Chapter 6 The Truth

As they followed the path two figures stood in their way. They were Darth Reven and Nate!

"NO, it can't be," said Anakin, "it seems Nate has fallen."

"Nate," that was all Dan could say at the sight of his old friend opposing him.

"Reven, what have you done to Nate," yelled Steph.

"Nothing," snapped Nate, "I made this choice on my own you traitor."

"Wha--, what are you talking about," stuttered Steph, taken aback by this comment.

"Don't act all innocent," snapped Nate, "I know what you did. You lead our forces into a trap by drawing us away. Yes, Reven told me everything."

"Steph, is this true?" asked Dan, "Did you betray the Republic while you were here and join him?"

"No, I didn't," said Steph, "Reven just made up that story to distract you from your mission. Anakin you don't believe it, right?"

"I don't want to believe it," said Anakin, "but the evidence is against you at the moment. Considering what happened to our forces after we went after you. For all we know you could have defected."

The two Jedi seemed uneasy now that their former comrade had defected and now this news that Steph may be a traitor.

"I don't want to hear any more," said Dan with tears welling in his eyes, "I need to think about this more."

After he said this Dan hopped on his speeder and sped away from the group. The other two not wanting a repeat of Nate to happen quickly followed.

"That's right," sneered Nate, "you think about it. You'll find I'm right though."

The trio returned to the site of the ruined Forward Command Post. The news sent shockwaves through the team. Dan went over by himself and was quiet, deep in thought for a long time. Anakin didn't know what to think, he set himself up against a pillar of plastisteel making sure he could see Steph, just in case she tried anything. He had much to think about too. Steph just sat in the middle of the wreckage meditating on what she had just seen and herd. After an hour Dan came back to the group and broke the long silence.

"What Nate said back there," he said, "I just want you to know, I don't believe it. There may be some truth in there but I think the story was made by Reven to get Nate to turn. So all I want to say is I still trust you."

"Well, I guess that settles it for me," said Anakin casually, "if Dan trusts you I do."

"Thanks guys," said Steph, "I knew you could see through the lies. But now that we know what happened to Nate we need to plan our next move carefully. Remember he is no longer the Nate you know, he's turned to the Dark Side, which means you must be ready to--"

"I WON'T," Dan interrupted, "I won't kill Nate. He has never fully turned to the Dark Side. I sensed a hint of light in him still maybe we can still save him."

"What do you mean 'has never'," asked Anakin, "he's turned before hasn't he?"

"Yes," said Dan tears again welling in his eyes, "this isn't the first time Nate has turned. He turns almost every mission, for one reason or another. Just normally he has more light left in him. But this time he has gone far down the path."

"This news makes our decisions harder," said Steph, "we might not be able to save him this time so we must be prepared to do anything we can to get passed them to the droid works."

The trio made a plan to go around the droid base and come in the beck way. This maneuver would hopefully confuse the sith so they would be able to destroy the droid works.

Nate's POV

Now Nate had a great connection with the trio so their plans were never safe from his prying eyes.

"Master," said Nate, "the Jedi have made a new plan. The plan to go around CIS territory and come around back."

"Good, my young apprentice, " sneered Reven, "we will play along to make it look like their plan is working. I will take the troops and set a decoy along the path strait to the works. You will go make an intercept point on their path. Once you have made contact call me and I will come a help you destroy the three Jedi."

"Yes, Master," replied Nate.

Normal POV

The trio was under way. Their plan was going well. Their scanners seemed to say that there was a great army going after the point leading straight to the works. It looked like they were going to make it to the droid works after all. But suddenly there was a figure in their path. It was Nate, he figured out their plan.

"How," asked Anakin, "how could they have found out our plan."?

Nate seemed to hear that because right afterwords he spoke to them. The only problem was he was too far to hear them or speak to them. It was in their heads.

"Oh, did you forget?" asked Nate, "I make connections to those whom I am close too."

"He's right," said Dan regretfully, "I should have mentioned it to you, but it seems Nate's strength in the Force allows him to make bonds with those close to him."

"Okay, since we know this now," said Steph, "we need a strategy to get us passed."

"No strategy or plan will get you passed me!" shouted Nate aggressively.

The trio had no choice, they had to fight or die. They dismounted their speeders at a good distance. After doing nothing but stare at each other the Jedi made a move. They ignited their sabers and charged at Nate. But at the last possible second Dan stopped running at Nate. He threw down his saber and kneeled down, weeping at the sight of his friend.

"Nate," he cried out, "look what you have done."

At the sound of their friend in agony the other two stopped dead in their tracks.

"You never do this," Dan continued, "you may have gone bad, but never was I forced to fight you. I know you are not gone I feel it. Please come back to us."

Nate stopped at these words. He seemed to be listening. But his aurora was still one of evil.

Seeing her chance Stephanie spoke to Nate in a consoling voice. "Nate remember the battle," she said, "you would have never looked for a source of the droids would you."

"No," said Nate seeming to calm down.

"Why did you look for where the droids were coming from?" asked Steph.

"Because the force told me something," said Nate calming down even more, "again I didn't know what so I just looked around and started to look for where the droids came from."

"The Force told you something," said Steph, "because I told it to. I subconsciously told you to look for the source of the droids. I knew you would receive it because of your strength in the Force. I know you would never fully fall away from. Now break free of the lies and come back."

"Why should I come back to you, traitor," said Nate seeming to be enraged again.

"Because we care for you," said Steph with tears welling in her eyes.

At this Nate calmed down a lot. It seemed he had come to his senses. Then everyone felt a disturbance, it was over, Nate had returned.

"Thank you," said Dan as he hugged his friend again.

"I don't know why I did it," said Nate, "I was under the control of his lies. My hot headed nature probably didn't help me any."

"Well all we care about right now is that you are back," said Anakin.

"No, there is one more thing you should be concerned about," said Nate shamefully, "when I saw you guys approaching I called Reven here."