Chapter Text
While maneuvering a boldly proclaimed shuttle, opposing feelings tormented former Sith, Lord Maul:
Relief and doubt.
Self-satisfaction and regret.
Leaving Tano behind alongside her faithful clone commander, he was about to lose a valuable ally, who represented the only link to the roots of Sidious's designs. Tano knew Sith's brand-new apprentice Skywalker better than anyone in the Galaxy (except for Kenobi, obviously), being his former Padawan. As for the clone commander - he was aware of military secrets of the Republic, or whatever Sidious's legacy was turning into.
Maul hastily retyped the coordinates on the control panel.
Back!
He decided to go back and rescue them. All too valuable individuals were worth the risk he was about to take. Coming out of hyperspace, he thought it was way too late. The Star Destroyer, he managed to escape from, swooped down and crashed into the planet's surface. He tensed immensely. Still, there was no time and place for panic. He concentrated instead:
Is Tano still alive?
Thanks, Force! Yes, she was!
Her Force signature trembled and raged from the awful experience, but she held on. He confessed that Tano was incredibly resilient for someone as young and fragile as she looked: the pain of loss, despair, panic, and hopelessness must have tormented her right now, however, her Force signature was still shining very bright. She was not the 'giving up type'.
This reminded him of his own fate: despite bloody Kenobi shredded him into two, and damned Sidious with his minions eradicated his mother and brothers, he still held onto his life and whatever it was offering to him. Though, not much at all. He was left with some fearful "allies" from the syndicates, forged here and there, who most likely already heard about his capture by the Jedi and concluded that he was a lost bet.
While calculating how to fix the situation and lure Tano to his side (considering their level of distrust), he maneuvered through the smoky atmosphere. Having rounded the crash site, he lowered the ship to the surface, far enough not to be seen. All his luring plans seemed complicated by the fact that Tano was not alone. Thus, he intended to apply delicate tactics.
~ ~ ~
After the burial of the bodies of their former battle mates and brothers, Ahsoka and Rex were in doomy moods and maddened by everything that just happened. Rex was concerned about his brothers, those whom he loved, whom he could have helped. Heartbroken and shaken to the core, Ahsoka was frantically thinking what shall they do next:
Go save Anakin? Contact the Order? Find Obi-Wan? Call Bo-Katan? Or remain in the shadows until the scale of the catastrophe becomes clearer?
She felt the pressure of the dark side as never before - the Galaxy was drowning in it. It seemed that the darkness was chasing upon her, luring her into its deadly hug, calling her. Calling to her. Calling her name:
"Lady Tano!" she perceived the call.
Stop! What!? It can't be! She undoubtedly felt his signature. Moreover, it seemed he was deliberately making himself apparent, and was not far away.
MAUL!?! But how?! Why is he here?! Came to finish us off?
"We need to talk!" He sent her another Force-message, which Ahsoka did not block while being in confused thoughts due to his actions.
She suspected Maul won't leave them in peace until she resolves the case with him. How much of a threat he was now, she could not determine with certainty. It was unlikely, though, that he was here to kill. His quick return and delicate approach indicated that he did not intend to go for their lives, at least for now. Ahsoka decided to face Maul alone, and to give Rex some time to mourn his gone brothers in peace.
~ ~ ~
"May I admit, I am greatly impressed that you survived!" Began Maul in his made-up flattering tone.
"Is that what you wanted to communicate!?" Ahsoka gave him a gloomy look and continued, "If so, I am disappointed! But even more so with your absolute imprudence!"
"Oh, dear, do not take it personally. In the matters of survival, in which I am an expert, it was the only right decision to take this chance to evacuate, when such presented itself. You must be reset and angry with me for not picking you up... But see, there was no time and space for maneuvering, in that mess of a situation!"
Ahsoka instantly boiled and shouted furiously at her opponent:
"Shut up and listen, you, half-Sith! I have no interest in dealing with you! Get out of here, while you still can! I am not giving you a second chance neither have I any restrains left that would stop me from killing you!!!" Her voice was trembling from overwhelming emotions.
Maul did not look surprised or offended in the slightest. In fact, he had expected this exact reaction and he had his strategy in place:
"Tano, would you calm down and listen for a minute! I was pissed with you for the capture, imprisonment, and shameful restrainment in that ancient coffin-sort-of-a-thing, thus my revenge was quite justified. However, to express my sincere gratitude for saving my ass and releasing me from the captivity, here I returned, to pay you a tribute."
"I don't need your apologies or tributes! Enjoy your pitiful life or as much as there is left of it, since you will be caught soon, by… by… the Jedi…" she finished uncertainly.
"Open up your eyes and mind, lady! There are no other Jedi left, but you! All the Jedi are killed at the behest of Sidious. Your survival is a miracle! Partly thanks to my sabotage back there, by the way!"
Ahsoka closed her eyes, holding back bitter tears. The current reality was not getting settled in her mind anyhow...
What the Force, had happened? How could everything go so askew? What is up with the Order? Where is the Light in the Force? Why is Maul messing around here? What are his intentions?
"Now, give me the honest answer - are you involved in this mess? Or did your former Master indeed keep you uninformed and manipulated from afar?"
All Maul wanted was to answer the togruta's insolence respectively, but this was against the tactics. Therefore, he answered in a political tone:
"You tell me too, why, why in the Galaxy, would you still cling to the old dogmas of your Order, which disposed of you without second thought!? Set yourself free from this nonsense and judge soberly!" He made a small pause, composing himself, then continued, "Let us put our emotions for each other aside, and face reality. How long will you endure until you die of hunger in this desolate place? Or you have already come up with a plan where to go hiding? And most importantly - on what?"
Ahsoka had no answers to the points he raised. She also admitted bitterly that Maul's statements made sense. Although they made it through the crash, the chances of surviving without supplies and fuel were nil.
"Would you like to hear the scenarios of your fate, Lady Tano, if you don't come to senses now?"
"I've got it. Don't bother explaining the obvious!" She interrupted his trail of needless words, "Get to the point, until I still have some leftover patience to listen to you."
Maul was pleasantly surprised at the success of this negotiation. Without delay, he laid out everything he had on his mind:
he was going to use his shady connections and resources, provide Ahsoka protection and help in hiding from persecution for a favor in return - she and the clone were to deliver everything they knew about Skywalker and the Sith Lord, along with military plans and strategies of the Jedi Council and the former Republican senate.
Obviously, he demanded the impossible: never in her life would Ahsoka Tano spill out a single fact about Anakin or the secrets of the Order, same as Rex - the military affairs, to the slimy Sith. But she had to play along and assured him that the requested information would be provided as soon as they get into safety, far in the Outer Rim, where they could lay low and rebuild the strength. Maul sensed her unease, but let it slide without digging deeper. The achieved agreement was too fragile yet to put more pressure on togruta now.
~ ~ ~
Rex met Maul at gunpoint and made it clear, that cooperation with him is out of the question. However, after meaningful signs from Ahsoka, he fell silent and made a face, as if he agrees. This was only the facade though. Once they were about to take off into the nooks of the Galaxy, Rex dropped his agreement and declared that he is not going with them. Ahsoka felt shaken and caught up.
"Ahsoka, I want to find my brothers. I can still rescue some of them since I have knowledge about the chips. I just can't act otherwise. I am not asking you to come with me. This is hardly feasible, I realize, since you are the target, while I am not. May I ask you just one thing before we part," he came closer and hugged her goodbye, whispering at the same time: "Do not trust Maul! Finish him off as soon as possible, if you can."
Ahsoka understood his point, but something inside her was sternly against Maul's murder. In fact, not for the first time.
For the umpteenth time during that doomsday, her heart was breaking into pieces upon the realization that their paths with Rex part here and probably forever. She released Rex and proceeded after Maul. While boarding the shuttle, she turned around, just for a moment, to get the last glimpse of her loyal soldier and friend. Catching Ahsoka's gaze, Rex saluted her one last time. The shuttle ramp began to close. When it shut down with a click and the engines roared, Ahsoka fell onto her knees and sobbed loudly, not caring about exhibiting her weakness in front of Maul and the impression it would create.