Chapter 16
The Holocrons of Fate
ATOLLON
Home of the Rebel Cell Phoenix Squadron
Hera looked at the holotable before her with Commander Sato, it showed a galaxy wide map showing the colors of two warring factions the Galactic Empire in red dominating the core and mid rim against the Militia of Independent Systems in yellow with the eastern reaches to half of Hutt Space with markers showing their fleet positions of both opposing nations. "The Militia gains are staggering, in six months they've taken system after system and no response from the Core to reinforce their regional governor?" Sato said flipping a switch to show Militia forces, Hera looked at the recordings showing the advance of militia droid armies and conscripts fighting the empire, celebrating victories with blasters above their heads, imperials led away in chains.
Hera turned off the holotable and sighed "Serenno, Jabiim Selucami, Iego, Kessel and Felucia can't expect to hold out much longer on every planet they take; they just throw into their war machine."
"Yes, our communication with other cells has proved that the former imperial factories have been converted to produce Militia weapons and droids, ore from Jabiim is sent directly to the factories on Raxus and Lothal, more disappears to their secret stronghold on Arcadia." Commander Sato said.
Zeb and Sabine leaned up against a few large crates "Where ever that is." Zeb muttered.
"And Ketsu says the Hutts are on the run hiring mercenaries to fight the Militia forces invading their system, the other cartels are getting hunted like dogs." Sabine said as she walked up to "And don't even get me started on the Militia propaganda campaign."
She brought up holograms of various hologram posters with Militia messages and artistic detections. Three figures all in Militia regalia one an officer, one a regular foot soldier another a pilot all pointing at the viewer with bright yellow letter boldly saying 'We want You, for The MILITIA'
Another showed a group of diverse children, humans, nemodians, a twi'lek being carried on the shoulders of B5 battle droids 'They protect our future, offer scrap for our boys'.
The last showed a Jedi in a hood and cloak carrying a lightsaber and Militia flag leading a charge onto a beach 'The Force is With Us' up top and below 'Are You?'
Sabine turned off the holograms "It's so… lame."
"What because it doesn't have to mismatching colors and explosions?" Zeb said smirking.
Sabine shot him a nasty glare and he rolled his eyes, "That last one is concerning, I he damage these so called War Jedi cause on the battlefield is nothing short of calamitous, should we stray into the Militias interest are our own resident Jedi prepared to fight their own Commander Syndulla?" Sato asked Hera.
"Kanan and Ezra are the most capable Jedi I know." Hera said confidently.
Zeb grumbled "They're the only Jedi we know."
"Shut up already." Sabine hissed "Speaking of our two magical boys, where are they?"
"About to go check out a distress signal from one of our hammerhead cruisers before we lost contact, speaking of are you not going to be dropping off supplies to some colonists soon?" Sato explained and then asked Hera.
The twi'lek looked over at him, nodding "That's true, Sabine, Zeb mind going to make sure Chopper has the Ghost ready."
"On it Hera." Sabine said before she headed into the air field with Zeb, when they were out of ear shot.
"She probably wouldn't mind the fuel being topped off either!" Hera called out.
Hera's confident smile shifted into a frown, "You still haven't told them Hera?" Commander Sato asked her as she shook her head.
"What good would that do?" She asked, as she pressed a button showing an armored Jedi fighting on Serenno wielding a red and blue lightsaber, fighting like the devil himself switching between forward grip to reverse grip. "Militia propaganda is calling him the Demon, he's a Captain in the Vanguard fleet under the command of his so-called Lordship, Asimov."
Hera looked at the hologram and froze it "He made his choice." Hera said.
Sato scratched his chin, elbow propping up his scratching arm, "It's times like this I wonder what Commander Tano would do?"
"I think she'd want us to press on without them."
Elsewhere in the base, Sabine and Zeb walked up to the Ghost that Chopper was working on "Hey Chop, Hera says she wants the Ghost ready yesterday." Zeb called out from outside.
Chopper honked and barked at them in binary and Zeb rolled his eyes "If I knew what he was saying I'd think he just insulted me, yeah if you don't like it trash can go enlist in the Militia they love droids." Zeb said as he walked over to the fuel reserves next to the airfield, he grabbed a hose and dragged it over to the ship's underbelly and latched it on.
Sabine flipped the lever and the ship started to drink from the fuel reserves, "Let me ask you something Sabine, what do you think of it?"
"Think of what?" Sabine asked.
Zeb wiped his hands after he latched the hose on "The Militia using droids to do their fighting, sure they have soldiers but they got droids like Chopper doing most of the work?"
"Oh trust me, if the Militia had an army of Choppers we'd all be doomed." she said holding her helmet under her arm and brushing her hand through her hair, she'd dyed it a mix of pink, silver with blonde highlights here and there, she'd also changed her armor's paint scheme, less orange and more deep purple on her breast plate with streaks of orange and white, her shoulder pauldrons had new paint on them as well, her signature 5 mark was surrounded by orange with a checkered field. And the left pad had an owl painted on it, she'd even added som beskar grieves painted purple and orange with extra ammo or explosives around her calves and shin. Zeb's combat tunic had got rid of his shoulder pads and he wrapped his hands up with bindings for better grip and more movement.
Zeb chuckled in agreement "Think I may have nightmares from that, but honestly what do you think your a smart girl?"
"I think it's wrong, they aren't real soldiers, they're no spirit, no loyalty, just programming at the end of the day." she said honestly.
Zeb scratched his shaved chin "What about clones then, how were they any different in the last War?"
"You mean besides far superior to battle droids?" Rex asked as he walked over to them and stood there hands on his hips, "Sure why not?" Zeb asked.
"Well for starters, my brothers and I were trained and we had loyalty to the Republic and each other, not to mention a lot smarter than clankers you could get a B1 to do just about anything if you confused it enough." Rex said chuckling behind his thick white beard.
Sabine cocked a brow "What I can't understand is why the Empire hasn't launched a counter attack, there up to something, or how anyone could join them knowing the Empire's definitely coming."
"Yeah, hunting us." Zeb said seeing the Ghost was fueled to the brim.
Rex looked over at Sabine and she was clearly thinking of something else, not about Imperial strategy, the old soldier waited till Zeb was away putting the hose up, "I miss him to."
"I don't know what you're talking about Rex." Sabine said, slipping her helmet on. Hera saw Sabine go into the ship and then Zeb joined her, she saw Rex had a peculiar look in his eye.
"Saw the latest reports, the Militia advances?" Hera asked.
Rex nodded "Hard not to, just the thought of him out in that it… reminds me of old times, not the good kind." Rex muttered hands on his hips.
REVENANT
Hyperspace
Ahkilleon was pacing around the holotable in the lounge, looking at holograms of the former Sith Lord Darth Maul, the rest of the crew were there too. Corto was making himself useful in the kitchen making some grub. Rulf and Jay were sitting at the table as Ahkilleon looked at a rotating hologram of Maul and images of him fighting mercenaries of the syndicates or Jedi. "Here's what we know about Maul, he appeared at Naboo almost over three decades ago, he was presumed killed when a Jedi defeated him only to appear at the height of the Clone Wars, during which he recruited the terrorist cell of Death Watch, the Pyke Syndicate and strong armed the other syndicates into creating the Shadow Collective." Ahkilleon said showing various images first a recording of Darth Maul fighting two white robed Jedi, then an image of Maul fighting alongside Mandalorians to the image of white scared world "They seized control of Mandalore with Death Watch, a radical sect of Mandalorians that started a new Civil War."
"Shocking Mandalorians at war." Jay interrupted. Urrde, Kraggen and Fatima snickered hearing it the three of them at the kitchen table.
Ahkilleon ignored it "It was at the end of the War did the Jedi and clone army overthrow Maul, but when Order 66 was given Maul escaped in the chaos and was lost to history, that's what reports know, I know what happened next at least partially."
Everyone started to listen in more, "... Maul was marooned on a planet called Malachor, hunted by Inquisitors a rebel cell came to investigate the planet looking for a way to defeat the Empire." Ahkilleon squeezed his left mechano arm tight making the metal groan, "He escaped, and that brings us to now. This is a monster who's disappeared into the shadows of the Galaxy for decades, he knows how to hide and how to hunt."
Yumi held her hand up, "Question, why are we going after a Sith Lord?"
"Maul is not a Sith Lord anymore, he doesn't consider himself Darth Maul anymore." Ahkilleon replied switching through files "This is a list of all planets Maul has been to and knows, I've crossed out Mandalore and Naboo for obvious reasons, what we need to know is where he would hide, recover?" Ahkilleon said.
Unhappy he didn't answer, Yumi asked again "I ask again, why?"
Ahkilleon looked at her and then at the two cadets and the siblings "Because Maul is going after the rebels who found him on Malachor, my old crew."
"Wait, old crew?" Rulf asked "You were in the rebellion?"
Ahkilleon nodded "I was with the rebels on Malachor, when I lost my arm and my mother because of Maul." he said, loosening his grip "Are you going to help me or not?" Ahkilleon asked Yumi.
She held her hands up showing she wouldn't ask anymore questions, "Excluding planets occupied by Imperial forces, Maul would have few places to hide, he'd have to use places that no one else would go. And we don't have time to go searching entire planets?" Ahkilleon said pacing scratching the back of his neck.
"Think we could do what the Masters did, use the force to find him?" Kraggen suggested from the kitchen table.
"Yeah, with Yumi here we could track him down." Urrde seconded.
Yumi shook her head. "Doesn't work like that, I need to hold something the person we're looking for touched."
Fatima held her hand up, "Shouldn't we look at Maul's old allies, you said Pykes and Syndicates, Mandalorians?"
Rulf cleared his throat, "Um I may have an idea Ahkilleon- Captain?"
Nodding at him Rulf stood up "So, my uncle's ex-girlfriend's brother was on Iego, the Militia used it as a staging point for the invasion of Hutt Space, it's the halfway mark between the Foundry and the southern front." Rulf explained and paused the rest waited for him to continue "Anyway, it's getting a lot a traffic out of Hutt space, contraband taken from pirates, smugglers selling their goods and so on. The point is the soldiers who come back like to talk, like to drink and be entertained."
"Get on with it Rulf." Yumi snapped.
Rulf cleared his throat again, "Right, right, my uncle's ex-girlfriend's brother was on Iego, and apparently there's a Mandaloraian there taking duels from Militia for credits, hasn't lost yet and making a fortune."
"What does one Mando have to do with finding Maul?" Jay asked.
"This Mando fought the civil war on Mandalore, hey may know just the place we're looking for?" Rulf argued.
Ahkilleon paced and rubbed his hands thinking, before he put them behind his back he closed his eyes and let the force guide him, "We go to Iego, check out this lead."
IEGO
World of a Thousand Moons
Iego mysterious planet located in the Outer Rim Territories on the fringes of the known galaxy that was surrounded by a thousand moons collectively known as the moons of Iego, at least one of which was populated by a race of beings known as Angels. During the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems constructed a laser field that prevented anyone from leaving the planet, before the field was destroyed by Jedi. Located on the fringes of the known galaxy, the planet Iego was orbited by a thousand moons collectively known as the moons of Iego, including Clepresdan, Cobarb, Flitrude, Millius Prime, Rawnde, Uncovalor, and Winlion. Each was as mysterious as the world itself. Iego was a hotbed of life and had both hot and temperate climates and was tropical, steamy, and humid. Its desert surface was covered in basaltic spires and canyons, where reeksa grew. Iego was also inhabited by xandu, creatures who flew though Iego's skies on their four wings and used their giant ears to hear prey at great distances, after which they would snatch them up and smash them against rock walls using their two arms and two legs.
In the waning days of the Republic it was home to many immigrated species Diathim, Human, Ithorian, Kajain'sa, Nikto Quarren and Rodians. More had come to the world fleeting the war to the furthest reaches of space.
The Revenant dropped out of hyperspace and approached the asteroid field surrounding the planet and it's many moons, a Militia fleet of six dreadnoughts defended the planet and held positions outside the large asteroid field. Ahkilleon flew them down toward the planet, Jay and Rulf were in the front two seats, with Corto and Yumi in the back two. The three other Padawans were all on the guns "Unidentified ship, name yourself." A squadron of vulture droids lead by a Hawk fighter approached them and surrounded the ship.
Ahkilleon answered them, "This is Revenant, I am Captain Tano of the Vanguard, we are vital business for Lord Asimov." Ahkilleon said lying.
"Send your clearance codes." the squadron leader demanded, Ahkilleon looked to Jay who nodded back "Sending codes now."
A few tense moments passed. "Codes received, welcome to Iego, mind the asteroids sometimes they stray into the space way." The ships moved partially out of the way to show a lit road of gravity repulsing buoys that pushed away the larger asteroids large enough for a small frigate to pass through. The Revenant flew through them and to the red and white planet of Iego, the ships flew down to the mountainous canyons and a major city. Cliffhold, the capital of Iego, had Militia frigates and freshly built structures into the mountains. was a spaceport city that was built directly into the face of a basalt cliff on the planet Iego. By the time of the Clone Wars, Cliffhold was much less busy than in previous times due to the spice convoys no longer running through the area; the older towers and platforms were reinforced with Militia steel beams drilled into the rock. A Militia frigate flew over the city with a large fortress built on top of the canyons in a hexagon dome shape with platforms sticking out for the Vulture droids crawling over it to fly off at a moments notice if the alarm was raised.
The Revenant landed on one of the platforms, Ahkilleon left the cockpit and slid down the ladder in full armor without his helmet, "Alright, Jay, Rulf I need you two acting like Militia regulars, Kraggen get changed into some armor your big enough to pass for a soldier."
"Me?" Kraggen asked, pointing to himself, the Quarren's tentacles shivered before he looked at Yumi and Corto, "You'll do great Krag." Corto said as they handed him a breastplate.
Later, Ahkilleon, Jay, Rulf and the disguised Kraggen came out of the ship with Beetoo rolling out behind them, "Stay with the ship, keep an eye on the others." Ahkilleon told the droid.
It beeped at him in acknowledgement, they headed to a speeder parked next to the port "Captain Tano!"
Ahkilleon stopped "Damn."
He turned around to see a man approaching them, he was in fact a shee, a tall umbaran woman dressed in Militia officer attire, the navy blue jacket and flared pants with her revolver wrapped around her waist keeping her jacket turned in, she wore a beret over her head with two B5 battle droids. "I am Lt. Jee, I'm told you're here on business for the Vanguard fleet, how may the Cyberspiders assist?" she asked. Ahkilleon looked up to see flying high from the Militia fortress under the Militia hex banner was the chrome arachnid of the Cyberspider fleet.
"With respect Commander, our mission is of the utmost secrecy, I'll gone as soon as I can, and it best it not be logged I was here?" Ahkilleon said in a low tone.
Commander Vee cocked a brow at him, "... I understand, Captain." She said as she waved off her droids.
Ahkilleon nodded back and they headed to the speeder, "Rulf, where's the Mando?"
They pilled into the speeder "My uncle's ex-girlfriend's brother told me the Mando was taking fights at the Frontier Inn, big old purse to anyone who can beat him."
"Don't care about the purse just if he can tell us what we need to know." Ahkilleon said as they pulled in, Kraggen was shifting in and out of his armor, unusual to the body glove and trouser he was wearing with the armor.
Kraggen tugged at his collar "How do you regularls breathe in this?" The quarren asked.
"Stop picking at it, you look great Kraggen." Jay said as they flew down into Cliffholds old town. The speeder flew around the towers and Ahkilleon looked for a place to land, when he stopped he looked up on a distant cliff and saw a shining woman, "Captain!" Jay shouted before they almost collide with another speeder, Ahkilleon steered out of the way into an open parking spot, eyes darting up to the cliff the shining woman was gone?
Ahkilleon rubbed his eyes "What was that Captain?" Jay asked.
"I…. thought I saw something, let's just find our man."
The four of them walked out of the speeder and into the lower city, heading through a large crowd of people mostly Militia soldiers and pilots off duty enjoying Cliffholds many attractions. The platforms had walkways with many lights hanging from them and the buildings all had people standing out in front of them. "Rulf, I thought Iego was supposed to be on the edge of the galaxy, this looks like a bustling city?" Ahkilleon said.
Rulf looked over at a building that had many scantily clad men and women standing out in front of it waving at him and the boys, "I.. uh guess the Militia garrison has invited a lot of people."
"There, Frontier Inn." Jay said pointing to a faded purple building with the name written in bold thick aubresh letters over the entrance, it also had a neon sign of a Militia soldier on it with a cup of cold beer in his hands. Walking in Ahkilleon, Jay and Rulf moved through the crowd pushing past the shouting Militia regulars all waving tickets at the fight set on an elevated cage arena in the center of the bar, "Seems kind of unfair doesn't it?" Rulf asked. The bar was full of Militia regulars and pilots drinking together, there was even a table of Dragoons in their fur lined bomber jackets playing cards.
"Why do you say that?" Jay asked over the loud music and shouts of the fight. Ahkilleon stopped and looked to a corner where he thought he saw Ventus or Terro, but it was no mistaken the person drinking alone in the corner was a War Jedi, wearing plate armor over her leather robes with a metal mask on the table her hood up hiding her face as she drank alone.
"Well, you bet against a Mandalorian?" Rulf suggested.
Jay looked back "Rulf I think you have an over romanticized idea of Mandos?"
"No, they have that armor of theirs, beskar it's indestructible. Why would you fight one?" Rulf asked as they came to the edge of the ring only for Rulf to get blood and spit smeered on his face as they saw the duel in question was a bare knuckle boxing match between two men wearing nothing but trousers and boots. "Because this is a cage match?" Jay said.
The two contendors were both men, with glistening sweat over their bodies, one of them was thrown into the wall; he was lean and lanky compared to the other dark skinned man with black hair, a thick beard and more muscles than most Gamoreans. He was wearing gray trousers and brown boots compared to the body glove pants the other man wore. Ahkilleon and his followers found some seats to watch the match just as the giant gave a right hook on the skinny man's jaw, sending more blood out of his mouth. His brownish blonde hair was tied behind his back in a short ponytail with strands tossed out over his bloody and purple face.
"Think I know which one the mandalorian is." Kraggen said as the big man came back around and grabbed the skinnier fighter by his hair yanking him up and punching him in the gut.
The crowd cheered ferociously as the giant walked around the ring accepting their cheers when the skinny man got up on his hands and knees, he looked out into the crowd and saw Ahkilleon and his lightsabers, their eyes met behind the sweaty blonde hair were cold blue eyes. "No." Ahkilleon said, "What?" Jay asked.
"The big one isn't the mandalorian." Ahkilleon said when the skinny guy was on his feet, the big man came back to finish him off but the skinny blonde man side stepped and flung his fist out hitting the big man in the ribs so hard everyone heard a loud crack of a broken rib. What followed was fast, the blonde man came back around and through a barrage of rapid punches at the the giants chest hitting him again and again before he through an elbow into the mans face breaking his jaw, then he drew back both hands and did a double chop on the man's ears, discombobulating him, he grabbed the large mans thick black hair and slammed him down into his knee knocking out the rest of his teeth and the man onto the ground to a silent crowd.
"That's the Mandalorian." Ahkilleon said as the blonde man walked out of the cage grabbing a bottle off a waitress and walking through the crowd who parted for him like was death himself. "THE ONE, THE ONLY, KORKIE KRYZE!"
Ahkilleon twitched, hearing that "Kryze, as in Clan Kryze?" Ahkilleon asked looking at Rulf, "Yeah, did I not tell you his name?"
"No Rulf." Jay said.
"What's so special about Clan Kryze?" Kraggen asked.
Ahkilleon knitted his brow "Clan Kryze was the ruling house of Mandalore before, he's not just a Mandalorian he's Mandalorian Royalty." he said watching Korkie walk away picking a bottle out of the bartenders hand and into the back room.
THE REVENANT
Back at the Garrison Yumi was looking out at the fortress and the city below from the Revenants cockpit, she stretched out and headed back into the main body of the ship. She looked down and saw Fatima and Urrde practicing with their green and blue sabers. She headed into the kitchen to see her brother Corto was still cooking. "What are you making?"
"One of dads recipes, carbo noodles with with momato he said as he washed a bright turquoise fruit before he crushed it with the force into a pot and started to stir it, "All your talent and you use it to cook and heal big brother, you could be the Orders champion Padawan?"
Corto smirked "Little sister, all your brains and you worry too much about what other people are doing."
"Like what we're doing here, with a guy we barely know looking for a Sith monster mom and dad would tell us from scary stories if we didn't behave?" Yumi asked him walking into the kitchen, her brother was cutting some vegetables from the Revenants storage.
She watched him chopp it with a knife, "And thats worked so well."
Yumi slammed her hands on the counter "Corto, I'm serious I think we're in over our heads with this?"
"I'm following Ahkilleons lead, he knows how do stuff like this." Corto said, "He was a rebel, maybe a terrorist." Yumi snapped.
Corto cocked a brow at him "You know that imperial propaganda is a load of hogwash."
He took the vegetables and dropped them into a pot steaming from boiling water, "Oh and your so well versed in galactic politics?"
"My Master is on the Council and she likes to know what I think about it, and him." Corto said looking at Yumi, she frowned and looked away "Hey, I didn't mean it like that you'll get a Master soon enough, if we capture Maul everyone will." Corto said starting to stir the soup.
Yumi tapped her fingers on the counter "I think he's an arrogant jerk who's doing this for his own glory."
Corto stopped stirring, "I think he's more complicated then that." Corto said as he added some spices, "I don't know where he's been, or what he's been through but he keeps going forward and he didn't want to go back, not to this type of life somethings about it scares him and he's willing to face it, I think that should tell you something."
"Tells me you spend to much time with your Masters proverbs and not enough time giving me lunch brother." Yumi said slouching at the smell of the soup.
FRONTIER INN
Back at the Inn, Ahkilleon had walked to the back rooms of the bar, his captains rank on his armors shoulder and the three disguised young teens in Militia armor made it look more offical then it already was. Anyone who got in their way were intimidated to move before Ahkilleon found a dark bronze door and banged on it "Go away."
"Marquess Korkie Kryze I have to talk to you." Ahkilleon said.
But no answer came, "don't have time for this." Ahkilleon muttered holding his hand up and forcing the door open before he walked in to see Korkie in a small hovel of a room on a couch, he had a bottle in his hand half empty, still shirtless bruises turning the brackish blue and purple on his body, he looked up at Ahkilleon more annoyed then intimidated. The room had one mirror with a sink and a single chair that had a leather belt tossed over it with a mandalorian pistol on it. The rest of the room was littered with empty bottles and dirty plates like he was living in squaller.
"My answer is no." Korkie said sitting up rubbing his eyes.
"What?" Ahkilleon asked.
Korkie looked at him with his blue eyes blinking, "I won't fight for the Militia, or be any Warlords bodyguard hic-" he drank the rest of his bottle red wine running down his lips. "Hey, you called me Marquess, no one's called me that in years?" He asked.
Ahkilleon frowned at him balling his hands into a fist, "It's your title isn't it, your of Clan Kryze are you not?"
Korkie giggled partially drunk "Hohoho, you looked up my name congrats." he said walking over to a small table and picking up a half empty bottle.
"This isn't about your name, it's about avenging your Aunt or did you forget about the monster who murdered her." Korkie stopped looking for another bottle and flung something at Ahkilleon, he caught it to see it was a small blade, Ahkilleon caught it and saw that the drunken Korkie wasn't as drunk as he let on. "I remember, and I remember a jedi was the reason she was killed, some skira* between Maul and the Jedi she loved."
Ahkilleon looked at Korkie, but he new what Jedi the mandalorian was talking about "Tell me, is the coward there in your hidden paradise of Arcadia?"
"Maul took someone from me to, the woman who raised me just like you, he's loose on the Galaxy and the Jedi are after him, I need to know where he could be hiding." Ahkilleon said tossing the knife back at Korkie who caught it, he pulled af ruit from somewhere and cut it open, he started to eat "Yeah well your dark side counter parts tend to do that, murder innocent people and all that, whats it to me?"
"Skira." Ahkilleon said in mandalorian.
This got Krokie's attention, "Hmm maybe I know where he could be hiding, maybe I don't what's it to you?"
"Whats your price?" Ahkilleon asked.
Rulf scoffed "Price, he's a mandalorain he's to honorable-" "One million hutt credits." Korkie said mouth half full "They would never- what?" Rulf asked.
"Even if I had those credits, the Hutt's have lost half their territory and you really think the Militia will stop just before Nar Shaddaa?" Ahkilleon asked.
Korkie shrugged, "That or you could go for the prize?"
"Prize?" Kraggen asked, Korkie walked over to a bundle of cloth and pulled it back revealing a mandalorains most sacred positon, their armor. The armor was different from the Mandalorian Armor Ahkilleon had seen before, Sabines was an explosion of color from orange and purples, but Korkie's armor was different it was remarkably unremarkable, the beskar armor helmet, breastplate and other pieces were unpainted, unpolished and by any other mean of the words dirty, a thin layer of wrought iron covered the beskar, unkept and unplosished. "I thought Mandalorains kept their armor pristine?" Ahkilleon asked.
"Yeah well, my aunt- the other one insisted I get some after you know the Republic and the Jedi sacked my city, goest othe first person who can beat me?" Korkie said.
Ahkilleon gritted his teeth "Fine, but let's make it interesting."
"Intresting?" Korkie asked.
"I win, you show me where Maul would run to, you win you get me."
The cadets and Kraggen looked at Ahkilleon stunned "You?" Korkie asked "I'll swear a life debt to you, even if that means serving you drinks the rest of my life, no weapons, no force powers, good old fashion fists."
Korkie thought it over, "Hmmm deal."
REBEL CORVETTE
Hyperspace
Ezra and Kanan walked onto the bridge with Ezra pestering his Master, "You're not gonna tell me what you did with the Sith holocron, are you?" Ezra asked him and Kanna looked over his shoulder at his not so young apprentice. The two had grown as well, Kanan still wore his long brown hair in a ponytail, he wore a green tunic with a collar and yellow stripes on it thin barely notecable, his gray pants had his lightsaber fastened to his belt with his boots tucked in, he sported a full beard and over his wounded eyes he wore a green visior painted with the jaig eyes to replace the ones he lost. "I told you it was safe." Kanan said.
Ezra rolled his blue eyes, the boy had grown into a young man lean and fit, he'd out grown his orange jumpsuit but kept his own style, an orange jacket with extra padding he wore leather bracers with a harness around his legs a DL-44 blaster strapped to his leg, green fingerless gloves. With brown pants tucked into metal boots painted brown to look less suspicion. His once long shoulder length black hair was trimmed high and tight, more military and like himself he wore a new lightsaber strapped to his belt similar to his master, a simple and elegant design. "But what if there are secrets we can learn from it that'll help us destroy the Sith?"
"Ezra, the secrets in that thing almost destroyed you." Kanan warned him.
Ezra sighed knowing his master was right "I know. But if not to get the Sith holocron, why did Master Yoda send us to Malachor?" he followed up as they stood behind the Rebel crew working aboard the corvette.
"We asked for a chance to defeat the Sith, and we failed, now the galaxy is plunged into a second separatist war, it's just like before." Kanan said somberly.
Ezra cocked his head "How?"
"The Republic was so busy trying to keep the peace we failed to see the real threat, the Militia used the rebellion to distract the Empire and rebuilt the droid army, I hear the've smashed every Imperial garrison they've come up against."
Looking out at hyperspace, "You think Ahkilleon is out there, fighting?"
"If the Militia claims to not let children enter combat, that'll be years before he can." Kanan said.
The rebel crew started to slow down, "Coming up on the rendezvous point, Commander, but the transport's not responding." One of the crew said to the officer in charge, the rebels still wore their blue helmets with their thick gambison uniforms with pale trousers and gloves.
The corvette dropped out of hyperspace to see one of the very Hammerhead cruisers of the rebel fleet adrift in space still burning from a blast "It looks like it was attacked, there must have been one heck of a fight."
Later Ezra, Kanan and a squad of rebel troopers boarded the derelict hammerhead, "I can smell the carbon scoring." Kanan said feeling his hand on the wall, the interior of the old republic vessel was marked in streaks of combat, blaster marks and the bodies of dead rebels.
"Over here." a weak voice cried out.
"Hang on, all right? We'll get you help." Ezra said running up to the fallen trooper, he helped the man up and Kanan followd the sound of their voices "What happened here?"
"Red... Red blade." The man said weakly "After you... Made me tell...The Ghost is in danger." The man said before he passed out from his wounds.
Ezra looked back at Kanan and they quickly returned to the corvette "Another Inquisitor?
"We've gotta warn Hera." Kanan said upon entering the bridge, the wounded from the hammerhead had been loaded up and the rebels were waiting on the hail to get through. "Got the Ghost for you now, sir."
The image of Hera came up but she didn't look happy to see them "Hera! Am I glad to see you're all right." Ezra said.
"Kanan." She said but Kanan spoke up "There's another Inquisitor after us, he knows where the Ghost is."
Hera shook her head "Kanan, it's not an Inquisitor-" but someone pushed Hera out of the way." "No." Ezra said realizing it had to be only one other person.
"What? Who is it?" Kanan asked as stepping into view of the holotransmission Just an old friend, Master Jedi." Maul said with his cold gravel like voice, he wore a short sleeved tunic of dark faded black over his chest, "Maul? You betrayed me!" Ezra barked.
Shaking his head Maul confessed "No, I betrayed your friends, nut I would have remained loyal to you." Maul argued, stepping back to reveal the rest of the crew handcuffed and on their knees prisoners.
Ezra sneered at the lie "What do you want?" Kanan asked trying not to think of Hera
Raising his gloved hand Maul growled his demand "The Sith holocron that our apprentice and I acquired on Malachor."
"We don't have it." Kanan said "How unfortunate, because if that's true, then your friends have no future." Maul said activating his red lightsaber standing over them like an executioner.
"Okay, we have it. Just not with us." Ezra said quickly not wanting Maul's swing to fall just yet. "We'll give it to you, as long as our friends remain safe." He asked making a bargain.
Maul turned his saber off "Agreed?" Ezra asked.
"Good and one more thing, your Jedi holocron, give that to me as well.
"Kanan, no." Hera said but, Maul grabbed her Lekku and held up tightly "Fine." Kanan conceded. Maul smiled letting go and held his arms out wide "I shall be in touch with coordinates for our rendezvous. Don't disappoint me."
The transmission cut and Ezra grabbed the roots of his hair on what they would do, but Kanan's voice echoed more disappointment, as they stormed out of the bridge "I can't believe you told Maul I have a holocron, at the time, he was on our side."
"Is it still on the Ghost?" Ezra asked.
"Where else would I keep it?" Kanan replied.
Ezra paced in front of him "Well, what about the Sith holocron?"
Kanan stopped and looked away not that he could see him anyway "Yeah, that's not gonna be easy."
"I thought you said it was safe, It is safe.?" Ezra asked.
Kanan paused "That may be the problem."
VIZLA KEEP 009
Hangar of the Ghost
Far in the reaches of the Rings of Phelbos, Bright Jewel system there lay a an asteroid field of varying sizes one of them was a large long asteroid. That had three hangars built into it, a mandalorian gauntlet fighter painted red and black was attached to it, the make and model of the architecture was also mandalorian, in it'design. Parked in the ships far right hangar was the Ghost where in their own ship the spectere's were held captive.
"I assumed that this ship was merely a transport, but I realize it is much more than that." Maul said as he walked around the common room looking at the paint on the walls, decals done by Sabine specifically the flaming phoenix of their squadron This is your home?"
"You looking to move in?" Zeb growled.
Maul ignored him as if he were a beast barking "Captain, would it be rude of me to request a tour of your ship?" Maul asked.
Hera gave a vicious stare to him "Well, the airlock is down there, if you want to see yourself out.
"Show me around. I insist." Maul raised his saber showing he wasn't afraid to use it.
Zeb growled again "No!" "Hera, don't." Sabine objected too.
"Mandalorian, you of all should trust me, for did I not once rule your people?" Maul asked as he picked Hera up off her knees and led her out of the common to the crew quarters.
Zeb looked at her "Is that true?" he asked, she looked at the floor "Unfortunately."
Meanwhile in the crew quarters above the cargo hold Hera walked through the doors to Zeb and Ezra's room first as Maul muttered "Where does one who hides his identity hide his legacy?" Maul asked, he opened it, Maul took one whiff of the inside of it and scrunched up his nose "That is a curious smell."
The next one was Sabines covered every inch in paint and works of art, small bits of devices and painted stolen armor lied across the room "How colorful."
Then they came to Kanans room, opening it Maul could sense who's room it was "Yes, this is it. A dull and dour chamber these are the quarters of a Jedi." Maul said as he pushed Hera into the room "Show me where he keeps the holocron."
"I don't know anything about him." Hera hissed.
Maul chuckled sensing her ie "That's not true, you know all about Kanan Jarrus or should I use his real name? Caleb Dume." Maul held his hand out ot the room and felt the force inside "Yes, it was your idea to recruit the apprentice. And it was from here that the boy found… No, he stole the holocron." Maul said as the cabinet below Kanan's bed opened up and out came a floating blue cube lined with gold baring Jedi markings on it, "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"
Maul said as he pushed her back out the room, "How terrible it must be for you to watch the accolades of your rebellion be swept aside by others." Maul chuckled his way to the commons "It was surprise to me, jedi only know war and death."
IAGO
Cliffhold, Frontier Inn
Korkie walked into the ring to a crowd of boos and insults from the Militia, and the mandalorian held his hands up beckoning them on, he wore no shirt still and caught a bottle thrown at him he smiled winked and blew the frothing drunk soldier a kiss as he downed what remained of it. "You sure you want to do this?" Jay asked Ahkilleon as the young man undid his armor and handed a pile of it to Rulf.
"Don't see any other way to get what we want?" Ahkilleon asked.
Rulf cleared his throat "But he's a mandalorian, a drunk one maybe, but still his people are trained for war."
"Rulf, let me tell you something." Ahkilleon undid his bracers and then pulled off his breastplate, "Mandalorians are stubborn, arrogant, wild, and for all their honor pooda they just love to say one thing while meaning another and if they can get a leg up on you they will take it."
The three boys looked at one another as Ahkilleon ripped off his own sleeveless tunic and flung it onto Rulfs face stepping into the ring to the cheers of the crowd. A referee droid came out painted in red and black stripes, before it made a whistle noise "No agumentations allowed." the droid said pointing to Ahkilleons left mechano, Ahkilleon made no objection he pressed the joints that Emesa had done when he calibrated it and Ahkilleon took the arm off before he flung it back to Jay.
"He can't fight him with one arm?" Kraggen said.
"I think he is." Jay said.
Korkie watched him getting loose stretching his neck and wiggling his arms "You know after I kick your ass, I think I'll have you clean my toilet, with your tongue?" Korkie said as the bell rang.
Ahkilleon came out holding his one right arm up "You going to talk or fight?" Ahkilleon came out and through one right hook and Korkie dodged before he did a kick into Ahilleons side, he blocked it with half of his left arm, followed by a barrage of punches from Korkie who showed even with a few drinks in him he was still a deadly opponent. Ahkilleon covered his head with the arm and a half defense before he pushed off. Korkie bounced back and danced around him before Ahkilleon through a leg at Korkie, he caught it but Ahkilleon leapt with his other and kicked off him hitting Korkie square in the chest knocking him to the wall of the cage.
The crowd cheered seeing that Korkie wasn't going to have an easy fight, "Hehe, finally a fight?" Korkie said.
He came at Ahkilleon kicking and punching, to which the young jedi dodged or blocked with his right arm, Korkie kicked again and Ahkilleon side stepped making his foot hit the cage wall. With his one right arm he hit Korkie in the side but Korkie wrapped his arm around Ahkilleons head and faced his head down, before he jumped off the cage legs up and smashed Ahkilleons face into the ground. A loud chorus of "oooooooooooooooooo" went over the crowd as everyone cheered for Korkie.
He walked around the arena hands out as Ahkilleon forced himself up, a deep gash over his eye blood running down it, the sight of his own blood made something snap.
"Uh oh." Kraggen said sensing it.
Korkie looked back and saw Ahkilleon coming right at him with his right hook, he clocked Korkie in the jaw and then swung his left arm with his elbow like a club he hammered Korkie in the face with it. Falling back on the cage wall Korkie saw Ahkilleon come again but used his lower body to kick Ahkilleon in the face, Korkie flipped up to the top of the fence and flew off the top in a high flying stomp, Ahkilleon rolled out of the way and Korkie tried to stomp Ahkilleons face in before he grabbed Ahkilleon by his leg and dragged him back getting on top he started to pummel Ahkilleon's defense. "He's getting killed out there." Rulf said.
"No, he's getting mad." Kraggen said while Ahkilleon took the blows, Korkie tore open the defense and swung his body around Ahkilleons right arm wrapping his legs around the shoulder and chest be bent back the ligament into a tight arm bar pulling it back "Ah-Rrrrr!" Ahkilleo muffled his scream against Korkie's calf pressed on his neck "Think I'll take the other arm jedi." Korkie taunted.
Ahkilleon's face was red from distress, getting choked and his good arm in the tight arm bar bending to the near point of breaking "I'll do it, I'll rip it right off." Ahkilleon heard Korkie shout over the crowd who were all roaring at the bloodsport.
"Tap, tap out." Jay called out.
"Last chan-" Korkie felt his back lift off the mat and the whole inn saw Ahkilleon draw his right arm up with Korkie still on it and slam him back into the hard matt face first throwing him off his arm, Ahkilleon didn't wait for Korkie to get up when he jumped and aimed his knee dropping it right into Korkie's back making Korkie cry out, then Ahkilleo nswung the heel of his boot back and slammed it down onto Korkie's left hand breaking it, grabbing Korkie by his blonde hari he slammed the mans face down into the matt once, twice, and three times before picking him up and hitting him with his left elbow knocking out a tooth before dropping him and kicking Korkie in the face so hard blood sprayed the arena floor. Ahkilleon pressed his boot onto Korkie's neck and pushed down hard, panting Ahkilleon asked "... Do you yield?"
Korkie coughed up some spit filled blood "... Uuuugh fine."
ATOLLON
Back at the rebel base, Ezra and Kanan were looking for the Sith Holocron, coming into a grove sunken into the earth, on a speeder bike Ezra got off and saw a cave for the krykna spiders who lived on Atollon "So, you hid the holocron down there?" Ezra asked hodling onto one of the sensor beacons sticks that kept the spiders away.
"More like I left it with someone." Kanan said getting off the speeder "Someone? Who?" Ezra asked.
"Bendu? Bendu, are you here?" Kanan called out to the mysterious name, Ezra watched his master like he'd finally lost his mind.
""Bendu"? Who's Bendu?" Ezra asked him looking around only seeing a few coral rocks and boulders across the brown dusty desert canyon "There's nothing here." Ezra said stabbing the senor into the ground to make sure nothing snuck up on them.
Kanan dropped his arms to his side and looked down "He was here."
"Maybe you're just hearing things that aren't there?" Ezra suggested, Kanan put his hand to his lips and called out into the nothingness "Bendu! I need the holocron! Bendu!"
"Kanan, I don't see your friend." Ezra said as he looked back to see the senor beacon was gone, and three kyrkna spiders had appeared heading right for the two jed and more comingi, Ezra took out his lightsaber "But I do see crawlers! Lots of 'em!"
Ezra looked for the sensor "Hey, where's our thumper?"
"If you stay calm, they won't attack." Kanan warned him as his padawan held his lightsaber up "Right- Stay behind me!" Ezra argued.
Kanan tried to calm his angry padawan putting hush and on his shoulder "Ezra, you're making it worse!It's possible to get along with them."
Unconvinced Ezra drew blaster so he had two weapons "I tried that, remember, they almost ripped my face off?" Suddenly the krykna moved away from them and back into the shadows or their caves disappearing form sight Ezra lowered his lightsaber as Kanan felt a presence behind them. "He's here." Ezra looked over his shoulder a ape like creature as big as a tank appeared, it had a mane of auburn fur with greyish skin protected by a beige colored shell that wrapped around it's belly, back forearms finned out and a crown of reef like antlers, his eyes like Kanan were milky white showing he was blind, or was he "What?" Ezra gasped.
"The Jedi returns, and with his student, perhaps for a talk?" The creature asked.
"I don't believe it." Ezra gasped.
Kanan stepped forward "Unfortunately, we don't have time to chat, Bendu."
"We've come for the holocron, yes, the keeper of the shadow lore. Why do you want it?" Bendu asked them, his massive fists propping him up.
Kanna stepped aside "Tell him, Ezra."
Turning his saber off Ezra followed his Masters lead "Okay, we need it to save our friends. A Sith, Darth Maul, has them, he wants it."
Bendu's face hardened "I do not know this darksider, but I know his kind, why does he want it?"
"I don't know." Ezra said and Kanan added "But he also wants my Jedi holocron."
"He would bring them together? Such a vergence carries grave danger." Bendu warned the two jedi.
Ezra of course followed it with "Why? I thought the holocrons were just libraries of information."
"They are that and more, if two such powerful sources of knowledge are united, they will grant a clarity of vision beyond your kind." Bendu warned them, something about his tone made it clear to both jedi he wasn't lying.
"What does that mean?" Kanan asked him, Bendu elaborated "When joined, any secret, wisdom or destiny can be seen through the Force. One could bring much chaos with such hidden truths…. I have seen it before." he warned.
Ezra's shoulders slumped and he said "Well, we can't control what Maul will do."
"That's his point, Ezra." Kanan told him to clarify.
Still not deterred Ezra continued "Well, we still need it to save our friends, Kanan. So, are you gonna give it back, or not?" Ezra asked Bendu.
The giant shifted his head every time he moved it was like the sound of boulders shifting "The object you seek is a source of imbalance between you and your teacher. If you want it, you must seek it out with him." Bendu explained.
"Where is it?" Ezra asked.
Bendu looked over to the large krykna cave "Somewhere safe." Ezra sighed knowing it wasn't going to be easy "All right, I'll go, but I'm going alone." Ezra said as Bendu and Kanan watchedh im go more or less, "The cave runs deep, with many twists and turns." and Ezra disappeared into the darkness.
IAGO
Cliffhold Garrison
Ahkilleon returned with Kraggen, Jay and Rulf he had his armor on and his forehead was still bleeding, when they approached Corto and the girls came down and saw they were followed by Korkie who had his mandalorian armor on over a thick black sweater his helmet under his arm, face beaten to a pulp. "Making friends are we?" Corto asked.
"Shut up and fix him." Ahkilleon glowered as he walked past Corto, his sister and the the other two, "Why is it everytime he comes back he's bleeding?" Yumi asked Jay.
The young cadet shrugged "Hey, at least it's not most of his blood, this time."
They boarded the Revenant and Ahkilleon headed up to the bridge to take off, Beetoo was in the bridge with him and came up beeping, Ahkilleon looke at the droid as it gave some concerned boops, he sighed "I'm fine Beetoo, thanks." he said patting the droid on the head.
Korkie walked in "Where too?"
"Vizla Keep 009, the Rings of Phelbos, Bright Jewel system." Korkie said as he sat down and leaned his head back to try and stop the bleeding. Ahkilleon and the others watched him "What will we find there?" Ahkilleon asked.
Karaoke snorted, "Hopefully a ruin, back in the clone wars the Deathwatch built a bunch of outposts across the outer rim to hide in, Vizla Keep was the most remote and Maul used it to hide there when he was for a short time, detained by an old enemy of his, I hid there with my aunt, the other one after the Empire took Mandalore."
Ahkilleon looked at the others, "Everyone get ready to fly."
VIZLA KEEP 009
Ghost
Back with the rebels who were Mau's prisoners, they could hear Maul trying to break open the Holocron by force, "You will yield to my power." Maul said as he tried to wrench it open with his bare hands only to yell in frustration.
"Wow. Someone's not happy." Sabine said.
"Yeah, let's make his day worse." Hera said getting an idea, Maul had brought out some small security droids with blaster rifles guarding them,
"Ready?" Hera whispered to them, and the rebels pounched attacking the droids to fast for them to react and wrestling the blasters free before smashing their craniums with tbe butts of their rifles, Maul who was so focused on the holocron didn't hear them but he did sense something was amiss. "Get to the engine room. Quietly." Hera ordered.
Maul had made his way around the ship, where Hera and company were ready to pounce behinda closed door, they were hiding in the engine room as Chopper plugged into the system, "Here he comes."
"He makes an awful lot of clanking." Zeb said.
Sabine's face lit up with an idea "He is part droid, we can use that against him." Sabine said and Hera new just what she meant,
"He's in the hold."
"Chopper, magnetize!" Hera snapped the ships haul came alive and the floor activated it's magnetic locks for heavy cargo, it sucked Maul up onto the ceiling and the rebels ran out guns blazing and Maul turned on his lightsaber to deflect their shots while he was upside down, he turned off the magnet with the force and dropped down force pushing the rebels off their feet and them holding the four of them in place. "You will remain alive only so long as you're of use to me!" Maul shouted.
ATOLLON
Meanwhile back on Atollon Ezra had entered into the cave without his weapons, lightsaber or Blaster and Kanan guided him with his comlink "Ezra, keep to the left." Kanan said at the top of the cave next to Bendu who watched smiling like he was enjoying a sow "Left? You sure about that?" Ezra asked.
The young padawan was down below in the catacombs of the cave, carved out by krykna burrowing to build their underground home, "Trust me." Ezra walked into the darkness barely able to make out the stones that… were… moving?
Oh no
Krykna appeared from the darkness hissing and snapping their beaks as their large talon like legs struck at Ezra, making him run.
Up above, Kanan could hear nothing but static "Ezra? What's happening? Ezra? Ezra!" Kanan called out before he sighed heading to the cave, "Keep an eye on those, will ya?" Kanan asked Bendu who nodded before Kanan too entered the darkness.
"Perhaps master and apprentice will rediscover their balance…. Or perhaps they'll be eaten, such is the way of things." Bendu said.
Down in the caves Ezra was running through the labyrinth of caves for his life from the horde of krykna before he was cornered by them on both sides, there was no way out when he heard Kanan shout from above, "Ezra, jump!" He saw his master in a hole above him and leapt just as the Krykna pounced and was pulled to safety.
"What are you doing in here?" Ezra asked "Getting you back on track." Kanan said as the krykna came up out of the ground for their prey, the master held his hand out and waved it at the spiders who started to calm down and back away, "How did you do that? I can't even do that." Ezra asked.
"Well, I've been forced to see things differently since Malachor." Kanan said lowering his arm and heading deeper into the cave.
Ezra felt worse about how mean he'd been to Kanan "About what happened… I'm sorry for it. For everything, Kanan."
"It wasn't your fault. I never blamed you, Ezra we survived we made it back thats what matters." Kanan said putting his hand on Ezra's arm squeezing it to reassure him he had nothing to apologize, "It's time for you to forgive yourself."
Ezra frowned "Not all of us, Master."
Kanan new who he was talking about, "Ahsoka made her choice, so did Ahkilleon, we need to accept that."
They continued on together as master and student, till they came to a great chamber "There it is." Ezra said pointing out to the sith holocron that was in the very middle of a giant nest of sleeping krykna.
"Stay calm." Kanan told Ezra whos tarted to move towards the sith holocron and when he moved over the Krykna making sure he didn't wake them up he took the holocron from it's floating space before the Krykna woke up, they hissed and snapped at the intruder and Ezra felt his fear rise. "Steady." Kanan snapped. But the Krykna were enraged to see Ezra invade their home "Kanan!"
"Don't be a threat." Kanan said hands up, Ezra took a deep breath and he let go of his anger reaching out with the force to the creatures to show him he meant no harm. Kanan held his hands up and attuned to Ezra's force so that the Krykna stood calm and silent like statues, slowly they backed away as Kanan said "Go in peace."
The Krykna got up and started to leave the chamber, for Ezra and Kanan to leave. The two emerged from the cave into the sunlight where Bendu was waiting, "Your conflict has ended, perhaps balance is restored." The sage said with a smile.
"Thanks, Bendu." Kanan said.
Bendu's smile faded and he gave them a serious look "Your true struggle has only begun. Be warned, the darksider will not be able to open your Jedi holocron. That task will fall to one of you." Bendu explained.
"So that means we'll have the power of both holocrons, too." Ezra said holding the Sith Holocron tight in his fist.
"Do what you must, but such power comes with a price. Once a secret is known, it cannot be unknown." Bendu said before he turned away and started to march off back into his lair.
VIZLA KEEP 009
An A-Wing Trainder dropped out of hyperspace with Ezra and Kanan inside it, Ezra was flying it while Kanan sat in the back for the ride "You wanted it, now you got it." , Ezra was looking down at the holocron as they flew through the asteroid belt, "I'd rather hear what you have to say." Ezra asked him."What's our plan?"
"I think we oughta play it by ear." Kanan said.
Ezra looked back aghast "How can you take this lightly?"
Wisely Kanan explained his reasoning "The greatest power Maul has is our fear that he'll hurt our friends. We have to control that fear, Stay relaxed."
Ezra flew the ship to the three hangars of the keep, built into the rock of the asteroid "Okay, relaxed it is." Ezra said tense.
"You don't sound relaxed." Kanan told him worried.
"Yeah, well, I look relaxed." Ezra replied landing the a-wing in the hanger next to the Ghost, as they got out they saw Maul approaching them with two of his security droids.
"Over here, Master Jedi." Maul mockingly called out to Kanan with a smug look on his face, "Just follow the sound of my voice."
Ezra squeezed the urge to not attack the monster on sight "Easy." Kanan said to sooth him.
Maul turned his attention to Ezra, "Welcome, my young apprentice. I trust you found the Sith holocron illuminating?" He asked.
Ezra changed the subject to the real reason he was here "I don't see our friends, they will remain my guests until we conclude our business, I will take you to them now." he gestured to his two security droids who walked up to Ezra, the squat droids both had blasters and the escort wasn't really a choice.
"Escort my apprentice to the command center. If you attempt to escape, or if the droids are deactivated, your friends will die." Maul warned Ezra.
"Good to know." Ezra said following the droids to a doorway that led deeper into the keep, "This way, Master Jedi." Maul said to Kanan leading him to another door opposite of the Ghost.
Maul walked Kanan down the narrow and dimly lit hallways of the outpost, and he looked back to see Kanan was truly blind, his eyes hidden by his protective green mask tha covered hisf forehead and eyes "Truthfully, I was never trying to blind you." Maul confessed.
"No. You were just trying to kill me." Kanan said as they came to a doorway, Maul starte to unlock it, "Well, if at first you don't succeed-" "Hey!" He pushed Kanan into an empty starport door "'Try, try again."
He slammed the airlock on Kanan who shouted "No!" and Kanan was sucked out into open space, "Terminate the prisoners." Maul said into his comlink.
Out in the void of space, Kanan was sent hurling across the void and hit Mauls gauntlet fighter, he smashed against the haul and tried to grab onto something the atmospheric field of the asteroid growing thinner by the second until he was was able to hold onto the wing but his hands slipped and he flew off into open space right into the cockpit of the Revenant as it dropped out of hyperspace "WHOA!" Yumi shouted when Kanan's face and body went pancake on the windshield "Wipers, wipers!" Yumi snapped thinking he was dead.
"Kanan!?" Ahkilleon said before they flew into the hangar, Kanan's body was covered in a thick layer of frost, "You now the dead guy?" Yumi asked him.
The other padawans got out of the way of Ahkilleon as he got up and grabbed his helmet, Karaoke sat in the chair and opened up a flask, "He's not some guy, he's a Jedi." Ahkilleon said before they ran out the ship ramp and around the corner to where Kanan had fallen, he was still and unmoving, the cadets both had Blasters and the padawans were hanging around the ship entrance as Corto came up with his hands out on Kanans chest. Suddenly Kanan let out a gasp "Who- what?"
"Maul, where is he?" Ahkilleon grabbed him shaking him, "Ezra, the holocrons need… to save the others…" Kanan coughed.
Ahkilleon looked up and saw the Ghost, he slipped his helmet on and ran toward the Ghost, he saw three of Maul's security droids behind the three kneeling rebels, Hera, Zeb and Sabine ready to be executed. Holding his hand up the droids were all lifted up and the rebels looked back to see the droids get crushed like an invisible hand had wrapped around all three and turned them into tin foil. Looking back they saw a mysterious armored stranger in dark blue and grey robes, with two lightsabers clipped to his chest, his armor covered his chest, shoulders, forearms and lowerl egs, a short tunic stretching out from the belt. His helmet had a slit visor with two fins and a leather flap on the back. Rulf and Jay rushed in with their blasters with Corto walking in with Kanan leaning on his shoulder "Kanan!" Hera said overjoyed to see he was alive.
"Where's Ezra?" Hera asked as Rulf freed her, "With Maul. Let's go."
"Who are these guys?" Zeb asked when Sabine saw their arms and armor, "Militia?" She said before she looked at the force weilder walking away, "Wait is that-" "Leave." Ahkilleon grunted stopping halfway to the door "Unless you want to fight me for the right to kill Maul."
Rulf and Jay got to work freeing the rebels, "He's having a rought day." Corto said in Ahkilleons defense.
At the Keeps command center, Ezra was looking out an observation window the two security droids watching him, there were dozens of dusty consoles and unused machinery in the command center that hadn't been used in years. When Maul finally walked in he had his hands behind his back "I lived up to my end of the bargain." Ezra said.
"Your friends are safe." Maul said before he sat down "Come, apprentice, sit, the holocron, if you please." Maul asked, Ezra did as he was bid and held out the Sith holocron for Maul to take with the force, he produced Kanan's jedi holocron and the two floated up "I doubt that you comprehend the power that is within your grasp."
Ezra frowned again "I know if we open these holocrons together, any question we ask will be answered."
Maul's face brightened seeing he wouldn't have to explain "So you do understand. Well, my apprentice, what is your question?"
"You know what I want- I want to destroy the Sith." Ezra said squeezing his knees tight where he sat.
Showing a prideful smile Maul replied "You are as ambitious as ever. As for me, I seek something much simpler, yet equally elusive."
"What's that?" Ezra asied.
With a look that almost felt like sadness Maul replied "Hope….Now, let us begin." Both Ezra and Maul held their hands out to the holcorons and they floated up their corner tips coming off and the two pressed together releasing a wave of light and force energy,
Back in the hangar, the rebels had armed themselves with their captors blasters again and came out of the hangar, "You sure you okay?" Corto asked looking at Kanan, "I'm fine, who… wait a second." Kanan said as Yumi walked up with the other padawans, Hera noticed the four of them all dressed in some type of traveling robe of leather ot gambison, with lightsabers "Jedi?" Hera gasped seeing them. Then she looked up the Revenant it's sheer size was took up the rest of the hangar and it's similar build to the Ghost made her face scrunch up "... Questions for later?"
"Well, uh not yet." Urrde said with a bashful smile, "And you two aren't militia regulars." Sabine said to Rulf and Jay.
"Not yet, look we're helping out Ahkilleon, he said something about facing his past, but he wanted to do it alone." Jay told them.
Kanan looked at Hera, then Zeb heading to the doorway that Ezra went into "Wait, wait stranger was Ahkilleon?"
"Looks like." Sabine said as the rebels went to save Ezra, again.
In the Commander center, the holocrons of sith and jedi were opening up the very force itself, light and show unleashed in blinding light "I see nothing…. Only oblivion. I must go deeper. Go deeper!" Maul growled.
Ezra was looking to the light was so blinding he could barely see Maul in front of him "Wait…. I see something."
"What do you see? What is it?" Maul demanded.
Ezra leaned in looking into the heart of the force, of life itself "I see…" "Tell me- Tell me what you see!" Maul thundered.
"I see…" Ezra could feel the answer coming toward him, light took shape in mass and form, two orbs above, a great destiny a new hope. The doors opened behind Maul and Ahkilleon saw Ezra sitting their, her reached for his lightsaber turning it on he swung at Maul but an explosion of light sent Ahkilleon hurling into the nearest wall, the light blinding as the rebels came up behind him "Ezra!" Sabine shouted "It's too bright." Zeb snapped "Where is he?" Hera added.
Kanan pulled his visor off and walked forward into the light, he saw to figures sitting at its center, Maul and "Ezra." Kanan said "I see him! Maul's close, I'm going to get Ezra out.
"Be ready." Kanan said walking into the storm of light.
"Wait. You see him?" Hera asked before she lost sight of him "Kanan!" but he was gone, in the void of shadow and light, Ezra was looking for the answer he almost had it, "Ezra. Ezra, listen to me!"
Ezra snapped up looking to see Kanan's outline in twilight, "Look away!"
"Kanan?" He asked softly.
Maul roared over him "No! Stay focused, apprentice, gain the knowledge you desire."
But Kanan stod behind Maul like a great oaktree that wouldn't break in the wind of a typhoon, "Remember Bendu's warning, turn away before it's too late!" Coming to from the wave of force energy, Ahkilleon got to his feet, he could just make out the lines of three figures, Maul, Kanan and Ezra.
"But it's so close… The key to destroying the Sith." Ezra's voice echoed. "Just a little farther."
Maul's voice echoed around him "I see him!"
"Twin… suns…." Ezra whispered "It's not worth it, Ezra. Trust me!" Kanan shouted when the light exploded just then Ahkilleon ran reaching out to grab Maul, Kanan looked to his left to see not Ahkilleon but a demeon with no face, two long horns where the eyes would be body wrapped in shadow fangs bared, before he too turned away at the last second and in that moment Ahkilleon touched both holocrons saw an answer to a question he to had since the day he could first remember.
In the land of the undead there was the answer.
….
….
….
The holocorns fell to the floor cracked and damaged, maybe broken, Ezra was laying on the floor out cold "Where's Maul?" Hera asked looking around "He's not the only one missing?"
"He lives- He lives!" Maul shouted like he'd seen a phantom from his darkest dreams and Ahkilleon was chasing Maul down the corridors of Vizla Keep, the night brother looked over his shoulder and spun around hand out stretched sensing a terrible force push at Ahkilleon. But the demon sent his own that enveloped mauls force push like a great riptide bending the metal walls of the corridor before sending Maul through the doorway he was trying to escape from only for Ahkilleon to send out his other hand an invisible force lassoed around Mauls metal legs pulling him back, he was raised off the floor into the ceiling slammed back down onto the floor and yanked toward his attacker arms at mauls side like he was in the grip of a python no one could see. Maul came face to face with Ahkilleon's metal helmet "I'm going to enjoy every second of this."
Ahkilleon catapulted Maul to the left sending him into and through the metal wall. The sith tore through layers of metal before he came to heavy halt against bare asteroid rock. Maul snarled channeling his pain before he took out his lightsaber, "I have no time for-" Maul looked up and saw Ahkilleon's knee flying right into his face hammering his jaw so hard a tooth flew out in a bloody streak onto the floor and bouncing mauls horned head off the wall into Ahkilleon's uppercut. Followed by a left hook and then grabbing Maul by his his robes yanking him to his metal feet and throwing him like a rag doll across the floor from Ahkilleon, he'd forced Maul into a large chamber with similar angular mandalorian architecture, a large window showed the distant star and asteroid that looked over Vizla Keep. Maul rolled over onto his hands and knees he spat out bloody spit and wiped his mouth "What is this?"
Ahkilleon walked forward taking off his lightsabers "Get up."
Maul rose to his feet and turned on his red saber activating both ends, "You took the two people I loved most in this galaxy, and now you'll pay."
Maul cocked his head, snapping his stiff neck like grinding his bones "...Who are you again?"
Squeezing his lightsabers tighter then his knuckles could handle they popped, he knew Maul was trying to goad him, Ahkilleom spun the hilts in his hands activating the red and blue lightsabers taking a dual shien style grip, "Ah of course." Maul said loosening his shoulder "Ahsoka Tano's bastard spawn."
"You don't get to say her name!" Ahkilleon rushed the black and red dathomiran who swung his own red double bladed saber and Ahkilleon spun in a three sixty hacking with both lightsabers, Maul side stepped and the two locked sabers.
Maul growled at Ahkilleon's helmets "I have no time for your tantrums boy." Maul tried to force push Ahkilleon away but he drove both his sabers into the ground to only go back a few feet he cross slashed them and tore up a chunk of metal with the force throwing it at Maul. The red blade sliced it in half and saw Ahkilleon on the other end both sabers aimed at Mauls head, dodging it by mere seconds Maul swung up the other end of his doubleblade, Ahkilleon twisted in mid air to avoid it while swinging his sabers down on Maul's guard.
Strike after strike landed against the two red ends of Mauls defense, then he countered with a high swing, Ahkilleon dodged never taking eyes off his opponent.
Back in the command Center, Corto had come in with Jay holding a med kit, Zeb and Sabine held up their blasters unsure of their intent "Easy, easy healer, healer." Corto said before he slipped past them with Kanan cradling Ezra "Come on. Find your way out, Ezra."
"Come back to us." Kanan said as Corto held his hand out over his forehead, "He's fine." Corto said having only done a check up before Ezra came too, "You okay, kid?" Zeb asked.
"I think so." Ezra said when he looked at Kanan who had his mask off, his whited out eyes were rimmed by a long scar from Mauls blade "Kanan, you... You can see again? You can see me?" Ezra asked as Jay started to turn on the keeps security system switching through the security cameras that could still work.
"I could, but only through the light of the holocrons." Kanan asked him then followed up "Do you know what happened?"
"I saw images, pieces of something, but I can't make sense of 'em. I don't know if it's what I wanted to see or what Maul was trying to see." Ezra said getting up "What were they?" Hera asked.
"Places, mostly. Planets. Some familiar, some not, I'm not sure what they mean.
"I'm sure we'll find out together." Kanan said helping him steady himself, Ezra the noticed Corto and Jay in the room, "Uh who are these guys, they with Maul?"
Corto broke the tension with a laugh, "Oh, no, no, noooooo we're with Captain Tano um not sure where he is?"
"I got him, and he is kicking that red and black bastards ass!" Jay said as they looked at a holofeed of Ahkilleo nand Maul dueling in another chamber, of empty boxes and crates, stollen art of Mandalore put into storage. Maul lifted up a statue of an ancient mandalorian warrior with the force and throug hit at Ahkilleon who sliced it in half as Maul fled into an escape route back into the main hanager were all the ships were. He saw Rulf and the padawans behind him "Who-" "Shoot him, shoot him!" Yumi shouted at Rulf who opened fire on him.
Maul deflected the shots with his red blade before the wall behind him erupted with Ahkilleon coming out of it like a charging bull. "MAUL!" Spinning aroun to face his true threat, Maul lifted up some empty crates and flung them at Ahkilleon he walked toward Maul and sliced it in half, Maul through another empty fuel container at Ahkillein and he cut it hand again, seeing the A-trainer, Maul growled lifting it up with the force over his head and hurled the entire shp at Ahkillein, taking a running jump at it Ahkillein cut through the ship igniting the ships fuel passing through the fires hammering his trike down on Maul. Who was backing up between the Ghost and the Revenant, the crew watching him, Ahkilleon deflected Mauls attacks, he hit him with the butt end of his lightsaber and then slashed Maul's right arm making him drop his defense, Ahkilleon kicked the lightsaber out of his hand and then grabbed Maul by the throat with his red aber hand pressing the hilt into his throat as he said "Scream for me."
Ahkilleon unleashed his full force lightining into Maul blue electricity running up and down Mauls entire body his arms out wide mouth open bolts of lightning shooting out of him, Mauls mouth coughed up lightning his arms flared and muscles burned with his nerve system on fire. And Ahkilleon was enjoying every second of it, Yumi watched along with Urrde, Kraggen and Fatima who were mortified at the sheer darkness that was coming off of Ahkilleon off the Demon. Just then the rebels came out into the hangar and saw the light show that was Mauls body being electrocuted, Maul summoning his last ounce of strength used his lightsaber to make it fly off the floor at Ahkilelon he blocked it with both after dropping Maul and breaking his concentration.
Maul backed up snarling on the floor his fangs like a wounded dog, facing off against a blood thirsty tiger, Ahkilleon was holding his red saber tight when he reached up with his blue one removing his helmet his white and blue hair matted against his head with sweat. "Wait… wait you're a Jedi you can't strike an unarmed opponent?" Maul said hand up for mercy, Ahkilleon said nothing he raised his lightsaber and got ready to drive it into Maul "I am so much more than a Jedi."
"NO! Not like this Ahkilleon" A flash of blue and catching his red lightsaber on his own blue was Kanan, he had put his visor back on.
Maul saw his chance he used the force to blast Kanan and Ahkilleon away before the old sith leapt out of the hangar into the cold void of space flying to his ship and opening the hatch with the force and pulling himself in with frost all over his body "He lives…. He lives…" Maul muttered as he crawled to his seat and detached just as dropping out of hyperspace was a Militia Dreadnought "NOOOOOOOO!" Ahkilleon got up running to the edge of the hangar as the Nightbrother flew off, he held up his comlink in his helmet yelling into it "Fire on that ship, Fire- fire!"
The dreadnought got off a few shots but the Corsair jumped into hyperspace Maul had escaped.
Ahkilleon watched his enemy escape, he was silent mouth wide open he started to tremble before he "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He through his helmet onto the ground and pulled on his own hair in a rage that had erupted with no place to focus it.
No.
This wasn't his fault, he still had a target he looked back over at Kanan who had Hera checking on him, "You- you denied me my revenge!"
"That's not what Ahsoka would want." Kanan said.
Ahkilleon raised his fist to strike him "Stand down Padawan!"
All heads turned to a militia drop ship that has landed in the hangar, Lord Asimov walked out with by Masters Ventress, Uzuma, the blue and orange harch Master Stormblade followed by Commander Sigma and a dozen armored droid suit wearing regulars with mounted weapons on their exo frames. The Jedi and militia with them had their weapons drawn but soon put them away seeing Maul had escaped and Ahkilleonwas lowering his arms.
"You let him get away!" Ahkilleon shouted storming towards Lord Asimov, "He was right there and he slipped through like he was invisible I-" "Defied my express command, to wait!" Lord Asimov barked over him "And what's worse you dragged others into this pointless vendetta when we could have taken him together, captured him and put an end to his savagery once and for all."
Spitting on the floor "How did you even find us, I checked my ship there were no trackers?"
"I called them." Yumi said as she walked over to stand beside Master Uzuma "Well done padawan." She said.
"Thank you, master." She said smiling.
Ahkilleon didn't relent "I had him, I-" "Are off balance, you're fury has made you loose focus you- no, you have betrayed the Militia with your desertion and selfish actions, Commander seize him."
"Wait hold on what?" Corto asked looking from his sister and Asimov as the droid armored marines came up to Ahkilleon and grabbed him by his arms forcing him into handcuffs.
Sigma took his sabers saying "Told you to read the codex." He muttered.
The soldiers took Ahkilleon away back to the shuttle, followed by the padawan and Cadets. Asimov looked over at Korkie who stood there against the Revenant arms folded just watching. "I will deal with you later, Rebels." Lord Asimov said facing them he held his hand up "The Holocrons, both of them."
Ezra was holding both holocrons cracked and damaged, "Uh yeah not happening." He said stepping back putting them behind his back into one hand resting his free hand on his lightsaber.
"That wasn't a request Padawan Bridger, your rag rags clearly can't be trusted with their safe keeping." Master Uzuma said stepping forward "Cal- Kanan, give them to the New Jedi we can keep them safe from Maul and the Empire.
Kanan was mulling it over, "Or click-click-click, we can take them from you click click." Stormblade said clicking his mandibles hands on his own lightsabers all six of them showing where his preferred approach was.
"Kanan?" Hera asked, he was silent for a long time. The rebels fingers itched against their blasted trigger, the militia and new Jedi started to shift ready for a fight. The air grew thick with tension "Can we not." Tai said stepping forward hands up between the two sides.
She shot glares to both Asimov and Kanan, "This fight would be pointless, Maul was the reason we came here not two damaged holocrons, I suggest an exchange the holocrons for fuel, supplies and weapons surely the Shatterpoint stocks could compensate the rebellion?" She asked Lord Asimov then looked at Kanan with pleading eyes even if he couldn't see it.
Hera clutched her blaster rifle tight "You think we'll do a deal with-" "Done." Kanan said taking the holocrons out of Ezra's hands, he walked up to Tai and gave them to her. "Kanan, no."
"We're barely making it on the supplies we have back at base, and I want one more thing." Kanan said walking up to Lord Asimov, "We want to talk to Ahkilleon."
Lord Asimov folded his arms and held out one hand for the holocrons, Kanan walked up to Ezra before he took them out of Ezra's hand and gave them to Lord Asimov, "You will have a chance to speak with him."
TO BE CONTINUED
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Mandalorain translation
Skira- revenge, feud, vendetta