Chapter 20 - Return of the Sith (Ramona)

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. We only own the characters we have invented from Earth. =)

Author's Note: Well, we've finally reached the end of this journey. This is the last chapter of Three Starlights. I can't say how much your support has meant to us. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! We will begin releasing the sequel on September 7. :) Until then... farewell and may the Force be with you! ^-^ xD

~ Amina Gila.

For an agonizingly long moment, no one moves. Utter silence blankets the deck as our friends stare at the newcomers in horror. Obi-Wan, Anakin, my sisters, and I tensely stand facing the two Sith. Millions of questions spin through my mind. How are they here? How did they even find out about this dimension? How do they even exist for that matter? Wasn't Sidious the last Sith? And how is Maul alive? I thought he was dead! Because of his robes, I can't tell whether or not the lower half of his body is mechanical, but still.

I shake my head quickly to dispel the questions. Now isn't the time to be asking questions. Maul – or any Sith – likely wouldn't be here unless planning to fight. Without speaking, Anakin and Obi-Wan pull off their outer robes. My sisters and I mimic them, taking off our jackets. I try not to shiver, because it's cold out here. I'm just grateful that the sun is out so I don't completely freeze. As one, all five of us unclip our lightsabers. I hold mine tightly, mentally bolstering myself for the fight I know is coming.

"The time has come to avenge Sidious' death," growls Darth Maul, yellow eyes glittering dangerously. He radiates an aura of darkness and hatred. I have no doubt he's out for the kill, but I doubt he'll stand a chance against us. Both of them are way outnumbered.

"Our revenge is long overdue," sneers the Grand Inquisitor, his gaze darting between us calculatingly. Images of the Comic where he got in a fight with Vader in the Jedi Temple flash through my mind. If he really thinks he stands a chance against all of us, he's delusional. Unless they came here more prepared than we are anticipating.

At that moment, our grandmother, Asiya's mother, and Lance's mother rush up the stairs onto the deck from where they were talking on the patio below. Obviously, the flash of light and strange voices had gotten their attention. I can almost feel their horror at the sight before them. I think only our grandmother has an idea who they really are.

Maul throws back his black hood and ignites his double-bladed red lightsaber. The Grand Inquisitor draws his own also double-bladed lightsaber, the red blades hissing to life. As a passing thought, I note that it doesn't have the same useless design as the Inquisitors' sabers did in the Star Wars Comics. Still, no one moves. The Sith seem to be planning to wait for us to attack them. "Your move. You came here," Ariana snaps.

Perhaps they took that as a signal of some sort. They instantly lunge forwards. If anyone still has doubts about Anakin and Obi-Wan being real, they're quickly dispelled as we block the first attack. We split, with Anakin, Ariana, and I focusing on Maul, while Obi-Wan and Teagan attack the other. He doesn't seem to be as skilled. Maul, on the other hand, is displaying the same skill I remember seeing in The Phantom Menace. Maybe even more.

He's way too skilled compared to me, so I do what I've done over the past six months when sparring. I reach for my emotions, embracing them and accepting the power they can lend. It brings me close to the Dark Side, but I know the risks already. I know that Anakin and my sisters are doing likewise. Even though we've only trained for half a year, the three of us have become very skilled. I notice – with no small degree of satisfaction – that Maul is having an increasingly difficult time parrying all our blows.

When the Dark Side surges in preparation for a Force attack, I know he's realized he can't defeat us using lightsaber combat alone. The Force shove still catches me off guard, and I'm sent flying across the deck. I crash to the ground at Asiya's feet, nearly knocking her over. I wince slightly. I'm going to get bruises from that.

"You alright?" Asiya asks me worriedly, as she gives me a hand to pull me up. That's when I notice that the adults have ushered everyone away from the deck and as far away from the battle as possible. Asiya is the only one still lingering this close, possibly because it's risky to run along the wall of the house past the combatants. The others did it already though, I suppose. I nod to her, before steadying myself and lunging towards Maul once more.

Seeing – or maybe sensing – my approach, he slams a violent Force shove into Anakin, sending him flying backwards. I suppress my cringe as Anakin flips backwards over the railing; he'll fall nine or ten feet before landing on the concrete patio unless he catches himself. I don't have time to worry about it, though. If I'm going to survive, I need to concentrate.

The Grand Inquisitor throws Teagan across the deck, turning just in time to block Obi-Wan's blade. Moments later, Anakin Force jumps over the railing, using the distraction to throw the Grand Inquisitor backwards. Anakin's expression is darker than I've seen it in a long time. When he clenches his fist, the Sith reaches for his throat desperately. I'm not sympathetic that he's being Force choked, though I note that at this moment, Anakin looks more like Vader than he does Anakin.

Maul spins his blade, blocking Ariana's lunge and striking towards me. I duck the blow which could have taken off my arm, taking an involuntary step backwards. He pushes forward, forcing us back. With only the two of us fighting, he's pushed us onto the defensive. He's far more experienced than either of us, and it's showing now. When I feel a ripple in the Force, I brace myself for another shove, but it's not directed at me this time. Ariana is pushed back hard enough to stumble to the ground.

The red lightsaber streaks towards me, and it's only through chance alone that I manage to block it. He pushes harder as we get caught in a saber lock which isn't broken until Obi-Wan springs towards him, Teagan right behind him. The fight begins again in earnest. Lunge, parry, block. Repeat. It's becoming tiring, but Maul still seems to have plenty of energy. Raising his left hand, he sends Obi-Wan flying backwards about twenty feet, where he's slammed into the side of the house before falling to the deck. He doesn't move to get up; clearly, he's unconscious.

Maul Force-jumps across the deck, striking a blow towards Anakin. He blocks it barely in the nick of time but is forced to release his grip on the Grant Inquisitor, who lays there gasping for breath. Ariana has recovered herself by now, and she springs towards Maul with Teagan and I right behind. The Grant Inquisitor scrambles backwards, away from us and off the deck. Moments later, there's a rainbow flash of light, and he disappears, having apparently decided to abandon Maul to fight alone.

The struggle continues, becoming almost like a dance. The blue and red lightsabers swirl intricately, block every single block which is sent in the direction of the respective combatant. Somehow, Maul manages to land a glancing blow on Ariana's lower left arm before Force leaping over the railing. We all follow, but he races towards the trees, clearly trying to put enough distance between us for him to escape. He must know he'll never defeat us alone.

We almost reach him. Almost. When we're only ten feet from him, there's another rainbow flash of light, and he vanishes. All four of us stop to catch our breaths, before turning and heading back to the house. I race ahead, bounding up the stairs onto the deck, heading straight towards Obi-Wan's prone figure. Teagan and Anakin are close behind, with Ariana in the back since she was the furthest from the deck.

Anakin, Teagan, and I kneel down next to Obi-Wan to check that's he alright. A brief scan through the Force reassures me that he only hit his head and should be awake soon.

Anakin pauses to examine the lightsaber burn on Ariana's arm.

"Ow! Stop that!" cries Ariana suddenly, slapping his hand away. She gives him a half-hearted glare, which he ignores. Despite her protests, he pulls up her sleeve and applies a bacta bandage, he'd brought with him when he crossed dimensions. They've proven very helpful if we're injured when sparring.

"Thanks," she says when he's done. Teagan and I stand up, turning to give Ariana a hug and make sure that she'll be fine. I wrap my arms around Anakin for good measure, and my sisters do likewise.

"Are you three alright?" demands Grandmother, walking towards us. I turn to see her stepping onto the deck, concern on her face.

"Yes," Teagan and I chorus immediately, rushing to hug her.

"Pretty much," grumbles Ariana, fingers gently touching her arm before she joins us.

Grandmother is about to say something else when I hear movement behind me. I turn to see Obi-Wan moving. All eyes focus on him as he opens his eyes and he sits up.

"Are you alright?" I query, before anyone has a chance to open their mouths.

"I think so," he replies, as Anakin helps him stand up a bit unsteadily and keeps a hand on his arm to ensure he doesn't fall.

"Well you better know you're alright before I'll stop worrying," Ariana counters, looking him up and down.

"You might want to get looked at by the healers if you don't know you're fine," Anakin adds.

"I'm fine, Anakin," Obi-Wan retorts, giving him a severe look.

Anakin grins, "Whatever you say, Master." I hold back a laugh at their banter. Of course, Obi-Wan hates the healers, and Anakin knows it. I think everyone knows it, in fact. Teasing him about it is fun. Most of the time.

"I want to be trained!" Evelyn calls suddenly, reminding me that our friends are here. I'd honestly almost forgotten after the fight. I turn around to find her staring at the five of us in awe. She was obviously watching the fight from her position around the corner of the house, at least part of the time. Slowly, everyone comes back onto the deck with varying expressions of fear, surprise, and admiration.

"We need to talk to the Council about this incident," Anakin explains, "So, we can talk to them about whoever wants to be trained also."

"You know, the fight would have looked better if your lightsabers were green," Edgar interjects randomly, and everyone laughs. Always leave the random, most unexpected comments to him. I shouldn't find it so surprising, considering how long we've known him, but the unexpectedness always makes it amusing.

"Blue is better," Ariana replies. Teagan and I nod in agreement. We have blue because we focus more on fighting than we do on learning more about the Force. For a few long moments, everyone is silent.

"How is Darth Maul alive?" Teagan asks suddenly, voicing the question no one else dared to utter. Worry surges through me. I remember seeing that Satine was still living. If she's alive, and no one has heard any traces of Maul, why did he suddenly surface now? Where has he been all this time?

"He can't be," argues Obi-Wan. "I killed him. That pit was endless. He would have been dead by the time he reached the bottom. Besides, we scouted for him and found nothing." I nod slowly.

He said that before also. I can't help but worry about what all we changed by dimension crossing. I know the Force has allowed it, but perhaps it's still considered unnatural. So many things are different. Satine is alive. Ahsoka left the Order because of the Mareks, not because she was framed. Echo, Hardcase, and Fives are still alive. Savage has yet to show up. Ventress has essentially vanished. Obi-Wan didn't fake his death to go on the undercover mission. How much else has been changed?

"There's only two Sith at a time," I point out, confusion mingling with relief, "Dooku wouldn't have been a Sith if Sidious also had Maul with him, and we know that Dooku definitely was a Sith." Maul's words are especially confusing. He said he was doing this to avenge Sidious, so he must not hate him. But – how?

The three of us, Anakin, and Obi-Wan exchange looks. No one has any explanation. This Sith has clearly been very well trained, but is it really Maul? And did Sidious break the Rule of Two?

"Sidious broke the Rule of Two," Ariana explains finally, though there's a note of uncertainty in her voice. "When – when Sidious kidnapped me, he made clear that he had no intention of following it."

"You were kidnapped by a Sith?" cries Asiya, whirling to face her, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Or me?" adds Mark, frowning.

"Or me?" echoes Lance.

Ariana spares them a glance. "Because you didn't even believe me about Anakin and Obi-Wan being real," she replies.

"It must've been Maul," Anakin concludes finally. "Somehow he must've gotten off Naboo. Probably however he did according to the story on Earth. How and when he teamed up with Sidious is a different story." True enough. It's the best explanation I can think of.

Silence falls once more as I mull over what could have happened with Maul this time around. It's not surprising that Sidious would have wanted Maul alive, and I suspect Maul was his favorite apprentice. He was the most useful anyways. I know he didn't care much for Dooku, and Vader never existed.

I suppose there's no guarantee that Maul is working with Sidious or in accordance with his contingency plans, but then again, there's no other reason he would have been with the Grand Inquisitor. Did Maul take over after Sidious' death? I can't help but wonder.

Worry floods through me again. Something major is happening, especially with the Sith still around. We knew nothing of it. All I know for certain is that however these Sith came into the playing field, Sidious had a hand in it. I can only be grateful that he's dead now. At least I hope he's dead. I suppose nothing is definite anymore.

"Do any of you know who the other Sith was?" questions Anakin, looking to the three of us.

Mark beats us to the answer. "The Grand Inquisitor, head of the Inquisitorius – a group of trained Dark Side users. Their sole purpose was to hunt down the Jedi who survived Order 66. Some of them were former Jedi, including the Grand Inquisitor. He used to be a Temple Guard. Although no one knows exactly when they were recruited by Sidious, several of them must have Fallen during the Clone Wars. At this point, a number of them could exist."

"They weren't actual Sith Lords," I chime in, "So they probably aren't now either. The only real Sith we have to deal with is Maul."

"Hopefully," mumbles Teagan. Yes, exactly. Hopefully. I don't want to think about that part right now. We have enough to deal with already. One thing at a time.

"We need to go speak with the Council," Obi-Wan decides as he and Anakin put on their outer robes again. I use the Force to summon my jacket, hastily pulling it on. Even with the Force to keep me warm, I have to admit that the frosty air is nipping at my skin. I shiver, glancing at my sisters as they pull their jackets back on, lightsabers clipped to their waists. I look back at the two Jedi Masters in time to see them disappear in a flash of rainbow light.

"Okay, none of that was supposed to happen," Ariana grumbles, making a face. Yes. That was probably the most obvious statement in the entire universe. Shaking her head, she turns to face our friends. "Let's get back to having nice, random chats, but I do have one thing to say first. You all need to be very careful, especially the Force-sensitives. That includes you, Mark," she adds, giving him a no-nonsense glare. "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of us, and since the Sith know about you now and can get here, they might try to do something to you."

Everyone nods, clearly understanding and accepting her warning. If they have any doubts, they choose not to voice them.

"I know I didn't believe you before about Star Wars," Asiya begins hesitantly, "But can you tell us about your adventures there? And when you were kidnapped by Sidious?"

"Yes!" squeals Evelyn, "I want to hear the story again!"

Ariana huffs out a laugh, even though she brightens visibly. "Evelyn, I've told you at least six times!" She shrugs unrepentantly, grinning at Ariana.

"Let's tell them!" agrees Teagan enthusiastically.

I listen as my sisters begin the story, interjecting with my own comments. The feeling of unease increases, even though the tension dissipates. I haven't felt this worried since we first went to the other dimension. Apparently, the Sith are still around, even though they should be gone. I know what Maul is like, and since Sidious isn't around to give him orders, I don't think he could be too big a threat with the exception of passing on his Sith training.

The Grand Inquisitor, though, he's always had delusions of grandeur. I don't know how much of a threat he could be since he was always being controlled in the Earth version, but he certainly could be extremely dangerous. Even if they're not capable of creating a galactic catastrophe, there are clearly many factors of which we are ignorant. I won't pretend to understand Sidious even remotely enough to guess at possible contingency plans. How can we be certain that he hasn't secretly trained a Sith army?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that we really have no idea what is happening. We may have stopped Anakin from falling to the Dark Side, and at least temporarily destroyed Sidious and prevented the formation of the Galactic Sith Empire, but obviously, the fight is far from over. It was foolish of me to think otherwise. I stretch out my senses and feel a sense of darkness in the future. If that feeling is any judge, I think the fight may be just beginning.

We can't have completely annihilated the Sith and all their plans already. It's simply not possible. We have the Jedi Order to fix, and a Republic to restore. No, the struggle has only started. And while Anakin being a Jedi puts a dent into Sidious' original plans, how can we be sure that we didn't accidentally further some of his other plans? Nothing can ever be that simple with the Sith – and Sidious – can it?