Life Of War

Chapter 93

"Lyra... Jayko and Ahsoka... Tano, is it? I can't say yours are names familiar to me." Maul stepped closer to us while we stood on guard and prepared for a fight with the sith.

"Well, I know you." Ahsoka snapped back at him sternly.

"Yes, I imagine we have several mutual friends." He began to circle us as we stood back to back to protect each other from his danger.

"I wouldn't put it that way." Ahsoka said, shifting slightly on her feet.

"Of course not. But I'm afraid your way of thinking is behind the times." He continued while I had secretly pressed a button on my comm link to send Rex a warning beacon.

"It's them. Come on! We'll trace the signal." Rex ordered Jesse and a few other troopers as they rushed to find us.

"I was certain that Kenobi would have come himself. Perhaps bring his loyal foal. Skywalker, is it?" Maul continued.

"Master Kenobi had a more important engagement." I replied calmly, stalling for Rex and Jesse to join us.

"Indeed." Maul agreed. "I wonder... The moment  may be upon us." He continued as Rex and his troopers continued to run in search of us. "Why you? Why did Kenobi  send you?"

"Why don't you surrender, and then we can both go and ask him?" Ahsoka taunted.

"My surrendering, well, that would be  pointless. For if I am correct, soon the Jedi and Republic will no longer be the controlling interest in the galaxy." Maul continued to circle us as I felt an unease shift in the force.

"And who will be? You?" Ahsoka asked with a questioning brow.

"No. Darth... Sidious."  He spoke deeply and carefully as our eyes widened in shock at the mention of the sith lord. Blasters fired out as Mauls people started dropping dead and our troopers raced over to us. Maul swung his saber at me harshly which I deflected quickly. "Not yet." He said, pushing me back and using the force to choke Rex. I stood to my feet with the help of Ahsoka before Rex was thrown into me, knocking us all back into the wall.

"Come on." Ahsoka urged as we all stood up again and chased after Maul who was escaping. The three of us split up, leading small groups through the dark tunnels We ran through the dark tunnels until we all met up again taking a sharp turn. Rex had his blasters aimed at Ahsoka and I while we pointed out sabers at him. The three of us sighed in relief before losing our weapons.

"We've lost them." I noted with a sigh of defeat. Moving back to the upper levels and meeting up with Bo Katan again in the throne room.

"There are a small number  of firefights still happening in sector 11. But for the most part, your clones have been as effective as promised." Bo Katan, Ahsoka, Rex, a hologram transmission of Obi Wan and I looked over a holomap of the city. "Still, without Maul in custody, this could all fall apart quickly. We must capture him  before he escapes."

"He mentioned a name,  Darth Sidious." Ahsoka said with thought.

"Who is this Sidious?" Bo Katan questioned sternly.

"I do not know much, but I will share with you what the Council suspects." Obi Wan started while Rex turned off the map and the droid that had been projecting it rolled away. "Darth Sidious is the Sith Lord who orchestrated the Clone Wars and played both sides of it from the beginning. I first learned the name from Count Dooku, though any chance of learning more about Sidious from Dooku has been lost." He explained to us all.

"Why?" I inquired further answers in confusion.

"Because Count Dooku is dead. Anakin killed him while rescuing the Chancellor. With Dooku gone, we've lost a vital link  to understanding the mystery of Darth Sidious. If you can capture Maul, he may be able to provide the missing pieces to this puzzle."  Kenobi told us with hope for ending the clone wars.