Chapter Three
"I request an audience with your highest authority figure or figures," the red Zabrak had said. "All in good time sir but for now you two have to rest and gather your strength," Thrawn's officer had replied. Thrawn himself watched these events transpire from a datapad that allowed him to see the surveillance footage of the wreck. He had to admit that though trained from early years to act swiftly and decisively, his subordinates never ceased to surprise him with their professionalisms.
They have learned well from their instruction on whatever world saw their conception and birth he confessed silently. "What do you intend to do about the request for an audience, excellency?" his subordinate Creon asked. "For now, I will ponder it while they recover their strength. I will give you an answer that is to be delivered to them by word of mouth within the hour or so," Thrawn answered.
"Do you think these Zabrak warriors may be the solution to our problem in the caverns? My men reported that they saw lightsabers in their possession when they pulled them out of the wreckage. Only two groups of people in the universe carry such weapons: the Jedi and their Sith enemies along with those cults created by their war against each other," Creon inquired. "Nothing is for certain although the pest in the caverns could be used as a bargaining chip with these two if an alliance with me is their desire," Thrawn explained.
Creon stood there, pondering his superior's words for a moment then requested if he could find out who they were before Thrawn decided to fulfill their request. "Do that: if they're Sith, it will be interesting to find out why they have not sided with Count Dooku and his Separatists. If they're Jedi gone rogue, it will also be interesting to find out what made them leave the Order and come here," Thrawn said with a nod. "And once I confirm who they are, do I ask them if they would be willing to do a favor in exchange for an alliance; I'll state that the details would be left to you if you decided to see them," Creon asked.
Thrawn nodded and dismissed Creon to go about doing that while he pondered whether or not to see the warriors. There were many details to be sorted out if he said yes to an audience and to an alliance. Firstly, how would he convince that he was their ally while still working from the shadows? Would they want him to step out with them and officially declare his support of them?
Or would they merely want a start in their quest to whatever redemption they sought in which case he could lend them a ship and make a few recommendations in the way of allies? He knew that while many systems fell loyal to either the Confederacy of Independent Systems or the Galactic Republic, there were those that were neither and/or hated both. In addition, he also knew that there were those who would be more than willing to turn to either one for profit unless a better opportunity was given. If they are Sith, they will need a way of relying on the hatred and selfishness of such organizations or at the very least, utilizing it for their purposes he thought.
Thrawn knew he had all the unmarked credits that the warriors would ever need should bribery be an issue with these new allies. However, was he willing to use these with little guarantee that he would ever see them repaid? Were these brothers a worthy investment or would they be another pointless financial venture on his part? And worst of all, would he have to sacrifice his search for the Kashi Mer Talisman in exchange for their alliance?
It was then that he confessed that Creon using it as a bargaining tool was a good idea. If one or both of these warriors were willing to get it for him, he could not only have two powerful warriors but he could also have the Talisman and quite possibly the power of the woman to offer them. In the end, he decided that the brothers would be worth the gamble that he would be taking with his life, his crew, and his resources. "Creon, when the red one wakes up, tell him that I will see him thirty standard minutes after," Thrawn stated into his comlink.
"It will be done, your excellency," Creon replied from his own. Thrawn definitely appreciated the efficiency with which Creon and everyone else acted. It more than compensated for the inefficiency that he had seen amongst the Jedi during the Outbound Flight expedition. However, he had a feeling that this would be nothing like the thrill of fighting the Jedi of that expedition and sending them back home.
Maul had no idea how long he and his brother had been in sedated rest but when he was told that it had been three days, he was not surprised. What did baffle him was that the officer from the wreck was standing next to his bedside. "Admiral Thrawn of the Chiss Coalition will see you in thirty minutes. That shall give you plenty of time to regain your thoughts before speaking to him," he stated.
And just as he turned to leave, Maul stopped him to ask who he was. "My name is Creon, I have been watching over you and your brother these past three days. Your brother is far worse for wear than you are probably because unlike you, the limb he lost was flesh and blood," the officer replied. "We are Sith, it's in our nature to look worse for wear in order to fool our enemies," Maul stated.
"Is this elaborate disguise you speak of so convincing that you fool yourselves? Unless that's the case, your brother is worse for wear to the point of no ability to fight at the moment," Creon inquired. Then he left after repeating that Maul had thirty minutes before the Admiral would see Maul as he walked away. The zabrak's head was still spinning from all the sedatives but he was always a quick healer and it didn't even take him ten minutes for full restoration.
For the other twenty or so minutes, Maul ate the meal that Creon had ordered for him and was glad to realize he had a few minutes to clean up before meeting Thrawn. This man will be interesting, I have heard of his success as a military leader on many an occasion. Rumor has even reached my ear that he has the capacity to command his soldiers effectively enough to kill Jedi Masters he thought silently to himself. He would not want to confirm these rumors just yet and resolved to just form the alliance first if he could then find out the truth of his military capacity.
But he found himself wondering if he should be worried for Savage or if the Chiss would do that for him. Maul had watched helplessly as Kenobi nearly broke his brother's leg before severing his arm from his body. When it happened, Maul had felt the pain of being sliced in half all over again for brief seconds and had given into the anger that compelled him to throw the Jedi away from them. It was as he was thinking about this that he noticed a man with far more metals than Creon approaching and guessed it was Thrawn, a guess confirmed by his introduction; it was at this moment that he was glad that Savage was right next to him despite being in a sedative trance, still.
"Greetings Zabrak warrior, I am Thrawn. Leader of the Galactic Coalition and Governor of this system. How may I assist you?" the man asked. "I am Maul and this is my brother Savage; tell me, do you dream of galactic domination?" Maul answered.
The thought of such wealth and power had crossed Thrawn's mind but he didn't let this show. Meticulously, he replied, "Do you ask because such domination is your desire as well?" Maul nodded and added that his previous attempts had failed miserably. "Galactic conquest has been in my sights for years but I have had no way of knowing if the galaxy is ripe for a new order," Thrawn admitted.
"Perhaps, with your aid, we can arrange that," Maul suggested. Yes, yes you can Thrawn thought silently. "I will help you if I can but first, I must request a favor as proof of your value," he said aloud. "I'm listening," Maul stated as he leaned forward.
"In the far northwest regions of my domain on Irkalla, there is a cave in which lies an ancient Dark Side artifact from the First Great Schism of the Jedi Order. It is called the Kashi Mer Talisman and was last wielded near the end of that great war by a woman named Arden Lyn," Thrawn began. "I've heard the legends, which tell it was lost with her forever? Have you found it?" Maul asked.
Thrawn nodded before continuing with what he had in mind to say. "We have not only found it but we have also accidentally revived Arden Lyn herself. She's already wiped out a crew of thirteen sent down there to obtain the Talisman upon finding it and guards it well. In addition, she refuses to leave the cave for even a moment: kill her or persuade her to join us but either way bring back the artifact," he added.
"And when I do, you agree to assist me and my brother in return?" Maul asked. "I will provide you with a ship, mechanical replacements for your limbs, and whatever else you may require. To be generous, I am even willing to provide you with a robe to wear for your mission. You cannot be walking the cold length of Irkalla in naught but your bare skin and mechanical apparatus," Thrawn answered.
"So long as nothing serious happens to my brother while I am away, I agree to do as you request. Let him stay here and continue his recovery while I go to this cave and complete the mission," Maul replied. "You have my word of honor that your brother will be just fine while you're away," Thrawn said. They shook on it and Thrawn ordered for the robe and the artificial legs Maul needed to be delivered immediately.
"These people are efficient in everything they do and the deliverers of your new gear will be no different," Thrawn assured him. And as promised, the Chiss subordinates showed up in mere minutes with mechanical legs that would be welded unto Maul and a robe for him to wear. The welding was quick and after a brief test run, Maul was confident in his footing with the new prosthetics. Additionally, the robe was a perfect fit which pleased him all the more and hid every single speck of machinery below his waist.
"I will return in no time with your precious artifact and hopefully a new ally for our alliance," he vowed as Creon led him away from the Admiral and to the speeder which would take him to the cave. Arden Lyn's power combined with that of the Kashi Mer Talisman will be quite useful. Especially since she is the only one who knows how to safely and effectively use it Thrawn admitted to himself. And strange as it was, that thought made Thrawn wonder if they thought too much and did too little; something Maul's return would likely answer if he succeeded.
Arden Lyn sensed the dark presence that had landed on Irkalla and knew it was moving. Whoever it was that caused it, they would not be allowed to obtain the Talisman without a fight if it was what they sought. She would see to that herself even if in this new galaxy, whoever she fought might be more powerful than her. The katana had done more upon its first rebirth than restore her memories on how to use it effectively.
It had also restored her confidence that this new alien universe was not without the things she was most familiar with from her day. Though she wished Xendor was here with her now, she remembered what he did in most situations and used that to further fuel her confidence. I will avenge you, my love. On that I swear the rest of my natural life so long as I have it to live she promised in silence.
The wrath of the lone veteran of the First Great Schism awaited all who were willing to see their fate alone in this cavern. She would not only keep the Talisman for herself but perhaps she could begin a collection of skulls from all those she killed. It wouldn't be a bad idea to begin leaving a path of death that would inspire fear into those who would destroy her. But the man she was going to meet next, was destined for much more than to have his skull mounted; he was destined for true greatness in this new universe.
However, while Arden sensed the approach of the dark presence on Irkalla, something else came as well. It was a curious sensation that tingled her spine almost as much as the thrill of battle. The only difference between that and whatever this was had to be that this involved a life. Better yet, she sensed that whoever was causing it was in a trance much as she had been for twenty-five millenniums.
Perhaps after I deal with the source of the approaching presence on Irkalla, I'll seek this one out. It would be interesting to see if I have an ally out in the galaxy waiting for me to free them she thought before stopping herself from consulting the Talisman for answers again. Much as she loved the life it took and the knowledge it provided her, the price had been too great the first time she touched it after she had been revived by its power. She still needed time to adjust to what it showed her before she made any other moves except to defend her keep from the approaching enemy.
Maul had to admit that despite the efficiency of the Chiss, the speed at which his transport went made them look even better than on-foot travel might have. He had only been on Irkalla for a couple days, almost a week to be precise, and already he had noticed so much that he needed to learn. These people were as interesting in their efficient and effective ways as they were in their mystery. Did they deliberately keep a veil of shadows over themselves in which case they did it better than his master?
Or was there something they wanted to hide from the galaxy that could only be hidden if they first hid themselves? Either way, Maul knew that if the Jedi could not penetrate through the veil these people put up, they stood no chance against Lord Sidious' cloaking abilities. The ironic thing about that was that these people hid themselves miles away across the stars, which the Jedi could see. And it was made even more ironic considering that Lord Sidious was right next to them and they still couldn't see him for who he was.
Perhaps a detail of my revenge shall be revealing Sidious' double life to the galaxy. It will satisfy my anger and hatred for him to know that I have ruined his chances for galactic rule. After all, it would leave a vacuum wide open for me to take the mantle of power for myself he thought, smug in his plans within plans. And why not ruin the illustrious career of the man who promised Maul everything but gave him nothing?
Why not ruin the man who had raised him from infancy into the ways of the Dark Side only to discard him shamelessly? Kenobi may have sliced Maul in half and provoked his doom in that manner but Sidious sealed his own fate by simply leaving Maul to rot. Both would pay and perhaps this alliance with Thrawn and his Chiss Coalition would work to his advantage as far as seeing that happened went. If given the tools to do so by Thrawn, Maul could knot a noose that would ensnare the necks of both Kenobi and Sidious in succession.
Sidious had created Maul only to hope that he had been destroyed on Naboo. But now, the creation would return with a vengeance and bury the creator in his own deceit. The Jedi would fall too but not before they had a chance to turn their blades on the Dark Lord and destroy him. And the pleasure Maul took in that thought skyrocketed before he realized that the cave was just barely visible in the horizon of Irkalla's dark, stormy skies.
"We will be arriving at the entrance of the cave in at least five minutes. Just a little warning that the entrance is as far as I am ordered to go with you. Once I drop you off, I am to report back until you signal your success but in the meantime, you're on your own once you leave this speeder," the driver warned. "That will work just fine for me but thank you anyway for the notification," Maul replied calmly.
He was used to doing things alone or with just Savage as his partner. After all, Sidious had seldom wanted to get his hands dirty and often assigned Maul to jump into the filth for him. Despite the disadvantages that came with that, Maul had to admit that a perk was the bookstyle education he received while recovering helped compensate immensely. Because of it, he turned from a deadly warrior with skills to kill Jedi Masters single-handedly to one who could bend entire worlds to his will.
It was this same cunning that had allowed him to take Black Sun's then-current leader so stupendously that the shockwaves were still felt to this day. Thankfully, they had recovered enough to where if he desired an army and needed recruits from them, he could make sure it was done. And the more he thought about rallying criminal organizations and their resources, the more it suddenly made sense to him.
After all, most of them hated the Republic and their Separatists enemies despite having no hand in the fate of the Clone Wars. If Maul could offer them that hand he needed, he could rally groups like Black Sun in a heartbeat. In turn, they could recruit allies who were anti-Republic and anti-Separatist and thus unite them under a single glorious cause that saw to the death of both sides. For once, instead of fighting each other for greater land or wealth, they would fight their higher enemies to have it all.
The entrance to the cave was soon before him while he thought about all of this and he was excused to leave the speeder. "Thank you for the ride, I will be sure to contact you when my mission is a success," Maul told the driver. It was then that the Chiss driver nodded and sped off to obey the orders of his high authority, Thrawn.
For the first time in nearly four days, Savage Opress was rising from a sedated sleep. Across from him, he could see engineers working on a limb probably designed for him based on its bulk. Where the hell am I? Am I in the realm of the dead or do I still live? he asked himself as he tried to gather his thoughts.
"About time you woke up, we were just finishing customizations on your new arm," one of the nurses told him. "Am I dead or what?" he asked as he rubbed his face and head. "You're feeling some of the side effects of our sedatives but you're plenty alive," she answered. Savage reached for his lightsaber but the nurse asked him to leave it for a moment, until they tested out his new arm.
He made sure he was near it in case something went wrong and he was attacked but he nodded for the procedure to begin. "You may feel a little jolt when we attach your new arm to you but it should work just fine besides that," the nurse told him. He nodded his understanding and held out the stump for them to make the insertion that would improve his abilities tremendously. As foretold, he felt the jolt but immediately began to be able to move it around as though it were his real arm.
Everything about the hand's sensitivity to sensations and the thickness of the arm fit with him perfectly. "Let's test out the strength of your new enhancement. According to our engineers, it's designed to punch through durasteel and weaker metals. Anyone fighting you would need a cortosis or Mandalorian-Iron shield to withstand the worst effects," a man suggested as he raised a sheet of thick durasteel.
Savage liked the idea of being able to do that and immediately raised his fist into a punching position. When he swung, the mechanical hand tore through the sheet and even had enough momentum to give the engineer holding the sheet a bloody nose. "Damn, the punch is stronger than I thought. Feel free to use your lightsaber to see how it really feels on you," he said as he wiped the blood away.
Savage did just that by hacking, twirling, and spinning in empty air with both sides of his blade. But it was at that point that he noticed something was wrong with the way they were looking at him. He remembered the Polis Massans looking at him similarly before they attacked him and his brother...