Fic: Savior (Chapter 4: The Rakatan Infinite Empire)
Title: Savior (Chapter 4: The Rakatan Infinite Empire)
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.
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The contacts weren't dark enough and they made her eyes itch after prolonged wear. She wore them only when she was absolutely unable to get away with wearing her mask, and she avoided such situations as much as possible. She also avoided Halae, as she was the only one likely to notice the difference. Mala was able to hurry the unit's refit so that Halae was gone before long. By the time she left, Mala was certain that Halae knew something was wrong. While Mala was pained that she couldn't confide in her friend, she knew that sending her away was the best thing she could do. After Halae was gone and Mala no longer had to spend time pretending to socialize, her work was able to begin in earnest.
She was impressed with how quickly Malak was able to get her one of the droids. Before the refit had been completed, a damaged assassin droid stood in her quarters. She went to work immediately. A part of her mind was still convinced that this was no more than an intellectual exercise. She didn't often get to mess with droids anymore, so it was a nice change of pace.
She had never been as good with the hardware as Halae, but she was able to repair the damage taken at Omonoth and even make some improvements. The software, however, was where she excelled. It was outfitted with the best of everything. The targeting computers were top-of-the-line, its databanks were filled with all kinds of relevant information on poisons and weapon systems, and it had slicing protocols to rival any organic being. The system which topped them all, though, was the security buffers. After she was done, she would have dared anyone to trace the droid to her in the event of its capture.
Dira was with her as she put the final touches on the droid. "Why do you like this thing so much?"
Mala sighed. She'd lost count of how often Dira had expressed those sentiments in the past month. "What, exactly, is your problem with droids?"
"I simply don't like the idea of relying on objects which are dead to the Force."
"And yet you rely on your lightsaber."
"I do not! I simply acknowledge its usefulness and utilize it for a limited purpose."
"As do I. I don't hope to replace my whole army with droids. I only want to make use of them where they fit the purpose."
Dira grumbled, but offered no specific rebuttal. Even she had to admit that the droid would be of use here. "And you're certain that it won't reveal that you were the one who sent it??" the old woman asked.
"As certain as I can be," Mala responded, closing the central control panel and stepping back. "It has so many memory partitions, I doubt that even I could break through them all." She surveyed her work. It still looked a great deal like the original model, though the upgraded chassis did look slightly different. It was still deactivated, so there was no way to be absolutely certain of the effects of her work.
"Are you going to activate it?"
"I... don't know."
"It won't be of much use as an assassin like this."
"I know. But... should I?"
"Well, I suppose you don't have to, though you seemed rather set on using this thing. Still, if you'd rather attempt to remove Senator Cah by telling the senate that she's being blackmailed by an ancient evil order of Sith manipulators, feel free to do so. Of course, they might have some trouble believing you. To prove it to them you would have to reveal our actions, which would get to the Jedi, who would have some rather unpleasant things to say about it. Then you would also be tipping off the Sithras, of course. I'm certain they would be able to put an end to your life or at the very least remove you from power if they knew you were working against them. You could also attempt to kill her yourself, though you seem unwilling to do so."
Mala sighed and hung her head. "You're right. You're always right." She opened the panel again and switched on the droid.
It straightened up immediately and flexed its fingers. "Statement: HK-47 is active and ready for orders."
"HK-47, run a systems diagnostic."
"Running," the droid said. After a moment, it spoke again. "Analysis: All systems in working order. Ready for orders, Master Revan."
Dira raised a brow.
"I thought it would be best if he referred to me as Revan," Mala said. "And lots of people call me Master. Even Malak does it when I'm wearing the mask. Besides, he's a droid. Droids refer to their owners as masters."
"I said nothing. Well, are you going to send it on its way?"
"Not yet. I want to put him through his paces first. HK-47, will you accompany me to the shuttle bay?"
"Agreement: Yes, master, if that is your desire. Are we to kill some form of organic life while there?"
"Um... not in the shuttle bay, no. Not on the ship at all."
"Dejected surrender: Very well, master. I will do as you order."
"Mala," Dira said with a slight quaver in her voice. Mala wondered if it might be from fear, until she saw the woman's expression. She was clearly holding back laughter. "Did you mean for it to do that?"
"Well... I thought it would be best if he enjoyed his work. Do you think I overdid it?"
"I think that would be an incredible understatement."
"Well, in any case, I'm taking him down to the planet to test his capabilities. Care to come along?"
"Hmm... should I stay aboard the ship or go down with you and the untested modified assassin droid? Shall I think about that for a moment?"
"Do you have no faith in me?"
"In this matter? None whatsoever."
Mala sighed. "Fine, do what you will. I'll let you know how it goes. HK-47, don't speak to anyone unless spoken to. And when you are spoken to, you are to claim to be a protocol droid. Understood?"
"Statement: Yes, master. I am a protocol droid designed to facilitate communications and terminate hostilities."
Dira had to laugh a little at that. "Did you program that, or did it do it all on its own?"
"I'm not sure. I like it, though. Come on, HK."
She donned her mask for the trek through the ship. Before long, they were down on the planet, and HK was performing beautifully. It was only after hours of rigorous testing before Mala was completely satisfied, however, and they came aboard again.
They returned to her quarters, and Mala stood back to appraise the droid. She was pleased with her work, certainly. He was probably the most impressive thing she had ever built. Unfortunately, she could no longer pretend that he was nothing more than a fun project. It was time to decide what he would be.
"Query: Master, is there something about my design that is troubling you? I was under the impression that I was performing to specification."
"Don't worry, HK. You're fine. Better than fine, actually. You're amazing." She sighed. "No. I was just thinking about the reason I built you."
"Suggestion: Perhaps it was for the purpose of perforating the skull or chest cavity of an organic life form?"
Mala wasn't sure if she should laugh at that or not. "Well, that's the question, isn't it? Tell me, HK, what do you know about Senator Ardana Cah?"
"Proud answer: I have been programmed with the latest up-to-date intelligence on all members of the Republic senate, master."
"Give me an assessment of the best possible assassination plans for her."
"Analysis: Senator Cah spends a great deal of time at her vacation home on Alderaan. It has minimal security when not in use, and certain types of poisons would be undetectable if laced into upholstery for later absorption into the skin. Senator Cah also has clandestine meetings with various special interest groups during which she takes along a much smaller retinue of bodyguards. These meetings often take place in unsecured areas, and could easily be rigged with explosives. Senator Cah rarely employs food testing, and toxins could be added to her meals with little difficulty. Senator Cah-"
"Thank you, HK, that's enough." The droid had been sounding more and more eager as it progressed. "Just... we're going to be docking at Yablari soon. When we do, I want you to slip off the ship and attend to the senator. It needs to look like an accident. Avoid additional casualties if possible."
"Affirmative. Am I to be issued any weapons?"
"I can give you some money for purchases, but you cannot be seen leaving the ship with any weapons."
"Affirmative."
Mala stood and gave him several hundred credits from her personal funds. "We'll be docking after our next hyperspace jump. Will you need anything else from me?"
"Negative, master."
"Good. Then... I have somewhere to be. Good luck. Find me after you've taken care of the senator."
She put on her mask and left the room. A part of her wanted to go back in and rescind the orders, but she resisted. The decision was made, and she had no room to question herself. She headed to the communications center in search of Dira, only to find her in the middle of a call with Halae.
"We've pushed them back from Stenos," the blonde Jedi on the other end said. "But I worry that they may be massing at Elom. If you could pass that on to Revan, I would appreciate it. Oh, Revan!" She spotted Mala approaching them as she entered the range of the pickup.
"Hello, general," Mala said.
Dira glanced back at her. "I didn't realize your shuttle had returned. Have you taken care of that droid?"
"It has its orders."
"Good. Do we have a time frame?"
"No, but I'm certain it will be soon. It's very efficient."
"Droid?" Halae asked.
"Just a minor task," Mala said. "Nothing to worry about. I was going to call you in any case, General Jasra. I have new orders for you."
"Whatever you need, Revan."
"I was hoping you'd say that. Unfortunately, these new orders are too sensitive to be relayed over unsecured channels. You are to rendezvous with the Swiftsure at Yablari as soon as possible. I will brief you there."
"Understood."
Mala tried to ignore the hopefulness in her voice. She could see the thoughts running through her friend's mind. Halae thought she would finally be let into whatever Mala had been hiding. Mala hated disappointing her.
"If that is all," Mala said, "I need to speak with Master Dira."
"Of course," Dira said. "I believe we were done here?"
"Yes," Halae said. "I'll see you both soon."
They cut the comm and Revan gestured for Dira to follow her from the room. As soon as they were in the hall, she began to speak. "I've been thinking. Perhaps the senate should not find out about our... current project."
"Elaborate, please."
"Quite simply, the Senate is going to be a problem. There will always be at least one corrupt senator to influence, or who could reveal our plans. I can't send HK after each one of them without drawing suspicion."
"So we need to fight a war without letting our allies know about it."
"Exactly. You can see the problem. Call Malak and get him to meet up with us at Yablari. We need to plan."
"I'll attend to it. Are you alright? You seem different."
Mala considered lying, but Dira knew her too well for that. "I just gave the order for an assassination. I'm doing as well as can be expected."
"You give orders for deaths all the time."
"It's different. Those are soldiers in a war. They chose to put themselves in harm's way when they joined the military. Those are honorable deaths fought in a battle. This... I told him to make it look like an accident. There is no way this is honorable. To me or her."
"She lost her honor the moment she colluded with the Sithras. And as for you, you are simply trying to save lives."
Mala could feel doubt nagging at the corners of her mind. "Can we stop talking about this now? We need to plan. Senator Cah is the most obvious link in the Sithras chain, but not the only one, by any means. I can analyze our list, and then send HK after the key members of the group. We can't take out all of them, or the Sithras will get suspicious."
"Agreed. That's the last thing we want at this stage."
"We also need to find a way to fight them directly. As I said before, the senate is a problem. They cannot know of what we're doing until it's too late for anyone to change it."
"It's rather difficult to raise an army without the senate's knowledge."
"We have our army. We need only to turn it on the Sithras."
"It isn't enough."
They reached Mala's quarters and went inside. HK was in a corner, in standby mode until they docked. Mala removed her mask, setting it on the desk. "Are you doubting our forces? I think we'll manage just fine. The Sithras may be good, but so am I."
"Arrogance has always been one of your weaknesses."
"There's a difference between arrogance and confidence." There was also a difference between confidence and the facade thereof. She had no idea what kind of forces the Sithras might be able to bring against them, and it frightened her. She was a commander, however. Commanders needed to be confident. "All the same, I'm not stupid. We have records of Sithras history. I'm sure they've changed over the years, but we can still get an idea of how they think and fight."
Dira smiled. "A true student of mine. Plan for the future by learning from the past. Hand me a datapad."
Mala took a seat at her desk and tossed a datapad to her old master. She brought up some of the records on her own terminal and began to read. She'd left most of the records to Dira, focusing instead on their current plans. It was only now that she was truly able to immerse herself in the Sithras historical tomes.
One passage gave her pause, and she read it several times.
"Master Dira, have you read this one?"
"What is the title?"
"Legacy of Adas."
"No, not yet. Have you found something?"
Mala brought it up on the large viewscreen, so that Dira could see. "This is a record from before the Sith left Korriban. 'In the final years of the rule of King Adas, Korriban was visited by a race from another world. They called themselves the Rakatan Infinite Empire, and they had conquered much of the galaxy.' Have you heard of these Rakatan?"
Dira shook her head. "But if it's from before the Sith even left Korriban, that's no great surprise. Continue, please."
Mala read on. "'They had subjugated other races, and sought to do the same to the Sith. They came with weapons of the Force and many battles were fought before King Adas repelled the invaders. This was not before acquiring one of their ships, however, and learning the secret of their interstellar travel. The Sith moved out into the galaxy and began their conquest. The Rakata were a formidable enemy, and the Sith saw no reason to fight against them at present. They waited until the right time, and then introduced a plague into their race. The Rakata were forced to abandon their holdings and retreat to their home world of Rakata Prime, with no knowledge that the Sith were the cause for their downfall. They were left unable to use any of their technology, and many of their old production plants remain in existence, possibly even the formidable Star Forge.'" Mala looked up. "That's all they have. Have you heard of this Star Forge?"
"No, I haven't. You said that this was during the reign of King Adas? I'll see if I can find anything else with information on that time period."
"I'll keep searching, too. If these Rakatan were enough of a threat that the Sith tried to avoid them, they could teach us something." She read over the final passage again. "Do you think those plants might still be working?"
"It's unlikely, but they could still have worthwhile resources. It's definitely worth looking into."
- - - - -
Mala was able to occupy her mind with plans for the Sithras war until they reached Yablari. She barely noticed when they docked and HK-47 left. It wasn't long before Halae arrived to rendezvous, and Mala had her called to a briefing room.
She was still wearing her mask when Halae walked in. She could tell immediately that Halae was annoyed, and Mala could hardly blame her. "Is there some reason you didn't call me into your quarters?" Halae asked.
"Rumors," Mala said. "You forget that everyone is under the impression that I'm a man. Apparently stories of our close relationship have spread far out of proportion." It was only a partial lie. It was true that people believed they were sleeping together, but those rumors had existed since even before there was an official Jedi Expeditionary Task Force. There had been no recent surge in the rumors to account for this new cautiousness, but the briefing room gave an excuse for Mala to keep her mask on. Anyone could walk in at any moment.
"Can you at least turn off that ridiculous voice modulator?"
"Of course." Mala reached up and switched off the small box. "Is that better?"
"I'd rather look you in the eye, but this will do. So do you want to tell me what's going on?"
Mala sat down on the edge of the table. It left her legs to swing comically, so she leaned against it, instead. "You remember Malachor, right?"
"Of course. I remember we discussed how its gravitational anomalies could be weaponized."
"Correct."
"I also seem to recall an argument over whether or not it was a viable weapon. It would be practically impossible to ensure that none of our own people were in the range of destruction."
Now came the time for the lie. "It seems that it may become necessary. We've received some disturbing intelligence that Mandalore has a way to Coruscant itself."
Halae's eyes widened in horror. "And this would be what has been bothering you?"
"Yes. I called Dira to me when I found out about it, and I've been trying to keep it from you. I didn't want to worry you until we knew more."
"Well, you failed. So we're going to use Malachor?"
"Yes. It should take some time for Mandalore to prepare his assault, so we have a small window."
Halae nodded. "What do you need me to do?"
"I want you to command the team working on the development of the Malachor weapon. Don't worry about the oversight on the actual weapon. I'm handling that part. Just give them whatever they need. Can you do that?" Halae nodded. "I trust you understand that everything said in this room, both about the Malachor weapon and Mandalore's plans, are to remain strictly classified."
"Of course. Does Malak know yet?"
"A little. I'll brief him further when he gets here."
"When do I leave?"
"As soon as possible." Mala handed her a datapad. "This contains all of the information you'll need, as well as your official orders. Don't worry about the actual weapon too much, just keep the team running."
Halae nodded and stashed the datapad in her robes. "Got it. Well, I guess I should be off, then." She turned and began to move toward the door, but stopped. Before Mala could blink, Halae had turned around again and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
"Whoa!" Mala said, stiffening. "What's this for?"
"I don't know," Halae said, squeezing tighter. "I just felt like... like I won't get this chance again."
Mala blinked away the tears welling up in her eyes, thankful for the mask. "Don't be silly," she said. "You'll see me after you finish your work on the project. Maybe even before, if I come by to check on your progress."
"I know." Halae's voice sounded oddly thick. She pulled away and Mala's heart broke when she saw water glistening in her eyes. "I'm being silly, I guess. Don't mind me." She turned again, but this time Mala grabbed her arm. Halae looked back, her brows drawn and furrowed. "What is it?"
Mala stared at her hand. She hadn't meant to do that. Without thinking, she began to speak. "You know that you're my best friend, don't you?"
"Of course I do. Ever since we were kids."
"Yeah. Just... never forget that."
"I won't." Halae smiled reassuringly and Mala released her arm.
Mala could only watch as her best friend, one of the few people in the galaxy who she considered family, walked away from her. Halae was right. They would probably never be like this again.
- - - - -
After Malak arrived at Yablari and received a briefing, they set up Mala's quarters as the center of operations for the Sithras war. They spent hours locked inside, leaving only when their duties or bodily functions required it. As Malak was the only one among them unable to read the Sithras language, he was assigned the task of analyzing the list of Sithras contacts, while Mala and Dira searched through the Sithras records for any further mention of the Rakata.
Mala declared the desk to be her personal work area, leaving Dira and Malak to fight over the bed. The battle was short, consisting of a single withering glare from Dira. Malak retreated to the floor without protest.
Mala had almost lost hope in finding any records of the Rakata when she found herself reading a tome which detailed the Sith's early expansion beyond Korriban. She was amazed that such bloody battles could be portrayed in such a dry and boring manner. Sleep threatened to overtake her as she skimmed across the page. Her eyes froze over a single word, and she was instantly awake.
Rakata.
"I've got something," she said, holding up her hand and snapping her fingers. All eyes instantly turned towards her. "A record of a battle between the Sith and the Rakatan Infinite Empire."
"That's no great surprise," Dira said. "If the Rakata were truly a galactic force, it would only make sense that they would have more than one encounter, despite the Sith's intentions to avoid them."
"Yeah," Mala said. "But thanks to this battle, they found the location of the Star Forge."
Malak looked up from his datapad, and Dira sat up straighter.
Mala read aloud, translating into Basic for Malak's sake. "'The Rakata constantly brought reinforcements in from hyperspace, all through the same corridor. Later calculations revealed that these ships likely originated at their homeworld of Rakata Prime. One fighter was captured before the Sith retreat, and the pilot was interrogated. He revealed that the Rakatan home system contained a production facility known as the Star Forge, which was also a powerful Dark Side artifact. The Star Forge produced all of their ships and had nearly limitless output capabilities, explaining the Sith failure in the battle. The pilot did not know how the Star Forge worked or how it was constructed, but he did know that it required no resources, and was designed to last millennia without needing servicing or repairs.'" Mala set the datapad on the desk. "So that's what the Star Forge is."
"It sounds too good to be true," Malak said. "A production facility that needs no resources or repairs, just waiting out there in space."
"But it is possible," Dira said. "If it truly was a Dark Side artifact, nearly anything is possible."
"Do you think it's still out there?" Mala asked.
"Again, possible," Dira said. "The other record said that they were destroyed by an illness, not through direct battle with the Sith. They were likely forced to abandon the facility."
"What if the Sith are just exaggerating?" Malak said. "You know, to make themselves look better to later generations. The idea of losing a battle because the enemy has a magical shipyard is much better than losing because you weren't good enough. Or the Rakatan pilot could have been lying to discourage them from attacking Rakata Prime."
"I doubt it," Mala said. "I think the Sith would be able to tell when a prisoner was lying. As to the idea that they were exaggerating, that doesn't seem to be their style. The reason they kept such extensive records is because they believe in learning from the mistakes of the past. It's hard to do that when you hide all of your mistakes." She tapped the datapad. "I think this is worth pursuing."
"Is Rakata Prime marked on any of the maps you've found?"
"I think so," Dira said. She stepped up to the computer, and inserted a datapad into the port for the main viewscreen. Mala surrendered her seat to her old master. "I've compiled all of the maps, and have been attempting to index them. Yes, here it is. Rakata Prime is listed on two maps."
"Bring them up," Mala said, approaching the viewscreen. The maps were projected across it. "And where is Rakata Prime?
"Here." Dira highlighted the appropriate area on each map.
"That's deep in the Unknown Regions," Malak said.
Mala nodded. "But this could be a good thing. No one from the Republic could have found it yet."
"And how are we supposed to? We can't go jumping randomly into the Unknown Regions, and we can't just walk up to a Rakata and ask them how to get there."
Mala placed her chin in her hand and studied the map. "No, but we can get the next best thing." She pointed to one of the maps. "Master Dira, get rid of the other one. I want to focus on this." Dira did as instructed. "This map shows the major points of power in the Rakatan empire. Some of these planets have been picked over completely. Any ruins there must be long gone. Others are practically untouched. We can find the Rakata the same way we found the Sithras."
Dira nodded. "Not a bad plan."
Mala moved to the computer and Dira relinquished the seat. Mala identified all of the planets from the map, compiling a list. "Some of these places don't have breathable atmospheres anymore, so we probably wouldn't be able to explore very fully." She eliminated those planets. She began removing some of the more well-populated planets. "Coruscant, Duro, Dantooine-"
"Wait!" Dira said, holding up her hand.
Mala's hand hovered over the controls. "What?"
"Dantooine was a Rakatan planet?"
"Apparently so. I know it isn't as heavily populated as others, but we can probably still eliminate it. I think we would have noticed any Rakatan ruins there."
"One moment."
"Master Dira, we lived on Dantooine. There are no Rakatan ruins there."
"The Rakatan empire existed somewhere around 25,000 to 20,000 years ago, didn't it?"
Mala sighed. Dira could be so stubborn, sometimes. "Yeah. That's about right."
Dira smirked. "My dear student, I'm surprised at you. There are Rakatan ruins on Dantooine. Furthermore, we know exactly where they are."
"What? But... no. No, we never found anything there. Well, I mean other than the stones in the grove, and..." Mala's mind flew to the ruins that stood near the grove, one of the places forbidden to padawans. Naturally, she and Halae had spent a great deal of their childhood there. "But those were burial grounds, weren't they?"
"That was only a theory. When we first established the enclave on Dantooine, I was allowed to survey the exterior of the ruins. The leading hypothesis was that they were burial grounds, but others believed they had been constructed to contain some form of Dark energy or artifact. I never quite believed either theory. Unfortunately, I was never permitted to enter and determine their purpose with any certainty."
"I hardly believe it," Mala said. "It was right in front of us for all those years."
"I remember that place," Malak said. "Didn't the Jedi seal it?"
"They did," Dira said, "But it wouldn't be difficult to break the seal. It requires only a sufficiently powerful Force-user. Any of us could do it. I had half a mind to do it when I was surveying the place."
"So we've found our ruins," Malak said. "That was easier than I expected."
"There's still a problem," Mala said. "The Jedi might not want us arrested any more, but I doubt they'd like it if we showed up on their planet and broke into their sealed ruins. We won't be allowed anywhere near them."
"We could go in disguise."
"I don't think any disguise would be good enough to conceal the Swiftsure." Mala placed a palm on one of the walls for emphasis. "And I'm not leaving the fleet until the war is over."
"Don't you think this might be more important than the Mandalorians?" Dira asked.
"No." Mala sighed and sat down, attempting to gather her thoughts into words. "Your problem is that you're thinking of the Mandalorians and the Sithras as separate threats. They aren't. It's like... it's like fighting an enemy wielding a vibroblade. The blade is not a separate enemy from the body. The Mandalorians are no more than the weapons of the Sithras." She shook her head. "I won't ignore the vibroblade to poison the body."
Malak sighed. "I almost wish we could ask the Jedi for help, though I somehow doubt that would go well."
Mala chuckled, and her voice took on an innocent, higher tone. "'Yes, Master Vrook, we're looking for an ancient Dark Side artifact. Sure, we're planning on using it. No, we aren't evil Sith Lords! What ever gave you that idea?'"
Dira cleared her throat, and the laughter stopped. "All humor aside, it would seem that Mala is correct. To utilize her simile, we must deal with the immediate threat of the vibroblade before anything else."
"So we defeat the Mandalorians," Malak said. "And the Malachor plan seems to be our best bet on that front. Then we find the Star Forge. So now we have the means of generating a massive army. Then what? We go public with all we've found? We petition the senate to go to war against an enemy they know nothing about? One that they probably won't even believe is real?"
"No," Dira said. "The senate is a problem. They're too massive. Too corruptible."
"And yet they're the only way we can wage a war," Mala said.
Malak smiled, though it was without humor. "Unless we plan on wresting control from them. Then we could rule the galaxy ourselves!"
Silence filled the room.
"I was being sarcastic."
Still, no one spoke for a moment.
Mala looked to Dira. "No. I mean... we couldn't. ...could we?"
Dira's expression was contemplative. "I don't think it would be difficult to get the military on our side. After that... how hard would it be to gain control of the civilian authorities?"
Malak stood and held out his hands. "Hold on, just one moment. So we're suggesting that we defeat the Mandalorians."
"Yes," Mala said.
"And then we find the Star Forge."
"Yes."
"And then we use its powers to... conquer the Republic?"
"...yes."
"I see." He let out a long, slow breath. "That's... quite the plan."
Dira tapped her chin. "It's possible. If we struck quickly enough, we could even do it with little bloodshed."
"This... this is insane. You both realize that, don't you?"
"Do you have any other ideas?" Mala asked.
Malak shook his head. "No. That's probably the craziest part of all."
Mala leaned forward, placing her elbows on the desk. "So... so this is it. Galactic domination."
"When you put it that way, it sounds so..."
"Dark Side?" Mala sighed. "Yeah. I noticed."
"I feel that I need to point out what the Star Forge is," Dira said. "It is a Dark Side artifact. The thought that we could make use of it without falling is ridiculously naive, at best."
Is it truly a fall when you jump from the precipice?
Mala pushed Dira's words away. "You know, you're a terrible master. Aren't you supposed to try to prevent my falling, rather than encourage it?"
"All masters hope that some day their student will surpass them. I believe you have."
"You both realize that the Sithras will see what we're doing, don't you?" Malak said. "Our secrecy will be gone."
"It can't last forever," Mala said. "And at least we'll have an unlimited fleet to fight against them." She glanced to her mask, which sat on her desk. "And since we're declaring war on them, anyway, we should send them a message."
Dira raised a brow. "Oh?"
Mala picked up the mask. "When we begin our assault," she placed it over her face, "call me Darth Revan."
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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The contacts weren't dark enough and they made her eyes itch after prolonged wear. She wore them only when she was absolutely unable to get away with wearing her mask, and she avoided such situations as much as possible. She also avoided Halae, as she was the only one likely to notice the difference. Mala was able to hurry the unit's refit so that Halae was gone before long. By the time she left, Mala was certain that Halae knew something was wrong. While Mala was pained that she couldn't confide in her friend, she knew that sending her away was the best thing she could do. After Halae was gone and Mala no longer had to spend time pretending to socialize, her work was able to begin in earnest.
She was impressed with how quickly Malak was able to get her one of the droids. Before the refit had been completed, a damaged assassin droid stood in her quarters. She went to work immediately. A part of her mind was still convinced that this was no more than an intellectual exercise. She didn't often get to mess with droids anymore, so it was a nice change of pace.
She had never been as good with the hardware as Halae, but she was able to repair the damage taken at Omonoth and even make some improvements. The software, however, was where she excelled. It was outfitted with the best of everything. The targeting computers were top-of-the-line, its databanks were filled with all kinds of relevant information on poisons and weapon systems, and it had slicing protocols to rival any organic being. The system which topped them all, though, was the security buffers. After she was done, she would have dared anyone to trace the droid to her in the event of its capture.
Dira was with her as she put the final touches on the droid. "Why do you like this thing so much?"
Mala sighed. She'd lost count of how often Dira had expressed those sentiments in the past month. "What, exactly, is your problem with droids?"
"I simply don't like the idea of relying on objects which are dead to the Force."
"And yet you rely on your lightsaber."
"I do not! I simply acknowledge its usefulness and utilize it for a limited purpose."
"As do I. I don't hope to replace my whole army with droids. I only want to make use of them where they fit the purpose."
Dira grumbled, but offered no specific rebuttal. Even she had to admit that the droid would be of use here. "And you're certain that it won't reveal that you were the one who sent it??" the old woman asked.
"As certain as I can be," Mala responded, closing the central control panel and stepping back. "It has so many memory partitions, I doubt that even I could break through them all." She surveyed her work. It still looked a great deal like the original model, though the upgraded chassis did look slightly different. It was still deactivated, so there was no way to be absolutely certain of the effects of her work.
"Are you going to activate it?"
"I... don't know."
"It won't be of much use as an assassin like this."
"I know. But... should I?"
"Well, I suppose you don't have to, though you seemed rather set on using this thing. Still, if you'd rather attempt to remove Senator Cah by telling the senate that she's being blackmailed by an ancient evil order of Sith manipulators, feel free to do so. Of course, they might have some trouble believing you. To prove it to them you would have to reveal our actions, which would get to the Jedi, who would have some rather unpleasant things to say about it. Then you would also be tipping off the Sithras, of course. I'm certain they would be able to put an end to your life or at the very least remove you from power if they knew you were working against them. You could also attempt to kill her yourself, though you seem unwilling to do so."
Mala sighed and hung her head. "You're right. You're always right." She opened the panel again and switched on the droid.
It straightened up immediately and flexed its fingers. "Statement: HK-47 is active and ready for orders."
"HK-47, run a systems diagnostic."
"Running," the droid said. After a moment, it spoke again. "Analysis: All systems in working order. Ready for orders, Master Revan."
Dira raised a brow.
"I thought it would be best if he referred to me as Revan," Mala said. "And lots of people call me Master. Even Malak does it when I'm wearing the mask. Besides, he's a droid. Droids refer to their owners as masters."
"I said nothing. Well, are you going to send it on its way?"
"Not yet. I want to put him through his paces first. HK-47, will you accompany me to the shuttle bay?"
"Agreement: Yes, master, if that is your desire. Are we to kill some form of organic life while there?"
"Um... not in the shuttle bay, no. Not on the ship at all."
"Dejected surrender: Very well, master. I will do as you order."
"Mala," Dira said with a slight quaver in her voice. Mala wondered if it might be from fear, until she saw the woman's expression. She was clearly holding back laughter. "Did you mean for it to do that?"
"Well... I thought it would be best if he enjoyed his work. Do you think I overdid it?"
"I think that would be an incredible understatement."
"Well, in any case, I'm taking him down to the planet to test his capabilities. Care to come along?"
"Hmm... should I stay aboard the ship or go down with you and the untested modified assassin droid? Shall I think about that for a moment?"
"Do you have no faith in me?"
"In this matter? None whatsoever."
Mala sighed. "Fine, do what you will. I'll let you know how it goes. HK-47, don't speak to anyone unless spoken to. And when you are spoken to, you are to claim to be a protocol droid. Understood?"
"Statement: Yes, master. I am a protocol droid designed to facilitate communications and terminate hostilities."
Dira had to laugh a little at that. "Did you program that, or did it do it all on its own?"
"I'm not sure. I like it, though. Come on, HK."
She donned her mask for the trek through the ship. Before long, they were down on the planet, and HK was performing beautifully. It was only after hours of rigorous testing before Mala was completely satisfied, however, and they came aboard again.
They returned to her quarters, and Mala stood back to appraise the droid. She was pleased with her work, certainly. He was probably the most impressive thing she had ever built. Unfortunately, she could no longer pretend that he was nothing more than a fun project. It was time to decide what he would be.
"Query: Master, is there something about my design that is troubling you? I was under the impression that I was performing to specification."
"Don't worry, HK. You're fine. Better than fine, actually. You're amazing." She sighed. "No. I was just thinking about the reason I built you."
"Suggestion: Perhaps it was for the purpose of perforating the skull or chest cavity of an organic life form?"
Mala wasn't sure if she should laugh at that or not. "Well, that's the question, isn't it? Tell me, HK, what do you know about Senator Ardana Cah?"
"Proud answer: I have been programmed with the latest up-to-date intelligence on all members of the Republic senate, master."
"Give me an assessment of the best possible assassination plans for her."
"Analysis: Senator Cah spends a great deal of time at her vacation home on Alderaan. It has minimal security when not in use, and certain types of poisons would be undetectable if laced into upholstery for later absorption into the skin. Senator Cah also has clandestine meetings with various special interest groups during which she takes along a much smaller retinue of bodyguards. These meetings often take place in unsecured areas, and could easily be rigged with explosives. Senator Cah rarely employs food testing, and toxins could be added to her meals with little difficulty. Senator Cah-"
"Thank you, HK, that's enough." The droid had been sounding more and more eager as it progressed. "Just... we're going to be docking at Yablari soon. When we do, I want you to slip off the ship and attend to the senator. It needs to look like an accident. Avoid additional casualties if possible."
"Affirmative. Am I to be issued any weapons?"
"I can give you some money for purchases, but you cannot be seen leaving the ship with any weapons."
"Affirmative."
Mala stood and gave him several hundred credits from her personal funds. "We'll be docking after our next hyperspace jump. Will you need anything else from me?"
"Negative, master."
"Good. Then... I have somewhere to be. Good luck. Find me after you've taken care of the senator."
She put on her mask and left the room. A part of her wanted to go back in and rescind the orders, but she resisted. The decision was made, and she had no room to question herself. She headed to the communications center in search of Dira, only to find her in the middle of a call with Halae.
"We've pushed them back from Stenos," the blonde Jedi on the other end said. "But I worry that they may be massing at Elom. If you could pass that on to Revan, I would appreciate it. Oh, Revan!" She spotted Mala approaching them as she entered the range of the pickup.
"Hello, general," Mala said.
Dira glanced back at her. "I didn't realize your shuttle had returned. Have you taken care of that droid?"
"It has its orders."
"Good. Do we have a time frame?"
"No, but I'm certain it will be soon. It's very efficient."
"Droid?" Halae asked.
"Just a minor task," Mala said. "Nothing to worry about. I was going to call you in any case, General Jasra. I have new orders for you."
"Whatever you need, Revan."
"I was hoping you'd say that. Unfortunately, these new orders are too sensitive to be relayed over unsecured channels. You are to rendezvous with the Swiftsure at Yablari as soon as possible. I will brief you there."
"Understood."
Mala tried to ignore the hopefulness in her voice. She could see the thoughts running through her friend's mind. Halae thought she would finally be let into whatever Mala had been hiding. Mala hated disappointing her.
"If that is all," Mala said, "I need to speak with Master Dira."
"Of course," Dira said. "I believe we were done here?"
"Yes," Halae said. "I'll see you both soon."
They cut the comm and Revan gestured for Dira to follow her from the room. As soon as they were in the hall, she began to speak. "I've been thinking. Perhaps the senate should not find out about our... current project."
"Elaborate, please."
"Quite simply, the Senate is going to be a problem. There will always be at least one corrupt senator to influence, or who could reveal our plans. I can't send HK after each one of them without drawing suspicion."
"So we need to fight a war without letting our allies know about it."
"Exactly. You can see the problem. Call Malak and get him to meet up with us at Yablari. We need to plan."
"I'll attend to it. Are you alright? You seem different."
Mala considered lying, but Dira knew her too well for that. "I just gave the order for an assassination. I'm doing as well as can be expected."
"You give orders for deaths all the time."
"It's different. Those are soldiers in a war. They chose to put themselves in harm's way when they joined the military. Those are honorable deaths fought in a battle. This... I told him to make it look like an accident. There is no way this is honorable. To me or her."
"She lost her honor the moment she colluded with the Sithras. And as for you, you are simply trying to save lives."
Mala could feel doubt nagging at the corners of her mind. "Can we stop talking about this now? We need to plan. Senator Cah is the most obvious link in the Sithras chain, but not the only one, by any means. I can analyze our list, and then send HK after the key members of the group. We can't take out all of them, or the Sithras will get suspicious."
"Agreed. That's the last thing we want at this stage."
"We also need to find a way to fight them directly. As I said before, the senate is a problem. They cannot know of what we're doing until it's too late for anyone to change it."
"It's rather difficult to raise an army without the senate's knowledge."
"We have our army. We need only to turn it on the Sithras."
"It isn't enough."
They reached Mala's quarters and went inside. HK was in a corner, in standby mode until they docked. Mala removed her mask, setting it on the desk. "Are you doubting our forces? I think we'll manage just fine. The Sithras may be good, but so am I."
"Arrogance has always been one of your weaknesses."
"There's a difference between arrogance and confidence." There was also a difference between confidence and the facade thereof. She had no idea what kind of forces the Sithras might be able to bring against them, and it frightened her. She was a commander, however. Commanders needed to be confident. "All the same, I'm not stupid. We have records of Sithras history. I'm sure they've changed over the years, but we can still get an idea of how they think and fight."
Dira smiled. "A true student of mine. Plan for the future by learning from the past. Hand me a datapad."
Mala took a seat at her desk and tossed a datapad to her old master. She brought up some of the records on her own terminal and began to read. She'd left most of the records to Dira, focusing instead on their current plans. It was only now that she was truly able to immerse herself in the Sithras historical tomes.
One passage gave her pause, and she read it several times.
"Master Dira, have you read this one?"
"What is the title?"
"Legacy of Adas."
"No, not yet. Have you found something?"
Mala brought it up on the large viewscreen, so that Dira could see. "This is a record from before the Sith left Korriban. 'In the final years of the rule of King Adas, Korriban was visited by a race from another world. They called themselves the Rakatan Infinite Empire, and they had conquered much of the galaxy.' Have you heard of these Rakatan?"
Dira shook her head. "But if it's from before the Sith even left Korriban, that's no great surprise. Continue, please."
Mala read on. "'They had subjugated other races, and sought to do the same to the Sith. They came with weapons of the Force and many battles were fought before King Adas repelled the invaders. This was not before acquiring one of their ships, however, and learning the secret of their interstellar travel. The Sith moved out into the galaxy and began their conquest. The Rakata were a formidable enemy, and the Sith saw no reason to fight against them at present. They waited until the right time, and then introduced a plague into their race. The Rakata were forced to abandon their holdings and retreat to their home world of Rakata Prime, with no knowledge that the Sith were the cause for their downfall. They were left unable to use any of their technology, and many of their old production plants remain in existence, possibly even the formidable Star Forge.'" Mala looked up. "That's all they have. Have you heard of this Star Forge?"
"No, I haven't. You said that this was during the reign of King Adas? I'll see if I can find anything else with information on that time period."
"I'll keep searching, too. If these Rakatan were enough of a threat that the Sith tried to avoid them, they could teach us something." She read over the final passage again. "Do you think those plants might still be working?"
"It's unlikely, but they could still have worthwhile resources. It's definitely worth looking into."
- - - - -
Mala was able to occupy her mind with plans for the Sithras war until they reached Yablari. She barely noticed when they docked and HK-47 left. It wasn't long before Halae arrived to rendezvous, and Mala had her called to a briefing room.
She was still wearing her mask when Halae walked in. She could tell immediately that Halae was annoyed, and Mala could hardly blame her. "Is there some reason you didn't call me into your quarters?" Halae asked.
"Rumors," Mala said. "You forget that everyone is under the impression that I'm a man. Apparently stories of our close relationship have spread far out of proportion." It was only a partial lie. It was true that people believed they were sleeping together, but those rumors had existed since even before there was an official Jedi Expeditionary Task Force. There had been no recent surge in the rumors to account for this new cautiousness, but the briefing room gave an excuse for Mala to keep her mask on. Anyone could walk in at any moment.
"Can you at least turn off that ridiculous voice modulator?"
"Of course." Mala reached up and switched off the small box. "Is that better?"
"I'd rather look you in the eye, but this will do. So do you want to tell me what's going on?"
Mala sat down on the edge of the table. It left her legs to swing comically, so she leaned against it, instead. "You remember Malachor, right?"
"Of course. I remember we discussed how its gravitational anomalies could be weaponized."
"Correct."
"I also seem to recall an argument over whether or not it was a viable weapon. It would be practically impossible to ensure that none of our own people were in the range of destruction."
Now came the time for the lie. "It seems that it may become necessary. We've received some disturbing intelligence that Mandalore has a way to Coruscant itself."
Halae's eyes widened in horror. "And this would be what has been bothering you?"
"Yes. I called Dira to me when I found out about it, and I've been trying to keep it from you. I didn't want to worry you until we knew more."
"Well, you failed. So we're going to use Malachor?"
"Yes. It should take some time for Mandalore to prepare his assault, so we have a small window."
Halae nodded. "What do you need me to do?"
"I want you to command the team working on the development of the Malachor weapon. Don't worry about the oversight on the actual weapon. I'm handling that part. Just give them whatever they need. Can you do that?" Halae nodded. "I trust you understand that everything said in this room, both about the Malachor weapon and Mandalore's plans, are to remain strictly classified."
"Of course. Does Malak know yet?"
"A little. I'll brief him further when he gets here."
"When do I leave?"
"As soon as possible." Mala handed her a datapad. "This contains all of the information you'll need, as well as your official orders. Don't worry about the actual weapon too much, just keep the team running."
Halae nodded and stashed the datapad in her robes. "Got it. Well, I guess I should be off, then." She turned and began to move toward the door, but stopped. Before Mala could blink, Halae had turned around again and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
"Whoa!" Mala said, stiffening. "What's this for?"
"I don't know," Halae said, squeezing tighter. "I just felt like... like I won't get this chance again."
Mala blinked away the tears welling up in her eyes, thankful for the mask. "Don't be silly," she said. "You'll see me after you finish your work on the project. Maybe even before, if I come by to check on your progress."
"I know." Halae's voice sounded oddly thick. She pulled away and Mala's heart broke when she saw water glistening in her eyes. "I'm being silly, I guess. Don't mind me." She turned again, but this time Mala grabbed her arm. Halae looked back, her brows drawn and furrowed. "What is it?"
Mala stared at her hand. She hadn't meant to do that. Without thinking, she began to speak. "You know that you're my best friend, don't you?"
"Of course I do. Ever since we were kids."
"Yeah. Just... never forget that."
"I won't." Halae smiled reassuringly and Mala released her arm.
Mala could only watch as her best friend, one of the few people in the galaxy who she considered family, walked away from her. Halae was right. They would probably never be like this again.
- - - - -
After Malak arrived at Yablari and received a briefing, they set up Mala's quarters as the center of operations for the Sithras war. They spent hours locked inside, leaving only when their duties or bodily functions required it. As Malak was the only one among them unable to read the Sithras language, he was assigned the task of analyzing the list of Sithras contacts, while Mala and Dira searched through the Sithras records for any further mention of the Rakata.
Mala declared the desk to be her personal work area, leaving Dira and Malak to fight over the bed. The battle was short, consisting of a single withering glare from Dira. Malak retreated to the floor without protest.
Mala had almost lost hope in finding any records of the Rakata when she found herself reading a tome which detailed the Sith's early expansion beyond Korriban. She was amazed that such bloody battles could be portrayed in such a dry and boring manner. Sleep threatened to overtake her as she skimmed across the page. Her eyes froze over a single word, and she was instantly awake.
Rakata.
"I've got something," she said, holding up her hand and snapping her fingers. All eyes instantly turned towards her. "A record of a battle between the Sith and the Rakatan Infinite Empire."
"That's no great surprise," Dira said. "If the Rakata were truly a galactic force, it would only make sense that they would have more than one encounter, despite the Sith's intentions to avoid them."
"Yeah," Mala said. "But thanks to this battle, they found the location of the Star Forge."
Malak looked up from his datapad, and Dira sat up straighter.
Mala read aloud, translating into Basic for Malak's sake. "'The Rakata constantly brought reinforcements in from hyperspace, all through the same corridor. Later calculations revealed that these ships likely originated at their homeworld of Rakata Prime. One fighter was captured before the Sith retreat, and the pilot was interrogated. He revealed that the Rakatan home system contained a production facility known as the Star Forge, which was also a powerful Dark Side artifact. The Star Forge produced all of their ships and had nearly limitless output capabilities, explaining the Sith failure in the battle. The pilot did not know how the Star Forge worked or how it was constructed, but he did know that it required no resources, and was designed to last millennia without needing servicing or repairs.'" Mala set the datapad on the desk. "So that's what the Star Forge is."
"It sounds too good to be true," Malak said. "A production facility that needs no resources or repairs, just waiting out there in space."
"But it is possible," Dira said. "If it truly was a Dark Side artifact, nearly anything is possible."
"Do you think it's still out there?" Mala asked.
"Again, possible," Dira said. "The other record said that they were destroyed by an illness, not through direct battle with the Sith. They were likely forced to abandon the facility."
"What if the Sith are just exaggerating?" Malak said. "You know, to make themselves look better to later generations. The idea of losing a battle because the enemy has a magical shipyard is much better than losing because you weren't good enough. Or the Rakatan pilot could have been lying to discourage them from attacking Rakata Prime."
"I doubt it," Mala said. "I think the Sith would be able to tell when a prisoner was lying. As to the idea that they were exaggerating, that doesn't seem to be their style. The reason they kept such extensive records is because they believe in learning from the mistakes of the past. It's hard to do that when you hide all of your mistakes." She tapped the datapad. "I think this is worth pursuing."
"Is Rakata Prime marked on any of the maps you've found?"
"I think so," Dira said. She stepped up to the computer, and inserted a datapad into the port for the main viewscreen. Mala surrendered her seat to her old master. "I've compiled all of the maps, and have been attempting to index them. Yes, here it is. Rakata Prime is listed on two maps."
"Bring them up," Mala said, approaching the viewscreen. The maps were projected across it. "And where is Rakata Prime?
"Here." Dira highlighted the appropriate area on each map.
"That's deep in the Unknown Regions," Malak said.
Mala nodded. "But this could be a good thing. No one from the Republic could have found it yet."
"And how are we supposed to? We can't go jumping randomly into the Unknown Regions, and we can't just walk up to a Rakata and ask them how to get there."
Mala placed her chin in her hand and studied the map. "No, but we can get the next best thing." She pointed to one of the maps. "Master Dira, get rid of the other one. I want to focus on this." Dira did as instructed. "This map shows the major points of power in the Rakatan empire. Some of these planets have been picked over completely. Any ruins there must be long gone. Others are practically untouched. We can find the Rakata the same way we found the Sithras."
Dira nodded. "Not a bad plan."
Mala moved to the computer and Dira relinquished the seat. Mala identified all of the planets from the map, compiling a list. "Some of these places don't have breathable atmospheres anymore, so we probably wouldn't be able to explore very fully." She eliminated those planets. She began removing some of the more well-populated planets. "Coruscant, Duro, Dantooine-"
"Wait!" Dira said, holding up her hand.
Mala's hand hovered over the controls. "What?"
"Dantooine was a Rakatan planet?"
"Apparently so. I know it isn't as heavily populated as others, but we can probably still eliminate it. I think we would have noticed any Rakatan ruins there."
"One moment."
"Master Dira, we lived on Dantooine. There are no Rakatan ruins there."
"The Rakatan empire existed somewhere around 25,000 to 20,000 years ago, didn't it?"
Mala sighed. Dira could be so stubborn, sometimes. "Yeah. That's about right."
Dira smirked. "My dear student, I'm surprised at you. There are Rakatan ruins on Dantooine. Furthermore, we know exactly where they are."
"What? But... no. No, we never found anything there. Well, I mean other than the stones in the grove, and..." Mala's mind flew to the ruins that stood near the grove, one of the places forbidden to padawans. Naturally, she and Halae had spent a great deal of their childhood there. "But those were burial grounds, weren't they?"
"That was only a theory. When we first established the enclave on Dantooine, I was allowed to survey the exterior of the ruins. The leading hypothesis was that they were burial grounds, but others believed they had been constructed to contain some form of Dark energy or artifact. I never quite believed either theory. Unfortunately, I was never permitted to enter and determine their purpose with any certainty."
"I hardly believe it," Mala said. "It was right in front of us for all those years."
"I remember that place," Malak said. "Didn't the Jedi seal it?"
"They did," Dira said, "But it wouldn't be difficult to break the seal. It requires only a sufficiently powerful Force-user. Any of us could do it. I had half a mind to do it when I was surveying the place."
"So we've found our ruins," Malak said. "That was easier than I expected."
"There's still a problem," Mala said. "The Jedi might not want us arrested any more, but I doubt they'd like it if we showed up on their planet and broke into their sealed ruins. We won't be allowed anywhere near them."
"We could go in disguise."
"I don't think any disguise would be good enough to conceal the Swiftsure." Mala placed a palm on one of the walls for emphasis. "And I'm not leaving the fleet until the war is over."
"Don't you think this might be more important than the Mandalorians?" Dira asked.
"No." Mala sighed and sat down, attempting to gather her thoughts into words. "Your problem is that you're thinking of the Mandalorians and the Sithras as separate threats. They aren't. It's like... it's like fighting an enemy wielding a vibroblade. The blade is not a separate enemy from the body. The Mandalorians are no more than the weapons of the Sithras." She shook her head. "I won't ignore the vibroblade to poison the body."
Malak sighed. "I almost wish we could ask the Jedi for help, though I somehow doubt that would go well."
Mala chuckled, and her voice took on an innocent, higher tone. "'Yes, Master Vrook, we're looking for an ancient Dark Side artifact. Sure, we're planning on using it. No, we aren't evil Sith Lords! What ever gave you that idea?'"
Dira cleared her throat, and the laughter stopped. "All humor aside, it would seem that Mala is correct. To utilize her simile, we must deal with the immediate threat of the vibroblade before anything else."
"So we defeat the Mandalorians," Malak said. "And the Malachor plan seems to be our best bet on that front. Then we find the Star Forge. So now we have the means of generating a massive army. Then what? We go public with all we've found? We petition the senate to go to war against an enemy they know nothing about? One that they probably won't even believe is real?"
"No," Dira said. "The senate is a problem. They're too massive. Too corruptible."
"And yet they're the only way we can wage a war," Mala said.
Malak smiled, though it was without humor. "Unless we plan on wresting control from them. Then we could rule the galaxy ourselves!"
Silence filled the room.
"I was being sarcastic."
Still, no one spoke for a moment.
Mala looked to Dira. "No. I mean... we couldn't. ...could we?"
Dira's expression was contemplative. "I don't think it would be difficult to get the military on our side. After that... how hard would it be to gain control of the civilian authorities?"
Malak stood and held out his hands. "Hold on, just one moment. So we're suggesting that we defeat the Mandalorians."
"Yes," Mala said.
"And then we find the Star Forge."
"Yes."
"And then we use its powers to... conquer the Republic?"
"...yes."
"I see." He let out a long, slow breath. "That's... quite the plan."
Dira tapped her chin. "It's possible. If we struck quickly enough, we could even do it with little bloodshed."
"This... this is insane. You both realize that, don't you?"
"Do you have any other ideas?" Mala asked.
Malak shook his head. "No. That's probably the craziest part of all."
Mala leaned forward, placing her elbows on the desk. "So... so this is it. Galactic domination."
"When you put it that way, it sounds so..."
"Dark Side?" Mala sighed. "Yeah. I noticed."
"I feel that I need to point out what the Star Forge is," Dira said. "It is a Dark Side artifact. The thought that we could make use of it without falling is ridiculously naive, at best."
Is it truly a fall when you jump from the precipice?
Mala pushed Dira's words away. "You know, you're a terrible master. Aren't you supposed to try to prevent my falling, rather than encourage it?"
"All masters hope that some day their student will surpass them. I believe you have."
"You both realize that the Sithras will see what we're doing, don't you?" Malak said. "Our secrecy will be gone."
"It can't last forever," Mala said. "And at least we'll have an unlimited fleet to fight against them." She glanced to her mask, which sat on her desk. "And since we're declaring war on them, anyway, we should send them a message."
Dira raised a brow. "Oh?"
Mala picked up the mask. "When we begin our assault," she placed it over her face, "call me Darth Revan."