Chapter 20

(Leviathan)

Malak entered the torture chamber to find Dorak blooded and fading in and out of consciousness. His men had clearly done their job correctly and remembered not to kill him, for which they knew he would have ensured that they would have suffered for their error.

"Ah Master Dorak I see you are well rested," he greeted him, gaining the tortured man's attention. "I trust you are enjoying your accommodations?" he taunted as the man moaned as he tried to speak.

"Your cruelty will gain you no benefits Malak. I have no secrets to give to you," Dorak managed to say.

Malak burst out into a bout of laughter at the older man's words which just made the man groan as he felt he was been toyed with, taunted just for the fun of it. "You have no secrets worth beating out of you Dorak, and your previous Order will not last long enough to rescue you," he stated coldly after he stopped laughing. "In fact they more or less believe you to be dead along with everyone else, my people tell me no Republic ships or suspected ships have even dared to approach the planet since it became a part of my empire," he informed the other man. "That is how much your great Council values your life. They don't even care enough to even dare look to see if you might still be alive," he taunted knowing he was adding to the man's emotional pain.

Dorak closed his eyes and wished he was elsewhere or better yet that he had died back on Tatoonie, anywhere but having to be here and having to listen to this mad man that once was a loyal comrade. "The Council will not rest until you and all who follow you are destroyed. The Sith have tried to destroy us multiple times in the past and we have always survived and destroyed the threat," he said as confidently as he could. "You cannot win, history is against you," he stated boldly although he did not feel as bold as he tried to sound.

Once again his comments sent Malak into a fit of laugher only this time it went on longer than the last, finally he seemed to regain his composure and made sure to lock his eyes on Dorak's. "You think you destroyed the Sith, you think you won every battle?" he inquired in a deadly serious tone. "Oh how foolish have the Jedi allowed themselves to become?" he asked almost to himself. "I will let you in on another little secret Dorak and this is one that will haunt you as you sit waiting for the end," he said as an evil look entered his eyes. "You did not destroy all of the previous Sith Empire at the end of the last Great War. A large population escaped into the uncharted regions and created a new empire," he informed him. "It has grown in the years since the end of that war, it is huge and it is gearing up to bring forth its wrath on the ignorant Republic and Jedi who believe them dead.

Revan, myself and our people found it when we disappeared because Revan found out from Mandalore before he killed him that it was the Sith who provoked them into attacking us," he explained, keeping his eyes pinned on Dorak's who listened with horror. "Everything that has happened since the Mandalorians attacked us has been at the behest of the Emperor who rules their new Empire. Revan wanted to fight them, but knew we didn't have enough ships or manpower to do so and thus came up with a new plan to protect the Republic," he added with the ending been said in distaste as if the very thought of defending the Republic made him sick.

Dorak wanted to argue that none of what Malak was telling him was true, but something in the other man's eyes convinced him this was the horrible truth and that meant they faced an even greater danger than they ever believed possible. If what Malak was saying was true he had to wonder how they had missed parts of the Sith Empire surviving? The Jedi and Republic were supposed to have eliminated every single trace of the ancient Empire of the Sith and killed every survivor. But Malak had stated they had failed. 'Had the Jedi and Republic allowed pride and a superior sense of destiny blind them in their victory?' he wondered.

"Yes that's right Dorak you failed and allowed yourselves to believe a false truth out of arrogance," Malak taunted as he saw the truth slowly begin to sink into the Jedi Master's mind. "Then you added to your arrogance by not seeing the truth of Revan's new plan. He attacked the Republic not to destroy it but to save it from itself, if you think back and look of how he captured planets you will see he did so with as little destruction as possible and he tried to minimize the loss of life in every battle," he explained looking for the killing strike that would break Dorak's spirit and leave him broken, knowing he had the truth and the possible salvation of all he held dear but could do nothing about it.

"He had no intention of ever destroying the Republic because he never fell to the darkside. Oh he used it tapped into it, but never embraced it, as I said back on the planet he was loyal as were those who followed and believed in him and his damn mission," he spat suddenly turning angry. "But I had grown tired of defending a weak powerless Republic and of serving an even worse and ineffective Council of fools. The Jedi had shown themselves weak and cowardly and unworthy of my blood and the blood of all those who died in their name," he growled. "And I grew tired of always been in the shadow on Revan, the great hero and commander and the man most saw as the one who led the Republic to victory against the Mandalorians, as if I and others didn't play our parts as well," he raged as his anger increased and Dorak had a glimpse of some of what had turned Alek into this madman.

"We were forgotten when compared to Revan, and thus I decided to kill him and all those who followed him. I would create my own legend and Empire and I would erase his name from history as well as gain my freedom from all who would subjugate me," he finally finished.

"You've allowed jealously and hatred to destroy you Malak, Revan was your best friend and he trusted you," Dorak argued, even though all he wanted to do was sleep just so he could get out of this discussion as it was breaking all his long held beliefs in what was true.

"Trust?" Malak asked as if the word was unknown to him before he broke into even more laughter. "Sith do not trust and if Revan allowed trust to blind him he deserved to die and if he allowed some attachment due to our former friendship to cause him to hesitate he was unfit to lead and I had every right to remove him and so I did," he added.

"Yes by trickery not by face to face confrontation," Dorak finally decided to try and argue and unsettle Malak. It was dangerous he knew, but he couldn't take any more unsettling truths from his enemy. "You used our ambush on his ship to your advantage and basically shot him in the back, you dared not face him in combat and thus used cowardly tactics to win," he stated, again trying to sound confident.

Instantly Malak's face distorted into rage and he lashed his hand out and unleashed a barrage of force lightening which leapt all over Dorak's body. Dorak screamed in agony as the vile power washed over him. He had already been tortured before Malak arrived and thus he had little strength left to truly resist, he continued to scream for another two minutes before he lost consciousness and faded into oblivion. Malak finally stopped as he took note his prisoner was out cold and he reminded himself he didn't want to kill him, his hands were clasped into tight fists as he glared at the unconscious body of Dorak as he realized he had almost made an error in letting his anger get the better of him. Dorak's words had been aimed at angering him and they had succeeded, but he wouldn't slip up and free Dorak into the embrace of death. He would pay for his words later on when he had been allowed to recover somewhat. He turned and exited the cell and turned to the two guards stationed at the door. He glared at both and noted how they tried to hide their fear.

"Clean him up and take him to medical, once he has been healed take him back to his cell and do not take your eyes off him," he warned them. "If he escapes you will suffer an eternity of agony for your error, he is your responsibility," he added before he turned and left leaving the two guards to shiver before they quickly headed into the cell to do as they were told.

Malak walked to his private quarters as he wondered if Dorak has lashed out with that last provoking statement either so he would be killed and freed from the pain, or so he would not have more of his world turned upside down by truths that had pushed him to the brink of sanity as he realized how badly he and the Council had messed up. He chuckled as he relished the pain Dorak must have felt as he realized the true trouble he and the Council were really in, and more to the point that they had in essence aided the Sith by inadvertently helping him remove Revan from command. That all those who had died in his great purge had been loyal Republic soldiers and Jedi instead of rival Sith, oh he knew that information would burn in Dorak's mind once he awoke. As he entered his quarters he couldn't help but smirk. Dorak's faith in the wisdom of the force and of the Council had to be hanging by a thread now.

+TR+

(Tatoonie)

Revan came to a halt near the entrance to the cave that housed the Star Map with the others close behind, as Niks had pointed out there was a group of five hunters outside the cave with one of them quickly approaching them. He was a tall Twi'lek with a yellow skin tone so he was clearly of the more numerous Rutian species of Twi'lek. He came to a halt only a few paces from him holding his blaster in a relaxed posture.

"Greetings travelers," he said with a friendly smile. "Are you fellow hunters?" he inquired.

"No we are not, but we do need to get into that cave," Bastila answered before Revan could even think to respond. He glanced at her and noted she was agitated which considering what she was about to face he could understand.

"I see, we are here to try and kill the nesting Krayt Dragon within so we can harvest the pearls to sell, however we have failed to lure the beast outside," the Twi'lek responded after glancing back at the cave for a few seconds. "Perhaps we can help each other, for you will not be able to enter the cave without removing the dragon first, thus we need a way to lure the beast outside and I do have an idea," he suggested.

"Oh and what is the plan?" Zayne asked as he looked around and wondered what they could use as bait to get the dragon to come out of the cave.

"There were some Bantha's just over the dune tended to by some Sand People, perhaps if you can lure them outside the cave the dragon will come out to feed," the Twi'lek explained.

"No, we'd have to kill the Sand People to get those Bantha's away from them and we just got through with engineering a peace treaty between them and the city and we can't risk breaking it," Revan quickly cut in before anyone could say anything. "There is a simpler way to get the dragon to come out, but I cannot afford for you to kill it either as it makes a natural guard for the cave for what lies within," he went on as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Hence I will pay you enough credits to cover your hunt to leave and not to come back, this cave is better off left untouched," he offered as well as warned at the end.

"I don't fully understand however I will take an easier way of getting my credits if it is offered as this hunt has already cost me more than was anticipated when my original party was decimated," the Twi'lek replied with a nod.

Revan removed the last couple of thousand credits he had in his backpack and handed them over to the man, he nodded in agreement that it was enough and signaled his men to come to him. He then paid each men their due before they all turned and left, Revan kept a close eye on them until they passed over the dunes.

"Er…where we going to get more credits from?" Mission inquired having noted Revan's pack was now empty of money.

"Don't worry I have plenty stashed away on various planets, we'll get more," Revan responded with a confident smile at the young Twi'lek that easily reassured her.

"So how do we get the damn dragon out of the cave?" Canderous asked somewhat unsure for one of the few times in his life, as he did not want to play live bait not now or ever and especially not with a damn Krayt Dragon.

"Using an ancient force talent to connect with the beast we can urge it to leave the cave, it was used rather extensively in the Great Sith War on the planet Dxun and was also used by those Jedi known as the beast masters," Revan explained. "It is a rare talent in this day and age but I believe Bastila and I can do this," he assured them.

"But I do not know how to use this power Jaks," Bastila suddenly chimed in having been lost in her own thoughts and only just stopped herself from using his real name by a hairsbreadth. Sighing in relief that she had not just blown Revan's cover, she rubbed her head and tried to focus herself and pushed aside the rising grief she could feel wanting to overwhelm her.

Revan chucked and not for the first time Bastila's body responded with a shiver at the noise, more and more as they spent time together Bastila had realized she had begun to respond to Revan in ways she had never believed she was capable of. Even a short chuckle which for him was so unusual sent pleasant chills through her. If the Council knew just how far she had allowed Revan to affect her they would surely exile her for allowing herself to fall under his spell and forgetting her duty. For daring to even think she could love him, and she could barely stop herself from thinking that was exactly what was happening to her that she was falling in love with Revan. Shaking her head she wondered how she had come to this in only a few short months, from the upstanding and loyal Jedi who had captured the supposed Dark Lord to the now rebellious and compliant Jedi who followed Revan's lead as well as fell in love with him in their quest.

"We share a force bond Bastila and thus we can transfer knowledge and even use one another's powers," Revan reminded her with a smile for once not catching her inner thoughts. "If I so wished I could utilize your battle meditation even if it would not be as effective as your own, hence while you will be able to use the beast taming power it just might not be as effective as mine," he explained to which she nodded in understanding. "The rest of you stand back, do not approach until we tell you it is safe. Bastila stand close to me and allow the bond between us to open as wide as possible and I will try and push the relative knowledge to you," he ordered.

Bastila moved to Revan's side and closed her eyes for a few seconds before she opened them and did as he had instructed, the bond opened and she was suddenly engulfed by Revan's power. She felt like he was inside her and she within him, the joining of their minds was beyond anything she had felt and then she felt a suitable shift as something seemed to suddenly appear in her head. She felt the knowledge of how to tame the beasts course through her, it was like it had always been there just hidden from her conscious mind. Unknowingly she raised her hand and projected her power into the cave just as Revan did the same, she felt them both connect to the dragon as it roused from its sleep as it felt the power wash over it. The dragon's mind felt alien and unlike anything she had encountered before, yet slowly she felt herself begin to coax the beast outside, yet it was not an easy process as the beast struggled to resist as if it knew it was under attack. Finally after what seemed like forever the others all gasped as the gigantic Krayt Dragon walked stiffly out of the cave, it let out a loud roar of protest before it moved close to the nearby dune before it settled and seemed to fall asleep.

"By the force," Zayne gasped in surprise just as Mission let out a loud "Wow" completely in awe of what she had just seen.

"That is impressive work kids," Jolee admitted as he looked over the giant sleeping dragon. "Not seen anything like that in a long, long time," he added as long buried memories fought to the surface. Memories he had long sought to keep locked in the deepest recesses of his mind, memories of the war and the loss of his wife.

"Damn," was all Canderous could say as he had seen some impressive feats from Jedi before back during the war. Jarael said nothing but you could see by the look on her face she was impressed as well, Niks smirked as he saw real proof that not even his near brush with death had dampened his power. Although his show of connection with the female Jedi was worrying, and he again wondered just what kind of affect the force bond had on the both of them.

"That won't last long, that dragon has one of the strongest minds I have ever faced," Revan cautioned them. "We move and fast, follow me and keep quiet. He added as he led them into the cave, inside he was trying to adjust to how much he had enjoyed the sharing of his mind and hers in return with Bastila. It was a powerful experience and one he wished to feel again, shaking his head he refocused himself.

Bastila herself was also trying to shake off what she had just experienced. Her body tingled as the last vestiges of the link faded away. "That was amazing," she whispered so the others didn't overhear them, since she was still close to his side this was easily accomplished. "A truly unique experience," she added.

"Agreed," Revan replied just as quietly. "Your mind is addictive, the feeling of been linked like that was enjoyable," he admitted making Bastila smile even though she tried to hide that fact. "We should get the map first, then we can find your father's remains," he told her softly which instantly wiped the smile from her face as she remembered why they were here.

They moved straight to the back of the cave where the map was located, locked in a large black sphere. Bastila looked it over wondering how to open it, when Revan raised his hand over it and instantly the object opened, a projection instantly shot out above it.

"How?" she inquired as she noted the others had stopped a few feet behind them in surprise.

"They are keyed to mine and Malak's thought patterns, clearly he has not bothered to try and change my access to them thus proving he was so confident his plan to kill me would work," Revan answered with a shake of his head. "Over confidence is a weakness and one we can exploit," he stated. "Mission, copy the data onto this pad while we find Bastila's father," he ordered as he handed over the pad and then guided Bastila towards the other side where it looked like the dragon had been nesting.

Bastila felt a dark foreboding as they began to search through the nest where numerous dead half eaten bodies lay, some were clearly fresh but others had clearly been here for a long while. After a few minutes Bastila let out a cry of despair as she found what she had been looking for, her father lay untouched bar a deep claw wound to his stomach close to the caves wall. He looked peaceful in death she thought as she collapsed to her knees and let out a few sobs. She tried valiantly not to lose complete control and break down as she felt Revan place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Unable to help herself she let her head come to rest against his hand as she finally let go and cried for the loss of her father, the others tried to give them some privacy by moving back towards the cave entrance.

"We should take him with us and bury him somewhere more fitting," Revan said softly as he reached over and pulled a cape from one of the bodies and used it to cover Bastila's father. Bastila stopped him as she reached for the dead man's belt and removed a satchel that was attached to it.

Bastila stood somewhat unsteadily before she opened the satchel and removed a small holocube from it.

Revan glanced at her before he continued wrapping the body in the cape so it covered his face. "My father carried this every day of his life, he was given it as birthday gift when he was three. He recorded every important event in his life including my birth, and his marriage to my mother in it," she said absently attracting Revan's attention after he had lifted the corpse over his shoulder. "I wonder what else he recorded in the years I've been gone?" she wondered.

"Come on let's go before that dragon wakes up and makes a snack out of us," Revan said softly as he headed towards the others, Bastila watched him go for a few seconds before she followed. "You could always make a copy of it you know and study it as we go, that way both you and your mother would have something of him to remember in the years ahead," he told her gently.

Bastila looked slightly surprised at his suggestion before a bright smile lit up her face even as she wiped her tears away, even though she wanted to continue to cry and rage she had managed to regain control of her emotions even if she still felt them within. "Thank you," she finally replied as they exited the cave and began to climb the dune just as the dragon awoke, letting out an ear splitting roar as it looked around before it turned and re-entered its lair.

"So, what now?" Jarael asked as they headed back towards the city eager to be off this planet as she did not much care for its hot humid climate.

"We take this back and first bury Bastila's father, we then get her mother onto a transport to Manaan and then we get off this hell spawn of a planet," Revan answered as he kept a close eye on their surroundings.

"Can't say I will miss the damn sand," Jolee said with a grin as he looked forward to been back in space. The others quickly agreed, soon they reached the entrance to the pathway which led back to the city although even as they entered they were watched by the unseen Sand People who had decided to keep a close eye on the visitors until they left the desert.