Back during the time in the casino….

Maul stared at the Arkanian already holding up his hands in surrender in the center of the suite. Pathetic. Movement caught his peripherals, and he noticed the retreat of the Mandalorian and the Twi'lek. Let them run. He would hunt them later. His main prey offered himself up without so much as a fight.

Adrasco flickered filth off of his purple and blue robes. Clasped his hands in front of him. "Tell me. What is the meaning of this highly rude interruption?"

"Artificer."

A small smile. "And yet another who loves chasing names. How does a barbarian such as yourself know of the Artificer?"

Blaster bolts made the crowd outside scream.

Maul searched beyond the suite veil. The authorities had most likely been notified and would arrive on the scene shortly. He called upon the Dark Side, pulling the Arkanian to him. Grabbed him by the front of the robes. Dragged him into the lift.

Adrasco sighed as he was forced around. "If you used your words, I would come along willingly. Though, I question the extent of your vocabulary. Can you even understand me, brute?"

He backhanded the white-haired man into the tube wall.

The Arkanian grunted, feeling his jaw. "Ah. So it does have a brain. Looks like one less artifact we have to find, hmm?"

The lift landed below the casino's main floor. The doors opening into the private underground tunnel.

Maul shoved his latest annoyance out.

Adrasco stumbled a few paces before catching his footing. "I will have you know that this type of abuse is illegal on my planet."

He struck an activated end of his lightsaber through the lift controls. Emerged from the tube, his weapon bathing him in an eerie red glow in the dimness of the tunnel. "We're not on Arkania."

This elicited a pause. Then his usual air resumed. "If you're intending on capturing me, you're doing a feeble job. You've given me ample time to run away."

A game of chase would be interesting with this individual. Although, the man would never see the light of Canto Bight. Unless he toyed with him, stripped away the inflated ego piece by piece. His growling voice lowered even more. "Then run."

The Arkanian hesitated. He searched the void behind him, but he didn't move.

Maul stood face to face with the other man. "Your attempts at confidence and control are feeble. I can sense your fear."

Adrasco inhaled a sharp breath at the frightening being in front of him. He kept his voice from wavering. "Perhaps we can find an arrangement. You have clearly sought me for a reason."

"I need the Cube."

"Need is such a strong word, isn't it? So many implications. Do you need it for yourself? For revenge? No. A monster such as yourself is nothing more than another's pawn made for orders. You need it for someone with much more power than you. Still. You seek what cannot be found."

With great speed, Maul rushed the man into the ferrocrete tunnel. Let him drop. "The Cube."

A coughing chuckle emerged. "It seems like I've found the nerve holding you together. Perhaps I have nothing to fear from a mere servant."

He hoisted him onto his feet. Skewered his lightsaber into the edge of the other man's side.

Adrasco's natural eye widened as he fought the urge to scream.

"You will fear me. Tell where I can find the Cube."

Grimacing, he grunted. "Are you, are you capable of being more specific? There are many...cubes," he swallowed, "in the galaxy."

Maul discerned the Arkanian. This man knew nothing of pain, living in the lap of luxury all of his miserable life. Pain should scare him. Enough pain should make him talk. He hung his saber on his belt. Preferring the hands-on approach for this interrogation.

The disappeared plasma weapon filled Adrasco with boldness. "I know exactly what you are. You are nothing more than a servant seeking what cannot be found."

A quick strike broke a rib.

The Arkanian released a strained whimper.

"You have twenty-three left. Where's the Cube?"

"In a place you will never find nor will ever see in your pathetic lifetime."

Maul snapped another. "Twenty-two."

"How can you hope to control such," he sucked in air through his teeth, "such power?"

He pushed in bone. "Twenty-one."

Adrasco dug his head into the ferrocrete. Exhaled hard through his mouth. "Why do you seek what cannot be found?"

Maul sent an elbow into the opposite side of the man's rib cage, breaking several at once. "Eighteen."

The Arkanian finally unleashed an audible cry. Sweat beaded over his face and neck. "The Cube is not inside me; I can assure you that."

Upper lip curling, he broke a lower rib, sending it into an organ. He palmed already broken bones into his victim's lungs. "Seventeen."

Adrasco fell on one knee.

The Sith observed the other. Somewhat stunned the near human could keep his facade this long. He assumed a second broken bone would make him more conversational. All he received were insults and noise. Yet, this still provided him with information. This being clung onto something very tightly. Something made him endure this agony.

He coughed up blood into a trembling hand. His head lifted. "You seek what cannot be found."

Maul picked him up by the front of his robes and slammed him into the wall once more. "Tell me where it is, and I will grant you a quick death."

"A quick death." The augmented man laughed, despite his heavy breathing.

"I will not stop with your ribs. I can systematically break every bone in your body without killing you."

"Can you even comprehend what someone is making your search for?"

The Zabrak snatched the cybernetic eye and pulled. Satisfied when the man cried out. He wrapped the goo-covered wiring around his fingers and ripped the rest of it out. Detaching it from whatever other enhancements the man hid under his robes.

Adrasco gasped in pain. His head fell forward. But his faint laughter continued. "You'll never acquire what you want."

Tossing the eye aside, he seized the other's throat. Pushed him harder against the tunnel wall. "Do you know its location, yes or no?"

"Do you honestly believe I know the location of every single artifact in the whole galaxy?"

"You're the Artificer, aren't you?"

Adrasco struggled for a breath. "Ah. There it, there it is. The question you should've been asking this entire time."

Maul paused. This man wasn't the Artificer? But this was the Arkanian his master showed him. Was his master wrong? His master was never wrong. He glanced off to the side. Bore his gaze back into the man in his grip. "What are you implying?"

"You don't," a hitch of his breath, "know how to begin processing the idea of your...erroneous thoughts, do you?"

This man wasn't the Artificer? Then who was? There was the Mandalorian, but she meant nothing more than a mistake. There was another. He felt two life signatures in that room, and the Mandalorian wasn't one of them.

The female Twi'lek.

Was she the Artificer? She did run off with the Mandalorian. They left the Arkanian without hesitation. The Mandalorian knew who the Artificer was, then. And the Twi'lek's escort visage was nothing more than a front. A layer of protection for the wealth of information she possessed.

Which meant the Artificer was with the Mandalorian.

And the Arkanian was nothing more than a distraction, so they could flee.

Adrasco laughed, finally lifting his head. Blood trickled out of his mouth. He sucked in a long inhale. "I see the gears in your small mind have broken free of their rust and started turning. No matter. I've served my purpose."

Maul's intense gaze found the man once more. Enough of this. Grabbing the Arkanian's face, smashed his head against the ferrocrete. Hard enough the back of the man's skull caved in. He ignored the wide splatter of blood, even as it landed on him. Ignored the body slumped at his feet. It no longer mattered, as the Arkanian himself stated.

This was yet another waste of time. That's what mattered. The next step was reporting to his master. Which he would do from the safety of the Infiltrator. His teeth gritted. It would not be a pleasant conversation. But it was a necessary one. His master would expect more results than the knowledge of the Artificer not being the Arkanian.

He held out a hand, summoning the cybernetic eye. Maybe he could glean answers from this.

The enhancement sparked. A small detonation left the prosthetic in pieces in his palm. A thin tendril of smoke curled into the air.

Even in death, the Arkanian bested him. As the Mandalorian kept doing.

Allowing a yell of frustration, he punched a fist into the wall. A small crater in its wake as he removed it. This mission refused going according to plan even once. He tossed the pieces of the eye aside. How did his master not know the Arkanian was the real Artificer? Would his master purposefully give him wrong information?

Yes.

It had been done before. This was all part of a larger trial. If so, the Mandalorian must be involved. Certainly, his master knew of individuals who could hide themselves from the Force. Even non-Force users contained signatures within the energy of the universe. His master could have deployed the Mandalorian as an additional adversary.

Such tactics happened before, as well.

His only option at the moment was reporting to his master.

Maul obscured himself in his cowl and in the Dark Side of the Force. He left the casino's private tunnel and the trio of corpses behind. He stalked through Canto Bight via the shadows as the planet's sun began its slow descent down the horizon. Nobody bothered him. Nobody noticed him. Which benefited them. At this point, he wouldn't hesitate waging war on the entire planet if someone looked in his general direction.

The only thing he cared noting of the city was its lockdown process. Well-armed soldiers stood by all the major entrances and exits, identifying all who passed. It was a good thing he didn't use said entry points. Although, this meant the spaceships were grounded. The Mandalorian would be stuck.

No sooner did he think this when a ship's engine made him glance over his shoulder. A Hawk series light cruiser from the Corellian System. Nothing an upstart Mandalorian would bother using. They were very proud of their MandalMotors. The ship didn't pass his mind again.

He left the confines of the growing population. Swept up the side of one of the mountains bordering the outside of the city. His hand preemptively rested on his lightsaber. His vessel should have been left alone, even after all of this time, but one could never be too careful.

The invisible Infiltrator waited for him right where he landed it. The feeling of its presence a somewhat comfort in this trying time. And a relief, knowing he could at least manage his own ship. He wasted no time in boarding. Rode the small lift up and entered the cockpit. He scanned prompted readouts. Good. The defenses hadn't been triggered, and the cloaking remained strong.

Taking a moment, he centered himself. Levelled out his thoughts and emotions. His master would detect the slightest spike if he wasn't careful. So long as he stayed calm, his master would, as well. He activated the comms link. Removed his hood. Settling on his knees, he lowered his head.

It wasn't long before the blue image of Lord Sidious crackled above him. "My apprentice. I wondered if you had finally been bested in combat and destroyed."

"No." He knew he could never lie to his master. "I suffered an altercation with a Mandalorian and found myself in the local prison. I escaped by killing everyone inside."

"Except?"

Maul briefly lifted his gaze before dropping it. Had his master already heard of what happened? Or did the Force grant him inside knowledge? Despite spending his whole life with his master, he could never figure the human out. "Except for the Mandalorian."

"I suppose this shouldn't be too surprising, given their reputation with Force users. No doubt he knows you're a Sith. While the Mandalorians aren't privy for sharing information outside of their people, it's still a disappointment."

He gritted his teeth.

"Something upsets you?"

"The Mandalorian can hide from the Force. It's as if the Dark Side senses no living creature and passes through as if there's nothing there. I've read about such creatures, but I've never encountered one."

"This is interesting, isn't it?"

"If the Force is useless against-"

"You had strict orders not to use the Force during this mission, did you not?"

"Yes, my master."

"Then there is nothing more to discuss regarding the matter. Use your practical abilities, as instructed. What news, pertaining to your actual mission, do you bring?"

"The Artificer is not the Arkanian. He bore a cybernetic eye I tried collecting for evaluation, but it self-exploded when removed."

There was a pause.

Maul dared another glance up. He couldn't discern how his master handled any of this information. He couldn't tell if the delay in response was strategic or out of genuine surprise. But his master was never surprised and most likely waited for an elaboration. "I believe the Mandalorian is harboring the true Artificer."

"It seems this Mandalorian is a true test for your prowess. Do you believe you can retrieve the Artificer from him?"

"Yes, my master."

"Are you certain? Because your inferior handling of this mission makes me question whether or not you're ready for such a simple endeavor."

His grip tightened on his knees. Resolve filled out his voice. "I will kill the Mandalorian and bring the Artificer to you."

"Alive. Do not let your temper overcome your rational thinking. Do you understand me? I know you killed the Arkanian in your rage. I want the Artificer alive."

"Yes, my master." Even through the ship's holoprojector, the coldness of his master reached him. Tunneled into him, made the dim lights of his ship feel darker. A deep breath filled his lungs.

"Is there something else you desire discussing, my apprentice?"

Maul stiffened.

"You cannot hide from me. I can identify your impatience from here. Tell me what you don't understand."

"I don't understand why we wait to reveal ourselves to the Jedi."

Another length of silence. "We have had this conversation before. My answer has not changed."

"I understand, but-"

"My answer has not changed," the Sith lord roared.

The Zabrak's head remained down as a shock wave of Force passed through him. It dug into his tissues worse than the needles of the prison. He steeled himself. He would not show weakness. Especially in this moment.

Sidious huffed, resuming his normal tone. "Do not continue failing me. Because of your prolonged absence, I've already taken the liberty of searching for your replacement. Do not make me cast you aside."

A surge of anger spiked within Maul, and he stood on his feet. Face to face with the transmission. His guttural tone dropped a few bars. "I will not fail you. I have never failed you."

"Remember your place," the lord hissed, slowly rising from his throne.

He stopped his lip from curling and resumed his kneeling position on his knees. Lowered his head once more.

"Perhaps I instilled too much hatred within you."

His master needed placating. That, he knew for certain. "Believing such infers you made a mistake. You do not make mistakes."

"Very good." He returned to his seat of absolute power. "Prove your loyalty to me. Handle the Mandalorian swiftly. Bring the Artificer to me alive."

"Yes, my master."

"And Maul?"

He looked up.

"Never question me again." The flickering image of Lord Sidious disappeared.

His whole face engaged in his snarl as he slammed both fists down into the floor. He inhaled a deep breath and sat back on his feet. Reigned in his outpour of rage with clenched hands and closed eyes. His master spoke no lies; he was nothing but a disappointment during this mission.

Soon, it would find its end. The Mandalorian would be dead, the Artificer in the hands of his master. Then he could move on from this failure. Soon, he would accept a new mission. One that would pose its own complications, of course. Perhaps a Jedi or two. Which would lead him closer toward the ultimate goal of fulfilling his purpose for this life: the destruction of the Jedi and the return on the Sith Empire.

Maul's corrupted yellow eyes opened.

Soon.

"The safe house is just up that ridge," Lin'orra called over the wind.

Slixe stopped for a moment and looked back at the Hawk series freighter. It was a speck in the valley of two staggering mountains. One of which they climbed. Shaking her head, she continued trekking after the nimble Twi'lek. "Who knows of this safe house?"

"Why?"

"It's for security. I need to know who to kill and who not to kill." Another check of the ship. How did Jagannath find her at the casino? But the more important question was could he find her now?

"Only Adrasco and I know of it."

She grunted in response. Hiked in silence for a short time. "Can the Zabrak get any information from him?"

Lin'orra grabbed onto an outcropping of rock and hoisted herself up a steeper incline. "Despite his attitude and appearance, he's not easy to crack."

Slixe repeated the other's movements. "What about under extreme duress?"

"Arkanians are known for enhancing themselves with cybernetics. They feel pain the same as you and I, but they're also accustomed to enduring it. One of the reasons why I picked an Arkanian to be the face of the Artificer."

"What about the eye? It doesn't take a scientist to know it records interactions. Can the Zabrak get information from that?"

"The eye detonates once it's been removed from Adrasco or if he's been dead for a certain period of time." Lin'orra stopped on a flat alcove and faced the other with crossed arms. "We've been in this business a long time. We have contingency plans for a thousand scenarios. Such as this one."

Slixe held up her hands. "My apologies. I meant no disrespect. I just...there's something about the Zabrak I don't like."

"Didn't your father say he's a Sith?"

"Yes, but I'm not convinced."

"You don't trust your father?"

The Mandalorian's eyes widened. "I do. But until I see Jagannath use the Force, I'm not convinced. He could just be a well-trained assassin with a stolen lightsaber."

"His name is Jagannath?"

"I honestly have no idea. It's what a guard called him. I think it translates to 'the tooth?' I'm not positive on that one."

"I know Jagannath points are used in the Trandoshan religion. It's based on the individual hunter and determines their place in their afterlife. It's why Trandoshan bounty hunters are so ruthless. The more they hunt, the more points for their afterlife."

One of Slixe's eyebrows lifted. "Explains why I had a run-in with one on my way to the casino. He was very adamant that I not interfere with his job. I almost killed him for wasting my time."

Lin'orra's brows furrowed, and she searched the ground before looking back up. "Slixe, in some languages, Jagannath translates to 'lord of the universe.'"

She blinked. Okay, that didn't bode well. "But how does an almighty Sith fall victim to simple arrests? The guard who called him by that name also implied that he was on Cog Hive 7 and participated in the fights."

"The Hive? The Hive was destroyed. From what I've heard, there weren't any survivors."

"Except for Jagannath. Look, let's just forget about him for the time being. I have more important things to focus on, and I've spent too long on this mission. Just tell me you know of the location of the Cube."

"I have an idea of where it might be." Lin'orra winked.

"That is not helpful."

The Artificer laughed. Continuing on her path to the safe house. "I'm not stupid enough to give you all of my secrets at once."

Slixe shook her head as she followed once more. "Says the woman who spied on my private conversation and made me spill my secrets."

"You spoke on your own. I never once used a truth serum on you. Besides. My ship, my rules."

Her eyes narrowed, but she couldn't help but chuckle. "No wonder why you weren't keen on freeing my fighter. You have complete control over our situation."

The Twi'lek pivoted, walking backwards. "You catch on rather quickly, don't you? Here we are." She gestured toward a vertical section of the mountain.

Slixe surveyed the terrain. Her feline ears turning in multiple directions. There were no electronics, no mechanisms. No peek of a structure. "I'm impressed."

Lin'orra pressed on one of her bracelets, and a door revealed itself. It sucked inward, sliding off to the side. "After you."

"Much obliged." Her eyes quickly scanned the interior. Not that there was much of an interior.

The safe house was nothing more than a single room dwelling with a cooking arrangement and a couch. However, numerous crates of varying sizes filled the small space.

Lin'orra scoured labels written in Ryl. Not paying her guest much visual mind. "I can feel your inquiries from here. Let me have them."

The Cathar's ears swiveled behind her in shame. She picked up a small lockbox and inspected it. "Is this your base of operations?"

"No. That's the Anvil. She has her quirks, thanks to the modifications, but she's my home."

"Is this the only planet you have a safe house on?"

"And why would I answer that?"

Slixe shrugged, setting the box down. She leaned against a crate. "Thought I would try. Are you really not going to tell me more about yourself?"

Lin'orra paused. "My story isn't much different than that of the others of my species. I was born on Ryloth. My mother and I were captured and exported off our planet as slaves. I grew up watching her being mistreated, abused. We moved from planet to planet as we were sold around. Once she died, I decided I had enough. I fought my way out of slavery and onto a smuggler ship. I killed various individuals, and I am where I am now."

Her gaze dropped. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It happened a long time ago."

"Is your Hawk the smuggler ship you snuck onto?"

"No, I blew that ship up many, many years ago. I didn't acquire the Anvil until I became the Artificer."

Slixe offered another topic for a more light-hearted mood. "There is one thing that bothers me. How did you find Adrasco? And how do you put up with someone like him?"

The Twi'lek laughed, moving to another section of crates. "He can be intolerable, but he's not too bad once you get past his stiff exterior. One does what one must to survive. I found it's easier to hide as an escort. I can still get in where I need to go, and I can do what I need to do behind closed doors. The general public assumes it's...favors of a certain nature."

"Do you worry about people blowing your cover?"

"You're full of nonstop questions, aren't you?"

The Cathar's ears flattened. "Old habits."

"What are you? An interrogator?"

She hesitated. The man she helped hunt with her clan reappeared in her mind. His name was Drigg, and she found him first. Because of this, she had the honoring of breaking him down before they executed him. Drigg wasn't the only victim. She spent many days of war retrieving information from unwilling warriors by any means necessary. "Something like that."

Lin'orra picked up the crate she searched for. Inspected the other's downcast demeanor. "I'll make you a deal. If your clan still rejects you and your father after this, come find me. You can be my new partners since Adrasco is dead. With your armor/voice changer arrangement, you'll be perfect."

Her head lifted. "You really think he's dead?"

"Yes, because he hasn't contacted me by now. He hates when I take the ship and leave him stranded. Let's assume Jagannath is a Sith. I've never encountered one, but I discovered one of their ancient temples by mistake. I couldn't get inside. Which was for the better because it felt wrong. I've seen murals of what they've done, and it's appalling. Adrasco didn't last more than five minutes with him."

"Which means Adrasco only bought us five minutes of a head start."

"We best get moving."

Slixe nodded as they left the safe house. Her eyes lost their sharp focus as she formulated the skeleton of a plan. "What if I find him before he finds me again?"

The Twi'lek set the crate on the ground, jumped down, and held out her arms. "Look, if you die, I don't get paid."

She tossed the box before hopping down, as well. "If I don't get rid of him, he'll continue being a problem. He clearly wants revenge for being arrested."

"Didn't he kill everyone in that prison?"

"They had him held with three chains and some needles. I'm the one who released him, so he's not that powerful."

"Why did you release the one male who's decided to kill you?"

"You're sounding like my father, and I'm not appreciating that. But you heard what I did. I felt like I owed him a solid. I thought he might be lenient toward my transgressions."

"It never once occurred to you that he might not?"

"My gut told me to release him, and it's never wrong."

A short laugh came from the Artificer. "I think it was wrong this time. Because I'm fairly certain you managed pissing off a Sith."

"We don't know he's a Sith."

"Explain the lightsaber."

"Easily. He could've found it, stolen it, or gotten it off someone like you."

Lin'orra danced around a few exposed rocks in the waning light. "Fair."

Slixe sighed. "I hate looking over my shoulder if I don't have to, and I can't lie. He makes me paranoid. And I promised my father I would bring him a Zabrak. I'll hit Jagannath tonight. I almost have the full cover of darkness."

"I won't stop your life decisions. It's not my mission you're delaying."

"I won't take long. We can leave when I'm done."

"You're the client." The Twi'lek set the crate down when they reached the freighter. "On the off-chance you do die, how will I notify your father?"

The Mandalorian tossed the holoprojector. "It only contacts him."

Lin'orra shook her head and headed for the cockpit. "Come with me." Leading the other, she rummaged around until she produced a wrist comm. "This radios me. If you finish your task, call me. If you get into trouble, call me. The Anvil can do more than blow up towers."

She accepted the device and clamped it in front of a vambrace. Slid on her helmet. "I'll be back shortly. Don't go through my stuff."

"You mean your pack with basic supplies and an odd case I can't open?"

Slixe sighed. "I don't know why I even tried."

"My ship, my rules."

"Right." She headed out of the cockpit.

Lin'orra swiveled around in her pilot's seat. "You want a speeder? I don't know how you plan on finding him."

"Thanks, but I prefer travelling on foot. I'll contact you if I need anything."

"Bring me a horn, will you?"

The Mandalorian sneered as she left. "I'll bring you his whole kriffing head."