KOTOR 1 - Tevano: Revan's Return

"Good luck, my love... and may the Force be with you"

Tevano smiled at Bastila's words, nodded, and then turned to exit the Star Forge's command center. The bright central hologram of the Star Forge cast shadows on the dark metallic walls and high domed ceiling of the huge circular room. As Tevano walked toward the door, his own shadow preceeded him, long and distorted at first, then growing more defined as he approached the exit.

His journey had been much like the shadow, Tevano thought. The Endar Spire seemed like years ago, where Trask Ulgo had sacrificed his life to save Tevano's. Then crashing on Taris with Carth Onasi, meeting Bastila, escaping the Sith blockade in the Ebon Hawk, training as a Jedi on Dantooine, and searching for Star Maps on Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, and Korriban. Finding the mysterious planet Lehon, home of the Rakatan species, once center of their long-forgotten Infinite Empire, which millennia ago had created the Star Maps and the Star Forge. The tumultuous relationship between himself and Bastila that had somehow grown into respect, understanding, and finally love. The strange, still-unexplained thing that had happened to Bastila on Kashyyyk.

Then the shock when Malak told him that he was, in fact, Darth Revan, once the Republic's savior, turned into its scourge, almost killed when Malak had fired upon his ship to claim the title of Dark Lord as his own, saved by Bastila, healed by the Jedi, given a new personality, and used as a tool to find the Star Forge for the Republic. He would have believed none of it if Bastila had not confirmed it.

Tevano could have hated Bastila for her part in that lie. But he had chosen not to. She hadn't known him. He had simultaneously represented both the greatest threat to the Republic's existence, and the greatest hope for its salvation. What else could she have done?

And then she'd been captured by Darth Malak and turned to the Dark Side. How much of her vulnerability to Malak's manipulations resulted from the negative emotions she'd harbored during her travels with Tevano? Learning to trust him, falling in love with him, and at the same time manipulating and using him. He could only imagine the guilt, fear, and anger she'd been carrying. It must have made her an easy target for Malak. He knew he was still coming to terms with Bastila's part in that deception, but he also couldn't absolve himself of his own role in it, of how his past as Revan had led her to a place that he knew she regretted.

They'd had no time to talk about all this, no time to work through these feeling together. She still wore the same Sith robes she was wearing when, just minutes ago, she had tried to kill him. But he had persisted, cut through Malak's lies, and turned Bastila back to the Light. When he had boarded the Star Forge, he had been assailed by questions. How would he find Bastila? Could he save her? Could he somehow save the Republic Fleet that even now battled the Sith Fleet outside the space station? Where was Malak? Could Tevano defeat him and destroy the Sith? Most of those questions had now been answered. Bastila was redeemed, and through her Battle Meditation, the Republic Fleet would be saved. Malak lay beyond this door. All that remained was to confront him. Like the shadow, everything had taken shape.

Tevano glanced back one last time at Bastila, who was now kneeling, preparing to help the Republic Fleet. He hated leaving her so soon after they reconnected, when their future was still so uncertain. If he was victorious against Malak, what then? How would the Jedi Order react to him and Bastila? He had already left the Jedi Order once, years ago, in a past he could not remember, when he had defied the Jedi Council to lead the Republic's forces in the Mandalorian Wars. Now, having only recently rejoined the Jedi, he was faced with once more leaving. But there had been too many secrets already. If he and Bastila were to have a future, there could be no more lies. Now that everything was revealed, he was prepared to face whatever consequences were necessary for the chance at a real relationship with this powerful, incredible, complicated woman, and the opportunity to deal with their pasts together.

Turning back to the door, Tevano cleared his thoughts and put all this out of his mind. He must be focused on one thing, and one thing only. The fight of his life, and the fate of the galaxy stood before him. It was time to confront Darth Malak.

Bastila Shan watched Tevano walk toward the door, preparing himself to face Darth Malak. She wanted to accompany him, to help in the fight. But she was still recovering from her fall to the Dark Side, and did not yet trust herself. Just moments ago, she had attacked Tevano, tried to kill him, sincerely given her best effort. She had never been so happy to have failed. He had turned her back to the Light in spite of her fall, in spite of her lies. When Bastila had first realized she was developing feelings for Tevano, she had wondered if the Force Bond they shared, the bond created when she had saved his life on his flagship when he was still Revan, the bond responsible for the visions that guided them to the Star Maps, could be influencing her, creating a false sense of intimacy. But now she knew better.

She had never understood how so many Jedi had left the Order to follow him when, years ago as Revan, he had left to fight the Mandalorians. Her life and loyalty had been dedicated to the Jedi. While she had had various disagreements along the way, even with members of the Jedi Council, she had never considered leaving. But now she understood. Somewhere along their travels together, their quest for the Star Forge had switched from a mission ordered by the Jedi Council to something that she and Tevano were doing together. His confidence and committment were contagious, and had challenged her own already-considerable resolve. And then her feelings for him had grown into more, so much more.

Would the Jedi Order accept them as a couple? She thought not, but somehow she didn't care. Her attitude was not one of rebellion, but acceptance of something that was somehow both larger and at the same time more personal. Her future was with Tevano, and she would accept the consequences, whatever they may be.

There was still so much for them to resolve, the secrets she'd hidden from him, her willingness to exploit his knowledge for the Jedi's purposes. But he had his own far more complicated past. She couldn't imagine a more complex beginning to a relationship, but at least all was now revealed and they could begin dealing with the repercussions. They needed time to work through all these issues. It would probably take a lifetime, and she was prepared to spend it.

For now, though, she had a job to do. Reaching out, she could sense the Republic Fleet battling the Sith Fleet all around the Star Forge, the outcome of the battle uncertain. This, at least, she could resolve. She took one last took at Tevano approaching the door, then cleared her mind and knelt to begin the Battle Meditation. She barely registered the hiss of the door as it shut behind Tevano.

A sharp pain shot through her head. The same pain she had felt on Kashyyyk.

"No," Bastila said out loud, leaping to her feet. "Not again. Not now!" What was happening to her? She felt disoriented, her thoughts random and jumbled. She tried to focus, regain control, but she felt herself fading, lost in the fog. The Republic Fleet was depending on her. Tevano was depending on her. Whatever this was, she could not allow it to consume her again! For a brief moment, she fought her way back to clarity.

"You are no match for me, little girl," said a man's voice. Bastila glanced around, but no one else was present.

"I had almost decided to let you live," said the voice. "But then you rejected the power of the Dark Side. You are weak and unworthy." The voice was hard, remorseless, relentless. Bastila realized it was coming from somewhere within her own mind. As it spoke, Bastila felt herself losing her tenuous grasp on control.

"I may keep your body, though," the voice said. "I find it quite powerful. In fact, I shall make good use of it now."

"I'm sorry," Bastila muttered as she slipped away, unsure if she was talking to the Republic Fleet, or to Tevano.

The figure in the Sith robes again knelt, and resumed the Battle Meditation pose.

Outside the Star Forge, the Republic and Sith fleets were reorganizing their lines, squaring off against each other for the next phase of the space battle that continued to rage. Without warning, the Sith unleashed a series of incredibly accurate attacks, every turbolaser blast finding its target, every fighter evading the Republic defenses and striking with vicious effect.

"The tide of the battle is turning against us," said Admiral Dodonna, commanding officer of the Republic fleet. She stood beside Jedi Master Vandar on the command deck of her capital ship, following status readouts of the battle. "The entire Sith Fleet reacts instantly to our every strategy. Every fighter and capital ship attack in perfect unison. I've never seen such military precision!"

"I have," said Vandar. "But never from the Sith. It's almost as if..." He reached out in the Force, sensing beyond the battle, to the Star Forge itself. "No! Bastila is using her Battle Meditation against us!"

"What?" Dodonna exclaimed. "Impossible! She's on our side!"

"Not anymore, Admiral," Vandar said. "Bastila has turned to the Dark Side. You have to give the order to retreat!"

"I can't do that," Dodonna said. "This might be our only chance to destroy the Star Forge - we can't withdraw. We can't."

"Then you will lose," Vandar said.

"Bastila, it's done," Tevano said as he staggered back into the Command Center. The fight against Malak had been brutal, and the way Malak had used the people trapped in his machines - almost as batteries to heal and rejuvenate himself - was an atrocity that Tevano had not even imagined. He could still feel their agony as their minds were ripped from their bodies by Malak's twisted machines, could still see the evil pleasure on Malak's face as he consumed their extracted essences. And while he had been preoccupied with Malak and hadn't been able to see clearly, Tevano thought their faces had all been ... his own? The implications of that were terrifying. But ultimately, Tevano had prevailed and Malak was dead. Now he had returned to Bastila to share news of the victory and escape the Star Forge together. But Bastila, still in her meditative pose, appeared not to have heard him.

"Bastila!" Tevano said more loudly.

Bastila stood and turned towards him, her face expressionless. She did not speak.

"Bastila?" Tevano said, concerned.

Bastila raised a hand, palm extended, and Tevano was flung backwards into the wall. At the last moment, he cushioned the blow with the Force. He still hit hard, but managed to retain his feet.

"Bastila, what's-" Tevano began. But Bastila closed her fist, and Tevano felt his throat being crushed as if clutched by mighty fingers. He raised a hand and pushed back at Bastila in the Force, hard enough to break the choke without injuring her. But the pressure did not release. His vision growing dim, Tevano pushed back again at Bastila with all his might. This stopped the squeezing, but Bastila easily absorbed Tevano's best effort, taking only a small step backwards.

"Weak," Bastila said, as if talking to herself. It was Bastila's voice, but at the same time it wasn't. The accent and inflections were different, as if someone else were speaking with Bastila's mouth. "It has retained little of me."

"What is going on?" Tevano said.

"A piece of meat that thinks it is a man," said the not-Bastila voice. "A clone with delusions of grandeur. It has no idea what it really is. It even still thinks it is me."

"Clone?" Tevano said. This made no sense. He knew who he was, or at least who he had been. Malak had revealed what the Jedi Council had done to him, and Bastila had confirmed it.

"One of them must have suspected," continued the voice from within Bastila. "Vandar? Dorak? Zhar? I think not. Vash, Vrook, or Kavar should have, but I doubt it. Then who ... Atris. Impressive. I will kill the rest, but Atris might be worth turning. Atris must have known, and instilled doubt in the others. Not enough for them to kill the Padawan while I was still vulnerable, but enough for them to risk setting the trap. As if I would have transferred into you with their assassin in the room. Did they think me a fool? This girl that I inhabit may have believed their lie, but I never did."

"Who are you?" Tevano demanded. "What are you doing to Bastila?"

"And a simpleton as well. Perhaps the cloning process went awry. I cannot imagine that a brain based on my DNA could be this dull. I may be fortunate that the girl interrupted the transferrence. She seems a suitable vessel, while you appear to be an even greater disappointment than I had thought."

"You can't be-" Tevano began, realization dawning. "They told me-"

"Yes, I know what they told you. I was watching you four fools have your emotional moment. Malak, so proud of himself at having usurped me, when you just now proved that even my shadow can defeat him. Bastila, wracked with guilt at her lie, never even considering that she was the first one lied to. Carth, the Republic's best, too bewildered to even make an articulate sound. And you. Convinced that you were me. It was all I could do to not take over the Padawan then, just to laugh at all of you. A quartet of idiots. The galaxy is fortunate that its fate never truly depended on any of you."

"So I'm not-" Tevano began.

"Revan?" said the voice with a laugh. "Hardly. You were never more than a vessel for my spirit if my body was fatally wounded. And you were never used for even that. You are an empty shell, filled only with delusion. You, the Dark Lord? No, I am Revan."

"Then I'm-" Tevano began, but was unsure how to continue. "I'm just a-"

"I assume that Malak used my other clones to empower himself against you in battle, yes?" Revan asked.

"You know about that?" Tevano asked, startled.

"Even here, on the Star Forge, where his power should have been at its peak, he still needed my strength," Revan said, almost to himself. "After all our years together, he learned so little. And his apprentice was even weaker."

"It was you on Kashyyyk? You executed Darth Bandon?" Tevano said.

"Bandon and I had an agreement regarding Malak," Revan said. "Bandon betrayed me, and I do not abide treachery. Even if the two of you imbeciles had managed to defeat him, which seemed unlikely, you would have given him far too quick a death. So yes, I briefly took control on Kashyyyk. Otherwise, though, I've been content to bide my time. Despite all your meanderings, you carried me to exactly where I wanted to be. All the while, Malak was further weakening the Republic, preparing it for my takeover. What reason was there for me to hurry?"

"Billions of lives lost on countless worlds," Tevano said, "all so you could destroy the Republic and gain power?"

"Power is a means to an end," Revan said. "I have no intention of destroying the Republic. I will reshape it, replace it, grow its successor into something far greater than it could have ever become under its bickering Senate and passive Jedi. If you had any idea what the real threat is, what I am saving the galaxy from ... but you could not imagine. Whatever your mind might have been capable of, it carries only the briefest imprint of me. You imprinted primarily on that simple Republic solider."

"Republic solider?" Tevano asked. "Trask Ulgo?"

"Yes, that was its name," Revan said. "You see, you were designed to accept a template from a Force-sensitive individual. Had Shan not interrupted my transferrence to you, your mind would have, over a period of weeks, built itself based on my indwelling presence. Once it was sufficiently grown, my resident spirit could have assumed control and continued my work unabated. But instead, you were isolated from me, with only that barely-capable Ulgo. Being far stronger in the Force than he, your body instinctively reached out and imprinted on him. Nevertheless, you have accomplished more than I expected. But you will never be a true person. And I no longer need you. I'm quite happy where I am."

"I will not allow you to have Bastila," Tevano said. "And even if you defeat me here, the crew of the Ebon Hawk will not allow you off this space station alive and in control of Bastila's body."

"How will they know?" Revan said. "See how this sounds to you: 'The Jedi Council captured a wounded Revan, restored his abilities, and sent him on a mission with the unsuspecting Jedi Master Bastila Shan. On the Star Forge, Revan defeated his former apprentice, Darth Malak, then turned on Shan. Shan was able to defeat the Dark Lord, but not in time to save the Republic Fleet. She was, however, able to gain control of the former Sith Fleet, which is now in service to the Republic under her command. The Jedi Council has been relieved of duty pending an investigation into their collusion with Revan. In the interim, Shan has been granted control of the Jedi Order and is serving in the former Jedi Council's role as special advisor to the Senate.' I think that will carry well on the HoloNews."

"That's nonsense," Tevano said. "Bastila is not a Jedi Master, she's a Padawan. And she wasn't unsuspecting - the Jedi Council outright told her that I was Revan. And the Republic doesn't have the authority to remove or replace the Jedi Council. Nor would the Masters on the Council allow it."

"Do you really think the average Republic citizen knows or cares about the inner workings of the Jedi Order? Most have never even seen a Jedi. The Masters will be a small matter. Only Vandar, even with all his hesitancy, was strong enough in the Force to stabilize them. He will soon die in the space battle. The remaining Masters will be conflicted and easy to discredit, dishearten, manipulate, turn, or kill. And as for Bastila's impending promotion - I have no wish to be a Padawan. For that matter, I will remain a Jedi Master only until the true threat is revealed and I can grant myself a more suitable title, maybe 'Supreme Commander'. After my ultimate victory, this will be replaced by the more succinct and even more appropriate 'Emperor'."

"I will stop you, and I will save Bastila," Tevano said.

"You have neither the power to defeat me, nor the knowledge to remove me," Revan said. "I hope you noticed that in our little drama, I play the part of Jedi Master Bastila Shan, while you play the part of the deceased Revan. I'll have to work on the accent, but I'm a quick learner. You, on the other hand, have now completed your usefulness. It is time to discard you." Revan raised his hand and a purple line of crackling energy flashed toward Tevano. Recognizing it as the draining Sith sorcery Darth Bandon had employed, Tevano ignited his lightsaber and interposed it, blocking the purple line.

"Very well," Revan said, raising an eyebrow. "Lightsabers it is." He pulled Bastila's lightsaber from her belt and leapt the distance separating the two with startling speed, igniting the dual yellow blades in flight. Tevano countered with his blue blade, falling back as Revan unleashed a series of strikes. Tevano circled to avoid being pinned against the wall. He recalled how effortlessly Revan had used Darth Bandon's aggression against him on Kashyyyk, so he employed the defensive Soresu Form, retreating to stay out of Revan's reach, using the size of the large room to his advantage. Revan's attacking style was unorthodox, and the incongruity of a mortal enemy using Bastila's body to attack was disconcerting. Tevano could find no opportunity to mount a counterattack, but even if he found one, would he take it? He had boldly told Revan that he would both stop him and save Bastila, but Revan had been correct that Tevano had no idea how to achieve it.

The pair continued to circle, Revan forcing Tevano toward walls and obstacles, trying to constrain or trip him, Tevano retreating, continuously in danger of losing his footing. As he fell back, Tevano realized he had advantages. Bastila was more nimble than Tevano, but Tevano was physically stronger. And while Revan was using the Force to add strength to his attacks, Tevano could do the same. Revan was accustomed to fighting with his own body - presumably a close duplicate of Tevano's. He wouldn't yet know how to take full advantage of Bastila's dexterity. If Tevano maneuvered Revan into a situation where Revan were forced to depend on his - Bastila's - physical strength, he might fall into old habits about his capabilities and be taken unawares. And as for Bastila? He'd just have to try to subdue Revan without killing Bastila, then figure out what to do next.

Revan continued to press the attack, but now Tevano stopped giving ground. Their lightsabers flashed, yellow on blue, blue on yellow, sparks flying as they exchanged ever faster blows. Revan dropped his blade too far, creating an opening for Tevano to attack. But Tevano had seen Revan do this to Bandon. He feinted the attack, and when Revan tried to punish him for it, Tevano stepped inside the counterattack, almost face-to-face with Revan. With Bastila. For an instant he was distracted, unwilling to injure Bastila, but there was no choice. He pressed his momentary advantage with powerful attacks that Revan struggled to block. Now it was Revan's turn to fall back, but Tevano kept close, keeping Revan from creating distance. Tevano attacked to his right with a one-handed swing and Revan countered, leaving an opening for Tevano to hit him - Bastila - in the jaw with a closed left fist. Striking an enemy had never caused Tevano such pain. His hand was uninjured, but feeling Bastila's soft skin bruise under his fist caused a deeper sort of damage.

Staggered by the blow, Revan spun away, using Tevano's guilty hesitation and the yellow lightsaber to keep Tevano at bay and finally create distance between them again. They slowly circled each other a few meters apart, lightsabers at the ready, each looking for an opportunity.

"So, you have learned a bit after all," Revan said. "But it won't matter. You couldn't even defeat my apprentice's apprentice. If I hadn't saved you, you would be a rotting corpse on the Kashyyyk forest floor."

"I am not the person I was on Kashyyyk," Tevano said. "Your apprentice's body lies dead in the next room. I have accomplished what you were unable to. Tell me, why didn't you face him yourself? Fear? Doubt? You speak of your great plans, but what I see is a defeated Dark Lord, his place usurped by another, not even able to claim his own body!"

This taunt struck home. Revan growled and used Bastila's speed to launch a new series of attacks, the yellow blades flying faster than ever.

"Mandalore could not stand before me!" he shouted as he attacked. "Yusanis could not stand before me! I cut Malak's jaw from his head!"

Revan's ferocity was overwhelming, and Tevano was hard pressed to parry. Once, twice, then three times the yellow blade slipped past Tevano's defenses and cut superficial wounds. Tevano suddenly realized how tired he was. The fight against Malak had been the toughest of his life, at least before this one, and he was mentally and physically drained. Tevano was reminded of Darth Bandon, his strength failing as Revan toyed with him. Tevano had no desire to die that way. He pressed almost recklessly forward, intending to again use his physical strength advantage. But this time, Revan sprang forward, using Bastila's dexterity to dive under Tevano's blue blade. He did learn quickly! With a grimace, Tevano slashed as Revan rolled by him, wounding Bastila's leg. Tevano hated injuring Bastila, but he had to deny her quickness to Revan.

Revan completed the roll, ending up several meters from Tevano. But he was now favoring the wounded leg. They circled for a few moments at a distance, lightsabers raised, each searching for an opening to renew the attack.

"Give up," Revan said. "You're nothing, a blank copy, a fading echo of a dead Republic grunt."

"You're wrong," Tevano said. "I'm a template of you, but without the darkness that has consumed you. I'm the Revan that could have been. But I'm more than just that. I'm also Trask Ulgo, Ensign with the Republic Fleet. I'm his duty, purpose, and determination, mixed with your strength and will. And whatever you intended me to be, I've become more. I'm Tevano."

"So be it, Tevano," Revan sneered. "You may die under any name you choose."

Revan launched himself across the room and Tevano, finding a new reserve of endurance, did the same. They collided in mid-air, blades flashing. Revan pushed at Tevano in the Force but Tevano absorbed most of the push, landing lightly on his feet a few meters away. Revan, hampered by the injured leg, fell awkwardly to the floor. Pressing his advantage, Tevano again leapt, lightsaber raised, in a high arcing jump intended to overpower Revan. But instead of raising his saber, Revan raised his hand and unleashed a searing burst of lightning that caught Tevano mid-jump and brought him screaming to the floor where he lay on his back at Revan's feet, his chest exposed. Revan raised the yellow lightsaber and stabbed forward.

"NO!" screamed Bastila.

It was Bastila's voice, not Revan's. The yellow blade hovered inches away from Tevano's undefended chest. Bastila clenched the hilt so tightly that her knuckles were white and her hands shook. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD, YOU PSYCHOPATHIC FILTH!!!"

Bastila raised her face to the ceiling and screamed in defiance, then extinguished her lightsaber and fell to one knee, wimpering in pain. Tevano wasn't sure if it was from her injured leg, or from the mental battle she was fighting. She looked up at Tevano with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, my love," she said. "I can't hold him for long, and I will not be consumed by him." She placed the hilt of her lightsaber against her own chest. Her thumb plunged toward the activation button.

"Wait!" cried Tevano, his hand extended. Bastila's thumb stopped, quivering, held in place by Tevano through the Force. Bastila had said 'consumed'. Like Malak had consumed the Jedi during his fight with Tevano. "There may be another way!" he said.

"Then hurry," Bastila pleaded. "He's already breaking through".

Tevano leapt to his feet and, with a speed he did not know he possessed, swept Bastila onto his shoulder and raced to the viewing platform where he had fought Malak. Ignoring the space battle still raging outside, he sped to one of the infernal machines that Malak had used to extract one of the clone's mind and power, ripped the corpse from it, and thrust Bastila inside. As he did so, she released an inhuman scream that transitioned in the middle from her voice to Revan's.

Ignoring this, Tevano activated the machine. He had no knowledge of whatever Sith sorcery that Malak had used to devour the Jedi's released essence, but that was not part of Tevano's plan. One hand still on the controls, he looked into Bastila's face and saw only hatred. Her body convulsed as the machine worked its nefarious purpose, and again Revan's voice screamed in torture. The clones had been comatose when Malak had used the device on them. Tevano could only imagine what the conscious experience must be like. Seeing Bastila's face contorted in agony was almost more than he could bear, but he continued staring deep into her eyes, unsure if the moment he was hoping for would come, not knowing if he would recognize it if it did. And then, there it was! With a last yell of defiance, the hatred faded, and only confusion and pain remained.

Tevano deactivated the machine and yanked Bastila out. At first, she didn't appear to be breathing, and he thought he had waited too long. But then she coughed violently and began shuddering. He held her tightly until the shuddering diminished to trembling, then finally ceased. She looked up at him weakly and smiled.

"It worked, didn't it?" she said. "I can't feel him anymore."

"I think it did," Tevano said, kissing her gently on the forehead. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

Bastila tried to stand, and stumbled. Tevano picked her up and jogged away from the machine, back the way they had come. They got as far as the Command Center before Bastila stopped him.

"Put me down," she said.

"We have to get to the Ebon Hawk," Tevano said. "I can carry you that far."

"No, Tevano. Put me down!"

He gently set her down, and she stood unsteadily on her wounded leg. "Revan used my body against the Republic," she said. "I have to make that right."

"Let's get you to the ship first," Tevano said, realizing what she meant. "You're not ready for that yet."

"I am going to do this," Bastila said forcefully, her eyes blazing. Tevano matched her gaze for a moment, saw her determination, and relented. Her eyes softened. "I could use your assistance, though," she said.

Bastila settled into the Battle Meditation pose. Tevano, unsure exactly what to do, placed a hand on her shoulder and tried to focus on her, using the Force Bond that still joined them, allowing strength to flow from him into her. It seemed to be working, because he sensed her power increase, and at the same time, he realized exactly how exhaused he was. After the back-to-back fights with Malak and Revan, he had been running on adrenaline. Now, as vitality flowed from himself into Bastila, he felt every injury, every bruise, every contusion. His own legs grew weak, and he wondered if he might fall, but he maintained the connection until finally Bastila broke her concentration and leaned against him, breathing heavily.

"There," she said, barely able to manage even a whisper. "It's done."

They limped together, each supporting the other, to the still-locked Command Center door. Opening it, they found Carth Onasi frantically trying to find a way in.

"There you are!", Carth said. "What happened?"

"Darth Malak is dead," Tevano said. "It's over, finally." He and Bastila glanced at each other. Neither quite knew what to say about Revan, so they silently agreed to save that discussion for later.

"That's wonderful news!" Carth said. He started to say more, but Bastila cut in.

"There's no time to celebrate just yet. I was able to use my Battle Meditation to allow the Republic to break through the Sith fleet. The capital ships are in bombardment range!"

"Then that means we have to get out of here right now," Carth said, "before this entire complex comes down around our ears! Everyone else is already on board the ship! Let's move!!"

The three hurried toward the Ebon Hawk, the two fatigued and depleted Jedi struggling to keep up with Carth. Just as they reached the ship, the station began exploding around them.

On the command deck of her captial ship, Admiral Dodonna had almost given up hope. She should have listened to Vandar, she thought. The Sith continued to pound at the Republic Fleet, which had now lost so many ships that even retreat might be impossible. She had managed only to lead the Republic to defeat. But then, wait, what was that?

"There!" she said. "A break in the Sith Formations! Green squadron, move in!" It was the first mistake the Sith had made since their onslaught began. It wasn't much, but maybe it would be enough.

"Green squadron's through!" came a voice over the communicator. "We've broken their lines!"

"Bastila is no longer using her Battle Meditation against us," Vandar said. "The tide has turned!"

"Red squadron - into the breach!" ordered Dodonna. "Capital ships - reinforce their position!" The Republic ships executed Dodonna's commands flawlessly and the Sith Fleet, which moments before had seemed invincible, now found itself in chaos.

"The Sith fleet is in disarray!" said Dodonna. "Now's our chance - hit that Star Forge with everything we've got!"

The Republic fleet converged on the Star Forge, unleashing every weapon in its arsenal. Capital ships, bombers, and even fighters pounded anything that looked like a vulnerable target.

"Admiral Dodonna - we've hit their main orbital stabilizers!" called a voice over the communicator.

"Everyone pull back," Dodonna ordered. "I don't want to lose any ships when that space station goes down!" She turned to the dimunitive Jedi Master beside her. "We did it, Vandar - the Sith are routed and the Star Forge destroyed!

"But at what cost, Admiral?" said Vandar. "Where is the Ebon Hawk and her crew?"

They watched as the Star Forge fell. Explosions ripped its hull. First small bursts of fire, they quickly increased until massive chunks of the space station split away. Finally, the whole station exploded in a rain of embers, burning and quickly dying in the vacuum of space. Vandar lowered his head.

And then, out of the ashes, a small bright speck grew larger and larger. The Ebon Hawk!

"Carth, you made it!" said Dodonna over the communicator.

"We couldn't let you start the victory party without us, Admiral!" replied Carth.

"I'm sending an honor guard to escort you in," said Dodonna. "You'll be getting a hero's welcome when we get home!"

No one noticed the small escape pod descending from the ruins of the Star Forge to the planet Lehon below.