Hope that this update wasa little faster than last time. My life's about to suck hard, and I probably won't be able to write for a long time. I have to get surgery on my left shoulder and the doc said I'd be in a sling for at least a month, so I'll let you know when that's gonna happen so you don't think that I hate you and don't want to update.
Hope you like it...I like it. Most of it, at least. But I can change it if you don't, so tell me if you think something needs to be fixed.
Recommended Songs: Want by Disturbed and Whisper by Evanescence, both for the battle between Rev and Bas. Taking Me Alive by Dark New Day for the battle between Revan and Malak. CANNOT BELIEVE I FORGOT THIS: Chapter Four by Avenged Sevenfold.
"Revan? But..."
"The Force is bringing us toward a confrontation with my old master," he told her, just as he had thought to himself earlier. "The Star Forge has drawn our enemies together so they may all die in a single, glorious day!" Malak paused, looking down at Bastila. "You must kill Revan to prove yourself worthy of being my apprentice, Bastila. You must finish what began in the Rakatan Temple."
"Y-yes, Lord Malak," Bastila replied, her voice quavering.
Malak's eyes took on an almost-sympathetic air. "I sense your fear, Bastila. But it is unfounded. The power of the Star Forge will feed the Dark side within you. It will give you the strength you need to defeat my old master," he reassured her. "Stay here and guard the command center while you use your Battle Meditation against the Republic fleet. Revan will find you here in due time. It is inevitable."
"Of course master. I will not fail you again," Bastila replied as Malak left the room; she sunk into the lotus position and a faint blue hue flickered briefly around her as she settled into a deep state of concentration to use her Battle Meditation, though this time against her friends. Malak watched from behind a pane of glass in another room.
"Perhaps you will triumph, Bastila. But even if you fail, it will give me the time I need to complete my preparations of the station's defenses." His eyes lit up with wicked satisfaction. "And then we shall see if Revan can stand against the full fury of the Star Forge!"
His terrible laugh filled the air as he retreated to another part of the space station to finish his arrangements for his old master's impending arrival.
- - -
The former Dark Lord of the Sith growled as his lightsabers bit through another Dark Jedi's flesh, one saber protruding from the enemy's gut and the other from his neck. Using his foot, he pushed the body away as it fell and looked to either side of him slowly, as if daring any more enemies to foolishly present themselves to his blades. None came and Revan stood up straight, attaching his lightsabers back to his belt and pushing back the hood from his face, letting it pool on his shoulders and around his neck.
"We should rest," he suggested as he leaned with his back against a wall.
"How are you doing?" Jolee asked. The young man sighed and rubbed the stubble that was growing on his jaw, feeling the physical and emotional fatigue beginning to set in.
"I can make it," was his reply.
"I know you can handle all of this, but I meant since we got on the Star Forge. How are you doing?"
Revan glanced up at the old man. "Oh. That. I'm not going to kill Malak and take back the Sith Empire if that's what you're worried about. I already said I didn't want that."
"I know you won't but I just wanted to see how you felt. The Dark side is still dangerous, even for you," Jolee explained.
Revan smiled bitterly and ran a gloved hand through his sweat-slicked hair. "Trust me; I know. You really want to know what it feels like? To give in like this?"
Jolee nodded and Juhani looked interested as well. He could tell that she was aware of the fact that he was much more immersed in the Dark side than she had ever been.
"I feel emotions much more strongly. The anger, the hatred, the pain...all of it. It makes me stronger in return, but it makes me more irrational as well. But the Dark side itself feels like power...it's intoxicating, it pounds through you, pushing you past the limits you thought you had. If one were to completely give themselves to the Dark side, they would not be able to come back. If everything good were to die inside of a person then they would be lost. I can tell you that much," Revan said. "The only reason I can keep control of myself is the fact that I haven't become totally dead inside. Once that were to happen..." he shook his head. "But you have to understand that all of this is tempered by the fact that I wasn't 'evil' beforehand – I was a good person for all of the months before this. I was a 'Light side' Jedi. And I don't enjoy watching the suffering of good people; I want to help do something about it." He paused again and thought, finally coming to a conclusion. "The Dark side is going to be different for everyone. No one is the same and your personality and who you are effects how the Dark side will change you. I can't explain it any better than that."
"Your view carries more wisdom with it that most Masters' views have," Jolee pointed out.
Revan's bitter smile returned as he put his hood back up to obscure his face. "Most Masters have never been near death, with no way to save themselves and no one to help them, save the Dark side. My hand was forced, though the circumstances were my fault. But I didn't want to die."
The trio passed through the sixth door of the level, were met immediately with a seventh and continued past that one as well, only to stop short as Revan's footsteps halted abruptly. His companions noticed the figure sitting on the ground seconds after he did and silently backed away.
- - -
Bastila felt his presence approaching long before he made it inside the room. The darkness swirling around him was a thrill to her more sinister side, but the side of her that remained unchanged and struggled constantly against its restraints to get out cringed at his new aura. She felt another knot forming in her stomach at the knowledge that he was close and that their meeting again was unavoidable. Unbeknownst to Malak, Revan had had a profound affect on her at the Rakatan Temple, more so than even she had realized at first. But in the hours that followed that confrontation, as she flew back to the Star Forge, as she healed her broken ribs, as she received new orders from Malak, his words kept coming back to her relentlessly.
"I was there for you for how many months, and you stab me in the back like this? The power you hunger for will desert you, Bastila, just like it deserted me!"
His accusation had stung even her darker side, knowing that he spoke the truth about her betrayal of him and the betrayal she would eventually face when her power left her. The good side of her was in agony at hurting Revan like this and such was the strength of this agony that it was causing her to be torn in two. Ever since the Rakatan Temple, Malak's hold on her had been slipping and her old self had continued to fight back, accelerating his loss of control over her and making her question her new beliefs and her loyalty to Malak. She saw again what Revan's followers had seen: a man whose words you wanted to believe simply because he spoke them with such passion and confidence, a man whose attitude told you that he would never do anything to wrong you, that he would work for your good, and a man who was deeply and personally concerned with everyone he knew. Revan's words made her feel as if he was trying to keep her from getting hurt, like he was trying to bring her back so he could protect her and keep her safe.
And the more she thought about it, the more she wanted it. The more she compared Revan to Malak, the more she questioned Malak's motives. Earlier, Malak had mistaken her fear to be fear of Revan himself, but her fear had really been because she knew that Revan was breaking down all the walls she had thrown up to save herself after her fall. And she didn't know if she could stand fighting him again, knowing that he wanted her back...
Shunk...whoosh.
Bastila broke her concentration on her Battle Meditation and looked up, seeing Revan, Jolee and Juhani standing there just inside the doorway. She stood slowly and picked her lightsaber from the ground but did not activate it, walking towards Revan in an unhurried manner. When she had gotten as close as she wanted, Bastila sent Jolee and Juhani flying backwards with a rough push of Force, slamming the door that they had just come through shut, sealing only herself and the former Dark Lord within the room. Content with their situation, she turned her full attention to the man standing ten feet in front of her.
"Revan – I knew you would come for me," Bastila said in a tone the closest to normal Revan had heard in a long time but with a tiny trickle of fear and uncertainty pervading throughout her words.
"I don't take rejection very well. I'm persistent," he responded, watching her face intently from beneath his hood.
She raised a thin, dark eyebrow. "Is that so? Well you're wasting your time," she said. "I have seen the Jedi for what they really are: weak and afraid. The Sith are the true Masters of the Force. You have forgotten that lesson, Revan, and now you must pay the price. Here on the Star Forge the power of the Dark side is the strongest." She ignited her double-bladed crimson lightsaber and dropped into a combative stance. "This time you will not defeat me!"
Revan ignited only his bronze blade and slowly brought it up above his shoulders, parallel to the floor with the tip pointing at Bastila. Her eyes went wide as he did this, the position, his armor, and the setting all too familiar. She was immediately reminded that the only reason this man was here now was because she had saved his life when everyone else had tried to kill him; she had given him a second chance when no one else would.
Growling in frustration at the realization of what he was doing, Bastila attacked him ferociously with everything she had and surprising him somewhat. He avoided hitting her with his lightsaber whenever the opportunity presented itself and opted instead to use hand-to-hand combat. She felt his forearms, fists, knees and feet connect with an area of her body every time he parried one of her attacks. Every time he had the chance to strike her down, he didn't. The final blow of their first sparring match came when Revan slammed her lightsaber down and backhanded her across the face, nearly knocking her off her feet. She stumbled backwards and buffeted him with a gust of Force to keep him where he was while she caught her breath.
"I can see now why Malak followed you," she said. "Even though you are only a shell of your former self, you are still a formidable opponent. I can't even imagine the power you must have wielded when you were the Dark Lord." Bastila's tone became deprecating. "You were a fool to give it all up and follow the light."
She saw Revan twitch at her statement and heard his voice growl out from behind the shadow that obscured most of his face underneath the hood he wore.
"I don't," he snarled.
Bastila shrugged and resumed speaking. "The Dark side has made me stronger than I ever was before," she said with force. "I have a greater command of the Force than all but the most powerful Jedi Masters."
"I should be a Master then," Revan retorted. "You can't beat me, Bastila, even here on the Star Forge. And you might want to watch what you say. It might come back to bite you in the ass – just look at me."
Bastila glared at him and wiped away the small trickle of blood that leaked from a cut on her temple. "Some of us aren't as blind and foolish as others," she shot back. "As Malak teaches me the greatest secrets of the Sith, I will unlock more of my potential. Eventually there will be no limit to what I can accomplish through the Force!"
Revan snorted and began to pace, his cape swirling behind him like black smoke. "Malak will never let you get that powerful. He'll kill you first."
Bastila returned the snort and spoke condescendingly to her bond-mate. "Have you forgotten the ways of the Sith already, Revan? Eventually I will challenge my Master. If I am worthy, he will die by my hand and I will become the new Sith Master."
The lights flickered for a moment before a massive burst of lightning poured into Bastila, the Star Forge invigorating her with Dark side energies. She charged at him with a yell, hoping to catch him off guard but to no avail. Revan blocked her attack and parried with a swift punch to the gut causing her to drop to her knees, gasping and wheezing for air. He brought both fists down on her back – his lightsaber back on his belt – and smashed her to the ground. As she rolled over onto her back to get away, she caught a glimpse of his face, pained with having to physically hurt her like this and the good side of her leapt up again, clawing against its dark restraints. Bastila got up shakily, his blows still smarting, pointing her saber in his direction but for no real reason. He didn't make any move to attack her again, instead letting her get to her feet and regain her breath for the second time. She saw the way his shoulders slumped slightly and the slower way in which he moved and realized that he was very tired.
"You are growing weary," she said as she reached out through their bond and found that it was indeed true. "I can feel it."
She received silence in reply as he noticed that her tone was no longer filled with contempt and pleasure at belittling him.
"What's going on in your mind, Revan? What is that has kept you going after all of this?" Bastila asked, truly curious as to why he continued to fight.
"I want to see Malak in a pool of his own cooling blood," Revan answered darkly. "I want him dead so that I can stop having to pretend to be a Jedi. I want you to realize that all Malak has done is use you to get me here, and that he only wants you for your Battle Meditation. I want you to realize that this isn't where you belong."
Her eyebrows rose. "Oh? And where do I belong?"
She could tell he was getting frustrated – the anger was beginning to ripple off of him in nearly palpable waves. "You belong with me...with all of our friends, not here with Malak."
"You spout the words of blind fool!" she snapped, attacking him once more but with more tact this time. He completely avoided her first swipe, skillfully sidestepping at the last moment and igniting his bronze blade once again. She felt him plant his foot on her back and shove, sending her further than she intended and Bastila spun, angry at how he was toying with her. Their lightsabers met in brilliant clashes, Revan never giving any ground or pushing back. He let her exhaust herself in her futile effort to kill him while he exerted as little energy as possible, trying to conserve it and regain some before his duel with Malak. She tried to strike him again and he pushed her lightsaber to the side, grabbing her left arm with his right hand and kicking the lightsaber out of her hand at the same time, getting behind her and twisting her arm painfully backwards while he brought his lightsaber in the front and held it as close to her waist as he dared. Moving his mouth close to her ear so she could hear his breathing, he spoke softly but firmly:
"I win."
Bastila was again reminded of another time, in this instance their wrestling match after her father's death and the way he had pinned her against the bed, their bodies pressed together and his mouth inches from hers. She let her head drop to her chest some and her voice was quiet, defeated.
"Please...for the sake of what we had, kill me quickly."
He tensed and she thought he was going to do it, but soon realized that he was reacting to her words. "I won't kill you, Bastila. I can't."
"You must," she pressed. "I am the apprentice to the Dark Lord...I can't come back to the Jedi."
"I was the Dark Lord," Revan argued. "I came back. I know that this isn't what you want."
"They will never forgive me, Revan. They still haven't forgiven you! They only allowed you back because of Malak. I am beaten either way. Please, just end my life."
"Bastila listen to me. They may not forgive you, but you can make up for what you've done."
She was silent for a long time, mulling over his words and debating the truth in them. He was right, she could make up for her actions, but what good would that do her if the Jedi Council didn't forgive her? She would be exiled. It was death in another fashion. And if she refused to right her wrongs...what would Revan do? He said he couldn't kill her so how would he deal with her? She cursed the Dark side for its lure and the way it slowly drew her in, even as she thought she was resisting its call. And what good would it do to stay loyal to Malak? If Revan killed him, she would have no master and would be, for all intents and purposes, Revan's charge. But if Malak lived, surely he would never trust her with anything again after she had failed to kill Revan twice.
Once again, the memory of a dying Revan on the bridge of his ship filtered into her mind. Why had she preserved his life that day? What was it that she had seen in his young and handsome face that told her he wasn't who the Jedi said he was? Did Revan see that same ineffable thing in her? She had saved him, and now he was trying to do the same for her. Didn't she at least owe it to him to try, even if she didn't believe he could help her? And what about him? She could tell he had re-embraced his Dark side...
Bastila forced herself to stop the hundreds of questions that were bombarding her and condensed her situation into two options: One, she could stay with Malak and be guaranteed death under the tenants of the Sith, or two, she could listen to the man who had been with her for the last few months, protecting her and watching out for her and who had never lied to her, and believe what he said.
When she stopped to look at it like that, the decision was obvious. But her doubts still lingered...
"But how can I make up for my actions? I can't return to the Light just because you say I can! It's not that simple!"
"Anyone can make up for their wrongs, Bastila. Answer me this: have you decimated nearly an entire race?"
Her brows furrowed in confusion at his seemingly pointless question. "No, I haven't."
"No? Then how about an entire planet?"
She shook her head.
"Still no? Well then surely you must've killed at least a hundred people by now."
She was silent.
"Have you?" he pressed.
"No," she snapped.
"Have you murdered someone in cold blood?"
"No! I haven't done any of that!"
"Then you're a much better person than I am," he finished quietly. "You've betrayed the Republic. You've betrayed your friends. You've betrayed me. The Republic will forgive you in time. Your friends already forgive you. I forgave you long ago." He sighed. "I want you back, Bastila. People make mistakes; that's life. I've made more already than you probably ever will. You forgave me when no one else did. You gave me a second chance on that bridge. I have to give you the same."
The feeling of his warm breath washing over her ear and the sound of his breathing enveloped her senses as he fell silent again, waiting for her response.
"But...what can I do?" she asked.
"Help me kill Malak and destroy the Star Forge," was his immediate answer.
"Yes I...I could join your battle against the Dark Lord. That alone would not make up for everything I have done, but it would be a step in the right direction," she said, mostly to convince herself of the statement's authenticity. Doubt attacked her again, however, and she regressed. "But how would you be able to trust me? How do you know I wouldn't turn on you when you faced Darth Malak? How do you know the Dark side wouldn't make me betray you again?" she asked, almost hoping he couldn't answer.
Revan released his hold on her and pressed the hilt of his activated blade into her hand. He turned her around and pushed the hood back from his face so that she could see his eyes.
"I trust you enough to leave myself open to your attack," he said, dropping to his knees and staring up at her, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Bastila brought his lightsaber around and held it close to his chest, the tip four inches from his breastplate.
"You play a dangerous game," she spoke, staring down into his beautiful, arcane green eyes. "Are you certain you wish to take this risk? I could end your life and gain Malak's favor with a single stroke of your lightsaber."
"You won't, Bastila," he said, his voice soft and full of conviction. "Because I love you and I have faith in you."
He watched as the shadow slipped from her eyes to be replaced with sadness, and for a moment, he thought she might kill him.
"You are brave...and some would say foolish," she replied, her voice giving away nothing. "But you are also right. The Dark side has not wholly consumed me." The sadness disappeared and relief flooded her face as she lowered his lightsaber and deactivated it. "I cannot raise my blade against you."
A weight seemed to slip from his shoulders as he stood to his feet, feeling his own torrent of relief at knowing he had her back.
"You will go on to defeat Malak, of this I have little doubt," she said as he rose. "You will have gone from being the Sith Lord, himself, to the savior of our galaxy." She lifted her icy blue-grey eyes to stare into his dark and mysterious green ones, seeing the hope that filled them as he looked down at her. "And..." she hesitated, "you said that you loved me." Bastila handed him back his lightsaber and stared at their clasped hands for a while before letting go and looking back into his eyes. He nodded, fearing that speaking would ruin everything.
"This may not be the best time to say it but..." she hesitated again, searching his eyes and finding the love that he professed to have for her, giving her strength. "I love you too," she finally admitted. "With all my heart."
"You're not afraid to love anymore?" he asked, praying that she wasn't playing with him.
Bastila's response wasn't immediate, but it was given with a sincerity that he had never heard before.
"After this? No, nothing could make me feel safer than to be loved by you."
Revan couldn't speak right away; the emotions crashing over him were too great. The joy at hearing her finally say those words, the release that followed at knowing he didn't have to keep it inside anymore, and the deep gratitude and respect towards her for allowing herself to love him, even though it went against everything she had been brought up to believe. He quickly removed his gloves and discarded them on the floor, bringing his strong hands up to cradle her face as he stared deeply into her eyes, and for a little while, he let go of the darkness that had allowed him to get this far.
He could see that there was still uncertainty there, but that she wanted to trust him and was willing to risk getting hurt to do so. He promised himself that he would never abandon her or cause her pain in any way, and told her so through their bond. She smiled and brought a hand up to rest on one of his, opening her mouth to say something to him. The words never made it out to be heard.
Revan lowered his mouth to hers, pressing their lips together and kissing her passionately. The shock that came from her end of the bond made him chuckle and he rubbed the pads of his thumbs lightly against her cheeks. He felt her hands on the back of his neck pulling him down and he deepened the kiss, drawing her as close as he could with his armor. One of his hands moved to the small of her back and pressed her waist to his, feeling her even through the body armor he was in. Their lips parted for the briefest of moments so they could catch their breath before meeting again, this time with more force than before and no less passion. He felt her mouth open against his and Revan slipped his tongue in for a moment, just to surprise her again.
He broke away from this second kiss, knowing that there was no way he could control himself if this continued. Bastila seemed to be in the same state he was and he couldn't help but smiling as he looked down at her. Her eyes were closed as she rested her hands on his armored chest, her lips were parted and she was slightly flushed. When her icy blue-grey orbs met his green ones, he felt desire coiling painfully in his gut at the fire that burned behind them, letting him know that she felt the same way.
"You should go," Bastila said softly, and he knew that she was right. "Malak awaits. This isn't over yet...for any of us. I should stay here though," she added. "If we face Malak, I am afraid his dark presence will overwhelm me. It would not be wise to expose myself to such temptation."
Revan frowned. "I want you by my side when I face him," he persisted even though he knew she couldn't come.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but the risk is too great. I am not wholly free of the Dark side's shadow. Not yet. But you are more than a match for the Dark Lord – I understand that now. No," she said. "I will stay here and use my Battle Meditation to aid the Republic fleet. I am their only hope of destroying the Star Forge and ending the Sith menace." Bastila looked down for a moment, then back up at him. "You must go and face Malak, but you have to hurry. Once I turn the battle in the Republic's favor we won't have much time to escape the Star Forge before it is destroyed."
Revan nodded in assent, seeing that her reasoning was accurate. He bent down and retrieved his gloves, slipping them back onto his hands and securing them into his armored gauntlets. Turning back to Bastila, he kissed her one last time – a short, almost forceful kiss – and stepped back, putting his hood up and hiding his face once more.
"Good luck, my love...and may the Force be with you."
His nod was short, and his cape swirled around his feet as he spun and strode off to find and kill Malak. Bastila watched him go with mixed feelings. She realized now that she loved him more than she had even admitted to herself and Bastila didn't want to have to let him go so quickly. She was confident he would slay Malak, but she also knew that her former master was not above using tricks to defeat his opponents. Remembering that Jolee and Juhani were outside the door, she unlocked it and watched them rush in, lightsabers drawn and ready to defend themselves if she were to attack. Bastila couldn't help a smile. If only they had seen what had just happened between herself and Revan...
"I'm not going to kill you. Put your weapons away," she called, sitting down again to prepare for using her Battle Meditation.
"Did Revan...?" Jolee trailed, looking slightly confused.
"Revan has gone to kill Malak. I suspect it will be some time before he returns."
"Did you...?"
"Come back? Yes. Revan showed me that I could still atone for my wrongs. And he showed me that love is something that can save you, not condemn you like the Jedi say," Bastila mused.
Jolee's grin was wide as he realized what Revan had done. "That kid is something else. If he kills Malak, his resume will have become quite impressive: youngest General ever to single-handedly win a war, Dark Lord of the Sith, savior of the galaxy, and now ladies' man. If he got you, I'm pretty sure he could get anyone he wants."
Jolee felt a headache pound painfully in the back of his head and looked at Bastila, only to find that she was already deep in concentration, using her Battle Meditation to aid the Republic.
"Sneaky. Real sneaky, kid."
She smiled and Jolee shook his head. Going over to where Juhani was, he sat down to wait, hoping the two young lovers could save the Republic.
- - -
Revan peered curiously at the large structures to his right and left as he walked down a massive but relatively short corridor that he hoped led directly to Malak. As he neared the end, he found that he didn't have to hope – his old friend and apprentice was standing in-between doorways, the first door open and the second to another room shut. Two Jedi were there as well and Revan wondered how they had gotten there. He had little time to ponder this, as Malak ignited his single-bladed lightsaber and twirled it with years of practiced skill and precision. He never used it, however, opting instead to choke one of the Jedi and fry the other one with Force lighting. Malak seemed to sense Revan's presence for the first time and turned, his sunken yellow-grey eyes yielding only a fraction of the surprise he felt at seeing his old master clad in the armor he had worn as Dark Lord.
"Ah, Revan. You have made it this far, and I commend you. I'm going to enjoy crushing the Republic after your death," he taunted in his rough mechanical voice.
"This ends with your death, Malak," Revan growled, igniting both of his lightsabers. Malak only laughed at Revan's words.
"Such words lead to the Dark side, my old master. But this is not worth my time. You are an insignificant speck beneath my notice! I will let the power of the Star Forge destroy you, Revan!" Malak spat, slamming the door shut and locking it. Revan cursed, seeing that the door was much too thick to burn the locking mechanism out with his lightsabers. A loud explosion behind him demanded his attention and he turned, surprised to see a droid scuttling towards him. Three more explosions later, four droids were closing in on him and he was staring in disbelief. The pillars were miniature droid factories! Revan threw himself at the droids, killing them with relative ease, but they never stopped coming. For each one he killed, another sprang up to take its place and he was growing exhausted much too quickly. He couldn't afford to continue like this; Malak was too strong of an opponent to go into battle bone-weary and expect to win. Looking around he spotted computer consoles next to each mini factory and a plasteel cylinder beside each one of those. Destroying a droid with lightning, he pushed the rest back and ran for the nearest console. Logging on quickly he saw that he could destroy the factory if he had enough spikes. Knowing that he had more than enough due to the fact that he was proficient in hacking on his own, Revan immediately pulled the required number out and hooked them into the computer, blowing the first factory to shreds seconds later. Avoiding the droids as best he could, Revan sprinted around the entire room destroying each factory as he came to it and proceeding to the next one. When all of the factories were in smoking heaps, he concentrated on destroying the remaining droids. There were four, and he electrocuted two and plunged his lightsabers deep into the other two's bellies, frying their circuitry.
Sinking to the floor, Revan sat with his feet resting on the ground, knees high enough to prop his forearms up parallel to the floor. Letting his chin fall to his chest, he drew heavily upon the Dark side of the Force to give him the strength he needed to keep himself alert and battle-ready, using the Star Forge's natural conductivity of the Dark side to make it easier. The minutes crawled by and he rose to his feet when he felt rested enough to face his former friend. The door that had previously been locked now opened without protest, as did the second, and Revan stepped forward onto the metal gangway that stretched out to the viewing platform that Malak stood on, his broad back to the 'Jedi.' He only half-turned to face Revan as his old master approached.
"Well done, Revan. I was certain the defenses of the Star Forge would destroy you, but I see there is more of your old self in you than I expected. You are stronger than I thought; stronger than you ever were during your reign as Dark Lord. I did not think that possible."
Revan scowled beneath his hood. "This is your last chance, Malak," he growled. "Surrender."
Revan knew that if Malak could've smiled, he would have done so with despicable malice. "No, Revan, this time our confrontation can only end in death...yours or mine. Once again we shall face each other in single combat," he paused, turning fully now to face Revan and igniting his crimson blade, "and the victor will decide the fate of the galaxy!"
Revan ignited both his bronze blade and his silvery cyan one, smiling darkly from beneath the shadow that obscured much of his features. "I wouldn't call our last confrontation combat, Malak. More like your cowardly attempt to assassinate me when I had no chance of fighting back."
"Say what you will Revan, but I saw an opportunity and seized it. I did not foresee Bastila surviving the blast to save your pathetic life," the Dark Lord replied. "Nor did I think the Jedi would try and use your broken mind to lead them back to the Star Forge. For pacifistic cowards, they chanced upon an ingenious plan, didn't they? Tell me, did you enjoy being their puppet?"
"No more than you enjoyed being my bitch, I'm sure," Revan shot back, circling Malak now, a feral grin visible underneath his hood, the grin of a demon who has once again found its prey. The young man's perceptive gaze took in the number of bodies floating in suspended animation at various points around the viewing platform. Malak would no doubt use them to replenish his energy if near death, of that, Revan was sure. He would use them too, if the need called for it, to even the playing field.
They both seemed to lunge at each other at the same instant, their blades clashing with horrible screeches and luminous flashes, their movements too fast for the normal eye to follow, only visible because of the vibrant energy blades they possessed. Neither of them used the Force, both resorting to pure skill and strength to try and best the other; the two men seemed to be even for a long while, neither of them scoring a hit. Their weapons met one last time before both spun away, their weapons at the ready, breathing heavily and savoring the adrenaline rush that accompanied battle.
"You always were good with a lightsaber," Revan said as he shook the sweat from his eyes.
"You've improved," Malak admitted, "but so have I. You and I were always nearly equal. Now it seems we've finally reached a common plateau."
Revan's deep, booming laughter filled the room and echoed around the metal walls, sending a chill down Malak's spine. "I'm just getting warmed up, my friend. You leave your left side open every now and then. You might want to watch that."
Malak's eyes narrowed as he crouched just a little bit lower, taking his old master's advice. He knew that Revan was telling the truth, and the way in which he had spoken with such nonchalance unsettled Malak. The two clashed again, both striking high, their lightsabers locked above their heads. Revan lashed out with a hard kick to Malak's ribs and the taller man stumbled backwards, frantically blocking Revan's following lightsaber attacks as he regained his balance. Malak smacked one of Revan's sabers out of the way and slammed his fist into his friend's face, the only place where he was unarmored. Revan turned away as the blow hit, Malak's fist catching his temple and causing stars to explode in his vision. He spun with the force of the blow, using that momentum to make his next attack more powerful. As he spun around, he brought both of his lightsabers around and smashed them as hard as he could against Malak's single blade, pushing it down. Revan continued to use his inertia, headbutting Malak viciously on the nose and hearing the crack of it breaking as he felt the heel of Malak's palm connect with his chin and snap his head back. Both men lurched backwards simultaneously with equal force, Revan regaining his footing first and watching Malak regain his. The two of them had maneuvered right next to one of the sentients floating in suspended animation and Revan watched Malak's eyes lock onto the human.
"You see this Jedi, Revan? You might recognize him; he was with one of the strike teams that boarded the Star Forge with you. For all intents and purposes, dead, except for one thing: I have not let him become one with the Force," the Dark Lord explained. He extended a hand and a purple coil of energy shot from the Jedi to his hand, transferring the man's life force to Malak. The taller man heard Revan chuckle and was about to demand to know what was humorous when Revan's figure moved into his line of vision, standing next to another Jedi a few meters away.
"You're not the only one who can do that," he said as the same beam of purple shot from the Jedi to his body. "You won't get rid of me that easily. Come on man! Show me something I haven't seen!"
Malak snarled as he launched himself at his old master, attacking furiously, his rage increasing as he watched Revan block each attack seemingly effortlessly.
"Damn you!" he yelled. "You should have died years ago! My plan was perfect! How in the hell did you survive?"
"Mercy is something you know little about, my friend, and you will not learn it this day," Revan grunted back, blocking another one of Malak's attacks and parrying, catching the Dark Lord on the shoulder and searing away skin and muscle. Malak roared as Revan's lightsaber bit into his flesh, lashing out with his own and shoving it into his old master's side. The blade met resistance for a long while, but finally cracked through the cortosis armor that Revan wore and tore into his side, causing him to cry out as well and fall to the ground in an effort to get away from the lethal attack. Malak's foot slammed into the side of his head and sent him rolling away, his body coming to a halt at the feet of another dead-but-alive Jedi. Revan sucked the life force out of him as he struggled to his feet, seeing Malak do the same, clutching his shoulder as he did so.
"Four more lives, Malak. Then you die," Revan called, panting in between words. The exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him, even as he gained new energy from each Jedi he 'freed.'
"The same for you, Revan," Malak replied. "We shall see who dies first."
"Where did I go wrong?" Revan asked as they both paused again to regain their stamina. "I never meant for this to happen. I wanted to make the Republic stronger...not have it destroyed."
Malak's eyes showed confusion. "You what? You left as a hero and came back at the head of a massive Sith fleet, Revan! You went from saving the Republic to decimating it."
"I never wanted to rule it you fool!" he snapped. "I saw a greater threat! I wanted to rebuild the Republic from the ground up and make it able to withstand the next invasion! Why do you think I left military strong points intact? It wasn't just for us! I left the complete infrastructure of the Republic untouched to speed up the recovery after I defeated them!"
Malak looked like he was truly hearing this for the first time. "I didn't know...I thought you were simply trying to conquer the Republic and were leaving the military points intact to help yourself. But then again, there were many things you didn't tell me, Revan. Or anyone else, for that matter. A true leader is completely honest with his followers. You failed us in that."
Revan opened his mouth to reply but let it hang open as the truth of Malak's last words hit him. He had failed in that respect...and it had nearly cost him his life and it had cost him his vision. He cursed to himself for this oversight and vowed to never let his own ambition get in the way and blind him again. Malak was at his throat once more, pushing relentlessly at Revan's defenses to try and land a hit in the exposed hole of his armor, leaving the shorter man little room to strike back. He felt the heat of Malak's blade sear his armor a few times and knew that it could've been his flesh if not for the cortosis weave that strengthened the armor against lightsabers and any other blade with an energy component. Revan suddenly pushed Malak's weapon away with both of his, overestimating his former apprentice's strength and overcompensating, pushing farther than he intended and leaving himself open for attack. Malak's elbow crashed into the back of his head and Revan crumbled to the floor, kicking out and catching Malak at the knees, sending him to the metal grating as well. Malak lunged at Revan who caught him used Malak's momentum to kick him over his head, causing him to fly through the air and slam into the ramp that led to the upper level of the viewing platform. The Dark Lord groaned as he slid down, picking himself up shakily and immediately draining the life from the nearest Jedi. Revan did the same and the two stared each other down; or, more correctly, Malak stared deep into the shadow that was Revan's face.
"Three," he grunted, watching his old master warily.
Revan nodded, tightening his grip on his lightsabers and feeling his muscles flex in anticipation. They were getting down to the wire now, only three more mishaps between themselves and the eternal sleep known as death. Revan wondered if his soul would go on the live in endless torment like Ajunta Pall's had done for so long, or if he would be forgiven and allowed to rest in peace. He thought of Bastila and rid his mind of any remnants of death. He would not the be the one to perish – not today.
"What's the matter, Revan? Getting tired?"
"Dun Moch won't work on me, Malak. You of all people should know that!" he snapped, Force leaping to where his old apprentice was and shoulder-slamming him backwards into the ramp to the upper level of the viewing platform again. Malak grunted as Revan's shoulder impacted with his gut and his back was crushed into the metal bar behind him. Grabbing Revan by the sides, he drove his knee into the groin area of the armor. He heard Revan moan and knew that he had landed at least a glancing blow as his friend back up, keeping his lightsabers in front to ward off any sudden attack.
"Son of a bitch," he muttered. "I owe you more than one kick in the balls."
"Hit me then," Malak shot back. Revan did, moving with a speed augmented by the Force. Malak foresaw this, however, and was able to augment his speed just quickly enough to be able to block Revan's lightsabers but not to avoid the kick to his crotch – a kick that actually lifted him up onto the ramp behind him and caused a blinding pain to sear through his loins. He felt Revan's lightsaber bite deeply into his calf and kicked back with his free leg, catching Revan in the eye and getting him away just long enough for Malak to roll away and suck the life from yet another Jedi, healing the cracked ribs from Revan's shoulder slam, the severed calf, the crushed vertebrae and the foot-plant to his groin. Malak heard a loud crack and Revan grunted loudly, drawing life force from a Jedi near himself as well. He cradled his shoulder for a few seconds before straightening.
"I'll keep it even," he said as he came slowly up the ramp. "You take one, I take one."
"You didn't really need that Jedi," Malak said, more of a statement than a question.
Revan shook his head as he continued to advance. "I could've healed myself, but I figure I'll save that for when there's no more free energy left. Oh, one more Jedi left, by the way." He extended a hand that was closed around a lightsaber and two snaking coils of lightning bolts shot out from it and entered the remaining two Jedi's bodies, releasing them from their horrible state of limbo. "Or not," he said with finality.
Malak's eyes narrowed as he watched his former master, knowing that Revan meant to end this battle once and for all. Tightening his grip on his lightsaber hilt with both hands, he felt an unfamiliar trickle of fear crawling its way up his spine and for the first time, wondered if he could come out the victor. He caught a glimpse of Revan's malevolent grin and took a single step back to steady himself and ensure his footing.
"I can sense your fear, Malak..." Revan taunted, his voice terrible and haunting.
"Only a fool isn't afraid when faced with his own death," Malak replied, though his voice sounded unconvincing, even to himself. Revan leapt at him, hacking away with such ferocity that Malak was forced backwards and on the defensive until he could push Revan back some. Using the Force to do so, he flung Revan off the upper gangway and all the way across the large room to slam into the door that the former Dark Lord of the Sith had entered through. Revan picked himself up slowly and stood on his two feet unsteadily, feeling a sharp pain in his back and a gradually spreading numbness in his pelvis and upper legs. He called upon the Force to heal himself and was relieved to feel the numbness leave his body and the pain recede to a bearable level. Malak had descended the ramp and was standing in the center of the room, waiting for him to rejoin the battle; Revan obliged and walked to where Malak was, stopping one and a half meters away – well within Malak's reach. The Dark Lord of the Sith and the redeemed fallen Jedi met in what both knew was going to be the final duel of their battle, both attacking, blocking, parrying and fighting with all of their remaining energy and skill. Malak struck high and was blocked, Revan tried to hit him on the side and met with nothing but air, Malak's lightsaber screeched against Revan's as he tried to decapitate his old master – the battle raged on for what seemed like an endless amount of time to the two combatants. Finally, Malak saw and opening and pounced on it. He parried Revan's attack and slashed his blade across Revan's hand, knocking his cyan lightsaber away and rendering his left hand useless it. He thrust his crimson blade back into the hole that exposed Revan's side to his lightsaber and drove it all the way through, hearing Revan's snarl of pain. The shorter man brought his injured left hand up and grabbed the back of Malak's neck, shoving his bronze lightsaber into the man's gut and dragging him closer as the energy blade passed through his entire torso.
They both stood motionless for what seemed like an eternity, Revan's bronze blade protruding from Malak's back, and the Dark Lord's red saber thrust completely through Revan's left side. Revan's breath hissed out in agony as he staggered backwards, falling, his left hand clutching at his side and the blood that leaked out, pulling his lightsaber free from Malak's abdomen as he did so. Malak dropped to his knees, feeling the numbness spreading from his wound knowing that it was fatal, seeing the shadows creep in on the edges of his vision. He brought a hand up and felt a warm, slick liquid on his stomach.
"Im...impossible," he said, unable to believe that it was finally over. "I...I am the Dark Lord of the Sith. I cannot be beaten."
"This is...the way of the Dark side, Malak. All...things end in death," Revan replied, forcing the words out through the pain.
"Still...still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi, I see. Maybe there is more truth in their code than I ever believed. I...I cannot help but wonder, Revan. What would have happened if our positions had been reversed? What if fate had decreed I would be captured by the Jedi? Could I have returned to the Light, as you did? If you had not led me down the dark path in the first place, what destiny would I have found?"
"I am no servant of the Light, Malak. And...I am sorry I started you down this path. But you...chose to continue down it," Revan reminded him as he struggled to get up.
"I suppose...I suppose you speak the truth. I alone must accept responsibility for my fate," Malak admitted. "I wanted to be Master of the Sith and ruler of the galaxy, but that destiny was not mine, Revan. It might have been yours, perhaps...but never mine. Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. You are all things, Revan, and yet you are nothing. In the end you belong to neither the light, nor the darkness," Malak said, seeing a clearer view of Revan's destiny than Revan had himself. "You will forever stand alone. And in the end, as darkness takes me..." he paused, and Revan saw the life leave his eyes.
"I am nothing."
Malak looked at his old friend one last time and then collapsed forward onto the deck with a dull thud, Revan feeling a dead hollowness fill him as Malak's death became apparent through the Force. Pushing back his hood, he crawled beside his friend and silently lowered a hand to his face, closing his eyes forever.
He felt numb as he realized that he was staring down at the lifeless body of the man who was once his lifelong companion. "I'm sorry it had to end like this, Malak," he said truthfully. "I never wanted to have to kill my best friend."
He did not regret killing Malak, nor did he feel guilty. He still hated Malak for ruining his life and taking Bastila, and he would not let go of that hatred for a long time. Some betrayals were too deep to forgive, and Revan considered this one of them. Malak had been his best and only true friend, and in the blink of an eye had tried to take his comrade's life, all for the sake of an ideal. They had become bitter enemies from that day forward, and Revan could not deny some satisfaction in finally killing the man who had taken everything from him.
Standing unsteadily on knees that threatened to give way any moment, Revan stumbled over to where his lightsaber lay discarded and fumbled with it a moment before successfully clasping it onto his belt opposite his bronze one. He retrieved Malak's lightsaber as well, attaching it to his belt next to one of his blades and then staggered dizzily out of the room, down the long hallway and back into the command center where Bastila, Jolee and Juhani were, where gravity finally took its toll and pulled him down. He crashed to the floor as his friends leapt up to aid him, the Star Forge rocking with explosions as they did so. The three friends hauled him up, practically carrying him as they struggled out of the command center and down the corridors that would lead them to the elevator.
"Did you...help the Republic?" Revan asked as they half-carried, half-dragged into the elevator.
"Do you feel the explosions, idiot? Of course I did! This place is coming down around our ears!" Bastila snapped. "And you went and got yourself killed while I did it!"
Revan smiled weakly and felt some of the pain lessen as both Jolee and Juhani tried to heal him the best they could. He mumbled his thanks as they ushered him out of the elevator and hurried as best they could through Deck 2 to the next elevator.
"Damn this infernal place!" Bastila cursed. "Who in the hell came up with the idea of having elevators only go up or down one worthless level?"
Revan could only chuckle feebly at the way she chose to vent her frustration, resorting to using mostly child-friendly speech, even when livid. The going was tough, and it took them a solid five minutes to get all the way through Deck 2 and to the elevator, the four of them nearly collapsing as they entered the lift.
"One...more," Revan tried to encourage but was cut off by a death glare from the woman he loved.
"You speak, and I'll kill you," she threatened.
As they stepped out onto the floor of Deck 1, the explosions began to come more frequently, slowing their progress exponentially. Twice, Revan was dropped as the space station shuddered under the barrage of the Republic fleet. It seemed like ages later that they finally made it through the final door to the hangar, and Revan was never as glad to see all of his friends waiting outside of the Ebon Hawk than he was at that moment.
"What happened?" Carth yelled over the explosions as they drew nearer. "Is Malak dead?"
"He's dead...there was no way..." Revan muttered almost incoherently as they all piled into the ship. "Need...to go...now."
"On it!" Carth barked and took off for the cockpit.
Bastila dragged Revan to the med bay and laid him down on the table, working furiously at the straps of his armor.
"Don't worry...I'm not dying any time soon sweetheart."
"Don't call me that," she snapped, but with a gentle tone as she continued to remove his armor. His breastplate was gone now, and she grabbed the edges of the circular hole that marked where Malak's lightsaber had been, ripping the material away. "I am going to kill you," she muttered.
She received no reply and frantically looked at his face. His eyes were half-opened, the whites showing, the irises rolled back into his head. Bordering on panic, she quickly felt for his pulse and was monumentally relieved to find it there, albeit throbbing weakly. The ship shuddered under another explosion and she struggled to keep her balance and keep Revan from rolling off of the table. Jolee entered at that moment and saw her predicament, coming over to where she was and hauling the unconscious man back onto the medical table.
"Go," he said, seeing her need to know what was going on. "I'll watch after him."
- - -
"Carth!"
The Republic pilot turned to see Bastila trying to get into the cockpit, staggering against the walls from the explosions that rocked the ship.
"The Star Forge is breaking up!" he yelled back as she slid into the co-pilot's seat. "The explosion's right on our asses! This is gonna be tight!"
Carth's face was drawn tightly, his every ounce of concentration directed towards getting them out of this alive and hopefully in one piece. He was pushing the Ebon Hawk to her limits to avoid the explosions behind them as the Star Forge began to implode, dodging debris from the space battle and chunks of the space station that came screaming past. The ship began to shudder violently, and Carth closed his eyes as the ball of flame engulfed them from behind.
- - -
"We've done it, Vandar!" Admiral Dodonna said with triumph as she and numerous others watched the Star Forge go up in a blaze, the explosion vibrating their ships, far away as they were.
"Yes, but what of our friends?" Vandar said, turning away from the sight. What sacrifice had they made to defeat the Sith? How many young lives would be lost this day?
"Sir, look! There!" a young soldier yelled, pointing at a tiny blip on the screen he was watching. "Isn't that the Ebon Hawk?"
"Hail them!" Vandar ordered, hoping that the Private was right. Admiral Dodonna gave a curt nod and another man sent out the hail, bringing up the view screen as he did so. For long, tense seconds nothing happened. Then, finally, Carth's voice broke through the static.
"Ad..ral...Do...is that you?"
"Carth! It's good to hear your voice!" Dodonna said, feeling the relief of everyone on the command deck. Ever since Vandar had come aboard and told them of the crew of the Ebon Hawk, including Revan, her entire staff had taken a personal liking to the motley group of friends.
"We're hard to kill, Admiral," Carth replied, activating his end of the view screen. His image became visible and he grinned. "I see that you're all happy to see me."
"Lost, we though you were," Vandar replied. "We believed the explosion had engulfed you. An understatement is whatglad is."
"Everybody's all right except Revan," Carth told him. "Malak stabbed him with his lightsaber, Bastila tells me, and he needs medical attention fast. Can we dock with you?"
"You don't have to ask, Carth," Dodonna said, giving an order to open the docking hatch to accept the Ebon Hawk. "How far away are you?"
"Staring down your paint job, Admiral."
"Dock already! We've got a kolto tank with Revan's name on it." She turned to the medical personnel that she had called to the bridge. "Bring the Jedi Revan aboard immediately and give him the best treatment we've got."
"Sir!" the medical doctors replied in unison, running off to complete their task. Forn Dodonna turned back to the image of Carth Onasi. "We'll meet you inside the docking bay. Dodonna out."
The view screen switched off and Dodonna turned quickly, making it to the docking bay as swiftly as the chaos aboard her ship would allow. She witnessed the medical personnel carrying Revan to the med bay and the woman she recognized as Padawan Bastila Shan following with a concerned look on her pretty face. The Admiral smiled as she recognized that look. Carth stepped out into the room, followed by a dark-skinned old man, a Cathar, a Twi'lek, a Wookiee, an assassination droid and an astromech droid.
"Carth! We're about one hour from landing back on the planet below. Make yourself as at home as possible."
- - -
Bastila sat in front of the kolto tank that Revan was in for the second week in a row, studying his floating form for the hundredth time. He hadn't so much as twitched a finger since they had placed him in the tank and she was growing restless without being able to see him alive and walking around. Something beeped loudly and she jumped, glad at that moment that he wasn't awake to see her overreaction. A red light was flashing on the console across from the tank and she hoped that that wasn't anything bad. Nothing happened to Revan's tank, however, and she sighed. Her stomach growled and reminded her that she had yet to eat today. Getting up slowly, she left Revan alone and wandered to the mess hall to appease her body's hunger.
It would be another two weeks before the doctors would take him out of the kolto tank and move him to a room to be kept under their supervision. The lightsaber wound had done more damage than originally thought, and his body was having a hard time recovering, even with the kolto treatments. His other injuries did not help, and to make matters worse, he contracted a high fever once confined to a bed and was sick for another week.
A month and a half after the destruction of the Star Forge, Revan finally awoke. The first thing he saw was the ceiling, the second was one of the doctors hovering over his bedside.
"You're awake," the doctor said with some surprise.
"No, I'm dead," Revan replied sarcastically. "You're seeing my ghost. How long have I been under?"
"A month and a half."
"A month and a –" Revan groaned. "Where am I?"
"You're currently orbiting Rakata Prime in the medical wing of The Watchman, commanding officer, Admiral Forn Dodonna. You've been – what are you doing?"
Revan had been sitting up and removing the sheets from himself as the doctor had been speaking. "I'm leaving," he answered.
"No you're not," the doctor shot back, standing and blocking Revan's way. "You haven't been cleared."
"Well that's too bad," Revan countered. "Get out of my way."
"If you insist on trying to leave, I will be forced to call security."
"If you want your entire crew to end up like me, then by all means, be my guest. Move. Now," he growled. The doctor didn't budge and Revan sighed. He had to give the woman credit; she wasn't intimidated in the least by him.
"Okay," he said, trying a new approach. "Can I at least go into the refresher and wash myself?"
"No," she replied.
"What? Why not?"
"Because that dressing has to be removed and replaced, and I don't want you opening the wound again. I have to come with you."
"You're telling me that I have to be bathed. By you?" Revan asked incredulously.
"Yes," she said, nodding. "Please," she added at his look. "I've seen all you've got to offer already."
Revan raised his eyebrows and she shrugged. "How many times do you think I've had to change that dressing and bathe you while you've been in a coma?"
"You don't have staff for that? Wait, I think it's better that only you have seen me naked. Okay, how about this: You can do the upper body, and I'll handle the lower, okay?"
"If it makes you feel better."
"It does," he replied as he was led into the refresher and the doctor turned on the shower.
"Lift your arms," she ordered and he obeyed. She began to unravel the dressing that bound his wound and tossed the soiled bandage in a marked trash can. "Sit there please."
Revan stepped into the shower and sat on the outcropping that she had indicated, feeling the warm water splash against his uninjured side and wet his skin, soaking through the long underwear that he wore as an undergarment.
"Can I at least know the name of the woman who is about to bathe me like I'm an invalid?" he inquired.
She gave him a look of practiced patience. "Do you need to know? It's not like you're going to see me ever again. And you're not available, I know that much."
He raised an eyebrow for the second time.
"Bastila Shan? She's been here quite a lot. And I've seen it hundreds of times before. I know the kind of look she's got – the one that says 'That's my lover or husband in that tank.'"
Revan couldn't help a smile. "I'm sure she's going to finish what Malak tried to do."
"Kill you?" the doctor asked as she grabbed a washcloth, wetted it and lathered soap on it. "She looks like the type. Has a temper, doesn't she?"
"Oh yes."
The doctor smiled. "I thought so. I'll venture to guess that she's stubborn as hell too."
"We both share that aspect," Revan answered, eyeing the washcloth with distaste as she applied some chemical to it. "What are you doing?"
"Disinfectant, don't worry. This will sting, so please try not to jump."
"Oka –" he hissed and contracted his stomach muscles as far away from her hand as they would go. "You're not kidding," he grunted.
"Just try and relax. Don't make my job difficult, or I won't make you comfortable."
Revan closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tiles of the shower, letting the doctor clean and inspect his wound. She soon moved on to other areas, moving quickly and efficiently to clean his upper body. He tensed suddenly, and the doctor looked up. His green eyes were locked on something behind her and he had a semi-worried but somewhat amused look on his face.
"This is not what it looks like, I promise," he said with an undertone of laughter. "I don't even know her name. And she's fully dressed. I work faster than that."
The doctor turned and saw the shocked face of one Bastila Shan as she stood in the doorway, her hand on the doorpost.
"Interesting that you should walk in right now. Would you like to take over? I have other things to do than bathing him," she said, offering Bastila the washcloth. The female Jedi looked down at it for a while, then stepped forward and took it.
"Is this really necessary?" she asked the doctor.
"For him, yes. I don't trust him not to do something to reopen or tear the wound. I'm sure you understand."
Bastila glanced at Revan. "Yes," she replied in a pointed tone, "I do. Is there anything specific I need to do?"
"Just wash his head, back and the rest of his stomach. I've already tried to suffocate him and washed his chest and arms. He wants to do the lower body himself, but he might change his mind now that you're here," the doctor said as she walked out of the refresher. "I'll be back to dress that wound. Don't let him wander off," she called back.
"Oh I won't," Bastila murmured as she sat on the edge of the bathtub. "How are you feeling?"
Revan gave a half-smile. "Can you get me that toothbrush and toothpaste?" he asked first and waited until she had done so to answer. "I can't tell you. If this is bad, then bad. If it's good, then good."
Taking the toothbrush and toothpaste back once he was done, she sat back down. She understood that he meant he had been out for so long, he wasn't sure if he was in the nearly done phase of pain or the just getting started stage.
"If you whine, I'm kicking you into space."
Revan snorted and winced. "Thanks love. I really appreciate the sentiment."
"I sincerely hope you're not the kind of man who makes up ridiculous nicknames for whatever woman you are with," Bastila said as she re-soaked the washcloth and lathered it up again.
"I stick to the basics," he answered with a smile. "Sweetheart, baby, honey, love, babe, dear...pretty much it."
"Good. I don't want to suddenly gain a horribly embarrassing moniker."
"Unless you get me to randomly say something while we're in bed, it shouldn't happen."
She stopped and stared at him.
"Hey, it's going to happen eventually. Like I said earlier, I work fast."
"Not if I have anything to do with it," Bastila replied. "I love you, but..." she trailed, not really knowing what she wanted to say.
"I know. I was just kidding, Bas. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. I promise."
She smiled gratefully at him and placed the washcloth gently on his stomach, rubbing lightly and carefully avoiding the not-quite-healed scar on his left side. He watched her do this and felt strangely touched by the care that she showed him. She moved to his back and he rested his forehead against the cool tile as she worked.
Bastila took his body in with a sense of awe, not because of his flat, firm stomach, his strong chest, his well defined arms, his powerful shoulders or his broad, toned back. She had seen all of this before, and did not pay it any heed at the moment. What surprised her were the numerous scars that covered his body, more so than she had anticipated. Most had faded, many were still easily visible, some were raised, some deep divots, all appearing painful. This did not detract from his attractiveness in Bastila's eyes; rather, it made him appear more real, more tangible and vulnerable to a certain extent, but also stronger and more solid. He had suffered through so much already and withstood it, and he would continue to do so – that was what his body told her.
"Do they bother you?" he asked quietly. Bastila noticed that she had stopped washing him and knew that he had realized she was staring.
"Should they?"
He turned to look at her with a confused light in his eyes and she could tell he didn't know how to answer that.
"No, they don't bother me," she said, answering his question. Revan looked relieved and grateful as he turned back around to let her finish his back. Bastila dropped the washcloth in the tub when she was done and grabbed a bottle of shampoo, squeezing some onto her hands.
"Turn back around. I have to wash your hair," she told him.
"My favorite part," he said. "Be gentle. You've got nails."
She rolled her eyes and placed her palms on the top of his head, rubbing and getting a good lather first. She used her nails to gently work the lather in and get the soap to his scalp, moving all the way around his head before pausing.
"This will feel good, I promise," she said. Before he had a chance to reply, she put her hands back into his hair and began to vigorously scrub, using her nails to her advantage. Such was the pace and the force with which she scrubbed his head that she was done in about fifteen seconds. The result was a nearly comatose Revan.
"Damn...that was incredible. Do it again..."
"No, your head is clean."
"Rub it then? Please? The odds of me getting you to do this often are slim, I can tell," Revan pleaded.
"Oh fine. But only because you're hurt."
She gently worked her finger into his thick dark hair and began to rub in soothing movements, massaging his scalp. Bastila grabbed the shower nozzle and sprayed his head with water to wash to soap out when she had finished.
"You are an incredible woman," Revan said as she placed the showerhead back.
"I know," she said with an almost convincing air of seriousness. He grinned and she couldn't help but smile as well.
"I love it when you smile," he said. "It makes you even more beautiful."
"Such a charmer," Bastila replied, shaking her head and getting ready to walk out.
"Come here," he said indignantly. "I don't get to kiss you?"
She eyed him from the doorway. "You are wet. I do not want to get wet."
"That's harsh."
She smiled. "I'll wait in your room for the doctor to come back, all right? I have to keep an eye on you anyway."
He chuckled as she exited the refresher and left him to finish washing himself.
"That woman is something else," he murmured.
Lyrics for Chapter Four
"Chapter Four"
(Give me your hand,
blood is spilt and man will follow
infernal man, punishment too great to bear)
Conceived and born was one of light
Rain and dark, the other born black night
Raise your head and taste the courage
(the one of light)
Fall from grace, unholy night (in this case, knight)
I've come here to kill you,
won't leave until you've died
Murder born of vengeance,
I closed my brothers eyes tonight...
Repeat from the beginning
It's cold tonight as the clouds turn grey
and from my hands to my brothers grave
You took his side, you took his gift,
feel the power of a fallen man,
crestfallen man...
Far away in this land I must go,
out of the site of the One.
A punishment sent from his hand
a hardship that no one should know
Now go out of the site of the One,
away in this land you must go.
Where has he gone? What have you done?
A voice commands from high above this earth.
From the soil his blood cries out to me
Murder, liar, vengeance, deceit.
Far away in this land I must go,
out of the site of the One.
A punishment sent from his hand
a hardship that no one should know
Now go out of the site of the One,
away in this land you must go.
Fade out
Don't take the lyrics exactly as they stand, make them more general. I think it applies to Revan and Malak, and then Revan's disappearance.