Fanfic #160 A Destiny by Any Name by WillyDJ(StarWarsKOTOR)
This fanfic is a self insert into Star Wars: Knights of Old as a young Revan. I really like this fic because it explores interesting ideas in the Star Wars universe and it has a fun mc.
Synopsis: In a universe where Fate and Destiny are maintained by an all-powerful and omnipresent Force can it be fought?
Rated: M
words: 46k
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-destiny-by-any-name-kotor-isekai.858967/reader/
Here's the first chapter:
Can fate, destiny and the Force be denied? Averted? A young hero from our world learns that it is not as easy as may first appear. Based on the KOTOR RPGs with a casual approach to canon. Also, argghh! Plot genestealers.
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It is a cluttered room. There are two small chairs, almost grudgingly placed as a concession to mortal frailties. Everywhere else is given over to information. Three different memory banks all linked to an antique reader balanced precariously on a scroll rack. Elsewhere there are books, data slates, holocrons and memory crystals, the latter kept in dishes giving the appearance of a bowl of candy.
I, of course, know better. My mouth twinges at the memory from years ago. I look at my current Master as she examines my latest project. She turns the cylinder over in her hands.
"Yes, quite functional. It will do," she says.
I smile. You may think this faint praise, but I'll take her grudging approval over the more enthusiastic praise and encouragement from other masters.
"Thank you, master," I say.
She looks at me, frowns and I sense she is attempting prescience. To see what will happen and impart some wisdom to her student. It, however, is one of the most difficult of the Jedi arts. My master would be the first to caution me about trying to read the future, especially that of those who are strong in the Force.
"Those strong in the Force shape the universe about them, bending it to their desires. So, if one such changes their mind, so will the course of events. This is what makes prescience so unreliable my apprentice." she had said when I had first asked about that power.
"Hmm, as usual, this weapon is thrumming with potential. Come, my apprentice. Reach out with me, see as I do and look, into what may be!" she says.
I close my eyes and concentrate, focusing on the cylinder, my new lightsabre. Will it be different?
-----
I stand on the bridge of a warship. All about me crew are at work.
"My Lord, they are committed. The General has just transmitted that the trap is set." says a staff officer.
"Of course, signal fleets Five and Six to jump and engage at close range to pin them. Then tell the General all is ready." I say.
The officer frowns, "Fleets Five and Six, my Lord? I had thought we would be seeing to this matter."
I turn, "No, I have other plans for our remaining forces. You have your orders Admiral. Execute them."
"Yes. At once, my Lord." he says and departs.
-----
"A very interesting future, very interesting indeed. So, shall we dismantle this? Request a transfer to the Terraforming Corps? Live out of a life of peace and gentle nurturing?" she says.
The thought had occurred to me. Just flunk out of Jedi training and go be a nobody? No, I cannot do that. There has to be a better way.
"No? That was no ordinary vision. It had a clarity and focus that we do not normally associate with foretellings. Almost, almost as if you knew already." she says. There is no accusation, no alarm. My master just saw with me my destiny and is only, interested? "Have you had other such visions? Do you seek this? This adulation, this worship, this, power?" she continues.
I nod.
"Yes, a sequence of events that sets into motion my fall to the Dark Side," I say.
"Beginning with this, your lightsabre. Tell me, apprentice, why did you make it?" she asks.
"It is the weapon of the Jedi, it is part of my..." I begin, but I am interrupted by a quick slap to my cheek. Ow!
"Do. Not. Lie. The truth apprentice. Now."
"Okay, okay. Tamman had just made hers, and, and I thought..." I begin
"And you just had to compete, show your rival that you too are just as skilled. Or is it more, do you seek other attentions from her?"
"No! We're Jedi. Well, maybe, a bit. I don't know." I say.
My master sighs. "It is not great things that cause great events but tiny, almost insignificant ones. You knew what is set in motion and yet for a, what is it? Her eyes, lips, bust or the curve of her legs?"
Discussing the object of lust with a Jedi Master. Talk about awkward. Then again, there has always been a frankness between us. An understanding. Is that why against all good judgement I sought her out?
"Lips, and er, bust Master," I confess. What? I have a Y chromosome and Tamman is well endowed. Sue me.
"The Galaxy will fall to chaos and ruin, the Jedi drove to near extinction. Trillions will suffer and be destroyed and for what, all over a busty padawan?"
"No, this is merely a proximal cause. It would be, could be something else. A need to fit in, a desire to not become a terraformer, to show off, to not be left behind. The lightsabre gets made, I become a Jedi and then," I say.
"Yes, then what? Continue."
"My decisions are still ultimately mine and mine alone. Knowing what can happen does not mean it will. The future can be fought. Resisted. Defied."
"What if you're wrong?"
"What if? Who are you and what are you doing in Master Kae's room? She would tell me it is a test to see me prove to the universe that I am right."
Arran Kae smiles "Indeed Revan. Destiny is bunk." she says and hands me my lightsabre.
As initiations go it is rather unorthodox. That isn't the half of it.
-----
Having been dismissed by Kreia, sorry Arran Kae I wander the halls in a bit of a daze. I bloody did it. Against all good advice, I have gone against all common sense and followed the damn script. I sought out Kae, became her student and I have built my lightsabre. For what? Kae is already swimming in the deep end of the Dark Side pool and I have not reported her. Why? Is it because she is one of the few people in this damn universe that seems to have a working brain? Someone who isn't hung up on simple Manichean dichotomies? Someone whose attitude to fate, destiny and all the Force entails is 'Fuck that noise, I'll forge my own path.'
Or is it really unavoidable? I am Revan. I will take up the lightsabre, launch a Jedi crusade to counter the Mandalorians and adopt a severe tone of dress and a penchant for facemasks? Such a total egomaniac that I won't even choose a new name upon becoming a Lord of the Sith? Can anything of substance be changed? Is that why I am Kae's apprentice, not padawan. Because maybe the mad Sith witch had a point? How do you avoid destiny in a world which damn well runs on it?
"Hey there. Seems the rumour was true. You have built it." comes a voice snapping me out of my thoughts. It's Tamman, she smiles and I repeat the code and try to focus on her deep brown eyes. "Come on, lets give it a spin in the ring."
"Sure. Let's do that. I could use a workout." I say.
And a cold shower. Maybe several. How is any of this hard?
Because in five years several million screaming Mandalorians launch the Third Crusade and I am a hormone wracked teenager. That's why it, among other things, is hard.
-----
Now we stand in a duelling ring. Master Kavarr has just inspected our weapons and handed them back. What do I remember about you Kavarr? Most militant of the Jedi council and Surik's favourite teacher. Why are you, a member of the High Council, playing at being Battlemaster? Officially it will because there is a roster and the Jedi are nothing, if not dutiful. Mere coincidence, that he is on just after I construct my weapon. Except, there is no such thing. Not in this universe. He is here because of destiny. The man who would have led the Jedi had they chose to act will witness the one who acts in his stead wield the blade for the first time.
So, throw the fight? Be nothing but a big disappointment, get marked down as someone who, despite potential just doesn't have it? Be passed over and remain a student forever, let someone else do all the heroing and falling. I look across the ring and meet Tamman's eyes. No post-bout tryst either.
"Do you think you can handle me?" comes the invitation as she raises her blade in salute.
My blade is on and I am saluting in response almost automatically. It is a feeling like nothing else as the weapon springs to life. For alive it is. The bright blue blade is an extension of me and a conduit through which the Force flows coalescing in a sense of true purpose. As a Force user, I can change things. Move objects, change minds, the whole package. With the lightsabre, I feel as if I can change the entire Galaxy. It's a total rush.
"I see you like it. Come on then. Let's fight." says Tamman as she launches herself at me executing a series of practice strikes. One, two, three, four, five, six. I block each one and then launch the strikes at her. One, two, three, four, five, six. We then repeat, over and over as our tempo increases.
"Come on Revan!" comes Alek's voice. Seems our bout has attracted a crowd. Of course, it has. Two of the Order's most promising students, both having made their lightsabres within days and duelling like knights out of legend? Got to be better than meditation and history. Kae and Noomas, Tamman's master are also present.
Do not become friends with Malek. Should be simple right. Just avoid one Padawan, don't speak to him and avoid them. Easy you say? Try that when he's a scared child, traumatised first by seeing everyone he knew butchered by Mandalorians, second by being sent to a temple of stoic mystics. My thoughts drift to that day I said sod it all.
-----
"Who is that?" I said noticing the new kid. He was scrawny and sitting alone in the cafeteria.
"Him? Must be some new sensitive someone found and dropped off here," says Jaran.
I look the kid over. First day at school? It's scary and doubly scary if you're a refugee. You don't know anyone, no one knows you, you're weird and foreign and you'll be playing catch up at everything. This is also Jedi school. Catch up on Jedi powers is almost impossible.
"Why do they send them? Waste of time, if you ask me. Just ship them off to the Terraformers and be done with it." says Hoos.
Come on, fit in. You've made friends, none of whom featured in any of Dad's old games. You can stick it out. Be Revan the boring Jedi and not become Revan the Mad. Don't Darth out and just chill in a Galaxy Far Far Away. Sure beats a boring life of nine to five, wife and picket fences I was looking forward to back home. There's even sex. We're not a celibate Order after all.
I know that look. Saw it too many times at school and university. The kids who start at loud noises and regard aircraft with fear. The ones who look at any uniform with dread. Then, I was a self-absorbed teenager. What a difference a few years and being a refugee from the other side myself here.
"Excuse me," I say and go join the new kid. I sit down and begin, "Hey, the name's Revan. First day?"
"Alek. Yeah," he says. Oh shit. This is Malek. Darth Generic Bad Guy. Top of my do not associate with list, followed closely by Kreia, Surik and most definitely Bastilla. No one said we meet when he's a terrified kid who probably knows they'll get rid of him at the first opportunity.
"Been told you won't be here long?" I say
"No, but they are thinking about it," he replies. Of course, think a society of telepaths would bloody know better. Oh hells, bugger it. What's one canon plot point? Just stay away from the others.
"Want to prove them wrong? Stick with me kid and we'll go places." I say.
"Promise?"
"Yeah, sure. After all, what do a bunch of precognitive telepaths know?"
-----
Zap! Ow! Okay, back to reality. Focus on the moment and the hot duelling opponent.
"You're not focused." Tamman accuses.
"Sorry," I reply.
"You better be. Forms of the Code next?"
"Sure." I then launch the series of moves and strikes that accompany the Jedi Code. The Code is more than words, it is a way of life and has its own expression with a lightsabre
"No emotion, but peace. No ignorance, but knowledge. No passion, but serenity. No chaos, but harmony. No death, there is the Force." we intone as we strike, block and riposte. Again, our moves become faster, quicker and our minds lock in unison.
"You going to tag me too?"
"I'm trying."
"There is no try, you know that. I thought you were better. Maybe you don't want to."
"Oh, I do. I do."
"Then show me."
Emotion, Ignorance, Passion, Chaos, Death. Peace, Knowledge, Serenity, Harmony, The Force. Attack and defence. Strike and counter. The simple thing, the correct thing is to continue the bout and leave Tamman one up and triumphant. Or, there. Right at the start of a set. A subtle shift and feint instead of the classic strike and I am through, hitting Tamman on her sword arm. She recoils from the blow and contact is lost. I am standing and she is on the ground looking up at me with admiration and, more?
Everyone else is a bit stunned too at the abrupt end.
"I did not think you knew that apprentice." comes Kae's telepathic thought.
Damn straight I know it. I got to win and am probably looking forward to an eventful night.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Damn.