Fic: Savior (Chapter 3: The Dark Side)
Title: Savior (Chapter 3: The Dark Side)
Fandom: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Rating: Teen
Pairings: None
Warnings: Non-graphic violence and character death
Genre: Drama
Disclaimer: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel belong to BioWare and LucasArts. The song Savior belongs to 30 Seconds to Mars.
Summary: The war with the Mandalorians is raging across the galaxy. Mala Noor, also known as Revan, has led the Republic in countless victories. Her leadership is put to the test, however, when she discovers an ancient threat that could destroy the galaxy. With only her oldest friends to aid her, she must embark in a search for the truth before all that she has worked to protect is lost.
Masterlist
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When Mala was a padawan, Dira had been the head archivist of the Dantooine academy. Mala would spend her days studying in the archive, while her nights were devoted to Force and combat training. Whenever they had the chance, they would leave the academy to explore the latest findings on some Outer Rim dig. The time in the Sithras ruins of Korriban contained that same feverish gorging on knowledge, and Mala soaked it all in.
While her inner scholar was thrilled at the new knowledge, the soldier part of her mind found it disturbing. She had always known that there were certain things that were lost to history. A species would go unexpectedly extinct, or a war's causes would go unexplained. It was simply a fact. As she learned more of Sithras history and actions, she found that these holes were being filled in. The Sithras didn't like to engage in direct military actions, preferring to achieve their goals more subtly. They would manipulate two groups into war, or into destroying their own civilization from the inside to make room for Sithras expansion.
The current conflict with the Mandalorians had bothered Mala for some time, as she couldn't pinpoint what exactly had caused Mandalore to challenge the Republic. A small part of her was beginning to fear that the Sith had their eyes set on the Republic, and had turned to their favorite tactics again.
When they received the call that the supply ships had come through and that the supply line had been broken, they returned to the ship and Mala changed her tactics immediately. If the Sithras wanted to weaken both sides with this war, she wasn't going to aid them. No more production facilities or mining outposts were to be destroyed. The senate wondered if she was becoming too soft, but she ignored them.
The final step in her new strategy was more troubling. She had come up with a plan long ago that would put a quick end to the war, but she had been reluctant to use it. The body count would be enormous. She now put a team of technicians on the job of developing the equipment that would be needed.
Another matter that needed to be addressed was that of Mala's two closest friends. They noticed the change in tactics, and began asking questions. Mala did what she could to avoid them, but there was only so much she could do without raising even more suspicions. She and Dira debated long and hard over whether or not to include them in the secret of the Sithras. The final conclusion was to leave them out until they knew more; there was no need to worry them until then. Also, some part of Mala was still ashamed at the contact she'd had with the Dark Side, and she wasn't looking forward to admitting it.
Their greatest asset in their intelligence gathering was the ruins. Whenever they had the chance, she or Dira would pay a visit. They found them on several worlds, and each one taught them more. With each visit, however, Mala grew more frustrated. The ruins served as further evidence of the existence of the Sithras, but there was still no proof that they were anything but an extinct society. Every archive unit that they found bore the same security lock as the others, and all of the writings were far out of date.
They needed to obtain security clearance. The only solution was to defend herself completely from the computer's probe. With that in mind, she began to train with Dira.
It was after one of these training sessions that she sat in her quarters, dejected. Once again, Dira had broken through.
"Perhaps we're approaching from the wrong angle," Dira said.
"What do you mean?" Mala asked. She laid down on her bed, exhausted. "We can't hack a Force projection. We don't know where to look for the main body of the Sithras, and they'd probably kill us if we did manage to find them. I can't think of any other options."
"You're limiting yourself. The security check doesn't require you to completely defend yourself from the attack, only to prove that you are capable of defending yourself against any reasonable attempts that might be made against you in an interrogation."
"But the moment the computer reaches past my defenses and sees that I follow the Light Side, I fail." She said. "If it sees anything other than the Dark Side in my mind, it'll all be for nothing." Dira looked at her with an all-too-familiar expression. She'd received it during her time as a padawan whenever she had failed to see a simple solution that stood before her. "Oh. You mean... oh."
"And now she sees."
Mala sat up. "I really hope not. It sounds like you're suggesting I fall to the Dark Side."
"Is it truly a fall when you jump from the precipice?"
Mala could hardly believe her ears. Dira was her master! One of her major duties was to prevent the fall of her students. Mala stood and began to pace. "I don't... No. No, I won't do it. I could never do that!"
"You have already touched the Dark Side once, and you are not fallen. Would this be so different?"
"Yes! Before... it was only a moment. I doubt that these terminals would be fooled by that."
"True, you would need a deeper connection with the Dark Side. It need not last, though."
"And how do you expect me to go back? Everyone knows that the Dark Side is addictive."
"Jedi have turned from the Dark Side before."
"That's extremely rare, and I don't imagine myself capable of it."
"Perhaps that's why it's so rare. All Jedi have been taught that they are not capable, so they don't try."
Mala stopped pacing and bit her lip. Her master's words made some level of sense. Still, all she had been taught by her other teachers said this was a dangerous path. "I don't know, master."
"If you would rather sit by and allow the Sithras to continue their actions in the galaxy without opposition, then do. Or we can continue this fruitless training. It is up to you." Dira stood. "In any case, I shall head down to the mess. Halae and Malak should be here by now. Shall Revan or Mala be joining us?"
Mala sighed as she thought of her friends. Their ships were all in the same area for a week as part of a standard refit, and Mala had been looking forward to seeing them. "Mala will, I think. Revan can't exactly socialize freely. Just give me time to shower, and I'll be right down."
"Then I shall see you shortly." She walked to the door and opened it, but stopped before walking through. She turned around to face Mala. "If it helps, I think that if anyone can do this, it's you." She walked out and the door closed behind her.
- - - - -
Mala headed into the shower as soon as Dira was gone. She couldn't stop thinking about Dira's words. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that she could make such a suggestion. She knew that the woman had always held contempt for the Jedi's stringent beliefs on the matters of Dark and Light, but this was too much.
Is it truly a fall if you jump from the precipice?
Was that really the crucial difference? She knew of no Jedi who intentionally made the choice to go to the Dark Side.
A somewhat more disturbing thought came to her. Would it still be worth it if she could never return to the Light?
She shook her head and switched off the shower. She didn't need to be thinking of this right now. Her friends were expecting her, and she was going to enjoy her meal with them. She could return to this issue after that, when her head was more clear.
She dressed and pulled her hair back in its customary bun. A quick check on the hallway security camera showed it to be empty, so she was safe to leave. She enjoyed the anonymity granted by her plain brown robes as she headed down to the mess. Thanks to this refit, there were enough Jedi on this ship that she drew no notice from the soldiers.
She spotted her friends immediately upon entering the room. Their small round table was surrounded by a ring of empty ones, which nearly caused Mala to laugh. Apparently Revan's inner circle was frightening enough to create a wide personal perimeter. She noticed a few odd looks from others in the room as she crossed the invisible line and took a seat between Malak and Halae.
"Mala!" Halae squeezed her hand warmly. Mala would never understand her penchant for physical contact. It wasn't that Mala disliked it, necessarily. She simply felt no need for it. "It's so good to see you again. It feels like it's been forever."
"Agreed," Malak said. He slid a full plate of food to her. "How have you been?"
"Fine, fine. Leading armies, all of that. What about you? I seem to have missed your report on the Demagol trial."
"Ah, that. Well, it's over, more or less."
Mala considered asking further, but something in his expression told her not to. She turned to Halae as the woman addressed a question to her.
"What about that emergency that took Dira away from me? Is that resolved?"
"What, Master Dira hasn't talked about it?" She glanced to Dira. They had forgotten to work out a story to explain that, she realized now.
"She dodged the question."
"I did not," Dira said firmly. "If my answer wasn't up to your high expectations, you needed only to say so, and I would have elaborated."
"All she said was that it was a temporary situation, but that she won't be coming back to me. Rather than spend an hour trying to pull the information out of her," she shot a playful glare at the old woman, "I thought I'd just ask you when you came down."
"Ah," Mala said. "Because I'm so much simpler and more straightforward than her?"
Halae smirked. "Being simpler than Dira isn't hard."
"Good point. Well, she's really right. I don't want to go into details, because it's kind of embarrassing." Being vague sounded like the best course of action here, and Dira had clearly set the precedent.
"Then you definitely need to," Alek said, leaning forward. "What, did some star-struck soldier get you pregnant? Did you accidentally send a strike team to a facility that constructs sewage systems?"
Mala laughed. "No, nothing quite so interesting. But I'd rather not talk about it. And no, Halae, you won't be getting her back. I have her working on a project."
"And the vagueness continues!" Halae said with a laugh. "What's the project?"
"Yes, anything interesting?" Malak asked.
"Not to you," Mala said. "I'm looking into some potential new tactics, and I need her expertise as a historian."
"How does a historian have use in tactics?"
"Kindly don't discuss me as if I'm not present," Dira said. "And I somehow doubt that you'd be capable of following an explanation, Malak." Mala hoped that Dira knew where they was going with this, because she had no clue.
"Try me."
"We're looking into the tactics used by the Nations of Zhell against the Taungs during their early conflicts as well as attempting to draw similarities for a comparison between Mandalore's actions and those taken by Xer VIII during the Cronese Sweeps. Of course the parallels aren't perfect due to the differences between our hyperdrive technology and their lighthouse network. We're hoping that some of Kossak the Hutt's strategies at the battle of Vontor can provide some examples for us to follow."
Malak stared at her with a blank expression.
She smirked. "I suspected as much."
Mala and Halae laughed. While Malak wasn't stupid by any means, he had never shown the interest in history that they had.
They spent the next hour catching up. Mala had missed her friends immensely, and their return lifted a weight from her shoulders. It reminded her of what she fought for. After a time, Dira's comm went off, informing her that her shuttle was ready.
She stood and gathered the things from her tray. "Well, I suppose I should be off."
Halae's brow furrowed. "Where are you going?"
"Oh, just a minor errand. I should be back before you finish your refit." The planet they were orbiting had a small Sithras outpost on it, which might contain records of military actions.
"Good luck," Mala said with a nod. She watched her master disappear into the hall.
As soon as she was gone, Halae leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, how are things?"
"Fine," Mala said. She finally turned to the plate of food that Malak had given to her when she sat down. "I think we may have the Mandies on the run before long."
"Not what I meant. We can talk business any time. I was thinking more personally. You seem distracted."
There was no point lying to Halae about her emotions. She knew them better than Mala did, at times. "I suppose I am. But it's nothing."
"You don't get distracted over nothing," Malak said. Mala stared at him. "Well, all right, you do. But this isn't nothing."
"It's just..." She hesitated as she looked at her friends. She hadn't told them initially because of her brief touch with the Dark Side, but if she decided to go with Dira's plan... She somehow doubted she would be able to hide it from them. The thought of having their support also comforted her. "Dira gave me one of her hypotheticals today."
"I thought she wasn't your master anymore," Malak said.
"She might not be my official master," Mala said, "but she never stops being a teacher. It's a bad habit of hers."
"So what moral decision did she put before you today?" Halae asked. Dira was well known for testing them with hypothetical moral quandaries. They weren't designed with a correct solution in mind, and were simply an exercise to get them thinking.
"It was a little unusual. If you discovered a threat to the galaxy and the only way to save everyone was to intentionally go to the Dark Side, would you do it?"
"That's simple," Halae said.
Malak nodded. "I mean, the galaxy is at stake, right? The loss of one Jedi to the Dark Side is really nothing compared to that." Mala's heart lifted. He thought it was reasonable to fall. He could be there by her side to help pull her back. And he was right. Her personal feelings meant nothing when the galaxy was on the line.
"Are you insane?" Halae said, her eyes wide. "The Dark Side is never a viable option! There must be some other way to save the galaxy. I can't imagine any circumstances where it would be the only option. And besides, the Dark isn't stronger than the Light, just easier."
Mala's spirits fell again. Was Halae right? They had both always subscribed to the theory that there were always options, no matter what the situation was. Sometimes you just couldn't see them all. What wasn't she seeing?
Maybe she really was seeing everything. Just because there were other options, didn't mean they were good. No, she had thought long and hard on this. They could either lose, keep up their futile attempts at training, or fall. She just needed to get Halae to see that.
"But what if there was such a circumstance?" Mala asked. "If you'd searched for some other solution but couldn't find one? And what if you would go back to the Light after?"
"No. You can't simply switch sides like that. Once the Dark Side has you, you're trapped. And there is always another solution."
Mala nodded and poked at her cold food with her fork. She felt sick. She pushed her plate away. "I think I need to go back to my quarters. I have a lot of work to do."
Halae clutched at Mala's sleeve as she stood. "Are you alright? Do you want some help?"
"I'm fine. It's just that the senate has really been riding me about justifying my actions lately. You know how it is. Bureaucrats." Halae didn't release her. "I'm fine. Promise. I'll see you two later."
She pulled away and walked off. As soon as she was out of sight of the mess hall, she broke into a run. She needed the isolation of her quarters. Now.
- - - - -
After an intense day of deliberation, Mala finally called Dira and told her that she would be coming to access the computer soon. Dira was irritatingly unsurprised.
Mala had only one thing to do before heading down. She called Malak to her quarters and briefed him. He took it surprisingly well. All that he wanted to know was how he could help. They were in a shuttle on the way to the planet less than an hour later. Mala wished that Halae could be there with them, but she knew that was impossible. Halae still bore some loyalty to the council, and would never let them get away with this.
Dira was waiting for them in the computer room when they arrived. She looked between the two of them and the crease in her forehead deepened with confusion. "Where is Halae?"
"She isn't coming," Mala said. "And she won't be finding out about this."
If Mala had been expecting questions, she was to be disappointed. The woman only nodded. "Very well. Shall we begin?"
Mala nodded and stepped up to the computer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her heart was beating faster and harder than she thought it ever had. It was strange, trying to touch the Dark Side intentionally.
She focused on the same feelings she had used to escape the ruins before. Her hatred of the Mandalorians began to bloom in her mind. She thought of Serroco and Cathar. The power began to rise within her. Still, she knew it wasn't enough. The machine wouldn't be fooled by a small font of Dark Side energy within her. She needed to fall. Her fear grew stronger.
She attempted to fall into her hatred, but was unable to draw deep enough. Her fear of the Dark Side was blocking it. She needed more fuel. She tried to remember everything she could about the Mandalorian atrocities. Demagol's experiments came to mind, and Malak's bald head as a result. The death of numerous Jedi under her command. It wasn't enough.
"Damn it!" Mala pounded her fist into the terminal, and winced at the pain. She looked down and saw bloody red scrapes across her knuckles. Years of training automatically brought the Jedi code to her mind at the pain and anger, and then it hit her. The code of the Sith. She had learned the words years ago as part of her studies with Dira. Mala closed her eyes again.
"Peace is a lie," she whispered, her words coming in the hissing language of the Sithras. Behind her, she heard Malak whisper something to Dira, who shushed him. "There is only passion." She allowed herself to slip further into the Dark Side, pushing aside the barrier. "Through passion, I gain strength." Her hands gripping the edge of the console tightened, and she focused on the pain of the harsh stone cutting into her skin. "Through strength, I gain power." The Dark Side energy in the room began to crackle, and she embraced it. "Through power, I gain victory." The barriers in her mind were weakened, and she batted them aside. Malak whispered again, and was again silenced. "Through victory, my chains are broken." A mural on the wall exploded. Revan opened her eyes. "The Force shall free me."
She placed her hands on the crystal.
This time, the activation of the computer barely affected her at all. She felt a rushing of power through her body before the lights flashed and the projection appeared. This time it was of a shapely Sithras woman.
"This archive unit has seen recent use. You match the genetic signature of the previous user. State your query."
"I am Revan. I wish to know of all current Sithras activities outside of their own occupied space."
"That information requires security access. Do you wish to apply for clearance?"
"Yes."
"Stand by."
She was expecting the mental assault this time, and threw up a shield immediately. Her head began to ache, and she fed on the pain to fuel her strength. It wasn't long before time lost all meaning, wrapped up in the world of mental probes and feigns. She felt as if she were directing a battle, trying to prevent the enemy from breaching their lines. Finally, the assault stopped. She'd passed! The computer had been unable to get past her! She lowered her shields a bit.
Then the final strike hit. She staggered back from the terminal, her shields shattered. She opened her eyes and stared at the projection, readying herself for the consequences of failure.
"Security access granted."
Revan laughed in victory. It had left her drained, but she felt somehow energized, all the same. "Now give me a summary of all current Sithras activities."
"There are sapient lifeforms present without security access."
She turned back to look at the others. "Leave. Wait in the antechamber."
"But Master," Malak began. Mala turned her gaze fully upon him, and he froze. "Yes, Master."
Revan turned to Dira. "Will you argue?"
"I see no point in fighting losing battles."
Revan smiled. "I knew there was a reason I respected you."
Dira and Malak filed out, leaving Revan alone with the computer.
"Now, speak."
"As you say. The Order of Darth are currently engaging in war instigation efforts in the inner galaxy. Communication with the Taung known as Mandalore has resulted in the successful beginning of a war with the Republic, the major power within the inner galaxy. Communications are also in place with key members of the Republic senate and their staff. Most are unaware. Senator Ardana Cah, however, is fully aware, and has proven most useful at war extension efforts."
"Ardana Cah?" Ardana Cah was leading the group in the senate that felt that Revan's new tactics were too soft. She was pushing for more drastic measures, with more collateral damage. "Is she aware of communications with the Sithras?"
"Yes. She has proven most susceptible to the threat of revealing the extent of her monetary contributions."
"Are the Sithras in communication with any others within the inner galaxy?"
"Yes. There is a large extent of agents under Sithras influence, aware or unaware."
"Give me a list."
Revan spent the next few hours locked in that room, being briefed on everything her level of clearance allowed. She was amazed at the full extent of their actions. Not only had they pushed Mandalore into the war, they'd done far simpler things. Sithras instigators were even behind the assassination attempt on the Tarisian senator. That event had been a mere footnote in the reports on the Taris situation, but it would have radically altered the political atmosphere of the senate.
As she learned, she took copious notes. When she finally turned off the unit, her datapad was brimming with information. She had the names, pictures, and functions of every Sithras operative in the galaxy, their current operations, the location of their safehouses, and even the hyperspace routes needed to reach the Sithras homeworld.
With the unit off and the datapad safely stored in her robes, she moved to the antechamber to meet with Malak and Dira.
Dira was kneeling on the floor in a meditative pose, while Malak appeared to be napping in the crook of a Sithras statue. Dira immediately opened her eyes when Revan entered the room.
"Malak," Revan said, her voice at conversational volume. When he didn't respond, she flicked her hand, and a small rock flew into Malak's cheek.
He jerked awake immediately. Upon spying Revan, he hopped down from the statue. "How long was I asleep? Did you start a garden in there?"
"Very amusing," Dira said coldly. "Now, Revan, what did you learn?"
"A great deal," Revan began. Malak and Dira began to approach. "For a start, Senator Cah is taking bribes, and is being blackmailed by the Sithras into doing whatever they want. I propose-"
"Force," Malak muttered.
Revan glared at him. "What?"
"You... your eyes."
"My eyes are somewhat distinctive, I understand, but it's taken you all of these years to realize that they're gray?"
"Not gray. Yellow."
"What?"
"He's correct," Dira said. "Your eyes seem to have changed color. I'd heard of such things occurring, of course, but the Dark Side rarely manifests physical changes without prolonged exposure. Years, or at least months."
"Perhaps it's related to the strength of the connection, rather than the duration," Revan said. She shrugged. "In any case, I have a great deal of information, but the dear senator should be our first priority."
"Mala," Malak said. She turned her cold gaze towards him again. "Are you... going back?"
"Back?"
"The Light Side. That was the plan, wasn't it?"
She stared at him. How could he suggest that? She could crush Senator Cah's heart like this, and no one would know the cause of her death. Why would she turn away from it? "Are you mad?"
"Are you?"
"You can sense my power, Malak! With power like this, we could easily stop the Mandalorians and the Sithras!"
"I can sense it," he said, his voice cold. "You're powerful. That's not what I'm arguing about."
"Then what? Are you jealous of my abilities? Do you wish you could be me?" She raised a hand, and Malak began to rise into the air. "I hate to tell you this, but I've always been stronger than you, and I always will be. This just makes it a little more obvious. Why can't you understand that this will be worth it?"
Revan clenched her fist, and Malak's hands went to his throat. The veins and tendons stood out starkly, and he gasped for air.
"Revan," Dira said sharply.
Revan released her hand, and Malak fell to the floor, heaving in great lungfuls of air. As soon as he could speak, he did. "I understand, damn it! Of course I do." He coughed. "Hell, if I was in your position, I'd probably do the same thing. I understand. Dira understands. But what about Halae? Do you think she'll understand?"
Revan's eyes widened as the image of her best friend came into her mind. "Halae?"
"Yeah. Sure, you can win this war like this. And the next one, and the next one. But will she be there with you?"
"No."
"Are you willing to accept that?"
Revan didn't speak for a long time. When she finally did, it was so silent that the others strained to hear.
"No."
She closed her eyes and allowed thoughts of Halae to fill her mind. It was difficult. They kept slipping away, being replaced with thoughts of the things she could do with the power coursing through her veins. "Help me."
With those words, the power began to leave her. Malak added his strength to hers, and she could feel him drawing her away from the Dark. After a moment, the power was gone, and she fell to her knees, shaking.
Malak rushed to her and grabbed her arm to pull her up. "Is that it? All clear?"
She nodded. She could feel it pushing at her mind, however. It was terrifying.
Dira came up on her other side to help her up. "I suspect you may have to deal with the aftereffects of this for some time."
"Great." She looked up at Malak. "Thanks for helping me."
He stared at her.
Mala sighed. "What now?"
"It's just... your eyes are still yellow. I thought they'd go back."
"What?" Mala said. She pulled out her datapad and used the screen as a mirror. It was dark and the colors were distorted, but the eyes that met hers were definitely not her usual gray. "How am I supposed to look Halae in the eyes with these?"
"A mask?"
She turned and glared at Malak. "Because she'll never notice that."
"You already wear it most of the time."
"Yeah, but not with her." Mala sighed. "Maybe if I just get some rest, it'll go away."
"Yes," Dira said. "A good night's sleep is often the cure for Dark Side cosmetic changes."
"You are not helping!"
"I'm simply trying to inject some realism into this conversation. Now come along, we should pack up and get back up to the fleet."
Mala was still weak, so they helped her into the shuttle. By the time they docked with the ship, Mala was able to walk on her own, though with difficulty. She kept her gaze down during the trip and they took a longer path to avoid the more crowded corridors. As soon as they opened the door to her quarters, she rushed to her mirror to stare at her reflection.
"Well," she said, pulling down one eyelid. "It... might go unnoticed. In dim lighting. From a distance. Do you suppose the med bay could fit me up with some colored contacts?"
"They might," Malak said. "I can go down and see."
"Please do."
Malak bowed and left, and Mala felt far too exhausted to tell him off for the gesture. She collapsed on the bed. "Did we do the right thing, Dira?"
"Yes. I'm certain of it."
"Good. At least someone is."
"We need to decide what to do."
"Can't it wait until Malak gets back?"
"We don't have much time. We need to find something to do about the senator, at the very least."
Mala sighed. She was right, of course. "Blackmail her into stepping down?"
"Considering that the Sithras are also blackmailing her, I somehow doubt that our threats will be of more consequence."
"Bribery? We know she's susceptible."
"I can't imagine the amount of funds it would take to beat out the Sithras threats."
"We could expose her bribery. She'd be forced to resign."
"True, but she would still wield great influence amongst her supporters. And there are many."
"I'm sorry, Master Dira, but I can't think of much else right now. Maybe after I get some sleep, I'll have something." She rolled over onto her side in an attempt to get more comfortable. "Unless you think we should have her assassinated, which I somehow doubt."
Dira was silent.
Mala rolled over again to look at her old master. "Master Dira? Please tell me you are not considering assassinating a senator."
"That is... an unpleasant word."
"Master, I can't believe... And who will do it? You? Will you sneak into her home, look her in the eye, and drive your lightsaber through her heart?"
Just as she spoke, the door opened and Malak walked in. "Who are we killing?"
"Senator Cah," Mala said. She glared at Dira. "And we aren't."
"Um... okay." He stepped up to her bed and placed a small case on the bedside table. "Well, this is the best the med bay can do. They might not be a complete match, but they should work so long as no one you know well gets close."
"So... Halae."
"Pretty much. So what's this about assassinating a senator? Or rather, not assassinating a senator?"
"Dira wants to kill Senator Cah."
He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Well, it makes sense. I don't know of any other ways to remove Sithras influence in the senate."
"We aren't doing it!" She turned away from them. "Even if we wanted to, none of us could get away from the fleet long enough without notice."
"Who says we need to?"
Mala rolled back towards him. "You're thinking of hiring someone?"
"Well, not exactly. When I was doing all of that business with Adascorp and the exogorths, I saw that they were using assassin droids."
Dira scoffed. "Such crude devices."
Mala ignored her and sat up. "Yes, I remember your report. I hadn't thought..."
"HK models. They were good. Sending them up against a group of heavily armed Jedi, Republic soldiers, and Mandalorians was unwise, of course, but I think they'd make fine assassins. Especially if you worked one of them over."
Mala leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. "I thought you said they were all destroyed, though. Adasca bought all of them, and they were destroyed at Omonoth."
"We were able to recover a fair bit from the wreck of the Arkanian Legacy. I doubt any are still operational, but there should be enough of one for you to repair, or at least to build another."
"I hardly think this should be necessary," Dira said. "Surely we can do better than husks of wires and circuits."
"Wires and circuits don't question orders," Mala said softly. "They don't need explanations and they don't give under torture." A part of her still didn't like this plan. Assassination was wrong. Then again, so was the Dark Side, and that hadn't gone horribly wrong. She looked at Malak. "Get me the droid or the schematics. I'll see what I can do."
Fandom: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Rating: Teen
Pairings: None
Warnings: Non-graphic violence and character death
Genre: Drama
Disclaimer: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel belong to BioWare and LucasArts. The song Savior belongs to 30 Seconds to Mars.
Summary: The war with the Mandalorians is raging across the galaxy. Mala Noor, also known as Revan, has led the Republic in countless victories. Her leadership is put to the test, however, when she discovers an ancient threat that could destroy the galaxy. With only her oldest friends to aid her, she must embark in a search for the truth before all that she has worked to protect is lost.
Masterlist
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When Mala was a padawan, Dira had been the head archivist of the Dantooine academy. Mala would spend her days studying in the archive, while her nights were devoted to Force and combat training. Whenever they had the chance, they would leave the academy to explore the latest findings on some Outer Rim dig. The time in the Sithras ruins of Korriban contained that same feverish gorging on knowledge, and Mala soaked it all in.
While her inner scholar was thrilled at the new knowledge, the soldier part of her mind found it disturbing. She had always known that there were certain things that were lost to history. A species would go unexpectedly extinct, or a war's causes would go unexplained. It was simply a fact. As she learned more of Sithras history and actions, she found that these holes were being filled in. The Sithras didn't like to engage in direct military actions, preferring to achieve their goals more subtly. They would manipulate two groups into war, or into destroying their own civilization from the inside to make room for Sithras expansion.
The current conflict with the Mandalorians had bothered Mala for some time, as she couldn't pinpoint what exactly had caused Mandalore to challenge the Republic. A small part of her was beginning to fear that the Sith had their eyes set on the Republic, and had turned to their favorite tactics again.
When they received the call that the supply ships had come through and that the supply line had been broken, they returned to the ship and Mala changed her tactics immediately. If the Sithras wanted to weaken both sides with this war, she wasn't going to aid them. No more production facilities or mining outposts were to be destroyed. The senate wondered if she was becoming too soft, but she ignored them.
The final step in her new strategy was more troubling. She had come up with a plan long ago that would put a quick end to the war, but she had been reluctant to use it. The body count would be enormous. She now put a team of technicians on the job of developing the equipment that would be needed.
Another matter that needed to be addressed was that of Mala's two closest friends. They noticed the change in tactics, and began asking questions. Mala did what she could to avoid them, but there was only so much she could do without raising even more suspicions. She and Dira debated long and hard over whether or not to include them in the secret of the Sithras. The final conclusion was to leave them out until they knew more; there was no need to worry them until then. Also, some part of Mala was still ashamed at the contact she'd had with the Dark Side, and she wasn't looking forward to admitting it.
Their greatest asset in their intelligence gathering was the ruins. Whenever they had the chance, she or Dira would pay a visit. They found them on several worlds, and each one taught them more. With each visit, however, Mala grew more frustrated. The ruins served as further evidence of the existence of the Sithras, but there was still no proof that they were anything but an extinct society. Every archive unit that they found bore the same security lock as the others, and all of the writings were far out of date.
They needed to obtain security clearance. The only solution was to defend herself completely from the computer's probe. With that in mind, she began to train with Dira.
It was after one of these training sessions that she sat in her quarters, dejected. Once again, Dira had broken through.
"Perhaps we're approaching from the wrong angle," Dira said.
"What do you mean?" Mala asked. She laid down on her bed, exhausted. "We can't hack a Force projection. We don't know where to look for the main body of the Sithras, and they'd probably kill us if we did manage to find them. I can't think of any other options."
"You're limiting yourself. The security check doesn't require you to completely defend yourself from the attack, only to prove that you are capable of defending yourself against any reasonable attempts that might be made against you in an interrogation."
"But the moment the computer reaches past my defenses and sees that I follow the Light Side, I fail." She said. "If it sees anything other than the Dark Side in my mind, it'll all be for nothing." Dira looked at her with an all-too-familiar expression. She'd received it during her time as a padawan whenever she had failed to see a simple solution that stood before her. "Oh. You mean... oh."
"And now she sees."
Mala sat up. "I really hope not. It sounds like you're suggesting I fall to the Dark Side."
"Is it truly a fall when you jump from the precipice?"
Mala could hardly believe her ears. Dira was her master! One of her major duties was to prevent the fall of her students. Mala stood and began to pace. "I don't... No. No, I won't do it. I could never do that!"
"You have already touched the Dark Side once, and you are not fallen. Would this be so different?"
"Yes! Before... it was only a moment. I doubt that these terminals would be fooled by that."
"True, you would need a deeper connection with the Dark Side. It need not last, though."
"And how do you expect me to go back? Everyone knows that the Dark Side is addictive."
"Jedi have turned from the Dark Side before."
"That's extremely rare, and I don't imagine myself capable of it."
"Perhaps that's why it's so rare. All Jedi have been taught that they are not capable, so they don't try."
Mala stopped pacing and bit her lip. Her master's words made some level of sense. Still, all she had been taught by her other teachers said this was a dangerous path. "I don't know, master."
"If you would rather sit by and allow the Sithras to continue their actions in the galaxy without opposition, then do. Or we can continue this fruitless training. It is up to you." Dira stood. "In any case, I shall head down to the mess. Halae and Malak should be here by now. Shall Revan or Mala be joining us?"
Mala sighed as she thought of her friends. Their ships were all in the same area for a week as part of a standard refit, and Mala had been looking forward to seeing them. "Mala will, I think. Revan can't exactly socialize freely. Just give me time to shower, and I'll be right down."
"Then I shall see you shortly." She walked to the door and opened it, but stopped before walking through. She turned around to face Mala. "If it helps, I think that if anyone can do this, it's you." She walked out and the door closed behind her.
- - - - -
Mala headed into the shower as soon as Dira was gone. She couldn't stop thinking about Dira's words. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that she could make such a suggestion. She knew that the woman had always held contempt for the Jedi's stringent beliefs on the matters of Dark and Light, but this was too much.
Is it truly a fall if you jump from the precipice?
Was that really the crucial difference? She knew of no Jedi who intentionally made the choice to go to the Dark Side.
A somewhat more disturbing thought came to her. Would it still be worth it if she could never return to the Light?
She shook her head and switched off the shower. She didn't need to be thinking of this right now. Her friends were expecting her, and she was going to enjoy her meal with them. She could return to this issue after that, when her head was more clear.
She dressed and pulled her hair back in its customary bun. A quick check on the hallway security camera showed it to be empty, so she was safe to leave. She enjoyed the anonymity granted by her plain brown robes as she headed down to the mess. Thanks to this refit, there were enough Jedi on this ship that she drew no notice from the soldiers.
She spotted her friends immediately upon entering the room. Their small round table was surrounded by a ring of empty ones, which nearly caused Mala to laugh. Apparently Revan's inner circle was frightening enough to create a wide personal perimeter. She noticed a few odd looks from others in the room as she crossed the invisible line and took a seat between Malak and Halae.
"Mala!" Halae squeezed her hand warmly. Mala would never understand her penchant for physical contact. It wasn't that Mala disliked it, necessarily. She simply felt no need for it. "It's so good to see you again. It feels like it's been forever."
"Agreed," Malak said. He slid a full plate of food to her. "How have you been?"
"Fine, fine. Leading armies, all of that. What about you? I seem to have missed your report on the Demagol trial."
"Ah, that. Well, it's over, more or less."
Mala considered asking further, but something in his expression told her not to. She turned to Halae as the woman addressed a question to her.
"What about that emergency that took Dira away from me? Is that resolved?"
"What, Master Dira hasn't talked about it?" She glanced to Dira. They had forgotten to work out a story to explain that, she realized now.
"She dodged the question."
"I did not," Dira said firmly. "If my answer wasn't up to your high expectations, you needed only to say so, and I would have elaborated."
"All she said was that it was a temporary situation, but that she won't be coming back to me. Rather than spend an hour trying to pull the information out of her," she shot a playful glare at the old woman, "I thought I'd just ask you when you came down."
"Ah," Mala said. "Because I'm so much simpler and more straightforward than her?"
Halae smirked. "Being simpler than Dira isn't hard."
"Good point. Well, she's really right. I don't want to go into details, because it's kind of embarrassing." Being vague sounded like the best course of action here, and Dira had clearly set the precedent.
"Then you definitely need to," Alek said, leaning forward. "What, did some star-struck soldier get you pregnant? Did you accidentally send a strike team to a facility that constructs sewage systems?"
Mala laughed. "No, nothing quite so interesting. But I'd rather not talk about it. And no, Halae, you won't be getting her back. I have her working on a project."
"And the vagueness continues!" Halae said with a laugh. "What's the project?"
"Yes, anything interesting?" Malak asked.
"Not to you," Mala said. "I'm looking into some potential new tactics, and I need her expertise as a historian."
"How does a historian have use in tactics?"
"Kindly don't discuss me as if I'm not present," Dira said. "And I somehow doubt that you'd be capable of following an explanation, Malak." Mala hoped that Dira knew where they was going with this, because she had no clue.
"Try me."
"We're looking into the tactics used by the Nations of Zhell against the Taungs during their early conflicts as well as attempting to draw similarities for a comparison between Mandalore's actions and those taken by Xer VIII during the Cronese Sweeps. Of course the parallels aren't perfect due to the differences between our hyperdrive technology and their lighthouse network. We're hoping that some of Kossak the Hutt's strategies at the battle of Vontor can provide some examples for us to follow."
Malak stared at her with a blank expression.
She smirked. "I suspected as much."
Mala and Halae laughed. While Malak wasn't stupid by any means, he had never shown the interest in history that they had.
They spent the next hour catching up. Mala had missed her friends immensely, and their return lifted a weight from her shoulders. It reminded her of what she fought for. After a time, Dira's comm went off, informing her that her shuttle was ready.
She stood and gathered the things from her tray. "Well, I suppose I should be off."
Halae's brow furrowed. "Where are you going?"
"Oh, just a minor errand. I should be back before you finish your refit." The planet they were orbiting had a small Sithras outpost on it, which might contain records of military actions.
"Good luck," Mala said with a nod. She watched her master disappear into the hall.
As soon as she was gone, Halae leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, how are things?"
"Fine," Mala said. She finally turned to the plate of food that Malak had given to her when she sat down. "I think we may have the Mandies on the run before long."
"Not what I meant. We can talk business any time. I was thinking more personally. You seem distracted."
There was no point lying to Halae about her emotions. She knew them better than Mala did, at times. "I suppose I am. But it's nothing."
"You don't get distracted over nothing," Malak said. Mala stared at him. "Well, all right, you do. But this isn't nothing."
"It's just..." She hesitated as she looked at her friends. She hadn't told them initially because of her brief touch with the Dark Side, but if she decided to go with Dira's plan... She somehow doubted she would be able to hide it from them. The thought of having their support also comforted her. "Dira gave me one of her hypotheticals today."
"I thought she wasn't your master anymore," Malak said.
"She might not be my official master," Mala said, "but she never stops being a teacher. It's a bad habit of hers."
"So what moral decision did she put before you today?" Halae asked. Dira was well known for testing them with hypothetical moral quandaries. They weren't designed with a correct solution in mind, and were simply an exercise to get them thinking.
"It was a little unusual. If you discovered a threat to the galaxy and the only way to save everyone was to intentionally go to the Dark Side, would you do it?"
"That's simple," Halae said.
Malak nodded. "I mean, the galaxy is at stake, right? The loss of one Jedi to the Dark Side is really nothing compared to that." Mala's heart lifted. He thought it was reasonable to fall. He could be there by her side to help pull her back. And he was right. Her personal feelings meant nothing when the galaxy was on the line.
"Are you insane?" Halae said, her eyes wide. "The Dark Side is never a viable option! There must be some other way to save the galaxy. I can't imagine any circumstances where it would be the only option. And besides, the Dark isn't stronger than the Light, just easier."
Mala's spirits fell again. Was Halae right? They had both always subscribed to the theory that there were always options, no matter what the situation was. Sometimes you just couldn't see them all. What wasn't she seeing?
Maybe she really was seeing everything. Just because there were other options, didn't mean they were good. No, she had thought long and hard on this. They could either lose, keep up their futile attempts at training, or fall. She just needed to get Halae to see that.
"But what if there was such a circumstance?" Mala asked. "If you'd searched for some other solution but couldn't find one? And what if you would go back to the Light after?"
"No. You can't simply switch sides like that. Once the Dark Side has you, you're trapped. And there is always another solution."
Mala nodded and poked at her cold food with her fork. She felt sick. She pushed her plate away. "I think I need to go back to my quarters. I have a lot of work to do."
Halae clutched at Mala's sleeve as she stood. "Are you alright? Do you want some help?"
"I'm fine. It's just that the senate has really been riding me about justifying my actions lately. You know how it is. Bureaucrats." Halae didn't release her. "I'm fine. Promise. I'll see you two later."
She pulled away and walked off. As soon as she was out of sight of the mess hall, she broke into a run. She needed the isolation of her quarters. Now.
- - - - -
After an intense day of deliberation, Mala finally called Dira and told her that she would be coming to access the computer soon. Dira was irritatingly unsurprised.
Mala had only one thing to do before heading down. She called Malak to her quarters and briefed him. He took it surprisingly well. All that he wanted to know was how he could help. They were in a shuttle on the way to the planet less than an hour later. Mala wished that Halae could be there with them, but she knew that was impossible. Halae still bore some loyalty to the council, and would never let them get away with this.
Dira was waiting for them in the computer room when they arrived. She looked between the two of them and the crease in her forehead deepened with confusion. "Where is Halae?"
"She isn't coming," Mala said. "And she won't be finding out about this."
If Mala had been expecting questions, she was to be disappointed. The woman only nodded. "Very well. Shall we begin?"
Mala nodded and stepped up to the computer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her heart was beating faster and harder than she thought it ever had. It was strange, trying to touch the Dark Side intentionally.
She focused on the same feelings she had used to escape the ruins before. Her hatred of the Mandalorians began to bloom in her mind. She thought of Serroco and Cathar. The power began to rise within her. Still, she knew it wasn't enough. The machine wouldn't be fooled by a small font of Dark Side energy within her. She needed to fall. Her fear grew stronger.
She attempted to fall into her hatred, but was unable to draw deep enough. Her fear of the Dark Side was blocking it. She needed more fuel. She tried to remember everything she could about the Mandalorian atrocities. Demagol's experiments came to mind, and Malak's bald head as a result. The death of numerous Jedi under her command. It wasn't enough.
"Damn it!" Mala pounded her fist into the terminal, and winced at the pain. She looked down and saw bloody red scrapes across her knuckles. Years of training automatically brought the Jedi code to her mind at the pain and anger, and then it hit her. The code of the Sith. She had learned the words years ago as part of her studies with Dira. Mala closed her eyes again.
"Peace is a lie," she whispered, her words coming in the hissing language of the Sithras. Behind her, she heard Malak whisper something to Dira, who shushed him. "There is only passion." She allowed herself to slip further into the Dark Side, pushing aside the barrier. "Through passion, I gain strength." Her hands gripping the edge of the console tightened, and she focused on the pain of the harsh stone cutting into her skin. "Through strength, I gain power." The Dark Side energy in the room began to crackle, and she embraced it. "Through power, I gain victory." The barriers in her mind were weakened, and she batted them aside. Malak whispered again, and was again silenced. "Through victory, my chains are broken." A mural on the wall exploded. Revan opened her eyes. "The Force shall free me."
She placed her hands on the crystal.
This time, the activation of the computer barely affected her at all. She felt a rushing of power through her body before the lights flashed and the projection appeared. This time it was of a shapely Sithras woman.
"This archive unit has seen recent use. You match the genetic signature of the previous user. State your query."
"I am Revan. I wish to know of all current Sithras activities outside of their own occupied space."
"That information requires security access. Do you wish to apply for clearance?"
"Yes."
"Stand by."
She was expecting the mental assault this time, and threw up a shield immediately. Her head began to ache, and she fed on the pain to fuel her strength. It wasn't long before time lost all meaning, wrapped up in the world of mental probes and feigns. She felt as if she were directing a battle, trying to prevent the enemy from breaching their lines. Finally, the assault stopped. She'd passed! The computer had been unable to get past her! She lowered her shields a bit.
Then the final strike hit. She staggered back from the terminal, her shields shattered. She opened her eyes and stared at the projection, readying herself for the consequences of failure.
"Security access granted."
Revan laughed in victory. It had left her drained, but she felt somehow energized, all the same. "Now give me a summary of all current Sithras activities."
"There are sapient lifeforms present without security access."
She turned back to look at the others. "Leave. Wait in the antechamber."
"But Master," Malak began. Mala turned her gaze fully upon him, and he froze. "Yes, Master."
Revan turned to Dira. "Will you argue?"
"I see no point in fighting losing battles."
Revan smiled. "I knew there was a reason I respected you."
Dira and Malak filed out, leaving Revan alone with the computer.
"Now, speak."
"As you say. The Order of Darth are currently engaging in war instigation efforts in the inner galaxy. Communication with the Taung known as Mandalore has resulted in the successful beginning of a war with the Republic, the major power within the inner galaxy. Communications are also in place with key members of the Republic senate and their staff. Most are unaware. Senator Ardana Cah, however, is fully aware, and has proven most useful at war extension efforts."
"Ardana Cah?" Ardana Cah was leading the group in the senate that felt that Revan's new tactics were too soft. She was pushing for more drastic measures, with more collateral damage. "Is she aware of communications with the Sithras?"
"Yes. She has proven most susceptible to the threat of revealing the extent of her monetary contributions."
"Are the Sithras in communication with any others within the inner galaxy?"
"Yes. There is a large extent of agents under Sithras influence, aware or unaware."
"Give me a list."
Revan spent the next few hours locked in that room, being briefed on everything her level of clearance allowed. She was amazed at the full extent of their actions. Not only had they pushed Mandalore into the war, they'd done far simpler things. Sithras instigators were even behind the assassination attempt on the Tarisian senator. That event had been a mere footnote in the reports on the Taris situation, but it would have radically altered the political atmosphere of the senate.
As she learned, she took copious notes. When she finally turned off the unit, her datapad was brimming with information. She had the names, pictures, and functions of every Sithras operative in the galaxy, their current operations, the location of their safehouses, and even the hyperspace routes needed to reach the Sithras homeworld.
With the unit off and the datapad safely stored in her robes, she moved to the antechamber to meet with Malak and Dira.
Dira was kneeling on the floor in a meditative pose, while Malak appeared to be napping in the crook of a Sithras statue. Dira immediately opened her eyes when Revan entered the room.
"Malak," Revan said, her voice at conversational volume. When he didn't respond, she flicked her hand, and a small rock flew into Malak's cheek.
He jerked awake immediately. Upon spying Revan, he hopped down from the statue. "How long was I asleep? Did you start a garden in there?"
"Very amusing," Dira said coldly. "Now, Revan, what did you learn?"
"A great deal," Revan began. Malak and Dira began to approach. "For a start, Senator Cah is taking bribes, and is being blackmailed by the Sithras into doing whatever they want. I propose-"
"Force," Malak muttered.
Revan glared at him. "What?"
"You... your eyes."
"My eyes are somewhat distinctive, I understand, but it's taken you all of these years to realize that they're gray?"
"Not gray. Yellow."
"What?"
"He's correct," Dira said. "Your eyes seem to have changed color. I'd heard of such things occurring, of course, but the Dark Side rarely manifests physical changes without prolonged exposure. Years, or at least months."
"Perhaps it's related to the strength of the connection, rather than the duration," Revan said. She shrugged. "In any case, I have a great deal of information, but the dear senator should be our first priority."
"Mala," Malak said. She turned her cold gaze towards him again. "Are you... going back?"
"Back?"
"The Light Side. That was the plan, wasn't it?"
She stared at him. How could he suggest that? She could crush Senator Cah's heart like this, and no one would know the cause of her death. Why would she turn away from it? "Are you mad?"
"Are you?"
"You can sense my power, Malak! With power like this, we could easily stop the Mandalorians and the Sithras!"
"I can sense it," he said, his voice cold. "You're powerful. That's not what I'm arguing about."
"Then what? Are you jealous of my abilities? Do you wish you could be me?" She raised a hand, and Malak began to rise into the air. "I hate to tell you this, but I've always been stronger than you, and I always will be. This just makes it a little more obvious. Why can't you understand that this will be worth it?"
Revan clenched her fist, and Malak's hands went to his throat. The veins and tendons stood out starkly, and he gasped for air.
"Revan," Dira said sharply.
Revan released her hand, and Malak fell to the floor, heaving in great lungfuls of air. As soon as he could speak, he did. "I understand, damn it! Of course I do." He coughed. "Hell, if I was in your position, I'd probably do the same thing. I understand. Dira understands. But what about Halae? Do you think she'll understand?"
Revan's eyes widened as the image of her best friend came into her mind. "Halae?"
"Yeah. Sure, you can win this war like this. And the next one, and the next one. But will she be there with you?"
"No."
"Are you willing to accept that?"
Revan didn't speak for a long time. When she finally did, it was so silent that the others strained to hear.
"No."
She closed her eyes and allowed thoughts of Halae to fill her mind. It was difficult. They kept slipping away, being replaced with thoughts of the things she could do with the power coursing through her veins. "Help me."
With those words, the power began to leave her. Malak added his strength to hers, and she could feel him drawing her away from the Dark. After a moment, the power was gone, and she fell to her knees, shaking.
Malak rushed to her and grabbed her arm to pull her up. "Is that it? All clear?"
She nodded. She could feel it pushing at her mind, however. It was terrifying.
Dira came up on her other side to help her up. "I suspect you may have to deal with the aftereffects of this for some time."
"Great." She looked up at Malak. "Thanks for helping me."
He stared at her.
Mala sighed. "What now?"
"It's just... your eyes are still yellow. I thought they'd go back."
"What?" Mala said. She pulled out her datapad and used the screen as a mirror. It was dark and the colors were distorted, but the eyes that met hers were definitely not her usual gray. "How am I supposed to look Halae in the eyes with these?"
"A mask?"
She turned and glared at Malak. "Because she'll never notice that."
"You already wear it most of the time."
"Yeah, but not with her." Mala sighed. "Maybe if I just get some rest, it'll go away."
"Yes," Dira said. "A good night's sleep is often the cure for Dark Side cosmetic changes."
"You are not helping!"
"I'm simply trying to inject some realism into this conversation. Now come along, we should pack up and get back up to the fleet."
Mala was still weak, so they helped her into the shuttle. By the time they docked with the ship, Mala was able to walk on her own, though with difficulty. She kept her gaze down during the trip and they took a longer path to avoid the more crowded corridors. As soon as they opened the door to her quarters, she rushed to her mirror to stare at her reflection.
"Well," she said, pulling down one eyelid. "It... might go unnoticed. In dim lighting. From a distance. Do you suppose the med bay could fit me up with some colored contacts?"
"They might," Malak said. "I can go down and see."
"Please do."
Malak bowed and left, and Mala felt far too exhausted to tell him off for the gesture. She collapsed on the bed. "Did we do the right thing, Dira?"
"Yes. I'm certain of it."
"Good. At least someone is."
"We need to decide what to do."
"Can't it wait until Malak gets back?"
"We don't have much time. We need to find something to do about the senator, at the very least."
Mala sighed. She was right, of course. "Blackmail her into stepping down?"
"Considering that the Sithras are also blackmailing her, I somehow doubt that our threats will be of more consequence."
"Bribery? We know she's susceptible."
"I can't imagine the amount of funds it would take to beat out the Sithras threats."
"We could expose her bribery. She'd be forced to resign."
"True, but she would still wield great influence amongst her supporters. And there are many."
"I'm sorry, Master Dira, but I can't think of much else right now. Maybe after I get some sleep, I'll have something." She rolled over onto her side in an attempt to get more comfortable. "Unless you think we should have her assassinated, which I somehow doubt."
Dira was silent.
Mala rolled over again to look at her old master. "Master Dira? Please tell me you are not considering assassinating a senator."
"That is... an unpleasant word."
"Master, I can't believe... And who will do it? You? Will you sneak into her home, look her in the eye, and drive your lightsaber through her heart?"
Just as she spoke, the door opened and Malak walked in. "Who are we killing?"
"Senator Cah," Mala said. She glared at Dira. "And we aren't."
"Um... okay." He stepped up to her bed and placed a small case on the bedside table. "Well, this is the best the med bay can do. They might not be a complete match, but they should work so long as no one you know well gets close."
"So... Halae."
"Pretty much. So what's this about assassinating a senator? Or rather, not assassinating a senator?"
"Dira wants to kill Senator Cah."
He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Well, it makes sense. I don't know of any other ways to remove Sithras influence in the senate."
"We aren't doing it!" She turned away from them. "Even if we wanted to, none of us could get away from the fleet long enough without notice."
"Who says we need to?"
Mala rolled back towards him. "You're thinking of hiring someone?"
"Well, not exactly. When I was doing all of that business with Adascorp and the exogorths, I saw that they were using assassin droids."
Dira scoffed. "Such crude devices."
Mala ignored her and sat up. "Yes, I remember your report. I hadn't thought..."
"HK models. They were good. Sending them up against a group of heavily armed Jedi, Republic soldiers, and Mandalorians was unwise, of course, but I think they'd make fine assassins. Especially if you worked one of them over."
Mala leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. "I thought you said they were all destroyed, though. Adasca bought all of them, and they were destroyed at Omonoth."
"We were able to recover a fair bit from the wreck of the Arkanian Legacy. I doubt any are still operational, but there should be enough of one for you to repair, or at least to build another."
"I hardly think this should be necessary," Dira said. "Surely we can do better than husks of wires and circuits."
"Wires and circuits don't question orders," Mala said softly. "They don't need explanations and they don't give under torture." A part of her still didn't like this plan. Assassination was wrong. Then again, so was the Dark Side, and that hadn't gone horribly wrong. She looked at Malak. "Get me the droid or the schematics. I'll see what I can do."