Bindo's Journey: Long Shadows Part 3

T3-M4 wails and moans to himself as he probes a door lock.  The work ought to be easy, but there is no one who could repair him yet.  The autonomous technician grows irritated at his difficulties and occasionally cuts wires and creates sparks where he does not mean to.  Bastila kneels down at his side and cradles his dome in her arms.

BASTILA:  You're almost there, T3.

We need to help Revan.

CARTH:  What about Jolee?

Bastila glares up at him.

CARTH:  Revan may be lost to us.

CANDEROUS:  The unfortunate truth is

he may really be found.

The door slides open.  T3 attempts a happy cheer, but his headpiece droops and center eye holds a faint blue glow.  HK already reclines against the wall behind them, eyes completely dark.

Bastila steps inside the unlit quarters and stands with an outstretched hand probing her surroundings with her mind.  Something flies into her hand and she steps back out again for the others to see.

BASTILA:  Now I've found him.

This was his.

She holds a lightsaber.

Carth cranes to look at the
name on the doorframe.

CARTH:  These aren't Revan's quarters.

BASTILA:  No.  They're not.

She marches away with the lightsaber.

T3 begins to follow, but after he pivots he only makes it a couple feet when his treads stop dead.
Bastila turns and kneels down to cup T3's center eye in her hand to lift up his face.

BASTILA:  Rest now, T3.  I have what I need.

T3 shuts down.

Revan pushes and pulls at Jolee's lightsaber with the Force all the while they duel.  Jolee bolsters himself in turn and stands firm on his feet with each body blow from the Force, but the unorthodox attacks on his lightsaber grip is becoming untenable.  Each time the sabers make contact Jolee's old bones shake to the core and he can only begin to wonder how Revan is faring.  It feels as though the old Jedi might only be held together by his connection with the Force and ought to disintegrate at the duel's end, no matter the outcome.

Then a purple lightsaber stabs the blast doors.  The blade arcs up and cuts a semi-circle to make an opening.  The lightsaber disappears and the severed slab explodes into the room and causes Revan and Jolee to jump back from each other as it passes between them.

Bathed in the heat of molten metal, Bastila stands in the opening with the ignited purple lightsaber.  Near to the floor, Juhani levitates flat on her back behind Bastila as she enters.  Carth ducks in to stand to one side of the opening with both weapons drawn and Canderous trains his heavy blaster while taking cover just behind the opening.

Revan takes two steps back and grips his lightsaber in both hands.  Bastila disengages the lightsaber, stops next to Jolee and levitates Juhani on ahead of her.  While Revan is unmoving, Bastila looks down at her hand and feels the hilt violently trembling to fly towards its old master.

BASTILA:  Enough of us have died for your war, Revan.

Do not let the memory of the Apocalypse consume you
and the rest of us.  I know she loved you.

She looses her grip and the
purple lightsaber flies to Revan.

BASTILA:  And so did Juhani.  

Revan looks to Juhani.

BASTILA:  Yes.  Arzilla and Juhani both.

I hope you do not doubt me as well.

REVAN:  You took me from her!

BASTILA:  And now perhaps you can
understand what has happened... as a Sith.

JOLEE:  You cannot inflict pain without
casting it on yourself.

BASTILA:  Malak's betrayal was your own.
How could he have done what he did
if not for you, Revan?

REVAN:  My armies will rise again.

JUHANI:  Then so shall Malak be, also,
resurrected in the form of another.
One who admires you and then
seeks your destruction.
The darkness shall take
you long before you die.

REVAN:  How do you speak to me?

ARZILLA:  For love of you we were silent.

Arzilla stands in the breach with other
phantom crewmembers who quietly enter.
She comes and stands next to Juhani who
rises to her feet before Bastila and Jolee.

ARZILLA:  There is no death.  There is only the Force.

You often spoke of this to me.  It seemed a source

of comfort to you whenever you doubted what

you were doing.  But we know all too well that

you managed to twist that truth into a lie, Revan.

You turned from your duty to defend the Republic.

You caused much suffering.  And now it will last for

an eternity.

JUHANI:  We cannot leave the Apocalypse.

Once dead we are bound to remain.

This is among the evils of 

the Rakatan's forging.

The prisoners come forward 

along with Haize Ulgo.

PRISONERS:  We are with you, Master.

HAIZE ULGO:  Please, remember my brother, Master.

ARZILLA:  We would not have had you leave too soon.

We so wished for you to understand.

And now you might save the Republic.

REVAN:  I am a conqueror.

ARZILLA:  You have not conquered nearly as much
as you know.  The Apocalypse could still prey upon
your weakness, your fear, your hope for understanding.
But far worse for the Force to understand you all too well.

REVAN:  What shall I do?

JUHANI:  No more masks, Revan.
Show us your face.

The phantom of Revan's armor disappears and soon after the crew of the Apocalypse does also.  Juhani rests a hand on Revan's chest and walks on ahead to the observation window.  She stands with her back to the others and after a moment of solemn silence Juhani cries.  Revan's sabers drop to the deck and he runs from the Apocalypse to escape on the Ebon Hawk.








PREVIOUS