They Have Brought Truth, Chapter 48 Reunion
The Force had allowed Revan to reach out to Carth through meditation just one last time. She had allowed him to take her wherever he chose and relive a happy time for them both. When it was over, she awoke with longing searing her veins. Taking a deep breath, she tried to control her pain. All through her Jedi training on Dantooine she had been split in half, trying to become a proper Jedi yet still being true to herself. After the Leviathan, dealing with her re-emerging personality had made her trust her heart above all else. However, the heart and the Jedi didn't always mix well. Hence, internal conflict was ravaging her soul.
T3 carefully brought the Ebon Hawk out of hyperspace and his sensors went into overdrive. It was as if the Hawk had been pulled into a mass graveyard of ships that stretched for hundreds of kilometers. The planet itself was truly dismal. T3 would hesitate to even classify it as a planet. A planet, even a barren world like Tatooine, denoted a place that fostered life. This place fostered death. Quickly searching the Republic database, he found the records of the battle of Malachor V. 'Why has Mistress Revan come back to this evil place?'
Revan knew where they were instantly, and went straight to the cockpit. T3 was disturbed by her calm. He wasn't human, but he hoped they weren't staying here long. He was less than pleased when Revan said, "T3, do you see a place where we can land safely?"
"Mistress, I would not recommend remaining here. It is extremely dangerous. The entire planet is unstable," he beeped emphatically.
"T3, I know this place is very dangerous, but we have to land here. Look for an academy near the core, and tell me what you find," she ordered. ~I'm here now. Help me find you, K.K.~ Revan called to her former master through the Force.
No answer came and immediately Revan was on guard. Malachor and all of its darkness was overwhelming, and for the first time since the memories of her past had begun resurfacing she was glad to be alone. 'The people I love should never see this place. It taints everything good,' she thought despondently. The memories of Malak and the war opened like floodgates, and she felt the full extent of the tragedies on both sides. "There is no light here," she whispered to herself.
"Mistress, I've located the landing pad of the academy. It's located in the depths of the planet. It appears that before Malachor was destroyed the academy was built in the underground caverns," he beeped shortly. He did not want his mistress to be here and he certainly wasn't about to encourage her in this madness.
~K.K., I need your help. I don't remember how to find you.~ she called again, searching for her mentor.
Again there was no answer. Sighing in resignation, she went to the workroom. Opening a foot locker, she got out her Sith academy robes. She had hoped that she would never wear them again, but walking into an ancient Sith breeding ground as a Jedi would be the height of idiocy. After changing her robes, she took apart her lightsaber and replaced the dull crystal with the ruby from her cuff. 'Forgive me, my love. It has to be this way,' her heart said sadly, thinking of Carth.
Her heart lurched as she activated her weapon. Twin blood-red blades shot out and she nearly lost her will to go on. This wasn't her first time using Sith colors. She had used them often on Korriban. Now, though, it seemed less of a disguise, as if she was becoming her other self. 'I guess I really am more than one person, at least for now,' she thought sarcastically. She went back to her room and got a deep violet makeup pencil and began to draw on her Sith tattoos.
It took over an hour, but she had managed to completely transform her face. She didn't give herself the old tattoos of the past, since it wasn't time to reveal her identity. Instead, she copied elements of the students' tattoos at Korriban, mixed with symbols of her Deralian heritage. One thing threatened to ruin the effect - her eyes. They were still clear and sparkling blue, untouched by the corrosion of the dark side. That would surely give her away as a servant of the light. Somehow she had to make sure that her eyes were always hidden.
Thankfully, her policy of stealing from thieves had come in handy for this situation. A Sith mask, that Carth had used on the Star Forge to resist Force attacks from the multitude of dark Jedi and Sith masters, was still in the storage locker where they had kept the heavy artillery and armor. It was a heavy, oppressive mask; a perfect fit for the environment she was in. Finally, she was ready to return to the place where her fall began. Where she was headed was still in question, but one thing she knew for certain: the path of darkness was one she would never follow again.
"T3, land us five kilometers from the academy. I don't know when I'll be back. Just make sure no one comes on board, although I doubt anyone would care we're here. I'll be fine. Don't worry," she said softly.
"Mistress, let me accompany you. This place is too dangerous to enter without backup," T3 whistled softly.
"No, T3, I have to go alone," Revan said firmly.
T3 knew that he would never change her mind, so he did as she commanded. Slowly navigating the turbulent atmosphere, he landed the ship exactly where she specified. "Mistress, please be careful. This place is evil," he beeped sternly, in effect ordering her to stay alive.
"I know, T3. I might not have created this place, but I resurrected it. I'll be back soon. Stay safe, little guy," she said distractedly.
Revan called on the Force to hold her breath and left the Hawk. Immediately, she was nearly overwhelmed by the dark side. She felt sick from the millions of lives lost on the planet. She sensed that the Mandalorian Wars were just a small part of this place's history of destruction. She was surprised that, aside from the physical discomfort the dark side gave her, she was at ease. On Korriban, she had been nervous and skittish, almost frightened of the darkness. Here on a planet that made Korriban look like Dantooine in comparison, she was confident and at ease.
'What a difference a few memories make. I'm not afraid of anything,' she thought somberly. She sensed and heard the massive storm beasts before she got near them. Her Force powers would not work to hide from them. Activating her saber, she focused all of her energy on speed. When the first beast attacked, she barely missed being crushed. Thankfully, she jumped and flipped over it, managing to slice it from behind. Th e first beast was barely dead before two more charged at her. 'I'm sure these *things* weren't here the last time I was,' she thought as she blocked a fatal blow.
She was just about to be ambushed again when she heard the faint voice of Kreia lilt through her mind. ~Child, why are you wasting your energy on these beasts?~
~You could have answered me earlier, K.K. I'll be with you in a minute. Let me handle these... I don't know what they are, but we will talk about it.~ Revan was annoyed about these awful beasts.
Then she wanted to kick herself. Jolee had instructed her in how to use Force lightning. Saying, "When you've got a swarm of animals that want to have you for breakfast, a quick solution isn't evil." Raising her hand, she released a surge of energy, taking care of the ferocious freaks of evil.
"Kreia, where are you?" Revan called.
~I'm in one of the wrecked Republic ships a kilometer east of you. Hurry, Child, I'm wounded.~ Kreia said, rasping in pain.
~Oh, Force! I'm coming, K.K. Hang on.~ she said soothingly.
Speeding up as fast as the Force would allow, she ran to the wrecked ship. Revan quickly found Kreia battered and huddled into a small portion of a medium-class cruiser which was still intact. "Gods, what happened to you, Kreia?" Revan's voice cracked with tears. The woman that she only remembered as a vibrant, loving mentor was utterly destroyed.
"It has been a long time, my little one. I knew you would come back," Kreia whispered hoarsely.
"I'm going to heal you and then we're going to my ship. You can't stay out here," Revan said softly.
She took her beloved master in her arms and channelled all of her healing energy into Kreia's wounds. The elderly woman had been terribly beaten and tortured over a long period of time. The ravages of the dark side also left its scars on her, and Revan knew she could not heal them. Revan softly hummed a lullaby that she sang to Mission when she couldn't sleep. Healing Kreia took almost an hour. Revan smiled to herself when the older woman fel l asleep. When Kreia was well again, Revan gently shook her awake.
"Kreia, let's get to the Hawk. You'll be so much more comfortable there. Then we'll have a long talk," she said warmly.
"Yes, they left me here to die. The fools. They underestimated me and one day they will regret their mistake," Kreia said bitterly.
Revan sighed. "My memory is shattered. Can you help me?" she asked, trying to hide her sadness over Kreia's tragic state.
"I will do what I can, Child, but the burden will be yours to carry," Kreia answered shortly.
Revan held out her hand to her former master, and hand-in-hand they walked to the Hawk. Kreia was stoic on the outside, but inside she was overwhelmed. It had been many years since she had been loved or felt love from anyone. Now, here was her student, the product of teachings the Council deemed "teachings of the dark side." Here was Revan, showering her with mercy, the hallmark of the Jedi Code. 'If a member of the Council were here, I'd be dead,' Kreia thought, amused at the irony of the situation.
"You're wrong, K.K. If Vash or Kavar were here they would have done exactly what I did," Revan said confidently. "Now, I can't guarantee what would have happened if Vrook or Atris had found you," she added with a dry laugh.
"You still have your incorrigible sense of humor. Vrook must have enjoyed the time when you were brought to Dantooine," Kreia observed.
"He despised me on sight. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to toss him into one of the rivers. I didn't care if he liked me or not, but he was rude and disrespectful to people who deserved his respect and compassion. That was when he lost any respect I might have given him," Revan said, smiling brightly. She was so happy to be with Kreia again that her teacher's bitterness couldn't spoil her mood.
"They thought they changed you, that by erasing your memory you became a 'servant of light' once more. Those fools, they've learned nothing!" Kreia said angrily, but absently, like she wasn't actually speaking to Revan.
"Kreia, let's just get to the ship. You're weak from hunger and thirst. We can talk later," she said, worry filling her soft voice.
Revan led Kreia to the Ebon Hawk and the two women boarded. Revan was grateful to be out of the storms of the planet. She immediately took off her mask and took a deep breath. She noticed Kreia seemed uneasy. T3 came rolling up to her, reproaching her with furious beeps and whistles.
"T3, stop that screeching! We will talk later," Revan ordered sharply.
"You still love your machines, Child," Kreia said half-fondly, and half-reproaching her former student.
"What can I say? They're so much fun. He's mad at me because I was out on the surface too long. He's too protective. It must be from Carth," she said softly, her voice full of love and longing.
"This Carth... He means everything to you. I must admit I never thought you, of all people, would succumb to such a base emotion as love." This time there was no mistaking the scorn in Kreia's voice.
"Come with me. I'll make you something to eat. Then I'll set up your bunk and we'll talk," Revan said calmly. She almost felt like she was talking to Bastila back on Taris again.
Kreia said nothing as she followed Revan into the galley. Revan's appearance was artfully evil-looking. Kreia was impressed by her former student's ingenuity. As Kreia watched Revan prepare the food, she saw the Force pulsing through her like an unending windstorm. The raw power emitting from her was awe-inspiring. Kreia was certain Revan could have walked through the academy and defeated every person who got in her way.
"Kreia, you're thinking too loudly. I can hear everything. This place... It's so dark. I'm having trouble centring myself," Revan said, slightly out of breath from the long walk.
"I'm sorry, Child. My abilities are not as they once were. I had forgotten how strong your empathic abilities are. With our link formed through your meditations, it isn't surprising that you can hear my thoughts," Kreia said casually.
"We'll talk about it after you eat something. You're much too weak for theorizing about Force bonds," Revan said in a motherly tone.
"You sound like an old friend of mine. That was many years ago. It does no good to think of the past," she said tiredly.
"Jolee Bindo. He's become like a grandfather to me," Revan said wistfully.
"He is still alive? That is interesting, but not surprising. How did you meet him?" Kreia asked curiously.
"I went to Kashyyyk to find one of the star maps that would lead us to the Star Forge. He joined us after living in the Shadowlands for twenty years. I'm still not convinced that he didn't come along just for the food," she laughed, remembering his comments on the food.
Revan quickly roasted up delicious vegetables that had been flash frozen for space travel. She boiled several different grains and mixed it all together in a wonderful, hearty salad. She dressed it with fruity oils and chopped nuts. Soon everything was all ready and set out on the table. Kreia sat down and was amazed at the quality of the food Revan had managed to prepare with such limited resources. 'I must be older than I care to remember. When did she learn how to cook?' She certainly had never taught her how.
"I learned to cook during the Mandalorian Wars. It helped me to cope. The odd thing is I don't remember learning. I know a lot of things I don't remember learning," she said softly.
"Do you know how they managed to do it?" Kreia asked bitterly.
"No. I've tried to figure it out, but my memory is too fragmented. Gods, Kreia, you must be so ashamed of me," Revan said, trying not to cry.
"Child, dry your tears. If I had any shame it would be for myself. I failed you when you left the Jedi the first time. I will not do so again," she soothed.
"I've ruined my Sith makeup. I thought you might be inside the academy and I wanted to blend in. I've already committed one mass murder here. I had to try to find you without killing anyone else on this perverted planet," Revan said tiredly.
"I did not notice it was makeup. You never wore it. Before you left the Republic for the Star Forge, you tattooed yourself," Kreia said. 'She is a stranger to me,' she thought sadly.
"I am a stranger to myself, dearest K.K. Perhaps we should finish supper and we'll see what we can do about the botched job of whoever tried to cut you off from the Force," she said with stinging distain.
The person who had hurt her beloved teacher had done so with great knowledge, but very little skill. Revan had one deep hatred, and that was a hatred of carelessness. Sith were by nature careless. They thought power, and by extension victory, was the end of the journey. That view made them assert their strength through brutality. Malak had done it with Telos and Taris. Revan was appalled by the barbaric cruelty Kreia had endured. 'Yet I am guilty of inflicting such cruelty with no remorse. What was it that drove me to such heinous acts?'
"Kreia, if you feel strong enough, I want to help you regain the use of the Force. I understand if you need to rest, but I'm afraid I don't have much time, and I need your help. We certainly can't stay here much longer. You're supposed to be dead. It's only a matter of time before whoever did this to you discovers you're alive," Revan said with a warm, but firm, tone.
"You are quite right, Child. Your healing and this food has strengthened me sufficiently for this ordeal. The Force depends on such things to test those who feel it. How we survive determines whether we are worthy of our gifts or not." Kreia's voice changed from warm to harsh as she spoke.
Revan felt waves of pain, hatred, and despair coming from Kreia. But mixed into those dark and destructive emotions were deep sadness, regret, and love. It touched her soul in the same way Carth's pain had touched her. Unable to sit and do nothing, as she had been forced to do so many times before, she took Kreia into her arms and held her in a warm embrace. 'The Jedi and the Sith can both be hanged. She raised me and I love her. She needs me,' Revan thought as tears streamed down her face, soaking the elderly woman's white hair.
Kreia's first instincts told her to pull away and reprimand the young woman for such weakness. Before she could act on the impulse, the warmth of Revan's arms touched the heart she had believed to be long dead. Memories came surging back, the happy times she spent with the most precious child she had ever known. Her eyes, long atrophied after years of neglect, stung with tears she was unable to shed. Many years had gone by since she had held the young girl who had become the galaxy's greatest evil, but to her it seemed as though it were yesterday.
Revan pulled away first. "I'll just clean the dishes and get your bunk ready. Please make yourself at home," she said, trying to alleviate the tension between them.
"I would appreciate a chance to bathe and a change of clothes. I managed to escape from the academy last week, but as you can tell my resources were limited," Kreia said sourly.
"The refresher is straight back to the left. Do you think you can find it without help?" Revan asked.
"I can find my way even without sight, Child. Do not worry," Kreia assured her.
"I have some extra robes. You know, the one size fits all type. I'll leave them out for you by the towels when you're finished. When you're ready, come to the port dormitories. I promise you'll have a warm, comfortable bed," Revan said, smiling.
T3 waited until the old woman left his mistress alone, then rolled in to speak with her. "Mistress, do you need assistance?" he beeped shortly.
"Oh, T3, I wasn't out that long. Look at the glass as half full. I didn't have to go through an academy three times bigger than Korriban by myself. You know, I'm beginning to think Carth's been tampering with you. You're getting just as paranoid as he is," she said, exasperated with her droid's disapproval. "Has he been touching you again?" she asked suspiciously.
"No, Mistress, will we be leaving here soon?" he asked.
"I don't like it here either, T3, but we'll stay as long as we have to. Don't worry so much, OK. I want you to help Lady Kreia with anything she needs, but don't talk to her. She doesn't like droids. If she needs anything, she'll let you know," Revan ordered. Her voice was kind and gentle, but T3's audio sensors picked up undercurrents of strain in her tone.
Knowing he would never be able to stop his mistress from her course, he forfeited his comments. 'I never believed I would wish HK were operational in order to criticize Mistress Revan's choices in companions, but there is something odd about this woman.'
Meanwhile, Revan went to make up a bunk in the port dormitories for Kreia. She had avoided that area since leaving because Carth's bunk was there and she could still feel his powerful presence. It tempted her to turn back, forget her duties, and become a wife. She gathered up the linens and changed out Jolee's old bunk. Just as she was finishing her domestic task, Kreia came in.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Revan. I feel much better." Kreia looked more refreshed and the tension was gone from her body, but her voice betrayed her weariness.
"You're very welcome. I know you're tired, so it's up to you. Would you rather meditate together or go to sleep? I can wait as long you feel you have to," she said with a reassuring tone.
Revan had been having a steady stream of childhood memories coming back since finding Kreia in the Force. While it was a disconcerting experience, it was something she could keep under control. The hard part was controlling her curiosity and longing for answers. 'Please, Revan, you had to display far more patience with the man you love,' she thought to herself.
"Tell me about this man of yours. I'm curious to know what kind of man you would let into your heart." Kreia's voice was rather rough in general, but with Revan she had always been gentle.
"He's greater than myself in every way. Everything that has come so easily to me, either because of my Force sensitivity or my personality, he has strived for and surpassed. I need him. I don't think I've ever needed someone in every aspect of my life before. What's beautiful about it is that he needs me just as completely, and I'm there for him. Only I can be what he wants and needs, and only he can be what I want and I need. He's the reason I'm going to finish what I began when I first came to this horrible place." Her voice was colored with many different emotions: love, determination, and genuine respect.
"He is handsome, I suppose," Kreia remarked. It wasn't really a question.
"Yes, he is. I know you don't approve, Kreia, but it took me a long time to gain his trust, and I'm going to marry him. I knew when I accepted training on Dantooine that I would be expected to deny what I felt for him. In the beginning, I fully intended to live up to the Jedi Code, but in the end, I couldn't. I won't allow anyone to mold me into what they believe I should be." Revan's chin tilted up in defiance while she spoke.
"I expected nothing less from you, Revan. Do not worry, my dear, your mind is not as broken as you fear. Tomorrow we'll work together to repair the damage. For now, I am very tired and sleep is necessary to restore my strength. I only hope you are prepared for the strain you will endure," Kreia said.
"The Mandalorians say, 'what doesn't kill a person makes them stronger.' I agree with them on that philosophy. Finding out my true identity almost made me give up on life. If it hadn't been for the love and support of the crew of this ship, I would have stayed on the Star Forge as it blew up. I don't think any other experience could be worse than that," she tried to assure the older woman.
"Depending on others for your strength will weaken you, Child," Kreia snapped. She was shocked that her dear student could have forgotten even the most basic of the lessons learned during her childhood.
Revan felt Kreia's burning disapproval crackling through the Force. Part of her wanted to shout that she wasn't the Dark Lady of the Sith anymore and, with the love and support of her family, she was stronger than she had ever been. One year ago she would have done it, but seeing Kreia's pain and disillusion with life stopped her. Instead, she took Kreia's hand and kissed her goodnight.
"We've both changed, Kreia. I'll see you later. Rest well, my darling," she whispered sweetly.
When she was alone, Kreia began strengthening her mental shields. She didn't want to disturb Revan with a constant assault of telepathy. A mind as strong as hers was a rare thing. The damage done by the Council disgusted Kreia. Seeing her beloved child reduced to a confused and scared young woman made her tremble with anger. 'Sleep well, my precious one. Tomorrow you will stop doubting yourself. You'll be whole again,' she thought as sleep finally enveloped her.
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