Ch34

While the whole Jedi temple was in uproar at a younglings ability to simply make off with a shuttle and go force only knows where, well the Jedi Council and those Masters recruited for finding the boy, Obi Wan Kenobi himself was lounging on his bed and taking periodic sips of his tea as he watched the holonet. If it were up to him he'd be drinking something stronger, but well it wasn't as if his master had any fine and aged wines lying around. Besides moderation was key he supposed as he studied the bottom of his tea cup. Force he couldn't believe that he was actually still in the Jedi temple, let alone that Count Dooku, a member of the illustrious Jedi Council no less was somehow in league with Darth Plagues.

The question would then of course be was he another apprentice? Because Count Dooku was quite definitely too powerful to be a mere acolyte. Or a replacement, and if so than a replacement for who? If Darth Plagues still spoke highly of him, and if he truly wanted Kenobi back, perhaps it would be best to ally himself with the Muun. It was after all Plagues who went out of his way to heal him after a torture session. He was far more brutal than Sideous, however where Sideous sought to inflict pain for obedience or for the simple pleasure of imposing his will on others Plageus's torture sessions had purpose. If Sideous tortured him it could be simply for the sake of hearing him scream. If Plagues tortured him it was because he had failed one too many times or said something to raise the others ire. But after the torture was inflicted and he himself was properly apologetic for it, Darth Plagues would take his time to trace every wound with the healing powers of the dark side of the force while whispering in that chilling but inhuman voice of his at how powerful Kenobi was becoming and how sorry he was that it had to come to this. And he would never forget that one time Darth Sideous had been angered for some or other reason and had come upon him in the training grounds of the Sith temple they and the acolytes were residing in. That spar was one of the most brutal of tortures he had ever faced. He'd thought he would bleed out and die then and there, every cell in his body screaming in agony as he gasped for air that he thought would never come. A thin shiver crawled up his spine as he remembered the cold rains of Yavin and the way his blood mingled unnaturally with the stoned floors.

It was a this particular moment that his holo chose to resound causing him to flinch badly before he pulled it out, all but ready to tear whoever had caused such a response from him apart. But no, it was no doubt another blasted Jedi, perhaps even Master Windu. He schooled his features before responding to the unknown but Jedi temple frequency.

"Kenobi." Obi Wan's brow lifted fractionally at the caller in question before doing a double take confirming that the frequency was indeed a Jedi one.

"Maul what a pleasant surprise."

"I don't have time for these games Kenobi." To be honest Obi Wan wasn't in the mood for any pleasantries either, he had an afternoon off while his Master ran around looking for that Skywalker boy and he was planning to enjoy it thoroughly by watching the holonet and bieng utterly bored.

"Alright let's cut to the chase then shall we? Why are you calling from a Jedi Temple frequency and what the kriff do you want?"

"Not in the best moods are we Kenobi?" Obi Wan clenched his teeth; no he was just remembering how he had once picked flowers on Naboo! What did the fool think he'd been thinking about?

"Sixty seconds, make it short."

"I think you'll be highly interested in what I have to say, so I believe some more civility is in order." Force, Maul was lecturing him on how to be civilized? He sighed. Now was not the time to be taking out anything on anyone. Besides it wasn't like Maul was the object of his displeasure in this particular instance.

"You are quite right my apologies. Now then why don't you tell me what it is I would be interested in and perhaps make it as concise as you can, because as you may well remember I have appearances to keep up."

Maul chuckled darkly. "You're far more dangerous than you let on Kenobi, but no matter, I am powerful in my own right." The man trailed off in his musings for a moment before frowning at something and resuming. "I am currently on Tatooine and have a Jedi acolyte here with me."

"A Jedi acolyte? You mean Skywalker?"

Maul frowned. "Anakin is what he called himself."

"Anakin Skywalker? He's with you? On Tatooine? Force don't tell me he wants him, he's powerful enough to replace us all." Kenobi caught himself on saying Plapatine's sith name, his own holo held no memory banks compliments of the Skywalker boy but there was no need to leave any trace of his connections especially as the Jedi transmitter on the ship no doubt had a memory bank.

"I am aware…which is why perhaps…we should take matters into our own hands."

"You mean kill the boy?"

Maul smiled thinly, "In all other circumstances I would train him myself but he is far too great a threat, and I am not yet the Master."

"No."

"This is not your call to make. It is mine." To kill the Skywalker boy? That would be a sweet revenge to Qui Gon indeed but it would be such a waste. And the boy was innocent. He had no qualms doing a great many things but to kill a boy merely because his connection to the force was more powerful? He could not allow that. "And I repeat you will not kill the boy."

Maul snarled. "And how pray tell will you stop me Kenobi? Last I checked you are there and I am here. Too far to be reached by the likes of you. And don't even think force choking me will stop me. I am powerful in my own right an you know it."

"Oh I won't stop you…" He smirked cruelly allowing just the right amount of threat to leak into his voice. "However should you kill the boy he will be told. I will tell him myself, and I assure you when he finds you, and mark my words the boy is too powerful in the force to have not been already noticed by our master, your death will be far worse than any you have ever inflicted or witnessed. Because he will find you, and I doubt the other he will stop him."

Mauls face was a snarl but he could see that there was fear beneath it all and the understanding and knowledge that Obi Wan was right and he had no way about it. "Fine, but he's not my karking problem anymore. I'm going to drop myself off on the next closest inhabited planet and leave the brat to do as he will. Satisfied?" Maul disconnected much to Obi Wan's annoyance. He waited a good half hour however before contacting the frequency once more, this time hopefully to find the boy.

The boys unruly mop of hair and red rimmed eyes showed up in short order. "Obi Wan!"

"Hey kid, you look like the sith hells." The child perked up slightly at his use of words he himself had told the boy were inappropriate for use in the illustrious halls of the Jedi temple before deflating slightly. "I'm ok, I think, my mom just died and some bantha kungs called sith did it and the man in tattoos whose your Jedi friend said he has a top secret mission so he has to leave me an all, and I wish I could go with him but he says I'm too weak and I gotta become stronger and I don't wanna go back to the temple. I'm free! Why do I have to do what all the Masters say? I don't understand, it's so stupid and my Mom's gone!" The boy's sniffling suddenly turned into sobs as the boy began crying his heart out. Obi Wan didn't remember his own mother but he needed the boy to focus and he the boy's pain did reach out to him…

"Anakin, Anakin I need you to focus. The Jedi you are with is on a top secret mission, even some Jedi don't know where he is, I need you to help him."

"Help him?" The boy hiccupped through his tears.

"Yes I need you to erase the memory banks of all the transmissions for your trip can you do that?"

The boy nodded through his tears. "I also need him to be wiped from the cameras so that only you are seen can you do that?" The boy nodded. "Alright, listen when you come back you can't speak about the Jedi to anyone ok?" The boy nodded confused as he wiped angrily at his tears. "Not even Master Yoda?"

"I will tell Master Yoda myself ok? The Jedi gave me some important information and it needs to be wiped." The boy nodded. "Listen Anakin, when you get back, you'll tell Master Yoda about what happened ok? About the bad men who killed your mother ok? He'll help you."

"Ok…"

"But not about the Jedi ok?"

"Ok…"

The boy seemed to be in shock and Obi Wan couldn't blame him. "Can you call the Jedi once more I need to ask him some questions about what happened ok?"

"Ok…" Anakin turned to go before, Obi Wan added in. "It's going to be ok Anakin, it's going to be ok."


A shout out to Z, thanks for the review and thanks for reminding me that I haven't updated this fic in a long while. A shout out to all my guest reviewers and Axcel and a super big shout out to Ky111 who always reviews the chapters, thanks! It means a lot to me. Thanks to all those who faved the fic and are still following I started this fic way back when and you guys are very awesome for still following the fic.

Now for further comments:

Hey guys it's been a while! Alright so Maul wanting to kill Anakin just came out of the blue but it makes sense that he'd want to eliminate the competition. Originally I actually wanted to make a romance between Maul and Padame because well he gets sent to protect her by one of his Masters and it ends up being like a beauty and the beast thing where he saves her and she ends up being like you saved me bla bla bla stop hiding and he's like you may find me frightening and he shows himself and you all probably know that plot and I thought it could work. That was with the movieverse Maul. However after watching Maul in rebels and after his many resurrections and well evil scheming's I'm not so sure. I mean if I could write him as a guy who wouldn't hesitate to kill a child for his power then maybe I shouldn't go that route? If I ever reach that point I mean…Tell me your thoughts if any. Laters!