The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was one of the most important symbols of the Order and one of the few holy sites that had survived numerous conflicts among Force adepts and was still actively used. From his conversations with Dooku and Qui-Gon, Revan learned that contrary to HoloNet information, the Temple in the Republic's capital was not the only place where Jedi were trained. There were several other relatively small Order enclaves in the galaxy, similar to the one where Revan himself had once trained.
And yet, the Coruscant Temple remained the largest and most majestic of them all. A long time ago, during that brief period of peace and happiness when Revan lived on the capital planet with Bastila, he loved to watch the glints of the setting sun on the towers of the Temple complex.
Even though the building itself, restored after the war with the Sith, looked different now, the feeling of warmth and the radiance of the Light evoked a sense of nostalgia in Revan when he looked at the Temple. For many Jedi, their place of training was the only home they remembered. And the hero of the Mandalorian Wars, reborn in a new body, a stranger to a galaxy that had changed over four thousand years, caught himself thinking that he too had nothing closer to the concept of "home" in this world. Perhaps that's why he clung so tightly to the past, wanting to preserve at least a part of it? He even decided to keep and rebuild his ship so that it would have something of the former "Obsidian," imbued with his Force... his memories. Was he so stuck in the past?
"Master, are you alright?" Oda'Barr asked worriedly, noticing the sad expression on Revan's face.
"I'm fine, Rina. Just got a little lost in my memories of this place," the former Jedi replied with a smile.
"You're not that old, Master!" the Zabrak girl chuckled.
In reality, Rina knew that her mentor was much older than he looked. Anakin had even explained to her that their common teacher was actually one of those Jedi who lived in the Old Republic era thousands of years ago, long before the Ruusan Reformation. The girl had even heard her Master called by another name... even several, but she never figured out which one was the real one. And it was awkward to ask directly.
Master Unduli and even Grand Master Yoda himself had told her that she would be taught by a very powerful Jedi whose name was best not shouted everywhere. Something related to events of long ago... which were hard to believe. And even harder to accept the fact that her teacher had somehow managed to live for thousands of years.
To her shame, Rina only learned something about Revan after becoming a padawan. And even then, she wasn't quick to believe what was written in the Archives. Her Master had already shown her that not every record held the truth, and any assertion should be questioned and considered independently.
"Appearances can be deceiving, padawan," Revan said, patting his student's hair.
"Ouch, I just styled it! It'll get messy again..." the girl grumbled indignantly and began to tuck her thick dark locks behind the horn-like protrusions on her forehead and temples.
The sight of his frowning and disheveled student brought a smile to her Mentor's face.
"Let's go. Remember, it's best not to call me by name in the Temple," Revan reminded her.
"Which one?" the Zabrak snorted.
"Any of them."
"Alright, Master," Oda'Barr shrugged.
Mentally, Revan noted that the student had become much more relaxed in his presence than in the first weeks of her padawanhood. And the nature of the Zabrak was beginning to actively influence Rina's character. The girl had become more open and a little daring. However, Luminaara had shared that she was already a bit daring before meeting her future mentor. And that was even good. Zabrak were always known for their will and desire for independence, so training within the rigid framework of the Order's dogmas often broke them. Revan, on the other hand, did not impose any restrictions on his students, allowing them to develop freely, intervening in the process only to timely warn the padawan of impending danger or to explain the non-obvious consequences of a particular decision. That's how Kreia had taught him. She didn't restrict him but made him understand the responsibility that lay behind any action.
Revan and Rina arrived at the Temple complex at dawn. The previous evening, the former... or perhaps still active member of the Order had contacted Yoda and asked for permission to delve into the Temple Archives again. The Grand Master had granted permission but also asked him to visit him. So, the day promised to be busy.
"Knight Van," a familiar voice called out as soon as Revan and his student crossed the threshold of the Jedi abode.
"Master Unduli," he turned and greeted his old acquaintance with a bow, clearly an unplanned meeting.
"Master," the padawan repeated her mentor's greeting.
"Hello, Rina. Glad to see you. How is your training progressing?" the Mirialan nodded to the Zabrak.
"Well, Master. Teacher gives little theory but compensates with practice," Oda'Barr replied with a smile.
Revan, pursing his lips slightly, closed his eyes. Yes, indeed, he should have devoted more time to the theoretical part of the training. However, given their eventful lives, Revan considered it necessary to first ensure that his students could protect themselves if needed. Well, upon returning, he would review the training program for Anakin and Rina.
"Is that so?" Luminaara smiled at Revan's reaction.
"Everyone has their own approach," the former Sith shrugged.
"Undoubtedly," the Mirialan continued to smile.
"We have arrived at the Temple to visit the Archives," Revan hastened to change the subject.
He didn't want to have to justify his teaching methods to the new generation of Jedi. Pacifists were not trained in Revan's time.
"Yes, I know. The Grand Master would like to speak with you before you go to Master Jocasta Nu's domain," Luminaara confirmed his suspicions about the meeting not being coincidental.
"Well, then lead the way," Revan agreed.
On the way to the Grand Master's chambers, the resurrected Jedi, with a slight smile, examined the Temple's interiors, discussing the latest news about events in the Galaxy with Unduli.
The Trade Federation had managed to obtain partial compensation for the losses its fleet had suffered during the Naboo blockade from the Senate. Although the blockade itself was recognized as illegal, the Naboo government's retaliatory actions also did not fall within the bounds of galactic law. The fact that the Republic's laws had recently been ignored by many, to put it mildly, did not negate the fact. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the Jedi Order was involved in the events, who were presumed to act only with the Senate's sanction.
The senators, by a majority vote, rejected most of the Trade Federation's claims, but still awarded a symbolic sum to the Neimoidians, which, by order of the Chancellor, was paid from the Republic's reserve. Officially, this step was taken by Palpatine as a gesture of goodwill towards the offended Queen of Naboo, to whom the Senate had not managed to send aid. Moreover, the Chancellor thereby acknowledged that the Republic was not evading responsibility for the decisions of his predecessor, Valorum, including the actions of Naboo and the Jedi.
However, Revan also saw what was hidden behind this nobility. Namely, a beautiful disguise to siphon much larger sums from the Republic's budget. There is a precedent with compensation, the finance commission and the treasury are most likely already under the Sith's control. The generous hand of the benevolent chancellor, under the gaze of holocams and thousands of senators, transfers a paltry few hundred thousand credits to the Neimoidians and their partners, while in its shadow, the sum gains several extra zeros at the end. And there will be many more such "small debts of the previous administration" surfacing in the near future. After all, as Sidious recounted, due to Revan's interference, he lost the support of Plagueis, whose real name, by the way, he never revealed. However, the former Sith had already guessed his connection to the "Damascus Capitals," and thus to the Intergalactic Banking Clan. And the bankers' representatives also stirred strangely, suddenly deciding to revise the terms of credit for some of the Republic's worlds.
Well, Sith always loved intrigues and games with politics and economics, so Palpatine will have plenty to do in the coming years. So Revan had better not waste this time to prepare his own deck of cards for the upcoming game of pazaak.
Thus, chatting, they reached their destination quite quickly.
"The Grand Master is waiting for you," Luminara indicated the door to Yoda's chambers.
"Excellent. Rina, wait for me here, please," Revan asked.
The upcoming conversation was unlikely to be meant for a padawan's ears.
"But teacher..." the Zabrak girl started to object, but stopped, catching the stern gaze of her mentor.
"Hmm, perhaps you can demonstrate what you've learned for now? The training halls should be free now, and I have free time until noon. I'd like to see how successful Knight Vaan's methodology is," Unduli came to the rescue.
Although, the Myrialan seemed genuinely curious.
The Zabrak girl was delighted by the opportunity and, saving Revan from unnecessary persuasion, went with Luminara towards the training complex.
The resurrected Jedi himself turned to the door and knocked lightly, simultaneously making his presence in the Force a little more apparent.
The door opened almost immediately, letting Revan inside.
The Grand Master was found near a wide-open window, through which the room was flooded with the dawn radiance of the local star. Yoda was seated on a peculiar meditation cushion, positioned so that the light from the windows fell on it for as long as possible during the day.
"Greetings, young knight. Or is it not fitting to call you that, hmm?" Yoda said in a creaky voice, without opening his eyes and remaining mostly still.
The Grand Master lived quite ascetically, which was common among Jedi. After all, attachments were not encouraged in the Order, as they were believed to lead to envy and hatred. So it was not surprising that in the room, besides the bed, a table with a couple of chairs, and soft meditation poufs – there was nothing else.
"As it turns out, I have many names, and each contains a part of my essence. So call me whatever is convenient," Revan shrugged, walking to the window and looking at the view that opened from it.
The capital city shone in the dawn rays with glints from thousands of aerocars on multi-level highways among the glass and steel of skyscrapers. Involuntarily, the former Jedi admired it for a moment.
"Truth is in your words, Revan. Why, tell me, do you need the Archives?" the Grand Master said, gesturing for Revan to take the exact same meditation spot opposite him.
Revan did not refuse.
"I want to find the Seed of the Star Forge. An artifact of such power is hard to hide, so at least someone in four thousand years should have encountered it. I know it's intact. I feel the pulse of an infinite engine, similar to the one on the Star Forge, but I cannot pinpoint its location. I need a landmark to get closer and catch the exact coordinates," Revan explained.
The seed could also be found using the Star Maps left by the Rakata. These self-repairing artifacts could point the way to the Star Forge and some other creations of the Rakatan Empire, but few of them remained in working condition, and finding them was always a challenge. Those known to the Order had been destroyed by the Republic fleet on Revan's orders, but there was always a chance that the maps had survived, like the one left on Tatooine. The information from the surviving map was fragmented, and searching based on it alone threatened to drag on. More clues were needed to narrow down the search.
The Order's Archives were always considered the most complete. Well, it was time to verify this.
"I suspected you would seek it. But is it worth using such a dark artifact, hmm? It brought no good in the past," Yoda shook his head.
"We have no other choice. We've discussed this many times, Grand Master. The galaxy will soon be engulfed in war. Even now, the formation of opposing sides in the Senate can be observed. The Order cannot openly prepare for conflict, and not everyone will agree with such a step. Is this not why you asked me to provide assistance? And is it not for this reason that we all agreed on the necessity of preparing a third party in the coming conflict, to give the Republic's worlds a chance to choose a third path?"
"You are right. I only worry that it will lead to the events of the past again," the green-skinned elder nodded sadly.
"I share your concerns, as I know firsthand what Rakatan artifacts are. But thanks to this same knowledge, I dare to be confident that I can harness the Forge's power while maintaining clarity of thought. I see no other way. We simply won't have enough time to prepare for defense, let alone the funds required to create an army."
"It is a pity it cannot be avoided. War brings no good to anyone. But sometimes it cannot be avoided either. Sith are not evil that can be overcome with words, but even after the sword, they always raise their heads again."
"Darkness and Light, one cannot exist without the other. The very concept of freedom implies the existence of choice. And choice is impossible if there are no alternatives," Revan commented on Yoda's words.
The words of his mentor, Kreia, involuntarily came to mind – that the cause of the conflict between Jedi and Sith was the very existence of the Force, which, besides harmony, also carried an eternal conflict hidden behind freedom of choice. And the only way out, she believed, was to renounce the Force altogether... A mad thought that ultimately led to the wise mentor's downfall.
"And therefore, our Order is doomed, you think?" Yoda asked with interest.
"Rather, doomed to eternal confrontation, with no chance of victory. Just as the other side of this ancient conflict has no chance. History itself teaches us this. At all times, whoever won, it was only temporary. And Darkness and Light sooner or later gained strength again, and everything began anew. Even without the involvement of the Sith, there were Jedi tempted by the Dark Side. Even when the Jedi Order was virtually exterminated, there were gifted individuals who chose the path of Light."
"And therefore, you decided to revive the teachings of our distant predecessors, hmm? To finally reconcile the two sides, giving them a chance?" the Grand Master nodded to his own statement.
"I realize it will not be easy... even almost impossible. But if there is even the slightest chance of achieving harmony, I will put all my efforts into grasping it. Because the alternative will be the cycle of recurring chaos that we already know, which will devastate the galaxy time and again and push it closer to complete destruction," Revan said, exhaling loudly.
Yoda pursed his lips and, closing his eyes, grunted approvingly.
"We cannot foresee all consequences. The Dark Side grows stronger. And without its influence, the Force does not like to give clear answers. We can only hope that our mistakes will not be the last. Hope and believe. Therefore, I will help you. For I have already decided to entrust you with the future of the Order."
"Will you grant me access to the Archives?" Revan clarified.
"You will not find answers there. The necessary information has been removed from the Archives," Yoda shook his head.
"What? By whom?! When?!" Revan asked tensely, struggling to maintain outward composure.
The chances crumbled to dust again, slipping through his fingers.
"One Jedi was concerned about the Seed you seek. This was shortly before the events that led us to Ruusan. I do not know the details, and the knight's name has long been forgotten. But I knew his apprentice, when I was still a padawan. He told me about his master's deed... before merging with the Force. I was his friend and swore to keep the secret. Almost seven hundred years is a long time for this oath. I consider it fulfilled, and therefore I will pass the secret to you," the Grand Master concluded resolutely.
"Do you know where the Seed is?" Revan leaned forward.
"No. But that knight created a holocron, into which he placed the knowledge you need."
"Where is this holocron?"
"It is hidden in a safe place. Where Darkness and Life hide it from foreign eyes. On the Wookiee homeworld, in the Shadowlands."
Revan raised his eyebrows in surprise, then exhaled loudly and frowned. Kashyyyk is a large planet... and dangerous, and even the locals don't like to venture into the Shadowlands, to the lower levels of the Great Forest. Finding a holocron there will be a difficult task, especially considering the natural background of the lower levels of the planet, which hinders Force perception. Without an exact location, one could wander there for years... if not eaten by the local fauna first.
"The Great Tree will show the way to the holocron. A clue is carved on its bark, and only the gifted can read it. You should go to Kashyyyk, there my old friend will meet you and lead you to the clue," Yoda added, apparently reading Revan's doubts from his face.
"Tell me more," the former Jedi asked, nodding gratefully.
They talked with Yoda for over two hours, during which they managed to discuss not only the upcoming search for the Seed of the Star Forge but also the upcoming preparations for the coming war. Revan had not yet told them about his meeting with Sidious. The Grand Master inspired trust, although there was no hundred percent certainty even in this. After all, Jedi prejudices against adepts of the Dark Side had developed over generations. And if anyone in the Order found out about the meeting with the Sith... everything could go to hell. It was too risky. Sidious was in plain sight, while his Master and, at the same time, opponent, remained somewhere in the shadows, fully preparing for war. If the Order clashed with Palpatine, they would have no chance against Plagueis. So he had to keep this information to himself for now.
Time was approaching noon, so after bidding farewell to Yoda, Revan decided to find his apprentice and head towards Anakin. In the evening, he planned to leave Coruscant and head towards Kashyyyk.
He remembered the location of the training halls from his first visit to the Jedi sanctuary after his revival, so he didn't have to ask the hurried inhabitants of the Temple for directions. As he approached, he could even sense Rina's presence in the Force, which was not easy among the thousands of gifted individuals inhabiting the complex.
Around his apprentice, he sensed a large number of sentient beings... which was strange. However, everything quickly became clear. Obviously, curious younglings and students free from classes had come to watch the girl's training.
And so it was. Near the entrance to the training hall, students of the Temple were gathered, forcing Revan to make an effort to squeeze inside.
And indeed, the spectacle was quite amusing.
Rina stood frozen in the center of the training ground in one of the basic stances Revan had shown her, and opposite her, two out-of-breath boys could barely stand. In one of his apprentice's opponents, Revan recognized the young boy who had bullied Oda'Barr, practicing a makashi style move he had seen on her. The other was apparently his friend. It seemed a couple of bullies had decided to pick on their favorite victim again... but Rina had managed to improve her fencing skills quite a bit.
Luminara Unduli watched the training fight with a smile and a slight surprise on her face, near whom another Jedi stood with his mouth agape. This was probably one of Rina's opponents' teachers. And there was something to be surprised about.
Oda'Barr flitted around her opponents, confidently dodging or blocking their thrusts, alternating her own blade strikes with the simplest Force techniques. Block, lunge, Force push, sweep, and now one of the opponents lay on the floor admiring the ceiling, while the Zabrak, with her deactivated blade, disarmed her old tormentor in a couple of moves.
"I see Rina decided to show off?" Revan asked, pushing through the crowd of spectators to Luminara.
"Oh, she's been tossing them around the arena for half an hour, but Caleb still refuses to admit defeat. He even called his friend for help... but it didn't change the outcome," the Myrialan replied with a smile.
"And isn't two against one against the rules?" Revan chuckled.
"With such a difference in skill level? I'd allow three," the Jedi standing next to Unduli chimed in.
"Knight Avner Vaan. Rina is my padawan," Revan introduced himself, extending his hand to the stranger.
"Which one is that?"
"The one who just won't give up," Lim said with a smile, shaking his head.
"Should I stop them?" Revan asked after Oda'Barr swept Sept's legs with her training sword, channeling a weak shockwave through the blade, causing the young man to do a natural somersault and hit his head hard on the soft arena floor.
"No, it's good for him. I've wanted to pit him against someone stronger for a while to knock some of his arrogance down. The fact that his opponent is a girl with whom, as I understand it, they have a long-standing rivalry, will help him learn the lesson better," Trand shook his head.
"I must admit, I didn't expect Rina's progress to be so rapid. I remember her level when she was a youngling. She certainly didn't demonstrate this. And such clear control of the Force streams, directing it into the weapon. They teach that much later... and even then, not everyone masters it," Luminara offered her assessment.
Revan just shrugged.
He hammered the ability to interact with the Force into his students first and foremost. And the endurance training from Mol and HK allowed Rina and Anakin to develop the necessary reflexes. Revan even considered bringing Skywalker to the Temple and assessing his level... but immediately dismissed the thought. The young man was too vain at heart, and an easy victory over opponents would not benefit him. He would become too arrogant and complacent. Rina, it seemed, although she enjoyed the process, kept herself within limits. Although... no, pride and schadenfreude did show in her emotions. Victory over an old rival who bullied you... Revan could understand that. But it wouldn't save the Zabrak from a lecture upon their return. Training should be beneficial.
Finally, the fight ended. Rina's opponents could no longer get up. Proudly raising her head and tucking a strand of hair that had fallen out of her hairstyle behind one of her horns, Oda'Barr deactivated her blade and returned the hilt to her belt.
"Had fun?" Revan asked with a smile as soon as his apprentice turned to them and Luminara.
"Teacher!" the Zabrak girl almost jumped from surprise.
"Good fight," her mentor praised her.
"I... Thank you, Teacher!" Oda'Barr beamed.
"I think we can make the training more difficult," Revan continued with a sly smile.
Rina's expression shifted smoothly. Joy gave way to horror. The girl, unlike everyone else nearby who could hear her mentor's words, understood what it meant. For some reason, the desire to show off in front of her peers and acquaintances from the Order quickly vanished. Rina realized her mistake too late... She would definitely learn this lesson.