The docking bays of the spaceport town of Mos Espa opened wide to recieve the large freighter that carried passengers from all over the galaxy. Traders, businessfolk, tourists, and some people just seeking to hide from something departed from the ship’s open hatchway. Voices mingled together in almost every language known to man as the people milled about collecting their belongings.
Dirae Hoth fought her way to the bay’s entrance, lugging along her only piece of luggage, a small well-worn weaved travel bag. She ignored the people around her, her tanned face set with a purpose greater than those around her. She wasn’t here simply to barter or exchange tales with pilots. No, Dirae had a mission in mind.
Long before she’d left her home planet of Iridonia, Dirae’s older brother,Ulhume, had been taken on a slave ship owned by the crimelord Jabba the Hutt. It would be weeks before Dirae herself set off to keep her vow to set Ulhume free from the Hutt lord. Only the drive to free him and the fact that she’d killed the daughter of the wealthiest family in Di Espa made Dirae leave her father behind. Her sister, Valdyr, had been murdered by the woman Dirae had killed. She felt no remorse for what she’d done, only confusion. Dirae had not killed the female under normal methods; the strange power called the Force had flowed through her, lending her the dark power to complete her task. Dirae knew it wasn’t the same power the Jedi Knights used. No, this was far darker.
Dirae’s thoughts turned back to her job at hand and she made her way deeper into the town. Tables boasting various objects surrounded her and filled her ears with the booming promises of ‘the best the galaxy has to offer’. The marketplace back on Iridonia was nothing compared to the sprawling, faded splendor of this assemblage. Curiousity drove her to peer down at a table offering jewels from other worlds. Absently her hand strayed to her forehead where the only piece of jewelry she owned was kept. A single crimson bloodgem given to her by her mother rested between Dirae’s horns. It had been a gift when Dirae had turned thirteen summers.
“It’s a mark of womanhood, Dirae. Wear it proudly and don’t ever take it off.” her mother had told her so long ago. Dirae’s eyes teared slightly at the memory; her mother had died while giving birth to Valdyr. Dirae had to grow up practically overnight after that. Her training as a warrior was halted because of the responsibilities that had been left to her, something that bothered Dirae greatly. Her pride for her family was stronger than the need to clean plates and pots. The duties eventually fell to her father and Dirae was able to complete her training.
But that was neither here or now. Dirae sighed inwardly, unsure of how to begin her search for Ulhume. She assumed someone here would know where to find Jabba’s domain but was more than a little uneasy around the assembled alien species. Shifting her travel bag higher on her shoulder, she walked out of the marketplace and moved along the dusty streets, avoiding steaming piles of some rank substance along the way. Her aimless strolling led her to a settlement of adobe huts. Curious, Dirae approached the stone steps of one hut and stretched her neck to see into the tiny house. The interior was plain save for some strange markings on the ceilings.
The sounds of children yelling behind her made Dirae turn. Down the street some was a group of boys and one young girl; the two boys in the front appeared to be the oldest wile the others were rather young. Something tingled in the back of her mind when a blonde boy hurried past her, calling for his friends to slow down so he could catch up. The boy seemed to not see Dirae. Dirae shook her head to free her mind from the odd tingling and resumed walking.
She followed the troupe of boys until a dome-shaped hovel of some sort appeared a few feet in front of her. Piles of junk could be seen behind the hovel, indicating it was a junk shop of sorts. Dirae knew next to nothing about constructing a transport but figured it never hurt to see what this dealer had to offer.
Before she could step closer to the hovel, a small, portly blue alien fluttered towards her on rapidly-beating wings. Dirae repressed the urge to grimace at the creature’s bloated appearence as it began speaking to her in a strange, gutteral language.
“Uhm...I can’t understand you,” Dirae confessed in Zabrakian. The alien squinted at her, seeming to be the one to not understand the other now.
“You no speak Huttese?” it asked, this time in Basic. Dirae blinked, understanding him.
“No, I’m afraid I don’t. I don’t even know what it is,” she replied in Basic as well. The blue alien clucked his tongue at her, rolling his yellow eyes.
“I waste no time on you then. You probably no know what I sell here, huh?” it asked gruffly. Dirae frowned, insulted.
“Of course I know what you sell here!” she insisted. This made the flying alien chuckle slightly. “I’m looking for someone who can help me build a transport, you idiotic flying Hutt!”
“Eh? I’ma notta Hutt, I assure you! I’m a Toydarian, Watto is my name,” Watto replied, seemingly unoffended by her comment. “I can help you, maybe. For the right money.”
Dirae blanched. “What kind of credits do you take?” she asked. Watto tilted his small, trunk-nosed head at her.
“What have you got, eh?” he asked. Dirae fished around in her belt pouches and produced a handful of Zabrakian coins. Watto peered down at them, lifted one from her hand and inspected it.
“What are these?” he asked, turning the coin over in his three-fingered hand. “I’ve never seen them before.”
“Domke,” Diare replied simply. Watto raised one eyebrow at her, or rather raised his brow at her. “They’re coins from Iridonia.”
Watto handed them back to her, shaking his head as he did so. “No, these are no good. I only take wupuipi, truguts, and peggats. When these you have, come back and see me , huh?” With a cackle the Toydarian fluttered away. Dirae smirked and pocketed her domke. She turned and began walking away from the hovel. A small band of humaoids and one odd-looking creature caught her eye as she crossed over to the streets.
The eldest of the humans appeared normal on the outside but Dirae’s mind told her otherwise. He looked simple with his trim beard and long hair held back in a half-ponytail. His canter made Dirae suspect more; he seemed to demand respect and attention from those around him as he strolled into the junk shop. Only nobles moved like that.
Disgusted by the reminder of nobles, Dirae ignored the group and hurried away to find lodging.
* * * *
After transferring her domke for Tatooine currency coins, Dirae managed to locate a more easy-going junk dealer who offered to create a small transport for her. The dealer was a humaoid with blue skin and strange red eyes that held no pupils, but he was friendly and talkative as he worked. Dirae later discovered his name to be Kaade and realized he knew more about the citizens of Mos Espa than anyone else she’d encountered.
“Jabba’s place?” Kaade asked when Dirae inquired about the Hutt’s place of dwelling. “Why he runs the pod races at Boonta Eve. Why do you want to find him?”
“Personal reasons,” Dirae replied somewhat curtly. Kaade shrugged and resumed his work.
“Whichever, miss Hoth. Just don’t go getting yourself killed now, y’hear?”
“I don’t plan on dying, Kaade,” Dirae said in return. Kaade’s chuckle issued up from beneathe the modified speeder engine.
“No one plans on dying unless they’re suicidal, missy,” he pointed out. “I’m just saying be careful, is all. The Hutts are a nasty race who’ll stoop to murder if it gains them fortunes.”
“I’ve noticed,” Dirae remarked tightly. “Listen, how long will it be before I can be on my way?”
“I should be finished in the next day or so. Why not rent out a dewback or something and go see about Jabba?” Kaade suggested. Dirae mulled over his suggestion then agreed. She promised to return the next day and left the shop.
* * * *
Dewbacks proved to be docile creatures that could sustain the heat as well as Dirae could. The dealer who rented it to her was a friendly old woman who specialized in dewbacks. The price hadn’t been that bad, either. Dirae thanked the woman and set out across the Dune Sea towards Jabba’s dwelling.
Jabba turned out to be not that far from Mos Espa’s spaceport; the journey itself had only taken Dirae a few hours. The Hutt Lord had a moderately-sized estate with guards positioned at the doors, each bearing menacing-looking staffs. Dirae dismounted from her dewback and approached the guards. Immediately their staffs shot down to criss-cross in her path.
One of the guards spoke gruffly to her in Huttese, to which Dirae shook her head and gestured to her ears with one hand, indicating she couldn’t understand them. The guards looked to each other, conversed briefly in Huttese, then one of them entered the doors. Dirae waited.
The guard returned with Jabba’s majordomo, Bib Fortuna. Dirae staggered backwards slightly, hoping the Twi’lek male wouldn’t recognize her from the slave ship. The Twi’lek seemed to forget who she was and spoke to her in heavily accented Basic.
“What do you want from Lord Jabba?” he asked, staring down at Dirae.
“I wish to have an audience with him,” she replied firmly. Fortuna titled his heavy head at her.
“I will speak to His Exellency. A moment, please.” With that, the Twi’lek returned to his master. Dirae crossed her arms, her foot beginning to tap in the sand impatiently. Fortuna returned and beckoned her inside. Dirae followed briskly after the majordomo, recalling when she’d snatched one of his head-tails and viciously pulled on it. She smiled inwardly. Hopefully he still felt the sting of her actions.
Dirae was led into a large chamber where Jabba sat on a repuslor sled, nibbling on a gorg. Fortuna announced her presence and stepped aside. Jabba turned his bulbous green eyes on Dirae and boomed an “Oh?” at her. Dirae bowed at the waist, keeping her eyes on the large mass of blubber before her. Jabba tossed the half-eaten gorg over his shoulder and spoke to her in halting Basic.
“What do you want from me?” he boomed, his voice deep and echoing in the chamber.
“I’ve come to purchase one of your slaves from you, Jabba,” Dirae replied, ignoring formal titles that his other minions seemed to whimper out every time they spoke to the Hutt. “An Ulhume Hoth. You took him from Iridonia about a year or so ago.”
“That one has left my home. He escaped over a month ago,” Jabba told her. Dirae blinked, startled. “He was not a very good slave anyway. He would have disgraced your home for certain.”
The Hutt’s words fell on deaf ears as Dirae ingested the truth about Ulhume. No longer here? Where would he go? she wondered. Quickly, she bid the Hutt a farewell, ignored Fortuna who offered to walk her out of the chamber, and hurried outside to her dewback.
Dirae mounted her dewback and reared it around. Hopefully, Kaade had the speeder finished and she could further search for her brother. Tatooine was a sparsely populated planet; Dirae knew it would be difficult to locate Ulhume despite the lack of inhabitants. He could be hiding anywhere. If indeed he was still on the planet’s surface.
* * * *
Kaade presented the completed speeder to Dirae upon her return. “It’s a bit faster than the normal speeder so it should get to wherever you’re going quickly,” he explained, helping her into the transport. Dirae thanked him hastily, tossed the correct amount of money to him, and sped away from the junk shop’s yard.
The hot wind bit into her face as she raced away from Mos Espa. Twilight was descending on the planet quickly, stealing away the last rays of sunlight. The rocky slopes of the Dune Sea rose in the distance like a field of giants awakening from their slumber.
Hang on, Ulhume! I’m coming!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere on the planet, fairly close to where Dirae was racing away from Mos Espa, a large silent vessel descended from the sky to land on a plateau’s rocky surface. The slender nose of the ship ended in a rounded cockpit chamber with twin wings jutting from the sides, their edges curved inward. A hatch opened from the bottom of the hull and a dark figure stepped out. Long, flowing cloaks of midnight black billowed out around the figure, a hood hid the face from view, and leather boots made the figure’s footsteps light on the rocks.
Darth Maul, Sith Lord and apprentice to Darth Sidious, withdrew a pair of electrobinoculars from his cloak, adjusted the settings, then gazed through them at the horizon. Satisfied with whatever he found, he turned to his ship, tapped out a code on his wristlink, and waited. Six ‘black eye’ probe droids floated out from the ship, beckoned by their master, and sped away towards Mos Espa.
Maul watched them leave before turning back to his ship, Infiltrator, and ascended the plank. He entered the cockpit, sat in the pilot’s seat, and keyed in a communications code to Coruscant. The holoimage of his master appeared, hovering over the console. Maul bowed his head in respect to his master.
“What have you to report, Lord Maul?” Sidious asked.
“I have located the Jedi, Master. They are residing in a city called Mos Espa; I have dispatched my probe droids to investigate. I should have their exact location by morning,” Maul replied. Sidious’s lips curved into a sadistic smile.
“Good. Very good. You have done well, my apprentice. Return to your duties and report back to me once you’ve taken the queen.”
“Yes, my master,” Maul said, bowing his head respectfully as the holoimage vanished. He remained seated, staring out the viewport at the starry expanse of sky. The sound of a speeder engine alerted his senses. He called up a closer view of the desert below him and spotted a transport roaring over the dunes. Its sole passenger appeared female. Maul smirked, disappointed that it wasn’t the Jedi and flipped the viewscreen off. He didn’t have time for joyriders.
* * * *
Dawn rose over the desert hot and humid. Dirae had been traveling all night and was now resting in the cockpit of the speeder. She’d raised the cover of the speeder to protect herself from the sun and to create a somewhat cooler atmosphere.
The ground shaking around her made her look up sleepily. She poked her head out of the cockpit and came awake immediately. Far off in the distance, a pair of figures clashed, swinging strange, lit swords at each other. One was clad completely in black and the other in tan. A smaller figure hurried away from the scene towards a sleek vessel Dirae hadn’t noticed the previous night.
“Odd place to host a duel,” Dirae mused aloud to herself, lowering the cover and starting the engines. She guided the speeder away from the battle, not wishing to get involved, and resumed her search for Ulhume. The sight of a large ship parked on a plateau made her slam on the airbrakes. Her eyes widened as she took in the majestic vessel with its sleek hull and rounded cockpit chamber.
Knowing it wasn’t her place, Dirae parked the speeder and hopped out of the transport to climb up the rocky face of the plateau. Seeing ships as large and as advanced as this was a rarity back on Iridonia and Dirae had always been fascinated with spaceships. The most common ship she’d seen was a freighter that brought imported spices and fabrics from neighboring planets. The freight paled in comparison to the beauty of the vessel before her.
Dirae circled the ship, sliding her hands along the smooth surface and savoring the feel on her skin. Her piloting skills were limited, however she’d always dreamed of owning her own ship. She paused at the front of the hatch, which was closed, and traced her fingers over the surface.
Suddenly, the air around her hissed as the hatch opened on its own. Shocked, Dirae dove under it and waited. Obviously the ship was run by a wristlink of some kind, very advanced. Whoever owned this ship was at the height of technology. Not far from where she hid, she noticed a small crescent-shaped transport cruising towards the ship. Straddling the seat was the same darkly clad figure she’d seen dueling in the desert.
The transport stopped and the rider dismounted. He wore a hood over his face, which was hidden from view as the head bowed to look down at the wristlink mounted on the figure’s right wrist. Gloved fingers punched in a series of codes, the action bringing six floating droids into the ship. Dirae held her breath, hoping the figure wouldn’t see or hear her.
No dice.
“I do not approve of spies under my vessel,” the figure intoned dryly, still looking down at his wrist. “Remove yourself or perish.”
Dirae raised an eyebrow. Remove yourself or perish? Odd way of speaking. she thought as she calmly moved from under the hatch door and stood up to face him.
“I was only looking at your ship,” she said defensively. The figure lowered his arm and lifted his head to look at her. Dirae’s breath drew into her body sharply. What kind of a..?! His face was painted with red and black markings, his eyes were a sharp golden color with red specks around the iris. He wasn’t that much taller than she was but he boasted a powerful aura that made him appear six feet tall.
“My ship is not on display, thank you,” he said roughly and moved to enter the vessel. Dirae’s mind clicked and she caught the sleeve of his cloak.
“You’re like me!” she gasped. He frowned at her but didn’t remove his arm from her grasp. Instead, he touched her mind with his own and discovered she was right; both carried almost the same amount of Dark Side energy.
“Indeed, but that means nothing to me,” he finally told her, ripping his arm free and stalking up the hatch briskly. Dirae ignored consequence and hurried up after him.
“Wait! Hey, I said wait you lug!” she cried. When he refused to wait, she reached out with her mind and caused him to freeze in place. “Thank you!” Dirae ran over to him and placed her hands on her hips rather smugly.
“Release me,” was all he could say. Dirae shook her head.
“No, I don’t think so. Not until you tell me why we’re the same. I’ve seen the almighty Jedi Masters already and they’ve only told me so much. You are obviously something far different from they. What is it?”
“I am Sith and what you feel is the Dark Side of the Force. Now, release me and leave.”
Dirae seemed not to hear him as she mulled over his words. “Sith, eh? Never heard of them. As for the Force, I know I possess a connection to it but it’s not goody-goody like the Jedi. You have a name?”
He turned his eyes to look at her sideways. “Darth Maul.”
“Maul? As in,” Dirae mimicked the action of seriously hurting someone, “that kind of maul?”
Maul growled in his throat, impatient with this impudent female. “Maybe. Now, for the final time, I demand that you release me and leave my ship!” His voice rose dangerously, making Dirae rethink her actions.
“I don’t suppose if I let you go, you’d tell me more about this Dark Side and how to use it more efficiently?” she offered. Maul growled again, glaring her like a caged animal.
“I am not your master and I do not wish to be. I have a master and I serve him well. Release me and leave. If you do not, I will be forced to kill you.”
Dirae frowned. “Why? Because I’m asking you a question?” Maul snarled and suddenly broke free of her mental shackles. He lunged at her, pinning her to the ground. His guantlet-covered hands held her shoulders to the floor.
“I don’t know how you managed to hold me, but your game ends here,” he hissed. Dirae recalled her training and flipped Maul away from her body. Maul landed neatly a few feet from her. Dirae stood and faced him, her hands curved into claws. Maul regarded her skeptically.
“It wasn’t a game, Maul,” Dirae said, her voice gone to a low-pitched growl. “I am in need of someone to teach me to control this power of mine and you’re the first person I’ve seen who can do it. I’m not leaving.”
“Regardless, you must leave. I cannot take you on as an apprentice; my master forbids it,” Maul said firmly. “I’m sorry that there are no others who can teach you. You’ll just have to deal with that.”
“Why are there no others?” Dirae asked cautiously.
“It is forbidden to have more than two at one time. Now, go, leave my ship.” Maul flicked his head towards the still-open hatchway. Dirae’s expression turned from determined to thoughtful.
“I saw the battle you had with the tall human farmer,” Dirae said suddenly.
Maul stared at her. “You were the one in the speeder,” he said quietly. Dirae nodded. “Why are you here?”
“I’m looking for my brother,” she replied. “He was taken by Jabba the Hutt a year or two ago.”
“Then resume your search and forget this ever happened,” Maul told her and turned away to enter the cockpit. Dirae sighed inwardly.
“I don’t think he’s on the planet anymore,” she called in Maul’s direction. “I’m stuck here. I can’t return to Iridonia--” At the mention of her home planet, Maul spun around on.
“You come from Iridonia?” he demanded incredulously. Dirae nodded slowly. “Then you are Zabrak.”
“Well..yes, I am. Are you?” she asked carefully. Maul turned his eyes from her. “Forget I asked.”
“Why can’t you return?” Maul inquired, his eyes still averted from her’s.
“I’m wanted there. I don’t relish the thought of returning only to be hunted down and executed. I thought if I found my brother here we could go somewhere else. Now that he’s not here I’m stuck, like I said before.”
Maul seemed to ponder over her answer. She is very strong in the Dark Side. Unbelievably strong. Master Sidious would never allow me to take on an apprentice now....I have an unfulfilled mission to complete. Perhaps if I took her back to Master Sidious...
Dirae had been looking down at her feet during the silence. Her head lifted when she heard Maul sigh heavily.
“Take the seat over there. Don’t speak or touch anything. I’ll see if Master Sidious can help you,” Maul said tightly, moving to sit down in the pilot’s chair. Dirae blinked many times, unable to believe her own good fortune. Quickly she obeyed him and strapped herself into one of the smaller passenger seats. The hatch sealed with a hiss and the ship began a vertical take-off. Dirae held on until the ship entered space then closed her eyes, weary from her traveling.
* * * *
“Wake up.” Maul’s hand poking her arm made Dirae open her eyes, startled. “Prepare yourself in any means necessary; my master despises disorder.”
Dirae nodded and stood, stretching. She winced slightly when her back popped. I was more stiff than I thought.
Maul was lowering the hatchway, exposing a smooth platform that seemed to be floating in the air. Dirae walked up to him and peered down the opening. Buildings stretched towards the sky in alarming numbers and air taxis raced between them.
“Where are we?” Dirae asked breathlessly. Maul lifted his hood over his face and began walking out of the ship. Dirae hurried to keep pace with him.
“On Coruscant, the central core world. My master is a senator here on the Republic Council. You could call this my home,” Maul replied calmly, leading her around the skydock and towards a doorway. Dirae glanced up and gasped. The building Maul was entering was so large it took her breath away. Maul gestured for her to follow him, which she did without comment. They walked over carpeted floors, all in deep hues of red and mauve. The walls around them were decorated with works of art from all over the galaxy, the lights dim to emphasize the paintings. Marble busts of various people of importance stood on pillars against the walls; Dirae was careful not to brush past these too quickly.
Maul stopped before a closed pair of double doors. He motioned for Dirae to be silent and opened the doors. They swished apart silently as the two walked in carefully and very quietly. Dirae glanced around the copulent chambers, seeing no one. Suddenly Maul fell to one knee, his head bowed. Dirae blinked at him, puzzled when a figure draped in a black robe strode forward from an adjoining chamber. She paused to take in the slightly stooped figure, assumed it was Sidious, and she, too, dropped to one knee.
Sidious stopped a few feet from them, his head inclined slightly. “Lord Maul, who is this...child you bring?” he asked, his voice deep and commanding. Maul seemed to lower to the floor a bit more as he answered his master.
“She stole aboard my ship, Master. I regret to say she overpowered me and forced me to take her here.”
“Overpowered you, you say?” Sidious repeated, somewhat amused. He cast a glance at Dirae. “Does she have a name?” Before Maul could answer, Dirae stood and spoke for herself.
“I am Dirae Hoth of the Hoth Clan on Iridonia.” Her chin lifted with pride. “Your servant here,” she gestured back at Maul, “believes you can help me. I’m certain you’ve sensed something about me by now.”
“Lord Maul is not my servant, miss Hoth,” Sidious corrected her, striding closer to her. “He is my apprentice and yes I can feel the aura of dark power all around you. It is raw and unfocused, yet strong. How is it that I missed you?” His hand came up to turn her face from side to side gently. “You are Zabrakian. They have many possibilities with the Force, dark and light. What is it you wish to discover about yourself?”
“For one, I would like to learn how to control my powers. Darth Maul told me you wouldn’t allow him to teach me, so I figured you could. Can you?” Dirae pressed.
“Lord Maul wasn’t decieving you when he said he couldn’t. I’m afraid I cannot either. There is a law--”
“I did not come here to be badgered again by high and mighty masters,” Dirae interrupted hotly. “Your apprentice could’ve killed me had I given him the chance. I risked my life on Iridonia by commiting murder, traveled all the way to Tatooine to find my brother who wasn’t even there to begin with, and now you’re going to use some law as an excuse to not teach me?” She laughed shortly, her hands on her hips. “I guess even the all-powerful need boundaries sometimes, including you, Sidious.”
Suddenly, Maul snapped to attention, stood behind Dirae, and caught her in a headlock. “You speak so dishonorably of my master, girl,” he hissed into her ear. Dirae narrowed her eyes.
“And you don’t know how to treat a lady,” she retorted and sent him flying away from her with a thought. Sidious seemed to ignore Maul as he crashed to the floor; his attention was locked on Dirae’s display of power.
“Amazing,” he said, grinning beneathe his hood. “No one has ever been able to do that to Maul. You truly are a gem.” Sidious whipped his gaze around to stare at his fallen apprentice. “Take this young lady to some empty quarters, Lord Maul, then return here. I am eager to hear of your journey.”
“Yes, Master,” Maul replied, pulling himself up from the floor and took Dirae’s arm. “This way,” he muttered gruffly. Dirae removed her arm from his grasp and walked out ahead of him. Maul paused to look back at his master.
“Spirited child,” Sidious murmured. Maul grunted and left, feeling second-rate in his master’s eyes.
***
“These will do,” Maul said, stopping before a set of doors. Dirae opened them, paused in the doorway, then looked back. Maul had already begun his walk back to his master’s chambers. Despite his arrogance, she couldn’t help but feel attracted to his power. And to him. For the longest time, she’d never even thought about males. Her life had been full of taking care of her family and now that they were gone, notions raced through her head. With a heavy sigh, she entered the rooms and sealed the doors.
The room was similar to the chambers she’d been in before. Splashes of reds and blues dazzled her eyes. A set of long windows stretched out across the far wall, giving the room’s occupant an excellent view of the planet’s city surface. In the distance, a tall spire extended to the skies. Dirae stared out at the spire, curious as to what building it belonged to. It also appeared to be older than the other structures in the city. She would have to ask about it later. For now, fatigue from the trip clouded her mind. The bed looked warm and inviting. She disrobed and climbed under the crimson covers. The soft mattress dipped to fit her body, the plush pillows felt like cushions of air, and the covers were made of luxurious silk that felt soothing against her bare skin. Dirae sighed contently and snuggled down to sleep.
***
Maul stalked into his own quarters after meeting with Sidious. His master had been displeased at his student’s failure, as Maul had thought originally, and had sent him away to meditate on his actions. The wound he’d sustained while on Tatooine throbbed, a painful reminder of his impatience. He limped to his bed and whipped his boots off, tossing them aside angrily. He removed the many layers of robes from his chest until he was bare and stretched out onto the bed. Hooking his fingers behind his head, Maul stared up at the ceiling. The Jedi had been strong and quick for his size. Too quick. Cursing under his breath, he turned onto his side and glared at the wall.
And what was worse, his defeat had been witnessed by Dirae. Her display of power over him only deepened his humiliation. He had to compensate for his mistakes somehow. Surely there was something he was better at than she was. His eyes traveled to his discarded robes. The hilt of his dual-bladed lightsaber poked out from the black folds. A duel. He would challenge her in combat. Surely she wouldn’t be able to deflect his attacks. Satisfied, Maul rose from his bed, snatched up his lightsaber, and strode out of his chambers.
“Wake up,” Maul said, poking Dirae’s sleeping form with his saber hilt. Dirae had her back to him, the covers pulled up high around her head. She grunted from the constant and persistant jabbing. “Wake up,” Maul repeated, continuing to jab at her back.
“Knock it off!” she hissed, turning around and sitting up to glare at him. Maul paused, his eyes fixed on her torso. Dirae remembered that she had undressed before getting into the bed and modestly covered her bare bosom with the blankets. “Look at you, storming in here like you owned the place, half-naked as well! What do you want?”
Maul composed himself. “I have come to engage you in combat. You prove yourself worthy of my attention and maybe I’ll see if I can help you.”
Dirae’s laughter issued forth from her belly like an eruption. “Worthy of your attention?” she repeated in a mocking tone. Maul fumed, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
“Do you accept or don’t you?” he asked between clenched teeth, his patience slipping from him once again. Dirae smirked at him, then nodded.
“Yeah, sure. Show me to the correct chambers.” She stood up from the bed, the sheets still around her body. “If you’d let a lady dress,” she added sharply. Maul glared at her and just turned his back. Dirae sighed and walked around him to retrieve her clothes. She dressed quickly behind him. When she’d finished, she tapped Maul on the shoulder.
“Lead the way.”
***
The training facility was large enough to fit up to ten challengers. With just the two of them, the room seemed far more expansive. To be fair, Maul had replaced his saber with a simple training staff. Dirae was stretching across the room, even doing some practice moves with the staff. Maul found himself transfixed by her motions. The weapon seemed to become a part of her body as she moved, swinging it above and around her in a wide arc. She had removed her tunic and was now dressed only in her pants and a halter top of sorts. Maul had remained shirtless and without shoes.
Dirae finished her exercises and took up an offensive stance. Maul paused before doing the same. A tap on the floor with his own staff began the duel. He charged at Dirae silently, bringing his weapon down to crash into hers. Surprisingly, Dirae held her own against his strength and parried each blow expertly. The sounds of clashing wood filled the air, echoing off the durasteel walls. Sweat streamed from both combatants and soon they found themselves howling like animals as each attack intensified.
Dirae came at Maul fiercely, seeking to disarm him. She tapped the end of his staff with her own uickly, then pushed with all her might to send the weapon flying from his hands. The end of her staff came down to pin Maul to the floor in a flash. Dirae placed her foot on his chest as she held the staff to his throat.
“It appears you need to learn more control,” she remarked coolly. Maul growled and smacked the staff away. Startled, Dirae lost hold of the weapon and flipped back. Maul back-spun to his feet and charged her again. In a flurry of kicks and punches he backed Dirae into a corner then pinned her there by pressing his palms to the wall. Sweat dripped from his skin as he grinned triumphantly at her.
“I have control,” he said quietly, his face inches from hers. Dirae’s anger simmered as she gazed into his predator eyes. Her heartbeat quickened for a moment when she realized how close he was to her. His ebony skin shone with sweat, his large arm muscles seemed to ripple with a life all their own. Her eyelids lowered partially, more from her sudden flushes of desire than exhaustion.
Even as Dirae drank Maul in, he was gazing back at her with hungry eyes. He had been surpressed sexually all of his life and here was a fine example of his race, or what he believed to be his race, and the long-hidden passions surfaced to tingle in his loins. Her emerald eyes, lightly tanned skin, and full lips seemed to hypnotize him. Without thinking, he lowered his hands from the wall and stroked her arms gently, sliding his fingers over her skin lightly. He felt her shiver at his touch, making him smile slightly. His hands moved from her arms to her waist; there he traced small circles around the small of her back, drawing her ever closer to his body. Dirae sighed softly, her eyes closing in pleasure.
“Maul...” she whispered, leaning forward to delicately touch his lips with her own. It was the faintest of touches and Maul found himself searching for a deeper touch. He stiffened when he felt her tongue slide over his lower lip. Unable to withstand her teasing any longer, Maul pressed his lips to hers in a savage kiss. He held her so tightly to him, her ribs ached. Yet the ache in her body was far greater.
The kiss turned more demanding and passionate as Maul hoisted her against the wall, her legs going around his waist, her hands stroking his broad back feverishly. She felt his demanding need for release, as she was sure he felt hers. Maul broke the kiss to lower her top and traced his tongue over her collarbone before moving to her breasts. Dirae gasped when she felt his mouth close over a nipple while his tongue danced around it quickly. Even as he worked her into a fevour, he lowered her body from the wall to the floor and hovered above her. Her hands stroked his chest, savoring each feel of his hard muscles beneathe her fingertips.
His hands slipped to her pants’ waistline and he drew them down over her legs. Once removed, her lifted one of her legs and kissed the underside of her inner thigh. Dirae felt as if she’d die from the sensations that coursed through her body. She cried out sharply when she felt Maul’s tongue touch her most secret places. She panted for breath, clawing at him to give her the release she needed and that he needed. Maul removed his trousers and mounted Dirae. Pangs of pain ripped through Dirae as he entered her body. She clutched to him, drawing his body down on top of hers. They held each other cheek to cheek as he thrust into her roughly. Through the intense pleasure, Dirae felt something warm trickle down her right cheek. She ignored it and focused on reaching her climax.
A low, long grunt escaped Maul’s throat as his own release came. His body shuddered against Dirae’s and she held him tightly to her as her own end arrived. Passion settled over them like a blanket of fog, leaving both panting for breath and amazed at the events that had passed between them. Maul turned his gaze to Dirae’s. He looked shocked at what had just transpired, and if Dirae didn’t know any better, she thought he looked scared. Scared of what she couldn’t tell.
Maul’s eyes traveled over her face. His brow puckered when he saw that blood was on her right cheek. He reached up to touch his left horn and found it sticky with her life serum. Dirae brought her hand to her cheek and drew it back. Blood stained her hand.
“Maul...” she began, showing him her hand, her voice trembling. He stroked her face gently, whispering words of reassurance. “How will I explain this..?”
“A wound given in the heat of battle,” Maul said softly, amazed at his own display of tenderness. Never before had he felt such..peace before. It frightened him slightly. “We shoul dget back to our quarters,” he muttered weakly, rising. Dirae watched him dress slowly, his eyes averted from hers.
“But what will happen now?” Dirae asked quietly. “I can’t just dismiss this, Maul.”
“I’m afraid we’ll have to. It wasn’t supposed to happen,” he rpelied gruffly, picking up his lightsaber and walking to the doors. “Just forget it, Dirae. It would only complicate things.” With that he left the training hall. Dirae gathered her clothes to her, clutching them to her chest tightly. The single greatest experience in her life and he was telling her to ignore it. True, it had been very sudden, but it touched Dirae. Never before had she felt such desire for one person and she wasn’t about to forget it.
***
“Where did he go?” Dirae demanded of Sidious days later. Sidious had reverted to his true identity of Senator Palpatine and was seated in his chambers dressed in a richly-tailored blue robe. He stared up at her with crystal blue eyes.
“He has been sent on another mission,” he replied in his cultured voice. When Dirae had first seen Palpatine in his true form, it had sent her aback quite a ways. She never would have guessed the hunched over, scowling Sith master was so refined and dignified. Now she didn’t care about his stately quarters or wardrobe; her mind was focused solely on Maul’s whereabouts.
“Where?” she repeated more insistantly. Palpatine sighed impatiently at her. “I won’t stop asking until you tell me where!”
“What concern is it of yours?” he asked back, even though he knew full well why she was so persistant. “He is my apprentice and our business is our own. I have decided to train you, though you will not be Sith.”
“I don’t care about being a Sith or a Jedi or even your servant. I want to know where Maul is. He’s in danger, I can feel it!” Dirae cried, losing her composure as tears trailed down her face. Palpatine eyed her pitifully and almost regretfully.
“He is prepared for whatever he must do. I have made him so,” the Senator said calmly. “You will not be given his location so you might as well stop asking me. Be thankful I’m even bothering with you at all.”
“Just who do you think you are?” Dirae demanded, clenching her hands into fists. “Just because you’re some public figure doesn’t give you the right to look down on everyone!”
“It gives me every right and not just because I’m a senator,” Palpatine said, his voice dangerously low. “I advise you to calm yourself before you regret it.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me. If Maul dies I’m all you have,” Dirae shot back. Palpatine’s lips curved into a snake-like smile. The smile sent chills up her spine and she backed away from him slightly. The sheer wickedness of him radiated out from his body. Never before had she seen such evil in a person’s soul. Or such greed and disregard for other peoples’ lives.
“I have a replacement other than you, I assure you,” he said softly, though not in a passive way. “Maul is expendable.”
“How can you say that?” Dirae asked, her voice trembling. “He values you higher than his own life--”
“Which just makes it better to believe he’s easily replaced,” Palpatine filled in for her. Dirae stood there, shaking her head slowly. “Indeed, young Dirae, even you would become replaceable in time. If you choose to remain, that is.”
Pride stiffened Dirae’s resolve. If she learned enough she would be able to destroy Palpatine and perhaps if Maul was still alive they could stay together. Only two at a time, he’d said. With Palpatine gone, two would be left and the law wouldn’t be broken. She decided then and there that she would remain and learn all she could. For Maul she would stay. For their future she would stay.
“What do I need to do?” Dirae asked quietly. Palpatine’s smile turned to a grin.
“Just listen, obey, and we’ll see if you survive.”
***
Dirae retreated back to her chambers hours later. As she neared her rooms, she stopped and looked further down the corridor. Maul’s quarters were only a few doors from her own. Without a second thought, she walked to his rooms and opened the doors. His room wasn’t as plush as her own. It consisted of a small bed, a desk with a chair and a lamp, a second chair that had his discarded robes draped over it, and a spare pair of boots were laying in a corner. She walked further inside and stepped up to the small desk. Upon it was a book bound in Jerba leather with a thin cord of the same fabric poking out from the pages. Curious, Dirae picked up the book and flipped through it. Elegant handwriting was inside and she realized it was a journal. Maul’s journal.
Sitting down in the small chair, she opened the first page and began reading. She heard Maul’s voice as she read over his thoughts and past missions. Hours passed before she reached the entry concerning his mission to Tatooine. She saw her name somewhere towards the end and read more intently.
I meet a female from Iridonia and she believes she can board my ship without my knowing. I tell her to leave, yet she uses the Force to hold me in place. I demand that she release me; her cocky attitude is quickly becoming annoying. I have just suffered defeat at the hands of a Jedi and didn’t need this. I end up taking her back to my Master. He believes she is amazing with her raw powers and sharp tongue. I think she’s overconfident. I challenge her to a duel in the training center hours later. The events that transpire surprise me. I have never been intimate with anyone before and to have done this with Dirae is...wonderful. She makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, clouds my judgement and frightens me at the same time. I could have tasted her body for hours and never tired of her. Her excitement for the fight is as great as my own, her passion for blood matches my own need. I wound her during our encounter. I think it will a scar soon; we’re worried about what Master will think. I sadly tell her to forget everything that’s happened. I leave her in the training hall and return to my Master.
He orders me to go to Naboo to aid the cowardly Neimoidians in their takeover of Theed. I am leaving in three hours. I have not seen Dirae since our encounter. I will defeat the Jedi. I will live forever as my Master’s apprentice and someday I will be the master.
Dirae lowered the journal and stared at the wall. Naboo. He was on a planet called Naboo. She had no idea where that was and sighed sadly, closing the book and replacing it on the desk. She moved from the desk to his bed, reaching out to take the robes from the chair. She laid down on the covers, holding the robes close to her. His scent was still in the fabric. She remembered the feel of his arms around her, the savage passion in his kisses, and the feel of him inside her. She wondered if she’d ever be able to feel that again. Tears escaped her eyes to trickle down her cheeks. The salty fluids stung as they grazed over the still fresh wound on her face. Her fingers reached up to touch it gingerly. It was the only thing she had left from the encounter.
Her eyes drifted closed and she eventually fell into a light sleep. Visions of Maul’s face drifted over her mindscape, filling her with longing. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her middle, causing her to wake up screaming. She curled up, holding her middle tightly. The pain seared through her so powerfully she felt she might die. Then the silence came.
She could no longer feel Maul in her mind.
Choked cries issued from her throat as she clawed at the air desperately. He can’t be gone! she thought wildly. Yet he was gone. Dirae threw her head back and screamed his name till her voice died and then she sobbed violently into his robes.
***
Epilogue
“You’re ready for your title now, Dirae,” Palpatine said, circling the cloaked figure before him. “You have progressed surprisingly well. Your powers are now at their peak..it is time to carry out your first duty.”
“Whatever you wish, my Master,” Dirae intoned, her head still lowered. Her face remained hidden in shadow. It had been almost three years since Maul’s death and she grieved for him still. Yet she’d turned her grief into fuel for her anger and hatred towards the Jedi. Especially against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Maul’s killer. Now was the time for revenge.
“Considering you’ve turned against your own kind, I shall grant you the title of Trator. Now go. Destroy our enemies,” Palpatine ordered. Dirae raised her head to him. Her face was streaked with black and red facepaint to honor Maul’s memory. The wound given by his horn was now a scar that was painted blood red, bright among the blackness. The robes she had held in her arms when he’d died was now hers and her attire was modified from his clothes. Everything she did, she did to honor him. Now she was going to give him the greatest tribute ever. The head of Kenobi would soon be in her possession and she couldn’t wait to see his blood flow.
“I will not fail you, my Mastr,” Dirae vowed and left his chambers. Palpatine had been kind enough to supply her with her own ship that was very much like Maul’s Infiltrator. She had lovingly named it Maul I. It was docked at the same spacepad she had first arrived on after meeting Maul on Tatooine. She boarded her sleek vessel quickly, eager to extract her vengeance.
Pray to your gods tonight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, for you will be meeting them soon....
END