Palpatine tapped his old fingers on his throne's armrest as he contemplated what he was supposed to do. Revan and Antioch had both failed to bring or at the very least strand Admiral Trial on some backwater world and now he could return to the rebel alliance and lead fleets once more.
His absence doomed the rebel alliance's mid-rim offensive and it turned to the mid-rim retreat. Their fleets were crushed and they were forced to conduct hit and run attacks once more.
But he was back and his skill in battle meditation surpassed Palpatine's own greatly. Revan wasn't as strong in the art, maybe matching Palpatine's own strength for the moment. Even without the ability he still proved a massive threat.
Revan or inquisitor Kharna as the emperor called her, had assassinated the presumed wife of the Admiral and as she reported, she encouraged him to fight on. He wouldn't be captured or subdued, only killed.
Palpatine gritted his teeth. His best chance of eliminating him or at least the alliance is for Vader to find and eliminate their base of operations. Which locked him out of disciplinary duty for the pair of failures in front of him.
"You had two years to bring me Admiral Trial. Where is he?" He began in a quiet yet ominous voice. "As you said my lor-" "Silence!" Palpatine yelled, cutting off Antioch. "He had no hyperdrive. He had only one ship." Palpatine listed Sigil's disadvantages.
"Yet you failed to bring him before me… You have failed me and will be punished accordingly." He watched as their faces took on pure horror.
He nodded to his guards who attempted to kick out the pair's knees from under them and tried to hold them by their necks. They were however killed before they even moved in. Holding her hand in a firm fist, was Revan who had crushed the guards' wund pipes before they did anything. Suddenly finding herself emboldened, she lunged towards palpatine.
Using the force, she boosted her speex and ignited her lightsaber. Plapatine merely swiped his hand to the side and she was sent flying into a wall.
"Revan!" Taer cried out, rushing to her side. He kneeled beside her, checking her vitals as the crashing sound was very loud. In unison with the crash, metal shrieking was also heard.
Palpatine raised an eyebrow at Taer's actions. Then in his sick mind it clicked. They had a relationship and had gotten close over the last two years of their deployment. Palpatine's laugh echoed through the room. Making the hairs of Taer's neck stood up and stayed still. Looking over, he immediately covered his eyes as a brilliant light struck him, knocking him out.
Taer awoke several days later in a medical facility. He immediately moved his hands in front of his eyes to shield them from the blinding light of the medical facility. Immediately he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, rubbing it gently.
Adjusting his eyes, he looked over to see Revan who hugged him immediately, squeezing him tight. "I missed you." She cried in relief. "Revan." He said in great relief.
After a long minute she finally pulled back. "What happened?" He asked. "I have no memory of it either. I just remember walking into the throne room." She said and he nodded at her.
"What are we going t-" He began but she put a finger over his lips to shush him. "We came back after two years and have been given time off. We should enjoy it." She said, grabbing his hands.
"I guess we should." He replied, looking at her face. Her yellow eyes were shining with eagerness and her jet black hair was done in a military bun like she usually kept it. Neat but practical as always.
She moved for a kiss after a long stare. Cupping his face in her hands, she pulled him even closer. The bliss she felt at the moment washed away at her worries and guilt.
A doctor came up to them, medical droid in tow and nearly wetted his pants when he parted the curtain and saw an inquisitor sitting beside a navy Captain.
The Ithorian doctor was understandably shaking the entire time that the droid conducted its medical scan and the soft and caring face she maintained around Taer suddenly became that of a member of the inquisitorius. A face even Taer cowered before.
The droid beeped positively, meaning no damage was taken and the doctor cleared Taer to leave but told them to wait until a nurse brought the Captain his clothes.
After being cleared, Revan told him to follow her to the Void Dragon which was docked on one of the many landing platforms of the grand imperial medical facility on Coruscant.
Walking inside the old ship, her expression reverted back to normal, the one she always had around him as she was now in private with a person she trusted more than any other in the entire galaxy.
"Make yourself comfortable sugar." She said, heading to the cockpit. This was Taer's first time inside the infamous Void Dragon and he couldn't help but admire it for what it was, a piece of art for any freighter enthusiast. He was sure if Revan wasn't an inquisitor she'd run a freighter club.
Taer decided to explore beyond the central area and headed to the back of the ship as he felt it lift off. He stumbled into the empty cargo hold which was neatly kept. Noticing a ladder he climbed it and found a four way hall.
He was at the back. Moving to the sides, he saw a storage room and one had been converted to a small cell, housing carbonite, and a force field generator which he found quite odd. 'This is a bounty hunter's rig.' He thought. 'Why does she have such equipment lying around?' He questioned.
Deciding he would ask once he was done exploring the ship, he headed down the last corridor which had four rooms. A cargo hold/ weapons locker with a big void combat suit hung on a stand along some exotic Clone trooper gear and three bedrooms.
Down the very end of the hallway, is what he guessed must be the cockpit seeing as he has explored every other door. And he was correct. Sitting in the pilot's chair was Revan who had taken her uniform half off, staying in a tank top. In the co-pilot seat was a protocol droid of all things and an astromech which was plugged into the nava computer.
"Like what you saw?" She asked, still facing the controls. "Never knew you were into starships this much." He commented, inspecting the cockpit. "Not my build really." Her voice came out more shaky. "Whose was it?" He asked. "My brother's before me." She said with an even shakier voice.
"You alright? You don't have to talk about it." He said with concern in his voice. "No no, I'm okay. Just bad memories." She replied. "Who was he? If you don't mind me asking." He pressed. "He was a bounty hunter. Known by underground elements as the Night Haunter." She replied, on the verge of tears as she remembered that their greatest times were spent together when he was but a gun for hire.
Taer walked up to where she was seated and wrapped his arms around her from behind the chair. "It's okay." He assured, resting his chin on her head. "No it's not!" She lashed out, finally breaking down. Causing him to recoil yet he maintained his hold.
"I am a monster!" She said, sobbing. "Easy there." He soothed, rubbing away her tears from her face. "He became Admiral Trial. The one we were hunting." She told him after calming down.
"He was your brother?!" He said in disbelief. "I know this changes your preceptio-" She began but Taer put a hand over her lips. "This in no way changes how I see you, my love. You two aren't the same and it is understandable why you hid his relation to you." He said, placing a comforting kiss on her cheek.
"That doesn't change your view?" She questioned, suddenly very happy. "My live, no star outshines your beauty and no blackhole can make your light go dim." He said, rubbing his cheek on hers. Her expression softened further at his words.
Taer pulled back after a long moment like this and swiveled her chair to face him as he suddenly had a nervous look on his face and placed a hand behind her neck and rested it on the head rest.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly. "Oh my!" 5cn said. "What?!" She tried to turn around but he stopped her. "Well the things is, there is something behind your ear." He said. "This trick?" She gave him a questioning look. "Well here it is!" He pulled his hand back, revealing a wedding ring.
She gasped as he dropped to one knee and said "Revan, will you accept my hand in marriage and take me to your husband?" He asked. "Yes!" She said, tackling him to the floor in a hug.
Over in the Hapes consortium Sigil could feel the rampant emotions of his sister through their force bond and felt conflicted.
He wanted to hate and despise her for killing Zi and his still unborn daughter, Jena. Another part of him was still the older brother who deeply cared for her and felt happy that she finally found someone who loves her. Could give her affection where he failed to provide it and led her down the path of Palpatine's service.
The Void Dragon flew across hyperspace for a week before it reached Revan's homeplanet and her chosen vacation spot, Naboo. Reaching the planet, she parked her ship outside a lakeside estate.
As a test of her loyalty to her master, dispatched her to purge her family estate when visiting for the festival of light. She did so without hesitation. Killing every single member of her dynasty who was there. No regret ever coming over her.
The nobility was completely diminished on Naboo following an insurrection by the queen herself. Following which the emperor made the monarchy a dynastic and life-long office, abolishing its status as an elected one and placing himself as the king of Naboo.
Taer was left in shock at the size of the estate. She sensed his shock and glanced over her shoulder at him with a grin. He quickly recollected his composure and followed her into the residence.
The residence, as per her request, was staffed only by droids. She personally tore off their communicators so they wouldn't relay personal information if they were rigged by her master.
5cn took the luggage to their room while she took him to the lake. She faked spotting an object in the water and when Taer went to inspect, she threw him in the water. She put her hand over her mouth and giggled as he got out and shot her a playful glare.
He swam back to the edge and when she offered him a hand he pulled her in with him. After resurfacing she punched his shoulder playfully and jumped on his shoulders to drag him down again. They enjoyed their time like this for an hour before heading back out of the water, changing into more loose outfits and cuddling beside the lake for the remainder of the day.
It was only when Taer moved in to kiss her cheek from the back that he noticed her eyes were now hazal as opposed to their familiar yellow. A detail which left him confused and horrified.