"Lord Vader," Sidious' face flickered back and forth on the holoprojector. "You have not been responding to any of my requests to speak with you. Why is this?"
Vader tilted his head upwards, making direct eye contact with him.
"My apologies, Master. I have been extremely occupied these past few days. I am at your service now, you may command me to do as you wish."
Palpatine frowned. "I am not pleased with your dishonesty, Vader," he sneered. "You promised me not long ago that you would kill Kenobi. Yet what have you done since then?"
Vader looked up, hesitating. Palpatine frowned, waiting impatiently for his response.
"I fear that your attachments may be interfering with your judgment again, my Apprentice," Palpatine hissed. "Surely you must remember the state you were in, when I found you after your scuffle on Mustafar. I would not like to see him leave you in pieces again." Vader flinched silently. "He is the one who has been holding you back all these years, and now he is continuing to tie you to himself, to the horrors of the past. How much longer will you allow him to continue this treachery?"
"I understand, Master."
"So now, I will ask you again. What will become of Kenobi?"
"I beg your forgiveness for my impertinence, Master, but I only ask this of you. That I may be the one to finally dispatch him," Vader breathed.
Palpatine stiffened.
"You are...correct. I have been led astray by him for too long. It is time for me to eliminate him."
Palpatine frowned. "That is not what I am asking," he sneered. "Lord Vader, I do not appreciate your attempts to distract me. If I were not any wiser, I would accuse you of attempting to hide your old Master from me. Have the years weakened you to the point that you are once again susceptible to such emotional manipulations?"
"No, Master, never. You are the only Master I will ever serve. It is for you that I have decided to remove him."
There was a pause, and Palpatine gathered himself again,
"Very well, Lord Vader. My responsibilities call me once more. I will be in contact with you shortly. Do not ignore me again."
"Yes, Master. I will not."
The holoprojector finally shut off. Vader leaned over it, taking a deep breath.
"So. Changed your mind about killing me, have you?" Obi-Wan murmured.
Vader turned around, facing the weathered old man behind him.
"Do not overestimate the extent of my patience. You have not earned my mercy, nor my respect."
"I am aware," Obi-Wan replied. "You have made it abundantly clear that you will never forgive me."
"I am only keeping you alive for the girl's sake. She has been begging me endlessly to spare you and cries every time I threaten to forcibly remove her attachment to you."
Obi-Wan blinked. He had not expected Leia to vouch for him.
Please, don't, he wanted to reach out through the Force and tell her. Stop begging for my life. You are the one that needs to be saved, not me.
"She refuses to speak to me unless I promise not to kill you. It is exceedingly difficult for me to obtain any information about the Rebellion from her unless she cooperates."
"Oh, right. The Rebellion," Obi-Wan replied hoarsely, his throat dry.
"Why else do you think I would choose to let her live this long? She is of no use to me otherwise. Once I have obtained what I need from her, I will eliminate her."
Obi-Wan frowned.
There's still good in him, Padme's voice echoed in the back of his mind. I know it.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes.
He hoped for Leia's sake that she was right.
Vader paced the length of his cell slowly. Obi-Wan watched him, observing each of his steps. He seemed deep in thought over something else. Obi-Wan sighed, deciding to risk his life once more with a small question.
"Are things going well with the girl?" he asked gently.
Vader stiffened. Then, he stopped moving, his shoulders sagging.
"She still does not like me."
Obi-Wan stared at him wide-eyed. Vader turned around and glared at him, annoyed.
"I am aware that her approval is not required for my plan. However...I have no other ways of persuading her to speak. She is no longer afraid of me, but I can still see the reluctance in her eyes. I cannot connect to her during our shared time together. I cannot speak to her about the past. There is nothing that I can do to make her want to talk to me."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. Vader faced him, waiting expectantly.
"I'm afraid I only spent a few days with Leia myself," Obi-Wan shrugged. "I know no more than you do already."
Vader growled and balled his right hand into a fist. Obi-Wan cleared his throat.
"Have you tried asking her what you can do to make her trust you?"
"That is not an option."
Obi-Wan nodded quietly.
"Then, perhaps you could try doing something that children her age would enjoy with her. To...build your relationship to her."
"I do not know what children like."
Obi-Wan blinked.
The two of them stared at each other, locked in a tense silence. Vader did not speak, but Obi-Wan knew what he wanted to say.
Do you know, Master? Do you?
Obi-Wan swallowed slowly, trying to salvage the words from the back of his dry, parched throat.
"I...do not know much about children either," he said, and Vader tightened his grip on his lightsaber menacingly. "But I do know that some enjoy pod-racing."
Vader scoffed angrily and stormed out.
Obi-Wan bowed his head and looked down at the floor, absentmindedly fiddling with his shackles. He was certainly grateful that they were no longer attached to the wall, allowing him to rest his neck and arms and sleep a bit more comfortably. However, he still missed being in his cave back on Tatooine. At least then, he had been free.
In another world, he might be watching over Luke and Leia while they rested after a long day of running around and playing together. In another world, Anakin would be calling upon him not to trade blows but to ask for advice on child-rearing. In another world, Padme was still alive, rocking the twins to sleep and buying Leia a million little dresses with matching gloves. In this other world, he allowed Leia to hug him as much as she wanted and ask him whatever she wanted to about the old days. He no longer had to hide himself from Luke, and Owen welcomed him into his home instead of eyeing him with the wariness of a man who believed that he had killed his only brother.
How did we end up like this? He thought to himself quietly. It wasn't supposed to be this way.
Ahsoka puzzled over the double-bladed spinning lightsaber's handgrip, trying to adjust its emitter matrix.
"What are you doing?" Reva asked.
"Trying to see if this has a lower non-lethal plasma setting," Ahsoka replied.
Reva scoffed. "This is an Inquisitor's weapon," she snapped. "There is no non-lethal setting."
Ahsoka stepped back, twirling the two red blades of the lightsaber. "Alright. Today we will go over the basics of Ataru together. For now, just copy what I do," she said, executing a simple velocity that Anakin had often practiced with her to warm up.
Reva panted and attempted to keep up. "I don't need your little Jedi sequences. Drills won't help me learn, only hands-on experience."
"But you are a new learner," Ahsoka said. "Velocities are important for learning the basics. Each combat form has its own benefits, but there are weaknesses, too. It is important to be mindful of them even as you are learning it so as not to develop blind spots."
"That doesn't matter right now."
Ahsoka took a deep breath.
"This style is not for the faint of heart," she warned her again. "It involves a lot of fast, light combat. Blink, and you risk losing an arm."
"I already know that," Reva said annoyed. "You don't have to tell me. Just because I don't know the name of it doesn't mean I'm stupid."
"I know," Ahsoka said gently. "But, you need to take the time-"
"We don't have time," Reva spat. "I have been observing Vader closely and listening to the transmissions that he receives. The Emperor grows more and more suspicious of him each day that he allows Kenobi to live. He will no doubt send his right hand to investigate the matter if it develops any further."
Ahsoka frowned. "I understand that, but I wouldn't recommend rushing through the fundamentals at such a crucial stage in your training. Without them, you won't be able to develop the proper techniques."
"How would I even know what the fundamentals are? Your Master tried to kill me before I had the chance to learn them," Reva snapped angrily.
Ahsoka closed her mouth and stopped moving. Reva glared at her silently. For a few moments, Ahsoka's eyes flickered back and forth between the ground and looking at Reva, trying to think of how to respond. Her tongue felt heavy in her mouth, and she did not know what to say.
"I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter. Let's get back to work."
Ahsoka swallowed, nodding quietly. "Right," she said quietly.
They had their work cut out for them. Ahsoka would not usually have expected someone who primarily used Form I to pick up Form IV easily. Most Padawans who attempted to use Ataru were enamored with it for the first few weeks until they discovered their vulnerability to blaster shots while suspended or flipping in the air. Additionally, as one grew older, it usually became more difficult to execute the many flips and spins that were incredibly athletically-demanding and integral to the style of combat. Even Anakin warned her that most Ataru users became exhausted within the first few minutes of a duel, and that it was wiser to switch Forms if she intended to conserve her energy.
Eventually, most Jedi abandoned Form IV for simpler Forms that did not require as much acrobatic ability. Although Ahsoka had seen multiple holorecordings of Obi-Wan employing it during his youth, she also noticed an obvious switch to Form III after he became Anakin's mentor. She later asked him why he abandoned Ataru despite being quite proficient at it. At the time, he had said something vague about preferring a more defensive method of attack, but she now knew that it was because of his old Master. She sometimes wondered how Obi-Wan managed to keep himself together after surviving both the death of his Master and Apprentice.
At the moment, however, it did not seem likely that they would be able to get very far. Reva attempted a jung ma and faltered when Ahsoka used her momentum against her and pushed her off, causing her to lose balance and fall back.
They returned to their starting positions and Ahsoka repeated the motion that she had been trying to teach Reva, running forward then using both lightsabers to counterbalance her weight as she jumped into the air and spun around, kicking her legs out. Reva charged a bit too fast and jumped, losing her balance and falling onto her stomach. She let out a loud groan of pain and Ahsoka rushed to her side, only for her hand to get slapped away.
"Don't," Reva panted. "I don't need your help," she said coldly.
Ahsoka took a deep breath and nodded, standing back to give Reva more space. Reva grunted and got up onto her elbows, slowly picking herself back up.
"Let's try that again," Ahsoka said.
Reva growled and swung at her. Ahsoka stepped back, holding her lightsaber horizontally near her chin and deflecting each blow. Annoyed, Reva charged forwards and engaged them in a blade lock. Ahsoka immediately jumped backwards, causing Reva to swing at her while she flipped midair. Ahsoka used the Force to push her lightsabers and landed on her feet, charging towards her again. Reva was forced to step aside and use both lightsabers to block her next attack. Ahsoka pushed down hard, engaging her in an even more dangerous blade lock.
"Remember, these are your three rings of defense," Ahsoka said as Reva struggled to push her off. "Be mindful of any attacks below the waist, near the head, or towards your back. Aerial combat styles all have a weakness, which is that they can be attacked from below. So, if you-"
"Stop lecturing me," Reva growled. "I'm tired of listening to your stupid ramblings."
With that, she grunted and finally managed to gather enough strength to shove her off. Ahsoka jumped back and spun around, building up momentum. She ran back towards Reva and attacked again, catching her on her weak side. Reva was forced to use her other hand to defend herself and turned around, trying to meet Ahsoka's lightsabers with her dominant hand. Ahsoka immediately took advantage of Reva defaulting to one hand by applying force with both lightsabers and hands, easily overpowering her. Reva cried out as her hand gave out and the lightsaber clattered to the floor, disarmed. She turned to pick it up, and Ahsoka used the Force to yank her other lightsaber out of her other hand. Reva looked up, seeing Ahsoka grinning and looking down at her.
"Again," Reva said stubbornly, holding out her hands. Ahsoka let go and let both lightsabers fly back into them.
Ahsoka got back into position. Reva slashed both lightsabers, facing her head-on before charging again.
This time, she was able to trade a few more blows with Ahsoka before they broke apart. Although she had only suspected it before, she could tell now that Reva was already extremely agile. Within a few minutes, she began to copy many more of Ahsoka's movements. Ahsoka let out a small gasp of surprise as Reva jumped into the air and executed a Hawk-Bat Swoop, transitioning perfectly into a Saber Swarm. Ahsoka gripped her sabers more tightly and fended off each blow, occasionally twirling out of the way. Although her legs were considerably much better now, she was still wary of over-relying on acrobatic maneuvers since her last duel with Vader.
"You're doing better," Ahsoka exclaimed.
"Don't say anything," Reva growled, swinging hard towards her. "It makes things worse."
Ahsoka blinked, parrying her blows. "Why? What's wrong with pointing out improvement?"
"Praise is a crutch," Reva growled. "It will only weaken me to rely upon it."
Ahsoka closed her mouth and watched as Reva launched herself off the wall and leaped into the air. She ducked and jumped back, crossing her lightsabers in front of her to block Reva's strike.
For the rest of their fight, Ahsoka remained quiet. Eventually, she remembered Reva's weakness and attacked her on her left side again. Reva yelled as Ahsoka spun quickly, using her momentum to knock the lightsaber out of her hand and pointed her second blade at Reva's throat. Reva quickly swiped at it using the lightsaber in her right hand, and Ahsoka closed in on her, knocking it out using her left saber. Both of Reva's lightsabers clattered to the ground, and Ahsoka kicked them away so Reva could not use the Force to retrieve them. Before Reva could react, Ahsoka crossed her lightsabers together and pushed her against the wall, now trapping her. Reva raised her hands and glared down at the crossed lightsabers that were caging her in.
"I yield," she said bitterly. Ahsoka waited a few seconds, then uncrossed her sabers to lower them. Reva landed a blow on one of her arms, causing her to cry out and drop the weapon. Reva immediately grabbed the lightsaber using the Force and ran away, turning around to face her once she had gotten a few feet away.
"You can't win against me using that," Ahsoka said calmly. She reached out, picking up Reva's two lightsabers from the ground. "I have you outnumbered three to one."
"Three? You only have two hands," Reva scoffed.
Ahsoka shrugged. "That's the beauty of Ataru," she replied. "You can always improvise."
Reva watched as Ahsoka stretched out her two hands, each holding a lightsaber, while the third hilt floating next to her ignited on its own and spun in the air as if being wielded by an invisible master. Reva gasped, her jaw dropping.
"Now, my turn," Ahsoka said.
Reva yelped as Ahsoka began to chase after her, now wielding all three lightsabers. She screeched and ducked, trying to avoid each slashes and screaming as the Force-wielded lightsabers got nearer and nearer to her. She twirled her lightsaber in front of her as a sort of shield, but Ahsoka easily parried her blows with her handheld lightsabers while targeting her with a slash from the third. Reva let out a cry and threw herself onto the ground, barely rolling out of the way.
"It's not fair!" she yelled. "You can't expect me to gain the upper hand in a situation like this!"
"No," Ahsoka said quietly, "I don't."
Reva trembled as the lightsaber floating next to her suddenly quivered and fell to the ground as if it had been hanging by an inviisble string that was just cut.
"Wielding a lightsaber using only the Force is incredibly taxing," Ahsoka said. "I myself can't keep it up for long. However, I do expect you to prepare for anything and everything as part of your training. Especially since Form IV leaves most of its users more vulnerably to aerial attacks. Ideally, you should never have to face an opponent under these same circumstances. But, there are ways to avoid a situation like this."
"Like what?"
"Run."
Reva rolled her eyes.
Ahsoka smiled, her expression lighthearted and teasing. "Remember, you have to beat me first if you hope to stand a chance against Vader."
Reva stared at the lightsaber hilts scattered all across the ground near them. "It's pointless," she muttered darkly. "I know that I'll never be able to match him."
Ahsoka swallowed quietly.
"You can't give up yet," she said. "You've only just started."
Reva glared at her. "Easy for you to say," she spat. "You've been trained for this your whole life. I never even had a Master."
The smile dropped from Ahsoka's face and was replaced with a somber expression. She turned off her lightsaber and crawled over to where Reva was hunched over, sitting next to her. Gingerly, she placed her hand on her shoulder in an attempt at comfort. Reva did not lean into it.
"You've always been lucky," Reva whispered. "They wanted you. They wouldn't have just left you to die."
Ahsoka stared at her, watching as moisture welled up in the corners of her eyes. Reva turned her face away, not wanting her to see the tear leaking out.
"You know, I meant it when I said you were improving," Ahsoka said. "I can tell that you are a fast learner. You would have been an incredible Jedi Knight."
Reva glared at her silently.
"Anyone would be lucky to have you as their Apprentice," Ahsoka said sincerely. She did not know if this would appease Reva or make her angrier.
But for now, they seemed to have a truce in place.
"I don't know if I ever told you why I'm no longer a Jedi," Ahsoka said slowly, looking away. "I was cast out after the Council determined I was guilty of sedition, murder, and plotting a terrorist attack on the Temple."
Reva whirled around, her eyes widening. Ahsoka kept her gaze focused away and continued. "The Chancellor told me that I would have to await the Council's decision. My fate was in the hands of the Masters who I had spoken to, worked with, trusted for so many years. But none of that time mattered to them. To be a Jedi is to remove one's attachments, to not let one's emotions cloud moral judgment. They could not show me any favoritism by listening to my Master's attempts to vouch for my character. To them, I was as good as any criminal," Ahsoka sighed quietly. "And so, to give me an impartial trial, they sent me before the Republic Military. Where no one would try to save me."
Reva stared at her now with wide-open eyes.
"Eventually, the real perpetrator was brought to justice. But it was not because of any doing on my part. The Chancellor was prepared to sentence me, up until my Master finally arrived and exposed the real killer. I would have died at their hands, and they would not have regretted it," Ahsoka said solemnly. "They didn't believe me at all. Not until the very end."
After all, she had never successfully been able to prove her innocence.
It was Anakin who cleared her name. Anakin who they believed. Anakin, whose word was considered good enough for them to listen to. Not hers.
Reva narrowed her eyes and let her hand fall back to her side.
"I was not part of the conspiracy to bomb the Temple. However, I did know the person behind it," Ahsoka admitted. "She was...someone I considered a friend. I feel sometimes that it was partially my fault that she turned to the Dark Side."
Reva just continued to look at her, not responding.
"I may have once been a Padawan," Ahsoka bowed her head, "But now I am the same as you. We are both Jedi, but at the same time we are not. Titles do not mean anything between us anymore. I am a learner, same as you. All I can do is hope to impart what I know of the Light Side upon you. And I also hope to learn from you, just the same."
Reva stared at her. She looked down at her hand. Then, slowly, she reached out and hesitantly gripped it. Ahsoka smiled reassuringly at her, squeezing back. The two of them sat in silence for a while.
"Will you teach me the sequence you showed me earlier?" Reva asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Ahsoka replied.
Reva watched her quietly. "I would like to improve my footwork. It seems important for um, mastering the circle thing," she held her inactivated lightsaber horizontally at chin level and imitated what she had seen Ahsoka do earlier while deflecting her blows.
Ahsoka smiled. "The center-of-being stance," she said. "Yes, of course! I'm glad to see you remembered what it's called this time."
"I already knew about it," Reva mumbled. "I just didn't know it had a name."
"Well, don't worry, I won't be testing you on any names," Ahsoka said as she stood up, carefully putting weight on her newly-healed ankles. She held her hand out to Reva and she accepted it, allowing her to pull her to her feet. "After all, it's like you said. Right now, you don't need theory. You need hands-on practice."
Reva's eyes glinted subtly under the dim light. Ahsoka met her gaze and her eyes, too, glinted slightly.
"Alright," Ahsoka said, her sabers flying back into her hands and igniting instantly. The smell of plasma filled the air as Ahsoka crossed them, creating a loud oscillating sound. "Ready, Padawan?"
Reva snarled, ignited her own blades and twirling them rapidly. "Ready," she hissed, charging forwards.
Storm clouds swirled forebodingly above the Imperial Palace on Coruscant.
Many years ago, this location had been a place of worship. Jedi Younglings were raised here, Jedi Padawans were trained here, Jedi Knights were granted their titles here, and Jedi Masters rose to greatness from within its walls. It had once been filled with laughter, chatter, and the echoes of life. But now it was a cold, unwelcoming bastion of the Sith.
The Emperor paced about, clearly displeased. Behind him, two figures stood at attention. The Dathomirian leered at the Emperor, eagerly awaiting a chance to speak. The Chiss beside him remained silent.
"Vader is lying," Maul snarled. "He has no intentions of killing Kenobi and Tano."
"I know that already," Palpatine spat back, momentarily stopping his pacing. "This is unusual of him," he muttered angrily. "Am I losing control?" he muttered frustratedly. "I would not have expected such disobedience from him..."
"If you would please, Your Highness," the Chiss spoke softly from the shadows. Palpatine turned to face him, waiting impatiently. "I believe there is an easier solution."
Palpatine frowned and crossed his arms expectantly.
"I am curious about these recent going-ons at Fortress Vader," Grand Admiral Thrawn said quietly. "Perhaps the answer to these matters might be brought to light upon further investigation."
"That is the issue," Palpatine began to pace back and forth again. "My Grand Inquisitor has been dispatched and is still recovering from his injuries after suffering a near fatal blow. Yet Vader will not let me replace the current Inquisitor with a new candidate, seeing as she is the one who brought in Kenobi-"
Just then, he stopped pacing.
Thrawn looked up and locked eyes with him, yellow meeting red as they both glowed ominously in the darkness of the Throne Room.
They had come to the same realization simultaneously.
"They're not just hiding him. They are both protecting him," Palpatine hissed angrily.
Thrawn just looked back at him and nodded. Maul frowned, his face contorting with confusion, but his lips curled into a snarl at the mention of Kenobi's name.
"Your Highness," Thrawn said carefully, "I understand that Lord Vader is one of your most favored pupils. However...his recent conduct cannot be considered acceptable. If you would please allow us to investigate this matter, I am confident that we will be able to get to the bottom of everything."
Maul glared at him, as if jealous that he had not thought of this suggestion himself. Thrawn paid him no attention.
"Very well, Grand Admiral," Palpatine replied. "Your request is granted. You have my full authorization to investigate Vader."
Thrawn straightened up, satisfied. Maul narrowed his eyes at him.
"Maul, you are dismissed." Palpatine turned away.
Maul made an indignant noise as Thrawn bowed his head.
"Master," he said angrily, "What about me? You promised me that you would let me kill Kenobi!"
Palpatine looked at him for a moment then turned away again. Maul's shoulders sagged with disappointment.
"I have never withdrawn my permission from you," Palpatine muttered tactfully.
Maul perked up slightly. "Does this mean," he hissed, "That you will-?"
Palpatine waved his hand indifferently. "First, prove to me that you can get your hands on him. Then we can discuss his fate." He paused, looking downwards at the holo-pad before his throne which he had used just hours ago to contact Vader. "Kenobi is no longer a threat because of his abilities. He is now only a risk because of his connection to the past," he sneered.
With that, the Emperor turned and took his leave. Maul bowed his head reluctantly, waiting until he was out of earshot before straightening back up and growling angrily.
Beside him, the Chiss watched him with an unreadable expression on his face. Feeling the heat of his gaze, Maul turned and glowered at him.
"What?" he demanded, annoyed.
"Nothing," the Chiss replied taciturnly.
Maul glared at him, trying to size him up. "What do you want?" he demanded.
"I do not particularly desire anything," Thrawn replied carefully, "If that is what you are asking of me. However, I am curious about your hostility towards me."
"I have no reason to be friendly towards you," Maul spat. "He may have made you admiral, but I do not have to take any orders from you," he hissed, igniting his staff and thrusting it menacingly towards the Chiss.
Thrawn made no response, just silently looked down at the weapon being pointed towards his throat without betraying any fear.
"Interesting," he remarked. "I have not seen a double-sided saber of this kind before. Not many can wield it without risking harm to themselves. Your master must not have been any ordinary man."
"I was trained personally by the Dark Lord Dooku, Darth Tyranus himself," Maul sneered. "And you?"
"I am but a humble envoy from the Unknown Regions," Thrawn said slowly, his voice calm and unhurried. "My interest lies only in protecting my people."
"Your people?" Maul frowned.
"My people," Thrawn repeated patiently. "My brothers. My sisters. The Chiss."
Maul lowered his weapon. "I had a brother once," he muttered. Thrawn raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "We were supposed to rule the Galaxy together. But he outlived his usefulness to the Emperor."
"I see," Thrawn murmured. Maul turned away, looking down despondently. "It seems to me that we both have something that we wanted to protect."
Maul narrowed his eyes.
"What are you trying to get at?"
"I would like to propose an alliance," Thrawn replied. "If not, then at least a truce. We need not be rivals."
"What's in it for me?"
Thrawn made direct eye contact with him. "Security," he replied simply. "You can rest easy, knowing that I will not attempt to compete with you for the Emperor's attention. In return, you may ask anything you wish of me as long as it is reasonable and does not interfere with my personal goals."
"And what about you?" Maul asked suspiciously. "What do you have to gain from this deal?"
"You must be aware of Vader's true identity," Thrawn said casually. Maul's eyes widened. "I can see it in your reactions. You are familiar with his former identity, or should I say, position in the Jedi Order."
Maul gritted his teeth. "Skywalker," he said venomously. "Yes, I remember him very well."
Thrawn bowed his head. "Then surely, you must understand my motivations."
"I'm afraid I do not."
"I am a man of my people." Thrawn moved closer to him. "I would do anything and everything to keep them safe. Surely, you must understand what I am talking about."
"Perhaps," Maul sneered, "But I do not see what this has to do with Vader."
"It has absolutely everything to do with him," Thrawn replied. "All those who encountered him under his past persona end up being eliminated, sooner or later. Very few survive to see another day, regardless of their rank within his command. He is also not above retaliating against the homeworlds of those who cross him. I have it on good authority, not just ill-founded whispers that he is planning something big. A weapon of mass destruction of some sort."
"And what of it?" Maul asked, irritated. "You are his partner in war, I am sure that you and your planet will be safe."
"True, since he has no official title within the Empire, I suppose you could say neither of us outranks the other," Thrawn replied. "However, in some ways, that can also be considered a risk."
Maul stared at him, puzzled. Then, slowly, it dawned on him.
"I would hate to see all my efforts undermined by a vulnerability in my entourage," Thrawn said carefully. "I prefer to be able to concentrate on my work with the knowledge that all those around me can be trusted. Would you not agree?"
Maul twirled his saber. "So, you want me to kill him before he kills you? Is that what this is about?"
"I would not recommend anything that could lead to a drastic shift in the Empire's power system," Thrawn warned. "However, I do believe something minor...a small demotion, for example...would be favorable."
Thrawn held out his hand. Maul crossed his arms, challenging him. The Chiss stayed still, awaiting his response.
"Fine," Maul said, reaching out and shaking his hand roughly. "But I swear, if you try to double-cross me, you will regret it," he snarled.
Thrawn straightened up. "I would never dream of it," he replied simply.
Maul let go of his hand and let it fall to his side.
"Kenobi," he hissed. "You will evade me no longer."
His fists tightened as he clenched his hands with determination. Behind him, Thrawn watched silently from the shadows.
He did not particularly trust the Chiss. Some part of him was still suspicious, expecting foul play. Perhaps he was being used in some sort of power play between him and Vader that he was not aware of. However, at the moment he did not care about that. All he cared about was his vengeance.
And if he had to go through Vader in order to enact it, well then, so be it.