#twin sons | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

An Unexpected Chance Pt 21

Snapshots of the Creation of a New Sith, the creation of Balance, and a reminder of a time that was.

_

Maul stood there for a moment, taking in the body at his feet.

Pre Vizsla had put up a hell of a fight.

He ran his fingers over the line that crossed his nose and ran between his eyes and gave a soft hum. He’d definitely remember this one. Maul turned then and focused his attention on the others and blinked.

Jango had tackled someone, and it looked like a few of the Vode had brought others to their knees. Maul walked towards them, the Dark Saber still thrumming in his hand. Maul felt the power, felt the energy, and knew that he would be examining it later, but for now he kept it ignited with his Teacher’s saber, Purple and Black, and walked towards the one that Jango was pinning.

And found Bo-Katan.

Maul blinked.

He blinked again.

“I knew that you were not precisely your sister’s biggest fan…but I had not thought you would join a cult that was interested in destroying her,” Maul said idly. Jango blinked at him, and then looked at the one he was pinning down properly, shifting his grip so he could see her face when she looked up, defiance burning in her gaze.

“Well…” Jango said softly. “What do you know…”

Maul wiped the blood from his forehead idly, looking around. There were more from Pre Vizsla’s group that had decided to join than he had anticipated. They stared at his armor, and they looked to Jango, looked to the Vode in their own armor, their own symbols, looked to the members of Death Watch they may or may not remember… They knew he was one of them. But they did not know who. Maul looked them over, and then turned to the Vode and the Mandalorians that had sent the ones that had rebelled into the dirt.

How interesting. They all seemed to be marked for Bo-Katan. Maul hummed quietly and slowly crouched next to her, looking to Jango.

“Thank you,” he said.

“My pleasure,” Jango grinned, teeth bared in something like threat. Maul approved.

“Do you think you can hold her for just a little longer?”

Jango dug his elbow down as though to prove how much he had her, Bo grunting, sending a look to him that was poisonous.

“Thank you,” Maul said and stood. He walked over to Pre Vizsla’s headless corpse and flipped open his comm, holding it up so the body was visible behind him and called Satine, his Teacher’s saber at his belt.

Her face appeared in the comm, exasperation and anger visible, only to drain into something like shock as she took in the dead body behind him, her expression falling into something like horror and fear. “Is that…” she paused, “what has happened to Pre Vizsla?”

“I killed him,” Maul said easily, and watched as that look changed to horror. “He was the leader of Death Watch,” Maul said, and that look shifted, broke, something like shock, something like disbelief, and Maul held up the Dark Saber so she could see it, “so I killed him and took Death Watch from him.” He held up the comm higher so she could see, recognized the way Death Watch had frozen the fear, the worry…

“Death Watch…” she repeated, gasping, fear in her voice and looked to Maul, “but…”

“I have no intentions of killing you,” Maul said, “nor do I have intentions of taking over Mandalore. You may rest easy in your bed, Satine. To give you a bit more certainty in my words I have a gift for you.” He walked over towards Jango and Bo, watching as she attempted to pull away, to fight, as Jango pinned her harder. Maul crouched down and showed Satine Bo, and the gasp that sounded from the Duchess was momentarily shattered.

“Bo,” she breathed.

“He’s lying!” Bo-Katan yelled, “he kidnapped me, it’s a trick, Satine, he…”

Maul looked to Jango and gestured for him to stand her up. Jango did so, revealing the armor, and Maul showed Satine the helmet that had been knocked to the ground that fit Bo, and then slowly walked to show Satine the others, show her their symbol. Bo’s symbol.

Bo said nothing. She knew that it was over.

“It…it is true then,” Satine breathed, and her voice was choked, “she was…she was moving against me…” There was a long pause, and Maul watched as she stared into his eyes, and there was something so… “She meant to kill me?”

Maul was silent for a moment. “I do not know,” he said finally. “But I am going to be returning them to you. What you do to them is of no concern to me. They did not follow the rules of sacred combat. They are no longer Death Watch, and they are no longer Mandalorian. Their Manda is tainted, and so they are of no use to me.” Bo yelled, inarticulate, angry, Jango forced her to her knees. “You can expect them shortly, I believe,” he looked to the Vode. “But we will not be on Concordia for much longer.”

“Where are you going?” Satine asked, “where…”

“None of your business,” Maul answered easily, raising a brow. “You hold no power here, Duchess. Now, Satine, that is all. Please don’t attempt to call me I shall simply hang up. Consider this a peace offering. Goodbye.”

He hung up and made a brief gesture. “Wrap it up.”

“Mand’alor!”

The call was followed by a salute, Maul saluted back.

It was the most uncomfortable thing he had ever done.

The prisoners Maul saw to himself, gesturing to the ones that had detained each of Bo’s people and working with them to bind them. Not maliciously, Maul saw no point in that, but certainly tight and with bindings that he himself would struggle with. And then he found his brothers.

Maul walked to Feral and Savage, who looked him up and down and then smiled, saluting.

“Stop,” Maul commanded.

They laughed.

“What are we doing, brother?” Savage asked.

“We are seeing what Pre Vizsla and his lot have given to us, and then we are going to fill in the gaps,” Maul hummed.

“How are we doing this?” Feral asked.

Maul smiled.

_

Savage watched as the members of Death Watch helped bring the last of their resources into their massive atrium, and Maul walked amongst them, looking it over. The prisoners had been brought to a ship, entrusted to a Vod called Iisa, as well as a code that would allow him to contact Maul directly. He took three of his own, a Halaisian Mandalorian called Manut, another Vod called Ridge, and a Brother named Fang, all of them easily containing the bound and disgraced Mandalorian prisoners.

It was the quickest and most efficient dispatch that Savage had ever seen, the remainder of Death Watch so willing and able to follow the one that had won the saber. Savage couldn’t complain. Tests of strength were common, but he thought that it was the sight of the loyalty Maul inspired in the rest of them that made them so willing to follow.

Maul took in their resources and his mouth thinned, before he looked to Jango. “How long do you believe this would sustain us?”

�� Jango hummed quietly, before shaking his head. “Not long enough.”

“Well,” Maul said, humming. “I know our first order of business.” He paused for a moment and then looked to Jango. “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it.”

Maul laughed and dipped his head to Jango, and then to Soln, and then to Feral and Savage himself. They followed.

Maul paced to the front of the gathered Mandalorians, Brothers and Vode, and stared out at them, Savage to his right, Feral his left, Jango and Soln behind them.

“Mandalorians, Brothers, Vode…” he said, standing before them, “I am Maul…and I am going to bring you to victory.”

The cheers had started to begin.

Savage was proud.

_

Feral had not expected this, staring down at a world that seemed to be made of lava, Maul before him with his arms behind his back, an air of indifference pouring off of him.

They were about to destroy and simultaneously liberate a Criminal Empire and his brother was acting as though they were about to go to the store. Feral looked to him, taking in the way he stood there, the profile, and wondered quietly about the little boy that had been. The little boy that he had loved and mourned in equal measures. Maul looked to him then, and he watched as the expression of boredom shifted to a small smile, and Feral found himself beaming.

There were moments, after all, where that boy showed he was still there, and ultimately Feral could not deny that he loved his brother, and he did trust him.

Maul dipped his head towards the lava, and softly, quietly, “That is the planet where I grew up.”

Feral froze, recognizing that he was not the only one, Savage also freezing. And then, a hand sank on his shoulder, and he turned to look to Jango, turning a bit more to see more of the same face, younger than the one that Maul knew they referred to as the ‘rough draft.’ Vode, ones he knew. Rex, Wolffe, Kote, Fox… They had been taking names more commonly now, mix of cultures, mix of styles, and Maul was proud.

But he was also letting his mind drift.

_

“There, sir?” Rex asked, and Maul found his nose wrinkling. Rex had been the first to find Boba, the first to actually talk to him, and the one that had grown used to talking to him. “Sorry, I meant you lived there, Mand’alor.”

Maul looked at him. Rex’s expression was unapologetic and amused. Maul rolled his eyes. But it was a kindness. His mind had stopped spiraling.

“I did,” Maul said simply. “My Master stole me from Dathomir and took me here.” He paused, his head tilting, “I don’t know that it was an improvement.”

“I think it might have been a downgrade,” Savage said softly, taking a step closer to him and Maul found himself smiling. Jango’s hand hadn’t left his shoulder. “At least on Dathomir it is not covered in lava.”

“Unless you go to the volcanos,” Feral added, “though that is far.”

Maul gave a soft sound in recognition, “Here…the lava always flows…and the air is poison.” He paused, looking to them, “buckets are preferable.”

“Understood,” came the response.

Wolffe walked up next to him, quiet, “What was it like?”

“Lonely,” Maul said softly.

“How do you mean?” Fox asked.

“I was alone with a droid…for most of my childhood,” Maul said. “I was three years old before I knew what I looked like…and that was only because of the window.” Maul was quiet for a moment before looking to the Vode and his gaze was sharp. “My Master was the one that commissioned you. I believe…that a great deal of your training was built from mine.” He was quiet for a moment, very aware of the silence, of the way the Vode were looking at him.

“Does…” the question was soft, hesitant, even as Kote finally asked, “does that make you ori’vod?”

Maul blinked.

“What?” Maul asked.

His brothers, however, were brightening, and Maul turned to look at them, something almost horrified…

“If you claim him as vod, then that makes you vod’ika,” Savage said, and his grin was all teeth.

“I’d take that,” Kote said with a grin.

“VOD’IKA!” Savage took Kote up in his arms and squeezed him, the man laughing aloud, fighting to be able to press his forehead against Savage’s horns. Maul watched with something unfolding within him that might have been pride and might have been something else.

The Brothers had been the first to truly integrate with the Vode. They understood the challenges in a way that the others could not, warriors trained for battle, unused to kindness from anyone except each other, kept underneath another group that controlled them…could kill them at a whim… Maul stood there with the slowly dawning realization that if he did accept this, if they did stand with this, it would unite their peoples in a way that was…unprecedented.

Maul could and would accept it.

He looked to Jango, who was staring back at them with something pained in his eyes, something thoughtful.

“There is no reason to believe that all is lost,” Maul rumbled quietly, his voice soft. “Not all with forgive you…but they have accepted my own acceptance of you.”

Jango took that in for a moment before quietly, “they know you’d keep me in line.” The smirk he gave was sharp and Maul rolled his eyes.

“I would kill you,” Maul returned and Jango laughed.

“So,” Wolffe said from where he was currently wrapped in Feral’s hold, his brother beaming, even as Wolffe was clearly trying to struggle out, “what’s the plan here?”

“Go in, take their resources, kill who we must, free their people that have been enslaved…” Maul said blandly, walking towards them. Feral let go of Wolffe, Savage letting go of the others. “Black Sun is arrogant, and they are susceptible to their long-standing tradition of accepting visitors. So…we shall visit.”

“Are we going to stay here?”

Maul hummed, looking at the planet that filled their viewscreen. “Once was enough,” he said. “No. We are going to take a small group at first to see them in order to keep their guard low, and then we are going to swarm. You all will accompany me, naturally?”

“Manda’lori’vod!”

Maul stared at them.

“Stop that.”

Jango lost his shit.

Rude.

In the end it was a simple matter to take over the Black Sun.

Maul had destabilized them before…he had been younger then. Younger and under his Master. Now he stood as the head of a criminal organization that they were gutting. Maul periodically shifted his gaze to Feral, who was still laughing at his brother. Teaching his brothers how to create their own Kyber had been one of his better ideas, followed by teaching them how to make a saber.

It had been a good day. Upon realizing how much Maul…how much the Holocron that Maul had left taught them it had only seemed right, and so they had learned, and Maul had dueled them. They were still unable to beat him, but they were good, and they were strong…

And Savage was very good at following cues.

Maul turned his attention to the singular being left alive, peering at the Falleen that had been appointed temporary Head after Savage had…ah…disposed of the others.

Maul did not know how long he would be left alive. He was not planning on creating an empire of criminals after all… But Black Sun imported their supplies. They had enough to keep their empire running which would be good enough, Maul rather supposed, for his own purposes.

Soln had thought so, as had the Armourer and Jango when he had fully laid the plan out for them, and it had kept his newly acquired Mandalorians busy…and rather happy. They were out there now, partnered with Vode and Brother alike, keeping them grounded with what they needed to do. Those with a Debt, those that were Enslaved to Black Sun would be freed. Those otherwise…well.

They would be dealt with.

But that brought Maul to another point, a hilt that still dangled upon his belt and he had quite forgotten in the need to keep hold of his very newly formed Death Watch, in the need to make sure that the people would be fed.

Maul walked out of the palace, gesturing towards Feral and Savage, the both of them nodding and following. For all Feral’s teasing he also was quite good at following cues, and the smile that was on his face was warm.

Maul stood with the lavas to his back and commed his Teacher.

“About time,” Mace Windu said and the smile on his face was warm…and then he realized where he was standing. Mace blinked, and then focused on Maul. “Where are you?”

“Mustafar,” Maul said, “we have taken over Black Sun.”

Mace stared at him.

Maul stared back.

“I’m coming to get that.”

“We shall be here for another few days,” Maul said idly, “we are freeing the population and taking their supplies.”

“Where?”

Maul was quiet for a moment, “in my travels…I found a planet that was once occupied by the Sith. It is no longer, and it is… Dark, but…” Maul paused. “There is a Nightbrother Settlement upon it, one that I was able to help start. They have been raising the kittens they have taken with them, and I have been able to reconnect with them… It no longer feels as it does. They are excited to accept others into their settlement, and to receive their Brothers.”

Mace took that in, and Maul watched as he smiled. “So,” he said, “do you plan to recreate the Temple?”

Maul frowned. “No,” he said finally, “the Sith Temple that was there was one of the first things that was destroyed.”

“Destroyed?” Mace asked softly.

“I told you a long time ago,” Maul said softly, “the Sith is mine to destroy just as it is to preserve. The Sith that I grew up with, the Sith that I was taught…” Maul was quiet for a moment, “I believe that I have found something different. Something that can be sustained, something that can be nurtured… I am going to attempt…something quite revolutionary.”

“If anyone can do it,” Mace said and then paused, “remember, Maul, you can always call. You are always welcome.”

“If…I was to take an Apprentice in the Sith…” Maul said softly, “do you think you would welcome them as well?”

There was a pause.

“You have an idea…”

“When you come I will tell you,” Maul said, “but I believe…that we may be able to come up with something between us.”

Mace dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I will see you soon, Padawan-mine. May Depa come?”

“Yes,” Maul said. “It will be good to see her.”

“She has missed you.”

Maul was quiet for a moment. “Teacher,” he said softly.

“Yes?”

“You were a better father than Sidious ever was.”

And with that he hung up and prepared himself to wait.

_

Mace stood before the Fortress that at one point had been the Fortress of the Black Sun and stared.

There were Mandalorians and Vode and Brothers everywhere and while initially a few of the newer Death Watch that Mace did not recognize had frozen, hands going to blasters at the sight of them, the Vode and the Brothers were quick to wave them down, calling their welcomes and their happiness at the sight of them. Death Watch went to their own business after that. This was good, as Mace still did not have his saber, and he did not want to leave everything to Depa.

Depa was staring around with her hands on her hips, amusement obvious in every line of her face.

“He always goes too far in trying to one-up me.”

Mace laughed aloud, a hand on her shoulder. “Come on,” he said, “let’s find him so you can tell him that.”

It turned out, though, that they didn’t have to go very far. Walking towards them from the Fortress, arms behind his back, and flanked on either side by Savage and Feral…was Maul.

He looked good, and in fact looked happy. He approached them directly, Savage, and Feral beaming, and finally stood before them.

Mace watched as Depa took the three of them in and then walked towards Maul, her gaze warm. “You need to get better at communicating, little brother,” she said, reaching out with soft hands and taking his face in her grasp, gently tilting it… Mace saw the mark there, the line from his nose leading up between his brows. “And you need to get better at dodging,” she said, running a finger up it, Maul snorting imperiously, rolling his eyes.

“In my defense he was directly underneath me and almost sent the blade through my chin. I believe I actually managed quite well.”

“Then I am glad,” Depa said, and then grinned, “what did you tell Mace, he was crying for five minutes after you hung up.”

Mace gave a brief wounded sound even as Maul laughed aloud, and the smile on his face when he looked to Mace was warm and so happy. “Betrayed by my own lineage,” Mace said, shaking his head. “Maul leaves me to join the Sith, and you betray my confidence.”

Depa hummed at him, raising her brows at him, and Maul laughed harder, Savage, and Feral both joining at that.

Mace huffed his own quiet laugh and walked forward, Maul taking the saber that Mace had been missing and holding it out. Mace took it from him and holstered it, giving Maul a brief bow.

“Congratulations Mand’alor.”

“Not you, too,” Maul said immediately, and the laughter this time came from more parties than just the three in front of them. Mace found himself smiling as he realized that the Vode the Brothers and Mandalorians that were around him were clearly listening. “Get back to work,” Maul snapped.

“AYE, MAND’ALOR!”

Maul closed his eyes, his head tilting back and Mace could not help the laugh that spilled from him.

“You always did try too hard to one-up me,” Depa said softly, smiling wide, “serves you right.”

Savage and Feral laughed aloud, and there was a relaxing and a warmth that Mace could read within them that had not been there. They were clearly growing used to Depa, and Mace was glad.

Mace was glad…

“Walk with me,” Maul said, “we shall not be here long, but I wish to show you what I have found.”

Mace followed, listening to Maul as he explained, watching the way he paused to interact with some of the Mandalorians, the pause to help with Brothers, or with Vode, watching the way that they followed him with their gazes, the calls that periodically came… Mace was proud. He slowly breathed it out, but it buzzed in the air around him, and he knew that Depa felt it, too.

“So,” Depa said quietly after they had walked their way around the Fortress, after having met some of the ones that had been freed, watching the way they thanked their rescuers… “I heard that you might be giving me a niece or nephew soon,” she said, leaning against the railing, smiling at Maul, who shifted. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Maul hesitated.

“Not exactly,” he finally said, also leaning against the railing, Savage and Feral buzzing beside them, excitement burning. “But I have been having…visions.”

“Visions,” Mace repeated softly, finding his mouth quirking in a smile, momentarily taking the moment to inspect the shatterpoints that had surrounded his boy since he had been a teen in desperate need of help, “better than the last ones I would hope?”

“Oh yes,” Maul agreed softly, “much.”

_

Feral stood at the edge of a precipice, a grin on his face even as he strained, feeling the pull and push of his Brothers all around, watching the Vode and Death Watch as they worked to help set the last piece upon a Temple that they had worked together to form. A Temple that was to be the beginning foundation of the Sith, a Sith that his brother had formed, a Sith that his brother was even now teaching.

Feral’s attention turned to his brother who was amongst them, working together to lower the cap of the pyramid structure, a tradition that Maul had admitted to liking aesthetically, but so much else was different, even in comparison to the Jedi Temple.

Maul had worked to allow it to be accessible to all, Force Sensitive and not, self-sustained and full of the sweeping and sharp angles of most Sith Temples, but none of the traps.

At least…none of the more lethal ones.

As the cap was finally lowered to the Temple, there was a spark a flash, and then a feeling of Flame, a feeling of Power in the same way as Maul.

There was a Shrine deep within, Maul had built it with his own two hands, taking time and much will to do so, and it seemed that now that the Temple was complete the Shrine was waking up.

Feral felt nearly giddy with it, a rushing in his spine, turning to look to his brother who looked to be in shock.

Feral laughed aloud, grabbing hold of his shoulders and squeezing, shaking him briefly, gaining his brother’s full attention.

“That is it!” he called out, “we have done it!”

And the celebration began…

And lasted for several days.

_

Jocasta’s brows shot up at the sight of twelve armored men walking into her Archive, all of them with…

Very…familiar…

Horns.

And then one of those men branched off, horns taller, prouder, almost like they were… And then the helm split in half and Maul reached up to take the helmet off, and he smiled at her when he saw her, dipping into a formal bow.

“Hello, Jocasta,” he said, “I am here to steal the Sith Artifacts back.”

“Like hell you are,” Jocasta responded, and when Maul blinked at her, Jocasta smiled, “you are taking them with permission.”

Maul smiled back, a softening that had been rare, but had come easier, particularly after the past year. Jocasta had seen the small Nightbrother. He had often come into her Archive and Jocasta had been given the rare and beautiful opportunity to read a children’s book to a young one that had never been given the privilege.

Jocasta still had the holos from that day, Maul sitting upon her lap, expression pulled into the most confused and bewildered frown that she had ever seen. He had warmed to the books, and had come periodically just to sit and read and to listen.

And now she was staring at the grown man that had been, the grown man that had found himself possessing a handful of centimeters more than he had, enough to look down on her. It was an unusual thing, but Jocasta was proud.

And she was more than happy to relinquish the Sith Artifacts back to the one they belonged to.

Jocasta opened her arms and Maul allowed himself to be folded close, holding her tightly, before Jocasta pulled back, wiping at her eyes.

“I am proud of you,” she said, “I cannot wait to see what you and yours will create.”

Maul beamed at her, and she led them deeper into the Archives.

The men that were eventually revealed to her were Brothers, as well as his own brothers, which Jocasta thought was probably just as well. The artifacts were Dark, and Maul went to each one, carefully feeling them out before he gestured for a person to carry them. It was specific, Jocasta realized, and when he finally had handed them all out Maul took his own, bowed to Jocasta, and then led the men out.

Jocasta had never been happier to see artifacts taken from her archive. She had never been happier to relinquish them.

She would have a good long discussion with him later on whether or not it was to keep and study or destroy. Maul was building something new. Where the old Sith Order sat was something she supposed would eventually be learned.

Maul paused, turning his attention to two Guards that had been hovering on the edges of his vision, finding a slow smile spreading on his face.

“Gentlemen, I will meet you at the ship,” he said softly, turning to them.

“Brother,” the acknowledgement was warm and full, and followed by a brief dip of their horned helms, and then they were leaving. Savage and Feral waited as was their custom, but they left after Maul locked horns with them both.

Maul stood there for a moment staring at the Guards that he recognized, whose feel burned through him. Maul approached quietly, following them as they shifted into a side hallway where prying eyes could not see them, and finally removed their masks.

Alema and Liana stared back at them, their faces creased with smiles, and Maul found himself stepping towards them without thought. They each reached out, carefully cupping either side of his head, the Sith Icons that Maul was currently holding dividing them.

“I’m sorry,” Maul breathed, “they’re volatile.”

They laughed at him, wrinkles forming, and Maul found his mouth pulling into a grin.

“I wonder who that reminds me of,” Alema hummed, her lips creasing into a wide smile.

“Can’t be anyone we know,” Liana said, waving a hand.

“Not at all,” Maul agreed softly, and they laughed, Alema leaning forward enough to press her forehead to his own, Liana doing the same on his other side.

“We’re proud of you,” Alema breathed. “You’ve grown so much. So much…”

“We’ll be hoping to see this Apprentice of yours when you find them,” Liana said, pulling back with a smile.

“How did you…?” Maul paused then, blinking, and realization flickered. “Ah, yes.”

“No one pays attention to Guards,” they chorused, and Maul could not help the laughter that spilled from him.

“Thank you,” he said. “You may have an opportunity to meet them at some point. I have…an idea.”

“I wait for the moment it will bear fruit, Lord Maul,” Liana said softly.

Maul found himself standing straighter than he ever had.

“We believe in you,” Alema said. “Remember your body is your own.”

Maul put his forehead to theirs one last time, something tight in his chest…and then he finally walked away.

And knew that he had grown.

_

Plo was buzzing.

He could barely imagine how Mace must feel, knowing that it was Mace’s own lineage, but…but.

Plo had been there from the beginning, and he would now meet another.

Maul had come back to the Jedi Temple…

And he had an Apprentice.

They knew that Maul had been training the Nightbrother kittens and similarly knew that they had still not been quite Sith. But this, this was different.

Maul had followed the Force to her, something new in the way of the Sith, but something that Plo thought was a good choice. In a way, Maul had almost rescued her. It was the saving of a life and the teaching of turning pain into power, and the use of that power to save others.

Two flames burned within the Jedi Temple.

Plo wondered idly how many more there would be.

He finally walked into the room that they had set up for them, finding a small crowd of people. Tiq, Anakin, Ahsoka, and the rest of the main Council, as well as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. And then of course, there was Maul and his Apprentice.

Maul had taken a chair at the far end of the room, and seated upon his lap was a small Mikkian girl, her head leaning against his shoulder, clearly tired, but her eyes… Plo found himself smiling when Sith yellow met his, taking in the way she blinked, and the smallest of smiles stretched her face in return.

Plo walked towards them as Maul noticed him and gave him a brief signal to come closer, his hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. It was a protective gesture, but it was also one that she could escape from easily if she chose.

She clearly chose not to, instead closing her eyes and leaning closer into him. Maul gave her a very brief glance, but there was a slight smile on his mouth.

Plo reached them, crouching down slightly to be on an even level with them. “Hello,” he said softly. “My name is Plo Koon, what is yours?”

“Unlee,” she said, looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, and he could see the slight tension there. But that tension faded as she leaned further into Maul.

“It is good to meet you Unlee,” Plo said. He gave Maul the briefest of glances and smiled, “tell me,” he said softly, “has your Teacher told you of the time that he wound up accidentally ripping the Tapestry of Light?”

Unlee blinked, and her eyes when they focused on him were sharp and bright. “Nooo,” she said softly. “What did he do?”

Maul huffed, rolling his eyes, but sat back as Plo told the story, soon joined with several other exploits that he had been involved with throughout his Padawanship, and then beyond.

By the end of it Unlee was laughing, and the Sith yellow in her eyes was gold.

Plo looked to Maul and saw the soft pride on his face.

Perhaps there was something to this after all…

Plo could not wait to find out.

_

Unlee ran after Venom, the little Nightbrother laughing as he led her through a chase that went from one end of the Sith Temple to the other. Unlee laughed as she leapt after him, jumping between older Nightbrothers, and dodging Vode and Mandalorians as she did so.

Unlee had never been able to do any of this. Had never had a young one to play with, had never known…what it was like to have so many people that smiled and laughed as she ran past and did not…did not try to hurt her… To catch her…

They said…they said they did not want to hurt her…they said they loved her and Unlee was beginning to learn what that meant.

Teacher Maul had taken her from the arms of her captors, of the ones that had killed her family and enslaved her, and showed her that she had power. And then he showed her how she could use that power and use it to stop others. Others that would hurt her… He had spoken about the protection of others… Unlee had not understood why.

Running after Venom, hearing the sounds of Claw and Wail behind her, chasing not with the intent of hurt, but of gentleness and laughter…

Unlee was beginning to understand this as well.

So much was different.

But she knew that she had to get to her Teacher soon, he was waiting for her.

Venom led their run towards what the Vode, the Brothers and the Mandalorians called the Throne Room and Maul called ‘my prison,’ something Unlee had been greatly concerned about at first until she realized it was because Maul was actually not just the Teacher of the Sith, he was also the Mand’alor, the leader of his people.

And he didn’t like it that much.

Unlee thought that was silly, but she also found it amusing. She would listen and watch as Maul would talk with his advisors and delegate tasks so he could still teach her and the other young ones. Unlee had been afraid that the kittens would be upset that she had been chosen as an Apprentice and they had not been, but she had learned that their own religion and teachings were quite different. Maul was different, and as she grew older, as it became necessary to learn, Maul was telling her why.

Unlee was learning how sad the story was, but as Maul often reminded her, as she often saw… It was one that ended much better… And Unlee was glad.

They finally skidded into the high-ceilinged room that held the throne, finding Maul sitting with a single leg propped up on the seat, holding a datapad that he was idly thumbing through. He looked up as they entered, the slightest of grins on his face as he put his leg down and lowered the datapad.

“Brothers, Apprentice” he acknowledged softly in that low rolling voice she had learned was amazing to listen to, and even better when pressed against his chest as he held her. “I see you have made it,” he stood then, his Sith robes black, the lack of armor that meant he would not be acting as Mand’alor today. She knew that meant she would have his undivided attention and she could not wait.

He stood up then and walked towards them.

The Brothers grinned and ran up to him, Unlee reached up to him and he took her hand in his, giving her a brief squeeze. “I am afraid I am going to have to postpone our session. I have one meeting that I am unfortunately unable to change.”

“That’s alright,” Unlee said. She had learned by now that the only time Maul made her wait was when it was necessary.

“Thank you for being patient,” he said, and looked to the boys. “Are you well?”

“Yes!” they chorused, grinning. “Brother,” Claw called, looking up at him and Maul gave a soft hum, “do you know when Brother Savage will be back?”

“He will be back within the week,” Maul said. “He is working with Brother Viscous. They have much to do in Coruscant.”

“We miss him,” Venom pouted.

“I shall be sure to tell him,” Maul said, and ducked himself low, looking between them all, “if it helps you to know, I miss him as well, but he will be back soon.”

They hugged him, and Maul hugged them back, before he finally straightened.

“Tell me,” he said, “have you been working on your lessons with Feral?”

“Yes!” came the chorus, “he is wonderful! But Woya is a hard teacher!”

“She is, but she cares about you a lot,” Maul said. “You need someone that challenges you. It is good to not remain complicit, and to rethink your own biases at times…”

“That’s hard,” came the sigh and Maul grinned.

“It is. Now come, we have work to do."

_

Talon stood on the peak of the Temple, looking out over all that she could see and found that it was good.

It had been a shock when Maul had come for her, had given her a Saber and watched…as she had freed herself. Talon had held the blade to his own throat, but he had simply watched her, and the realization…the inability… There was no want in his stare, no desire, even when he informed her that it had been a beautiful performance, she had known it was because of the blood that was around her…the violence she had unleashed…and she had been happy.

Maul had offered her his hand and she had taken it and found herself in something she would have never believed she could have had, or would have found. A family, people that loved her, people that would fight and kill for her… And she would fight and kill for them.

He had even given her a name.

When Maul had told her about the custom of naming Apprentices in a traditional Sith fashion she had decided that she wanted one. Maul had told her that it was her prerogative to choose, that she had been gifted the ability to choose…and so Talon took that and gave it to him. Maul had blinked at her, and she had realized it was something he had no experience in. It had made her laugh and demand a name.

Darth Talon he had finally gifted her, after what she realized was long thought and meditation.

Talon loved it, and had put her old name, her old self firmly behind her where it would stay. She was a Sith now. She was a part of a growing order. She was surrounded by those who were kind.

Talon felt the Force Nexus upon this planet, felt the dark and the power upon it, felt the way it had twisted to something fierce and powerful and joyful…and knew that this was home.

It was a strange thing to realize after so long alone, after so long without a home.

“Enjoying the view?” Maul’s voice came to her, and she blinked down at him, realizing that he had brought Unlee with him, the Mikkian girl holding her arms up. Talon lifted her up without thought, laughing.

“What’s up sugar-pop,” she whispered at her, and Unlee giggled, her blue skin flushing purple with amusement. “I am,” she said, looking to Maul with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Maul just rolled his own eyes.

Talon laughed…and found that she was happy.

Maul stared at the Holocron before him, one that he had not seen in years, and in fact had quite forgotten…

The one that he as a child had carried with him, the one that he had spoken into, the one that had been just for Maul.

He had given the one meant for the Jedi but this one…

This one had been for him.

Maul thought for a moment, taking it in his hands and hefting it. Maul was alone for once. Blessedly alone…

It had taken time, but the Temple was finally populated with young Sith, and older Sith, Sith like Talon who were able to teach… Sith and young Jedi that had been brought to learn, just as he had sent Sith to learn from the Jedi.

Balance…

Maul did not know if this would work, but so far…so far it seemed to be. So far the Jedi had been helpful, had learned so much, and taught so much, and the ones within the Temple, the ones that were not Force-Sensitive had been so good at teaching care…

Maul was creating something he could be proud of…

And so, Maul looked at this Holocron, this message from himself as a child, and finally closed his eyes…

And Reached.

The sight of his own face was mildly shocking, combined with the youth in the features, the smile that spread those lips…

“Thank you!” the Holocron said, he said, the child he had been… “Thank you…so much…” he swallowed, “I know… I know that you said you love me…but I did not know…I did not know how much until I…” he spread his hands. “You gave me so much. You gave us…you gave us both so much. I had so much…I had so much fun. I had fun, and I did not even know what it was… I had people that cared about me…when I did not know what that meant, when I did not know it was good…”

That young Maul swallowed, and there were tears in his eyes.

“I know I am about to go, I know…I am about to grow up, that I am going to be you, that I am going to be whole once again… But I needed to tell you that I love you too. I love you, too, and thank you…so much…for everything. Thank you for loving yourself enough to give us this chance.” He wiped his eyes. “I hope…I hope you know…that you deserve to be loved now, too. That you as you are… I listened to you sometimes, and you made me sad. I need you to know that you are loved, and I need you to know… That you are a good teacher… And I hope…I hope with everything in me…that you are happy, and that you know that your hands are able to make good things… And I hope you know that you are loved.”

Maul watched as the Holocron turned off then, the message spoken into existence…and found his hearts were tight.

Maul stood up slowly and finally left the room, walking towards the refectory, and finding the people that he had found, the ones he had won, and the ones that had followed him…

He watched the way they acknowledged him, the warmth, the calls, the laughter, the beckoning…

And softly…

To a self that had been…

“I do.”