AN: I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone who's been reading! We're coming into the homestretch now.

All I have to do

is forget how much I love him

– "Easy as Life", Aida on Broadway

The time had finally come.

They would reveal themselves to the Jedi, and Maul would have his revenge. Yet as he stood on the hot desert sand under the planet's twin suns, he couldn't feel any satisfaction from this. There was no excitement at the prospect of fighting and killing more Jedi, nor was there triumph at the fact that he and his master were so close to achieving their goal. And Maul knew why.

His master intended to take Kassandra after this mission.

Maul was running out of time to think of a compromise. The only upside to this was that it helped fuel his anger, which he channelled into a weapon. But what was more, the temptation of other options was all around him, testing his resolve and his loyalty to the Sith, and to his master.

The two Jedi were known to him. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. The former was a friend of Eldra's, and she had mentioned the latter many times in her stories. The very fact that these two Jedi knew Eldra helped the voice of temptation grow; suggesting he could ask them for help instead of fighting and killing them. Every time the voice made itself heard, he pushed it away with anger.

But Eldra still wasn't talking to him, and this only made things worse. A few times he even considered the suggestions, if only to get her to speak to him again.

One of the probes he'd sent out returned to him, informing him that it had found the Queen's ship. Once again, Maul pushed away the temptations telling him to ask the Jedi for help, and spun on his heel. He hopped onto his speeder bike and took off across the desert, pushing the vehicle to its maximum limits. The probe had also told him that one of its counterparts had been destroyed, and Maul sensed through the Force that one of the Jedi had been responsible.

Which meant that they knew they were being followed. He had to hurry if he wanted to reach them in time.

Soon the ship was in his sights, and there was a Jedi. Qui-Gon Jinn, he guessed, going by the Human man's age. Maul felt his anger increase at the sight of him; anger at everything the Jedi stood for, anger at everything the Jedi had done to the Sith, but also anger that he wouldn't be able to kill them just yet. His master had instructed him that morning to let the Queen and her escorts escape and reach Coruscant. Sidious hadn't elaborated on why Maul needed to do this, by the younger Sith knew not to question his master. He assumed it was all part of his grand plan.

Just as he was flying over the sand dune, Qui-Gon Jinn turned suddenly and shouted, "Anakin, drop!"

There was movement in front of Maul, and for the first time he realised that the Jedi Master had a child with him. A Human boy, native to Tatooine, perhaps around six years older than Kassandra. The boy dropped to the ground and Maul narrowly avoided hitting him, but just as he flew over the top of the child, he sensed it.

A strong Force presence. Far stronger than Kassandra's.

He wasn't sure how he'd missed that, but then he'd been entirely focussed on the Jedi in front of him. Maul leapt from his bike before it had even stopped, igniting only one half of his lightsaber. Qui-Gon Jinn ignited his own and they began to clash. Over his shoulder, Qui-Gon called out, "Tell them to take off!"

The boy hurried towards the ship. Maul wondered who he was, and why the Jedi were recruiting Younglings in the middle of a mission, unless they'd found this Youngling without meaning to? Not that it mattered. It wasn't part of Maul's mission.

Like Anoon Bondara a year ago, the Jedi Master was skilled and experienced, but his age and weariness slowed him down. Maul slipped into Form VII, letting his ferocity loose on the Jedi, and he soon realised that the man was tiring far more quickly than Bondara had. With newfound excitement, Maul decided that regardless of what his master had instructed, he was going to end this Jedi now. Obi-Wan Kenobi was onboard the ship with the Queen, and that ship was taking off. The Queen would still reach Coruscant with a Jedi escort; it would just be one Jedi instead of two.

But then Qui-Gon Jinn used a move that Eldra favoured, and Maul was struck once more with the temptation of seeking help from these Jedi. It led to a moment of hesitation that the Jedi Master took advantage of. He knocked Maul back, turned around and jumped onto the open ramp of the ship flying above them.

Maul's rage built inside him, but he kept up a calm exterior as he switched off his lightsaber and watched the ship go. It was no matter. He would have another chance to kill the Jedi.

He turned and walked towards his bike, which had crashed into a sand dune, but was otherwise undamaged. His master would want him to return to Coruscant promptly, so that he could be ready for the next task, but Maul also had his own reasons for wanting to return so quickly.

Kassandra and Eldra were waiting, and he needed to see them again. If he couldn't think of a way to stop the inevitable, then it could be his last day with them.

"Mama?"

Eldra blinked. She'd spaced out again.

"Yes, Kassie?" she asked, looking up from the datapad and towards her daughter, who was standing a few feet away.

Her little three-year-old had grown so much. She was talking in sentences, was a lot more active, and had become very perceptive for a girl her age. It was a relief that she hadn't taken to her father's bad habits of using anger and hate to express herself, but that wasn't what Eldra was worried about.

Maul had said on the day of Kassandra's birth that they would have three years before the Sith master would come for her. How long did she have to prepare? How long until she would be forced to fight for her life and the life of her daughter?

And it would be just her fighting. What had happened the previous year had made it clear to her that Maul wasn't going to help her, and she wasn't going to change that no matter how hard she tried. But even with that knowledge, it had still been hard to keep her distance from him; to keep their bond blocked. At least Maul had made things easier by not being around much, since his master had been sending him on various mission.

(She also suspected that he was the one buying supplies like food and such, since Venny was gone, and dropping them off at the apartment. And while the thought of Maul shopping was an amusing one, it didn't change anything.)

She sensed that Maul's latest mission was more important than usual, suggesting that the Sith's plans were being put into action. Meaning she didn't have much longer.

The dread was nearly all-consuming. Eldra hadn't felt like this since Kassandra's birth.

Speaking of the little troublemaker, Kassandra took advantage of her mother's distraction and suddenly yanked the datapad from her hands. "You can't catch me!"

She ran across the room, giggling. Eldra smiled before giving chase, letting her daughter stay ahead of her.

"I'm gonna get you!"

"You can't get me!"

"Oh no, how did you get so fast?"

The girl ended up running into a corner, and tried to retrace her steps. Eldra quickly scooped her up and blew a raspberry into her daughter's side. Kassandra was laughing so hard that she dropped the datapad, but Eldra caught it with the Force and set it down on the table.

For a moment, Eldra let herself forget about her worries. But the moment didn't last for very long.

Kassandra stopped laughing and went still. "Mama…"

Eldra suddenly felt it, too. A dark presence.

"Kassie, go and wait in our room," she said, placing her daughter down. The little girl hurried across the apartment and into the room they shared, before locking the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, Eldra called her lightsaber to her hand and ignited it. When the apartment door opened, she stood ready and said, "Touch her and die."

The Sith Lord was hunched over, his face hidden beneath a black hood. He didn't take another step into the room. "I do not wish to harm you, Eldra Kaitis."

"No," she said. "You'll just order your apprentice to dispose of me, instead." She could barely force the words past the lump in her throat. It hurt, admitting that someone she cared about was going to be told to kill her – and that he would do it.

"It is what must be done," he told her. "My apprentice must sacrifice you in order to give himself fully to the Sith. I cannot do it for him."

"Then why are you here?" It was a pointless question. She already knew.

"I am here about your daughter," he replied. "Do not worry; I'm not here to take her away yet. That will come once you are dead, and my apprentice is here to bear witness. I thought I should tell you now, so you can say your goodbyes."

He acted like he was doing her a favour; like he wasn't tearing her world to shreds and destroying everything she held dear. This was the man who was going to take her daughter and turn her into a twisted killing machine, just like he had done to her father. Even if Eldra managed to kill Maul, she knew that she wouldn't be able to defeat this Sith Lord standing before her. He would kill her and take the child, anyway.

But that fact wasn't going to stop her from trying. Eldra threw herself at the Sith, lightsaber raised. The Sith simply raised his hand and pushed her back with the Force. She hit the far wall and dropped her lightsaber, the weapon disengaging when it clattered to the floor.

When she opened her eyes, the Sith was gone. She hauled herself to her feet and hurried to her room, where Kassandra was waiting. The little girl was clutching her beloved toy wolf to her chest, trying to put on a brave face, and Eldra couldn't be prouder. It hurt all the more, knowing what her child was going to become.

Neither of them said a word; Kassandra somehow sensed now wasn't the time to ask questions. Eldra sat down and pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her close and rocking her back and forth. She held back her tears, trying not to let her child know just how helpless she felt.

After some time, Kassandra fell asleep. Eldra tucked her into bed and placed a kiss on her forehead, beneath the three little horns that were still growing. They were a constant reminder of who her father was, and Eldra felt her heart clutch every time she really focussed on them. Maul could be as magnificent as his child, if he only let himself.

She heard the apartment door open. Maul had returned.

Eldra straightened up. This was her last chance to get through to him. And though she knew it was pointless to even try, given what had occurred the previous year and all the realisations that had come with it, she didn't have any other choice. Her child was about to be taken away by a monster, and said child's father was going to let it happen. Eldra wasn't about to roll over and die; she was going to keep fighting until it killed her.

He was standing by the window when she entered the main apartment, watching the traffic streak across the night sky. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused when she sensed the Force around him. It felt familiar, and a name came to her immediately.

"Qui-Gon."

Maul turned to her and nodded. "I fought him on Tatooine. His Padawan was close by, but I didn't see him. Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Eldra nodded, and was relieved that one of her friends was alive after five years, along with his master. Unless… "Did you kill him?"

"No."

She didn't dare ask if it was because of her; because she had told him about the missions she'd shared with Obi-Wan and his master. Darsha's death had proven he didn't care about that (while she hadn't told him about Darsha before the encounter, he certainly hadn't cared when she had told him).

But the names stirred a new hope within her, and the beginnings of a plan began to form in her mind. "Your master was here, Maul. He wants to take Kassie away to begin her training." She stepped forwards and took his hand in hers. "Don't fight them. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are good men. If you tell them about me, they can help."

Maul yanked his hand away and turned on her, yellow eyes flashing with rage. "They are my enemies!"

Yet he screamed those words like he was trying to convince himself of that instead of Eldra. Had he actually considered the idea, too? She couldn't let herself hope, but pressed on.

"But they don't have to be! Your daughter is more important than this!"

It was his turn to take her hand, and he squeezed it reassuringly. "I promise, I'll find a way to ensure he never touches her."

And it was Eldra's turn to yank her hand away. "Maybe you've convinced yourself that's what you want, but I can't trust you to keep that promise. You'll never bring yourself to stand against him."

He snarled in frustration. "He is my master."

"If you want to stay here and give yourself over to the dark side, fine. Throw your life away," said Eldra. "But you need to let us go. If you don't, I will die and so will Kassie, because what he'll do to her may as well be death. Please… let us go."

Maul fists clenched. "So you can go running back to the Jedi?!"

Eldra straightened herself. "If that's what I have to do to protect Kassie."

A crack appeared in the wall closest to Maul, and Eldra jumped back in shock. She felt through the Force for her lightsaber and prepared herself for a fight, but Maul didn't try to lash out at her; he didn't destroy anything else.

"I promise," he said, "to protect you both. But you will never leave."

Then he turned on his heel and left the apartment.

Eldra sunk to the floor, holding back her tears.

There was no time to cry. She had to think of something; anything. It didn't matter if she survived or not, so long as Kassandra was safe. Glancing over at the door, she wondered how long it would take to cut through it with her lightsaber before it triggered the alarms. And she wondered how far outside the building she would be able to run before the slave chip blew her up. She would be dead, but with any luck the police would investigate the building and find Kassandra. Maybe just in case she could carry a recorded message on her, telling them specifically where to find Kassandra, while also telling them to take her to the Jedi Order, only they would have to remove the slave chip… which Kassandra didn't have…

Her eyes widened in realisation.

Kassandra didn't have a chip. She could leave.

Even while Maul planned his attack, his thoughts kept dwelling on what Eldra had said.

In the deepest parts of his mind, he understood why she was trying to leave. It wasn't him she was trying to escape from; it was his master, the man who wanted her dead. But he was also the man who had trained Maul for his destiny, and Maul couldn't leave him. And he couldn't let Eldra leave with Kassandra. It was a simple as that.

There had never been anyone like Eldra in his life; had never been anyone he'd felt this way about. And there would never be anyone like her again. Once she was gone, she was gone, and Maul couldn't lose her. It was why he couldn't let her leave, even with the knowledge that Sidious would order him to kill her. It had been so much easier, living in the present and pretending he wouldn't have to do that someday.

But he'd run out of time. He couldn't put it off for later, like he had been doing; he had to decide what to do now, making it far more difficult for him to think.

He paced along the narrow catwalks and corridors of the power generator faculty, swinging his lightsaber around in order to get used to his surroundings. It was a perfect location for his inevitable duel with the Jedi, and close enough to the hanger that he could lead them there without any difficulty. Thinking about the upcoming fight helped increase his anger.

That was a thought. Maybe he could tell Sidious that Eldra and Kassandra helped him channel his emotions, just like the Sith Code told him to do. Sidious couldn't argue if it was the way of the Sith, could he? But then Sidious would tell him that to rely on others would be weakness, something the Sith couldn't show at any cost.

Only relying on Eldra and Kassandra didn't make him feel weak. It made him feel strong.

The pain of not knowing what to do was getting to him, and he was relieved when the Jedi finally showed up to provide a distraction. Maul patted his chest, where he had stored the folded-up picture of his family that his pup had drawn for him over a year ago. He would draw strength from that; he would tell himself that these Jedi were going to take his family from him.

Then the doors opened and he saw them – more specifically, he saw Obi-Wan Kenobi for the first time. Eldra's friend, filled with determination that reminded him so much of her. And he was struck once more with temptation. In his mind he pictured himself laying down his weapon, kneeling before his enemies and surrendering to them.

It felt wrong.

So, he ignited his blades, they did the same, and the duel began.

Eldra spent the whole night planning.

It was a big risk, because Kassandra was so young. Though they were on the surface level on Coruscant instead of the lower levels, it was still dangerous out there. She could be snatched up by a criminal or someone corrupt, and though her Force-sensitivity would give her some level of protection, it wasn't guaranteed.

But it was either she took the risk, or they stayed and let the Sith decide their fates. And even if Eldra herself didn't make it out, then at least Kassandra would be safe.

She once again checked the ventilation shafts and felt a breeze blowing through them. She then found a holodisk and recorded a message onto it, making it quick. The last thing she needed was for Maul to return and walk in on her doing so. Or worse, the Sith master walking in on her.

After it was done, all she could do was wait until morning. As she watched the sunrise out the window, she found herself getting teary-eyed. Instead of trying to figure out why, she just dried her eyes and ignored how she felt sad and conflicted at the thought of escaping, instead of joyous and excited.

When her daughter was finally awake and had eaten her breakfast, Eldra brought her back into their room and crouched down to her level.

"Kassie, I need you to listen to me." She handed over the holodisk. "We're in danger from the bad man, and your Dad can't help us. I'm going to send you into the ventilation shafts. You need to climb down to the bottom and get outside onto the streets. When you do, find a police droid. You know what they look like, don't you?"

"Yes, Mama." Kassandra was listening intently; she'd picked up through the Force that what her mother was telling her was important.

"When you find one, tell it that you need to get to the Jedi Temple," she explained. "You're wearing robes that make you look like a Jedi Youngling, so the police droid will think you're from there. When you get there, tell the guards you need to speak to the Jedi Council immediately, because you have a message for them from Eldra Kaitis. When they ask for the message, give them the holodisk. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Will I see you again, Mama?"

"Of course." But in truth, she didn't know. If the plan went wrong in any way, there was a chance that she would never see her daughter again. Knowing this, Eldra hugged her daughter for longer than she would normally, just in case.

Though she wanted to hold her daughter forever, she had to let her go. Eldra opened up the vent in their room and helped Kassandra inside.

"Bye, Mama. See you soon!" And then she was gone.

Eldra collapsed onto the bed and shed a single tear.

Her eyes closed. She knew she was doing the right thing. Kassandra was strong; she would find her way.

And Maul… Well, he'd made his choice. He'd given into his anger, his hate, his fear… The promise he made her was one he couldn't keep, and she knew it. Getting away from him and his master, getting Kassandra away from them… It was the right choice.

Then why does it hurt so much?