Chapter 6 - More Than You Will Ever Know
Author's Note: Never let it be said that a happy ending doesn't come without hardships on the way. xP
~ Amina Gila
The world slowly comes into focus around Anakin. He's lying on the cold floor of the ship in hyperspace somewhere, and he – he can't feel anything. He can't move his wrists apart either, but not being able to reach the Force is worse.
It physically hurts, and he tries to withhold the instinctive urge to cry, because he will not do that in front of his captors. Even though he doesn't see any of them close by.
He's in a ray-shielded cell of the bounty hunter's ship, and he already knows where he's being taken. Slowly, he pushes himself upright, scooting to the far corner of the enclosure, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them as best he can when he can't move his hands apart at all.
He can't go back there again. Why does this keep happening? Why?
Obi-Wan and Maul will both come for him, but he doesn't know if it'll be fast enough. He doesn't know if they'll even be able to free him or not, because the Sith Master is very strong in the Force. That much was... obvious, by his mere presence in the Force. It was dark, in a twisted sickening way that not even Obi-Wan's is, and –
Anakin will escape if he gets the chance, but right now, there's nothing he can do, except wait and dread, and... trust in the Force, that somehow, he'll be able to get out of here again.
**w**
Obi-Wan has never felt the urge to kill his former master as badly as he does now. Or no, just killing him wouldn't be nearly fast enough.
Maybe leaving him blocked off from the Force until he died from it would be more fitting. Because it would happen to any Force sensitive eventually, if they couldn't access such an integral part of their very existences. It would take far longer than it would for Anakin, though, which frankly, he finds more fitting. Obi-Wan knows Anakin's going to be in the same state he was the last time he was rescued, very quickly. He has to find him, as fast as possible.
It's stupid to rush head-long into this, but he doesn't care right now. He also knows that by taking Maul here, he could easily doom his master's plans, but it doesn't matter seeing as Obi-Wan's planning to kill him anyway.
Mandalore can find a way to continue the plans on their own. They don't need Plagueis.
Obi-Wan's never seen himself as much of a Sith as he has a member of Death Watch. Taking a risk of ruining a plan one thousand years in the making is risky, but the Republic is going to fall eventually. He'll worry about it later.
For now, he only cares about one thing. Revenge.
And he knows Plagueis already knows he's coming, so maybe this is stupid, but contacting him with a call ahead of time isn't even a warning.
Surprisingly, the Muun picks up the call immediately. "Darth Iiglu," he says, mildly.
It only makes him angrier, that the Muun isn't visibly upset. He thinks he has this all under control, doesn't he. "Plagueis," spits Obi-Wan, "I am well aware you are behind this."
"As well you should be," Plagueis replies, calmly.
"You will regret this."
"Will I?" he asks, "Or will you? Is leaving our goals for the Grand Plan really worth this boy?"
Obi-Wan's anger surges, sharp and icy. "You may think you have some idea what you are in possession of, but you do not. He means more to me than you will ever know."
Except, the near smirk on Plagueis' face is almost satisfied. "Yes, I am aware, and I am waiting." He ends the call at that, leaving Obi-Wan feeling incredibly... unsettled. (And more scared than he has in a long time, and he loathes it.)
**w**
He lands the ship a distance away, approaching Plagueis' mansion on foot. The Muun will be expecting him – he's probably already in the lab, waiting. Likely with backups, to ensure he wins.
Perhaps just this once, the Jedi will be of use if they actually arrive.
Letting his hatred (and fear) drown him in the Dark Side, he breaks in through a back entrance where he won't be spotted, moving silently through the building. He already explained to Maul as much about the layouts as he could – he's supposed to be coming in a different entrance.
Obi-Wan will keep his master distracted, and the others will show themselves when the time is right. Perhaps he should've considered calling his family for this...
Several guard droids move to intercept when he breaks into the secret part of the mansion that leads to the lab. Activating his lightsaber, he deflects their shots away, firing an explosive from his armor that rips through them. Easily flipping over them, he turns to cut through their falling pieces to make sure they're thoroughly incapacitated before he presses forwards.
This is too easy. It's too quiet. It's unsettling. He can sense Plagueis close, but he doesn't see him anywhere.
Or at least not until he shoves open the door to the main room of the lab, stepping inside.
"I know you're here," Obi-Wan calls, eyes narrowed. Somehow, it's... satisfying that he came here in his armor, instead of his Sith robes. He'll be his own kind of Sith – he doesn't need what his master showed him.
"You have endangered the Grand Plan with your recklessness, Iiglu."
He whips around at the sound, to see his master standing in the doorway Obi-Wan just came through. He's trapped in here, but that's fine – he'll have to find a way to kill him anyway. Somehow.
"Perhaps it was time for the plan to change," he throws back.
"You are arrogant," the Muun snaps, and he's obviously angry, even if he's controlling himself well, as always, "I will give you one last chance to end this foolishness and return."
Go back?
He must be out of his mind.
"And what of the boy?"
"He is more of a danger to our plans than an asset," his master replies, sharply, "You have seen his power. It cannot be contained if he learns to control it."
"Then no," he replies, "I am not your apprentice. Not anymore."
"I see," he says, lowly – it would have been less unsettling if he sounded outright angry, "Perhaps I should have chosen my first option as an apprentice from the start." The one he mentioned sensing things might go badly with? Palpatine? "You had much potential, and yet, you chance to waste it, and for what?"
"Something you will never understand. And your regrets won't change that you will lose, Master," he mocks, firing an explosive at him.
No, he does not care if he destroys all the medical equipment and data in the rather large room. Plagueis flicks a hand, and of course, the explosive is hurled right back at him. Obi-Wan deflects it aside as much he can, dodging out of the way as it rips through the floor, the ground trembling violently.
The Force flares in warning, and he spins around, barely in time to avoid Plagueis taking his head off. Obi-Wan whips out his own lightsaber, their blades clashing in a blinding blur. His master is far better than him, but his armor is at his disposal too, and he isn't here all alone.
Between explosions and lightsabers slashing through the walls, somewhere along the way they crash through the wall into the next room, and the fight continues.
His master throws him across the room, unleashing a blinding blast of lightning at him. Except he doesn't move fast enough to stop it. Mostly, it just crackles across his armor, but some gets past, the sharp, burning pain throwing him off-balance.
He's reaching for his lightsaber to call it back to him, but he knows it'll never land in his hand before the next attack comes, when a blue lightsaber ignites, blocking the lightning.
Maul.
"So, you have brought Jedi with you," Plagueis hisses, fury suddenly rolling off him.
"You have done that yourself. You dragged them into it by going after the boy," he shoots back, climbing to his feet.
"This is finished, Sith," Maul says, warningly, his anger obvious – now isn't a good time to point out that it's not the Jedi way to react to emotions like that.
"You have made a fatal mistake coming here, Jedi," the Muun replies, "For you, and your entire Order."
Maul lunges at him without waiting, and Obi-Wan instantly joins. Enough talking. It's time to end this.
He can only hope that they'll be able to come out on top.
**w**
Everything hurts,and it's only growing worse with each passing moment. Anakin leans against the wall, breathing hard. He has no idea what... what's going to happen now.
He doesn't know if he'll be stuck here forever, or – or anything, but...
The door at the end suddenly opens, but instead of Obi-Wan or the Sith Master, it's... a blue Twi'lek. Who he does, in fact, recognize immediately, because he saw her once, very briefly, at the Temple. She's one of Maul's friends.
"Anakin?" she asks, scanning the halls, her horror at the sight obvious.
"I'm here," he calls, standing shakily, moving to the barred opening. It hasn't been as long as last time yet, but he knows it's getting there.
She hurries to the end immediately, opening the door, and taking off his Force-restraints. He catches his balance against the wall as the Force floods through him again, taking the worst edge off the pain. "Master Kaitis?" he asks, confused, "What's... happening?"
"Your master called me here," she explains, "Come on."
"Is... the Sith Master here?" Anakin inquires, fear spiking.
"Yes. I came to get you out first." She pauses, glancing up and down the hall.
"What about everyone else?" he asks.
"We will free them, too." She immediately moves on to the next... cages, unlocking them and letting everyone out.
Questions pour in from all sides about what's going on, and who she is, and how there's finally a Jedi come to save them. Somehow, it almost feels like he's finally getting a chance to free people. Finally.
Now it's only a question of all of them getting out.
"We need to help Master Maul," Anakin says, looking up at Eldra.
"We do," she agrees, sprinting for the end of the hall, only for the door to swing open to reveal one of those security droids. She attacks it instantly, cutting it down swiftly, but there's undoubtedly more on the way.
There has to be something useful Anakin can do, too, but he doesn't know what. Unless – "Could we get the droids to help us fight him?" he wonders.
Eldra pauses. "They must have a central programming system somewhere. Either way, obtaining evidence of the fight here would be ideal. Go, hurry. See if there's anything you can find. I will hold off the Sith."
Anakin breaks into a run, with the other escapees behind him, though some of them scatter when they get further away, looking for the nearest escape route. Some stick around, though, picking up stray blasters from the already destroyed security droids, to fight, if necessary.
Finding the central control system is easy enough, though breaking into it to change the programming isn't something he's ever had to do before, and it's complicated. It's taking too long.
Whatever happens, he has to do this fast enough, or everyone could die.
Obi-Wan.
Maul.
Even Eldra, himself, and all the other people they just freed.
This has to work.
**w**
Obi-Wan drags himself upright for what feels like the one hundredth time today as Plagueis comes at them again. He had no idea how to fight alongside Maul, but they had to learn quickly. At least it's working a little better than when he was trying to fight the Sith off alone.
But still, they aren't anywhere close to winning, and he's starting to get worn out. The Muun doesn't seem to be tiring at all though – in all the times that he's sparred with him, he's never seen his master act like he's getting tired, but then again, since he always controlled when and where and how long they fought, it's not like he would know.
Looking back, he always made sure Obi-Wan wouldn't know any of his weaknesses. Why didn't he consider that before?
They're some distance away from the lab now – still destroying nearly everything in their paths – when a blue Twi'lek sprints into the room, drawing her lightsaber and running to join the fight.
"It was foolish of you to come here, Jedi," Plaguies says warningly, and he suddenly blasts them backwards, lifting his hands. The Force wraps around Obi-Wan's neck, even as he struggles against it, trying to shake the grip off.
This is bad. The Sith could easily kill all of them right here, and then Anakin will be next, and – No, no, that can't happen.
The Force-grip tightens around Maul and the Twi'lek's necks, and their hands reach for their throats instinctively, as they struggle to shake it off.
He's going to slowly kill them, isn't he? Studying their midi-chlorians all the while. And why he isn't killing Obi-Wan as quickly, he's not sure he wants to know.
Something twinges in the Force, and the door bursts open again with a barrage of laser blasts. The Muun releases all of them – for maybe the first time actually caught off-guard – whipping around to deflect the blaster shots from the... security droids all pouring in through the entrance?
What?!
How did that happen?
Obi-Wan doesn't bother to ponder it, and just starts shooting at the Muun from behind instead. Although now, he's beginning to think running would be the best idea.
"Where's Anakin?" Maul asks, breathlessly, climbing unsteadily to his feet.
"Likely in the data room," the Twi'lek replies.
"Let's go," Obi-Wan urges, and they take off running, leaving Plaguies to deal with more than a dozen deadly droids. He'll destroy them in no time, though, so they'll have to be fast.
Except they don't even make it to the data room before Maul's comm suddenly beeps. "Knight Opress, where are you?" a voice crackles through the comm.
Not one Obi-Wan recognizes but he knows what it means. The Jedi are here. He didn't quite expect the sharp prickle of fear he feels at the words. He needs to be out of here – away from Plagueis and away from them.
And Anakin –
He has no idea what it will mean for Anakin. Because can he really take Anakin with him? If Plagueis survives this – he probably will, as much as Obi-Wan hates to admit it – it's him that the Sith Master is going to be hunting down. Anakin is an... object of fascination to him, but he's not his traitorous apprentice.
Being with Obi-Wan is only going to put the boy in more danger, but he... he doesn't want to let him go. He could take him to Mandalore maybe, but thinking about it now, that's probably how the Sith Master caught his trail in the first place. He already knows that's one of the first places to look. What was he even thinking, going back there?
"Track my comm. We already engaged the Sith," Maul replies, eyes narrowed as they pick up the pace, making the last few turns and entering the... control room, or wherever this is.
Now, Obi-Wan has only half an hour tops to decide what to do.
Anakin's standing by the controls, but he spins around, eyes wide, though his fear rapidly fades to relief.
"Obi-Wan! Master!" Relief pouring off him, he sprints over, skidding to a stop in front of them, as though uncertain which he should go to. "Are you okay?"
"We're fine," Maul promises, with a slight grimace – likely because he has unseeable bruises on his throat. "The Jedi will be here soon."
And that, right there, answers what Obi-Wan has to do.
He has to leave.
Without Anakin.
And that is the last thing he ever wants to do, but...
"My master will either leave or stay to manipulate this to his advantage," Obi-Wan speaks up. "Legally, the Jedi do not have authority to do anything against him without proof."
Maul scowls. "We have proof."
Obi-Wan scoffs. "Not with him. I assume you are well aware that he is a banker." And can do literally anything with money. The rest goes unsaid. It's not as though being a Sith is illegal.
"We have plenty of evidence here," Maul argues.
"I found some recordings," Anakin speaks up.
"I'm glad you could find them," the Twi'lek praises, and Anakin smiles, slightly. "I'll see if I can download anything in the time we have." She hurries over to the control panel, getting to work.
"It will not be enough," Obi-Wan replies, with certainty. It's not a risk he's going to take. "We will not be able to catch him. We should take Anakin and the... others out of here." He noticed a few others lingering nearby with blasters, watching warily. Plagueis' other experiments. Their testimony could help, but he doubts it would be enough.
Maul shoots him an almost surprised look, which only serves to annoy him further. "I agree. Once they are safe, we can return."
"You can return," Obi-Wan corrects. "If you truly believe it wise."
"What?" he asks, a touch warily.
Isn't it obvious already? "I did not consider this before, but getting involved may have been a mistake for the entire Jedi Order. I know he will twist this against you... And if we remain, he will only kill us. I will not stay here senselessly for nothing."
"You can still come with us," the Twi'lek interjects, "I know you're a Sith, but if you're fighting your master... for now, we can fight together. You don't have to give yourself over to the Dark Side so completely."
Obi-Wan gives her an incredulous look. "Since when did Jedi speak like this? Or have you forgotten your teachings when it's convenient to deal with a greater threat?"
She shrugs, slightly. "I thought I should give you the chance, before you get yourself first humiliated, then killed. That's all." Does she seriously think that they could defeat him, if it actually came down to a fight?
"She is not... entirely wrong," Maul concedes, grudgingly.
"We can help you," Anakin agrees, looking so hopeful.
"I do not need help," Obi-Wan responds. He can't believe he's doing this. Again, he's leaving this place with no idea where it's going to carry him now. "I must go now. And you – you go with Maul. Back to the Jedi."
Anakin's eyes widen, in confusion and... he can't quite read what else. "But you said... your master could find me easier there."
"At least you'll have more people to protect you."
"... When did this change of heart happen?" Maul asks dubiously, and Obi-Wan shoots him a fierce glare. He has no desire to be dealing with this separation when there's already two irritating Jedi present.
Anakin bites his lip, still staring up at him. "But... you're going to leave?"
"I would like a word with him in private," Obi-Wan states, tersely.
"Go on," Maul concedes, and he's... momentarily surprised about that. He and the Twi'lek move to the other side of the room, by the controls, and Obi-Wan lays a hand on the boy's shoulder, pulling him from the room. He can feel the Jedi's distrust – wisely – at letting him leave the room, but they don't try to stop him.
Obi-Wan crouches in front of Anakin, so they're closer to eye-level. "Anakin," he says, softly, "I don't want this either, but you'll be safer there."
"But why?" Anakin protests, "Why can't you come?"
"The Jedi will not treat me any different than they would Plagueis, Anakin. Even if there is a chance, it is not a risk I'm going to take."
The faintest sheen of tears is welling in Anakin's eyes now, perhaps as he finally realizes what this means. "You're... going to leave? But what will you... do?"
"What we have been all along. You will go back to... where I perhaps should have left you from the start." He hates that he has to say this, because it would still be for the best if he could train Anakin as a Sith, but maybe that's not an option at the present moment. He'll find a way to get him back, but he has to deal with his master first, and the time for that isn't right now.
"I – I don't want you to go."
It's more touching than he thought it would be, that Anakin would... say that, given that he's the one who kidnapped him from the start. And Obi-Wan can grudgingly admit the boy didn't have much reason to want to stay with him, until more recently. "I don't, either, but you can't stay, and I can't go. I need to know you understand."
"I do," he whispers, voice shaking slightly, "When will we see each other again?"
"I don't know, but we will. Eventually."
Anakin nods, suddenly moving forwards. It catches Obi-Wan off-guard enough that he didn't realize what he was doing until the boy's small arms are wrapped tightly around him.
Well then.
He wraps his own arms around Anakin, pulling him close, and for a few moments, they just... stand/kneel there. It hurts in a way far deeper than he could ever say, that they'll have to go separate ways indefinitely.
It can't even compare to when he left his family – frankly, he didn't feel bad about that. It was a part of life.
This is different, and he can't say how much he doesn't want to do it. But this isn't... for him. It's for Anakin. And he'd much rather have him a Jedi and alive, than a Sith apprentice and dead.
"It will not be forever," Obi-Wan promises, holding him close, tightly. (For not the first time, he wonders if this is what it's like to hold your child. It's certainly not how you feel towards a Sith apprentice.)
"I'll miss you," Anakin breathes.
"As will I," he murmurs.
They pull apart, and Obi-Wan hesitates, hands lingering on Anakin's shoulders. It's too soon to let him go, but he needs to hurry if he really plans to get out of here.
"I should give you Twilight," he muses, standing.
"You can keep her," the boy objects, "So... you won't be alone."
Obi-Wan can't help the smile – and sharp stab of pain that spears through him – at the childishness of the words. "Alright." Besides, would the Jedi let Anakin keep something from a Sith? Likely not, so maybe him keeping it would be for the best.
"Will you be okay?" Anakin asks, blue eyes full of worry.
"Of course," he answers, automatically. "You should go." He gently pushes him towards the door, and after a moment, Anakin moves towards it, though he pauses at the entrance, looking back.
It's the last they see of each other, before Obi-Wan turns to leave himself, taking off down the hall. He has to go now, or he's going to change his mind. If he sees Anakin again, he can't be certain he'll be able to leave.
**w**
Anakin hasn't felt this close to tears since he left Mom. He never expected this to happen. He's leaving Obi-Wan. He's... going back to the Jedi. He wanted to go back to the Jedi, but he didn't want to leave Obi-Wan behind either. He never realized just how much, until now, when he has no idea when he's going to see him again. Just like when he lost his mother. He doesn't even know if he's going to be okay either, though he's probably more likely to be okay than Mom.
That doesn't stop the tears from stinging his eyes, as he opens the door to the control room, where Maul and Eldra are just finishing up. "Are you ready to go?" Maul asks.
"Don't look back." He remembers his mother's last words, and her gentle hands on his shoulders, and it's replaced by a similar image of Obi-Wan. So, he forces himself not to look back, no matter how much he wants to. "Yes, Master."
"Come then. We should hurry."
They take off through the building, but they don't make it far before they see the other Jedi ships arriving. Maul leaves Eldra to explain what's going on, taking Anakin out of the building for his waiting ship, telling her to call him in if they need him backup.
"What do we do now, Master?" Anakin asks, frowning. They can't just leave when the Sith Master is still there, can they?
"We will wait, if we are needed," he replies, moving to the cockpit, "Are you... well?"
Anakin nods. "I'm fine." The pain from the Force restraints is starting to wear off now. It didn't leave anything permanent. He's only not alright in that he still wants to cry. And he misses Obi-Wan already.
Maul nods, settling across from him. Anakin still remembers the last time they were together like this – he missed him so much, too. So much has changed since then.
"What happened to your padawan braid?" the Zabrak asks, eyeing him.
Right. "Obi-Wan said I – I couldn't keep it," he replies, quietly, something clenching in him. It'd had slipped his mind, but he still remembers when he got it, and – losing it hurt. It still does.
"He forced you to cut it off?" Maul demands.
"He said I had to, to hide myself." Anakin shifts, reaching into his pocket and fishing it out – he's kept it with him most of the time, and he's grateful now. "Here. I – I'm sorry I lost it."
Maul reaches out, taking the braid and slipping it into his pocket before taking Anakin's hand. It... catches him slightly off-guard because he doesn't usually initiate touch quite this intimate. It's something Anakin always did with Mom and his friends on Tatooine, but never his master. "You have nothing to be sorry for. This was not your fault. You can always get a new braid, once we are back at the Temple."
It's relieving to know that his master isn't mad at him for it, even if... Anakin didn't think he would be really, because Maul has never gotten mad at him before.
Maul studies him in silence for a few long moments. He doesn't know why something about it is making him almost uncomfortable. It's just... he doesn't know what his master is planning to say to him.
But it's then that a call finally comes in from one of the Council members, telling Maul to leave for Coruscant and that they have the situation handled, so it's dropped at that, for now.
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