Maul entered the swamps of Dathomir. Dathomir. was far from his favorite place at least the part where he was going. The witches were at the swamps so to the swamps he must go. Hot , humid swamps full of all sort of vermin. But it couldn't be helped , if he wanted to see Mother Talzin he had to go through this vermin infested swamp with biting little bugs that made him itch.
He finally got there and saw Mother Talzin who looked the same as ever. " I have foreseen your coming Lord Maul. You want a new apprentice , yes?" "I need a new apprentice if I am to overthrow Count Dooku. From what I have heard you want him gone too. You help me and you will get your revenge." he nods "Very well, we can help each other I think. This time I will give you a female. It will suit you better than a male this time. You are a great fighter, Lord Maul but you could use a little witchcraft to help your rise to power and to help us get our vengeance on Dooku. Dooku must pay for his crimes against the Sisters and you. "He smiles "Yes, a female would do well. With her witchcraft and my fighting skills nothing can stop me from my getting revenge on Dooku. With my revenge you get your revenge. I hope his fall will be a long drawn out humiliation. He deserves nothing less. "
She replies " Be careful not to draw it out too long. The Count is very dangerous and you can't underestimate him. As far as the sister you chose wisely. A nightsister will serve you well. With her help we can destroy Dooku and both get our vengence. Her name is Ione"
An attractive nightsister stepped forward. She had a fabulous figure and dazzling eyes. Things are look up, I can get used to her Maul thought. Mother Talzin noticed his attraction for her Males,always thinking with their gonads. It makes them easy to manipulate and the stupid ones mistake good looks for lack of brains when they have nothing at all to do with each other.
Ione looked Maul over He seems very fit but he would have to be to be such a great warrior. The dark side is strong in him its power almost radiates from him. If he was a bit brighter he could have become a true Sith Lord. In a way it is a shame so much power is controlled by such a dull mind. However he was as strong in mind as he was in body I could never manipulate him. He seems attracted to me. I can use that, males of that kind are easily used by brilliant beautiful women such as myself.
Ione had no false modesty, she knew she was bright , beautiful and powerful. No use in pretending otherwise to yourself was her motto. She was quite willing to pretend otherwise to others if it served her purpose. Better to be underestimated than overestimated, people let their guard down around people they think they can easily outdo. This will be easy.
Mother Talzin said "Let us see both of you spar. It would be good to see how much you need to teach her, Maul. " She then hands them both weapons. His is made of metal with a wooden grip in the middle. He sparred with these before as it resembled a double bladed lightsaber. You had to earn your training saber whether you were a Jedi or a Sith. If Mother Talzin were a Sith he would have considered it an insult at this point as he earned his saber. However, nightsisters were known for their energy bows not lightsabers so she might well not have one at the moment. Ione was given a wooden pole that was carved like a lightsaber. Things were about to begin.
Maul started out slow. Going full out against a novice would teach them nothing, it was over before they could learn anything. That was a lesson his former master drilled into him. Although his first session with Palpatine seemed very difficult Palpatine was holding back. A fact that he discovered later. He didn't realize how much he was holding back even in Maul's last practice session before Naboo. The battle he had with Palpatine alongside his brother showed how much he was holding back. Even in the duel itself he easily handled them. Then there was his being slammed back and forth. He never was so helpless in his life. He begged for mercy and then Palpatine said "There is no mercy " and fried him. He wondered if even then he was holding himself back.
The first cut by Maul was easily dodged by Ione who responded with an upper jab that Maul parried. He sped it up a bit and went for her legs and she jumped over it and then swung at his chest. He did a backflip over her head and she turned around and parried. He stepped it up a little more and connected with a shot to her shoulder. Since a fight of this kind didn't end until someone was knocked down she tried tripping him at the knees which flipped over and connected with a shot to her head and she went down. "Your form is sloppy and a bit slow but we will work with that, you have potential my new apprentice" "Thank you master" she replied . Eventually I will learn your fighting techniques and then I may well teach you the true power of the force. The true power of the force wasn't lightsaber duels like he thinks. The true power of the force comes through illusions, mind control and curses she thought.
During the battle a single shuttle landed on Dathomir. unnoticed by the two combatants. However Mother Talzin noticed and thought Now let us see how they face their first true test.
A girl stepped off of the shuttle. She was a girl with something to prove. If she could defeat Maul she would earn her master's respect, otherwise she would earn only his ire. His ire was something to be feared. Suffering under his force lightning more than once for "failing him" she wanted that repeated as little as possible. She was willing to go through so she could have her revenge on the hypocritical Jedi. True peace could only come through total unity of purpose. If order could come from within it had to be imposed from without. The Sith would end this destructive conflict, impose order and have peace. True the order and peace would be at the price a lot of the freedom Republic Citizens were used to but it was for the greater good. After the Sith took over the only conflict would be at the top, the people at the bottom wouldn't be caught up in the fighting. They would have to bow down to the Sith and follow the law to the letter but that was the price for having a lack of willpower and discipline. The Sith deserved the power and glory because they were bringing peace and order to the galaxy. Peace and order were coming to the galaxy whether its inhabitants want it or not. Only swift hard punishment for breaking the law could bring order to the galaxy. If some suffered needlessly for it so be it. She was willing to pay the price. If the price of peace and order was freedom than that is what would have to happen. Lesser evils for the greater good.
She made her way through the swamp. It smelled , it made her itch and it was hot and humid. I guess this is just another test she thought. . She made her way through and saw Maul and some woman sparring. Must be the witch she thought.
The witch did better than she thought she would. The witch was clearly no match for Maul but she could clearly fight. The witches weren't known for their hand to hand fighting skills mostly but their use of force powers and energy bows.She might not be a Sith but I can't underestimate her, the witches are all too dangerous she considered warily.
She took them both by surprise but Maul whirled in time, catching her blow high. The other just stood there seeing how it would play out.Maybe she is testing Maul, that overconfidence could do her in. Maul slowly started pushing her back. She did a back-flip on to a tree. She then force pulled Maul up when she suddenly got force pushed out of the tree.
" Not that way. You will have to beat him in a duel. That is the only way I can learn" Ione said. Great , this really is a test for her and so far I am losing. I can't beat both of them, time to leave. She then gets to her feet and runs with Maul chasing her. She hears a voice cry out "No, let her go. She will tell Dooku of your power which will build up his fear. Time to leave for Mandalore. "Must be Mother Talzin and she is right I have to tell Dooku. At least we know she is going to Mandalore. He isn't going to take this failure well but I can bear pain to bring order and peace to the galaxy.
After the apprentice left Mother Talzin to Ione said "I will send one of your sisters with you wearing my shape. Her job is to be seen on Mandalore so Dooku thinks I am there. I must remain here in my place of power. Only in my place of power can I use my most potent magics. Also the other sisters must be trained here. You are the best and the brightest of us that is why I am sending . Your sister Tia will take my shape." Ione replies "But she is the most dull witted of us, why her?" Mother Talzin says ":That is precisely why she is going. As I said all she needs to do is be seen and even the dullest can do that. Besides she has potential, not as much as you, but potential. I picked her for a reason. You are to keep an eye on her as much as you can. She is your sister and so she is not expendable. If you have to pick between her and Maul protect her. She is your sister and your loyalty lies with her" Ione says"As you wish Mother, I will keep an eye on her".Mother Talzin replies "Good, now I have to speak with Maul" .
"Lord Maul, as you know deception is the way of the dark side so I am sending another sister in my place. She is there just to be seen, not to teach. If our enemies think I am on Mandalore they will leave me alone here." she says Maul replies "Yes, you are a crafty one. Never let anyone know what you are planning or doing if you can help it. That is the way of the Sith. An ambush or a betrayal works only if it is unexpected." .Mother Talzin answers :"Exactly, you do understand. Never let your enemies know what you are doing." .
Nor can you betray your "Allies" if they know what you are up to. I wonder if you thought of that Maul she thinks.
Note: The apprentice is young and naive. She doesn't realize yet that the struggles between Sith tend to spill over on the "little people". Dooku suspects this but he sees it as the price needed to be paid to get rid of the corruption in the galaxy. Both Lucas and Chris Lee said they thought Dooku is actually trying to do good for the galaxy but hasn't realized how much the dark side corrupted him. Dooku is as much reforming the SIth as Kenobi is reforming the Jedi.
