KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC III: FORCE OF ECHOS -Chapter Eleven

Hey again, gang! Wanted to say thanks to those of you still hanging with me and this fic. I haven't abandoned it, as you can see. If you don't know, I have this posted at ff.net as well, though I am revising it here. With that said, I've added stuff to this chapter with some of the info I am using from RotS, so skip stuff until you get to the good stuff. Or re-read for summary!

The halls of the Coruscant Academy were quiet, with the exception of four figures that crept through them. It was still late in the night when the Ebon Hawk landed in the landing bay and most of the city was asleep. Atton had volunteered to check out any of the cantinas that might still be open before Revan silenced him with a look that literally spelled his death if he even considered it.

'The council isn't going to like this,' Kaleb whispered, as the quartet made their way through the arches.

'I've never known you to care about what the council thinks,' the raven haired woman shot back. 'Besides, we're here now and we're not leaving until I get some answers.'

'And just how do you think you'll go about that?' asked a voice.

The group stopped, the figure of Atris stood before them, her lightsaber at her side. Though she tried giving off an intimidating stance, Revan wasn't falling for it. She marched right up to the white haired woman. 'Now,' Revan stated. 'Ordinarily, I would love to just stand here and let everyone know what a backstabbing, manipulating schutta you are, but I have things to do, people to see, so you'll forgive me for skipping our yearly insults.'

Revan made a step to go around Atris, but was blocked by the fallen master. 'Do you really think I'd let you just waltz in and do who knows what to the members of the council?' Atris asked, staring Revan down.

'I'm not in the mood for this, Atris,' the former lady of the Sith replied. 'Now move.'

Revan again tried to move around her obstacle and was again deterred. 'Don't test me,' she growled. 'Move. Now.'

Atris had her saber ready, grinning slightly at the woman. 'In order to get to them, you have to go through me.'

Revan unhooked her lightsaber, igniting it in one move. 'Then I break a sweat,' she murmured.

Igniting her own saber, Atris readied her stance. 'This has been a long time coming, Lady Revan.'

'Maybe now I can shut your big mouth once and for all.'

The two charged at each other, the light from their weapons making eerie shadows on the wall. The rest of the group stood watching, Kaleb preventing Carth from moving forward in order to break up the fight. 'This is their battle, not ours,' the assassin replied. The two women continued their fight, one that had been years in the making.

'I knew you couldn't be trusted.' Atris spat, her saber coming down at an angle.

Revan blocked it, countering, 'Oh and like you can? Tell me, Atris, just how long did it take you to finally fall?'

'Obviously not as short as you,' the white haired woman replied. 'Is that why you're back? To finish what you couldn't before?'

Revan swiped at her, causing the woman to stumble back. 'Maybe I should ask you that,' she said. Glancing at Brianna, she turned back to the woman before her. 'Should I tell her? She spent all these years in your service and you didn't even bother to inform her about what happened.'

'Tell me what?' Brianna asked, looking between the two.

'You could never prove your suspicions, Revan,' Atris grumbled. 'And that's all they were. Suspicions.'

'They were damned good suspicions,' Revan grinned. 'Still are. The only one who doesn't believe that is you, but then again, you could never take not being number one.'

Atris came after the former lord, her lightsaber moving in a fluid motion, but Revan couldn't seem to be deterred. The former dark lady had always been a master at the lightsaber, even when she didn't know it herself. She easily blocked the fallen master's hits, countering with her own, before Drain Life knocked her back. She threw out a Force Wave, knocking Atris to the other side of the corridor. The fallen master again used Drain Life, until she was lifted in the air.

Kaleb stood a little ways in front of her, his hand raised as he delivered Force Crush to her throat. Healing herself, Revan stood, walking over to Kaleb and watching as Atris struggled for breath. 'What is the meaning of this?' boomed a voice. The group turned, the assassin releasing his former master. Master Donovan stood, wrapped in a robe, face mixed with anger and confusion.

'Just the man I wanted to see.' Revan began, walking towards him.

'Revan, have you gone mad?' he demanded. 'What is the meaning of this?'

'I have some questions for you,' she replied. 'And I'm not leaving until I get the answers I wanna hear.'

Donovan looked at the woman in surprise, before glancing at the others in the hallway. Again looking at Revan, he muttered, 'Follow me.' Before turning and walking away, the former dark lord right behind him.

Carth watched as the two left, leaving him and the others just standing there. Looking over at his companions, he could see Kaleb tense, his hand balled in a fist, as he looked down at the woman who had been his teacher. Brianna stood next to him, hand on his arm, trying to prevent him from striking the fallen woman. 'Is he your master now?' Atris asked, glaring at the two. 'Is he teaching you the fine art of being a Sith?'

'Oh, I'm teaching her something, all right,' he replied, sarcastically. 'And believe me, she's quite the quick study.'

Brianna shot him a look, one he winced against. The seasoned pilot shook his head, turning around and heading back outside. The air was crisp and he could see the lightening hue of the horizon. 'You are out late tonight, Admiral,' replied a voice. Carth tensed slightly, before relaxing again, thankful for the company.

'You should talk,' he shot back, 'What're you doing out here at this hour?'

'I felt Revan's presence,' Juhani said, her voice heightened by her accent. 'I think the question should be why are you out here at this hour? The last I saw you, Revan wanted nothing to do with this place or this planet.'

The pilot shook his head. 'I don't know either, Ju,' he whispered. 'I'm worried about her.'

'Has something happened?'

'Too much,' he began. He went on to describe what had happened on the Destroyer and the scene he just witnessed. 'I don't understand, Juhani,' he went on. 'She was doing so well, she was under control. I mean...I don't get the Force and I don't try to admit I understand it, but...do you...do you think that maybe...'

'Do you think that?' she asked.

Carth was quiet for a bit. 'I don't know,' he whispered. 'I...that's what happened the first time, right? Revan fell to the dark side because she went looking for...for something horrific, something that would stop the Mandalorians once and for all. What if...what if when she went, this time into the Unknown Regions, she...'

The Cather looked at him, a thoughtful look on her face. 'I think...I think it may be possible,' she replied, slowly. 'Revan was able to control the feelings of the dark within her during the first war, before coming against the Republic and the Order.'

Carth slumped against the nearby wall. 'I can't lose her,' he whispered. 'I don't know what I'll do if...'

Juhani placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. 'I said it was possible,' she replied. 'I did not say it was fact. Given what may have happened aboard the ship you describe, perhaps Revan learned something she did not already know.'

'I just wish I knew,' he sighed. 'I wish she would talk to me. Before coming to Dantooine, I couldn't get her to shut up and leave me alone. But ever since meeting with the council that first time, it's like some new part of her was opened, the part that's like them.' He sheepishly glanced at Juhani. 'You...you know what I mean,' he said, shyly. 'I know there's something she's not telling me and it's killing me. Cause then I...I start thinking that...that maybe...maybe my love isn't enough. Our love can't beat this.'

'Perhaps Revan will discover what she needs to know now.'

Carth nodded, a bit reluctantly. He only hoped what she said was true and what he thought was only in his head.

---

Donovan led the woman into a small room, one that resembled a small study area. He walked to a desk, turning around to face the former Jedi. Leaning against it, he asked, 'You've come with questions?'

'A lot of them,' she stated.

The man nodded, a light sigh escaping his lips. 'I'm almost sure I know of the answers you seek,' he whispered. 'So, let us not beat around the bush. You want to know why the council chose the actions it did during the Mandalorian War.' Revan only nodded. 'And you want to know why the council decided the way it did concerning young Kaleb Flare before and after his exile.' Again, Revan nodded.

The aging master sighed once more. 'When you were a student,' he began. 'Master Vander had a vision. He had a vision of a great war, worse than that caused by Exar Kun, a war where everything and everyone would be destroyed, wiped out. We were concerned, of course. Exar Kun was...was a hard war to go through and we lost a lot of good men and women to it, either through battle or falling to the dark side. Ulic was one of those. We...watched...waited to see if such a thing could happen again. That's when we got the reports of the mandalorians.

'They had made their way from the Outer Rim and into republic space. Many of us felt this could very well be the vision Vander had seen. So, in order to...protect ourselves, as you would say, we waited. We wanted to see what would happen, if this was indeed what we had feared. When the Republic came for help, we told them that it was out of our hands. That the Force worked in mysterious ways and at that time, we had to wait it out. Unfortunately, it wasn't the council who needed the patience.

'You must understand, Revan, we never thought something like Exar Kun could happen again and we certainly didn't expect you to raise the alarm and gather so many to you. And when it happened, we were unprepared for it. You were one of our brightest students, someone who not only had an incredible handle on the Force, but could inspire and lead at the same time. We had very few of those, very few of those that were as talented as you. And with Malak by your side, you had the brains and the brawn to do anything.

'As I said, we were surprised when you came to us and told us of your decision to help the Republic. We were even more surprised when most of the Order left with you. You had done the impossible. You had divided the Order, not by means of the dark side, but by means of goodness, of righteousness. Of what we had taught you to be. And along with you, Kaleb Flare managed to do the unthinkable.'

'Why didn't you tell him?' Revan asked. 'I know you knew before I did what had happened. Why didn't you tell him? Why would you let him think his family had died, when in reality his sister and godfather are alive and well?'

'You know of our rules about personal attachments,' Donovan replied. 'Do you know how hard it was to even let Kaleb join in the first place? Kelis Flare was his father, a man who had willingly removed himself from the Order because he fell in love. Jonathon Cres is his godfather. Master Vrook wanted to turn him down, but Jon was able to convince us to let him in. He, like you, had a natural ability to wield the Force, something attributed to his parentage. But we were worried. Kelis Flare was very high in his empathic abilities, something his children inherited as well. We felt that, while having some area of sympathy was useful, the level at which Kelis demonstrated was dangerous and he had passed it on to his son.

'And like you, Kaleb was able to lead and gather others to his cause.' Donovan shook his head. 'I wasn't there, on Dantooine, when Kaleb returned from Malachor, but I heard from Master Kavar. Heard how this young man felt hollow, how the Force seemed to have died within him. I know Kavar and others thought exiling him had been a mistake. Till this day Revan, we on the council are still unsure as to why you led so many to war.' He held up his hand to stop her from commenting.

'Let me finish,' he replied. 'We sat around, Kavar, Vash, myself...and we discussed about what happened. We tried to make sense of what they had seen in the chamber that day, of how the Force seemed to lift right out of this young man's body.' He lowered his head, his eyes concentrated on his bare feet. 'I spoke with your master, Kreia,' he whispered. 'She was already feeling guilty. Many of her students followed you and Atris was pressuring the council to do something about it. But I asked. I told her of this young man, this young Knight, who had been a shadow when he walked before the council on Dantooine.

'Though most won't admit it and we teach against it, the Force does, at times, come from one's emotions. It was my thought, anyway, that the deaths of those Kaleb led, of those he was friends with, was too much. It overloaded him, in a way, until...'

Revan nodded. 'I saw it, too,' she whispered. 'Malak and I...we wanted to train him, had started training him, but...I could see it, feel it. I'm the one who made him return, to face judgment and then come back to us. But I knew...I knew something was wrong.'

'It's my belief,' he continued. 'That Kaleb was so overloaded, so...disenchanted, he cut himself off from the Force, from what he was, what he had been.'

Revan was quiet for a time. "Is that possible?" she asked, looking at the master before her. "Can someone truly cut themselves off like that?"

"It has happened before," he replied. "Ulic Qel-Droma was cut off from the Force; it was a necessary action that needed to be taken. He...he was never the same after that."

"I imagine not," she muttered. Revan was again quiet, before asking, 'And my past?'

Donovan again sighed. 'When Bastila Shan brought you before us, you were barely alive,' he stated. 'She had already saved you from dying, creating the bond you held, something Vrook was not happy about.'

'When is he?' she muttered.

'The council debated during your recovery on what should be done about you," he continued, as though she hadn't spoken."We were all split on what to do - some called for your death; others wanted to convert you. As you know, we spared you in hopes that we could turn you back to the Jedi you had been. I looked through names and came across Brianna Tora; she had been a Republic scout before losing her life in one of the first battles with the mandalorians. Her personality seemed to fit yours, so we used her information and gave it to you.'

'But what about me?' she asked. 'What about Revan before that? I found out I was born on Onderon. Is that true?'

The master glanced at her. 'Revan,' he said. 'I tell you what I told you the first time you came. I don't know. I only know of your life when you became an apprentice.' He could see the pain that etched her face. 'I...I think I may someone though, someone who...someone who may be able to help you.'

---

Brianna had never felt such...malevolence before. Well, to be truthful, she had felt something sinister while in the tomb of Freedon Nadd, but it wasn't as strong as the feeling she could feel coming from her former mistress. She had stepped between her and Kaleb, afraid of what this confrontation could lead to. But more importantly, Brianna wanted, needed to ask about her mother.

'Kaleb's my teacher, yes,' she answered, looking down at the woman on the floor.

'He's more than that to you,' Atris spat. 'I can see it. And if I can see it, so will the others. Don't expect to be let in to the Order.'

'That's not why I'm teaching her,' Kaleb replied. 'She had the right to know she could weld the Force, something you obviously had no desire to teach her yourself.'

'You're right,' the mistress admitted. 'I had no desire to teach her the ways of the Force or the Jedi, knowing that she could easily find herself in the same position that her mother did or worse, your position. Ironic, is it not?'

'Then it's true?' Brianna asked, unbelieving. 'What Revan said about my mother?'

'Did I teach you so little that you would heed the words of Revan?' Atris asked. 'You would truly listen to the former lord of the Sith, to a Sith assassin, over my word?'

'I don't know what to listen to,' the handmaiden shot back. 'Now I ask you, from a student to her teacher, did you aid in my mother's exile?'

Atris turned away. 'I am no teacher to you any longer,' she said. Turning back to look up at them, she said, 'Why don't you ask your new teacher? Perhaps he can use his new skills to elicit a confession from me.'

'Force my hand again, Atris, and I shall,' Kaleb growled.

'Enough.'

Revan walked back into the corridor, halting any response Atris could come up with. 'All done?' asked Kaleb.

'Yeah,' she sighed. 'Let's get out of here. We gotta make it to Dantooine before afternoon.'

'Dantooine?' Brianna asked.

'Going to finish off the academy?' Atris quipped.

Revan took a deep breath, sending a glare to Atris. 'Enough, Atris,' she snarled. 'I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with you at the moment. I suggest you leave or I will finish what we started.' The fallen master stood, facing Revan. For a minute, it seemed as if the two women would go at it again, but the white haired woman merely glared at the former lady, before stalking off to her own personal quarters.

'We'd better go and set a course for Dantooine,' Carth replied, looking at his lover.

'You two go ahead,' she murmured. 'I need to discuss something with Kaleb.'

Carth and Brianna glanced at each other, before turning and heading out the door towards the Ebon Hawk. Kaleb looked at Revan, before folding his arms across his chest. 'Well?'

'We've got problems, Junior,' she whispered.

'Tell me something I don't know.'

"There are many things that neither of us know," she quipped.

"Tell me then."

Revan explained what Donovan had told her, watching as he digested what she was saying. "So I became...disturbed...over what happened on Malachor?" he asked, softly.

"Everyone was disturbed after Malachor," she insisted. "But if what you take from Donovan as true, then that's what he and the others believe happened."

The assassin went over to a nearby bench and sat. This was more than he had ever learned from those that sentenced him all those years ago. 'I never knew this,' he whispered. 'Is that what the others thought as well?'

The raven haired woman shrugged, before coming to sit down next to him. 'From what Donovan said, I think so,' she replied. 'I mean, you had your opponents, like Atris and Vrook, but I think the major consensus was that you felt things hard on Malachor and...well, I'm not sure after that. He seems to think that you willingly cut yourself off, without you knowing it."

"Kreia said something to that affect as well," he muttered. "She knew, on Peragus that I hadn't felt the Force in ten years, but somehow...I could feel it flow through it, however faint." They were quiet for some time before he asked, "Did he say how I was about to get it back?"

Revan shook her head. "For all the wisdom in the galaxy," she began. "The Order is still as clueless as a newborn babe. However, Master Donovan was kind enough to point me in the direction of someone who...may or may not help."

"That's why we're headed to Dantooine?"

She nodded.

'I can't go with you,' she turned to look at him. 'There's...too much there...I can't...'

'It's fine,' she said. 'I understand. Come on, we need to head out.'

---

The crew was silent on the way to Dantooine, with most asleep from their late night encounter and travel. Atton was left to himself up in the cockpit, only because Carth was driving him nuts with his restlessness and he had insisted the seasoned pilot leave.

Kaleb had been meditating inside the cargo hold, a place he normally wouldn't. But it did make it easier for Brianna to find him. He sat in the middle of the floor, hunched over, with his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. Not wanting to disturb him, she made her presence known through their link, before kneeling behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

What's wrong, my knight?

Everything.

What does that mean?

Kaleb sighed. 'I need to tell you something,' he whispered, pulling away in order to face her.

'What?'

He wouldn't look at her, but he did answer her question. 'When I was on Dantooine,' he began. 'When I met with the remaining members of the council...they...' Taking a deep breath, he continued. 'They told me why they made the decision to exile me or rather, they told me why I couldn't be connected to the Force anymore.'

'What did they say?' she asked.

'They said I was the end of the Force,' he stated. 'That I had somehow made a breach, an echo, within it that was causing the Jedi to die. That was causing the Sith to feed off and finish what I obviously couldn't. That's why the Sith is...was...after us. That's why Kreia saved me from the Harbinger and then used us. She hated the Jedi, just as I had, and it was to...to show them how much better I was, better than them, because I had learned to live without the Force. I didn't rely on it as they did and it didn't catch me off guard as it would them.

'But because I was a threat, the masters tried taking the Force from me. I always thought I lost the Force because of them, when in reality it was me all along. But it didn't matter to them. As far as they were concerned, having me live and living with the Force spelled their doom, so they tried to take it.'

'Kreia said...' Brianna breathed, piecing everything together. 'She said that it was done. That you were dead and the masters were dead. I thought she had killed you all.'

Kaleb shook his head. 'I don't know what happened, really,' he said. 'Three on one isn't good odds and I passed out. When I woke, the masters were dead, drained of the Force. And I could feel their deaths, but it...it empowered me, I think. I felt stronger and...I had Force Crush.' He looked at her. 'That's a Sith lord power and I still didn't see it.'

'She still used you,' she whispered. 'Even if you think it was for a good cause.'

'I just wanted you to know.'

Is that what Revan learned? Is this why we're going to Dantooine?

Kaleb nodded, but said, 'It's not why we're going to Dantooine though. That's a personal matter for Revan.'

Brianna stared at him, noticing he still kept his head down. Reaching out, she lifted his chin so he would look at her. 'They were wrong,' she stated. 'You're not the death of the Force. If anything, you make it live. I'll agree with Kreia this time, that the masters were wrong in their thinking, that killing you would make things better. That's flawed thinking and I'm starting to realize that very few Jedi admit to being flawed in their ideas and perceptions.'

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her forehead against his. 'I still love you, Kaleb, my Jedi Knight,' she whispered. 'I've loved you from the moment you started asking questions about Atris and my life in the academy. You've always been honest with me, even when the questions I asked provided you with painful answers. I loved you then and I love you now, after everything that's happened. I can never stop loving you.'

Kaleb looked at her, still a small amount of disbelief in his eyes. 'I just...' he began. 'I just don't want my feelings for you to be...to be what you're feeling.'

'What do you mean?'

'My family...my father had a high skill in empathy, a very high skill,' he replied. 'Revan was told that the masters worried I might have inherited that. I did, as did my sisters. I'm just...the council said I had this natural ability to gather people to my cause, to the point they mirror me in everything I did. Kreia said that, too.'

'Is that what you think?' she asked, pulling back slightly. 'That somehow my feelings for you aren't my own?' Kaleb didn't respond, his eyes downcast. 'Kaleb, look at me,' she demanded, causing him to look up slightly. 'That idea is ridiculous. Are you actually saying that everyone who journeyed with you was somehow influenced by you to join in your cause? That you influenced Kreia to turn on you? That you influenced Atton and I to warn you about her? That you somehow influenced Visas and I to fall in love with you? Because if you truly believe that, than you are not the man I thought you to be.'

She gazed at him, watching to see if he truly understood her meaning. 'Do you love me?' she asked.

He looked at her. 'You know I do.'

'Do you love Visas?'

'Not the way I love you.'

'When I wasn't talking to you...when I...thought the way I did, did you love her then?'

'Damn it, what does this have to do with anything?' he asked, clearly frustrated.

'Just answer me.' She insisted.

'Brianna,' he pleaded. 'I've always loved you.'

She grinned. 'If you're so influential, as the council states,' she replied. 'Then wouldn't you have feelings for both me and Visas?' He started to answer, but couldn't find anything to dispute what she had said. 'Despite being a manipulative beast, I believe Kreia truly loved you, as a master does a favorite pupil. And I know you respected her.'

The assassin stared at her, before a smile appeared on his face. 'How did I get so lucky to find you?' he asked.

Moving closer to him once more, she quipped, 'I'm not sure, but you are lucky to have me.'

Kaleb chuckled. 'I think we've been spending too much time together.' He said. 'You're getting a little arrogant.'

'As if you don't enjoy it.' She whispered, bringing her lips to his.

---

'So you know this guy?'

Revan had started pacing as soon as they had entered the ship and entered their makeshift quarters. Carth sat on one of the beds, watching her as she did.

He nodded. 'His name's Mical.' He said. 'He's a former Republic officer, who just happens to enjoy researching the history of everything. He settled on Dantooine after the wars, spending much of his time within the ruins of the Jedi Academy. He does know his stuff. If you wanted to know about your past, he'd be the person to ask.'

'How do you know him?' she asked.

'As I said, he was a Republic soldier.' He replied. 'I...asked him to look around, see what he could find out about this exile that had returned. You gotta remember, Revan, I thought it was you. I thought you had been the fallen Jedi, so I asked Mical for a favor. If he found who I was looking for, he'd call in and tell me.'

'I'm not mad.' She said, the hint of a smile on her lips. 'Besides, I need this guy. Even if I only get half a story, it's better than the nothing I have now.'

It was later in the morning when the ship made its landing on Dantooine. Kaleb once again turned down Revan's request to join her, but did say she may need to talk to the Khoonda administrator, Terena Adare. 'Tell her you know me,' he said. 'She'll give you anything you need.'

Revan, along with Carth and Mission, headed out in the morning sunlight, and towards the Khoonda admin building. The place had changed considerably since Revan and Carth had last been here, during her second training as a Jedi padawan. When they had arrived here, the grass was green and the Jedi Academy stood proudly against a backdrop to the planet. Now, the grass was turning green again, but it was still a dingy brown from the time the second crew of the Ebon Hawk had arrived and even from the building that housed the Khoonda government, the remains of what Malak had done could be seen.

The former Jedi couldn't help but look on in awe at the building she had trained in, now a hollow reminder of what they had been through years ago. Of what she had begun. Carth, seeing the pain etched on her face, tugged on her arm, forcing her to continue with their journey to see Mical. The woman nodded slowly, but her eyes continued to be pasted on the academy, even as her body moved forward into the Khoonda building.

Walking in, they noticed a few people already inside, some who stopped to openly stare at Revan. The woman wasn't sure if they stared because of the saber attached at her hip, something Kaleb had warned her about, or if it was the fact they recognized her as Revan, former scourge and savior of the galaxy all in one. They made their way into see the administrator, who was surprised at the Jedi visitor. After explaining who they were and who sent them, Terena Adare directed them to an office at the end of the East hallway, the office of Mical, the resident historian and scientist.

As they made their way to their destination, Revan felt herself become anxious and nervous. Would she finally find the answers that she sought? Or would she be once again let down by someone she thought could help? She tried not to get her hopes up, but she couldn't help feel that maybe...maybe this time, things would be different.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she nearly collided with Mission when the group reached the door. Knocking, the group waited, until a tall blonde man came to the door, smiling when he saw Carth. 'Admiral,' he replied. 'This is certainly a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?'

'Mical,' the pilot replied, shaking the blonde's hand. 'It's good to see you again. I had hoped that when I saw you last, I could leave you alone." The two laughed at the joke before realizing that other matters called for their attention. "Mical, let me introduce you to Mission Vao."

Mical nodded and shook the blue Twi'lek's hand. "And this," Carth began. "Is Revan."

The man didn't hide his surprise or his evident excitement at being introduced to Revan. 'Well,' he said, the smile only growing. 'This is a pleasure. Come in, please.' He held the door open for them, closing it when they entered. He gestured to the chairs that sat in front of the desk, Mission and Carth taking their seats, while Revan remained standing. Mical walked over to the desk, leaning against it. 'What can I do for you?'

Revan looked at the man, sizing him up, trying to see if what he would tell her would be the truth. 'I think we have some mutual friends,' she began. 'You already know Carth, but I think you met another friend of mine. Kaleb Flare? Tall guy, small tuff of chin hair, bald?'

'The exile.' Mical stated. 'I met him last year, when he came into the sublevel of the Jedi Enclave.'

'What did he want?' Mission asked, suspicion in her eyes.

'He asked why I was there, naturally.' The blonde replied. 'Then he asked about Revan and the state of the galaxy at the time. As you know, Onderon was on the fringe of a civil war and with Peragus destroyed, Telos was left with no fuel to support itself.'

'What did he want to know all that stuff for?' asked Mission.

'I had the feeling he was on his own personal journey,' he responded. "He seemed...well, I believe 'troubled' would be the word I'd associate. He had a presence about, almost confused, but also inheirantly dark as well."

Revan raised an eyebrow at him, causing the blond haired man to chuckle nervously. "But I'm sure the exile isn't the reason you came," he replied, ducking his head at Revan's stare and turning to Carth. "How may I be of service, Admiral?"

'Mical,' Revan began, causing the blond to look at her. 'Carth tells me you're something of a...mini historian, someone who knows anything and everything about the Jedi. I'm wondering if I can use your knowledge.'

The blonde chuckled lightly. 'I think my reputation has preceded me.' He laughed. 'But I do admit, it is a rather guilty pleasure of mine. I find the Jedi fascinating and I do enjoy studying on them.' He looked at Revan. 'Some more than others, I'm afraid.'

'What do you know of me, Mical?' she asked. 'I know it's a strange request, but...there've been...circumstances that have...prevented some of my earlier knowledge.'

The Republic officer nodded slowly. "I had thought...well..." he stuttered. "I had heard the rumors; that the Jedi had 'reprogrammed' you in order to aid them in the war against the Sith."

"And did you believe that?"

"I..." Mical began, again ducking his head away from the former Jedi. "I have studied many aspects of the Jedi and have found them to be...well, our saviors in most cases, but that doesn't mean they don't make mistakes or haven't in the past. And sometimes...sometimes, things happen. Circumstances against the odds, as they say, that can cause undoable harm to those involved." He again looked up to view Revan. "But again, you didn't come to hear my ramblings.

'The destruction of the Jedi Enclave had been massive and many of the records had been lost, but when I came here, I was able to find some that had been untouched. Unfortunately, with the scavengers and the mercenaries, many artifacts were taken.' He looked at Revan, before sighing. 'I know of what the Jedi Council did to you, Revan, and the knowledge has conflicted me. While I believe the intentions were good, I believe the method was less than desirable.

'I know that your home world was that of Onderon and that you came from a typical family. It's believed one of your parents was sensitive to the Force, hence why you were able to use it, though I don't believe it was known which one it came from. You had siblings, I believe two or three brothers. You were trained on Dantooine, where you met Malak and I believe the exile, Kaleb Flare. After that, well...'

Revan nodded. "Lost, I'm sure," she muttered.

"Easily pieced together though," Mical continued. "The Mandolorians attacked and you felt it was your duty to try and save the Republic. You called many Jedi to you and you fought them. Though, it's only speculation as to what happened to you while you were out in the Unknown Regions."

Revan again nodded, her mind thinking quickly to the dreams she had had when the battle of the Star Forge had been won; the reasons she had left in the first place - bits and pieces that made no sense to her at the time; things that slowly painted a broken and torn picture. 'I'm sorry I can't tell you more...' Mical began, but Revan stopped him.

'You've helped more than you know.' She whispered. 'Thank you.'

'It's my pleasure to help.'

'Listen, Mical,' Carth began. 'I know it's short notice and all, but I think we could use a little downtime.' He looked over at Revan to see her reaction, but was only greeted with her back as she silently and slowly paced. Looking back at Mical, he continued with, 'I hate to ask, but...'

'Don't worry, Admiral,' the blonde man replied, a smile reappearing on his face. 'I'm sure I can find some rooms for you and your crew. I think after what the exile has done for the planet of Dantooine, he's welcomed at any time.'

Terena Adare was true to her word, welcoming back Kaleb Flare and his crew. The people of Dantooine had begun building a bigger settlement, which Revan and Carth knew to be the remains of the Mantale mansion. Though no one had moved in yet, there were rooms ready for people to live in. The crew of the Ebon Hawk set up a small camp, thinking they would in and out of Dantooine and continuing on with their quest.

Throughout the day, Revan and Kaleb were together, every time seemed to be in a heated discussion, for which an answer was fleeting. It wasn't until the early evening, when Revan had once again pulled Kaleb over to talk, that a decision would be reached.

'How can you do this again?' the assassin asked. 'After you whined about leaving the first time, you're going to do it again?'

'Damn it, Kaleb, I've got no choice!' she insisted. Looking around, she whispered, 'Look, it's not like I want to do this, but we have to. There's something brewing out there, Junior, and I've felt it. And if I could reel back against it, there's no way I'm taking this crew with me.'

'Then why the hell find us anyway?' he countered. 'You said you couldn't go into the Unknown Regions, that it nearly sent you over.'

'Kaleb, I will not put this crew at risk!' she exclaimed, keeping her voice down. 'I didn't know what was going on when I did this, but I do now. And it's serious, maybe too serious.' She sighed, her eyes closed in resignation. 'Look,' she continued. 'At least, let's go somewhere where we can, I don't know, do a search or something. You heard Lyo. We join him or he comes after us and I for one do not want to lose Adm. Carth Onasi and I have a feeling you like having Brianna around.'

The young man sighed, looking over at the housing they were currently employing. 'What do you want to do?' he asked.

'It's not forever, Kaleb.' She whispered. 'Just...a little while. That way, if we run into Lyo again, we don't have to worry that he could do something to them in order to get us to comply with his wishes. We'll...leave them a note, saying we're...scouting and we'll be back.'

'We need to take the Hawk.'

Revan nodded. 'I know.' She said. 'And the droids. They'll make up for not having Atton and Bao and we need a pilot.'

'That's where T3 comes in.' Kaleb finished.

'Exactly.' The two stood in silence, considering what they were about to do.

'We'll need to leave early.' Kaleb whispered.

'Yeah.' Revan mumbled back. 'And I know where we'll go. I just have to make arrangements, but we should be all right.' Looking over at him, she could see the conflict in his eyes, knowing she felt the same. 'You really care about her, don't you?'

The assassin only nodded. 'I want to marry her.' He whispered.

'Then do what you need to before we leave.'

'The same to you.'

The two tried playing off their plans while with the crew. Neither saying anything to their lovers, using this night to project all they wanted and wished for. As the sun rose above the horizon, Revan and Kaleb left in the Ebon Hawk to parts unknown, leaving their lovers asleep in their beds, a small velvet box awaiting Brianna when she woke.