It took nearly six hours for Morley to finally lead Zeta Magnus out of the catacombs with the unconscious Maul slinging from the geneticist's shoulders. Several times had Magnus suspected Morley was purposefully attempting to take a long way through the tunnels, just to tire Magnus enough for the Anacondan to subdue and kill him. But Zeta Magnus did not tire, it was one of the many traits the Arkanian cloners engineered out of his body. The geneticist assumed around the fifth hour of their voyage, his conniving guide realised that fact, and finally made a genuine effort to help Magnus find the exit.
Once Zeta Magnus was finally returned to the surface of Lotho Minor by Morley, the armoured cloner thanked the serpent by immediately decapitating the creature with his vibro-axe. In Zeta Magnus' eyes, it was a mercy killing compared to the torture he initially intended for the creature when Morley first dropped him in those catacombs. But he did feel he owed the Anacondan for allowing him to discover the fabled missing Sith Apprentice. Zeta Magnus quickly returned to his Skyriver Invader and called his S'kytri warriors back to the shuttle, apparently, they had begun a search party looking for him in his absence. This act of loyalty was appreciated, but Zeta Magnus knew the real reason was that none of the S'kytri were capable of piloting the shuttle without him. A purposefully withheld piece of knowledge that allowed Zeta Magnus to maintain control over the tribals that remained under his command.
The former Magister of Skye piloted his shuttle back to the Annihilator and had the S'kytri warriors drag Maul's body to his lab. Zeta Magnus had to give the Dathomirian Zabrak several more doses to keep him unconscious as the Maul was laid onto a doonium operating table. Blue-Four began attaching medical apparatuses to examine the Sith Apprentice's physical condition.
"Magister Magnus, the specimen's heartbeat appears to be faster than normal, no doubt due to an immensely unhealthy diet and living condition" reported Blue-Four "but otherwise, it is a steady pulse."
"Very good, Blue-Four" said Zeta Magnus.
Zeta Magnus watched the unconscious body of Maul and remembered the old deal he made with his now deceased master, Darth Sidious. Decades ago, he had learned that the Arkanian scientists responsible for his creation had cursed him with a body genetically predisposed to die. To that end he sought out Darth Sidious after hearing rumours that his master Darth Plagueis had learned the secrets of immortality. However, the geneticist learned that this was not the case, as Darth Sidious was able to kill his master, in keeping with the tradition of the Banite Rule of Two. However, Darth Sidious promised the hybrid monstrosity that he would learn the secrets of immortality that eluded his master, and that he would be willing to share such knowledge if Zeta Magnus swore loyalty to the Sith Order.
Zeta Magnus did not consider himself a fool to be cheated lightly, but he knew his history, he knew that in millennia past there were other Sith Lords who learned how to prolong their lives. So, Darth Sidious' promise held some merit. Still, Zeta Magnus was not about to be hoodwinked by the Dark Lord, so he made a deal, if Darth Sidious ever faltered in his power, then Zeta Magnus would eat him. His combined appetite from the spliced rakghoul and dianoga DNA that made up his body made eating a human force user a simple matter for him. Looking at the unconscious Maul, Zeta Magnus felt famished and did consider making a meal out of him. But that would be such a waste. While the secrets of immortality would forever remain a mystery to the mad cloner, there were other ways to ensure a semblance of eternal life, and that was via a legacy. Darth Maul's return to the Galaxy would be his swan song, his greatest experiment. A rogue Sith, harking about revenge, fuelled with an inhuman determination to stay alive, he would upset the balance of the Clone Wars in ways Zeta Magnus could not begin to fathom; and he had the honour to be the one that let this Akk dog off his leash.
"Blue-Four, prepare our subject for surgery, it is time to bring him back to his former glory" declared Zeta Magnus with much enthusiasm.
He began by having droid assistants remove Maul's decrepit spider-like legs; they were a hinderance that could be easily replaced with more efficient cybernetics. His head was then dissected so that Zeta Magnus could begin feeding a cocktail of bacta and nanodroids to repair his degraded brain. Nutrients was also pumped in Maul's body to provide much needed sustenance. It was a labour that consumed a few planetary rotation, in which time Zeta Magnus began making long-range transmissions to the Six Sister Sector, but soon Blue-Four began seeing promising results from Maul's vitals.
"Heartbeat is beginning to lower and plateau, Magister" analysed Blue-Four "the subject is beginning to redevelop a healthy metronome for the pumping of blood, his resting heartbeat is becoming more akin to an athlete."
"And what of his brain activity?" asked Zeta Magnus as he began sewing Maul's forehead back in place.
"Active, but far less sporadic then when the subject first arrived, I calculate the subject's limbic system has begun repairing itself" claimed the tactical droid assistant.
"Excellent, Blue-Four!" exclaimed the geneticist "I believe it is time to move on to the matter of attaching the cybernetics. Have a droid fetch a pair of the prototype LX-44 claw legs, the one from Project: Huk's Bane."
"Yes, Magister Magnus" said Blue-Four, and as ordered, a DD-13 medical droid collected the prototype cybernetic legs and began carefully intertwining the circuitry of the leg with the cybernetic wiring that was already haphazardly built into Maul during his time on Lotho Minor.
Once all was complete and Blue-Four confirmed that Darth Maul was exhibiting optimal vital signs, the time had come to awaken the Sith Apprentice. Zeta Magnus was already giddy with anticipation. Zeta had Maul's arms and legs bonded to the operating table while Blue-Four used a bacta defibrillator to jumpstart Maul's body. The Sith's immediately opened his piercing yellow eyes and his entire body jolted to life. He began to breath heavily as his vision finally came to. Maul's face was ridden with confusion and anger as he looked at the droids surrounding him, as well as the armoured man standing before him. He soon realised that he could think clearly, the fog that had oppressed him mind for decades had finally lifted; his rapid breathing soothed into one large inhale followed by and exhale.
"Lord Maul" Zeta Magnus parts his maroon cape and gives an overly exaggerated bow "you wear the endurance of the Sith as if it were paged from the annals of legend, your master would be proud were he here today. Blue-Four checks Maul's vitals and nods at Zeta Magnus when the readings show optimal condition "I apologise for the restraints, post revivification can occasionally cause violent outbursts, of course I would not chance an encounter with your legendary wrath."
"Who. Are. You?" asked Maul with a coarse yet shallow timbre in his voice.
"My lord, my name is Zeta Magnus, revolutionary geneticist and the former magister of Marat V" answered Zeta Magnus with gusto and using the colonial name for Skye instead of the planet's indigenous name. "I can assure you, you have nothing to fear from me, I am but a humble servant of your master Darth Sidious."
"My- my Master?" Maul questioned.
"Yes, my lord, I was tasked in ensuring our master's puppeteering of Galactic affairs, as well as continue the biological studies of cloning and Darth Plagueis' research into the midichlorines," explained the geneticist. "My specialities allowed me to bring you back from insanity as you were left a vagrant on that disgusting excuse of a planet Lotho Minor."
"Yes, I remember, the Muun Sith Lord, my Master planned to kill him once I returned from Naboo… my Master, my- where is my Master?"
"I regret that both Darth Sidious and Darth Plagueis have died, but take heart, by the tradition of the Sith, that makes you the rightful heir of the Banite line" said Zeta Magnus. The hybridised geneticist held a pause, he knew what he said next would set numerous events into motion "… well, you and your replacement."
Every muscle in Maul's body immediately tensed, both his hand formed fist; the grip so harsh that his finger nails cut into the palms of his unkept hands. "What. Replacement!?"
"Unfortunately, Lord Maul, the future of the Grand Plan had to be secured, and with you presumed dead, a replacement had to be found." Zeta paused for a moment again "though I must confess, even I was shocked to learn that you were to be replaced… by a Jedi."
"A Jedi?... My- my Master replaced me?" Maul said, the words barely escaping his mouth. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. A Jedi, the sworn enemy of the Sith, had replaced him in Sidious' plans? Maul felt a surge of anger and betrayal wash over him. He had devoted his entire life to the dark side and to serving Sidious, only to be cast aside for a Jedi?
"HE REPLACED ME WITH A JEDI!?" unfathomable rage echoed in Maul's scream as the power of the dark side surged through him with violent potency. His muscles tensed, his veins pulsing as his arms rip through the restraints. Maul lurched forward from the table, his clawed legs gnawing at the final bindings, allowing him to stand once more. Zeta Magnus took a step back out of caution, not wanting to be within arm's reach. The DD-13 medical droid scampered out of the lab out of fear of its destruction at the hands of Maul's rage; Blue-Four almost decided to do the same; a droid might not feel fear, but a desire for self-preservation is a close cousin to the organic emotion.
"A surprise to be sure, this former Jedi Master Dooku has managed to make himself the head-of-state for a Separatist Alliance against the Republic, a kind of anti-super nation for the ancient government, I myself am one of the Alliance's backers."
"So, the war began without me then?" Maul concluded from Zeta's description of a rival super power to the Galactic Republic. "And this… Dooku," Maul paused "so I have a rival?
"Yes, my lord, but regardless of politics, I see Lord Sidious made a foul by you, and I dare not stand in the way of a Sith Lord and his rival. I swore felty to the Sith, but to this Master Dooku, or to you, remains unknown. I believe this is for you and Dooku to decide, while I cannot forsake another Sith Lord by direct means, my resources are at your disposal my Lord."
"Is that so? And what such resources are you giving up so freely?" asked Maul.
"Not all servants of the Sith are inclined to bend the knee to Dooku" claimed Zeta Magnus "I have kept your return a secret from the Separatist Alliance, but one of my former… colleagues, caught wind of your return."
As if waiting for Zeta to speak those very words, a security door immediately opened from behind the geneticist and several warriors donning full-body yellow combat armour entered the room and bowed before Maul on one knee. Darth Maul recognised them as the Sun Guards of Thyrsus, once loyal to the now dead Darth Plagueis.
"They swear fidelity to you, my Lord, the Sun Guards have pledged themselves to the Banite Sith for hundreds of years, while they had served Dooku in the past, you, born of the Nightbrothers and of Lord Sidious, you are seen by them as the true successor of the Banite line, not a Jedi -Fallen as he may be." The Sun Guards lowered their heads in reverence, confirming what Zeta had said "I have also won the loyalty of a group of S'kytri from my former fiefdom of Marat V, and they are an outcast clan, and hold no reverence to their culture, loyal only to those who have power over them."
Maul smiled at the sight of warriors bowing before him "a powerbase worthy of a Sith Lord, your resourcefulness is to be commended, but I do not believe in charity, Magnus. What reason do you have to provide such gifts to me after the death of my master?" asked Maul.
"It is a simple answer, my lord, I am curious, I am a man of science, I wish to spectate how the Galaxy will change by the arrival of a new Sith Lord. For my part in your rise to power, it would be my legacy in the course of Galactic history, a place of immortality, and the chaos that would come from your rise to power assures that more than continuing to aid Dooku in his war efforts."
Darth Maul carefully considered the geneticist's answer, he had been trained to detect falsehoods through the force, and his self-proclaimed saviour seemed to be telling the truth. But truths can be used to hide secret ulterior motives.
"You were right to keep my return a secret, I crave vengeance, but the element of surprise is vital" rationalised Maul, the Sith then smiled and turned to Zeta "you called yourself a Magister, correct? I assume you must have some wealth to your name then?"
"You assume correctly, my lord, free for your disposal, of course" said Zeta Magnus.
"Very good, very good, I would like you to place a modest bounty for the head of Obi-Wan Kenobi, I don't expect any Bounty Hunter to succeed, but I want Kenobi to know that someone out there is looking for him, I want him to be afraid."
"That can be arranged, my lord" said Zeta Magnus "and what of Dooku?"
"While I admire the powerbase you have granted me, it will take more than the Sun Guards to dominate this Dooku, I need funding, infrastructure, an army of my own, though I have not the time to wait like my master did for the perfect army to germinate over decades of time."
Maul's now rational mind was drawn to memories of his early lessons from Darth Sidious, about the fickle loyalty of those who were not beholden to something as large as an intergalactic government. There were crime lords, gang leaders, those who would easily turn on one another to spare their own lives. Maul remembered that during his tutelage under his master, he was sent to assassinate the nine Vigos of the Black Sun criminal empire. The Sith recalled the impressive resources that the Black Sun pitted against him. They had a private army, and enough credits to call upon the greatest mercenaries money could buy; including a couple of force-sensitive assassins if Maul's memories –and scars—were accurate.
"Tell me, Magister Magnus, is the Black Sun still as powerful as it was before my disappearance?" asked Maul.
"Oh, perhaps more so, now that the Republic has been too occupied with its war to crack-down on organised crime as it did in the past" answered Magnus.
They weren't the most powerful military, at least not compared to what Maul assumed the Separatist Alliance possessed. However, the Black Sun had a vast quantity of resources that could be used to fund his plan to usurp Dooku. Such plans would need their resources and their influence in the Galactic Underworld to build his power base. Maul began to cackle as he turned to his Sun Guards, if their past services under Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious were any indication, they would be the perfect tools to prod the Black Sun into a position where they would have no choice but to serve Darth Maul. They would be his shadow in Galactic affairs while the Jedi and Dooku remain unaware of Maul's return. This would be the start of his own Grand Plan for the future of the Sith Order, a future that will not have Dooku or Kenobi in it.
A dark shroud surrounded the force; it filled Count Dooku's mind from his castle home on Serenno. There has been an awakening in the force, its origin could not be determined, but it troubled the Sith Lord. Perhaps it was the darkness of war, the chaos of the recent death of Chancellor Palpatine, but it felt like something more, a darker power. He couldn't understand why, but a deep hatred awakened within the Count of Serenno, as if an ancient wound had begun to bleed once more. Before he could attempt to peer into this metaphorical blanket obscuring his vision, Count Dooku's train of thought was interrupted by the beeping of his holodesk. Activating it, Dooku was once again greeted with the domineering visage of General Grievous, twirling in his mechanical hand the recently acquired lightsaber of the deceased Jedi Knight Pablo-Jill.
"General" the Sith Lord addressed his subordinate "what news from Umbara?"
"The Republic Navy has fallen for the trap; Vulture Droids are distracting their cruisers as my fleet emerges to cloister their advance" declared the cyborg leader of the Separatist Droid Army. "One of the Republic ships has been identified as 'Negotiator', Kenobi and his army has been drawn out to the Expansion Region, the Outer Rim Sieges move in our favour once more."
Dooku gives an approving nod "very good General, I believe we can more on to the second phase of the plan."
"Have the foundations for Operation Durge's Lance been set?" eagerly asked Grievous.
"Patience, General, the stage has not yet been prepared in this Galactic theatre for Durge's Lance" answered Dooku. "I believe it is time to make use of the destruction of the Rishi Moon Outpost and launch our second invasion of the Kamino Cloning Facilities."
"But what of Umbara?" asked General Grievous, wondering how he will be able to join the Invasion of Kamino.
"You will remain on Umbara and lead our droid forces; I have called upon another ally of the Separatist Alliance to aid in the Kamino offensive" responded Dooku.
As soon as the words left Dooku's mouth, he stopped twirling Pablo-Jill's lightsaber and clenched it firmly in his hand. The heavy breathing of General Grievous was so violent that even the hologram's audio was able to pick it up. "But you promised me that honour!"
"I did" admitted the Count "however, if we are to take advantage of the good fortune brought by Chancellor Palpatine's death, we must be willing to forgo some 'honours' to assure victory. As the former Supreme Khagen leader of the Kaleesh tribes, I would have thought you understood this, General."
General Grievous was forced to temper his rage "as you wish, Count Dooku, I will remain here and satisfy my lost privilege by cleaving Kenobi's head from his body!" With that final declaration, Grievous ended the holocommunication.
After Grievous' holographic form dissipated, Count Dooku summoned his chief agent, the dark side adept Asajj Ventress to his study.
"My Master, I have sensed a great disturbance in the force."
"Then my young disciple, you have felt the death of Lord Sidious" Dooku informed the force-sensitive assassin "the lineage of Darth Bane has now fallen to me."
Ventress' eyes were wide with shock "Lord Sidious is no more? What does that mean for me?"
Count Dooku smiled and put both his hands on Ventress' shoulders "What it means, is that you are now what you have always been in everything but name. You are my apprentice."
"My master, I am honoured" she bowed her head before her now official Sith Master, the lineage of Darth Bane was now her own.
"I should think so, my apprentice" said Count Dooku, finally addressing Ventress by her new official title "but we must not let such honours make us complacent, a lesson our dear General Grievous has just been reminded. I have an assignment for you to prove yourself worthy as my Sith Disciple."
"My blade is yours, my Master."
"Soon a massive droid fleet will blockade the planet of Kamino so that we can finally put an end to the Republic's production of Clone Troopers" informed Dooku. "However, it behoves us not to let the DNA of Jango Fett go to waste, and that is why I need you to use the Invasion of Kamino as a shroud so that you may infiltrate the Tipoca City Cloning Facility and appropriate the Prime Cloner."
"As you command, so shall it be" promised Ventress "and who will be leading the assault? General Grievous still fights on Umbara."
Count Dooku nodded "indeed, however, an old ally of ours has volunteered to coordinate the invasion on Grievous' behalf. He has said that he is more than happy to slaughter clones of Jango Fett, and who are we to prevent him from indulging himself?"
The plan for Kamino's invasion was put in motion. The plan devised by Count Dooku and the new military commander was to feint an orbital battle between a Separatist fleet and the Kamino defence fleet. The military commander responsible for the offensive would purposefully lead the Separatist fleet into a suicidal advance, causing their frigates to be destroyed and rain debris into the Kaminoan stratosphere. However, unbeknownst to the Republic defence fleet, the debris from the destroyed Separatist frigates would house several droid landing crafts. The landing crafts will be able to bypass the defence fleet and immediately deploy a landing assault party onto the Kaminoan cloning facility before the Republic can rally appropriate defences.
In order to sell the false orbital assault as the true military strategy, Count Dooku arranged for a transmission between Asajj Ventress and a Separatist Tactical Droid to be purposefully intercepted by the Republic Special Operations Brigade. Thereby warning the Republic of the plot, but only about the Separatist fleet arriving in the Kamino System to engage the Kamino defence fleet head-on, all else would remain unknown.
The bait was taken by the Special Operations Brigade, and soon Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker found himself called away from Coruscant with the rest of the 501st Legion in secret to reinforce the Kamino garrison. Aboard his Venator flagship known as the Resolute, Anakin was treated to a holographic recording of the message between Asajj Ventress and the tactical droid, discussing a surprise invasion of the Kamino cloning facility. Next to the Jedi Knight was his second-in-command, the steadfast and loyal Clone Captain Rex, who looked on with a cocktail expression of concern and anger on his face.
"The clone planet of Kamino will be a dangerous target" declared the holographical recording of Dooku's chief Dark Side Adept.
"All will be well, assuming you follow your directive, Mistress Ventress" responded the tactical droid opposite Asajj in the hologram. "The destruction of the cloning facilities is vital to ensuring Separatist victory against the Republic."
The recording ended. Opposite the holograph projection table stood another Jedi Knight that Anakin had not been introduced to. He was a darker skinned human male with a short black beard wearing tanned Jedi robes adorned with clone trooper shoulder pads; the left shoulder pad emblazoned with the symbol of the Jedi Order. Apparently, he was the new Jedi General of the 302nd Battalion, a battalion that until only recently was led by Jedi Knight D'urban Wen-Hurd, until she was killed by General Grievous on the planet Nadiem. This new Jedi General stroked his beard and looked on in a very moderated concern, showing only the appropriate amount of pity allowed by a Jedi Knight.
"They're going to attack our home world" Captain Rex finally said with dry dismay.
"The Separatist Alliance is taking quite a risk" added the unknown Jedi General, his voice is far deeper than his appearance had led on. "The droid army already attempted an invasion of Kamino with the aid of a hired Mon Calamari militia, yet this transmission suggests they are attempting an even more brazen strategy than before."
"With all due respect, General, if someone comes after our home, they better be carrying a big blaster" declared the 501st Captain; the comment earning a smile of approval from Anakin Skywalker.
"We'll make sure Kamino is secure" Anakin assured Rex "tell your troopers in the 501st that they're going home."
Captain Rex saluted his Jedi General "yes sir!" he said before walking out of the Resolute's command bridge to inform his men of the coming battle.
"You lead your men with shared respect, General Skywalker, that is to be commended" commented the 302nd Jedi General.
"In times of war, I find it is the only way to lead," said Anakin. "But I'm glad you approve, Master-" Anakin gestured his gloved cybernetic hand towards his fellow Jedi, meaning for him to properly introduce himself.
"No, not quite a master yet, General Skywalker" the Jedi admitted with an amused smile "my name is Jedi Knight Qu Rahn, I believe we share a mutual friend in young Halagad Ventor."
Anakin only knew Qu Rahn by the reputation expounded to him by his close Jedi friend Halagad Ventor. Rahn was once one of the many Jedi Younglings tutored by Grandmaster Yoda himself, until he began exhibiting exceptional traits that had him transferred away from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Much like Halagad, Rahn was another product of the Almas Academy, a remote training facility for Jedi Hopefuls that had its own methods of training younglings that did not always align with the more rigid structures of the Coruscant Jedi Temple. Without the scrutiny of the Jedi High Council's oversight, the Almas Academy had developed a reputation of producing some of the most unconventional Jedi Knights in Galactic History. Anakin had been told by Obi-Wan that had Grandmaster Yoda not accepted him into the order, Qui-Gon Jinn would have had Anakin trained at the Almas Academy in secret. If the Almas Academy's reputation for training the unorthodox, then Anakin was more than happy to work alongside Qu Rahn as a fellow unconventional Jedi.
"The famous Qu Rahn, it is an honour to finally meet you" said Anakin with a customary bow.
"It an honour as well to at last meet Anakin Skywalker, the hero of Rhen Var" proclaimed Qu Rahn, returning Anakin's bow with a bow of his own. "What is our strategy for the droid attack?"
"I will lead the fleet battle against the Separatist warships while you rendezvous with Master Shaak Ti and shore up defences on Tipoca City, that will likely be their first target."
"I agree" said Qu Rahn "my Captain Sparks and your Captain Rex will help barricade the Tipoca Hanger Bays while Master Ti's Rancor Battalion protects the barracks" added Qu Rahn.
"Exactly" nodded Anakin "my padawan Ahsoka Tano will remain on Tipoca City with Captain Rex and Torrent Company, the battle is to be fought in space, so I'd rather keep her on the planet's surface."
"A Jedi's life is one of danger" Qu Rahn reminded Anakin "keeping your Padawan away from the conflict may ensure her safety, but it may stunt her in the long run."
"Don't worry about my Padawan, she is well trained," said Anakin "but I'd prefer to coordinate the fleet by myself, Ahsoka… has not had the best experience leading naval battles in the past."
Qu Rahn nods in acceptance "I will defer to your judgement regarding your Padawan, General Skywalker."
"Thank you, General Rahn" Anakin understood where Qu Rahn's concerns stemmed from, but Ahsoka was not someone who was starved from conflict, their first meeting in the middle of a skirmish on the planet Christophsis was proof enough. It was just that Anakin felt he had a duty of care for Ahsoka, and that risking her life on every assignment was just a sure-fire way to get her killed. Hence why he's had Captain Rex and Clone Corporal Jesse put Ahsoka under several highly intense lightsaber drills to make sure that she can protect herself from even the most accurate of enemies.
The Resolute travelled from the Core Worlds through hyperspace, voyaging to the Kamino system, where a great battle was looming over the horizon. Anakin now wondered if his Padawan was up to the challenge. Regardless of the training, the Separatist Alliance was going to put everything it had to destroy Tipoca City, along with the entirety of the Republic's production of clone troopers. The outcome of this battle could mean uncontested victory for the Separatists, a very harrowing notion.