Today’s short is a throwback piece of fanfic from the early 2010’s. It features Bastila and what I perceive her future following the Star Forge may have been. 🙂
There were days when Bastila wished that she had remained with Darth Malak. These thoughts were brief, as short as the moment between pressing the button on the lightsaber and the blade igniting. Bastila was always certain to meditate on the Jedi code three times after such a thought – but nevertheless, in the deepest, darkest corner of her soul, she knew it was true.
Her future with the Jedi had been forever altered by her bond with Revan, and then again by her fall to the dark side. She had been on track to become the youngest master and was one impressive stunt away from assuring her future on the council one day. Capturing Darth Revan should have put her at the front of the class. While the council never explicitly said anything, they acted differently towards her, following the discovery of her bond. They seemed to trust her just a little less. Master Vrook was just a little more condescending, and she could feel Master Vandar’s tension.
What was most telling about her diminished position within the order was the fact that they never specifically addressed her fall to the dark side. She thought that perhaps following the destruction of the Star Forge, they had been too preoccupied to meet with her. The masters had even had a long talk with Juhani after her fall. But today was the first anniversary of the Star Forge, and the masters had not spoken with her about it.
The council would not quietly set her aside, the way they did with Revan. They had let Revan retain her status and she was still expected to report in to the council, but there was no way that they would send her out again, and she certainly wouldn’t be brought back to teach anyone, despite how talented she was. If there was a way for a Jedi to be ‘retired’, that would probably fit. At least she seemed to have a measure of happiness. She and Onasi were together, and she had heard rumblings that they were going to be wed sometime soon.
No, Bastila was still sent out on missions for the council, though they were more along the lines of delivery runs, and she was never alone. She knew that they would always keep her around, just in case there was a use for her battle meditation. But that’s all she was to them these days – a walking battle meditation. A back up plan, in case of emergency.
She made her way out of the temple on Courscant and out onto the streets. Night had fallen, and the fireworks would be starting soon. Most of the galaxy was celebrating Revan and his triumph over the Star Forge. Yes, his. The council had chosen to present Revan as a male to the public. They said that it was a decision to protect the real Revan, to keep her sane and out of the galactic spotlight. Since, as a Sith, she had chosen to keep her face concealed, it wasn’t too far of a stretch. There were those who knew the truth of course, but they came off more like conspiracy theorists than anything.
Having been privy to many of Revan’s thoughts and dreams, she agreed with the council that it was best to keep her out of the way. She had enough to cope with, without also being an ambassador to the galaxy, or having vengeful killers on her tail.
The downside, of course, was that history would not portray what happened accurately. As someone who had combed through as many historical holovids as she could find as a child, this was disheartening. There were a good number of stories about their time on the Ebon Hawk that were best told with Revan as a female. How she had taken on Mission as a little sister, and helped her find a sustainable living that didn’t involve crime. Or there was the whole bit with Onasi. Their reclusive, broody pilot had become rather pleasant as Revan helped him past his need for revenge and to find his lost son. And of course they’d found love along the way too, or whatever.
As it was, Revan and Bastila’s bond and redeeming each other from the dark side had been spun into a romantic story, full of defying the council and stolen kisses on the Ebon Hawk. Obviously that wasn’t the case. They mutually respected each other, but she wouldn’t even necessarily classify what they had as friendship. Certainly, if Revan had been a male, their bond would be far more of a burden than a catalyst for a relationship. But, let the press play as it would. It kept them away from Revan and Carth, and that was probably for the best.
The sky began to light up with flashes of colored lights. The streets began to roar with cheers and applause. A series of flashes and bangs left the image of Revan’s mask in the sky. Bastila frowned. Of all the images from their journey, that would not be one that she would have chosen to memorialize.
