15: The Disclosure
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I'd ask to speak to you now, after spending a couple months ignoring your calls."
The collection of aides and multiply-starred officers didn't seem amused. Revan coughed awkwardly into her hand.
"Anyway," she continued. "Recent events that will remain unnamed have encouraged me to apply my skill somewhere other than the Jedi. That said, I have what I believe is one of many answers to the resumption of Imperial aggression. T3, if you would."
T3 chirped and rolled forward, tilting back his head and opening his projector. The Foundry appeared above him, a station carved into a large asteroid, slowly rotating in front of them. Several officers straightened.
"This is the Foundry," Revan said. "Many of you will have passing knowledge of the Rakata factory used by my Sith Empire in the Jedi Civil War — the Star Forge." There were several nods. "This is one of many other Rakata factories scattered throughout the galaxy — the only one that I know is both intact and operational. While this one is not quite as powerful as the Star Forge, and dedicated only to droid production, it would create a massive amount of droids to assist in the war effort."
"And you waited until now to bring it up?" Revan had held a few passing conversations via holo with the current Supreme Commander, Rans, during her time on Tython. He was a decent sort, and a good commander, and she liked him well enough. He scratched idly at a spot on his temple. "We could have—"
"It was only now I decided that the benefits outweighed the risks," she interrupted. "The last time someone mucked about with a Rakata factory, it nearly destroyed the Republic. I won't know how safe this one is until I'm there, but it may be what the Republic needs."
"And if the Star Forge made you nearly destroy the Republic once, how can you assure us that you will not do the same thing again?" The asker was an older female general that Revan vaguely remembered was involved with SpecOps, a General Garza.
"I can't," she said simply. "I suspect it won't, for several reasons. For one, I'm no longer gunning to turn the Republic into a war machine, by force if necessary." In the back of the room, Carth shifted uncomfortably in his chair. She met his eyes and cleared her throat again. "And for two, my command and knowledge of the Force has grown exponentially since the time I stumbled across the Star Forge. You will need a Force Sensitive to determine how dangerous this place is and, unless you decide to risk someone without a quarter of my experience, I'm the best you'll get.
"I believe the negative energy on the Foundry — the same type that was on the Star Forge — can be cleared, a sort of reset of the area in the Force. Again, I won't know until I'm there, and I doubt most of you would understand the minutia. You know. Jedi shit."
"How many droids could this thing produce?" Rans again. She nudged T3.
"Star Forge readouts, if you would." T3 chirped and produced a chart. "The first month that Malak and I were in possession of the Star Forge, we produced a combined number of ships and droids totaling close to one-point-six million." A couple generals muttered to each other. Carth rested his hand on the side of his face. No wonder the Sith assault on Foerost had caught them completely off-guard. "The second, once we were more fully in command of the station, we produced close to five. On a factory dedicated solely to droids, I'd estimate that the first month would produce close to three million, and subsequently totals in the tens of millions."
"That is certainly a lot of droids," Rans murmured, glancing at Garza.
"The Star Forge, and thus the Foundry, could produce several different types of droid at once on multiple production lines," she continued. "We could produce both medical and combat-ready models simultaneously, for instance, or long-range probe droids, or infiltration astromechs."
"Infiltration astromechs?"
"If you haven't realized, no one notices these guys." Revan set her hand on T3's head, and he chirped. "The possibilities for a factory like this are nearly infinite. Rakata factories use limited resources and produce limitless items. I'm confident that the Foundry may end the war within a much shorter time frame than anticipated."
"And what would you need from Command? Obviously this is the purpose of this meeting, and our resources are not limitless." Garza again.
"A factory like this would be very attractive to the Empire," Revan replied with a frown. "In their hands, it would definitely destroy the Republic. There would need to be a small fleet dedicated to the protection of the Foundry — ideally answering to me, simply for ease of command. One Expeditionary should be sufficient, at least until we know what we have. Once this place gets on the Imperial radar, we may need more. 'Resources permitting,' of course." She directed that to Garza, whose frown deepened. "Prefabs for some type of construction situated right outside the Foundry entrance. As this place may be dangerous, I'd prefer to limit its effect. A small scientific team, a small crew of military forces in case of boarders.
"As for shipments, I'd prefer to limit them as much as possible. It decreases the chances of the Empire tracking a ship to the Foundry."
"Will they?"
"I have a feeling I know who the Emperor will put in charge of locating the Foundry, and he does not cut corners. The fact that I found the Star Forge, and that I know the Foundry's location, are hardly coincidence — I was sent after the Star Forge and the other Rakata factories. I erased the location of the other factories from the Star Forge's computers, leaving it here." She tapped her forehead. "And that is one reason he kept me in stasis for so long. The Emperor wants this place, and the other facilities, rather badly."
Rans tapped his stylus against his datapad. "Did he ever—"
"No."
They were quiet for a while, several members of Command making notes and aides making notes about their notes.
"And you can guarantee that your use of the Foundry will not endanger the Republic, as the Star Forge did?" Garza again. Revan met Carth's eyes over their heads.
"Believe me, my desire to see the Emperor surrounded by the ashes of everything he's built hasn't changed — but I'm older, smarter, and much less devastated. I will not endanger the Republic again, I assure you."
Rans glanced at the other members of High Command, and shifted in his seat. "We'll need to discuss this privately."
Revan nodded. "Come on, T3."
#
"That wasn't your best presentation," Carth said quietly as they leaned on the railing outside the High Command conference room, watching people move around the levels of the Senate Tower.
"I'm preoccupied," she mumbled.
"Mariamne?"
Revan nodded, running her thumb over the smooth, polished railing. "I keep thinking …"
"Of yourself."
She nodded again. "I keep thinking about what happened, back when he had Malak and me. I just …"
Carth curled his arm around her, and she tucked herself into his shoulder. "You haven't told me…"
"You don't want to know." She sighed. "I wish I didn't."
He echoed her sigh and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her hair. "What do we do if the Republic -"
"I'll figure something out."
He laughed. "I'm sure of that, gorgeous."
"Revan? Ma'am?" They turned back, finding a nervous aide waiting. "They're ready for you."
T3 replied with a quiet dwoo, looking up at her. Revan straightened and sighed. "You coming, flyboy?"
"Wouldn't miss it," he murmured, resting his hand on her back as she started forward. They followed the aide inside — Revan scanned the members of Command for some hint of their decision, and got her answer from Garza's frown.
"We've reached a compromise," Rans said. Revan nodded. "We'll support the use of the Foundry, but retain control of our forces."
A quick, easy way to ensure she didn't get out of hand again — and, they probably hoped, to take care of her quickly if she did. Revan pursed her lips, but nodded. She'd probably be able to intimidate or bully whoever was in charge into doing what she wanted - they wouldn't be the first high-ranking Republic officer she'd indirectly controlled. It would just take more work.
"I think that's a bad idea, but I get it."
"It will take us at least a month to set aside the proper resources. After that, we expect to see results as soon as possible. Otherwise, the Oversight Committee might have my head." She nodded. "Can you deliver?"
"Yes."
"As for the fleet," Rans continued, making a note on his datapad. "We've decided to reinstate Carth Onasi at his previous rank of Vice Admiral, and give him command of the Foundry fleet."
"What?" Carth said, straightening up in his chair at the back of the room.
"What?" Revan echoed.
"I'm fairly certain you heard me," Rans replied. "If you'll give us a moment, Revan, we'll discuss the details with him."
Revan narrowed her eyes, glancing between Rans and Carth. T3 chirped, gently took her hand with his manipulator, and tugged her towards the door. As it closed behind her, she stood still for a moment before mechanically moving back to the railing.
It wasn't that Carth was being reinstated, she mused. He was damn good at his job, lived and breathed the military and, she admitted, looked especially good in uniform. It was about the fact that Rans had, whether knowingly or otherwise, put the one person she couldn't intimidate in charge of the fleet that'd be covering the Foundry.
Not that Carth wouldn't take her advice — he just wouldn't be bullied.
"Frakking kidding me," she mumbled, looking down at T3. "Do you believe this?" He replied with a quiet dwoooooooooooo and moved his top in something like a head-shake.
By the time the door opened and Carth stepped out with the vaguest dazed expression, datapad in hand, Revan had completely recovered and was leaning back against the hallway railing with her arms crossed.
"So an admiral, huh?" she asked.
"Uh, heh, yeah," he replied. "Apparently."
"In charge of my Foundry fleet."
"Technically, it's my fleet." Revan's mouth drew into a thin line. "Don't be like that, gorgeous."
"Don't tell me what to be like, you drunk tach."
"Drunk tach?" Carth crossed the balcony, hands upheld. "Anna, come on. It's me. It's not like I'm going to ignore your advice."
"No, you won't, but I can't browbeat you into doing what I want either."
"You were going to seize control from whoever they put in charge, weren't you?"
She glanced over the railing. "No."
"Uh-huh. Well, then." He looked down at his datapad. "I won't tell you that I'm back at my old pay scale, either." Revan blinked and looked back up at him without moving her head.
"R-9?"
"Mhm."
Revan sighed. "Good enough, I guess. Plus," she continued, stepping closer and resting her hands on his waist. "You know what this means, right?"
"Hm?"
"You're going to be in uniform." She lowered her voice. "A lot."
Carth tipped her chin up with his finger, leaning down to quickly press their lips together. "No hard feelings?"
"There are definitely a few hard feelings."
"Anna—"
"But it's alright. The uniform makes up for it." Carth shook his head, and she grinned. "So, flyboy. What now?"
"Well," he said. "Now that the account has credits in it again, I'm paying Satele for all those droid parts."
"Damn it. I was hoping you'd forget."
"Then, we've got a month to kill."
Revan sighed. "Ugh, and this being Corus—"
"I've got an idea." He took her hand, twining their fingers together. "But we're going to have to take a trip."
"Where are we going?" He pulled her after him as he started down the hall, HK on their heels. "Carth—"
"C'mon, T3." The droid chirped and rolled after them.
"Carth, where the hell are we — wait." She pulled her hand out of his. "Why am I not getting paid?"
"You're considered a Jedi contractor again."
"Godsdamn it." She sighed. "Of course I am."