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

Name: I had some questions for you.
Atton: All right - what did you want to know?
Name: I'd like to know about your past, especially if we're travelling together.
Atton: [Influence: Failure] Yeah, well, maybe it's better that way. I'm not a sharing kind of guy.	Atton: [Influence: Success] Well, don't get too attached to me - I don't like it.

Dialog

1. Why not? 2. Are you all right? 3. I don't think we've done one thing you have liked since we left Peragus. Atton: It's because I'm a deserter. It's what I do. Atton: It depends on your perspective. I... have this habit... I'm a deserter. It's what I do. Atton: Well, you haven't seen anything yet. I have this habit... I'm a deserter. It's what I do. 1. You served in the war? 2. Which war are you talking about? 3. Did you turn away from the Jedi Civil War or the Mandalorian Wars? Atton: Served in both of them. Against the Mandalorians, before and after Revan, and again... when Revan declared war on the Jedi. 1. But why? 3. You were Sith? 2. I didn't know you served with the Republic. Atton: Because I followed orders. Atton: That's just a name - it's what we did that was important. Atton: I did. Up until the Republic officers began to "betray" their oaths to the Republic and side with Revan - Admiral Karath, Mon Halan, General Derred, and all the rest. Atton: But it was more than that - you were there, you knew how easy it was to hate the Jedi who sat back in the Republic "evaluating" the threat... and watched us die against the Mandalorians. 1. Why did you desert? Atton: Because you can't believe in the Republic anymore after the Mandalorian Wars. After Revan, nothing was the same. Atton: Right after that final battle at Malachor, I was right there with the rest of the defectors, because it was the right thing to do. 1. You took an oath - what you did was a betrayal. 2. That was wrong - you answered war with war. 3. I agree. The Republic did not deserve your loyalty, not any longer. 4. The Republic was weak. You were right to turn from them - and the Jedi. Atton: No, it wasn't. We needed the Jedi during the Mandalorian Wars, more than anything. Atton: The Mandalorians were slaughtering us by the millions. The millions. Atton: You were at Serroco, when they turned the Stereb cities into glass craters. Atton: At Duro, when basilisk war droids rained like meteors onto the orbiting cities, and when the Mandalorians set fire to the Xoxin plains on Eres III - the fires that still burn. Atton: Without the Jedi who turned on the Council - without you, the Republic would have lost the war, and we would all be Mandalorian slaves or corpses. 1. Instead, you all became Sith. 2. That is no reason to start another war against the Republic and end more lives. 3. You betrayed your oath. 4. The Republic deserved to be betrayed - and you knew where your true loyalties lay. Atton: If that's what you want to call knowing when to fight and when to kill, then yes, but you can't really break down people into Sith and Jedi and expect everything to make sense. Atton: Well, that puts us on the same level, doesn't it? Doesn't make your decision any more right than mine if you want to start sentencing me. Atton: We were loyal to Revan. That was enough. He saved us. Atton: We were loyal to Revan. That was enough. She saved us.

If you don't have the influence here to continue this conversation, you can pick it up later.

1. What happened then?	2. So you followed Revan - like I had.	3. Do you want to talk about it?
1. I'd like to hear more about what happened after the Mandalorian Wars.

Atton: [Influence: Failure] It's another story, and it's nothing I feel like talking about. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of... and I couldn't do it anymore.

Atton: [Influence: Success] After Malachor, after the Mandalorian Wars, that's when the Sith teachings started spreading through the ranks.

Dialog

Atton: We knew where our loyalties lay - to the Jedi who came to help us, not the ones who sat back on Dantooine and Coruscant, watching us die. Atton: So when those same Jedi who watched us die decided to start fighting us during the Jedi Civil War, we fought back. I fought back. 1. The idea of you fighting a Jedi is ridiculous. 2. How? 3. You fought Jedi? Atton: Yeah, it sure is. And that's why I was so good at it. Atton: I started killing Jedi. A lot of them. Atton: I didn't fight Jedi, I killed them. A lot of them. Atton: And that's why I wasn't fighting Jedi. I was killing them. Atton: People say killing Jedi is hard. It's not, you just have to be smart about it. Atton: No blasters, no getting close to them, no attacking them directly when you can gun down their allies instead. Atton: There's ways of gassing them, drugging them, making them lose control, torturing them. I was really good at it. Atton: What's worse, is that killing them wasn't the best thing. Making them fall... making them see our side of it, that was the best. 3. This is a little hard to believe. Atton: Yeah, maybe you'll believe this - that when fighting a Jedi, you wound the Padawan first, then let the rest take care of itself. Atton: Not only will the master move to protect the student, but the Force bond between the two will mess up the master's head better than any stab wound. Atton: Anything else? That's only a sample of my arsenal. 1. Could be handy if I need to murder any Jedi - go on. 2. Tell me, I need to know how to protect myself, and others around me. Atton: If there's no whiny little Padawan, start shooting innocents - not to kill, just enough so that they're gonna die unless the Jedi does something to save them. Atton: And if any Jedi is stupid enough to use their Makashi lightsaber form against you, start shooting as fast as you can and drop them while they're exposed. Atton: Set mines. Set a lot of them. Fire gas grenades, but make sure they have magnetic lock targetters so Jedi can't force push them back. 1. How could you have killed Jedi? 2. You make it sound easy. 3. How did you learn how to do this? Atton: I taught myself... techniques. It's hard for Jedi to sense what you're really thinking if you throw up walls of strong emotions and feelings. Atton: Lust, impatience, cowardice... most Jedi awareness doesn't cruise beyond the surface feelings, to see what's deeper. Atton: And I was good at that, throwing up walls, and my superiors knew it. Sometimes the Jedi on our side wouldn't even realize I was there. 1. Is that why you act the way you do? 2. That seems unusual. 3. So you force emotions? To block someone reading your mind? Atton: Part of it. Maybe it was always me. It's hard to tell sometimes. I haven't known who I am for years. Atton: Yeah, I had a talent for it. More like instinct. Atton: I wasn't the only one. Atton: I know you left at the Mandalorian Wars, so you don't know much about what went on behind the scenes in the Jedi Civil War. Atton: But Revan understood one thing - the real battle was going to be fought between the Jedi on both sides. That was the only battle that mattered. 1. What do you mean? 2. So this all came down to the Jedi - and the Force. 3. He was right. And he proved it. 3. She was right. And she proved it. Atton: Whoever had the most, the strongest Jedi were going to win the Civil War. If Revan couldn't convert Jedi, then Revan would kill them. Atton: So Revan trained elite Sith units into assassination squads, whose duty was to go out and capture enemy Jedi. I was in one of the special units trained to do this. 1. Capture Jedi? Not kill them? 2. So what happened? 3. I still don't believe this. Atton: Well, it doesn't really matter what you believe. Atton: Revan had plans for all Jedi. I think it was important that the Jedi see his side of things, the Sith teachings. Atton: Revan had plans for all Jedi. I think it was important that the Jedi see her side of things, the Sith teachings. Atton: Revan wanted to break them. And then have them join him. Atton: Revan wanted to break them. And then have them join her. 1. But you're here now. Why? 2. So how did you break away? 3. That doesn't sound like something one can walk away from. Atton: One day I decided not to do it anymore, so I left. Ended up on Nar Shaddaa, became someone else. 1. Why are you telling me this? You're telling a Jedi you killed Jedi. 2. You took a risk, thinking I would care that you killed Jedi - I don't. Atton: Because you've killed Jedi, too. Different circumstances, but you have a bigger body count than I ever did. Atton: I didn't think you would, after Malachor. But it was a chance. I guess I was just tired of keeping it in. Atton: And I've been with you only a short time, enough to know that as soon as someone signs on with you, they haven't got long to live. Atton: You got history, and anyone who travels with you doesn't. Atton: And maybe I want somebody to know who I was in case a story needs to be set straight. Maybe you understand.

If you don't have the influence to advance after this section, you can pick it up later.

1. But why did you leave the Sith?	1. What made you leave the Sith?
Atton: [Influence: Failure] I think there's been enough lies and truth for today. Let's just leave it for now.	Atton: [Influence: Failure] No, I don't think we're ready for that conversation yet.
1. I need some time to think about this.
Atton: Take your time - I have.
Atton: [Influence: Success] Well, there was a woman. A Jedi. She... she gave her life for mine.

Dialog

1. Who? 2. Were you assigned to kill her? 3. Was this the last mission? Atton: I never knew her name. She sought me out. She said she had come to save me. Atton: It wasn't a mission. She sought me out. She said she had come to save me. Atton: She was lying, of course - or I think she was. It doesn't matter - she told enough truth to get my attention. 1. Like what? 2. Truth about what? 3. Are you sure she was lying? Maybe she did want to save you. Atton: Maybe. It doesn't matter. She knew the right things to say. Atton: She said that Revan was doing something terrible to Jedi within the Unknown Regions. That when we captured Jedi, they were sent to a place designed to... break them. Atton: And that anyone in his service who showed any ability with the Force was sent there, too, to turn them, to break them into Dark Jedi... or assassins trained to kill Jedi. Atton: She said that's what would happen to me - that I had the Force inside me, that's why I was so good at killing Jedi. Atton: And that when the Sith learned of it, there would be no escape, no turning back. I would become an instrument of the dark side, forever. Atton: I had heard talk in the ranks, troops vanishing. I knew what she meant, but I didn't believe her - or want to believe her. 1. So what did you do? 2. If you didn't believe her, then what happened to her? 3. Did you kill her? Atton: I did what I did with all Jedi. I hurt her. I hurt her a lot. Atton: And then, right when I thought she couldn't take anymore - she showed me the Force. In my head. Atton: And I felt everything she felt, and I heard just an echo of what the Force was. And how what I was doing... Atton: I think I loved her, but it wasn't that kind of love. It was the kind of love where you're willing to give up everything for someone you don't even know. 1. That is what it means to be a Jedi. 2. Perhaps she felt a greater good would be served with your salvation. 3. Jedi lies. Atton: Maybe. It doesn't matter. Atton: I killed her for crawling in my head, for showing me that. But before she opened her mind to mine, my only thought was that I would love to kill her. Atton: And at the end, I killed her because I loved her. 1. That is a lot to bear - and it is a lot for me to forgive. 2. So what happened to her? 3. You were right to kill her. Atton: In the end, she sacrificed herself to keep my secret, to prevent the Sith from knowing about that touch of the Force inside me. She wasted her life to save me. Me. Atton: And I felt her die, when she opened her mind. I've killed Jedi like I said, but I was never there to feel it, to be on the receiving end. Atton: And after that, I couldn't stop feeling things - before, guilt, lust, impatience, it had been orchestrated to get close - now, it all just kept tumbling out - and I couldn't keep doing what I was doing. Atton: So I left. I fled with the displaced war veterans to Nar Shaddaa and I lost myself there, until the war came to an end. I wanted no more of Jedi, or Dark Jedi, or the Force. I just wanted to be left alone. Atton: And then I met you on Peragus. Atton: And I thought, maybe, maybe she had saved me so that I could help you. And if I can't, then I have to try. 1. Then I welcome your help. 2. I can't forgive you for what you've done, Atton. 3. Then she lied to you, Atton. That is what Jedi do.

Playing Pazaak

(Conversation with Atton after Kreia teaches you to read minds.)

Name: Atton, why do you play pazaak in your head?

Dialog

Atton: Passes the time. It's better than listing off engine sequencers, memorizing hyperspace routes, or counting ticks in the power couplings. 4. Forget it. I had some other questions. Otherwise... 1. That doesn't answer my question. 2. But you do all those things. 3. [Repair] There are no ticks in the power coupling - it's fixed. Atton: Of course it's fixed. And that's why you should count the ticking in the power coupling, too. 1. You're not making any sense. Atton: ::Silent, looks at player, frowns. :: Atton: Why do I play pazaak? All right, I'll show you. 1. I don't want to play pazaak. 2. Look, I don't have the credits. Atton: We're not playing for credits. We're playing for something else. Are you going to play or not? 1. This better not be using Nar Shaddaa rules. Atton: No, blasters stay in their holsters. Do you want to deal, or should I? Atton: Nope, our clothes are gonna stay on. Do you want to deal, or should I? 1. If it's a friendly game, sure. 2. Let's play. You play a round of Pazaak with Atton, then regardless of the outcome, go back to conversation. Atton: Good match... now, what are you thinking about right now? 3. Thinking about why I was playing this stupid game. 4. Wondering if you had a skifter up your sleeve. Atton: Fair enough. But that's why I play pazaak in my head. Otherwise... 1. Well, pazaak, of course. The game. 2. I was trying to compute the totals to twenty. Atton: Right. And that's why I play pazaak in my head. Atton: Because if you don't, you've left the door open. And anyone could walk right in. 1. Atton, before, I felt your mind. With Kreia's help. I'm sorry. Atton: Of course you did. You see, Jedi... light or dark... do it, more often than you'd think. But I never heard one say they were sorry before... that's a new house rule. Influence Gained: Atton 2. You play pazaak to shield your thoughts. 3. What do you have to hide? Atton: No, I play pazaak in my head. Atton: Nothing, I'm just someone who plays pazaak in his head. Atton: But while I'm doing that, it's a lot harder for someone to walk in. 1. Can you teach me to shield my thoughts? 2. Is that something you can train me to do? Atton: No. I can only teach you to play pazaak. Do you understand what I'm saying? 1. No - I want to learn to shield my mind. Atton: That's not something I can teach you - you've come to the wrong guy. 2. Then I want to learn to play pazaak. Atton: Good. Now you understand. Atton: All right, I'll deal, then. Atton: If you're ever fighting someone who has the power over your mind... whether light or dark... play pazaak. Start listing hyperspace routes. Recite engine sequencers. Atton: And when they try to use their powers on you, suddenly it's not as easy as they thought. Atton: Jedi do it all the time, and when they walk in the dark places of your mind, they'll use it to hold you by the throat. Atton: Because you'll be right here with me, playing pazaak, where they can't reach you. [Atton has taught you to play pazaak in your head as a way of resisting mental domination. You have gained a permanent +1 to your Willpower saves.]