Consequences

Chapter 41 - The Phantom Apprentice

I round another corner, seeing a second break. This tunnel goes all over the place, and there's no way we can split up anymore. Pausing for a moment to listen, I make out the sound of rapid footsteps on the left. Spinning around, I take off that way down the hall, igniting my lightsabers as I run.

I skid around another turn, slamming to a stop upon seeing Anakin and the clones. "We've lost them," I observe pointlessly.

***

The battle is over temporarily. Neither side has won, but it seems we're gaining ground on Maul. Both sides have retained captives, and now it's time for me to go question ours. Almec. I'm surprised we managed to get him. Anakin decided to let me go alone.

"I'm flattered that you could find the time to come," Alemec says with a smirk as we enter his cell.

"What's Maul's plan?" demands Bo Katan, stepping closer, "How is he going to escape?"

Alemc rises to his feet. "Maul is not trying to escape because he sees no purpose in doing so."

"So, he believes he can defeat us?" she demands as he walks over to the wall.

"No, that's not it. For weeks now, he has been consumed by a strange sense of dread." He glances over his shoulder at us.

"Has he mentioned Sidious?" I demand suspiciously.

He turns completely around this time. "Not that I can recall."

"He said he wanted Kenobi here. Why?" presses Bo Katan.

"Is it just Kenobi he wanted? No, there was someone else he was interested in."

"Who?" she pushes.

"It's... I don't remember the name," he shrugs. He's lying. You don't even have to be a trained Force sensitive to tell.

"We'll help him remember," I say, motioning for Bo-Katan. She moves forwards towards him menacingly.

"No, wait!" he protests backing against the wall, "It –" Suddenly, two shots ring out from behind us. I whirl around to see a Mandalorian warrior shooting down at us. Whatever it was he was going to say, clearly Maul didn't want anyone to know. The warrior instantly takes off as Bo-Katan races out of the cell. She pulls on her helmet to give pursuit.

Almec collapses on the floor as I dart over to him. "Rex, get a medic!" I command, crouching beside the dying man.

"He had a vision... a dream."

"What name?" I demand.

"Skywalker," he gasps out before collapsing. I feel the life force fade from the body.

What does Maul want with Anakin? I can only think of one thing. Perhaps he knows of Sidious' intention to turn him, and wants to kill him before that happens, or something. Maybe he's more concerned with something beyond his own gain than I realized. But then again, from what I understand, Maul and Sidious aren't exactly on good terms, and if he thought something was going to interfere with his crime world here on Mandalore... Well, that explains it.

***

Bo Katan, Rex, Anakin, and I stride into the palace of Mandalore, pausing in our tracks when we see Maul seated on the throne, leaning casually on one of its armrests. Jesse is sitting beside him on the steps up to the throne, his wrists in stun-cuffs.

Bo Katan glares at Maul, yanking out her blaster. She changes forwards, shooting. He calmly deflects the bolts into the nearby walls before picking her up with the Force. "My lady, is that any way to treat your rightful ruler?"