Star Wars_ The Old Republic_ Revan - Drew Karpyshyn [101]
“Revan told me you were coming,” he tried to explain. “I think the Force gave him a vision of us working together.”
“Then why did you set an ambush?”
“I didn’t know who you were,” Scourge pointed out. “You wouldn’t tell Sechel any of the details of who you were or why you were looking for me.”
“You’re lying,” she said with a disbelieving shake of her head. “You’re afraid to face me. You’ll say anything to avoid a fight.”
“Do I seem afraid to you?”
“No,” she admitted. “You seem strangely calm.”
“That is because I finally understand what Revan meant. He wants us to unite against a common foe.”
“What common foe?”
“Our Emperor is planning an invasion of the Republic. Revan wants to stop him. So do I.”
“Why would you want to stop an invasion of the Republic?”
“The Emperor is mad. He wants to repeat the mistakes of the Great Hyperspace War; he wants to plunge us into a conflict that will end with our extinction.”
The Jedi lowered her lightsaber, but didn’t deactivate it. “Then why did you take Revan prisoner on Nathema?”
“That was before I knew his purpose here.”
He could tell she was still suspicious, and rightfully so. But he thought of something that might convince her. “You spoke of Nathema. Have you been to that world? Have you walked upon its surface?”
“I have,” she said quietly, and he could tell from the haunted expression on her face that she spoke the truth.
“That was the Emperor’s homeworld. To give himself greater power, he unleashed a ritual that devoured everything. When I saw what happened there, I understood the true depths of his insanity. I realized his mind was so twisted and disturbed that he was not fit to rule, and I swore to find a way to stop him.”
He paused and looked steadily at Meetra. “You walk the path of the light; I have chosen to follow the dark side. But we both know the horrors of Nathema are a blight upon the galaxy. Revan knows this, as well. That is why he wants us to work together.”
The Jedi considered his words carefully, then deactivated her blade. But Scourge could tell she still wasn’t wholly convinced.
“Before I go anywhere with you, I’m going to need more to go on than just your word,” she said.
Scourge nodded. Her caution was a good thing; if she’d believed him too easily he would have had to question her judgment.
“I can bring you proof,” he told her. “Wait here and I will return tomorrow.”
“How do I know you won’t just come back with more reinforcements?”
“You will sense me through the Force before I actually arrive. If I’m not alone, you will have plenty of time to make your escape.”
“What about Revan?” the Jedi asked.
“He is safe for the moment,” Scourge assured her. “But I cannot free him without help.”
“You have until tomorrow,” the Jedi told him. “Return with proof and we can work together to free Revan.”
Scourge tucked the hilt of his lightsaber back into his belt and walked slowly past the Jedi and her droid toward the entrance of the cave. They stepped aside at his approach, keeping a safe distance between them.
Just before he left the cave, the Jedi called out a final warning.
“If you betray me in any way—if you come back with reinforcements, or even if you don’t come back at all—I will hunt you down.”
“Save your anger for the Emperor,” Scourge called back over his shoulder. “He is the real enemy.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SCOURGE KNEW HE HAD TO ACT QUICKLY. With long, rapid strides he marched from the cave to the waiting speeder and took to the air, heading back to Kaas City.
He’d promised the Jedi he would return to the cave within one day, but that wasn’t his biggest concern. Sechel had set up the meeting and maneuvered Scourge into taking Murtog with him; no doubt he was eagerly waiting for the security chief’s report on what happened. He had to find Sechel and deal with him before the adviser became suspicious.
Sechel would most likely be at the Nexus Room, enjoying a selection of fine wines while