Author's notes: Alright, people! This is the biggest moment of the whole fic, as I'm sure you're well aware. I promised to make it original, so here you go. Beware, this isn't a particularly K chapter, since the Basty thing continues. Poor Basty, I made her suffer. Now, Revan definitely isn't going LS! That would be unacceptable! Simply unacceptable! But you get to see more of her plans and personality here.

Brynn – (shrugs) If you want to, you can. The fic will soon be finished, anyway. I'll consider a male Exile.

Dalis'ilhea – good nose. And Revan doesn't need her, but wants her anyway. An asset so big can't be wasted, ya know. Read on.

Cittygurl– hon, she's been da DS badass-chick from the beginning, plus she (kinda) loves Malak­… methinks this won't be a happy Rev/Carth ending...

The Silver Serpent – I actually liked Nihilus, but they should have given him far more screen time and more explanations about him. I mean, Visas and Kreia tell you things, but you never know anything about his real goals, besides the hunger thing. And his relationship with Visas is also quite unexplained. A Miraluka slave? I thought Sith didn't enslave their apprentices… hmm…

Greatstar – (bows)

Dark Lord Daishi – actually, it's a reference to the prologue, but Ch 13 works, too. Read on.

Ryumasa the Ryuhaitou – Here ya go!

Jedi Revan Onasi – (bows) I have learned a lot about cliffies from other writers. I have always been very upset about them, so now I pass on the torture!

Phht – (Ignites lightsaber and destroys soda cans) Mean? Me? What about the other authors who tortured me with cliffies! I'm just passing on the torture!

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Chapter 39 – Dawn

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"Call upon the power of the Dark Side!"

A second after she uttered those words, Bastila shrieked in pain and stumbled back, her cheek burning but not bleeding. It felt as if white-hot knives had pierced her skin, but didn't damage it at all. She had never been cut with a lightsaber before and certainly had her face fractured before. It almost felt like a sharp slap, but it continued to burn instead of a simple sting.

"You ignorant child. You speak of titles and ruling while you know nothing of such things." She heard the voice, stone cold, without any hint of what she expected. Even the anger in it was cold and she thought she registered a hint of despairing… or regret.

"I had hoped that after spending all this time alongside me, under my influence, seeing some of my thoughts and dreams, my intentions, you would finally understand what I want to achieve and why. But you only see fame and glory, useless power. Through your incompetence, you have stripped this masquerade of any purpose.

Have you learned nothing at all or has the Star Forge twisted you so? If you cannot withstand the call of it and succumb to it this easily and quickly, it is obvious that there would always be the danger of petty uprisings for power over it, even though those weak-minded fools can never hope to compete with the mental strength of the station. It would only weaken the strength of the Empire as a whole.

The Forge is a dominant entity and has a knack for affecting others." Her eyes hardened considerably. "Now I see that such a thing is unacceptable. If there is anything I hate, it's concurrence. You are coming back to the Ebon Hawk, foolish child, where I will personally see to it that your distorted mind is fixed. You are no further down the journey than you were before. True understanding is what you lack. Only fools see the universe in black and white."

Bastila´s mind was almost overloaded by the sudden rush of new information. She tried to comprehend what Revan had said, but understood only fractions of it. She understood that her Master was displeased with her. Most displeased. Why? She was finally offering her service and her loyalty!

The Master was displeased with the Star Forge. But it was the Forge that had given the Sith the power to crush the Republic once and for all! This was nonsense! The Master was mad! It wasn't her Master anymore. She wanted to destroy the Star Forge. Her mind came to a single logical conclusion that could fit with all of what she had seen. Anything else would crush it. It was very simple.

Revan was insane.

What should she do? She wasn't just going to march back to the Ebon Hawk and pretend she was sorry, pretend that she was one of those sickeningly obedient fools with nauseatingly pure auras. She was a Sith warrior! She was the Dark Lord's second in command!

Yes… Malak was her Master. Not Revan.

Malak would crush the Republic. Revan would die along with it.

The Star Forge… she had to get back to defend it from the assault. Her powers were needed there.

Even as a Sith, Bastila could tell that if she would try to massacre her way through the four opponents she was facing, she would have a hard time against one of the Jedi alone, knowing their fighting styles. They were strong adversaries, each of them.

Retreat. Retreat! Her mind screamed at her.

But not without pride.

Her eyes narrowed as her hand slipped down form her cheek, revealing a gash that could perhaps leave a scar. It was a nasty wound, proof of her defeat. But her pride suffered far worse than her physical body.

"You were a pathetic fool, Revan! Together we could have defeated Malak and ruled over an Empire, but now, I will be at Lord Malak´s side instead. You will be crushed with the weak Republic and all those who follow the Jedi Code! No one can stand against the power of the Star Forge and the Sith fleet!"

She roared the words as quickly as possible, not daring to risk provoking one of her enemies to attack her. Forcing as much contempt into her eyes as possible and trying to push away her fear, Bastila turned on her heel and sprinted to her G-wing as fast as she could.

Juhani was about to run after her, but Revan raised a hand to stop the Cathar Jedi.

"Don't." she said simply, somehow strangely softly. "Her lesson is not over. It has yet to begin. This was only the first punishment."

"You had me scared there for a moment. I must say it's good to have you with us, my dear." Jolee noted, extinguishing his lightsaber. "For a minute there, I thought you might decide… well, never mind what I thought. Are you alright?"

Still watching the G-wind fly away, Revan arched an eyebrow softly. Her face seemed somehow passive, the shadow of a disappearing sad smile crossing it for a moment. "Your predictions were almost right, you know. I would have decided that, if it were the right choice. Strategically speaking, naturally."

Something about Jolee´s grin made you think he thought the last line was only hastily added to cover up a slip.

Wordlessly, Revan walked to the computer console just behind the archway and began typing in a few commands in Rakatan. The computer beeped obediently and shut down both the planetary disruptor field and the Temple entrance shield, allowing them a clear path to the ship.

No one spoke before they left the Temple, each leaving behind a certain weight.

The Elder researchers were overjoyed about the data Revan brought them and most glad that she managed to remain true to the task that lied ahead. Though a bit surprised, Revan thanked them politely and left for the Ebon Hawk with the others.

Again, no one spoke, each a bit lost in their own thoughts. The next move was clear – getting to the Star Forge, finding Bastila and confronting Malak. Hopefully, the Republic fleet had received the message they sent them and were on the way to the given coordinates. Without a large-scale diversion, the Ebon Hawk would have problems reaching the Forge.

Surprisingly, the rest of the crew, all of them, including the droids, were waiting outside the ship, some looking tense and worried, some passive, but each of them obviously waiting for the outcome of the situation in the Temple. When the Jedi, Yuthura and Revan came into view, Carth and Mission were the first to run to them.

"You're back! But where's Bastila? Is she alive? What happened inside that temple?"

"Bastila has fallen to the Dark Side." Yuthura explained, "She fled to the Star Forge."

"The Dark Side? Bastila?" Carth repeated, outraged. "No! No, how could that happen?"

"She was always in danger of being seduced by the dark Side, Carth." Jolee explained. "This planet is a tainted place, the Star Forge and the Temple have twisted the Force into an instrument of evil – just as Malak has twisted Bastila into a servant of the Sith."

"Don't forget to mention my part in that, old man." Revan´s voice echoed.

But Jolee shook his head. "In the end we all choose our own path, but remember the part you played in her downfall. You and the task assigned to her by the Jedi Council. Remember the bond that was forged between you when she rekindled the spark of the light that was hidden deep within you. Through that bond she touched your memories…and the echo of the dark taint within you."

"But there's still hope for her, right?" Carth hopefully said. "I mean, Revan rejected the Dark side, so Bastila could too, right?"

"Rejected?" Revan repeated, "You cannot reject something you never embrace."

They had no time to wonder about these words before Juhani spoke. "I do not know what fate awaits us, but I sense Bastila still has a part to play. I have no doubt she will be waiting for us on the Star Forge."

"No doubt. You still with the rest of the bunch, kiddo?" Jolee said, maintaining a serious face despite the slight twinkle in his eye as he turned to Revan.

The woman shrugged. "I could kill you all, hijack the ship and fight my way through the Forge alone… but a taskforce is always useful." She smiled only very faintly, her eyes shining determination. "I think I am, old man."

"Good to hear that after the Temple incident."

"Temple incident?" Carth wanted to know.

"Bastila tried to tempt her to the Dark Side, to reclaim Revan´s heritage." A smile crossed Juhani´s face, though she knew there was limit to what she was saying. "She failed."

There was silence. Then…

"So…you did it? You turned against the Dark Side once and for all?" Carth asked Revan. "I knew it wasn't part of you anymore!" he said, not allowing her to speak

But Revan shook her head. "The Dark Side is part of us all… as is the Light. The Force doesn't just disappear; no one can make it do that. I rejected the consummation by the Dark Side, but that doesn't mean I don't feel it or use it. I am in control… that is all that matters and all you need to know."

"But… you are fighting for the Republic now, aren't you?" Mission shyly asked, timid.

"You see the world in extremes, Mission. I have always fought for the Republic. Just in different ways than you."

"Confidence is all well and good, but don´t you think we should hurry?" Juhani asked.

"True." Mission nodded. "Bastila´ll have the chance to round up a bigger welcoming committee."

"Okay, let´s get moving! The longer we wait, the harder this is going to be!"

The whole crew, with Carth in the lead, dashed back into the Ebon Hawk. Revan sensed someone watching her and stopped to see several Elders watching her from the far end of the beach. It was perhaps a way of saying goodbye or a way of checking if she still intended to fulfill her promises.

Revan shook her head, amused. Was understanding really that much to ask for? Her strategies were primitively simple this time. What was it about her way of thinking that confused people so? She would really have to find out one day.