Revan's Story: Chapter 10 - Speaking in Tongues

Once inside there was a dead body to greet us. He hadn't been dead for long but he was dressed in blue Jedi robes. Something tells me I wasn't the first person they decided to send in here. I knew what was so important in here and I knew I was the only one to open up what was in here. How did I know this? I wasn't sure.

"Know him?" I asked Bastila.

"Yes, that was Nemo," she said. "The council must have sent him in here to see what Revan wanted in here."

"So you know more then you are leading on huh?" I said. "So that's why I'm in here, because they need to see what Revan was up to?"

"That's part of it," Bastila said. "Kana, it's important that we find out what Revan needed in here so badly. There is something sinister about what she was up to and it's up to us to figure that out. Please, just help us."

I couldn't say no. Why was I going all soft? This wasn't me at all. I only looked out for myself. Was I losing myself or was I finding myself in this newfound compassion. I sighed. The smell of blood was almost too much for me to bear. Poor Nemo was sliced and diced by a droid.

I walked inside a bit further and in the center of the room was a huge droid. I wondered if this was the thing that had killed Nemo. It began to shake and rumble violently. It began to speak to me in a language I don't understand.

I shook my head at the droid. "I can't understand you, can you try another dialect?"

It switched to another dialect that I couldn't understand. I sighed, "I can't understand that either. Those are all ancient dialects. Try once more?"

"Why have you come here again human? Did you not gather what you needed the first time you have come here?"

"Hey, I understood that," I said. He was speaking Selkatha and obviously he had a screw loose. I was never here before but the weird thing was, I had memories of it. "I came to see what you have hiding in here. How old are you anyway?"

"Yes, you had asked that same question the last time. There is something different about you this time human. I am the Overseer. The Builders programmed me to enforce discipline among slaves while this monument to the power of the Star Forge was constructed. I cannot be precise but from my calculations I am nearly 25,000 years old."

Bastila gasped behind me. "But that would mean that this droid is older than the Republic itself!"

"Seems that way," I said. "The other languages this guy was speaking, I know what they are but I just can't understand them. I mean, I can distinguish them but that's it. He tired Tusken, Rakatan, and then finally I understand Selkatha. Anyway, I believe that he is as old as he says he is."

"That's impressive Kana," Mission spoke up. I almost forgot the kid was with me.

"Thanks Mission but I don't really remember where I learned all of these languages," I said. I was being honest, something I knew I was never good at. I felt like I losing myself but finding myself all at the same time. It was so confusing.

"Can you ask it what it holds in here?" Bastila asked.

"You must tell the other human that she has already asked me and that the information she seeks will only be hers if you and she can complete the tests that were put in by the Builder's themselves."

"Snappy little droid, aren't you?" I sighed. I turned my eyes to Bastila and gave her a weak smile. "There's a test we have to pass before he tells us anything."

"Human, I am surprised you do not remember the meaning of this temple and why the Builders placed it here. Curious that is."

"This bucket of bolts thinks I was here before, not sure if we can trust anything he says," I said. "But we don't have much of a choice do we?"

"No, so let's get this test of his over with," Bastila said.

I instinctively walked over to the door on my right. Once inside, my lightsaber was already drawn to deflect blaster bolts. "Mission, I'm going to need you to target this guy's sensor and blow them away."

"On it!" she called. She aimed and fired away. I knew I could count on Mission; the droid's targeting system was offline. "Got it!"

I charged and jumped over the droid, slicing its back side while Bastila took care of its front. Once it was down for the count, I turned my attention to the computer terminal. My fingers tapped with an expert's ease. I answered a few questions and the door across from us shot open, the droid inside began to fire.

Mission knew what to do. The little twi'lek jumped into action. She rolled herself on the floor to dodge those blaster shots. Raising her blaster, she shot through the targeting system. "Bull's eye!!"

"You're a natural," Bastila said.

"Fucking amazing is what she is," I said. I meant that. I wasn't a total bitch all the time; I'm only a bitch to those I can't stand, like Carth. Okay, so I have this hate thing with soldiers. Sue me.

Once again, me and Bastila fell into a very familiar and smooth battle strategy. My blade swiped the back of the droid while hers flawlessly took apart the front of it. If Revan had come in here some time ago, I wonder how these droids built themselves again. I know that the Builders haven't been here since they built the place. I figured I'd think about later, I had a computer terminal to attend to.

My fingers tapped against the keyboard and another series of questions were flawlessly answered. I was beginning to feel like I had been here already. "All done, you hear that?" I asked them. There was another door opening. I ran out of the room while they followed close behind me.

"I figured you would understand the test human. Inside you will find one of the star maps that will lead you to the star forge. The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their Infinite Empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."

"The Infinite Empire, yeah, this guy is old," I said. "Star Forge, that sounds familiar. I might have learned about it somehow. Come on; let's go see what this map is about. Thanks Droid."

"Thread with caution human."

Inside the large room we had unlocked there stood a metal structure. My eyes adjusted to the dark quickly as I made my way towards it. With each step, I felt the power surging inside of me. There was something so wrong but so right about this. Without even thinking, I reached out my hand and unlocked the Star Map.

What a wonder it was, it was a map leading me to another planet, the Wookie planet of Kashyyyk. Looks like Zaalbar is going to be heading home.

"Can you read this Kana?" Bastila asked me. She stepped next to me so close that I could feel her heat lifting off her body.

"Yeah, it's just a line heading over to Kashyyyk. There are more of these maps and they are going to lead to this Star Forge thing. This, thing, it's a weapon I think. I don't know why I know this but the maps are set out so only the Builders can find it but I guess I cracked the code. I don't know how but I did. Come on, we should tell the geezers."

"Kana!"

"Right, I forgot you don't like that," I laughed. Mission laughed with me and walked out of the temple with me. Bastila threaded behind us with a sour expression.

---

"So what are you saying?" Vrook asked. "That this thing is a map to a weapon? We should send another team to find these things."

"Enough," Vander held his small hand up. "Kana will go. She has shown that she has the skills we need for this mission. Go then Kana, find the star maps and stop the Star Forge."

"I will," I said. Somehow, this wasn't a lie. I didn't want the world to be like it was; I wanted something better for some reason. Oh, I was going soft. This was all Bastila's fault. I could feel it in my bones.

I left the chamber with Bastila next to me. We walked in silence to the Ebon Hawk where my crew was waiting for us. "So, are we ready?" I asked them.

"Ready as I ever will be," Carth replied.

"Let's go!" Mission exclaimed.

Zaalbar joined in with a simple, "Yes!"

Canderous nodded his head. And Bastila showed me how ready she was by simply walking into the ship. I smiled at her eagerness. "Alright, let's get going."

The Ebon Hawk rose out of the enclave and rocketed towards the sky. Once inside, I plotted the course for Kashyyyk. I was excited to be doing this but there was something nagging me. There was someone on the horizon. Someone I knew some how. They were looking for me. I wasn't sure what the feeling was but I couldn't push it aside.

To make matters worse, Bastila refused to leave me alone. Once I was in my cabin, she came in front after me and locked the door behind her. I was slightly annoyed by her actions. There was enough in my head and to deal with her indecision was going to be the end of me.

"I'll make this quick, I can't seem to get over my feelings for you," she said bluntly. "They keep hounding me and I just can't pretend anymore."

I resisted the urge to make an arrogant comment. "So what are you telling me?"

"I don't know Kana, I just—" I cut her off by placing my lips on hers. It felt right kissing her. It was like I had done it a million times before and it felt good. There was nothing else I needed and everything in my head went away. My annoyance with her from her intrusion and even that feeling that someone I knew was looking for me.

I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes longingly. I wanted to take her right then and there. I wanted to make her mine. She looked at me with a flush in her cheeks and we stood there in silence for a few moments. "That was completely wrong," she said breaking the stillness in the room.

"It didn't feel wrong to me," I said boldly. "Screw the rules. I love you."

I wasn't sure where the big L word came from but it escaped my lips before I could pull it back into my mouth. I knew I wanted Bastila, but did I really love her? My heart thumped against my chest. I gulped.

"You love me?"

"Yes."

She hugged me softly. "They can never know," she said. "And somehow I fear that they will find out. What are we going to do?"

"Listen to me, we don't have to tell them a damn thing," I said. "Love isn't going to do anything but give you and I hope. I hate the rule and it doesn't make sense. This is right Bastila."

"I suppose it is," she said. "I just can't stop myself anymore. I just can't."

"You don't have to. I want to be with you. I feel strongly about it."

I kissed her again. It was sweeter than the first kiss, filled with a deep emotion that I didn't understand. It must have been our bond. I didn't care what it was. I just felt more alive than I ever have in the past.

Once we broke apart, Bastila looked to the door. "I should get to my room and meditate there's something that's bothering you."

Oh, that's right. She just had to remind me. Someone was looking for me. But why?