If you are going this isn't a new chapter for me, check the previous chapter because at some point I replaced it with this one, whoops!
Leia smiled as the bond mended itself, feeling Luke's comforting presence once more. How she would hide the bond when Maul returned she knew not, nor did she care at the moment, she just needed to feel safe for a few precious moments of time.
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Her Master contacted her a few days later. "The Republic has learned of our operation on Tatooine, join me there." He ended the transmission without leaving her anytime to say anything in return, so she ordered the remaining crew, those who were too afraid of Maul to even think of leaving, to make haste to reach there in a timely fashion. Even the crew could see that Darth Keeran was bothered by what Maul had done and that left all of them on edge as they made their way through space to join the lunatic that was their leader.
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As they came out of hyperspace, Maul's craft rushed to join them and, upon his landing in the hanger, he ordered Darth Keeran to be sent to him. Before Leia could do so, Gideon Husk walked up to him and said "Lord Maul, Darth Keeran allowed many of our few remaining troops to leave without even trying to stop them after you left." "Of course I did." Came Leia's voice from the door, causing Gideon Husk to turn quickly towards it as she continued, "If I had taken them out what would that have accomplished? Darth Maul had already made his point quite clear and if I forced them to stay all that would have accomplished is them fighting half-heartedly if that, more than likely they would have straight up surrendered the next time we went into battle."
"You could have killed them." Husk said, starting to feel a bit nervous about being amongst the two Sith alone. "Again, that would have accomplished nothing except for maybe losing us the few that remain loyal to the cause." Leia said. "Enough, leave us, Darth Keeran made the right choice." Maul said, tired of the bickering and the interruption. Husk made a hasty retreat, lest he earn Maul's wrath. "Allow me to introduce my best field agent." Maul said, once the irritating man had left, "This is Qi'ra."
Leia nodded her head at the woman who was roughly her age, if not perhaps a bit older. "She thinks she has finally located the object and location we have been searching for these five, long years." Maul said as she did so, causing her to start. "Really?" Darth Keeran asked, intrigued. "Yes Darth Keeran, it's located on Tatooine, but it is in Jabba's palace. I had almost successfully, along with my team, gotten the Hutts to vacate, when they were rescued by a Jedi. We intercepted a call to the Jedi Temple, asking for help, however we were not able to stop it from being sent in time."
Before Darth Keeran could say anything, Maul spoke, saying "Quite alright, the important thing is we have finally found it. Taking care of that fool Jabba will be a cinch, but it is a pity that the Jedi will be coming. Still, if we act quickly enough we may be able to get there first and get the Hutt's out of our way while we get to the location Qi'ra has scouted out." "Why don't we have our forces, led by Qi'ra and her team, act as a distraction while we slip into the palace?" Darth Keeran questioned.
"An excellent idea, my apprentice. How many are in your team Qi'ra?" "Just three others, the Becketts and Rio Durant." She replied. "You each shall take command of a section of the forces, get Val Beckett up here to control our sky forces and the rest of you handle the land." Maul said, starting to leave the room. "I'm not sure Tobias will take kindly from having his wife taken so far away from his protective circle." Qi'ra slightly objected, the news of what had happened on Maul's ship had yet to reach her ear, otherwise she may have exercised better caution.
Maul made a move to choke her, but Keeran stopped him, using the Force to do so, as she said "I'm sure Qi'ra here did not mean to question you Maul, but let me handle this." Maul frowned, but nodded before leaving the room. Leia sighed, shaking her head as the presence of her master moved off. Turning to Qi'ra she said "You're lucky I was here. Maul ordered the destruction of our entire fleet. The people who Husk mentioned leaving did so because of this, so he would have no qualms about killing you at this point. He has gone completely mad in his desire to find this Sith location."
"My thanks then, Darth Keeran, for not allowing that to happen." "You're welcome, now listen carefully, we don't have much time and there is much you need to know and pass on. If we are successful, you aren't going to want to be anywhere on the ground down there and if we aren't, then this will be Maul's last stand. Do me a favor and save everyone you can. Put on a show for Maul long enough for us to enter the palace, but then get your forces back to the ship and either leave or surrender to the Republic. Maul will need not know the details if he succeeds on how you came to give up, but if he doesn't then that will be a few less lives that are lost."
Qi'ra looked at Leia, puzzled as she said "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for all you are trying to do in saving us, but why? It doesn't seem like something a Sith would do, at least if Maul is any indication." Leia looked away before looking back, Qi'ra noticing that each eye was a different color, one her original and one the Sith yellow. "I don't know. Whenever I'm with Maul, his ways make sense, but the moment he leaves… its all a muddle, I can't think or focus."
Qi'ra put her hand on Leia's arm as she said "We'll get you out of here Leia, come with us, don't go in there with Maul." Leia laughed bitterly, before she answered "If only I could. But in order for it to work, he needs both of us there. I need to go in order to keep him from noticing what is going on with you guys." Qi'ra suddenly hugged her, causing Leia to gasp and tear to slip from one of her eyes as she reveled in the contact that she hadn't experience much since joining Maul and definitely since Maketh had left.
"Thank you, for giving us this chance. I will send help to you, somehow." Qi'ra announced, before letting go and exiting the room, rushing to inform her team of what was going to happen. Leia stood still as she took a steadying breath, it wouldn't do to rejoin Maul looking ready to cry. Soon, one way or another, this would all be over.
Wow, obviously when I started this story back in 2016 this scene wasn't in my mind, since we knew nothing about what would happen in Solo, but I really am happy I got to do this one. I think it really fit Qi'ra to be working under Maul in my story, for reasons (just in case you haven't watched the film, I won't say).
Now, just in case it was forgotten, the reason I flip flop between calling Leia by Leia or Darth Keeran is because of how when Maul is around, its almost like she becomes Keeran, but the moment he is gone (the distance of which is getting less and less as he loses his grip on reality) she starts trying to be her true self once again, even if she doesn't really know it. The Dark Side is clouding her mind at all times, mainly via Maul, but every once in a while she breaks free of it and does something decidedly not Sith, hence why I write her the way I do.
Also, once again I am sorry for how flip floppy I have been on updating this one, but you will be happy to know that I have the next chapter ready as well! So next week you shall have a new one for sure to enjoy! I have been struggling with inspiration for this story, but oddly enough I got it while watching those Lego shorts with Roger and I saw Moxie. Somehow that gave me the energy and inspiration for this and the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!