Chapter 14

My Chains Are Broken

"He's beautiful, no?" the Dark Lady of the Sith spoke with a wicked smirk on her face as she looked down at the newborn baby she held lovingly in her arms. "The day that you and I have dreamed of has finally come. The heir to your very own Empire."

"Not as beautiful as his mother," the unmasked Revan chuckled, getting down on one knee beside his empress's bed and laying a soft kiss on her lips which she cooed at in response.

"I must say, you've chosen a most wonderful place to call our palace," Bastila remarked, looking out the window at the busy traffic in the morning skies of Coruscant, the capital of their new empire. "A pity that its previous occupant had to be evicted on such short notice."

Revan puffed, remembering back to the day several months ago when his forces finally stormed the capital of the old Republic. "After the hell that bastard of a Supreme Chancellor made us go through in taking this world, the last thing I would have granted him was his life."

"But you went so much further, indeed," she chuckled, then sank the back of her head deeper against her pillow in comfort. "You just had to execute each and every last senator who was unfortunate to still be on this world when we attacked."

Revan shrugged and grinned at her. "Can you blame me, after the sheer frustration I had to put up with during the invasion?"

Bastila teased him with a poke to the chest. "Your fault for being such an arrogant bastard and insisting to me that you didn't need my Battle Meditation. You've already got a drop-dead gorgeous lover who loves you immensely. Just who were you trying to impress?"

Revan shook his head. "Not impress. To keep them in line. Undoubtedly, there will always be minions who seek to supplant us."

Bastila dismissed his fear with a laugh. "You are undefeatable, Revan. All should be aware of such an obvious fact. To fight you is suicide, which only a fool would dream of risking."

"Fools like Malak, yes?" Revan grinned, then caressed the brow of his young son.

"Indeed. But I must say, what an ingenious idea you came up with after he died, to strike fear in all the others. Having his dead and battered body dragged along the desolate earth of Korriban by an animal for all to see, with a rope tied around his ankle. I wonder if the wild beasts have finished feasting on his flesh and bones…"

"What can I say?" Revan smirked, leaning in and planting a seductive kiss on Bastila neck which made her shudder with pleasure. "I'm a very creative son of a bitch."

-o-

The content smile faded from Bastila's lips when she felt a soft hand shake her by the shoulder, rousing her from her sleep. Looking around her surroundings, a part of her was dismayed to find that the lavish gold-adorned walls and ceiling and luxurious furniture was gone, replaced by the simplistic and dully painted walls and ordinary furniture of her dorm. Reddish-yellow rays emanated through the small window, signifying that it was a little after sunrise.

"I'm sorry, Bastila," Elena smiled, seated on the side of Bastila's bed as she spoke gently to her dear former pupil. "Did I wake you too early?"

"No, not really," Bastila insisted, although the yawn which escaped her lips and the stretching of her arms told Elena otherwise. "But why so early today? What's the special occasion?"

"Have you forgotten already?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Today's the day when Revan finally begins his trials."

Oh, shoot, Bastila thought, her eyes jolting upwards. How has time gone by so quickly? It feels as if it was only yesterday that we arrived on Dantooine, and yet…and yet it's been more than four weeks…

"I can't believe I have forgotten," she said, disappointed in herself.

Elena grinned and patted her shoulder. "Looks like you'll be needing an extra-strong dose of coffee when you go to the dining hall. Didn't you get much sleep?"

"N-no, I haven't," Bastila stammered, drawing away her quilt and rubbing her eyes. "I was so nervous about today, considering just what it means, that I didn't fall asleep until late into the night."

"Understandable," Elena shrugged. "I won't be surprised if Revan is even more lethargic than you. Come," she said, giving Bastila's arm a slight tug, "we should eat quickly and meet with the Masters before Revan shows up."

"O-of course," Bastila nodded and rose from her bed. After using the en suite bathroom to wash her face and straighten out her appearance, she exited the dorm room with Elena, closing the door quietly so as to avoid stirring the others.

Walking beside her former Padawan, Elena felt eerie…strange…An overwhelming shroud of anxiety and doubt clouded Bastila's mind, and she could sense it without asking her. Bastila's steps were relaxed and composed, and yet her face was as pale as a ghost and her expression almost lifeless, and her eyes twitching nervously.

"Are you nervous, Bastila?" Elena asked, holding the younger Jedi's wrist softly. "Your eyes, they…they seem so uneasy."

"Huh? Me?" Bastila stammered, swiftly turning her head to look back at Elena. "Well, I erm…yes, I guess so. I'm just concerned that Revan may…may slip up somewhere, especially when it comes to reciting the Jedi Code to Master Zhar."

"I know what you mean," Elena said, although she failed to understand the true reason behind Bastila's current nervous state, which had nothing to do with Revan's trials. "I still remember the way he so determinedly argued with both of us with such passion on the topic of the Jedi Code over the past few weeks. If he keeps that up today, he may very well fail at the first hurdle."

"But you understand what this'll mean if and when he eventually passes the trials and sets out with us to stop the Sith, yes? His passion is so unbounded despite all our efforts to instill in him a sense of self-constraint. No matter what we try, there will always be passion in him. If the Masters couldn't erase his unbridled passion after his capture, then how can we possibly hope to contain it in the months ahead?"

"His passion may appear to be unrestrainable, but it is not so," Elena disagreed with a shake of her head. "Remember that deep inside, even if he does not remember it, he still loves me with all his heart, and he also cares immensely for your wellbeing. I sincerely think that despite his headstrong nature which can certainly drive him to take irrational and brash action at times, he would never bring himself to risk incurring harm to either of us."

"You are right," Bastila admitted. "I still remember what happened on that day we captured him. That is proof enough of the fact that he loves us deeply. He always was like a brother to me after he saved me on Corellia all those years ago."

Elena chuckled. "I recall wandering half the surface of that planet looking for you that day. I thought I would have a heart attack and die of anxiety before he saved you and brought you back to me."

Bastila smiled back. "I have a feeling that I'm going to be the one who dies of anxiety today. After all, he is going to build a lightsaber and use it in a sparring contest with you as part of his trials."

Elena frowned. "You think one of us is going to get hurt?"

"I have good reason to," Bastila nodded. "He's a cheeky little bastard, combining various lightsaber forms in unorthodox ways."

Elena rolled her eyes, remembering the torrid and frustrating sparring sessions she and Revan had with training lightsabers in the dojo. His eccentric nature driving his learning, Revan had virtually outright rejected the orthodox manner of applying each lightsaber form as a distinct form in itself, stating that simply alternating between forms was too predictable when applied in combat, and instead sought to come up with hybrid custom forms, one of which included a strange conglomeration of Makashi, Ataru and Djem So in an unpredictable flurry of attacks. He had even learned to incorporate the deceptive practice of Trakata, where he would opportunistically deactivate his lightsaber during saber locks and then reignite it to aim a blow at her torso. Revan was yet to best either Elena or Bastila in lightsaber combat, but Elena could well and truly tell from his amazing progress that that day could very well be today.

"Let's just hope that he doesn't overdo it," Elena joked, looking at the main entrance to the Academy complex which came into their sights. "Wouldn't want him to lose an arm by ticking me off."

-o-

Tired after an almost sleepless night, Kael let out a dreary sigh as his eyelids fluttered open in reaction to the sunlight which beamed against them. Feeling terrible physically and not at all optimistic about the day ahead, he squirmed his way out of bed and made a quick use of the bathroom before dressing himself in the brown Jedi robes which were provided to him during the early stages of his training. Basking in the warm sunlight, he headed to the dining hall for his morning meal.

Thinking back to the day when he first set foot on Dantooine, he marveled at the rapid progress he made in the four short weeks he spent in the Academy. From being treated as a human toy for the purpose of relieving one's frustration by Bastila, his power grew exponentially once he finally opened himself to the Force with Elena's help four days later.

He remembered feeling as if a Corellian freight train had crashed into his chest the moment he felt the Force coursing through his veins for the first time. He struggled for breath and his heart rate raced to almost inconceivable levels, his body seemingly threatening to implode from the pressure of feeling the presence of countless billions of other beings all across the galaxy.

But as always, Elena was right next to him, holding his hand firmly in hers and offering all the support she could. With her help, he gradually became able to shut out the overwhelming flow of the Force from his mind, and focus himself in order to take the first step to becoming a true Jedi. He knew that he owed her his life, as he felt as if he was on the brink of death the moment he became open to the Force.

Elena was his rock, and Kael knew this. Whenever his mind was wreaked with anxiety, she was there to give him peace. Whenever he thought he couldn't take it any longer and wanted to quit, she urged him on and gave him encouragement. He was now fully aware and understood the reason why Jedi could not afford to form attachments, but it felt so proper to him that he appreciated her company in a way that the Masters certainly would not approve of.

Bastila, of course, was also there to provide him with support and guidance, and similarly quickly became a good friend of his. However, despite the fact that he spent virtually an equal amount of time with both Bastila and Elena, and that Bastila was equally as attractive as her older peer, there was something that simply drew Kael to Elena. His head couldn't comprehend why, but his heart seemed to urge him and draw him towards her.

Deciding that he should avoid thinking of such things as they would distract him from the trials ahead, Kael shook his head and walked into the dining hall. Several Padawans and Jedi Knights were also present, but Kael could not find any of his friends in the area.

He ate and finished his meal in silence, reciting in his head the Jedi Code as well as the answers he would provide Master Zhar during the test. Knowing that he would almost certainly fail if he gave the same responses he did during his meditation sessions with Elena, Kael was forced to come up with new explanations in the hopes that they would be moderate enough to be considered for a pass by the Twi'lek Master.

After returning his bowl to the large sink at the front of the dining hall, he turned around to begin heading to the Council audience chamber, preparing himself mentally for the trial ahead. He was given the fright of his life, however, when he saw the towering figure of Zaalbar standing right in front of him, easily extending over him by over a foot.

"For the love of hell, Zaalbar!" Kael panted, feeling his heartbeat liven all of a sudden.

"Teeheehee," a teasing voice came from behind the back of the Wookiee, and out from behind him popped Mission with a big smile on her face. "Big Z got you good, Kael!"

"Real funny, Mission," Kael chuckled at the child, who laughed at him along with Zaalbar. The past few weeks had seen a dramatic change in Mission's personality, and being on Dantooine had evidently done her much good. The constantly down and depressed child from their first days on the planet was seemingly gone, replaced by a vibrant and cheerful spirit who grew very close to all her companions…except of course for Canderous. Being under the protective watch of Ice and Carth had evidently allowed her to finally get a taste of the security and happiness she had lacked for so long during her many years on Taris.

"Kids will be kids," Ice smirked as she shook her head, walking forward from behind Zaalbar and facing Kael. Placing one hand on her hip, she spoke to him. "You ready for today, big shot?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kael shrugged, doing his best to avoid appearing nervous or jittery. "If my instincts are right, today's trials are the easy part. It's the third which is the problem."

"'Overcoming the darkness of your own heart'. Oooh, scary," Ice mockingly shook her hands in the air at him. "Sounds like children's horror story type stuff, to me."

"Hey, don't joke about it! This is serious!" Kael smiled broadly, sharing in her humor.

"So, you're heading off now to begin your trials, are ya?" Mission asked with a grin.

"Yeah, I'm about to," Kael confirmed. "Bit nervous, though…Not about the first bit where I have to recite the Jedi Code. It's the second part that worries me."

"Yeah…about that," Mission sighed. "Don't lose any body parts, ok? We wouldn't want to carry you around on our backs or on a wheelchair on such an important mission. By all means, break a leg, but don't lose it, okay?"

Kael raised an eyebrow. "That's…very reassuring advice, Mission…"

"Good luck!" Mission cried out and suddenly threw her arms around her friend to wish him well. Surprised by the unexpected act, Kael simply smiled and returned the gesture.

Opening his eyes after being given a heart-warming sendoff by Mission, Kael winced as he saw a number of Padawans and Knights giving him an eerie look before continuing with their meal. Quickly taking the cue to separate himself from the Twi'lek, he gave the three of them a nod of acknowledgement and thanks as he departed the dining hall and made for the Council chamber.

"There goes Mr. Hopeful-Jedi," Mission remarked, moving with Ice and Zaalbar to the table which contained bowls of stew ready for consumption. "I hope he makes it. I can't wait to go out there and start searching for my brother."

"Hmm, let's not get our hopes up awfully high, dearie," Ice smirked as they each took a bowl and headed for the nearest vacant table.

"What makes you say that?" Mission questioned.

"He might slip up during the Jedi Code recital bit. You know, he's headstrong and all that. Elena and Bastila told me about it."

"Oh, come on! How can you say that? Of course he'll pass! Say…," she smirked playfully after getting a bright idea. "You wanna bet on it? 10 credits says he'll pass."

Ice chuckled. "You know that it's my money that I effectively gave you as an allowance that you're betting with? But alright, then; 10 credits says he'll fail dismally and get his arse whooped by Elena during the lightsaber training exercise."

Mission grinned as she raised the first spoonful of food to her mouth. "You're on."

-o-

All eyes turned to the former Dark Lord of the Sith who calmly entered the chamber floor, bringing with him a presence in the Force so colossal and unrivaled even among the four Masters who stood with Knights Elena and Bastila. His steps were measured and cool, and regardless of what he felt in his heart, his eyes remained composed as ever.

Stopping in front of the Jedi who were gathered, Kael took a bow and greeted them. "Good morning, Masters." He took a glance at Elena and Bastila, still feeling awkward whenever he had to address the two women who he now regarded as close friends in the same way as he did the Masters when they were in the Masters' presence.

"And good morning to you, apprentice," Vandar said back positively. "Today is without doubt a big day for you. Are you ready to begin your trials?"

Kael nodded humbly. "I am, Master."

"Perhaps we move too quickly," Vrook stubbornly insisted, much to the subtle displeasure of Kael. "It has only been a few weeks since the beginning of his training here. His skills may be up to the task, but what of his heart? Would we dare to enable him to progress, given the yet-untamed nature of his mind?"

"It may be a risk, but it is a risk we must be willing to take, Master Vrook," Dorak said. "His progress and the speed at which he has learned the Jedi arts is truly rapid, amazing and peerless. You concern is understandable, but our patience cannot last forever. Every day that goes by means that Malak's forces are further bolstered while the Republic continues to grow weak."

"Master Dorak is correct," Zhar agreed, then looked at Kael. "If you truly consider yourself to be ready for these trials, then we cannot delay them any further."

Elena spoke up. "As you must know, the first part of your trial consists of reciting the Jedi Code, and furthermore providing an explanation to show that you have indeed attained a grasp of the deeper meaning behind it. This will allow us to determine whether you are ready to take on the emotional and mental challenges that come as a result of adhering to the Code."

"Whenever you are ready, you may begin the recital, apprentice," Vandar stated. All the Jedi looked at Kael with patience in their eyes, save for Elena who had a sullen frown on her expression which was out of sight of the Masters who stood slightly ahead of her.

Taking a deep breath to soothe his nerves, Kael proceeded with the recital. "There is no emotion; there is peace. Actions driven by emotion rather than logic and rationality are almost certain to be doomed to failure. A Jedi must always guard against impulses, especially those related to possessiveness, pride and vanity, otherwise they risk falling to the dark side."

How false that is, he thought to himself after pausing, carefully shielding his mind from the probing gazes of the Masters. If Jedi are never permitted to form emotional judgements, then how can we possibly separate right from wrong? How could I possibly sit idly by in a state of emotional apathy while there is so much injustice going on in the galaxy?

Taking a cue from the nodding heads of the Masters who agreed with his words, he continued. "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. Should there indeed be ignorance instead of knowledge, one's mind must inevitably be filled with emotion, which acts as a substitute for knowledge in decision-making. If rational thought is overridden by desire and reckless impulse, the consequences could be dire. Those who do not learn their history are doomed to repeat it; the history of the galaxy is wrought with revolutions which, although they had as a chief objective the desire to rid society of tyranny, were all too soon perverted and turned into despotic regimes as the people operated on emotional impulse rather than sound principles."

There will always be ignorance, whether we like it or not. Those who pride themselves and vainly believe themselves to possess greater knowledge and wisdom than others too often fall into the trap that is their stubbornness and self-appeasement and aggrandizement. The more one believes himself to be knowledgeable instead of persistently questioning the world around him, the more he is likely to be ignorant himself.

"There is no passion; there is serenity. This line further builds on the principles behind 'there is no emotion; there is peace'. Passion is the most prominent emotion which leads to erratic and unwise behaviour among people, sometimes ultimately leading them to utter disaster. Furthermore, the most dangerous emotion that Jedi can be subjected to is love. Love leads to possessiveness, the fear of loss. This ultimately leads to the dark side, as it eats away at your sense of judgement."

And just what do you hope to protect if you forbid Jedi from being driven by their passion? By forbidding them to embrace their passion and desire to protect their loved ones? What drives the countless Republic soldiers who are constantly dying on the front lines? Don't you believe that anything is worth fighting and dying for? Again, you are being misled and misguided by your excessively apathetic nature.

"There is no chaos; there is harmony. The dark side is, in itself, a dangerous imbalance of the Force. It can never create; it destroys. It can never heal; only corrode. A Jedi must always strive to defeat the darkness wherever it may be, so as to protect the helpless and needy."

I don't buy the mantra that the dark side of the Force is inherently evil. Only people are good or evil; the Force is the Force, and nothing more. It is like stating that one face of the coin is inherently bad, while the other is inherently good. It is the actions and motives of those who wield the Force which determines their morality as individuals.

"There is no death; there is the Force. We must not grieve for those who are gone, for they have gone to their eternal and peaceful rest. Death is a natural part of life, which we must all learn to accept. To attempt to cheat death means that one's character will ultimately be corrupted and tainted. That is the lesson we must learn from the tragedies that had befallen many a Sith Lord who sought to attain immortality."

And that is why you are content to sit here safe in your chamber, while countless good men and women are dying on the front lines. You are content to let countless people be subjugated to tyranny and forceful oppression, because what does it matter? We'll all be dead eventually. You damned cowards…

Dorak praised him. "Very good. I see you have indeed achieved a deep understanding of the Jedi Code."

The other Masters all seemed to have content looks on their faces, but of course except for the virtually permanently-disgruntled Vrook. Although he took comfort at the apparent fact that they were equally as pleased or satisfied with his answers as Dorak, Kael was slightly unnerved when he saw that Bastila and Elena looked at him with eyes full of worry.

Maintaining a straight face so as to avoid incurring suspicion in the Masters, Kael looked at Zhar who proceeded to speak.

"Your insight serves you well. You have passed the first test. Now you must select the respective branch of our Order you will commit yourself to, as well as the lightsaber crystal that you will use. No doubt that Knights Bastila and Elena have explained these to you in detail."

"I have made up my mind, Master," Kael nodded. "I wish to wield a blue lightsaber."

Vrook raised an eyebrow. "You have selected a blue lightsaber crystal, which implies that you have chosen to be a Guardian…and yet you have not stated this outright."

"To be honest with you, Masters, I do not believe it is best for the Jedi to maintain the Order's orthodox notion of assigning color-coded classes to its adherents. I believe that a Jedi should strive to achieve self-improvement in all regards, so as to prepare himself for any challenge ahead, whether it be in close lightsaber combat, application of the Force, diplomacy or problem-solving. Furthermore, if we stick to color-coding our fellows, it will only create a great opportunity for the Sith to exploit. In battle, they will know to take advantage of a Guardian's comparatively weaker ability in the Force; a Consular's comparatively lacking lightsaber prowess; and the fact that the Sentinel is not conscientiously trained in either extreme.

"The Sith, on the other hand, wielding all-crimson lightsabers, are almost impossible for us Jedi to predict as far as their respective abilities go. We cannot determine their strengths or weaknesses at all prior to engaging in combat. A lightsaber's color is purely cosmetic; it is what the Jedi does within his abilities that counts."

"An interesting observation, apprentice," Vandar said. "Your rationale for your decision is unprecedented among all the initiates we have ever had in this Academy."

"It is a curious thing," Zhar added. "Why do you insist on receiving a blue lightsaber crystal, considering what you have just said?"

"I don't know precisely, Master Zhar," Kael answered uneasily. "It's just that…I seem to have a natural affinity of sorts to the position of a Guardian, and having a blue lightsaber for some reason just seems to…appeal to me."

The Masters and two Knights looked at each other with concern in their eyes, knowing all too well that the Revan of old was a Guardian prior to his corruption and fall. If they were not cautious and exercised extreme care, they risked losing him once more, perhaps even permanently this time.

"Very well, Kael," Zhar nodded, then pointed to the open training room situated to their left. "In that room is a workbench which is used by those in the Order to modify and also repair their lightsabers. Components and parts, as well as three crystals have been prepared for you. Take the blue crystal and attach it to your lightsaber."

"And make sure to leave the yellow and green ones, yes?" Bastila added snidely, knowing Kael's sneaky attitude from the weeks they spent together.

"Of course I will," Kael replied, feeling eerie because of Bastila's subtle personal attack on this character.

Elena gave him a tip. "Assemble your lightsaber in the same way that Bastila and I have instructed you during the construction of your training lightsaber. The only real difference is that you must not use the electromagnetic containment field generator which renders your training lightsaber harmless."

"Thank you, Master," Kael replied with a grateful nod before heading off to the adjoining chamber. A small smirk lingered on Bastila's lips, as she knew that Kael deeply disliked referring to either of them as 'Master' and instead considered them his friends.

As Kael began to assemble the various pieces which constituted the lightsaber from memory, beads of sweat began to form above his brow. The voices of the Masters and Bastila and Elena could be heard chattering amongst themselves, but their words were shut out of Kael's mind, his entire being focused solely on assembling the weapon of the Jedi.

He feared what might happen to him if things went wrong and in ways unintended, of course, but his greatest concern was not for his own safety, but for Elena's. He knew that his skills still paled in comparison to hers, despite the fact that the last few sparring sessions with training lightsabers had ended in a stalemate. Still, he cared deeply about the Jedi Knight's safety in a way that would have surely meant his failing the trials as soon as he entered the Council chamber, had he not learned to shield his thoughts from others by skilfully blanking his mind.

Every lesson, every strike and every stroke of Elena's movements was embedded in his conscious. He knew her temperament in combat, as well as her strengths and weaknesses. Although their exercises almost always ended in a draw, Kael knew that neither he nor Elena could bring themselves to harm one another, irrespective of the fact that the weapons they had used so far were near-harmless training lightsabers which could at most leave a nasty graze on the surface of the skin.

Locked in his thoughts, he hadn't even noticed that his lightsaber was now perfectly assembled in front of him, its smooth grip comfortably accommodating his hand in a way that allowed him to swiftly alternate between his memorized hybrid lightsaber styles as necessary. His heart began to pounder faster as his thumb moved over the red ignition button, and the weapon soon crackled to life, emitting a brilliant blade with a blue outer hue. He walked out the room with his new lightsaber in hand, impressive the Jedi Masters and Knights who watched on in admiration at the humming blue blade.

"You have done well, Kael," Dorak complimented him. "The lightsaber appears to be without any defect. Now, you must test your new weapon in combat. Elena, if you will, please." He gestured to the Jedi Knight, and he and his colleagues took a step back, vacating the small inner circle of the chamber for the two former lovers.

Taking a deep breath, Elena walked forward and ignited her own blue lightsaber, readying herself in the Ataru preparation stance, both hands holding her lightsaber slightly to her side. In response, Kael assumed a Makashi stance, holding his lightsaber downwards in front of him, prepared for any advances that Elena would make.

An eerie wave of silence covered the entire Council chamber. The Padawans and Jedi Knights who were walking through the outer circumference of the chamber stood silently by, intently watching the two combatants who brimmed with the Force. Bastila swallowed nervously, knowing that Kael's passions and unrestrained behavioral tendencies in combat could lead to dire consequences if he was not careful.

Having had enough of inaction and eager to begin the exercise, Kael swiftly advanced, swinging his lightsaber horizontally and transitioning into his hybrid form combining the brute force of Djem So with the acrobatic movements of Ataru.

And the moment their lightsabers clashed, Elena's vision turned to white emptiness as her mind flashed with memories past.

-o

"You cannot win, Revan!" Bastila said with surging confidence in her voice, pointing her finger at the Dark Lord in a way which caused him to scoff at her arrogance. At her feet lay the corpse of the last Sith minion who had died serving the dark will of his master. "Surrender now, drop your lightsaber, and your life will be spared."

"Funny," Revan chuckled beneath his mask, his back turned against the four Jedi who looked at him with pounding hearts. He turned slowly and insidiously, instantly striking fear into them with a single look of his mask. "I could say the same to you." He activated his crimson lightsaber in a Makashi stance, and it came to life with a menacing crackle. "Well, only for you and Elena, that is. Unfortunately for your other two friends, they must die."

"Overconfident. As always, Revan," a male Jedi Knight with fair skin and short brown hair shot back at the cocky Dark Lord. His green lightsaber was at the ready for whatever Revan may throw at them, but his confident voice was not matched by the slight trembling in his grip which gave reason for Revan to grin bemusedly under his mask.

"Not overconfident," he replied, pointing his lightsaber straight at the Jedi who dared to mock him. "Merely speaking of the reality of what's to come."

Revan's eyes then caught sight of Elena, who had a distraught expression smeared across her face. Her lips trembled as tears threatened to fall down her cheeks, barely being contained by her eyelids.

"Revan…," she spoke, fighting back her sorrows. "Don't do this. Please, just surrender…"

"Sorry," he chuckled back. "Not happening."

Unable to hold back any longer, considering the outnumbered state of the small Republic fleet which had been set up to bait Revan and Malak, the fourth Jedi Knight, a young man with a shaved head and a medium complexion, charged at the masked terror of the Republic with his blue lightsaber.

"That's enough! You're going down, Revan!" he yelled, running in with his weapon pointed squarely at Revan's heart.

"How typical of a Jedi Guardian," Revan rolled his eyes, then used the Force to send the corpse of a Sith acolyte flying against Bastila and Elena who were yet to move. Not having expected the unorthodox countering measure by Revan, the two women were knocked away and landed hard on their backs, giving Revan ample time to dispatch of the reckless male Jedi.

Sending a brutal and gargantuan wave of concentrated Force Lightning against the fair-skinned Jedi, Revan overwhelmed the amateurish Knight who foolishly relied on his lightsaber alone to absorb the power of the lightning tendrils which flooded over and around him, causing searing pain. The bald Jedi desperately pressed the attack, but couldn't do a thing to overcome Revan's masterful application of Makashi, and all the while his companion continued to be bombarded by Force Lightning.

Tired of putting up with the Jedi's feeble and clumsy attacks, Revan sighed and swiftly dealt a hard kick against the Jedi's stomach, incapacitating and stunning him to be executed and finished off with a swift strike to the back of the neck. Having sensed that the second Jedi was now nothing more than a smoldering pile of mutilated flesh, Revan exhaled in disappointment.

And all this was done in the few short seconds it took for Bastila and Elena to push away the corpse which lay over them and get back onto their feet.

Bastila watched in horror at the severed head of the slain Jedi which rolled towards them. Paralayzed by the gruesome sight despite her Jedi training and mental discipline, she was only given respite when Revan mercifully used the Force to fling it far away to the side of the command bridge.

"My apologies," he smirked, holding his lightsaber by his side. "I know that you get all jumpy when it comes to disgusting things, and so I obliged you."

"How could you do this, Revan? How could you betray me?" Elena finally managed to openly shed her tears as she took two steps towards him, too emotionally downtrodden to even lift her lightsaber. Her head screamed at her to ready herself for combat and to protect herself against the Dark Lord, but her heart knew that Revan, as corrupted by the dark side as he was, couldn't possibly harm the woman he loved with every fiber of his being.

"I never betrayed you, Elena," Revan said, taking off his mask with one hand as he knew that there was no risk in doing so, as all around them were now dead. Elena gasped in horror the moment she saw that her fiancé's tender brown eyes were replaced with orbs of searing yellow, a testament to his corruption. "Even now, my feelings for you have not changed in the slightest."

"You promised me, Revan," Elena growled, finally having summoned up the strength to raise her lightsaber for combat. "You promised me that you would return from the war being the same man who asked for my hand in marriage. And you failed."

Revan grinned darkly. "I could always wear dark brown contact lenses, if that's what you wish. But that is not the point I should be talking to you about. In fact, it is so nice of you to join me here. I thought I might have to go all the way to Coruscant to find both of you and take you under my protection, and yet here you are."

Bastila answered back. "What do you mean, Revan? 'Under your protection'?"

"Indeed," Revan nodded. "Once Coruscant and the Republic fell, both of you would have been at the mercy of the Sith. And considering Malak's less-than-patient nature, would you have rather been at his mercy or mine?"

"Neither," Bastila puffed. "You are no longer the man you once were, Revan. You're nothing more than a monster."

"Would a monster offer you his protection?" Revan rolled his eyes and extended a hand of invitation out to them. "The two of you are my family, and I love you both very deeply. You know that your skills, even combined, are no match for mine, so why do you even persist? Come with me and I will protect you against any and all ills which may prey upon you. You shall be my empress, Elena, and as for you, Bastila, you shall be the heir to our very own empire."

"Your offer means nothing," Elena spat tearfully. "You are dead to me now, Revan. You are not the man I love. I couldn't care less about your vaunted dreams of an empire."

Revan scoffed, amazed by his fiancé's ignorance. "My empire is a means to an end, not an end in itself. I will be more than happy to further explain it to you, but I see that first, a little persuasion is in order…" He readied himself in his hybrid form which combined Juyo and Soresu in an unpredictable flurry of defensive parries swiftly followed by offensive swings, taking a deep breath to prepare himself for combat.

Having had enough of words, Bastila charged at Revan with her yellow lightsaber, striking the first blow. Her horizontal and rather clumsy swing was easily deflected by Revan, who swiftly moved his saber to block another incoming attack by Elena aimed at his knees. A brutal bout of combat ensued, and yet, despite their hardest efforts, Revan almost seemed to not care, his deflections less than effortless and making even the greatest practitioners of pure-form Soresu look like mere amateurs.

Taking advantage of an opening created by Bastila's excessive dependence on the acrobatic spins of Ataru, Revan sent her flying away and onto the floor with an almighty Force Push which the more cautious Niiman practitioner Elena managed to defend against with an outstretched hand.

Distracted by Revan's enormous power, Elena recovered only just in time to parry a great vertical downward swing initiated by Revan, but was helpless to do anything about the swift kick he dealt to her ankle, tripping her over and causing her to collapse onto her stomach.

Her lightsaber having clattered out of her hand, Elena was defenceless at the feet of the Dark Lord who loomed over her, pointing his lightsaber at her, inches away from her face. Bringing her gaze up from his boots, she looked up at the eyes of the man whom she once called the love of her life, and whose hands her life was now in the mercy of.

-o-

"This is…most incredible, indeed," the stunned Zhar said, looking down at Elena who looked up helplessly at Kael who stood before her. "To think that you have not only held your own against such an accomplished member of our Order, but to also have defeated her in such short a time…"

"Defeated her he has, but what of it?" Vrook grumbled. "You all felt the sheer emotion and passion that emanated from him. How can we possibly deem him worthy to be part of our Order?"

"His passion was understandable, Master Vrook," Vandar insisted. "To apply such a form of Juyo naturally requires a Jedi to push himself to the limits, both physically and emotionally. But control himself he has."

"As such, by our expectations and standards, you have passed the second test," Dorak said. "The only test that remains now is the third…"

His heart was gladdened by the fact that Dorak gave him his approval, but Kael was more concerned about his dear friend who was still stunned as she remained on the floor staring at his feet. Deactivating and clipping his lightsaber to his belt, he knelt down and helped Elena to her feet.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Kael said, holding Elena by the sides of her arms after they rose.

"I'm…I'm fine," she murmured, her eyes looking away absently. "Now only the third trial remains for you."

"Just what does that consist of, anyway?" Kael asked, turning to the Masters.

Dorak explained. "Normally, the third part of the trials consisted of the initiate having to complete a specific yet simple task, such as solving a crime or assisting citizens in need. But given the increasingly restless state of the galaxy, and the persistent advances of the Sith, we here in the Dantooine Academy have formulated a special task."

Zhar carried on from his colleague. "The final part of your trials will require you to not only identify, but conquer the inner darkness that festers in your heart. With more and more of our bright and hopeful students turning to the dark side of the Force, we thought it necessary to enable them to resist such dark temptations through more strenuous means. A few short miles northeast from this enclave lies a cave. The cave is home to many crystal formations which have served as a reliable source of lightsaber crystals for our Order. However, in recent weeks shortly prior to your arrival, the cave has become tainted. A dark presence lingers in that place, and must be cleansed. It has not only corrupted the cave, but also the wild kath hound beasts which roam the surrounding plains."

Kael inquired further, dissatisfied with the answer provided to him. "This…'presence'…Just what is it? A spirit? A person?"

"There is little more we can tell you," Vandar regretfully shook his head. "For this trial is designed to test not only your ability to conquer your inner darkness, but also to overcome your deeper fears. You must rely on yourself in this undertaking."

"A map will be provided for you tomorrow morning, outlining the surrounding areas around this enclave, including the crystal cave," Zhar said. "You must set out then to cleanse the cave of the dark taint. No other member of our Order may accompany you during this mission; not even Bastila or Elena."

"Why tomorrow, though?" Kael asked, puzzled as to why he had to wait. "Why can't I go right now? Even if Bastila and Elena can't come with me, surely I will be able to accomplish this mission with my other friends."

Zhar spoke. "As we have said, the cave is deeply corrupted by the dark side of the Force. Without proper meditation, you may almost surely fall from the path of the light. As for your friends…"

"There is no restriction on non-Jedi who may accompany you," Vandar added. "But know that you will certainly be endangering their lives should you take them with you. That is part of your trial; to test whether you have truly understood the meaning of the first line of the Jedi Code, 'there is no emotion; there is peace'."

"We will speak again tomorrow, when you are properly rested," Vrook muttered. "I can only hope that you are truly up to the task."

"Bastila and I will tend to his meditations, Masters," Elena volunteered. "We will make certain that he is ready."

Dorak approved. "Very well. Return here tomorrow morning, and Kael will set out on his quest once we deem him ready."

With a respectful bow, the two Jedi Knights and the soon-to-be Padawan departed for the training rooms in the west wing of the Enclave. Kael breathed a sigh of relief as he walked in between Bastila and Elena, gladdened by the fact that he passed the easy parts of his trials.

Turning his head to the right to look upon Elena, he smiled at her, feeling for sure that she would congratulate him on his success so far. However, Elena's expression was worse than stone, a frustrated scowl etched on her face as she stubbornly looked forward, not even paying any attention to him.

The smile on Kael's lips instantly faded. How someone who was so supportive and nurturing towards him could now flat-out refuse to even look at him was beyond his comprehension.

Whatever it was, she was not pleased with him. Not one bit.

-o-

The cool breeze blowing against her and sending her unbound, long golden hair fluttering behind her back, Ice looked up at the wondrous night sky that was filled with countless bright stars and a beautiful waxing moon. She took pleasure engaging in this activity every night, for it gave her mind a feeling of peace she had never felt while she lived on the sprawling metropolis planet of Taris.

Somewhere, out there in the vast expanse of space, was her old homeworld of Alderaan. Even now, after more than twenty years had passed since she last treaded its surface, she remembered visiting its lush forests and soothing rivers every two weeks with her beloved father. The father whom she could also rely on to be there for her and her younger siblings whenever they needed him, before he was tragically taken away from her by forces beyond her control.

Her instincts kicking in, she swiftly turned her head the moment she heard a footstep approaching her from the right. Seeing that it was just Carth, she calmed herself, berating herself inwardly for having such a jumpy nature due to her many years as a Hidden Bek specialist.

"Sorry for startling you there," Carth chuckled and approached. "May I stand with you?"

"It is a free Republic, isn't it?" Ice said, looking back up at the sky as Carth joined her.

"For the time being, yes it is," Carth smiled. "By the way, is Mission asleep?"

"Yes, and so is Zaalbar. I'm curious, though," Ice grinned. "You're always so worried about Mission all the time; you never ask about Zaalbar, do you?"

"Well, you probably understand why," Carth shrugged, looking at her. "Zaalbar's a big guy and can take care of himself. Mission, on the other hand, is so young, fragile, and—"

"Turning into a problem gambler," Ice joked, chuckling to herself. "I lost ten credits today in our bet, because I said that Kael wouldn't pass his trial on the first try."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, to be honest. After all, you're doing quite a good job as a makeshift parent of sorts for her."

Ice peered at him and smiled. "As are you."

The two of them stood in silence smiling at each other for a moment. Then, realizing the awkwardness of the situation, they laughed off their mutual shyness and returned to gazing at the moon.

"You know," Ice said dreamily. I've been thinking…"

"I'm all ears, beautiful," Carth teased in a way which Ice had gotten accustomed to in the four weeks they spent on Dantooine.

Smirking, Ice continued. "I've spent so many years in the streets of Taris. Towering structures, busy city streets and cantinas filled with beyond-despicable lecherous bastards eyeing me at every corner…I almost forgot what the touch of grass felt like, or the smell of nature. It reminds me so much of…of…"

"Alderaan, doesn't it?" Carth finished for her, knowing where she was going with it.

"Yes," she nodded. "It does. I sure hope Alderaan doesn't end up sharing the same fate as Taris. At least not in my lifetime, that is." She wanted to go on, but then realized that the image she conjured up caused visible disturbance in Carth, who looked down with a sullen face. "I-I'm sorry, Carth. I didn't mean to remind you of—"

"No, it's alright, Ice," Carth insisted with a shake of his head. "Telos will continue to affect me for the rest of my life, but in a damn strange way, I…I kind of have a slight feeling that it actually helped me somewhat."

Ice narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Just how could something like that 'help' you?"

"It's tragic what happened to my wife, but…I've finally learned what the true lesson is behind such disasters. For so long, I've been so focused on my duty and my career, that I forgot just how important family is in my life. Losing Telos has made me realize that sometimes, no matter how hard-pressed you may feel you are given your duty as a soldier, you're going to regret it if you don't take some time out every now and then to be with your family. I've been away from my family for so long and so frequently, and now I feel as if I didn't even get to watch my son grow up, or take care of my wife as well as I would have liked to."

"Carth…," Ice said sympathetically, placing a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I could have been a better father," Carth sighed and hung his head in shame. "Could have been a better husband. Now I'll never get a second chance."

"That's not true," Ice whispered with strength and belief in her voice as she turned Carth's cheek so that he could look her in the eyes. "Your son may very well be out there somewhere, looking for you just as you are looking for him. Never give up, Carth. I'm not giving up hope in my desire to search for my siblings, nor is Mission giving up on finding her brother again. And even if you and I never find our families again, we both have to stay strong. For Mission's sake."

Carth nodded, finding undeniable truth in her words. "You're…you're right. She needs us."

Ice laughed and held her hand against her hip. "Of course she needs us; she's just a 14 year-old girl!"

Carth smiled. "Don't say that in front of her, though."

"Oh…don't you worry about that. After all, I'm the one who's got leverage over her because of her allowance."

"You're one incredibly strict guardian, you know that?" he chortled.

"I have to be strict with her," Ice sighed. "Otherwise she might go running off exploring on her own again, like she did last week. Took me a damn long time to find her, as well."

"I have a feeling she might tomorrow, when Kael goes off on his little quest. You know how attached she's gotten to him these past few weeks."

"Understandable, if you ask me," Ice shrugged. "I think Kael's like a big brother to her. You know, taking the place of Griff and all."

"I always wondered how Kael put up with her following him all around the place lately," Carth remarked with a soft laugh. "Must have been going nuts with her constant pestering. I think she actually gets a kick out of it."

"Kids will be kids, as always. Can't blame her."

"If she wants to keep on acting like a kid, then she better make the most of it while she can. After all, we're most likely going to be heading off to places as soon as Kael completes his mission tomorrow."

"Dangerous places, at that," Ice glumly stated with a sigh.

"What about dangerous places?"

Startled by the voice which suddenly came from behind them, Ice and Carth turned around to see Mission out of her shared dorm room with Zaalbar, drearily approaching them silently while rubbing her eye. She was still dressed in the warm, white woolly suit of pyjamas that Ice had bought for her in the markets using more of the money she stole from Davik. Rather expensive pyjamas, at that.

Ice whispered out to her. "We were just saying that we may have to go to dangerous places after Kael finally becomes a real Jedi. And what are you doing out of bed? You should be asleep!"

"Funny," Mission remarked with a tired grin. "Never knew that talking about dangerous places served as a source of intimate conversation."

Confused by what she meant, Carth and Ice assessed themselves, finding to their great embarrassment that they had subconsciously joined hands without being aware of it themselves. They instinctively let go, flustered by Mission's constant giggles.

"Oh, will you just go to bed already? Go back to your own room, missy!" Ice scolded her.

"I can't!"

"What do you mean, you 'can't'?" Ice glared at Mission, both hands on her hips.

"It stinks! Zaalbar keeps on farting in his sleep! Really bad! I told him to go easy on the food tonight, but he wouldn't listen, remember?"

"Ugh," Ice sighed, holding her forehead in an attempt to prevent herself from succumbing to a migraine. "Fine. Get into my room, and close the door. I'll come in with you soon."

"Okay, then," Mission replied cheerfully, then shot at them another teasing grin before doing as she was told.

"Seriously, she drives me nuts at times," Ice exhaled after hearing the door shut.

Carth laughed softly. "Now you know what it's like to be a parent."

"Crash courses were always the best way for someone to learn new skills," Ice smiled, then slightly approached him. "But really, I am grateful that you're here with us. I couldn't have ever possibly looked after her by myself."

"It's the least I could do," Carth said humbly. "Besides, the others and I wouldn't even be standing here today if it wasn't for you guys."

They looked upon each other for a brief moment, exchanging warm smiles of mutual appreciation. Then, without a word, Ice moved forward and openly embraced the soldier with a tender hug, surprising him with her actions.

"I-Ice?" he stammered. "What are you—"

"I'll be honest with you," Ice spoke softly into his ear. "This is the first time since my mother's death that I feel that…I could not only depend and rely on someone, but also take comfort in what I can consider true safety. Zaerdra was always there for me, but every day I spent on Taris, I had to be on high alert, never resting my senses for a moment for fear of losing my life. I had to stay strong not only for myself, but also for my friends. But as of late, I could finally relax myself and truly feel at peace. And part of that was because you were always there to support us, especially in the early days when Mission was still depressed about the loss of Taris."

"It's always nice to have someone to lean on for help, isn't it?" Carth said, gradually returning her embrace and resting his cheek against the top of her soft golden head.

"Certainly is," Ice agreed, then slowly separated from him and looked into his eyes. "Well, it's late, and I better get back to my room to check on Mission. It's been a long day."

"Sure thing," Carth nodded and slightly turned clockwise in the direction of his dorm. "Goodnight, Ice. I'll see you in the morning."

Smiling warmly, Ice took a hold of Carth's hand before he could leave. Turning him back towards her, she gently placed her right hand over his heart and leaned in towards his right ear. Her soft and tender lips hovered close to his earlobe, making the slightest contact with it as she whispered.

"Call me Audrey."

A/N: Whew, that was a monstrously long chapter to deal with. I was originally going to put in another scene right at the end, where Kael, Elena and Bastila discuss Kael's first two tests, but decided to shift that to the next chapter or the one after that.

I struggled a bit during the section concerning the Jedi Code as well as choosing a Jedi class, because it felt as if I was going to be bogged down by having to conform to canon sequences. Nevertheless, I added my own touch to both tests, and am very satisfied with the end product.

I've actually combined both the Juhani redemption quest and the Dantooine Star Map quest into one, and they'll be explored in perhaps the next chapter when Revan goes to the crystal cave. It's actually going to be reminiscent of the visions of the past that Meetra Surik dealt with when she went into the caves on Korriban in KOTOR II, as well as Luke Skywalker's vision on Dagohbah. I won't give any more spoilers beyond those details, I'm afraid.

Building on what I said in my A/N section in Chapter 11, you should be seeing a clear pattern by now in regards to Bastila and Elena's visions in their dreams. Revan's somewhat "grey-aligned" philosophy will play a major role in defining his relationship and emotional ties with both Bastila and Elena, especially once I get to the part where they run into Bastila's mother on Tatooine.

Speaking of Tatooine, I'm definitely going to remove the boring and dull Krayt Dragon eliminating scene and add in original elements. I just couldn't stand walking in lock-step with the canon Jedi trials in this chapter, so I'll add my own twist to what happens on Tatooine. As I've mentioned, HK's introduction is going to be completely different, and furthermore Calo Nord is actually going to act like a deadly adversary and hunter, rather than an utter disappointment.

Once again, please leave your reviews, and keep a look out for the next update!