Star Wars Episode I Journal - Darth Maul
Entry One
Evil is relative. Evil to one being is necessity to another. To say I am evil is to say that what I have done was not necessary. Everything happens for a reason, whether it is liked or no. Good and bad are relative; light and dark are in the eye of the beholder.
I serve my Master. I do what I must to further the cause of the Sith, the order I have devoted my life to. We work from the shadows, keeping our identities and motives hidden. But we are no less powerful for it. We grow in secret, gaining strength from the darkness. We foil our enemy, the Jedi, and they do not know it. We rival their power, and they believe us extinct. Their ignorance is their most profound mistake. The order of fools denies the strength of the power we use against them.
The Jedi claim not to seek power and yet they have it. They are admired by the weak minded beings of the galaxy because they demand admiration. But one day, soon, the galaxy will see where true strength lies.
This is why I have begun this journal, to keep a record of the events leading up to the resurfacing of the Sith order. Perhaps this account will stand along side the stories and legends of the ancient Sith Lords like Darth Bane and Exar Kun. But the future cannot overshadow the present. The present is what carries us to our ultimate goal, total power.
I have served my Master faithfully, standing in his shadow since my earliest memory. I have been on many missions, fulfilling my Master's plans from the day I became a Sith Lord. But times are different now. My Master's plan goes beyond our fight with the Jedi, beyond a simple unimportant planet to encompass the entire galaxy. It is true the Jedi have been asked to aid the Nubians, but they will soon be dealt with, an idea I look forward to with anticipation.
During the course of this mission the Sith will reveal themselves to the Jedi. We will have our revenge.
I remained on Coruscant after my last encounter with the Jedi. Though my Master's plan was once again safely concealed from the Jedi, they are again in his way. The Chancellor has secretly asked the Jedi Council for their aid. The Chancellor is weak with no ability to cope with problems on his own. Once my Master's goals are achieved, the Chancellor will be replaced by a stronger, more capable being; one who will not bow to the Jedi.
I spent what time I had between my last mission and my Master's call training, as I always do. Nearly every minute of my life has been devoted to the development of my mind and body. I have been required to keep myself in a constant state of readiness which necessitates constant exercise and practice. Though I have rarely crossed blades with the Jedi, when I do so I must be at the peak of my power. I cannot fail and leave the Sith order at half power and open to premature discovery.
Every training exercise has value, even the most basic ones. From summersaults to running up walls, each exercise has a vital lesson. As I write this I remember one of my earliest exercises that my Master taught me. I had to start from one end of the large training room and run toward the wall. I was to take three or four steps up the wall and flip over to land on my feet. I had to conquer my fear, conquer my pain. If I slowed before I reached the wall I would not have the momentum to make it up. If I stayed too long on the ground I would run straight into the wall. I practiced for hours on end, even after my muscles burned with fatigue. Time and again I landed on my neck and shoulders, bruising them and risking a broken neck. Each time I would try to cushion my fall with my hands only to discover that trying to break my fall only caused more damage to my body.
Never break a fall, my Master commanded me over and over again. If you are prepared to break your fall you are prepared for the fall itself. Sith do not fall. You must not fall.
The next time I tried I could not rise again. My neck and shoulders were bruised and sore and my legs spasmed with fatigue. My Master lifted me from the ground and set me on my feet, ignoring my pain. There is no pain where there is strength, he said. Do it again.
Though I was weak and in pain, my vision blurred from the blows to my head, I did it again. Again I fell.
There is no pain where there is strength. Say it, he commanded me.
I could hardly manage words but I obeyed him. There is no pain where there is strength, Master.
Do it again, he demanded.
Each part of my training has molded me into what I am and now I reap the benefits of my struggle. Now I never fall.
After completing my basic exercises, flips, summersaults, running up the wall, dropping into a shoulder roll, I practiced my lightsabre techniques. I went over the teräs käsi forms that have now become a part of me. In my hands my lightsabre is no longer a separate weapon. It has become an extension of me, moving when I move, responding to my commands as a muscle would. The forms and transitions I practice become involuntary actions when I fight. I no longer have to think about my footing, my feet position themselves under me, adapting easily to whatever terrain is there. I am in complete control of my body when I fight, giving me the advantage over opponents who must consciously move their limbs. Discipline is all. It conquers pain. It conquers fear. It conquers failure.
I continued my exercise with a triple backward flip. My breathing was steady and my heart rate barely a beat above resting. I was prepared to continue training but just then my Master signaled my comlink.
I went quickly to my Master who waited for me in front of a holoprojector with the hood of his robe pulled down over his eyes. It is rare that my Master involves me in his communications to his pawns but on this occasion he did. I stayed off to my Master's side so my image would not be caught in the beam that transmitted my Master's image across space to the Viceroy of the Trade Federation in orbit around the planet Naboo. The Neimoidians' toad-like images were in turn projected back to us.
I have often wondered why my Master chooses beings such as Neimoidians to play as pawns. I know it is not my place to question my Master, but one day I may lead the Sith order, so I often think of such things while resting. My Master has taught me that power used indirectly can be just as effective as a full-scale assault. We do not need to be on the front lines. Instead we hire fools to do our grunt work. My Master controls their actions, ruling by fear and intimidation. The Neimoidians are weak minded and cowardly. Controlling them is not difficult. They lack confidence and intelligence, but they have a large measure of greed which is easy to exploit. Until the day we can rule openly, my Master will use beings like the Neimoidians to conquer.
His plan does have a downfall, though. He knows it. I was just sent after one of the more clever, less intelligent Neimoidians called Hath Monchar who tried to sell the information about the blockade. As my master has said before, even the most cowardly creatures can rear up and bite if cornered. But no one wins against a Sith.
The plan, as far as my Master has revealed to me, is to capture Queen Amidala, elected monarch of Naboo, and force her to sign a treaty that my Master will push through the Senate. He believes that it is better if the actions of the Trade Federation have at least the illusion of legality. After the treaty the Trade Federation is to land their droid armies on Naboo. I know my Master has a hidden agenda in this plot, although I do not know what it is. It is not my place to ask so I have kept silent.
The Neimoidians had contacted my Master, something he had forbidden them to do. I could feel my Master's irritation at their breach of his rules. His voice was impatient as he demanded to know what they wanted.
One of the Neimoidians, the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, a toad-like creature called Nute Gunray answered my Master nervously. 'The Republic Ambassadors are Jedi Knights.'
I saw my Master stiffen almost imperceptibly. I knew then he had not anticipated the Jedi's involvement so soon. 'Jedi,' Darth Sidious said softly, too softly for the holoprojector to pick up but just loud enough that I could hear him. My Master was calm as he processed the news. 'Are you sure?' he asked. After all, the Neimoidians are not known for their intelligence.
I found a slight amusement in watching the creature called Nute Gunray squirm under the stare my Master has given me more than once.
'They have been identified, my lord.'
Another one of the creatures I recognized as Gunray's Lieutenant, Daultay Dofine stepped forward looking nervous even for a Neimoidian. 'This plan of yours has failed, Lord Sidious,' he dared tell my Master. 'The blockade is finished! We dare not go up against Jedi Knights.'
My Master turned to the cowardly creature seeming both angry and amused. 'Are you saying you would rather go up against me, Dofine? I am amused.' He then turned back to Gunray. 'Viceroy.'
Gunray stepped forward now more nervous than he was before. 'Yes, my lord?'
'I don't want this stunted piece of slime to pass within my sight again. Do you understand?'
Even in small conflicts such as this, I realize I have much to learn from my Master. He uses his anger like an electro-jabber, to frighten and motivate. Anger used properly can be as powerful a weapon as a lightsabre.
When my Master told Gunray to begin the invasion and kill the Jedi I felt a slight disappointment before I remembered Monchar's pitiful resistance to my attack. Though not all Neimoidians are as weak as he was I know Gunray will not be able to kill the Jedi.
As the screen went black I remained silent, waiting for a hint that my Master was through with his thoughts. I remember what happened the one time I interrupted my Master's thoughts and I will never repeat the same mistake. I never repeat my mistakes.
'Do you think the Neimoidians are capable of getting rid of the Jedi, Master? They are weak fools.'
My Master nodded slowly, pensively. 'Yes they are,' he agreed. 'But even fools can get lucky.'
