Dedicated to the reviewers who convinced me to keep this fic alive. From the bottom of my soul I thank you.

This is probably the last chapter before the first game's events. Probably.

Chapter 9- Bonded

"Statement: We have entered Coruscant's atmosphere Master."

Revan's eyes fluttered slowly open and noticed the droid was indeed correct. Coruscant dominated the Ebon Hawk's forward view. Noticing the comm. system was beeping for attention Revan pressed the accept button.

"Ebon Hawk this is air control. Please proceed directly to the Jedi docking bay 21" a voice said curtly.

Noticing the transmission had come from the temple itself; Revan allowed himself a slight grin. The Jedi Masters were sure to give him a warm welcome after his last visit.

I'm sure I've been through this before Revan thought ruefully as the Hawk descended towards the docking bay. True it felt like decades since the last time he had piloted the ship to the Jedi Temple.

Settling the ship down into the bay he noticed a congregation of people were waiting by the bay doors. Revan could distinctively feel the powerful force presences of Masters Vrook, Kavar, and Vandar among them. Unbuckling himself from his seat Revan turned a regretful smile towards HK next to him.

"Sorry HK, I think you might have to stay on the ship. I'll have enough scrutiny from the Masters as it is without them finding out that I created an assassination droid."

Revan noticed that HK's photoreceptor had dimmed slightly.

"Hurtful accusation: Master I must object! I am an assassination droid programmed for, among other things, espionage. Surely I could trick a few balding meatbags?"

"They are Jedi Masters HK. They can sense events billions of light years away. I think they could easily work out that you are more than just a protocol droid."

"Resigned statement: Very well Master I shall be in the cargo hold."

Shaking his head at the retreating droid, Revan stood from his seat and activated the ramp. Striding down he headed straight for the group of Masters and bowed, whilst attempting not to stare too long at Vrook, who stood rigid and unimpressed with the young Knight, a prominent bruise showing on the back of his head.

Master Kavar spoke first however "We sensed the events above Telos Revan. We know what happened." Kavar looked at his fellow Masters before continuing "And we are sorry for what happened to your Master."

Revan nodded numbly. The wound was still fresh, unhealed.

"But there is another matter we need to attend to first" Vash interjected. "It is now clear that the force that destroyed Telos was made up of former Republic ships that fought in the Mandalorian War, as well as many ships of an unknown origin. They were led by Malak, Revan."

Placing a hand over his face to obscure the tears that threatened to overcome him, Revan looked up. "I know." The Masters looked at each other, surprised.

"How did you know that?" Vrook asked sceptically.

"I was there" Shaking his head at the recent event, Revan jerked his thumb towards the Ebon Hawk "I have Sheela Mars, a former General in the war and Malak's apprentice on my ship."

"What?" The Masters said in unison except for Vandar, who just smiled.

Revan was about to continue but suddenly he felt as if a bucket of cold ice had been poured inside his head, an ear splitting howl that made Revan's spine shiver coming from the ship soon followed the feeling.

Swinging around he saw HK appear at the top of the ramp in a slightly hurried fashion.

"Statement: It would appear mea-uh...organic Sheela Mars has arisen from her coma. Should I attempt sedation protocols now Master?"

Ignoring HK, Revan ran full tilt up the ramp towards the medical bay. If Mars was awake then they would all be in trouble.

Rounding the corner at full speed, the medical bay door came into view. Slapping the open button, Revan took half a step back as the doors swung open to reveal Mars in restraints laying flat on her back, struggling against the straps holding her down.

Her head swivelled to see Revan standing in the doorway and her face consorted into a look of pure hatred. Snarling, she yanked her right arm free of the restraints followed by her left arm.

Revan hand when to his vibroblade but it was too late. With another snarl, Mars threw force lightening at him. Unable to block in time, Revan tensed his body.

The lightening hit him square in the chest and Revan suddenly felt burning agony across his body before the sensation of being flung backwards took over. His head hit the bulkhead, hard, and his vision was lost to darkness.

Malak paced backwards and forwards. Resisting the urge to reignite his lightsaber he swung his head to stare at the doctor.

"Is he awake?"

The doctor glanced at the Dark Lord and seemed to wilt under his gaze.

"Yes my Lord. He has regained conscious, although at the moment he is in extreme agony."

Malak nodded, satisfied. Bandon needed to be broken first if he was actually to be his apprentice. At first Malak just sought to hurt him over his betrayal of Mars. But gradually he came around to the idea of Bandon replacing his former apprentice. He was cunning, strong, and tenacious. All the qualities of a good Sith apprentice.

Applying pressure to one of Bandon's lightsaber wounds, he mentally smiled at the pained hiss that escaped from the beaten man.

"Are you listening Bandon?" Malak said menacingly.

Bandon nodded slowly.

"You will be my apprentice from hence forth. A tool to be used by me to hunt down and destroy both the Jedi and the Republic. Fail and it will cost you your life. Either from Jedi or from ME. Succeed however and you can take my side at the centre of the galaxy!"

Bandon smiled slightly despite the pain but Malak pressed on.

"Know this though. If you betray me like you did Mars then I will keep you alive long enough for you to beg for a quick death."

Bandon managed a small shiver before his eyes began to sag his body slouched.

Ignoring his new apprentice Malak turned to the doctor "Keep him awake for the rest of the day. I want him to suffer."

The doctor gazed fearfully back at Malak "But my Lord, to do so would-"

The rest of the doctor's words were cut off as Malak hand clasped around his throat. "Do not question my orders."

Releasing the doctor from his grip he turned to march back through the doors just as the doctor began to pump drugs back into Bandon's system.

"Is he awake?"

Revan eyes fluttered open at the sound of someone's voice. Rising from a bed he momentarily winced at the damage Mars' force lightening had done before taking in his surroundings.

He was in a wide, open room surrounded by large statues depicting ancient Jedi in battle poses. Revan recognised it as the training room from the temple.

Why was I brought here and not the medical area?

Frowning slightly Revan turned his head and saw all of the Council Masters positioned in a semi circle around him. To his immediate left was Sheela Mars, apparently unconscious lying on another bed.

"She is physically unharmed if that's what you're wondering about" Zhar said, answering Revan's unspoken question. "We entered the ship to find you both unconscious. You woke up, although we doubt that Sheela Mars in this state will ever awaken."

Revan's frown deepened "There must be something we can do for her."

The Masters traded uncomfortable looks. "There is one possibility" Vrook said cryptically.

"Oh I'm not going to like this am I?"

Vrook gave him a look of scorn before continuing "The mind might be lost but the body remains intact. If we were to...create a new mind that the body would accept, then she could yet live."

Revan thought it over unhappily. Would it be better to live a vegetable or a lie? "Wait...Why can't you restore her former personality?"

Again the Masters shifter uncomfortably "That cannot be permitted" Kavar said quietly.

"You would make her your unwilling slave?" Revan's voice began to rise "I thought the Jedi were supposed to be the guardians of justice! How can you justify manipulating someone like this!"

"You forget your place Knight Revan" Atris hissed.

Quietly Revan seethed. Joining the Mandalorian Wars to protect the innocent against hardened warriors was wrong but making a person an unwilling pawn when they could be saved was fine?

The hypocrisy.

Master Vandar sighed audibly, and lifted his head to look up at Revan.

"Did you know that in the Battle of Telos, over 80% of Malak's ships were designated as 'unknown' Revan?"

Revan's furious mind quieted and he stopped to listen to the diminutive Master but Kavar took over.

"Ships don't just appear from thin air Revan. Malak is getting these vessels from somewhere and Mars might just know the secret. This could very well determine the Republic's fate."

Lifting a hand to his chin in contemplation Revan considered the implications. With a fleet of unknown, numerous and potentially superior ships, Malak could soon overrun what was left of the Republic's defences. He might not like it, but the reconstruction of Mars' profile might be what saves the galaxy from a greater darkness than the Mandalorians.

"Malak's forces have already taken over another star system in a matter of days." Zhar added, as if reading Revan's thoughts.

Sacrifice the mind of one to save billions. It seems like such an easy choice in theory. And Revan knew all about sacrifices. But Mars was, had been, a friend. She could have even been more than that once, but that was long ago now.

Mutely Revan nodded to the Masters of his acceptance of their decision.

"What needs to be done?"

"First we need to create a link to her shattered mind to implant the personality."

Revan shook his head tiredly "And who creates the link then?"

Revan could have sworn he just saw Vrook smile "You of course" The senior Master said.

"What? But I have no experience with mind melds, how could I do the procedure?"

"Being bonded to her has its advantages Revan. When you preserved her life with the force, it created the bond." Zhar said.

Revan cursed mentally. The cold feeling he felt when Mars woke up, it was her surprise and fear. Being bonded to a Sith Lady definitely wasn't on top of Revan's wish list.

"Fine I'll do it then. But the previous point still stands. I don't know how to do this."

The Masters looked at each other before Zhar spoke up "We have drafted in some help with this."

Almost as if on cue, Bastila walked into the training room and towards the centre and bowed to the Masters before moving to where Revan stood.

"Bastila? What are you doing here?" Revan asked, surprised.

Bastila smiled slightly before answering "I'm here to assist you with the mind meld technique. My Battle Meditation makes me ideal in supporting your mind meld with Mars."

Returning the smile Revan clasped a hand over her shoulder "Well if there was anyone in this galaxy who could help me destroy and reshape a person's personality I am happy that it is you at least."

Master Vrook cleared his throat meaningfully before giving the two young Jedi in front of him his most frank stare.

Bastila jumped slightly at the interruption and approached the unmoving form of Mars. Placing a delicate hand over her head Bastila gestured towards Revan.

"First off put your hand over the forward section of the..."