//------------------------------// // Ch. 4; Introductions And Revelations // Story: Star Wars: A Second Chance // by Dorath //------------------------------// “My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle: Thank you for keeping me up-to-date on your activities. In regards to your request and Miss Revan’s desire to present herself officially to the government, I believe that can be arranged. If you would be willing to bring her to Canterlot at the end of the Day Court on the day after tomorrow, I believe that would provide Luna and me with sufficient time to make any necessary arrangements. While your letter indicates that Miss Revan does not seem to see herself as an emissary, it is a promising sign that she is so readily willing to abide by our laws. In addition, you are quite correct, foreign dignitaries, even reluctant ones, are of direct interest to the throne. Having her recognized and her status formalized should simplify her time in Equestria, both socially and legally. I look forward to seeing you, and to what I suspect will be an interesting conversation with the “knight of the Jedi” that has found herself in our fair land. Your mentor, Princess Celestia P.S. If your friends are available, please extend our invitation to accompany yourself and Miss Revan to Canterlot. Luna and I would greatly enjoy seeing them again.” ________________________________________ “So, what’s she like?” Applejack, farmpony and daughter of the Apple clan, asked as she strolled through the late morning forest. “Pleasant enough, if a bit coarse,” her companion replied, “Actually she’s rather odd. One moment she’s comforting Fluttershy, the next, she’s almost running away from us,” Twilight shook her head at the alien’s confusing behavior. “Huh. Well, Fluttershy does have a way of makin’ other ponies feel protective of her. As for tha rough-talk, as long as she remembers ta curb it around Apple Bloom an’ tha other foals, it’s no skin off my muzzle,” Applejack chuckled at the unicorn’s puzzled glance, “Even if this Miss Revan wants ta be left ta herself, do ya really think tha Crusaders will leave somepony as interestin’ as her be?” Twilight could only give a giggle of her own as she thought back to some of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ more colorful attempts at earning their cutie marks. The two ponies left the forest’s shade to find the twi’lek once again waiting for them, “Good morning, Miss Revan,” Twilight called out, “Are you ready for our trip to Canterlot?” “Ready enough. Just don’t ask me for any acrobatics,” Revan looked Applejack over, “I’ve seen you before.” “Howdy, name’s Applejack. Right glad ta see that yer doin' better,” the farmpony held out a hoof, which Revan solemnly shook, ‘Kind of a quiet one, or is that jus’ nerves?’ “Well, we better get going if we want to make our train.” Revan raised a hand to stop the ponies, “Yea, about that, Twi’, are you sure having me tromping through your town is such a good idea?” ‘Quick with tha nicknames, ain’t she?’ Applejack thought, “This’ll jus’ help tha ponies get used ta their new neighbor a bit faster, is all, Ponyville’s a right nice place, if ya give it a chance.” Twilight nodded in agreement, “Trying to sneak around would take more time than we can afford, and would just make ponies nervous, instead of setting their minds at ease.” Apparently their explanations were enough for Revan, who simply nodded. The walk to Ponyville Station was quite, except for the murmurs and occasional exclamation from the ponies they passed. The twi’lek kept her thoughts to herself, being more interested in taking in her surroundings, while Twilight was obviously trying to keep her questions in check until they caught up with the rest of the gang. As for, Applejack, she just enjoyed the walk while trying to give Revan the once over without staring. The knight, according to what Twilight had said, stood about as tall as Princess Luna, and moved with a controlled grace that meshed well with the whipcord muscles that could be seen in her exposed stomach and arms. Cloud Kicker had been right, a number of scars were easily visible now that Applejack was walking next to her, ‘Looks like she’s had a rough time of it. Dash is goin’ ta be disappointed that she’s a guardpony an’ not somethin’ out of tha comic books or a Daring Do novel.’ The platform was practically empty at this hour, making it easy for them to find Spike and the other mares, while introductions went about how Applejack expected, as Pinkie Pie immediately sprang forward, pushing herself up into Revan’s face with a smile, “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Your name is Revan, right? That’s an interesting name, I wonder if it means anything? Welcome to Ponyville! What’s your favorite color? Was it fun living in space? Do you like cupcakes?” Revan jerked back at the sudden invasion of her personal space, her working hand dropping to a metal cylinder on her belt for a moment, before she recovered, “Yes, not that I know of, thank you, red, it had its moments, what’s a cupcake?” Pinkie’s mouth actually dropped open at the last answer, “What is a cupcake? What is a cupcake?! Only one of the most delicious things ever! Unless, you favor muffins like Ditzy and Cloud do …” Rarity took Pinkie by the foreleg, interrupting the developing tirade before it could gather steam, “Yes, Pinkie darling, I’m sure Dame Revan will enjoy trying some of your pastries later, but we are a bit pressed for time right now,” the fashionista nodded at the approaching train, “Perhaps we can continue inside?” The group quickly found an empty car and spread themselves out, with Revan deliberately putting her back into a corner, ‘Poor filly jus’ can’t seem ta relax. Well, Ah suppose a new world an’ all could be a might overwhelmin’.’ Rarity spoke up again as the assembled mares, and one dragon, got comfortable, “My apologies for Pinkie’s behavior, Dame Revan, she can be rather exuberant, especially when she meets new people, but she does mean well. My name is Rarity, and I would like to extend my greetings as well, and offer you a warm welcome to Equestria.” Revan inclined her head at Rarity’s rather formal welcome, “My thanks, Miss Rarity.” A certain blue weatherpony waved a lazy hoof from the bench she was sprawled across, “Hey, the name’s Rainbow Dash," suddenly sitting up straight, Rainbow fixed Revan with an excited grin, “So what made you crash like that? Pirates? A tear in reality? Space dragons?” Applejack shook her head at her friend's fanciful questions, ‘Tears in reality an' space dragons, now? Dash needs ta lay off tha comic books for a mite.’ Revan raised a finger, preparing to explain what led to her presence in Equestria, while Rainbow, Spike and the other mares reflexively leaned forward in their eagerness, “Mechanical failure. Extreme mechanical failure and tempting Murphy,” as her audience gaped at her in a mixture of confusion and disappointment, Revan turned to the last member of the little group, “And who, and what, might you be?” Spike stood up as straight as he could and puffed his chest out, “I’m Spike, Twilight’s Number One Assistant, and I’m a dragon.” “A dragon, eh?” Spike wilted a little under the twi’lek’s amused gaze, “You’re certainly smaller than the dragons I’ve heard of, but then, they won’t shake hands.” The little dragon’s spirits lifted as he grasped the offered hand, ignoring the smiles and chuckles from the watching mares, along with the quite “d’aww” from Fluttershy. Twilight had dug a notebook and pen out of her saddlebags and quickly launched into the inevitable questions, “Who is this ‘Murphy’, Miss Revan? A deity perhaps? And what does she -- is it a she? -- have to do with mechanical failures?” Revan shrugged and indulged Twilight’s curiosity, “Murphy is a personification of the perversity of the universe. He gives a name to the simple fact that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong,” she reached up and began to idly stroke one of her head-tentacles as she continued her explanation, “Some cultures call him Glitch, the god of frellups, and actually swear by him, but it’s all basically the same thing. The only real tenet to ‘Murphyisim’, I guess you’d call it, is that you mustn’t say anything that could be seen as either a challenge or an invitation to Murphy, or you risk him deciding to show up and frell your life over.” Revan gave a wry half-smile, “A lot of soldiers and spacers actually take it pretty seriously, myself included, even if my head knows it’s just a silly superstition.” Revan’s easy reply opened the floodgates, and soon she was answering questions about where she came from and life in space, while the Equestrians did their best satisfy her own curiosity, ‘Billions of worlds in this Republic? Thinkin’ about all those ponies, uh, folks, makes ma head hurt.’ It quickly became clear that she was skeptical about some of the ponies’, and dragon’s, explanations, however, especially anything to do with magic, or how the princesses controlled the sun and moon. ‘Eh, she jus’ needs some time ta realize that we ain’t pullin’ her leg is all. Still, it’s nice ta see her relax and open up some.’ “Excuse me, darling, but I just had to enquire about your ensemble …” Rarity inquired, no longer able to contain her curiosity, or her faint overtone of disapproval. 'Ah knew she’d ask about that eventually,’ Applejack grinned to herself, ‘A mite surprised she waited this long, actually.’ Revan glanced down at herself, “What? Is an old pair of trousers, a sport’s bra and a blast vest not proper attire for meeting royalty?” she looked solemnly into Rarity’s flabbergasted face for a several seconds, before breaking down into snickering laughter, “Oh, the expression on your face!” Revan took a few moments to regain her composure, before continuing, “I’m sorry, it was just too easy to pass up. Yeah, this isn’t a dress uniform or anything, but it’s the cleanest of what I have left.” The fashionista pursed her lips, both at the teasing and the implications raised by Revan’s explanation, still, there were more questions to be answered, “Blast vest, darling?” Revan tapped the garment in question, “It’s a type of body armor.” As the Equestrians looked at the newly identified protective gear curiously, Fluttershy voiced the question that had occurred to all of them, “Why would you need armor to go and meet the Princesses? If you don’t mind me asking …” “Need it? Maybe yes, maybe no, we’ll have to see, wanting it is another thing. I haven’t gone unarmed since I was twelve, and I feel naked without my armor. And not the fun, sweaty kind of naked,” Revan’s slightly vulgar justification brought accepting, if somewhat troubled, nods from the Equestrians, accompanied by faintly enflamed faces for both Fluttershy and Twilight. ________________________________________ “Okay, that is just wrong,” Revan said, staring up at the massive bulk of the castle perched precariously on the side of the mountain, “There is no way that is structurally sound, seriously, how has it not collapsed under its own weight?” “Canterlot Palace was built a thousand years ago by the finest architects and magecrafters in all of Equestria,” Twilight expounded to the twi’lek, “It was designed to be a lasting tribute to the Princesses, both enduring and beautiful.” “Magecrafters? So it’s being held up by magic?” Revan facepalmed, before almost growling in her exasperation, “Is that going to be your explanation for everything on this world? ‘It’s magic. Oohh, a wizard did it! Physics and the laws of nature don’t work here because we have frelling magic!’” the gathered Equestrians fancied that they could almost hear the sound of her teeth grinding. “Hey, now. Ah get that yer confused an’ getting frustrated by things bein’ different than what yer used ta, but that ain’t no cause ta be gettin’ all snappish with us,” Applejack chided Revan, who had the good graces to look at least a little ashamed of her outburst. ________________________________________ As the rather unusual band closed in on the Great Hall, the ponies and dragon began to chatter with anticipation, drawing more than a few looks from the palace staff and assorted notables that they passed. Their twi’lek companion, however, actually slowed her pace as they progressed, looking about herself with too much intensity for it to be mere interest in the assorted artworks on display or the passing ponies, who often stopped to gawp at the strange creature in their midst. Eventually reaching the engraved doors of their destination, Twilight gave a placating smile to the two uneasy sentries standing outside, then cracked the doors open to peek within. “Okay, the Princess is wrapping things up, so we should go in as soon as we’re ready,” she said, her voice unconsciously dropping to a near-whisper. The group exchanged a quick glance, before proceeding into the Hall, where the Equestrians immediately dropped into bows. “Your Highness,” Twilight called out as their diarch looked up at their arrival, “I would like to present Revan Vao of the Galactic Republic, knight of the order of the Jedi.” Revan seemed taken aback by the unicorn’s sudden formality, but quickly recovered to bow at the waist to the Princess. Celestia beamed affectionately down at Twilight and her friends, before she turned her attention to the stranger from so very far away that stood in her court. “Welcome Dame Revan, while I understand that your arrival was rather … traumatic, I am grateful to see that you are mending, and I hope we are able to establish a civil and harmonious relationship between our two peoples.” Soft hoof-stomps from the few courtiers and scattering of common ponies still in the hall applauded their diarch’s salutation to the exotic looking dignitary that the Bearers of Harmony had brought before the throne. The polite interest on the faces of many of the observing ponies immediately soured as the Jedi gave a snort worthy of Applejack and waved her hand dismissively, “Just Revan will do fine, your Highness. As for establishing relations, if that was what the Republic wanted, they’d have sent a consular from the Order, or a First-Contact team from the Senate Diplomatic Corps. I’m afraid all I am is a battered attack hound who went and got herself stranded here and is now wondering what your laws have to say about castaways and unintentional immigrants.” Rarity, Twilight, and many of the court frowned at Revan for her blunt response to Celestia, but the solar diarch’s smile remained as gentle as ever, “Indeed. Then perhaps we should have that discussion in a less public venue,” rising from her throne, Celestia smiled out at her subjects, “I bid you all a good evening, my little ponies. Twilight, if you ladies, and Spike of course, would be so kind as to come with us?” With the Day Court dismissed, Celestia led the motley group out a side door and away from the already rising chatter amongst the nobles. ________________________________________ Once they had passed through the door, Celestia Astralis, the Unconquered Sun, sovereign diarch of Ponykind, Pony of the Three Tribes and Princess of the Sun, paused to give Twilight a brief but fierce neck-hug, “It’s good to see you again, Twilight. To see all of you again,” she smiled fondly at the assembled Equestrians, “As for you, Revan …” The Jedi ran her hand over her head abashedly as the group walked down the hallway, “Yeah, I pretty much frelled it all up back there, didn’t I?” “Language!” Twilight scolded her, nodding pointedly down to where Spike ambled alongside them. “While your comments were definitely to the point, you could have shown more tact, darling,” Rarity observed. Revan shrugged ruefully, “I’ve never been any good at diplomacy, but it’s been a while since I was as bad as in there,” she sighed, “So where are we going anyway? Bureaucratic processing? Prison or execution for my behavior? I mean, seriously, what’s the point of you girls and Spike coming along, never mind her Royal Ponyness here,” as she turned to look at her companions, Revan saw their expressions, and immediately reached up to pinch her nose, “I just did it again, didn’t I? What the chaos is wrong with me?!” ‘If this wasn’t so amusing, it would actually be a bit painful to watch,’ mused Celestia, “Where we are going would be here,” she said as she opened a door to reveal a small (for the palace) dining room, with a meal already laid and Luna seated at the far end, her back to an open balcony. “Ah, Luna, you’re here, excellent. Revan, this is my sister, Luna, lunar diarch and Princess of the Night. Luna, this is Revan Vao, knight of the Jedi,” Celestia’s smile grew wider as she continued in a teasing tone, “She doesn’t like titles and is suffering from an acute case of hoof in mouth disease,” Celestia waved the group toward the table with a hoof, as she seated herself opposite her sister. While the ponies and dragon cheerfully greeted Luna and took their seats, Revan was much slower about it, the confusion obvious on her face, “What’s going on?” “It’s called dinner,” Celestia explained, her voice still playful, “A popular meal here in Equestria. It also gives us a chance to speak informally and discuss those concerns you voiced in the Day Court.” Despite the solar alicorn’s attempted levity, Revan seemed, if anything, even tenser, “No, this isn’t right. I disrespected the throne and made an ass of myself in Court and you’re just going to wave it off? And then invite me to a meal with both of the reigning royals, as well as whoever these girls really are? With no guards about? I wasn’t even searched for weapons! You can’t possibly be this trusting! What are you playing at? What’s your angle?” Luna frowned at Revan’s outburst, but answered her evenly enough, “We are showing thou trust indeed, and are presenting thee a chance to prove that thou are worthy of it. We have no ‘angle’ as thou put it, mine sister and I are simply offering thou courtesy, honest curiosity and the possibility of camaraderie in the future, as the Bearers of Harmony have already done. Surely thy experience with the good ponies of Ponyville could not be the first time somepony has offered thee aid or solace without an ulterior motive?” Revan gazed into the distance for a moment, her eye misty with old memories, “Yes, once, someone helped me just because she thought it was the right thing to do, was my friend just because she saw that I needed one ...” Revan’s face hardened and her voice turned harsh as she returned her focus to the here and now, “It got her killed.” Luna flinched, while the others at the table stared at Revan in shock, “I must beg thy forgiveness, I did not mean to cause thou pain, I too understand the anguish of a past that will not give thou peace.” ‘Oh, Lulu, why can’t you forgive yourself? What the Nightmare did wasn’t your fault!’ Revan stared into Luna’s eyes for a time, while an anxious hush gripped the room, whatever she saw therein must have been enough to convince her, as her face slowly softened and her tense frame finally relaxed into her chair. ‘Perhaps … perhaps this knight from the stars, even with all of her crassness, and Luna can help each other heal ...’ “Equestria is a land that endeavors to be guided by harmony, understanding and friendship, Revan. It may seem naïve to you, but those are the aspirations we have always strived for, even if we occasionally fail to reach that goal, or others try to use our ideals against us,” Celestia and the other Equestrians resumed their meals, while Revan finally began her own. “It is my hope that you will come to understand, maybe even appreciate, our ways, as peculiar as you may find them now.” The dinner passed in a pleasant silence for a time, with the Jedi pausing to watch in half-disturbed fascination as Pinkie devoured an entire tray of pastries, before Rainbow Dash restarted the conversation, “What does a Jedi knight do, anyway?” Revan blinked up at the inquisitive faces surrounding her, “Umh, well, primarily we are the special envoys and agents of the Senate. Jedi handle extraordinary, or delicate, situations for the senators, assist local Security with taking out crime syndicates or special dignitary protection and such, investigate occurrences that are too dangerous or bizarre to leave to normal channels, help in peace negotiations between worlds or cultures … Support and defend those who can’t defend themselves … Ugh, I’m not explaining it well at all …” “I believe thou have made a commendable effort,” Luna disagreed, “Thine Jedi sound much like an elite branch of the guard who also act as mediators, mixed somewhat with the heroes of old or from these modern comic books.” “Eeeyup,” Applejack nodded in agreement, “But how can ya be so bad at fancy-talkin’ when it sounds like such a big part of what ya do?” “Like I said before, I’m an ‘attack hound’,” Revan replied with a sour chuckle, “I was a bodyguard to the actual diplomats and investigators, or I was sent to deal with situations where peaceful negotiations were no longer an option.” She shrugged disparagingly, “When you spend your formative years in a slave pen or being whored out on the streets, it tends to screw up your social development.” Revan’s blunt declaration left the gathered Equestrians aghast, before Fluttershy’s voice, raised almost to a shout in her agitation, broke the silence, “You were a slave?! They made you …” the rest of her words were swallowed up as six ponies and a dragon ponypiled onto the startled Jedi, knocking her clean out of her chair. “How can ya talk about such horrible things so offhoof like?” Applejack demanded from where she was wrapped around the twi’lek. “‘Own it and it can’t hurt you’ and all that.” “I don’t think that philosophy was meant for circumstances as extreme as yours, darling,” Rarity demurred, as she joined the rest of her friends in their attempt to squeeze all of the air out of the Jedi. :What do you think, Lulu?: Celestia sent her thoughts to her sister as they watched their subjects try their best to either comfort or crush Revan, who seemed rather happy for someone buried under a sextet of ponies (and a small dragon). :Her graceless candor does have a certain charm, but she is mistrustful of others, and her spirit has more scars, and stains, than those she has admitted to. Moreover, can somepony who treats their own wounds so callously be trusted to not handle others in a like manner?: Luna frowned as she considered the Jedi, :And her eye has an emptiness such as I have not seen in anypony since mine return.: :I am not denying that she is damaged, Lulu, but at least part of that is from trying to deal with her issues by herself,: Celestia thought pointedly, drawing a quick flush from her sister, :Remember our Champions from the old wars after we overthrew Discord? How hard it was for some of them to adjust to an Equestria that was finally at peace? Tell me, would Revan have been out of place among them? She is lost and alone, with no way to return to her home. Please, Sister, give her a chance.: Luna nodded, :Thou may be right, ‘Tia, but I will need a last question answered before I decide,: she rapped a hoof on the table, drawing the attention of the group still sprawled on the floor, “Revan Vao, answer me this, and answer true, are thou a danger to our little ponies?” “Jedi are always dangerous,” Revan slowly answered, “but I don’t want to hurt anyone …” she shifted uneasily under the alicorn’s continued scrutiny, “Look, I’m not a Master of the Order, but I am … adept at some pretty Dark powers …” Revan finally wilted under Luna’s unwavering gaze, and waved a hand in surrender, “Okay, you offered me trust and ask me for the truth, fine, at least I’ll be damned out of my own mouth. Yes, I’m a danger! Do I intend to harm anyone, no, but what I want doesn’t always matter!” Sitting up as straight as she could under her covering of ponies, the Jedi glared defiantly up at the younger diarch, “I will always be a threat, because I’m a trained killer and I can’t guarantee that I will never lose control of my powers! The question is, Princess, what will you do with me now that you know?” Celestia carefully smoothed a pained look from her face as she watched the twi’lek’s defiant admission, ‘She actually expects us to imprison her, or worse. What could her Republic be like that a member of a group with such noble ideals as this Jedi Order can have so little belief in the kindness of others?’ Luna brooded down at Revan as the Ponyvillians looked back at her apprehensively, while the Jedi did the same with an air of grim expectation, before finally nodding to herself, “I bid thou welcome to Equestria, Revan Vao.”