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Chapter Text

Maul had not felt so pleased with himself in a very long time though he was not so foolish as to show it outwardly for the likes of the Mandalorians to see. Slowly but surely, Maul’s own empire was beginning to seed itself. Death Watch may have been tedious warriors to work with but the Sith had not been able to deny their usefulness in giving them the manpower to establish alliances with the Crime syndicates and, with the recent recruitment of the Hutt Family, Maul now had a firm finger in 3 of the major cartels. Control of the criminal underworld was within his grasp and when he took his throne as Overseer of the Shadow Collective, he would have the power to undermine his former master and, more importantly, earn himself a highly coveted Jedi prize.

Vizsla was compliant with his wishes for now, no doubt only focusing on Mandalore and using Maul’s Jedi prize to defeat the Duchess Satine. 

Maul afforded himself a smile. The Duchess was an amusing piece of the puzzle that he’d had the pleasure of solving by drilling Vizsla of all the information he could share. She had known Kenobi and his late Master, Jinn, some years ago when Kenobi had been a teenage Padawan. Vizsla claimed that the Mandalorian Duchess and the Jedi Padawan must have developed something of a bond that was still palpable to this day and that there was still a strong attraction - at least on the part of Duchess Satine. Vizsla could not say if the attraction was mutual or not. 

Maul looked forward to finding out.

They were currently returning to Zanbar to prepare their move on Mandalore and from the cockpit Maul could see a few of their fleet flying either side as they prepared for a hyperspace jump. Travelling on board with Maul was his brother, Savage, and a few Mandalorians including that of Pre Vizsla and his young pup Bo-Katan whom Maul trusted even less than the leader of Death Watch. 

Savage was almost finished preparing the ship for hyperspace when a sudden tug in the Force caused Maul to tighten his grip on his seat. It had been strong and almost violent. Savage’s cybernetic arm, which had replaced the original one lost by Kenobi’s brutal tendency to dismember his enemies, stopped as his hand hovered over a switch. The larger Zabrak glanced over to Maul.

“Brother?” he murmured questioningly.

Maul looked out the view screen at the expanse of stars. 

“Did you feel that, Savage?” he asked quietly. “That pull…”

“I did,” Savage nodded and followed Maul’s gaze. “What was it?”

Maul didn’t reply. He straightened his back and narrowed his eyes, pushing out with the Force to attempt to entice whatever it was that was calling to try again. Sure enough, in response to his tentative push, a powerful pull dug itself into his mental shields and gave a firm yank, drawing Maul’s gaze off-course.

“It is strong. Whatever it is, it calls for attention,” he said.

“What are you on about?” suddenly said Bo-Katan, cutting in sharply as she approached the two at the controls. Her expression couldn’t be read due to the blue and white helmet which had remained on her head for the majority of the trip.

Maul felt inclined to ignore her. She was only a whelp like Skywalker and Tano. One that persistently nipped and bit at the heels of the Sith in a way that was neither endearing or amusing.

“A call. Something in the Force,” he said in a lofty voice.

Bo-Katan withheld the urge to bristle at his condescending tone. Mandalorians had no need for the some mythical ‘Force’ but that didn’t stop Maul and Savage lording their powers over their heads whenever they chose to.

“Why the delay?” Vizsla asked sharply as he swept into the cockpit. “We are all ready to make the jump.”

“They say there’s something ‘calling’,” Bo-Katan replied in a mocking way before Maul had the chance to say anything. “They want to take us on a detour.”

“What?”

Maul rolled his eyes and Savage couldn’t help but let out a quiet growl at the blossoming conflict.

“As usual,” he sighed, “the brat shows she is incapable of listening. I merely said there was something in the Force, calling. I said nothing of taking us off on a detour.”

Vizsla put a hand on Bo-Katan’s spaulder to hold her back from the challenging step she was no doubt preparing to take.

“You wouldn’t mention it if it were something mundane,” he said. “Which, if you are telling the truth, means it is significant enough that you would consider investigating it.”

Maul smiled at them to reward their keen observations.

“It feels powerful, I won’t deny that. I know not if it is an artefact, a being, or a power source but it has responded to my reply.” He leant back in the Co-pilot’s seat. “Meaning it is persistent.”

Vizsla narrowed his eyes. “A Jedi trap?”

“Oh I should BE so fortunate…” laughed Maul. “No, if this is going to be sending out calls to those in tune with the Force, it is only a matter of time before someone else answers. I will take a landing shuttle and investigate it. Savage can oversee things in my absence.”

At the controls, Savage glanced at him cautiously but made no move to respond, well-trained as he was.

“Alone?” Vizsla frowned. “What if it IS Jedi in origin?”

“Your concern is touching,” Maul smiled. “I didn’t think my welfare worried you so much.”

“My concern is for my people and we currently have a collection of powerful crime syndicates who are expecting a big payout for their involvement. What are they going to think if you go running off into space following a siren’s call for power?”

“Tell them it is all according to plan. Like I said, Savage will be there. They will know I have not abandoned the alliance and I will return.”

“If we delay too long, Satine will only gain more defences,” Vizsla snapped angrily, his voice tightening at the name of the duchess. “If she suspects her people are in trouble, she will not hesitate to call for her White Knight in Jedi Robes to come to her rescue. The Duchess must not be allowed to escape.”

At his side, Bo-Katan shifted and fought to keep her composure.

“Your Duchess is oblivious to my existence, Vizsla,” Maul said as he rose to his feet, facing the armoured warriors. “You say she is a pacifist. What use will she see in summoning a war-monger like Kenobi to solve her Mandalorian issues?”

“He’s a negotiator, skilled in the art of diplomacy.”

“Diplomacy!” Maul spat and the joints in his mechanical legs whirred. “He’s as blood-thirsty as any Sith and I will prove it. Stop arguing with me and get your people back to Zanbar.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Maul paused and regarded the Mandalorian leader with amusement. “…Are you sure that is wise? You’ve already voiced your concerns about the syndicates’ suspicions.”

“My Death Watch will not move on Mandalore without me,” Vizsla told him. “To establish a takeover, I must be there to personally kill the Duchess and they know that. You won’t be able to invade without us so you have no choice.”

Bo-Katan’s composure was hanging on by a thread and her fists were balled tightly against her thighs in a bid to keep them from trembling. The mask of resentment for the Sith was the only thing keeping her true feelings hidden, she was certain.

“Brother,” Savage’s baritone voice suddenly interrupted from the front of the cockpit. “A planet has appeared on the scanners. I feel the pull in the Force.”

They all turned and looked through the view screen. Sure enough, a pale planet could be seen a short way off to the side of their trajectory looking like a smooth ball of marble amidst the darkness. At once, Maul felt the strong Pull and with a singular desire to answer the call. He could see Savage’s hands fidgeting at the controls, no doubt also wishing to turn the ship and head towards the planet for his own satisfaction. 

Bo-Katan stepped forward and looked at the readouts. “It doesn’t say what planet it is. Uninhabited maybe.”

Maul took note of the number of ships that were flying in convoy with them and came to a swift decision. 

“Very well, Vizsla, if you insist on escorting me. Contact the fleet - we will orbit the planet and go and see what this Call is about. If I decide it isn’t worth our attention, we leave for Zanbar at once. Savage, set a course.”

While a small army of criminals and gangsters waited in orbit above the planet with only information that there was a potential item of power here to keep their interest peaked, a landing shuttle detached from the main ship to take Maul, Savage, Vizsla and Bo-Katan down to the planet’s surface. For a solid ten minutes, their only visibly was thick cloud which sent rivers of atmospheric moisture running up their viewports.

When they finally broke free from the cloud blanket, their first impressions of the planet below was, for the Mandalorians, not hugely impressive. The land looked as though it were made of chalk, white and powdery with veins of pale pink, mint green and pastel blue which kicked up thick dust under the blast of the shuttle’s landing thrusters. 

The atmosphere was breathable for the Sith who, unlike the Mandalorians, could feel an intense thrum in the Force beneath their feet as they stepped down out of the shuttle and onto the planet's surface. 

"Well?" Vizsla asked and looked around at the empty marbled landscape. There were no trees or foliage of any sort that he could identify nor did there look to be any fauna. "We followed your blood-hound noses and there is nothing to show for it yet. I trust you have a direction?"

Maul slowly surveyed the area and held out a hand, his fingers spread wide. The Force was singing to him loudly, almost piercingly, from below. 

"It is underground..." he said. "We must find a point of entry. A cave, something..."

"Wonderful," Vizsla sighed and looked back to Bo-Katan. "Stay with the shuttle. If we are not back in 3 hours, send word to the recovery team."

Bo-Katan nodded in silence and watched as the three of them walked off with Maul and Savage leading the way. She waited until they were small dots in the distance and then turned to walk back inside the shuttle, sitting at the console to keep an eye on readouts about the atmosphere and any seismic activity. She didn't trust this planet and she was already on edge from the previous conversation. 

She didn't want her sister dead.

Not many in Death Watch were aware that Bo-Katan was of Clan Kryze and she knew Pre Vizsla wanted to keep it that way. She didn't agree with her sister's philosophies but she was growing more and more concerned with how flippant Vizsla was with the idea of murdering her. At first, a young teenage Bo-Katan had fooled herself into thinking he was only being dramatic but now... She wasn't so sure these days. 

Checking to make sure she was definitely alone, Bo-Katan sent out a private message on her father's encrypted frequency to Mandalore. 

She didn't want Satine to rule her people. But she couldn't be compliant in Satine's death, either. Perhaps this way, she could give her sister enough time to run. Perhaps.

Satine closed her private communicator, her heart torn her mind conflicted. She and her sister had been estranged and at odds for a long time and the younger Kryze sister's association with Death Watch may as well have been confirmation that her sister was now forever lost to her. She ached to believe Bo-Katan and her warning of Pre Vizsla's intended takeover but she also couldn't deny that it might very well be a trick to get Satine to flee and leave the planet open for Death Watch to take control of. 

The news that Vizsla had allied his group with Sith, however, was more pressing still and that was the one thing that Satine was sure Bo-Katan would not lie about; if anything was enough to tempt Bo to betray Vizsla's confidence, it would be nothing less than a Sith. 

Her first thought, much to her horror and shame, went to the Mandalorian Vaults, the ominous sarcophagi that had been built by their ancestors to specifically imprison Force Wielders. Satine had taken pride in having them outlawed and destroyed but she was aware that a few still remained. It would be the only thing they had to combat the might of the Sith. 

Or was it...? 

The Jedi were not allowed to come to solve Mandalore's personal problems so long as Mandalore was neutral in the War, thanks to the Republic Senate's control of the Order. The Jedi seemed to have no say in the politics. But if a Sith Lord was directly involved... Would the Jedi be able to overrule the demands of the Chancellor and come to Mandalore's aid if their ancient enemy was threatening innocent life? 

With a face full of determination and fully prepared for the worst, Duchess Satine lifted her communicator and began calling the Jedi Temple. She had to take a risk just this once. Even if it were playing into the hands of Death Watch.

Maul stopped at the edge of a deep crevice, a jagged valley that looked as though it had been opened up by seismic activity only relatively recently. A single rock fell from the edge under his metal foot and plummeted down into the darkness, echoing every bounce it made as it hit the walls. 

Vizsla looked less than impressed. 

"You're taking us down there?" 

"The Force is taking us down there," Maul corrected, scanning the walls of the deep gorge for potential perches.

"A prime spot for a rockfall to kill us," Vizsla murmured, still listening to the echoes of the bouncing rocks. 

"If it frightens you too much, Mandalorian," Maul snapped, "I can suggest that Savage escort you safely back to the shuttle." 

Savage, standing ominously behind them both with his muscular arms folded, glowered at Vizsla challengingly. But Vizsla was not swayed. 

"If there's a power source here, I want to see it for myself," he said firmly. 

"Then I suggest you find your courage and trust me."

"Trusting a Sith is more than courage," the Mandalorian scoffed. "It is foolishness."

"If not me, then I might have to ask you to do the impossible and trust the Force," said Maul, preparing himself for a leap. "If you cannot do either of those things, you will be left standing here, won't you?"

With that, he sprang from the edge of the gorge and sailed through the air to land with a soft thud on a jutting out ledge several meters down, his dark surcoat billowing around him as he went. Savage still had eyes on Vizsla and the Mandalorian was sure that the big brute was eagerly looking for an opportunity to push him down over the precipice. Rolling his eyes behind the safety of his helmet, Vizsla activated his jetpack and flew into the air, hoping to kick the dust up in Savage's face as he did so. But the large Zabrak was soon leaping down past him into the gorge as he lowered himself and came to hover near Maul's ledge. Savage landed behind his brother and shook himself like an animal before standing up again. 

Maul meanwhile was pointing a little further down towards a large crack that had splintered the wall partway up to reveal a gaping tunnel. Savage grunted his acknowledgement and followed Maul in leaping down in agile fashion until they reached the cave. Pre Vizsla flew after them, every sensor on alert for danger. 

At the mouth of the cave, Maul straightened his back and inhaled deeply. 

"You feel it, Savage?"

"Yes, my brother..." Savage breathed. "It is... almost overwhelming."

Vizsla glanced up and around at the tunnel and carefully landed behind the Sith. 

"What is it?" he asked.

"I believe," said Maul, starting forward slowly into the tunnel, "we have discovered a Nexus of the Force."

Vizsla hesitated a second or two before falling into step behind the Sith brothers.

"A Nexus?" 

"Think of it as a strong concentration of natural Force energy," Maul explained, his voice becoming quiet, almost reverent, as it softly echoed. "Almost every planet develops a Force Nexus of some kind through the energy of it's living beings that populate it though they are usually quiet and do not impact the physical world very much. Other planets develop very powerful Nexus points, however, which can affect us. Jedi and Sith temples are often built on such points."

Vizsla gazed ahead into the tunnel, faintly picking out a distant glow from the far end. 

"Light or Dark?"

"Well considering we are still standing and you haven't fled in fear," Maul hissed, "one would naturally suspect the Light Side. That being said, it feels agitated."

"Probably our presence, brother," Savage commented. 

"Perhaps."

It was then that Vizsla noticed that both brothers were taking larger, deeper breaths, almost as though the air was heavy on them and was burying them under an invisible weight. 

"Well we have no need for a Nexus," said Vizsla. "Not unless you and your brother are looking to set up a home down here which you are more than welcome to do after I have Mandalore."

Maul ran his hand along the wall, his fingers causing a trail of dust and powder to fall in its wake. 

"...Strange though, isn't it?" he said quietly. "A Nexus this strong and yet all that appears to be here is rock. Rocks have as much a place in the Force as any sentient creature, though it is rare that a Nexus this strong does not belong on a planet with a highly diversified ecosystem."

"If you are trying to say that there is hidden life here then say so and be done with it," Vizsla snapped impatiently. "I have no time for cryptic Force riddles. My point stands: this will not help us take Mandalore."

"Return if you must," Maul replied, not slowing down. "You won't take down the Duchess or have a chance against the Jedi without us."

Vizsla wouldn't deny or confirm that.

They walked in silence until the glow in the distance became brighter and the tunnel opened up into an enormous cavern that glowed in unnatural light, highlighting symbols and carvings into the walls that domed up way above their heads. In the centre of the cavern was a vast pit that yawned like an ominous open mouth from which the light of the cavern was spilling. 

Savage hung back, unusually timid it seemed, while Maul took the lead, his heavy metal footsteps sounding far too loud in such an empty chamber. A too-narrow bridge of thin rock connected one end of the pit to the other but Maul's attention was diverted down where, far below, there shone a still lake of luminous water which swirled in the same colours as the veins of the white marbled chalk. 

The strength of the Force was strong enough that if Maul hadn't been sure of his footing, he might very well of toppled over. He rubbed his forehead and backed away. 

"What is down there?" Savage asked, cautiously approaching his brother. 

"A pool, like a lake. Very large," Maul replied. "It must be the source of the Nexus."

"This Nexus is an enormous pond?" Vizsla exclaimed in disbelief. "How can a pool of water attract so much Force Energy?"

"If we knew all the ways of the Force, Vizsla, my brother and I would be gods by now."

The mighty Venator-class Star Destroyer exited hyperspace with its usual grace, the Open Circle emblem proudly displayed on it's flanks and living up to its predecessor, the Resolute. 

Yet the sight of all the vessels and ships floating in orbit around the marble planet was enough to make Anakin Skywalker let out a low whistle. 

"Well that looks great," he commented. "This is definitely the coordinates that the Duchess sent through?"

Stepping up beside him, his former Master checked his data pad and nodded gravely. 

"The very ones."

"Wizard," Anakin sighed dryly. "How are we getting past the welcome wagon?"

"I suppose we take a smaller craft. I know better that to ask if you think you can pilot your way out of trouble." While Anakin smiled proudly to himself, Obi-Wan turned to the two Clones that were stood behind them on the bridge of Anakin's flagship, the Resolute II. "Cody? Rex?" 

Both snapped to attention and saluted. 

"Aye, General. We're ready to leave," Commander Cody assured him. He stood out sharply among the other clones in his yellow orange striped armour but that did not faze him.

Just as the original Resolute had been destroyed, so too had General Kenobi's flagship, the Negotiator, recently been taken down in a bid to prevent the likes of Separatist leader Grievous from capturing it. The troops of the 212th were still waiting for the Negotiator's successor so, in the meantime, Cody and his Jedi General were travelling with General Skywalker and Captain Rex's 501st for this mission. 

"Right, Snips?" Anakin called. "You're in charge of the bridge until we get back."

"No chance!" piped Ahsoka Tano from one of the computers as she got to her feet. "I'm coming with."

"You heard that Maul might be down there, right?" Anakin said, planting his hands on his hips. "As in the Sith Lord, Maul."

"You know I can fight, Anakin," Ahsoka replied. "Besides, I'm the only Jedi here that hasn't met him yet."

"Not sure if you could count nearly getting run over by him on a speeder bike 'meeting' him but..." Anakin shook his head. "He'll have Savage with him. They'll be dangerous. Can't you take no for an answer just this once and enjoy being the boss of an entire Star Destroyer?" 

Ahsoka clasped her hands behind her back and smiled sweetly. 

Vindication~ sang a teasing tone through the Force through the bond between Anakin and his Master. Anakin pursed his lips and bit his tongue - hard. 

"Ahsoka, I know I usually let you get away with stuff my Master would never have allowed but this is different," he said, his voice becoming serious. He ignored the eye roll from Obi-Wan. "We can't all go down there. You can see those ships as well as I can. I need someone I trust implicitly to warn us and send reinforcements the moment something goes wrong. Please?"

The young Togruta dropped her smile and glanced to her feet sheepishly. 

"Very well, Master. I'll stay here."

"Thank you."

With a nod of respect to his former Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi clipped his lightsaber to his belt and turned around to head down to the hanger. 

"Right, let's get going. Ahsoka, the second there's any trouble from those ships, you know to contact us right away," he said, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze as he passed by. 

Ahsoka watched them leave and let out a sigh of defeat.

The two Jedi and their Clone captains were soon boarded on a smaller craft and, with Anakin at the controls, set out towards the planet. Anakin was unexpectedly filled with anticipation but kept himself calm and collected as he'd been painstakingly taught as he mentally prepared himself to reunite with the Sith that had struck down Master Qui-Gon Jinn back when he was a boy.

Chapter Text

The empty expanse was tiring to study but Bo-Katan kept vigilant. A few times now, the computers had beeped at mild tectonic movement down in the planet core but nothing to warrant panic on the surface. All was fairly peaceful. 

Until a loud sharp tone warned Bo-Katan that a ship had entered the atmosphere and was making its way down to the surface towards her. Ten minutes later it had cleared the cloud cover and she recognised it as a Republic landing ship. 

Swallowing her unease and wondering if she had made a mistake in giving her sister the coordinates to the planet, Bo got to her feet and put on her helmet, keenly aware that if Pre Vizsla suspected her of being behind this, she was as good as dead.

With a hand on her blaster, Bo-Katan watched from the window as the ship landed a far way off and opened up a hatch, lowering a ramp. She had to zoom in a fair deal to see the four figures that emerged: two Jedi and two Clones. She'd heard some stories about the younger of the two Jedi but it was the older one she knew instantly... That was her sister's Jedi. 

There hadn't been a chance that they wouldn't have seen the shuttle and sure enough, the four figures walked over the  expanse of land towards it, the two Clones already with blasters readied. Bo-Katan tapped her foot anxiously but steeled her resolve and approached the hatch, stepping out into view with her hands up peacefully. 

"Death Watch..." she heard Skywalker say as his hand flew to his lightsaber after they halted. 

Bo did not move. She kept her hands up and steady and did not show any sign of rushing them. She hadn't even donned her jetpack which she was feeling very vulnerable without. 

"Generals?" one of the Clones (she didn't know which) said, not taking their eyes off her which gave her a moment to appreciate the subtle Mandalorian inspirations to their armour such as the T-shaped visor. 

"Hold on just a moment..." said Satine's Jedi. She watched him closely as he took a step forward. "You ARE  with Death Watch, aren't you?"

"Yes," Bo-Katan replied. Kenobi. His name was Kenobi. Vizsla and Maul had cursed the name enough times that she was almost tired of hearing it. "I thought some of your people might arrive."

"This is a trap then?" his former apprentice, Skywalker, questioned. He would likely already be searching the area with his mystical powers if Bo knew anything about Jedi. 

"If there IS a trap here, it isn't one that I know about," Bo-Katan replied truthfully. "I only want to know if the Duchess has fled Mandalore."

Skywalker frowned.

"Why do you care?" 

"Because Vizsla and the Sith plan to kill her."

There was  a moment of silence before Kenobi tilted his head. 

"If I may repeat Anakin's question: why do you care?" he asked, carefully.

"Because I don't want her dead," Bo-Katan huffed in annoyance and put down her arms. "Is that enough for you?"

Kenobi crossed his arms and lifted a hand to tug at his beard, almost absent-mindedly.

"...The Duchess contacted us," he said. "Claimed that there was Sith here on this planet potentially seeking a power source. They threaten Mandalore."

"Surprised your Order let a couple of Generals and their Republic soldiers answer her."

"We are here to answer the threat of the Sith," Kenobi told her calmly, not rising to the slightly insolent tone. "One of which might provide possible information about the Separatist leaders."

Bo-Katan smirked to herself. "Is that what you told the Senate?"

"Obi-Wan," Skywalker murmured and shifted uncomfortably, "this planet..."

"I know," Kenobi answered, looking at the younger man with a sympathetic expression. "I feel it too."

"Yeah well whatever it is you're feeling," Bo-Katan interjected, "it's the reason that the Sith dragged us here. I'm just looking after the shuttle. If you don't think you can manage the Sith now, at least get Satine off Mandalore."

She didn't fail to catch the look of interest that Kenobi gave her as he turned back around. 

"And the group of vagabonds you have up in orbit?" Skywalker asked, jutting a finger up at the sky. 

"Not part of the arrangement."

"Are you part of the arrangement?" Kenobi asked gently, his face studying her and giving the impression that he was connecting dots that Bo-Katan would rather he didn't.

She was starting to see why her sister might have been intrigued and let her guard down enough to fall for such a person. Jedi were so manipulative. 

She glared at him through the visor. "In more ways than I'd care to be."

Kenobi hummed an understanding and held his hands behind his back. 

"You would rather we keep your involvement in our arrival private then?"

"For Satine's sake rather than mine."

Again, his eyes seemed to react to that and Bo didn't understand why until it dawned on her that she had been referring to the Duchess by her first name. She cursed to herself just as Skywalker stepped forward.

"...Master?" He was gazing at Kenobi and though the older Jedi did not seem to look at him or say anything, there was clearly an exchange of words and a mental response as Skywalker suddenly nodded and turned to one of the Clones. "Rex, stay with the ship and keep an eye on this one. Just in case. I'll keep you on my comms."

"Yes, sir," spoke the Clone in the blue painted armour. He turned and strode confidently back to the ship that had brought them while the remaining three began to follow the footsteps left by the others. 

Not making any sudden moves, Bo-Katan retreated back inside the shuttle and decided that the best thing to do to keep Vizsla's confidence was to warn him of their arriving company. But when she tried his comms, all she received was static. 

Maul had been staring at the wall for several minutes now, trying to understand what was meant by some of the images being presented. Some featured the pool and some sort of sacrificial ceremony involving people falling off the thin bridge that stretched over the open pit. Other images included a much larger, stronger bridge, connecting one pool to another. The more frequent images included large winged creatures of various sizes and shapes, rising from the pool towards the surface of the cavern. Maul couldn't tell what kind of creatures they were but some were bat-like and others bird-like. There didn't appear to be an obvious correlation and there was nothing to say what the creatures represented or achieved. If anything, it looked to be depicting some form of ascension. 

"You making sense of any of that?" Savage spoke beside him. The larger Zabrak had not wanted to go near the pit and Maul's warning of the strength of the Pull was enough to keep it that way. 

"They are not Sith but I don't recognise them as Jedi either," Maul said. A noise near the pit drew his attention before he could elaborate further. "Vizsla? Stay away from that."

The Mandalorian was crouched by the pit and had run a hand across the smooth rock that ran down towards the water. It was strangely harder, smoother and more polished than the powdery rock everywhere else. 

"Look, the Force isn't screaming or pulling at me so you can calm down," Vizsla snapped back. "The last thing I need is for the two of you to start throwing tantrums in a place like this."

He stood up and started fiddling with something on his wrist, checking his jetpack and leaning over to judge the distance from the top to the bottom. 

"What are you doing?" Maul asked sharply. 

"This is the source of that Nexus, you say. I'm going to scan the water." He activated his jetpack and carefully lifted himself into the air, hovering over the open mouth of the pit and slowly beginning his descent down to the water, 30 meters below. 

"Don't touch it!" Maul snarled, walking forwards despite struggling against the lure of the Pull. 

"Not intending to."

"Careful Savage," murmured Maul as his brother joined him, holding his arm out in case the Force tried tugging either of them in. From all he could gather from the images on the wall was that this was a pit meant for falling in and the pool below was hungry for more sacrifices. 

Vizsla examined the walls as he went and noted that deep grooves were beginning to appear the closer he got to the surface of the water. Scratches or simple erosion? He couldn't say. The water was eerily flat and still and gave no indication that there was any aquatic life swimming around in there. 

He peered closer at the state of the water. It wasn't clear water. It actually looked cloudy. Tiny specks swilled around one another, giving off the bright glow which, for Vizsla, had been so blinding that he'd had to adjust his helmet settings to filter it. 

"I don't think this water glows from luminescence alone," he called up to the pair above. "I think it's biological too."

"...Midichlorians..." Maul muttered to himself, suddenly recognising the tingle in his fingertips as he hesitantly stretched out with the Force to confirm Vizsla's suspicions. He'd clutched Savage's arm tightly after the water had responded with an aggressive tug to entice Maul down.

"...It looks dark deep down in the depths," Vizsla went on, staring down through the water. "Like it goes down for miles. Could be anything down there."

"Are you offering to dive down and see?" Maul said incredulously. 

"Besides starting to give me a headache from how bright it is, this water has no effect over me," Vizsla shrugged. "But if it's partly biological, I don't want it getting into my armour." 

He took a vial out from his belt and carefully scooped up the water into it, sealing it tightly and lifting it up to his visor. Again, it appeared cloudy and it glowed brightly. 

All of a sudden, Maul stiffened and looked up to the ceiling, a faint hiss seeping out between his teeth. 

"...Brother?" Savage asked in concern. 

"Jedi are here..."

"What?" Vizsla looked up in alarm and began to return to the top of the pit. 

"Ah... The Force has felt them too..." Maul winced and staggered back with a great deal of effort. "Savage, keep away. It is determined to claim us."

Savage obediently copied his brother's movements and headed for the far wall as quickly as possible. 

"They must have felt this too then," Vizsla fumed and shook his head. "Why didn't Bo-Katan- " That was when he tried his comms and realised that there was no signal coming from the surface. They had been out of contact for almost an hour now.

As they followed the faint footsteps left in the dust of a planet that seemed to have very little wind in this area, Anakin rubbed at his chest and grunted in discomfort. 

"I don't like this Master," he admitted. 

"The pull in the Force?"

"Yes. It makes me feel..." Anakin planted his feet a little. "Well, I feel like I'm about to get knocked to the ground at any moment."

"A pull?" Commander Cody asked questioningly. He was following behind the two Jedi with his weapon in hand, always on the swivel for anything rushing towards them on the horizon. 

"Kinda like the pull you feel when there's a breach in the ship and you're getting sucked into space," Anakin nodded over his shoulder. "It's like that but... on the inside."

Cody made a noise of sympathy. "Sounds... uncomfortable."

"It was tempting enough for Maul and Savage," Obi-Wan commented as he walked. He was keeping a keen eye on his partner as he was aware that Anakin's connection to the Force could make him vulnerable to powerful pulls such as this. "Then again, if they're desperate enough to ally themselves with Mandalorian terrorists, I wouldn't put something like this beneath them."

The former Padawan let out a laugh. "How desperate did you make them?"

"Savage was down one arm and Maul barely has a leg to stand on these days even at the best of times," Obi-Wan smiled, trying not to feel too proud of himself. "Hondo saw them to the door."

"Of course he did." Anakin's shook his his head but his smile gradually fell away into a more solemn expression. "...I was sorry about Master Gallia."

Obi-Wan's face twisted in remorse and he nodded, staring ahead of him as a flicker of old memories passed over his eyes. He'd known Adi Gallia since he was a boy. They'd been on many missions together with his own Master and with her fiery Padawan, Siri Tachi of whom he had been... very close to. 

"...It's a comfort to know that she is with Master Tachi now," he said and gave a soft chuckle. "Safer off than we are, at the very least. Can't think of anything worse for a Jedi to deal with than vengeful Sith and a Mandalorian with a chip on his shoulder."

"Yeah but at least we're getting the full Jedi treatment! The Knights of the Old Republic would be proud. Well... Maybe. If we don't tell them about the fact we've been forced into a political war."

"I won't tell if you won't." Smiling, Obi-Wan stopped as they came to the edge of the deep crevasse. "Cody, looks like your jetpack is going to come to good use."

The Commander walked up and peered over the edge to the shady depths of the canyon and he seemed to heartily agree. 

"I keep telling Rex he ought to put his name down for one of these," he said, holstering his blaster. "Given that... Um..." He trailed off and looked at General Skywalker sheepishly.

"It's okay," Anakin said, giving him a side-eye, "you can say it."

"Given that the poor Captain gets thrown around so much by his General," Obi-Wan spoke up for him even as he began to summon the Force around him for a leap. "He means but is far too polite to say."

Anakin rolled his eyes and copied his Master's movements. "I know for a fact that you've tossed the Commander before."

"Oh get a move on before I toss you," Obi-Wan laughed. "Come on."

He crouched and sprang like a feline down into the gorge, sailing through the air and landing with the softest -thup- on the powdery rock. Anakin was half a second behind him and Cody came hovering down, the three of them unknowingly mirroring the path and formation of the first group of visitors that they suspected must be aware of their presence by now.

They were getting closer, following their path. Maul could feel them - two Jedi, both VERY well known to him. Kenobi and his faithful apprentice. The Force swirled around the cavern like a maelstrom, reacting just as strongly to the Jedi presence as the Sith were and perhaps just as excitedly. Maul glared up the roof of the cave, imagining the Jedi walking over the marble chalk in their direction, and his jaw clenched through a sinister grin. He despised Kenobi with more than a passion but nothing gave him greater joy than the thought of seizing the Knight by the throat with his own hands just so he could feel it vibrate with a Jedi's scream. 

"What's our move?" Savage asked. He wasn't looking as eager as his brother was but nor was there any trace of unease or worry in him. 

"We were forced to flee last time," Maul admitted with a sneer as he took up his lightsaber. "I am not eager to repeat that. We have a convenient choke point and an unstable canyon wall. Perhaps we can use them."

"Or, failing that..." Vizsla interrupted. He waited until Maul turned to face him before he waved a hand towards the centre of the cavern. "You're probably just as curious about this pool as I am. You boys can't seem to make any sense of those pictures on the wall so..."

Maul tightened his grip on his lightsabre. "...So?"

Vizsla smiled. "It wants a Force User. Why not give it what it wants? Then we can find out what exactly it does."

Maul and Savage exchanged looks but didn't protest to that idea. They waited together until the shape of three men appeared in the cavern entrance, gazing at them impassively, already brandishing their lightsabers. 

"Welcome," Maul greeted, slowly spinning his lightsaber hilt in his hand. "I see you've taken the extra precaution of bringing along a bodyguard this time."

The Clone in question, bearing the white and orange paint often associated with Kenobi's squadron, settled into a battle ready stance and lifted his blaster with all the skill and experience of a seasoned veteran. Which was ridiculous given how young the Clones all were.

"We could say the same," Anakin replied and looked over in Vizsla's direction. The Mandalorian had one hand on his blaster and the other clasped the Darksaber, a weapon that Anakin had yet to experience. 

"Would you believe us if we told you that we hadn't come here looking for conflict," Maul went on. "At least, not right away."

"Actually, yes, I can believe that."

Maul twitched his lips into a very small smile. "A pleasure to meet you again, Skywalker. It has been a long time since Tatooine and Naboo. You have grown so much, I wouldn't have recognised you."

"Likewise," Anakin returned. "We've both gained a little more metal since then. You more so, I'd say. Is that still a touchy subject?"

Maul tensed at the playful look in Anakin's eye and he felt his grip tighten to see him exchange a feeling of pride with his Master, who stood looking smug and content. Far too relaxed for Maul's liking. 

"...How unfortunate that you seem to have inherited your Master's tongue," Maul sighed. "Speaking of, you're keeping uncharacteristically quiet, Kenobi."

"I have hardly anything to say to you that you don't already know, Maul. We talk so often." The older Jedi examined his lightsaber for a moment. "Humour my friend here, won't you? At least he isn't bored of you yet."

The Sith formerly known as Darth glowered at Kenobi's face and then stared at his bare neck. He was glad that the Jedi, catering to the demands of the Senate's protocols, had shown up in their tunics and tabards and were not in their armour. It meant that Maul would have better access to the delicate skin beneath and Kenobi's pale clothes would better highlight every bleeding cut he intended to inflict on him. 

"Oh you weren't kidding, Master - you really did take Savage's arm." Skywalker's challenging voice broke through his thoughts. "It suits him."

Savage bared his teeth and lifted his lightsaber higher.

"I think it's nice that they now can match each other a little more," Kenobi agreed. "Family resemblance."

A sudden sharp ignition noise caught everyone's attention as Pre Vizsla stepped forward with the Darksaber now glowing in front of him. 

"You've come a long way and I'm sure none of us appreciate a wasted trip," he said, standing tall. "But I am going to be so bold as to assume that the Clone and I are the only ones who can stand comfortably in this room."

Cody's fingers curled around the trigger. 

Obi-Wan cast a brief gaze around the enormous cavern, noting the symbols and pictures on the wall and the huge hole in the centre of the room. The Force was wild, swirling and pulling at now four Force Wielders, eager for... something. Anakin adjusted his feet, as though looking for more purchase on the ground and Savage moved accordingly, planting a foot further back and wrapping his metal hand around the hilt of his double-saber. Maul kept his gaze on Kenobi and waited until his enemy's eyes fell back on him after his inspection of the room. It was impossible to tell who Vizsla and Cody were keeping eyes on. 

"A pool. That's all it is," Maul explained when Kenobi's quizzical frown turned to him. He gestured to the pit. "The source of this Nexus that, I feel, is beginning to grow impatient and angry if the strength of the pull is anything to go by. Vizsla here claims that it goes quite deep but you interrupted us before we could confirm that. Any volunteers to take a swim?"

Obi-Wan lifted his chin and slowly stepped to the side, approaching first the wall to see the images clearer and then, as though drawn by a gentle hand, towards the pit. No-one else moved.

"Master..." Anakin murmured in concern. 

With an assuring palm, Obi-Wan held his hand to Anakin, telling him through their bond that he was okay and for Anakin to remain where he was. Oftentimes, it had been one of the hardest things for a very young Padawan Skywalker to do during missions. If it wasn't his natural curiosity that he wanted to sate then it was his desperate need to remain by his Master's side. Since being parted from his mother and losing Qui-Gon, Anakin had clung to Obi-Wan mentally, spiritually and sometimes physically during his early years as a Jedi learner for fear of losing him too. Though he was now grown and was no longer bound to his Master's side, there were still times he dreaded Obi-Wan doing anything without him. 

He watched with hawk-like precision as Obi-Wan, giving the Sith and Vizsla a wide berth, carefully came to a stop at the edge of the pit and looked down at the expansive lake of water.

Obi-Wan inhaled deeply at the power of the Force that reached up to him. Now he was this close, it was no longer aggressive and strong. It was gentle, sweet, whispering soft nothings to him, seductively calling for him to jump... More dangerous than any pull. 

He heard sounds, distant voices that he could not understand, colours and shapes as the Force stirred up echoes, images, from the air. Unidentifiable figures in ornate garments standing around the edge of the pit, ushering a plain clothed boy across the thin bridge. The boy was gazing down into the water. He looked happy... The echoes faded. 

"This is some kind of sacrificial site," he began to say. "Offerings were made..."

But he was cut short by Maul who suddenly, with the terrifying speed of a skilled Sith, pounced with his saber drawn and held above his head. The cavern erupted into activity. Savage leapt forward to block Anakin who had sprang after Maul with a shout of rage. Vizsla swung towards the younger Jedi but found himself forced to duck under the fire of Cody's blaster and retaliation was called for. Obi-Wan spun to meet Maul, his lightsaber igniting in a brilliant beam of blue just as Anakin matched him, two sets of blue plasma meeting two sets of red. The cavern walls, marbled in the soft pinks and greens and blues, were now bathed in a wash of purple. It seemed as though the energy of the Nexus only caused the lightsabers to shine even brighter than before, almost blindingly so and if Vizsla and Cody hadn't been able to dim their visors, they might have been rendered useless in the ensuing fight. Even the Jedi and Sith were having to focus on letting their sabers act as their eyes this time, guiding the energy without properly seeing. 

Cody rolled as Mandalorian blaster fire peppered the ground where he had been standing and returned fire, checking to make sure his General was okay. Obi-Wan was locked in a struggle with Maul near the edge and Anakin was spinning out of the reach of Savage's attacks, blocking and countering wherever he saw an opening. Savage was relentless, pressing Anakin back and forcing him on the defence as he swung and turned only to be countered and then given the same treatment in return. Anakin did not appreciate being moved and told where to go in battle and especially not when the place where he desperately wanted to be was near Obi-Wan.

Seeing his Master clash with Maul over an open hole in the ground was like watching history play out right in front of him. He hadn't been there for that original fight though he had heard the stories - begged for such stories - but now he knew how it must have felt for a young Padawan to be cut off from his Master while he was fighting a Sith, blocked from running to his side and forced to watch through a haze of red light. A warning in the Force caused Anakin to twist and swing his saber round to deflect a shot from Vizsla, returning it back to the sender with a grunt of frustration. Vizsla flew into the air in a bid to dodge the parried bolt and it went blasting into the wall behind him, creating a ferocious looking crack to splinter up towards the ceiling. Dust rained down on them like sleet and Cody had to lock on with his visor in order to be sure of his next shot. 

Maul kicked at Obi-Wan but the Jedi flipped backwards, landing so dangerously close to the edge that he was forced to spring away again in a bid to prevent himself from being pulled in. Biting back his disappointment, Maul was about to chase after him when a sudden bolt from a blaster came his way. He had only milliseconds to deflect the shot back to Cody who dived to the side, using his momentum to roll and continue firing. 

"Vizsla! Deal with that pest!" Maul screeched, diverting the path of the bolts with a simple twist of his saber so he could aim them at Kenobi. 

The Jedi was balanced elegantly on the thin connecting bridge over the yawning mouth. Below him, the water shone enticingly. 

Pre Vizsla was not one to be given orders in such a way. He glared resentfully at Maul and, in what may have been described as a moment of pettiness, took a pot shot at Obi-Wan before diving down through the air towards Cody. Obi-Wan flicked his wrist and sent Vizsla's bolt towards Savage who was feeling proud of himself for keeping Anakin busy for so long. The blaster shot was enough to almost drop his lightsaber, however, and Anakin re-payed the Sith's relentless ferocity with his own, driving the large Sith away from the wall and towards the pit. Strategy so far seemed to be revolving around that massive hole in the ground but Anakin couldn't be sure if that was he and his Master's connected thoughts or if that were the power of the Nexus wanting to draw in the four Force wielders. 

Cody was struck full force to his right hand side as Vizsla tackled him, almost lifting the clone up in the air as he went.

"You clones are said to have Jango Fett's DNA running through you," the Mandalorian goaded, pushing Cody up against the wall. "I knew of Fett. Mandalorian foundling of Jaster Mereel. Good warriors. Let's see if any of that stuck with the likes of you."

Cody swung his hand and the pair soon became locked in a ferocious fistfight. 

In the meantime, Maul was baring down on Kenobi once again, taking a chance and using the Force to push at the Jedi, though it almost cost him his balance. He managed to find purchase on the bridge and took a great deal of delight in watching the Jedi succumb to the Pull of the Nexus and fall. Obi-Wan just had time to clutch at the fragile rock and hang there, his de-ignited lightsaber tight in his grasp as he dangled precariously over the drop into the mysterious water below. A snarl and a thud signalled Maul's arrival and he stalked his way over the bridge towards him, looking down at him and smiling in proud triumph. 

"I feel as though we have been in this position before, Kenobi," he growled. "Only THIS time, there is to be an entirely different outcome."

"Are you certain?" Obi-Wan mused. "Because the view here is just as unpleasant as it was before."

"Positively certain. I am willing to allow Savage to skewer your whimpering boy just so you have someone you care about die not far off from you. I doubt the clone will last long either."

Maul let the heat of his lightsaber burn uncomfortably close to the Jedi's fingers. Obi-Wan tried channelling the Force to give him the strength to hold on and leap as had done as a Padawan but as soon as he drew on the Force's power, the lake of water increased it's eager Pull. 

"...It won't work, Maul," Obi-Wan breathed with determination and effort. "You've tried this before. It will never work."

A very fleeting look of confusion came over Maul. "What won't?"

"You don't just want me to literally fall. You want me to fall to the Dark Side too. It won't happen." Obi-Wan steeled the blue of his eyes and stared into Maul. "I refuse you."

Baring his teeth, Maul crouched down and leant forward to curl his fingers around Obi-Wan's delicate throat. 

"There is no such thing as a perfect Jedi, Obi-Wan, whatever it is your peers think," he murmured, so that only the Jedi Master could hear him. "I've seen it. I've seen the darkness in you. It was one of the last things I saw before you took my life and destroyed it. I WILL see it again. But don't worry! It appears as though you are in for a much softer landing than I had once so I expect to have plenty of time with you before I send you back to your beloved Master's side." 

It was then that Obi-Wan snapped his hand around Maul's wrist. 

"The high ground never suited you, Maul." And he threw all his weight into pulling the Sith off the bridge. 

With a roar of rage, Maul toppled forward and fell, only just snatching at Obi-Wan's leg to keep himself from plummeting down the immense drop. With the additional weight on him, Obi-Wan's progress of pulling himself up in the meantime was thwarted and he almost lost his grip. He had noticed with a terrible start that the rock was starting to crumble a little under his hands and his time was running out. 

Warnings from the Force had been screaming all around him but a sudden loud shriek of it diverted his attention to the ceiling. The cracks and the damage sustained by the battle had taken their toll and a large chunk of rock split from the roof, falling down towards the dangling Jedi and Sith. 

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin shouted, pulling away from Savage just in time to see his Master move his hand out of the way to dodge the jagged rock, thereby having all his and Maul's weight resting on the hand that was busy gripping his lightsaber. 

Obi-Wan had just enough time to look towards Anakin and Cody, his expression eerily calm and accepting, before he was gone. 

Chapter Text

“No!” Anakin cried, using the Force to shunt Savage back and taking no notice of the fact that the Nexus hadn’t pulled at him as he did so for once.

He threw himself to the edge of the pit and gazed down at the pool for the very first time. Savage was at his side in barely a second but not with the intention to fight. Like Anakin, he stared down at the water with wide eyes, his mouth parted, his own cry caught in his throat. 

Far below, the pastel coloured water showed signs of being disturbed and was no longer flat and still. With a whoosh of air, Vizsla and Cody soon took up positions around the edge of the pit, the former out of curiosity and the latter out of pure panic. The Clone Commander stared down at the water for a moment more before exchanging looks with General Skywalker but there was nothing to be said. 

A minute passed and there was no sign of either Obi-Wan or Maul. Where one would expect to see bubbles of air popping along the surface, there was nothing and even as another minute ticked slowly by, the water began to calm itself and slowly resume its still, solid appearance.

“Where- What is that stuff?” Anakin seemed to demand from no-one in particular.

“It isn’t natural, whatever it is,” Vizsla replied calmly, the least concerned of the group. “It did look to go down quite a depth. But I couldn’t gain more information than that. Perhaps there is a cave network down there and a strong current…”

Vizsla had three pairs of ferocious eyes turn in his direction and he wisely stopped talking.

Anakin stretched out with the Force. The pool did not seem to tug at him this time, as though it had been fed and was now satisfied for the time being. He concentrated on his bond with Obi-Wan and was soon picking up a trace of his former Master… somewhere below the water.

But it was muddied. It was clouded. Like the very water itself. He couldn’t see clearly.

It felt both very close and yet at the same time it felt as though he were a whole universe away.

The young Jedi took a deep breath and tried calling to his Master through the bond in the hopes that it would draw him back to the surface. But there was no answer.

“Cody, how much fibre cord do you have on you?” Anakin asked, turning to the Commander.

Cody had been trying to pick up his General’s life signal from the systems in his armour but the HUD within his bucket could give him as much useful information as the Force was providing Anakin.

“A good length of it, Sir, enough for three times the height of this drop,” he replied, already reaching for his utility belt. “You want me to throw a line down?”

Anakin began to roll up his sleeves and tightened the glove over his metal prosthetic.

“No, tie it to me, just in case there IS a current. I’ll dive down and find them.”

“You think that’s wise?” Savage growled. “That water… I do not trust it.”

“I don’t see you offering suggestions!” Anakin snapped back, his hand reaching towards Cody for the end of the cord.

Vizsla was about to add something when the water suddenly started to churn, broiling and writhing as though alive. Almost immediately, Anakin and Savage were struck by an immense surge in the Force that pierced their minds and filled their ears with unnatural sounding screams.

“By the stars, there’s something alive down there,” Vizsla gasped, staring in amazement until a violent tremor shook the ground and almost pitched him over to see it up close. He barely activated his jet pack in time to keep from taking a quick dip of his own.

The screaming became a humming, almost a singing, frighteningly similar to the song of a Lightsaber Crystal when it was in complete synchronisation with its master, and it was growing louder, as if something were heading towards them at great speed.

The Force gave Anakin and Savage enough warning for them to gaze down through the water and witness a large clawed foot break from the surface.

It was roughly the size of a Nexu’s head and it was soon joined by a second, scrabbling at the deep grooves in the rock that Vizsla had seen before. As the pale milky water ran off the large feet, a brilliant red and black colour was revealed but before that information could be processed an elegantly long scaled head rose up out of the water, snarling as the water flowed over its muzzle and down a set of sails that grew from its elongated neck. Red leathery skin and scales, pattered with intricate black lines that ran from the head and all the way down across its body. It snapped its jaws angrily as its claws slipped on the rock and caused it to fall back a bit into the pool.

Up above, there were no words exchanged at all. Just stunned silence.

The creature arched its neck, fanned its sails and roared as it tried pulling itself out of the water again. Behind it, against the opposite wall, a second head broke forth, just as elegantly shaped, seeming to gulp air for its dear life. Despite being a similar size and shape to the first creature and appearing just as graceful, the difference was instantly noticeable; the second one was less scaly and appeared to instead have a layer of currently damp fur covering its body. There were no red and black markings to be seen on the second, rather it was mostly a rich cream colour with a mane of golden ginger hair that grew in the place of any sails from its forehead and down around its neck. Feathery tufts took the place of ears though they were currently pinned back in clear distress. It reached up with broad paws and mimicked the first creature by attempting to dig its claws into the rock, eager to be out of the water.

Another tremor shook the cave and both monsters looked up in sudden alertness. That was when the truth finally registered with their onlookers. Golden Sith eyes from the red and black scaled one. Blue Jedi eyes from the cream and orange furred one. It was Maul and Obi-Wan.

“Watch out!” Cody suddenly cried as a huge chunk of the previously damaged ceiling broke away and crashed to the ground nearby which sent bits of rock skittering over the floor and through the air.

Whatever event had just transpired, it seemed to have triggered the same seismic activity that had split open the cavern and revealed the Nexus in the first place. 

“Looks like we’ve overstayed our welcome,” Vizsla called out.

The creature that they assumed to be Obi-Wan gave a huff of disgust and put another burst of energy into freeing itself from the lake. With a lunge, it sprang up the wall to reveal a pair of enormous wings, dripping water, and a long furred tail. He hooked a claw over the edge a short distance from Anakin and pulled himself up, water cascading off him and splashing over the rock, soaking Anakin’s feet. He shook himself and rained droplets down over all of them but it appeared to just be normal water now. The colour and glow had faded. After shaking, his fur seemed to have dried itself a little and took on a softer look. 

A ferocious growl signalled Maul’s victory in climbing out of the pit. His vibrant colours shone as he hauled himself over the edge on the other side and immediately spread his wings to a magnificent length to flap the water off himself. They were broad and bat-like and just as strikingly patterned as his body though their attention was soon drawn to the most remarkable addition to his clearly dragon-like appearance - shiny metal back legs and a long metallic tail that he curled up around himself. The dust in the cavern was whipped up by his wings and they took several steps back.

Obi-Wan stood on trembling legs and gave his mane another shake, snaking his own tail back and forth until it dried like his body. He carefully unfolded his own wings which, despite being bat-like in shape, had a covering of bird-like feathers. He spread them out over the heads of the others and gave a strong hard flap. The force of it sent them flying backwards.

But Obi-Wan did not seem to notice. Neither of them appeared to notice the four smaller creatures in the cavern.

What they DID notice was the quake in the ground again. The Nexus had what it wanted and now it desired them all gone. The water in the lake had been dispersed and revealed… nothing. There was no deep cave network. It looked as though it hadn’t been deep at all. A foot of water was all that could have been in the pit which clearly was not enough to hide two creatures that were closer in size to enormous Varactyls - not counting the size of their wings.

Letting out a melodic call, Obi-Wan sprang forward and went galloping down the tunnel without pausing to look back, as though his only instinct was to leave. Maul called out a response and was following soon after, neither of them taking any opportunity to stop and process what was going on.

The ground shook for yet another time and Savage pointed towards the tunnel.

“We need to get out of here. That cave is closing up!”

Sure enough, the tunnel walls were apparently shutting together, closing off the path to the outside. Vizsla activated his jetpack and flew off towards the exit in an instant. Savage went sprinting after and Anakin, making sure he had Cody right beside him, was quick to follow. With Anakin and Savage using the Force to retreat back up via the ledges and Cody and Vizsla flying up on jetpacks, it wasn’t long before the four of them were back on the flat expanse of the open planet and listening to the snap of the cave shutting down in the gorge.

Unlike last time, the pale emptiness of the planet was now inhabited by two dragons, both of whom were confused and only now apparently registering what had happened having left the cave.

Maul was staring at his claws and watching his metal tail slide over the rock as he paced around, the pent up energy too much for him. Obi-Wan had his head up but was perfectly still, as if he were in trouble and was now afraid of moving though he was clearly watching the feathers in his wings out of the corner of his eye. It was only until now, after they’d dried a bit more and we’re lifting their chests higher, that it was noticed that they each bore a gently glowing heart stone, blue for Obi-Wan and red for Maul. Anakin and Savage could feel the intense concentration of the Force surrounding their brethren but the exact nature of it was still unclear.

“Well, now what?” Vizsla asked. “I take it that you’ll have to be waiting around here for a while. If you’re looking to reverse whatever has been done.”

“You think it’s reversible?” Savage asked quietly. It was impossible to tell if he sounded hopeful or not.

“Oh that isn’t my place to say,” Vizsla replied. “I’m not a Force Wielder. If you weren’t able to find any information on the walls, then what other options do you have?”

“That pull in the Force has stopped,” said Savage after a moment to think about that. He looked towards Maul.

“Stopped?” Vizsla echoed. He shook his head. “Then there isn’t any point in wasting time on a dead planet such as this. We have work to do.”

“And how are you intending to explain this?” Savage waved his hand towards his brother. “This wasn’t part of the plan.”

“I don’t see why it isn’t,” Vizsla shrugged. “We said we were here to investigate a power source. I’d say monsters like those would pass for being powerful.”

A short distance away from the conversation, Maul lifted his head and bared his teeth at the sky, his neck sails lifting around his head like a serpent’s hood. Then he twisted and looked over his shoulder first at his brother and then turning to glare towards Obi-Wan. A rumble sounded in his throat which caused Obi-Wan to stiffen and and arch his shoulders.

“Woah, ok…” Anakin immediately recognised the show of aggression and dashed forward to get to his master. “Hey, Obi-Wan? Hey! Focus on me, Master,” he said.

The cream furred dragon took a hesitant step back but allowed Anakin to approach, turning familiar ice blue eyes towards his old apprentice. He was much larger than Anakin now but not of any titanic proportions and the young Jedi was not too nervous to get close. Of course, he couldn’t be sure how much of his Master was in there and how much was now running on primitive instinct.

For a few seconds, Obi-Wan kept his head away but at Anakin’s concerned expression he slowly lowered it down and rested the side of his muzzle against him, letting out a very soft, very quiet whine. He was scared.

Anakin slowly rested a hand on the snout and stroked the fur carefully. 

“It’s okay, Obi-Wan. We’ll figure this out,” he said comfortingly. “I bet there’s a holocron back at the Temple that deals with this exact issue. Jocasta Nu will probably roll her eyes and say that this is such a common problem that… that she…” He trailed off at the unimpressed look in the creature’s eye. It was such an Obi-Wan expression that Anakin could not help himself. He laughed. “Sorry! I’m sorry!”

Obi-Wan pulled his head away and sat on his haunches with a disgruntled huff. He then winced and shifted uncomfortably as his tail, an appendage he had yet to become accustomed to, had got caught underneath.

“Yes, hilarity aside, what DO you intend to do?” Pre Vizsla asked, sauntering forward. “Savage says that the Force has stopped pushing you boys around which would imply that whatever power did this to them is currently not working. I would love to hear how you intend to get your Jedi Master back to-”

A sharp growl stopped Vizsla in his tracks as Obi-Wan revealed a mouth of intensely sharp teeth, the look in his eyes warning the Death Watch terrorist that he had got a little too close to Anakin. Vizsla held up his hands and kept his distance. Maul had also bared his teeth but it was more in response to Obi-Wan's aggressive actions than anything else. Savage moved to position himself between them. 

"I will be the first to voice my brother's thoughts and say that we are not going anywhere near Coruscant," the remaining Zabrak told them all. "If the reversal cure can be found on this planet, I say we find it."

"That could take weeks, months even, and we have no long-term supplies," Cody said. "No sign of vegetation or animals here either." He was keeping his composure quite well in the face of what was happening. He'd learnt how to keep his head in the intense situations and even when those situations became alarming and unnatural there was no point in losing control. It was a principle that he and his General had bonded over.

"If there even IS a way to reverse it," Vizsla coldly pointed out. "How prepared are you all to accept that this might have to be the way things are now?"

Anakin turned around and folded his arms. "We aren't accepting it without a fight."

There was movement to the side. Maul had been growing agitated, restless, growling more and more deeply in his throat and flaring the sails on his head and neck. His heavy footsteps shook the ground as he began to circle them all, eyes flickering from Savage to Anakin to Obi-Wan and his wings lifting. In turn, Obi-Wan fanned the feathers around his head and followed him with his eyes, his legs primed and ready for action. 

"Clearly some of us haven't finished their business," Vizsla noted with a sigh. "Unfortunate that I'm on a tight schedule right now so this will have to wait. Savage, calm him down will you?" He was already contacting Bo-Katan for a pick-up.

The other Sith still had a firm grip of his lightsaber although it wasn't lit and he squeezed it as if warning the Mandalorian that he would have no qualms about using it against him.

"I'll let Rex know what's happening. Or at least try to," Cody said, walking up to Anakin without fear of Obi-Wan. "I don't know what the plan is though. If we can't stay here, we need a way of getting General Kenobi back to the Resolute II."

Sometimes Anakin enjoyed being in charge. At other times, he really wished he didn't have to shoulder the responsibility of making a call. He watched Savage head towards Maul with a hand out, murmuring something he couldn't hear. That gave him an idea. This was still his Master, despite what shape he was in. That meant they still had to have a connection and a bond and that could be used for communication. 

Obi-Wan wasn't paying attention to Anakin or Cody any more. His gaze was firmly on Maul just as Maul's gaze was on him. A fight was about to break out at any moment and they really didn't have the time for it anymore. 

With the pull of the Nexus quietened, Anakin found it more comfortable to use the Force and he drew it in towards himself, finding that old training bond that he and his Master had never laid dormant, even after Anakin's knighthood. He lowered his mental shields and projected a feeling of vulnerability down the bond before requesting guidance as he had so often asked for in his training years. 

One of the feathery protrusions on the side of Obi-Wan's head flickered like an ear in his direction, the first indication that his contact had been acknowledged but the older Jedi seemed hesitant to take his eyes off Maul. Down through the training bond came a reply but they were conflicting and confusing. 

Calm. FIGHT! Help. Get to Cub. FIGHT! Go home. Help. Help. Help. Help.

Anakin took a deep breath. "Cody, we need to get Rex to fly back up to the Resolute. We can grab a bigger shuttle-"

He was cut off by a roar that had his eardrums at risk of bursting. Maul had held himself back long enough and he'd leapt at Obi-Wan with claws extended. For his part, Obi-Wan looked all too eager to meet him with the same ferocity and a terrifying clash took place over Anakin's head. 

"General!" Cody cried, seizing Anakin and pulling him out of the way of angry clawed feet. 

An attempt to communicate through the training bond was thwarted by feral instincts surrounding the one singular objective: fight. To dominate? For territory? To protect? ...For food? No, no, Obi-Wan wouldn't eat them... surely. 

Maul spread his wings and pushed against Obi-Wan with his claws, trying to use his weight to bear down on him although Obi-Wan was standing his ground and digging his back legs into the soft rock, creating deep grooves as he went. 

"I said to calm him!" Vizsla shouted above the noise in Savage's direction. 

For his part, Savage appeared very calm indeed and he waved a hand dismissively. 

"My brother is angry. The Dark Side of the Force can't be calmed with a simple suggestion," he replied. "Given the circumstances, Maul has kept his temper very well. He won't settle until he's finished with Kenobi."

"Oh as if NOW is the time for old grudges!" Anakin cried in exasperation.

“You can’t argue with wild animals, Jedi. That’s nature for you.”

On the air, above the roars, two ships could be seen and heard heading in their direction but the dragons paid no attention. Maul snapped at Obi-Wan's leg and gave his wings a flap, lifting him a little but Obi-Wan countered with a sharp kick of his back talons to the stomach, catching on a rivet of metal. Maul pushed back and Obi-Wan began to topple backwards towards Anakin and Cody who both let out yells of alarm as Anakin force pushed Cody to safety before leaping out of the way of a couple thousand pounds of draconic muscle. It may have been their yells but something broke through to Obi-Wan it seemed and he shook himself free of Maul's grip, slipping out and galloping away before opening up his enormous wings and taking to the air as though it were instinctive. Another prod of his mental shields revealed that he was still controlled by some feral instinct and judging by Maul's response, so was the Sith. 

With a leap, Maul had flown up after him, his wings beating so hard that a gale force wind buffeted the four on the ground. Poor Rex had to swerve to avoid being hit as the two raced past and up towards the clouds. 

"Well that's a problem," Anakin shouted, already running to meet Rex. He had lost sight of the two dragons as they vanished beyond the unnaturally thick cloud. 

"General Skywalker, what in the actual-" 

"No time Rex!" Anakin panted, leaping up the ramp into the small craft. He was about to pull out his communicator when he heard it chiming on his belt. Ahsoka was calling him. 

"Master?" her voice came over the other end, full of worry. 

"Hey Snips!" Anakin greeted in a frenzied cheerfulness. He stepped to the side to allow Cody to dash past him towards the computers so he could signal the crew on board the Resolute. "Listen, uh... I think I know what you're going to say."

"Yeah: what exactly just flew up off the planet and is now freaking everyone out?"

"I'm not expecting you to believe me but please try," Anakin sighed, watching a similar conversation play out in silence between Vizsla and Bo-Katan through the viewport. "One of them is Master Obi-Wan."

A long pause.

"....I mean..." Ahsoka said breathlessly at last, "sure, of course it is. And the other is...?"

"Well the other one did NOT look like that back when we first knew him, I'll say that much."

"Maul?!"

"Wait, wait," Anakin suddenly said, sitting in his seat as the engines of the small ship fired up, "are they up around the ships? In space?"

"Yeah and I think some of those ships are getting ready to fire at them," Ahsoka confirmed. 

Anakin blinked in amazement as the two small shuttles began to lift off the planet to head after their colleagues. Cody was filling Rex in with everything but his Captain was struggling to comprehend it all, it looked like.

"Okay hang tight, Ahsoka, we're on our way."

"But... what can we even..." he heard Ahsoka stammer over the line. "How do we get Master Kenobi back to how he was?"

"One problem at a time Ahsoka!" Anakin replied. "One problem at a time. See, now I'm starting to sound like Obi-Wan..."

Ahsoka stared from the Bridge in utter amazement, the communicator still clenched in her grip from where she had been talking to her master. The two winged monsters had flown up from the planet, tiny at first, but growing larger as they approached. The one in front, pale and angelic in comparison to the darker, more sinister creature, had swerved at the last second to avoid the ships that were accompanying the Mandalorians and seemed to twist around with impressive flexibility to dodge the red and black beast that was clearly looking to attack the first. Now they were weaving in and around the ships as they madly chased one another and their scanners were reporting that more than one of the ships were taking matters into their own hands and were going to go on an attack of their own. 

"Commander Tano? Orders?" asked one of the Troopers from the Bridge. 

Ahsoka pocketed her communicator and pushed away her shock. She had been trained as a Padawan throughout the Clone Wars which meant that she knew that there was no time to be second guessing her decisions. Not when her grand-master was apparently caught up in the melee of whatever was happening in the orbit of this accursed planet. 

"Move to rendezvous with General Skywalker and ready the weapons for covering fire but do not shoot!" she ordered, heading to one of the computers to look over the shoulder of another clone, hoping to get an idea of where Anakin was. 

Two crafts were passing through the cloud cover at great speed, one of which was positioning itself to intercept the two creatures who both did not seem to be bothered by the lack of oxygen or the pressure of space. It was presumed that whoever was on board the second shuttle had contacted the ships to tell them to stand down and not shoot but Ahsoka doubted the peace could be kept for long, especially since the creature that she correctly assumed to be Maul (the red and black pattern was a dead giveaway) was gaining on Obi-Wan and taking liberties with the safety of the ships they were twisting and spinning around. 

As Obi-Wan began to move out from the mass of ships and head into open space, there was a sudden swell in the Force. Ahsoka pressed her fingers to her forehead as the Force increased its pressure, kicking itself up into a fury. It wasn't exactly painful but it was intense. She had kept her eyes on the dragons so she didn't fail to notice the red stone in Maul's chest start to glow brighter. As it reached its limit, a red glow pulsed up Maul's neck as he opened his mouth and spat a bright beam of red plasma towards his enemy. With a cry, Obi-Wan only just dipped out of the way and the beam went shooting past him. 

"What was...?" someone on the bridge began to say. 

"That was like a lightsaber," Ahsoka replied before the trooper had a chance to finish his question. "Which would suggest that those stones in their chests..." She trailed off as a buzz from the computer announced Anakin's approach. 

Anakin was staring from the viewport, rubbing his neck and trying to calm himself down. Poor Rex at the controls was almost past the point of asking questions now and was promising himself a stiff drink as soon as it was appropriate to do so. 

"We have to get the General on the Resolute and away from Maul," Cody had said. "I don't know if it's wise leaving the rest of these guys but I don't see what other choice we have."

"No, you're right," Anakin said. "We can't expect Death Watch or the Sith to help us. They'll be focusing on Maul. But I'm worried about Mandalore."

"If Vizsla was wise, he would delay any kind of attack on Mandalore," Rex said. "Not until they've figured out how to control one of their heavy hitters."

"Ideally, we would need to get Maul as well," Anakin said. "But he's just too unpredictable right now. And that big Nightbrother wouldn't let us. No. Focus." He took another large breath. "Right. First things first: we need to get our one back on the Resolute. Rex, move to board the flagship but try and let Obi-Wan see you. I'm going to try..."

Anakin sat and closed his eyes, crossing his legs and beginning to summon the Force around him before sending it out to locate Obi-Wan and his old bond that forever connected them. There was so much instinct driving the Jedi dragon's movements but Anakin had seen a flash of his master before and was certain that he could bring him back again.

"Come on, Obi-Wan, come on..." he urged through the bond. "We need you."

In the distance, the cream coloured dragon lifted his head and flexed his claws, turning sharply and almost clipping Maul's wings as he came back round towards the ships. He had heard Anakin at the very least, but whether it was his Master or not, he couldn't say.

"Please, Master?" Anakin begged. He knew how to pull on the old Jedi's heartstrings when he wanted something and he poured as much innocence into his request as possible even though he was aware he wasn't the same big blue-eyed baby boy that he used to be. That didn't seem to matter though as a sudden surge of protective assurance was returned to him through the bond and a promise of help. "Yes! Yes, I found him!"

Anakin opened his eyes and dashed to the window. They were almost at the flagship and already he could see Obi-Wan wheeling round to follow their shuttle.

"What do you mean?" Rex asked.

"Well it's definitely Obi-Wan but sometimes it's like, I don't know, a different consciousness or instinct takes over and it shrouds his memories of who he is sometimes," Anakin was saying, keeping his eye on his master rather than the Resolute. "He slips into it easily around Maul, it looks like. But I think I've woken him up."

Maul was not pleased to be abandoned but just as he was about to give chase, he seemed to lift his head and focus on the second shuttle, no doubt sensing Savage nearby and possibly shaking off his feral blinders as Obi-Wan had. He let out a roar at Obi-Wan's retreating form and then tucked in his wings to follow Savage's shuttle back to their own ship. 

Their small ship came flying in to the hanger on the Resolute and docked. Anakin was already heading for the ramp and jumping out before Rex had finished switching everything off. A small crowd of 501st soldiers were loitering around, watching with wide eyes as Obi-Wan arrived with a flap of his large feathery wings, a little dazed and taking a moment to look at the additional limbs as though he hadn't been aware he was using them. He shook his red-blond mane and carefully tried to work out how to fold the wings back up comfortably to his sides as Anakin ran up breathlessly. Rex and Cody were right behind him and soon Ahsoka was joining them as she had started making her way to the Hanger as soon as she saw the dragons split off from one another. 

They all stopped at a respectful distance while Obi-Wan coordinated his wings and tail. 

"Woah..." Ahsoka let out in a long breath. "We've gone through some pretty crazy things together, Master, but I think this one beats them all."

"You're telling me." Anakin stepped forward as he noticed some of the soldiers getting closer. "Ok, boys? Let's give him some room... Thank you."

Obi-Wan, satisfied that the wings were comfortable and fixed at his side, looked around a little at his audience and flattened his head feathers back, crouching down smaller to try and hide from the attention he was receiving. 

"Hey, Master, hey..." Anakin said cheerfully, walking up and patting the soft neck. "Yeah, I know this is ridiculous. What was all that about? With Maul?"

Obi-Wan looked round and let out an exasperated growl, snapping his teeth and flicking his tail. 

"Ok ok, calm down. It's fine," Anakin assured him giving the neck another stroke. "We're all okay and we're safe. Just, yeah that's it, you lie down..."

With a huff, Obi-Wan lay down and dropped his head onto his front paws, looking less than thrilled about the situation. 

"Can I?" asked a quiet voice. It was Ahsoka. She had been cautiously hanging back for once but now appeared quietly by her master's side.

"Oh sure! Master, Ahsoka was worried about you. Can she-?" Anakin didn't need to finish as the large dragon head moved past him and pressed itself into Ahsoka's side, affectionately. "Oh, yeah that's a yes."

"Hey Master! You look bigger somehow," Ahsoka smiled, running her fingers through the fur of his snout in delight. "So what happened?"

It took several minutes to explain everything that had happened and by the end of it Ahsoka was staring at him in shock. 

"A Nexus?" she repeated. "I've not heard of a Nexus being able to change your appearance and - oh my goodness, Master Obi-Wan, you're so soft - um, sorry, I've just never heard of a Nexus being able to do that."

"No neither have I," Anakin agreed. "The only chance we have of finding any information about it is hopefully the archives."

Ahsoka paused and bit her lip as she began to stroke the dragon’s cheek. "...There's no way we can get Obi-Wan into the Temple without the city having a meltdown. You remember the Zillo Beast. The Chancellor would freak out."

Obi-Wan gave a chuff of agreement but made Anakin smiled and shook his head.

“Ah you leave that to me. I can persuade the Chancellor.”

Ahsoka felt a slight vibration under the palm of her hand. Master Kenobi had growled so quietly that no-one had heard. 

Chapter Text

Bo-Katan hadn’t uttered a word. She was sat on a crate in the cargo hold watching the Sith while Pre Vizsla spoke with the other ships and prepared a second attempt to jump to hyperspace. As far as she was aware, the Republican Star Destroyer that had brought the Jedi was still lingering a short distance away but no-one was willing to wait to arrange a plan of action with them.

Maul had considerably less room in the cargo hold of their ship than Kenobi would have on the Resolute but the smaller space just served to make him look bigger, though he wasn’t exactly rivalling the size of a Purrgil. Savage was with him, constantly talking to him in a low voice that no-one dared get close enough to hear. She didn’t want to admit she was frightened of Maul but he had already been unpredictable before and now he had primitive instincts dabbling with his conscience. If he recognised Savage as his own and suddenly had a flare of territorial aggression, any Mandalorian within view could be a target. 

She started a little when the doors behind her suddenly shot open and Vizsla appeared, his helmet tucked under his arm. 

“Good news,” he announced as Savage looked over his shoulder and Maul’s glowing golden eyes fixed themselves in their direction. “I’ve convinced the syndicates that everything is according to plan. As a matter of fact, they seemed enthusiastic to have a new super weapon on our side but, of course, we can’t guarantee anything until we can be sure Maul has all of this under control. I don’t want our careful planning to go to waste if the Jedi show up and bring their own beast to the battlefield. You’re lucky I was able to get them to stand down and not shoot at them in the first place.”

Savage folded his arms and turned back away. “I have little interest in conquering your world at the moment.”

“I’m sure you don’t but we have an arrangement, Savage.” Vizsla met Maul’s gaze. “Isn’t that right? Mutual interests.”

“The ‘mutual interest’ you’re talking about is in the same situation as we are!” Savage said, on the verge of shouting. “The plan failed. They showed up too soon and now know we are working together. There’s no trap here anymore. You’re better off sending them an open invitation rather than try and be covert.”

“Revenge against the Jedi was only part of the goal,” Vizsla smiled, walking forward a few steps. “Death Watch is owed the right to Mandalore and you two are going to get me my throne.”

A change came over Savage at that point. He bristled and tensed, the muscles in his arms moving in response to the grip of his knuckles. Maul lowered his head and slowly flared his sails out. Bo was expecting Savage to turn and run at Vizsla with his fists at the ready so she discretely moved her hand to her blaster though she dreaded a confrontation here when room was already limited by a dragon taking up two thirds of it. 

It was to her surprise therefore that Savage did not rush at him. He seemed to take a breath and lower his tense shoulders as he slowly spun around and came walking up calmly towards them. 

“You’re talking too confidently, Vizsla,” he said as he moved into Vizsla’s space. He towered over Vizsla and glared down his nose, the horns on his head and the jagged tattoos on his face only adding to his intimidation. “Anyone who hides behind Beskar can claim to possess the spirit of a Mandalorian of old. Just as any who wields the Dark Side and uses a bleeding lightsaber crystal can claim to be a Sith.” He lifted a finger and tapped it against Vizsla’s shoulder. “Until you’ve earned the title you claim, you will not speak to us as though we are yours to command. Your people may have slaughtered Jedi once, but a Sith Lord will never bend a subservient knee to a Mandalorian, pretender or otherwise.”

Vizsla, to his credit, had not cowered away from Savage but Bo-Katan knew that his silence was an indication that he was shaken by the Sith’s threat.

“I am a son of Clan Vizsla and I possess the Dark Saber,” he quietly replied. “That’s going to have to be enough for you. We are about to jump to hyperspace.” 

He then quickly moved away and left without looking back. Bo-Katan remained where she was and lifted her chin when Savage glanced in her direction. Despite the fact she was wearing her helmet, he seemed able to be able to look right into her eyes and she could only guess what he might be thinking.

A deep rumble took the Zabrak’s attention away and he stepped back to Maul’s side in response to it, not making an attempt to touch him but standing dutifully at the dragon’s side, looking up expectantly. Bo watched as the creature bent his head and lowered his sails, whickering a soft growl to him ever so slightly. Savage seemed to listen and bow his head a touch. Neither said a word for a long time until…

“You are not like him.”

A second lengthy silence filled the hold and it wasn’t until Savage finally glanced in her direction that Bo-Katan realised that he had been speaking to her. She straightened her back and looked between him and Maul who, for his part, was still keeping his focus on his brother. 

“I am a Mandalorian,” she replied sharply. “I would say that’s one thing that makes us very similar.”

Savage folded his arms and didn’t flinch away from the long metal tail that suddenly slid noisily over the ground and curl its end around his foot. 

“…You’re different,” he pressed on. “My brother and I both sense it. You don’t agree with him.”

A flare of anger caused Bo-Katan to hop off the crate and stand on her own feet defensively. 

“I want to restore Mandalore to its former glory,” she told him fiercely. “Resurrect our culture to what it once was - the greatest warriors in the Galaxy. That is what Death Watch fights for.”

The Zabrak’s eyes narrowed and he hummed a note of dismissal.

“Strange that the Jedi showed up on that planet,” he then said, turning his face and the conversation. “I wonder what reason they had for being in that part of space.”

There was a clear accusing tone hidden in the voice but Bo-Katan refused to respond to that. Of course the Sith would suspect her involvement in their arrival - and of course the Sith were correct.

“Are you just making pointless small talk because you’re missing actual conversation?” 

“Thought you would prefer conversation that you could hear rather than become paranoid over conversation you cannot.”

“You can seriously talk to that-” Bo-Katan smartly checked herself, “to him? He’s capable of talking?”

Savage stepped over the tail and stopped by Maul’s scaly paw, looking up at the face that stared down at him. “There are ways to talk that don’t include verbal speech. You know that.”

Bo-Katan took her eyes off Savage to study Maul’s face. It was keenly fixated on Savage, his pupils contracting one moment and dilating the next, his nostrils flaring slightly as he drew breath and the Zabrak horns on his head giving away the fact that he had a very slight occasional tremor. 

“What’s he saying?” she asked out of pure curiosity.

Savage and Maul took a few more seconds to stare at each other before they both looked back to her in frightening unison. 

“…He’s saying that you’re not like him,” Savage answered. “And I think we’re going to find out why when we get to Mandalore.”

The Chancellor blinked slowly and leant back in his seat. 

“Forgive me lad, one more time please,” he said to the hologram with a secret air of hopefulness. “Master Kenobi had an accident?”

“I don’t know how else to describe it,” Anakin’s hologram nodded. “He took a fall and, there was this water. Well there was this dead sort of planet and a cave. It’s a Force Nexus…”

Palpatine lifted a hand to cut him off. 

“Please, Anakin, my boy,” he chuckled apologetically. “I am old and I struggle to keep up sometimes. What exactly has happened to your poor Master?”

“Well,” Anakin replied, “the good news is that he is alive!” 

Drat. 

“It doesn’t bode well for what the bad news might be.”

“…It’s hard to explain but…” Anakin awkwardly said. “Well, the Force Nexus seems to have altered Master Kenobi’s appearance slightly.”

“How slightly?”

“A lot. It’s… yeah, it’s a lot.”

Palpatine laced his fingers together over his stomach and took several even breaths.

“By the fact that you’ve chosen to call me I gather that this is much more complicated that you’re letting on, lad,” he said. “Surely your Jedi Order wouldn’t turn him away in his hour of need. I was of the impression the Council is very fond of your old Master.”

“Oh, no it isn’t the Jedi we were worried about, no. It’s… well, it’s more pre-warning you just in case he gets out.”

Now Anakin had Palpatine’s full attention. He leant forward again and rested his elbows on the desk.

“Gets out?”

Anakin seemed to bend down and press a button. With a shimmer, a view of the Hanger on the Resolute came into view and Palpatine had to take a few seconds to process what he was seeing. Ahsoka was with some of the Clones and they were standing around a large majestic looking creature with feathery wings that stood a few feet taller than them. He didn’t even need to push very far with the Force to gain the knowledge that it was Kenobi and that he had become a creature of immense Force energy.

“He’s gentle! He’s very gentle,” Anakin was assuring him. “It’s still Obi-Wan. He was only flighty and wild when he was around Maul, but-”

“Maul?” Palpatine barked louder than he intended and hurriedly covered it up. “Maul was there? The Sith?”

“Yes, with Savage Opress,” Anakin nodded. “Maul was changed too but Death Watch took him. We would go after them but I think the Council would want to know as soon as possible. We need to look into the archives for what we can do. Of course that means bringing Master Kenobi to Coruscant and given that there was panic involving the Zillo Beast, we wanted to run it by you first.”

Conflicting thoughts passed through Palpatine’s head. He was intrigued and eager to test the power of this creature that a supposed Force Nexus had spat out and claimed to be Obi-Wan but just as eager was his drive to be rid of the creature, if it really was Obi-Wan, and free himself of a burden that had refused to die no matter what mission he sent him on.

“I’m not sure, Anakin…” he sighed, leaning back again with a furrow in his brow. “You say he is gentle but-”

“He is,” Anakin replied with a slight note of protest. “He’s still Obi-Wan. He just looks different.”

“So you say.” Palpatine took a few long moments to convincingly portray the look of a concerned politician who was deep in thought though his mind had been made up from the split second he had heard the subtle desperation that Anakin had hidden behind his words. “Come to Coruscant. I’ll see if I can rearrange some appointments and maybe come and visit the Temple to see him for myself. No doubt, the Council will want to conduct tests first.”

As hoped for, Anakin seemed to hesitate.

“Tests?” 

“Oh I’m sure it won’t be anything to be too worried about,” Palpatine said with kind reassurance and he smiled warmly. “You know the Jedi - they always have to test things before they feel brave enough to commit to anything above their power level.”

The Chancellor enjoyed Anakin’s trepidation.

He was such an easily manipulated boy sometimes because his heart really was too large for him and he cared far too deeply about his closest friends and family. He had been a pleasant surprise to Palpatine’s plans when he’d first caught sight of him as a boy all those years ago but sometimes it was slightly disappointing that he wasn’t much of a challenge and could be so easy to mould. At least, he was easy to manipulate and mould when he didn’t have the likes of Senator Amidala or Master Kenobi lurking nearby. Lately, even Padawan Tano was starting to interfere with his decision making. The three of them would have to go before the end. 

But that was something to deal with at a later time. His ascension as Sith Emperor was run on a tight schedule and, at the moment, this event involving Kenobi and Maul was a major disruption and it threatened to delay everything.

“We will be at Coruscant soon, Chancellor,” said Anakin slowly.

“Safe travels, my boy,” Palpatine waved. “Bring your Master here safe and sound. I’ll be waiting.”

One by one, the ships that had accompanied Death Watch all blipped out of existence as they sprung into hyperspace which was one headache that Anakin didn’t have to deal with though they’d have to chase down that loose thread at some point, he was sure.

With the Chancellor warned ahead of time, he set about contacting the Temple and managed to explain the situation to the Council who were understandably concerned but naturally kept a cool, calm demeanour about it all. As the Chancellor had done, they wished Anakin safe travels and left him with a promise that Master Yoda and Master Windu at the very least would be present to meet them upon arrival. Satisfied with his finished tasks, the Jedi Knight only needed to order that they set a course to Coruscant and then descended back down to the Hanger.

Obi-Wan was not where he had left him.

Whether uncomfortable or restless or completely consumed by boredom, his old Master had taken himself off on a walk and was slowly patrolling the hanger by taking long, slow steps as though he were inspecting things. His head was held high to maintain the appearance of a general and his posture followed suit, trying ever so hard to withhold as much of his former dignity as possible even though the picture was amusingly marred by the fact that he had obtained a little trail of ducklings that scurried behind him. They were mostly Clones lead by Ahsoka and they took it in turns to jump over the long graceful tail as it moved back and forth. Rex and Cody were stood were Anakin had last seen them, watching the merry little procession with smiles on their faces.

Anakin joined them and watched while he updated them on the current plan of action.

“I really don’t know how things will go when we get to Coruscant,” Anakin admitted. “But at the very least, the Masters might have a better idea of where to start if we don’t have the answers right away.”

“I’d wager you’re right, Sir,” Rex nodded. “And I wouldn’t worry about the General. He’s been fidgety since you left but Commander Tano seems to have found an exercise that they can all enjoy. He’s been very careful about where his feet have been going. No casualties caught underfoot just yet.”

Even as Rex said that, they watched Obi-Wan move carefully around one of the A-Wings to take note of a Clone Engineer who was busy working on some form of maintenance. A slight leak had occurred in the fuel line and a puddle was forming beneath the wings but it seemed the Clone had not yet taken notice. Obi-Wan pricked up his head feathers and flicked the end of his tail as he crouched down to look at the upside down Clone who was half-in half-out of the cockpit. He gave a sniff and a quiet whine before he lifted a paw and awkwardly waved it at the Clone though whether that was to get his attention or whether it was an attempt to poke him, no-one was entirely sure. The engineer, however, jumped out of his skin to find the Jedi dragon who was currently a little larger than the A-Wing leaning over him with a wide paw. Losing his balance and letting out a shout of surprise, he went toppling back and fell with a loud Oof onto the floor.

“Spoke too soon, Rex,” Cody chuckled, shaking his head and walking forward to help. 

“I said there were no casualties underfoot,” Rex adamantly retorted. “No-one’s been stepped on or- Oh never mind.”

Obi-Wan felt bad for making the engineer jump and he was patting and pawing at the fallen Clone anxiously, eliciting a series of whines and squeaks.

“No harm done, General Kenobi,” Cody reassured him as he walked up and bent to grab the startled Engineer’s hand. “Nothing broken is there?”

“Um…” the Engineer replied, still shaken. “A few bruises but um… no, nothing broken.” He wasn’t assisting his Commander in trying to get up as he was still unnerved by the large paw that was hitting him still.

“Come on. If your legs still work, let’s put them to use,” Cody grunted, heaving the soldier up and dusting him off.

“Sorry about that,” Ahsoka said as she hurried up and then pointed under the wings. “You’ve got a leak under there. I think Master Obi-Wan was just alerting you to it.” 

A snuff of agreement confirmed Ahsoka’s words and he sat down, stiffened at an alarmed yell from a Clone behind him who almost got squashed.

Through the Force, Anakin felt the thud of guilt and frustration that was rising up in Obi-Wan.

“Master?” Anakin called gently across the room. “Why don’t you come back over here? I’ve managed to contact the Council so they know we’re en-route.”

Like a sheepish hound that had been reprimanded, Obi-Wan padded over towards Anakin and Rex, followed by Cody and Ahsoka. He kept his tail in and made himself small as he settled down in front of his old Padawan, tucking in his paws and giving a sigh.

“Master Yoda and Master Windu will be waiting to meet us when we arrive,” Anakin told his Master, resisting the urge to stroke his head in an effort to preserve the poor Jedi master some dignity. Obi-Wan’s big blue eyes widened a little as a wave of apprehension pulsed through the Force. 

Ahsoka, despite her maturity and experience, was still young at heart and had not been able to resist her urges which was evident when she leant against Obi-Wan’s side to press her face into the downy fur.

“It’s ok,” she soothed and closed her eyes to listen to the thud of his heartbeat. “You don’t need to worry. We’ll be with you. We might even be able to find a cure or something at the Temple. At the very least, we can get all the brainiacs working on the case.”

Obi-Wan twisted his head round and nudged the young Togruta with the closest thing he could manage to a friendly purr.

But Anakin, with a little extra perception, could feel various forms of anxiety from the older Jedi mixed in with the gratitude and he kindly pushed against his master’s mental shields for some clarity. Obi-Wan dropped his head to the floor and glanced at Anakin, almost as though pleading with him.

Jedi see this. Ashamed. Not… Not me. Struggling. Words and… thinking. Help. Help.

“Master? What’s wrong?” Ahsoka asked when she saw Anakin’s frown.

Not me. Monster controls and… Not me. Sometimes me. Trying. 

“I think…” Anakin held out a hand and Obi-Wan moved to press his snout into the open palm. “Master Obi-Wan isn’t as… well, lucid as we thought. I think he’s struggling with more animalistic instincts and thoughts. The longer he stays like this, the harder it will be for him to stay in control.”

“You mean we might lose him? He’ll go feral?”

“That’s what he thinks. He was running about and flying no problem before when he was fighting Maul but now that he’s back in control it’s like he’s working out how to move all over again.”

Ahsoka stepped away and tilted her head.

“Can you still use the Force?” she asked.

Obi-Wan lifted his head up, his long neck holding it high above the others as he furrowed his brow in heavy concentration. Anakin and Ahsoka felt the Force around them responding to the Jedi’s summons, moving closer and growing in intensity as it was channelled and re-focused. There was a stifled cry of exasperation as poor Rex, Cody and a handful of nearby Clones, as well as Anakin and Ahsoka themselves, were gently lifted off their feet and held in the air for a few seconds. Obi-Wan squinted his eyes with a draconic smile and gave a snort of satisfaction as he returned his collection of unsuspecting subjects to the ground with the gentle touch that Master Kenobi was known for. He crossed his paws over and flicked his tail with a proud flourish which made the other two Jedi laugh; they’d never known their Master to look so smug after a demonstration before.

“That’s a yes then,” Anakin confirmed while the other troopers found their footing. “Feels just as strong as ever. You definitely haven’t lost any power.”

“There’s also this that I’ve been wondering about,” Ahsoka pointed out as she stepped up and gestured at the glowing blue stone in Obi-Wan’s chest. “I saw Maul attack him out there. Some kind of energy that he drew upon from a stone like that in his own chest. Like it’s a power source.”

“I would like to respectfully request that we don’t experiment with that then while we are on board the Resolute, Generals?” Rex quickly interjected.

“Sure thing, Rex. Don’t worry," Anakin smiled. "We’ll wait for the other Masters before we try and make any sense of that.”

A series of beeps and whistles heralded the arrival of R2-D2, trundling along from the direction of the turbo lift with the announcement that they were an hour away from arriving at Coruscant. He then froze and swivelled his head towards the large creature that was demurely laying down between Anakin and Ahsoka, finally seeing what had become of Obi-Wan for the first time. For a few seconds, there was silence and then he produced a low whistle as he glided over towards the dragon without any sense of fear, sliding to a stop and 'woo'-ing as though impressed. Obi-Wan lifted his head feathers and cocked his head to one side, chittering a short collection of quiet squeaks back to the little droid and bending down to give him a sniff. R2 wobbled from side to side excitedly. 

"All right, all right," Anakin said and patted the astromech on the head. "Don't get Master Kenobi all hyper before we meet with the Jedi Masters."

But R2 had taken a shine to the large feathery new form of Obi-Wan Kenobi and he whistled a little song, zipping around and gently driving into his side, taking a great deal of delight in bouncing off the soft muscle if his high squeal of ‘wheeeee’ was interpreted correctly. Obi-Wan watched him with half-lidded eyes and he endured R2’s playfulness for as long as his patience would allow before he suddenly bapped the little droid away and sent him skittering across the hanger, the squeal now becoming a scream. He had the decency to look guilty after that and scamper off to nuzzle his apologies to the frazzled astromech. Ahsoka hadn’t laughed so hard in weeks.

The Jedi Council had felt the Force shudder as Skywalker’s flagship entered Coruscant’s territories and found purchase in the planet’s orbit and Master Yoda and Master Windu had risen to walk down and meet the returning Jedi at the landing pad whereupon they encountered Chancellor Palpatine, arriving in a private speeder with several members of security escorting him. As usual, they greeted one another amiably, formally, perhaps a little stiffly. 

While the Jedi had always preferred keeping a professional distance from the politicians outside of Senate business, the Chancellor had made it his mission to establish overly friendly relations with them. This time, however, he had other business on his mind and his greeting felt colder than usual.

“Anakin was good enough to call me ahead of time and warn me of what had happened,” he had told them after a brief word of greeting. “I don’t suppose he explained things any clearer to you?”

“Only that Master Kenobi has undergone an unusual change and is in need of Jedi attention,” Mace replied carefully. “They all seem to be convinced that he is still of his own mind and is unlikely to be uncooperative.”

“Yes, yes,” Palpatine murmured, spotting the Twilight ship moving through the traffic lanes. “We don’t want to be forced to treat the poor Master as a wild animal should Coruscant be thrown into chaos.”

“An animal, Obi-Wan is not,” Yoda had quickly yet calmly said, also watching the ship as it manoeuvred the lanes and moved to turn in their direction. “Trust, I do, in Anakin’s assessment and in the Force.”

“Of course,” Palpatine nodded. For a while, none spoke, all watching the ever nearing ship. “…I must, however,” he then added, “ask on behalf of the people that, should things escalate beyond your control, you will see to it that Kenobi is suitably contained. I am sure the Jedi would not like to feel responsible for mass panic if the Zillo Beast incident was anything to learn from…”

“The Temple is sufficient for appeasing those kinds of fears, Chancellor,” Mace calmly assured him. “There is a matter though of ethics. We are lead to believe that Obi-Wan will require some considerable space in order to be comfortable. Room to exercise. If you are asking that the people of Coruscant remain oblivious to his presence then I am not sure we can promise such a thing.”

Palpatine pursed his lips and lifted his chin, his displeasure evident. Yet he said nothing. 

The Twilight came in and landed with the expertise that they all knew came with Anakin’s skill and love of flying. After it finished it’s landing procedures, the ramp soon lowered and Ahsoka stepped out with R2-D2 at her side. She bowed respectfully to the Masters and to the Chancellor and then turned to await her Master’s arrival. He appeared at the top of the ramp, a hand clasped in the fur of a magnificent winged creature that seemed hesitant to exit. Yet at Anakin’s gentle coaxing and reassurances, the draconic beast took one elegant step after another and walked out onto the landing pad, wings tightly held to its body and its long sweeping tail curling around Anakin and Ahsoka as it came to stop. Looking at Master Yoda and Master Windu, the dragon stood with its front paws together and bowed its head respectfully to the ground, long neck arching and showcasing a brilliant mane of golden orange hair. Anakin bowed as well.

Mace was almost too stunned to speak but he kept his composure and bowed back alongside Yoda. 

“Welcome back,” he greeted. “You weren’t exaggerating the severity of the situation. Allow me to start by commending you on the decision to return to the Temple rather than pursue the Sith. I can understand that it must have been a difficult choice.”

“It was, thank you,” Anakin replied, firmly keeping a hold of his mental shields to make sure Mace Windu couldn’t detect the feeling of pride that was welling up inside him. To be commended by Mace Windu was an accomplishment that gave Anakin a greater high than any spice could achieve. “Please forgive Master Kenobi’s earlier hesitation. We believe he is… Self-conscious. Especially in front of our fellow Jedi.”

Yoda gripped his stick and suddenly shuffled forward with his waddling gait toward the dragon that now looked enormous in comparison. Obi-Wan had kept his head low and seemed to freeze as the Council Grand Master approached him. Yoda was gazing up at him with a soft expression and he held out a tiny hand to tenderly touch the dragon’s nose. He smiled at the little growl purr that he felt rumble beneath his touch and he reached out with the Force to find the Jedi he knew so well within the body of this creature. 

“A conundrum you have found for yourself, hmm?” Yoda said, his heart glad when he felt the familiar presence in the Force. “What a mess. What would our Qui-Gon think? Scold me, he would, for letting you get into trouble and apologise to him, I will. But safe now, you are. Help, you will receive. Welcome home, Obi-Wan. We are glad you are all safe.”

“I think more detailed explanations are in order,” suddenly said the Chancellor. He had not taken his eyes off Kenobi except to briefly examine Anakin. “Where did you say this happened?”

“An outer rim planet. Unoccupied as far as we could see although we weren’t there to explore so that might not be accurate,” Anakin explained. “We encountered a Force Nexus. It was aggressive although it didn’t feel Dark. Master Kenobi was claimed by it.”

“And why were you there?” Palpatine smoothly asked.

“It was under order of our Council, Chancellor,” Mace Windu stepped in and replied. “Reports of Sith. Outside of Republic affairs.” He did not feel the need to include Mandalore’s involvement in those reports. It would only displease the Senate. 

“Yes well,” Palpatine mused, “I suppose Sith activity is a matter urgent enough for the Jedi, isn’t it? I’m only sorry that it has apparently cost us one of our best.” His face became serious then and shook his head. “The Separatists must NOT know of this. As High General of the Third Systems Army, I don’t think I need to remind you all that Master Kenobi is responsible for many thousands of troops including that of the 212th battalion and the 7th Sky Corps. The enemy will be tempted to push an attack if they believe our forces are weakened.”

“Commander Cody is a fine leader in his own right, Chancellor,” Anakin assured him with his charming smile. “He’s learnt just as much from Master Kenobi as I have, besides use of the Force, so I have every confidence that between us we can manage.”

“And we’ll have Master Obi-Wan back to normal in no time,” Ahsoka added optimistically. “So maybe we can solve this before any of the Separatists know about it.”

“I do hope so,” Palpatine sighed and began to move forward, his eyes examining the dragon keenly. “Though I must admit that he is not nearly so monstrous as I had first feared. Really rather beautiful, as a matter of fact! May I?” He began to smile as he glanced at Anakin, gesturing towards the large creature. 

Anakin exchanged looks with Master Windu and seemed perplexed as to why the Chancellor was looking for permission from him of all people, as though his Master were incapable of having a say in things and that he was now his Master's Keeper. He heard Obi-Wan give an offended snuff.

“I… I am sure Master Obi-Wan wouldn’t mind…” Although actually, Anakin suspected that Master Obi-Wan minded very much but the words were out of his mouth before he could correct himself. He quickly sent an apologetic pulse through the Force to his Master to which he received an irritated mental slap in return, making him wince and Ahsoka grin. 

Palpatine walked up beside Yoda and then slowly circled the creature, admiring the sturdiness and shape of the legs and the curve of his back and the angelic presentation of the feathers on his wings and head. Master Kenobi did not move his head to watch him, instead using the Force to make a note of where the Chancellor was at all times while he remained motionless and kept his gaze forward. Stepping over the impressively long feline-like tail, Palpatine came up on the other side and noted the large paws, the sharp claws, the richness of the mane and the spotless colouring of the pale fur. Finally he came back up to the head and confidently took a hold of the dragon’s snout, his hand under the chin so he could look into Obi-Wan’s eyes and glance at a few of the teeth that were just poking out from under his top lip.

Anakin dared not access the bond. He didn’t want to know what thoughts his Master was thinking right now.

“Incredible,” he heard Palpatine say. “To think the Force was able to do this…” Then the Chancellor moved the head to one side and let his gaze drop and he stared at the blue stone embedded in the dragon’s broad chest.

“Ahsoka had a theory about that,” Anakin said when he noticed Palpatine’s line of sight. “But it… Might be best for the rest of the Jedi Masters to hear.”

“I understand,” Palpatine replied in a voice that was so quiet it was almost a whisper. He shook himself from his stare and rubbed the sides of the dragon’s head approvingly, a bright beam of a smile on his face. “Well no matter what, I think you look splendid, Master Kenobi. And I understand now what you mean, Master Windu, about his needing space to exercise. I would dearly love to see him in flight. I suspect it’s a sight to behold. But there is the matter of the general public to consider and as their representative currently I would ask that you keep his presence outside your Temple to a minimum - we don’t want to frighten the people.” He dropped Obi-Wan’s head abruptly and turned to face the Jedi Masters. “If he is seen out without direct supervision then the safety of our citizens must take priority and special forces may take matter into their own hands and apprehend him.”

“Unnecessary, your warning is,” Yoda replied, still stroking Obi-Wan’s fur. “But thank you, we do. We will keep Obi-Wan safe until a solution, we find.”

The Chancellor nodded and seemed satisfied. “Now that I see that he is, indeed, still capable of intelligent thought and isn’t completely wild, I feel safe to take my leave. You will, of course, keep me updated on any progress won't you please?”

"Naturally," Mace Windu nodded in a smooth tone. 

Palpatine gave one last warm smile to Anakin and nodded at Ahsoka before he walked back towards his transport. His personal guards had kept their distance the entire time, staring warily at the monster with hands on their blasters just in case. They appeared relieved at the thought of being allowed to leave. 

There was silence as everyone waited for the Chancellor's ship to leave and then collectively breathed a discrete sigh of relief. 

Chapter Text

The temporary peace of the Duchess’ quarters was something she looked forward to day after day. Away from the worried chatter of her councillors and the prime minister, she had only to patiently wait while her attendants combed out her hair and took her dresses away to be cleaned and dried before she was able to enjoy some time to herself. Sinking into her armchair, she leant back and sighed as she rubbed her eyes and pushed her fingers through her hair.

She dearly longed for a holiday, perhaps to her family’s private country retreat where she had spent several months during her… unanticipated health issue… back when she was a young woman. 

Glancing around the room to ground herself, Duchess Satine allowed her eyes to follow a well-known path; the picture on the dresser of the Kryze family, the cushion that her grandmother had made which took pride of place on the window seat, the view out the window, the loose thread that always bothered her on the curtains which she was forever promising to have fixed, the statuette carved of wood and decorated with beskar which took centre stage on the coffee table, the vase of her favourite flowers to the small table on her left… the little clay pot beside it which Korkie had specially made for her when he was four years old.

Satine smiled. She had always wished she could enjoy family life more but with Mandalorians once again proving that they simply could not unite over anything, she just did not have the time. She had sacrificed personal happiness for her responsibilities and the good of her own people and she had made peace with that at the very least. 

At least, until her father’s private communicator began to trill quietly again. 

“…Bo-Katan?” she asked cautiously in a quiet voice as she activated the device. To hear from her sister twice in such short succession after everything they’d been through..

“Unfortunately,” Bo’s voice replied. She sounded like she was also keeping her voice down. “Sorry if this puts a dent in your busy high-class schedule.”

“No need to apologise,” said Satine and her voice tightened. “There is always time for family.”

“So I’ve heard…”

The lack of warmth from either of them was enough to make Satine wince. 

“The Jedi were contacted and told about the Sith,” she said, deciding that keeping things professional was the best idea. “I trust you sent the correct coordinates. I don’t want to hear that-”

“Where are you?”

Satine stopped and her free hand gripped the arm of her chair as she straighened her back and immediately looked back to the window as though she expected to see a swarm of Death Watch terrorists heading her way.

“I don’t really think giving my location is necessary, do you?” she sharply replied.

There was an irritated huff from over the communicator. “Are you on Mandalore or have you left?” 

“Of course I’m still on Mandalore.”

“You have to leave.”

“Look,” Satine sighed, her stern expression softening, “I know we have our differences and that things have been strained but I implore you, Bo, please don’t do this. You’re better than Kyr’tsad…”

“For once, this is about more than Kyr’tsad. If you don’t flee from Sundari, you will end up dead. That is not a threat, it’s a head’s up.”

“Certainly sounds like a threat.”

“Things… things have become complicated,” Bo-Katan said, sounding strained and actually legitamately concerned. “Your Jedi did show up. Kenobi and his Foundling. But there’s been an issue and now Pre is even more geared up to attack so you need to get out of there. If you value your life-”

“Are you suggesting,” Satine snapped, “that I abandon our people?”

“Satine, you are defenceless. You’ve made the people weak and turned them into cattle ready for the slaughterhouse. They aren’t even wearing Beskar! Lying down and rolling over might work on more sympathetic attackers but it won’t work on everyone and especially not now that we’ve…” Bo’s voice trailed off and now Satine could tell that she was pacing, her agitation leaking through in her tone of voice. “Satine, something happened. I can’t explain it fully but your Jedi and one of the Sith have changed. They’ve become these monsters. Powerful creatures that I can’t describe. If you’re still on Mandalore when Vizsla shows up with one of them, I can’t guarantee you’re making it out alive.”

“Monsters?”

“Teeth, claws, wings and bad attitudes. Especially the…” Bo suddenly went quiet and Satine smartly followed suit, a spike of fear coursing through her at the danger her young sister must be in by talking to her. If she were caught by Pre Vizsla… 

The silence remained for a slow five minutes and before Satine could begin to worry further, the line went dead. She dared not try contacting Bo again in case it plunged her into certain peril so she sat and stewed in her fear for a little longer, aching to whisk her sister away from those people.

Suddenly, her comm beeped - a message had been sent though. Activating it produced a holographic image, one that Bo-Katan must have caught as a still picture. It depicted a fearsome creature rising up on metallic hind legs, arms spread with a set of lethal looking claws on each hand, an enormous pair of wings looming overhead and a matching set of sails on its head and neck. With a jaw open to showcase it’s set of fangs and a sharp metal tail whipping round, Satine shuddered to think of such a beast attacking Mandalore.

A little knock at the door made Satine jump and she hurriedly tucked the communicator away in her pockets.

“Yes?”

“Aunty Satine? It’s me,” a well-known voice answered her through the door. “Is it a convenient time or should I come back later?”

Satine felt her heart swell and her face soften.

“It is never inconvenient for you, Korkie. Come on in,” she called.

The young adolescent hopped into the room and took off his shoes as the door shut behind him. When he visited with his friends from the school he was always on his best behaviour but when he made his solo visits he was much more relaxed and he shot his Aunty a cheeky smile. A smile that always made Satine’s heart clench. Despite being family, he only shared a few facial features with her; the majority of his looks were inherited from his father and that mischievous smile was one of them.

“It’s been a day,” he said as he came over and gave her a hug and a kiss on her forehead. “I’ve still got mathematic equations floating in front of my eyes. I’ll be reciting them in my sleep.” He then leant back and tilted his head with a concerned frown. “You’re stressed, Aunty. What’s wrong?”

Always so perceptive and tuned to her emotions. Nothing escaped her dear Korkie. 

“It’s been a day,” Satine ruefully echoed. “Politics for me though. And threat of terrorist attacks.”

Korkie folded his arms and stroked his chin thoughtfully. 

“…Ok, we can call it a draw. A cup of tea then?”

“A heavenly suggestion,” Satine replied and watched her young nephew head towards the kitchen to boil some water.

He was humming to himself as he potted about, fetching clean cups and digging out the tea bags from the top cupboard, then getting distracted by a suspicious stain by the sink which resulted in him diving into another cupboard under the sink to find a cloth to clean it away before he was rubbing a towel over the counter to dry it and then deciding that something to snack on with their cups of tea would be nice as well. He turned back to the cups to pour the water and then had to turn back around after forgetting to get a spoon from the drawer.

All the while Satine watched him, grateful for these minutes of innocent domestic bliss.

He handed her one of the cups and sat down on the window seat, blowing over the hot surface the tea and sipping it.

“So is it Death Watch again?” he asked. When Satine hesitated to answer he arched an eyebrow just as his father would have done and sighed. “Come, Aunty, you know I’m old enough to know. I might be taking over your job in the future so might as well share. I can already guess that I’m right.”

Satine smiled to herself and sipped her own cup. “The price of having an overly intelligent nephew.”

“…So, have they been sending threats?”

“Of sorts,” the Duchess admitted. “But the danger has grown beyond terrorist Mandalorians.”

“What do you mean?” Korkie asked, frowning. He saw his Aunt reach into her pocket and bring out a hologram communicator which, when she activated it, revealed a frozen image of a terrifying animal with terrible claws and large wings. “Oh…” Korkie breathed, “…oh wow. What is it? Some kind of Mythosaur?”

“That, it most certainly is not. It is a creature of old legend. A dragon.” Satine quickly put the device away again. “Or the closest thing to it. There are different sorts of dragon throughout the galaxy and Death Watch have got their hands on one which means that, if they bring it to Mandalore, we will all be in serious danger. I am considering an evacuation…”

“Of the whole of Sundari?” Korkie looked out the window dubiously. “Evacuate where?”

“To the mines below probably. Only as a precaution.”

“Can’t the Jedi help?" the youngster asked. "I know the Republic won’t like it but this is what Jedi were meant to do, weren’t they? Go to planets and help prevent war? Peacekeepers!”

Satine knew that very well and could recall the times when the Jedi had done exactly that, offering their services as negotiators and neutral overseers, protecting the most noble lords and the lowliest peasants. Whatever was required of them so long as they kept to the rules. But only when their services were asked for. Despite the natural desire to help, they were not allowed to get involved in the business of a planet that did not want them. Or a planet, she thought bitterly, that the Senate kept them away from. 

“You know as well as I do that the Republic have tightened their leashes on the Jedi," she said, her voice sounding bitter. "They want them to fight their own wars, not waste time and energy and step away from the front lines to help anyone else’s war.”

Korkie rolled his eyes. “If I were a Jedi, I wouldn’t let the Senate boss me around like that.”

For a second, Satine could not help but chuckle as she pictured her Korkie as a robed Jedi Padawan with a lightsaber, standing alongside Obi-Wan. But the smile fell away before he could see it and she replaced it with a nonchalant shrug.

“Sacrifices are made for the good of others sometimes," she said. "We might not agree with it but remember that we cannot fully understand their situation. No-one can. Just as others cannot fully understand ours.”

“I suppose you’re right." Korkie let out a sigh and focused on drinking his tea for several minutes before asking, "What does everyone else think about this dragon possibly attacking? Do they agree with evacuation?”

“They don’t know about it yet," Satine admitted. "I’ve only recently found out myself.”

“How?”

Hesitation. 

“…My sister.”

Korkie's eyes widened, revealing the full blueness. He leant forward and almost let the cup slip from his fingers. 

“Aunty Bo-Katan…" he murmured. "But she… I thought she…”

“Yes, and you must keep quiet about it, Korkie," Satine told him in severe authority. "Not only for the reputation of our family but for her sake as well. If Death Watch knew she had sent me this, they’ll kill her.”

Korkie nodded immediately and leant back again, staring down at the almost empty cup. 

It was while Satine was watching him pensively that Bo-Katan’s voice suddenly repeated itself in her mind. 

“I can’t explain it fully but your Jedi and one of the Sith have changed.”

Your Jedi.

Digging into her pockets, Satine pulled up the hologram one more time to study the dragon with it’s vicious snarling roar and it’s metal appendages and the sharp black markings covering it… No, that wasn’t Obi-Wan. But had he really become something similar? Was he wild and terrifying? Looking up, the Duchess saw that Korkie was now gazing back at her, his tea quite finished.

“I feel like you’re getting an idea,” the young teenager said softly.

“Well, I would hardly call it an idea. Perhaps musings,” Satine said. “But Bo-Katan mentioned that this creature in the hologram was once a Sith. Death Watch have allied themselves with one.” Korkie leant back in alarm, eyes widening. “And whatever happened to change the Sith into this, also happened to O- to a Jedi, apparently.”

The blue of Korkie’s eyes shone bright as he jumped to his feet.

“Then we must absolutely call the Jedi!” he cried, abandoning his cup on the table. “Aren’t the Sith their greatest enemies? More so than Mandalorians. Surely the Senate can’t stop them from this! And- And if they have the power to chase off a dragon- If they have a dragon of their very own…”

“Settle, Korkie. Settle,” Satine soothed, rising to her feet and reaching for him. He sank into her embrace and she held him gently. “Our first mission must be the safety of our people. I do not intend to go to bed tonight until I have spoken to the council so we can begin a possible evacuation. Tomorrow, I will contact the Jedi on Coruscant. At the very least, they may be able to provide advice.”

Korkie Kryze sighed and rested his head on his Aunt’s shoulder and hoped she was right.

Though he had been cautious to begin with, Obi-Wan had managed to walk up and through to the temple’s lower training levels where there was enough space for him to sit without attracting too much attention, although word was no doubt already spreading among the Jedi that there was something worth seeing down there. 

The rest of the Council that were still on Coruscant were soon summoned and they stood around in a polite semi-circle to assess the large and very feathery situation that had befallen on one of their most beloved members. Anakin and Ahsoka stood to the side, the former already noting that a couple of Temple Guards had arrived and taken up positions at the doors, watching the group with their expressionless masks covering their faces. 

“You say Master Kenobi still has use of the Force?” Master Ki-Adi-Mundi had begun the questions.

“It seemed so, yes,” answered Anakin.

“How has he been communicating with you?”

“Vaguely through feelings and basic thoughts passed over our training bond.”

Mace lifted his head and cast a side-long look towards Anakin and then to Obi-Wan as he furrowed his stern brow.

“…You have both maintained your Master/Padawan bond?” Mace’s voice deepened. “It has been some time since you have been knighted, Skywalker…”

Obi-Wan flattened his head feathers as Anakin swallowed and opened his mouth in defence but he was surprisingly cut off.

“Put away your judgment, Master Windu,” Yoda chuckled with a sparkle in his eye. “Know, I do, that old fragments of a bond with Depa, you still hold. Though a Padawan of her own, she has, hmm?”

Mace crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling to disguise his guilty expression, thankful that Depa and his Grand-Padawan Caleb were not present in the room.

The old Grand Master of the Order waddled round to the front of the dragon, reaching up a tiny hand to beckon him.

“Come, come, Obi-Wan! Come here,” he called like an impatient old man and Obi-Wan obediently lowered his head to rest on the floor. “Vague feelings and basic thoughts… unhelpful, that is. We must quieten the instincts of your wild side so communicate clearly, you can.”

“Like, with Telepathy?” Ahsoka breathed to herself. “That takes a lot of skill and training. I didn’t think there were many Jedi who could do that.”

“Study shows that the majority of Jedi who have access to the ability have been Masters with the experience of having trained a bonded Padawan to Knighthood,” said Plo Koon at her side. “Master Kenobi has shared close bonds and thoughts with his Master since he was 13 years of age and with that of Knight Skywalker since your Master was a mere 9 standard years. That is enough experience to begin building on that skill and Obi-Wan has always proven himself a quick learner. A quirk of your particular lineage.”

Ahsoka might have replied had she not been silenced by the amusing sight of Yoda springing up onto the dragon’s nose, like a little flea.

“Stay still,” Yoda was saying in warning as he shuffled up the length of poor Obi-Wan’s snout to his broad head, pausing to lean over and study his big blue eyes. Several Masters bit back smiles as, in an attempt to watch Yoda, Obi-Wan had now become humorously cross-eyed. With another little chuckle, Yoda patted his Great Grand-Padawan’s brow and settled down on the bridge of the snout to root himself in the fur which prompted Obi-Wan to blow a huff of air through his nose.

“It’s interesting that he has retained the colours of his tunics,” Plo Koon noted as Yoda began to meditate, casting an eye over the soft fur of the dragon’s body. “I wonder if he had also been wearing his Jedi robe… If that would have changed his colouring at all.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Anakin admitted. “Though it would make sense. Maul’s dragon form climbed out with metal legs.”

“And what was it you were saying about the stone?” Mace then asked, looking at Anakin and Ahsoka. “It is resonating with the same frequency as Kenobi’s Kyber Crystal. Did he have his lightsaber on him when he fell?”

“He did,” Anakin replied, trying not to recall the expression on Obi-Wan’s face when it had happened. The fact that his Master had the complete calm acceptance of his own death…

“Then is it being suggested that Master Kenobi has fused somehow with his own lightsaber?” Ki-Adi blinked in surprise. “Extraordinary.”

“Maul as well,” Ahsoka added. “He used it against Master Kenobi. A red plasma breath. I’ve not seen Master Kenobi use his though…”

“We can perhaps save that for when we need to test things,” Mace told her reassuringly with a slight smile.

It did nothing to soothe Anakin’s anxieties despite the smile that Ahsoka returned to Master Windu.

That word again. Test. Testing… 

A sudden growl snatched everyone’s attention as Obi-Wan suddenly lifted his head and swished his tail in agitation. Anakin felt a jab of discomfort through the bond and he stepped forward right as Mace encased the young Knight’s shoulder in his strong hand. Though Anakin was inclined to respond to that in anger, he realised that Master Windu’s expression was surprisingly compassionate and he projected a feeling of calm through the Force. 

“Oh dramatic, you are being,” came Yoda’s non-plussed voice from somewhere above their heads as the dragon arched his neck and crossly continued to growl and groan. “Acting like a Youngling, you are. Put your head down and stop being stubborn. Apologise, I do, for causing you the discomfort but almost finished, we are.” 

With a final groan, down came Obi-Wan’s head and he slumped forward in a defeated sprawl on the floor. Yoda was still a tiny little meditating figure in a nest of ivory fluff on the dragon’s head, sat so calmly and unfazed by the event. There was a slightly glazed look in Obi-Wan’s eyes as the pupils flickered in response to whatever was happening within his mind. Anakin would not dare peek in to try and find out. The last thing they needed was for Yoda’s hard work to go to waste. The other Masters kept quiet, closing their eyes one by one as they tasted the power of the Force being used in the room. They all felt it wrapping around Obi-Wan's mind, coaxing the wildness to rest and opening the Jedi's conscience more to the Unifying Force which could be used for Direct Telepathy. Obi-Wan had often proved himself more skilled with the Unifying Force in the past.

As each minute ticked by, Obi-Wan relaxed more and more and his eyes softened before they appeared to brighten and he lifted his head as though he had been splashed with cold water, which immediately caused Yoda to give him a little knock with his stick for almost throwing him off again. 

"Is it- Is everything okay?" Ahsoka asked. 

"Yes, yes," Yoda grumbled from high above. "Clearer, his mind is now and connected more to the Force. Yet still throwing his head around, he is." Another humorous bonk with his stick. "You forget your own strength and size, Obi-Wan. Be gentle. Let the Unifying Force use you. Now, to Anakin Skywalker you will speak, hmm? As you retain a bond with him, easier it will be." 

Anakin watched Obi-Wan's eyes turn in his direction and almost immediately a strong surge in the Force pierced his mind and with it came the well-known voice of his Master. 

"...Please tell me you are able to hear me, Anakin. I do not think I can take another hit of Master Yoda's cane..."

Anakin smiled. "I can hear you loud and clear, Obi-Wan."

"You can?" Ahsoka said in delight as the dragon visibly sighed in relief. "What is it like? Is it just Master Obi-Wan's voice?"

"Exactly that."

Yoda seemed satisfied and gave a nod, rubbing the now sore spot on Obi-Wan’s head that he’d been knocking his stick against. He picked himself up but instead of hopping down he went higher up so that he was now atop the dragon’s head and began to climb through the thick jungle of auburn mane, tittering away to himself as he crawled out of view. Yoda did whatever he liked and nobody had the energy to question him for it.

“I think we ought to send a detachment of Jedi to this planet where the Nexus was discovered,” Ki-Adi spoke up. “Was there anything significant you noticed about the area?”

Anakin described as best as he could with as much detail as he could remember though he had to rely on the Force to dig up the tiniest memories from his brain. Everything from the barren wasteland of dry powdery rock with its veins of blues and pinks and greens to the immensely aggressive tug of the Force to the pastel waters that glowed in the pit. He described the carvings of unidentifiable figures and the winged creatures that were shown around the enormous chamber and the belief that it was used as a place of sacrifice. Finally he mentioned the presence of the Sith and of Pre Vizsla and how it was thought that the pool of water was incredibly deep.

“But when Obi-Wan and Maul left the pool, it looked shallow,” Anakin finished. “Shallow enough for myself to stand in, I would say.”

“Yet it was deep enough for two Force Wielders to be pulled under the surface to undergo a transformation into large dragons,” Ki-Adi Mundi murmured thoughtfully. “Obi-Wan, now that you are able to communicate a little clearer with Anakin, are you able to describe the ordeal?”

Obi-Wan was keeping very still as he felt Yoda trek through the forest of mane to emerge unscathed on the other side, shuffling along the spine to admire the folded up wings. The diminutive Jedi might look as though he wasn’t paying attention but they all knew he was probably more alert to their conversation than the ones engaging in it. Folding in his paws over the chest stone, Obi-Wan took a moment to think.

“The water was warm. With Maul holding onto me, we sank down a great deal but he let go after a few seconds and I don’t recall seeing him until afterwards,” Obi-Wan explained to Anakin who relayed the information out loud to everyone else. “I do not… It was very bright at first but then it grew darker the further we went. I do remember feeling as though I were not in water. It felt quite dry actually and that was one of my last thoughts before…” 

Obi-Wan snaked his tail round and flicked it to his side.

“Was it painful?” Ahsoka asked in a soft voice.

“Painful… No,” came Obi-Wan’s answer. “No pain. Pressure. A great deal of pressure. It pushed and it pulled but I do not recall any pain. I couldn’t find my lightsaber. I know I had it in my hand when I fell but it wasn’t there anymore… and I couldn’t lift my hand to see because I couldn’t feel my hand. Couldn’t feel anything and I wondered if I had been rendered incorporeal.”

“And you couldn’t see or sense anything when it became dark?” Mace asked next.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and breathed gently as though in meditation.

“…Stars. I saw stars. Pathways and threads and so many stars. I cannot remember anything after that. Only coming to consciousness when we were up on the surface of the planet. And then again on the Resolute II.”

Plo Koon nodded after Anakin told this to everyone listening and lifted his communication device.

“I have contacted Jocasta Nu,” he explained. “She says she will go through the archives and the data base and see if anything of this sort matches.”

“If you ask me, it sounds as though Obi-Wan and Maul fell through a gateway to another plane,” Ki-Adi said slowly.

Ahsoka frowned and was about to ask about it when movement in her peripheral vision caused her to turn towards the doors. The Temple Guards were holding out hands to keep a gaggle of eager younglings out of the training hall.

“Ah, visitors, we have,” Yoda piped up merrily from the dragon’s back. He waved at the bright-eyed Initiates who were transfixed at the sight of Master Yoda standing on a large winged creature.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder and heaved out another sigh.

“Do you want me to move them along?” Anakin asked but Yoda shook his head.

“Impossible, it would be, to keep this from being a spectacle,” the Council Grand Master reasoned. “They will not settle until their curiosity is satisfied. Let them come in and sit on the benches and watch, they may. 

So with a nod of permission, the Temple Guards stood back and allowed the group of well-behaved younglings be herded in by a couple of apologetic crèche-masters who steered them to the audience benches. Ahsoka smiled at the excitement that some of the younger Initiates could not help but channel into the Force as they kept themselves from bouncing and hopping about. A few older Initiates meekly scurried in a few seconds later to stand nearby and Ahsoka immediately recognised some of them as belonging to the most recent group that had partaken of the latest Gathering and had earned their lightsabers. They were all whispering to one another and gazing in wonderment at the dragon that lay majestically in the middle of the enormous hall where many of them would one day perform and spar for their future Padawan Trials.

“Well, our unanticipated audience aside,” Mace said with an air of authority, “I suggest we assess Master Obi-Wan’s ability. We already know you are capable of walking but we would like to see how well you move and then perhaps see how your Force abilities might have been changed. Is this agreeable?”

Obi-Wan lifted his head and gave a snort of such agreement before rising to his feet and swishing his tail as Yoda finally leapt down to the ground, shuffling over to join the Younglings who greeted him with a great deal of affection. But their attention was quickly diverted when Obi-Wan began to walk around the hall with a proud stride, the claws on his feet tip-tapping against the polished floor. His walk became a trot and then as he came back round to the start, the trot turned into a relaxed canter. Anakin’s eyes gleamed and he dashed forward right as Obi-Wan sped past, leaping up and landing on the dragon’s back with a grin on his face as he gripped his Master’s mane of hair.

“This was not intended to be a circus performance, Skywalker,” Mace Windu sighed as the Initiates clapped and squeaked. But there was a glint of merriment in his eyes and as he turned around to join the other Masters on the sidelines he gave Ahsoka a smile and a resigned shake of his head.

Anakin wasn’t expecting the thrill of riding on the back of a dragon to be quite so strong. All knowledge that this was meant to be Obi-Wan Kenobi completely dissipated as a sense of power and confidence took a hold of him, causing him to lean forward with the dragon’s mane in his grip, relishing the breeze on his face and reminding himself that this was only a canter. With more space, they could go even faster...

He wanted nothing more than to be outside. He wanted nothing more than to fly…

As though responding to Anakin’s wishes, the wings either side of him began to twitch and Obi-Wan turned sharply to come to stop in the middle of the room, snapping his jaws and suddenly lifting his upper body off the ground to stand on his hind legs, lifting Anakin up over everyone’s heads as the wings unfolded. Further and further until they were fanned out to their full length, almost too long for the length of the enormous training hall. The eyes of every Jedi, Initiate to Master to Temple Guard, were on them and filled with awe.

From this height, Anakin noticed that the audience had grown. Jedi Knights and Masters and their Padawans were gathered around, completely amazed by the creature that was now displaying it’s full might for the benefit of anyone watching. Master Depa Billaba and her Padawan, Caleb Dume, were standing near Master Windu. With a single flap, the wind almost pushed the little younglings off their seats and they squealed and laughed in delight. 

“Show off!” laughed a voice from the side that Anakin thought he recognised and there were a few accompanying laughs.

“Yes, very impressive!” Depa laughed breathlessly, fixing her robes that had been disturbed by the gust. “The wings are much larger than I thought they’d be… Perhaps we should have gone outside.”

Anakin patted the head space between Obi-Wan’s head feathers.

“Hear that, Master?” he said quietly. “Larger than she thought. Now there’s a compliment.”

He gave a gulp as his stomach suddenly flew into his mouth due to Obi-Wan dropping back down onto all fours very rapidly.

“You are a terrible rider,” his Master grumbled into his head. “Any more of that talk and you can get down. Kicking me in the side and pulling my hair… It’s no wonder you destroy so many ships if that’s how you handle them.”

“Just you wait until we get airborne,” Anakin smirked. “You know I’m much better in the air.”

He felt a tightening in Obi-Wan’s neck.

“I’m already nervous.”

“Not if you leave the flying to me.”

“No, ESPECIALLY if I leave the flying to you!”

Mace Windu, in the meantime, had walked forward, eyeing the glowing blue Crystal in the dragon’s chest.

“Skywalker?” he called up.

Anakin grumbled in disappointment as he slid down Obi-Wan’s shoulder and ended up stood on the large paw.

“Yes, Master Windu?” he asked, trying to keep the sigh out of his breath.

“I didn’t want to keep shouting up at you. Now, the Kyber Crystal,” Mace said. “How do you feel about it, Obi-Wan?”

“I keep forgetting it is there, in all honesty,” Obi-Wan replied via Anakin. “It feels faintly warm, if anything, but nothing more than that.”

“Padawan Tano says Maul seemed to use his stone to attack you.”

Obi-Wan’s wings slowly lowered.

“I am afraid I do not remember that. I was not completely… in control at first. Not until we were safely back aboard the Resolute.”

“…May I?” Mace held out his hand carefully towards the stone and waited until the dragon nodded. 

Anakin watched with an unusual sense of protectiveness as Master Windu held his hand close to the large blue Kyber, his face soft and calm as he stretched out with the Force. Obi-Wan immediately tucked in his nose with a quiet whicker as the stone glowed a little brighter. Mace pulled his hand away and glanced round at the spell-bound onlookers, watching in respectful silence for the first time.

“…Do you think you would have the ability to activate it on command?” he then asked, glancing back.

Anakin looked up at his Master and saw the worried expression in his eye.

“I am not confident in any of my abilities right now. Certainly not near the Younglings.”

To that, Master Windu seemed to nod approvingly.

“That is good,” he said. “A matter for later maybe. We will check the data we have first before experimenting with anything else.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But that brings us to another issue. Until we have information from Master Nu, we are at a standstill. Perhaps we could look at your Force abilities in the meantime.” He gave a very rare smile of mischief. “Which might, of course, require the willing help of our audience…”

Glancing over, Yoda had the Initiates all on their feet with broad smiles on their faces. The Padawans were pulling at the sleeves of their Masters, seeking permission to join in on the upcoming fun. Many of the Knights were smiling fondly at the eagerness of the younger Jedi while a few of the older Knights and Masters were grinning wickedly at the dragon and it took Anakin another couple of seconds to recognise the faces of his Master’s childhood friends.

“May the Force be with you, Master,” Anakin smiled. “You’re going to need it…”

Chapter Text

With a sweep of his cloak, Count Dooku strode into his office with a sour expression at having been forced to abandon his tea just to answer an important call. 

“Lord Sidious.” His greeting was cold and dry as he accepted the frequency and the hooded figure of the Sith flickered into view.

“I am trusting that you are not currently preoccupied with anything important, Tyrannus?” Sidious greeted in kind. 

“Other than overseeing the war you are intent on playing with…” said Dooku with only a margin of mild hostility. “And would it matter if I were preoccupied? Your commands have always taken priority, have they not?”

Sidious ignored the tone of resentment.

“The Jedi have suffered a slight setback,” he informed his apprentice. “One that presents a problem for the Republic.”

“The sort that would give us an advantage if we were to take the opportunity to make an attack?” Dooku asked, a glimmer of interest in his cold eyes.

“I think not.” Sidious’s mouth, the only part of his face that was visible from beneath the hood, curled to create a cruel mixture of a smile and a sneer. “One of their High Council Masters has been involved in a terrible accident. But I am loathe to call it a severe blow. On the contrary, it has potentially given them a greater source of power which, if the Senate has anything to say, will cause intense problems to your Separatist armies.”

Dooku tilted his face slightly and frowned. “Forgive me, I am not sure I understand. What sort of accident?”

“An accident involving a Force Nexus, I am lead to believe. The Jedi has been changed into what we can only describe as the closest thing, a dragon. One that has fused with the Kyber Crystal of his own lightsaber, no less.”

“Fascinating…” Dooku folded his arms and stopped his hand from going to his chin. “Is it very large, this dragon?”

“A notable size,” Sidious said. “Nothing compared to the size of a Zillo Beast but substantial enough to contend with a Rancor I would say. A taller, more muscular version of a Varactyl, perhaps. But with wings. Does the description sound familiar to you?”

“There are many forms of dragon that exist in varying shapes and sizes and some do match that description. But it is the inclusion of a Force Nexus that interests me. How did this accident occur?”

“I am not privy to the details but it was the result of direct contact with a intensely powerful Nexus.”

Memories came to Dooku. Memories of a time when he had been a younger Jedi, jovially competing with the likes of his friends in the Temple and meeting with Jocasta in the Archives, hiding from her Master as they tried digging up old tales and legends from the past. 

“In which case, I recall reading about old cultures that would sacrifice Force Sensitive children ‘to the Galaxy’,” he said in a deep, slow voice as he revisited those texts. “Cultures that believed them to be gods trapped in mortal form and required that they be restored and released back to the stars so as to protect the planets. That sort of thing.”

The hybrid expression on Sidious’ lips gave up the sneer in favour of the calm smile.

“How quaintly juvenile,” he mused. “I have no interest in inflating the Jedi’s arrogant ego any further by acknowledging the suggestion that he might be likened to a god but I AM interested in exploring his potential usefulness. As I am sure you will be too.”

Dooku fought to not roll his eyes. 

“My skills in controlling unruly monsters are already being used to handle Grievous,” he said and then added, with a mild touch of venom, “Without an acolyte of my own, I simply do not have the time to be wrestling a dragon for you.”

He hadn’t fully forgiven Sidious for making him give up Ventress.

“Two dragons,” Sidious corrected. “Maul has suffered the same accident. And I am almost certain you will change your mind once I tell you that it was Kenobi that went down with him.” He savoured Dooku’s expression for a couple of seconds before continuing, “He has always been your preferred ‘acolyte’ of choice, hasn’t he? Don’t think I am not still aware of your questionable loyalty, Tyrannus, I know that you would not hesitate to try and overthrow me if you had Kenobi’s allegiance at your back.”

“And yet I don’t,” Dooku immediately replied. His hands curled up into fists. “Where are Obi-Wan and Maul now?”

“The Jedi have hidden Kenobi safely away in their Temple while Maul remains left in the dubious care of Mandalorian extremists,” replied Sidious and he leant forward, menacingly, the aura of the Dark Side leaking through the connection. 

“What is it you want me to do, my Lord?” asked Dooku tightly, avoiding his gaze.

Sidious’ voice lowered. “You are in contact with a scientist that has a great deal of knowledge in studies of the Force, are you not?”

Dooku felt a coldness tighten along his spine.

“Contact for military matters, biological warfare and nothing more,” he snapped, his discomfort on display. “And even then I would leave any such communication with the other Separatist leaders. I care to have nothing to do with that mad woman.”

“She is merely a scientist with visions too large for her capabilities,” Sidious said as though soothing a frightened child. “It might be considered sweet, in a way, that she seeks to harness a power not meant for her. Too big for her to hold. Take a little pity on her, Tyrannus, and humour her. She has her uses.”

“It is quite easy for you to say such things when you have not had to speak with her and withstand her hungry gaze.”

“A compliment. Take it as a compliment. She admires you for wielding the Force. Envious of a power she does not have.”

“I do not tolerate anyone looking at me as though I am a future experiment. No matter how renowned and brilliant her mind may be.”

“Then,” Sidious said darkly, “have her be contacted so we can draw her attention to other subjects. So long as she doesn’t get carried away, she can provide us with some results, I’m sure.”

Overlapping worries crowded themselves in Dooku’s mind as he tried to process Sidious’ suggestion.

The scientist who had once kept Qui-Gon locked up in her laboratory, drained him of his blood, tormented him and had experimented with his ability to use the Force… Who had sent a young 14 year old Obi-Wan into panic-induced recklessness in an attempt to find him... How prepared was he to conquer his emotions and willingly divert her attention to Obi-Wan again? 

"How are you expecting to get both of them to her?" he asked carefully. "With Maul in the clutches of Mandalorians and Kenobi hidden away by Jedi, you're dealing with two very defensive groups of people."

“Defensive, yes,” Sidious agreed. “But that hardly matters where the beasts themselves are concerned. They are only in control so long as they are kept apart. The Jedi and Mandalorians will be able to do nothing if Kenobi and Maul decide that they have their own issues between them to settle.”

“Then your plan?”

Sidious smiled and leaned away.

“I have a few ideas. None of which you need to know right now. Contact Dr Arbor and tell her that I will be in touch.”

Death Watch had not known what to make of their new dragon and they hadn’t been so kindly welcoming as the Jedi had been. Savage had found his hand moving towards his lightsaber when the cargo ramp had lowered and a swarm of Mandalorian extremists were standing around with blasters ready and pointing in their direction. It had taken Pre Vizsla a considerable amount of time to coax them back far enough that Savage felt comfortable enough to allow Maul to follow behind him. 

Not that Maul was necessarily feeling inclined to listen to him. His body may have changed shape but he still regarded himself as master and Savage was still his apprentice. Standing beside him, he looked down his nose at the Death Watch warriors with only indifference and didn’t even feel they were worth feeling amused by. He barely flicked a head-fin as he walked forwards confidently to the musical entourage of several blasters clicking and locking into a readied state.

As for the members of the criminal syndicates that had recently been roped into the new Shadow Collective, they kept their distance. Some of them had already been threatened by Maul while he was humanoid and smaller, they were not jumping at the chance to earn his attention while he was larger and could spit the light of his own sword at them. 

Vizsla directed the brothers to a cave which they had re-hashed into their weapons storage, claiming it was the only place spacious enough to accommodate Maul but, as they approached, Maul stopped and stamped his front feet with a snap of his jaws. He spread his wings and gave them a slow flap. He refused to enter a space where he could be easily trapped and instead sat outside, keeping his wings spread out to emphasise his commitment in remaining outside where he could take to the air at the first sign of an ambush.

“It would seem that, in the absence of Kenobi, your brother is able to use that brain strategically,” Vizsla said to Savage. “I find myself respecting his logic.”

Savage did not appreciate the insult that was hidden behind those words.

“If you are suggesting that he is incapable of strategic thought while in Kenobi’s presence, then I might upset my brother more by taking your head off.”

“You deny, then, that he endangered our troops when he took off after the Jedi on that planet?” Vizsla replied. “Tunnel vision is easy to spot in any creature and nobody has admitted to having a sound mind when in the midst of it. I was there, Opress, and I saw two strong users of the Force devolve into primitive animals.”

“You do not understand the nature of the Dark Side,” Savage growled. “It is fuelled by the natural emotions of anger and rage. You might have only seen a primitive animal. I saw a Sith using his power. Who then, of the two of us, do you think is in danger of underestimating my brother?”

Vizsla smiled.

“By your reasoning then,” he answered, his voice quiet, “I would say we both are. If I am underestimating his ability, then you are underestimating his hatred of the Jedi.”

Savage glared as he watched the Mandalorian leader walk away to arrange to have his tent pitched nearer to the dragon and left the two Sith to be silently watched by the rest of the camp. Glancing to Maul, it only took a look to know that his brother had heard every word.

“Perhaps something to be cautious of, brother,” Savage said as he drew near to Maul. “How much control do you have over your instincts if Kenobi were to show himself again?”

In the dim light of the torches, Maul’s golden Sith eyes glowed and for the first time, Savage felt a twinge of fear. But then the large head came forward, a deep chuffing noise sounding in the throat, and hovered by Savage’s side, not looking at him. With his organic hand, Savage placed his palm against the dragon’s thick skin but he felt the rage and desire pulsating through the Force like an icy sting.

Rage… Revenge… Power… Patience…

The feelings came in a string of strong waves and Savage listened to each one.

“We cannot trust these Mandalorians,” he murmured. “I know you know that. But until we know more about what has happened to you, we have little choice but to attack Mandalore. I will do all in my power to keep you from being enslaved by these people but it will be hard if they only think of you as a wild beast.”

A pause.

“I would not put it past Vizsla to find any excuse to have you chained and caged. We have very few allies here…”

All of a sudden, Maul’s feelings changed.

Patience… Power… Revenge… Rage… Suspicion… Stranger…

Frowning, Savage glanced over and saw his brother’s keen predatory eyes honed in on something behind him and then, not a second later, the feeling of a presence approaching. The Zabrak turned and found one of the Death Watch Mandalorians in red painted armour coming their way. At a short distance, he stopped and stiffly saluted with a fist to his chest.

“My lords,” he greeted respectfully, “Alor Vizsla requests that you meet with him in the next hour. He fears that Duchess Kryze will soon learn of your presence.” He lowered his hand. “Though it is understandable if you feel as though such a summons is beneath you…”

Sure enough, Maul lifted his head and fanned his sails with a growl, thumping his metal tail against the ground. 

To this, the Mandalorian bowed again. 

“Your sentiments are noted, my Lord. Perhaps I can therefore suggest he come to you instead?”

“Until your people get used to seeing true power walking among them,” Savage said, “then yes, he would best come to us. You, at the very least, seem to have an understanding and a respect for power.”

“I am a born child of Mandalore and so I know that the strong must always rule,” said the Mandalorian. He removed his helmet to reveal a stern face as he bent a knee and placed his blaster on the ground in front of him. “I acknowledge the power of the Sith Dragon.”

Maul lowered his sails and flexed his claws, a smile forming on his draconic face which naturally showcased his teeth.

“…My brother appreciates your intelligent mind,” Savage said and folded his arms. “You are impressive. What is your name?”

“Gar Saxon.”

“Then, Gar Saxon,” Savage spoke after glancing at his brother for confirmation, “we will aid you in claiming Mandalore. Go to Vizsla. We will wait for him here.”

Rising, Saxon placed his helmet back on his head and left.

Savage could almost hear Maul’s mind at work and he chuckled darkly. 

“I sincerely hope you ARE able to control yourself, brother,” he said. “Or at the very least, I hope the Jedi do not show up before we can witness the fulfilment of your schemes. You are planning something big again, aren’t you?”

In reply, Maul roared. 

To his credit, Anakin was doing his best. He really was. He couldn’t have put more effort into hiding his smile if he tried. His hand was over his mouth, his fists pressed into his lips that were trying desperately to curl up and grin. He gripped his arm and hugged himself desperately, fighting to keep hold of his composure as much as possible but…

“Twelve years…” rumbled the voice of Obi-Wan in his mind. “Twelve long years. Twelve long, stressful years of providing you with food, with knowledge, with skill and technique, with comfort… enduring every teenage tantrum, every fight, every night you were sick, every scream and shout, every laugh and every emotional breakdown. And here it is. Your appreciation.”

In the centre of the Hall, the proud dragon form of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had been brought flat to the ground under the power of the Younglings. His head was between his paws and he was keeping Perfectly Still so that the Padawans could sit on his head and plait his mane and the Initiates could climb up his shoulders and onto his back and so that the other Younglings could giggle and hide underneath his outstretched wings. But his eyes were fixated on the Jedi’s Chosen One who had taken a step back, allowing the situation to unfold in front of him and who even had the audacity to find it amusing.

“I will remember this.” He was still berating him. “I will recall this exact memory when you next find yourself in trouble with the Council. And instead of defending you as I usually have to do, I might just turn my chair around and admire the view of Coruscant through the window for once…”

“Doubt you can fit in that chair right now,” Anakin cheekily replied and with that he lost the struggle to maintain composure.

He bent over and laughed aloud to think of the renowned Jedi Council meeting together and solemnly taking their seats and waiting without speaking for the sounds of Obi-Wan trying and failing to sit in a chair that was now humorously too small for him to ebb away. Straightening up, Anakin had a few seconds to catch his breath before he made the mistake of looking at Mace Windu and went doubling over yet again with another loud peel of laughter, envisioning the irritated arch of Master Windu’s eyebrow as he deferred to Master Kenobi for an opinion and having to look over to see the large furry dragon trying to politely sit in the chair with his feet all squished and all the limbs and fluff spilling over the armrests and…and… 

“Anakin, breathe!” Ahsoka cried, thumping the Knight on his back. She was beginning to worry her Master wasn’t going to get enough oxygen.

Obi-Wan’s enormous sigh almost had a little Initiate go rolling off the side but he caught him with the Force before any harm was done. 

He had demonstrated his skills with the Force admirably by moving objects and catching things that the Padawans threw at him. He had even passed a modified version of the test that the Younglings had to go through to become Initiates by guessing the images on a data-pad and correctly resting his paw by the matching image that showed up on the hologram discs that some of the Knights had produced for the test.

Now, while they awaited Jocasta Nu’s arrival, they were allowing the younger members of the Temple to get the novelty of the dragon out of their system. They had run around the Hall with their training sticks and showed off their abilities, some trying to slide down the dragon’s tail, taking it turns to see who had enough strength in the Force to leap over it while others engaged Obi-Wan in a friendly game of tug-of-war. The Initiates that had partaken of the Gathering, such as Petro and Byph, were showing him their new lightsabers and were secretly relishing the looks of envy from the younger students though they were quickly discouraged from sparring one another. One eager Youngling had tried lifting a lip to marvel at the long fangs and had been cross to find themselves lifted away by a crèche master.

“But it’s only Master Obi-Wan…” the Youngling had protested.

All Younglings knew that Master Obi-Wan was gentle and wouldn’t hurt a fly. He only hurt Sith. That’s what the Padawans and Knights said - they said he fought the first Sith to be seen in a thousand years and he had won! But regardless of his gentleness, the Masters deemed that they had been away from their schooling long enough and the disappointed Initiates were all lead away to return to the classrooms and salles, ignoring the smug looks from the Padawans who were allowed to stay with their Masters.

“What are your non-Force senses like?” asked one of Obi-Wan’s old friends, Master Muln. He had very recently knighted his Padawan and was still getting used to the newly obtained rank of ‘Master’. But as of right now, as he paced around the dragon and poked at him, he wasn’t exactly giving off an air of experienced wisdom. 

Obi-Wan blew through his nose and lifted his head which made a couple of Padawans go sliding down onto his back as he folded his paws over each other and drew in his wings again. 

“He said something about you needing a shower and that he could hear what you and Master Eerin were saying in the corner,” Anakin translated as he stepped up to his Master’s neck, still wiping the giggle-fit residue from his face. “He says he will leave that answer up to your own interpretation.”

“That could just be him knowing us too well,” Master Bant Eerin smiled and turned to politely greet her own former Master as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I anticipate that you will have the opportunity to discuss things later,” Master Fisto said to her with a soft expression. He had lost a Padawan during the War thanks to General Grievous and the other masters knew he was still overcoming his grief but despite this, he allowed a flash of affection pass through to Bant. Nearly all the masters maintained old bonds with their former Padawans, despite Master Windu’s comment, though very few admitted to them out loud. “Unfortunately, it may be time for Obi-Wan’s distractions to excuse themselves. Master Nu, I feel, is almost here.”

“Distractions?” laughed Jedi Knight Reeft. “Charming.”

Obi-Wan waited for the masters and knights to collect their Padawans with the help of Ahsoka - though it took her and Master Tapal an extra minute to coax spirited young Cal Kestis down off his shoulders - and watched them leave one by one. Master Billaba was having a polite argument with her own Padawan who insisted that because his master was with the Council, they should both be allowed to stay. In the end, poor Caleb had to sigh and leave to attend training with nothing but a reassuring pat on the back from his Grandmaster, Master Windu. Ahsoka chose to stay where she was: in the cosy dip between Obi-Wan’s shoulder blades.

Master Jocasta Nu entered the Hall just as she entered any room; she walked with the speed and strut of a confident young Knight with her chin high, her eyes keen, and an air that challenged anyone in her way. As an elderly human, she had trained many Padawans during her years and while some of them were out on archeological missions or aiding Clone Troopers on the front lines, her eldest and youngest students could be found tending to the archives or, as was proven now, found at her side to assist in carrying books and data pads.

One of her brows twitched as she caught sight of the rather large animal in the Hall and she kept her gaze on him until she had come to a firm stop by Master Yoda’s side, her robes swishing around her feet. The Padawan beside her appeared a second later, breathing heavily as he tried keeping up and fumbling with the stack in his arms.

“How funny,” she commented, “I was anticipating a much larger creature. The images you sent were misleading.”

Anakin pursed his lips and felt defensive. “Well his wings count for half his size so…”

Master Nu ignored him by walking over and jerking her hand to wave Obi-Wan up off the ground. The young Master huffed quietly and obediently rose up into a polite sitting position with his front paws held neatly together in front of him. Ahsoka held on tightly to the fur and climbed up to straddle the neck slightly in a bid to keep from sliding down his back. While he had fully drawn in his impressive wings by this time, he still took the opportunity to raise his head above the Librarian, puffing his chest and shaking his mane.

“Yes, yes, very mighty,” Jocasta murmured, not at all impressed by his display. She was keenly examining the large Kyber Crystal in his chest and she confidently started parting his fur to see where it was embedded in the skin. Both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan looked down and watched with confusion. Whatever it was that she was confirming for herself was evidently found and she stepped back to fold her hands into her sleeves, a genuine look of interest coming into her expression.

“The Archives were able to provide information?” Master Windu said questioningly. 

“Naturally. The Archives are always able to provide information,” Jocasta replied and, without wasting time, immediately explained her findings. “The search lasted a little longer than I would have liked though it is such an obscure and unlikely issue that perhaps that can be forgiven. In simple terms, Master Obi-Wan has become the latest offering to the Force, according to the culture and traditions of a Sect of Force Worshippers.” Master Nu nodded to her assistant who eagerly hurried to deposit a data pad in her hand. “These primitive Sects were dotted about the Galaxy, often colonising around Force Nexus points - including sites of various Temples. They believed that offerings and sacrifices were needed to keep the Force in balance and to ensure peace and I am afraid they were both in reverence and abhorrence of the Jedi. Our gift to use the Force was considered blasphemous to them and only the gods were worthy of such power. As such they came to believe that the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic and the Sith Lords must have been gods trapped in mortal bodies and the unfortunate people that had sadly chosen to live around a Dark Force Nexus took it upon themselves to… well, release them from such a curse. Violently.”

On the data pad, images and pictures of old carvings and stone tablets flashed by.

“Some speak of certain Force Nexus points as also being pathways to other planes where the Force Dwells,” Master Nu continued, allowing members of the Council to take the datapad from her to read it better. “One group of these Force Worshippers found a much kinder way of ’releasing’ Jedi to the Force as their ‘true selves’. Force Sensitive children and any captured Jedi were sacrificed to the Nexus and would be ‘restored’ and might thus reward their faithful followers by flying off into the Galaxy to protect it and keep the balance. If they are to be believed, Master Kenobi is currently showcasing a Jedi’s ‘True Form’.”

“Rather ostentatious, isn’t it?” Mace Windu could not help but comment.

“You think Obi-Wan is ostentatious, you should see Maul,” Anakin said. “The Force gave him wings but felt that it was too much to give him back his legs.” He smiled slightly to himself and looked up to share the joke with Ahsoka but she was lying on Obi-Wan’s head, stroking his fur in an attempt to smooth it down. His Master had quickly bristled at the mention of Maul’s name.

Though it wasn’t only Obi-Wan that responded to the mention of a Sith. The other Masters frowned and exchanged glances though their feelings in the Force appeared calm.

“Yes… You said this Nexus accepted both Master Kenobi and Darth Maul,” Ki-Adi spoke in a thoughtful tone. “Any Force Wielder, Light and Dark, was compatible then. The Troopers did not experience a pull?”

“No, it seemed not,” replied Anakin. “And I do not know what the effect would be if Commander Cody had taken a dip instead of Master Obi-Wan.”

“I would like to request an expedition of sorts to investigate this planet,” Jocasta said. “For information and to begin searching for a way to reverse what has been done. If such a thing is possible.”

A pitiful little squeak came from Obi-Wan as he dropped his head sadly which was immediately followed by a bark of surprise as Ahsoka came tumbling over his forehead with a yelp. She only just managed to grab his mane in time and was left sprawled over Obi-Wan’s face, gazing right into his eyes with her limbs hanging either side of his snout. He whined an apology and lifted his nose so she could scramble back to the top of his head.

“I’m ok, Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka assured him but she made sure to keep a hold of the hair this time.

It took the Masters only a couple of minutes to discuss the issue before a general plan was drawn up: Obi-Wan would finish his training to control his new form on Coruscant and Jocasta Nu would put together a team to travel to the coordinates of the Nexus. More than one Master expressed concern about the Senate’s approval but they would have to leap that bridge when they got to it.

A sudden alert on Mace Windu’s communicator took the attention away from such a plan; the Duchess of Mandalore was calling and her plea was clear for everyone listening to hear. Her holographic form appeared floating above the device. She was dressed in a floor-length dress and her hair was tied up in a bun. Her face was, as usual, solemn and beautifully stern as was her voice which came through clearly.

“To the esteemed Jedi Council,
I recognise that our political standing and our tumultuous history with your Order does not do me much favour and while I am aware that a call on behalf of Mandalore will not be received with much compassion by your Senate, I do regret to inform you that we may be in need of your assistance. 
Dire news has reached me of Death Watch’s activities and though I am aware that our terrorist problems are not your concern, it is my duty to make you aware that Death Watch have allied themselves with the Sith and one of them has taken on a monstrous form.”

The image of Satine Kryze flickered away to be replaced with the image of a dragon and the Jedi Council finally saw Maul’s appearance for the first time while the voice of the Duchess continued to speak.

“I am in the process of evacuating my people to safety but should this creature find a home on Mandalore, I fear for the safety of the Galaxy beyond the Mandalorian Empire. I do not make this request for my own sake for I know the Republic would not approve but I do make this request out of respect for what the Jedi are meant to represent: the Force. I ask you meditate on this and send, at the very least, your recommendation on how to deal with Sith. I am reliably told there are some among you with appropriate… experience… in this particular subject. As a great believer in pacifism, I would seek some form of negotiation…”

“All this subliminal wording… She may as well have just asked for Obi-Wan by name at this point,” Anakin thought to himself.

Quite without meaning to, Obi-Wan had got to his feet when he had heard Satine’s voice and he twitched and had growled at the image of Maul.

“Deliberate but do not delay, I beg. May the Force be with you.”

And then she was gone.

“Mandalore is a neutral territory,” Ki-Adi grunted. “The Senate would forbid our involvement.”

“Well who says we need to tell them?” Anakin quickly replied. “I doubt the Senate would like Obi-Wan experimenting with the Kyber Crystal while on Coruscant so we tell them we are going off-world. It makes sense.”

“Your ability to come up with excuses causes concern,” Mace Windu muttered with an eye roll. “But if that is what Maul has become then I will admit that Obi-Wan will be one of our best counters against him.”

“The Jedi has never ignored the threat of Sith,” Yoda said, having spent several long minutes keeping quiet. “Obliged, we are, to support the Republic Senate. Protect, we must, the innocents caught in the crossfire of war. But the darkness of the Sith… too evil, it is, to allow free in the Galaxy. Agree with Master Windu, I do.”

Nodding, Mace folding his arms and nodded to Jocasta. “We will continue with the plan to restore Master Kenobi to his previous body so I will leave the arrangements for the expedition to you, Master Nu. But in the meantime, we are obliged to answer this threat to Mandalore.”

“And you know what that means, Master?” Anakin smiled, looking up at Obi-Wan with a twinkle in his eye. “It means we are going to have to get you in the sky…”

Chapter Text

Bo-Katan knew that she would be expected at the meeting with Pre Vizsla and the Sith but since she was almost caught mid-communication with Satine, she felt as though the Sith especially would be able to tell that she was acting unfaithfully to Death Watch’s cause. Whether it would be within their interests to expose her to Vizsla or not, she couldn’t tell but it wasn’t a risk she wanted to take.

She only wanted Satine to run off to the Republic and then she could focus her energies and strength into the conquering of Mandalore without the fear of become the last of her Clan.

There was also the matter of her nephew, Korkie, who was so close to her in age that she felt more like his cousin than his aunt. Though Vizsla hadn’t made mention of him yet, she was certain that if he did not pledge his loyalty to Death Watch as Bo had done then he would also be executed alongside Satine. She didn’t claim to know the boy very well - she couldn’t even be sure that she knew which of her distant siblings had produced him - but all of Mandalore was aware of how close he was with the Duchess. Not close enough to warrant an official adoption though it seemed which was… odd.

Was one of his parents still alive somewhere? Was it to spare Korkie from the full wrath of Death Watch and make him less of a target? Or was the truth a little more scandalous than that…?

Bo-Katan shook him from her mind. She’d had those fleeting thoughts ever since Korkie’s existence was made known to her but she dared not entertain it for long, fearing she might let slip a theory that ought never to be brought to Death Watch’s attention. Or anyone else’s for that matter.

“You’ve been notably absent,” came a low voice from the right which cut through her racing thoughts like a knife. Emerging from the shadow of one of the tents stepped Pre Vizsla. “I am beginning to wonder if you’ve been avoiding me.”

The young teenager, absent of her helmet, felt as though all her mind were exposed before him. But despite being raised as a warrior rather than a diplomat, she was still a daughter of Clan Kryze and, as such, she schooled her expression into something more calm and collected before she turned to face him, her eyes betraying nothing but determination in the flickering light of the torches. 

“No need to wonder,” she replied without the slightest waver in her voice, “I have been avoiding you. I’ve been avoiding everyone at the moment. The criminal syndicates and the Sith especially.”

Vizsla chuckled and took his helmet off as though that would put her at ease. He was smiling but he had averted his eyes from her to his left hand which he flexed slowly, either easing out recent activity or warming up for some.

“I know you do not trust them,” he said.

Bo-Katan could not keep the scoff away. “It goes beyond mistrust, Vizsla. I cannot help but see them as enemies who will gladly betray us the second they see a chance.”

“The Shadow Collective won’t try anything rash while we have the power on our side.”

“Are you referring to the brothers?” She lowered her voice, gazing down in the vague direction of where she had seen the Sith go after landing. “Because what assurance do we have that they are on our side at all? You don’t believe they are interested in our people, surely…”

“Of course not.” It was now Vizsla’s turn to scoff. “Savage is the easy one - he only seeks a place at his brother’s side. As for Maul, he wants vengeance. But he IS a Sith, through and through, and if there is one thing that everyone knows about Sith is that they are selfish, dangerously ambitious and have a flair for grasping opportunity when it comes calling. So no, they are not interested in our politics or people. Not yet.” He lowered his flexing hand and stepped up close to Bo-Katan’s side. “But I still believe we have the power on our side. Despite what Savage argues, Maul is not the same man we met before. He’s an animal now and animals can always be relied on to submit to stronger opponents. Even the legendary Mythosaur of Mandalorian folklore was tamed.”

“He isn’t a Mythosaur,” Bo quickly reminded him.

“No. But doesn’t he remind you of one?” Pre asked and reached up to delicately move a strand of hair out of her face before he lifted his chin and grinned to the stars as his hand rested on the hilt of his weapon. “The Dark Saber is mine by birthright. But if that is not enough to convince the Mandalorian People that I am destined to rule them then they can bear witness to Pre Vizsla of Clan Vizsla, Wielder of the Dark Saber, take the throne of Mandalore while mounted atop the back of a bestial Sith Lord. Find me one warrior who would not bow to that.”

Bo swallowed down the knot of trepidation that was coiling itself up in her throat.

“That would require me to find one that manages to survive the chaos that he will no doubt spread,” she said.

For a minute, Vizsla said nothing in response. But when he finally turned his head to look her, there was something terrifying and demonic in his eye.

“Mark my words, Bo-Katan,” he spoke in a voice too deep as he began to lift his helmet back onto his head, “our people’s heritage will be restored through chaos and our beskar armour will be reforged in dragon-fire.”

Bo-Katan could say nothing back as she watched him walk away.

He had not told her to follow him. She was not wanted.

“He’s going mad,” she thought to herself.

With the power of Maul, he would run the risk of tearing the city to pieces in order to find Satine and then he would all but feed her to the dragon after making an example of her. Keeping her alive to use her in luring in the Jedi seemed a far fetched idea now, especially since Kenobi’s presence would surely only provoke Vizsla’s new would-be pet.

Unless…

Bo-Katan stared off into the distance.

Unless Pre Vizsla wanted that. He would showcase his power by saving the people of Mandalore from two monsters, conquering them as proof of his superiority over the pacifist Duchess who would not dare betray her own deluded morals to stop them. Not when one of them was also a former bodyguard of whom she was intimately fond of.

Turning, the young Kryze walked briskly back towards her tent, not running to raise suspicion.

It was becoming increasingly evident that the worst thing for the Jedi to do was to send their own dragon. Somehow, she had to convince them to keep Kenobi away from Mandalore all the while trying to get her blasted sister off that blasted planet! 

Far out on a Separatist controlled world, deep within the network of an underground military base, a middle-aged woman sat at her desk with a cup of hot caf in her hands, tapping the heel of her boot against the leg in a steady rhythm in time with the hum of her laboratory engines and the beeping of her computer. The blonde hair of her youth was beginning to show streaks of silver grey and despite being tied up above her head, a few curling strands hung over her face where she was gazing into her cup with a delighted smirk on her face.

The Separatists had presented her with a variety of enjoyable challenges in the name of biological warfare and despite the fact that she discretely found it to be an insult that she had not been consulted in the re-engineering of the Blue Shadow Virus, she had dived into her work without much complaint. After all, she could proudly say she had a hand in engineering the dreaded Stone Mite insects that devoured whole buildings and starships and the deadly poison gas that had been used to wipe out a colony of Gunguns once. Let them praise that ridiculous Doctor Nuvo Vindi for his airborne strain of the Blue Shadow Virus - it did him no good in the end. She would have laughed to see him try and comprehend her earlier work involving the Zone of Self-Containment drug.

Yet her specialising skills in biological warfare was an emotional drain when her personal interests lay elsewhere. She yearned to resume her former research and testing on trying to understand and harness the greatest power in the Galaxy…

Finally, after having received a call from none other than Count Dooku, she could dare to hope that her true scientific passion would be allowed to take flight again.

Blowing the steam that rose from her cup, she reached across to her datapad and began to bring up all the information she had gathered years ago - starting with the experiments she had performed with an impressively resilient Jedi known as Qui-Gon Jinn…

The wind blowing in his face was exhilarating and crisp and everything that Anakin knew it would be. His locks of hair blew back off his face so that there was nothing to hide his grin and he looked out at the view of Coruscant without any cockpit glass to obstruct his gaze. It was almost like riding in an open-top speeder except this felt more dangerous and even more thrilling and now… now he could feel it: the Force. Subtle at first but clearly distinct, wrapping itself around his fingers as he gripped the golden mane of it’s draconic host. The promise of adrenaline and of freedom and-

Well… maybe not quite. There was now a slight issue. 

Things had begun well enough. Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan had made their way up one of the towers to the roof so that Obi-Wan could practice flying with his wings and Master Yoda and Master Windu, not surprisingly, had joined them. Along with all the eyes that were not so sneakily watching from the various salles underneath, to say nothing of the stares from astonished drivers that drove by below.

The air blew strong around the turrets of the Temple and Ahsoka had to centre herself in the Force to keep from being pushed. Yoda, the smallest and lightest of them all, showed no sign that the strong winds were bothering him in the slightest and he settled his stick in front of him patiently to watch. 

Obi-Wan had stepped to the edge and had looked over at the immense height, wrinkled his nose, wrapped his tail around his paws and kept his wings firmly tucked in. But, as true to himself as ever in the face of duty, that had only lasted a second before he shook himself and moved to a more spacious spot.

Anakin had decided that Ahsoka would not join him on the ‘maiden flight’ until he had a better understanding of how his Master flew but he sprang up Obi-Wan’s front leg without any hesitation, once again living up to his reputation as he sat himself down on his Master’s back with his legs either side of the neck but tucking his feet up on the shoulders as though he were a race jockey. He could feel through the bond that Obi-Wan was likely thinking that he could have at least wiped his feet before… Ah well, he would make it up to him.

He had waited while Obi-Wan roused his wings again, ruffling them and feeling the air blow around his feathers as he turned to face into the wind. Somewhat reluctantly, the wings had slowly begun to open, inch by inch, until the strength of the wind was so much that it suddenly pushed the wings out into a full spread and threatened to lift them into the air immediately. It had taken Obi-Wan, after letting out a small roar of alarm, a few seconds to find his balance.

It was, Anakin had admitted to himself, a little alarming for him as well. He didn’t relish the thought of being whisked away into the air to an untimely death and then have to sheepishly face Master Qui-Gon as he became One With The Force and say ‘whoops’. Then again, he’d reasoned, maybe he wouldn’t die. If he was meant to fulfil a prophecy then the Force would keep him safe! And besides, he was with his Master. He could get himself out of any trouble so long as he had the protection of the Force and Master Kenobi to save him.

As for Master Kenobi himself… He was less confident about his place in the grand scheme of things. As far as Kenobi knew, he was utterly expendable to the Force and now that Anakin was Knighted and not bound to him anymore, he was likely not needed for any ‘prophecy’ so his death could very well be waiting for him to get blown into a passing ship’s engine port.

Another strong gust had caused him to cry out as all four feet were pulled off the roof and he had hurriedly flapped to grab the top of the spire before he could be blown away.

And that had been the extent of their progress. 

“Master? Master, you’re going to- You’re going to have to let go…” Anakin tried saying for a second time, leaning round the neck of the Jedi Dragon and patting him with assurance. “The Jedi Temple does not need us to flutter here in the wind like a flag. No-one is going to pledge themselves or salute us. If anything, we’re only going to cause traffic accidents because we’re distracting the drivers. Come on, Obi-Wan, let go.”

Gripping the spire with his front paws, Obi-Wan was technically ‘airborne’ in that his body was horizontal, off the ground and being kept aloft by his wings. His back legs were tucked underneath his tail and he kept adjusting his wings to keep steady. 

“I am merely getting acquainted with the… the air. The wind,” Obi-Wan told him. “It’s extremely blustery up here.”

“You’ve been ‘acquainting’ yourself with the air for nearly fifteen minutes. Come on, you were always so calm during my flying lessons. Besides the close calls. I was told you used to be an impressive pilot back in the day.”

“Flying under the strength of a secondary pair of limbs is not quite like flying a starship,” Obi-Wan grumbled. “And near death experiences tend to take the fun out of things you used to love. I thought I had got you to do the flying now.”

“If you want me to do the flying,” Anakin smiled and patted him again, “you’re going to have to let go…”

“Don’t rush me! We’ll go blowing off into the Senate Building if we’re not careful and then we’ll get some strong words sent our way.”

“You were flying about beautifully before.”

“That was- No, that’s not the same. I was different. Running on instinct. Just give me a moment… and stop digging your toe into my neck.”

“Sorry.”

In amongst the air currents, Anakin then felt the Force around him, drawing itself in and humming peacefully between every strand of the dragon’s fur under his palms as he held on to his Master’s neck. It warmed him so that coldness of the air no longer bothered him and it made him feel safe and secure even though he had no harness, no protective speeder chair or cockpit to keep himself from falling. It was as though Anakin, sat quietly on the back, was permitted a first-row seat to his Master’s moving meditation session that he was clearly partaking in.

“Feel… don’t think…”

He heard Obi-Wan’s voice. That was what Qui-Gon used to say…

Then, in barely a second, Anakin’s breath and thoughts were whipped from him and the Temple suddenly shrank away as he realised that they were no longer attached to the spire. All around were clouds and the sound of a pair of furiously flapping wings. Gripping tighter, Anakin let out an exhilarating whoop!

Through the Force, he felt his own Padawan cheer back at him.

Obi-Wan’s full concentration was on the wind and working out how to use it to his advantage. Soon he felt confident enough to keep aloft without needing to pump his wing muscles quite so hard and he coasted on the airflow with a degree of calm that Anakin was not showcasing at all. He wasn’t frightened - far from it; the young man was stretching out his arms and laughing gleefully as he gazed down at the nauseating drop below, relishing in the expressions on the passing motorists and soaking up the exhilaration.

Without further encouragement, Obi-Wan tucked his front paws under his chest beside his Kyber stone and gave a strong flap, pushing himself forward and catching a current to wheel around the spires of the Temple. Mace Windu shared a chuckle of victory with a smug looking Yoda who seemed especially proud while Ahsoka began to wish that she had been allowed to ride as well and was already making it her personal mission to be allowed a ride at some point.

“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” Anakin crowed as he felt his tummy flip under a sudden drop due to the dragon’s decision to dip round and ride another fast air current through the spires.

“I am merely mastering this flying technique,” Obi-Wan replied but Anakin could feel the smile hiding behind the emotions. 

“And having fun at the same time.”

“It’s really quite enjoyable once you get used to it,” his Master admitted and partook of another fly-by of the salles to please the utterly distracted Jedi Students. “And my wings aren’t feeling as tired as I imagined they would be-”

He suddenly let out a roar of surprise when he felt his direction change with a tug of his mane, steering him onto the path of a totally different air current which lifted him up and carried him away from the Temple. 

Anakin had a fistful of his Master’s golden mane in each hand which he was pulling to the left while he pressed his heels into Obi-Wan’s shoulders to urge him on faster.

“Look at that, I can steer you! Now THIS is pod-racing!”

“Anakin, stop! That’s highly disorientating and it doesn’t make me feel safe at all!”

“I won’t let you crash.”

“That’s not what I mean!”

But his former Padawan’s child-like whoop of glee was a little too endearing for Obi-Wan to truly get cross and he decided to indulge Anakin just this once and let him have his fun. So long as they didn’t get into trouble. That summarised their Master-Padawan relationship over the years beautifully. 

“Come on! Let’s fly by Padmé’s Apartment!” Anakin suddenly said, already pulling Obi-Wan to the side to sail over the traffic lanes towards the Senator apartments. 

“If you kick me ONE more time…” Obi-Wan threatened but it was too late. With a tug and a kick, they were already on their way.

Amid the hum of speeders and ships flying by, Senator Amidala’s afternoon ambience was switched to an unusual sound of strong flapping just outside her window. 

Padmé looked up and her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a cry of surprise as she found a large winged creature trying to perch on her balcony wall. She was on the verge of calling for help when she saw a familiar young man come jumping down from the creature’s back. It was her husband. 

“Ani? What-?” Padmé scurried to the wall and leant in the doorway, her hand on her chest and her eyes wide as she watched the beast adjust its position and balance gracefully on the wall while it folded up it’s enormous wings. “What is that?”

Anakin smiled as he hurried towards her, seeming to remember last minute to stop himself from sweeping her up into his arms as he usually would when greeting her. 

“Oh right! Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to let you know!” he laughed sheepishly. “Padmé, it’s Obi-Wan. It’s a long story but the short version is that the Force changed his appearance.”

“Obi-Wan?” She watched the animal shake its mane and then it gazed at her with a gentle expression, whickering a soft greeting. The blue of its eyes was very familiar and she felt her shoulders relax as she stepped forward, her hand twitching. “Goodness… Now you’ve REALLY changed and I only saw you a short time ago. You… still know who I am, don’t you?”

“Of course he does,” Anakin replied and walked over to pat the dragon’s neck. Obi-Wan turned his head and blew through his nose to playfully ruffle his former Padawan’s mop of dark curls. “You don’t need to be afraid. He won’t hurt you. He’s still the same on the inside.”

Padmé walked forward a little more confidently, reaching her hand out and smiling as the Jedi Dragon stretched his neck and sniffed at her fingers, kindly giving them a nudge with his snout. 

“I can’t believe it…” she said and stroked his nose. “Is this reversible?”

“The Jedi are looking into it while Ahsoka and I are looking after him and keeping him occupied. For now, we’re practicing his flight skills.” Anakin folded his arms and looked serious for a moment. “Mandalore is under threat from Death Watch, you see, and they have a dragon as well so we’re the best weapon against them.”

There was a hiss in his head. “We can’t mention Mandalore - you know the Senate won’t-”

“It’s fine, Master, this is Padmé we’re talking to,” Anakin replied privately. “You know she won’t tell the rest of the Senate and she’s friends with your girlfriend.”

“The Duchess of Mandalore is not-!”

“A second dragon?” Padmé frowned, her hand rubbing a gentle circle in Obi-Wan’s fur. “Another Jedi?”

“…No. You- You remember Darth Maul?”

“The Sith? The one who killed Qu…” she trailed off abruptly and awkwardly looked down. She heard the dragon whine. “…Yes, of course. I remember him. He frightened me. But I thought he was dead, that Obi-Wan had defeated him.”

“Oh he defeated him alright. But the Sith have a trick of cheating death if they’re angry enough - apparently. Anyway, we ran into him again and he was involved in all of this as well. He’s also sporting a pair of wings.”

She gave the dragon’s neck a final rub and then stepped back. 

“I’m grateful then that I have a kind one visiting my balcony today.” She smiled at Obi-Wan’s pleased head shake and how he rubbed at his nose with a clawed paw. “…He’s wonderful,” she decided. “But you said Mandalore is in danger? Is the Duchess ok?” She stared intently at Obi-Wan, suggesting that she thought he would have all the answers regarding Satine.

But as though dodging the question, he stepped down off the balcony rail and went walking into the apartment, ducking through the door and being sweet enough to be careful of not knocking anything over. He wasn’t too large for the room but the amount of furniture was proving a problem in terms of safely navigating the area without ornamental casualties.

“As far as we know, yes, she’s making sure her people are evacuated to safety,” Anakin told her while he kept an eye on Obi-Wan who had been given no choice but to climb across the sofa and was now trying to replace the numerous throw pillows that hadn’t survived his traversal. “But we need to get Obi-Wan used to this body as quickly as possible so we have a chance at countering them. They could attack Mandalore at any time.”

“I see…” Padmé giggled at the sneeze that the dragon made when he snuffled at the native flowers from Naboo that were decorating the table. She became serious again and sneaked in a quick squeeze of Anakin’s hand while Obi-Wan’s back was turned. “I don’t suppose she could be persuaded to get off Mandalore, could she? She would be safer staying with me. Surely Death Watch wouldn’t want to harm her people. They want their loyalty. It will be her that they’re after.”

“I’m not fantastic when it comes to Mandalorian politics,” Anakin said honestly and delicately kissed her hand. “But at least one member of Death Watch seems to want her safe and off the planet.”

Padmé made a slight noise of interest but could not keep herself from frowning.

She was about to ask who he was referring to when a sudden shout of surprise and a loud clatter of metal took her attention. She and her husband hurried forward just in time to discover that C-3PO, currently flat on his back on the floor and surrounded by the contents of the drink he had been bringing for Padmé, had not had the privilege of being formally introduced to a Jedi dragon that weighed the same as a Speeder car. As the large creature leant over him with a familiar gleam in his eye, the anxiety-riddled protocol droid had been forced to make his own hurried acquaintance despite having been frightened out of his armour when he all but ran into the mass of pale fluff sitting in the middle of his mistress’ apartment. He had not been told - or at the very least warned - about sudden guests today…

He turned his head towards Padmé and Anakin.

“Apologies for the mess,” he whimpered as the dragon’s teeth came forward to gently pick him up by his arm in order to settle him back on his feet. “I take it this delightful animal is with you, Master Anakin?”

From the office windows, Chancellor Palpatine watched the majestic creature fly from Senator Amidala’s balcony. At this distance, he looked small and delicate and so easy to shoot down. But alas, Palpatine’s future apprentice was safely tucked on his old Master’s back, just as he had been since he was 9 years old, so to shoot at him now would risk the loss of Anakin and Palpatine did not think ridding himself of Kenobi was worth that just yet.

He knew it had been too much to hope that Kenobi might wander off by himself and thus violate the rules that Palpatine had placed down before the Jedi but at the very least it was still a viable backup plan. If he could lure the stupid beast out into the open by arranging a distressing appeal for help from a bystander to trigger his empathic nature then perhaps he could justify his containment but that plan was flimsy and possessed too many unacceptable factors and outcomes. There were other options. Big Game Hunters would no doubt be eager to have a shot at catching the dragon though if the Jedi kept him safe within their temple, they would be in for a tough time. 

The only plan that was almost sure to work would be to set Maul loose on Coruscant. Kenobi would fly to defend the city, a dangerous battle would ensue, buildings would be damaged, lives put at risk and then THERE was the Senate’s justification in chaining both of them up and locking them securely away in a military facility. For the good of the people. Free for them to be shipped off to a specialist who could begin testing their capabilities and would be able to determine if they would be of use to Palpatine’s future Empire or if they were better off destroyed. 

Personally, Palpatine was content with either outcome.

He curled a lip back in displeasure.

A pity, therefore, that the Mandalorian terrorists evidently had his former Sith apprentice in their own greedy hands.

Keeping his eyes on Anakin’s tiny figure as it flew away, the Chancellor decided he would arrange another little chat with the young man and see if he could glean any idea on what the Jedi planned to do with finding Maul.

If they could catch the other dragon, Palpatine could request that they bring him to Coruscant for some sort of legal trial or, if that seemed too strange, to a place that would be easy to arrange a breakout. Dooku could have the Separatists stage a sabotage in order to get Maul free and then bring him to Coruscant - thus setting up Palpatine’s plan to have both dragons caught together.

Not for the first time, Darth Sidious applauded his own patience. When victory was assured, it was hard for a lesser Lord to wait for the right moment to see it all come to fruition but Sidious sometimes found himself enjoying the journey and so long as Maul could be captured, there was going to be a little more of the journey to enjoy.

All that was needed was to make sure that Obi-Wan was sent to Mandalore. That couldn’t be too much of a problem, now could it?

Chapter Text

Cody and Rex had returned to the barracks after their extensive debriefing to find their brothers in the food hall discussing nothing but the latest news. The 501st troopers who had been on the Resolute and had witnessed the events unfolding during the mission were trying not to take too much delight in having the 212th’s complete attention as they told and retold the story of what had happened to their General in varying degrees of drama and showmanship.

Snippets of conversation could be caught as the Marshal Commander and the Captain strode by the tables to get their food, receiving respectful salutes and nods from soldiers who noticed them and weren’t too busy relishing in story-time.

“What’s been the wildest story for how it actually happened?” Rex asked quietly. “These boys weren’t there for it and I know the only thing you’ve said is that General Kenobi and the Sith fought and both fell into the pool.”

“Oddly enough, that’s the part of the story that has remained accurate,” Cody replied, taking his tray. “The General fighting the Sith is enough to satisfy.”

“Give it a few more days and it will adapt on its own,” Rex couldn’t help but sigh, sliding his tray of food onto a free table and sinking onto the adjoining bench. Cody took the space opposite him as he began to eat. “By then, though, I’m wondering what will be added to the story. I don’t suppose that you’ve heard anything from the Jedi?”

“Not yet, no,” Cody replied and didn’t fully succeed in keeping the disappointment out his voice. “I suppose they’re busy trying to come up with concrete answers instead of filling up our head spaces with theories. No doubt it’s also more likely that they would first report any information to the Chancellor. Quite rightly.” A potato was skewered on his fork by the time he had finished speaking but he hesitated before eating it.

“As you are General Kenobi’s Second in Command, I have no doubt that you will also be a highly prioritised receiver of any information from the Temple,” Rex assured him. “It’s going to be me that will be itching for news and knocking on your door every other day.”

He found victory in the fact that he had caused his brother to smile.

“I somehow doubt that,” Cody said, shaking his head. “Commander Tano, at the very least, would be quick to bring you up to speed if General Skywalker doesn’t beat her to it.”

"I take it everyone is still optimistic about getting General Kenobi back to normal," Rex said quietly, between bites. "You've got total command of the Third Systems Army at the moment. 7th Sky Corps, the 212th..." 

"I'm aware," Cody interrupted, perhaps a little sharply. "And yes, we're keeping positive about this. We have to get General Kenobi back to how he was, otherwise..."

There was a lengthy silence. 

"Right," Rex nodded in understanding.

If Kenobi could not be restored back to human form, then that left two options. Either Commander Cody was going to find himself promoted to a role that no clone had prepared for or - and this almost seemed worse - another General would take command. And knowing how attached the clones were to their assigned generals, that was a thought that none in the 212th wanted at all.

Expertly changing the subject, Rex pushed his now finished tray away and settled his elbows on the table to stare level-headedly at Cody.

“The other one. That was the Sith, yes? Darth Maul. Sinister looking piece of work and I’ve only seen him in dragon form.”

“Doesn’t do his Zabrak form justice,” Cody huffed into his cup and then his voice dropped to a whisper. He leant forward with a new glint of seriousness in his face. “I will tell you one thing, Rex… Compared to Count Dooku? Different kind of Sith.”

Rex frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. Don’t know how to explain it, I mean. Maul just felt different.”

“Felt?” Rex smiled a little. “Are you a Jedi now too?”

“No thank you!” Cody smiled back. “That’s something I don’t need. I mean that he just… Look, you know the Jedi say that everyone has the Force in them and that it just takes an extra amount of it for those non-Force Sensitives to feel? Well, I don’t know if it’s because of the place we were in or if it was just Maul’s presence alone but he was someone that you didn’t need to have the Force to tell was deadly. Unpredictable. You wouldn’t turn your back on him.”

“Are you saying you would turn your back on Dooku?”

“Not a chance but… I can’t explain it. You would have to feel it for yourself. I guess I do sound like a Jedi right now. Trying to explain the Force to someone. You can’t describe deep inner feelings like you can describe a good old blaster.”

Rex lifted his cup at that and nodded. “Unless we know where he is, I’m not likely to meet Maul at all so I will take your word for it.”

As he drank, he saw Cody pause. The scar that ran along the side of his face and forehead gave away the fact that he had deepened his frown a little bit.

“He will be with the Mandalorians,” Cody said. “So that narrows it down, doesn’t it?”

“You think we will actually be going after him?” Rex asked. “The times when Maul has shown up before hasn’t warranted the Chancellor’s attention.”

“Yeah, for some reason the Chancellor never saw Maul as a threat to the Republic,” Cody agreed and shook his head. “Which surprises me, honestly. I mean, that was the guy that killed General Kenobi’s Master on Naboo and apparently endangered the life of General Skywalker when he was a boy. The Senate were all too keen to get involved before our Republic/Separatist War came along.”

“I can’t speak for all the Jedi,” Rex then murmured, leaning closer as their conversation became even more quiet. “But I know Skywalker has said that more than one of their Order have expressed… what’s the word… I suppose resentment is the best I can describe it. Resentment that the Senate are not letting them be Jedi. Maul was one of two supposed Sith, not counting that Savage guy or Dooku. He would be useful in finding the second one - the one that Dooku takes orders from.”

“Well, I can tell you that Kenobi has never liked it,” Cody admitted, quickly glancing around as though the entirety of the Senate might be standing by their table and would hear them. “Even though he’s a damn fine general. He might be a Jedi but it certainly feels as though he’s been a commander in a war before… Anyway, with Maul being a dragon as well and this dodgy Force thing that changed them now being on their radar, I’m wondering if the Jedi are going to see this as being too important to ignore and will get a little rebellious.”

Rex leant back with a laugh. “Rebellious Jedi. That’s something you hear about but never believe you’ll see in your lifetime.”

Cody might have been about to respond to him but a ping on his comm device took his total attention and Rex waited patiently while his brother read the message. Cody’s dark brown eyes scanned the words and then again, making sure he had all the information before he seemed satisfied. 

“We’re heading up to Centax-2. Security detail,” Cody relayed to Rex, pocketing his device after a moment.

“The 212th or all of us?”

“I’m only reading our names in the message so far.”

“What’s the mission?”

“I told you: security detail.” Cody folded his arms. “And to put out any fires if things get messy. Apparently they’re going to be studying General Kenobi’s Kyber Crystal thing.”

“On Centax-2?” Rex chuckled. “Let me guess - the Senators don’t want potential weapons of mass destruction being tested on Coruscant. Makes sense.”

He and Cody shook their heads while they shared the jokes, took back their trays and prepared to meet the Jedi back at the Temple. Within the hour, they were already en route with additional reassurances that the 212th and 501st were not needed immediately on any front lines so they could afford to leave their boys to wind down back in the barracks.

General Skywalker appeared to have found a semi-permanent seat on his Master’s soft back and he was reclined comfortably when the Clones stepped off their taxi shuttle at the Temple’s Landing pad. As for Commander Tano, she had clearly been vying for a spot between the shoulders as well but was having to make do with sitting on Kenobi’s large front paws. He had laid himself down in a very serene manner and, with his head tucked against his chest like a bird and his eyes partly closed, seemed to be enjoying the last of the day’s sunshine while they waited, permitting young Ahsoka to loosely plait a little portion of his mane. 

Yoda was now no longer to be seen. He had announced that he had been drawn away from his students long enough and that while he yearned to remain by Obi-Wan’s side for the duration of this trial, he was humble enough to acknowledge that Mace Windu’s experience would be better suited for the testing of the Kyber Crystal. The Ways of the Force were Yoda’s area of expertise and he had concluded his observations for that.

When Obi-Wan and Anakin had flown back to the Temple after a lengthy flight around the Senate Buildings to give the Senators something to ogle and gossip about, Obi-Wan had offered to carry Yoda, Windu and Ahsoka down to the Temple Entrance, or so Anakin had translated for them. Evidently, the previously flight-hesitant Jedi Master had acquired a new taste for his old piloting skills and was keen to challenge his load-bearing capabilities.

Yoda, with the discrete glee of a Youngling, took up the offer with no hesitation and had jostled past Anakin to nest himself on top of the dragon’s head just as he done so before, clearly HIS seat of choice. Ahsoka was also keen to experience a flight and she had climbed up behind her Master, shielded on either side by the folded up wings. She did not want her feet to impede their movement so she crossed her legs and decided she would hold onto Anakin or the wing joints if she didn’t feel safe. As for Mace Windu, he had first declined the offer but a little persuasion from Yoda had changed his mind and he was settled behind Ahsoka’s sitting position though he had a knee placed carefully on either side of the dragon’s spine.

A few experimental flaps were enough to satisfy Obi-Wan and Ahsoka shivered in anticipation as she felt the body beneath her start to move towards the edge. Just as it had done to Anakin, all her internal organs seemed to lift into her chest when Master Kenobi had calmly dropped off the Temple roof - a stark contrast to his earlier trepidation. If she thought she heard Master Windu catch his breath, she wisely didn’t mention it. All she could comprehend was that the wind in her ears only appeared to chill her for a second before a warmth spread up through her and she found herself sitting quite comfortably and not at all afraid. With a large feathery wing spread out on either side of her, fixed to glide, she felt as though she had as much chance of falling to her death as she would on solid ground.

Anakin had his hands in Obi-Wan’s mane again but it he was considering moving them to the head feathers instead for better purchase although Yoda was a little too in the way for that.

Only a few tiny wing adjustments were needed for Obi-Wan to ride the wind in a slowly descending turn, down towards the Temple steps and when he landed, hind legs first to control his speed, Ahsoka was mildly disappointed that the flight hadn’t lasted longer.

Yoda and Windu however had been satisfied and, after patting Obi-Wan’s nose very lovingly and bidding farewell, Yoda had departed with the announcement that he had much to meditate on and left them turning towards the Landing pads to await Cody and Rex.

“Thank you for meeting us so swiftly,” Windu had greeted the Clones. “As Kenobi’s skills with the Force and Flight have been briefly looked into, we have only to understand the Crystal in his chest. If it is able to be used as Maul demonstrated, we would not be permitted to test it here on Coruscant. The Senate have been quite clear on that.”

“Understood. I only wish we could tell you more information about it,” said Cody. “Neither Captain Rex nor myself witnessed the attack from Maul for ourselves.”

“Padawan Tano, however, did.” Windu looked over at Ahsoka who, taking that to be her prompt, climbed up onto her feet, balanced quite skillfully on the large furry paw, and then hopped down.

“Centax-2 was mentioned in your message, Sir,” Cody prompted.

“Yes, we can leave as soon as possible,” Windu nodded. “As we mentioned, it would be dangerous to test such a thing here in the city. We do not know the power levels we are dealing with and have only Ahsoka’s report which, if accurate, would suggest that a more remote testing area is needed.”

“We’ve only got so long to do this,” Anakin then said. “Mandalore needs us, after all.”

Mace Windu pursed his lips but said nothing, no doubt the disapproving words from the Senate echoing in his mind.

“What ship are we taking?” Rex asked. “I do not think there are any ferries which would be able to accommodate a dragon of his size. No offence, General.”

If Obi-Wan had taken offence, he did not make it obvious. But he did twitch the tip of his tail and sigh. 

“Well that’s an interesting question,” Windu answered. “You’ve all witnessed that Kenobi, in his present state, seems capable of travelling space without a ship. It might be more economical if we take a smaller ferry and allow Kenobi to fly himself to Centax-2. I have not witnessed this firsthand so it can be counted as a little extra research for my part.”

“We were under strict orders, however, to not let Master Kenobi be alone while in Coruscant territory,” Ahsoka told them, innocently looking away. Rex immediately knew that she was hiding a smile. “Chancellor Palpatine says he must not be unattended. So we could hijack some suits but seeing as your Clone Armour can be adjusted to settings that allow you to endure space conditions…”

There came the smile.

Cody and Rex stood silent as their brains tried processing and then re-processing the words.

“You- Are you asking that we…” Rex gestured awkwardly towards the dragon. “You would like us to, uh… ride the General?”

That was too much for Anakin apparently because he immediately turned his head away to splutter into his hand. Sometimes it was easy to forget that he was 22 standard years old.

“Of course you would not be permitted to ride during re-entry of Coruscant but if this is not acceptable then, by all means, we can find alternative transport,” Mace Windu was saying, ignoring Anakin who was now trying to cover up his laugh by faking a cough. 

“No, I’m- It’s acceptable, General,” Cody quickly replied, standing a mite straighter. “It will just be a new experience for us. That is all. When did you say we were leaving?”

Mace Windu lifted his comm to hail a taxi and he inclined his head to mask a twitch of his lips. “As soon as possible, we said.”

Anakin hopped down and brushed his hands together.

“So which of you wants a leg-up first?” 

That had been a silly question; everyone knew Cody was going to be sitting up front.

From a neighbouring landing pad, waiting with a different shuttle, Cody and Rex’s brand new experience was being observed with great delight from a group of Clones that, for the most part, had been admiring the winged creature for the better part of the hour.

They watched as Cody first climbed up onto the big monster’s back with a little help from General Skywalker and seemed to straddle the neck with his hands up, looking around for a suitable place to put them. Rex was pushed up behind him and seemed very reluctant to touch the wings but equally as hesitant to grab Commander Cody around the waist. The beast, for its part, simply lay there in a calm, regal manner, one paw crossed over the other as it allowed the Clones to get comfortable.

It wasn’t entirely clear as to how or why the Jedi had procured an animal such as that and it was even more unclear as to why Commander Cody and Captain Rex were apparently being directed to sit on it. But it wasn’t their job to think about that. They were here for another mission and despite their quirks, they always took their missions very seriously.

Crosshair adjusted his leaning position against the ship and looked away from Cody and Rex to re-check his rifle. He let out a long sigh of impatience and fished out a toothpick from his jacket to chew on.

”Why are we here, Hunter?” he asked. “Not exactly our line of work. Any old Reg could have accompanied the Jedi.”

“We have orders,” Hunter replied. He was still watching the amusing scene over on the other landing pad. “That should be good enough, shouldn’t it? These orders came from high up the line.”

“From the Chancellor?”

“No. General Windu.” Hunter eyed the stoic Jedi General from afar.

Not many were aware that Clone Force 99 reported directly to General Mace Windu. Most were content to believe they were just a sorry Bad Batch of Clones that took their orders from anyone of a higher rank. 

“Ah that makes sense,” Wrecker said with a nod in the direction of another Jedi General who had been walking towards them and had currently paused to speak to a passing colleague. A young Padawan boy was at her side, all bright eyed and eager as he gazed yearningly towards the winged animal. “‘Cause he trained the General over there, right? And she’s training that kid. So they’re like his kids, yeah? He wanted the best on this job.”

Tech glanced over to General Billaba and the young Padawan and then back to his data pad. He had snapped some pictures of Cody and Rex on the back of the large animal.

“That is not how the Jedi work, Wrecker,” he was saying, “but your simple outlook on how they function is, as usual, somewhat charming.”

“Nah, I heard them say it!” Wrecker insisted. He was sat on the shuttle’s steps. “The Jedi are pretty much like parents to their little Padawans so that means they also have grandparents.”

“More like Guardians, really,” Crosshair drawled, twisting the toothpick around in his mouth.

“What’s the difference?”

“That’s probably something you won’t understand until you have a kid of your own,” Hunter told him, firmly. “Let’s face it, what clone can comprehend parents and children? Let’s just stick to what we do know.”

“What I know is that this isn’t our usual kind of mission,” Crosshair reiterated his previous argument. “Escort and security for a field trip isn’t what we’re known for.”

“If you want to ask General Windu for yourself, he’s over there.”

Crosshair did not want to ask General Windu so he shut up.

They would have gone back to watching the events involving Cody and Rex but they were standing to attention when their Jedi General, having finished her conversation, had strode towards them and stopped with a serene expression. The Padawan, despite standing neatly and politely at her right elbow, had a gleam of mischief in his eye. 

“Hello,” the Jedi greeted with a bow of her head. The Jedi knew deep bows made the Clones feel awkward and uncomfortable so they resorted to the polite but much more informal alternative. “I am Master Depa Billaba. This is my Padawan, Caleb Dume. I have heard you are exceptionally skilled.”

“You have heard correctly, General,” Hunter nodded. “I am CT-9901 “Hunter”. I am the designated captain of Clone Force 99.”

“Captain Hunter,” General Billaba smiled and then asked for the names of the rest of the group, not really caring for their numbers so much. “General Windu speaks highly of you. As does Commander Cody.” She did not look over the distance to the people in question though she likely wanted to. “We look forward to working with you, however long or brief it might be.”

“Yes, on that note,” Hunter said. “We were wondering if we will be briefed on the mission soon. We have received very little information other than we are to accompany Jedi to an unknown planet.”

“Yes, that is the majority of what we know,” Depa said. “The lack of information we have ourselves might be precisely why you were recommended seeing as improvisation could be highly useful to us. Our Head Archivist at the Temple has arranged to visit a planet of unknown origin for an investigative mission and it was decided that an accompanying party of Jedi and Clones should travel with her. We know nothing of this place other than the fact that it was where an unusual occurrence has recently happened…” 

Now she DID look over to the other landing pad.

“The creature?” Tech inquired.

“Oh it’s not a creature,” young Padawan Dume grinned. “That’s Master Kenobi. He was fighting a Sith again and they got changed into dragons. Isn’t that cool?”

The entirety of Clone Force 99 were rendered speechless. Wrecker, at the very least, did think that was quite cool.

Pre Vizsla turned the Darksaber around and around in his hands, his fingers gripping and feeling every angle of the hilt while he gazed out through the opening of his tent, watching their secret weapon stalk back and forth under the starlight which twinkled off the sharp metal plates of its back legs and tail. Their plan was secure and with their latest meeting adjourned it was only a matter of waiting for the ships to be fuelled and ready to go.

He thought of himself as a sane man and was not prone to violent acts of aggression as some in the Death Watch had a tendency to do when they felt the urge. He certainly knew he had control of himself and could think clearly and strategically in the face of victory. But he was not going to deny the fact that he would permit himself a few vivid daydreams about his succession to the throne and if some of those daydreams were violent… well, that was Mandalorian culture and his dedication to his ancestral roots were why he was here in the first place.

Thinking of the mighty Mand’alors that would precede him once he took the title strengthened his desire to make good on the promise that he would begin his rule from atop a ferocious beast. The finishing line was in sight and nothing was about to come between him and his end goal. 

To and fro, to and fro… 

While it was slightly hypnotic, Vizsla grew tired of the predictability and he stood up, the Darksaber still firmly in his fist. 

The dragon did not pay him any mind when he approached but Savage, as twitchy as ever, had the Mandalorian locked in his periphery before Vizsla had finished exiting his tent. 

With a cocked eyebrow that did nothing to hide his arrogance, Vizsla stopped beside him and glanced sidelong at Maul. “Now what’s his problem?”

“Simple restlessness,” Savage replied tersely. “We’ve been here too long.”

Vizsla watched the pacing creature for a few seconds more and allowed the dark seeds of his ambition to give him the confidence to lift his head.

“…Then let us fly,” he announced.

Savage looked at him sharply as Maul came to a swift halt, a set of lethal claws poised above the ground in mid-step.

“What?”

“Your brother is restless,” Vizsla smiled, “and I don’t see why he shouldn’t be allowed to warm up before the attack on Mandalore. I want to see his skills in action and make sure he truly is in control.”

The large Zabrak bared his teeth and lifted his fists.

“If he says he is, then he-”

“With all due respect to the middle-man, I would rather speak with him myself in a language we can both understand.” Vizsla’s interruption was full of a passive tone that Savage, had he not felt so taken aback by the Mandalorian’s rudeness, might have stuck him on the spot for. But Vizsla was keeping his gaze on Maul now. “Well? What say you, Sith? Would you allow me the honour of stepping aboard? If only for a brief lap of the camp although I am partly hoping you might indulge me further by allowing me to accompany the two of you when we descend on Sundari.”

Maul’s eyes seemed to glow like the eyes of a Loth Wolf but he made no move. 

“You will not fly without me tonight,” Savage snarled dangerously.

“On the contrary, I must insist. If your brother is unable to speak to me through words then it only makes sense that I can learn his body language.”

“It is unnecessary.”

But Savage silenced himself when Maul finally let his front foot fall to the ground with a weight that the people around could feel through their own legs. It was a finalised stamp and with his gaze locked on Vizsla, it came with Maul’s decision.

Savage bristled and then said, in a deadly purr, “He will allow it.”

The bravado of Vizsla’s bold words before felt sorely misplaced for a brief second as the heavy load of dragon muscle slowly turned in his direction. Forcing himself to remain where he stood, Pre Vizsla felt the rush of adrenaline hit his system when Maul towered above his head, glaring down with predatory intent. He could not tell if he were mocking him or not when the dragon deliberately lowered his head and shoulders to present his new passenger with his neck. Though it showcased an incredible level of trust, Vizsla could not help but detect some kind of taunt, some hidden insult that only a Force Sensitive might have picked up on.

Vizsla had not been so close to Maul before since the transformation and he was taken aback by how striking the creature was. The dragon’s Zabrak horns were embedded deep in the skull and they curled neatly out around the head like a crown. The snaking black lines of his tattoos only served to make Maul’s Sith eyes shine like topaz stone and the darkness stood out in stark contrast against the blood red of the dragon’s snake skin and highlighted the river of shiny scales that ran down from his head, around the sails, through the gap between his shoulder blades and down the length of his spine.

A lip curled up to flash a knife-like fang and a deep growl cautioned Vizsla to make haste. He had not the time to appreciate the handsomeness of the animal.

As he climbed up to perch on the back of the dragon, Vizsla wondered if Maul might be cold-blooded due to the lack of warmth from the body. An odd idea seeing as Zabrak’s typically had two hearts which would suggest a warmer than average body temperature. Yet sitting on the back of Maul felt as though he were sitting on cool durasteel and though he waited, Pre could not detect the skin warming up at all. Perhaps the Beskar of his armour was not allowing it.

Savage stood back, visibly unhappy, giving the Mandalorian a look which promised a harsh punishment if he attempted to harm his brother and Vizsla nodded back respectfully.

A warning growl was all Maul would give him as a way of telling him to hold on and then he was in the air, wings spread over the camp and lifting them higher into the dark sky. Pre Vizsla had never felt more powerful.

As for Maul, he was privately thankful for the flight and the chance to stretch his wings. There wasn’t a chance that Death Watch would allow he and Savage to fly about as they wanted to. Not yet, anyway. He allowed his mind to wander, to plan and to strategise and consider his options. The primitive wild dragon part of his brain still occasionally got in the way but considering it was providing him with the ability to fly and spit the power of a lightsaber, he wasn’t going to bemoan it yet and anyway, he could reign it in when he needed some clarity.

Clarity such as, ‘when was he going to get a chance to return to normal?’

As far as he was concerned, his options were limited.

Either he could get back to that planet and await a new Nexus point to open in the hopes that it would reverse the transformation, or he would try and locate some alternative source of Force power. Of the latter decision, there were two options: Mother Talzin or Sidious. He knew who he would rather take his chances with. There were also the Jedi, of course, but they wouldn’t want to help him. Not unless…

He gave a violent flap of his wings. 

…Not unless it could help Kenobi as well.

It was delightfully satisfying, Jenna thought, how nervous some people got when delivering news or when they were informing her of anything new or when they were letting her know that she had an unscheduled appointment from one of Dooku’s lackeys. Normally, an unscheduled appointment would frustrate her. They caused delays and interrupted her work flow. But considering Count Dooku had been getting in touch with her recently about far more interesting matters than political wars and viruses, she decided she could brush this one off.

More so, she decided, when she walked to the entrance of the facility and saw who it was that had arrived with a handful of fidgeting B1 Battle Droids.

“Oh… Hello,” she greeted, steeling herself against the sinister blank face of General Grievous. The killer cyborg was a source of mild fascination for a scientist such as herself and she almost respected him for his stubbornness to stay alive. If a few organs encased in a metal endoskeleton could even be called life. “An unexpected visitor. You know I prefer that people call ahead.”

Grievous’ body whirred and hummed as he stood straighter, taller, broad shoulders rolling back as though he were preparing to activate his second pair of arms.

“I would have to respect you to offer that sort of courtesy,” he replied, dry as ever.

Dr Zan Arbor smiled and stepped aside to lead him back towards her newly prepared laboratory. She had anticipated the reason as to why he was here but she also knew that those in power liked to have the ball in their court so she feigned ignorance. 

“Always a pleasure to converse with a mutual. What does Dooku want now?” She found herself chuckling in time to the click of her heels. “I find it sweet that he doesn’t like talking to me face to face.”

“Given your personal interests,” Grievous replied, his ominously heavy clanking footstep sounding behind her, “that should not be so surprising.”

“Aww, he isn’t frightened, is he? I’m only a dainty scientist…”

“I haven’t the patience for your self-preening, doctor. Count Dooku wants confirmation that you have the suitable means for your next studies. I am here as his eyes.”

Jenna smirked.

“There isn’t much of in the way of organic material for you to be anything else, is there? Very well…” She opened the enormous hanger doors to her spacious new laboratory. “Sniff around and then crawl back to your master’s feet like the obedient little pup you are. You will see that I am always very well prepared.”

Certainly, the laboratory that was revealed to Grievous was enormous and impressive. Heavy equipment hummed in preparation and large empty tanks filled the back wall while the computers beeped and awaited input around the sides. A scattering of cautious laboratory assistants were organising vials and tools on the desks and made an attempt to not draw attention to themselves.

Grievous took it all in slowly and he curled his fingers.

“Have you an idea of what it is you are expecting?” he asked after a good few minutes. 

“Force Sensitive creatures I hope,” Jenna replied and rubbed her palms together. “If my dreams are really to come true, perhaps even a Jedi or two. If you haven’t butchered them all already…”

“I would gladly spare a few Jedi if it meant they were reduced to lab rats,” the General growled. He lifted his closed fist towards Jenna and opened his palm to activate a hologram transmitter. “You know what these are?”

Jenna Zan Arbor glanced at the image presented to her and tried not to look too impressed.

“…Some species of draconic animal,” she said. “I could not confidently tell you their exact kind. Force Sensitive, are they?”

“More than that. One is a Jedi, the other a Sith.”

Jenna leaned back, brushed at her lab coat and folded her arms. Her expression was sour. 

“Are you playing a joke or is this from Dooku?”

“Do I look the sort to bother wasting my time telling you a joke?” Grievous snapped and his Battle Droids immediately tensed. “A Force Nexus was responsible for this and Dooku has asked you to conduct some research. As best you can. When both are captured, they will be brought here.”

He wasn’t lying. 

Now seeing the creatures for what they were, Jenna studied the image with new appreciation and a hunger grew within her eyes.

“…Fascinating. Where did this transformation happen?”

She hissed in annoyance when Grievous snapped his fist shut again.

“Unimportant. You are only needed to test their blood and capabilities,” Grievous explained, enjoying her displeasure. “Apparently you have experience in that department. I have been told that your work will later be reviewed by Dooku and his Master and from there, you can continue your work. Is that clear?”

“Do we not know their identities?”

“Yes. You have heard of Darth Maul?”

Jenna could safely say that she had and she had the decency to appear nervous for a moment before she schooled herself back into radiating the confidence of an arrogant intellectual. “It will be an honour to meet him. …The Jedi?”

She noted General Grievous’ change. He gripped his fist a little more tightly, his stance seemed to coil as if wound like a spring and his eyes sharpened. Beneath the rattle of his breath, he was withholding a great deal of emotion.

“One you have met before,” he growled. “Kenobi.”

One of the lab assistants dropped a scalpel.

But Dr Zan Arbor did not hear it. Such was her good mood.

She unfolded her arms and seemed so overcome with excitement that she did not know what to do with them. She folded them again, unfolded, wrapped and re-wrapped her coat around herself, plunged her hands into her pockets, brought them up to fiddle with her collar and let down her hair… She looked around the room, naming machinery, equipment, items… all in an attempt at trying to find something with which to ground herself.

The Force must have loved her, she decided. The Force wanted her to discover its secrets. There was no other explanation.

”Doctor?” Grievous snarled warningly, bringing her back from the brink of ecstasy. He had found her excitement nauseating. “I was told to tell you and make you absolutely aware that I will be here while you conduct your research. So do not get carried away with yourself.”

She threw her now loose locks of hair back and tittered as though she were a flirtatious college student.

“You think I will kill him?”

She hadn’t expected the stamp of Grievous’ foot and she almost jumped.

“For your sake,” he growled, “he had better remain alive.”

“Didn’t know you cared, General. Or is that your Master Dooku talking?”

“Dooku’s relationship and feelings for Kenobi are of no interest to me.” His fleshy eyes amidst the metal face were disturbing and the intensity of his glare served to remind the scientist of how dangerous he really was. “But I do intend to kill that Jedi myself. Am I understood?”

Jenna smiled.

“Always, General. We shall have so much fun together. I can’t wait.”

Her laboratory sang a cacophony of noises to harmonise with her words. It couldn’t wait either.

Chapter Text

Pre Vizsla gazed up at the stars overhead, at the constellations that he had mapped out as a boy and had memorised so many years ago. Although they flew with speed, still the stars seemed static and unmoving in their rich tapestry. Removing his helmet mid-flight, Vizsla had his breath snatched away from him as the wings either side of his seat flapped again.

Power coursed through the beast’s every muscle and Vizsla could feel it each time the wings beat themselves against the wind. Maul had climbed up through the sky until reaching a cruising altitude that didn’t deprive the now helmet-less Mandalorian of air whereupon the wings flattened out and sent them into a glide. The height did not make it seem as though they were moving exceptionally fast but the blast of the breeze in Vizsla’s face told him otherwise.

It sent a thrill through him.

He could imagine descending upon the Capitol of Mandalore with the Dark Saber held aloft, sending the pacifists screaming for cover as his mount roared the arrival of Death Watch, the Duchess' face paling in fear and dropping to her knees in surrender. He smiled to think of her screeching under the claws of Vizsla's dragon which would wait for the command from his master to end her life. Of course the dragon would growl in frustration when being told to let her live just long enough to draw in the Jedi and then... Well then the show would truly begin. 

Vizsla snapped out of his daydreams with a scoff. Perhaps he was dreaming too big. He hadn't even subjugated Maul yet, so there was little point in thinking of doing the same with Kenobi who no doubt had far more backup than the Sith did. Still, it was a pleasing idea to pretend that he might eventually have so much control of Kenobi that he could actually have Satine die by his claws rather than Maul's, as fantastical and unlikely as that would be. 

He wasn't even fully decided on what he would do with Kenobi in order to make him pay. Using him to kill the Duchess would have been perfect but he knew a Jedi's resolve to not allow themselves to be enslaved for profit was almost legendary. Would he keep him for entertainment or sport? Some sort of Pit Beast to test the strength of his warriors? Or would he be better as transport and a show of power? Then again, Vizsla thought, if he had to choose between the two dragons, Maul was significantly a lot more striking and imposing, more sinister and dangerous looking. Kenobi, from what he had seen, appeared more... ethereal? Was that right word? 

The sails down Maul’s neck, which he usually presented like the hood of a venomous cobra, were currently held behind to make him more streamlined and though the speed of flight alone was eye-watering, he didn’t seem to blink against the air. Perhaps that was an indication that the dragons possessed a nictitating membrane to protect their eyes? 

No, he was not here to study the dragon yet. That was for others. He was only here to conquer. 

“I am aware that, as a Sith,” he eventually found enough oxygen to say, “you reserve your appreciation for the power of your Force but, you know, we Mandalorians have long had great respect for the art of flying. Most of us are taught from an early age how to utilise a jetpack.”

Of course, Maul could not answer him. The beast’s gaze was forward, deadly focused, his attention on nothing but the air he was manoeuvring under his immense wingspan. 

“But to fly under your own strength… I foresee you amassing a worthy amount of respect in the future. That is, of course, if you intend to stay on Mandalore,” Vizsla continued, quite glad that he could not be interrupted or spoken back to. He looked away from the sky and leant forward against the solid neck, his fingers tracing a thick black stripe on the cold skin. “I know your kind, Maul. You all possess an insatiable hunger for power and control. For ascension.”

He felt a growl vibrate up and down the throat and he wisely lifted his finger away. The dragon’s neck was dexterous enough that he wouldn’t put it past him to reach round and snap the hand off, Beskar or no. He knew he was speaking hypocritically but that was his own vice to bear and it amused him. So much so that he very un-wisely crossed a line...

“Heh… of course. All the power in the world cannot satisfy when you have been wronged and even total control cannot guarantee that your enemies are punished. Ascension must taste bitterly sour when business is left unfinished. But consider: is Kenobi really worthy of being your ultimate goal?”

The words were barely out of his mouth before the dragon dropped in a sharp barrel roll and he suddenly found himself in freefall, the security and solidness of his ride gone as he was being thrown to the ground with a painful slap and a meaty set of claws encased his torso as the ground trembled under the weight of the sudden landing. Standing over him, Maul peeled back his lips and let out a roar so ferocious that the nearby wildlife fled and the Mandalorian felt his heart clench in legitimate fear for a brief second. 

“Have mercy!” he cried, wrestling his courage back into place. “I spoke out of ignorance! I would give you my word that you will have your revenge but…” His strained breath under the weight of Maul’s foot slowed as he met the Sith’s eye. “…but I am not convinced you trust my word.”

Lowering his head, Maul’s growl deepened so it were akin to the sound of a rockfall in a quarry.  

“I misspoke earlier,” Vizsla repeated urgently, the ground beneath him shifting as he was pushed further into it. “Perhaps it would have been more accurate to ask if, besides considering Kenobi, you had considered making Mandalore your home? I did not lie before; you will receive much in the way of respect. Perhaps more so as a dragon, than as a Zabrak.”

Another venomous snarl warned Vizsla that the dragon was at risk of killing him there and then.

“No! No, you don’t understand.” He tried in vain to lift a claw away from his neck. “We Mandalorians… we believed in the great Mythosaurs of our ancestors age. Such was their power and majesty that they were considered a symbol of our people. Sacred. Worshipped, almost.” He stared into Maul’s eyes. “If you remained a dragon, you would have more than a throne. You would have a temple. You would be more than a king, you would rule as a god.”

The deep baritone of the dragon’s growl subsided, replaced by a rumble that thrummed in the neck. For a chilling moment, Vizsla wondered if he might catch sight of the stone in Maul’s chest start to glow but his attention was fixated on the face above him. With the stretch of stars behind and the gold of the eyes holding the Mandalorian in a captivating trance, he wondered if his words were more true than he had anticipated; an urge deep inside told him to bend a knee, to truly worship him as a deity. 

No. That’s Sith trickery. Dathomirian witchcraft!

Vizsla attempted another breath and winced at the protest of his lungs that strained against Maul’s weight. 

“Let me rule the people and let them worship you,” he squeaked out as best he could. “That is all I am suggesting. Whether you choose to kill Kenobi or if you choose to dominate and enslave him, that is up to you. I only ask that I stand at your back. A willing partner.”

The seconds were agonisingly long and all he could do was stare, anticipating the bite that would send him to march on with his forefathers. 

Then air! Sweet thick air was drawn into his lungs at long last as Maul released his chest from his grasp. He almost coughed, so eager he was to breathe.

As for the dragon, he had stepped over the supine Mandalorian and allowed his metallic tail to scrape against the side of his Beskar armour without much thought.

Vizsla was only just able to twist his neck in time to see the mighty monster spread his wings and take to the air, flying off back towards the campsite without him.

Left there on the ground, Vizsla went back to mapping the stars and drawing the constellations for a few minutes, a tremble in his body now making itself known now that the adrenaline of the events had worn off.

Had he really been so sure he was about to die? Mandalorian warriors did not typically fear death - it was a trait that he hated to admit that they shared with the Jedi. But Vizsla was a great believer in tradition and he had envisioned his death to belong to a future battle, a mighty war, glorious and beautiful. Dying at the hands of a Sith Dragon… That was not the way.

He gritted his teeth and attempted to push himself to his feet.

No, Vizsla refused to die at the hands of a Force Wielder. No matter what shape it took. The Wizards and Sorcerers of the Force were there for Mandalorians to conquer and enslave and that was what the future Mand’alor intended to do.

Ducking behind a crate, Bo-Katan witnessed Maul returning without a rider. The beast circled the camp and landed with a grace and poise that Bo had not originally associated with the likes of the cybernetic Zabrak. He shook his head and lifted his chin, fanning his wings in a show of a much more familiar pride while Savage was there to immediately see to him, of course.

As was another Mandalorian. Gar Saxon. 

Bo-Katan watched with a frown at how attentive Saxon was to the needs of the Sith, recognising the behaviour as belonging to a vod that had clearly made their decision on who was the strongest among them. Vizsla was not going to be pleased but Bo stored that information away in her mind.

Judging by the behaviour of the other Mandalorians that had approached, it was evident that Vizsla was not dead but a few of them did take off on Jetpacks to find him, nonetheless. She might only have a precious few minutes to try contacting her sister again. 

She had tried at least 5 times before the call was finally accepted.

“Finally!" she hissed in exasperation when she heard her sister's voice connect on the other end. "You weren’t answering!”

“The reception was poor," Satine said by way of excuse. "You are running far too high a risk by contacting me so often. For both of us.”

Bo-Katan hadn't stopped scanning the area for any eavesdropping Death Watch soldiers and Satine's words hit home quite painfully. She was a member of Death Watch and was in frequent communication with their enemy, feeding their plans over as a warning. As for Satine, she was trusting a member of Death Watch. Both sisters were at risk of imprisonment or execution if they were caught in the act. Still, Bo considered her risk to be of a significantly higher level. 

“What is the status of the Jedi?" she asked in a murmur. "Are they coming to Mandalore?”

“I’ve had a private message from one of the Masters and they have confirmed that a team will be on their way as soon as possible - or rather, as soon as Master Kenobi is deemed fit for it," Satine answered. There was a trace in her voice that still hinted that there was some icy layer of distrust still on her part. "Although I would like to avoid any kind of conflict. Have you a way of convincing Vizsla to agree to a diplomatic discussion?”

Bo-Katan fought not to roll her eyes.

“Satine, Vizsla is mad and I don’t say that lightly. Having a dragon and an army of gangsters has given him the confidence to dream bigger than simply taking Mandalore. He has the Dark Saber and now he has this. Even if it had been possible before, there’s no way he’d sit and chat this out. Kindly remember that if I hadn’t warned you in advance of all of this, you wouldn’t have anyone evacuated to safety by the time we arrive.”

“And I will be forever grateful… But I can’t resort to open warfare without trying to negotiate a peaceful solution. If only he would agree to a meeting…”

“He would agree to a meeting only to trap you and have you locked away before you could open your mouth to greet him with a handshake.”

“Then he isn’t seeking blood first?” The flicker of hope in her voice was enough to almost make Bo-Katan feel sorry for her. 

“Oh believe me, he is," she said. "But he can’t use you first if he kills you on sight. Sparing you has nothing to do with his compassion or any moral code.”

There was pause over the line. Satine, on her end, furrowed her brow in confusion as she tried processing her sister's words. Pre Vizsla was going to 'use' her? 

Bo-Katan's sigh brought her back to the present.

“You have to contact the Jedi. Tell them not to send Kenobi," the younger sister said urgently. "They’re using you as bait to lure him to Mandalore. Then Vizsla and the Sith will have you both and you’ll be killed.”

Satine's confusion was now laced with a trickle of fear. 

“Why would I be bait?" she asked although her mouth had gone dry. "That’s absurd…”

“Come on, Satine…" Bo-Katan's voice became gentle and quiet. "Don’t even try it. I’m your sister and several members of your government have known you longer than I have. It’s pretty clear.”

Satine's heart thumped. No, there was no way that Death Watch could know about Satine's feelings for the Jedi or of what had happened almost 19 years ago. She hadn't disclosed that information to anyone for fear of sparking yet another Civil War and the only one who had overheard her confession was dead. 

“…I have no idea what you’re trying to insinuate and I haven’t the time to play these kind of games,” she snapped. 

Bo-Katan leant back against the crate she was standing behind. “You spent a year with him and his Master, all by yourself, away from family and friends… And even after all these years, every time you’ve been in trouble there has always been one name you call on without fail. It’s pretty clear that you... you have befriended a Jedi.”

She had to bite her tongue when she heard Satine's sigh. The Duchess probably meant for it to sound like a sigh of defeat or resignation but Bo-Katan knew it to be a sigh of relief that her secret might remain so.

Very well. Let Satine believe that Bo-Katan was clueless. For Death Watch and some older members of the New Mandalorians, being simple friends with a Jedi was taboo anyway and it had caused great upset back in the day when Satine had been placed under the protection of them during her youth. If it got out that the Mandlorian Duchess was in love with one, then who knew what that would do. 

“Fine," Satine seemed to say with effort, "I will admit that I am friends with a Jedi. I know that must sound blasphemous to you but-”

“But the point is: that’s why you’re bait.”

“Very well, point taken." Satine went quiet for a moment in thought. "If this is a trap then how do we counter it? Without battle?”

“Get. Off. Mandalore," Bo ordered as firmly as she could while keeping quiet. "That’s your only way. Vizsla will spare the people if they cooperate and don’t fight him.”

“So you’re still asking me to abandon them… again. Just like before.”

“Ask any of your trusted members and they will tell you the same. Save yourself to save them. …Contact the Jedi. I’ll try and let you know when Vizsla is on his way. Just run!”

With that, the communication was cut and Satine Kryze was left holding a silent comm. 

She pocketed her device with a groan of frustration and took a moment to compose herself.

Having made sure that the majority of her people were settled in the temporary accommodation of the mining village, there was little else she could do without getting in the way of others and so she was left to her own devices, waiting for the council to be free to meet. She had no intention of fleeing and leaving her people behind but, to her surprise, when she mentioned the suggestion flippantly to her council at the very next meeting, more than one seemed to agree that it was a sound idea just as Bo-Katan had said they would. 

She felt as though she were a teenager again, on the cusp of true adulthood, being told that she had to flee from her people in order to ensure their survival. This time the circumstances were different. She was a grown woman now without the steady presence of Qui-Gon Jinn to take guardianship of her. But perhaps she would still have Obi-Wan.

Although, she grimaced, if he was a dragon as well then how did that change things...? 

Retreating to her temporary quarters, Satine paced about her room, hesitating before contacting the Jedi Temple again. It made sense that Jedi would be as much of a target to Death Watch as she was but she longed to have their protection once more. She knew of Obi-Wan and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker - it still made her chuckle, even now, to think of that scruffy haired, dimple-cheeked apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn having one of his own - and she had even met Anakin’s Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, briefly. Korkie knew her better than she did so he at least would have a friend to-

She stopped and almost choked on her tongue as she hurriedly found a seat to collapse in.

Korkie would meet Obi-Wan. He had never met Obi-Wan. 

What would he think of him? What would he say? What would Obi-Wan say? Well, actually, Obi-Wan wouldn’t be able to say much at all if he were a dragon. Perhaps that was the only blessing from all of this…

She was thankful that she had dismissed her handmaiden before she had done her makeup for the day as she currently had run her hands over her face so many times that any sort of paint would have now rendered her a frightening sight indeed. Upon removing her hands from her face for the most recent time, she found a cup of warm tea being offered to her and there was her dear nephew, smiling gently down at her, the hot cup steaming in his palms.

He said nothing as she took the cup gratefully from him and he took a seat beside her.

Sipping delicately and appreciating the warmth, Satine sighed and patted Korkie's knee. 

“Pack a bag and be ready to leave soon, Korkie," she told him calmly, as though he hadn’t been partially the reason for her brief episode of anxiety. "Our Council have agreed that it is wise to separate from the people so as to ensure their safety. We will need to find protection among the Jedi."

Korkie's throat bobbed as he swallowed and his voice, which had only recently broken into deeper octaves over the recent years came out very quietly. 

“I’m not going, Aunty.”

Satine looked at him sharply and her tea almost spilt into her lap. 

“…What?”

“I am not going with you," Korkie replied, more confidently. "I’ll stay. I can show the people that you aren’t abandoning them and I can keep an eye on things until you return.”

But Satine was already shaking her head as panic began to set in. She fought to keep her voice steady. 

“No… no, Korkie-"

“You don’t have to worry about me," Korkie went on smiling gently, looking at her with his father's expression. "I can do this.”

“Vizsla is a wicked, violent man," Satine told him, setting aside her cup and clutching his hands. " If he knows who you are…”

Korkie shrugged. "If he cared about that, he would have killed Aunty Bo-Katan by now.”

“That's different... He could still hurt you! He could use you!”

Korkie twitched his eyebrow and smirked. “Bit convoluted, isn’t it? Using me to blackmail you so he can use you to blackmail a Jedi… There is such a thing as over-complicating something.”

“That wouldn’t stop Vizsla." The Duchess gripped her nephew's hands tighter. "No, Korkie, it is too dangerous. I can’t- I won't leave you here.”

“He probably doesn’t even know who I am," Korkie assured her, still displaying an infuriating calm. "I wasn’t exactly paraded around Mandalore when I was younger, was I?”

Satine's cheeks heated up slightly and she turned her face away, releasing his hands at last.

“For good reason. You… your parents had many enemies and I needed to keep you safe.”

“Well it paid off!" Korkie chuckled. "Only half the planet are even aware that I’m related to you, let alone under your guardianship.”

“Almec knows…" Satine pointed out meekly. "If he should tell Vizsla that you are Clan Kryze…”

She suddenly found herself in a tight embrace and Korkie was resting his head along her shoulder. 

“I’ll be fine, Aunty Satine," he murmured softly. "I have friends here. I'll keep an eye on things and report back in secret when I can. You need someone you can trust to tell you what Vizsla is up to."

She wanted to tell him that she would have Bo-Katan for that but the moment she opened her mouth to say so, she shut it. She couldn’t really be sure she even had that. There were very few people she could absolutely trust these days and all of them besides Korkie felt terribly far and out of reach.

All she could do was clutch Korkie close to her while her ever growing fear scratched away within her chest.

To feel the air become thinner and lighter the higher you went was an unpleasant sensation the first time. But, strangely, when on the back of a Jedi Dragon, it did not feel quite so unnerving. Knowing that the dragon was once your general, however, certainly was.

Every time Cody gripped at the fur around the neck: “Sorry, General.”

Every time Rex clenched his knees when avoiding a shuttle: “Sorry, General.”

Obi-Wan shook his head and simply focused on flying. It was easier without the heavy air to fight against and the upper atmosphere was an absolute breeze to swim through. He enjoyed it. So much so that found himself twisting and turning and dancing around the airways.

“He’s taken to those wings very quickly,” Mace Windu said, observing this from the taxi shuttle window as it made it’s way up to Centax-2 with the Dragon escort. “Once again, you all demonstrate a frightening ability of picking up new skills when it suits you…” 

“Something that Cody and Rex aren’t enjoying, it looks like,” Ahsoka sighed, longing to switch places with them. She couldn’t help the smile on her face though when Obi-Wan cruised over them and bobbed his head, showing off his fine plumage and the glittering blue Kyber crystal in his chest.

Master Windu checked the flight path of the taxi and noted their altitude.

“It seems you were correct about Master Kenobi being able to tolerate the lack of air,” he said. “Has he shared any discomfort with you, Skywalker?”

Anakin, who had been leaning on his elbow and gazing out at his flying master, looked over and shook his head.

“Not yet. But we haven’t had stable communication with each other until now. Need me to check in with him?”

“If you would be so kind…” Mace answered a little dryly, looking back to the dragon and the riding Clones.

Biting back a sarcastic retort, Anakin closed his eyes and reached out for his Master. Feelings of freedom and control and peace oozed back at him from all around and Anakin felt his heart clench upon realising that they were familiar feelings. The exact feelings he experienced whenever he was able to fly in the cockpit of a starfighter.

Upon sensing the returning acknowledgement of his presence through their bond, Anakin focused on that thread of light that bound he and Obi-Wan together.

“Master…” he spoke down that path, “Master Windu is curious about how you are able to breathe. What are you feeling?”

The reply that came back sounded a little like Obi-Wan but it was… worrying.

“Free. Scared Pups hold tight.”

“…Master?” Anakin asked nervously. 

He saw the dragon shake his head and rub at his nose while in flight before a clearer answer came across the bond.

“Forgive me,” Obi-Wan said, clearer and more intelligently. “I… That was odd. What was your question, sorry?”

Anakin didn’t want to address it. Perhaps it was nothing. Obi-Wan was back in control now. He hoped his concerned face wasn’t spotted by Mace or Ahsoka. 

“…I was asking how you were feeling. Are you able to breathe?”

“Breathe…” His Master repeated thoughtfully. “No, not really. I do not feel the need to, for some reason. The more I think about it, the more it alarms me and yet I still don’t have the urge to draw breath. Not unless I needed to make a loud noise.”

“And the air pressure? That isn’t bothering you? The temperature?”

“I cannot feel it affecting me. It is like I am wearing a warm suit of my own just as Cody and Rex are.” Outside, Obi-Wan gave a gentle flap of his wings and glanced over his shoulder at the Clones. “Speaking of, would you see if they are alright? I’ve tried talking to them but they do not understand me and I fear they cannot hear me anyway. They are gripping on very tightly though they feel extremely secure in my opinion.”

“I will,” Anakin said, smiling at the Clones. Cody was face forward, completely still, while Rex was pressed against his back. Their hands were clenched in Obi-Wan’s fur although one of Rex’s arms was wrapped around Cody for added security. “They haven’t been talking to each other then?”

“Only once when we first took off in which Cody suggested that Rex hold onto him but since then, they have been very quiet. I hope they are alright.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll check in with them.” He drew back from the bond and looked over to find the still-human Jedi Council Member watching him expectantly.

“Well?” Windu's eyebrow was arched quizzically. 

“Doesn’t feel the urge to breathe, doesn’t seem to need to, and doesn’t feel affected by the air pressure and temperature,” Anakin reported to him, almost flippantly. “The only difference seems to be the ease in which he can fly.”

Contemplating those words, Mace Windu leant back in his seat. 

"Interesting."

Anakin was next on the comms and he saw Rex fumble for his device to lift to his face. His Captain's voice sounded a little strained and distracted. 

"Yes sir?" Rex asked loudly, evidently fighting the noise of the wind. 

“Boys? How are you both holding up? We aren’t far from Centax-2, you’ll be glad to know,” Anakin told them. 

Obi-Wan gave his wings another lazy flap and began to overtake the shuttle.

“Faring well, General.” 

“You sure?" Anakin asked. "Your ride is worried about how quiet you’ve been. Do you feel unsafe?”

“On the contrary," Rex replied, "we feel absurdly safe. Almost as secure as standing on our own two feet. I’m more worried that we will forget to hold on tightly and that will result in our plummet back to Coruscant. If the planet’s orbit doesn’t send us spiralling into the Galaxy first.”

Anakin had to chuckle at that. “Not to worry, Captain. Whichever direction you might fall in, I think I can guarantee that Obi-Wan would catch you in rapid time. It’s a smooth ride, isn’t it? The wind doesn’t buffet you as much as you would think it does.”

“No, it doesn’t…" Rex's voice became quiet as he seemed to consider that unusual fact. "Why is that?”

 “A question we haven’t found an answer to yet although Master Yoda believes he is close to one." Anakin checked the chrono and the flight plan. "ETA to Centax-2 is 5 minutes.” 

"Copy that."

The shipyard was sent into a tizzy when a living creature swooped into the port, feathered wings spread and lifted to slow the descent. He flapped to maintain his height and waited until the accompanying shuttle flew in a few seconds later to dock. As soon as the shuttle was down, Obi-Wan slowed his wing flaps until his rear legs touched solid ground whereupon he settled onto all fours and tucked his wings back up to his sides. He felt Cody and Rex loosen their grips at long last and he smiled to himself while he crouched down onto his front and offered his shoulder for them to use in dismounting. 

Ahsoka was first down the shuttle's landing ramp and ran over to meet Rex who slid down the fur of Obi-Wan's front leg and stamped his feet to reacquaint himself with standing on the floor again. 

"Isn't it great?" she was saying with shining eyes. "I haven't had a proper flight like that yet but I had a little go earlier and it was-" 

Cody came sliding down next to Rex a moment later and he immediately removed his helmet to cool off his head. He looked bright and spirited and his eyes were still wide. 

"-and Anakin wants to know how fast he can actually go." Ahsoka finished and grinned mischievously at Obi-Wan who resumed his demure posture as though he hadn't done anything of any particular note.

Anakin was soon up at his side again and was running a hand over his Master's neck, just as a livestock owner would check his animals after they had done some work. Obi-Wan nudged the young man with his nose and snuffled quietly into Anakin's palm, the tip of his tail flicking from side to side.

As soon as Mace had confirmed that the Clones were perfectly okay and had recovered from the flight, he began to look around for the port-master. 

Centax-2, like the other moons of Coruscant, was used primarily to house starfighters and other ships and larger craft but there were a fair few towns on the moons as well where dock-workers and their families lived among various ship-hands and travellers and people who wanted to get away from the city-life of the main planet. Between the towns were open, empty lands for ship cannons and weapons testing and this is what Mace Windu was counting on for testing the Kyber crystal. 

The port-master, keeping a distance from the dragon, pointed the Jedi and Clones towards a taxi speeder that could take them where they needed to go but he looked uncertainly at the large creature they were intending to take with them.

"Not to worry!" Ahsoka excitedly grinned. "I can ride on Master Obi-Wan!"

“We aren’t testing flight speed, Snips,” Anakin sighed, catching Mace’s eye-roll.

“I know that,” Ahsoka bit back. “But ‘accompanied at all times’, remember? Cody and Rex have had their turn. So have you. Please?” She turned her large eyes to her Master and to Windu. She knew that such an expression often worked on Plo Koon. 

Mace’s lips ghosted the beginning of a smirk and he turned to look at Anakin, saying nothing.

It was one of those moments that made Anakin’s stomach flip, to have a senior Jedi Master defer to him for a decision. Yet, at the end of the day, protocol was protocol and Ahsoka Tano was Skywalker’s Padawan. That little modicum of respect was addictive for someone like Anakin - especially from Mace Windu of all Jedi. 

A deep sound, a little growly grunt, thrummed from within Obi-Wan’s throat and he moved his head toward the young Padawan girl with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Alright, Ahsoka,” Anakin nodded after a moment of relishing Mace’s respect. “But this isn’t going to be a joyride. We’re only going to-”

He hadn’t finished his sentence before Ahsoka sprinted past him and was already up Obi-Wan’s shoulders. 

Anakin sighed and ignored the chuckle that the dragon’s growl had turned into.

“You’ll be fine with me, Master Kenobi,” Ahsoka was saying, scratching behind the ear feathers.

Obi-Wan let out a surprised chuff and he arched his neck, leaning into the Padawan’s hand and squinting in delight at the sensation.

“Let me finish,” Anakin said hurriedly. “It isn’t a joyride. We are only going to the testing fields. You won’t be flying about like a star fighter without me, ok? We haven’t got time for that.”

“Yes, Padawan,” his Master’s voice smiled inside his head, “no joy-riding. We haven’t the time… Now where have I heard that before…?”

Anakin ignored him. Pod-racing was different to riding dragons so his standards were different. At least, that was what he chose to believe.

Ahsoka gave a long-resigned sigh and slumped her shoulders.

“Very well, Master…”

Her disappointment was short-lived. 

Obi-Wan rose onto four feet and shook himself so that Ahsoka had to clutch his mane and shriek with laughter, loving the feeling of riding a powerful animal that turned heads.

“If we’re quite ready?” Mace Windu murmured, turning around with a majestic swish of his robe to head towards the taxi speeder. 

Cody and Rex walked with Anakin behind him and Obi-Wan followed, keeping his head high and fidgeting restlessly to get Ahsoka excited for the incoming liftoff.

Not that she needed encouragement for that. She was finally sitting up front and had her legs either side of the dragon’s neck. A front row seat to the view! Anakin had even claimed that he could steer the dragon… Could she do it as well? Or did Obi-Wan only respond to his own Padawan? Well, she was an honourary Padawan of Obi-Wan and was only one training generation removed from him so he should respond for her as well. 

She felt a new shiver of anticipation as the wings began to unfold from his flanks.

Obi-Wan could feel the ball of energy that was Ahsoka as she buzzed between his shoulder blades. He found it endearing.

He remembered being young and riding animals for the first time. The thrill of being in command of a creature that you could connect with in the Force, the sense of control and the fresh feeling of wild freedom… He snuffed sharply and pawed the floor.

Not that he was an animal! But Ahsoka deserved to enjoy the feeling and maybe he would play it up a little bit…

As Mace, Anakin and the Clones climbed into the speeder of a very nervous looking taxi driver, Obi-Wan tossed his mane and trotted on the spot to give a sense of restless, restrained energy. He opened his wings a little more and gave a slow experimental flap. Then, when Ahsoka had a firm grip of him, he spread his wings fully… but did not take flight. 

He could taste the disappointment as he began to walk after the speeder.

He felt it shift into confusion as he trotted up alongside it. 

The as the speeder began to increase its speed, he felt confusion become excitement again as he began to gallop and the wind started to push back into their faces.

Finally the shriek of delight as Obi-Wan leapt into the air and carried them above the speeder.

Ahsoka’s smile was so large that she knew her face would be sore. Pressed into the dragon’s neck, she felt the warm glow of the Force begin to cling to her like a safety harness and she lifted herself up to admire the view as they caught the attention of all those down below that whizzed by underneath like little mice.

Her laugh peeled out as they rose higher and the speeder shrank. They were probably going too high… 

“Master Kenobi? Don’t let Anakin find something to scold me about...” she said into the dragon’s ear. But all she got was a squeaky growl of mischief.

After all, Ahsoka had promised ‘no joy-riding’.

Obi-Wan hadn’t promised anything of the sort. 

If Ahsoka wanted to go fast then they would go fast - just so long as they stayed with the Speeder they would be alright.

Many said that Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was a stickler for the rules and, in some cases, they were quite correct. But when you had been trained by a Jedi such as Qui-Gon Jinn and you’d had Anakin Skywalker as a Padawan, it didn’t become a case of knowing when to keep or break the rules, it became a case of knowing how to make the rules bend over backwards and dance the limbo without snapping them - a skill that Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had had a lifetime to perfect. 

With the speeder now a dot down below and the dread of hearing an angry voice over the comms any minute, Ahsoka curled her fingers into the mane and tugged nervously.

Her heart felt the power of the roar that the dragon suddenly bellowed before it was practically left behind in the sky as the wings folded back and Obi-Wan dropped into a nosedive.

Ahsoka’s scream of adrenaline couldn’t be heard as they dropped down steeply, diving back towards the taxi like a homing missile, enduring speeds that no-one should be able to survive without the safety of a cockpit or a flight suit. And yet all around her, Ahsoka felt the protective shield of the Force.

Then she understood what Yoda must have felt before - the Force was protecting them. It was what allowed them to breathe where there was no air, allowed their internal organs not to be displaced, allowed them to feel secure and safe as though there were no drop, allowed them to endure the freezing cold of the sky and the now scorching heat of a high-speed dive.

Those thoughts were there and gone in only a moment as they descended.

At the last moment, Obi-Wan spread his wings and turned away before he could buffet the speeder with his slipstream and send the poor taxi driver into cardiac arrest. Wheeling around in an arc and looping upside down to return, the dragon found a comfortable gliding speed above the speeder and while Ahsoka took several moments to settle her racing pulse and push her grinning face back into place, Obi-Wan glanced down to exchange a smug smile with an equally grinning Anakin.

“Next time…” Ahsoka laughed. “I’m driving.”

Chapter Text

Adjusting his goggles, the Clone who answered to the name of ‘Tech’ took a sweeping look at the barren landscape and, as he had been ordered, lifted his data pad to record some footage for the Jedi Archivist.

They had arrived underneath a twilight sky and the pastel colours that had been reported beforehand were almost bordering on being considered bright as they caught the last rays of the planet’s setting sun and revealed a luminous tone. But there was no sign of mountains, no foliage or any animals, not even the ambience of singing insects. In some cases, it was eerie…

“Exactly what I would expect a mythical, Force-altering planet to look like…” Tech murmured as the Captain of the Bad Batch walked up beside him. He knew Hunter would already be tracking the landscape for any changes. 

“I’ve not seen anything this dead and empty since Crosshair’s face after his mission to head security for the Senator of Ryloth’s birthday party,” Wrecker agreed, dumping down a heavy military backpack. He smiled over at Crosshair who was watching the horizon from the other side of the ship and seemed disappointed that the Sniper of the group didn’t deign to respond. He decided to assume that he simply hadn’t heard him.

While Tech continued to record and Wrecker sorted out the bags, Hunter resumed his slow patrol of the ship, eyes on alert for anything amiss while Crosshair lurked in the shadow of the ship’s hull.

Within the ship, Jocasta Nu was directing her assistants and Depa could feel traces of the Archivist’s mild excitement. She smiled to herself and straightened her back when her Padawan hopped up to her left-hand side. He was as energetic and eager as all Padawans tended to be at his age but she regarded him with fondness to find him trying to neaten his robes and make sure his braid was tidy though there didn’t appear to be anyone to impress besides Clones and fellow Jedi.

“What do you think, Padawan?” she asked. “Does the Force tell you much about this planet?”

Caleb turned his head to study the area and then took a deep breath, tugging on the fringes of the Force to try and glean some secrets from it.

“…It looks like it hasn’t seen a drop of moisture in centuries,” he eventually decided. “It’s an old planet.”

Depa nodded slowly and folded her arms into her sleeves.

“Never forget to consult the Force first when you find yourself someplace new and unfamiliar,” she reminded him. “Your eyes can deceive you. Mustn’t rely on your sight all the time.” She looked up as one of the Clones finished a circle of the area. “Unlike Captain Hunter, of course, on whose fine eyesight we can absolutely depend…”

Upon hearing his name, Hunter came up and stood straight, a hand on his belt. 

“General?” 

“I thank you for proceeding with your setup while we assisted Master Nu,” she began. “We have landed close to the coordinates we were given so it wouldn’t surprise me if, with your skills, you have already picked up a trace of the others?”

“Of course, General.” He turned and looked beyond Crosshair. “This planet is dusty and without rain or wind there is clear evidence of at least four beings travelling in that direction. I assumed that the prints belong to General Kenobi, General Skywalker, Commander Cody and Captain Rex. One set, evidently one of the Troopers, can be seen returning, perhaps back to their ship.”

“Then we appear to have a direction already. Good. Master Nu will be pleased.” Depa could hear the voice of the Temple Archivist as she made sure her Padawan, who sounded weary of being in the ship and was eager to depart, had every item on his person memorised.

As Hunter stepped back to assist Crosshair in keeping an eye on the area, one of the Lore Keepers, a beautiful Chagrian with pale blue skin, appeared at the top of the ramp and looked out with a sigh that spoke of her delight in being out of the Temple and off on an expedition again. She and an older looking Human Lore Keeper shared a few words together and then stepped out onto the dusty terrain. 

At her side, Depa felt her Padawan soak in the Force, just to savour the emotions of his fellow Jedi. 

"The Masters are happy," he noted, after a pause. "How long has it been since they were able to go out on an expedition like this?"

Depa brought her chin towards her chest and slowly folded her arms inside her sleeves.

"The Exploration Corps became responsible for these sort of missions since the revelation that the Sith had returned after the Trade Federation invaded Naboo," Depa replied. "But there were times that an Archivist might be permitted to join them frequently back then. However just before the declaration of War between the Republic and the Separatists, the Senate felt as though Jedi really could not be spared on such missions unless it was to benefit the War effort."

Her tone was light and calm but her Padawan, through the Force, could feel his Master's displeasure like a cool breeze that crested and broke in the warm wave of joy that the other Jedi were sharing. Caleb mimicked his Master's pose and quirked an eye up at her, nudging her mental shields gently. She sighed and shook her head, patting his shoulder fondly. 

Though it was never spoken out loud freely, the Jedi of the Temple grew more frustrated with the political interference of the Senate in their affairs which dictated where they could or could not go and when. All the Jedi that operated from the Temple on Coruscant were obligated to take missions that benefited the War and whenever the Masters attempted to consult the Force about it, the answers always came back clouded and obscure, muddied by the Dark Side that had been slowly surrounding them for years. Depa could recount the times her former Master, Mace Windu, had frowned and shaken his head after his meditation sessions. Until the source of the obfuscation could be rooted out, there wasn't much they could do yet and the War kept them too busy to devote all their time and resources into anything else. They were bound by duty to protect the innocent people who were threatened by the War and non-compliance was simply not an option that could be taken without serious repercussions; if the Senate did not accuse them of treachery and negligence then the public would. 

And the innocent people caught between the armies would still be in danger.  

Depa and Caleb shared this private thought between them, silent yet clear. As far as the Clones were concerned, there appeared to be no grumbling. 

Not until Jocasta appeared at the ramp and tutted at the barren wasteland.

“The Force does like to choose some of the most obscure places to converge in, doesn’t it? Master Cordova would have found this one to be a challenge.” She threw back her cloak and descended down the ramp with a grace and formidability that intimidated even Wrecker. “But I refuse to allow this one to flummox me without a struggle. Study the Zeffo for as long as you desire, old friend, but I will have a tale of my own to regale you with when we next meet. Come, Padawan.” 

The teenage Archivist-in-training, all excitement and eagerness, came scampering down from the ship with a large pack slung over his thin shoulders and a couple of smaller bags on each wiry arm. While on the ship, Hunter thought he reminded him of a Shili squirrel with the way he looked around and moved with such quick twitches and darts, this way and that, and he was sure that if there were trees around the young lad would be up the trunks and perching on the branches by now, already looking for a nut of information to store away.

In comparison, Billaba’s Padawan, though much younger and shorter, seemed to have more muscle on him and if such an occasion occurred whereupon the two lads were forced to fight, Hunter was sure he would not be alone in betting on him as the winner. That being said, while the younger boy was scrappy, the light that shone in the older boy spoke of a keen, almost fierce, intelligence.

Well, there was always wisdom to be found in bringing both brawn and brain along on a mission. Wrecker and Tech were his own examples of that.

The Human Jedi who had emerged along with the Chagrian one, seemed to smile under his beard and walked over to alleviate Jocasta’s Padawan of a little luggage. The Clones had been briefly introduced to their Jedi travel companions before leaving Coruscant. The Chagrian woman was a Jedi Knight named Lishaa Pocan and the bearded man was a former Padawan of Jocasta’s who simply preferred to be called Gar. His little squirrely brother, which is how the Clones rationalised the relationship between two Jedi who shared a Master, had been introduced as Denni O’pi and he beamed his thanks to Gar as the older man took a bag.

“You will be pleased to know, Master Nu, that Captain Hunter has identified the tracks of the previous visitors,” Depa spoke as Jocasta walked past, “so we may follow them to the cave at our leisure.”

“Good,” Jocasta replied stiffly. “It won’t be as simple as getting to the cave but—” she shook a little dust from the hem of her robe “—at least it is a start that won’t delay us. Lead on, Captain, if you would be so kind.”

Hunter gave one strong nod of his head and lead the way towards the tracks. Behind him walked Tech who had his faithful datapad out as usual. Jocasta was almost a breath away from his shoulder and took the lead of the group of Jedi whom she had -mostly- selected for this quest (Depa and Caleb had been Master Windu’s request). Wrecker and Crosshair were at the rear of the procession, the former bearing the majority of the Clones’s weapons and the latter keeping his sharp hawk-eyes on the horizons. While Hunter could read the land directly around them, Crosshair saw things better from far away. If Wrecker would stop drifting into his path...

They followed the tracks until Hunter discovered evidence of a second shuttle that had landed on the planet. No doubt the landing site of the Sith. From there, the expedition party turned to follow the numerous sets of footprints which ran out in a semi-straight line into the distance towards the supposed entrance to the Force Nexus that had caused all this trouble.

Hunter’s gaze was on the ground, mapping out the depression of each individual print left by the wearer of that particular boot. Rex and Cody would have had practically identical boot-prints, save for a few minor differences due to wear and erosion,  which is why Hunter knew only one of his brothers had accompanied the Jedi from the landing site behind them. General Kenobi’s marks made it obvious that he moved with a defined and very controlled centre of gravity, weight distributed evenly across the foot while General Skywalker wore a different style of boot and appeared to lean more on the outside of his feet. He did not know which of the three remaining prints belonged to which enemy but he could tell that one of them was heavily armoured and another…

He frowned and tilted his head, feeling the eyes of the Jedi turn to him almost immediately as though his moment of confusion had been tasted quite strongly. 

“A problem, Captain?” Jocasta asked in a cool tone of voice. 

“Not a problem,” Hunter smoothly answered. “Only I have a question and I’d like to ask your forgiveness if it is insulting.”

Her expression bade him ask away.

“Of these marks… One set appear to be from something mechanical. It is very heavy. I was given the impression that there was a Mandalorian and two Force Wielders and, if what I have learnt is correct, the chances of a droid being able to wield the Force is very slim. Am I correct in assuming then that the heavier set is from one of the Sith?”

The Jedi Archivist, stern and almost chilly, pursed her lips and hummed.

“Yes…” she murmured and then cleared her throat to speak louder, glancing down briefly at the footprints they followed. “The mechanical prints belong to the Sith. He is no droid, but he was cut from his legs many years ago.”

“As in,” Tech quietly piped up, “he lost his legs? Amputated?”

“From the hypogastrium down, if the information we were told is correct,” Jocasta stiffly replied, a shadowed look in her eye as her hand gestured to Tech’s lower abdomen. 

The Clone Trooper lowered his datapad with a furrow atop his goggles.

“That is no mere amputation then,” he said. “That is a total bisection. He should be dead…”

A collective sigh ran through the line of Jedi.

“Indeed. Something that we at the Temple bemoan on a daily basis,” the Archivist almost joked before her expression became serious again. “But the Sith fraternise and bathe in the poisons of the Dark Side and their perverse abuse of it occasionally grants them the odd unnatural boon. If their fury and hatred are strong enough when they are dealt a mortal blow then their illicit connection to the Dark Side will be enough to keep them from immediately perishing - although, as is the way of the Dark Side, such a feat comes with a steep price. The Sith, it is said, have no true afterlife and do not become one with the Force due to their unbalance and, as such, they will fight to stay alive by any means necessary. Even if it means abusing the natural will of the Force.”

Tech ducked his head down towards his datapad and seemed happy not to pry much further.

Young Caleb shuddered to think how the sludge of the Dark Side might block up your wounds and force your heart and lungs to keep going, keeping you cold in the dark instead of the warm embrace of the Light Side while the charred remains of your internal organs spilled out from below your waist. Made him feel positively nauseated, actually.

“How… How long was Darth Maul like that?” he could not help but quietly ask his Master. His hands wrung the hem of his robe sleeves while he fought the feeling of sickness away.

At first he wondered if Master Depa had heard his almost-silent question or if she was choosing not to answer. But after a minute to wrestle with her good judgement, she sent him an answer.

“Since the death of Master Qui-Gon Jinn, roughly 13 years ago.” 

“That’s a long time to be left like that…”

“Master Jocasta said there was a price. Maul allowed hatred and revenge to keep him alive at the cost of his mind; he ended up being ruled by nothing but the desire to pay Master Obi-Wan back.” Depa patted the young boy on his shoulder. “The Sith may be our enemies but they teach us valuable lessons sometimes. Let him be a warning about the illusion of revenge and power from the Dark Side. As Jedi, we know that to pursue revenge ultimately gains us nothing and we must accept our deaths when it is our time to join the Force.”

Caleb looked down at his shoes.

“I understand it though,” he admitted softy. “Mixing up justice with revenge… And the desire to keep those you love from dying… Of wanting to stay alive just a little bit longer - especially if you don’t become One with the Force after…”

Master Billaba turned her head to look at her Padawan.

“Of course we understand it, Caleb. All Jedi do,” she told him slowly. “That is natural. We accept death and we recognise that it is still sad. But as Jedi, our feelings and emotions are powerful and just as we use them to harness the Force, so too does the Force use our emotions to harness us. That is why the Dark Side seems so strong - because the negative emotions of hate and fear and rage are strong.” She smiled. “Do not dwell on such thoughts yet, Padawan, while you are young and have so many more years to live. Remain in the moment. We have a mission so we will meditate later.”

Caleb pressed his mouth shut and they continued on in silence, watching the older footprints pass by them.

“Did Master Kenobi think he was going to die here? When he fell?”

“Caleb, enough…” Master Billaba’s voice was stern now. “If you continue to fixate on the end, you will never be able to enjoy the journey. Clear your mind and allow the Force to guide you. Master Kenobi is not dead but he needs us all the same.”

At that, Caleb nodded and stood up straight.

“Sorry, Master. You are right. We have a mission."

Whatever lingering dark thoughts he had were soon pushed to the side in favour of helping out a fellow Jedi. The Sith might disguise their fear of dying by glorifying the pursuit of longevity and power but a Jedi had to be without such fear and thus found true glory in helping others and Caleb was selfishly determined to see that it was done.

The driver, having dropped off his passengers at the testing fields, drove a short distance away and then not-so-discretely parked up to watch the events involving the large winged animal that landed alongside the group.

Ahsoka’s face was flushed and energised as she rolled off the shoulders and landed on her feet in front of the Masters.

Rex and Cody, remaining side by side, found themselves going up to greet the dragon with affectionate neck patting while Ahsoka made her excuses to Anakin and Mace Windu which included something along the lines of her inability to steer Obi-Wan and him finding it easier to fly at a certain speed.

Windu wasn’t particularly interested in the excuses seeing as he had not issued any restrictions in the first place and Anakin did not think it was in his nature to chastise his Padawan for something he himself would have done anyway. The fault, he decided, was all Obi-Wan’s - for knowing that having a Padawan was something that would force Anakin to grow up and for knowing how to bend even Anakin’s own rules without breaking them.

Ironic, really, that Obi-Wan did not like Politicians because he would have been a formidable opponent within the Senate. 

Today, though, his opponent was not going to be a collection of arguing senators but rather a group of large boulders in the distance which were already scorched and marked from previous weapons testing from the ship builders. 

The Clones backed away and assumed their duties of acting as Jedi security, scanning the area for anyone who was taking an interest in what was happening. Rex kept his eye on the Speeder that had brought them here and Cody focused on the activity happening on the other end of the field. So far, they had not given an indication that they were interested in the large animal which was refreshing.

Mace stood in front of Obi-Wan and, for the first time, slowly and carefully lifted his hand towards his face. He was tentative and slow, but he kept his gaze on Obi-Wan’s familiar eyes as the dark hand gently rested on the pale nose. He felt a soothing rumble greet his palm and the Jedi Master relaxed, finding it within himself to stroke the nose briefly before asking Obi-Wan if he was comfortable with allowing him to approach the stone in his chest.

To that, Obi-Wan settled down comfortably with his forelegs apart and lifted his head way above Mace, displaying the blue stone that glittered among the golden mane and cream fur. 

Anakin and Ahsoka stood by the dragon’s left leg, keeping quiet and endeavouring not to touch the dragon until Mace Windu had finished. The older Master gave the Kyber Crystal another examination by brushing the back of his hand faintly above the hard facets as he concentrated, not daring to touch it yet until he had a better understanding. The Force’s presence made the stone feel warm and as Obi-Wan closed his eyes, the other 3 Jedi could hear the Crystal begin to sing quietly, a melodic humming that caused the Kyber crystals in their own sabres to answer and harmonise together. 

“It is indeed yours, Obi-Wan,” Mace sighed, pulling his hand away, “so I believe there is nothing that we can do to invite it to use its power. Ahsoka? You among us are the only one who has seen this power from Maul. Was there anything he did to activate it?”

Ahsoka collected her memories together.

“I only recall the look in his eyes, even from a distance: the eyes glowed briefly and the stone seemed to respond,” she explained. “I was only made aware of it by a sudden swell in the Force, like pressure building. Then, it was while I was watching that Maul seemed to pull the power up from his chest and… It was like the ignition of a lightsaber but it behaved more like a blaster. I just remember seeing a beam of red light and Obi-Wan dodging it. It fizzled away when Maul shut his mouth and the glow stopped.”

Mace glanced back to Obi-Wan. “Do you think you can work with that for now?” 

Obi-Wan pushed up with his front legs to assume a sitting position and he coiled his tail around himself. He grew determined and as he drew breath, he raised his chest, shoulders rolling back to give himself room. Immediately, Mace retreated and beckoned Anakin and Ahsoka to join him as the Force seemed to grow heavy around them, just as Ahsoka had described, building up in anticipation.

The longer Obi-Wan seemed to focus, the more intense the Force felt. Even the Clones could feel a shift in the air, though they were clad in full armour that had allowed them to endure the travel away from the planet while mounted to a dragon. Centax-2 was not known for thunderstorms but if they didn’t know any better, they might have thought that one was brewing given the energy that was bubbling around them.

But just as the pressure was getting to the point of becoming uncomfortable, it suddenly vanished, trickling away to nothing as Obi-Wan visibly deflated. There was a look of trepidation in his eyes as he stared across the field at the boulder targets.

With a brief glance to the other Jedi, he roused his wings and stood up onto all-fours, shaking himself down and reorienting for another try.

Once again, the Force began to bear down on them, moving like a heavy molasses around their limbs and minds as it responded to the siren call of the altered Kyber Crystal which now began to glow softly at Obi-Wan’s next deep inhale. After a second longer, the glow changed to pulse like a heartbeat and it now began to shine in the dragon’s eyes, getting brighter and brighter and casting a pristine blue light over the area. Ahsoka didn’t realise she was holding her own breath as she watched the glow spread, carefully rising up from the chest to course up the dragon’s long neck. Not even Obi-Wan’s thick mane of coppery hair could hide the pulse of blue which steadily rose higher and higher until it reached the throat.

That was when Obi-Wan hurriedly blinked his eyes shut and dropped his head, shaking away the glow and digging his claws into the ground.

Ahsoka released her breath.

“Kenobi?” Master Windu asked softly. 

A uncharacteristically frustrated snarl preceded a furious shake of the mane as Obi-Wan snapped his teeth at the air and turned sharply to slink back and forth, tail lashing from side to side to kick up the dust. Every footfall was stamped as he paced around the watching group. 

This wasn’t the Obi-Wan Kenobi they all knew. Mace was sure his fellow Council Member had not shown this level of impatience since his Padawan years and while Anakin could count the number of times he had driven his Master near to the brink, he could not confidently say that he had seen or felt such a strong reaction from the older Jedi ever. It was entirely alien to Ahsoka and to the Clones who had only ever known a level-headed General and Mentor.

Lowering his head and bearing his fangs, Obi-Wan glared at the ground as he walked and when Anakin jumped into his path to slow him, the strength and force of the dragon’s head pushed the younger Jedi back a few meters before he finally stopped. Anakin pressed his palm into Obi-Wan’s forehead and rubbed the space between the eyes soothingly, his other hand supporting the chin to hold him steady.

Memories resurfaced in Anakin’s mind. Memories of his early Padawanship when he had almost turned 10 and was starting to learn how to control the Force. It had been a simple exercise: lift two interconnecting wooden blocks, separate them, then put them back together again before setting it back on the table. The Initiates younger than him could do it and he was having to catch up on 4 years worth of Jedi training to be at the same level as other Initiates his age.

Obi-Wan dedicated hours of his daily routine to Anakin’s education and had set aside time to teach Anakin in private and show him how to better gain a finer control with the Force. Lifting and throwing things was something that he had been able to do by then and that had only taken him a couple of lessons to learn such was the ease with which he could access the Force once he had been shown how to.

But to manipulate objects so carefully, with such precision… He got frustrated. It was like trying to colour inside the lines and frequently failing and with each failure, he grew increasingly angrier. It got to the point where he threw everything in the room to the side and roared as loudly as his little chest would let him, stamping his foot and venting his emotions violently on everything he could touch. Then he remembered suddenly finding his Master at his side, talking to him slowly and methodically, guiding him through a mediation to settle himself but it wasn’t until he leant forward and pressed his face into Obi-Wan’s shoulder and concentrating on his Master’s hands that rubbed his back that he had finally calmed.

Now it was the Padawan’s chance to return the favour. 

Anakin waited until the quiet snarling faded away and the creased brow eased off into a gentler expression before he ventured to talk to him. He moved the hand from the chin as he leant closer, holding the head completely under his arm so that there was no choice but to look at him.

“Don’t let the beast side ruin that legendary composure of yours, Obi-Wan,” he murmured, now rubbing slow circles into the side of the head. “Come on. What’s the issue? Talk me through it.”

He heard a faint hiss from between the teeth under the dragon’s lip but he was not afraid. He knew there would never be a day that he feared his Master.

“I can feel it…” Obi-Wan told him. His telepathic voice in his head was strained, as though it were fighting against something that Anakin could not see. “…it is right there. The power of my Kyber. As clear and as musical as it has always been from when it called to me within the caves of Ilum and to when it rested against my side or in the palm of my hand. Every time I have lost and had to replace my lightsaber, the crystals have always sang for me in the same frequency, sometimes urgently, sometimes sadly, sometimes serenely. Here, it is no different. It is just much closer against my heart now and it has made me… happy.” He leant into Anakin further but the young Jedi held his ground. “Yet now when I call upon it… It is too loud. It sings so strongly that I- that I almost fear it. It is so powerful and strong and I am not worthy to wield that sort of power. It is for greater hands than mine. Those thoughts pass through my mind and it causes the energy to catch in my throat and I choke so I must swallow it back down in case someone is hurt. … This… this change to my brain… the one that has me thinking and acting as a wild creature… There is an instinct there that keeps trying to take over my mind.”

Anakin could feel his heart in his chest and he knew that Obi-Wan would be able to feel it too, pressed against it.

“What does the instinct say?”

A soft whicker.

“That I must protect you… all of you. I must protect the Light and keep the balance as is the Will of the Force. But the Force is so unbalanced currently… I feel it more keenly now. The darkness that has been clouding our vision since before your arrival is a danger to us and I must keep you safe.”

“I am safe,” Anakin whispered to him. 

“No…” his Master’s voice whispered back in his mind. “No, Chosen One, you are not.”

Obi-Wan rarely referred to Anakin as the Chosen One and Anakin felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck begin to rise. Was it his Master speaking to him… or was it the Force itself?

“Why- Why am I not safe?” 

A very quiet growl.

“We are being hunted. We are prey. …Protect!”

In alarm, Anakin quickly grabbed the dragon’s head as he began to draw back with a vicious snarl and he held firm, pressing his own forehead against him.

“Hey, shhhh! Shh!” he soothed. “We are okay! There is no Dark Side here. Ok? Shhh… that’s it… calm down…”

And Obi-Wan did. He quietened and found his centre, engaged in the familiar breathing exercises that all Jedi were encouraged to memorise as their own form of instinct. His eyes darted over to Ahsoka and Mace and then to the Clones, making sure that each one was there. Anakin saw Obi-Wan’s line of sight and shushed his reassurances all over again.

Mace Windu had a hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder, clearly having needed to keep her from rushing over. 

“I am sorry, Anakin…” a little voice said in the Knight’s mind. “You know I am usually much calmer than this…”

“Considering you’re also not usually a dragon the size of your basic star-fighter, I think a lot more can be forgiven,” Anakin replied, faintly smiling. Concentrating, he then spoke to Obi-Wan through his telepathic bond, sending a push of affection and love with his words. “You’ve got this, okay? You’re my Master and you can do anything. All that worrying about hurting us? That isn’t you. You’re not scared of anything!”

“…Anakin…”

“No, come on. We aren’t going to let Maul win on this one. Anything he can do, you can do better, right?”

Obi-Wan did not reply to that. He withdrew his head from his Padawan’s arms and studied the enormous rocks in the distance with a methodical sweep in a manner that Anakin was very familiar with. The dragon somehow had the same expression on his face that he occasionally worn as a Human and it was one that both fascinated Anakin and yet seemed to drive him mad at the exact same time when he had been younger and full of turbulent, conflicting emotions. 

Anakin had at first recognised the expression from when he had seen it on Qui-Gon's much older face but it hadn't been until he had studied it on Obi-Wan that it had fully registered. A look that told him that there was a great deal of rapid activity going on within his mind and behind his eyes. He was studying a situation, making calculations, working things out, categorising information, dissecting it, processing it, archiving it, pulling things from his own memories and experiences and marrying them up, blending things together and finally coming to a decision and, subsequently, acting on it.

All in a matter of seconds.

The swiftness and skill that spoke to Obi-Wan's experience had impressed the young Padawan but that familiarity had bred contempt as he entered puberty and was beginning to discover who he was as a person alongside discovering his impressive skill as a Jedi. He had wanted to be privy to Obi-Wan's thought process, desperate to know what his Master was thinking and had resented him for keeping anything from him, no matter how mundane or slight. Now, as a grown man with a Padawan of his own, Anakin faintly understood it a little and thus, the expression evoked that old feeling of fascination and respect once more. Despite the fact that Obi-Wan keeping things to himself still frustrated him more times than he was comfortable with.

With a shake of his mane, Obi-Wan arched away from Anakin to stand defiantly facing the boulders. He waited long enough for his former apprentice to retreat back to the safety of Mace Windu's side and then focused on that warm core in his chest that he was so comfortably familiar with. As the pressure rose, he once again felt that frightening anticipation and the fear of losing control but he pushed it back, concentrating on nothing but the melody of his Kyber and the thought of needing to harness this power in order to stand a chance against Maul if they were to help the people of Mandalore. 

To help Satine. 

Without warning, the heat surged up his neck and before he could second guess himself, he spat a bright beam of blue plasma straight across the field to the sound of a lightsaber’s ignition, striking the enormous rocks and creating a loud boom that echoed across the field and made their ears ring. He shut his mouth quickly after that as the boulders were utterly shattered and pieces of ragged stone rained over the field.

The dust settled slowly which gave them all time to rub their ears and examine the damage done as Obi-Wan shuffled back to the floor and tucked in his head to sheepishly hide under his wings. He had now drawn the attention of the people on the other side of the field who were likely arguing about ship weapons. From the Taxi Speeder at the gates, their driver indiscretely gawked.

“Well that did it,” Ahsoka confirmed with a nod, following the older Jedi towards the dragon.

“An impressive shot,” Mace agreed. “Are you feeling any different?”

Lifting his head out from beneath the shy refuge of his wings, Obi-Wan opened and shut his jaws, smacking his lips as he seemed to consider the taste left behind in his mouth. Tilting his head to the side for a fraction, he growled out a reply and then rubbed his muzzle against his foreleg, running a tongue over his fur to clean himself.

“The heat was apparently quite intense but he thinks he could manage 3 consecutive uses of that before he risks melting his own neck,” Anakin replied in his behalf. “The aftertaste, apparently, takes a little getting used to. Comparative to hot iron and sugar. I’ll take his word on that because I’m not looking to taste a lightsaber anytime soon.”

“How did his tongue and teeth not get blasted away?” Ahsoka asked quietly.

Whether it was meant to be an answer or not, no-one was sure, but Obi-Wan stopped preening to open his mouth wide to confirm that his long, non-reptilian tongue was in tact and that all his teeth were still there.

To Ahsoka’s astonishment, it was the first time she had realised that while the dragon had incredibly sharp carnivorous teeth at the front of his mouth, there were still some wide blunter teeth at the back, suggesting that he could still chew his food once he’d ripped it up. The teeth that she guessed to be his predominant canines were noticeably longer than the rest of the set and might even poke out from his lips when his mouth was closed which was something else she hadn’t noticed. The secondary set of sharp teeth beside the first row was the final clue to suggest what sort of predator this dragon was meant to be:
He was a hunter that had a jaw designed for holding his living food in place with a secondary set to restrict any escape. Then, either still living or dead, his food was cut up into smaller pieces and chewed. Nothing was swallowed whole.

It seemed she was the only one acknowledging this, however, as Mace and Anakin only appeared to accept that there was no damage done to the mouth by the blast.

Just as Windu was suggesting further attempts to control the intensity of such an attack, a sharp buzz came from his personal communicator. An encrypted frequency, one used only between Jedi, made it clear that this was an urgent message.

Sure enough, when Mace activated it, Yoda’s wisened old voice sounded tense and was speaking rapidly.

“[Master Windu. Apologise, I do, if I have interrupted things but gravely urgent this is. We have again been contacted by the Duchess of Mandalore and she is in dire need. Swift have Death Watch been. Our schedule has been rearranged and forced, we are, to urge Anakin and Ahsoka to take Obi-Wan and rendezvous with the Duchess. She intends to flee the planet before Death Watch arrive. Doubt, I do, that the Senate will approve any rescue - so fast you must act. Her coordinates she will send - once she is safely away from the ruling planet.]”

Anakin felt Obi-Wan flex his limbs at his side and he stared at Mace’s expressionless face for what felt like several minutes. Folding his long fingers over the device, Mace’s eyes gleamed.

“Well, we all heard Master Yoda,” he said and immediately called for the two Troopers to return. “I will take the shuttle back to the Temple. Can you call the Resolute for pick-up?”

“They can be here in minutes,” Anakin replied, trying not to sound too proud of his ship. 

“Good,” Windu nodded without reaction, “then I think you and your Padawan should get going as soon as possible. Obi-Wan? I am sorry to have to send you out so soon before we have had a chance for you to get a handle on your power but—”

Obi-Wan cut him off by rising up on to his back legs and giving his wings a firm flap, determination written all over him. Mace did not need Anakin’s translation to understand what his fellow Council Member was saying.

“Sir? Permission to accompany the 501st,” Commander Cody suddenly said, standing straight and snapping a salute. 

“As General Kenobi’s Second in Command, I doubt that is the wisest course of action,” Windu told him. “The Third Systems Army and the Legions and Battalions that answer to it will be in need of leadership. I understand that you wish to help protect your General but, for this mission, I deem that the best logic would be for you to accompany me back to Coruscant to prepare your troops for backup if the situation is needed. If opportunity presents itself, it may be prudent that you depart to oversee that the final adjustments to the Negotiator II are finished as soon as possible. General Kenobi? Do you agree?”

Much to Kenobi’s reluctance, he did and the bow of his head conveyed as such. 

Without fuss or any protest, Cody saluted again and took his General’s decision with grace. He was a good soldier and the decision was without fault, thus he was happy to obey these orders.

“The Resolute is already in position to rendezvous, General,” Captain Rex announced, pocketing his own communicator.

“Very good. Skywalker? Tano?” Mace Windu stood over them sternly. “I leave Obi-Wan in your capable hands. If you are in need of backup, contact us immediately. May the Force be with you.”

Not waiting for a reply, he turned and strode towards the Taxi, Commander Cody falling in behind him without a backward glance though Rex knew that his brother was aching to stay with his own General. He silently promised Cody that he would watch out for Kenobi in his stead in their mission to save the Duchess of Mandalore. 

He looked over at his own General and Commander.

“The Resolute will send a landing shuttle when they are close,” he told them.

Ahsoka looked over her shoulder at Obi-Wan.

“…Or…” she suggested. “…We meet them halfway to save time.” Anakin glanced in her direction with a frown and she continued: “That feeling of safety we’ve all commented on when flying with Master Kenobi? Not being affected by the lack of air, not noticing the pressure, or the temperature… It’s the Force, isn’t it? Obi-Wan is creating some kind of protective energy shield around us with the Force, like a cloak. We can ride up on Obi-Wan to meet the Resolute without needing a shuttle.”

“Using a protective shield with the Force?” Obi-Wan mused to himself. “If I am, I haven’t noticed doing it…”

“We haven’t tested that though, Snips,” Anakin told her. “Planet-side is one thing but risking it like this…”

“Well we’d be waiting for the shuttle anyway,” Ahsoka replied. “If we fly up and we start to pass out or feel funny, then we go back and wait for the shuttle. Otherwise, we can fly out into space without one.”

Rex kept quiet but he hated the gleam of inspiration that General Skywalker was starting to showcase in his eye. Anakin looked to his former Master and clenched his fist.

“Alright,” he nodded. “Let’s go for a joyride.”

Chapter Text

Vizsla had not emerged from his tent since his return to the Death Watch camp and any company he kept was by his command and call. Leading members of the Black Sun and the Pykes and Hutt representatives had been seen going in and out when some sort of council was called for but only Bo-Katan and a couple of Vizsla’s personally selected guard were ever given permission to enter.

It was, therefore, much to Saxon’s astonishment that he was called for by name, two days after Vizsla’s quiet return.

Bo-Katan was at the entrance to the tent, helmet on and standing stern. Despite her young age, she always seemed to present herself as though she were the largest threat in the room. Trying to prove something.

Or trying to hide something.

It hadn’t gone under Gar Saxon’s notice that she hadn’t divulged her clan name in all the time he had known her.

He had expected her to say something when he arrived, even if it were just a quip or snide remark, but she remained silent and pulled back the flap so he could walk through.

The light was dim inside but Pre Vizsla was an unmistakable figure, sat with most of his back to the entrance and leaning his elbows heavily on a table in the centre of the room, gazing down at a series of sheets and datapads that he had strewn across it. His Death Watch helmet was displayed in the centre like the severed head of his enemy. 

Vizsla offered no greeting and Saxon gave none back. 

He stood to the side, helmet on, hands at his hips. 

“The Sith…” Vizsla said without turning. “Have they been speaking to the cartels?”

“Savage has, on occasion,” Saxon replied. “His brother’s Mouth, they say.”

Vizsla sat back in the chair, away from the table, looking up at the roof of his tent.

“And you?” He asked slowly. “You have been speaking with them? Your orders were to keep an eye on them.”

“As I have done,” said Saxon smoothly, recalling Vizsla approaching him on their first night back after Maul’s transformation. He could hear his leader’s voice assigning him the mission of attending to the brothers, to watch them and learn of any traitorous thoughts they might be nursing. “I have not heard them conspire behind your back with the cartels, if that is what you mean.”

“Is that what I mean? I suppose it is…” Vizsla mused to himself. His voice had grown quiet and, from the sound of it, was accompanied by a knowing smile. The chair squeaked uncomfortably as it was pushed back in Vizsla’s action of rising from his seat. Placing a hand on the crown of his helmet, he finally looked towards Saxon. “I have decided we are done waiting so I am accelerating the timeline. We move on Mandalore today.”

Saxon’s eyes grew so large that he were sure they would be visible through the visor. 

“Today?” he could not help but echo incredulously. It took him barely a second to school himself back into the unflappable Mandalorian warrior he had fought hard to be. “Then you think the Sith are ready? That Maul is ready?”

There was Vizsla’s knowing smile. Saxon could see it now. It was sinister in the way it pulled his eyes into a chilling glare, as though the corners of his mouth were connected to them somehow. 

“Well that’s the fun of it, Saxon: I don’t need him to be.” He stepped forward, plucking his helmet from the table as he went as though it were a piece of fruit from a bowl. “All I must rely on is the dedication and loyalty of my warriors—” His smile twitched and yet the glare deepened. “—All of my warriors. We outnumber the Sith and they are aware of it.”

Gar Saxon did not move away as Vizsla entered his space.

“And… should they refuse to join us today?” he asked.

“Then they may leave, of course!” Vizsla answered with a tone of voice that reeked of false cheer and did not match his smile at all. “But they have no claim to any Mandalorian power, they will not have the armies of the Crime Syndicates and they certainly won’t have any means of acquiring sweet, succulent revenge on any Jedi that will come running to save the Duchess. I suppose their lives will have to do for now. Until Count Dooku catches up with them, that is.”

Saxon’s eyebrow pulled up in surprise though he knew none would be able to see it.

“Willing to let all that power go, Alor?”

The expression that came over Vizsla’s face was hard to place and that, of all his expressions, was the one that frightened him the most. 

“What power?” he asked in a hushed tone, the low light in the tent catching the irises of his eye to give him an unnaturally sinister glint. He lifted a fist to reveal the hilt of his weapon clasped in his grip. “I wield the Dark Sabre and I will use it to end the reign of Duchess Satine. Mandalorians will unite over one power: mine.”

Saxon waited until Vizsla had lowered the weapon and had stepped away.

“Then the dragon is of no use to you at all?” he murmured cautiously.

“Everything has a use, Saxon. Which is why I want you to stay close to them and convince them not to leave. If they find a problem with our current arrangement then I shall simply have to find a new one - one that will remind a giant beast of what it is good for. And I am sure someone, somewhere, is eager to get a hold of a brute such as Savage Opress.”

“Then, oh future Mand’alor,” Saxon said, a hand to his chest, “I will wait for the call that marches us to war. Ib’tuur Jayne turn ash’ad kyr’amur.”

He turned and left swiftly through the tent flaps and Vizsla was left to watch his departure, pleased. As Bo-Katan stepped back inside, he looked at her in delight. 

“Ib’tuur Jayne turn ash’ad kyr’amur,” he repeated.

Bo-Katan nodded her head and said not a word.

He had half expected Saxon to make his way back to them once he left the dingy air of Vizsla’s tent but instead their unexpected Mandalorian ally sauntered away and didn’t pass a single look in their direction. Good. It made things less suspicious.

Smiling, Maul lowered his head and rested it on his claws which dug and pulled at the ground as a cat would scratch the bark of a tree. Savage was resting somewhere but Maul’s keen instincts and the flush of the Force did not need his brother to tell him that there was a distinct shift in the air and a new anticipation had started to boil.

That could only mean that they were leaving soon.

Maul was a little surprised, if he were being truthful with himself. Vizsla had made no further attempt to climb into Maul’s good graces since his return but, considering the man had been humiliatingly left in the dirt, perhaps that ought not to have come as a shock; Vizsla clearly was not the Mandalorian that Maul thought he was and he would rather sulk in hiding than pretend as though nothing had happened. Still, the lack of action and attention was getting dull and Maul had felt stirrings of a restlessness that threatened his control over his instincts. If not for Savage, he would either have levelled the camp already or would have taken to the wing and sailed away.

Both of those options sounded preferable to this infernal waiting. 

He craved a fight.

As if in response, the armies of Mandalorians and criminal cartels all began to move as one, some loading the ships and others taking their seats. There was shouting and commotion as people darted in and out of the cave that hid their heavy equipment and artillery, transporting things to the larger of the ships which were now starting to hum to life.

It took Savage only a handful of seconds to swiftly appear at his side, beating Vizsla’s arrival by a breath. The Mandalorian had his helmet on but they could still envision his smirk as he nodded his head.

“Well, gentlemen,” he had greeted cordially, looking to Savage rather than Maul, “I have good intel which tells me that there has been activity in Sundari, the main capital of Mandalore. If we are to seize the Duchess and undermine her authority, it must be now. We leave within the hour.”

“You are so sure that this apparent activity impacts our plans?” Savage asked, narrowing his eyes at Vizsla. “Activity in a city is nothing new. Where in this ‘intel’ of yours does it say that the Duchess is primarily responsible for it?”

Vizsla flexed his fingers.

“The people are evacuating to the mines below,” he said and his voice sounded tight, no trace of a smirk left. “Satine is using her people as a cover so she can hide.”

Maul curled a lip and uttered a quiet bark as he pinned back his sails and shifted his wings. Savage looked to him for a minute and then back to Vizsla.

“How do the people know to evacuate? You have not been broadcasting your threats publicly to all of Mandalore, have you?”

“Speaking to me as though this is my first insurgency…” spoke Vizsla in a deeply unsettling tone. “I might have taken offence if I did not know that both of you are ignorant of my history. No, I am afraid my suspicions are a little darker than that although—” He cocked his head. “—Sith are no strangers to the dark, are they? I believe there is a traitor in our midst.”

“One that has been leaking information to your enemies?” Savage let his hand twitch by his lightsaber. “How careless.”

A little chuckle echoed metallically within the Mando bucket.

“Nothing that worries me, I can assure you. Rest easy that I am holding neither of you under suspicion.”

“Consider us reassured,” Savage replied dryly. “Though you give a bold claim. In our experience and given the history of our peoples, I would think we would have been your first suspects.”

At Savage’s reply, Vizsla turned and lifted his head to look at Maul for the first time in the conversation.

“As I have been violently reminded, you work for your own goals and do not much care for mine,” he said. “But since they both align on needing to seize Mandalore, I cannot find much wisdom in sabotaging our mutual plans. Not unless your desire to undermine me is greater than your desire to rid this Galaxy of Jedi…”

“Then to whom do you cast suspicion?”

“That is a Mandalorian problem and it will be dealt with according to our own ways. Nothing for you two to worry yourselves with. Better it is that you conserve your strengths for the battle ahead of us - I did mention we are leaving imminently, didn’t I?”

Maul rose up and there was a scrape of metal as his tail whipped round, stopping right before hitting Vizsla, who took a step away, and Savage, who didn’t even flinch.

“What you haven’t mentioned is how we are to arrive,” the brutish Zabrak said, carefully picking each word before speaking them. “You have made it no secret that you intend to reduce my brother to the role of a War Horse as though your glory is too heavy for you to carry yourself.”

“Did I say War Horse? Hardly. I only asked to accompany you. To share in your glory." Vizsla turned his back to them. "Sundari is enclosed in a protective dome. You won't break in through the top. Once the Cartels have infiltrated the upper city, we must enter forcefully through the gates and make a show of saving the people from them so as to earn their willing praise and respect."

"I seem to recall you suggesting that my brother and I pose as enemies of Mandalore also..." Savage murmured with a glare.

"That was before your brother's transformation," Vizsla chuckled. "You might still pose as a criminal but if that is the case then it must be that I arrive on Maul's shoulders, not you. That is, of course, if Maul desires the worship of the people as I might have briefly mentioned during our short flight together."

Vizsla glowered at Maul who gazed sternly back.

Savage was not sure what to reply and he glanced to Maul for some clue as to his brother's thoughts. It was a decision that he knew he would not be allowed to make himself. 

Maul's golden eyes flickered as thoughts ran through his mind but the constant pulse of mistrust for Vizsla was palpable and Savage knew that whatever decision they make would already be steeped in preparation for betrayal. 

Pre Vizsla surprised them by walking confidently up to the dragon and crossing his arms. 

"Well? Are you willing to conquer our enemies today, or not?" he asked quietly, so quietly that Savage had to use the Force in order to hear him properly, though he evidently knew the sensitive dragon would hear him. "Everyone is ready to leave now and I have space for you on my ship. If you don't want it, then the fringes of the Galaxy are above you and you may take your brother and leave at the mercy of whatever evil that hunts you."

The cape across his shoulder flapped in the air with the speed of his turn as Vizsla marched confidently away towards a patiently waiting Bo-Katan who stood at the open ramp of the ship that he had chosen to carry him to Mandalore and as he stepped aboard, she smoothly turned to follow in his steps. Even as several other ships began to rise from the landing pads, the ramp of Vizsla's ship remained open like a vicious taunt. 

Savage did not move until he felt his brother shift beside him and the Force pressed Maul's feelings coldly against him. 

Mistrust. Betrayal. Risk. Danger.

"I agree, brother..." Savage replied over the roars of the engines and as Maul began to walk towards the open ship, he pushed himself on to keep up. "But at least we go without fear. We are Sith Lords. Fear might start a road to the Dark Side, but it will not find a place among our kind."

He gave one last lopsided smile before the ramp shut behind them.

Leaving behind her people and her dear nephew had been the hardest thing Satine had been forced to do in a very long time. Not since her last flight into exile as a young woman or having to keep from throwing herself into the arms of the young man she loved to stop him from returning to Coruscant...

No, she could not afford to let those memories plague her. But the thought of her dear Korkie would not leave her mind and the knot of anxiety in her stomach wound itself tighter until her heart hurt. Should she have ordered him to join her? He was in the height of his adolescence and in the prime stage where overly demanding authority would feel repressive and constricting. To strip him now of his freedom to make his own conscious decision might have an impact on who he was to grow into but surely his personal safety was worth more than that...

The Duchess wrapped her arms around her torso. 

No, she had to accept that Korkie had reached a critical age and was learning how to rely on his own judgement as well as others and she was at the stage where she had to learn to trust it. 

Though this seemed too drastic a test, in her opinion and she would have some stern words for him once she saw him again. She had to believe she would. It was a risk, but maybe by not dragging him with her, it would imply that he was not as important to the line of succession as her enemies might have initially believed he was. 

That he himself was not as dear to her heart as he truly was and so could not be used against her. 

Satine's face fell into her hands. No, she couldn't even try and convince herself; so long as Korkie was on Mandalore, she was in turmoil and if not for the fact that they were jumping through hyperspace, she would have ordered their swift return to the mines beneath Sundari. 

"Your Grace, we are dropping out of hyperspace in 2 minutes," spoke a voice from the pilot's seat. 

"Thank you, Bazin," Satine answered, smoothly covering up her personal fears. "We will send our coordinates to the Resolute's frequency immediately upon arrival."

Despite her insistence that she would be safe among the Jedi, she had been told to select two of her Mandalorian Guard to accompany her off-planet in case she were ambushed and came to harm before her rendezvous with the Resolute. Bazin of Clan Rook was at the controls. With his scruff of short brown hair and a pair of keen eyes, he was the young brother of Aramis, her former royal chauffeur who had perished in an assassination attempt by Death Watch. Like his brother, Bazin was loyal to the ruling regent and in the wake of his brother's death, had devoted himself to the Mandalorian Protectors, bearing something of a grudge against the terrorists who had killed his brother as a result of murdering the Duchess. The second of the guards that Satine had chosen was Mel of Clan Eldar, older and more experienced and also born of keen natural instincts. She had guarded Satine's father and had sworn devotion to the Duchess upon her ascension to the role of Mand'alor.

Satine had known her for years. Mel had even been guarding her during a period of private convalescence many years ago...

“Duchess?”

Mel’s husky voice quickly cut Satine off from another train of thought down through her memories. 

Satine looked up to the guard standing beside her and became aware that she had been slightly hunched over, hugging herself protectively as she fought her fears and likely was not presenting herself as a confident regent ought to. 

“Forgive me, did you say something?” she asked, correcting her posture and fixing her tunic. Gone were her ornate headpieces and dresses for this trip - currently she was clothed in her smartly embroidered travel tunic and a warm thick cloak and hood.

“I said nothing, my lady,” Mel replied gently. “But you seem distressed. Can I fetch anything for you? A drink?”

“No, thank you,” Satine smiled. “It will not be long before we are in the company of the Jedi and their troopers. Perhaps later. Forgive me, I was only sparing a thought to the people we have left on Mandalore.”

“I understand, your grace,” the stocky woman nodded. She did not sound worried but that was only due to the fact that she had spent many years training herself to appear unconcerned and was focused on any task presented to her. “Please continue to rest, however. I do not know how long we may be waiting for this Republic vessel.”

“I expect not long,” Satine answered without a pause. “The Jedi Master I spoke to assured me that they would be sending a very dependable Knight to meet us. One that I have met before.”

“One of the Jedi that took charge of you for a year?” Mel asked with a slight tightness in her voice.

She did not consider herself to be someone who hated the Jedi, as some of her dogmatic vode could occasionally be, but she did find them to be…unusual. She had met the two Jedi to whom Satine had been entrusted when the young Duchess returned to Mandalore some 16 or so years ago but had not the opportunity to speak with them or make up her mind about them. They were said to be empaths and mind-readers, sorcerers that could move things without touching them, mystical beings that were connected to some invisible energy that the Galaxy was soaked in… 

Dangerous? Completely. 

But Enemies? …Mel Eldar did not think so.

Satine certainly did not think so either, judging by the recognisably soft smile that gently appeared on her lips.

“Perhaps one of them might be…” she began to say before her eyes grew round and she stiffened. “Oh but… You know that the beast that we have been threatened with is a Sith, yes? Were you told that one of the Jedi was also changed into something similar?”

“A dragon?” Mel frowned and her hand hovered near her electro-baton. “Is it a threat?”

“No, I do not believe so. At least… Well, I do not know really…” Satine had been forced to admit and found herself stumbling over her words. “But the- Well, I mean… One of the Jedi that protected me during my time in exile, the younger of the two at the time… Of course he would be my age now… but…” 

“I remember him,” Mel nodded, if only to save her Duchess’ tongue. “The apprentice. The young man with the copper hair and the mischief in his eye.” She smirked privately. “…The one who lingered his kiss to your hand a little longer than I might have considered appropriate…”

Satine stood abruptly and hid her reddened cheeks away.

“Yes, well…” she hurriedly spoke over her, “…it is him.”

Her guard turned to her with surprise. “He is the dragon?”

“So I was told.”

Mel had not been on duty when news came that a Jedi, some time back, had been said to have come to Mandalore to speak with the Duchess about Death Watch but the gossip had spread that it had been the Jedi Apprentice that Satine had run off into the wild with during their previous Civil War. Mel hadn’t seen him then but she had been eager to hear what had become of the cheeky youth that she had last seen standing at the side of his tall, dark-haired Jedi Master and whose smile had made the Duchess Kryze blush. 

If he were currently some scaly monster with claws and fangs then she would have to remain disappointed and not see what sort of man that boy had grown up into.

“Wait, I am sorry…” Mel suddenly said. “Who is it that is meeting us then?”

“A Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker,” Satine replied. “He is Obi-Wan Kenobi’s former apprentice.”

Mel twitched. She did not need to ask if ‘Obi-Wan’ had been the Jedi’s name. She had once heard the Duchess whisper it in her sleep.

With a whoosh of stars, their small shuttle dropped out of hyperspace and Bazin immediately sent out the coordinates to their allies.

Satine felt her heart beat against her chest. Now she felt nervous for other reasons and when the enormous Star Destroyer emerged suddenly from its own jump, her hand went to the hem of her cloak in a bid to find something to stroke. 

"Unidentified craft, this is the Republic Star Destroyer ‘Resolute’. Please give clearance code."

The voice, which had the lilt of Concord Dawn, might have startled the Mandalorians if they had not already known about the clone army bred from the genes of Jango Fett. 

"Clearance Code - 11603VIP,” Bazin responded, calmly and clearly. “Requesting permission to board."

A minute passed as their code was checked and processed. Finally, a reply:

"Permission granted. Stand by for tractor beam. Welcome aboard the flagship of General Skywalker."

Leaving his boys to watch over the deck, Anakin began to make his way down to the hanger to personally greet the Mandalorians. He had first suggested that instead of assisting them with a tractor beam that they fly out on Obi-Wan and herd them into the hanger themselves, just for the show of it, but then that quiet voice that represented his ‘better judgement’ had spoken and had told him that throwing a dragon at them at this stage was not very sensible.

While Rex, in his safely modified suit, had been initially worried, Anakin and Ahsoka had felt no fear as they had rode up to the Resolute from Centax-2. Confirming Ahsoka’s words, the Force had encased them in a protective shield and though they felt the oxygen and pressure of Coruscant’s moon drift away, the Force continued to hold them comfortably in a life-sustaining bubble around Obi-Wan, even as they flew into space and met the astonished shuttle that was en route to pick them up.

It was a game-changer. It meant that they wouldn’t need to waste fuel on transporting Obi-Wan down to planets via a ship. If they could confirm that the Force could even protect those who weren’t Force Sensitive, it might mean that others could ride into space as well.

Riding the lift down while contemplating those thoughts and appearing in the main hanger, Anakin noted his Padawan standing with Captain Rex and gazing out through the ray shield at the slowly approaching Mandalorian ship.

“No sign of Death Watch then?” Ahsoka had calmly asked upon seeing her master approach. 

“In the clear so far,” Anakin nodded. “But we can worry about them later, after we get Duchess Kryze to safety. Senator Amidala has already offered to have her stay with her - given that the Senate won’t have made this an official matter for politics so it all has to be informal…”

“What do you think the Council will tell them?” Ahsoka asked, a trifle worried.

“I wish I knew, Snips. I wish I knew. For once, I am happy to leave that with Master Yoda and Master Windu.” Then Anakin frowned and looked around suddenly. “Wait, where is…? Oh, pff -!”

He had to stifle his laugh.

Over in the corner of the hanger, enormous crates of spare parts and mechanical equipment had been stacked together to create a crude wall that barely managed to conceal the large lump of cream fluff that was curled up behind it. The tips of Obi-Wan’s wings could be seen poking out one side while the end of a pale snout stuck out the other.

Leaving Ahsoka and Rex to assist guiding in their guests, Anakin calmly approached the dragon and stuck his head round the wall to find his former master folded up into a ball, all his limbs tucked underneath him and his head resting on his impossibly long tail which had wrapped around his entire body as though it were his nest. His wings were partially spread over him like a cosy cross between a blanket and a tent.

A pair of recognisable blue-grey eyes peeked in his direction when Anakin appeared and leant against one of the crates. 

“Master?” he smiled, half amusingly, half adoringly, at the image before him. “Do I need to ask what you’re doing?”

The nose of the dragon snuffled as he gave a sigh.

“…Waiting. Patiently. Why?”

“No, it’s just…” Anakin waved his hand about, “I love what you’ve done with the place. Did any of the Clones help you or was it all your effort? Almost looks like something you can conveniently hide behind.”

“I am limited to where I can go although I am fairly confident that I can crawl through more of these halls if I tried…” Obi-Wan replied, which was true - he had managed to crawl along some of the corridors on his tummy already and could even squeeze into some of the rooms. “Still, the living quarters are on the higher floors and despite my best attempts, I cannot fit in those lifts and climbing the shafts is hazardous. I am entitled to some privacy though, aren’t I? With comfortable space to move?”

“Absolutely you are! No, I’m not going to deny you of privacy…” Anakin rubbed the back of his neck. “But this has nothing to do with our prestigious guest that is arriving any second, is it?”

“Oh we have made contact with them, have we?” Obi-Wan asked passively as though he wasn’t keenly aware of every move they were making. Anakin had made sure to keep him up to date via his thoughts and the fact that the ship was already in the process of boarding was also unmistakable.

“Her transport is being locked on as we speak.”

“Excellent. I am glad the Duchess has arrived safely.”

And with that, he pulled in his nose and buried his face in the long fur of his tail and only the feathery tufts which were stuck up in an alert position were visible to indicate where he had hidden himself.

Rolling his eyes, Anakin walked closer with a shake of his head. 

“Come here…” he sighed and went digging through the tail fluff to find something to give a reassuring pat to. “We have been told that she has been made aware of what has happened so she knows that you’ve had an accident—”

“I do wish people would stop calling it that - it makes me sound like a child!” Obi-Wan complained, suddenly lifting his head back up again in protest and taking a startled Anakin, who had been giving him some marvellous head scratches, up with him. “If it must be called something then call it a… I don’t know… a misadventure. A problem. An injury!”

Anakin scrabbled for better purchase as he hung from Obi-Wan’s mane, level with the eyes. “You considered yourself injured?”

“Well my dignity has been, yes…” 

“Obi-Wan, there is nothing undignified about you in the slightest,” consoled Anakin, hoisting himself up onto the forehead and turning to lie down on his front. “But if you feel too embarrassed to face the Duchess as you are then that is—”

“Embarrassed? Did I say embarrassed?” The dragon uncurled slightly and tossed his head a little and Anakin went sliding down the neck and into the shade of the wings, narrowly avoiding the painful introduction of his nether regions to the dragon’s shoulder blades. “I am not embarrassed! No-one said anything about being embarrassed - I know I certainly didn’t!”

“Woah, ok, ok, don’t knock the crates over,” Anakin quickly said, climbing back up towards the head again. “That’s my bad, I’m sorry. But if you don’t feel like interacting with the Duchess then we can move her away as soon as possible. You know you could have gone back to Coruscant with Master Windu and Cody if this was going to be such a problem.”

“No, Anakin, I’m not…” Another big sigh. “Forgive me. I’m simply not myself. My ability to control my emotions has become compromised it seems and it worries me.”

Leaning over the forehead on his front again, Anakin reached his arm down and gave the long snout a gentle rub. 

“…We’ll move Duchess Satine upstairs so she doesn’t have to see you.”

Lifting his nose up to push into Anakin’s hand, Obi-Wan let out a soft whine. 

“I wanted to be here,” he said in a voice that, in Anakin’s head, sounded disappointed and sad. “I promised that I would always answer her call for help. So I had to be here.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think she will think less of you,” the young Knight mused, leaning on his other arm. “But the chances are she will see you eventually. Unless you don’t mean to return to Coruscant any time soon?”

“Right now, my concern is Maul and Savage and the Death Watch threat to Mandalore,” the older Jedi said with a little more determination. He dipped his nose with a growl of confidence which contrasted with the comedic way it caused Anakin to then slide down onto the muzzle headfirst. “Then, when we have more information, my concern will be restoring myself to my original body.”

Anakin did nothing to change position this time. Lying in the soft downy fur on his belly with his limbs hanging off the sides of the snout was very comfortable.

“What do I tell your girlfriend in the meantime? That you’re volatile? Infectious? Strictly classified?”

Obi-Wan lowered his face and rolled his former Padawan off.

“No, you’re right, she will likely see me eventually and I don’t want to startle her or worry her. Perhaps it is best that I do let her see me so she isn’t frightened and gets used to it.” He rubbed his nose and then seemed to bristle in realisation. “…She is NOT my girlfriend!”

“Mm,” Anakin smirked from the floor. “I suppose you would have to at least be able to hold hands in order to count someone as your girlfriend and I doubt you’ve done much more than give her the look.”

“What look?”

“You know.” Anakin picked himself up and winked. “The ‘look’. The one that gets people to undress themselves, for some reason, before fighting you.”

To see an unimpressed deadpan on the face of a dragon was not something many could boast of seeing and yet it was, without doubt, magnificent. 

“…Have you been drinking Artoo’s solvent while you’ve been keeping up with his maintenance?”

The Knight’s witty retort was silenced as, with a creak and a clang, the Mandalorian ship was brought gently in and docked.

Anakin fixed his rumpled tunic and hurried to stand with Ahsoka while the ship powered down and the ramp began to lower.

Two heavily armoured Mandalorian Royal Guards stepped out and behind them came the Mandalorian Duchess herself, dressed in a royal blue and silver tunic with a billowing burgundy cloak trailing behind her as she walked gracefully down to meet the two Jedi that she recognised. Captain Rex had excused himself from the welcoming party and was to the side with a group of troopers.

“Duchess,” Anakin greeted with a polite bow. “We are glad you made it safely.”

“Jedi Knight Skywalker and Padawan Tano,” Satine greeted back with a warm smile. Lifting her hands, she tugged the hood off her head and shook her long blonde hair free. “It is good to see you and be back among friends. Once again, the Jedi come to my rescue. My debt to you is growing far too high.”

“We are not keeping count, your grace. What news about Death Watch?” Anakin asked.

“Nothing new. Only that they were on their way to Mandalore,” Satine answered with a crest-fallen expression. “Being told to leave my people was a difficult thing to accept and I won’t lie to you - I do not intend to be away from home for long. The sooner we are able to drive Death Watch off, the better. In the meantime I—”

She trailed off into an inaudible gasp as she turned her head, looking beyond Anakin, and finding a large but beautiful dragon standing placidly beside a wall of crates at a distance away from them. At her sides, her two guards had clutched their stun-weapons and were tensed into battle-ready positions.

Their fear and trepidation was a chilling pulse in the Force and immediately the dragon flattened his feathers and curled back into a ball of fluff once more, trying his best to appear the least intimidating creature in the hanger which, at least in Ahsoka’s mind, he certainly now looked like he was.

A quiet word from the Duchess had the guards releasing the weapons but the mistrust still hung and pulsed in the air. The Clones who were in the area then took their hands away from their own blasters; no-one had even noticed they had readied themselves to defend their Generals. 

“Please, there is no need to worry. He is no harm to us,” Anakin hurriedly reassured, standing between the Mandalorians and his master.

“Of course he isn’t,” Satine agreed, her composure calm yet stern as she eyed her two guards. “Though it is understandable considering our circumstances.”

Anakin looked to his master. Obi-Wan was peeking over his tail, hiding his teeth and claws as best as he could.

“He expressed concern that his appearance might frighten you, Duchess,” he then explained, looking back to Satine. “He is limited in where he is comfortably able to go so if you would rather we move to the upper levels so you can adjust—”

“Oh nonsense.” Satine lifted her chin and stared her guards down. “This is your General Kenobi, isn’t it? As far as I have been concerned, it is he that ought to be frightened of me.”

Before either of her guards could halt her, Satine began to walk towards the large creature and looked to Anakin for some kind of permission as she passed.

He only smiled.

“Madalorians eh, Master?” 

Satine halted in front of the dragon, focusing on the only part of the creature that seemed familiar to her - the eyes.

“Well?” she asked playfully. “Are you going to greet me like a gentleman or are you going to be shy? I’ve come a long way and I’ve had a stressful day. Finding some old friends would be nice…”

A rich, deep growl slowly bellowed within the dragon’s chest and he rose up on all fours, seeming larger now than he once did to the others. He ruffled his mane out and spread his wings slightly in a stretch. With a gentle whicker to follow the growl, he closed the distance between himself and the Duchess and lowered his head so that it was level with her face, giving her the opportunity to fully stare into the eyes up close.

The body was alien to her.

But the crystal clarity of the blue irises that gave the impression of concealing the full expanse of the Galaxy behind them were… intimately recognisable.

Slowly, almost tentatively, she held out her fingers to him as she had offered them so many times in the past. Obi-Wan, for she was convinced now that it truly was him, rested the end of his nose against the fingertips and then forced them to part so her palm was flush against him.

The fur was softer than she expected an animals of his size to have. Soft and silky, nothing coarse or rough about it at all. The Duchess smiled at him and did not look away even as young Ahsoka appeared beside her. 

“He is beautiful,” Satine sighed, stroking the nose. “Nothing at all like I imagined, based on what the Sith looked like.”

“You know what Maul looks like?” Ahsoka asked in surprise, running her hands through the dragon’s much thicker mane. “How?”

“A member of Death Watch leaked the information to us and sent an image,” Satine explained and, feeling bolder, leant her head against the dragon’s nose, chuckling at the soft breath on her shoulder. “The other dragon is nothing like you…”

“…Wait… Is Korkie still on Mandalore?” Ahsoka suddenly questioned, looking around behind her at the open ramp. She would have thought someone as prestigious as the Duchess’ heir would have been made to flee from the danger as well.

Satine’s hand on Obi-Wan’s face stiffened even as he chuffed a sound of confusion. 

“I… yes, he is,” she replied, perhaps a bit curtly. She hadn’t mentioned her siblings to Obi-Wan before, least of all… nephews. She wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to explain this subject. “He insisted on staying to assure the people that I had not abandoned them.”

“Death Watch do not know about his relation to you?” Anakin then asked, coming up on her other side.

“I would be surprised if they do not know,” said Satine. “At the very least, I am almost certain they will find out. But he wouldn’t come with me. He said his duty was to stay and protect the people and make sure I was safe and he wouldn’t change his mind, no matter how I begged him… He is so very…”

Jedi.

Anakin looked up as a nudge in the Force told him that his attention was needed. His master had his head tilted and was glancing between Ahsoka and himself.

“…Who is Korkie?”

Chapter Text

The old mines that connected the cities on Mandalore were no strangers to refugees and there were designated meeting rooms which, in a pinch, could be utilised for impromptu conferences for the Mandalorian Council members. It was in one such room that Korkie found the Captain of the Mandalorian Royal Protectors, Fenn Rau, leaning over a hologram readout and in deep, anxious conversation with another Protector. 

The room was spacious but was dominated by an enormous central table which was sparsely accommodating a handful of Satine Kryze’s government officials who were sat in modest groups of three or four and engaging in quiet conversations that still sounded too loud no matter how much they whispered.  

Paying little mind that in such a hushed environment he would be heard very clearly, Korkie hurried up to the Captain with as dignified an air as he could muster. He was acting as his Aunt’s representative and he was not going to let her down.

“Captain?” he asked. “What’s happening?”

Fenn looked at the teenager and concealed his besotted amusement. The lad was standing straight and proud with his chest out slightly, using every attempt to present himself as an adult to the people in the room. Standing up from the datapad, he turned and saluted the young Duke-in-training. 

“Multiple ships have appeared in orbit,” he answered. He might have been young but that didn’t mean he couldn’t handle important information. “Confirmed Kyr’tsad.”

Korkie glanced at the datapad which displayed an image of the planet with several highlighted blips clustered near the atmosphere. 

“Death Watch is here already?” he said in a quieter tone of voice. “If my aunt hadn’t left when she did…”

“She would have ran right into them, yes,” Fenn nodded grimly. “Let us be grateful that fortune had been with us on that.”

“They won’t want to attack the people, will they?”

“That depends on what use they can get from a pacifist creed of Mandalorians,” the guard at the Captain’s side murmured grimly.

“Pre Vizsla cannot be the Mand’alor if he has no subjects to rule,” Fenn sharply retorted before Korkie had a chance, smoothly chastising the guard with a dry tone. The guard didn’t flinch, but he did turn his head away by way of defeat. 

Another voice suddenly demanded Korkie’s attention as a leading councillor came striding up, her heels clicking sharply against the stone and her cloak flapping around her ankles. 

“Kryze!” she snapped, her tight hairstyle and austere expression doing it’s best to evoke the presence of the absent Duchess. “Why are you not secured in the lower levels?”

Korkie bristled against the aggressive tone and the councillor’s insulting mimicry of his aunt. 

“As acting Duke and representative of the Duchess,” he replied calmly, “I need to be—”

“You need to be below! As far from the surface as possible and near an escape route!” the older woman scolded, cutting him off abruptly. “With the Academy’s Graduation ceremony postponed for obvious reasons, it means you are still very much a cadet and therefore not the acting Duke yet - although should Death Watch hear of your self-proclaimed status as the Duchess’ representative then, in light of the fact that she is nowhere to be found, I do not doubt that you will become their next target of priority! Those terrorists will NOT be fussy about your official titles, I’m sure…”

“Then, Councilman,” Korkie shot back, wrestling with control of his anger, “I suggest you do not call me ‘Kryze’. If you say that I am still only a cadet then I will be with the Academy, among my fellow cadets, as I have always been. If you start making the effort to hide me or give me special attention, that will only tip them off even more.”

The councillor looked torn between her two claims and was left gritting her teeth in seething silence.

“Multiple ships entering the atmosphere and approaching Sundari…” said a soldier’s voice over the Captain’s datapad. The blips that were once in orbit were now making rapid progress towards the city.

Almost immediately, the other guard snapped to attention.

“Cadet Korkie, you must go,” he said urgently. “Without resistance, they will have no reason to be violent. You are of no more use here!”

“Come,” Captain Rau added, a little more softly as he steered the youngster away from the guards and the fierce councillor, “I will see you to the Academy bunker.”

Korkie looked over his shoulder as the room began to come alive with activity and numbers before he reluctantly followed the Captain.

~~~

Reaching the complex that had been set aside for students of the Academy, Captain Fenn Rau saw Korkie safely to his rooms and then had a quiet word with some of the teachers. Soniee, Lagos and Amis were already waiting for his return and waited until the doors were shut before surrounding him eagerly.

“At last…” Amis groaned, running a frantic hand over his smooth, shaven head. “What’s going on?”

Korkie went and sank on his bunk which was considerably less comfortable than his usual bed.

“We’re in for it.” It was all he could say for the moment.

“It is Death Watch, right?” Soniee said as if she wasn’t already aware. As if she hadn’t been tracking the Death Watch ships from this very room with her own technology. Her datapad was still firmly between her hands and the glow of the screen illuminated the lines of her senior uniform. “They certainly don’t waste time… You don’t suppose they heard of your Aunt’s tip-off and came running to try and stop the Duchess from leaving, do you?”

It had crossed Korkie’s mind, of that he couldn’t deny, and the thought of it made him suppress a shiver of nerves. He spared a quick glance to the room they were staying in: a cramped barracks with enough bunk beds to house eight adults. It wasn’t supposed to be lavish, it was supposed to be practical and utilitarian, designed for miners to stay in for a working week before returning (for those that had them) to more comfortable homes at the weekend. The cadets had to be satisfied with what they had.

“If Vizsla has heard about the turncoat among them then that means we’ve lost an ally and I’m not ready to start counting our losses yet,” he finally said, looking back at his friends.

Lagos had perched on top of one of the bunk’s ladders and was leaning on her knees and Amis had leant against the frame with his arms crossed. Soniee sat herself down on the trunk which held her emergency supplies and likely all her spare technological devices.

“Is it true, what they say?” Amis asked. “Rumours are that it isn’t just Death Watch; they’ve allied themselves with criminals and… and Sith?”

Korkie nodded and felt the skin on his neck prickle. He had lived most of his life under the impression that only the Jedi Knights could wield the Force and bear sacred blades made of burning hot light. ‘Sith’ was not even a word that he had known in Galactic Basic and the closest word to it in Mando’a was dar’jetti: ‘Not Jedi’ or ‘No Longer Jedi’.

It wasn’t a new word, that he was aware of, which meant their Mandalorian ancestors had known of the Sith over 1000 years ago but these days they were thought to have been extinct. To their ancestors, the Sith could only be described as corrupted Jedi or an evil mark, a stain, that might be left behind in the absence of a Jedi. The dark shadows born of a Jedi’s light. 

All descriptions did not paint them favourably and, coming from a people that considered the Jedi to be their enemies, the fact that Sith were not even given their own name was very telling and somewhat terrifying.

All four of them could remember Ahsoka Tano who had arrived some time back with her Master. Much to Korkie’s disappointment, she hadn’t been allowed to carry her lightsaber into Sundari but she still had been able to use some invisible power to fight and take down the corrupted Prime Minister Alemec’s guards. If a young apprentice Jedi had been able to do such feats, what could a grown Sith do?

Ahsoka had felt warm and light, in a way that Korkie could not quite describe with words and he wished he could meet more Jedi to see if that was a universal feeling. His friends had agreed that Ahsoka seemed kind and was definitely likeable even if it wasn’t quite the description that Korkie had used. He had insisted that maybe Ahsoka, and possibly all Jedi, could affect the air around them to assure people nearby, on a subconscious level, that they were allies and not threats - to which his friends had simply blinked at him and shrugged. He kept his hypothesis to himself after that but now he briefly rolled it over in his mind again: if Jedi were warm and light then it stood to reason that the Sith, the Not-Jedi, were the opposite.

Maybe?

“Don’t suppose you know who that tip-off of your Aunt’s is, do you?” Lagos asked from above, shaking him from his pondering state. “We could use all the help we can get.”

“For everyone’s safety,” he told her, averting his eyes, “the less people who know about that ‘tip-off’, the better.”

A stiff, uncomfortable silence stretched the distance between them.

“That didn’t answer my question,” Lagos then quietly replied, narrowing her eyes at her friend. “Do you know who the insider is? Can you communicate with them too?”

“And tell them what, exactly?” Korkie sighed, defeated. “Death Watch will be here any minute so we’ll be getting the information straight from their own mouths at this rate—”

Soniee’s datapad suddenly lit up and a tremor shot through the walls as the foundations shook from a distant explosion. The four of them turned to each other with wide, nervous eyes. 

“—Not the sort of information I was hoping to get from them,” Korkie groaned, sinking his face into his palms, “thanks all the same.”

“If they attack and discover an empty city, where do you think they’re next going to look?” Amis asked pessimistically, a wrinkle forming at the bridge of his nose. “Do we sit around and wait for them?”

“There are emergency protocols in place, aren’t there?” Soniee said, dropping her visor down and clicking through some schematics on her screen. “I remember that it was explained to us that, in the event of an attack, all children and elderly were meant to evacuate to the Sacred Caverns through the mines. Are those protocols still in place?”

Without offering answers, Lagos dropped from the top of the ladder and went chasing after Amis who was first out the door, Korkie and Soniee following a hairbreadth’s behind. Standing in the doorways, the other cadets were looking out as the four of them sprinted by, chatting nervously amongst themselves as another tremor rattled them all to stir up reminders that Mandalore was about to be gripped into yet another Civil War struggle.

The teachers and trainers were ushering some of the worried younger students away to their assigned rooms while the very young were being collected by a guardian or parent. All the adults were keeping calm composures for the benefit of the children although catching sight of the quartet of senior cadets caused one of the teachers to let slip their mask for a second.

“Cadets!” she cried. “While your sense of duty can be applauded, I am afraid there is little you can do at the moment…”

“We are here to help with the evacuation,” Soniee said, clicking at things on her datapad. “The very young can take refuge in the mines, there are underground caverns that stretch all over the planet. Death Watch would not dare attack the Living Waters. There are protocols in place that have been in effect for years. Why are we not evacuating the children yet?”

“We await instruction by the Council,” the teacher said uncertainly, though it was clear that more than one of the instructors at the Academy had no doubt considered this plan of action already.

“And what if I insisted?” Korkie asked firmly, stepping forward with his arms folded over his chest. “As a member of Clan Kryze?” 

The teacher gave him an approving look over and seemed to bite back a smile while she moved another younger student away towards a door. After a minute more to consider things, she finally gave a sharp nod and immediately called for the guards who were stationed to defend the Academy.

~~~

As another building’s windows shattered to rain glass down on the walkways, Bo-Katan winced within the darkness of her helmet. She was stood at the open door of the ship, waiting for the cue to fly in with the rest of Death Watch and ‘save’ the city from the criminals that had attacked. 

“Would you like the honour?” Pre Vizsla’s voice asked her to the side. 

Bo turned her head towards him. “What?”

“Of bringing the Duchess to me.”

A moment of hesitation.

For a fleeting second, Bo-Katan Kryze imagined the scenario of her forcing her way to wherever Satine was hiding and taking her by the arm, pulling her along with a gun to her neck and ignoring her pleas and shouts or her attempts to reconcile, her sobs and her— No, Satine wouldn’t sob. Doubtful if she would even shout. Satine had seen too much of war and violence to allow herself to be dragged anywhere; she would walk alongside her sister, upright and graceful, with a set jaw and a terrifying beautiful expression on her face. 

Bo could see it all, could feel her sister’s arm in her grasp and hear the steady rhythm of her breathing. Satine wouldn’t say anything to her. Satine might not even look at her.

And that hurt. Once upon a time, it wouldn’t. But now? Yes, that hurt.

“…It… would be appropriate, yes.” Bo-Katan gazed off at the reflection of light against the dome of Sundari, really wishing she was anywhere but here today.

Pre’s barking laugh caused Bo-Katan to flinch. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering why it had taken her so long to see just how deep his madness ran or if she had seen it, why she had excused it. Perhaps it was because a young impressionable child such as herself did not want to admit that she had pledged allegiance to a cause that cared more for cultural violence than her people’s lasting legacy. 

“Curb your desire until we have won the hearts and minds of the people,” Vizsla said. “It won’t be long.”

Another explosion caused another residential block to splinter.

“The criminals are being too violent,” Bo complained. “Taking the homes from the people now will only mean extra resources in providing shelter and commodities will be needed later. You are making more work for yourself.”

“Nonsense. Haven’t the Force Wielders shown us the true power of emotion?” Pre replied with a nonchalant flick of his wrist, wafting away her complaints as he would a pungent smell. “Satine’s ‘New’ Mandalorians have been sitting by fountains and braiding her peace lilies into each other’s hair long enough that a strong sudden gust of personal loss will stoke the fires of rage under them - and nothing burns hotter than the enflamed anger of a united crowd. Satine’s government will be charred to cinders and we will barely have to lift a finger.”

“Wildfires are unpredictable and hard to control.”

“Yes but they can be tempered by one thing: themselves. Once they have consumed what we need them to consume, we seal them off and let them burn out. Easy to achieve when we are in possession of a creature that can blaze more fiercely than them.”

“And when a second comes?” Bo-Katan then asked quietly. “Another creature that can fight back against yours? What then?”

Pre Vizsla stepped away from the open doors to check his pistol.

“Then I save the people again. You will see. I trust Maul to give a good fight but Kenobi won’t want to damage the Duchess’ home too much and that consideration will cost him. We have already begun arranging countermeasures to fight back against the animals in strategically marked locations. With both of them in custody, I will have cemented my right to rule.”

Bo-Katan listened to the clicks and snaps of Vizsla’s weapon ominously disengaging its safety locks. 

“The Jedi is Republic property…” she murmured, her scanners watching a band of Pykes raid a convenience store in the shopping district. “Keep hold of him and you will risk retaliation from—”

“With all the cards I have to play,” Vizsla snapped, his impatience and resentment of criticism finally growing too much for him to contain, “the Republic will face a losing game if they challenge me.”

Before she could utter any warnings about challenging the ferocity of the Republic, the leader of Death Watch had removed himself from her company.

He had strode in determination towards the hanger to find that the doors were wide open there as well, creating a gale in the room which had him thankful that they’d had the sense to tie everything securely before departure. Perched at the edge, looking out at the city within the dome, was the Sith dragon and of course there was the ever faithful Savage standing at his side. Maul’s sails were down and his wings were clamped firmly to his side in a bid to dissuade the wind from lifting them but he wore a sardonic looking smile on his face, the elongated fangs poking down from his lip as a result. 

“As your host,” Vizsla called over the whistle of the wind, “allow me to welcome you to the seat of Mandalore. If you would like the guided tour, I would be happy to offer my services if you are still willing to play along with our performance in the meantime?”

An odd sound accompanied the wind in the hanger and it took Vizsla a long while before he suddenly identified it as the chuckle of a dragon. It was deep-throated and sounded like it had the texture of gravel. A grave-digger attempting to bury a body in stony soil might have produced a similar sound.

“Your smug overconfidence is better saved for your own people, Mandalorian,” Savage translated without the same degree of amusement as the dragon, “as they will no doubt appreciate your bold sense of humour where we find it… childishly tedious.”

“Childish…” Vizsla paused and then punctuated his response with a cackle of his own. “Haha! Yes, perhaps I am. Perhaps I am just too damn childish to give you the fear and respect you think you deserve.” He was ready to meet the glare that Savage spun in his direction and he held it with a glimmer in his eye. “Your brother is an animal. And you? Well, to use your own words— oh, how did you describe it before… Ah yes: Anyone who wields the Dark Side and uses a bleeding lightsaber crystal can claim to be a Sith just as any who hides behind Beskar can claim to possess the spirit of a Mandalorian.”

The veins in Savage’s hands bulged and snaked their way up his tattooed arms.

“You question the legitimacy of my status as a Sith?”

“Merely the attitude you have adopted for it, Savage. As far as I am concerned, you and I may as well be two little boys standing toe to toe in a playground, pretending to be the big men we have deluded ourselves into believing we are and neither of us are quite ready to sit down and admit defeat. We say all the things we think men ought to say and throw our muscle around but, really, at the end of the day, you are too proud to confess that you are just as childish as I am, aren’t you?”

Savage’s jaw clenched but, at a glance towards Maul, made no further move to intimate the Mandalorian. Maul had paid no attention to the exchange. In fact, if not for his chuckle and the twitch of a head fin, it might have been suggested that he hadn’t even noticed Vizsla’s arrival at all. But now the dragon’s smile had dropped and a cruel eye had fastened itself on his brother. Savage, in answer, turned his back to Vizsla.

“…Unlike you,” he said. “I know my place.”

“Oh of course,” Vizsla crooned, attention diverted, “how could I dismiss the mighty Darth? He who pretends nothing! There is no mistaking the ruthless power of a Sith Lord, is there?” The attention returned back to Savage and he swept his eyes over the brute’s back. “…Nor the power of he who controls it.” 

With almost supernatural speed, Savage turned and snapped his teeth as though he were the dragon. 

“I do NOT control my brother. He can control himself.”

Vizsla hummed to himself.

“We shall see,” he murmured. “Upon Kenobi’s arrival, we shall all see…”

Maul’s sails twitched and a set of claws curled to grip the metal beneath him as his entire body tensed for barely a second. A shudder of a growl moved through the body when his head slowly twisted round to focus in Vizsla’s direction. The wings twitched invitingly.

Savage did not offer any translation and, for the first time, Vizsla felt that he didn’t need one.

The toe of his boot found a foothold on the seam of a metal plate which made up Maul’s thigh and he used it to step aboard, climbing up the mechanical legs and onto the dragon’s still-organic back. Still standing, he glanced down at Savage on the ground and found that the Zabrak had not watched him but rather was more content to study the city below for now.

“Claim the people, Pre Vizsla,” he spoke softly, “but remember that you will cheer and pontificate for only as long as my brother allows.” He suddenly leapt up and landed on Maul’s back, right in front of the Mandalorian, without a single wobble. “Take me to the seat of power and I will wait for the victorious return. But heed a warning: I may not allow you to so easily enjoy your new throne unless my brother returns to me in one piece.”

Vizsla considered Savage’s words for several seconds and when he nodded his head in acquiescence, he also reached for his comms.

“Warriors,” he announced, “we take Mandalore.”

Moving around Savage, Pre Vizsla stood at the base of Maul’s neck and wrapped his fingers around one of the dragon’s horns and when the sounds of jetpacks filled the air, the mighty Sith beast plunged from the hanger doors and caught the wind towards Sundari, the head of an ominous, metallic swarm. 

~~~

A single scream was their only warning. 

One by one, Faleen thugs belonging to the Black Sun managed to find their way down into the city’s lower levels where the first line of guards were waiting. With their superior weapons and brute force, the criminals beat back the soldiers and gave the Pyke Mercenaries and the various Weequay and Whiphid grunts that worked for the Hutts a chance to break through the defences. 

Shots were fired. Bodies fell.

The world felt cold to Korkie even while a young child clung to his neck and pressed their weeping eyes into his shoulder.

“Korkie!” Captain Rau’s voice called over the heads of fleeing people. “Korkie! Why are you not—?”

“The children and elderly!” Korkie was shouting back to him already. “The evacuation protocols. Death Watch wouldn’t dare sully the ground of the Living Waters.”

An elderly pair were clutching one another’s arms and Korkie steered them gently towards the Academy teachers, trying not to flinch when another loud explosion from somewhere nearby had the young child screeching into his ear.

“It isn’t Death Watch!” Fenn Rau said, stopping at the teenager’s side and drawing a blaster to defend him. “It is Criminal Cartels.”

Korkie blinked in bewilderment as he passed the still wailing child in his arms to a passing adult.

“Which cartel?”

“We don’t know. But we can confidently identify the Black Sun and the Pyke Syndicate at the very least.”

To that, Korkie shook his head, more confused than ever.

“What business do they have with Mandalore?” he cried in exasperation. He dashed away to help another youngster who had fallen in their haste to get to path that would lead them to the Living Waters. “The Pykes deal in contraband trade, I thought, and the Black Sun… Wait you don’t think they have come for Beskar, do you? That is why they’re attacking the mines…”

His face paled as distant voices called for people to take cover and hide. Captain Rau pulled at Korkie’s shoulder to drag him back towards the bunker as others went about securing their storage rooms, hiding away their precious Mandalorain Steel as best they could. More than one seemed to think that Beskar would be the only reason for the attack from Cartels.

“It’s a logical assumption,” Fenn admitted. “But there may also be an ulterior reason. The Duchess relayed to us the news that Death Watch have been making sinister deals.”

“She never mentioned it to me,” Korkie said quietly, a little disappointed. “She only mentioned the beast that Vizsla has got a hold of.”

The panic outside quietened as the bunker door was slammed shut although for how long that was going to last was anyone’s guess. Fenn Rau kept his weapon aimed at the doors as they retreated back, waving at people to shut the doors to their rooms and keep quiet.

“We haven’t the full details, either,” Rau told him, a trace of bitterness in his own voice. “I don’t know how the Duchess acquired the information but it seems it was patchy enough not to mention this.”

Korkie opened his mouth to reply but faltered. How would Fenn Rau react to the knowledge that his Aunty had been in contact with a member of Death Watch? Was it too soon to mention it? He didn’t want to put Bo-Katan in danger by naming her now. Was she here on Mandalore? 

Questions on questions started to pile up, crowding one another in his mind and at that moment all he wanted was to retreat to his room and hide away from it all. 

The screaming outside grew louder and the shouting made any individual voices and words hard to make out but his panic was only mildly satiated by the knowledge that they had got the majority of children to safety. He could hear his friends running food packets to the other rooms, helped now by other senior cadets.

Fenn continued to push Korkie back deeper into the inner chambers. The expression on the older man’s face was one of torn conflict; he clearly desired to be out with the other soldiers but was firmly faithful to his duty of defending the Duchess’ nephew.

“Go," Korkie said gently. "You’ll be needed out there.”

“I cannot abandon my post." The Captain faced him. "I was assigned to your protection and to defend the cadets. It is a noble task and as the Captain of the Royal Protectors, I will see it done until I no longer draw breath.”

“But the people...!”

“Casualties so far have only been the guards," Fenn told him. "The fact that they are leaving the people unscathed suggests that there might just be something to that rumour of Death Watch aligning themselves with more than Sith. But that does not mean that you are any safer. I will not take the chance that they might leave you alone. Not if these brutes really are allied with Death Watch.”

Korkie could not argue with that logic but to sit by and listen to the screams and cries of fear made him shiver with cold. He felt uneasy, restless, unsafe…

Something roared.

It wasn’t humanoid; it sounded like an animal.

Fenn’s blaster didn’t wobble but his eyes widened all the same.

“Your grace,” he murmured, “get to your room.” 

But before a reply could be given or a response made, cheers of victory began to drown out the cries of fear.

Mandalorian victory: Between the sharp clap of metal gauntlets ringing out in triumphant applause, there was a deep chanting of ‘Oya! Mandalore!’.

Outside, someone ran through the yard between the bunkers, shouting in excitement that Warriors were battling the criminals and that Pre Vizsla had arrived on the back of a mighty beast.

In no time at all, Fenn Rau had ran to cover up his uniform as the Captain of the Protectors. If Death Watch knew who he was, he would likely be separated from his charges and he could not afford to leave Korkie undefended now. Dressed in civilian clothes, he now played the part of a concerned adult, watching over the collection of young teenagers that had gathered to hear what was going on. 

Within the hour, everyone was called to the main courtyard where the triumphant Pre Vizsla was ready to address them.

The members of Satine’s Council we’re gathered near the front, surrounded by Death Watch. Their faces were grim and only a couple of them were showing signs of legitimate anxiety. 

Yet the panic that coursed through the crowd that he found himself jostled among was nothing compared to the crippling fear that seemed to freeze Korkie's heart like a dagger of ice when they reached the place of assembly. Eyes wide, he gave no thought to the criminal thugs that were spitting curses and kicking their feet, nor to the silent and sinister forms of the Death Watch soldiers who were man-handling them into submission and dragging them away.

All attention was on Pre Vizsla himself and, more so, on the large fearsome dragon that he was stood upon.

Korkie had never seen anything like it, not even from his school books. It was... strangely beautiful. There was a grace and poise to the creature that spoke of a reigned-in power but the vicious grin of teeth that it bared to the crowd did nothing to suggest that it wouldn't unleash devastation upon all of them without any provocation. From the base of its long neck, across its shoulders and chest and into its front legs, the monster was sculpted muscle wrapped in blood red scales and inked with vivid black markings that looked reminiscent of tribal tattoos. In contrast, the dragon’s lower back met thick metal plating at the hips; the back legs and tail made up for a lack of organic muscle by showcasing a formidable sculpture of what could only be some of the strongest durasteel. The wings that grew from the shoulder blades were enormous and were spread over the heads of the awestruck Mandalorians like a shroud that threw them into a thicker darkness than that of the underground mines. Finally, the last thing of note was a beating red stone that pulsed in the creature’s chest and it was this that Korkie found difficult to look away from.

The sails that ran down the dragon’s neck flared out broadly in wrathful intimidation as it unleashed a roar that rattled chests and demanded nothing but complete attention. Certainly all eyes could not tear themselves away as Vizsla stood level with the snarling head of the dragon and held the hilt of the ignited Darksaber to his chest in a respectful salute. With a swing, he cut the air in front of him and let it hum menacingly at his hip.

“People of Mandalore!” Vizsla called out. His voice was amplified by the sound system he had connected with so that the entirety of the city could hear him. “I am Pre Vizsla, rightful Wielder of the Darksaber. I once fought alongside you during the Civil War and I return again to fight back these criminals who dare take advantage of your absence to raid your cities. Rise up and consider yourselves free, Mandalorians!”

A few among the crowd began to murmur and then weakly cheer. 

“I see your fear, for most of you will know me as Death Watch. Unfairly labelled as a terrorist,” Vizsla continued. His helmet surely hid the keen eyes that swept over them. “We are not your enemy - we are your liberators! Under the rule of the Duchess, you have become soft and weak and you fled and hid in the darkness when your government told you that you were in danger. What has that done for you? When the criminals came and destroyed your parks and raided your homes, who was there to stand against them? Only a few. A handful of people who barely count as soldiers. A group controlled by your government who only serve to defend them, not you.”

Korkie could hear the grin and the people around him shifted uncomfortably. Captain Rau was bristling and he wished he could turn around and reassure him of his strength and the strength of his vode.

“How telling it is that a pacifist rulership will suddenly betray their enforced ideals and allow violence when it is to protect their own skins. You are ruled by hypocrites and cowards. Is this what Mandalore is now? A people once heralded as being the mightiest, most noble force in the Galaxy, so strong that even the Jetti respected them… now a race of meek little mice that must roll over to anyone that growls, giving away our sacred Beskar so easily that we may as well be farmed for it.”

He swept the Darksaber in front of him again, slowly this time, using it to point at them as he crowed in a new tone of voice, one that became deeper and far more sinister.

“You have become a people who have let even a manipulating Jedi trickster conquer you. Let the Duchess come forward and explain THAT to you all.” He grew quiet as though waiting for a response.

The people murmured in a mixture of confusion and wonder and even Korkie found that he was frowning. What did that mean? The Jedi were far too busy hopping from planet to planet in efforts to maintain peace (or fight the Senate's battles) and had no say on the ruling of any world, let alone Mandalore. Given the history between Jedi and Mandalorians, it was remarkable that they had even been asked by the government to protect his Aunt when she had been younger.

But despite the murmuring and the whispers, Pre Vizsla seemed to not find the response he was waiting for. He turned his head towards the assembled Councillors who stared defiantly back at him and then passed over the crowd one last time.

“…Or is she still afraid and continues to hide behind her people instead?” he asked viciously.

The people knew where she was. At least, they knew where she wasn’t. She had been very transparent with what the government had asked of her.

A screech of jets above them signalled three other Death Watch members flying in towards their leader, two in blue beskar and one in dark grey. The dragon flexed it’s claws and glanced at them, giving a warning growl at their swift and disrespectful approach. Two of the Mandalorians immediately halted and hovered in place at a distance while one that wore blue armour slowed their approach and waited until the dragon stopped growling. Then they moved to Vizsla’s side and -tentatively- lowered to stand on the dragon beside him and leant their head towards Vizsla in private conversation.

~~~

“…We can’t find her,” Bo-Katan hissed off-comms. She stood awkwardly on Maul’s shoulders, not relaxed in the slightest, feeling the threatening silent growl under her feet and preparing to take off the second she thought Maul would turn and snap at her. “She’s gone.”

Vizsla’s fist clenched.

“Gone? Where?”

“Off-planet,” Bo replied and shoved a datapad into his hand, swearing in Mando’a under her breath. “The logs indicate she left not long before we arrived on Mandalore. We just missed her.” 

Vizsla looked over the datapad where, sure enough, flight records for a very recently departed ship were displayed as clear as day.

He felt frustration and suspicion rise up into his throat and he clenched his jaw against it.

“Where??” he seethed. “Where did she go? Her coordinates!”

“Not recorded. She jumped randomly to hyperspace but there is no evidence of where she went,” Bo-Katan snapped with just as much frustration laced in her voice. “But she’s certainly not here anymore.”

~~~

There was a shift in the air, a palpable one. Around him, Korkie felt various people begin to shuffle from foot to foot, turning to exchange glances with a friend, dipping their eyes and continuing to murmur and mutter. Even sandwiched between his closest friends and with Fenn Rau at his back, Korkie felt unsafe and he couldn't quite put a finger on why that was. He could only guess that the arriving Mandalorians had come to report the fact that his Aunt was missing and a fresh wave of fear clung to his wavering breath. 

He hadn't taken his eyes off the dragon, despite Vizsla's theatrical speech, so he was there to witness a change come over the creature.

It took its eyes from the Mandalorians that were buzzing in the air and put away his teeth to give the crowd a fresh sweep of his attention, as if something or someone among them had made a noise and was now worthy of his attention. Like a searchlight, the dragon's golden gaze took in every single face it could see from this distance, seeking something that only it could feel. Korkie saw it inhale through it's nose and then flick its tongue over a protruding fang. All too late, Korkie remembered what this was.

It was a Sith. They had access to the Force. The creature was probably picking up on the negative emotions around it and was tasting them, filtering them, perhaps searching for something in particular...

Me.

Korkie's heart thudded loudly before he could stop himself. He felt the sweat on the back of his neck, the hick of his breath catching in his throat and the powerlessness of being able to do nothing to stop the dragon from immediately twitching a fin and darting those golden eyes to lock onto him - just him. Singled out in an ocean of thousands. Korkie couldn't look away. The cold grip was terrifying and he took a fearful step back into Fenn who took his shoulders comfortingly. If he was saying anything, Korkie couldn't hear. 

The Sith had him. He was a prisoner of it now. 

“…Interesting. I had not considered just how cowardly Satine was…" Vizsla's voice began to say again, echoing somewhere in Korkie's ear. "I overestimated her integrity. Of course, I say this while assuming that you all know that your Duchess has abandoned you and has fled with her skirts tucked up."

Anger. Anger suddenly pushed aside the fear strong enough to restore some movement into Korkie's limbs. But not enough to free him from the dragon. He could feel his body moving of its own accord, indignant rage pushing him to rush forward to protest against the lies and insults. If not for the hands of the others, he might very well have exposed himself to more than simply the Sith.

"Not for the first time, either. I don’t know whether to give my respect or my pity to those who insist on showing loyalty to someone who does not reciprocate such devotion. Well then, if Satine cares more for her own life than the people who she has left behind…" Pre Vizsla lifted his blade, the shine and the sinister glow of the Sabre commanding the people's focus. "People of Mandalore… MY people," he shouted triumphantly. "The criminals that have attacked may have robbed some of you of the homes that the Duchess forced you to abandon in the name of pacifism but I will restore them for you and, in the absence of Satine Kryze, will continue to guard you so that you will not live in fear.”

There was silence for only a moment longer and Korkie held his breath, awaiting either the rule of Vizsla or his inflamed wrath. His friends, huddled around him, felt like the last barrier he had before he was exposed.

One by one, the people began to cheer and hail the new Mand’alor, all with the appearance of true subjugation brought on by respect and fear.

But Korkie felt something different as he stood among them and, for the first time since leaving the bunker, he dared to call it ‘hope’.

For the people held no respect for Death Watch but they would play along.

While the Duchess’ heir stood among them, they would all play along.

He hoped.

~~~

Savage ran a firm hand over his metal arm, twisting joints and flexing the fingers, calibrating it and once again cursing his carelessness for allowing a Jedi to take it. Maul was glancing at him occasionally, eyes examining his work and shifting his own metal limbs as if in sympathy. 

The throne room was spacious enough that Maul did not feel cramped but he appeared reluctant to settle down. He was up on his feet and exchanging his weight from side to side as chilling waves of frustration emanated from his being.

Grimacing from the tug of scarred flesh against his prosthetic, Savage did not have a friendly face for Vizsla when the Death Watch leader came striding over after another long angry conversation with various Death Watch members. 

"Satine has fled,” he confirmed for the second time. “The coward that she is..."

"Then we have nothing to lure Kenobi in with," Savage snapped and Maul clacked his teeth together in agreement.

"Perhaps nothing directly but Satine will not abandon her people,” Vizsla said hurriedly. “She is too dedicated than that. She will return eventually, of that I am sure, and if she has not fled to the Jedi Temple to find her beloved Knight, then she will still return with some other means of rescue and we will have her again. It only requires a little patience."

"My brother has been patient for many years and I, myself, have found it growing tasteless over time,” Savage said, clenching his metal fist. “Without the Duchess, the only reason for our presence here is to rule."

Vizsla removed his helmet, as if his smile might be enough to sooth the anger of a Sith Lord. 

"...And is that not adequate?” he asked gently. “Many would find that reason enough."

"They are not Sith then."

Vizsla made eye contact with Maul, lifted his arm and swept it over the room where Death Watch were moving in and out, exchanging supplies with the Criminals that they had pretended to arrest, some of whom were nursing bruised bodies and were not impressed with the soldiers at all. But there was a faint form of unity there, the beginning of a poisonously symbiotic relationship. 

"You have become the architect in a grand Collective of criminal syndicates, Maul. That is... practically half the Galaxy ruled already! I am hesitant to mention again what we discussed before but... Kenobi will be delivered to you in good time. In waiting for him, why not enjoy the immediate rewards and satisfactions of a kingdom conquered? You saw the people. They were terrified and in awe of us. They will worship you and none will dare think to challenge us. Come! This city is full of potential nests. Choose one and take it for your own. I insist. Or if you would both rather join me here in the throne room, then that works for me also."

Maul looked over to the Duchess’ throne. It was very Mandalorian: hard lines, sharp edges and metal. It would certainly please a Sith, but there still lingered the touch of the Duchess on it with the stained glass flourishes. He pinned back his head fins and curled a displeased lip, nudging his brother through the Force with another wave of frustration, the rumble of an incoming hunger, and the unsatisfied lust for revenge. 

"We will take the Collective and their combined fleet of ships,” Savage translated. “You have your planet, Vizsla, and your people. Perhaps the Duchess will return or perhaps she will suffer a tragic fate out among the stars, who knows - but while my brother has yet to return to his true self, we are struggling to find reasons to stay. I would hate to think that he would be showcased as a trophy or a pet that you will use to demand your people's loyalty. In the absence of immediate revenge, we are considering on departing to instead either search for Kenobi ourselves or find the solution to restoring Maul."

Vizsla went very quiet. As the last members of Black Sun exited the throne room, the remaining members of Death Watch began to turn in their direction. They lined the room, ready and waiting. Bo-Katan, strangely, was nowhere to be seen.

"...You are leaving?” Pre asked softly. “Where will you go?"

"My brother is hungry,” Savage said in way of answer. “And unless you don't mind sacrificing a few subjects, I would insist on departing soon before there is another outbreak of mass panic."

“…Will he go wild?” Vizsla cautiously asked next, eyeing Maul with suspicion. “Feral, I mean?”

To that, Savage did not answer. A strange look came over his face and Maul let out a growl to equal his brother’s ambivalence. 

“I simply cannot allow you to leave,” Vizsla said, now stern and firm again at not being given a reply to his question. “Not while our shared empire is so young. Satine will return, this I have said, and I have promised you the Jedi as well, have I not?”

Maul bristled at the tone and tossed his head dismissively. Savage smiled and turned his back to the Mandalorian, not deigning to favour him with a reply once again.

And that was when Pre Vizsla finally lost his last grip on his temper and his previously constructed plans were put into action.

Thoroughly insulted, Vizsla lifted his fist and stamped his foot and his Death Watch soldiers swarmed as one united force. 

Thick cords wrapped around the dragon’s snout and he let out a stifled grunt of surprise and anger but before Savage could leap to his brother’s defence, he had five burly Mandalorians tackling him to the ground while the rest continued their intent to tie Maul down.

“How dare you!” Savage roared, throwing a Mandalorian off him with the Force and breaking the back of another over his knee.

Vizsla kept back and watched with predatory focus, saying nothing. His alliance with the Sith had been temporary from the start, back when Maul was a Zabrak. They had made it clear that there was going to be mistrust and double-crossing so Vizsla felt no guilt at orchestrating their imprisonment behind their backs. He wouldn’t be able to control Maul, that he knew. But there were old gladiatorial pits that could be fashioned into holding a beast such as him, reminiscent of the Rancor pit that Jabba the Hutt was so fond of using. Maul would still earn him fear and respect from his people, one way or another. As for Savage, he was worth a fortune no matter who he sold him off to.

But Savage had not lied.

Maul was hungry.

Now he was being restrained.

His brother was yelling.

He did not have what he wanted.

The primal instinct within him fought back against his intelligence and, in the very next moment, Death Watch learnt too late that they had made a dreadful mistake.

~~~

As predicted, there weren’t many among Death Watch who wanted to go down to the sacred Living Waters and call up the Elderly and Infirm and the Children… They said that they would emerge from hiding when they got tired or hungry or too cold.

Whatever their true intentions, Korkie had to admit that he was impressed with how seriously they were taking their roles as the kind and benevolent saviours. The majority of the city, meanwhile, had returned above ground, a handful of the populace dismayed to find their homes destroyed by the cartels. Vizsla had encouraged them to remain in temporary accommodation while his people fixed the city for them. It almost worried Korkie that, at this rate, there might actually be some in Sundari who believed those terrorists about the Duchess and would swear genuine fealty to them. 

Everything was too quiet. A silent takeover like this? No, it didn’t feel right. Vizsla had to have another motive, another task to do, Korkie was certain. He turned the comm unit over and over in his hand, spinning it between his fingers, deliberating with himself on whether this was wise or, more likely, if this was the most idiotic thing he could do right now. Death Watch hadn’t taken command for three hours yet and already he was risking this?

He hit the button that would send a discrete buzz to the other comm unit, to let the receiver know that he was ready to talk when they were available, then dropped it on the table and tucked his knees up to his chest, grateful that he was alone for the moment. Lagos, Amis and Soniee had been sent home to their parents and guardians which was probably another reason why his better judgement had left him and had departed with them.

He was lonely and missing his Aunty.

One of his Aunties, anyway.

Without his friends, his dormitory room felt far too big and empty. Of course, his room back at the palace was much larger than this but it didn’t take a genius to work out that the palace was the last place he ought to return to while it was under Death Watch’s control. Would they find his room and deduce that there was another member of Clan Kryze somewhere in the city?

He knew he was not the only cadet who still remained at the Academy, that there were other students, young and old, that had no-one to take care of them back at home. He wondered how many had lost a parent from the criminal raid…

Steady footsteps came and went outside his door and Korkie slid off his chair and turned towards the small kitchenette to find something to drink. That was Captain Rau. He had kept his word to guard the cadets and the rest of the Academy and, so far, Death Watch had left him alone. Though as the days followed, that was likely going to change.

Just as Korkie was about to lift his cup to his lips, a faint voice crackled over the comm unit on the table and the youngster froze in horror upon the realisation that he had actually established contact with a member of Death Watch.

“…‘tine?” the voice said quietly, broken at first but becoming stronger and clearer within the next few seconds. “Please, no… Where are-? I thought you had gone! You absolute di’kut!”

The voice was not what Korkie had been expecting. It was young and her accent was not the same as his or the Duchess, an indication that they had had different upbringings. It made him sad but he shook away the emotion as he hurriedly scooped up the device.

“She has,” he answered before he allowed the stunned silence go on too long. “Gone, I mean.”

The other end went quiet again and there was another brief crackle before the unfamiliar voice of his Aunty’s sister spoke again.

“…Who is this?” she asked, slow and cautious. “Where is the…?” An abrupt stop and a faint gasp passed. “…Korkie?”

“Nice to speak to you at last, Aunty Bo-Katan,” he replied without a smile.

“Don’t call me that!” Bo-Katan snapped hurriedly, “I’m only a few years older than you…” Her shaky breath was clearly heard before her next question. “Is she with you?”

“No. She’s gone, like I said. Like you told her to do.”

“And you’re still here?” Bo said with astonishment. “Are you mad?”

“The fact that I am still here is the reason why the people of Mandalore aren’t buying Vizsla’s words,” Korkie answered. “They are allowing you to take charge in the knowledge that it will be a short rule. The Duchess will return.”

“Satine was part of a plan to draw the Jedi to this planet so, without her, the Sith and Vizsla are left at stalemate. If she returns, all hell could break loose and Satine might very well perish.”

“When she returns,” Korkie corrected, more defensively than he ought to perhaps, “she will have the Jedi with her. So what can they truly do?”

“A lot.” Bo-Katan said quietly, softly, warningly. “They can do a lot.”

Korkie hugged himself tighter.

“How was my Aunt supposed to be enough to bring the Jedi here anyway? I was told that the Republic wouldn’t allow them to assist Mandalore unless they were attacked by Seperatists.”

He heard Bo-Katan’s sigh.

“Satine is... close with a particular Jedi. One that has made himself an enemy of Vizsla and the Sith.”

"Kenobi?"

"...How do you know that?"

"Aunty Satine spoke of a time when she was on the run, just before I was born,” Korkie explained, remembering his Aunt’s bedtime stories. “She said she was helped by two Jedi and she became close friends with them. One was called Kenobi. She talks about him sometimes. I've never met him."

"Well...” Bo cleared her throat. “Yes, that’s the one. Although he’s currently a dragon too."

"Then he will come here?” Korkie asked with bright eyes. “He will fight Vizsla's monster?"

"For this city's sake, I hope not. Where are you? Are you safe?"

"Yes... Do you think it's wise to tell you where I am?"

"No, not yet, I suppose.” Korkie heard faint, warbled voices in the background of Bo-Katan’s end and her voice dropped to an even quieter whisper. “You have no reason to trust me. And it is dangerous, contacting me like this."

“I needed to know if you would still help me.”

“I am Death Watch,” said Bo, her voice now stern and cold. “Now Satine is gone, I intend to do my duty. I owe Vizsla a lot.”

It was a bitter disappointment and Korkie swallowed his biting thoughts about it. Of course she would continue to pursue power after her sister’s departure. She was Mandalorian. Mandalorians followed the strongest leader. What did Korkie think was going to happen?

”…Understood,” he said, tone flat and emotionless. “Farewell Bo-Katan Kryze and thanks, I guess…”

She made a noise to respond but Korkie did not want to hear it. He shut off the communication and tossed the device aside where it tumbled off the edge of the table and clattered noisily to the floor.

He fell onto his bunk and groaned into his palms. He had told his Aunt he could handle things while he was here but now he was realising that those were words and promises of a silly little boy that thought he could stand alongside someone like the Duchess and appear just as calm and organised.

Really, what could he do now? Wait for Vizsla to find him? Try and contact the Jedi and risk being traced?

He steadied his breathing and opened his eyes.

When his Aunt returned, she would bring an army. Of that, he was sure. Perhaps, in the meantime, he also could find an army and have it ready. Remind the people that Death Watch were not who they said they were and—

For the second time in a matter of hours, an ear-splitting roar shattered the peace and now that he and the other Cadets had returned to the Academy, it seemed to echo even louder than before.

Korkie jumped up, his eyes widening as he recognised the scream of the Sith dragon. It must be coming for him already.

But… no… 

When Korkie ran to the window and looked out towards the palace, he was astonished to see the enormous dragon leap from the throne room into the air through a shower of glass, Death Watch soldiers being cast in all directions, some of them even between the beast’s jaws. A pounding in his head caused Korkie to gasp and grip the window sill tighter until Fenn was at his side to steady him. Everyone bore witness to the beam of bright red plasma that shot from the monster’s mouth and tore a hole in the dome above.

Captain Rau murmured something in Mando’a but Korkie couldn’t hear him through the roaring of the dragon in his ears.

To his relief, the beast did not fly in his direction. Instead it circled the throne room with a scream of fury before it flapped again and lifted itself up towards the open hole above. A Zabrak that Korkie did not recognise was clutching his back and before long, it was evident that Pre Vizsla had lost his dragon for good.

And Korkie was glad for that. 

Although it now begged the question: where would it go?