Hello, everybody! Jack of Knaves here, coming at you with a new chapter of The Prodigal Knight Returns! Now then, before we start, there are a few things that I would like to go over. First off, I'd like to reassure my readers that although this story will take several cues from stories like A New Kind of War, I will do my utmost to make sure that this story has its own identity separate from those that came before it, and I already have a number of things planned to differentiate The Prodigal Knight Returns wherever I can. In fact, you'll be seeing one of those things right here in this chapter.
Now, here's a few things to know about Revan's equipment. First off, Revan's default outfit is what I like to call the Foundry Robes, which were created by the Rakatan Foundry, which Revan made a pit stop at prior to looking for the crystal that sent her to the Clone Wars era. These robes are basically a fusion between both the Star Forge Robes/Armor and Revan's Robes from KOTOR 1, in that they provide the benefits of both outfits, are not alignment restricted, give Revan a boost in both light and dark power, and has a number of surprises and other features up its sleeves. In other words, it's a badass suit of armor befitting of the badass that is Darth Revan.
Additionally, apart from her classic red and purple lightsabers, Revan has a collection of lightsabers that would put General Grievous' to shame. Some single-hilt, some short, some double-bladed, that were taken from a number of different individuals that Revan killed, like the Mandalorian Leader from that side mission on Dantooine in KOTOR 1, the Dark Jedi that ambush you on the different planets with Star Maps (and wherever else Dark Jedi are fought in KOTOR 1) Darth Bandon, Darth Malak, and so on.
Well, that's all I wanted to go over. Let's begin!
Chapter One: An Explosive Entrance
Coruscant-Federal District-Chancellor Palpatine's Office-3,532 Years and Three Months Later
As a thunderstorm raged upon the city-planet of Coruscant, Chancellor Sheev Palpatine really wished he was somewhere else right now.
With him in his office right now were renowned and respected Jedi Councilmen Yoda and Mace Windu, along with lesser-known members of the Jedi Council Shaak Ti and Ki-Adi-Mundi. Also in the room were several senators and other political dignitaries, including Bail Organa, Jar Jar Binks (who Palpatine really wanted to either fry to a nice crisp with Force Lightning or introduce to the business end of his lightsaber, never mind the fact that it was because of Binks that had gained so much political power and authority in the first place), and Senator Padmè Amidala.
Palpatine had long since learned to deal with how infuriating his successor as the Senator of Naboo could be at times, especially considering she was secretly married to his prospective next Sith apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, and therefore could be a potential instrument in bringing about Skywalker's turn to the Dark Side, as well as something he could potentially use to keep Anakin in line should he get any ideas about usurping his power once he had turned. But, at the same time, he couldn't help but pray that, Force forbid, Anakin and Amidala did not have any daughters that were as much of a political idealist as Amidala was.
But, now was not the time to dwell on that.
The reason that the politicians were there was because they wanted to discuss a potential bill to further increase spending for the so-called Grand Army of the Republic, even though the Republic was dumping every last credit it had into the Clone Troopers' equipment, vehicles, weaponry, ships, and other military supplies. The Jedi, meanwhile, had shown up early for their own meeting due to a scheduling error. However, the Jedi had decided to hang around and add their own two credits to the discussion. However, Palpatine wasn't concerned about the outcome of the vote on the bill, not when he had virtually the entire Senate dancing to his tune. In fact, suffice it to say, Palpatine practically was the Senate. The bill would pass, and the Clone Wars would continue as planned, until the time came that he issued Order 66, which he suspected was not too far off.
In all honesty, Chancellor Palpatine was tempted to just zone out and let the room chatter amongst themselves, however, that option was quickly thrown out the window when Palpatine suddenly sensed an unprecedented disturbance in the Force. So great was this… well, somehow calling whatever it was that had just happened in the Force a "disturbance" was a grave understatement, that Palpatine honestly struggled to keep his expression neutral and had to grip the arms of his chair lest he tipped off the Jedi to being Force Sensitive, not that they were really paying attention anyway, clearly having sensed the same incredible disturbance he had, and were currently distracted by the mass of energy that had materialized near the center of the room, which was quickly going critical, much to the concern of the politicians and Jedi present.
"TAKE COVER!" yelled Master Windu as Palpatine ducked behind his desk and the rest of the Jedi and politicians hit the deck mere moments before a sudden and violent explosion detonated within the office, demolishing the room and setting off practically every alarm in the building, though thankfully causing no serious harm to those present.
Through the smoke, bolts of purple lightning danced from something within its center, which quickly turned out to be a person, a woman, to be more precise. Clad in dark robes, a form fitting suit of armor that was integrated with the robes, and a black and red mask concealing her face and making her appear rather terrifying, if the scream from one of the politicians was anything to go by, and two lightsaber hilts hanging from her belt.
Palpatine, doing his best to play the part of a terrified and feeble old man, peeked out from behind what was left of his desk. The figure before him was concerning on a number of levels, the twin lightsabers on her belt notwithstanding. For one thing, despite the fact that the Force was screaming at him and most likely the Jedi Masters as well, from all directions like it was being subjected to the ministrations of a thousand torture droids, the Dark Lord of the Sith could not sense this woman's presence in the Force at all, despite the lightsabers being a dead giveaway that she was Force-Sensitive and had clearly been trained in either the Jedi or Sith arts. Still… that didn't stop Palpatine from thinking there was something familiar about this woman.
Mace and the other Jedi, meanwhile, pulled out their lightsabers and activated them, pulling the chancellor out of his thoughts as several Senate Guards consisting of a mixture of Blue Robes and Red Robes, hurried into the room, blocking the only apparent exit from the room. "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic," Mace said with the seriousness and authority of someone who was used to giving orders that were followed to the letter. "You are under arrest. Remove the lightsabers and surrender immediately, you are surrounded."
The woman, Revan, for the most part, was somewhat irritated but was more confused than anything. From a quick glance out the window, the former Dark Lord of the Sith could tell that she had somehow wound up on what appeared to be a Republic city-planet, Coruscant if she were to hazard a guess. And from the looks of things she had just caused an explosion in the middle of what seemed to be an important political meeting, and had earned the ire of four very powerful and skilled Jedi Masters, one of which, much to her great surprise, looked remarkably similar to Master Vandar, a member of the Council of the smoldering ruin that was once the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.
Revan tilted her head as she studied the Jedi further… something seemed rather off about how powerful they were. While they were indeed powerful, they weren't as powerful as the Jedi she had known. In fact, it seemed as though they weren't as powerful as they should have been under normal circumstances, like something was dampening or weakening their connection to the Force…
Regardless, the mess Revan had caused with her appearance did not bode well for first impressions, and clashing with Jedi and security in open combat in the presence of several politicians would most likely make her situation worse. She needed to get out of here, and put enough distance between her and the Jedi so that she could find somewhere quiet to process what was going on.
"Oh, um, sorry about the mess… didn't quite expect that to happen…" Revan said, her voice augmented by her mask. "Is this a bad time? Should I come back later?"
Senator Padmè and a few other politicians present probably would have chuckled at the masked woman's joke if they weren't equal parts curious, confused, and terrified by Revan's abrupt appearance. And in all honesty, she didn't need to be a Jedi or able to use the Force in general to know that this woman could probably give her Annie a run for his credits in terms of raw power. As it were, Padmè was examining the mysterious stranger as much as she could, trying to memorize everything she could about her in the hopes it could help her husband and his fellow Jedi in his investigation, as well her own investigation, off the books, of course.
"I won't ask again, terrorist," Mace said with that same authority, raising his violet lightsaber as he drew closer. "Remove the lightsabers, and surrender. Now."
Revan sighed and shook her head. "No, I don't suppose you will, Master Jedi," she said before, faster than blinking and making it all too apparent to Palpatine and the Jedi that this woman had somehow been concealing her presence in the Force, she charged towards the broken window and leapt through it before calling upon the Force once again to fly through the air as gracefully as a bird, weaving in and out through speeders until she was nothing more than an indistinguishable dot amongst many within the stormy terrain of Coruscant.
"So… using the Force to actually fly like a bird in the air… that's new, as far as I can recall," said Shaak Ti as she and her fellow Jedi deactivated their lightsabers while the senators and other politicians made their way over to the senate guards.
Yoda gazed out in the direction Revan had flown off in. "Full of secrets and mysteries, even to those that walk the path of the light, the Force is. Certain abilities and powers once commonplace among Jedi, lost to time have been," he said. "Send word, we must, to the Jedi Temple, about this attack. Summon Skywalker and Master Kenobi to investigate. Results, we need, and get them, they will."
"Yes, Master Yoda," said Ki-Adi-Mundi as he left to do just that.
Palpatine emerged from behind the wreckage of his desk. "Well! That's one way to break up a meeting!" he said, clapping his hands as he spoke. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, Master Jedi, there are a number of other matters that require my full attention."
However, as the Chancellor turned to leave, Yoda spoke up again. "Wise for you to be alone, Chancellor, it is not," he said.
"Well, now I don't think-" Palpatine started to say before Shaak Ti spoke up.
"I concur, Master Yoda. We have no idea if this attacker was working alone or not. If there are others, and if they are also Force-Sensitive and have the power to mask themselves in the Force, then the Chancellor will need Jedi protection," she said.
Palpatine started to speak up again only for Mace to cut him off again. "It is settled, then. Until this incident is resolved, Master Adi-Mundi and I will stay with the Chancellor at all times today," he said.
Palpatine heaved a sigh. "Very well, Master Jedi. If that's what you think is best," he said.
"We do," said Yoda. "Master Ti and I, return to the temple, we will. From there, coordinate the search for the intruder, I will."
The Jedi nodded in agreement and began to leave the room. Master Yoda, however, stopped and turned to look at the wrecked room and gaze out the broken window. Troubling times, these already were, and with this mysterious stranger's sudden appearance, even more troubling, he suspected these times were about to become.
The storm raging over Coruscant, the ancient Jedi Master suspected, had only just begun.
?
Ahsoka Tano was wandering through a gray fog so thick, she could hardly see her own hand in front of her face. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of a lightsaber battle taking place nearby, and from the sounds of it, she was getting closer to it.
Suddenly, Ahsoka hit her knee on something just as the fog suddenly began to dissipate. Within moments, Ahsoka realized she had hit her knee on a starship's control panel. Looking over to where the sounds of the lightsaber battle were coming from, she saw three Jedi, two of which were indistinct, but the third, a human woman carrying a yellow lightsaber striking down a dark hooded figure that held a red lightsaber, was clear as day.
I didn't know Kaiburr crystals came in yellow, thought Ahsoka. Then again, Master Windu uses a purple lightsaber, so maybe it's not so surprising.
Meanwhile, another hooded figure, female by the looks of it, used the Force to choke what seemed to be a fourth Jedi to death.
"You cannot win, Revan," the human woman declared as the hooded woman, Revan, gave a dark chuckle as she twirled her crimson lightsaber.
"Can't I, Bastilla Shan?" said Revan, her voice augmented by what Ahsoka assumed to be some sort of mask or vocabulator. "I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far."
Ahsoka turned her gaze to the viewport of the ship and saw that an unfamiliar ship was turning to face them, clearly getting ready to open fire. Unbidden, Ahsoka cried, "Master! Look out!"
However, her confusing cry fell on deaf ears as the enemy starship opened fire, causing the bridge to explode, knocking Revan to the ground and blasting Ahsoka forward.
Suddenly, the scene around her changed. Gone was the starship bridge, and instead Ahsoka found herself on a steel walkway in a dark station of some kind. Looking down at herself, Ahsoka saw that she was older, and wearing a black sleeveless top that exposed her midriff, black pants with a belt that had her lightsabers hanging from it, and black boots.
But, more than that, her connection to the Force felt different than what it usually was. She felt more in touch with it than ever before. She could feel both the light and, much to her alarm and confusion, the dark side of the Force intermingled and fused together within her, a true pinnacle of balance and control.
It felt… wonderful.
Suddenly, Ahsoka began walking forward on the catwalk and soon reached the end where what appeared to be a door leading further into the station. On the other side, much to her surprise, was the hooded woman from before, Revan.
"Ah, there's my best student," Revan said with a fondness that could only come from a teacher speaking to her star pupil. "Tell me, what do you know about a world called Lothal?"
Jedi Temple-Living Quarters-Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee's Quarters
Suddenly, Ahsoka awoke from the intense dream she had been having, her body covered in sweat as she looked around the room in a panic. Slowly, her more immediate memories began to return to her. She had been doing her regular Jedi Meditation, when by the looks of things, she had fallen asleep. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was the first time that she'd had a dream that intense when she'd fallen asleep.
That dream… what had it been about? thought Ahsoka as she tried to recall the dream, but it was like trying to keep water from one of the fountains from the Room of a Thousand Fountains in her bare hands… man, that was a frustrating part of her training with the Force.
Shaking her head, Ahsoka put the dream from her mind before realizing that her roommate wasn't around… and then she remembered why exactly Barriss wasn't there, causing her to groan in frustration as she fell back on her bed.
"Right… archiving duty," grumbled Ahsoka as she begrudgingly pulled herself out of bed and made her way towards the Jedi Archives.
And that's a bingo! If you liked what you saw here, then be sure to fave, follow, review, and join us next time as Revan invades the Jedi Archives in search of answers for what exactly is going on with her situation. See you then!