//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Star Wars: Battle for Equestria // by Creative_Spark //------------------------------// Chapter 5 Lessons of the Republic Maverick followed behind Kal and the lavender female. He was quite intrigued with her, he had never seen one of the local this close up before. He would study her, just as she would study them. The seven men and the single lavender female walked up to to a large tree that had a door and windows on it. The lavender female opened the door and walked inside. "Make yourselves comfortable." Said the lavender female. The seven men had to crouch down to be able to enter the tree. Once inside they were surprised to find that it was large enough to accommodate them, and it appeared to be a library. "Nice place you got here, not sure about the colors though." Jax said jokingly, as he always did. The lavender female giggled, she actually giggled at something that Jax said. "It was kind of you to allow us to stay here." Kal said to the lavender female. "I just want to be able to study you. You are something I've never seen." she said. "Pardon me, but do you mind if I ask you your name, you know mine after all." Kal said. "My name is Twilight, Twilight Sparkle." she said. "Twilight Sparkle?" Lockdown asked confused. "Yes, something the matter?" Twilight asked. "I've just never heard of a name like that before." Lockdown said. "Well, names like that are common around here. May I ask your names?" Twilight said. They all told her their names and why they had them. "Some of your names aren't too different from ours." Twilight said. "Well, ours are more like nicknames." Jax said. "Why is that?" Twilight asked. "Why don't you show her, and then explain." Kal said. They all nodded and removed their helmets. Twilight's eyes went wide, "You all look the same." she said. "That's the Idea ma'am, we're clones." Maverick said. Twilight looked back and forth between them. "We give or get nicknames that either suit our personality, or our profession. Otherwise we just get, or choose, a normal name." Berk explained. "I see." Twilight said. "I think you're getting caught up in your studying. Prehaps you should send a message to your leader and then we can tell you more." Kal said with a knowing grin. "Oh, you're right I forgot, one second please." Twilight said before the horn on her head lit up, and a piece of paper, a quill, and a small container of ink levitated over to her. She then began to to write. "I didn't know you could use the Force." Maverick said. "The what-now?" Twilight asked, stopping her writing and looking at Maverick with a raised eyebrow. "A lesson for later." Kal said brushing off her question to get her back to writing. Thankfully Twilight did not pursue the question, and finished her writing. "Spike!" Twilight called out. A little purple-scaled creature poked his head out from behind a corner, "Yeah Twilight?" it asked. "Send this letter to Princess Celestia right away." Twilight said, levitating the rolled-up paper over to Spike, who took the letter in his hand. He inhaled deeply before blowing out a stream of green fire. "No! I though you said you were sending that to your princess, not burn it!" Kal said, distressed and confused. "It was sent to the princess, Spike's fire is magic, allowing him to send anything to wherever I tell him to." Twilight explained. Kal let out a sigh of relief, "Give me a warning before you almost give me a heart attack next time." he said. "Sorry, I forgot you're new to this kind of thing." Twilight said blushing with an awkward smile. "It's alright." Kal said. "Now, I would like to know as much about you as I can." Twilight said. "Where should I start?" Kal asked. "You said you were a Jedi, what is a Jedi?" Twilight asked. The clones looked at Kal expectantly, they had probably never heard this tale before. "Well, as I said in the town's square, a Jedi is a defender of peace and justice. Our order was founded more than twenty-thousand years ago, we have the ability to control the Force, and let it guide our actions." Kal explained. Twilight nodded, "What's the Force?" she asked. "The Force is an unlimited energy that binds the universe together, and shapes the way we live. It can be good or, or it can be very bad." Kal said. "So it's like fate or destiny?" Twilight asked. "Not exactly, fate and destiny are a part of what the Force is, but not all of it." Kal said. "Are there any famous Jedi?" Twilight asked. "There are several Jedi that hold fame in our history, some are known for great deeds of heroism, and others are known for their wisdom." Kal said. "Are there any stories that you know well?" Twilight asked. Kal thought about this, there were several stories that Kal could think of, but there was one Jedi in particular that Twilight's thirst for knowledge reminded him of, "What about the story of Revan?" Kal asked. "Who is Revan?" Twilight asked. "You mean who was Revan. He was a Jedi during the days of the Old Republic. He was one of the greatest Jedi of his time, and since. Revan had a lust for knowledge, much like yourself, and he was always eager to learn. Sometimes his hunger for knowledge didn't do anything good for him, and eventually became his downfall and began his decent to the Dark Side." Kal said. "What is the Dark Side?" Twilight asked. "The Dark Side is the part of the Force that is influenced by hatred, rage, and passion. Those who wield the Dark Side become morally deformed and twisted. They gain access to powers that are unspeakably cruel and deadly, for both them and those closest to them." Kal said solemnly. "Oh." Twilight said, almost emanating a sense of fear in the Force. "Now where was I... ah, yes, Revan's fall. Now, Revan's fall does not come until later in this story. First you need to know what started him down the path. A warrior race known as the Mandalorians began to take over the outlying planets of the galaxy, thinking that they would surround the Republic and then attack on all sides. Revan suspected their intentions, and pleaded with the Jedi Counsel to allow him to fight the Mandalorians, the counsel denied his request. Revan began gathering other Jedi to his cause, he was able to convince them of the threat and they departed in secret to go to war. When Revan and his Jedi army reached the planet of Cathar, Revan found a Mandalorian Mask. Revan took the mask and put it on, vowing not to remove it until the Mandalorians were defeated." Kal said before Twilight interrupted again. "Did he defeat them?" Twilight asked. "He did. In the end he challenged the Mandalorian leader to a one-on-one battle, he killed him and disbanded the Mandalorian army, but Revan's journey was not complete. He disappeared, but he and his apprentice returned as Sith Lords with an army and a fleet. Some of the Jedi that Revan had led against the Mandalorians also turned to the Dark Side as well, and they waged war with the Republic. For years Revan moved through the Republic, conquering every planet in his path. eventually the Jedi sent out a strike force to capture Revan." Kal said. "Only capture him?" Twilight asked surprised. "Yes, the Jedi believe there is good in everyone, even the most evil beings. Now, the strike force boarded Revan's ship and confronted him. What they didn't count on was Malak, Revan's apprentice, betraying his master, and firing on the bridge. Revan lay dying, but the Jedi were able to save him, though they destroyed his memories to prevent the Dark Side from re-forming within him. Revan eventually became a Jedi again and defeated Malak. Revan and his companions became heroes across the Republic. Revan disappeared once again, leaving no trace." Kal said finishing his tale. "Wow, but how did his curiosity become his downfall?" Twilight asked. "It was his lust for knowledge that led him to the Dark Side because he had been foolish enough to seek out Sith teachings. The point of Revan's story is to teach us that we must balance caution with curiosity." Kal explained. "I see." Twilight said, seeming to be in deep thought. *** Princess Celestia sat in her private study, splitting her attention between a book and a letter she was writing to Princess Cadence in the Crystal Empire, when a letter from Twilight appeared. Celestia smiled she was always happy to hear from her student. She unrolled the scroll and began to read. Dear Princess Celestia, I must inform you of an unusual development. A group of seven strange creatures entered Ponyville today, and they came with a warning: they say that all of Equestria is in danger. I have brought them into the library and plan on talking with them to identify if they present a threat or they are truly sincere with their concern. They say they need to speak to you, and that it was urgent to inform you immediately. Always your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. "So, it begins." Celestia said somberly.