"By the Force! What the Hutta?!" Revan exclaimed once again, throwing the datapad onto the table, which drew the attention of two younglings intently studying something at one of the terminals.
Mentally scolding himself for his excessive emotionality and thanking the Force that Luminara had gone about her business as soon as she brought him here, he disgustedly picked up the tablet with the Order's history loaded onto it.
His indignation knew no bounds. What was preserved in the archives as the "History of the Jedi Order" was a pathetic six pages of dry facts and names, among which, for some reason, not a single dark one was mentioned. As if the only adepts of the dark side were the Sith, and even they had been dealt with centuries ago, and there was nothing to worry about. Even his own name was mentioned only once, as a knight who had atoned for his sins. But what sins, that was not specified.
Revan was fundamentally dissatisfied with this state of affairs.
He went to one of the Temple Archives terminals again and connected to it directly, delving deeper and deeper into the repository of ancient knowledge.
After sifting through hundreds of documents and scattered testimonies, Revan began to understand what was going on.
It turned out that a certain Jedi Master, Restelli Quist, after the final destruction of the Sith, in her opinion, decided to ensure that all memory of the dark order disappeared. Not only did they start hunting for artifacts and adepts of the Dark Side, but they also tried to "protect young padawans from the Darkness" by simply removing most of the information about the Sith and their ilk from public access.
There was not a word written about how to warn the younger generation about the dangers of the Dark Side without visual examples from history.
"The height of idiocy," Revan whispered, opening the next file.
With a desire and a considerable amount of persistence, information about adepts of the Dark Side, numerous schisms among the Order's members, and several major conflicts could be found. But the former Sith doubted that many younglings would have the patience for such research, let alone that it was not encouraged.
The ancient mentally paid tribute to Qui-Gon, who had apparently spent more than a week sifting through the archives to find information about him.
Giving in to his own curiosity, Revan launched a search for all mentions of his name to understand how historians portrayed him.
The result was not long in coming. Approved by the High Council, information about the fallen Jedi was found in the archives.
With each line read, the former Jedi became gloomier, and his hand twitched more often, reaching out to his head, either to rub his eyes or to slap himself on the forehead, trying to dispel the delusion. He couldn't say there wasn't a word of truth in it, but the entire history was presented from such an angle that even Revan himself began to feel something akin to shame and disgust towards himself.
It turned out that he was obsessed with the thirst for power, voluntarily went to fight the Mandalorians in search of glory, poisoned the minds of young knights and padawans with his false judgments, and led them astray. Then he consciously turned to the Dark Side and led all his followers to ruin.
The author of this historical sketch attributed excessive cruelty, a tendency towards genocide, and many other unflattering traits to Revan. However, upon reaching the name of the creator of this section in the archives, the former Sith merely smirked.
"I could have guessed," he grumbled. "Atris."
Revan's relationship with this woman had been strained from the start. A true recluse, hidden in the Archives from the entire galaxy, afraid to go to war with the fallen and his followers, she tried to tarnish his name in every way. And how she described the final battle at Malachor V... It turned out that Revan and Meetra were war criminals who were fully aware of the consequences of using experimental weapons of mass destruction. Although, in reality, no one expected the effect to be so massive. Yes, Revan consciously put his forces at risk, luring the enemy into the kill zone, but it was assumed that Meetra would manage to retreat the fleet in time. It didn't work out. The Mandalorians advanced faster than planned, and Meetra decided to activate the gravity shadow generator earlier. The Republican troops won that battle, but lost about 40% of their forces. Atris, however, claimed that 70% of the fleet's fighters were sent to their certain death. It never occurred to anyone that no commander would risk so much. Especially considering that he himself participated in that battle, personally leading the assault on the enemy flagship.
Revan went to the Unknown Regions on a tip he received from Mandalore before his death, who admitted that the Sith had pushed him to war with the Republic. But Meetra returned to the Order... only to be exiled.
Oh, how Atris twisted the truth as she pleased, with the silent consent of the accused. Having suffered in that battle like no other, Surik didn't care about the Council's decision. She wanted to fly as far away as possible from the Order, from the Force itself. To forget the pain and suffering that befell her at the moment of the simultaneous death of thousands of sentient beings. Revan managed to "close himself off" then; she didn't.
Atris, meanwhile, distorted the truth as she wished, using the accused's silent agreement. Revan had already been declared fallen to the Dark Side, even though the accusers hadn't even spoken to him yet.
Next came descriptions of the atrocities committed by Revan's Imperial army during the war with the Republic. And half of them couldn't be blamed on the ancient! He would never have acted so foolishly! His goal was to conquer the Republic and create an Empire in its place. When attacking planets, only military objects and enemy troops were destroyed. All infrastructure and residential sectors remained untouched. The Empire needed to get back on its feet quickly, and there simply wasn't enough resources to restore destroyed cities and factories. But Malak was not so far-sighted... And it was his troops who could be blamed for almost all the described crimes. After all, it was he who gave the order to destroy Taris!
But who cared about the details? Why remember a defeated dark lord when there was one who had returned to the light, quite alive, and on whom a rather large bucket of slop could be poured.
"And she declared herself the last of the Jedi?" Revan thought, continuing to study the records. "The one who, in her entire life, never trained a single student! And she decided to lead the Order?"
He remembered meeting Atris after Malak's defeat, when he tried to find information about Meetra in the Archives. It ended with mutual insults. And much later, he learned from Surik that the self-proclaimed last Jedi had been driven mad by Sith holocrons and turned to the Dark Side. Meetra had to kill her, which Revan couldn't blame his battle companion for.
"And where were the other masters? Why were the Sith Triumvirate allowed to hold the galaxy in fear for so long? There were only three of them!" Revan thought indignantly.
All they had to do was present a united front, with the support of the Republic. But no, they preferred to flee and hide again.
Several hours passed like this. Revan sifted through archival records, trying to understand what had happened to the Order. Finally, he wearily moved away from the terminal.
"It's all so simple," he exhaled. "I could have guessed right away. After all, nothing changes."
Time and again, conflicts between the gifted erupted in the galaxy. And time and again, the most experienced masters of the Order perished in them. Only weak-willed cowards survived, who hid in remote corners of the galaxy, only to triumphantly return when everything calmed down, waving the banner of Light and calling for the revival of the Order. What could they teach if they themselves were weak and untrained? The Order of defenders of peace and justice in the galaxy had turned into an Order of archivists and weak-willed diplomats, incapable of even arguing with experienced politicians. The Jedi themselves had sunk to the level of Senate dogs... driven into a kennel and put on a chain.
"And this Ruusan Reformation?!" Revan hid his face in his hands. "How could they have gone for that?"
From the perspective of a former Jedi and military commander, such a move was the height of stupidity. The Order had effectively deprived itself of all its military might and ceased to represent any significant force in the galaxy. Yes, the Jedi were listened to, but mostly out of respect. They were feared, but only by those who were not particularly intelligent. It was not surprising that so many knights died at the hands of mercenaries! Criminal cartels had nothing to fear from the retribution of the Light adepts, because they simply had nothing to strike with.
"And everyone is okay with this?! Are they seriously agreeing with this situation?!"
Anger and indignation surged in waves within him, and it took Revan great effort to curb this flow. He couldn't understand how such a powerful organization could have weakened so much? How could they have shackled themselves with their own hands? Why didn't anyone think about where the Order was heading?
"Knight, are you alright?" a child's voice sounded next to the ancient.
Revan turned his head and saw the same little Zabrak girl he had met in one of the training rooms. The girl looked at him with undisguised concern, sincerely worried about the Jedi's condition.
"Everything is fine, youngling," Revan smiled kindly. "You're Rina, right?"
"Yes, Master."
"I am not your teacher, and you don't have to call me Master."
"But the traditions of the Order require younglings to address all members of the Order respectfully."
"Belaya would be delighted," Revan chuckled, remembering the most ardent supporter of traditions in the enclave on Dantooine.
"Who?" the girl didn't understand.
"An old acquaintance of mine," the former Jedi waved his hand.
The girl nodded thoughtfully.
"Master, is something bothering you?" she suddenly asked.
"What makes you think so?"
"You have a grim look," the Zabrak stated. "Oh, you're reading about the Ruusan Reformation! They just told us about it today."
"Really?" the former Jedi smiled. "Will you enlighten me?"
Rina straightened up as if she had been called to read a report in class and briefly told about the events at Ruusan.
"Then the Order was reorganized, and the Jedi, along with the Republic, renounced an independent army, entrusting the security of citizens to the Justice Corps," the girl finished, frowning disapprovingly.
"I see you don't like this story?" the ancient noted.
"Masters say that a Jedi should not strive for personal power but should care for the common good. Therefore, the Order doesn't need an army," the girl mumbled. "But I think we should be ready to fight evil not only with wisdom!"
"And I agree with you," Revan smirked.
"But masters say that striving for power leads to the Dark Side!"
"And having brains also leads to that?" the former Sith rolled his eyes.
"What?" the Zabrak didn't understand.
"Never mind," Revan smiled warmly. "I'm just noting a certain illogicality in the Order's policy, that's all."
"Oh," Rina blushed.
"Don't worry, youngling, your thoughts are not forbidden. And it's always useful to think with your own head. Thought itself is not harmful if you have the wisdom to understand its meaning."
"And if you don't?"
"That's what teachers are for. To guide the new generation."
"And can teachers make mistakes?"
"Everyone can make mistakes," the former Jedi shrugged. "But it's still worth listening to their opinion."
"And what about the Dark Side?"
Revan paused for a few seconds, considering his answer. The Zabrak waited patiently. Before, she couldn't have imagined asking so frankly.
"The Darkness holds many temptations and dangers, but you shouldn't be afraid of it. Fear, after all, is almost the main thing that pushes the gifted to the Dark Side. You must not give in to it. And the best remedy for fear is knowledge. We are always afraid of what we don't know and don't understand."
"Does that mean we should study the Dark Side?" Rina asked cautiously.
A dangerous question within the walls of the Jedi Temple.
"It's important to remember that studying the Dark Side and following its path are different things."
The girl pondered the ancient's words.
"To study your enemy," she finally said.
"To some extent," Revan agreed.
The Zabrak frowned.
"There's a lot to think about here," the girl concluded.
The former Jedi just smiled, appreciating the child's attempts to grasp such global concepts. But he was sure that the sooner the youngling thought about the balance of Light and Darkness, the easier it would be for her to resist temptations. It was a pity that the Council hadn't figured this out over the millennia.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two sentient beings entering the archives. A Korunnai, whom Revan had met earlier, was accompanied by a Kel Dor male. The former Sith immediately recognized them, as he had been looking at their images on the holoscreen just a few minutes ago while studying the new composition of the Order's Council.
"Masters Windu and Plo Koon," the ancient recalled their names.
Amplifying his hearing with the Force, Revan listened to the conversation of the two masters.
"Qui-Gon, as always, is acting on his own," Master Windu complained. "What right did he have to bring Skywalker to the Order? And to insist on his training!"
"But, Master Windu, you must admit that all members of the Council felt the Force within the boy," the Kel Dor reminded him.
"As well as the Darkness!"
"But, according to Jinn, this could be the child from the prophecy. The Council must consider all options."
The dark-skinned Jedi pondered his interlocutor's words.
"Still," he waved his hand after a few moments, apparently having decided something for himself. "The risk is too great. His training poses far more danger than benefit. And even the Grand Master agrees with this."
"We cannot afford to miss such opportunities," Plo Koon objected. "The Darkness is growing stronger over the Order. Everyone feels the threat. And this boy, Skywalker, could be the key to defeating the Dark Side."
"Sith, you mean," the Korunnai corrected his interlocutor.
"Yes," the Kel Dor agreed. "If Qui-Gon is to be believed, he encountered one on Tatooine. And as we know, there must always be two of them. This means that somewhere in the galaxy there are two adepts of the Dark Side who pose a threat to the Order and peaceful life in the Republic."
"But what if the boy, after receiving training, succumbs to the Darkness that is already within him?"
"The prophecy states that he will restore the balance of the Force, and I, like the Grand Master, am confident that this will mean the end of the Sith."
Silence fell, during which the interlocutors looked into each other's eyes, each thinking their own thoughts.
"I don't know, Master Plo Koon, I am afraid to train him," Windu shook his head.
"Fear leads to the Dark Side," the Kel Dor reminded him with a chuckle.
"And yet."
"Well," Plo Koon sighed. "In any case, we must now wait for Qui-Gon's return. I think the Council will reconsider his request."
"Undoubtedly," Windu agreed. "By the way, where did he go?"
"He is still escorting the young Queen Amidala from Naboo. As I heard, she has made quite a stir in the Senate and even initiated a motion of no confidence against Supreme Chancellor Valorum."
"Master Van," the girl's loud voice echoed through Revan's amplified hearing like a thunderclap on Dromund Kaas.
"Yes, Rina, what is it?" the ancient asked, massaging the ear closest to the Zabrak.
"I wanted to thank you for answering my question. Usually, masters don't like to talk about the Dark Side."
"You're always welcome, youngling," the former Sith nodded.
"I have to go, but can I talk to you again later?" the girl asked hopefully.
"Of course."
"Wonderful," she rejoiced.
"All the best, Rina. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you, Master."
The Zabrak turned and walked quickly towards the exit. Revan was about to return to Windu and Plo Koon's conversation, but the masters had already left the Archive.
The ancient decided to find out what prophecy the Council members were discussing and how Skywalker was involved.
There was little information. The text of the prophecy was not mentioned anywhere, and the hints of an experienced military commander were of little interest. He knew that rumors and truth always went their separate ways.
However, even from the snippets of conversation he managed to overhear, Revan drew several conclusions.
Qui-Gon brought Skywalker to the Council, and they clearly felt the boy's potential. However, due to some prophecy, they were clearly alarmed. They are afraid to train him.
And frankly, Revan was glad about that. He no longer wanted to leave the boy for training in this Order. They would only ruin the potential of a very gifted future Force adept.
He needed to find Jinn and take Anakin from him. And the sooner, the better.
Revan got up from the terminal and headed for the Archives exit. He was disappointed with the current Order. He didn't like how the Jedi now served the Senate. He didn't like that the number of Light adepts had decreased to such a pathetic amount. He didn't like that the Order had abandoned its military forces, that military affairs were no longer taught to younglings, that combat training was given so little attention. The guardians of peace had turned into reclusive philosophers and were gradually losing their influence.
The former Sith couldn't understand if his dark side, the one that bore the title of Darth, was speaking through him, or if any sentient being would agree with him, but nevertheless, he decided that he was not on the same path as such a weak Order.
But there was another side, wasn't there? And it would be good to meet with its representatives. Mol agreed to arrange a meeting with his teacher... He should pay him a visit at the first opportunity.
Suddenly, Revan felt someone's powerful presence in the Force.
"I found what I was looking for in the Archives, young knight?" a creaky voice sounded near him.
Turning around in surprise, the former Jedi saw a small platform hovering on repulsors, on which sat a strange-looking alien, whose race Revan did not know. However, he had encountered similar beings before. One of his teachers, Vandar Tokai, was of the same race.
There was no doubt, from the records of the Jedi Council, the ancient knew that he was facing the Grand Master himself. And he absolutely did not want to confront him now. Even though the former Sith's disguise was impeccable, one should not underestimate the Force sensitivity of such an experienced Jedi.
"Master Yoda," the ancient bowed respectfully.
"My name is known to you, knight. However, I cannot boast the same," the green-skinned alien creaked.
"Knight Avner Van," Revan nodded.
Yoda twitched his ears slightly and tilted his head to the side.
"I have not heard your name before."
"I have traveled a lot and only returned to Coruscant today."
"Is that so?" the strange green-skinned Jedi shook his head. "I am getting old, it seems, if I am starting to forget the names of my students. I used to remember every youngling's name."
Revan realized he had slipped up. For a moment, anxiety flashed in his mind.
"There is no reason for you to worry, knight," the Grand Master smiled slightly. "The name is not as important as the essence it hides."
The former Sith remained silent, trying to catch any hint of the Council leader's intentions.
"I wanted to personally congratulate you on your return home. You haven't been here for a long time."
"Yes," Revan agreed. "A very long time."
"And what do you think of your home?"
"I don't know what to think, Master," the former Jedi shook his head, feeling that there was no threat.
"Hmm," Yoda drawled. "You are right in your doubts. The Order has changed since Ruusan. And it continues to change to this day."
"Master?"
"For many hundreds of years, I have served the Light and taught others all that I know. But with each year, I feel more and more that something is wrong. I made a mistake somewhere, I missed something important."
"I don't understand what you want to tell me, Master," Revan said, vaguely sensing that, despite his words, he had an idea of what the old Jedi was muttering about.
"It may be that the Order will soon need help," Yoda said thoughtfully. "Darkness is gathering over us and hiding the future with its shroud."
"And what do I have to do with it?"
"Do not renounce your home so quickly, young knight," the green-skinned alien said, looking Revan directly in the eyes.
With these words, the Grand Master turned and flew into the adjacent corridor, heading towards the Council tower.
The ancient stood for a long time, watching him go and pondering the old man's words.
Perhaps the Order still had a chance, if such a wise being was at its head.
Pulling his hood over his head, Revan headed for a secret passage to leave the Temple unnoticed.