-1Chapter 4:
Through the Will of the Force…
"Kif!" Kirra screamed at the top of her lungs, attempting to rouse her companion back into reality. "Let them out, they are going hurt themselves."
"Uhh. Right." Kif' said, bluntly, after a short pause and a shake of the head.
Both Mauls continued to trash relentlessly inside their separate tanks. Struggling to break free of the tubing and oxygen lines, the Maul with shorter horns, free of tattoos, managed to snap one of his vital lifelines. Oxygen began to pour into his tank, quickly raising the water pressure to unstable levels. The already thick foam inside his tank strengthened many times over, causing it's inhabitant to become completely shrouded in it's wake.
"No! He's going to kill himself!" Kif' blasted the words out as loud as he could, startling Kirra in the process.
"Kif'! What is that one doing?" Kirra backed away from the tank in front of her.
"I…I don't know." Kif' watched as the water inside one of the tanks violently stirred from side to side. The Maul enveloped in bubbles summoned a much force power as he could, force pushing and pulling in attempt to free himself.
The Maul with larger horns quickly stopped trashing once he caught sight of what stood next to him. Discerning exactly what the situation was, he calmed himself using the power of the Sith. Becoming one with the dark side of the force, the original Maul motioned for the two beings outside of his tank to help his counterpart. Tapping the side of the tank closest to his opposite, it was clear what he had intended the pair to do.
"Kif'. This one is trying to tell us something." Kirra stumbled toward the submissive Maul's tank, almost knocking Kif' over in the process.
"Kirra. He wants us to help this one, first. Hit that red switch on the wall, next to the Medical Node."
Perplexed and completely lost, Kirra motioned with her hands in bewilderment. "Where, Kif'! I don't see it!"
Kirra, again, was startled by a pounding emanating from inside one of the tanks. She quickly spun on her heels to find the calmed Maul pointing to the location of the red switch. Mirroring the direction with her fingers, she quickly spotted the switch Kif' had intended her to flip.
"Kirra! What are you waiting for? Move it!"
Running at full speed, Kirra slammed into the stone wall on the opposite side of the room, accidentally activating the red switch in route. "Got it!" Kirra said, sliding down along side the laboratory wall, reaching the cold floor with a thud.
Water slowly escaped from both inhabited tanks, gushing out from duel pipes leading outside. Still trashing like a wild Bantha, the Zabrak managed to punch a hole in the transparasteel, brutally cutting his hand in the attack. After realizing he'd completely lost the ability to use his hand, he began to attack the tank from the inside with all free limbs.
"Kirra! Are you okay?" Kif' jerked his as he desperately tried to stop water from pouring out of the overhead pipes.
"Ya!" Kirra gurgled. "I'm fine…"
"Hey! Calm down or your going to hurt yourself, further!" Kif's attempt to reprimand the Zabrak was futile.
The more mature looking Maul understood this situation perfectly. That was his counterpart, trashing like a wild animal. He'd seen his failed attempt to escape and decided to take more efficient means of release. Calmly unhinging his oxygen mask and gently pulling out his lifelines, he used the force to pry open his tank lock. With a snap and a screech, the metallic lock imploded on itself and fell to the floor.
"Do not touch him." The original Maul calmly stated, slowly pushing the tank door open with one hand. "I will deal with him."
Kif' felt his stomach drop into his feet and a strange feeling washed over his soul. "Uh. Ya. Ok." He blinked rapidly.
Kif' let go of the pipe he'd been clutching in attempt to stop the gushing water. Racing toward Kirra, who sat on the opposite side of the room,. Covered in blood that emanated from her mouth, Kif' slide to her aide. "Kirra! Are you alright?"
"Yes, Kif'. I'm fine. I just sliced my lower lip a little. It's nothing too bad." Kirra looked up at Kif', who'd already begun to cry, and joined him with her own tears.
Both Kirra and Kif' sat on the cold, stone floor, watching the drenched Zabrak loom in front of his counterpart. He paced back and forth, finally making eye contact with his other half. Reaching deep inside the dark side of the Force, Maul attempted to calm his brother. The words echoed throughout the confused and petrified Zabrak, still stuck and bleeding heavily. "Calm yourself, brother. These people do not mean to harm us." The water pouring from the overhead pipes swirled with blood, causing Kirra to become nauseous at the sight. The feared she would pass out from her own blood loss soon, as well as the sight of the flooded, blood-red water that engulfed the laboratory floor.
"What…what am I?" The trashing Zabrak announced in a harsh, gritty tone.
"This isn't real! Where am I!" The words reverberated inside the tank, causing the auditory illusion of a giant voice speaking.
"That does not matter. Calm yourself, brother."
The trashing Zabrak gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, causing more blood to spurt out of his wounded hand. With a slight sigh of pain, he fell to his knees and slipped into unconsciousness again, never allowing himself time to remove his arm from the tank wall…a violent snap could be heard from meters away. Kirra covered her face, dipping low into Kif's arms at the sound of the Zabrak's arm cleanly breaking in two.