Chapter 75: Wrath of the Dark Side

"Laser sword wielding maniacs!"the pirate cried as he paced out of range of the holotransmitter, and then quickly darted back. "What kind of a menace have you brought to my system! Horn headed crazies, that's what!"

"Peace, Hondo. I have the fastest ship in the galaxy, and I'm on the way." As it was, the powerful engines of the Umbra were whining in protest, but Florrum wasn't far from Mandalore, and he had already reverted to real space inside the Sertar Sector. Pressing the capacity of the ship for the last ten minutes of the trip would be well worth it for Maul's death. "What's your status?"

"Three of my lieutenants have turned on me! Me! And for that lunatic!" He scoffed dramatically. "They've taken three of my starships and are threatening to attack!" Hondo pointed an accusing finger at the Sith. "You said you would protect me!"

"Yes, from the Separatists," Obi-Wan growled, pressing the engines harder and cringing when the whining increased. "I said nothing about defending you from your own men." He frowned and cut the ship lighting, the shields and the weapon systems, and the whining died to a low hum. Flipping a few switches, he diverted all the additional power to the thrusters, and Kenobi was pressed back into his seat as the ship increased speed.

"But what about the crazies!" Hondo shouted, flailing his arms in the air. "Are you going to defend me from them?!"

"Oh, absolutely." The engine was whining. The Umbra had never gone so fast before, and Kenobi ran his hand over the control console, quietly cooing encouragements to it. "This past month, we've seen Maul rear his ugly head occasionally to kill the odd Jedi and attack cargo ships and rob them absolutely blind. If you're hunted by everyone, I suppose it's the only thing you'd be able to turn to. But this," he said softly, absently stroking his beard. "This is something different. What is he planning..."

"Who cares!" Hondo snapped, picking up his blaster and priming it. "We'll just blast them out of the sky." Get here fast, Kenobi." The transmission ended, and Obi-Wan cut more systems to give the engines extra power. In the past month since his return, Maul had been terrorizing the Outer Rim, if the Republic and Jedi reports were to be believed. In actuality, he had been a mild nuisance at best. The odd stolen freighter, the occasional grand theft, and a few dead Jedi were nothing to get excited about these days. After all, with Jedi being occupied with fighting the Republic's war, crime had been thriving all over the galaxy, given free reign to do as they liked without the Jedi Order around to police them. Maul was small time next to the likes of the Black Sun or the Pyke Syndicate, but this recent stunt seemed as though he were seeking to change that.

This little show of force, from what Hondo had described, wasn't about wealth or stealing a new ship. This was a recruitment, and criminals rarely had to be pressed very hard to be convinced to adjust their loyalties. Hondo was different, yes, but it seemed his men were not. When he left Satine's bed, he was expecting a duel, not a battlefield. It was an irritation, and it pressed him for time he did not have. Still, the element of surprise was on his side. Maul wouldn't escape again.

But recruiting for what? Did Maul still fancy himself a Lord of the Sith? Did he call himself Master when he was a master of nothing? It was arrogance, and he would suffer for it. Maul and his brother were made very difficult to track because their path had seemed random and without reason, and the second they became something larger than a pair of bandits, finding them would become a very simple thing. After all, it seemed as though Maul sought to lead. He may have been trained to serve, but without his Master, the once-Sith no doubt figured himself worthy of rule, as the Sith were always meant to be. Kenobi was actually a bit surprised that the Jedi hadn't expended their resources in searching for the two Zabrak. They had killed many Jedi and showed no sign of stopping any time soon. But then, they hadn't been looking very hard for him either. That, or they were simply just spread so thin that a concentrated effort would mean sacrificing ground to the Separatists.

Florrum grew swiftly larger in the forward viewport, and Kenobi flew around the planet to bring himself toward Hondo's hideout, slowing just enough to make entry into the atmosphere possible without burning up his beloved ship. He accomplished the task smoothly, easily, his nerves stilling as he quickly approached the pirate compound, and as he drew closer, stray blaster fire shooting into the air, he engaged the landing mechanisms as he looked out at the scene. It was chaos, to put it mildly, and he suspected that nobody knew who they were shooting at. But what got Kenobi's attention were three Eta-class shuttles, set down next to each other up upon the ledge of the cliff face that surrounded the pirate's compound.

Jedi.

Obi-Wan growled in frustration, the Dark Side pulled toward him in a mighty wave. It wasn't surprising, all things considered. It was a bold move for the former Sith to try and gather an army like this, and if the Jedi had been tracking him at all, such actions would draw attention, and there were always Republic forces out in the area. They would be close enough to get here first, even with warning from Hondo. It was a distraction that Kenobi didn't need, though depending on the Jedi that were sent, he could find a way to turn this to his advantage. With the Umbra's stealth engaged, he landed on the cliff face above the pirate's compound. The last thing he needed was his ship being stolen or destroyed. The plan was to get in and out with as little notice to his presence as possible, but that would likely not happen. Things never went to plan.

Obi-Wan stepped out of the ship and immediately centered himself in the Force and cloaked himself in shadows. The bright, blinding heat of Florrum's primary and the complete lack of vegetation on the desert world made for little shade for perfect concealment, but he had been practicing. He could still be seen, yes, but only if someone were looking for him. To the unaware, he could simply walk by unnoticed, the Force around him acting as a shield that passively compelled others to take no note of the Sith, so long as he did nothing to draw attention to himself. But once he made others aware of his presence, the game was up. He would need more time to perfect this skill, but for now, it may have been enough.

He rushed around the top of the ledge toward Hondo's ship yard, a collection of freighters and starships that ranged from derelict to luxurious, no two the same and all of them stolen. But most importantly, Kenobi could see the distinctive clash of lightsabers. He slowed as he got closer, crouching down and keeping himself concealed in the Force, and he leaned his head over the ledge to look down at the blindingly fast movements of red, green and blue weapons as they sparked and clashed against each other. The combatants were lithe and athletic, some more than others, but all extremely powerful. These weren't Jedi Knights. These were Masters. And not just any Masters, these sat on the High Council. Kenobi scoffed bitterly. Now they took the Sith threat seriously, and Maul and Savage weren't even Sith.

Calm washed over Kenobi as he surveyed Adi Gallia and Even Piell struggle against the brothers. Both these Jedi sat on the Council when Skywalker had been brought to the Temple, had been present during his own struggles against Jedi during his hunt for the Sith, and for a moment, Kenobi considered using the one strike he would have from the cover of stealth to execute one of the Jedi. Movement from the edge of his vision caught his attention, and gold eyes snapped to the figures of two more Jedi, green sabers in hand, rushing to rejoin the fight. Kenobi grinned. Quinlan Vos and his Padawan. He couldn't possibly have asked for better fortune in this matter. The Jedi were still a problem, yes, but the threat was significantly lessened with the Kiffar present. He shifted his focus back to Maul. The Jedi were all going to die anyway. Maul was the greater threat. Patience and perfect timing would see the red Zabrak struck down before anyone had a chance to act. All he had to do was...

Now.

Obi-Wan dove off the ledge, his hand on the lightsabers at his waist as he fell toward Maul, and moments before he came crashing down onto the Zabrak's spiked head, he drew and ignited the weapons, holding them out crossed before him. Obi-Wan slashed outwards toward the Zabrak's neck, but the red blade of his target suddenly came sweeping up, meeting Kenobi's crossed twin sabers above his head just before the moment of impact, the full force of Obi-Wan's body weight and the strength of the rapid fall forcing Maul to his knees, but he held his weapon up. With a furious snarl, the Zabrak pushed back with the Force and sent Obi-Wan flying back, but the Sith caught himself, twisting in the air and landing on his feet a few feet away, and swiftly ran to re-engage.

All of them were stunned by the new arrival, none of them having sensed his presence until the last moment, and it was an advantage Kenobi wasn't going to loose. His focus narrowing to Maul, Obi-Wan lashed out with his weapons, black and red leaving a blinding trail of violent light behind them, the air itself screaming as it was sliced with the plasma blades. The advantage didn't last long as Maul's shock quickly turned to unbridled rage, the Zabrak shooting his blade under Kenobi's and circling them up and around, trapping them under his own weapon as he viciously slid the blade up toward his arms. With no time to block or dodge out of the way, Obi-Wan dropped to the ground, dragging his blades through the dust as he drew them toward's Maul's legs, only to have a second red lightsaber intercept them just as they were about to connect. He glared at Savage just as the hulking brute delivered a powerful kick to Kenobi's stomach, and the Sith deactivated his sabers as he rolled away.

Obi-Wan skidded to a stop and reignited his weapons, holding up the blades defensively as he surveyed the situation. His advantage was gone, wasted by Maul's quick reflexed and a keen intuition, and now the fight had become infinitely more complicated. The two brothers stood back to back, sabers raised at the Sith and the Jedi, the four Jedi fanning out to form a half circle around the Sith, both current and former. Obi-Wan reached his foot out behind him and felt the cliff face as he looked upon the Jedi. Adi Gallia. Even Piell. Quinlan Vos. Ahsoka Tano. Tano didn't count, of course, as she was very young and still a student, but she had been forged in the flames of war, and though she may have been the weak point in the wall of Jedi Masters, she wasn't to be underestimated, and furthermore, she meant something to Quinlan. Destroying her could ruin his plans, but the other two...

Kenobi whistled sharply, drawing the attention of all the eyes before him, and he smirked when he saw Maul growl in frustration and barely contained wrath. "Hey, Quin!" He could feel the tension in the Force grow tight and thick, but Vos relaxed, a cocky smirk sliding across his face. "This is going to become a very messy free for all in a moment."

"I know!" The Kiffar beamed. "Doesn't look good for you, does it? Six on one is very bad odds, even for you."

"Master!" Ahsoka hissed. "That's a Sith Lord, don't be friendly with it!"

"We need to divide them," Even Piell said, pointing his lightsaber at the Zabrak brothers. "Single them out, don't let them come together." The Jedi nodded, slowly beginning to advance on the brothers and Kenobi, Quinlan drawing close to his Padawan and stepping before her. Kenobi's eyes quickly raked over the combatants and the surrounding area, the pirates furiously engaged on the other side of the compound as blaster fire filled the air. If he could just get to Hondo, he could coordinate an attack with his sneaky, charismatic ally. Piell's plan was a good one, and it played to the Jedi's strength, but the same strategy was also useful for one who was seriously outnumbered.

With a smirk on his face, Obi-Wan clipped the darksaber back on his belt, raised his hand and sent lightning arching in a jagged blaze toward Maul, the angry Zabrak bringing his blade up just in time to block the violent energy as Kenobi jumped back toward the cliff face and pushed off the wall, landing between Savage and the Jedi. For just a moment, time seemed to slow as the Force gathered around the Sith Lord, Savage bringing his lightsaber up to strike down at him, and the Jedi beginning to rush forward, and Obi-Wan knew his course of action. With a deep, calming breath, Kenobi rushed toward the line of Jedi, targeting Quinlan's Padawan and slamming the weight of the Force against her, sending her careening into her Master, and the two Jedi fell together in a skidding heap that the other two Jedi managed to narrowly avoid. The weakness in their wall broken, Obi-Wan rushed past, with a furious Maul in hot pursuit.

It was chaos. With Maul chasing Kenobi, Savage chasing Maul, and the Jedi both chasing and engaging the brothers to keep them from escaping, the battle quickly became a mess of green and red and blue blurs, and Obi-Wan controlled it all. By staying on the outside edge of the fighting and by holding Maul's attention, the Sith Lord dictated the flow of battle, where they would fight, who they would fight. Maul's rage was singular, his focus intense to the exclusion of all else, which was what Kenobi had been counting on. By staying outside the fight, he kept Jedi attention on the highly aggressive brothers, and when Maul had managed to beat his way past their defensive line, Obi-Wan ran again, stopping only when Savage had managed to catch the wrathful man, and the brothers were quickly surrounded again by the Jedi. He needed a way to isolate Maul from his brother and the Jedi, and a collection of scrap metal and broken ships nearby gave him the means to accomplish that. Kenobi was good. Very good, but a duel against six others on a flat plane gave him no means to pull an advantage. No, he needed to manipulate this situation. The Jedi were bad enough, but two monsters driven mad with rage was another thing entirely.

He reached the junkyard just as Maul had pulled away again and sprinted toward him, rage etched on his tattooed face, and Kenobi jumped up onto one of the wrecked ships and drew his darksaber. Two Jedi turned on Savage as he tried to rush for Maul and quickly beat him back, the snarling, vicious Nightbrother forced on the defensive while the other two Jedi ran after Maul. Kenobi frowned. It was a change in strategy that he hadn't been expecting, as it would have been both smarter and safer if all four engaged Savage at once, but it seemed as though the Jedi were unwilling to let any of the Dark Siders escape. It was a nuisance, but not an impossible problem. The real threat was Maul, and the Jedi could swiftly be dealt with, if they proved to be a difficulty.

"You," Maul snarled, a cold, vicious tone to his voice that pooled with the Dark Side, and Kenobi shivered in delight as he felt the wrath of the other man. Such anger was fueling him as well.

"I see you have new legs," Kenobi drawled, his sabers twirling in his hands as the Nightbrother clambered on to the top of the ship. "I don't like them. Your other ones were better."

"Well your Jedi friend took them from me," the creature snarled, and Kenobi just smirked.

"No, I was talking about your real legs." With a surge of anger that set the Dark Side roaring, Maul rushed at Kenobi, his lightsaber flying viciously through the air with brutal slashes that hit with such impact that the Sith Lord was nearly driven off balance. He was unprepared for such a ferocious attack, not realizing how close to the end of the ship he had been pushed until his foot slipped off one of the sloped sides. Digging the darksaber into the ship, the metal screeching with the burning cut, he used the weapon as a pivoting point to throw himself around to safety, kicking out at one of Maul's legs as the Zabrak's lightsaber cut through the hull, and before he could turn around, their positions had been reversed.

Fear spiked through Maul as he found himself precariously close to a long drop off the side of the dead freighter, and he used that fear to fuel him, his cybernetic feet kicking holes into the slope of the ship to give himself a much needed foothold as he defended himself against the sudden onslaught of the Sith Lord. His inability to move without sliding off the edge was severely impairing him, and he needed to somehow put some distance between himself and the furious Sith Lord. Teeth grit, Maul dug deep into the Dark Side and expended the energy at Kenobi in an attempt to push him back, but the Sith had sensed his intention and raised his own hand to mirror Maul's actions. The tremendous force of it was crushing, gravity seeming to bear down on them as the Dark Side thrashed and raged around them, two snarling, angry beasts that slashed and clawed at each other with the intent to kill. Their bodies shook, eyes narrowed in concentration as they harnessed all the power that was allowed them, and their hands nearly touched before the pressure had become too much and exploded outwards, sending both Maul and Kenobi flying back through the air.

With a hiss of fury, Kenobi twisted, righting himself and locking his focus on Maul as the man flew over the edge of the ship. He would not get away from him so easily. Reaching out through the Force, he grabbed hold of the falling Zabrak and pulled him up into the air, his focus broken as he landed on his feet on the ship once again. He looked up, reached once again for the former Sith, and swiftly pulled him down to the ship, the rusty disused craft groaning in protest as the durasteel buckled under the violent impact of Maul's body.

With a groan of pain, Maul swiftly rose to his feet and ignited his lightsaber, holding it out before him as the Sith Lord did the same. Both of them stopped when the flash of green lightsabers appeared as two Jedi jumped up on to the top of the ship, sabers raised and ready, and for a moment, nobody moved. This was about to be very bad for someone. Scooting closer to the young Togruta, Vos whispered, "Focus on Maul, do not engage Kenobi. We can't afford for this to become a free for all like earlier, and if you and I are divided, we won't win."

"How can we focus on a single target when we have two targets, Master."

"Like this." The Jedi stood up tall and grinned at the Sith Lord. "What's the plan, Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan grinned as a look of dread passed over Maul's face. The Zabrak would benefit from having Kenobi's attention divided, and it was beginning to look like that wasn't going to happen. "I don't know, Quin..." he drawled, slowly edging closer to the Zabrak, and Maul slowly retreated, only to find the Jedi circling around behind him. He was trapped. "I was thinking a foursome with that Nightbrother slut in the middle."

"Mm, sounds like a party."

Maul raised his saber and snarled, backing up so he could keep all three of his opponents in view. What was with this Sith Lord?! Darth Lumis was allied with Jedi, and not just one that had been tempted. There was Qui-Gon Jinn, and now there was this Jedi and his Padawan learner, and if Kenobi had three, he may have had more. He grit his teeth and stood his ground. Nothing had changed. The threat was still Kenobi. A Jedi Master and their Padawan was nothing that Maul hadn't faced before, and he had learned from his encounter with Kenobi so many years ago. The Padawan died first. Grief often gripped the Master for a moment and it left them unbalanced enough to end them. It had worked with several Jedi that he and Savage had faced in the past month. Now was no different.

Maul rushed at Kenobi, swinging viciously as the Sith slid into an easy defensive, circling around to lead the Zabrak toward the Jedi, but Maul wasn't falling for it. He stopped suddenly and backed up, giving Kenobi an opening to press an offensive, which he took as Vos joined the fight, despite his Padawan's objections. Maul held his own remarkably well, digging deep into the Dark Side and commanding the Force to do his bidding as it pushed his body to the upper limits of the physically possible. When he was overwhelmed, Maul would strike out against the Togruta, forcing the Jedi to divert his attention to save the girl and leaving Kenobi to fend for himself. It was working brilliantly, and the Jedi desire to save lives was getting in the way of his ability to properly work together with the Sith Lord.

It wasn't going well, and Ahsoka knew it. The fight was lasting far too long against a tireless opponent, and while Kenobi showed no signs of letting up, Quinlan's aggressive style was finally beginning to wear on him. She saw this fight for what it was, and it was one on one the entire time. Both Dark Siders were only focused on each other, and while Maul was clearly conscious of his multiple attackers, Kenobi saw only allies. This could be the only chance they had. Spinning around, her green sabers catching a powerful, sweeping strike from Maul's red blade, Ahsoka watched as Vos skidded in front of her to deal with the Zabrak, with Obi-Wan at his side, and Tano felt calm rush through her as she spun behind her Master and thrust her lightsaber at Kenobi.

He felt it in the Force too late. Kenobi whipped his blade around to block the green lightsaber, the red sparking against the green as it slid past, and he twisted his body when he saw the Jedi's weapon could not be stopped. The green saber bit him just to the side of his spine, the turn of his torso forcing the weapon straight through him and out his left side. The pain only lasted for a moment. After that, there was only rage. He twisted around and struck the Togruta across the face with the hilt of his lightsaber as he deactivated it, returning it to his belt as he quickly strode toward the scrambling girl with darksaber in hand. He could feel Quinlan's distress as he called for the girl, trying to get away from Maul, but the Zabrak's assault was too ferocious. Kenobi lifted his hand, and Ahsoka rose, twisting and squirming in the clutches of the Dark Side as Obi-Wan choked her, and with a snarl of anger, he threw her over the side of the ship.

Quinlan could hear himself scream as his Padawan rocketed over the ship, her body limp, and the distraction was enough for Maul to swiftly bring his saber around. The Masters always faltered when the Padawan was killed. Always. The fatal strike was suddenly intercepted by a furious black blade, and Maul's eyes widened in fear as he looked at Kenobi and saw nothing but darkness. This wasn't anything like he had witnessed before. The pain had only served to enrage the Sith Lord, and Maul could feel the Dark Side pulled to Kenobi, commanded to serve him and obey, and it did so without question. Even the darkness that he commanded was torn from him, and Maul frantically grasped at the Force, demanding that it heed him, but to no avail. His eyes narrowed in focus as Obi-Wan began his attack, faster and harder than before, but the wound had damaged him, and the Sith was favoring one side. Maul smirked. Despite the increase to the Sith's power, he could be beaten. The wound was severe, much more than it looked, and if he could draw out the fight and expend Kenobi's energy, he would succumb. Maul couldn't stop now.

With Maul engaged, Quinlan rushed to the side of the ship, reached out with the Force and grabbed his falling Padawan, lifting her gently to him, and nearly dropped her when his focus was diverted by the fight below. The pirates were close, much closer than they had been, and stray blaster fire was striking the side of the ruined ships, but what caught his eye was Savage. Even Piell was nowhere to be seen, and the beast was viciously beating down on Adi Gallia, the Jedi athletically dodging out of the way and jumping to avoid the wicked red blade. She skidded on the ground under the weapon and swiftly kicked at the Zabrak's knee with a force that should have sent the creature's leg snapping sideways, but the massive leg stood strong, and Savage simply looked angry. She snarled, bringing his weapon down toward her, and she spun out of the way and back to her feet, only to be blasted back by a powerful push of the Force, the wind knocked out of her.

Savage lowered his head and charged, and Quinlan felt the pain in the Force as the Zabrak's elongated cranial horns pierced through the Jedi. The Nightbrother wrenched his head to the side and threw Adi off, and the woman collapsed upon the ground, clutching her stomach where she had been gouged and shaking as blood pumped out of her. The red lightsaber descended on her quickly, impaling her through the chest, and the Jedi fell lifeless to the ground.

Quinlan held Ahsoka to himself tightly, sensing her pulse with life, feeling her squirm in his grasp as she overcame the momentary unconsciousness, and through it all, Quinlan Vos felt only rage. Were Ahsoka truly harmed, his wrath would have turned on Kenobi in a second, but this Nightbrother scum had killed a Jedi, a woman that Quinlan knew well. And he would not let it pass. Laying Ahsoka down, he rose to his feet and ignited his saber, and with a howl of rage, he rushed at Maul. It was Savage that had killed her, but it didn't matter. Rage blinded him, and all he could see was the former Sith as he fought Kenobi. One friend had died today. He wouldn't allow another one to.

Maul felt him before he saw him, and before he could think, he ducked under a green blade that was swung at his head, and he found himself looking into furious brown eyes alight with the Dark Side. The Jedi had returned to the fight, but this was no creature of compassion and restraint. This was darkness, raw and exposed emotion that burned with such intensity that Maul could feel the air burned out of his lungs. There were two of them. He had a chance of victory over Kenobi if he was alone and severely injured, which he had been, but now the Sith had aid in the form of a man nearly as dark as he was. Maul could not win alone. He needed Savage. Swinging his blade around and catching the two weapons as they swung for him, Maul brought the two blades up and quickly jumped out of the way. Before they could close the distance, Maul turned and jumped off the side of the ship, falling the distance and landing beside his brother.

Kenobi rushed to give chase, but Quinlan's green blade swung at him and he was forced to duck to avoid it, wincing in pain as his knee struck the ground, and still, Quinlan attacked. Dodging out of the way, Obi-Wan reached out through the Dark Side to feel the Force that pulsed through his friend, the strong, rushing stream slick with darkness, and he pulled at his mind, the Kiffar landing on the steel with a cry of frustration and pain as his lightsaber rolled away from him. As he started to rise, a strong hand wrapped in his hair and pulled back hard, yanking his head back against Kenobi's bleeding torso, those golden eyes furious.

"You will control your rage, Quinlan," the Sith snarled, his hand tightening as pain coursed through him. "You are unfocused, undisciplined, and unbalanced. Grab your anger, focus on it, feel every loss you have ever endured and let it center you." The Jedi shook as his anger increased, the fresh memory of Adi Gallia's death playing before his eyes, and as Kenobi said, he concentrated on it, felt his rage grow until it was burning almost out of control, and it gave him focus. Clarity like he had never had before, and-

His Padawan was sitting, clutching her chest and coughing. All rage fled him and he tore himself away from Obi-Wan's grasp and rushed to her side.

"Kenobi!" The Sith ran to the end of the ship to look down below and saw Hondo, blaster waving in the air. "This way, come on!" the pirate called, beaconing as he rushed off toward his fortress, which was holding up impressively under fire. He looked back toward Quinlan, only to find the Jedi and his Padawan gone, and he ran to the side of the ship when he heard lightsabers striking. Maul and Savage were fighting back Even Piell, the little Master leaping athletically through the air and raining strikes down on the Zabraks. A moment later and Quinlan and Ahsoka joined the fight, the two refreshed from their previous confrontation and working together as if they shared a single mind between them. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber with the intention of rejoining the fight, but stopped when he stepped forward and his leg nearly gave out on him from the pain that rushed through him. The injury was more severe than he had realized. On second thought, following Hondo didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Obi-Wan dropped down to the ground, grimacing in pain from the impact, and sucking in a sharp breath of air as the Dark Side flooded him, his pain lending him strength to run across the compound and through the blaster fire as the two armies fought, periodically deflecting stray shots away from him when necessary. He could hear Maul screaming to Savage over the noise of plasma being fired, could feel the Zabraks following him, only to be stopped by the Jedi. At the very least, Quinlan was buying him extra time to heal. Perhaps he would be lucky and be able to slay the beast, and not only would Kenobi be rid of the pests that were Maul and Savage, but Quinlan's fall to the Dark Side would be closer to completion.

Kenobi followed a small group of pirates into the fortress, the small door keeping a larger force from coming inside without being easily slaughtered. It was dark inside the small, cramped corridors, and as he went deeper, the metallic walls gave way to subterranean tunnels. Conditions like these could be used to his advantage when Maul arrived, and Maul would arrive. He heard swift footsteps behind him and he turned to find a pirate, blaster raised toward him, and he reached out and grabbed him with the Force, the pirate dropping his weapon as he was pulled to Kenobi's waiting hand. Gold eyes blazed as Obi-Wan looked within the pirate, found the life within him, the breath of the Force that was in all that lived, and he grabbed hold and tore it from the pirate, the man screaming as his brown, leathery skin became pale and ashen. It was difficult to do, and Kenobi could feel the wound that ran through him pulse as blood ran down his leg, but the effort had been enough. Tossing the cold Weequay aside, he centered himself in the Force and set the energy that he had brutally torn from the creature to the task of healing the wound. He could feel warmth run through him as the process began. It wouldn't be immediate, but it would be fast enough to handle Maul.

He found Hondo deep within the underground caverns, ordering his men on the best placement of their cannons and weapons. At the very least, Hondo was a clever man, and he had just been betrayed. Kenobi knew the pirate well enough that he would find a way to turn this whole mess to his advantage. He was an ally worth keeping, if he managed to survive this, though Obi-Wan had no doubt that he would.

"Where are the rest of your men?" Kenobi asked as he approached, leaning against a wall and sliding down it, breathing deeply as he finally relaxed. The pain was severe, but he could use this. Hondo looked at the Sith, a frown on his face when he saw blood smearing the walls.

"They are setting up an ambush..." he said quietly, pointing his blaster at the wall. "Are you alright?" The Sith nodded, but said nothing. "Because, if you are dying, this whole thing seems like a bad deal to me. These crazies are too powerful, even for you."

Kenobi rolled his eyes and pulled aside his robes. In his haste to leave, he had left his armor back on Mandalore. He'd hear about this from Satine when he returned. Hondo scoffed and looked away when he saw the charred and gaping hole, blood running freely from the would, but looked back quickly, knelt beside the Sith, and leaned in closer. It wasn't possible, but the wound was healing, closing up and clearing right before his eyes. Hondo shook his head in disbelief. "Want to rethink that last statement?"

"This is the last time I do business with you crazy wizard types."

"Really. I'd be happy to negotiate that with you after we've won. I have a bottle of Mandalorian Narcolethe on my ship." Hondo grasped the Sith Lord's hand and shook it vigorously.

"Done, my friend." The pirate stood and looked down the tunnels. "I have a plan, and I could use your help to make it work." Kenobi gestured for the pirate to continue. "I can bring my men back to me, but not with those crazies around."

"You would take them back?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief, and Hondo clicked his tongue and shook his head as if the very idea of doing anything else was incredibly foolish.

"Killing my men is bad for business!" he cried, throwing his arms dramatically in the air. "Besides, cleaning up all those bodies will take weeks. I find it more profitable to bring my men back to me, and then, not only will I have my crew back, but your crazies will have no army." Hondo grinned when the Sith's eyes glowed brighter. "I'd like to see them fight out of here through all my men and you."

"I knew I liked the way you think," Kenobi groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, his hand running over the spot where the lightsaber had pierced him and found the skin pale and smooth. It was still healing, yes, but it was no longer serious. He strode down the hallway and looked both ways down the corridor it intersected with. "Where's your ambush?" Hondo pointed down to the right, and the Sith nodded. "When they come down here, I'll lead Maul and Savage away, and you blast the passageway closed so you can have a chat with your men." Hondo grinned, but the smile dropped from his face when he heard voices down the tunnel they had come in, followed by the hissing of lightsabers as they ignited.

"Go, run!" Hondo shouted to his men, and the pirates ran after their leader when the opposing army rounded the corner, the two Nightbrothers at its head. Kenobi locked eyes with Maul, and turned and ran the opposite way from Hondo.

He could hear Maul's enraged shouting, telling them to not allow anyone to escape, and a moment later, Kenobi could hear the cybernetic clang and the heavy steps of Maul and Savage following him down his end of the tunnel, the sound of crashing as the tunnel collapsed echoing behind them. Kenobi skidded around a corner, leaping over debris as he ran, and he looked behind him, saw that Maul and Savage hadn't caught up to him yet, and quietly, Obi-Wan gave himself to the Force and cloaked himself in the dark shadows of the passageway. He sat silently in the darkest corner he could find, his breathing so slow and even that his chest hardly seemed to move. His concealment wasn't yet perfect, but in the dark, it was very close to it. Dooku could always find him, but Dooku had known what to look for. Maul probably wouldn't be able to find him, and Kenobi needed time. While externally recovered, his impalement still needed time to heal right, and the mad dash through the tunnels had disrupted the process.

The brothers rushed around the corner, Savage unable to stop himself fast enough and hit the wall, but the impact didn't slow him down. They kept running when they didn't see Kenobi, but Maul quickly slowed to a walk and peered down the long passageway. Kenobi was nowhere in sight, and they had not been that far behind him. What's more, the Sith Lord had been injured, and they had been gaining on him. He couldn't have gone far.

"Kenobi!" Maul growled, his voice echoing down the hall. "Surrender to us!" There was no answer, no pull in the Force, and Maul closed his eyes and tried to feel for the infinite darkness that rested inside the Sith, but found nothing at all. He frowned. "You are weak, and you are injured. You cannot escape us! Come out and die like a true Sith!" Still, nothing. Maul snarled viciously and struck the wall with his lightsaber, leaving a deep, burning gash in the compacted dirt. "What do you think your Master will think of you hiding like some wounded animal?" And still there was no response at all.

"Brother, he's not here," Savage growled. "We should retrace our steps, see if he could have turned somewhere else..."

"No..." Maul said softly, closing his eyes. "I feel...something. He is close, I can feel it..."

They were too far away to reach. Too far away for his lightsaber to strike them down. He shifted, preparing to jump out of the shadows and attack, but the Dark Side stilled him, commanded him to have patience, and Obi-Wan heeded the Force and watched. Savage laid his hand on his brother's shoulder, and Maul viciously slapped it away.

"We are close, apprentice," Maul snarled, and Savage backed up, head bowed. "He is here, I know it! You and I are the true Lords of the Sith, we cannot allow this pretender to escape! Not now, when my revenge is so very close at hand."

Kenobi grinned as Maul began to pace the tunnel, his lightsaber striking out at the walls and using the Force to pick up stones and hurl them away, only to howl in anger when it turned up nothing. Maul had become ambitious. Sidious would love to hear about this. Savage turned to follow Maul, and Kenobi felt his opportunity. Igniting his lightsaber, he swung the blade up at the Nightbrother from out of the shadows, and the hulking creature turned around to defend himself just as Kenobi's blade cut through his arm just below the shoulder, and Savage Opress fell screaming to the ground, green mist flowing from the stump and the severed arm like blood. Obi-Wan raised his blade to bring it down on the prone beast, only to have the blade collide with Maul's, the brother rushing in to defend his fallen family.

There was rage in Maul, a vicious scowl on his face as he gripped his weapon in both hands and clashed with Kenobi, the red blades leaving burning scars along the ground and the walls of the tight passageway. Obi-Wan took the darksaber in hand, and with two blades, he became far more dangerous against his single opponent, a whirlwind of humming blades and ribbons of light as he dodged underneath the Zabrak's blade, and slowly, Maul's rage and triumph at beating a wounded opponent began to fade into cold, raw fear. Somehow, Kenobi wasn't injured at all, and without his brother to help, Maul knew he couldn't win. Not today.

Maul jumped back as Kenobi vaulted off the walls and landed with an arching slash, and with some distance between them, Maul reached out and grabbed the walls of the tunnel, focusing his rage and pulling, and with a loud roar, the tunnel collapsed, putting a wall of heavy stone between himself and the Sith Lord. He deactivated his saber and rushed to his brother's side and helped him to his feet. "Come..." Maul said softly. "This plan has failed. We will have another opportunity, but not today." Savage didn't say anything as he followed Maul out of the tunnels, making their way back the way they came, and squinting as they exited the fortress, their eyes adjusting to the harsh sun. Their pirate army was waiting for them, and with a growl of irritation, Maul quickly barked, "Return to the ships, we are leaving."

"My men aren't going anywhere with you, " haughty voice said, and Maul cringed when a pirate in a red overcoat approached, looking as if he hadn't a care in the world. Hondo. "Look at them!" he cried, addressing his men and pointing his blaster at the brothers. "How powerful can these fools be? They are running away from Kenobi!" The men began to laugh, and Maul felt himself burn with rage.

"Filth. You will pay for your insolence!" Maul snarled, but Hondo simply began to laugh.

"Insolence!? We are pirates! We don't even know what that means!" The pirate leader grinned as he looked past the two brothers. "Open fire!"

When Maul heard the sound of lightsabers igniting behind them, he took his brother by his remaining hand and ran.

It was a long way to their ship, and it was made even longer by the blaster bolts that swarmed around them like blood-thirsty insects, and despite the fear driving them ever faster, the thrumming of lightsabers grew louder with every second. They ran through a field cluttered with debris and scrap metal, throwing pieces at the pirates with the Force when they could, but there were far too many of them to take a stand and fight, not to mention that Savage couldn't, and the Sith Lord was quickly gaining on them. When they past through the scrap yard, it was a clear shot to their boxy freighter, and just when they began the sprint across the open field, Maul and Savage skidded to a halt, rapidly changing directions and standing toward the oncoming pirate army.

The Jedi, their green blades ignited, stood in their way.

Maul and Savage banked right, running as fast as they could to try and get around the Jedi, but the effort was only proving to trap them. With the cliff face before them, the pirates back the way they came from, the Jedi blocking their path to the freighter, and Kenobi running swiftly behind them, there seemed to be no way out. Gritting his teeth and rushing headlong at the cliff face, the brothers jumped as high as they could, reaching for the ledge, but falling far short of it. Quickly angling themselves toward the wall, they pressed off with their legs, and Maul watched as the Jedi fanned out, weapons raised, and Kenobi changed directions, now heading right toward the Jedi where he predicted Maul would land.

Quinlan commanded Ahsoka and Even Piell to back up, and the three Jedi rushed back, stopping with their blades raised as Kenobi met the Nightbrothers, his two blades moving so fast that they could barely see them. Maul fought in a frantic retreat as he tried to get away from the ferocious Sith, but to no avail. Between protecting his brother, avoiding the Sith's blade, and trying to make it around the Jedi and the blaster fire, Maul was clearly overwhelmed.

"Remember," Vos said, gripping his saber tighter as the three Dark Siders approached, "do not engage Obi-Wan. We need to kill Maul and Savage, and that becomes far more difficult if we need to worry about him as well."

Master Piell growled. "Darth Lumis is the Sith Lord here, he's the true threat. This may be our only chance to get him. His focus is divided, we can't let this opportunity go to waste."

Even Piell was off before Quinlan could respond, and a moment later, the little Lannik master was leaping above the Sith brothers, his green blade crashing down on top of Kenobi's, and with a frustrated growl, he slipped past the Master and continued his pursuit.

"Damn it, Even, stop!" Quinlan shouted, rushing forward to meet the Sith brothers, but they shot past him, the sand slipping underneath Quinlan's feet as he swiftly turned to lash out with his lightsaber and missed the Nightbrothers completely. His footing restored, he continued to give chase, coming to run next to a dangerously focused Obi-Wan. The Sith Lord's eyes never left Maul's retreating figure, and Quinlan looked sharply to his side when he saw a flash of green rush past and intersect their path, and Ahsoka jumped, her lithe body twisting in the air as she angled herself and threw her lightsaber, the green blade thrumming through the air and severing one of Maul's legs.

The Zabrak went down with a cry of pain, but only for a moment before Savage quickly picked him up and ran, Maul batting away blaster fire from the pirates as they fired upon them. Quinlan heard Kenobi emit a strangled, pleasured sound as the Nightbrothers slowed, and he ran faster, gaining on the two until Piell jumped over him, striking down at the Sith with his green lightsaber, and landed between him and his target. Kenobi had enough, and Quinlan could feel the Dark Side roar to vicious, angry life as it crashed against him, his teeth grit under the force of it all, and he found himself being pushed back. Every time Kenobi thought he was rid of the little Master, Piell would return, leaping before him and swiftly engaging him, blades clashing in a shower of sparks as the Jedi engaged the Sith, and Kenobi did everything in his power to get away from the Lannik. It wasn't enough. Every strike and slash was parried, every movement blocked, and with Obi-Wan's laser focus on Maul, Even Piell had the benefit of not being the focus of the Sith's growing rage.

They were almost there. Once they reached the ship, he and Savage would be gone, away from this planet, away from the sector where they could plan their next move. One of the Jedi, the tall human, and the Padawan turned from Kenobi and began sprinting together toward Maul, and he felt panic grip him as they rapidly gained. Looking around for something, anything he could use, his eyes settled high on the Jedi ships on the cliff, and reaching through the Force, fueled by his pain and his endless fury, he grabbed the ship and pulled it off the cliff, sending the massive thing to land right in the Jedi's path. Quinlan grabbed Ahsoka to stop her, and the two sprinted to round the ship, and by the time they had gotten back on course, the massive thrusters were firing, the boarding ramp sealed, and the freighter was lifting into the air. With nothing left to do, the two Jedi turned and ran back to help the other Jedi.

Kenobi watched this in horror, stopping his fight with the Jedi long enough to watch the ship take off. This couldn't happen, not again. With a snarl of rage, Obi-Wan rushed toward the leaving vessel, only to have Piell jump in front of him, saber raised, and the entire wrath of the Dark Side clutched Kenobi tightly in its embrace. All his strikes were stronger, faster, harder, and the Jedi Master quickly began to buckle under the assault, Even leapt to get behind Kenobi, striking down at the Sith and his green blade dug into the Sith's shoulder. Even watched as those golden eyes snapped to him, filled not with pain or rage, but with grim delight, and the Jedi realized too late that the Sith had allowed himself to be struck. The darksaber swung up above Kenobi's head, the arm clutching the lightsaber in his shoulder neatly severed, and as Even Piell fell to the ground, the red lightsaber passed through him, and the Master his the ground in two pieces.

Vos couldn't hear himself scream as he and Ahsoka sprinted toward Kenobi as he struck down the other Master. Two members of the Council lay dead on Florrum that day. They would be avenged. The wave of pirates still surged forward, shooting at the ship as it took off, and Kenobi barked at them to shoot the ship out of the sky, but he managed to turn around just as Quinlan struck at him, Ahsoka sliding past the Sith Lord to flank him. Seeing their benefactor attacked, the pirates turned their weapons on the Jedi, firing in short, quick volleys that left Ahsoka and Quinlan unable to focus on the task of bringing Kenobi down. It was far too much, even for trained, battle-hardened Jedi, and moment's later, Quinlan heard his Padawan cry out in pain as she was shot through the shoulder. Abandoning his fight against Obi-Wan, he rushed to her, calling her weapon to his hand and using both blades to defend her from the continuing fire.

An explosion rocked the area, and Quinlan swiftly turned to see that Maul's ship had been struck on its left rear engines, and the freighter began to crash far out into the Florrum hills. With a cheer, the pirates gathered around their leader, forgetting about Quinlan as they hopped on speeders to bring themselves to the site of the wreckage, no doubt to plunder the ship of whatever it was that lay inside it. Pain shot through the Jedi, and he dropped to his knees, grabbing his head and watching Kenobi slowly advance upon him. With a wave of his hand, the Jedi went flying to the side, rolling in the sand as he struggled to bring himself up, his arms shaking through the effort and the exhaustion. He pushed himself to his knees, his dark eyes fixed on Ahsoka as she stirred, and with his lightsaber in hand, he started to rise, but a strong foot kicked his knee out from behind him, and Vos fell back to his knees as strong, firm hands wrapped around his wrists and drew him against the powerful body behind him.

"What have you been up to, Quinlan Vos..." Kenobi drawled in his ear, and Quinlan felt a shiver course through him. "You so quickly reach for anger now..." The Jedi groaned, trying to wriggle away as he saw a pirate saunter toward Ahsoka, kick her prone body and laugh, but Kenobi wouldn't allow him to move. "I sense it in you," he whispered, and Quinlan growled in fury. Not it, her. Ventress.

"Yes, we all know I am filled with the Dark Side, Obi-Wan!"

"Not yet," he said softly, looking at the pirate, and slowly, the man obeyed the wordless pull of the Force, dropped his weapon, and shuffled before the two, dropping to his knees before them, his eyes distant and blank as his entire being relaxed. "This one probably didn't shoot your Padawan, but he's cruel enough," Kenobi whispered in his ear, bringing Quinlan's arm up and placing the deactivated saber at the Weequay's neck. The weapon trembled in Quinlan's hand, and he thought he'd drop if for a moment. Kenobi smiled. "Kill him."

"...h-he's unarmed."

"Yes."

"And you said he-"

"He's a pirate. He kicked your lovely Ahsoka." Quinlan felt his hand tighten around his weapon, but he shook his head.

"I-I can't, this is-"

"Murder," Kenobi whispered, forcing Quinlan to press the saber against the pirate's neck even harder, and Vos shivered as darkness coursed through him. This is what he needed to do. This pirate was just a criminal, and a cruel one at that. He had kicked Ahsoka, a little girl while she was down and injured. Surely, such cruelty couldn't be allowed to go unpunished. "Do it, Quin..." Obi-Wan said, soft and smooth, and the Jedi could feel the darkness surging and pulsing within him and raging to be set free. With a small, strangled whimper, Quinlan's thumb flicked the lightsaber's ignition, the green blade extending through the pirate's neck with a hiss, and he fell lifeless to the ground.

The Dark Side was...pleasure. Power and freedom all wrapped into one neat package, and Quinlan Vos had taken it and greedily ripped into it, savoring the feeling of life leaving that cruel creature and the surge of strength he had drawn from it. He looked behind him to look at Kenobi, only to find the man gone, his firm touch on his wrists a memory, and in the throes of the Dark Side, he couldn't see his Padawan looking at him.

The Umbra left Florrum quietly, the stealth drive activated as he sped away from the planet and contacted his Master. Sidious answered immediately, a deep frown on his face when he saw the tattered, bloody state his apprentice was in. Before he could say anything, Kenobi snarled "Jedi."

Sidious drew up in understanding. "So the Jedi have found Maul as well. Is he dead?"

"We blew up his ship." Obi-Wan growled in anger, his hand balling into a fast. "But no, he's not dead. He's escaped, I can feel it. And if the Jedi weren't there, he would be dead." He slammed his hand on the central console. "Find a way to keep the Jedi from hunting Maul."

Sidious frowned, and Obi-Wan could feel the Sith Master in his mind, feeling around and making him kneel, pain ripping through him and his muscles clenching against it threatening to tear the freshly healed skin on his back and torso. "You do not command me, Lumis," Sidious said coldly, and Kenobi shook, bowing his head.

"Yes, Master...I apologize."

"This would not be a problem if you killed the Jedi."

"I did. Adi Gallia and Even Piell are dead." Kenobi released a shuddering breath as the pain and the tight grasp on him was released, a slight smile on Sidious' lips his only sign of approval. "Maul and Savage fancy themselves Sith, Master."

Sidious scoffed. "We shall see about that." He steepled his fingers and regarded his student, and slowly nodded. "I will do as you ask this time, Lumis. I feel like the Jedi can be led away from pursuit of Maul and his..." Sidious scowled. "Apprentice."

"It will make them easier to kill without distractions, Master."

Sidious nodded. "It will. And without the Jedi, I can get involved. Nobody threatens my Empire. Nobody."