Chapter Fifteen

There was nothing better than getting Slayer tinglies while you were using the bathroom.

Part of Buffy was curious about what was outside her place giving off those rare feelings, but mostly she was just annoyed by the timing.

"Can't even pee in peace," she muttered.

She stomped out of the 'fresher moments later, cracking her neck and ready to dole out some pain for the unplanned visit. Then she saw that her guest hadn't even bothered waiting at the door, but had instead broken in while she was washing her hands and was leaning against the wall waiting for her. Stupid of her to wonder who it was, really - only one person had given off those vibes since she'd been her.

"I thought you were dead."

"That's insulting."

Maul had the same jarringly cultured voice and even stare, but she couldn't help but feel something was different…

Oh, he wasn't trying to kill her. That was it.

"We can give it another go, if you want. See if I can get it right this time," she said, then wished she'd held her tongue when he pulled his lightsaber, as hers was currently in a beside drawer. Should've waited to taunt him until she had a better weapon than minty fresh hands…

But suddenly she was armed – with his lightsaber he'd just tossed to her.

"A fight is not what I came here looking for."

She stared at the weapon in her hand in confusion. What the hell?

"You're not getting this back, you know," she said, twirling it slightly before tucking it in her waist band and crossing her arms while mentally doing a little dance that the dual bladed light sword of badassery was hers now. "So if you're not here for another fun round of mortal combat, what's with the visit? Just missed my smiling face?"

"In a manner of speaking," he said.

"Uh… Huh?" She blurted, the unexpected answer taking her ability to use real words.

"My Master will not tolerate another failure. I have nothing to return to."

"So you came to the girl that tossed you in a big hole?" She asked in bewilderment.

"Nothing else interests me."

"You've got issues."

They stared at each other for a moment before the awkwardness got to be too much for her.

"What? What do you want? You want me to entertain you? Start another duel to the death? Take you out on the town? Let you sleep on the couch? I don't get it! Speak, Maul!"

Maul cocked his head at her. "I would like to witness what you do with your days. You're strong. I want to see what else there is to do since I cannot return to my original purpose. I've brought a gift, to show my sincerity."

Again he tossed something at her - she had to stop just catching random crap that was thrown at her, one of these times it was going to explode. In fact, the strange black box with a bunch of buttons she found herself holding seemed like it could do exactly that.

"Uh, thanks? Just what I've always wanted?"

He stared at her a moment blankly before looking slightly confused. "You don't know what that is?"

"Should I?"

"It's a Hutt slave scanner. I was told you were in need of one."

Again Buffy found herself with her mouth hanging open. There was a thrill of elation that she had what she'd been looking for; the curiosity at who exactly Maul had been talking to that knew she was looking for one of these bad boys; but mostly there was one pervading thought…

Obi Wan was going to hate this.


Obi Wan leaned back in his chair, full of some of the finest cuisine he'd ever had – and that was saying something given the number of diplomatic missions, and thus diplomatic dinners, he'd had. Then again, his view may have been skewed a bit by what he and Buffy had been eating since he left the Order. The Crimson Corridor wasn't exactly filled with reputable dining establishments.

Then there was his dining companion…

Sheev Palpatine was one of the most interesting individuals he'd ever met. His opinions on subjects were ones that countered Obi Wan's own at times, but he couldn't deny his points were strong and logical. Their talk of the ongoing slave trade problems had migrated to trade in general, regulating industrial work conditions, religious freedom versus galactic law, the problems that plagued the Senate and varied other topics that went on for well beyond the meal.

"I'm truly sorry to have to cut this short," the Chancellor said, making Obi Wan give a slight grin at the overstatement. "But I have a meeting that unfortunately cannot be avoided."

"Of course," Obi Wan said as he stood. "I apologize for taking up so much of your time, I know your schedule must be very hectic these days."

"Nonsense," Palpatine said with a wave of his hand. "This was the most enjoyable conversation I've had in a long while. It is I that should be apologizing to you for taking up so much of your time."

"Given that I have an abundance of it as of late there is certainly no need for apologies."

"Actually, since you brought it up," Palpatine said, giving Obi Wan a smile that was a little sharp. "I was hoping that I could convince you to possibly do some work for me?"

Obi Wan cocked his head, unsure what the Chancellor could possibly want with a former Jedi apprentice.

"Today has shown me you have a great mind along with the physical talent you've proven in your recent missions. Away from the Jedi Council and their tight leash, I think you can do much good for the Republic."

Obi Wan felt himself bristle reflexively toward the slight toward the Order, but wasn't that "tight leash" exactly why he'd left in the first place?

"I'd like to utilize your skills. Maybe we could work together on this slavery project as a trial? See if a partnership would be beneficial?"

He blinked at the Chancellor stupidly for a second. Partnership? But something also swelled in him at the thought. A partnership… Not an apprentice to a Master or a tool of the Council.

"I'd like that very much, Chancellor Palpatine."


Buffy's Slayer senses were still twitching with the desire to lop Maul's head off, but Buffy was doing her best to be open minded. He wasn't a demon, after all, despite what her instincts were telling her. From the little she'd been able to pry out of him (he wasn't exactly Mr. Chatty) his life had been a lot like what she imagined Obi Wan's had been like. Except, you know, evil. He'd been trained since he was very young and didn't really know anything else. Whatever dark power she was feeling was instilled in him when he was just a kid.

At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"So, uh, do you, like, have a place to go?" She asked awkwardly.

He stared at her for a moment before nodding. "I have accommodations."

Buffy mentally sighed in relief. Obi Wan was already going to have a hissy about this, she didn't want to know what it would be like if she told him their slumber party was getting another guest. And honestly she didn't trust Maul enough to fall asleep around him, no matter how open she was trying to be to his change of ways.

"Right, so, before you go I guess we should talk about this," she said, picking the scanner up and waving it slightly before sitting it back down. "And what the game plan is."

"The-" He started, looking confused before his focus jerked to the door. "Someone adept in the Force is approaching."

So Maul had his own set of Spidey senses, huh? While she was dreading Obi's reaction to this new situation, she was really hoping it was him that Maul was sensing and not a surprise visit from Qui Gon…

Obi burst through the door in an acrobatic roll, lightsaber exploding to life with a humming buzz as he swept the room with his eyes. The relief when he locked eyes with Buffy made her feel a little warm and fuzzy but that got squished by the look of suspicion and confusion he shot at her after seeing Maul sitting at her table.

"Uh, so, funny story," she started.

Obi wasn't in the mood for her story though apparently because he darted toward Maul with narrowed eyes. Buffy barely was able to get between them before he reached him, grabbing his lightsaber hand and twisting with a muttered "sorry, I'll have to take that" before disarming him. Shoved him back a couple steps, leaving him blinking at her in confusion.

"I said 'funny story'! That means there's an explanation and there's no need to get stabby!"

"No need to-" Obi shook his head as if he couldn't believe what she was saying. "Buffy, he's a Sith! He tried to kill us the last time we saw him! What are – were you working with him?"

The note of incredulous hurt in his voice was rivaled by the stab Buffy felt at his words. She couldn't help the physical flinch at his distrust, shaking her head.

"No, of course not. I'm just asking that you listen-"

"Listen? What possible reason could you have for-"

"I will return later," Maul said, standing and turning for the door without giving Obi Wan a second glance.

"Wait," Buffy said, reaching behind her to grab his lightsaber from her waistband and tossing it to him (she almost tossed him Obi's – she wasn't sure if that would be funny or horrifying). "I know you've got your mind magic mojo, but Crimson Corridor can be dangerous, so take that with you. You'll need it for when we get to Tatooine anyway."

She could see Obi Wan gaping at her from the corner of her eye, but her attention was locked on Maul. The surprise and pleasure were fleeting but there, making her sure she'd made the right call. He gave a nod and was gone in a swish of black.

"Have you lost your mind?" Obi asked, looking totally gobsmacked.

"I'm as surprised as you are," she said, with a sigh as she plopped down in the chair Maul had left. "Well, maybe almost as surprised, the look on your face was-"

She snapped her mouth shut as he stared at her in disbelief.

"Right, not the time for jokes. He just showed up here a little while ago. Said his 'Master' wasn't going to be thrilled with another failure and, I don't know, I guess he's looking for something new to do."

She cringed as he continued to stare at her slackjawed. She had to admit, it sounded ridiculous when she put it like that.

"Again, I ask, have you lost your mind? You actually believe that? You think he just walked away from being a Sith apprentice? It's not a job you just quit, it's a way of life. It's engrained in him, you don't just walk away-"

"You did," she snapped, straightening and putting her hands on her hips. "You're the only one that gets to challenge everything he was taught? The only one that gets to try out a new life? Something better?"

She could tell Obi Wan was taken off guard by his mouth flapping and no sound coming out, but it didn't take him long to recover.

"That's different! I simply chose a new way to do good. The Sith are evil, Buffy. You just don't decide one day that you're going to stop being evil."

The Slayer part of Buffy heartily agreed with that, but another part of her also remembered Spike. The same Spike that tried to kill her over and over… holding out against Glory's torture to protect Dawn. The same Spike that killed Slayers and countless innocents in the past… helping her in her fight against a God. He was evil, but… She wasn't sure if saying he'd "changed" would be quite right, but regardless, in the end he'd proven that wasn't all there was to him, that she could trust him. And she had. With the most important thing in the world to her - her sister's life. Even now, some part of her felt better knowing he was there, keeping Dawn safe when Buffy couldn't be.

Buffy gave a shrug. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't. I'm not going to kill someone that could maybe want to change though. If he turns out to be a big fat liar, then, yeah, we'll go back to our battle to the death. But for now, I'm giving him a chance."

Obi still looked disbelieving with a side of pissed off.

"Oh, and look, he brought me a shiny toy! Now we can go get Anakin's mom back!"

Buffy waved the scanner at him happily, but if anything Obi just looked more angry at the sight of the little back box.

"That's not going to help the problem, Buffy," he said, shaking his head. "Going in and stealing one slave isn't going to do anything but raise tensions and put them on guard. I've been talking with the Chancellor and I think we have a real chance at changing the entire system-"

"You just want to leave his mom there to suffer while a bunch of politicians dig through red tape? Do you know how long that's going to take?" She asked in disbelief. "Don't get me wrong, the laws and their enforcement need to change for sure, but in the meantime-"

"In the meantime you want to wage war against the Hutts? Are you mad?"

"You're damn right I'm mad!" She yelled, striding until she was right in front of his face. "How long have you and your Jedi sat on your asses and let these people suffer? And now I have a chance to help and you want me to sit on my hands? I think it's me that should be asking if you're mad! Or just heartless?"

The flash of hurt she saw as Obi clicked his mouth shut made her stop her tirade and take a deep breath.

"I didn't mean that," she said quietly. "I know you're not heartless and that you want to help. But who knows how long it'll take for politicians to change things? Or if they'll even decide to do anything at all after who-knows-how-long arguing? I can't just sit around and do nothing when there's a solution literally in my hands."

"And I can't condone a mission with an enemy that could lead to a war."

Obi's eyes were as hard as his voice as he stared down at her, but there was something lurking in his gaze she couldn't quite pinpoint. He pulled his lightsaber from her grasp and turned for the door before she could figure it out, pausing briefly as they opened.

"Be careful, Buffy."

Then he was gone.


Dahl leaned back in his chair, mind working a mile a minute. This new information was beyond valuable. He wished he could save it for a time he really needed it, but the Zabrak seemed less than patient for him to use it. But… if he played his cards right, this could be protection for him from more than just the person it regarded – it could protect him from the person that offered it to him…

Smiling, he set up the holoconference.

"Jabba, long time no see," he grinned, leaving out that it could've gone much longer and he'd have been perfectly fine with that.

The translator made clear that Jabba's grumbling speech was echoing the sentiment.

"Ah, you say that now, but I'm about to give you some very valuable information that will have you loving the sight of my face."

He gave some doubtful, slimy growling that Dahl didn't need the translator for.

"Now before I tell you this, I want an agreement," Dahl said, losing his playful demeanor. "You'll do with this information as I ask."

Jabba's eyes narrowed, making it clear what he thought of such an order. But Dahl had worked with Yanth enough to see the subtle gleam of curiosity there as well.

Jabba responded that it depended on the worth of the information and the demands Dahl had.

"Fair enough," he shrugged. His demands weren't unreasonable after all - he didn't think Jabba would put up too much of a fight over it.

"Someone's taken issue with your slaves on Tatooine and is planning a raid-" Dahl was interrupted by Jabba's raucous (and moist) laughter. "Don't take this lightly, Jabba. This individual is responsible for the current state of the Black Sun."

More of a flat out lie than a stretch of the truth, as Buffy hadn't really had anything to do with that, but he didn't want Jabba taking her lightly. He needed that little twit out of his way if he was going to go forward with his plans to rebuild the syndicate.

The white lie served its purpose though, and Jabba's laughter cut off abruptly.

Narrowing his own eyes at Jabba and pointing a finger at the Hutt, he went on seriously, "Now this is where our bargain comes in. She's beautiful and I know you – you'll be tempted to keep her like a pet and put her in one of those ridiculous bikinis."

Jabba rumbled an agreement and Dahl was sure if he had brows they would've been waggling. Giant, slimy pervert that he was…

"Don't do it," he said, eliciting an outraged squawk from the Hutt. "No games with this one, Jabba. I gave you information that could've possibly just saved your whole organization there in that desert, don't argue this point with me. She dies there in Mos Espa, got it?"

Jabba very obviously didn't like this agreement, and liked being given orders even less, but he gave a reluctant nod just the same.

The holo clicked off and Dahl leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him and grinning widely. Hopefully that would ensure Buffy would be out of his way. And if the Hutt failed (and from what he'd heard of the Slayer, it was a possibility he couldn't discount) then his next piece should not only secure his safety from her, but if he played his cards right, also from the Zabrak while simultaneously doing as he asked.

Punching a few more buttons, the holo connected with the Jedi Temple.