Chapter 47 – Dathomir

Author's Note: For those of you who have been waiting for more Ventrex, this chapter is for you. :) Also, I do not apologize for the cliffhanger at the end. You'll have to wait a couple chapters (at least) before you find out what happened. ^-^

~ Amina Gila

"Are you sure about this?" Rex can't help but ask as Asajj pilots the shuttle down towards the surface of Dathomir. The planet is giving off creepy vibes which are only enhanced by the redness of it. It seems unnatural. And, of course, it's a planet of witches. Like Asajj. She might not have been raised one of them, but she still is – or was – one of them. Still, that doesn't do much to make Rex feel any more comfortable.

She purses her lips, clearly trying not to laugh at him. "You've only asked me that five times, Rex," she teases lightly. "Are you sure about this? You didn't have to come with me, you know."

He knows that. He can't even explain why he did come. He… hadn't wanted her to go alone, and he thought she might need the support. Besides, Dooku hasn't been keen on sending Asajj off to Dathomir on her own, even if she is perfectly capable of caring for herself. Rex had volunteered, because – because… he doesn't know. He has no idea how to put his feelings towards the Nightsister into words. She is a friend. She has been there for him in the past, and he knows that she will be in the future as well. He would like to repay her for that. And maybe there's something else, something… he doesn't know how to label.

"I wanted to," he shrugs, trying to sound nonchalant.

She gives him a sideways glance as she lands the shuttle in the middle of a clearing, in between the strange-looking fauna of the planet. Something Rex can't quite interpret – gratitude perhaps? Or something else – flashes through her blue eyes, and she nods, standing. "Come on then."

They disembark to the strange sounds of the wildlife on Dathomir. Asajj steps forwards, walking towards some unknowable location, and Rex follows her, feeling uneasy, hands slipping towards his blasters. He doesn't like this planet. At all. Suddenly, Nightsisters jump down all around them, surrounding them. The witches are dressed in red, and they're all carrying weapons of some type or other.

"We don't like strangers," one of them hisses, pointing a sword at Asajj and Rex.

Asajj narrows her eyes. "I'm not a stranger."

The Nightsisters ignore her, snatching away her lightsabers and taking Rex's blasters. Oh, this isn't good. This is the last time he'll ever go to a planet of witches. "Prepare to die," warns one of them, and Rex braces himself for a fight.

"Stop!" calls a strangely echoing voice, and everyone turns towards a taller Nightsister, wearing clothing in a style that makes Rex think she's the leader. "She is one of us. Her companion is under her protection. Take them to the village."

The Nightsisters begin murmuring amongst themselves, obviously surprised, but Asajj pays them no mind, her eyes fixed on the leader. "Mother Talzin," she realizes, bowing her head in greeting before gesturing to Rex to follow as they all begin walking to the village.

"At last, you have returned," Mother Talzin says, "And you are safe again. I remember the day we were forced to give you up to protect the clan. Your sacrifice has never been forgotten. I had hoped you would find your way to us sooner."

Asajj's expression tightens. "We're not here to stay," she clarifies, "But I need your help."

"You have but to ask."

Rex really, really does not like these witches. At all. But he won't say so. Asajj seems similarly ill-at-ease, though she's hiding it well. These were her people though, so it makes sense that she wouldn't have that hard a time being here. Or maybe it simply makes it harder because she never grew up here. Coming back to a home she hardly remembers must be difficult, and not for the first time, Rex wonders what it's like for nat-borns; he's only ever known what it's like to have siblings, brothers. He doesn't know what it's like to have parents or children or any of that.

"I need to learn more about the Dark Side," she explains. "Dooku is… a Sith, but he was not raised a Sith, and I know there is much that his master is hiding from him. I want to know more."

"There is someone," Mother Talzin tells her, moving a hand over an orange orb in the middle of the table. Rex is doing his best not to stare at anything, because these are witches. Will he be cursed if he offends them somehow? Best not to tempt fate and find out. "He lives in the Outer Rim, in exile. He was once a part of this clan before he was taken by Darth Sidious." Rex glances at the orb when he notices that Asajj is staring into it, and he sees a red and black Zabrak's face. Creepy. "You will find him. He will teach you everything you need to learn to become even more powerful."

"How?" Asajj asks, frowning. "How will I find him?"

Rex gets the feeling that Mother Talzin is pleased by the question, because she lifts a strange necklace of some sort, holding it out towards Asajj. "This talisman has been imbued with the power of our clan. It will be your compass."

Slowly, Asajj takes the chain, slipping it around her neck and looking down at the circular disk which glows softly for a moment. Nope. No way is he touching that thing. "You have an important destiny to fulfill, Asajj Ventress," Mother Talzin adds. "Go. You will know where to find him."

"I will return, Mother," Asajj promises, eyes flicking towards Rex. She inclines her head towards Mother Talzin before beckoning to Rex to follow her. They leave silently, returning to their shuttle and taking off.

"I didn't think we'd leave so soon," Rex admits. The 'but I'm glad' goes unsaid.

Asajj laughs. "There will always be surprises," she replies cheerfully. "Now, you keep this shuttle running while I go meditate to figure out where we're headed next."

**w**

They end up going to Lotho Minor, one of the major dumping grounds of trash in the galaxy. In some ways, it's sad to see how badly the planet was wrecked, but Asajj pushes that thought from mind, telling Rex to remain with the shuttle – who knows what's out there – and going in search of the person Mother Talzin sent her to find. Based on what she was told and what she knows about the Sith, she must be searching for… Maul? That doesn't make any sense though because he was dead. He was killed by Obi-Wan on Naboo, or so she's heard.

Yet, at the same time, Asajj recognized the facial markings, and she knows what Maul looks like. Sort of. Whether it makes sense or not, she's going to find this… Sith. He, of everyone, should be able to teach her what she needs to know. She doesn't know or understand why the Force has guided her here, but she knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that is has. Her initial resolution to go to Dathomir to learn more about the Dark Side was cemented further when she tried meditating and connecting with the Force, and sensed that, for whatever reason, this was the path she was meant to take.

And so, here she is.

She finds Maul… or she finds what's left of him. He's half-mechanical, and his lower half looks spider-like almost. Gross. But, worse, he seems to be insane. "We need to leave," Asajj says loudly, on top of Maul's – it does seem like him, and he feels like a Sith in the Force – insane ramblings.

"Always remember I am fear. Always remember I am hunter. Always remember I am filth. Always remember I am nothing." Maul's words send a pang through her, because is that how Sidious trains his apprentices? Does he really teach them to be subservient slaves to him? It's a wonder that Anakin is different and sane, still.

"Follow me," she orders, lacing her words with the Force, feeling pleased when Maul actually obeys, scurrying after her as she exits from the underground cavern, heading back towards where the shuttle is waiting.

"He took them," Maul mutters. "He took them. The Jedi. He took them."

This is going to be a long trip.

"I don't ask for mercy, Master. Mercy is a lie, a delusion of the weak to think themselves strong. I ask not for mercy… But the chance… And through the filth, through the grief, Jedi! Revenge. I must have revenge."

Oh yay. So, he's that kind of Sith. Delightful.

Asajj ignores him entirely as she leads him onto the shuttle, leaving him in the main hold and heading to the cockpit. "I found him," she tells Rex, feeling herself relax in his presence. "I think it's Maul, Sidious' first apprentice who Obi-Wan was thought to have killed. But he's insane. I hope Mother Talzin can fix that, or I'll kill him myself."

The clone does his best not to laugh at her, but he doesn't entirely succeed. "That bad?"

"You have no idea."

**w**

Asajj is doing her best not to scream as she angles the ship down towards Dathomir. From the hold, even though the cockpit door is closed, she can hear Maul… singing. Or chanting. Or something. Rex has long since given up trying to understand how Maul could help her, and to be honest, so has she. Frankly, she has no idea what Maul is saying, and she doesn't want to know.

When she and Rex go to drag the insane ex-Sith off the shuttle, he refuses to leave, cowering in a corner and muttering to herself. The only word she can pick out is 'Kenobi.' Which… oh, that's not good. He was talking about revenge earlier, and everything suddenly falls into place. He wants to get revenge on Obi-Wan. Anakin will never allow that. She will never allow that. All she needs to do is learn from him. Then, she can dispose of him, so he doesn't threaten their plans for the future, unless he agrees to help them destroy Sidious.

"Stay here," she grumbles finally, leaving with Rex to find Mother Talzin.

She meets them as they approach the village, seeming quite pleased. Obviously, she already knows they succeeded, and she had probably expected it, too. "You found him. I knew you would," she states.

Asajj crosses her arms. "He's insane. I hope you can fix that."

Mother Talzin smiles. "Of course. That is why I asked you to find him. Come, let us fix what has been broken."

**w**

Asajj waits near the doorway with Rex while Mother Talzin and the rest of the Nightsisters go about using their magick to restore Maul's mind and body. She approaches as Maul sits up, a look of lucidity in his yellow eyes that was missing before. Hopefully, all of this will have been worth it, especially since she can feel how strong Maul is with the Force.

"Maul," she states neutrally, and he looks up at her, slowly rising to his feet. His legs are mechanical now, though they do not look remotely Zabrak.

"Who are you?"

"I am Asajj Ventress," she introduces herself, "And I wish for you to teach me more of the Dark Side. I want to learn more, so I can destroy Sidious."

He is quiet for a long moment. "The Force feels out of balance," he notes.

"The Clone Wars have begun," she answers with a shrug. "There is a war now."

"Oh, yes. So it began without me," he murmurs, something dark in his voice. "I was apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy once. I was destined to become so much more, but I was robbed of that destiny by the Jedi, by Obi-Wan Kenobi. I want revenge."

She gives him an unimpressed look. "And what of Sidious? He left you for dead."

"Him too," Maul concedes.

"Then will you teach me?"

The Sith – former Sith – pauses for a long moment, studying her. "Yes, I will."

**w**

After nearly four weeks of training, Asajj is thoroughly worn out. Her routine the day is pretty much the same, and she spends almost all of her waking hours with Maul, learning more about the Dark Side and lightsaber combat. Even though it hasn't been that long, all things considered, she can already feel her powers growing. She hopes that her new skills will be helpful when she returns to Dooku. She has kept in contact with both Dooku and Anakin, and she's told them about her training under Maul. Both are wary but hopeful. She doesn't have much longer until she needs to leave and return to helping Dooku, though.

Maul still doesn't know what her role is in the Clone Wars – or so she hopes – and he hasn't really asked her any questions. He takes the training seriously, and he's a pretty good teacher. While Asajj had had her doubts about it in the beginning, given that he was trained by Sidious, he actually knows how to explain things in a way that makes sense to her.

When she isn't with Maul, she's with Rex. He's the only other person she's with here since they're currently staying in an isolated place on Dathomir so she can devote herself to her training fully. As the days have dragged by, she can feel the connection between them deepening. Their friendship is growing closer and deeper. It's… different, but she likes it.

And, of course, just when everything seemed to be going well, it all comes crashing down. Asajj doesn't even know exactly how it happened, but Maul comes prowling towards the tree under which she and Rex are sitting, talking about her new skills and the best way for her to put them to use when they return home.

"Witch," hisses Maul angrily, and Asajj stiffens, jolting to her feet at his tone. He's often dark and angry, but never like this. Never at her. "You lied to me," the Sith accuses heatedly.

She's more than a little taken aback by the accusation. "What are you talking about?" she demands, sensing more than seeing Rex standing behind her, hands falling towards his blasters – not that there's much he could do against Maul anyways if he attacked her.

"Kenobi. You know him," Maul says sharply.

Asajj narrows her eyes. "I do," she agrees, "And I didn't tell you because it wasn't important. Sidious is the primary threat." She pauses for a moment, trying to gentle her voice. She might be protective of Obi-Wan because Anakin cares about him, but she's not so blind that she can't see how much the former Jedi hurt Maul. "I know what he did to you," she continues, "And I know what you did to him. You were fighting. It was war. You both hurt each other. If you continue with your incessant pursuit of revenge, it will destroy you. Obi-Wan has powerful friends."

Maul glares. "Including you."

"Yes," she admits grudgingly, "But I was referring to Anakin, actually. He is the strongest Force sensitive, stronger than either you or me. If you do go after Obi-Wan, you'll have to go through Anakin, and trust me when I say that he will kill you slowly and painfully. It's not worth it. You should focus your efforts on Sidious instead."

The ex-Sith is radiating anger at an almost disturbing level, but she doesn't let it intimidate her, even if she doesn't think she could necessarily defeat him if it comes down to a fight. "He destroyed me. I survived because of my hatred. My hatred kept my spirit intact. I will have revenge," Maul seethes.

"At the cost of your life?" she retorts sharply. "What good is revenge if you're dead?"

That seems to make him pause because he doesn't immediately reply to her. "I will not die."

"You will," she promises, "And I will help Anakin stop you if I must." Something like betrayal flashes across his face, but it's gone before she has a chance to analyze it. "Leave Obi-Wan alone," she presses, before he can say something else, "And I guarantee you that he will leave you alone as well. Don't forget that you killed his master. I think both of you have reason to be angry, but this… feud will solve nothing. I say you should end it."

And she resolutely refuses to think about how much like a Jedi she probably sounds right now. It's simply a matter of practicality. There's nothing else staying her hand.

"Leave." Maul's voice is low, vibrating with anger, "And don't come back. I don't want to see you ever again, witch."

It stings for some reason, maybe because she had thought they had… something. It was never a friendship, but perhaps, it was a mutual respect of one another. It's not a promise not to come after Obi-Wan, but it's not… not, either. Regardless, it seems that her lessons are now over, but still, she bows her head to Maul, showing an uncharacteristic display of respect. "If that is what you want," she agrees.

She moves towards the direction of where the shuttle has been located for the past few weeks, Rex following her. Maul lets her go, and he doesn't make a move to attack her either. Maybe, regardless of how much he doesn't want to admit it, he agrees with her and accepts the truth of her words. Deep down, he has to know that she's right.

"That was… unexpected," Rex comments as they slip into the cockpit together and take off from Dathomir, probably for the last time. She doubts she'll ever be back, at least not for a while.

Asajj hums an agreement to his words, but they don't actually talk until after they've made the jump to hyperspace, and she's sent a message to Dooku, informing him briefly about what transpired. "I could have learned more, I suppose, but I might know enough to make a difference," she tells Rex as they sit side-by-side in the galley. Their shoulders are touching lightly, and it's sending a tingle of warmth through her.

"I couldn't really say," he replies with a half-teasing smile. "I don't have the same abilities that you do. So… what will we do now?"

She shrugs. "I guess we'll go back to Raxus – that's where we're headed now, and I suppose I'll go back to doing missions for Dooku." There's a part of her which doesn't want to go back, and she can't really explain why. She wants to stay here with Rex, just the two of them, for some time longer.

Rex nods, and from the unnamed emotion in his eyes, Asajj thinks that he might feel the same as her. "I hope to see you more frequently though?" It's phrased as a question, and she realizes that he is… apprehensive. And maybe a bit regretful.

"Definitely," she whispers, leaning a little closer. Their eyes meet, and she knows that she's not alone in feeling this… whatever it is. Her heart is pounding a little faster than normal, and she wants – she wants things she's never wanted before, things she teased Anakin for wanting. Rex doesn't move or pull away when she tilts her head slightly, and slowly, she closes the gap between them, brushing their lips together lightly.

The moment is broken before it even begins when, even light-years away, Asajj hears the scream. She stiffens, jolting upright with a startled intake of breath. "Anakin!" she breathes, eyes darting to Rex who seems uncertain – and maybe a little confused. "Something happened to Anakin," she tells him urgently. She just doesn't know what.

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