Chapter 21

Hello, humans! Thanks so much for all of the amazing reviews - feedback is always welcome!

Robinbird79 - I always wondered that too, until I heard Obi-Wan say it in a Clone Wars episode, so they must have found out somehow. I forget which one, but I think it's the one where he goes to fight Maul and Savage after they kill off a bunch of villagers to get the attention of the Jedi.

CardiacCane - Love the detailed reviews! I'm going to apologize for the wall of text now, but I really want to address all of your comments. Firstly, I agree that Iridonia would be barking up the wrong tree, but it's good to have a bit of research under the belt before a mission. I actually researched Maul's history a ton before writing this - he actually ends up being transported to the garbage dump world of Lotho Minor and descends into madness for more than a decade. Savage Opress finds him, and the rest is Clone Wars history... Secondly, I absolutely adore Ezra Bridger and Rebels. Although they never meet (I haven't planned that far completely, so who really knows) I do plan for some of Rhys' actions to affect Ezra in the future. Thirdly, Although I don't really like the whole idea of Anakin Skywalker as "The Chosen One", I can't deny that his is a tactical genius, even if he is reckless and impulsive. I don't think that winning at dejarik has anything to do with Anakin being the Chosen One, just that even at a young age he was known to be tactically minded - but more on that later. Fourthly, when Aayla is sparring with him, it's her own way of getting him to keep the focus off of his grief. I have no doubt that on the inside Obi-Wan is still devastated, but he has to be strong for those around him, namely for Anakin's sake and training. Thank you so much for your reviews and I'm looking forward to the next chronicle of Sascha Whitestar!

.2016 - Thanks for the reviews! :)))

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't own Star Wars... blah, blah, blah...

"Retrace the footsteps of Maul, you must," Master Yoda said firmly, "Learn more of our enemy, we may, by walking in his footsteps."

Rhys agreed with her former Master – there had to be some hidden connection between the Zabrak that would lead the Jedi to the discovery of the other Sith. If Quinlan was right and Maul was just the apprentice, it was only a matter of time before the Sith Lord covered his tracks and found himself a new apprentice.

"I would like to speak with Nute Gunray," she announced, looking between the members of the Council to gauge their reactions, "I believe that he may also have a connection to the remaining Sith Lord."

"Are you certain that the Neimoidians were taking orders from a higher power?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked, folding his hands together.

Rhys nodded resolutely, "Absolutely, Master. Neimoidians aren't exactly known for their bold planning strategies. They would definitely need to be organized by someone far more powerful that could have been Maul or his Master pulling at the strings." The Council fell silent as they processed this new information.

"Nute Gunray has already been turned over to the Senate," Mace finally said, "It is no longer in our jurisdiction to interrogate him. It's no longer our affair."

"With all due respect, Master Windu, it is very much our affair," Rhys said shortly, crossing her arms, "The return of the Sith is well within our jurisdiction and that makes Nute Gunray a very valuable witness in this investigation!" The two Jedi stubbornly glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

Silence reigned in the Council Room until Plo Koon spoke up, "Before he was turned over to the Senate, Nute Gunray was interrogated by Master Tiin, Master Dooku, and myself. None of us found him to be harboring any deception or information concerning Maul before we turned him over to the Senate to be tried."

Rhys' heart fell – she was sure that Nute Gunray would have at least seen the face of his employer, but it seemed as if this new generation of Sith were being extremely cautious. If the Sith had truly changed from the brazen, bloodthirsty warriors of old, finding them would be even more difficult. Like Master Yoda had said in the past, being unable to see the Dark Side made it near impossible to detect its presence among the trillions of life-firms in the galaxy. How were the Jedi supposed to guard against the Sith if they couldn't even sense when they were about to strike?

"Very well, Masters," she acquiesced, her voice not louder than a whisper.

"Find the source of the assassin, you must," Yoda rasped, "Follow the will of the Force, you must, to track down this assassin's origin. Assign Quinlan Vos to this mission, we shall. Aid you in your mission, he will."

Rhys curbed her annoyance and frustration as she bowed respectfully, "Yes, Masters."

"May the Force be with you, Master Talik," Windu said as she turned to leave the room.

Tam saw the look on his Master's face as she left the Council Chambers and immediately knew that the request to speak with Gunray had not gone her way. She strode angrily into the elevator, the padawan barely making it inside before the doors closed behind him. He could feel the frustration coming from her in waves, then slowly receding as she began to calm herself.

"Are they sending you on another mission, Master?" he hedged, waiting until she was completely calm to speak.

Rhys sighed heavily, "Yes… Quinlan and I are being tasked with finding the trail of the Zabrak that Obi-Wan killed on Naboo. I believed that Gunray could hold the key to his connection with the other Sith and ultimately his hiding place, but the Council didn't agree."

"Why not?" Tam asked, his curious nature compelling him to ask before he could stop himself.

His Master sighed again, letting her breath out slowly. "Because they had already interrogated him and didn't find anything to indicate that he was in league with Maul. But how can they say that when they have no way of seeing the Dark Side? Their ignorance of the Dark side makes it impossible for them to hunt it out – in fact, it's one of my biggest grievances with the Council," she said, her frustration with the Council once again making itself known.

"Oh…" he responded, not sure what to say to calm his irritated Master, "So… how are you going to find the Sith, Master?"

"I don't know, Tam," she answered truthfully, "But I know where to start."

Quinlan grinned like a madman when he opened the door to his and Aayla's rooms to see his new partner standing sternly with her arms crossed.

"Hello, milady," he said suavely, leaning against the doorframe, "You're not about to take me up on my offers, are you?" Rhys rolled her eyes and pushed him aside, clearing the way into the living room.

"Not now, not ever, Vos," she said brusquely, sinking into the one armchair that didn't seem to be overflowing with clutter.

"You're no fun, sweetheart," he drawled, clearing a spot on the couch opposite her, "All work and no play makes for dull company."

Rhys ignored him and gazed at the messy room around her – the half of the kitchen and the path leading to Aayla's room seemed to be the only islands of cleanliness. She shuddered to think of what Quinlan's actual room looked like in comparison to the mess outside his closed door. "Once again, I'm astounded how Aayla has actually lived with you all these years."

Quinlan grinned and took a swig from an open bottle, "I know, right? The Council would have kicked me out years ago if it wasn't for her."

"I believe that they're willing to put up with your… peculiarities… on account of your mission record and abilities," she replied, "For the time being, so am I." Quinlan looked at her suspiciously before taking another swig from the bottle. Rhys was now almost positive that it contained alcohol.

"What is this, a truce?" he drawled.

"No, Quinlan, I just really want to be your best friend in the whole wide galaxy," she snapped sarcastically, "Listen, I'm not going to be spending the next however long confined in a ship with you if we're constantly going to be at each other's throats. It's honestly not worth the distraction, so I'm willing to put the past behind us for now and get this over with."

Quinlan looked at her suspiciously for a moment longer before breaking into a lopsided smile. "Deal!" he proclaimed, extending a hand, "You won't try to kill me, and I'll try to get you to loosen up and have some fun!"

Rhys shook his offered hand, sealing the deal, "Your definition of fun and mine are two very different things."

"I know, I'm offering to change that!"

"Can you focus for just one second, Quinlan?" Rhys asked, exasperated, "I need you to take another look at Maul's lightsaber." Quinlan visibly balked as she placed the lightsaber half on the table between them.

"Do you just carry that thing around with you wherever you go?" he asked, staring at the severed hilt with blatant disgust, "It's a kriffing Sith Lord's lightsaber, not a datapad… or whatever else you carry around in your pockets."

Although Rhys did agree with Quinlan that the lightsaber's Dark Side aura was sickening, but they had no choice but to use the valuable piece of evidence that they were given. "I've been meditating on it," she explained, "I don't like this thing any more than you do, but we're going to have to use it to pick up Maul's trail."

"Ugh…" he groaned, "Touching that thing isn't really high on my "like-to-touch" list, you know. In fact, it's just under a Hutt's hookah – which I am never doing again, by the way."

"Come on, Quinlan, you don't even have to go very far back," she wheedled, "All we need to do is find out what happened to his ship, since the one he used to get to Naboo was stolen. It'll be a piece of cake, I promise."

Quinlan looked at her skeptically, but finally caved. "Fine, I'll do it. Is there anything specific that I'm looking for?"

Rhys shook her head. "All I need is for you to keep your mind open to me so that I can help you sift through the memories. I'll let you know if I see anything." Quinlan nodded silently, steeling himself for the sickening sensation of the Dark Side that he was about to endure. He placed his fingers on the end of the severed hilt and began calling forth the memories.

Maul stood over the melting pit, sadistic delight coursing through him as he rained down sparks on the young Jedi hanging from the nozzle beneath him –

His savage elation as a probe droid returned, bringing news of the fugitives trying to escape from him –

Stopping to refuel on a small moon before he could reach Tatooine, killing the owner of the tanker that was trying to swindle him and mocking him under his breath… killing him because he was Darth Maul and he could for no reason at all –

Stealing a small shuttle from a band of merchants, slaying all aboard their ship before stashing his own vessel in a containment unit and flying off into the night to obey his Master's summons –

"Stop!" Rhys cried, both she and Quinlan opening their eyes, "The last one… see if you can get any more from it." Quinlan complied and pulled them both back into the memories.

Maul sneered at the Bith merchants unloading their cargo of Ramordian silks into the containment units below him, completely unaware that their stupid, insignificant lives were about to end. His Master had told him to be discreet, to hide his ship on this useless trade stop on his way from Coruscant. Maul wanted desperately to please his Master, but the Dark Side within him begged for the release that killing granted him. Once his own vessel was safely locked away, Maul let the Dark Side control him, cutting through the hapless merchants like they were nothing. In a matter of seconds they were all dead, and he was flying away on their own ship…

"That's enough," Rhys said, ridding herself of Maul's residual hate that lingered in his memories, Quinlan doing the same as he drew away from the severed hilt.

"Now we know that he hid his own ship, but we don't know where," Quinlan said, subdued by what he had seen and taking another large swig from his bottle.

Rhys turned over the memory in her mind, examining it from every possible angle to try and get any information that would give away Maul's hiding place. The Bith merchants weren't uncommon, as they were found all over the galaxy. The containers themselves had no particular identifying marks other than their numbering sequence – Maul's ship was stashed in box 435C, one among many otherwise identical looking blue boxes. The containment yard that housed the storage boxes had no distinguishing features, appearing to be as utilitarian as all others of its kind. Still… there had to be something…

Rhys' face lit up as she came upon the answer, "Ramordian silks!" Quinlan looked puzzled as she explained, "The merchants were storing boxes of Ramordian silks! Think about it… Ramordia is right off of the main hyperspace route from Coruscant, and from there it's a straight shot to Naboo. He must have hidden his ship in one of their storage yards."

"So… Ramordia, huh?" Quinlan slurred, finally feeling the effects of the alcohol in his system. Rhys stared at him, dumbfounded that he could fathom being drunk at a time like this.

"Yes, Quinlan," she replied tightly, standing up and calling Maul's saber back into her pocket, "We're leaving for Ramordia in the morning, so don't get too hungover."

The Kiffar grinned lopsidedly, beginning to sway in his chair, "I don't ever get too hungover… only drunk!"

Rhys closed the door behind her as she left the Kiffar Jedi to his inebriation. Quinlan was known to be a bit of a drinker, but had a remarkable tolerance to most kinds of intoxicants and could out-drink most beings. That fact alone had earned him prestige on his undercover missions, earning rapport with most criminals. It wasn't against the Code, per say, but there were many Jedi who believed excessive drinking to be the gateway to deadlier attachments such as spice or death sticks. Rhys didn't care either way – they were all necessary evils, especially when one was posing as a bounty hunter or pirate to get information. Many a criminal's tongue had been loosened by an offer to pay for another round of drinks.

As she left the Temple, Rhys' thoughts turned back to her report to the Council and to the subject of Nute Gunray. She knew that he was being held in the high security cells of the Coruscant prison, and as a Jedi she could easily gain access to him and press him for information. Her mind was torn between two decisions: on one hand, she could very easily interrogate Nute Gunray, but that would mean going against the Council's orders. Though Rhys often fought them on issues concerning the Code, she still felt uneasy about defying them, even though she would be doing it underhandedly and not blatantly as Quinlan often did. On the other hand, she could just let Gunray go, but could miss out on having a crucial piece of the puzzle that she needed to hunt down the Sith.

It only took another heartbeat before she decided, hailing a speeder to take her deeper into Coruscant's teeming city center.

The guards escorted her right through the prison's main doors, one glance at her lightsabers enough for them to know who she was. Rhys was thankful that they didn't ask questions, just directed her to Gunray's cell and left her to her task, standing away from the orange ray shield respectfully. Rhys was surprised to see the changes in the Neimoidian – he was no longer dressed in extravagant robes, instead sporting an orange prison jumpsuit, and was no longer wearing his large headdress, exposing his bald head.

"I already told you what I know, Jedi," he said, nervousness seeping into his voice. Rhys smirked – once a coward, always a coward. If she didn't know any better, she wouldn't have believed that this shrinking worm had ordered the subjugation of her planet and the capture of her sister.

"This meeting isn't to discuss your trial, Gunray," she said curtly, "You deserve to be locked up for the rest of your cowardly life, but you're going to give me some information first."

"I told you, I don't know!" he squealed, backpedaling, "I never saw his face!"

"Whose face?" she pressed.

"I can't remember!" the Neimoidian wailed as he cringed, "I don't remember anything about our meetings other than my orders!"

Rhys thought for a little while, her finger on her lips. Gunray had just verified that he was taking orders from someone, confirming her suspicions. Unfortunately, it looked like his employer had wiped all memory of their meetings from his mind. There was a chance that those memories were still buried in his subconscious, but there was only one way to retrieve them. However, it was very frowned upon by the Council should a Jedi use their powers to break into minds for their own purposes. It was one of the worst things a Jedi could do, often leading them to other Dark uses of the Force. But what choice did she have? Rhys gathered her strength and, without warning, dove into Gunray's mind.

A hooded figure towered above him in the hologram, sneering in his displeasure. Gunray quaked in his shoes as the figure continued to outline his plans for Naboo. He seemed to be very displeased with the news that the Queen had escaped him. Gunray's terror grew to new heights when the hooded figure introduced the savage-looking tattooed Zabrak, explaining that since he had failed to retrieve the Queen, his apprentice would do so. The hooded figure gave him one more instruction, the hologram fizzling out before he could give his reply.

"Yes, Lord Sidious."

All at once, her control slipped and the memories began to pour through Rhys' connection through the Force. She felt the cold begin to wrap itself around her own mind, icy flames threatening to burn everything in their path. It was… exhilarating to be holding the chains that bound the flames, to have power over another. Strangely enough, she liked the feeling.

Rhys pulled away from the Neimoidian's mind, shocked by the information he yielded and the fact that he gave little to no resistance against her. She staggered slightly, horrified that she had actually done the very thing she had been warned against her entire life. She quickly calmed herself and turned her thoughts to the new information. Lord Sidious… that bit of information presented yet another slew of possibilities. Sidious could be merely a middleman, ferrying instruction back and forth to hide the true identity of the mastermind, but there was definitely the chance that he could be much more than that. However, no amount of information would change the fact that the Council would be furious when they found out that she had directly disobeyed them to interrogate the Neimoidian, and the methods she had used to retrieve the memories. She could be expelled from the Order if the Council ever found out, or worse.

Nute Gunray was still dazed when she called the guards to escort her back out. I'll have to collect more evidence before I show it to the Council, Rhys thought as she left the prison. I can only hope that Ramordia will have more answers…

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