Theed Palace on the peaceful planet of Naboo rested serenely on the edge of a great cliff overlooking the ocean. The great domed building seemed quite peaceful on the outside; no one looking in would realize that a certain cloacked figure was steadily making her way up the easterly waterfall into the palace.
Darth Trator, otherwise known as Dirae Hoth of the planet Iridonia, was carefully climbing up the steep rockface of the cliff. She was determined to find the remains of her one-time lover and better, Darth Maul. Her master, Darth Sidious, knew nothing of this endeavor and she preferred to keep it that way. She had left under the pretense of seeking a few Jedi to slaughter, something that pleased Sidious greatly. He was busy with the Senate anyway, she thought to herself as she hauled her body over the lip of the waterfall tunnel and crouched on the damp floor. She wound up her cord and tucked it back onto her belt. Her red-bladed lightsaber hung from her hip on her right, ready for anything that might prevent her from her succeeding in her mission.
The tunnel was long, stretching as far back as Dirae could see. She stood, glanced out of the tunnel, then started up it. She estimated that this tunnel would eventually lead to the power core generator where Maul’s last battle had been waged. She winced inwardly upon thinking of his last moments of glory. That bastard Obi-Wan Kenobi had found the strength to kill her precious Sith Lord in the name of his own fallen master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Her teeth ground against the other whenever she thought about Kenobi. He’d get his eventually, she thought. Right now all that mattered was finding Maul and finding a way to bring him back to the living. Dirae knew this would be no mean feat but was prepared for anything.
Several moments later, Dirae came upon the opening of the drainage tunnel. She tossed her cord up to the lip of the opening and climbed up it quickly. The climb was easy and short. She leapt up onto the shiny floor of the core and glanced around for any guards. None in sight. Smirking, she replaced her cord and withdrew her lightsaber, just in case. Carefully, she stalked her way to the damaged generator core. He was down there; she could feel it. Impulsively, her hand went to her middle. Since his “revenge” she’d found herself mindlinked to him and had felt his death. It had been very terrifying and she had fled her chambers in search of Sidious. Breathlessly, she’d told him of his demise while trying to keep her tears in check. Sidious appeared to have known already and had dismissed her news. That made her anger simmer to a rolling boil. Her dislike for the Sith Master started on that night, making her train harder so one day, if she couldn’t bring Maul back, she could rise up and slay Sidious herself.
A familiar feeling in her gut broke her thoughts. She peered into the core and reached out with her Force. Yes. This was the one. Without a second thought, she leapt down the core. The descend was fast and the floor of the tunnel was quickly approaching. She landed neatly from the fall and looked around. There. In a darkened corner. She rushed to the area and collapsed before the severed halves of her beloved Maul. His damaged lightsaber was some feet away from his lower half; his torso was facedown, arms on either side of the body. Dirae gently rolled his torso onto its back and gazed at the silent face of Maul. His eyes were closed, his lips shut as well. Choking back a whimper, she caressed his face gently. His skin was cold to the touch but she ignored it. Soon, if she could do it, he would be warm again.
She used her Force to bring his lower half closer to his torso and carefully aligned the two parts. Then, she closed her eyes, held her hands over his midsection, and poured her very essence into him. Sweat trickled down her brow as she concentrated harder than she’d ever done before. Hot waves of power washed over her and Maul, surrounding his middle in a deep purple glow. A low, sickly sound emitted from the wound as the skin began joining together, the internal organs melding and healing as well. Dirae bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood, tired but encouraged by the sound of his rejoining.
She continued pouring her Force into him, not realizing his eyes had opened and he was looking around in confusion. He spied Dirae kneeling beside him, her hands over his middle, eyes tightly shut against the effort. He moved his lips and choked out a hoarse, “Dirae.”
Dirae opened her eyes and gasped. He was alive! She’d done it! Relief washed over her body as she toppled over onto his chest, exhausted. Maul raised his head to look at her curiously and asked, “Why’re you here?”
Dirae turned her head to look at him and smiled faintly. “I had to bring you back, Lord Maul. I could think of nothing else,” she confessed. Maul blinked slowly. Someone cared for him? The very thought made him start. No one save his family had cared about him. He tentively lifted one shaky hand and laid it on Dirae’s back. Dirae closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
“Does my master know you are here?” Maul asked after a long silence. Dirae shook her head.
“He knows nothing of this, my lord. I left without his consent,” she replied softly. “I know what would happen if we both returned to him. He’d have us duel and I can’t do that.”
“It is the way of the Sith, Dirae. Only two can exist at one time. Your bringing me back complicates things,” Maul told her. It sounded like a reprimand but was spoken without anger. Dirae raised her head to look him in the eyes.
“I hate Sidious. He didn’t care about your death in the slightest. He saw you as a mere pawn in his political game. I became his apprentice after you died. It hasn’t been very long but I have trained well. Well enough to be able to bring you back, my lord.”
Maul sighed and closed his eyes in defeat. Yes, this would definately complicate things. He was still very loyal to Sidious despite Dirae’s words. However, he knew she wouldn’t have been able to fight him after bringing him back. Had he known his act of revenge would result in her complete loyalty to him he would’ve found a different method. Yet....yet, somewhere deep inside of himself, he wanted her to be loyal to him. Only to him. A wave of possessiveness swept through him and he tightened his hold on her. Dirae started slightly, her eyes displaying her surprise.
“Dirae,” he began firmly, “in doing this, you have joined us for life. I claim you now; you will always belong to me and no one else. Swear you’ll never sway from me, never leave me, never become loyal to anyone else. Sidious is no longer your master. I am.”
“I swear it, my lord. I will be forever loyal to you and our mission to wipe out the Jedi,” Dirae vowed. Maul grunted and sat up slowly. Dirae helped him lean against the wall of the core shaft. He turned his yellow gaze to meet her green eyes and pressed a hand against her cheek. Dirae found herself smiling at him, tears swelling in her eyes. He seemed to care for her, even if it was a possessive kind of caring.
Maul found himself wanting to be close to Dirae. The very idea shocked him. Unconsciously, he pulled her towards him and held her against his chest, one hand at the base of her neck and the other resting on her lower back. Dirae gasped slightly then relaxed in his embrace. Something had changed in him. She suspected it was because she had used her own Force, her very life essence, to bring him back. She had given him a part of herself and in so doing, shared her feelings for him.
They stayed like that in complete silence, both unsure of what to do or say. Maul’s fingers absently tickled the skin at her neck, his head bowed in her hair. Dirae rested her hands on his arm, feeling the strong muscles beneathe his tunic. Flashes of their passionate night flitted through her mind, making her blush hotly. She had felt the power of him then. It had seduced her even more than when she’d first met him. It seduced her now. But this was not the time nor the place. Reluctantly, she moved away from him and stood.
“We must go, my lord. My ship is cloaked near the edge of the forests. We can leave immediately,” she said, holding her hand out to him. Maul accepted it and hauled himself up. His steps were shaky so Dirae draped one of his arms over her shoulder and helped him to the end of the tunnel.