I told you I would post more! Well here you go!
Last time: Anakin got assigned to track down Maul.
Now: The hunt begins.
Chapter 12- Hunt Down
Anakin arrived to the docks exactly on time after his brief detour to see his wife that morning. There were several squads of clones that were standing by, eagerly awaiting his orders. Anakin stood before the clones, eyeing each one of them. He didn't recognize any of them being from the 501st. He would have liked to have Rex by his side in this to help him with the search, but he could make do with these guys.
Anakin cleared his throat before speaking, "Men, we are searching for a man, a nightbrother to be more exact, by the name of Maul," He said. "He has red and black tattoos that cover his body, horns on his head, and is most likely walking with a limp right now as he was recently involved in a speeder accident. We are searching every alley, bar, high level and low level corner of this city until we find him. When you do find him, you are to contact me and the other squads as soon as possible before you converge on his position. If he runs, follow him. Our goal is to arrest him, but take whatever means you need to stop him. Just make sure he is alive. Any questions?" He paused for questions. The Clones remained silent and shook their heads.
"Excellent," Anakin continued. He then produced several data cards. "On these data cards, you will find your assigned location. We cannot let this menace get off world or anywhere near the Jedi Temple. We are to find him and stop him. So we may not be on a time crunch, but the quicker we move, the quicker we capture him. Understood?'
"Sir, yes sir!" The clones said in unison.
"Perfect," Anakin said with a smirk. "Squad leaders come get your data card and get to your assigned locations. And may the force be with you."
The clone leaders came over and grabbed the data cards. They then spilt into their designated squads and boarded onto gunships. Once all the gunships were boarded, Anakin joined one of the squads on the nearest gunship. Then after a moment, they took off into the airways of Coruscant, starting their search.
Maul moved through the shadows of Coruscant's lower levels. After Kenobi crashed his speeder, he had fled to get help as he was no condition to move on to the next phase of his plan. So like a phantom, Maul had moved through the streets towards his former Master's secret hideout on Coruscant to get some quick treatment and repairs. He had managed to get there without being seen and was patched up by the medical droid that he recognized from the last time he was in the capitol. Once the droid was done with him, he snuck out before the sun even rose the following day. He needed to get to the Jedi Temple and he knew getting inside was going to be a challenge. He knew the place was going to be crawling with Jedi and Clones that he could attempt tear through on his own, but even Maul knew pulling something like that was suicidal. So he would have to find another way in.
As he rounded the corner, he could see the Jedi Temple come into view. He was so close, he could almost taste victory. However, before he could even advance another step he noticed a patrol of clones walking around. Maul hid himself further into the shadows and watched the clones very carefully. They were holding a hologram of him and asking passersby if they had seen him. Maul snarled. The Jedi were trying to hunt him down. He was not going to give them that satisfaction.
Turning back the way he came, Maul produced a commlink that Sidious had given him to use in case he needed some… assistance when trying to avoid the Republic or the Separatists in his quest to kill Kenobi. He thumbed the commlink to life and double tapped the call button as the signal to Sidious that he needed to talk.
"As you can see Senators, there is not much else I…" Palpatine said as he talked with a room full of Senators in his office about a particular issue regarding a new bill the Trade Federation Senator was attempting to get to the senate floor. However, he was rudely interrupted by a commlink buzzing from inside his cloak. Only one person was to be using the commlink at this moment. Maul. Palpatine returned his attention to the Senators. "I apologize Senators. I must take this. Please excuse me. It will be just a moment."
"Of course Chancellor," Senator Amidala said. She was one of few Senators present that was against this bill.
Palpatine rose from his seat and headed towards his private chamber off to his left. As soon as he was inside the room, the door slid shut and grabbed his cloak from the hidden closet in the wall. Pulling it on, he walked over to the holoprojector in the center of his chamber as produced the commlink simultaneously. He inserted the commlink as he stood before the projector. He then tapped a few switches which included the lock to this chamber and the sound proofing ray shield so the wandering ears of the Senators didn't hear him. With one last press of a button, a hologram appeared revealing a cloaked Maul.
"What do you want, Lord Maul?" Sidious asked.
"My Master, the Jedi have patrols looking for me," Maul explained. He seemed rather calm despite the fact he was being hunted. "And I'm so close with completing the next step of my plan to rid of Kenobi. But the closer I get to the Jedi Temple, the more difficult it will be pull this off with proper stealth. Any aid you can give, Master, would be appreciated."
Sidious snarled at him. What a weak fool. "Do you know who is heading this hunt?" He asked.
"No," Maul answered.
Sidious fell silent. He really needed Kenobi gone for his plan to work and if it meant he had to derail the Jedi's efforts to stop Maul… then so be it. He scowled at Maul. "I will handle this. Get into position. Whatever distraction I can provide those Jedi fools for this plan to succeed, you will have a limited window of time. Do not fail me. I will not do this again."
"Thank you, Master," Maul said then the hologram fizzled out.
Sidious removed his cloak and returned to his form as Palpatine. He then reached out to the Jedi Council. A moment later, Master Yoda's holographic image appeared.
"Chancellor," the elderly Jedi said with a bow. "How help you can I?"
"Master Yoda, I just received word from some sources of mine that there are clones searching for Maul on Coruscant. What is happening? Why was I not informed?" Palpatine asked.
"Apologize for this matter I do, Chancellor," Yoda said with a frown. "But recently attacked a few of our Jedi, he did. After yesterday's senate meeting."
"What are the details of this attack?" Palpatine asked. He knew what happened. Maul had told his medical droid when he arrived at his private hideout and his medical droid told him once he left. But he still had a façade to keep up.
Yoda stood there quietly for a moment before answering him. "While leaving the senate, attacked a gunship was. A gunship with Master Kenobi, Padawan Monroe, and Anakin Skywalker that is. All are okay, but confirmed they did that it was Maul." Palpatine felt his anger boil as he wanted to gut Maul on almost killing Anakin. He needs the boy alive, not dead. Imbecile. "Believed him to be targeting Kenobi directly, we fear."
"I see," Palpatine said as calmly as possible. "So what are you planning to do with him once you find him?"
"Arrest him and put on trial he will be. Our only goal that is," Yoda explained.
Palpatine sighed. "Alright, keep me informed of the search, Master Yoda. And if my sources hear anything, I'll be sure to relay the information to you."
"Much appreciated, Chancellor," Yoda said and the hologram fizzled out.
Palpatine took a seat in his chair, pondering what to do next. Then the idea came to mind.
Maul waited and waited for hours to hear back from his Master. He had to dodge the wandering eye of the clones the whole day practically and now, the sun was disappearing. Finally, after an eternity of waiting, his commlink buzzed. He grabbed it and stuck to the shadows to answer it.
"Yes, my Master?" Maul answered formally.
"Lord Maul in the next few moments, the Clones will no longer be a problem to you," Sidious explained simply. "Be ready to seize your opportunity." He finished before hanging up the commlink.
Maul smirked viciously as he stowed the commlink into this belt. He continued forward, towards his intended target, and noticed along the way as the clones suddenly turned and headed the opposite direction. Whatever his former Master did, he was grateful for the distraction.
Anakin's wrist comm beeped at him as he walked through the streets with his squad of troops. They had been searching all day long for any sign of Maul and so far they were coming up dry. He hoped that whoever was trying to get a hold of him at least had some good news.
"Skywalker here," Anakin answered.
"Anakin, we just received word from a source in the Chancellors office that spotted Maul in Ziro the Hutt's old district," Mace Windu said on the other end of the line. "I suggest you mobilize your men there ASAP."
"Yes, Master," Anakin said before turning to the Clones who were following him. "We've got a lead on Maul's location. Follow me."
The clones kept up their pace as they followed after Anakin as they all moved quickly through the streets of Coruscant. It took them about twenty minutes to get there.
As soon as they arrived, Anakin turned to the Clones. "Fan out and find Maul."
Anakin reached into the force to try and pinpoint Maul, but the dark sider was alluding him. It literally felt like the fiend was not even on planet based on the fact that he couldn't even sense him. Was he being messed with? Or was he just missing something? Either way, he had a bad feeling suddenly forming in his gut as he continued to sweep the streets in search of Maul. It took him longer than he was wanting, but there was literally no sign of Maul. Were they too slow to mobilize to his position or was the source wrong? Those questions flooded his mind until his wrist comm went off. Anakin stopped in his tracks and answered the commlink.
"Skywalker here," He answered.
"Anakin, something has happened. You need to return to the Temple as soon as possible."
CLIFFHANGER!