Author's Note: This is an interlude. Showing off one of Susan's faces. Remember, at this time, they have memories, knowledge, or awareness of their true identity.
• Chapter 1: Hijacked.
As destruction and death surrounded him Revan centered on himself. All his friends and allies were dead, there was nothing he could do for them. The battle was completely lost but there was still a chance for him to escape.
He screamed as he ripped himself apart. Temporarily fusing himself with the force. He felt the force itself throw him across the universe, guiding him where it wanted him to be. He hadn't counted on the Force hijacking his attempt.
On a distant world light erupted as his body rebuilt itself. He screamed in absolute pain and agony until every last bit of him was back where it was supposed to be.
Panting, his eyes first fell on the face of a child. A young boy with dirty blonde hair.
"Wizard," The boy awed and Revan couldn't help but crack a smile. That had been impressive even by his standards.
As the man stood and gathered his wits he suddenly became aware of the other presence in the room. He was surrounded. Looking behind him he gave a groan of irritation. Jedi, he was in a chamber surrounded by Master Jedi. Had they actually been the ones to Hijacked his attempt at teleporting, but then what would the child be here for.
No, the way they were looking at him, they hadn't expected him. They were staring with uncertainty, wondering if he was a friend or foe.
Honestly Revan's choice in attire probably wasn't helping. Revan had taken up to wearing his old Sith Lord Mask. He was dressed in red Jedi robes with a black cloak, gloves, and boots. A pair of blasters at his hip as well as duel lightsabers and a sniper rifle on his back. He very much looked the part of "Revan the Villain turned hero". The purpose of the Flashy attire was intimidation, something the Jedi never appreciated.
"It seems I have interrupted something," Revan said. "My apologies Masters, I'll return later." He started towards the door with no intention of coming back to explain himself.
"Wait a moment, if you may," informed the green troll like creature that reminded him of another short master he knew. "An explanation the council requires," Council? These people may be masters but they certainly weren't the Jedi Council, at least not the one he was familiar with.
"Anakin, wait outside," another of the masters spoke.
The boy pouted, "But what about my test to be a Jedi."
Revan rolled his eyes at the whiny voice. Children always hated it when things didn't go exactly as planned, nor did they understand that they never did.
The masters glared, "If you truly wish to be a Jedi then you must learn not to question the Council."
Revan scuffed, "What kind of Bantha fodder is that!?" the masters looked startled. "'Don't Question me' is the words out of a tyrant's mouth, not a Jedi." looking at the child Revan encouraged, "You go on questioning every little thing you don't understand. It will not only help you grow but help others who never thought to question the state of things."
The master who said it corrected himself, "A poor choice of words I can assure you. Now run along Anakin. The Council will inform Qui-Gon of it's decision."
The boy bowed and quickly fled, not understanding what just happened.
"What is your name?" Yet another master asked once the boy was gone.
"The one the Council gave me or the one I gave Myself," Revan answered.
"Both," The Troll smiled, obviously understanding it was meant as a defiant joke.
"Sue'Who, although the galaxy may know me better... as Revan,"
The council froze but the green one seemed even more intrigued.
"That's not possible," one of them muttered.
The green one answered as if he was speaking to an initiate instead of a master, "Use your feelings. Sense no lie I can. Revan the force agrees he is... myth we thought you were. The Will of the Force it is, the boy's fate is to be decided you appear that when."
Revan raised an eyebrow.
"Master Yoda, you can't be serious," said another master.
The green creature, Yoda, shook his head in disappointment at his fellow masters, "The will of the Force this is or brought him here it would not. Feel it, you all to."
The masters grew silent and Yoda took this as confirmation. Looking at Revan he asked, "The stories, true they are? A Sith who rejoined the light and now wields both?"
Revan shrugged, "Not my proudest moment in life but I did manage through it."
Yoda nodded, "Train the boy, you will."
Revan suddenly felt a spike of unfamiliar panic, "Look I'm sure he's very nice but I have a war to fight. This isn't the time to train such a young Padawan."
"Over, the war is. Over for 4000 years, it has been."
Revan stopped cold, "What?"
A dark skinned master explained "The War against the Sith ended long ago. They haven't been seen since."
"Until recently, that is Master Windu," Yoda looked troubled.
The dark skinned master, Windu, sighed, "The council receives a report of an encounter with a Sith the same day the chosen one appears followed quickly by Revan. These events cannot be anything but connected," he agreed.
Revan pieced together what they were saying, "The Sith were defeated thousands of years ago but recently they have begun to regain power... and that child is somehow involved" He wanted to groan. So it was the Force that Hijacked him after all. It must have brought him to the boy at this exact moment for exactly the reason these Masters suspected.
"Not directly," Windu informed. "There is a prophecy that a child born of the force will bring balance to it. Anakin is believed to be that child as he was conceived without a father.. but he was discovered too late. He is far too old to train. We sensed much fear and anger in him. He has the greatest potential of any child brought before this Council, there is no denying that, but before you showed up I planned to vote against training him because of his darker tendencies."
Revan slowly nodded, "You believe because he has emotions he is unworthy of you despite the Force itself choosing him... It's amazing how little has changed. The Council is as arrogant as ever."
Many of the Council members looked affronted, not used to being spoken too as if they were people capable of flaw.
"This attitude is the very reason so many Jedi turned in my day," a few of them looked shamed face at that but most still retained their arrogance. Yes, nothing ever changed. "I must agree with Yoda. The Force clearly brought me here to stop you from doing something incredibly stupid and narrow minded."
Windu glared, he opened his mouth but Yoda interrupted him before he could begin, "Understand the ways of the force, None of us fully. Includes you this does Revan."
Revan shrugged, "I, at least, don't offend the force so much it snatches a man out of time to correct."
The Masters continued to glare, Revan always did have a way of getting under the Council's skin. It seemed what generation of Council didn't matter.
"Reinstate you, we must," Yoda informed, "the rank of Jedi Knight, with."
"I am a Jedi Master actually," Revan corrected.
"Prove that too us, you must," yeah the Council always hated his dry wit and jabbing humor.
Master Windu added, "The Queen of Naboo is experiencing an issue with the Trade Federation, but we didn't have enough Jedi to spare to help her. Now, it seems, we do."
• Chapter 2: Meeting a new Master.
Anakin fidgeted nervously as he sat next to Qui-Gon. They were sitting in front of the ship waiting to go back to Naboo with Queen Amidala. They were just waiting for someone. The man who would be his Jedi Master. Anakin gulped, he had been hoping Qui-Gon would be his master but that didn't seem meant to be. He should have known all this was too good to be true. Something had to go wrong.
Anakin stood up and straighten himself out as a speeder flew over and landed on their port. Out stepped what Anakin hoped was a man (Mostly because he didn't want to be trained by a girl after Qui-Gon explained that a Master and apprentice would do literally everything together including often SLEEPING in the same room). It was the same man who appeared in a flash of light in the council room.
He looked really scary, wearing that metal mask. He had two laser swords on his belt, as well as a pair of blasters. Anakin didn't know Jedi could use blasters. In fact all the stories he heard said they didn't.
"Anakin Skywalker?" The masked man asked, as his voice was definitely a man's.
Anakin nervously nodded.
After a long moment of silence Qui-Gon suddenly laughed, "Wow you're sadistic, how long do you plan to scare the boy?"
"Just trying to set the mood, which you ruined by the way." The man took his mask off to reveal a human male in his mid 20s. Pulling back his hood revealed a very boyish hairstyle as well. His skin had a natural tan to it.
The man bent down, so that he could be on eye level with Anakin, and continued to wear that warm smile, "My name is Revan. I'll be your Master until your ready to become your own. Everything I know of the force I will pass to you and I look forward to seeing you expand beyond my knowledge." He reached out and gently tussled the boy's hair. "It's a long journey before we reach Naboo and we have much to do. Including a little ceremony, we need to get out of the way, before I begin to teach you anything."
Qui-Gon blinked, "You do not want to wait until we get back? That way the boy can have a proper ceremony."
"As great as it would be to see the boy squirm, as a room full of old men watch him get a hair cut, I always felt it was better to leave cutting the braid off as the public ceremony. The first time tying it, I feel, should be a more personal session between Master and Padawan. It's more of a bonding experience that way." Revan shrugged, "It's what my master did."
Qui-Gon nodded, "It's your choice of course."
"Shall we?" Revan asked directing them into the ship.
• Chapter 3: A Padawan: Apprentice, Brother, Son.
Anakin was now sitting in a chair that Revan had rolled over to a mirror, in their quarters. The room really did only have one bed.
They had barely just left orbit when Revan brought them to their room and away from everyone else. Revan of course had let the boy linger for a few minutes looking out at the vast planet of Coruscant. After all it wasn't everyday that you got to see a city that spanned over an entire planet, but took him before the world shrunk into the distance.
Now Revan was looking for something, in the duffle bag the Council provided him. He quickly located the scissors, and smiled looking over at Anakin. The boy was sitting on his knees and spinning in his chair.
"Alright alright, sit the right way youngling," Revan chuckled. "I'm sure you've sat still for a hair cut before, otherwise you would have lost an ear by now."
Anakin smiled sheepishly and stopped spinning. Once he was sitting properly in front of the mirror Revan got to work, clipping away at the hair.
"So tell me about yourself," Revan urged.
"Eh?"
"Well you're my Padawan now. It's only right I know some things about you."
"Oh right," Anakin looked down and Revan took the opportunity to work on the back of the child's head. "W-well... what did the Council tell you?" the boy asked.
"Not much, nothing in fact."
"Oh... well I guess you'd probably need to know that I used to be a slave," the boy mumbled.
Revan didn't let the boy detect his shock and didn't pause in his work.
"My mother still is... Qui-Gon could only afford to buy me. But he freed me and asked if I wanted to come with him to be a Jedi... I was kind of hoping he'd be the one to train me..." he trailed off.
"I'm sorry he's not, but I hope you come to respect me in the same way," Revan smiled. "Although I don't know how I'm going to top freeing you from Slavery. I'd have to buy you a whole mountain of ice cream and still have some catching up to do?"
"Ice Cream?" Anakin blinked having no idea what that was.
"Oh you'll love Ice Cream. It is easily the tastiest dessert in the galaxy, particularly when you put crushed up cookies in it with fudge."
Anakin smiled, "Sounds good."
"So tell me about your mother," Revan asked clipping more hair, taking his sweet time so they could talk longer. This is the reason he wanted to do this privately. Like his master, Revan wanted to use the ceremony as a chance to get to know his new Padawan.
"She's brilliant. She's kind and sweet and never yells, not even when I do something really stupid. Oh but she can be down right scary, when she needs to be. She definitely doesn't need to yell... and she's strong... They never broke her. There were lots of slaves living in my neighborhood, although we all had different masters... some people called my neighborhood the 'slave warehouse'... you could hear it some nights, people crying themselves to sleep. She never did anything like that. She found joy in the littlest things.
"When she got the chance she had me apprentice as an engineer. She convinced our master that it would make me more useful to her, back when my master was a her, before we were sold to Watto. I learned the trade quickly and it wasn't long before I was scavenging junk yards and building entire droids out of the parts I found just for fun.
"I even built a pod racer and won the championship race in it. That's how Qui-Gon was able to free me. My master bet me to him... mom couldn't come with us though... she told me not to look back but..." the boy tried to force himself not to cry. "I promised I'd come back, and free her... as soon as my training was complete."
"Why wait?" Revan asked and Anakin froze. "As soon as this trip is over how about we go get your mom?"
"R-really?" Anakin choked.
"The Jedi wouldn't let her live in the temple, but I could get her a place elsewhere," Revan smiled. "I looked it up and apparently in four thousand years the currency hasn't changed so my credits still work. Already tested it and they're still accepted fine." the boy obviously didn't know he was a Time Traveler, but ignored those seemingly strange remarks in favor of what Revan was actually saying. "I've got enough to free her and give her a monthly stipend. She'd still need to get herself a job if she wants to buy any luxuries but I can afford to pay her rent, bills, and food. We could even visit her now and then."
Revan quickly jerked his scissors up and held them out of the way as Anakin jumped at him and pulled him into a hug "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" tears of joy streamed down the child's face. It was some time before he calmed down enough, for the hair cut to resume.
"So you were saying your a mechanic?" Revan asked, still wanting to know more about his Padawan who was in a much more cheerful mood.
"Yep, not to mention the best pilot in the Galaxy," The boy grinned.
"Really? I'll have to test that," Revan smiled back. Beating the boy in a race would most likely help him more to focus on a lesson, about not letting pride get the better of you then just scolding him. Besides this wasn't the place to scold him. Revan knew he'd have to earn that right. He'd have it by the end of this little ceremony, as he would have officially established himself as Anakin's Master.
"Have you ever had a Padawan before?" Anakin suddenly asked, and Revan immediately tensed. "It's just, you look so young. I can't imagine you taught many."
Sighing, Revan knew this would probably be a good time to tell him. This was about him getting to know Anakin as much as it was Anakin getting to know him.
"Not a Padawan, no, but I did have an apprentice. He was already an adult and had completed his studies under another master, but I guided him to me and taught him things the Jedi would not allow... I failed him though. Ever since I was a Padawan I was obsessed with the old Je'daii Order. The first known group of Force Wielders.
"I studied all I could on them. On their belief of a balance of the Force. They knew how to use both the light and the dark side, and I wanted so badly to prove I could do so safely, just as they had... I failed. The first time I was exposed to real grief, and saw real pain..."
Revan thought on the death of his Master during the war. His Master had followed him as Revan led the younger generation of Jedi Knights to fight against the Mandalorians. They had such good intentions but seeing all that death, making that many compromises to preserve as many lives as possible. It changed them all.
For Revan it started with his master, who had joined her former Padawan against the wishes of the Council. That woman didn't give a damn about the war. Ahe just wanted to make sure Revan was safe... and sacrificed her life so that Revan could live. Seeing that was the first of many things that broke the young idealist that Revan used to be.
"I turned fully to the dark side and was trapped there for a long time. I taught my apprentice everything I knew, led him down a path that ultimately resulted in his death... by my own hand. I eventually found the balance I had been looking for in my youth, but I could not persuade my apprentice to follow me... I failed him to the point I could not even bring him back as I had others. My closest friend... a man who was in all essence my brother... and I killed him..."
"W-what will happen if I go dark?" Anakin worried.
"I won't fail you Anakin. If you ever fell I would do everything I can to bring you back, and if I can't... then I'd join you as I should have my apprentice. I will stay by your side, and help you with whatever goal it was you got in your head, well I attempt to guide you back to a place of balance.
"If you were a smart Sith, you'd realize sitting through my annoying lectures, would be worth the benefits of having me, as an ally, particularly since I would have no ambition for your throne.
"I refuse to let you suffer as I had. The training I have in mind is different then the Jedi Order. I will teach you everything I know of both the Light and the Dark Side of the Force. I will teach you how to balance the two and be there when you stumble, because you will stumble. The ways of the original Je'daii are difficult. It is impossible not to stumble, but just know I will be there for you, and I will always have your best interest at heart."
Revan finally finished cutting the hair and took the long strands that were still attached to the boy's head, just behind his ear. As he pulled the Padawan beads through the hair and began to braid it Revan adamantly stated, "You are my Padawan now Anakin Skywalker. My Apprentice, My Brother, My Son... I will never fail you." he vowed before saying the actual Jedi nonsense that tradition demanded during this.
• Chapter 4: Obi-Wan.
Anakin sat thoroughly bored as he practiced his studying technique, using the force to channel his focus in order to speed read. So far he could read 15000 words a minute with 80 percent accurate recollection. Revan said he needed to get his recollection up to a hundred percent before focusing on reading faster.
It was the most boring part of his training. He preferred working with his training saber or his training blaster. Revan was teaching him how to fight with a Lightsaber in his mane hand and a blaster in his off hand. Although it was obvious Qui-Gon didn't approve of the blaster he was leaving Revan to teach what he thought was best.
During those training sessions Anakin wore a special helmet which dulled his senses. He couldn't even see with the blast Shield down and everything sounded muffled. He had to stretch out with his feelings in order to 'see' the target drone. He was getting pretty good at blocking it's stinging laser zaps and shooting it with his own stinging zaps. It was still only on level one though and admittedly he did get zapped occasionally or miss the target. Lucky his gun wasn't real and couldn't damage the ship.
Still it was pretty impressive. He was learning a lot and it had only been a week. Revan said it was because of this speed reading exercise. It taught him to use the force to focus, which allowed him to absorb information more quickly and easily.
Truth was Anakin had already figured out how to focus through the force like that himself. He just hadn't realized that was what he was doing as a Slave learning engineering or pod racing. He already had the skill, Revan was just teaching him to polish it. It was pretty cool that he could do it but actually training this power was so boring. Especially since most of the book files Revan was having him speed read were text books.
Anakin was learning math, science, galactic literature, multiple languages, history, everything and Revan was quizzing him on it all. Revan said Anakin would begin working on university level stuff by the end of the month... that was kind of cool... until Anakin realized he'd have even more reading to do.
Obi-Wan Kenobi walked over, eying the young boy as he tended to do. He seemed really weird around Anakin. He was actually kind of mean to him when they first left Tatooine but now he was more curious but still kind of distant.
Unknown to Anakin Obi-Wan actually regretted his behavior. The older Padawan had thought his master was going to replace him and now, with the relief of discovering the boy had a completely different master, came the shame that he acted in a way so unbefitting of a Jedi. Jedi were not supposed to let jealousy cloud their actions. True he was never cruel but he was very cold and short with the little boy... he was jealous of a boy just freed from slavery. He didn't know how he lost sight of the boy's former living situation like that.
Obi-Wan sighed walking over, "What are you reading?"
"Boring learning files," Anakin yawned. "Revan got a Datapad Containing a few terabytes of textbooks from all over the galaxy. It's SOOOOOOOOOO boring," the boy whined
"Master Revan," Obi-Wan corrected. "It's important to show respect where it is due."
The boy deflated, which really hadn't been Obi-Wan's intent. "But yes, I remember how boring all that reading can be when I had to do it."
"Obi-Wan made you do this to?"
"No, Master Yoda did, back when I was an initiate. I was three when I started but by the time I was ten I had the accumulative knowledge of several Doctorates, in nearly every field, same as most initiates,"
Anakins mouth dropped. "Really?... I guess I'm pretty far behind in my Jedi training then," the boy sighed.
Obi-Wan shrugged, "A little bit, the places your lacking most are in the academic areas, but your ahead when it comes to force powers. Most initiates only have a vague understanding of the Force. Many of the exercises you're working on now are taught to initiates but many more are force exercises taught to beginning Padawans. It's as equally as impressive a work load as it is how quickly your mastering them."
"Really," Anakin beamed.
"Of course initiates learn in a classroom setting, not direct tutelage under a master who can dedicate their time purely to them. You're quite fortunate in that regard,"
"Yeah, Revan is great."
"Master Revan."
Anakin rolled his eyes with a mischievous smile, "I think I spent enough time calling people 'master'."
Obi-Wan flinched as if he'd been struck despite it being a joke, "Perhaps, but maybe you should try to give that word new meaning for you."
"Eh?"
"The bond between a master and their apprentice is very different then the relationship an owner would have with a slave."
"Watto wasn't as mean as you probably imagine," Anakin shrugged. "He spanked me a couple times, but just for normal stuff any kid would have got it for. He never really hurt me or anything... he was a pretty fair master. He actually liked me to... sorta like a pet," Anakin mumbled the last bit, "that does housework."
Obi-Wan sighed, "That is my point entirely. Qui-Gon Jinn is far from a task master to me. He is my teacher... my father... I love him. It's very likely you and Master Revan would develop such a bond if you let it."
Anakin fidgeted a little, remembering the promise Revan made to him during his hair cut... he called him his son. Anakin always did wonder what it be like to have a father. Revan was exactly the type of man he fantasized about. He was strong, smart, snarky as hell, fun, great with tinkering... it was weird to have a man that so fit what he wanted. The boy was scared to believe it. Revan even taught him things like a parent should.
Still it was way too early to figure out where they actually stood. Plus Anakin was aware enough of the world to realize anything that perfectly fit what you wanted had to be a trick. He might be young but the life of a slave forced him to grow up quick. That's what he liked about Qui-Gon. The man gave him a chance to be a real kid. Anakin might have acted a bit to childishly as a result to make up for years without the opportunity.
Qui-Gon continued to be nice to him even after he learned he wouldn't be his master. He brought Anakin to the tailor Droid at the Jedi Temple just after getting the news that Anakin would be trained. He got the boy several Padawan uniforms in various colors he liked... that had been really nice.
• Chapter 5: Savior.
Revan sighed as he sat at the other end of the kitchen and watched the boys mingle. Qui-Gon sat beside him observing the scene in silence.
"It's good to see your Padawan is finally coming out of his shell," Revan commented.
"It takes him a bit to warm up to people."
Revan shrugged, "You think that would have happened the first time you traveled with the boy. It is a two week trip between Coruscant and Naboo."
Qui-Gon sighed, "I might have been responsible for his uneasiness... I had planned to train Anakin myself if the Council refused to put him with the initiates. Obi-Wan probably sensed this and felt it was a betrayal."
Revan looked over at the older boy, "He is strong with the force, well disciplined. He is clearly ready for the trials. My guess is Anakin offered you a kick in the pants but now that the opportunity is lost you once again lost the will."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow.
Revan chuckled, "Forgive me. Despite the Demotion to Knight I was once the only master on a ship with several apprentices under me. I'm afraid I became use to giving lectures and advice."
Qui-Gon sighed, "Then perhaps it be foolish to ignore such experience... My previous Padawan, before Obi-Wan, fell pray to the Dark Side. He was not, by any means, a full fledged Sith but he had been consumed just the same... I was forced to kill him. I failed him... your very existence proves I could have saved him."
"No, you couldn't," Revan assured.
Qui-Gon looked over and was surprised to see the young face so serious and... wise.
"Turning someone from the dark path is tricky. It takes a good deal of patience and understanding well also a willingness to admit that they will never return fully to the Light. The Dark Side will always be a part of them. You need to teach them balance, which most importantly you must have in order to show others.
"I achieved mine as a fluke. It was a side effect of the Jedi wiping my memory. They gave me a completely new life which bled with the potential for Light. Strange how they thought making me think I was a smuggler was the best way to do that," Revan giggled before continuing.
"Even then I retained my darker tendencies. I think they made me believe I was a Smuggler to explain them well also giving me the potential for a noble heart. When the old memories were awoken, they clashed with the new, and I found a sense of clarity. I can still be a down right evil bastard though, and will likely do things both you and the Council disagree with. However that comes from a root of balance. I am neither 'good' or 'evil', I'm both. It's why the Force chose me to train Anakin. I understand true 'balance' much better then the Council does.
"My balance came from blood sweat and tears from not only myself but those who were willing to help me. In the end though it was my willingness, my desire, to come back. Without that it wouldn't matter what the Council or my friends tried to do... I would have been lost... as my own apprentice was."
Revan looked deep into Qui-Gon's eyes, "Not even I can bring everyone back from the Dark Side. They have to have some willingness to face the Light again. Something that gives them purpose. Sometimes you can trick them into coming back, as I was, but that might not work. It would take years knowing they could turn on you at any second before they truly discover balance... but so long as they have that one moment. So long as you are able to get to them for the briefest of seconds, there is hope for them. Did you sense that in your Padawan?"
Qui-Gon sighed, "No... there was nothing left of the boy I raised. I tried everything I could think of to make him hear me but nothing mattered."
"Then he was dead long before you got there," Revan explained. "I have killed far more Sith then I have saved... Although I probably understand better then most what it is like not being able to save the one person that really matters... So this burden you carry? the reason you don't want your newest Padawan to leave your side? You feel overprotective? Wish to shelter him?"
Qui-Gon hesitantly nodded.
"But you also realize you do him no good holding him back like this? He is ready for the final trial but that doesn't mean he's done with you. You can still be there for him and guide him. He will no doubt still turn to you for such things. The bond between Master and Apprentice is not easily broken. Not even by something as devastating as the child growing up,"
Qui-Gon studied the young man a moment. He certainly sounded like a master but he spoke with more emotions. He relied on teaching others by sharing his own failings, not something most masters would be willing to do.
• Chapter 6: A Different Kind of Compassion.
"You must be joking," Qui-Gon growled becoming more and more familiar with just how infuriating Revan could be.
They were standing around in the Queen's throne room on the ship as Revan explained his plan to her Majesty. Well... technically they were telling the Queen's double, but the real Queen was right beside her... dressed as a Handmaiden. The Jedi pretended not to notice. It was a useful disguise for the masses... although any powerful force user could sense the deception. They just had to hope the Sith after them wasn't fully trained.
Revan shrugged, "It seems only logical. Well you escort the Queen I will lead a small reconnaissance group into the palace. We'll make a survey of the enemy forces and report back."
"Anakin isn't ready for a reconnaissance mission!"
"Which is why I will leave the boy in the care of the Handmaidens until I return," Revan insisted.
"You can't just pawn off your Padawan!"
Revan rolled his eyes, "Anakin is, at this moment, a liability. In my day I would have had months to train the boy before our first mission but I was denied the opportunity. Anakin doesn't know enough to protect himself and so should remain with the civilians. I cannot sit at the sidelines with him when my skills could be used to protect the soldiers on the recon team."
Queen Amidala nodded, "I agree with Revan. What possessed the Jedi Council to send a child into a war zone I cannot understand. It be best to keep him with the non-combatants during the attack. As for the Reconnaissance team I must agree the extra security would increase success of the mission. Do not engage. If you are discovered we lose the Element of surprise for the attack."
"Understood your highness," Revan bowed to the fake Queen.
•
After the meeting Revan went in search of his Padawan. He found the boy sitting in the droid bay playing with a small white and blue droid.
"Master Revan," Anakin smiled, knowing better then to not call the man 'master' to his face.
"How is R2 getting along?" Revan smiled.
Anakin moaped, "He misses his friends,"
Revan blinked, "Friends?"
Anakin nodded, "There used to be lots are R2 units in here but they were destroyed fixing the ship while we escaped Naboo."
Revan sighed, "It's always sad to lose comrades, even to droids."
Anakin gave a depressed nod as he hugged the droid, trying to comfort it. He had such a caring heart. The boy had grown very attached to the droid. Revan would have to try and make sure they weren't parted.
• Chapter 7: Meditating.
Revan sat on his bed, a concentrated look on his face. He could feel them calling out to him, reaching out. He could almost see them-
"What you doing?"
Revan suddenly stopped floating and fell to the floor, hitting his head on the table.
Anakin immediately started exclaiming various Hutt curses, as he rushed to the man's side. Helping up a groaning Revan, the boy exclaimed, "Your bleeding!"
Revan felt his forehead and realized their was a particularly deep gash. Focusing on himself, Anakin awed as he watched the broken tissue begin to knit itself back together. It only took a few seconds for the gash to be fully healed.
"Wizard..." Anakin gaped, not being able to find any other words for it.
"Indeed," Revan grunted, standing tall while wiping the excess blood from his forehead, which now looked as if nothing had happened to it. Before glaring at his Padawan, "What did I tell you about forcing someone out of meditation?"
Anakin chewed his bottom lip. "That it's dangerous..."
"I take it you believe me now?" Revan eyed.
Anakin quickly nodded, "I'm sorry, Master!"
Revan took in a calming breath... he had been so close... he nearly got them... with a sigh, he released his frustrations into the force.
"This is very serious, Anakin." Revan began to scold, now that he was calm enough not to hurt the boy. "If it had been anyone else, they could have been seriously hurt. Most Jedi don't even know that type of healing technique outside of temple Doctors."
Anakin hung his head.
"Give me your training saber." Revan held out his hand.
Anakin blinked, wondering if Revan was grounding him from saber practice... better then a spanking he supposed. The boy quickly handed it over... then watched in horror as Revan ignited it. Revan wasn't going to... wack him with it... would he?
Yeah training Sabers couldn't actually injure anyone. They were like a solid glow of light that gave a light sting if you accidentally touched the "blade"... but surely he wouldn't hit him with it...
Revan fiddled with the settings a little... and to Anakin's continued, if not deepened, horror... The saber became a true weapon of mass destruction, to a little boy's eyes at least... the blade... had morphed into a paddle.
Seeing Anakin's eyes, Revan raised an eyebrow, "You didn't think you were the first Padawan to disobey his Master. The council, even before my master, decided to install this practical setting in the training saber for when kids did something deserving of it. Makes it more convenient then carrying a real paddle well on missions."
Anakin usually liked hearing Revan's lectures. This time, he just gulped.
Revan suddenly smiled, looking at the light paddle, "Maker did I hate this thing when I was your age. Especially when I did something dangerous on missions, double especially when that resulted in someone getting hurt." He turned stern, "Like you just did."
Anakin chewed his bottom lip.
"Since you didn't know about the consequences, I will give you one last warning." Revan waved the saber paddle in front of the boy's face. "You ever interrupt someone meditating again, I will give you three wacks with this, right on your bum. We clear?"
"Y-yes Sir!" Anakin squeaked, part of him relieved Revan was giving him another chance,
"Good youngling," Revan switched the blade off and handed it back. "Now go show Obi-wan the new feature you discovered. I'm sure he would be willing to share his own tales of experience with it."
Anakin quickly nodded, before rushing out of the room.
Revan sighed, rubbing his new patch of skin... Honestly he was planning to actually wack the boy, but on seeing Anakin's face... damn youngling was already making him soft.
•
"Master Qui-Gon?" Anakin walked over to the Jedi who saved him. "Can I ask you a question?"
Qui-Gon was currently seated in the observation lounge, reading a data pad, as the sight of the stars came in through the window. They were all whizzing by so fast. Anakin had to look away, for fear of being made dizzy.
Qui-Gon smiled, putting his pad down and giving the boy his undivided attention.
"Yes Padawan?" The older Jedi smiled.
"What's a Midi-chlorian?" Anakin asked.
Qui-Gon frowned, not wanting to overstep his role to the boy, "That's something your Master should explain to you."
Anakin frowned back, before answering, "He's busy, and the word keeps popping up in my learning files, but seems to have forgotten to explain what it means."
"Have you, been reading ahead, by chance?" Qui-Gon eyed, knowingly, "Maybe skipped a few books due to kiddish pictures?"
Anakin blushed.
Qui-Gon just smiled, shaking his head. "Maybe you should return to those books. Yes, they are meant for younglings, but they have vital information in them."
"Can't you just explain it to me?" Anakin whined.
Qui-Gon frowned, "There a reason you won't ask Revan?"
"He's meditating." Anakin explained.
"Uh yes," Qui-Gon smiled. "It's best not to force someone out of deep meditation."
Anakin blushed, with an added squirm, and the Master assumed the boy had already learned that particular lesson... the hard way. Qui-Gon smiled as he remembered his other Padawans, getting into similar mischief... all of them having to learn it the hard way at some point.
"Was your Master too hard on you?" Qui-Gon asked, though he doubted it. Revan might be irritating, but he seemed too even tempered to loose patience like that.
"N-No.." Anakin squirmed even more, "T-though he did threaten to paddle me with my training saber if I did it again."
Qui-Gon smiled, "Glad to see you're a fast learner. Obi-wan had a few encounters with that particular function, before he learned not to force people out of meditation."
Anakin shifted even more, before pleading, "Can you please help me study. I really don't want to make Revan mad right now. And he's supposed to quiz me after he's done meditating!"
Qui-Gon smiled. Although the consequences of failing a test might be a good lesson about time management. The boy was currently seeking help. It wouldn't be right not to give it. "Very well... Midi-chlorians was it?"
Anakin nodded, seeming relieved.
"You see, Midi-chlorians are just a unit of measurement. It's how Jedi determine how much Force energy your body is capable of channeling."
A light seemed to switch on behind the boy's eyes. As if everything he had been reading suddenly made sense.
Qui-Gon began walking the boy through the formulas, and the dangers of channeling more energy then your body could handle.
Anakin passed his test with flying colors.
Qui-Gon frowned as Revan stormed into the lounge. The newly demoted knight eyed the Master. "Did you give Anakin a tutoring session without my permission?"
Qui-Gon sighed, "It's unbecoming of a Jedi to be so territorial."
"I never put much stock in all that nonsense about being 'better' then chemical reactions our brain interprets as emotions." Revan waved off.
Qui-Gon would have been worried if any other Jedi said something so dismissive. However, he, like all Initiates, had read about Revan. The impossible master of both dark and light sides of the force. The Ultimate symbol of balance... he supposed it made sense such would require him to draw on emotions... but for a Jedi... that was... dangerous.
"Now kindly answer the question." Revan crossed his arms, frustration and irritations coming off him in waves.
"I realize you were probably hoping to teach a lesson about not skipping course material," Qui-Gon remained calm, "However he came looking for help. The lesson you had was not needed, as he had realized his mistake and was looking to correct it."
The Jedi Master half expected the younger man to proclaim, "That wasn't your decision to make." But instead the emotions swirled around the now contemplating man for a few moments, before being released into the force... that... actually put a lot of Qui-Gon's concerns to rest.
The young man might use his emotions to give him strength, but unlike a Dark Sider, he still retained perfect control of them. Even being able to release them the second he realized the negative emotions weren't necessary... Though what he was planning to do with those emotions, if Qui-Gon had released a less then efficent answer, was anyone's guess... Perhaps he was merely trying to intimidate the older Jedi?
Revan sighed, now completely calm, as he rubbed his head in exacerbation. He walked over to Qui-Gon's side, and with barest efforts, let his body collapse. He fell into a chair that had not been there a moment ago. Another thing a Jedi of purely the Light Side would never think to do. The young man had called on the force to do so insignificant a thing as move a chair.
Not even initiates would display such thoughtless disrespect for the Force. As it truly was thoughtless. The boy did it without the slightest moment of contemplation. Even lazily flopping into the chair, as it caught him.
Qui-Gon had quite a bit of disagreements with the Council. They often told him he was a bit more carefree then they liked, but even he wouldn't use the force so carelessly. The boy used his gifts as if a plaything... he was practically boasting about it, as an apple floated off a nearby fruit bowl, and into his hand.
"I understand there is a learning period," The boy sighed not realizing... or perhaps not caring, that his actions could be considered offensive to not only the Jedi, but the Force itself. "After taking on a Padawan," he bit into his apple, but at least swallowed it before talking again. So at least he had some manners, "but I didn't expect it too be so different then training an Apprentice." Revan confessed, though with far less frustration. It was clearly now in more acceptable levels for a young Jedi Knight, with their first Padawan.
"Anakin's case is even trickier then normal," Qui-Gon acknowledged. Keeping his thoughts to himself, about the boy's blatant disrespect towards the Force. It was impossible not to think of the young man as a mere boy, after such a display... and a rather rude one at that. Still, it was not Qui-Gon's place to criticize another Knight. "As he has none of the discipline taught to most initiates, before being taken on as a Padawan."
"That might actually be a good thing," Revan sighed. "It means I don't have to re-educate him, in order to tap into his emotions. He already has that habit. I just need to refine it into a skill." Qui-Gon looked like he was sucking on a lemon. So Revan explained, "I study the ways of the old Je'daii Order. Yes, it is dangerous. Yes, Anakin will likely have the occasional stumble too far into the dark side. However that is too be expected and throughout the apprentices I have taught, only one fell so far I could not get him back. Then that was purely due to my own falling at the time, while teaching him... He was my first apprentice... It only makes sense I would fail him when I lacked an understanding of balance myself."
Qui-Gon frowned as he felt near overwhelming sadness coming off the man... but instead of immediately releasing it, the Knight internalized it, studied it, held onto it for several moments, before releasing it... no... this boy... was nothing like a typical Jedi... did the council realize, just what entrusting Anakin's education to a man like this, would entail?
•
"Qui-Gon told me you get paddled!" Anakin blurted out, the second he saw Obi-Wan.
The older Padawan gave a sigh, "Not for some time, no, but my early years, under Qui-Gon Jin, were rather... eventful." He gave a slight smile as he remembered something, "Why do you ask?" Even though the boy more accused, then asked.
"You could have warned me Jedi do that!" Anakin glared.
Obi-Wan smiled wider, "Did you catch it from your master?"
"Well no," Anakin blushed. "He just threatened to. And showed me the paddle setting of my training saber."
Obi-Wan did not snickered, that was unbecoming of a Jedi.
"It's not funny!"
"My Apologies," Obi-wan looked unrepentant. "Though, if I might point out. Master Revan was hardly going to take such action, before explaining it was an option. And from our earlier talks, you have said you are familiar with corporal punishment."
"Yeah but Wado only ever used his HAND. Not a," He started screaming out hutt curses, before finishing with, "PADDLE!"
Obi-wan smiled, "It's really not that bad... Well, so long as your pants are up. The sting doesn't really get passed cloth, all that much anyway."
Anakin was gaping.
•
"You're from the PAST!" Anakin blurted out, running into the room. Apparently back from his visit with Obi-wan.
Thankfully, Revan didn't hit anything but the floor, when his meditations were interrupted, this time.
Anakin, audibly gulped.
Revan untangled himself from the floor. Standing tall, he crossed his arms, and looked down, disappointed in his Padawan. This was literally, the second time, in a few short hours.
Anakin sighed, looking down. Then without a fuss, Anakin unclipped his training saber, and held it out to his master.
Revan was shocked the boy gave in, without so much as a plea for mercy... then Revan remembered the child's background. This was not a disciple, showing mature acceptance from their Sensei... this was a slave, knowing better then to complain to their master.
Revan nearly lost the resolve to punish him. But he couldn't let the boy's background stop him from correcting the child. That would do more harm then good, in the long run.
He just had to help the kid understand. There was a very large difference from a Jedi Master, and a Slave Master.
This was the first time Anakin's background was making itself known... even if Anakin was treated better, then most slaves, he was still a slave.
Revan softened his expression, though still took the saber. "Follow me to the bed."
To his surprise, Anakin was stripping off all his clothing, as he walked to the bed.
Revan didn't say anything, because frankly he didn't know WHAT could be said. By the time his shock wore out, Anakin was bent over the tall bed frame. His tip toes barely touching the ground, and his clothes neatly folded beside him.
Revan sighed, before picking up the boy, and sitting them both down. Anakin on his lap.
"I think I need to explain a few things to you," Revan got into it. "But first," As he picked up Anakin's shirt. "Arms up."
Anakin looked puzzled, as Revan put the child's shirt back on.
"You see, free boys enjoy certain privileges," Revan explained. "Like not having to get totally naked, during a punishment. Even if I do believe in all Spankings being bare bottom, you can keep your shirt on, and only have to expose your rear enough, so that it's visible. And the only reason for that is so I don't accidentally hurt you. Well, no more then intended. You don't even have to take your pants off."
Revan explained, as he pulled the undies and pants back on. Needing to lift the boy, at points, to do so. Anakin, for his part, seemed to be growing more confused by the minute.
"Free boys, also, are not only allowed, but expected, to complain, whine, and even beg not to be punished. That won't change the outcome, but nothing bad will happen if you do." Revan explained.
Thinking on it a moment, Revan added, "It's also okay, for free boys to cry, and even wiggle about, during punishment."
"Watto let me do that!" Anakin clung to something familiar. "All the other kids were jealous. Cuz Watto never gave me extra smacks if I put up a fuss."
Revan nodded, then asked. "Did Watto ever leave bruises?"
Anakin actually rolled his eyes. "Duh," at least the boy was allowed to be a little insolent. "My whole butt would be black and blue, by the time he was through with me. He did it proper." Before Revan could begin to process the "He did it proper" comment. Anakin crossed his arms and began to pout.
"Even if the other kids insisted I was spoiled! They had no idea what my butt went through, None of their Masters got off on spanking them! Watto even gave me MAINTENANCE SPANKINGS!" The boy exclaimed. Having relaxed a good bit after hearing his new "Free Boy" privileges. "That's got to be my favorite thing about being a 'free boy'. I don't have to get my butt swatted, every day. I've gone near a month, without needing a spanking at all!"
Revan choked back his rage, "You got spanked... black and blue... daily?"
"Well no," Anakin blinked, sensing something strange, through the Padawan training bond. However, it was being hidden from him. So whatever Revan was feeling, Anakin didn't know what it was, just that he was feeling it strongly. "Watto only spanked me red, for the maintenance, and treated me with a med kit, afterwards...
"Watto liked spanking me." Anakin hesitantly admitted. "But he never gave me a proper spanking, unless I did something serious. Like Break something, or be disrespectful to a customer."
Revan choked back his anger, deciding to save it for later. Refusing to release it to the force. He would need it, eventually. "No maintenance spankings, isn't the only privilege, free boys get to enjoy. You'll find, the punishments themselves, will be much less intense. I only plan to give you 20 swats to your bottom, with my hand. That's 2 swats, for every year of your life. Followed by 3 with the paddle."
Anakin's jaw dropped, clearly expecting a lot more.
"Free boys only have to deal with a pink bottom." Revan assured.
Anakin looked sceptical. "Free boys can't be that spoiled." he scrunched up his nose.
Revan forced himself to smile, burying the rage and sorrow. Later. For now, he had a boy to tend to, in a much more merciful manor, then he was used to.
•
Anakin was blushing, as he was hugged, after getting what was basically love taps. At least, in comparison to what he was used to. Still, it had been just barely rough enough to get him to cry.
The paddle, as Anakin suspected, had been the worst part, as it felt like the stinging zaps, from the training droid, but combined with physical force. Still, not that bad, as he only got 3 whacks with it.
Revan was now huggging him, rubbing circles on his back and comforting him... over a minor inconvenience... free boy's really were far too spoiled.
• Chapter 8: Can't Go.
Anakin was pouting something fierce. Revan couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of annoyance... and amusement.
"Why can't I go with you!?" The little boy demanded. "I'm your Padawan, right?"
Revan lost all traces of both emotions, as a frown set his face... that had been... an actual question. The Force agreed it was. The boy was legitimately questioning his place over so small a thing.
"Yes, you're my Padawan, and there will come a day when you'll fight by my side," Revan assured.
Placing a finger under the child's chin. Not allowing the boy to look away... and seeing the first trace of tears sparkle in his eyes. None of Revan's apprentices gave a damn, when they were ordered to stay behind.
Children really were, far more high maintenance then apprentices... was this why Qui-Gon thought Revan was being irresponsible to leave the boy behind?... but he couldn't bring him.
"Today is not that day," Revan informed. "You aren't ready, and I can't risk endangering you. You must stay with the Gongan civilians. Perhaps play with their children."
"While you're all fighting and dying?" Anakin's bottom lip actually trembled.
Revan smiled, feeling the spark of his own pride. "Anakin, if I wanted, I could shatter this world to it's very atoms. Then put it back together with the barest effort. Nothing this mere Sith can throw at me, can hope to challenge my power."
Anakin didn't look convinced. So Revan pulled him into a hug. "I'll be fine, my Padawan, and when you're ready, I'll gleefully bring you with me... but not before. Do my heart a kindness, and stay safe."
• Chapter 9: Maul.
Darth Maul felt something... something... hidden... it was the feeling of... absence?
A lesser Sith wouldn't have noticed. However, when it came to Force tracking, there were few as skilled as Darth Maul. He could trace the presence of his prey from light years away... and feel everything going on within a few miles of himself. He was trained as a tracker, a hunter... a predator.
So the void of presence peeked his curiosity... and so... he tracked it...
•
Revan stopped, feeling the dark approach. Looking at the scouts that accompanied him, he warned, "We've been discovered." The Scout's immediately stopped, awaiting orders. Revan wanted to groan. He never did like the blind obedience so many gave to Jedi. Still it made things easier in situations like this, "Return to your queen. I will deal with this."
•
Maul entered the forest, determined to find the nothing he sensed. Tracking it to a small clearing. There was a young man, sitting on a rock. He looked no older then Maul, himself.
A rather impressive mask was on the boulder beside him... and the human was wearing Sith robes.
"About time you got here," The young human huffed. Despite Maul still being hidden in the trees. "I was getting bored."
"Did Sidious send you?" Maul asked, knowing his master had other apprentices.
The nothing smiled, "Actually, I wanted to see if you would be willing to join my own... private group of force sensitives."
Maul sneered, stepping into the clearing, while igniting his Double-bladed lightsaber.
"So your some uppity pup, backstabbing our master," Maul growled.
The boy shrugged, "I was more willing to give you the chance to step back towards the light."
Maul growled more, but was confused to hear the boy continue.
"But now I see you were never apart of the Jedi. You were sold at a young age, the moment you displayed some aptitude for the Force. That's just how your people are. Males are slaves, good for breeding and dying. Don't you want more then that?"
"You're in my head," Maul accused. "Not very Jedi of you."
"Who said I was a Jedi?" The boy grinned, almost playfully. "There is more in this world then Jedi and Sith. Both paths are too narrow minded for my taste. I walk both roads.
"I sense it in you. You're master calls it weakness, but I can show you the power of your 'bleeding heart'. I could show you how to end Empires, and heal planets. To live in luxury, while giving to those who YOU believe both need, and deserve the help.
"I will show you how to think for yourself, and realize the Force is not a weapon, but a plaything. She wants to be used. She rejoices in it. She is a friend and ally. A playmate around the sandbox of the universe."
The human rose up from the ground, using the force to help him stand.
"You join me, and we will make it a priority to free your brother. As you so desperately want. Fighting, for the sake of fighting, makes you weak. Fighting to protect something you cherish. Well, there is a reason mother bears are so feared."
Maul eyed the strange human. "What, exactly, do you want?"
"To teach you," The boy shrugged. "To open your mind to both roads. To show you balance."
Maul scuffed. Deciding he'd wasted enough time. He went to attack, but his body froze in place. He couldn't move, couldn't speak.
The boy walked up to him, reach towards his face. "Let me show you." the boy's eyes flashed Sith gold.
The trees began to scream. Maul could feel them, miles and miles of trees, shrieking through the Force.
The entire forests burst apart. Trees and grass,even the creatures taking shelter in them. They screamed, as their bodies were reduced to atoms. A dust storm, of all life for miles around them, raged on.
The dust twisted and flowed through the air. Spiraling around the human boy, that appeared to be in truth... a Dark God of the Sith. Killing all around him with a passing thought. Not even the grass was spared.
•
Darth Sidious shot up, feeling something... truly frightening. Power even he did not know.
It focused on Naboo. A Dark Sider of uncomprehendible power... but then, just as quickly as the power emerged.
•
Maul couldn't even tremble, as the would fell to dust... but almost immediately after, it began to swirl around them... the human's eyes turned back to blue... and the dust started to piece itself back together. The entire forest, the grass, even the critters, reassembled themselves... their very atoms guided back where they belonged... as if nothing happened.
If anything, the forest rejoiced at the experience of being atomized. Of temporarily joining with the Force itself.
Once everything was pieced back together, The God, as both creator and destroyer, released Maul, and smiled at him.
The God spoke, "I'd like to teach you, just what 'Balance' means."
Maul stared in awe of such power. Part of him wondering if all that had been in his head. Some illusion for his senses.
Dropping to his knees Maul grabbed a fist full of dirt. Ironically doing more damage to nature, then whatever the hell was in front of him.
"You've learned the dark side fine," The God continued. "Now let me show you how to blend it with the light."
Maul gulped, not meeting the eyes of whatever this thing was.
As Maul considered his words, Revan readied himself. Prepared to kill the man if he didn't say the words that proved he was truly ready to abandon the Dark side.
Then, Maul spoke, "It's... it's too late for me."
Revan grinned, before allowing himself to fall to the floor. Passing out from the strain that put on his body.
• Chapter 10: Show Me More.
Obi-Wan... was shaking, he had NEVER felt anything like that. The sheer horror, which had been transformed into an echoing bliss... he didn't understand it... and it all came from Revan.
The stories about him, the bed time tales told to every initiate... they failed to live up to the real thing.
It was...
HE was...
Terrifying...
And Obi-wan, Force help him, he wanted to see more.
For a second, he thought he could actually feel the will of the Living Force. That supposed conciousness his master was always going on about.
It was a controversial topic, in the temple. Most Jedi thought of the Force as, well, a force. An element of nature. Where as Qui-Gon, and a few others, believed the force was some kind of omnipotent god.
In that split second, so close to the distortion. Obi-wan had seen it as both, and yet neither... and he wanted so desperately to understand what that meant.
•
It was now night fall. Where it had been midday, when the God had passed out.
Looking around, Maul was still in the forest. A camp fire nearby. With Maul cooking a couple large lizards, over the flame.
The horned man didn't even look at the young human. Though he sensed the guy was regaining his Awareness. The God was still a void in the force. So Maul would, normally, never be able to tell if he was awake or not. But a link had formed.
It was like the training bond Sidious placed on him. Which had been gently severed, and a new link formed... the human could still manipulate the Force, even as he slept... Because he wasn't asleep. Rather he was in a healing trance. Channeling that much power had put a lot of strain on the young god.
Though Maul could tell, through the link, it wasn't the act of destroying the forest, that tired him. The human could channel enough raw energy, to atomize the very planet... no, it was repairing everything afterwards, that tired him.
It was far easier to destroy, then create.
"I'm surprised my former master hasn't called," Maul said, the very second the god was at full Awareness.
The deity shrugged, as he sat up. "When I severed your link, I made it quite violent on his end. He likely thinks your dead."
Maul hung his head, "You know who he is?" Of course he did. The god had read Maul's mind so easily, without putting any strain on his mental shields.
The young human sighed, "It will be tricky to remove a politician. Best keep that too ourselves. Or the Jedi might do something stupid, like try to arrest a senator. Good way to have the whole of the Republic attack the temple."
Maul nodded his agreement.
"For now," Revan stood, "I need to defeat an army of droids."
Maul considered the God's hesitation, "I take it, the refined metal of droids, makes them immune to you just atomizing them."
Revan sighed, "I know an ability to get around that... but it is far more limited then my dominion over organic matter. I could destroy... maybe 10,000 droids at a time. But most armies consist of millions."
Seeing Maul was cooking for them, Revan gave a humoring smile. "However, that can wait, let's eat. Then you can escort me to the blockade."
• Chapter: (Timeline).
• Maul takes Revan, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan up to the Trade Federation space station.
Where they discover Anakin has snuck onboard Maul's ship. Revan promises him severe punishment, when this is over, but says for now the boy better stay with them. Even giving the boy one of his blasters, but not one of his lightsabers. He insists the boy use his training saber as he has not yet developed the necessary dexterity for the real thing.
Maul doesn't even try to hide from the droids that he betrayed them. He just goes out there and attacks, insisting it is more fun. Revan rolls his eyes and says Maul can expect to be punished alongside his Padawan. They proceed to fight their way through the base but manage to get to the control room where they deactivate the army.
• The team gets back on the ship and starts heading back to Naboo. Revan sends Anakin to wait for him in Maul's room and Obi-Wan to fly the ship. This leaves Revan alone with Qui-Gon and Maul. Revan then proceeds to use Force Lightening on Maul. Qui-Gon tried to stop him, and Revan traps him in a force stasis field, before continuing to zap Maul.
After Revan is done, he informs Maul that it is "a waste of energy" to use lightning each time the man "Misbehaves" and that if Maul chooses to test him like a rebellious child again, he will be punished like one, by spanking his "Bare bottom" with his Padawan's training saber. Then Revan tells Maul to get himself to sickbay and treat his burns.
Once Maul is gone Revan approaches the still frozen Qui-Gon and explains that Maul is a Sith. That by attacking the droids, instead of trying to do the smarter thing and bluffing his way through the station, Maul was actually testing him to see if he would tolerate stupidity, which would have been interpreted as weakness and that would have resulted in the man killing them all in their sleep.
Revan did the only thing he could do, that a Sith would have actually respected, proving that he was willing to, then promised a less damaging but more humiliating punishment for future trespasses.
Even his statement about using Force Lightening to punish his Apprentice was a "Waste of Energy" was a reason the Sith would accept.
Revan just smiles and reminds the Jedi what he said. He is not "good or evil", he is both, and he will occasionally act in ways the council, nor Qui-Gon himself, will appreciate.
Then Revan goes to Anakin, leaving Qui-Gon still frozen in a Force induced Stasis (As it will wear off in a few minutes). Anakin is sitting nervously on Maul's bed. Revan talks with him gently, explains how what the boy did was dangerous. Then proceeds to spank his bare bottom with his hand, over his lap, then move onto the training saber (Which gives a slight static sting with the force of a paddle). Then he hugs the crying Anakin and promises him it will be alright and that he is forgiven, but that he better not do something like this again. When Revan looks up Qui-Gon is watching him from the door. The older man sighs and simply says, "I really don't understand you," before leaving him to care for his Padawan.
• When the Queen offers to reward the Jedi with anything they want for saving their world, Revan request a small but battle ready stealth ship (that has a 2 large cargo room, a nice kitchen/living area, a game room) a hundred thousand credits, an additional 50 thousand bars of platinum (to fill the ship's treasury), R2-D2 (the last one is for Anakin), and a pardon for Maul. All of which horrifies Qui-Gon, that he would ask for anything, but Revan gets it all with Padme's gratitude at being able to repay the debt.
As they leave the planet, Revan tells Qui-Gon he is willing to drop him off, but Revan and his new team will not be returning to The Jedi Temple.
Revan believes Jedi do more good by living in the Galaxy, helping in both little and large ways. They are of no use to anyone locked away in the temple, but if the Council needs Revan to handle something he will be there. When Qui-Gon reports this to the Council, he informs them he will be remaining with Revan to keep an eye on him. They agree. He also tells them he is interested in giving Obi-wan his final trial and they order him to have Revan give it and report back what he does.
•
• Inspired by: "Everything Will Be Right" by "Shadenight123"
Obi-Wan undergoes the final Trial, as guided by Revan.
All of this has been prep work to get the boy in the right mindset. Revan takes the boy back to Watto's shop, where HK-47 has been completed. Then Revan begins force choking Watto. While trapping Obi-wan in stasis, demanding the boy tell him why the alien should live. As he owns slaves and literally gambles with peoples lives.
Revan remains eerily calm, as he demands the boy give him a rational explanation as to why this alien should live, but the boy can't think of one. After attempting many an argument, which are easily debunked, the boy then begs Revan to end the trial. That he will stay a Padawan but just don't kill the man.
Revan let's them both go and congratulates Obi-wan on passing. Although the man would have prefered an intelligent argument, the boy was able to put the lives of others above his own desires, even when the boy didn't think that life was worth it.
Revan then tells Watto that he is about to get a second chance. Revan is about to make him stupidly rich by buying a bunch of spare parts, HK-47, and Anakin's mother for far above market value. Then Revan leaves the shop with all he wanted and an entire bar of platinum poorer.
Obi-wan is dejected and confused after being put through that, wondering if Revan actually would have killed Watto.
• Revan and his team continue to travel the Galaxy, doing odd jobs for profit while bounding and learning a true balance over the force, instead of Sith or Jedi. Qui-Gon and Revan continue to bump heads as Obi-Wan has turned to learning about a balance of the force instead of just the light side. Eventually Qui-Gon embraces the philosophy himself.
• When Anakin is 19, Revan suggest to the Jedi Council that the boy is ready for his trail, which Yoda insist on giving him himself. The boy passes with flying colors. This promotes Yoda on convincing the other Grand Masters to reinstate Revan's rank of "Master", given how well his methods are working, as well as all the good publicity The Order is getting from Revan's adventures well helping the little guys.
Instead of accepting this with grace and dignity, Revan demands a carrier ship (with a number of droids to run it and a small fleet of transport ships inside) and that he be officially acknowledged as a new branch of the "Jedi Service Corps". With the ship acting as their base of operations. This way Initiates who "Fail to live up to the high expectations of the Jedi" can still serve in the field as Jedi. He will teach them how to control their darker impulses through balance and continue to serve the order on a larger scale. Revan is very persuasive and successfully convinces the Council this will be the best way to handle children they believe could fall prey to the dark side.
• Revanist:
Anakin is still arrogant and cocky but now he is much more charming. Anakin is a newly named Jedi Knight and chooses to stay in Revan's new faction. Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, and Maul have taken on a team of three Padawans each, who no one wanted and the Jedi believe may fall to the dark side if allowed to continue their training, with Revan taking on a particularly troubled girl named Asajj Ventress (who recently lost her master and the Jedi feared this would push her over the edge after the tough life she has lived up to this point).
Revan believes Anakin needs some time to himself before taking a Padawan, and gives the boy an assignment he thinks he will enjoy, protecting Senator Padme Amidala from assassination attempts (The two have kept in touch up until this point as Revan often took his party back to Naboo, however this is when their relationship truly turns romantic). On his first day back on Naboo Anakin explains to Padme's curious council members that the "Revanist" branch of the Jedi Order don't take vows of abstinence and even permit their members to marry, it hasn't happened yet but Revan has made it clear he is not against the idea. After they leave Padme comments on the title "Revanist" and Anakin explains it is an inside joke in the Jedi order that seems to be evolving into a formal name for the new branch, much too the horror of Revan himself.
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• Clone Wars : Based on the 2009 cartoon.
It has been 5 years since the war started and Anakin hasn't seen much of Revan, Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, or Maul. They occasionally fight together and go on missions, but rarely do they get to hang out and just talk. There Padawans are all knighted, now known as Revanist Knights, and working with the initiates themselves but Revan wants them to wait a few years before they take on Padawans.
Instead the Revanist Knights (including Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, or Maul) go back and forth between training the Initiates and fighting in the war. Revan himself is nearly always on the ship teaching. However the only one who doesn't return to the ship frequently is Anakin. Now that Anakin is finally out from Revan's watchful eye, Palpatine began more directly drawing in and manipulating "The Chosen One".
Palpatine has been friends with Anakin, since he first came to the temple, but since the boy was away from the Coruscant most of the time (And when he was there he was surrounded by Revan and his team) Palpatine couldn't risk drawing attention to himself.
Now that Anakin is more isolated, Palpatine can properly mold the young man. Often requesting the Jedi Temple send Anakin to protect him, as his bodyguard. Anakin is married to Padme now, and his new post on Coruscant makes it so they can see each other often.
A wrench is throne in Palpatine's plans, when Revan orders Anakin to the Revanist ship, with the explanation that the older man senses much pain and anger in Anakin. That this war is clearly becoming too much for him to emotionally handle, and the boy needs to center himself back to a place of balance, before Revan will allow him to get back into it.
Anakin begins seeing much more of the other Revanist Knights (Revan, Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, Maul, and their former Padawans).
Revan is actually teaching a class of over 40 Initiates, and the others are helping him in between missions of their own. Anakin is assigned to work with the children indefinitely, a task he doesn't take kindly too, but eventually warms up to it as he enjoys teaching the children.
Eventually Anakin is allowed to leave the Ship, but on a new Mission to recruit allies for the war effort, instead of on the front lines or touring with the Chancellor (As Revan knows the chancellor is a Sith Lord but refuses to tell anyone... not realizing the man is behind the war. And not particularly caring about a Sith in power when he isn't obviously doing anything evil).
Anakin has grown particularly attached to one of the older initiates, Ahsoka Tona, and decides to take her on as his Padawan. Revan allows Anakin to take the girl with him into the fight, as he thinks it will be good for him, but on the condition that Anakin return regularly back to the base. Obi-wan, who's Padawan's recently became Knights and are teaching at the Revanist ship, is sent to accompany Anakin and his new Padawan.
Maul and Qui-Gon are sent out to deal with the frontlines. Maul runs into his brother Savage and starts training him in a balance of the force.
Revan stays behind teaching the Initiates.
When Anakin notifies Mace that Palpatine is Darth Sidious and that the Jedi Council are arresting him Revan goes to the temple. Revan gets there in time to see Anakin leading an army up to the Jedi Temple and manages, to evacuate the younglings and Padawans. While the Knights and Master organize a last stand. buying Revan time to get the children out. Once the children are onboard the ship Revan jumps away from the battlefield, realizing protecting the children is the priority. Revan sends a hidden message to the surviving Jedi warning them to stay away from the temple and converge on him.
Yoda and Obi-wan regroup on the ship along with Qui-gon, Ahsoka, and Maul. They start discussing plans to overthrow the ship.
Yoda insists that Revan join him and taking out Sidious and leave his apprentices to take down Anakin. The other Revanist Knights will stay behind on the Ship to look after the Younglings, to mold the future generations of Jedi if they should fall, and to try to save other Jedi if they can.
Anakin won't listen to reason from his childhood friends, force choking Padme. Then cutting Maul in half, and knocking out Qui-Gon. Obi-wan becomes enraged as Anakin goes in to land a killing blow on the unconscious Qui-gon, managing to save him before attacking Anakin. They both fight using all Revan taught them but in the end Obi-wan wins, leaving Anakin to die and taking his injured friends back to the Revanist ship.
Meanwhile Revan and Yoda fail to kill Sidious, as he is just too powerful.
They all converge on the ship and start building a Rebellion and plan to take down the Empire. That they must focus all their efforts on training the children.
New Revanist Order.
• The New Revanist Order get a call from the clones, who inform them that they are not loyal to the Empire for the same reason they carried out Order 66, they are loyal servants of the Republic.
They insist they want to help the remaining Jedi. That the clones are currently being attacked by the Sith. Revan leaves with the other grand masters (Yoda, Maul, Qui-gon, and Obi-wan) and a fleet of droid piloted transport ships. Vader is waiting for them in full Darth Vader cybernetics. They realize it is Anakin but once again fail to reach him.
They manage to defeat him together but then Revan does something he knows no one will suspect, he grabs Vader and makes a break for it. Getting Vader back to his ship, and reminds him of the promise he made to him as a Child.
Revan is willing to help him in exchange for him sitting through lectures on balance, and if he is a smart Sith the man will realize having an Alley that doesn't desire his throne is worth a little annoyance. The others are able to save the clones and Equipment / blue prints to make more.
• 3 years later, Vader kidnaps a child powerful in the force after, murdering everyone in his village. He begins training the child as a Sith Acolyte, named Starkiller.
Then, after another 10 years, The Revanist Order is still calling themselves that, well Revan is making it clear he is a neutral party until he can get Anakin back to a place of balance.
Revanist have been helping the Rebellion for years, occasionally sending out it's Masters and Revanist Knights as more and more complete their training. Yoda has still not accepted a Revanist point of view and refrains from tapping into the Dark Side. However all the initiates are trained for Balance with Yoda retaining his position as a wise Councillor. The Revanist order actually has enough Knights and Masters now to make a difference.
• Vader is using his Acolyte Starkiller to hunt down the Revanist Order but Starkiller is actually converted to their way of thinking. Starkiller joins the Rebellion.
Starkiller bonds with Luke and tells him what it was like growing up under Vader. Although the man was strict, with any failure or disobedience meant with severe punishment, Starkiller tells Luke he actually had a relatively good childhood. Luke starts fantasizing about growing up under his father's care. Luke is a Padawan training under Obi-wan.
They get separated on a mission, and Luke ends up being confronted by Vader on his own. Luke reveals who he is and Vader senses the boy is telling the truth. Vader and Luke try to convince the other to join them and it ends with Vader losing his temper and chopping off Luke's hand. Obi-wan appears and manages to escape with Luke.
• Vader feels guilt over what he did to his son and thinks that it is no wonder Starkiller left him as well. Vader starts subtly helping the Rebellion with the intent of one day being united with his son. Revan feels a shift in the force around Vader. Lord Sidious has a vision of an older Luke killing him, and orders Vader to kill the boy. Vader convinces the Sith to let him convince the boy to join them.
Revan learns of this and convinces Luke to abandoned the Revanist ship and return with him to Vader. So that together they can try to turn him back to a place of balance. Revan presents Luke to Vader as a prisoner. Although they succeed, in talking Vader out of handing Luke over. Even join forces to kill Sidious, saving the Galaxy