A black fighter slashed through the nebulous clouds of hyperspace.
"Lord Vader . If you are seeing this message, then your quest nears its end."
The blue glow vanished into the starlines of pseudo-motion before craft emerged above a desolate, fiery world.
"Mustafar is not like other planets. It is unique. Deep beneath its surface rests a locus for the Dark Side of the Force."
It passed through the sulfur-rich clouds of the upper atmosphere on a path towards a small, flat piece of ground in the otherwise jagged terrain. The ship's repulsorlift sent ripples through a lake of blood-red magma as it passed.
"Here, you will reclaim yourself. From the site of your greatest defeat, you shall rise- strong, unbroken... Powerful."
The landing gear deployed as the craft touched down. At long last, the reward sought by the Sith Lord was finally within sight. The boarding ramp lowered with an ominous hiss.
"When you arrive on Mustafar, find the place where the Dark Side calls to you. Draw upon the energy there. Combine its power with your own. Then... use it."
An indescribable abomination of flesh and metal emerged from the darkness, a stolen lightsaber at his side. The memories of this place had already begun to resurface. They were not entirely his memories, but not entirely someone else's. They were the memories of The Jedi- the person he might have been, not so long ago.
"Corrupt the Kyber Crystal. Teach it your pain. Teach it your anger. Hear it sing a hymn of darkness..."
He approached the mouth of the cave before him, walking with a measured but purposeful gait.
"Make it bleed."
Travelling to Mustafar was not a prospect Ahsoka relished. First, there was the issue of distance. The journey from Ord Mantell to Mustafar would require them to travel almost the entire length of the galaxy. Then there was the planet itself- a mostly lifeless wasteland fraught with dangers and uncertainty. But above all of that was a feeling- the same feeling she'd felt on Mandalore, its strength amplified thousandfold. Even countless parsecs away, Ahsoka felt a great darkness awaiting them. Perhaps it was just her imagination. After all, Maul hadn't appeared to notice anything out of the ordinary- and this had led to no shortage of arguments between the two. But despite Ahsoka's protests, Maul's will was unshakable. They would go to Mustafar, no matter what awaited them.
Part of her agreed with Maul's reasoning. To resist the Empire's growing dominion, they would need resources and allies- both of which, Maul assured her, they could find on the volcanic planet. As the home of the infamous Black Sun crime syndicate, Mustafar held several fortresses stocked with all manner of weapons and supplies. And, as Ahsoka had recently learned, the Black Sun was a crucial piece of a galaxy-wide criminal empire known as the Shadow Collective- an unspoken but formidable alliance of criminals, ruled by figureheads who Maul claimed were ultimately loyal to him alone. With the aid of such allies, perhaps it would be possible to build a fleet capable of dealing tangible damage against Palpatine's regime. At the very least, she hoped they would find the manpower needed to operate their stolen Arquitens- which, in its unmanned state, was virtually defenceless.
But making it to Mustafar was a process in and of itself. Maul had opted to take them on what he described as a secret hyperspace route, used to transfer supplies to and from Black Sun bases on Ord Mantell. It was a much wilder, more chaotic route than the routes Ahsoka was accustomed to travelling, containing countless jump points and more than a few close calls with gravitational anomalies. Three quarters through the journey, they'd left the Fire Hawk behind, opting to travel the rest of the journey in the faster Nightbrother. It was certainly an unconventional way to travel, but Maul's route proved quicker than any military or civilian route. In addition, his decision to use the Fire Hawk for most of the journey meant the Nightbrother had ample fuel to make it to their destination and back. But even along this route, the trip felt endless, and without the frame of reference of a nearby planet, Ahsoka completely lost track of the passage of time.
The pair didn't speak much during the journey. Ahsoka had spent most of the voyage in silent meditation, hoping to find some trace of the Light amidst the vast ocean of the force. But all she could feel was the collective helplessness of an entire galaxy, stamped into submission by the heel of the Empire. It was a disheartening, but now all too familiar feeling. After determining that she would discover nothing more of note, she'd attempted to probe more deeply into the mind of Maul- finding it to be little more than a furious tempest of thoughts and feelings, all concealed behind a demeanour which, barring the occasional needling, was surprisingly polite. Such a presence had become almost comforting- which was an especially surprising development given their recent fight. For good or for ill, Maul had a plan, and he would see it through.
The former Sith Lord had spent his time reaching out to various contacts via a series of encrypted subspace frequencies. What he'd learned was most displeasing- the Shadow Collective was approaching the brink of collapse. Up until now, he'd kept the Pyke Syndicate and the Black Sun in line by leveraging the power of the Crimson Dawn- a vast organisation of ruthless mercenaries, and the member of the Collective he had the greatest degree of influence over. But now, there were whispers that the Black Sun were considering aligning themselves with Palpatine's Empire- no doubt another of his master's manipulations. Without the support of the Black Sun, the Collective's logistical infrastructure and military might would crumble. And so, Maul intended to make certain the Black Sun remained loyal- by paying them a visit.
"We're coming up on our destination now. Mind telling me where we'll be landing?" Ahsoka asked, turning to Maul who sat in the co-pilot seat of the fighter.
Maul complied, entering a series of coordinates into the ship's navicomputer as it decelerated into real-space.
Ahsoka grimaced, rotating the ship to align with Mustafar's surface.
"You couldn't have done that earlier?"
"Too risky," replied Maul. "Were our ship to be impounded at any point during this journey, I could not allow the location of this stronghold to fall into enemy hands."
"Well, it looks like your paranoia was unfounded."
The Nightbrother slipped through the thick atmosphere, presenting the duo with a beautiful yet horrifying vista of the fiery world. Rivers of lava carved through the barren landscape, spawned from spectacular and imposing volcanoes.
"You speak of unfounded paranoia when it was also you who insisted that Mustafar wasn't safe?! Look around you. I see no trace of any threat to us, Imperial or otherwise."
"I told you," Ahsoka protested, "Something doesn't feel right! I sense the Dark Side... everywhere. This could be a trap."
"A trap sprung from my own fortress? I think not. The darkness you sense could simply be a product of this world. Places where life struggles and suffers... That is where the Dark Side is at its strongest."
As they drew closer and closer to the planet's surface, Ahsoka started shivering. She'd hoped Maul wouldn't notice. He did.
"Afraid, Lady Tano?"
"For the last time, I-"
"No need to be ashamed," Maul said mockingly. "After all, you are merely a child. It's only natural for you to be-"
"I'm not a child!" Ahsoka yelled. "You-"
She shook her head.
"There is no emotion, there is peace," she recited, gritting her teeth. This wasn't the first time Maul had tried to provoke a reaction from her. Yet for some reason, the impenetrable emotional barrier she'd created had been breached, giving way to uncertainty, fear, and as much as she hated to admit it, anger.
Anger. Fury. Hatred. Such feelings dominated the Sith Lord's mind as he removed an emerald-green crystal from the hilt of his new lightsaber. At first glance, the unassuming Mustafarian cave in which he stood was like any other cave on any other world. But his master was right. There was more to this place, whose presence in the Force was almost more formidable than his own. Tapping into the Dark Side, he harnessed that power- that fury- channelling it through what remained of his body, and directing it into the crystal. Its green glow started to fade as it seemed to scream out in agony- as if the crystal, too, was being subjected to the same pain The Jedi had once felt on this cursed planet. But something wasn't right. Just as the green glow had all but vanished, it turned a blinding blue. The Sith Lord's fury was insufficient. A devastating shockwave threw him back against the scorched cavern walls, while shattering the expressionless facade of his mask and revealing a single, untainted eye. The memories of The Jedi were now stronger than ever. And the feelings- the fear, the guilt, the regret- became unbearable. The light burned him, and just when it seemed that he would be consumed by it, it vanished, leaving nothing but a kyber crystal, turned brilliant and blue, and a vision of someone all too familiar. Who would have thought that such a wretched world would harbour such a beacon of light?
"And I have to wear your creepy clothes, why?" Ahsoka protested as she reluctantly donned the black cloak Maul had given her.
"We are about to walk into the fortress of the Black Sun. Do you really think it would be wise to walk in with your Jedi lightsabers plainly visible?"
"No, but-"
"Since you insist on bringing your weapons with you, at least this shall allow you to conceal them," Maul said.
"I still don't understand why it's so... Ugh, nevermind," she said, sighing to herself as she attached the lightsabers to her side. Beneath the cloak, she'd donned the Mandalorian battle gear Bo-Katan had given her. If things went south, she'd be ready for it.
"You already know how I feel about working with the Black Sun, Maul."
"Please, just this once, spare me your idealism."
"Do you know what these criminals have done?"
"You forget that the Empire now considers you a criminal, Lady Tano. You and all your Jedi 'friends'. In the eyes of the galaxy, you are no better than them. In fact, you're worse."
"We both know that that's not the same," Ahsoka said dismissively. "Let's just... go."
"Very well. I would ask that you hold your tongue lest you give away our true purpose here. Oh, and a reminder: don't let your guard down. As much is it pains me to admit it, there may be more to your hunch than I first thought."
"W-what do you mean by that? Maul?"
But Maul was silent as boarding ramp of the Nightbrother lowered, and the pair were greeted by six masked falleen.
"Welcome, Lord Maul," said the one at the head of the formation. "We are honoured by your presence here, especially in such... turbulent times."
"Turbulent indeed," Maul responded. "Though I warned you of the days to come. I take it my words were heeded? Your leader is still in hiding?"
"Yes, of course. The boss is currently... occupied... but you're welcome to speak to him once his business is concluded." responded the gangster, turning his eyes to Ahsoka. "Who's the togruta?"
"Ah, she is simply my pilot and... bodyguard."
"A-Ashla," Ahsoka interjected. "My name is Ashla."
Maul shot Ahsoka a subtle glare as the falleen shook his head.
"Looks a bit on the young side, if you ask me."
"Do you think I would recruit the services of anyone but the best? Show her the respect she's owed, lest you see first-hand what she's capable of," said Maul.
"N-not to question your wisdom, my Lord, but-"
"Let me stop you there. If you do not wish to die a painful death, you will cease such foolish questioning and bring us to Ziton Moj."
"Y-yes, of course! Right this way."
As the pair walked, Ahsoka turned her gaze to the formidable facade of the Black Sun base. A narrow catwalk led to a towering fortress carved from a dull grey metal, lit by an orange glow emanating out from the building's plasteel windows. Two Gozanti-class frigates emblazoned with the logo of the Black Sun hung in the sky above the base, while a pair of heavy turbolaser turrets atop imposing pillars swivelled periodically to survey incoming threats. The two landing pads adjacent to the one occupied by the Nightbrother held modified HH-87 Starhoppers- though these looked far more heavily armed than the ones she'd encountered on Zygerria. Already on edge, the thought of entering such a heavily fortified base sent a chill down her spine. Before long, they'd arrived at the entrance- a thick blast door that opened with a violent thud. The leading falleen gestured for the rest of the guards to resume their patrols of the landing platform, before walking through the door.
"Follow me."
The interior of the fortress was a sight to behold- a grand and open hall, with a spectacular ray-shielded column of flowing lava at the room's center. Whoever designed this room certainly had a flair for the dramatic.
"As I said earlier," the falleen began as he led the pair through a hallway at the extremity of the main hall, "The boss asked not to be disturbed. If you want, you're welcome to stay here until he's available."
"And just what is your boss so 'busy' with right now?" Maul said, his irritation evident in his voice.
"It's private business," said the gangster, before immediately reconsidering his words after seeing Maul's expression. "The Empire's cracking down on Black Sun operations across the Mid Rim. He's... negotiating... with Imperial officials."
"Ah, so the rumours were true," Maul said, a dangerous look in his eyes. "I am displeased to learn that the Black Sun is having such discussions without consulting me. Almost as if you didn't want me to find out. Almost as if you have something to hide?"
"N-no, my Lord, we just thought it would be beneath you to-"
"Spare me the flattery, lapdog. I am perfectly aware of Moj's intentions. It seems the Black Sun needs to be reminded of the price of crossing me. Which is why you will bring me to him, without wasting a second more of my time."
"Sorry, but... The Black Sun cannot afford to compromise these negotiations. We've prepared a pair of rooms for you and your... 'bodyguard'... And we'll inform you the instant the boss is available."
Maul let out a brief growl as he stared down the masked falleen. But just as it looked like the former Sith was about to tear the gangster apart, he instead let out an insincere sigh and shook his head.
"Very well, then," Maul said with a sinister calmness in his voice. "Lead the way."
It wasn't long before Ahsoka found herself in a lavish bedroom lit by an ominous orange hue. The sheer opulence of the room was disgusting- and she knew all too well that it had been purchased with the enslavement and deaths of countless innocents. Ahsoka had remained quiet during the walk through the Black Sun base, simply observing as the falleen brought her to this luxurious yet sickening place, before leading Maul away. The whole journey, she'd concentrated on sensing any malicious intent from their guide. She suspected a trap of some sort, and it was clear that Maul did as well. But the only emotion she could sense from the gangster was fear- no doubt caused by Maul's sudden arrival. She didn't sense any ill intent- any hint at betrayal- so why was she still so nervous? Ahsoka sat cross-legged on the ornamented bed and closed her eyes, attempting to reconnect with the Force. But as she did so, she started shivering as terror took hold once more. The fear, once vague and formless, had taken shape in her mind- the shape of a monstrosity, alien, yet... familiar. It felt human. And, in some ways, it looked human. But it lacked the warmth- the same presence in the Force that every living being seemed to have. It was an abyss. It was horrifying. And more and more, Ahsoka couldn't escape the feeling that it was coming for her. The door to her room slid open.
Pulled back to reality by the sudden noise, her hands quickly clutched the lightsabers beneath her black cloak in an instant of panic. But her breathing normalised as she saw Maul's figure in the doorway.
"Oh, it's you," Ahsoka said, failing to conceal the relief in her voice. "What do you want? Have you spoken with the Black Sun's leader yet?"
"No, not yet," responded Maul, scowling. "These people appear rather content to waste my time. We'll see how much longer that lasts."
"Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be... anywhere else?"
Maul scoffed. "I have nowhere else to be. No, I am here because... Well... I wanted to see whether you were... I came to check on you."
Ahsoka's expression lightened.
"Check on me?!" she said incredulously.
Maul's gaze shifted downwards.
"Yes, I- your behaviour recently has been rather... uncharacteristic. And I would not want that to compromise your... combat effectiveness.. as an asset to my designs."
"You mean, you wanted to see if I was okay," Ahsoka said, a slight smirk on her face. "That's awfully... Awfully compassionate for a former Sith Lord."
"Do not mistake my concern for compassion, Lady Tano. I don't have such weaknesses."
"If you say so," Ahsoka said. "I'm... I'm fine. I just feel..."
"Cold."
"Exactly, how did you-"
"I feel it too. But you mustn't let that feeling fester. Force users, be they Jedi or Sith, rely on the strength of their spirit to wield the Force. And as it stands right now, your spirit is weaker than ever. Why?"
Ahsoka smiled sadly.
"Why? You want to know why? You want to know why I'm... feeling like this?"
She let out an insincere chuckle.
"Maybe it has something to do with the whole galaxy turning against me? Maybe it has something to do with losing the only family I ever knew?! Maybe it has something to do with the knowledge that I could have stopped this if I had just- I-"
She clenched her fists.
"If I hadn't left, I could have saved my master. If I hadn't been so... selfish... maybe Rex would still be alive, maybe-"
Maul shook his head.
"You left the Jedi because you saw their flaws, their hypocrisy. You made the right choice, and it is foolish to regret it. If you had stayed, you would have been too blind to do anything to stop my master's schemes. If you were still a Jedi, who knows... Perhaps you would have died alongside the rest of your Order. What little hope we have of defeating Sidious now would no longer exist. Besides... blaming yourself achieves nothing. It only makes you weaker."
"I..." Ahsoka began, lost for words. She wanted to disagree. She wanted to say that Maul was wrong, that she really could have done something. But was he? Something in Maul's words had struck a chord with her once more. "That's... I guess you're right," she said, sighing to herself. "Sometimes, you really remind me of him."
"Him?"
"...forget about it. Anyway... thank you."
"No thanks necessary. My master took everything from us. And one of these days, we shall render unto Sidious the exact same fate."
"Revenge isn't the Jedi way."
"You're no Jedi, Lady Tano."
Ahsoka chuckled slightly.
"Heh... good point."
Just as Maul turned to leave, the orange lights shifted to red as an alarm started blaring. An explosion rocked the facility. And then another. And then another. Maul switched on his commlink, only to be greeted by the sound of frantic Black Sun transmissions.
"They've taken out both turbolaser batteries!"
"Our starfighters are down! Who'd dare attack the-"
"Moving Gozanti frigates to intercept!"
"It's too fast, we can't-"
"Perimeter defences neutralised, it's heading for the upper levels! Evacuate the boss to the safe room!"
"It's too late, we ca-"
A terrifying boom echoed overhead, causing Ahsoka to spring to her feet with lightsabers in hand.
"What's happening?!"
"I suspect," Maul began cooly, "...the fortress is under attack."
"Is it the Empire?"
"An agent of theirs, almost certainly. Which presents us a certain opportunity."
"And that is?!"
"Follow me," Maul said, before leaving the room with an uncanny calmness. Ahsoka quickly followed, only to hear the sound of blasterfire and panicked screaming echoing through the hallways.
But by the time the pair reached the exit, an uneasy quiet had descended over the base. They took a few tentative steps outside, lightsabers in hand. There was not a single living person in sight- only corpses- countless corpses- burned, blasted, and crushed by debris. The landing pad had been decimated, with only a burning wreck where the Nightbrother had once been. And as Ahsoka turned around and looked up at the tower, it was clear that the uppermost floors had been utterly destroyed.
"What could have done this?" Ahsoka muttered to herself.
As the pair slowly approached the fiery blaze that had once been Maul's most valuable starfighter, they heard a peculiar noise. At first, it could have been mistaken for breathing. But the rhythmic, mechanical sound was far too inhuman to be breath. Ahsoka felt a fresh wave of terror looming over her as she got ever closer to the burning wreckage. She was stopped in her tracks by a soulless voice from behind.
"The Apprentice lives."
Standing amongst the carnage and death was a shadowy figure clad in black armour- the monster from Ahsoka's visions. A tattered cape billowed behind him in the scorching Mustafar air. The coldness was back. And it was stronger than ever. Maul wasted no time in turning to face this mysterious abomination, his saber ignited. But as Ahsoka turned to face the thing that had haunted her nightmares since leaving Ord Mantell, she froze in horror. Behind the creature's shattered mask was a single blue eye. The eye of a person she never imagined she would ever see again. The eye of her master. The eye of her friend. The eye of her brother.
"Anakin?"
