"So nothing big?" Kanan asked again, for the fourth time.

"Maybe if you ask a fifth time, it will be." Hera snipped back, letting out a tired sigh. Kanan was being Kanan, as usual, but sometimes she wished he wasn't as much. Taking a look around the common room, and eyeing Maul a second longer, she pressed a nearby switch. A blue hologram came up, showing an Imperial complex. It wasn't all that big, and wasn't manned by a large personnel; not a very high-risk target that they are used to.

"Doesn't look all that hard," Zeb boasted, cracking his knuckles. Ezra and Sabine agreed, but both Maul and Kanan were mute.

"It shouldn't be." Hera agreed, before clearing her throat. "This is an Imperial Outpost, located in an asteroid field in the Outer Rim, not far from Endor. Not very secretive, but took some decryption time to get the coordinates. Some hints as to what is going on there, and that it points to a bigger project, makes it a priority for intelligence to get. So that's where we come in. It is a simple retrieval mission, and shouldn't alert any Empire forces nearby."

"A small target," Ezra quipped, and was right. Only about 3 levels, it looked like a spare storage unit, and wasn't manned with any degree of dangerous forces. It, honestly, looked like a measly listening post to the crew, but Maul looked contemplative. He was studying the picture, scrutinizing it, which caught Hera's attention.

Though she felt weird asking this, she felt his great interest to be beneficial. "You seem very interested on this, Maul."

All eyes turned to him, and noticed his great interest in the facility. He studied it for a few more seconds, before he spoke up, still focused on it, "Something seems off."

"How so?" Kanan asked. He had a similar feeling, but waited to see how Maul reacted to it.

"If what you said was true, then something off is here." Maul paused, searching his feelings, searching the Force. Something was pulled towards the center of the base, but what confused Maul was that it was directed towards Sabine. It was strange, and he didn't know what it meant specifically, but got a general idea. "I feel a...pull towards this facility. Something's telling me that there is a greater purpose in this outpost. A greater destiny lies here, one that involves Sabine."

The others looked at him like he was crazy, especially Sabine, before Kanan spoke up. "I feel it as well. Something in the Force is pointing to this outpost, and it has a great deal to do with Sabine."

"What does it mean?" Sabine asked, her outward appearance showing skepticism. However both Kanan and Maul sensed her real feelings of nervousness and worry.

"I sense nothing harmful." Maul added, which seemed to ease some of her worries. "But the Force is clouded, hiding its true intentions."

Sabine looked at Kanan, who only nodded in agreement, and sighed. "Well, whatever it is, we'll find out when we get there."

"Agreed," Hera added, rejoining the conversation. What the two experienced Force wielders told her, puzzling as it was, couldn't be examined until they got there, so they would just worry about it then and there. "We'll land here, at the side platform," A red blip, on the far side of the facility, appeared. "Get in, get out, not alert anyone."

"Sounds easy enough," Ezra smirked, seeming untroubled by the talk.

'Cocky' Maul mused in his mind, but focused on Sabine. Something was about to happen, and it would forever change a part of the galaxy. He knew of prophecy and the feelings of the Force, but that was for when they got there.


'We're approaching the asteroid field now' Hera said over the ship's com. Final checks were made for the crew, and Maul, as they neared their target. Zeb cleaned his rifle though he didn't expect any action from it, much to his dismay. He quite enjoyed cracking bucket heads, but would wait until the next mission (one that he hoped would stretch out his muscles). Ezra checked over his lightsaber, but not really focused on it. He was still the kid he usually was, not focused on the present entirely, but dreaming of easier days.

Kanan and Maul were both setting themselves on the mission, and clearing their heads. It would do no good to hesitate on any mission, even one as simple as this. However, not known to the rest, the two had talked earlier about their premonitions.

Flashback

"Something is about to happen." Kanan told Maul. Both were in their shared bunk, wanting to meditate before they arrived.

Maul nodded. "I know."

"Something is at this base, and wants to be found."

"But isn't harmful." Maul added, just as puzzled by it as Kanan was. It was silent for a minute, both of them trying to follow the signs and omen, but came up with nothing. "We must be careful, but should we find the source…"

"We will wait till after the mission to reveal it."

"Agreed."

"But we watch out for Sabine," Kanan quickly added.

"Naturally."

Flashback End

Both men prepared for the journey, ready for whatever they should find in the base. That left Sabine, who cleaned her own blasters, but had a tiny bit of nervousness still flushed through her system, slightly unnerved by the revelation. She never really understood the 'Force', and probably never would, but, after running with Kanan, she knew to trust his gut on these. The second opinion from Maul also made the case solid, making her more worried than normal.

A lurch from hyperspace alerted everyone to journey's end. Blasters clicked on, boots stood up onto the floor, and minds were set onto the task (well, most of Ezra's mind, still the childlike one as always). They all got ready, but weren't expecting a great deal from the mission, thinking it as a simple recon and no one would be alerted that could attack them.

'Get ready Spectres and Shadow'

Another thing was Maul's codename. The others were called 'Spectres' because they were a part of the Ghost crew, but Maul wasn't. So, they agreed on calling him 'Shadow', since that's what the Inquisitors called him back on Malachor.

Dodging some asteroids, Hera piloted towards the outpost, hiding her ship's signature from radar as they approached. It was silent in the ship as they descended, waiting for the touchdown, alert for any guards around. Surprisingly, there were none.

'Alright people' Hera said over the hand-held com. 'It's quiet, which is how I'd like it to stay, Spectre-1'

'I have no idea what you mean, Spectre-2' Kanan joked back. No response, it was go time.

The group (Hera stayed behind incase of things going 'as they usually do') slipped onto the platform, careful to keep all sound to a minimum. Maul came in the rear, and quietly the group trekked from the landing platform to the nearest door. There, Sabine quickly went to work hacking into it, the others keeping watch.

"What do you think is here?" Ezra asked.

"Could be anything." Kanan replied, keeping his voice down.

"Better be something worthwhile," Zeb complained, "I miss cracking skulls already!"

"You'll get another day of the Empire," Maul said. "For I want another interaction with them as well."

"I'm in." The door opened, Sabine smiling underneath her helmet at her handiwork. Watching their backs, the group entered the facility, now surrounded by the usual metal walls and lights.

"Alright we'll split up, search the few levels we need, and get out." Kanan told them. Before the mission started, groups were already established. Chopper, Kanan and Zeb would check the storage unit for anything special while Maul, Ezra and Sabine checked higher, and the database if they could. "Keep the coms ready people."

"Let's get mobile then." Maul said, and the groups split. Finding a nearby staircase, Sabine, Ezra and Maul headed up while the other three headed further on that level.


It was quiet as the trio went up the stairs, eyeing the upperparts with caution, ready for any wayward guard to come out. Sabine took point, blasters out, while Maul covered their backs, leaving Ezra in the middle. Going up was slow, but cautious, and Ezra's short attention span quickly kicked in.

"Can we go any faster?"

"We could go fast or stay unknown," Sabine quickly retorted, "Your choice."

They made their way up until they reached the next level. The door opened to an empty hallway, and the group quickly inspected it. Only two rooms were here, yet no guards or patrol. Already both Sabine and Maul were tensed, ready for anything.

"Which room do we look in?" Ezra asked, eyeing the two.

Before Sabine could reply, Maul tensed up, eyeing the one of their left. It seemed strange, but the Force was calling to that door, wanting to be opened. Since it was still neutral, not threatening, Maul trusted it and pointed to it, "That one."

Surprised at his sudden determination, Ezra asked, "Well why that one?"

"I sense something behind it." Maul replied, instantly putting Sabine on edge, her worry floating in the air. Immediately, Maul looked to her, "It is non-threatening, Sabine, but calls to both of us."

"Why don't I sense it?" Ezra asked, and it was a good question. Ezra was force sensitive as well, yet he didn't sense anything. Maul paused and focused on it again, and felt something else with it. It was old, the Force seemed to be historic around the source, but it had a familiar vibe around it that had Maul on edge.

"I do not know," Maul replied, unclipping his lightsaber yet not activating it. "We must be cautious."

Silently, the trio came to the door and, after a quick hack from Sabine, entered the room. It was a small armory, and had some gear lying about, yet was also unmanned. Curiously, the trio spread out about the room: Ezra eyed up the helmets like he would take one, Sabine came upon an explosives crate, looking for any supplies or spare munitions to take on, and Maul focused on the force. It centered around a box along the wall, locked, but seeming ominous, and Maul warily stalked to it. Looking over the smooth, metal box, he focused on the basic lock, hearing a small click come from it.

Smirking, he gently lifted the lid from the box, and had to bite his cheek from letting out a gasp. Inside the box, on a black cloth, was a small saber handle, but one Maul had a memory of. Thin handle, made of black steel, and put an aged air about it in the Force, Maul instantly recognized it and shuddered at the memories. Pushing back the memories, and the pained look on his brother's face, Maul reached out and took the old blade. Instantly, an alarm sounded, making everyone jump.

"What happened!"

"We can discuss it later!" Maul shouted, hiding the darksaber for now and withdrawing his own blade.

'What's going on people!' Hera shouted over the coms.

'Things went as they normally do!' Kanan shouted back. 'Everyone back to the Ghost!'

The trio raced out of the room, the same time as the other door in the hallway opened, revealing stormtroopers.

"Thank the Force we didn't go through that door." Ezra quipped, before deflecting a shot. Sabine fired back, taking down a couple of them, but more poured out.

"Back down the stairs!" Maul shouted, jumping in front. With his speed and experience he easily dodged the blaster shots, redirecting them back towards their senders.

Ezra ran to the stairwell, but quickly raised his blade when a group of five troopers were behind the door. Deflecting shots, he jumped back and slashed the door controls, sealing that way. "Stairs are blocked."

"We need another way out!" Sabine yelled, blasting the last two troopers in their hallway. Searching she managed to find a garbage chute, the only way out. The guys saw it as well, and they hurried to the tube and slid down it as fast as they could. The bottom revealed a garbage pile, which made Ezra gag, and a doorway.

Back on the first floor, the trio ran out to the hallway, where they met up with the other three spectres.

"How did the alarm go off?" Sabine asked, watching for any troopers.

"We'll explain later," Kanan replied, and the crew sprinted back the way they came.

Along the way, Zeb gave a big sniff, recoiling from the sudden stench. "What just died!"

"Garbage chute," Sabine glared through her helmet, swearing to get them back for the smell.

They reached the door from earlier, and exited out into the landing platform. The ship was already lit up and ready to launch, Hera beckoning them from the cockpit window. Before more guards could come through they made it aboard, quickly lifting off and speeding away. Some Tie suddenly came up behind them, giving chase throughout the asteroid field.

"Could use some help on those Ties!" Hera called out. Sabine and Zeb answered the call, sprinting to the turrets.

Meanwhile, in the cargo bay, Maul, Kanan and Ezra caught their breath, Maul taking a bit longer to collect himself. It was then, while Maul stretched out, that Kanan looked on his hip and saw something new.

"What's that?"

Maul looked at the handle, feeling the memories coming back, and had to calm himself. He didn't want an episode in front of them, for it would bode unwell as a whole. Mute, he pulled out the handle and activated it, hearing the forgotten hum of the blade bring back memories. The signature black blade shot out, seemingly pulling all light around it inside, a black hole, creating a dark void in the bay. The mere sight had Maul tense, flashes and quick instances of the past rushing to his brain.

"I'm not your brother...I never...was"

"There is no mercy"

"Woah…" Ezra, ever surprised, looked amazed by the blade. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and he'd thought he'd seen a fair amount running with the crew.

"How did you find it?" Kanan asked, eyeing it. He had no memory of the blade, but could sense the age behind it and it's history. It was an old blade, but a powerful one, which had a bloody history.

"The force." Maul replied.

Kanan understood. This was the source of the disturbance, but for what? All three of them had lightsabers, so what made this so different, and why was Sabine involved? "Okay, but what does it mean? What even is it?"

Maul reigned in his emotions, trying with futile effort to shove down memories, "It is an ancient blade, used by the first Jedi Mandalorian, Tarre Vizsla. When he passed, they snuck into the temple and took it back, and the leader of house Vizsla has used it ever since. Under it, all of Mandalore could be reunited."

It took longer for Ezra for the idea to click, and Kanan even took a minute, before they all understood. "All of Mandalore...and it pointed to Sabine."

"She could unite them." Ezra spoke, awe flowing out of his throat. Sabine, ruler of Mandalore, and could use them against the Empire. A whole people of warriors and skilled hunters could give the Empire a run for their power.

"Does it have a name?" Kanan asked.

"The Darksaber."

"We have to tell Sabine!" Ezra shouted, and went to get his com, before Kanan stopped his hand. He was deep in thought, thinking over his choices, before speaking.

"No." Kanan answered.

Ezra looked at him in shock. "What? Why not?"

Kanan seemed hesitant to speak, knowing something the other two didn't and not wanting to reveal too much. After an internal debate, he sighed and looked at them. "Sabine doesn't have a...good relationship with Mandalore, and the blade shows both her heritage and her past. If we give this to her-"

"She would be torn between going back or ignoring it as a whole and refusing to use it." Maul finished.

"Yea."

It was silent afterwards, none of them knowing how to proceed. They had to figure out if they'd tell her, but how would she take it, none of them could figure out. One look between them, however, told one thing: Her story had just become greatly complicated.

"There's just one more question," Kanan said. "Why was it there, and who put it there?"

No one had an answer.


Just a quick note.

Most of us, at least in the US, have been swept out of school for a couple weeks. I just want to hope everyone is healthy and enjoying what this crazed world has to offer at the moment. Updates will continued every Wednesday.

And a Happy St. Patrick's day as well.!