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Sorry for the late update. Same excuse used so many times. I think I won't bother explaining myself again. But one thing is for certain, I DO NOT plan on dropping any of my stories, so don't worry. They'll all go on. Just the updates are slower. Anyways, hope ya all enjoy this. Constructive criticism welcomed.
A purple Twi’lek in normal Jedi robes stood smiling before her. Revan relaxed almost immediately and she sheathed the blade she had taken out in a hurry.
“You don’t plan on killing me, do you Revan?” Yuthura had an elegant hand on her hip and her eyes sparkled at the human. Revan chuckled lightly and walked towards the Twi’lek.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Revan’s smile was brighter than the rising sun. “First things first. Please don’t call me Revan out in the open, I wouldn’t want the whole Dantooine coming for my head, and I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“Very well then, Mikha.” Yuthura nodded with a smile.
“Thank you.”
The two women stood there looking at each other and smiling. Finally Yuthura made the first move to talk. “So, it’s true.” Revan nodded and started walking towards the fields. Yuthura followed suit. “I’m not surprised. When you were at the academy I sensed that you were extraordinarily strong in the Force, so strong that you even threatened me.”
Revan turned towards her and smirked. “I’m not that intimidating, am I?”
Yuthura smiled again and shook her head. “No, not when you’re not fighting.” She raised a hand and rubbed her abdomen. “You gave me quite a scar here.”
The human raised an eyebrow at the Twi’lek. “I’m sorry about that.” Yuthura waved dismissively at her.
“It remains as a reminder of my past and as a reminder for me not to repeat it. Actually, I should thank you for it.”
“You have already thanked me, Yuthura. There is no need for repeats. I’m just glad that you’re alive and well, even after all those attacks.” Revan walked slowly on the grassy fields. “How did you survive?”
“As luck would have it. I had followed my master to Alderaan for some political business a week before the attack. In fact, a lot of those who were from Dantooine survived the attack. The main bombarded areas were where the Jedi Enclave was. The surroundings recovered some time later, but nothing remained the same.”
Revan looked at the changed landscape before. It was true that nothing was the same anymore. The hills were no longer familiar to her, nor was the once flat terrain. Craters, big and small, were distributed across the lands and the original trees were no longer there. Small saplings sprouted from the ground, and waved their tiny heads at her. The trees that were around were imported from other planets to ensure the balance of nature.
“I thought the Republic base was attacked too.” Revan tilted her head towards the quarters that she left earlier.
“It was. The quarter area you are staying in now are actually residential areas built for the people, but was used later as the temporary Republic base while the other one is being rebuilt.” Yuthura explained to her. Revan nodded her head at the information.
“I suppose Master Zhar and Master Dorak didn’t make it.” Revan’s voice was laced with a hint of grief. Zhar was the one who trained her in Dantooine, and Dorak the joyous one who always greeted her with a smile. As much as she blamed and disliked the Council for hiding her past from her, she still couldn’t feel resentment towards that two particular Masters. To her, their treatment towards her was genuinely friendly. Among all the Jedi masters she had met, she felt closest to Zhar.
“It was almost impossible to run from the attacks, from what I heard from the survivors.” Yuthura kicked a small stone on the ground. “My master and I are trying to help the victims overcome their grief. But it isn’t easy at all.”
“Nothing is supposed to be easy.” Revan chewed on her lower lip. Heck, just look at my life. Difficult isn’t even the right word to describe it. Let me see, problematical? Kind of. Demanding? Yeah, sure. Arduous? Yup. Gruelling? Definitely.
Yuthura nodded again. “I suppose you are right.”
“Speaking of helping others, how’s your Jedi training doing?” Revan decided it was time to change the subject.
“It’s going well. I am able to control my anger better than I did before. I never realised how bad was the decision I made when I became a Sith. Being who I am now…I feel more at ease with myself.” A warm smile spread across Yuthura’s face. “My master and I are trying our hardest to fight against slavery. So far we’re doing a little better than we had expected.”
Revan smiled softly. “That’s good to hear, Yuthura.”
Yuthura hesitated for a moment before she spoke. “There’s something I need to tell you, Mikha. The Council ordered me to keep an eye on you when the other two Jedi Knights returned to Coruscant.”
Revan glanced at the Twi’lek and her upper lips twitched upwards. “I know, Yuthura. You didn’t need to tell me.”
The Twi’lek looked at her with slight amusement. “I knew you would have known. But how did you know?”
“It’s just a guess, really. When we last met on Dantooine, even I had no idea of who I was, so no one could’ve told you. When you approached me just now you called me by that name, which is quite unlikely for you to know since you have been busy running about saving slaves.” Revan sounded lazy and casual.
“And you must’ve been in a great hurry to follow me since you forgot your lightsabre.” Her eyes fell onto the Twi’lek’s hips.
Yuthura glanced at her own hips and gave a hearty laugh. “You are right indeed. How foolish of me to have forgotten it.” Revan smiled again and she stopped walking. Her eyes darted at her surroundings and she took in a deep breath. The sun was up and its golden fingers touched the surface.
A couple of beeps broke the serenity of the landscape around the two women. Revan frowned and unhooked her communicator from her belt. The screen flickered to life and an agitated Jolee emerged on the screen.
“Lass! Where are you?”
“On Dantooine, where else?” Revan replied sarcastically.
“Now don’t you get smart with me kid.” Jolee growled at her. Yuthura raised an eyebrow at the two of them. “You should’ve left us a note telling us where you went!”
“I’m just having a stroll. Stop being all apprehensive and stuff, old man.” Revan growled jokingly back.
“Ah whatever. Get your ass back here right now. There’s a call from Coruscant for you. Those old coots want to speak to you, especially the old-green-wrinkly one.” The old man sounded more and more agitated. It seemed quite obvious that he had had an unpleasant conversation with the Masters.
Yuthura suppressed a laugh and Revan chuckled. “Old-green-wrinkly one? There must be a story behind that. I’m coming back now.” Jolee huffed at her and the screen went off. Revan turned towards Yuthura and gave her a weary smile. “Would you like to accompany me back to the quarters? Since you’re supposed to “keep an eye” on me.”
The Twi’lek let out a small laugh and placed a hand on Revan’s shoulder. “Sure.”
Jolee snorted at the pilot. “The overgrown gizka can’t do anything to her. Not when she’s just having a stroll.” He polished his lightsabre hilt while sitting comfortably on the couch. Carth shot him an annoyed look and kept on with his pacing.
“You don’t know Alme. He is very influential in the Senate and is famous for his hatred towards the Sith. And Revan’s the original Sith Lord.” His frown grew deeper. The front door suddenly opened with a whoosh and Revan stepped in with a purple Twi’lek. Revan introduced Yuthura to Jolee and Carth eyed her suspiciously when she turned her back to him.
“The Council is waiting for you, lass.” Revan nodded at the old man and went into a small room alone. She closed the door and stood before a console. The screen flickered to life and she saw Master Vandar and Admiral Dodonna’s face.
“Good morning, Master Vandar, Admiral.” The Jedi bowed slightly at them. The perfect little Jedi reporting…
“Good to see that you’re well, Revan. We heard about the attack on the Goliath. Are the others fine?” Master Vandar questioned her, and didn’t mention anything about the over-suspicious senator who had been threatening to send an army to look for her.
“I thank you for your concern on the behalf of my friends, Master. They are well. Commodore Onasi suffered some slight injuries, but nothing more serious.” She stopped herself from chewing on her lower lip when she mentioned Carth. Not in front of them. Not when they’re looking.
“I assume that you’re here for information from my conversation with the Elders, yes, Master?” Revan tilted her head to a side.
“Yes we are, Knight Revan. We were told that you visited them yesterday. Have you found any sort of information?” Admiral Dodonna spoke before Vandar could. Her eyes bored into Revan’s, hoping for some answers.
You’re going to be disappointed, lady.
“I’m afraid I cannot speak of what the Elders have told me, Admiral. I hope you will understand, since the circumstances here are, ah, how should I put it, inconvenient.” Revan’s brows rose as she tried to indicate the level of secrecy of the matter. Master Vandar nodded and so did the Admiral, as they understood her meaning. The admiral looked somewhat disappointed.
“Very well then. We shall speak again when you return to Coruscant.” Master Vandar kept nodding his head.
“Master Vandar?”
“Yes, child.”
“I don’t know if Master Jolee has told you of this, but I am supposed to attend a wedding. May I have the permission to go?” Revan tried to ask as politely as she could. She didn’t want to let Rahasia and Shen down, since the couple were so eager to have her attend their wedding.
Vandar looked at her and then at the admiral. “Master Jolee has informed me of that matter. And yes, you may go, but please return once the Goliath is repaired. We have to continue on with the investigation as soon as possible. I fear that the enemy isn’t going to stop just at Dantooine.”
The Knight sighed. “Thank you, Master Vandar. I will return as soon as I can.” She bowed slightly again and bid the two farewell. The master and admiral returned the farewell and the screen flickered off.
Revan sat on a chair and massaged her neck. The door opened and Carth walked in. His brown eyes darted from the console to her. Great, I shouldn’t be near him. The woman got up to leave and unsuccessfully tried to get away from Carth. The man had blocked the half opened doorway with his body and the only way through was to run into him. “That was fast. I thought they had a lot to talk about.”
“They did, but I’m not talking to them about the matter here.” Revan kept her distance from Carth by a few feet. “It’s not safe.”
Carth saw her awkwardness being near him and he cleared his throat. “Look, I am not going to do anything.” He cleared his throat again.
“I know.” Her voice was barely a whisper. It hurts me as much as it hurts you, my love. Forgive me.
The man shifted uneasily on his spot. “So, you can tell me about what the Rakatans said, right? I mean, I’m also a part of this mission.”
Revan gave him a small smile. “You know I can’t…yet. The Elders have told me to be careful. But this doesn’t mean I don’t trust you, I just don’t trust these walls.” She gestured to her surroundings.
“Heh, now you’re the one with trust issues.” Carth said jokingly. Revan shook her head in slight amusement.
“Right.” The console beeped again and Revan turned the thing on. “Rahasia! Good morning!”
Rahasia’s face beamed at Revan. “Can you help me with the preparations, Mikha?”
“I’d love to. I’ll be right over.”
“We should be able to take off in another two days. Thank the Force for the newly deveoped shields, or we wouldn’t have even lived through that attack.” Balsa walked beside Carth at the former loading port; which had become an uneven piece of wasteland since the attack. The scorched academy and Republic base were a mere few hundred feet away and Balsa shook his head at it.
He turned his head from left to right, and frowned when he couldn’t spot any of his friends. Dustil came up to him from behind and helped his father with the badges. “Thanks. Where are the others, Dus?”
“The women are helping out the bride; Jolee is with Shen; The Mandalorian said he didn’t want to come. The Wookiee is at the food table.” Dustil’s head nodded towards a table laden with food and Zaalbar was standing at one corner, gobbling down as much as he could. The guests stared at him in disbelief.
“Aren’t the authorities here going to rebuild the base and academy?” Carth asked the admiral. They walked closer to the ruins and a charred beam fell. Balsa stopped Carth from walking any closer.
“I don’t know. Perhaps they are.” Balsa hesitated for a moment. “Carth, tell me, what do you think of the attack?”
Carth immediately understood his friend. “It has nothing to do with her, Kal. Don’t even suggest it.”
Balsa scratched the back of his head. “I’m sorry pal. I’m not implying that she is involved in the attack, what I am trying to say is, would the attack have been meant for her?”
Almost every muscle in the younger man’s body tensed. Could it have been meant for her? “What makes you think so, Kal?” His eyes bored into his friend’s.
“Father?” Carth snapped out of thoughts. “They are here. We should get to our seats.”
He followed his son and sat in the second row. The music changed and all the guests turned their heads to see the bride. Shen tugged at his collar nervously and his best man teased him.
Rahasia looked sweet and demure in her peach coloured gown. Her veil flapped softly with the wind and Mission was tailing behind her, acting as a bridesmaid. Revan was nowhere to be seen.
“I…uh…it’s just a hunch. Don’t get mad at me. Look, she’s, you know, that woman…”
“She’s not her anymore, Kal. She’s a totally different person.” Carth voice sounded grim, very grim.
“Carth, that’s her past. From my years of experience in the Republic, I understand how the enemy’s mind works. Many will come for her blood, knowing that she is still alive.”
“Then how do you explain this?” Carth shook his finger irritably at the ruins. “Why did they attack this place? She wasn’t here.”
Balsa kept quiet immediately. “That, I don’t know, pal. That I don’t know.”
“I’m sorry for yelling at you, Kal. Let’s just…just not talk about this, okay?” Balsa nodded and the two men walked back to their quarters.
Revan suddenly appeared with a grouchy looking Sasha in her arms. It seemed to Carth that she was coaxing the child gently and whatever she had been saying to child was working—Sasha smiled and gave her a big hug. Revan stood next to a pergola and watched the couple being wedded with a smile on her face.
If she had accepted me, we would’ve been the ones to be married first. I don’t understand you Revan. We could’ve been so happy together.
When the couple finished exchanging their vows, the sun had begun to set and the sky turned a brilliant shade of orange. The guest moved to the dining gazebo and Carth followed the crowd. Zaalbar claimed a quarter of the food as his and was sitting in a corner where Mission was telling him off.
Dustil was talking to a girl of his own age under a tree while Jolee and Juhani were talking to Shen and Rahasia. His eyes darted around searching for Revan. Where is she? Then he saw a black haired figure in a peach coloured dress.
There she is…
“Mikha.” He walked over to the woman and tapped her on the shoulder. The woman turned to look at him and Carth nearly jumped backwards. The person looking at him was a man in a garment, which resembled a dress. With his face turning red, Carth apologised quickly and almost ran away. You’re getting old, Onasi…
He walked about for a while and he finally spotted her. Revan was sitting in a chair right under a tree. In her arms she cradled a sleeping Sasha and her eyes were fixed on the setting sun. She was humming a soft lullaby as he walked nearer to her.
“She’s asleep?” Carth asked as softly as he could. Revan looked up at him and nodded.
“Can you carry her? My arm’s getting numb.” Carth stepped in front of her and lifted the child away from her.
“Thanks.” Revan rubbed her arm and tried to stretch it, but cringed when the pain hit her.
“I’ll take her back to the house.”
Revan nodded gratefully at Carth and watched the man walk away with the little girl. If only things were different, if only I’m not Revan…
She got up and started walking out onto the fields. The music and laughter grew fainter and fainter as her distance from the gazebo grew bigger. She gazed longingly at the manta rays flying high up in the skies, wishing that she were as free as them. In the distance, electric shields were raised to prevent the Kath Hounds from hurting the guests. Revan went next to one of the projectors and listened to the humming sounds.
“You’re not joining the others at the dinner?”
“I’m not hungry yet.” Revan turned to look at the person speaking to her. “I thought you were enjoying a little chat with that fair young lady just now. “
Dustil turned and glanced at the gazebo far away in the distance. “She went home with her father.” He looked at Revan again and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you here?”
“Strolling.”
“I can see that.”
“Then why did you ask?” Revan watched the boy through a sideward glance. The sky was getting dark and the orange glow started to fade. Dustil never took his eyes off her and hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Don’t you feel any hatred towards me? I mean...I nearly killed you.”
Revan smiled and shook her braided head at him. “No. Even if you did slit my throat I wouldn’t blame you. After all, I’m the one who gave you that much pain.”
Dustil remained quiet. Damn you for being so forgiving. He watched the woman standing in front of him looking at the rising moons. Just as he was going to question her again, Revan suddenly became alert and her eyes snapped wider. “What’s wrong?”
“Run.”
“Why?” He began to feel worried, but couldn’t help feeling mad at Revan for ‘ordering’ him. The boy didn’t need to hear her reply; two burly figures emerged from their stealth shields and advanced towards the duo.
“Dustil, run!” Revan duck from a blaster bolt and crouched. A gleaming cutlass-like blade emerged from under her dress and she managed to parry a blow from an assailant’s vibrosword. Dustil stood rooted on the spot, shocked at the sudden attack.
He flinched when he saw a blade come down at him. He couldn’t move, all the time he had spent in Korriban was attacking and harming others. Uthar had hardly ever taught him how to prepare himself if there was an attack. Revan came flying to him and blocked the blade. The blade slid from hers and cut her precisely on the thigh. “Why are you standing here for? Run!”
She saved me.
Revan slit the man’s throat and parried another blow from a different attacker. Three figures were fighting her and Dustil hesitated before running back to the gazebo. He looked over his shoulder as he ran and saw Revan somersaulted and brought her blade down to an attacker’s head.
Hurry, Dustil…
He ran as fast as he could and almost stumbled on a rock. He turned his head to look at her again, and saw her bend her back to avoid the slashing blade. The gazebo grew bigger as he ran nearer to it. His voice was stuck in his throat and he couldn’t shout. Everyone at the dinner was oblivious to the attack out in the fields; save for three Jedi who perked up when they felt the boy’s presence.
“What’s wrong, kid?” Jolee's eyes gazed at the panting boy intensely.
“Someone…attack…she’s out there…alone!” Dustil was doubled over and wheezing badly. Carth walked over to him and grew pale when he heard of the attack. Rev!
“We’ve got to help her!” He ran to a speeder and grabbed a pair of viroblades from under the seats. Not waiting for others, he ran towards the direction where Revan and Dustil were ambushed.
Please be all right, please be, Rev, please…
The others followed him and they ran as fast as they could. The twin moons were high above their heads and they illuminated the surface on Dantooine.
As they ran closer to the spot, Carth’s heart almost stopped when he saw and heard nothing. Everything was in silence. No figures dancing around each other or cries of battle were seen nor heard.
Everyone stopped in their tracks when they reached the place. Pools of blood glimmered on the ground and the bodies of the enemies that Revan had struck down before Dustil ran back for help were gone; so was Revan.
She’s not dead… she’s not dead…she’s not dead…
He stood there while a tremor ran down his spine. The three words were the only things running through his mind, and he shivered.
Revan…
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