RoMythe: Thanks for looking that up, and as for mix up, please don't worry about it. You look the time to actually find something, which is more than I could, so well done for that. And this is an alternate universe story, so I'll make it his Pen name when he writes his memoirs…if he survives long enough to write them, that is Hahaha! (Evil laugh!)

chisscientist: Thanks for that, I do hope you like the way things are going. I've been humbled by the continued interest in this story. It's been a real motivator.

As for a review, I love reading them, especially if readers want something clarified, or they can't understand a particular behavior, because I love explaining that stuff and it sometimes comes across much better when I've been given a question to prompt my response in the appropriate direction. So please review at any time.

On with it then…

/Oh, this is too easy,/ thought Maul as Kenobi yelled and leapt past him to save Boba from Maul's throw of the small craft. Ventress was at his back almost immediately and Dooku moved to defend Kenobi. That was the moment Maul had been waiting for and he struck out at the distracted Dooku with a force push that had the old man stumbling. He flipped back as Anakin swung at him, but his twin blades spun in front of him to successfully block the swift blows from the Jedi. This one was fast, and Maul sensed the power pulsating off his being through the force. His master had warned him about the gnome's padawan, and he had not over estimated the boy's abilities as he stepped back from the lad, allowing him to display his technique while Maul allowed him be believe he was gaining the advantage.

Dooku had recovered and his anger flared in his eyes as they flashed at Maul. To think that this man had once been favored by his master was rather laughable. Dooku's former padawan's death at Maul's hands and his belief that Obi-wan was also dead led him into Sidious' grasp. His rather feeble attempt to usurp Maul had only left the man humiliated and determined to ruin every Sith plan and now Maul could sense the end game being played in Dooku's mind, momentarily focusing on destroying his Jedi Son's murderer, rather than aiding his Jedi Grandson.

The three blades clashed as they moved about the hangar, Maul defending against, then attacking whoever got within his long blade swings. Anakin leapt over him so that he now had two sides to confront and Maul was impressed with how quickly these two had fallen into step with their attacks. Then it occurred to Maul that both men had the same teacher, the gnome, who he sensed not just entwined in their force signatures, but approaching the planet. They had little time left to play these games and Maul intensified his aggressive pattern, now knowing the weaknesses both men possessed from their similar lessons.

He held off their blades along his glowing red one and grimaced a long smile.

"She will rip him apart," he said, locking eyes with Dooku, "and you will experience first hand the agony you missed when I drove my blade into your padawan's chest." Dooku grimaced and leaned into the blades a little too far. Maul simply relaxed back and Dooku fell forward and down, allowing Maul to now push against Anakin and send him several steps away so he could swing down onto Dooku's back. The old man still had some strength in him, and from his prone position he thrust the saber hilt into the back of Maul's knee. Maul anticipated the blow and flipped back out of the way and was about to bring the blade down on the prone Dooku when Anakin placed himself and his blade between them. Maul smiled once again, twisting out and around underneath the boys blade to send Dooku across the hangar deck with a release of force lightening while still holding Anakin back.

/One down,/ he thought to himself as he noticed Dooku's smoking body was not getting back up. He could focus his full attention on the arrogant fool in front of him now. The boy's force signature was extraordinary in its complexity and control, but there were signs of the veneer cracking, especially with recent events swirling around the boy's guarded mind. Maul sensed a deep connection to someone very close physically to their position and while still fending off the continuous barrage of blows he glanced about them, trying to discern the source of this weakness within the padawan.

He noticed Ventress and Kenobi heading into the shuttle and probed more deeply to its contents. He sensed, with much amusement, the bounty hunters sudden and unexpected journey into the bulkhead. He had to sweep up in another arc over the padawan as his attention was brought back to his own fight. This boy was actually getting faster! His master must be very close now, it was time to end this.

/The woman!/, his mind revealed as he was hit by the spike of fear Kenobi felt towards the senators perilous situation. It was obvious the boy felt it too, as his attention was immediately focused on the craft.

/Excellent!/ thought Maul as the distraction was obviously linked to this boy's deep feelings towards Amidala and his lack of control in that split second was all Maul needed. The boy staggered back from the blow of the red blade hilt to his face and Maul curved the red blade up, slicing off the boys left arm from the elbow down. Anakin collapsed to the floor at Maul's feet and the blades rose up to take his head.

The dark side soared around him as he felt Kenobi's hate envelope the hangar and for a moment it was the Sith lord who was distracted, basking in the power that whipped around the former Jedi. But the fool broke off his connection to its flow, making Maul suddenly nauseated by Kenobi's ability to reject that path. Still, it was a start, there was definitely more to be worked on there.

The kick he felt to the back of his knee brought him down over Anakin who raised his blade and sliced at the Sith lord. The blade caught Maul's saber hilt, slicing it in half, the blade pointed towards the boy immediately deactivated. He spat in the boy's face and punched down across his head. Anakin lay motionless before him and he stood up to tower over the fallen padawan, blade ready to strike the killing blow.