Happy New Year everyone.

Not entirely proud of certain parts of this chapter.

TW: Thank you.

THWA: Glad you enjoyed it.

Just Visiting: One thing that's consistent about both Palpatine and The Master is that both are arrogant to the point they don't see the obvious threat. Palpatine was so convinced that Vader had completely consumed Anakin that he didn't see his own death coming.

Tantive III

The ship was currently in Hyperspace, on its way to Coruscant. Amy and Rory were sitting in the cafeteria, eating as they waited for the ship to arrive.

"Food's a lot better here than it was in the Temple," Amy noted as she took a bite.

"Makes sense, personal ship of a Senator and all," Rory shrugged.

Amy nodded silently and Rory noticed she'd been quiet since they took off.

"Are you alright? Is it The Doctor?" Rory asked and Amy shook her head.

"No. I don't know. I just…I can't explain it; I just have this pit in my stomach. Like something's about to go wrong," Amy admitted. "It sounds stupid."

"No, it doesn't. I'd have the same feeling before a battle," Rory said and she looked over at him.

"You never really talk about it. Those years you spent waiting for me," Amy said lowly and Rory got the familiar look in his eyes Amy associated as when he was thinking of those years.

"I don't like to talk about it," Rory said and a beat of silence passed. "But I trust your instincts. If you think something's going to go wrong, I think I should prepare for the worst."

"I love you," Amy said, looking at her husband adoringly. "I don't tell you or show you that enough, but I do. You deserve so much more than this."

"But I never wanted anything else," Rory said, looking at her lovingly as he took her hand, kissing it lightly. "Just you."

Elsewhere in the ship, Yoda was mediating, frowning as he felt a feeling come over him. Yoda opened his eyes before he felt the door open. Windu walked in, a look on his face that told Yoda he felt it to.

"What is it?" Windu asked, unable to shake the feeling.

"Know, I do not. But it is a warning in The Force. Something is about to happen," Yoda said grimly; wondering what that was.

On a lower level, a member of the crew was checking some of the equipment below when he suddenly couldn't move. He grabbed his throat, gasping as he was lifted into the air and two robotic legs stepped into view. The figure walked into his line of sight and the crew member could see horns on a red and black skinned face with glowing yellow eyes.

"Where is Anakin Skywalker?" Darth Maul demanded.

On the Bridge, Ahsoka and Rex stood behind Captain Antilles, staring out the viewport at the image of hyperspace when the door opened and Obi-Wan walked in.

"What's our status?" Obi-Wan inquired as he stepped up beside the trio.

"ETA is within the next two hours," Antilles supplied.

Obi-Wan nodded and then the room descended into silence, saving the humming of the ship. Obi-Wan glanced at Ahsoka but, before he could speak, she had beaten him to it.

"I know. I feel it to," Ahsoka said and Rex glanced at them curiously.

"Feel what?" he asked.

"There is a strange feeling in The Force. I cannot explain it. It feels like something to about to happen," Ob-Wan explained.

"The last time I felt like this was…" Ahsoka trailed off, glancing uneasily at Rex.

But Rex understood. The last time this has happened, the Clones had been turned against the Jedi.

"Well then, I better get my blaster. Best to be on the safe side," Rex said, turning and walking out of the room.

Anakin was walking down a corridor after spending the first half hour working on his project he had started on Dagobah. In truth, he hadn't even known what he was making until he was a third of the way done. But what else would he make?

Anakin suddenly stopped in the middle of the corridor. A sense of unease suddenly filled him. Anakin closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he stretched his senses out with The Force. The warning came less than a second later.

On pure instinct, Anakin snapped his eyes open and called his lightsaber to his hand, whirling around and igniting it. He brought the sapphire blade up, blocking the red blade that had been ready to drive itself into his back.

Anakin blocked a few parries from his opponent before using a Force Push to send the red and black skinned Sith back a few feet. Maul managed to stop himself, landing on the floor with his robotic legs before glaring at Anakin hatefully.

"Anakin Skywalker," he sneered. "We have never been properly introduced."

"I know who you are," Anakin said coldly.

There hadn't been a day since he became a Jedi that he hadn't known who this monster was. The man who took Qui-Gon from him and Obi-Wan. Who murdered the woman Obi-Wan loved. The Sith that had had escaped death time and time again.

"Yes, I imagine we have a mutual friend in common," Maul noted and Anakin scowled.

"Not the word I would use," Anakin said, tightening his hand around his lightsaber. "What do you want?"

"The same thing you do: to stop my Master," Maul declared and Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"And your plan to do so was to kill me?" Anakin deadpanned.

"You are the key to my Master's plan. The only way to ensure it doesn't succeed is to take you out of the equation all together," Maul said grimly.

Anakin wanted to deny it, to call Maul insane. But he remembered what he had seen in the cave, of that horrible future where he did fall. Anakin was forced to acknowledge that Maul's fears weren't unwarranted. Still-

"The future is always in motion. We have no idea what may happen. Whatever Sidious plans for me, I will not turn," Anakin said firmly.

"Your Padawan said the same thing. I see where she gets her stubbornness," Maul sneered, gripping his double-sided lightsaber tightly. "But she has not seen what I've seen. The only way to truly stop my master is to kill you. I will do what I must."

"You will try," Anakin said calmly, readying himself.

With a roar, Maul launched himself at Anakin, whirling his lightsaber like a baton. Anakin blocked one of the blades with his lightsaber before Maul pulled back, spinning his blade wildly. Anakin managed to block both of Maul's blades with his own before Maul sent a powerful Force Push his way. Anakin hit the wall with enough force that it caused him to drop his lightsaber.

Maul rushed towards him and Anakin was forced to duck before jumping over Maul, landing behind him. As Maul turned to strike Anakin with his blade, the sound of an igniting lightsaber was heard before Anakin whirled, blocking Maul's blades with the sapphire blade of a second lightsaber. Taking advantage of Maul's surprise, Anakin kicked Maul in the abdomen before using his freehand to call his first lightsaber to him, igniting it once it was in his hand.

"Since you couldn't beat Ahsoka, not sure how you expect to beat me," Anakin said cheekily and Maul sneered at him.

"Like Lady Tano, you possess Kenobi's arrogance," Maul growled.

"Why thank you, it was always my childhood dream to become like my master," Anakin mocked, knowing it would infuriate Maul further.

Glowering, Maul rushed Anakin once more but, now armed with two lightsabers, Anakin was easily able to fend off both sides of Maul's. Anakin Force Pushed Maul against the wall when members of the ship's personal security rushed in, aiming their blasters at Maul.

"Nowhere to run Maul. Even if by some miracle you get passed me and them, you still have four other Jedi on the ship you have to deal with, two that have already beaten you," Anakin pointed out and Maul stared at him impassively.

"My own life means nothing to me anymore. All I care for is killing you and my master. That said, I have no desire to die before I accomplish this," Maul said darkly.

Maul then threw one side of his lightsaber into the floor. No, not threw Anakin realized as he saw Maul beginning to cut through the floor. The officers opened fire but Maul used The Force to deflect the blaster bolts back at them. Maul carved a perfect hole in the floor and the metal around the hole fell. Maul deactivated his lightsaber and jumped into the hole. Anakin rushed over and looked down into the hole but Maul had already vanished.

"Skywalker," Anakin looked over his shoulder as Windu and Yoda approached from behind. "Was that who I think it was?"

"Wish I could say it wasn't," Anakin sighed, deactivating both lightsabers and putting one on his belt before activating his Comms unit on his wrist. "Obi-Wan, you're not gonna believe whose on the ship."

Coruscant

Same time

In cell, Padme wiped a tear from her eyes, blaming it on her hormones as she looked at the two Clones stationed outside her cell. No one had told her what was happening or why she'd been accused of treason. Her only comfort was that she was being treated slightly better due to her condition. But it was a small comfort.

She still worried about Anakin, remembering the smoke from the temple. She'd overheard some of the guards discussing a Jedi Rebellion but she knew the Jedi would never turn against the Republic. She and the Jedi were being framed y someone, just like Ahsoka had been all those months ago.

An inexplicable feeling of worry came over her, followed by a kick from her baby. She put a hand to her stomach, attempting to silently sooth her child as one thought came to her mind.

"Anakin," Padme breathed, knowing something had just happened.

She couldn't explain how she knew, but, at the very least, she somehow knew that her husband was still alive.

In his office, Palpatine was going over reports in his office of possible Jedi sightings when he paused, a feeling coming over him. Closing his eyes, Palpatine stretched out with The Force before determining the source of this feeling.

"What are you up to, my former apprentice?" Palpatine asked menacingly to the empty room.

Tantive III

Not long after

"Captain Rex is assisting my men in searching the ship for Maul," Antilles told the Jedi, Amy and Rory as they all stood on the bridge. "They've been ordered not to engage and to call for backup the moment they spot him."

"Who is Maul anyway?" Amy asked, she and Rory looking clueless.

"He was The Master's Apprentice before Dooku. I thought I killed him thirteen years ago, but I merely cut him in two," Obi-Wan sighed. "He was found by his brother a year and a half into the Clone War, nursed back to health and gifted with cybernetic legs."

"And he's been causing us trouble ever since," Anakin added and Obi-Wan nodded.

"Before all this, I had Maul in custody and was on my way to Coruscant when Sidious ordered the Clones to turn on us," Ahsoka explained. "I let him out of his cell as a distraction and he escaped. I had a chance to stop him but…Rex needed my help."

"It was the right decision Ahsoka. A victory at the expense of a friend's life is no victory," Anakin assured her and Ahsoka smiled weakly.

"Right, Skywalker is. Enough friends we have lost, we have," Yoda added.

"I'm more concerned with how Maul ended up on the ship," Windu noted.

"He escaped in a shuttle. Polis Massa is out pretty far in the galaxy. He must have passed by and sensed us," Ahsoka realized.

"Polis Massa is a medical center. It would have been easy for Maul to land and stow away on the ship," Obi-Wan noted.

"Want, what does he?" Yoda inquired.

"Me. He wants me," Anakin said and they all turned to him. "He knows Palpatine wants me as his new apprentice, Maul wants to kill me so that doesn't happen."

"If Maul wants to stop Palpatine, don't we want the same thing?" Amy inquired.

"No. Maul is insane and possibly suicidal. If he thinks it'll accomplish his goal, he'll bring down this entire ship," Anakin disagreed as something occurred to Ahsoka.

"When I let him out, he tore apart the Hyperdrive Engine of the ship. If he can do that once, he can do it again," Ahsoka said horrifying the other Jedi.

"We can't let that happen," Anakin said immediately.

"I agree. I will stand guard over the engine so I may intercept Maul should he try it," Windu promised.

"The rest of us should patrol the ship for Maul," Obi-Wan suggested and Yoda 'hmmed'.

"Agree, I do. Come with me Obi-Wan. Anakin, Ahsoka, go together you will. You three will remain here," Yoda said as he looked at Amy, Rory and Antilles. "Too dangerous for you, Maul is."

"May The Force be with us all," Windu said as they began to fill out of the bridge.

"Rory," Anakin called out before tossing something at him.

Rory caught it, realizing it was the second lightsaber Anakin had used against Maul.

"The night you came to Coruscant, I had a dream, a vision of you using a lightsaber. Figured I should make you one. If Maul comes to the Bridge, use it," Anakin said before he followed Ahsoka out of the room.

"First a sword, now a lightsaber. You're getting a collection," Amy teased as Rory looked down at the weapon curiously.

On another level, Rex was heading some of the security into a darkened area.

"Maul likes to stick to the shadows. Be careful, he's more dangerous that you can possibly imagine," Rex warned them.

Rex had barely finished speaking when the security officers were lifted into the air and slammed against the walls by an invisible force. Rex looked around wildly, about to activate his Comms when Maul stepped into view. Rex fired but Maul deflected the blaster bolt into the wall harmlessly with The Force before yanking Rex's blaster away. Rex then found himself levitated into the air, despite his struggles.

"Go ahead, call your friend," Maul egged Rex on. "I want you to call Skywalker. I want us to finish our fight."

"I'd rather die than call him here for you to kill him," Rex sneered and Maul smirked.

"Like your brother, Jesse was it? You will obey, or you will suffer," Maul sneered.

"Anakin, are you alright?" Ahsoka asked as the pair walked down the corridor.

"How can I be? Everything that's happened, it's all because Palpatine, The Master, whatever you want to call him wanted me as his apprentice. And in another timeline, his plan worked. It's hard not to feel like this is my fault," Anakin said in self-loathing.

"You can't blame yourself for the actions of Sidious or Maul. They're both psychopaths, they would've done this with or without you. You need to stop worrying about whether this is your fault and trust in yourself, the way I and Master Obi-Wan trust in you."

"When did you get so wise?" Anakin asked after a moment.

"I had a great example Skyguy," Ahsoka quipped and Anakin chuckled.

"Thanks Snips," Anakin said before his Comms went off. "Hold on. Yeah?"

"General, I think I found something. Meet me on the next level, Section B," Rex's voice spoke up.

"On our way Rex," Anakin said before cutting off the signal. "It's a trap."

"What makes you say that?" Ahsoka asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He called me General. I specifically told him not to and Rex knows that. Maul has him," Anakin said to Ahsoka's alarm.

"So, we're gonna walk right into the trap, aren't we?" Ahsoka said knowingly.

"Of course. It's the last thing he'd expect," Anakin said cheerfully and she shook her head in exasperation.

"Something must be wrong with me. I've missed this," Ahsoka said as she followed her former master.

A few minutes later, Anakin and Ahsoka entered where Rex had directed them. Ahsoka felt a sense of déjà vu, seeing Rex on his knees, in a similar position to how Jesse had been when they found him and Maul just a few days earlier.

"Let him go Maul," Anakin said calmly.

"You may have him Skywalker. He is of no use to me now that you're here," Maul said, using The Force to push Rex towards them.

Anakin and Ahsoka immediately helped steady him as Rex managed to stay on his feet.

"I'm sorry Anakin," Rex said a little dazed.

"It's alright Rex. Don't worry, this was gonna happen eventually," Anakin said gently before glancing at Ahsoka. "I know better than to tell you to get out of here, so stay with him. I'll tell you if I need you."

Ahsoka nodded, helping Rex stay standing as Anakin walked forward, pulling out his lightsaber.

"It's time to end this Maul," Anakin said firmly.

"I agree," Maul sneered.

No more words were spoken as Anakin and Maul ignited their lightsabers. Maul whirled his lightsaber before rushing Anakin. Anakin deflected his first few parries before feinting to his left. When Maul moved to counter, Anakin brought his lightsaber up and cut through the middle of Maul's and making a piecing cut through Maul's chest. There was a moment of silence before Maul lowered his hands, dropping his broken weapon to the floor and falling on his back.

Anakin stared down at Maul for a moment before extinguishing his lightsaber. Kneeling down next to Maul, Anakin through Maul was breathing raggedy before realizing he was trying to say something.

"Tell me…are you the chosen one?" Maul breathed softly.

"I don't know," Anakin said honestly. "Everything seems to think so. But I honestly can't say for sure."

"If you are…you must…avenge us," Maul said softly.

Maul did not speak again. Anakin stared down at Maul's lifeless body for a moment before reaching down and closing his eyes.

He should hate Maul, but in the end, Anakin could only pity him. He was just another pawn in Sidious's game. Just like Dooku and the Separatists. Just like Anakin had been in those visions he'd seen.

After another moment, Anakin activated his Comms united.

"Captain Antilles, contact the others. Tell them it's over, Maul is dead."

And so ends Darth Maul.

Hope the fight scenes were okay; this is honestly the first time I've written a lightsaber duel that wasn't a copy/paste of one that happened in canon so kind of nervous about it.

And Rory finally got his lightsaber.