Author's Notes: All right, another week, another update. Thanks again for the reviews, carlo707, What contented men desire, and Royal. Contented men pointed out some logical leaps from my last chapter, which I'm grateful for. I hope to avoid those kinds of things as much as possible, but I have zero technical knowledge of the SW universe, so please bear with me.
Oh, and it should be mentioned. This is the chapter that probably breaks canon the most, just because of one character. I hope you all don't crucify me for it, but I actually like the character-even though most hated him-and I didn't want him to go out that way, so I kept him alive. But enough of that-here goes!
Chapter Two
The battered freighter fell out of hyperspace right over the Citadel Station. The mammoth, metallic blanked curled around the wasted Telosian countryside, rotating over it as the Restoration Project continued. It was the third time in the last year Caius and Atton were to visit the seemingly inconsequential planet, and each time they visited it, something momentous occurred. No doubt Lieutenant Grenn would be somewhat shocked to see them again, it was anyone's guess as to whether he'd be upset that they escaped the first time they were here, or grateful that they saved the planet the second time. Either way, they would have to land on the planet. Caius had no way to know if Onasi was still present, but given his relationship to the planet, it was likely; and if he wasn't, they could easily track him down. Surely he would want to speak to them again.
Caius watched out of the view port as the landing dock neared them. Atton was pre-occupied with negotiating a landing, and Caius spent the time mulling over his future, his so-called destiny. Should he really pursue Revan? He was unsure of what exactly the future held for him. He had just finished a wild rampage across the galaxy and inadvertently killed three Jedi Masters because of it. The guilt was beginning to wear at him. Had he not done what Kreia asked, those Jedi would still be alive, but perhaps she would have found someone else to do it. And had he not listened to her, he wouldn't have regained his connection to the Force, and he wouldn't have found and trained his students. But then perhaps they would still be alive. The chaotic events of the past several months were maddening, and each circumstance bore its own "either/or" possibility, which was enough to make a lesser man break down. But cutting his soul off from his body made subsequent decisions much easier. Still, he pondered, should he heed Kreia's advice? Should he jet off to the black void of the nether regions of space and search for the turncoat Jedi? But then what was the alternative? Rot away within the confines of the stagnant Republic? All while doubt consumed him concerning his "destiny"? No, he was becoming more adamant, he would search for Revan. He just needed to find people to point him in the right direction...and he would need others to go with him.
"Finally," Atton gasped, exasperated, "I thought they weren't going to let us land. What is it about this ship that apparently brings out the worst in the dock officials? If they're not refusing us permission to land, they're trying to blast us out of the sky. I just don't get it."
"I wonder if Revan had this much trouble with it," Caius speculated.
"I doubt it, people practically worship the ground that he walked on. I bet the dock workers were lining up for autographs whenever he was around. Some guys have all the luck."
The Ebon Hawk casually slid into the docking bay. The ship hissed as air filled the nooks and crannies that had previously been emptied by the void of space. Slowly, the Hawk descended and planted itself on the ground. For the first time in a long time, the ship had been able to dock in relative peace and tranquility—the sensation was intoxicating.
As Caius, Atton, and the droids exited the ship, they were met with a familiar voice. "Well, if it isn't the Jedi Exile and his compatriots. When I heard the Ebon Hawk was landing, I had to come see for myself." It was Lieutenant Grenn, right on cue. The lieutenant marched out into the bay to meet them. The balding man wore the traditional TSF uniform, dark gray with a little orange on it. "I didn't think I'd see you again so soon after the battle here ended. And don't think I've forgotten about your evasion of house arrest. I've got all the necessary paperwork to bring you to trial back in my office, when I get around to it."
Is he serious? Caius thought to himself. He was about to speak in protest before Atton did, saying, "And how long will that take?"
"Oh, I don't know," Grenn said, now cracking a sly smile, "shouldn't take longer than five or six years."
"That's not funny," Caius said, "I thought you were going to arrest us again."
"After what you did for us? Of course not. And that reminds me, I don't think I properly thanked you for your intervention in that battle, we would not have been victorious without you." Grenn eyed the droids behind them, then asked, "Where's the rest of your crew?"
"They...didn't make it," Caius answered solemnly.
"Oh," Grenn's pleasant expression was interrupted with a flinch. He stuttered for a second, said, "You have my deepest condolences." He regained his composure quickly, ever the military man, and said, "I hope you can find a measure of comfort in the fact that they helped save the Republic."
"Well, I can't say we're out of the woods yet," Caius answered ambiguously.
"Excuse me?" Grenn asked.
"Never mind..."
"Well," he said, regaining his composure, "if there's anything I can do for you while you're here, just be sure and let me know. I'll make it my first priority."
Caius immediately jumped on the opportunity, said, "We've got a wounded woman inside the ship. Can you get her medical assistance?"
Grenn's face betrayed mild shock at such a statement, but hurriedly covered it and said, "Yes, of course, why didn't you say so earlier?" He immediately ordered a medical team into the docking bay. Two women and one man in white coats quickly showed up and Atton showed them into the medical room of the Hawk. Caius didn't go in with them because of his bad leg. All he saw was Mira's limp body come out on a gurney, her arm hooked up to an IV and the doctors looking very rushed. Atton came out behind them.
He said, "Come on, Caius, let's go to the hospital with them."
Caius nodded, and Grenn came with them too. They were shown to a small medical facility, but the equipment was top-notch, no doubt influenced by the trauma the planet had been through only years prior. Caius and Atton saw them immediately go to work on the girl before the curtains were pulled around her. Then the door was shut and both men found themselves in the waiting room. Grenn was still with them, he said, "She's in good hands. If anything can be done to save her, then they'll do it. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"
Caius spoke up. He was a little hesitant to ask for something else, but went ahead for it. "Actually, there is one more thing you can do. Is Admiral Onasi still on the station?"
Grenn gave him a curious look, said, "I believe he is. Why? You seek an audience with him?"
"I would like that, yes."
"Hmm, well, I suppose I'll see what I can do. I can make no guarantees though. He is an admiral now, and he is quite the busy man."
"I think he'll find the time," Caius input, "just tell him that Caius Lucullus has a lead, he'll want to meet with us."
"Will he?" Grenn asked, cocking an eyebrow, "Well, I'll tell him that." He looked them all over again, said, "I'll arrange for a small apartment for you to stay in while you're here. It's the least I can do. Now, if you'll excuse me," he turned on his heels and left the medical facility.
"I feel like it's been an eternity since I could just sit down in a room and rest," Atton said as they entered their apartment. He threw himself face-first onto one of the beds and just exhaled deeply.
"Statement: Weakling," HK muttered to himself. Apparently Atton didn't hear him because he made no reply. T3 beeped in agreement.
"I could use a fresh set of robes, too," Atton said, "or at least wash the ones I have..."
Caius just sat down on another bed, trying to adjust his cast to make his foot more comfortable. He probably wouldn't have to wear the thing for much longer, but this fact was of little consolation. HK made some sort of sarcastic hand motion, clearly mocking Atton. If he had real eyes, he would be rolling them.
Both men were content to rest for the remainder of their time in the apartment. After a long period of silence, Atton decided to ask about Caius's strategy. He said, "So, what do you plan to do?"
"Interjection: Shut up!" HK shouted, somehow perturbed.
"What the hell?" Atton asked. "What did I do?"
"Statement: I am growing more and more tired of your presence, meatbag."
It looked as though HK was going for his gun before Caius interrupted him, said, "HK, power down."
"Obedience: Yes, master."
Atton's eyes had bulged considerably. The droid plugged itself into a recharge outlet and then turned off. Atton asked nervously, "Why...why did he do that?" Clearly he was afraid for his own life.
"I don't know. Do you know how long he's gone without recharging or powering down?"
"Not sure," Atton answered, "but I couldn't get him to do it while you were knocked out because I'm not the 'master'."
"Holy..." Caius trailed off..."he must've gone for a whole week without powering down. No wonder. It's a miracle he didn't try to kill us...err...you." He thought for a second, then said, "While we're at it, T3, why don't you do the same, all right?" The droid whirred with joy and then joined HK in the dormant state of recharge. Caius returned to the bed and sat down at the foot of it, but as soon as he had hit the mattress, a firm knock rapped at the door. Caius sighed and rose, said to Atton, "Don't hurry and get the door, let the cripple get it." Atton rolled his eyes as Caius approached the door. He pressed a button and slid them open, revealing their visitor. A somewhat short man in full body armor, with a shaved head and piercing blue eyes, glared right at him.
"Greetings from the Exchange," he said.
No sooner had he uttered those words, a small assassin pistol protruded from his previously concealed hand and fired at Caius's gut. The Exile jerked subconsciously out of the way and twisted to the side, calling on his Jedi reflexes to dodge the shot. The blast grazed off the side of his robe. He grabbed the man's wrist and tried to wrench the gun free, but he could not do so. They merely interlocked as the gun waved wildly. The assassin squeezed the trigger again, vainly hoping to hit Caius and wrestle himself free, but the bolts just blasted harmlessly onto the roof of the apartment. Caius infused his grip with the Force, tightening his hold on the man's hand until he could hear the bones cracking. The assassin screamed in agony and the pistol finally fell to the ground. Atton used this opportunity to lunge at him, tackling him into the wall. The man tried to throw him off, but Atton pulled back his clenched fist and managed to land one strong blow to the side of his head. There was a profound thud, and the assassin blinked and then fell to the ground.
Caius was hyperventilating. Atton dragged the man's body down into the middle of the room and began padding him down, looking for any other weapons. He found a rather large knife in his boot and took it away. "Is he dead?" Caius asked.
Atton felt his mangled wrist, said, "No, just unconscious. We should call the authorities."
"Looks like they're here already."
Lieutenant Grenn strolled innocently into the room, apparently unaware of the scuffle. "Good news, gentlemen, I..." he spotted the man on the ground, Atton kneeling next to him with a knife, and instantly went for his holster, said, "What happened here?"
"Oh, I don't know," Atton said sardonically, "the obligatory assassination attempt on our lives, you know, like every other time we're here? Check the security cameras, you'll see what happened." He then stood up and put the knife on the nightstand next to his bed.
Grenn relaxed, said, "Very well." He stepped over to the body, asked, "Is he dead?"
"No, you should probably arrest him," Caius answered.
Grenn barked something into his comm and soon two security officers arrived and cuffed the man. They put him on a stretcher and carried him off to the security station. Grenn asked, "Know why he attacked you?"
"I think it might have to do with killing Goto," Caius answered.
Grenn's jaw dropped, he said, "You killed Goto?"
"My droid did," he answered, and gestured towards the recharging HK.
"Well," Grenn said, "you can expect a lot more of this, then." He paused for a moment, both Caius and Atton frowned, clearly displeased with that fact. "Um," Grenn continued, "I was on my way here to give you some good news. Two things, actually. It seems your companion in the hospital has taken a turn for the better. She's very stable now, but unfortunately they can't wake her up. Now all that you can do is wait and see when she'll come out of it. The doctors said that it's a miracle she's alive, and she probably wouldn't have lasted another hour before you got her here."
"That's great news," Caius said sincerely. "But what if we leave the planet before she wakes up?"
"We'll be sure and contact you if that happens. We understand you won't be able to stay here forever. They advised, however, that you should get here as soon as possible if she does wake up. And in the meantime, TSF will shoulder any medical expenses." Grenn then felt it necessary not to get their hopes up, said, "Be aware that this is not assured. The doctors don't know when she'll wake up, if she does at all. They are fearing a permanent catatonic state."
Atton frowned. As important as this conversation was, he had to change the subject before Caius forgot. He asked, "What was the other news?"
"Oh, right," Grenn answered. "It seems that Admiral Onasi was indeed receptive towards your message. He has arranged a meeting for you. He wants you and Atton to join him tomorrow morning at Handon's Cantina, it's just to the left out of this complex and about 150 yards down the road, you can't miss it. Be there at 9:30."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Caius said.
"Yeah," Atton responded, "and could you beef up security for us? I'd appreciate it if there were no more attempts to kill us."
"You got it," Grenn said. "So long, gentlemen." He again turned on his heel and strode out of the apartment.
"Lock the door," Atton said.
They both slept uneasily that night, each waking up multiple times, afraid that they heard someone trying to break into the room. That Grenn had stationed two round-the-clock guards outside their door didn't help assuage their fear. It is difficult to sleep while being hunted. Surely the bounty on their heads had inflated to an otherworldly size since Goto's death. At one instance, at about two in the morning, they both awoke simultaneously.
"You asleep?" Atton asked.
"No, you?"
"Nope," he replied. "I can't rest since we had that assassination attempt. Every little noise causes me to jump."
"Me too."
"Speaking of that attempt," Atton said, "did you realize that you actually dodged a bullet? Like, in the literal sense? How did you even know he was going to fire at you?"
Caius paused before answering, said, "I guess I… didn't. I just dodged, for some reason. I can't explain it, it's like I was just pulled out of the way."
"That's incredible," came Atton's answer. "No one would dodge a shot like that… do you know how much skill… or perhaps luck that would take? Even for a Jedi…"
Caius didn't like this talk, he never really liked to think about his abilities, but as Atton was saying it the fact became more obvious: he was strong, much moreso than he had been before his exile. Caius didn't answer Atton, and eventually the pilot shifted the conversation to their upcoming meeting.
"Well, I may as well ask," Atton said. "What do you plan to tell Onasi tomorrow?"
"I'm just going to tell him what Kreia told me. That Revan went into the Unknown Regions to fight against the 'True Sith' Empire, something no one previously knew existed. It's been five years, he's not been heard of since, so something must've gone wrong. We need to track him down and find him."
"Do you think that'll be enough?"
"I don't know," Caius admitted, "but I think he'd be grateful for any news concerning the man."
Atton did not speak for a few moments. Caius could hear him breathing deeply. There was a stifled gulp, and then he said, "Caius...?"
"Yes?"
"If you go into the Unknown Regions...I'm not going to go with you. You'll need to find a new pilot."
He had been afraid of this. Of course it was a lot to ask of someone to fly a spacecraft into previously uncharted territory, but he had hoped that Atton would've warmed up to the idea after all they had been through. Atton continued, "I told you that I'm a deserter at heart, and I am. But I plan on at least telling you why I'm not going. That type of journey...it's suicide. There's no way I'm going to go with you. I've just gotten a hold on my life again, I'm not going to throw it away."
Caius sighed, not with disgust, but with a tone of sadness, he said, "I can't make you go. I'll let you think about it, but if we do this, I'd hope you would change your mind. We'll talk about it more after we talk to Onasi."
"Very well," Atton resigned, but then asked, "Why is it that you want to go so badly?"
"I..." Caius began, "I don't rightly know. I feel as if I have no other choice. I...hmm," he paused. "Do you ever get the feeling that our whole escapade looking for the Masters that exiled me was an exercise in futility? I get the feeling we did more harm than good."
"Perhaps, but it was still something you had to do. And you honestly thought that those Jedi would help, you didn't know Kreia would kill them."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it's not my fault. I feel I have to...atone, somehow, for that. I need to help stabilize the galaxy again."
"You did, we did. We stopped the Sith in battle over this very planet, and we killed all three Sith Lords. Is that not enough stability for you?"
"I guess."
"That can't be the only reason you want to go find him."
"Well," Caius answered, "I legitimately believe the Republic is in danger, so we should find him. But I also want to...fulfill this 'destiny' that Kreia was talking about."
Atton gagged, "Don't tell me you believe anything that witch said."
"No, well, what I mean is: there's nothing for me here. I can't live a normal life, I haven't, not since the Force was taken from me. The only thing I can do is continue this search." He stopped for a moment, he was thinking out loud, he had not even considered these thoughts before now. He continued, "I guess it's just an extension of my search for the Masters. I just...I need to find someone who can help me."
"Ah, so this is about yourself?" Atton asked. "There's no shame in that. If there's anyone that can shed light on your condition, it's Revan. Wasn't he there when it happened?"
"Yeah, he was nearby. He could feel the void within me. I haven't seen him since that day. But now that I have this...curse, I may as well use it for good. Somehow, Kreia believed, it would help me if I were to search for him. I can't explain why I believe her...but I do."
"Very well," Atton said, "I can't stop you. I'll make no promises, but I'll consider what you said. However, don't expect me to change my mind."
Caius woke up sweating, he had vividly relived the last few minutes he spent on Malachor V, had watched Mira get shot again. It was brutal. The clock showed 8:30 and Atton was already awake. Caius took a shower and then donned his clean robes, a luxury he had not had in a long time. Their charcoal gray was now fully visible, no longer mucked up by dirt and grease and blood.
They reactivated the droids and ordered them to guard the apartment, even though no one would attack it while they were gone. Especially considering there was nothing of value in it, but HK needed a purpose, so Caius gave him one.
It was precisely 9:30 when they entered Handon's Cantina. The entire place was empty save for the grizzled Admiral, sitting by himself in a booth. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days. He had dark brown hair, but it was beginning to gray at the temples. He had a mysterious cowlick right over the right side of his forehead. He glanced up and saw both Caius and Atton. He gestured to the empty seats in front of him. Caius limped over, and as soon as they sat down, a waitress approached. Caius asked for coffee while the Admiral waited patiently, not willing to ask about his guest's bum leg. The man's pristine naval uniform was a sight to behold. It was a deep shade of gray with gold buttons lining up the middle, and pearl white cufflinks with one golden stripe. His shoulders each bore a single, silver star: Rear Admiral, Lower Half.
As soon as the waitress left, the Admiral spoke, "Good to see you again, General Lucullus...Atton." He shook both their hands. He had sounded unsure as to how to address them, eventually resigning to use Atton's first name. He said, "Whatever news you have for me, you'll have to wait a moment. We're one short."
"Who else is coming?" Caius asked quizzically.
"Damn," Atton said admiringly, and then he nodded his head in the direction of the door.
Caius shifted his view and looked to see who was coming. A young woman, perhaps in her late twenties, glided smoothly towards them. She wore a hybrid, formfitting Jedi robe that was ornamented with thin, flexible leather armor. She had thick brown hair that was braided in a very complex way, with two small ponytail things resting behind her ears. Her steel gray eyes were, contrary to their intense color, warm, not intimidating. "Sorry, I'm late," she apologized in a strange, lilting accent. She took the seat next to Onasi.
"Gentlemen, this is Jedi Knight Bastila Shan," the Admiral said diplomatically, "Bastila, this is Atton Rand and General Caius Lucullus."
"Well, Caius, I never thought I'd see you again," she said, somewhat coldly.
"Ouch," Atton said.
"Uh...it's nice to see you too, Bastila."
She laughed slightly, "I didn't mean it like that. It's good to see you again, and I do mean that." She smiled and grasped his hand with both of hers and shook it. She conspicuously denied Atton the pleasure, and it visibly irked him.
"I take it you know each other?" Onasi questioned, somewhat rhetorically.
"Yes," Bastila said, "we were both on Dantooine at the Jedi Enclave. He was a padawan while I was an apprentice. You could say we were acquaintances."
"It's good to see you've lightened up a bit since then," Caius said playfully. Bastila frowned.
"Lightened up?" Atton asked. No one answered him, and his attempt to get back at Bastila failed.
Onasi smirked, then said, "All right, down to business. You called me here; I assume you have news about Revan. That's what we talked about last."
"Yes, Admiral, sir" Caius answered. But he was interrupted.
"Please, call me Carth," the officer said.
Caius hesitated, not wanting to call such a high-ranking officer by his first name, but he realized the whole situation was rather odd anyway. "Carth," he began, "I hope not to get your hopes up, because what little I do know is admittedly vague, but I have learned a little since we last spoke."
"That's not...what I wanted to hear," Bastila said, looking down at her folded hands. Atton glared at her, and then shot Caius a look that clearly said, "I told you so."
"Anything is welcome at this point," Carth assured him, "please, speak up."
"Well," Caius continued, "you know that Revan is somewhere out in the Unknown Regions, correct?"
"We thought so," Carth answered, "but we could never confirm it. Are you certain?"
"Yes," Caius answered, "but it's what he's doing there that's of importance. According to the three Sith Lords we just recently...uh, came into contact with, the Unknown Regions harbor some sort of ancient 'Sith Empire' that is a direct threat to the Republic. According to Darth Traya, Revan went to go confront it."
Carth sank into his chair, Bastila didn't move at all. Carth spoke, "A 'Sith Empire'? Forgive me if I don't take everything you say at face value. This is...unheard of. How do you know?"
"The Sith records on Malachor V and the ones here at Atris's academy both speak of it. Revan apparently found out about it right at the end of the Mandalorian Wars. It may have influenced his fall to the dark side." Caius thought for a moment, said, "Can we talk to Atris? She'll confirm it."
Bastila sighed, said, "Master Atris took her own life shortly after the battle over Telos."
Caius was stunned. Another dead Jedi Master. Of all of them, he had despised her the most, and yet...he was somehow...sad. Atton spoke for him, "We're certain. The Sith records on Malachor V pretty much go on endlessly about the 'True Sith' Empire. If Revan's out in the Unknown Regions, then he's undoubtedly involved with them somehow." He leaned back and looked at Caius, offering a slight grin. Caius was impressed, he had thought for sure that bringing Atton was a waste of time. He was glad to see he was wrong.
"He's right," he picked up where Atton left off, "According to Traya, Revan staged his massive invasion as some sort of complex military coup. He wanted to assume command of the nation and strengthen it in the face of the encroaching Sith threat."
"But that doesn't make any sense," said Bastila. "Why attack something to protect it?"
"No one said he was right to do it," Caius answered. "He fell to the dark side, and he was clearly influenced by his findings at Malachor V. He was probably not in his right mind. It seems the Jedi's attempt to reprogram him just stripped away that Revan and restored the pre-fall Revan. And now he's gone off to continue the same goal he had at the start."
"That's ridiculous," Carth said. "This whole story could just be complete fabrication. And besides, our only sources are the Sith, we can't trust them!"
Bastila just sat still. Carth and Atton exchanged arguments for a few minutes before she finally spoke up, said, "I believe them, Carth."
"You...what?" he asked incredulously.
"They're right. I can sense it, they are not misled." She looked up at Caius, and he could see her eyes were suddenly betraying a profound sense of sorrow, sadness. She said out loud, though really only for herself to hear, "I wonder...why didn't he tell me?"
"Yeah," Carth said, oblivious to her pining, "He should've told us. But," he paused, "if you believe them. Maybe their claim holds some weight. What do you plan to do?"
Still Bastila was gazing off in some direction. Caius could feel her eyes burning through him, she was clearly lost in thought. "Huh, what?" she hiccupped, "Oh," she regained her composure. "I think we should take this before the Jedi on Coruscant."
"There are Jedi on Coruscant?" Caius asked.
"Yes," she answered. "After the battle here, when you killed Darth Nihilus, we were able to come out of hiding. All of the remaining Jedi in the galaxy have made their way back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant."
"And how many is that?" asked Atton.
She looked as though she didn't want to say, but resigned to telling him, "Twenty-two."
"That is...not many," Atton said callously.
"You don't say?" Bastila shot back.
"Whoa, cool it, princess," he retorted.
Bastila opened her mouth to return fire, but caught herself. She closed her eyes and then bit her lower lip. Caius could feel her reciting the first line of the code. She crossed her arms and opened her eyes again. "Nevertheless, we should speak to them about it."
"Are there any masters left?" Caius asked.
"One, Master Vrook."
"Oh, great, he'll be glad to see me," Caius said sarcastically. "He'll probably think I tried to kill the other masters on purpose. I didn't know Kreia was going to murder them."
Bastila raised an eyebrow. "He may," she said, "I'll talk to him about it. It's a good thing he didn't go meet you on Dantooine, or he'd surely be dead too. Even he knows that."
Caius just nodded. Bastila then felt compelled to end the meeting, said, "It's settled then, we're going to Coruscant. Carth, should we take the Ebon Hawk, or would you prefer the Sojourn?"
"I'm not going to redirect that whole ship's course just to get me to Coruscant, that's a waste of resources. We'll ride with them on the Hawk..." he paused, "it'll be nice to see her again," he said to himself.
Atton was not pleased, asked, "Who said you could ride with us?"
Carth scowled at him, "The Republic Navy."
Atton backed down, "I see. All right then, when should we leave?"
"Tomorrow morning," Bastila said. She again took Caius's hand in hers and shook it. She, once again, ignored Atton. His eye noticeably twitched, he simply stared at her, not noticing that Carth's hand was extended to him. Caius, hoping to lessen the already awkward situation, took Carth's hand and shook it. Carth shrugged, and he and Bastila left the Cantina. Atton and Caius waited for a moment before decided to head out as well.
On their way out, Caius suddenly remembered, asked aloud, "What happened to my coffee?"
Back at the apartment, Atton was going on about Bastila for some time. Caius wasn't sure if he hated her or was completely smitten by her. He was pacing back and forth about the room. He exclaimed, "What'd I do to her? Why did she treat me like that? She's so cold," he paused, then couldn't resist the pun, "for someone so hot."
"That was awful," Caius grimaced, "and really, is that all you think about?" He was still trying to adjust the boot on his foot, but could not get it to feel right.
"You can't deny it," he said, "she's a looker. Why do you think she wears that skin-tight robe? She's showing off, my friend. Why does she have to be so arrogant?"
There were a lot things Caius could say at this moment, all of them too beautifully perfect; but he couldn't choose just one and ended up saying nothing, squandering a great opportunity.
"I guess I'm arrogant too," Atton said for him, "maybe we could connect over that. I should go talk to her." Caius sighed, Atton continued, "I'm kidding, jeeze, lighten up. You're almost as stiff as she is."
"How long are you going to keep this up?" he asked.
"That's what she said," Atton riposted.
Caius smacked his hand against his forehead. "I'm on fire, baby!" Atton continued.
"That's what she said," Caius answered.
"What? That didn't even make sense!" Atton replied, baffled. "Man, sometimes I pity you Jedi. There's some sort of innocence in all of you. In some ways you're like...little kids." Caius rolled his eyes. Atton kept going, "Well, I'm going to go to the bar and play some pazaak. Maybe I'll find a girl there that will appreciate me, unlike that Bastila wench."
"Plea: Shut up!" HK put in thoughtfully.
"All right," Atton backed off, "I'll go." He walked out the door.
"Begging: May I please kill the meatbag, master?"
"Maybe later, HK," Caius answered. T3 agreed.
Although he had most of the day free, Caius did not do much with the time. He wanted only for it to burn away so he could shove off of Telos and get back to Coruscant. He was incredibly anxious now that he learned that Vrook was still alive. He had talked to the man on Dantooine, if one could consider it that. Vrook scolded him for everything he'd ever done since he was a child, but Caius was eventually able to talk him into reforming the Jedi Council if he could find the other missing masters. He did, but Vrook never showed. He didn't know why, but the man was absent. It turned out to be for his benefit; however, as the old woman killed the masters that did show up. Caius was certain Vrook would not appreciate seeing him again. He hoped that Bastila would talk some sense into the old man before they showed up… or at least extract a promise that he wouldn't try to kill Caius the minute he saw him. These stressors were not conducive to relaxation, and Caius wandered around the apartment pacing while Atton stayed out the whole day and well into the night.
HK eventually interrupted his concentration, said, "Statement: Master, your walking is highly precise. You have placed each foot in the same place for the past ten minutes, I had thought only a droid could be so accurate."
"Thanks, HK," he said, "I think."
"Query: Master, is something bothering you?"
"Well, yes, as a matter of fact there is. But since when did you become sympathetic?"
"Answer: I'm only sympathetic to your troubles as long as it means I get to kill a meatbag to make you feel better."
Caius stopped walking, said, "I can't guarantee that." HK didn't answer. "But I am bothered by this whole situation. Do you think it's foolish to go looking for Revan?"
"Answer: By my calculations, chances of survival in such an event are 4.3 percent. Give or take a decimal." His red "eyes" glistened in the light. "Query: Does this number satisfy meatbag notions of foolishness?"
Caius frowned, "Those aren't good odds."
"Statement: No, master. I trust my calculations are helping in your decision. Query: May I be permitted to kill something now?"
The Exile was still torn over the search for Revan. He had tacitly committed to undertaking such a quest when he didn't defy Bastila's plan to search for him. At least, at this point, he had recognized that there was indeed a greater good behind the mission. The Sith would have to be stopped, but the potential danger concerned him. He wondered why Bastila and Carth, and even Mission, wanted to find the man so badly. He needed to take a walk. "HK," he said, "come with me. If anyone tries to kill me again, you can shoot."
"Exclamation: Joy!"
He wandered around the Citadel Station with HK in tow for over an hour, losing himself in thought. The more he considered the situation, however, the more he resigned to going on the chase. He did not have another choice. The only alternative, as Atton had suggested, was nothing. He was getting ahead of himself, however. In the back of his mind, he knew that this mission would become a reality, but now there were still the obstacles of the present. Who would be joining him? When would they leave? How would they even begin the search? All he knew for sure is what Kreia told him, he would join Revan in the Unknown Regions.
He returned to the apartment that night, HK was complaining that he hadn't been able to kill anyone, and Atton still had not returned. Caius simply sat on his bed for a while, thinking. His eyes wandered around the room subconsciously, and he once again noticed the cast on his foot. Without so much as a second thought, he reached down and yanked off the tightly wound straps on it. He ripped open the fabric on the inside and let the boot fall to the ground. His foot was sweaty and discolored, but he no longer felt any pain. He didn't want to embarrass himself with it anymore. He questioned why he didn't take it off before he went walking, but it didn't matter. No, he wouldn't worry about it. He took a shower, mostly with the intent to clean his cast-less leg, and then went to bed.
The next morning, Caius awoke to find Atton sprawled out on the ground next to his bed. He was still wearing his robes and his hair was all out of whack. Caius couldn't resist the urge to kick the man, so he didn't. It wasn't a hard kick, merely enough to wake him. "Hey, wake up. We've got to get going." Atton moaned. "Did you find a girl who appreciated you?"
He still wasn't exactly coherent, "I don't…remember…" Caius opened the blinds in the apartment and let the light in. Atton grimaced and covered his eyes, he said, "Let me sleep."
"Not a chance. You really want to keep a Jedi and an admiral waiting? Go take a shower, you smell like alcohol."
Following Atton's hurried attempt to make himself presentable, the two semi-Jedi departed the apartment with the two droids in tow. They walked briskly towards the docking bay to find that neither Carth nor Bastila had arrived yet. They passed the security guards and entered the area, now they had to wait.
Despite Carth's military background, he was still prone to emotional outbursts, at least when something irritated him enough to explode. This was one such instance. "What the hell did you do to this ship?" he exclaimed. The grim naval officer had only just arrived at the docking bay, and he wasted no time in voicing his dissatisfaction. He covered his impressive frown with his hand and stroked his chin, rubbing the whiskers that were quickly turning gray—this present situation not helping them retain their color. "You beat the hell out of it!" he continued, irate. He threw his hands down and turned away from the monstrosity, looked at Bastila, said, "Can you believe this? That ship was the pride of the Republic, now look at it!" Bastila did not speak, Carth continued, now pacing, his hands clasped behind his back. He continued, "The most despicable smuggler in the galaxy would be embarrassed to fly that thing." He spun on his heels again, his polished black shoes wearing out their shine. "Let me just assess the surface damage," he began to list the superficial things wrong with the ship: "The color's faded; the loading ramp's crumpled like an aluminum can; the hull looks like it's been struck with an asteroid, or seven; the bottom turret appears to be falling off; and…"
Atton then confronted him, said somewhat sloppily, "Hey, Admiral…sir, we've been to hell and back, we're lucky the ship looks this…good."
Carth eyed the man's bloodshot eyes and frazzled demeanor, said, "Oh, and the pilot's hung over." He rolled his eyes and turned from the ship again, just in time to visualize Caius returning from the dock officer's desk. He said, "I hope you can explain this better than this imbecile you call a pilot. If this were still my ship, I'd have a respectable crew…and a better paint job."
Caius was not altogether pleased with Carth's comments, so he tried to frame his response within the confines of a respectable answer, "After we killed all three Sith Lords, the cataclysmic black hole at Malachor V, unfortunately, caused the paint to fade a little."
Carth just shook his head and turned away, but Caius could read his body language: the man got it.
"I'm sorry," Bastila said, her gray eyes showing sincerity, "for his behavior. It's just that we have a special… attachment to this ship. And you must remember he's a navy man, seeing such a special ship in this condition is hard for him. I know it's not your fault."
"Well, thanks, I'm glad you're not mad at me too," Caius answered. Bastila nodded and approached Carth. She put her hand on his shoulder and said a few words to him that Caius couldn't hear, but he knew what she was saying.
Carth straightened up, looked the ship over again, said, "When we get to Coruscant, this ship is undergoing a complete makeover." He then began strolling towards the loading ramp, his purposely-hunched frame ascending the slope into the freighter.
The rest of them followed suit, Bastila, Atton, and Caius all going inside the ship. They found Carth frozen stiff in what was once the swoop hangar of the ship. Bastila strolled up next to him, looked at his obscure expression, and noticed his eye twitch. "Carth…?" she half-stated, half asked. He didn't reply, and when she turned to gaze in the direction he stared, she jumped slightly and gave a feminine gasp. They both stared at their new visitor.
"Greeting: It has been a long time, Jedi Bastila and Admiral Onasi. I trust you have had a hard time coping without the master?" The orange assassin droid's red photoreceptors gleamed in the dim light of the ship as he addressed them. Bastila and Carth didn't move.
"I don't believe it," Carth said. "This is proof that this droid is, in fact, invincible."
Caius input, "He was scattered all over the place, but I repaired him."
"Why did you do that?" Carth asked.
"I didn't know," he answered simply.
"Statement: It appears to be a reunion. Query: Where are the rest of the meatbags?"
Bastila seemed to agree with this sentiment, but ignored HK and asked Caius, "Yes, have you heard from any of the others who were on this ship before you?"
"We just met a Twi'lek girl who said she was part of Revan's crew. Her name was Mission, she's an administrator in charge of 'restoring' Taris now," he answered.
"That's great," put in Carth, "what about Zaalbar? Are they still inseparable?"
Bastila shook her head, "No, I'm sure that was a rather tearful departure. Zaalbar is chieftain of his tribe on Kashyyyk now. Remember? Freyyr died a couple years back. Now he's in charge, and I think he's doing quite well."
Carth smirked, obviously remembering the so-called "old days", said, "I'm glad to hear it." He turned and left the garage, making his way to the cockpit. Caius followed him, afraid that a conflict was inevitable. Sure enough, Carth entered to find Atton sitting in the pilot's seat, fiddling around with the controls. The Admiral, contrary to his earlier behavior, did not want to antagonize, so said bluntly, "I think you're in my… I think I should fly."
Atton shot him an unfriendly glare, and Caius jumped in to prevent an argument, said, "Atton, you don't really think you're in any condition to fly this ship, do you? Besides, you could use a break."
Atton just shrugged and sighed; he got up and then slumped down in the co-pilot's chair, crossing his arms in protest. Carth ran his hand over the back of the pilot's seat, and then slowly sat down in it. Caius noticed how relieved the Admiral seemed to feel now that he was back in that chair, as if he felt at home in it. He sat still for a moment, soaking in the feeling, and then got to work on preparing for lift-off. Bastila strolled in from behind and stood next to Caius. He felt a little uncomfortable; she was standing too close. Atton's comments were flittering about his mind, and he couldn't help but notice how well her tight clothes… accentuated her figure. He scooted slightly away, and Bastila, oblivious, asked, "How long can we expect this flight to be?"
"I'm not sure," responded Carth, "shouldn't be longer than a few hours. Ah, hold on. Perhaps five. Not terrible. And considering how fast this ship was…" he hesitated, "is…it might not take that long."
There was a small, still silence. Bastila left the cockpit. Caius shifted so as to be equidistant from Carth and Atton, then muttered to himself, "Coruscant…I've not been there since…my trial."
"I've never been there period," said Atton.
"Well, not a lot's changed," Carth replied, "but it is good to see that the High Council is active again after five years of silence. Those Jedi sure have an impact, even if you don't see them, you just feel safer when they're there. Crime in the city has dropped significantly since Vrook took over again, even though there are so few of them now. Criminals think it's too easy to get caught or something."
"I think you glorify them too much," Atton felt the need to say.
Carth ignored him, said, "The numbers are there, so there's nothing to agree or disagree with." He was silent again for a while. After an indeterminate length of time, he said, "All right, we're ready. Let's get going."
Caius buckled himself into a spare seat to prevent falling down during their ascent. He wondered where Bastila was, she could get thrown into the hull if she was walking around, but there was nothing he could do about it. The haggard ship rose shakily, practically wheezing as it lifted off of the ground. It glided backwards and then rotated on its axis, leaving the docking bay behind. Carth didn't want to say it, but he was inwardly glad that the ship started—he wasn't sure they could coax another launch out of it. He maneuvered the freighter safely away from the planet and then entered the coordinates for the hyperspace jump. Caius merely waited in silent apprehension for the jump. He could faintly hear Atton say something, and then felt the jump. Gravity shifted; there was a moment of true weightlessness, and lastly a loud crack. Then all returned to normalcy.
Caius stood from his seat, but did not say anything to the two men controlling the ship. He was curious to see what Bastila was doing. He strolled through the hallways of the ship for a minute before he found her in the cargo hold, kneeling down in front of T3, her hands on his tabletop head. "What are you doing?" he asked.
She jumped a little, said, "Oh, I didn't know you were there." Caius strolled in. She continued, "I programmed this droid to come find me if Revan disappeared. He found you instead, which he was supposed to do if his first goal didn't work out. I am curious, though," she said, put her finger over her mouth, "there should be some sort of record in his memory files about the last place he saw Revan."
"Oh," Caius answered, "I think he was last at Malachor V. He was probably studying up on the Sith there."
The casual tone of his answer surprised Bastila. "How do you know that?" she asked, her voice rising.
"Kreia told me," Caius said, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess she might have been lying."
Bastila tinkered with the droid for a moment, and then seemed satisfied with Caius's supposition. She said, "You would be right. Those are the last known coordinates." She frowned, "But where do we go from there?"
"I don't know."
She patted T3 on the head, eliciting a gleeful beep form the droid, and then stood up. "I'll have to discuss this with the remaining Jedi." She brushed past Caius, lightly bumping him as she tried to squeeze past him and out the door. She slipped past him, but he felt he had to say something, so spouted off the first thing that popped into his head. Luckily enough, it was a legitimate question.
"What about the voice-locked navigational computer?" he asked.
"The what?" Bastila halted her exit from the hold and turned to face him, her gray eyes bearing down on his brown ones.
"The navicomputer—it's been voice-locked," he answered. "We could never access it. If we could figure out someway to bypass the code, we could learn where the ship actually was when Revan left, not just where T3 thought he last saw him."
Bastila mused, a ray of hope glistened ever so slightly in her steel eyes; she said, "That might work…I'm sure there'd be some sort of hacker on Coruscant that could do the trick." Then she turned again and made her exit.
A/N: Yeah, I know-everyone hates Vrook. But come on, he's the only Jedi on the Council who isn't a total idiot! He needs to survive!