Early morning in the city of Theed, the capital of this undoubtedly beautiful planet of a thousand lakes and eternal summer, was always considered an indescribable spectacle.
The scarlet dawn flooded the sky in the east, reflecting on the domes of the royal palace and playing with thousands of iridescent sparks in the spray of numerous fountains amidst green parks. All this riot of colors made any sentient being capable of distinguishing colors stand in awe, mouth agape. Only the Gungans would shake their ears in confusion, wondering: "Can this compare to the radiance of the underwater city dome at sunset?"
However, the droid armies guarding the royal palace, captured by the Trade Federation viceroy, didn't care about beauty. Unceremoniously throwing several sculptures from the parapet of the second floor of the monarch's residence, the mechanical soldiers "decorated" the facade with several heavy blaster cannons. In every courtyard, a squad of B-1s, numbering 50 units, was on duty, supported by an AAT tank. The galleries were patrolled by droidekas, ready at any moment to turn any encountered enemy into a charred piece of flesh torn apart by blasters.
And even though the main troops had left the capital, heading towards the forces of the Gungans that had suddenly appeared on the approaches to the kingdom, to teach a lesson to the completely insolent natives, the palace was still guarded at the highest level.
Dawn. A tall figure, wrapped in a black robe with a deep hood, stood on the upper observation deck of the eastern wing of the local suzerain's abode and looked at the sky. Darth Maul never liked dawn. Mostly because it meant the end of the saving silence of the night and the beginning of a new day of torment and endless pain, which his master for some reason called training. Since childhood, on Dathomir, he cursed the sunrise and only grimaced with disgust every time he looked up at the reddening skies.
But today, he stared eastward without looking away. And the reason for this was the Force. The Sith apprentice felt the presence of Jedi on the planet. And now they were approaching. Approaching from the direction of the natural phenomenon he so hated.
Suddenly, he noticed a small glint on the horizon. The sun reflected for a moment on the armor of a scarlet starship, barely visible against the dawn sky. At the same moment, an alarm sounded. The air defense systems of the royal palace detected an unidentified object.
"So, you've arrived," the Zabrak grinned, turning and heading inside the building.
The "Eagle," with its gifted captain in the pilot's seat, was rapidly approaching the blue-tinted domes of the Nabooian monarch's residence.
"Warning: We have been detected, Master," HK reported from the co-pilot's seat.
"I already figured that out," Revan said with a smile, throwing the ship to the side to let the first streaks of laser fire pass by.
"Does it seem like a stupid idea to me?" Qui-Gon asked, clinging to the back of his seat and distrusting the inertia dampeners. "Wouldn't it have been better to sneak in, as Panaka suggested?"
The former Sith sent the Eagle into a nosedive but sharply pulled it back to the horizon near the ground.
"No. We discussed it. Patrols on the approaches would have deprived us of the element of surprise. As soon as we were spotted by the droids or destroyed even one, the control station would have received a signal and alerted our enemies about the invasion. We would have 100% certainly fallen into a trap in the palace."
The Ancient didn't say that he also felt a dark Force-sensitive nearby. He intended to have a personal chat with his accidental acquaintance from Tatooine without attracting the attention of the Order's knights.
"And now, no?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to maintain his composure, like his master, but gradually succumbing to nausea.
"Now, no," Revan agreed and grinned cheerfully. "We'll just crash on their heads! With such a diversion, Panaka can march through the main gates singing the royal anthem. HK, now!"
Obeying the order, the droid aimed its single, but quite powerful, laser cannon at the nearest anti-aircraft tower and fired.
The scarlet beam struck one of the towers of the palace's eastern wing, five meters below the platform with defensive weapons. The Nabooans hadn't skimped on protecting their monarch, covering the firing points with small force shield domes, but forgetting about the structure itself. And what can stone masonry do against several gigajoules of energy from a laser beam? The answer was not long in coming. The platform with the anti-aircraft gun collapsed three floors down and fell silent forever.
"Excellent, HK!" Revan praised. "Two more towers and we'll have an opportunity to land."
"With pride: It won't take long," the droid immediately responded.
The Eagle dodged another shot and responded with a direct hit on the supporting structure of the second platform with the palace's defense system weapon.
"It's good that Anakin isn't with us," Obi-Wan, who had turned slightly green, tried to joke. "He would have definitely asked to be the pilot."
"I must admit that the idea of leaving the young Skywalker at the Gungan camp turned out to be very successful," Qui-Gon nodded in agreement.
Revan was just maneuvering the nimble freighter towards a new target.
"I hope he's being watched?" he clarified. "He's capable of going off in search of adventure."
"I left him under the Queen's supervision. Panaka assured me that both of them would be guarded at the highest level," Jinn replied.
The former Sith almost lost control of the ship upon hearing the last phrase.
"So, you're saying you left a restless boy, eager for adventure, with a young queen who has a bee in her bonnet?"
The Jedi was about to object, but paused for a moment and said something completely different.
"I hadn't looked at it that way," he admitted. "But is the Queen really so reckless as to rush into the thick of battle?"
"Apparently, you haven't studied her well," Revan shook his head and listened to the Force.
Indeed, Anakin's powerful aura was felt nearby. Apparently, he was with the second group, led by the monarch's head of security.
With another accurate shot, HK dealt with the last platform covering the rear courtyard. The freighter began to descend, straight towards the crowd of droids preparing for defense.
"Attention, readiness in 30 seconds!" the Ancient commanded. "It's going to be hot!"
The assassin droid immediately got up from its seat and hurried to the cargo ramp. The Jedi followed suit. The co-pilot's seat was taken by one of the guard pilots to fly the Eagle away from the air defense systems after the strike group landed.
In the cargo hold, meanwhile, two Jedi, an assassin droid, and six of the Queen's guards were preparing for battle.
Revan, entering the room, surveyed everyone with an experienced gaze, mentally making the final adjustments to the formation.
"So, I remind you of the plan," he began in his usual commanding voice, which made everyone huddle closer. "Our group will land on the eastern outskirts of the royal gardens behind the palace. The second group, under the command of Security Chief Panaka, will enter from the opposite end. Together, we will break through to the meeting point at the entrance to the monarch's residence. Then, we will follow the shortest path to the Nabooian guard's inner hangar, where the pilots will begin the second part of the plan. The strike group, meanwhile, will split again and head along two parallel routes to the throne room, where, according to information from Panaka's agents, the Trade Federation viceroy is currently located."
The soldiers nodded in agreement with the plan.
"Serious resistance from enemy droids is expected," the former Jedi continued. "Therefore, we will form up as follows: I and HK will be in the vanguard, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will take positions on the flanks. We will cover the guards and pilots from enemy fire. The rest will follow us at a distance of five meters. Do not approach closer, do not get under the lightsabers, do not point blasters at our backs. Avoid open spaces, stay close to cover. Cover each other and keep your eyes open. May the Force be with us."
"May the Force be with us," the Jedi responded.
Then followed a discordant chorus of good luck wishes from the non-gifted soldiers.
The ship shuddered.
"Ah, the assault tank has come to life," one of the guards nervously drawled.
"Optional explanation: The Eagle's reinforced shield can withstand several hits from an AAT cannon," the assassin droid stated emotionlessly.
The former Sith nodded approvingly, agreeing with HK's words. The firing rate of one tank was insufficient to penetrate the shields, as they had time to recharge between shots. But if there were several tanks... there would be problems.
The guards locked in the truck's hold were clearly nervous. But they weren't the only ones.
"There are too many droids there," Kenobi whispered with a tremor in his voice.
"Trust the Force, young Padawan," Jinn encouraged him. "And remember your training."
"Yes, Master."
Revan watched this scene, checking the clasps of his chest plate. Having finished with his armor, he pulled his hood deeper. He didn't need to see around him, as the Force provided much more information than hearing and sight. The former Jedi had long been accustomed to fighting in heavy armor and a cloak thrown over his shoulders, so he felt no discomfort regarding his attire.
Meanwhile, Jinn and Kenobi had shed their traditional Order robes to have greater freedom of movement.
HK checked his ammunition and took his place behind his master, ready to unleash a rain of superheated plasma on anyone who posed a threat. Preferably on some stupid bag of meat.
Revan removed his saber from his belt and separated the hilts. Taking the right one in a reverse grip, he took a position directly opposite the cargo ramp. The droid shifted slightly behind him and raised its carbine. The Jedi and guards positioned themselves on either side of the ramp.
"Master?" Obi-Wan nodded in surprise towards the former Sith, noticing how he began to concentrate the Force around himself.
The Padawan had never seen anyone channel such a powerful flow of energy through themselves. It was no longer just strengthening one's own body, but something more. Only Master Yoda's words came to mind, that every Jedi can call upon the Force as an ally if their will is strong. The sight made the young student feel respect for the unknown knight.
Revan, on the other hand, was entering a trance, mentally reciting the words of the Jedi Code, as he did before every important battle in his past life. Then he turned to the Force and strengthened his body with a technique previously known as Force Valor, erected a small barrier around himself to protect against the first wave of shots, and prepared to use acceleration.
Jinn watched the preparation of the ancient knight with barely concealed awe. He hadn't seen such concentration of the Force in a long time. The knowledge and techniques that Revan applied so easily were now available only to a few Masters. No, any gifted individual, with due diligence, was capable of strengthening their body and even deflecting a blaster shot with their bare hands. But Revan... He clearly understood the Force and the Order's teachings much more deeply. And he also had some idea of the "other" side. Mentally, the Jedi agreed with the sudden idea that there couldn't be a better teacher for Anakin. However, the past of this ambiguous gifted individual caused concern. Skywalker with such a mentor could become either salvation for the galaxy from the Sith, or the doom of the Jedi.
"Watch carefully, Obi-Wan. What you are about to see... Well, you'll understand yourself," Qui-Gon replied to his student's questioning look.
Droid Sergeant BD-346, assigned to the third assault unit of the second regiment of the Trade Federation armed forces, was the first to react to the new threat that appeared in the territory entrusted to his protection. The scarlet starship, clearly not of military design, began to descend without permission, attacking several gun platforms that covered the rear courtyard of the royal palace.
Obeying the core directives embedded in its basic software, the droid sent data from its optical sensors to the orbital station, awaiting further instructions.
The order came almost instantly. "Attack the enemy." The reply message also contained several combat development options and suggestions for using the third unit's fighters, supported by an assault tank.
The first shot from the AAT's main gun missed its target. After all, B-1 series droids were not known for their good targeting systems. But the second hit its mark. However, the projectile merely ricocheted off the vessel's protective screen, forcing the tactical AI of the Neimoidian ship, acting as an orbital station, to change the combat plan.
The droids received new instructions.
By the time the unknown freighter touched the stone slabs of the courtyard, the mechanical soldiers had already dispersed throughout the area and were targeting the ship's hatches.
BD-346, as a command unit, possessed more advanced software and a slightly more powerful processor, allowing it to quickly analyze the situation and choose from the tactical options offered. Therefore, as soon as the cargo hatch of the unknown ship began to move, it ordered the unit to open fire.
The first volley from the carbines of fifty droids had no effect. The charges that hit the partially opened cargo ramp were blocked by an unknown deflector shield.
The next moment, several sources of bright light ignited in the darkness of the hold, which the tactical AI instantly identified as lightsabers, the weapons of the Jedi Order knights.
New instructions had not yet arrived from the orbital station when the enemy launched an attack, and the freighter soared back into the sky.
Obeying the previous order, the droids continued their bombardment, which proved extremely ineffective. The Jedi deflected the shots, covering the group of shooters in the center of the formation, often hitting the shooter or the droid next to him with a deflected blaster bolt.
However, the main problem was the strange combat droid leading the vanguard. Its speed and accuracy were baffling the poor tactician. Such effectiveness from a single combat unit did not fit into its logical circuits. In addition, signals from the assault tank crew suddenly disappeared. Reports from neighboring droids indicated that the AAT had been destroyed, but there was no data on how exactly it happened. All that the optical sensors managed to record was a blurred shadow and a flash of light.
BD-346 saw approximately the same thing right before the black blade of a lightsaber separated its head from its torso.
Obi-Wan, who had been trying to overcome a bad premonition since last night, now watched with fascination as the truly strongest knight he had ever seen in his life fought! Avner Van moved with lightning speed, moving from one droid to another and delivering very precise and economical blows. No unnecessary movements or useless swings—only deadly strikes to vulnerable spots.
Where he couldn't reach a shooter, his droid came to the rescue. HK-47 was no less deadly than his master. Every shot found its target, freeing Avner from another enemy or from the threat of sniper fire.
In essence, the strike group only had to stand still and not get in the way. The Jedi and his droid didn't need help. And the assault tank, split into two neat halves, clearly testified to this.
A lunge to the side, a swing of a silver blade—and another mechanical soldier falls, cut in half.
"Malicious exclamation: Suffer plasma, you worthless pile of rust!" HK's voice accompanied a burst from his carbine. "You don't deserve to be called combat droids!"
The figure with two blades in his hands, meanwhile, didn't stop for a second, demonstrating to everyone what a Jedi Knight was capable of. Blows that sliced droids in half were replaced by Force techniques. A shockwave, a throw, a lift—all were applied so quickly that Kenobi seriously wondered if Avner even had time to think about a particular technique? Now both blades flew in winding and intersecting trajectories, sowing chaos among the enemies. And their master, meanwhile, crushed two more droids with an effort of will. The lightsabers, having described several wide circles, returned directly to the Jedi's palms, calling him back into battle.
Except there was no one left to fight.
But, at the next moment, everything changed when one of the guards shouted. "Droidekas!"
About a dozen destroyer droids rolled into the courtyard, surrounding the landing party. Revan managed to throw a black blade at one of them, and HK shot the second before they opened up and raised their shields. The former Sith had to retreat to the main group to cover the guards from the hail of fire from rapid-fire blasters. A trio of gifted individuals pushed the ordinary soldiers under the cover of a fountain and formed an improvised shield of lightsabers.
Revan absolutely disliked the situation. The usual defensive combat tactics were ineffective in this case. Shots reflected by the blades ricocheted off the droidica shields without causing them any harm, but significantly complicating life for the Jedi.
An attempt to reach the hateful tin cans with the Force yielded no results. With irritation, Revan realized that the shields severely limited the effect of any energies on the protected object. The Force was no exception.
A quick glance at Kenobi and Jinn further worsened the former Jedi's mood. Those two definitely didn't know how to quickly defeat the droidica. Apparently, the modern Order hadn't prepared its adepts for confrontation with such opponents.
However, Revan had the necessary experience. In his time, he lost count of the number of Star Forge droids he destroyed, which universally used barriers.
The simplest option would be to overload the shields with lightning or a powerful static charge very similar to it. However, this could provoke the Jedi into unreasonable actions towards an adept of the Dark Side. Revan had no desire to prove to those around him that he wasn't fallen, but just very similar to one.
But there were other ways to deal with the droidica.
"HK, discharge unit to the right flank!" the ancient commanded.
The droid immediately moved from behind him and extended a manipulator forward. A beam from the ion discharger struck the nearest enemy from the forearm of the metal hand, successfully short-circuiting the destroyer's systems.
At the same moment, the defenseless enemy was shot down by the guards, and HK prepared to repeat the trick as soon as the necessary module recharged.
"Obi, Jinn, cover!" Revan roared and concentrated to call upon the Force for help.
With an effort of will, he ripped a piece of stone slab from under the feet of another droid, causing it to topple onto its neighbors. The shields didn't distinguish what touched them, trying to detain or reflect any object, material or energetic. This was their undoing.
The toppled droids lost their protection in a few seconds. The shields couldn't withstand prolonged exposure to something so large, like the surface of the earth, suddenly deciding it didn't want to be underfoot anymore. No one would explain to the protective matrix that it was the droid that toppled, not the ground that rose.
The droidica, having lost their protection, were instantly crushed into half-meter balls and thrown at their brethren.
Thus, in less than a minute, only debris and shot-up hulls remained of the destroyers.
Revan exhaled, releasing the tension and trying to suppress the thirst for battle that had reawakened for the first time in thousands of years. The Dark Side, like a gentle whisper at the edge of hearing, tickled his consciousness, tempting him to surrender to it completely. But the former Sith knew too well what that threatened, and therefore his will was unyielding.
HK lowered the overheated carbine and replaced the power cell.
"Admiring comment: You are in excellent shape, Master! A splendid battle! But, I hope, we will meet bags of meat next."
"Anything is possible," Revan said with a smile, listening to the conversations behind him.
The guards were discussing what they had seen in hushed tones.
"Wow! I heard that Jedi are strong fighters, but this much?! Yeah, with such support, any enemy is manageable. Yeah, the main thing is not to get caught in the crossfire," the soldiers said in unison.
Only two were silent – the Jedi.
Revan understood that he had shown too much of what he hadn't intended to demonstrate. The black blade alone was worth something. Even in the old days, such an artifact would have raised questions. However, this step was justified. The former Sith wanted to sort everything out quickly. And it wouldn't hurt to warm up.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, without a word, approached the person responsible for the mountain of chopped iron around.
Not without approval, Revan noted that the loyal droid was tracking the movement of the Light adepts with its barrel slightly lowered.
Respect was written on Jinn's face. He was glad to see in action someone he had read so much about in the archives.
Kenobi, on the other hand, was impressed by the skill of Knight Avner Van, about whom, for some reason, he had heard nothing until now.
"Knight Van," he began, "Allow me to express my admiration for your training. You are truly one with the Force. I hope one day I can become as good a knight."
Revan shook his head.
"A Padawan should first of all take an example from his master. Draw wisdom from his words and lessons, and not be distracted by demonstrations of raw power," he chided the teenager.
Qui-Gon just smiled, nodding gratefully.
Kenobi blushed, but didn't look away.
"Knight Van, may I ask..." he hesitated, "Are you... a Shadow?"
Revan's eyebrows shot up, and he struggled to suppress a laugh. They mistook him for a tracker from the mythical Shadow Corps! This secret society, born in the depths of the Order, had set itself the goal of finding and destroying any manifestations of Darkness.
Only there were no confirmations of the existence of Shadows, and never had been. Even in the old days, there were only rumors and tales among the Padawans. And Revan could confidently say that such a corps did not exist... if its representatives hadn't come for him once. One of the hardest battles that the dark lord Darth Revan fought during his brief reign.
No, it could very well be just Light fanatics who decided to call themselves by the name of a mythical corps. Only there weren't two of them, or even five. And their training was at the same level. It would be appropriate to assume the existence of a new organization of gifted individuals, which Revan thought at the time. However, much later, his doubts were confirmed by Bastila. It was she who told him how they were going to take her into the Shadow corps, and how their detachment went to capture the dark lord aboard his flagship.
He found no confirmation of his wife's words, but there was no reason to doubt her story.
And now, thousands of years later, the fairy tale was circulating among the Padawans again. Perhaps, not all was lost for the Order?
"What answer do you hope to hear?" Revan asked, addressing Obi-Wan.
"The truth," he replied, hesitating slightly.
"And what answer will be truthful? Yes or no? Can you distinguish them?"
The Padawan was stunned by such an answer. The Masters in the Temple had never told him that he might not distinguish truth from lies. In fact, he was warned that he wouldn't get an honest answer.
"But..." the student began and faltered, not knowing what to say.
"Shadows are a myth," Revan smiled. "Let them remain a myth."
Jinn shook his head, hiding a smile. In front of him, Revan created a new legend about a knight named Avner Van, without telling a single lie. And he also taught his Padawan a lesson that not everything heard should be believed. Even if someone from the higher ranks of the Order says it. Poor Obi-Wan would now spend several weeks wondering who this Knight Van was.
"Warning: Armed bags of meat are approaching," HK reported, raising his carbine.
Revan turned his head and saw Panaka frozen near a column.
The head of security was looking at the battlefield with disbelief, and at the group of Jedi with guards, none of whom had a scratch.
The former Sith glanced around the square and nodded, mentally agreeing that it all looked very impressive. A small group of fighters surrounded by a mountain of scrap metal, and cheerfully chatting against the backdrop of a tank cut in half and slowly burning, could not produce any other impression.
"When we discussed the diversionary maneuver, I, frankly, didn't imagine something like this," Panaka said, gesturing to his group that there was no danger.
"Explanation: The master is in a good mood," HK noted, causing new stupor in the dark-skinned soldier.
Revan rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"How did your part of the operation go?" Qui-Gon asked, ignoring the droid's remark.
Panaka perked up, shaking off the shock.
"Quite well. We met no resistance and were able to pass unnoticed."
The second group arrived at the meeting point. Among the fighters, Revan saw the queen and her dear servant. Or vice versa, the servant accompanied by the queen. It was difficult to understand who was who.
"Where is Anakin?" the former Sith asked sternly.
"What?" the queen feigned surprise, again playing the servant. "I don't understand what you're talking about. He's at the camp, of course."
Revan frowned. He couldn't stand lies. Skywalker's presence was clearly felt nearby.
"So, it's not him hiding behind R2 right now?" the ancient asked, lifting the droid into the air.
The astromech squealed hysterically in binary, demanding to be put down. The boy, with a guilty face, approached the queen.
"Anakin, where were you told to be?" Jinn asked sternly.
"It's my fault," Padmé said, defending the boy.
Revan slapped his palm to his face and slowly massaged his eyelids. Then he looked at Qui-Gon and gestured to the pair of juvenile rebels, as if saying, "Well, are you convinced now?"
"Your Highness, that was very reckless," the Jedi began to scold the young monarch.
She just waved her hand.
"Believe me, Panaka has already told me everything. We are here – that's a fact. Accept it and let's move on."
"And what should we do with her?" the head of security whispered almost inaudibly.
"Rational suggestion: For better control of the movements of persons subject to protection, their mobility must be reduced." The assassin droid demonstratively aimed at the queen's knee, causing the guards to tense up.
All who had seen HK in action did not want to get in his way. But the soldiers who arrived with Panaka, unaware of the danger, surrounded the droid, trying to protect their mistress.
"HK, be polite," Revan reprimanded his creation.
"With pleasure: Yes, Master," the mechanical killer lowered his weapon and stood next to his creator. "Suggestion: We can at least tie them up."
Revan shook his head.
"If there are no better suggestions, then you will personally watch the boy. And you will be responsible with your functionality," the former Sith threatened.
"Dejectedly: Yes, Master," the assassin droid sadly agreed to the order.
"Anakin, don't stray from HK!" Revan said sternly.
The boy nodded vigorously. He needed excessive care like a rancor needed clothes, but he didn't dare disobey his friend, and Vanera from Tatooine Skywalker considered him a friend.
The Jedi watched the scene in silence. And, if Kenobi didn't particularly care about the boy, Jinn was worried. The prospect of Revan simply taking Anakin without the Council's approval did not please him. After all, although he felt well towards the legendary knight, they were not closely acquainted. The Jedi did not believe that Revan, who had atoned for his sins, intended to pervert the boy's personality in any way. But the former Sith would surely not bypass the issue of the Dark Side during his training. What if the boy falters? What if the Darkness consumes him completely, turning him into a monster obsessed with the thirst for power and strength? Would Revan stop him?
Qui-Gon planned to teach the boy himself, but he couldn't help but notice the emotional connection that had already begun to form between the former Jedi and Skywalker. It wasn't a Force Bond, but trust. The boy trusted Revan and obeyed the order to stay with the droid without objection.
Perhaps... Perhaps Anakin should be taught by him. The Chosen One must know both sides of the Force and have a choice. The Council would not leave him a choice. But the former Sith lord... It was all too complicated to decide so easily.
Meanwhile, Padmé's attention was drawn.
"Maybe we should continue the assault now, before they throw all their forces at us?" she exclaimed indignantly.
"This is not an assault, but a sabotage operation. An assault is much faster... and noisier," Revan corrected her. "However, that was a surprisingly wise thought."
Panaka immediately lined up his guards. It was assumed that the group would split up again. Revan would lead five fighters through the central staircase, attracting attention and giving the second group an opportunity to carry out their plan without unnecessary noise. Namely: to infiltrate the main hangar and capture several N-1 starfighters to subsequently attack the Trade Federation flagship and save the Gungans from being slaughtered by the droid army. The Queen, in turn, intended to reach the throne room and arrest the viceroy. In fact, Revan and his detachment were supposed to move in the same direction, but by a more direct route.
Although, the former Jedi had another goal that no one suspected. He had stopped sensing Maul's presence while approaching the palace. The Sith had hidden his presence much more skillfully than on Tatooine. The Hutt zabrak clearly did not want to meet Revan. With his attack, the ancient planned to lure the Sith out and force him into a confrontation. After all, whatever Maul and his master were planning, the death of Gunray or the defeat of the Trade Federation was not in their interests.
The Jedi moved into Panaka's group, intending to ensure the queen's safety, so no one could interfere with the conversation with Maul.
The meeting and regrouping took no more than three minutes. After which the "queen and her retinue" went for aggressive negotiations.
Revan, meanwhile, began the diversionary maneuver. Namely, he blew out the high decorative doors that closed the entrance to the main staircase with a powerful Force push, simultaneously tearing interior items from their hinges and ripping out several marble facing slabs from the floor and walls.
And then the assault began. Revan's group advanced very quickly. The droids didn't have time to prepare defenses before a whirlwind of lightsabers, supported by five shooters, burst into another corridor or hall, sweeping everything in their path.
The former Jedi missed HK, whom he had left with Anakin. The guards, although they tried to help actively, were not used to working in conjunction with a Jedi. Revan often had to get distracted to protect them or change the direction of the attack so as not to hit the particularly active "helpers."
Several times they ran into droidica, but quickly dealt with them. The soldiers already knew how to destroy such dangerous droids, so they acted decisively. Revan toppled the destroyers or overloaded their systems with a powerful static pulse, and the soldiers shot the defenseless hulls. Some even thought of using ion grenades, which earned them an approving comment from the group leader.
Everything was going well, and they had already covered half the way, but Maul still hadn't shown up.
Revan began to feel an uneasy premonition. Something was wrong. Danger was near, but it was not directed at him. Everything was complicated by the fact that the commlink was blocked by the palace's defense systems, so there was no communication with the second group. The former Sith only hoped that two Jedi and an assassin droid would be enough to look after the little boy.
Suddenly, he felt a surge of Force with a distinct dark hue. The source was somewhere nearby... but not in the direction his group was moving.
His anxiety grew, and Revan quickened his pace. The Queen was supposed to reach the throne room a little faster, as there should have been no opponents in her path. Not to mention that they would cover part of the way along the outer wall, straight to the desired floor.
As a result, both groups ran into the main hall of the royal palace simultaneously. Revan immediately noted the absence of the Jedi... and Anakin.
"HK! Where the rancor damn you, is Anakin?!" the former Sith roared menacingly, losing concentration for a moment and crushing those around him with his anger.
"Hasty explanation: Master, Anakin Skywalker, accompanied by astromech droid R2-D2, left the palace grounds," the droid stammered.
"What do you mean?" Revan asked again, removing his saber hilts.
"Explanation: For safety reasons, during the firefight, the protected subject took refuge in the cockpit of an N-1 starfighter, as its armor provided an acceptable level of protection against small arms fire. I provided covering fire. However, for unknown reasons, the autopilot was activated, and the fighter left the hangar. Fortunately, the astromech droid was also in this combat unit... Master."
Revan cursed in Huttese. He hadn't expected such a turn of events. There was no doubt that the fighter had likely gone into orbit. And there was a battle going on. And whether the young Skywalker would survive the meat grinder of space combat was a big question.
" 'The Force wills it'," the ancient said mentally. " 'If the guy is really a strong gifted one, he'll manage. The Force will help him'."
"And where are the Jedi?" he asked aloud.
"In the hangar, we encountered a strange red-skinned zabrak," Panaka answered his question. "The Jedi said it was their business and engaged in battle."
"Oh, shit," Revan whispered almost inaudibly, feeling anger boiling inside him at himself.
"We'll handle it from here," the queen said, noticing the worry on the gifted one's face. "The viceroy isn't here. Apparently, he fled."
In response to this remark, a dozen droidica rolled into the hall, instantly surrounding both groups. And then the smug Nute Gunray strode in.
"Ev'rything is ov'r, queen," he said with a terrible accent, pointing at the droids bristling with barrels.
However, Revan answered him.
"I have neither the time nor the mood to deal with you!" he roared.
Golden fire blazed in the ancient Sith's eyes, making even his allies flinch away from him. Branching lightning shot from his raised fingers, piercing shields and causing critical damage to the droids from the excessive load on their power circuits. The discharge hit all the destroyers at once, jumping from one to another in a branching flash.
Stunned by such a swift dispatch of the guards, the Neimoidian tried to flee. However, a black blade of a lightsaber thrown in pursuit cut off his left foot. With a cry of pain, the viceroy rolled across the floor.
Gunray's assistant, who had stood like a silent statue all this time, tried to grab a blaster, but in an instant, a figure that appeared next to him deprived him of his wrist.
The guards, snapping out of their stupor, took control of the room, dispersing and trying to block the passages with protective armored shutters. However, Revan stopped one of the doors with the Force, stating that he would still need an exit.
"I won't leave this like this!" the viceroy wailed, clutching the stump of his foot. "You attacked a representative of the Trade Federation government."
"Shut your mouth, scum," the former Sith snarled, giving the Neimoidian a scorching look. "Otherwise, you'll lose your tongue next."
The prisoner immediately stopped threatening those around him with terrible punishments and lawsuits to the Senate, realizing that it was better not to argue with this sentient being. All that remained for him was to sit and whine quietly, hugging his damaged limb, like his assistant was doing.
"Knight Van, what do you think you're doing?!" Amidala exclaimed, who seemed to have just regained her speech. "He's a prisoner! I'll complain to the Council of Masters about your excessive cruelty."
The next moment, the girl fell silent, feeling her legs treacherously tremble, threatening to give way at any moment. For it was at this moment that she looked into a pair of eyes with sparkling gold irises, in which pure rage was read. Padmé suddenly realized that her life was now entirely in the hands of the person opposite, and all the palace guards could do nothing to protect her. That gaze pierced to the bone, evoking the primal terror of a victim before the open jaws of a predator.
"Out of the way," Revan said curtly, curbing the burning rage within him.
Not only the queen, but everyone present retreated instantly, forming a clear passage to the only unlocked door.
"Request: Master?" HK's voice sounded, awaiting orders.
"You stay with them," Revan ordered, not even looking at the droid.
And a moment later, he was already rushing down to the hangar, mentally addressing the Great Force – "Just let me make it in time."
The ancient Jedi rushed headlong, barely noticing his surroundings. All he was interested in now was whether he had lingered too long upstairs. The vision of a crimson blade piercing Qui-Gon's chest increasingly flashed in his mind.
Not that he had grown attached to Jinn, but this Jedi was so far the only representative of the Order who didn't evoke any negative thoughts. He was wise and didn't suffer from narrow-mindedness. And most importantly, he knew how to keep secrets.
Upon entering the hangar, Revan listened to his senses, trying to feel the right direction.
"This way," he whispered to himself, breaking into a run.
The Force led him deep into the palace complex, down corridors, somewhere towards the power plant that supplied the monarch's residence and surrounding territories.
Bursting into a spacious room with many suspended walkways and viaducts, Revan noticed a flash in the distance. Looking closer, he distinguished two figures – black and white. An crimson and a green lightsaber clashed furiously, trying to reach the vulnerable flesh of their owners. However, both opponents masterfully blocked each other's attacks, increasing the tempo more and more.
A little further away, Revan distinguished Obi-Wan, hurrying to his master's aid.
Taking several deep breaths and filling his muscles with oxygen, Revan called upon the Force and applied acceleration.
Ahead, Maul, showered with a hail of blows, retreated down a corridor with several force fields that deactivated periodically.
"Avner?" Obi-Wan exclaimed in surprise at Revan's retreating back.
He lacked just a moment to reach Qui-Gon when the barriers activated, dividing the corridor into isolated sections.
Obi-Wan, Revan, Qui-Gon, and Maul found themselves separated from each other. Judging by the periodicity of the activation and deactivation of the barriers, the former Jedi estimated that they had a few minutes to catch their breath and regain their strength.
There were only a few force fields left, about ten meters away, and the ancient knew he would still have time to help him. Unlike Kenobi. For some reason, the padawan wasn't using acceleration, possibly saving his strength. However, at this pace, he wouldn't be able to reach the fighters while the fields were still active.
The question remained how Revan could speak with Maul alone. The former dark lord had many questions for the Sith apprentice.
As soon as the barriers deactivated, the gifted ones burst from their places again.
The Zabrak's furious snarl turned to surprise when a silver blade joined the green one.
Fighting alongside Jin, whose style was unfamiliar, proved difficult. Therefore, Revan did not activate his second blade, narrowing the sectors of attack so as not to hit his ally.
Maul skillfully blocked both blades and moved with surprising fluidity. The former Jedi even thought that this acolyte had not wasted time and had spent the past few days analyzing his mistakes.
The Zabrak used his anger to strengthen his body, and he did it much better than on Tatooine.
"Talented kid," Revan thought when there was a pause in the fight.
Qui-Gon, as it turned out, had missed a blow and sustained a wound on his left arm.
Several scorch marks were clearly visible on Maul's clothing, but, as it turned out, the green blade had not reached his flesh.
"Jedi scum!" the Zabrak spat venomously.
"And you say that, you horned freak, incapable of even understanding the essence of the power you use?" Revan said mockingly, casually tossing the hilt of his sword into the air. "Do you even know which side to hold the blade from?"
Roaring with fury, Maul lunged, but ran into a kick and a sharp swing of the silver blade, which grazed one of the horns on the Sith apprentice's head.
"A lesson for the future," the ancient said calmly, throwing the severed bone protrusion into the wide shaft in the center of the hall. "Emotions are a double-edged sword."
Jin gave a slight smile at Revan's comment and stood next to him.
Maul, hissing like a snake, lunged forward and wedged himself between the opponents. Revan snorted in displeasure, realizing that Qui-Gon's presence was restraining him. He had to strike carefully so as not to hit his ally.
Jin, meanwhile, also couldn't show all his skills for a similar reason. Moreover, the wound on his arm was increasingly distracting him.
Maul managed to surprise them. During another pirouette, he suddenly sent a shockwave at their feet, which caught Revan and his ally off guard. Both were thrown in different directions.
The Zabrak lunged towards the weaker target, intending to finish off Qui-Gon.
Jin had barely managed to get to his feet when a hail of furious blows rained down on him. The crimson blade moved with lightning speed, constantly changing direction. Maul suddenly caught the Jedi with a deceptive feint and struck him with his hilt in the face. Jin momentarily lost his orientation in space, which the opponent took advantage of. The blood-red blade lunged towards the man's chest.
But the triumphant expression vanished from the Sith's face when he realized something had stopped his sword. The blade entered the Jedi's body, but not deep enough to damage his heart. Qui-Gon instinctively recoiled from the source of pain and dropped his lightsaber, falling to one knee. The hoarse groan that escaped his throat indicated a damaged lung. This fight was over for him, but at least the Jedi's life was out of danger.
Maul, however, looked at Revan with disbelief, standing at the opposite end of the room with his hand extended towards his opponent.
"Made it," the former Jedi thought, holding Maul's light staff with the Force.
Realizing he had been thwarted, the Zabrak flew into a rage and completely forgot about the vulnerable target in front of him, turning towards Revan and regaining control of his weapon.
"How dare you?!" he roared, his golden irises flashing.
"Surprisingly easy," the ancient chuckled.
The Dark Side adept lunged at his enemy with a warlike roar. Revan instantly became serious and activated his second blade, meeting the Zabrak.
A brief exchange of blows ended with the more experienced former Jedi clamping the light staff between his blades, provoking a clinch.
"I have a couple of questions for you, acolyte," he hissed into Maul's face.
"I have nothing to say to you, Jedi!"
Revan just smirked and broke the distance.
Channeling the Force through his sword, he swatted away the lunging Zabrak. The amplified shockwave that erupted from the blade knocked Maul off his feet and slammed him into the wall. The disoriented opponent fell to his knees, gasping for air, when Kenobi, who had finally broken through, suddenly jumped towards him.
The padawan swung his saber, intending to finish off the Dark acolyte, but the hand with the activated blue blade stopped abruptly.
"Don't interfere," Revan commanded in a commanding tone, lifting the young man into the air and throwing him towards Qui-Gon. "You'd better look after your master."
The padawan jumped to his feet and wanted to rush back into the fight, but Jin's hoarse voice stopped him.
"No need, Obi-Wan. This is no longer our fight."
Kenobi hesitated for another moment about what to do, until he met the Ancient's gaze. He just shook his head slightly, and the young padawan instantly understood what violating this order would entail. The blue blade retracted into the hilt with a hiss, and the student focused on examining his master's wounds.
Revan, meanwhile, slowly approached the Zabrak. With each step, palpable waves of the Force emanated from him, and the cloak draped over his shoulders fluttered behind him like wings. The presence of this being was overwhelming. His superiority was undeniable.
But the Zabrak, blinded by rage, did not see this. He grabbed his sword and attacked again. The blows were powerful and fast. The young Sith was strong. Qui-Gon, watching the fight, noted to himself that he wasn't sure if he could withstand such an onslaught.
However, no matter how unexpected the angles of the blows, no matter how fast the young Zabrak was, the crimson sword invariably met an insurmountable wall of defense. Gradually, Maul began to realize the futility of his attempts.
And when Revan once again threw his opponent aside, the young Sith couldn't take it.
"Why?!" he exclaimed with clearly discernible despair in his voice. "Why can't I defeat you, Jedi?!"
Revan swung his swords, drawing an intricate pattern in the air.
"I already told you about the staff's weaknesses," he replied calmly, toying with the blades.
Maul's eyes widened as he stared at his opponent. Recognition flickered in his gaze.
The former Jedi burst out laughing.
"Were you so blinded by your emotions that you didn't even recognize me?"
The Zabrak hesitantly opened his mouth, but immediately closed it.
"To hell with the mask, but my blades! You should have recognized them," Revan raised his lightsabers to chest level, displaying very distinctive carved hilts.
"Lord?" Maul whispered, half questioningly, half affirmatively.
"I see your memory is returning," his interlocutor tilted his head slightly.
"I..." the Zabrak started to say something, but suddenly fell silent.
"I had a request for you," Revan reminded him. "Which you ignored."
Maul flinched. Fear was evident in his eyes. However, he still activated his sword again and took a defensive stance.
"I cannot betray my master! My mentor..." he began, trying to muster courage or turn fear into strength.
The ancient Sith sent three consecutive Force pushes at the Zabrak. He managed to block two of them, but the third knocked him down again.
"What kind of teacher is this..." Revan began, lifting his opponent into the air. "Who doesn't teach?"
Maul slammed his back into the wall.
The former Jedi approached him in three steps and kicked him onto his back. The Zabrak tried to swing his sword, but Revan, with a short swing, cut through the staff's hilt, damaging one of the emitters. Without giving the opponent time to ignite the blade on the surviving end of the staff, he Force-pulled the weapon from Maul's hands and pinned the defeated enemy to the floor with his foot.
"How can you be so weak at your age? And with such potential?" Revan asked quietly, as if to himself.
"Peace... is a lie..." the Zabrak rasped.
The ancient snorted, increasing the pressure.
"Do you even understand the meaning of those words?" the former dark lord snorted. "Do you understand the path of the Dark Side?"
"F-force," the Zabrak whispered.
"Fool," Revan shook his head. "What you call the Force is merely a pale shadow of the power that the Dark Side holds."
A discharge of lightning ran through the Ancient's body, causing him no harm.
"For a Sith, the Force is a weapon, a tool, not a guide. A true Sith will never allow emotions to turn him into a mindless beast, driven by instinct alone. He will master them, turn them into his own power, and cast down those who stand in the way of his goal. This is our true freedom."
Revan himself didn't notice that by the end of his speech, he had included himself among the Sith. He knew a lot about the Force and understood it like no other. And along with understanding the great foundation, he was able to look anew at the teachings of the adepts of both the Dark and Light sides. He suddenly realized that his talkativeness was due to an inexplicable desire to pass on his knowledge. A desire to teach.
With the edge of his consciousness, the Ancient heard a short, melodious chuckle. Revan could have sworn the voice was female... and familiar.
"Who... are you?" a voice came from somewhere below, bringing the former Sith back to the current situation.
"My name is Revan. And that is my essence," the former dark lord replied without hesitation.
The young Dark Side acolyte's eyes widened in surprise. He knew that name! Once, when he managed to sneak into his mentor's chambers, he stumbled upon a legend about the ancient lord in his teacher's notes.
"Teach me... please... I beg you... Lord Revan," the Zabrak rasped.
Revan shifted his gaze to his defeated opponent. Maul looked at him with hope in his eyes.
The ancient hesitated. Did he need a student? If the vision was to be believed, then yes, undoubtedly. And not just one. However... teaching someone the Sith path? Was that to his liking? Perhaps he should teach this Zabrak the Light Side? But there was much more Darkness in his soul. And overcoming his own nature would be very difficult for him.
However, what difference did it make? He knew better than anyone that the Dark Side was not evil. Darkness or Light, in themselves, could not cause harm. And the Dark Side could be used for good. Wasn't that the balance the vision had tried to tell him about?
The thought seemed interesting to Revan. Could he convey its meaning to his student... or students? Would he finally manage to reconcile the two sides of the Force and achieve the balance that, according to legends, existed in ancient times on Tython?
"Interesting," he thought, removing his foot from the Zabrak's chest.
"On your knees," Revan commanded aloud.
Maul obediently complied.
"Are you willing to voluntarily renounce your master and swear allegiance to your new lord?" the black blade rested on Maul's shoulder.
"Yes, my lord."
"Do you swear to serve me in word and deed, to heed my teachings, to accept wisdom, and to follow instructions without question?" the silver blade touched the other shoulder.
"Yes, my lord."
"From this moment on, your life belongs to me. All your actions will be performed only by my will. Henceforth, you are my student," the blades crossed under the Zabrak's chin, forcing him to lift his head and look into Revan's eyes.
"Yes, teacher," he said, feeling the blades barely touching his skin.
A sharp swing, and two small burns appeared on Maul's neck, like a thin strip of a torn collar.
"Stand up, student."
The Zabrak rose, straightening his shoulders proudly. Revan felt that his new follower sincerely wanted to serve him and learn. He yearned for power and authority, but only to gain freedom. He had been a slave for too long, and if he had to change masters for freedom, he was glad of it.
However, he would need to keep an eye on him.
"Traitor!" a voice rang out from behind.
Revan turned around.
Kenobi stood with his lightsaber activated.
"You are a Sith!" the padawan stated the obvious.
Revan smirked.
"Hasty conclusions are a sign of a dull mind."
"You've been playing us from the very beginning!" Obi-Wan insisted.
Maul picked up the fragments of his sword and activated the surviving blade, preparing to defend his new master.
"Maul, back," Revan stopped his student. "Leave and wait for my call. Just keep the commlink on this time."
The ancient Sith threw his new follower a comm device.
"Yes, my lord," the Zabrak bowed and stepped back, quickly leaving the hall.
"Where?! Stop!" Kenobi lunged to intercept.
However, he didn't manage to reach him. Revan, instantly appearing in his path, sent the padawan back to his master with a powerful blow to the torso. And he did it backward.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon barked sternly, suppressing a cough that threatened to escape. "Stop it. He is not our enemy."
"But he's a Sith!" the student objected.
"That's not true. And I can vouch for him. He is not our enemy," Jin repeated.
The padawan reluctantly obeyed, continuing to glare at Revan.
"Violators!" a synthesized voice sounded from one of the hall entrances.
Kenobi and the one he knew as Avner Van prepared to fight a new batch of droids. However, the next moment, the mechanical soldier twitched strangely and froze, lowering its head.
Revan approached it, not lowering his sword for a second, and gently pushed its chest. The droid tilted, then helplessly toppled over.
"It's deactivated," Kenobi stated.
"So, the fight is over," Revan smirked, sheathing his swords.
All that remained was to pick up Anakin and get off this planet. Preferably before the Council found out about everything.