Chapter One: Aldaris Unleashed

Revan was supposed to team up with Aldaris.

This was kind of an odd matchup and the fact that he was working with Bastila, Malak and Meetra for this only raised more questions. So Revan decided that he was just going to adopt a wait and see apporach.

"What do we know about this Aldaris?" asked Meetra.

"They say he is great among the protoss," said Bastille. "A fundementalist and powerful Judicator. Apparently he trained as a Jedi with Master Kreia. Exar Kun feared him."

"I doubt that," said Revan, who had read a thing or two about Exar Kun. "What I want to know is why we are being assigned this?"

"Yes," said Malak. "A mere kath hound problem seems an odd thing for a Judicator to undertake. Especially one with the personal favor of the Conclave."

"And why should it be?" asked a question.

There was a flash of light and wind kicked up from the fire. Sparks flew and were extinguished as a light appeared from the heavens. A vast, golden ship hovered overhead and descended from on high. A figure, mouthless and with glowing eyes manifested, a blade of light upon his wrist. At his right hand was a zealot of great size and strength, flaring with eyes. At his left was one leaner, quickly looking over reports.

"En Taro Adun, Revan," said Aldaris, quoting the ancestral hero of the Conclave. "I have been sent by the Conclave to focus and train you. Your former masters on the Jedi Council attempted to curb your tendency. All for disrespect by invoking the wisdom of the Jedi Counci.

"Clearly this approach has failed us. You must not."

Revan blinked in surprise as Aldaris moved past them, motioning to the two guards. And drawing out a lightsaber, Aldaris levitated it and three others.

"Our first priority is to strengthen the defenses of Dantooine," said Aldaris. "To this end you are to systematically seek out all of the kath hounds that have run rampant. Orbital scans from Executor Tassadar indicate that they are focused around Rakata ruins. Ruins which have been set aside as monuments, but unsteadied.

"To this end, you are to go immediately to these ruins and annihilate every single kath hound. Your comrades will assist you."

Silence.

"That's it?" asked Revan.

Aldaris and his warriors vanished into the ship and the ship pulled up into the clouds. Revan drew the mass-produced lightsaber and noticed it was red. "I think this guy is making some kind of point."

"Couldn't tell you," said Malak, whose was blue.

Bastille's was yellow and Meetras green.

"It's a day to the Jedi Council," said Malak. "The kinrath may prey on innocent people while we wait."

"Yes," said Bastille. "I suppose we were assigned this task. If Judicator Aldaris deems it so, and the Jedi Council has faith in him...

"We must have faith in them."

"Works for me," said Meetra. "I have a lightsaber and I didn't even have to go through a quest to build it."

Revan reached out with his feelings and found a lot of kath hounds. Their minds were ravening, the sickness spreading through the plains was there. And they were coming.

Out of the darkness they rushed and lightsabers flared to life.

Thus it was that the four Jedi Apprentices had their first battle. Revan cut down two with his lightsaber. Meetra stabbed one through the throat. Malak slew many as Bastille played the role of defender. Forming a ring around the fires, their blades glowed and spun in the darkness around the campfire.

And it was often said by the lands that the battle was seen from far off.

The bodies of the kath hounds were laid dismembered all over as more of them came with reckless abandon.

"This doesn't make sense," said Bastille. "These creatures should not have so wild and aggressive a policy. They should have a survival instict."

"The plague must have broken it somehow," said Malak.

"Meetra, what do you think?" asked Revan, force pushing a beast away while cleaving another.

"I think we have orders," said Meetra.

So they followed them. They walked the plains at sight, sensing out for the creatures and were attacked again and again. No matter how many they slew, the more of them arrived. The closer they got to those shadowy ruins, the more they encountered. The more aggressive the violence became. Their clothes were soon ragged and torn, and Revan had to patch Meetra up with a medpack.

On they journeyed beneath the shadow of the cliffs. And where they walked, the corpses of their enemies were everywhere. Soon, they found the kath hounds were mutating, with strange scythes. And at last, they came before the gates of the Rakatan Temple.

There, once more, Judicator Aldaris appeared in a flare of light.

"En Taro Adun," said Aldaris. "Your defense of the settlers has restored my faith in the Jedi Agricultural Corp. I admit that certain figures dessertion had shaken my faith."

"Indeed, Aldaris?" came a scornful voice. "I would hope that one who speaks with such pride and hubris might have more faith. All in the wisdom of those you feign to trust."

"Kreia," said Aldaris. "Where have you been?"

Silence. Kreia, who had gone to the dark side. The question seemed to phase her only a little. "Walking the dark places of the universe. Traveling far enough so that others might not have to. Though they will in time, if they are intelligent enough to learn.

"What you have shown them is only a pale echo of what is coming from beyond the outer reaches. I wonder if you do not come too late."

"What could you possibly know of the Conclave's designs?" asked Aldaris.

"Nothing it seems," said Kreia. "If indeed there are any."

"No matter," said Aldaris. "I pray we can trust you, Kreia. Already I can sense the lingering taint of the dark side upon you. You must return to Aiur at once."

Kreia halted and seemed to consider it. She seemed taken aback and considered matters, the old woman kneeling to the ground. "Odd to see such things. Odd to see them. Were it ten years earlier, perhaps I should have."

Revan knew Kreia.

He had seen her walking the halls and she was distrusted by the Jedi Council members. Even if they never admitted it. They had attempted a kind of jovial dismissal of her pointed questions. Often ones meant to unnerve, but Kreia refused to be jovial. She was a veteran who had seen the Exar Kun War in its horror and glory.

Kreia was always interested in the true nature of things. Often he had spoken with her, and he knew that she had fought with the protoss.

"I'm sorry," said Kreia. "But no. No, it is far too late for that. Suffice to say that the choices which have been made by many have committed me."

And she vanished into shadow.

"Did he just shut Kreia up?" asked Malak in awe.

"That is not a tone to take in such weighty matters young Malak," said Aldaris. "You speak as a fool would. Our next task lies in a nearby cave of dangerous Kinrath. They have killed a number of settlers and are becoming aggressive.

"Enter the cave and wipe them out. All of them. Destroy the eggs and break this foul infestation once and for all."

"Right now?" asked Bastille. "But we just finished fighting a legion of deadly kath hounds."

"You will find that the will of the Conclave is absolute!" said Aldaris, before disappearing in a flash.

So they went and hunted kinrath. They followed the force rapidly, as though directly fine-tuned. Many times that night they were attacked and any semblance of fun fell away. Their lightsabers cleaved the enemy down with a blaze and more were always there. They took notes and wrote up reports and eventually came to the cave.

Within they were swarmed by spiders and found webs set before the entrance. Carving their way in by the light of their blades, they carved down all that they could. Revan led the charge, driving the kinrath before him with sword hewing. And coming to the eggs, Revan saw them pulsing and felt an unnatural thing to it.

They obeyed their orders. Every egg was destroyed and soon the entire cave was in utter ruins. Around them were many crystals pulsating with power like nothing else. Revan looked about. They were beautiful.

"Do you think we could fix them into our lightsabers?" asked Meetra.

"These aren't our lightsabers," said Revan. "I didn't make this. None of us did. Aldaris passed us a mass-produced version for our use. We may as well take one off a corpse. And we don't have permission to be here."

"Yes," said Bastille. "I sense strong power in this place. Not light or dark, but I do not think the Jedi would have us plunder this place. We should leave it intact."

"I don't need crystals for this," said Malak. "I haven't had this much fun in ages."

So they went out into the cave and saw flashes of fire from below. Blaster fire as a militia of Khoonda forces battled the new enemy. Revan saw them and drew his lightsaber. "The Khoonda militia! They are in need!

"For the Republic!"

And hurrying down the hill, they carved a path. They found a knot of farmers blasting from behind a barricade of speeders. The morning light rose as a man fell injured, but Revan and Malak leaped. Spinning into the air they landed and cut them down, wielding their blades to defend the men. The blasting of fire combined with the striking of their lightsabers. Bastila and Meetra brought up the rear.

The assault was undone, the creatures destroyed. Using their medical kits they saw to the wounded. And Revan saw now an opportunity to end the threat once and for all.

"Quickly!" said Revan. "I know that battle has made you weak. But I sense these tainted kinrath are but an advance force. Follow Malak and I into battle!"

Cheers from the Khoonda militia!

And together they went forth, sensing their enemy and striking wherever they found it. Wiping away the things wherever they could, they hunted. Over the course of the day they sped this way and that. Striking down caves, they burned through the violent creatures. At last, they returned, limping back in exhaustion.

Everyone had been injured and cut. But at last, Revan came to the Dantooine quarters. The militia were cheering for victory as Aldaris appeared. "En Taro Adun. We have received news of a crisis. It is no longer the darksided wildlife. But the Sandrals and Matales that represent the greatest threat to us all.

"They have repeatedly defied the will of the Jedi Council and quarreled. And now they threaten open war yet again. If this meaningless and pointless side quest is forced upon us all will be lost. Go now and destroy all of their war droids. Then take all of their valuables as plunder and give them to the Jedi as a donation.

"Say why you are doing it. And harm no one. Civil war must not be allowed. And this reckless use of wealth to spread the embers of revolution is over. Their stolen lands are not confinscated."

"We can have no part in this," said Bastille.

"Yeah, this not something that we're allowed to do," said Meetra.

"I see the merit in this decision," said Revan. "But can we really afford the political fallout for this? No one is going to want to be here if the Jedi go around taking what is theirs."

"I say do it," said Malak. "If we wait for a peaceful solution, we are going to have to listen to these idiots for the next ten years. I couldn't care less about their pathetic love story. I am not going to play some retelling of their post-Tarisian love story.

"Someone is going to get killed. And what were all those war droids doing for Dantooine here? They're nothing but a stick they use to threaten us. And they are threatening the Jedi."

"Malak, I cannot attack a citizen of the Republic," said Revan. "This is our government."

"You must do what you feel is right of course," said Aldaris.

So Malak and the Khoonda militia went out and destroyed all the war droids. All while Revan, Bastille and Meetra did nothing. Revan really wanted to destroy the war droids, but it was illegal. It turned out that the two had been getting ready for another mexican standoff. Now they were brought in handcuffs with their family to the Jedi Order and thrown in front of the gates.

The militia were there.

Revan had no idea what was going on here, but apparently Malak had fun. And seeing as the Sandrals and Matales had been doing this for years, a shootout had to happen sooner or later.

The doors opened and Master Vrook stepped out.

He saw Judicator Aldaris, standing with glowing eyes and a silent challenge. The two had their gaze meet and Vrook realized he could not criticize Aldaris. Malak was giving him a silent challenge, daring him to say something. And the rest of the Jedi Council stopped at the threshold and backed off to leave it to Vrook.

"Cowards," muttered Meetra.

So Vrook looked to Revan. "I told you to calm their anger! Not enrage them! Go and meditate and return to me when you consider what you have done!"

And he turned to flee.

Aldaris seemed to consider this. "Tassadar, ready the ship and take aboard these four. We go immediately after Kreia to ensure her safety. I fear it may already be too late. Fenix, deploy and finish off any remaining zerg in this region."

"Adun be with you, Executor," said the protoss. "Bring swift death to the enemies of Aiur."

And then a legion of Khalai warriors appeared into view and rushed off into the night. Revan, Meetra, Malak and Bastila reappeared on the ship. Aldaris nodded to them. "There is a star map in those ruins. Following it will lead you to nothing but ruin. Destroying it is not an option.

"We are going to make the star map irrelevant. Set course for Malechor V immediately. We have kept records of most ancient Sith Temples. And we have already estimated Kreia's most likely possible coordinates. Artanis has already estimated where she went after the war.

"Sith Temples are rare. Calculating which ones a Sith might be drawn to is simply a matter of knowing them. And then knowing which Temples they know of."

"So... we're just completely abridging this thing," said Meetra.

"Decisive action is required," said Aldaris. "It is not the zerg, but the dark side that represents the greatest threat to us now."

'What is a zerg?' wondered Revan.

The ship left orbit around Dantooine and absolutely no one told them anything. They were given water and Aldaris began to give them some basic instruction.

"What is a zerg?' thought Revan. 'Ask him, fool. It must have something to do with what we saw out there. Obviously we engaged them. So it is either the Khoonda militia or the Jedi or the things we were hunting. Vrook's tirade was a lot briefer there than usual.

'It must be some sort of infestation or plague. Were we trying to cull it? Obviously it must not spread by physical contact. Blood to blood? It could be similar to the Rakghoul affliction on Taris, but it could not be that bad. Those spread by mere contact.

'We would not be sent out for such a mission.'

"What is a zerg?" asked Malak.

Aldaris said nothing.

So everyone had to speculate and no one had time for anything else. Revan remembered things.

"It's a test," said Bastille. "Remember Vrooks training. 'Some explanations mean nothing unless they are experienced directly.'"

"Try it," said Meetra.

Revan considered things. "We're supposed to think. So think."

"They're a race of telepaths," said Malak. "You are exactly the wrong person to outgambit them, Revan."

"I wasn't planning to-"

"Yes you were," said Bastila. "You absolutely were."

What was this, the 'get one over on Revan day?'

Artanis passed him a list of reports. Revan read through them and saw video footage of Praetor Fenix in action. As well as what he was attacking and clearing twice as easily as them. Revan passed it to Malak.

"I name you Hot Rod, faithless and accursed," said Malak.

Tassadar laughed uproariously as if he was sharing a joke with someone no one else was present. Revan decided that he hated these people now.

It was a very simple calculation.

Revan is a highly charismatic loveable rogue who does not fit into the Jedi but has a bright future. All of the Sith will want to corrupt him if this is correct. He learns from his masters but takes his own counsel as do others.

Revan is restless and the Jedi Council plan to assign him to the Agricultural Corp.

The Agricultural Corp would be a waste of Revan's talents. He knows it.

There are Rakatan ruins on Dantooine where he could easily be led to the Sith. Only his repeated refusal to do so keeps it from becoming a problem. So, how do you handle a potential Darth Revan?

Give him something to do.

Put him into action and keep him in productive action until he cools his blood.

"I would like to point out that Fenix was the one who came to this conclusion. As an afterthought while we were discussing it at length," said Artanis. "This should not be a common occurance in this fellowship."

"The Jedi Council had to be met with," said Aldaris. "It was dangerous and was probably a waste of time. But it had to be done. And Vrooks faction is far preferable to Draay and his decadent nobles.

"They have long since turned the Jedi toward their own ends."

"Would you cast judgement so quickly, Aldaris?" asked Tassadar. "It is not like you."

"I have no desire to spend more time on this matter than we must," said Aldaris. "Malechor V must be dealt with. Kasshyyk is of no importance whatsoever because the inhabitents have failed. If they were to rise up there would be no issue.

"Instead, Jedi have been regularly diverted to this position to plead on their behalf. Because Czerka Corporation is paying senators to not send a fleet."

"You always have preferred the direct approach," said Artanis. "Still, I agree with you. Why then do you advocate for restraint?"

"If the wookies are content to be enslaved, let them be enslaved," said Aldaris. "They allowed these settlers onto their world. They sold their own kind for guns and drink. They exiled their own Prince because it was inconvenient to getting more guns.

"The chains around their neck are of their own making. We have neither the right nor the obligation to remove them by force."

"I feel a demonstration might be in our interest, however," said Tassadar. "I do not like how the galaxy seems to regard the Conclave as a kind of errand boy. We have been drawn back into galactic politics. And judging by the lack of cooperation and reception. It was to demonstrate ourselves feeble and irrelevant.

"If the fleet is to be dispatched, I expect the protoss to receive more respect than this. We are not the handyman of the universe. And any faction who calls upon us lightly is deserving to be reminded of the cost."

Kasshyyk stretched out before them. Revan saw down below a vast hinderland of immense trees. He could sense them rising up in an amazing and lush jungle. And far below he could sense darkness, natural darkness melding and shifting. But he also sensed machines, machines the worlds had not gotten used to.

"Slavers of Czerka," said Tassadar. "This is not your planet and you are not welcome. If you do not immediately withdraw your fleets and hand your colony over to Chuundar as weregild. We will burn your pathetic colony to the last man."

Silence.

"Executor Tassadar," said an Ithorian. "You are a bad liar. If you pulled something drastic, there are many people who would gun you down. More slavers will be en route to resume business. You will change nothing."

"Burn their pathetic colony to the last man," said Tassadar.

A beam of blue light shot down from the ship and hit a point on the planet. There was a flaring as an entire small patch of green went blast. Several more shots were landed and several more colonies were blown to bits. Artanis checked something.

"Our observers have finished," said Artanis. "All Czerka Corporation colonies are destroyed. We are finished."

"Very well," said Aldaris. "The Conclave has dictated that Tattooine is not our concern. Czerka Corporation is not to be interfered with there by us. Manaan remains neutral and is of no concern to the Khalai.

"Medical technology is of use, however, it is not on our schedule. Korriban is right out. Nar Shadda and Taris are too large for a swift solution of any kind. So, we will make a stop at each on the way. We have already transmitted data on this confrontation to every news network.

"Czerka Corporation came down here without formal leave. They made deals without consulting anyone. They have used bribery as a means to maintain a blatantly illegal operation. And they have been covertly seeking alternative protectors.

"These men are traitors and pirates. And now they are dead.

"Fear will serve to check the Exchange for the present. Until alternative solutions can be made."

"You can't just blast a hole in the surface of Taris!" said Revan.

"It's a legitimate strategy," said Meetra. "Sith used to do that sort of thing all the time. Naga Sadow blew up a sun, and he was a useless hack."

"Okay Meetra, you go down to Kasshyyk," said Revan. "See how it looks from the ground floor and see how grateful the wookies are you decided to level their forests!

"How the hell did I end up playing the heart!"

They appeared over the cityscape of Nar Shadda, the moon over the Hutt homeworld. They remained in place exactly long enough to be detected by everyone. A large fleet of Trandoshan vessels appeared in attack formation. They were immediately annihilated by protoss fighters. They were torn top shreds in motions, steel hulls blasted even as it turned to head into hyperspace.

A moment later they arrived over Taris. They hovered there for only a moment and then they left. They made an appearance over Onderon. They disappeared from sight, reappeared and then went straight to Malechor V.

Several polite messagers were exchanged between Tassadar and Manaan.

Revan and the others were sent to their quarters. They were not allowed back onboard for the rest of the operation. Which made sense, they were not an official part of the Khalai military, only observers. Then they were sent back to Dantoonie and landed in Khoonda. Revan halted in surprise, now having absolutely no idea what to do.

Aldaris looked to them. "I shall leave the line to Vrook out of respect for the imposition I placed him in. Good work."

And then they all vanished and left.

Revan looked up as Vrook stood with robes flowing. Revan and the others looked about. "It was the quickest and most efficient solution to the problem at hand, was it not Revan?"

Revan halted. "Yes. Yes it was."

"Never call on the protoss for support if you don't want a fast solution!" said Vrook. "I told Draay that calling in Aldaris would take the situation completely out of our hands! He is not a man to be trifled with and the Conclave has been infuriated with us since Nomi Sunstriders wall of light.

"They wanted Ulriq Qul'Droma dead. If Aldaris had found him he would have been run through without a seconds hesitation. The protoss are not like normal races. The presence of the khala gives them a natural protection against the darkside. As a result, they can utilize passionate and aggressive energies with far less risk.

"A protoss who falls to the dark side is nearly unheard of until this bond is severed!

"Never, ever, take the protoss lightly! And I'm only saying this to you because I can't say it that idiot Draay!"

Revan halted. "Yes sir."

"You're a good kid, Revan," said Vrook. "Still, at least the Sandrals and the Matales may be a bit wiser in the future. A man who has authority to condemn worlds arrives. Then they immediately start threatening a rising.

"If events had gone beyond a certain point...

"No, we will not discuss this. Pack your things at once. We're going to the Confederacy. If things continue on this path, there won't be one. And you are presently the best options we have by virtue of your recent victories. Follow me."

So they left.

"Protoss are awesome," said Meetra.

"Shut up, Nova," said Revan.

And he immediately began researching absolutely everything he could about them. Apparently Artanis had glassed Tattoine and nobody had noticed last week. Sand people continued to kill one another over who had the biggest bantha.

So apparently he hadn't.

"I really hate that man," said Revan.

It probably had something to do with the fact that the protoss took away any reason Revan had to exist. Well, what was this about the Confederacy of Man?

"Hey Meetra," said Revan. "Let's learn to use guns. Could be handy."

"I'm opting out of that one," said Malak.

This looked like the beginning of an amazing adventure.