Chapter 49 - Captured

Author's Note: Anakin is trying to balance the Force without even realizing it. xP

Thank you, loldelegate! :)

~ Amina Gila

The first thing Anakin senses as consciousness starts to filter in, is the Dark Side. Because he'd been attacked and –

Force, he needs to be up and moving now.

Blinking back to consciousness Anakin tries to force himself upright, except his hands are... cuffed together, with restraints that he can't open with the Force, though he can still draw on it.

What?!

Where is he? Icy fear snakes its way down his spine; his instant thought is that he must've been captured by some remaining Zygerrian stronghold, but then the door to the... storage room of the ship – it must be in hyperspace, from how it's vibrating – slides open, a very familiar Zabrak appearing in the doorway. "He is awake, brother."

"Savage?" Anakin can't help but blurt out, eyes widening. They thought he was killed or something during the war. What's he doing here now? And why did he take Anakin from Zygerria?!

The yellow and black towering figure steps closer, staring down at him. Maybe it's just that he's been remembering too much of Zygerria that it sends a sharp stab of fear through him – and Anakin finds himself instantly bracing for violence. He's not a slave anymore, though, so he holds his head high, refusing to show any fear.

"I remember you, padawan," the Zabrak comments.

Behind him, two other similarly looking Zabraks stride into the room – one is black and red, and the other orange and black. Brothers, Savage had said. They... do look like it.

The red and black one feels darkest, and his feet are clanging as he walks. They're... metal? What happened to them?

"Who are you?" Anakin demands,

"Has your master never spoken of me?" the Zabrak asks, and there's such loathing in his voice, it nearly sends a shiver through Anakin.

"I wouldn't know," Anakin replies anyway, refusing to back to be deterred, "If I don't know your identity."

"I am Maul," he hisses.

What?!

Maul?

The Sith who was killed on Naboo? But – that doesn't make any sense! Obi-Wan killed him. It's something his master has been very known for. Anakin has no idea how he's alive, but this is bad, especially if he's Savage's brother. "What do you want with me?" he demands.

"I was apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy once," the Sith hisses, "I was destined to become so much more, btu I was robbed of that destiny by the Jedi, by Obi-Wan Kenobi. What I want, child, is revenge."

He seems... deranged. To be fair? He's a Sith. Anakin couldn't possibly expect anything other than that. But still, seeing so much rage, even if it's not solely directed at him, he's still caught in the middle of it, and it's unnerving. "You killed his master," Anakin replies, "Of course, he was going to lash out and hurt you."

"That does not change what he took from me," Maul snarls, stalking closer, and for a moment, Anakin is almost certain things are about to get violent. He ignores the instinctive desire to make himself small and invisible – he's not a slave anymore, and he doesn't have to act like one. Even if... all the memories of that point of his life have been dragged back to the surface after Zygerria.

"Revenge won't change that," Anakin replies, evenly.

"He will suffer as I have," he snaps back, before turning and stalking out of the hold, still vibrating with rage. "Brother, keep an eye on him. Ensure he does not try to escape." As though that would be possible.

Anakin doesn't dare to breathe out a sigh of relief even now – only Maul and Savage leave. The orange Zabrak, who's name he doesn't know, stays behind, eyeing him.

They're... planning to use him as bait to lure Obi-Wan out here, and Anakin can only imagine what they'll try doing to him. He can't let that happen. He has to find a way to escape before his master comes looking and falls right into the trap. And given that there's three trained Dark Siders here, he doesn't know if Obi-Wan would really be able to handle them completely alone. Once, he might've thought otherwise, but he's had to save him countless times on the battlefield. His master is not as... infallible as he'd like to believe, sometimes.

The orange Zabrak starts pacing back and forth, and Anakin suddenly can't help but think of how things went when he was trapped with Ventress. These Dark Siders... they've been hurt too. They're...

At least trying this approach won't hurt.

"So, you're Savage's brother too?" Anakin asks.

He pauses. "I am." The reply is short and clipped, but he doesn't talk nearly as... harshly as the other two do. He feels softer in the Force, too. Maybe because he was never an assassin like them?

"How did you end up with them?" he asks, "I ran into Savage during the war, and my master met Maul, of course, but... I never knew they had another brother working with the Sith too."

"How does it matter?" he asks.

"It doesn't," Anakin agrees, shifting his very uncomfortable position. There's no way he can get these binders off on his own. "But we can sit here and stare at each other if you prefer."

"They came to find me on Dathomir," he answers, finally.

Well, that definitely explains why he doesn't feel as... violent as the other two. He was never trained that way. "How did your brothers end up with the Sith, then? What made the Sith choose them?"

The Zabrak studies him for a long moment, as though debating if he should answer. "Dooku took Savage, because he knew the skill Maul once had."

"But it was... Sidious who took Maul, right?" Anakin guesses, carefully. At this point, who Sidious is, is still a complete mystery – if he even exists. They only have Dooku's word for it, but the Count had to have learned the Dark Side from somewhere, and Anakin highly doubts it could've been Maul who did it, when he couldn't possibly be older than Obi-Wan. Besides, Dooku was still at the Jedi Temple until after Maul's death, so... there must be another Sith of some kind.

Anakin doesn't miss the strange flare of pain, longing, and anger from him in the Force, and... what? Is there something about Maul being taken that's... sensitive? He doesn't find it surprising. "Did he not have a choice?" Anakin presses, when the Zabrak doesn't reply immediately.

"We were all... young, when he was taken. We did not see him again until Savage found him where Kenobi left him," the Zabrak replies. It's obvious how upset he is, and Anakin can't blame him for that.

Well.

That definitely explains the brothers' anger, and – Maul never wanted this. He was forced into becoming a Sith, wasn't he? And Savage was taken, likely without much choice either. They're free now, but they are... maybe understanbly, trapped in the past. "But you're all free now. You can live your own lives. You don't have to do this. Hurting my master will not change was what was done. It will not change that your brother killed his master first, either."

He pauses momentarily, perhaps actually considering the words. "He destroyed my brother's life. I cannot simply forget that," he says, finally.

"Of course not," Anakin replies. Frankly, he can't imagine what it would be like to lose half oy yourself. How did Maul even survive? "No one could. But this won't change it. It will gain you nothing. You have the chance to life your lives in peace now, away from the Sith. Why bring the Jedi down on you, when you could... finally be together?" Don't choose chains for yourself again, he doesn't add. He can't understand why someone would be so driven on vengeance.

"The Jedi will hunt us as soon as they realize who we are," he objects, but Anakin can sense his doubts in the Force. He doesn't agree with his brothers – he's just not going to openly disagree with them.

"Not if you don't get give them a reason to. They're busy with the war right now." He presses his lips together, another thought suddenly occurring to him, though he has no idea if there's any basis to it. "Were you... behind Dooku's death?" It was too mysterious.

"He betrayed Savage," the Zabrak says, by way of answer.

"I know you didn't do it for the Republic, but for that alone, the Republic is in your debt." It should help the war effort. Hopefully.

It's then that the door to the hold suddenly snaps open again, Maul and Savage stepping in. "Your master has yet to show up," Maul hisses, "Perhaps we should speed that along?" He takes a threatening step towards Anakin, and his heart lurches instantly, though he refuses to show it.

His gaze darts to the other Zabrak for a moment, anyway.

"We can wait a little longer. The time we gave him is not up yet," Savage reminds. He seems... slightly hesitant too, surprisingly.

"Brother, wait," interjects the other Zabrak, "Are you certain this is... a wise idea?"

"We spoke of this already, Feral," Savage reminds.

Feral.

So, that's his name.

Somehow, it really fits with what the others are named. "The Jedi will not stop chasing us, if we do this," he argues.

"He's right," Anakin interjects, "You're both finally free from your masters. You can have something beyond being your masters'... weapons. Why ruin that chance entirely?"

Maul glares at him. "I was destined for so much more as the apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy."

"You were a tool, or he would have come to find you." To be fair, Anakin has no idea if... 'Sidious' knew Maul was still alive, but it's obvious enough anyway.

"That does not change what Kenobi took from me," he snaps.

"Nor will vengeance. It will only destroy the chance at living that you have now. You are already at great risk for killing Dooku. If Dooku has a master, I can't imagine he will not be angry with you for that. And the Separatists will be after you. Do you want to be hunted by the Republic as well?"

Savage pauses to at that, glancing to Maul.

"He has a point, brothers," Feral says, quietly, "This will not change what was done."

"And it... will be a risk,' Savage concurs.

"A risk we are capable of handling," Maul insists.

"Is it really one worth taking?" Feral objects, again. His tone isn't confrontational, though he still says it firmly.

"We have come this far. We will not stop now," Maul retorts.

It's not surprising that he doesn't want to stop, but Anakin doesn't know what that will mean. They'll have to fight, even if he... doesn't want to. Maul, at least, is choosing to walk this path even when he doesn't have to, but at the same time, he never knew anything else. He raised to as a Sith, and Anakin can't imagine what such a life must have been like.

Feral seems almost disappointed, even if he doesn't show it much. "We do not need to harm the boy. He has done nothing." Anakin blinks in slight surprise. He's... willing to stand up for him?

Maul scowls again, but he nods, turning to leave the hold. Apparently, he's at least willing to listen to some of his brothers' reasoning.

"Kenobi should arrive soon. You will remain our insurance that he will get here, until then," Savage says, before he follows Maul, leaving Anakin alone with Feral again.

"You are not all wrong," Feral concedes, eyeing him, "But we will do as my brothers' desire."

He can't deny the desperation and anger creeping into him then, because he knows it's extremely unlikely Obi-Wan could fight them all off. They're planning to hurt him, and Anakin can't let them do that, no matter what. He has to find a way to break out, and maybe –

Something is shifting in the Force, and suddenly he senses Obi-Wan close. His master is here. He needs to act now.

Anakin lashes out with the Force without warning, throwing Feral against the wall of the hold, and yanking his lightsaber – he must've made one of his own at some point – to his hands. He can't say why he momentarily feels bad fighting them.

Igniting it, Anakin cuts through the binders, sprinting for the door, but Feral is already standing.

"Stop," he warns, and Anakin has no doubt he could still put up a significant fight, with a lightsaber or not, "I can convince my brothers to let you go when this is... over."

"You think I'm going to let them hurt my master?" Anakin throws back.

"I will not let you harm my brothers, either," he replies.

"I'm not planning to." Not unless he doesn't have another choice, even if... He knows how much damage Savage did during the war, and likely how much more Maul would be capable of. If they're choosing a path like this, they do need to be stopped, but a part of him can't shake the hope that maybe they'll reconsider once he and Obi-Wan are safely away from them. Besides, there's nothing they can easily do to stop all three Zabraks here anyway.

He shoves Feral aside with the Force again, sprinting out the door – though he's fairly certain Feral could've jumped if he was actually trying.

He can hear the sound of lightsabers clashing outside the ship, and runs out to see Obi-Wan fighting with the other two. Except he's losing.

Anakin can clearly see as much as he runs to join the fight, blocking Maul's blow before it can land anywhere close to his once master. He catches sight of his own lightsabers glinting on Savage's belt and he reaches out, yanking them to him. His own hilts are too cumbersome to fight with one-handed if he's also holding a lightsaber in the other hand, so he reluctantly tosses Feral's aside, igniting both of his, and the fight presses on.

They continue trading blows, in a furious blur of blue and red. "Your rage has unbalanced you," Maul mocks, swinging at Obi-Wan again.

And it's then Anakin realizes how true that is. He's never seen his master looking so angry before. Not to the point where he's practically in a blind fury, nearly drawing on the Dark Side himself.

It's unsettling to see, especially after – after Ahsoka. After Mortis.

"That is not the Jedi way, is it?" Maul adds, swinging his blade for Obi-Wan's head. He blocks it, shoving him back, swinging almost wildly as they trade blows.

Anakin tries to fend off Savage, swinging his double-bladed lightsaber to block every angle of attack that the Zabrak throws at him. They've fought each other in the past, and it makes it a little easier for him to know how to counter him, but he doesn't know if it's going to be enough. The last time they fought, he also lost.

Feral sprints out of the ship then, and Anakin feels his stomach drop instantly. This is not good. They're already not doing well. They need to get out of here. Though, he's pretty sure Obi-Wan's figured that out by now.

Maul throws Obi-Wan back with the Force, and he slams into the wall of a nearby building. Anakin Force-jumps away from Savage, landing near him, breathing hard.

"We should go, Master," Anakin urges, more desperately than anything else. This isn't a fight they'll be able to win.

Obi-Wan's already pushing himself upright, as the three Zabraks charge for them. Feral's collected his fallen lightsaber already, and with all three –

Obi-Wan gives him a slight nod, then jumps to the roof of one of the nearby buildings. Anakin immediately follows suit.

"Running now?" Maul hisses mockingly, leaping after, "And they say you are a master. You will not escape."

Neither of them spare the breath to respond. They just run.

Except there's three of the others, so it's easy for them to try boxing them in. And somehow, they have to get to the ship fast enough.

The buildings they're moving through are abandoned, or they must be, because Anakin doesn't sense anyone anywhere nearby. Hopefully, that should make the minor amount of property damage he'll have to do worth it.

They jump across a few more roofs, before he spots some type of... fuel. He throws one of his lightsabers, cutting through the side of the container, before yanking the hilt back to his hand as a tremendous explosion rips through the area between the buildings.

The one they're on is collapsing, but they're able to jump to the other side without it falling in on them. They don't wait or look back, racing for the waiting ship. Anakin sprints onboard first, scrambling into the pilot's seat and firing up the engines.

Through the haze of smoke and flames, he spots Savage and Feral moving towards them. They could've grabbed the ship with the Force when it takes off if they tried, but they don't. He doesn't know if they don't because they didn't think of it or because... something.

Not that it matters. At least they were able to get out of there, alive.

"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asks, eyeing him. "Did Maul harm you?"

Anakin shakes his head. "I'm fine. They were just using me as bait." Obi-Wan still feels seriously unbalanced, and it's... disturbing. "Are you okay?"

Obi-Wan glances at him, though something about his expression is unusually hard to read. "Of course."

You don't have to be, Anakin wants to tell him, but he holds it in. He doesn't think Obi-Wan will understand it.

"We must find them again. They will pose a threat until they are stopped," his master says, and somehow Anakin's not surprised that that's what Obi-Wan's immediately fixating on. He's not exactly wrong either, so he doesn't know why it almost feels like his master is just partly doing this out of a desire for revengeance.

Given that Maul killed Qui-Gon and is still alive, he can't blame him for that, but it's... strange, to see Obi-Wan being like this. Even if Anakin knows how violent he can be in fights. That's... different, not really relevant.

"If Maul wants revenge so much, I'm sure he'll come after you again," Anakin points out. Though he hopes that now that Obi-Wan's far out of range, Savage and Feral might be able to convince him to stop. They deserve this chance as much as Ventress did, but it's up to them if they'll actually take it.

"Likely," Obi-Wan agrees, "I still do not see how he could have survived."

"I don't understand either. Savage said he found him, but that wasn't long ago."

Obi-Wan seems to consider that for a few moments. "It matters little, so long as we find and stop them."

That's... probably true. "What's happened on Zygerria since I was taken?"

"Very little, but most of the Republic forces are pulling back now. All of the freed slaves are being transported off-world."

"Including Mom?" he asks, perking up. "Could I... see her one more time?" He knows he shouldn't be asking for that as a Jedi, but it's been so long, and how would seeing her own more time hurt? "I know it's not –"

"If we are back soon enough," Obi-Wan concedes.

"Thank you," Anakin breathes. They don't even need to go back to Zygerria anymore, so he can only be grateful that his master will let him do this.

Obi-Wan reaches out, laying a hand on his shoulder. Anakin leans into it, and his master's hand moves up to lightly brush across his cheek.

There's so much he could say, but he doesn't know what, so he says nothing. It's rare that he's sees an actually visible hint of affection in Obi-Wan's eyes, but he could swear that he does right now.

Not for the first time, he can't help but think that the way he feels towards Shmi is very much like how he feels towards Obi-Wan. They're his parents, and he wants to believe that nothing could take them apart.

**w**

"This isn't what I expected the mission to turn into it," Rex comments, helmet under his arm as he stands next to Cody in the cruiser, overlooking the surface of Zygerria below.

"I didn't either," Cody admits. Frankly, he doesn't really know how he feels about what happened there. They followed the orders they were given, and given what he's heard about the Zygerrians, he can't say he has any regrets about it either, but... bombing civilian areas is something they were always warned not to do.

They've never been commanded to outright do it. He knows Rex is thinking along the same lines – he's the one who was given that order, after all.

"I don't know what to think of the General, sometimes," Rex admits.

"General Tano?"

"Yes. She is... a good leader, and I know she would do much for us, more so than many other Jedi, but she is... I am concerned for where this and her conflict with the Council could be taking her."

Frankly, anything about that just makes Cody plainly uncomfortable. He can understand having... disagreements with superiors of course – it's normal and natural – but not to the point that General Tano has. There's a difference between having disagreements and an outright conflict.

"The Commander has mentioned it to me before too," Cody admits, "He said he spoke with her about it, but she's far too focused on the war to let it bother her." So, he doesn't understand what all the conflict is about in the first place, if they're all trying to achieve the same end goal. "Have you ever spoken with her about it?"

"I have. Briefly." Rex sighs. "If she will not listen to Commander Skywalker's concerns, she is even less likely to listen to mine."

"True," Cody huffs out a breath. And speaking of the Commander... "I just received word from General Kenobi. He found Anakin. They should be arriving shortly."

He leaves at that, heading to where the shuttle is arriving on their cruisers. Anakin looks as well as ever when he disembarks, to Cody's slight surprise. And here he thought Anakin had been captured by someone of the same... fanatical Force user cult or whatever that Dooku was, who seemed bound on revenge.

"You look... well," he notes, raising an eyebrow.

"It went better than expected," Anakin replies, "I talked to Maul's brother a bit. They're not all bad."

On that note? He shouldn't even be surprised that Anakin clearly has somehow, yet again, befriended one of those people. It keeps happening, and it fills him with a sense of fond exasperation. "I can't imagine General Kenobi was pleased to hear that you have another... Sith friend."

"We weren't friends yet. And I didn't tell him," Anakin offers.

Cody huffs out an amused breath. Somehow, he's not even surprised to hear that. "Should we be expecting another... incident like this soon?"

"I don't know," he replies, expression growing a little graver, "Maul was still determined to have revenge, but I might have gotten through to his brothers. We'll have to see."

Knowing Anakin, he probably was successful. He very rarely isn't, no matter what others think about it, even their general.

"We won't let them get to you again," Cody promises him, and he means it. He won't let anyone hurt Anakin if he can stop them. Anakin is as much one of his vod as any of his clone brothers, and he'll do whatever he can to protect him. (Although really, if the Commander couldn't stop something from happening it's unlikely he could either, but that won't stop him from trying.)

Especially when he knows Anakin will do the same for him and all of his brothers any time – he does do the same every day on the battlefield.

Anakin glances at him, smiling. "I know.

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