Rescue of Bastila Shan

"I believe Bastila was on one of the escape pods that crashed down here on Taris. For the sake of the Republic war effort, we have to try and find her."

- Carth Onasi

The Rescue of Bastila Shan was a compulsory and imperative mission that was thrust upon Revan and Carth Onasi due to the attack on the ship Endar Spire. Realizing that Shan had vanished, Revan and Onasi sought her out, proceeding to the Upper City Cantina for any information. Eventually, the pair were able to travel into the Lower City, after acquiring a disguise to get past the elevator guard. In the Lower City, they met Mission Vao, a young Rutian Twi'lek, and her partner, the Wookiee Zaalbar. Through this encounter, Revan and Onasi were directed to the Hidden Bek Base and spoke with the leader of the Hidden Beks, Gadon Thek. Thek informed the pair that Bastila Shan had been captured by the Black Vulkars, a rival swoop gang and was being held as prisoner. He added that the Black Vulkars planned to offer Shan as the prize for the Tarisian Season Opener, the first major swoop race of the season.

Needing to find a means of rescuing Bastila, Gadon Thek offered the chance for Revan to race in the Season Opener if he retrieved the prototype accelerator that the Vulkars had stolen. Accepting the deal, Revan and Onasi had to proceed into the Undercity and enter the Black Vulkar Base through the back entrance. Thek suggested that Mission Vao be of service due to her advanced knowledge of the Undercity sewers. Once in the Undercity, Revan and Onasi worked their way toward the sewers. Eventually, they spotted Mission Vao, who was running toward them, pleading for help. She offered her assistance if Zaalbar, who had been captured by Gamorrean slavers, could be rescued. Revan agreed, and the trio proceeded into the sewers, searching for Zaalbar.

After freeing Zaalbar, Vao upheld her word and helped Revan get into the Black Vulkar base. Inside the base, the party found the prototype accelerator in the garage and a firefight ensued to acquire it. Successful, the party returned the engine to Gadon Thek and Revan was allowed to compete in the Season Opener. After winning the race, Brejik called foul and claimed that the prize could not be given over to the winner. Bastila was able to break free of her bonds, and with Revan, defeated Brejik and his comrades who had initiated a brawl. With Bastila free, the team only needed to escape Taris and return to the Jedi Council on Dantooine.

Due to his newly acquired fame, Revan was approached by Canderous Ordo about fleeing Taris. If Revan could steal the blockade codes from the Sith Military Base, then Ordo would provide a ship to leave the planet. Revan agreed, but needed assistance in breaching the security system of the base. Ordo told Revan to acquire T3-M4 from Janice Nall at his request. The astromech droid was capable of breaking into the building. With T3-M4 at his aid, Revan broke into the base and stole the launch codes after a duel with the Force-sensitive Sith Governor. With the codes in hand, Revan and Ordo proceeded the estate of crimelord Davik Kang to steal his flagship, the Ebon Hawk. Stealing the ship, Revan and his team fled the planet surface and where thrust into the heart of the Battle of Taris.

Prelude
"You made it just in time! There's only one active escape pod left. Come on, we can hide out on the planet below!"

- Carth Onasi to Revan

In an attempt to gain the upper hand in the war against the Republic, Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith and head of the Sith Empire, launched a pursuit of Bastila Shan, a Jedi with the feared power of battle meditation. Eventually, the Dark Lord of the Sith tracked the young Jedi aboard the Endar Spire. An attack was launched against the vessel over Taris in an attempt to capture Bastila. During the attack, however, Bastila managed to escape. The escape pods which were jettisoned crashed onto the surface of the planet Taris&mdash;many falling deep into the Tarisian Undercity. During one such crash, Jedi Knight Bastila Shan was incapacitated and "lost" her lightsaber. As a result, she was apprehended by the Black Vulkars, a swoop gang of the Lower City. When Carth Onasi and Revan crashed onto the surface, they crashed in the Upper City with Revan taking injury. Onasi, however, was not badly wounded and pulled Revan from the pod before a Sith inspection team came to retrieve the pod. While fleeing, Onasi stumbled upon an abandoned apartment and secured it for safe refuge.

Gathering information


While Revan remained unconscious, Onasi began inspecting the surroundings and gathering some information. He learned that most of the pods had crashed into the Undercity. He speculated that since they had survived, a Jedi such as Bastila could have survived as well. He then surmised that it was imperative they find Bastila in order to continue helping the Republic war-effort. Revan, however, experienced a vision through the Force about the attack lead by Shan aboard Revan's flagship. Onasi remarked that while Revan was sleeping, he had been thrashing about for a couple of days.

Agreeing that their situation&mdash;missing Bastila and being marooned on Taris&mdash;demanded immediate action, Revan and Onasi set forth from their apartment and began to search for Bastila. Immediately upon exiting their apartment, into the main concourse of the complex, the pair encountered a Sith inspection team who were in an argument with Ixgil and another Duros who owned the property. A scuffle ensued. During the fight, Ixgil was killed by blaster fire. Revan and Onasi then preceded to defend the other Duros landlord, killing the inspection team. The leaser was grateful and said that he would hide the bodies before other Sith teams arrived.

Continuing in their search for more information, Revan and Onasi checked the cantina and other locations in the Upper City. Eventually, the pair found an elevator to the Lower City which was guarded. The elevator guard informed them that only Sith were allowed to use the elevator and access the lower levels. Realizing the need for a disguise, Revan and Onasi continued their search through the Upper City.

In the North Apartments of the Upper City, the pair stumbled upon a Sith interrogation of an Aqualish black market dealer. A Sith guard tried to usher Revan and Onasi along, but the pair stopped and tried to defend the unarmed dealer. The other Sith interrogators where none-too-pleased by this development and another scuffle ensued. After defending the Aqualish by defeating the Sith investigators, it came to light that the dealer was acquiring Sith armor on behalf of the Hidden Beks, a Lower City gang, so they could move about without being stopped. The Aqualish was unable to provide Revan with any, but encouraged them to steal from the bodies of the deceased inspectors. As the dealer fled the scene to go incognito, the pair took the armor off of one of the bodies. With Sith armor as a disguise, Revan and Onasi were granted access to the Lower City via the guarded elevator.

Alliance in the Lower City
"The only hope you have of rescuing Bastila is to somehow win the big season opener of the swoop race."

- Gadon Thek

The disguise worked as Revan and Onasi had planned: The elevator guard was convinced that Revan was a Sith soldier sent to patrol the Lower City. After taking the elevator down to the Lower City, the pair was ambushed by members of the Black Vulkar gang. After dispensing the attackers, they made their way into Javyar's Cantina. Once inside, Revan and Onasi encountered the famed bounty hunter Calo Nord. The cantina was a haven for numerous individuals from all walks of life. Gelrood, a pazaak player who had been banned from the Upper City cantina awaited any willing opponents; Zax, a Hutt who was responsible for bounties that were placed&mdash;both government issued and personal contracts&mdash;set up his business in the cantina as well. Others, such as Bib Surool who were stranded on Taris during the quarantine continued their operations in the cantina while others were regular patrons.

Among the regular patrons that Revan and Onasi encountered, they met Mission Vao, a Rutian Twi'lek and native of Taris, and her partner, the Wookiee Zaalbar. The bubbly Twi'lek viewed herself as Revan and Onasi's "welcome party" to Taris and proceeded to answer all of their questions. During the conversation, Zaalbar began to eat his meal. As the conversation wound to a close, Vao decided it was time leave. As Zaalbar had not finished eating, Vao suggested they see what food they could get at the Hidden Bek base and departed. Revan and Onasi later followed suit and headed over to the base as well.

Inside the Hidden Bek base, Revan and Onasi approached Gadon Thek, the swoop gang leader. After being abruptly introduced to the jumpy Twi'lek Zaerdra, Thek's bodyguard, Gadon was willing to strike a deal to help the pair in their pursuit of Bastila. Thek revealed, however, that Bastila had been captured by the Black Vulkars and had been placed as the prize in the annual season-opening swoop race by their leader, Brejik. In order to rescue Bastila, Thek surmised, Revan would have to win the swoop race and claim his prize. Thek offered Revan the chance to run in the race on behalf of, and sponsored by, the Hidden Beks if he could retrieve a prototype accelerator which had been stolen by Vulkar gang members. Access to the Black Vulkar base was restricted and the only way in was through the Undercity sewers. Thek suggested that Mission Vao lead Revan through the sewers, stating that she knew every inch better than anyone else. Vao and Zaalbar, however, had just recently left to do more exploring in the Undercity. Thek suggested that Revan and Onasi catch up with them there. Access to the Undercity, however, was restricted to all individuals unless they had the proper security papers. Unlike the guard in the Upper City, a simple disguise was not sufficient. In an exchange, Thek gave Revan the proper security papers which had been swiped from a patrol in exchange for the Sith armor which he used initially. With the proper security papers in hand, Revan and Onasi proceeded to the elevator which lead to the Undercity.

Rakghouls and Gamorreans
"If you dare travel those dark tunnels, you would be wise to go heavily armed, unless you wish to become a meal for the rakghouls and other foul creatures."

- Gendar, leader of the Undercity Outcasts

Upon exiting the elevator to the Undercity, two unknown men approached Revan and Onasi demanding that they pay a five credit toll for using the elevator. Shaleena, however, came rushing to the elevator to scatter the panhandlers. Shaleena informed the exploring pair who Gendar, their leader, was along with providing general information about the Undercity. After talking to Shaleena, Revan and Onasi proceeded to talk to Gendar, leader of the Outcasts. The Outcasts, according to Gendar, are the descendants of those who were exiled from the Upper City for crimes against the people. Rukil, was the oldest among them. They were readily plagued by the rakghouls and other marauders such as swoop gang members from the Lower City who came through to scavenge remains. They were kept safe from the rakghouls by a large gate on the northeast side of their village. Revan then asked Gendar if he knew of Mission Vao. He replied affirmatively, but only knew that she usually went into the sewers to explore. He then pointed the pair into the direction of the sewer entrances.

Before proceeding to the sewers, Revan was stopped by Rukil, who asked if he was the one chosen to lead the Outcasts to the Promised Land. Revan was not knowledgeable in Rukil's queries and the old Outcast proceeded to explain the situation. He then asked Revan to look for his apprentice's journal while he searched the sewers. Revan obliged and proceeded toward the main gate into the rakghoul infested areas of the Undercity.

Upon leaving the Outcast village through the main gate, Revan and Onasi were immediately attacked by rakghouls. They had to fend off numerous attacks as they approached the sewers. While working their way through the rakghoul-laden region, Mission Vao appeared, running toward the pair and pleading for help. Zaalbar had been captured by Gamorrean slavers, but Vao had escaped. Revan and the young Twi'lek came to an agreement that Vao would help the pair get into the Black Vulkar base if Revan would help rescue Zaalbar. With this agreement, the trio entered into the Lower City sewers.

Immediately upon entering into the sewers, Revan, Onasi and Vao encountered a few Gamorrean raiders. The Gamorreans had patrols and warriors stationed throughout the sewers. As the trio searched for Zaalbar, they continued to face more and more of the slavers. Eventually, Zaalbar was found and, after defeating the chieftain, freed. In a strong act of gratitude, Zaalbar pledged a life debt to Revan, one of the highest honors in the Wookiee culture. With Zaalbar promising to be at Revan's side, his Twi'lek companion also pledged her support to Revan in another act of loyalty. Vao also agreed to uphold her promise and help get Revan into the Black Vulkar base. In order to lead him there, however, Vao had to open a force field which was blocking passage into the depths of the sewers.

Stealing stolen items


As Revan's party was led by Mission Vao into the depths of the sewers, the team continuously encountered more rakghouls and Gamorrean slavers. Eventually they were able to fight their way to the entrance of the Black Vulkar base. The entrance, however, was blocked by a rancor which had taken lair in the sewers. Vao remarked that she had been able to sneak by it before using stealth techniques. A severed arm still clutching a datapad was also found near the entrance to the rancor's lair. The datapad stated that a particular potent odor would cause the rancor to eat whatever made that scent. The intent had been, according to the datapad, inject the odor into an explosive which the rancor would eat and be killed by. Revan and his party, using the input and advise from their team and surroundings, slew the rancor and opened the entrance to the swoop gang's base. Guarding inside the immediate entrance area were two Nikto guards. Revan defeated the guards and entered the base.

Inside the Black Vulkar base, Revan and his party began to scope out the location of the prototype accelerator. The party attempted to access the garage, but it was guarded by turrets. Needing to find the controls, the party proceeded to further search the base. Throughout the base, however, there were numerous patrol droids and other gang members who attacked Revan on sight. Revan eventually accessed the main control terminal and disabled the turrets. With the way clear, the party entered the garage still looking for the engine.

The search for the prototype accelerator came to a climax inside the garage. The engine was being heavily guarded by Kandon Ark and his three bodyguards. Kandon initially taunted Revan and Mission Vao, urging them to kill Gadon and join the Black Vulkars. As further incentive, Ark promised that Revan could compete in the Season Opener and 500 credits. Revan refused and a skirmish ensued. Revan and his party eventually defeated Ark and his bodyguards, taking the prototype accelerator upon leaving. With the engine in hand, they returned to the Hidden Bek base and returned the loot to the Hidden Bek leader.

Swoop bikes, blasters and vibroblades
"So, are you ready to hit the track? Not literally, of course. We've already lost one rider that way today."

- Season Opener Registrar and Race Announcer to Revan

Gadon Thek kept his word to Revan. Upon the return of the prototype accelerator, Thek sponsored Revan in the race. Since the engine was only a prototype and not entirely stable, Thek had Revan use it in his swoop bike. After a night of rest, Revan was taken to the track to register. After meeting with the registrar and his mechanic, Revan began learning how to run a swoop bike. He picked up the skill quickly, however, and had a successful first run. His time was not the fastest, having be surpassed by the heralded Black Vulkar Redros, and had to compete again. Revan, however, would turn in the best time by race's end, defeating Redros and Anglu, a Hidden Bek Twi'lek.

The prize for winning the race, was to take Bastila as their personal slave. Brejik, however, protested and refused to turn the unconscious Jedi over to Revan. In fact, Brejik was still unaware that Shan was a Jedi. Releasing herself from a neural suppressing restraint at that instant, Shan attempted to free herself from the cage in which she was being held. Realizing Shan as a Jedi, a fight ensued, with all nearby members of the Black Vulkars battling Revan and the now alert Jedi. The gang members attacked the pair with blasters, vibroblades and bare hands. The two fought through the onslaught, and defeated all those who stood against them. Included in the death-toll were Redros and, most notably, Brejik.

The objective of finding Bastila Shan and retrieving her from the swoop gang had seemingly been accomplished. Shan, however, was spiteful of Revan and refused to acknowledge that he had come to rescue her. She scolded him, saying it was a terrible operation. When Revan mentioned that Carth Onasi was still alive, however, Bastila immediately shifted her attention to meeting with him in order to leave the planet. The two proceeded back to the Upper City apartment where they met with Onasi and began to discuss how to escape the Sith blockade.

Unlikely alliance
"Wow&hellip; look at you, big spender! Okay, the T3-M4 unit is yours. Pleasure doing business with you. A real pleasure."

- Janice Nall to Revan

Without a viable plan, the party left the apartment searching for a way off the planet. Upon leaving the apartment, Revan was approached by a Twi'lek messenger sent by Mandalorian mercenary Canderous Ordo. Ordo requested that Revan meet him in the Javyar's Cantina, for he had an offer that Revan “couldn’t refuse.” Revan traveled to the Lower City cantina and met with Ordo. Ordo said that he could provide a ship to leave the planet if Revan could provide the blockade codes from the Sith Military Base. According to Ordo, once the codes were brought to him, Revan and his team would be able to use the Davik's flagship, the Ebon Hawk as a means of escaping the planet. Further explaining the plan, Ordo mentioned that the Sith Base had a special security system which would require an astromech droid to unlock and open. Ordo told Revan to speak to Janice Nall, a Twi'lek droid builder in the Upper City. Saying that Canderous Ordo sent him, Revan should be able to get a preordered droid from Nall. This droid had originally been ordered by Davik and was available for pickup. Seeing no other alternative, Revan agreed to the scheme and departed the cantina.

Revan proceeded to Janice Nall's droid shop and spoke with her about the astromech droid Ordo mentioned. Telling Nall that Ordo sent her, she agreed to sell the droid to him for 2000 credits. Revan purchased T3-M4 from Nall and proceeded to the Military Base.

Raid on the Military Base
"Hey – you can't come in here! This is a restricted area! You better tell me what you're doing or I'm going to hit the alarm!"

- Military Base receptionist to Revan

T3-M4, the newly purchased astromech droid, used his skills against security systems and opened the main door to the Military Base. Revan and his team proceeded down the elevator to the main reception area. There, they were abruptly challenged by the receptionist at the front desk. She did not want to fight Revan and agreed to not hit the security alarm if she could freely escape. Revan permitted her and continued deeper into the base. Throughout the base, sentry droids prowled the corridors and Sith soldiers filled the rooms. In one of the scuffles, Revan acquired a Sith ID passcard. The most challenging obstacle, however, was in the elevator. There, a security droid with a formidable shield was stationed. This droid had been recently repaired and was working at full capacity. Earlier that day, the transformer in the elevator was fixed by a technician, causing the glitches within the droid's shield to be eliminated.

After defeating the droid, Revan used the passcard found in one of the rooms to open the elevator shaft. Stepping out of the elevator, the team stumbled upon the room of the Tarisian Sith Governor. The meditating governor was interrupted by Revan's entrance, but he was further shocked to find that Revan was Force-sensitive. Thinking this would be his chance to earn his lightsaber from his superiors, the dark side adept governor attacked Revan. Throughout the brawl, the governor used the dark side of the Force to gain an edge over the intruder. Revan overcame the governor, however. Having defeated the governor, Revan grabbed the launch codes from within the governor's quarters and fled the base.

Encounter with the Exchange
"Okay, we're inside. Now all we have to do is figure out a way past the Ebon Hawk's security system and we can get the rest of your group and get off this planet."

- Canderous Ordo

Revan and his team fled the Sith base and traveled to Javyar's Cantina to meet up with Canderous Ordo per the prearranged plan. Even before their arrival, word had already reached Ordo that the Sith base had been broken into and raided. Knowing this, he responded to Revan saying that he knew the codes were in Revan's possession. Ordo proposed that he bring Revan to the estate of the Exchange boss Davik Kang as a potential recruit. Ordo stated that Kang would have Revan stay in the estate while background checks were being conducted. During this time, the Mandalorian suggested that Revan advance toward the Ebon Hawk and flee the planet. Bastila Shan was none-to-thrilled with the plan, for she did not trust Ordo. Acknowledging this, the bounty hunter responded that he did not like the idea of teaming with them either. Agreeing that no other alternative seemed viable, the uneasy alliance left the cantina and proceeded to Kang's estate.

Inside Kang's estate, Davik Kang and bounty hunter Calo Nord met Ordo and Revan. At first, the crime team was surprised that Ordo had someone with him. Ordo suggested that Revan would be a worthy recruit for the exchange due to his exploits thus far: most notably, winning the Tarisian Season Opener. Taking Ordo's recommendation, Kang took Revan on a tour of the estate, showing him most prominently the Ebon Hawk and its impregnable security systems. Lastly, they arrived upon a room which was set aside to be Revan's quarters while Kang performed background checks. Kang's instructions were to not venture beyond the guest area or disturb the other guests. The slave quarters were available if Revan sought food or other amenities.

Once Kang departed, Canderous Ordo stated that Revan should begin looking for a way to disable the Ebon Hawk's security system and capture the ship. After working through the guest area, Revan came upon the Throne Room. As he advanced even deeper into the estate, he came upon guards and security droids who were stationed throughout. Alerted to his presence, the guards attacked Revan as Kang stated they would. Revan defeated the guards, however, and used a computer to disable the security systems of the hangar. Nevertheless, Revan still needed the launch codes to the Ebon Hawk. In one of the rooms two K-X12 probe droids were torturing a man in a Force cage. Revan destroyed the droids and freed the man, named Hudrow, who had been Davik Kang's pilot for the Ebon Hawk. As gratitude for saving him, Hudrow provided Revan with the launch codes for the ship and fled the base.

With the launch codes in Revan's datapad, Revan and Ordo proceeded to the hangar. At this moment, explosions were heard and the building began to crumble. The Sith fleet had begun the process of bombarding the planet from orbit. While inside the hangar, the pair was spotted by Kang and Nord who were trying to flee the facility. A shootout ensued. Kang was killed by Revan and Ordo, but part of the hangar collapsed onto Nord. Believing that both men had been defeated, Revan boarded the Ebon Hawk and took off. While the bombardment continued, he picked up his companions in the Upper City and fled the planet surface.

Aftermath
"Wipe this pathetic planet from the face of the galaxy!"

- Darth Malak

Once Revan and his team left the surface, they became entangled in the Battle of Taris. Sith fighters attacked the ship as it tried to flee the blockade. After shooting the fighters down, Carth Onasi piloted the ship away from Taris. The Ebon Hawk jumped to hyperspace and traveled to the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.

Back on Taris, the planet was bombed extensively. Onasi later remarked that no building over two stories was left standing. Nord managed to survive the devastation, however, and would later team up with Darth Malak to kill Revan.

Behind the scenes
The Rescue of Bastila Shan was a player-controlled mission on Taris that appeared in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The rescue is a plot-device which formally introduces the characters of Carth Onasi, Bastila Shan, T3-M4, Mission Vao and Zaalbar. Other characters introduced through cut-scenes include Darth Malak and Leviathan captain Admiral Saul Karath. Another purpose of the events on Taris, for game-play, is to further acquaint the player with aspects of the game and to begin offering hints towards Revan's identity. Bastila, however, must be rescued for the plot to continue.

Personnel used at any given moment in gameplay is fluid. Party members are only required for certain actions. Mission Vao is required to travel into the Undercity sewers with the player in order to open the force field. T3-M4 is required as a party member to break into the Sith Base and Canderous Ordo must stay as a party member to get into and while in Davik Kang's estate. During each of these missions, the third party member is selectable by the player.

In gameplay, numerous side-quests can be completed concurrent to the main objective of rescuing Bastila. These side-quests, such as fighting in the Taris dueling ring or completing some of Zax's bounties can provide a means of more credits. Others, such as assisting Tarisian locals or providing a cure for the Rakghoul disease to Zelka Forn can sway the character's alignment either light-sided or dark-sided. Also of note: other actions, such as responses to characters can change an alignment as well. For example, killing Hudrow in Davik Kang's estate after initially saving him gives the player dark side points.

Regarding the Tarisian Season Opener: The player has a limited number of heats that can be run. After the third heat, the Hidden Beks's mechanic will inform the player that the temperature of the swoop engine is beginning to worry him and that a simple cooling system was added to enable at least one more run. After the fourth heat, the mechanic reroutes the cooling system's power to the accelerator to give the swoop an extra boost. He tells the player that this modification is liable to cause the swoop to eventually explode. If the player does not complete the race within 38 seconds on his fifth try, the swoop explodes, killing Revan and prematurely ending the game.

The orbital bombardment of Taris is experienced regardless of the player's actions while rescuing Bastila. Cut scenes during the rescue and escape missions are shown indicating that Darth Malak was preparing to destroy the planet while Bastila was being rescued.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords