Chapter 71: Flames of Raydonia
He wasn't an idiot. As soon as he was in the pilot's seat of the Jedi starfighter, he had contacted Cody to inform him of the situation and commanded him to fly the Negotiator to the Belsmuth sector and drift just outside the Raydonia system. It was close enough for the dreadnaught to effectively monitor the system for outgoing ships, but far away enough to keep from alerting Maul. It was likely the former Sith had a ship on the ground, and it was a very real possibility that it could pick up the presence of a ship as large as the Negotiator if it was too close. With any luck, the fight would be over on the ground. After all, it would take a few hours for the Negotiator to arrive from Mustafar, and he didn't want to rely on his men picking off a small, single ship. He believed they could, but the likelihood of a successful escape always became exponentially greater when in the air.
He closed his eyes as soon as they were clear of Mandalore, his hands on the acceleration and the yoke as he surrendered his body to the Force, allowing it to direct them to Raydonia through real space instead of making the jump to hyperspace. The jump would be so short it was hardly worth it, and Kenobi felt it necessary to take a much needed break for meditation in order to center himself and contemplate what it was he must do. It was very likely that Savage Opress would be present. They had been unable to find the hulking body of Dooku's former apprentice when they had slaughtered the Nightbrothers, and Kenobi found it highly likely that Savage had something to with that something that Talzin had said was set in motion. Maul's appearance now could not have been a coincidence, so it was no coincidence either that Savage had been missing from among the dead.
It was a good assumption that Savage would be there to aid Maul, which made Obi-Wan grateful to have aid, even if it was not the aid he'd naturally choose. He was certain that he could best the two Nightbrothers on his own, but the Force had a strange way of allowing things to go horribly wrong, and he had learned his lesson about being overconfident back when he had failed to kill Mace Windu on Haruun Kal. It was not a mistake he would make again, which made him grateful for the help he had. Even if it wasn't ideal.
Dooku was too important to the war effort to risk, as was Grievous, and he wouldn't bring someone that wasn't strong in the Force to combat former Sith apprentices anyway. This was the sort of thing that he would have called on Ventress for, and he felt a twinge of pain in him at her loss. He...missed her. He briefly considered bringing Pong Krell, but decided against it when he considered what Maul actually was. This was a creature that had made Darth Sidious turn his sights away from Mother Talzin. Talzin! The witch that rose an army of the dead and managed to nearly kill a Sith Lord from across space with hardly any effort at all. And she was rejected in favor of an infant Maul. This man was not to be underestimated, regardless of how spectacularly he had failed on Naboo. Since Obi-Wan walked with the Force, Maul would be decidedly working against it, since the Dark Side was howling for his death. He would bend the Force to his will, uncaring of the way in which it flowed, as thousands of Sith had done before him. Which meant one very important thing to Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon was in danger.
It was a problem and a complication that he didn't need, but there it was. Qui-Gon Jinn was something different, something he had never seen before, and as he slowly began to gain control of his visions, it became more and more clear that Qui-Gon stood on a delicate edge, not between dark and light, but between balance and chaos. The Force craved darkness, that much was already set, but Qui-Gon's life seemed to support that dark balance. It was...odd. Unsettling, even, and Obi-Wan struggled to find the meaning in this. He could not, of course, such was the nature of these visions, but it was clear that Qui-Gon wasn't just protected, but he was a rare, treasured thing that the Force actually needed. Sidious had brushed it off, called it the last pitiful attempt of the light to cling to a place in the galaxy, but Obi-Wan didn't believe it. The Force had never led him astray before, and ignoring the will of the Force had invited destruction upon countless Sith in the past. His new Sith would be partners to a Force that already supported the darkness, and abusing a powerful ally was never wise. He couldn't understand why Sidious couldn't understand that, but it didn't matter. That lack of understanding would be what got him killed.
Like Sidious, Maul would care little for the will of the Force, or he would have simply died when he was cut in half like a normal person. This put Qui-Gon in a significantly dangerous position, and it made it necessary to defend him. For the sake of the Sith, Qui-Gon Jinn needed to live. He didn't know why, but-
A gentle tug on his consciousness jerked him out of his meditation, the bright presence making the Dark Side hiss and rage and retreat into the depths of him where it could silently seethe. With a deep growl, Obi-Wan shut his eyes tighter, but the presence was still there, deep in his mind, and he couldn't get it out!
"Obi-Wan." His golden eyes flew open and his hands tightened around the control yoke. He greatly disliked that the gunner seat was in position behind the pilot. He'd rather be watching the Jedi, but not flying wasn't an option. "Obi-Wan."
" Didn't we agree to no talking?" Kenobi snapped as he looked over his shoulder at the calm, serene Jedi.
"I never agreed to that."
"Then I will tell you once," he growled. "Do not talk to me."
In the silence that followed, Kenobi breathed a sigh of relief. Than, the Jedi muttered and amused, "Why not?"
"Because I don't want to talk to you!"
"That's fine," Qui-gon said with a chuckle. "You can just listen while I talk."
Kenobi growled, undid the flight restraints and turned in his seat to face the bemused Jedi. "No. I don't want to even know you're here, understand?"
Qui-Gon scoffed. "What are you going to do? Kill me?" That got Kenobi's attention the Jedi was...mocking him? It was as if he knew his life was sacred, like he knew he could not be killed. That with this particular Sith Lord, he was...safe. It was a confidence that Obi-Wan didn't like that the Jedi had, but there was little he could do about it.
"...no. I'm not going to kill you, Qui-Gon, but that won't keep me from removing your tongue."
"Why not? Why won't you kill me?"
Why not?! Kenobi stared in disbelief at the Jedi as a clever smirk slowly slid across Qui-Gon's face. Why not?! How dare this Jedi question him! Did he have a death wish? Is that what he wanted, did Qui-Gon want to die? Or was he simply testing the Sith? He didn't know, and he didn't have a good answer, so he reached for a piece of the truth. "I don't indiscriminately murder, Qui-Gon, if that's what you're wondering."
"No?"
"No," he growled, his hand tightening on the yoke. "I'm not some butcher, that isn't what the Sith are about, which I'm sure will come as a shock to you ignorant Jedi. Murder is pointless if there isn't reason behind it. We'd just be animals otherwise." He stopped and chewed the inside of his lip as he thought, his eyes fixed out the viewport. "Death without purpose is a waste."
"Like what Maul did?" the Jedi asked, but Kenobi shook his head.
"No, no, those deaths had purpose. I don't fault him those ones. If I wanted to get the Jedi's attention, I would have done similar. I have done similar." Kenobi laughed softly to himself for a moment. "I actually don't have any feelings toward Maul. I have no revenge to seek, no debt to settle, but he is a threat to the Sith and therefore must die."
Qui-Gon was silent for a long while, and Obi-Wan sighed softly in relief as he felt the Jedi's overly-bright presence slip away from the walls of his mind. Then, quietly, almost nervously, he asked, "But you do seek revenge against me."
Obi-Wan slowly nodded. "I do. But the funny thing about revenge, Qui-Gon, is that I can never have it if you're dead. Death is a mercy, and anyone who crosses me doesn't deserve such an easy escape." The Jedi was silent, his blinding presence cold and distant and so bright that it was painful. It wasn't disrupting his connection with the Force, but it was making it shockingly difficult to concentrate. "And you?" he heard himself say. "I know it's not a very Jedi thing to think, but do you seek revenge against me? I have done so much damage to the Jedi. I suspect you must."
"Many do," he said slowly. "I admit, it's difficult to remain impartial when your betrayal was so close and personal, not just to me, but to the Order as a whole. We have endlessly discussed what we would do with you if we managed to capture you. Most argue for execution. They feel you are too dangerous to keep alive." Obi-Wan laughed loudly at that, and Qui-Gon silently let him ride out his amusement. From Obi-Wan's perspective, it must have been extremely funny for the Jedi to adopt such a dark line of thinking. When the Sith had fallen silent once again, Qui-Gon softly added, "But no, I don't seek revenge. I'm a Jedi. I seek reconciliation."
Obi-Wan mindlessly engaged the autopilot and slowly turned in his seat and for a long while, just stared at the Jedi, fighting through the pain of just looking at him and keeping the Force held close. He remembered the last time he tried to touch Qui-Gon Jinn's consciousness. He saw eternity in the Jedi Master, and he was not willing to look into it again. "Reconciliation..." he said slowly, drawing out every syllable. "If you think you can bring me back-"
"I don't," he said swiftly, cutting him off much to the Sith's irritation.
"You do understand that I'm a Lord of the Sith, right? What sort of Jedi wants to make peace with a Sith Lord!"
Qui-Gon smiled faintly. "I've always been a bit out of step with the Council, as you well know." Kenobi's yellow eyes narrowed. "That frustrated you a great deal when you were younger, though, I suspect now, you and I will have similar views on many matters."
"I want the extermination of the Jedi," Kenobi said flatly, and to his satisfaction, Qui-Gon seemed to balk.
"W-well, I did say on many matters." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He may well have been serious, but Obi-Wan had said it for shock value. "Perhaps on some matters regarding the Jedi as well. There are those in the Temple that call me Gray Jedi for my defiance of the Council, but I think that following the will of the Force should come above all else. Even following the Code."
Obi-Wan always knew this about his Master, but when he had fallen to the Dark Side, he did everything in his power not to think about Qui-Gon, and now, he was finding that he agreed with the Jedi Master. "You know," he said softly, "it's that mentality of yours that put me at odds with you and drove me to the Dark Side."
"...I know. And I am truly sorry for that, Obi-Wan. But...perhaps it was the will of the Force." Qui-Gon bit his lip and looked away, as if the very thought pained him. "I can't imagine why the Force would want that for you. I've asked myself that many times, but I've never had the gift of foresight that you possess."
"You believe it's the will of the Force that I fell?"
Qui-Gon slowly nodded. "I don't know if you were always destined to become Sith, but at some point, the Force pushed you to them." He closed his blue eyes, and for a moment, the old Jedi Master looked at complete peace. When he opened his eyes, there was a new fire in them, and Kenobi drew back, the light of his presence intensifying and making the Sith receded like a shadow before a flame. "The Force keeps drawing me to you, Obi-Wan. Time and time again, no matter where I am, it pulls me to you, and I have never ignored the call of the Force. You and I are still connected, and perhaps this is why. Perhaps it's guiding us to finish what we started."
The light was blinding, and it was making his head hurt, making the darkness within him struggle and rage against the Sith's firm hold. "Perhaps," was all he muttered as he turned away from the Jedi and looked out the viewport and switched off the autopilot. Was this how Qui-Gon planned to defeat the Sith? With understanding? It would never work. Besides, as Qui-Gon had said, his views were always out of step with the other Jedi. His views never reflected the Jedi as a whole, and they never would. They'd be dead before they could change. But not Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon would live. He had to. Deep within his mind, he felt the Jedi Master's consciousness, that bright point of light, and he hissed, his hand flying to his temple with the pain of it before it eased into something...soothing. Old and familiar, like something long forgotten that had recently been found.
Their Force bond.
It was there, a small, singular thread, barely a connection, but he felt it keenly, one among many attachments he had formed, so thin it was undetectable within the broad flow of his stronger bonds he shared with others. And now, he could feel Qui-Gon reaching out slowly, carefully, and grabbing hold, making it stronger. Once, long ago, Sidious had formed a friendship with the Jedi Master Dooku, a connection that eventually led to the Jedi's fall to the Dark Side and his subsequent apprenticeship to the Sith. The lesson Obi-Wan had learned from this was not to cast aside anyone simply because of who they are. If someone could be of use, use them, and this was no different. Qui-Gon was essential to the Force, to the plans of the Sith, to a thousand years of darkness in the Force under the careful guidance of the Sith. He needed to be held close, cherished and protected, lest that future fall apart. Qui-Gon wouldn't fall to the Dark Side. He couldn't. But he didn't need to. The Force already had a place for him.
With a deep breath, Obi-Wan relaxed and allowed Qui-Gon to strengthen their connection. He was well-versed in keeping his thoughts and emotions and intentions safely hidden away as part of Sidious' rigorous training, but to Kenobi's surprise, Qui-Gon didn't even try to touch his thoughts or his memories. This wasn't a covert way to gain information, the Jedi Master was firmly dedicated to reenforcing the connection with his former student that he so suddenly lost. It was possible the intent was purely sentimental, but Obi-Wan sensed it was otherwise, though he could not sense what that could be. What he did sense, though, was deep concern for the Padawan he had abandoned, sorrow and regret for how things had ended, and understanding for what he had become. It wasn't acceptance, but Qui-Gon understood.
He dismissed it as something that could be detrimental to the Sith. After all, all a Force bond was merely a connection between two souls through the Force. It anchored them together, and if allowed, it could be used to share thoughts, feelings, but it was never invasive. The Dark Side was required for that, and Qui-Gon Jinn was blinding light. Besides, the connection had been there all along. Obi-Wan had just been unable to see it until Qui-Gon lit it up like a singular flame in the darkness. He couldn't believe that he had missed it before, and as the connection so effortlessly deepened, Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel that this would not only give Qui-Gon a touch of the reconciliation he sought, but it would allow Obi-Wan to carefully monitor the old Jedi. After all, if he was to be protected, a connection through the Force could allow him to sense any danger that waited for the Master. It was a quick and easy way to protect this asset.
"What have you become?" Obi-Wan asked quietly when the silence began to ring in his ears, when the sense of peace the Jedi was projecting became too much. "I would look myself, but I remember what happened the last time I tried to enter your mind."
"There are some places even darkness can't tough, Obi-Wan." Kenobi tensed in a reflexive rejection of the Jedi, but quickly brushed the impulse aside. He wasn't being arrogant or superior, he just...was. "And you already know. You've been inside my mind, I let you in. You felt it."
"I don't know what I felt."
"Yes you do." Again, Qui-Gon was right. In the old Master, he had seen eternity, the infinite expanse of the Force and the promise of endless life. Qui-Gon Jinn had learned how to transcend death. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and held it, thinking if this could be some trick of the Force, some illusion of eternal life that stood as a warning to those that would seek to end him. It could have meant many things. That he shouldn't be killed, as the Force seemed to warn him, that he couldn't be killed, as the searing brightness of his presence seemed to suggest. He turned in his seat to look at Qui-Gon and found him calm, comfortable, so unlike he had been when Obi-Wan had left the Jedi. He had grown and learned and changed, just as Obi-Wan had, and Kenobi couldn't help but feel a great sense of relief. If all Jedi were like Qui-Gon Jinn, the Sith would never succeed. He'd have to keep his old Master close.
"You've discovered immortality," Kenobi said, and Qui-Gon nodded slowly, a knowing, secretive smile on his lips.
"I can't teach you. You would be unable to do it. No Sith can."
"I don't desire immortality," he growled, insulted that the Jedi thought he'd ever want to learn anything from him. "The Force is protecting you, Qui-Gon," the Sith said softly. "I don't know why, but your death is so against the will of the Force that even the Dark Side recoils from you. Maybe I'm being misled, but I don't think so."
Qui-Gon seemed shocked, which Kenobi didn't expect. He must have known. "I can't imagine what the Force would want with me..." he muttered, softly chuckling as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'm a follower of the Force, but I'm not exactly a very good Jedi."
"Maybe you are," Kenobi said quietly, averting his eyes when he felt that blinding light fall upon him again. "Maybe it's the Order that's lost their way. Maybe you're what the Jedi are supposed to be."
"...maybe."
"Listen," Kenobi said swiftly, grabbing the back of his seat and twisting his body so he could look right at Qui-Gon. He was resolved. Qui-Gon Jinn wasn't a threat, was never a threat, and a Jedi Master that was willing to go out of his way to help a Sith Lord was worth keeping around. He'd never be Sith. He'd never be an ally of the Dark Side, but his former Master was a friend to him, willing to put aside a world of differences in order to try to heal a wound that the Jedi had inflicted long ago. Once, Obi-Wan had thought it possible to make amends with the Master that had betrayed him, only to have his fall prevent that from happening. But now it seemed not only possible, but worthwhile.
"You can consider us reconciled, Qui-Gon." The Sith hissed and shielded his eyes as the brightness intensified into pain, the Dark Side growling softly within him, not in fear or discomfort, but...satisfaction. "Or at least consider me willing. I don't know what you are, but if the Force keeps delivering you to me, there can be no mistake about what it wants."
"I agree."
"Then consider this," he said, his eyes narrowing and his voice cold and serious. "Maul isn't going to care that the Force wants you alive, and he's going to do everything in his power to kill us both, but you are an easier target. You need to trust me, and you're going to need to let me protect you, because if you die..." Kenobi growled in frustration and turned from the Jedi, his hand tightly clutching the yoke and pulling back on the accelerator as they entered the Raydonia system. They'd be there soon.
"I'm not afraid of death," the Jedi said calmly, and Kenobi could feel his temper flare, the Dark Side roaring to life and coming out of hiding and no longer shrinking away from the light. The blinding brightness was still painful, still repelling, but it was now an ally, and the darkness sat safely in the shadows.
"You may not be, but the Force doesn't want you dead, Qui-Gon. I'm going to kill that rabid animal, and if you are thinking about stopping me-"
"I won't stop you."
Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment, slowly tugged at their connection and heard the Jedi softly gasp at the sharp pull in his mind. Their bond, though still thin, was firmly established. "You're going to have to let me protect you, and that will require following my every command. Understand?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "There's light in you, you know," Qui-Gon said suddenly, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in disgust.
"Is this the part I get lectured?"
"No. You're a Master in your use of the Force, what right have I to lecture you?" Obi-Wan didn't answer, so Qui-Gon continued. "There's light and darkness in us all."
Kenobi scoffed. "You Jedi never admit to it."
"No, but that doesn't mean its not there. As there is light in you. I see it in your love for Satine and your unborn child." The Sith Lord tensed, the connection between the two straining with fury as the Dark Side viciously pulled at its Master, and Qui-Gon quickly let go, allowing the link between them to relax.
"Careful, Qui-Gon..." Kenobi warned. "My passions come from my embrace of the Code of the Sith. Don't attribute it to some fallacy of the light."
Qui-Gon nodded, and carefully put the matter away. It was the wrong approach. He took a deep breath and began again. "...do you know the gender?"
"...it's a boy."
Qui-Gon could feel the Sith Lord ease, the tension leaving him as his body relaxed, and he slowly returned to tending the fragile connection between them. "I could feel him in the Force. He's exceptionally powerful."
He could see Kenobi's chest swell with pride, and Qui-Gon couldn't help but smile as Obi-Wan began to talk, slow and guarded at first, and than freely as he grew more relaxed, more comfortable, was met with silent approval and quiet questions from the Jedi that had been like a father to him. The gap was far from bridged, but it was slowly beginning to repair itself. As a teacher to the rule-abiding Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon had been a failure in the end when it mattered most, but now, when the man stood on the ideological opposite of the Jedi, he was able to accept it as the will of the Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi would never be a Jedi again, would never again walk in the light. He was steeped in darkness down to the very heart of him, but as Qui-Gon listened to him talk, Obi-Wan sounded so very human.
It was a far cry from the soulless monster the Council came to see him as. He was, as Quinlan had said a long time ago, just a man, a being worthy of compassion and understanding. Qui-Gon didn't forget that good and evil were real things, and that Kenobi had done his fair share of evil, no doubt more than any of them had realized, but it was a fallacy to believe that the Dark Side had killed everything Obi-Wan had been. It was warped, twisted into something dark and murderous, but he had also expressed a reluctance to kill without need and could be reasoned with by the right people. And Qui-Gon had always been a champion of those that the Council had seemed to brush aside. This was how he would reach Obi-Wan Kenobi. It may not amount to anything for the Jedi, but Qui-Gon's failure had led his student to this. When it mattered, he had lacked the compassion, the understanding, the patience to properly tend to his Padawan's fear and insecurity when he had felt the Dark Side pull at him. The very least he could do was give this Sith the treatment he should have given his young learner. Qui-Gon would meet Kenobi not with violence, but with compassion. It was the Jedi way.
"He should have been here by now!" Savage growled, pacing restlessly like a caged animal while Maul leaned against the side of one of the thatch houses, arms crossed and eyes closed.
"Patience, brother," he said quietly, calmly. "I have waited so long for my revenge. I can wait a little longer."
"He's bringing help, I know he is!"
"The Jedi won't risk the death of more innocent," Maul said, looking up toward the sky when he heard a distant rumbling of a ship entering the atmosphere. One of the may advantages of a primitive world such as this was there was no city to drown out the noise of ships, no collection of artificial lights to make it difficult to see. He had chosen the location well. There would be no help for Kenobi here.
Maul watched with apprehension as the ship drew near, and he finally spotted the small starfighter, grinning maliciously when he saw just how small it was as the ship set down in the fields just outside the town. He heard the whine of the ship powering down, and then there was nothing. No other ships were coming. Kenobi was here, and he was alone.
Rage overcame him, the bitter Dark Side roaring in anticipation and almost seeming to laugh with triumph as thick streams of deep, consuming satisfaction ran through him. The battle was already won. This Jedi, this Kenobi couldn't stand against the fury of years and years of consuming hatred made manifest. His death would be beyond excruciating, and Maul would make certain that the Jedi suffered the way that he had suffered. He would make this Jedi beg for death, and even then, the exquisite pain would not cease.
"Hide, Savage," the Zabrak said quietly, his entire body quivering in anticipation. "Remember what we discussed. I want him alive, he is mine to torment."
"Yes, brother..." Maul watched as Savage dashed off, going to hide among the many small hovels that passed as homes on this pathetic planet. Behind him, the fields were burning, and would continue to burn until the town was consumed as well. Perhaps he'd make Kenobi watch him slaughter the rest of the people on this planet, make the Jedi keenly aware that his failure, his weakness would cost the lives of countless innocents. The merciful and compassionate Jedi were tortured by such things, and Obi-Wan Kenobi would suffer like no other ever had. It was the way of the Sith, and Maul, despite his absence, was Sith.
His heart raced in his chest and his breath quickened as he saw not one, but two figures slowly approaching, and rage consumed him. He did not expect the Jedi to bring help. The claws of his mechanical feet grasped the ground tightly as Maul's sharp eyes watched the Jedi slow when they saw him, and the taller of the two leaned over to speak to the smaller man. Maul felt his chest tighten, the Dark Side thrashing and furious and...afraid? No. He shook his head, his focus returning. A Sith felt no fear. He felt no fear. He had lived too long with fear and doubt gnawing at his being to allow it to come to him now in his moment of revenge. But then, there it was again, growing stronger as the Jedi came into view, and his eyes narrowed in rage, bitter recognition coming to him.
He recognized Kenobi in an instant. He wore a beard now, but the man looked no older than the day they had fought, the day that the Jedi Padawan had left him for dead. He knew the face, had ten years to memorize it as it ran through his mind like an obsession in his madness, and now it stood before him. But he knew he would face Kenobi. What he wasn't prepared for was his companion. Tall, imposing, and much older than the shorter man, but no less recognizable.
"Qui-Gon Jinn," Maul growled in a mix of confusion and disbelief. "I killed you. I gutted you while your student stood helpless and watched!" He pointed at Kenobi, snarling and vicious and his hand shook in rage, but the younger Jedi simply crossed his arms and looked at him like he was...bored. The feeling returned. Something was wrong.
Qui-Gon simply shrugged. "You missed. What can I say. Your failure was more complete than you thought."
"A failure I mean to correct immediately," Maul snarled, whipping out his lightsaber and igniting it, his mechanical legs bending as he prepared to spring at the Jedi, but stopped suddenly when th air was sucked from his lungs. It was the Dark Side, wrathful and savage, swirling around him like a storm only a moment before, and now, it had suddenly left him, fleeing from his tight hold upon it, and the harder Maul grasped for it, the quicker it seemed to escape him.
He didn't understand. His wrath was consuming, his desire for revenge exploding upon him as he opened himself wide to the Dark Side and allowed it to burn him. It was what he was taught to do. "Open yourself to the Dark Side," Sidious had said. "Let it embrace you, consume you, and you will have infinite power." The Dark Side feasted on hate, on pain, on revenge, and Maul had all that to offer and more. It should have been enough to attract its attention and hold it, but the Dark Side had fled, like a scavenger in the presence of a predator.
Kenobi began to laugh. Softly at first, and then louder as Maul's rage built once again, and the Zabrak could feel the darkness return. It wasn't the commanding presence it was before, but it was enough. "You aren't the only one with a mistake to correct..." Kenobi said softly, and Maul's lips curled into a vicious sneer, his focus returning and the Dark Side flooding back to him as his hatred intensified.
"For years," he snarled, "I suffered in unspeakable agony, driven to survive by a singular hatred of you. My revenge will be complete, Kenobi, and you will suffer far worse than I ever did."
"Oh really?"
Again, the tone was indifferent, almost bored, and Maul could feel the Force begin to pull away from him. With a cry of unbridled rage, he reached out and grabbed hold, imposing his will upon the Dark Side and forcing it into submission. It worked, and the angry beast thrashed violently against its chains. The Dark Side would serve him in this. It would. "I told you to come alone!" he shouted, pointing back to the burning village with his red blade. "They're all going to die, Kenobi. Every single one of the villagers on this forsaken planet will be slaughtered, and their blood is on your hands!"
"I don't care." He could feel the Dark Side draw back, suddenly nervous and afraid, and Maul stared at the Jedi in disbelief. Had the war changed the Jedi? Was he considered such a threat that they were willing to sacrifice innocent people to bring him down? He didn't understand.
"W-what?" he rasped, his chest aching as he held his breath, the hand holding his lightsaber shaking with repressed fear and anger.
"I. Don't. Care," Kenobi said again, his voice cold and distant, and Maul could feel a sudden chill in the air. "Burn the planet. Kill them all."
Maul was speechless, and with a snarl of rage, his hand tightened around his saber, his claws digging into the ground as he watched Qui-Gon draw his lightsaber and ignite the blue blade. Kenobi did nothing. He just stood there. He saw Savage behind them, his lightsaber drawn, just as they had planned, and the vicious red blade came down in a wide, sweeping arc at the Jedi, Qui-Gon deftly raised his blade and easily defended against the strike, and Kenobi had gracefully sidestepped the man, and with an extension of his hand, the Nightbrother was struck with the full brunt of the Force and was sent slamming through the hovel behind Maul.
Teeth grit and anger rising, the former Sith pushed off the ground and rushed toward the Jedi, only to be thrown back with the same overwhelming force that had struck Savage, landing beside his brother in the dirt and quickly rising, his saber blazing in his hands and his rage growing with each passing second. He moved to charge the Jedi again, but Savage's hand quickly shot out and grabbed hold of his cybernetic leg, and the red Zabrak nearly tripped.
"Brother, wait!" Savage cried, his voice tense and frantic, and Maul reeled on him, his red and yellow eyes blazing with fury that was quickly doused when he saw terror on his brother's face. He looked back quickly to see that the Jedi had advanced, not quickly, but they were closing in, and he could hear them whispering to each other. Strategizing. He turned back to Savage, his other clawed leg closing around his arm and pulling him off with a growl.
"You will not get in the way of my revenge, Savage!"
"Brother, that isn't your Jedi, that's a Sith Lord!" He felt the Force run cold, colder than before as Savage scrambled to his feet, only to kneel, his eyes averted from the Jedi. Maul drew up to his full height, taller than he had been with his own legs, and carefully observed Kenobi, his anger fading into curiosity. The night made it difficult to see, and the fire from the burning fields cast long, dark flickering shadows over everything, but as he narrowed his focus, as rage ceased to blind him, he could periodically make out the details of Obi-Wan's face with the right lighting. And when the light had given way to shadows, he could see Kenobi's eyes glowing yellow in the dark.
A Sith Lord...
"Darth Lumis!" Savage called, his deep voice pleading. "Let us go! We have no quarrel with the Sith!"
"Darth Lumis?" Qui-Gon said slowly, looking at the man at his side. Kenobi took the Jedi's hand and vigorously shook it.
"Nice to meet you. Lord Lumis is also acceptable. So is Master, if you like."
Qui-Gon snorted. "I think I'll stick to Obi-Wan, thank you."
Kenobi shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Darth Lumis. Maul looked at him in disbelief, and slowly, he began to laugh. It was quiet at first, almost silent, before it grew into uproarious laughter, loud and unrestrained. The Jedi had fallen to the Dark Side. The pulse he had felt when they dueled on Naboo had been no mistake, no momentary lapse. That had been the Dark Side, strong and pure, asserting itself over the Jedi Padawan, taking him in its clutches and allowing him the strength to achieve victory. It was delicious, the notion that this Jedi, the first to be triumphant over a Sith in a thousand years, had fallen to th Dark Side to become Sith himself. This man had already suffered pain and hatred and agony, not as Maul had, but that would come as well.
"He's out of his mind," Qui-Gon whispered, leaning over to Obi-Wan, and he nodded.
"The Dark Side's consumed him, it's making him incredibly strong."
"Stronger than you?"
He shook his head. "No, but certainly more dangerous. When I move in, you move in, our window of opportunity to find him unbalanced is going to be very small. His anger is giving him focus. We'll have to disrupt that."
"How?"
Obi-Wan smiled brightly up at his old Master. "By turning that anger to fear."
Maul suddenly struck Savage across the face, and the Zabrak fell to the ground, clutching his cheek. "Get up," Maul snarled, and his brother obediently did as commanded. "We have nothing to fear from this...pretender." Maul stood up tall, his strong chest puffed out in pride. "I was apprenticed to the most powerful being in the galaxy," he said, his voice smooth and even with pride. "I was trained by Darth Sidious himself to rule the galaxy beside him!"
Kenobi whistled suddenly. "Careful, Maul," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Nuyak Meistras dartov'ne kaiszhol tikazi jiso vadintikash pagalyina." My Master doesn't like it when his name is spoken.
The arrogance and pride was suddenly sucked out of him as the color drained from his face, his yellow eyes wide as he listened to the ancient language he hadn't heard in over ten years. Sith. The Old Tongue. And Kenobi had spoken it with a grace, an elegance that came only from one who had submerged themselves in the language. He spoke it like he was born to it, his aristocratic drawl making the words of the Sith Lords sound fluid and natural, and it made his own command of the language seem clunky and childish in comparison. My Master, he had said. Sidious was his Master? Did Darth Sidious really replace him with a Jedi? If so...
He watched in fear as Kenobi took his lightsaber in hand and ignited it and a bright red blade hummed to life, and Maul began to realize that he had made a very serious mistake. Slowly, he backed up, Savage standing beside him and doing the same. All his triumph, all his rage, all his yearning for revenge had faded in an instant and was replaced with raw, primal fear.
"Do you recognize the blade, Maul?" Obi-Wan asked softly, advancing as the brothers backed up, their own sabers raised defensively. "The crystal came from your lightsaber." Kenobi smiled brightly. "You should have taken a cue from Savage. You should have kneeled."
"Kenobi-"
"Obi-Wan Kenobi isn't here right now!" the Sith Lord shouted, anger and hatred pulsing off of him, and Maul could feel the Dark Side drawn into the fallen Jedi like a vortex, those golden eyes staining with red as the Force overtook him. He had no other option. Grabbing his weapon tighter, Maul rushed at the Sith, his brother at his side, and their blades clashed in a shower of hissing sparks. He grabbed on to every shred of anger, every moment he had ever desired revenge, and it fueled him, giving him new strength, despite the Dark Side struggling against him to flee to a stronger master. He was Maul, Darth Maul, apprentice to the Lord of the Sith, and the Force bent to his will, was his to command. His fury was his strength, and there was none in this galaxy more consumed with rage than him. Not even Kenobi, Darth Lumis.
He moved faster than he ever had before, was stronger than he had ever been under his Sith Master. His hatred and his rage was strong enough to keep him living long after he should have died, harnessing the power of the Dark Side to command his broken, dying body to continue living, and it had obeyed. Now, he had risen from death itself to stand here and destroy the one that had not only robbed him of his destiny, but had replaced him. He commanded the Dark Side to come to him, to serve him, and it obeyed, plunging within him and gripping him in its powerful, feral claws as he embraced the anger and hatred and rage and allowed it to consume him.
The moment was over. The fear had passed, and now Maul stood centered in the Dark Side, a raging beast in the throes of the Force, and Lumis hissed in frustration, easing off his offensive and slipping into easy defense beside Qui-Gon, the two wordlessly communicating through the bond that the Jedi had managed to strengthen between them. Maul was fast and agile, made even more so by cybernetic legs that enhanced his natural abilities and by the Force, which pushed him to even greater heights. Worse, he was cloaked in the Dark Side, and despite his best efforts, Lumis couldn't reach through to grab his mind through the Force barrier that surrounded him. Not yet, in any case.
He ducked under Maul's blade and lashed out at the large metal legs, but he had swiftly jumped, striking at Kenobi from the air, and Qui-Gon's blue blade darted between them to block the strike. With a snarl, Maul landed on the other side of Lumis and spun around just in time to catch the offensive flurry of strikes from the Sith, forcing him to retreat away from Savage, who was brutally engaging the Jedi. He tried to dart around Kenobi to rush to his brother's aid, but the Sith's weapon, his old blade, shot out toward him, the burning blade grazing across his chest as he leaned back to avoid it a fraction too late. With a shriek of pain, Maul's saber connected with Kenobi's, forcing it away from him before the Sith could bring it swiftly down to cut through his body. The distance between him and the Sith lasted for only a moment before Lumis pressed his advantage and resumed the attack, forcing Maul to retreat away from the village and into the burning fields.
Savage watched as his brother disappeared into the flames, retreating under the vicious assault of the Sith Lord, and he quickly tried to dart around the Jedi he was engaging, but to no avail. The blue blade was held in a calm, steady hand, the Master undaunted by the ferocity of his heavy strikes. Every one of his movements was easily countered, easily dodged, and for a moment, the Jedi reminded him of his Master, Dooku. Tyranus had also been able to easily avoid his strikes, fought him without a lightsaber more than once, and still won, simply by predicting where his blade would be and moving to where it was not. The Jedi did the same, hardly using his own weapon at all. It was infuriating, and with new anger, he found new strength.
Savage attacked again, gripping his weapon in two hands and chopping ferociously at the swiftly moving Jedi, his blue blade raised and moving just enough to neatly block each strike as if it was nothing at all. Despite the rage of his opponent, he was calm, serene, confident, and for reasons he couldn't understand, Savage felt his anger fade into fear and concern. He felt his focus drifting toward his brother, battling alone against Darth Lumis, a creature more powerful than his Master had been, and he knew he had to be with him, or he would surely die. He just needed to get past this damnable Jedi. With a vicious snarl, Savage threw himself with greater intensity at the Master, but to no avail. A powerful slash was met with the same serene ease as light, swift cuts. There was no fighting this Jedi, and the realization was sobering. Of all the support Lumis had at his call, he called a Jedi, not his Sith brother. There would be no victory here. They had to leave.
The blue blade slashed down toward his face, and Savage could barely block it in time. This Jedi had somehow robbed him of his anger, and therefore had robbed him of his strength in the Force. He could feel his well run dry, filled instead with concern and fear, and it was making him distracted, unfocused. He could feel this Jedi centered firmly in the Force, unwavering and unshaken, and he knew that there would be no victory over him. Savage may not have been able to beat him, but this Jedi was old, certainly well past his physical peak, and the Nightbrother was young and strong. He could still win in a way. He growled in rage, striking down at the Jedi several times in a last, brutal offensive, and when he felt the Jedi catch his blade, he quickly spun his back to him to avoid the swift, direct stab, and took off running as fast as he could toward the burning fields.
Qui-Gon started after him, but quickly slowed to a stop. The Zabrak was bigger than him by far and certainly a great deal faster. Even with the Force to augment him, he couldn't have caught the Nightbrother. He had felt old on Naboo against Maul the first time, his dwindling energy quickly expended in the fierce battle, and it had nearly led to his death. He had learned, of course, and this time fought much more conservatively and defensively, but he was still left winded and could feel his chest burning from the exertion. Obi-Wan would be fine against Maul. He'd be fine against both of them. He was a Sith Lord, a nexus of Dark Side energy so powerful that it could repel the light. Darth Lumis. Qui-Gon knelt, deactivated his saber and closed his eyes, submerging himself in the Force to replenish his energy. He felt Obi-Wan through their connection, all violence and rage and murder and darkness, and he quietly sent him a warning.
Savage is coming.
The anger intensified, and despite his own substantial resistance, he could feel his own heart rate quicken with the intensity of the emotion, could feel the beginnings of intense anger stir in his gut, and it took a substantial effort to remove himself from Obi-Wan's overwhelming wrath. Their connection pulled forcefully with a swift, singular command.
Stay there.
Qui-Gon's body relaxed when he felt the connection slam closed with the Sith's intense focus, and he sighed in relief, sinking deep into meditation. He had promised Obi-Wan to follow his commands. He would do as he was told.
It was difficult to see the red blades against the flames, but Obi-Wan didn't need to. He could feel where Maul's weapon was at all times, could predict his every move, his every strike. Not that it mattered. Obi-Wan had Maul on the defensive, and he hadn't let up, nor was he going to. Savage would be here any moment, and the fight would become more difficult then. He stepped on smouldering coals, his swift, graceful footwork kicking up embers into the burning air, and flames licked at his robes, leaving them singed and burned, but he felt nothing, the Mandalorian armor underneath protecting him completely. He'd have to thank Bo-Katan for having it made and Satine for worrying enough to prompt its creation. He smiled softly as he deftly stepped out of the way of a vicious downward cut, and Maul swiftly took the opportunity to go on the offensive. The smile dropped off Kenobi's face, and he slipped into a defensive stance, leading Maul even further into the burning fields, and in his rage, the Nightbrother blindly followed.
Both lightsabers were moving so fast, they could barely be seen, leaving a trail of light in the air that mimicked the raging flames around them. Maul brought his blade down, and Kenobi got underneath it to block it, and the force of the strike locked their blades, and less than a heartbeat later, the Zabrak lifted his clawed leg, the metal a glowing, molten yellow as it super heated, and he kicked into Obi-Wan's stomach, sending the Sith back toward a roaring column of fire with a grunt of pain. Maul's triumph at his strike against the Sith Lord was short lived, as Lumis reached out with his hand, and sweeping his arm across his body, the roaring flames behind him circled around him like a serpent and flew toward Maul, caught in the grip of the Force that the Sith Lord commanded.
Maul tried to get out of the way, but he was too late, and flames licked at his body, each touch leaving burning, blistering, charred skin in its wake, and Maul began to scream with agony. He rolled away, keeping his saber clutched tightly in his hands, but the damage had been done. Every breath was agony, and his entire bare chest was a seared mess of blackened skin and red, oozing open sores, and where pain used to give him strength, now it filled him with fear. Within a moment, the Sith Lord bore down upon him, and he brought his weapon up to block it, only to find his brother beside him, his blade crossed with his own to keep Lumis at bay.
"Brother, we have to go," Savage growled, his teeth grit as he pressed against the Sith, and Maul silently nodded. Without waiting for Savage, Maul disengaged his lightsaber from the Sith's and took off running, his tireless mechanical legs carrying him swiftly across the burning terrain. Screaming followed him, loud, violent curses spoken in ancient Sith chased him out of the blaze, and he was soon darting between the buildings and hovels of the farming community as he rushed for his ship. He could feel Savage slowly closing the distance between them on powerful legs enhanced by the Force, and soon, both of them would be safely on board the ship where they could disappear from the wrath of Darth Lumis. He would still have his revenge. His plan would just have to be altered to account for this new, frightening development.
His eyes narrowed when he saw the Jedi between him and his ship, kneeling with his eyes closed and his face serene, and grim delight filled Maul. Maybe he couldn't kill Kenobi, but he could at least finish one part of his unfinished business. The Jedi was an old man now, and his slaughter would be simple. He increased his speed as he tapped into his rage, the Dark Side twisted to do as he commanded, and he took his lightsaber into his hand, activated it as he bore down upon the Jedi, and swung down upon him.
Faster than he could see, Qui-Gon pushed off the ground, effortlessly moving out of the way as Maul's lightsaber struck through grass and soil, and with a hiss, the blue blade extended and lashed out, a blur of light in the air, and the next thing Maul knew, he fell to the ground, the force of his powerful swing sending him skidding along the dirt. Hissing in pain as dirt and rocks scraped the burns on his chest, he quickly planted his hands and leapt to his feet, only to fall to the earth again. Pushing himself up, he looked behind him to see Savage standing between him and the swiftly attacking Jedi and beside them lay Maul's cybernetic legs, severed at the knees.
He didn't have time to be afraid. Savage had seen the Sith Lord rapidly approaching and disengaged from the Jedi, sprinting toward Maul and grabbing him by the arm as he ran past, tossing him over his shoulder like a sack as he rushed toward the open ramp of the ship and disappeared inside, slamming the console with his hands and silently willing the hatch to close faster.
Lumis rushed past Qui-Gon. He didn't even see Qui-Gon. All he could see was Maul as he disappeared into a ship. The hatch had sealed closed as soon as he had reached it, and a moment later, the supporting thrusters the massive, blocky cargo ship stood on lit up as they began to take off. With a snarl of rage, Kenobi jumped up on to various parts of the ship until he had reached the top, the ship shaking as it rose into the air, and he steadied himself by thrusting his lightsaber into the ship. He quickly cut a hole as wind rushed through his hair, and he dropped inside.
The large space immediately lit up with the red light from his weapon. It was a cargo hold, stacked with hundreds of crates, a second level walkway ringing the upper reaches of the ship, and he quickly took stock of his surroundings. His eyes snapped to his right when he heard a hissing, agonized yelp of pain, and he shot through the door and into a small corridor that led to the cockpit where Savage and Maul sat. Both faces filled with panic, the two began to scramble, Savage leaping to his feet and Maul quickly reaching out and frantically entering commands into the control console as his brother slammed his hand on a button on the wall.
An airlock slammed shut, and Lumis immediately thrust his lightsaber through it, rapidly cutting through the thick door. The moment he got through, a red energy field extended across the opening, and Kenobi howled in rage, striking the plasma barrier with his saber and sending sparks flying across the hallway. He focused on the faces of the terrified brothers and dropped his saber to the ground. He extended his hands, breathed deeply, and grasped them both in his clutches, the two Nightbrothers grabbing at their throats as the Dark Side began to choke the life out of them. Savage dropped to his knees, eyes rolling in the back of his head, but Maul was more controlled, more focused. He had endured this before. He reached out and grabbed hold of a lever on the command console and pulled it back, and the ship began to shake violently, breaking Kenobi's concentration as he lost his balance and struck the side wall.
The cockpit, isolated from the rest of the cargo ship, detached from its load, and Kenobi looked out through the energy barrier and saw cloud cover just below them. They hadn't left the atmosphere. Rage filled him as he watched the cockpit, a small ship of its own, fly away from the cargo hold, and devoid of it's power source, it began to free fall back down to the planet below. Using the Force to call his lightsaber to him, Kenobi rushed into the hold, harnessing his powers to push crates away from him as they struck walls and other crates in the fall. He jumped up to grab the railing and hoisted himself up, and found a small, tucked away hall where he found a hand hold to grab onto.
He activated his comlink, and didn't wait for Cody to fully answer before he shouted, "They're in a small freighter heading away from Raydonia now. Kill them." There was a swift affirmative from the clone commander, and the com cut just as the ship hit the ground, and the impact left Obi-Wan in darkness.
He couldn't have been out for long. He could hear Qui-Gon calling from outside, could feel him frantically tugging at their connection. Everything hurt, but a quick scan of his body showed that he had sustained no severe injuries. He'd have to thank Bo-Katan twice. She'd love that. He opened his eyes to find himself pinned to the ground by heavy, metallic crates, which he supposed accounted for the pain, and with a deep breath, pushed out with the Force and sent the crates flying. Taking his lightsaber into his hand, he ignited it and limped to the nearest wall and thrust the blade through the crushed, crumpled metal. Moments later, he kicked the cut piece out and staggered outside, falling to the ground as he breathed deep of the smoky air.
He felt Qui-Gon's hand upon his back, felt the pure, warm flow of the Force through him, and slowly, his pain began to ease as the Jedi healed him. "Are you alright?" Qui-Gon asked, and Kenobi nodded. "Did you kill them?"
"...no." He tapped his comlink, and growled in irritation when the damn thing sparked, the device soundly broken in the fall. He patted Qui-Gon on the shoulder and whispered "Good work," as he dragged his feet toward the ship they arrived in, the Jedi walking calm and concerned by his side.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan."
"...I know. How long was I in there?" he asked, pointing back to the blocky, crushed cargo hold.
"No more than five minutes." Qui-Gon said softly. "You're lucky to have survived. The impact made the ground quake."
"There's no such thing as luck."
The Jedi smiled softly. "Just that good, hmm?"
"You know I'm that good." They reached the ship, and Kenobi climbed up into the cockpit and settled into the pilot's seat, groaning in frustration when he saw that his robes were badly singed and torn. He'd have to get a new pair. Again. He powered on the ship when Qui-Gon had settled in and he quickly contacted the Negotiator over their secure channel, and a very suspicious Cody answered it, only to relax when he saw his Master's face.
"Sir, we couldn't reach you! Your comlink has been disconnected, and the rancors have been howling. We thought you died!"
"I'm not so easy to kill, Cody," the Sith said, an arrogant smirk on his face. "Did you locate the ship?"
Cody suddenly looked nervous. "We did, sir. We engaged and managed to damage it, but they made the jump before we could bring it down. I'm sorry, sir."
Kenobi hissed as he ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't find it in himself to be angry. If he failed to kill Maul, he certainly couldn't expect anyone else to be successful. "Could you get a lock on his jump coordinates?"
"We did, sir, and we've sent a ship to intercept them at the destination, but the ship was badly damaged. I doubt they could make the full jump. They could be anywhere between here and Rutan on the Hydian Way."
It was a huge range that crossed the entire galaxy. They had been lost. "Contact Dooku and inform him of the situation," Obi-Wan said quietly, rubbing his temples. "Have him put the Confederacy on alert for the fugitives. Contact Satine as well, tell her the same. She can mobilize the Death Watch against them, no doubt they will be angered when they learn that a neutral world has been attacked. Even if it isn't ours, they'll use it to send a message about attacking peaceful systems. They are quite good at that."
Cody saluted, and the com cut, and Obi-Wan could feel Qui-Gon looking over his shoulder. "That was a clone," he said quietly, and Kenobi just nodded. He was too tired to argue. "How did you manage that? They are bred to serve the Republic."
"Nobody wants to be a slave, Qui-Gon." The Jedi didn't respond. "You will contact the Jedi and have them inform the Republic about our fugitives." It was a demand, and they both knew it, but Qui-Gon didn't object. It was the most reasonable course of action. The ship rose up into the air, and Obi-Wan piloted the quick ship out of the planet's atmosphere and punched in the jump coordinates. The jump was a quick one. He didn't want to be out any longer. "Let's get you back to Mandalore so we can both go home."
"Not going to capture me?" Qui-Gon asked, but Kenobi just tiredly shook his head and leaned back in the seat when the ship jumped into the blue and white of hyperspace. "With the Republic, the Confederacy and Mandalore's Death Watch all looking for Maul, it can't be long before we find them." Kenobi groaned loudly and ran his hands over his face.
"It will be if they don't know where to look, and they won't know where to look. He's a fugitive now and he knows it, and he's going to go to ground with all the other scum of the galaxy. We'll need eyes in the criminal world to find them." Obi-Wan turned in his seat and grinned deviously at the Jedi. "And I think I know just the guy."