Chapter 1 - Jaw of the Beast

Author's Note: This fic is... gonna have a lot of warning, so be mindful, and read with caution. xP

Warning: Creepy Sith possessiveness and slavery

~ Amina Gila


Aniya Skywalker

I should have known, from the moment we joined Sidious in his office only days ago – has it really been only a few days? It could have been a lifetime for how different the galaxy and our lives are now – that we were going to meet Plagueis. Well, I had known, but I didn't have time to consider it then.

Plagueis' presence is sharp and never-endingly cold. His darkness permeates the air in a way that not even Sidious does. It feels... dirty almost, in a way I can't describe, but I don't like it.

His yellow eyes are piercing into me, and it feels like every breath I'm drawing in is through ice. It feels like I can't breathe at all with those eyes studying me.

It's worse than with Sidious somehow, because for Plagueis, it's like we're objects. Things to be studied. Not that that's not true with Sidious but it's... we're his apprentices. Not... playthings. What that will mean, I don't know, and I don't want to.

I don't know how to treat him either, or –

"Kneel," Sidious orders, and I've... truthfully never been so relieved to receive an order before, because I had no idea if that was expected or not.

Shakily, trying to keep my fear hidden, I lower myself to my knees in front of Plagueis, alongside Anakin. Even if it makes me sick to do it.

Through my fear, I can still feel myself drowning in that overwhelming shame I've been so long accustomed to my entire life. We're right back where we started.

Slaves.

Things, with no choice but to do as our masters order.

"I have waited a long time for this," Plagueis muses. I can feel him looking at me, but I don't dare raise my head from... seeing the dark robe and boots in front of me. "The Grand Plan has at last come to completion."

Is that what they called their... plan to form a Sith Empire?

Sidious just feels – he seems angry, though at what, I'm not sure. "I will leave them to you," he replies, not quite shortly, "But I need them functional. There is much they must do for the Empire to be established."

Functional.

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the feel of being talked about as though we aren't people, who are right here. In truth, it's a feeling I'm long used to, even if... I'd started to forget. We hadn't even owned our bodieson Tatooine, and that's true again, isn't it? What is Plagueis planning to do to us?

"Your concerns have been noted," Plagueis answers dismissively, and I can feel the way he's... nudging Sidious in the Force, to... I don't know. Maybe carefully watching his emotions the same way Sidious seems to do to us?

But there's something between them that I've never noticed before. Their bond. It's strong, enough that we can actually sense it now that I'm paying attention, but it doesn't feel natural. It feels twisted, perverted, like it shouldn't exist.

Is that... possible?

Sidious seems to be staying pointedly closed off to him, though. "I have much to attend to," he states, stiffly, and I can hear his footsteps receding. The door opens and closes, leaving us alone with Plagueis.

The momentary silence that follows, when I know we're now the center of his attention, is nearly suffocating. Literally, because sucking in any air at all is nigh impossible. I don't know what he wants. At least with Sidious, I know. He'll hurt us if – if he deems it necessary, and my limbs are still twitching from when he electrocuted us on Mustafar. But still, I can't say we... didn't ask for it there. This is different. I have no idea what to expect.

"Rise," Plagueis instructs, and we do – though I think being at eye level with him is almost worse.

He's the one who made Sidious what he is. What does that say about him?

"I have waited for him to bring you to me for a long time," Plagueis says, and he's standing way too close. He could be anywhere on the planet, and it would be too close – his presence is dirty in a way that makes me want to rip my skin off for even being nearby him.

"You already have an apprentice," Anakin points out neutrally, eyes down.

"I don't want you for your skill," he replies dismissively, "I want your power. Your strength is unique. What I desire to know is how much."

Anxiety is twisting sharply inside me, and I fight the urge to lean into Anakin's side. What is he going to do to us?

"This is not the facility for this," he continues, "But I know you have seen my labs before."

Labs? My heart lurches. Is he planning to experiment on us? "I thought Sith were warriors," I ask for clarification, confused, trying to ignore my fear. Being afraid won't change what happens, and that's one thing Jedi are trained to deal with, but Anakin and I have always struggled to grasp the meaning of that.

"I am a scientist as well," Plagueis replies smoothly, "I study the intricacies of the Force."

What is he planning? Suddenly, Sidious' anger makes a surprising amount of sense. He does care about us in his own twisted way. That is not true about Plagueis. If I have to choose between them, which we can't, I already know what choice I'd make. At least Sidious isn't without reason. I try not to react outwardly when the Sith Master nudges at my shielding. Beside me, Anakin twitches, but doesn't otherwise respond.

"The strength of your bond is remarkable," he remarks, "Yet the Jedi have taught you to suppress it, have they not?"

He's asking about my bond with Anakin, something no one else touches. It's a personal thing, between just the two of us. How am I supposed to react to someone asking about it? It's not a genuine question, either. I can already see the sinister intentions behind it.

"Can you... draw on one another's power?" he inquires.

"I don't know," Anakin answers before I can. It's not fully honest, but there's still truth to it, and he keeps talking to blur over the lie. "We never tried it. Our power is overwhelming even to ourselves. Trying to touch one another's would be... too much. And we have never had need for it."

He looks at us appraisingly. "Has it always been active?"

"Yes." It's my turn to answer now. "To a point."

I have no doubt he will ask more, but I don't want to talk about this. Not like I want any of this, anyway, so the point is moot.

"Try it," he commands, "Show me what you can do."

Anyone else, and I'd blurt out a snarky comment asking if he wants us to kill him, because I would do so with pleasure. The last time we used it was on the Invisible Hand. Anakin opened our bond for me to borrow his strength, and that's how I single-handedly defeated Dooku. "That was how I defeated Dooku," I admit at last, not sure what else to do or say. "I doubt I could have won against him without it."

"Is that so?" he murmurs, "Sidious neglected to tell me this."

I don't know why my first thought is that I should have said nothing because I don't want Plagueis to get angry at him. It's insane, really, because Sidious already hurt us, and I shouldn't care about him half as much as I do, but I can't help it. This isn't something I can make go away, even if I wish I could.

It's ridiculous how I'm almost tempted to... say something in Sidious' defense, though I don't know what that would be anyway. And I'm not willingly asking for his master to get angry with us. (It was more than enough when Sidious himself was, on Mustafar.)

Plagueis continues speaking when neither of us say anything. "I would like to see the full extents of your bond, but perhaps in another place more suitable for such... Force usage."

"As you wish, Master," Anakin intones, quietly.

"You are both made of the Force, unlike any other being. Have you demonstrated any physical differences from normal humans, because of this?"

I resist the urge to squirm. The question is beyond invasive, when it's literally none of his business. Not that I can say so, but I don't have a real answer regardless. "I have paid it little attention," I admit, "But I know there are some differences."

I get the distinct feeling he's displeased with the lack of... information we're giving him. "I would have desired to see the differences in your midi-chlorians when you were last on Mustafar, but you were not ready then. Your physical state would not have allowed it. When I have a facility suitable, I will send for you."

Icy fear jolts through me, even as I struggle not to show it. What does that mean? When we saw him on Mustafar thirteen years ago, we were definitely... unhealthy, but I have no idea what he wants that would require otherwise. I don't want to.

And is he waiting for us to say something? It's not as if he cares for our opiniond on anything.

"You may leave," he tells us finally, and I don't dare breathe a sigh of relief, even when Anakin and I are finally safely out of the room, alone again. I do all but throw myself into my brother's arms, though.

He hugs me back, tightly, and I can feel his fear as a mirror image of my own.

"We can't just let him do this," I breathe, clinging to him.

"What choice do we have?"

None. That's the thing, and I hate this. It feels like there's little else I can do but hate and be afraid, which is normal and supposed to give us power according to Sidious. Well, it certainly fuels the Dark Side, but that does us no good when we're... still slaves.

Like we always have been.

Maybe always will be.

**w**

Anakin Skywalker

Of course, Sidious has another way of neutralizing Jedi. I shouldn't be surprised. Don't know why I am. He's obviously prepared for everything, except the fact that his master is still alive, anyway. That's not something any of us mention, though I can sense that despite how satisfied he is with his Empire, there's something... dark nagging at him, and it's not hard to figure out what.

I don't like having a master, either.

"These are Inquisitors," Sidious says, standing at the edge of a balcony overlooking a group of Dark Siders as they train together. Spar with each other, actually, and the Dark Side is swirling around them, licking at everything. I feel it every moment now, and I want to get it out. It's wrong. Corrupting. I hate feeling like this – hate feeling this... urge that's not my own to feed it pain. That's not who I am. I know what I am, or at least I thought I did.

I thought I did before Mustafar, anyway.

It was an accident, I have to remind myself over and over, but I can't shake the guilt of it. I shouldn't. Don't deserve to. Not after... all that. I was just trying to help, and instead, it came to destroying everything I thought I believed in. I still don't understand how this happened. It's all so wrong. If I could undo this, I would, but I can't.

"They are trained in the Dark Side, meant for hunting Jedi."

I don't recognize any of them as important people I used to know, except...

No.

Absolutely not.

"Why," I ask, unable to keep the anger from my voice. This is the person that truly started me and my sister down this path, the person that took everything from us, at the end of the day. It all started with the bombing. "Is Barriss Offee here?"

"I understand your... feelings on this situation," Sidious assures, "But she will have her usefulness."

"Did you know about it?" Aniya asks finally, a surprising amount of bitterness in her voice.

"I heard of it," Sidious replies, "But truly, no. I had no interference with that. I would never have permitted it to go so far."

I don't know why I believe him. I just... don't think he would lie about this, even though I know better than to trust anything he says. He deceived us, lied to us for years, after all, but still, I... think he's telling the truth just this once. I don't think he'd make this up, even to gain our loyalty.

"Now, you must meet the Grand Inquisitor," Sidious continues, "I have planned for this for years, though he may be... uncooperative at first."

Instantly, I have a bad feeling about this. "Who is he?" I inquire.

"You knew him once," he answers, cryptically, moving away from the balcony, somewhere deeper into the... facility.

I have no idea what all is even here. Aniya and I have been staying in a room right near the hangar now, since we don't have anywhere else to go. It's hard to even look at the Temple on the skyline now, and we can't constantly stay in our cruisers.

It hurts all the time, anyway, knowing what everything used to be and how far it has fallen.

Being in a place that so heavily feels of the Dark Side is hardly much better, but at least we're together. It's all I can ask for anymore.

But I have a sudden very bad feeling as to who Sidious might be talking about. We don't know very many people that could now be Dark Siders. I know Aniya had a... vision about Obi-Wan Falling, and I had one where I think Alema and Ahsoka did, but I know it's none of them.

It feels of pain and hate and emptiness in the hall of cells Sidious leads us to. I was wondering, but I still freeze when I see the person on the other side of the ray shield.

Maul.

What?!

How did he get here? We never did hear back from Ahsoka and Alema about what happened to him, but how did Sidious get ahold of him? What did he do?

Maul looks up when we approach, an obvious note of anger in his eyes, though he says nothing. He's always felt dark, but there's a strange, additional darkness to him now that feels of grief twisted into even more anger. What... happened to him? What did Sidious do to him?

"What did you do to him?" I demand, heart clenching sharply, both with fear and rage. I never knew Maul for long, but we were... he took care of us, and he tried to help me. He did it by choice. He didn't have to, but he cares about us.

"He attempted to kill me," Sidious replies almost flippantly, "And he paid the price. But I still see use for him."

This isn't about use, I want to scream. Maul saved my life. I owe that to him. Maybe he's deranged, but in the end, he's only what Sidious made him. I can think of many retorts, but I hold them all back, because they'll only serve to anger him and get Aniya and I in more trouble. For all that I want to, I... can't risk myself like that.

"Can we go inside?" Aniya asks. Her tone is unusually clipped, tensed with the anger I feel myself.

"Be wary," Sidious cautions, "He may not appreciate your presences."

I swallow back a response and hesitantly deactivate the ray shield. I was half expecting him to lunge at us like Sidious implied, even though I know not even Maul is stupid enough for that. He'd have to be going all out suicidal. That doesn't stop him from glowering at all of us when Aniya and I enter. Sidious wisely remains outside, out of reach of Maul's rage, else I'm fairly certain his former apprentice would've attacked him, anyway.

"Are you hurt?" Aniya inquires hesitantly, moving forwards.

Maul turns his icy glare to her. "I warned you," he spits out, "Of what was to come."

"We believed you," I reply, hands clenching. I don't want to have this conversation in front of Sidious. "I wish we could have stopped it."

"You could have if you listened to me! You could have prevented all that you see!"

It's like a punch to the gut, mostly because I know how true it is. This was my choice, my own mistake. I should've seen it coming. Dooku tried warning me. Maul warned me, but still, I was too oblivious to stop it. Even Fives had warned us, and we didn't see it. "I know," I murmur, "I... should have. We should have gone back for you on Mustafar." I wish we had. I can't help wondering what would have happened if we were able to get Maul then.

Behind us, I sense Sidious finally leaving. I'm grateful he's gone – it's hard to talk about this with him watching.

The more I think about it, the more I see that lines between victim and villain are blurred. I just wish I could have seen it before I became both myself. If there was ever a time I wasn't – killing isn't strange to us. We were forced to become used to it as Jedi, and that was long before we joined the Sith and embraced the Dark Side and everything that came with it. I sometimes wish I knew what made Sidious what he is. I'm almost glad I don't know, but I think... maybe, if I did, it would be easier.

"Had you stayed with me later, when you had the chance, we could still have stopped it then," he accuses.

The words cut far more deeply than I want to admit. I know there's so much I could have done differently but wishing changes nothing. It doesn't stop the guilt, though, that's been smothering me constantly from the moment I Fell.

"Sidious would have found a way around it. If not him, then Plagueis," Aniya reminds, "We have no idea what the Sith have been planning for centuries and keeping from us." She has a point.

Maul scoffs. I think he sees the point, but he's not going to admit to being wrong. "You don't know that. If you had come to Mandalore –"

"We had no way of knowing what would happen," I interrupt, "We all made mistakes. And you deserved better than what you got. We all did."

He doesn't reply immediately, maybe considering the truth of it.

I can't help but remember, suddenly, my vision of our Fallen padawans joining Maul. I still don't know what happened to them. "Did you... run into Alema and Ahsoka?" I venture.

I don't miss his sharp flare of grief, which he always seems to mask with anger, and I suddenly realize I have no idea where Savage is. And I can guarantee Maul didn't come to kill Sidious alone.

"We fought Sidious together," Maul replies icily.

Aniya and I stiffen instantly. "What happened to them?" she demands. I can't believe they risked something so dangerous. Then again, of course, they would. We trained them, after all, and they definitely learned some of our... lesser qualities. Including recklessness.

"They ran," he snaps.

But they're alive. At least they weren't captured too. In these circumstances, there's little else they could have done, not that there's a need to point that out. I can only silently hope that wherever they are not, they got off Coruscant safely.

But if the padawans were there, I think it's a guarantee that Savage was too, and I can only guess what happened to him. No wonder Maul is so angry. His brother is dead.

"Had you been there instead, we may have stood a chance."

"But we weren't," Aniya replies evenly, "And there's nothing we can do about it now, no matter how much we want to." I really hope our conversation isn't being monitored somehow. That would... not be good. But I don't sense any danger in speaking here. Likely because Sidious is the only one who ever comes here, so what need would he have for cameras?

"There still may be," he responds, suddenly, lowering his voice. "We can still have revenge."

I'm already shaking my head even before it fully sinks in what he's saying. "We can't. Aniya and I fought him. We failed. We... couldn't do it. And... there's still Plagueis, who is a much greater threat than Sidious." He's the real evil one, I don't add though it's undeniably true. Sidious might be twisted and dark, but he's the darkness of what he lived through, instead of the twisted entirety of the Dark Side as his master is.

Maul looks decidedly displeased, but he doesn't argue the point. It's hardly something that could be disputed.

"I don't want revenge, anyway," I can't help adding, "It won't undo what I did. It won't bring my family back together."

I sense how his emotions flare with rage and grief. "At least you have a family to return to."

I find myself suddenly suppressing the urge to cry. "I'm not so sure of that."

Because truly, all I can feel inside is an aching, ceaseless, hopeless grief and longing. Obi-Wan will never forgive us. He shouldn't. No one should. Jaufre would. I don't know about anyone else, and that hurts.

Rex and Appo and all our boys are being mind-controlled, and I have no way of stopping it. It's not like Ahsoka on Mortis. This isn't something I can stop. I could try, but the risks are too much, and I don't know what to do. I have to help them, but I don't know if I should even try, because every time I try these days, everything ends up... well, exactly like the Temple right now. I was trying my best to help and it... all blew up. Quite literally, I might add.

"We can't offer you vengeance," Aniya says finally, stepping forwards, "But we can offer you a chance to help the galaxy. To do what the Jedi never did. And maybe, eventually, if we work together, we'll find a way to stop Plagueis."

"You truly believe Sidious would ever let you come close to doing any of that?" he asks, sounding decidedly unimpressed.

"He said he's been considering making you... Grand Inquisitor," I tell him, "And I think he wants Plagueis dead as much as we do."

"Then why should I help him?" Maul asks dryly.

He has a point. "Sidious is a Sith. Plagueis is... I don't know what he is, but he's different. He... The things he does are... things unnatural even to the Dark Side."

"How does that concern me?" he retorts.

I don't understand how someone could just not care about these things! Then again, I doubt he's seen what my sister and I have. We've been to Plagueis' labs before. We've felt the Force-abominations he creates, that he's obsessed with. And I'm afraid of what that will mean for us.

"He wants us to study our power," Aniya adds, "Sidious is all that stands in the way of... however far he wants to go with that. We must find a way to stop him eventually."

Maul's expression shifts, darkening. "You fear he intends to harm you?"

"He said, outright, that he would," Aniya replies bluntly, "I'm not worried about it, but..."

"Then we shall find a way to stop him," he decides. I just wish I could believe it. I... can't. I know Maul will try, and that usually, I'm the one who constantly clings to optimism, but just this once, I can't find it in myself to do so. Not since I Fell. Not since... I became everything I know my family will reject me for. Everything I know our mother would be disappointed in.

"We must be careful. I'm sure he is already preparing for that possibility," I point out, grimly. There's no way he isn't, because the tension between him and Sidious can't be anything new.

"Tell Sidious I accept his... offer," Maul adds.

I nod, a strange amount of gratitude washing through me. We really don't deserve his help, but then again, there could just as well be other motives to it. Even so, I'm willing to give him a chance. He saved my life, and I owe him that.

At least this is one thing I can try to repay.

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