บท 1: Episode 1: In the Fog of War
Phantom Alliance is a spin-off about former Jedi Ahsoka Tano joining Darth Maul during the battle the Siege of Mandalore. It is recommended that you watch that ARC of Star Wars the Clone Wars (season 7) or at least clips of it before reading this story for maximum enjoyment.
IN THE FOG OF WAR
The Sith Lord Darth Maul who cheated death has reemerged once again after recently getting in a battle with the CIS. The Sith Lord is still grieving from the loss of his Mother Talizan. Anakin Skywalker and Obi wan Kenobi have recently been assigned to rescue the Supreme Chancellor who has been captured at Coruscant.
Former Jedi Ahsoka agreed to help Anakin and Kenobi on this special mission and now she is in command of the operation. She has been given a special detachment of the 501st who have special armor markings to represent Ahsoka. She has gone on the mission with Commander Rex, who was recently promoted from the rank of Captain.
Ahsoka is being aided by Bo Katan's Mandalorian forces in battle. Losses have been great on both sides. The sky is lit up with explosions from green anti-air turbolasers as Maul's Mandalorian starfighters engage Bo Katarn's fighters. Maul hears distant explosions while he is sitting in his chair and he knows who is coming. Maul starts thinking about his brother and all the potential he had.
With just two weeks of training from Dooku, he was capable of slaying Jedi masters. A truly worthy apprentice and brother. He could have been a great Sith Lord one day, had Sidious not struck him down. Sidious, the sinister and vile lord who cast him away like he was nothing. Maul could not stop thinking about the dark lord. He had felt Dooku's death and the increase in Anakin's power.
It was the most haunting and terrifying feeling he had ever had. A darkness like no other. Maul felt a shiver down his spine and goosebumps across his body every time he thought about them. He then hears distance blaster shots within the halls of his palace. Then sudden silence. Maul looks across the palace in his chair and then notices Ahsoka Tano. Maul: "Ah, lady Tano. I have been expecting you."
Ahsoka: "Your dark reign is at an end (while pointing at him)."Maul stands up out of his chair and slowly walks towards her.
Maul: "Were you not cast out of your order?"
Ahsoka: "I left voluntarily."
Maul: "Yes... but you were MOTIVATED to leave by the hypocrisy of the Jedi council." Ahsoka looks at Maul in surprise.
Maul takes a deep breath as he feels her pain, "We were both tools for greater powers."
Ahsoka firmly replies, "I'm here to bring you to justice."
Maul: "Justice (he says this in an almost laughing manner) is merely the construct of the current power base. A base which, by my calculations is about to change."
Ahsoka: "And Darth Sidious is behind it?"
Maul: "He is behind, everything in the shadows always (starts to mumble in fear)."
Ahsoka: "With your help, the Jedi can stop Sidious before it's too late."
Maul: "Tooo late, for what?! The Republic to fall, it ALREADY has and you just can't see it! There is no justice, no law, no order except for the one that will replace it. The time of the Jedi has passed. They cannot defeat Sidious.... , but together..... you and I.... can."
Maul continues, "Every choice you have made, has led you to THIS." Maul reaches out his hand towards Ahsoka then suddenly, an explosion happens that hits a window beside them and glass shatters. Smoke flows into the room through the cracked glass window.
Ahsoka: "I will help you, but you must answer one question..."
Maul: "You have but to ask." Maul responds with a surprising amount of earnestness.
Ahsoka: "What do you want with Anakin Skywalker?" Ahsoka looks with fascination.
Maul takes another breath, "He is the key to everything."
Ahsoka: "To bring balance to the force?"
Maul: "To destroy, he has long been groomed for his role.." Maul takes another deep breath as he regretfully says: "as my master's new apprentice."
Ahsoka looks back in hesitation, "You lie."
Maul: "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." Maul continues: "Thus depriving Sidious of his prized pupil."
Ahsoka: "I know Anakin."
Maul: "Search your feelings, Ahsoka. You know it's true!"
Ahsoka: "Nooo!" Ahsoka suddenly gets a bad headache and she starts to pace left to right. Ahsoka then faints. Ahsoka then opens her eyes again and sees Mace Windu yelling as he holds back Sidious's lighting.
Mace Windu: "Arrrahhhha, don't listen to him Anakin."
Sidious: "I have the power to save the ones you love. You must chooooouuse." She sees Anakin's troubled face and notices Windu raising his lightsaber to strike down Sidious.
Ahsoka says, "No" in her head, but Anakin cuts Mace's right handoff.
Mace: "Ahahahahahhaahahaawwa!" As Mace moans in pain, Sidious sends him flying out of the window with a storm of lighting.
Tears roll down her eyes in her sleep, but Ahsoka tells herself "Anakin can bounce back from this, I know I can turn him." Then she has another vision of Anakin's march into the Jedi temple and decapitates a Jedi master at the entrance. Ahsoka shouts in her sleep and Maul watches with interest as she tosses and turns on the floor. Ahsoka then sees Anakin walk into a room full of younglings and butcher them. Then she wakes up.
Maul: "What did you see?" Ahsoka slowly stands up, wiping tears from her eyes.
Ahsoka: "I saw what you saw. Very well, Anakin must be stopped."
Maul: "Excellent, it is not safe here. We must flee immediately."
Ahsoka: "And abandon your Mandalorians?"
Maul: "It is too late for them and the Republic is now at large on this planet."
Ahsoka: "I thought you were a powerful dark lord? You're scared of these clones and Mandalorians? Perhaps we can make a treaty and ask for a cease-fire."
Maul: "No, the Death Watch has gone too far to surrender now. Their people will never accept it."
Ahsoka then desperately says, "Then turn yourself in and I will make sure you can escape our custody."
Maul: "No, the Republic will be the source of this strife. We cannot trust them!"
Maul: "If we are to maximize our time then we must flee immediately. I have a gunship that can take us out of here. The pilots are particularly loyal to me. Then we can prepare for our assassination mission. We will need to take the fight to them. We cannot afford to wait any longer, every day he grows stronger. In my vision, we marched to the Jedi temple. That is where we will find him and that is where we will end this!"
Ahsoka and Maul then run out of the building. Maul then dives on top of another building and Ahsoka follows him. Then a Mandalorian gunship hovers above them. Ahsoka: "Wait."
Maul sighs, "What is it now?"
Ahsoka: "There is a friend that I just can't leave behind, we need to take Rex with us."
Maul: "Who?"
Ahsoka: "My clone commander, he trusts me. I will send him a message to sneak into a republic fighter and then to meet up with us."
Maul: "You must not trust the clones. They are slaves to the Republic."
Ahsoka: "I have a personal bond with Rex, either Rex comes or you're not leaving this planet alive."
Maul laughs, "You are spirited, I like that. You will make a good apprentice."
Ahsoka: "Who said I'm your apprentice? We are partners."
Maul then gets a message from the Mandalorian pilot, "Maul we must depart now! Enemy forces are closing in."
Ahsoka stands her ground and crosses her arms. Maul: "You are indeed a stubborn one. Very well, Rex may join us. However, if he betrays us, I will kill him. Do you understand?" Ahsoka nods her head.
Ahsoka: "And I'm just working with you for this mission."
Maul: "Indeed, perhaps you will change your mind at a later time." Ahsoka and Maul then jump into the gunship and it takes off.
Avoiding several turbolaser shots that are lighting up the sky. Maul then says to the pilot: "Send us to a remote system and make sure that stealth systems are engaged so that we are not tracked."
Pilot: "Of course, Maul." The ship then takes off into hyperspace and Ahsoka sits back puzzled about the entire situation. Thinking "What did I just get myself into?" and wondering if she can trust Maul.
Mysteries Revealed
While Ahsoka is riding in the ship besides Maul, the Mandalorian pilot says: "Maul, we have made it to our destination."
Ahsoka: "Where are we?"
Maul: "Patience young one. All will be clear in due time. Land the ship Laura (to the pilot)." Laura lands the ship and Maul and Ahsoka exit. Ahsoka notices a light brown sky, a windy climate, a sandy desert, and a temperature of 17 Celsius (63 degrees). Maul: "Welcome to Konnor!"
Ahsoka: "Why are we here?"
Maul: "You love to ask questions. That is a good quality, allow your passions to drive you. They will make you stronger."
Ahsoka: "I've never heard of this place."
Maul: "It is a remote planet in a forgotten colony. Years ago it was erased from the main maps."
Ahsoka: "And why is that?"
Maul: "Because the Jedi found valuable information here that was not created by them."
Ahsoka: "It was a Sith world?"
Maul: "No, not Sith. It belonged to the Ancient Rakatan Empire also known as the Infinite Empire."
Ahsoka: "Who are they?"
Maul: "Ha ha, I knew the Jedi would deprive you of great knowledge. My master initially did not teach me of them either, then one day I found the knowledge when my master dispatched me on a mission when he realized a rogue force user was looking for artifacts on this planet."
Maul: "The man's name was Uerrol Lurch."
Ahsoka: "Tell me the story."
Maul: "Another time, we must stay on mission." Maul walks with Ahsoka to a cave and uses his lightsaber to light the way. Ahsoka also ignites her lightsabers, not trusting Maul. As they proceed, Maul walks towards a dead end. The dark sider slides a rock with the force and what seemed to be a wall of rocks opens up like a door.
Bright lights shine into what seems to be a base. Maul enters the base that is illuminated with shining yellow lights and deactivates his lightsaber. Ahsoka then does the same with her sabers. The walls are vague and there are several advanced computers throughout the facility, but they all seem to still be off. Maul then walks towards a control panel and touches the controls with the force. They suddenly turn on and turn light blue.
Maul then presses a button that raises a large rectangle object with two hand prints on it. Maul: "We must both touch the object."
Ahsoka: "Why? And why should I trust you?" Ahsoka activates her lightsabers and points them at Maul.
Maul: "Because it is the only way if we are to defeat Sidious."
Ahsoka: "How does this device work, what does it do?"
Maul: "It was made to maximize a bond between force users which will allow them to work together in the best way possible."
Ahsoka: "Why would the Rakatans make this? And were they evil?"
Maul: "Evil? I suppose that is a matter of perspective."
Ahsoka: "No, evil is when someone takes advantage of other people for their own reward or when someone harms others for no good reason."
Maul: "By your definition, yes. They were conquerors that enslaved many races and they deeply used the dark side. And good is subjective."
Ahsoka: "I don't need the dark side and good is not subjective."
Maul: "Young Tano, you will need the dark side if we are to defeat them."
Ahsoka: "Kenobi said those who rely on the dark side are weak."
Maul: "But Kenobi did not know about order 66, did he?!" Ahsoka stands silent. Maul (pointing his finger at her): "No! It was I, (pointing at himself) who sensed Sidious's attack coming. There is a dark veil that still covers what the Jedi can see, you must look into it to see."
Ahsoka: "Or perhaps the Jedi were blinded because they had their own inner darkness that they ignored."
Maul: "Explain."
Ahsoka: "I saw the corruption with my own eyes. They were too biased towards the Republic."
Maul: "Yes, of course. But we all have darkness and must acknowledge and embrace it if we are to see the truth and reach our full potential." Ahsoka wonders if this is really true, for the time being, she thinks she needs to just listen.
Maul: "The Rakatans were not major advocates for duos or partnerships. They used the force in a selfish manner, but some still utilize the inventions of the Kwa. Advanced light side users who they betrayed and defeated."
Ahsoka: "I have heard a few rumors about them."
Maul: "I learned about the Kwa during the confrontation with Uerrol and studied them more on my own after my master's betrayal while on Mandalore."
Ahsoka: "So the Rakatans under used this invention?"
Maul: "Yes and they abandoned it as the war effort went south for them. They left before their enemies discovered it and executed their non-Rakatan servants who knew of it so that others would not know to use it against them. The Jedi must have rediscovered it at some point, yet hidden the truth about it because of its use by the Rakatans and distrust of it."
Ahsoka: "There is something you're not telling me."
Maul: "No, the Jedi are blind. They do not trust inventions they did not make and did not research it enough to learn that it was made by lightsiders first. The Rakatans did slightly change it though. They redesigned the base that once shined in light blue lights and put dark side objects in it. Now the facility has a yellow glow, like many ancient Rakatan facilities."
Maul: "Now the dark and lightness of both users is fused to make their bond as strong as possible. The Kwa only enhanced light side similarities but, not dark side similarities. Which somehow made the contrast of a duo's differences greater and led to duo members falling out."
Ahsoka: "So this device will change me?" Maul: "No, it actually will teach both of our subconscious minds and inner midichlorians how to better work together and innately understand each other."
Ahsoka: "Has anyone else used it?"
Maul: "Not that I know of. Uerrol was looking for an apprentice and wanted to start his own order. He didn't live to do so, Sidious sensed that he may have grown to be a threat someday. After finishing the mission, Sidious said we were to abandon the facility because there was something about it he did not like."
Ahsoka: "Then why should I do it?"
Maul: "I believe it reflected his own selfish nature, the facility actually comes with a strong sense of understanding which encourages loyalty and attachment. It is not my preference, but whatever it takes to defeat them." Ahsoka did not hope to get attached to Maul and wanted to put Anakin first. Maul: "We have talked enough, let's do it." Ahsoka wonders what she should do, but fears she has gone too far to turn back now." Maul: "Come now, child."
Ahsoka (points at Maul):" You want to work with me, don't call me that."
Maul sighs: "Very well, but we must defeat Sidious! Don't you feel it, he is growing stronger every second (Maul throws his fists in the air)." Maul puts his hand on the device and waits for Ahsoka. Ahsoka takes a deep breath and also does. The device lights up yellow and shines around them both. Ahsoka notices the immense darkness within Maul. She always sensed great darkness within him, but she could not always see all of it.
Maul notices the great light within her, but senses some darkness too. Even Maul had some light in him and surprisingly had a lot of pain, fear, and insecurity within him. The bond also allows Ahsoka to more easily be in tuned with the dark side and Maul with the light.
Ahsoka: "Why did you particularly want to use this device?"
Maul: "Because I wanted to decrease the odds of you betraying me and I wanted to make sure we were as powerful a duo as possible."
Ahsoka then looks at Maul with frustration. The two then exit the cave and notice commander Rex. Ahsoka: "Rex!" Ahsoka runs towards and hugs him.
As soon as the hug ends, Rex points his guns at Maul: and asks "Why do you trust him?"
Ahsoka: "There is a lot that goes into this, but you have to trust me." Rex nods his head then Ahsoka's chest starts hurting and Maul trembles.
The Glass Breaks
Ahsoka: "It's happening." Rex then aims his blasters at Ahsoka and is about to open fire but, Maul force pushes him three feet back. Rex gets back up and wipes sand off his visor. Ahsoka shouts: "Maul, no!" Maul ignites his lighsabers and lunges towards Rex, but Ahsoka force pushes him five feet away into the sand. Rex then aims at Ahsoka and she force snatches his pistols out of his hand and flicks them four feet away.
Then Ahsoka leaps forward and kicks Rex in the face, knocking him out. Maul gets back up and shouts: "What are you doing?! You compromise our plans! He could expose us and alert the Empire!" Ahsoka then uses the force to deactivate his communication array.
Ahsoka: "Not anymore."
Maul: "We must kill him, he cannot be trusted."
Ahsoka: "Ah, I can see it now. Order 66 makes the clones betray the jedi." Ahsoka then stumbles backwards and falls on one knee. Ahsoka: "No, no no! Plo Koon!"
Maul: "They are dropping like flies. There are too many of them."
Ahsoka: "I know how to fix Rex, I can feel it. You must let me try this." Maul would normally try to kill Rex anyway, but with his suddenly increased respect of Ahsoka he now allows her to try.
Maul: "Fine."
Maul has a moderate bond with Ahsoka. The Rakatan device makes the strongest immediate bond possible between two force sensitives, however it cannot make the strongest bonds that exist. Bonds within the force must to some extent, be fostered by collaboration and shared experiences. However, this device is a good way to automatically bond two people without putting time in and will still grow stronger over time.
Ahsoka then straps Rex up on a chair. Then she scans his brain with the force and identifies his chip. She is able to notice it because of a force bond that she has naturally developed with Rex over time, which is one that may challenge her bond with Maul. The new bond with Maul also creates an opportunity for Rex to bond with him, but this is not a given. Ahsoka senses the chip and deactivates it with the force.
Then Ahsoka removes the chip. Rex wakes up: "Ahsoka, I'm so sorry about that."
Ahsoka: "Welcome back Rex." Rex hugs her and Maul watches with jealousy. Still longing for a relationship of his own with his mother and brother dead. Ahsoka can sense that Maul is troubled by the bond between her and Rex and his jealousy, but she does not know why.
Ahsoka: "Maul, if Rex stays, I stay. Rex goes, I go. You want to work with me, then you must accept him."
Maul: "Very well, young Tano."
Rex: "And if you betray her, then you have to face me too."
Maul laughs: "I am not worried about you clone."
Rex: "You should be and I'm not just any clone. I'm Captain Rex."
Ahsoka: "You mean Commander Rex?"
Rex: "You know Ahsoka, this Commander title really hasn't given me the best memories and I never was over the top with titles."
Maul: "What was the point of this bond if you still challenge me? Perhaps, I chose the wrong partner out of desperation."
Ahsoka: "At least I don't distrust you as much anymore, I can tell you've been through a lot. It helped us both in the end, messing with Rex would have been a big mistake on your part." Maul then fears this bond may still not be enough to stop her care for Anakin, which is what he wanted.
Maul starts scratching his head, but at least hopes that it will be enough to keep Ahsoka from siding with Anakin to kill him. Ahsoka: "What now?"
Maul: "We must head to Coruscant, we have no time to waste."
Rex then looks at the Mandalorian pilot Laura then comments: "And who are you?"
Laura: "My name is Laura and I am a Death Watch pilot. Sergeant rank and I would like to remind you both (looking at him and Ahsoka). Cross Maul and you cross me."
Rex takes his helmet off and says: "Let's see what you really look like." Laura is surprised by the gesture and then takes her helmet off. She has medium length straight black hair, tan skin, brown eyes, is 36, and is 5'9. Rex: "Let's go to Coruscant shall we."
Laura: "Also meet the co-pilot, Hugo." Hugo takes his helmet off. Hugo has pale skin with a scar on his right eye, black hair, a brown left eye and a grey right eye, a fairly muscular frame, a full beard, is 47, and is 5'11.
Maul: "Yes, let us continue with the mission. Set course for Coruscant, immediately!"
Laura: "Yes, sir." The ship then takes off and Rex sits down beside Ahsoka.
Rex: "Don't worry Ahsoka, I've got your back whatever happens, and thanks for saving me."
Ahsoka: "No problem."
Rex: "And this isn't the first time. Remember when you saved me from Grievous back when you were just a little girl?"
Rex: "It wasn't your skill that got us through the day but your heart and bravery. You put it all on the line for me."
Ahsoka smiles and says: "But I did have crazy skills back then for my age."
Rex: "You still do, but you can't beat me at Dejarik."
Ahsoka: "Say, Maul do you have any games?"
Maul: "Games? How old do you think I am ten? Come to think of it, I never wasted time with such childish games."
Rex: "Lighten up, you need something to unwind every now and then that's why you're so tense."
Laura: "I tried to mention that game to him before, but he only ever liked sparring or fighting games."
Maul: "Those are the best games, they prepare you for battle. I also like strategic race games actually and games where you find desired hidden objects. My master had me do that."
Ahsoka: "Try new things." Maul then wonders why he is even discussing these trivial matters. He rarely talked about anything like this around his master Sidious.
Rex: "Looks like Sidious kept you in a cage for too long."
Maul snarls, "What did you just say?"
Ahsoka: "He's right, you need to have fun." Maul: "You bring up such mundane things, I can't wait until we kill Anakin and this all ends."
Rex: "Kill Anakin? Ashoka, you hear that?" Ahsoka looks back at Rex in an awkward way. Rex: "YOU wanted this!"
Ahsoka: "I saw things I would never imagine. I saw Anakin killing younglings."
Rex: "He would never! Maul has gotten in your head."
Maul ignites his lightsabers: "Stand down Rex! I have already tolerated more than I would like."
Rex: "Look at this brute, threatening me now. Ahsoka, snap out of it!"
Ahsoka: "Maul, stand down!" Maul sighs and deactivates his lightsaber.
Then Maul points at Rex and says, "You still must learn your place." Maul then force chokes Rex and throws him into the wall on the right. Rex gets up sore and points his guns at Maul then Maul force tosses his guns to the ground and throws him to against the wall on the left.
Ahsoka: "Enough!"
Maul takes another deep breath and walks into his room locking the door behind him. Ahsoka: "Rex, I'm sorry There is a guest room where I sleep. You can stay there, but there is only one bed."
Rex: "Then I'll sleep on the floor."
Ahsoka: "Wait, you can sleep on the other side."
Rex: "The floor is fine. In fact, I'd much prefer it!" Meanwhile, Maul sits in his chair, not used to socializing with people in this way. Maul is used to either getting dominated by his master or brutally beating down or killing anyone who challenges him. Even as a leader. This whole situation makes him uneasy, but the bond still makes him care a bit more for Ahsoka.
Kind of like a cousin, not quite a sister though, and still not a friend either. Maul also has some respect for her. Maul slams his fists on his desk and decides to take a nap. However, he cannot sleep, so he tosses and turns in bed. Restless, but not of the recent conflict. No, of order 66 and of the challenges ahead.
Even now, nightmares haunt him. But Maul will face them all and keep trying to sleep anyway. After all, there is no glory in cowardice. After an hour passes Maul feels a different way, he feels anxious. Ready for the fight that he was destined for and not willing to let anything stand in his way.
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