Chapter 13: Outmaneuvered

The medics woke me up in the tank a few times, part of the standard operating procedure to check on a patient's mental and physical state. They filled me in on the diagnosis. My list of injuries was quite impressive. I took basic functional tests using hand gestures and nods and following their directions to move and flex. They seemed satisfied with the results each time and put me back under to heal more.

They woke me again when they finally hauled me out. I wasn't in much pain in the tank, but as the buoyancy of the fluid was withdrawn, gravity pulled on every single wound and scar. I ached all over. The meds were sympathetic, but too busy to be very gentle as they unhooked me from the tank connections. Within a short time, they had me up and walking, lending support with their own bodies until they had confidence I wouldn't fall. My injured leg was nowhere near healed, so I limped rather badly, but was able to walk well enough that they allowed me a private trip to the san to shower. I took my time in the warm water. What a luxury to be clean and free of the tank gick! I put on the clean hospital robe and hobbled out of the san. A cheerful young medic in a standard Republic uniform showed me to a bed. I was exhausted from the shower and was happy to climb in and obey the direction to sleep.

They kept me in the clinic for a couple of days, until most of the healing was complete and I regained some strength. Nobody came to visit. I asked one medic if anybody had stopped in while I was in the tank.

"Yes, you had several visitors, but you weren't in any shape to receive them."

"Did you get their names?"

"I didn't pay much attention, to tell you the truth."

"Was there a big, handsome auburn haired man, by any chance?"

She smiled. "Yes, I definitely noticed him. Somebody special?"

"A...friend. That's Carth. Were there any others? Women, older men?"

"One older man and one woman, if I recall." Probably Jolee and Bastila.

"No messages?" I felt a bit deserted

"I'm afraid not." I was a bit surprised the Masters had not taken advantage of the opportunity to be rid of me. But then, I hadn't completed my resignation. They were biding their time.

The same medic came to see me the next day. "We're discharging you today. You've recovered very well." She smiled. "And a certain big, handsome auburn haired man is here to take you home. He brought you these clothes, and insisted on waiting for you." We went through all the discharge routines and I dressed quickly.

I headed out through the door the staffer had indicated, entering a large, crowded waiting area. An exit door was in the opposite wall. I limped onward, eager to see Carth. Maybe that's why I didn't pay any attention to the people in the room with me. I mean, I noticed the Force powers, but it really isn't odd to find Jedi in a Republic med center. I don't think it would have changed anything if I had been more alert.

They all hit me simultaneously. I felt choked and afraid and exhausted and all the other unpleasant ways one can feel from the nasty side of the force. I fought to defend against Force powers, but soldiers were on me, swiping my legs to drop me to the floor, affixing a neural collar around my neck, manacling my arms and legs. I threw off a huge wave of Force, trying to floor them all, but there were already Dark Jedi suppressing my powers, and it didn't do more than knock over a few soldiers. Then the neural collar was activated and I lay motionless. I was hauled to my knees by the ponytail and held in place there.

"So, this is all there is to the great Revan," said a tiny, brown-haired woman standing in front of me. "I'd expected to be more impressed." There was a sprinkling of laughter.

"You have me at a disadvantage," I said tightly, fighting the neural collar.

"I do, don't I? I intend to keep you there, too," she gloated.

"I mean, I don't know your name." It was hard to force the words out, but if Bastila had conquered the collar, so could I.

"I know what you mean. You should know my name, Revan. I followed you to the Mandalorian wars, and to the Sith. Perhaps the stories I hear are true, that the Jedi captured and mindwiped you. Let's pretend it is true. It'll be fun. In that case, introductions are in order. I am Daedra, former apprentice to Lord Malak. Now that Malak has fallen, I have taken his place as Dark Lord of the Sith.'

I studied her sharp-featured, freckled face, but did not recognize her. 'Daedra, huh? Do they call you Darth Didi?' Someday my big mouth is going to get me killed, and I was hoping this was the day. The Force closed on my throat until I saw red, grey, and black, then released me. So much for a quick death. She wasn't going to fall for it. I gasped for air.

'You are marginally more useful to me alive than dead, Revan, but I can use you either way. Don't push me.' I should have known they wanted me alive. They'd gone to a great deal of trouble to use non-lethal Force powers, and the grenades at the power plant were concussion, not plasma or frags. I really needed to think harder, play smarter. The Sith wanted me. Either they thought I could still be useful to them, turned, or there was something at work I couldn't fathom. I decided to work the first angle and see what happened.

'I'm sorry, Daedra, I shouldn't mock you. Especially when you have liberated me from the Republic. You are to be commended. I am grateful for my freedom.' I didn't think she would buy it, but trying something seemed better than nothing at all.

'Freedom,' she mused. 'Well, that remains to be seen. You seemed a willing participant in the Republic efforts, Revan. You cost us the Star Forge, our biggest single advantage. Why do you think you deserve freedom?'

'It wasn't my fault we lost the Star Forge, it was that fool Malak's. He revealed my identity to me on the Leviathan...'

'Yes, that's true. I knew of it, though few others did. What of it?'

'Rather than returning me to my rightful place, he sought to challenge me to a Master-Apprentice duel. I had no intention of allowing him to continue to benefit by his cowardly usurpation.'

'He lost the confidence of many by attacking you from a distance, though some of us approved. You were too strong to be trifled with.'

'But I was winning, wasn't I? Because of me, we were dominating the Republic. Malak attacked me out of selfishness, ignoring the benefit I brought. If we all do that, there will be no Sith Empire to rule. Malak should have waited until we were further along and secure in our conquests before he challenged me. He was premature.'

'I quite agree. But once you defeated him on Leviathan, why did you run?'

'I did not get a chance to defeat him. We fought, true, but the Republic forces with me joined in the action, then his troops came along as well. I was disabled and dragged off by the Republic, while Bastila was captured and turned.'

'Bastila!' she spat, 'She tried to take my place. But she failed. She was not well suited to the Sith. I don't know what Malak saw in her.'

'He wanted her Battle Meditation, Daedra. She would not have been a worthy apprentice without it. Not like you. You have shown great initiative, courage, and skill in rescuing me. I applaud you.'

'Rescue? Is that what it was? We shall see. But what happened on the Star Forge?'

'I used the Republic ships to gain entrance to the forge and their forces to help me to reach Malak. Bastila fled before my arrival, and later returned to the Republic ships claiming to be rejoining the light side. But I know she fled because she feared the Forge was lost, the coward. I finally got the chance to defeat Malak and kill him, but by that time Bastila's re-defection had turned the tide of the battle against us. I was unable to save the Forge, and a Republic vessel was the only one left to take me off. I've been biding my time ever since, waiting for a chance to rejoin you. And you've given me that chance now. I shall reward you suitably.'

'What a lovely story. But why couldn't you get away until now?'

'I was watched and guarded constantly. They set a killer droid, Jedi, and even a Republic officer to watch me. I've had no chance until now.'

'But you fought off my attempt to rescue you on the Ebon Hawk when it was just you and a droid. You could have let us pull you in and we could have disabled the droid for you. You fought us at the power plant, as well, guarding the Republics with you. It seems to me you didn't want rescue.'

'I didn't know who you were or what you wanted. How could I? If I'm attacked, I defend myself. You never indicated your intent to save me.'

'And who is this 'Carth' you mentioned so often to the medical staff?'

'Carth Onasi, the worst of them all.' I shuddered. 'It was bad enough to be in Republic hands, but the indignities that he inflicted on me were humiliating.'

'You seemed eager to see him.'

'I was eager to know where he was. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.'

"Then you will be gratified to know that he fell into the same trap that you did."

I went cold. "Gratified, indeed, and even more if you let me deal with him. I will enjoy it immensely. I'll need a little time to figure out a suitable payback."

"Well, you'll get to witness his demise, certainly. But you won't be in any position to comprehend it, Revan." She smiled coldly. "Did you think the Star Forge was blind? No, we had eyes everywhere. I watched what happened in the control room, when you persuaded Bastila to return to the Republic side. I watched you try to turn Malak, like a fool. If you had truly remained a Sith, you would have used Bastila to help you regain the Forge and destroy Malak." My only card was a bust.

"I can be useful to you, Daedra. Bind me as your apprentice and my powers and military prowess will be at your command."

She shook her head. "You should understand from the overwhelming force arrayed against you here that I prefer the odds greatly in my favor. I won't allow you any opportunity to escape. If Malak didn't think he could control you as his apprentice, I'm certainly not going to take that chance, either. And I don't need your cooperation to gain your power."

"You saw our little toys on the Star Forge, didn't you, Revan? They weren't the only ones, naturally. Malak had me working on a project to improve them on a Sith planet, away from the Forge. The converters on the Forge used lifeless lumps of meat, sucking the remnants of their Force power from their marrow. The bodies didn't last very long, requiring us to obtain replacements quickly. Our new model works on live Jedi." I had been trying to keep my face impassive, but must have shown a reaction. She laughed. "Don't like that, do you? You can last a long, long time generating Force power for us, Revan. And don't think about rescue. Your Jedi friends believe you are dead. Here, look." She held a datapad before me, activating the vids. They showed a solemn official ceremony. Some Republic official I didn't know was speechifying about the tragic loss of a Hero of the Republic - me. It was my memorial service. Darth Didi was right; nobody would come looking for me.

Daedra smiled nastily. "I'm looking forward to tasting your power, Revan." She nodded to the soldiers holding me. They dragged me to another room filled with the familiar capsules. Some were full already. I recognized a couple of the captive Jedi from the temple on Coruscant.

I considered struggling, but between the Jedi suppressing me, the neural collar, and the shackles, I didn't have a chance. Daedra certainly had it together and packed tight. I waited, hoping they would slip up, give me a single instant to act. I planned and rested, gathering my wits. These particular machines provided life support and required hookups to the live body. I had a feeling I wouldn't like them. The soldiers cut off my clothing and began squabbling, arguing over who'd get me first. Darth Didi cut off the debate. "If I let one of you have fun, I have to give you all a turn. That will take too long. This isn't a civilian you're dealing with, its a very dangerous Jedi. We can't keep her suppressed forever. Get her in the machine, quickly."

They hooked me up to the support systems most ungently, laughing. I was right. I didn't like it at all. They got me in a suspensor field in the machine, unshackled me. The suspensor held me captive but no worse. I waited, poised and ready. A soldier reached into the suspensor field and removed off the neural collar at the same time the Jedi released the Force suppression. In the time it took him to withdraw his arms from the machine, I acted. In that second, I projected all my fear, sorrow, and love into a single mental Shout to the only person I wanted to reach. Then they activated the device, and everything went away.