Only Light Can Cast Shadow (A KotOR AU FanFiction) (Part I)

[Lady Revan]

The end of this chapter is finished, but I'm still working out the middle pieces Dx There's no classes though tomorrow, so hopefully I can find time to finish between catching up on homework and rewriting my script for the lecture recital. This bit is short, but....  there's not much left between this and the ending portion. It will more likely be 4 parts rather than 5. I think I can fit both halves of the end in one post.


CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TOO CLOSE TO HOME (Part 2 of likely 4 to 5)

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Bastila wiped her brow and set the tools she had been using to her side. The sparks that had come up from the tool were hot, and, combined with the nerves, had caused her to break a sweat. It was time now, as a Padawan, for Bastila to build her very first lightsaber. She was to build it on her own, without assistance from anyone else. After taking a series of tests from the Masters regarding her actions in a set of varied circumstances, it was decided that the clearest path for her to follow would be that of the Jedi Sentinel. Being said, she received a yellow crystal from the Masters for the creation of her first lightsaber.

She felt an enormous amount of pressure in the completion of the task, however. There were so many possible ways that the thing could go wrong. She had to remain focused. She had to get this to be absolutely perfect. She would personally settle for nothing less.

She picked up the tool again and continued her work, her gaze intently focused on the mechanics of the thing. While she had read about the process many times, completing the actual thing was far more complicated than she had initially imagined it to be from the instructions. She had read and had heard stories of terrible things that could happen if, say, the crystal were to be set incorrectly. Given that the greatest of the Jedi artisans had arisen from those who had walked upon the path of the Jedi Sentinel, there was a reputation she had to upkeep.

She turned the yellow crystal that she had been given over in the light, admiring the glittering golden sparkle that reflected off of its natural facets. While ideally a Jedi would bond naturally with the crystal in their saber, it was not uncommon for a Padawan at the Dantooine enclave to be given a crystal for the purpose of constructing their first lightsaber. Granted, it was not the ideal situation. Ideally, a Jedi should find their own crystal to construct a lightsaber… but the caves where crystals grew on Dantooine had become too dangerous for Padawans to enter. Even the Masters dared not to attempt alone. A strange dark taint had begun to manifest itself there, and the caves had become infested with dangerous creatures touched by darkness. A few years before, a Padawan nearing Knighthood had entered the caves alone to go looking for crystals despite the known and nearly didn’t return alive. The Masters had become far stricter about entry as a result.

The crystal should still be compatible with her enough though. The Masters on Dantooine had been giving special tests to the students there when they became Padawans not only to determine their ideal role among the Order… but also to determine which initiate crystal should be compatible. It was a bit like playing matchmaker… except that the Padawans would be ‘married’ to their crystal for their saber.

   Padawan Bastila Shan carefully set the golden yellow crystal in its place. She did not sense any negative feedback from it… any unusual vibrations… She finally breathed, letting out a sigh of relief from the breath which she had not realized she’d been holding. While more than one crystal could be set in a saber, this was her first, and thus the only one she had available to set. Perhaps that was for the better though. After all, more crystals to set meant more room for error, and she wasn’t in the mood to test if the things she had read about exploding crystals were true or not.

   The hilt was a sleek and elegant design, and Bastila was quite proud of her work. It was a bright silvery gray and relatively even in width from top to bottom. There were thin ridges running all around, parallel to the blade, to aid with grip and the pommel design was relatively flat, but with a sort of spiraling pattern at its base. The emitter was similar to a pincer in shape and contained delicate perpendicular rectangular windows circling the opening for the blade.

Holding the saber hilt in a ready stance with both hands, she pressed the flush silver trigger and watched the yellow blade spring to life. Her smile beamed as brightly as the light from the saber’s blade. She had done it! She had finished constructing her first lightsaber! Surely her Master would be proud of the work she’d done. After all, it was quite the beautiful piece if she did say so herself. Deactivating the blade, she clipped the hilt of her newly constructed lightsaber to her belt and left the workbench to show her Master the end result.

   

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Dust stirred up from basilisk war droids and gleaming red bolts of blaster fire whirred through the night air at the battle on Essien. They had fallen for it! After it had finally seemed like the tide of the battle was turning in the Republic’s favor, they had fallen for the trap laid by their enemies… both the known ones and the previously unknown.

“Are you certain it’s them?” one soldier said to another.

“Unless you know of any other Jedi on Essien, I’m afraid so…”

It was terrible! The context of all of it… The same Jedi who had joined their lines earlier in the battle and had helped them to repel the Mandalorians had set a trap for the Republic forces, luring them into a surprise attack from the Mandalorians. Now, those four Jedi stood before them, clad in Mandalorian armor, their coppery orange blades ignited like fires sprung forth from some hellish inferno. It was like something straight out of a nightmare.

Captain Dallan Morvis had attempted to flush the remaining Mandalorians out of the forest by using tibana sticks to burn down the forest, but the plan had backfired and caused them to fall into a counter trap set up by none other than Dorjander Kace, the Revanchist Jedi who was leading the Jedi support group that had been sent to Essian. He had with him, three other Knights. Only hours before, they had helped the Republic military forces to drive the Mandalorians from the beach and now they were helping the Mandalorians to launch a full-out onslaught on the Republic forces.

Overwhelmed by the Mandalorians sheer numbers and buy their newly gained Jedi support, the Republic forces were forced to surrender. They were taken prisoner and drafted by the very Mandalorians which they had been fighting. Foe was friend. Friend was foe. And the Mandalorian Knights (as they called themselves) were the focal point of it all.

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[Karmack]

OK....   I'm confused by these "Mandalorian Knights"....    Why switch sides like this???  What's the deal?

Is this Revan?  OR sometthing/someone else?

I hope this becomes clearer as the chapters progress!  LOL  Or maybe I just missed something?

[Lady Revan]

That part is explained in the immediate next section of the chapter and misty the end. Without disclosing too much, it becomes a morality play. Hopefully I can clear that up for you later today. Let’s just say what “good” and “evil” is often simply a matter of perspective.

[Karmack]

That part is explained in the immediate next section of the chapter and misty the end. Without disclosing too much, it becomes a morality play. Hopefully I can clear that up for you later today. Let’s just say what “good” and “evil” is often simply a matter of perspective.

OK.  I was afraid I'd missed something earlier.  :-)  Glad I didn't! 

As for Good and Evil...   What you say is only true in the abscence of an extrinsic standard.  I believe in such a standard, so I tend to reject that argument.  But that's a whole 'nother thread....   :-)

[Lady Revan]

OK.  I was afraid I'd missed something earlier.  :-)  Glad I didn't! 

As for Good and Evil...   What you say is only true in the abscence of an extrinsic standard.  I believe in such a standard, so I tend to reject that argument.  But that's a whole 'nother thread....   :-)

Yes, but that standard can change depending on what you know of each side. Plot feelings aside, I think Mandalorians get far more bad rep than they should. Very few take the time to study Mandalorian culture.

But no, you didn’t miss anything! Again, I’ll see about finishing to post later today.


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[Lady Revan]

To clear up the confusion of the end of the last part, here is the next. I'm still finishing one more part between this and the ending, but I'm not sure I'll get to finish it today, so in the meantime....


CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TOO CLOSE TO HOME (Part 3 of to 5)

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Dorjander Kace sat on the observation deck of the Reciprocity staring down at the face that shown in the little yellow orb which he held in his hand. It was a young human woman with brown hair cut into a shaggy top with the sides shaven and the back pulled into a ponytail. She had intense brown eyes and full lips, which were drawn into a rather serious expression, and had an olive complexion. She was wearing a sort of armor and had the look of a great warrior about her.

‘Varda….’ Dorjander thought, and he brought the image to his lips and softly pressed a kiss to it.

This was for Varda, whose eyes were closed forever. This was for their child, whose eyes would never open to the outside world. This was for the innocent lives who had so cruelly been taken in the name of ‘justice’ and ‘peace’ by a Republic corrupted beyond the knowledge of what these things actually were. A Republic that did not fight its own wars, but one that used its Force-wielding Kath Hounds among the Jedi Order to do the dirty work for it! It had happened during the Great Sith War, and now it was happening again.

They were innocent! They had done nothing! The target was civilian—not military! He recalled digging and rummaging through the debris from the bombing, only to find her limp and lifeless body, half burned, her left arm completely severed from the blast. Her face and hair were all matted with blood and her armor dented so badly that it was pierced and protruded through her body in several places. A tear ran down his cheek and dampened his graying blonde beard as he recalled the scene. And the worst part of it was that the attack wasn’t launched by Republic officers—it had been launched by a Jedi!

Their child would have been about thirty-three standard years old by now. But even though it had been so long, the pain was still there. He did not expect that it would ever fully go away. There was nothing that he could do to change what had happened… to bring back to life the innocent lives which had been unfairly taken away. Varda was a Mandalorian. She always expected to die in the glory of battle… but she was never given a fair fight for which to die.

The Council was right. The Jedi’s place was in fighting the Sith—not in fighting the Republic’s wars for it. It was why he had been one of those most actively in opposition of the Revanchist movement formed by the Jedi who now called herself Revan. If the Mandalorians were fighting without the Force, it was only fair for the Republic to do the same. The duty of the Jedi was to protect the innocent, and in Kace’s eyes, the Republic no longer fit that description. When the Council started speaking of the possibility of support for the cause, however, that was when Dorjander Kace knew that it was time for him to do what he could to right this terrible wrong, and so he had stepped down from his position on the Jedi Council.

He had determined that, if the Republic were going to have Jedi aiding them in the war, then he needed to balance the playing field… to give the Mandalorians their own Jedi Order. It wasn’t going to be an easy feat. After all, there was no time to begin an Order completely from scratch.

He had enlisted the help of some of his former Padawans, now Knights, who had been sympathetic to his stories of Varda and their unborn child. The three Jedi had been willing to join in the plan, despite the obvious risks. When the Council approved of the Jedi Mercy Corps, that was when Kace knew it would be time for their plan to begin to take form.

As long as the Revanchists had remained a Mercy Corps, none of this would have needed to happen. Revan kept pushing for more, pushing to test the boundaries of what could be put passed the Council, kept insisting on the Jedi involvement in combat against the Mandalorians… And in response, when this combat finally came, Kace was forced to enact his counter-combat.

His Mandalorian Knights would join the Mandalorian cause and counter the Jedi with Jedi. The Mandalorians were a naturally Force-Resistant race and were quite superstitious of Force wielders as a result. They did not believe in using “tricks” and “magic” in battle like the Jedi did… but being Force resistant, also meant that it was impossible for them to develop their own Jedi naturally.

Attempts had been made on more than one occasion to breed a Mandalorian Jedi in the past. There was the Osadia school, founded by Antos Wyrick, which sought to foster children to be trained as Mandalorian Knights… and later the experiments sanctioned by Mandalore for Doctor Demagol to discover the source of Jedi Force powers and learn how to genetically engineer them into the Mandalorians own troops… but nothing had been successful thus far.

Kace’s plan, however, held more promise. After all, he was a Jedi himself. He understood the Jedi and how to train them, and he had trained many quite successful Padawans in the past… All that they lacked now were the Jedi to train. All they lacked was a foundation for the next generation of Mandalorian Knights… and Kace knew just where to find that foundation which they needed.

The course had already been plotted for Dantooine, and the streaks of stars whirred passed as the ship barreled through hyperspace. He had checked on the Academy there rather frequently and knew very well that they were running on what was pretty much a skeleton staff. There were very few Masters there, as most had been transferred to Coruscant as of late, or were out on various field missions. However, what there was an abundance of on Dantooine were Padawans and Younglings. This was the foundation that they needed in order to build their own Mandalorian Knights. He would take the Padawans and Younglings to the Mandalorian planet Ordo and establish a new academy there for the training of the Mandalorian Knights.

He had managed well enough to keep his intentions hidden from the other Revanchists. No one seemed to suspect a thing when he had requested to be paired with his former pupils and when he had volunteered positions as he had. In fact, if anything, his experience with the Mandalorians during the Great Sith War had served to strengthen the trust that their leader, Revan, had in him. While the woman was a visionary and charismatic, she was also gullible and far too trusting of anyone claiming to want to take up her cause. She should have listened to her friend about being wary of so many new volunteers when we left Coruscant as the Mercy Corps… He was far more prudent.

What little ‘Jedi’ resistance he had faced thus far hadn’t come from the Order or from the Revanchists, but rather from some sad sap of a boy who had given up becoming a Jedi and tried to return to his home world only to be drafted into the Republic militia. Former Padawan Zayne Carrick was a member of the Phaeda militia which Kace’s company of Jedi had been sent to aid.

He was really no more than a boy though, and despite him having figured out Kace’s plan for Dantooine, then Mandalorian Knighs were able to make very short work of him and had him securely locked away in one of the Mandalorian prisons where some of the other Republic soldiers who had resisted being drafted into the Mandalorian army were being held. It was a shame, really. He had offered Carrick to join the Mandalorian Knights. He had told Carrick of Varda, and hoped that he would understand—after all, the Republic had deeply wronged the lad as well. He hoped that eventually the kid would see reason and join them. He’d decided that, when that day finally did come, there would be no hard feelings.

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[Lord_S_Gray]

Very few take the time to study Mandalorian culture.

LOL very few survive long enough!  

Curious to see Bastilla in this chapter, almost seems completely unrelated to the Mando knights....though in a sense its poetic if one recalls her (future at this point of time) famous quote "What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause?"

[Lady Revan]

LOL very few survive long enough! 

Curious to see Bastilla in this chapter, almost seems completely unrelated to the Mando knights....though in a sense its poetic if one recalls her (future at this point of time) famous quote "What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause?"

Talk about timing lol! She does have a more important purpose in this chapter... part of it's already happened, but that's setting up something much further down the line. The other part... that's in the in-between section I'm still writing. It's the more outwardly apparent. She's going to be poking in a bit more from time to time, I think. She needs a little face time before.... The end of II. No spoilers for Karm XD

[Lord_S_Gray]

Yeah gonna need that new sabre Bastilla!
Kaces thought processes seem...very curious...he thinks Jedi should protect the innocent, but opposes Revan trying to do just that an uses that to justify attacking them...and that a war should be balanced with force users on both sides, yet says "The Jedi’s place was in fighting the Sith—not in fighting the Republic’s wars for it" yet if they are at war with the Sith...arguably the Republic are their allies...

It sounds like a whole bunch of semi-contradictory justifications to just do what he really wants and join the Mando'a in honor of his fallen lover and hit back at the Republic and Jedi. Not that there is anything wrong with that...most of my characters revel in double standards...as do we all LOL.

[Lady Revan]

I'm adding a couple more things to the trial scene before posting the very ending of this Chapter


CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TOO CLOSE TO HOME (Part 4 of to 5)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This Chapter contains quotes of dialogue from the "Knights of the Old Republic: War" Comic series by Darkhorse. I do not own this series.

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It was still early in the Dantooine day cycle when the Mandalorian troops began to land near the Jedi Academy there. It would be a few more hours before the dreadnaughts, which were to take the captured students to Ordo, would arrive. It wouldn’t take more than a few hours in total, after all. There wasn’t much in terms of fighting to be done. The Mandalorian troops under Kace’s command had been given very strict orders that none of the students were to be harmed in any way. The children were always precious to the Mando’ade, but these ones were particularly special. These children were to be the very first order of Mandalorian Knights.

Blue and Bronze sabers clashed as Masters Zhar Lestin and Dorjander Kace were locked in duel. Lestin was a pink-skinned Twi’lek male and was the headmaster of the training facilities on Dantooine. He was one of the few Masters in the facility at the time of the attack, and was the one in charge of the Masters efforts to protect the students.

“What do you think you’re doing, Kace!?” Master Lestin said between swings, blocking an attack incoming from upward. “This is an outrage! Why would you attack the Jedi here on Dantooine?”

Blades sizzled as each pushed against the other with equal strength. “I’m stopping an outrage, Zhar,” Dorjander grunted as he applied for force to his blade, hoping to overwhelm his opponent’s strength. “I’m stopping you from producing any more Jedi for the Republic!”

The lock of their blades finally broke, and Master Lestin moved in toward Kace’s shoulder with an attempt at a cho sun, but the armor he wore was of Mandalorian steel—one of the only materials in the galaxy which could withstand the blade of a lightsaber. Rather than slicing through, there was a loud electrical noise, sparks momentarily flying from the point of impact. Zhar had to brace himself not to let the failed hit disrupt his form so he would be able to block Kace’s attack which was incoming from the right.

“That makes no sense, Kace! But then again, you never did! You were always the one the most opposed among the Order to the Jedi entering the war… and when there was talk of working with the Revanchists, you chose to step down… only to join their movement yourself…. And now this!?” His words were broken between swings. Kace was a Jedi Master—one who had, no less, held a seat on the High Council. His skills in combat were nothing to be sneezed at.

Zhar had always found Dorjander’s choice to join the Revanchists movement to be laughable, but he had figured it must have been the ‘Mercy Corps’ which had attracted the old man. Apparently Kace’s ideas had been far more twisted than that. This was looking bad for the Jedi on Dantooine. The students here were too young and inexperienced to be expected to help, and the Masters were vastly outnumbered by the Mandalorian troops which had come with Kace. They needed to find a way to get the children to safety….

“Students,” the Twi’lek called behind himself, “Stay behind the Masters. Help will come!”

He inwardly winced at the thought. He couldn’t promise them that. After all, any support from off-planet Jedi would take at least a week to arrive, and there were no Republic troops stationed on Dantooine. But he had to hope. There was nothing else left if not hope.

The battle continued for a few more minutes, the students attempting to stay clumped together behind the Masters, who were all locked in duels with the Mandalorian Knights. The clumping made it a bit more difficult for the Mandalorians who were wearing jet packs to attempt to swoop down and take a Padawan from above and to succeed.

It was soon after that dark shadows loomed overhead in the sky. The Jedi stood stunned, many looking upward to see what was causing the shadows overhead. Above them loomed three Mandalorian dreadnaughts.

“Ah, right on time,” Kace said, deactivating his lightsaber. Master Zhar Lestin was too stunned at the goings on to attack anyway. “My reinforcements are here to take the students to their new academy… Jaska! Veskasa! Sabawyn! Take Lestin and the other teachers and bind them in the Council Chamber. Soldiers, I want you to escort the Padawans to the transports once they land.

Master Dorjander Kace turned to the Padawans, who seemed terrified at everything that was happening. He needed to reassure them. After all, it was for their own good and for the good of peace in the galaxy. He smiled warmly and touched the chin on a young Togruta student. “Don’t worry, Youngling,” he said as gently as he could. “This is all just a game. Not to worry, children. Your studies will continue uninterrupted—just in a different location and where you won’t be bound to a corrupt political system…”

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Bastila Shan had been heading to the grove to meditate when she heard the sounds of jetpacks, blaster fire, and lightsabers clashing begin. It startled her greatly. She had never seen a battle of any sort before. It frightened her, and she found herself running away from the academy as fast as she could, trying desperately to keep cover wherever possible. She didn’t know what was going on… why anyone would want to attack the Jedi Enclave… but she wasn’t curious enough to stick around and find out. She continued running and running… until she finally reached the grove.

The girl stopped clinging to her knees and panting heavily in an attempt to catch her breath. She didn’t know what to do. Even if she had her own lightsaber now, how was she supposed to help? She had only just begun training in the various forms. She stood no chance against someone who was trained in combat!

Exhausted, she collapsed into a seated position on the ground. Whatever this was, it was big! They had received no warnings of it prior, so it must have been a surprise assault, completely undetected by the Republic and by the other Jedi who were out fighting now in the war. It was the fact that such a thing could happen to a place where the Jedi trained, however, which made it all the more disturbing. If the enemy had managed to mask their presence in the Force, then the only possible explanation could be that they were using the Force themselves!

Bastila swallowed hard, a nervous lump forming in her chest. Could this have possibly been the return of the Sith? The only other possibility would be a Jedi turning on their own… but why would Jedi turn on other Jedi? What possible reason was there for any of this?

She rubbed her temples, shaking her head in confusion. No… No, she needed to calm down. She needed to think about all of this more logically. Since she had managed to escape from the site before the start of the raid, then there must have been some way that she would be able to help them from the outside. She needed to focus. She needed to clear her mind….

She took deep breaths and closed her eyes as she shifted herself into a meditative position, her feet folded underneath her. She allowed her body to relax ever muscle from top to bottom. Her eyes… her face… her neck… her shoulders… her hands… her spine… her feet…. All was relaxed. All was calm. All was focused. She needed focus. She needed to find a way!... A way to help…

Her breathing was deep and steady, a focus in her mind more intense than any which she had ever held before. Her focus was on a specific goal—and that goal was finding a way to stop the raid on the Jedi Academy. What she could not see as her focus intensified, were the glowing orbs of Force energy which began to form around her.

All she knew was focus. It was the focus which the Masters had sensed in her, and the reason why they had encouraged her to practice meditation so frequently. The thing which they had foreseen was finally beginning to manifest itself for the first time since the great Nomi Sunrider.

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   Master Zhar Lestin, Master Dorak, Master Kreia Sana, and Master Quatra sat bound within the Council Chamber of the Dantooine Jedi Enclave. Force-restraint neural collars had been placed on each of them, so they would not be able to call upon the Force to free themselves and to interfere in the removal of the Younglings and Padawans. The situation looked rather grim.

   “Now what can we do?” Master Quatra said with a sigh. She was a Cathar woman with silver speckled fur and a white mane. Her intense green eyes were wild and untamed, yet oddly peaceful, as if she had found a sort of harmony between the warrior ways of the Cathar and the diplomatic and scholarly ways of the Jedi. “Without proper guidance, how are such young students able to resist temptations as they arise, as they grow in strength and in power…”

   “Now Quatra, you underestimate a child’s capacity to think for themselves,” Master Kreia stated.

   The Cathar’s ears flattened back against her head. “And you place too much faith in it,” she retorted. “Your recent students are a prime example. Wasn’t Revan one of yours? Kace and the others who attacked the Academy… they had left to join Revan’s crusaders. Are you certain that this attack was not your Padawan’s scheme? After all, it was  the sort of so-called ‘thinking for themselves’ which you preached that encouraged her to originally defy the Council’s orders…”

   “Completely,” Master Sana said, her voice eerily void by emotion. “It’s not within my former pupil’s nature to kidnap children…”

   “That’s enough bickering,” Dorak said. “Right now we need to focus on how we’re going to get out of here for the well-being of all of the students. If only there weren’t these damned neural collars… I can’t sense anything that is going on with them. It’s like being completely blind!”

   Master Kreia let out a low, ironic chuckle. For, after all, the old woman was really blind herself. She found it moderately amusing that those with full access to all of their other senses should rely so heavily upon the Force to perceive the world around them.

   “This isn’t funny!” Quatra hissed.

   “Enough!” Lestin exclaimed, cutting them off again. “My Lekku are still unbound… Perhaps I can attempt to open the lock…”

   “It’s not likely to work,” Kreia stated. “The lock within the bindings is unlikely to be accessible by an appendage the size of a Lekku, and the force collars can only be removed by someone who currently has access to the Force…”

   “Unlikely or not, it’s at least worth a try… Unless you have any better ideas?”

   “By all means, go ahead. I, in the meantime, will meditate on this. There is much to this situation that we are perhaps missing… Someone will come. Force or not, that much I can sense…”

   “Crazy old woman! Praying is not going to change anything at a time like this. We need action!” Quatra said, shaking her head in disbelief at her colleague’s seeming indifference toward the situation.

   “You two are giving me a headache,” Dorak said, closing and opening his eyes slowly, as if to replace rubbing his temples in the absence of use of his hands.

   It was after a few minutes of Zhar Lestin fiddling with the cuffs using his Lekku that two sentients dressed in Mandalorian armor came crashing through the glass ceiling of the Council Chamber.

   “What the… Zayne!? Zayne Carrick!?” Lestin said in disbelief when the dust settled. There before them were Master Kace and former Padawan Zayne Carrick locked blade to blade.

   “Hello Masters,” Zayne managed through his teeth as he attempted to hold off Dorjander. “Sorry about the ceiling…”

   “I haven’t dueled in school in a long time son,” the Mandalorian Knight said with a chuckle. “I’ve gotten my practice ‘on the street’ so to say.” And with this, he kneed the younger man in the gut, knocking him away and breaking the lock of their sabers. “I’m sorry I can’t stick around to give your old teacher more of a demonstration, but I’ve got a ship to catch.”

   “No!” Zayne said, grabbing hold of the Master’s ankle. “You’re not going!”

   “Enough antics, Carrick! I’m sorry, but this has to end!”

   It was at this point that a Devarovian female dressed in Mandalorian armor jetted down to meet them, Blaster rifle poised for fire at Master Dorjander Kace. “I agree,” she said to him. “This ends now!”

   “Sornell,” Kace said, moderately confused by the tone of her voice. “I don’t understand… Have our other dreadnaughts arrived? Tell them to stop any ship that tries to leave the system, but no disintegrations! Our students are on board—we cannot risk them!”

   “There won’t be any disintegrations, Kace, because they’re not coming,” Sornell said bluntly. “I just received signal from Kra’ake—something about a case of ‘Jedi brain fever’?”

   “Jedi brain fever?” Kace repeated, scratching his head. “There’s no such thing…” He looked down at Zayne, who was still clinging to his ankle, and who gave a sheepish grin. Clearly the boy’s meddling had something to do with the situation…

   “Whatever… Anyway, after the breakout on the Parjai, the other chiefs agreed that messing with the Jedi is more trouble than it’s worth. The warriors here are stealing shuttles and leaving. They would rather win without your Jedi magic and without involving children. That was something you never did seem to understand, Kace. Yes, when our battles create orphans, we adopt them, but we don’t steal children from their parents or guardians.”

   Dorjander Kace gritted his teeth, reigniting the blade of his saber. “No!  No, I have to finish this! I have to! Even if it means killing both of you!”

   “Your count is off by one,” Sornell continued calmly, placing a hand on her abdomen. “Haarm and I just learned that we’re expecting another child, but who’s counting? After all, you don’t care about children, do you?”

   “That’s not true,” Zayne interrupted from below. “He does care. You showed me, Kace. Remember? She’s right here in your satchel, where you always keep her…” And with this the young man reached into the older man’s satchel and pulled out the little yellow orb containing the hologram portrait of a Mandalorian woman. “Varda… A Jedi working for the Republic killed her and your unborn son… but is this really how you want to even the score? By taking someone else’s child away just like yours was taken from you?”

   Dorjander Kace froze, staring down at the little yellow ball of light as Zayne Carrick held it up toward him. Slowly, he deactivated his blade and then reached down to take it. He looked at the little image intently. He then looked at Sornell. In killing her, he would become no better than the very thing which he hated the Jedi and the Republic for…

   “Perhaps,” he muttered, returning his focus to the orb, “Perhaps this isn’t the way….”

   Dorjander Kace stood there, transfixed and seemingly transported, as if lost in memories of the past. Seeing his distraction, Zayne thought that this would be a good opportunity to go around and to release the Masters. He looked at Sornell who nodded to him in understanding and kept her weapon fixed on case in case there were any sudden movements. Once the Masters were released, Zhar Lestin approached the Mandalorian Knight, his saber in hand.

   “Dorjander Kace,” the Twi’lek said, “I am arresting you and your disciples on the basis of high treason against the Republic.”

><><><><><

[Lord_S_Gray]

Bastilla did the smart thing running, realised her talents lay other than on the front line...how much of the outcome is a result of her influence is an open question which is probably more poignant for not being made explicit...its an influence but how much you'll never really know...

[Lady Revan]

Bastilla did the smart thing running, realised her talents lay other than on the front line...how much of the outcome is a result of her influence is an open question which is probably more poignant for not being made explicit...its an influence but how much you'll never really know...

I’m not convinced Bastila knows what’s going on but more on that in the last part. I’m still at after concert dinner. Will post when I get home.

[Lady Revan]

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TOO CLOSE TO HOME (Part 5 of to 5)

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   Later that day, The Masters were taking a roll call to be sure that all of the Younglings and Padawans from the Academy had made it back safely. A Republic ship had come to pick up Kace and his followers and had taken them to Coruscant to be put on trial.

   Master Zhar Lestin looked around, double checking the information on his data pad and comparing it with those present in the room. He frowned. Someone was missing…

   “Padawan Bastila Shan?” He called. “Has anyone seen Padawan Bastila Shan?”

   “She was going to the grove just before the mean people came,” said one child. “Maybe she’s still there…”

   “Master Dorak?” Lestin said, turning to his colleague.

   “I’m on it,” the Chronicler said. Master Dorak was a keeper of the Archives at the Dantooine Academy, and was the Master mostly in charge of Padawan Bastila’s instruction while her primary Master was away on a mission from the Council. It was determined that the mission was too dangerous for Bastila to accompany, and so she had stayed behind on Dantooine to continue her studies in the meantime.

   Master Dorak set out for the grove where the Youngling had said he observed Padawan Bastila heading before the attack. There were wild beasts such as Kath Hounds on the plains that lead to the grove, but Padawan Bastila had already constructed her lightsaber, and Kath Hound attacks were relatively rare. Honestly, it was safer in the Grove than it had been recently at the Academy.

   He spotted her in the distance, but as he approached, he paused, observing her. That position, that aura…. His eyes brightened. This was a most interesting development indeed… He called out.

   “Padawan Bastila”

   The girl’s eyes flew open. “Master Dorak!” She tried to stand, but she was exhausted, drained from the extreme use of the Force she had been making, and collapsed.

   Master Dorak sprinted forward, scooping her up and helping her to stand. “Rest, Padawan,” he said. “You must be tired…”

   “The Academy,” she said tiredly. “Is the Academy safe?”

   “It is… and whether you realize it or not, I suspect that you had something to do with it… Come now. We have much to discuss. Your Master will be very pleased to hear of this when he returns…”

><><><><><

Hundreds of Senators from planets throughout the galaxy sat staring down at them along with spectators, jurors, representatives from the Jedi High Council, the Chancellor himself…. And the judge. In the center of the chamber, there on trial, stood the four Jedi who comprised the Mandalorian Knights: the Falleen Jaska, the Cathar Vaskasa, the Chagrian Sabawyn, and their leader, Master Dorjander Kace. Their wrists were bound, and each of them wore Force-Restraint neural collars around their necks to cut them off from use of the Force while in the Council Chamber—a security precaution.

“These traitors should be under the jurisdiction of the Jedi Council,” a Quermian Jedi representative stated, his long neck leaning inward toward the platform. “Not only are they members of the Jedi Order—one of them a Master—but they attacked the Jedi Enclave training facility on Dantooine. They tried to take the youngest of our Order…”

“When they attacked our armies, it was an act of treason,” Chancellor Tol Cressa stated. “Therefore, they fall under the Republic’s jurisdiction and not the Jedi’s.”

“And what of the ties of the Mandalorian Knights to the Revanchists?” another Master continued. “The Jedi Council moves that the Revanchists withdraw from the war. Their current involvement in combat, as lead to the issue with Kace and his disciples, is unsanctioned by our Order and goes against the banner of Mercy Corps by which they are being represented.”

“The Jedi involvement by the Revanchists is proving too valuable an asset for the Republic to deny,” the Chancellor protested. “We cannot afford to abandon their support at this time.”

“Objection!—” the Jedi began.

“Overruled,” the judge stated. “The issue of the Revanchists is not what is being presented on the floor at this time. If the Jedi Council wishes for a separate movement to be made, then they must do so at a later date in a separate hearing. In regard to the current case, the court recognizes the Mandalorian Knights as prisoners of the Republic, and therefore they will be tried under the Republic’s jurisdiction.” The judge turned his focus to the former-Revanchists-turned-Mandalorian-Knights in the center of the chamber. “The Court will now hear from the accused. Master Dorjander Kace, as their determined leader, do you speak on the behalf of all of the Mandalorian Knights when you plead your case?”

Master Kace glanced at his three former pupils now disciples who stood there with him on the platform in the center chamber. He knew that as their teacher and as their leader, he would be responsible for not only his own fate, but also theirs. Whatever outcome befell the fate of the Mandalorian Knights would be his responsibility. It was a possibility which he had accepted from the beginning. He returned focus to the judge.

“I do,” he replied to the judge.

“You may present your case then,” the judge said.

“Citizens of the Republic!” Kace began, addressing all those present, “My disciples and I appear before you today as a warning to all of you—not against the threat of the Mandalorians, but a warning against the threat of your own Republic and its corruption!”

There were gasps and murmurs throughout the chamber and many of the politicians stood in sharp protest, including the Chancellor himself.

“Treasonous words!” spoke the Chancellor. “I object to this speech!”

“Order!” the judge demanded, slamming his gavel down to silence the room. “The Chancellor’s objection is overruled. The accused has the floor at this time. Treason or not, they are Republic citizens and will therefore be permitted to present their perspective of their case.”

Without missing a beat, Dorjander Kace continued his speech.

“During the previous war with Exar Kun—the Great Sith War—I was a Mandalorian prisoner for some time. The Mandalorians fought against the Republic during that war as well. I was their prisoner. Their prisoner… And despite being a Jedi, being a Republic citizen, and being their enemy… the Mando’ade kept me as their prisoner rather than kill me after my capture. That’s what the Mandalorians do to all those captured in battle. They keep them as prisoners and give them each the opportunity to join the Mando’ade as fellow clansmen.”

It was true that many would think that joining the enemy side in battle was an act of treason and was completely unforgeable. But Mandalorians always gave the choice. They took prisoners rather than killing wherever possible—whenever an enemy signaled surrender. Prisoners were always welcome to make the choice to fight for the glory of Mandalore.

“My case was a little different,” Dorjander Kace stated. “You see, the Mandalorians are quite superstitious of Force users, and understandably so…. But one among them… she taught me of their customs… of their traditions and culture… and I began to understand their lifestyle. I….” he swallowed hard, bracing himself before continuing, “I loved her… It was not so uncommon then, you know, for a Jedi to love… Many Jedi were married, had families…. Such things have since been forbidden, and with good reason. But then…. Then, I loved her. I still do, I’ll admit. But Varda—that was her name—Varda is long gone… She was killed… She and our unborn child were killed in a bombing… It was a war… Bombings happen…. But this bombing wasn’t launched by Republic Officers or militia…. Not directly, at least. No…. This bombing was launched by a Jedi, in the name of the Republic…. Varda was a Mandalorian. She always knew that one day she would die in battle… but this… this was not a fair fight.”

He clenched his fist at the thought.  “It is not the place of the Jedi to fight the Republic’s wars for them! Wars against common folk should not be fought with Jedi ‘magic tricks.’ The Jedi are defenders of peace and of the innocent! And when the Republic decided to exploit the Jedi’s abilities for other causes, they no longer qualified as innocents. My followers and I have decided that we will not continue to blindly serve the corrupted political system of the Galactic Republic! We signed on to serve in this war as members of the Mercy Corps. Had the Jedi’s actions in the war remained such as those representing a mercy corps, we would never have needed to take any action, but the allure of Jedi power was just too great for your Republic! You wish to harness that power to crush your enemies… Well we will not stand for it! If the Republic is to fight with Jedi, then the Mandalorians should as well!”

There were more murmurs and protests amongst the crowd before the judge called the chamber back into order. The defendant plead on and on, neither side wanting to concede, until Kace had been on pleading about the righteousness of the Mandalorian Knights for nine hours straight. In the end, it was all to no one’s benefit. Republic laws permitted Kace to tell his entire case before sentencing… but this did not mean that they enjoyed hearing it. It was determined that, for the next Jedi to be captured and tried for a similar treason, perhaps it would be better to let the Jedi deal with their own

><><><><><

Betrayal…

The word seemed to echo through Revan’s head. She hated it. It reminded her of the Voice and of the vision she had received, warning her about traitors in her midst… She had been unsure what to make of it at the time, given that the voice had also seemed to be threatening her, but now… now she was even less certain. If the voice had been warning her all along, then perhaps it were on her side after all…

But then again, perhaps it were all a ruse to gain her trust. She shuttered, remembering the mirror of herself consumed by darkness which she had seen in that same vision. Whatever the reason, this thing seemed to want her—to want to convert her to its cause, whatever cause that may be. But as Halin, she had always been quite stubborn. And as Revan, she had a cause of her own. The piece of her that remained Halin would not allow that to be changed.

But the war was still ongoing. And while it was, Revan could not rest. She could not rest until the Republic was safe… Until Mandalore was defeated… Until the Cathar were avenged…. As much as Revan would have enjoyed being at the trial of that traitor Kace herself, there was no time now for trips to Coruscant. Typically, the Jedi Council dealt with their own when it came to trial and judgement… but this… this was war. This was an act of treason against the Republic. Kace was the Republic’s prisoner, and not the Jedi’s, and this fact brought a sense of satisfaction to Revan.

The Jedi did not execute their prisoners, no matter what the crime. They would try to reform them, or in extreme cases sever them from the Force, as Nomi Sunrider had done to Ulic Qel-Droma, or they would put them into stasis chambers… But the Republic served justice for crimes. And the price of treason was death. For the blood of the Republic soldiers that the ‘Mandalorian Knights,’ as they called themselves, had spilled in the name of Mandalore the Ultimate, the traitors deserved no less than death.

It was already enough that Revan had been forced to attempt to salvage the reputation of the Revanchists in spite of the Mandalorian Knights. The Jedi Council still did not wholly agree with their actions since they had begun engaging in combat themselves, and some members of the Council had been looking for any excuse to recall the movement. While they had gained a few supporters among the Council, the majority remained wary of the Revanchists. This treachery by the Mandalorian Knights, whom had integrated themselves into the Revanchists for so long, had reflected on them quite poorly… and deep down, Revan did feel partly responsible… Responsible for not recognizing their deceit any sooner….

She would be certain never to make the mistake again. Whether friend or foe, the Voice had been warning her… and it was right. She would need to reevaluate things. To reevaluate those she allowed to join the Revanchists in the future… and perhaps those who had already joined. According to the voice’s warning, there would be another… Perhaps more…. but at least one other. The Knight. Beware the Knight, lest he betray you to be a sacrificial piece… in order to protect the King!...

She knew that she was the Queen… but who was the Knight? And if she were the Queen of both sides of the game, as the vision had implied… then whose King was she protecting? And for which King was she being sacrificed?

[Lord_S_Gray]

The defendant plead on and on, neither side wanting to concede, until Kace had been on pleading about the righteousness of the Mandalorian Knights for nine hours straight.
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She knew that she was the Queen… but who was the Knight? And if she were the Queen of both sides of the game, as the vision had implied… then whose King was she protecting? And for which King was she being sacrificed?

Nine Hours, what a maniac, Kace was clearly out of his head, but frankly the Republic seems no better with the Judge and Chancellor sniping, the Jedi and Army worrying over jurisdiction...A single strong leader cutting through such petty arguments would no doubt become immensely popular....

But said potential leader seems to have her own bizarre internal issues going on, once more I have to wonder if Revan isn't experiencing, some kind of personality disorder or something - which would partially explain her insistence on changing names but occasional strange retreat back...it seems more than just a force vision at this point....

[Lady Revan]

Nine Hours, what a maniac, Kace was clearly out of his head, but frankly the Republic seems no better with the Judge and Chancellor sniping, the Jedi and Army worrying over jurisdiction...A single strong leader cutting through such petty arguments would no doubt become immensely popular....

But said potential leader seems to have her own bizarre internal issues going on, once more I have to wonder if Revan isn't experiencing, some kind of personality disorder or something - which would partially explain her insistence on changing names but occasional strange retreat back...it seems more than just a force vision at this point....

You’re on the right track   you will know for certain in approximately 20 chapters. Maybe sooner. I’ve already had one reader figure it out on another site, but this chapter put them into denial. I may or may not have toyed with her mind creating further denial in my response. Can’t have people figuring out things too early on. I hate it when I’ve called something too early in a story...