Carth Onasi was finding it difficult to

finish packing his gear without his wife suspecting. He hadn't

even discussed the communication he'd received from Commander

Karath, requesting he re-enlist. Petra would be furious – after

all, he'd promised to stay home and not go to war, but the Republic

needed pilots. The Mandalorians wouldn't be stopped until people

everywhere made a conscious decision to fight back. Maybe his

efforts would be in vain, but he had to try. Every person counted

now. But what would he tell Petra? Somehow, she didn't see this

the way he did."Need any help? “He turned to see his wife leaning

against the doorway, her eyebrows lifted, awaiting a response."Petra, I can explain –"Explain what? Explain how you're

reneging on your promise to me? “Commander Karath asked me to come

back. He said he needed me. "Oh, well I'm sure you'll be very

happy together. "Petra – "She was angry now and was ready to

release her fury on him. "What do you want me to say Carth? Have

fun? I'll see you soon? Carth, you're talking about going to

war against the Mandalorians! Chances are slim that the Republic

militia can even meet them in combat and hold its own and you want me

to support you in this! What about your son!" "I'm doing this for Dustil . . . and

for you, Petra. I won't let the Mandalorians take Taris, and if my

helping Commander Karath even slows them down, I've served my

purpose. " He moved closer to his angry wife, taking her hands in

his. He wanted her to understand. He needed her to understand."

Petra . . ." "Save it, Carth!" She snapped again

pulling away from him. "You're leaving me again, but this time

you're leaving me and your son, and you may not come back. How do

you expect me to accept that?" She was shaking and her tears were

angrily forcing their way down her cheeks. "I don't want you to

become another name on the list of . . . " She stopped as if it

pained her too much to even finish the sentence. "Petra . . ." Carth called, slowly

taking his wife in his arms. He didn't know what to say to her, to

assure her that he would indeed return. He wanted to tell her

anything to give her peace, but he couldn't. The truth was that

Petra was right. It was questionable if anything the Republic did

now would even slow down the Mandalorians, but they had to try. He

had to try. "Mom, Dad, I'm home!" a small

voice echoed through the house. Petra wiped her tears quickly and

pushed away from Carth just as little Dustil walked in. "I

finished my lesson for the day. The computer says that I've done

better than anyone in the city!" "That's wonderful, Dustil," Petra

said, quietly sniffing. She couldn't hide her tears, however

from Dustil's observant eyes. "What's wrong Mom?" Dustil

asked. "Ask your father," she said after a

while. Then turning to Carth she continued. "Go ahead, Carth.

Explain it to your son. Maybe he'll get it." "Get what, Daddy?" Dustil was

concerned now. Rarely did he see his mother in tears and his father

didn't exactly look excited, either. "Dustil," Carth started, choosing

his words carefully, "remember what I've told you about what I

used to do?" "Yep. You said you were a pilot for

the army. You helped people help other people." "Exactly. Now, Dustil, with the war

going on, they need me again." Dustil stopped for a moment and Carth

wasn't sure the boy heard him. After a pregnant pause, the boy

blinked and frowned a bit. "You're leaving?" "Just for a little while, Dustil. I

promise. Now you'll be the man of the house. You've got to look

after Mom for me, alright." The little boy nodded his head and

smiled a bit, as if trying to look stronger for his father. Carth

hated this. He was never quite able to talk to Dustil on his level.

He always seemed to treat Dustil as if he were one of his officers,

barking out orders for the boy to follow. He wasn't an emotional

man; he never needed to be. Most people understood the feelings

behind his actions, whether he showed them or not. But Dustil was

different. He awkwardly hugged his young son, who was now

stone-faced but obviously holding back tears. "It'll be alright,

son. I'll be fine." He released his grip on the boy who

feverishly wiped the tears that had escaped away. "I've got a

lot of packing to do before the transport leaves Thursday. You wanna

help your old man get things together." He should have said

something more comforting. 'I love you' would have been the way

most people responded to a son's tears. Somehow, however, he

couldn't bring himself to say the words. Instead, he playfully

jumbled Dustil's hair and stood, looking down at his son with a

small grin stretching across his face. "Alright, Dad," the boy simply

replied and the two left in silence, Dustil leaning as he carried his

father's duffle bag.

Revan was comfortable now; she was

dressed in her familiar Jedi robes, her hair was tied back in the

traditional style for females. Most people thought that the Jedi

were very stagnant in their dress and behavior, walking around

identical to each other at all times. This was far from true, at

least in the opinion of most Jedi. Yes, there was a strict order

that governed each Jedi enclave. This was as much for the

protection of the Jedi as it was the people they encountered. To

control one's connection with the Force was a difficult thing to

learn, even if emotions were not involved. A Jedi must become strong

in the Force before facing what most of the Republic deemed, "the

real world". Yes, the young students were guided in a traditional

hairstyle for boys and girls, but this avoided confusion. This

allowed children and older Padawans who were not yet fully able to

hone their skills to be easily identified. There were reasons for

every tradition of the council, the wisest of all Jedi. They're

word was law, and they were trusted to know what was best. That was

enough and had always been enough for Revan. Now she walked the hallways of the transport, as

she tended to do on long trips. The Jedi had granted both a group of

settlers and a small collection of Republic troops to share their

transport ship and she was a bit curious about their guests. She

glided into the refectory where many – including Jedi, militia and

Republic citizens – sat, ate, and conversed with their neighbors.

She received her meal from the refectory droids and walked to a

cornered booth. Her presence seemed to hush those she passed. Many

of them had probably never been aboard a Jedi vessel or been so close

to so many Jedi. They're discomfort was understandable. She could

sense their eyes on her, but she ate silently, not wanting to say

anything that would put them at further unease. After a few minutes, a little girl walked passed her and dropped her

eating utensils on the floor beside Revan's table. "I'm so

sorry, Master Jedi," the young girl stammered as she tried to hold

the heavy tray while reaching for the floor. But Revan's reflexes were quicker and she glided down to the floor

with much more ease. After retrieving the dropped items, she gave

them to a cleaning droid who was near them and gave a new set of

utensils to the girl. "Don't apologize. You didn't do

anything to harm me. What's your name?" "Mira.” "Well, it's nice to meet you Mira. My name is Revan." Mira took a quick look around and then moved closer the Revan,

touching her robes with her thumb and forefinger. "Are you really

a Jedi Knight?" "No. Not yet as least. I am a student of the Jedi order. We are

called Padawans." Something about the young girl was calming. She

wondered if this girl was Force Sensitive. "What about you, Mira?

Are you really a settler? Maybe you're a Jedi Master trying to

make sure I'm not misbehaving." The young girl laughed at that thought. "No, silly, I am a

settler. At least my grandparents are. They're moving us to

Dantoine. They say it's safer to live on one of the Core Worlds,

where the Mandalorians can't reach us." An older woman rushed to the girl and pulled her gently by the

shoulders. "Mira, don't disturb the nice Jedi. She has more

important things to do than talk to you." "But grandma – " Mira protested. "She's fine, ma'am," Revan assured the woman. She turned her

attention to the little girl again. "But I do realize that you

must be very busy. It was very nice meeting you Master Mira." "Nice meeting you too, Revan," Mira piped and bowed as she had

seen Jedi do on holocrons. Her grandmother smiled at Revan and

walked away with the young girl in toe as another Jedi moved to

Revan's table. "Friend of yours?" the Jedi asked as the girl left. He was

almost a foot taller than she, wearing reddish robes and the

traditional male haircut. He was muscular, broad and could seem a

bit intimidating to one who didn't know him better. Luckily, Revan

did. She smiled at her friend, thinking back to a moment when they

were children, when she'd first met the young man. They were both

the same age but she was the taller, more assertive (and sometimes

aggressive) one. She took it upon herself to take care of the shy

boy and a tight bond was formed. As they grew older, he grew both

physically and in the Force, and began to be just as protective of

her as she was of him. They were assigned to different Masters, but that did not hinder

their friendship. Rather, it encouraged it. They helped each other

train and served as a person to talk to when their Jedi Master was

too removed to understand the other. When one grew to a new

understanding in the Force or had witnessed some new mystery of the

galaxy, he or she was quick to share with the other. They were

siblings in every way but blood, sometimes being called "the twins"

by older Jedi. She was still the stronger, but that did not seem to

be an issue. One's strength was the other's strength as well. "Have a seat," Revan offered her friend. He obeyed her, still

smiling calmly. "How goes the training?" "It's going, Revan," he said, rolling his eyes a bit. "What do you mean?" He tensed up a bit, as if trying to find the right words to express

himself. He looked around at the crowd of non-Jedi and decided to

censor his words so as to not leave a bad impression on them.

"Master Vrook is a wonderful teacher. He has a great understanding

of the Force and I feel myself growing stronger whenever I am with

him . . . but he isn't the easiest Master to learn from." "What's wrong?" Revan asked softly while munching on something

from her plate. “I find it difficult to please him. No matter how hard I strive in

one area, he condemns me in another. I don't believe he will ever

recommend me for the trials." Revan patted her friend's hand. "He's a different type of

Jedi, but that doesn't mean that you won't succeed under him. I

guess he pushes so much because he doesn't want us to fall like the

other Jedi he's seen in his life. Try not to take it personally,

Malak. Could be worse. You could be me. I know I'm not top on

his list, but I do what I can and when he condemns me, I find what I

can use out of what he says and forget the rest." Malak smiled slightly. "Easy for you to say. I've head the

Masters talking about you. Some believe that you will be the most

powerful female Jedi ever. You've excelled me and others more than

you realize." Malak paused, taking a bite of his food. "Besides,

your master is Kavar." "And he's far from easy to please, let me assure you. Keep at

it. Hey, may Vrook's so hard on you because he sees potential.

I've heard him say that you're mastering some of the more

aggressive fighting forms. Maybe he just wants to remind you to

steer clear from the Dark Side." "Maybe . . ." Malak's words trailed off and the two friends

found themselves eating in relative silence. They were used to a

rigorous schedule and ate quickly and lightly out of habit. Padawans

had always been taught to prepare oneself for anything, and that

included how one conducted himself when eating. It wasn't above

the Masters to conduct a drill during mealtime. Once finished, they quietly left the refectory and headed to the Jedi

dormitories. They would need to rest so that they would be prepared

for their training. They entered their room shedding their outer

robes and each finding rest on their respective bunks. Malak reached

for the light and Force-pushed at the sensor to turn it off. For a

while, the room was still, the hum of the hyperdrive the only

recognizable distraction for the silence. Then, just when Malak was

about to drift off, he heard Revan sigh. "Malak?" "Yes?" "You will be a great Jedi, Vrook knows that, but you have to." Malak was dead silent and Revan could sense that he was

thinking of a rebuttal. She gave him a moment to add his opinion,

but he stayed silent. "What, Malak?" "There are many Padawans destined for greatness, Revan, but I fear

that, in the end, I will be left behind . . . in their shadows."

He'd wanted to say "in your shadow" but couldn't bring

himself to. Revan had always been ahead of him, and to hear of her

achievement on a day-to-day basis from someone as cold as Vrook was

becoming unbearable, but it wasn't her fault. He was her brother.

He should be happy for her achievements, not jealous of them. He

began to quietly mumble the Jedi Code to himself, trying to center

his emotions. He continued this for such a long time he thought

Revan had drifted to sleep. Finally, when he was calmer, he heard

her speak. "You won't me, my friend. I promise. “The two drifted to sleep as their other bunk-mates had, but their

rest was short-lived. A few hours later, the ships alarm system

began to shriek through the walls. Interestingly enough, the young

Jedi were already awake. They had felt a disturbance in the Force

seconds before the alarms and had reached for their sabers just when

the noise resonated in their ears. “What do you suppose it is?" a female bunkmate asked."Mandalorians," Malak replied, trying to open the door. "It

has to be." He continued to press the controls locking the door.

"They must have had the dormitory doors sealed. I can't open it

this way."He looked at Revan and she at him. They both then activated their

lightsabers simultaneously, and used them as wedges to force the

doors open. The doors seemed to give easily and when opened, they

allowed the laser to fade away. "We may have been boarded,"

Revan acknowledged. "Brin, you and Tobias try to find a way to the

settlers. Malak and I will try to get to the bridge and help keep it

safe from the Mandalorians." The Padawans separated, each group

determined to complete their respective missions. Times like this, the connection between Revan and Malak showed itself

the most. Without even speaking much to one another, they worked in

tandem to make their way to the bridge. They slipped through

ventilation ducts and slipped through several groups of Mandalorians

to get to the bridge. Once there, they were truly shocked with what

they saw; all of the Republic bridge crew – who were going to

borrow the Traveler from the Jedi to assist other colonists

– were brutally slain. The two Padawans moved from person to

person, searching for any vital signs. They found none. Some had

been gunned down; others had signs of viroblade injuries. The two

bowed in humble respect for each officer, then began searching the

consoles for the vitals of the ship. “I’m detecting a Mandalorian vessel attached to our hull,"

Malak called out."And I'm detecting several troops moving through the ship. Most

are concentrated near the dormitories." Revan thought for a

minute. "Malak, is there any way to contact the Masters?" " Normally the com would work, but the Mandalorians have shut it

down. And from what I can tell, their main goal is to see what the

Jedi have to offer to the fight. "Revan walked from her console to her friend and thought silently for

a moment. "Then let's not disappoint them. Malak, I've got a

plan."Revan punched a few buttons in the navigational system in front of

Malak. He looked at the console a moment, then looked up at her. "Do

you think they will take the bait?" "I don't think we have a choice. You think you can take care of

the navigations without me?" "I don't think I have a choice," Malak smirked as Revan left

the room. She Force-sealed the door and guarded the Bridge, quietly

waiting for opposition. She wouldn't be disappointed, for a few

minutes later a few Mandalorian war-droids began attacking. She

mowed them down quickly, trying not to leave herself open to a

Mandalorian attack. Just when she'd finished the last one, a very

intimidating Mandalorian appeared in front of her. He must have had

his suit on stealth-mode and been watching her movements. He was

clothed from head to toe in blue Mandalorian armor and carried a

large Mandalorian rifle and a few Republic trophies on his hip. "Very impressive, Jedi," his voice mumbled through the armor

plating. "Now, let's see how you fare against a Mandalorian."Revan narrowed her eyes and allowed her double-bladed lightsaber to

ignite as the Mandalorian held his rifle at her. Neither spoke.

Finally, the great Mandalorian chuckled and dropped his rifle to the

ground. He pulled a viroblade from one of his armor's leg

compartments. "Fine, Jedi. We'll play it your way. "The two began their battle, each trying to best the other in the

quickest manner possible. Revan had never fought a Mandalorian

before and had always expected the larger humans to move much slower.

To her surprise, the warrior was almost as agile as the Jedi. She

wondered if they drew power from the Force as well. In any event,

they were matching each other attack to attack. The two pushed away

from the battle was paused. "You fight well, Jedi, but you will

not last for long," the Mandalorian said. You are beginning to

tire." "Interesting," Revan breathed. " I was just about to tell you

the same thing. “The ship shifted positions and the Mandalorian looked around in

confusion. "What's happening?" he demanded. "Nothing much. We're just taking the ship through the

atmosphere." "At this speed, we'll rip our ship and yours apart. Either you and your

troops leave this ship, or we all die together. Take your pick." "You Jedi are a foolish bunch. Your deaths would be meaningless.

No honor would be gained." "Well, that's where you're wrong. I would be protecting a few

million people from your ship and your troops. That's all the

honor I need." The Mandalorian paused again as if thinking. Then he chuckled a bit

to himself. "Hmph. I suppose you Jedi are more resourceful than

we thought." He punched a few buttons on his armband. "See you

in battle, Jedi." He then walked away from the Bridge, fading in

thin air as we walked. Revan took a breath and opened the doors of the Bridge. Malak was

still in the pilot's chair. "Well," he breathed, "it seems

that your plan worked. As far as I can tell, the Mandalorian troops

have left and the ship is decoupling from our hull." "Good. So you can pull up now." "Can't. We're in too deep now."Malak gripped the controls a bit more and concentrated on the image

of the rapidly approaching planet. "Like it or not, we're

landing."Revan stood silently as her friend worked at landing the transport.

They came in a bit hot, but landed as well as could be expected, a

few kilometers away from the Jedi enclave. By this time, Master

Kavar joined them on the Bridge. He patted Malak's shoulder and

looked warmly at Revan. "You have done well," he replied.

"Thanks to you, the Jedi and the surviving Republic forces are

safe." "Just the soldiers and the Jedi?" Revan questioned. "What

about the settlers?"Kavar sighed, seeming grieved for the first time. He walked her and

Malak down to the dormitory used for the colonists. "They didn't

last long against the Mandalorians, Revan. And those that were

strong or young were taken away. "Revan nodded understanding and knelt near a body of a familiar older

woman, bowing her head in sadness.

A lone Mandalorian walked through

the large compound, a viroblade in hand. He'd long-since dismissed

his soldiers once they reached a small moon, Dxun, and now traveled

to meet his leader. He passed by the guards as the doors opened and

faced another armored man. His shell was a silverish hue, and his

helmet lay near his chair. This was no lowly foot soldier; he was

Mandalore the Ultimate. His very presence commanded the respect of

every Mandalorian warrior and this one was no exception. He saluted

his leader and awaited his orders. "What happened down there,

Canderous?" Mandalore asked. The young Mandalorian sheded his

helmet, his short wet hair stuck to his brow. "It appears the Jedi

are more than we thought they were, Mandalore. Their skill took us

completely by surprise. They were willing to sacrifice everyone

rather than allow us to stay on their ship." "Interesting tactic," Mandalore

spoke. "What about the Republic soldiers?" "No match for us. Neither were

the colonists. Those that were useful were taken to our ship. They

will serve the Mandalorian ranks well. " Canderous stopped,

consumed by his anger. This had been the first skirmish he had ever

lost. "I have failed you Mandalore. I should have anticipated the

attack of the Jedi." "Perhaps, but you did gather

useful information for us. You served your clan well, Canderous, and

there is no honor lost in a battle that brings back knowledge." "Yes, Mandalore." Canderous

saluted again and spoke with new-found determination. "I will see

to the recruits. They will be ready by our next battle." "I trust you to do just that, old

friend." That said, Canderous left in search of his "new

recruits", the people that had been captured from the Traveler.

For all of their vaunted superiority, the Republic knew nothing

about how to treat their citizens. They breeded weakness and

dependency into their society, raising up leaders that only catered

to that weakness. They argued in their halls about trading rights,

currency, and the comforts of life instead of training to protect

life itself. And when any problem came upon these already weakened

members of society, they cried out for soldiers, trained under that

same weakness, to assist them. That was why the Republic was weak;

that was why the Mandalorians would win. Canderous made a stop at his

quarters before meeting the recruits. He took off his armor and

changed into a sleeveless top, pants and combat boots. He'd done

this before and had found that the sight of a true Mandalorian

without the combat armor was the most effective way to indoctrinate

recruits. He brought no weapons with him as he left the room; he

wanted them to know that there was no way to escape from them. Even

if they did, there was nowhere to run. He scanned the room as he entered

it. There before him were 50 men women and children, ranging from

young to old, fit to unfit, privileged to poor. It would become his

job to train them for various positions in the Mandalorian ranks

before the next major skirmish. Some would become technicians, some

armor specialist, some foot soldiers and suppliers. He saw enormous

potential in this room. But first, they had to be broken. The

adults were already chained by Republic weakness and would find it

very hard to convert into Mandalorian soldiers. They would find

their usefulness at the Mandalorian bases seeing to the needs of the

true warriors; they'd be less dangerous that way. The children,

however, were different. Mandalorian society always had a special

place of honor for its children. They were the future of the clans;

this position demanded the careful and skilled had of respect. They

would not be cheated out of their strength here. They would not be

weakened by sympathy or compassion. They would be molded and shaped

to harness their greatest strengths. They would be trained as

suppliers, learning how to survive under the Mandalorian Code. And

after years of training, a precious few of them would perhaps be able

to become warriors and earn honor for themselves. In short, they

would be given an opportunity to become a part of the Mandalorian

Clans. He stood in front of the people

stone-faced. "Welcome to the clans of Mandalore," his voice

boomed. "Forget your old names, your old lives, your old homes.

You are dead to the Republic now. There will be no great crusades on

your behalf, no great rescue. No one's coming. Like it or not,

you're home now."

This summit was

unusual for the enclave. As a school for young Jedi, the academy on

Dantoine was always buzzing with activity, a stark contrast to the

quiet fields of the farm planet. Usually, young Jedi could be found

all over the grounds, training or enjoying time with their peers.

This time things were different. Just that morning, the Jedi had

attended the services honoring the fallen soldiers and settlers, as

well as those taken captive. Over 134 lives were lost or missing.

That was a price very few had been willing to pay. It was ironic.

So many more people had died in this war that 134 people lost seemed

insignificant, but it was the first time many in the Order had come

face to face with the war. It made the Mandalorians seem even

closer, making the need to end their reign of terror even more

paramount to many. By the afternoon, the

members of the Council called an assembly announce the promotion of

several Padawans to Knight status. This usually required the

students to undergo the Trials, but considering the demonstrations on

Courisant and the battle that had ensued on the Traveler,

the members of the council thought that they had already completed

what they needed to be true Jedi. The council sat in the

center of the large circular hall while those chosen were called

forward. The crowd seemed to ease from its tension when two in

particular were called – Revan and Malak. The twins were respected

among their peers and to see them promoted was almost like promoting

all of the Padawans. "The ceremony will be at the end

of the week, students," Kavar noted. "You have our sincere

congratulations. You've done well." He smiled at each student,

but stopped at Revan, who was looking down with an unusual facial

expression. "Revan? Do you have something you want to say?" Revan took a deep breath and closed

her eyes. She then took a step forward and held her hands behind her

back. "With your permission, Master, I'd like to address the

council." "Please do," Master Vandar

responded. "I wish to ask the council . . .

what is the purpose of the Jedi?" There was a pregnant pause in the

room. No one spoke, not even the very youngest of students. The

council looked at each other, not quite knowing where this line of

questioning was going, but knowing that it needed a response. "Our

purpose," Master Vrook finally responded, " is already known to

you. We are blessed with knowledge of the Force and use that

knowledge to teach others the way of peace. We are to serve and

protect those who need our protection through the Force without

thought of personal gain or ourselves. It is our duty to protect the

Republic." "Then I ask you, why is the

council unwilling to aide the Republic against the Mandalorians?"

Disbelief and shock found themselves in waves passing from student to

student. They stared at Revan, then the council, then each other as

the council sat silently. Even Malak glanced in Revan's direction. The woman took another step towards

Vandar, the head of the council, and spoke again. "Why are we

willing to stand and do nothing while millions die?" "We have never said that we will

not assist the Republic," a female master spoke. "We just have

declined at this moment." "But through our inaction, are we

not disobeying our own code?" Revan persisted. "There is more at stake here than

just the Mandalorians, Padawan," another master spoke. "The Dark

Side taints this war." "All the more reason for the

council to intervene," Revan countered. "Send us, Masters,

please! We will carry out whatever orders you wish, but do not allow

others to die because of your indecision." "Instead you would have us lose

even more due to hasty actions," Vrook countered back harshly.

"The dark side clouds this war, Revan, and if you cannot see this

then perhaps you should not have been chosen for Knighthood!" "Why are you doing this?"

Revan's voice seemed small now, almost child-like. "Why do you

refuse to help?" She searched the council's faces, ending with

her newest master, Kavar. When no one spoke or changed their stoic

gaze, she stiffened and gave them one of her own. "Don't you

realize that this contradiction, this confusion between our code and

our actions could be just as bad as any Mandalorian threat? Maybe

the Dark Side taint doesn't just end with the Mandalorian side.

Maybe it extends even further." She glanced at each council

member, and then turned her attention to Vrook. "If you cannot see

the damage our inaction is causing, perhaps you should not have been

chosen as our Masters." Many students collectively caught

their breath at Revan's comments and a few council members stood,

clearly emotional. Kavar stood finally, walking over to his student.

"You are dismissed, Revan," he said with a forcefulness Revan

had never heard from him before. "Leave. The council will deal

with you later. "Revan looked down for a moment, then

murmured an apology to Kavar and the other Masters. She then turned

and after passing a glance to Malak, left the room, leaving a group

of very confused Jedi looking at the spot in which she once stood.

For the first time, doubt roamed the Jedi halls. "Much defiance in that one." "Perhaps we should postpone her

Knighthood." "She may have been a bit

outspoken, but Revan was right. There is a consequence for every

action . . . and inaction." "Perhaps we should have explained

to the students why we asked for time to examine the situation." "This is a dangerous time for her

– she is becoming tempted by the Dark Side. She couldn't be

trusted to listen rationally." "Revan is becoming a danger to

herself and the other Padawans. If she chooses to disobey our

orders, others will follow." "Then perhaps we should act." "The council doesn't cater to

its students. For their own protection, they must be kept out of

this war. Remember Exar Kun and those who came after him. Jedi must

be allowed to enter war very carefully and only when it's

absolutely necessary." "Then we are asking her to chose

between her beliefs, the beliefs we instilled in her, and our

orders." "Perhaps Revan should be taken

back to Courisant under the tutelage of her old Master, where she

will not be as influenced by the side-effects of the war." "That will only delay the

problem." "And what about the other

Padawans? Removing Revan from their presence may be construed at

admitting her correctness." "They will be reminded to trust in

the Force and our wisdom, just as Revan will." "Yes, have you come with

questions?" "Yes. And I need some answers. "Revan walked across the long room to

face an elderly woman who sat in front of a computer console. She

was the first Master Revan ever had and as such, was the one Revan

trusted the most. The elderly woman stopped her task on the computer

for a moment, then smiled and patted the seating area beside her.

"Then sit, child," the woman said. Revan obeyed and for a while,

neither spoke. "You created quite a commotion in the assembly, I'm

told," the woman finally spoke. "Did the council not answer all

of your questions?" "No, Kreia, they didn't. They

just told me to trust the Force to lead them in the right direction.

They said it should be enough." "Is it?" "If you had asked me that two days

ago, I would have said yes, but now, I'm not so sure." "It takes great courage to look

your teacher in the eye and question his answer, and you did that

today." "Yes, but I'm no closer to

solving my problem." Revan paused a minute as Kreia's attention

turned back slightly to her work in the Jedi archives. "Kreia, has

anyone ever left the order?" "Our past is littered with the

tales of fallen Jedi –" "No, I don't mean to become

Sith. Has anyone left the order and remained a Jedi?" There was a pause. "Not to my

knowledge. Think carefully on this, Revan. The council will strip

you of our rank and connection with the Force for such an action." I'll be considered dangerous to

everyone around me." "As well as yourself. A Force

-Sensitive is dangerous from the moment of birth. Through training

and discipline, the danger is controlled, pacified, but it still

remains. No Jedi can be allowed to act without the eyes of the

council watching. The Dark Side is too tempting, too appealing."Kreia looked at Revan and could see

that she was thinking on this. She continued. "If you go, you

will not go alone. Others will follow." "I think I can convince Malak to

stay." "Ah, but can you convince the

hundreds of Jedi who saw your rebellion?" "Hundreds? Kreia, there aren't

that many Jedi in the entire enclave." "No, but word of your actions has

passed to the other schools. You have influenced more than you know.

Your decision to leave could pull out half of the next generation of

Jedi with you. Is the threat that great? Would you be willing to

destroy the Jedi Order in order to save the Republic?" "Do I have to choose? Can't I

have both?" "It doesn't work that way,

Revan."

"This mission is

suicide!" Atris noted, flopping down on one of the dormitory beds.

"I cannot believe you're actually considering this!" "I can't believe you're not,"

Janis Bassin replied. "You heard what Revan said. The council is

asking us to turn against our own training. We can't stand by and

watch the Republic die." The girl finished packing her duffel and

stored it in a small footlocker. Like many of the Jedi who'd

agreed to leave with Revan, secrecy was her closest ally. None of

the Masters needed to know the plan until they were long gone. Atris watched the young girl leave

the room as she continued sitting on the bed. Raye Bassin, Janis's

elder brother, was also feverishly packing what few belongings he had

into a small duffle. It had been unusual for the Council to permit

family members to even be in the same school with each other, but

somehow, the two had ended up together. Since Raye was older and

more experienced, he seemed less likely to have a negative effect on

the two, until now. Clearly Atris could see that the girl was

pushing her brother to this action. It had to be that. She waited a

while for him to pay attention to her sitting there. When he didn't,

she spoke up quietly. " So, you're still going through with

this?" "Someone has to show the council

that the Republic needs Jedi assistance," Raye spoke quietly. He

dropped his bag into the same footlocker that Janis dropped hers in

and began to leave the room. Atris stepped in the doorway, stopping

him from leaving. "Why are you here, Atris?" "I'm here to convince you to

stop this. Going to war just to look after your sister is just as

fool-hearty as Malak convincing young Jedi like your sister to go to

war just to look after Revan. If Revan believes that she can stop

this, then by all means, allow her to, but don't throw your life

and your sister's life away."Raye laughed for a minute and

scratched his head. "You think that's the reason for my going?

Did it ever occur to you that I believe Revan's right? The

council's refusal to help is only costing lives." "They didn't refuse! They

simply asked for more time." "They've had almost a year,

Atris. How long does it take?" "We must trust in their wisdom.

They're command of the Force does not make them gods,

Atris. They are capable of mistakes and I think that this is one of

them." "So you choose to disobey them?

They will expel you from the Order! You will be stripped of your

powers!" "So you want me to choose my own

needs and wants over the needs and wants of others? That's a very

un-Jedi thing to do." "You're twisting my words.

Revan's plan is doomed to failure. She cannot goad the council

into action and if you go – " Atris's words trailed off as she

realized something that scared her. Raye wasn't the first person

she'd heard of that had been convinced by Revan's display in the

hall or Malak's petitioning speeches to go to war, but for some

reason, his leaving hurt her the most. Could it be that her feelings

ran deeper than simple friendship? That would have been a direct

violation of the Code, and yet here those feelings were, showing

themselves. What was worse was the lingering feeling of jealousy

towards the person who'd started all of this mess. Though Atris

wanted to deny it, in her mind, Revan was taking him away from her. If Raye had picked up on any of

this, he didn't show it. "I appreciate what you're trying to

do, Atris, but it's not working. Whatever consequences, even if

its my life, are better than allowing the Mandalorians to take-over."Atris snapped back to attention.

"The Republic forces already outnumber the Mandalorian fleet 6 to

1. Do you really think the Jedi can make any difference?" "I have to try." He smiled a

bit and patted her shoulder, sliding her out of the doorway in the

process. Atris was growing desperate now,

emotional. "I could tell the council!" she yelled at Raye, who

stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face her, obviously shocked

at her words. She had gotten his attention. "I could tell them

Revan and Malak's entire plan. I could stop this rebellion before

it even got started."Raye walked back to her,

expressionless. He studied her for a minute, and Atris glared back.

"But you won't, will you?" he spoke. "You know that if you

do, you risk starting a Jedi Civil War. You could cause more Jedi to

rally to our cause. Even some of the Jedi Knights could rebel." He

hugged her gently and Atris felt her eyes burning. He turned to leave again, to

finalize his plans. "Don't leave me," Atris called. The

words left her lips so quickly that it shocked her. Her voice

sounded so small, so scared. If there had been any doubts in her

mind regarding her feelings for Raye, they were gone now. "Goodbye Atris," Raye spoke

again, this time without turning around to face her. She stood

there, without moving for an unacknowledgeable amount of time,

thinking. Her face felt wet and she was shocked to discover later

that it was tears. She wiped them away quickly and ran through the

hallways of the enclave. She knew now that Raye wouldn't be swayed

from his duty, but neither would she. She pushed past a few Knights

and burst into the council hall. "Excuse me, Masters, but there's

something we must discuss."Kreia had been right.

As much as Revan had tried to leave alone, Malak refused to let her

do so. What's more is that he'd convinced several others to go

with them. Padawans and Knights alike were filling up the transport

hangar. A Republic freighter had been sent to accommodate the Jedi

and would be here soon. All they need do was wait. Revan felt uneasy. She had accepted the risks of

leaving the Jedi after her conversation with Kreia. She knew in her

heart that this was something she had to do. But she didn't want

to take anyone down with her. They didn't deserve what was coming.

She'd tried to convince them to stay and let her find another way

for them to help. She'd tried to remind them of the risks. Each

tactic had failed. They were hooked and refused to abandon her cause

now. She closed her eyes and recited the Jedi Code silently. Maybe

this was the will of the Force. "The Jedi are all assembled, Revan," Malak

said walking up to her. They were all still wearing their robes

despite what was happening. Malak supposed that old habits died

hard. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine. Just trying to do my best

impression of a leader – you know, looking all serious and stuff."

She was trying to lighten the mood but there was a little truth in

her words. Like it or not, she was now the leader of the Jedi

Rebellion, and that meant that there would be a part of her that

would always remain separate from the others. Even Malak. "Well, I think you've got that down," he

replied smiling. "In any event, we're all here now. Nothing can

change that. “The hum of the landing ship drew all Jedi eyes to

it. "Time to go," Malak replied as Revan turned to give her

orders to the remaining rebels. "My words exactly, Padawan," a voice called

from the back. "It is time to go. “The Jedi turned and formed a path so that Revan

could face the voice. She was disheartened but not shocked to see the

council and many of the Jedi Knights that were loyal, facing them.

She'd hoped to leave without this goodbye, but someone had

apparently informed them. "Is this the path you choose for the Jedi,

Revan," Master Vrook continued, "to leave in secrecy. If your

cause is so noble, why not face your Masters as you betray them?" "I do not wish to betray anyone, but I must do

this," Revan answered. "And so must we," Malak continued. "You cannot be allowed to leave," Kavar spoke,

"not just for the Republic sakes, but for yours. You're not

ready." "Then send those who are, Master," said Revan. "So you rule the Jedi council now, Revan,"

Vrook spat. "We do not take orders from you." He drew his

lightsaber and the Knights that surrounded the rebelling Jedi drew

theirs. "Return to your rooms, students. You are <strong>not</strong>

leaving." "We are not staying either," Malak retorted,

drawing his lightsaber. A few other students near them drew theirs

out as well. "No," Revan said, holding Malak's arm.

"We're not going to do this. We're not going to leave this

way." Vrook didn't move and neither did his knights, so Revan

turned her attention to Malak. "Put it away, Malak." Malak

looked at her a moment, then obeyed, turning off the saber and

storing it in his belt. The other Jedi's obeyed Revan and faced

the still armed council Jedi. She walked up to Vrook and swallowed.

"The ball's in your court."Vrook lowered and turned off his lightsaber and

his Jedi obeyed. He was angry but he was still a Jedi. Revan turned

and looked at Kavar as well as the rest of the Masters. "I'm

sorry, but we have to go." She then turned to Vandar, kneeling on

the floor to put herself at his height. "We're no good to you

like this. We respect you, and have followed every order, but we

cannot follow this one. You are wrong. Please, let us go so that we

can prove it." Vandar was tranquil. He studied the woman's

face and emotions carefully. She felt such conviction. There was no

anger, no malice in anything she said. Her intentions were true. He

knew that he wouldn't be able to convince her to stay. Even if he

did, the Jedi order was so divided now that others would try to do

the same. He sighed and moved over to the side. "Then go, Revan .

. . and may the Force be with you. "Revan smiled slightly and stood, walking past her

Masters and the Knights to the ship, the Jedi Rebels following her.

She found a seat near the window and looked down at her Masters as

the crowd around them became smaller and smaller. She had betrayed

them. They all had. But it was up to her now to make sure that it

was not in vain.

A battalion strode silently through

the abandon city of Jurkoukis maintaining their formation with

perfection as they spreaded out to search for any life. Leading them

on either side were Jedi, once merely Knights or even Padawans, now

Generals and Commanders. Unlike their former leaders, the Jedi found

it necessary to lead in battle versus watching it safely in the

Republic ships. One Jedi in particular studied his surroundings with

ease, breathing slowly through the mask that covered his face, as if

trying to take in the mystical Force around him. He wore no special

insignia, no special ranking or title in his dress, but his aura

preceded him. He showed who he was in his stance, his walk, and the

way he silently commanded the Republic dogs like the beasts of burden

they were. This had to be the great Revan. It had been several months since he

had defected along with several hundred Jedi to the Republic fleet.

Revan had become the director of the fleet almost overnight and since

then, the Mandalorians finally got the challenges of battle they so

longed for. He was a master strategist and had led the Republic to

more victories in the past few months than they'd earned alone over

the past year. The Jedi, his Jedi, were spread on separate ships,

serving as healers, soldiers, pilots, or anything that was required

according to spies. Even Malak, his second in command, had earned a

place of respect as a Commander of the Ravager, his own ship.

Yes, Revan would have made a worthy Mandalorian. But Revan did not take his victories

easy. The Mandalorians were not in the habit of giving away

anything. He may have brought victories to the vaunted Republic, but

at the cost of many Republic lives, sometimes ten for every one

Mandalorian. Even Jedi lives had been claimed. But even worse, were

the actions of the Council because of his defiance. In their

cowardice, the Jedi Council went into their own sort of exile,

calling all active Jedi back to their prospective enclaves and

refused access to anyone else. No Jedi were allowed to leave under

the direct orders of the Council and none of the Jedi Rebels were

allowed in any Jedi halls. The Council would remain behind their

walls, cowering while Revan did their job for them. Though many

Mandalorians were finding it hard to not have a deep respect and

admiration for Revan, they were finding it even more difficult to

have anything but contempt for the rest of the Jedi. A few weeks ago, Canderous's

mission had been authorized by Mandalore the Ultimate. It was a

rarely used strategy, to assassinate the leader of the opposing side.

Mandalorians much preferred the utter desecration of an opposing

force. But this was not just any leader. Without the leadership of

Revan, the Republic would fall, plain and simple, and Revan fought as

a Mandalorian – out in the open with his troops. It would be too

much an easy tactic to just simply allow Revan to mow through their

troops without attempting to take his life. If the Republic were

smart, they would train their best soldiers, or send Revan's

strongest Jedi to do the same to Mandalore, but it wouldn't stop

the Mandalorians. To them now, the only one worthy of the honor was

Revan, and soon he would be dead. Canderous and his soldiers

continued following Revan's party in stealth-mode. They walked

quietly through the rubble of the ancient yet recently destroyed

city. It stood to reason that they were searching for survivors, a

futile tactic. Mandalorians were not in the habit of completing a

job half-heartedly. If demolishing a city or a planet is what it

took to destroy a Republic military base, then that is simply what

they did. Just as Canderous knew he would,

Revan soon separated himself from the group, asking them to fan out

for survivors in the rubble of the city while he searched the main

computer network of the base. It wouldn't be long now. Revan walked emotionlessly through

the tattered remains of the Mwowi Republic base. Malak had pleaded

with her to rest while he completed this mission, but she couldn't

bring herself to do so. Nothing felt the same anymore, not even

sleep. Here was the answer to how she could end this war; she could

feel it. There was a time that she agonized on whether or not it was

right to take a life during a mission and now after killing so many

as well as leading her soldiers to their deaths she felt nothing.

She could feel her command of the Force progressing, shifting,

adapting itself to the new Revan. She wasn't who she used to be.

Kreia had been right. This war would change her and the Jedi

forever. She Force-pushed a door open as she

continued walking unconscious of anything but the Force around her.

It was pulling her deeper into the complex, for what purpose, she

couldn't be certain. All she knew was that it had been her only

ally in this war. It hadn't abandoned her before and she had no

reason not to trust in it now. This was brutal, even for the

Mandalorians. They didn't just destroy the towns, but had brought

their own nuclear holocaust to the entire planet. It would be a long

time before life could be sustained here. Even now, it was her

concentration melding with the concentration of the other Jedi that

kept the Republic soldiers safe from the radiation. The masks and

suits were given to simply make them feel more secure. The truth

was, if it weren't for the Jedi that lead each battalion, the

soldiers would have died as they traveled to the surface. Revan stopped suddenly in front of a

decapitated statue. She could feel the Force shifting around her.

She glared at the air, trying to make out the strange hazy figures

she saw around her. Then it hit her. In a few swiping moves she

Force-pulled her lightsaber from her belt and cut down a Mandalorian

assassin before he could fully reveal himself. Ten more surrounded

her and she made quick work out of them as well, evading every

blaster shot and melee weapon. She disabled the war droids that

accompanied them, crushing each into small spheres she used as to

finish off the last Mandalorians around her as the Mandalorian leader

appeared. "You would make a great

Mandalorian, Revan," the man spoke through his mask. "I'm honored," Revan

responded, her voice sounding deeper through the mask than they had

anticipated. "You should be. Only the greatest

warriors are worthy of assassination by the Mandalorian clans. In

death, you will earn a place of honor among the greatest of the

Clans." "Sorry, but I don't plan on

going anywhere." The Mandalorian chuckled. "Good.

I'd hate to see you give in so easy." He began shooting at the

Jedi as well as throwing grenades, sending poison and shards of metal

her way. She was able to evade them, however, using the Force to

push each away. In a matter of minutes, she had cut his blaster

rifle into scrap and held one end of the double-bladed lightsaber at

his throat. She remembered how difficult her first battle with a

Mandalorian had been in comparison to this one. She was growing

stronger. "End it," the Mandalorian spoke

and for a second, Revan contemplated it. "Avenge your dead." "I will, on my time," Revan

spoke gutturally. "But first, I have a message for you to deliver

to your leader. Tell him that if he truly wants to defeat me, I'll

be waiting for him . . . on Malachor."She felt the Mandalorian jump a bit.

"Malachor?" "Yes, Malachor, your demon world.

If Mandalore the Ultimate would see the end of Revan, he will have to

come to Malachor to get it."Canderous could feel the power of

this warrior. This was no idle boast. The fate of the Clans and the

Republic would be decided on Malachor. If Mandalore did not answer

the challenge, then the Clans would disband, no longer finding faith

in his leadership. The only honorable solution was to agree. "Very

well," he muttered as Revan released him. That said, he tapped a

few buttons and walked away, camouflaging into the background as he

did.

Carth

felt uneasy as he landed the transport on Dantooine. He had never

been on the "Jedi world" before and in the face of all of

the trouble brewing between the Jedi, he half expected to face a

fire-fight as he landed. It was a silly thought; these were Jedi.

They might have had a difference of opinion, but they were still a

peaceful people. He

shut down the engines and eyed the Jedi seated beside him in the

small transport. The tall man was still in his chair, staring at the

small patch of land that could be seen from the window. He seemed to

carry the weight of the whole world on his broad shoulders and for a

moment, Carth wondered if he should say anything. Perhaps he should

leave the Jedi to his thoughts. Strangely

enough, it was the Jedi that spoke. "Do you have a family, Lt.

Onasi?" the Jedi spoke. "Yes,

Master Jedi." "Malak.

My name is Malak." "I

know, but I thought, considering all that you've done a more formal

title-" "The

Jedi don't concern themselves with trivial titles. Calling me by my

name is fine. You were saying?" "I

do have a family. I have a wife and a son." "How

did they take your going to war?" "To

be honest, not well. My wife has never liked my military career.

It's always been the one thing that separated us. As for my son,

he's young. I doesn't fully think he understands the situation." "In

a few minutes, I will go before the only family I've ever known and

defend my decision to follow Revan to war. I'm not sure where to

begin." "Do

you really think they're still angry about this? Look at all of the

good you've done since you entered the war." "I

suppose I'll find out in a few minutes, Lt.," Malak replied,

standing and walking out of the transport to the Jedi Enclave. It's

amazing how the feel of home never really changes. Everything, from

the lighting of the hallways to the smells was familiar. But as much

as he wanted to sit and take in the feel of the place, this was no

ordinary reunion. He had come with one goal in mind and couldn't

allow himself to be distracted by anyone, not even himself. He

walked through the hallways silently, receiving glaring looks from

younger students. Some looked at him with confusion. Some looked

with anger, what he knew was a very dangerous emotion. He couldn't

blame them. Had their positions been reversed, he would have felt

the same. As

he neared the doors to the Council chamber, he was met by a young

woman who leaned against the large doors. She seemed to have been

waiting for him and stood to attention when he walked up to meet her.

He thought he recognized her as one of his peers - she may have even

been there the night they left the Order - but she looked different

somehow - older. He bowed respectfully. "Hello, Atris. "Hello,

Malak," she responded without bowing. "I'd rather skip the

pleasantries." "Very

well," Malak responded as he walked to the door. Atris was

unmovable, however. She would not be shaken. "You

are forbidden to enter the Council chambers." "What?" "I

have my orders, Malak. You will not taint the Council or the Order

with your war-mongering. The Council will not assist you in this

war." "I'm

not here to beg for help. I'm here to bring a warning. Revan has

reason to believe the Mandalorians are going to attack the Jedi

schools in response to her challenge." "So

it is true. Revan did challenge the Mandalorians to meet her at

Malachor." "Yes,

and the council must be informed for all your sakes." "I

have my orders. No Jedi Rebels can meet with the Council until they

face a trial." "Trial!" "You

disobeyed the Council." "To

save the Republic!" "You

caused the deaths of countless Republic citizens!" "They

died fighting the Mandalorians - what you wouldn't help us do!" "And

what about your faithful followers? What about the valiant Jedi who

listened to your pleas and Revan's call to war? How many of them

will lie dead before all of this is over? How many of them are

already dead?" Malak

was furious by now. He stood in front of Atris, feeling the air

static between them. After everything he had been through, she was

throwing the deaths of other Jedi in his face! He could feel hate

replacing the anger as his war-ravaged eyes faced hers. Had he

remained there any longer, he would have lost control. But he was

smarter than that. "Very well, Atris. But let's not hope that

one of those Jedi lives isn't yours." The comment shocked him.

He didn't know if it was a threat or a reminder of the risk she was

taking by not allowing him to deliver his message. In any event, he

couldn't take it back now. All he could do was make sure that his

slip of the tongue was not be in vain. "Do you

understand your orders?" "Yes,

Revan. How much time will you need?" "Expect

a 10 minute count. Any longer and the Mandalorians could defuse the

4 generators or escape." "Does

anyone else know what this does?" "No

one other than you, I and the engineer." "What

<em>about</em> you?" "No

matter what happens, get BaoDur to safety. Mandalorians don't value

those who help their enemies." Revan replaced her mask and

stared off in the distance. "Good luck, Raye." "To

all of us." Revan was following a trail that she

couldn't see. Quickly and nimbly she walked, depending on the

Force to guide her. She ended up in front of a large building, full

of the antique beauty that only something ancient could possess. She

continued walking, feeling the power the very walls possessed. There

was dark energy here. The Jedi had rumors of places such as this,

remainders of the ancient Sith Empire – those who used and twisted

the Force for their own selfish gain. She had to be careful. She

would lose herself here if she wasn't. As if it were left her, she found an

open door to lift. She entered and it automatically moved up a few

floors – how many, she couldn't be sure. Apparently, someone was

waiting for her. She followed the feeling to its source – a large

circular room with another lift elevator at the back end of it. She

walked calmly to the center of the room, watching as shadowy shapes

began to form into the shapes of soldiers in front of her eyes. Had

she not still worn her mask, the Mandalorians who had come to ambush

her would have seen her smile. "Don't move, Jedi," one

soldier demanded, placing a very large rifle in her face. "You're

outnumbered. It is time you met your end." Revan looked around

her at the massive amount of soldiers and war droids that were

waiting to end her life. She then looked back at the soldier and

started to chuckle. "Clever, little Mandalorians,"

Revan spouted deeply through her mask. "You have set a trap to

capture me and thereby end the war. You would destroy me before your

leader even had the chance to answer my call. Your Clans would have

an honorable victory under their belts and you would claim rule over

the entire Republic. Diabolically clever. There's just one thing.

I'm not the one who's outnumbered.' At that very moment, Revan's

personal guard of Jedi warriors uncloaked themselves to the

Mandalorians, and began, along with their leader, slicing through the

Mandalorian horde. Lightsabers cut blasters. Blasters knocked away

lightsabers. Poison grenades were thrown only to be Force pushed

back to their owners. And when all weapons were stalemated, fist and

foot served the warrior. These Jedi were trained for just such a

mission and simply out powered the Mandalorians. But their victory

was different. It was as if Revan's hand guided them. They almost

seemed to act in unison with her – as she fought more aggressively,

they fought more aggressively. They were changing just as she was. Revan found herself Force choking a

remaining soldier and it scared her. There was no anger in her

actions; it had been a natural impulse. In partial disgust and

partial horror of her own capabilities, she through the body of the

soldier to the side and ordered her Jedi to join the fight outside of

the great edifice. If the Mandalorians had set a trap for her,

certainly they were there to fight the Republic. Once the 2nd lift

stopped, Revan found herself in a new room containing several large

computer systems in a large man sitting in one of the chairs. He was

dressed from head to toe in armor and several weapons were near him.

He chuckled just as she had earlier. "So, we finally meet, Revan.

I trust you enjoyed your welcoming party." "I think they enjoyed mine even

better." "I hear you wanted to challenge

me." "I heard you wanted a challenge." "Very well. But Mandalorian rules

will dominate." "And that would be?" "Warrior to warrior. Win by any

means necessary. "Revan tapped a few buttons on her

arm console. "Execute," she whispered into the device, then drew

her lightsaber and dropped into a fighting stance. "Very well. Let

us begin." "Malak, we have reports from the

surface of Malachor. Mandalorians have engaged our troops. Should we

go and assist?" "No. Revan's orders were clear.

We wait here for Mandalorian reinforcements." Malak stood

overlooking the officers as he spoke. "Sir, there's a ship

approaching." Malak watched the ship approach from the distance.

"What type of Mandalorian raider is it?" "It's not Mandalorian. It's –

that's impossible." "What is it?" "It's a Jedi ship! The Jedi are

joining the fight. "Revan was agile and commanded her

saber with precision and speed, but Mandalore was raw power. He had

long since dropped his rifle and was fighting with a Mandalorian with

a Mandalorian saber. They both bore the scars of their battle.

Revan's robes were battle-worn – burned in places and cut in

others, but Mandalore's armor hadn't escaped her blade as well.

The only difference was for every bit of damage Revan served him, his

healing stimulants restored. After a while, Revan was starting to

tire and Mandalore was stronger than ever. When would this be over? "The mighty Jedi's powers are

starting to wear thin. Could it be he has met his match."

Mandalore swung his saber at a tired Revan who could only lift her

lightsaber to deflect the blow. With all her might, she Force pushed

him away a short distance from her, then stood. "Funny, I was just

about to say the same thing to you. "Mandalore continued to swing his

blade aggressively to a now defensive Revan. "Brave to the last,

but it is fool-hardy to claim victory in the face of defeat. You

cannot win. Yield and I will honor you with a death that will burn

in the sky for centuries." "As charming as that offer is, I

must refuse." "I'm afraid I must insist.

Malachor will be your grave." "Correction, it will be both our

graves in exactly 5 seconds. "Mandalore lifted from the weary

Revan and looked around for assassins. "What?" As soon as the word left his lips, a

massive explosion ripped through, sending shockwaves of earthquakes

that knocked the Jedi off his feet. The rumbling explosions seemed

to last forever, until every single noise was deafening. Mandalore

struggled to try to reach his men through his communications system,

while the Jedi lay screaming and writhing in pain on the floor, the

weight of so many deaths suffocating him. Screams echoed with the

rumbling as every living thing on the planet met its end. And

finally, all was silent. "What sorcery is this?"

Mandalore roared in a drunken rage. "That . . . was the sound . . . of

the end . . . of this war," Revan breathed. She felt suffocated by

her mask and began ripping it off. "You have killed us all." "That was certainly my intention,"

Revan stood and then fell again weakly. He mask was off now and

Mandalore could now see the face of his opponent. "How strong are you Revan?

Hmph. The Jedi are full of surprises. The Sith were right.

You are formidable warriors. But now, I must end your reign." He

gripped Revan by the throat and pushed he into a nearby wall, holding

a small blaster to her head. "The time of the Jedi is over. It

is now the time for the Mandalorians." He gripped the trigger and was just

about the end Revan's life, when he felt the heat of a lightsaber

cut it into pieces. He took a step back and looked down just in

time to see his to his chest and saw her blade slide into it. He

felt her pull out the blade and took at step back, still staring at

his bloodless wound. He then looked up at a battered, bruised, and

Revan. "It appears the best warrior did win." "Call your troops to disband," "You've already killed many of

my best warriors when you destroyed this planet." Mandalore

grimaced as he pulled off his helmet. "This . . . is yours now.

Send order 839 over all Mandalorian communications. They will

disband and scatter. Guard . . . guard my helmet carefully. You are

Mandalore now."

Revan felt the true pain of her

wounds hit her like a wave. It forced her to her knees and then on

her back awkwardly. She fingered her side and was astonished to find

that she was bleeding. She was, in fact, bleeding heavily in several

places; it seemed her victory over Mandalore hadn't been so clearly

defined after all. She had taken his life, but he had very nearly

taken hers. She guessed at the magnitude of her

injuries as pools of blood leaked from her open wounds. She probably

had a concussion as well as several broken ribs, which were causing

further injury to her internal organs. From the pain she was

feeling, she guessed she had dislocated hip and shoulder – there

would be no walking away from this. She chuckled painfully – the

mighty Revan who brought down the greatest threat to the Republic in

centuries was brought down herself by the same threat she fought

against. They say that when a person is about

to die, their life flashes before them. Her first thoughts were of

her brother. It wounded her to think of the misery she would cause

him. Her death would hurt him terribly. Despite Jedi training

against attachments, they had been attached since childhood. In some

ways, they had been two parts of the same whole – he would find it

difficult to stand alone. Malak would, however, have to stand

alone before the Council and the Republic for her decision.

What was worse, thousands more families faced the same isolation.

The Republic was saved, but at a terrible cost. A tear mixed with

the blood as it streamed across her face. "I'm so sorry, Malak,"

she whispered in slurred speech. Her eyes began to roll back in her

head and despite her best attempts, she was going unconscious. She could feel the dark energy of

the strange structure circling her like a vulture. It was tempting

her, begging her to give in to its power. Voices in her head told

her that the passivity of the Jedi code would not be enough to help

her stay alive. If she merely gave in, she could muster up the

strength to call for help. She saw visions of the ancient Sith who's

very presence seemed to suffocate her. She could see feel their

power and corrupted strength in the Force. This place had been a

center of power for the Ancient Sith Empire. She could feel it. As

she continued to fight against the intoxicating corruption of the

Force, she envisioned something else – something that scared her.

She saw the Sith empire, not an ancient memory, but a growing force

far beyond the outer reaches of the galaxy. She could taste the very

essence of their power! The Mandalorian were not the threat – the

Sith Empire was. They would attack soon and the Republic wouldn't

be ready. All she had given up was for nothing. She had walked

directly into the Sith's hands, single-handedly dividing the Jedi

and weakening the already weak Republic. As her guard against the evil began

to wane, she had another vision – this one focused on a familiar

place. She saw herself – cloaked in black – on Dantoine. She

was walking into another ancient building, but this one felt

different somehow. There was no perceived evil in this place, just

raw power. She and Malak found a large hologram – some type of

map. She didn't know what it was or what its purpose was, but the

Force had willed her to see this for some reason. "Shake it off,

Revan," she murmured to herself. She didn't have time to die.

Something told her that the key to the survival of the Jedi and the

Republic depended upon her finding that map. It took days for the radiation on

the surface of Malachor V to subside enough for even the most

powerful remaining Jedi to return to it. It was a moment that Malak

had both feared and ached for. It was now, that they could search

for survivors. The horrors he witnessed were

unspeakable. All life, sentient and animal, Republic and Mandalorian

was utterly slaughtered. He knelt beside an old friend, who was

cradling someone in his arms. Malak couldn't bear to even imagine

the health of Revan. "I'm sorry, Raye," Malak said

when he could finally speak. The girl's body was so badly damaged

that it had taken him a while to recognize her as Raye's sister,

Janis. He warmly placed his arm on Raye's shoulder, trying to use

the Force to calm the man, but had a hard time connecting to him. In

fact, he felt nothing. It was as if Raye wasn't even there. "She didn't deserve this,

Malak," Raye finally spoke. "She didn't deserve this." "I know, old friend. I know."

He beckoned a nearby soldier to come towards them. "Help him take

her to the ship. I'll continue the search for Revan. "The soldier nodded agreement and

reached for the limp body. "No!" Raye ordered, finally allowing

his mixed emotions to come to the surface. "Don't touch her!

I'll carry her myself. "Silently, Malak prayed for better

fortune with Revan. It took two days of searching to

finally find Revan in the rubble of the ancient academy, but when he

finally saw her, Malak was paralyzed with fear. She was clumsily

laying on the floor a few steps from who he assumed was an armorless

Mandalore. He walked to her and cradled her gently in his arms, her

blood soaking up the cloth in his uniform. A mass of emotions

tumbled over him as he yelled over his communicator for help. He was

so angry, so afraid! She couldn't die, she couldn't! She had

survived, barely, but her connection with the world of the living was

hanging by a thread. She was surviving purely through her power in

the Force but that power wouldn't last long. He called on all of

his power as he sat there clutching her to give her some sort of

chance for survival, but it wasn't enough. Several medical

officers came in, one of them prying Revan from his grip. "We're

going to lose her," he heard him say. It was then, that he sensed

the power surrounding him. He didn't take the time to question it;

there was no time. He simply used it. Before he knew it, he had

drained the energy from one of the officers, and given it to Revan.

He watched her and for the first time, she took a deep breath. It

was working! He picked another, then another, until all of the

officers were unconscious and Revan's grip on life was stronger.

He had done it! He had saved her! Malak picked up Revan once again

overjoyed with his accomplishment, until the second wave of doctors

came in. One began checking Revan's vitals; the others checked the

vitals of the first group. Malak felt his heart sink. "Dead,"

the chief examiner said. "They're all dead." "I stand before you now, not as a

commander or a Jedi, but a citizen of the Republic to say thank you.

Your sacrifices have saved the Republic from the Mandalorians. No

matter what the future holds for all our people, remember that. You

are the true heroes and we are all in your debt?” "Commander, what happens now?" "Now you will be debriefed;

volunteers that would like to leave the militia will be discharged.

Those remaining will do what they can to help pull the Republic back

together." "Have you heard about the Jedi

Order's decree?" "Yes, they are calling for all

remaining Jedi rebels to face the council in a war trial. I will

order no Jedi to go to face such a situation. It is everyone's own

decision. However, with Revan . . . someone will have to take her

place. Someone must stand and answer for what we've done." "You shouldn't go, Malak. The

Order will strip you of your rank and powers." "We will stand with you, no matter

what you decide, but going back is – " "This is not your decision, it is

mine. I will do what I must and so must you." "How is Revan?" "She's been removed from the

kolto tanks but is still being kept sedated to insure that all of her

injuries have the proper time to heal. I'm sure she knows that all

of our thoughts are with her. Dismissed. "Malak slumped into one of the chairs

when the last soldier left the conference hall. He had wanted to

leave them with something more impressive – with a speech worthy or

Revan, but choked at the last minute. He wondered if she would

awaken before he left. "Good speech, Commander," a

soldier called while slowly walking in. Malak didn't bother to look up.

"Speeches are only as good as the speaker. "The soldier giggled and Malak took a

startled breath. That giggle was too familiar. He finally looked up.

"Well, then, I'd say it was a terrific speech, then. "Malak stood up quickly and walked to

the owner of the voice, examining her with his eyes as if she carried

some concealed weapon. She was grinning as if waiting for him to say

something. When he didn't she weakly held out her arms to him. He

was still eyeing her, then grabbed her in a huge bear hug.

"Breathing is very important, Malak." "You are either the luckiest

person I know or the most dangerous," Malak chuckled, releasing

her. "I really didn't think I was

that lucky," Revan finally said tilting her head slightly as she

looked up at him. "You've changed, Malak. You've grown, I can

feel it." "We've all had to grow under the

circumstances." "I know, but this is different. I

sense a confidence I've never felt from you." She gave him a

motherly grin and pinched one of his cheeks. "I'm so proud of

you!" The grin melted and she took on a more serious look. "I

want you to go back to the Jedi." "I plan to. We're heading back

to Dantoine." "That's not what I mean. What

you're talking about is my responsibility. I want you to go

exonerate all ties to me and my mission with the Republic." "What?" "Tell them whatever you have to. I

want you to ask for rehabilitation." "I'm not doing that." "You've worked too hard to throw

everything away. Your part in this war is over, Malak." "Revan, what are you talking

about? What's wrong?" "I'm not sure I can tell you,

because I'm not sure of all of it myself. What I can tell you is

that my job isn't over yet. I'm going to Dantoine, but not to

face the Council. I need to do something else first. I don't know

for sure where this path will lead, but I won't take you down with

me." "Revan, you are my sister and my

friend. I've followed you and become more powerful than I've

ever been under the tutelage of the greatest Masters the Jedi had to

offer. I'm not leaving you. Like it or not we're in this

together. "Revan rolled her eyes. "Are you

sure?" "Yes, Master," Malak smiled,

bowing in respect. "Shut up," Revan smiled, poking

Malak playfully in the arm. "Come on. We've got work to do. "It was all a blur. Raye didn't

remember all of the words spoken in that meeting. He saw the faces,

could hear his own voice, but was detached from the entire thing.

When he was done, he stabbed his lightsaber into the pillar in the

center of the council chamber and walked away, still carrying the

weight of Janis's death with him. Atris had been there, a new

addition to the council, but she didn't even seem to care that

Janis as well as several other Jedi had died due to the council's

delay in action. All they wanted was a scapegoat and since the

disappearance of Revan and Malak, it appeared that he was their only

sacrifice. He boarded a shuttle with several

refugees. He didn't know where it was going, nor did he care. He

only knew that he had to get away. This war had wounded him in a

manner that he hadn't prepared himself for. He tired of it. He

would now find peace and time to morn on his own terms.

It took a little more than a year

for Malak to truly see the depth of Revan's plan. They traveled to

Dantooine, Korriban, Manaan, Tatooine, and Kashyyyk

in search for pieces of the fragmented star map she'd only vaguely

told him about. Revan was more driven than Malak had ever seen her,

even more than she had been when they first left Dantoine. It was as

if there were a greater threat that pursued her and she only had a

limited amount of time to accomplish her mysterious task. For the

first time, Malak sensed fear in her, fear that made her more

powerful and more dangerous. The Revan that now guided the

smattering of Republic soldiers and Jedi was a cold and calculated

one. She was still guided by the principles of the Jedi, but slowly

seemed to compromise them for the "greater good" as she had told

him. More and more, she was willing to turn a blind eye or directly

violate the Code in order to achieve her goal. She even began to

dabble a bit into the darker powers of the Jedi, and encouraged the

other Jedi under her command to do the same. She demanded that they

become as strong as possible for what she said was an even greater

threat to the Republic than the Mandalorians. And despite this glaring change in

her, the people loved her. They absolutely loved her. On each world

they traveled to, they showered her with affection and gratitude.

They thought that she alone stopped the Mandalorians. That she alone

was the savior of the Republic. They had no idea how weak and

corrupted she truly was. If they'd only seen her sprawled on the

floor of the ancient academy on Malachor V, they would realize their

error in judgment. She'd faced the Mandalorians and had almost

died in a vain attempt at self sacrifice. He'd faced the

Mandalorians and utterly destroyed their space fleet and had become

stronger for it. He was now the Master. But because these were not the

thoughts of a Jedi, Malak kept them to himself, trying to fight them

off, in vain, by meditating the Code. Like it or not, Revan was the

Jedi that would always be considered the strongest. He should not

try to prove otherwise – vanity could lead to the dark side. He

was destined to stay at her side, her second in command. All of these thoughts ran through

Malak's head as they walked into the great hall of the ancient

Rakatan Star Forge, yet another group of people Revan used to attain

what she wanted. This massive machine seemed to use the power of a

very massive yellow star as fuel, but Malak didn't quite know how

they could possibly use it. He also couldn't sense Revan's

thoughts on the matter; she'd long-since closed her mind to his

thoughts. She still wore the dark robes and armor she'd taken from

Malachor V and used to disguise herself, but now slowly took off the

mask and hood. She looked around the room, breathing in and out

deeply, as if soaking in the power of the star itself. "Think about it, Malak," her

voice echoed. "With this great machine, we will finally be able to

save the Republic. Our mission will finally be complete." The

other soldiers and Jedi formed a circle around her, in awe of this

newly found ancient technology. Malak could feel the power around

him and took a minute to sample it himself. "Save it from what?"

he finally asked. "From itself. The Republic has

become weak since the Mandalorians. The people live under

corruption. The Senate is too feeble to sustain any permanent sort

of protection. The Jedi have once again retreated behind their

walls. The only way to truly to insure the survival of the Republic

is to conquer it." Soldiers and Jedi alike looked at each other

and Revan in confusion. They waited for her to explain herself, but

when she didn't they just stood there. They didn't understand

her motives, but she'd protected them and come to the Republic's

aide when no one else did. There was no question of where their

loyalty lay. " And who will lead your conquered

Republic? You? “Revan looked at Malak slowly and

emotionless. "Do you have a better candidate?" "It was not I whom was nearly

killed by Mandalore. It was not I who would have died on that

forsaken planet. The very air you breathe is because of my power, my

sacrifice, not yours." "You believe that I am too weak to

rule.” "You are unfit to rule. "For a while neither spoke; both

seemed trapped in their own thoughts. Malak thought for a moment

that he should retract his speech. He was obviously not thinking

straight. But as he powered up his lightsaber and took a fighting

stance, he realized that he'd gone too far to stop now. His

comments couldn't simply be dismissed. Revan had powered up her

double-bladed lightsaber by now but had made no move to attack. She

seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move. When the

battle finally did start, no one quite knew what to think. The two

were moving so fast that the soldiers and most of the Jedi could only

see the blur of their armor and lightsabers. Malak powered though

each swing, but Revan was agile and still the greater in Force

Powers. Every swing from Malak was not only evaded but rewarded with

two or three blows from Revan. He would have to finish this quickly

if he was to win. As Mandalore had once before, he pinned her

against a wall, her saber and his deathly close to her main artery.

All he had to do was move quickly and it would all be over. And then

Revan delivered a blow that would disfigure Malak for the rest of his

life. In one motion, she pushed his saber away, moving the blade from

below her lower jaw but robbing him of his. The pain was like nothing he had

ever experienced. He fell to the ground, his odd screams muffled by

his bloodless hands. He almost wished he could bleed to death.

Anything to end the pain. Revan gently grabbed his head in her

hands and forced him to look her in the eye. "Don't worry, old

friend," she said quietly and gently, "if I wanted you dead, you

would be. I have no need for a corpse. You however, needed a

lesson, and this will forever be that lesson." She released him

and stood up her eyes now as emotionless and cold as they once were. "We have an enemy to fight, and

that enemy is not each other," she said loud enough for all those

present to hear. "You and I together can help save the Republic

from itself. But cross me again, and I will slash you down as

mercilessly as I did Mandalore. "Malak, still in pain, brought

himself up enough to kneel to Revan and opened his eyes just enough

to see her smile. "Good. Now rise, my friend." He did as she

commanded, the pain of his wounds mirroring the intense anger he now

tried desperately to hide. She glared at him for a moment, then

whispered, "I feel your anger, you hatred. Use it. Only then, can

you be strong enough to challenge me again." Then she leaned her

head back to one of the officers. "Contact the ship. There's a

patient waiting to come aboard. "Revan's heart broke as she watched

two soldiers leading her old friend away. She couldn't believe what

she'd done to Malak, her brother, her friend. But that wound would

forever remind the soldiers of the price of crossing her. This is

what had to be. In order to save the Republic, she would have to

become it's greatest enemy. She would have to become Sith. Her

assassin droids had already been sent to various planets to eliminate

those leaders who would serve to destabilize the governments. Her

actions would force the Jedi to come out of hiding and openly train

for war. The Republic militia would learn to anticipate and counter

her attacks or fall under her boot. Either way, the Republic would

be ready with the Sith attacked. This is what had to be, like it or

not. Becoming a pseudo-Sith was the only way to prepare the Republic

to stand against the true Sith. Alone, Revan replace the hood and

mask and watched as the soldiers and Jedi saluted her, prepared

(either through true loyalty or fear) to follow her to whatever end).

It was on that day, Jedi Revan withered away, and Darth Revan took

her place.