FicWad

The composed voice of the woman she had come to love over the months rang through her head. She was so happy to know that Bastila wasn't dead that she didn't notice the aura of darkness surrounding the Jedi.

"Bastila... you're safe. I've been so worried about you. But, you've escaped and now we can-"The overly enthused Skye was cut off.

"Destroy the Star Forge? Is that what you were going to say?" Bastila interrupted. "I'm sorry, Revan, I can't allow you to do that." She had this strange smile on her face, that didn't reach her eyes. Seeing all three Jedi look clueless, she went on to elaborate. "You see, I am now apprentice to Darth Malak, so I have to stop you." Skye could see Bastila's hand edging ever closer towards her lightsaber. She now felt the darkness around Bastila; she wondered how she could have missed it, the feeling was overwhelming.

Juhani and Skye were stunned, but Jolee looked upset. "You just gave in did you? Waiting for the right time to defect to the Sith, was it?" Skye glared at the man; Bastila merely shrugged the comment off.

"No, I tried to resist like a good little Jedi... and for a while I did. But a few weeks of torture can change anyone's mind. The stories you hear are child's play to the real thing. But I tire of this mindless drivel. Once I eliminate you all, then Malak will truly begin to embrace me as his apprentice!" Her eyes had a glimmer of something Skye had never seen in them- hatred.

"Wait, Bas-"

"What are you doing?!" Juhani yelled at her, cutting her off in mid sentence. "You can't talk her out of this!"

The blue light crawling across the ground next to Skye reinforced Juhani's notion of 'fight first, ask questions later'. Jolee's lightsaber cast its own green glow on her opposite side. Hoping Bastila would come to her senses once she truly saw she was outmatched, she drew her own sabers.

Bastila seemed quite unconcerned at the four different lightsabers pointed toward her, and drew her own, its once yellow light now a deep red. She looked like she wanted to say something, but then thought the better of it, springing at them quickly.

Jolee had barely been able to dodge in time. A few seconds slower, and his head would have likely been cleaved off his body. He may constantly say he's old, but his reflexes sure weren't. Bastila tried a second attack, swinging the saber out in a horizontal arc towards his torso, which he managed to jump back from and avoid. Juhani sent her lightsaber spiraling towards Bastila. Bastila couldn't avoid the blade, and it cut into her thigh. She screamed in pain, but still she continued her assault on the Jedi trio. Now the attack was on Skye, who managed to parry two of the three quick saber blows Bastila had thrown at her. The other one scraped her shoulder, burning painfully. Skye retaliated, leaping in the air and bringing both sabers down in a cross pattern, stunning Bastila enough for the fight to stop. For now, anyway.

Bastila limped back a few steps, and cautiously the Jedi team turned their lightsabers off. Skye felt a cooling sensation on her shoulder, and noticed Jolee healing her out of the corner of her eye.

Bastila smiled. "You're strong Revan. I can only imagine what your power was like when you were Dark Lord."

Shaking her head, Skye looked blackly at Bastila. "I'm not Revan anymore. I'm Skye Kinoda."

Bastila rolled her eyes. "The identity the Jedi programmed into you mind is nothing compared to your true self, and you know it. Leave your false life and the dimming power of the light side!" She looked directly into the other woman's eyes. "Take back your rightful place as ruler of the Sith!"

"What are you talking about? I don't even remember much of my life then."

"That's true, but the memories may come back, perhaps not. It doesn't matter. I will become your apprentice instead of Malak's and we can rule together." Bastila replied, hoping to convince Skye to return to the dark side.

The offer was tempting. The way things were going now; she may have to kill Bastila. And then her own life would be without purpose. If she became Revan again, they could be together, guaranteed. But what would be the cost? Millions- no, billions- would suffer under Sith rule. How could she even think of doing such a selfish thing? She shook her head.

"No, Bastila. I can't. The dark side is an evil thing."

"Are you intending to fight me to the death, then?" She knew the answer to this question; Skye couldn't bring herself to harm her, but would try to convert her back to the light.

Bastila's thoughts were exactly right. "Bastila you can come back from the dark. I know you can, and I'll save you."

Juhani nodded. "That's right, Bastila. I was redeemed too by Skye." Bastila glared at Juhani coldly.

"You, Juhani, are beneath my contempt! Turning away from the superior side to go running back to the simpering Jedi council with your tail between your legs." She sighed, annoyed. "I tried to make you see things my way, but you won't. Such a shame, I really did like you all." Drawing her lightsaber she attacked again. The battle went the same as the last time, and desperate to escape, Bastila forced them away with the Force long enough for her to make her escape in her ship.

The threat vanquished, they shut down the shield controls and went back to the Ebon Hawk.

Carth was the first to speak. "What happened up there on the temple? Where's Bastila? He demanded. 'I suppose that was quite a light show they must have witnessed from down here.' Skye thought.

"Bastila is..." She started but couldn't finish.

"Malak has turned her Carth. She... couldn't be brought to reason." Jolee stated.

Carth looked shocked, as did the rest of the crew, minus Canderous, who looked like he didn't really care either way.

"We have to hurry to the Star Forge." Skye continued. Her voice was strained, and her eyes were full of unshed tears. She went into the Ebon Hawk without another word.

The rest of the group, confidence shaken also, headed into the ship.

Juhani was the one to find Skye. She had been missing ever since they left the Unknown World, and worried, Juhani went looking for her. Entering the ship's bedroom, she saw Skye sitting on her bed, knees pulled up under her chin. Skye looked up, hearing Juhani's footsteps, and hastily began wiping tears off her face. Juhani walked over quickly and sat next to the distraught woman.

"I'm sorry.. I must have had you worried.." Skye said, still wiping away the tears on her face.

"Is this about Bastila? Don't worry.. if anyone can save her, it's you." She said reassuringly. "But, she may be too far gone, Revan. I know you care for her-" The Cathar was cut off by Skye, who was looking even worse than before Juhani had tried to calm her.

"Care? It's more than that... you don't know the half of it." Looking up at the other woman, she saw the look of confusion on her face. "Juhani, I love her. I know that we can't love, but I can't help it. If she dies... I'm nothing. I failed the one person I swore to myself I'd protect." Her eyes were watering again.

Juhani sighed sadly. "I know how you feel." Now it was Skye's turn to look clueless.

"But I thought.. if you're talking about that guy we came across on Korriban, I thought you said you didn't love him."

"I don't. It was Belaya from the Academy on Dantooine." Skye's jaw dropped open slightly. Juhani? With that stuck-up, rude Padawan... 'I never would have guessed' she thought.

"I remember talking to her, and she mentioned you two spent a lot of time together... I never thought of it like that." She looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry Juhani. Maybe some of the Jedi escaped Dantooine before the Academy was razed."

Juhani smiled weakly. "I can only hope. But... let's not talk about this anymore for now." Skye nodded, and together, they sat in silence, until Carth yelled they were nearing the Star Forge.

They discovered that the Jedi had indeed escaped the devastation of the Sith and were aiding the Republic to defeat the Sith forces. Several Jedi were fighting off Dark Jedi who were attempting to force them to retreat.

Heading past them, Skye, Carth, and Mission made their way through to the entrance of the Star Forge. They were largely unopposed until they had been inside about 10 minutes. After that they began being attacked by droids at every corner. Fighting their way through the first floor of the Forge, they eventually came across a duo of Dark Jedi facing off against three of their lighter counterparts. The Jedi didn't stand a chance. Two were cut down in light saber duels, and the last was thrown off a ledge with a single push of the Force. And now they had their sights on the three observers watching them..

General Dodonna was on a starship launching an attack on the Star Forge. Standing beside her was Master Vandar of the now-demolished Jedi Council on Dantooine. Both were looking at a screen showing them how the battle against the Sith was going.

"We're doing well so far, considering they outman us nearly two to one." Dodonna commented.

Vandar nodded. "However, they have Bastila on their side. If she uses her Battle Meditation, it will be the end of us. The crew of the Ebon Hawk must get to her before it comes to that."

She'd been thinking about the old times, now that she had some time alone. Malak had ordered no one disturb her while she readied her Battle Meditation. But instead of being as calm as the ocean as it should have been, her mind was thinking back to a time on Manaan between her and.. who else but Skye, the one person she couldn't stop thinking of.

They were in the Manaan courtroom. Skye had just presented the evidence proving that Republic war veteran Sunry had killed his lover, a Sith named Elassa.

"See something you like, Bastila?" Skye asked smoothly, smirking.

"What are you talking about?"

Skye's smile grew wider. "Well, you're staring at me, so I just assumed that you were in awe of my incredible looks!" Bastila looked blankly for a second, as if she couldn't believe what she just heard then glared. "You are easily the vainest, most arrogant woman I have ever met. I was not looking at you, I was looking past you."

Skye rolled her eyes. "Sure... whatever." The joking tone in her voice dropped. "But you did look like you wanted to say something."

"I do. I see how you handled this case impartially, and I'm impressed. Why did you use the incriminating evidence instead of attempting to free Sunry?"

"I guess I think that everyone deserves justice, even the Sith." She looked at the other woman apprehensively. "Do you think that's stupid to give them a chance when they wouldn't give us one?"

"No...actually I'm rather impressed with the way you handled that... I doubt I could be so impartial if it were me in your place."

Skye looked at her oddly.

"What? What is it?" Bastila demanded.

"It's just... I'm in shock... Did I just get a compliment from you?"

Bastila's looked irritated. "Well, yes, surely it's not such a shock."

"Well, it's just you sound so pained when you say it..."

"Do I? I'm sorry. I really am proud of you.. even if I don't really sound like it." She looked a little red as she said that last bit.

In response, Skye draped an arm around the younger Jedi, and looked down at her, before saying teasingly. "Just the fact you admit it is enough for me. Now if only you could own up to staring at me with passion in your eyes." Bastila elbowed Skye lightly.

"You never quit do you?"

Malak walked into the wide, empty antechamber where his new apprentice was sitting, preparing to use her Battle Meditation.

Sensing him approach, she turned her head to look at him, and was about to stand up, but he waved her away. She quickly pushed all thoughts about Skye- Revan aside, before Malak could notice. He didn't detect a thing.

"Sit. I've come to tell you that my former master will be coming through here any minute now. He must not get through you. Destroy her, and you will truly earn the title of Apprentice." his metallic voice echoed through the vacant room.

"Yes, master. She is no match for me, not by herself. I'll be sure to take care of her friends first this time."

Malak seemed satisfied. "Very well. Do not disappoint me again Bastila." He turned and walked back through the door he came in from. To himself he continued talking. "Even if you do not succeed, I will destroy Revan. No one will stand in my path to crushing the Republic, especially a washed-up ex Sith Lord."

The dark feeling emanating from the door they were about to go through could only mean they were on the right track. "This is it. Everyone ready?" Carth nodded, and Mission, after using a medpacs, nodded as well. Skye pulled the lever that opened the door. It slid back, revealing Bastila kneeling on the floor some forty feet away from them. Hearing the door open, she turned to look towards them, before standing and waiting for them to reach her.

"Revan, Revan... you never give up do you?" she asked, looking up into the eyes of the former Sith Lord.

Skye faltered under the gaze of the other Jedi, and she looked down at her feet, the thought of defecting to be with Bastila again surging through her head. Shaking the thought out of her mind, she glanced up again. "No. I'll never give up on you while I still live. I know I can save you."

"Save me?" she laughed. "Revan, the dark side is nothing to save me from. Everything the Council tried to shield me from, it's not bad at all."

"No, you don't know-"

"What? It's evil? No...just Jedi lies fed to us, because they can't handle the power of it. They kept me from the dark side to hold me back, keep me calling them 'master. I'm stronger than them now, much stronger- and once Malak accepts me as his apprentice, I'll be their master.

Trying to speak again, Skye interjected. "He won't let you surpass him, Bastila. He'll kill you before you get that far."

"Thinking back on what you should have done Revan? He won't do that; it's not the way of the Sith. I will kill him when he becomes inept as my master, then I'll take on my own apprentice."

Carth spoke up from behind Skye. "Do you really think we'll let you just get away with this?" he demanded, drawing his blaster from its holster in preparation of a fight.

Bastila smiled softly, but it didn't reach her eyes, as she replied. "Carth, of course I expected you to resist, with your staunch adhesion to your obsolete moral code. Sadly for you, you won't have a chance to put up much of a struggle as I kill you." She made a dismissive motion with her hands, and both Carth and Mission, who hadn't even had a chance to speak, were put into a stasis hold by Bastila's command of the Force. The door suddenly shut and made a metallic clicking sound as the hydraulic locks activated. Now it was just Skye and Bastila in the antechamber. Bastila's hand reached for her lightsaber, removed it from its place in her belt, and turned the dual beams on. The crimson glow lit up her face, excluding the hollows underneath her eyes where shadows still lurked, giving a truly sinister appearance. That terrible smile was still on her face and it made Skye's stomach clench painfully.

"There's still time, Skye. You don't have to die here with them."

"No one will die here today, not even you." Skye responded, declining the offer, hoping she could actually finish this without any bloodshed, and absently wondering why Bastila called her by her Jedi-given name instead of Revan, as she had been previously. She drew her own sabers reluctantly, and the blue glow melded with the red, forming a purplish hue in the room.

Four times they fought, and each time Skye had managed to avoid seriously injuring the other woman. Bastila seemed to be getting some sort of healing energy from the Star Forge, but now that power seemed to have run out, and she backed away from Skye, disbelief in her eyes.

"How did you-? Even using the dark side, I cannot defeat you, Revan."

"It's as I told you. The dark side is an illusion of power. Whatever it seems to give you, it'll just take back tenfold later." The past battles were just practice for what was to come- convincing Bastila to turn from the dark side.

"I.. I suppose it is. But, there's no way I can go back now, not after all this. For the sake of the bond we once shared, end my life now, there's no way I can redeem myself." She looked resigned to her fate.

"Bastila, I can't do that... Look at me. I did more horrible things than you could ever do, and I was changed," Skye replied, not wanting to think about having to do that.

"Yes, but your mind was destroyed. A little easier to start again that way."

"Maybe...but I won't give up on you."

Bastila looked up, astonished at what she was hearing. " You play a dangerous game Skye. How do you know I won't betray your trust and kill you and the others?"

"Because," Skye tossed her sabers to the floor, where they rolled for several feet. "I love you, and I believe somewhere inside yourself you love me back. I leave myself unguarded to show my trust in you."

Bastila walked closer to the defenseless Jedi, her own lightsaber still in her hand. If Skye was becoming afraid of the sudden movement, she didn't show it. "You're a brave woman, and some would say foolish," she said. "...But, you're right," she extinguished her saber. "I can't bring myself to strike you down. The dark side has not wholly consumed me, Malak must have known that killing you would destroy the good left in me."

Happiness surged through Skye's heart, and it took all of her willpower to not jump up and down in some sort of childish glee. Of course, this was an exceptional event. If she were to do that, Bastila couldn't scold her for displaying such overt emotion. Any other Jedi for that matter.

"Bastila, come with me. You have every right to face Malak after what he's done to you." Skye, said gently. Bastila shook her head, looking towards the door Malak had come through earlier.

"I can't. The dark side still has a powerful hold on me... you'll have to go on ahead without me."

"I understand." She'd have to hurt Malak twice as badly for Bastila. "Can you help from in here?" Bastila nodded.

"My Battle Meditation can help the Republic while you're facing Malak, that's all the help I can be, I'm afraid."

Skye smiled reassuringly. "If it's as good as I keep hearing it is, you'll be doing more than enough." Bastila smiled back a little and turned to go back to the spot she was kneeling earlier, but Skye, staying her, grabbed her arm. She looked up questioningly.

"Um...this may be the last time we see each other. I-" And then she choked up. Great. Just great. What may be the last thing I say isn't coming out. Damn nerves.

Much to her surprise, Bastila smirked and pulled her down into a kiss. A shock, but a very pleasant one. After a few seconds, Bastila pulled away, leaving Skye looking bewildered, but she quickly recovered.

"I figured that's what you wanted..." she started. Skye turned red, and grinned sheepishly. She giggled at the embarrassed condition of the older Jedi, (which shocked Skye even more - she never thought shed hear a laugh from Bastila) "...well, part of it anyway. In case.. in case we don't make it out of here, I want you to know I love you."

"You're not afraid to love anymore?"

Bastila shook her head. "You said you loved me, with you I have nothing to fear." She bent down and retrieved the two lightsabers on the floor, and handed them to Skye.

Skye looked at Bastila with a look of mock annoyance. "You're subtle. You want me to leave so quickly after you just told me what I wanted to hear all these months?"

"They'll be plenty of time for that later, you know. But for now, finish what we've started, and end this threat once and for all," she replied, reaching up and caressing the other woman's cheek for a brief moment before pulling away. "Good luck my love, and may the Force be with you."

Suddenly, the Sith Armada wasn't faring too well in the fight against the Republic forces, even thought they outnumbered their opposition at least 4 to one. Every Republic fighter ship was becoming extremely accurate, taking down more ships in a few minutes than they'd been able to the whole battle. Their casualty rate was dropping as well. General Dodonna was monitoring all of this in the Republic flagship.

A slightly distorted voice sounded out of an intercom; one of the fighter pilots was reporting the current status.

"Green Squadron reporting! There's a an opening in the Sith fleet."

Dodonna, thankful for whatever was affecting the opposition, replied quickly. "Green squadron, move in." She saw the squad; represented by green triangles on the observation screen, move. Minutes later, the same pilot made a second report.

"Green squadron through, we've broken their lines! Bastila is no longer using her Battle Meditation against us. The tide has turned!"

Pleased with the sudden change in the battle, Dodonna issued no orders for the time being, and continued to watch the screen. Most of the Sith fleet was focusing on the Green Squadron, leaving a large opening nearer to the Star Forge. Luckily, there was a squadron nearing that gap. "Red Squadron, head into that breach! Capitol ships- reinforce their positions!" The strategy fell into place flawlessly, the enemy was scattered all over, trying to regain their dominance in the fight. "The Sith fleet is in disarray. Here's our chance, hit that Star Forge with everything you've got!"

"Hmph. I see you got through the droids with no problem." Malak said, his voice ringing across the enormous observation room. He turned around to see Skye standing behind him.

"Well, it's not like it was that hard. But you never were too good with technology were you, Malak?" she retorted, glaring at him all the time. "You didn't think it'd be that easy to get rid of me with a few droids, did you? I mean, you've sent your Dark Jedi lackeys, your old apprentice, and a bounty hunter after me."

"One can always hope Revan. Although... I suppose I knew this confrontation would eventually happen. But you will not win here against me." He made a sweeping motion with his arm across the room, drawing Skye's attention to several cylindrical containers up against the wall, each containing a person suspended in some kind of liquid. "Recognize anyone you know? These are Jedi who fell in the assault on Dantooine."

Unsure of Malak's reasons for keeping them, but not really wanting to continue this talk, kept silent. Outside, the sound of weapon fire hitting the Forge began. She didn't have much time left. "Listen, as great as all this has been, I think we should get to the part where I kill you."

Malak looked like he would have smiled, if he still had a mouth. "And here I was thinking the Jedi captured their prisoners, that no one deserves death no matter how horrible their crimes. Or are you seeking revenge for me betraying you?"

"I don't care about that. I'm not going to kill you for what you've done to me. You captured Bastila, tortured her, and tried to make her your apprentice. I'm killing you because of what you did to her. I'm killing you because I hate you."

"Revan, I had no idea you'd become such a pathetic slave to love. If I knew, maybe I wouldn't have been so hard on her-" Malak goaded. He didn't see the fist arc through the air and find it's target on his iron jaw. Even more unexpected was his new position on the floor.

Skye held her hand in the other for a second; trying to lessen the painful sting radiating from it. She noticed her knuckles were raw, the skin having scraped off against Malak's jaw. Oh, well. Definitely worth it. She didn't have any more time to thing on how nice it had been to clock Malak, because he has already up, and reaching for his lightsaber.

I'm gonna make him pay.

Bastila, hearing the Republic's bombardment of the Star Forge, got up from her meditative position, knowing her Battle Meditation was no longer needed. She wondered if Skye was alright, and wanted to go help her against Malak, but before she could debate more on whether or not she could go, she felt the other Jedi reach out to her through their shared bond.

'Don't come to help me. Doing fine on my own. Help the others get out before this place is trashed.' She sounded rushed, like she was busy doing something else at the same time.

'Well, you certainly don't sound fine!'

There was silence for a few seconds, before Skye's reply came. 'Believe me, I'm fine. Malak however, has a few tricks up his sleeve, and it's just taking a little longer to finish this than I would like. Just go. We won't have too much time to get out of here.'

'Fine, fine. Just don't die on me.'

'I can't do that, not with as much as we have left to do together.'

Bastila turned a slight shade of pink, and knew even while she was fighting, Skye was smiling at her discomfort. Highly annoyed, she discontinued the thought conversation and walked to the door on the south side of the room that Carth and Mission were locked behind. As she neared, she noticed the sounds of Carth and Mission banging on the door. As she opened the door, Carth was in mid-bang, and stumbled into the doorway a little. Recovering he looked at Bastila suspiciously, wondering why she hadn't killed him yet.

"Where's Skye? You didn't...did you?" Mission asked, looking at Bastila with the same look of distrust as Carth.

"No, she was able to save me, and is currently fighting Malak. We need to get out of here-" she quickly explained, before Carth cut her off, asking his own question.

"How do I know I can trust you? How do I know she isn't dead?"

"Honestly, Carth! Why would I be talking to you if I wanted to kill you? No, you won't be satisfied unless you know for yourself." She moved out of his line of sight, and pointed to the empty chamber" "See any bodies lying around?" This man is the most stubborn man in the galaxy.

Carth looked, but from the look on his face, he still wasn't completely convinced. The sound of the Republic fleet firing on the Forge intensified. "I'm still not sure...but we really don't have a choice, do we?" Mission nodded, still looking warily at the Jedi.

"I know how hard it can be for you to trust people Carth, but I won't betray your trust. Let's go."

Malak was kneeling on the floor, dying. Skye was standing over him.

"Impossible... I ... I cannot be beaten. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith!" "The power of the light will always be stronger than the dark side, Malak."

Malak coughed; from the sound of it, he had internal bleeding and was coughing up blood. It wouldn't be long now. "Still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi Council I see. Maybe... there is more to it than I believed there was. I wonder what would have become of me if it was I who the Jedi captured... could I have returned to the light as you did? If you had not led me down the dark path, what destiny would I have found?"

A pang of guilt went through Skye. She regretted that, even if she didn't remember doing that. "I'm sorry for what I did, but you've had several opportunities to turn away. You cannot blame me for the path you chose."

"I suppose you speak the truth. I wanted to be ruler of the Sith, ruler of the galaxy. But that destiny was not mine. It may have been yours perhaps, but not mine. I had nothing really, and as the darkness takes me, I am nothing." His knees gave out and he collapsed to the floor, dead.

Carth ran up to Skye as she jogged out of the Star Forge entrance. "There you are, what happened?"

"Um, I killed him?" Sky replied dryly. "And a lot of help you were, by the way."

"Hey! I did what I could, thank you very much."

Bastila interjected, ending the mild argument. "You'll have plenty of time to bicker about who did what. Now's not the place!"

"She's right," Carth agreed. "This place is coming down around our ears. Let's get out of here!"

General Dodonna quickly issued an order to the entire Republic fleet once she saw a large spire collapse and fall away from the Star Forge. "We hit their main orbital stabilizers. Everyone pull back, I don't want to risk losing any more men." She looked down at the diminutive Master Vandar, and smiled. "We've done it, the Sith threat has been vanquished."

Vandar nodded, still looking out the window at the Forge. "But at what cost, Admiral? Where are the Ebon Hark and her crew?"

In the distance, Star Forge exploded. The outlook of the Ebon Hawk having survived looked bleak, and Dodonna was about to lower her head in respect when Carth's voice came in over the intercom.

"This is the Ebon Hawk reporting. Miss us?"

"Carth, you made it!" Dodonna exclaimed, surprised they weren't space dust by now.

Carth laughed. "We couldn't let you start the victory party without us, now could we?"

"Carth, I'm sending an honor guard to escort you back to Coruscant. You'll all be receiving a hero's welcome when you get there."

"You should change before we get to Coruscant." Skye told Bastila. They were in the back bedrooms, having left the main crew area for a more private location.

"I know," she glanced at Skye sitting on the bed across the room from her, and continued coolly. "but I'm not about to change in front of you. Not yet."

Skye sighed, and ran her hand through her hair before continuing. "Well, you can't blame me for trying, can you?" Bastila stuck her tongue out at her. "That's not very Jedi-like, you know." she joked.

"You attempting to seduce me is hardly Jedi-like either-" she prodded back, but stopped as she noticed the state of Skye's knuckles. "What happened to you?" she asked concernedly, getting up and walking over to the other woman's bunk and sitting down.

"This? Oh, gave a little love tap to our good friend Malak...he was mocking me for... for loving you. I know, I know. There is no emotion, there is peace." She looked down, embarrassed. She was surprised when Bastila took her injured hand in her own.

"I think you had the right to make an exception in that case, so we don't have to go over Jedi code." Bastila said innocently, just as satisfied Skye hit Malak as Skye was, scraped knuckles and all.

"What d'you think the Council will say about us?" Skye asked.

"Who knows? No matter what they say, I'll always love you. No more hiding my emotions. I know love doesn't lead to darkness now, I know it can save a person from it."

Skye smiled, and reached up with her free hand to touch the side of Bastila's face, looking into her eves lovingly. Bastila returned the gaze, before leaning in to kiss Skye.

'I always knew you couldn't resist me.' Skye commented through their bond, her lips being far too busy enjoying the contact the break away. Bastila didn't respond, but instead pulled Skye closer to her.

After what seemed like a few minutes, but actually had been a good half hour, Zaalbar walked in and interrupted them, announcing the fact that they would shortly arrive in Coruscant. Bastila jumped up after hearing the sudden howling of the Wookie, and quickly rearranged her clothing and smoothed her hair.

Zaalbar hooted in laughter at Bastila, who had turned a deep shade of crimson and was trying to find some excuse to run away from the room. "I... I think I'll go see if Carth needs any help in the cockpit." She quickly exited the room.

Skye glared at Zaalbar, who was still laughing. "Go on, laugh it up fuzzball."