She keyed in the access code to his habsuite and the door swished open, the shadow of a Togruta standing in the doorway, sharp cerulean gaze fixed on the meditating figure, bionic legs crossed, eyes shut. She rapped on the durasteel frame. "Maul?"
Golden orbs stared at her. "Come to bother me, have you?"
Tano stepped into Maul's quarters, light spilling in from the corridor behind her. "I heard about your offer to practice with Ezra earlier."
Maul had observed them training, Master and Padawan clashing their blades in a mock duel. The boy was brash and unorthodox; his bizarre lightsaber design spoke for itself. The older Jedi had dispensed criticism every moment he could. It had ended in a draw, and Ezra had snapped at the teen Mando keeping her distance from Maul, who had also been spectating.
The boy had an immense resevoir of anger and frustration. He could teach him to tap into that, and use it for his benefit. Maul silently approved of his willingness to kill the Inquisitors, but his Master was soft. Weak. He found that all Jedi were. He'd spoken up, "Perhaps the boy would care to test his blade against me."
A look of uncertainty had crossed Ezra's face, but had been replaced by curiosity. "Actually, I wouldn't mind." But his Master had just needed to disrupt everything. He'd placed his hands on Ezra's shoulders. "We're not finished yet. C'mon, you've got a lot of meditating to do."
Ezra had wanted to protest, and Maul had encouraged it. Don't be a blind servant to your master's whims, he'd thought bitterly.
Kanan had steered Ezra away from Maul, throwing the Zabrak a scathing glance as they departed.
Maul returned to the present. "And I suppose you're here to warn me to stay away from him?" he asked Tano.
"I think Kanan's got that front pretty well covered." Ahsoka allowed herself a brief smirk, and unfolded her arms. "I had something else in mind. How about we spar instead?"
What an unexpected invitation. Maul raised an jet-black eyemarking and told the Togruta as much. "What's brought this on, Lady Tano? You already have two Jedi you could ask."
"No offence to Kanan or Ezra, but I'm looking for something a bit... more." Tano cast a glance over him.
"You seek a challenge, then."
The cargo hold was not ideal for saber practice, Maul found. It had limited space, but that provided a challenge, and he would make sure to give his opponent the same. Tano tossed him his saberstaff and he deftly caught it.
"Turn down the power setting," she instructed. Maul gave a scoff.
"The Sith only practiced with real blades, at the highest setting." Tano's glare caused him to relent. They both dialed down the power on their weapons and got into battle stances. "Also, don't try anything funny," warned Tano.
"I'm hardly renowned for my sense of humour."
She gave an exasperated look. "You know what I mean." Force usage was out of the question for Maul because of the dampeners on his wrists. Ahsoka may have requested Maul's participation to train, but she wasn't foolish enough to let him loose aboard the Ghost.
Their lightsabers thrummed and clashed as Tano parried, blocked and wove past Maul's attacks, as he thrust and swiped and blocked in return. There was no rhythm to the frenetic clash.
It wouldn't be the only time they, for lack of a better word, trained together.
Ahsoka was analysing data and forming plans in her head when Maul interrupted. "Busy, Fulcrum?"
"Matter of fact, yes, I am. Was there something you needed?" Her clipped tone and stoic expression simply made Maul smirk.
"Just a few moments of your time. How about we play a game?"
Ahsoka frowned. "Holochess? Why?"
"Why not? It's as good a game as any."
She was thoroughly unamused. "I don't have time for this."
Maul placed a hand on his chest. "Indulge this old man. It's not that hard. One game. Besides, you'd sought me out first."
"I bother you, then you bother me? Is that how this works?"
The Nightbrother's eyes glittered with dark humour as he took the seat opposite her. "I could shock you," reminded Tano.
"You could," Maul agreed grudgingly, "but let's not be uncivilised." He shrugged. The holoboard came to life. "After all, I'm your ally, not your prisoner."
"From a certain point of view." They played one game. Which Maul lost, and immediately insisted on another one. In between moves, she waited with her hands tented, blue eyes serene as she observed the playing field.
A schemer. One who sat in the darkness and plotted the fate of the galaxy. Sounded like someone else Maul once knew. Of course, Darth Sidious was incomparable to all when it came to that sort of thing.
During their third match, Maul asked, "I am quite surprised you are willing to take a chance with me. I suppose you desire my cooperation in order to obtain a Sith Holocron."
"What makes you think that?"
"Oh please. I know nothing about the operations of the Empire. You wouldn't tolerate my presence unless you were certain you could benefit from it."
Fulcrum seemed almost impressed. She told him which exact holocron she required, and from where they were to extract it.
"Bold, Lady Tano. Very bold." Though she couldn't decide if he was commenting on her latest holochess move or her planned heist.
It took five games for Maul to score one victory against Tano.
Maul was disappointed after learning the fate of Mandalore. But make no mistake: he did not care what happened to the planet.
"That's beyond pathetic," he spat. "The new government consists of nothing but a bunch of weaklings who submit to the Empire on a daily basis."
"You know it," said Sabine flatly.
"Then you see it, child." Sabine turned to Maul. "What happens when 'advocates for peace' try to find power. It never truly becomes their own."
Maul snorted. "Peace was never the Mandolorian way."
"And what could you possibly know about the Mandolorian way?"
"More than you think."
"You're an outsider," said Sabine stubbornly.
"But even outsiders can gain power through the traditions that others hold dear. The Mandolorians that served under me were fierce and loyal."
"Yeah? Well then what happened to them?"
"...That is a tale for another time."
"I can't believe you did that to Chopper! You just - you just threw him into the line of fire - "
Maul ground out, "It's a droid. You can always get another one."
"Maybe I don't want another one!" Captain Syndulla argued. She continued repairing the scorched astromech, who was spouting curses at the Zabrak in binary and shaking.
Their latest mission was a success. But casualties had been sustained.
"Next you'll be telling me that the tube-spawn is a real being," muttered Maul derisively.
"His name's Rex," countered Tano, expression stormy.
"It may as well be 'expendable'. You should have left him behind."
During the mission, the clone had taken a shot to the shoulder, and Fulcrum had broken formation to surge to his side. Her despair had been raw and genuine, and Maul wished to see it more.
To defend Tano's flank, he'd Force pulled the astromech towards them, and it'd taken the brunt of the hits.
"He's a living being, and he's not expendable!" countered Ahsoka hotly.
He wasn't going to even dignify that with a proper response. "Pffftt." The next thing Maul knew, he trembled violently and fell forward, electricity lancing through him. He looked up, and saw Tano clutching a remote, a steely look in her eyes.
"I knew it wouldn't be long before you gave in to the temptation."
"Take him away to his quarters," Fulcrum ordered Zeb and Kanan.
"You're more Sith than you think," Maul added over his shoulder. Ahsoka's stomach knotted. The cutting remark did nothing to quell her anger.
At an abandoned outpost on Orondia they stopped to stock up on supplies. Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra assisted through use of their Force powers, while Maul could only shake his head. He was forced to carry crates like the rest of the Spectre crew.
On a hill overlooking the base, a lone hooded figure clad in brown robes observed the rebels. His mouth twisted in distaste at the sight of the Zabrak.
Sabine was the first to spot him. "Up there! On the hill!" The others quickly took up defensive positions. Craters were dropped, blasters were drawn and lightsabers were ignited.
The figure leapt through the air, landed in a crouch, and then straightened. Maul tensed. The Force was screaming inside his head, warning him. His eyes widened momentarily. He couldn't sense the man before him, though he certainly recognised him.
"Of all the Jedi to survive the Purge... You just had to be one of them, Kenobi."
"No way..." breathed Jarrus once the Jedi Master dislodged his hood.
Kenobi's saber ignited, and rather than adopt his classic Soresu battle stance, the man was already sweeping in, weapon held in a two-hand grip.
Tano threw her arm out. "Master Kenobi, wait - !"
"Here to settle an old score, I take it?" Maul asked, dodging his attacker's first swipe.
"More like right a wrong."
Maul whipped out a slender hilt from his cloak, and flicked the ignition switch just in time to counter Kenobi's brilliant blue blade with a warped dark one.
