"Nothing, Masters..", Obi-Wan quickly assured them.
Entering the Throne Room, they are greeted by Maul, who sat on the throne with a bound Jesse, who knelt beside him.
"I agree", Maul said.
...
The Jedi were tensed at this. While Ahsoka had promise when she was still a Padawan to the Jedi, she was still more than capable of being potentially stronger than an average Jedi Knight. However, this was Maul they were looking at, the apprentice of Darth Sidious, the future Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
Bo-Katan charged at him with her blasters, but this only amused Maul, who redirecte her shots away using the force, before levitating her with an almost crushing grip.
"My lady, is that any way to treat your rightful ruler?", Maul mockingly asked towards Bo-Katan, who gave him a defiant look at the ex-Sith Lord. Maul eventually released her, with Ahsoka and Rex rushing to her side, and helping her recover.
"And now, as a show of good faith, I return your comrade in arms to you", Maul proclaimed, using the Force to release Jesse from his binders before sending him back to Rex. The ARC Trooper was shaken, defeated, and broken as he slowly made his way to his companions.
"Something does not add up here...", Kit Fisto observed. "Why would he release ARC Trooper Jesse all of a sudden?"
"He may have told him what he wants to know...", Mace suggested. "But it is strange as to why Maul would be willing to release prisoners without killing them.."
"Ulterior motive, perhaps?", Yoda suggested, and the Jedi mentally agreed with that point.
"Run along", Maul told the ARC Trooper. "There you go. Back to your brothers"
"Are you all right, Jesse?", the Commander urgently asked his comrade.
"I'm sorry, Commander", Jesse said in an apologetic tone. "I couldn't help it. I told him everything"
"It's okay", Ahsoka assured him, then turning to the actual Commander. "Rex, get him out of here"
Rex complied and escorted Jesse out the Throne Room while gunfire broke out outside the palace. Ahsoka, Bo-Katan and Maul watch through the windows as they caught sight of the warzone happening outside in the streets of Sundari.
"Uh, one of you might want to deal with that", Maul observed in a slightly mocking tone.
Ahsoka turned to Bo-Katan. "You should go. Your people need you"
"Don't stay on my account. We'll be fine", Maul assured her, standing up from the Throne and approached the windows.
Plo and Obi-Wan were now worried for her, but internally. There was something off about Maul that they could not explain at the meantime.
"Go", Ahsoka told Bo-Katan, prompting the Mandaloroan to put her helmet on before heading towards the battlefield, leaving Ahsoka alone to deal with Maul.
"May the Force be with them." Shaak Ti said, hoping that the group succeeds in liberating the planet from Maul's grasp.
Back in the throne room, the two individuals watch as the battle for Mandalore raged in front of them. "Look at them. So blissfully ignorant", Maul mused in a sing-song tone.
"Care to tell me what this is all about? Or would you rather save it for the Council?"
"Oh, no, no. You are the one that I wish to speak with", Maul casually replied, folding his arms behind his back. "Were you not cast out of your Order?"
"I left voluntarily"
Plo Koon, Obi-Wan, and Yoda were disheartened to be reminded of the Council's errors that prompted a promising Jedi such as her to leave the Order, which serves as an example to their flaws.
"Yes, but you were motivated to leave by the hypocrisy of the Jedi Council", Maul added further insult to injury, causing Ahsoka to look away, a terrible memory coming to her mind.
"You don't need to remind us twice, Maul..", Kit Fisto groaned, having seen the later results of it firsthand. After all that has been revealed, the others could not help but feel at fault for what has happened into the future, though some remained neutral, or at least adamant of the results of their actions.
"We were both tools for greater powers"
"I am here to bring you to justice", Ahsoka replied.
"Justice is merely the construct of the current power base", Maul said philosopichally. "A base, which, according to my calculations, is about to change"
"And Darth Sidious is behind it?", she guessed.
"He is behind everything. In the shadows, always", Maul answered. "But soon, very soon… he will reveal himself"
"We have known who he is...", Luminara observed. "But he is referencing on how we could not have known who he truly is..."
"Hence the words, blissfully ignorant", Mundi pieced out, though unenthusiastically.
"With your help, the Jedi can stop Sidious before it's too late"
"Too late for what!? The Republic to fall!? It already has, and you just can't see it!", Maul snapped. " There is no justice, no law, no order, except for the one that will replace it!"
The Jedi's eyes widen in complete alarm. "Does Maul...", Depa began in realization.
"Know what was going to happen?", Obi-Wan finished in disbelief.
Everyone knew that Maul was referring to the Empire's rise to power, and the eventual end to everything they had known.
"The time of the Jedi has passed", Maul proclaimed. "They cannot defeat Sidious. But, together, you and I can. Every choice you have made… has led you to this moment" He offered a hand towards Ahsoka, who processed everything that Maul told her just now.
"Maul is against Sidious...", Mundi observed. " He was trying to stop him with Tano's help..."
The Jedi were trying to convince themselves that a Sith, even though he was no longer one, was telling the truth. They wouldn't have accepted it at first, but with the truth displayed to them, it was far from being a blatant lie.
An explosion caused the windows of the throne room to shatter, a shower of broken glass falling between them. "I will help you.", Ahsoka conceded. But you must answer one question"
"You have but to ask...",
"What do you want with Anakin Skywalker?"
"Does Maul also knew what was going to happen to Anakin?", Kit Fisto asked in disbelief.
Obi-Wan was apprehensive, thinking that his archnemesis had something in mind for his brother.
Maul was silent for a moment. "He is the key to everything."
"To bring balance to the Force?"
"To destroy. He has long been groomed for his role, as my master's new apprentice"
The Jedi immediately realized what Maul was telling them. Palpatine spent years in his friendship with Anakin as a means for the Jedi Knight to trust him to the point that he could always turn to him.
"Close with Palpatine, young Skywalker was", Yoda said with a slight frown. "His distrust with the Council, and his bond with him, serves as proof"
Ahsoka looked at him with disbelief and countered. "You lie"
"I'm afraid not. In fact, I was so certain of his fate that I orchestrated this war to lure him here with Kenobi to kill him. Thus, depriving Sidious of his prized pupil.
"And unfortunately, Palpatine's 'kidnapping' at the hands of Grievous threw a wrench to that plan", Mace pieced out the information to everyone.
"At this rate, Palpatine kept outplaying everyone in a some sort of strategy game, under his own terms", Luminara admitted.
"I know Anakin", she firmly disagreed with him and ignited her lightsabers, setting her stance to Form VI. "Your vision is flawed"
The Jedi tensed at what they were witnessing. Two duels that could provide the information they so desperately needed now if they are going to stop Palpatine and his plans.
"I see the Padawan needs one last lesson", he remarked in a rather annoyed tone.
With that in mind, he drew a long metal tube, the hilts on both sides ignited to reveal a pair of Crimson-colored blades. After a few twirls, he lunged at the Togruta.
...
Evading Maul's initial swings, Ahsoka immediately went on to the defensive, blocking the crimson blades from above and below. Taking the initiative, Ahsoka moved in to deliver a few graceful strikes towards her opponent, Maul's own saberstaff was equally defensive as her own pair of lightsabers.
Finding an opening at Ahsoka's left, Maul attempted to strike at that direction, only for Ahsoka to reverse the grip of her lightsaber to parry the crimson blade from there in the last second.
Everyone was astounded at the graceful display of combat of the two combatants, the flow of their duel circulates from Maul and Ahsoka's respective abilities.
"Impressive. It's only a short while and the two has displayed delicate prowess in using their sabers in combat", Kit Fisto complimented the two, to the agreement of the Jedi present.
Regaining her focus, Ahsoka moved in to deliver a quick flow of strikes towards the Zabrak, her two sapphire blades meeting several times to their crimson counterparts. Finding an opening to her right, Maul sidestepped out of the way, where an elbow landed straight into Ahsoka's face, using this opportunity to swat away one of her lightsabers.
Renewing his offensive, Maul aggressively struck blow for blow towards her, but Ahsoka skillfully used her left in parrying Maul's attacks, before deciding to go on the offensive herself and began to push back the Zabrak, landing an acrobatic downkick onto his face, before outstretching her hand to use the Force to catch one of her lightsabers, activating its hilt that forced Maul to evade the incoming blade as it went back to Ahsoka.
"Maul's use of Form VII proved to suit him because of his aggressive stance", Mace observed the former Sith Lord's fighting style.
"But Ahsoka's usage of Jar'kai to compliment it with Form IV proved to be as equal, if not a good counter against him", Luminara interjected, having seen and compared Ahsoka when she first fought alongside with her as a young Padawan, to the one grown Jedi, despite not being one herself.
"But is it safe to assume that she could be able to defeat Maul?", Saesee Tiin asked, skeptical.
"Have faith in her, Master Tiin", Yoda said, looking at Ahsoka thoughtfully. "Succeed, she will"
Plo Koon remained silent at the discussion, only watching the duel with his hopes fully placed on to the young Torgruta. Masters Kenobi and Shaak Ti knew this as well, seeing that the Kel'Dor would want nothing more than her to be safe.
"You're lucky Anakin didn't show up", Ahsoka sarcastically mused as she circled the former Sith Lord. "The way you're fighting, you wouldn't have last long"
Obi-Wan held his chin as he thought of the Zabrak's current fighting style. Based on his previous encounters with Maul, the latter was not as aggressive as he is during his encounters. And by the looks of it, Maul isn't the type to hold back against anyone. However, his words to Ahsoka earlier had given the context as to why he appeared to be holding back.
"Oh, you have Kenobi's arrogance?", Maul asked back.
"That would be Skywalker's", Shaak Ti chimed in.
"You'll find that I have more qualities for you to dislike", Ahsoka responded as she moved in for another strike.
...
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