Why Telos?

Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR.

Note: Telos is really the only planet that the game goes into any detail about its destruction that does not have a clear reason for it. Its implied that its merely added to give Carth a back-story and to showcase Malak’s brutality and lack of any understanding of strategy. I don’t think that’s the case though, its just that he doesn’t hold a candle to Revan’s strategic knowledge, but then, Revan won the Mandalorian wars, so who does?

I peered out the window of the bridge of the Star Silencer from behind my mask, at the ruined planet before me.

“M-my Lord?” a fearful voice from behind me asked.

I turned, my black robes swishing behind me.

“My Lord, about Telos…” he paused, waiting for me to speak. I said nothing, strongly considered Force Chocking him, but decided that letting him sweat it out would be so much more enjoyable.

“About Telos…it…it was unavoidable, my Lord,” he paused again, looking expectantly at me, but again, I said nothing.

“Lord Malak…he ordered me to do it, my Lord,” he explained, his heart racing. I smiled beneath my mask, feeding off his fear. “He…he wouldn’t have let me join the sith if I didn’t prove my loyalty by attacking…” His voice wavered a bit at this. “Home,” he whispered.

I narrowed my eyes at his weakness. “Admiral Karath.”

“Y-yes, my lord?”

“I would have accepted you regardless.”

“B-but Lord Malak would have surely killed me!” he protested feebly.

“As would I, for disobeying a direct order NOT to harm Telos.”

He backed up fearfully.

“If I didn’t appreciate the delicious torment one suffers when carrying the weight of the death of a planet. Especially one’s own planet. Physical torture means nothing to one even half-trained,” I informed him. “Psychological torture is where the real victories are won.”

“I-I see. Thank you, my Lord,” Saul bowed to me. “I would not have seen it that way.”

“Which is why your interrogation skills are extremely merciful.”

He froze. Nothing is worse than mercy.

“But you’ll learn. Oh, you’ll learn…”

“Th-thank you, Lord Revan. I know Lord Malak would not share your views.”

“And that is why Malak is a fool. And he will never surpass me.” I nodded to the Admiral to let him know I was done with him before turning back to the window.

Presently Malak approached me.

“Master?” he began.

“Revan,” I corrected.

“Revan, then,” he said.

“Yes?”

“About Telos…”

I cut him off. “I’ll tell you what I told Admiral Karath. Bearing the burden of killing a planet is punishment enough, and anything additional eases the guilt.”

“Thank you, Mast-Revan. Why did you want to spare Telos?”

I shook my head. “Spare? No, mercy is a weakness. It is only that it served no purpose. It didn’t help us nor harm them. Meaningless.”

Malak shook her head helplessly. “It wasn’t meaningless.”

“Perhaps not,” I conceded. “You wanted to see the planet burn.”

Malak stood silent.

“Why Telos, Malak?”

Still, he said nothing.

“Why your home world? Of all the planets, why did it have to be that one?”

Finally, he spoke. “I wanted to cut the ties to my past. The time when I was a pathetic, idealistic fool.”

“You still are,” I said quietly.

He turned. “And yet, Telos is no more.” As he left, I felt a twinge of sadness coming from him. Heavily suppressed, yet there all the same.

No, Malak would not make a good Sith Lord. Not for a long time yet.

R&R