Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Revan turned to find Zaalbar talking to his father as the other Wookiees looked on. Noting Zayne and Jarael of to the side, he made a snap decision and walked over to them.

"Considering your talents I would ask that you join us in our mission," Revan stated, gaining both of their attentions. "Considering your history, I think your aid would be of great benefit to us," he added. "Knowing Malak he would not have forgotten either of you, or the slight you gave him when you turned him down twice to stay with Zayne," he continued only to realize he had again slipped up by revealing he knew things he should not know. He could already see Jarael looking at him in confusion, a hint of anger in her eyes also. Zayne was looking at him closely, clearly wondering how he knew such a personal detail, not something mention in the official history of their journey.

"How do you know that?" Jarael demanded, she didn't like to remember those times not now that Malak had become such a monster.

"It's a long story, one I will have to tell eventually, but for now I can't say anything," Revan quickly responded. "I'm sorry if it upsets you to remember Alek as he was. He has to be stopped and quickly before he burns anymore planets to the ground," he told them hoping to play to their horror of the things Malak had done. "Bastila has to be protected while we accomplish our mission, the more help we have the better off she will be and our mission will succeed" he added.

"Do you really think Malak would come after us?" Jarael asked in fear.

Revan snorted in annoyance at the question even though he tried not to. "Yes he would, you didn't see what your refusals did to him or the jealously that erupted from your union with Zayne," he told them, again confusing them with knowledge he shouldn't have.

Zayne didn't like what he was hearing. Alek had been a friend and an ally during his time as a fugitive. He had helped them multiple times, the only times he had not been keen on Alec was when he tried to convince Jarael to leave with him. Hearing about the things he had done since becoming a Sith had sickened them both, what this Jedi said was true he had to be stopped. But they didn't come here to join up on another crazy quest. They had come to deliver a message and they had done so. That should be it end of story, but he could already feel the fear of what Malak would do if he captured them. He had his followers on a hundred worlds, finding them would be child's play. Letting out a frustrated sigh he glanced at Jarael to find her already giving him a questioning look, he saw the fear he felt himself reflected in her eyes.

"We'll join you," Zayne finally said after searching for an answer while getting lost in Jarael's eyes. "We won't be safe until Malak is stopped," he agreed with a sigh as his hand strayed to his lightsaber.

The only thing he kept from his time as a Padawan, he had used it in the war when he had been conscripted into the army against the Mandalorians. He had hoped not to be drawn into another war, but it seemed the Force had other ideas.

"I better tell Gryph. He won't be happy, but he will understand and he can take the ship back to base if we are to use your ship," Jarael said, knowing she wouldn't let Zayne go into danger alone, especially not against Malak.

It had been bad enough when he was conscripted into the war, she'd had to stay behind and wait for news. Those long months of waiting had been the hardest time of her life, but Zayne had come back to her alive, but troubled from what he had seen during his service in the army. When he had come back the first thing he had done is purpose to her, she had accepted. They had plans to marry in the new year, now those plans seemed uncertain as the Sith closed in on the Republic. If they wanted a future free of such evil, they had to help stop Malak once and for all. They both headed back to their ship to talk to Gryph who had decided to stay inside, he'd said this was a fool's errand due to them not getting paid for it which was what they would expect from him.

Revan smiled glad he had gotten their agreement to help. Zayne's unique ability with the Force may come in handy fully trained as a Jedi or not. He had learned from Malak's tales of him that Zayne seemed to accomplish things he had no right doing, clearly the Force was with him. Turning he noted the others getting the Ebon Hawk prepped for flight. Only Zaalbar remained with the other Wookiees, he walked over to see what he would do.

"Your village is yours once more as I promised, from here we leave you as we have an important mission to complete," Revan said to Freyyr. "Your son has already aided us in this mission, you should be proud of him," he added knowing Bastila was listening in from where she stood near one of the weapon points on the wing. He knew the value of loyalty and this would help gain loyalty from both Zaalbar and more importantly Bastila. How to gain loyalty was something he had learned during the war.

"I thank you outsider for your aid and for helping my son escape what would have been certain death on Taris," Freyyr responded. "You will always be welcome back here, my son has chosen to go with you to honor his life debt," he added. I ask that you ensure he returns to me once your mission is complete," he requested.

"I will do my best Freyyr, but as I'm sure you know in war anything can happen," Revan replied. "I wish you well in reclaiming your world, if you need any help then call and we will return and help as best as we can," he promised before he turned and headed for the ship while taking in Bastila's shocked look at the conversation she had overheard.

Bastila watched him board the ship before trying to understand why Revan was acting completely different than what she expected of him. 'Was it an act to make himself seem more human and less of the monster the Jedi had taught her to think of him as?' she wondered. 'Or was it possible Revan really did respect and like their companions?' she mused inwardly. Either way she noted how Zaalbar and Freyyr reacted to his words, he had won them over even if they didn't know who he really was. She heard the engines of the second ship power up, turning she watched Zayne and Jarael walk over to her as their ship blasted of the pad and vanished in a matter of seconds.

"Well Gryph took that as well as I thought he would, but as always he turned it to his advantage and basically said he would use our time away to earn some honest credits," Zayne said with a smile and shake of his head in amusement at his friend's view of things.

"You are coming with us?" Bastila inquired with surprise.

"Your Jedi friend asked us too, he raised some good points as to why we should join you," Jarael added, even as she tried to forget what may happen should Malak capture either of them.

"His name is Jaks," Mission said as she walked pass them with Zaalbar finally making it back after saying goodbye to his father. "Great guy," she added as she followed her friend inside the ship.

"Does everything check out Bastila?" Carth shouted from the top of the ramp.

"Yes the ship is in good shape, no damage from the fighting or the attack we suffered on the way here," Bastila called back as she moved to enter the ship with Zayne and Jarael following. "We can leave when you are ready," she added as they boarded and closed the ramp.

Freyyr stood and watched as the ship his son was on lifted off and hovered over the landing pad for a few seconds, everything had chanced within so short a time he still felt it could only be a dream. But as he watched the Ebon Hawk shoot into space he knew it was no dream, he was once more chief of his village and a leader in the war to liberate their world from the slavers of Czerka. His youngest son had returned a warrior, and had proven himself loyal to his people and removed any doubt on his past actions. He had acted in the best interests of the tribe, but he had been stupid and stubborn. He had refused to listen to Zaalbar and in so doing nearly helped destroy his village and his people.

Chuundar had been evil and when he had betrayed him he had proven Zaalbar had been telling the truth. Now Chuundar was dead, executed during the challenge. He felt sorrow for having to kill his own eldest son, but in the end it had to be done if his people were to be free. Listening to the cries of triumph around him as his people embraced their newly won freedom he knew this was only the beginning. From there they would liberate other villages close by, and from there they would retake their world in time. Raising his hands in victory, he turned and headed back to the village. There was much to do, including burying his son and burning the bodies of the Czerka guards.

+TR+

(Leviathan)

Darth Malak sat in his private chambers trying to feel the flow of the Force, but for some reason the answers refused to come to him. He saw no images of the future and the usual pulse of the dark side failed to manifest when he meditated. He frowned in annoyance before he finally gave up and exited his chambers. He had been informed by Karath that his infiltration team had returned with the information he sought concerning Revan. Entering the bridge he found the full team waiting for him.

Karath stood of to the side going over the latest reports on the resupply they were undergoing.

"Master, we have the information you require including all we could find on the defenses Dantoonie and the Jedi Enclave has," the team leader, one of the two Sith warriors in the team, stated as they all bowed before him.

"Excellent," Malak responded as he took the pad he was offered. He liked it when his people showed some actual initiative and independent thought when it was needed as long as they didn't allow that independent thought to sway them to turn on him. The information on the Enclave and Dantoonie's defenses wasn't what he had asked for, but it would prove useful in time. "You have done well- I assume none of the foolish Jedi suspected any of you during your mission?" he inquired dangerously. His very tone made his words seem like the threat it was meant to be.

"No master, at no time were we suspected of being anything but loyal Republic soldiers and Jedi," the other Sith responded. "They were easily fooled," he added to which the others nodded in agreement.

"Good, you have pleased me," Malak responded as he looked at the information on Revan. "You will have the week to relax before your next assignment," he stated before indicating they could leave.

"Thank you Master, you are most generous" the team leader said with a quick bow before leaving.

"Yes I'm," Malak muttered in response, knowing full well that had they failed him they would all be dead and they knew that.

So the Jedi captured Revan during the ambush, it seemed his sneak attack would have succeeded in killing his former friend had it not been for the actions of Bastila Shan. He cursed her and vowed once she was captured that she would suffer even greater than he had planned before he broke her, that girl had ruined his chances of being rid of Revan permanently. But his anger cooled as he read about what the Jedi had done to him. They had wiped his mind, effectively killing him anyway. On one side he was pleased by this news as it meant Revan wasn't helping the Jedi find the Star Forge, although clearly they had learned of its existence somehow. On the other side he was furious that they had done it, for all the hatred he now had against Revan he had once been his best friend who he had followed into war and darkness. To now know he was little more than a puppet angered him greatly, it made his own time as Revan's apprentice seem a joke if such a man as the one he followed could be brought so low.

"Admiral Karath, I want you and the other admirals and generals to plan an assault on Dantoonie and the Jedi Enclave to take place in a month's time," Malak ordered as he handed the pad over to the man.

"At once sir," Karath responded with a bow, knowing from the look on his Master's face not to question his order at all. He quickly left the bridge to call a meeting of the senior admirals and generals.

Malak watched him go with a glare at his back. Karath was an able Admiral, but he was only loyal out of fear. Not that he minded that, but sometimes he got the feeling Karath would have preferred that Revan stayed in control of the empire. In time he may have to get rid of him, for now he still had his uses. Turning he gazed out into the dark galaxy and wondered if Revan was truly gone. 'Could someone as powerful as Revan have fallen prey to the Jedi's mind tricks?' he asked himself. He had no answer to that question, either way Revan or whoever the Jedi had programmed him to be would die.

+TR+

(Outer Rim)

Meetra Surik sensed the attack even before it came, even without her connection to the Force her battle senses honed during the Mandalorian war were intact. She rolled out of her bed and grabbed her nearby sword. She wished she still had her lightsaber, but that witch Atris had it the last time she had seen it. She found herself facing two lightsaber wielding enemies. Strangely she found she recognized one of them. The female Twi'lek brought memories from the wars forward, before she could say anything they attacked. She blocked each of their blows before dropping to her knees and sweeping the males legs out from under him. Before he could recover she rolled forward and slammed her fist into his face, this had the side effect of not only knocking him out but breaking his nose. Rolling again she just avoided the female's swipe at her head, coming back to her feet she faced her attacker head on. But again the face of the Twi'lek brought memories forward, she knew this woman.
"Wait," she ordered. "I know you," she told her.

The Twi'lek frowned as if in thought before lunging forward and trying to impale her with her lightsaber, Meetra jumped out of the way just in time. Had she still her force connection it wouldn't have been so close she thought angrily. Again the Twi'lek came at her, but this time Meetra met the trust and tried to use her power advantage to knock the weapon out of her attackers hand. The Twi'lek struggled against the move, so Meetra decided on a move Revan had taught her during the first month of their campaign against the Mandalorians. Quickly unlocking their weapons she parried left, the Twi'lek moved to counter only for Meetra to suddenly spin right and aim right for her attackers legs. Somehow the Twi'lek jumped out of the way. She had known the move was coming as soon as she moved right. That more than anything confirmed in Meetra's mind she knew this woman, she had to have served with Revan to have known about that move as it was one of his personal moves. Finally the memory came to her of Revan's aide, a young Twi'lek who while not a Jedi had been gifted a lightsaber of her own by Revan for her acts of bravery, especially when she had saved his life and took a blaster hit to her side meant for him.

"Rikka," Meetra shouted just as the Twi'lek came back at her, this caused her attacker to pause and frown in confusion. "Your name is Rikka, you were General Revan's aide during the war," she pressed, lowering her sword a little but ready to bring it back up if she attacked again. "You earned that lightsaber even though you are not a Jedi for saving Revan's life," she continued.

Finally the Twi'lek lowered her own weapon as stared at Meetra trying to recognize her face. "How do you know that?" Rikka demanded as she shut her lightsaber off and moved to check on her companion. "Only those close to Revan knew about my role as his aide," she stated.

"You don't recognize me?" Meetra inquired, knowing in the year or two since the war she had changed, her hair was longer than it had once been and she had dyed it from her normal black to red. Her eyes were probably less innocent than they had been. The Mass Shadow Generator and Malachor V had ripped that away.

"You seem familiar, but I don't know you," Rikka answered as her cohort began to come back to his senses, moaning as he reached up to touch his broken nose which was bleeding heavily.

"I'm General Meetra Surik," Meetra reintroduced herself, feeling a little bit let down at not being recognized. She had been Revan's closest friend and ally after Malak, their friendship had even gone beyond friendship for a short time which all came to an end when Malachor V happened. The pain of that moment would live inside her forever. The loss of her connection to the force made it all the more painful.

Rikka's eyes widened as she heard the name. She knew it well as it belonged to Revan's closest ally now that she could discount the traitor Malak. She got up and moved to stare at the woman she had attacked. It was the eyes she recognized first. Stepping back she took note of the longer hair and new color, but in the end she now knew it was Meetra Surik in front of her. Revan would have her head if she accidentally killed her. She knew the two of them had been very close during the war. Rikka had done her best to hold together the part of the fleet that had broken away from the empire, once Malak had betrayed Revan. They had fled to the prearranged sector of space Revan had planned for in the event he was betrayed. Only those who they knew were loyal to the same cause he still fought for were told. Only those who had not become infected by the dark side as Malak and his followers had been warned of the rendezvous. They no longer had to pretend to be Sith and they no longer had any loyalty to the empire. They had once again taken on the name they had been known by during the Mandalorian War, they were the Revanchists. But she needed someone who could hold the fleet together until Revan found them or they found him, she knew some of them were losing hope that Revan still lived.

"It is you General, my apologies," Rikka said with a short bow as her ally climbed to his feet painfully and did the same. "I didn't recognize you with the new hair color," she added.

"Rikka, what are you doing out here?" Meetra asked as she put her own weapon away now that the threat of bloodshed was gone. "Is Revan here?" she demanded to know as it suddenly occurred to her that the last time she had seen Rikka she had been standing behind Revan as they said goodbyes after Malachor V.

"I'm afraid Revan is missing in action due to Malak betraying him," Rikka reported and Meetra could hear the anger and fury the Twi'lek now held for Malak.

"HE DID WHAT?" Meetra demanded as her own anger spiked at this revelation as she stepped closer to Rikka and her friend.

"It is a long story General, much has changed since you left us," Rikka responded slowly unsure how to tell Meetra of the plan Revan had devised to save the Republic once and for all. "Please come with us to our fleet, we will explain it to you, I promise," she stated to which Meetra nodded in agreement as she moved to pack her stuff. "Our finding you here is almost coincidental, Revan would call it the will of the force," she mused as she went to help.

"Yes he would," Meetra agreed with a nod of her head. "Just answer me one thing Rikka," to which the Twi'lek nodded. "Is he alive?" she asked.

"I believe so, we failed to find his body before we were forced to abandon the Revenge," Rikka answered. "We know an escape pod was jettisoned and that there was a survivor from the Jedi strike team that attacked us just before Malak betrayed Revan," she continued. "It is possible the Jedi have him, if they do he is in great danger," she suggested and noted the confusion her answer caused Meetra. "As I said General, it is a long story," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Meetra shook her head wondering just what in the force had Revan and the others done after she left the fleet. 'What kind of insanity had they gotten themselves into? And why had Malak betrayed Revan?' she wondered. They had been best friends even before the war, although now that she thought about it she recalled their friendship had become troubled during the war. She would get the answers out of Rikka, inside however a white hot anger burned within her and she vowed if Revan was dead Malak would pay. And even if Revan survived then Malak would still pay, she followed Rikka and her still injured friend to their shuttle, glad she didn't have to use the small shuttle she had been using herself as it was close to giving out on her.

+TR+

(Ebon Hawk)

Revan rubbed his eyes as he considered what to do after visiting Tatoonie and letting Bastila see her mother. 'Was there any point of going to Manaan or risking the danger of going to Korriban?' he asked himself. They didn't need the star maps, but this team that had sprung up around him needed more trust between the various members. They needed to harness their skills to make them more effective during combat, they also needed more time to work together and learn each other's moves and learn to play of those moves. Going to Manaan might be worth it, but to go to Korriban was asking for disaster to happen. Korriban was home to the ancient Sith spirits that infested the tombs in the valley of the Sith Lords, it also housed the Sith academy he and Malak had built to train new recruits. Taking Bastila there was paramount to basically handing her to Malak, yet it would be a test of her abilities to adapt and survive.

He could divert the ship and see if any of his loyal followers had managed to escape the empire once Malak betrayed him. If they were waiting where they had planned for them to go should Malak betray him then it would be a great help in planning his revenge. That depended on how many had escaped and if they had enough ships as well. Malak had the Star Forge which could create five ships every week at the same time. It was a huge tactical advantage. To regain it he would need a large fleet and a large army to storm it. The Revanchists, if any had survived, would make up the core of his new army. They would bring the experience and expertise they had developed during the war with the Mandalorians. Still even they would not be enough to destroy Malak and his empire and regain the Star Forge. 'He would need allies but where was he to get them?' he wondered.