Chương 24: V.1-C.24│Duel of the Fates II│

Qui-Gon and Maul are still going at it but it is clearly seen that Qui-Gon is still tired even if he had gotten a reprise from whatever miraculous event that had happened.

Obi-Wan is still waiting behind the laser screen door as the two are both getting tired at the continuous battle at this point. If Maul is not careful, this could be the end of him.

Luckily he has someone ready to save him from certain death just as Qui-Gon had been but this time it would have to be more subtle.

'All I need to do is push him down the shaft and make sure he doesn't die. Maul and his mother, Talzin can do the rest after that.' Anakin waits patiently for the next set of events to take place but now instead of relying on his foreknowledge he has to rely heavily on his precognitive abilities.

The doors deactivate and Obi-Wan jumps into action nearly catching Maul of guard, but he manages to reestablish his positioning.

Now being attacked from both sides Maul has to find a way out of this situation and obviously he will attack the current weakest link, that being Qui-Gon. Turning around and Force pushing Obi-Wan abit to put some distance between the two of them, Maul ruthlessly attacks Qui-Gon with everything he has.

Qui-Gon defensively evades and blocks trying to further conserve his energy but not so much that it would cost him.

Unfortunately Maul's attempts are successful and he manages to harm Qui-Gon. With a kick he makes Qui-Gon go out of breath and slashes towards his hand holding his lightsaber.

"Argh!" Qui-Gon makes a subdued sound of pain as his hand had now just been chopped off making him currently unable to defend himself. Just as Maul is about to go in for the kill, Obi-Wan jumps over to stop Maul's attack.

Qui-Gon now with one remaining hand uses telekinesis to get his saber towards his other free hand while Obi-Wan keeps Maul distracted.

'I am sorry but I cant block you from all harm. I guess you will take my place, or more like the originals place in being handless for a while.' Anakin thinks morosely.

Obi-Wan and Maul continue their back and forth before Obi-Wan manages to break away half of Maul's double sided lightsaber. Now with only one saber available to him, Maul must change up his saber combat.

Qui-Gon is quietly regathering himself and trying to ease the pain he is currently feeling due to the saber burns. 'At least it is not bleeding.' Qui-Gon takes the situation in a upbeat manner.

Maul is kicked and drops to the ground as Obi-Wan continues to pursue him but Maul gets up in time to fend off Obi-Wan. With one saber Maul is granted a greater capacity to move but he is not as familiar in the use of one saber as he is in what he has trained with.

Maul kicks Obi-Wan, where Obi-Wan does a backflip and lands himself back on the ground barely dodging the swing from Maul. Maul taking his opportunity granted to him Force pushes Obi-Wan backwards where he is nearly gone off of the edge.

Qui-Gon cannot do anything in this moment as he is trying to reign in the pain. Obi-Wan loses his lightsaber and drops down off the ledge but is hanging by a small bump integrated into the walls. 'Events are going the way I want it to even without my influence.' Anakin observes.

Maul decides to rather rashly deal with Obi-Wan first not taking into account Qui-Gon who is steadily regaining his bearings. Maul kicks Obi-Wan's saber off of the edge with him being unable to do anything about it.

Back with Obi-Wan and the now passed out Qui-Gon due to his declining age and the intensity of the battle, Maul starts to play with his prey by using his saber to create sparks that fly into Obi-Wan's face.

Obi-Wan noticing his master that has fallen unconscious and that his saber is there to be used starts to plan quickly within his head. Using the Force, Obi-Wan uses telekinesis to pull the saber towards him as he gets ready to explode into a jump.

Obi-Wan then jumps up as the saber flies threw the air right into his hand he flips and lands behind Maul. Maul turns around to face his opponent momentarily stunned with his guard let down which will cost him dearly.

Obi-Wan slices Maul's midsection near completely in half. Near completely because something pushed back giving resistance to Obi-Wan's strike. Maul has a mixture of disbelief and pain appear on his face, as his expression clearly shows his surprise he falls backwards into the long drop.

His body near split in two, Maul falls down all the way as he hits himself several times against the metal walls and watches his other half of his body fall alongside him. Fortunately he had not been fully cut in half and the damage could be repaired, that is if he survives the fall.

Obi-Wan after taking care of the threat rushes towards his master. Qui-Gon is unconscious, but because of the pain he lets out some ramblings in a delusional state of mind.

Obi-Wan is obviously relieved that his master had not been killed and that he had just been injured instead. Unfortunately his injury was too his main primary hand.

[]

A ship lands onto a open street of Naboo's capital of Theed. A delegation of resistance fighters, volunteer guards and policemen are lined up in wait of the ship.

Padme along with the rest of the crew are facing the captured leader of the invasion, Viceroy Nute Gunray.

"Now Viceroy, you are going to have to go back to the senate and explain all this." Padme says as the ship behind them opens up its entrance ramp.

Panaka goes up to the two Neimoidians and continues with a line meant to release some of his anger. "I think you can kiss your trade franchise goodbye." They are escorted onto the ship uncuffed.

The rest of the group moves on to the side meeting with the visitors that had come to Naboo from out of the ship.

Senator Palpatine along with his own guards come along and meets up his the now onehanded Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon bow but Anakin uses his age to his advantage again does not bow towards Palpatine.

"We are indebted to your bravery Qui-Gon Jinn, and of course yours as well Obi-Wan Kenobi." Palpatine says then turns his head to the abnormally tall Anakin. "And you young Skywalker, we will watch your career with great interest."

'My career? Even if I did not have foreknowledge from my previous life I would still be off put by Palpatine...' Palpatine moves past the two Jedi and Anakin over towards Padme with a brisk, light step to his jaunt.

"Congratulations on your election Chancellor."

"Your boldness has saved our people your majesty, it is you who should be congratulated. Together we should bring peace and prosperity to the Republic." Palpatine says with a smiling face.

[]

After the battle has been done and over Qui-Gon along with Obi-Wan are now within another part of the Naboo palace talking to the holographic figure, Yoda.

"Confer on you, level of Jedi Knight, the council does." Yoda communicates to Obi-Wan as after the report had been given from Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Both of their accounts taken in.

Obi-Wan has been evaluated and everyone within the Jedi High Council agreed to promote Obi-Wan solely based on his merits.

"Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, the council disagrees, your decision to take the boy as a Padawan learner." Yoda continues announcing the Anakin being allowed to join. "If you wish to do so, I do not agree."

"Surely Master Yoda, you agree with my assessment that the boy is the chosen one." Qui-Gon insists his decision is the correct choice.

"The chosen one he may be. Nevertheless, grave danger I fear in his training." Yoda states his warning.

"Master Yoda, I will train Anakin. Without the approval of the council if I must." Qui-Gon states.

"Jedi Knight Qui-Gon, your defiance is not needed. There is another solution, if I may offer." Yoda is proposing another solution towards how they would deal with Anakin. "Agree with you, the council will. Your new apprentice, Skywalker will be, but on one condition."

"Condition? What may that be?" Qui-Gon asks.

"The council and I sense greater potential, young Skywalker has but Skywalker is too old, and has emotions that could lead to the dark side." Yoda explains.

"Temper we must, Skywalker's abilities. Natural gifts, he has and we think it would be prudent, that he be trained by more then one Master." Yoda continues.

"Two Masters? You mean to say Anakin will not only have me as his Master but also another?" Qui-Gon questions.

"Unorthodox, I admit, but the council will not change this decision." Yoda says in response.

Obi-Wan decides to ask the question on on both his own and his masters mind. "Master Yoda, who does the council suggest to co-teach the boy?"

Humming to himself, Yoda answers the question. "Mace Windu will be the boys Master as well."

The reasoning behind this decision was because of characteristics that Anakin had shown. Windu would be the perfect master to pass down his form of lightsaber combat which focuses in on the dark side and uses it to empower the user.

Of course, a great amount of control is needed. The Jedi knows at least a little bit about Anakin's mental capabilities allowing him greater control of his emotions which is something the Jedi liked. Even more so would he be suited for Windu.

Qui-Gon would still teach Anakin and have him as his student as well just now he had to teach him other things. Another reason to make Anakin have two masters is to try and guide Anakin to become more ingrained into their Order.

Windu would be a good choice, so the council had decided an exception could be made in this instance.

[]

No mass funeral to mourn the dead had taken place as practically no one had died. The invasion had so little losses that the Republic was stirring at the wake of the incident.

Anakin was standing next to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon had gotten a replacement hand, a mechanical one not to unlike the one the original Anakin and Luke Skywalker had to get when these two lost their hands.

Thankfully the prosthetics of the era they are in are capable enough in giving people replacement limbs. It may not be as great as the original but it was better than nothing.

Qui-Gon would need some training of his own to get use to his new hand.

Anakin decides to question Qui-Gon about what would happen to him, if the Jedi had made their decision. "So, what happens next? Specifically for me, am I allowed to join the Order?"

Obi-Wan speaks instead of Qui-Gon. "Well, since I have been promoted myself, Qui-Gon can now take on a new apprentice of his own." Obi-Wan seems quite proud of his achievement.

"Yes, Obi-Wan is correct, you will now become my new apprentice. It is just you will have to have more then just myself as your Master." Qui-Gon continues.

Anakin says confused. "More than just you?" Anakin thinks at the same time. 'Is this how the Jedi work? I didn't know a Padawan could have multiple Masters. I know there are multiple teachers and all that, but multiple Masters?'

"Yes, Jedi Master Mace Windu will also take on your training as his apprentice as well." Qui-Gon says.

The Jedi had no reason to come to Naboo, as Qui-Gon had not died and they were having a discussion back on Coruscant over the mysterious warrior Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had encountered.

"There is no doubt the mysterious warrior was a Sith." Windu speaks to Yoda.

Yoda hums in agreement. "Always two there are, no more, no less." Yoda takes a breath and then continues. "A master and an apprentice."

"But which was destroyed? The master or the apprentice?" Windu further questions.

[]

Dathomir.

Grievous had finally gotten his first real mission. The expansion of the droid army would happen as he had reached through communication that his new leader had acquired a somewhat new but damaged droid control ship.

Great for him as it would allow him greater control over the droids himself, to coordinate any plans of attacks or invasion, any defensive measures to be taken.

Grievous was also aware of the allies his leader had here on Dathomir, known as the Nightsisters and they were especially annoying, at least to him. Pestering him every now and then, no doubt trying to get a rise out of him so they could benefit if he were to do anything negative against them.

His leader would not like that as he considers them important at least for now. He could tell that Anakin was also getting fed up with the constant indirect methods in which they would antagonize him so he would make a mistake.

When questioned why they do this, Anakin answered. "The Darksisters here are heavily influenced by their culture and religion that has been built up over the course of time. This culture relies heavily on the dark side of the Force, which in on itself is not evil in nature."

Anakin continued. "But it can influence them subconsciously, making them do things that act in accordance to their emotions. Make them more manipulative, more driven to fulfill their goals and to combine that with the dark side of the Force with their culture has made them be like that."

Grievous upon learning more about the Force and the powers one could wield was interested if he to could do so. Anakin also answered it was a possibility that he was working on.

Maybe he would gain their powers but it wouldn't be to the same scale. Grievous believed his claims because of the evidence of his experiments were these living droids capable of using the very same powers, albeit limited in capacity, that Anakin and the Darksisters used.

Grievous thought. 'If they could do it, why cant I?' So that became one of his goals, to grow in strength as he had also wanted to strike back at the Republic for stopping him in his tracks. Anakin had said the Republic was dying on its own and it would be of no use fighting against them, but that did not mean Grievous would be out of action.

Far from it.

With the new droid control ship coming into their hands they would be able to finally fully control Dathomir, no doubt in a co-rulership with the Darksisters just as promised.

It would fully become their planet with basically no resistance. That would be able to cut off any and all communication, have the military might to fully control and have a native natural people to this planet speak in favor of their occupation.

Dathomir would become Anakin's new base of operations for his developing army and Grievous would make sure his task and goals are completed.