The medical bay on the Interdictor-class cruiser, in years past, occupied almost a third of the fourth deck and was designed to accommodate up to three hundred patients simultaneously under the supervision of thirty medical personnel and one hundred and thirty medical droids. On a ship with a five-thousand-strong crew, not counting three and a half thousand paratroopers, the number was small, but quite acceptable for providing first aid after combat or for routine health monitoring of the crew. The task of the medical bay on a combat interceptor cruiser was to maintain a minimal combat-ready crew to accomplish the assigned mission. For anything more serious in terms of medicine, ships of a different purpose were used. After all, during combat operations, there was always a mobile hospital nearby for twenty to thirty thousand patients, ready to receive the severely wounded at any moment and provide them with proper care.
The "Obsidian" was heavily modified and rebuilt during the Civil War in favor of firepower and defense, due to which its medical bay became almost five times smaller, with a proportionally reduced number of medical staff and patient beds. After the crash, most of the equipment was unusable and had not been replaced over the years, and the old medical droid H4-U5, limping on its right leg due to a malfunctioning servo drive, was the only ship's doctor. The bad character, formed in the droid's personality matrix, made it unbearable to communicate with... which did not affect its medical skills in any way. The only reason H4-U5 had not been "zeroed out" was its extensive knowledge base and experience, inextricably linked to memory banks that could be damaged by such a deep reboot.
Due to the fact that the former mistress of the ship was the only inhabitant of the ship who might need a medic, little attention was paid to the medical bay. Hence, there were very few places.
However, there was still room for a couple of the Dark Lord's apprentices.
After a training fight with Revan, Risa Farr, to her surprise, discovered that besides a broken nose, she had also sustained four broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, and a fractured radius in her right forearm. She no longer considered a dislocated ankle and multiple internal organ contusions as injuries. The Force successfully helped to numb the pain, so Risa only learned about her wounds from the grumpy droid. However, it had been worse. She expected nothing else from Revan. His strength and power were overwhelming, and his precise and, to some extent, graceful movements during combat were mesmerizing. Every blow was filled with rage and pain, but was beautiful in its cruelty. Risa was drawn to the sensations she experienced near Revan... Even though losing was painful... it was only in battle that she could somehow attract the attention of her "impenetrable" mentor.
Yes, once again she was convinced that she had not made a mistake in her choice. It was not for nothing that her first Teacher told her about the prophecy related to Revan's return and his birth... But it was too early to talk about that. The goal is still far away... or is it not? Perhaps she should take the initiative? Revan must help her rise... and he will. One way or another.
At the thought of the power hidden beneath the mask of a still-adolescent, a tremor ran through her body. Farr breathed heavily, fidgeting on the bed, which attracted the attention of the medical droid.
"Vital signs are normal. Bone tissue is regenerating at three hundred and four percent more effectively than the average norm for the biological species. Soft tissues at three hundred and nine. Correction... current values have changed. Expected recovery time - four standard hours. A large release of oxytocin and estrogen is observed... If you intend to indulge in erotic fantasies, please leave my medical bay," the GE3 series droid said with poorly concealed mockery.
Risa instantly flushed with indignation and used the Force to send the droid flying to the nearest wall.
"Humans. You always lie to each other and to yourselves, and then you get offended by the truth," the droid said calmly, getting up from the floor.
As if nothing had happened.
"Shut up, droid!" Farr roared, already getting out of the hospital bed.
"Your physical condition, unlike your psycho-emotional state, allows you to leave the medical bay freely. I suggest you take advantage of this opportunity and spare us both the need to tolerate each other," the medical droid H4-U5 suggested with a clearly palpable hint of venom in its demonstratively polite tone.
Roaring something inarticulate in response, Risa turned and shot out of the medical bay with the speed of a blaster bolt, almost breaking through the doors with a Force push.
"Idiot," the medic muttered barely audibly after her.
Risa managed to suppress her anger quickly - it was a habit. But to forget the veiled insult... even though it wasn't far from the truth... was much harder. If she had something to replace the droid with, the ancient medic would have met his end the moment he decided to blurt something out about her emotional state!
She herself knows what state she is in. Her Teacher had often told her about this cursed peculiarity of her flawed body. A body that cannot be controlled through meditation... Endocrine glands that constantly destabilize an already unstable psyche... Why was she given this damaged shell?! After all, according to her Mentor, she has such enormous potential! Such a well-organized and structured mind, allowing her to maintain sanity even when subjected to phenomenal amounts of Dark Side energy. To balance on the edge, like Revan, who has known both sides. She even managed to undergo initiation in the Dark Temple, withstand the trials of the Ancients, and remain sane! Although... perhaps those visions of Tulak Hord's ghost were just hallucinations? It doesn't matter...
But all her potential was shattered by physical limitations. Her body is incapable of channeling the necessary amounts of Force energy to use anything more complex than a basic push or telekinesis. Lightning is already difficult and leaves terrible marks all over her body that take weeks to heal. Cells, when attempting to "take a little more than allowed," degrade so rapidly that even dark healing techniques can only prolong the agony, not remove the consequences. Risa still remembered how her Mentor pulled her back from the brink when the Darkness reduced her body to the state of a dried corpse in a matter of seconds. These memories would haunt Risa for the rest of her days...
After that unfortunate incident, her Teacher initiated her into the secrets of an ancient Sith ritual that could help her overcome her limitations. She was given the records of great lords of the past. Their achievements in alchemy and the Force were simply astonishing! Of particular interest were the works of Darth Zash and the Dark Lady Ulsam, who linked her life with the very Wrath of the Emperor.
Their ideas... it was a real chance... But the Force is so fickle and unpredictable that finding the right conditions for the ritual is almost impossible. Even with an ideally suited partner... the chances are fifty-fifty.
But here too, the Mentor's wisdom came to her aid. He told her about a legend according to which her "ideal candidate" for the second component of the ritual would return to this world. And soon! She needed to find him!
For this purpose, she was given the "Obsidian," and also the coordinates of the Tryus Academy... or rather, what was left of it. The pieces of the mosaic were coming together. With each new discovery, Risa was getting closer to her cherished goal...
What she did not expect was that the Force would bring her together with the chosen one so soon! And she was already about to leave the Duchess's retinue, where she had entered as the last representative of the Farr clan, an agreement that Krayz, even one as crazy as Satine, would not dare to break. And everything turned out for the best! Even her Mandalorian origin played to her advantage! It was not for nothing that her ancestors swore to serve the Revanites.
However... getting into Revan's circle is one thing, but gaining his favor is quite another. Especially since he is already clearly showing affection for that Hutt upstart from the foundlings! A ward of the Nomads, rootless wanderers who are proud only of their ancient ties to the Ordo!
Risa exhaled loudly in an attempt to calm down.
She would have to act more actively, but without forgetting stealth. Fortunately, her Mentor had taught her well to hide her true thoughts, as well as her presence in the Force. Even the "great and terrible" former master of the Star Forge had been deceived. But it would all be in vain if he kept Risa at a distance! Participation in the ritual must be voluntary, because both participants must control the Force. Jace Ulsam had pointed this out particularly clearly. If the will of one is against it, nothing will work...
And what to do now? She should talk to her Mentor... the real Mentor.
Lost in her thoughts, Risa almost ran into her hated rival, who had come around the corner. The Nomad was without a helmet, which surprised Farr. Usually, this exile from her homeworld hid her blue-skinned face... It was clear that she attracted Revan. Such an appearance would leave few indifferent.
What a pity it was not possible to take her away from the Nomads then. So many problems would have been solved on their own. And Ulsam's ritual would not have been needed.
But the Force had willed otherwise. The Chiss remained with the wanderers, and Farr had to flee from the wrath of an entire clan. Shame... She knew a thousand ways to crush those damned Nomads who had lost their fear... but she could not use any of them. The cursed body!
As she passed, Tira, it seemed to Risa, glanced at Farr for a second, smirked. Such a thing the Sith could not tolerate. But she could not openly show aggression either.
A light push under the heel of the passing Nomad should have made the blue-skinned woman lose her balance and fall to the floor, but she didn't even falter. While Farr herself almost ran into the wall due to a sudden bout of dizziness. Where did this weakness come from? The Nomad?! How?!
Risa had never noticed so much dignity in Tira's expression and entire figure before... Was she always like this? Or had something changed?
A glint of light from the emergency lighting caught Farr's attention. A long hilt of a light staff hung on the Nomad's belt. Where did she get it? What had Risa missed?
Meanwhile, Tira quietly rejoiced that she had managed to consciously enter a state of "combat meditation" on the move for the first time. A small victory... too bad no one saw it.
And on the deck above, the former commander of the Republic's forces was lost in deep thought... and now the mentor of five Force-sensitives. But his thoughts were not related to teaching his apprentices, but to the unfolding events in the galaxy.
Three datapad - three reports from three different reconnaissance groups. One from the Nomad clan with comments from Fett and Krayz regarding negotiations with Naboo. The second - from the Blood Claws about the progress of the deal with Mandal Motors. And the third from Jinn and Dooku on the situation in Serenno and the political arena of the Mid Rim. There was something to consider for each. His plan to strengthen his position by creating new alliances and unions began to take shape.
Satine Krayz and Padmé Amidala agreed to meet at the next charity event organized by the Republic Senate. Unfortunately, it would only be in two months, but in any case, neither could leave their planets yet, as they were dealing with the aftermath of the Trade Federation's attacks. In the Senate, debates were actively underway on the legality of the accusations against the Neimoidians and their allies by Mandalore. Naboo and Alderaan spoke on Krayz's side. The latter, it seemed, solely out of personal sympathy from its representative, Bail Organa, for Amidala. This was interesting. Through Naboo, one could reach the ruling elite of Alderaan. The planet itself, of course, was of no particular value. It had no production capacity, nor large resource extraction enterprises. The Alderaanians generally tried not to interfere with the depths of their planet, which, however, did not prevent them from remaining a significant player in the galactic arena. The reason for their success was their rich history and culture, which allowed them to open one of the best universities in the Republic's space on Alderaan. Education was incredibly expensive, but a diploma from this institution was highly valued in the Core Worlds, allowing one to aspire to a high position even on Coruscant.
As was known, the connections created between students remained with them after graduation. That is why Organa has so many supporters, allowing him to form a solid bloc around himself capable of influencing Senate decisions. And, therefore, he is interested in the Queen of Naboo... although he himself is engaged. An interesting situation. What does Amidala think about this? It seems that after the lifting of the Federation's siege, she somewhat tempered her pacifist views. Naboo even decided to purchase heavy fighters for its guard, instead of those ridiculous N-1s, which only by the will of the Force and Anakin's hands managed to defeat the Neimoidian forces.
It is worth paying a courtesy visit to Naboo. At the same time, to probe the ground for a deeper alliance with Mandalore. Revan did not intend to take on the powers of the Duchess's representative, but he had the right from the Council of Clans. After all, no one had removed his powers after the battle with the Watch. And Amidala herself considers him a Jedi who saved Naboo. Hmm... it's worth bringing Jinn with me, or better yet, along with Dooku. The presence of Count Serenno would add "weight" to the meeting.
Speaking of Serenno and one of its counts. Dooku has seriously taken over his homeworld, sweeping through the local parliament of Serenno's Great Houses like a hurricane. It seems that even during his service to the Order, the Count did not forget his roots, actively participating in the politics of his homeland. Otherwise, such a rapid rise in influence cannot be explained. Everyone seemed to have been waiting for his return for many years and gladly supported his candidacy as head of the Council of Great Houses. Immediately, contracts for the supply of light industrial equipment from "Mandal Motors" appeared, and a cooperation agreement in freight transportation with the company "Obsidian," which had begun its restructuring and was renamed "Star Forge," was signed. Yes, the name caused Revan another fit of uncontrollable desire to smash his forehead with an armored glove. This time, at least, it was someone else's. It remained a mystery who exactly proposed to name the cooperation between "Mandal Motors" and "Obsidian" in such a way, which resulted in the "Claws'" legal business, slightly expanded in assets. Although, Revan was willing to bet that Jinn and Fett showed creativity here.
But it had to be admitted, they made a loud and memorable advertisement for themselves: "Transport - the forge of stars. We will build a strong future" and all that, with theses about "tempering," "forging," and other colorful allegories. Judging by the statistics from the Coruscant office, there is no shortage of orders, and an expansion of the transport fleet is planned, and accordingly, the purchase of new ships to ensure the security of trade caravans. And "Obsidian," the cruiser, just received accreditation from the Order, granting it diplomatic status. Of course, it remained too conspicuous for free movement across the galaxy, as everyone would immediately know where its owner was, but now it could at least approach any planet of the Republic without unnecessary questions and checks.
Now, at least, it was possible to get down to its repair. The Claws promised to build their own repair dock, and now they even had all the means for it... but "Obsidian" needed not only repair but also modernization... up to a complete rebuild. Specialists were needed.
According to information from the HoloNet, large cruiser-class ships were mainly handled at the Kuat shipyards. However, initially, the "Interdictor" was created by the Republican Sienar Systems on Corulag, and the blueprints most likely survived there... if they survived at all. And the grav-well projectors were a secret development of Sienar, and judging by the fact that there is no information about the technology in the HoloNet, the company did not share its secrets. The company itself, it seems, switched to power plants and small vessels. Will it undertake the reconstruction of the "Interdictor"? It is worth considering at least the option of inviting individual employees to work on a contract basis. In this case, specialists from Kuat could also be considered... However, there should be no complete blueprints of the redesigned cruiser except for Revan himself. Who knows what might occur to someone to build an improved "Interdictor" to order later... it is not worth creating competition.
Having sorted out his immediate plans, Revan tiredly rubbed his face. Reviewing documentation, processing and signing contracts, as well as preparing and recording messages for dispatch to Naboo, Mandalore, and Coruscant took almost four hours. After slightly infusing his body with the Force and dispelling fatigue, the former Jedi decided to check on his youngest apprentices.
Rina must be bewildered... And Revan behaved like the worst mentor in history - he simply left his ward without supervision and answers to her questions. What a teacher!
The conversation with Mitra the day before helped to sort out his thoughts. After the younger ones, he should also talk to Tira. She also had a hard time in the cave. The Force rarely sends pleasant visions... Mostly, they are nightmares.
Anakin and Rina were found where Revan had left them in HK's care. The droid stood in the corner, hidden in the shadows, and gloomily gazed at the children. Yes, it was impossible to determine emotions from his motionless facial plate, but Revan somehow knew that he was "gazing at the children" and specifically "gloomily." The droid noted the Master's appearance with a polite nod and did not deviate from his mission. He didn't even approach to ask to cancel his duty.
The children were engrossed in assembling their future weapons. Rina had a nearly finished saber hilt with her, which she had assembled back in the Temple, so in a way, she had an advantage. However, Anakin was not lagging behind and, with the persistence of a Corellian blockade runner, was moving towards his goal, fitting the parts together with surprising accuracy for such speed. Thus, in just four days, including the days spent traveling to Ilum, Skywalker managed to achieve the same result as Rina. Both padawans were struggling with the crystals, adjusting them to themselves, infusing them with the Force, and fitting them to the hilt. And here too, Anakin stood out. His crystal shone with an inner light, hovering before the young man who had closed his eyes and was in meditation, while the Zabrak showed no such effects. Her green stone flickered dimly, as it should.
Revan did not interrupt the apprentices, understanding how important the current stage was. Incorrect preparation of the crystal could lead to the entire construction being damaged, and the activation would ultimately end in a grand explosion of a plasma grenade in hand... with all the ensuing consequences.
However, the spectacle was captivating in its own way. Instinctively, Revan slightly helped the children direct the Force in the right direction, which they of course felt, but did not come out of meditation. Under the silent guidance of the Mentor, Skywalker and Oda'Bar completed the assembly of their sabers almost simultaneously.
Anakin was the first to open his eyes, catching the falling hilt of his lightsaber. The joyful smile on his face could illuminate an entire star system. The boy blazed with happiness in the Force so much that even Yoda on Coruscant must have smiled now. Revan even had to slightly shield Rina so that the girl would not lose concentration and could finish. Especially since she only had a few seconds left.
Anakin had already been trained in safety precautions for handling this type of weapon - Revan had paid considerable attention to this. So, the only thing stopping Skywalker from his first activation was the Mentor's silent request to wait for the Zabrak.
But then the second apprentice also completed the task and, opening her eyes, carefully lowered her creation with telekinesis into her outstretched palms.
"Well done," Revan praised the apprentices.
"T-Teacher!" Oda'Bar exclaimed, jumping up and bowing respectfully.
Yes, her manners from the Temple had been thoroughly ingrained.
"You worked hard. Both sabers feel as they should. Now, try to turn them on," Revan suggested.
Anakin reacted first, of course. He was already holding back with all his might.
With a hum of unusually high pitch, a narrow blade of a very bright bluish-emerald shade, called "cyan," ignited. Skywalker, for the first time since meeting Revan, behaved as a child his age should. He was genuinely happy with his success, not even trying to pretend to be an adult.
Next, with a low hum, a dark green blade of a small Zabrak girl ignited. There was no less happiness in her eyes. Such bright emotions resonated in the Force with warmth and tenderness, making even the tired Mentor smile sincerely.
"Well done. May I?" Revan extended his hands to his students.
They deactivated their blades without hesitation and handed their weapons to their Teacher. He took them, holding Anakin's blade in his right hand and Reena's in his left. He swayed the hilts in his palms, then stepped aside and ignited both blades.
A short swing was followed by a series of quick lunges, ending in such rapid rotation that it seemed to the children as if their weapons had turned into shimmering canvases that surrounded the mentor in a dense cocoon.
While Anakin, already accustomed to observing the Mentor's training, merely tried to follow his blade with his eyes, Reena was delighted by such an unpretentious demonstration. She had only seen something similar once when she secretly watched Master Cin Drallig, who taught swordsmanship to younglings and was considered a master of all forms of the sword.
"Remember, this sword is not only a weapon but also an extremely useful tool that can interact with the Force at your will. It is a symbol for the Gifted, regardless of their alignment. Respect your weapon and care for it as you would a part of your body. It may happen that one day this sword will save your life or the life of someone you choose to protect," Revan handed the blades back to the padawans.
They accepted them back with undisguised reverence... Although Anakin immediately dropped his, but managed to catch it just before it hit the floor.
"Thank you, Teacher!" the students thanked in unison.
After spending another hour talking with Reena and Anakin and explaining to the Zabrak girl how they would train, Revan left the padawans, leaving them once again in the care of HK, who had begun training in the use of firearms.
Now Skywalker will have a sparring partner of similar size, which will help him develop proper technique. Maul showed himself well in tandem with Risa. Their interaction should be developed.
Only Tira remained. She knew how to handle cold weapons, but a lightsaber was unfamiliar to her. An additional difficulty was that it seemed the Mandalorian would have to be taught to use a staff. Jar'Kai does not fit well on a bare base, without in-depth study of at least a couple of combat forms... However, the girl had already managed to surprise by repeating Risa's moves after a single skirmish. Perhaps she should be advised to disassemble the staff and construct a sword for herself? That would be the best option... but would she agree? And how does she feel about this story... about ancestors and other visions...
Well, it's useless to guess.
With such thoughts, the former Jedi headed in search of Tira Nomad, whose location he could feel even now, without much concentration. The connection between them continued to grow stronger with each passing day.