A Battle between Darkness and Light - Chapter 3

Choices, part 1: A Battle between Darkness and Light

Memories from the past

I was back in space in one of the Star Cruisers, in the medical bay. The wound was not critical; I had suffered worse injuries than this before.

I closed my eyes and tried to rest while the droids treated my wounds. I soon drifted asleep and began dreaming. When I opened my eyes, I was on the Ebon Hawk. My hand was injured, and I started to remember. We had found the third of the Star Maps on Tatooine. Jolee, Bastila and I had just fought against some dark Jedis, and they had managed to hurt my hand with a short red lightsaber.

Carth entered the medical room. He looked at me with his beautiful brown eyes. His almost-black brown hair shone in the light and his face glowed. His muscular body was covered by an orange jacket. Even though the colour was hideous, it suited him perfectly.

'Hey beautiful!' he said with a smile, he then sat down beside me and started to cleanse my wound. I didn't say anything, just looked at him, and my eyes got filled with warm tears that flowed down my face. After Carth had dressed some of my wounds, he stroked his hand gently on mine. 'Now you are looking strong enough to pull the ears of a Gundark' he said with a grin.

'I have missed you; not a day goes by without thinking of you.' I said to him. He looked at me, but did not answer. I closed my eyes and just let him warm my hands.

When I opened them again, I was back in the medical bay on the Star Cruiser.

Bastila stood before me. 'Is it not time to forget the past and think of the future, Lord Revan?' Her comment filled me with anger. She had read my mind when I was being treated, when I had let my guard down. I stood up and threw her with the Force into the walls. 'Don't you ever try to read my mind again, or I swear I will kill you!' I used the Force to choke her, and my grip became tighter and tighter. 'I... I am... sorry... my Lord!' I dropped her on the floor. She tried to get her breath back. 'I will...' she paused, and then continued, 'I will never do it again.' I was still furious.

I stared at her. 'Next time, you will follow my orders, because this is your last chance. If you had done as I commanded, we might not have lost so many men today, and the leaders would have been dead,' I said to her, then turned around and walked towards the elevator and moved into it, and the door closed.

One of the admirals approached me on the viewing platform in the command centre in the Star Forge. 'Why have you approached me?' I asked.

He answered, 'We managed to capture one Republic soldier. We have tried to get some information out of him, but with no success.'

'So?' I said.

He hesitated, but then answered, 'Maybe the soldier has some important information about the whereabouts of the Republic leaders, and the rest of the Jedi.'

I sighed. 'Which cell block is it?'

'It is cell block 364, my Lord.' I waved him off, and he bowed and walked away.

I closed my eyes behind the mask, and tried to get a moment of peace, but then a new image appeared in my mind, a new memory.

I looked out on the ocean. The sun shinned down on the water, toying with it, making it shine and glitter. Water surrounded the city completely. Manaan has always been a beautiful and peaceful place. I closed my eyes and tried to listen to all the sound around me, all the life. I turned and looked at all the people, when suddenly I saw Jolee Bindo and Juhani in front of me. I did not say anything, neither did the, we just looked at each other. Jolee's brown eyes were filled with concern as he looked at me. His bald head shined in the sun. White beard surrounded his mouth, and since he had dark skin, it showed even more. He was a cranky old fool, but he was a compassion cranky old fool. He wore a dark brown jacket and a light brown shirt. Red pants and light brown shoes, always ready with his green lightsaber hanging on his belt.

His voice was so calm and soothing, and I started to relax when I heard his voice.

'Are you all right, my dear?' Jolee suddenly asked. Juhani's yellow eyes were locked on me, concerned as well. Her beautiful fur shined in the sun, like it was saying: 'Touch it, feel it.' Her fur is, no... was, soft and warm to touch. Her voice was gentle, but could always get strict. Her voice also had a calming effect on me. Her brown hair was in a ponytail, and blew carefully in the wind.

She was a tall and a strong female. Proud as all the Cathars are, they always keep their head held high. Even though when it is a dark time, they never giving up, and they always keep on fighting. Her light brown pants sat tight on her legs, as well did her torso, showing her figure with her blue lightsaber at her side, always ready to defend and protect.

'I am fine, Jolee, just a little tired. But we need to get moving. We have three more Star maps to track down,' I said with a smile, but I lied. I was not fine, not at all. I was so tired, tired of fighting, the struggle inside me, the battle between darkness and light.

I opened my eyes and looked around in the command room. It was cold and silent. I walked against the door and opened it with the Force. I did not look at the soldiers, just walked out of the room, towards the elevator, down to the cell blocks.

I stopped outside cell block 364. Inside this room, the Republic soldier was held. I read the information about him on the computer, then I ordered the soldier guarding the cell to open the door. I told him not to disturb us, and I stepped inside. The room was small, with only a bench. The walls were grey, and had a few buttons on tje,. On the floor, there lay some food, which had bites taken out of it. When I looked towards the bench, a figure was lying on it.

'Akir Mesak, 37 years old, from Dantooine, decorated several times because of your skills and bravery in the Mandalorian Wars. You have been a Republic soldier for over 20 years. Admiral of the Republic fleet... Not so bad a record, but when I look at you, it seems like an exaggeration. You look more like a scavenger then a soldier!' I said and stared at him.

'What did you expect? A soldier in shining armor?' he said, still lying on the bench on his side so I could not see his face.

'I expected someone older, and a more muscular man.' He only responded with a snort, but then he said, 'Black Nerf!'

I grinned and pushed on a button so another bench came out. 'Oh, come on! You must know better insults then that...no?' I sat down on the bench. 'If I were you, I would be a little more careful with your words. I can kill you in one second,' I said with a cold voice. He turned around and looked at me. He had ice blue eyes which looked so tired and full of pain, but they had also love in them, and on the top on his head was red hair, red as fire. He had some freckles sprinkled on his cheeks, but he had also scars that made him look older than he was. His eyes became wide and filled with fear when he looked at me.

'You... you are...' He managed to say before he was choked by his own words.

'I am Darth Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith!' I said and starred at him with deadly eyes, even though he could not see my eyes behind the mask. His eyes were filled with even more shock, but then it was replaced with hate and anger.

There was something strange about him; he reminded me of someone, but whom? I did not remember. It was so long ago.

'It cannot be! This is not the Revan I knew. What happened to you?' the soldier asked, with tears and pity in his eyes. 'What happened to the one who led us into victory against the Mandalorians?' I looked at him and then I suddenly started to remember his voice and his face.

'Come on! Don't give up! We have almost broken their lines!' I yelled towards the soldiers following my lead. 'Attack! Show them no mercy!' I called out, running towards the enemy line, with the soldiers right behind me screaming and firing grenades and blasters. The battle was intense, and we had underestimated our enemy, but we managed to defeat them through many sacrifices...

I was standing in the middle of the battle ground, breathing heavily and held my hand on a wound at my left leg.

'Hah! We won!' I stared at the man who spoke, unable to keep a smirk from my face. He was young, too young for a battle, but nevertheless he was there, fighting. He noticed me standing there smiling, and started to blush. He walked over to me and asked if I wanted a hand. I stared at him. He was tall and thin. His red republic armour hung on him, although it had some rents over the torso and the back, probably from blaster shots. He held a vibro-blade in his left hand and a blaster in his right. His face had a few freckles and his eyes were ice blue. They were so beautiful, and when you looked into them, it was like you could see his soul. His fire red hair blew in the wind, unable to hold still. Apparently my gaze at him only made him blush more, and laughter escaped e. He joined my laughter as well. But suddenly, behind me a Mandalorian stood up and tried to stab me with a blade. Unable to get out of the way because of my injuries, I stood there, panic rising inside my chest. Suddenly a vibro-blade stabbed the Mandalorian in his heart. A sound of pain escaped his mouth before he fell into the ground, dead. I stared down at the Mandalorian, shocked, unable to react to what had happened. Everything had happened so fast. I slowly raised my head and looked at my saviour, standing there, panting and shaking. 'Thank you...' I said to him. 'Heh, no problem. Now you own me one!' he said with a grin on his face. I returned his grin with a smile, and silently promised I would pay him back, one day.

'You are not the woman who led us in that war. Not any more.'

'Hmpf...it has been some years, can't say they have been nice to you,' I answered back. He looked at me with the same sad eyes Carth had when I told him I had turned to the dark side, but then he turned his face away from me.

'Do you have any information about where your leaders and the rest of the Jedi are in hiding? Do not lie to me, or you will regret it! Where are they!?'

'I am not telling you anything!'

'Then you will suffer!'