Chapter 5
(Kashyyk)
Revan took in the wild looking Wookiee as he explained how he had ended up in the Shadowlands. The fact that this was Zaalbar's and Chuundar's father was no real surprise. He had already guessed Chuundar would be willing to do anything to hold onto his power, betraying his father would mean little to him in the grand scheme of things. He could tell by the look in Bastila's eyes and through the bond they shared that she was disgusted by the fact a son had betrayed his father. He sensed she was beginning to see the world less as the Jedi saw it and more as it really was. He had long learned this lesson during those terrible months before they had learned what the Mandalorians had done on Cathar and the council had finally given them their reluctant agreement to go to war.
His Jedi tinted idealistic view of the galaxy had been stripped away forever. It was why so many Jedi joined him because once they had seen the truth there was no going back to ignoring it as the Jedi did.
Bastila needed to see the way the universe really worked if she was to be any real use to him, she needed to see that the Jedi were wrong to keep themselves apart from the realities of galaxy. That their vaunted code was wrong, that they had become lost and arrogant in their belief that only the council could decide on the right course of action. This was a good first lesson for her. He needed to be careful though on how he won her loyalty. Bastila wasn't stupid, she was wary of him and rightly so, but she also seemed to trust him to a point. Maybe due to the bond she had created between them or something else he didn't know, either way he needed to build on that and make her see things from his point of view.
Bastila frowned as she sensed something over the bond but not enough to know what Revan was thinking and so she decided to keep a closer eye on him. Just because she had made a deal with him that didn't mean she was going to trust him fully, she didn't kid herself that Revan had his own plans. 'Right now their plans merged but what happened when Malak was dead? What would Revan do then?' she asked herself.
"Ok now we have ourselves a plan," Jolee's voice broke through both of their thoughts and made them refocus on what has been said. "We help Freyyr challenge Chuundar for control of the tribe and it seems that blade handle we found was sacred to their village. I've seen what that Sith spawn has done to his own people and if anyone needs killing, it is him," he told them.
"I can see why you left the Order," Bastila responded, frowning at the older man who turned to meet her gaze.
"Ah don't give me that look girl, what the Order fails to teach their students is that sometimes there are evils in this world that need killing," Jolee told her with a growl. "Redemption is all well and good, but sometimes that option doesn't exist," he added. "Ask your friend there," he said with a strange grin while pointing at Revan, making Bastila stiffen in alarm.
"Redemption is never beyond reach," Bastila said and Revan jerked a little at hearing it. It was almost an exact quote of Vima Sunrider's favorite saying, something she had come to believe from her experiences with Ulic Qel-Droma during her teen years. She had told him the story many times when he was still a Padawan. She had been his favorite, but informal, teacher back when he still believed in the Jedi code.
"This is a waste of time, we have things to do," Revan finally snapped. "We head back to the village now and deal with Chuundar," he told them in a clipped tone.
"What about the star map?" Bastila asked in surprise.
"We don't need it, you forget I already know where the Star Forge is," Revan countered as he began to walk away. "But going there now is pointless, we are in no shape to fight Malak right now," he advised her. "Seen as my cover has been blown, going to the planets where the maps are seems a waste, but it may at least help us build up our team's skills and trust in one another," he continued.
Bastila quickly followed him in shock, it had not accrued to her that now she knew Revan still lived that he would know where the star maps lead to. This Star Forge sounded like a space station of some sort. She would ask him about it later. She had to agree with him that they were in no shape to fight Malak head on right now. To do so would be a foolish endeavor.
"Smart kid, facing the Dark Lord alone some might say would be suicidal," Jolee said from his other side. "He is bound to be surrounded by his followers, there to ensure you are weakened before you face him," he mused.
"That is exactly what Malak would do. He is no longer the man who fought beside me on so many worlds against the Mandalorians," Revan agreed with a quick nod of his head. "Once the lust for power and the dark side changed him, he became more of a coward willing to win by treachery than face to face combat," he told them. "Just look at what he did to me, instead of challenging me to one on one combat he tried to kill me by attacking me while I was fighting the Jedi," he pointed out. "A cowards move, hardly worthy of the supposed Dark Lord," he said with bitterness.
"Knowing what you did about the Sith, what made you think you could use their religion to save the Republic?" Bastila asked as she recalled what Revan had told her earlier as he hinted at things she did know about him.
"The darkness cannot abide the light, but the light can abide and survive the darkness," Revan told her. "I hoped to make the Jedi stronger, make them evolve into something that could meet the real enemy head on with no hesitation and no weakness," he explained.
"What real enemy kid?" Jolee asked as he tried to follow the conversation and both of them noted the smile that crossed Revan's face as he asked that question.
"Now isn't the time for that answer, we have work to do, so put it out of your minds and focus," Revan finally told them in response. "When I'm ready to tell you, you'll know," he added when he noted their looks of frustration. 'And you Bastila deserve it more than anyone,' he sent through the bond sorely for Bastila's peace of mind.
Bastila frowned as she considered what Revan had revealed since admitting his survival and it painted a very confusing picture. Hinting at some hidden enemy, what he called the real enemy? What did he mean she asked or more importantly who did he mean?
"Bastila when the fighting starts, don't hesitate to act," Revan cautioned her as they approached the lift back to the village. "From here on out, we are in danger," he stated.
Just as Bastila was about to respond figures appeared and took up positions in front of the lift, two looked like Wookiees, but the other one looked like a human. As they got closer Revan and Bastila realized they knew the human, it was Calo Nord. The man they had met on Taris who had been working for Davik King. They believed him dead when Malak had bombed Taris after being defeated by them when they had commandeered the Ebon Hawk from King.
"Nord," Revan growled with a glare aimed at the other man.
"Thought me dead didn't you Toulon or should I call you Revan?" Nord taunted in response and a smirk. "I once saw a picture of you without that accursed helmet you always wore. I recognized you the moment I saw you," he told them his smirk growing. "I told Malak about you as soon as his men found me and begged his leave to come after you, my orders are simple, kill you and bring the girl to him," he stated, unaware of the mistake he had just made.
Bastila was again filled with the possessiveness of Revan where she was concerned, still wondering if the bond had joined them far more closely than the council had surmised. She allowed herself to briefly bask in the warm feelings that made her feel, before shaking her head in annoyance with her own foolishness for such a thing. Revan wasn't someone she should be feeling such things with, not that she should be feeling any such things for any man. She was a Jedi and any attachments were forbidden, but even as she was telling herself that the feelings refused to fade completely.
"Big mistake Nord, coming here for revenge," Revan told him as he pulled his lightsabers and readied himself for battle. "You have no idea what you are facing," he promised.
Nord laughed as he pulled a thermal detonator from his pocket. "You think I'm scared of you, the supposed big bad Dark Lord?" he said still laughing. "You were beaten by Malak with ease, you are nothing but a fraud," he stated as his laughing stopped. Revan felt his anger spike at been laughed at. Bastila felt it as if it was her own even trying to block it didn't help. "I will kill you and make myself a whole lot of money, and then I will hand you little friend over to Lord Malak and watch as he pleasures himself with her after he has broken her," he went on.
He didn't get to finish as Revan let out a yell of anger and force jumped towards him. Nord threw the detonator at Bastila and Jolee, but both jumped out of its range and it exploded harmlessly. Revan was on Nord in seconds as Jolee rushed one of his Wookiee guards, clearly some of Chuundar's followers. Bastila engaged the other with a flurry of strikes, but the Wookiee parried them with his own sword. Nord was used to fighting with his blasters, but his enemy was trying to gut him at close range, so he pulled a sword he had been gifted by Malak and defended himself. The sword had belonged to a former Sith Lord that he forgot the name of, but according to Malak its blade was poisoned with a poison created by Sith alchemy and sorcery. He may not be as skilled with a blade as he was with his blasters, but he knew enough to hold Revan at bay, but the pure power of Revan's attacks made his arms hurt as he parried them. He gritted his teeth and tried to push the man back, this had little effect as Revan easily absorbed the attacks before unleashing his own.
Bastila dived under the swing of the Wookiee and swung her lightsaber in a backwards arc, but the Wookiee managed to avoid it and went back on the offensive. She was pushed back by the pure strength of the Wookiee, but she kept her footing and fought back. The Wookiee was put off balance as she came back at him swinging her lightsaber in a wild arc before lashing out with thrusts and slashes, it didn't take time for her to find a weakness in the Wookiee's guard and without remorse she cut it in half with a slashing swing across its chest. The Wookiee had tried for one cry of pain before it died.
On the other side Jolee was far more ready for the brute strength of the Wookiee he was fighting. He had fought them before, during his adventuring days a long time ago. He countered each of the wild attacks of the Wookiee's sword, absorbing the blows before he unleashed his own attack. Jumping over the Wookiee's head he slashed his blade downwards and caught the Wookiee in the shoulder. This made it roar in anger and pain and it tried to attack him with a thrust aimed at his chest as he landed. Jolee quickly rolled out of the way using the force to increase his speed somewhat. The Wookiee tried to catch him, but left himself overbalanced in his attack and Jolee instantly dived forward and imbedded his lightsaber into the Wookiee's heart and it dropped dead instantly. Jolee shook his head in annoyance wondering what they had been promised if they helped this bounty hunter and he didn't doubt that was what this Nord was. He'd seen his type before, arrogant and only caring about how much money he could make for himself. Shutting off his lightsaber he turned to watch the fight between Revan and Nord.
Bastila hesitated wanting to get involved and she was still influenced by Revan's anger, but she managed to stop herself and tried to regain control of herself.
Revan ducked and dived out of the way of Nord's sword, the force gave him warning not to let the blade touch him. Jumping out of the way of another swing he tried to strike at Nord's back, but Nord managed to jerk out of the way. The bounty hunter attacked him again, this time aiming for his unprotected side. The blade almost cut him except for Bastila's sudden intervention, she had sent her lightsaber into the path of Nord's sword with only one of its blade's active. She had sensed the threat through the force and acted on instinct. It had the desired effect and deflected Nord's strike into the ground. Nord growled in anger as he tried to re-balance himself. Revan force pushed him away, allowing him to nod in thanks to Bastila. He charged Nord as he tried to right himself, cutting into his side a little as he passed. Nord swung around and just missed Revan's back as he went by. Revan then turned and thrust his hand out. Nord stopped his own charge and clutched at his throat. He dropped his sword as he was lifted upwards. His face quickly turned blue as he tried to breathe, but found no oxygen at all as his sight began to fade.
"Revan," Bastila said, moving to his side as she reclaimed her lightsaber.
"No Bastila, I will not spare him," Revan cut her off before she could say anymore. "Thanks to this piece of slime Malak knows we are alive and he knows what we are doing. Nord is the worst kind of bounty hunter you could find," he told her grimly. "If he was paid enough he would kill anyone, he would rape, murder and pillage with no remorse," he continued to hammer his point home. "At least I have a cause to fight for and you have a cause as well, but this man has no cause all he cares for is his greed," he added.
"Then finish it and quickly, don't torture him," Bastila spat in anger. "I get it, alright? Some people need to be killed, but torture doesn't impress me," she told him with a glare.
Revan looked at her for a few seconds before conceding her point and nodded in agreement, turning back to Nord he twisted his hand somewhat and they all heard the man's neck break. His lifeless body dropped the ground and silence resumed in the Shadowlands except for the nearby wildlife.
Bastila grimaced in distaste as she stared at the dead body.
"I'm sorry Bastila that my means of keeping you safe don't sit well with you, but when one is at war one uses any means to survive," Revan told her. "It is a lesson I learned well. Had I not used all methods available to me I might have died and then you would be taken to Malak and that is something I promised to keep from happening," he pointed out. "And I keep my promises," he stated while locking gazes with her.
"I'll say you might have died and it would have been a painful death kid," Jolee's concerned voice made them both turn to face him and see him kneeling near the blade Nord had been using, but not touching it. "This blade is the sword of Ajunta Pall, said to be poisoned and infused with the darkside," he explained at their looks. "Had he caught you with this then you would have suffered before you died," he said with a shiver.
"More than likely Malak's intention in giving him the sword," Bastila mused with her own shiver now understanding why the force had pushed her to intervene in the fight between Revan and Nord. "He was hoping Nord would get lucky and kill you by sheer dumb luck, just like when he attacked your ship," she realized at the end of her statement. "He really is afraid of facing you one on one," she said turning to Revan.
"Of course he is. He knows while blade to blade he might be my equal he doesn't match me in raw power of the force," Revan replied as he wrapped the blade in Nord's jacket, the arrogant idiot hadn't even been wearing any proper armor. "This should be returned to the temple of Ajunta Pall where it belongs, angering the ancient Sith spirits by taking their things without their permission is a dangerous and stupid thing to do," he explained as they all got on the lift and pulled on the wire to alert the guard to pull them back up.
"Bounty hunters, ah no class or sense of honor," Jolee muttered to himself loud enough to be heard. "He did at least give us some solid information, the Dark Lord knows you are both alive," he reminded them.
"Which means we will have to be even more careful now," Revan responded as he put the now covered sword into his backpack. "No one goes anywhere alone," he stated to which the other two nodded.
'I appreciate your efforts to keep me out of Malak's hands Revan, but please remember I'm still a Jedi,' Bastila told Revan over the bond. 'Torture and cruelty will not make me trust you more than the small measure I do due to the bond we share,' she added.
'I understand Bastila, but as I said in war you use all methods available to you,' Revan calmly replied. 'Perhaps in Nord's case I went a little overboard due to my anger, but at the end of the day he was the enemy and he chose to be that and he chose to come after us,' he pointed out.
'Speaking of your anger, I felt it almost overwhelm me and I don't like the idea I could be so influenced by your emotions over our bond,' Bastila cut in. 'I know it is asking a lot, but please try and keep your emotions under control,' she requested.
'You are asking for far more than you know Bastila as I'm a man of deep emotions, once you allow them to surface you find you don't want to bury them again,' Revan responded. 'But I will try and keep my more negative emotions in check,' he offered.
Knowing it was the best she was going to get Bastila decided to just accept it. 'Thank you Revan,' she said as they finally reached the top.
"Is the 'madclaw dead?" the guard demanded as he pointed his bowcaster at them.
"The deed is done," Revan lied with casual ease. "And we found what we were looking for. Now take us back to Chuundar so we can finish our dealings," he ordered.
The guard glared at them, but obeyed the order and began to lead them back to the village, this time they ran into no trouble. They passed the bodies of the dead Sith still laying where they had been killed. Bastila noted that something had begun to actually eat one of the Sith and had to stop herself from retching and being sick at the fact. Finally they entered the village again and were taken straight to the hut where they found Mission, Canderous and Carth being held. Revan frowned when he noted Zaalbar was missing.
"Where is Zaalbar?" Bastila asked the question before Revan could do so.
"Chuundar kept him in his hut while we were locked up here," Carth answered as he took in the old man who had entered with Bastila and Jaks. "Who's your friend?" he asked.
"This is Jolee Bindo, formerly of the Jedi Order and he has agreed to help us," Revan introduced Jolee who nodded at them in greeting. "He helped us find the Star Map," he lied.
"Can we trust him?" Canderous asked as he took in the older man and noted that while he looked old that by no means did it mean he lacked in strength. He had seen Jedi older than this man who had struck down whole units of Mandalorians during the war.
"I believe so," Revan responded, understanding the Mandalorian's caution. "Now when we are brought to the chief's hut I want you all to be ready for a fight. We've taken enough of this slavers orders," he told them more quietly.
"About damn time" Canderous said with a smile and a glint in his eyes.
"Whoa wait a minute here Jaks. Are you suggesting we kill the chief?" Carth asked in shock. "You think the other Wookiees will let us get away with that?" he demanded to know.
"Actually we are about to take part in a revolution. The supposed 'madclaw' we were sent to kill was actually Chuundar and Zaalbar's father Freyyr and the former chief of the village," Revan answered with a smile. "We didn't kill him and are going to help him remove Chuundar and those who follow him," he stated.
"You think those Czerka gizaks will just let us do that?" Mission asked with growing excitement at the idea of removing Chuundar from power, not realizing Revan meant to kill him if it came to that.
"They will have no choice. Once Freyyr reclaims power they may find themselves outnumbered and kicked off the planet," Revan responded.
"No senseless killings," Bastila hissed quietly in his ear, feeling very unsure about this whole thing, but knowing there was no way to stop it. The only way would be to warn Chuundar and that wasn't something she would do. He was a monster who had not only sold out his own people, but also betrayed his own father.
"Agreed, but we may end up having to help Freyyr force Czerka out of his village," Revan shot back.
"From there it becomes an internal affair of the Wookiees, so be ready for a fight," he warned her to which she reluctantly nodded. "Carth keep Mission close to you. Mission you stay with Carth and work together when the fighting starts," he ordered to which both nodded although Mission looked slightly annoyed at being singled out.
Before anything else could be said, the door opened and group of Czerka guards and Wookiees entered pointing their weapons at them. "Chuundar wants to see you before you leave," one of the guards stated before indicating them to follow.