Exile's Revenge: Chapter 4 "Choices"

Eleven Months After Destruction Of Malachor V

"Uhhhh, what's that sound?" Atton moaned when he woke up, trying to figure out what the horrible wailing sounds were. "The proximity alarm!" The realization hit him like slap in the face. The facility was under attack. He ran over to his comm unit, still only dressed in his bed clothes.

"Colonel, what the frack is going on?" He called through the unit, forgetting to turn off the video feed before doing so. The female Colonel, Izis Zrillar, was surprized when she looked up and saw her commander's near naked form.

"Uhh," She said, confused for an instant, then immediately coming to her senses again. "It's a Sith fleet General, over two dozen capital ships and dozens more support craft."

"Launch the alert fighters," Atton ordered before realizing that they had likely been launched already. "Get me communications with the Flagship, now."

"Uh, Sir..." Col. Zrillar said, more than a little bit embarrassed. "You may want to get dressed first."

Atton looked down, slowly raised his head and looked back up. His face was a mask of embarrassment and shock. "Right, contact the Sith forces. I'll be back in a second."

"Yes, sir." She said. She then saluted and the screen went blank.

Atton immediately went over to his closet and threw on his ribbed jacket and some pants. He then walked back over to the comm unit and contacted Col. Zrillar again.

"Patch me through Colonel," He said when she came back on screen.

"Yes, Sir." She said, but before the screen switched he noticed a strange look on her face. When the commander of the Sith forces appeared on the screen, Atton immediately knew why she looked so worried. Standing in front of the other screen was none other than Darth Revan himself.

"You're alive," Atton said, letting none of his swirling emotions enter his voice. His history with his former commander was troubled, even more so since he had heard from the refugees on Nar Shadda what happened to their worlds during the Jedi Civil War. Atton hadn't known about some of the things the Sith did before he left Revan's service. After his encounter with his nameless Jedi savior and his subsequent trip to Nar Shadda, Atton learned many truths about his former commaders. He had skulked away, knowing what the Sith would do if they discovered a deserter. And now here was Revan, the Dark Lord himself. Atton could sense the Dark Side eminating from Revan, even though they were hundreds of kilometers apart.

"Major Rand," Revan said, his face splitting into a false smile. "I see that you, too, are still alive. Though I must say I'm not surprised, you always were the best tracker in my army. It's no surprise you evaded the others I sent after you."

"I'll have you know that this outpost is well defended, Revan, and I'm no longer a Major in your Army." Atton began before being cut off by Revan.

"I didn't come here for battle," Revan began, a sincerity in his voice Atton hadn't heard since the Mandalorian Wars. "I came here looking for Troy, and I know you know him." Revan said when Atton tried to put up a blank stare.

"Ok, yeah, I know him," Atton began. "You just keep your fleet where it is, I'll contact him and see what he wants to do about you."

"About me?" Revan asked. "But surely he would want to talk to me?"

"And why would you assume that?" Atton asked sarcastically. "You have't lost your arrogance I see. Like I said, keep your fleet where it is, I'll contact him."

"If your people had bothered to do a proper scan of my 'fleet' you would know my ships are barely operating," Revan said. "We ain't going anywhere. Revan out."

The screen again went blank and Atton sat down to think about the emotions he was feeling. 'Why couldn't he just be dead?' Atton wondered. 'Gods, it would have made life so much easier. I just hope Troy doesn't order me to blow Revan's fleet out of the stars before we get a chance to speak to him about the "True" Sith.' Atton sat in his chair for a while, trying to decide how to convince his new Commanding Officer to not kill his old one. After about fifteen minutes and a whole list of comebacks to any suggestions Troy could possibly make, Atton again turned on his comm unit.

"Hey Atton, what's up?" Troy asked. Atton noticed that Troy looked like he had too much Juma Juice.

"Sorry to spoil your good mood Troy," Atton began, searching for the right words. "But Revan just dropped a fleet of warships on my doorstep. He wants to talk to you."

"He wants to talk to me?" Troy asked incredulusly. Atton felt the anger begin to boil as soon as he mentioned Revan's name. "I don't recall him wanting to talk to me before ordering me to Malachor V. I don't remember him wanting to talk to me when he sent me to die, just because I didn't go to the Dark Side like him!" Troy's anger was rising faster than a turbolift on Coruscant.

"Troy, you need to relax." Atton said trying to calm down his friend and commander. "I know he betrayed you, he betrayed us all, but he has information we need. We need to talk to him... and it's been too long since I've 'questioned' a Jedi." Atton said the last comment with a glint in his eye that hadn't been there in years, not since Revan. "By the way Troy, have you been drinking?"

"Uhh, NO!" Troy began, but Atton could see Brianna pouring more drinks in a reflection behind him. "Ok, yeah I have. Bri had some Echani Champagne, how could I refuse?"

"Well we don't want to make Revan wait, do we?" Atton asked sarcastically, both of them laughed. "But seriously Troy you need to talk with him."

"Alright, I'm coming. Tell him to be here in an hour." Troy replied before swichting off his comm.

Atton contacted Revan again.

"Alright," Atton said when Revan appeared. "You've got your meeting. Send one shuttle in one hour. We'll be waiting."

Before Revan could respond Atton turned off his comm.

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Less than an hour later Atton, Troy, Brianna and Bao-dur were all standing in Docking Bay C, waiting for their nemesis to land. When Revan got out of his shuttle, he saw the strangest mix of individuals he could have imagined. Troy Blukam was standing in the middle, Revan noticed that his former General still kept his hair bald, and still had that chin beard. Troy was dressed in the armor he were when he was a General in the Republic Army, modified Felenar armor with his double-bladed lightsaber strapped to his back.

Next to Troy stood Bao-dur, one of Troy's techs during the war, the one who designed the Mass Shadow Generator. Bao-dur was wearing armor similar to the kind worn by a Zabrak Mercenary named Jamoh Hogra. Bao-dur had two lightsabers clipped to his belt, which surprized Revan because he hadn't known Bao-dur was Force sensitive.

On Bao-dur's other side stood Atton Rand, and again Revan wondered why Troy allowed him to stay with him. Atton had been a Jedi hunter, one of the best. And now he was living with Jedi and... no he was a Jedi. The twin sabers hung from Atton's favorite ribbed jacket like they belonged there. 'I'll need to have a word with Rand' Revan thought before looking at Troy's final companion.

Arren? No it couldn't be. But... damn... this woman looked just like her. Revan could tell immediately that this woman was Echani, he had seen that stance too many times during the war. Yusanis had brought a whole contingent of Echani, wait, this must be Yusanis and Arren's child. She was wearing Arren's Jedi robes and carried a double-bladed lightsaber, just like Arren did.

"I never knew Arren had children." Revan said.

"You, you knew my mother?" Brianna asked, confirming Revan's beliefs.

"Yes, she was one of my most trusted advisors during the war," Revan began. "You look just like her. What is your name?"

"Hey, enough with the friendly introductions." Troy said before Brianna coud answer. "What do you want Revan? What in the name of the Force gives you the right to still live?!"

"Good to see you too, Troy." Revan said, turning to face his former General. "I never would've thought you would go for an Echani. You always seemed to hold a very Mandalorian view of them."

Troy's hand went to the lightsaber at his back and began to draw it. Brianna quickly put her hand on his to stop him.

"Not now," She spoke softly in his ear.

"I'll ask you the same question the General asked," Bao-dur said during Troy and Brianna's exchange. "Why are you here Admiral?"

"Don't worry, Bao-dur, I'm not here to attack you." Revan said, noting Bao-dur's surprise that he remembered his name. "I have information you will need."

"And why should we believe anything you tell us?" Troy asked angrilly. "Last time you gave me any information, I ended up cut off from the Force."

"Well... if you had known what would've happened at Malachor, would you have done it?" Revan asked.

"For the Republic, anything." Troy said. "But you... you lied to me. You, who I used to call brother, didn't even tell me what was going to happen. Do you have any idea what happened at Malachor?! Do you have any idea how much damage you caused?! Brianna lost her mother, and her father never really recovered from that loss, Bao-dur spent nearly a decade trying to forget what his machine did, I nearly died; the only way I survived was by cutting off the Force! Do you know what it's like to live your life without something you've known your whole life?"

'Yes, I do," Revan began slowly. "I lost my identity."

"That's different," Troy said. "What you got was a chance at redemption. All I got was kicked out of the Order and labelled a traitor for doing the job of a Jedi. Explain how that's the same!"

"I'm not here to argue with you," Revan said sincerly, as he began to turn away. "I'll just leave, and trouble you no more."

"Heh heh, I don't think so, pal." Atton said, activating his twin sabers along with Troy and Bao-dur. "You see, we kinda need the information you have contained within your head. Maybe we should mimic the Jedi Council and wipe his mind?" The last comment was aimed at Troy, who nodded in agreement.

"You wouldn't dare!" Revan spoke as he turned, activating both his blood red lightsaber and his orange one. He immediately fell into an agressive Jar'Kai stance. His action caused Atton and Bao-dur to fall into defensive stances, Atton using the Niman form, while Bao-dur was using the more powerful Ataru. Troy, however, moved into an agressive Juyo stance and leaped at Revan. He channelled all his anger and lust for revenge into his assault. At the same time Revan also jumped to the side. Troy landed where Revan had been standing seconds before, cutting out a hole in the docking bay floor. Revan, however, had turned his attention to Atton and Bao-dur, neither one had moved. Revan caught Bao-dur in a powerful Force Choke and tossed him across the floor. At the same time he used the Force to cause Atton to experience the worst moments of his life, effectively rendering him useless in the battle. He then casually put one lightsaber behind his back and blocked Troy's attack.

"I see your skills haven't dulled in your time in the Unknown Regions." Troy said as he came around for a better attack. The two battled for a few more seconds before Revan replied.

"Exile seems to have suited you. Your mastery of the blade has only increased."

Before Troy could respond, both he and Revan were bound by the Force and fell to the ground, stiff as boards. Brianna walked over to them from where she had been watching.

"This is not the time either." She spoke through her and Troy's Force Bond. "If I let you go, you must promise me you won't attack Revan again."

"Alright, alright. Just never do this again, please? It's damned uncomfortable."

Brianna released Troy from her stasis field and also removed Atton's Horror and healed Bao-dur's injuries.

"Atton, Bao-dur are you two ok?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, remind me to never allow anyone to ever mess with my mind again." Atton said, he looked like he had seen more than a few ghosts from his past while held within Revan's Horror attack.

"I'm much better, General." Bao-dur said, nodding his thanks at Brianna for removing the Force Choke and healing him.

"Ok, you guys take our 'guest' to the brig. Make sure he's 'comfortable'." The last words were said with an evil glint in his eyes. Both Bao-dur and Atton knew that Troy wanted Revan in a force cage equiped with a torture field. They dragged Revan off, leaving Troy and Brianna alone. As soon as they left the bay, Brianna turned on Troy.

"What were you thinking!" She yelled at him. "You left Atton and Bao-dur suffering just to satisfy your petty need for revenge! I realize what he did to you, but that can never come before helping your comrades! I don't like what this need for revenge has turned you into. Not an hour and a half ago you were kind, caring, the man I love, but when you're around Revan you turn into this angry, hateful, revenge addicted maniac. You need to learn to control these emotions..."

'I will not hide my emotions, not like the Jedi." Troy replied, still slightly angry.

"I did not say hide them, I said control them. On the battlefield, blind anger leads to mistakes. Mistakes lead to death. Your death will not save the Galaxy, nor will it make me happy."

"You're right," Troy responded, the anger leaving him like a crowd leaving a bad holo-vid. "I cannot let my need for revenge come before the mission. And I cannot let it cause the death of my friends."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Five Hours Later

"Where is he!" Bastila stormed aross the bridge of her new Flagship, Deathbringer. "He should have contacted us by now. Open a trasmission with the Facility."

The image that greeted Bastila was that of a woman in her late twenties or early thirties, with blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, dressed in the uniform of a Republic Colonel.

"This is Colonel Zrillar of Outpost Kreion, what may I help you with?"

"I demand to know where my husband is!" Bastila yelled at the Colonel. "Where is Revan Kiltar?"

"Mr. Kiltar is being held for questioning at this time," Zrillar begain. "Unfortunately communication with him is immpossible at this time."

"I see." Bastila said before cutting the transmission. She them turned to her Second in Command. "Bring the Fleet to full alert status. We're going to rescue Revan."

"Yes, Ma'am." The Captain replied before turning away and giving the orders.

'Troy Blukam,' Bastila thought. 'I am going to kill you for what you're doing to my husband.'