whether from the fight with the vine cats or the shock of what he'd just witnessed, he couldn't be sure. If she noticed his reaction, she didn't make any move to acknowledge it.
"Notice the difference in trajectory and encompassment," she said as she studied the corpse.
Jek blinked. "What?" he rasped.
"Don't you see the similarities to the video?" she asked.
He couldn't find any words over the sick feeling rolling in his stomach and the bile he had to force down. There were so many emotions roiling through him at once, fear being one of them. He looked at her sadly. In a quiet voice, he asked, "Where did you learn how to do that?"
She shrugged as she gathered various items they had dropped during the attack. "I can teach you if you'd like."
Teach me? He gasped, "No, Revan."
She stopped and turned to face him. He didn't react fast enough to put his mental shields in place.
She let out an exasperated breath. "What?"
He pointed to the still smoking creature. "You used the Force to inflict harm. You don't see anything wrong with that?"
She defended, "I used the Force in a practical matter to demonstrate a theory."
He shook his head. "But you still killed it."
Revan scoffed, "I'm fairly certain we would have killed him anyway. I mean, you were just about to run it through with your lightsaber."
"It's not the same."
"From your point of view." She cocked her head to the side and added with a hint of sarcasm, "So did you see the similarities, or would you like me to demonstrate on another?"
Jek clenched his jaw before turning to leave. They worked separately for the rest of the day. Jek used that time to disentangle his feelings. Acts like today shed light on something that had been there all along. Whether he was blind to it or chose not to see it was unknown. But all it managed to do was reconfirm a growing fear.
As a Jedi, he had the ability to know her on a different, more basic level. Two entwined lovers were more likely to open up their souls to each other, and in doing that, could see things they didn't necessarily want to see. Like when the end is coming. He'd often felt as if he were savoring every last moment they had.
Therefore, later that night he returned to her. They sat together on a nest of various blankets they had collected in front of the fire. He wondered at what point the feeling of her in his arms had become so natural. Her body formed to his and he inhaled her familiar scent. He sighed deeply… and held tighter.