Chapter 8 - Malevolence
Author's Note: Enjoy Maul's POV! :)
~ Amina Gila
This is the moment Maul has been waiting for, for so long. His master may have found him after his defeat on Naboo by Kenobi, and he was restored to his place as apprentice, but he nearly lost it. And he still lost so much of himself, not to mention the years of constant agony, time he will never have back.
And he will have his revenge on Kenobi for this, no matter what it takes.
"He is here," Maul intones, speaking to the hologram of Asajj, his... wife. It's not real – it couldn't be even if he wanted it to be, which he does not – but there's still some level of camaraderie between them.
"If you're certain," she replies, sounding most unenthusiastic, "But don't go doing anything stupid and making your master mad."
Maul scowls. "Eliminating Kenobi will be a severe blow to the Republic. And my master wants him gone for... personal reasons." He's known that Sidious has wanted to be rid of him for years, and Maul is more than happy to oblige.
"Fine," she agrees, giving him a pointed look, "But don't do something stupid."
She's right to be concerned, because if any of Sidious' delicate plans are thrown off, Maul knows what the consequence will be. It's strange to have Asajj here, though – he's never had anyone else to speak to on a similar level as him before.
Sometimes, he thinks maybe this arrangement isn't so bad. Even if, when they'd first come together, he'd despised the notion.
"I'm not any happier about this," Ventress snaps, glaring at him, "But we will have to make this work."
"This does not need to be a marriage." There is no reason the only way he can become leader of the Separatists is by marrying her. He has had enough of people having authority over him, and this is how Zabrak... mating works. Even if it's not real.
"No one knows you," she replies, tersely, "Dooku declared me his heiress, once he's gone. And if you have any further questions, I'd advise taking them up with Sidious."
He scowls back at her, before turning away. He would never complain about something like that to the Sith Master, no matter how much he dislikes the arrangement. He has to work to start really forming the Separatist movement, and it helps, since Ventress is technically going to be the Countess of Serenno once Dooku dies.
He's already old, and Maul knows he'll be gone long before Sidious is ready. Whatever exactly the Sith Master is waiting for this time – he's always waiting, it seems.
"And we must retrieve the ally I found among the Nightsisters," Ventress adds.
What she means is the one who's going to be their fake daughter.
She'll be like an apprentice, though, and that, Maul doesn't have a problem with. He wants to take an apprentice of his own, and this is a prime opportunity. Even if the girl will be mainly using Nightsister magick.
"You are going to lead the movement?" Merrin asks, dubiously – she's the one they adopted, and Maul still doesn't know what to think of her.
"Yes," he replies, curtly, "I have been trained for this role." It's what he was always meant to do, and he nearly lost it because of Kenobi.
"I just would have thought Ventress would take it, since she was Dooku's heiress," the girl replies – she's practically an adult, actually, but still far younger than Maul. She's much like the rest of the Nightsisters, he can tell. The Nightbrothers never seen capable of leading or anything, but he's not like the others.
"I am the Sith," Maul retorts, sharply, "Ventress is not. And I can train you in their way if you so desire."
Merrin seems momentarily uncertain. "I am well versed in magick," she replies, finally.
"The Dark Side will always be more powerful," he tells her, firmly.
Their relationship had been difficult at first, though she had grown to respect him for being an actual Sith very quickly. Now they are... far closer. Eventually, she had agreed to being trained in the Force, even if she's obviously not a Sith.
Their relationship is nothing like what he thought it would be to have an apprentice. In some ways, it feels like something more. It's nothing like Maul's relationship with Sidious was.
Perhaps they are a... family of sorts. Even after all this time, he's still not certain he knows the meaning of that word.
**w**
"We have lost all contact with Obi-Wan's fleet," Anakin reports, past the fear gnawing at him. "But the super weapon was spotted." Across the galaxy, Republic forces are being slaughtered at random places, they can't make sense of it. The most they know is that it's a mystery weapon that's never left any survivors.
They have some sort of lead now, though he's not sure how much will be left by the time someone gets there to check it out. Or if whoever goes will make it out.
"We're preparing a rescue mission," he adds, looking between the holograms of Palpatine and Gallia.
"Be careful," she replies, "We've already lost so many fleets to this weapon. We can't afford to lose any more."
"We can't afford to lose Obi-Wan, either," Anakin tells her, fiercely. And he will not accept that. He can still feel his former master's presence, and he'll fight through anything to get him back. Obi-Wan raised him. Anakin owes him everything.
"Hasn't clone intelligence reported there are never any survivors?" Palpatine objects, concerned.
"I still sense him," Anakin answers, firmly, "There is a chance we can find him, if we move fast enough."
"Then go," Gallia instructs, "May the Force be with you."
Anyone else, someone who wasn't the Grandmaster of the Order, and Anakin thinks they might've been more reluctant. He can only be grateful they weren't now – they have to move.
Luke is hovering at his side, concern obvious, as they move through the halls, for a waiting shuttle.
"We'll find him," Luke promises, though Anakin's hardly sure who he's trying to reassure more. "You would've known in advance if something actually bad would happen here, right?"
He knows what that means. Like with his mother. "I should have," Anakin replies, "I'm certain this will go well, in the end." Even if he's afraid of what it will mean to get to the end. The danger he feels is strong. And it scares him.
Luke nods, reaching out to take his hand momentarily – though hastily pulls away when they see Rex approaching.
"We're leaving for the Abregado system," Anakin tells him, "We will call you if we need reinforcements." But for now, he doesn't want to take the clones anywhere near the danger. Not if it isn't necessary.
"We're going alone?" Luke objects.
"A small ship is easier to go unnoticed. Come."
**w**
Luke finds it hard to think about Obi-Wan without remembering the things Palpatine's been saying about him, but that's hardly a concern right now.
The red, gaseous planet looms in front of them, as he and Anakin come out of hyperspace in the system. The Force feels of danger and death, and maybe of the Dark Side, but he can't quite tell. None of it's a surprise.
All that lies in front of them is a debris field, intermixed with asteroids. "A scan should be able to pick up any lifeforms," Luke says, scrambling to start running the scan. They have to find Obi-Wan here, no matter what. He can't die.
Anakin flies further into the debris field, and from the look of concentration on his face, he's obviously reaching out with the Force.
Luke watches the scanners, heart hammering as he waits for them to pick up on something. And then, finally,something flashes on the scanners. "I have a signal!" he exclaims, "I think there's someone still alive out there."
"I sense him," Anakin agrees, eyes narrowed in concentration, flying the shuttle forwards.
Something's about to go very wrong, and Luke has no idea why. Maybe not with this, but something's... coming. He warily scans their surroundings but sees nothing.
Yet.
"We should hurry before that thing comes back," Luke mutters. Unless it does, and they can get a clue as to what it is. He perks up, suddenly, as a pod comes into view, with several clones sitting on top. "There they are!"
He fires the cable without being told, pulling the pod onto the ship.
Anakin's already on his feet, scrambling to the back. The pod is safely inside, and the clones slide off it now that they're safe. Luke just hopes they survive. Dying in space is... awful. The vacuum will literally tear someone apart.
"We need a medical droid," Luke observes, concern gnawing at him, as he calls for the one in the back of the ship.
Anakin moves to the back of the pod, pulling it open and helping out Obi-Wan, who unsteadily slides to the floor. Anakin crouches next to him immediately, face drawn in concern. "Are you... alright?"
"I'll be fine," Obi-Wan assures, coughing – in a way that indicates he very much is not.
"You don't look fine. Or sound fine," Luke tells him, flatly.
"Are these all the men left?" Anakin asks, looking to the other clones.
"Unfortunately, yes," Obi-Wan replies, "They sent out droid hunters to cut open the pods of everyone who escaped."
Luke winces. "All the men are gone?"
The question hangs heavily in the air, as the medical droid shows up to check on the survivors. They aren't technically Obi-Wan's battalion since, as the Grandmaster, he doesn't have the time or need for a battalion of his own. It's unlikely he knew any of them personally, but that doesn't make it any better that they're gone.
There's a long pause of much too heavy silence, before Anakin turns back to Obi-Wan. "Which number is this that I've saved you?" he asks teasingly.
Obi-Wan huffs. "It's the first time in years, Anakin."
"Only because all these years, you've been staying at the Temple most of the time," Anakin replies, lightly.
"Don't tell me you pulling him out of space is common," Luke interjects.
"It's not," Obi-Wan huffs.
"But saving his life... yes."
"I want to hear about this," he insists, glad for the momentary distraction.
"Perhaps later when we have time to talk," Obi-Wan argues, "I am not letting Anakin fill your mind with his imaginary exploits of my rescue."
Luke grins. "I've already heard of some, like the Gundark one."
"I will fill you in on the inaccuracies later," he decides, grumpily.
"If there are any to discuss," Anakin replies, cheerfully.
"I'll be looking forward to it, Un – " He hastily cuts himself off from calling Obi-Wan 'uncle', when the clones are still in earshot. It probably wouldn't matter, but it's not a risk he should take.
"I'm sure you will," Obi-Wan replies, "On the way back, then."
"We should leave," Anakin agrees, growing more serious again, as the three head for the cockpit. "Did you see this... weapon?"
"It's a massive ship with an ion cannon," Obi-Wan answers, standing behind their seats, "It neutralizes all power on the ships, leaving them defenseless."
"How –" Luke cuts off mid-sentence, air freezing in his lungs at the sudden flashing on the scanners. "We have an incoming ship! And it's massive."
The ship that jolts out of hyperspace in front of them is enormous. He didn't know ships could even get that big.
"Shut down the power!" Obi-Wan barks, and they scramble into motion, instantly flipping it off.
Except the ship isn't turning away from them.
"Why is it coming closer?!"
"The medical droid!" Anakin realizes.
"I'll get it!" Luke calls, jumping up.
"It's too late," Anakin replies, frantically flipping the power back on, "We need to get out of here."
He spins the ship around, and it streaks away through the debris field. The Force surges with danger, and the scans flash with warning, that a large electric field is rapidly approaching them.
Luke would help if there was anything to do – something about the panic of the moment gives him a rush of adrenaline that helps him move, but right now, all he can do is watch as Anakin skillfully maneuvers his way between the ray shield, as Artoo hastily implants coordinates to anywhere, and they streak away into hyperspace only seconds before the electric field would have engulfed them.
**w**
Anakin doesn't dare breathe a sigh of relief, even as they streak into hyperspace. The danger doesn't feel over yet.
"We made it," Luke breathes, looking around.
"Next time, perhaps consider a warning," Obi-Wan grumbles, picking himself up off the floor. Anakin has no idea when he ended up getting thrown to the floor in the first place, and he'd take the time to tease him about it if he couldn't shake the feeling that –
The ship jolts violently, throwing Obi-Wan to the floor again. It spins wildly, the blue and white swirls outside mixing with a rainbowish streak for a moment, before they're jolted out of hyperspace, a distance away from the planet.
"What's happening?!" Luke demands, eyes wide.
"We were pulled out of hyperspace," Anakin replies, quickly realizing with sinking dread as to why. "They must have a... gravity well."
"I thought that was still experimental technology!" his son protests. They know about it because, well... Anakin keeps up on the latest ship advancements if he can. And usually, Luke does too, at least now that they're together.
"Since when did that technology exist at all?" Obi-Wan demands, standing again.
"We have no way out," Anakin says grimly, in lieu of explanation. Making the jump again would be pointless; they'll just be pulled back again.
They don't have a moment longer to consider it anyway, because the Malevolence fires another ion blast, and it engulfs the ship, crackling through the system, frying everything. A tractor beam latches onto their ship moments later, pulling them in.
"Why aren't they just shooting? What are we gonna do?" Luke asks, panicked.
"I imagine Maul wants to do this personally," Obi-Wan replies, eyes narrowed.
Oh.
Anakin thought he'd sensed someone very familiar. It's no wonder the Sith is going out of his way to do this – he wants Obi-Wan dead, no matter what the cost. "If he wants to do it personally, then we'll take the fight to him," Anakin declares, mind racing through possibilities, "Obi-Wan and I can distract him. Luke, you and the clones need to deactivate the gravity well, and hotwire hyperdrive to self-destruct. Can you do that?"
Luke eyes him nervously for a moment, gaze darting down to Anakin's arm.
"Maul can't defeat both of us," Obi-Wan interjects, perhaps noticing as well. But Anakin can see how his desire for vengeance is starting to blind him again, and he doesn't know what to do about it. His master needs to stop, but he's not likely to do that. Not when he's set on it.
"I'll do it, Father," Luke replies, determinedly.
They don't have much longer to discuss it, because they're being pulled into the hangar of the ship, and battle droids are already swarming out to surround them.
"Come on," Anakin urges, and he and Obi-Wan sprint out of the ship. They cut their way through the battle droids as fast as they can, side-by-side, leaving an opening for Luke and the clones to slip away, unnoticed.
They sprint into a more open area of the hangar bay, right as Maul himself stalks through one of the entrances. "Kenobi," he growls, yellow eyes burning, "And I see you've brought your loyal foal again."
"Bringing us here was the last mistake you'll make, Sith," his master throws back and lunges forwards.
Anakin doesn't hesitate, instantly pressing forwards to join the attack, but just beyond, near the doorway, he can see several MagnaGuards approaching. This is... not good.
He remembers far too clearly, the burning agony of the lightsaber slashing through his wrist. Yes, he was exhausted then, and he isn't now, but there's always a chance he or Obi-Wan could get injured. They have to end this fast, because it's not a chance he's willing to take.
**w**
Luke sprints through the halls of the ship as fast as he can, heart hammering as dodges droid patrols. "Can you handle this?" he asks, ducking against the wall at the sound of more approaching footsteps.
None of the clones should be moving right now, but they don't have much choice. "We're fine, sir," Gree assures. He's pretty sure he's the captain of Luminara's battalion, another Council member.
Luke nods in response, and they wait until the droids pass before taking off again. The hyperdrive room isn't far ahead. Silently, he just hopes it's not guarded. If it is, they're going to have a problem.
But predictably, there are several battle droids standing right outside the room. They instantly start shooting, and Luke ignites his orange blade, leaping at them, cutting them down as fast as he can.
"Find somewhere to conceal this," he calls over his shoulder to the clones, before darting into the room. There's several droids working on the controls in there, but they quickly shoot or bisect them before Luke gets to work.
He's never done something quite like this before, but he knows how to do it, in theory. It's only a matter of doing it fast enough, and in a way no one will realize it's been tampered with.
"We're going to have company soon, sir," Gree warns.
"Just finishing," Luke mutters, frantically imputing the last of it, then changing back to the normal screen before they race for the exit. Now, they need to find a way off the ship, before it blows. Somehow.
Maul won't be keen on letting them escape. That mere thought makes him run faster, remembering Geonosis. He won't let anything like that happen ever again.
It's worse when he can sense the Sith's presence so close, as he and the clones sprint back into the hangar. Anakin and Obi-Wan are fighting him off, their blades clashing in a blinding blur of red and blue. And Maul is definitely on the defensive, from the way he keeps backing away from them.
For a moment, Luke feels a vicious surge of satisfaction, the hope that maybe they'll be able to end this here and now. It would be fitting. After what he did –
Except, he can hear droids approaching. He whirls around, as a large group of super battle droids march down the hall, for the hangar. And somehow, he has the feeling this isn't the only group.
No, not now. They were so close – But they need to get out of here. He knows that much, as much as he doesn't want to. And he won't let his hatred for Maul blind him into getting even more people killed, even if he knows some deaths are inevitable now.
Luke races inside, right as Anakin throws Maul halfway across the hanger. Blaster shots ring out from the far side, as a group of droids bursts though one of the entrances. "We hafta go!" he calls, desperately.
Anakin nods, and Obi-Wan throws a final, reluctant glance at Maul before they all bolt for one of the still operational Separatist shuttles.
"You will never escape," Maul snarls, climbing unsteadily to his feet.
None of them spare him a glance – they keep running, onto the shuttle, and Anakin fires it up. They barely make it out of the hangar before the doors slam closed, and take off through the debris field.
They must've been trying to power up something on the Malevolence, because there's a sudden explosion. It must be the sound of the ship exploding, or at least Luke hopes it is.
His heart is pounding as the rush of adrenaline slowly wears off. He's fought battles before, but something about the Malevolence was different. Maybe it's just that he saw Maul again, and he never wants to see Maul again. Except there's a part of him that does want that, that wants to... to kill him.
But at least if the ship is gone, they won't have to worry about it anymore. That thing was... it took out a lot of the Republic's fleet. He can only be relieved that it's gone now, so long as they aren't able to put it back together again.
Now that they're safely in hyperspace, and the initial panic over the Malevolence has faded, Luke finally has the chance to think about how this is the first time he's been with Anakin and Obi-Wan for an extended period of time. He's seen more of their interactions now really than he ever has before, or maybe it's just that he's analyzing them more. He can't stop thinking about what Palpatine was saying, about how Obi-Wan couldn't see Anakin as a family, because Jedi don't believe in that.
They seem close, though.
And he'd really like to ask them about it, discreetly at least.
"What was it like when you were a padawan?" Luke asks, finally.
Both of them turn to him at the unexpectedness of the question. "... regarding what?" Anakin asks.
"Anything." He shrugs, slightly. "Everything. I know you've said it wasn't always easy."
Anakin and Obi-Wan exchange glances. "He had a hard time fitting in," Obi-Wan replies, "His past always made him... different."
"Being different isn't always bad," Luke objects. Sometimes, he wishes he could have a family that wasn't different, but if this is the only way he could have his father around him at all, he's willing to settle for that.
"Not always," Obi-Wan answers, "But the Jedi have strict rules and standards. Anakin's presence alone went against that."
"That doesn't seem fair."
"It's not," Anakin replies, "But it's what it is. In the end, all we can do is keep moving. And all of that is in the past now, either way."
Maybe, but that doesn't change it's still affecting Anakin even now. "They still treat you as different, though," Luke argues.
"He is the Chosen One," Obi-Wan says, after a pause, "Many see him as different because of that."
Right. Luke's heard more than enough about that. When he was young, he thought it was cool, but now? "How does that mean he should be held to higher standards than the rest of the Jedi?" He should probably calm down, but he can't stop remembering what Palpatine was saying.
Anakin seems almost uncomfortable, for some reason.
"It does not," Obi-Wan agrees, "But there are some who do not see it this way. Is there a reason you're mentioning this now?"
"The more I'm here, the more I notice it," Luke replies, "I can't ignore it."
"It is simply how it is, Luke. Do not let it upset you," Anakin replies. Frankly, that only upsets him even more.
"How could I not?" Luke demands, "You're the best Jedi I've ever met, but there's still people who act so suspicious, like – you're some kind of disgrace to the Jedi way."
"He did, technically, break the Code," Obi-Wan says, bluntly, and Luke glares at him.
Anakin twitches slightly, looking away.
"No one even knows about that," Luke snaps.
"There are some who suspect," Obi-Wan says.
"How does that justify acting like he's some kind of outcast?"
"I would not go so far as to say that's true," Obi-Wan replies, "But I will not deny there are problems... that Anakin is not at fault for."
"Do we really need to speak of this?" Anakin asks, tiredly. A sharp stab of guilt runs through Luke at that – maybe he should've asked Obi-Wan about it alone or something. Thinking about it can't be easy for him. In the end, that only upsets Luke even more, though.
"I suppose not," he concedes, grudgingly. He should drop it, because talking about it won't change anything and Luke knows that, but it's hard to not talk about it sometimes. It's... not like Leia is here all the time for him to talk to about this. He misses her. Fleeting moments and holocalls aren't the same.
"I believe earlier you were asking for the real story about the Gundark incident?" Obi-Wan asks, changing topics entirely.
A flicker of amusement crosses Anakin's face. Some of the heaviness in the air seems to lift at that, and... okay, he'll just let it go for now. "He already heard the real story, Master. But I understand if you would prefer to present a less humiliating version."
Obi-Wan huffs. "It was as humiliating for you as it was for me."
"This, I would like to hear now," Luke decides, a little smugly.
Sometime, he'd like to know more about what their relationship was once like, based on what Palpatine was saying, but whatever difficulties they might've had, they're obviously close now. He supposes he'll have to settle with that knowledge for now.
Because right now, he really does want to hear this supposedly embarrassing story.
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