2Embry thanked Private Tesan as he sat her down in Oteg's meeting room, then softly greeted the other four people in the room.
It was strange to see T7 with Oteg, Caein Thema, and Revan. Zenith and Kira Carsen hadn't been allowed to stay for the debriefing, and Knight Thema didn't seem the type to insist on the company of his droid over his Padawan.
Then again, it was clear Embry had terribly misjudged Caein Thema. It might be best not to assume anything about him until she had time to take him back to the Council.
"Barsen'thor," Revan returned the greeting. "How are the prisoners?"
"The Imperial citizens will be alright," Embry said weakly. Most of her energy was being used to keep from slumping forward in her seat. "I only went to remind our crew that this is the first opportunity that the people from the Imperial fleet will have had to see the Republic outside of the battlefield. It's our chance to show who we really are."
Revan nodded, then turned to the others. T7 idled up beside her and whirred encouragingly. Revan patted him on the head, then spoke.
"If I fail," she said, continuing whatever she'd been talking about before Embry arrived, "it will be up to all of you to continue the war alone. Remember, the Emperor is not just the head of the snake. He is a monster unlike any you can imagine. He must be destroyed at any cost."
"Let me come with you, Revan," Caein pleaded. "You're weakened. This could be the deciding moment of the Republic's history."
If Revan was planning to go off alone to stop the war between the Republic and Empire, Embry had to agree with Caein's sentiment, if not the idea of him going.
Revan shook her head. "I will be going alone. I've been betrayed one too many times. Even if I hadn't, there's no guarantee you can trust me."
She faltered, seemingly distracted, even hurt by the realization of what she'd just said. Then she stood, raising a hand to stop any conversation.
"Oteg," she commanded. "Ready my ship. Knight Thema, leave. I will speak with the Barsen'thor myself."
Oteg nodded amiably and turned to leave. Caein Thema looked more reluctant, but followed.
"Teeseven…"
The droid stopped following his master out of the room and turned his head to look at Revan.
"You can stay," Revan said. Embry thought she sounded almost uncertain.
T7 must have thought the same, because he turned and beeped a quick goodbye to Knight Thema before rolling back into the room.
Through it all, Embry watched silently. Tired.
Exhausted.
The door closed and Revan sat down in a chair, facing Embry.
"You spoke with Bastila?" Revan asked. Her voice cracked slightly.
Embry nodded, then tilted her head to the side. It didn't seem like something to be answered so simply.
"It depends on how much of a person you believe is left in a holocron," the girl said. "I feel as if I've spoken with Bastila Shan, yes."
Revan nodded slowly. "How much did she tell you? Heh. You got the hairless wookiee story, apparently."
Embry hesitated. "Enough to know your name is-"
Revan raised her hand and shook her head. In a smooth motion, she stood and took a few steps across the room before pacing back, letting Embry see the pained look on her face.
"My name is…" the woman grit her teeth and powered onwards, "Revan. Anything else I was ever called doesn't matter anymore. The family that called me by another name is long dead. Stolen…"
"There is a line in the Jedi Code-" Embry started, but again Revan cut her off.
"No death?" Revan snapped, whirling and glaring at Embry. Embry bore the glare with as much sympathy as possible. "Only the Force? I've heard it. Except I didn't die! I was used to fuel the Emperor's addiction to the Force for three hundred years, and when I was finally released or escaped or whatever happened, it was because the war I gave up my life to prevent had already started! Everybody I ever loved is dead and the Republic is wasting the chance I gave it!"
Embry stood, stumbled, and straightened herself as best she could, though it was difficult to look Revan in the eyes. Thankfully, T7 came close to let the little Jedi lean on him.
She shook her head. "I never liked that way of looking at things," Embry said. "I would say there is death, but there is also the Force. I'm sorry you've lost your friends. Bastila always said they were good, loyal people. They are gone, they died, but you were needed. You gave them all the chance to live, and they knew it, even if they didn't know how or why."
Revan's expression shifted as Embry spoke, from disbelief to indignance to hope. Finally, she asked, "they knew?"
Embry nodded. "It was Admiral Onasi who kept your name in the history books. Mandalore the Preserver never stopped building and fighting for you. They all believed in you."
Revan stared at Embry for long moments, then turned away to activate a holoterminal and start opening files. There didn't even seem to be rhyme or reason to it, just a search for something to distract her from her thoughts.
Embry sat back down more heavily than she liked, and she waited.
She didn't have to wait long.
"You preach like an old Master," Revan said without looking from the terminal, "except you actually feel it. Must be nice. That's not why I stopped to talk to you, though. Your friends told me about the mission to Taral V. I expect I'll hear more like it if I ask around. I don't want to hear any new stories after this. Understood?"
No, Embry didn't understand, and she shook her head to make that clear.
"Stop risking your life for people who want you dead," Revan clarified. The holo in front of her blurred as overlays filled it. "It will only break your heart, then get you killed."
"That didn't happen when you were saved," Embry said.
"When I was saved," Revan brought up a grand mural of her adventure onto the holo, then focused on one image, Bastila Shan with grey skin and golden eyes, filled with indescribable rage. "When I was saved, it was nearly at the cost of Bastila's identity. It was at the cost of... mine."
Embry wanted to stand. She truly did. Even if it wouldn't help, it seemed that Revan needed somebody to stand with her, today especially. As un-Jedi as the thought might be, Revan was a woman in dire need of a hug. But Embry's legs wouldn't support her now, so she was left with words and nothing else.
"Bastila told me she wouldn't have traded her time with you for anything. She only wished she'd learned a little faster."
And when Revan hadn't taken her on the quest into the Unknown Regions, Bastila had been left wondering if she hadn't been strong or loyal enough. All of the Ebon Hawk's crew had been, except for T3-M4. But Revan didn't need to know that. It would be unkind to cast the love they'd all had for Revan in that light.
They'd all done their best.
"You should wait," Embry continued. "I have some people I've promised to help, but afterwards we could work together. You would have time to heal. Three hundred years is a very long time to be trapped, physically and mentally. I could even heal your scars, if you'd like."
"You're too kind," Revan said. She turned away from the holoterminal, leaving an image of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in flames, and her expression held only pain and pity. "I don't mean that in a good way, Barsen'thor. I mean you are too kind for your own good. It's going to get you killed one day."
She stopped and peered speculatively underneath Embry's hood. There was a moment of silence, then understanding settled on the woman's face.
"I would take that offer," Revan said, "if I could spare the time for you to regain your strength. I do want mine gone. Maybe afterwards, if I survive."
"You deserve to survive." Embry looked up and met Revan's eyes. "You deserve to live."
Revan's eyes widened and she took a step back. That happened sometimes, when Embry told people that. Like it was some great revelation that each and every person deserved to be happy. Revan had seemed like somebody who didn't understand that, and her reaction said as much.
The woman recovered herself and forced a laugh, shaking her head. "I wouldn't make someone like you part of what I plan to do, Barsen'thor-"
"Embry. You can call me Embry."
Revan looked down at her, processing that for a moment. Then she nodded, as if a decision had been made. "Embry. I'm going to walk out that door, and you can't follow me. That's for the best. When it's all over, either way, the Republic will need someone like you, just like it needed Carth."
The dark-robed woman squatted down and looked up into Embry's face. Her eyes didn't wander. She met Embry's eyes and ignored the scars completely. "There is one thing you can do for me, once I'm gone. Take care of my great… whatever granddaughter, will you?"
Embry frowned in confusion. "Your granddaughter?"
Revan stood, laughing, though the sound was bitter. "Ask Bastila next time you talk to her. She… tell her thank-you. From me and Carth."
Then, with no more than a pat on T7's head, Revan strode out of the room.
Embry laboured to turn and watch her go.
There was a flicker of black robes at the door, and Embry hoped she would see Revan again some day.
"Go get Knight Thema, would you, T7?" she asked, leaning forward to brush the little droid fondly. "I have a few things to say to that man."
T7 beeped apprehensively and rolled out of the room, leaving Embry alone with the holoterminal still displaying dozens of images.
Embry leaned forward to look, but found herself slumping forward. She forced herself to stay awake, at least until she could speak to Caein Thema.
The war was going to be a long one, she felt. In this part of it, there wasn't much left for Embry to do, except…
Her thoughts went out to Revan once more.
"May the Force be with you," the Barsen'thor whispered.
