Revan blinked her eyes open, and couldn't sense the Force. She looked around the room, and saw it was only a couple meters on each side. She was hanging above the ground, held up by some durasteel chains cuffed around her wrists.

Her legs were restrained by similar chains on the wall behind her. They were still slightly loose, leaving Revan with a little room to uselessly struggle against them. As Revan continued to investigate the room, she saw a small tube running into her arm, with a strange orange fluid inside.

A voice said, "You are awake earlier than anticipated, Revan."
"Who are you?" Revan asked, her voice raspy.

"I am the one who wants revenge for what you and your damn parents caused to Deralia, Tremaine."
"What the fuck are you talking about? And what is this orange shit?"
"Do not worry about the fluid."
"Considering I can't sense the Force, I think I have a goddamn right to be worried about this stuff."
"It is not responsible for your inability to sense the Force. There's a mild toxin in the air that blocks it. A modified version of the Republic crafted one that you were subjected to on Cathar."
"How do you know about that?"
"I spoke with Mandalore the Ultimate. Unfortunately, he could not direct me to the one who led the raid on Deralia. He did tell me why it was done, though."
"Why do you say that it was my family?"
"While Mandalore could not lead me to the man responsible for the raid, he was aware of the details regarding it."
"How was he aware of it?"
"He may not know which Marthan Ordo led the attack, but he does know the second in command quite well. This Sherruk was the only one who Marthan trusted with the full truth about the raid on our home.

"Sherruk in turn told Mandalore. Who told me the truth. About why they attacked Deralia. Of why they destroyed my home."
"It was my home too, Tara."
"You do not deserve to call it home, since you are the one who destroyed it. You and your damn parents!"

"You keep saying that it's my fault, but you won't say why. Tell me why, Tara. Don't just say I'm responsible."
"Marthan had made a deal. Sherruk didn't know the name of the man. But he did know that in exchange for the destruction of Deralia, the killing of your parents and everyone else, and selling you into slavery, they were given information that would help them find a super weapon. Something that would help them take over the Republic."

"Then why don't the mandalorians have it?"
"Mandalore believes that the information was a failure. What Marthan through Sherruk gave him left that crazy warlord with little confidence in them. And with their information."

"Why would Marthan do it through Sherruk?"
"I do not know."
"How can you believe anything the enemy says. They could be trying to sow discord in the Republic, in order to make us easier to conquer."
"What good would taking out a single Jedi, regardless of how powerful, do the mandalorians?"
"You'd be surprised." Revan replied.

"Tell me, Tremaine. Why do you think that you're so goddamn special? What makes you think that you're the only one who can beat the mandalorians?"
"I'm not the only one who can beat the mandalorians. I'm the only one who will try to beat them. The only one with the necessary skills that is willing to put in some effort, and actually try to get the fucking job done. I'm not saying that I'm infinitely better than others. I'm saying that when it comes down to it, I'm the only person currently around who is willing to work on stopping the mandalorians that has the potential to stop them with our current situation."

"Why, when all you've done is cause an attack?"
"Look at the Battle Above Cathar. Under my command what would have been a devastating defeat turned into a small victory. We were able to repel the mandalorians enough for our forces to get out of their with minimal casualties. If I hadn't taken over, everyone there would have died.

"And, Tara, all you're doing is wasting my time by holding me here. Let Bastila and I go. If you do, I'll pretend this little incident never happened."
"What right do you have to make such an offer? You're just a lunatic with a pair of lightsabres!"
"Says a woman who hasn't had a conversation with me before today. A woman who knows nothing about me personally. Who believes just what she's been told about me."

"Even now you act like you are in control of the situation. Don't you see that you're at my mercy, Revan?"
"You have me chained to a wall. Do you really think that I have to even do anything to you myself? You abducted a member of the Jedi Order. Actually, you abducted two. Do you believe that the act of kidnapping a Jedi Knight and her student will be allowed to pass by the Jedi Order? Even if it is someone who they dislike as much as me.
"So, I don't have to do anything to you personally. All I have to do is manipulate the six or seven obvious ways out of this ridiculous setup you've got me in, inform the Council, and watch the Republic doll out justice on you in order to appease them.

"So, you can either face the thousands of hours of judicial time wasting, or you could just release Bastila and I. Think about it for a moment. You should figure out which is in your best interest."
"You really think that you could get out?"
"Easily. These chains may be durasteel, but they're really poorly put together. Then there's the fact that I could easily dislocate my thumb to release one hand, and then use that freed hand to release the other. These may be durasteel chains and cuffs, but the hinges on them are pathetically weak. Far worse than the sum of their parts.
"You think that you could break out that easily?"
"Yeah, and that's just the most brute force way out. I don't even have to dislocate any of my fingers. You really should bother with investing in good quality restraints for your prisoners. That way you don't have an... unfortunate accident where one of them notices that the room only has a very, very tiny amount of an incredibly weak gas that blocks the Force. A lightweight gas that can be relocated with next to no effort or force.
"In fact, you probably should have just introduced it to the walls of the room. That way the walls themselves don't let the Force in. Then have me touching one of these Force resistant walls. You know, so that I can't influence the gas with subtle motions you aren't smart enough to notice. You know, keep me from relocating the gas to a small corner of the room so that I can use my abilities again." Revan said, her bonds flipping open as the words left her mouth, and she hit the ground.

A moment later, she ripped the IV tube out of her arm, and continued, "There are other massive flaws in your plan, but I think I've given you enough criticism for now. Perhaps you'd like a cookie for actually getting me captured. A feat that not even Mandalore himself was able to pull off. Then again, he did have his low level lackeys working on it, not a very expensive merc."
"Very impressive. But do you really think that I underestimated you to the point that would be your only containment field?"
"Not really. I'm guessing your buddy Mandalore showed you what I can do, so you're overcompensating. Which is just as much of a mistake as underestimating. Since your overly complicated defenses will have a basic Achilles' heel that is irreparable."
"You really think that I would fail to properly detain you? I know better than those imbeciles."
"Yeah, your basic Achilles' Heel is thinking that I would even bother dealing with them from the side that they are trying to keep in. You see, when you had Bastila grabbed too, that was a major mistake. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say I was able to free her before getting myself out, and your security systems should start coming down right about now."
"Impressive, Revan." Tara said, "You are quite skilled at getting people to do your dirty work for you. Including innocents you claim that you would give your life to protect. A shame her attempt will fail."
"Yeah, do yo u really think that I would let Bas do this if there was any way you could have her hurt? I only give you information after it has become irrelevant. Telling you that before you have no means of reacting successfully to it would just be stupid. Why sabotage my own plans by letting you know about them before their execution? And let you live with that information in your head after they have been used. Gotta make sure that a plan is reliable for as long as possible. And, there's no more certain way to ruin the longevity of one than to let people live while they know it."
"Can you truly call yourself a Jedi with such savagery inside you? Surely it is more the way of the Sith."
"You do realize that you have kidnapped me, blamed me for the death of thousands of people when I wasn't even ten years old, and have admitted to speaking with a faction that is currently waging war on the one that holds my allegiance.

"Killing you to protect those plans is not a random act of violence. It is a logical act in the defense of a large group of innocent people. If you had not shown that you are in communications with Mandalore himself, I would have considered sparing you. There are too few left from Deralia. Too few who didn't lose either their lives either that day, or in the few years following.
"So many sold as slaves by those mandalorian bastards. So many brutalized by the sick fuckers who bought them. Either to death, or the point where they took their own lives. And here you are. Probably the only other sane survivor, working with the people who ravaged our home.

"It's a shame. I really had hoped that you would have been able to survive what happened better than I did. But I see that you handled it even worse than I. Grasping at straws to find reason in what was a senseless attack.

"I'm sorry that you actually believed there was some greater plan behind it. That you were looking for some logical explanation for the tragedies that befell Deralia. But in the end, there is no explanation. There is no big picture behind the attack. It happened because the mandalorians are savages who desire nothing more than bloodshed and conquest.
"And that, Tara, is why they have to be crushed. Completely. Totally. Not a single fragment allowed to remain unbroken. So long as they are united. So long as they are not brought down to their knees, there will be no end to the war. No end to the tragedies. There will be a million more Deralia's if people do not do what is necessary.

"So, that's why I must kill you. There is no way that you can be trusted after your actions. The fate that is before you is the one you chose for yourself. One that I cannot save you from in good conscience. It is more important that a large number of people survive, than any one individual."

"Yet you still say that you would never let harm befall Bastila."
"Everyone has their weaknesses." Revan replied, pushing the door open, "I look forward to speaking to you face to face."

Tara was silent, as Bastila walked up, and said, "Ready to get out of this pit?"
"If you are." Revan replied, "You find my sabres?"
"Here." Bastila said, tossing them to Revan. The Knight caught them, and pinned them to her belt.

"Let's move."

"Sounds like a good plan."
"Not really." spoke Tara. "Seran will see to that."
"Ah, so that's your merc's name." Revan retorted, her voice calm, "I was curious about that." walking towards the exit. Then, the man mentioned, stepped forward, blade drawn. He looked at Revan with resignation, as he pointed his weapon at her.

"You are ready to die, aren't you?" Revan inquired.

"In combat with a warrior of your level, I am inclined to believe that it is the only possible result. Unless you should choose to spare my life."
"Putting down your weapon would be a step towards making me consider it more seriously."

"I still have a contract. It would be bad for my business if I let you kill my employer."
"And dying wouldn't be worse? You can recover from some bad PR with customers, you can't recover from losing your head."
"It would take years. Not really something I can afford."
"How about a deal, then? You help us reach her, we delete all footage of this conversation, and knock you out. Say some bullshit about respect of a good man and/or skilled warrior. That it would have been a shame to kill someone for acting simply out of a contract that he took on. Maybe add that I believed you thought it was a bad idea, but were always eager to challenge your skills.
"You know, spin what would otherwise seem like you're inept into you're actually ambitious. And that you never deny a contract because of difficulty. Could be good for business."
"I am an atrocious liar."

"You should fix that. Lying's an incredibly useful skill. I mean none of the Council can tell that I'm in love with Bastila because of how good I am at lying."
"Wait, what?" Bastila said with confusion and hope.

"It was a joke. Do you really think that if I were actually in love with you that I would so vehemently deny it?"
"I've seen you do some very strange things."

"Can you two please keep discussions of whether or not one of you has romantic interest in the other to when you aren't eating up my time."
"Well, Seran, you haven't actually said anything regarding my offer."
"I wouldn't be able to keep the truth hidden. I actually start to feel a bit sick when I lie."

"That is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. Are you the Professor of Honesty at the Academy of Ineffective Special Operatives?"

He looked at her with slight irritation, and said, "Can we please just get this over with. If I am going to die, I'd rather just get it over with."
"Eh, I don't think I'll bother. You seem like a decent person which is hard to come by these days." Revan replied, waving a hand and flinging him into a nearby wall. As he passed out against it, Bastila looked at Revan with surprise.

"What?" the Knight asked defensively.
"I thought you were going to kill him, not just knock him out."
"He's got a decent tactical mind. And some combat skill. Could be a useful asset in the future. And now he owes me one for not killing him when it would be just as easy."

"Does everything you do have an ulterior motive?"
"That depends. Does using people in order to save other people, when I personally know neither party, count as an ulterior motive?"
"Not really." Bastila admitted.
"Then no, not everything I does have an ulterior motive." Revan said, her voice shaky.

"Rev, what's wrong?"
The Knight looked at the Padawan. She hadn't expected to suddenly feel the exhaustion and lack of proper nourishment to hit her now. "Nothing." Revan said, forcing her voice to be stable. "Let's just find that bitch. After she's dead, we can get back to Dantooine.
"Revan, don't try to lie to me."

"I'm fine, Bastila! You don't have to coddle me like I'm some youngling!" Revan growled, "In case you haven't noticed it, I'm the one who is constantly saving you."
"What is with you? I'm just concerned about your health, Rev. And, it's been more of a give and take as far as the saving goes."
"You don't need to worry about me, Bas. I will be fine."
"Always you push yourself. Your pride always makes you never admit any weakness if you can at all avoid it. You'll show some if you think that it will help you get what you want, but beyond that, you refuse."
"This isn't the time or the place for this kind of discussion, Bastila." Revan retorted, pointing at the largely empty hallway. "In case you didn't notice, we are in a prison on who knows what planet. We have a person who hired a mercenary to slam a transport into our speeder nearby.

"And then there's the whole fact that this is all because Mandalore views me as a personal threat. Do you really think that someone who is viewed as one of the view threats to the leader of the mandalorians can afford to show weakness when the government she is allied with is being invaded by that enemy?"
"You aren't dealing with the mandalorians. You're dealing with a crazy woman who just happens to be in contact with Mandalore." Bastila pointed out.

"True, but we cannot be sure that this information is not being sent to him as we speak. So how about we take care of the job at hand and then later deal with my personal condition." Revan said, her voice authoritative as she walked into the next room.

Bastila shook her head. Revan was acting like a fool. Too worried about appearing weak, in Bastila's opinion. Then again, she told herself, Revan always acted a bit stupidly. Taking crazy risks in order to- as she put it- get the job done.

In the next room, Revan was leaning on the wall, gasping for breath. "Revan, something is seriously wrong. You've never been like this before."
"Nothing."
"Quit lying." Bastila said, irritation clear in her voice. "You've never been like this before."
"We have to keep moving." Revan growled, stumbling towards the next door.

Bastila grabbed Revan's wrist, and the older woman collapsed, only her arm held up by Bastila was above the ground. "You're not fine. What's wrong with you?"
Revan sighed and said, "Sedative. Surprisingly potent."
"How'd you get sedated?"
"Orange liquid in the IV. Must have had something in it." Revan replied, mumbling into the floor.
"You're really going to pass out now of all times?"

"Not much of a personal choice."
"You've dealt with this kind of thing before, haven't you?"
"I've exposed myself to many kinds of sedatives to build up a resistance. Not all of them. And apparently this crazy bitch was lucky enough to choose one I didn't have as much resistance."
"You do have some though?"
"Yeah. I'm thinking it's probably GH-31B."
"Is there a serum or whatever a cure for a sedative is called?"
"There's an antidote. Not likely this crazy bitch has it though."

"Why?"

"The main reason that I haven't built up a resistance to this particular sedative is because the antidote is really rare. The production process is incredibly difficult to perform properly. A couple of seconds too long or too short in one step will leave the antidote as one of the most potent poisons in the galaxy."
"Hasn't someone found a more stable process to produce it?"
"Do you really think that the chemical would be so popular if there were an easy way to counter it? The only reason that it's the standard for sedatives is that it's cheap to produce, but expensive as all hell to counter."
"Do you have any way to get out of this?"
"So long as I'm not exposed to more of it, I should get it out of my system in a couple hours."

"Is there any faster way to help you?"

"You could try to find some of the antidote. But it's not exactly going to be easy to find. Assuming Tara has it."

"Well, if you pass out for a couple hours it isn't very likely that she won't get away."
"I know. But judging from Seran's reaction, and how easy it was for you to break out, there isn't very much security. So why don't you go make sure that she doesn't get away, while I get some sleep."
"It's not like you've only got one person after you, Revan."
"What are the odds that they know where I am right now?"
"We know that this person was helped by Mandalore. Do you think that she wouldn't let him know that one of the few people he's actually put a price on the head of is in her custody?"
"She's got a personal grudge against me. If I am going to die, she'll want to be the one who does it. Not some mandalorian."

"Well it's quite clear that her plan has not worked. Seeing as we're both free. Do you want to risk her contacting the mandalorians and having them show up while you're unconscious and unprotected?"
"If a mandalorian attack force is going to show up because she alerted Mandalore, they're all too far from Deralia to show up before I'm back up. And I doubt she has yet. So why don't you go capture her, before she calls them for help."
"I'll be back. You just get it out of your system. Any idea which way she is?"
"If this follows typical designs, then the main security room is to the east." Revan said, her voice faint.

Bastila nodded, and said, "Try not to get captured by the mandalorians."

"They're probably lightyears away." Revan said, twisting her neck to one side, her eyes already closed.

Bastila sighed, and walked through the door. The room was filled with dozens of screens. Sitting in the center of it was a fat old man, eating some bread. He turned around to see who had entered the room, and upon seeing Bastila he scooted the chair away. "P-please don't hu-hurt me."

"Why would I hurt you?"
"D-don't you w-work w-with tha-that other Jedi?"
"I work with Revan, why would that frighten you?"
"Sh-she ki-kills pe-people." he stuttered, his face slick with sweat, a few drops sliding into his eyes.

"Lots of people do. What makes Revan so frightening to you?"
"F-first promise that, that you won't kill me."

"I have no intention of killing you."
He took a deep breath, and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then, he said plainly, "Your friend, assuming she is your friend, Revan is a bit of a legend here on Deralia."
"I'm guessing this isn't the good kind of legend."
"No. They talk about how the mandalorians lost twenty-five of their best before capturing her."
"She didn't do that."
"What, would you say that John and Miranda killed twenty-five elite mandalorian troops in there home?"
"There were twenty-five bodies in the home?"
"Yes."
"I will admit, I'm impressed by Revan's parents. Killing that many is something that Revan, with her Jedi training, had a bit of difficulty with."
"What makes you so certain that it wasn't Revan herself? The woman is a dark goddess of bloodshed."
"No, she's just very good at killing people."

"Why do you think they didn't kill her, and instead sold her as a slave? They respected her abilities."
"If as a child Revan killed twenty-five mandalorian troops they would have cut her down the first time they got a chance. They don't spare the people who they see as worthy enemies. To mandalorians sparing the life of a foe is to say that they aren't even enough of a threat to merit killing. The worst insult you can give a mandalorian."
"Then, h-how did those mandalorians die?"
"Clearly Revan's parents weren't showing that they did in fact know how to kill."
"So assuming she didn't kill them, she still killed a lot of mandalorians."
"Because they were trying to kill innocents. It wasn't out of some savage bloodlust."
"How do I know she won't kill me?"
"What reason would she have to kill you? You never personally did anything to earn her wrath."
"You mean, I'm not going to die?"
"I am almost certain that you are going to live."
The old man sighed with relief, and asked, "Why are you here?"
"I was told this was the direction for the main security room."

"This doesn't follow the old designs. This is just a security observation room. The main one's two floors up."

"Thanks for the info." Bastila said, "Don't leave this room for a few hours."
"If it means I get to live, okay." he said, turning back to his screens. He then jumped in surprise when they went black. "What was that for!" he shrieked, looking at the long cut on his computer.
"To make sure that you can't leak any information to the outside world." Bastila replied, putting her lightsabre back on her belt.

He sighed, and just nodded. Motioning for Bastila to leave the room. The Padawan did so. When she re-entered the room where Revan had been, she saw a small note carved into a wall.
"Stuff wore off fast. Going to kill Tara. You get to the surface. -Revan."

"Dammit, Revan, you're going to die if you keep pushing yourself like this." Bastila sighed, running towards the elevator.

-=0=-

Tara stumbled backwards, sweat rolling down her brow. "Tremaine, put the lightsabres away. You're a Jedi, you aren't supposed to kill people for revenge."
Revan marched closer to Tara, fury clear in her eyes. "You had me kidnapped. You drugged me. You chained me up. Your goon in his surprise attack was one of the few to ever make me bleed in a very long time.
"That would be bad enough if I had been alone when I was attacked. But no, it happened while my student was around. She was injured as well. I'm not sure if you've seen what happens to people who hurt my student. Most of them aren't around to talk about it. Because I cut them down. Reduced them to nothingness.

"So, Tara, do you really think that I am going to show you any mercy? Do you think that anyone will be able to find your remains? Did you ever see any way out of this other than death?"
"Not really, Tremaine. But, Mandalore wanted you, and he is the boss." Tara said. "So even if I die, the job will get done by someone else."
"Mandalore will taste my lightsabres in a few months." Revan replied, throwing one of her blades into Tara's shoulder. "But what I want to know is this. How did you get the Republic official tricked?"
"You weren't the only one who survived. Marthan and I had a slave for ourselves. Never told the others about her."
"You were close with Marthan... where is he now?"
"Even though he and I broke up a few months after the raid, I don't want anything bad to happen to him. So I'm not going to tell you."
"You will tell me everything you know. If need be I will destroy your mind to get that information."

"Kinky." the mandalorian replied, grinning at Revan, as she ripped the glowing blade out of her shoulder. "But, I've never found women that exciting. So, adieu, bitch. I'm out of here."

As the mandalorian backflipped off the building, Revan leaped after her, lightning crackling at the tips of her fingers.

As she fell, Revan saw Tara start to fly away in a mandalorian shuttle. On the ground were six mandalorian soldiers. They pointed their heavy repeaters at Revan, and opened fire. Hundred of blaster bolts flew towards the Knight. Too many for her to deflect with a single blade.

As they were about to connect to Revan, a wall of Force energy appeared between her and the attacks. The Knight looked behind her, to see Bastila holding up her hands. "What are you waiting for, Rev?" the Padawan asked with a smirk, "Get rid of them. It isn't like I can keep this up for much longer!"

"Got it." Revan said, jumping over the barrier, and throwing her lightsabre into one of the mandalorians. He fell to the ground, as she landed beside him, ripping the weapon from his torso, and cutting one of his compatriots in two.

She then pivoted slightly, and a bolt of lightning flew from her hand. The mandalorian it struck fell to the ground, a blackened hole in his chest where it hit. Then, she rolled to the side, as a wall of flame consumed three of the remaining mandalorians. The last soldier dropped his blaster and charged Revan.

The Knight deflected his first attack with her sabre, pushed the second away with the back of her left hand, and stabbed him through the heart.

Panting, the Knight turned to Bastila, and said, "Thanks for the assist."
"If you ever do that again, I will personally put you in the deepest darkest cell the Jedi and Republic can provide. You can't be so bloody reckless, Rev!"
"I know." The Knight said, looking at the younger woman. "But, that's beside the point. We need to find that ship. That bitch has one of my sabres."
Bastila sighed, and said, "You've got to be kidding me."
"I threw one into her, slow her down. Bitch ripped it out and kept it."

Bastila shook her head, and said, "Nope." before tossing Revan the weapon. The Knight looked at it, and said, "Wow. She really put a tracker on it that poorly." tossing the chip away, and continuing to examine the hilt. When she was certain it was clean, she turned to Bastila, then said, "Wow. I bet this isn't how mom and dad would have thought I'd bring someone home."
Bastila laughed, and said, "Keep your head out of the gutter Meetra built herself a house in."
"I was just making a joke." Revan said, looking at the building. "Why did they put it on top of where my old house was, is what I want to know."