The visit to the Temple on Coruscant was not in vain. Revan was able to obtain the information he was interested in without having to spend hours studying the Order's Archives, and even received restrained approval from the Grand Master, which could guarantee with a high degree of probability that the Jedi would not interfere with the resurrected master's affairs in the near future. The search for the Forge would inevitably attract the attention of those who were already observing Revan's actions, Vaan's or Avner's, depending on under which name they had met the former Jedi. Many had shown interest in his personality. After all, the rapid entry into the freight and small-scale smuggling market of a gang from Tatooine, which had sharply increased its numbers in a few months, managed to "bite off" a whole sector of influence from the "Black Sun," which even included the capital Coruscant. Such a thing could not go unnoticed. For example, Revan knew for sure that among the "Claws" there were informants of the Hutts and those who remained loyal to the "Black Sun." Among the staff of the "Star Forge" trading company were agents of Palpatine, some shrewd senators, including from the Trade Federation, Mandalorians loyal only to Fett, and even a few spies loyal to Duchess Satine. These informants were excellent indicators of the interest of certain individuals in Revan's activities. By how actively the agents tried to obtain information or infiltrate secure places, and how quickly they reacted to the actions of the former Sith's entourage and allies, one could understand which of the "interested parties" was closely watching, and who simply threw a scout in at random, just in case it might come in handy. Which allies could be trusted, and who was actively "digging" under the strange Jedi with dubious connections.
But, as practice showed, not all agents possessed the necessary training and experience.
Most of the embedded agents seemed accustomed more to industrial espionage and superficial surveillance of politicians, and therefore were quickly identified. They were conveniently used as channels for disinformation. Some could be re-recruited... the rest... disappeared.
Revan was the commander-in-chief of the Republic fleet, and then the lord of the Sith Empire during the confrontation with the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, whose secret operations and sabotage were in their blood, and the Republic Military Intelligence Corps, which at that time had not yet forgotten how to wage war. The former Jedi was used to being constantly on guard, checking his surroundings not only with the Force but also noticing anything that slightly differed from expectations. And this had saved his life more than once.
Yes, there were miscalculations... After all, one cannot keep track of everything at once, and therefore Darth Revan, who returned from the Unknown Regions and turned against the Republic, organized the Imperial Intelligence Directorate, which gathered those who had sworn allegiance to him from the republican corps. That confrontation of intelligence officers and saboteurs, coupled with the under-the-table intrigues of planetary governments, allowed Revan to gain invaluable experience, as well as improve HK-47's espionage and assassination protocols.
After his revival, the former Jedi did not yet have his own counter-intelligence apparatus, but he had several active sentient beings who could become his replacements in the future... And the same loyal assassin droid, capable, despite its bloodthirsty impulses, of conducting competent reconnaissance, infiltrating, and working under the guise of a harmless protocol unit to gather and analyze information inaccessible to others. But for now, Revan did not want to leave the mechanical maniac unsupervised for long... for objective reasons.
Returning to the visit to the Temple, the former Jedi was also able to see firsthand how much his padawans differed in their level of training. And if even such novices, whom Rina easily scattered around the training hall, are taken on missions by their mentors, then Revan should also start taking his students "for a walk." This will help curb their boundless energy, which they try to find an application for... by creating trouble. Yes, the mentor had not forgotten about the students' self-activity in controlling the cruiser. This means it was time for the next stage of training.
When Revan and Rina picked up Anakin and HK from Shmi's apartment, the young man was radiating pure joy and happiness in the Force from meeting his mother and realizing that she was no longer enslaved and was living quite comfortably in the Republic's capital. But the Zabrak girl's sour face quickly led the boy to think that something was wrong.
And Skywalker's premonition did not deceive him.
The journey to Kashyyyk, taking into account all bureaucratic procedures and a short stop on Serenno, was supposed to take almost a week, which Revan decided to dedicate entirely to his students. Including Tia, whose relationship seemed to have stalled in some uncertainty, like an unplayed "plus-minus card" for a game of Pazaak.
And since Nomad was still trying to come to terms with herself... or with the second entity that had settled within her, all the power of Revan's teaching talent was taken by Rina and Anakin.
Revan loved fencing. Master Arren Kai had managed to instill in the then young padawan a sincere love for the skill of wielding a lightsaber and encouraged him to study all available combat forms. Skywalker and Oda'Barr showed noticeable interest in the traditional weapon of the Force-sensitive, which was not surprising. However, the padawans' talents manifested differently. If Anakin demonstrated more physical aspects in sword fighting, relying on his outstanding, even by the standards of the gifted, reaction speed and muscle strength, then Rina actively used the Force not only to strengthen her body but also to weave Force techniques into her sword combos, which reminded Revan of Mitra. Skywalker was faster, but the Zabrak was craftier, which allowed the students to spar for quite a long time, ending the duel in a draw. Together, the padawans complemented each other perfectly, covering weaknesses and strengthening strengths. Coordinated teamwork would help even such young adepts of the Force cope with a much stronger opponent. Therefore, Revan decided to focus on joint training of his students, allowing them to learn to interact with each other in combat and effectively coordinate their actions.
The cargo bay of the "Eagle," reconfigured into a training room, was filled with flashes and the clang of clashing lightsabers. Revan's silver blade, a dazzling ribbon, swirled around its owner, deflecting the two swords of the young padawans with filigree precision. Skywalker's light blue blade repeatedly tried to find a gap in the instructor's defense, something impossible to achieve with Anakin's limited fencing knowledge. But that wasn't the point of the lesson.
The silver sword deflected the lunge of the zabrak's dark green sword and, with a sharp, broken movement, darted towards Skywalker. The strike against the cyan blade knocked the hilt from the young man's hands, leaving him disarmed. But a moment before the instructor's sword, on its return swing, could touch the boy's chest, Anakin's partner's green blade blocked its path. The teacher's attack was not significantly delayed, but it gave Skywalker time to roll aside and use the Force to shove Rina out from under Revan's attack, whose blade was aimed at the poorly positioned zabrak's right shoulder blade. Already falling, Oda'Barr Force-threw Anakin's lightsaber back into his hands, the girl having been distracted by picking it up.
From the outside, one might think the instructor and his students were genuinely trying to kill each other... and the danger of injury was indeed real, but there was no other way to convey to the young and impulsive padawans the importance of proper battlefield coordination.
The skirmish continued. Skywalker charged headlong again, trying to be even faster, while Rina attempted to attack from the opposite side, actively using her available Force techniques, such as pushes and shockwaves, which the zabrak had learned to channel well through her lightsaber. However, all the padawans' efforts didn't even make their instructor take a couple of steps aside. Revan stood his ground, merely shifting his body slightly when necessary, but working his blade very quickly and precisely, giving the students the feeling of dueling an unyielding rock that utterly disregarded their pathetic attempts to scratch it. This couldn't last long, of course, as even with the Force's support, the padawans grew tired. With a spiraling motion, Revan deflected the blue blade and forced Skywalker to stumble forward after his sword, running into Rina's attack, who was forced to hastily pull her own blade aside to avoid injuring her training partner. The cyan and dark green swords clashed, forcing their owners to turn sideways to each other and point their crossed blades at the floor. And then a third blade descended over the two, preventing their owners from regaining freedom of movement. It was enough for the instructor to shift his sword slightly and swing to decapitate his students. The fight was over.
"Good. Much better than yesterday," Revan praised his padawans with restrained praise, deactivating his silver blade.
The students, to put it mildly, disagreed with the assessment. Skywalker plopped onto his rear and leaned back on his hands, breathing heavily. The sudden burst of speed that Anakin had recently mastered didn't come without consequences. The student still had little experience in using the Force and mitigating its effects on the body. Rina, however, who had gone through the basics several years ago at the Temple, showed no such problem. The zabrak clearly felt the boundary she wasn't ready to cross, making her look much better than her training partner, as she gently lowered herself to the floor, tucked her legs beneath her, and prepared to listen to her instructor's comments.
"You... *huff*... beat us again... *puff*... Teacher," Skywalker mumbled, greedily gasping for air.
Oda'Barr merely nodded, agreeing with her partner, but a moment later added.
"Nothing else could be expected. We are still very far from the teacher's experience."
"It's just... *huff*... someone acts... too softly," Anakin said, turning his head towards Rina.
"Or someone always rushes headlong without thinking," the girl retorted.
"You think too much..."
"You could use some of that too..."
"Finished?" Revan interrupted the students' bickering.
His voice boomed through the hall like thunder, instantly silencing the padawans and making them flinch.
"Sorry, Teacher," they said in unison.
"Strangely enough, you both accurately pointed out each other's flaws. Anakin, you are indeed too hasty. By accelerating your body and neglecting perception, you quickly lose understanding of the overall combat picture, which ruins all interaction with Rina, who has to think for you as well."
"Hah," the zabrak smirked and triumphantly lifted her nose.
"At the same time, Rina gets too deep into analyzing the situation, which leads her to make many unnecessary actions and slow down, making it easier for the opponent to predict the next strike."
Anakin stuck his tongue out at his dejected partner.
"Let's break down a couple of examples. When Anakin lost his weapon, you covered him very clearly. The block was at the right angle, allowing you to withstand the strike of a larger and physically stronger opponent. However, you then inexplicably decided to return Skywalker's sword instead of capitalizing on your success and engaging me for a few moments, allowing your partner to pick up his weapon himself, which exposed you to a potentially fatal blow. Anakin didn't fail then and pushed you out from under the strike with a timely push."
"I thought I could pull the sword faster because I can control telekinesis much more precisely. It seemed like a logical solution at the time," the girl said guiltily.
"Hey, I'm not that bad at control! And I rarely lose my sword..." Anakin protested.
"Yeah, twice every fight..." the zabrak grumbled.
"I could have handled it myself!"
Revan sent a short pulse of electricity across the floor, making the padawans jump and cry out, instantly interrupting their argument.
Lately, the students had often gotten into such squabbles. Healthy rivalry and the bonds of friendship that had already formed between these two should have benefited both, but their instructor could not tolerate pointless arguments. Time was too valuable a resource to be squandered like that.
"You really need to be more careful with your weapon. A sword is not a toy, nor is it some barbarian blaster that can be replaced in any backwater," Revan said sternly.
"Yes, Teacher," the padawan nodded grimly.
"And it's time you learned to use your head more actively. Instead of using your partner as a projectile, you could have struck me, knocking the sword off its trajectory, or even focused on the hilt of my blade, after which you could have stopped the strike or ripped the weapon from my hands," Revan explained his second remark.
"Rip it from you..." Skywalker grumbled.
"Even if it failed, such a move would have made me lose concentration, slow down, or simply get distracted by you, giving Rina a chance to attack. But you succumbed to the first impulse – to push your partner away, thereby disrupting her rhythm as well."
"Yes, Teacher," the young man nodded in agreement, accepting his mistake.
"Overall, you did well. In just a couple of days, you've learned to interact passably with each other, but true teamwork is still far off. You constantly lose sight of each other and, instead of changing the combat pattern together, you try to adapt to each other... but out of sync, forcing constant adjustments. And all this while your opponent isn't standing still. As a result, after just ten minutes, your interaction completely falls apart, and you not only stop watching your partner but start hindering each other."
"And as a result, we bump into each other and you stop the fight," Rina finished for her instructor, accepting Revan's point.
Skywalker, however, disagreed that their teamwork was poor and began to argue, defending not only himself but also the zabrak. The teacher allowed the padawan to speak, and then for half an hour, he dismantled the youth's arguments with irrefutable arguments backed by personal experience. But still, inwardly, Revan was pleased with how his younger students had worked together. In some ways, they reminded him of himself, Mitra, and Alec, when they were hastily learning to work together and counter large groups of enemies, finding themselves on the front lines in conflict with the Mandalorians. The Order's rules did not allow one instructor to train multiple students, which is why combat interaction was rarely practiced with anyone other than the teacher, whose combat style the padawan almost unconsciously copied. But when they found themselves "in the field" with other Jedi, trained by different teachers and practicing completely different fencing styles, and sometimes accustomed to not using a sword at all, it was extremely difficult not to interfere with each other. Anakin and Rina, however, were already managing not only to avoid bumping into each other in the first few seconds but even to look out for each other. So it would be much easier for them than it was for Revan himself.
And that was good. If he planned to start taking students with him, the ability to protect oneself and a comrade would be very useful.
"Well, that's enough for today. You worked well together in close combat. Tomorrow, you'll try to jointly counter blaster fire and long-range rifles, as the most common types of weapons in the galaxy. I advise you to rest and prepare. HK will be conducting the lesson," Revan "pleased" the padawans.
The students turned pale and almost simultaneously swallowed nervously. The padawan droid was frightening... even with the Force on their side.
After receiving silent nods from the students, Revan left the training room and headed towards his cabin, where he sensed the presence of Tyra and Bastila. He had long awaited Nomad and Shan reaching an understanding, but he tried not to interfere in the process... however, he allowed himself to study the few notes Risa had left in her cabin. The Sith's apprentice was cautious and did not describe the details of her plans or the ritual itself, but he did manage to find some clues in the encrypted datapad. For example, the names Ergast and Wilsaam. At least one of the names sounded familiar. Revan was not sure if his memory was failing him, but he recalled the mention of Ergast when studying the library at the Triumvirate Academy. And this name was associated with ancient and powerful Sith Lords. Further research among the information contained in the holocrons, which he had managed to retrieve from Farr during his first visit to the "Obsidian," confirmed Revan's suspicions. Ergast was connected to Tulak Hord... or rather, not to him himself, but to Hord's ritual of absorbing the souls of defeated enemies. However, Ergast failed to replicate the ritual. Instead, the Sith managed to find a way to bind Force ghosts to himself and use their power for his own enhancement. Unfortunately, the ritual itself was not described in the academy's records and was considered lost, as its creator had hidden his secret in a single holocron, hidden somewhere on Dromund Kaas.
However, the general description of the ritual's effect was enough to understand that Risa had used something similar, but Tyra had interfered with the process, which could lead to unpredictable consequences for both personalities trapped in one body. And this issue needed to be studied more thoroughly to be prepared for surprises... but first, Tyra and Bastila had to come to an agreement.
Perhaps Mitra would have more information on the ritual? Could she access Risa's memories, since Surik was stuck in Farr's body? Alas, until she recovered, one could only guess. Fortunately, the doctors that Dooku had found assured that Mitra would be able to get out of the bacta tank within a month. Initially, it was assumed that she would recover even earlier... but, as it turned out, her body, despite its restored organs, continued to die. Cells were constantly destroyed, which was only compensated by Force nourishment and constant self-treatment. The cell death process was gradually slowing down, so the prognosis was good. Dooku, and with him Qui-Gon, assumed that it was due to the body's severe oversaturation with Dark Side energy, which occurred during the interrupted ritual. Moreover, due to Mitra's own peculiarity, she found herself in an even more difficult situation, as the "wound in the Force" was still with her and hindered external healing techniques. In the Halls of Healing at the Temple on Coruscant, the healing process might have gone faster, but Revan and Mitra alike had no desire to go into debt to the Order again.
But while Surik was "resting" on Serenno, other concerns needed attention.
And one of these concerns... or rather two, had just arrived at his cabin.
"There are commlinks and an intercom on the ship. It's more efficient than waiting at the door," Revan said, opening the door with a gesture and a touch of the Force.
Tyra, in her characteristic impulsive and defiant manner, entered his cabin without asking permission. The former Jedi noticed her twitch her head slightly, as if chasing away a bad thought. Mentally, Revan noted that the Temple's upbringing and aristocratic self-discipline, despite her not-so-noble origins, would not have allowed Bastila to behave so brazenly. Although... she wasn't entirely devoid of boldness either... not at all.
"Waiting gives time to gather one's thoughts," the Mandalorian grumbled, removing her helmet.
Revan was not so much listening to the Mandalorian's grumbling as trying to understand the sensations the Force brought. In the first few days, when Bastila found herself in the same body as Tyra, her presence was very weak. Only in moments when Shan's consciousness began to take over or even seize control of the body could Revan clearly feel the return of his long-lost wife. Now, they were felt almost simultaneously... Tyra stronger, but Bastila's presence did not disappear...
"You are troubled, Revan," Nomad's voice, in which Shan's familiar intonations suddenly emerged, made the former Jedi raise his head and peer into the Mandalorian's face.
The warm smile, which Revan had once been happy to see, looked... alien, unfamiliar, but not repulsive on Tyra's face.
The blue-skinned warrior's face twitched, and the smile became slightly strained, and a moment later, it disappeared altogether.
"We are still learning," Tyra said, wrinkling her forehead slightly.
"Learning? What?"
"Not to interfere with each other. The struggle between our consciousnesses benefits no one. At least, that's what your Bastila thinks," Nomad shrugged.
"And you agree with that," she added, her expression changing in an instant and her shoulders straightening... was it Shan now?
Revan, meanwhile, was trying to understand what was happening. It seemed like Tyra and Bastila were taking turns transferring control of the body... and very quickly.
"Oh, I told you, not so abruptly," Nomad gritted out through her teeth, contorting her face as if from a headache.
"What is happening? How are you... Are you transferring control?" Revan couldn't help but ask.
"Something like that. We've discussed a lot and concluded that until we find a way to separate, it's better to put all disagreements aside. After all, your nagging is right, when we don't try to suppress each other, I feel much better... or we both feel better. It's hard to explain. I still doubt I'm not going crazy..."
Tyra could be understood. Even Revan, who was well acquainted with the peculiarities of the Force and its interaction with everything around him, could not recall encountering such a thing in his life. Two consciousnesses... two souls in one body. Except for his own case in that distant past, when the personality of Darth Revan was rewritten by the Jedi Council, creating a new soldier loyal to the Republic. And although Revan later managed to restore most of his memories, the influence of the second personality never completely disappeared. Perhaps here too, Tyra and Bastila would simply dissolve into each other.
He unexpectedly asked this question, unable to curb the flow of his thoughts and the rising anxiety for the women he cared about, albeit in different ways.
Bastila was the first to answer, taking the initiative from Nomad.
"It's hard to say. The Council created a new personality based on your own... on the shards of who you were before turning to the Dark Side, adding only a backstory and some fabricated memories to prevent the consciousness from splitting due to inconsistencies in memory. Your mind, however, was unable to resist, which later led to the unification of your two personalities into the Revan you became by the end of our search for the Star Forge. Here... we are both whole and self-sufficient. Therefore, our struggle caused harm to the shell. Any conflict between us only harms. It's easier for Tyra to control the body, as it's hers by birth. I have to make an effort, but my consciousness is accustomed to meditative trance and mental influence thanks to combat meditation. So, overall, we interact on roughly equal terms... Although there is something disturbing."
"What exactly?" Revan became wary.
And Bastila yielded control to Tyra.
"We are having some kind of exchange of skills and memories..." Nomad said uncertainly.
"In what sense?" the former Jedi clarified.
"Sometimes I understand what Bastila wants to tell me before she says it... even in my thoughts. I see her memory... or a vague image resembling a memory... but I'm sure it's not my memory. I haven't been to Manaan, but I remember its endless oceans and cities on artificial island platforms. I remember a funny old Korunnai man with a very sarcastic character... but I'm sure I've never met him. And, besides everything else, I'm getting better at handling this thing, even though I've hardly practiced," Nomad removed the hilt of a lightsaber staff from her belt.
This explained the skills Tyra had demonstrated after merging with Bastila... and it was unsettling.
"And what about the reverse exchange?" Revan inquired.
"Childhood surrounded by blue-skinned Chiss is definitely not mine... nor is knowledge of the BT-40 blaster schematics in all modifications," Bastila replied a moment later.
"And you are sure that this case is not similar to yours? Merging memories, skills of a trained soldier..."
"There can be no absolute certainty anywhere the Force is involved. But I can say that I don't feel any changes in my consciousness, apart from new knowledge," Shan replied.
"And memories," Revan added.
"Memory is also knowledge, my dear," Bastila smiled.
The smile vanished from her face a second later when control shifted to Tyra.
"What your EX-wife wants to say is that I don't feel drawn to observing the dogmas of your Order, and she isn't drawn to following the Way of the Mandalorian," Nomad explained.
"That's for now. There's no certainty that the process won't gain momentum and eventually spread to deeper aspects of your personalities. This could lead to..." Revan objected, but was interrupted by Bastila.
"We both understand what could happen, which is why we decided to act together. The situation is complex, and everything needs to be carefully studied. Will you help us?"
"Of course," Revan agreed without hesitation.
He himself was going to suggest figuring it all out. Sith rituals should be approached with great caution. The Dark Side did not forgive mistakes and carelessness.
And besides all else... he had deeply personal reasons to intervene. After all, it concerned an apprentice, whose connection to the Force constantly reminded him at the edge of his consciousness, and also... Revan tried with all his might to suppress the desire to embrace Bastila. But that would be a betrayal to Nomad, whose feelings the former Jedi had not forgotten.
"Tyra... can I talk to Bastila?" he decided to clarify.
"Talk," the Mandalorian shrugged.
"Alone..."
"I can't leave the room or selectively go blind and deaf, I'm sorry," Nomad quipped.
"Please..."
"Oh, to hell with you! I won't interfere... I'll try, at least. But remember, I'm still here!" Tyra snorted and closed her eyes for a moment.
Her face changed expression again. Irritation gave way to calmness and a slight smile.
"Bastila?" Revan asked with hope in his voice.
"What did you want to talk about, my love?" Shan asked with a familiar Talravian accent.
In his soul, the former Jedi rejoiced and was alarmed at the same time... and his alarm was fueled by guilt, from which he could not escape. But perhaps now, when the one to whom he was indebted was near again... he could finally receive forgiveness... or at least hope for redemption.
"I wanted to ask for your forgiveness, Bastila. I am guilty before you and Vaner. I shouldn't have left you... I'm so sorry..." he began, but a lump in his throat prevented him from clearly expressing his thoughts.
However, Shan managed to grasp the main message. After all, they didn't need words to understand each other. At least, that's how it used to be.
"You are guilty," Bastila nodded in agreement.
Revan lowered his head.
"But at the same time, I cannot blame you for anything," Shan added.
"What do you mean?"
"As a woman, I want to punch you hard for leaving your pregnant wife alone. I hope Mitra told you what was happening in the galaxy after you left? About the rise of the Sith Triumvirate and the destruction of the Order?"
"I'm sorry..."
"But as a Jedi, I support your decision and can only lament that you didn't take me with you," Bastila added, taking a step towards Revan.
The girl's hand touched the former Sith's cheek, making him raise his head and look into her eyes.
"You don't think I was hiding somewhere all this time while war raged around? We were both raised by the Order, both trained from childhood how to resist the Darkness and guard peace in the galaxy," Shan smiled.
"You were more important to me than the galaxy..."
"Then you are truly guilty. But you must receive forgiveness not from me, but from yourself."
"But I am guilty before you..."
*Slap!*
A sharp slap caught Revan by surprise and made him recoil from the suddenly angry Bastila... or Tyra?
"Pull yourself together!" the Mandalorian snarled.
"Tyra?"
- Not entirely. In some ways, she and I are in complete agreement. For example, we both think you should let go of the past. Those of us who lived thousands of years ago remained there. We were forcibly returned to this world, but everything around us has changed. Our son remained there, as did your guilt towards him. You have already received my forgiveness... and even punishment," Bastila replied, carefully touching Revan's cheek, reddened from the blow, at the end of her speech.
"Such a transgression cannot be atoned for with a slap," the former Jedi chuckled sadly.
Bastila took a step forward and cupped Revan's face with her palms, forcing him to look her straight in the eyes. The smile was gone from her face, but she was still Shan.
"You made a choice. I accepted it – you accept it too. Do you want redemption? Stay true to the path you have chosen. You wanted to protect us, and with us, the entire galaxy. So don't stray from this path! Save the padawans who have decided to follow you. Save the Order, which you still consider your home. Save the Republic, if it deserves it," Bastila said emotionally... and finished in an almost whisper, "And save this child, who shared with me not only thoughts and body... but also love for you."
Their faces were a hand's breadth apart. Revan leaned forward, intending to kiss his beloved, but she stopped him and only pressed her forehead to his for a moment.
"Think about my words. Let go of your pain. The galaxy now needs the Revan you were by my side, not the one the Emperor broke twice."
After these words, Bastila picked up Tyra's helmet with the Force and left the cabin, leaving Revan to deal with the storm of thoughts and emotions that was tearing him apart at that moment. Shan was right... he needed to become that Revan again.