CHAPTER-6
Another month passed away, she was nine months old. She had started to walk and run around. She started to talk more. She started using the force, unknowingly. Maul would often run behind her trying to feed her. She would never sleep until he or the droid would read it a story. She was growing stronger in the force. But Maul and Sidious noticed the fact that she grew only in the dark side. The dark side grew in her. Sidious was flustered when he saw a vision; she wielded a blood red forcesaber and had shot black lightning at him. She stood before him like the dawn of his death. Later he would see her again with another man, who radiated the light side and kill him. He brushed it off considering it a joke from the force's side. When Maul reported him of the nightmare he had, Sidious was more flustered. Was this child the death of him? But how could it happen? He went and manipulated the midichlorians inside the mother. But he made sure that it would only be one child, then how did twins be born? Only if the force had intervened, did twins be born. Did this mean that the force had already decided his death at the hands of the twins? He brushed all the thoughts aside. If he wanted to be sure that nothing would happen to him, he had to convert the twins to dark side. That way he would be safe.
Maul took note of the change in his master's behavior. He had reported about his nightmares to him and saw him become more flustered. There was something wrong. He had to find out. Or did he?
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Back on Coruscant, inside the Jedi temple grand master Yoda was meditating. It was a disturbing time for the Jedi. The Munns had almost declared war on the Republic for the cold blooded murder of one of the political leaders. They had sent Master Qui-gon and his apprentice Obi-wan to negotiate the matter. The dark side was growing, the prophecy of the chosen one voiced in every light side users mind again. Yoda remembered it as it was yesterday that the prophecy communicated with him, "Soon, the light and dark sides of the force shall fight. Once the battle rages, neither shall win nor would they lose. The two bodies of the force shall balance itself. The storm of the dark shall meet the calm of light. The hatred of the dark shall meet the love of the light. One shall bring them close. One shall dawn their journey. The two shall destroy the obstacles. The two shall unite." Yoda never had such a situation in his life. He closed his eyes and let the force fill him with serenity.
-oooooooo-
It was a year since Aarya was under the Sith. She grew in the dark side. She learnt to speak the galactic basic slightly. She was a hyper active child. As she grew, Maul started to go on missions. She would be taken care of by the droid who Maul named 'Disturb'. Disturb and the child soon became closer. Every time Maul would leave the child would try to follow him. The droid would take it and keep it in its room where it would start crying. Maul did his master's bidding. He would return as quickly as possible. The child was showing interest in the artifacts of the Sith. Maul and the droid would often keep her away from them.
Another month passed away, the child grew again only in the dark side. Sidious was more flustered by this. Maul often asked whether he could go and seek some knowledge from the ancient Sith world or not. But Sidious would refuse stating that it was still too early. The child would often get into anger tantrums which only Maul could control. She would often send out a small force field whenever she had these tantrums. This would disturb Sidious.
Another month passed away, the child was one year two months old. She once held a Sith holocron and viewed it. Maul was terrified. He ran forward and dragged it away causing another tantrum. She was holding the most dangerous Sith holocron; the dark holocron. It was known to corrupt even the most innocent souls. But the child was unaffected. Maul was surprised. Her connection to the dark side was strong.
Another month passed away, the child was stronger than previous month. She tried holding Maul's lightsaber. She dropped it as it was heavy. Maul saw as her attention turned to the Sith.
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In the Jedi temple, Master Yoda was exhausted. He had just meditated and had seen a vision. The vision was terrifying to the Jedi Master. It showed a woman, who wore black robes and wielded a red forcesaber. She fought a dark sentient. She was a dark side user and it radiated through her. One could say that she glowed through the dark side. Besides her was another young man who looked similar to her. He was radiating the light side. They stood beside each other and wielded lightsabers which defined their sides. Master Yoda saw the woman lead a whole new Jedi order showing dark side users and light side users. This entire vision exhausted him. It even confused him. He walked out of the meditation chamber and walked towards the garden. Inside there he found Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He was with his third apprentice; Obi-Wan Kenobi. The two were arguing when the Grandmaster arrived. They stopped once they sensed the presence of the Master. Qui-Gon turned to him and bent to speak with the Grandmaster.
"How can I help you, Grandmaster?"
"Need your help to understand something I need, Master Qui-Gon. Greetings, Padawan Kenobi."
"Greetings Grandmaster. I shall be outside Master." He replied as he left.
"Tell me, what is it?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Have a problem with understanding a vision I have."
"What sort of a vision?"
"Of a dark side user along with a light side user. Led the Jedi order is along with the dark side by the dark side user."
"It can mean only one thing; times will change soon."
"Hmm, why?"
"Maybe because the force wills it."
"Will of the force you think it is, hmm?"
"I do believe so."
"Meet you later I shall, old friend."
"I do believe the same my old friend."
The two parted ways. Master Yoda was left to ponder. What was the force planning to do?
-oooooooo-
Another two months passed away, the child was more attracted to the Sith artifacts. Maul found her holding his lightsaber, she was ready to ignite it before he reached his hands out and pulled it out using the force. She was angered and ran towards him and started punching him on his legs. Maul carried her and placed the lightsaber away from her. He then carried her to the bed and placed her there. "Time to sleep." He muttered as the child protested. She then slumped back. She then looked at him and told, "Bed time stoly."
"Fine. Only if you will sleep." She nodded immediately. "I will tell you the tale of Darth Revan. He was a great strategist and Sith lord. He led the Sith army and defeated the Jedi and the Republic together. He was so strong. He then was made to forget everything because of the Jedi and the Sith fell apart to be brought together by Darth Traya. Now time to sleep."
"Jedi bad." She said as she rolled over and closed her eyes. Maul smiled as he saw her sleep. He then walked out of the room and let her sleep peacefully. He then got up and left to meditate. He meditated for five minutes before having another vision; it was hazy. He saw himself kill a Jedi and then be killed by another. It was confusing as he couldn't see the Jedi's faces. He wanted to tell about it to his master but thought otherwise. He saw as his master was flustered. There was something wrong and he felt it. The separatists were growing. Their fleet grew in silence and was slow. This phase was necessary as it kept the Republic from acknowledging about the forces. In another seven or eight year they would start to attack the Republic. Maul would become a general if he survived. He exhaled deeply. It was confusing times. The force was hinting them something but in the same way was blocking them from knowing about it. It was playing with them but for what? He closed his eyes as he thought about this. Soon he slept.
-oooooooo-
"AARYA." Maul was screaming as he saw her igniting his lightsaber. It was terrifying for him. He used the force to pull it away from her. He switched it off and rushed to her. He checked the child for any wounds; she was one year and six months. She managed to learn how to ignite lightsabers. She grew stronger in the dark side. Maul kept hers and his force signatures hidden. He rarely felt the signatures of Jedi on the system; they were more focused on the inner rim. Of course, they would consider the inner rim to be more useful than other systems. It was irritating. They pretended like the other systems never mattered. They ignored the injustice occurring right in front of them. And they call themselves the keepers of peace while people suffer right under their noses. Maul did not like this. The Jedi wasted their powers. They spent their time 'serving' people while they did nothing. They could have ruled the galaxy. He sighed. Aarya was crying. Disturb was comforting her and trying to feed her. Maul got up and walked towards the balcony. Soon the child would sleep then he could practice.
-ooooooooo-
Three more months passed away. Beck on Tatooine Shmi Skywalker had forgotten her daughter. Her entire focus was on Anakin. Gardulla was selling the slaves she owned to pay her debt. This was the problems with Hutts; whenever they were in a problem with their debts, they would either kill their problem or sell their slaves to solve the problem. Shmi tried all she could to make sure that she and her son would not be separated. It was a tough task.
Maul on the other hand was trying to feed Aarya. She kept on crying whenever he would feed her. She would bend forward and drag the bowl out of his hand and feed herself. He had to use his brute strength to stop her. Feeding her was a big task. Maul still remembered the conversation he had with his master.
"Yes master."
"You must take the child to see the outer rim."
"But why?"
"It must see the troubles of people and grow hatred for the Jedi. You know how to do that."
"Indeed master. I shall take her the next year."
"So be it."
Soon the child would see the outer rims; places where living is a curse. It was a wretched place. The Republic cared more about the wealth of the inner rim systems. The 'poor' people were wealthier than the poor of the outer rims. The lives of the rich was splendid whereas the lives of the poor remained the same; horrible. Naboo was better. It was an example of a wealthy mid-rim system. The average systems of mid-rims were better than the wealthy outer rim systems. The galaxy was messed up under the rule of the Republic. It had to be cleansed. Maul soon slept as he thought of these things.
-oooooooo-
"No, no Jedi." Aarya was crying. Maul was feeding her and she refused. He had to threaten her that he would give her to the Jedi. She stopped crying and ate her food. Two month passed away. The separatists were thinking about forming a collaboration; it would take a lot of time though. It would take years. Those years would be used to train the child and would provide enough time for Sidious to take control of the senate. It would take time of course, but it would be necessary. Maul was often given assignments on Tatooine. He went to see the Skywalkers. The mother and her son were happy with themselves. He saw as the boy ran to play with his friends. The mother got up and walked towards the hut. Maul moved towards the hut and stood outside. He reached out to the mother and read her thoughts. Ani has gone to play. He is just so chivalrous. I wish he gets off this planet. He doesn't deserve to be a slave. Now I need to go and complete the task of Gardulla. And so on went on her thoughts. Maul was surprised when he never read the word 'my other child.' Did this woman even remember her second child? Does she remember that it was kidnapped? Maul turned away to leave. As soon as he turned he read something from the mother's mind. But still if Aarya was here, she would have enjoyed the company of her brother. The two would have managed to think a way out of this planet. I don't even know whether she is alive. Oh Force, why do you give me such troubles? Why give me child when you know I can't take care of them? Maul froze; she DID remember her child which was lost. Tears threatened to come out of the eyes of the mother. She wiped them and walked away. Maul turned around and walked away. He was left to ponder; why did all of this happen?
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