KOTOR 2 - Tevano: Confrontation

Bastila Shan walked hand-in-hand with Tevano through the pouring Coruscant rain down the long path connecting the local spaceport with Bastila's small apartment. Jedi rules forbade attachment, but Tevano and Bastila had chosen long ago to ignore that particular regulation. And were they still even Jedi? Did the Jedi Order even exist anymore? Almost all the Jedi had been killed or scattered by first the Jedi Civil War, which Tevano had ended by killing Darth Malak. Even more had died or disappeared during the subsequent turbulent period known both as the Jedi Purge and the Sith Civil War. And they had recently learned that the remaining Jedi Council Members had been mysteriously killed on Dantooine.

Even with no formal Jedi Order, Bastila and Tevano still usually refrained from public displays of affection. But tonight, with Tevano just returned from his most recent long absence, they had taken advantage of the cover provided by Coruscant's WeatherNet in the form of a scheduled late-night rainstorm. Bastila had a hood raised against the downpour, but Tevano, trusting that no one else would be braving the preannounced weather, had discarded his usual secrecy and walked with his head exposed. The water streaming down his long dark hair felt refreshing after an extended journey in the dryness of space.

As they walked through a particularly dark area, a woman stepped out of an alleyway. Like Bastila, she had a hood raised against the rain, completely obscuring her features, but her movements showed purpose. She marched directly toward Bastila and Tevano, boot heels loudly striking the pavement with each deliberate step, sending small splashes flying. Ignoring Bastila, she stopped directly in front of Tevano, her face still hidden in the shadows.

"Why didn't you meet me on Dantooine?" she demanded.

"Dantooine?" Tevano said. "What is this about?"

"You said meet on Dantooine," the woman said, her voice ringing with accusation. "If things changed, you shouldn't have made me track you down. And then I was told you left for the Unknown Regions. Yet here you are."

"Who is this woman?" Bastila asked, dropping Tevano's hand.

"I don't know," Tevano said.

"You don't know?" spat the woman. "I had almost forgotten about you! I had a new life in a different part of the galaxy! Then you send me a message out of nowhere telling me to meet you, you don't show up, and now you pretend to not know me?"

"You had better start explaining this!" Bastila said.

"I've never seen you before!" Tevano said, looking between the woman and Bastila.

"Never seen me before?" the woman said incredulously. "After everything we've been through? Everything we did together?"

"What have you done together?" demanded Bastila.

"Nothing," said Tevano anxiously. "I don't know her."

"Don't know me?" the woman was practially yelling now. "I've done everything you ever wanted. Things I'm ashamed of. Things I wouldn't have done for anyone else-"

"What?" interrupted Bastila. Her fury was evident even through the storm. "I've done quite a bit for you myself! Am I to understand that I wasn't enough?"

"I'm telling you, I've never met her!" Tevano said, now focused solely on Bastila.

"Don't you dare pretend you don't know me!" the woman shouted. "Do all the lives I took for you mean nothing? I destroyed a planet for you, Revan!"

Tevano and Bastila looked at each other for a moment, each processing what the woman had just said. Finally, Bastila simply said "Oh." Looking directly under her hood, Tevano could see the hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.

"I promise, I would never-" Tevano said.

"I'm sorry, I should have known-" Bastila said at the same time.

They were interrupted by the sound of a lightsaber igniting.

"I will not be ignored!" the woman yelled, raindrops sizzling off the distinctive silver lightsaber in her hand. Still ignoring Bastila, she advanced on Tevano, who took a few steps backwards.

There's been a misunderstanding-" Tevano began.

"Oh, there's clearly been a misunderstanding!" the woman said furiously. "I actually THOUGHT you meant to save the Republic. But it seems I misunderstood - you really meant to subjugate it! I truly BELIEVED activating the superweapon was necessary. But I misunderstood - you just wanted your enemies, loyal Jedi and Republic soliders, eliminated before they could oppose you!" The woman, lightsaber still in hand, continued advancing on the retreating Tevano.

Bastila started to step forward, then felt the unmistakable shape of a lightsaber hilt pressed into the small of her back.

"How about you and I let them work this out for themselves," said a male voice.

Bastila stopped, her mind racing. A silver lightsaber. That was rare, perhaps unique, and it meant something. What was it? The woman's voice was familiar. Where had she heard it before? Telos. She had heard it on Telos. Meetra Surik. Bastila had heard of the silver lightsaber embedded into the stone pillar at Meetra's trial, when Meetra stood alone before the Council to answer for her actions during the war, particularly the final battle at Malachor V, where thousands had died at her command. And if the woman was Meetra, the man behind her must be...

"Hello, Atton," Bastila said.

"How did you know that?" Atton said. "I'm counting Pazaak cards as fast as I can go."

"I was in the next room on Telos when you and Meetra met with Carth Onasi," Bastila said, skipping past whatever Atton meant about Pazaak. "Meetra's making a terrible mistake. There are things she doesn't know, things Carth didn't know, things we couldn't tell him yet. You see..."

Meetra noticed that Atton was now talking to Revan's companion, the woman in the hood, but whatever they were saying was irrelevant. She had kept this locked inside her for far too long, and Revan was going to hear it all. She raised her lightsaber in rage, and Revan ignited his. Blue, this time. She'd expected red, but it made no difference.

"You used me!" she yelled, swinging at Revan. It was a half-hearted attempt, meant more for emphasis than aggression, and Revan deflected it easily. But Meetra continued, punctuating each exclamation with a swing.

"Played us all for fools ... Your own agenda ... Never really cared ..."

Atton's voice carried through the rain and the clashing lightsabers: "A clone? Really? You're not making this up?" That made no sense, and Meetra ignored it, continuing her advance on Revan, who had now stopped retreating and assumed a defensive position, still blocking each swing of the silver lightsaber.

"Your plan all along ... Destroy the very thing we were supposed to save ... Lives meant nothing ..."

"Meetra," Atton said loudly.

"Not now!" Meetra replied. Revan had taken a step forward now, and assumed a more aggressive stance. If he wanted to fight instead of acknowledging his guilt, Meetra was more than happy to oblige. She had never before been Revan's equal in physical combat, but tonight she just might be.

"Yes, now," Atton said even more loudly. "This is important."

"NOT NOW!" Meetra screamed, still fixated on Revan, assuming a corresponding aggressive posture of her own in preparation for a real attack.

"YES NOW!" Atton yelled back, with equal intensity. Realizing he finally had her attention, he continued at normal volume. "Remember when we met, and you thought I was a scoundrel, but it turned out I was somebody else-"

"Right now I still think you're a scoundrel," Meetra growled, her gaze never leaving Revan, the sliver lightsaber still raised.

"Okay," Atton said. "But honey, you're doing it again."

Meetra sighed. "I'm doing what?" she asked, still watching Revan.

"That's not Revan," Atton said. "That's Revan's clone. He killed Revan."

At this, Meetra's head snapped around. "What?" she said. "He's... He... That's not... Revan's dead?"

"Not exactly," Bastila said. "Which is our current problem."

Tevano extinguished his lightsaber. "I suggest we start over," he said. "Hello. My name is Tevano."

"So while I was fighting the Sith Triumverate, Tevano was reconnoitering Revan's new army, and Bastila, in the absence of the Jedi Council, was advising Carth and the Republic on defending themselves against the Sith?"

Meetra Surik sat in the Ebon Hawk's central room with Atton Rand, Bastila Shan, and Tevano. They had retired there for shelter from the storm, and Meetra had filled in Bastila and Tevano on various details of ~~KOTOR II~~ her defeat of Darth Nihilus, Darth Sion, and Darth Traya that they were not already aware of. In turn, Tevano and Bastila had recounted their version of the events ~~of KOTOR I~~ that began years prior with the strike team assault on Revan's flagship and Bastila's discovery of Tevano, then an unconscious clone of Revan, events which culminated with the destruction of the Star Forge. They had also explained how things had again become complicated when Revan, who had somehow survived the Star Forge, stole both the Ebon Hawk and his mask from Coruscant.

"That's correct," Tevano said. "Bastila and I realized that Revan was trying to lure us to the Unknown Regions, but we still don't know why. We do know that Revan, while still inhabiting Bastila's body, spoke of an unknown threat. He planned to first have himself named Supreme Commander of the Republic military. Then after defeating the threat, he planned to assume the title of Emperor. We assume that luring us to the Unknown Regions was somehow part of that plan, but we don't know if it was simply to get us out of the way, or if there was more to it."

"At first, though, we had no idea where Revan even was," Bastila said. "Tevano spent many months searching the galaxy for any sign of him. He couldn't let Revan know he hadn't gone to the Unknown Regions, or Revan would know we hadn't been deceived, so he had to be extremely careful, which made it very slow work. Speaking of secrecy, how did you manage to find Tevano, when we thought we were being so cautious?"

"The fact that the two of you led the mission to find the Star Forge and defeat Darth Malak is a matter of record for the Jedi," Meetra said. "And Mical, one of my crew members, is something of a Jedi history enthusiast. Then recall that Canderous, who was on that mission with you, was part of my crew for some time," Meetra said. "Between things he mentioned, plus a recording I managed to get from T3, it wasn't hard to work out your ... personal connection. That meant we only needed to find you, Bastila, and we would eventually find Tevano, who we thought was Revan. We talked to Carth after Darth Traya's death, and while he didn't reveal anything about your whereabouts, he let slip enough for us to get started. And Atton is very good at getting information out of computers. We've actually been surveiling you for some time, waiting for Revan - Tevano - to show up."

"I can't say I'm very comfortable with that answer, on several levels," Bastila said, her face slightly reddened. "But I can understand your perspective, and I do appreciate your candor." The two women looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, each unsure if the matter was really settled.

"So, getting back to what Tevano found..." Atton said.

"Right," Bastila said, composing herself and continuing. "Frankly, we both felt a little foolish when Tevano located Revan in the last place we'd seen him: Lehon, the Rakatan homeworld, in the system where we found and destroyed the Star Forge."

"We had originally discounted Lehon," Tevano said, "because the Republic has declared it a protected site and had forbidden anyone from visiting it. We should have realized that Revan would have little difficulty penetrating a blockade, and that the Republic would have so few forces to commit to it. In truth, the 'blockade' consists of little more than a few monitoring satellites and an occasional cruiser visit."

"With the continuing conflict against the Sith," Bastila continued, "even the cruiser visits have become rare. And because the satellites are intended to monitor for traffic to the planet from outside the system, rathern than monitoring the planet itself, Revan has had free reign to build his military on the planet free from interference.

"So in effect," Meetra said, "Revan is using the Republic blockade, such as it is, to protect and conceal his new plans? Clever, and very much like Revan. What is the nature of his military?"

"Relatively small, but powerful," Tevano said. "When we were on Lehon previously, the Rakata were a disorganized set of clans, some of which had been loosely gathered under the influence of a single leader, who we killed. Revan brought order to that chaos, but somehow he did even more. He restored the Rakata's connection to the Force. This is the species that created the Infinite Empire, that once dominated most of the known galaxy, that enslaved countless worlds. Revan has both retrained and dominated them, creating a military that answers only to him, one whose capabilities I don't even know how to estimate."

"And Revan himself?" asked Atton.

"From what I could tell," Tevano said, "He never leaves his command center. It is of similar construction to the ancient Rakatan Temple that we previously saw on Lehon, but is located on a different part of the planet. It is much, much larger, and protected by a similar force field. We never found a way to penetrate the field ourselves last time. We needed help from the Rakata to gain access. This time, I don't see any way we'll get that."

"The things you say about another threat match what that Kreia, Canderous, and GO-TO all told me," Meetra said. "GO-TO thought that Revan's strategies showed an awareness of another coming war. Canderous said Revan had told him to prepare the Mandalorians for battle. Kreia thought Revan had gone to the Unknown Regions to learn more about a new threat."

"So are Revan's forces on Lehon intended to attack this new threat," Atton said, "or the Republic? Or both?"

"Whatever order he intends," Tevano said, "his plans to be named Emperor suggest that taking over the Republic remains one of his goals."

"Revan's plans have always been subtle and multi-layered," Meetra said. "For example, when Revan gave Mandalore's mask to Canderous, Canderous thought he was talking to you, Tevano, right?" Tevano nodded. "But he also thought that you were Revan? So what Canderous thought was both correct and incorrect. He thought he was talking to Revan, the leader he admired for defeating him in the Mandalorian Wars, which was correct. But he also thought he was talking to his ally, who he had fled Taris with, searched for the Star Maps with, and journeyed to the Star Forge with. In this, he was incorrect. Revan knew all this, and used it to give Canderous the impression that he desired."

"I hadn't put it together in quite that way," Tevano said, "but yes. From what you know of Revan, why would he do that?"

"I'll answer that, if you answer a question for me first," Meetra said. "Why didn't you tell Candrous, Carth, and the others who you really are?"

"Because at the time, we honestly weren't sure ourselves," Tevano said. "Malak and Bastila both told me I really was Revan. Bastila believed it because the Jedi Council had told her. The only person who told me I was a clone was the person claiming to be Revan, who was at the time in control of Bastila's body. But we had no proof that was really Revan. Or if it was, that he was telling the truth. When we were finally able to talk to a Council Member, even he seemed uncertain. We still have no solid answers. We've simply agreed to accept that I'm Tevano, and move forward."

"What does that mean, exactly," Atton asked. "You're a clone of Revan, but you don't have any of Revan's memories. And you're an imprint of this Trask Ulgo person, but you don't have his memories either?"

"I'd love to talk to an expert about all this," Tevano said. "Unfortunately, there seems to be only one - Revan - and he's more interested in killing me than explaining anything. But what we've been able to piece together is that, as a Force Sensitive clone, my mind was designed to connect to the mind of a Force Sensitive person and pattern itself from them. The longer and stronger the connection, the deeper the pattern. Had Revan possessed me instead of Bastila, I would eventually have gained his memories on a neurological level, never developed an identity of my own, and effectively become Revan. But because we only had a brief connection on his flagship before he instead transferred to Bastila, I gained only a small imprint. I was near Trask Ulgo for many weeks, and gained more from him, but as he was only mildly Force Sensitive, I gathered no actual memories, just some tendencies and traits. My own mind fused these disjoint parts together into one coherent personality, and in the process created a narrative backstory, what I perceive as my own memories. In some ways, I'm both of them, and in other ways, I'm neither of them."

"And there's much of what Tevano explained," Bastila interjected, "that we didn't figure out until after Revan had left with Canderous. By that point, we'd realized we needed to work in secrecy, so Revan wouldn't know that Tevano hadn't actually gone to the Unknown Regions. So by the time we had anything to tell Carth or the rest of our allies, it was too late. I trust Carth completely, but the only sure way to keep a secret-"

"-is to never tell anyone," Meetra concluded. "That's fair. So to answer your question: I've come to understand that orchastrating people and events isn't just something Revan does, it's something he is. Revan is always seeking an advantage, weaving complex threads of suggestion so that others will achieve his goals for him without ever realizing they've been operating under his influence. I personally do not regret joining the Mandalorian Wars. And, if I were again put at Malachor V in the same situation, I would make the same choice. What I now realize, though, is that there were many other paths I could have taken between the beginning and the end if I'd understood what Revan was, what he was really doing."

"So you do agree with us that he must be stopped," Bastila said. It more statement than question.

"That's where things get complicated, isn't it?" Meetra said. "For all Revan's scheming, his talents are undeniable. He did save the Republic from domination by the Mandalorians. I dont't claim I could have done the same. And if I had demanded we take some of the other paths I just mentioned, what would have happened? Would the Republic have been lost? Or would he simply have replaced me and had someone else give the order at Malachor? I believe you that Revan is assembling an army. But we don't know why. As much anger as I carry at Revan, I'm not willing to sacrifice all the innocent lives in the Republic if he really is our best hope against a greater threat."

"And I am not willing to sacrifice the Republic to Revan on the chance that a greater threat exists," Tevano said. "I say we face the enemy at our doorstep first, then focus on whatever other danger may or may not be present."

"Canderous was on our side against the Triumverate," Atton said. "If we told him that Revan was manipulating the Mandalorians, would he help us again?"

"Against an invading foe?" Bastila said. "Maybe so. But against Revan? The Canderous I knew was unquestioningly loyal to the Revan that defeated his people. Ironically, being defeated by Revan seemed to forever prove Revan's worth to Canderous. I think he'd support Revan over us."

"And if we told Carth everything?" Meetra asked.

"Carth would support us unequivocally with everything at his disposal," Bastila said. "Unfortunately, as you've seen for yourselves, that isn't very much."

"Which leaves only the people in this room," Tevano said. "And I'm not sure we're even all aligned."

"I will not allow Revan to destroy the Republic, if that's what you mean," Meetra said. "If Revan really is what we all fear, then he must be destroyed. I just don't want to also doom the Republic in the process."

"Whatever Revan may have been when you served under his command," Tevano said, "I can assure you he has become something far darker. You may have known him longer than I, but I've faced him more recently. He tried to destroy the Republic Fleet, tried to kill me, and planned to recreate the Republic as an Empire under his domination. I know you have only our word for this, but I assure you, it is true."

"What of your other allies against the Triumverate?" Bastila asked. "The others with you on the Ebon Hawk?"

"They would be available," Meetra said. However, given our situation, I think a smaller group has a better chance of success."

"If Bao-Dur were still alive," Atton said, "this is where he'd call you 'General'. What do you have in mind?"

"First, I need to ask you all one more thing," Meetra said. "Malak killed Revan once, on his flagship, when Revan was forced to abandon his body. Yet Revan survived. The Jedi Council killed him again, when they terminated his body. Yet Revan survived. Tevano, you killed him again, when you forced him from Bastila's body. Yet Revan survived. He will not die easily. If this ends in us doing battle with Revan, we must be prepared to pay any cost. It is likely that not all of us will live. Are you ready for that?"

Tevano and Bastila looked at each other a long moment. Without breaking eye contact, Bastila answered for them both. "We are ready."

"Okay," Meetra said. "Let me summarize our position: we can't win this fight with military force. The people who support us have insufficient power, and the people with power can't be trusted. Our only option is to move against Revan ourselves. We're willing to do that, but we can't get to him, because his compound is impenetrable. Do I understand?"

"Yes," Tevano said.

"Then I have good news," Meetra said. "I can get us in."

"How?" Bastila asked.

"We're going to walk in the front door."

Atton Rand piloted the Ebon Hawk to a smooth landing on Lehon, just outside Revan's compound, making no efforts at concealment. Inside, Meetra was in the cargo hold with Tevano and Bastila. She took two items from a locker, made a few adjustments to each, then handed one to Bastila and the other to Tevano.

"These are Defel Mimickers from Nar Shaddaa," Meetra said. "Far superior to normal stealth generators, they will make you almost completely undetectable. I've matched their frequencies, so that you'll be able to see each other, but I won't be able to see you. Stay close behind me. Atton will remain on the Hawk. Although his Jedi training is progressing, facing someone of Revan's power is still beyond him."

Tevano and Bastila nodded, equipped the belts, and activated them. They followed Meetra to the exit ramp, but as Meetra descended, Tevano caught Bastila's hand.

"Be careful," he said. "We both know what he's capable of, and I can't stand the thought of something happening to you."

Bastila smiled tenderly at Tevano. "Don't worry," she said softly, almost serenely. "The Force fights with me."

He nodded, and they hurried to catch up with Meetra who, unable to see them, had not paused. She had disembarked the ship and was striding directly to the massive Rakatan structure's entrance. They caught up as she stopped just short of the force field, Bastila and Tevano now just behind. They were quickly surrounded by Rakata, some wielding blasters, others with red lightsabers. The Rakata croaked at them in their native tongue, but none of the humans could interpret it. Their meaning became clear, though, when they raised their weapons.

Meetra, however, completely ignored the Rakata. She took a deep breath, then screamed, using the Force to amplify her voice.

"REVAN!"

The Rakata either did not understand that Meetra had invoked their leader's name, or did not care. The lightsaber-wielders stepped forward, encircling Meetra from every direction except the front, where her proximity to the force field left little room. Tevano and Bastila were forced to draw even closer to Meetra to avoid them. The blaster-wielders formed a larger semicircle, weapons targeting Meetra. But still she paid them no heed. Again she released an amplified scream.

"REVAN!"

The Rakata leveled their lightsabers, now holding them mere inches from Meetra's head and shoulders. Bastila and Tevano now had to crouch to avoid the weapons. They could feel the heat radiating from them, but Meetra did not flinch.

"REVAN!"

For what seemed like a long time, nothing happened. The only sound was the sizzling of the Rakatan lightsabers. Finally, the stone door slid open and a gap appeared in the force field. The Rakata all took a step backward, but did not lower their weapons. This needed no interpretation: the only path allowed to Meetra was forward. She nodded at the entrance, as if acknowledging its unseen opener, then walked purposefully forward. Bastila and Tevano invisibly followed, the force field closing behind them.

A single unarmed Rakata met them inside. Motioning for Meetra to follow, it led them through hallway after hallway, deep into the structure. Finally, it gestured to an open door. Meetra entered, Bastila and Tevano close behind. They had barely made it inside when the door slid shut behind them. They found themselves in a large, high-ceilinged room that was almost devoid of furnishings. At the far end stood a single figure. He wore a dark hooded robe, and his signature mask.

At last, Revan.

"Welcome," Revan said. "I've been waiting for you. We have much to discuss."

"I'll say we do!" Meetra's face grew red and her hands shook slightly, but her voice was clear and steady. "I almost ignored your message in Wild Space. I had a life there, you know." This much was barely true, but Meetra was in no mood to be generous.

"And yet you came," Revan said. "Because you know there is a cause."

"I came because I wanted to see if you had changed. It appears you have not. You used me in the Mandalorian Wars, and now you have used me again, manipulated me, chose my path for me. Do you deny it?"

"I chose nothing. I showed you a path that you could either walk, or not. Don't blame me because I knew which choice you would make. You have always seen more clearly than any other what had to be done. I simply showed you the facts. When you saw Darth Sion at Peragus, when you saw what became of the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, when you learned how the Jedi had abdicated their duty to the galaxy while the Sith prepared to destroy it, you made your own choice."

"You showed me the facts that you wanted me to see!"

"I showed you the facts as they are. Has anyone else ever done that for you? Did the Jedi, before the Mandalorian Wars, secure in their Temple? When you saw the reality for yourself, you knew they had lied to you. Did Traya? Or Kreia, or Kae, whatever name you prefer to call her by? She told you lies and half-truths from the moment you met her, planning the whole time to sacrifice you for her cause."

"You-" Meetra began, then something Revan said clicked for her. "Wait, Kreia talked about Kae. You're telling me Kreia was Kae?"

"That was the name she was using when I first met her, yes," Revan said, "Although it would not suprise me if she had other names. For someone so certain of her beliefs, she never seemed sure of her own identity. Or more accurately, she seemed overly willing to discard each of her past selves when it suited her."

"Now that's the Rodian calling the Gamorrean green," Meetra said. "I still remember the name you went by before you titled yourself 'Revan', even if no one else does. But more than that, you've discarded the mantles of Jedi, Supreme Commander, and Darth. You've been the Republic's savior and its conqueror. You've served both the Light and the Dark, but did you truly belong to either? And what has it gained you? Here you stand, alone. Clearly you learned much from Kreia. You think yourself clever by moving people around like pieces on a gameboard, but we are not your playthings!"

"Were there some who I manipulated?" Revan said. "Of course. Did you think it a coincidence that the Sith Triumverate broke shortly before your arrival? You were powerful enough to defeat them individually, but their combined strength would have been beyond even you. Did you think it an accident that Kreia was aware of you and arrived just in time to save you from the HK-50 on the Harbinger?"

"I thought Atris leaked information that led to that," Meetra said.

"And how do you think Atris knew?" Revan said. "Atris was so focused on her own goals, so sure she was leading the galaxy by the nose, that she never considered who might be leading her. She never thought about where her holocrons came from, or who might be speaking to her through them. So yes, I used both Atris and the astromech droid to place Kreia in the right place at the right time, because I knew that both your talents and hers would be necessary to eliminate the remaining Sith Lords."

"T3? How was he involved?" Meetra asked in surprise.

"I needed to reinforce for Kreia that I had gone to the Unknown Regions," Revan said. "Had she come to suspect I was available, it might have altered her plans, and I needed them to remain as they were. Also, I needed to ensure that Kreia arrived at the Harbinger at the right moment. The droid was the answer to all that. After leaving Canderous on Rekkiad with Mandalore's mask, I flew to the planet Nathema, where a Rakatan vessel was waiting for me. I deactivated both HK-47 and the astromech, altered their memories in very specific ways, deleted every hyperspace route except Telos from the Hawk's navicomputer, and set the Hawk to crash, violently enough to be convincing, but not so violently that the droid could not repair it. It would naturally then pilot the Hawk along the same route as the Harbinger, because that was the only route available to it. If Kreia was not already moving to intercept the Harbinger, my ship would prove an irresitable lure for her. And as much disdain as Kreia had for technology, even she would still have been able to piece together enough about the Hawk's previous itinerary to confirm her preconceptions that I was in the Unknown Regions."

"That required unbelievable timing," Meetra said skeptically.

"Not at all," Revan said. "I left a satellite in orbit at Nathema to relay the droid's progress on repairing the Hawk. I was already in full control over when my message to you was delivered. I needed only to ensure that you received transport to Telos at the correct time. And Carth is very, very predictible."

"And HK-47 was part of your plan as well?" Meetra asked.

"Yes," Revan said. "I knew he would be an invaluable asset to you, but his programming is much more sophisticated, so preparing him to regard you as his Master required a ... let's just say ... harder reset."

"You blew up HK-47? You destroyed your own assassin droid?" Meetra asked.

"As his creator, I reserve that right," Revan said. "And as you saw for yourself, he is, by design, quite resiliant. I'm not sure anything short of a complete meltdown could permanently stop him."

"So again you placed me into the middle of a situation you orchestrated," Meetra said, "using me as a tool." The accusation in her voice was unmistakable, but Revan's voice remained calm.

"I prepared your way," Revan said. "I did everything I could to help you without revealing myself. And I forced you to do nothing. I gave you choices, because I respect you. Kreia was always going to live up to her pseudonym of Darth Traya. She deserved no such choice."

"And Kreia's master plan," Meetra said, "whatever it really was? To kill the Force, or to deafen us all to it? You did nothing to stop that. Could it have succeeded?"

"Yes, I believe it could have," Revan said cooly.

"Then you took an incredible risk with the fate of the entire galaxy!" Meetra exclaimed.

"I took no risk," Revan said. "I bet on you. There is no one that I trust more."

"Trust? Or can predict? What answer do you have for Malachor V?" Meetra demanded, finally coming to the center of her anger.

"At Malachor V you saved the Core worlds and everyone on them."

"You used me to destroy an entire planet! Killing thousands of our own allies! I still carry the wound!"

"As for your wound, yes. You will never connect to the Force in the way you did prior to Malachor. But I see you have learned to relate to the Force again in your own way, a new way, perhaps a better way. And as for using you, I would say that I gave you the opportunity to win the war, in the only way it could be won. If there had been another route to victory, I would have taken it. But there was none."

"How do you know???" Meetra yelled, her anger finally starting to get the best of her. "You never asked me! You never asked anyone! Did you ever think that someone besides you might have another idea? Something the great Revan hadn't thought about?"

"I-" Revan began, but Meetra cut him off.

"No! You did not! And you know why, but I'll say it out loud! You WANTED half our forces dead! I truly THOUGHT you meant to save the Republic! I honestly BELIEVED activating the superweapon was the only way to do it! But no, you just wanted your enemies, loyal Jedi and Republic soliders, eliminated before they could oppose you, before you subjugated the very thing I was trying to save!"

Meetra's hand had unconsciously dropped to her lightsaber. Tevano and Bastila, still concealed by the stealth generators, glanced at each other and prepared to draw their own weapons. But Revan made no move toward the twin lightsabers at his own belt. "Yes, the sacrifice was tremendous, but what we all gained was worth it. You made the right choice, as I knew you would. Just as I know you will now, in an even greater battle."

"The ends justify the means? That's your defense? You think you can destroy countless lives just because-" Meetra stopped herself, having just processed Revan's last sentence. "Wait, what battle?"

"And now we reach the real reason I sent for you. Once more, you are faced with a choice. Once more, you and you alone can save the Core and the trillions of innocents therein. I sent for you because out of the entire galaxy, only you are capable of doing this, and I know you will not fail."

"Do what?" Meetra asked dubiously, hand still on lightsaber.

"I have a proposal for you," Revan said.