Verena's body was heavy in my arms as I carried her through the halls of the Sith Academy.

If I only got there sooner. Shut up. If only I'd given in. No. This is your fault. Stop it. "Cut them down." Stop. She's just like the others…the others you failed. No. A tool. Just a tool of war. She was never a tool. In the end, we are all just hunks of meat no better than a blaster or a lightsaber. That's not true. Stop lying to yourself. I'm not. Stop. Lying.

My mind went back and forth like this, from guilt to denials to flashes of memories I didn't recognize. The truth was there. I'd failed Verena both in life and with her death and there was no way that I could repay her. Ever.

The fighting around me was deafened and those that were my enemy tried to attack only for Mandalorians or for Yuthura's loyal to defend me. If someone did manage to get a blow it…well, it wouldn't matter. Carth had the coordinates to the Star Forge. I wasn't needed anymore.

No. You can't give in now, remember? You are Revan. You need to act. If you don't, you really would be an evil shutta, wouldn't you? That and you need to save Bastila. She's all that matters.

And the thought of Bastila…it really was the only reason I could keep moving.

My feet carried me wherever my vacant mind took me. Eventually, I got to Dreshdae and then to the Ebon Hawk.

"Wes!"

Carth shouted at me as I stumbled up the ramp with Verena in my arms. The thuds of HK-47 behind me became loud as well. Ah. Right. He must have seen me on the way back and decided to, as always, follow my lead. This is HK's fault too. She wouldn't have joined us if he wasn't there. Should just destroy that…thing. It's what she wanted. I briefly saw Dustil beside Carth. Good. They must have gotten the children to safety then. As I stumbled onto the ship, Carth walked to my side.

"Is…she…?"

I walked into the engine room, ignoring Carth's silent question. Gil had somehow gotten inside. The gizka was bouncing around without a care in the world. HK-47 shadowed the doorway.

"Observation: It appears that the Echani meatbag is finally deceased—"

I saw red.

"Get out!" I shouted while using the Force to push HK out.

That caused Carth to flinch and the gizka to hop away in terror out of the room. HK's lights dimmed after his body collided with the wall. It fell over…becoming the inanimate object it truly was. That snapped me out of that overwhelming, senseless anger. Because HK-47 was just a droid. A stupid droid that I built.

I lowered Verena onto the makeshift bed she made in there…I wasn't sure where else to put her. I glanced at the sandbag she set up and the random kettle she had in the corner. I stood and just…stared down at her corpse.

"I'm sorry." Carth placed a hand on my shoulder. "You shouldn't blame yourself. This isn't your fault."

…wasn't your fault. Alen's words rang in my ears.

"No." I glanced to the side and met Carth's gaze. "It is."

He frowned.

I took Yusanis' blade from my back and placed it beside Verena. I could never wield it even though she asked me to. I don't deserve it. "Get the ship ready. We need to leave as soon as possible." I turned around and took out my lightsaber. "I'll go and make sure that no one else has to die."

Without looking at her or Carth again, I marched away and back into the main hold. Dustil gaped at me as I left.

Back into the action.

I commed Canderous first. Clan Ordo put up a dangerous front. They destroyed many statues, tombs, and parts of the Academy with the ballistics they had stored away. Canderous knew how to put up a fight, I never doubted it, but he proved to all of us that day that he wasn't just words. I told him to return to the Ebon Hawk, yet his response was mixed. Veela watched him like a hawk. The only chance he would have to get out from under her eye without the Mandalorians also turning on us was if they finished the attack.

And so, we fought. A civil war of sorts happened between the students of the Sith Academy—those on the side of the deceased Uthar and those on the side of Yuthura and Dustil. I joined Yuthura for many hours into the night as those who wouldn't return to the light fell, one by one. Every Sith that fell, a part of me broke again. The dull eyes of a young man…who just made the mistake of joining the Sith…stared up at me. His eyes said it all.

You failed me.

I tried to shove down that voice, but it was true. If Revan hadn't started this, there would have been no one to fight. Yet, paradoxically, I had to fight to fix Darth Revan's mistakes. As I told Yuthura, there was no hope for me, but for everyone else? For the Sith I blindly led down this path? If Bastila could save me, if Verena wanted to die for me, then I had to make it count.

I cut down another Sith who refused to surrender.

Juhani and Mission were able to hold back the Sith with Jolee's help. Eventually, though, the Sith knew they were being attacked and there was no use guarding the alarms. I cleaved my way through the group of Sith that had blockaded the door to the server rooms. Yuthura stuck by my side through it all…and we easily cleared the Sith and Dark Jedi threatening them.

Without the Sith, the server room was quieter yet in the distance were cries of pain. Jolee nodded when he saw me and Juhani's shoulders relaxed as well though she was eyeing Yuthura with suspicion.

"Wessy!" Mission appeared at my side. "Is…is it over? Are the Sith—?"

"Still holding," Yuthura answered for me. "But they will fall when day breaks. With the Mandalorians, and with those who allied with me, they are outnumbered and caught off guard. I will be able to bring order once they're dead."

"Wait, you're on our side?" Mission beamed before slapping Yuthura's shoulder. "Ha! Knew you weren't all bad, Sith lady."

Yuthura grimaced when Mission touched her then she eyed me with suspicion.

"She isn't really your slave, is she?"

Mission snorted. "Course not."

I got us back to business.

"We can't stay here until dawn. The Mandalorians are going to tear the Academy apart looking for the mask. They will turn on all of the ex-Sith and us once they realize it's likely not here. The Mandalorians outgun us so we'll need to retreat." I waved at the door. "Carth has the Star Map and he's readied the Ebon Hawk. We won't be able to fit everyone on our ship so we'll need something else."

"That's…" Yuthura wasn't happy, obviously, yet she must have seen my point of view. "My ship is orbiting the planet at the moment. I can call it down and get those who have joined us to leave. I want to fight with you to the end, Revan. I want to join you in your fight for the Star Forge."

I nodded. "Alright, then all we need to do is signal for Canderous to flee. He'll slip away and everyone will make a break for the ships." Juhani's face shifted after I said that for some reason. I noticed and didn't let it slide. "Juhani, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

But it wasn't nothing, was it? Yet, I couldn't force her to tell me the truth. Not when we were running out of time.

I faced Yuthura, Jolee, and Mission. "Jolee protect Mission. Get to the Ebon Hawk. Yuthura, call on whoever you need to get people out. And…" I hesitated. Should I mention Verena? But if I did now, it would just distract them from their tasks. It would have to wait. "Juhani and I will head towards the Mandalorian camp and help Canderous escape. We'll get out of here. Alive."

And no one had any arguments about that. We split up in the hallway, Yuthura, Mission, and Jolee going South towards the Ebon Hawk and Juhani and I towards the North. Towards the Mandalorians.

Before we exited the Academy, I hid in the droid closet and took out my comm in order to speak to Canderous again. Juhani followed behind me, facing the door.

"Canderous? Where are you? You're going to have to leave now. We're getting the hell out of here."

Silence. Then—

"Sorry, pipsqueak, but you're going to have to go without me."

No. I leaned on the wall and closed my eyes. I sensed…distraught in Canderous' voice. He doesn't want to stay but feels as if he doesn't have a choice.

"Why?"

"It's…" Another round of dangerous silence. "The Clan is my responsibility. I should have made it more clear when I left that it was over. It won't be over until I make it so. Heh, like what happened…with Jagi. Only I will be in the thick of it this time. As I should have been."

No. He better not.

"Canderous," I spoke low after I sensed his…suicidal intent. "What about the children?"

"They'll be safe."

Juhani peered over at me with wide eyes.

"He isn't…?"

"No." The air chilled after I muttered that single word. I took a deep breath before I continued. "Canderous, I order you to leave. Now. You promised to follow me, didn't you?"

"Yes." There was a hesitation before he continued. "I'm not one for keeping my promises, am I?"

"Well, unless you want to kill me too, you won't do anything. Because I'm getting you out of there whether the Clan likes it or not."

"You—"

I cut off the connection and rushed out of the door with Juhani following close behind me. I could sense Juhani's worry as well, it was unlike her to fear for the Mandalorian's safety but I guess she must have…forgiven him.

The valley was scorched with ash and rubble. All of the research tents were on fire and burnt bodies littered the ground around us. Dawn lit the valley. The battle for the Sith Acadmey was over. I took point as we crept close to Clan Ordo's front line which had taken control of the Sith Valley.

Veela stood high on a toppled statue and Canderous stood beside her. In the distance, behind them all, I saw a small group huddled near one of the tombs. The children watched the Mandalorians with fear in their eyes. Only one warrior guarded them all—like they were a second thought to the hunt for the Mask.

I waved for Juhani to stay back as I approached the barricades. They reacted instantly and all of them raised their pistols and blaster rifles. I raised my hands. Up above, Veela tilted her masked head.

Her voice carried.

"Sith." She spat the word out like a curse. "You have five minutes. Tell me the location of Mandalore's mask or you will die."

I glanced at Canderous then shrugged. "I don't remember where it is. I told you." The Mandalorian on my left powered on his rifle. I almost rolled my eyes but instead, I lowered my arms. "I might tell you some day…when you prove yourself worthy."

She laughed once. Then again.

"Worthy?" She grabbed her own blaster rifle and leveled it down at me. "What makes you think I care about your opinion, Sith?"

"Because I am not a Sith. I am Revan."

That made all of them pause.

As expected, this only made Veela laugh again.

"Revan?" She laughed. "Nice try."

"Ask Canderous. He'll confirm it."

Canderous wavered for a moment beside Veela before he pressed the side of his neck. His helmet collapsed and he threw off his mask, showing his face. He turned to his wife.

"It's true."

She regarded him for a long time as if trying to figure out a reason as to why he would lie to her. Meanwhile, the other Mandalorians were taken off guard themselves and whispered to each other. Some I could sense…anger. Others had a strange sort of pride like what Canderous felt when he promised to fight for me.

Juhani grabbed my shoulder. "Is this a good idea?"

Veela took a fragile step back.

"That…can't be."

I shook Juhani away. "You kill me, you'll never know where the mask is."

There was another bout of silence, not as long as the last one, fortunately. The Mandalorians were all still speaking amongst each other. Some even lowered their weapons.

"I won't kill you, Revan. Not when you proved yourself during the war." She paused. "Yet still, I cannot forgive you. Taking Mandalore's mask destroyed the clans."

Kinda think that was the point.

"It was his right as the victor of the war, Veela," Canderous said. "What he does with it after isn't our business."

"No. It is our business. Revan, as much as he was a worthy opponent, was not a Mandalorian. He hides it from the clans to divide us. Without the mask, we will never be whole—"

"Where are the children?"

She choked on her words after I interrupted her. Veela's emotions fluctuated…anger. Fear.

"Why do you care?"

"Just wondering."

Even though I knew exactly where they were. She didn't know though, did she?

Veela waved. "We have the children that were enslaved by the Sith. By you." Her voice was harsh. "Without the mask, they will forever be in danger by the other clans. If Mandalore does not reunite the clans—"

"Mandalore destroyed the clans." My voice echoed in the valley. Veela's shoulders tightened as if she was going to argue but I felt myself continue. The words flowed like the Force as all my thoughts were finally voiced. I waved behind her to the shivering group of children. "Your duty is to them not to Mandalore. If you want me to tell you where the mask is, you will prove to me that you will not use it for war. From this day forward, you will fight for your children. Not for glory. Not for Mandalore. For them!" I felt myself shake as the words echoed in the ruined, scorched valley. Eventually, I took a breath and then smiled. "A mask is just a piece of metal. Those children are your future."

The wind picked up at that moment and finally, the Mandalorians became quiet. Then Veela laughed. Only, this time it wasn't one filled with bitter scorn.

"You truly are Revan, aren't you?" She sighed. "I see your point. In a way, I always knew it was true. When the war started, Clan Ordo fought hard but as it went on I began to wonder…why. What was the point of fighting?" She didn't speak for a second before taking off her mask. Her scarred face was twisted with melancholy. "You have issued us a challenge for Mandalore's mask. We accept. We will watch over the children and protect them until you believe we have proved ourselves worthy, Revan."

A few of the Mandalorians shouted back at Veela, arguing with her. All of them said the same thing.

"You aren't Mandalore! Canderous is! He decides—"

"No, he abandoned us!" They all grew silent after Veela made that declaration. Then, she sighed. "I'm sorry. I lied to you. All of you. Canderous abandoned the Clan that day, he didn't declare himself to be Mandalore. I thought that the only way to preserve the Clan would be to…"

Canderous placed a hand on her shoulder. She stopped speaking then and everyone watched him instead. He stepped off the statue so that he was among his clan. He removed his armor and let it fall to the ground. He even threw his weapon into the dirt.

"Don't blame Veela for leading you idiots in my place. If she wasn't there, you'd all be worthless pirates. Or worse. Could have worked for Davik Kang." They all looked at each other and I could sense their confusion at that weirdly specific fate. He laughed, kicking his armor. "I deserted you all after we lost the war. That day…I was no longer a Mandalorian. I'm still not. I was never looking for Mandalore's mask. Veela was always my replacement."

One of them stepped forward.

"Canderous, what do we—"

"No, di'kut." He stepped up to me and smirked. "Forget about the stupid mask. Protect those children. I will follow Revan until the end."

They all stopped arguing then and seemed to accept their once-leader's words. All of them placed their hands on their heart and bowed. Veela looked down at us and followed her Clan's actions, bowing her head.

Sure, the Mandalorians were still without Mandalore. Still without the mask. But they never really needed it to be a clan, did they?

The humming of the Ebon Hawk felt loud in my ears as the three of us staggered into the main hold. Everyone was sitting there in silence, waiting. Mission was sitting with Gil, staring blankly at the floor. Dustil appeared grumpy next to her and Jolee seemed less joyful than he was when I last saw him. I could sense the foreboding in the air as we arrived…Carth must have told them that Verena was dead. The mood only lightened a little as everyone noticed that we were back safely.

Canderous answered their silent questions.

"They stopped the attacks. Veela is organizing Clan Ordo's retreat."

Canderous had spoken to Veela privately before we left and when he returned he told me that she swore that Clan Ordo would not spread the word that Revan was still alive. He didn't really have to do that but…well, it was probably for the best that my survival wasn't revealed to the entire galaxy.

"How?" Carth asked. "I thought…?"

"I was convincing as always," I said with a small smile. "We shouldn't hang around though. The Sith will likely send reinforcements once they hear the Academy has fallen." I nodded at our pilot. "Carth, go ahead and set a course. Navigate with Yuthura…we'll regroup at Yavin first and make our plan of attack once we figure out where these coordinates are actually going."

That and we needed to lay Verena to rest. At least somewhere safe for now.

Carth nodded. "On it."

Canderous stopped me before I followed Carth to the bridge with a hand on my shoulder. I turned and raised a brow.

"Yes?"

"I think I know…what my purpose is now."

"Oh?"

"I will prove myself to you, Revan."

I snorted. "What is there to prove exactly? You've already proven yourself by fighting the Sith today."

"No, not in battle. I will prove to you that I am worthy to be a Mandalorian once more."

I stared at him after he said that before I smiled.

"That won't be hard to prove either."

Before he could argue with me, I made for the bridge once again. Juhani followed close behind me, so I stopped to check in with her. She looked away immediately. I knew that look. She wanted to say something again, but just like last time, she was forcing herself not to say anything for reasons. So, instead, I asked.

"What's wrong?"

"I…" She sighed. "I really am that obvious, am I?"

"Yes."

"It is just…" She sighed. "Belaya. We cannot leave her behind in that…that cave. If the Sith find her, they will tear her apart."

I shrugged. "She didn't want to come with us."

"So I should just give up?"

Kriff. She was asking for my permission. Knowing Juhani, she would listen to me and not go foolishly, but I couldn't let her leave the one she loved behind like that. She needed help and I couldn't abandon her. You'd be even more of an evil bastard if you did.

"No. Never."

"Alright then…" Juhani smiled. "So let's try…one more time."

Yuthura sounded impatient over the comms when I told her to go ahead of us as we waited for an hour or two in order to retrieve more people. Thankfully she listened—her ship jumped to lightspeed a second after I gave the order. A group of Sith rebels might come in handy during our fight to both rescue Bastila and defeat Malak.

Juhani insisted everyone else stay behind. This was her fight and Belaya would be less likely to listen to her if we all went. That didn't stop me from following her anyway, of course.

The Mandalorians all took off in their ships as we approached, leaving the Sith ruins in ruins. Juhani didn't notice that I was following her still as she entered the canyon. Eventually, she stopped and turned as I rounded the bend before the cave. Thankfully, she didn't argue and kept going, acting as if I wasn't there. There shouldn't be anyone at the caves anymore now that the Mandalorians were gone so it should give us the perfect chance to try and convince Belaya to come with us. And if she is not convinced then…by force.

Why did I jinx it?

I raised my hand to make Juhani stop when I sensed…something near the entrance to the cave. We stepped carefully around the next bend. A small group of Mandalorians sat around a dying fire—all from Clan Fett. Ah, of course they would desert Clan Ordo once they decided not to chase after Mandalore's mask.

I glanced at Juhani once before I made a decision. We would face them. Kill them if we had to. They all raised their rifles at my entrance. In response, I crossed my arms and looked at them as if I was about to scold them. I scanned their masked faces…before stopping at Belaya who sat beside them. She sighed, stirring the fire with a stick.

Clan Fett's leader, Xor from what I remember, stepped forward.

"Sith." He retracted his helmet revealing his ugly face. "You running? I'm not surprised. You Sith…Jedi…you're all cowards."

"You look like the one running to me. Unless you were just kicked out. Which is rather pathetic, actually."

Xor sneered at me. "What are you doing here?"

Juhani ignored them and stepped past me.

"Belaya!" The ex-Jedi froze at the sound of Juhani's voice. She wasn't phased by her lover's cold attitude. "We're leaving, Belaya. If you stay here, then—"

"What the hell is your kind doing here anyway?" Xor interrupted Juhani. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Bad enough that we were exiled by Ordo…now the stinkin' Cathar is back? Why don't you go melt in your ocean like the rest of your kind."

That caused Belaya to glare at the Mandalorian yet she said nothing.

Juhani seethed. "What do you mean by that?"

Another one of Xor's men answered.

"You stupid? Xor was there when Clan Fett melted the cats, feline."

I felt my body freeze and my mind became empty. Meanwhile, I sensed Juhani's anger in the Force. She should be angry. They murdered her people. A genocide. And the Jedi ignored it. In my mind I saw…flashes of fire. Of boiling water. I felt my hand clench my lightsaber hard.

Xor let out a laugh. "Ha! I remember Cassus Fett giving the order…and the traitor that stepped in the water with them." He glared down at me. "So, did you follow Revan to fight us in the war, Sith?"

I didn't answer. In fact, I wanted to strike him down right there. Yet, Juhani didn't like that he was so close to me, so she pushed me back and stepped before Xor.

"Revan saved me and destroyed you, worm."

Xor ignored her and instead looked at me again.

"Go ahead and hide behind your pet Cathar…and a woman at that! You Sith really are pathetic hiding behind your slaves. You know, I enslaved some of these beasts too."

"You…you were a slaver?" Juhani stuttered.

Xor still didn't speak to Juhani directly and instead kept speaking to me.

"You and I both know Cathar aren't real people. The females make amusing pets, sure, but males should be put down like the animals they are. I remember one time on Taris—"

Juhani's blue lightsaber ignited the rest of Clan Fett pointed their rifles at her.

"What? What did you say? You…you were a slaver on Taris!?"

"Yup." Xor waltzed over to the fire again and sat, picking his teeth with a toothpick. Then, after a moment he raised his head. "Oh, wait, huh…you look like one that I was gonna sell…before the Revanchists stormed in and almost killed me."

"No." Juhani's voice became shaky as she held out her lightsaber. "You…you were…"

"Ah! You were the runt to that female. It's too bad that one died…" He sighed with pleasure. "No use for the female except for pleasure. We all had so much fun with her."

A darkness, just like the grove, descended upon the area. Juhani shouted and went to tackle him—and I was going to let her. Force, he needs to die for that. That is until Belaya raised her hand and pulled Xor towards her with the Force—impaling him with her red blade. The Mandalorians around us didn't move once their leader was quickly disposed of.

Juhani froze in shock when Xor fell to the ground dead.

I moved immediately, deflecting the first blaster bolt that was aimed at my head, and sent it right back to the Fett. Juhani still stood there without defending herself so I had to defend us both, slicing one Mandalorian arm here, and a leg there. They retreated into the canyon, shooting the entire time. I let them go and ran up to Juhani.

"Juhani." I shook her shoulder. "Are you—"

"Why did you kill him!" Juhani's shouts echoed in the night. Belaya stood up slowly, looking down at Xor as if he was a piece of trash on the ground. Juhani ran towards her and shook her by the collar. "I should have…he should have suffered for—!"

"He's dead! He shouldn't need to suffer for you to be at peace!" Belaya shouted back, causing Juhani to grow silent. Belaya glanced at me and then back at Juhani. "He's dead. That's all that matters."

As if to spit in our faces, Xor coughed and pushed himself up from the ground. Kriff, he's still alive? Juhani reacted instantly and used the Force to throw him towards the fire. Belaya reacted by grabbing her arm and tugging her back.

Xor's voice was hoarse as he laughed. "I killed the male myself, you know. Slaughtered him like the animal he was."

Juhani sneered. "You killed my father?"

"Yup. But I'm beyond your petty vengeance now, girl." He collapsed, coughing. "She killed me. You can never have your revenge."

"No." Juhani pulled away from Belaya, igniting her lightsaber again. "You are not dead yet."

So, she was going to torture him? Deservedly so. I crossed my arms and watched as she approached Xor only…for Belaya to step in front of her. Juhani froze.

"Just let him die, Juni."

"You don't understand," Juhani's voice was small. "This…thing took everything from me."

"He deserves worse," I muttered.

"Yes." Juhani nodded. "Move, Belaya."

Belaya glared at me.

"You'll listen to Darth Revan over me?"

Xor coughed. "R-Revan?"

"You?" Juhani sneered. "Why should I listen to you? You abandoned me!"

"Torturing someone isn't the Jedi way!"

"It wasn't supposed to be until the Jedi Council tortured Revan by wiping his mind!" Juhani shouted. Belaya's face twisted as she looked from me to her. Speechless. Juhani continued. "Why do you care about the Jedi way? You became a Sith. I tried to tell you to come back…but you never listened to me. So then why should I listen to you?"

"I…I made a mistake!" Belaya shivered. "I'm sorry. I should have never…I should have stayed with you. I should have listened to you. But, Juhani, believe me when I say I never want to see you fall. Ever. I would die first."

"I…" Juhani's body shivered with her. "I never wanted to see you fall either."

"I never fell. Not…not really." Belaya walked up to her and rubbed the side of her face. "Not when you were there trying to save me."

Juhani dropped her lightsaber. When she did, Belaya kissed her. At that moment, Juhani used the Force on her lightsaber and ignited it into Xor's head. The man's ugly face was frozen with a smirk in death. Juhani collapsed to the ground after their kiss and Belaya followed her. She didn't flinch away as Belaya hugged her tight. As they hugged, I felt that strange anger drift away as well…and almost felt ashamed of my own anger before.

In the end, only Juhani and Belaya's love could save them from their fear.

And that…

It was…

There was only one truth that I learned while training to be a Sith. It was in the last phrase of their ancient code.

The Force shall free me.

I'd cursed the Force for getting me into this mess, for imprisoning me with Bastila with the bond, yet in a way, it was the Force that brought me to her. It brought me to Carth, Mission, Canderous, Juhani, Jolee…Verena. Everyone. The Force was playing a massive joke on me and yet, at the same time, it also set me free.

Oh, who am I kidding? Thinking like Bastila didn't work to ease this anxiety at all. Especially since even she would cringe at those soppy lines.

Those soppy thoughts rushed through my mind as I sat next to Verena…holding Revan's holocron tight in my hand. I came here once Carth piloted the Ebon Hawk into the stars and into hyperspace. Canderous asked where Verena was since he wanted a fight. I couldn't tell him. Couldn't admit my failure. So, instead, I came here to pay my respects. And to run away. Again.

Would Bastila want me to see what was on Revan's holocron? Yes. If only to prevent myself from making the same mistakes. You are not alone, Revan. Yusanis was right. Verena was right. I was not alone…yet not being alone only made me more afraid of what was to come. They could all die. I could fail them all.

It would be better if I were alone then, wouldn't it?

Yet, in the end, love defeated fear. It helped Juhani and Belaya. It helped Carth and Dustil. So then, being alone would only make this fear worse, wouldn't it?

There was only one way I could answer that.

I stood and left Verena's side, making my way down the endless halls towards the cargo hold. HK-47's broken body had been dragged into there…right, I should probably fix him. The poor droid didn't deserve to be manhandled for what I did. I put that thought aside as I placed the holocron down on the floor and raised my hand over it.

I held my breath for a moment before finally ripping off the bandage.

Darth Revan stood before me.

He wore his mask and dark robes, all familiar to me. Yet, instead of appearing as imposing as he was in the visions, he was…still. Quiet. The image of Revan flickered twice before his voice, my voice, echoed in the metal room.

"I am Darth Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith."

I sank to my knees.

"Those who use the dark side are also bound to serve it. To understand this is to understand the underlying philosophy of the Sith."

To be a Sith is to be a slave.

"The dark side offers power for power's sake. You must crave it. Covet it. You must seek power above all else, with no reservation or hesitation. The Force will change you. It will transform you. Some fear this change. The teachings of the Jedi are focused on fighting and controlling this transformation. That is why those who serve the light are limited in what they accomplish."

Yet the light accomplished so much and more. It defeats fear. But I wanted to be afraid, didn't I?

"True power can come only to those who embrace the transformation. There can be no compromise. Mercy, compassion, loyalty: all these things will prevent you from claiming what is rightfully yours. Those who follow the dark side must cast aside these conceits."

Conceits? Bastila's mercy and compassion were never false. Neither was the Ebon Hawk crew's loyalty. These were the words of a man who believed himself to be alone.

"Those who do not—those who try to walk the path of moderation—will fail, dragged down by their own weakness."

You tried to have compassion before yet it didn't save them, did it?

"Those who accept the power of the dark side must also accept the challenge of holding on to it. By its very nature, the dark side invites rivalry and strife. This is the greatest strength of the Sith: it culls the weak from our order."

This weakness will never be culled. The Sith let their fear control them. That is their greatest weakness. Yet, I knew this, didn't I?

"Yet this rivalry can also be our greatest weakness. The strong must be careful lest they be overwhelmed by the ambitions of those working beneath them in concert. Any master who instructs more than one apprentice in the ways of the dark side is a fool. In time, the apprentices will unite their strengths and overthrow the master. It is inevitable; axiomatic. That is why each Master must have only one student."

The dark side feeds off of fear. The Sith will never stop being afraid if they see each other as an enemy.

"This is also the reason there can only be one Dark Lord. The Sith must be ruled by a single leader: the very embodiment of the strength and power of the dark side. If the leader grows weak another must rise to seize the mantle. The strong rule; the weak are meant to serve. This is the way it must be."

That was never true. Yet it is what Revan believed. What I believed. Had to believe…to survive.

A knock echoed from behind me. I shut off the holocron immediately. Jolee stood there at the door, watching me with a worried gaze. I didn't move as Jolee sauntered over to my side and sat next to me. I wondered for a moment what the old man wanted, yet he answered that question for me.

"There's no point in retreading the past."

I shook my head before leaning forward and grabbing the holocron once more.

"No. There's much to learn from it, actually."

"What did you learn then?"

I paused and stared into the light of the red glass. I could crush it right now. Destroy it. But that would be the easy way out, wouldn't it?

"That Wes Gale's personality was more like Revan's than I thought." I glanced to the side at Jolee who was puzzled for once. "In my fake memories, I always pushed people away. If I got to know anyone from my crew as a person, it would make it hard when they ended up dead or worse. If they betrayed me. So, I just…isolated myself." I shook my head. "That only made it worse though. Alen wouldn't have betrayed me if…well, he's not real. So, it doesn't matter."

"No, it matters," Jolee said. "Keep going."

I pursed my lips.

"Alen wouldn't have betrayed me if I hadn't betrayed him first. If I…hadn't isolated myself." I smiled though it felt like a sneer. "Revan was the same. He wanted to be alone only because being alone made things easier. But if I hadn't brought Verena along, she wouldn't have saved my life." I sighed. "When she died, that wasn't the first thing that came to mind. It was 'If only.' If only I had distanced myself from her. If only I hadn't let her or anyone else in. It's why I hated the bond, you know? I had no choice but to let Bastila in.

"Yet, I'm glad it happened. I'm glad that Bastila saw me for who I was. I'm glad that you are all here. And I'm glad…that Verena saved my life. Even though I wish that it didn't happen at all." I let out a laugh. "It's a…contradictory, strange feeling."

He answered instantly. "I've felt that too, kid. That strange feeling."

I raised a brow. "Oh?"

"When you are with people that you love, people you cherish, that is how you feel. You want them to be safe yet you also want to keep them close. Those two goals will eventually conflict. Sometimes, you almost want to just…isolate yourself in a Kashyyyk jungle just to stop that terrible conflict from happening. Yet without that conflict, you will never love anyone. And that…that is a worse fate."

"You're right." I shook my head, smiling. "You're…always right."

He hrumphed. "No, I'm not. I'm just as fallible as anyone else. How else did I gain my worldly wisdom, hmm? Not by being perfect that's for damn sure."

"Ah, yeah, you're right. You are an insane old man. Forgot."

He hit me in the back of the head and I responded by shoving his shoulder lightly. Jolee jumped onto his feet and then pointed at the holocron in my hand.

"So, what are you going to do with that?"

I looked down at it.

"Not sure."

"You're not going to destroy it?"

"Can't destroy the past, can I?" I stood and shoved it into my pocket next to the coin. "I'll keep it for now, I think."

And maybe I should have destroyed Revan's holocron as a symbolic gesture. The man that I was before was no more! But that wasn't true.

After all, you wouldn't be listening to this now, would you?

Yay, Korriban is complete (it only took a year lol XD)! I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to the Star Forge arc :)!

Also, I took the text from Revan's holocron from the Darth Bane books. I liked the idea of Revan finding it later on and just...shaking his head. It shows how much he grew as a character. Though his new hopeful thought process will be tested for sure in the coming arc...if you know, you know ;)

Until next time!