Disclaimer: Lucasfilm, Bioware, Disney, et al. and whoever they sell the rights to next own Star Wars and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I write this for fun and not for any monetary gain.
Foreword
On the Temple Summit, Bastila expressed her disdain at bowing to the Jedi Masters and calling them "Master," yet she does the same to Revan willingly and happily. What exactly did Bastila have in mind when declaring herself utterly Revan's should he join her? Why did she save Revan's life when she was perfectly content with leaving someone to die in the Dune Seas on Tatooine? She clearly doesn't save people out of the goodness of her heart. Why was Revan so special to Bastila? Perhaps there is a forgotten past between the two. This story explores an interesting possibility for their past: a BDSM power exchange relationship.
For this background to make any difference in the story line, Revan must remember the past. Otherwise, little would change. And if he remembers, there is little reason to expect him to not continue with his original goals. This poses a bit of a problem, as the explanation of his actions in the subsequent works proves too flimsy.
For Revan to walk his own path, he must have a good reason for his actions, and supposed mind control by external parties just doesn't cut it. Bastila would hardly, out of her own free will, continue to surrender her control completely to a person who has proved to be vulnerable to manipulation. And besides, even if Revan was conquering the galaxy in hopes of making it stronger against a hidden threat, he would still have needed a just cause to champion, and he also would not have left in the aftermath of his triumph to let his hard work fall into chaos. And thus, a better explanation was needed—not an insanely overpowered villain, a diabolus ex machina introduced later to make the Jedi look wise and good.
In contrast to the later works that blatantly favour the Jedi, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic gives plenty of reasons to dislike the Jedi just as it did for the Sith under Malak. It was meant to offer a true choice, and the decisions you can make in game reflect that. Most choices in the game are independent and you have the freedom to do exactly what you feel is right in any given situation, and you are free to make the final decision that decides the fate of the galaxy either way, regardless of anything else you do in the game or your character's alignment.
Through the lens of KotOR, we can see the many questionable actions of the Jedi. Even strongly pro-Republic characters like Carth call them out: leaving the Republic and its citizens to burn, the cruel training of Juhani that caused the death of innocent civilians, and the Order's indifference to slavery when it is outside their mandate. Yet, the Jedi Order remains firm in the belief that they could do no wrong. In many ways, it is clear that they are a cult that indoctrinates its members which they recruit (if not kidnap) as young as possible, allowing them to only see their twisted version of the supposed truth. In the same vein, the claim that Revan was somehow corrupted and the Jedi did him a favour wiping his mind was a later invention to justify the actions of the Jedi, because they are supposed to be the good guys and cannot be seen to do wrong.
Likewise, the Republic supposedly embodies freedom and democracy, and the Sith violence and oppression. Yet, HK-47's experience with the senator paints a picture of corruption in the very fabric of the state. If the very leaders of the Republic rising to power through ruthless murders was business as usual, then any supposed freedom or democracy was nothing but a façade.
Clearly, this is a sign that histories are being written by the victors, and they no doubt tried their best to sugarcoat their actions… if not outright forge history. But if the Republic and Jedi are corrupt and do not represent good, then who does? In KotOR, we see Revan as a hero who fought against the Mandalorians to protect the galaxy. What if he never actually turned evil, but instead, championed a righteous cause that put him on a collision course with the Republic and the Jedi?
In this story, Revan remembers himself instead of the lies he was programmed to believe. He will restore himself to the Sith throne, and return his Sith to a force of good. In the end, he shall be a great emperor of old, sweeping away the dysfunctional and corrupt remains of a Republic that served only the rich and powerful. He found a galaxy of brick, and shall leave it of marble. We shall explore the military and political strategy and the difficult decisions that must be made on the path to victory and the creation of a free and just society.
We start on the Taris Swoop Platform, right after Bastila is freed and kills Brejik…
Chapter 1: Reunion
After Bastila delivered the final blow to Brejik on the Tarisian swoop platform, she decided to vent her frustration at the whole situation. "Well, maybe those bloody Vulkars will think twice next time before trying to keep a Jedi prisoner! And as for you, if you think you can collect me as a prize…"
Suddenly, she stopped, stared at the man who had helped her, and did a double take. "Wait… I don't believe this! You're…" she paused, as if she noticed she was about to reveal some great secret, before correcting herself, "you're one of the soldiers with the Republic fleet, aren't you? Yes, I'm sure of it. How did you end up racing for these swoop gangs?"
In a somewhat teasing tone, he replied, "Never mind that. I won the swoop race, and you're my prize. You belong to me now, Bastila!"
Bastila's eyes acquired a distant look, as if she is trying to reminisce about some past event. A satisfied smile appeared on her face. Obviously, something about the daydream greatly pleased her…
"Bastila? Bastila!" he shouted in an attempt to regain her attention.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about… never mind," she replied, before she remembered what he had said, and glared at him. "I am Bastila Shan of the Jedi Order, a fleet commander for the Republic. Who do you think you are, claiming 'ownership' of me?"
The man gave her a serious look, and replied in a grave voice, "You know who I am. Say my name."
"Re— Erich Bond." Her reply came with a stutter that she instantly hated herself for.
"You know very well that is not my name…" he noted, sounding disappointed.
"I… uh… did I make a mistake? I am sorry…" Bastila forced herself to say, sounding rather constipated, as if she simply wanted to disappear.
"As far as I can tell, no one tried to erase your memory," he replied in a bitter tone. While Bastila processed the meaning of his reply, he muttered, "Although perhaps, if you can't even remember a name you had to have come up with yourself…"
"Oh… Revan…" Bastila was overcome with emotion. She closed her arms around him and started to cry. Everyone would have been shocked at this development, for a seemingly virtuous Jedi Knight would never openly display such emotions, especially towards a Sith. Everyone except Revan, who understood her. He embraced her and allowed her the use of his shoulder.
After a moment, she rambled, "I thought I'd lost you… forever… I am so sorry, I regretted bringing you to the Jedi so much… They told me to bring you back alive if possible, and they were the closest option… I had thought that the Jedi would not kill prisoners, even in a war, since mercy and the value of life were what they preached, and so you would have been safe with them… safer than you would have been with the Republic or the Sith… safer than criminal safe havens… How wrong I was… If only I had been stronger or smarter…" She knew that their roles had been reversed, Revan would have so easily taken care of her, all by himself. It made her feel so guilty. She vowed to be smarter and do better.
After a moment, she composed herself a little and continued with venom in her voice, "I never even imagined they would try to destroy your mind, destroy everything that made you… well, you, and enslave your body to their will. They say, 'there is no death, there is the Force,' and yet, had they succeeded, Revan… you would not have been One with the Force. You would have been gone forever… vanished into the ether…
"If you had died, I would be devastated, but at least, you of all people would have been able to appear as a Force Ghost, and we'd meet again when I too joined the Force. And yet, while loudly proclaiming how righteous and good they are, how they would never kill prisoners and enslave people against their will, the Council did something worse instead. What horror must it be when your thoughts do not even belong to you? When you walk around, a cheap mockery of your true self? Hypocrites, all of them."
While she cried on his shoulder, Revan held her close and simply whispered "it's okay, I am still here" into her ear over and over, letting her sort out her emotions. After a minute, she took a few deep breaths and continued, "I swear I tried so hard… to convince them, but they would not listen. They just said my judgement was tainted by my emotions, and that I would understand if I just meditated long enough… I even tried to tell them to keep your memories from before the Mandalorian Wars intact, to restore you as the youngest and perhaps also the most accomplished Jedi Knight in living memory, and they still wouldn't hear it. I felt so guilty for what happened… Thank the Force you are still alive, Revan."
He put his hands on her shoulder, and stated in a comforting voice, "I knew you did not agree with them, but we both know there is nothing you could have said that would have convinced the Jedi Council that they were wrong." His tone turned bitter. "Remember the last time I tried to convince the Jedi Council to fight in the Mandalorian wars and end the slaughter of billions of Republic citizens, right after Cassus Fett showed up in the news for slaughtering everyone in a city of fifty million sentients? The Council had to act as if they were infallible, because they simply couldn't admit that they had made a mistake earlier when they refused to fight. They couldn't admit that a mere Knight could have been right, while the Masters on the Council had been wrong..."
He took a deep breath to calm down, and continued, "It's not your fault, Bastila, it's the Jedi Council's fault. Don't blame yourself for their crimes. And remember, you healed me and carried me out of my burning flagship, saving my life in the process. That was no small feat you did… not when we were the only survivors, as far as I know… Even though you made a bad decision, it still doesn't negate what you did. And you must be too exhausted to think clearly when we finally escaped, so I can excuse it. Just don't make the same mistake again."
"I won't," she promised. "But how did you survive their mental attack?" She still held onto him unconsciously, perhaps out of fear he would vanish.
"I retreated into the depths of my mind in a desperate attempt to avoid being destroyed. The implanted personality took over until I crashed on Taris. I was out for a few days, and when I woke up, I just remembered. I am not sure how…" he explained, wincing as he did so. Instead of continuing, he decided to change the subject, "Regardless, we should probably leave now before more Vulkars arrive."
Bastila snorted. She summoned her lightsaber to her hand from Brejik's corpse and replied with playful arrogance, "Then I can teach them the same lesson I just taught Brejik." Returning to a more neutral expression, she continued, "You are right though. We probably should get going. I presume you have a safehouse somewhere? Let's go there before the Sith notices that we are here." She then started walking towards the swoop bike Revan raced on before he stopped her.
"You do not want to ride that bike. It's completely unsafe with that prototype accelerator. The Hidden Beks got me to ride it for them because none of their own people are willing to risk their lives. They assured me that 'it probably won't explode.' I wouldn't want to 'probably' bring you back in one piece…"
Pointing at another bike, he continued, "I think we better 'borrow' one of the Vulkar bikes. They won't be needing it in their current state. When we get to the Upper City, you would want to put on this extra Sith uniform I managed to… acquire. With that mask, they won't recognize you."
"Seems like you have this all planned out," she remarked. "Although I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else."
"And I think I owe Gadon Thek a visit," he added as he climbed onto the swoop bike.
Bastila followed suit, seating herself behind him. She held onto him for support—as if it was the most natural thing in the galaxy—and asked, "The leader of the Hidden Beks? Why do you owe him a visit?"
"Well, he's the one that took advantage of my need to find you and got me to do the dirty work of wiping out his rival gang—the Black Vulkars—as well as acting as a guinea pig for his prototype accelerator, since none of his people would risk their own life riding it. Despite claims to not support slavery, he told me, to my face, that if I don't use the prototype accelerator, I'd lose the race and none of the riders—including his—would give you up. Worse yet, I found in his mind that when I last came to Taris, fighting against the Mandalorians, he took advantage of the naïveté of my young Jedi officers to remove opposing gangs. He provided evidence to remove all of them as slavers and racketeers, while hiding his own operations. Taris can do much better without these scums infesting the Lower City." As he spoke, he started the engine, and the swoop bike dashed away.
As the Lower City rushed past them, she asked, "What are you going to do?"
"I am thinking of… cleaning… their base, unless you have objections?"
"The Jedi in me thinks we should probably leave them alone, but I can't say I disagree with you, knowing their treachery and having experienced the 'hospitality' of these biker gangs first hand. The Beks used you to wipe out their opposition and become the most powerful biker gang in the Tarisian Lower City, just like the Vulkars tried to use me to do the same. They shouldn't get away with it," she decided.
"Did the Vulkars hurt you?" Revan asked, his voice filled with both concern and anger.
"They manhandled me and imprisoned me," she replied flatly. "And Brejik was going to rape me, but fortunately, I talked him out of it."
"How did you do that?" he asked, curious but still angry. He regretted, ever so slightly, that he lost the chance to punish Brejik with some Force Lightning, but Bastila deserved the opportunity to slay her would-be rapist and avenge all his past victims, of which there were undoubtedly many.
"It ultimately didn't take much, but I suppose I was lucky it worked. I informed him of my Jedi status, and he immediately assumed that I was a virgin and would fetch a much higher price on the slave market if I was 'unspoiled,' as I had hoped… though we both know I wasn't," she noted, before continuing her recollection with disgust. "I could see the greed shining in the eyes of that evil piece of human trash. That was the night before the swoop race, which was probably why he offered me as the prize but refused to hand me over to you."
Revan absorbed the news in silence. After a few moments, he asked, "What about the last order I gave you before I left for the Mandalorian Wars?"
Bastila looked back to her younger years. When she first joined the Jedi enclave on Dantooine after being coldly given away by her mother, she was a crying mess. The other younglings, used to the attachment-free life of the Jedi, made fun of her tears and pain. During those dark days, she met a boy, Revan, who—unlike everyone else—cared for her. He was her rock through those days and beyond, acting as a friend, confidant, and mentor, helping her get over her abandonment by her parents and cope with the Jedi life. They spent all their free time together. Being two years her senior, he guided her through her training in his spare time. In retrospect, he probably taught her far more than any of the Jedi Masters. As usual with a master/apprentice-style relationship, a Force Bond started to form between them.
Of course, their relationship was far from one-sided. Simply tutoring Bastila gave Revan a much better understanding of the Force. What she lacked in knowledge, she made up with her intelligence, and she was able to provide her own insight into the material. Together and in secret, away from the Jedi dogma, the duo rose far above their peers.
When they reached their teenage years, they both became rather attracted to each other. The Jedi Masters did not like this development one bit, especially given the Force Bond, and did what they could to reduce the amount of time they could spend together. They met in secret despite the interference, passed notes to each other when they couldn't, but they both wanted more.
It all changed one day when Bastila read a holonovel that she definitely was not supposed to read, about a couple who discovered power exchange relationships together. She was fascinated by the trust and devotion shown by the main characters towards each other. As a result, she suggested that Revan give her orders to follow in his absence, and make decisions about her daily life that she had to follow. Orders could be serious, such as requiring her to study before enjoying herself, or fun, like ordering her to "accidentally" forget to wear her—say, socks—one day. She also suggested some punishments should she disobey. He agreed to try out this new arrangement, solely out of curiosity, and didn't expect much out of it.
Following his orders kept him in her mind even when they were apart, and she thoroughly enjoyed everything he made her do. She loved it when he praised her for following his orders, and it was so fulfilling every time she felt his satisfaction through the Force. It had many other benefits as well. For example, her morning habits improved: she no longer had a choice to delay getting up in the morning or skip breakfast. Revan would punish her for it. She loved her newfound freedom from making difficult and ultimately insignificant decisions in everyday life. In fact, she felt as if she had rediscovered a long-lost part of herself, and couldn't imagine living without it again—without her submission. Despite not being able to manage more than a few minutes together on some days, she felt closer to him than ever.
Revan, too, found the whole game between them rather enjoyable. He thought of her often when they were apart, imagining her following his orders like a good girl, while trying to come up with new and creative things for her to do. He found her eagerness to serve and obey him—completely out of her free will and without any coercion—to be the sweetest and most endearing thing he had ever experienced. He loved the idea of being so completely trusted by the girl he loved, being responsible for her well-being, and taking good care of her. While he probably did not crave dominance as much as Bastila craved submission, he was very happy to indulge her, and her enjoyment was infectious. He too felt closer to her than ever.
For a few years, they played this game in secret, as their relationship blossomed. They shared many intimate moments together during this time, and Bastila began to call him "Master" when they were alone. They gave themselves to each other. She was perfectly content with being his willing slave, secure in the knowledge that he would want the best for her.
They both found it amusing that the other Jedi were absolutely clueless of their little secret, despite the number of clues that had unwittingly slipped through. It appeared that most of the Jedi had no interest in learning material not taught by the Order, including basic bodily functions. It worked to their advantage.
However, their happiness did not last. One day, the Mandalorian wars broke out. Revan, now nineteen years old, felt that it was his duty to save the citizens of the Republic, even while the Jedi Masters repeatedly ignored the desperate pleas of aid. It was not just the politicians who begged for help that they turned a blind eye to, but even the heartfelt letters of the common people, begging the Jedi to protect them. Unable to ignore the suffering of the people, the young knight left to join the war, approval of the Jedi Council be damned.
It was with great sadness that the young couple parted ways. Bastila wanted to join him, if only because she didn't want to be apart from him. Revan, however, wanted to keep her safe and away from the war. After arguing for hours, they finally reached a compromise: she would join him when she became a fully trained Jedi Knight herself.
Before he left, they swore an oath to be faithful to each other, no matter what happened. Finally, he gave her one last order: to become the best Jedi Knight she could be, so she could do her best to make the galaxy a better place.
After her self-reflection, Bastila answered, "I never forgot your last order. I did the best I could. I learned so much. And yet, they never knighted me… not until…" She paused, steadied herself, and continued, "Ironically, I was knighted for 'capturing Darth Revan' and being the 'exemplary Jedi' for 'showing him compassion by saving his life.' No matter how they framed it, I can't stop feeling like knighthood was my reward for the ultimate betrayal of the man I love, because my actions led to what was effectively your attempted murder. Of course, the Jedi Council told everyone else that I killed you, and everywhere I went, I was being congratulated for 'killing Darth Revan.' It felt like rubbing salt in the wound every time I heard it," she said, trying to keep the tears at bay. "And I must smile and accept their 'praise' lest they find how I truly felt and be branded as a traitor. Sometimes, I wondered if it would have been better if I were shot for treason… instead of living that nightmare. But they needed my battle meditation, so they might have tried to fix me instead…" Like they tried to 'fix' you, she thought, but couldn't bring herself to say. She sighed, before continuing, "To think, I once dreamed of knighthood, and now I wish I never had it."
Revan would have hugged her if he didn't need to steer. "I am sorry to hear that, Bastila," he said instead. "It worked out in the end. I am still alive with my memories recovered."
"I am eternally grateful for that…" she said with some relief.
"Still, how is that possible?" he asked. "I remember seeing you fight before Malak fired on my ship… You fought better than all the other Jedi on that mission except perhaps the leader, and yet you were only a Padawan back then? Did they only send Padawans with the one Jedi Master? I can't imagine the Council, for all their faults, would make such a… blunder." He could not find another word to express the concept.
"The leader was a Council member. Two of them were Knights, and the last one was a Master, but not a member of the Council. I was there solely for my battle meditation to get through without being blown apart," Bastila explained. "I thought I just had an easier time because you ordered your troops to capture me alive. You did, didn't you?"
"Yes, of course I ordered them to capture my best friend alive. They were still allowed to fight for their own lives, however. You had the most kills, and far more than the two knights. I can excuse the leader and maybe the other Jedi Master for saving their energy to fight me, but not the others. I am not sure how else I can interpret this other than that you should have been a Jedi Master by now… if promotions were earned based on merit and not mindless obedience," he countered.
"I suppose you are right. The Jedi were probably holding me back. It wouldn't be the first time they tried. Though I admit I never tried to show them anything beyond what they taught, not after all those reprimands for being too eager…" she sighed, remembering the numerous incidents. "I think they were surprised when they saw me actually fight. Speaking of which, remember when we stood face to face on your flagship?" she asked.
Revan nodded. "Yes," he added, after realizing she was behind him and couldn't see his face.
She continued smoothly, "You promised me that you had a surprisingly good explanation for what you were doing as a Sith Lord. You should probably explain yourself. As much as I care for you, as much as I dislike the Jedi for what they did to you, I would not join you on some mad quest to destroy the galaxy." Her worry was not whether he was sincere, for the Force had told her on that flagship that he was. Instead, she wanted to know his reasoning, so that she could make an informed decision to join him. While she may be the submissive partner in their power exchange relationship, she firmly believed that consent can only be given when she understood what she was getting into.
"I suppose I do owe you an explanation," the Sith Lord agreed. He started in a lecture tone, the same tone he had once used when he tutored her over a decade ago, "Let us start with the Galactic Senate. There were two major factions in the Senate. The Optimates and the Populares. The Populares championed the cause for the average citizens of the Republic, asking for tax brackets so that the rich pays more taxes than the poor, subsidies for people from low income families to study and acquire skills, and labour laws to prevent people from being worked to death for a minuscule amount of pay. They wanted hospitals to stop leaving those who can't pay upfront to die. And they wanted to end barbaric practices like slavery and kin punishment, as well as crimes like racketeering and murder.
"Look around you, Bastila. Look at the bodies left over from the swoop gang wars. Look at how run down this neighbourhood is. Tell me how any of these people here can even get a better life, when they have no schools, no health care, and constantly suffer under the brutal rule of the gangs.
"And have you seen the Undercity? People live there because their ancestors rebelled against the oppressive system, because they had no alternative except starvation. They live down there, none of them still alive having ever seen the light of day, in the presence of rakghouls that are constantly killing them. There is no escape for them, and they and their descendants will forever be in that living nightmare, unless we do something. Tell me these reforms are not desperately needed." Revan's spiel was filled with passionate conviction and righteous anger.
"Why haven't these reforms been passed then?" Bastila asked the obvious question.
"You have the Optimates to thank for that. Calling themselves that because 'they know best,' these are either super-rich people benefitting from the current system—or paid well by them. The Tarisian nobles from the Upper City would not want to spend a penny helping the people below them. They don't even want to see them! Other worlds are just the same. I came by so many worlds during the Mandalorian wars, and the absolute depravity of the rich in the Republic is unbelievable—it still boggles my mind after having seen it with my own eyes. Yet I can't deny it, not after seeing it over and over again on so many worlds.
"Did you know the Republic has the most regressive tax system I can possibly imagine? On paper, it sounds fair because everyone pays 20% of their income as tax, but 20% for someone barely scraping by is a huge amount, whereas if you made a million credits, having 800 thousand left over is still a lot of money. But then, corporations don't pay taxes. So if you are rich, you just hold all your money in corporations and then you don't need to pay a single credit in tax! If the government likes you enough, they'll even give you extra money through subsidies! The entire Republic is essentially propped up by the poor while the rich tramples over them, and the Optimates are the ones who benefit so much from the system that they would never dream of giving it up."
"That's outrageous," Bastila declared. "Surely the Populares would have done something?"
"They didn't have a majority in the Senate, though they were getting closer and closer. During the Mandalorian wars, it seems rather suspicious that the worlds with Populare senators were disproportionately attacked by the Mandalorians, and they were rarely within the reach of the Republic fleet. And yet, worlds with Optimate senators, even those without strategic value, we were told to defend to the last man. This only worsened as the Optimate majority in the Senate grew bigger as the Populare senators no longer qualified for their seats due to a massacred population. After I became the commander of a significant portion of Republican forces, I stopped answering to the Senate, using my discretion as a field commander as an excuse. I started helping those that were in need. I have been to Taris before, and my army ended the slavery here. And in five short years, the practice is back, and you, my dear Bastila, were almost a victim.
"When I defeated the Mandalorians, one of the few remaining Populare senators showed me the Optimates' plan to have me charged for treason, because I had largely disobeyed them during the war in order to protect more people. Evidently, they wanted to seize full control to keep the Republic the same way it always was—beneficial to them and their backers—and were upset that I resisted. I will not allow myself and my followers to be punished for doing the right thing. By then, the Senate was already in a habit of withdrawing pay and supplies to force me in line. We were fighting to save their asses while they were starving us! We had to stay alive on captured Mandalorian supply depots. Facing either starvation or execution, I led my men beyond the borders of the Republic, and conquered a few primitive agricultural worlds, freeing the slaves there. The food problem was now solved.
"However, my men yearned to return to their loved ones, still trapped in the wretched Republic. However, we represented the last remnants of those who stood against the Optimates. For that reason alone, there was no way the Republic—now ruled solely by said faction—would leave us alone. The only possible way for us to return was at the head of an invading fleet, to destroy the corrupt old order, to wipe out the Optimates, and bring the desperately needed reforms by force. As terrible as war was, reform had failed with all reformers dead, so it remained the only option for change. After careful deliberation, we decided to seize the initiative and invade. And thus I built up my forces—rather easily, with many newly freed sentients joining—declared 'the die is cast,' and returned with my much stronger fleet."
Despite his rather extraordinary claims, Bastila sensed complete sincerity from him. Still, she felt like she was missing something, and frowned. "But how did the Optimates get in office in the first place? The Republic is a democracy… why haven't the people voted them out of office?"
He let out a sarcastic laugh. "Well, we were all taught that the Republic is a democracy, but in reality it's nothing but a sham. First of all, the worlds select their senators. Some worlds just have the absolute monarch appoint senators to represent their interests. Others allow only nobility to vote. Yet, these are the minority. Most worlds, being more subtle in their ways, game the system. For example, requiring a poll tax so the poor can't vote, or require the ownership of land. Most of the urban population don't actually own land, you see, unless they happen to own an entire building from ground up. Farmers are easily prevented from voting by holding the polls during the harvest season in the cities.
"Then, oftentimes the worlds control the candidate selection process to make elections basically meaningless. If you need to be a millionaire to run, do you really think anyone who wins will make life better for the poor at their own expense? Don't forget politicians promise the world and fail to deliver. Even if they are one of the rare ones with real intentions to do good, no one else would let anything happen in the cesspit of corruption that is the Senate. Furthermore, the Core Worlds have disproportionate representation in the Senate due to their status, further diluting the power of the Rim planets—though it was not as if the poor in the Core had any influence either.
"But the final nail in the coffin is corporations. They are legally people for weird historical reasons, from which the Supreme Court of the Republic decided that they should get to vote like people and democratically elect senators, even though they don't pay taxes like real people. Then, the largest corporations are also granted seats in the Senate, so that rich shareholders of companies like Czerka Corporation get to democratically elect their second, third, or fourth senator depending on how many corporations in which they own shares. It's a standard shareholder vote too, so the more shares you have, the more votes you get."
Bastila looked as if she was punched in the gut—the situation of the galaxy had finally clicked in her mind, and she knew any hopes she had for the Republic were delusional. "I have always wondered why I have only seen Ahlan Matale and Nurik Sandral voting on Dantooine, and why Czerka had a senator… That explains a lot," she said finally. Naturally, she had never voted herself, as the Jedi were supposed to be "apolitical" and the Council forbade all Jedi from voting. "The Republic seems… completely broken, for the lack of a word to capture the exact scale, but what about the Jedi?" she asked, already bracing herself.
"You have seen their inaction, Bastila. They call themselves the guardians of peace and claim that they protect the people of the Republic, but nothing could be further from the truth! If they truly cared about peace and protected the people, they would have tried to stop the Mandalorians, the slavery, the gangs, and the corruption. Instead, they hid in their enclaves and their temples, pretending that all was good outside, even as worlds burned in the flames of Mandalore," the Sith Lord declared with contempt. "They spend their days believing that emotion and passion are evil. To what end? So that they feel no emotion, and hence no desire to act, when faced with the utter horrors of the outside world? So that they can all be empty inside, without the passion to get anything of note done? To them, righteous anger is the 'Dark Side.' The only thing they are willing to fight is the Sith." He snorted, and continued less seriously, "What a pity that Mandalore did not contain the word Sith. Maybe they could have been bothered to join the war if they were called 'Mandasith' instead…"
Bastila could see some of his points against the Jedi. She still did not understand why he chose the polar opposite instead, so she asked, "Is that why you joined the Sith?"
"The Jedi Order existed for thousands of years without any real change. Nothing can sway the Jedi Masters, especially the Council members, from the beliefs that they were raised to believe from childhood, especially when only the most fanatical believers are promoted to the Council," he explained. "Make no mistake, I find what we know of the ancient Sith, whether real or fabricated by the Jedi, repugnant. But for all their faults, the Sith are adaptable, and they don't believe in following rules absolutely like the Jedi, and so are capable of improvement. On the other hand, the Jedi deal in absolutes: they denounce anything they don't like as the 'Dark Side,' and therefore automatically evil and must be destroyed. There is nothing that makes the so-called 'Dark Side' intrinsically evil, only the purpose for which it is used." He decided to use an example, "Suppose I used Force Lightning to kill the Vulkars shooting at innocents in the streets. Is that an evil act?"
She thought for a moment, and finally replied, "I don't think so. However, you could have used your lightsaber instead…" There was plenty of uncertainty in her voice.
"I could," he acknowledged, "but I have to run the distance to the Vulkars and cut them down one by one. They could have killed more people in the meantime. I could have immobilized them with the Force, as a Jedi would, I suppose, but what difference does it really make? You know that without a permanent solution, the Vulkars will just continue shooting innocents—and you too—when they recover, especially in this lawless land ruled by them. Force Lightning with sufficient intensity instantly kills before the target is able to feel pain. Would it be more merciful to hack a thug into pieces with a lightsaber?" he asked, painting a rather grisly picture in her mind. She couldn't help but shudder in response, though she was also considering the merits of his argument. He continued, "But let us use a less morally ambiguous example. Suppose someone desperately needed a defibrillator, but one cannot be found. Should I use Force Lightning as a substitute?"
Bastila's eyes opened wide in surprise. "I never thought of that possibility! I think you definitely should, in that case," she conceded. "I see your point, the Jedi will say you 'turned to the Dark Side' and must be destroyed, simply because you used Force Lightning." However, she had one more burning question to ask, "Still, why the Sith and not something else?"
"None of my followers were actually the original Sith," Revan explained. "They were all ex-Republic soldiers and Jedi. We debated the name greatly, and eventually we realized that we need allies. The fledgling state we founded beyond the reaches of the Republic could not hope to support a galactic war on its own. The Exar Kun war was not so long ago, and old allies, most notably the Hutts, had not yet forgotten about the Sith, and were still willing to offer aid and open trade as long as we kept the illusion of continuity. And besides, my ex-Jedi followers were rather eager to spite the Jedi Order for their ultimate betrayal. They never sanctioned our war, even as it ended in Republic victory, and they did not lift a finger to help us when the Senate turned on us. Yet, as we had suspected back then, when we returned to overthrow the corrupt Republic, they immediately came to its defence."
"I can see why you would feel that way… What about the actual Sith teachings? The constant betrayal and backstabbing?" she asked with some concern.
"When we decided to use the Sith name, we re-interpreted the teachings. At its core, the Sith teach people to constantly struggle, to better themselves, to surpass their limitations and achieve their true potential," the Dark Lord of the Sith lectured. "This is evident in the Sith code, which incidentally never mentions betrayal and backstabbing."
"What's the Sith code?" Bastila asked naturally.
"Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me," he recited. Somehow, there was power in those words.
"But what does it mean?" It was natural for her to ask for clarification, given how open the words were to interpretation.
"'Peace is a lie. There is only passion,'" Revan quoted. "This tells us that peace—both the absence of conflict and the emotionless serenity that the Jedi are so fond of—leads to stagnation, and you need passion to get anything of note done. 'Through passion, I gain strength' tells us that passion gives us the strength to continue our struggle and improve ourselves. 'Through strength, I gain power' gives the logical consequence of that: our strength through struggle and self-improvement makes us better, more powerful. 'Through power, I gain victory' shows that by becoming ever more powerful, we can triumph over our adversaries. Even without adversaries, we can still rise through the ranks, eventually reaching the top if we are worthy. It is important to realize that rising by other means—such as by default due to lack of competition, or by murdering your competition—is not victory, merely an illusion. 'Through victory, my chains are broken' tells us that by reaching the top, we have broken through all limitations—real or artificial, imposed by our minds, our society, our friends, our relatives, or anything else—and reached our true potential, becoming who we are meant to be.
"This is in direct opposition to the Jedi philosophy of detachment and believing everything that happens to be the will of the Force. No, the future is not set. Instead, a Sith sees the opposite—fate is merely what happens were we to do nothing to defy it, and if in defiance it still comes to be, then we have not tried hard enough. Peace is a lie, there's only passion, and when faced with doom, there can be no peace, only passionate struggle. Without passion, strength, power, we shall never triumph over a destiny of failure, of mediocrity. As Sith, we make our own destiny, and we owe it to ourselves to make the best destiny we can. History shall be our judge.
"This is more than an abstract philosophy. In real life, the benefits of competition and struggle are obvious everywhere. For example, I just did a swoop race, and had to use every trick I know to finish under 12 seconds to beat all the competitors. I wouldn't need to do such a good job if I had no worthy opponent to compete with. It doesn't stop here though. If you look at the products of Czerka and Aratech, you'll find that where they compete to make the same products, the results are much better quality and regular improvements are made. Where one of them holds an everlasting patent, the products stagnate and remain effectively unchanged for centuries if not for millennia.
"But there is one unique thing that separates the Sith from swoop racers or corporations. That is the Force. And we shall achieve our freedom by mastering the Force. Hence, the Code ends with 'the Force shall free me.'"
"That actually makes a lot of sense," Bastila admitted after some thought. "I can't find fault with the idea of improving yourself, and nowhere does the Sith code tell you to do it at the expense of others. What about people who like to be in chains though? Are they not allowed to be Sith?" She was reminded of what a simple pair of handcuffs managed to achieve when she spent the night with him during her teenage years and would prefer that such things continue.
"As far as I am concerned, there is no greater freedom than being the person you wish to be," he explained, sensing the reasoning behind her hesitation. "The chains are metaphorical. What should be broken—what needs breaking—is whatever that is holding you back from becoming who you are meant to be, to achieve all that you wish, to reach your true potential."
"I can get behind that," she decided. "So the issue with the Sith is the method?"
"Yes," Revan confirmed. "Well, the methods of the ancient Sith left a lot to be desired, but my Sith was different. Instead of constant backstabbing to let the strongest rise to the top, I taught my followers to constantly try to outwit each other non-violently, to find new and creative ways to best each other in friendly combat, and of course, find better ways to defeat their enemies. Success was rewarded. If a man proved himself to be better than his superior—by distinguishing himself, not by betrayal—he would be promoted. This is in fact, meritocracy, and clearly better than promoting by seniority or degree of indoctrination." He added with some bitterness, "If a Jedi proved himself worthy of being knighted, should people really complain about his age?"
Bastila recalled how a lot of the Jedi Order had questioned the decision to grant Revan knighthood because he had only been eighteen years old, even though he had far exceeded all the requirements. Yet, during an era when the Jedi still occasionally recruited young teens, that was considered far too young for knighthood, even though his earliest memory was in the Jedi Order. "I see your point…" she said finally.
He continued smoothly, "Despite the competition, my Sith have one goal and must band together. We may be rivals trying to outdo each other to reach new heights, but we are friendly rivals. We value loyalty to each other and to our common cause. Betrayal and backstabbing were deemed criminal acts. In essence, we harnessed the power of competition and the Sith teachings, without the associated body count and attrition. In many ways, I feel like this is what the Sith was meant to be. It almost seems as if the historical Sith was a perversion of this ideal, a result of fools recreating it from Jedi propaganda…"
"So basically, the idea is that the best rise to the top?" she summarized. "Except in your version, and perhaps the true version, this happens without betrayal and murder?"
"Essentially, yes," he confirmed. "Still, using the name had its drawbacks," he finished with a sigh.
"What happened?" she couldn't help but ask. "Is it the propaganda advantage on the Republic side?"
"The Republic and the Jedi would have equated us with the Sith anyway for the same advantage, since we were a group of former Jedi, so we must have 'fallen to the Dark Side,'" he observed derisively. He would have made air quotes if his hands weren't occupied by the swoop bike. "No, the problem was that I had failed to completely curb the ancient Sith methods… Malak seemed to have embraced it, using treachery to rise to the top. If I hadn't used the name, perhaps he wouldn't have tried to replace me… wouldn't let the power go to his head and destroy planets for fun, forsaking his mission, his purpose."
After a moment of silence, she asked, "What were your plans for the Jedi? Was it really true that you were going to exterminate them?"
"The Jedi will never accept the existence of groups of Force users that do not follow their ideology, and will do their best to wipe any such group out. You know of the Great Hyperspace War, yes?" he asked.
"Yes, we all had to learn about it… from the Jedi perspective. Is there more to it?"
"Well, think back to the words they used. They 'hunted down the remnants of the Sith Empire' and 'made certain they are no longer a threat.' They weren't lying. Think about the implications for a moment. What they really meant was that they exterminated the entire Sith species and any Force users that fled the destruction of that empire."
"Yes…" the wavering Jedi replied with confusion, unable to grasp the idea. Suddenly she realized his meaning, "Wait, every single one of them? Even the women and children of the Sith species? Even those who just want to move on with their life?"
"Yes," the Dark Lord spat. "That was exactly what they did, which is why we no longer see any red-skinned Sith today. At that point, there was no Sith Empire left. They were just people. No doubt some of them dreamed of restoring their former glory, but they aren't so different from us, and most of them just want to live their lives out in peace. The Republic and the Jedi wiped them all out."
"After all the preaching about tolerance, they would be so intolerant…" Bastila shook her head. "I suppose after what they did to you, I shouldn't be surprised."
"Yes… believe me, most of my followers were not keen to fight the people they grew up with. If the Jedi would just leave us be, then we would be content to leave them be, and no blood needed to be shed." He sighed. "But that is wishful thinking. We broke away from the Order, which to the Jedi meant we turned to the 'Dark Side' and must be eliminated. Before we claimed the name of the Sith for ourselves, one of us had returned to face the Jedi Council after the war and was never seen again… We had thought she was killed, but given what they did to me… I am not sure I want to know. Any illusion of peace was shattered when every single Jedi was given a military commission to lead the fight against us. What could we do other than fight back? And if enemy combatants would not surrender or defect, what could we do other than kill? For what it's worth, I'd leave anyone who surrenders on the battlefield or renounces their military commission alone and welcome anyone who defects…"
She could see his point, as much as it saddened her. Turning her thoughts away, she asked, "Why is it that you look nothing like a Sith in the textbooks? You know, the deathly pale skin, scarred face, and glowing yellow eyes from using the Dark Side all the time? And I have seen you use the Dark Side casually."
"The textbook Sith look does not come naturally from just using the so-called 'Dark Side,'" he explained. "In any case, I don't use the 'Dark Side' all the time either. If I needed to heal people, I can still use the 'Light Side' to do it. If I need to destroy a droid, I'd still use the Jedi technique to do it, since it's quicker and easier than with Lightning. To answer your question, some Sith live unnaturally long, and their body just suffered more damage than we are used to seeing. Other Sith use terrible rituals, and those usually exact a high price. Still other Sith seek to emulate the look to make themselves more fearsome, and that is where the 'Sith look' came from. The glowing eyes happen when you channel a lot of power. If you channel it with anger and hatred, your eyes glow yellow, and if you channel it with compassion and love, your eyes glow blue. I would not be surprised if your eyes glowed blue when you tried to save my life on my flagship."
"So what do you intend to do now?" Bastila asked, realizing that she needed to make a decision very soon. "Will the Sith welcome you back with open arms? Are they on the same side as us?"
"No, Malak is currently in charge, and no one would openly defy him. He ordered them to hunt for you, and I can't imagine him not trying to finish me off once he realizes I am still alive." Revan sighed. "For now, they are the enemy. In time, I may be able to retake control of the Sith and reinstate my teachings. Nevertheless, I have gone too far on my quest to free the people of the galaxy to give up now. And it's not like they would leave me alone to live in peace. I will find some way to bring about my vision, somehow," he finished, his resolve absolute.
Bastila sensed no deception from him, neither through the Force directly, nor through the Force Bond they shared. She once again recalled her childhood and early teenage years with the Jedi.
She had tried so hard to be a good Jedi, learning all she could about the Force, yet her eagerness was criticized as "potentially leading her to the Dark Side." Instead, the Jedi Masters slowly went through boring lessons, lengthening what she could have easily mastered in a few hours into a full week if not more. Then, any success she had was only to be expected, yet the slightest deviation resulted in harsh criticism, even if it was an improvement. Truly, they were impossible to please.
Revan was different. He was a good friend to her ever since she first joined the Jedi Order, helping her through her difficult early days, supporting her in her parents' place. He studied under a much less rigid Jedi Master, widely derided as the most eccentric in the Order, who was happy to indulge his thirst for learning. When he learned about her troubles, he quickly started tutoring her in material far beyond what the Jedi Masters were willing to teach. He was a better teacher than any of them. If she fought better than anyone else on Revan's flagship, it was all thanks to him.
The Jedi Council were always acting mysteriously, withholding information from her, and constantly testing her loyalty to the Order. She always felt untrusted, and she found it difficult to trust the Jedi Council in return.
On the other hand, she could always trust Revan and count on him. Later, after they started playing with power exchange, she trusted him even more. Despite her willingness to obey and occasional helplessness in bondage, Revan never took advantage of her submission. He cared about her, and always made sure she enjoyed the overall experience. He took care and comforted her after intense or painful sessions. They were always able to discuss exactly what they wanted and hoped to achieve. She would trust him with her life, knowing that he had no hidden agenda, not with her. And he made her so happy…
They both cared deeply about the people of the galaxy, wanting freedom and justice for the people. They had once thought this was the goal of the Jedi Order. Yet, when the Mandalorians invaded, the Jedi Order chose to ignore the desperate pleas for help. It was Revan who stepped up and went to fight against the brutality and the senseless slaughter of Republic citizens.
The same Jedi Order also forbade all its members from killing, even the worst criminals, if they were unarmed, even if they would attempt to kill you the instant they are able to do so. If there were no authority to turn them to, they must be set free to commit more crimes. Yet, when it came to Revan or the Sith, such rules no longer applied… They would attempt to destroy his mind, enslave his body, and give him a fate worse than death—all for their own gain, the due process of the law not even an afterthought. In retrospect, it was clear that their purported ideals were impractical and could never actually work, and the Council clearly knew this. So what could it be, other than a method of control? She put herself at great risk trying to uphold these ideals and never found herself more betrayed when she learned the truth.
She never forgave the Jedi for what they did to Revan, for betraying her, yet she had nowhere to turn to. She absolutely refused to join Malak, for it was his betrayal that forced her to bring Revan to the Jedi. As much as she resented the Republic and Jedi, she had thought them reformable, until Revan's explanation dashed that hope. And she thought she owed Revan to at least stay with him on the Endar Spire, to protect his… body, even if the precious love between them had been destroyed forever. But now, she had a second chance…
Revan saw the true nature of the Republic. While its political system promised to empower common citizens, it instead left the power in the hands of the rich and powerful, allowing them to oppress the rest. Its legislature, massively rigged against the common sentient already, had been purged of any who wanted reform. And now, he would destroy this oppressive system. At the same time, he would defend the people from Malak, just as he had defended them from the Mandalorians.
At that instant, she understood. She realized Revan's goals were the same as what she had always wanted, what they had both wanted when they were younger. The only difference was that he saw the bigger picture, instead of the narrow dogma of the Jedi and the lies of Republic propaganda. That would change now. She would join him.
And so she explained her thoughts to him: "I already had months to think about what I want to be, after I thought your mind destroyed. I already came to the decision that I could not continue to be part of the Jedi Order. Not when they require us to follow its restrictive doctrine to the letter, even in the most desperate situations, even if many lives are at stake, and require us to make immeasurable sacrifices, while the Jedi Council casually breaks the same rules when they feel like it. Everything they profess to be turns out to just be a way to control us. The ideals of the Jedi Order are nothing but a sham. But I didn't have anywhere to turn to, until now. This is the perfect opportunity for me…"
Bastila paused, closed her eyes, allowing herself to be overcome by her passion, and the words poured out, "You are the same person I had always known, the same person I once gave myself to, despite the Jedi claim of you being 'consumed by the Dark Side and forever lost.' I can feel it, the same old sense of justice and desire to do what is right and necessary. I see now that your cause is just. I regret hindering you with my battle meditation.
"But Revan, my feelings for you have never wavered! I still long to be yours. I feel so much less alive without your presence, your touch, and your orders, Master. Let us rekindle our relationship. Let me join you. Let me help you realize your vision. Let me be your willing slave once again. I shall be utterly yours, while we make the galaxy a better place for the masses."
And yet, Revan remained silent. Her shoulders slumped a bit, feeling rejected. Sensing her distress, he quickly reassured her, "I love you, Bastila. You are my best friend, the most important person in my life. I would never want to share my life with anyone else, and those nine years have done little to change that. But this is an important decision, not something to be made lightly. Once you turn your back on the Jedi and join me, you can't go back. They will say you turned to the 'Dark Side' and try to eliminate you like anything else they say is 'Dark.' And now, I am just a fugitive with no support, no army, no fleet. Even if the Jedi doesn't hunt us down, Malak and so many others could. Are you really sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, I am sure. We both know we are willing to risk our lives making the galaxy a better place. It is what I thought I was doing with the Jedi anyway. My greatest regret is not going with you to fight the Mandalorians, even if it meant defying your will. You were risking your life to save the galaxy while I was safe. That was not a life I wanted to live. I realize now that I would much rather die fighting by your side than read about your death in the news and dying of a broken heart. Whatever challenges we may face, let us face them together, Master!" she declared. She continued with a smile, "Besides, this way, we can have the relationship we were always denied."
Just then, they neared the entrance of the Hidden Bek base. They climbed off the bike, and Revan pulled the now ex-Jedi into a hug and kissed her. After they broke the kiss, he declared, "I love you so much, and I shall be a good Master to you." He paused, and continued more seriously, "Remember that we are in dangerous times, and safety comes before our games. We can't do anything that will hinder your ability to protect yourself from our foes."
"I understand completely, Master," Bastila answered equally seriously. More casually, she said, "Would be nice if I had an excuse to call you 'Master' in public though…"
"You can always be my Sith apprentice," he suggested. "If we ever take back the Sith, I'll need a new apprentice, and who better than you?"
"I still have a lot to learn, so why not?" she agreed. "Now, I am your best friend, lover, willing slave, apprentice…"
"And so much more," he finished for her. He smiled somewhat mischievously, "Seems like I did win a prize from the swoop race, after all."
Bastila beamed happily at him, and they held hands as they walked through the entrance.
A/N: The Populare faction's platform (and Revan's by implication) is not meant to be extreme or anything. Everything they are proposing—e.g. tax brackets, 40 hour work week, having a minimum wage, hospitals not leaving treatable people to die, end of slavery, end of kin punishment, and equality of law—are all things we'd expect in a modern country in the 21st century. It only seems progressive in comparison with the terribly backwards nature of the Republic. By the way, the factions are named after the ancient political factions of the late Roman Republic.
Bastila appears in this story to be a lot more sane, emotionally stable, and intelligent than she appears in game, but I feel like this is more representative of her true character once she was freed from the Jedi's influence. In the game, after she turned to the Dark Side, she was no longer struggling with the Jedi code and could function a lot more effectively—in the Dark Side playthrough, she appeared very decisive and came up with the highly successful plan to restore Revan as the Dark Lord of the Sith, summoning the Republic as a distraction to seize the Star Forge and then dealing them a major defeat.
In this story, Bastila is more like her "true self" with Revan. Revan is, of course, exceptional—the overwhelming majority of people in the galaxy aren't military geniuses that could single-handedly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the Mandalorian wars, nor become the most powerful Sith of the era. There are perhaps a handful of people in his entire generation that have the potential to be his equal. If Bastila were to be his friend before the wars, she must be able to keep up with him, even if she's not exactly his equal, and that, combined with her unique mastery over some aspects of the Force (e.g. battle meditation), makes her equally exceptional. Their experience with the Jedi is like putting such exceptional people in regular school where everything is basically a joke to them, and the teachers are upset because they don't pay attention but breezes through everything. I can't imagine the Jedi Order nurturing such talent when it's dominated by conformity to the norm, so they had to have nurtured each other as children and teens.
Naturally, she suffered greatly in his absence under the Jedi, and the only reason she's not upset at him for making her stay is because of her guilt over what happened to him. You can easily imagine these things combined making her what she appeared in the game, awkward and full of emotional conflict, before she turned to the Dark Side and learned how to deal with her emotions. I might add a short story in which Bastila is still submissive, but Revan doesn't remember himself, just to explore what she's feeling in the game. Let me know if there's any interest.
In this chapter, Bastila takes the first step in returning to what she was by pledging herself to Revan with the knowledge that he's remembered everything they've shared since they were children. By the end of this tale, she shall reach her true potential.
Also, winning the Taris swoop race in the game is actually fairly easy—you just need to do a run that beats 38.43 seconds (it's very hard to be that slow, actually), then the game will beat you by 0.25 seconds, and you need to do a second run that's faster. Under such circumstances, winning is hardly an achievement and certainly doesn't illustrate the benefits of competition, so instead, I made Revan match the current world record for the swoop race on Taris among KotOR speedrunners, which is 11.98 seconds.