True Balance

Chapter 10

Interlude

Wodi Bell greeted the sunrise in the old Council Chambers. It had been six days since the Jedi had woken and his energy was drained. The current project was proving more difficult than he anticipated. This one had so much pain and so much to resolve. But he was powerful and Wodi needed him if they were ever going to reconstruct the Order of the Force to it's old power.

The Jedi stood, stretching his arms to the ceiling and then dipping down to touch his toes. His hands laid flat against the cool floor and he felt his back stretching out. The others would rise soon, Yoda being the first. His old Padawan was taking the transition better than he had hoped.

He opened the window of the tower and peered downward. He had made this jump every morning since he and Ser-In landed on the forgotten planet. He took the air in through his nose, savoring the nostalgic smell of his old home. He always preferred this place to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Wodi hopped up to the sill and leaned out.

"Must you do this every morning?" The Living appeared and hovered in front of his face.

"Don't you have a new friend to make?" He asked, tone sharp. "Stop worrying about me. I'm your Champion, after all. You won't let me die... no matter how much I beg you to."

The orb was silent for a moment and then backed away from the window, giving him room. The small man smiled in the fog and let his weight carry him forward. The wind rushed in his ears as he plunged down the side of the building. He counted as he breathed and as he reached thirty-eight seconds, he pushed his arms and legs out, launching away from the lower level roofing. He twisted, manipulating his momentum. It allowed him to upright his body before he applied a Force push toward his feet. He slowed down just in time to land in the center of the gardens.

His smug smile disappeared as he straightened to meet the blue-eyed gaze of Obi Wan Kenobi.

Kenobi's brow rose in a mixture of concern and astonishment. "Master Bell? Where did you just come from?" He looked up at the sky and then back at the Champion.

"The Council Chambers. I'd do that during meetings to liven up a few of my colleagues. They didn't find it funny." He held his breath, waiting for a response.

But Obi Wan's face merely broke into an amused grin. "I would love to have you do that to Mace Windu." He chuckled lightly, looking off, imagining. "He'd be so beside himself."

They laughed together. "It would have tickled Yoda, though." Wodi said, scratching his neck. "He always appreciated a good laugh."

"I have a hard time seeing that."

The Bard let out a bark of a laugh. "I suppose age does that to every one; makes them humorless, I mean."

The young man gave him a scathing look. "Says the man who was his Master and is older than him."

"By a lot more than you know, young Kenobi." He walked down the yard and his companion followed. "I see that you are quite the influence on Maul." Wodi commented.

"It's ridiculous that I needed to step in at all." Obi Wan scoffed as they reached the railing. "Of all the people I've met, he's been one of the most powerful and driven. I was more than shocked to see him so... withered."

The Bard looked the boy up and down. He was stocky, but strong. His face was fair and boyish but those blue eyes held a deeper wisdom. He radiated light. Wodi smiled and leaned against the railing. "Maul's power was always based on anger and fear. Now, with those things gone, he has nothing to drive him. He needs a passion, a reason to fight."

"And you think he found that where? In me?" He shook his head slowly, laughing softly. "Oh, the irony of it all."

Wodi raised a brow. "Think about it this way, Obi Wan. You want something. It's the one thing that makes you warm and happy. It's the thing you think about before you fall asleep. It is the one thing you remember as you wake. Now, you could go and get this thing and keep it close to you. However, if you do, you will be hunted down. That thing you love so much will be destroyed in the worst way possible. And as you watch it break, you will experience so much pain that your body eventually goes into shock and you die. Now, you can't let that happen, so you have to keep your distance. All the while, a voice in your ear is whispering that it is the thing you love that is causing your pain, convincing you to fear it. After years of listening to this voice, you begin to believe that thing has abandoned you. It's their fault."

The disbelief on Obi Wan's face made him smirk. "You're telling me that Maul was manipulated to blame me?"

He shrugged. "I've dealt with a lot of corruption in my day. And the one truth I can tell you is that the more obsessed they are, the more they love. Think of Ser-In. She was adamant about killing Qui-Gon, was she not?"

A ponderous expression fell on the boy's face and he gazed out into the morning light. "He has been trying really hard to prove he's changed. The depression is lifting and he's slowly reverting back to his old, arrogant self."

"But different?"

Obi Wan's head shook and a ghost of a smile drifted over his features. "No. I knew him before he was Lord Maul. He's his old self. Maybe not as angry, but basically the same."

"And you?"

He looked over at Wodi, locking eyes. "I'm not quite sure. I'd like to say I haven't. But I can't say for sure."

They were interrupted by the clearing of a throat. Turning, they found Master Yoda looking up at them. "Dangerous, it is, to have you both in the same place. Too much trouble." The small Jedi's gazed flickered between them and a curious expression came over him. It lasted but a moment before he huffed. "Pranks and commotion were you planning?"

Wodi shrugged emphatically. "Could be? Who knows?" He chuckled. "Relax, Yoda. I'm not scheming any prank... yet."

Obi Wan laughed but stifled it as the green Master shot him a glare.

The Bard looked over at the boy and gave him a soft smile. "May I have a word in private with my old Padawan, Obi Wan?" After the young Jedi bowed and left, Wodi's eyes narrowed at the other man.

Yoda jumped up to the railing, bringing him eye level with his Master. "Hiding a secret, you are, my old Master." He commented. "Seen you next to one another, I have not."

"Like what you see?" He asked.

"Tell him, you must."

Wodi sighed and looked out at the forest. "I will. I'll tell them everything they need to know; when they are whole. I trust you will allow me to do this at my pace."

"Whole? Expecting more, are we?"

"Just one."

.

Ser-In stepped out of the hot stream of water and turned the knob. She had been craving a good wash for weeks. Internally, she cursed Maul for being such a ninny and taking so long. Admittedly, she knew it was hard for her old schoolmate. She pulled on her clothes and snapped her belt into place. That's when she noticed the hole in the seem of her tunic. "We need more clothing." She said to no one. So she left the refresher and headed to the Gardens, where she felt the presence of her favorite person in the Galaxy.

Wodi was chatting with Kit Fisto when she entered the serene scene. She approached them, smiling brightly. "Good morning, gentlemen." She bowed.

Fisto nodded and Wodi gave her a smile. "Well, good morning. What can I do for you, my Lady?"

She gave him an unamused look at the name. "We need to go on an expedition, you and I."

Master Fisto gave his salutations and left them to talk. The Bard fell into step with her. "What is this adventure for, Ser-In?"

"Clothing. I'm sure there are some old things lying around here. There were a few sealed areas with dormitories. We could check it out and see if we can stock up."

He scratched at his neck, as he did when thinking. "That might be wise. With the body odor gone, the smell of dirty laundry is more apparent." His gaze floated over to Kenobi and her father. "Let us get a few extra hands, shall we?"

.

Maul blocked the staff with a quick motion and took advantage of the new opening. Aiming a kick, he pulled it the last second. Ahsoka Tano still faltered at the light blow to her side. She chuckled. "You're recovering quickly." She mused.

He stepped back with a smirk. "Of course I am. It was merely a matter of will." He checked his arrogance for a moment and bit back the rest of his gloating. Pride is what made him fall the first time. He was not planning to make the same mistake the second time around. "And with your help, I've accelerated the process." He gave her a showy bow before taking stance again.

She laughed and bowed back. "Bet you wouldn't be this good if we had a distraction in here." The Jedi joked.

He gave her a frown. "What is that supposed to mean?" He demanded.

"I'm just saying that when it's just you and me, you're better. When there are others, it's easier to knock you down."

His eyes narrowed. "Only one other person has been in here." He commented. "He's not distracting."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You keep telling yourself that, Maul. I think we're done for the day. Didn't you have to meet Master Yoda soon, anyway?"

A panic rose in his chest. "Dammit!" He exclaimed. Throwing the staff down, he bolted from the room.

The Gardens were bright with the late morning sun. One of the moons was visible, as was usual with this planet. It gave the sky a surreal look to it. Maul searched the grounds but the small, green Jedi was no where to be found. Ventress was the only person in sight.

Swallowing the bile in his throat, he approached the witch. "Ventress? Have you seen Yoda?"

She smiled slyly at him, crossing her arms. "I'm surprised you'd even speak to me." She mused.

Huffing, Maul shook his head. "Have you seen him or not?"

"I saw him walking with Bell and the Jinns. They were headed to the upper levels."

"Thank you." He offered begrudgingly before heading back indoors. He cursed himself for his lack of focus. He should have noted the time earlier. The ruins were easy enough for him to traverse, now that he was fit again. He'd gained back at least seventy percent of his muscle and his dexterity returned naturally.

The Library called to him as he passed the archway. Shaking the call, he pressed on. Two levels above, he saw that a hall that had been closed off was now open and he carefully inspected. The hall was filled with what appeared to be dormitories. He continued down and at the end of the hall was a large door. He checked the keypad. It was broken.

Checking his pouch, Maul found a few tools and set to work. A few minutes, and he had the keypad fixed. The doors made a groaning noise as they opened. The red Zabrak's eyes widened as he peered inside.

.

Qui-Gon Jinn sat between his old Padawan and his daughter, enjoying the serenity of this calming task. The Champions had asked their help with finding and repairing old clothing and he was happy to help. He was also happy to hear Obi Wan's groan of discontent at such a boring use of his time. The older Jedi knew how much the boy loved monotonous tasks.

He pulled the needle and thread gracefully, working at a steady pace. The younger man was going slowly, not truly paying attention. Yoda had joined them when his new apprentice had not shown up. They sat in a semi-circle and chatted contentedly. The green Master was always quite skilled in riling up Obi Wan and the Jinns enjoyed the show.

A flash of black and red had gone by the door a little while ago. He had recognized the figure to be Maul. Single minded as ever, the young Sith had passed the open door blindly. But after a while, the figure passed again and then slowly backed up and looked in.

The group looked up and Yoda huffed. "Agreed to meet for more time, we did."

"I was caught up. I didn't mean to skip out." Maul looked a little contrite, a foreign expression on the harsh face. "What is going on in here?"

Ser-In smirked, eyes not leaving her work. "Textiles."

The Sith recoiled from the door.

Qui-Gon felt a wave of energy flow off of his Padawan suddenly. "Don't like to sew, do you?" Obi Wan chided. The older Master raised a brow at his playful tone.

"I'd rather clean Bantha fodder." He retorted, deadpan.

"Oh, I see. That means that you are just horrible at it." Why was Obi Wan baiting him? "I bet you're worse than me."

Maul nodded quickly, still not crossing the threshold. "Yes. That's it. I'm really bad at it." He conceded.

"Wow. You really don't like to sew." The Jedi chuckled, resuming his work. Qui-Gon glanced at the garment his young friend was working on. It was black. That was curious. "You normally love rising to a challenge."

"I actually found something else to do. Bell." He looked at the small Jedi. "You lived here before. Do you know what's in that big room at the end of this hall?"

Wodi nodded. "Yes. This was where the Sith and Jedi musicians lived. My Sith partner lived three rooms from here. That big room was where they practiced and where we held the smaller shows. It's perfectly sealed but the locking mechanism is broken." He explained.

A smug smirk fell on the tattooed face. "Not anymore, it's not." When Wodi's hands stilled in shock, Mauls smirk turned into a smile. "I opened the door and it is perfectly sealed. Everything is intact. Some things may need a fine tuning, but it all survived."

The Bard's face beamed. He stood gracefully and strode over to the Sith, pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you." His tone was heavy with emotion and then the scruffy Jedi disappeared down the hallway.

Maul stood, frozen. "That was... odd."

Yoda chuckled. "Go. Help him. Meet again, we will, tomorrow."

"Thank you." A wave of relief emitted from the Zabrak and he fled after a fleeting glance at the boy next to him.

When they had gone, Qui-Gon looked down at Obi Wan. The boy had lied to him about what happened after he left Mandalor all those years ago. When he had disappeared for a few weeks, he told the Council that a merchant helped him. Master Jinn knew his Padawan was lying but he would never give up the truth. Now, he suspected Maul had something to do with it.

"Tell me, Obi Wan, what are you repairing there?"

"Some tunics and vests. I figure I can't let our Lady Jinn fix all the Sith's clothes by herself." He replied, holding up the vest and folding it.

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. Of course he'd have an answer at the ready.

Yoda, however, sensed an opening. "Small, those garments are. Ventress is tall."

"Well Zabrak males are a bit smaller than their human females. There are some larger ones for Savage, but Maul's short." Finally, an honest answer. The boy knew better with Yoda. "And clearly, he's not going to fix his own things."

There was an amused snort from his daughter. "A word to the wise, dear: I fixed everything he tore so long as he shined every pair of boots I had. They were the shiniest boots in the line up."

He laughed at that. "I'll keep that in mind."

She leaned over Qui-Gon and held a brown tunic up to Obi Wan. It was dark with royal blue trim. "This should be your size and it might look dashing."

Qui-Gon let out a laugh. "The last thing Obi Wan Kenobi needs is to look dashing. No one would stand a chance."

She giggled and tossed the garment on the boy's lap. "It might be dangerous, yes. But I like a little danger." She winked at him.

Obi Wan shot her a knowing smile. "Flirtatious for a woman in a relationship." He teased.

Her face cracked a grin as she inspected a burgundy skirt. "I wouldn't call it that. Commitment isn't anything Sith or Jedi are willing to give. According to Wodi, the Old Temple allowed relations, so long as the Order understood that the mission came first."

A sense of smug pride filled Jinn as he looked over at Yoda. He spent so many years fighting for his love for Tahl, with the Council biting at his heels. Validation, at last. He thought.

.

It was later in the evening and twilight was drawing near. Obi Wan pulled on his new tunic and gathered the small pile of black and scarlet clothing in his arms. He made his way down the halls and to the generator room.

He pushed open the door and smiled as he saw Savage leaning against one of the power generators. The Jedi could make out a pair of black boots sticking out from under the machine. "Hello, gentlemen. And I do use that term far too loosely." He dropped the clothes on the work bench near Maul's personal affects. "I come with gifts."

The red brother pulled himself out from his tinkering at the sound of his voice. They both turned to greet each other and froze. The Sith had taken off his tunic, baring his decorated torso. He had filled back out quickly and Obi Wan caught himself staring. He looked away quickly, feeling his cheeks heat up.

He ignored the snort from the younger brother. "I guess I'd better get ready for group. Make sure you aren't late, brother."

Maul nodded, pulling himself out of some sort of trance. "Um.. yes... I'll be on time." He waved as Savage walked out, chuckling and shaking his head. The Zabrak turned back to the Jedi. "New clothes?"

He smiled and held out his arms in display. Ser-In had a good eye for size and the dark brown fit him beautifully. The blue trim was a bit much for his tastes, but it was fetching, judging by his companion's reaction. "You're darling sister found this."

"You look..." He searched for the word, crossing his arms. "...good."

Obi Wan frowned at the timid way Maul was speaking. "Well, thank you." He gestured at the pile he brought. "These are for you. I'm not sure if they'll all fit. And surprisingly, there was not a lot of plain black anything. So you'll have to deal with a bit of color."

Maul walked over to him and inspected each article of clothing. "These should do, thank you. I'm not that picky." Obi Wan's head swam as he took in the musky scent of the body next to him. "Did Bell or Jinn tell you about group?"

"Yes." The Jedi hopped up onto the stool. "I also heard you talked to my Master recently."

The Sith shrugged. "A few days ago, yes. I apologized for taking his life so cruelly. He deserved a quicker death than I gave him." His tone carried a weight to it that Obi Wan couldn't describe. "He told me that it was okay because it gave him even a moment to see you before he died."

At the Jedi's surprised look, he chuckled; a low rumble in the chest. Maul tested out a dark gray tunic with scarlet trim. It seemed to fit well and he stretched, making sure. "Are you so shocked that he cared about you?"

Obi Wan shook his head. "No. Just surprised he'd admit it to anyone else, that's all. What about you and Yoda? I'm even more shocked you haven't tried punting him off the balcony." He teased.

Benny appeared with a damp towel and a cup of tea. Maul accepted both, wiping his grubby face down. He then held out the tea. "Want it?" When the Jedi held up a hand in refusal, he downed half of it at once. "It's going well with Yoda. He let's me grill him afterwards, so I get to learn of all your embarrassing young years. But the training has also cut into my repairs here. At this rate, I'll get no rest at all."

"I could help, you know. I do know a thing or two about mechanics." He reminded the Sith. "Or did you forget that I was the one who could fix the only salvageable ship?"

"So you do remember all of that." Maul stated bluntly.

Obi Wan huffed. "Of course I do, Maul. Admittedly, it was not a prominent memory most of my life, but I think we can chalk that up to the constant attacks. But I remember."

"Good." He replied, checking the blueprints and marking a few measurements down. "And, yes I could use some help. My brother, while useful, is not useful here. And the dear Lady Jinn only ever sits and mocks."

"Fine. I'll be by later, after supper. But we should get going. Wodi will tease us if we're both late." Obi Wan stood and tugged at Maul's sleeve, prying him away from the bench.

A strange expression fell on the tattooed face and the Jedi was pulled into a dry, soft kiss. Obi Wan closed his eyes as a wave of energy washed over him and he leaned into the touch. But as quickly as he was pulled in, Maul pulled away. "You look stunning, Ben. Ser-In has a good eye." He said in a low voice.

The human stood frozen as the heat of Maul left his personal space, leaving a swelling yearning in his chest.

A cheesy interlude for some filler before the serious shit. :) Thanks for reading, guys.