“Are we going to see my mother?” Anakin asked as they neared the town. Obi-Wan nodded.
“If she’s here, yes. Hopefully, the Sith won’t think to look for us here,” he replied. He doubted his own words; the female was smart, very smart. She would have no trouble tracking them down.
“I think she’s here,” Anakin said, snapping Obi-Wan from his thoughts. He stared at his apprentice blankly for a moment.
“Who?” he asked. Anakin blinked in surprise.
“My mother of course. Who’d you think I was talking about?”
Obi-Wan shook his head and waved the question away. “No one. Let’s just find a place for the night and then we’ll think about what we can do about the Sith.”
“Yes, Master.”
* * *
“Why is it, that the Jedi are always so trusting?” Dirae asked absently as she spotted their vessel on the sand. It wasn’t meant to be answered. Maul glanced at her briefly. She was starting to underestimate the Jedi and his apprentice. That would most likely lead to her doom. He closed his mind to the thought of losing her and focused on the here and now.
“Either way, they will die,” Maul replied. Dirae nodded and set the ship down on a plateau. They left the ship in the care of the on-board droids and descended the walkway. Maul drew his hood over his head and glanced around. Dirae’s long brown braid whipped in the winds as she adjusted her binoculars then looked through them. Faint city lights blinked in the distance.
“Is that the place?” she asked. Maul turned towards the direction she was facing and nodded.
“Yes, that is Mos Espa. The boy’s mother is there; the Jedi will be there as well no doubt.”
“Then let’s hurry. I can’t wait to see the look on Kenobi’s face,” Dirae remarked wickedly and replaced her binoculars on her belt. Maul wanted to shock the Jedi as well but he kept his comments to himself.
They quickly mounted their twin Speeders and raced down the steep chasms of the desert. Dirae sped in front of Maul, her determination clear as the twin moons in the sky. Maul glanced at her, concern etched in his eyes. She was becoming more and more reckless as time went on. He might have to do something drastic to prevent her from hurting herself.
“There!” Dirae said suddenly, pointing towards the city. “I can feel them! Quickly!” Her Speeder accelerated swiftly. Maul sped his up as well, knowing that if he let her out of his sight something might happen to her.
* * *
“I’m glad we came back to Tatooine, Master,” Anakin said, smiling and happy now that he’d seen his mother. Over the years, Shmi’s hair had become streaked with gray and her movements where a little more slow. Luckily, Watto hadn’t been overworking her too badly. She sat beside her son smiling brightly.
“It was really the only place I could think of,” Obi-Wan confessed. “It was also out of the Federation’s juristiction. Last we need is more trouble from them.”
“Speaking of which,” Anakin began, “has anyone discovered who the Sith Lord was? The one who killed Qui-Gon I mean.”
Obi-Wan winced inwardly at the mention of Qui-Gon’s death. “No. No one has found that out, Anakin. No more than we know which was killed.” He couldn’t hide the sadness in his voice and bowed his head slightly. Shmi patted his hand motherly and offered him a kind smile. He returned it, then stood up. “I think I’ll...go for a walk.” He nodded to Shimi, ruffled Anakin’s blonde hair playfully, then left the small hut.
Obi-Wan strolled along the cooled streets of Mos Espa, sometimes pausing to gaze up at the stars. The last time they had been on this planet he was always left behind to tend to the ship. Only Qui-Gon had been able to search these streets. Well, along with Padme` and Jar Jar.
“I wonder how you felt when you saw these stars,” Obi-Wan murmured to himself as if he were speaking to his deceased master. “Did they fill you with wonder as they do me?”
“No, but I can easily fill you with something else, Jedi.”
Obi-Wan stopped short in his tracks. The strange voice didn’t ring familiar in his ears so he turned around. He started quickly, reaching for his lightsaber and igniting it.
“You. I killed you,” Obi-Wan said quietly, taking his battle stance. Maul tilted his horned head at the Jedi, almost as if he were observing a strange new creature.
“Yes. You did. Nothing can stop the Sith; not even death,” Maul told him in a deadly calm tone. “Besides, it’s not like I wasn’t without....help.” He swept one arm out to his side. From the shadows emerged Dirae, her green eyes ablaze with anger.
“The female,” Obi-Wan murmured, lowering his lightsaber slightly. “You’ve been doing other things it seems besides chasing me and my apprentice.”
Dirae smiled sarcastically at him. “State the obvious, Jedi. It’s apparently what your kind does best.”
Obi-Wan heard the low hum of two lightsabers being ignited. Only he heard three blades instead of two. Sweat trickled down his forehead slowly. Before, it had been his anger at seeing Qui-Gon cut down that had enabled him to beat Maul. Now, he truly felt afraid of these two Sith Lords.
“I can feel your fear, Jedi,” Maul said. “Are you surprised to see that your skills haven’t brought me down?”
Obi-Wan could only stare at the twin red blades stemming from either end of Maul’s saber. Dirae’s purple blade gleamed dangerously in the moonlight. He couldn’t possibly take them both on.
Run!, Obi-Wan!
Obi-Wan started, glanced at them, then turned and ran for the Skywalker’s home. Dirae snarled and started after him. Maul gripped her arm firmly.
“We’ll follow him.” Dirae nodded slowly and Maul released her arm. He felt her fury at seeing the Jedi again. One hand strayed to her middle and clenched an invisible force there. Maul himself felt the long scar circling his waist. Dirae had more than enough reason to want the Jedi dead.
“Quickly,” Dirae said, practically running after Obi-Wan. Maul fell in step beside her.
* * *
“Anakin!” Obi-Wan cried as he rounded a corner and rushed up the small flight of stone steps leading to Shmi’s house. Anakin poked his head out of the doorway.
“Master?” he asked, puzzled by Obi-Wan’s disheveled appearence. Shmi came up behind her son, confused as well.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, concerned. Obi-Wan shook his head quickly, gasping for breath.
“No. No, everything’s not all right. They’re here, Anakin. We must go,” he said, shifting his gaze to fall on his apprentice. Anakin frowned slightly.
“They, Master?” he asked.
“The Sith. The female and the one who killed Qui-Gon. They’re here!” Obi-Wan explained, a trace of terror in his voice. Anakin’s eyes narrowed darkly and his hand gripped the handle of his lightsaber. Shmi gasped behind her hand.
“Will they come here?” she inquired in a low voice. Obi-Wan nodded.
“I’m afraid so. They didn’t start after me until I ran away from them. They could be on their way right now or--”
The sound of a lightsaber close to his ear cut into his sentences. The flash of a red blade shimmered past his line of vision. Shmi cried out and ducked inside her house. Anakin ignited his own saber and leaped into the fray. Obi-Wan raised his lightsaber in defense as the two Sith glared them down. Maul stood before them as Dirae stood on the roof of the mud hut. Both had their sabers lit and ready to kill.
“It’s time,” Dirae intoned coldly. “Blood for blood. A life,” here she directed her lightsaber at Obi-Wan, “for a life.”
Anakin wasted no moments and leaped up onto the roof to clash sabers with Dirae. She growled and deflected his blows quickly. He snarled back at her, his own anger clear in his blue eyes. Down below, Maul faced off with Obi-Wan once again. Obi-Wan watched the twin red blades spin dangerously, humming their death threats. No words were spoken between the two, only vivid flashes of memory.
Maul suddenly advanced on Obi-Wan, his twin blades slicing the air as they headed for their target. Obi-Wan tried to sever the handle again and was met with a painful kick to his jaw. He grunted and fell onto his back. Maul continued his attack, stabbing into the ground around Obi-Wan’s head, taunting him. Obi-Wan’s blue blade swished upwards and slammed into one of Maul’s crimson blades. Both men pushed against the other with all their strength. Maul whipped his saber to the side, breaking the connection, and brought his other blade down against Obi-Wan’s.
Above them, Dirae was teaching Anakin a new definition of pain. Even though the battle had only lasted for a few moments, Anakin’s lip was already bloodied, as was the side of his right arm. He lost the use of his right arm thanks to the deep wound inflicted by Dirae’s side horns when she’d rushed him on the side. His lightsaber remained clutched tightly in his left hand, swinging it up and down to block her blows. Dirae’s confidence grew as she plummeled the youth with heavy strikes, her eyes wild with an evil glee at seeing her enemy backing down slowly.
Obi-Wan felt Anakin’s Force shaking beneathe Dirae’s assualt and sent him a calming sensation even in the fit of battle with his own opponent. Anakin surged forward, reassured by his master’s thoughts, and caught Dirae’s forehead with his lightsaber handle. Dirae felt one of her horns crack from the force and she fell backwards with a cry. Blood streamed down from the wound to trickle between her eyes. Anakin stood over her, his lightsaber held to her throat.
Below, Maul had successfully managed to topple Obi-Wan. Anakin glanced over at his master, still holding the saber below Dirae’s chin. Dirae took the opportunity to kick his left wrist sharply, effectively breaking it. Anakin screamed in pain as he dropped his weapon. With a swift low kick, she knocked his feet out from under him. Anakin fell from the roof and landed with a loud thud on the hard floor. Obi-Wan scrambled out from under Maul’s dualsaber and rushed to his fallen apprentice.
Dirae stood triumphantly o the roof, one hand on her hip as she glared down at the fallen Jedi. Maul stood still, holding out his lightsaber before him.
“Stop this!” Obi-Wan cried, shielding Anakin with his body. Anakin whimpered in pain, both from his broken wrist and slashed arm. Dirae jumped from the roof and landed neatly beside Maul. She stared at the pleading Jedi Master and scoffed.
“You’re asking for something we know nothing about,” she told them coldly. “We came here to kill you and kill you we will. Pity it has to be done while you’re whimpering in simple pain.”
“You’re monsters,” Anakin told the two hoarsely. “You kill without remorse. If anyone should be destroyed it should be you.”
“Anakin, no,” Obi-Wan told him gently, touching his face gently much like he did to his own master. “Talking to them is useless.”
Maul grunted and turned away from the scene. Dirae blinked and looked after him. He stood at the edge of the stairwell without speaking. Obi-Wan watched the silent Sith Lord carefully. He certainly didn’t act this way when he’d first fought him. Something had changed in him.
Dirae turned back to the Jedi sharply and hissed, “Before I leave, I’ll take out at least one of you.” With that, she kicked past the fallen Jedi and entered Anakin’s home. Anakin’s eyes widened and he quickly stood. Obi-Wan stood as well and followed his apprentice into the house.
“Mom!” Anakin cried when he saw Dirae approaching his mother. Shmi cowered in the corner, her hands held up in defense. “Get away from her!”
“Anakin! Don’t!” Obi-Wan screamed, knowing exactly what his apprentice had in mind. Anakin slammed his body into Dirae’s and sent her sprawling into the wall. Shmi sobbed fearfully and rushed away from the scene to hide behind Obi-Wan. Anakin ruthlessly slashed out at Dirae with his lightsaber, knicking her robes many times.
“Don’t you ever touch my mother, you horrible creature!” he screamed, whipping his leg out to kick her roughly in the side. Dirae howled in pain and screamed for Maul.
The male Sith Lord crashed through the wall and, snarling viciously, pushed past Obi-Wan and Shmi to grab Anakin by the shoulders and raising him above his head. The anger in his eyes were burning like twin balls of fire as he snarled at the youth.
“Anakin! Oh no!” Shmi cried, reaching out for her son. With a great roar of fury, Maul hurled the Jedi apprentice across the room. Anakin crashed into a low-hanging rack of mechanical parts and fell to the floor unconscious. Maul then swept past the rubble in his way, lifted Diare into his arms, and stalked past the astounded Obi-Wan and Shmi. They watched the Sith Lord run down the stairs and into the night. Shmi rushed to her fallen son and tenderly lifted his head into her lap. He groaned in pain. Obi-Wan tore his eyes from the doorway and approached his apprentice.
“Anakin, are you all right?” he asked urgently. Anakin nodded weakly. Shmi choked back a sob, her hand pressed to her mouth. Obi-Wan carefully lifted Anakin into his arms and carried him to his room. Shmi followed, expressing her fears to the Jedi Master.
“Who were those monsters?” she demanded tearfully. Obi-Wan laid Anakin down on his bed and covered him.
“They were Sith. A master and an apprentice. The Jedi Knights and their Masters have been at war with their kind for many many eons. Only recently did they resurface. I killed the male one before but somehow she must’ve brought him back. This is the first time I’ve seen him since that time,” Obi-Wan explained calmly, hoping his tone of voice would soothe the panicked woman. He applied a gentle amount of his Force to calm her spirit and relax her mind. It worked. Shmi sighed in relief when she saw Anakin open his eyes.
“I’ll be all right, Mom. Don’t worry. Master Obi-Wan will take care of me, I know he will,” he whispered thinly. Obi-Wan smiled at the boy and gently stroked his hair from his forehead.
“I will, Anakin. Now you rest while I tend to your wounds. We have to mend your wrist and bandage your cuts,” Obi-Wan told him softly, hovering his open palm over the boy’s eyes, making them close. Shmi had left during this time and returned with the correct supplies. Obi-Wan thanked her with a nod and sat on the edge of Anakin’s bed to attend to him.
“I always knew Annie was angry a lot, but I’ve never seen him so furious before,” Shmi confessed quietly. Obi-Wan dabbed a bit of liquid onto a cloth and applied it to one of Anakin’s cuts as he answered her.
“The Council felt his anger and fear when my master first brought him before them. Master Qui-Gon believed your son to be the Chosen One.”
“What is the..Chosen One?” Shmi asked, testing the unfamilar word on her tongue.
“It was prophized that a boy would be born and he would eventually bring balance to the Force.”
“Balance? Isn’t it balanced now?”
“No, it isn’t, I’m afraid. I’m not sure myself which side will be balanced,” Obi-Wan continued. “Not even Master Yoda knows this, nor do any of the other Council members.”
Shmi fell silent, pondering over this new information. Obi-Wan finished wrapping Anakin’s broken wrist in a stiff plaster-like fabric and stood. He straightened his robes and looked at Shmi.
“Don’t worry, Shmi. I’m sure Anakin won’t balance the wrong side,” he assured her. “Have you a place I could sleep? It’s been an exhausting day.”
Shmi nodded quickly and gestured for him to follow her. Obi-Wan cast a glance at Anakin once more then walked after Shmi.