Chapter 11
The Soldier & the Council
"Nearlyallmencanstandadversity,butifyouwanttotestaman'scharacter,givehimpower." -AbrahamLincoln
Traviata stood atop a grassy hilltop in the bright sunlight, overlooking the windswept Khoonda plains; a light breeze playing through her golden hair, absentmindedly twirling a piece grass. She took in a deep breath, enjoying the clean fresh scent, she closed her eyes momentarily. There was a sense of peace in this place, but it also stirred a feeling of unease in her as well. She assessed that the unease was probably due to the stress of the situation they were now in.
Carth and Bastilla had quarreled bitterly on their arrival. Carth wanted to meet immediately with the Jedi High Council; he wanted to have a face to face with them and return to Fleet HQ. That was apparently not going to happen, at least not in the time frame the Commander had in mind.
The two of them went back and forth, Carth finally pulling Bastilla into the Captain's quarters for privacy. Traviata had heard Carth use her name several times, his voice was raised, which made it easy to hear nearly every other word he said. It had something to do with his suspicions of Bastilla's intentions to recruit Traviata all along. When he began yelling about the dangers of the Force, Traviata decided to take a walk. She was all too familiar with his objections to the Jedi and this mission. The soldier took in a deep breath, trying to clear her head.
"Traviata?" Bastilla said, coming up behind her.
"Hey, Bastilla," Traviata said, turning her attention to the stunning young Jedi. This environment suited her; it was the most relaxed she'd ever seen the uptight woman.
"I thought I might find you here- its serenity and natural beauty are soothing," Bastilla explained.
"Yes, it's mesmerizing in a way," Traviata studied the woman for a moment, before tossing aside her piece of grass. "I'm betting you're here for a reason other than the scenery," Traviata stated.
"That is correct. The Council would like to speak with you. I've told them about your abilities and they want the chance to meet with you themselves," Bastilla said.
"Me?" Traviata asked, stunned. "I assure you, I'm nothing special. I don't want to waste their time."
"Your modesty is commendable, but I believe you are highly sensitive to the Force. Let the Council be the judge. They are Jedi Masters, very wise, and are the only ones really qualified to determine your power in the Force," Bastilla suggested, turning and walking toward the enclave. "We should hurry, they are waiting."
Traviata's head was spinning with the idea, but if they wanted to talk to her, she'd go, though she felt like she was seeing them under false pretenses. In moments they were standing in the council chambers, facing four Jedi Masters.
Her comlink vibrated on her wrist, she knew before looking at the screen who was trying to contact her. It shook again, this time accompanied by an annoying beeping. She glanced at the screen, it was Carth. Had he seen the Council already? Her stomach lurched at what his reaction had been to this meeting. Surely Bastilla told him, she thought.
"Does Carth know about this? Has he seen the Council yet?" Traviata asked, her head snapping in Bastilla's direction.
"No; the Commander has a closed mind about the Jedi, especially when it involves you. The Council knows of his desire to meet with them, they will see him-" Bastilla paused glancing quickly to the Jedi Masters standing across the room but easily within earshot. "Very soon. Your situation though, they felt, needed to be dealt with first."
"Frak," she mouthed silently, the prospect of telling Carth where she was standing was not appealing to her in the slightest. The comlink seemed to grow louder and angrier in it's tone, demanding a response.
"Just turn it off. You can communicate with the Commander after, these are special circumstances," Bastilla suggested, her head gesturing toward the group waiting and watching the pair with interest.
'I can't do that, he's my Commander, Bastilla, and -" she paused, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "I just can't do that to him. Just give me a minute," she added before punching at the comlink.
"I'm with Bastilla, and the Jedi Council," Traviata said quietly.
"What? I'll be right there," Carth's irritation was obvious, even over the comlink.
Bastilla shook her head. "This is a private meeting. He can't be in here right now. They will meet with him later."
"Bastilla says it's private - I'm sorry, Carth," Traviata said soberly, grimacing as she spoke.
"Bastilla, I know you can hear me. Traviata's a Republic soldier, not a member of your order. This is still a military mission, and I give the orders regarding my crew, not you," Carth said gruffly.
"The Council is waiting, we must go to them. They have many other important matters to attend to. This should not take very long," Bastilla said, moving forward.
"I'm sorry, Carth. I have to go, I'll contact you when we're finished," Traviata promised.
Silence and then profuse swearing blasted from the tiny device. She quickly switched off the unit. Great, she'd never hear the end of this she thought, casting an apologetic gaze on the Jedi present. They had to have heard the entire exchange.
A Twi'lek approached Traviata. "Welcome, Traviata Kerkes. I am Master Zhar Lestin. This is Master Vrook, Master Vandar, and Master Dorak," he said, gesturing to each Master as he made the introductions. "We have all been discussing your rather unusual case."
"I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't understand – why am I here?" Traviata asked.
"We are considering training you as a Jedi. Bastilla tells us you are very strong in the Force," Master Zhar replied.
"Strong in the Force?" Traviata responded, stunned at the implications of what that meant.
"Perhaps, Master Zhar, we should require undeniable proof that she is strong in the Force," Master Vrook put in, his irritation obvious.
"Proof? Are you serious? Can you not feel the power in this woman? I've related to you the events that occurred on Taris and in our escape," Bastilla shot back at the older humanoid man.
"Perhaps she is just lucky," Vrook countered gruffly.
"Master Vrook, come now, we both know there is no such thing as luck. Besides, we can all feel this woman's strength in the Force. It is wild and unfocused, but now that it has manifested itself, do you think we can just safely ignore it?" Master Zhar rebutted, his lecklu twitching slightly as he finished.
"That may be, but she's an adult. There is a reason we begin Jedi training as children. Becoming a Jedi is difficult and requires an open mind to the Force," Master Vrook responded, his eyes fixed on Traviata.
"If you all feel my power, perhaps you should give me a chance. I know I would like to learn how to control these feelings that are so overwhelming. I've spent my life mastering many difficult skills, perhaps you will find me up for the challenge," Traviata defended. She really had no great desire to become a Jedi, but if they could help her learn to handle these strange urges and if it made her a better soldier because of it in the end, then she was willing to give it her all.
"Bah, listen to her. She's full of pride and arrogance. This one's already on the path to the dark side," Vrook commented.
"As are many, Master Vrook, who are not given the proper guidance and training. It is only with our intervention and counsel that we can hope to bring those back to the light, who've strayed into the darkness," Master Vandar, standing in the center of the group, spoke for the first time. This small creature seemed to be the leader of the others, given the way they all looked to him.
"It is true we do not usually accept adults for training, but this is a special case," Master Dorak said thoughtfully.
"I agree with Master Dorak, and with so many of our pupils leaving to follow the quick and easy path of the Sith, we find ourselves in need of every candidate. With Revan now dead, we need Jedi to stand against Malak," Vandar explained.
"But are we sure Revan is really dead? What if we decide to train this one and the Dark Lord should return?" Vrook said.
"This is a matter for the Council alone, we should discuss this in private," Vandar said to Vrook.
Turning to Bastilla, "You and Traviata should leave now. We will let you know what we decide."
Bastilla and Traviata treaded quietly down the passageway; when they came to a junction Bastilla stopped. "I'm going to my quarters. I want to meditate and get some rest. You should as well; it could be days before we hear anything from the Council."
"You have quarters here? I guess that makes sense actually. Have you lived here long?" Traviata asked, finding herself curious about Bastilla's past.
"I first spent some time on Coruscant when I was a small child and then they moved me here later, about the time Revan and Malak left for the Mandalorian wars," she replied, images of the past playing through her mind.
"Your parents? What did they think of it? I'm sorry, if you'd rather not discuss it. I understand," Traviata added apologetically.
"No, it's fine, I understand why you would be curious. My parents didn't mind, though I missed them a great deal. My father traveled and I was never close to my mother. Anyway, emotional attachment is -discouraged when you are a Jedi. My parents are relationships I left behind. I haven't spoken to either of them in many years," Bastilla trailed off, a hint of melancholy in her voice.
"I have no memory of my parents," Traviata said looking off to the star filled sky. "I grew up in an orphanage, a ward of the Republic. It's one of the reasons I'm in the military," she paused returning her attention to Bastilla. "Wait you came here about the time of the Mandalorian wars? Carth is very affected by what happened with Revan and Malak. You must have crossed paths with them here. What was your impression?"
"I was young and only saw them from a distance a few times here on Dantooine- they were loyal, respected and powerful Jedi. I remember their betrayal being a shock to everyone," Bastilla paused, now looking up into the night sky herself.
"These ponderings are best saved for another time. You especially have much more pressing matters to think on, and I find myself quite fatigued. I will take my leave of you now," Bastilla said abruptly her eyes briefly meeting hers before turning and heading toward her quarters.
"I'll be at the ship then," Traviata replied dryly to Bastilla's quickly retreating form, trying to wrap her head around all that had just been discussed. She moved slowly to the Hawk, not bothering to turn her comlink on. There was no way she was trying to explain this to Carth in any way but in person and then she didn't know how she'd do that.
When Traviata entered the hatchway of the vessel she could here the clicks and beeps of someone working at a monitor nearby. She followed the noise to the main hold; sitting at a table, surrounded by datapads, was Carth. He stopped what he was doing when she entered, cast her a baleful look and went back to work.
Traviata spied a carafe of stimcaf on a nearby counter. She walked over to it; finding two mugs that looked passably clean she gathered up the items and went to the table and sat across from Carth.
She poured him a cup and pushed it in front of him, "Peace offering."
His eyes bore into hers, saying nothing, ignoring the beverage.
The silence lingered and hardened. Carth returned his attention back to his datapads.
"So you're ignoring me now?" Traviata asked.
"No, I'm pretty sure it's you ignoring me. You're the one who cut off your comlink," Carth said calmly, not looking up from the screen.
"Well I was in with the Council, and you were angry. What exactly was I supposed to do?" Traviata replied.
Carth looked up at that. "You could have come and told me what was going on before you went in there. I didn't expect you to keep me out of the loop too, Traviata."
"I didn't know you didn't know until I was already there. By then, there was no time, they were waiting on me," Traviata explained. "It all just happened so fast."
"So the Council wouldn't break their rules and see me, but they urgently needed to see you," Carth replied icily. "I lost my ship and nearly my entire crew on their specialassignmentand they can't spare the time to meet with me. Yet they had to immediately see you,the last minute addition to the complement," he continued curtly. "No offense, but help me out here – doesn't really add up."
"I know little of the Jedi and how they do things, Carth," she responded, her steady gaze holding his. "They say I am strong in the Force and wanted to talk to me about becoming a Jedi," Traviata explained.
Carth came quickly to his feet, "I just bet they did. That was their frakin' plan from the beginning, I'd wager. I'll bet that was what was behind your mysterious transfer to Fleet to begin with. That's why they didn't want me in there; I'd have confronted them about it. When are they going to ever frakin' learn?"
Traviata considered his words; they were thoughts that had crossed her mind as well. She'd never understood her transfer. She'd gone over the events leading up to it and it didn't make any sense. In her mind, she hadn't done anything to deserve a demotion much less being transferred to an entire different branch of service. His theory, as paranoid as it sounded, made as much sense as any other scenario she could come up with.
The Commander studied Traviata for a moment, his features tense. "What did you tell them? You know, about being a Jedi," he added.
"If they decide they're willing to train me, then I'm- not sure really, but maybe-" she trailed off with a shrug, her gaze drifting away from his, unable to withstand his probing gaze.
"That was your answer to them?" Carth persisted, his scowl deepening.
"Well, I did say yes, I guess," Traviata answered, her wary eyes finding his. It was a lot to process, there was a part of her that wanted to learn how to master this ability and then another part of her that just wanted to walk away and reclaim her life, forgetting anything about the Force and Jedi.
Carth pounded a wall in anger, swearing under his breath he headed down a passageway. Traviata scrambled to her feet quickly following him.
"Will you wait a minute?" Traviata asked, on his heels.
"What for? Like you listen to anything I say! You're just going to do what you want no matter what I say," he grumbled, not breaking his stride as he spoke.
"That's not true, I place great value in your opinion. If you'd just stop and give me a chance to explain," she shot back, close on his heels.
"There's nothing for you to explain. You have no idea what you're playing with. Period. I said you should leave it alone, but you have to do it your way and mess with this Jedi hocus pocus," Carth accused her, climbing up an access ladder. "You're the most damn stubborn, obstinate woman I've ever, Frakin met."
"I'm obstinate? Listen to you - I already have the power, Carth. I just want to learn how to control it, that's all. I have no intention-" Traviata put in, her own agitation now evident, her feet noisily climbing up the ladder after the Captain.
"That's the frakin' way it starts, I've told you that. Then the next thing you know you want to learn more to help the helpless and defeat evil. Until one day you wake up and realize you've become the monster you were chasing," Carth threw over his shoulder, adjusting a pressure valve, before continuing on his way.
"Saul turned into a monster, and he wasn't a Jedi. He was a frakin' Republic soldier," Traviata shouted after him, coming to stop.
Carth turned abruptly, closing the distance between them with speed. "Who turned him into that monster? It was Revan. Who does he serve now? Malak," he ground out between clenched teeth, taking Traviata by her forearms. "Who turned Malak? Revan, who was powerful in the Force and wanted to save the Republic. Sound familiar?" he continued.
"You think I could do what any of them did? You think I'm capable of that Carth?" Traviata asked flatly. His words stung like raindrops on bare skin while riding a speeder bike.
Carth regretted his harsh words and gave his head a quick shake. "No," he let go a long breath. "Listen, I'm not saying you'll turn into a monster like Revan but you've no idea what you're opening yourself up to. The Force, in the hands of a Master can do terrifying things. Choke people to death, throw people off cliffs, pick up massive boulders and crush the life out of someone. That's just for starters; it can torture with electric shock, cause fear and confusion, it can rip the mind right out of a person," Carth's intent gaze held hers.
"Even Bastilla, with her powerful battle meditation, she can change the course of a battle, taking the will to fight right out of the soldiers. Just imagine that in the hands of the Sith," he paused to put meaning behind his next words. "The stronger you are in the Force, the greater the cost is when you fall. You said the Council said you were powerful, have you even considered the consequences of the course you're thinking of taking?" he trailed off.
"You have no faith in me at all, do you?" Traviata asked quietly.
"I believe more in you than I have anyone in a very long time. You should know that, it's just-" Carth let her arms go, running a hand through his hair, he took a breath. "I don't want you to do this, Traviata. Every instinct I have says it's too dangerous and risky," he finished.
"What if I'm in more danger if I don't learn how to control this power? More importantly, what if I'm more of a threat to others this way?" Traviata asked.
"Between the nightmares and this tugging from the Force, or whatever it is, I don't even Frakin know what to call it," she paused, shaking her head. "It gets stronger all the time. Carth, sometimes I feel like I could lose myself to it and that terrifies me," Traviata admitted, a shiver running through her. "It feels like I'm drowning in a pool of icy cold murky water at times - I don't know what else to do but give the Jedi a try."
Carth's brow furrowed and he pulled her into his arms, "Come here." Traviata's fear was obvious; he'd witnessed the decline of her mental state since Taris.
"I'll always find you – I won't let you be lost to this. That's a promise, Viata," he comforted her, his hand gently rubbing her back. He wished he could shake off the sense of foreboding that he had that it was a promise that might be impossible to keep. "I don't know what the answer is, but we'll figure it out. It's all going to be okay."
"When I'm in your arms, I actually believe that," Traviata replied, letting her head sink deeper into his chest. It was true, when she was with Carth, she felt at peace, safe. His arms were an impenetrable barrier between her and the dark feelings that hung over her.
Traviata marveled at the crumbling temple, held together in some places with huge vines. The massive entry doors were intricately carved, ancient dust swirled about a brooding black caped figure pacing in front of the ingress.
She noticed another; a tall thin man, with a tattooed head, broad shoulders and also wearing black but without a cape. Both figures had light sabers dangling from their sides.
"The dark side is strong here. I can feel its power," he said.
The caped figure stopped, turning and revealing a masked face and heavy black armor that reached to the floor.
"Do you think this wise, Revan? If we enter, we will surely be banned from the Order," the man pointed out.
Traviata knew at that moment that it was Revan and Malak she was watching. Her heart began racing, panic rising in her chest, her blood turning to ice.
"If we go through this door, there is no going back," Malak said looking away, hesitation on his face and in his tone.
"Can the secrets of the Star Forge be so powerful that it's worth the risk, Revan?" Malak asked.
A wave of the hand and the doors slid aside was all the response Malak received and Revan walked into the building trailed by Malak.
When they'd entered the room, a three legged structure opened and a projector orb ascended, producing a holographic map.
With a start Traviata awoke, gasping for air. She looked at her surroundings; she was in the Captain's quarters on the Ebon Hawk. Carth had offered for her to sleep in there the previous night, saying he got his best sleep in the pilot's seat anyway. Knowing him, it was probably true, so she'd gratefully accepted.
Traviata rose quickly from the cool sheets, padding silently to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror staring at the image before her. She grimaced at the face reflected back at her; her eyes were bloodshot and the dark circles were not a good look on her. She looked ten years older, she surmised. Traviata looked away from the haunted eyes returning her stare.
Had she really just had a dream about Darth Revan and Darth Malak? If so, where had they been and what were they doing, she wondered. More importantly, why was she dreaming about dark Sith Lords? What did it mean? Was this some Jedi thing? Was this the Force guiding her in some way? If so what the hell was it saying? She gave her head a slight shake; all she had were questions, a headache, and a deep sense of dark foreboding. Traviata turned on the faucet splashing water on her face, hoping it would clear her head. No help.
Images of Darth Revan and Malak flashed before her again, causing a chill to run down her spine. She could still feel the evil, almost as if she'd really come into contact with them moments ago. Fresh air and sun; that would help. She'd head back to the spot overlooking the Khoonda Plains, let her fears be carried away on the winds that constantly danced across the valley. With a speed she didn't know possible,she was dressed and walking down the gang plank. Carth was standing just outside the ship, sipping on a stimcaf. His eyes narrowed at her appearance.
"What's wrong?" he asked, coming to her side. He knew instantly she wasn't well.
"You don't look well," Carth said with concern, his hand pushing back some hair from her face. "Your skin is like ice, Traviata."
When she didn't respond he went on. "Bastilla looked almost as bad as you. No offense," Carth offered, shaking his head slightly. Smooth Onasi, real smooth, he berated himself.
Traviata ran a self conscious hand over her hair and stood as tall as she could manage. "How could I possibly take offense at such a charming greeting," she replied dryly.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean that like it sounded. What I meant was`" he let go a long breath. The only way out of this was to be honest, if there was a way out at all.
"What I was trying to say is, I really don't pay attention to how she looks- I mean we all know she always looks ridiculously provocative-" he paused at the flash in her eyes.
"You know, in that obvious, superficial, inappropriate way of hers," he said his face tightening as she crossed her arms over her body. Not a good sign he thought, he was really rusty at this.
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that evenI noticed she looked awful this morning- upset," he moved closer taking her head into his hands, his eyes holding hers. "You, I notice everything about-" he paused, his gaze searching hers. In truth he could tell her moods now by the look in her eye and the way she carried herself. Right now she was still mad at him, but she was almost ready to forgive him and she was deeply troubled, fearful even about something.
"Viata, you always look beautiful to me, even after you've been fighting a Rancor for hours-" he began.
"Enough, Carth- I get it," she said letting go a long breath. "It's fine, just drop it. No big deal, I know I look like bantha dung. I had a really bad night," she added.
"I'm sorry. What is it? Maybe you should go back to bed," he said wrapping his arms around her, pulling her against his chest.
"No way," she said pushing herself away to look up at his face. "What I need is a walk."
"Well if you're sure you feel up to it," he paused, his eyes scanning her. If she was determined to stay up, he'd give her Bastilla's message. "You know Bastilla mentioned that you should meet her at the Council chambers when you woke. She said it was important," he said the last part begrudgingly, wondering how he became Bastilla's message boy. Not to mention that it infuriated him that she said it with such authority, as if Traviata had no choice.
With that bit of info, Traviata pushed herself from his embrace completely. "Just slipped your mind to tell me that until now?"
"No. I was hoping to get you to rest once I saw the state you were in. When it was clear to me that wasn't going to happen, then I passed on the message," he explained with a shrug.
Traviata stepped away, turning from him, "I need to go, I'll explain later," she mumbled over her shoulder.
"Traviata. Will you wait a minute?" he said grabbing her arm.
"I should go meet with the Council. You said it was important," she replied.
"She.Shesaid it was important. You don't have to run off at her request. She has no power over you," Carth reminded her, his voice as tense as his face.
"I have to go, they're waiting-" she said trying to break free from his grasp that tightened.
"No, no you don't have to," he corrected firmly. "You can stay right here if you want," he added.
"You don't understand," she said struggling under his vice like grip. He was keeping her from seeing the only ones she felt could help her understand what her nightmare meant and why it affected her so deeply.
"I mean it. I have to see the Council. Let go, Carth," she yelled, using all her strength she flung back her arm. It wasn't necessary though, he let her loose at her words, causing her to stumble back slightly. When he moved closer, and put his hand on her arm to steady her, she shook him off.
He tossed up both his hands in frustration and took a step backwards, his eyes reflecting his confusion.
"I'm sorry, I know you're just trying to help and I know you don't understand but I promise I'll explain everything after I talk to the Council. Trust me, Carth," Traviata said quietly. She impulsively leaned in and, standing on her tiptoes, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Then before he could respond she tore out of the landing area heading for the courtyard that would lead her to the Council's inner chambers.
"Damn Onasi. What was that all about? At first I thought you two were fighting and then she kissed you-" Canderous commented as he walked up to the Commander. "Kinda Mandalorian, that woman."
"Doesn't concern you, Canderous," Carth said, his eyes staring after Traviata's quickly disappearing form.
"You're wrong about that, Fleet," Canderous retorted.
Carth's eyes shot to Canderous at that. "Did you have any luck finding a transport yet?" He disliked the Mandalorian just based on his past affiliation with the Mandalorian War, his undisguised interest in Traviata escalated it to something more.
Canderous chuckled lightly, a light in his eye. "Oh, I'm looking. May take some time though. This isn't exactly a space hub," he replied. "Besides, you could use my help getting the Hawk ready to return to space. She's in need of some repairs after our escape off Taris."
"The Hawk isn't your concern either," Carth shot back, his eyes scanning the exterior of the ship. He had to admit that Canderous was right though; the vessel needed some work and Dantooine wasn't loaded with wrench jockeys.
"It may be the only ride off this catatonic rock, Fleet. At least anytime soon. Come on, you might as well let me help while I'm here," Canderous countered.
"Me too," Mission chimed in coming up behind the pair, Zaalbar at her side. "You could use my help with the computer systems. They're good, but they could be so much better with a little bit of tweaking," she added.
Zaalbar chimed in as well, no doubt offering his services. "Alright, alright. You can all help as long as we're here. I appreciate the assist," he admitted. It was a big job and it needed to be done before he took the Hawk back into space.
"Awesome," Mission exclaimed joyfully. "You won't regret it Carth, you'll see, I. am. going. to. BLOW your mind with what I can do to these systems."
Carth couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Just don't blow up the ship, kid. I've seen your work, I know it will be-" he paused wanting to use the word awesome, but just couldn't bring himself to say it. He realized it made him happy though to see a spark of life in the young girl. "You'll do an exemplary job I'm sure, Mission."
Zaalbar roared something unintelligible to his ears, causing him to return his attention to Canderous and the wookie.
"Canderous, if you want to get started, assess the damage to the hull and equipment and let me know what you're going to need to get her back in shape. Zaalbar, would you mind helping?" Carth asked just as Zaalbar enthusiastically nodded. The Captain glanced quickly at his chrono. In the mean time he could go in and message Paul. He was due for an update on their situation. The Commander had kept in close contact with him since their escape from Taris and Carth was due to check in.