REVENGE OF THE SITH
Part IX – Confrontation
The confrontation between the factions of the Jedi and the Sith had been going on for centuries, dating back to the day errant Jedi had been cast out of the Order and stumbled upon the planet of the true species of Sith. It had been the same when those prestigious Jedi had fallen and then returned as leaders for their enemies. It was a hard lesson that the Republic learned from and the Jedi ignored.
But in the light of the events of the Mandalorian War, the Jedi Civil War, and the battles that raged with the so called ‘shadow Sith’, the Republic will decide if they can afford another confrontation with the Sith and if the last of the Jedi can handle confrontations of their own.
The skies of the galaxy were quiet and peaceful at times. It was any wonder why people enjoyed flying through space to their next destination. However, there were also times when though the skies may be peaceful, the air of the galaxy was anything but calm.
That was how things were now, as the ship known as the Ebon Hawk zipped through space. While the darkness of the sky and the sparkle of the stars shone brightly, the feeling within the ship was that of unease.
The small ship had just managed to escape a Sith ambush on the planet of Thule and though they had managed to capture the dark lord, Darth Trayun, they had also had an injury of their own.
Young Dustil Onasi seemed to have been greatly injured, as though he had walked through not only a dozen mines, but had been attacked by several grenades as well. The injury was substantial enough to warrant the ship to dock at a planet where the best care could be given. For that, the choice was Coruscant.
That in itself fit perfectly with Revan’s plans. He was fully intending on delivering Ellis to the Supreme Chancellor and the Senate himself and no amount of persuasion was going to stop him. Currently, the former Sith lord was held in the room that Juhani had occupied on the first outing of the Hawk and where Ellis had found the HK-47 on the second.
With the door shut, it felt like a prison; an enclosed space with only a small window. Revan couldn’t deny the man medical treatment for his injuries, but Ellis wasn’t going to get the same kind that Dustil would. Revan had no intention of helping his former friend.
It was actually Carth’s humble suggestion that he contact his ship, the Sojourn, as to avoid the planet of Coruscant or at least to only stay on the planet for the shortest time frame. It was decided, as the decorated admiral put in a call to his ship, to meet them at a coordinated site, where the Ebon Hawk could be hidden away from any prying eyes out there.
It only took about an hour for the large interdictor ship to find the small freighter and bring it aboard. While Dustil was rushed to the med bay, the crew took the time to learn more about the attacks they had heard of.
The holonews was abuzz with word that the worlds of Onderon and Corelia had been attacked. While Corelia was fairly unscathed, there was word of an occupation in the city of Kor Vella. The worst news was that of Onderon, as it seemed no word was coming from the planet.
Revan and Bastila both had tried getting in contact with either the queen or that of Canderous Ordo, with no luck and they each feared the worst. Added to that was the news that came from Dantooine and Ossus.
Both worlds having being attacked and razed, just as Brianna Kae mentioned they would be and just as the crew had felt in those early morning hours.
Though he didn’t say it, Bastila could tell this was testing her husband to the breaking point. And it wasn’t just Revan she worried about; Carth hadn’t said more than two words since he came around after they had all gotten back on the Hawk.
The young woman didn’t think his son’s injuries were all that plagued him, but she was hard pressed to find anything else. And when her hope that Lynsel would be able to find the underlining problem, she was as shocked as the Intel agent when Carth wouldn’t talk to her either, just saying that he would be in his quarters.
The Sojourn crew wasn’t sure what to make of things either; they had been so used to seeing their commander in such good spirits and never as distant as he seemed to be. They didn’t know what was going on, but they could tell by these new arrivals that things were not good. But they were professionals and they eagerly showed the Hawk crew to quarters within the ship.
Revan and Bastila lingered a bit, in order to check on their prisoner. Darth Trayun obviously did not like being within an enclosed space, especially one that had been used to house his droid. But that wasn’t what had Darth Trayun in a mood — it was the fact that he had been captured by Revan, bested by Revan, and that man had been spreading lies about his wife. Brianna would never betray him, never.
“Come to gloat, Revan?” he asked, once his prison doors had opened and he stared into the face of his former commanding officer.
“I’ve come to check on you,” the former Jedi replied. “I have to make sure you’re in good shape for your execution.”
“My execution?”
“What? You think I’m just going to just let you hang out in my ship?” came the retort. “I’m going to turn you in, of course. You need to answer for your crimes, Ellis.”
“That’s rich, coming from you,” The dark lord said. “And how many times have you answered for your crimes?”
“This is a different situation.”
“Sure it is,” Ellis taunted. “Completely different because you’re Revan the almighty and I’m just a little no name Sith Lord who just happened to have decimated the entire Jedi Order. But everyone does that, I’m sure.”
“How can you be so satisfied with the outcome?” Bastila asked, her eyes slightly widened at the statement.
“Do you really think I wouldn’t want to see every last Jedi in this galaxy dead?” the young lord answered with a sneer.
“Enough, Ellis,” the former Jedi commanded. “I’m sure Admiral Onasi has a nice cell for you to sit in while we make our way to Coruscant. Once the Supreme Chancellor and the Senate have you and then hear what your lovely apprentice Brianna has said…”
“Stop lying about her!’ the young man exclaimed. ‘She would never betray me, never!”
“Oh really?” Revan huffed, taking a step towards his prisoner. “Perhaps you’d like to see the holo she sent to me, just before your troops took her into custody.”
At that, the Sith Lord’s eyes grew big.
“You’re lying,” he whispered.
“Follow me,” Revan said. “And you’ll see for yourself.”
He turned from the younger man and headed for the communications room, where he went to work on replaying the message that Brianna had sent. And all the bravado and arrogance that had claimed the young dark sided leader simply evaporated; his shoulders slumped as he watched his apprentice tell Revan about her fears for him and the grimace and anger that crossed his face when he heard the bodyguards attack her.
“Believe me now?”
Ellis shook his head slowly, more in disbelief than actual disagreement. “I can’t go with you,” he whispered. “I have to save her.”
To the young man’s surprise, Revan actually laughed at that.
“It’s noble that you want to save your friend,” he chuckled. “But I don’t think you understand what’s going on here. Nothing you can say or do is going to make me change my mind. I’m going to be rid of you once and for all.”
With that, the former Jedi turned and began walking towards the exit of the ship, a slightly stunned Bastila following him. Ellis too was shocked. Where was the overly compassionate Revan he had heard about since the man’s redemption? Surely he would help…he had to.
“Revan, I’m not going anywhere with you,” he pleaded. “I have to find Brianna. I have to…”
“She’s a lost cause,” the man responded, turning swiftly to face his old friend. “You heard what happened at the end of that message. In all likelihood, she was dead before they left her shuttle.”
“She’s not dead!” the Sith Lord exclaimed. “I would know! I would know if they…”
“Were the masters this whiny when you killed them?” Revan asked, earning a look from his wife, which he conveniently ignored.
“For someone with all that bravado, certainly you’d want to die for your cause. You had no problems killing all those people on Honoghr or Ossus or even Dantooine. Why should I spare you to go looking for your apprentice, who is probably as dead as those worlds are now?”
Just as he went to turn again, something that Ellis said stopped Revan.
“She’s with child,” the younger man choked out. “My child, our child. We were married a few months ago, as we were coming upon Korriban. That’s why I know she isn’t dead. They aren’t dead. I would know.”
He gave a glance at Bastila before continuing with, “I would think you’d understand.”
Revan said not a word, his mind and body whirling with emotions. He was so set on turning Ellis in, removing an obstacle from getting to the True Sith species that had now made their presence known — the thing he feared they would do.
It had been Ellis who gave them that opening, the in to the galaxy and he wouldn’t be a savior if he continued to harbor the wanted man on his ship. On the other hand, this Brianna Kae — correction Yoly — was not only the wife of this criminal, but was carrying their child.
And Ellis knew if in the same situation, Revan would do anything to save Bastila and their daughter, who was still growing within Bastila’s womb.
“If I ever had your friendship,” Ellis continued, this time his voice taking on a pleading tone. “If it ever meant anything to you at all…”
At this, Revan chuckled, before turning around to face his ‘friend’. “Who are you to speak of friendship to me?” he asked, bitterly, once again surprising those that surrounded him.
“No more games, Ellis. I have played my last game with you and now, I’m the one in control. You ask me to help you, so I ask you to help me.”
He walked up to his former friend, noticing the man was slightly taller than he. “I’ll stay your visit with the Senate and I shall help you find your wife, but in return, you will help me destroy the Sith.”
Ellis’ eyes widened at the suggestion and he began shaking his head. Revan easily countered the argument.
“Oh yes, you will help in that endeavor,” he seethed. “Because if you don’t, I will make sure you never see your wife and child again. If they are indeed alive, as you claim, I will make sure that they never have contact with you or you with them.
“We’re going to start playing by my rules, Ellis and that’s the condition I have set. I know you will not refuse it.”
As deeply enraged as he was, the young lord knew Revan was right. Despite being the former dark lord of the Sith, Revan still had ties to the Republic — most notably that of Admiral Onasi — and if he commanded it, Ellis would never see Brianna or their child.
Though it pained him to admit it, there was no way he could refuse, especially if it meant getting Brianna back. Revan seemed to have seen the emotions that passed across the young man’s face and he apparently saw the resignation within it, for he nodded and said, “Good.”
He turned around once more, again heading to the path that would lead to the Hawk’s exit, but he stopped again, this time to look over his shoulder at Ellis.
“While you are a guest here on my ship, you are to behave accordingly. If I hear or discover you have upset or attacked my crew by any means, I will kill you. And believe me when I say that no one will miss the sight of you. Other than your wife, of course. Assuming that she lives.”
“She’s not dead,” came the whispered retort.
“So you say.”
Revan then took his leave along with Bastila, who gave the young man a look of sadness before she left. The Sith Lord continued to stand within the main hold before going back to his make shift prison. Once the door had shut and he knew that he was effectively locked in, is when he fell to his knees and sobbed.
Carth Onasi wasn’t one to believe in dreams or what they could mean, but he knew where he was before the realness of it hit him. He’d had dreams like this before, where he had woken to find himself in his old house, the one on Telos before it had been bombed.
He had them on a regular basis after that, dreaming it was another day for him and that he was coming home for good now. And it always ended up as the same — the bombing started and he was again thrust back to the day he held his dying wife in his arms. As the years went by, they weren’t so bad. He could talk to her, tell her things about his life and she would counsel him, as she always had.
He now stood in the kitchen, a place he immediately felt safe in. He remembered coming home and finding Morgana baking cookies for Dustil; he’d sneak behind her, but she always knew he was there. Then he’d kiss her, long and hard, apologies and promises all in one. The former pilot made his way through the house, noticing that nothing had changed; it was still as he remembered.
His journey took him to the bedroom, where more than one memory took place. All of those birthdays and anniversaries always ended up here and he couldn’t help but smile at those thoughts.
“Even in a dream, your mind is in the gutter.”
He turned to see her in the doorway, walking to him. “We had some good times in here,” she said, glancing at the bed with a smile.
“Yeah, we did.”
She turned to look at him, studying his face. “I’m glad you and Dustil could be friends again.”
He nodded. “Me too,” he whispered. “It was…difficult in the beginning and then the whole ‘shadow Sith’ thing…” he trailed off, running a hand through his hair.
“I’m worried about him, Ana. He…he didn’t look so good when he came off the ship.”
“He’ll be fine,” she reassured. “He’s an Onasi and we’re made of strong stuff. We’re also stubborn as rancors.”
He laughed and so did she. “I miss you so much.” He spurted. “Sometimes…sometimes, I don’t know how I made it through everything.”
“I know it was hard,” she said. “But you did it. Just like Dustil will make it through this. He’s got people who will care for him, especially a little blue Twi’lek.” She grinned at him, while he chuckled.
“I never would have thought the two of them together,” he said. “They did not get along at first, that’s for sure. But…I’ve seen how Mission is right now. She’s worried sick.”
“So are you.”
“Yeah.”
“But you haven’t seen him.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Carth shook his head. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I’m…I’m really confused. About a lot of things.” He sighed. “I saw something…someone that looked like you, but it wasn’t and now I’m…I don’t know.”
He chuckled again. “I’m not making sense.”
“You never did,” she joked, earning a look from him. “Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? First, what’s her name?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The name of the woman you’ve fallen in love with.”
“Who said anything about…”
“Fine,” she huffed. “Leave it to me to fill in the blanks. Her name is Lynsel and she’s an intelligence officer with the Republic. She’s been married once, to a good for nothing politician -” Here Carth laughed. “- and she came aboard your ship as a spy for those Senate types. However, she’s learning pretty quickly things don’t always work out like they’re supposed to.”
Carth nodded, solemnly, remembering how that day would be his last in the Republic Fleet, just to have it blown up in his face and it instead marked the day he would lose his wife and son.
“I know you miss me, Carth,” she said, placing a hand on his bearded cheek. “But you deserve to be happy and this woman obviously makes you happy. You have to let me go, sweetie, in order for you to be truly happy with her.”
She gave him a small smile, saying, “I like her, you know. She knows how to put up with you and I can see you make her happy too.”
“I wanna be happy.”
“I know you do,” she whispered. “And you will be; with her. Our time together has passed, but it doesn’t mean I’ll forget you nor will you forget me. It just means we have to move on now.”
“I still love you,” he choked, feeling hot tears on his cheeks.
“And you always will,” she said. “Just like I will always love you, but you love someone else now. And don’t try to deny it. You know you do.”
He only nodded. She looked away for moment before turning back to him.
“I have to go now.”
“Will I see you again?”
“Whenever you need me,” she said. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I’ll visit Dustil too.”
“He can see you?”
“He always has.”
“How can I see you then?”
She blushed. “If I told you that Revan was in the right area, you wouldn’t believe me.” She turned and headed for the door, but turned to look at him. “I love you, Carth, despite how things may have been at the end.”
“I never meant to hurt you,” he sniffed. “Or Dustil.”
“I know,” she said. “Don’t make the same mistakes with her. There are some things that are more important than duty. She knows that too. Or at least, she’s learning.”
He nodded. He watched her smile one last time before she walked through the doorway. He knew he wouldn’t see her, but it didn’t stop him from walking out into the hall and searching for her. He felt himself smile…
Carth opened his eyes and looked around. He was sitting in his chair behind his desk, his feet propped up. He had expected to feel that tightness he felt whenever he had a dream about his wife, but he found that he felt…lighter somehow.
There was some sadness that he wouldn’t see her again, but it was rather faint and not at all like the other times she had come to him. Pushing himself upright, he thought about what she had told him and suddenly, he wanted to see Lynsel.
He wanted to tell her everything – about his life, his career, his marriage, the mistakes he had made…ultimately, he wanted to tell her how he felt, that she made him want to feel again, that she brightened his day when he did see her, how he thought about her and sometimes not in the most platonic of ways.
He was knocked from his thoughts when his console began beeping. “Yes?”
“Carth?” Speak of the devil…
“Hey,” he said, his voice still fraught with sleep.
“Are you all right?” came her concerned question.
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I’m…are you outside? Of the door I mean?”
“Standing right here.”
“Hold on and I’ll let you in,” he said, rushing from his seat and quickly getting to the door. Once he opened it and saw her, he wished he had tidied up a bit, made himself look more presentable, but when he saw her, he could only smile.
“I wanted to see you,” he blurted, smiling a bit more when he noticed her cheeks redden.
“I wanted to see you, too,” she whispered. “I’ve…I’ve been a little worried.”
He took a few steps to the side, saying, “Come in and we’ll talk. There…there’re some things I want to tell you.”
The planet of Coruscant had always been a busy place, a large hub of activity. The way the city seemed to thrive on the activity of many was energizing to some, though it intimated others.
After the events of the Chancellor’s Ball, there had been a tension that hadn’t been felt on Coruscant for quite some time, not since Revan and Malak had returned as leaders of the Sith. However, even with news that several other worlds had been mysteriously attacked, it did little to stop the hustle and bustle of the planet.
The one thing that Senator Kodis Basil enjoyed about being on Coruscant was the many structures and areas that could be seen and discovered. His planet of Geonosis wasn’t like Coruscant; it was more like Tatooine with its desert atmosphere, yet it held none of the society that the latter planets held.
The insectoid was a busy man, but in this time of uncertainty, he felt it was his duty to enjoy the walks of life that he may not get a chance to have again. The occupation of Sith troops in Kor Vella, along with the attack on Dantooine, Onderon, and Ossus had put the Senate in a difficult situation.
Many of them remembered when Revan had made his presence known again within their chambers and as before, many of them felt that this was just another ploy by the former Sith lord.
The large creature made his way down the crowd streets, nodding to his citizens and stopping to answer questions if asked. Most were the same thing — was this threat real, to which the Geonosian replied that this was just defunct members of the Sith trying to start something. He told them not to worry and that things were well in hand.
He praised the Supreme Chancellor for the efforts he made — immediately contacting the governments of all the planets involved and that he was prepared to aid in any relief efforts. That seemed to pacify his charges, so he continued towards the heart of the city.
The problem with the hustle and bustle of life in Coruscant — or rather the formation of the planet — was the fact that natural resources were scant at best. While the city was spectacular, certainly at sunset as well as at night, it left little room for things like parks and streams.
However, the planet was not without its own beauty and certain things could be altered or even made to give a sense of wonder as well. There were little places of course, those places where one could sit and think for a bit before jumping back into the thick of things, so to speak. It was one of these places that Basil now headed for.
It was in a little alcove on the path between the Senate building and that of the former housing of the Jedi Temple. While the building still stood from the attack from a few years ago, the eery quiet that seemed to pour from those former halls was unnerving. Sometimes, Basil didn’t want to meet anywhere near there; unfortunately, this was the only area that was away from prying eyes.
He was rather early, but he knew his companion would also be early, so he did nothing to quicken his pace any. The area wasn’t much — a small fountain that was center to a few benches, but it met the needs of what they wanted. And sure enough, as Basil walked towards the area, he could see his contact from a distance.
He made a show of aching bones and old age as he sat down next to the younger man as he made his way through a data pad.
“It’s beautiful weather, is it not?” he asked, making small talk as a few people walked by them. The man next to him didn’t answer, only continued to read, as though not hearing anything that Basil was telling him.
“When you get to be my age,” the insectoid continued. “You wish for days like this, where it’s bright and energetic. That’s where all the excitement is.”
Again, the man made no mention to address his companion, opting to replace the pad he was reading with another one he had laying next to him. The two men sat in compatible silence, watching as people passed them by until the activity around them began to slow as people hurried off to their other business.
“Good show you put on, Kodis,” the younger man mumbled. “Over did it a bit, don’t you think?”
“I was under the assumption that this meeting would need to be in secret,” the Geonosian huffed, moving his neck to the side and cracking it. “This of course makes me wonder why we are having it outside in the open.”
“Because,” the young man said, again switching out his data pad for another. “The Senate building has ears, as you know. This way, no one of course suspects anything. I have it on good authority that people are beginning to become suspicious of our activities together.
“While we can easily account for some of these things as work related, others are getting…jumpy, shall we say? Some of our allies feel that our…benefactors don’t go around destroying planets.”
“So what is the course of action, would you suggest?”
“For now, nothing,” the young man replied. “While I don’t know of the plans this new dark lord has, I do know he has yet to check in with us. That worries me.
“I don’t like to feel as though I have no idea what to do and I certainly can’t make it to Supreme Chancellor if the public thinks me as weak or unknowing of things that are happening.”
“Quite right, Robert,” Basil commented. “What do we do about these attacks?”
“It seems to me that this lord has gotten a bit cocky,” Robert said. “Corelia is smack dab in the Core Worlds; the news that there’s a Sith occupation is quite disturbing and will cause panic. You’ve seen so yourself.
“Dantooine…well…no one but the mercenaries and the settlers care about that planet; the same is true with Ossus. Onderon is the biggest hurdle to overcome. However, not many people know that the Queen was once again in power. We’ll use that to our advantage.”
“You have a plan?”
Robert nodded, a small smile on his face. “Corelia is the only world we need to concern ourselves with,” he began. “I will simply tell my father to allow us to go to the planet to learn more about this ‘occupation’. We will simply then make sure that whatever troops are there are not causing too much of a nuisance of themselves.
“We then return here and tell the press that the occupation is over and it was only a few errant remnants of Revan’s Sith, who were no match for our Republic soldiers. That will ease the public’s mind.”
“And for the other planets?”
“For Dantooine, no one will care,” Robert continued. “It’s a place of the Jedi and you know how people feel about them. We will simply offer aid to those settlers, as well as better shelter, and they will forget their time there. It’s a ravaged world; the same is true for Ossus. They are places of the Jedi and in time, they will be forgotten.
“As for Onderon, it’ll be easy to say that an overzealous Vaklu has allowed the Sith on top his planet and that they are doing what Talia and the Republic couldn’t…make the planet prosperous.”
“Onderon is central to the fuel shortage on Telos,” Basil interrupted. “After the destruction of Peragus II by that Jedi last year, the planet is the focus of everyone for a restoration project.”
“I am aware, Kodis,” said Robert. “I’ve heard talk that Revan is trying to strike a new deal, in order to get Telos from under Czerka control. I’m sure it’s a personal favor to Adm. Onasi.”
“None the less, it’s being done.”
“Yes,” the young man sighed. “But it might do us some good. Contact Jana Lorso upon our return; perhaps we can make a deal that will leave Telos and its people happy, while ensuring that Czerka is rewarded for their…diligence.”
Basil nodded. “It’s a fair plan, I believe,” he stated. “The only worry we now face is that of where our dark lord is. You say you haven’t heard word from him?”
“Not in a few days,” Robert replied, shaking his head. “It could mean he’s…keeping low…however, he seems the organized sort. And he and his people have been keeping us informed on things. Perhaps I’ll give another day before looking into where he may have gone.”
“A last concern before you go, Robert.”
“Yes?”
“What are your thoughts on Revan and his people?”
The young man took a deep breath before turning towards the senator. “They are trouble,” he said. “Make no mistake about that. I’ve heard how Revan was when he was a Jedi Knight and Master. He showed no respect for his vaulted council; do you honestly think he would show us any? No, no.
“Revan and his crew are more trouble than they are worth. And if our dark lord has found his way into their clutches, then we are doomed. I believe more than anything if we left Revan in charge, there would be anarchy and we certainly don’t want that.”
“No, we don’t.”
“I’m fearful, Kodis,” the young man said, standing and retrieving his things. “I fear we must get in contact with our…friends. The lack in communication is slight, but just enough to have me on edge, especially if what you say is true. I need to return. I’ll call you if need be.”
With that, the young man hurried off to his office, obviously thinking about their discussion. The Geonosian wasn’t as worried as his counterpart, but he did think they would need to clear things up before their next plan.
The complete and utter take over of Geonosis.