18: Unexpected Visitors, Expected Violence
They landed on Tython around the middle of the afternoon, local time, and had barely cleared the bottom of the ramp when the shuttle took off for the station again. As they waited, Satele, Kiwiiks, and Kaedan joined them, clearing out the shuttle bay while a Temple medical team waited just inside the doors
Finally the shuttle landed, and the ramp lowered, and Doc carefully helped Mariamne down.
She looked exhausted, limping on at least one leg, with her head bowed and hair falling loose over her face. Carth glanced at Revan, her face neutral but shoulders tense and hard as she stepped forward and rested her hand on Mariamne's arm.
"I've done what I can," Doc said as they reached the ground, devoid of his usual jaunty tone. Kira followed them, looking tired but otherwise unharmed. "She needs help, badly."
Revan's eyes traveled back up to the ramp, and Carth's hand fell to his guns at the sight of an enormous, armored Sith pureblood coming down the ramp — he noticed a second later that the Council's had also discreetly dropped to their weapons.
Her eyes narrowed, and the Sith spotted her. He took a half-step back towards the shuttle with a hissed line of Sith profanity. She started forward, shoving up her sleeve. She'd figured it had been him — after all, he had unparalleled access to the Emperor's station, was an interrogator with reasonable skill, and had a bad habit of rescuing his prisoners.
She'd also made a specific promise to herself about it.
"How frakking dare you!" she snapped, launching herself off the ground high enough to slam her fist into his face. He staggered back.
"Revan!" Satele barked, starting forward. Carth beat her to it, hurrying after her.
The Sith held up a hand, the other cradling his face. "I deserved that."
"You're godsdamned right you deserved that, you son of a bitch." Revan threw another punch that landed square in his chest. He curled back.
"That was three hundred years ago, I—"
"You what, shabuir?" This time, Carth caught her around her waist as she jumped, and hauled her back. She struggled, hard. "Let me go, Carth Onasi!"
"It's enough," he muttered. She fought harder.
"No, it isn't!" she protested. "That buir ik'aad gotaan is the reason I ended up in stasis!"
"It wasn't personal," the Sith defended.
"It wasn't personal, my ass!"
"Trust me on this one," Carth said. Revan sighed heavily and stopped struggling. "Are you going to behave?"
"Yes, yes, I won't do anything if he doesn't," she mumbled darkly, still glaring. Carth tentatively released her, and she straightened her tunic with a huff. Satele, who had made it to Mariamne, returned her attention to her.
"Mariamne?" Satele asked.
She raised her head, fading bruises and dried blood coloring her pale skin. "The mission was a failure," Mariamne said, hoarseness making her voice even softer. "I don't know what happened to the others. The Emperor is …" She shook her head weakly, lowering it back to her chest. "Vastly more powerful than we realized." She motioned back at the Sith, who had now crossed his arms and was eying Revan carefully. "The Emperor's Wrath betrayed his master and helped us escape."
"Sith serve no one but themselves," Kaedan interjected, casting a wary look at the newcomer. Scourge frowned.
"I altered my loyalties to avert a threat to myself, and to you. Jedi are not alone in seeing the future."
"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Revan grumbled. The Sith's brow ridges twitched lower.
"Centuries ago, I had a vision of the Emperor destroying the galaxy. Republic, Empire, everything — gone. I believe this Jedi has the power to stop him."
"For what it's worth," Mariamne said, "I believe him. About the Emperor, anyway."
"The renewed war is a diversion from his true designs. His plans are already in motion throughout the galaxy. One by one, star systems will simply die. Trillions will perish."
"And how does that benefit him?" Satele glanced between the Sith and Revan.
"Power," Revan answered simply.
"He will feed on the death," the Sith elaborated, "and become more powerful than all the Jedi and Sith combined. An immortal being of unlimited power."
"Where the Emperor is concerned, power and immortality are usually at the heart of his ideation." Revan shook her head. "This is why I should have been included in the planning on this mission. You had no idea what you were dealing with."
"A thousand years ago, the Emperor tricked an entire Sith world into aiding a dark ritual, for promises of great power," the Sith continued. "For himself, of course. The ritual consumed every living thing on the planet, and he absorbed those life essences through the Force."
"That is the world you told us about," Kiwiiks said, looking back at Revan. She nodded. "Nathema."
"Yes," the Sith agreed. "You marvel at his power now, but that was merely one world. Imagine what he'll become after consuming millions."
"He's been manipulating events for centuries, towards the goal of an even greater ritual that will destroy the galaxy," Revan added.
"There is no possibility that a creature could gain the level of power you are describing," Kaedan scoffed. "The Emperor cannot feed on death. He cannot absorb them. The Force does not work that way."
"When you have a thousand years to study the Force, get back to me," Revan retorted. "Of those standing here, only a few of us have seen the Emperor — both in person, and for what he is. His power is matched only by his self-interest and fear of irrelevancy. He has gained immortality and will do anything to preserve it. He is the closest thing to a god everyone here will likely see — you're just too blind and stubborn to see it." She motioned between herself and Scourge. "I hate to say it, but you can either keep believing that, or ask the two people who've been in contact with the Emperor for three hundred years. Logically, I know what I'd take."
Kaedan huffed and opened his mouth. Satele interrupted. "You support what this Sith says, then."
Revan nodded hesitantly. "Before he became the Emperor's Wrath, Scourge and I were … temporary allies." The Sith nodded. "First he was my interrogator while I was held by a Dark Council member, but—"
"I had never met a Jedi before," Scourge interrupted. "I sought knowledge."
"Eventually another Jedi showed up, and he helped free me. We agreed to destroy the Emperor, together — and for some reason that I was never informed of, largely because I was promptly carted off to the torture slabs, he stabbed us in the back as soon as we looked like we were winning." Revan frowned at him. "One decent Jedi dead, a perfectly good droid destroyed, and me in stasis."
"I had a vision during the fight. As I said, it was not personal. And believe me — my 'reward' for saving the Emperor's life was no less pleasant than your stasis."
Revan tightened her arms. "Well it felt personal, shabuir," she grumbled.
Satele glanced between the two again. "Do you trust him now?"
"No. But …" She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I do trust that he is not aligned with the Emperor's goals, and that he would rather not see the galaxy destroyed for one man's power. Our goals were aligned then, and I believe that they are still. There's just been more backstabbing." Revan nodded at Mariamne. "You should see to her. The Emperor will not destroy the galaxy tomorrow."
"No," Scourge agreed. "He still has several events that must be put in place."
"Very well." Satele motioned to the medical team. "We will meet to plan our next move once you feel capable."
Mariamne nodded tiredly and Doc turned her towards the team. The medical team's advance was thrown into sudden distress when Thaymina broke through, wrapped in an outer robe simultaneously too short and too large for her, her hair down and deep, black circles under her eyes.
"Mari!" she yelled, running forward. Her sister looked up and weakly embraced her, burying her head in the side of Thaymina's neck limply.
"Are you done with her?" Thaymina asked, irritation biting at her tone as she stared at Satele. The Grand Master nodded, and Thaymina carefully helped her sister towards the waiting medical team.
"Will you be staying?" Kiwiiks asked Scourge. The Sith nodded.
"For now, I will remain on the Jedi's ship. It will be … better for everyone." He eyed Revan, who huffed. "I will return when you are ready to discuss things further." Satele nodded, and he started back onto the shuttle as the Council dispersed. Revan cleared her throat.
"Scourge." He looked back. "If you betray her like you betrayed me, I will find you, and I will kill you in interesting and unpleasant ways."
"Noted." He disappeared into the shuttle, and Carth rested his hand on her back.
"So that's him, huh?" She nodded. "I hate him."
Revan snorted. "I love you, flyboy. Let's go check on the girls."
#
Carth and Revan hurried through the Temple to the medical bay, finding Mariamne already settled in one of the cots with Thaymina perched on the edge, the twins' hands clasped as they talked quietly. Revan glanced for a moment at the Temple healers, currently discussing a datapad in the corner with Doc, and headed for the cot instead as Carth lagged behind.
Revan sank down opposite Thaymina on the bed and gently rested her hand on Mariamne's shoulder. She was almost expressionless, Carth thought, but there was something in the creases around her eyes as she met her great-granddaughter's — the type of wordless, haunted look shared with someone who'd seen the same terrible things.
"How do you feel?" Revan asked softly. Mariamne shook her head, and Revan looked up. "Thaymina, I know you don't want to, but can you give us a moment?" The other twin swallowed but nodded, and quietly stood and moved away. "You too, Carth."
He echoed Thaymina's nod and stepped back towards the doors, and Revan tightened her grip on Mariamne's shoulder. "Mari?"
She shook her head. "I keep seeing…" she whispered, looking away. "It won't stop."
Revan started to open her mouth, before closing it gently. There wasn't much to say — she knew that more than anyone her great-granddaughter would talk to over the next several weeks. "No," she finally said, quietly. "It won't."
"Never?"
She shrugged. "It'll come less and less. But never completely."
"I…" Mariamne scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms. "I just want —"
Revan pulled her forward, and the knight leaned into her willingly as she wrapped her in her arms. "Here's what I say," Revan murmured. "Get some rest. If they offer you sedatives, take them, and don't feel guilty for it. Don't be alone for the next few days, not for very long. And don't put up with any of their shit. I recommend leaving if Kaedan even comes within speaking distance."
"Is that a professional opinion?" Mariamne murmured into her neck.
"Professional Jedi opinion, or professional getting-tortured-by-the-Sith opinion?" Revan said, a smirk barely forming on her lips. "Consider it the 'what I should have done' opinion."
Her great-granddaughter pulled away, running her thumbs under her eyes. "Thanks," she whispered, looking away again. Revan smiled weakly.
"How about," Revan continued. "I'll stay around for a bit. We're just making preparations for an operation — Carth can handle the Republic end. That way, you can focus on you, and I can focus on making Kaedan's blood pressure stay elevated."
She laughed weakly and nodded. "If you have to deal with the Republic," she said. "I'll be fine."
"Oh no, no, Carth is an admiral again, I'm sure he can handle the mundane nerfshit." She glanced over her shoulder and watched him roll his eyes. "But, no. Get your rest — I'll run interference. Right now, hang the Jedi. Focus on you."
Mariamne nodded. "I've never been very good at that."
"Believe me, it's never too late to learn." Revan got to her feet. "You get started on that 'resting' bit. I'll sort out what I need to."
As she retreated, one of the healers returned to Mariamne's bedside, prompting Thaymina to hurry back. Revan nodded towards the door, and she and Carth stepped out.
"I'm staying until we're ready to hit the Foundry," she said.
"I heard." Carth crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. "Command won't like it."
"Call it a 'family emergency' or something, I don't care. You're more than capable of handling it."
"Huh. High praise, coming from you."
She slapped his arm. "Stop it, you. Besides, it isn't like Command won't know where I am. I'm just a holo away. Plus, I have to sort out what I need from the Jedi, so I might as well do that while I'm here."
Carth sighed heavily, resting his hands on her shoulders. "You're sure you tr—"
"Of course I do."
"Alright. I'll take the Hawk back to Coruscant and wrap everything up with Command." He paused, letting his hands fall. "Will she be alright?" he finished quietly. Revan sighed, glancing back at the door as she crossed her arms.
"She hasn't hit anyone with Force lightning yet, as far as I know, so she's already a damn sight better than I was. Short term? We'll see. She'll be weak, physically, for a while. Emotionally? She's surrounded by the right people for it, I think. As long as the Jedi don't meddle as much as they could … well. She'll recover."
He nodded. "You're sure you'll be fine back here? I don't want to find out that you've been carted off to some Jedi-proof prison for destroying the Council chambers again."
Revan chuckled. "I'll be fine."