(Sabine Wren POV)
"Wren!" Weber's voice calls out into the deserted locker room.
About time. I'm going to be late to class because of this whole charade.
Keeping my thoughts to myself, I walk through the locker room, to the small training room that's been turned into a makeshift office for the new GA, who along with Jaicey is helping go through everyone's schedules.
"Jaicey'll take care of you." Weber says as I bypass him before seeing Jaicey in her spot at a card table before she glances up and spots me.
I don't reply to Coach Weber as I walk over to Jaicey and sit across from her before extending my class schedule to her.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Biology 9-10 AM
Creative Writing for Non-Majors 11-12 PM
Seminar in Life Sciences 1-2 PM
Tuesday/Thursday
Drawing II 8-10:30 AM
Biology Lab 1-2:30 PM
"Thank you for actually listening…" Jaicey says quietly. "And actually scheduling nothing past two. Half of the team didn't listen."
"That'll be a nightmare to fix." I say quietly as Jaicey scribbles my schedule down onto a notecard, presumably for the coaches.
"We've got Pettus and Cochran to sort that out…but yeah. So you're going from here to Biology? That professor is a bitch. I thought JJ told Ezra to avoid him."
Uhh.
"I don't know." I reply blankly.
I—I just copied off what Ezra left out on that piece of paper. That was his professor and at that time, so I signed up for it.
Jaicey's eyes dart right to me. "You…Are you stalking his classes?"
"No!" I defend myself. "I just wanted to take something with him again."
We've had a class each semester we've been here. I want to keep doing that.
"Does Ezra know about this?"
"I don't know."
Jaicey eyes me for a moment before she starts writing again. "I'm sure that was just a coincidence."
We never talked about it. We ran out of time last semester, and this summer was a disaster, so when was I going to get the chance?
"JJ damn near failed that class, the workload is apparently brutal. I remember him working harder than almost any other gen ed requirement just in that one class. So be careful." Jaicey darkly warns me.
"Okay, I'll be on it."
I'll do more, and try to help Ezra too.
He's busy enough as it is.
"Did your parents leave town today?"
I nod. "This morning."
Flew out at 7 from LAX.
I offered to drive them, but Mom and Dad insisted I sleep and said they'd get an Uber or Lyft or something.
"Well, now Ezra can come out from his hiding spot. Nobody saw him all weekend." Jaicey comments before flipping her card over.
I know.
I tried texting him, saying that Mom and Dad were in town and wanted to have lunch or dinner with him if he had time. Instead, he never replied and we just finished setting up the house.
"Don't play dumb with me," Jaicey speaks up. "He mentioned your Mom and how she's pissed at him over the loss of your precious metal. You know that's why he kept his head down."
"I texted him! I tried!"
Jaicey's head pops right up from her writing. "Be careful. Push too hard and you may lose him."
"You've said that before."
"And you keep antagonizing him and treating him like garbage." Jaicey needles me.
"I'm—I don't—"
"Shut up." Jaicey rolls her eyes. "And stop stuttering. My decision still stands. Alena is starting in the opener on Friday."
"I wasn't talking about that!" I fire back at Jaicey.
Jaicey doesn't return fire, instead only grabs a folder and stuffs my index card inside it. "It's 8:40. You'd better get going, you don't want to be late."
Yeah. She's right.
Jaicey moves to stand a half-second before I grab my backpack and move to do the same.
(8:53 AM)
Ryan – 1 New iMessage
"Hey! Have a great first day of class today! You think you might have time to catch lunch together?"
Ryan…
He's trying too hard.
I know he's trying to work himself up to ask me out, it's happened to me before when people didn't think Brett was actually my boyfriend.
I mean, he's alright but…
I want this semester, this year really to be different than last year.
It has to be.
I don't know if I should date somebody this semester, or not. Ryan's a great guy and funny and cute and nice and there's nothing really wrong with him, but…
I don't know.
Reaching the door marked (100 – A) I follow another student inside the door—
Oh shit.
The auditorium is packed from floor to ceiling with chattering students, with only single seats still available—
Oh hey there's Matt! And—Ezra!
He cut his hair…
Unconsciously, I make a move to go sit by them, before noticing that Ezra's standing in the middle of the walkway as Matt and a female student pose for a picture. They hold the pose for just a moment, then the girl walks away and another…takes her place.
There's a line to take pictures with Matt. Dammit!
Quickly, I peer around and try to pick out any open seat close to them that I can—
"Okay everybody sit down." An older, male voice calls out behind me to my right. I glance back and see a man in a white collared shirt and khakis striding in holding a briefcase. "We've got a lot of ground to cover today and not nearly enough time to do it. And I'm supposed to go over your syllabus. Hurry everyone, find a seat."
As quickly as I can, I do as I'm told and find a seat in between two people I don't know, clear on the other side of the room from Matt and Ezra. "Okay, now in the case that you're in the wrong class this is General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution. I'm your professor Dr. Paulisson and if neither of those are on your schedule I request that you hurry up and get out now. My time is far more valuable than yours and I'm trying to spend it pounding everything I can into your thick heads. So…Lesson One: If you didn't print out your syllabus! You're already behind!"
Great, I didn't…
Usually last semester the professors printed them out and passed them out to everyone in the class.
"—not going to waste any further time so…" Dr. Paulisson hits a button and the overhead projector comes to life, revealing a prepared PowerPoint presentation.
We're taking notes already?!
(10:01 AM)
I hold the door with my foot as I file out of the auditorium, hand cramping painfully while I try to massage it.
C'mon…Ezra…get out here.
Most of the class files out towards the building itself as I drift towards the window and door that leads outside before I hear it.
Oh gods…they're chanting outside.
Haven't you obsessive maniacs marched and rioted and chanted enough?!
VADER'S NOT HERE! Why are you outside our auditorium?!
You've been doing it almost a week straight, since Organa's people—
There they are!
"Ezra!" I call out to he and Matt as they appear at the top of the stairs before I start fighting against the tide of people to reach them. I can almost hear the AC kick back on due to the mass of people—
Oh no. Ezra's mad.
He's mad I'm here.
The angry look on his face disappears almost as soon as it appeared before I hear Matt say "Hey! Did you have to endure that too?"
"Yeah." I laugh. "That was miserable."
I walked in expecting an easy syllabus day, maybe even to get out early. Instead my hand's cramping, I didn't catch nearly all of what he said, and I didn't get to sit by them.
"Ezra's a genius. He printed out the PowerPoint he was showing, absolutely brilliant." Matt compliments Ezra as he's typing on his phone.
"It's amazing what preparing does." Ezra says flatly without glancing up.
"I gave up about halfway through, I'm gonna have to lean on him." Matt laughs.
I smile at him and add. "I might have to too, my hand's cramping after trying to write everything down."
"I'm not taking notes for everybody." Ezra snaps, his head popping up to reveal an irritated look.
Haar'chak, he is mad. (A/N: Haar'chak = Damn it)
"I'm not saying you are—"
"I took notes." I smile at Ezra. "Hi, by the way. Mom and Dad missed you over the weekend. Wish you could have joined us."
"You know I can't do that." Ezra sighs while swinging his backpack around and setting it on the floor.
"Why not?" Matt asks.
Because—
"Work has rules about talking to those involved in active…investigations. And Sabine hasn't told you, but her Mom's an important Mandalorian figure. So I can't just go talk to her. There are rules and protocols I have to follow."
"But you can come have dinner and say hi. They—"
Ezra's eyes flick up and bore into mine. "No. I can't. I have to follow the rules, otherwise, your beskar investigation is going to be taken away from me. And I can't find your beskar by socializing. I have to grind and can't let the trail go cold. Tell your Mom I'm still working on it. We all are. When I have an update, I'll go through the official channels."
"That sounds like that sucks." Matt says diplomatically.
That's a bunch of osik. (Osik = Mando'a = Shit)
"I don't make the rules." Ezra says darkly before moving to start walking outside.
"I—I wouldn't go that way." I hastily tell him. "I think there are more Vader protesters outside."
—
Ezra!
Ezra ignores me and walks right past me before justifying himself. "I've got to go that way. My Calc class is way over in Salvatori."
"Calculus?" I say weakly.
"All the way out in Salvatori?" Matt adds
Ezra simply nods while plowing forward, out towards the door and the—
"LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" The crowd is chanting in unison.
Oh no.
"LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!"
Signs dot the frothing, protesting crowd outside of our building, even before we step outside.
"Defund The Jedi!" "Fuck Your Force" "Where Do I Even Start?"
"Five Hundred & Counting" "Who Is Next?" "Jedi Condone MURDER"
"Hey Vader: NOBODY LIKES YOU!" "Why Are We Even Debating This Shit?!"
"No Justice, No Peace" "Your Peace Is a LIE!" "Arrest Vader!"
He can't go that way.
Students that are just leaving our Bio lecture are just squeezing by before I turn to Ezra and see him steel himself then—
No!
My attempt to grab his shirt comes up half-second short before he descends the stairs, grabs the door and walks right out into the crowd.
"LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!" "LOCK HIM UP!"
(Tuesday – 1:55 PM)
The door opposite me opens up, revealing—"Hey!" I beam at Ezra as he leads Matt into the room.
Matt laughs as Ezra grabs the door for the student behind him. "You got this lab too?"
"Yup. How are you guys?" I smile at them before moving to hug Matt.
It'd be awkward if I just hugged Ezra.
"Good, tired of this already." Matt laughs while sitting next to me, leaving an opening directly across from me.
C'mon Ez—yes!
Ezra drops his backpack beside the chair and plops into it before digging for his phone. As he's doing that I slide around Matt and approach Ezra.
Don't screw this up.
"Hi." I smile at him, only for Ezra to glance up just before I move to hug him.
"How are you?" He gives me a one-armed hug before letting go sooner than usual.
"I'm good. You cut your hair…"
"It's too hot." Ezra's tone drops before he peers back down at his phone, which is opened to Twitter. "I got tired of basically baking myself. We talked about this."
I silently nod and smile at him before drifting back towards my seat. "Well, it looks nice. I like it." I partially lie.
He looks like he's straight out of boot camp when he keeps it this short.
Half the time he acts like he's one step away from being a career Army guy, being as disciplined and rule-following as he is.
I love him, but he's too stiff. I thought I'd loosened him up a bit last year but…
Well, it's probably my fault that he's tightened up again.
"I know what you mean, that's why I keep mine pretty short." Matt backs Ezra up before ruffling his own, short yet spiked haircut that he's always sported.
"It's just too hot." Ezra says quietly before somebody noisily sits next to me.
"Hi, is this seat taken?" A peppy, energetic female voice says, clearly to Matt.
Oh not now…I do not want to have to deal with this in two classes all year.
"No, you're fine." Ezra says without looking up. The girl in question, a fake blonde smiles at Matt.
"Great! Usually in labs like this, they divide everybody up by table for the semester. Everybody needs lab partners." She reveals, clearly eying Matt. "You wanna partner up?"
Yes!
You take Matt, I'll take Ezra.
"Yeah, I'll take Ezra, if that's okay with you." I leave the choice to Ezra, throwing a smile on top of it.
Ezra's eyes peer up from his phone before Matt protests. "Hey! What about me?"
"You're with her I thought," I reply, then look to our new friend. "Right?"
"Yeah, I'm just teasing. What's your name?" Matt flirts with the girl.
"Everybody calls me Alex." She smiles back at him. "You're Matt."
"I'm infamous." Matt jokes, getting Ezra, Alex and I to all laugh.
"Nah, I think what you're looking for is famous." Ezra amends Matt's statement before setting his phone aside and pulling his backpack to him.
Ezra sets a clearly new 3 subject notebook, along with a workbook for the class presumably before—"You won't need the notebook, just the workbook."
"How would you know?" I ask.
You sure do seem to know a lot.
"I was in here last year. I had to drop because I got into a bad car accident."
"Oh no." Matt blurts out.
"Are you okay?" Ezra follows up.
"Now I am, yeah! But I had to drop out of everything last semester after the deadline. Had to apply for a waiver from the hospital, whole thing."
"Hospital? How long were you in the hospital?"
"A month. A drunk driver hit me and I got stuck on part of the guard rail. Life flight and everything." Alex explains.
Jeez.
"Wow, you're lucky to be here." Matt comments.
Ezra smiles warmly at her. "Glad you are. You think you're back to 100% or still working there?"
"Still working there, I have my good and bad days. I just started to be able to work out again last month. It's sad how out of shape I was. I used to be a cheerleader in high school—"
The door at the front of the room pops open and a young-ish professor steps in. "Hey everybody, before you get too comfortable, we're doing an ice breaker to start the semester off. Grab your stuff and move out into the hall."
The hall?!
"I hate ice-breakers…" Alex grumbles.
"It's the same thing every time." Ezra agrees while piling his stuff back into his backpack, looking mildly displeased.
He's not just mad at you. Not much is going his way right now. Be patient Sabine.
Matt leads our foursome out into the hallway and I try to stick next to Ezra as he joins everybody else lined up against the hall.
"Okay, so everyone here in the hall is in the exact same class, Bio Lab 110." A male voice dictates to us. "I'm going to give everybody a number, and that number is going to correspond to the class you'll be in for the rest of the semester. College is a time to meet new people, so no better time to split you up and meet new people than the first day."
HAAR'CHAK.
"Class one goes here—" Another professor, a woman points to the class Matt, Ezra and I just stepped out of. "—two there—." She points to the class adjacent. "—and three down there okay?"
The professors start going up and down the lines, assigning everybody their classroom numbers.
This can't be happening. I seriously can't be—
"No shuffling! Everybody get back in line where were. This isn't about you being with your friends. This is about you paying to learn. We've learned this the hard way, so get back in line…One, two, three…" The woman calls out to everyone as they continue down the line.
I'm gonna lose Ezra for the entire semester on the first day. You have got to be kidding me.
The professors continue going up and down, coming closer and closer as I'm bordered on either side by Matt and Ezra,
"Three." The woman points to Matt. "One—" She tells me then points to Ezra. "Two—" before going down the line. "Three. One, Two, Three…"
Ezra silently walks away from me towards his instructed class, even managing to grab the door for another student before disappearing inside.
I can't believe this. I…guess I have to go sit back down now.
Numbly, I walk back inside and walk right to the back of the class and the furthest seat from the door before tossing my backpack aside and slumping down.
I hate this year. I hate this lab, I hate Bio, I hate all of it.
I'm already neck-deep in homework that I don't have time for, Jaicey's still got me benched, Ezra's pissed at me, Ryan keeps on trying to meet up with me—
A shadow descends on my line of sight, and I glance up in time to see—
My luck just got worse.
Two noticeably overweight guys sit down across from me before the one right across from me smiles widely. "Hi! I'm Christopher. What's your name?"
"Sabine. Nice to meet you."
No, it's not.
You…
Eww.
I don't know what's wrong with him, maybe it's a skin condition. But all the skin around his crappy facial hair is inflamed and red and just gross while—
And he smells too.
Christopher's eyes continue to shimmer as I shift in my seat and try not to run out of the lab.
I have to be in here. It's a required class.
And I've seen that look in his eye.
He thinks I'm hot. He's going to try and ask me out too.
(Ezra Bridger POV – Tuesday, 3:30 PM)
1 New iMessage – Unknown Number
"Hey, it's Destiny from Bio Lab. Figured I'd text you today so that we have everybody's numbers!"
Nice.
I set my phone aside just in time as Master Windu walks into the room. "You asked to see me, young Bridger?"
"Yes Master, thank you for making the time. I appreciate it." I hop up off the table I've been sitting on and bow to him.
"Of course." He nods. "What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering about the status of my request to speak with Maul."
Windu's expression turns stern. "It's been discussed. Why do you want to speak with him?"
"Because all of the other leads I've had have gone nowhere. I need to find Sabine's beskar, Master."
"I understand that the matter is important to you personally, young one. But we cannot allow your personal goals to have precedent over other investigations." Windu tells me.
"It's not about my personal stake in the matter." I counter Windu. "I know that the Mandalorians are getting antsy about not finding it."
"And this is why you stayed away from Miss Wren's mother and father as they came in this weekend?"
I avoid Windu's eye and answer honestly. "No, I did that in order to comply with the Council's request to distance myself from her a bit. And besides, I know Countess Wren won't be happy to see me until I return her property to her."
"You are right on that count, at least young Bridger…"
I nod in thanks before falling silent.
C'mon…
"I've spoken with several other members of the Council, and they agree that you should speak with Maul. We've had little luck in getting any intel out of him, as has the intelligence community at large. If we agree to allow you to speak with him, it won't solely be to question him about the Mandalorian Iron."
"Yes Master."
"And are you capable of keeping your head when isolated in a confined space with him?"
"Yes Master." I nod once.
Windu falls silent and seems to consider this. "We'll be confiscating your lightsaber for the event in any case. Let me confer with Master Yoda one more time. In the meantime, begin gathering your intelligence. You're on with Maul in an hour."
"Thank you, Master." I nod once before Windu returns the nod before giving me—
Did he just smile at me?
Windu exits the room, and quickly I snatch my tablet up. "Twos, get me everything we've got on Maul's contingent that we captured."
(One Hour Later)
Taking a turn, I begin striding down the narrow hallway towards the oldest block of holding cells.
They're surrounded on all sides by feet on concrete or observation rooms. It's near impossible to get out of here once you're down here.
My feet don't notify the two guards far down the hall of my presence until I come closer, and both Guards register my arrival.
"Master Windu requests you visit him before going to interrogate Maul." One of the Guards informs me.
I nod once and bow my head. "Thank you, Master. I'll do that."
The Guards move to act as a buffer to me as they escort me another ten feet or so to an old door, which opens to reveal—
Windu, Yoda, Kanan, Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker, Master Tano…
"Young Bridger." Windu announces my arrival before I can account for everyone observing Maul.
I respectfully greet Master Windu, then glance to my right and see Maul, alone in a bright room clearly bound to the metal table in front of him.
"What's he been doing?"
Windu makes a motion for me to fall silent before Master Kenobi replies "So far, nothing."
"Come in, there has been an alteration of plans." Windu waves me inside of the spacious room, complete with the one-way glass—
"I believe I hear him."
That's Palpatine.
"Master Windu, I want him briefed—"
"I cannot brief him until I can get him in the room long enough to shut the door." Windu's tone is full of irritation before the door shuts behind me.
Probe.
Tensions flows to me, not only from Windu but from—
Hera?
Turning, I spot Hera off to the side, dressed professionally before she gives me a warm, but small smile.
"As you have noticed, the situation remains fluid here, young one." Windu calls my attention back to him.
"I see." I nod while turning back to him. "I reviewed all of the intelligence we've gotten on him so far Master. How do I proceed from here?"
Keep coloring within the lines.
"Secretary Tarkin—" Master Kenobi says, an almost unheard of note of frustration in his voice. "—wants a 'representative' in the room when you speak with Maul."
That's why Hera's here.
She's a happy medium.
Compromise.
"That's fine," I answer. "I have no problem with that."
Hera's good at her job. I won't have to worry about her not pulling her own weight in there.
"Can he hear us?" An unfamiliar voice speaks up.
"Yes." Master Skywalker's tone is plain.
"Not that I have any issue with it Masters—" I begin. "But why do have an audience from Washington?"
Bringing in me to speak with Maul is Jedi business. Not an affair Palpatine thinks he can wedge himself into.
"We have been covering for you and your rash actions in Riverside. And in addition to that fact, you are utilizing a vast swath of our intelligence on him. If you are doing that, we will be involved." Tarkin curtly answers me.
He's mad at me.
…
Probably with how things have been going the last two weeks.
"Makes sense." I nod to show my understanding.
"Master Jedi, before young Ezra goes to speak with Maul, I'd like to speak with him." Palpatine speaks up, presumably to Master Windu.
"No." Windu answers curtly, just before I raise my hand.
That…
I may need to speak with him.
"Excuse me—" Tarkin rushes to interject before Windu moves to give me his attention.
"Yes?"
"We may not want to fire that specific bullet, until after I speak with him." I motion with my head to the other room.
Obviously, Palpatine just wants to talk to me.
Windu digests me thought, as well as the other Masters in the room. Silence follows from Washington before Windu speaks again.
"Perhaps…if your conversation with Maul bears enough fruit. But your time is in too much demand for social calls. When is your Blackboard exam due?"
"Midnight Master, but if I may? It's…not really an exam. It's a quiz grade yes, but it's not really an exam." I attempt to explain.
I have to make a post and respond to three others' posts about my three favorite movies.
Film Appreciation as a class is going to be an absolute joke.
"You don't sound very concerned about it." Kenobi looks to me.
"I did the exact same thing in my University Strategies course last Fall." I continue explaining. "It's more of a test of the class's discipline to see who does it and who does not."
"What about your other courses? I know you have other homework in other classes." Windu questions me.
"Nothing I cannot handle when I leave the Temple, Master. What I cannot complete tonight I was going to complete tomorrow morning after my workout."
The Force notes multiple Masters' doing the mental math in their heads.
Yeah, that leaves me with about five hours to sleep. I'll be fine.
"Very well…are you ready to speak with Maul?" Windu looks to me.
"Yes Master."
Windu's eyes sweep the room, lingering over Maul before he motions for Hera and I to start to the door. "Agent Syndulla."
I quickly grab the door for Hera and hold it for her before slipping out into the hall and closing the door.
Hera!
As subtly as I can, I use the Force to grab her attention, which causes Hera to spin back and look at me before smiling. "Hi Dear."
"Hi." I can't help but smile. "I'm, I'm going to let you lead in there." I motion towards the closed door a few feet to my left, her right.
Hera's expression quickly shifts to one of confusion. "But—"
"My father never really taught me how to run an interrogation," I reveal to her. Hera's surprise instantly flows to me as I continue. "You're probably a lot better than me in there, and know the intel better."
Hera hesitates before answering. "I've studied it a lot before going to bed. Are you sure?"
"Yeah." I nod. "I'll play off you and go from there."
"Anything you want me to drill down on?"
"You know." I smirk at her.
The beskar. Elias.
Hera eyes me for a moment, then smirks back. "I'll weave it in."
Awesome.
Without another word, Hera moves to enter the interrogation room. I move to follow, as well as a Temple guard who trails me before the door automatically swings open.
There you are…
Hera walks in, which only holds Maul's attention until he sees me, then visibly straightens up. "So we've decided to wear your true mask. Instead of your breathing apparatus."
Instead of responding, I shut the door behind me before hearing a reassuring 'click' behind me.
I will not be goaded or manipulated by you…
Maul's eyes flick from me to Hera and—
No—
Redirecting my focus slightly, I shield Hera's thoughts from Maul before gently reaching out and…
He's inhibited already. Smart.
I drop my mental shields around Hera and instead move to walk around Maul, holding his eye as Hera sets down a large folder and begins laying things out on the table.
"You know, it is true what they say. You look exactly like your father did at a similar age."
"You know." I return fire. "If I haven't heard that from just about every lieutenant of my father's we've captured, that might hurt."
You need more material.
"I'm sure he told you of when he found me, lost and abandoned by my people. He was only a few years older then than you are now…"
A decade, at least.
"Took you long enough to come visit me. What's it been? Four days since our little duel?"
He's lost track of time.
Nice.
Hera continues laying out her case before Maul and I pass the time by pacing around Maul slowly, hands behind my back.
His eyes—
Silently, I shift my hands in front of me, then pull my lightsaber into my hand.
I see you.
"You like my new lightsaber?" I taunt him.
"It's shiny…" Maul rises to the taunt. "Just like you. I see I bent it."
"You didn't bend it." I let myself laugh once. "It's called style. Not that you'd know anything about that."
"The Jedi don't seem like the type to tolerate your…style."
I walked into that one.
I smirk, then return fire. "Your style, and my style? Two different styles."
"No, they're the same. You have only one move, Lord…Vader." Maul's voice drops an octave. "Raw, blunt, uncontrolled, power. Like a child throwing a tantrum."
"Then how did I beat back both of your assaults, with over a 90% success rate?" I point out. "Like a child…throwing a tantrum."
If I acted like a child, then you got beaten by a child.
Maul doesn't have a retort ready before Hera clears her throat and I take a step back. "SAIC and Czerka Corporation. That was the majority of the freight on the ship you came on, the Nightbrother."
"You really should communicate better with your colleagues." Maul turns his guns on Hera. "You've already pressed me on this."
"I have," Hera replies cheerfully. "I traced back the origin and manufacturing origin of a majority of the items. Nothing special about the freight itself…most bulk items…arms for the drug cartels in South America."
…
"Liuzhou, China." Hera drops the bomb right on Maul. "What's there?"
"Never heard of it. China is hardly a place for someone like myself." Maul replies.
"Why? The style of government too much to your liking?" I drop on him.
The CCP has no problem telling its people what to do, where, and how.
Just like my father's ultimate goal.
Absolute Power.
"No." Maul laughs. "The security and intelligence state is overbearing. Every street corner holds a camera, some of which are dummies but many of which are closed circuit and reporting to armies of loyal citizens, willing to report of their fellows in exchange for safety."
"So it's too repressive. You can't get done what you want there. Interesting." Hera smokescreens Maul.
Maul shifts in his seat as I continue my pacing while maintaining pressure. "The intelligence community is not like you. When we have verified intelligence, we share it. You know I can reach out to my Chinese colleagues and they can access those overbearing assets to see what you were doing there."
"Your goals are not aligned." Maul dismisses the idea with a laugh. "They will not cooperate with you."
"Then we'll just go up the ladder." I declare.
Maul returns fire. "You do like doing that, don't you. No time for the middle man, or the little people. Right to the top."
I'm living amongst them right now you fool.
"Tell me, how is President Palpatine?" Maul asks me.
"Don't know." I honestly reply while continuing to pace, my eyes at the opposite wall. "I've only spoken to him a few times."
"And yet that information leaked out to the general public. You do not know who you can trust."
Hera interjects. "Then we tighten the circle of trust."
"That…" Maul draws out the final word. "Does not help you with your problem."
"We have our ways of sussing out loyalty." Hera jabs back. "Just like you."
"Already done that." I call out.
Hera seizes upon my opportunity. "We have. You might not crack, but many of your hired guns have."
Oh.
Maul twitches almost imperceptibly before I grab him with the Force. "Oh yes…I know you hired them out. Sent out a call, through your underworld contacts for volunteers for a dangerous mission. But if you succeeded, you would be striking out at the legendary Sith Lord…Darth Vader."
"Sacrifices for the greater good. More cannon fodder than anything." Maul dismisses Hera before trying to turn to me.
"No." I call out to him, then tighten my grip.
"Let…me…go!"
I walk around him, holding my hand in the same pose to keep him immobile then drop down so that he can see me. "No."
You don't control me anymore.
"Your associates were smuggled through multiple access points to China. Pakistan, India, Hong Kong…" Hera glances at a file before I pop up out of my crouch and keep pacing. "Until everyone met in Liuzhou for the trip over to Ensenada."
I believe—YUP.
Maul hears the name of the port he had the Nightbrother park in and tenses up before letting out a breath. "That sounded tense."
"Shut up!" Maul snaps.
I laugh to myself and smirk at Hera before pacing more.
"You know, I'm not going to be afraid to reach out. You've given me a place to look." I point out to Maul.
I've told Palpatine, and Kallus and Tarkin, and everyone that he's in Liuzhou.
And now we have verifiable proof.
"You'll find that the authorities want nothing to do with you. Or the Jedi, or American intelligence for that matter." Maul points out to me, then Hera.
"I believe that they'll cooperate." I retort. "We have a common enemy…you."
"They didn't know I was ever there."
"But you were there." Hera seizes upon Maul's slip up.
He was.
I smile at the opposite wall, where Windu, Kanan, and the other Masters are observing the session. "Now I'm definitely reaching out. Maybe we could work out a deal. They do this for me…I do something for them."
"You have nothing—"
"Like root out other Sith Lords." I cut Maul off coldly, then apply more pressure to him, forcing his head to bend forwards slightly.
…
…
"You never were the Master, only the apprentice. Who sent you?" I ask him.
"I sent me. I serve no Master."
"You were always a tool. Like a wrench or a hammer at my father's disposal to stir up acrimony and discord in the world." I round Maul. "In the Grand Plan, you weren't important."
You were disposable.
"Ahh yes…your father's Grand Plan. Looking back at that, so were you." Maul's eyes follow me. "Just a tool."
"I chose to break free. You chose to stay in chains." I remind him.
You were never the Master.
"Lord Sidious was right," Maul calls out just after I move out of his sight. "You were too weak, unwilling to do what needed to be done to get the job done. Your brother, on the other hand—"
OH!
You brought him up.
"Funny you mentioned Elias." Hera interjects.
Maul manages to defy the grip I have on his head and turn to Hera before wincing.
I bet that hurt. Let's…
Releasing Maul's head, I call upon the Force to magnify Maul's pain. Nearly instantly, Maul's head drops and he visibly looks agonized. "I bet that hurt."
"Stop…amplifying it."
I laugh, then pivot on the spot back to within his line of sight before crouching down once more. "NO."
"NO." Maul attempts to get a rise out of me.
Hera, who has started scribbling into the notes she brought, continues doing so, the room being so quiet that the sound of pen on paper reaches both Maul and I. "We'll have to check for Elias in Liuzhou too."
"How do you know that name?" Maul demands of Hera.
Hera simply points to me. "He told us."
"You'd betray your own brother." Maul looks to me. "The oldest, worst crime in history."
"I thought that was murder." I pop off sarcastically.
"You know plenty about that too." Maul harshly retorts.
Hera somehow smiles. "And somehow he's not the biggest murderer in the room. His headcount is diminutive compared to yours. I believe yours is…rumored to be north of five thousand?"
"I don't count." Maul rolls his eyes. "I just do my job."
Hera returns to her writing, and I make a full circuit around Maul before I break the silence. "Where…is Elias?"
"You each have done a similar amount of training in the intervening years," Maul replies. "Neither of you have progressed at all."
Present tense.
"You've seen him?" Hera follows up.
"No." Maul lies boldly. "I was calling back to six years ago, when both sons were in their father's employ. Their levels of training are very similar."
That's not…
—
Something clicks inside of my head, and I exhale quietly to myself and start pacing.
Present tense. Neither of us have progressed…
Elias isn't right.
Something's wrong.
"What's wrong with him?" I cut Hera off mid-question, spinning back to face Maul.
Both of them look to me with surprise before Maul answers. "I haven't seen Lord Tyranus in years. Six, to be precise."
That's a lie.
"I don't have to have the Force to know that's a lie." Hera calls out Maul. "What did his father have you do? Protect him?"
That'd make sense.
"Lord Tyranus doesn't need protection. The idea that you think he does tells me you know nothing about him."
Hera shakes her head. "He had just turned eleven when Ezra turned himself in to us. Nobody can survive on their own at that age."
She's right. He had to have some sort of support system.
…
It would make sense for Maul to reach out to him, or Elias to reach out to Maul.
"You underestimate one of the greatest Sith Lords to ever live."
"No, we don't." Hera says, then points to me. "He's always chiding us, telling us not to underestimate him, or you, or his father."
Maul glances at me before replying. "Then maybe his years in your chains have made him wise."
Oh shut up…
…
Hera begins questioning Maul more as I return to my pacing.
Maul used the present tense to talk about Elias. Meaning he's probably…
He's seen him recently.
More recently than me.
But why?
Maul's been on this crusade against me, drawing me out in the Temple, stealing my beskar and—
My breath catches in my throat as the puzzle pieces click into place for me.
That's…no…
My heart pounds desperately against my chest before, in one motion I grab Maul with the Force with one hand and pull my lightsaber to his throat with the other before pinning Maul flat to the wall.
"EZRA!" Hera yells before moving to get in between us.
Sorry Hera.
Ignoring her, I get nose to nose with Maul and glare through him. "That's…why we can't find the beskar. You know the worst thing you could do to me…is to give it to him."
He knows about the beskar. He knows that we would go looking for it.
He knows about Sabine.
Hera intakes a sharp breath whereas Maul doesn't visibly react. "You're not lording it over my head because it's out of your hands. That's why it's not on your person, or with any of your people."
That's why the Mandalorians can't find it.
"No." Maul laughs. "You're guessing. I had it authenticated in Turkey. It is real beskar though. Almost seven million dollars worth."
"Seven million?" Hera echoes Maul.
"It's from a very old deposit…mined over a thousand years ago in one of Mandalore's oldest mines. I didn't believe it myself until I received the call on it."
"When?" Hera asks.
Maul doesn't answer for an extended period of time, and I cut short the staring contest he's trying with me by taking him off the wall and—
Maul realizes what I'm about to do a half instant before my sucker punch connects with him, knocking Maul right to the floor.
"Ezra!" Hera chastises me before she makes a move towards me and I take a step away from Maul.
"Ow…I don't even remember…what were we talking about again—?" Maul blathers on, acting like I just punched the sense out of him just before the interrogation doors flies open, revealing—
"YOU!" Maul lets out a nearly feral scream.
Instinctively, I put myself in between Hera and Maul as Master—
"KENOBIIIIII!"
Master Kenobi's face shows no emotion at Maul's violent outburst as he's flanked by two Temple Guards. "You still define yourself by your power, your ability to take life. You have learned nothing."
Maul snarls in fury at Kenobi before the two Temple Guards pin Maul against the wall and pull out a painful-looking pair of shackles for him.
They've never used those particular ones on me.
Those look positively medieval.
"Young one." Master Kenobi dares take his eyes off Maul before making the slightest motion for Hera and I to exit the room.
Okay.
Silently, I ask Hera to lead the way and I bodily shield her from Maul as he's pinned, helpless to resist as he is restrained once more—
"You should not have punched him." Hera whacks me in the chest as soon as the door closes while behind her, Ahsoka is retreating quickly down the hall.
Phone to her ear.
"Where's Ahsoka going?" I ask her, only for Hera to turn back around and spot her as she's disappearing from view.
"I…don't know." She answers unsteadily. "But that's not what's important Ezra. You—"
The observation room door pops open. "Dear." Kanan says quietly.
At the sound of Kanan's voice, Hera wheels to face him. "What? Where is Ahsoka going?"
"I…we haven't told you this bit of intel. The Jedi Council requested that it be kept to as few people knowing as possible."
"Okay, I understand the idea. Where is she going?"
Kanan lets out a heavy breath as I spot Master Windu eying me behind him. "Maul…slipped more than you think."
"What do you mean?" I follow up.
Kanan looks to me, then back to Hera. "Well, there's no easy way to say it. Cayle's in Turkey."
Yeah, Cayle's in—
Turkey…
…
This all goes back to the holocron he stole.
(A/N: Thank you, to each and every one of you for making it this far. Whether this is the first chapter you're read or have kept up with the story from chapter one and my years-long hiatus, thank you. Your reviews and enthusiasm are what helped me return and rediscover my fire for this story.
There's a voice in my head that sees that we're here in the story, and at Chapter 100 and that frustrates me. But I will maintain my world-building and pace and refuse to rush things. For the Flaming rebellion veterans, you know that eventually, that paid off. As as I referenced last chapter, this story is probably a bigger undertaking than FR.
I've said enough. But seriously...thank you. From restarting the story at Chapter 19, I don't know how we're at 100 right now. Here's to the next one hundred (at this pace haha)
Thank you for reading. - James)