Rebuilding (COMPLETE)

Episode 21 (3)

"So, the rumors are true," the Seventh Sister noted. "Darth Maul lives."

"Formerly Darth," he corrected, "now just Maul."

Anakin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the dramatics, which was saying a lot, coming from him. From the side, Kanan ordered, "Ezra, step away from him!"

"Kanan, I swear he's on our side!"

"Perhaps my actions will speak louder than words," Maul suggested, stepping between the master and apprentice. He pulled out his lightsaber from his staff and began attacking the Inquisitors, all three of them.

The Jedi stood back and watched. "What are we waiting for?" Ezra asked, but Anakin knew exactly what he was waiting for. He was waiting to see if this little alliance was a trick or not. Despite having never met the ex-Sith, he knew plenty about him.

After a minute or so of dueling, the Seventh Sister locked sabers with him. "Why would you come here?" she asked, but her brother had a guess.

"He knows of the artifact!" the Fifth Brother called out, running forward to attack. Anakin locked sabers with him, and Kanan soon did the same with the Eighth Brother. They were all at a standstill, all except for Ezra.

"The holocron," the Eighth Brother asked. "Do you have it?"

"You will find out soon enough," Maul answered him, which raised the hairs on Anakin's neck. He knew it wasn't chance that both the Inquisitors and Maul were here: it made sense that they were after the same thing.

Pushing Maul off of her, the Seventh Sister called out, "Fall back!" The three jumped and activated their spinning sabers, lifting like helicopters away from the Jedi and Maul.

Only when they were out of sight did anyone relax, though not very much. Anakin glared at the ex-Sith. "You know, I was hoping you had died in the past sixteen years. It was the least the Empire could do if it's going to hunt down Jedi as well."

"What, you think these little puppets could kill me?"

"I was hoping."

Maul laughed absurdly. "You put too much faith in hope, Skywalker, although perhaps it will serve you well today."

Right, because that wasn't concerning at all. "What do you mean? Why are you here?"

"For the same reason you are, I assume," Maul answered. "I am the enemy of your enemy now, and I have my own reasons for wanting the Empire to fall. But we have little time," he warned, inhaling sharply. "The one they call Jadis will be here soon."

"How do you know this?" Kanan asked.

Turning away from the ledge, he answered, "Her dogs will tell her where we are. Three Jedi? She won't be able to resist the opportunity. I must say, you truly have grown into your reputation," Maul went on, speaking to Anakin. "The last time I saw you, you were little more than a child."

"Wait... really?" Kanan asked, and Ezra looked intrigued as well. They both looked to Master Skywalker.

He gave Maul a look before sighing and explaining. "Before he died and brought himself back to life with the Dark Side, Darth Maul was sent by his master to force Naboo into signing a deal with the Trade Federation. Master Qui-Gon Jinn, along with his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, found me and took me to the Jedi temple. We briefly interacted when Maul almost ran me over with a speeder."

Though the story rather disturbed the other two Jedi, Maul laughed. "Ah, good times, good times. And here we are, over thirty years later. How time flies."

"Okay, hold on," interrupted Kanan. "There is no 'we.' Dealing with Inquisitors is one thing. Jadis is another. And I'm not convinced we're all on the same side anyway."