"The Republic couldn't have asked for better soldiers… nor I, a better friend."

The bridge of the Venator was quiet, lit by the nebulous blue glow of hyperspace shining through the windows. As she spoke, Ahsoka gave a slight smile towards Rex- the one soldier who'd looked out for her almost as long as Anakin. Rex, in turn, gave a subtle nod of acknowledgement. With the report that Obi-Wan Kenobi had engaged General Grievous, the droid army's last remaining leader, the end of the Clone Wars was finally in sight. And for both Commander Rex and Ahsoka Tano, it hardly felt real.

No one knew what the future would hold, or what would become of the clones once the war ended. Perhaps they would be reassigned to peacekeeping duties. Or maybe they'd be freed from their obligation to protect the Republic, able to live their lives as they saw fit. The end of the war would likewise mean a new life for Ahsoka. The Jedi would set aside their role as military generals, returning to their original purpose- peacekeeping. She, for one, welcomed the change and intended to rejoin the Order once the conflict had ended. The Jedi had lost their way, but perhaps peacetime was an opportunity to rectify that.

For good or ill, this was probably one of the last times she'd see Rex- at least in any formal capacity- and she felt a bittersweet sorrow as a result. Looking up towards him, she gave a playful yet resolute salute- and Rex responded in kind. Suddenly, a clone officer emerged from the back of the bridge and approached the commander.

"Commander Rex, the latest briefing has come in."

"Want to have a look?" Rex asked Ahsoka. "It might have an update on General Kenobi's efforts."

Ahsoka shook her head.

"You go. I'm sure it's more good news."

But as Rex turned to leave, the former Jedi called out to him.

"Wait. Rex."

"Yes, sir?"

"I just wanted to thank you. You've stood by me since the beginning, and it was thanks to you that I learned what it means to be a leader. Even though I technically outranked you, I'd always looked to you for guidance, and looked up to you for inspiration. So... whatever this war has brought to the galaxy, I'm still glad for the existence of the clones. I'm still glad for the existence of… you. And no matter how the Clone Wars end, I want you to know that I'm grateful. I'll miss having you by my side."

Upon hearing her words, a warm smile spread across the clone commander's face.

"In this war, I've lost many brothers… but I'm so glad to have found a sister."

With that, Rex left to the briefing room, the durasteel doors sealing behind him.

Turning to face the illuminated windows of the bridge, Ahsoka closed her eyes. Despite the end of the war being so tantalisingly close, something still didn't feel right. She still felt uneasy. Ahsoka thought back to the day before- the day she'd faced down and defeated the former Sith lord. She remembered the terror in Maul's eyes, the hopeless desperation in his voice. And she remembered his words- his warning.

"You're all going to burn."

Ahsoka already decided that Maul's predictions would not come to pass. Yet as she reached out with the Force, all she could feel was a frightening sense of imminent and unavoidable doom. Perhaps this was Maul's doing. Perhaps he intended to break her resolve, to manipulate her. No. That couldn't be it. Something was definitely wrong. Through her bond with Anakin, she sensed pain. Suffering. Regret.

Intensifying her focus, she heard unidentifiable, almost incomprehensible voices echoing throughout the Force.

"You must choose!"

"Don't listen to him, Anakin!"

"It's not the Jedi way! He must live!"

"He's too dangerous!"

"Please don't!"

"I need him!"

"Unlimited power!"

She heard the crackle of Force Lighting so potent that its devastating might could be felt parsecs away. And as she staggered back, struggling to make sense of all the noise, Ahsoka heard her master's voice with a frightening clarity.

"What have I done?!"

Maul's eyes flicked open. Yet he could do little more. Contained within the Mandalorian vault, he could neither move nor speak. All he could do was look through the viewing slit, though even then, there was not much to see inside the sparse cell. He- the leader of both the most ferocious warriors the galaxy and the largest alliance of crime syndicates ever known- was completely and utterly powerless to prevent his imminent end. How had he allowed himself to be defeated so easily? How did he get so careless? After enduring the tortures of Sidious' training, surviving getting sliced in two by Kenobi, and suffering the fiery hell of Lotho Minor for countless days, would this be how he died?

All his life, Maul had aspired for greatness. And it was greatness he had been promised- first by his mother and then by Sidious. But now, such ambitions seemed impossible and foolish. Now, all that remained was to be disposed of. Erased. Forgotten. Maul would be just another footnote in the galaxy's history books, and that was what terrified him most of all. His life, and indeed his death, would be unacknowledged and meaningless. He was apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy once. But now, his legacy was nothing. Now, he was nothing.

Then, he felt it. Suddenly, it was as if Maul could hear the thoughts of Ahsoka Tano. He felt her fear- her dread- and heard the same cacophony of voices she heard, calling out through the force. This was the breaking point. Whatever scheme his master planned had finally been set in motion. He did not know what had caused such a great disturbance in the Force, but he could feel the pain. The grief. The death. It was as if all the light in the galaxy had been snuffed out in a single instant. And soon, it would be Maul's turn.

The cell's door slid open and a pair of clone troopers entered, their blasters readied. This was it. With the press of a button, the first trooper opened the outer casing of the Mandalorian vault, leaving Maul truly defenceless. His eyes darted around the room in a futile attempt to find a way out. He pulled at his restraints in a panicked fervour, but his strength was no match for the formidable steel. After the unimaginable pain he'd endured to make it this far, this couldn't be how it ended. The clones raised their weapons.

Then, without warning, Ahsoka appeared in the doorway. The first clone turned to face her, only to be thrown against the wall with a force push. As the second clone attempted to train his blaster on her, she swiftly ignited her sabers and sliced through the weapon, before throwing the trooper against the cell roof. With the two assailants neutralised, the former Jedi took a deep breath before releasing Maul from the vault. She watched as the once-mighty Sith all but collapsed in front of her, exhausted from whatever Mandalorian mechanisms had kept his force abilities at bay.

"You… survived…" Maul said, his breathing sporadic and heavy.

Ahsoka raised her blades towards Maul's neck, a ruthless expression on her face.

"Is this your doing?! Choose your words carefully."

Maul's response came in an exhausted and almost defeated tone.

"I was not in a position to do anything, was I, Lady Tano? I do not know what has occurred, though I warned you of the coming darkness. You chose to ignore me. But now, surely you have felt it. The voices crying out. The death."

Once again, she sensed no deception from Maul. Once again, he seemed to be telling the truth. Cautiously, she switched off her lightsabers and helped Maul to his feet.

"The clones turned against me. Even Rex. I don't know why... they just... suddenly weren't themselves."

Maul let out an almost admiring chuckle. Finally, he understood. The Republic. The Separatists. The Clone Wars. Every piece expertly arranged for the Jedi Order's extermination.

"Brilliant... brilliant! I was not privy to my master's plan, but now... I see it. He turned the Jedi's own army against them."

Ahsoka recoiled in horror. Had the clones always been just a tool for the destruction of the Jedi? And for how long had Sidious played the puppetmaster, biding his time for the perfect moment to strike? Maul, however, seemed unfazed by the revelation, as he continued to speak.

"Well, you've done the right thing by coming to me. Only together can we survive this. Now, if you will follow my lead, we must reach the hyperdrive."

"What? Why the hyperdrive?"

"This ship is currently en route to Coruscant, yes? If it arrives at its destination, there will be no escape for us. Given recent developments, we must assume that the Republic itself is now under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Hence, we must disable this Venator's hyperdrive before it arrives at its destination. Then, we can secure a ship from the hangar bay, open the hangar doors, and make our escape."

Ahsoka had to admit, his plan was sound. But allying with Maul couldn't be her only option for escape. There had to be another way.

"…And who said I want to team up with you? Last I checked, you were a murderer. A Sith."

Looking at Ahsoka, Maul growled in frustration.

"The Republic is on the brink of collapse, the Jedi are no more, and you still wish to hold onto these old rivalries?! The galaxy itself is being remade, and unless Sidious is destroyed, his reign will bring devastation the likes of which you cannot even conceive! 'Jedi'. 'Sith'. Such labels are irrelevant now. You seek to save the galaxy from the clutches of tyranny, and I seek vengeance against Sidious for casting me aside. Sith or no, our goals align."

Maul was a monster. Ahsoka knew that all too well. She'd seen the transmission where he'd massacred civilians in the hopes of luring Obi-Wan into a trap. She'd heard about Maul's ruthless execution of the Duchess of Mandalore. And she knew what his intentions were for Anakin. Yet he was perhaps the only ally she had aboard the ship, and without his help, there was no guarantee she could make it out in time. Even if she succeeded, what then? Ahsoka had neither the power nor the resources to openly resist Sidious' new regime. What nightmares would a galaxy under Sith rule bring forth? No matter how she looked at it, the conclusion was obvious.

To defeat an evil as monstrous as Sidious, she'd need the help of a monster like Maul.