Mandalore, Sundari:
Revan and Ahsoka continued to hold their defensive stances as their gazes alternated between Maul and his Mandos. "Ahsoka... Tano and Revan, are they? I can't say your names are familiar to me." the renegade Sith said as stepped out of the tunnel.
"Well we know you." Ahsoka replied as Maul walked over and started circling them slowly. "Yes, I imagine we have... several mutual friends." he said. "I wouldn't put it that way." Ahsoka growled.
"Of course not. But I'm afraid your way of thinking, is behind the times." he replied before Ahsoka subtly pressed a button on her wrist comm to alert Rex. "I was certain that Kenobi would have come himself. Perhaps bring his loyal foal Skywalker, is it?" the Zabrak said.
"Obi-Wan had something more important to do." Revan snapped as Maul stopped walking with his back to them. "Indeed. I wonder... that the moment may be upon us." he said ominously. Revan's eyes widened. 'Does he know?'
A moment of silence passed before the renegade Sith spoke again. "Why you? Why did Kenobi send you?" he asked while turning around to face them. "Why don't you surrender, and then we can all go and ask him?" Ahsoka suggested while glaring as he started walking around them again.
Maul chuckled humourlessly. "My surrendering... Well that would be pointless. For if I am correct, soon the Jedi and the Republic will no longer be the controlling interest in the galaxy." Maul explained ominously.
"And who will be? You?" the Togruta snapped as he stopped to face them again. "No. Darth... Sidious." Maul replied as a small worried expression crossed her face and Revan's eyes widened again. 'Fuck... I think he does know...'
Before anyone could could say anymore, blaster shots rang out in the tunnels and they saw one of Maul's Mandos get killed by a blue bolt. The two ex-Jedi narrowly managed to block Maul's sudden strike from his double-bladed lightsaber.
The couple broke the saberlock and traded a few blows with the Zabrak before ending up in another saberlock. "Not yet." he said before shoving them back. Before they could recover from being shoved, Maul grabbed Rex in a Force choke and tossed him into the couple before he and his remaining two Mandos retreated down one of the tunnels.
"Come on." Ahsoka said to the clone and her husband urgently as they stood up before taking off after the renegade Sith. Reaching a four-way junction, the clones and ex-Jedi split up down the other three other tunnels.
Revan, Ahsoka and three other clones quickly made their way down another tunnel after she saw someone move past them. The group sprinted all the way down the tunnel before turning left and getting ready to attack.
Luckily they managed to refrain from attacking upon seeing it was Rex and two other clones around the corner. "We've lost him." Ahsoka said.
Sundari, Throne Room:
Revan, Ahsoka, Rex and a hologram of Obi-Wan stood around a hologram of Sundari as a helmetless Bo-Katan walked up to them.
"There are still a number of firefights happening in sector 11. But for the most part your clone have been as effective as promised. Still without Maul in custody this could all fall apart quickly. We must capture him before he escapes." she said.
"He mentioned a name, Darth Sidious." Ahsoka said before sharing a look with Kenobi. "Who is this Sidious?" Bo-Katan asked him. "I do not know much, but I will share with you what the Council suspects." he said as she turned to face him while Rex turned off the hologram an astromech was projecting.
"Darth Sidious is the Sith Lord, who orchestrated the clone wars and played both sides of it from the beginning. I first learned the name from Count Dooku, though any chance of learning more about Sidious from Dooku has been lost." Obi-Wan said.
"Why?" Ahsoka asked. "Because Count Dooku is dead. Anakin killed him while rescuing the chancellor." the older man replied as her eyes widened in surprise. "With Dooku gone, we've lost a vital link to understanding the mystery of Darth Sidious. If you can capture Maul, he may be able to provide the missing pieces to this puzzle." Obi-Wan said.
"Then send us more men." the Togruta replied. "Unfortunately I cannot. I'm being sent to hunt down General Grievous on Utupau." Obi-Wan said. "What about Skywalker? Could he can reinforce us?" Revan suggested.
Obi-Wan looked at the ground for a moment before looking at Rex then Bo-Katan. "May I speak to Revan and Ahsoka for a moment?" he asked. Both looked at him for a second before heading to the exit.
"Anakin is on a special assignment by order of the Jedi Council." he informed after lowering his voice a bit. "What kind of assignment?" Ahsoka asked suspiciously while folding her arms.
"He has been instructed to observe the chancellor and report his findings." the Master replied. "Observe? You mean spy." she said with a frown while placing her hands on her hips.
"They told him to spy on the Supreme Chancellor? Why?" she asked after taking a few steps passed him. "The Senate has allowed the Supreme Chancellor to remain in office, long after his term has expired. The Council wants to know what his true intentions are." he explained before she turned to face him again.
"The chancellor has been a great friend and mentor to Anakin. I can't imagine he's happy about this." she replied. "No. He's not. So perhaps it's best, you do speak with him." Obi-Wan suggested.
"And what? Defend the Council's actions? I hardly think I'm the best person for that." she said before turning away from him. "Ahsoka, the Council isn't always right. That's why I'm asking for your help." he said gently.
Before she could reply, Rex suddenly interrupted them. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's been an attack." the clone informed them. "One other thing. Anakin told the Council about your resignation from the Order. Are you sure, Revan?" Obi-Wan asked him.
"I'm sure. I can't bring myself to leave Ahsoka again." he replied quietly. "Very well. You'd best going." the older man said with a small smile before Ahsoka and his former Padawan jogged over to Rex.
Ahsoka stopped suddenly before turning back to Obi-Wan. "Tell Anakin..." she trailed off. "I will." he replied before she jogged up to Rex and her husband. "Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you." Revan said to him before his former master smiled. "Goodbye, old friend. May the Force be with you." Obi-Wan replied before the ex-Jedi and clones left.
Sundari, Undercity tunnels:
"We got ambushed on our way to reinforce the entry port on C-Deck." a clone informed them as Revan, Ahsoka and Rex walked up to him. "Rex, make sure C-Deck is properly fortified." she said to him. "Yes, ma'am." the commander replied before he and the other clone walked away from them.
"Commander." a wounded clone called out to her as she and Revan walked over to him. "I'm here, trooper. Sterling, isn't it?" she asked before lowering to one knee and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes. You need to know. Maul, he... he went right through us, one by one. He was asking about you, both of you. The ARC trooper, Jesse. Maul realized he was older, somehow looked in his mind... And he took him. He took Jesse alive!" he informed them weakly and with a few coughs before the ex-Jedi looked down the tunnel.
Sundari, Royal prison:
The couple, Rex and Bo-Katan walked up to the cell Almec was before one of the two Night Owls guarding him opened the door. The four entered the cell and looked down at Almec who was currently sitting on the small bed.
"I'm flattered that you could find the time to see me." Almec said sarcastically. "What's Maul's plan? How is he going to escape?" Bo-Katan demanded. Almec chuckled as he stood to face her.
"Maul is not trying to escape, cause he sees no point in doing so." he explained before walking over to the right wall. "So he believes he can defeat us?" she questioned. "No, that's not it. For weeks now he's been consumed by a strange sense of dread." the former Prime Minister replied.
"Has he mentioned Sidious?" Revan asked as him as he turned to face the younger man with a serious look on his face. "Not that I can recall." he replied. "You said he wanted Kenobi here. Why?" Bo-Katan asked. "It wasn't just Kenobi he wanted, no. There was someone else he was interested in." he replied.
"Who?" Ahsoka asked with a frown. "If only I could remember the name..." he trailed off with a smirk. "Revan, could you be a dear?" she asked her husband with a smile. "Gladly." he replied before advancing on Almec.
The former Prime Minister held his hands up as he backed into wall out of fear. "No, wait! It was-!" he was abruptly cut off by two blaster bolts hitting him in the chest. More blaster bolts flew at them before the two Night Owls returned fire.
"Saxon." Bo-Katan said darkly before placing her helmet on and chasing after him. With the Night Owls in pursuit of their enemy, the couple and Rex kneeled by the wounded man.
"Rex! Medic!" Revan said urgently before the clone quickly exited the cell. "Maul had a vision... A dream. The name came to him..." Almec groaned weakly. "What name?" Ahsoka asked urgently. "Sky...walker..." he said weakly before slumping over dead.
"Shit..." Revan swore quietly as Ahsoka nodded slowly in agreement...
Sundari, Throne room:
The couple, Bo-Katan, Rex, two clones and three Night Owls watched from a balcony as clones on the streets below escorted civilians to shelters. "This occupation cannot last much longer. The people will not stand for it. I will not stand for." Bo-Katan told them as she, Revan, Rex and Ahsoka entered the room between the balcony and throne room.
"You asked for our help. My men don't want to be acting as a police force." Rex told her as they stopped walking. "The Republic forces will depart, once we capture Maul. Then you will have your opportunity to lead." Ahsoka assured before they entered the throne room.
And saw Maul sitting on the throne waiting for them...
"I agree." he said ominously before Bo-Katan unholstered her blasters and tried shooting him. With simple waves of his hand, the bolts were redirected to th sides before he grabbed her in Force choke that lifted her off the ground.
"My lady, is that anyway to treat your rightful ruler?" he growled. Bo-Katan glared defiantly at him for a moment before he dropped her. The other three quickly ran over to her as she hit the ground panting.
"And now as a show of good faith, I return your comrade-in-arms to you." he said before using the Force to remove the bound Jesse's binders. "Run along. There you go, back to your brothers." Maul said to the clone while keeping his eyes on the other four.
"Are you alright, Jesse?" Rex asked him. "I'm sorry, Commander. I couldn't help it. I told him everything." the other clone apologized before Ahsoka placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay." she assured before addressing Rex. "Rex, get him out of here." she said to the commander before he led his brother out of the room.
Once Rex and Jesse left the Mando and ex-Jedi turned their attention to the left window where explosions were seen and heard outside. "Uh, one of you might want to deal with that." Maul suggested mockingly.
"You should go. Your people need you." Ahsoka said to Bo-Katan. "Don't stay on my account. We'll be fine." Maul said as he stood and walked over to the window. "Go." Revan urged the Mando. Bo-Katan looked at both before slipping on her helmet and leaving.
Husband and wife turned back towards their enemy with a glares on their faces.
A few minutes passed before Maul spoke while looking out the window. "Look at them. So blissfully ignorant." he said. "Care to tell us what this is all about? Or would you rather save it for the Council?" Ahsoka said before he turned to face them.
"Oh no, no. You are the one that I wish to speak with." he said, looking at Ahsoka before moving away from the window. "Were you not cast out of your Order?" he asked. "I left voluntarily." she replied.
"Yes, but you motivated to leave by the hypocrisy of the Jedi Council." he said. Ahsoka looked at the ground in thought for a second before looking back up at him. "We were both tools for greater powers." he said after she remained silent.
"We are here to bring you to justice." she said, looking at her husband for a second as they took a few steps towards Maul.
"Justice is merely the construct of the current power base. A base which according to my calculations is about to change." he replied. "And Darth Sidious is behind it?" she asked. "He is behind everything. In the shadows, always. But soon, very soon... He will reveal himself." the renegade Sith replied ominously.
"With your help, the Jedi can stop Sidious before it's too late." she said. "Too late? For what? The Republic to fall? It already has, you just can't see it! There is no justice, no law, no order! Except for the one that will replace it! The time of the Jedi has passed. They cannot defeat Sidious. But together the three of us can." he explained.
"Every choice you have made, has led you to this moment." he said before offering his hand. Even though a part of him wanted to stop Sidious from taking over, joining Maul was way out of the question.
Even the window suddenly shattering wasn't enough to disturb the tense moment they were in. "I will help you." she said after a few more seconds in deep thought. Even though he was surprised, Revan ultimately decided to support her decision.
"But you must answer one question." she said. "You have but to ask." he replied. "What do you want with Anakin Skywalker?" she asked. "He is the key to everything." the Zabrak answered.
"To bring balance to the Force?" she asked. "To destroy. He has long been groomed for his role, as my master's new apprentice." Maul replied as Revan swallowed thickly. "You lie." the Togruta accused.
"I'm afraid not. In fact I was so certain of his fate, that I orchestrated this war to lure him here with Kenobi to kill him. Depriving Sidious of prized pupil." he explained. "I know Anakin." she said before grabbing her sabers and igniting them as Maul let out low growl. "You're vision is flawed." she added as Revan ignited both of his blades.
"I see you both need one last lesson." he said darkly and with a glare before taking out his lightsaber and igniting both ends. The Zabrak spun it before advancing on them. Revan and Ahsoka blocked his first strike before working together to block and attack him.
The young man ducked under Maul's attempt to behead him before the Zabrak blocked Ahsoka's follow up. Revan blocked the other end of the red saber before their opponent elbowed Ahsoka in face and kicked the younger man away. Maul followed up with an uppercut that knocked the saber out of her right hand.
Revan picked himself up off the ground just in time to see Ahsoka struggling a bit with only one saber. The ex-Jedi quickly made his way over to them and locked blades with Maul long enough for his wife to retrieve her other saber.
"You're lucky it's me and not Anakin, that's currently fighting you alongside my husband." she taunted with a smirk. "You have Kenobi's arrogance." Maul spat as he and the couple circled each other. "You'll find I have many qualities for you to dislike." she shot back before two blades collided with both ends of his red saber.
Revan kicked Maul in the face before he and Ahsoka started driving the Zabrak back. Maul eventually regained the offense as he brought them into another saber lock for a moment before snarling at them.
Revan quickly moved out of the way as Ahsoka suddenly dropped onto her back and used the momentum to fling Maul out the window behind the throne. Revan threw his hands up while Ahsoka panted in exhaustion.
"Great. Now we gotta go after." he complained, earning an annoyed glare from his wife before she jumped out the same window. "I hate my life sometimes..." he mumbled while reluctantly jumping out after her.
The two slid down the angled side of the palace before stopping on a ledge and watching as the battle was turned in their favor. "Up there!" Revan exclaimed while pointing to Maul who was currently climbing up onto the roof of a building to their right.
The two soon caught up with him on one of the dome's support beams before Ahsoka called out to him. "Obi-Wan was right. You are difficult to kill." she said as turned to face them.
While making sure to watch where they were stepping the couple charged him and started trading blows. Revan quickly backed away before jumping over their opponent and trying to hit him from behind.
Maul blocked his attack before before kicking of the beam. Luckily the ex-Jedi managed to grab onto the beam with both hands. 'Shit! My sabers!' Revan looked down in time to see both sabers disappear from sight.
"We could have destroyed Sidious." the Zabrak snarled as he glared at Ahsoka. "Only for you to take his place!" she shot back before attacking him again.
Revan finally pulled himself back up in time to see Ahsoka dangling on one of the beams and Maul trying to make his way to a nearby ship outside the dome. Moving quickly, he made his way to Ahsoka and helped her up before they used the supports to clime up.
The young man noticed Maul near the ceiling of the dome and thinking quickly he grabbed onto another support and use the momentum to flip up and kick Maul away just after the Zabrak cut a hole in the dome.
The renegade Sith grabbed onto one of the beams and pulled himself up in time to block Ahsoka's attacks. Maul eventually managed to gain the upper hand as he knocked both sabers out of her hands before slashing one side of the beam she was on.
Ahsoka's balance wavered a bit before Maul jumped onto the other side, causing the beam to buckle a bit under their weight. Revan eventually made his way to the part of the beam Maul had slashed.
"If you attempt to save her, I will slash this side of the beam then attack you, which will leave no time to save her." the Zabrak threatened before turning his attention to Ahsoka. "I give you one last chance. Join me... or die." he said while holding his hand out again.
"Never." she spat before he advanced on her. Ahsoka managed to avoid his attacks before she grabbed his saber and spun them around while cutting another part of the beam off.
Revan watched as Maul started to fall to his death before Ahsoka suddenly caught him with the Force. "Let me go! Let me die!" he snarled before three gunships came up to them. "
You're all going to burn! We're all going to die!" he roared as two Mandos in the left gunship grabbed him with their wrist cables. "You don't know what you're doing!" he roared. "Will somebody please shut him the fuck up!?" Revan exclaimed before Rex hit the renegade Sith with a stun blast.
"Finally. Thanks, Rex." he thanked his friend while watching Maul dangle from the cables. "We'll take it from here." the commander assured before Ahsoka sighed in relief and nodded at him.
Revan gently made his way down the beam as both Rex's gunship and one other left before the young man wrapped his arms around his wife and rested his chin between her montrals in both a loving and comforting hug as her gaze went to the small broken area of the dome where moonlight was shining from.
Chapter 2 is done. Order 66 is next...