Disclaimer- I do not own the rights to Star Wars Kotor 1 and 2 or their characters and likeness.

Ch 2.

Within the cold polar region of Telos was a hidden base that housed 5 young sisters, and their master. The sixth sister was returning from a long journey away from her icy home, carrying a prisoner that she wished to see punished. The Handmaiden with her lightsaber to Kreia's back escorted her in. "Atris's quarters are over there, you will go in and face your judgment" said the Handmaiden angrily to the newly discovered Sith.

"As you command, but I cannot promise that she won't face her judgement as well." Kreia went into the chamber and the giant doors closed behind her.

The Handmaiden could not help but pace in front of the center pillar in Atris's mock Jedi Council Chamber. Her head was spinning and a small rage built up inside of her. "How could he be dead, how could he leave me like this? No, this is not his fault; it is hers. He put his trust in that woman and she betrayed him. She is the reason why he is gone, and why my heart is broken. The Jedi code says that no Jedi may have attachments towards anyone or anything, but that is not going to stop me from caring for that man. Everyday he would come into the cargo hold just so he could talk to me. He showed interest in my past and remained respectful when I told him of my father and especially my mother, never did he once take advantage or treat me unfairly. He was kind, he was smart, and most importantly he was my friend and Kreia took him away from me." The Handmaiden could feel her face getting red and her blood pump. She wished it was her giving judgment to Kreia, that she was the one that got to hurt her for what she did, for what she had taken away from her.

Suddenly the chamber door opened and Kreia once again walked down the ramp. The Handmaiden drew her saber hilt from her belt and ran towards the Sith witch. However, Kreia force pushed her backwards into one of the council member seats. "Servant of Atris you had too much faith in your master and now you will suffer for it."

As Kreia casually walked out of the room, she passed the Handmaiden's sisters who were now coming in. "It seems the last of the Handmaiden's has returned to us."

The Handmaiden jumped from the seat and approached the women in white. "Sisters we have to go stop that woman she is of the Sith and."

The other Handmaidens made a wall preventing her from passing. "We are not letting you go anywhere. You have to answer for what you have done."

The Handmaiden was taken aback and looked at her sisters in utter disbelief "What are you all saying?"

One of them spoke out "We're saying you betrayed us, you betrayed Atris. For what, so you could go fool around with the Jedi exile all across the galaxy. You always did take a liking to anything that had to do with the Jedi, but we would have thought you'd at least have a little more self control. Your actions are not the makings of an Echani warrior, but you have always been different from us."

The Handmaiden was stunned from what she was hearing. "It was not like that, I was doing it for Atris. She assigned me to observe the exile and make sure he wasn't getting into trouble."

Another one of the Handmaiden's sisters stepped forward and screamed at her "More lies! You are just like your slut of a mother; letting your curiosity get the better of you."

The Handmaiden could feel the grip around her lightsaber getting tighter. "I know you all do not approve of my mother and how I wished to know more about her, but I have never forgotten about this place or any of you. You are all still my sisters."

They started pulling out their weapons "We're not anymore. It is a crime to kill blood, but not to kill a betrayer like you."

Tears streamed down the Handmaiden's face as she looked deeply into each one of her sister's eyes. "Please don't do this; I don't want to fight you."

The sister that was standing at the front of the group extended her quarterstaff and pointed it at her former sister. "And that is why you were always the last of us, because you are weak and always afraid to do what must be done." They lunged at her all like wild animals with the intent to kill. With tears still in her eyes the Handmaiden ignited her white colored lightsaber, and struck down each of her beloved sisters one by one.

She spent the next few minutes crying amongst the blood in shock. "What have I done? They are dead, they are all dead because of me, because I betrayed their trust. I went against the Echani teachings and did whatever I pleased; never thinking of what harm it might cause."

She was just about to get up and move their bodies, but then she heard her old master coming down the ramp. "Where have you been?"

The Handmaiden wiped the tears from her face as she saw Atris coming to her. "I was with the Exile just as you commanded."

"Commanded? Did I command you to consort with him? To follow his teachings" Atris circled her brandishing a lightsaber that was unfamiliar to the Handmaiden.

"Mistress he has only taught me how to be a Jedi like my mother." She flashed her lightsaber in front Atris as proof. "I know nothing of the ways of the Sith."

"Of course you don't but you will soon learn" Atris then sprung at Handmaiden with a crimson red lightsaber drawn.

Handmaiden was barely able to ignite her own white lightsaber in that prone position down on her knees to block it. "Lady Atris what are you doing?" She could sense anger and hatred within her old mistress, emotions she knew were not usually associated with Jedi. This could only mean that Atris was under a much darker influence. Handmaiden was starting to feel the heat from both their sabers pushing against one another. She gave a good shove with her blade to get some relief, and then rolled out of harm's way before Atris could take another slash at her.

A sinister smirk grew upon Atris's face "You have trained well with your handling of a a lightsaber." Handmaiden thrusted her arm forward in attempt to force push her former master, but Atris put up a guard and was hardly shaken. She cackled at her former servant in amusement at what she tried to do. "Obviously you are not equaly refined with your wielding of the force."

The Handmaiden knew her force powers were not proficient enough to go up against someone as powerful as Atris, but she had to at least try. Like Atris said, her strength was with dueling, and she was going to have to rely on it being enough. Handmaiden bolted forward and began with an upward slash. Atris deflected the strike and swung at her head, but Handmaiden arched backwards to avoid it, then followed up with an overhead attack. Atris came back with her own sword and stopped the assault. From that position she grabbed Handmaiden by the throat and started to squeeze. "You stupid girl, you've forgotten the first Echani rule of combat. Never leave an opening. You truly have abandoned your heritage."

She shoved the Handmaiden back down to the blood soaked floor with her sisters where she started to cough and gasp for air. From her raspy voice she was able to mutter "I did not abandon my heritage...I embraced it." Handmaiden looked up at her former master with a painful smile. "I became a magnificent warrior just like my mother, and i found a man who resembled my father in many ways, from the way he walked all the way to how he treated people. I grew close to him and I wanted to fight alongside him; no matter what evil we faced, but now thanks to people like you he's gone. He taught me things about myself that I didn't even know existed. My time with him was precious and worthwhile, and I'll be damned If you or anyone else tells me otherwise." Handmaiden then projected her lightsaber at Atris, but she sidestepped the toss and slashed the hilt in half.

"Enough of this" Handmaiden in that instant was surged with lightning bolts, and was instantly put into agony. "Is that your excuse for forgetting everything you know?"Atris hit Handmaiden again with her lightning. "Did you care for him; did you look upon him with love? Once more Handmaiden was struck violently and mercilessly. "There is no love in that one. He is a shell devoid of emotion, and you will die just as he did."

"You see there is just one problem with that statement." The voice could be heard clear across the room. "I'm not dead yet." Atris halted her assault on the Handmaiden when she saw the object of her aggression standing in the doorway.

"Andrew your ali..." Handmaiden could hardly finish her sentence before passing out.

Atris walked over the Handmaiden's motionless body to move closer to him. "I see, so one exile has come to save another. Perhaps you have feelings after all, wanting to save a worthless piece of trash like her."

Igniting his cyan blue saber Andrew pointed it at Atris menacingly "Do not talk about her like she is just another one of your servants, she is certainly different from the other women here, but not in the way she was led to believe her whole life. She is much kinder than her sisters, and unlike them has the capacity to care for others. Not to mention the fact she has her own mind and can think on her own, and not have to rely on orders from a so-called superior."

Atris seemingly satisfied with the response she got moved closer to him. "I must have touched a nerve; I can feel your anger fueling you right now. It is almost intoxicating how strong it feels."

"That is not anger you feel, but it is a much more powerful emotion. An emotion you will never know or ever get to experience. Now lay down your weapon and surrender, I do not wish to fight you."

Atris brought her lightsaber into a battle ready stance. "Such a noble offer, however I do believe I'll have to decline. Besides your execution has been too far delayed exile."

Andrew sighed and got into his own position. "If that is what you wish, then I guess I have no choice but to oblige." Without hesitation they advanced at each other swinging their sabers left and right. Neither one getting a major hit. They both repel back away from each other, then force jump into the air and clash swords. They come down, shift their feet, and dash at each other once again.

Atris swipes at Andrew, but he slid on his knees and dodged the attack. She goes back into her defensive stance ready for the next move. "Your pupil fought just like you Exile, and yet I was still able to defeat her."

Andrew couldn't help but smirk at Atris's remark "Well you'll find I'm a little different from my apprentice." He thrusted his arm forward just like the Handmaiden did earlier on, but this time Atris went flying outside the room and onto the upward ramp. She scrambles back to her feet and runs into her chambers. Andrew starts to chase after her, but then stopped and saw Handmaiden surrounded by her dead sisters on the floor. He then pictured what must have happened, and what she must have been forced to do. Sadly he couldn't think of that right now, he had to stop Atris or both he and the Handmaiden will be in danger. As he stalked up the ramp and entered the dark room the only thing visible was his own cyan colored lightsaber. Andrew couldn't see a thing in the deeply shadowed covered room, but he didn't need to; at least not with his normal vision. He let the force flow through him, in the way Visas had once taught him, and activated his force sight. What was once darkness was now replaced with a light grey and in the center of the room was the bright red silhouette of Atris. He lunged at her once again, to have the battle continue.

Their blades collided at each other in both an artistic and almost passionate way, it was as though this battle was long overdue and the two of them were letting out all the pent-up aggression that had built up between them for all those years. Finally Atris made a swipe at his arm, however, she missed, Andrew took the opportunity and sliced the emitter off her blade, then followed up with a counter cutting blow to her stomach.

Atris fell to her knees screaming in pain. "Kill me now. End this and get your long-awaited revenge."

Andrew lowered his weapon to her neck, the blue shadow of it mere inches from her skin. "One flick of my wrist, and I would end her, it's ironic that I find myself in a situation that I know she's wanted to be in ever since I came back from the war to face trial. If our roles were reversed she would detach my head from my body without a second thought, but am I willing to do the same. Atris has hurt many people including the Handmaiden. If I choose to take her life it would certainly be justified, but would it be the right thing to do."

A cough of blood escaped Atris and landed on the floor. "What are you waiting for? I'm already down on my knees injured. Why don't you just strike me down and claim your victory?"

Andrew moved the bright blue hue away from Atris's neck and deactivated his lightsaber. "I will not kill a defenseless opponent Atris; no matter how much harm they have caused me and my friends."

Atris looked up at him in disbelief "After everything I've done, you still show me mercy?"

"Whether you accept it or not I have changed since Malachor, and I do carry my own set of morals. Now I need you to tell me where Kreia is."

Atris winced in pain and struggled to find the words "She said you knew, you knew all along where this all would end. She waits for you there to finish what you started."

It all became clear to him now, the one place that never seemed to stop following him no matter where he went. "Malachor V, she wants me to go to Malachor V." Atris nodded. "Then that is where I must go."

Atris reached for him as he was about to leave grabbing the sleeve of his robe. "What will become of me now? I can't possibly go back to being a Jedi."

Andrew could see the fear in her eyes, she was legitimately scared of what might happen to her. "I want you to do as I did. Reflect on all the pain and suffering you have caused, then you need to turn away from it all and make yourself better from it. You can come back to the light just as I did." He took her by the hand and assisted her in getting up, and he noticed that her other arm was still covering up the wound he inflicted on her stomach. "Don't worry about that saber burn, It's going to hurt for a while but like most wounds all you need to do is give it a little time to heal."

Hearing that Atris for the first time understood what it felt like to be the exile. "Thank you Andrew, you showed me kindness when I was not deserving of it. I think you deserve to have this back." From her robes she pulled out a small metallic lightsaber and handed it to him. "You've proven to me today that you are capable of being a Jedi again, so to keep my word from the first day you walked into this academy I'm giving you back your old lightsaber."

He took the gift and smiled "Thank you Atris, you are already on your way to redeeming yourself."Andrew rushed out of the chamber, and went to the Handmaiden. He fell to his knees beside her, and nestled her in his arms.

She gently opened her eyes and looked into his "Andrew you came back for me."

He brushed the side of her cheek. "Of course I did, I would never leave you behind." the Handmaiden smiled, but then suddenly she started coughing up blood. Andrew began to panic; he sensed she had internal bleeding. The force lightning must have done more damage than he suspected. He attempted to force heal her, but it didn't seem to be working. Using his force sight he saw the light within her fading. He was running out of time.

Handmaiden grasped Andrew's hand."It's too late for me, you have to go stop Kreia. You mustn't let her kill the force. If you don't, all life will be lost."

Tears were now coming down Andrew's face "I'm not giving up on you; we've been through too much to have it end here." Her hold on his hand was beginning to loosen, and her eyes were slowly shutting. "NO! I can't lose you; not here not now. Handmaiden if you can hear me I need to tell you something that I have recently realized; I love you. I think I've loved you from the very first moment I saw you in this academy. Ever since then I've had this growing urge to always be beside you." Andrew took his free hand and wiped his eyes. "I've regained my full connection to the force, but if it means I can't have you, then I don't want this power. So I'm going to give it to you." Andrew then leaned down and kissed the Handmaiden in a last-ditch effort to transfer some of his newly regained power over to her through the contact of their skin. He hoped that in doing so he would heal and revitalize her in a similar way of what happened to him on Dantooine. Suddenly the Handmaiden's eyes shot wide open and she gasped for air. Catching her as she violently tried to sit up Andrew rocked her in his arms in an attempt to comfort her. "Shhh I'm here, you're safe"

Handmaiden now calming down reinserted her grip on his hand "I thought I had lost you."

Andrew chuckled "For a second there I thought I'd lost you, I'm so glad to see I was wrong."

She lowered her head "I failed you. Kreia said you were dead and I let my feelings run through me. I wanted to punish her for what she had done, I wanted her to suffer for taking you away from me.

Andrew rubbed the backside of his hand on her cheek to calm her down. "It's ok, I'm still alive, and it's going to take a lot more than a backstabbing old hag to take me out."

Handmaiden couldn't help, but giggle at his joke. "Of course, well forgive my earlier display. Due to recent events I think my duty has come into conflict with my heritage; whether I'm a battle crazed Echani warrior or a peace seeking Jedi knight. Although I have legitimate claim to both groups, I don't think I would truly be myself if I straddle the line between the two."

"Well which one do you think represents you the best, which one embodies who you are and what you believe in the best?"

For a moment Handmaiden stayed silent, she simply laid there in his arms contemplating what her choice was going to be. Then she spoke. "This is a hard decision, but I know what my heart wants, and my heart wants me to follow in the footsteps of my mother." The words came out firm leaving no doubt that she was confident about her decision. I am last of the Handmaidens no longer. I am Brianna, disciple of the last of the Jedi, and." Her face turned a bright pink as though she were blushing. "Hopefully I could be something more." She cuped her hands around his face, and then kissed him. Her lips were so soft, something he didn't notice a few moments before. It took Andrew a second to realize what she was doing, and he was disappointed when she finally pulled away. "I heard every word you said, and I have to say I feel exactly the same way, I love you and I want to always be at your side."

Andrew recalled Visas saying something very similar back onboard the Ebon Hawk, but this time he wasn't going to deny these feelings; not to her. "Nothing would please me more Brianna. Wow, it feels good to finally say your name."

A relieved feeling went through Brianna as she realized that was the first time she mentioned her name in over eighteen years. "It feels good to hear it again."

They both got up to their feet "Are you well enough to stand on your own." Brianna let go of his hand and gingerly moved away from him, however, her legs started to buckle and they gave in under her. Andrew caught her before she fell, and picked her up off her feet. "Looks like I'm going to have to carry you to the ship." Brianna wrapped her arms around Andrew's neck as he cradled her in his arms. "We're going to get you looked at, then I want you to rest while I take care of some business at Citadel Station."

...End of Ch 2...