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Author	Topic: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (10/3- back and sneakier than ever!)
padawanlissa Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 3/7 8:35pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 2/29- musings of a mind-wiped Sith) - Date Edited: 3/7 8:38pm (3 edits total) Edited By: padawanlissa
	Wow! Amazing chapters! I can't believe you killed Kylan! I am kind of surprised that you skipped the Mission/Griff stuff on Tatooine, though. As always, I look forward to the next chapter Who is in the bottom left corner of your cover art? Is it Juhani? -----signature----- Master of Featherpaw E-sister of Thrawn1786, Cinnamon_Windu, JeedaiElf, DG and ewok_jedi Wes Janson Fan Wraith 3 in the X-Wing Fan Club Mission Vao in the GSE
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Commander-DWH Registered: Nov '03	Date Posted: 3/7 10:50pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 2/29- musings of a mind-wiped Sith)
	Striker: You may, indeed, read my essay. What Would You Say if I Told You I Was Darth Revan? - Identification in Knights of the Old Republic This was written post-gameplay, but pre-Blue Side. And originally, Leiraya was a light sided, female Revan (it's a loooong story how she ended up where she is now), so her name shows up in the paper a lot. Just remember, it's not the same character. Not exactly. princes_of_naboo: I admit, I read the Evil Overlord list prior to writing this chapter. ahem Anyway, yes. The comics are awesome, and I've been reading the trade paperbacks. They will be mentioned more frequently in the revision, believe me. Rogue_Pilot: I really think the game glossed over this a lot, so I'm glad you liked that part. Aiden's struggle with his 'past' is far from over, though. padawanlissa: You caught me. I admit it, I accidentally dropped that plot line, and I feel bad about it. I'll have to pick it up in the revision, since I did actually mean to have Mission and Zaalbar have a merry romp in Anchorhead. And dropped plotlines make such a mess on the floor. Anyway, yes, that's Juhani in the cover art. And, as you have pointed out, there is new cover art! I really didn't like the old one that much, and I'm much happier with the new. And I'm working on the new chapter, so hopefully I'll have it done for you guys soon. As always, thank you so much for reading and replying- I really do appreciate it. -----signature----- Complements (KOTOR)- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/21177927/ Luminosity- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/27900517/ Barefoot hippie in the OC revolution Master of the lovely and talented SoA
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Jherron Registered: Feb '07	Date Posted: 3/10 1:12pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 2/29- musings of a mind-wiped Sith)
	Excellent update as always. Struggling to keep up, but my senior year should be a breeze from now on. -----signature----- Only the humble can truly appreciate the galaxy's hidden wonders. If everyone were humble, they would see that some evils are neccessary.
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Commander-DWH Registered: Nov '03	Date Posted: 3/28 1:33am Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 2/29- musings of a mind-wiped Sith) - Date Edited: 3/28 1:49am (1 edits total) Edited By: Commander-DWH
	Jherron: Glad to see you could keep up! Good luck with the schoolwork, I know how soul-eating that can get. Finally, I have the next chapter for you. Sorry it wasn't produced sooner, I spent a fair amount of time in spurts of incoherent rage over the stupidity of the actors and how their desire to strike is screwing with a lot of people who have nothing to do with their paycheck. I know I shouldn't rant at you guys, too, since you're awesome for reading this. But I feel the need to raise awareness that it's happening, since it's not being widely reported and it's really messing things up. However, this story is helping me maintain my sanity. This chapter is brought to you by delicious cake. Chapter 33 Bastila debated whether or not she should open her eyes. There were restraints around her wrists and ankles, and she was not quite upright on a cool, slightly uneven surface. Stone, possibly. She didn't know where she was, exactly, and her last memory was of Malak looming over her beaten form, cackling menacingly. None of that was very encouraging. Eyes or no, however, she saw him enter the room- a swirling mass of red Force energy. Well, best to get it over with. She cracked her eyes open, and Malak was standing there, regarding her calmly. She was in a room that seemed to be completely made of stone, with only a few ancient terminals against the wall. "Lovely. Were all the remotely serviceable rooms in the galaxy taken?" A brief laugh emitted from Malak's vocabulator. "Charming. I always heard you were a delight." He circled to one side of her. "Among many other things." "Holding me here will do you no good, so you may as well kill me," Bastila spat. "Or is it true that you can't kill a person while you can still see them?" "Your attempts to anger me are amusing," Malak replied evenly. "But why ever would I kill such a prize?" He leaned in close. "Much better to turn you, don't you think?" "Never," Bastila gave him an icy glare. "I'll never turn to the dark side." "Really?" Malak reached out, stroking her cheek. Bastila turned away, but there was little she could do to escape his touch. "Your spirit is fierce. But believe me, child... I will break you." Force lightning played at his fingertips, and the skin around his eyes crinkled as though he were smiling. Bastila grimaced inwardly, but maintained a determined expression. "You're wasting your time." The lightning around his fingers intensified. "I will be the judge of that." * * * The entire men's cabin woke with a start as Aiden fell ingloriously to the floor, shouting incoherently. Canderous immediately had his repeating blaster rifle trained on the lump on the floor, until Aiden threw the blanket off his head and sat up. "What in the name of the Force was that?" Carth yelled, his own blaster in his hand, but pointed at nothing in particular. Aiden rubbed his head. "I'm not sure. I think it was Bastila." Canderous frowned. "The Jedi princess ain't here, Aiden." "I know that," Aiden replied testily, picking himself and his blankets off the cold floor. "But we have a bond. Guess that means she's still alive." "Did... did you see something?" Carth asked suspiciously. "Just a lot of colours." Aiden sat down on his bunk and rubbed his temples. "Lots of headache-inducing colours. And pain, too." "Sounds like Malak's got her," Jolee observed grimly. "You know, I was happier when I thought we were just getting handy Force visions," Aiden remarked. "This? This is nuts." Carth put his blaster back in its place and returned to lying down. "No arguments on that point." Canderous likewise returned his blaster rifle to its resting place. "Wake me up again like that, and I might actually shoot." "Don't worry," Aiden replied, grabbing his outer robe and throwing it on. "I'm not ready to try sleeping again." Leaving the cabin, he went to make himself a very large cup of caf. "Observation," HK's metallic voice sounded from behind, causing him to spin around quickly. "HK, don't sneak up on me like that," Aiden snapped. "Commentary: You are jumpy. Understandably so, given recent events." "And what does a rusty droid such as yourself have to say on the matter?" HK's photoreceptors seemed to flare. "Objection: I am not rusty!" Aiden resisted making a face. "I'm sorry, it wasn't meant as a commentary on your... qualities." "Statement: Oh, I'm sure it was, but I shall be gallant and ignore the comment." "Don't you have anything better to do?" "Statement: Why, I simply wished to confirm that you are, indeed, the Dark Lord Revan." Aiden eyed the droid suspiciously. "That's me. Why?" "Statement: Then I am pleased to be returned to you, Master!" "Say what?" "Answer: My memory core, upon the news that Revan was on the ship, restored itself. It is a part of my standard assassination protocols that, once sent out on a mission, my memory is erased until the time that I should be returned to my proper Master. Statement: It is so good to see you alive, even though your newfound concern for life is perplexing." "I.." Aiden trailed off. "Forget the caf. It's time for the last bottle of Tarisian ale in the hold..." * * * When Leiraya entered the main hold in the morning, she was surprised to find Aiden chatting animatedly with HK-47, with an empty bottle of Tarisian ale sitting on the table. She raised an eyebrow. "Should I even ask?" "Did you know," Aiden grinned stupidly, "that Malak was the original meatbag?" "Pardon?" "Statement: The Master is mildly inebriated, though not as much as he probably should be. Recollection: He always could hold his liquor..." "Don't listen to him," Aiden waved the droid off. "He's just irritated because I've been asking him questions all night." "Didn't you sleep?" "Tried." He grimaced. "It ended in some nasty bond-related nightmares." "Ouch." "You don't know the half of it," Aiden rubbed his temple wearily. "Waking up with a colour headache on top of a fair amount of physical pain? Not my idea of a good time." "There must be some way of preventing it," Leiraya looked thoughtful. "I don't know, I've never had to block out a bond before." "Wish I didn't have one to block," Aiden made a face. "There is seriously not enough ale on this ship." "Well," Carth entered the hold, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes, "we should be arriving at Korriban some time today. Once we get there, I have no doubt there will be at least one cantina." "Good," Aiden yawned. "I hope they serve caf, too. Someone should find a way to combine the two." "I'm sure someone already has," Carth replied evenly. "Though honestly, you should try to get some sleep, now that the rest of us are awake and not likely to shoot you if you wake us up." "You're probably right," Aiden conceded. "Even though I'm not certain it will work." "You'll want to be slightly more conscious than you are now before you try infiltrating the Sith," Leiraya pointed out. Aiden snorted. "Who needs to infiltrate them? I was apparently their kriffing leader." Carth frowned, and Aiden raised his hands defensively. "Okay, self-deprecating jokes are not the best form of humour right now. Duly noted. Anyway," he straightened slightly and gestured towards Carth, "you're the next closest thing we have to a leader here. You figure out who's going where while we're on Korriban, since you're actually well-rested and sober. Me? I'm going to crash. Wake me when I'm needed, if I'm not violently ripped out of sleep before then..." Carth and Leiraya watched as he shuffled back to his bunk. With a frown, Leiraya turned to look up at Carth. "I'm not sure how good of an idea it is, taking him to Korriban." "Me neither," Carth sighed. "But it's where we're headed, and we have to go there eventually anyway. Sooner rather than later, if we have any hopes of finding and rescuing Bastila." "I don't think I'm ever going to be over what the Council did to him," Leiraya grimaced. "They're supposed to be the defenders of peace and justice in the galaxy. How is it at all just to destroy a man's identity?" "People have made a lot of choices they regretted later," Carth replied. "Even the Jedi." "It's unfortunate that their failures tend to be more spectacular," Leiraya grimaced. "I mean, we heard about Revan's conquests, even on Corellia. And that's saying something, considering reports of the Mandalorian Wars didn't really filter into the mainstream news until sometime in the middle of the war. He had everybody running scared, and I've never seen the citizenry that riled up about anything." She shook her head and smiled ruefully. "Even the less violent among us would have been there to fight him off, though. If there's one thing Corellians fight for, it's our home. But even if he was a monster... he was still a person. Having the ability to wipe a problem away doesn't make it right." "You'll have to debate ethics with the upper echelons of the Jedi next time you see them," said Carth. "If you can ever find any once Malak's done with them." "And so we try to finish this quest as quickly as possible." Leiraya crossed her arms and looked expectantly at Carth. "Speaking of the mission, I'm going with you." "What? So you can hold debates with every Sith that walks by?" Carth shook his head. "I don't think so." "I won't," Leiraya insisted. "Believe me, I know when not to start something. Like when you're literally surrounded by the enemy. The Sith aren't Czerka, and I know that. Evil corporations don't intimidate me. Sith..." she trailed off. "Well, you saw what happened to Kylan." Carth's expression softened. "And you still want to go in there?" Leiraya was silent for a moment. "It makes you wonder, you know. He was my best friend, and I thought I knew him. He was always the honourable type. Even before we were friends I knew he had the reputation. It's one of the reasons I got away with provoking him so many times." She smiled ruefully. "But knowing that even he fell, it makes me wonder if anyone is really safe. Then, of course, we found out Aiden was really Revan, and my perceptions of reality are really off-kilter right now." "Can't blame you there," Carth took her hand and squeezed it gently. "But you didn't answer my question." "I can't run away from the Sith because they got my best friend," Leiraya looked at him, eyes full of determination. "And I want to help you find Dustil." "If you're sure-" "I'm positive." "Then I'll be happy to have you there." "Thanks," Leiraya gave him a quick hug. "Now you get to figure out what to do with everyone else." Carth rolled his eyes and grinned. "Duty rosters. My favourite. Well, I haven't done one in a while, so it won't be so awful. But first," he gestured towards the food synthesizer, "I suggest food." As they procured breakfast foods from the high-end synthesizer, they heard a muffled thud and a string of curses coming from the men's bunks. But Aiden didn't reappear, so they could only hope he was willing to try finding another way into rest. If he couldn't sleep properly, it was going to be a very long journey. * * * The touchdown on Korriban was fairly uneventful. The docking officials recognized the ship immediately, and welcomed her to her usual bay, asking if they needed any help, or if they preferred to stay under the radar. Occasionally, Carth mused, it was extremely helpful to be running around the galaxy in a stolen ship. Especially a ship with the reputation of the Hawk. After assuring the docking officials that they'd be better off without any help, they were bidden a good day and given clearance to land. Aiden walked bleary-eyed into the cockpit as Carth engaged the landing gear, yawning and holding a large mug of caf. "Get any rest?" Carth inquired. "Sort of. Maybe for twenty minutes at a time. I've really gotta figure out a way around these nightmares, though." Aiden scowled. "Did you figure out who's doing what?" "As a matter of fact, yes." Carth rose and walked out of the cockpit, and Aiden followed close behind him. The entire crew was there, waiting to receive their instructions. "First off, the number one rule here is to keep a low profile. If the Sith get even a hint of who we really are, we're sunk. To that end, and also to defend the ship in case they do catch on to us, I want Jolee and Juhani to stay on the ship." He then pointed at Canderous. "I want you to stay here, too. You're the only one who can make a quick getaway if we need one and I'm not here." Canderous nodded. "You got it." "Zaalbar, I'm pretty sure we can't take you off the ship without treating you like a slave." "[Do not worry,]" Zaalbar growled softly. "[I know it is difficult to hide a Wookiee, so I will gladly stay behind and defend the ship.]" Carth grinned. "Thanks for understanding. Mission," he turned to the young Twi'lek, "I want you to stay here as well." Mission frowned. "Is this because I'm too young or something?" "No, it's because of all of us, you're the one who's best at looking after Sasha, and the poor kid's been through enough already." Carth smiled. "You up for being the big sister?" Mission tried to look annoyed, but she couldn't help smiling. "Oh, all right. When you put it like that 'n all, it doesn't sound so bad." "HK-47?" Carth looked over at the 'droid. "Statement: HK-47 is ready to serve." "I want you to patrol around the ship. If you perceive any danger, I want you to shoot first and ask questions later. We've instructed them to give us a wide berth, so anyone violating that can be dealt with accordingly." "Statement: Oh, thank you. It will fill me with unadulterated joy to dispose of any organic meatbags who attempt to harm this ship." Leiraya looked at him skeptically. "You're giving him weapons?" Carth shrugged. "It's what he's programmed to do. If there's anywhere to take advantage of that, it's here." She still didn't seem completely convinced, but she merely shrugged. "I suppose there's a certain logic to that." "That leaves Leiraya and myself," Carth continued. "We'll be going in with Aiden." Mission raised an eyebrow. "I thought extra Jedi were conspicuous." "Actually," Leiraya stepped in before Carth could offer an explanation, "I won't be carrying my lightsaber." This caused everyone to stare at her incredulously. "Wait a minute," Carth shook his head. "You're what?" "You heard me," she said, slightly less certainly. "I'm not carrying it. Which you should be happy for, all things considered. It's easier to pass as a non-Jedi when you don't carry the weapon." "Yeah, but you could hide it," Carth countered. "I'm not taking it with me," she repeated firmly. "I..." Carth trailed off, knowing there was more to it than a desire to remain inconspicuous, but also realizing that pushing her wouldn't procure an answer. Not now, anyway. "Fine. You leave the lightsaber behind." And hope to the Force that you don't end up needing it. "Okay, then." Aiden stretched and stifled a yawn. "You two are hereby known as my minions for the duration of our stay." Leiraya shrugged slightly. "I've always wanted to be a minion." "Then let's get moving," Aiden clapped his hands together, a little too enthusiastically. "We've got some Sith to confuse." Carth suppressed a grimace and rolled his eyes. "Oh, I think confusion will be easy enough..." ================ And that's all for now. I can only hope the next chapter will come to me more quickly. Thank you all so much for reading, even those of you who only lurk. You all give me the warm fuzzies. Cheers, DWH -----signature----- Complements (KOTOR)- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/21177927/ Luminosity- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/27900517/ Barefoot hippie in the OC revolution Master of the lovely and talented SoA
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Rogue_Pilot_2347 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 3/28 7:25am Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	No lightsaber? Leiraya, what are you up to? I like this chapter. I haven't ever played the game (no X-box and didn't work on my computer ) But I kind of know bits and pieces of it--the point: the first part of the chapter did an amazing job letting us know what was going to happen without spelling it out. Write fast! -----signature----- The Ultimate poetry Challenge: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=26190468&brd=10304&replies=6 Two Halves of the Same Whole: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27517831&brd=10476&replies=0 *For the 2nd drabble challenge
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RK_Striker_JK_5 Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 3/28 3:42pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	Begins humming 'I want to hold your gland' Nice essay, too. Poor Aiden-poor Bastila! Puts crash webbing around Aiden's bunk Nice way to show Bastila's torture without showing Bastila's torture. And lol that Malak was the original 'meatbag'. Smacks Leiraya Bring your lightsaber! Honestly... Great chapter! Up! -----signature----- E-married to the wonderful DarthIshtar. Now also her Padawan. Member of the Y.J.K. Revolution Staring into the Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27537567/p1/?23
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princess_of_naboo Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 3/30 9:23pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	Gah, I can't wait to see him interact with the Sith! I wonder what he'll think of the tasks in the academy. I always liked the Sith Code part. Poor guy, not getting any good sleep. Loved HK-47, as always. -----signature----- Reports from the Corellian Conflict - updated 11/22 http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/24309725 Princess of Naboo's Drabbles - Wk 7: Han; Wk 8: Tenel Ka http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/244319
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angry_bendu1 Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 4/21 3:34pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	Just wanted to up this awesome fic! -----signature----- Ramblings of a Jedi (snarky Jesika's diary- filled w/ romance, sarcasm, etc.): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28753761/p1/?0 I was staring at the orange juice because it said "concentrate". Proud owner of a '96 Geo Metro. "To the Crapmobile!"
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padawanlissa Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 4/22 4:35pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	I really like the way you had Aiden feel Bastila's torture. -----signature----- Master of Featherpaw E-sister of Thrawn1786, Cinnamon_Windu, JeedaiElf, DG and ewok_jedi Wes Janson Fan Wraith 3 in the X-Wing Fan Club Mission Vao in the GSE
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angry_bendu1 Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 4/28 5:21pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	Uppin one more time, ya'll! -----signature----- Ramblings of a Jedi (snarky Jesika's diary- filled w/ romance, sarcasm, etc.): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28753761/p1/?0 I was staring at the orange juice because it said "concentrate". Proud owner of a '96 Geo Metro. "To the Crapmobile!"
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Commander-DWH Registered: Nov '03	Date Posted: 6/29 11:47pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 3/28- Commentary: You are all meatbags.)
	Rogue_Pilot: Ack! I fail at writing fast. But this time I wrote long, so I hope that is an acceptable alternative. Striker: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the essay. I actually just found the original with my prof's comments this evening, it's been fun going through it again. And I'm also glad you enjoyed the story. princess_of_naboo: Oh, Aiden's going to have far too much fun with the Sith. Thanks for reading! angry_bendu1: Thanks for the ups! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. padawanlissa: Thank you! I'm glad that came across well. Anywhoo, I realise it's been a while since my last update, and for that I apologise. I also can't guarantee an update any time in the next two months- I was hired to work on the waterfront recreation staff at a camp with little/no internet access. I'm definitely going to be writing during that time, but I may or may not be able to sneak online to update the story. Still, I hope you enjoy the installment I have for you today. Chapter 34 Aiden was not at all certain about braving Korriban. The settlement surrounding the Sith Academy seemed harmless enough. Dreshdae was much like any other seedy spaceport on any other world, complete with cantina, supply shops, and a local Czerka office. For once, though, he was pretty certain that Czerka would be the least of his problems. He'd barely made his way off the landing platform before his first encounter with a recruit. The young man was wearing a uniform cut in the military style, and wore a self-satisfied expression on his face. A Twi'lek girl, not much older than Mission, was huddled in the corner, trying to look like she wasn't afraid of him and failing miserably. "Please," she squeaked. "I know I can get the answer right if you give me one more try!" "I doubt that," the young man sneered. Seeing Aiden's approach, and taking note of the lightsaber he was wearing, he smiled broadly. "You, stranger. You have the air of competence around you. What do you think I should do to this pathetic lifeform as punishment?" Aiden grimaced inwardly. This was not a position he cared to be in. "Excuse me?" "This girl has been trying to answer questions, but she always picks the wrong answer." The young man stroked his chin thoughtfully. "My creative juices are running low. Any thoughts?" Aiden looked back at Carth, then over at the frightened young girl. "You know, you could be completely revolutionary and just let her go." The man looked surprised. "You're joking." "Never been more serious." "That's hardly the kind of talk that gets you anywhere around here," the man spat. "Who are you, anyway?" Aiden paused for a moment. "Would you believe me if I told you I was Darth Revan?" The young Sith looked at him critically for a few seconds, then started laughing. "A sense of humour. That's rare around here. All right then, since I haven't been this amused in quite a while, the girl can go. She'd just better hope I don't see her again." With that, the young recruit turned on his heel and walked away. "Well," Aiden said, "that answered that question." "Thank you, sir!" The young Twi'lek girl approached him, smiling gratefully. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along. I think, perhaps, the Sith are not likely to take me..." "Have you thought about the Jedi?" Aiden asked. "Not really," the girl shrugged. "They're on the losing side, so it doesn't seem smart to ally with them." "I wouldn't count them out quite so easily," Aiden replied. "Also, you might find they don't torture their prospective students." The girl pressed her lips together grimly. "You might be right. I don't know if I'm quite willing to go to them, but I do think it's time I left this place." "Good luck, then." Aiden clapped her on the shoulder and smiled. She met his gaze evenly. "You are a strange man." "Undeniable." "Well." She nodded, then turned towards the docking bays and walked away. Leiraya raised an eyebrow. "She's got one thing right- you are strange. Do you think it's a good idea to tell people you're Darth Revan?" "Do you think anyone is likely to believe me?" Aiden shrugged. "Revan died. Everyone says so. Hell, I thought Revan was dead until recently." "Malak doesn't say so anymore," she reminded him. "Be careful. You don't know who he's told." "Fine," Aiden assented, and started walking towards the main hub. "It was pretty funny, though." "You should take your show on the road," Carth grinned. "Now, where do you think we ought to start looking for the Star Maps?" "I have a hunch that wherever it is, Revan and Malak would have built their academy to protect it." Carth narrowed his eyes. "Is that a vaguely memory-based hunch?" "No, it's a logically-based hunch." Aiden kept his eyes forward, but was unable to keep the annoyance from his voice. "If I were a Sith, and apparently I used to be, I'd be sure to consolidate my power around an artifact of the Dark Side." "Oh." Carth was silent for a few moments. "Sensible, I guess." "Have I ever been anything but?" Carth looked at him pointedly. "On Tatooine, we found you running around in a dress." "Tactics, Carth," Aiden grinned. "We were trying to confuse the enemy." "How did that one work out for you?" "Well..." Aiden trailed off, almost sheepishly. "Actually, it didn't. But the point is, my reasoning is generally solid, right?" "Right." Carth glanced around. Dreshdae was very boring, as places went. The walls were a drab grey, and most of the people walking around were either wearing Sith or Czerka uniforms. Even the smugglers seemed to tone down their general colour palate when walking around the spaceport. There was a Czerka office, a cantina, and the odd merchants' booth. A sign on the wall indicated the entrance to the Sith Academy was located just south of Dreshdae, and indicated which door to use. “In any case, I am in desperate need of caf.” Aiden stifled a yawn. “If I'm going to be infiltrating the Sith Academy, I have to be conscious enough to put on my Bad Guy Face.” Leiraya raised an eyebrow. “You have a face for that?” “Maybe. After I have some caf in my system, we can test the theory.” “You go ahead, Aiden,” Carth waved him on. “We'll stake out the rest of the place.” “Good call,” Aiden nodded, then walked towards the cantina entrance. He managed to make it most of the way there before tripping over his own two feet, but he caught himself before hitting the floor. Carth shook his head. “We're doomed.” “If we're lucky, they'll never suspect that the Jedi Malak has on the run is the one who can barely stand.” Carth grinned. “Well, that's one way to look at it.” “You know me. Always looking for the silver lining, right?” “Almost always, anyway.” Carth's tone turned more serious. “What's this business with you leaving your lightsaber behind? I've known a number of Jedi in my time, and none of them would have dreamed of doing that.” “I told you, Jedi are too conspicuous.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Would've blown our cover.” “Unless I'm mistaken,” Carth countered, “Force-users can sense other Force-users if they're close by. At least, that's what I always heard. So wouldn't that give you away anyway?” She scowled at him, and he gently laid his hands on her shoulders. “Listen, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. But I'm here if you need me.” Her expression softened. “It's just... complicated.” “Isn't it always?” Carth gave her a lopsided grin. “Sweetheart, if something on this trip wasn't complicated, I'd be worried.” She gave him a small smile. “Well, you're right about that much, at least.” “So what's bothering you?” She was silent for a few moments before responding. “I'm not sure how to explain it. And I know it doesn't seem to make much sense, but can you just trust me for now that I have good reasons?” “For now,” he nodded. “Just remember, if you want to talk...” “I know where to find you,” she finished with a small smile, and gave him a quick hug before pulling back. “Don't worry about me.” “You know I'm going to anyway.” “Yeah, I know.” She grinned. “Come on, let's go scout out this Academy.” The pair walked briskly down the drab hallway to the exit. Opening the doors, they found themselves walking out into a harsh, rocky landscape. There was a path leading up to a stone door, where a few people were standing. Carth squinted. One looked to be wearing the Sith uniform he'd seen around Dreshdae, and the others were simply dressed in civilian clothing. He nudged Leiraya and gestured towards the people. “That doesn't look good.” She closed her eyes briefly and frowned. “They don't feel like they're doing well, either.” “Come on,” Carth strode towards the Sith lounging comfortably in the shade. He looked young- probably not much older than his son was now- but youth and arrogance often went together. The youth noted the approach of the newcomers and smiled. “Well, well. Who are you?” “Just passing through,” Carth replied. “Saw these people standing here and wondered what was going on.” “Ah,” the young man smiled. “You like my little game?” Leiraya raised an eyebrow. “Game?” He chuckled and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “You see, they're looking for entrance into the Sith Academy. Like so many around here, I'm sure you've noticed.” Carth nodded. “Seems to be the only reason, outside of smuggling, of course, that people come here.” “For obvious reasons,” he grinned. “Anyhow, I've already earned my way in. So that gives me a certain... shall we say, distinction? Yes. The others, they think that by impressing me, they can somehow get into the Academy themselves.” Leiraya looked from the youth to the others standing in the sun, a look of disapproving disbelief on her face. “And they believe you?” The man spread his hands congenially. “You can see why I find all this so entertaining. Though,” he paused, “I have been out here for quite some time, myself. I don't suppose that you'd be willing to take over for a while as I go get some food?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a generously sized credit chip. “You'll be paid for your time, of course.” Leiraya opened her mouth to protest, but before she could utter a word Carth accepted the chip. “Sure thing. Just don't be too long, or we'll charge double.” The young man stood, stretched, and grinned. “This world would not operate without such fine mercenaries as yourselves. Don't worry, I won't be long.” As he swaggered back towards Dreshdae, Leiraya poked Carth in the side. “Are you serious? We're not aiding him.” “You're right, we're not.” Carth pocketed the money and walked over to one of the people standing in the sun. “Why are you standing here?” She looked up at him with glassy eyes. Her lips were chapped and her face was turning an unpleasant shade of pink from overexposure to the sun. “Mekel said that if we stand here for long enough, we'll prove ourselves strong enough to be worthy of the Sith.” Leiraya reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out a canteen of water. “Here, you're completely parched-” “No!” she shook her head violently. “I have to do this on my own strength!” “You do realize that this Mekel is just feeding you a line, right?” she continued to hold the canteen towards the young woman. “No matter how long you stand here, he has no power to let you in to the Academy, and you currently have all the symptoms of heat exhaustion.” “No... no.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she clutched her sides. “I can't... I have to stay strong. You're just a test. You're trying to trick me into leaving, and when he comes back and sees I'm still here, he'll let me in.” Leiraya and Carth exchanged worried glances. Mekel certainly seemed to have a sadistic streak, making him perfectly qualified to be a Sith. Carth tried one more time. “He's not going to let you anywhere- he's just a student.” With a look of desperation in her eyes, she looked like she was ready to respond, but instead she collapsed on the ground. Leiraya was on the ground immediately, checking her vital signs. “She's breathing, but she's burning up.” She quickly splashed some of the water on the girl, and started to hoist her up. “Help me move her into the shade.” The two of them carefully moved her to the shade beneath the rocky outcrop where Mekel had been sitting. Leiraya began to carefully remove sweat-soaked layers of clothing. “Carth, go try to talk the others into leaving.” He nodded as she continued her work, and went back to the others. She could hear him trying to reason with the two remaining Sith hopefuls, but as with the young woman she was now treating, neither seemed to be responding well. She wondered how long they'd been out in the sun, and what Mekel had planned on doing with them when they inevitably collapsed. A minute later, Carth returned, carrying another of the hopefuls. “I couldn't talk the third out of standing there, even after this guy collapsed.” Leiraya shook her head as she splashed water on the young man's face. “We can't do any more good for them out here. We have to get them to the medical center.” “Can you carry her?” “I think so.” She replaced the canteen in her shoulder bag and hooked the girl's arm over her neck. Using the Force to aid her, she carefully stood and lifted her up. “All right, let's get these kids out of the sun.” They made their way back to Dreshdae, going as quickly as they could. Leiraya simply could not understand the kind of institution that would not only tolerate, but encourage and reward torture of that kind. The young woman she was carrying probably had a future- but in a galaxy under the heel of the Sith, she wouldn't ever make it that far. That was the galaxy Kylan had been fighting for. How her best friend had ever fallen that far, she wasn't sure, and she didn't want to find out. She could only attempt to clean up the mess his new friends were leaving behind. Once again, she felt so very far from home. * * * Aiden was not sure if drinking had been the best of ideas. The bartender had been very enthusiastic about creating a highly caffeinated, highly alcoholic beverage for him, and even managed to make something that didn't taste like it came out of the wrong end of a Bantha. The effect, however, was that he was simultaneously wired and completely loopy- if he were to compare it to something, he might say he felt slightly like a Gizka on spice. The upside was that he wasn't seeing anything in duplicate yet. The downside was that he was pretty sure the floor was supposed to be more horizontal than it appeared. “You there!” a dark-skinned young woman in a Sith uniform strode towards him with what he deemed to be amazing balance on a surface that seemed to be constantly moving. “Me?” Aiden pointed at himself and raised an eyebrow. The woman rolled her eyes impatiently. “Yes, you. The one with the stupid look on his face.” “Hey now,” Aiden protested indignantly. “If you'd drank what I just drank, you'd have passed out. So if I look mildly stupid, I think I'm doing pretty well.” “Really.” She narrowed her eyes. “Wanna bet?” Aiden shrugged. “Only if it's something worth betting on.” The woman looked at him thoughtfully, then pulled a medallion out of her pocket. “All right then. See this? This is my ticket into the Sith Academy. If I can't hold at least as much liquor as you, it's yours.” Another young man standing to her right leaned in close. “Are you sure that's wise-” “No risk, no glory,” she returned quickly, never taking her eyes from Aiden. “And what will you wager?” Aiden paused thoughtfully. What did he have that he was willing to wager? He supposed someone might object to losing the ship if it happened that he lost, so that was right out. But what did he have that he could hand over without losing much sleep over it? After a few moments consideration, he finally settled. “I have a hunter-killer assassin 'droid. One of a kind. If you can drink me under the table, he's all yours.” The womans lips curled into a predatory smile. “I think that's very much acceptable. Shall we?” Aiden motioned for her to take the lead, and ambled amiably behind her as he returned to the Drunken Rancor Cantina. He waved jauntily at the bartender, who shook his head slightly in return. Okay, so maybe he had drunk quite a bit already. It was just as well; the young Sith lady was unlikely to be able to handle that much. She strode confidently to the bar. “Whatever he had earlier,” she jerked her thumb back at Aiden, “I'll have.” He looked at her skeptically. “You sure about that, Caela? I'm surprised he's still standing after what he asked for.” Aiden felt a distinct drop in her confidence, but her face betrayed none of that. “Whatever it was, I'm more than willing to drink it.” The bartender didn't look at all convinced, but he simply shrugged. “If you insist, then.” He pulled out a number of bottles and quickly began mixing them, seemingly at random. Caela's face seemed to fall as more and more liquids were added, including two of the strongest liqueurs in the house and straight ground caffa beans. He placed a lid on the glass and shook the concoction vigorously, then topped it off with a dollop of whipped cream and fruit garnish. When he finally handed the glass to her, she sniffed it suspiciously. “Do I even want to know?” Aiden shook his head. “You really don't.” Shrugging, Caela wrinkled her nose and lifted the glass. “Here goes nothing, I guess.” Before good sense could stop her, she tipped the glass back and downed it in one gulp. The look on her face was a mix of disgust and horror. She placed the glass on the counter. “That was the most vile thing I've ever tasted, but I'm still standing.” “It didn't taste that bad,” Aiden replied mock-indignantly. “Careful, it sneaks up on you.” “Forget that,” Caela shook her head. “See how tipsy I'm not? I'd suggest that perhaps you just lost the bet.” “Not yet I haven't,” Aiden grinned. “I had two.” Caela blinked. “You're not serious.” “I'm never anything but.” “That's just.. just...” she trailed off and her eyes grew distant. “Why is the room sideways?” She fell forwards, and Aiden caught her before she hit the ground. “I told you it sneaks up on you.” The bartender shook his head. “She regularly drinks with the other boys- always felt she had something to prove, I guess. Hopefully she'll settle down a bit after this.” Aiden pulled the Sith medallion out of her pocket, and hoisted her up over his shoulder. “I don't suppose you could direct me towards the medbay?” “Down the hallway, fourth door on your left.” “Thanks.” Aiden flipped a credit chip at the bartender. “Keep the change.” * * * Leiraya and Carth were about to exit the medcenter at the time Aiden came walking in, a semiconscious young woman slung over his shoulder. Carth looked like he wanted to say something, then thought better of it. “It wasn't my fault,” Aiden insisted as he set the young woman down on the nearest bed. “She insisted on entering into a drinking contest.” Leiraya placed the back of her hand on the woman's forehead. “How much did she drink?” “One excessively potent concoction,” Aiden replied, pushing the button to page a doctor. “I warned her.” “And the point of this little exercise?” Leiraya looked disapprovingly at him. “I realise we're in enemy territory here, but she could have serious alcohol poisoning.” “Okay, there wasn't that much in the drink,” Aiden insisted, and pulled the medallion from his robes. “Besides, I now have my ticket into the Sith Academy.” Carth looked at it carefully. “Did you steal that after she passed out?” Aiden looked slightly hurt. “No, Carth. It was what she wagered in the drinking contest. She was obviously okay with the prospect of losing it, so I only collected what I was owed.” “Sorry.” Carth looked mildly chagrined, but he still kept his jaw set firmly. “Wait a minute,” Leiraya looked up at him. “What did you wager?” “HK.” She looked from the woman back to Aiden again. “Did you really have to win?” Carth patted her on the shoulder. “Come on, you know you'd rather have HK on the Hawk than loose in the galaxy with a Sith.” “Well.... you have a point.” He grinned. “I usually do.” “Wait.” Aiden paused. “What are you two doing in here, anyway?” The two exchanged glances. “Well,” Carth replied, “we were scouting out the academy. Ran into one of your future classmates with a taste for the sadistic.” “He was forcing Academy hopefuls to stand in the sun for hours on end, on the promise that if they were strong enough, he'd see to it they made it in,” Leiraya continued. “We found them on the brink of exhaustion, just before they collapsed. Mekel left to get some food, and after they collapsed we brought them here.” “He left them with you two?” Aiden asked skeptically. “Well...” Leiraya smiled sheepishly. “He might have mistaken us for mercenaries.” “You realize he's going to recognize you when I take you into the Academy now.” “We're your minions, aren't we?” Carth shrugged. “I guess you'll just have to publicly vow punishment when you realize the horrible offense we committed.” Aiden sighed. “As if this trip wasn't hard enough already, I have minions pretending to be mercenaries.” “You know us,” Carth replied. “Always getting into trouble,” Leiraya added. “Well, we're going to have to tighten up our act once we're in the Academy,” Aiden crossed his arms. “No more moonlighting as mercenaries.” “Fine,” Carth grinned. “But we get to keep what we were paid.” “You were paid?” “What kind of mercenaries do you think we are?” Aiden shook his head. “Someday, I'll stop being surprised by you people.” Leiraya smiled broadly. “No you won't.” “Maybe not, then.” Aiden returned the smile. “Still, do you think you can make it through the Academy without taking Mekel for everything he owns?” “We'll try to resist,” Carth promised. Aiden bowed his head ruefully, unable to keep from smiling. His crew was crazy, he was certain of it. But then, they were on a pretty crazy mission. And he was quite likely to go crazy himself. All things considered, they were a matched set. He could only hope that they could get the Star Map and leave Korriban with enough time to save Bastila. One thing at a time, though. For now, gaining entrance to the Academy was going to have to be good enough. ============= Again, thank you for your patience, and thanks for reading! Cheers, DWH -----signature----- Complements (KOTOR)- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/21177927/ Luminosity- http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/27900517/ Barefoot hippie in the OC revolution Master of the lovely and talented SoA
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princess_of_naboo Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 6/30 7:25am Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (6/30- What do you do with a drunken Sith Lord?)
	posted: “Fine,” Carth grinned. “But we get to keep what we were paid.” “You were paid?” “What kind of mercenaries do you think we are?” Loved that part. Of course, the "Would you believe I'm Darth Revan?" bit ranks right up there too. Great chapter. Really looking forward to entering the Academy. -----signature----- Reports from the Corellian Conflict - updated 11/22 http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/24309725 Princess of Naboo's Drabbles - Wk 7: Han; Wk 8: Tenel Ka http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/244319
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RK_Striker_JK_5 Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 7/1 6:35pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (6/30- What do you do with a drunken Sith Lord?)
	Have fun at the camp, DWH. And awesome post, here. Ah, they're in. Kicks Sith. Hard And yes, good for the Twi'lek to get away from there! -----signature----- E-married to the wonderful DarthIshtar. Now also her Padawan. Member of the Y.J.K. Revolution Staring into the Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27537567/p1/?23
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Rogue_Pilot_2347 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 7/9 6:51am Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (6/30- What do you do with a drunken Sith Lord?)
	This post made my morning. Just one question: how on earth did this passel of idiots (the Sith) get even close to taking over the galaxy? Have fun at camp! -----signature----- The Ultimate poetry Challenge: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=26190468&brd=10304&replies=6 Two Halves of the Same Whole: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27517831&brd=10476&replies=0 *For the 2nd drabble challenge
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angry_bendu1 Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 7/14 1:54pm Subject: RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (6/30- What do you do with a drunken Sith Lord?)
	Aiden sighed. “As if this trip wasn't hard enough already, I have minions pretending to be mercenaries.” “You know us,” Carth replied. “Always getting into trouble,” Leiraya added. You write such fantastic banter. Excellent job! -----signature----- Ramblings of a Jedi (snarky Jesika's diary- filled w/ romance, sarcasm, etc.): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28753761/p1/?0 I was staring at the orange juice because it said "concentrate". Proud owner of a '96 Geo Metro. "To the Crapmobile!"
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