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mercurydancer · 1 year

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An Unexpected Chance Pt. 20

Taking Overs and Happenings

Boba would give Jango the pleasure of seeing all that he might have become had he grown up with a loving and caring father... - R. A Salvatore, Attack of the Clones Novelization

"The government he would serve would be Authority personified. Human Authority… At war's end the aliens would be crushed, stripped of all they possessed, and their systems and their wealth would be given to the hands of the only beings who could be trusted with them. Human beings. Dooku would serve an Empire of Man."

"He's no longer even entirely human. With Grievous, the use of those bio-droid devices is almost forgivable; he was such a disgusting creature already that his mechanical parts are clearly an improvement. But a blend of droid and human? Appalling. The depths of bad taste." [Dooku to Sidious about working with Anakin] - Revenge of the Sith Novelization Matthew Stover pg. 49; 51

(and anyway did you all know that Dooku was a racist ableist bitch because I tell you the fuck what... Dave Filoni makes those fucking weird choices broskis.)

Shmi Skywalker stood on the exit ramp leading to a place that a piece of her heart had always lingered, and yet had never seen, and knew that it was time.

Her husband, Cliegg beside her, Owen and his wife Beru, behind them, and even further back four Nightbrothers that had joined them in their quest, had become a part of the White Sun. To free others like them, certainly, to find the one that had saved them, absolutely.

Shmi took a few steps into the Jedi Temple Hanger, aware of the eyes that were on her, the recognition that spread, and wondered how long it would take before…

The doors at the far end of the hanger burst open, and for a moment Shmi was staring at the living embodiment of her own heart, staring at a young man in dark Jedi robes, Padawan haircut strange and resplendent, blue eyes that held the skies of Tatooine within them, and a smile that rivaled the sun.

Ani.

Her boy ran towards her with more speed than seemed possible, and enveloped her in warmth, in the depth of his love, and in that one moment it did not matter that he was taller than her, it did not matter that she could feel the power that radiated towards her in a way she never could when he was young… All that mattered was the arms that were wrapped around her belonged to her boy.

Shmi Skywalker Lars was holding her son, and it was like no time at all had passed.

Shmi pulled back slowly, reaching up to brush her hand through her son’s bristly hair, taking the padawan braid in her hand. She looked over the beading, the careful weaving, and then looked to her son’s eyes, smiling.

“I am so proud of you.”

Anakin’s eyes filled with tears, and he smiled at her. “Mom,” he said softly.

“Hello, Ani,” she said, “it’s so good to see you.”

“It’s…” Anakin took a step back, wiping his eyes, “it’s so good to see you,” and then he looked back at the others, taking in her small family – their small family, and the Brothers they had with them. “What…what brings you here?”

“I came to see my baby,” Shmi said. “But I have also come to reunite Brothers and because White Sun was called.” She smiled at him, “You apparently have a lot of slaves to help free. We are only the first, the Mandalorians are coming as well.”

“The Mandalorians?” Anakin asked, and then blinked, looking back at the Brothers, and then smiling at her. “You’ve been working with Maul.”

“We have,” Shmi smiled. “But before he gets here come, I need to introduce you to some people.” Shmi took his hand and brought him over, standing him before her small family. “This is Cliegg Lars, he is my husband.”

“Hello, son,” Cliegg said, and then almost immediately winced, “not…that I have to call you that now, you…you likely have to get used to the idea. I understand. I’m sorry, I…”

“I…have a dad?” Anakin asked, his nose wrinkling slowly as he looked at him, and Shmi laughed aloud.

“You do,” she said, walking forward to press a kiss to her husband’s cheek, and then taking Owen by the hand, “and this is Owen, he is your step-brother, and this is Beru – his wife.”

Anakin absolutely boggled, and Shmi could not stop the laughter that rose in her chest, the warmth in her at seeing her small family interact. The Brothers were hanging back, but there was nonetheless a quiet sort of joy in the way they watched. Once Anakin seemed to have settled into the idea of having this bit of family, once he had realized that they were not vanishing, and could see the way they loved each other, could see the way they fit, Shmi took the hand of the oldest brother and led him forward, smiling at seeing how the brothers linked hands together, all approaching as one.

“Anakin,” she said, getting his attention, “this is Venom,” she said indicating the tallest and the oldest, his tattoo markings standing out black on orange, “this is Spite,” she said about the shortest, who stood beside him, tattoos curling and elegant. “This is Grudge,” she said about the one whose skin was the darkest and whose tattoos were sharp and black. “And this is Wrath,” she indicated the last, skin yellow as the sun, and eyes quick. “They are looking for the one that saved them. They are looking for Maul.”

“They have found him,” Maul’s voice rang out, and Shmi turned her attention back finding him standing there as well as other faces that she had grown more familiar with over the years, as well as two other Brothers.

Shmi smiled, she remembered the reports from Soln, she knew who was standing there.

Maul had brothers. She supposed the ochre one was Feral, the one that had been with Soln as he took him to the Temple. The other, Savage…well, she had been less than pleased to hear the report from the one that took him.

Hondo was always a pain to deal with, made worse when he was preening, and he had been preening about something even more annoying given the fact that Shmi found herself interested. Shmi looked directly at Maul and found herself smiling.

“I see that you have found yourself restored,” she said. “I am pleased to see it, though I see it came with a few added centimeters?” she raised a brow, smiling. Maul ducked his head briefly and she laughed quietly, approaching, and standing before him, putting her hands on his shoulders. His skin was warm, and whole, and he stood before her silently as she looked him over. “You look good,” she said.

“Thank you,” Maul said. “It is good to see you, thank you for coming.” He paused. “Why did you come?”

Shmi smiled, “I was called,” she said, backing away, and looked to Mace who approached, his hands folded before him. “I hear you have a lot of Blood Slaves that need help.”

“We do,” Mace said. “I do not believe it will be the same that you usually deal with, but we are not sure. Tiq has been the one that has been talking to them the most, and he will be able to help.”

“Healer Tiq, who helped both of my boys, where is this Rodian, I would like to thank him.”

“Oh!” a voice called, and her attention swiveled to a blue Rodian, who took a few steps forward. She met his red eyes and smiled. “Hello,” he called out as he approached, and her smile widened, reaching out to take his hand that he was very happy to give her. “It is good to meet you in person, congrats on your marriage.” He dipped his head to her husband, and smiled at her family, and Shmi watched as her husband glowed, taking a few steps forward.

“Thank you,” he said. “I got the best deal out of it, I’m sure.”

Shmi laughed, “Hush.” She turned to Tiq again, taking in his smile, “thank you for doing what you have. Thank you for taking care of them.”

“Of course,” Tiq said softly, “I had much help.” And the look he gave her was warm and significant, the Rodian that she had spent much time talking to through all hours as the night as they worked together a dear friend. “They have both been wonderful and I am proud of them every day.”

“So am I,” Shmi smiled, and squeezed his hands in both of hers, before turning to look at Maul. “I brought more of your Brothers. They have been wishing to see you, and have been very patient.”

Maul took a moment to look at Shmi, and then to turn his attention to the Brothers, Shmi very aware of the way Wrath took a few steps forward first, the others slowly following. But as Maul watched, as his attention fixed they froze. Shmi watched as Maul’s hand curled into a slight fist, and she could see the slow shifting of something like grief, something like sadness in his eyes.

Feral walked forward then, laughing, and carefully hooked his horns in his brother’s, and as he did Shmi could suddenly see the resemblance for what it was, could see the similarity in jaw, in facial structure, and she beamed. Feral tugged Maul’s head into a gentle angle, pointing the horns off to the side, careful, “Don’t worry,” he called, “come on, Wrath, my brother is not going to fight. He was enslaved by another Master; he does not know yet how to make friends. We shall teach him, though, yes?”

And Shmi watched the realization spread, even as Maul’s body language relaxed, as he fell further into the invitation, and Wrath’s face spread into a wide smile.

“Of course, we will teach him much!” and the laughter that bubbled in his voice was audible. “First lesson, then?”

“Destructions are always better when~”

Shmi caught the way Feral whispered to his brother, caught the moment when Maul started to stiffen and then very carefully relaxed, and that was the moment when Wrath barreled into him.

Maul allowed himself to be rolled over in a tangled mess of fabric and limbs and laughter, helped along by the others immediately working to join in, squishing in close, Maul sitting in the middle of a tangle of brothers, including two of his own blood…

Shmi was aware of the tears that slid down her cheeks.

Shmi did not care, unable to stop, and unwilling to, pride and joy mixing in her chest. She remembered the young man that had first found them, the one that was looking so hard for a place to belong, a place where he could be himself, a place where he could learn… To see this…? It was all that she had ever hoped for and more.

Shmi could also see…the moment when it began getting too much.

Maul was a complicated and utterly tragic combination of touch-starved and so utterly alone that overstimulation was not just likely it was almost always close to the surface. She saw the moment when his enjoyment turned to that prickling desire to pull away, to run. She also saw the moment when something else shaded his gaze as well, and she wondered.

Being a child for nearly seven months, only to finally grow, to come back, and to be…so different. For everything to be different.

His Master was dead. Had Maul even been given the opportunity to truly process that, to process what it meant?

But her worry was alleviated when Savage softly began extracting them, when he pulled his brother up to his feet, and when Maul turned and walked away did not do anything to stop him, nor even appear upset. Instead, he took hold of Feral’s hand, and knocked his horns against the other Brothers, ones that Shmi realized Savage likely knew.

“My brother has been alone for a long time, and much has changed,” he said softly.

“It is alright, Brother,” Venom said, “he will be alright.”

Shmi caught Tiq following after, and she turned her attention to Mace, before looking back to Anakin. “We will have more time to be reacquainted soon,” she said, “but we have been called for a reason.”

“We have more Blood Slaves to help,” Anakin smiled, and Shmi could feel nothing but pride.

Maul walked.

He did not particularly know where he was going, and he was not sure if he cared. All he knew was he had to move, he had to…

So much was happening, so much had changed, and he still did not feel right, and he had been… Maul had been behaving erratically for a Nightbrother. They had seen him and known that he did not belong and that was why… Maul thought of all the other Brothers that he had saved. All of the other Brothers that he had taken to safety before he had heard of the Holocron… All of the ones that had been distant, that had not wanted to stand near him…

Maul had thought they had been afraid of him because of what he had rescued them from. He had thought it had been because they were wary of his touch and his presence… Now Maul was realizing that he had simply…warded them off. He had not known how to welcome their presence and so none of them had come.

Maul was buzzing. He did not know if it was better or worse to understand that it was because he truly did not know how to exist as a Nightbrother.

And then…and then…Maul’s Master, he had been…

But…

“Maul,” Tiq’s voice called out, sending his thoughts stuttering to a brief halt, even if his legs kept walking, and Tiq quickly caught up to him, walking alongside. “Talk, pressure, movement?”

And the question was so familiar, was one that they had worked on, a quick and dirty sort of way to figure out what his first need was, and then the possibility of going from there.

“Movement,” Maul said, almost without thinking of it, led by the feeling of itchiness in his skin, the slight stutter in his walk that he was sure only he could feel. He needed to get used to his own body once again, and the fact that it was once again was somehow even worse. How much more could he go through? What else was he required to give? How many bits of his own hearts would he have to sacrifice before…

“Come,” Tiq said, and turned on his heel, walking without once touching him, and Maul followed immediately. It was a drill they had perfected over the years, one that Maul could fall into and just…not think about it.

Maul was tired of thinking.

Maul stood in the elevator next to Tiq, closing his eyes, bouncing on his toes, feeling the way he wanted to balance, aware of his own weight in a way that he was unused to. Everything was strange.

“Obstacles or contact?” Tiq asked softly.

“Obstacles,” Maul said. He did not want to touch anything, not even if it was to hit it.

He was at the point where he was certain that he would wind up hitting harder than he wanted to.

“That’ll be good for you, yes?” Tiq hummed, “give you an opportunity to feel how your limbs want to work.”

“Yes,” Maul agreed softly. “I am sorry.”

“Do not be,” Tiq said. “Let’s get your energy out, give you a chance to get used to yourself, and then we can go from there. Orientation times five, yes?”

“Who, what, where, when, why,” Maul hummed. “What is the date?”

“The fifteenth, fifth month of the year 7954. It is eleven fifty-four in the morning, and we are in the Halls of Knowledge on the elevator heading towards the Master’s Training Room. It seemed appropriate given the circumstances.”

“I agree,” Maul said softly. “Tiq, who am I?”

“You are Darth Maul,” Tiq said softly, “you are a twin, you are twenty-six years old, and you are the younger brother of Savage and Feral. You have an unnatural fondness for spice,” Maul smirked, “a tendency to fling yourself in situations that are much too big for you,” that smirk shifted to a smile, “and you are also someone that I care for a very great deal.”

Maul opened his eyes and met Tiq’s own, taking in the smile.

“I am very proud of you, Maul,” Tiq said. “You are alright. You have been given a great deal to hold all at once, do not worry if you find yourself unable to hold it all. It is expected that you will leak a little. Let us get all of that energy out of your system and we can work on processing it.”

Maul was quiet for a moment, taking all of that in, and softly, “Pressure would not be bad…” he breathed.

Tiq immediately pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing, Maul finding himself leaning into it, and finally going to hug him back.

The sound of the elevator doors opening caused Maul to take a step back. The hollowness was still there in his chest, but it was not as yawning.

“Come on,” Tiq said and led him to the training rooms.

Tiq was aware of the way that Maul was buzzing, could feel the burn in the other’s presence, the flickers of flame that shivered. Tiq could not blame him, and when they finally came into the training rooms, Tiq walked off to the side, very aware of the way Maul launched himself forward into a sprint.

Tiq picked up the player that he had left here, and flicked through the songs, before finally humming and picking the tune he thought would work the best, and pressed play.

Tiq moved to sit with his legs crossed and watched.

As the music swelled Maul ran, leaning further and further forward before finally rolling forward and springing up, landing on his hands and letting himself fall backwards in an arch, catching himself on his feet and once again springing. He smoothed his motions as the words in the song crooned, allowing himself to stretch his limbs, to roll and pose, to leap and to adjust.

It was always spectacular watching Maul move, and he had only improved with age.

As the song crunched Maul sped up, letting his knees go to his chest, his limbs to akimbo, his feet to nearly fly across the mats, twisting and rolling and spinning, and then when the singer’s voice began he once again slowed his movements, letting himself stretch, to grow accustomed to that extra length.

Maul slowly grew more comfortable, letting himself leap higher, roll longer, and finally begin to leap off the obstacles that were scattered. He ran up walls, swung himself over edges and plummeted sheer drops, rolling and spinning and twisting as he did so. As the song ended, Tiq picked another, humming quietly as he crunched through and found one whose energy cranked even higher.

The drums pounded, escalating, as it beat and beat and beat…

And finally, it all exploded, and Maul launched himself into motion.

There were no attempts to stretch this time, no attempts to slow it down, the motions violent, a kata in air, all swift kicks, and fists and what would be blood.

And then finally the song cranked down, and Maul froze, foot high in the air above his own head, a straight-line drawn heel to heel, and he slowly lowered that foot down, brought it level to groin, and held it, still keeping to that line with his thighs. It wound itself up and Maul kicked straight up, fell backwards, and rolled into a series of twists and rolls, ending finally as the song warbled and trailed off with that same line with the other leg.

And finally, he stood there, bouncing on his toes, and began slowly easing himself into a much gentler series of movements.

And so Tiq played one last song, smirking softly as the soft cords resonated, and the song truly began, and Maul blinked, before laughing, and then closed his eyes and just let himself move.

Sweeping low, all movements about length, about reach, about growing used to the limits of his own flexibility… He let his limbs stretch and curl and pull and push, shifting as the pitch warbled, as her voice bent and he slowly allowed himself to follow. Tiq watched as the last song moved him through a cooldown, as he let himself roll forwards along the ground, to touch his toes, to lean his chest to the floor between his split legs and bring them slowly up over his head, and then slowly to stretch out along the floor again.

Tiq was certain his own bones would have broken.

The song carried Maul through his final movements, through the drawing of several lines, and finally Maul lay on the ground completely flat, his eyes closed, and the tension that had been in his limbs, had been vibrating just under the skin had finally eased.

“I would have thought you’d develop a spine with age,” Tiq called softly, “it seems I was wrong.”

Maul laughed.

Tiq counted it as a win.

Maul slowly stood up then, shaking his limbs out once and then finally approaching Tiq, and Tiq could see how much smoother he was, how his gait had gentled, and he seemed to fit himself more, before finally sitting down crossed legged before him.

“Hello,” Tiq said with a smile.

“Hello,” Maul said, breathing deep and slow. “You said you had something for me?”

“I do,” Tiq said. “And for as much as I wish to give it to you now, I think we need to settle everything else first. It’s…a gift, but it can also be a double-edged one.”

“And double-edged sabers are handled with much care.”

“Exactly,” Tiq grinned. “So first…how are you?”

“I…” Maul laughed, rough, and understandably wet, “Tiq I do not understand, so much has happened, I just…” he closed his eyes. “I feel like everything is moving so fast, and I am… I have brothers? I have brothers and they love me, and I remember…so much and not enough, and I have…all of this is inside of me, and I do not know where it goes, I do not know where it fits with who I am and what I became, and… There is a part of me that feels like I can allow…I can allow…myself to breathe…the space to relax…and the other part of me that knows better. My Master is dead, and my brother killed him to spare me… My Master was the Chancellor, and he was…kind…to me…” Maul wiped his face.

“Tiq, why was he so kind to me? Was he just…was he trying…and when he said…was he just trying to fool me? To destroy me?” Maul held his hands out and Tiq took them, holding them within his own softly. “Tiq I do not understand,” he breathed. “I do not want… I want…” Maul’s expression crumbled, and he pulled his hands back, fisting them in his lap, “why would I grieve? Why would I grieve when I know…I know that he must have… Tiq…do you think that he hated me?”

Tiq smiled, and it was rough, and it was hard. “And so, we once again are at the question at the center, and this time I do have an answer. And it is one I think you know, which is why you keep questioning it. It’s the reason you find yourself grieving even when you hate. And I know you hate him. I know you do. I know that you are not grieving the man. You are grieving the ideal. You are grieving what you wished it could have been. And this, Maul, is the most natural thing in the Galaxy.”

“I hate it,” Maul hissed.

“I know,” Tiq said, “and that is okay. That is okay. It is perfectly understandable.” Tiq took a breath and sighed. “Maul, if I had…if I had any other choice I do not know if I would talk to you about this so soon. But things are out of my hands… Count Dooku…was your Master’s latest weapon, and I was forced to blackmail him.”

“You-Tiq…wait, what?”

Tiq smiled, “you see, Dooku was under the mistaken impression…that he was worth something to your Master. That he was worth something to Darth Sidious…but he was not. He was a weapon. Something to be used and discarded. But…in order to get this through to him I was forced to tell him about you…and about the fact that while your Master believed him to be expendable, to be…exploitable… Maul,” Tiq breathed softly, “your Master did love you, as much as I think he could love anyone.”

Maul was silent for a moment, his eyes so wide, and so… “Oh,” he breathed.

“But Maul,” Tiq said, and reached out, Maul taking his hands, unthinking, unhesitatingly, holding so tight… Tiq could feel the tremor, could see… “Maul listen, this is one of the most important things about love that you have to understand – Love is not enough, and in some cases, in many ways…love can actually be used to hurt, to cut. And your Master cut you deep with it. His affection was possession, and his love was in the form of control and, too, in a way, on an ideal. That you could not meet this ideal is not anything to do with you. It is entirely to do with him. You did not deserve to be under that. You did not deserve to be controlled and twisted like that. In a way, it does not matter that he loved you. His actions show precisely what he was, and what he was…was cruel, and evil, and vile, and I am happy that fucker is dead.”

Maul’s face broke into a grin, a laugh tickling at the corners of his mouth, and Tiq leaned forward, Maul’s horns pressing to his forehead unthinkingly, gentle, gentle…

“You never deserved to be under the care of a man who told you that all you were was a body. You never deserved to be brought up by someone who hurt you, and good fucking riddance. Good fucking riddance I hope it hurt, I hope he was awake and aware all the way down, and I hope he knew just how powerless he was. I hope that he knew just how much we all fucking hated him. Because yes, Maul, I do not think there was a Jedi in that Senate that did not hate him. And we hated him for you. And I want you to understand something, yes? We were glad to hate him.”

“I think I was right,” Maul said softly, “you probably would be a good Sith.”

Tiq laughed and pulled back, pressing a kiss to his forehead, a gesture that made Maul grin, “Do you really think so? Would I be a good Sith?”

Maul paused, the grin fading as he stared at him, thinking, and then he finally sighed. “Oh, very well, so I may be indulging in some wishful thinking.”

Tiq laughed, “There is nothing wrong with that at all,” he assured softly. “I think I’m even flattered.”

“You should be,” Maul sniffed, “I do not think that many Jedi would make good Sith, or even spend time thinking about it.”

“Truly?” Tiq asked, grinning. “No one at all? Not even someone like…oh, you teased him enough about it, but Obi-Wan?”

Maul pulled a face that was so utterly disgusted, so completely unimpressed that Tiq was hard-pressed to not burst out laughing. “Obi-Wan Kenobi would be the most obnoxious Sith in all of history.”

Tiq failed at holding his laughter in.

“He would…he would be so aggressively annoying,” Maul said, his mouth squiggling, his eyes narrowing, “he would…by the Force, Tiq, why would you wish that upon me?”

Tiq laughed harder. “OH,” Tiq wiped his eyes, “that was about as funny a reaction as I had hoped it would be.”

“Rude,” Maul huffed. “I am going to have nightmares.”

Tiq lost it. “Oh, Force, regrouping, Maul, please, how do you feel?”

“Better,” Maul said, and the complete lack of hesitation was so good to hear. “I…” Maul paused. “I…understand that his love was control. That it was bad for me, and it would almost have been the same as if he hated me. But it is…to know that he did love me… Why?”

“That I do not know,” Tiq said, “but I do know that whatever the reason it would have never been good enough, and so in this instance the why is beyond consideration. Why? Because he could. Because he wanted control more than he wanted your well-being. Because he was perpetually angry and wanted to take it out on someone that relied on him, none of these reasons are good and none of them are ones that you should hold in your hearts as though they are ones you deserve. His meanings and his reasonings are utterly irrelevant outside of this one simple fact, are you ready?”

“What is it?”

“He is dead – and your Master will never be able to hurt you again.”

Maul took that in for a moment, silent, silent, and Tiq was prepared for the moment when he bowed forward slow, and softly, “Tiq…do you have…do we have the footage. Please, please can I…”

“Yes,” Tiq said, and pulled the player over, fishing through datachips to finally press one into the machine. “We were able to piece together a record of the fight and how it happened. The holocam in the Senate was damaged, but it was still running. We do have the footage. You can see him die.”

Maul swallowed, shifting to properly see it, but it was not the death that opened it up, instead, Tiq showed him the interrogation.

Maul could not stop laughing.

The opening salvo, the first line of a simple ‘Shut up, bitch’ had been enough to send Maul into a near fit of it, doubling over and his hands over his mouth like he was trying to hold it in for dear life, but it escaped anyway.

As Tiq chipped away at him, insulted his being and his job and his ability to listen… Maul remained scrunched, almost hiding it, but it was audible, and it was visible, “Very good!” the Tiq of the holocam called out, giving a loud and very exaggerated clap, “that is ten points to the Chancellor of the Republic, you are very good at this, aren’t you?”

“Yes…I am…”

And Maul finally started howling.

Tiq paused the footage, let Maul get over his doubled-up pose, to straighten, to rub at his face and regain his composure. “Tiq,” Maul managed his voice choked, tears in his eyes, “Tiq, you cannot do this to me, this is too much.”

“Your Master is a bitch! It’s not my fault at all.”

Maul giggled, a sharp and breathless sound, but so full of joy, and Tiq beamed.

Tiq let Maul take in the fact that it was an accusation of molestation that had finally gotten him to cave and paused it briefly. “It is, Maul, because I realized he did love you, and he would have had some lines in his behavior towards you. I made a guess as to what it was, and I got lucky. But I need you to know…”

“That his love was poison,” Maul said briefly, “his love was a chain. And I am free from both.”

“There is no more poison in your veins, and no chains around your neck,” Tiq agreed softly, “you are free. Now I’m going to skip…”

“Do…do you have the part where you blackmailed Dooku, please? I want…I want to see that, and to see… I need to see…”

“I will show you his death,” Tiq promised. “You will see him die, and you will know it to be true.”

Maul huffed quietly, “am I that obvious?”

“It’s understandable,” Tiq said softly. “We have claimed Sidious dead before, and it took a Holocron that reverted you to a child for us to be made aware of our mistake. I deeply regret that…”

“It is alright,” Maul said. “I did not…I never once…”

“That isn’t entirely true,” Tiq said, “do you remember banning Anakin from speaking to him on his own?”

Maul blinked. “Do you think…that he would…”

“I think he would have tried,” Tiq said. “Considered among so many Jedi to be the Chosen One to bring Balance to the Force? What would be a more thrilling conquest than turning that against us?”

Maul took that in quietly, and softly, quietly, “he would have destroyed him.”

“He would have,” Tiq agreed, “which is why it’s so crucial, and honestly quite so funny that you simply banned him from seeing him… It is a testament to Anakin’s love of you that he listened. It is very hard work getting a teenager to listen. You did it very easily.”

“I made him promise on his mother,” Maul said.

“Ah,” Tiq grinned, “that would definitely do it.” Tiq paused. “Still loves you a great deal, though.”

Maul laughed. “He is like a younger brother…at least what I imagine it would be like… Tiq…” Maul stared at him for a moment, and there was something so amazed and something so soft in his eyes, “Tiq, I am a twin, I have brothers.”

“You do,” Tiq smiled, “and I am so glad that you were able to meet them. I am so glad that you found each other.”

Maul said nothing for a moment, almost basking in it, before he finally sighed, “you were going to show me how you eviscerated Dooku?”

“Eviscerated is a little strong,” Tiq said, laughing.

“Incorrect,” Maul said, grinning. “Now let me see!”

Tiq laughed and worked on scrubbing through the fight, delicately avoiding the moment when he got electrocuted, and then finally let it play as Tiq pressed a few buttons on the chair.

As Maul realized that Tiq had not known that he was about to call Dooku, as he realized that Dooku had habitually called him ‘My Master,’ Maul doubled over, and nearly shrieked with laughter.

“HIS FACE!” Maul managed, tears sliding down his face as he absolutely lost his shit, “Tiq!!! You didn’t tell me…he outed himself???”

Tiq laughed, “I was waiting for this moment. It was worth every second.”

Maul finally settled slowly, watching the rest of the encounter, and as he took in Bail’s expression, he wiped his eyes. “I want to call him; can I call him?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Mock him relentlessly,” Maul answered, purring.

“Maybe when we get him back to the Jedi Temple. He needs to be contained in a proper cell.”

“Are you going to rehabilitate him like you did with me?” Maul asked, and there was something almost quietly tolerant.

Tiq was quiet for a moment. “I do not know what we are going to do with him. With you…you were different in a way. The way you were trained…how you were raised…you knew no other way. It was rehabilitation but it was also almost reeducation. Dooku…” Tiq was quiet for a moment. “Dooku should know better. He was about to…I have seen what your Master was planning, Maul. I have…” Tiq’s face tightened. “Dooku was not just complicit with slave labor, he was working on undermining…” Tiq shook his head. “There is a great deal that he has been doing that is absolutely vile, a great many people have died because of his actions, and…” Tiq paused. “It is interesting, I believe, how a person can trick themselves so thoroughly into believing that they are doing the right thing.”

“I do understand that,” Maul said with a nod and a shrug.

Tiq smiled at him and opened his arms, Maul allowing himself to sink into the hug. “Thank you for asking if we do plan on rehabilitating,” he said. “Unlike you, Dooku exists and is a Citizen of the Republic, and he is being tried like one. If I have the opportunity I would, but admittedly I don’t know if he would listen to me.”

“Why is that?” Maul asked.

“I’m non-human,” Tiq answered with a shrug.

“Fucker.”

Tiq laughed. “Indeed,” he agreed.

“I hope it stung like hell when he realized that I was the one our Master cared for.”

“I rather do as well,” Tiq agreed. “But that’s vindictive and I will let that go.”

“I’ll hold onto it for you.”

“Thank you,” Tiq laughed. “But it is not necessary.”

“I will do it anyway,” Maul said. “Because I want to hold it over him.”

“Sith.”

“Jedi,” Maul returned, and finally laughed. “I have missed you.”

“I have missed you as well,” Tiq said. “I am so proud of you. I am so proud of you…you have done so much… It is so good to see that you are alive, and you are well.” Maul shifted to hug him tight, and Tiq laughed quietly, “You’re not quite as easy to hold anymore.”

“I don’t know if I like it,” Maul said, pulling back. “You cannot tell anyone…”

“Not a soul,” Tiq agreed.

“I liked my height,” Maul said. “The fact that most people could pick me up…”

“It’s a good way to alleviate some of the touch starvation,” Tiq nodded.

“It is that,” Maul agreed, waving a hand almost grandly, “but more importantly it leads to the idea that I am easier to kill, and therefore makes them easier to stab. They pick me up, I merely…” he mimed stabbing at someone under the ribs, and Tiq wheezed, doubling over, and laughing aloud.

“Maul!”

“What?” Maul shrugged, “it is true! If I allow you to hold me in such a manner then…” he shrugged. “I care about you a great deal. Touch starvation or…” Maul trailed off.

Tiq was quiet for a moment. “You worked with Mandalorians and with Hondo’s pirates, yes? As well as Shmi Skywalker?”

“Yes,” Maul said. “I was…I was not completely alone.”

“Just mostly,” Tiq said quietly. “Well. That likely may change.”

“What did you find out, Tiq? What was my Master planning?”

“First…” Tiq sighed, “First I am going to show you his death, and then I am going to give you what I found.”

Tiq opened the footage and allowed Maul to take it in, watching the way Obi-Wan provided such a good distraction from the actual threat of Savage. Maul took the holoprojector from Tiq, replaying the footage, watching as his Master was impaled again…and again…and again…

And finally put it down and shoved it away from him.

“Tiq…” he breathed, “my Master is dead…”

“Yes,” Tiq agreed quietly, “he is dead.”

Maul paused for a moment, so still… And then, quietly, Maul began to laugh.

It was a desperate broken little sound, hitched and broken, slowly shifting to something louder, fuller, and finally outright hysterical. It was a shattered, utterly desperate sort of laugh, Tiq waiting, watching, and when that hitched and pained sounding laugh became the start of hitched and pained sobs, Tiq was ready, and opened his arms. Maul folded himself close and wept, and there was such anger in the sound, such… “I hate him, Tiq,” Maul breathed.

“I know,” Tiq said softly. “I know, it’s alright. You can mourn. It is alright to mourn. It is not fair, and it is not right. You are allowed to mourn.” Tiq held him until he finally ran out of tears and pushed himself back, wiping at his eyes… Tiq caught hold of his hands, squeezing. “Gentle,” Tiq said softly, “there is no reason to make yourself hurt. You are allowed to be kind to yourself, even for something like this. Grief is complicated.”

“Grief is awful, and I hate it,” Maul grumbled.

“Understandable,” Tiq said. “But still…be kind.”

“What did you have for me, Tiq,” Maul said softly.

Tiq paused for a moment and finally sighed. “Reach for my mind, Maul, feel.”

Maul narrowed his eyes, and Tiq felt the soft tickling heat of Maul’s Force-presence reaching out for him. Tiq reached out slowly and offered the memories that he had stored. Maul’s presence flickered near them, before it flared in realization and wonder, and Tiq felt the way he brushed against them, and softly, softly… “Tiq…what is that?”

“Those are your memories,” Tiq answered softly. “Your Master did not just cut them out he kept them. These…I have not looked at them, Maul, but I can feel them, and they are sound. Your Master kept them, and I think…eventually he was going to give them back. But now…I am.”

Maul blinked, “can…can you do that?” he breathed, “is it possible, can you…is my mind not too…?”

“It is not too broken,” Tiq said, “nor is it too scarred over. The brain has a natural elasticity, and in this instance it wants to be whole. I believe…that should we work together, they should be accepted.”

Maul was quiet for a moment, and softly, quietly, “please.”

Tiq tilted his forehead towards Maul, feeling the horns press up against him, closed his eyes, and took a breath, feeling Maul do the same…and slowly.

Steadily…

Breathed out…

And plunged into a mind that he knew.

Maul pulled back with a gasp, standing, his body reeling, staggering away from Tiq and finally falling to his knees.

“Maul, can I touch you?” Tiq asked, his voice soft, and Maul braced his hands against the ground, breathing, breathing, feeling like he wanted to throw up. There was so much…as so much was flowed into him, as his memories…

As that dark pillar was given a face.

As he stared up at Palpatine.

And thought of him as father.

Maul vomited into a wastebasket that hadn’t been there, shaking, his body heaving as he emptied everything in his stomach.

It had been Palpatine, it was him, all of it was him, and then the wastebasket was moving and Tiq was closer, gently hushing, still not touching, still not…

“Please,” Maul managed softly, and Tiq pulled him close, settled his head on his lap, let him sprawl out, ran a hand up and down up and down his arm…

“It’s alright,” Tiq breathed, “it is alright.”

“I loved him once,” Maul breathed. “I loved him. He raised me. I knew him from…my earliest memories…if only as a presence that… Tiq… Please…I don’t want…I don’t want to think of this anymore. I don’t want…”

“Hush,” Tiq said softly, “you know that is not true.”

“There is so much…” Maul managed, his voice trembling, “Tiq…”

“A lifetime, right up until seventeen,” Tiq said. “It is alright. Let yourself settle, I’m right here, grab on.”

And Maul reached, clinging tight to Tiq’s Force-presence, allowing himself to sink into the Jedi’s peaceful aura, letting it calm him, slowly allowing his mind to trail down paths and links that it had not been able to make in so…long…

Tiq remained stable and cool, and Maul slowly let himself bask in it, letting his mind settle, flow the anxiety, the hurt, the… There was so much hurt…so much hurt… And it framed…all of those conversations, those moments…

“Tiq…” Maul breathed, “he wanted me back…”

“I do think so,” Tiq said, and the hand on his arm was protective, and the presence he basked in was warm, and so welcoming, “but he did not get you. And he will not. You are not his. You are not ours. You are yours. Your chains are broken, Sith. You are free.”

Maul took that in, closing his eyes and breathing it close.

Maul was free.

He was free.

“Thank you,” he breathed.

“Of course,” Tiq said. “How are you feeling, Maul? Do you want a spar?”

“I could use a distraction,” Maul said, and slowly began to push himself up.

“Excellent,” Tiq said, “because I think that someone…”

The door to the training room burst open, Obi-Wan marching forward holding…

Maul was on his feet and as the pike that had been his weapon and his companion for so long flew through the air he reached out…and caught it.

And let the red blade THRUM into existence, heat and death and warmth in his hand.

“Aw shit,” Maul cussed, placing it next to him and taking in where the blade length rested on him. “It’s too short.”

“That is a bit of a challenge,” Obi-Wan hummed, “but I’m certain it’s nothing you can’t overcome?”

“Fifteen words to tell me to simply spar anyway, Kenobi,” Maul sniffed, eyeing him. “And yet you call me verbose~”

Obi-Wan gave a regal shrug before pulling his saber from his belt, twirling it into his favored Soresu, and Maul could see the initial twirl had allowed him to readjust the power on it. It would scald, but not kill.

Maul hummed, “A moment.”

Obi-Wan gestured for it, remaining in his ready stance.

Maul smiled.

And then twirled the pike, his eyes closed, feeling the weapon, feeling the way it wanted to rest on him, learning where it pressed against his limbs, feeling the brief flashes of heat as it grew too close and adjusting it with the slightest of movements. Familiarity bloomed, and when he finally knew where it would fall, when he knew that he would not hurt himself as well as his enemy, he fell into his own opening stance, pointed at Kenobi, checking the balance to make sure, and casually readjusted the power in his own.

It was truly only sporting.

“Very flashy,” Obi-Wan hummed. “But have you ever fought anyone with an actual saber?”

Maul grinned, baring all of his teeth, and let the low hum of his Force presence darken and darken, and BURN. “No,” he answered, almost purring, “and so I thank you for the opportunity, Kenobi~”

Maul was aware of the others that were coming in, could see the way Tiq had gone to join Plo at the far end of the room, could see the Nightbrothers as they sat on either side of his brothers, and could see the utter curiosity burning in Ahsoka and Anakin.

“You know I live to serve,” Obi-Wan said, flicking his saber, and finally, Maul flicked his saber into a guard, and launched himself forward – the pike leading.

Obi-Wan pulled back, knocking the pike blade up into the air with his saber, only for Maul to catch it and spin it back, sending the butt of the weapon towards his chin. Obi-Wan leaned back, flicked his saber across and sent it to the side, and Maul pulled back, spinning it around with a flourish and as Obi-Wan went to block he twisted the mechanism that kept it solid and instead granted it added flexibility, the interlocking parts gaining just enough gap to grant just enough wiggle without threatening structural collapse, and best yet would allow it to still weather any need to block.

It was one of the Armourer’s proudest achievements.

“Oh, that’s not good…” Obi-Wan managed when Maul lowered it to eye-level, a grin on his face.

“It might be smart to run~?”

“Might,” Obi-Wan agreed, and then launched himself forward.

Maul laughed aloud as he brought the butt of the weapon once again into play, forcing Obi-Wan back, and following up with a low sweep that threatened his ankles, the Jedi leaping up and still back. And then Maul twisted the weapon around so the pike was threatening and humming, allowed Obi-Wan the moment to realize it was pointing directly between his eyes, and then began a series of short sharp stabs towards him, always pressing forward, always at different angles, that added flexibility giving the pike an almost unpredictable amount of devastation.

It was hard to tell where it was aiming, and as Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and began working on blocking and parrying, Maul grinned wider and wider.

Maul twisted the mechanism to solidify it, spinning around with the butt of the weapon and managing a direct hit to Obi-Wan’s shoulder, causing him to stumble back, and as Maul swung the pike back around Obi-Wan launched himself forward. Maul grinned and rolled backwards, gaining distance. Obi-Wan spun his saber around, working on attacking while Maul’s focus was on retreating, and Maul finally launched himself up in the air, the lightsaber pike deactivating as he landed to balance upon it, a grin splitting his face.

Obi-Wan blinked up at him.

Maul took a breath, and with an internal laugh, channeled the Force in a scream of power that took the form of a single solitary word –

“KENNOOOOOBIIIIII!!!!!!”

“Oh, that’s not good,” Obi-Wan managed and he turned on his heel and ran.

Maul twisted the mechanism, launched himself forward with his weapon rattling a terrible facsimile of a death rattle, and Obi-Wan managed a single hard block, but the pike went back around, hit the Jedi’s hand, and sent the lightsaber flying, that pike swinging back once again to point directly at the Jedi’s neck, that mechanism twisted yet again to stabilize it. There was no true point in burning him.

“Well,” Obi-Wan managed. “That was…frightening.”

Maul tilted his head. “Yield?”

“Now,” Obi-Wan paused. “I could…” Maul leapt up and spun over the saber that had been aiming at his back, catching hold of the hilt with a boldness he never would have used if he had not known that it was still set low and therefore would not cut off his hand should he miss. As it was, it was a perfect catch, and Maul aimed the blue sword at its owner’s throat. “Oh, well, that was rather impressive. Yield, yes, I think that sounds like a good idea.”

“Thank you.” He deactivated the saber and tossed it towards its owner, Obi-Wan catching it and hilting it. Maul deactivated his own pike, grinning. When Obi-Wan went in for a hug Maul initially blinked, feeling it close around him with a momentary start, before allowing himself to hug back.

“Don’t ever yell my name like that again.”

Maul laughed aloud and tightened his grip, hitting his back hard once. “I’ll consider it.”

Obi-Wan pulled back and rolled his eyes at him, laughing himself. But it was good. Maul had needed something like this.

“Well done,” a voice said that Maul had not been expecting, and he turned to find the one who had made the weapon standing there, as well as a medley of Death Watch that also included Soln. The Armourer approached, and Maul hesitated before approaching as well and holding out the weapon. She took it from him, held it in her hands, and then looked to him, her helmet cocked slightly as she took him in. “You did not grow in the way that I expected.”

“I don’t know that it was expected by anyone,” Obi-Wan said, taking a step forward. “Hello, are you the one that made that weapon?”

“I am,” she returned, “I am the Armourer. You fight well…for a Jedi.”

“I will of course take that as the highest compliment,” Obi-Wan smiled. The Armourer tilted her head to him in a gesture of amusement, and Maul knew that he had managed to get in her good graces.

“I will reforge your armor and the saber,” she said to Maul. “You will have need of them soon.”

“Thank you,” Maul said, putting his fist over his chest and offering her a low bow. She returned it with a dip of her head and walked away, Soln approaching. “What brings you here?”

“We were told you have a problem with some Mandalorians,” he grinned. “We are here to help reclaim them.”

“Ah,” Maul said. “Fill me in.”

Maul stood on the deck of a ship, staring out over the waters of Kamino.

Maul had listened while Soln had spoken, listened as the Jedi filled further gaps. But as they spoke, Maul had remembered.

Darth Sidious had never told him the entirety of the plan, but there were echoes, things that Maul remembered. A plot to destroy the Jedi. A plot to use the Senate they loved so much against them. It had made Maul want to laugh.

There was a brilliance within it that was frightening, not the least because a part of Maul could admit that he admired it. It was a brilliant plan.

His Master had always been brilliant.

But now Maul stood overlooking what was meant to be his Master’s crowning achievement, and the knowledge that it would never be used against the Jedi… It would never be used against his family, or the Galaxy that they loved.

Maul wondered if they realized how much they loved it. He wondered if this would have been what made them realize it just as it was stripped from them.

The Separatists had been weeded out, cut from Dooku they had fizzled, and ultimately there was nothing to unite them. There was to be no war…

And so, an army that had been created needed to be dissolved.

And millions of men needed to be helped to find purpose beyond a war that would never happen.

The Jedi’s entire Mind Healer force had been pulled from all corners, after they had managed to find replacements, of course, and were currently being debriefed by Tiq. Maul himself had helped in some of the debriefing.

Yoda was currently on Kamino and had been making observations, talking to the Clones that were there. The knowledge that they were dealing with men that in some ways were a bit like Maul had been.

Men fashioned into Weapons.

Beings that had no concept of themselves as anything but tools of destruction.

Maul was not sure if he was ready to see them. What Maul had not expected was for the way the Brothers understood. And not just Feral and Savage, but also Venom, Spite, Grudge, and Wrath. Yet…in a way he supposed he should have.

What were they for?

What were they for…

But in the end they stood with him, and their presence was a balm in a way Maul did not know how to reach for. They often included him regardless, and he had learned slowly of the ways that a Brother asked for another’s presence.

Tiq had also been with them, a constant presence, talking, gentle, as well as a consistent reminder that they did not have to see them yet. Maul could take his time. They all could. They would do what needed to be done.

Tiq had laughed just about as hard as Maul when the Nightbrothers had looked at him.

“Always remember you can take a step back,” Tiq had said, and they had promised to remember.

He knew they intended to keep that promise.

But for now, Maul was going to see what could be done.

They came in for a landing, and Maul continued watching.

As the rest disembarked Maul waited.

He was unsurprised when the Armourer finally found him, and he turned to her.

“It is finished,” she said. “The second iteration of my greatest creation. You will wield it well.”

“I will,” Maul agreed, and followed her to where his armor waited.

He took the pike in hand and finally left himself, clad in the armor of the Mandalorians that had been his own. Influenced by the aesthetics of the Sith. Influenced by his own.

Maul kept his distance, his presence small, unnoticeable as he walked amongst them, and watched. His Brothers had approached, had walked to them with an intimate knowledge that Maul could not quite match. His own childhood had been spent in loneliness, in solitude, his own training wrapped around the fact that there was only himself… And the reflection he saw in glass. And the more that he saw the more he felt as though he was staring at an imitation, at a broken and shattered mirror that showed him so much of what had been…and ultimately what he no longer was.

Maul stood in a transparisteel tunnel and stared out at a sea of men that moved in unison, trained in unison, that awkwardly attempted to talk to the Jedi that had spread amongst them, that had no idea how to integrate with them, even as he could see the way they longed to…

The Mandalorians had spread, the splinter of Death Watch that Maul had stumbled upon when destroying the mines of Zygerria…and those were the ones that were ultimately the most gravitated to. Outside of course, of the Brothers…the Brothers that were gaining a following that was growing.

Soln had been called for good reason and Maul wondered quietly whether or not this would be something they latched onto. Perhaps Death Watch would grow. Maybe they would finally be enough to destroy the group led by Pre Vizsla.

Maul would not mind. From what he recalled Jango was considered a member of the True Mandalorians, but as Maul looked out at the men that clearly had no understanding of existence outside of battle…outside of fight…outside of being a weapon… He could not believe that Jango had remained a part of that faction.

And the more he looked…the angrier Maul grew.

There were children.

More in pods waiting to be decanted.

All of them had been meant for war.

And a single man had agreed to it. A single man had seen fit to take these children, take these beings, and enslave them to war, and act as though they did not matter.

Weapons.

Maul was looking out at an army of weapons.

It was something he recognized implicitly.

Jango had been gone, a job he had been on taking him away, and it was during that time that they had begun their work, but Maul had little doubt that he would not be gone for long.

Maul had avoided all Kaminoans, watching from above the way they interacted with the ones that had been under their care and known that he would be unable to keep the hate down.

It was all too raw.

Maul did not know what he would do.

But Maul would find out.

For now, he would watch, and as he watched Maul found himself so thankful for Tiq and his Group. Maul was so thankful for the Mandalorians he had found and their utter insistence that he come with them.

It was strange to think that this had been the splinter faction that Meltch Krakko had belonged to.

It was strange to think that he may have grown up amongst them if…

But his Master had still been alive.

It was likely that all Maul would have done would be invite death.

Yet now…Maul’s Master was dead.

Now…all of their chains were broken.

It was simply a matter of getting them to see that.

Maul took a breath and finally decided to move amongst them.

His distance was no longer helping. Maul allowed his iron control of his presence slip, and began walking down to meet the rest of the men.

Tiq was surrounded by an ocean of numbers.

He was thankful for much, but the fact that numbers had always been easy for him to remember was in the top tier. It would be an awful thing to forget or to butcher when their batch numbers was literally all that these men had to their person. At least…until they either decided they wanted a name or decided that their number would fit for a name.

Either one was acceptable, at this point it was closer to discovering another race than it was being amidst Clones of one man. If their naming practices involved a great deal of numbers then it deserved to be respected. And then Tiq’s attention was pulled to the Brothers, and he found himself smiling.

“So…” one of the men was saying, CC-3636, if Tiq wasn’t mistaken, it was in the Aura – this one’s crackled, “you…you’re Venom, and you’re Feral, you’re Spite, and Wrath, and Grudge, and…you’re Savage?”

“Yes,” Savage answered, grinning, “and he is Maul,” Savage nodded towards…

Oh.

Well.

Tiq rather thought he understood how that could be terrifying.

Maul had always been soundless, but to manage that with a suit of armor was a particularly intense sort of task. That black armor with its crown of horns that were so much larger than Maul’s own, the face that slowly came into view as he stopped before them and tilted his head slightly to look at them… And also offered a horn-lock, one that was immediately taken up by Feral, who hooked tight and grinned.

“It’s not quite the same, they’re a good deal less…living, but I have to say I do like them,” Feral said, taking a step back and reaching up to touch the tips. “How many have you killed like this?”

“Enough,” Maul answered and the grin in his voice was sharp.

The Brothers laughed, a warm thing, amused, and there was a certain delight in the sound.

Tiq felt the desire to roll his eyes, but there was no denying the way the men around them were reacting. There was a kinship there that they seemed to not have expected.

And how could they have…but now that it was there, Tiq could see the beginnings of interest.

“You can name yourselves things like that?” CC-1993 asked.

“Why would you not be able to?” Venom asked. “Though admittedly most of us were named by our older Brothers.”

“Oh, does that…does that mean you need to be blood to name another?”

“Oh, apologies,” Venom said. “While it is true that we four are blood, and they are blood,” he indicated Maul and Savage and Feral, “Brothers is nonetheless what we call ourselves. We are Nightbrothers, even without Blood, we are connected in battle and in soul.”

There was a slow building interest, and Tiq found himself smiling.

This was an unlooked for, but certainly helpful line of familiarity.

This was something that could be used to help.

They had already started to shift from the way they stood together, the slow relaxing of shoulders, the movement to start to copy postures. They were also all very interested in the Brother’s tattoos. As they explained, the Brothers smiling as they indicated them and what they meant… The Mandalorians had also approached, and together they were pulling a crowd.

There were younger ones approaching then, recently decanted, and the Brothers welcomed them with an ease that seemed to win the men over more…

The sound of a ship passing by overhead drew Tiq’s attention, and he was aware then too of Maul.

Maul who focused on the man that was coming in through the door dressed in full Mandalorian armor of his own, and as he approached, drew his pike, and then Maul’s voice cracked out, “Demagolka! Aruetyc hut’uun! Naast be ade! Aruetii ti aliit bal manda… Gar buir duraa.”

Tiq felt his eyes widen. Well.

That was one way to start a fight.

Jango launched himself forward, a roar of anger and pain, and Maul met him. It was an almost wretchedly one sided fight.

Jango was skilled, there was no doubt, and similarly no doubt that Mandalorians were warriors born… But so, too, were Nightbrothers.

And Maul was not playing fair.

Jango used whatever weapon he could think of, but if they ever threatened the crowd that was still watching a Jedi was able to send it back…but more importantly, Maul was willing always to use the Force, to rip Jango from his feet and throw him across the room, to send the flames that Jango sent at him back at his own face with a single palm raised up. And when Maul had finally tackled Jango to the ground, had finally knocked his helmet away and brought a single blade to his throat, that was when Maul finally tore off his own helmet and began to speak.

“You call yourself a True Mandalorian, Jango?” Maul purred. “You call yourself someone your father would be proud of? Knowing that you call yourself a Mandalorian while you disobey the first basic tenant, while you allow yourself to become demagolka and destroy your manda and theirs? Why?”

“They aren’t people,” Jango hissed. “They’re nothing…”

The sound of a harsh and rasped gasp brought Tiq’s attention to a little boy, one that had… Oh.

Tiq had heard of…

“Filth,” Maul hissed. “Your vengeance has blinded you to everything…even the needs of the one you called son. Tell me, Jango? How can you possibly know that you are worthy of existence, worthy of love…when every single being bearing your face, bearing your soul is also worthy of extermination? How can you elevate one to a son, when you do not even see them as human?”

And Jango was staring at his boy. Jango was staring at the child who had frozen, who stared into his eyes, “Boba…” Jango breathed, and that was when Boba turned and ran.

Tiq kept track of the boy with the promise that he would check on him later. He had a feeling the boy needed time…

Jango fought against Maul then, struggled to get out of his grip, but Maul was Zabrak. Maul had twice the muscle density and wound up pinning Jango on his front, that knife at his ear. “Stop,” Maul commanded softly. “Just stop. You have lost. You are just a man, Jango. You are just a man…”

And Tiq could see the way the other men had straightened, could see… And he found a slow smile pulling at his mouth. And he understood what Maul had decided needed to be done.

Maul had shown them that their tormentor was mortal. Maul had shown them that he could be beaten.

And softly, quietly, “Jango…why would you attempt to get revenge on the people that only reacted to your orders? Why would you get revenge against them when you shot first and you know that by right their actions were just?”

Jango said nothing.

“Would you like to help us kill Pre Vizsla?”

Jango blinked. “What?”

“You killed Tor Vizsla, that much is true, but you have not killed all that remains of him. There have been others that have followed in his footsteps, have taken Death Watch in his image. Would you like to destroy them?” Maul asked. “Would you like to regain your honor? Would you like to avenge your father?”

Jango paused, and then slowly looked up at him. “But Death Watch…?”

Soln laughed quietly and stepped forward, crouching down alongside him. “We are Death Watch. Or rather…Death Watch as it should have been. Before Tor twisted us. Pre Vizsla has further corrupted what we stood for. Destroyed the honor that it once possessed, stripped the non-humans from its ranks, and has the gall to call himself Mandalorian by the rule of a sword he did not win. His father may have won it. It may run in his family…but it was not won by him.”

“We are going to kill him and destroy the rest,” Maul said pleasantly, “and we are offering you the opportunity to make up for what you have done. There will be no war, Jango. The Jedi will not fall. But you can still have your revenge. A more…ultimate revenge.”

Jango paused, and then tapped the floor twice. Maul let him up.

“Who are you?” Jango asked softly, looking to him.

“I am Maul,” he answered. “If you continue to test me you may find out why.” Maul grinned with all of his teeth, and Tiq heard the soft ripple of laughter that spread, the shock slowly dissipating.

And then Maul stalked away, leaving Jango with Soln, who put his arm on Jango’s shoulder and also led him away.

Tiq left to find Boba…and eventually found him with Maul.

Tiq listened for a moment, took in the soft words, and gave the slightest of nods.

For now…for now Boba would be alright. Upon turning, Tiq found a blond-haired man standing, and as he saluted Tiq smiled, “he’s just ahead. Maul is with him.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I…thank you.”

“There is no need,” Tiq said. “We are happy to bring you to freedom. It will be a hard road, but it is one you can learn to walk.”

The man nodded stiffly, and looked beyond him, “can I…can I talk to them?”

“Of course,” Tiq said softly, “I dare say Maul would even welcome your presence, and whatever help you can give…”

“He’s still…” the man paused, and then softly, “he’s still my brother.”

“He is,” Tiq agreed, “go.”

“Thank you.”

He slipped away and Tiq wished briefly that he had remembered to ask for what the man’s number was. Tiq hoped that he would be able to help Boba.

Tiq entered the main room once again to find the men buzzing. There was an energy and a spark in the air that had not been there before. He also saw more than just the one man going to find Maul.

Tiq could not help but grin.

Seemed Maul had broken more chains than he was perhaps expecting, and in its placed…forged a few rings. Perhaps more than a few.

It was a good thing.

Maul sat quietly, kneeling in the dark. The Armourer sat before him, her hands on her knees, silent.

It felt like ages since the last time he had done this. A lifetime ago, and in a way it was. His Brothers were free…

Maul had done it.

All of the work…all of the sacrifices, all Maul had done… They had done it. The Brothers were free. And now they had freed the Vode. The Vode who had been fed the Liquor of the Sands, had come to their own freedom with their help, the Brothers standing as ally and friend, and slowly integrating.

They had taken names, tattoos, and shared similarly Mandalorian customs, as well as their own culture that they had assembled in the hell of Kamino.

Maul was proud, and he knew that he was not the only one, the Jedi a constant presence that had worked so hard… And then there was Shmi. Shmi and her family of White Suns. They had worked to be someone to gravitate to when the Brothers or the Vode felt lost. The Galaxy was big, and they were many, but they were relatively young in the Galaxy. There was so much to learn.

But the Senate had been a big help as well, Padmé and Bail leading the work to allow them citizenship, to allow the Vode and the Brothers into the Republic.

Bail had been promoted as Chancellor.

Maul had voted for Padmé.

Maul had almost forgiven Bail for winning.

It had been over a year of constant work, of shaping the Galaxy around them, of learning their place and spreading out.

But now they had come back.

They had one last order of business.

Death Watch needed to be unified.

The Mandalorians must rebuild.

And so, the Armourer had come to him…and Maul had no idea why.

“Why…have you asked me here?” Maul asked.

“We are going to kill Pre Vizsla,” the Armourer responded.

“Of course, you are,” Maul said. “That has been a goal of Death Watch since I freed you from bondage…but what does this have to do with me?”

“Vizsla has the Darksaber,” the Armourer answered. “He has the power to unify the masses under that banner which means whoever kills him has won it. They have won Mandalore.”

“Mandalore is ruled by a Duchess,” Maul returned. “A Duchess that does not share in the beliefs of those that follow the Saber.”

“But for those that do, they are the only ones fit to rule,” the Armourer returned. “And it is possible that these ones may…overthrow others…”

“You wish to oppose Duchess Satine?” Maul asked, raising an eyebrow. “An interesting proposal. What do you plan to do when she asks the Jedi for aid? Would you turn against them?”

“We do not need to directly oppose her,” the Armourer denied. “We Watch for Death, Maul, but that does not mean we are always the cause of it. I do not know that we would have to oppose her in direct confrontation, but there are those that may seek the Saber.”

“Then you must think well of who you wish to wield it,” Maul answered. “The battle is to keep your head as well as the Saber, I would expect.”

“It is,” she said. “Which is why I am asking you to fight for it.”

Maul blinked.

“What?”

“Maul,” she said, and her voice was more patient than he expected she wanted it to be. “You are Sith, but you are also ours. You are Death Watch. You have more right to the saber than some could even dream, and you are also one of the most powerful beings in the Galaxy. But you are also loved by many. If you took the saber there may be some that might wish to challenge you…but they would have to get through many others to do so.”

“And who, precisely,” Maul began, contempt lacing his voice, a skeptical hiss, “would fight for me?””

Maul whirled to face the crash behind him, startled to find not just… It was not just Death Watch that had come. It was the Vode…it was the Brothers…as well as his brothers. Feral and Savage stood there, grinning.

“We would have you as Mand’alor…”

And it was Soln that spoke, Soln that stepped forward, the one that had been leading Death Watch since Maul had freed it.

Maul stood slowly, turning to face them, to look at them all…

And blinked at the presence of Jango.

Jango stood staring off into the distance, his arms crossed over his chest, defiance in his posture…but as Maul approached he straightened, meeting his gaze evenly.

Jango had been talking to Tiq, Maul was aware, but the complexities eluded him. In a way, Maul had not cared. He knew that Boba was safe, was with someone who loved him for his own sake and that had been enough.

It was one of the reasons Maul had not gone through with his proposal to Padmé to take Bail out, the knowledge that Boba had been given to Bail and Breha and was doing very well. Much better than Maul believed he had ever been with a father that had seen him more of an experiment to how he would have turned out. A child that was not loved for their own sake was rarely a happy child, and Boba had deserved better…just as the rest of the vode had.

But now here Jango was, and the realization of what it meant…

“You would have me for Mand’alor,” Maul said, staring at him.

Jango said nothing for a moment. “Yes,” he said finally. “I would see you as Mand’alor. We have too long been divided…and I know that you have united more than just Death Watch to your name. The Armourer is right…you are the right choice.” Jango paused. “You also saw to it that Boba…that Boba was taken care of. I know you were one of the first to help him, and I…” he paused. “I am grateful.”

Maul was quiet for a moment. “Have you asked for visitation rights?”

“I do not know that Boba would want to see me,” Jango returned.

“Try,” Maul said. “I will vouch for you.”

“Why?”

“Because that is the first I have heard that you actively considered Boba for his own sake. Because I can see that you miss him.”

Jango said nothing.

But Maul could see the slight smile on his face…and he could feel the contented excitement in his aura.

It was a step…and it was a very good one.

But now Maul still had the choice. Now Maul had to stand with the weight of the fact that they had asked him to rule.

“I had planned…on rebuilding the Sith,” Maul said. “I joined your Death Watch in honor of a father I lost. I follow your tenants, but at the core of me I am Sith.”

“The Mandalorians and the Sith have worked together before,” the Armourer said.

“And the Sith need a people and protection while you are growing,” Soln said, stepping forward. “You need not split yourself in two. And you do not need to rule without help.”

Maul took this in for a moment. “You want me as a figurehead.”

The laugh was soft, and Soln put his arm around him, “This is not about use, Maul. We do not wish to use you. We wish to help you. Advise you. You would not be a puppet without power. I don’t know that we could do that to you to begin with.”

“You could not,” Maul said. “I would not take it well.”

“Thought not,” Soln grinned.

Maul took in the offer, looked at the ones standing there, the Brothers he had thought to invite, to try… And thought of what it would mean. He would be giving a true unification to his people and the Vode, given the opportunity to unify Death Watch with a people that still needed a home, to create a world where they were home.

And he would not have to do it alone.

“Very well,” Maul said softly. “I shall be your Mand’alor.”

“Jango.”

The call of his name was enough to bring Jango’s attention back, finding Maul standing there.

The Zabrak had changed into his armor, outside of the helmet which he was resting on his hip, the horns that covered his own, weapons in themselves, but he knew it was not all the Nightbrother had.

“Maul,” he returned easily, as Maul stepped up next to him. “What is it?”

“Will you be my Second?” Maul asked, turning to meet his gaze.

Jango blinked. It was an unexpected question. Jango had initially thought that Maul would have gone with Soln, or perhaps one of his own brothers. There were many that would have jumped at the chance to watch Maul’s back…and yet he had gone to Jango.

“Why?”

Maul sighed. “I have no ulterior motive, Jango,” he said. “I merely asked you ages ago if you would like to be the one to claim revenge. I intend to give it to you, and while you cannot be the one to kill him…I would nonetheless trust you with my back.”

Jango took that in for a moment, staring at a man who he realized was giving him the opportunity for everything that he had wanted…that was doing his best to give him what was promised. Jango didn’t even mind that it was late, it had needed to be. There had been so much that had needed to be done. So much that had needed to be done to fix Jango’s mistakes.

“I will be your second,” Jango said. “I will watch your back. Though you must promise that this fight is fair. You cannot use that darjetii osik, Maul. If you fight him in a way that he cannot match then you will lose – not just honor but face. They will challenge you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Jango,” Maul said. “I intend to fight him fair. I have no doubts in my ability to kill him without the Force.”

“So, you’ll give him what you didn’t give me?” Jango asked, the slightest of smiles on his mouth.

Maul eyed him like he had said something incredibly stupid.

“It was not about fighting you fair,” Maul said, “it was about proving that you could be beaten. That you were not the most powerful thing that those men had ever seen…and you were more mortal and breakable than they thought. It was about showing you were a man, Jango, and not some monster that was unbeatable.” Maul paused. “That’s my job.”

Jango laughed aloud, unable to help it, taking in the flashing fangs in the other man’s smile, the slit of his eyes and grinning, even as he felt that twist in his chest. “I don’t know that it worked. They love you, and I am grateful for it. You were right to do it,” Jango said finally. “And you were right to challenge me. I did abandon everything. I did allow my need for revenge to destroy my principles… I did…shame my father.”

“Grief does strange things,” Maul said, staring out at the starscape, his gaze distant, and it brought his profile into sharper view.

Jango looked at him, taking him in in a way he had not before…and found that he was young.

“How old are you?” Jango asked.

“Twenty-six,” Maul said without hesitation, apparently without thought, “I had thought twenty-seven, but I was informed that our gambling with my age had proven incorrect.”

Jango stared at him. “You do not want to be the Mand’alor,” he said softly.

“I am willing,” Maul said. “There is much that I can do with that position that I have wanted to do.” He paused. “But no. No. I do not know how well I will lead these people… You claim that there are those that would advise me, but I am…” Maul spread his hands. “No one has claimed their position. I do not know if they are waiting for me to prove victorious…”

“I would,” Jango said, looking at him. “I have not…I do not have a good track record when it comes to my decisions. If I had not chosen to shoot first…if I had merely attempted to talk to the Jedi then it is possible…” Jango said nothing for a long moment. “Healer Tiq would be proud of me. I don’t know that I have said that without growing angry before…without trying to deny it…”

“Healer Tiq is frequently proud of all of us, I believe,” Maul said softly.

“I was young,” Jango said. “I recognize that now.”

“I am young,” Maul returned.

“You are. And a better man than I was.”

Maul laughed, bitter, almost scoffing. “I have been given opportunities and I have played them,” he said softly.

“We all deal the hand that we are dealt,” Jango agreed. “I am older now. And wiser…if you would seek what I have…”

“I would take it,” Maul said. “I would also…so long as it was not a challenge for the Darksaber…be willing to indulge you in a fair spar?”

Jango grinned and clapped the man on his shoulder. “I would be honored. And do not worry, Mand’alor. I know where my loyalties lie. Now tell me, how do you intend to counter the saber? Your pike may be considered an unfair advantage, as would your double-bladed weapon.”

“Do not worry,” Maul said. He paused then. “Would you like to meet the man who originally offered to be my Second?”

“You turned him down?” Jango asked.

“I made a promise,” Maul said with a slight shrug. “I intended to keep it. I agreed to accept his weapon, though. He was willing to agree to that.”

“Oh?” Jango asked, following Maul as he headed out into the ship. Jango walked beside him, watching the man in his peripheral vision as he greeted the people he passed with a nod, or a gesture.

“Yes,” Maul said finally, looking to him out of the corner of his eye. “He was my Teacher. I attempted to be a Jedi for a time.”

“Did you,” Jango said softly, a brow rising.

“Didn’t take,” Maul said, a smile pulling at his mouth. “I am too angry.”

Jango laughed, surprised.

He paused for a moment and then briefly, quietly, “You were wrong, though.”

“About?” Maul asked.

“I always did love my son. But it was in that one instant that I…” Jango paused. “You made me recognize that I had been hurting him. In a way that I…” he trailed off. “I wanted to thank you for that. And for…for following up and fighting to allow me visitation. He is happy.”

Maul was quiet for a moment.

“I am sorry, Jango,” Maul said. “I did not want to keep you from your son forever.”

“I know.” Jango paused. “They do not think that it has to be forever. But there is much I have done without…knowing.”

“It is hard,” Maul said.

“It is.”

And then they finally turned the corner into a meditation room…and there sat a tall dark-skinned man, his eyes closed, meditating silently. It was a Jedi, which he had suspected, but one with a sterner expression and heavier countenance than Jango had anticipated.

“Teacher,” Maul said, and the man looked up, and Jango watched as his expression softened.

The man stood smoothly, approaching, and his attention turned to Jango.

“This is Jango Fett,” Maul said. “Jango Fett, this is Mace Windu. He was my Teacher, as I said.” Jango inclined his head to the other man, something that was returned. “He is the one that I have promised as my Second. He has agreed.”

Mace Windu took that in for a moment and then nodded, looking to Jango directly. Brown eyes met his and their gaze was fixed and stern. “Take care of him.”

“You have my word,” Jango said, putting a hand to his chest. He knew a worried buir when he saw one. Jango understood. “I plan to see to it that he only has to focus on the fight before him.”

“Good,” Mace said, and his expression pulled into a smile, “thank you.” He paused and then turned to Maul. “Would you like to take it now or later?”

“When are you comfortable parting with it?” Maul asked.

“I am comfortable with you growing familiar with it,” Mace returned.

“Then I shall take it now,” Maul said, and Jango watched as Mace pulled the lightsaber from his belt and held it out to Maul.

Maul took it carefully before igniting the blade, and purple streamed out.

It was a beautiful weapon.

Jango nodded.

“That’ll do.”

“Indeed,” Maul said softly.

Feral stood alongside his twin, Savage framing his other side, and Jango at Maul’s back.

Feral understood why he could not be Maul’s Second, and even understood why Jango was the one that they had chosen, but it nonetheless rankled. Jango had inclined his head politely towards the two Brothers when he had seen them, and Feral had returned the gesture. But ultimately, Feral wanted to be with his brother.

Feral was so proud, and so utterly amazed that he sometimes did not know how to handle it.

It was strange to think that this was the same brother that he had gotten to know. It was strange to think that this was the same brother that would hide with him from younglings by lying atop pillars, would tease them with limbs just out of reach to allow them to try and catch… The same brother that would similarly use those pillars to hide from Obi-Wan and have Feral inform him that he would not be talking to him.

Feral had learned so much about his brother, Savage often joining them when he was able, which was not as much as he would like.

Savage had agreed to help Viscous. He was the spokesperson for the Nightbrother Diaspora that were still attempting to settle and so was often busy, but they always were together when they could be.

Maul had spoken of the possibility of making this more common, of the opportunity to unite their peoples with the Vode, and the Mandalorian splinter group that was still in existence and had been growing.

Feral did not understand much of Mandalorian politics… He understood that there was technically a Duchess, one that Maul seemed to hold in some manner of…not perhaps contempt, Feral had seen his brother hold people in contempt before and she did not hold the same level of ire, but certainly a level of annoyance. But they were not attempting to retake the whole of Mandalore. Not yet, as Maul had put it with a very intent look at Obi-Wan which the Jedi had pretended to ignore.

The Duchess had apparently called Maul after that, and Maul had simply hung up on her.

Repeatedly.

Feral had been unable to stop laughing.

But from what Feral did understand, Maul had no intention of going after the Mandalorians that were upon the planet, and instead was perfectly willing to leave them be… But he was planning on reuniting the factions that were under another man.

A man that Maul had to kill. A man that Maul needed to take a saber from.

Feral could understand that.

Symbolic weapons that held the power to unite the peoples underneath them was not an unknown concept to Nightbrothers, though theirs had all been lost to them. As it was, Feral walked next to his brothers, and knew that he would kill to keep them together.

Feral walked next to his brothers and thought of a small boy that had stood in their midst and the man that he had turned out to be. Feral was proud.

And more than a little amazed.

Feral knew it was not all his brother.

Feral knew that the Jedi had helped the Vode, and similarly he knew that the Vode had latched onto the Nightbrothers, and he also knew that the Death Watch had been what had helped free the Brothers, and similarly so had White Sun which had been so instrumental in not only showing the Brothers that not all women wished to enslave or hurt them, but also that there was more out there. There was a constantly reaching hand that had been extended towards each of them…

But Feral could not forget Maul in that Holocron as he spoke of not knowing if he would ever come back.

Feral could not forget the little boy that had loved.

Maul looked to him briefly and Feral smiled.

“You ready to be the Maul’dalor?” Feral asked, his smile given teeth.

Jango laughed, even as Maul rolled his eyes.

“We should start calling it that,” Jango said, laughter in his voice. “Mandalore is still under the rule of the Duchess, and supposing you don’t mean to take over…”

“Obi-Wan is not here, is he?” Maul asked, looking around unnecessarily.

“He is not,” Savage answered, laughter in his voice and in the slight curve of his mouth. “As you very well know. You forbade him from coming, and as you are about to be Mauld’dalor…”

“That is even worse than calling me Mand’alor,” Maul said.

“Very well, Mand’alor,” Jango said immediately.

Feral and Savage both roared with laughter, Maul turning to stare at Jango, the man smiling at him without fear or worry.

Maul rolled his eyes once more and continued walking.

“I do not have an interest in actively opposing or hurting the Duchess Satine because she is…well. I do not know if she considers me a friend…”

“You have probably seen to it that she does not,” Feral laughed.

“But I do enjoy her company,” Maul said, talking over him. “And I do not wish her harm. She is an idiot. Her ideals on pacifism are not only misplaced they are extreme, but I believe they are reactionary to what the Mandalorian people had become. And I do respect her ability to stand by those ideals even if I do think that given enough pressure she would break her own people before she allowed them to break.”

“You have thought about this a good deal,” Jango said briefly.

“I have,” Maul answered. “I have also decided the possibility of stealing her citizens right underneath her nose by simply being a better ruler of her people would be more entertaining than any attempts I make to actually dispose of her.”

Savage laughed. “It likely would be,” he agreed.

Jango looked at his comm briefly, giving a soft sound. “They’re in position. We can seek an audience with Vizsla whenever you feel up for it.”

Maul paused at that.

“I am hesitating aren’t I?” he asked.

“You have made us walk around the perimeter…four times now,” Savage pointed out.

“I was waiting for them to get set up,” Maul said. He paused. “Can I do this?”

“Take Vizsla’s head off?” Jango asked. “Undoubtedly. Rule an entire people?” Jango paused, “your Brothers are loyal. The Vode adores you. Death Watch…” he trailed off. “It is funny to me…that I have joined with someone who is seeking to rebuild what killed us.”

“We were thrown out before you even entered the picture,” Maul said. Then paused. “Fuck.”

Jango laughed. “You’re claiming it. You have recognized its history. You know its tenants. You are willing to follow.”

“I have. I do. I will.”

“You care.”

“I do.”

“I think that will make you a great leader,” Savage said.

“I think they would kill for you,” Feral said. “And they will not be the only ones.”

“More importantly…” Jango said, and his voice was low, and it was hard, “I think they would die for you.”

Maul made a soft sound at that.

“Are you ready?”

Maul closed his eyes, for a moment breathing deep and allowing himself to center, Feral feeling the tension in the bond that connected him to his Brother, the uncertainty. Feral brushed up against it, and Maul grabbed hold, Feral gripping tight to his brother’s aura and feeding him slowly with feelings of certainty, of loyalty, of love.

Feral had no doubt that Maul could do this.

Maul’s hold tightened briefly, warming Feral with feelings of acceptance, of gratefulness…

And then Maul slowly let go, breathing out.

“Very well,” Maul said. “Tell them we are going to enter the compound.”

Jango sent the message across, and Maul led them into the mines.

Pre Vizsla was waiting.

Pre Vizsla hung up the comm, his head bowed.

Talking to Satine was exhausting. He stood before her as her chosen Governor when for years…for years all Pre had wanted to do was claim her spot. All he had wanted to do was rule Mandalore, to return it to the Glory. All his life Pre had heard of the battles of his Ancestors. The sword that he carried a legacy to a people that had been. To his family and what they had created.

Pre had looked back upon his line of greater men and found himself small in a way that he could not stand.

He was standing upon their shoulders…but there was nowhere he could reach.

Pre had joined with the Count, made attempts to broaden his resources, to reclaim Mandalore…

And yet here he stood, and the Separatists had fallen to pieces.

The Count had been imprisoned.

Grievous was even gaining therapy the last he had heard, which he would never have believed.

There was nothing left. All that was there was him…and Bo-Katan, and the remains of a force that they had created.

The problem was, Pre had no plan.

Pre could no longer operate in the shadows. There was no way to show that Satine’s leadership had holes. There was no way for him to take over in a way that would lead to the people trusting him.

There would be no war…there would be nothing that he could use to conceal his efforts.

They would have to start again.

Pre wondered idly whether or not it was even worth doing. Dooku had been captured, surely…surely at some point he would tell them of Death Watch.

Surely Pre’s life would be forfeit as would the rest of them. He had no doubt that Dooku would attempt a plea bargain, and it would be everyone else’s neck but his. It was infuriating.

Pre had no desire to spend his last years in a cell. Pre hated idleness and he hated the idea of wasting away more than anything.

His ancestors had been proud warriors, ones that had even stolen from the Jedi themselves, and now here he stood…

Here he stood.

In an old mining catacomb in a moon that had almost been destroyed… Governor of a people of warriors that could not fight.

Pre wished for many things.

An honorable death was one of them.

Pre looked over as Bo-Katan approached, taking in the woman as she nodded to the members of the Watch she passed, her gaze nonetheless fixed on his. Pre did not know what to tell her. She had abandoned everything, family her home, her sister in order to be with the Watch, had carved out the Nite Owls. Her dreams had been the same, to see The Mandalorians returned to the warring peoples they were. To see their honor and glory restored…

But what did they have left?

Pre sighed, turning to face her as she finally came to a stop before him.

“What did she say?” Bo asked.

Pre thought back to the conversation, wondering what was actually useful, what Bo actually wanted. Sometimes he thought that she missed her sister. Sometimes he thought that she wanted for him to tell her that she had changed her opinions, that Death Watch should be reinstated. Pre wasn’t even all that sure he blamed her.

Satine was still her sister.

But at the same time, there was the way that she had said it. There was the annoyance in the tone, and Pre could never tell.

“She spoke of Dooku,” Pre said. “About how he was going to be making a plea bargain. Mentioned Death Watch.” Pre paused before smiling. “She told me to be careful.”

“Then it’s all over then,” Bo said softly. “Unless we run now…”

“Where would we run?” Pre asked. “Would you have us go underground? Have us refuse to take off our helmets, go into a galaxy as common bounty hunters? Leave our names and selves behind?”

“There has to be a way,” Bo said. “Maybe we create our own army. We have…”

“What resources do we have?” Pre asked. “Who would we go to that are not villainous scum? How can we trust them to have our backs? What happens when they realize that Death Watch does not have the numbers to truly oppose them?” Pre sighed. “I cannot see a way out, Bo. Can you?”

“There must be something,” Bo said. “Surely…my sister would offer clemency, we could…”

“You wish to take an offer from your sister? Even if it would put us in the position to betray her later?”

Bo said nothing.

“I had thought not.”

There was silence and Pre sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

“Are we just going to give up then?” Bo asked. “That’s it? This…this is it?”

Pre looked to her, spreading his hands. “What would you have me do? All of our power, all of our dealings we had in secrecy, but they were nonetheless underneath Satine’s nose. They were nonetheless done with a group that is now being prosecuted.”

Bo drew herself up, angry…

An explosion shook the camp, and Pre stood up, for a moment wondering whether or not Satine had figured it out and had sent for them… But this was Satine. She would never have resorted to violence.

So, what…was this?

The sounds continued, a fight, coming towards them, and then…

The doors were blasted open. His troops poured in, retreating, sending bolts that…

That froze…in mid-air… Hovering before them like some sort of deadly light show.

They stopped firing, and the shots were sent away, sent back into the walls harmlessly.

Pre could not believe what he was seeing. Three men entered first, one of them dressed as a Mandalorian all in black, and the two behind them were… They were Nightbrothers. The one in front was a Nightbrother, his horns tall, each of them walking forward with an air of utter confidence, a swagger that spoke of warriors born…

And behind them came another man… A man that was repeated in the faces on the ones behind him, and… More Nightbrothers.

And then someone that Pre remembered, someone he never thought he would see again.

Soln.

Soln Wor.

Death Watch had been cleansed of the non-humans that had once inhabited it by his father. Soln was amongst the number, as were… And as Pre watched he realized what this was…

And found his attention drawn once again to the Nightbrother at the front.

Blood-red skin…eyes that glowed in the dark, and an expression that was almost…

Bored.

And then those eyes locked on Pre.

And Pre remembered hearing of this being.

Pre remembered the whispers of the one that was tearing apart Zygerria. Pre remembered the temporary fear of what would happen if those stripped from Death Watch came back. He remembered fearing what they may do…

Pre looked into those eyes…

And he saw his death.

Pre watched as the force before him spread out… His gaze fell upon Jango Fett… Jango Fett…who was staring at him with a smirk on his face…

And then the one who walked forward froze in the wide arena that they had used to challenge each other in, the arena that would be his death.

“I am Maul,” he said, his voice a rich growl that rumbled low, and then a singular finger pointed towards Pre Vizsla, “and I challenge you – one warrior to another…for the right to wield the Darksaber. I challenge you for the right to rule Death Watch.”

Pre looked back to the men and the women that had followed him, the ones that he did not know how to help… And stared at the one before him.

Maul.

Pre tilted his head.

“So be it,” he said, and stepped forward into the ring.

Pre knew that he would not be fighting fair. He had seen the way the Nightbrothers had used the Force. He also knew that the one that had to lead their people was one that had to be tricky, had to be quick, had to know that life would not play fair…

And so, he stood before him and ignited the Darksaber.

And then Maul ignited his own weapon, and purple came forth.

The blade of a Jedi.

But Pre did not think that this man was a Jedi.

It was only as he attacked with the Darksaber, it was only as Maul met him on even footing…that he realized that Maul intended to kill him without the Force.

Good.

Maybe he would be able to give him a scar to remember.

Pre attacked fiercely, attempting to put the man on the defensive, to get him to stumble back, but Maul was even with him, and indeed was more skilled. Pre could see the slightest of smiles on his face, and the realization that he was amusing him was almost more than he could take.

The feeling of a boot in his face, sending him back caused him to pull a blaster, firing immediately and with every shot Maul deflected it, none of them were back towards Pre, but it was clear that Maul could block him. Pre launched himself forward with the saber once more, the jetpack boosting him forward.

Maul caught the blade with his own, pushing him back, and Pre changed his angle, managing to elbow the man’s head…

It was only as Maul reared backwards in surprise at the sudden blow that Pre could feel ringing through his bones that he realized he may have made a mistake.

That same head that Pre realized was crowned in horns and was made for it bashed into his own heavily, Pre finding his vision going temporarily black, stumbling away, and he slashed with the saber instinctively, feeling it be caught, aiming another stroke, and then sending his wrist-mounted flamethrower directly towards him.

Maul dropped below it, diving forward, sending Pre toppling, the flamethrower dying as it became too dangerous… Pre also realized his danger in grappling with a Zabrak.

Pre could feel it, the strength in the limbs that sought to pin him, to keep him…

Pre sent the blades mounted in his wrist straight-up, Maul forced to back away, fall back, and for a moment he saw blood…

There was that scar…

Pre rolled himself to his feet, and once again launched himself in the air, throwing bomb after bomb as Maul rolled…

And then he launched himself up towards him, one of the first times that he actively utilized the Force, and it was to equalize their playing field. Pre felt the boots on his chest, felt the crunch as he hit the ground and rolled, pressing the button to release the death-trap from his back and kicking it towards Maul, who dove underneath it and came up with the saber yet again.

Pre brought his own saber up, attacking and parrying, feeling the jar in his arms as the blows from someone so much stronger rained upon him. And all the while blood trickled down Maul’s face, trailing through the red of his tattoos.

Pre knew that he was grinning.

Pre kicked, feeling the impact of a boot on his own face even as he sent Maul backwards with his own. Maul stood first, Pre forcing himself upright, unable to let it happen like this.

It would be on his feet, or it would not be…

Pre shot his rope trap, catching Maul around the legs… Maul cut the rope off, and Pre shot the saber from his hand, charging forward, and the hope… There was a hope…

Pre attacked and Maul caught hold of his sword arm, and Pre knew that was it.

Maul bent his arm back, nearly breaking it across his own shoulder, Pre forced to let go.

And that was the moment when Maul once again began attacking.

Fists and feet and Pre could not keep up… Maul was a superior warrior.

Maul sent him to his knees… And Pre could not…

Pre forced himself to tackle the other man, to send him back, to go for his throat… Maul forced his way through Pre’s hands, smashing his horns against Pre’s forehead, and the black spots were back, and they were worse… Pre fell backwards, sent to the ground…

Maul stood…and Pre heard the sound of the Darksaber…the knowledge that Maul had claimed it.

Pre forced himself slowly to his feet and Maul waited, watching, the blood trickling down his face…

“It is as you said…” Pre said roughly, feeling his legs tremble beneath him, staring into the face of his death. “Only the strongest shall rule.”

And then nothing.

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mercurydancer · 1 year

Text

An Unexpected Chance Part 19

Growth

Maul lay nestled between his older brothers, his eyes closed, his breathing even, and could feel that something was wrong.

It was a vaguely uncomfortable sensation, a heat below his skin, one that he had felt ever since he learned…he learned that his Master was dead. His Master was truly dead. Buried under mountains of rubble that even now they were still attempting to remove…impaled by a metal bar that had been placed there by his brother. The brother that even now held him close in his arms.

Maul had wept.

Tearstains streaking their way through dust and through dirt, sobbing for a person he loved…a person he hated. Unable to stop and unable to control, and Maul had wailed…

They had comforted him slowly, gently, Maul surrounded by people that loved him, that truly loved him, and slowly…slowly…Maul had managed to stop. He thought that some news reporter had focused on him, some droid filming the devastation and the sound of Maul’s wailing…

Maul did not know if the footage would be released. Maul did not know if he cared.

But Maul did know…that his adventure was over.

He could feel it in his bones, could feel it in his lungs, and wondered to himself if this was like dying.

Or if it was like being born.

Maul took a breath, and slowly, carefully worked himself out of the pile of bodies, stumbling shakily to the Holocron that he had taken everywhere with him, and held it tightly within his hands.

He had one last message to give.

Maul could feel the tears falling, but even as he found himself crying he could not help but smile.

Something inside of him.

Something he could not explain…told him that this would not…

Be the end…

Maul opened his eyes, and almost immediately went to close them again.

Maul hurt in a way that he had not in a very long time, from the tips of his toes to what felt like the tips of his horns.

Maul knew that there were no nerves in the tips of his horns, they were all placed around the base, but it did not stop the feeling of agony, the awful sort of stretch that he felt deep within his bones. Maul lay there utterly still, just breathing, trying to fight through the murk, and the strange feeling in his chest.

Something that felt like sadness.

Something that felt like acceptance.

Maul did not understand.

Maul had not been anywhere the light could reach. Had not…he had not…

The Holocron.

The Holocron, it had worked, and he…Maul had thought…

And then there were voices, voices that he did not know, but there was a pang in his chest, a feeling of recognition that he did not understand…even as the smells of…

Maul knew these smells, Maul knew this feeling, this place, and the realization…

“Brother,” the voice breathed, a gasp, a prayer… And Maul forced his eyes to open.

His vision was blurry, his headache increasing with the light, but there was someone crouching before him, someone that…

Maul knew…

Someone he did not know.

It was only when the stranger-that-was-not covered him with a blanket that Maul realized he was naked.

There were so many questions, but for whatever reason Maul could not find it within himself to be afraid.

“Can you speak? Do you know what I am saying?” The figure moved closer, “Maul, please,” and the voice was so soft, so plaintive…

“I…can hear you…” Maul managed, from a throat and a chest that felt like he had swallowed acid, his voice one that he did not know.

There was a pause. “I’m going to get you to Healer Vokara Che,” and the figure took a step towards him. Maul inched back, and the person stopped, frozen still, watching… “Maul,” he said, and his voice was soft, “it’s alright, you are safe. You are…you are amongst the Jedi…in your old room. Your old Teacher he is…he is right next door, he is…”

There was a banging, a sound that sent Maul flinching, pulling the blanket higher over his head, and a part of him realized he was hiding, but it was so much…too much…

But he could feel that the voice was not lying, as his senses reached, as he… He knew the one that was knocking.

Maul was home.

And he had no idea what had happened to bring him here.

“It is alright!” another voice called, and that was when Maul realized there were two beings with him, and the further realization of how hurt he was nearly choked him. Maul swallowed, heavy, broken. And he forced his eyes to focus on the one that was nearest him, peeling the blanket down just enough… Yellow. Yellow like the sun, like flowers, like the color of his own eyes… He stared into his own eyes in a different face, stared at black trailing over skin, at horns that sprung from a familiar-and-yet-not head…

Maul stared at him. Stared at the pointed ears, the carnivorous teeth that were bared in a mouth that was trying to smile…

And eyes that were both fully relieved…fully warm…and desperately sad.

“Who are you?” Maul whispered.

“My name is Savage,” he said, pronouncing it in a way that Maul had never heard, his voice an accent that he had heard rarely, a voice that he somehow…he knew… “I am…I am your brother. That is Feral,” he said, and dipped his head towards another, towards…orange…whose markings were warmer than either Savage’s or his own, brown in orange…and a band…of red…and black. “He is your brother. He is your twin.”

And Maul stared at him…

And felt as though he knew.

“Hello,” Feral breathed, and those eyes…gold and burning and liquid as his own…had tears trailing down his face, a sorrow and a joy bundled into one, the smile wide upon his face.

“Brother…” Maul said, the word thick and heavy and foreign in his mouth, unsure of the taste of it on his tongue, even as…even as…another half rejoiced…

And Maul wondered.

What he had lost…

Even as he stared at what he had somehow gained…without any idea…how he had done it.

Maul still hurt.

“Are you in pain?” Savage asked softly, “you…” he swallowed, “you grew a lot…”

And Maul suddenly realized why he hurt. Unable to help himself, Maul removed an arm from the protection of the blanket, staring at the skin, trying to see evidence of what he knew had to be an obscene amount of growth in a short period of time…but aside from the pain there was nothing. Nothing but the usual scars that had pockmarked his skin, the small points where the black was too smooth and the red too broken, the lightning that he thought would never truly fade…

“You look as though you do not have lasting marks on you,” Feral noted quietly, also examining his arm. “That is good. How do you feel?”

Maul stared up at the Nightbrothers that called him their own, at the ones that claimed him kin…

“I hurt,” Maul said, the words slipping from his mouth before he could stop them, the truth of them bitter.

“Let us get you to Healer Che,” Savage said finally, nodding, “she will be able to help.”

Maul took that in and finally nodded.

“Can you stand?” Savage asked, and the realization, the fear that momentarily sparked within Maul’s chest at the idea that he could not… “That is…that is alright,” Savage said. “We could get Mace?”

And Maul thought of that, thought of… He was here. They were here, all of them were here, all of Maul’s…his family, and the brothers he did not know he had and…

And Maul thought of the familiarity in his hearts, stared at the one that called him brother, had worked to cover him, to comfort him, and allowed himself…that moment of trust.

“Help me?”

Savage’s face pinched, a realization and a relief… As well as a thankfulness that Maul did not know how to take.

Maul felt as Savage finally reached out, and carefully picked him up, the blanket between them, but it was somehow…a familiar… Maul closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the dizziness, the feeling of pain.

“Easy, brother,” Savage rumbled softly, “I have you.”

Feral went first, opening the door carefully and helping to create space between Savage and Maul and the ones that were out there. Maul was aware of sound, of Feral’s soft voice telling them that it was okay, but they needed to get to the medbay. Maul was in pain.

Maul recognized the voices, but he was so…tired and he felt so… Maul closed his eyes, but he was not expecting for the way that Savage immediately pulled the blanket higher, the tug of the Force gentle. Maul allowed himself to relax, fighting against the instinct to bristle, to tighten. He did not understand anything, but was this not what he had wanted?

Was he not willing to give up everything just to free the men who…

“Brother?” Maul whispered, the word strange in his mouth. “Did it work? Are you free?”

“Yes,” Savage rumbled quietly, “yes you did it. We are free.”

And Maul found himself sinking into his hold, closing his eyes, and allowing himself to trust.

Maul drifted in and out of consciousness, in and out of pain, recognizing familiar signatures, so many people that brushed against him, all of them saying ‘hello, hello, hello…’ All of them just that little bit sad.

Maul did not understand.

And then he was placed on a bed in the medbay and the blanket was shifted down. Vokara Che smiled down at him, her expression soft and so warm.

“It is good to see you again,” she said. “Come on, let’s get you into the bacta.”

And Maul let himself drift.

Savage could not believe it.

Savage stared up at the man who…his brother.

Savage stared at his brother as he should have been, able to take him in better than he ever had, suspended in bacta, and covered in only the small shorts that Savage was amused to find were black in stark difference to the white they apparently usually were.

Maul was everything and yet nothing like he had anticipated, his voice – raw as it had been – was as he had been in the Holocron. The same cool, low intonation, the heavy deliberation within it. What Savage had not been expecting – though he thought that may have been a mistake – was for Maul’s skin to be utterly covered in scars. The lightning that had covered small parts of him as a child seemed to have stretched longer, faded as they were Savage could still catch them when the light from the tank struck Maul’s suspended body at just the right angle… But it was nothing to the scar that stretched across his middle.

Thick and ropey it looked as though it had spilled his brother’s guts upon the floor, and the fear and the horror had been great at the sight, aware of Feral’s hands upon the glass, the fear in his own face…

Healer Che had talked them through that one, told them what happened, and Savage…

To fight a man unarmed while his foe had two saberstaffs himself, and Savage had seen a single saberstaff in action, had watched the Holocron version of his brother put on more than one show at the call of his tiny audience… Savage had been amazed. To know that he had strangled him with his own intestines and then beheaded him at the end was enough to almost make him want to laugh.

The knowledge that he had been seventeen at the time was enough to make him want to break.

So much pain.

His brother had been through so much pain, and even now… Even now there was pain.

Savage closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink into the chair that they had provided.

Maul would not be submerged for long, Healer Che had said, just long enough to strengthen his body and the changes that had been made, to allow everything to set.

Savage would be patient.

Savage could afford to wait.

It was his twin.

Feral was staring at his twin.

The one he had shared a womb with, the one that he had known before he had even opened his eyes, before he had breathed air… Feral’s hands had not left the glass for the first few minutes, staring at him with a wonder and a delight that he did not know how to speak of, while also aware of the tears that slid…the feeling of loss in his hearts.

Maul was whole, he was himself again… And the child that had been was lost.

But there was no doubt that a part of him could not…there had been a loss even with that child, a lack of a recognition, of a link that he knew was there.

Feral stared at this one and knew.

He could feel it, the slightest of buzzing’s in the back of his skull, the slightest of tingling realizations.

This was the brother that Feral had longed for.

And the knowledge that he had to gain him at the loss of one was a hard pill to swallow.

Feral did not want to mourn.

He wished…he wished that he had been able to say goodbye.

He wished that he could have had both…

He wished that Maul would wake up soon.

He wished that it would be everything that he had expected. He wished that it would be more…

Feral sat next to his brother and felt the way Savage pulled him close and wished that he did not have to feel so guilty…for feeling so happy.

Maul dreamt.

Or at least he thought it was a dream, though the longer it went the less…the less it felt like a dream and more like a memory.

More like looking up at his Teacher, looking up at Mace as he scooped him up in his arms and held him, as he was given hugs, given warmth.

There were so many hugs, so many people that were able to pick him up and put them on their hips, balancing him in a way that he had never been held, cradling him in arms and in laughter and in love.

Maul did not understand.

His dreams of childhood had always been filled with pain, with an awful loneliness…

And yet now…his hearts were full.

Maul sank into the dream, sank into the memory, and slowly allowed himself to drift.

Maul woke to the feeling of bacta and an awareness that had not been there before. It was strange, his skull buzzing with memories that were his own but were not his own, flickering back and forth between a pillar of black and kind hands and kind eyes and pride and warmth and…

It was so much.

Maul’s head was full, but it did not ache, the bacta soothing the feeling of it, letting him adjust. He drifted lazily, hearing Healer Che, feeling her gentle pulses of Force as she scanned him concurrently to the machine. He felt the brief warning that he would be removed and then he was being lifted from the bacta, droids working with Healer Che to dry the liquid from him, pulling the mask away and letting him take a breath.

“How are you feeling?” Healer Che asked softly.

“Well,” Maul said, “thank you.”

“I’m glad. Come on, let’s get you up and dressed. You have two people that are excited to really meet you.” Healer Che paused, and then smiled at him, the look so warm. “It is so good to see you, dear. You look well.”

“Thank you,” Maul said softly.

She helped him upright as the feeling of being submerged in bacta had not quite left his bones, steadying him gently and helping him with his dressing. Initially Maul was confused to realize that she had grabbed one of his older outfits, an adjustable one that had more buckles than sense as Jocasta had mentioned the first time she had seen it. She had said it with the sort of fondness that meant that she didn’t actually dislike it, and in fact had said that it was rather nice. But it nonetheless was a bit more involved than what they were usually placed in after bacta…

Though as she continued, as he steadied and his mind cleared of the remnants of the fog, he realized that more and more was wrong, more and more was… Maul straightened slowly as his body grew more used to the natural feeling of gravity, as he got used to the feeling of himself.

And then he looked to Healer Che, who was looking up at him, which should be utterly impossible as he had always been a few centimeters shorter than her.

“What the fuck.”

Healer Che laughed, her eyes sparkling. “I think you actually grew.”

Maul stared at her. “I have not grown since I was eighteen.”

“Seventeen, actually,” Healer Che smiled at him, “congratulations, you’re twenty-six, you now have four years until you’re thirty.”

Maul blinked, opened his mouth, closed it, “Alema was quite disappointed to find that she was wrong, wasn’t she?”

“You can ask her yourself,” Healer Che’s eyes twinkled, “but before then, come on. You have some people that are looking forward to meeting you. I think it may be best to forgo the tunic. I don’t think it’ll fit you.”

Maul found his attention drawn to the two Nightbrothers that were standing off to the side away from the platform, near the door. They were huddled together, the both of them tall, the both of them leaning together. Maul could not see their faces from his angle, but he remembered them from the last time. Maul paused, before looking over to Healer Che, those distant yet strong memories burning deep within his mind.

“I remember you,” he said, and caught the way that Healer Che looked at him, the brief moment of surprise, the flicker of something like amazement.

Like hope.

“I liked you a great deal,” Maul said softly, “you made me feel…cared for.”

Maul carefully made his way to the stairs, very aware of the way his wrist was thrust out of the sleeve of his tunic, the way everything felt too tight and yet his limbs felt too loose, too long, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to walk down stairs he had walked down more times than he wanted to count…working very hard at staying upright, holding tightly to the railing, even as he was very aware of the way she blinked, the warmth and the shock in her gaze, and the very start of tears. Maul would give her a moment. He knew she didn’t like people seeing her cry.

He also had a feeling she was laughing at him, which was utterly rude.

Maul met eyes with Savage and Feral as he walked down, taking in these two he knew and did not know. They were still taller than him, even with his newfound centimeters – and Maul was not thinking about them, not at fucking all, not when they likely ruined more than they helped, he had Beskar made for him for fuck’s sake… But they also were standing there patient, watching… But as he walked he found himself slowly, steadily realizing that his gaze was drawn to the ochre one, to the one that was younger, the one that was as old as him… The one whose tattoos were brown, whose eyes were as familiar as his own.

Feral.

Maul walked towards Feral, and his mind buzzed, and his hearts thudded in his chest, something deep within him calling out and slowly…steadily… and the realization that the other felt the same was flickering. Maul could see it in the gaze, see it in the way he also reached, the way…

Maul reached out, his hand touching Feral’s, clasping…

And once again everything went dark.

Savage had been watching the reunion of his twin brothers with joy in his hearts, recognizing the fact that their bond was there, it was intact… And then he was hurrying forward, catching them before they hit the ground, holding his brothers in his arms with terror in his hearts, looking around…

“Force-dammit, Maul!” Healer Che’s voice practically roared, “you couldn’t go for two fucking minutes, could you?”

Savage nearly dropped them.

Healer Che rattled down the stairs, and Savage could feel the brief edges of her awareness prickle past him, aimed for the two in his arms. She sighed heavily and looked up at him. “They’re twins, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” Savage said.

“Alright,” she sighed, “it’ll be alright, their minds are just getting acquainted with each other. Do you need my help?”

“I have them,” Savage said, using a combination of the Force and his own strength to bear them up carefully, one in each arm, carrying them after Healer Che as she walked over to a nearby bed. Savage watched in amusement as she pulled a sheet of flimsi from under the mattress and stuck it against the wall.

‘Maul,’ it read, and Savage had to grin.

“I don’t know why I removed it to begin with,” Healer Che said, rolling her eyes. Savage put them both down in the bed, watching as Healer Che smoothed the covers over them, hooked a finger around Maul’s temple horn and shook him gently, affection in every move she made no matter how brisk. The slightest of smiles played across Maul’s face and Savage had to smile. “Brat,” she said, and then turned to Savage. “I’d give them perhaps five, ten minutes, but they should be out of it soon. A rejoined twin bond is no thing to sneeze at, particularly when it’s been severed as long as theirs has been.”

“Thank you,” Savage said, she waved him off.

“I’ll be back if anything happens, this bed has alarms that will go off if it’s necessary,” she said. “If you would like to hold their hands, it’ll help them remember that there’s someone out here waiting for them. Not that they don’t care for you…”

“I understand,” Savage said with a smile, “they have been missing each other for almost as long as they have been alive.”

“Yes,” Healer Che said softly, and she took a breath, “this is good. For both of them.”

Savage smiled as she wandered off in order to help her other patients.

Savage took both their hands as suggested, placing his own atop their own that still clung, leaning across Feral to do it. For as much as Savage would like to hold Maul, he knew that the one before him needed more space. He would be patient.

Feral woke up to another voice in his skull.

It was quiet, barely a whisper, but it was a knowledge, a presence that felt right. A low hum that thrummed with recognition and with knowledge and with a soul-deep cry of ‘you, I know you, I have missed you, I have missed you…’

Feral blinked his eyes open slow, feeling the hand on and in his own, squeezing it gentle as he slowly grew to realize that Savage was behind him, and he looked back at his brother, feeling the purr warm against him, and very aware too of Maul. Maul who was blinking his eyes open as well, and the familiarity, the warmth burned.

“Brother,” Feral breathed, “hello.”

“We are…” Maul blinked slow, “we are twins…”

“A clan-pair,” Feral agreed. “I have missed you.”

Maul stared at him with eyes that were his own, taking in his face slowly. “I have never known to miss you…but I think…” he frowned, and it was heavy on his face, and Feral knew that it was an expression that it fell in often, “I think I did regardless…”

Feral smiled at him, squeezed his hand, and nudged Savage backwards off the bed.

Savage landed with a huff, Maul blinking and rising up on his elbow in order to look at him.

“Hello,” Maul said.

Savage grinned. “Hello.”

Maul paused for a moment, taking them both in. “This is very strange,” he said softly.

“Honestly I don’t know that I could imagine,” Feral laughed. “You…what, found the Holocron, left a message for yourself, and then…suddenly you blink and you’re on the floor in a bedroom you haven’t been in in what, nine years?”

“Yes,” Maul said softly, “and it feels…more like it did when I first got it…more…like a home.” He paused for a moment. “How long has it been?”

“Seven months,” Savage said standing up and sitting on the foot of the bed, his gaze soft, but there was a certain readiness about him. “You have been a child…for seven months.”

Maul took that in for a moment, thinking. “I do not understand,” he finally said. “If…if you were freed…that was what I asked for…I thought that the magick would wear when the rest of the Brothers were free…and if that was the case…”

“Brother,” Savage said softly and reached out, Maul moving to take his hand before it seemed even Maul was ready to do it, Feral feeling the whisperings of surprise and uncertainty even with the rightness in the link in the back of his skull. “Brother,” Savage repeated, and squeezed, “you, too, are a Nightbrother. You, too needed to be free.”

Maul stared at him, silent and still, for a moment very visibly processing.

And softly.

Quietly…

“Oh.”

Maul blinked, his expression shifted, and he blinked again, looking away, almost visibly pulling into himself, and softer, so low, one more time, a broken, soft little, “oh.”

“Brother?” Savage asked softly, reaching out, and Feral, who was in his twin’s very mind, felt the way he bloomed with a tangle of broken, desperate little emotions. Maul closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to rest in the declaration.

“So,” Maul breathed, “it did see me as a Brother then.”

“You are,” Feral said, and took Maul’s hands in his, squeezing. “You are our brother, you are a Nightbrother. No matter what happened, how you were stolen, you are my twin, you are my brother, and you are ours.”

Maul was quiet for a long moment, “but even if that were so…why was I still enslaved?”

“Your Master…was still alive.”

Maul stared at them, confusion evident, and then slowly, surely, an ever-growing shock slowly spread. And just as slowly, just as surely, realization dawned.

“Chancellor…Palpatine…” Maul breathed, “was Darth…Sidious…”

“And he is now dead,” Savage said, and took his hands in his own, pulling him close. Maul’s gaze was staring into the middle distance, the shock in his eyes gleaming, “I killed him.”

Maul blinked, staring at him.

“Yoda and the other Jedi, Agen, Plo, and Mace were all able to push him back. Obi-Wan distracted him, and I was able to impale him with a metal pipe.”

“You…impa-”

“Tiq called him a bitch,” Feral said, and his eyes gleamed with a broad smile.

Maul crumbled forward, reaching out almost blindly, choking. They caught him, “lie down, brother,” Savage said, slowly easing him sideways into the bed. “It’s alright. He’s gone. You’re free.”

“I do not know what is happening…” Maul breathed, his skin ashen, and Feral immediately began rubbing up and down his arm, working with Savage to help fend off the shock, the feeling of unreality that must surely be hedging.

Maul had been on his own for so long…

Maul had not seen himself as a Nightbrother, and the realization was enough to send a prick of sadness to his hearts.

“It’s alright,” Savage said. “Give yourself time. A lot happened in seven months.”

“If it helps, you were an utterly adorable child.”

“I do not know if that helps,” Maul managed.

“It should,” Feral laughed, “you were very small.” He paused, “you are still small!”

Maul huffed, “I am much taller than I was.”

“That is true.”

“No,” Maul frowned, “I mean I think I grew…”

“They fed you right here,” Savage said, nodding, “good.”

Maul laughed. “I do not…is this happening? Are you real? Am I?”

Feral paused, before lowering himself to his knees so he could look his brother in the eye as he lay on the bed. Feral stared into the golden eyes of the brother that he had wanted to know for the entirety of his life…and found that Maul was crying. “I am real,” he said, reaching out and catching a tear with his thumb. “And so are you. And you are free…and you are loved.”

“I do not understand,” Maul breathed.

“Then I will repeat it until you do,” Feral smiled. “But I want you to know everything within you that this is real. You are here, on this bed, in this room. Healer Che is in the other room with her other patients, and I am certain that there are other people that are waiting to see you, other people that all love you. People that want to see that you are happy. You are loved, Maul. And you are real.”

Maul stared at him, and then stared at Savage, his color slowly returning. “Tiq really called him a bitch?”

Savage laughed aloud, and scooped him up in his arms, Maul’s claws momentarily flashing, but he did not scratch and instead slumped into Savage’s hold. “He did,” Savage said, “I believe they actually have footage of it somewhere.”

“We can watch it?” Maul asked, pulling back enough to look at him with utterly shining eyes.

“We can,” Savage laughed, and lowered his horns to Maul’s own, Maul’s eyes instinctively closing as their horns locked and he relaxed bodily into Savage’s arms. It was clear…that for as much affection as the young Maul had gotten, this one did not have nearly the same expectation or experience of it.

Feral promised to himself that he would lock his horns with his brother’s often.

They pulled Maul upright onto shaky legs, waiting until he was more stable before walking around with him.

“Why is the ground so far away,” Maul grumbled.

“Those are your legs,” Savage returned, laughter in his voice.

“Why do they have to be so long?” Maul hissed again, and Feral and Savage both laughed at him.

“I mean, in relative scale your legs are not that long!” Feral said, grinning, sticking his own leg out and showing that it was still a good deal longer than Maul’s own.

Maul looked at his leg, and then looked at Savage’s when he held his leg out.

“Shut up, the both of you,” Maul snapped.

They cackled.

“Brother, I do not understand,” Feral laughed, “how much could you have grown?”

“I was one-hundred and sixty-five centimeters,” Maul grumbled.

And Feral thought of that set of armor that he had seen, realizing with a sudden shock why it had seemed so small.

Feral brayed with laughter, and Savage was right there with him.

“I could have killed both of you,” Maul sneered.

“I know,” Feral managed, hiccupping, “I know, that’s what…that’s what makes it…so funny!”

“Tiny terror! Utterly furious ball of wrath!” Savage squeaked.

“You would have to cut out our ankles to stab us through on the ground,” Feral wheezed.

Maul huffed, but put up with their teasing more than Feral thought he would, and it seemed even more than he expected he would. But there was a gleam in his eyes, something so hungry, and that was the worst kind of reminder that Maul had been alone.

Maul had been alone.

There had been no one to tease him.

There had been no one to love him.

No more.

“Come,” Savage said softly, and he walked them over to a nearby desk. “Touch, feel, it is real.”

And Maul without even seeming to think of it followed instructions, touching the datapads upon it, fumbling with grabbing one to open it up to look at the date, and slowly put it down. They walked him through the room, and the more he walked the more visibly comfortable in his own body he became. He no longer needed their help to steady him, or caused them to laugh when he overshot something with his hands. Maul tilted his head frequently, and Feral did not blame him, immediately locking his horns with his brother’s whenever the request was made, though Savage soon began attempting to circumvent him. Savage was still taller, and it made Maul’s head tilt alarmingly when Savage did it.

Savage kept giving him particularly smug looks whenever he did it, too.

Feral immediately decided danger be damned, he would do it anyway. It caused a bit of contorting and Maul kept eyeing him, but it was worth it.

“What are you both doing?” Maul grumbled when his head was cocked at a particularly insane angle, Savage on one side and Feral on the other.

“What do you mean?” Feral asked, blinking, “you keep asking for a horn lock?”

Maul blinked, and then pushed them both back, taking a few steps back and staring at them. “What do you mean?” he asked, and his head tilted…just that little bit.

Feral pointed at him. “That,” he said, “that is a request for a lock.”

Maul blinked, and his head straightened slowly, holding so…very…still…

“Oh,” he said.

And the realization that he hadn’t known… But that was alright, it was an instinctive thing, clearly, and Maul…

How long had he been doing it with no one to answer? How long had he been alone and tilting his head waiting for a Brother that was not there? How long had he done it without knowing even what he was asking for and why his hearts remained empty?

“Oh, brother,” Feral said, and took his hand. “We are here now.”

Maul huffed quietly, but when he tilted his head…this time it was deliberate.

Savage and Feral still nearly bonked their own heads going to answer.

Maul could not stop laughing.

It was good.

Maul did not understand.

He was letting people into his space in a way that he would never have done before, not so soon after first meeting them, and yet… Maul recognized them, knew them. They felt like home.

Maul did not understand…but he was not complaining.

Maul was complaining about everything being so much farther away. He knew that he needed to get to a training room, really dig into his limbs and figure out his new limits, but… There was a plus, he supposed. He was taller…

Padmé was going to kill him.

Maul grumbled briefly, pinching at his brows.

“Do you have a headache, brother?” Feral asked softly. “Should we get the Healer?”

“No,” Maul said, “I am fine. I am merely…” he paused, “a lot has…happened…and changed…”

“Are you ready to leave the medbay? I believe there are people that are…very excited to see you,” Savage said. And as he said it Maul realized he could feel…

Maul could feel them.

Maul could feel the Temple, feel the people that surrounded him, the… Maul blinked, realizing there was one…

Maul nodded, and finally moved to the door, Savage and Feral both walking with him, and as the doors finally parted…

Mace.

Maul blinked for a moment, staring up at the man who had been his Teacher… But it was not from an angle that was familiar, and indeed, Mace was looking towards where his chin was, only to blink, and slowly trail his gaze up to meet his eyes.

Mace took a brief step back, looked him up and down briefly, and then smiled, “well,” he said softly. “You’re still not quite as tall as I always see you in my mind’s eye,” he hummed, tilting his head, “but I think if you really were a mile high you wouldn’t be able to get much done.” The smile on his face was warm, and the hands that grabbed his shoulders were firm, “you look good.”

Maul blinked, a rush of memories in his mind, old and new, young and not, and he threw his arms around him, feeling Mace pull him close, hold him tight, and squeezing back just as hard.

“I have missed you,” Maul breathed, aware of the tear that was trickling down his face.

“I missed you, too,” Mace returned, squeezing him, and finally held him out at arm’s length once again. “It is good to see you.”

“I knew you would come for me,” Maul said. “Thank…thank you…for taking care of me…”

“You…” Mace blinked, “you remember…?”

“You do a very adequate bedtime story,” Maul said. “It was…an interesting experience. I think that I liked it.”

The tears that slid down Mace’s face were more than Maul had ever seen, and the smile was broad. “I’m glad,” Mace said, even as he once again pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing, “I worked damn hard on those. You deserved every last one.”

“Thank you,” Maul breathed.

Mace pulled back and then held up…

“Oh!” Maul smiled, taking the baggie from him that held the piercings. “Are they still there?” he asked, almost reflexively going to feel the ears that…seemed to not be where they were…

“You grew into them,” Mace said, amusement in his voice.

Maul sighed, “All of this is obnoxious.”

“I would have thought you were excited to be taller,” Mace smiled.

“Do you have Beskar waiting for you to put it on?” Maul asked as he dumped the jewelry into his hand and began fitting it into place along his ears.

“That is a fair point,” Mace said. “Oh, I can’t watch this…”

Maul laughed quietly as he fitted the remaining two piercings. “Still uncomfortable with needles?”

“They shouldn’t go there,” Mace answered, still not looking at him. “They look good, I can't deny that, but I don't particularly enjoy watching the process.”

Maul laughed, and then finally looked back to Savage and Feral who were both hanging back, watching them as they tried to lean in order to see what he was doing. Maul rolled his eyes heavily at them, and they made faces back.

Maul did not know where the urge had come from, but he was…he was not complaining. His hearts had not felt this light… “My Master is dead,” Maul said softly after he finished.

“He is,” Mace agreed, and turned to look at him. “You are Free.”

Maul took this in and finally nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Mace said. “Are all of you hungry?”

“Yes,” Feral said, and Maul found himself nodding.

“Come on,” he said, “let’s get to the Refectory.”

They followed him down the halls, Maul framed by both of his brothers, and that was still so strange… His legs were strange his position was strange, his… He was here. He was here and that was so odd. Maul felt the still pools all around him that was so familiar… And he felt the way they brushed up against him, the recognition the familiarity, the warmth that was so very Jedi.

Maul was exhausted.

But he was also content.

It was a very strange position to be in. It was also one of the better places to come to consciousness. Maul had found himself in many situations over the years…few of them had been as pleasant as this.

Maul cast glances towards the people that they passed, seeing the surprise, and then the… There was joy, but there was also something else. Something that was a good deal…sadder.

Maul wondered.

But his thoughts were chased out when they finally entered the refectory, and the stillness that spread before him.

Maul’s eyes flickered from face to face, and felt the slow tightening of something in his chest. Plo, Tiq, Eeth, Agen, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Depa, Padmé… Maul stared at them all and felt his hearts twist. Maul had missed them.

“You love us, then?” Obi-Wan called out, and Maul felt a burst of affection followed immediately by a wave of amusement, rolling his eyes theatrically.

“That was when I did not have to see you again, Kenobi,” Maul said. “As I am once again burdened by your visage I find that particular feeling drying up once more.”

Obi-Wan laughed, “God, I missed having someone use nine words to tell me I was ugly.”

“The worst thing I have ever seen in my life,” Maul agreed grandly, and the laughter was brilliant and loud, and Maul beamed at him. He had missed this.

“You couldn’t keep a shirt on for five minutes, could you?” Agen asked.

“In my defense I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter this time,” he said, and they were finally approaching, and as Maul walked closer he could see… He could see the way they were appraising him, the realization that was spreading.

Anakin was the first one that approached him, his expression narrowing, confusion and…something that might have been anger spreading. “Did you get taller??”

Maul shrugged, spreading his hands slightly. “Apparently when you take care of a child, feed them well, allow them to get adequate rest, and genuinely make sure they are healthy they tend to grow. Who knew?” He paused eyeing Anakin who had very clearly gotten taller since the last time he had seen him, tilting his head. “Speaking of such, it does rather seem as though you have gotten taller.”

“I’d be taller than you, now,” Anakin said, straightening up fully, and Maul smiled at him, baring his teeth.

“Mm, how unfortunate that it seems you are not, Skywalker, a bit more time to stretch out, I think,” Maul said.

Anakin’s chin jutted out stubbornly, and Maul blinked at the realization… Anakin leapt at him, and Maul immediately braced himself, tilting his chin back to avoid hitting Anakin’s head with his horns, catching him in his arms and hefting him up, pulling him close, feeling the way Anakin immediately threw his arms and legs around him like some sort of bony octopus. Maul held him tight, his eyes widening and immediately letting go of Anakin with one arm, bracing himself and opening that arm wide as Ahsoka launched herself at the two of them with a cry.

Ahsoka crashed against the two of them, Maul very nearly teetering over if not for Feral’s hands pressing against his back, helping him remain upright, Savage and Feral both laughing aloud, a sound that was joined by the others. Even as Maul grew increasingly aware that both of them were crying, wrapped around him tightly. Maul stood there, holding the both of them, tight, and feeling utterly uncertain how to proceed.

“I missed you,” Ahsoka whispered against his shoulder, “I missed you, I missed…”

Maul was very aware of the fact that the both of them were crying, and that was shortly followed by the way Anakin sniffed.

“You weren’t supposed to be taller than me,” Anakin grumbled, “I finally passed you, I was…I was taller than you for seven months, and I…” he paused.

“I remember,” Maul said softly, “not perfectly, it is like a dream, but I do remember how you made me feel. You both made me feel safe, and you made me feel loved. Thank you.”

“You…” Ahsoka managed softly, leaning back, “you do remember?”

“It was me,” Maul agreed, nodding. “I do remember.”

Ahsoka’s face crumpled and she thudded her montrals against his horns, and Maul was very aware off the way she finally began weeping, Anakin following right behind her. “He’s not dead,” she breathed, “you aren’t dead, neither of you are dead, you’re here, you’re here, you’re here…”

“I am here,” Maul agreed softly, “I am here. You are also getting me wet.”

Ahsoka and Anakin both laughed, pulling back and finally letting go of him, wiping their faces, Anakin rubbing at his shoulders, laughing through tears, and so visibly happy… “I missed you,” Anakin said. “But you know what, Maul?”

“What?”

“You were a very very cute kid. What happened?”

“Torture and malnutrition~” Maul grinned toothily, and Anakin squawked, shoving at him, which set Ahsoka of, too, and Maul laughed, before finally hiding behind his brothers, who laughed happily and caught at Ahsoka and Anakin, picking them off.

“Come on,” Savage rumbled softly to Anakin, who was caught under his arms in a bundle, “I think it is time to eat.”

“Yeeaah, alright,” Anakin agreed.

“Come on, little sister,” Feral laughed softly to Ahsoka, and took them both towards the other Jedi, Maul following.

“You do remember?” Agen asked softly, looking at him with those eyes, uncertain but so happy.

“I do,” Maul said.

Agen paused for a moment, looked him up and down, and finally laughed, “Well,” he said, “at least you’re not taller than me!” And then grabbed him in a hug, squeezing tightly. Maul huffed, but held on just as tight…

Eeth, however, frowned up at him. “This is illegal,” he stated very simply, and Maul laughed aloud, before hugging him tightly.

“It is your own damn fault for taking such good care of me,” he said.

“I suppose I will just have to live with it then,” Eeth said softly, and squeezed him. “I cannot believe it, little cousin. You did it, they’re free.”

Maul tightened his grip, ducking his head just enough for Eeth to hook his horns, and for a moment he just basked in it. He was free. They were free. Maul had done it.

Maul approached Depa, who looked at him up, and then down, and frowned. “I’m still the big sister,” she stated primly, and Maul laughed.

“I do not know that I could pull the role off as well as you do, regardless,” he hummed, and she laughed.

“I love you,” she said softly in his ear, “I love you so much. You were always going to do great things, Maul. I knew it from the instant I truly saw you.”

Maul felt himself momentarily crumble, falling further into her hold, carefully burying his chin on her shoulder, her hair tangling with his horns. “Thank you, Depa,” he breathed. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too,” she breathed. “You were a wonderful little brother. I am very glad that we could take care of you this well.” She took a step back and looked him over briefly, smiling, before reaching out and gently tweaking one of his ears. “You even finally grew into them.”

“It is strange,” he said softly, “do I look older?”

Depa hummed, and then smiled, “not at all.”

“Damn.”

She laughed aloud, and hugged him one more time, before finally pulling back and giving him a brief push towards Qui-Gon, who looked him up and down and gave a soft hum.

“You look well,” he said. “It is not just that you are taller, you have been taking care of yourself. I am pleased.”

Maul laughed, and smiled at him, “Just this once, Jinn, you may hug me.”

“Thank you,” he said, and immediately enveloped him in an embrace that always did make Maul feel small, but it was always in the best kind of way, for it always made him feel protected. And that was something that he was not willing to admit, but was admittedly true regardless. “It is good to see you, Maul. Your presence is warm today.”

Maul closed his eyes for a moment, basked in all of it, and then finally pulled away, and turned to Padmé, who frowned at him up, and then down. “You absolute and completely filthy cheater.”

Maul laughed aloud, “would it help if I approached on my knees, oh Queen?”

“Not in the least,” she said with her nose turned up, before spreading her arms wide and leaping at him. Maul caught her, swung her around twice, and held her tight. “I missed you,” she breathed. “It’s so good to see you, I missed you.”

“I loved you a great deal,” Maul breathed in her ear, “you always made me feel safe.”

Padmé stiffened, and then squeezed him, and Maul was aware of her weeping into his shoulder. “I love you,” she said, “you are always safe with me.”

“I know,” Maul said softly, “thank you.”

Maul pulled back and found his gaze sliding towards Obi-Wan, who was beaming at him expectantly, his arms open in offer.

“None for you, thank you, Kenobi,” he said primly, and the laughter was loud and unrepentant, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes heavily, before swooping in and grabbing Maul up, lifting him high, and squeezing him tight, rubbing his beard against the back of Maul’s neck, and Maul just about crawled out of his damn skin, even as he found himself laughing aloud, finally squirming around enough to hug him properly. “Oh, very well, Obi-Wan,” he said with a sigh.

“It better be Obi-Wan,” Obi-Wan said, “I took very good care of your younger self. He was much kinder to me. He let me touch your toe beans.”

“That little traitor…”

Obi-Wan laughed aloud, and pulled back enough to smile at him, his eyes wet. “I loved that little boy,” he said softly, “but I missed your snark a great deal. Honestly, I rather missed you. It is so good to see you again. I love you.”

“You are passable,” Maul said through grinning teeth and Obi-Wan huffed, immediately cuffing him and knocking his forehead gently against his horns. “I love you, too, brother.”

Obi-Wan squeezed him close for just a moment, and then pushed him away.

Maul turned to Plo, who looked him up, looked him down, and softly, easily.

“Well done,” he said, “I am very proud of you.”

Maul felt that crumbling in his chest, somewhere between his hearts, and immediately fell into his embrace, tightening his arms and burying his face in his robes. “I missed you,” he breathed.

“I missed you, too,” Plo said softly, “but you have gone to do great things, which I always knew you would. You are loved, not-so-little-one. You did what you needed to and you carried that with you.”

“Thank you,” Maul said, and pulled back, surreptitiously wiping his eyes, and then finally turned to Tiq. “Did you really call my Master a bitch?”

“To his face,” Tiq said gleefully with a wide smile, “and got zapped for my trouble.” And as he said it Maul realized that he could see lightning on his skin, a sound rumbling in his chest that was deeply unhappy, and equally unfamiliar, something he remember from when he was small-but-not. “Do not worry,” Tiq said, and his smile gentled, “it will come off with my next shed, and if it will make you happy, I won’t even eat it this time.”

Maul blinked. “You…eat the shed?”

“Of course,” Tiq answered, nodding, “there is a special procedure where the old skin is actually condensed into a pill. Vokara Che does it for me.”

Maul took that in for a moment, very aware of the way the Jedi that had been with him before, very aware of a joke, and a… Maul smiled, “you would make a very good Sith.”

And the laughter that exploded from Depa, Mace, Plo, and Eeth was worth it.

Tiq tilted his head at him but Maul just smiled and held out his arms. Tiq hummed, before walking forward and embracing him tightly. “I have something for you,” he said softly, “when we have our next session I will give it to you.”

“Thank you, Tiq…do we have any footage?”

Tiq laughed, “we do,” he said. “I will let you watch that, too.”

Maul pulled back and looked to Bail, frowning. “I suppose it always was too much to hope I’d get that tall,” he said, looking the man up and down.

Bail laughed aloud, and hugged him tightly, an awkward maneuver with his horns. “I think you’re just right for you,” he saiid, and then pulled back. “How is everyone with Dex’s?”

The cheers were immediate and loud, and Maul followed them, surrounded and very aware of the fact that he was loved.

Dex was aware of the sound of a small crowd approaching, immediately beginning to prep his station, the two waitresses immediately moving to get ready. Dex…thought he recognized…

And then the door was open and he heard Hermione gasp and the sound of something falling…

Before Dex could even brace for impact a familiar voice gave a quiet, “Careful, Hermione, you would think you were excited to see…” there was an impact, and Dex peered through the kitchen window to see Hermione’s arms thrown around…

Dex could feel the grin spreading wide across his face at the sight of Maul, who was currently held tightly by Hermione. He was hugging her warmly, the tray that Hermione had been carrying held in Mace’s hands, a smile on his face. And then Dex really looked at Maul.

He was taller.

It wasn’t just Dex’s imagination, Maul looked like he’d packed on at least twenty centimeters in height, and it was causing Hermione – who had rarely ever had to even reach for a hug – to stand on her toes in order to hold him tightly. Dex took this in with a slow roll of pride and delight.

Their actions had had consequences. Regardless of if Maul himself remembered, their efforts had been enough that a little boy who had never had a chance was given the proper care and nourishment to grow.

And that, of course, led to the moment when Dex walked around the kitchen door, and pointed to Maul, who looked over his way with a grin. “I did that!” Dex called out, “I did that, my cooking did that! This is why you should eat at Dex’s, it’ll give you ten-centimeters.”

Maul let go of Hermione, who was wiping at her eyes, taking a step towards him. “I mean I think you rather gave me more than that,” he said, and there was amusement there, even as Dex grabbed him, picking him up and easily plopping him on a shoulder, Maul relaxing and comfortable in his hold in a way that he had only ever recognized in the little one.

And then what he was saying registered and Dex threw his head back and laughed. “I suppose it’s more than ten-centimeters… You were a damn short kid.”

Maul laughed, “if you want to be purely technical it’s possible you could argue you were responsible for my growth when I was on the streets before. I went hungry quite often before I found your Diner.”

Dex took that in, plopped Maul heavily on a bar stool, and grabbed a rock melon, cutting it in a quick series of slices and pushing it towards him. “EAT.”

Maul laughed and took a brief bite of it, even as the rest of the Jedi followed suit and sat down along the bar, FLO rolling over to say her own hellos to Maul, and help Hermione with orders.

Dex took hold of Maul’s hands gently after he had taken the orders, “it’s damn good to see ya, Pepper.”

“It’s good to be seen.”

Anakin was floating along on cloud nine. Maul was here, he was alive, and he was well. The fact that Maul had been freeing slaves, had freed his people, and they in turn had fully freed him.

The fact that the Chancellor had been the Sith Lord, had been the one that had orchestrated the entire thing… Anakin still could hardly believe it. If it was not for the fact that he’d seen the footage…he didn’t know if he would believe it. But it also had made him think of the way Maul had forbade him from befriending the Chancellor, had told him that he wasn’t to be trusted and made him wonder whether or not a bit of Maul had remembered…

Just enough of him recognizing the danger, the snake in their midst and doing what he could to keep him safe.

Anakin was still a bit annoyed that Maul was taller than him, but there was no doubt that he was happy that he was back. He had missed his older brother.

There was so much that he wanted to tell him about, so much that he wanted to show him…

Ahsoka also wanted to show him things, and Anakin found himself amused whenever he caught the Togruta playing around with the sabers on her belt. He knew where those kybers came from, and he wondered when she would finally have enough and decide to show him without warning.

Anakin wanted to learn more about what he had been doing, how he’d befriended a Pirate, how he’d gotten Beskar, how he befriended the Mandalorians… There was so much that he wanted to know, all of them buzzing in his skull, and all of it held at bay by the fact that Maul was clearly still acclimating himself to his surroundings.

Anakin could tell, could see the way he was just a bit quicker to react, the way his Force presence was feathered out just slightly, and he wondered whether anyone else could feel them… Ultimately, Maul was still getting used to being here, and Anakin… Anakin was admittedly still getting used to Maul.

Anakin had not realized just how much he was going to miss… Anakin was going to miss the little Maul. He already missed him terribly, but he also was so happy. They had made a difference. They had taken care of that little Blood Slave and given him more of a chance than he had ever gotten, and Anakin was so happy.

Anakin was so proud to be standing next to his older brother and know that he had helped give that small boy so much kindness, more than he would ever have known. Anakin would miss him, but he was standing next to the person he became and know that it was because of them. Dex had been right. They were each able to help Maul in ways that were strange, but Anakin was so grateful…

He was also…

Anakin’s thoughts slid to a halt at the sight of a ship coming in for a landing in the Jedi Temple.

It was an older model, one that he had tended to see most…

On Tatooine…

And as the thought budded in his mind, Anakin felt a wisp of feeling that he had not felt in years.

Anakin ran.

47 notes · View notes

mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt. 18

Technique 47

"Sidious had formed an almost filial bond with Maul." - Darth Plagueis pg. 427 James Luceno. "And my Apprentices? Darth Maul was a Loss, but Darth Tyranus...he was a Proton Torpedo. He served his purpose and was gone..." - Darth Sidious to Lord Vader (Darth Vader Comics #20 2016 Marvel)

Mace Windu could not breathe.

Mace stared at the small child before him, the one that had been his Apprentice when he was older, the one that even now he had taken care of, his son in all but blood… And he stared at pure…and utter terror.

Mace took in the fear in those eyes, feeling the flickering and above-all desperate grasps at Dark, watching the way they flickered between yellow and gold as Maul could not decide whether to fight or to flee… Maul cowered in terror, lowering himself down, falling into the position that he had been taught, bowing low, low…

And then Mace stared at Chancellor Sheev Palpatine.

Sheev Palpatine who was staring at Maul with simple…

Horrified…

Shock.

And then, Mace watched…as that shock shifted, hardened, turned to something more confused…

Concerned.

And it was the most damning evidence of all.

Mace’s lightsaber was in his hand before he consciously thought of it, for a moment the realization of who he was staring at overwhelming all other thoughts, all other feelings. Mace was staring at the man who had tortured his son. Mace was staring at the man who had broken his son.

Mace was staring at the man who had been Maul’s father before him.

And the rage that threatened to eclipse him, the Wodza that still beat in his breast was momentarily almost enough to overwhelm all else.

But the sound of blasters, the sight of the Guards, taking in the way they had moved to close ranks was enough to get Mace to slowly…jerkily…breathe it out.

And also led to the realization that he was not the only one who had drawn their saber.

Plo, Eeth, Yoda, Yaddle, and Depa…all staring at the man…who had tricked them all…

They could not attack blindly.

They were Jedi.

Mace took a breath.

“This is your Chancellor?” the words were an immediate interruption, Mace turning to look to Savage, Savage who had bundled Maul close to him, Savage who had his arm around Feral, the naked terror in the eyes of the eldest slowly spreading to Feral, who was also realizing who he was staring at. Feral who was reaching for Maul’s shoulder, cringing close to him, a mixture of fear and desperation in his gaze. “A man who kidnaps children? Who rips them from their brothers? You would put a man like this as the head of your Senate?”

And a dizzying slow relief filled Mace’s mind for a moment as he realized what Savage had just given them, watching the way the Guards hesitated, the slow lowering of weapons, the way shoulders tensed.

There was truth echoing in every word of Savage’s, etched in every line of his face, even now visible in the way Maul had switched to desperately clawing at Savage’s shoulders, trying to pull himself further away… And there was no doubting the terror, no doubting the utter horror in that…

It was not something that could be feigned.

“Chancellor Palpatine,” Mace said, his voice low, his tone even – an anchor that they could grasp hold of, and he could see…could feel the way the brothers had focused on him. “You have been accused of kidnapping…and the torture of a child…”

Mace watched as Palpatine’s gaze flickered to his, and then it went back to the brothers.

Palpatine’s expression softened turned to something almost soothing, something… He took a step forward his hands opening as though to reach out and sooth, but the sound of Maul’s voice breaking as finally, finally…

“Please,” Maul managed, his high-pitched child’s voice never sounding so… Mace’s mouth tightened, “please, Master, I didn’t know, I didn’t…” his voice did not so much break as it shattered, falling silent at the way Palpatine’s hands stretched out, the fingers curling as though to make a fist, or to…or to… The idea of Sith lightning, the idea of those hands lowering to point at the small, deceptively fragile body of a boy who was no more than six years old, to drive lightning into his body until he was screaming and raw, until even now lightning covered his skin… All of these images flashed through his mind just as he became aware of the way Savage’s brown tunic darkened, the utter terror in Maul’s gaze turning to something crazed, something desperate, the smell of urine and…

The Guards had moved then, turning towards the Chancellor, and Mace was aware of Bail, Bail in their midst, and Padmé… Padmé’s face was a mask of stone, every inch the regal Queen that had been.

Padmé’s gaze was sharp enough to kill, and she leveled it at the Chancellor, and she was not the only one. Bail stared at him as well, taking steps back from the man he had been standing next to, the shock and the horror turning to something like disgust.

For a moment Mace thought that this would be it.

This would be the moment when they would fight the Sith that had been hiding in their midst this entire time, this would be the moment that decided their future.

And then Palpatine took a deep breath, and slowly straightened to his full height.

“Guards,” he said, his voice full of the soft grandfatherly concern that had softened more than one heart, putting his hands behind his back, standing there with a look of what could only be described as profound misery on his face. “I stand before you accused in word and in deed as a kidnapper and a torturer of children, as our esteemed Master Jedi has already stated. It seems…as though the only thing to do…would be to arrest me for questioning.”

Mace could hardly believe what he was hearing.

But there was a part of him that was aware of the fact that this was a man who had been in their midst for years.

This was a man who Maul himself as a teenager and an adult had spent time without realizing who he was.

Maul had talked about not trusting him before, but they were words that were oftentimes spoken in jest, in tease…

This…

This was neither.

And so, Mace found his lips firming, pressing together, as the Guards moved to follow through.

Bail turned his attention to the Nightbrothers, Mace turning to look one last time at the child his Padawan had been.

And looked back to the person who had broken him, the one whose destruction of the boy had taken years and years to piece back together, who even now was still full of cracks, would perhaps never fully heal… And knew that it was his duty to see to it that the man was either arrested…

Or dead.

Judging from the looks on his fellow Jedi…

He was not the only one.

Chancellor Palpatine – Darth Sidious sat in a holding cell and Seethed.

This was not a part of the plan, could not have been part of the plan, and yet…and yet here he sat. He had been questioned by many, letting his voice and the slightest glimmer of suggestion easily sway many of them as they came. No, Sheev had never seen the Nightbrothers before in his life, how could he have? Clearly the eldest – the one whose voice had damned him first and the one that would be the first to die – clearly he had mistaken him. They were Nightbrothers, after all, when had they ever seen another human?

They had lived in Slavery all of their lives, clearly they would not recognize him properly, and the youngest…

And even as the thought flickered through his mind the seething rage rose up, and Sidious desperately wished that he had killed him years ago, killed the boy that he had raised, the boy that had betrayed him… Clearly the child was traumatized, clearly he did not know what he was speaking of.

And so, it had been, so it had gone, a quiet inquisition as a disruption at this juncture, with tensions so high in the Senate would not go over well…

Sidious was a good actor, and a better liar, and he could see and feel the way their resolve was weakening.

The only issue that he could see was with the Jedi, but they had not said anything, they had not even been in the room with him.

Sidious did not trust it, but it was fine, their lack of presence at the moment was making it easier to sway them.

And then…someone entered that Sidious had never seen before and had never expected.

A jewel toned blue Rodian wearing the robes of a Jedi.

And he was followed closely by the members of the Jedi Council.

Healer Tiq had taken the news that the likelihood that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord as well as he could have, he believed. Tiq had taken the information that Mace had given him, watched the footage the Guards provided, and for a moment he had not moved.

And then Tiq brought out the File.

It was a file that he had been working on for years off and on, after having worked with Maul, after having started to compile all that Maul knew of his Master…and all that Tiq had guessed.

Tiq reread this file, this composite of all that Tiq had learned and heard of Maul’s Master, and slowly plugged in the equation of the Chancellor within its margins.

And found that it fit.

Tiq sat there for a moment, and took a deep breath, before finally standing up and first asking to be taken to the Brothers.

Tiq found Maul, Feral, and Savage in a visiting room in the bowels of the prisons, next to the interrogation room where they were speaking to the Chancellor. Bail was with them, and Tiq could hear the defeated way Savage spoke, the anger in his voice as he asked, “what would our words matter? He is the Chancellor, surely we have no voice in this Senate, when we are not even your citizens.”

Tiq watched as Bail’s face tightened, turning to look at Padmé who was sitting there as well. They had cleaned and redressed Maul, the little boy looking every inch his age in a way that he had not, wide-eyed and utterly petrified. Tiq felt it like a knife in his heart.

Tiq finally left the room and walked to the place where they were watching the security feeds of the Chancellor and the interrogation, taking in the sight of the Council already there, listening to the gentle voice of who Tiq knew now to be the Sith Master quietly asking how he could have possibly kidnapped any child…and that was when Tiq took a breath, “I would like to speak to the Prisoner.”

There was a pause as they turned to look at him, and Tiq stood silently, his hands behind his back, patient.

“You will need clearance for it, Jedi,” one of the Guards said, and his expression was flat. Tiq took him in for a moment, late middle-aged, human, his helmet placed near him. There was a troubled and angry look on his face, “why should we let you in when we have our people?”

“Because I have a doctorate in psychology and have previous experience in criminal behavior and have given guest lectures on the topic in the past at the local College,” Tiq answered plainly. “Though admittedly my experience is primarily in the field of trauma recovery and healing. If you wish to look this up my name is Tiq Nooz, and you will find that I am a Healer – though I am technically also a Doctor, and I have questioned many under your jurisdiction for you before. Though you may not know that as I do not recognize you, are you new?” He raised a simple brow the man left speechless.

“That’s good enough for me, Healer,” another Guard said, walking forward. The Togruta had not been in the room initially, but as she approached Tiq straightened, and then smiled.

“Olom, it is good to see you.”

“And you, Tiq,” Olom said, “though I wish it was under better circumstances. I have heard the charges and listened to the accusations.” She paused, removing the ceremonial helmet from her head, and placing it under an arm. “They are rough,” she said, “I do not…” she paused. “I had never thought that the Chancellor could be capable of such a thing, but the stories…the way they speak. You cannot fake that kind of conviction.”

“No,” Tiq said softly, “you cannot.”

“You think he did it?” Olom asked.

“I do,” Tiq said. “But I need for you to let me in there to talk to him. I believe…that the Chancellor has been lying for longer than we know.”

Olom paused, “I trust you,” she said, “you had my back several times over the years, I think I can afford you this. Particularly…” she paused. “Tiq, I saw that little boy’s records, his file…what they show…it’s heinous…”

“It is,” Tiq agreed.

“If you can get him to confess, Tiq, do it,” Olom said. “No mind tricks.”

“Not necessary,” Tiq said, waving a hand, “besides, you know I find it distasteful.”

“I do,” Olom grinned, “do your work, Healer.”

“Thank you,” Tiq said and turned to look at the feed. “If I may, I would like for Eeth, Plo, Mace, and Yoda to accompany me.” He turned to Yaddle and Depa, both looking to him. “Take care of them, please,” he said softly, and Yaddle and Depa both nodded, before they left to the holding room where the others sat and waited.

Tiq stood there for a moment, mentally counting down the minutes, watching as the Guard that had been with the Chancellor finally left, taking in the way Palpatine’s features closed slowly, the way he drummed his fingers on the table… Impatient.

Tiq was aware of the weight of the Council’s gazes on him, and he turned to look at them finally.

“You think you can get him to talk, Tiq?” Eeth asked.

“I do,” Tiq said, “which is why you must be ready.”

“We will have your back, Healer,” Plo said, his voice a low rumble.

Tiq smiled at them, before turning back to look at the man who had been Chancellor. “It really is quite clever when you think about it,” he said. “It makes me regret the fact that I never did ask Maul who his Master was. I made an assumption that much like the older one, this one did not have access to the memories that were taken. I see now…that I was mistaken. We have made too many mistakes with this man…we cannot make another.”

“No,” Eeth agreed, his voice low.

“Well,” Tiq said, “I have one last request.”

“Yes?”

“Do not think ill of me for what I am about to do,” Tiq said, looking to them, and finally opened the door to the holding cell, the others following him in.

Tiq’s first impression of the Chancellor had always been a man that was kind. A grandfatherly presence that radiated kindness. Tiq also believed that he was hiding something.

From the very beginning, Tiq had not trusted him, mostly because that presence had not changed. A politician – particularly a career one – did not stay in business by being nice. There was a certain cutthroat intensity that came with the trade and generally made them very good liars. Now, what they lied about differed, and Tiq was more willing to accept and trust someone like Padmé, whose lies he knew and primarily revolved around how she kept herself safe, and similarly with Bail, whose lies tended to make his ideas more palatable at times…

But Tiq had never been able to tell what the Chancellor was lying about.

Tiq rather thought he had found out.

Chancellor Palpatine looked up at them, recognition blooming. “Ah,” he said, “Master Jedi, hello,” he said, looking at the ones that stood there. There was a certain level of relief in his expression.

It made Tiq sick.

Tiq had no doubt that he was standing before one of the most powerful Force Users in the Galaxy. Tiq also had no doubt that he could get a confession out of him, and in fact, get him to confess to way more than just the kidnapping of a child.

The mind was not as good at multitasking as most thought it was. It was good at changing tack quick enough to make it seem as though it was, but there was no doubt that every change caused further mental strain, and when someone was so focused on one aspect it was very difficult to pick at another.

But Tiq had no need to multitask. His goal was simple – skim the mind of the man before him, and pluck the information and the strings that he needed.

Tiq had studied his file for years, compiled it out of everything that Maul had told him, all that he had put together.

Tiq was ready.

“I cannot tell you what a relief it is to see you,” Palpatine said, “it’s such an awful business, is it not? The idea that I would have kidnapped that child…” he paused, looking at them. “Not that he truly is a child, of course…I do recognize those marks. It is amazing the things your wayward Apprentice got into, is it not?” he asked, looking to Mace.

And that was enough.

Tiq took a breath and made his move, spinning the seat that was before Palpatine so the back faced him, hitching his robes up enough, he straddled it, leaning forward, and with an accent that Tiq had not permitted himself in years, calmly hissed, “Shut up, bitch.”

Palpatine froze.

“I can understand if you’re a little slow – career Politician and everything – but I sincerely cannot believe that you’ve never had one of these little interrogations. Surely you’ve realized by now that I am the one asking the questions and making the little comments, hmm?” Tiq smiled and felt the mind before him bristle.

Oh.

But Tiq was good at his job…

“So,” Tiq clapped his hands twice, “since we need the reminder I am going to go through the rules, yes?” and even as he spoke Tiq began brushing the surface of those shields – impossibly tight, yes, but there were ways, particularly when pressure was applied.

It was impossible to keep a lid on everything, particularly when the brain was bombarded with external stimuli, especially of the sort that Tiq was providing. The best part was Tiq didn’t even have to think about what he was saying. Most of it was thoughts he had had for years. The other part was born from intimate knowledge of the way the system did work.

“Rule number one,” he said, “you only speak when spoken to, I know you…ah, Senate types have a problem with that, none of you seem to be able to wait your turns when speaking, but here we are… Rule number two you answer as truthfully as possible, since I know you types like lying~” Tiq winked at him, leaning further forward, and as he continued speaking he let his mind reach out gently, skimming the surface for the thoughts he was really after.

All of the thoughts of Maul.

There were…many.

More than there ought to be…

Strange…

“Rule number three, as you have forgone a lawyer with the Guard you cannot ask for it now, I don’t know if they mentioned that or if you were aware, but them’s the breaks and now you have to deal with me. Charming, I’m sure~” Palpatine’s expression turned sour and Tiq’s grin turned extra charming.

“Rule number four…” Tiq paused, “well, I don’t know that I can think of another rule really, outside of the fact that you have to answer after every question, or I will personally hold you in contempt. You are aware of the fact that you are being held in here for the kidnapping and torture of a child, yes? Do you think you can afford to be any more in contempt?”

Palpatine’s expression tightened further momentarily seething at him, and Tiq found the source of the thoughts, and as he brushed it he realized what he was sensing.

Palpatine had memories that were not his within his mind, and they were memories that recognized Tiq.

Tiq had a bond with Maul, severed that it was currently, it had been within his mind for years, something used to check up on him periodically, something that let him know that the man was still alive. Palpatine had never created a bond with his Apprentice. It was something that Maul had both bemoaned and relished in over the years, but it was also something that Tiq could use – both to pull himself within the mind that the memories did not belong in, but also take those back.

Tiq’s grin showed teeth.

“Are you in contempt?”

Palpatine’s chin rose, his expression showing he very much was.

Tiq did not care.

“No,” Palpatine said finally, his lips barely moving, “I rather think that I cannot say I am.”

Tiq grinned wider, his eyes fixed upon the Chancellor, “You’re quite right, you can’t say you are,” he winked. “Now,” he said, “since we have gotten the rules out of the way I think it’s time to really play, don’t you? So, here’s the first question, I’m going to make it easy on you, are you ready?” Tiq’s eyes narrowed, even as he began slowly shifting his way back. “You’re not very good at this are you?” he asked when the Chancellor remained silent.

“Yes, I am ready,” Palpatine hissed.

Tiq was very aware of the fact that he may perhaps be pushing too hard, that he may wind up causing the Chancellor to snap before he was finished. Tiq didn’t care.

He was having too much fun.

“Very good!” he called out, giving a loud and very exaggerated clap, “that is ten points to the Chancellor of the Republic, you are very good at this, aren’t you?”

“…Yes…I am.”

“You are leaaaarning~” Tiq sing-songed, and slid his way in. “Now, tell me why you kidnapped a child.”

“I…” Palpatine’s mind was a flush of thoughts, a wash of ideas of…of half-formed plans and a… Tiq traced the feelings that lay there, that tightened around the memories that did not belong to him. But they were memories that were hiding Tiq – recognizing him and letting him sink deep within their surface without reading them. Tiq was too good at his job for that.

Tiq almost wished he wasn’t, recognizing the feelings of possessiveness and an almost achingly bitter fury, yes – but also recognizing the softer things, the pride, the modicum of warmth. There was a true affection within them, and Tiq was filled with a slow, boiling disgust.

“Would never,” Palpatine finally said, “to kidnap a child? To take him from his family in such a manner is utterly heinous. A true contempt of everything that is good about the Republic.”

“You do not have to explain that to me,” Tiq said, rolling his eyes. “I certainly have never kidnapped a child. Not even when we had moral superiority, do you think you have Moral Superiority, Chancellor? Do you think that you are better to raise the boy than his own family? Would you have taken him out of pity?”

And as Tiq asked the questions he pried deeper, slipping into the thoughts of disgust and hatred, but also contempt. Tiq did not particularly care what the contempt was for, even as he said, “I do not presume to know more than the boy’s family. His culture is…barbaric, but it is his own, I would not take him from that, particularly when the boy has brothers.”

“No, that would be a cruel thing indeed,” Tiq agreed softly, “which makes it all the more terrible when you consider the fact that you took him.”

“You…have no proof of that!” Palpatine said, his voice hissing, true rage on his face. “I had no idea that…that…” he paused, “and you are going to just let him sit here and say this?” he asked, staring at the Council members around him.

“Ah, ah, they don’t exist, you are talking to me,” Tiq said, tapping his fist on the table, deliberately fanning the rage that he could feel, whipping it up. “I do not know why you insist on changing the subject or the focus of the conversation when we are dealing with the kidnapping and molestation of a small child.”

And there was shock there, pure, and utter shock, vicious and black, “I never molested him,” Palpatine said.

“But you did tattoo him everywhere,” Tiq said, “that sounds like molestation to me.”

“I tattooed him everywhere, yes, but his…” Palpatine fell silent, and Tiq beamed at him, his eyes practically slits.

“Oh,” he said, “so you did kidnap him then.”

The rage and the fury that built up before him was deeper than Maul’s, an oil-slick burn, and Tiq caught a brief whispering of thought, a… “What’s Order 66?” Tiq asked, and once again that shock cooled everything, and Tiq caught hold of the thought that came up, the thoughts of…

Clones…

And an Army…

And…

“Oh,” Tiq breathed. “Oh…Force…”

Tiq had barely enough time to snatch the memories that had allowed Tiq to enter the mind before him and WRENCH before Palpatine’s face twisted into a snarl, and suddenly there was lightning.

Later, Tiq would think that he had never felt anything that terrible. A mix of seizing limbs and an awful pain that not only seemed to stop his heart and his lungs, but rip through his nerves, and burn his skin. Everything was pain, all was agony, and for a single solitary moment Tiq wondered if he was going to die, and then he thought of Maul – Maul who had lived with this as his main form of punishment since he was a child…

At the time the only thing Tiq could understand was pain and the feeling of falling backwards from the chair, and then the pain suddenly ended with the sound of an igniting lightsaber.

Tiq had just enough awareness to watch Yoda catch the lightning in his palm, absorb it back, locking eyes with the Chancellor…

And he closed his eyes and allowed himself a second to recover.

Shit had finally hit the fan.

He just wished it hadn’t hit him quite so hard when it did… But Tiq had gotten what he wanted…way more than what he wanted…

He would just…rest his eyes…for a few minutes…

Yoda caught the lightning in his palm, registering the flash of blue and purple and green blades to either side of him, meeting eyes with the Sith that had been in their midst all along…and knew that he would stop at nothing to destroy him.

Palpatine’s face had twisted into a mask of rage and hate, and Yoda wondered in that moment how he had ever seemed otherwise. It fit his face, fit him…

And in that one moment Yoda knew that if he could the Jedi Order and the Galaxy with it would have been ground beneath Palpatine’s boot.

This would not be so.

And then Palpatine snarled, and with an explosion of Force and HATE the windows exploded out, sending the other Jedi back, and Yoda realized that he still meant to get to Maul.

Palpatine leapt through the window, Yoda forced in place to catch the last of the lightning, leaping after him, only to catch sight of Depa landing a single solid punch to Palpatine’s face, mid-reach for her own lightsaber, the sound of it loud and thick in the air, outside of the shattering glass, the sound of screaming.

Maul’s voice, Maul’s terror, and this should not be so, he had been put through so much, this could not be so…

And then there was the hum of a crimson blade, and Palpatine struck at Depa.

“RUN!” Yaddle’s voice cried, and the spell of that solid punch was broken.

Savage picked Maul up under a single arm and bolted, Feral gripped tightly in his other hand. And then Palpatine was once again moving.

Yaddle launched herself forward, her blade catching Palpatine’s before he could catch up, shoving him back with a cry…

There was laser fire, the Guards forming up as they approached, Yoda almost wished they wouldn’t…

Palpatine reflected their bolts back towards them with a casual elegance, only stopped from killing the Guards as Plo managed to regain his footing, sending the bolts to the side, all except for one that was sent directly towards Palpatine. He sent it to the ground with a snarl, before finally, quietly laughing.

“Well, well,” he said, “I did not anticipate this, but I suppose it was inevitable. Tell me, Jedi, how does it feel knowing that the Lord of the Sith was so close to you? How do you feel knowing that I shall make it out alive, and you…”

Yoda had only just seen the movement, watching as one of the highly uncomfortable and yet imminently practical metal chairs came out of seemingly nowhere, slamming into the back of the Sith’s head, and then Padmé, who had been stuck with Bail in a spot that could have been dangerous if they had not been so utterly beneath notice… Padmé dropped the chair, and ran.

“Shut up, you must, hmm?” Yoda challenged, and then leapt forward.

The crimson blade caught one of his own, and then there was a further hum, and another blade was ignited.

Padmé’s breath was rattling in her lungs, a mixture of fear and adrenaline and pure and simple rage burning in her chest, running alongside Bail as they left the bowels of the Senate and ran up the stairs. It was rare that the Senate holding cells were utilized, but in that one moment Padmé desperately wished that they had not.

There were people in here, innocent people that could be hurt or killed… But she needed to get to the Chancellor’s Office, she needed to get more evidence, to find out what Tiq had been talking about… And then she caught sight of Savage and Feral, both of them trying to hold Maul, to comfort him, and… She veered towards them, Bail on her tail. “Please,” Savage gasped, “how do we get out, where are we?”

And Padmé realized she had a more important job to do.

“Bail,” she said, looking to him, and before she said a word more, Bail nodded.

“On it,” he said, “you get them out,” and immediately began running to the other set of stairs that would take him to the main offices.

“Come with me!” she said, and immediately led the way out of the prison levels, aware of the sound of an explosion behind her.

They had to get out.

Tiq came to with an ache in his head and the scent of burnt flesh in his nose. While he knew that it was his it still surprised him how much it hurt to move.

Tiq breathed it all in a ball deep within his chest, before breathing it out – a risky and generally ill-advised maneuver, pain was the body telling itself to rest – and crawled slowly to the windows that were blown out, ignoring the glass that cracked under his hands and knees. Tiq knew he was not in any shape to join the fight, but as he took in the fact that the fight was heading down the corridor in the opposite direction from the stairs, also taking in the bodies of the dead Guards with a pang, hoping that some of them were simply unconscious.

But he had work to do. He needed to get to the Chancellor’s Office, and luckily he knew a shortcut.

Tiq worked himself upright and staggered towards the lifts.

Palpatine was not dead yet.

Mace had let go of most of his anger years ago, knew because of the very man that Palpatine had thrown away years ago precisely what the Source and the Well from which his anger flowed, knew precisely what his Wodza was, and had learned to manage it even more with that help.

And yet Mace knew he had never been more furious in his life.

A part of it, Mace knew was the fact that there were so many Jedi. They were forced to attack individually, or from different directions and Palpatine was able to force himself into positions that limited their ability…

The other, and the worst of it all, was the fact that Palpatine was good.

Palpatine used whatever he could get a hold of, throwing rubble, lightning, and the worst was when it was people. There were still Guards coming, and Mace almost wished that they would run. Palpatine was not afraid to use the Guards’ confusion against them, taking the moment before they realized what they were seeing to grip them and twist their bodies into the worst sort of mangle, before throwing them towards the Jedi, or otherwise using them as temporary shields.

It never lasted long, their bodies were usually either stabbed through or otherwise killed violently to get at them still.

Mace hated it.

And then Palpatine sent a support-strut crumbling to the ground, and Eeth broke off to hold the ceiling, and the situation became that much more dire.

They needed to end this quickly.

Bail felt the ground begin to crumble beneath his feet, immediately and perhaps even futilely attempting to run faster, to get away.

And then the ground stopped its crumbling, and Bail did not even think of it anymore, focusing on running. He did not want to think of it anymore. As Bail ran up the stairs he could hear the panicked sounds of the Senators above him, and then the sound of the alarm began sounding, and then the screaming started.

Of course, the screaming started…

Bail ran faster, pushing through the flood of his fellow Senators and wishing he knew a better way.

Tiq slumped bonelessly in the back of the lift, having an argued conversation with a disembodied voice.

Logically Tiq knew that the disembodied voice was technically a droid, and similarly he understood that it was only programmed to be a pain in the ass, but it was very difficult to think right now.

“I need for you to bring this lift to the floor to the Chancellor’s office,” Tiq insisted for what felt like the thirtieth time. He knew he could not take the stairs, but he also knew that he needed to get up there.

“We are in Emergency Lockdown,” the Droid said. “Lifts are disabled, and if they were not I would bring you to the ground floor to get you out. I cannot take you to the Chancellor’s Office.”

“Listen,” Tiq managed, rubbing his face, “I have just been electrocuted, I cannot use the stairs, but I must get to his Office.”

“Lifts are disabled.”

Tiq sighed, and then reached up, flicking his wrist casually and sending the hatch open.

“What are you doing?”

“Cutting out the middleman~” Tiq answered.

“You are too hurt to use the stairs,” the automated voice said, “you cannot climb the elevator shaft.”

“Mm,” Tiq agreed roughly, shifting, readying himself for a jump.

…

“To Chancellor’s Office.”

“Oh, thank you,” Tiq smiled, and felt as the lift rose, flicking the hatch down. He leaned against the wall, bracing, letting his mind flow into meditation. He needed to get his body as well as it could get, and for that he needed to center, and for that he allowed his consciousness to drift, to feel out the minds that surrounded him, feeling the panic, the fear. Tiq breathed it all in, and slowly breathed it out, letting it drift away. He could also feel the heightened fear and the pain of the Guards that were in the fight below, the ones that were standing against the Sith…and he realized they were dying. “Do you have connections to the Security Guards?”

“I do,” the droid answered.

“Do not send more guards to the fight,” Tiq said, “they are being destroyed…there was also a massacre in the Holding Levels and there may be some survivors…”

There was a pause as the droid processed this. “Sending Droids,” he said.

“Oh,” Tiq said softly, “thank you, that will work.”

“The Chancellor has violated his programming,” the droid said. “We will set it right.”

Tiq smiled, “we will certainly try.”

“Floor Reached,” the Droid said, and the doors swung open.

“Thank you,” Tiq said and stumbled his way out, nearly being barreled into by what seemed like a wall of people all attempting to evacuate.

Tiq pressed himself close to the wall and shifted his way along.

Why was nothing ever simple?

Savage ran like his life depended upon it, following Padmé as she led them ahead, only to see a sudden crowd of people approaching, more women, and for a moment he froze, only for Maul to cry out, “SABÉ!”

Sabé looked to him, and immediately she and the rest of the women beelined their way towards her.

“Padmé,” she called out, “what’s happening?”

“The Chancellor was Maul’s Master,” Padmé called out, “we have to get out! He’s fighting the Jedi, we…”

The ground shook, caving down, and Feral reached out his free hand, grabbing Padmé and dragging her back before she fell into the pit that had suddenly opened, the ground cracking around them.

They screamed, and Savage took a breath, and reached out with his feelings, reached out with his Anger and his Fear.

Maul had taught him what to do with his Pain, both of them, the little boy in his arms and the Holocron that trained him…and he gripped the stone, feeling the way Maul’s tendrils of focus reached alongside his, the two of them wrenching it up together, and Feral’s brighter grip, the three of them holding it tight amongst them.

“RUN!” Savage grunted.

“What about you?” Padmé asked, and in her panic she was reaching for him, her hands on his arm, fear in her face…but it was fear for him, her hands ready to pull, to guide him along, not press, not restrain…

“We can make it,” Maul hissed.

“The quicker you get out, the less weight…” Feral managed. “Run!”

They ran.

For a moment, the three of them stood there, feeling the grinding weight of stone, of the way the building wanted to collapse beneath them… And then slowly, carefully, Feral and Savage took a step. And then they took another.

It was not supposed to be like this.

Palpatine had worked so hard all of these years, so many plans, so many plots, so many opportunities allowed to slip, so much that he had not done all in the name of Temperance.

He had waited, allowed the Clone Army to grow, played nice with the Jedi, sat in the room with them when all he had wanted to do… Palpatine had taken to keeping the lightsabers strapped in hilts hidden under his clothing, for his own amusement if nothing else. He had never planned to use them until it was time, never planned to let himself fall to the temptation of cutting them down one after another…

And yet here he was.

Here he was and the plan was slipping between his fingers.

That Rodian…that… Palpatine would see to him.

Palpatine would make him break.

Palpatine caught the blade coming towards his face, the purple sparking inches from his skin and laughed.

There were too many of them, they had not fought against anyone like him in years, and their sensibilities made them…weak.

Sidious downed another pillar, watching as the floor crumbled alongside them, watching as Yaddle broke off to catch it, to contain it.

There would be no containing it.

Sidious would bring the entire thing down upon their heads.

They had crumpled all of Sidious’ schemes, all of his desires…

He would destroy theirs.

Bail ran into the office of the man who had been Chancellor, aware of the crumbling of stone, the screaming, and for a moment did not know what to do.

He needed to find evidence, he needed to find this…Order 66, he had to find a way to stop all of this…he needed… Bail ran towards the desk, opening the contents and slowly working his way through, sweat trickling down his forehead as he heard the sound of further destruction, felt the way the ground shook.

“I would look in the chair~!” a familiar voice called, an impossibly chipper voice for the situation, and for… Bail blinked, looking up to see Tiq leaning against the doorway, a gentle smile on his face, eyes partially slitted.

“Tiq!” Bail called, and immediately ran towards the other man, recognizing as he did so that Tiq was slumping further and further towards the ground. He immediately caught the Rodian under the shoulder, forced to stoop to meet the other man’s height. He brought Tiq back to sit upon the very chair that Tiq had mentioned, the one that he only now noticed seemed to resemble more of a throne, more of a…

“Thank you,” Tiq said brightly, “now…” he hummed, closing his eyes for a moment, his fingers on the armrests, and Bail took a step back as hidden compartments and panels flipped open from within the chair itself. “Remind me to thank Maul for teaching me Mechu-deru,” Tiq said brightly.

“I’ll thank him myself,” Bail said, “now…what are we looking for?”

Tiq hummed quietly, looking through the panels and then made a sound of delight when he caught sight of what looked like…a comm.

Tiq pressed a button or two, almost idly, and there was a pause as it rang…and rang…

And then there.

Was…

“Yes, my Master?” came the softly cultured voice, and Bail stared as Tiq did, at the sight of…

“Count…Dooku?” Tiq asked.

The Count stared at him.

Tiq stared at the Count. “You know…this is why I said you should have joined me for Therapy.”

Maul was afraid.

So much had happened, so much…his Master was alive, his Master was… But they were fighting him, they had…

His Master was going to kill him.

His Master was going to kill his Brothers, was going to kill his family that he had found, all of his friends, everything…

Maul took all of that fear, he took all of that despair and all of that certainty and wove his mental coils tighter, helping his brothers as they took step after step, still carrying him, still working on making their way across a floor that wanted to buckle.

They would make it.

There were people that had noticed them, people that were calling to them, encouraging, and their voices joined the medley of things that Maul desperately grasped…

Please, he begged, please let them get out okay…

And then the roof began collapsing.

The Senate Building was collapsing.

Whatever else may be true the Senate Building was collapsing.

Anakin had been in his lessons with Qui-Gon when the alert had been raised, Quinlan rushing in to tell them that they had to make their way, all of the Jedi joining in a mad rush to speeders and other means of transport, some just all-out running. No one knew what was happening, what the cause of the destruction was, all they knew was the Senate was on the verge of collapse, and they needed to help support it.

Anakin ran along Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Ahsoka joining in as they reached the door, followed by D’una and Wan. Qui-Gon had initially just started running and so Anakin had followed, not expecting the way he bypassed the run towards the main hanger and instead headed out the doors.

Anakin was not expecting for the cabbie to be at the end of the ramp, a Zabrak that was only familiar by word of mouth as he had not been invited to The Spot before, but was familiar enough with it…

Joric.

“GET YER ASSES IN HERE!” he yelled.

Didn’t need to tell Anakin twice.

They slid into the cab with little fanfare, Qui-Gon alongside the Zabrak as he threw the cab in gear and immediately took off.

“What is the status?” Qui-Gon asked.

“The Senate just started crumbling,” Joric answered, flying through the gears with a practiced ease and a talent for merging in and out of traffic that Anakin was immediately delighted by. “There was no warning, no idea what happened, rumors are circulating that it’s an attack. I was in the neighborhood when I started seeing it happen, and I immediately swung around this way. I can’t tell you more than that, no one even knows who’s doing the attacking.”

“Are there enemies still living?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Joric said, “I have the radio programmed to tune in if anything else is announced but so far it’s just been evacuations and a warning to keep your distance.” Joric laughed, “a bit of a laugh that one, but I suppose they try.”

“Who would have tried to destroy the Senate?” Ahsoka asked, D’una leaning up alongside her.

“Your guess is as good as mine, young missy,” Joric answered, “but I tell you this, it’s not falling nearly as quick as it should be. My guess? There’s some of your type already in it.”

There was a pause as they took this in.

“Maul!”

Yaddle gritted her teeth as she felt the weight of the Senate begin to crumble towards her, feeling the way the floor buckled, her focus even so trained directly towards the battle that was happening.

Yaddle was a Jedi – and Jedi did not hate. But in that one moment…as Yaddle watched the footwork and the movements of a man that they had thought dead for nearly a decade, as Yaddle stared at the Sith that had lied in wait for so long…

Yaddle could see in every movement, every step and twist and parry, the sheer revelry, the relish that even now…even now…Maul felt in every bone of his body.

Yaddle could see the man who had trained a tiny…sweet little boy…and broken him.

Yaddle stared at that man, stared at that being, and found herself as close to hating as she had ever been.

She could see the movements, see the practice and the ease and in those moments when their feet were on the ground… That stance… Yaddle had trained many Jedi, had seen Masters and Apprentices fight as one. In those moments she knew who Maul’s Master had been, and similarly knew that he would slide into position alongside him with ease. This was the man who had trained him, had raised him, and the knowledge that as a united front they would be utterly seamless rose a sour taste in her mouth.

Yaddle tightened her grip on the floor above, knowing that there were feet running across it. They needed to end this quickly.

Tiq stared at Dooku, his mind reeling between everything else that had happened, the memories in his mind that did not belong to him and were not held as tightly as he wished, and the realization that whatever this was… Tiq rubbed his face for a moment.

“Tell me,” he said, “am I to understand that you’ve known that Palpatine was the Sith Lord this entire time…and…” he paused, “Dooku, please, I know that Yoda keeps beating you in dejarik, but surely that’s no reason to betray the Order and everything you know?”

Dooku stared down his nose at him, which Tiq would perhaps have found impressive if not for the fact that his nose was truly nothing compared to his own, and if he had not lost all respect for the man. “Jokes at a time like this, Healer?” he asked.

Tiq laughed, “Well, with a punchline like this I find I cannot help myself. Tell me, are you the one that’s been helping to organize the Separatists? Have you been doing this the entire time? Are you aware of…” Tiq paused, staring at him, and his mouth slowly pulled down. “You are aware. You’ve been helping. Tell me, Dooku, what happens after the Jedi are destroyed? Where does that leave you?”

Tiq was aware of the way Bail was staring at him, the shock in his expression, taking in Dooku who remained impassive before finally, with the slightest of movements as though brushing lint from his shoulder, “On the side of doing what matters. On the side that shall revolutionize the Galaxy. The Order has fallen, Healer, and you know I as well as I.”

“Do I?” Tiq asked with a slow hum.

“This entire Republic has fallen,” Dooku snapped, “and we are tied to it like an overgrown tumor. Its rot has spread, and we are left to pick up the pieces that we should never have carried to begin with. We are revolutionizing the Galaxy, placing the true minds at the helm, and we will create a better future.”

Tiq laughed sharp and bright and grinned at him, “Oh, Yan,” he said softly, “tell me, how do you plan to work with this man when you have already seen what he does to the ones that are beneath him? Why would you work with someone who hurt the one that he was literally responsible for? Who depended on him for life and for love and received nothing?”

“You are of course talking about Maul,” Dooku said, and scoffed, “clearly your attachment to that boy has superseded your clarity. Maul was and remains nothing more than a tool, something to be used and then discarded.”

And that was the moment when Tiq laughed in earnest, bright and full, amusement burning within him. Because now Tiq knew.

“You are wrong, Yan,” Tiq said, “I was in his mind,” Tiq hissed. “I was inside of his mind, and I have seen all that it is that you are to him…and that is utterly…beneath…notice. He had no thoughts of you at all, not a single glimmer of concern. But for Maul…oh I found great affection for him, Yan. I found a pride and a warmth that I did not glimpse anywhere else. I think, my dear friend…that you are being used. And I think you want to think about who and what you are truly willing to lose before activating Order 66.”

And Tiq watched as Dooku made the connection, watched as the truth of Tiq’s statement rested in the air between them…

And slowly…

Allowed himself…

To grin.

Ahsoka was buzzing in her seat, Joric was only able to go so fast, but she could feel the rise of panic, feel the fear as they finally managed to edge around the building that blocked the view of the Senate from the Temple she felt her heart leap into her mouth. Leaning up between the two front seats she stared at the way an entire far-side of the building started to collapse…and then was immediately froze in place.

There were more Jedi in there than Maul, she was certain, but she was also certain that she could feel him. He was in there somewhere, and the realization pounded in her chest, gripping her fingers tight onto the seats.

She immediately was almost sent into the far wall when Joric was forced to suddenly swerve, the cabby barking out a few choice curses as he dodged a speeder that seemed unable to keep from staring at the destruction and drive at the same time.

Surprising.

Qui-Gon’s hands steadied her, as did D’una’s pressure against her side and she nodded at them in thanks, turning back to stare at the Senate again that was quickly filling the viewscreen of the speeder as they grew close enough for a landing.

They were just close enough that she could begin to reach out her own senses, breathing deep in preparation for reaching out with the Force, for…

There was a scream from below, her attention immediately falling to the sight of a different entrance that she knew led to the lower prisons, realizing as she looked that there were…

Ahsoka was shoving the door of the cabby open before she could properly register what she was seeing, flying through the air and slowing her descent with the Force as she registered the figures below, took in the way they reached for the people inside still, and a small red figure that they were holding out to be grabbed…

Obi-Wan was suddenly falling next to her, the sound of Joric’s surprised cussing in the air as Qui-Gon, Wan, D’una and Anakin all leapt out as well, but she wasn’t worried about the cabby. He was able to take care of himself, and more importantly they were needed here.

Her thoughts snapped back to the present as she grew close enough to catch hold of the falling ceiling and floor, able to guide her own descent to the ground to something that barely jolted her, and immediately reached out to help Obi-Wan as he reached. Together they wound their Force with the three Nightbrothers working on keeping from falling into the hole that had opened up perilously close to them, from being crushed by the ceiling that fell.

Sabé had managed to grab Maul and was pulling him to safety, and Obi-Wan had caught Feral…

The floor crumbled beneath Ahsoka’s feet, and she let out a surprised shout, stumbling back, recognizing that they had worked to immediately grab hold of the floor and…

There was a cry, surprised, hurt, and Ahsoka’s attention snapped over to watch as “SAVAGE!” she cried out, trying to reach…but it was too late, and he fell through the hole beneath. Ahsoka could only grip hold tight to the floor that had swallowed him and hope that she could keep it from falling atop him… He would make it out, he had to…

And then she realized that Maul was screaming.

Obi-Wan dove in after Savage.

Qui-Gon and Anakin both worked to guide them out, Maul’s panicked and terrified tears spilling, as Feral grabbed him and held him close…

Ahsoka gritted her teeth and helped to keep them safe and together, D’una and Wan taking them in before running to help to stabilize the Senate. She trusted Obi-Wan, she trusted that they could do it… There were other Jedi in the Temple, and as she watched more were continuing to land, more were continuing to help to support…

What was going on?

Obi-Wan caught up to Savage quickly, recognizing the man’s desperation, the utter fear that caused him to reach… Obi-Wan caught him, the two of them falling, “Remember your rage!” Obi-Wan called out, and felt the moment when Savage finally sparked.

Together they managed to fall gently to the ground, though Obi-Wan immediately grabbed him and dragged him through further debris, feeling as Savage reached out with him to shove death to the side. Obi-Wan could feel other Jedi reaching out, could feel the structure stabilizing, even as he knew that it was only temporary.

Not even the whole of the Jedi Temple could keep a building the size of the Senate from crumbling in upon itself, not without something helping to take up the added weight – eventually they would tire.

It was too much for too long, so they had to act quickly… But as Obi-Wan ran he also realized he could sense…

“Who is that?” Obi-Wan asked, looking to Savage who was running alongside him, “who all is here, what is happening?”

“Your Chancellor kidnapped my Brother, your Chancellor is the Sith,” Savage said.

Obi-Wan stopped running.

“How does it feel?” Palpatine asked, barely heard through the rushing of blood through Plo’s body, his breath burning in his respirator, his eyes focused. “How does it feel knowing that all this time I was right here? How does it feel knowing that no matter what happens you will not be able to save this Senate?” He laughed, striking out at them, whirling between Mace and Plo, Yoda attempting to launch himself forward and being sent back with a bolt of lightning.

Always there was lightning, always there was judgement… And Plo’s own judgement was rising beneath his skin, something that he could feel burning at the tips of his fingers.

Plo finally unleashed his own attack, lightning burning bright and yellow in contrast to the Sith’s own cruel blue…

Palpatine cast his own through it, and Plo was forced to bring his lightsaber up, catching it upon its surface, dissipating it.

“Ah,” Palpatine hummed, “I had often wondered what that would be like in comparison. Not much, is it?”

Palpatine laughed, and he laughed, and he laughed…and this more than anything was the worst of it all. No matter what they did, and they did get hits, they were able to send him back, were able to throw him through any number of things, but he always…always…laughed.

The perverse joy, the utter delight in every moment, and Plo knew that primarily it was because of the fact that it was true.

There would be no saving the Senate.

All that was left of the building would crumble, and Plo knew, could see how they were moving towards the very floor of the Senate itself.

And it may very well be the last time anyone ever did.

Bail stared at Tiq, before staring at Dooku, utterly and completely blown away.

Tiq raised his brows higher, and finally, quietly, “I will contact Kamino,” Dooku managed quietly.

“Oh,” Tiq said, “thank you, please, keep on the line, I would like to talk to them as well.” He paused, “you know, I don’t know a Kamino…”

“It was removed…from the Records,” Dooku said stiffly.

Tiq laughed, “Oh, I am betting Jocasta would thank you for that, wouldn’t she, Yan?”

Bail watched as Dooku actually winced and turned his attention back to the Healer who was smiling so pleasantly.

Well.

Maul had always admired the man, Bail supposed this made sense.

And then Dooku stiffened, “and why would she? Why would she know any of this?”

“Are you hoping to brush it all under the rug, Yan?” Tiq asked pleasantly. “I’m afraid it’s a little late for that. I think I would recommend not getting involved with a megalomaniac. I think that would actually make it easier.”

“I will see to it you get a fair trial,” Bail said, the words sliding out with ease. They were wasting precious time and Bail could see that Tiq was at the point of collapse and it was making him edgy. “If you help us end this, if you help us destroy Palpatine’s operations, then I will see that you are noted as a defector. You will get a fair trial.”

Dooku took this in for a moment and finally nodded. “Done.”

There was a pause and then the comm was once again ringing and another hologram pulled up, and it was a being that Bail had never seen before.

“The Chancellor?” Obi-Wan managed, his voice broken with shock. “The Chancellor is the Sith?”

“The Chancellor stole my brother,” Savage snarled back at him, and Obi-Wan wasn’t entirely certain that the reaction was fair, but at the same time could not begrudge it. “I am going to kill him.”

Obi-Wan could absolutely begrudge that, particularly when Savage immediately took off running, and forced Obi-Wan to do the same.

“Wait!” Obi-Wan called out, “we have to get out, the entire place is coming down! How do you think Maul is going to feel when you die because you refused to leave!”

“How will he feel knowing his brother was once again unable to protect him?” Savage called back, and his voice was thick with rage and despair, the sort that came from deep within, and was apparently something that he had been struggling with for years. Obi-Wan recognized it, knew it, and he also had a feeling that this was not going to be something Savage would be able to put down. It was too deep, too engrained…

And if Obi-Wan was honest with himself he didn’t truly want to put it down either.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, searched his feelings of anger and fear and that slowly mounting resolve to end this. Obi-Wan did not doubt that there were Jedi, and he thought now that they needed help more than ever. They needed to end this, and Savage was a warrior from a warrior culture, one that had trained with Maul himself… But most importantly he would not be doing it alone. Obi-Wan would be with him, as would the rest of the Jedi.

So, Obi-Wan felt his mouth set, and allowed his senses to reach out, catching hold of the emotion and the anger and the hate that boiled at the center of it all, and ran, soon catching up to Savage. Savage spared him a glance, and Obi-Wan took a breath.

“We’ll kill him together.”

Savage laughed, and Obi-Wan felt as the man changed his run to match with his.

“I like that plan,” Savage grinned, and Obi-Wan gave a sharp nod.

Tiq hummed quietly as he listened to Dooku talking to a Kaminoan that was apparently named Lama Su. It was annoying Dooku he could tell, but Tiq didn’t care, it was one of the few things keeping him aware. The pain had grown as things had gone on and he rather thought that he might need to be submerged in bacta at some point…but not now.

Not yet.

“You wish the chips deactivated?” Lama asked, and there was surprise in his voice.

“Indeed,” Dooku said, “it is…unnecessary. There has been a change of plans.”

“He’ll pay you double~” Tiq cut in with a wide smile before Dooku could say another word, “for the hassle, of course,” he let his tone turn soft and cajoling, and when the Kaminoan’s eyes locked on his, Tiq let his own squint in a gentle grin.

And then he looked to Dooku as Lama did, and proceeded to stare at him blankly.

“That might be the best thing to do,” Bail said, “given the…circumstances.” Bail smiled at Dooku broadly, and Tiq felt a bright burst of amusement.

Dooku paused for a moment, and finally, quietly, “Yes…yes, of…of course, for the…for the hassle.”

“Well,” Lama said, his voice slow, and thoughtful, and above all…pleased. “I rather think that we can do this…easily enough.”

“Thank you,” Dooku said, “we would like this to happen…as soon as possible.”

“Of course,” Lama said, “right away as the customer demands…as soon as the money is deposited?”

Dooku paused, for a moment pinned under the weight of all their stares. “You’ll get half…”

Bail cleared his throat.

“…You will get it immediately.”

Tiq rather thought he liked Bail.

The Chancellor was throwing the Senate at them.

Yoda leapt and twisted through the air, accompanied by Mace and Plo as Palpatine sent various Senate seats flying through the air at them, almost completely at random. That made them more dangerous, and Yoda was forced to keep moving. There was barely any time to catch their breath, and Yoda was once again reminded of the fact that it had been long since they had been forced to fight like this.

They were separated, and it was dangerous, Mace already almost having his head sent off his body if he had not managed to duck in time.

The walls were crumbling, the arch above their head shuddering and Yoda knew that they needed to end this quickly or they would risk being buried alive.

Palpatine did not care.

Yoda was realizing that Palpatine had absolutely nothing to lose, in too many ways he had already lost. Palpatine was a cornered animal, and that made him dangerous.

And then all thoughts were lost when with a sudden explosion of duracrete and metal, Agen Kolar hurled himself seemingly from nowhere, kicking Palpatine in the back of the head and sending him falling, a loud surprised sound leaving him as he fell.

But as Palpatine managed to flip and catch himself on another seat he only began to laugh harder. Agen stared down at him with his eyes flashing, and then he looked to them.

They had time to regroup.

Feral was holding his little brother close to his chest, aware of the rapid beating of his hearts, aware of the fear that choked him.

Savage was in there, Savage was deep within the Senate, and while he had help with him, while the Jedi were working together to hold the Senate up, Feral knew it was only a matter of time.

As more people were evacuating the Jedi were allowing more and more of it to drop, able to move onto other sections that still had people within it, and Feral was terrified at the idea that they were doing it when there were only individual life signs, when the loss was considered acceptable. Feral thought the fear was unfounded…he nonetheless could not shake it.

Maul was shaking in his arms, and Feral could feel the way his face was pressed to his chest and knew that he was almost beyond fear. The only thing left was shock and a sort of detached emptiness. Maul did not believe that Savage would make it out alive.

Maul likely thought that all of the ones that were left were dead.

But as Feral watched he realized that Depa had made it out, and Eeth with her, as well as Yaddle… Feral ran to them, breaking free of the barrier that the droids were making, the barrier that he had remained behind with Padmé and the others, hearing the calls to wait, to halt, but Feral could not.

“Please,” he yelled as he got close, “please did you find my brother?”

“Is he in there?” Eeth asked, immediately hurrying over towards him.

“He fell, Obi-Wan is with him,” Feral said, and turned his attention back to the building, watching as it shook. “Please,” he said, “I can’t lose him.”

The Jedi looked at him and then looked at each other, and it was a look that Feral recognized.

It was a look that Feral dreaded.

Bail worked with Tiq to gather the last of the evidence, copying it in drives, sending it to news outlets, anything they could to reveal the truth of the matter.. This was after, of course, Dooku had also called someone who was apparently named…General Grievous…and…

Bail had stopped paying much attention after that. The entire thing had been too much, and he had found watching Tiq that much more entertaining, mostly because Tiq had moved on from saying a word and just simply spoke in looks.

They were the most devastatingly unimpressed looks Bail had ever seen. Dooku seemed to cringe under them more and more as time went on, and when he had finally hung up Tiq had buried his face in his hands. This was ample time for Bail to call his wife.

They had not discussed much else, merely that Dooku had surrendered most of his assets – though the how of this surrendering went unsaid – and would be arriving by shuttle soon. Bail would be worried, perhaps, about the idea that Dooku might attempt to take his family hostage, but Alderaan had a few visitors that would be helpful. A number of Jedi that had been visiting as a special favor from Yoda.

Bail usually was rather grateful to be friends with Yoda, but this was ridiculous.

They had finally managed to amass all of the information that they could, and there was so much of it and so much of it was so horrifying that Bail had not truly allowed himself to process it. And then finally he was left with Tiq, who hummed thoughtfully, reached out once more with mechu-deru - and Bail would absolutely be thanking Maul profusely for teaching Tiq – and then he had nodded, before clapping his hands twice.

“Well,” he said brightly, “that’s done. Now, Bail. I do not usually ask this question beforehand, but I find it necessary at this juncture. Do you trust me?”

Bail laughed, unable to help it, “at this point I believe it would be rather unreasonable to not.”

“Oh, well then good,” Tiq smiled, “because I’m going to throw you out the window.”

Agen Kolar had heard that the Chancellor had been the one to kidnap and torture Maul and had immediately decided that he was going to kill him.

He had seen one brief glimpse of Maul trembling in the grip of his older brother, and it had been enough to rocket him into motion. It was too much, it had always been too much, from the very beginning when Maul had not known a damn thing about himself as a Zabrak, to now as he was learning what it was to be a Brother, too much had been done. It would all end now.

Palpatine stood before them on a single hovering platform, wiping his mouth with his hand, and Agen was gratified to see blood. Apparently the Chancellor had caught himself with his face, and it made Agen feel rather smug. He stood next to Mace and Plo, Yoda two platforms over, and for a moment they stared at each other.

And then Palpatine laughed, and the seats once again began their raining. But this time they were ready, their positions grounded.

They caught a seat and turned its trajectory back.

Savage followed the sounds of electricity and destruction, completely able to hear it at this point, the sound of laughter echoing between, and it was a laughter that he knew. It was a laughter that he had heard in his nightmares since he was twelve, a laughter that had caused him to hold Feral all the tighter. The fear that the man would come back and finish the job, would steal the brother that Savage had left, and he would be alone…

Savage would be a failure twice over, would have lost even Feral, who had relied on him for so much, who had loved him… Who Savage loved. Had cradled in his arms and felt nothing but the pure desire to protect and to teach, coupled with his brother. How proud Savage had been, how delighted he had been to be graced with Twins.

And then the laughter had come, the laughter that had rang through the trees and froze Savage’s hearts and had stolen his youngest with it.

And now here he was, and he was going to destroy that laughter, choke it in the lungs that it came from. Savage had waited all his life for this.

He would not wait any longer.

Tiq had thought Bail had handled his proclamation better than expected.

After the initial shock, Bail realized that the building was still coming down around their ears, and when Tiq had told him that he didn’t have the strength to come down with him, Bail had grabbed his forearms and told him that he would let them know he was coming.

Tiq told him he definitely appreciated it, and then he had sent the glass flying from the window with a brief burst of the Force, the wind immediately whipping around them, tugging at Tiq’s and the Senator’s own robes, Tiq pulling Bail to the window where they stood for just long enough for Tiq to gather his strength, and then he had sent Bail into the air.

The scream that the man let out was just the thing to catch attention, and sure enough Tiq felt the way another Jedi caught him around Tiq’s own influence, Tiq releasing him into the hold of…oh…who was…ah, yes, Anakin. Tiq leaned out the window then, watching as Anakin brought Bail down to land safely next to him, and then focused up on him.

Tiq waved and watched as Anakin jolted in realization, immediately stepping forward, bracing himself.

Tiq jumped out the window, caught in the net of Anakin’s hold, the teen slowly working to lower him down to his feet.

Tiq brushed his robes off, smiling, “I think that went well!” he said to Bail, and then all he knew was dark.

You are the Chancellor of the Republic.

But most importantly you are the Sith.

You are the corruption at the bottom of the well, the poison that has seeped into the water supply since the beginning, and you have longed for this moment.

But it had not come in the way that it was meant to. You stood facing the Jedi, full of a hideous strength that you had wanted to unleash for years…

And it was not enough.

It had not been enough, and the knowledge filled you with rage and with hate, and this in turn fueled you. And yet this.

Was not.

Enough.

It had taken longer than it should have to realize that the memories that had belonged to your Apprentice had been stolen. It was a devastating blow, particularly in the midst of all of these other devastating blows.

You refused to lose.

You sneered at the Jedi, the enemies of your Order for Millenia, the very ones that you had allowed correct your many oversights with the Apprentice you had chosen… And you recognized that now, recognized that they had been oversights and moments of devastation… But they did not waver, and your hatred burned.

The sudden appearance of another Jedi, an Obi-Wan Kenobi was nearly enough to send you into a frothing rage.

He threw another senate seat at you, and you leapt out of the way, feeling the way you were suddenly hit from the side by a Push that could only have come from Yoda, sending you flying up and back and…

Pain.

You had almost forgotten…what it felt like.

And then you felt nothing at all.

In the end it had been a simple matter to get into position.

Savage had worked his way through the maze of flying senate seats, his fist gripping a durasteel pipe that he thought at one point might have been meant to hold duracrete in place. It would no longer serve that job, but it was good enough for the job that Savage had for it, and he had waited… When Savage had managed to get himself positioned properly, hidden from sight and sense, though that was not difficult.

The man who had kidnapped his brother was fully focused upon the Jedi before him, all else beneath his notice, which meant that Savage was perfectly able to keep low, to draw his presence inward.

But he was not beneath the notice of the Jedi.

They had seen him, though not a single one of them had given it away, letting Savage creep…

And then Savage was fully in position, and Obi-Wan leapt into view, spinning his lightsaber, robes flying in the air, all flash and threat and violence…

And as the man that had stolen an entire life from Savage’s hold leapt to avoid him…

Yoda, Mace, Agen, and Plo were able to shove him up and back, and Savage…who had been standing and waiting for this moment since he was young and knew enough to know that he would never hate another being as much as he did the one that had stolen his brother…

Savage took that durasteel and drove it clean through the kidnapper’s spine.

Savage lifted him slowly off his feet, watching and feeling with a grim satisfaction the way the lightsabers fell to the ground as he lost control of his limbs, turning off as they did and falling to the ground far below. He listened to the gurgle and the crunch as the body slowly slid back towards his hands, gravity pulling it down.

Savage heard the gurgling breath and was just able to stare into the yellow eyes of the man who had stolen his brother from the corner of his own, and softly, his voice a low hiss, “You stole my brother from me. You shall steal nothing more.”

And with a grim satisfaction shoved him off the edge of the senate box.

Savage watched the man plummet to the ground far below, impaled and utterly unable to do a thing to break his own fall, kept from the Force, kept from help…and in that moment realized that he was not the only one watching.

And then the body hit the ground.

Savage watched quietly, grimly, and then looked to the men that had helped, the ones that had loved his brother when he could not and smiled.

The sound of the building breaking further, the feeling of the ground shuddering below his feet was an immediate reminder that they were not yet safe.

Savage needed to get back to his brothers.

The Jedi were tiring, Maul was tiring, all of them doing their best to keep the last bit of the building up.

They had managed to evacuate most of the Senators, and the droids had come up with more of the Guards, bearing them on stretchers. More had lived than Maul had expected, but he was still…

Mace.

Yoda.

Plo.

Agen.

Obi-Wan.

Savage…

Maul had watched Agen dive through the wall himself after the realization that the man who had hurt him was the Chancellor, had seen the rage in his face and the way he had immediately dropped everything. It was the angriest that Maul had ever seen a Jedi, but it also meant that Agen was in there…

Maul had seen Tiq collapse, though he had been assured by Anakin that he was okay. Though now…now all who could hold on were doing so, but Maul was weakening. Maul was weakening and he was furious about it. He knew that he was little, he knew that he was still learning, he knew that he could only do so much… But Maul desperately needed… He needed to know his brother was okay.

He needed to know…

And so, Maul held on.

Maul held on even as his vision darkened, even as…

And then, just as suddenly as though shot from a blaster, the familiar figures of the Jedi leapt from the building, and a single yell was heard of “DROP IT!!!” in his brother’s distinctive accent and voice as he leaps behind them.

The Jedi let go of the Senate, those that still could grabbed the ones in the air, and Maul watched as his family was guided back to the ground, and then Maul heard it.

The sound was deafening, a terrible crunch and crumble of grating duracrete and durasteel, as the last of the domed structure came to earth with a great and terrible explosion.

And then came the wall of white, the flying debris, and once again the Jedi reached out, and sent the plume into the sky.

The sun was gone.

All was dark.

But Maul saw two pairs of eyes.

Eyes that glowed like his, eyes that he saw looking at him…

And he knew that everything would be okay.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt. 10

Tiny boy has a very big day, and gets an even bigger, and more amazing surprise.

Ahsoka Tano was on the hunt…for a very tiny Zabrak boy that had been returned to the Temple.

She knew that he was here, she’d heard about him being around, and she wanted to take the little boy hunting. Maul had a tooth missing, and by their traditions and rules, that meant that he needed to go hunting! It was what had happened with her, and…sure, Maul wasn’t a Togruta, but he was her brother! It was her job! And from what she heard, Maul had come back and was going to be having lunch, soon, which was just perfect for her.

She was an accomplished hunter on her own, now, had just won her first pair of Akul teeth recently. She was perfect to teach him.

The fact that she was planning on having him lie in wait up in a tree with her, therefore causing him to remove his boots and thus revealing the tiniest toe-beans she had ever seen had nothing to do with it…

…

Not that she would admit anyway.

Ahsoka sniffed, her eyes narrowed as she walked through the halls looking for a little boy.

When she finally found him she broke into a smile, finding him standing and talking to Plo, Mace just behind him. Ahsoka walked quickly, watching as those tiny, delicately pointed ears pricked slightly, before Maul turned around to look at her. Ahsoka smiled as wide as possible, giving a brief wave, and similarly drew both Mace and Plo’s attention.

“Hello, Masters,” she said, bowing, receiving one in turn.

“Ahsoka,” Plo smiled, the look warm.

“It is good to see you,” Mace dipped his head in acknowledgement, the slightest of grins on his face. “Did you have a question?”

“I was wondering if you would allow me to take Maul hunting?”

Maul immediately perked, and Ahsoka grinned at him, watching as he turned his attention to look up at Mace, his eyes so wide.

Mace looked down at him for a moment, before looking up at Ahsoka.

“He’s lost a tooth!” Ahsoka said, pointing to the one in her own mouth that she knew Maul was missing. “That means he’s supposed to be taken on his first hunt!”

“If he were a Togruta,” Mace said, his expression shifting with the slightest bit of amusement, and Ahsoka did her best to nod heavily.

“Yes, of course,” she agreed, “but he doesn’t know his own hunting culture…isn’t it only right that I share my own?”

There was a pause, Plo looking to Mace, who looked to Maul, then finally back to Ahsoka, and then back to Maul.

“Would you like to go hunting with Ahsoka?” he asked.

“Yes, please!” Maul called out, beaming.

Mace hesitated for another beat before looking to Ahsoka, “you will make sure to cook and butcher it for him correctly, yes?”

“Of course!” Ahsoka beamed, “it’s my job! I’ll take good care of him, Mace, I promise! We’ll even ambush like he’s supposed to!”

“Okay,” Mace smiled, “listen to Ahsoka, Maul,” he said, looking to Maul, who nodded very gravely, before looking to Ahsoka.

“Hand?” she asked, holding hers out, Maul beamed at her and took it, and she immediately took him running, keeping her strides short and loping so Maul’s much smaller legs could keep up. Maul gave a brief call of delight, and she knew the adrenaline was starting to wake, could feel it in the way his hand tightened its grip around hers, the warmth in the laugh he let out. “Up?” Ahsoka asked shortly, looking down at him out of the corner of her eye, and Maul beamed.

“Please!”

Ahsoka immediately stooped, scooping Maul under the arms mid-run, and lifting him up into the air, hearing him squeal with surprise and laughter, before bundling him close, supporting under his legs and across his back, feeling the way Maul pulled himself close. Maul carefully moved her lek behind her shoulder with his hand, before putting his face where it had been, avoiding poking her with his horns as he did so. Ahsoka laughed, hiking him up just a little bit, prompting a giggle, and he held tighter.

She ran faster.

Maul smelled nice, like fruit and nice oils, his skin soft where his hand held her shoulder, his head turning to watch where she ran. He was a Zabrak, so he was not as light as some of the other children of his size that she had carried, but he was young…he was so young, so small…

Ahsoka could feel the hardness of bone in a way that she did not normally feel in one so young.

…

Ahsoka tightened her hold, feeling her heart swell in her chest. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair…

Maul deserved to feel like this all the time, to be treated with kindness and held in arms that loved him…and yet she knew that he hadn’t been. She knew that Maul had more scars even now, and had broken more bones than she ever had – and she was over twice his age. A year over, maybe, but still. It hurt…it hurt knowing that Maul had been so mistreated. Knowing that the kindness he was receiving now was something so foreign that half of the time he informed her that he did not understand why they did this, why they bothered…

Ahsoka thought of a Maul who had been five years older than her now…five years older than her, and even more deeply scarred, even more unused to affection and kindness, and she held the boy in her arms and thanked the Force, thanked the Light, thanked the Dark…that she had this chance.

She knew that Maul had been terrified of this, that it had perhaps…perhaps…

Ahsoka still could not think of it yet. It hurt that part within her, and she had yet to breathe it out…

But she also knew that so much good had come of it.

Maul’s Brothers were free.

And now so was Maul.

She slid into the lift, using the Force to push the button from a distance and causing a squeal of delight, and then promptly hit the button that would take them to the proper floor for hunting. The doors closed, and Ahsoka allowed herself to laugh aloud, pulling back just enough to beam at Maul’s face, taking in the bright smile, the way his eyes squinted in glee, and the breathless laughter that escaped him. Unable to help herself, Ahsoka leaned forward and pressed her montrals to his horns, giggling, “was that fun?”

“Yes,” Maul laughed, “thank you! You are very fast.”

“I am!” Ahsoka beamed, “I’m built for sprinting long distances!”

Maul nodded, “Does that mean you’re going to teach me how to run down prey?”

“I don’t think so, bud,” Ahsoka shook her head, smiling, “I’m going to teach you the same thing that you taught me a long time ago – we’re going to ambush something. For as good and as fast as you are, I think we should do something that you’re built for first, and you are built to stalk and ambus.”

Maul nodded. “Okay,” he agreed.

That decided, Ahsoka put Maul down, taking his hand one more time and waiting for the elevator to finally slide open.

Maul took a small step forward, letting go of her hand in his shock, staring around at everything with wide eyes, his chin tilting up as he closed his eyes, scenting. Ahsoka watched with pride, her hands on her hips as she saw him falling into typical Zabrak hunting instincts – at least that she had seen in other Zabrak. Togruta utilized smell as well, but their sense of smell was nowhere near as strong as their fellow carnivores – Togruta used their montrals.

The world around them turned into echoes of movement, of space, waving grasses and rustling trees, and the animals that lived within them. She wondered what he smelled, which animal he was currently scenting, or if it was all a collective of scents, if it filled his brain and he weeded it out.

It was fascinating.

Normally, Ahsoka would tease him, poke at his usage of scent and talk about how he must be jealous of her ability to hear, but she didn’t think that this little Maul would understand just yet. She might actually hurt him. So, Ahsoka grinned, and took a step to stand next to him, the lift closing behind them.

“Pretty wizard, huh?” she asked.

Maul turned to look at her with wide eyes, before he seemed to recognize what she said, and his eyes narrowed. “Wizard?” he repeated.

“Yup,” Ahsoka grinned, “you said it aaaaaaall the time when you were older.”

Maul stared at her longer. “I do not believe you. I would never have that bad of a taste in positive exclamations.”

He sniffed, turned on his heel, and walked away.

Ahsoka cackled.

She hurried after him after she gained control, coming up to stand next to Maul and look around with him. “It’s big, isn’t it?”

“It makes sense,” he said softly, “we live on a City planet…there’s nothing left of the places that we could hunt for anything, and there’s so many Jedi that are carnivorous…shipping food in on that level would be an astronomical cost.” He looked to her, “what are we going to hunt?”

“First off,” Ahsoka said, “I’m going to introduce you to how to use a knife.” She pulled the weapon from where she had hilted it on her belt. It was a ceremonial blade, one that she had used to kill her own first Akul, their teeth crowning her now, and she smiled. When Maul looked almost unimpressed with her statement she grinned. “You already familiar with a knife?”

“I’ve hunted before,” Maul confirmed. “My Master left me alone for five days,” he said, standing straighter, “I used sharpened sticks then, a knife is better.”

Ahsoka’s heart twisted, but nonetheless she nodded. “That’s pretty impressive,” she said, “and definitely makes the hunting a lot easier. Were you able to clean it properly?”

Maul hesitated for a moment and then shook his head slowly, his eyes lowering, “I did not know how.”

“Alright,” Ahsoka smiled, “don’t worry, I’ll teach you. What you did for me when I was older is we climbed up into a tree and waited for something to come to us. Do you think you want to do that?”

Maul hesitated for a moment, clearly thinking, and then nodded.

Excellent, her plan was coming together already.

Maul had never expected this.

He had known, had fully expected that the Jedi would have their own way to sustain the life within the Temple for the simple fact that feeding the lot of them from an outside means would be unbelievably expensive. Yet…somehow the smells of animal, of green things, of growth was beyond what he had ever expected. He was staring at a sustainable little ecosystem, could see artificial clouds close to the ceiling, could smell what might be rain… Maul wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to be here if it rained, but he supposed it would depend on if he was up in a sufficiently sheltered tree.

He did like the idea of climbing one of the trees that he could see, taking in their large and outstretched branches, the explosion of green and sweet-smelling leaves.

The closer he got to them the more appealing they were, following Ahsoka’s lead of sneaking. They needed to make sure not to disturb the prey within.

They continued until they were at the base of a tree that had a decent amount of cover and wide branches that they could lay upon easily. He looked up at them, before looking to Ahsoka, who was taking her boots off and revealing clawed feet like his own. Maul nodded his head decisively and began taking off his boots, relishing in the feel of the grass and the dirt on his pads.

The moisturizer that Mace had been using had worked wonders, and Padmé’s work today had removed the last of the itchy and dead skin from his feet. He felt wonderful, better than he had in a long time, and it was enough to take the boots with the Force and work his way up the tree using his claws on his fingers and toes, the knife in his teeth. Ahsoka climbed in the same way as him, turning a brilliant smile his way. When they had finally made it to the branches that they wanted they sprawled across them, placing their boots close to the tree so they would not fall off, Maul took the knife from his teeth and made a few practice stabbing motions before looking back to Ahsoka.

“And now we wait,” Ahsoka beamed.

Maul smiled at her, and hunkered down.

Maul was good at waiting.

Ahsoka could see them.

She could see each and every one of his little toe beans, watching as his toes curled and flexed behind him, the movements rhythmic and unfocused. They were so tiny, and the desire to squish them was building by the second. They looked so soft, and Ahsoka knew that this had been something that was fought for.

Maul’s tattoos had not been allowed to heal properly, his Master not giving him anything to take care of them, and she had been told to be very careful when touching him at first. There were a lot of places that were genuinely infected, and she had been so afraid…

But now he was doing much better, and all of the cracks that had been reported on his little toe pads were healed. He looked so much better, all told, even in the relatively short time that they had had him. It made Ahsoka gloriously happy.

She still wanted to squish the beans…

And as she watched them flex and relax as he kicked them over his back it was so much worse.

“What is it?” Maul asked softly, his voice quiet, but still audible to her, Ahsoka blinking, looking to see those sharp eyes staring at her. “You keep looking at my feet.”

“They’re cute!” Ahsoka said, “you have the tiniest little toepads, and I want to squish them!”

Maul blinked at her, looked back at his own feet, and then looked back at Ahsoka. “You think my toepads are cute?” he asked, looking utterly baffled, his brows rising. Ahsoka couldn’t help it. She giggled. As Maul narrowed his eyes at her she shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Maul, unfortunately I think that you’re cute,” she laughed as Maul narrowed his eyes at her and waved a hand, “but that’s not a bad thing. You’re very small, you see, and your toe beans are even smaller, and that’s adorable. It’s the cute-aggression, I want to squish them.”

Maul sniffed. “I am not cute.”

“That just makes you cuter.”

“Unfair.”

“You can’t change it, Maul,” Ahsoka said gravely, “it just is, you are cute.” Maul sighed, looking so put-upon that Ahsoka couldn’t help but smile. “It’s okay, Maul,” she said, “it just means that you’re more devastating because people underestimate you.” She nodded very sagely, and Maul took that in for a moment and then gave a slight tilt of his head in agreement.

“I see,” he said finally, “so it is a bit like a weapon?”

“Or a tool that you put in a box,” Ahsoka said, nodding, falling upon the metaphor that Maul himself had taught her a long time ago.

Maul took that in for a moment and then finally nodded, before looking back at his feet. “When…when you say squeeze them,” he said softly, looking back at Ahsoka, “do you mean to hurt them?”

Ahsoka blinked.

The question for one moment seemed so utterly out of nowhere, so confusing that she was genuinely uncertain what he had said. She straightened up, watching Maul as he watched her, the start of something almost…wary in those golden eyes, in the way he lowered his head slightly, showing more of the small but still very sharp horns.

“No,” she finally managed, shaking her head, “it’s not…it’s not a bad aggression, I don’t want to hurt you. Cute-aggression isn’t about hurting anything, really, and if they do hurt you while saying it’s about you being cute then that’s just…wrong.”

Maul took that in for a moment before finally nodding.

“I can show you what I mean if you want?” Ahsoka said. Maul took that in for another moment, before finally sitting up properly, gesturing to the other side of his branch. Ahsoka beamed.

Crawling across to him, she found herself in the same position she had been in years ago, only in that moment their positions were in many ways reversed. Maul had been teaching her then, though they had not managed to catch anything…now she was going to be teaching him…now she was the older. Now she needed to take care of him, and that meant making sure that he knew she didn’t want to hurt him.

Maul stared at her for a moment before finally offering her one very tiny, and very adorable little foot.

Ahsoka carefully took his ankle in her hand, before pressing her finger directly into the center of the pad on the ball of his foot. Maul’s toes curled in response, and the feeling of all of those tiny little pads trapping her finger, the small pinpricks of his claws not causing pain but there… Ahsoka couldn’t help it.

She cooed.

Maul jerked slightly at the sound, his claws digging reflexively, his eyes wide and Ahsoka immediately looked up at him, pausing. Maul stared at her, stared at his foot, and then stared back at her. She carefully pushed her finger into the softness of his pad, feeling the way it gave slightly to her finger, the firmness to it, and beamed at him. Maul frowned slightly, but let his toes slowly uncurl, eyeing her with uncertainty.

Ahsoka decided this was the perfect time to pinch one of those tiny toes.

It was divine. The pad was just the right amount of squishy, and she poked the other toes gently, delighting in the feel, before finally giggling quietly, and pulling back.

“Thank you, Maul,” she said, beaming, “your toe beans are just as wonderful as I hoped they would be.”

Maul stared at her.

“Thank…you?” he asked finally, and slowly lowered his foot down, once again hiding the beans. “That was all you wanted? Just to…poke them?”

“Yup,” Ahsoka beamed, “they’re very squishy and as nice to poke as I thought they would be. Thank you for letting me!”

Maul hesitated for a moment and slowly nodded.

Maul perked up at the same time as Ahsoka heard it, the two of them immediately turning to look at the far edge of the small clearing they had made their way into, watching as a large bipedal creature worked its way into the undergrowth. Maul shifted, staring at it with narrow-eyed intensity, his grip on the knife shifting. He looked back at Ahsoka, and she narrowed her eyes at it, taking it in.

It was a mawgax… An herbivore, it had some nasty spines on its heels, and its hooves could be dangerous if you were within range of them. With that said, it had no wings, and while it could jump, they were above it. They were truly within perfect ambush territory…

Ahsoka met eyes with Maul, who was shifting in the tree, getting ready for her approval, and the realization made her chest tighten. She put her hand on her lightsaber. If anything happened she would be sure to provide backup. Maul traced the movement, took in her hand on her weapon, and looked back up to her. Ahsoka nodded at him firmly.

She had his back.

Maul gave a slower, more hesitant nod back.

He looked back at the mawgax as it took a few steps underneath their tree, changed his grip, and then dropped.

Ahsoka watched as Maul landed on its back, immediately digging his knees into the beast, holding on with all his might, and all of the Force, feeling the way that spark in Maul flamed bright, his knife flashing with movement before Ahsoka could even properly register it.

She did see the blood that spilled from the mawgax, realizing that Maul had slit its throat.

It was a swift and humane death, all things considered, particularly judging from the depth of the cut, as well as the amount of blood.

The mawgax slumped to the ground, Maul spilling off of it, rolling into an upright position, and looking up at her with wide eyes.

Ahsoka beamed.

“YEAH, MAUL!” she called out, throwing both fists in the air. “That was so good, you got it so quick!”

Maul’s slightly shocked expression, one that almost suggested he wasn’t sure how she would react, turned to a smile, his eyes gleaming with pride.

Ahsoka dropped to the ground, walking over to look at the corpse of the mawgax, feeling the way the Force left the bird completely, and turned to beam at him.

“That was so good!” Ahsoka praised again, “I can’t believe you got it so fast,” she said, leaning forward, dipping her head so Maul’s horns could brush her montrals. Maul rocked back on his heels slightly, delight and surprise and something so unidentifiable in his eyes, but something so beautiful, and he pressed his horns to her montrals. “Well done, little hunter,” she said, “you have earned your kill.” She pulled back, smiling, “shall we butcher it together?”

“Yes, please,” Maul said.

She held her hand out for the knife, and Maul gave it to her.

Maul had watched and helped Ahsoka through the butchering process, listening and watching as the older carnivore taught him the proper way. She had started a roaring fire and as they worked they snacked, Ahsoka letting him take bits and pieces at first, but then roasting it as it took more time to clean.

Maul was surprised to learn how nice raw meat could taste when it was fresh. He had been wary when Ahsoka had first held out some of the pieces she had cut for him, but after Ahsoka had nibbled on her own pieces he had taken it. It seemed more likely that she would not be attempting to trick him, that he was able to eat it, if she did it too.

Ahsoka had done so without complaint, or even comment, though Maul could see the way her smile pinched.

She wasn’t happy about the fact that Maul had not been willing to take it from her initially…though he thought…he thought it was because it made her sad. Maul was learning other emotions now, ones that were not hate, and fear, and anger, but sad was one that he had felt for a very long time without knowing what it was.

Tiq had worked with him on identifying it, telling him that the older version of him had fought his depression violently for a very long time, but would periodically be overtaken by it. He spoke quietly of what that meant, of what it felt like…of the moments when he would wake up and not want to get out of bed because the idea of going through the day, even though he was in a place that was very different, was sometimes so heavy he could not even move. Maul had been able to identify that tendency in himself now, something that Tiq had taken his hands for, and the quiet promise that it would be something they would work on.

It was…nice to know that so many people were looking out for him, so many people wanted for him to do as well as possible, and were willing to do so much to work with him.

It made him feel very small sometimes.

Tiq had told him that this was a normal feeling, but also one that he was allowed to, and indeed meant to ignore. They chose. They thought that Maul was worth it.

They loved him.

Maul had never been loved before, and the knowledge burned within him.

He was loved, he was loved, he was loved.

And he loved them.

Maul and Ahsoka ate together, until they could eat no more, and then Ahsoka took him to an actual stream of water that he had not at all expected to see. When Ahsoka had pointed out that they were trying to make it as natural as possible, and as easy as possible for the creatures to graze and drink, Maul understood. They then finished dressing the carcass, before making a call to the Kitchens. Maul waited alongside Ahsoka, dividing the meat, and placing it on large leaves they had collected to keep it up from the ground. They’d buried the bones and the digestive organs, both of which Ahsoka had explained as a giving of thanks that her people still practiced. As Ahsoka was who was teaching him, Maul had followed instructions.

It was not long before a Togruta leading a floatbed that had a conservator unit that could be used to transport the carcass upon it approached. He was tall and broad of shoulder, and his smile when he caught sight of them was broad…and it was proud.

He went to business first, placing the meat within the conservator, quietly complimenting them on their butchering. He also took in the cut that Maul had first made, the one thing that Ahsoka had left whole and had in turn instructed Maul to do so as well.

The Togruta smiled, before looking at the two of them, his expression full of pride. “And who made the kill?”

“It was Maul, sir,” Ahsoka said, straightening up fully. “He has brought honor to himself and his people. He cut once and struck true,” she held up the blade that they had been using, “and he has buried the bones to honor the animal and honor the life he took.”

The Togruta smiled, and turned to look at Maul with his brown eyes full of warmth and pride. “Well done, young one,” he said, bowing. “I cannot honor you with your own culture, but I honor you in my own. Your kill was swift and your blade true. Well done, young hunter. May your blade never miss, and your stamina never falter.”

“Thank you,” Maul breathed, unsure what else to say, what else to do.

“My name is Dormosh Silon, and I appreciate how you have brought food for our larders and for our people. And you,” he said softly, looking to Ahsoka, “thank you, young one, for teaching him. You are a credit to your Akul Teeth, and to your own,” he gave a brief wink and Ahsoka beamed broadly.

“Come,” Dormosh said softly, “let’s bring it to the kitchens.”

Maul followed the two of them, taking Ahsoka’s hand when she held it out to him. Dormosh smiled at the two of them over his shoulder, long lekku shifting over his shoulder. They piled into the lift, Ahsoka slinging Maul up to sit atop the conservator, giggling as it bobbed with the extra weight put upon it.

Maul crossed his legs on it and sniffed which brought both Ahsoka and Dormosh to laughter.

They took him down the halls then, Dormosh with a guiding hand on the floatbed to get it to where it needed to be. Maul had never been in the kitchens, but as they got closer he could smell it, tilting his head up farther, closing his eyes in order to properly scent it.

There was meat and cooking things within, herbs and other beautiful smells that reminded him of Dex’s. It was good. When he opened his eyes he found both Ahsoka and Dormosh beaming at him. Maul ducked his head, but when Ahsoka gave him a small poke on the leg, her smile encouraging he allowed himself to straighten. Perhaps he really did have no reason to be ashamed.

Maul slipped off the conservator when they finally entered into the kitchens, looking around at the numerous carnivore species within…and blinked at the sight of a single omnivore.

Anakin was helping to stir one of the large pots, his hair tied up on top of his head and in a protective netting. Anakin caught sight of them and beamed. Maul smiled back.

Anakin waved to one of the others he was working with, a Zabrak who caught sight of Maul and rolled her eyes at Anakin but grinned, taking over and letting Anakin approach the three of them.

“Hey,” Anakin grinned, “how are you? How was hunting?”

Dormosh grinned from ear to ear, hitting the conservator with a fist, and drawing their attention. “Luminous beings,” he called out, all of them turning. “Our young Zabrak has made a kill.”

Dormosh opened the conservator, and they gave a brief call of delight, Anakin leaning in and giving a low whistle at the sight before him. “That’s a good looking mawgax,” he said, “nice job.” He grinned at Maul and Maul found himself smiling back. Dormosh pushed it towards the back of the kitchens to where Maul could see another conservator, this one bigger and likely for longer storage. “So,” he grinned, elbowing Ahsoka, “this one able to help you?”

“She was able to teach me how to butcher it,” Maul said with a nod. “I have never cleaned meat before.”

“That’s good,” Anakin grinned. “Do you want to help us cook?”

Maul blinked, looking around at the kitchens, taking in the faces that were turned to him, the excitement within them, and finally nodded. Maul was not hungry, he had already eaten, but he would not mind being able to help cook.

Given the way everyone seemed to beam at him, the way their expressions lit up…Maul felt as though he had made a good decision.

Maul followed Anakin back to the pot, took the position that the Zabrak had been in, and helped.

Maul rather thought he loved helping.

Anakin took the hairnet off at the end of his shift, wiping his forehead and helping the little boy that had been his helper for the day off of his stool. Anakin beamed down at him, taking in the way Maul’s head dipped a little, the little kitten clearly utterly tuckered out. Anakin gave a soft sound, reaching his hands out in offer. After a moment Maul nodded, holding his hands up, and Anakin picked him up, placing him solidly just above his hip. Maul wrapped his arms around his neck, his little horns up above his shoulder, well out of stabbing range.

Anakin remembered Maul carrying him around when he was little, and he wondered idly whether or not Maul had felt just as protective as he did in this one moment, knowing that Maul trusted him enough to let him hold him, trusted not to hurt him. Maul purred roughly, the sound low and rumbling, Anakin very aware of the feeling of it in his chest, unable to stop the smile that creeped over his mouth. He carried Maul out of the kitchens, giving his goodbyes to the others as he went.

Anakin thought he should probably take Maul to Mace, very aware of the fact that the little guy probably needed one hell of a nap. It had been a big day, really, hanging out with Padmé (even though that had involved getting pampered for all that he was worth), eating at Dex’s, hunting with Ahsoka, and now cooking? Lot of stuff for a kitten.

Anakin took him through the halls, the small boy barely awake enough to do much more than knead gently at Anakin’s collar. This was something that Anakin had learned only tiny Maul seemed to do. He had asked Agen about it, the older man beaming from ear to ear as he explained that it tended to be a kitten thing, grown out of eventually, though severely tired Zabraks had also been known to display the habit.

Or drunk ones, Agen had finished with, staring into the middle distance in a way that Anakin hadn’t wanted to question.

Either way, it made for an extremely cute, but admittedly kind of painful feeling. Maul’s claws were sharp.

Anakin caught sight of Obi-Wan approaching, the older man smiling, and Anakin grinned, pausing in his stride to let the other catch up. Maul made a small noise at the lack of movement, looking up slightly. “It’s alright,” Anakin said softly, bobbing him, “just Obi-Wan coming to say hi.”

Maul looked over to see him coming, his eyes narrowing slightly before he seemed to decide it was of no consequences and pressed his face against Anakin’s shoulder again. Anakin beamed.

“Hello, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said brightly, “hello, Maul.” He paused, seemingly recognizing that Maul was this close to falling asleep and grinned, “shall I escort you to Mace?”

“Please,” Anakin grinned. Anakin was very aware that Obi-Wan was absolutely after the toe-beans. It was hilarious. But Anakin couldn’t deny he also wanted to squish them, and it was rather likely that the little tyke would take his boots off before he took a nap.

Perfect opportunity.

They continued walking to the lift that would take them to the Masters’ floor, keeping their talk low and quiet so Maul would not be disturbed. Ahsoka had already gone to report back for her own duties, but she had given a fond goodbye to Maul before she had left.

Approaching Mace’s door, Anakin knocked it a few times, standing back to wait for the man to open up.

A few moments later and the door slid open, revealing Mace Windu sanding there. He took in the three of them on his doorstep and smiled, backing up to let them in.

“Gentlemen,” he said softly, “it seems like you might have something for me.” Maul perked awake just enough to immediately reach out for the voice and Anakin could not help the wide smile that split his face at the reaction.

Mace blinked in surprise, before that surprise turned into the softest smile that Anakin had ever seen on his face, reaching out and taking Maul in his arms.

“Hello,” Mace said, “did you have a good day?”

Maul blinked at him, frowned at the sun that was still visible in the sky, and looked back at Mace. “It is not over yet.”

Mace grinned at him, “you are of course correct. Would you like a nap anyway?”

Maul took in the question before finally nodding decisively, looking back to Anakin and Obi-Wan, his eyes still tired. “Thank you,” he said softly. And then, with a decisiveness bordering on obstinateness, Maul kicked off one boot and then the other, looking to Mace, “couch, please?” he asked, using the Force to tuck them away to the side of the door.

“Couch it is,” Mace agreed.

Anakin could see the beans.

He could see the tiny little toepads, and was very aware by the tiny huffed out sound that Obi-Wan made which sounded almost pained, that he, too, could see them. Anakin was then aware of Maul staring at both Obi-Wan and Anakin with narrowed eyes, before he stuck a very tiny foot out towards them.

“Do you want to squish them, too?” he asked, those eyes little slits, gleams of gold in black.

Anakin was going to pass out.

Obi-Wan took a very small step forward, “Well,” he said softly, “if it is on offer…I would not…I would not mind.”

Maul frowned heavily before sticking his foot farther out in offer. Obi-Wan reached a hand out very slow, his eyes flickering between Maul’s face and those tiny little toe beans. Anakin took a step as well, his hand outstretched, brows raised in question. Maul narrowed his eyes at him before rolling his eyes, gesturing with his head for him to get closer. The entire time Mace stood there holding Maul very patiently, laughter very visible in those brown eyes.

Maul’s gaze snapped to the window, his ears pricking as he stared, and they were all immediately aware of a turn in the Force, Maul no longer sticking his foot up towards them but pressing against Mace’s hip, staring out…

A shadow was crossing the window, and Anakin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Suddenly the last thing on his mind was the sight of Maul’s very tiny toe beans.

There was something Dark on that ship.

“TAKE ME WITH YOU!” Maul cried out and Anakin was very aware suddenly of the way that Mace had attempted to put him down, the way that Maul had gripped tightly. “I will run after, you carry me, or I will come on my own, take me!”

Mace made a face, but said nothing, immediately running out with Maul on his hip. Anakin and Obi-Wan both ran as well.

They knew by now that that was no idle threat.

They ran, feeling out that Dark, very aware of its presence, the way it did not seem…threatening. It was not as Dark as Maul, did not even feel as Dark as the small boy in Mace’s arms, but it was, nonetheless. The size of the shadow also did not seem to invite anything good.

They leapt down stairways, tearing through halls, before finally coming to the wide roof gardens, the ship either too large to properly dock within the Hanger, or recognizing the way that the entire Jedi Temple was buzzing deciding to err on a quick getaway.

Throwing the door open with the Force, Anakin ran out to see…the largest…flying saucer he had ever seen.

“Oh…no,” Obi-Wan groaned quietly, Anakin shooting a look to him, before looking back as a boarding ramp was lowered and a…

A…

What?

Obi-Wan knew the instant the Boarding Ramp lowered that he was in for a very long day. There, standing on the boarding ramp and walking towards them with a swagger that belied the fact that he had landed upon the Jedi Temple itself and swarms more Jedi were appearing from various doors and windows to peer at him, Hondo Ohnaka walked forward.

Mace had stopped near the back, Obi-Wan was aware, still holding Maul in his arms, and Obi-Wan took a deep breath, walking forward, one of the few he was certain that Hondo had ever talked to. At least successfully.

Hondo caught sight of him almost immediately, the Weequay pirate spreading his arms wide towards him, a grin showing all of his teeth spreading across his mouth. “Kenobi!” he called out, “it is so good to see you, my friend! However…I have not come looking for you at this juncture. Where…is my dear friend Maul? You see…I seem to have acquired something that may be of interest to him.”

And as he said it Obi-Wan felt his heart sink into his stomach.

Obi-Wan knew what would come of hearing his name. Obi-Wan similarly knew what it would mean if Hondo had a moment to see…

And then Obi-Wan’s attention was arrested by the sight of someone…upon the ramp…

Someone that was tall, crowned in horns, skin as yellow as the sun…and tattooed over with intricate black tattoos…

Obi-Wan was staring at a Nightbrother.

Hondo turned back to look at him, holding a hand out, beaming, “come, come,” he called out, “do not be shy my friend. I am quite certain that no one means to harm you. I do assure you as well that the one you are looking for did come from the Jedi Temple. I have it from his own mouth.”

Before Obi-Wan could say a thing, before the Nightbrother standing there could decide whether or not to come down there was a further sound of repulsor lifts, and Obi-Wan’s attention was drawn towards something else… Something…

That…was another ship. Smaller, it was able to maneuver underneath the saucer to park on the green itself.

That was going to ruin the flowers, Obi-Wan was quite certain, the thought an idle sort of disbelief, staring at…

Staring at…

Obi-Wan was not sure if he should move for his lightsaber or not, watching as a Mandalorian stepped out of their own boarding ramp. Obi-Wan was unfamiliar with them, taking in the high sweeping montrals of a Togruta and then, following…soft ochre skin, tattooed in a deep brown…his horns were not as tall as the other Nightbrother’s, nor even of Maul’s, but as he stepped out, timid, so timid…

The Mandalorian did not say much, merely held a hand out to them, one that the man took carefully, and Obi-Wan could see that there were other Mandalorians still within the ship…

“Feral!”

The unfamiliar voice called out with the intonation of a name, and he watched as the ochre Nightbrother blinked, immediately looking towards the Saucer, recognition blooming across his face, a cry of “Savage!” leaving his own lips. They were running to each other before any of them could quite react, though the Mandalorian put their hands on their hips, something fond in the movement.

Savage – the taller, the one with the yellow skin, took hold of who Obi-Wan could only assume was Feral, pulling him in for a tight hug, the two men embracing as though they had not… Obi-Wan had the distinct impression that neither of them had ever expected to see the other again.

Obi-Wan was momentarily so moved by the sight, the way that Savage took the other in his arms and bore him into the air, swinging him around, warm laughter spilling out… Obi-Wan looked away, giving them a moment.

“Brother, I had been so afraid,” he heard Feral whisper. “I found…I found…” he paused, gesturing towards the Mandalorian, who had brought him there. “They helped me, they said…they said that they had been helping Maul, and that…that they would take me to them. I am so happy… I did not know if I would ever see you again.”

“I am here, brother,” Savage whispered, “I am here, and I am so proud of you. I also found…I found Hondo,” he said, dipping his head towards the pirate who was wiping away large crocodile tears… “he said that he knew…he knew Maul, and he could take me to him…” Savage was quiet for a moment, and then whispered even quieter, something that Obi-Wan knew that Hondo could not hear, “I do not know if I like him, but he kept his word…”

Obi-Wan took a breath and took a step forward, “gentlemen,” he said softly, drawing their attention to him. He watched as golden eyes…familiar…golden eyes…both turned to stare at him, Obi-Wan very aware in that moment that both of them were taller than he was. “My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I…” he paused, “I understand that you’re looking for Maul?”

“Yes,” Feral said immediately, taking a step towards him, “please, do you have him, we…”

Savage took hold of Feral’s shoulder, reigning him in slightly, Feral immediately lowering his head and taking a step back. “Yes,” Savage said, “we are looking for Maul. He said that Maul was here.”

“So did the Mandalorians,” Feral said, dipping his head to the Togruta that was still standing there.

“Please,” Savage said softly, “is he here? If he is not we shall leave without question, but please…”

“What…is your reason for seeking him?” Obi-Wan asked slowly, thinking of a small boy that was waiting just within earshot, one that he knew was either held by Mace or had already worked his way out, was waiting…

“He is…” Feral started, pausing, but when Savage said nothing he quietly continued, “he is our brother.”

And suddenly Obi-Wan could not breathe.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt. 14

On Love and Sunshine

Savage took in his little brother curled up on the rock with his back pressed against Healer Tiq’s and found his hearts were warm.

He remembered what Tiq had said about not liking touch…he remembered that the rock that Tiq was sharing was his favorite. He also recognized the word ‘hatchling.’ Nightbrother hearing was acute, sharp enough to pick up the mumbled word. Savage knew in that instant that Maul was loved here. That Maul had been taken care of and he felt that weight on his shoulders, compressing his chest begin to ease.

They had been trying. They may not have always been right or known what to do with Maul, did not know that they could and would be welcomed to take him to a communal bath for instance, but they had done what they could. They had shared what they could, even if that was just a flat rock beneath a sunlamp. Even if it was just sharing space, and the barest of touches.

Maul was loved.

Savage was grateful. He could also sense the way Maul gradually drifted off into sleep, the way Tiq’s soothing aura settled around them like a balm.

The longer they soaked, the longer they were in the room it made everything hazy.

He finished washing Agen’s hair, the Zabrak rinsing it completely before taking a smaller towel and wrapping his hair in it.

“Thank you, Savage,” Agen smiled, “is there anything I can assist you with?”

Savage took in the question before smiling, “Can you tell me what Maul was like?”

“Oh,” Agen said, and there was such delight in his face, Savage very aware of Feral’s own interest, the way he perked up slightly. “Maul was…Fire.” Savage tilted his head slightly and Agen laughed. “Gosh, it’s hard to explain…” he leaned back against the side of the pool, frowning. “He was just so much. He gave so much, and he loved so much, and he did so much. He came in our Temple as a Sith Lord, and he sparked, his aura sparked, flicks of flame of power…all of him was heat and that came out in so many different ways.”

“He was always amazing with the younglings,” Eeth said. “Ahsoka met him when she was five and he…saved them. He used…” Eeth paused, “you have to understand that there is one thing about Maul that you need to know before you see the Holocrons that he left and that is the fact that Maul is one of the most proficient and absolutely deadly hand-to-hand combatants the Jedi have ever seen.”

“We had a traitor in our walls,” Agen said softly, “a traitor that decided that he was going to destroy our younglings, sacrifice them to the man who had been Maul’s Master, a man that we all believe to be dead… And if it was not for Maul he would have succeeded. His name was Pong Krell. He…had two saberstaffs. You are familiar with a lightsaber, yes?”

“Yes,” Feral said, “those are…dangerous weapons…”

“A saberstaff is worse,” Agen said.

“They have two blades on either end,” Eeth said, indicating, “and Pong Krell was a Besalisk who naturally have four arms. He used two saberstaffs, had four arms, not including the use of his legs and the ability to use the Force, and Maul…who was unarmed…challenged him.”

“That’s insane,” Feral whispered.

“You say that,” Eeth said, pointing at him.

“But he won,” Agen stressed. “It cost him…it cost him dearly for a while. Krell managed to cut Maul open from here to here,” he indicated, drawing a line across his belly just over his navel. “Maul…and I cannot stress this enough, Maul not only killed Krell, he killed him by first strangling him with Maul’s own intestines, and then taking Krell’s saberstaff which he had bled, and cutting him in half through the heart.”

“Holy SHIT!”

“You said that Maul was twenty-six now?” Agen asked.

“Yes…?” Savage said, and his voice was hesitant, worried…

“He was seventeen when he did this,” Agen said, tilting his chin up, “and that’s so much worse and yet more impressive than it was when I thought he was eighteen…”

“By the Light,” Eeth breathed, “he would have been sixteen when he was on Naboo.”

“He might have been an early seventeen?” Agen offered.

“I don’t want to think about it, my soul hurts,” Eeth said, waving a hand. “The point is, your brother killed a being that was three times as big as he was, had twice as many arms, and had twice as many weapons as he did because Maul had himself and the Force. And he destroyed him.”

“Maul bled two Kyber crystals at once,” Agen said, his words hissed, “I know this might not seem like much, but in order to do that you have to have so much hate, so much pain… But what was amazing about those crystals is the fact that they do not hurt.”

“Kybers when you bleed them are…bled, they hurt, you have to pour enough hate and pain into them that it corrupts them…these…they roared, they screamed, but they were filled with such a desire to protect, such a desire to get Krell to stop, to save the younglings that were within the crèche… They are warm. They feel like Maul. They are the strangest things, but they are also beautiful. Your brother was an utter powerhouse of ability and I…” Eeth paused, “I cannot overstate just how powerful he actually was.”

“Once he created a saberstaff…” Agen paused, “we will show you your brother’s weapons. I believe it will give you an idea of… You are Force sensitive, correct?”

“Yes,” Feral said nodding slowly, sounding about as dazed as Savage felt.

“He…” Savage paused, “his own intestines?”

“Oh yes,” Eeth said, “we have the fight recorded. We will absolutely allow you to watch it.”

“How is he still…?” Savage could not say it, horror and so much…

“Alive?” Agen laughed quietly, “well that’s easy, you see, Maul said it himself: he was always just too angry to die.”

The laughter that burst out of Feral was something that Savage could not help falling into himself, the statement so startling in the wake of everything else.

“You would be proud of your brother,” Eeth said, and his voice was certain, but there was so much warmth in it. “I am certain you are already, but you do not know even half of what he has done.”

“He called the Jedi on our bullshit more than once,” Agen laughed. “There is so much that he has done for us. He is…” he paused, “he was always family.”

“He is,” Savage said softly, “he is your family still.”

“If…if you would like,” Feral added, his voice so quiet. “We always raised our children communally and if…if you…?”

“We would be honored,” Eeth said softly, “but that of course just means that you are both now my little cousins as well.”

“Truly?” Savage asked, narrowing his eyes at the Iridonian before him. “How are you so certain that we are the younger?”

“Unless you are over one-hundred and eighteen years old I rather think I have you beat,” Eeth said with a raised eyebrow.

Savage did a spit-take without anything in his mouth.

Eeth laughed. Eeth laughed so hard he bent over double and had to get Agen’s help to keep from completely dunking himself in the water. Agen held him, also laughing, before with narrowed eyes, looking to Savage, “You said you were twelve when Maul was handed to you?”

“Yes,” Savage mumbled, staring at him in something like horror.

“Then I believe I would have you beat, too,” Agen grinned, “I’m forty-five.”

“Oh,” Savage said, feeling tension bleed from him, “I thought you were going to say you were something like one-hundred and ten. I would not have been able to handle that.”

Agen and Eeth both lost it, until from the rock, a very distinct hissing shush was heard, and the Iridonians put their hands over one another’s mouth, trying to hold back the laughter, tears in their eyes. Savage turned to see Tiq glaring at them from a single eye, the other still closed. “He’s still sleeping,” Tiq said, petting a hand softly across Maul’s small head. Savage could feel that soft reassurance, the gentle calm spreading from the Rodian, and he found himself asking softly,

“How old are you?”

“Sixty-two,” Tiq answered brightly, smiling.

“I need to lie down,” Feral mumbled briefly, flopping onto the side of the pool, which started a brief bit-down laugh from everyone. Savage lay next to him.

They were in tears.

Finally, Savage managed to get ahold of himself, sitting up slightly.

“How old are you, Savage?” Agen asked.

“I claimed thirty-eight for him,” Feral said, putting a hand on the heart of his hearts.

“Is that common for Nightbrothers?” Agen asked.

“The oldest count the years that the young are with them,” Savage said, “and the youngest choose a year for the old. I was younger than my peers when I was given twins, and the youngest knows how long the older can bear before them.” Savage smiled.

“Twelve years before Maul and I were given to him,” Feral said. “In order to keep Savage from being too lonely.” Feral paused. “Though we…we were both deprived of a brother. Of a half.”

“Twenty-six years is a long time,” Agen said.

“It is as long as I have been alive,” Feral said, softly. “It is more than you can imagine being able to be here like this.”

“It is,” Agen agreed softly. “And I am sorry for it.”

“But you are here now little cousins,” Eeth said, and the words were as much balm to Savage’s soul as anything else that had been said, the soft claim of kin, of family…

“Thank you,” Savage whispered.

They relaxed quietly, lounging or swimming through the water, Feral content to lay stretched along it and dangle his fingers in it periodically, the steam rising from it wonderful. It was good and the longer they lounged together the more relaxed Savage felt, the tension bleeding out of him. He could trust these men, Savage knew. He knew that they would not have hurt his brother. He believed Maul when he said that he had never been hurt by them…but…

But…

“Why…” Savage broke the silence softly, looking to his brother to see that he seemed to be fully asleep, and then looked back at them, “why is Maul covered in scars?” he asked. “Why was he able to stand against this Krell? Why wasn’t he armed?”

There was a pause, before quietly, “The questions have the same answer,” Agen said. “They all begin and end with Maul’s Master.”

“Maul…” Eeth paused. “I knew Maul from the beginning…I was one of the first to talk with him, but you have to understand… Maul did not start out as a friend. Maul was a foe.”

“His Master…fashioned Maul into a weapon,” Agen said softly. “He beat him, tortured him. Fed Maul on a steady diet of hate and pain and fear to the point where hate and pain and fear were all Maul knew.”

“Maul was…” Eeth paused, “trained as an Assassin. Maul was not a Jedi. He was not taken into our Temple until he…until he was defeated by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan on Naboo and brought back.” Eeth was quiet for a moment, “Maul is a Sith, and Sith have long been considered to be the enemy of the Jedi, Maul was taught to be our enemy.”

Savage was quiet a pit slowly opening in his belly. “All he knew…was hate…and pain…and fear…?”

“His Master…” Eeth was quiet, “Maul would say ‘I do not understand’ constantly. But what he did not understand was often why would we want to help him, why would we care, why would we do this to help others, why would we love him? He did not understand…so much…”

“He did not understand affection,” Tiq’s voice drifted over towards them, the Rodian shifting on the rock, his voice so soft, so hurt. “I would try and let him feel it, feed it to him, and he asked me…he held a modicum of the feeling up to me and asked me to identify what it was. He had never experienced it enough to name it. There was so much that we talked about, so much that we worked together on. Maul was so hurt and so broken… He was one of the most difficult patients I have ever had… He wanted so much, he needed so much…and I do not think that we were entirely enough.” Tiq looked at them then, his gaze so soft, so thoughtful. “Maul needs someone that loves him enough to burn the world down in order to save him. He needs someone to put him first no matter what. We are Jedi, we cannot and will not. It is not in our training, and it is not in our natures, and he knows this. He knows that we would have to let him go. It is antithesis to his Sith training and similarly something that I believe has been a source of anguish since it was realized.” He paused, “I am pleased that he has brothers. I am pleased that he has those that will love him unconditionally.”

“Thank you,” Savage said softly, “for doing what you could for him. Thank you for teaching him about affection…about care…”

“Tiq taught him much more than that,” Eeth said, smiling.

“We all did,” Tiq countered, rolling over to better face them, his eyes much more lucid than Savage had yet seen them. It was clear that Tiq was finally warm, his blood up and remaining lethargy gone. Savage was glad. He smiled at Savage and Feral. “Hello,” he said, “I do not remember all that much initially, forgive me any confusion, or questions if you do not mind.”

“Oh, no issue at all,” Feral said, sitting up properly to smile at him. “You have done nothing to cause the need for forgiveness. Biology is what biology is.”

“Thank you,” Tiq smiled, “it is good to meet you a bit more now that my mind is clearer.”

“It is the same, Healer,” Savage said, dipping his head, “though you were pleasant enough company before.

“That is a relief,” Tiq grinned, he paused and then frowned, “did I really punch someone in the face?”

“Only someone who deserves it,” Eeth laughed.

“I did rather suppose so considering we were in here,” Tiq said, and Savage smiled, and then turned his attention to Maul that was still pressed against his side. Tiq followed his gaze and gave a soft sound. “He is sleeping,” he smiled. “Should I wake him up? Do we wish to stay here for much longer, or should we go for breakfast?”

“I believe we can go for breakfast, Healer, now that you are up for it,” Agen grinned.

“Agreed,” Feral laughed, “I am very hungry.”

Savage nodded, moving to stand up and finding…the slightest wobble. He had a moment where he really took stock of his state and found… Savage had initially thought that he was feeling the soft security and warmth from the Jedi here, the idea that they were spreading feelings of safety in order to reassure them, but now he rather thought… Savage looked to Feral who had that particularly relaxed look that he usually only got…

But that did not make sense? There was no reason, nothing to suggest… What would have even caused…?

Tiq gently began nudging Maul softly, “Hey, little Mauler,” he said softly, “it’s time to get up. We have to go get food.”

Maul snuffled quietly, mumbling, and then opened his eyes slowly, and the look of such…

Oh.

Maul pushed himself upright slowly, wobbling, his eyes half-lidded.

“Maul?” Tiq asked softly, concern in his voice, and Savage could feel the general brush against Maul, could see…

“’Lo,” Maul said softly, “s’goin’ on?”

“Maul, are you feeling alright?” Tiq asked, straightening, and shifting so he could look at Maul closer.

“Feelin’ funny…” he answered, frowning, looking up at Tiq, “everythin’ spinny?”

“How are you feeling?” Tiq asked, looking to Savage, to Feral, even as he brought a hand to Maul’s forehead, reaching out with the Force.

“Um…” Feral paused, “a…a little…I’d almost call it tipsy now that I think of it.”

“I had not noticed until I stood up,” Savage said, “there is…but what could cause that? Is there something in this room?”

“We have similar enough physiology if it affects you it should affect us,” Agen denied, “at least if it was a drug or a gas…and I noticed neither. I have felt no danger.”

“I do not feel danger either,” Savage noted quietly, “but I do not understand…”

Tiq was in the middle of carefully bundling Maul up in a towel, hushing him as he moved him.

“We used the same soaps,” Agen said softly, “you did not notice it before?”

“What could it possibly be?” Eeth asked softly.

“It seems to me that Maul got the worst of it,” Tiq noted, “but the only…” Tiq paused, and then looked towards the sunlamp. “None of you are used to a yellow sun…”

“Would sunlight cause this?” Feral blinked.

“You are used to a red sun, you have…” Tiq paused, “if your bodies are developed to handle a red sun, and they are, then a yellow sun could theoretically…” he paused. “Agen, shift the spectrum!”

Agen got out of the water and headed towards a control panel that Savage only now noticed on the wall, hidden behind foliage to try and keep the illusion of being within a sunlit grove as real as possible. Agen pulled it open and began mumbling as he worked at the controls, and Savage watched as the lights finally dimmed and shifted until the lights above them were as red as the sky that Savage had grown up in, red as a sky in Dathomir.

Savage took in Feral as he would usually see him, the familiar red hue playing across gold eyes, looking to Eeth and Agen who seemed suddenly strange in a way they had not before.

Neither of them belonged upon the surface of Dathomir. Neither of them belonged under this sun.

And then Eeth made a brief sound, a bright laugh, “Tiq, you look absolutely horrifying.”

Savage turned to the Rodian, balancing a towel-covered Maul on his hip, his red eyes distinctly bloody in hue, and then Maul looked up, and Savage felt his heart stop.

His brother was made for Dathomir, and it was something that Savage had known, but seeing his skin in the red light of Dathomir, seeing the way he blended in, the black of his tattoos scattering his silhouette, forming him to something other…

Maul was not on Dathomir.

Maul was free.

They were all free.

Tiq had never in his life expected for this to happen.

Now that it had he didn’t initially understand why he had not thought of it being possible. Tiq had known that Maul came from a planet with a red sun, and similarly he knew that Maul would sometimes get a bit…looser when sitting in direct sunlight for long periods… But Tiq had never suspected that it was because his physiology was reacting to it.

The only times that Maul had remained in the sun for long periods had been when he was comfortable, when they had time to spare, and he had been with good friends. It had made sense that he would be less guarded, would in fact relax enough to settle down around his friends, but this… This was more than that, this was almost…

Tiq was not sure how much he liked the prospect that Tiq had had more than one conversation that entered into the deeply personal with Maul while he had been in direct sunlight for a while. Tiq as a rule did not tend to discuss personal matters when his patients were in altered states of mind. There were caveats of course, but the idea that Maul had been potentially leaning towards tipsy was not something that Tiq was very pleased about.

However…Maul had always continued to discuss whatever he brought up, even after it had faded, and Maul contained enough of his faculties to tell him when he was not interested in discussing something, and the combination made him think that perhaps it was not as truly severe a breach as he feared.

Ultimately, Tiq knew better now, and he would keep it in mind for next time, he would also make sure to discuss it…if…if he ever did get an opportunity to discuss it with the Maul that had been his patient for five years. If he had the opportunity he would apologize. As it was…Tiq was now rather focused on the small body curled up against him, the soft, “I feel funny,” he said softly, Tiq giving a low click in sympathy.

“I know, little one,” he said softly, “it’s alright, you’re perfectly safe. We will take care of you.”

Maul shifted back in his arms, staring up at his eyes for a moment and then smiled at him, a lopsided, but warm and ultimately the most trusting look that Tiq had ever had given to him. “I know,” he said, “you always take care of me, Tiq, I love you.”

Tiq felt a bit as though all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs, staring down into the face of a boy who smiled up at him, and then turned immediately to his brothers, reaching out with his hands. Tiq immediately walked towards them, shushing Maul’s quiet rumbles of discontent, laughter intertwining with tears that were pooling in his eyes. Feral took Maul in his arms, still wrapped in that towel, pulling him close, “I love you,” Maul said, “I love you!”

“I love you, too,” Feral said, “I love you so much…”

“I love you!” Maul called to Savage, reaching out his hand to him, Savage gripping hold of it, “I love you,” he said to Agen, “I love you,” he said to Eeth, “I love Plo. I love Plo, can I…can I call him? Can I tell him? I want to tell him.”

“Later, little one, later,” Tiq said, “he’s still sleeping, he will. He will want to hear later though.”

“Can I tell Mace? Please, please?”

“Let’s get dressed first, okay? We can…we can contact him, and…maybe we can go for breakfast at the Temple?”

“Want to see Dex,” Maul frowned. “Love him, too.”

“We were thinking of going there for breakfast,” Tiq hummed, frowning. “I still think we technically could. We will probably hit that dead zone if we go now,” he said, looking at the chronometer. “Basking took enough time, I believe.”

“Breakfast!” Maul called out, leaning back to the point Feral had to stoop to catch him, roaring with laughter, even as Maul called out, “FOOD!”

“Alright, alright,” Eeth laughed. “Let’s all get dressed and go.”

“Oh, yes, we are very naked…that is not good for diners,” Maul stated very grandly, nodding.

Tiq nearly snorted up a lung.

The rest just howled.

They trooped into the changing room, Tiq pulling his robes on over his body, checking the insulator layer very carefully before pulling his over-tunic on. He hummed in contentment, turning his attention to Feral and Savage who were helping a very distracted Maul into his own robes, the little boy decidedly squirmy. He was finally dressed and was very insistent in helping Savage and Feral with their own clothing. They let him help with their shoes and straightening out their collars, his little face scrunched in concentration, and when they were finished Savage scooped him up gently, working on not going too fast to overwhelm him. It was probably a good idea seeing as how Maul made a soft, “Oh, weird, spinny…” comment, and Tiq was grateful that Maul had nothing in his stomach to throw up.

Maul should be able to settle on the shuttle over to Dex’, which would make the little one able to actually eat.

“Shall we call Mace?” Eeth asked, reaching for his comm.

“YES!” Maul called out, immediately reaching out towards him, his eyes narrowed. “Call Mace! I want breakfast with Mace!” He paused, “pleeee~ase!”

“Alright, alright,” Eeth laughed, “I’ll call him, hold on.”

Eeth called him, receiving a soft, “Eeth,” as Mace answered, taking them in. “Hel-”

“I LOVE YOU!” Maul called out, and Mace stilled, blinking, before looking to Maul. “I love you,” he said again, “come to breakfast! Dex, please!”

“I…” Mace said so softly, “love you, too, but…?”

“Get to Dex’s Diner,” Eeth said, quietly laughing, “we will explain there.”

“I will be there,” Mace said, and his voice was still so choked, so startled…

“Don’t worry, he’s quite safe,” Tiq said.

“I’m safe!” Maul called out, leaning over into view of the comm again, “they’re taking care of me, I’m okay!”

Mace laughed quietly, “I would never doubt it,” he said. “Would you like me to try and wake up Plo?”

“PLO!” Maul called out.

“Maul is very insistent on telling him that he loves him, too,” Eeth said.

“LOVE HIM!”

“But he can sleep because he absolutely needs it, and that is a good way to express our love and care for someone, too,” Eeth finished.

“Oooooooooooh,” Maul paused, “let him sleep! I love him!”

“Okay,” Mace answered, laughing, “I…I’ll meet you at Dex’s,” Mace said. “We will tell Plo when we see him.”

“Thank you, love you,” Maul sing-songed, and Eeth hung up the comm.

“Well,” Savage laughed, “shall we go get breakfast?”

“FOOD!”

They double-checked that everyone had all of their belongings and were properly dressed, Feral still holding Maul on his hip, responding to Maul’s happy… It was babbling, Tiq realized, listening, the happiest babbling that he had ever heard from Maul, so close…

Tiq was reminded in that moment of Ahsoka, of her as a child talking to Maul, of a million questions all at once.

Tiq listened to Maul talk to Feral and Savage about the water, about the sun, about how he was learning from himself, discussing the weirdness of Jedi, about how he thought the Dark was better – meant to be a whisper but absolutely misjudged in the poor boy’s very addled state. Tiq laughed.

It was true that Maul was clearly suffering from something close to intoxication, but there was also no doubt that the words and the sentiment came from within Maul’s hearts, and more importantly when he was surrounded and loved. It was a lowering of inhabitations, not an erasing of them, and similarly Tiq had a feeling like it might be something that he had wanted to say for a long time.

The relief that was pouring off of the small boy was nearly as intoxicating as the warmth that he poured out, the utter love he tried to push towards them.

There was no lie there, and similarly there was no shame.

Tiq was grateful.

He would talk to him afterwards when Maul was more coherent, but for now…for now it was good to just listen to Maul babble.

Joric was having a good night.

He’d been getting good tips and good conversation, he’d been able to see and fly his absolutely favorite Jedi, and most importantly he had seen three Nightbrothers. Three Nightbrothers that included one of the most adorable kittens he had ever seen.

It was damn good to see them off the planet, good to see that they were free, and they had made it to safety. Joric knew that there was no place that would treat them better – evidenced too, by the way Tiq had immediately hauled-off and punched that fucker in the face. Joric had hooted louder than the rest of them he was sure, but the man had deserved it. Definitely going on the list of unwelcome visitors.

Ultimately though Joric had been circling the platform a bit more than he usually was…looking for…

Joric saw them, immediately hovering over them at a far enough distance that they wouldn’t be hit by the repulsors and thought really hard at them.

Joric was immediately delighted when all six of them looked up towards him, his usual three immediately recognizing him and pointing towards him, Joric gleefully touching down on the parking platform waiting for them.

Joric loved Force-Sensitives, always good at following his unvoiced-requests.

Joric watched as the usual crew walked towards his speeder, the hopefully new crew walking with them, kitten perched on Feral’s hip. As they approached Joric noticed that Maul seemed extra chatty and found himself grinning.

It was good that the little one had the chance to come out of his shell, Joric thought, and there was definitely no better place than at a spa with your loved ones to lead to that little push. Joric was happy for the little guy.

They walked up to the side of the speeder, Joric opening the side for them and letting them all climb in.

“To Coco Town, please,” Tiq said, leaning forward between the seats, “we would like to go to Dex’s Diner.”

“You got it, pal~,” Joric called out, grinning at him as the doors slammed shut and he took off. “Good to see you more coherent, bud,” Joric laughed.

“Good to be more coherent,” Tiq laughed, “you may turn your heat down now if you would like.”

“Appreciate that,” Joric called back, and lowered the heat to more of a happy medium in temperature. It was always good to make sure that his Rodian guests were comfortable before he headed out in case something happened. “Heard you caused quite a show,” Joric teased, looking into the rearview, watching as Tiq rolled his entire head in the most pronounced, utterly unimpressed way possible. Joric was not the only one that laughed.

“Speaking of, speaking of,” Agen called out, his voice pitched for stern but belied by the grin that kept pulling at the corner of his mouth. “We have to talk about your angry outbursts, Tiq,” his voice was trembling over the words, laughter in it, and Tiq huffed. “You need to learn to let things go. Your attachments are dangerous.”

Tiq rolled his head in a way that was even less impressed than the first time, and Joric was howling. “I have already let things go, Agen,” Tiq retorted, “you will even find that I don’t even remember it~”

“That’s unfortunate because it was a damn good punch,” Agen said, clasping Tiq’s hand in his own. Oh, that did it.

“But…” Eeth started, working his way through the laughter that had filled his cab, delighted and warm. “But you still have…you have too many attachments.”

“Name one,” Tiq retorted.

“Your favorite rock.”

“You will pry Debbie from my cold, frozen fingers,” Tiq stated very primly, tilting his chin up. “Quite literally, if you try and split my attachment to her, really.”

Joric was only saved from careening into the next lane by the feeling of the Force gripping hold of his steering wheel, Tiq’s expression in the rearview smug enough that he damn well knew exactly who had hold of it as Joric laughed harder than he had in years.

“Debbie?” Agen squeaked.

“Indeed, my Delightful Excellent Boulder Building Incredible Endurance by making it easy for me to properly lay in the sun and get fully heated.”

“TIQ!” Eeth shrieked, “Tiq, that is the worst acronym I have ever heard in my entire life.”

“It would be,” Tiq answered, “I literally just came up with it.”

Joric was in tears. Joric could no longer see the lane, trusting in Tiq to guide them as he held onto the wheel with the Force, tears flowing down his face, the whole of them just absolutely losing their minds. Joric could not breathe, and when he finally managed to put his hands on the wheel, he was still gasping for breath, but still so utterly delighted.

“Tiq,” Joric gasped, “Tiq, you blasted Rodian, you’re going to get us killed.”

“I’m not the one that let go of the wheel,” Tiq retorted. “What are we paying you for?”

“Please,” Joric said, reaching out, “have mercy, I’m but a poor cabbie!”

“Mercy granted,” Tiq laughed. “I’ll stop now.”

“Force be praised,” Joric said, and began taking them towards Dex’s Diner at a decent clip to keep Tiq from saying anything worse. Prevention was the best way to stop death of this sort.

“Tiq, Tiq,” Maul’s little voice called out, and Tiq made an inquiring hum.

“What is it, little Mauler?”

Damn cutest thing that Joric had ever heard…

“Why Debbie? Who…who is Debbie?”

“I don’t know any Debbies,” Tiq answered shaking his head.

“DON’T START THAT AGAIN,” Joric called out, and there was an immediate burst of laughter from Tiq, which started the rest in on it.

“In all honesty I don’t know anyone that is named Debbie,” Tiq said, “it was genuinely the first name that appeared in my head, and I went for it. Though I don’t know that it was the best I could come up with…unless…oh, basking boulder… Delightfully Excellent Basking Boulder Is Exceptional… I could have gone with that; it would have made more sense.”

“If you had said that I would have crashed,” Joric said simply and there was an immediate crack up.

“So, you didn’t actually name the rock Debbie?”

“Not before today,” Tiq chirped, “but I like it I think I’ll keep it.”

Joric saw the Diner, immediately swinging in for a proper landing. “You lot need to get out of my cab before I have a collision,” he said, laughing, “you all have a wonderful breakfast, yeah? I’m off for the rest of the night, but you’ll get another one soon.”

“Thank you, Joric,” Tiq said pleasantly as they finally came to a halt.

“Yeah, yeah, you crazy Rodian, get outta here.”

They laughed and exited, thank you’s given by all.

Maul tripped a bit climbing out, immediately caught in the arms of Savage, who laughed, scooping him up in the air high, and then squishing him close, pressing a few kisses to his cheeks, Maul shrieking in a combination of delight and surprise, pushing him away with laughter.

Joric was grinning the entire way back to turn his cab in. It was a good night.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance pt 15

Of Diners and Stories

Mace was sitting in Dex’s, Plo sitting across from him.

Plo had not initially been part of the plan, Mace did agree with letting him sleep, but Mace could not imagine that the other Jedi would not be wanted. Mace had seen him as he walked out of his room, looking a bit tired, but determined. Mace had told him of the invitation for breakfast and Plo had smiled, thanking him, and they had been sitting together at Dex’s the strongest coffee that they had in front of Mace, Plo content to merely enjoy the Diner, speaking quietly to Hermione and FLO whenever they came by, which was often.

Mace smiled to himself as he listened to them talking, letting it all wash over him. He still could not get Maul’s voice out of his head.

“I love you,” he had said, the smile on his face so broad, so utterly free in a way that Mace had never seen it.

It was like the little kid that Maul was supposed to be, the little six-year-old with all of those protective layers peeled back, and the joy in him, the utter warmth had been so much…

Mace wondered what had happened, wondered perhaps if being able to participate in a ritual that was obviously treasured and loved by the Brothers had been enough to push him, or if it was…everything. If everything had finally coalesced into the perfect formula for Maul to understand that he was safe.

Mace ultimately did not truly care all that much, he couldn’t, not in the face of such joy.

Mace’s attention turned to the door to the Diner as it chimed, and in came… Maul, pulling his brothers behind him, a wide grin on his face as he called to them. Mace’s eyes trailed from Maul to his brothers, who were forced to stoop almost double, both of them having given Maul a thumb to hold, the little boy unable to hold their full hands. There was the brightest glee on Feral and Savage’s faces, wide smiles prominent on their faces.

“Well!” Hermione called out then, and Mace turned his attention to the waitress, boots planted strongly on the ground, hands on her hips, her expression the purest form of delight, eyes sparkling brilliantly as she grinned. “Look who’s full of beans tonight, huh?”

Maul locked eyes with her then and his expression bloomed into the widest smile that Mace had ever seen on that face, utterly unrestrained joy, even as he let go of Feral and Savage who had frozen… Maul ran directly towards her and leapt, Hermione cackling gleefully as she caught him up in her arms, scooping him high in the air and then bringing him back down to cuddle against her chest, pressing a kiss to his nose.

“Jumping beans, huh, kitten?” she asked, beaming. “You gonna give me some of that energy?”

“No!” Maul laughed, shaking his head. “You can’t have any.”

“I can’t?” Hermione called out, her voice full of mock hurt. “That’s just cruel, kitten, wrong, terrible, leaving me all bereft.”

“Driiiink coffee!” Maul called out to her, before blinking, “Hermione, Hermione, those are my brothers, they’re my brothers! They’re mine! That’s Savage, and that’s Feral, Feral’s my twin!”

Hermione froze, finally staring past Maul to take in the two men that stood there, their expressions somewhere between shock and just… There was a joy there.

A joy of the deepest, most profound sort. The kind of joy that peeked its way through utter concern, through fear. Hermione hesitated for a moment as she took them in and then took a breath before walking Maul forward, holding him out towards Feral, who took him up in his arms carefully.

“Hello,” Hermione said, her voice choked, “it’s…it’s really good to meet you two. My name’s Hermione, I’m going to be your waitress. Your brother…he’s something really special, you know? You’re holding a damn good little kid. You both should be really proud, you know?”

“Yes,” Feral breathed, “yes we do know.” He paused. “Thank you…Hermione…what…what is a waitress?”

Hermione smiled, clicking her recorder pen, and leaning forward with a grin, “I’m going to take your order and make sure the boss gets it so he can take make your food.”

“Boss?” Savage repeated softly. “He?”

“Take…take our orders?” Feral managed.

Hermione beamed at them, “You’re not on Dathomir anymore, men,” she said, “this is Coruscant, and this is a Diner, and in a Diner you can order all sorts of food – provided it is on our lovely menu – and I will let our cook know, our cook who also so happens to be the Owner of this lovely establishment, male, and my boss. Gentlemen, meet Dexter Jettster.”

Mace watched as Dex leaned through the window, both Savage and Feral staring at the Besalisk with the wide-eyed wonder that was so utterly common in the ones that had never seen one before, taking in the sheer size and look of him.

Dex eyed Hermione for a moment, expression halfway between amused and incredulous, “Thank you, Hermione, for that absolutely…”

“DEX!” Maul yelled, and promptly ran directly towards that window, Dex’s attention locking onto him as he leapt, Dex immediately reaching a hand out through the window, catching hold of Maul as he leapt and holding him in that single hand, Maul shrieking with gleeful laughter as Dex pulled him through, tossed him up in the air and settled him upon his shoulder.

“Hey, little Mauler,” he said, “Hermione was right, huh, you are full of jumping beans.”

“I only have twelve beans, and they’re all on my feet, of course they’re for jumping,” Maul said, rolling his eyes and sticking his feet out very far, holding onto Dex’s crest as he did so, Dex laughing, ducking low to help him keep his balance. “Can we…can we have some of that melon, please? I would like to share it with my brothers.”

Dex stepped around the kitchen doorway, walking towards the group of them. “I think we can definitely make that happen,” Dex said, and then reached out with his right hands, Savage and Feral both taking hold of them timidly, watching in unmistakable glee as his left two were placed on his chest and on his hip respectively. “My name is Dexter Jettster, but you can call me Dex, I am the owner of this establishment as Hermione stated. I pay her bills and mine,” he finished with a wink. “It’s…damn good to meet ya. Hermione is right, your…your brother’s somethin’ special. He’s been comin’ to my Diner longer than he’s known any of these fine people here. He’s a good friend. And this little guy? He’s a good friend, too.” Dex plucked Maul from his shoulder again and held him out towards Savage, who took him in his arms. “Welcome to my Diner, if you all would like to take a seat Hermione has got some menus for you to look at.”

Maul turned towards them and Mace watched as his expression brightened, a smile spreading from ear to ear as he caught sight of both Plo and Mace himself. “You’re here!” he called out, “you’re both here! Plo, Plo! I love you!”

Plo made a sound in his ear that reminded him of a dying speeder, and Mace smiled.

“I love you, Mace, I love you!” he squirmed out of Savage’s hold and ran over, sliding underneath the table to sit between them and squished Plo into a hug, and then pulled Mace into one as well. “Thank you for coming, I did not expect to see you!”

“I was already awake,” Plo said softly, “I am…very grateful that I was. I…” he paused, “I love you, too.”

Maul beamed up at him and then looked to Mace, who finally, softly, “I love you, too.”

Maul beamed at them and crawled back over to sit between his brothers as they sat down across from them, the others crowding in with them, Hermione adding a table to the end of the booth so they could all sit together. “Alright, gents,” Hermione said, pulling out the menus. “Check ‘em out, see what looks good, if you have any questions your chef is right here and he can answer everything you need to know, or ask me, whichever you prefer.” She winked, and Mace found himself momentarily so grateful for her.

Giving them the opportunity to ask Dex and letting them know that they were able to do it if they were uncomfortable talking to her while not framing it like that at all. It was a kindness, and Mace was happy for them both.

“Thank you,” Savage said, Feral nodding silently, even as he pulled the menu closer. Maul immediately began pointing things out to the two of them, talking about what he liked to eat and what they should order.

“They have a really good pepper oil, too,” Maul said, “if you like it…do you like it spicy?”

“That is the best way to eat it,” Feral agreed with a grin. Maul’s eyes practically shone.

Mace was delighted.

They talked over the menu, asking questions of Dex and then eventually Hermione, listening to her explain her own personal taste and recommending things that she knew other Zabrak regulars had liked. Agen and Eeth chimed in there, and by the time they had figured everything out, Savage, and Feral both looked like they were truly relaxing into it, and also just relaxing around her as they finally made their orders.

It was good.

It was so needed.

But it also brought him back to staring at Maul, watching the little boy interact with the others. There was something so…freeing, and yet utterly strange about watching him like that. Maul had always been so guarded, had been so quick to shut himself down even when he seemed to want to reach. This…this was unexpected, nearly unprecedented. Mace supposed he could understand being with his brothers…his actual honest brothers, brothers that loved him, that thought the world of him would be something to push him towards happiness… But even so…

Even so.

“How are you doing, Maul?” Mace asked.

“Oh, I’m good!” Maul said, “I feel a bit funny, though. They said that I was…sun-drunk? I think?” he said. “I am not used to focused yellow sunlight, but I tried to bask with Tiq on Debbie.”

“What…who…”

“Debbie is a rock!” Maul called out, pointing to Tiq, “it is Tiq’s favorite rock. He named it tonight.”

“I did,” Tiq said, “It stands for Delightfully Excellent Basking Boulder Is Exceptional.”

“I thought it stood for Delightful Excellent Boulder Building Incredible Endurance?” Agen countered.

“That was the working acronym,” Tiq waved off even as they laughed aloud. “But…yes, Maul is a little…I think I’d call it something like tipsy. He has never been in direct sunlight like that for so long, but it…does make sense that Nightbrothers, who are already nocturnal are affected by direct yellow sunlight like that.” Tiq made a brief face, “which…I suppose, will have to put an end to our outdoor sessions. I do not like the idea that he could have been on the border of tipsy while he was talking to me about his mental health. There is a breach in that which is completely unacceptable.”

And there was a disappointment in that as much as there was a joy. If it truly…if it was just a lowering of inhabitations…the idea that Maul truly may be like other little boys… That underneath all of that fear, all of that pain, the happy and truly carefree little kitten remained.

It was a hope…

But it was also something that came with its own caveat. If this was not something that Maul was comfortable with falling into while sober, then that would be enough, and it would be good. Letting the boy hurt himself with too much direct sun exposure was utterly unacceptable. Mace did not care how adorable it made him. All Mace cared about was his health, and it seemed that they didn’t have a full understanding of what all could be affected.

Either way, Mace found himself grinning at the little boy that leaned into his brother and nuzzled close to him. Maul deserved to have moments like this, even if they were few and far between. Maul deserved happiness.

Dex came back with their food, Hermione helping him carry it over, as well as something that Savage and Feral both straightened up to peer at closely, their expressions frozen in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. FLO appeared to have finished her charging cycle and was approaching, a large serving tray balanced over her head.

“How you doin, hons?” she asked, wheeling over. “I’m sorry I wasn’t around to properly greet you all, I had to finish my charging cycle. But now I’m all charged up and ready to help. Name’s FLO if you’re new here~” she said and winked a single photoreceptor towards Savage and Feral, the two of them blinking, letting out quiet rumbles of interest, softly murmured words in their own language breathed under their breath. “What’s your names, darlings?” she asked, putting Savage’s and Feral’s food down in front of them.

“Savage,” he answered. “This is Feral.”

“Hello,” Feral said. “Are…are you a droid?”

“That’s me,” FLO chirped, “I’m a Wa-7 model waitress droid, at your service. You ever seen a droid before?”

“No,” Savage managed, “I…knew that they existed, but I have never seen one on Dathomir.”

“Oh, how exciting, you mean I get to be your first introduction?” she spun on her single wheel, spreading her arms out wide, “I’m doubly pleased to meet you both. You have any questions don’t hesitate to ask, hons, though you gotta tell me what you think?”

“Amazing…” Feral breathed softly. “Can…can I touch you?”

“Sure, hon, go right ahead,” she said holding her hand out, “I even shake hands if you’d like,” she winked.

Feral took her hand, making a softly pleased sound as he shook it, Savage following the motion as well as Feral let go and FLO held her hand out to him as well. “I’m pleased to meet you both, you’re gonna have to tell me how you like the food, yeah?”

“Yes…”

“Alright, don’t let it get too cold now,” she said, gesturing towards it, “it’s better hot and fresh.”

“Thank you,” they said, and FLO gave them a brief wave before rolling back to the kitchen.

“Glad you like FLO,” Dex said smiling, “so. Like she said, it’s better hot, so get to it,” he gestured to the spread before them. “Oh, yeah, here little Mauler,” he said putting a small bowl of extra pepper-oil before him. “An extra kick for you.”

“Thank you!” Maul chirped.

They all turned their attention to breakfast, happily munching. Maul offered his pepper oil to Savage and Feral and the funniest damn thing happened.

Feral and Savage both had enjoyed their breakfast spicier than the others, but when they dipped it in Maul’s oil, trying it rather thoughtlessly, this turned out to be a mistake. The two of them paused before immediately going for drinks or eating something else, finally putting a hand on Maul’s oil and pushing it towards him.

“You are crazy, kitten,” Feral managed, wiping his mouth, “where did you develop a taste for that?”

“It must be the coloration,” Savage mumbled around his glass of water. “Red Brothers were always the ones with the most pepper to them.”

Maul giggled aloud, holding his hands out, “I am red, and I do like pepper” he called. “OH! Have you seen Wither Sententious’ plays?”

“Wither…made plays?” Feral asked softly, lowering his napkin and staring at him.

“YEAH!” Maul called out, “and wrote a lot of poetry, it’s all very very good! I think…I think you would like it. He left a…message for me, I have some of his effigies, I don’t…I don’t know who they are, though. I don’t know a lot about him. Or…or you…” he paused. “Will you teach me about us? I tried…reading the plays, but they are hard…and he had to…he had to make it kinder for the rest of the Galaxy. Dathomir is too hard of a planet…so much of the universe is…it’s soft.” Maul paused. “Mustafar was hard,” he breathed. “There was lava…everywhere…I was surrounded by heat and by flame and by ash so thick it would choke you if you tried to go outside…” he paused, his voice so quiet, so quiet… “I don’t want to go back.”

“You won’t have to,” Mace said. “There’s nothing to go back to.”

“The base on Mustafar is destroyed,” Plo said. “You are free from it and from ever going back to Dathomir or Mustafar itself. You are free. You and your brothers are free and…I am sure…”

“We would love to teach you more, kitten,” Savage said, taking Maul’s head in his hands, lacing his fingers through his horns. “But…Wither Sententious…made plays?”

“Grace and Word lived up to its name, huh?” Feral asked, and he seemed very pleased.

“He did,” Mace said. “His plays are some of my favorite. I’ve performed them and…even taught Maul about them.”

“He did!” Maul pointed to him, “but he also mostly taught my older self about him. Apparently I wrote a play based on one of his works, but I’m too young to read about it yet.” Maul paused for a moment, “I’ve never been too young for anything before,” Maul said then looking to them and then to Mace. “I…I never had anyone tell me that I didn’t need to do something or force myself to watch something…” he trailed off, his voice soft, and finally, quietly, “thank you…I…I don’t want to see it if it’s scary…or if it’s sad. I’ve…I really think I’ve seen enough.”

There was a pause, before Savage and Feral both picked him up, squishing him tight between them, horns locking and pressing close, nuzzling up against his cheeks and rumbling purrs building as they just held him, and he held them. There wasn’t much more that needed to be said. A voiceless we have you that rang pure and true, Maul relaxing into their hold the longer they held tight.

The soft sound of Maul starting to weep was the only sound that split the silence and his brothers held him, and together they kept him safe. Together they would keep him safe.

Too much had been done already and for once in the entire Galaxy they had been given an opportunity to prevent it from happening again.

When Maul fell asleep in their arms it seemed that breakfast was over, and it was likely that when Maul woke up again this would be a far-off memory, depending on how much being sundrunk affected him.

But for now…for now his brothers were able to hold him, and if nothing else they knew that he was safe.

It was more than Mace had ever dreamed of.

Feral was carrying his little brother against his chest. They had finished breakfast and Maul was still dead to the world. They’d thanked Dex and his workers (and what an amazing thought that was). Dex had spoken to them about that, too, about the fact that they would have the opportunity to ply a trade here. That they could work here, own their own businesses, could work, and had even offered to have them work for him if they’d like to get used to it. A Diner gave a perfect opportunity to really get into the heart of a place, and Coruscant’s heart was complicated.

They had thanked him without any pressure to accept or decline weighing on their shoulders, instead the simple knowledge that they could think about it buzzing in their hearts. He was always looking for good nighttime help, and the Nightbrothers would be good for it.

Feral momentarily wondered if Maul would have been interested in doing something like that. Feral liked to cook and had often created meals with Savage, but his brother was still in some ways an unknown.

But Feral knew all that was important, and what he knew was that he loved him, and that Maul had loved them more than he could say. The Maul in his arms loved them all so much, and Feral loved him.

They took a taxi back to the Temple, one of the ones called in by Joric, a Rodian this time by the name of Iln, one that Tiq had immediately shaken the hand of, climbing into the front seat to talk to him in his native language. It was a fascinating tongue, and Feral wondered if he would be able to learn it, but ultimately his concern was with the child in his arms, and on his brother beside him.

Savage had that quietly sad look he sometimes got when he was thinking too much, and judging by the fact that his gaze had not shifted from Maul Feral knew what he was thinking about.

Feral nudged Savage gently, temporarily shaking him out of it. Savage looked up at him with a small smile and put a hand on Maul’s head, gentle… Maul nuzzled into it closer, closing his eyes with a soft hum, that purr building in his chest. Feral felt his hearts twist.

He loved this little boy.

It was…sometimes still so weird to think that this was not how it was supposed to be. It was sometimes still so painful to think about how this should not be possible.

Maul had seen too much pain already, he had been hurt again and again and again and to know that he had finally… Maul had finally said that he did not want anymore. Maul wanted to be protected in the way that he should have been protected.

He should have been allowed to grow up and know that he was loved instead of ground into dust.

Feral tightened his hold on his little brother, listening to the way that purr grew louder…listened and felt the way that Maul tried to comfort him even asleep.

Maul deserved better.

Feral was going to do his best to give it to him. He knew that Savage would as well and that was all that mattered. That decided Feral let out a brief sigh, before smiling at Savage.

It would be alright.

They all climbed out at the Temple, Tiq giving Iln a brief goodbye and a thank you, before they headed back inside.

“Thank you very much for coming,” Tiq said softly, smiling at them.

“Thank you all for inviting us,” Feral said.

“It was a very good time, and we appreciated your hospitality,” Savage said. “We…have not been able to do anything like that in a very long time.”

“We might as well make it a thing,” Eeth said with a shrug. “For now, though I think you have a little boy to put to bed.”

“We do,” Feral agreed with a smile, before pausing. “Do…” he hesitated, but when all of them simply looked at him with such honest interest he found the words slowly forming, “Do you think…that you could tell us more about Wither?”

“Of course,” Mace said. “I don’t know if Maul still has it but he had several posters in his room the last time I was in there…”

“He has some up now,” Savage said, “Macbeth was one of them, but… Maul said that he had not been allowed to listen to that one because it was more…intense?”

“Yes,” Mace said. “But you would be allowed to read it if you would like. I just…” he paused, “it is the one that was considered his vent play. If you would like further understanding of Wither and Kit as people…Yoda would be the one to talk to. He knew him personally. I think he would be happy to speak of them.”

“Thank you,” Savage said. “I believe it is time to get this one into an actual bed.”

“It’s been a busy day already,” Feral grinned. “Thank you all.”

“Of course,” Eeth said, bowing. “If you would like I can escort you back.”

“Please do,” Feral smiled.

“This place is huge.”

“It is that,” Eeth agreed smiling and led the way.

Feral carried Maul through the Temple back into the room that used to be Maul’s placing Maul in the bed they had been in, Savage pulling the blankets back and tucking him in carefully. Feral pressed a tiny kiss to Maul’s nose, mostly for the joy of seeing the way it scrunched and he burrowed deeper under the blankets. It made his hearts warm.

They left the door open just a little behind them as they left his room and stood there for a moment. They did not want to leave the small suite while Maul still slept, but it did limit them a bit on what they could do. Eeth paused briefly before offering the two of them a smile. “Did you have any questions about…anything, really?” Eeth asked. “Some of them I cannot answer, but I’m able to keep you company until he wakes. We could probably ask for Yoda to come and talk to you about Wither more if you would like? Or I could absolutely talk about anything… I have more stories about Maul.” He rolled his eyes up. “You would not believe the things that he got into. Honestly…if you would like, Maul, this one, would likely let you seem some of the Holocrons that were left for him. Maul has been teaching himself how to Sith, and I think that if you were interested he might be obliged to teach you as well.”

“That…that would be interesting,” Feral said. “But…if…if Yoda would not mind, and if you do not mind…”

“Sententious is someone we are interested in,” Savage said. “We were…curious as to how he fared. I am pleased to hear that he brought stories.”

“Stories are still sacred to the brothers then?” Eeth asked, and there was genuine delight in his voice and on his face.

“Yes,” Feral said, “stories are still sacred.”

“I think you’d enjoy a lot of the ones he told,” Eeth said. “Really…I think if I had a choice I would make you watch Taming of the Rancor.”

“Taming of the Rancor?” Feral repeated, “I definitely think that I would like that one.”

“It’s…quite funny,” Eeth said. “It was one of his first and I believe, from listening to Mace and also to Yoda, that it was the one that was most written to other Nightbrothers. Others like him.”

“I’m rather intrigued,” Savage said with a raised brow.

Eeth grinned, “good. You know…I don’t think that they’ve decided the next play to work on yet. I could ask if they would be willing to perform Taming of the Rancor live. That way you would get a full understanding of it. There are recordings of Wither Sententious’ version, and it is fantastic, but I do believe there is something to be said for watching a performance live.”

“If they would be interested I believe…I believe I would definitely like to see it,” Feral said. “Is there a chance we could get his actual plays?”

“Of course,” Eeth said, “I will get them to you soon.” He paused. “Admittedly…I am not someone to talk about Wither Sententious with. I find his plays fascinating and for what his works were able to bring to a young Nightbrother that knew nothing about himself, nothing about his race, nothing about the legends…I will never be more grateful. But I admittedly do not know as much as I should about the man himself. I do know that Maul found his will, and I do know that he found out more about him, but I admittedly was more focused on Maul himself. We had…a familial bond. It was something that was created late in his first year with us. I do not…wish to impose, and I had meant to tell you. Agen had one as well. There were a few that did…” Eeth was quiet for a moment, “they have all been severed. Maul was still getting used to us as a child, we have not attempted to reform them. None of us wish to impose in anything, I merely…”

Feral walked forward, Savage next to him, Eeth holding very still as they finally pulled him close in a hug, feeling as Eeth hugged them both close. It was a very Dathomirian Destruction, a very chaotic and yet organized lacing of horns and limbs. “Thank you, cousin,” Feral breathed, “for offering what we could not.”

“He deserves and needs that family,” Savage said softly, “I would not scorn your existence or what you are to him. You are still family, we are Brothers. He is our kin, but that is not the only thing that matters. There is much in blood, but there is much in what is chosen. He has chosen much, and I am grateful.”

“We did our best,” Eeth said, “in some ways it was not enough, and I can own that. In other ways it was.” Eeth smiled as they pulled back, looked towards the door that was open just a crack and softly, “So,” he asked, “what sort of stories would you like about your brother? The ones that make him look good, or the ones that he’d be very mad at me for telling?”

“Both?” Savage asked, beaming.

“Both,” Feral nodded.

“Then both it is,” Eeth grinned.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt. 13

Of Cultural Practices and Warmth

The transport finally arrived, a covered speeder that was operated by a Zabrak who pulled up at the bottom of the steps and grinned up at them as he opened the door so they could slide in. He was clearly Iridonian, closer to Agen’s coloration than Eeth, hair tied up in a sweeping braid. “Hey,” he called up to Tiq, Eeth and Agen first, delight on his face, “bulb burnt out again, Tiq?”

“Something to that end,” Tiq called back, his voice slurring softly. “You have room for six, yes?”

“Of course!” the Zabrak called out, clearly someone familiar to them if he knew Tiq’s name, “though who…” he paused, looking up, and Maul knew the moment he saw them because those brown eyes widened in realization, before the widest smile that he had ever seen. “You have NIGHTBROTHERS!” he called out. “You’re communal bathers, too?” he shouted out, pointing towards them, nothing but warmth and delight and joy bubbling out.

The laughter was loud and full, and Savage picked Maul up again, balancing him just above his hip.

“Oh, kitten,” Maul heard the Zabrak mutter, his eyes full of glee as they fixed on him.

“We are,” Savage said. “Do you take these three often?”

“Often enough,” the Zabrak laughed, “name’s Joric, hop on in, I’ll take you to The Spot.” Joric grinned wide, Eeth and Agen helping Tiq inside, Savage, and Feral coming after.

“Savage,” Savage introduced himself, putting a hand to his chest, Joric nodding in recognition.

“Feral,” Feral said.

“Maul,” he piped up, and Joric laughed aloud, grinning at them with delight visible in his expression.

“I love it,” he said, “I’m so glad…” he paused, “when I heard the news…when we heard the news that the Brothers had escaped from Dathomir…” He put the speeder into drive and pulled out. “About fucking time,” he said. “Pardon my language, little guy,” he said, sending a grin towards Maul, “it’s just…one of those things. You do what you can but if the Jedi can’t do it…” he shook his head. “I’m so glad to see you in this neck of the woods. Are you guys…pardon me, are you Brothers, or related?”

“We are Brothers,” Feral said, grinning, “but we are also brothers. We came to Coruscant looking for this one.” Feral hooked his fingers in Maul’s horns, shaking his head fondly.

“I’m so glad you found him,” Joric said, and there was nothing but honesty, nothing but warmth in his tone. “Coruscant’s a big place…” he paused, “you Apprentice to one of these three?” he asked, indicating the Jedi.

“Oh, I would love to,” Tiq said, “but no,” he shook his head, “he is Mace Windu’s pupil. Or he was.”

“Mace-Fucking-Windu,” Joric laughed aloud, “I love it, that’s fantastic! Are you going to continue with your Jedi training then? Or are you going to leave with them?”

“They are going to stay,” Maul said, holding both of their hands, the two of them immediately nodding.

“No kidding,” Joric called out, “aren’t they too old for Jedi training?”

“Traditionally,” Eeth said, “but things are changing, and Nightbrothers are already close to the Force as it is. But this has not been discussed at all, and so we shall leave speculation out of it. No matter what they choose they are free to stay at the Temple for as long as they want.”

“Done deal,” Joric grinned, “I’m fucking glad for that. It’s damn good to see you three,” Joric said.

“Thank you,” Savage said, “I…appreciate that.”

Joric piloted the speeder through the city of Coruscant, an idle stream of chatter filling the cab as he talked about anything from a new tax to the various restaurants they could try. Savage and Feral were enthralled, the two of them listening to everything that was said with complete focus, Agen and Eeth explaining things as they went. Tiq sat with his head leaned back against the seat, squished between Eeth and Agen, the temperature of the cab kept up just enough to remain comfortable, but clearly good for reptiles.

Maul watched as the sky grew darker, taking in the signs of rain on the horizon. They always promised rain after dark, and they always delivered. It would be nice.

Maul liked the rain.

The Spot came into view soon, Joric pointing it out to them with a call to the Nightbrothers in particular. It was a beautiful place, all sweeping lines and reflective panels, a medley of Zabrak and Rodians scattered around the outside, most of them either leaving or going in. There was a pattern, Maul noticed, Rodians leaning next to a Zabrak or two, easily guiding them in, though the Rodians were leaving on their own power, laughing, delighting in the Zabraks calling out to familiar ones and helping their friends in.

Maul had had no idea… Feral and Savage were also leaning up towards the glass with him, a swell of amazement and gleeful anticipation filling the cab.

“Yeah, that’s The Spot, alright,” Joric grinned, “longest-standing spa of its kind. Been in Coruscant over fifty years, renovated at least four times… It’s a good place if you’re a Zabrak, good place if you’re a Rodian. Others are obviously welcome,” he said, nodding towards a few Twi’lek and Togruta, as well as a couple of humans. “But we tend to like it warmer than most other species are comfortable with. We’ve also got a long-standing camaraderie. You can be in our spaces, just don’t be a dick.”

“Or you get thrown out on your ass,” Agen said clearly. “Which reminds me, if you have any issues with anyone please let us know. We’ll absolutely handle it.” The expression on Agen’s face spoke to a very violent way of handling it, but Eeth said nothing to the contrary, instead nodding grimly.

They swung in for a landing upon one of the docking bays as another transport left, Joric waving obviously towards the one leaving, Maul able to see someone within waving back. The landing was smooth, the doors to the side swinging open to the top, letting them all out. Agen reached back in and paid Joric, the Zabrak giving them a loud call of goodbye and taking off.

Maul turned, taking in The Spot closer, smelling the scent of green growing things, and softer flowering smells. There was also a smell of warm water, and the slightly sharp smell of something a bit…unpleasant, just underneath all the green. But it was not overpowering, and certainly was not terrible. Agen leaned closer to them, and quietly, “pheromones. Rodians have them, they don’t tend to apply suppressors or whatever while they’re here and we don’t tend to ask them to.”

Savage and Feral nodded, “It is not bad,” Feral said. “Compared to the swamps of Dathomir it’s even pleasant.”

“I could definitely understand that,” Eeth nodded hugely, and there was a quiet laugh that spread. Tiq hummed.

“I am better than a swamp,” he said, “that is reassuring.”

Feral flinched, almost instinctively reaching out to touch him, before just as immediately pulling back.

“No, no,” Tiq said softly, reaching a hand out towards him, Feral immediately reaching out in turn, “I do not mind if you touch me,” he said, holding Feral’s hand, “and similarly I do not take…offense,” he smiled. “It is a biological quirk in the same way your noses are very sensitive. You are alright to notice this and comment on it, it has become an almost long-standing joke back and forth, and there is nothing but affection in it. I can feel your affection,” he noted softly, squeezing. “Do not worry about hurting my feelings.”

Feral smiled at him, “okay, thank you, Tiq. I am…there are things that I am still getting used to.”

“And there is no shame or blame in that,” Tiq smiled, lopsided. “Now…let us go in. I would like to be able…to think straight. I got a bit warmer in the speeder, but the air out here is cold.”

“It’s going to rain soon,” Eeth said.

“Then let us get in,” Agen said, and bustled them forward. Feral picked Maul up as they went, balancing him on the shoulder.

This had the added consequence of letting Maul get a better view of everyone…but similarly gave everyone a better view of him.

There was a gradual sweeping silence, Rodians and Zabraks alike turning to look at first Maul, and then trail down to the Jedi standing there…and Maul’s brothers holding him.

The first thing that greeted the realization that there were Nightbrothers in The Spot was a gradually growing appreciative mumbling, and Maul could feel the swell of realization, the happiness that this caused. He could see the way that the Rodians and the Zabraks had both taken steps towards them, smiles and various grins pulling across faces.

But he could also see some of the less enthusiastic takes, including from a human that was eyeing Maul with something bordering dislike…and in fact may be utter distaste.

Maul wanted to shrink towards his brother, reaching down towards Savage who was reaching up to him, Feral reaching to transfer him from his shoulder to his hip…

“Didn’t realize that they started ‘em so young,” the human said snidely. “Though I guess with a communal bathing culture what else could you expect.”

Maul felt as his brothers…stilled.

Tiq, however, Tiq did not.

Tiq straightened his back, and even as a call of realization and disgust began spreading from the rest of them, the utter revulsion of bared fangs and large eyes narrowed into the barest of slits, Tiq stumbled forward. The human didn’t move, clearly sneering at him with something like superiority, his chin tilting up.

Tiq took hold of his chin, patted it for a moment, trailed it up, the human sneering at him, opening his mouth to say something else…

Tiq wound up and punched him square in the jaw, a loud crack sounding as the human collapsed to the ground in a graceless heap.

Tiq straightened his robes, turned back to them, “Coming?” he asked.

They followed, loud laughter and calls of appreciation following, those close enough patting Tiq on the back. They gave their quiet whispered words of welcome and happiness at seeing them to the Nightbrothers, the words and the sentiment rising up in Maul’s chest.

It was warm.

Tiq led them into the building, the doors opening and letting a wave of humidity pour out. It was actually inviting, Maul closing his eyes and tilting his chin up. The smell was a bit stronger now that they were inside, but the flowers and other growing things helped to balance it out well enough that it was barely noticeable. It was clear that they had been working on something that allowed both peoples to flourish for a while.

Tiq walked to the counter that was hosted by two Zabrak, the both of them smiling at the Healer as he approached.

“Hello, Healer,” the one on the right said, female, her head shaved, horns crowning her. She froze at the sight of the Nightbrothers behind him, a wide beaming smile spreading across her face. At the way Maul’s brothers huddled slightly she paused, her expression shifting from something like surprised hurt to naked realization.

“Hello, Zi,” Tiq said softly, gaining the female Zabrak’s attention, Zi immediately looking back to Tiq. “There is a gentleman…out cold upon your doorstep. I put him there. He made a reference towards…starting them out young,” he hissed the words, slow, leaning forward.

Zi’s expression tightened, her mouth in a thin line, “Qinuy,” she said to her partner, “I need you to clear off the trash, please.”

“My pleasure,” Qinuy said easily, straightening up.

“I’m terribly sorry about that,” Zi said, standing up, “The Spot has been a safe spot for all who enter since my father started it fifty years ago. It is not going to lose its status under my watch. You have nothing to fear here,” she said, and her voice was so firm. “There is a co-ed section but there are also segmented ones, you will be left in peace. The usual for you?”

“Please,” Tiq said, holding out a credit chip. Zi made the transaction, got them towels, and gestured towards Tiq, Agen, and Eeth.

“They will be more than capable of guiding you,” she said, “please enjoy your time at The Spot, we are very happy to have you.”

“Thank you,” Feral said softly.

“By the way,” she said before they could leave, “you, little kitten, are adorable,” she said, beaming up at Maul and he huffed, rolling his eyes, which only set the adults off laughing, Zi’s own laughter loud.

Eeth and Agen walked them deeper into the spa, talking to various people who talked to them, carefully catching Tiq’s arm as they walked, and he started wobbling towards the wall.

“Easy, Tiq,” Agen grinned, before laughing, “I can’t believe you did that! In front of so many people!”

“What are they going to be saying about the Jedi now?” Eeth asked, “hauling off and hitting people?”

“We are keepers of the peace,” Tiq sniffed, a loud and particularly sharp sound, “and I kept the peace!”

The shriek of laughter was loud and delighted, Agen folding in half with the motion, taking Tiq down with him, the Rodian giving a loud and upset noise, ultimately being saved from falling completely to the floor by Agen sitting and holding Tiq up at the shoulders, still howling. Maul was delighted.

Feral and Savage both laughed so hard they were falling into each other, Maul precariously balanced upon Feral’s hip, the three of them leaning into each other and so…

“Besides,” Tiq mumbled, looking up at them, his eyes narrowed into slits, “he got off easy, frankly, if I had been a bit more coherent…ooohhhh~ He’s damn lucky that I could not fully psychoanalyze the hypocrisy of sneering at using a bathhouse like that when he is going to one.” Feral and Savage both were sinking to the ground, even as Tiq continued, “I would have given myself…perhaps three minutes before he was renouncing every life choice that led to this minute…and similarly never wanted to show his face in Rodian and Zabrak circles again!” He paused then, slowly working himself onto his knees and looking back at them. “He had no right to talk to you like that,” he said. “And I am sorry that was the first thing that you encountered.”

“No,” Savage rumbled, “do not apologize.” He reached forward, gently touching Tiq’s shoulder, “the first thing you have taught us is the fact that you are willing to defend us if you need to. You do not just speak, Healer, you act, and I am…grateful.”

Tiq smiled at him. “Compassion is the action that develops from care,” he said, “and I care deeply.”

“I believe it,” Feral said softly. “Thank you.”

“Now can I please get off the floor now?” Tiq asked. “I would…I would like to get to a room.”

“Up we get, Tiq,” Eeth said, laughing, helping him up. They all worked their way up and headed towards a set of doors. “This area is for those that are only comfortable with other women,” he said indicating it, and they continued on until they found another set of doors. “These are for mixed! These are good for large families or anyone that doesn’t mind,” he said and took them farther on. It was clear that a lot of space had been devoted to these three sections as the hall seemed to be enormous, passing several people as they went. They were treated with quiet sounds of excitement at the sight of them, lots of words of happiness at the fact that they were free.

It was…it was nice, Maul reflected, even if he did feel strangely small underneath all of the scrutiny. Finally, though, Eeth took them to one last set of doors, “and these are for those that are only comfortable with men only.” He turned, “there are also more individualized private rooms, or ones that are smaller that would still fit us comfortably. Our usual is actually one of the private rooms, which will be big enough for the six of us but won’t open us up to a lot of questions. We pay extra for it, but it’s a great deal more relaxing, and also means you won’t have to deal with staring.”

“Thank you,” Savage and Feral both said, Maul nodding as well.

“Of course,” Eeth waved off, “they are down this hall.” So, saying, he led them down a long hallway that branched off from the hall they were in, and clearly held smaller, but no less comfortable looking rooms, the ones that were available open.

They stopped at one towards the back, “Oh,” Tiq mumbled, “my favorite~”

“I think we’re going to go in this one then,” Agen laughed.

“Sounds reasonable,” Savage laughed.

“It’s got my favorite rock,” Tiq said simply, sniffing.

“Oh, well that is a good reason,” Feral grinned.

They entered in the room, which Maul realized held little cubbies for their things, as well as slippers and robes that had been left out for them. They came in various sizes, from very big, to very little, different numbers of arm-holes available if needed.

“You may use a robe if you would like,” Eeth said, closing the door and twisting the handle that marked it ‘occupied’ and locked it at the same time. “And if you would all prefer we will be very happy to do so.”

“What are your rules for this sort of thing?” Savage asked, “do you have things that are unspoken?”

“Oh, that is a smart question,” Tiq blinked. “Rodians are not big on touch,” he said. “Looking is one thing, and because I would assume you would have questions since you have been in such an insular planet I do not mind answering them, but please do not touch me. Other Rodians are the same way, and if you do decide to be within the communal spaces ever, they do want a bit of space.”

“Understood,” Savage and Feral said, Maul nodding firmly as Feral lowered him to the ground. “Touching is generally allowed above my navel and up,” Savage said, “but I would prefer you let me know before you do.”

“It is the same with me,” Feral nodded.

“We have a similar rule,” Eeth said, gesturing towards Agen who was smiling. “Similarly, I do not mind if you want to wash my hair.” He grinned wide, and Feral made a soft sound of delight.

“Oh, thank the Fanged One,” he breathed, and Eeth threw his head back and laughed.

“I don’t mind it either,” Agen grinned. “You have never experienced it before, so I do not mind if you want to test the texture. Also, I like getting my hair washed by friends, so it is a good experience.”

“It is a rather typical bonding activity,” Eeth nodded.

“Horn polishing,” Feral said, indicating his horns. “Lotion is another really important ritual, particularly outside of the swamps.”

“Oh, that is the same!” Agen exclaimed.

“Oh, do they have some?” Feral asked.

“They do!” Eeth smiled. “But come on, Tiq is about to crawl out of his skin.”

“No, I am not,” Tiq denied, “it is not a shed day.”

There was a delighted laugh, even as Feral made a sharp sound, “you are a reptile, you do shed your skin??”

“At least once a year!” Tiq said. “If I am off a year then that is bad, but more than once is fine.”

“Robes or no?” Agen asked, holding up one of the fluffy white bath robes.

To Maul’s surprise, both of his brothers looked at him, “what about you, little Mauler, your choice. And no shame in either way,” Feral said, ducking down to his level. “You don’t have to feel pressured either way. Do you have any rules that you would like us to follow?”

Maul hesitated for a moment, looking to the robes, before looking to them. It was a cultural thing. There were rules, they had rules and they had ways of doing things. They were safe, Maul was safe.

He paused for a longer moment, and then reached out towards his brothers, each of them taking his hands. “You can wash me,” he said softly, “but do not touch me without me saying it is okay.”

“Of course,” Feral said softly, butting his horns very gently against Maul’s, a movement echoed by Savage.

“I do…” he paused, “I think…robes first, please?”

“Of course!” Eeth said, and immediately handed the littlest robe towards Maul. They all gave each other space, removing clothing and placing it within their chosen cubby, Maul shrugging the robe on before pushing the cubby back into the slot for it. He slid the slippers on his feet and promptly buried his face within the soft fabric of the robe’s sleeves. It felt so nice.

“Good choice, Maul,” Eeth said softly, “these are nice.”

“I don’t usually bother with them,” Agen said, “I regret that now.”

There was a laugh and when Maul turned they were all in the large fluffy robes and finally opened the door to their little corner of the spa.

It was gorgeous.

There were flowers and other greenery encircling large flat rocks that led to a large pool in the center, fed by a constantly churning waterfall. The light was warm and genuinely felt like standing within the sun, shining down from a singular port in the ceiling to give it an almost artificial-sunlight sort of feel, the shadows all cast from that singular spot.

There was also a very large very flat rock placed right beneath it.

“My beloved~” Tiq cooed, and immediately began walking over towards the rock.

Maul couldn’t help the giggles that left him, particularly as Tiq kicked the slippers away and promptly slid atop it.

“Do you mind if I strip?” Tiq asked, face down upon the rock, his voice muffled.

“Is that a typical way to bask?” Savage asked.

“Yes!” Tiq said, looking up at them as he propped himself up on his arms. “You bask nude to get the full effect of not just the heat but the vitamin D that the sun provides. Our clothes then act as an insulator. I will be able to make it for a full night like that!”

“Please do so if you need it,” Maul said, “the light in here actually works to provide vitamins?”

“It does,” Tiq answered, shrugging out of the robe as he did so, still face-down upon the rock, folding it up neatly and placing it near him as he stretched out completely. “Heat, my best friend, thank you~”

Agen laughed quietly, “they have some of the best artificial sunlight technology in the business,” he said to Maul. “They have spared no expense, and it is of good benefit to Rodians, as you can tell. It’s also good for us technically. Now, come on, let’s get in the pool.”

Maul followed Agen and Eeth over to the pool, Savage and Feral following him. Agen paused at the edge, looking back at Maul, his fingers over the edges of his robe.

Maul trusted.

He nodded his head and Agen stripped it off, sliding into the pool, Eeth following after. Feral and Savage both folded their robes before sliding in. They paused for a moment, and it was only when Feral walked over towards a shallower part and reached out for Maul that he realized that Feral had been looking to see where the shallowest portion was.

“Come on,” he said with a smile, “you can touch here.”

Maul took a breath, shrugged his robe off, and stepped into the water.

It was nice.

He took Feral’s hand, letting his brother guide him deeper, following him into the water which was a very pleasant temperature and reminiscent of Padmé’s pool. The difference was the constantly churning waterfall, which Maul was immediately enamored by. He started heading that way automatically, Feral laughing quietly, following him, holding his hand as they got closer to it and the water got a bit deeper.

The water stopped at Maul’s shoulders, something he was grateful for, reaching out towards the falling water. It rained on his palm heavily, a cooler temperature than the water he was standing in, but it was a nice feeling. He smiled at Feral, who grinned at him. “Up?” he asked, indicating that he would lift Maul into it. After a moment Maul nodded, feeling as Feral caught him under the arms and lifted him up, holding him in the waterfall for a moment as Maul held his breath.

It was a glorious feeling, heavier than a shower, drumming against his skull delightfully, and when Feral took him out he let go of the breath he was holding, giggling as Feral put him back in the water. Feral beamed at him. Maul found himself trailing his eyes over Feral’s markings for the first time, really examining them. They were so different to his own, Feral’s seeming to outline instead of Maul’s own…

And then his gaze latched on something that he hadn’t noticed before.

Feral had red tattooed around his arm. It was thicker than his other marks, outlined in…black… Feral caught his gaze, lowering himself in the water and holding his arm out. Maul hesitated, before slowly reaching out, tracing over the skin.

“It’s for you,” Feral said so quietly, and Maul blinked, looking to meet Feral’s gaze, which was soft. “It was for the brother I lost and thought I would never see again.” The smile that pulled at Feral’s mouth was gentle, and he reached a hand out, one Maul leaned his head against, closing his eyes. “I’m pleased that I was wrong. Now, come on, do you want to wash, or do you want to play in the water some more?”

Maul hesitated, looked back at the waterfall, and then looked to Feral. His attention was drawn back to where he could see Savage rubbing at Agen’s head, soap bubbles frothing, Agen beaming, his eyes closed, leaning back so the soap wouldn’t get in his eyes. Eeth’s laughter finally pealed out, delighted amusement on his face. Savage looked absolutely fascinated.

“Wash, please,” Maul said finally, looking up at Feral. Feral beamed at him, taking his hand and taking him over to where the water was lower, Feral himself sinking into it more as he went, swim-hopping forward almost. But it nonetheless let Maul see the lines that trailed over Feral’s back, the places where the brown of Feral’s tattoos were broken and his skin peaked out. “What do your markings mean?” Maul asked softly.

Feral made a soft sound, turning to look at him, and Maul was also aware of how Savage had frozen, only to hurriedly sweep the soap away from Agen’s forehead when he gave a quiet exclamation, flinching away from the bubbles. Maul turned back to Feral, who smiled at him, lowering himself down to sit in the water, and held his arm out to him.

Maul hesitated for a moment and then reached over once again, touching Feral’s hand, taking in the marks that wound around his left hand. They were swirling and gradual, trailing up his arm. Feral’s right hand did not have any marks upon it. Maul trailed his fingers up to his elbow, taking in the diamond pattern at its center darkened rings surrounding it. Feral’s patterning was very geometric, very regular compared to his own, and what he had seen of Wither’s as well. When Maul glanced towards Savage he decided that this was also in comparison to him.

“Tenacity,” Feral said softly, “and Strength. That is what I am marked for. You see it within the geometric shape, in the way that I am not fully marked.” He grinned slightly, holding out his right hand that did not have any of the tattoos upon it. “Recently Tenacity has become more common among us as it has grown one of the most needed.” He paused. “We have been fighting a long time. It is…good that we do not have to fight as much. It is good that we do not have to be as Strong. That we can be free.”

Maul said nothing for a moment, trailing his finger over the swirls that decorated Feral’s knuckles, and finally looking up at him. “I’m happy you’re here,” he breathed, “I’m happy…I’m happy you’re with me.” He paused, “I didn’t know…that I had brothers. I didn’t know that we could be free. I had thought…my Master told me that we were nothing. Worth nothing and for nothing. Filth and dirt, and…” he paused. “I didn’t want to be nothing,” Maul breathed, looking up at Feral. “I didn’t know I could be anything else.”

Feral stared at him for a moment, those eyes so wide, so gold, so… “You’re my brother,” Feral breathed, “you freed us. Your Master was wrong. And he will always be wrong. Even us, even your brothers on Dathomir…we were not Nothing. I am Strength and Tenacity; Savage is Protection and Loyalty. We are brothers. We are us; you are you,” he smiled, “and that is worth being. Now come,” he said softly, “which one of these smells the best?”

Feral took him over to the soaps, letting Maul sniff at them. Some of them were so sweet that they made Maul sneeze, and sneeze, and sneeze, and sneeze, loud sharp and sudden, and he nearly fell into the water, Feral catching him and righting him, his laughter warm and heavy. “Not that one, I would thing,” he grinned, and put it far away. Agen lifted it in the air with the Force and put it farther away. Tiq caught it in the air and curled around it, which was the final thing that sent Maul into giggles.

He finally found one that smelled nice without being overpowering, one that Feral agreed with and offered to Savage to smell. Savage nodded once in decision, holding out the cloths that they had found to wash with. Feral poured the soap onto the cloth, rubbing it to froth it and then held the cloth out towards Maul, mischievous delight on his face.

“Do you mind?” he asked.

Maul frowned at him, before shrugging, taking a step forward into range. Feral reached out, Maul instinctively closing his eyes as it went towards his face…and then he felt the warmth of it underneath his chin. The cloth was soft, smelled delightful, and the water was warm, rubbing back and forth gently, and before Maul quite knew what was happening he had sunk into it, a purr rising up in his chest that he couldn’t bite down no matter how hard he tried.

This…was nice…

Feral was biting his lip.

He was biting his lip because he knew if he let go of his lip he would start cooing.

He knew if he started to coo he would absolutely cause his brother to react in offense.

He knew if Maul reacted in offense that would mean that he would stop with what he was currently doing.

And what Maul was doing was the cutest and most adorable thing that Feral had ever seen.

Maul’s eyes had closed, his head tilting up and forward as he tried his best to get the underside of his chin within the reach of Feral’s washcloth and purring his little chest out.

Feral was very aware of Savage approaching quietly, his own cloth ready, and Feral pouted at him, but he quit rubbing at Maul’s chin just long enough for those big eyes to finally open, looking up at him with something like a pout, but then he noticed Savage.

“Back of your head?” Savage asked gently, holding the cloth up in offer. Maul hesitated, taking in Savage and Feral both, before finally nodding, and as Feral reached out once again closed his eyes.

They worked on cleaning him carefully, listening to the happy rumbling purrs, the soft stutter that sometimes shuttered through him, Maul’s purr not as healthy as others his age. It was clear, Feral thought, that Maul had not been given much reason to purr in his life. It was a tragedy.

Feral washed Maul’s arm gently, taking in those marks that covered him, the blackness to them, and smiled softly. They were for Maul.

They were good.

Savage had a look on his face Feral recognized, he realized, looking up at his older brother whose expression was so…soft, so sad. Savage had been robbed of this opportunity. For twenty-seven years they had been robbed of it. Robbed of the opportunity of seeing Maul grow, of taking care of him, of teaching him their ways and making sure that his purr was strong and full…

Feral had wanted to weep.

Feral had listened to Maul speak of what he had believed, what his Master had told him and wanted to weep. It was not fair; it was not right… To have been told all of that… They finally finished, pulling back. Maul slowly, carefully opened his eyes, looking up at them through those half-lidded eyes and utterly overcome… Feral leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“I love you, little brother,” Feral said softly, “you have never been nothing. You have always been my twin, and you have always been someone I loved.”

Maul’s face crumpled, and he reached out, taking hold of Feral’s hand, squeezing it.

They let Maul continue washing himself, Feral instead turning towards Eeth, who had been busy washing, the soap suds taken away by what Feral had to assume was some sort of filtering system. Eeth caught his eye and grinned, holding up the bottle of what Feral now knew was something called ‘shampoo’ after Agen had explained it to Savage. Feral beamed at him.

Feral found he rather liked washing hair.

Maul finished cleaning and found his eyes trailing over to Tiq, who was still lying on the rock. Feral and Savage had gone back to playing with Agen’s and Eeth’s hair, cleaning themselves and each other between moments, leaving him quite unnoticed. Tiq had turned to lay on his side, still stretched out as much as possible.

Maul understood that Rodians were not big on touching, and Maul did not necessarily want to touch him at all…but…he was curious…

Tiq made basking look so nice, his eyes closed, arm thrown over his eyes… Maul was curious…and he would certainly dry quicker under the light like that…

Maul climbed out of the water, taking the towel and rubbing it over himself briefly to get rid of most of the excess, before finally padding his way over quietly. Tiq opened an eye lazily when Maul got close enough, turning his attention to him with a soft smile.

“Hello, Maul,” he said softly, and he was sounding a great deal more like the Tiq that Maul knew, though his blinks were still lazy, his gaze still just a little bit hazy.

“Hello,” Maul said equally softly, “do you mind if I bask near you, too?” he asked, pointing to the rock that was next to Tiq. Tiq looked at the rock that Maul indicated, for a moment clearly considering, and Maul watched as distinct disgust appeared on his face.

“Subpar rock,” Tiq sniffed, and to Maul’s shock rolled over slightly, putting his back to Maul but also freeing up a significant portion of the rock. “Hatchlings always allowed,” Tiq stated, and for a moment Maul did not quite comprehend the meaning.

And then it hit him.

Maul stood there for a moment, utterly still, punched to the core of his soul, before finally, slowly lying down next to Tiq, feeling the way soft scales – heated by the sunlight pressed against his back. There was a soft click, Maul realizing that Tiq had made it low in his chest, reassurance and…safety sweeping out over him…

And Maul closed his eyes, thinking of the people that had brought him here, thought of warm wash cloths and hugs, braiding fistfuls of hair, being held on shoulders and allowed to press close to people that generally did not like touch…

And knew that he was loved.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt 12

On Circadian Rhythms and Sunshine

Feral was on the softest bed he had ever known.

Feral had been sleeping, curled up with his brothers, and the thought of that was still so amazing, still so new…Feral could not understand how that had happened, could not believe that this… It was true. All Feral had to do was feel the little life that was curled atop him and know it for true.

Feral’s clan-pair was alive, and he was with him. Feral’s clan-pair was named Maul.

It was a good name, a proud name, one that would serve his little brother well – and Feral had never thought that he would ever see him that little. He never believed that he would see him at all. The boy that had shared a womb with him…the one that he had been tied to had been taken… The severed bond within Feral’s mind, the one that ached in desperation, in longing for a person that Feral would never again be able to connect with had been part of the reason that Feral was inconsolable.

When Feral had been younger it had ached…as an infant that ache had been so bad that he had been unable to be soothed. He did not understand why he hurt. He did not understand why his brother was not there.

Feral sometimes thought of Savage trying to take care of him, trying to help a boy whose twin bond had been severed and believing that he would never be enough…

Savage had been wrong, though. He had been enough. When Feral had grown and understood more of what he had lost, more of what he had hurt…

There had been an empty space that would never be filled, but Feral had gotten used to it…

Feral had tried to get used to it.

Sometimes something would happen, and he would turn to a brother that had never been there, even now…something inside of him screaming… But it was never something that would happen and even now…

Even now that twin-bond had not reformed. Even now his brother was here and yet…he was not in Feral’s mind where he belonged. But that did not matter in the face of the fact that his brother was here.

His brother was here and Feral was sleeping with his little brother bundled upon his chest… Maul had been the youngest, Feral remembered, and it was something that…when he had seen Maul’s face in the holoimage, when he had seen the brother he had lost he had thought of lording it over him. He had thought of doing…so many things.

Now… Feral would do so much with him, he was able to do so much with him, but that connection was still not there.

It was worth it, however, Feral knew, it was worth it for the feeling of the small body curled up on his chest, the tiny breaths of air against his neck, the purr rumbling so hard in that tiny body that it nearly shook the life from him.

Maul was alive, he was here, and he needed them…

And he had freed them.

Feral could still not believe it.

He reached a slow hand out, careful, careful, and slowly ran his finger over a tiny cheek. It was hollower than it should be, holding that rawboned state of starvation that was always such an issue in the village, but he was somewhere…they were somewhere it was safe. They were somewhere they could begin to heal.

The knowledge pounded in his head, sang in his breast, they were safe, they were safe, they were safe.

Feral believed these people that had brought them here. Feral believed the ones that had given Maul this joy, this happiness even in the midst of what he knew to be sorrow that permeated this room.

It was a balance that Feral had long grown familiar with, but it was one that was tipping further towards joy and happiness and had been for a while.

Feral was glad.

Savage mumbled quietly and Feral turned his head slightly, locking his horns with Savage’s, settling his brother’s rustling.

Little Maul needed to sleep more yet, Feral could feel.

For now, it was good enough to just watch him, to take in the slow rise and fall of that small chest, to take in the feel of his weight and his warmth, and the knowledge burning in his soul that Maul was alive.

Maul was alive and he was safe.

They were all safe.

Maul woke slow.

Soft and groggy, Maul blinked his eyes open hazily, for a moment not sure where he was. He lay there in the dark of a room that felt familiar in a way that the Holocrons that he had taken felt, in the way that the ship that he had entered felt. That Dark and yet not feeling that he knew was synonymous with him. But he had never been in this area before.

There were posters above the bed he saw, ones that were of bands that he knew, and also a poster for a production of Macbeth. Maul had not been allowed to read that one, but he knew what it was for, knew who wrote it.

Maul was staring around at a room that felt like and was unlike the one that he had been using. It was a room that felt and looked like more of his own.

For a moment the feeling and the sights around him drove all else away, and then he slowly became aware of the fact that he was sleeping on something…that was moving.

Maul remained still for a moment, fear rising in his breast, uncertainty beating within his heart, and then he heard a soft rumbling sound, gentle and slow, and felt his horns gently hooked by another’s. Maul closed his eyes as they slotted easily with his own, hearing the purring rumble that was deeper than Eeth’s, wilder than Agen’s. And then he realized that there were two. Two chests he was sleeping against, two people who he was cuddled between.

Maul did not understand, for a moment so fuzzy, and then…and then…

Ships over the Temple, Hondo…

His brothers.

Maul had brothers.

His brothers were here.

There was a soft sound as someone yawned, and he shifted, feeling a hand rest on his back, light, a feather-soft touch that firmed as Maul pressed closer to it. It curled around him gently, and he was pulled down closer, horns clicking as he rolled with the movement, his eyes closing as a nose finally pressed against his own.

“Hello, little brother,” a deep voice rumbled, soft, and he opened his eyes to gold. “It is good to see you,” the voice of Savage rumbled softly, and Maul still…could not believe it.

“Hello,” Maul breathed softly, and pulled back, only to have another pair of hands gently run over his side, pulling him into a hug, and he was staring into more gold, staring into the eyes of Feral, crinkled in a smile, and a kiss pressed to his cheek.

“Hello, little brother,” Feral said. “How did you sleep?”

“Well,” Maul said, and it was true. He was rested and he felt nice, no dreams haunting him, merely sleep. “Thank you. How did you sleep?”

“Better than I have in years,” Feral said and Savage laughed aloud, gently hooking horns with Feral, before leaning forward and connecting with Maul as well. Maul grinned, hooked between the brothers, his brothers.

“I can attest to this,” Savage said, his voice a low rumble. “He sleeps very poorly most of the time.”

“You don’t sleep very well either,” Feral said, sniffing. “If you slept better I believe I would as well.”

Savage rolled his eyes and Maul giggled, finally pulling back from the two of them. “I slept better than usual as well,” Maul said softly. “I usually…I have nightmares.”

Savage and Feral looked at him and their brows creased, Savage running a thumb across his cheek. They were so tactile. There was so much gentle touch, so many little gestures of affection… If it wasn’t for the fact that they were so tactile with each other Maul would think…he would expect that it was because they were still seeing if he was real. Maul knew that this was the reason he kept touching, the reason he had his fingers wrapped around Savage’s thumb, the reason that he had hold of Feral’s sleeve.

They were here. They were here, this was happening, he had brothers they were here.

“What burdens your soul so?” Savage asked softly.

Maul…paused. He did not know what to say, what he could possibly explain, how he could ever…

“I wasn’t always with the Jedi,” he finally said softly. “Before…before they took me in…before they found me…” Maul was quiet for a moment, “it is…hard to explain.” He said finally. “I know that it’s been…so many years, that I’m really so much older, but me, but I…to me it was months ago. Barely four months ago I was still with my Master, and he…” Maul hesitated. “He hurt me,” he breathed. “He…he wouldn’t touch me, and didn’t hug me, and didn’t feed me, and…and…” he trailed off, aware of the tears in his eyes and the… Arms were wrapping around him, pulling him close, tangling him with his brothers, and voices shushed him. “He did so much to me,” Maul breathed, “he lied to me, and he twisted me. He made the Dark scary, he was trying to make me into a weapon. There was a droid…and he had a stick, and he would hit me with it. He made me stalk it and it would hurt me and I…” he swallowed, “he had lightning…he could shoot lightning from his fingertips and he…if I did…if I…if I…”

“I’ll kill him,” Savage rumbled and it was low and fierce and full of such hate, such utter rage, and Maul was very aware of the anger and the rising hatred that was bubbling within Feral, and he was held so tight, their arms so protective. But the words were in his mind and Maul was terrified, and softly, immediately,

“No, no, you can’t! You can’t hurt him, you couldn’t hurt him…” Maul’s voice broke, “but he’s dead. He’s already dead, you can’t…” he closed his eyes. “He’d kill you. He’d kill you both and I’d lose you before I even got to meet you!” A sob escaped and Maul had not cried so much, never wailed as much in his life, desperation, and something else, something that felt like it was loosening inside of him. Like he was finally letting his guard down after so long…

“Alright,” Savage said softly, “alright, I won’t…we won’t.”

“We have you,” Feral said, “and we’re not…we’re not going anywhere, you hear me? You’re stuck with us. I…” Feral swallowed, “I’ve been missing you my entire life. I’ve been longing for my twin my entire life, and I finally have you.”

“Mace said that I didn’t have brothers,” Maul breathed, “he said that he asked…Mother about it…and he knows when people lie…”

“She did not entirely lie,” Feral said, his voice low, “we are half-brothers. Even us, even you and me…Sisters can bear two from two different donors, for the particular ritual that gave you your skin, that gave you your Dark…that is necessary.”

“I am…the product of ritual?” Maul asked softly.

“Yes,” Savage said. “But you are still our brother, even if we do not share a father.”

“Savage and I do not even share a father,” Feral said with a slight shrug. “It is not uncommon among us.”

Maul took that in for a moment and finally nodded slowly. “But we are brothers.”

“We are,” Savage said. “I remember you when you were given to my arms. I remember your skin, the pattern of your horns, the feel of you against my chest.” Savage took him, lifting him, maneuvering him to lay against him, Maul curling up against him, lowering his head to Savage’s shoulder, his temple horn rising just above. “I trailed my thumb over your ears,” he said softly, following the motion, “uncurling them gently…” Maul closed his eyes, soothed by the voice rumbling within the chest he lay against, lulled by the gentle touch along his ear. “And I looked at you and knew you for my brother.”

Maul lay there for a moment, so warm, so content, feeling that arm around him, feeling the two hearts that beat in a chest… And then Feral began pushing at him, gently, gently, Maul blinking, curling further back as Feral sprawled on top of Savage, his oldest brother letting out a grunt as Feral’s entire weight crushed him down.

“And then of course he got me,” Feral grinned brightly at him as Maul raised his head to meet his face, “I’m a bit too big for this now, though.”

“Get off, Feral,” Savage grumped and with a heave rose and rolled, Maul falling to the bed with a laugh, Feral bouncing right alongside him, giggling. “I did get him,” Savage said, smiling. “I felt you click in place in my mind…” he paused. “Losing you…” he paused. “I was so young…I was just…I was twelve. Twelve years of my life I was alone before I was blessed with the both of you…” Savage swallowed, staring into his eyes, “and not even a week later I could not even…I could not protect you. I could not stop him. I could not save you…” he shook his head, and Maul was aware of the tears, aware… “I was meant to protect you…and I failed.”

“You could not have stopped my Master,” Maul said softly. “I do not…I don’t blame you,” Maul said. “I…” he paused, “if he had killed you both…because you would not let me go, I would have…I would…” Maul swallowed. And then Feral was there, Feral wrapping his arms around Maul and pulling Savage close, pressing his horns to them both.

“We are here now,” he said, “we are here now, and you are here now…I have you both, I have you.”

Maul sunk into it for a moment, basking, and then slowly beginning to pull away, wiping at his eyes. “Where are we?” he asked softly. “I don’t recognize the bedroom.”

“It apparently used to be yours,” Savage said, sitting up on the bed and paying more attention to everything that surrounded them. He eyed the curtains then that they were pressed against and finally pressed the button to raise them. It happened slow, gradually rising up and up to fill their small space with the light of a setting sun. Maul’s breath caught in his chest, hearing a similar sound from the other two, all of them straightening up, staring out.

“Oh,” Feral breathed softly, “oh it’s beautiful…”

“It’s so…different,” Savage said, “but it is so close all the same. Our sun…was never as bright as this.”

“Come,” Maul said softly, sliding off the bed and grabbing their hands, immediately dragging them out of the bedroom, hoping…

Yes.

There was a massive window…bigger than the one that was in the room Maul had been sharing with Mace, pointing towards the setting sun.

Maul stared with wide eyes, letting go of Savage and Feral, barely aware of how the two of them stepped with him towards the window, staring in silence. The sight of the speeders flitting past, reflecting gold and red, sparks in the gathering dark. They watched as purple overtook it slow, deepening to dark…

The rain would come soon.

The realization of how long Maul had been sleeping slowly dawned on him, and he looked back to Savage and Feral, the two of them sitting down on either side of him, their legs crossed, expressions of such awe on their faces…

“We slept late,” Maul said softly, frowning.

“I was going to say we woke up a bit early, really,” Feral said, stretching. “I could have used a couple more hours…” he paused. “If it wasn’t for the beauty of that.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then turned to look at them. “We truly are meant to be nocturnal?”

The reaction to that question was not quite what he was expecting.

Savage and Feral both looked at him with something like confusion, like…how could he ask that, how could he think otherwise…

“Yes,” Savage said slowly. “With a normal sleeping schedule, we rise a bit after the setting sun, and will go to bed when it is rising.”

Maul took that in for a moment, something twisting in his chest, “so many of my friends are diurnal though,” he said softly. “I don’t want…”

There was a nod from Savage, thoughtful, looking to his brother. “We could of course adjust to more naps?”

“That might work,” Feral said with a nod. “Though we shouldn’t be pushing your sleep schedule too much yet,” he said, and there was concern in his eyes. “You’re so little yet, you need your sleep to grow.” And then, the start of a tease on his face, in his voice, “you seem like you would need as much rest as possible.”

Maul sniffed, tilting his chin up which started the two of them laughing.

“Peace little brother,” Feral said, smiling, “it is not a bad thing to need rest. Nor is it a bad thing to want to be with your friends.” He frowned. “Is diurnal a common circadian rhythm?”

Maul hesitated. “I don’t know,” he said finally, blinking. “Mace has been working towards having me sleep more during the day, and I’ve been trying…” he paused, “my Master didn’t let me sleep when I needed to…” he said softly.

“Well,” Feral said, scooping him up, “you have us now.” He grinned, and Maul found himself smiling back. “Will you show us around?”

“Yes,” Maul said, nodding, “but I think we should…we should say something to Mace first.”

“He is the one that has been taking care of you, correct?” Savage asked softly.

“Yes,” Maul nodded, “but…but they all have. Tiq has been…he’s been helping me with my nightmares, and Ahsoka took me hunting, and…”

“Who is Ahsoka?”

“She’s a Togruta,” Maul said, “she’s my friend.”

“She?” Feral repeated softly, and the worry and the quiet uncertainty that burned…

Maul hooked his horns with Feral’s, “She,” he repeated softly. “And she’s nice to me. She’d never hurt me. She took me hunting because I lost a tooth.” He opened his mouth wide, let Feral see, listening to his soft exclamation of amazement, hearing Savage join. “And a Togruta…goes hunting and makes their first kill after they lose their first tooth! She…she shared her culture with me…because I didn’t know my own…”

There was a silence after that proclamation, and Maul watched as Feral’s face bloomed in a wide smile, and he knocked his horns into Maul’s.

“Well then,” he said softly, “I think we ought to find her and say thank you.”

“She is your friend, Maul?” Savage asked.

“Yes,” Maul nodded. “I let her touch my toe beans.” He held his foot out towards Savage who beamed, finally laughing aloud.

“Did you now?” he asked, “did she wish to?”

“She finds them very cute,” Maul nodded. “Most sentients I’ve talked to think they’re cute,” he said. “That’s why I let Hondo touch them.”

“It did work,” Feral laughed, “and they are very cute,” he took Maul’s foot in his hand gently and squished. “Oh, I love kitten feet,” he mumbled briefly, leaning Maul back on his arm, shifting him so he was cradled against his chest, able to look at Maul’s feet properly. Maul rolled his eyes. Feral laughed at him.

Savage was peering over, and Maul sighed, sticking out his other foot, Savage laughing aloud as he caught it, squeezing it gentle. “They are very good toe pads. They seem healthy and well taken care of.”

Maul smiled, without mentioning the fact that they had not been earlier. “Thank you,” Maul said primly, “will you put me down now?” he asked.

“Of course,” Feral agreed, and lowered him to the ground. “Shall we talk to Mace, then and then find Ahsoka?”

“Yes,” Maul agreed. “Where are we?”

“We are right next door to him,” Feral smiled, “he’s on that side.”

“You apparently did not move very far,” Savage smiled.

Maul nodded and walked out into the hallway, his brothers following him. They paused at the threshold, watching as the door before them opened and Tiq stepped out.

He looked…tired, disheveled, his robes on, but just slightly crooked, a hand rubbing at his eyes, which blinked at them blearily for a moment, before recognition spread and he smiled. It was a very soft smile, almost lopsided, but he nodded his head. “Hello,” he said, “it is good to see you.”

“Are you okay, Tiq?” Maul asked, “do you need to go to bed?”

“Hmm?” Tiq asked, blinking, “oh, no, I’m working on adjusting my sleep schedule, if you will recall,” he smiled, and it was gentle. “You are my patient, yes? It is my job as your Healer to be accessible. Usually, I would be perfectly capable of waking up like this, I have gotten used to it before. It is merely…my sunlamp bulb has died, and I am unable to get my blood up…”

“You need to bask!” Maul exclaimed, realization buzzing in his skull. “You’re cold-blooded!”

“Yes, that is correct, you remembered,” Tiq smiled. “But what that means is I have to leave the Temple. There’s technically one…inside of it,” he huffed, “but there’s a spa that’s simply better.”

There was a chime of a comm alerting and Tiq blinked, before immediately opening it. Maul narrowed his eyes at the image that flickered over the comm, taking in the sight of a pair of lizards…one of them with a very poorly cropped image of a lothcat head overtop one of the lizard’s heads, the two of them holding hands, the words ‘what if we sat on a warm rock to raise our body temperatures and optimize our vitamin D levels together~’ Tiq snorted, a startlingly loud and yet decidedly amusing sound, immediately looking around. “Alright, Agen, where are you at? You can come, you nosy Zabrak.”

“YES!”

Maul watched as Agen walked forward from where he had paused on the other side of the hall, beaming, putting his comm in his robes and Tiq made another wheezing sound, “did you seriously stand there and look for those images and slap them together as soon as you heard that I was planning on basking outside of the Temple?”

“Maybe~” Agen hummed noncommittally, grinning, before turning to look at them. “Hello,” he said, “would you like to come?”

“Agen, that’s pushy,” Tiq said, his voice low, the slight slur to his words deepening as he tried to hush himself. “You don’t know if they…would find it rude. Or…” he trailed off.

“It’s alright, Tiq,” Agen said, easily, “I have it.”

“You have…nothing,” Tiq retorted.

“I’m going to get it,” Agen said, grinning, “how are you three, did you sleep well?”

“Yes,” Feral said, his voice slow, amusement very clear in his face however, smiling at Tiq, and then at Agen. “Rodians are…often like this if they cannot bask?”

“Yes,” Agen laughed. “But we take care of them,” he nodded. “And by we I tend to mean Zabraks. We have a longstanding agreement with Rodians and a lot of shared spaces. You see, we both like heat, and we both like bright sun. Iridonia is a hot spring culture, we are communal bathers in a similar way to Rodians being communal baskers. I do not know if Nightbrothers are the same, but if you would like…?”

“You do follow communal bathing practices,” Savage said, and his voice was…that was relief there. Relief and something else, something close to…longing?

“Yes,” Agen said, “the density being what it is…” he paused. “Is it the same for you?”

“It is!” Feral said, “and if…if you truly are offering, then I would…” he paused, “oh I would love to, please. Would we be able to take Maul?”

“Absolutely,” Agen said with a nod, “we often take our kittens to the same places. I have…neither Eeth nor I ever took Maul to a communal bath,” he said softly. “We were uncertain if it was practiced in your culture, and it sometimes felt…” he paused. “I did not know. I did not want to overstep and I did not want to expose him to anything that…that was not accepted.”

Savage took a step forward, taking his hand, and softly, his voice so firm, and yet so tight all at once, “Thank you…for caring. For doing your best. I understand you…were one of the ones that was teaching Maul?”

“Yes,” Agen said, “Eeth as well, who was my Mentor…” he paused, “would you mind if we invited him?” he asked, looking to Tiq as well as the others.

“Not at all,” Tiq answered, waving a hand. “The more the merrier.”

“He should be getting up by now,” Agen noted quietly, taking his comm out, looking to Savage and Feral and Maul for confirmation. Savage and Feral both nodded their heads, indicating for him to call. There was a pause as the comm buzzed and finally.

“I am awake, what is it,” Eeth asked, voice rumbling and low.

“We’re taking the Nightbrothers to bask at The Spot,” Agen said, “get out here now, you’re coming.”

“Nightbrothers?” Eeth asked, and then there was a brief, “OH SHIT,” the sound of someone falling out of bed and then, “I’m coming out, give me a minute!”

Agen rolled his eyes, clicking the comm closed, but there was fondness in his expression. “He’s usually more on the ball,” Agen laughed, “we’ve been forced to adopt to a rather…different circadian rhythm.”

“It is not because of us, is it?” Feral asked, his voice soft.

“Oh no,” Agen shook his head, “some of us like Tiq here has,” he put his arm around the Rodian who was slumping slightly, Tiq’s head lulling on his shoulder, “has been forced to be a bit drastic in his change, but it is not usually like this. Once his new sunlamp bulb arrives he will be able to be up and about in no time. Eeth and I are crepuscular. We are active in evenings and mornings if given the opportunity, though neither of us have a problem adopting to a later time, usually. Earlier is sometimes difficult, and that is what has been happening recently, at least for Eeth. He is on the Council, you see, and they’ve got a lot of meetings. A lot of them have been running into times when he should be sleeping…”

There was a pause and then a door opened, Eeth walking out looking absolutely resplendent. Maul found himself unable to help the giggle that left him.

“What are you laughing at, little Mauler?” Eeth asked him, eyes narrowing in mock annoyance, amusement burning bright in the Force.

“Little Mauler?” Savage repeated, delight in his voice, “I might have to steal that…”

“You would be welcome to it and many more,” Eeth said. “Sabé is rather fond of calling him bean.”

“Bean?”

“Sabé?”

“For toe beans,” Tiq giggled.

Savage and Feral both laughed aloud, even as Maul pouted up at them. That seemed to just make them laugh harder.

“Sabé is the once-handmaiden of a Senator that Maul is very close to,” Agen said. “Padmé Amidala was the Queen of Naboo, and is also and was also Maul’s very best friend. If you want stories about Maul, she is absolutely the one to talk to.”

“The Queen?”

“She was…” Feral hesitated, and Maul was unprepared for the way that Savage’s hand lowered to his head, the way it threaded through his horns, while also backing Maul towards him. “Maul was not…he was not promised…or…?”

“No!” the chorus of voices was loud and sudden, and there was genuine dismay on their faces. “Oh, no,” Tiq said, “no, no, Padmé…saw Maul as an equal, as a good friend, someone whose opinion and thoughts and person she respected. There was never a relationship between them. They were…”

“They were friends,” Agen said, and there was something so final in it. “They would visit each other and talk about so many things. There was never anything between them.”

“Maul was never going to be and will never be her consort,” Eeth said softly. “Your brother was safer with her than he was with many others, and she was safe with him. They are still safe with each other, there is no harm done, and there will be no harm done.”

“They took me swimming,” Maul said, looking up at them. “They took me swimming and I was covered, and they gave me space and they were so…they’re always so nice to me. They massaged my feet and hands and filed my horns for me,” he said, touching the hand that was still holding his horns. “I was safe with them. They never scared me.”

There was a pause and then Savage finally nodded slowly, the tension in his grip fading. “Thank you,” he said, “I…I would meet her…”

“I would as well,” Feral said, “their job on his horns is immaculate,” Feral grinned, hooking the back of Maul’s horn and shaking his head fondly as Savage let go. Maul gripped Feral’s hand and smiled up at him.

“You will get the opportunity soon, I am sure,” Eeth said, “she has been a very frequent sight at this Temple recently. She claimed Maul as her best friend once again, so she has been doing her best to visit regularly.”

“Then I shall look forward to meeting her,” Savage said.

“Good,” Agen grinned, “now that this is settled we have to get this one into some sun lamps.” He hoisted Tiq up slightly from where he had obviously fallen asleep against his shoulder, letting out a rattling snore. Agen laughed aloud, hoisting Tiq up into a fireman’s carry. “Come on,” he said, “let’s get a ride.”

They exited the Temple together, Maul holding Feral and Savage’s hands, the brothers sometimes lifting him into the air, swinging him high and then carefully depositing him to earth again. Maul had to work hard at keeping quiet because there were others that were still sleeping like Tiq was meant to. Maul’s brothers delighted in doing it suddenly, trying to catch him off-guard.

But Maul was used to holding his tongue and did so, beaming all the while.

Maul knew when to be quiet.

Savage finally picked him all the way up, Maul balling himself up reflexively, stomach feeling like it had been left on the ground below as Savage lifted him high overhead, before finally putting him on his shoulders. Maul held onto his horns, breathless and giddy with the sensation buzzing through his limbs, laughter caught behind his teeth. It was the nicest thing to hold back.

Feral opened the Temple doors so Agen could carry Tiq out, delight burning in his expression as Agen finally lowered Tiq on the steps. Tiq gave a brief sound of surprise, realized where he was, and patted Agen on the cheek.

“Thank you,” he said, and then slumped up against Agen’s side again.

Agen laughed, the sound free and delighted now that they were no longer in any danger of waking anyone up.

“Do not laugh at me, you are warm,” Tiq said, his eyes narrowed, gaze unsteady. “It is not my fault you make a good basking rock.”

Agen laughed harder, and finally slung his arm around Tiq’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “You are right, friend, here, let me help until we get to the spa. It is chilly out here tonight!”

Eeth pulled his comm out and flicked through some contacts before he made a pleased sound, sending out a transmission, waiting for a reply. “Five minutes,” he finally said, looking to them with a smile on his face.

“Where are we going?” Maul asked. “What is a communal…what is it?”

“It is a cultural…bathing habit,” Tiq said, “or basking habit in my case.” He rubbed his face.

“Shh,” Agen said, laughing, “you’re sleepy.”

“I am not too sleepy to explain!” Tiq said, poking Agen’s cheek. “You are so mean to me, I am sleepy, not…not…oh. What are words.”

“Go to bed, Tiq, we’ll wake you when we’re there,” Agen laughed aloud, “Eeth, sandwich him.”

“No, no, cheating! Cheating,” Tiq called out as Eeth sat down on the other side of the Rodian, throwing his arm across Tiq’s other side. “You are…the worst…” he mumbled, snuggling down between the two of them, his eyes half-lidded. And then finally fell asleep.

Maul could not stop giggling, hands pressed to his mouth, trying to bite it back but it was so…funny. He was so happy, his brothers were here, and he had never seen Tiq like this. He hadn’t realized how important basking was to the cold-blooded, and wondered whether or not Tiq would remember this later. He wondered how long it would take for him to properly warm up, and if that meant he would be more awake and aware. Maul did not remember being that tired, and certainly not given that sort of treatment when he had been so tired he didn’t think he could walk straight.

But it was nice to see it, nice to know that they cared enough about each other to take care of each other, even with their biological quirks, but that once again returned him to, “Cultural bathing practice?”

“Yes,” Feral said, reaching up to tug at Maul’s horn. “It is born of necessity, yes?” he said, “Dathomir is dangerous, and bathing is such a vulnerable position to be in. It is common to bathe together. You take care of your kittens this way, teach them how to clean themselves, and help your brothers when needed. It is…bonding through grooming, I suppose, if you wish to break it down this way.”

Maul was quiet for a moment, taking this in. “You would…wash me?”

There was a pause, Savage and Feral both quiet, before Savage carefully picked him off of his shoulders and placed him on the step, kneeling down to face him directly, Feral as well.

“I…” Savage paused, “would not do anything you are not comfortable with.” Savage stated. “I recognize…you have not grown up in this way. You would not be used to this at all, and I would not want to touch you in any way you are not interested in.”

“You are at the age where we would stop at your waist,” Feral said, “you would be trusted to wash yourself, and if you needed it we would help, but you do not have to at all.”

“I still wash this one’s ears and his back,” Savage grinned, nudging Feral. “He has a habit of forgetting.”

Feral rolled his eyes hugely and Maul smothered a laugh, “He is not wrong,” Feral finally said with a grin and Maul laughed openly. “But it is…a cultural practice that you have not…grown up in, and we do recognize that.”

Maul took that in for a moment, so quiet, so still, “you are…not disappointed in me?” he asked softly.

“No,” Savage said immediately, taking his hand. “No, no, never.”

“Not in a million years,” Feral said, taking Maul’s other hand.

“We are…” Savage was quiet for a moment, “you are not the first brother to be taken. You are not the first that is unfamiliar with our ways. But that is okay. You are loved all the same. If you do not wish to follow some of our practices then this is okay. You are okay.”

“You are always okay,” Feral echoed softly, “and you are always loved.”

“But you don’t even know me?” Maul managed, something caught in his chest.

Feral was quiet for a moment and softly, so softly, “I have been wanting to meet you my entire life. You are right in that I do not know you half as well as I would wish…but for what I do know, for what you have done…what you gave up, the pieces I have seen…how can you not be everything I have ever dreamed of and more?”

“How can we not love you, Maul?” Savage asked, “how can we not love the brother that we thought we would never see again? How can we not love the brother that freed us?”

Maul did not understand, something tight and something hot and something solid in his chest, rising up in his throat, and something so… Maul felt a sob shake loose, followed by another, his hands rising up to his face, broken and shattered and something so… Savage pulled him close, Feral held him tight, and they hushed him, gentle, gentle.

“You don’t…” he swallowed, “you don’t owe me.”

“No,” Savage said softly, “we do not,” he agreed, “but that does not mean I cannot see a sacrifice made, all of the work that you put into it, and not appreciate it for what it was. And even if I never meet the version of my brother that did this…even if I never do, meeting you, knowing you is enough. Because you are still here.” He pressed a hand to Maul’s chest – to the heart of his hearts. “And you yourself are worth knowing.”

“There is no obligation,” Feral smiled, “there is just you and me and Savage, and that is enough.”

Maul wept.

And when his tears were dry he was still held between two brothers that he would have never looked for and never knew could be found.

It was good.

He was also aware in that moment that Eeth and Agen had taken Tiq further away from them, giving them as much privacy as possible while they still waited for their transport. The fondness that swelled in his chest was almost enough to bring more tears to his eyes, awash in too many feelings and feeling entirely too small to hold them all.

It was not something that he often experienced, but it was good.

It was good and Maul was happy.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt 3

Hello again~ I come back bearing more Smaul and a lot of sweetness.

Maul was dreaming.

He knew he was dreaming because Deenine was there, and Deenine had been destroyed. Maul had watched the droid be thrown against the wall, seen the shattered pieces, watched the way it exploded upon impact, the way it collapsed and the smoke that rose from it…

In his dream Deenine was back.

And he was chasing him.

Maul could not escape, could hear the droid’s numerous legs as they ticked on the ground behind him, growing closer and closer, an awful clanging sound as he ran across the hot and cracked ground of Mustafar. His feet were bare, the heat and the stone and the agony of the feeling driving him onward, fueling the Dark…

And as he ran he saw growing ever larger…

His Master rose up, his hooded and cloaked form rising from the ground higher than Maul had ever seen, and Maul stared up at him.

“Foolish boy…as though you could have ever escaped me…”

Maul woke at the first feeling of electricity arching across his body. He reflexively rolled, curling up in a ball, toppling over the edge of the bed and crashing to the floor in a tangled mess.

“Maul?” he heard, the voice the low and kind baritone that he had grown increasingly familiar with, the voice of his new Master.

There was a knock and Maul did not understand why he did not enter; he did not understand why…

“Maul, are you alright?”

Mace said he was a kind Master, said that he cared for him, but could he really? Were Masters anything other than pain? And even as the thought occurred to him Maul found himself still tangled, still unable to get out of the bundle of blankets and he was going to come in, Mace was going to come in…

And he would see just how pathetic Maul was, could probably see by the cameras…the…

And even as the thought hit him he found himself looking for them and they…weren’t…there.

Maul did not understand and the less that he understood the more frightened he became. In the wake of his nightmare and the fear and the uncertainty beating upon his skull Maul inched his way in the only defensible position he could reach.

Under the bed.

Mace knocked on the door again, and there was more franticness to it, something almost like…like fear…like…like concern.

“Maul, are you alright?” he asked, “if you do not answer me in five seconds I am going to open this door. Five…”

And as Mace counted down Maul tried to make himself respond, tried to…but it was like his tongue was made of duracrete and as though his hearts were trying to leap from his mouth, and he was…he was…

Maul closed his eyes and bundled himself in the blankets tighter, hiding under the bed and…

“I’m coming in!”

The door slid open as Mace finally palmed it open and for a moment all was still. Mace entered the room, taking in the missing blankets…and then Maul heard a very soft sound.

There was the sound of a soft grunt and a creaking of joints, and then finally…

“Hey,” Mace’s voice came softly, and Maul finally opened his eyes…realizing that Mace was lying down on the floor. Maul closed his eyes again, terror building… “You know…the bed might be more comfortable,” he said softly, “or was it too soft?”

Maul looked up at the bed above him and then shook his head, “it was nice,” he mumbled…weak pathetic baby…

“Hmm,” Mace looked up at his bed, and then back to him, “then why are you on the ground?”

“I…” Maul sniffed, “I fell,” he said softly. “I had a…bad dream. And I just…” he felt the urge to bite at his fingers again, the urge to…he was so pathetic, just a big baby, no wonder his Master had always…

“Nightmares are terrible things,” Mace said softly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Maul shook his head – more violently this time – refusing to look at Mace as he did so.

“Alright,” Mace said, “would you like to come out from under the bed?”

Maul hesitated, eyeing him for a moment before softly, “where are the cameras?”

Mace blinked.

“Cameras?” he repeated.

“In my room,” Maul said, “where…I can’t see them, or…or feel them?” and as he said that he was reaching out with fledgling mechu-deru. He was not good enough to rip apart a droid yet, but he was getting better at sensing them, had used it to sneak up on Deenine before…

“There are no cameras in you room,” Mace said.

“But…but why?” Maul asked.

“Because this is your room…and what happens within it is not anything that we need to see. This is your space, your dwelling, and you deserve privacy. You deserve to have somewhere no one else can go without permission.” Mace’s face pulled into a funny shape, and he sent a glance towards the door. “I did enter without it, but you worried me. I heard a big thump and then you did not answer. I was afraid that something had happened to you.”

“I thought Jedi didn’t get scared?” Maul asked, frowning slightly.

Mace smiled at him, the look so gentle, “we do not use it,” he said. “But that does not mean we do not feel it. There are times, Maul when I have been terrified. When I watched my Padawan leap into danger that was so much bigger than him…and worried that it would finally be too much. It never has been. And so I have learned to breathe it out over the years, to trust that he knew what he was doing. You, though, are still so little I worry, particularly when you don’t reply. I was very scared that something had happened. I am very glad that nothing has.”

“I am sorry,” Maul whispered, “I was scared. I did not…I did not mean to scare you.”

“That’s alright,” Mace said, and he slowly reached out a hand to him. “Would you like to come out of there and have some tea? We can calm down before we go to bed.”

Maul hesitated for a moment, “What is tea?” he asked.

“It is hot water poured over any number of things,” Mace said, “I still have some of your favorite, would you like to try?”

Maul hesitated for a moment and then softly, “I can’t get out of the blankets,” he said. “I’m stuck.”

Mace took that in for a moment before he smiled, and he carefully reached under the bed, catching Maul under his arms and pulling him out from under the bed, gently working on unwrapping him and setting him on his own two feet. “There we go,” Mace said, beaming. “Come on,” he held out his hand and Maul took it.

Mace led him into the living room and Maul was momentarily frozen by the sight of bright oranges and yellows and reds spilling out over the ground before him. He stared at them taking in the way they painted everything in warmth, in…in…the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Maul turned to look out the window, walking towards the glass to stare out at the sight before him. The durasteel of the speeders glinted like licks of fire through the sky, the buildings all glinting like pillars of flame, their many sides reflective and so…beautiful.

He had not realized he had let go of Mace’s hand, that he was standing with his hands pressed up against the glass, staring out with wide eyes until he heard a soft click. When Maul turned he found that Mace was holding up a holocam.

“I took your picture, if that’s okay?”

Maul nodded after a moment’s thought, turning back to look out at… “Is that…is that a sunset?” he asked so softly, his voice so hushed.

Mace walked up to stand next to him looking out, and equally softly, “yes,” he said. “Night is coming.”

“It is beautiful,” Maul breathed softly. “I’ve never seen anything like it before. I saw…a holovideo…but I didn’t realize…” he stared out at the colors, at the beauty, and finally looked up at Mace.

“It is beautiful,” Mace said softly, staring out at it as well, and then smiled down at him. “Would you like to sit on the couch before it? Watch the sun go down?”

“Yes, please,” Maul said.

“Come on,” he said softly, “though if you would like…my Apprentice had a fondness for a way of sitting. He didn’t indulge in it that often, mind, but periodically after a hard mission…”

“What did you do?” Maul asked.

“Come here,” Mace said, leading him over to the carpet before the couch. He placed a large blanket on the ground, and indicated that Maul lay at one edge. Maul lay down carefully, staring up at Mace with brief uncertainty, but before he quite knew what was happening he was rolling…

Maul rolled once twice three times over as Mace carefully wrapped him up in a roll with the blanket around him. Maul made a surprised sound in the back of his throat, feeling as Mace carefully pulled Maul’s arms free so he was not completely trapped and could in fact pull himself out if he wanted, and then placed him on the couch, tucking the excess in around his arms. “Until I get your tea,” he said with a wink, “sit and enjoy.”

Maul craned his neck to watch Mace as he left him, before once again being drawn back towards the sunset.

It was beautiful.

Maul had seen nothing like it before in his life and to know that this existed at all felt like the most amazing gift he had ever received.

A while later Mace returned, carrying two steaming cups of liquid, one of them he held out for Maul. Maul reached up, the blankets falling away from his arms and took it in his hands.

It was warm, and it seeped into his hands, one of the nicest feelings he had ever had.

It reminded him of the blankets that he had been in, only something he could hold, and it was nice. Maul had only known two temperatures with liquid – boiling hot and an almost scorching cold that hurt in the deepest part of his bones. This was something different.

Maul looked up towards Mace, watching him as he blew on the drink to cool it and copied the motion, reflexively sniffing as the side-effect of the air blown over the liquid heightened the scent coming from it. He breathed in deep, his eyes closing. It was…strange, earthy, yet there was a very faint iron tang that reminded him of… He narrowed his eyes at it, tilting the cup slightly to try and get a look at the color of the liquid within it. He did not think that it was blood…yet he did not…

“It’s bloodroot,” Mace said softly, and Maul looked up at him, blinking. “The tea is made of an infusion of bloodroot. When you get older it’s one of your favorites.”

Maul took that in before taking a very careful sip, finding that it did taste a great deal like a watered-down blood, enriched with something…different, darker. Maul took another sip, before looking up at Mace with a nod, “I like it.”

Mace smiled at him, the look almost as warm as the drink in his hands and held the cup up towards him and softly, “I’m glad.”

Maul turned his attention back to the sunset, sipping at his drink and watching the world dim. It did not get truly dark, the constant lights of the city and the flashes of the speeders reflecting these lights, flickering like schools of fish –that he remembered from his classes - turned the night dazzling. Maul stared until he could stare no longer, blinking his nictitating eyelids to keep his eyes on it as long as possible.

It was beautiful.

And he was so warm…

For the first time in Maul’s life, he thought he might be content.

And as he sat there a sound began… A sound that he had never heard before, a low rumble that…

Maul looked around for the source of that rattling vibration, for the…and then realized that it was from his own chest. Maul looked down at himself, startled, but could not see anything that had changed and even as he could finally start to feel it… He put a hand to his chest, blinking, looking up to Mace at the sound of his voice, “It’s alright,” Mace said.

“What is it?” Maul asked, “what does it mean? Am I…am I…?”

“It is a purr,” Mace said softly. “Zabraks – both Iridonians and Nightbrothers – purr when they are content, or when they are happy. It is also used to alleviate pain, but that was never why you purred before. Or not often,” Mace smiled. “It is a very good sound. It is good that you are making it.”

“Oh,” Maul breathed. “Oh, I…I’m happy?”

“Yes,” Mace said.

“I’ve never been happy before…I think I like it.”

“I’m glad,” Mace said, and his eyes were wet again. “You deserve to feel this way as often as possible, and I’m glad, Maul…I’m glad that you’re able to feel it here.”

Maul smiled at him, and found his gaze once again drifting towards the city before him.

Maul was happy.

Maul was safe.

Mace carefully took the tea from Maul’s hold as Maul slipped into a deep sleep. There was very little left in the mug, and he placed it on the table before him, carefully coaxing Maul to lay properly on the couch, tucking him in and leaving him to lay there. Mace considered going to his own room, but after a moment of hesitation, staring at the tiny form of his once-Padawan sleeping at the end of the couch in a way that Mace still remembered so fondly…

Mace also remembered joining him on that couch, sleeping at opposite ends, never quite touching but present. It had been helpful for Maul’s visions, which would come periodically and were rarely pleasant. Mace had been there to comfort him through more than one, and the couch had become a very good neutral ground that they could both relax in.

Now…Mace had comforted his Padawan yet again, woken up by a dream in a way that he remembered with such a painful sort of fondness.

Painful because Mace had never liked it when Maul suffered…fondness because of the ritual to it, the softness of it.

Mace looked at the small body on the end of the couch in the dark of Coruscant and made a gesture towards the shades, finally plunging the two of them into the dark. Mace pulled the spare blanket around himself, and closed his eyes, letting himself fall asleep at the opposite end.

And wished very strongly for good dreams.

Agen had fought to be here.

Mace had given the word that he was going to come down for ‘breakfast’ with his once-Padawan, and the amount of people that had wanted to sit with them had skyrocketed.

Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Anakin and Ahsoka had been almost immediate, Depa had horned her way in because she was Maul’s sibling Apprentice, Eeth had stepped forward, and then Agen himself had worked very hard at taking the last spot outside of Tiq. Yoda and Yaddle had turned up anyway suggesting that they didn’t take up any space at all.

They were all waiting very patiently (not at all patiently) for the moment when Maul and Mace would finally enter, and had worked on getting their own meals together to give the two of them more time to adjust to everything that was around them.

Mace had told them that Maul was interested in being able to meet them, but there was a certain amount of fear involved. Maul had barely been anyone at all for a significant period of time, and to suddenly find himself with so many people all around him, that was so much for anyone, much less a little boy like him.

Agen still remembered seeing the cell where Maul had grown up.

Agen still remembered just how little Maul actually had as a child.

“By the Force,” Depa breathed, Agen shooting his attention to her, before finally turning his gaze back to the entrance and there…

Oh.

Oh, that was just…too much.

Mace had walked into the refectory and standing next to him was a boy that was somehow smaller than Agen had anticipated, even having seen him last night, dwarfed somehow by the size of the room and his proximity to Mace, staring around with large golden eyes, and pointed ears that were far too big for him, and… Agen watched as Maul looked up at Mace, his eyes somehow even wider, and Mace smiled at him, so gentle, offering his hand and…

Agen was going to die.

Maul took it, having to reach for it, but obviously comfortable with it, walking with Mace as he took him first to the omnivore choices, showing him how he collected his own food and how he could put different seasonings on it, and even let Maul try a bit of fruit. Maul looked up at him and there was such a wide-eyed look of startlement Agen was very aware of the fact that he was making a very strained sound in the back of his throat.

He was so little.

It had been one thing to see him, and even to hold him when they had met him the first time, but to see him standing there next to Mace with his hand held? Oh, it was almost too much… They hadn’t been able to properly speak to Maul last night, the little boy utterly exhausted – and who could blame him. There were so many new things…even now Maul was learning new things.

Mace took Maul over to the carnivore section, talking him through what he was seeing, and very carefully guiding him away from… Oh. Oh, that was…that was right…

Maul’s Master had not given him properly seared food as a child. He had thrown him the raw scraps that Maul could have handled better as an adult but did not have the stomach for as a child and…

It was one thing to know this…

It was quite another to see Maul have to be guided away from the ones that did not have a very distinct char. When Mace gave him the properly cooked food – raw in the center but with the surface bacteria all seared right off - he also got a proper cupful of seasoning and then took Maul over to the fruits. Maul picked a meiloorun – the rind already cut off. Maul looked up at Mace then, his little face so serious…he was so stern!

The knowledge that this was just…how the child was likely to be was something that Agen did not want to look at in the face just yet.

Let him pretend for just a moment that Maul was just a quietly studious little boy whose temperament ran very mellow.

Let him pretend…

They turned towards them then, and Mace pointed them out with his tray, quietly asking Maul if he wanted to sit with them, he could tell, and Maul hesitated for a moment, his gaze trailing around the table slowly as he took in each of them in turn. Agen smiled when Maul caught his eye, holding up his hand in a wave.

To Agen’s surprise but rather warm delight, Maul narrowed his eyes briefly in concentration before he adjusted the tray, a very familiar flame – flickering and much smaller than it would be but there and alive and real – rose as the tray drifted out of his hands with the Force, and Maul offered him a very small wave before taking his tray back and looking up at Mace, giving a brief nod in agreement.

Agen was going to cry.

Mace led Maul towards their table, the little boy picking his way around everyone as they walked, following on Mace’s heels without getting too far behind and certainly not beside…

Agen remembered that habit.

The hope was it would be much easier to break this time, along with whatever else that his Master had taught him. Mace had reported back that Maul did not have well-developed mental shields yet. They were there, certainly, but they were the reflexive sort that a mind naturally built, not the trained walls of a Jedi or a Sith.

It was a relief.

Mace paused before he put his tray down in one of the empty seats, the two next to each other with either the option for Maul to be on the very end, and therefore protected by Mace, or the option for him to sit between Mace and Ahsoka.

She had been rather insistent, and in the end none of them could say no. Anakin sat next to Ahsoka and so Obi-Wan, and then Qui-Gon with Tiq at the end. Eeth was at the head of the other bench, Agen next to him and then Depa, Yoda and Yaddle.

They were quite a crowd and Maul was looking at each of them very seriously before he finally looked up at Ahsoka for a long moment, before finally sitting down next to her. Mace took the spot at the very end, and Agen could see the quiet pride in his eyes. As usual, Maul went for the most challenging position, a very solemn look on his little face and he was so little! The various piercings that had lined Maul’s ears at one point were completely gone, and Agen had to wonder whether or not Mace had picked them up.

Maul was just a little boy.

“Hello, Maul,” Ahsoka said with a smile, “how are you today?”

Maul paused for a moment, taking in the question, before looking up at her and with a voice…oh what a little voice! His accent, sharp as ever, Maul quietly said, “I am well, thank you. How are you?”

Agen was not going to make it through breakfast.

He was going to have a heart attack and die of cute.

Ignore the fact that he was six. He was six. Six.

But the fact that Maul’s Master had apparently trained Manners into the boy was…interesting.

“I’m good!” Ahsoka beamed, “did you want to meet everyone quick before you tuck in?”

Maul frowned slightly, “What is there to tuck in?”

Agen thought he might die and was very hard-pressed not to aw, but he thought that it may not be appropriate. They needed for Maul to feel safe before they allowed themselves to laugh, and there was no doubt that he felt still that he was not safe. Agen could see his ears twitching slightly, see the way he kept stealing little glances at them, the way his shoulders hunched.

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t very clear of me,” Ahsoka said, which was beautifully handled, “tuck in is another way to say ‘eat.’”

Maul took that in for a moment, before nodding slowly, “Yes, I think…I think that sounds adequate.”

He knew the word ‘adequate.’

Holy fuck.

And yet…and yet as Ahsoka introduced them all one at a time, including the ones that he already met – Agen, Eeth, and Tiq all getting very solemn nods - Maul offering a quiet ‘Pleased to meet you’ if they said they were happy to meet him…Agen remembered a droid.

Agen remembered a droid with five sets of legs and three photoreceptors. A droid that was so much bigger than the boy that was sitting there quietly…a droid that had taught Maul how to speak even as he broke his limbs and beat him…

Was it any wonder the slang terms were ones that he had no reference for? Was it any wonder…?

“It is good to meet you once more,” Agen said as Ahsoka introduced him, “little cousin,” he finished softly, and watched with a pang in his heart as golden eyes stared up at him with such brilliant and uncertain interest, also looking towards Eeth. “You were my little cousin when you were here, just like you were Eeth’s,” he said softly. “If you would like to be now you may continue to be.”

Maul took in this offer before he nodded, his gaze so bright.

“Then well met, little cousin,” Agen said.

“Well met,” Eeth agreed with a deep nod.

Maul took that in with an utterly unreadable expression on his face, but Agen thought that those eyes spoke of a complete and utter disbelieving joy. And Agen could do nothing but smile.

Ahsoka finished introducing everyone, before they all finally began eating.

Agen watched quietly as Maul first went for the fork and knife and wondered, though at the realization that he was a bit clumsy with them Agen had to imagine it might have been for the novelty of it. That…made Agen a bit concerned.

“What do you think?” Agen asked, smiling, Maul looking up at him with those large eyes as he finally managed to eat it. He finished chewing thoughtfully before looking up at him again.

�� “It is different,” Maul said. “My Master never had anything cooked for me,” he frowned, “and I never had any cutlery. I…wanted to try…”

Agen was quiet for a long moment. He knew. He remembered. The pain of it choking him hearing this tiny little boy say it, and it was so…it was so much worse. It was so much worse.

“He didn’t…cook anything?” Eeth asked quietly.

Maul shook his head. “It was just raw scraps mostly,” he said. “I don’t know what it was.”

Agen felt his blood boil. “That’s not good for you,” he said, Eeth also shaking his head.

“You’re too little for you to eat anything raw,” Eeth said softly. “Your Master was doing you…a great deal of harm. Your body cannot process it well and you can get sick.”

Maul took that in for a moment, looking at the meat on his plate. “Oh,” he finally said, his voice so quiet.

“But it’s okay,” Eeth said, “we’ll work on that!”

Maul gave a soft sound, nodding slowly. “Mace says he is taking me to the Healers after we eat.”

“Smart this is,” Yoda said softly, nodding firmly and Maul looked at him, his gaze low, almost shy. “Well Healer Che will make you. Strong and healthy you will be,” and his face pulled into a wide smile, one that Maul returned lopsidedly, and hesitantly, but nonetheless returned.

Maul’s gaze shifted towards Agen, and he was very aware of the fact that he was holding his meat with his fingers, raw this time, though liberally seasoned. He did not take his food as hot as Maul did, but he did believe in some spice. They were very nice strips of meat, the perfect sort for ripping with your teeth. Maul frowned slightly, “Do…Zabraks use cutlery?” he asked softly.

“Sometimes!” Eeth said. “Generally speaking, most carnivorous species use their fingers,” he dipped his head to Ahsoka as well who also was eating her meat rare today. She was old enough that she could start to eat raw meat and she had a few pieces on her plate that Agen had traded with her for a few of her cooked ones. She had beamed at him and Agen had offered her a wink. She was growing and it was very good to start eating properly. “But it is good to learn how to use cutlery. Some cultures find it very rude to eat with your fingers, so it is always important to at least learn. You are not doing anything wrong by trying. But if you would like to eat it with your fingers, Maul, please feel free.”

Maul hesitated for a moment, and then very carefully put the fork and knife down. “I’m too hungry to learn,” he stated very primly, and it nearly made Agen spray food across the table. What an absolutely Maul thing to say. He picked up his meat then and sank teeth that…

Oh, dear Force he was missing a tooth.

He gave it a very perfect little rip, making…making… Agen’s hearts leapt into his throat – a very tight squeeze – as he realized that Maul was making the tiny noises that came from most Zabrak kittens. A very rough rumble low in his chest, not quite a purr, not quite a growl, though as soon as he caught Agen looking he…

“I’m sorry,” he said roughly, letting go, and there was such…

Agen immediately ripped at his own meat, letting the rumbling purr that came from the maneuver immediately start up again, completely unwilling, and unable to let Maul keep that expression, or indeed say anything more. Maul looked up at him with wide eyes, realizing as he did so that Eeth had also joined in with him. Ahsoka was very fiercely ripping at her own meat, unable to make the same sounds as the others but very happy to provide solidarity.

Maul stared at them with the widest eyes for the longest time, and then with the smallest of smiles, the tiniest of nods, immediately began ripping at it as well.

Agen beamed at him, and he was very aware of the others very politely eating and pretending as though nothing was at all odd. There truly wasn’t, outside of the fact that Agen might have been playing it up just a little. But if they were able to encourage little Maul to make the noises that he should have right from the beginning…

Then it was all worth it.

They finished their food, all of them very happily chowing down and very contentedly watching Maul while pretending that they weren’t. He was so little! By the Force…he was so little…

And to know all of the horrific things that had been done to him…

Healer Che perhaps had the hardest job of all, though Healer Tiq had also volunteered. He would help should it be needed.

And it would likely be dearly needed. Even so, Ahsoka and Anakin were in conversation with Maul, and he had turned his attention to them with definite curiosity burning. There was such a genuine shyness there, and such a genuine desire to learn and to connect…

Little wonder…

Little wonder.

“Who’s your favorite Sith Lord?” Ahsoka asked grinning. “Have you been learning about any of them?”

“I have,” Maul said brightly, nodding. “I think…I think I really like Darth Nihilus.”

Yoda made a sound in the back of his throat, waving a hand, “Darth Nihilus, Darth Nihilus,” he said, “better choices you can make young Sith.”

“But he was so powerful!” Maul said, “he ate a planet!”

“And killed all of the people and the things on it,” Depa said softly.

“I guess so,” Maul allowed quietly, “I had always thought that he looked cool,” he shrugged. “I don’t…” he frowned. “It doesn’t seem right that he killed everyone, I suppose, but…I guess…” he hesitated. “I wondered sometimes what it was like to be that hungry that you are literally eating your own body in order to stay alive.” He rubbed at his face. “Sometimes my Master didn’t feed me,” he said softly, “for a long time…and I’d lay there in my room, and I wouldn’t be able to move…and I’d wonder whether or not I’d turn into some all-consuming entity and eat everything around me…” he paused. “It didn’t happen,” and it was said in the kind of tone as though he wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad.

It cut Agen to his core.

Agen had heard that story before, heard that exact same reasoning for the favoritism, though older Maul had laughed, and told him that he preferred Vectivus, he thought, at least for what he had done, but Nihilus beat him in Aesthetic.

Agen had thought it was fair.

But to be staring at a child…to look at the very boy that his Master had broken…had hurt…had literally starved to the point of immobility…

That was a special sort of agony, and all Agen could do was offer his hand, and slowly, carefully, Maul took it. “That will not happen with us, child,” Agen said softly. “With us…you will be able to eat whenever you need, whenever you get hungry. We will not starve you. You shall not be a well of hunger.”

Maul took that in for a moment and quietly…so quietly…

“Thank you.”

Agen gave him a very lopsided smile, and Maul smiled back. They finished eating and then Maul took Mace’s hand as it was offered and he had cleaned his own hands, being waved away as they promised that they needed to go to the Healers to get properly well, and that they had their trays. Healer Tiq had stood up with them, also told to leave his own tray behind, the Rodian healer laughing and agreeing.

They nodded their thanks to them, and Agen found himself swallowing.

Agen remembered, watching Maul hold Mace’s hand, quiet words spoken about how once Maul had learned what an open hand actually was he had always reached for them. Words that Tiq had quietly repeated in a council meeting. Never had that seemed truer.

Never than when Agen watched a tiny boy who had been starved and kept in a room, who even now he could see the evidence of scarring and starvation…

Never than when he took the hand offered without question and walked with Mace out of the refectory.

He hoped it would be the first of several.

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mercurydancer · 1 year

Note

Fanfic Ask!!!

🤡

What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

Honestly dude - I make myself laugh more than I probably should. But. _

“I do not…” he swallowed, “I have grown…unaccustomed to waiting for punishment.”

Tiq blinked.

“Punishment…?”

“You keep saying that it is not…that you do not, but I have not only let my mouth run away from me…I failed at keeping a check on my rage, I bared my teeth, I accused you of terrible things, and I have…” Maul shook his head, “I was weak and I should not have allowed my anger to get the best of me, and…”

Tiq held up a hand.

Maul fell silent at once.

“Maul,” he said, “I am going to introduce you to technique forty-seven.” Tiq said. “Hate is the last one, as you recall, yes? You have been hating your Master, for me, have you not?”

“I…have been,” Maul agreed softly with a nod.

“Thank you,” Tiq smiled, “this one is one I can actively participate in as well, you see, it allows me to release my emotions into the Force as well, but it’s a bit of a…different method.”

Maul tilted his head.

“Are you ready?” Tiq asked.

Maul was quiet for a moment, not entirely certain and then slowly, hesitantly gave a sharp nod.

Tiq cleared his throat, laced his fingers together, and Maul felt with something bordering surprise as that still pool that was Tiq’s Force presence seemed to ripple, before Tiq took a deep breath, and…

“Maul’s old Master – you are a cock-sucking conniving bastard, and you don’t know SHIT!”

birth of Technique 47 LOL

#fanfic ask game #twin sons #technique 47 and the whole shebang killed me #i really do love this #and i make myself laugh too much lol #maul #tiq #healer tiq #darth maul

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt 6

More Smaul, and finally...Plo

Maul was practically bouncing, Mace grinning from ear to ear as Maul basically dragged him down the streets. He was still quiet, his energy taking more of a physical form, but there was no doubt that he was feeling it. Maul had been very quiet and contained on the taxi over here and now Mace feared that Maul would vibrate his way out of the speeder if he put him in one.

For now, they were walking, taking some of the excess energy off.

Maul finally turned to Mace, and he smiled softly, “would you like to take a taxi back?”

Maul nodded, and Mace hailed one.

The speeder ride was quiet, the human pilot content to play music on the radio, which Maul was staring at and…

Mace came to realize that Maul had never listened to music at this age.

At this age Maul would never have had an opportunity to dance, or to sing, or to jump around to some loud pulsing beat that threatened to explode his eardrums. Maul would have never been giving the opportunity at all.

Mace thought for a moment, and then contacted Tiq, who he knew was in touch with another of Maul’s good friends and would be really interested in the opportunity.

After all, Mace thought, watching as Maul’s foot bobbed without much apparent thought put into the motion, the first time that Mace had seen him fidget the entire time he had been within his care, Maul was going to need to burn off some of that excess energy… The smile that twisted his mouth at the realization that Tiq had gotten his message and had informed him that they would have set up a little spot in the training rooms, as well as a ping to show him which one.

Mace smiled, and as the cab came to a halt, paid, and took Maul back out, the two of them walking up to the Temple and into the entrance.

Maul walked along next to him, his steps quick and bright, boots tapping along on the tile floor sharply, his gaze once again following everything there was to see. He had moved closer to Mace, but his gaze was even and he waved at everyone who waved at him.

He was already learning so much. He was already doing so much.

Mace was happy, and he was proud, and as Mace led him to the training rooms, Maul was growing increasingly fidgety, his little fingers tapping against each other, tugging at the sleeves of his tunic, small things…little things, easily unnoticed if you weren’t looking.

Mace wondered if that was the purpose of them, whether or not he worked to keep from drawing attention. It made his chest hurt, but as he turned Maul down the hall that led to the training rooms he was able to hear the loud beat of music. Mace knew this band and remembered the song with a particular sort of fondness.

Song of the Blackest Bird was the first time that Maul had really danced.

Mace thought it might be again.

D’una had heard the rumors, had seen the excitement, listened to all of the gossip she could get, and had called Wan with more excitement than she had in a while. Wan in turn had told her that she was on her way back and she had better take all the damn holos she could if Wan wasn’t able to get there in time. But that was a couple days ago and Wan had made it back. Neither of them had seen Maul yet, who they had heard was somehow the smallest little boy…

But D’una thought that now was going to be their chance.

Tiq had contacted her, her on-again-off-again therapist who was at the moment more off than on, but was nonetheless a good friend. He had requested a method to wear a kid out after a sugar-high, said with a level of amusement and fondness that told her exactly which kid he was thinking about and exactly why they were doing this.

They would have little dances and parties for their younglings, but it was rarely ever for a singular individual, lifedays excepted. They did work to make sure that their life day was at least recognized, and they were given cake and celebrated. Something like this, though, was a little unorthodox, but D’una nonetheless knew exactly what to do.

She had set up speakers in one of the training rooms, setting up her music player off to the side and worked on creating the most kid-friendly and yet aggressive playlist she could think of. Maul had always preferred the stuff with a massive beat, something that thudded in his chest, something that allowed him to feel the anger that he had missed while he was in training to be a Jedi. It reminded him of what it was like to be Sith and he had liked that.

Now, D’una wondered if he still listened to it. He’d always had a broad taste in music, but she thought that the little version of him would be just as impressed as the older one.

Wan was grinning at her, the Knight that had been her friend since they were Padawans working on clearing a wide space that would be perfect for a small gathering. They weren’t going to crowd him with too many yet, just the ones that had been at dinner with him from what D’una understood. They were absolutely excited, and D’una couldn’t blame them.

D’una remembered Maul’s expression when she first asked him about music. The way he had stared at her with utter confusion, no contempt, just…uncertainty. He’d never listened to music, never been allowed on his own and the music that apparently he had listened to with his Master had been…different. It was only after he had listened to more genres that he had stumbled into the slow operatic songs that he had recognized. Snatches of memory, snatches of sound that he remembered listening to with his Master.

Maul had had a bit of a reaction to that, gone utterly still, and they had removed it from the playlist at once. It had not been anywhere near as strong a reaction as the first time. D’una remembered the first time, remembered the concussion and the broken arm that had come with it, it had merely been a vague sort of unease that had made him turn it off.

That would not happen today.

Today was for dancing.

D’una grinned wide as the others entered their makeshift little dance hall, praising their quick set-up, and shortly after that D’una began playing the tunes.

D’una thought it would be better to get Maul to dance if he knew what it was that was expected. Seeing the way Ahsoka and Anakin immediately started to dance along with the music, Wan joining them…they seemed to think so as well. The older adults were milling about, but D’una had no doubt they’d be dancing as soon as they could. Depa was already inching over.

It didn’t take long until…

D’una felt her heart skip in her chest, heard Wan make the sharpest intake of breath next to her, and knew that if she had tearducts there would be tears in her eyes.

Maul…

Had no right to be that cute.

He was tiny, a little boy that was looking around with a wide-eyed expression, his face so curious, holding to Mace’s hand, even as his head cocked, listening. Ahsoka called out to him, holding her hands out, indicating that he come towards her, Wan, and Anakin. Maul paused for a moment before finally approaching, leaving Mace behind as he walked over towards them. Ahsoka held out her hand and after a moment of staring Maul took it, looking up at her with the widest eyes that D'una had ever seen.

“Come on,” Ahsoka called over the beat of the music, “would you like to dance?”

Maul stared at her with confusion apparent, nibbling at his bottom lip with…oh help he was missing a tooth. Anakin held out his own hand and Maul carefully took it, and together the two of them guided Maul in a romp, Wan holding their other hand as Depa finally closed in and grabbed hold. D’una remembered her own romp with Maul, the first time that she took his hand in hers, between her and Wan, the three of them dancing around, and it was with that in mind that she put her songs on shuffle…

And joined the romp.

Kitten had a sugar-high it seemed, and she could see it in the way of his darting pupils, the way his movements jittered, and she laughed aloud, Maul taking her hand in his and staring up at her with brilliant curiosity.

“Hey, Maul,” D’una said, “my name is D’una. Come on, we’ll show you how to dance.”

Plo had sat in the pilot seat of this vessel for so long that he thought he may be going numb.

When Mace had asked for volunteers to retrieve Maul’s ship Plo had been the first, and, indeed, the only one that had gone. Entrusting his ship to his astromech on the way home, Plo had been the one that had taken control of the ship that Maul had seemingly spent the most part of four years in.

Plo did not necessarily think that it was the only thing he had done, did not think that Maul had never set foot outside of it, Plo had known that Maul had, but there was no doubt that this ship whose records bore no name, had been the ship that Maul had spent a significant portion of his last four years in.

It was not immediately apparent upon first entering the vessel.

Maul was a fastidiously neat creature by nature, his belongings always placed just so, and this was especially apparent in the ship that he had made his own. Nonetheless, Maul’s signature felt burned into the fabric of the walls themselves.

No matter where Plo had went, there Maul was, the feeling of his Heat burning bright in the Dark of the rest of the ship. It was a presence that Plo had missed, and it was one that he had begun seeing more and more of as he walked further into the ship, as he followed the walkways deeper.

The main galley with its kitchen was carefully maintained, spices and dried vegetables and fruits packed away in containers, and the conservator stuffed with the meat that was necessary for a carnivorous diet. The lack of citrus was certainly marked as well, and Plo had found himself smiling as he took it all in. He had wandered further back then, ultimately discovering a bedroom…

And a shrine.

Mounted upon the wall was the saberstaff that Maul had utilized while in the care of the Jedi, its surface polished and well taken care of. Maul had crafted it in imitation of his new Teacher’s, the black and gold twin colors to Mace Windu’s, and yet in stark contrast to the gloss of Windu’s his own was matte. Maul had always teased his Teacher for it, claiming that the twin blades meant that his was flashier regardless and any gloss would have simply made it blinding.

Mace had always laughed and cuffed him, hooking his horns, and shaking his head in gentle affection.

It was such a common gesture, such a common warmth.

It had taken Plo a moment to look away from that saberstaff, finding that the other half of Maul’s Padawan chain had been wound around the mount, the final three beads that had been gifted to him dangling. One of them was the black bead that Plo himself had given him, a bead that contained a silver spider-webbed pattern within it, illustrating the numerous paths that lay before him.

That had been Plo’s promise always, that no matter what, Maul’s path could lead in any number of directions, and they would still be proud of him, would still wish for him to succeed.

Plo had not believed that Maul would wind up staying with them in the end. Plo had known that Maul would succeed, had known that Maul would stand before them a Knight, but similarly he also knew that after he had proven to himself that the arts of the Sith had not been a chain, Maul would go back to it. It was in his blood and in his bones and in his hearts. There was no doubt, though, that it was not the same Maul that had first been within their Halls.

Plo still remembered saying goodbye to the young man that stood before them, still remembered the Heat that had burned before him, and yet…there had been something different to it. Something almost liquid in that fire, something that reminded him of liquid metal or plasma, something that burned so hot and with such ferocity it felt as though it would scorch the flesh from your bones.

And yet as Maul had embraced him the only thing Plo felt was the Nightbrother’s warmth and his strength.

Plo had watched Maul go with Mace and Tiq beside him, knowing that Maul had said his final goodbyes to the ones that he cared for the most, and similarly knowing that eventually they would come back together.

Mace had watched him go and quietly said that there were too many shatterpoints remaining, too many ties that connected them.

But until then, they would continue as they had, and periodically they would glance to the stars and wonder.

And as Plo’s gaze had drifted to the black armor neatly mounted upon the rack he found a smile on his face and warmth in his chest.

It seemed that their wondering had been correct.

Maul had been the one to capsize Zygerria.

Plo had recognized that helmet.

That wasn’t to say that Plo had seen that particular helmet before. There had been no true footage of what had happened to that slave empire, nothing concrete, at least, nothing that was not heavily tampered with or blurry. Zygerria had gotten away with most of its atrocities by having almost no records of what went on, and it had coasted by on these excuses of being an under-developed world, of being ravaged by the last attempts to break-up their empire…at least, until someone had used that very same lack of records to destroy them from the inside.

Plo had taken a step towards the helmet whose horns had jutted out longer and fiercer than the man’s had been the last time he had seen him, and took in the echo of Darth Nihilus, black hollow sockets and a gaping maw, a skull formed of blood red. The same color of Maul’s skin.

There was a cape beside it, also blood red, but there were no other patches of color, and the armor had the same matte coloration as the saberstaff that had been mounted upon the wall. Plo had reached up and taken the helmet in his hands carefully, watched as the shadows played upon it and the red vanished into the mass of black.

It would only be seen if Maul wanted it to be seen.

The terror that this would bring into the hearts of its victims was a calculated beauty, and Plo found himself deeply impressed.

Mace had taken the saberpike with him, but Plo had seen that, taken in the long hilt that had been painted the same matte-black of the armor before him. Plo had replaced the helmet, taken in the armor that stood there, the face that rescued so many – and similarly put so many oppressors in the dirt, and smiled, before finally turning to the rest of the room.

And that was when he had seen the blue glow of a Jedi Holocron.

It was especially noticeable in comparison to its brethren, three red Sith Holocrons, their points and angles so different in comparison to the square of the Jedi Holocron. Plo had stared at it with the knowledge that it had been left there among them for a reason.

Maul had left them a message.

Plo had picked it up, and carefully reached into it, feeling the way that it reacted to his presence, before a soft voice – familiar, achingly so, like a punch to the chest, “To be listened to by the Jedi Council, Healer Tiq Nooz, Quinlan Vos, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and those attached to him, Senator Padmé Amidala…and…to whatever version of myself still exists.”

Plo had felt his soul plummet, but he had taken that Holocron with him, and even now as he sat within the pilot seat, working so hard to breathe out the emotions that even now tried to choke him…

Maul had known that something may go wrong.

Maul had chosen to pursue his course of action regardless.

They may find out what had happened…

Plo sat there and tried to will himself to move.

There was a child within their halls that had never had the opportunity to be there. A child that was so small, that had been six and perhaps looked four. A child that was covered in scars. A child that flinched at the reach of a hand, that stared at everyone with a keen wariness that he should not have possessed.

Maul should not have been that frightened, should not be…

His Master had done this to him.

And the thought of that realization filled Plo with such a burning rage that even now, even after having flown from what felt like the outer reaches of the Galaxy within a ship that was filled with the presence of a young man that may perhaps never be again… Even now it was as hot as it had once been, scorching behind his closed eyelids, his beating heart.

Maul’s Master had broken and twisted and hurt. So hurt a child that Plo had seen curl up within Mace’s arms, even as he had seen the slight wariness, the way he held on tighter than perhaps other younglings would, the fear in the way he attempted to avoid being dropped. So hurt a child that there were more bones that had been broken in the past than there were that were whole.

Plo was furious.

And he was having difficulty breathing it out.

Plo had seen what happened to Maul. Plo had seen Maul struggle with even the most basic of kindnesses, seen the scars that were across his body from a lifetime of suffering, seen the twisting that had been done to him, the submission, the complete lack of awareness of his own body and… Plo drew in a shivering breath, and slowly breathed it out.

Maul was a child.

Just a child.

His Master had…

“You know,” a familiar and yet utterly unexpected voice came, and Plo started, swiveling the chair around roughly to find Healer Tiq sitting in the copilot seat, a gentle expression of amusement on his face, combined with the softest sort of concern, “I’m not bad at sneaking up on people, usually, I have a light step, which is to the detriment of some of my patients with anxiety.” He smiled ruefully, though that smile faded, and all that was left was concern, “how are you, Plo?”

“I am…” Plo paused, “struggling.”

Tiq nodded quietly, his gaze drifting as he looked to the right slowly, taking in the bridge of the ship for a moment. “It is difficult,” he finally said quietly. “You say to yourself ‘I know what happened to him. I was there when we learned of this, I have seen his scans and I have seen the wounds that have been carved into his psyche…’ and then you see him.”

“Yes,” Plo agreed softly. “And then you see him, and you realize in a way that you had not before that this was a child…and someone broke him to his core. Someone broke him and hurt him and…” Plo shuddered briefly, balling his hands into fists, feeling the metal claws on his fingers digging into his skin. He released his fists and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“There is no need,” Tiq said softly. “You are not used to anger; I do not think. Not like this.”

“Professional opinion, Healer?” Plo asked roughly, unable to help the slight smirk on his face, even as it was given to the dark of his own hands.

“Simple observation,” Tiq said, “we are friends. I do not psychoanalyze friends; I give them a referral.”

Plo laughed aloud, finally meeting Tiq’s gaze again, finding the man sitting there quietly, his expression so open. “You are right,” Plo finally said. “I have of course gotten angry. Every Jedi has, we are only sentient beings after all. Yet I find myself…” Plo was quiet for a moment. “I find myself thinking of that ship, of watching it explode…and thinking that it was much too quick, which is a thought that I do not like. It feels…much too like vengeance for me, and this in turn fills me with regret. Revenge would not reverse time. It would not cause Maul’s injuries to be removed, it would not make him able to accept an open hand. I have no doubt that he has learned how to, Tiq. He has always been the bravest being I know, and yet…”

“And yet,” Tiq agreed softly.

Plo sighed. “I do not know what to do, friend,” Plo said softly. “I am…angry, and I know it happens whenever I look at him, and in this…I do fear, Tiq. I fear that if I am not careful he will not understand that I am not angry at him. He will believe that I am furious with him, Tiq, and how can I explain it to him in a way that will remove that initial sting? I do not wish to harm him, Tiq, and yet I fear that the initial impact of my rage will run deep… He has been hurt already, Tiq. I do not wish to hurt him more.”

Tiq was quiet for a moment, and then held out his hands. Plo paused for a moment before taking them, watching as Tiq’s mouth pulled into a slight smirk, and softly, “Tell me, Plo,” Tiq said, “have I ever told you of a little thing called…Technique 47?”

“You have not,” Plo said softly, frowning, “what is it?”

“Permission,” Tiq smiled, “to be as vulgar and as vicious as you would like. Permission to rant and rave towards the one that has caused this fear, this anger, to speak it and so get it out of your chest, out of your own soul, so you can give this speech to the Force and let it drift away. So, you can feel it bleeding from you and know that it is given.” Tiq smiled, and it was broad, and it was sharp, “would you like a demonstration, or do you feel like you wish to give it a go?”

Plo rumbled low in his chest, thinking. Did he wish to give it a go? And yet…and yet… “Rant and rave you say?” Plo asked softly.

“Oh, yes,” Tiq agreed, “for example… Bitch, I bet you knew you hadn’t heard the last of me…” and the suddenness of the exclamation was so much that Plo sucked his breath in too sharply, full of a buzzing delight as Tiq continued, “but just in case you hoped otherwise here I am, and I have more to say. Fuck you. Fuck you for all that you’ve done, all that you were planning to do, and all that you were hoping for. If you were alive I wish you would choke on a fishbone. I wish you would trip and fall down the stairs and break all of your bones but one, just so you had that one reminder of what being whole truly felt like.”

“TIQ!” Plo managed, before roaring with laughter at the brief waggle of Tiq’s antenna, the Rodian leering at him, which sent him into further hysterics. “Oh, Tiq, I see, I see. This is just an excuse to cuss, isn’t it?”

“No,” Tiq said, “it is a very viable technique, and you should make the attempt.”

Plo laughed, before finally sighing. “What else is there to say?”

“Whatever you want to say. If he was before you…what would you say?” Tiq paused, before smiling, “I have to admit I don’t know if I cuss as much in my own employment of the method on my own. I have, however, learned that the suddenness of the vulgarity and the sheer amount of it is sometimes enough to grant the people I am helping just that bit of happiness. It is therefore worth it to me, Plo. And I do sometimes find that it is worth it to be as nasty as I possibly can be. Sometimes what has happened deserves that ire, deserves to be yelled at, deserves to be told ‘fuck you.’ Sometimes it is worth it.”

Plo paused for a moment, taking that in, and finally nodded. “And I just…speak?”

“If you would like,” Tiq said, “if you would prefer I can leave, or if you would like…?”

“Stay,” Plo said after a moment’s thought, “I want to make sure that I get this right.” Tiq smiled at him, settling back, and waiting. “Do I have to start with bitch?”

“Oh no,” Tiq laughed, “that was what I decided to call him after the first time I spoke to him. I utilized Technique 47 with Maul after…” he paused for a moment, “he was in a very hard space and so trapped within his own head…I gave him a reason to be in the space with me, to recognize that he had been lying to himself. Understandably lying to himself, but nonetheless… Sometimes you must break them from the cycle of the bad thoughts before you can begin with why the thoughts are bad.”

“I see,” Plo said softly, before smiling, “you truly are very good at your job.”

Tiq blinked.

“Maul’s Master,” Plo said, lacing his fingers together, “if there was ever a being I wanted to hate…it would be you. I have watched…from the very beginning, I have watched as the young man that you took for your own was forced to struggle with not just what love was, but what his own species was. I have watched a Zabrak that did not know what he was, had never known the joy of a clutter, had never known what it was to lock his horns to another, had never felt the affection of another presence, or the knowledge that someone was proud of him. He came believing himself and everything about him to be a monstrosity, to be something to be feared, or hated, or found…utterly repulsive.

“He believed himself to be repulsive, that there were no redeeming qualities of being a Nightbrother, that he was for slavery and for Use and nothing else, and I…” Plo took a shuddering breath, “I look at this child, this small boy who loved you, who needed you, he needed you! He needed you to love him, he needed you to take care of him, he needed to know that you cared about him…and you never gave him that. You gave him pain, and despair, and broke him to his core, twisted him so he looked at himself like he was a Monster, and you…” Plo shook his head. “I knew all of this. I knew what you had done. I had expected for you to have broken this boy from the youngest, as the smallest child…and yet I find that I was not prepared.

“I was not prepared for how small he was, was not prepared for how much…how desperately he reaches for love, for affection because even though you have done your best to break him, even though you have done so much to twist him from his nature… Maul is somehow one of the most loving and violently caring individuals I have ever met. There is a violence in his care, he loves unabashedly and with no fear, and sometimes having this before you, sometimes having that heat sear you is pain…and yet he loves. You could not break him of that. You could not stop that boy from loving, from wanting to give affection, from wanting to give care, but I hate that you tried. I hate that for seventeen years of his life you were all that he had. I hate that he was forced to rely on you for everything. I hate the fact that you were allowed to take him. I hate the fact that there is nothing more I can do to you. I hate and I find myself hating even this.

“But mostly…I find myself hating you because if you had not done everything you had…if you had not broken him, if you had not twisted him…if you had done none of this…then the Maul that we know, and love would not exist. The young man that had come to us who needed us would never have stepped foot here, and I hate that I have you to thank, because all that you have done was break him. And he would have, could have, grown up without all of this pain, all of this fear, all of this hate… And so, I hate…”

Plo was quiet for a moment, breathing, breathing…and finding as he did so, that somehow his chest was indeed lighter for it. “I hate it because you are not worth my ire. I hate it because you do not deserve my time or my attention. I hate it because you do not deserve to twist me…not when you could not even twist him. You certainly succeeded for a while. You poured a Chwûq into his heart where a Wodza should be. You did everything you could to break him…and yet in the end… He is here, and you are not. And I am tired of hating you…I am tired of allowing my fear of frightening him, of making him think that I am angry at him to keep me from him. You are not worth my hate. In the end…in the end he was better than you. In the end…I would rather see him than spend more time uselessly thinking of you. And so, I see…that I must let you go. That being angry at you is merely keeping me away from someone that I care about… And so…you are not worth my time. And I believe, Tiq…that I am finished. Thank you, friend. That perhaps…was better than I expected it to be.”

Tiq smiled, before opening his arms in offer, Plo gave a soft chuckle and folded himself into the embrace easily, squeezing the other man tightly. “Come on,” Tiq said, “if you’re lucky we can join the dance party. If we aren’t then Maul will be in the middle of collapsing from a sugar rush.”

“Ah,” Plo said, pulling back, and then pulling the Holocron from the depths of his robe’s pocket. “Maul has left a message,” he said, taking in Tiq’s gaze, his large red eyes reflecting the blue of the Holocron, “he has asked for the Council as well as yourself and…as he put it, whatever version of himself is still in existence to view it.”

Tiq took that in for a moment. “He knew that something would go wrong.”

“I do believe so,” Plo said.

“I am going to shake him,” Tiq said very evenly.

Plo laughed, but nonetheless found himself nodding. If there was one thing that he would always regret…it was the fact that Maul often treated himself as though he was expendable in a way that went beyond pragmaticism. It bordered on a lack of care, and this…was as wrong as believing himself more important than everyone else.

“We shall just have to remind him…provided that we get the chance,” Plo said, “for now… I do believe I would like to see a Zabrak with a sugar-rush.”

“Then come,” Tiq smiled, “we’ll call a meeting later.”

Plo smiled and followed him out and found as he left the ship that his heart was lighter than it had been in weeks.

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt 4

Warnings for Past Child Abuse! But please enjoy more Smaul~

Healer Tiq walked on the other side of Mace, speaking quietly to him, watching Maul out of the corner of his very large eyes as he consistently snuck small glances towards him. When Mace had called Tiq to request that he be there for Maul’s check-up Tiq had agreed, though he believed very strongly in giving the little one space until Maul was able to grow more familiar with him. The opportunity to directly talk to him finally arose as Mace mentioned taking Maul for a tour around the Temple later, Tiq taking the opportunity Mace offered to level his gaze at Maul with a great deal more focus, smiling.

“How are you liking the Temple?” Tiq asked softly, “from what you have seen, what do you think?”

“It’s very big!” Maul said, “It’s also very…open. You have so many windows.” He paused, seemingly realizing the excited way he had been speaking and his mouth twisted slightly.

“It is very big!” Tiq said, smiling. “We also have a great deal of windows; they are very good for reptiles like me.”

“Oh, yes!” Maul said, looking up at him, “do you bask?”

“I do,” Tiq smiled.

“That always sounded so nice…” Maul said softly. “What is it like?”

“Well, I always find it quite refreshing and invigorating,” Tiq said. “You do know that I am cold blooded, yes?”

“Yes,” Maul said, “you do not thermoregulate and so you need help through outside means.”

“That is correct,” Tiq smiled, “my robes for instance are actually made of a much thicker material than others, while still allowing for my skin to breathe. It wouldn’t do to smother my skin. I don’t sweat but I do produce more pheromones and they do not smell all that good to those that are not other Rodians.” Tiq gave Maul a very small wink, watching as his little face frowned slightly. “But that’s why we use perfumes or suppressors.” He shrugged, “I don’t like the idea of suppressors, personally.”

“I don’t either,” Mace said, looking at him out of the corner of his eye, Maul nodding his head very solemnly.

“You smell nice,” Maul said.

Tiq smiled at him warmly, “Thank you,” he said. “Knowing your nose that is rather high praise. Regardless, basking is very…invigorating. Depending on how long I have been without it, or how cold my blood gets I can get severely lethargic. It is a very uncomfortable feeling.”

“Lethargic is tired?” Maul asked softly.

“Yes, with the added image of being very difficult to move,” Tiq answered. “So, I will remain in either a sun lamp, or in the sun itself for a few hours and then pop up right as rain. It is very nice, though sometimes it is frustrating. There’s nothing quite like sunning yourself after working on a problem for a few hours to realize that you were apparently getting very sleepy and could not think straight to begin with.”

“That does sound frustrating,” Maul said frowning. “How long does it take usually?”

“That depends,” Tiq said, “I’m usually quite careful to not allow myself to get too lethargic. I will take breaks throughout the day to sun myself, but if there is a crisis or I am kept away from it I will usually put another layer on to trap the heat and use whatever methods I can to keep warm. I have used my lightsaber at one particular juncture.”

“Oh, you have a lightsaber?” Maul asked.

“I do!” Tiq smiled.

“Yes…” Maul said then, looking away, “of course you would, you use them like the Sith…”

“Your Master has a ‘saber, does he not?” Mace asked.

“He does,” Maul agreed, “he let me use it once. It was…heavier than I thought it would be. But the lack of counterweight was the weirdest thing about it. Neither of yours are red, right?”

“That is correct,” Mace said, “mine is purple.”

“Mine is green,” Tiq smiled. “We cannot all be fancy like the great Mace Windu.”

“Hush, Tiq,” Mace said, grinning at him.

“Purple is an unusual color?” Maul asked.

“It is,” Mace agreed. “Usually, greens or blues are the most common,” he said, “though we also have yellow, though it is rare that new Kybers are found that are yellow.” Mace winked at Maul then, “Yours was yellow.”

“Was it?” Maul breathed.

“Yes,” Mace smiled.

“And thus, you made a very distinct team,” Tiq grinned.

“Do I still have that lightsaber?” Maul asked.

“I do not know,” Mace said. “I was able to find your ship and I have sent to bring it back to the temple, but I have not looked for that saber or through your ship. You were using a weapon I have never seen before when you were in the Temple.”

“Truly?” Tiq asked. “What was it?”

“A pike,” Mace answered, and Tiq found interest flooding him. “Made of Beskar.”

“Beskar?” Tiq repeated, the word almost gasped out, “how in the Force did…?”

“I do not know,” Mace said, “but I have it in my rooms.”

“Is a pike unusual?” Maul asked, looking up at them.

“It is unusual if only because it is difficult to find a material that can block another lightsaber without being cut,” Mace answered. “Beskar is one of those rare materials, but…there have been many mistakes with the Mandalorians over the years, and their Beskar is one of their closely guarded secrets. The idea of a Force User being granted such a thing is…nearly unheard of.”

“But…” Maul frowned, “I was given some?”

“Yes,” Mace said, “and from what I can tell it was either forged for you or with your specifications. It is a beautiful weapon.”

“I had seen it,” Maul breathed softly, “but I had not wanted to hold it for long. The Kyber…knew me…but I could not hold it and it was…so strange. I knew that I was not how I was supposed to be.” Maul looked at his hands for a moment, the child suddenly so solemn, so quiet. “Why am I worthy of Beskar?”

“I suppose we shall learn,” Tiq said softly, finding a slight grimace pulling at his mouth. Worthy was one of those words…

“Can I see the pike again?” Maul asked.

“Certainly,” Mace agreed, “we’ll finish with Healer Che and then we can retire back to our rooms.”

“Our rooms?” Maul repeated softly.

“Of course,” Mace said, his voice gentle, “yours is with mine. Tiq is also right across the hall.”

“And if you need anything do not hesitate,” Tiq said with a smile.

Maul took that in for a moment and then looked to him, “what were you to me?” he asked. “Mace was my Teacher…but I am unfamiliar with Jedi constructs. Do I have more than one Teacher?”

“Oh, that’s a good question,” Tiq said. “You see, Maul, Jedi frequently work together to train and take care of our younglings.”

“When one chooses a Padawan they are primarily responsible for that Padawan – they make sure they are taken care of, all of their basic needs, their training… but we also partner with other Masters to teach them. As for Healer Tiq…”

“I was your Healer,” Tiq said softly, looking at him. “In particular, I helped you with your Mind. I am a Mind Healer, which is why we are going to Healer Che for your medical checkup.”

Maul took that in for a long moment and then softly, “What does a Mind Healer do?”

“A great deal of things,” Tiq said softly, “you see…I help with traumatic moments, with depression, with false thoughts and the lies that we tell ourselves. When I was your Healer I worked with you to put some of your Hate away. I helped you learn how to wield it better, and I helped you learn that you were not filth…and you were not nothing. And Maul…” Tiq looked at Maul who was staring up at him with the widest of eyes, the most shocked of faces, “you should not use a word like ‘worthy’ to suggest why you should not have Beskar or whether you should. It is a guarded resource, and it is true that you must have done something to earn it…but it is not something inherent. You are more than what your Master told you that you were…even when he did not give you a name.”

Maul stared up at him, the three of them having frozen in the middle of the hall, his eyes so wide, so…

“I do not understand,” he breathed softly.

Tiq felt the soft smile curl his lips, his eyes squinting with it as he slowly lowered himself to be at Maul’s level, reaching out a hand. “If you will let me,” Tiq said softly, “I will help you understand.”

Maul stared at him for a long moment before finally, slowly reaching out and taking Tiq’s hand. “You’d be my Mind Healer again?” he asked just as softly.

“I would,” Tiq said, “and we will work on all of this together.”

Maul took that in for a very long moment, before finally nodding, and giving him the slightest of smiles. “Thank you,” he said, “what do I have to do?”

“We will talk about it more later,” Tiq said, “for now let’s get your checkup finished. You cannot take care of the mind if you do not also take care of the body! They are very closely linked after all.”

Mace smiled at Tiq when they started walking once again, giving him the firmest of nods, one that Tiq returned.

If nothing else…if nothing else…this was something that Tiq could help with. It was something that they could do.

Tiq was looking forward to it.

Healer Vokara Che rose with the sun.

As the Chief Healer she was responsible for overseeing those that were within her halls, working tangentially with the Mind Healers and therefore partnering periodically with Healer Tiq as their Chief. Over the years they had found that they were actually a better team than she had initially expected, the Mind Healers coming up with great suggestions for boredom alleviation on the extremely low end of the spectrum, and working very well with those that suffered from extreme trauma or guilt or suffering on the extremely awful end of the spectrum.

Lord Maul had been on both sides, not only suffering from prolonged boredom due to an inability to move, but also a terribly debilitating injury that had taken him several months to heal from.

Lord Maul had been her patient off and on throughout his career as a Sith Lord, and then a Jedi Padawan. She had never known the pleasure of having him as a Knight, for which she could never decide if she was grateful or full of regret. Maul as a Padawan had managed to get into more scrapes than she would have believed possible, only beat out by Anakin Skywalker on technicality and living with them longer. The idea of him operating on his own and what Lord Maul would have gotten into had been an ongoing joke.

One that they had never seen the punchline of.

Maul had left the Jedi and Vokara had heard word of him only in rumors and whispers, but she knew that wherever he was and whatever he was doing… Vokara rather thought that Mace Windu had reason to be proud of his Lineage.

Now…Maul was back within the Jedi, but it was in a form that no one had ever known him to be. Vokara promised herself that she would be prepared for anything. She had been the one to do all of the scans the first time, had worked to prepare diets, helped to discover and relieve chronic pains, get him functional again and again and again… Vokara knew what Maul was coming from.

This, at least, was what she told herself.

The first sight of him was almost another matter entirely.

Maul walked into her Med Bay with his hand held within Mace Windu’s, smaller and more unbelievably adorable than she had ever imagined would be possible.

But her gaze was sharp, and she knew what she was seeing, could recognize the signs of starvation, the faintest raised edges of scar tissue disappearing into his collar. He turned wide eyes to hers and Vokara took all of her urges to coo and breathed them steadily out. She approached sedately, Maul looking first at Mace and then at Healer Tiq who was also with them, and then back to her when neither of them gave any sign of her being a threat.

It made something in her heart squeeze.

Healer Che lowered herself into a bow, Maul hesitating before dipping his head in a nod of recognition. She smiled at him. “Hello, Maul,” she said softly, knowing that the boy before her had not been made into a Lord. “I am Healer Vokara Che. I will be the one that is giving you your checkup today.”

“Hello, Healer,” Maul said with a slight dip of his head. “What is a checkup?”

“A checkup is where I take a list of your vitals, like how tall you are, how much you weigh, your heart rate, and your vision among other things. We use this to create a plan for you to help you grow into a happy and healthy adult.”

Maul took that in for a moment. “How invasive is it?”

…

Vokara Che did not like that question.

“I use scanners mostly,” she said, “you will stand before them or lay on a bed that scans you,” she smiled. “Sometimes if there is something wrong I may want a closer look, but we will talk about it before that happens. But tell me, what sort of tests are you used to?”

Maul was quiet for a long time. “Not many,” he said finally, “and most of them have been done by a droid.”

“Your Master has never given you a checkup?” Vokara asked carefully.

Maul shook his head, “but he did give me my tattoos.”

Vokara’s chin tilted ever so slightly up.

“So, he did,” she said, “and they are lovely.”

Maul blinked, before ducking his head slightly, shyly, and Vokara had to, once again, fight not to coo…

Vokara hesitated, “I understand that they were given to you recently, yes?”

“Yes,” Maul nodded, “or…they were to me. I understand that it would not be recent to you.”

“That is correct,” Vokara nodded, “were they given within the last week?”

“The last few days,” Maul inclined his head.

“I would like to see them more completely,” Vokara finally said. “I would like to see that they are healing well and there is no evidence of scarring.”

Maul looked up at her with wide eyes, “Is that…something that I had a problem with before?”

Vokara’s mouth twisted slightly, “when you were within my halls before you did speak of pain and discomfort as your tattoos healed…and I do think that it might be because you were unable to keep them properly cleaned. I would like to take a look in order to make sure there is no trace of infection. I will also be providing you with something to use to…not alleviate the pain of them, but certainly keep them clean.”

Maul was quiet for a moment. “Okay,” he agreed softly. “Do you have to see everywhere?”

“No,” Vokara said gently, “he mentioned his back – including the back of his head, his feet, and his hands, and I would like to examine these locations specifically.”

Maul took that in and then slowly nodded. “Very well,” he agreed. “I do not mind.” He paused then, looking up at her for a moment and then, his voice a hissing whisper, “my feet itch.”

Vokara felt her heart briefly pang. “Alright, come on, we will look at those first.”

Maul followed her to a scan bed, climbing up as she indicated, pulling his boots off and sitting there on the edge, watching her very patiently, his hands laced just so in his lap. It was a very nonthreatening gesture, something she wondered was deliberately taught, but her attention was soon brought to his little feet and gracious…

Tiny.

Vokara sat in the examination chair next to the bed, vaguely aware of Tiq and Mace taking a seat a distance away, but her attention soon turned entirely to the small feet before her, their soles tattooed black with the toes ringed around the equally black little claws, and then lifted them up to take in the pads and felt a grimace want to pull at her mouth, but she bit it back. The pads were very dry, and she could see places where they were at the edge of cracking. All of the ink and the trauma done to them had made them very inflamed it seemed, and she immediately stood up, going to find one of her creams for tattoo care.

“Nightbrothers are not the only ones that are given tattoos as a right of passage,” Vokara called over her shoulder as she hunted in the assigned cabinet. “As such I keep a very broad selection of tattoo care, including…” she pulled out the tattoo moisturizer cream, a balm that was laced with bacta to help promote better healing. “This,” she said, holding it up so Maul could see it. “I am going to give this to you, and you are going to rub it on every single tattoo that you have. I am going to massage it into your feet first so you can feel the proper technique for it, and then I wish for you to apply it to the back of your legs to your knees so I can watch and make sure you do it correctly.”

Maul inclined his head, watching her very seriously as she dabbed a generous portion upon her first two fingers, before carefully pressing it into the heel of the pad on his right foot. Maul jerked, his eyes very wide at the feel of it for a moment, before he slowly relaxed. Maul watched her carefully as she rubbed her fingers around the edges of the pad, all the way to the center of the foot, and then against the arch that did not have padding, and then carefully rubbed it around all of the black that ringed his toes.

This was then repeated with his other foot and then she held out the cream to him. Maul carefully dabbed a little bit of the cream and began rubbing it into the line that went up from his heel to the back of his calf, and would eventually pool behind his knee.

Vokara praised his technique quietly, smiling, and then indicated that he should rub the excess into his hands. Maul did so, before smiling at her.

“Let me see the back of your head now,” she said, “and I will rub it in. I need for you to moisturize a few times a day – whenever you notice that your tattoos are very dry and very itchy. If you over-moisturize it can create a very unpleasant scab, so only do this when it is itchy – and Maul, I do mean this, you do not have to let it become unbearable before you alleviate it. That is not good for you either.”

Maul nodded his head very solemnly and Vokara turned her attention to Mace. “There are going to be some spots that you cannot reach,” she said to Maul, Mace also looking at the small Nightbrother, “and in these places I would request that you ask Mace Windu to help you, if you are comfortable with it.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then gave a very firm nod. “I would be comfortable.”

Vokara smiled at him, touched briefly by the courage behind the statement, by the way his little chin lifted to both bare his throat and to meet her eyes fully. There was truth in every part of that statement.

“Very good,” she said with a nod, “now can you take your tunic off so I can look at your back, too?”

Maul nodded his head and pulled it off, Vokara taking in the tattoos that ran along the little back and seeing the spots where it was dry and itchy. “I’m going to rub this cream on your back, alright? You have a few spots where it needs attention. I’m going to call Mace over so he can watch what I am doing, and he can help you better.”

“Okay,” Maul said with a nod. Vokara called Mace over, taking the tattoo cream and showing him how much to get before carefully rubbing it into the little boy’s skin. Maul leaned forward slightly so she could get better access and oh…she could tell how much good it was doing the little boy just from the onset…the soft purr that was rising up from him…

Vokara closed her eyes for a moment, her fingers very aware of the scars underneath her hands, even as she was desperately glad for the sound of his purr and the way that he relaxed, before carefully working it around his neck and his shoulders, and finally giving a nod. “There,” she said, “much better. Is there anywhere else you feel it a good deal?”

“My ears,” Maul said softly, looking up at her shyly out of the corner of his eye and Vokara gave a soft sound.

“We need to avoid the ear canal as much as possible,” she said, “it could cause an ear infection and that’s the last thing we need. But just for reference.” She dipped her fingers in the cream once again before Maul tilted his head so she could carefully run it around the delicately pointed shell of his ear, and then slowly down to rub it into the lobe and carefully rubbed the back of it and up into his scalp. Maul looked like he was close to falling asleep, that little purr working like a motor.

It was a much healthier sound than the adult Maul had ever managed to make, though it was still rougher than the other Zabraks she had attended. When she was finished with that ear she handed the cream to Maul and he carefully worked it into his other ear, and then rubbed it over his face, arms, and chest.

“Thank you,” he said softly, looking up at her shyly and Vokara smiled, knowing in her heart that this boy was going to be the death of her.

“You are very welcome,” she said softly. “Now I need you to lie back so we can take your scans. I am going to have Mace Windu take a blood sample later so we can get an idea of your vitamin deficiencies, and what we need to do for diet.”

Maul nodded slowly before lying back on the bed.

Vokara moved to the side, starting up the sequence and knowing in her bones that what she was about to see was going to devastate her.

Vokara breathed it out, input her codes and the parameters and activated the scanner.

Vokara told herself she was prepared.

Vokara was wrong.

Maul when she had first scanned him as an eighteen-year-old had been covered in old wounds and the evidence of old breaks rested within his every bone.

Maul now was covered in old wounds and the evidence of old breaks rested within his bones.

One of them was a recently healed break she realized, one that had been reset – and recently reset at that. Vokara would have to keep a close eye on that.

There was so much evidence of hurt.

She saved the scans to his files, making a special tab for the Maul that was a child. The bed was also able to scan his height and his weight and both… Vokara grimaced.

He was so small…

Vokara took a quick eye-check, Maul grimacing at the bright light pointed into his eye as she checked first one and then the other for pupil dilation, before finally checking his ears. By the Force his little pointed ears… Checking his throat and teeth was the last bit that required her to be in this close to his personal space, talking him through it as she worked.

She worked very carefully to check his blood pressure, the bed having provided a good pulse check as he lay against it prone… Ultimately, they would need to work on his diet, he needed some special care. But first… “When did you break your arm?” Vokara asked finally as she was making the last of her notes.

Maul was quiet for a moment, before looking over at her. “It was rebroken recently,” he said, “because it was reset. It healed wrong the first time, so it was crooked.”

“Why did it heal wrong, kitten?” Vokara asked.

“My Master threw me onto the surface of Mustafar,” Maul answered, his gaze perfectly level, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders. “They didn’t set the break and I didn’t get a chance to set it because I didn’t have anything to set it with… I had to get back to my Master.”

Vokara was trembling. It was a very fine tremor, something that she was certain was not visible to the boy that was still watching her quietly. “He threw you onto Mustafar?”

“Yes,” Maul said. “I had to find my way back…to that place,” he frowned, something in the curve of his mouth.

“That must have been scary,” Vokara said softly.

Maul shook his head. “I had…wanted to go onto Mustafar,” he said. “Deenine told me that I would die, that I couldn’t breathe, and it would kill me…but I had always wanted…to go outside. I could see it through my window…when I…when I had a window…” Maul paused, looking at Mace for a moment, “it wasn’t anything as nice as the window in…our room…” he said the words as though he still wasn’t sure that they were real, as though…as though… “I could see out of the big window in our room fully,” he said, “I had to jump to see out of the old one.”

“Did you ever see anything out of it?” Vokara asked.

“I…” he paused, “I had thought…at the beginning that it was a boy…another boy that was out…and then I realized it was me. But there were…there were…” Maul trailed off, and his eyes were so…his face slowly crumpling and softly, brokenly, “I just wanted to see if they would help me… I didn’t want…I didn’t want to hurt them,” Maul’s voice cracked, his eyes so wide and so devastated and…

“Hurt who, kitten?” Vokara asked softly.

“They were…they were miners,” he breathed, “they had masks that protected them and gear that kept their feet from burning and they…they could breathe and…I just wanted to ask for help! I just wanted to ask for help and they hurt me! They hurt me and I couldn’t get them to stop, and I fought back and…” Maul’s hands went over his face, and he was so still and so… Tiq came forward then, Vokara taking a slight step back, so…

“Maul,” Tiq said very softly, and Maul peeked over his hands, and his eyes were so wet, so wet… “Maul, listen to me,” he said softly, “I have some questions for you, and I want you to answer them as honestly as possible. Just yes or no, or shake your head or nod, okay kitten, shake or nod.”

Maul nodded.

“Did you want to hurt them?”

Maul shook his head.

“Did you try to get them to stop without violence?”

Maul nodded.

“Did they attack you first?”

Maul nodded.

“Did you fight back when you had no other choice?”

Maul nodded.

“Did you kill them?”

Maul choked, his eyes flooding, and a desperate terrified sound hitched in his chest.

Tiq opened his arms wide, Maul stared at them for just a moment, stared at him, and then pitched himself into his arms with all the force of a tiny missile, Tiq’s eyes widening in slight surprise before immediately adjusting, pulling him tight and pulling him close. “It’s alright,” Tiq whispered, “it’s alright. You didn’t have a choice, they didn’t give you a choice, it’s alright…”

“They stopped moving, they were…they were still, and they bled and I…” Maul shuddered, his voice cracking, “I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to, I didn’t I didn’t I didn’tIdidn’tIdidn’tIdidn’t…”

“Shh, shh,” Tiq breathed, “it’s alright, it’s alright, I know, I know.” Tiq took a breath.

“I didn’t know it would be like that,” Maul breathed so softly, “I didn’t know… I watched and I stared, and Master said…that they weren’t…they weren’t worth anything, and that they were weak and pathetic because they weren’t…they weren’t like us, and I…” his breath hitched, “I did well.” Maul’s voice cracked, “I don’t want to do well. I don’t want to… I saw it in the Force, I watched them vanish, they were just gone and I…” Maul shuddered in his arms, and finally fell into sobs. Tiq held him tighter, shifting properly to sit him in his lap and just hold him, hushing.

“I have you,” Tiq breathed softly, “Maul listen,” he said, his voice soft, low, “we can’t bring them back…” Maul’s sobs hitched, “but they have gone on to join the Force. And listen, kitten, listen…there was nothing you could do. They gave you no choice. They gave you no choice, and for as terrible as it was you are not to blame. You acted just as you should have, you defended yourself…and I am so sorry it ended like that. I am so sorry that you had to watch that. It’s not right and it is not fair that you should have to. Your Master was wrong when he said they were weak and pathetic because they weren’t like you – but they were also wrong when they tried to kill a child. If you had done nothing they could have killed you…and this, too, would have been terrible. Killing in self-defense is not just necessary it is understood and defended. There are laws to protect the people like you that have been forced to do it. It is something that you are going to live with, Maul, it is something that will weigh upon you…but I want you to know that it needed to be done and you hold no blame. You hold no blame.”

Maul buried closer, shivering with his tears, Tiq looking towards Vokara and Mace, tilting his head towards them. Vokara and Mace both approached, lowering themselves down to press a hand to the little one’s back. His breath hitched in his throat, looking over his shoulder to see the two of them there.

“Tiq is right,” Mace said softly, “you hold no blame.”

Maul shuddered, his eyes wide and wet, and finally wept, huge tears falling down his face, a high wail leaving him, and they hushed him and comforted him, Tiq pulling out his handkerchief and carefully dabbing at tears.

Vokara was not surprised to see how Maul finally tired himself out, his head lulling forward against Tiq’s shoulder. Tiq carefully bundled him close, hushing, and finally, quietly, Maul fell into soft even breaths. They had a moment where they sat there, quietly processing their own grief, before Tiq smiled at them.

It was a rough smile, lopsided almost, before softly, “I have wanted to tell this little boy that it was alright for years,” he said quietly. “I have wanted to hold him in my arms and tell him that he was not to blame…for so long…” Tiq fell silent for a moment, looking down at the small bundle he held. “Thank you for coming and for speaking. It is good to have outside confirmation. It is good to remind him.” Tiq looked at them. “I think we can safely put him to bed for a nap, I think.”

Mace nodded, “Carry him,” he said softly and Tiq smiled, carefully easing himself up. Vokara told Mace that she had the results she needed and gave him the chip for the blood sample with instructions to make sure that it was taken after a period of fasting. “I will,” Mace said with a nod. “Would after he wakes up be fine?”

“Six hours at the least, Mace,” Vokara said softly. “Nightbrothers have a quick metabolism and I don’t want that boy to be kept hungry deliberately. After he wakes tomorrow should be fine.”

“I will make sure to take it,” Mace said with a nod. “Thank you Healer.”

“Thank you both,” Vokara said with a bow. “All told, Maul is as healthy as can be expected. The only thing that needs to be watched at the moment is his weight and his diet and to watch that break. Has he talked about pain in his horns yet?”

“Yes,” Mace said.

“Definitely talk to Eeth and Agen, but…” Vokara walked to one of her cupboards grabbing various balms for pain relief and bringing them back. “These will take the edge off.”

“Thank you,” Mace said, taking the balm for his horns and the one for his tattoos.

“Keep those tattoos clean,” Vokara added, and handed him another soap, Mace smiling at her roughly, before they carefully said their goodbyes and left.

Maul was still fast asleep against Tiq’s shoulder.

#star wars #star wars fanfic #maul #darth maul #healer tiq #mace windu #vokara che #maul is very tiny #and he also has a lot of tattoos #wrath of darth maul references #kid fic #an unexpected chance #twin sons

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt. 7`

THE TITLE IS GOING TO CHANGE!!! Keeping to my streak of not being able to keep with titles this segment will soon be called a Midsummer Night's Dream for reasons that will be revealed next chapter. Keep a look out for that.

That said...

On with the show

Ahsoka was having the time of her life.

While initially the adults had been content to just watch as they danced, eventually they had been pulled into it with the widest eyes and a reach of a hand. Anakin had shoved him towards them, and it had led to them taking his hands and following him back. Maul did not dance like the other kids that were his age. Maul understood rhythm, could feel it, and similarly had enough coordination that he could actually follow their movements.

It…hurt somewhere in her chest, knowing that the only way he cold be doing this was… Ahsoka didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to think of the pain that must have been inflicted, the twisting that had been done in order to create such a perfect little weapon…

Ahsoka knew now, she knew that that was what he was meant to be. She could see it in the sharpness to his movements, see it in the way he reached for them with such want even though he was so shy. He was very skittish around new hands, even as he desperately wanted to reach, always watching with wide eyes, even as he smiled and laughed… Maul was always alert.

It hurt.

But for now, she was not going to think about it, for now she was going to focus on the dance and the way that he was giggling, the way that he took her and Anakin’s hands as they swung him back and forth between them, up in the air, and back, his legs tucked underneath himself. Anakin was laughing aloud, and they swung him so high he was almost upsidedown, prompting a squeal of delight and laughter and Ahsoka caught him in her arms as Anakin let go with a wink, holding the weight to her chest and laughing aloud as he did, squeezing him close.

Yellow eyes gleamed as they smiled at her and she smiled back with all of her teeth. He grimaced at her once, baring all of his teeth, and then allowed himself to smile. Ahsoka laughed, delight warm in her chest, momentarily driving away the pain.

It was okay. They were here now; Maul wouldn’t get turned into a weapon. Maul would be okay.

Maul would be okay.

The weight in her arms yawned then, full, and long, his eyes blinking sleepily, and Ahsoka grinned. Looked like the sugar rush was finally wearing off. He reached up his little fists and rubbed at his eyes, looking at her sleepily. The music turned down slowly, and Maul blinked, looking over to D’una who smiled at him.

“You feeling like a nap?” Ahsoka asked.

�� Maul sighed. “I am tired of being tired,” he said plainly, looking at her. “I feel like I have eaten, and I have slept and that is all I have been doing.”

“Oh?” Ahsoka asked, “and you didn’t have a milkshake at Dex’s?”

Maul sighed. “I did,” he agreed, “but that is still eating.”

Ahsoka laughed, Anakin stepping forward to smile at him. “Well,” he said, “do you usually sleep well?”

Maul hesitated and then slowly shook his head.

“How about eating?”

Maul shook his head again, “I’m not supposed to have raw food,” he said softly. “That’s always what my Master gave me.”

“Well,” Anakin said softly, “way I see it, you’re just catching up,” he smiled. “You gotta eat and you gotta sleep, and your body has lost a lot of both.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then sighed, “I suppose,” he agreed. “I do not know…” he yawned again, nodding briefly in Ahsoka’s hold, and then blinking himself awake heavily. “Sleepy…”

“Sugar-crash,” Ahsoka grinned, nodding her head knowledgeably, and Maul made a soft sound, even as his eyes drooped further, and slowly, steadily, he began to sink towards her shoulder, and Ahsoka was left holding a small boy who was dozing in her arms.

“Thank you,” he breathed softly before he slipped into sleep, and Ahsoka felt her heart twist.

Ahsoka looked to Anakin, who smiled at her warmly before walking her over to be by the Masters, who were smiling softly.

“I think it’s time for a nap,” Ahsoka said, holding the little boy towards them.

The door opened and Plo and Tiq were both standing there. Ahsoka beamed at Plo, immediately excited to see her Finder, smiling too at Tiq, who dipped his head to her with a wide smile. Plo had gone to retrieve Maul’s ship, and knowing that he was back meant that he had brought it back, too. Plo paused for a moment, taking in the small sleeping boy in her arms and Ahsoka instinctively lifted him towards Plo again, holding him in offer.

Plo paused for a moment, his expression so still, before he reached and carefully guided the little boy into his chest, lifting his chin high so his antiox mask would not hit Maul’s head. As soon as Maul settled he lowered his chin once again, holding the small weight that snuggled closer involuntarily. Plo paused for a moment, holding very still, before softly, so softly, “oh.”

Ahsoka beamed at him, and Plo smiled, looking to Mace, who dipped his head.

“Before we disperse,” Tiq said softly, “Maul…left a message for us. The Council, Quinlan, Obi-Wan Kenobi and those attached to him, which I believe means Anakin, Ahsoka, and Qui-Gon, as well as myself, and Padmé Amidala.” He paused, “he would also wish for ‘whatever version of himself’ to be present as well.”

“He knew,” Mace said, the words stiff, his chin tilting up. “He knew that something would happen.”

“He did,” Tiq said softly, “or at least that is what I assume to be the case.” He paused, looking to D’una and Wan, and the smile on his face was warm, “thank you for doing this for him.”

“Of course,” D’una said, the older girl tilting her chin up, her gaze firm, “Maul…he deserved better.”

“We’re just grateful that we get to give it to him,” Wan agreed with a sharp nod. “Thank you for the opportunity, Masters,” they bowed. “Tell Maul that if he wants another dance party he can always ask.”

“We shall,” came the agreement.

“Maybe next time we can have more younglings around?” D’una offered.

“Maybe after he is given the opportunity to meet them,” Mace said, “we should be doing so soon, we simply…wish for him to be more grounded first.”

“Understandable,” Wan said, “that’s a lot of people very suddenly…”

“It is,” Tiq agreed, “and they are…going to be very strange to him, I think,” Tiq said softly, and there was something so…sad about that, Ahsoka thought.

Something so empty about finally being around children your own age and finding that they were nothing like you had thought. But maybe it wouldn’t be like that…maybe it would be good.

Ahsoka could only hope.

She could also only hope…that the message Maul left for them contained good things.

Maul woke up slowly, finding himself once again in a bed. It was a bed he was familiar with by this point, kneading at the covers lazily as he lay there, blinking up at the ceiling. He lay there thinking, considering the idea that he was making up for lost time, that his body needed to heal… Maul had done that before.

Maul had been forced to stay awake several times over the course of his training. His body had finally collapsed on him, and he had been unable to move, lying there still for what seemed like days… Deenine had always moved him to his room after that, lying him on the mat and leaving him there. Maul would always be woken up through something harsh, something violent, so the opportunity to just lay here…to not move…

Maul had never experienced it before, and he found that he liked it.

Maul wondered about the him that was, whether or not he would lay in his bed for a few minutes, or maybe even hours, just enjoying the sensation? Or whether he would be unable to…whether the memories of things being thrown into his bed, or being attacked suddenly would cause him to rise early.

Maul hoped that he had been able to enjoy it.

Maul now certainly did.

After a moment he finally worked his way out of the bed, stretching himself out. Maul walked into the living room then, finding Mace sitting at the table, reading a datapad and sipping at a cup of tea. Warm brown eyes looked up, focusing on him with a slow smile, putting the padd down.

“Hello, Maul, how did you sleep?”

“Good,” Maul said with a nod. “I feel much better.” He paused for a moment, thinking of the giddy energy that had fueled him. He felt a little strange, but Mace pushed a glass of water towards him, and Maul took it in his hands carefully, sipping at it. The water was washing away the last of the giddy sensation, as well as the slight stuffiness that had lingered. “Thank you,” he said.

“Of course,” Mace said. “Do you mind sitting; I would like to talk to you for a moment.”

Maul hesitated before finally crawling up to sit on the chair before Mace, looking up at him. Maul…thought he trusted him. So far, Mace had been nothing but kind to him and his hands and his reach was always gentle. There were no burns, no hits, no breaks… Mace and everyone else in this Temple had been so…kind.

Maul did not understand.

Maul did not understand at all.

Mace smiled at him gently, “how are you liking the Temple?”

Maul thought about that for a moment, frowning. “I like it very much, sir,” he finally said softly, looking up at him. “Everyone is…they have been so nice,” he said, looking at him. “I have…liked being able to dance. And to…” he paused. “Anakin said yesterday…that I was catching up with what my body needed. That I…was tired and I was hungry a lot because I needed to both sleep and eat and I had not been able to.”

“He is right,” Mace said with a nod. “You have been deprived of a lot. It is our job as your caregivers now to make sure that you receive what you need to grow and thrive, do you understand?”

Maul was quiet for a moment and then slowly nodded. “But…” he said softly, “what must I do?”

“Do?” Mace asked softly.

“Yes,” Maul said, frowning up at him, “what do I do to earn it? What…what am I meant to be doing?”

Mace reached his hands across the table and Maul stared at them for a moment, before finally, slowly reaching out to take them. Mace took his hands in his own, holding them so softly. “You are supposed to be learning, and you are supposed to be growing…and considering the fact that you do this every day just by existing…” Mace smiled at him.

“But,” Maul breathed softly, “I am not worthy of…”

Mace’s hold on his hands tightened, not enough to hurt, but enough to draw Maul’s attention. “You are worthy, Maul.”

“But I am…” Maul swallowed, “I am nothing…”

“No,” Mace said, and his voice was firm, but the look in his eyes was kind, “you are not ‘nothing’. You are not filth. You are a Nightbrother. You are a little boy. You are good, and you are kind, and you are polite. You are a carnivore, a wonderful little hunter, and you love so much, Maul. You have no idea how amazing it is that you love as much as you do. You have no idea how much of a gift, how much of a blessing that is. For us as much as it is for you. You are loved, Maul. Your Master was wrong. You have never been filth. You are not ‘nothing.’”

Maul stared up at him, stared at him and felt something…

“Would you like to see what you are? See who you are?” Mace asked softly.

“How?” Maul asked, his voice cracking softly.

“The Maul that I know you to be…the Maul that exists as a twenty-six-year-old… He has left a message for us. He wants for you to see it.”

Maul took that in for a moment, and then slowly nodded. “Please,” he breathed.

“Okay,” Mace said softly. “We’re going to be meeting with the rest of the Council. A few of them you have not met yet, but they care for you a great deal.”

“Why have I not met them?”

“We wanted to ease you into meeting new people,” Mace explained. “We thought that too many at once would be…overwhelming. We wanted to try and get you as comfortable as possible with us before we began taking you to meet others.”

Maul nodded his head. It made sense and the more he thought of it the more grateful he was. Maul did not think that he wanted to be surrounded by too many people that he did not know.

There were more hands to follow, more things to watch and that grew tiring.

They had not…none of them had hurt him yet, and Maul trusted that Mace would keep him safe, but he had not met everyone, and he was still so…tired.

Maul was tired.

“I want to see who I become,” Maul said softly, looking up at him.

“Okay,” Mace smiled. “You will be meeting more Jedi but you will also be meeting a Force-Null.”

“A Force-Null,” Maul repeated, blinking, “who is this?”

“Your best friend,” Mace smiled, “her name is Padmé Amidala. She is working as a Senator, and she was your best friend the entire time you were within the Temple. I believe you kept in touch after you left as well, though sparingly.”

“She is my best friend,” Maul repeated softly. “My Best friend?”

“Yes,” Mace said, and he squeezed the hands that he still held, “your very best.” Maul smiled slowly and carefully stood as Mace did. “Now come on,” he said. “We will join the rest in the Council Chamber. We have a message to listen to.”

It had been years since Jedi willingly entered the Senate building looking for Padmé Amidala, but as Padmé heard the call from a voice that she recognized, she found that it was once again time. Padmé turned to find Obi-Wan approaching, bearded face pulled into a smile, his eyes twinkling in that way that she knew meant mischief. It was something he vehemently denied, for Jedi did not make mischief, but she had known Maul, and similarly had known the rest of the Jedi quite well. She knew that they did.

She also knew that this was important.

“Do you have a moment, Senator?” Obi-Wan asked her. “We have received a message from a friend that has requested your presence.”

Padmé immediately knew who this was. “Is he here?” she asked, unable to help the brief burst of excitement.

Obi-Wan hesitated, for a moment his expression shifting in a way that she could not quite place. “In…a manner of speaking,” he said. “Truly, I believe it might be best, Senator, if you come with me. You shall see for yourself what I mean.”

Padmé frowned for a moment before turning back to Sabé.

Sabé looked from Obi-Wan back to her before smiling, giving a brief nod and a smile. “You don’t have any meetings until later, Senator,” she said. “Plenty of time.”

“Thank you,” Padmé said, knowing that Sabé would take care of what needed taken care of.

Padmé followed Obi-Wan to a speeder that would take them to the Jedi Temple, making quiet small talk with a man that she had not spent as much time with after Maul had left. It was only now that she found that she perhaps regretted it more than she had thought. Maul had been a bridge that had caused her to spend more time with both Obi-Wan and…Anakin… But it was one that she had thought would have stood after he had left.

She had not expected to find this gulf that had somehow opened without any idea of how it had gotten there.

“I missed you,” Padmé finally said, watching as Obi-Wan blinked, turning his attention to her more directly before offering her a smile that was more honest than she had yet seen.

“We have rather lost touch,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, “it has been a while.”

“I do not know why,” Padmé said, “it is not as though our only connection was through Maul.”

“That is true,” Obi-Wan agreed, “but…” he paused, thoughtful, “Maul has a very different approach to things. Even as a Jedi he was…very willful and had a natural gravitation towards people.” Obi-Wan paused. “An understandable gravitation,” he said softly. “We…forget at times, I believe,” Obi-Wan looked to her. “I do not mean to have you carry the friendship entirely, but if you would…reach?”

“I will gladly,” Padmé smiled, “I know that you are meant to let go. Maul talked about it endlessly.”

“He was always rather bad at that,” Obi-Wan smiled and Padmé laughed.

“Well,” Padmé said softly. “It will be good to see him.”

“Padmé…” Obi-Wan said briefly, “the only thing I ask is that you…be gentle, and be careful with him.”

“Is he hurt?” Padmé asked, worry flooding through her.

“No,” Obi-Wan said, “I…it is very difficult to explain, you will understand when you see him, just… Please, give him a moment to acclimate to your presence.”

Padmé took in the request for a moment, for a moment debating on the desire to dig into what Obi-Wan was telling her… But ultimately Padmé knew that this would not be something requested without reason and so finally, firmly, Padmé nodded.

“I will do so,” Padmé confirmed verbally. The shuttle came in for a landing and Padmé followed Obi-Wan through the Temple.

It had been a while since she was there and she dipped her head in acknowledgement and greeting to those that acknowledged her, smiling, and waving at a few others she knew more personally. They waved back. It was good to see that in a lot of ways things had not changed. It was nice to see that they still welcomed her.

Obi-Wan led her to the lift that she knew took them to the Council.

Padmé supposed that made sense. She was always very careful to stay out of Maul’s business. It was a particularly…well-known secret that Maul’s current activities may not be considered particularly legal, but what Padmé did not know did not hurt and similarly she had never expected for him to talk to her about his activities when he did contact her.

That had grown increasingly rare as time had gone on, but she had never minded. She knew the reason. She knew what he was doing.

Even so, Padmé found herself growing increasingly more excited as they drew closer. She had missed him. After all was said and done… Padmé missed him.

And then the lift doors opened, and she was standing before the Council Chambers.

Padmé took a breath, standing next to Obi-Wan before it, and watched as the doors slid open.

Immediately, Padmé took a quick stock of who all was there. The Council, naturally, some in hologram form and others physically present, but there was also Quinlan, Healer Tiq, Anakin, and…

Padmé stared down at the smallest little boy she felt that she had ever seen.

Padmé bit the inside of her cheek so hard she thought she was bleeding, biting back the instinctive and utterly inescapable urge to squeal, staring down at the smallest…

It was Maul.

His red skin covered in the fresh black of new tattoos; his small stature squared towards her in a way that she recognized. Even now…even now…the smallest boy that she had ever seen with the widest eyes… His eyes stared at her with curiosity burning in their depths, his gaze so soft, and his mouth pulled in a frown. He was standing next to Mace Windu, who was looking down at his once-Apprentice with nothing but fondness, his hand threaded through his horns in a way that Padmé had seen again and again and again.

Affection that Maul had long been deprived of.

Affection that Maul had needed and had never received…

Affection that he now was getting.

Padmé felt the tears rise to her eyes, almost helpless to stop it in the face of someone so small, someone she had loved so dearly, and someone she had long wished had received a better start, had been able to be treated with the love and affection she had as a child… Maul stared up at her, and his little face was so serious, his expression so confused, and then slowly shifting towards alarm.

Padmé watched as he walked up to her, immediately sniffing, and wiping away her tears, lowering herself onto a knee in order to meet his gaze better.

Maul stared at her for a moment with those wide golden eyes, and softly, “Why are you leaking? I don’t understand…”

Padmé’s face crumpled briefly, and she was unable to help the further trickle of tears. “I’m sorry, Maul,” she said softly, wiping her face. “I’ve missed you, and it’s…very good to see you again. Even if you are a lot smaller than the last time I was with you.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then his expression brightened briefly, “You…” he said softly, “you are my friend? You’re the one Mace said was my Best Friend?”

Padmé smiled, “yes,” she said. “You were my best friend. And if you would like…I think I’d like you to be my best friend now, too.”

Maul stared at her with the widest eyes, and softly, “I would like that,” he said, “but…but I do not know your name?”

“I’m sorry,” Padmé smiled, sniffing, “my name is Padmé Amidala. You may call me Padmé.”

“Padmé,” Maul said softly, “it is nice to meet you.”

“It is good to meet you as well,” Padmé said, and carefully reached out her arms. After a moment, Maul stepped into them, and she found herself embracing the tiniest Zabrak, feeling those little arms as they did their best to embrace her, letting her hand come up to cradle his head, threading through his horns as her thumb traced along the shell of one ear.

She was very aware that she was crying.

Padmé decided that she didn’t care.

When she finally pulled back her eyes were dry and she wiped the remains of her tears carefully, taking Maul’s little hand in her own and leading him back to Mace, who was smiling at her with fondness in his gaze.

“Thank you all for coming,” Plo said softly, drawing their attention. “If you would all like to have a seat,” he said, waving and indicating the other chairs that had been placed around the Council Room. “We have found a Holocron containing a message that was meant for each of us…each of us, and whatever remained of himself.”

Padmé found herself looking to the little boy that had been her friend, the little boy who was hanging upon Plo’s every word.

“We have, of course, found Maul,” Plo said, and gestured to him, “and we are blessed by his presence. It has been a gift that we are fortunate to receive.”

And if there were truer words that had been spoken Padmé did not know them.

“Maul nonetheless has left a message for us all,” he said. “I believe…it is time to know what it is that he says.”

Plo held the Holocron in the palm of his hand for a moment, bright blue and glowing, Padmé having taken a seat next to Maul who sat next to Mace. The lights were dimmed, the screens lowered to block out the sun and finally with a click and a hiss.

The Holocron opened.

Plo took his seat.

And a hologram flickered to life.

Magnified to be larger than the typical Holocron hologram, there, in the center of the room sat Maul.

Sprawling out on what she could not tell was either a backless chair or some sort of storage trunk, Maul sat with his elbows propped up on what looked like a bunk behind him. His shirt had been removed and was likely thrown on the ground somewhere out of frame, a long metal pike resting across his lap. He looked good, Padmé reflected, taking in the fact that his horns had grown out, crowning him sharply, his shoulders broad. There was no sign of malnutrition, he looked well… Ultimately, Padmé had to smile.

It seemed like such a deliberately artless sprawl, like he was posing for something, but Padmé knew Maul.

Maul was the most inherently dramatic individual she had ever met…and she lived on Naboo. She could picture him debating this message for hours, days even, before finally falling into it when he could no longer avoid his conscience.

When he could no longer avoid the fact that he was about to do something he would not come back from.

Padmé did not cry.

But she did miss him.

And then her gaze trailed over to the little boy who Maul is…as he stared at the man who Maul was.

And she felt her mouth pull into the smallest of smiles.

Maul stared up and up and up. The Holocron image before him was big, and the one he saw there, the…the man…

That was Maul, that was him, and he was staring at a man in complete possession. Possession of self, possession of space, possession of even them…possession of the ones that were watching. His gaze was full of intensity and Dark, even through the Holocron, staring down at where he knew that it was recording. In that moment staring up at him it was almost as though he was staring directly into his own eyes. He was staring at a future, at himself, at…at something Maul had not even known to hope for.

He was staring at someone broad and someone strong, someone who’s gaze was full of biting Dark as well as intelligence.

Maul had never hoped…had never dreamed that he would sit there…scarred, but whole, alive, and so…

Strong?

Maul was in awe.

And then he began to speak…

Mace was staring at a man that he had not seen in five years. A man that he had helped train, had watched grow…had loved like the son that he would never have. Mace had watched Maul grow from the depths of agony and pain to the heights of compassion and warmth. It was something that he was always proud of, something that he would never stop being proud of.

Maul loved, and he loved hard. Violently almost, but it was a love that he gave without thought, that he held out with open hands.

It was something that Mace had never thought he would see, but something he would always remain proud of. Would always be proud of this boy who had come from so much…and now sat and had come even farther than Mace had ever dreamed.

Mace knew what was happening in the Outer Rim, perhaps better than most. He knew what his boy was doing. He knew and he was proud.

It was something he would breathe out, but for now he would bask in the presence of the man that had been his boy, and he would rejoice in the fact that in that moment at least, sitting there in a manner that Mace had grown so familiar with over the years…in that moment at least, Maul seemed whole.

“I was not going to do this,” Maul said, and they were words that Mace knew that he would hear, but nonetheless felt a pang at the sound of them. “I was not going to…but I realized that it would be cruel not to explain. It would be cruel to not tell you what is happening…what has been happening. Not just to you…but also, I believe, to myself.”

Mace watched as Maul shifted, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his laced together fingers placed below his chin. “I will not go into too much detail with what it is that I have been doing. It would do nothing for any of us and could even cause…complications.” He rolled his eyes expansively in a way that suggested that they knew why.

Mace smiled.

He definitely did.

“I will…however…” Maul said softly, “talk about where I have…failed.”

Mace stilled.

“The one problem. The one thing that I still continue to find that I am unable to solve…is the question of the place of my birth. It is the question of Dathomir.” Maul paused, “forgive me,” he said softly, “as I had said I was debating on sending this. I found that if I did not make this message now I never would and this would be…cruel, and yet I was not prepared. How to condense a problem that has hung over me my entire life into words…”

Maul sat back, thinking and finally, softly, “Dathomir would not be a problem, should not be a problem, except for the Witches. I have broken so many shackles, freed people, families, worlds…and I cannot free Dathomir. There are two reasons for this. One a frontal assault has already proven to be disastrous. All of the Brothers, all of us are born in the ichors and immersed in the ichors. We are born in their hold and this…is what they use to control. It is in all of us, it is in me!” Maul fell silent, closing his eyes. “This magick that they use to control is also in me. It is likely…that I could still be For Use.”

“Oh,” Padmé gasped, “oh no…”

Mace concurred.

“Naturally, the question is then how to remove myself from use? How do I…strip something that is interwoven into the very fabric of my being? What can I do to free my Brothers?” Maul fell silent for a moment. “I have tried…many things. As I said before…the fact that the ichors are in my very blood and bone is only the first problem. The second is finding where to place them if I do free them. My first thought was the possibility of finding another Tribe on Dathomir…I learned…the hard way that apparently the Tribe I am from is…” Maul paused, giving a soft hum, “shall we say…fringe?”

Maul laughed then and the sound was violent and almost unhinged, he bit it off, leaning back, “Extremist may be more likely,” he hissed, “though this seems to be the default state of Dathomir. I attempted to find another Tribe. I tried to find someone who would help… Upon recognizing me as being from the other Tribe, as being a Nightbrother…they attempted to kill me.” Maul gave an expansive shrug, waving a hand, “needless to say…I have given up the idea of finding help upon the planet of my birth. So, I began to look elsewhere…but where can I put them…where can they go if they will never truly be free from the Sisters? One or two may perhaps not be missed…but five? Ten? What happens if I manage to remove my Tribe entirely, would they come? And what would stop them if they did?”

Maul sighed roughly, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I cannot…do this.” He said finally. “As I am, with what I have…I cannot do this. I cannot risk a direct assault for I do not know if there is a way to bind me before I even get close. Similarly, I cannot ask for help from another party…it has happened before. We all know what happened.”

The thought of Titus, of the Brothers forced to kill Brothers, forced to destroy their only chance at rescue…

“I therefore…began to seek other means, other…avenues. I researched deeper into the depths of Sith Lore, what exists of it…” he trailed off for a moment, his voice growling low, and then softly, “and I have found something…interesting.”

Maul produced then the Holocron that Mace recognized. The one that he had seen shattered where his Apprentice had dropped it.

“This is…old,” Maul said softly. “And it is one of a kind. There are no others that exist like it, for not only was this made by a Sith…it was made by a Nightsister.” Maul ran his fingers over it, and Mace could see the brief stirring of something…other, something that was not seen in a normal Holocron, something…Dark. “It took me a very long time to find it…and even longer to figure out what it was for and how to use it.” Maul’s mouth twisted, “I was forced to find Nightsisters that have left, that foreswore what they had become and left. It was something that I did not want to do for in some cases they are perhaps more hunted than a Nightbrother that has escaped. They are deeper in hiding and are often…violent towards the ones that may discover them. Though…they were much more willing to help me as soon as they saw what and who I was.”

Maul’s mouth twisted slightly, and he heaved a brief sigh. “I have therefore learned what this is, and indeed how to use it. Though…”

There was a pause.

Long.

Heavy.

“I am…

“Afraid.”

Maul’s grip on the Holocron trembled briefly before he tightened his grip and his gaze rose to theirs once again. “There have been others that have used it before. Others that have…tried to bend it to their wills. But this does not work through Will. It is not like the Force, it is more…like Magick.” Maul pulled a brief face, “I have learned more than I ever wanted about Magick. I have learned how to dabble with it, how to call it for my use… But I have also learned that with many things that change much, that twist things from their natural state…the price that must be paid is steep…”

Oh.

Oh no… Mace felt something twist inside of him, staring up at his boy that he knew…he knew… Maul would pay it. Maul would do it.

“I will of course, be willing,” Maul said.

Mace closed his eyes.

“It is the only way,” Maul said, and his voice was quiet. “But the question remains what is the price that I pay. What is the price, and what can I do?” Maul frowned, “I have learned…that I cannot remove the ichors themselves, they are within our beings to the point that stripping the ichors would be to destroy us. But I can remove their control. I can remove their ability to touch the ichors within us, to give us the ability to run and to run and to never come back. So, I have been working with Iridonia. They have agreed to host several Nightbrothers, they are ready, they have ships that will take them, and similarly I have spoken to some members of my Tribe…never in person. But I have left messages and they have responded. There are many that are willing to leave, and they are simply…waiting for my signal.” Maul hesitated. “I am going to give it. But I have not yet told you the price.”

There was a silence.

“As in all things…the price varies,” Maul said softly, “depending on what it is that you ask of it. And so…what I ask is this, what I wish – from the deepest depths of my heart is this – freedom for my Brothers and freedom for myself. But this freedom…must be earned. Must be fought for, must be pulled from the grasp of the oppressor…and therefore it is something that must be once again…experienced.” Maul huffed a brief laugh. “There have been…others that have used this power. As I said before this is old…and the first I have ever heard of its use…was in the records of Darth Nihilus.”

Maul’s face pulled into a smile then, twisted, almost bitter, and Mace found his eyes closing.

“It was not his use,” Maul said, his voice quiet, “it was another’s. Another Sith, another Sister…and she said it was meant to grant them immortality. It was to grant them victory.” Maul tilted his head slightly, “for those of you that have gone to Malachor you will know that the dead of that planet are not silent. They live. And their forms are frozen in ash and in time. They gained their immortality…for a price.”

Maul’s smile had not shifted, still bitter so twisted when mace found himself looking again, watching his once-Padawan as he lazed against his bunk, staring at the Holocron in his lap.

“There was another use of it before then, of course,” Maul said, “and there was a similar sort of twist, a similar sort of catch. But due to this similarity I believe…that I can guess what sort of thing will be done.” He stretched then, languid, unhurried, but the yawn he gave was the bared-teeth display of a nervous carnivore. “I will either be returned to the coma that I was in following my realization of what I was…what had been done to me… Or I shall return to the one point in my life when I was truly and completely oppressed and kept and unable to escape. And this…I believe is what will happen. For I am not afraid of that coma. I remember what it was like, and I remember still that…you took care of me. You were there for me, and I can…I can trust you to be so again. There is only one point in my life that I have felt true fear…and that was when I screamed the first time. No one answered me then. I have…hope, I believe…that you will answer this time. I have hope…that you will find me.”

There was another pause.

“I have missed you,” Maul said, and his voice was soft, “I have missed you…and if this is the last time that I speak to you as me…as who I grew up to be, I want you to know that I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. And I have thought of you every day.” He paused, “and if this is not the last time you see me, if there is a way to come back from what I was…then you will forget I said anything and I feel only annoyance and boredom towards you.”

Mace laughed, unable to help it, a sound that they all fell into, happy and warm. It broke through the tears that were still running down his face.

“To the me that is…” Maul was quiet for a moment, and Mace found his gaze turning to the small boy that was staring up at him and…and his eyes… “To the me that is, know that you were loved. Know that you are loved. Know that hugs are not a weakness and know that your Master lied. Know that you can trust the Jedi and the hands that reach for you. They are not trying to hurt you…they are trying to catch you. It will be hard sometimes; it was hard for me…but know that you can let them catch you. They will not let you fall. And know…that I love you, too. I will do my best to make sure that you are found.” Maul paused for a moment, and then gave a soft sound. “And now…I say goodbye. I hope it is not for the last. I believe…that the Magick wears. That there are…ways for the enchantments to break. Do not look for them. Generally, this does not end well…but there is hope.” Maul laughed, “I do not know what it is, or how it can be done, but you have managed to surpass all of my hopes and dreams before. Maybe you can do it again.”

Maul gave a heavy shrug. “And alas, farewell.” Maul was quiet for a moment. “Look to Dathomir.”

And then he was gone.

And they were left in the Dark.

The silence was only broken by the sudden patter of tiny feet. Mace stood, turning towards the door, watching as they were shoved open by a tiny figure that spared Padmé a single glance when she called out to him, and then kept running. Mace was only aware of the fact that he was running when he heard a loud, “WAIT!”

They paused, and Mace realized they had all stood, and then he turned to Tiq, who was breathing hard, having raised his voice in a way that he usually did not do. He stood there for a moment and then softly, “Give him time. Give him…give him time. Some of us should follow him, but from a distance. We do not…he has had a history of hurting himself. It did…start early,” Tiq’s face pulled into a grimace. “We do not want to overwhelm him.”

“I will go,” Mace said softly.

“As will I,” Plo said, straightening, and Tiq nodded.

“If you need me, call. You can feel him, follow him,” Tiq said softly. “Give him time to process.”

They nodded and Mace left, Plo on his heels.

They had a little boy to find...

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance Pt 5

Tiq was holding the smallest little furnace in the world.

Zabraks had two hearts and ran very warm, kittens ran even hotter. The little kitten curled up in his arms had that stuffy cried-their-eyes-out sort of breathing, but even that was warm puffing up against his neck. It was very nice.

Nice enough that Tiq could not help the side-eye he sent towards Mace, “I am going to steal your Apprentice.”

“Oh?” Mace asked him, and there was the glimmer of amusement in his eyes, catching the tease that Tiq laced the words with. “I didn’t know that you were in the habit of taking younglings.”

“I’m not,” Tiq said easily, “but he’s the best sunlamp I think I’ve ever had.”

Mace chuckled quietly, “he is that. Positively radiates heat…” Mace was quiet for a moment, “thank you for talking him through that. I know…that you said that it was something that you had longed to be able to talk to him about, but…” he paused, “you were definitely what he needed.”

Tiq clicked his tongue, “we are all necessary,” Tiq said. “I have skills that have been honed over the years that are good for this, but there is much that you can bring that I do not. There is a reason that we have so many of us after all, Mace. I am not going to steal your Apprentice,” Tiq grinned, “though I might try and hold him periodically.”

“I can’t imagine he wouldn’t let you,” Mace grinned.

“Oh?”

“You’re cool,” Mace grinned, “I think he likes it.”

Tiq laughed quietly. “I am, that,” he agreed. “How has he been sleeping?”

“He had a nightmare,” Mace said, “I took him to the couch, and we watched the sunset. He slept better there.”

“He is not used to being alone,” Tiq noted quietly, “or not being watched. In the beginning your presence might be something he finds comforting.”

“I did notice that,” Mace agreed. “Do you think that I should remain on the couch with him for a while until he recognizes the space as safe?”

Tiq thought for a moment, shifting the child in his arms carefully and brushing yet another reassurance of safety and sleep against his Force presence, feeling the way Maul relaxed into it. Maul nuzzled up against his shoulder, Tiq giving a soft click low in his chest that he would give to small hatchlings completely without thought, and then blinked. Oh.

Oh.

Of course…

“Mace,” Tiq said softly, “do you know what we are in the unique position of doing?”

“Holding a kitten?” Mace asked, the tone half-teasing.

“Outside of that,” Tiq said, looking to him, “we are in the unique position of being able to talk to him. This is a Maul that has not had his instincts suppressed by his Master. Not as much as an eighteen-year-old would have. We can…encourage and even ask him what he would prefer. We can encourage him to pay attention to what he wants. Pay attention to those instincts that he would have been trained so hard to ignore. Maybe he does not want your presence so close to him, but maybe he does, as a Nightbrother…I do think that he might.”

Mace took that in for a moment and then looked at the small boy curled in Tiq’s arms. “Do you think…that if we learn what it is that he wants, what he needs, that if Maul…do you think we can encourage him in it then, too?”

Tiq was quiet for a moment. “We might,” Tiq said softly, “but I think…I think the thing that might make it difficult is the idea that Maul may begin to believe…provided that he even remembers this, or that…” Tiq made a soft sound. “This is a very difficult thing, Mace,” Tiq said finally, looking to him. “Provided he wakes up and is the twenty-six-year-old that he is meant to be, I believe the question is whether or not he remembers.”

“What if he doesn’t?” Mace asked.

“Then we tell him,” Tiq said. “To not tell him about however long it takes before he grows, to completely ignore however many days or weeks or…or…” Tiq paused, “maybe we are given the privilege and the honor of raising him to full maturity once again and this point is moot, but provided that it is not… If he finds it difficult to fall into instincts and patterns that he did as a child we absolutely must not press him into it.” Tiq coaxed Maul into a deeper sleep, meeting Mace’s eye as he spoke. “There is a horrifying possibility that he may find himself with a resentment towards a child that might have been, or even feel as though there is a favoritism and a preference for that, and that is…absolutely unacceptable.”

“And patently untrue,” Mace said, his voice heavy. He paused for a moment, “this is a gift, Tiq. I never thought I’d ever be granted the opportunity of seeing my Apprentice as a child, of…of holding him like this, of being able to teach and to take care of him… But that does not make my care of my Apprentice as he is meant to be any less.”

“Nor should it,” Tiq smiled, warm, “but it is something that we must impress upon him and constantly comparing him to a child that he is not and never was…”

“I see,” Mace said softly and then gave the quietist of sighs. “I missed him every day, Tiq. And it is funny…for I can hold him in my arms and yet I still miss him, even as I love him.”

“It is a tangle,” Tiq said softly.

“But it is one I am pleased to receive,” Mace said. “Ultimately…I want this to be as big a gift to him as it is for us.”

“This,” Tiq said with a nod, “is absolutely something that I agree with.”

They did not speak more on the walk back, Tiq feeling as Maul clung to his collar with tiny claws, softly kneading gently against his shoulder. It was painfully cute, and sometimes just painful, little claws digging into scales, but it was…very nice. It was a gift.

Their job was to make sure it remained that way.

Maul woke up in softness, for a moment not sure where he was or what had happened, until he realized that he was once again within…his bed. The thought was strange for a moment, Maul taking in the fact that he not only had a bed, but he had…slept well. He lay there for a moment, his fingers kneading against the blankets slowly, lazily, feeling…so much lighter…

For the first time since Maul had watched the breath leave their bodies…for the first time since Maul had felt the blood on his hands and stared down at their crumpled forms… Maul felt…warm. It was such a weird thing…such a strange thing to feel as he lay there.

It had not been his fault.

Maul lay there, remembering the words that had been spoken, the warmth of the arms that held him.

For the first time in his life, Maul had been held and told that everything was okay…that he was okay…

And Maul believed them.

After a few more minutes of lying there, basking in not just the freedom in his chest, but the lack of cameras, and the feeling of warmth…Maul finally squirmed his way out of bed, carefully padding his way over to the door in his bare feet. His boots were placed to the side of the door, and he looked at them before deciding to forgo them.

His feet felt nicer than they had in a long time, that balm working very well at removing the lingering itch that had made him want to scratch his pads off. Maul looked for the balm for a moment before he remembered that the oil for his horns had been in the refresher. Maul smiled to himself, pressing the palm sensor to open the door, and walking out into the main common area. Mace was sitting on the couch he saw, his head nodding into his chest, and Maul realized that he was asleep

Maul paused for a moment in the doorway before nodding, he could make it to the refresher without waking him, he was sure…

Maul carefully picked his way through, Mace never once moving, and when he finally made it to the refresher he…

There was a stool.

Mace had promised him there would be, but he had not…

It was placed neatly next to the toilet and Maul found as he climbed it that it was at the perfect height that allowed him to reach everything easily. This naturally led to him shutting the refresher door and using it. When he was finished, using the Force to move the stool over to the sink of course and not his hands, he climbed up the stool and found he was able to see into the sink, happily washing his hands, and then his gaze rose up and…locked on his own reflection.

Maul blinked, staring at the boy before him, taking in the wide eyes and the black that marked him and found that he did not know him.

The last time Maul had stared at himself in the mirror he had been red, there had been no black that covered him no dark… Maul had not realized how much there was, where it covered, a hand rising reflexively to touch the black around his eye, running his fingers over the outline of it.

He looked…he looked so angry.

Maul trailed his fingers down to his nose, touching the way the tip had been marked, pulling his face into a reflexive grimace, and watching the way it made the expression so much…darker.

He bared his teeth at the mirror, taking in the missing one, licking at his upper lip briefly, taking in the pink tongue on the blackened lip. Maul tilted his head briefly, gave a brief snarl at the mirror and nearly laughed at the way it sharpened the expression, made it so much more, and finally smiled. Even that had an edge to it, and he found himself enjoying it very much.

The tattoos had hurt, and he remembered spitting blood and ink desperately, the pain of it pouring from his nose and from his eyes…but he thought he liked what they had turned out like. He thought he rather liked the face he saw in the mirror.

Maul heard a knock on the door then and he gave a brief call of, “Come in!” turning to look at the door and finding Mace standing there as it opened.

“There you are,” Mace said simply, smiling, “I couldn’t find you for a moment. I see the stool works?”

“It does!” Maul answered brightly, smiling back. “I can see me,” he said, pointing to the mirror.

Mace was quiet for a moment, looking at his reflection and then smiling at him. “You can, it’s just the perfect height then, I see. Good.”

Maul felt his lips pull back from his teeth, not…not quite a grimace, but… He shot a look towards the mirror, catching his expression as something… Maul stopped smiling for a moment, staring at his own face in the mirror, and then looked up at Mace quietly. “I am happy, aren’t I?”

Mace paused for a moment looking at him, and then a soft smile pulled at his face, “Well, let’s think about it. How do you feel?”

Maul paused, putting a hand to his chest slowly, “Warm,” he said, “and…and I feel…nice.” He paused. “It wasn’t my fault?”

“No,” Mace said very quietly, “no it wasn’t.”

Maul paused for a moment, before looking up at him, and quietly, “Light,” he finally said softly, “I feel light. Like…like a weight…I put it down.”

Mace’s smile was wet, and his hand when it reached was gentle, sliding into his horns and holding him gently, the weight and the heaviness to it so warm…the feeling of home, and… “I think you’re very happy, Maul,” Mace said softly. “I think you might even be feeling joy.”

“Joy,” Maul breathed softly, “I like it.”

“I do, too,” Mace said softly, gave his head a little shake, and then backed up, “come on,” he said, “are you getting hungry? We’ve slept through most of the day…”

“I am a bit hungry,” Maul agreed.

“Would you like to leave the Jedi Temple? I have someone that would be very interested in meeting you,” Mace smiled.

“Were we friends before?”

“Oh, yes,” Mace said, “you were very good friends. He was your friend before any of us ever were.”

“Oh! Then I would like to meet him!”

“Come on,” Mace smiled, offering his hand, and Maul took it.

Maul found he was doing that more than he ever had before, and he was beginning to love the motion.

Dex wiped his brow with his lucky towel, giving a soft hum as he looked out over his Diner.

It was one of the few lulls in his day, he’d just finished the afternoon rush and things were settling, Hermione clearing away the last of her tables. There would be one or two stragglers coming in and then evening rush, but until then he could work on taking stock of what he had in his kitchen and get some of the prep work started. The last bit of dishes from the rush were being loaded into the dishwasher droid by FLO, the Droid able to handle the heat better between loads than Hermione.

The sound of the door chime caused Hermione to perk her head up, and he watched as she went to exit the kitchen…

And froze.

Dex was immediately on alert, and FLO followed, Dex immediately going to support Hermione in…

Dex looked out of the kitchen window and also froze, FLO rolling forward to look over his shoulder. Dex did not know how to describe the sound that came from her vocoder.

Dex did not know how to describe the soft sound that came from him.

There, standing in the doorway, was a sight that he had never before seen, had never expected to have seen, or ever dared to hope for.

There, standing next to Mace Windu, his hand held tightly within the Jedi Master’s own…

Was the smallest little Nightbrother that Dex had ever seen.

And it was one he knew.

Large golden eyes peered around at his Diner with wide-eyed curiosity, framed in very familiar black tattoos, their gaze sharp in a way that Dex did not normally see in one so apparently young… He was young…he was just…Dex had never seen him like this, had known him at the least by age sixteen, still young, still a kid…but not…not like this.

Not like this at all.

Hermione made a very soft sound low in her chest, and Maul blinked, those little ears pricking – and while they were so tiny they were also so big on that little frame, he hadn’t grown into them yet and he was so tiny… Those golden eyes finally flickered over to rest on Hermione, and then trailed over to FLO, and then finally landed on Dex himself.

Dex always knew the signs of a child that had never seen anything like him before. He knew the blink, the way those eyes widened, dancing over his form from his crest to his four arms, and Dex was always delighted by it. Delighted by the way he could move one hand up to prop his chin, using another hand to prop his elbow, while two more fell on his hips and those kids ate it up.

Maul, for that was who it was, stared at each of his arms with the kind of wide-eyed delight that Dex would never get tired of, before he looked up at his face again. Dex let his face pull into a wide smile, and Maul blinked, his eyes dancing over his expression before slowly, hesitantly, Maul smiled back.

Dex was going to die.

“By the Force,” Hermione swore softly next to him, Dex concurred.

He was missing a tooth.

Dex found his gaze trailing to take in Mace, who was watching the three of them with the sort of knowing amusement that the Jedi was known for. Dex thought that was fair.

Mace looked down to Maul, nodding his head towards the bar that placed them right before the little kitchen window, and Maul nodded. Dex watched as they approached, Maul pausing by the stool, his eyes narrowed in concentration before Mace held his hands out to him. Maul looked at him for a moment before nodding in agreement and held his arms out. Mace…

Mace picked him up.

And put him on the stool.

And then proceeded to work to raise that stool up enough so Maul could sit at the bar counter comfortably.

Dex’s hand had shifted from his chin to his mouth and Hermione was making a very high-pitched little sound, FLO very aggressively crackling for a moment as they took this in, and then finally Dex shook himself out of it and walked forward, Hermione and FLO on his heels. Mace sat down next to Maul, smiling up at them, his own seat adjustments not nearly so intense.

Dex cleared his throat roughly, taking in…and what was he supposed to say to this. What was he supposed to say to this, the smallest version of a kid that had been a very welcome friend and a very treasured customer, who they had named Pepper and left pepper oil out for in the vain hope that he would come back…

They had started doing it again. They knew who was destroying the Outer Rim slave trade, they knew that he was still alive…but they had left the pepper oil on the sill in a vain hope that he was still alive and that he would come back and it had worked before.

Now it seemed that it had worked again, though Dex was thinking that he might have to change the formula again.

Seemed it got the order a little scrambled this time.

And even as he thought it, Dex reached out with one hand that was utterly massive in comparison to the small boy before him. Maul stared at his hand at first with the sharp-eyed uncertainty of someone who was not sure whether the snake was going to strike at them yet or not…but after the smallest glance towards Mace, who gave the tiniest nod of his head… Maul reached out and took his thumb in his grasp, the easiest thing for him to grab with his hand which was so…damn…tiny…

“Hello, there,” Dex smiled, and Maul smiled back slowly. “Welcome to Dex’s Diner. I’m Dex, and this is Hermione, and this is FLO.”

“Hello,” Maul said, his voice very small and very solemn, giving them the politest little nod, “my name is Maul. Mace said that I have a friend here – who I was friends with before I was even friends with the Jedi. Do you know who they are?”

Dex felt his wattle inflate roughly, staring down at the politest little… He swallowed, suddenly realizing as Maul stared up at him with those eyes, wide and hopeful…realizing that if this was Maul as he had been… If this was Maul as a child, as the little boy that he had been once before, a boy who had never seen himself in a mirror, a boy who had had most of his bones broken before he even hit age ten, who had been forced to kill…all of his friends…

And at the age he was seeing…had never had a single friend…

“I do, little buddy,” Dex said roughly, before tipping his head back to indicate Hermione, and FLO behind him, and finally smiling himself, “all three of us are friends of yours. All three of us have been friends with you for years, and it’s damn good to see you again.”

“Even though…” Maul paused, “I’m not how I am supposed to be,” he said, little voice so solemn. “I know that something happened…”

“Even then,” Dex said roughly, “it doesn’t matter to us. We’re just glad to see you’re safe.”

Maul took that in, and slowly let go of his thumb. The sudden lack of heat was a loss.

“Thank you,” he said softly. “You are…a Besalisk?” he asked with a frown, looking up at him.

“That’s right,” Dex smiled, “you ever seen one before?”

“No,” Maul shook his head.

Dex gave a soft hum, “and what do you think?”

“You’re very big,” Maul said simply, and frowned slightly, “and I think you would be very hard to beat.”

Dex laughed, “probably,” he agreed, “but do we have to fight? I think I’d prefer to cook you something, since you are in a Diner after all…”

Maul took that in for a moment before nodding simply. “I have never been in a diner.”

“No?” Dex asked, “well, I’m going to leave you with Hermione and FLO and they’ll help you pick out drinks, but…” he paused, and Dex found the slightest of frowns pulling at his mouth. He thought he knew what to feed the little guy. Maul had been around this age when he had met Meltch the first time.

Maul had been right around this age when he met the first man who would be his father.

Dex had learned the recipe from Maul himself. They had plenty of fleek eels, and naturally a lot of pepper oil… Dex paused for a moment, looking to his waitresses, and then with a smile, looked to Maul, “I think I know what to feed you. If you don’t mind…” Dex looked to Mace, “I think I’d like for you to help me.”

“Me?” Maul asked, and his eyes were bright with a combination of interest and something like awe. “How can I help?”

“Well, you see,” Dex said softly, “this was your recipe. You learned it the first time right around this age now, and it was such a favorite and a staple that you were still ordering it years later. I think…it would be good for you to learn again. It would honor the man who taught you the first time. He cared for you a great deal, but…he can’t be with us now.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then slowly nodded his head, looking to Mace.

“I have no objections,” Mace said.

“Then…I would like to,” Maul said softly. “What…what was his name?”

“Meltch Krakko,” Dex answered. “It’s on the menu and everything,” Dex smiled, tapping to the name next to the modified fleek eels. “But for now,” he said, “I think let’s get you both a drink, and give Mace time to look over the menu.”

“I’m not a big fan of fleek eels,” Mace smiled, “they’re a little rough for my human digestion.”

Maul took that in for a moment and then nodded hugely in understanding. Dex closed his eyes and savored it, nodded to them, and headed back to the kitchen to start grabbing what he needed. He heard Mace talking to Maul over the drink menu, describing various options. He also heard Hermione’s click of the order comm, watching as the writing appeared on the order box, taking in the request for two milkshakes. One chocolate and one jogan.

Dex grinned to himself and went to work.

When he had finally made the milkshakes he came back out to see that Hermione was in a quiet conversation with Maul and Mace, the little one staring at her with the most intense eyes.

“You absolutely have to have been told about Sententious, yes?” Hermione asked, sending a brief glance at Mace when Maul shook his head. “Oh, but he’s my favorite poet, and I love his plays. They’re a little difficult at first but when you understand the language they’re written in, they are so good. He was a Nightbrother like you, you know?”

Maul stared up at her and his expression was so bright, his eyes so amazed. “He was?” Maul breathed.

“Yes,” Hermione smiled, and it was like the sun, “Wither Sententious was a Nightbrother, and he was one of the most amazing playwrights that have ever lived. When you get back to your rooms, Mace should maybe read you one of his plays?” she looked to Mace, and Maul snapped his attention to the other man as well, his eyes so wide.

Mace smiled at them both, “I would love to.”

Dex grinned, approaching, and finally putting the milkshakes down before them, Maul indicating the Jogan fruit while Mace took the chocolate.

“Drink up, boys, you know what you want to order, Mace?” Dex asked, turning his attention to the Master, who was sipping at his milkshake thoughtfully.

“I do,” Mace said finally, “I think I’m going to get the opee sea killer, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” Dex grinned, “you want that well done?”

“Please,” Mace said with a nod. “The usual sides are good.” He dipped his head to the milkshake, “and so is this,” he grinned and Dex laughed, eyeing Maul as he took a very cursory sip of the milkshake…

And he watched as those already wide eyes widened, he leaned back and stared at it for a moment, his expression slightly baffled, and then he dove right back in. Dex wished desperately for a holocam.

Dex realized then that Mace had one, the man slowly holding it up and carefully taking another picture. Dex immediately gestured towards the camera and Mace winked at him with a nod. Dex beamed, and turned back to the little tyke who was absolutely. “Woah, woah, slow down,” Dex laughed, “you’re going to get a brain freeze…”

“What’s a…” Maul paused, blinked, and frowned, his little face scrunching, “oh,” he said simply, and Dex was hard pressed not to guffaw. Maul eyed the milkshake for a moment after his expression relaxed and looked back up at Dex. “Not fast?” he prodded.

“Exactly,” Dex smiled, “slow it down just a little.”

Maul nodded once, and immediately began sipping at it again. Mace took another holo. Maul eyed him, but there was something like resignation in it, and something a bit amused. Dex had a feeling that Mace was taking a lot of hollos and he also had a feeling that…when whatever this was wore off…if it wore off, or even if it didn’t…he had to expect that Maul would appreciate them as himself. As who he was meant to be.

But as it was they had a kid before them and Dex couldn’t help but smile as he finally finished the milkshake with a little sigh of satisfaction. It was almost too much. “Hey,” he said, “you want to help me cook? Meltch Krakko taught you this recipe,” he said, tapping it, “and if you would like, I would gladly help you make it again.”

Maul hesitated, taking the offer in, and slowly stood on his own two feet, looking up at Dex with the widest eyes. “Yes, please!”

Dex nearly died on the spot.

“Hey kitten,” he said, clearing his throat briefly, “the one thing to keep in mind is that the equipment is all pretty tall, do you mind if I pick you up?”

Maul took in the request and then shook his head. After a moment of looking at him Dex found himself with the distinct realization that he could literally just…grab the kid around his waist with one hand and put him…

Dex reached out very carefully with his dominant hand and took Maul around his waist. The little boy blinked, rested his hands very firmly on top of Dex’s own, and when Dex lifted him up he instinctively curled his little legs up, scrunching into as much of a ball as he could, slight surprise on his face, before he grinned, and Dex laughed, casually putting Maul on his shoulder. The little boy reached out a steadying hand to take hold of Dex’s crest, his little fingers warm and solid, his arm wrapped around the back of his head loosely.

He was so damn small, his little weight barely anything as he sat upon Dex’s shoulder, his knees bent and his little boots resting solidly against his shoulder.

Dex brought his hand up to hold onto his knee and keep him stable, and Maul smiled down at him, Dex taking him into the kitchen. “I’m going to work on the sea killer first, because it has to cook longer, and then we’re going to work on yours, alright?”

“Okay,” Maul nodded.

“You want to help me out?” Dex asked and Maul immediately nodded.

“What do you need me to do?”

Maul was the perfect little helper, asking questions and eager, watching everything Dex was doing with wide and curious eyes, grabbing things for Dex when he indicated them, a lot of the time using the Force to do so, his little face tight in concentration. But there was so much warmth there, and he happily worked hard to get whatever Dex asked for. Dex held up herbs for Maul to sniff at, the little boy so curious, and was there any wonder… But he was so happy to be given the opportunity, and he crunched away at a carrot when Dex offered it, little carnivore teeth biting into it with a loud SNAP that startled the kitten into stillness.

And then he nibbled at it some more and Dex had to lean against a counter.

Painfully adorable.

Maul continued to crunch at the carrot quietly, and Dex started the grill for the sea killer, Maul listening as Dex talked about the seasoning that he had encrusted on it and putting a lid over the pan to let it cook thoroughly on low heat, before turning to the fleek eels. Maul finished the carrot and was eyeing the water tanks that contained Dex’s fleek eels with open curiosity.

“You want to catch one?” Dex asked, holding up the tongs. Maul peered at him and then at the eels, shifting forward on his shoulder in order to look into the tanks better, his hand still grasping at Dex’s crest to keep steady.

“Fleek eels?” Maul asked softly, staring at them with those large eyes. There was a predatory glint there, taking in the shimmer of scales and the flash of their movement with open curiosity.

“That’s them,” Dex said. “If you’d rather not…”

“I’d like to try,” Maul said softly, and Dex handed him the tongs properly.

“Here,” Dex said softly, picking Maul up and holding him up over the tanks around the waist with his little legs curled up tight to his stomach and his hands holding the tongs carefully, he was peering into the water thoughtfully. Dex momentarily wondered whether or not he would have to warn the kid that water refracted light and that the eels wouldn’t appear where they seemed, but he realized a moment later he needn’t bother.

Maul snapped the tongs out so fast they were a flash of light, successfully pulling out a large fleek eel with a massive smile on his face, holding it out towards Dex with the broadest grin, “I caught it!”

“Hey! Look at that, good catch, here,” Dex kicked the bucket that he had already filled with water earlier into place, “put it here,” he said, and Maul lowered the tongs enough to let it fall to the water with a splash. “How many of those do you think you can eat?” Dex asked.

Maul gave a soft hum, staring at them, his gaze thoughtful. “TEN!”

Dex laughed aloud, “can you really?”

Maul sighed, “no,” he said, shaking his head, “maybe four?”

“That sounds like a good amount to me,” Dex said with a grin. “You want to catch them?” Maul nodded and managed to catch the other three without issue. “You’re pretty good at that,” Dex said, raising an impressed eyebrow. “I’m surprised, that’s pretty tricky catching them like that.”

“They aren’t where they look like they are,” Maul stated with a frown, looking at Dex as he put the kid back on his shoulder and returned to the grill, taking the lid off of the fish and flipping it – revealing a beautifully browned crust – before putting the lid back on. “But I can feel them, and I knew where they were,” Maul said proudly, and Dex had to give a low whistle.

“Handy trick,” Dex said, and grabbed the ingredients for Meltch’s special pepper oil.

The first time Dex had made this he had thought there was no way that Maul could have eaten it as a kid, but Maul had shaken his head and assured him that he had been at the latest six when Meltch had first made it for him. That he remembers it being an absolute shock to the system, but at the same time something he had found delicious. It was the most flavorful thing he had ever had, and he loved it. It made his nose run, Maul had reminisced with a smile, but it had been worth it.

That in mind Dex began talking Maul through the creation of the pepper oil, showing him what he was doing, and then finally dipping his head towards the bucket. “Alright,” Dex said, “now I’m going to need your help.”

Maul gave a soft hum in question.

“I need you to bite all their little heads off,” Dex grinned at him sharply, baring all his teeth towards the little carnivore who blinked, before his eyes zeroed in on them in immediate interest.

“I get to bite their heads off?” he repeated.

“If you’d like,” Dex said. “That’s always how Meltch cooked them, and he was the one that made the recipe, handed them to you to kill ‘em and get a quick treat while the food’s cooking.”

“I didn’t think I was meant to have raw food,” Maul noted quietly.

“That’s been sitting out all day,” Dex agreed with a nod, “but there’s a difference between a carcass and a living creature in that a living creature won’t be covered with half the bacteria a dead thing that’s been lying out for a while will be. The most you have to worry about is parasites and I’ll be damned if I let a single one of those into my Diner. They’re perfectly safe for little carnivores to eat, and Meltch was very right in that they are actually very good for you to eat.”

Maul made a very low sound of interest, his eyes focused once again on the little flickering scales.

“The one thing, though,” Dex said, fishing out an eel and holding it up, “you better bite quick, kitten…they bite first, you’re gonna hurt.”

Maul made a very low sound in the back of his throat, his eyes focused on the head and the mouth with its reams of teeth, his hand shifting in its grip on Dex’s crest, his eyes narrowed in focus, his lips peeling back as he bared his teeth…

CRUNCH

Dex found himself holding a headless eel, turning his head to grin up at the small boy and…

Dex found himself this close to laughter, realizing that while an adult Maul had been able to fit the eel head in his mouth quite easily, little Maul had a bit more difficulty, his cheek bulging with it, and yet a look of such distinct and utter pride was there, his smile wide. Dex laughed aloud, “Well done,” he praised and Maul happily crunched at the eel head, this close to preening. Dex prepared the eel with the knife, putting the pepper oil in under the skin, handing up another eel for Maul’s attack.

They made it through all four eels and Dex threw them in the pot that had been pre-heated and was full of more pepper oil, turning his attention to the sides that he had been cooking at the same time for the sea killer, which he took out from under the pan and placed in a bowl, placing it under a stasis field to keep the temperature up.

Once the eels were sizzling he put them in a bowl, gathering the sides together and putting them carefully around the sea killer, bringing both dishes out in his hands, Maul still happily perched on his shoulder.

Mace looked up at the two of them with amused warmth in his eyes, that turned to a wide smile as Maul happily called out, “Look, Mace, look! I helped Dex cook! I helped him season your fish! I got to bite the eels heads off!”

“He did a lot more than that,” Dex grinned, putting him down carefully on the stool that had already been prepared for him after he had placed both bowls down on the table, getting Mace his silverware. “He helped me catch the eels, too.”

��Well done,” Mace said to his little Apprentice, and put a warm hand on his head, Maul beaming up at him.

“Alright,” Dex said, pushing the fleek eels towards him. “Now what do you smell?”

Maul hesitated, leaned forward, and gave it a tentative sniff, almost immediately reeling back with a wide-eyed look of shock on his face, before he narrowed his eyes at them once more, and gave another curious sniff. Dex could see it in the way he was moving, the curiosity in his expression.

Kid really had been a spice-fiend from the start of the damn thing.

Dex watched in open amusement and admiration as Maul picked up one of the eels, that were busy squirming as their synapses fired, eyed it thoughtfully, and then took a bite.

Maul’s entire face scrunched, looking for a moment like he wanted to spit, and then he frowned, hesitated, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the eels, chewed, swallowed…

And then took another bite.

Dex lost his entire shit.

Maul blinked up at him with wide eyes for a moment, and then frowned, going to push the bowl away before Dex shook his head. “No, no, I’m sorry,” Dex said, laughing, “it’s not a trick and you aren’t being laughed at… I just… Kid, you have no idea how spicy that stuff is considered to be to some people. That’s more spice than I would want to eat, and you’re just right there happily chowing away. That’s damn impressive. Meltch knew exactly what to feed you, I guess,” Dex smiled.

“Oh,” Maul said softly, and frowned at his bowl, “it is very hot,” he said thoughtfully, “but…it tastes good, I like…I like the flavor to it. It’s the most intense thing I’ve ever had, but it’s…good. It isn’t just raw meat,” he smiled. “I like it. Thank you.”

“I’m glad,” Dex said, pushing the bowl back towards Maul. “Eat up. You both want another milkshake? It’s on the house.”

“Oh, I could n-” Mace started

“Yes, please!” Maul called out, and Dex traded a look with Mace, who eyed Maul for a moment.

“You’re going to get a sugar rush,” Mace said quietly.

“What’s that?” Maul asked.

Mace opened his mouth, frowned, and then looked to Dex. “I don’t mind.”

“You prepared to keep up with that?” Dex asked with a wide grin.

“I’ll have help,” Mace said with complete certainty and Dex laughed, going to make another jogan milkshake.

They finished eating, quietly entering into conversation, and Dex offered Maul a napkin.

His nose was running.

When they finally finished Maul had that particular gleam in his eyes that carnivores got, and Mace was eyeing him with amusement, holding his hand out once again. “You ready to go back to the Temple?” Mace asked softly and Maul nodded, looking up at Mace with wide eyes, before looking back to Dex as Mace placed the credits necessary, leaving a sizeable tip as was his usual, but Maul’s attention was mostly on Dex.

“Thank you for teaching me!” Maul said, bowing, “can we come back?”

“Of course,” Dex said, “I told you before and I’ll tell you now, you can absolutely come back any time, just…in this case, come with your Teacher or someone else, okay? I know you can take care of yourself just fine, but we’ll worry.”

Maul nodded seriously, and then took Mace’s hand, waving as they left.

Dex was amused to see that Maul was absolutely pulling on Mace’s hand as they went.

Yet even as the amusement and the warmth swelled…another part was furious.

What kind of monster could have hurt that kid?

Who the fuck would dare?

Dex shook his head and let the thought slide off. For the moment it didn’t matter.

For the moment it was enough to know that the kid was alright.

#star wars #star wars fanfic #darth maul #maul #dexter jettster #mace windu #healer tiq #an unexpected chance #so zabraks are carnivores #and i have always thought that carnivores should carnivore #there is a case of that here #something gets nommed #dex is great just so you know #also i love the hell out of them #de-aged #kidfic #twin sons #thank you for reading

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Note

For the Fanfic Writer Asks: 2) What is your favorite fic of yours?

XX love your writing <3

This is a mean question LOOOOOL!!! Thank you so much for asking, but this question is really mean!

I think... I really loved writing It Happened Quiet. Like. Redemption arcs are big for me, but I haven't really done one? I think they're so difficult to get right and for someone like Maul there's a fuckton of little things that have to go right in order for it to work. Not to mention you're struggling against a lot of different things and it's hard to do a proper slow-burn. But! I think I've managed to do it to the point where I am legit happy with the way it turned out. I had like. Plans for it that didn't turn out right? Like initially it was supposed to take five years before Maul would actually be considered a friend, and yet....that didn't happen clearly LOL. But if you look at some of my original drafts that's very much what I had planned. Literally the first thing I ever wrote for it was killing Krell so LOL. Um. Yeah, no, I really like redemption fics and I think I was able to stick to the spirit of everyone really well. Also it introduced Tiq. Who is lovely.

Thank you so much for your question!

#fanfic ask game #it happened quiet #healer tiq #twin sons

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mercurydancer · 2 years

Text

An Unexpected Chance pt 17

Ghosts

Savage had learned several things about his Brother in the ensuing weeks of working with the Holocron. The first was that while that Holocron of Maul was a hard teacher – and he was, expecting results that seemed nearly unattainable in those first few days –he was also patient. He worked with them again and again to attain those results that had seemed so out of their depth, and often filtered through with enough explanation and demonstration that Savage no longer viewed the feats that Maul expected them to perform with anything but excitement.

Savage would achieve them, they were not insurmountable, he was capable…

And this led to the second thing – Maul was gentle.

It was an odd sort of thing to realize, particularly given the nature of what Maul was teaching, and even the man himself, but there was a gentleness to it.

A gentleness to the teaching of pain.

But it was not a pain that was inflicted.

Savage had started thinking of the Holocron as Teacher, and it was much easier as Maul, his brother, took and helped focus Savage’s pain, helped him understand how to gather it.

And that was the moment when Savage looked at his younger brother, and a further understanding grew – because in those moments Savage could see how much Maul hurt.

Savage could see, could feel what felt like a bottomless well of pain lapping at his soul whenever Maul guided him, as well as something else, a burning deep resolve that was so bright it was almost blinding. Savage wondered idly what his brother would be like. His brother in flesh and in spirit standing before him, the one that was not rescued, who had grown up with this…

Feral had wept.

Savage had held him, and even as he held him he mourned… Savage mourned his brother, mourned what had happened to him, the devastating question of what had happened to him…

Maul would not speak of it.

Savage had tried to ask, tried to understand, had offered his hands and his arms and someone to hold him, but his brother refused.

It hurt in his chest to know that Maul did not want to talk to him… But there was someone who did, and indeed had.

Healer Tiq had been…good.

Savage had not understood precisely what a Mind Healer was for, even with the explanation, until he had sat before him and the Rodian had softly and gently started unspooling the tangled-up weight within Savage’s heart that Savage had not even realized was there. He had lived with it for so long it had merely become a part of his being. And that brought Savage to what Tiq had told him…

All Maul had known was pain.

Savage had not known what that meant until that moment holding Maul’s hands, feeling the gate that opened up in his little brother…

Savage was not a stranger to pain. Savage was not a stranger to training, or to slavery. He had grown up in it, with others under the same bondage, in the same…

Maul did not act like a regular Zabrak.

There were some small…some things that he had difficulty with.

Even as Tiq helped him unspool his hearts, Savage found another tightening within him, staring at a small boy, who…

“Was my brother alone?”

The question was soft, whispered out, staring at Tiq who blinked.

Tiq hesitated for a moment and then, quietly, “there is only so much that I can…tell you,” he said finally.

Savage nodded, it was one of the first things that they had discussed before they had started this, before Feral had asked if he could come and Tiq had told them about the fact that they could do it separate or together. They had eventually decided to go with separate, with the promise that all of the things they talked about with Tiq could be talked about together. It had been driven deep that the two of them could absolutely speak to each other once they felt comfortable, and similarly that if they did not want to discuss something with each other that Tiq would not be the one that told them.

Savage had not wanted his brother to know about the Choosing. Savage had not wanted his brother to know about…

Tiq had listened.

Tiq had listened to his brother.

Tiq had listened to both of his brothers, and the knowledge that all of those conversations, all of those secrets lived in that reptilian head.

Savage was both thankful and hurting.

Savage also remembered the way Tiq had spoken about how his brother had not recognized affection. Maul had confessed to having asked for them to tell something, as sometimes it was too difficult, too much…

Savage closed his eyes.

“I know you cannot tell me much,” Savage said softly. “I know that…I know that if my brother…if he does come back… I would not want you to betray that trust. But I want…I want to know…was my brother always alone?”

“Not…always,” Tiq said.

“…No,” Savage said softly, “he wouldn’t be, would he, he had his Master…but…” Savage rubbed his face. “His Master is dead?”

“We…believe so,” Tiq said.

“You are…uncertain?”

Tiq paused for a moment.

“There is a certain simplicity in the way that he died that I do not, and have never liked,” Tiq said. “There is a fact that Maul was a loose end to a man who…I do not believe ever liked loose ends. Particularly when he was within the hands of the Jedi who…we treated him with kindness, Savage, and he was so parched for it…” Tiq shook his head. “Leaving Maul with the ability to identify him would be beyond risky it would be insanity. The fact that he stripped Maul’s memories of him leaves him a constant unknown, but…” Tiq was quiet for a moment, “I have a feeling…that Maul’s Master takes great risks. He sent Maul out when he was sixteen. Maul is highly skilled and very dangerous, and had killed Masters before, but there is an inherent risk. This…puts some of his other attempts into perspective, including the potential that he was trying to make us bring Maul into the heart of the Temple under the assumption that Maul would remain loyal. I do not believe that when he attacked the Prisons he was looking to harm Maul, which suggests that something else was the goal, and putting Maul in our Temple where he could be a knife in the dark…” Tiq shrugged.

“However…and this is something that I believe needs to be noted – once we shot his ship down, once he died the Force became clearer than it has in years. We have…visions more, the connection is greater. There was one hiccup that also could be connected towards him, but it was one your brother solved, and we never found any evidence that it was caused by something outside of the Temple, and we looked long.” Tiq frowned, “on one hand he is a Sith, and a Sith that is good at hiding, that twisted your brother inside out. On the other hand…” Tiq was quiet for a moment, “in a way we won’t know. Maul was…and this is record, you could find this if you looked, but Maul’s memories were torn from him by his Master before he blew up half the prison block as mentioned. I do not believe Maul got lucky…”

“No,” Savage agreed quietly, “Maul does not seem the sort that has luck to spare.”

Tiq gave a quiet huff of a laugh that did not seem as amused as it was almost rueful. “I wish he had more luck,” Tiq said softly. “But…he is impossibly stubborn, resourceful to a fault, and he is usually more than capable of taking care of himself. Not to mention he comes up with things that I have never seen or heard of. Savage, he is at most six years old right now???” Savage felt the grin spread over his face, taking in the way Tiq leaned forward, the absolute bafflement in the Rodian’s eyes bright. “Think about this, think about this, he finds a Holocron that is not only a product of Sith Alchemy, but Nightsister Magick and he figures out how to use it. He has never touched Nightsister Magicks, he has never stepped foot on Dathomir since he was taken as an infant and he still figures it out…” Savage laughed quietly, smiling as Tiq spread his hands out, “and then! To top it off it not only makes him six years old, but it also frees all of his Brothers. You are here, Savage, and you and your brothers are all safe. Maul is the most inventive individuals I know, and he is stubborn. He does not need luck.”

“No,” Savage agreed with a smile. “He does not.”

“But,” Tiq said leaning close with a grin, “some extra luck from his brothers wouldn’t be amiss either.”

“It would not be,” Savage agreed his smile widening. “Thank you Healer…” he paused. “I am grateful that he found you. I understand that you cannot tell me all that has happened…and I wonder sometimes how hard that must be. You know Maul’s secrets in the same way that you know all the people that have given you their trust and their voices. Thank you for honoring that. I do not know if you find it a burden…but I hope dearly that it is one you carry well.”

Tiq fell silent for a moment, taking that in, before the grin gentled, soft and warm. “Thank you,” Tiq said. “If…if we discover that there is no hope…if there is nothing we can do, and he is beyond saving…beyond coming back… I will tell you more about him, Savage. But I do not believe it is impossible, and I know that they are words Maul would rather gift himself. Thank you for your patience.”

Savage bowed low and was almost immediately treated to Tiq bowing as well, the Rodian grinning at him.

“Did…you have anything else you wished to discuss?” Tiq asked when they had risen, tilting his head in question.

Savage paused for a moment, thinking of all that he knew, all that had been said… Savage thought of secrets kept and a trust that was kept even when all else had shifted… Savage took a breath and laced his fingers together, before looking up to Tiq. “Yes,” he said finally. “I…I would like you to keep from discussing this with Feral, but… I want to speak about the Choosing.”

Tiq took in the request for a moment, his expression very still and then he laced his own fingers and tilted his head in a gesture that… Savage felt his hearts leap in his chest at the recognition of an invitation, of an offer… And he leaned forward, pressing his horns to Tiq’s forehead, and Tiq quietly, gently, “Your secrets are kept always, and I shall not speak of what you want to keep quiet, but remember that you can always speak to your brother. Nothing said here needs to be secret unless you wish it to be. Now please. Talk to me of what you wish.”

Savage did.

Feral watched quietly from his place lodged in the rafters as Maul finally came out of the hall that led to the crèche, taking in the way Maul stood, the stiffness to his form. There was something else, too, something about the way his shoulders were held tight to his body, the way his fists clenched…

Maul was angry, and Feral watched as Yaddle - a female Jedi that Feral knew was one of the heads of the crèche – took a step out of the hallway to watch Maul closely for a moment, and then make a comm. She had to stay with the other children, but there was apparently no reason she could not call for backup.

Maul kept walking down the hall, Feral following, wondering who…

And then he spotted Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi was walking down the hall, a casual air about him that, if Feral was not aware of the fact that he had likely been called to help, would make him appear as though he happened to be strolling that way. Obi-Wan looked to Maul, his face blooming into a gentle smile.

“Hello there,” Obi-Wan called out cheerfully, Maul looking up at him sharply. “How are you, then?”

Maul paused for a moment, but his expression hadn’t cleared, his mouth pulling down at the corners. Feral could see the way his shoulders had loosened, though, not much, but they had, and he tilted his chin up a bit more, instinctively minimizing the threat of his horns. Maul was not mad at Obi-Wan, and indeed seemed to like him, but he was still angry.

Obi-Wan took in that softening, too, Feral could see, had relaxed himself as well, and the knowledge that the human knew the tells was…nice. “Hmm,” Obi-Wan hummed, “tooka cat got your tongue?” he asked, ducking down.

“What is all this, then?” another voice, and Feral knew this one as Qui-Gon, coming down the hall. “A youngling out of the crèche?” he asked softly, also crouching down.

Maul’s expression closed, and Feral had to wonder whether or not Qui-Gon knew what had happened, whether he had been aware that Maul was in the crèche. Obi-Wan, though, rolled his eyes, “he doesn’t need to be in the crèche, does he?” he asked, looking to Maul. “You don’t want to go back in there, do you?” he asked. Maul shook his head. “There you go, Master, you see? He doesn’t want to go back, and really he shouldn’t have to. Not when he could spend some time with us. It’s been a while since we’ve talked, hasn’t it, do you want some…lunch?” And as he said it there was a mischievous grin on his face, one that Maul was narrowing his eyes at, something in his face slowly sliding towards recognition.

“I definitely am quite hungry,” Qui-Gon noted softly, nodding.

“Oh, I definitely agree,” Obi-Wan said, smiling, “hungry enough that I could eat just about anything, even…”

Maul’s expression broke for one moment to something like delight and realization, taking a step back, only to be caught by Obi-Wan’s arms, bringing him high in the air, a “YOU!” being called aloud, even as he pulled Maul’s tunic back just enough to blow a massive raspberry on his stomach. Feral was delighted, and immediately amused at Maul’s loud cry of amusement, the shriek of laughter that he could not help. Maul then shook his head, holding his hands out towards Obi-Wan in a way to push him back.

“No, no,” he said, “please put me down, Obi-Wan,” he said, and Obi-Wan immediately did so, gently helping to straighten out Maul’s tunic, hook one of his temple horns gently.

“I’m sorry, little Mauler, I should have asked first, do you forgive me?”

“Yes,” Maul said, nodding, and his expression was closing again, his fists once again forming.

“Hmm,” Qui-Gon said softly, “are you sure you forgive him? That was awfully rude, was it not? Someone should have taught you better manners,” he said blithely, raising his eyebrows at Obi-Wan. This must be some sort of inside joke, Feral thought, because Maul’s face broke into a brief grin, even as Obi-Wan rolled his eyes heavily.

But then Maul shook his head, putting his hands to his chest, “please,” he said, “I know what you’re doing. I know you’re trying to make me feel better but…but I don’t want to feel better right now. I want…I want to be angry. Can I be angry?”

“Of course,” Qui-Gon’s voice was low and soothing and both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon sat down. “I am sorry, little one, I should have asked whether or not you wished to remain angry. Will you tell me why you are angry? Perhaps I shall be angry with you. It is sometimes better to be angry with someone than alone.”

Maul took that in for a moment, and then looked back…he looked back towards the crèche and his expression did something funny. For a moment it looked like his expression tightened to something like grief, and then firmed, and softly, “I don’t…I don’t want to talk where they might hear.”

“You don’t…want them to know you dislike them?” Obi-Wan offered softly.

Maul shook his head, “I don’t…I don’t want them to think that I’m mad at them. It’s not their fault,” he said, and it was such… It was such a grown-up thing to say. One of those things that made Feral’s hearts twist because there was a maturity and an understanding behind it that hurt. It should not be there yet…not yet…

“I see,” Obi-Wan said gently. “Well, shall we go down the hall, further?”

“There is a room that used to be a banquet hall,” Qui-Gon said, “it is quite old now, and rarely used, but it would be a good place to talk.”

Maul took that in before nodding, following the two of them as they walked. Feral stalked them, keeping his presence masked, his hunter’s reflexes honed… And then he was aware of Savage, Savage who was coming from the other direction.

Feral blinked his presence towards Savage immediately, catching his attention, watching as his brother recognized where he was and what he was doing and also leapt to the rafters. They both followed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan into the banquet hall, sliding in after Maul, still Masking.

The hall was so big and so beautiful, even in the dust, that Feral almost lost his hold on his presence, but then he shut it down, taking in the carvings that depicted the stars.

It was the first time in a while that he had looked at them, even carved as they were.

“Now,” Qui-Gon said, having picked up his brother around the waist when he held his arms up, placing him on a table so he was closer to eye level and not having to look up as high, and stepped back a pace, Obi-Wan joining him. “What are you angry about?”

Maul was quiet for a moment, seeming to gather everything up and then he looked up at them. “I’m angry…” he paused, trailing off as though suddenly aware of what he was going to say.

“Maul?” Qui-Gon questioned softly. “What is it?”

Maul hesitated and then in the face of their quiet curiosity, the complete lack of judgement, Maul’s entire face crumpled. “I’m angry at me,” he breathed softly and Feral’s heart lurched.

“Well, if that’s the case I don’t know that I’ll be joining you in your anger,” Qui-Gon said softly.

Maul ducked his head and continued, almost doggedly, the words in a breathless rush, “but I know I shouldn’t be, and I don’t want to be. It’s my…it’s my Master’s fault, and I know it is, I know it is! But he’s…” Maul’s voice cracked, frustration and something like despair there, “he’s not here, and I can’t…be angry at him…” he wiped his eyes. “I can’t do anything about the anger towards him, he’s too…even if he wasn’t dead he is too strong for me, and he’d just hurt me… But it’s his fault, I know it is, and he did it to me, and I can’t…” He swallowed, “I don’t understand the younglings,” he said, “I know they’re my age and you all want me to be friends, but they don’t want to be friends with me. They don’t like me. They think I’m…” his voice broke then, and he gave a frustrated sound, rubbing at his face again.

“It’s alright, Maul,” Obi-Wan’s voice was soft, “you can cry, no one is going to hurt you for it. You might even find you feel better.”

“But I don’t want to,” Maul said, voice stubborn. “I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”

“You can give the satisfaction to yourself,” Qui-Gon countered gently.

Maul blinked, surprise in his expression, and Feral watched as his face finally crumpled, and Maul began to weep.

For a moment Feral felt the urge to swoop in, to pick up his brother, to hold him tight, recognizing the feel in Savage, but Qui-Gon gave a quiet sound, ducking down to be better at eye-level and quietly, “do you want me to hold you?”

Maul took in the question between sobs, before finally holding his arms out. Qui-Gon immediately scooping him up, holding him tight and pressing a hand to his back, rubbing it up and down gently.

“That’s it,” Qui-Gon said softly, “that’s it, just let it out.”

Obi-Wan patted Maul’s back gently, the two of them offering soothing words as Maul finally sobbed everything out, and then finally, his voice a little burst of fury, “It’s not fair!” his voice cracked. “It’s not fair, they think I’m weird and I’m…” he hiccupped, “they’re scar~ed of me! I don’t…I don’t pla~y like they do, and I can’t, and I…I almost hit Juun, I almost hit her, she just wanted to get my attention, and she touch~ed my shoul~der when I didn’t see her and I almost hit her!” Maul wailed, rubbing his eyes, “they told them not to touch me, but they forget, they’re little, they don’t remember. And I…” he collapsed against Qui-Gon, burying his little face in his shoulder, horns sweeping above, “I don’t want to hurt them…I don’t wanna… They’re so loud and I don’t understand them, and I can’t tell what they’re gonna do, and they… It’s not fair…”

“Shh, shh,” Qui-Gon shushed him, rubbing his hand up and down his back. “It’s alright. It’s alright…I will talk to…” he sighed, “I am so sorry, Maul. Did you tell Yaddle you felt this way? Did you tell Mace?”

“No,” Maul managed softly, “I know…I know why they wanted me to go, that I should…that they’re my own age and I should…play with people my own age, but…” he swallowed, and even that made Qui-Gon close his eyes.

“Listen,” Obi-Wan said softly, “now that we know that you feel this way, now that we know that there is something wrong, let’s take some steps to fix it, okay?” Obi-Wan took a breath, looking to his Master briefly, his brows pinched. “Ahsoka is older than you, as is Anakin, but you have fun with them, don’t you? They are ones that do not make you uncomfortable?”

Maul nodded, looking up at Obi-Wan over Qui-Gon’s shoulder.

“Perhaps we can put you with some of the older kids. You are right that we wanted you to spend some time with kids your own age,” Qui-Gon said, “it is good for your development, but this has clearly not been good for you at all.” Qui-Gon sighed. “I do wish…that we had known about the problem earlier.”

“It was not as bad before,” Maul breathed softly, “but…” he paused, “it’s been getting worse, and…and I think they’re just…getting used to me…and I just…”

“Shh,” Qui-Gon said softly, “do you remember what Tiq says?”

“Trauma sticks,” Maul said softly, “and I have a lot of trauma.” The words were serious but there was a slight bit of a smile curling at his mouth, though it was weak.

“You do,” and the smile that was on Obi-Wan’s face was broader. “Listen,” he said, “other people might get used to things faster than you can, but that’s not a bad thing. We’ll just work together on making it so your nerves aren’t getting absolutely pummeled. It’s not right that something that’s supposed to help you just winds up hurting you. We’ll help, Maul, it’ll be alright.”

Maul reached out to Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon laughing and shifting the small boy over to take hold of Obi-Wan’s neck, Obi-Wan pulling him into a tight hug.

“Thank you,” Maul breathed and Obi-Wan’s expression briefly tightened.

“Of course,” he said, “you’re under our care, ours’ and your brothers’, we’re going to do our best. We might not always get it right, but we are going to try.”

Maul nodded against his neck.

“Now, come on,” Obi-Wan said, “maybe we can find Feral, and Savage and we can all go to lunch. Try the refectory this time, yeah?”

“Okay,” Maul breathed softly.

“Do you mind if I stay here for a moment,” Maul asked.

“Not at all,” Obi-Wan said, putting him down. “Do you want to meet us down there? See if you can find Savage and Feral?”

“Yes, please,” Maul said.

“Do you have your map?” Qui-Gon asked, and Maul immediately held out the little device. “Good,” he said, and hooked Maul’s horns gently between his fingers, giving him a brief little shake. “Take some time to compose yourself. There’s no shame in any of it, little Mauler.”

“Thank you,” Maul breathed one last time, and the two of them left. Maul wiped his face, and then finally looked up at Savage and Feral, his focus unwavering. “You’re sneaking,” he said, and there was something like…discomfort on his face, something almost like fear. “Am…did I do something wrong?” he breathed.

Feral was on the ground before he could help himself, Savage on his heels. “No,” Feral said immediately. “Not at all,” he said.

“You are allowed to cry,” Savage said, kneeling down before him. “And you are right, we were sneaking.”

“It was my doing,” Feral said. “I have been watching…I did not enter the actual crèche, Yaddle keeps a very tight ship…” he paused. “It is alright,” he said softly, sitting next to Savage. “Your Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were both right.”

“And so was Tiq,” Savage said, his low voice serious. “It is nothing to be ashamed of…”

“Many…” Feral worked his mouth, thinking of what to say. “Many of our Brothers often struggled with such a thing,” he said finally. “I…have struggled with it.”

“As have I,” Savage said. “There is no shame. You did not hit that girl, even when you were afraid you were able to keep from lashing out. You are alright.”

Maul took that in, his lip stiff, and softly, “it’s alright to cry,” Feral said, gentle, and Maul nodded, the tears slipping. “May I hug you?” he asked, following the example Qui-Gon had given, Maul nodding and holding his arms out. Feral took Maul into his embrace, Savage also holding him, the both of them holding their brother that Feral… Feral sometimes still could not believe it.

He could not believe that he was here. He could not believe that he was safe, that the Sisters had been pushed back, and the reason for that… The reason for that was in his arms.

Feral smiled, locking his horns with Maul’s, feeling the way Maul’s nose pressed to his cheek. He was so small.

“It’s alright,” Feral said. “You are alright, brother. You are alright, Maul. Thank you for not outing us to the Jedi.”

Maul gave a surprised laugh, pulling back and wiping his face. “I wanted to see why you were hiding,” Maul said.

“I wanted to check on you,” Feral smiled. “I knew you were with the other kids and…” he paused, “I like working with younglings,” he said finally. “I was curious to see where the Jedi take care of theirs.”

“Would you want to work with them?” Maul asked, “you could probably ask Yaddle, I think she’d welcome help.”

Feral froze for a moment, thinking of asking… “I do not…”

“Trauma sticks,” Maul said softly, taking his hand in his own, squeezing. “It’s okay.”

“It does,” Feral smiled at him, squeezing back. “Thank you.”

“Do you both want lunch?”

“Yes,” Feral and Savage both agreed and Maul smiled.

“Come on,” he said, and led the way out.

Savage was following Maul to the Senate, Feral alongside him.

They were accompanying a small party of Jedi Councilors who were going to be meeting with the Chancellor. Apparently some sort of meeting that they did periodically to keep the Republic updated. Savage did not fully understand what this meant or even what it was for precisely, why the Republic needed to know about Jedi Business, but Maul was excited for it provided the perfect opportunity to introduce Feral and Savage to – as he put it – his best friend.

A female that had once been the Queen of Naboo and now worked as a Senator for the planet…Padmé Amidala.

Savage was uncertain, but the sincerity of Maul’s statement, the way he spoke of her… Savage hoped.

Savage had already met more women than he had in his entire lifetime and every one…every one Savage had felt that spark of fear, that moment of worry…and all had been kind. They kept their distance, spoke to him respectfully, were genuinely interested in what he had to say and nothing like what Savage had experienced.

The grief in his hearts was always strong in those moments…all of the things that they were denied, all of the pain that they had caused to their own people. And Savage still did not understand that.

Savage knew the stories, he knew…he knew the Legends… But why should they still be punished for that? Why should they still be paying the price for so long ago when they could be living alongside their women, when they could be in a partnership?

But there was no point now.

Not now when they were finally out… If they had contract from a Sister, if they too spoke of peace, then it was something that they may discuss, but if they did not… Savage was free. His Brothers were free.

He would take none of them back unless they remained so.

Savage’s thoughts were interrupted by a brief call from a bright clear voice, his attention immediately turning up to see a human woman. As he had often started doing, Savage immediately began taking in her physical appearance – the flush to her skin, the brown of her hair pulled in a high and intricate bun that was caged in some sort of metal, the deep blue of her sweeping garments that seemed to both hide and highlight her form – all things that were different to the Sisters, all things that would never be seen amongst them… And then he was drawn to Maul, who had lowered his center of gravity, shifting to his toes, tapping… The woman that he had to assume was Padmé lowered her own center, her eyes narrowed, the look on her face full of concentration.

And then she beamed, and brought her arms out wide.

Maul bolted.

Padmé braced herself lower, and when Maul leapt she caught him, swinging him back behind her and then bringing him up in the air above her, Maul giggling brightly as she spun down and around, the dress she was wearing apparently less constricting than it looked. She laughed aloud as she held him, finally bringing him up to tap his horns against the caged bun. Maul had yet to stop laughing.

Savage had initially feared that his brother had been some form of consort, now he found that he wasn’t entirely certain that would have been a bad thing.

But Maul had assured him that she had always simply been his best friend.

Savage watched and he thought he might believe it.

“Padmé,” Maul said then, “Padmé come, you have to meet my brothers!”

“Your brothers?” she repeated, and then Savage watched as brown eyes - large and warm in a way that he had never seen – focused right on him and his brother. “Oh!” she called out, and Savage watched as those eyes seemed to not only grow in warmth, but squinted in a wide smile, her expression nothing but the most amazing… She walked towards them then, and Savage held so still, aware of Feral beside him, the way he took a step closer.

To Savage’s shock, Padmé seemed to catch that, her expression gentling, and she stopped a good bit out of their personal space, that smile still there, still warm, still towards them.

“Hello,” she said, “my name is Padmé Amidala.”

“Savage Opress,” Savage introduced.

“Feral,” his brother said.

Padmé’s smile widened, but there was no comment about the names being strange, or even anything about how it seemed to be a theme, she merely bowed low… And Savage did not know how to take that, what to…

“It is very good to meet you,” she said. “Maul has always been a very dear and trusted friend and it is…” she paused. “I am so sorry…that it took us so long to free you. I am a Senator of the Republic and if you have anything that you think will help your brothers, will help you acclimate to being in the wider Galaxy, please talk to me about it. We will be able to hook you up with all sorts of resources, I am certain. And on a more…a great deal more personal note… I would be honored if we, too, could be friends. Would you wish to be friends with me?”

And the question buzzed in Savage’s ears and in his mind.

Would you wish to be friends with me.

Not we shall be friends, not a declaration or a statement or an order…a request.

She had asked.

She had offered help.

The warmth that swelled in Savage’s chest was… “Please,” he said, just as Feral said,

“Yes.”

Padmé beamed.

“Down, please,” Maul said and Padmé immediately put him down, that bright smile turning towards him. Maul took her hand then and dragged her over towards Savage and Feral, Padmé laughing the entire way. Savage thought that he could like her a good deal…

“Hello, Padmé,” Mace’s voice was warm, and Savage turned to look at the other man. The Jedi was smiling along with the other Councilor’s, fondness in their gazes. “Do you think we could leave them with you for a while as we meet with the Chancellor, provided no one has any objections?” Mace looked at Feral and Savage while the question was asked, and with a smile, “if you would like one of us to remain we do not all have to make a report.”

Savage and Feral looked at each other, before turning their attention to Maul and Padmé.

Padmé smiled, her expression warm and open. “I will not be offended either way,” she said.

“We will stay with Padmé,” Savage said after exchanging a look with Feral, catching the relief in his brother’s own eyes. It was all to give them freedom. Savage would have never believed…

“Good this is,” Yoda said, his voice full of warmth, and he tapped Savage’s foot with his stick. “With you we shall stay until the Chancellor has come.”

“Who is the Chancellor?” Feral asked. “We…understand that they are some sort of figurehead?”

“Yes,” Padmé said, nodding, “he is an elected representative of the Senate, our governing body. He helps mediate conversations and has the power to turn new bills into laws.”

“It is not quite like a Mother then,” Savage said with a frown. “They are not elected.”

“How is a Mother chosen?” Padmé asked.

There was a pause, Feral and Savage both falling quiet, and Savage found himself looking to Maul…

“Well,” came a voice, unfamiliar, but somehow…somehow…

Savage looked up, and slowly turned, and found his gaze frozen on the man that stood there, surrounded by what had to be aides, by guards…

But Savage could not tear his eyes away from the man standing there.

A man that he had seen before.

The hitching panicked gasps at his elbow drew his gaze once again down to his brother. To his brother that had been stolen.

To Maul.

Maul stared at the man standing there, his eyes wide and wild, nostrils flared, his ears pinned close to his head as his hands rose in something like a ward. Terror.

Pure and overwhelming terror…

“You said he was dead,” the words were whispered, broken, desperate, and Savage turned.

And stared into the eyes of the man who had stolen his brother.

And watched as the Chancellor stared at Maul with a shock that could not be hidden.

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