Star Wars_ The Old Republic_ Revan - Drew Karpyshyn [100]
“I didn’t figure it out,” he said. “Revan told me.”
THE INSTANT THE BLUE-BLADED lightsaber had materialized in the human female’s hand, Scourge realized she was a Jedi. And he could only think of one reason a Jedi would come to Dromund Kaas in search of him—she was here to rescue Revan.
He was impressed with how easily she had dismantled Murtog and his handpicked team. He could feel her channeling the Force, yet it was somehow different from what he had felt when he battled other Sith.
She wasn’t afraid to kill, but he sensed she took no real pleasure in it. Instead of feeding off her anger and hate, it was as if she kept her emotions at arm’s length so the Force could flow through her unhindered.
Part of him wanted to leap into the fray: battling this Jedi would be a true test of his skills. He didn’t know which of them would prove the stronger, but he was intrigued by the challenge. Yet another part of him knew she represented something far more significant than a worthy foe.
“What do you mean Revan told you?” she demanded.
“When I last spoke with him he said something I didn’t believe. I thought he was lying to manipulate me. I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me.”
Actually, Scourge still wasn’t sure he understood. Not fully. The female Jedi’s presence was proof that Revan was telling the truth about his Force vision. He had hinted to Scourge that his freedom was close at hand; he must have had a premonition of her arrival.
The revelation was what had stayed Scourge’s blade. He wasn’t willing to do battle with her until he had carefully considered all the implications and alternatives.
“If you spoke to Revan, then you know where he is,” the woman said.
She was still poised in a combat-ready stance, as was Scourge—neither willing to make the first move, but each ready to respond to an attack by the other.
“Revan is a prisoner,” Scourge told her.
“Then I order you to set him free!” she demanded.
“It’s not that simple.”
Nothing about this situation was simple. As he spoke to the Jedi, Scourge was still trying to understand why Revan had mentioned his vision to him at all.
At the time he’d thought the prisoner was simply trying to manipulate him, to trick him into helping him escape. Now, however, it seemed as if Revan’s words had been a warning—almost as if he knew Scourge would find himself in this situation.
It made no sense to give any kind of warning to an enemy. However, if Revan believed that he and Scourge were destined to become allies, then his words did make sense. Was it possible he had seen a vision of Scourge working with him?
It seemed to be the only answer that fit. He had sometimes sensed that Revan was trying to recruit him to his side; the feeling had been even stronger in their last conversation. He’d dismissed it as desperation to escape, but what if Revan knew the events he had foreseen were drawing near? What if he had witnessed this confrontation in the cave, and he had been trying to make Scourge understand that they had to become allies to stop the Emperor?
“Tell me where Revan is,” the woman said. “Tell me where he’s being held and I will let you walk away.”
He realized his adversary was misinterpreting his reluctance to fight as fear. She was as confused about this as he was. Yet the more Scourge thought about it, the clearer it became.
Nyriss would never move against the Emperor; he knew that now. He had come to accept that neither she nor any of the other Dark Council members who had plotted with her would ever actually dare to strike.
If anyone was going to stop the Emperor from his mad invasion of the Republic, it would have to be Scourge. But he couldn’t do it alone.
“Come with me and I will take you and your droid to see Revan,” he said, deactivating his blade. “He will tell you the truth.”
The Jedi wasn’t so quick to lower her weapon.
Her astromech droid rolled up to stand beside her, squawking loudly.
“Tee-Three’s right. I’ve already walked into one trap today,” the Jedi answered. “I think I’ve hit my quota.”
Scourge understood her