Chapter 9
Revan sat in one of the many temporary training halls within the Rakatan Temple. Until the celebrations were finished this Temple was serving as a temporary home for the Jedi until the time to return to Coruscant or Ossus was at hand. Revan had his elbows resting on his knees and his hands were laded together as he sat deep in thought.
What was it he had done to deserve both the Cross of Glory and the rank of Jedi Knight? All he had done was finish the war he had started. Was that really grounds for such fame and prestige? Revan didn't know what the Council had been thinking, if it were up to him he would not have been given the privilege of becoming a Jedi Knight.
"Something troubles you my student" Revan looked up to see Zhar standing in the doorway. Revan made to stand up but Zhar held out he hand and moved to sit next to him.
"Not troubles me…exactly Master Zhar" Revan replied.
"You are wandering why we have promoted you to Jedi Knight?" Revan nodded and Zhar smiled. "You overcame all of the trials necessary to achieve the rank. You have past the trails of Skill, Flesh, Courage and Spirit all of which are needed to become a Jedi Knight." Revan shook his head.
"That isn't what I mean…I mean after all I have done, all of the atrocities I committed, for all intent and purposes I shouldn't even be alive and yet here I am, a Jedi Knight and hero, where I should dead and hated by the people for the crimes I'm known for" Revan said. Zhar looked down slightly and then back up at his former student.
"Revan you must understand…when Bastila saved you the council at first wanted to make sure you were not a threat, Atris especially wanted to see you punished for your crimes…" Zhar looked at Revan who listened to his words. "But it was Bastila who convinced the council not to kill you. So instead Vrook planned to use your hidden memories to find the Star Forge and destroy it. We had no idea about the bond that had formed between you and young Shan at that time". Zhar paused for a few moments.
"Zez-Kai Ell, myself, Kavar and Vash were all against the notion of wiping your mind but in truth we had no other choice…but as time went on after the mind wipe…you became who you were before you fell to the darkness, you became kind, compassionate and humble of all which you were as a Jedi…" Zhar smiled "You deserve this more than you believe and the Council decided to grant your promotion not based on who you were as the Dark Lord but who you were as a Jedi". Revan frowned at Zhar who simply smiled again, and stood up to leave.
"Master…" Zhar turned back around to look at the former Sith who got to his feet.
"Will my memories ever be fully restored?" Zhar sighed and his face was grim when he next gazed at Revan.
"No…what Bastila said when you first confronted Malak is true…your memories will never, ever be truly restored…some will of course but not all…" Revan looked down for a moment but then looked up looking slightly more cheerful.
"Maybe that's a good thing…" Zhar frowned "something's are best left forgotten…" Zhar smiled again. "But I must ask do you know my true home world?"
"I am not the one you should ask that question…" Zhar answered. "Perhaps your friend Falcan can be of more help to you in that" with that Zhar bowed and left the training room.
About a half hour later, Revan walked onto the Ebon Hawk to see the bounty hunter hard at work on the workbench. It was obviously a habit that Falcan couldn't shake, just tinkering with something. Falcan looked up to see him.
"Something up?" he asked as he finished his work.
"I have a couple of questions for you…if you have the time…" Falcan smiled and sat down on the swoop bike in the Ebon Hawk and nodded for him to continue.
"Just how much about me do you know Falcan?" Revan asked.
"I know more than I should…" the hunter replied. "What do you want to know?"
"Do you know where I came from, my home world?" Falcan smiled again.
"Deralia…" Revan shook.
"No my real home…"
"Deralia…" Revan frowned. "Is it that had to believe?" Falcan asked. "It's one of the only true memories the Council left in there probably…Deralia was your home world…and yes you were also a slave…just like me" with those words, Revan glanced down at his own right arm and took in the view of the mark that proved it.
From his broad shoulder down to his wrist, thick black pigment lines travelled over his skin in the form of a tattoo. On his shoulder the lines were shaped into a large black-flame like image, and at the bottom of the flame it changed into two thick black lines that separated down his inner and outer arm, one running over the elbow to join the other and merge into one black colour that ran around his wrist. Revan looked back up at Falcan and saw the bottom half of the exact same tattoo on Falcan's right arm.
"So it is a real memory?" Falcan nodded as Revan sighed.
"I remember when I first met you…" Revan frowned.
"What on Tatooine?" Falcan shook his head.
"No on Deralia…you could have only been six at the time…just before the Jedi found you…" Falcan continued. "Even back then you just had an aura about you that entreated people to follow you, to listen to you and to give you respect. Whatever you did other children soon followed suit…" Falcan smiled at the memory " When your parents were killed…" Revan tensed slightly and Falcan paused for a moment.
"When your parents were killed…I can always recall the look in your eye as you looked at the slaver who killed them…" Falcan's eyes glazed over for a second. "That predatory gaze, a hateful gaze. To see such a thing in the eyes of a child…especially one of that age…it's not an easy thing to forget. The killing intent I sensed in you at that age…it was terrifying" Revan looked at Falcan.
"Then you left with a Jedi…Kriea I believe her name was, she would be your first master…when you left the children became what you were…rebellious and unruly…" Falcan continued his voice soft and melancholic "eventually most were released and given a new chance at life…I was one of the unlucky ones who remained a slave" Falcan sighed and looked back at Revan
"You were and still are an enigma Revan…you serve neither light nor dark and yet both wage constant war within your heart" Falcan finished. Revan smiled slightly.
"Thank you Falcan…" Falcan nodded and Revan turned and left the garage and the Ebon Hawk heading for the North beach.
For a long span of time Revan sat on one of the rocks looking out over the sea on the North beach. Bastila would usually be there with him, but they had something special planned for that night since they wished to spend time together. Revan sighed and continued to gaze out over the ocean when he sensed a strange presence next to him.
"Well look who I found…" it was Marcus and his gang of padawans. They all gathered behind Revan who remained where he was, one foot resting on the rock, his right arm draped over his knee.
"The Sith Lord himself…" Revan smirked slightly but remained where he was.
"Sorry but I think you're confusing me with someone else…" he replied calmly. Were this a few days ago, he would have already ripped out the kids throat with his lightsaber, but thankfully Revan now had his temper firmly in check and his patience was fully restored.
Marcus scoffed "No, no matter what the Council say…you are still Sith in my eyes…" Revan chuckled and turned to face the red haired padawan.
"Can your friends say the same?" Marcus looked round and indeed all of them looked rather in awe of Revan, the female one in particular looked at Revan with great admiration. Marcus scowled.
"Revan…you are an abomination to the force…and you don't deserve to live" Marcus unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. "Fight me…" Revan raised an eyebrow.
"Now, now is this really necessary?" he replied as the padawans looked at Marcus in disgust. "What did I do to you that was so terrible?" Marcus eyes became wide with rage.
"You know damn well what you did!!!" he shouted.
"Do I?" Marcus glared.
"You killed my first Master…on that Bridge where you should have died!" Revan sighed, for all he knew he might have done.
"If I did then I'm sorry…but I don't remember who I've killed…" Marcus snarled.
"Draw your saber Revan!!! You will pay for your crimes!!" Revan did not draw his lightsabers. Instead he began to walk away. He glided past Marcus who watched him leave with untold rage.
"Coward!!!" Revan did not turn around. "Is this who the great Revan is???!!!" The other padawans felt whatever anger they felt towards Revan dissipate and now knew Marcus sort only revenge. Something a Jedi should be above.
"Marcus that's enough…" a twi'lik male said. Marcus violently shook him off as he continued to scream after Revan.
"Fight me you coward!!!" unbeknownst to Marcus, Vrook, Zhar, Kavar, Jolee and Juhani were watching from a nearby cliff, Vrook had his eyes trained on his padawan with a most disappointed glare. Marcus realised perhaps mere taunting would not be enough.
"Fine be gone…I'd much rather have the pleasure of seeing you walk away like trash" Marcus continued loud enough for Revan to hear, Revan did not stop he continued to walk away. "I'd prefer that than being bonded to Malak's harlot" Revan stopped dead.
"Uh oh…" Jolee said. The council had also see this and grew slightly tense. "He just pushed Revan's button big time".
Revan stood his eyes looked to the sand beneath him. Harlot? Revan's body began to spark with electricity. In truth it wasn't enraged anger, it was more a protective anger, something neither Marcus nor the Jedi would ever understand. Revan swivelled his head round, causing the joints to pop and slowly turned round to look at the naïve and arrogant little fool. The sand kicked up slightly and began to blow around him as the force energy within him along with the electricity that sparked around him. The force within the dark-angel decided to give a little display to the padawan who dared to taunt and insult Revan and Bastila.
"What'd you just say?" Revan asked. Marcus smirked.
"You heard me…now what will you do about it?" Marcus suddenly grew surprised as the other padawans moved away from him. He watched as they walked up and stood behind Revan "What?"
"You crossed the line Marcus…" the female padawan said, "Whatever problem you have with Revan is your own and we'll have nothing to do with it…" with that the padawans turned as one and left the beach, leaving Marcus alone.
Revan smirked slightly but made no move; Marcus's confidence had all but vanished in the wake of his friend's desertion. Marcus trembled slightly as the force energy literally thundered around Revan as he stared at the padawan. Revan slowly shifted his gaze up to where the council were standing and smiled slightly.
"If you want to see what you were up against look behind you…" Marcus frowned and looked round.
Behind him the sea was literally carved in two halves. Huge cascading walls of water were towering over Marcus, held aloft by Revan's force energy. It was a stunning and impressive sight. Revan then released the energy and the water crashed down back into place until it looked as though nothing had disturbed it.
"You have enough problems on your plate now…without getting your ass kicked by me…" Revan mused as the council, Jolee and Juhani came down behind him. "And from now on…address Bastila with proper respect since she did save your ass from Malak" With that Revan turned and left the beach with a smile on his face, leaving Marcus to be disciplined by Vrook.
Later that evening the Republic was in joyous celebration. The entire fleet was gathered at the temple as music, laughter and dance filled the sky. The Ebon Hawk crew were present at the party, drinking laughing and enjoying themselves, well all but two.
Falcan took a large gulp of his brandy as Mission was dancing with Jolee. Zaalbar was sitting eating what had to be half of the buffet available, and Carth was looking slightly drunk. Juhani sat next to him, watching with amused eyes as Carth staggered around. What was funny was that Canderous had drank at least twice as much as Carth and looked absolutely fine, simply asking for another shot of ale, as his small glasses began piling up. The droids were also present though they simply stood and watched the partygoer's dance and sing.
"Well this is it…the war is finally over…" Falcan said taking another swing of his brandy before calling for another.
"Yes perhaps now the galaxy will know some peace…" Juhani mused. Jolee finally broke away from Mission as a young cadet moved over and took over the dance.
"Where's Bastila and Revan?" Carth slurred as he approached Jolee ordering his drink.
"Together most likely" Jolee said. "And they deserve it too…" he said taking a swing of some Ondaran willek juice. Falcan smiled and as a new slower piece of music began to play, gulped down the last of his drink before holding out his hand to Juhani with a playful smile.
"May I have this dance?" Juhani grinned, something, which was rare for her.
"You may…" she replied taking his hand, and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.
Away from it all on the southern beach, the Ebon Hawk stood undisturbed by the party and the noise. Within the confines of the ship, secure due to the loading ramp being raised and locked, a pair of lovers lay, bodies pressed together on the bunk, their clothes littering the floor of the dormitory they occupied.
While this was not what they had planned for their night together, their need and desire for each other had been too powerful to resist. They had only been separated about a week but to them it felt like decades. Their minds were truly melded as they moved together the odd moan escaping them, their lips meeting slowly yet passionately in unrivalled bliss.
The force was singing around them, ripples of its power emanating from the young lovers. Love: the ultimate power. No power was greater then it, nothing rivalled it and this was a prime example. Everything that had happened had only served to strengthen the bond they shared, both through the force and in their hearts.
At the pinnacle of it all, Bastila moaned into Revan's mouth as pleasure, passion and love overwhelmed her senses with an unimaginable feeling. Revan rolled off of her and wrapped his arms around her, as she regained her breath, which came in pants at times, others in gulps. She turned in his arms and crashed her lips to Revan's once again, before separating for air.
"I love you…" she whispered against his lips.
"I love you too…" he returned. Bastila turned and laid her head on his chest, her arm wrapping around his waist.
"What do we do now?" Bastila asked.
"We rebuild what's been broken… "Revan replied. Bastila smiled and snuggled to his chest, her breathing still rather laboured from their lovemaking.
"I promised my mother I'd go to see her…on Coruscant"
"I know…" Revan answered as he rubbed her back gently as Bastila listened to his heartbeat.
"Could you…could you come with me?" Bastila asked shyly.
"Of course Bas" he answered immediately. Bastila smiled leaned up to kiss him.
"Thank you…" his eyes sparkled with mischief as he rolled her over and pinned her beneath him. Bastila looked up at him with a lustful gaze.
"Would that be all my princess?" Revan asked playfully as he explored her neck with his lips. To his surprise instead receiving a moan, Bastila purred, a soft and seductive purr as she arched her back into him slightly.
"Not yet…" she whispered breathlessly her fingers coming up to run through his hair.
"Kiss me…" Revan smiled.
Ever so slowly he leaned down towards her first until their tips of their noses were kissing. Then Revan, taking his oh so very sweet time moved past her nose and then lovingly brushed his lips against hers gently.
With a single yet powerful kiss, the cycle would begin anew as the two began to create their paradise once again. Outside the stars and moon began to shine brightly as if driven by the passion and desire of the couple's powerful bond.
And that is the end of the story. I had orginally intended a different ending but then I wrote it this way hope you liked it.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and I'd like your thoughts on the final chapter and the story as a whole.
Anyway Thanks to all you guys who read the story. Peace.