Love and War
Chapter 7
A current of cool air was rising up from the large mine shaft and shifted Obi-Wan's robes and hair. He removed his outer robe and let it drop onto the ground. He watched as Darth Maul silently approached on this two robotic legs. Obi-Wan saw that he had managed to repaired his damaged leg in the short time he had left Mandalore for Concordia. It didn't matter. He knew he would have a hard time defeating the Sith regardless of his mechanical limbs or not.
He looked up to spared a glance at his friends. Satine was bound and standing on a mine lift on a chain over the large shaft and Thrice was in the other. Satine's brows were knit and afraid. She watched him with her clear blue eyes.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan."
"There's no need to apologize, Satine. It will soon be over."
Obi-Wan knew it was no fault of Satine that she was captured. That responsibility fell squarely on the Sith. He then looked at Thrice. Her lips slowly curled into a sly smile as their eyes met. Obi-Wan was glad that at least one of them was confident.
Darth Maul brought him back when he said, "Yes, Kenobi. Soon it will be over for you."
"Let them go, Darth Maul. It's me you want. This has nothing to do with them."
"Oh, but it does. Your feelings betray you. I know you care for them both. Now choose! Your wife or your love?"
"No! I won't play your games, Sith. Let them go!"
"You don't have a choice!" Darth Maul then staked closer to him and pointed at the two prisoners. "Pick one, Obi-Wan or I will kill them both."
He could not believe his ears. He couldn't possibly choose. Both Satine and Thrice were important to him. He couldn't live with himself if had to choose. Also, he had no guaranteed that Darth Maul would let the other one go. What was stopping him from killing them both. Obi-Wan knew how much Maul wanted to cause him pain. He knew how he wanted him to suffer for revenge.
"Obi-Wan."
He turned to her. She rarely called him by name. He saw that there was no fear written on her face. She said, "Choose Satine. Trust me."
Obi-Wan was stuck to the core. What in the world was that blasted woman thinking? He couldn't possibly choose between the two of them. It didn't matter that Thrice had asked him to trust her. He didn't care about her blasted trust because what mattered was that she live—that they both live. He would not succumb to the Sith. He would not be their pawn.
He turned to Darth Maul and said, "I refuse to play your game, Sith. I cannot choose between the Duchess and Lady Thrice."
Darth Maul signaled Savage Oppress in the control station with a wave of his hand. He said, "Then, you will lose them both."
"NO!"
Obi-Wan shouted mirrored Satine's cry as Savage Oppress threw the lever. Satine's cry pierced his heart. The two women began to fall into the great shaft and to their deaths. Obi-Wan ran to edge of the shaft to try and save them, but Maul laughed and shoved him back with the Force.
Obi-Wan recovered from the blow quickly. He saw that Savage Oppress had left the control station to join him. The two drew near. Obi-Wan narrowed his brow.
"I should have guessed such treachery."
"Tell me, Kenobi. How does it feel to know that you couldn't save your lover or your wife?"
Obi-Wan lunged forward. He and Darth Maul's lightsaber clashed in the dimly light mine. The closer they battled near the mouth of the shaft, the more violent the wind blew. Then Savage Oppress intervened and soon Obi-Wan found himself outnumbered two to one.
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Unknown to the conflict above, Thrice had summoned her sword with the Force and used it to free herself as she fell. She then sailed closer to Satine and grabbed her and used her sword to slow their descent by driving it into the stone wall. Sparks flew from where the stone met her blade, but eventually they slowed to a stop.
Thrice laughed and unceremoniously swung Satine towards a ledge. The Duchess fell and clung to the wall before exhaling a deep breath. She couldn't believe what had just happened.
"You planned this didn't you?"
Thrice pulled her sword out of the rock and jumped to the ledge as well. She then used her sword to cut Satine's bindings before sheathing it away. Satine rose and rubbed her wrists.
"Not exactly, but I don't plan on dying."
Satine smiled and said, "You sound like Obi-Wan."
Thrice said, "You forget, dear Duchess, I am older than Obi-Wan. If he sounds like anyone he sounds like me."
"Well, now what? How are we supposed to climb back up?"
Satine looked up and saw that it was a long way up and it was an even longer way down. The wind was terribly violent. And she didn't think Thrice's sword could help them get out anytime soon. She knew that Obi-Wan needed help, but she also knew that there was nothing she could do. She wasn't a fighter. She couldn't help him destroy the Sith. Satine was counting on Obi-Wan. He was only hope of rescuing them.
"There," pointed Thrice. "A tunnel. Climb to it and follow it out."
Satine saw that there was a tunnel a few meters away. She saw that there were several inside the large shaft. It seemed that the large shaft served as a waste station for debris. There was a small ledge leading to the tunnel. If Satine didn't look down she knew she could make it.
"This is where I leave you, Duchess."
"What! Where are you going?"
Thrice smiled and said, "I'm going to save the Knight from those dogs."
"You'll never be able to climb out in time."
She said, "Who said anything about climbing?"
Thrice unsheathe her sword again and this time placed it on the ground. She stepped onto the blade then very slowly she began to rise. Thrice's powers were not unlike the Jedi, but the only object she could command with the Force was her sword. She slowly began to ascend out of the great shaft and towards the battle over head.
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Obi-Wan hurled another rock with the Force at his foe. He needed to get some distance between him and the two Sith. Savage Oppress was too strong, but he lacked training and was raw power. Darth Maul posed the most serious threat and had deflected his attacks easily. Obi-Wan hardly defeated him as a padawan. He only hoped he had enough skill as a Master to defeat him again now.
Meanwhile, Darth Maul was thrilled. He was glad to see Kenobi suffer. He wanted him to feel more pain. He smiled evilly and his yellow eyes shone in the dark mine.
"There is no hope for you, Kenobi. How does it feel to know you have failed the only women you have ever loved? To know that their last sights were of you helpless to rescue them."
Obi-Wan narrowed his brow. He did not want to think about Satine and Thrice's fate. He knew that Satine was afraid. He saw the fear in her eyes. He knew that she was counting on him to save her, but Thrice—she had no fear. He wanted so badly to trust her. To believe in her, but in truth he had no idea what she was capable of. He knew she wasn't ordinary and he hoped her coy smile was more than just a bluff.
Savage Oppress launched a large rock at him with the Force. Obi-Wan used his lightsaber to slice the rock in half as he had done before with Darth Maul, but this time the rock did not yield. Instead, the stone was only deflected and it hit him in the gut and landed onto his leg. It had been made of beskar. The only known substance in the universe able to withstand a lightsaber. He tried to use the Force to push it away, but Darth Maul moved to towered over him.
"Oh, this is too easy. What's wrong Kenobi? Can't live with the guilt of failure? Shall I help you end your pain?"
Darth Maul sliced Obi-Wan across the arm. He cried out in pain as the red lightsaber burned his flesh. The smell of his own cook skin filled the air.
"Don't worry. I'll be sure to savor your defeat."
Out of nowhere a bolt of lightning shot out and hit Darth Maul squarely at the center of his chest. He yelled out in pain. His mechanical legs began to seize and ripples of electricity ran up and down his body before he stumbled back.
"Brother!" shouted Savage Oppress.
The larger Sith ran to catch his brother before he fell. He held him up as he sank into his arms. Obi-Wan looked to see where the attack had come from. He that it was Thrice. She had emerged from the depths by riding her sword like a magic carpet. She jumped off her blade and onto the ground while summoning her weapon in hand. Her eyes were glowing red. She looked like a Sith.
"You dogs are fools if you think you can kill me. Come and fight!"
Savage Oppress wasted no time answering her challenge. He raised his lightsaber and rushed towards her but his attack was block by her blade. Sparks flew from the contact of steel and light. Savage Oppress was surprised to see that her sword didn't melt under his attack. She slid his lightsaber across her blade and skillfully dodged his next attack. She was quicker than the Sith. Speed was her advantage over his brute strength.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was able to recover thanks to her distraction. He got up and moved to help her, but Darth Maul shoved him back with the Force.
"Not so fast, Kenobi. I am not done with you yet."
Darth Maul began to fight Obi-Wan. The two clashed lightsabers and traded blows, but they seemed evenly matched. They were nearly equal in power. The only bright side to the ordeal was that Thrice seemed more than skilled to handle Savage Oppress. His raw power was no match for her agility and speed. It was no wonder she was a Clan general.
However, Obi-Wan's injured arm was slowing him down. He could not keep up with Darth Maul's attack. The Sith swung his lightsaber and forced Obi-Wan down to his knees. Obi-Wan cringed against the pain.
"Causing you pain has always been my goal, Kenobi. Fortunately for you, your death can wait."
Maul then did the unexpected and stepped away from Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master was confused. The Sith had the upper hand. He could have easily moved to finish him, but instead he did something far worse. Instead, he turned towards Thrice and used the Force to hold her still. Obi-Wan was helpless to stop what happened next.
In an instant, Thrice was paralyzed by Darth Maul's attack but the she-warrior was too skilled to be captive for long. Though, an instant was all it took for Savage Oppress to lung forward and run her throw.
"Thrice!" cried Obi-Wan.
He watched in horror as Savage Oppress drew back his lightsaber from her body and a spatter of blood spilled out from her wound and onto the grey stone floor. Thrice staggered back on her feet. Her head was bowed and her long black hair had come undone and covered her face.
Darth Maul allowed Obi-Wan go to her. He felt numb. His felt heavy. He was supposed to protect her. He was supposed to keep her safe. He had failed her. He had given Shema his word. He took hold of her shoulders to draw her close.
"Thrice."
He was surprised to hear the emotion in his voice. They hadn't know each other for very long but she was still his wife. They had promised themselves to each other. It had to be mean something-anything-it couldn't have just been empty words.
He lifted her chin. A trail of blood flowed from her mouth. She was open to him. He felt her emotions through the Force. There was neither regret nor sadness in her heart, only rage. She lifted her sword and rushed passed Obi-Wan to stab Savage Oppress right through the heart.
"NO!" shouted Darth Maul.
Savage Oppress was stunned. Thrice's sword was razor sharp and true. It easily passed through his skin. There was no pain at first only shock. It was only when she drew her sword out from his body that everything inside him fell apart. Unlike a lightsaber there was no heat to seal the wound. Instead, all his blood was left free to flow. Savage Oppress staggered back and then fell down dead. Darth Maul went to him. He did not think his brother would die.
"Brother!"
However, it was too late. Savage Oppress was dead. Thrice clutched her wound. She knew did not have long. She raised her hand and prepared to strike at Darth Maul while he grieved but Obi-Wan caught her wrist. The Jedi Master knew that she was in no shape to take on Maul. It was only the element of surprise that allowed her to take down Savage Oppress.
"Thrice! Don't."
The delay was all Darth Maul needed to regain his senses. He rose up and glared at her with eyes full of hate. "You will pay for what you have done, witch. If it is the last thing I do."
Obi-Wan moved to protect her. He said, "No, Maul. Your fight is with me."
The two squared off. Weapons were drawn. The red and blue glow of their lightsabers hummed and illumated their forms in the dim mine. Beyond them was only the hallow sound of the wind being drawn up from the large shaft below. The ground was rough and the walls had the curved claw marks of drills now long gone.
Thrice watched with her ruby eyes. Her injury was finally taking its toll. Her strength was waning. She knew should could offer Obi-Wan little help defeating his foe. Her helpless angered her. She balled her hand into a fist and clutched the hilt of her sword. What good was she if should could not defeat the man she lov-no, Thrice would not give voice to feelings she could yet condone.
Darth Maul was the first to attack. He cried out and swung his lightsaber high. He wanted to kill Obi-Wan for hurting him. He wanted to make him suffer so badly that he could taste it on his lips. Hate fueled him. It was the only thing he had left in the world. He would see Kenobi dead at his own hand before he himself left this world. Though, he could not ignore the pain he felt at his brother's passing. He did not know he could even feel pain again until it was too late. Attachments were a weakness. It was the only thing the Jedi and the Sith could agree upon. And Maul knew that his feelings for his brother were slowing him down, but he didn't care. Nothing matter. Nothing at all. All that matter was that Kenobi was made to pay.
Darth Maul fought savagely, but it was not enough to subdue Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master was too great a foe. He only had one last ace up his sleeve.
"Surrender, Sith. You are no match for me," said Obi-Wan.
Darth Maul said, "Perhaps, but I will never surrender." He then rushed to Thrice and caught her by the arm. She was too weak to resist and was hauled to her feet. Darth Maul quickly cut off her belt and removed her blade.
Obi-Wan shouted, "No. Let her go."
"Say good-bye to your bride, Kenobi."
Darth Maul then raised his lightersaber to kill the war-maiden once and for all, but out of nowhere a shot was fired and hit the Sith hand. Darth Maul cried out and dropped his weapon onto the floor.
"Surrender, Sith. You are surround."
Obi-Wan and Darth Maul looked up and saw Captain Shema and a hundred Clan warriors. They were all dressed in black battle suits and each was armed with a sword. Obi-Wan saw that next to Shema stood Lord Blackswan. The scientist was dressed in rich green robes and smiled fondly at them from above.
Lord Blackswan said, "Drop your weapons."
Though, Maul would not go down so easily. He glared at the Clan warriors defiantly and said, "This isn't over, Kenobi. I will hurt you and I will have my revenge."
Darth Maul then plunged his lightsaber at Thrice, but at the last minute he was stopped by Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master would not lose another person to the Sith. Instead, he shoved him away in the nick of time and grabbed Thrice around the waist. Darth Maul fell to the ground and was soon surrounded by the warriors. They shot lightening at him to subdue him before binding him in chains.
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TBC
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