WARNING: PG-13 content, which, yes, is the Star Wars rank. I am not upping it to M for ya pansies who can handle genocides but not a strip tease.

Chapter 32 - The Rock

"Mother Talzin," Fay said gently, "please, they aren't asking to join your clan, they are asking for freedom to pursue their own magicks, and when you choose them as mates, they are asking to be returned to their village unchanged and alive. You lose nothing."

"They are asking not to be our servants anymore," Talzin argued, glaring at Savage who glowered back.

Obi-Wan really hoped this didn't turn south. He was pretty sure Talzin was underestimating the males, and as long as she continued to underestimate them the more lenient they would be.

They had been staying in the village for some days, and Obi-Wan, Fay, and Rey had been helping the male Zabraks with Shono-Mii. Some were better than others, but it made Obi-Wan realize that maybe Qui-Gon had been right about the Order taking in children too early.

Of course the Dathomirians were interesting case study, it wasn't so common in other races for them all to have some Force abilities. Their own culture in some ways mirrored what the Temple mimicked by bringing in younglings.

The females, of course, have much more developed routes.

"We are not your slaves," Savage growled.

Talzin smirked at him, "I have the power to make you such."

"And soon we will have the power to defend ourselves," Savage growled.

Despite Maul being the teacher and the Master of this renegade new Order of Gray Jedi, he had remained mostly silent, letting his older brother take the lead.

Which Obi-Wan supposed made sense, Maul hadn't been raised on this planet. These were his people but not necessarily his culture or politics.

"Mother," Asajj interceded, "the males have asked for aid from the Jedi, and the Jedi have no sympathy for slavers."

Mor gave his graduated apprentice a look at that line of tact, but then they had been talking in circles for hours.

"Dathomir is outside of the Republic," Talzin retorted.

Asajj shook her head, "But the Order is leaving the core. We will be your neighbours and you know it isn't in our people's nature to turn down those who ask for help."

"And will the Jedi be taking on the Hutts?" she snapped.

"Yes," Mor and Rey said together.

Obi-Wan hid a smile at that, times were changing.

Talzin looked at that, "I don't see how such a thing could be accomplished and I don't know how this any business of the Jedi. They are our males and we will do with them as we wish. And I do not wish the Jedi's involvement."

"Mother, may I speak?"

All eyes turned on one of the Nightsisters standing by the curtained wall.

"Yes, Sister Merrin, you may speak," Talzin allowed.

"I don't wish to live with the males, nor would I trust them as servants if they are training-"

"I will not allow them to continue training as the Jedi."

Merrin did not quell at her clan leader's rebuke, "Which means we will have to watch over them to prevent that. They are already afraid of us, terrorizing them more is only going to convince them they need to train more not less."

Talzin looked as if 'terrorizing them' had been the first thing on her to do list.

"I will not allow you to torture us," Maul said, speaking up for the first time.

Again Merrin spoke before Talzin could rebuke her son, "And Mother, many of us would prefer not to execute our mates after conception."

Talzin made a rude sound at this, "Who would prefer this?"

Every single Dathomirian Nightsister in the room except for Asajj raised their hands in a three finger gesture.

Obi-Wan felt Mor's leg brush his under the table as he kicked Asajj in the shin. Aside from a tightening around the eyes, she made no exclamation, only raised her hand in the same gesture.

Talzin looked truly surprised by this, "Why would you want the sires to live? Sires are territorial if allowed to live."

"Then let them be territorial," Merrin said, "it isn't like their personalities were stellar before an increase of testosterone. Especially for our male sons when they are delivered to their village, it would be good to know they had fathers."

Mother Talzin shook her head, "I don't understand this wish, but very well, if the Sisters are in agreement about not following the Ritual of Conception, so be it."

Obi-Wan shared a small look with Rey, one victory.

"But I will not allow them to become Jedi on Dathomir."

One step forward, two steps back.

"There are other clans on Dathomir that would welcome us, Mother Talzin," Savage said.

She snarled at them, "You belong to us."

"We are not slaves," Maul said, "your choices are simple, Talzin. Let us remain separate, only for procreation or pleasure shall we bother one another."

"So you will allow the males to be servents?"

"No," Maul and Savage said together.

"Mother," Merrin said gently, "rarely have we ever had to force a male to our beds, and without fear of execution, if they successfully sire a child, they will be even less reluctant. We don't need the males for anything else, we can go on without them."

Talzin gestured a hand toward Maul, "He can not train an entire Order, he has not the skill. Half trained Force users are a danger to more than just themselves."

Which marked the difference between Talzin, a Dark Sider and a fallen Jedi or Sith. She knew there were limits, boundaries that could not be crossed.

"Mor and I have decided to stay on and help," Fay said.

"I told you," Talzin said coldly, "I did not want Jedi interference."

"Maul is returning with us to Coruscant," Obi-Wan said, "to plead his case before the Jedi High Council, the Dathomirian males will be recognized as their own entity."

"Are you threatening me?" she asked.

"We are searching for a compromise to prevent warfare between the males and females," Rey said.

Talzin stared at her, then at Asajj. She was quiet for a long moment, "Alright, a proposition then, allow Asajj to be trained as a Nightsister, and I will let the Nightbrothers do as they wish, including accepting aid from the Jedi Order."

Mor exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan, that was a dangerous proposition, Asajj danced very close to the Dark Side, and to learn sorcerer-

"I accept," Asajj said.

Yet Asajj was no longer a Padawan.

"And Rey-" Talzin began.

"No," Maul growled, "Your deal has been accepted between Dathomirian females and you are honour bound to follow it. You cannot add to the deal now that it has been decided."

Talzin almost seemed pout at him.

Obi-Wan stood, motioning to Ahsoka who caught Rey's arm as she stood and led her out, Maul protecting her back. Talzin had a dangerous fixation with Rey.

He knew that humans could be trained as Nightsisters as easily as Zabraks, their bloodlines were crossed.

Obi-Wan waited for Mor who was checking for Asajj, but she waved him on.

"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked.

Mor nodded, "She graduated, I don't know why I feel-"

Obi-Wan was looking at Ahsoka and Rey, two people who he had seen grow, who were still growing, and he knew exactly Mor was getting at.

"You taught her all you knew, now you have to trust her as she has come to trust you."

The Mor sighed, then smiled slowly, "When do you think we can convince Yoda to let us go to war with the Hutts?"

"We are not going to start a war," Obi-Wan said under his breath.

Mor laughed like the crazy person he undoubtedly was.

oOo

Obi-Wan was glad when they were finally leaving, and in time for Ahsoka's thirteenth birthday.

Maul was leaving his 'possessed' ship on Dathomir.

Obi-Wan didn't tell him that Mor and Sage would be scouring the ship to try and discover its history.

"Brother," Savage called as they were boarding the Jedi issued ship.

Maul turned, pausing, "Brothers."

Feral was standing hesitantly behind his larger brother, a small bag slung over his shoulder.

Savage pushed Feral in front of him by the shoulder, "Take him to the Jedi. He's going to die if he stays here."

Maul crossed his arms, seemingly cold toward his own twin, "And if the Jedi don't want him?"

"Then you take care of him," Savage growled.

Maul glared, "I have enemies, my brother."

Obi-Wan caught that there was more to this conversation, a suspicion planted by Talzin when she said that Maul needed to go back to Coruscant.

An implication that Maul had been forcefully separated from his people.

Obi-Wan placed a hand on Maul's shoulder, "If the Council doesn't take him in, then he can still remain at the Temple until you return to Dathomir."

The engines started, Rey's none too subtle way to tell them to hurry up.

Maul uncrossed his arms and waved his twin forward. Feral's smile was bright and Obi-Wan had no doubts about why Savage wanted his little brother to leave.

After spending time with the Dathomirian Zabraks, Feral was a snowflake. Even Maul and Asajj who had not been raised among their people fit in better than he did. Likely it was Savage being overprotective that had kept him alive this long.

Maul grabbed Feral's bag, wordlessly taking on the small burden. It was the only sign he gave that he did want his twin with them, or at least wanted him safe.

"Feral!" Rey exclaimed, glancing over her shoulder before pulling them off the ground. "You're coming to Coruscant with us?"

"Savage thinks I should become a real Jedi, not a Gray Jedi."

"We are not Gray Jedi," Maul snapped.

Rey flashed them both smiles, "I agree with Savage, you don't shimmer of a connection to the Dark Side."

Obi-Wan took a seat, smiling at Maul who was growling so lowly it almost sounded like a purr. "Which is quite remarkable considering the energy on this planet."

Feral shrugged, giving his twin a nervous look before saying, "I can feel past this planet… the Force is bigger than Dathomir."

"This is true," Obi-Wan said, thinking that if the Council did make another exception that the Order might rise to something better than it ever had been.

Maul was caught between lying to Rey and helping his twin brother.

Caring about people was entirely too problematic.

As they stood before the High Jedi Council, he knew he should expose Sidious. Though he would never dare expose Darth Plagueis.

If there was even the remotest of chances that Rey or Kenobi might be sent after the Muun, they would die.

Kenobi's death would break Rey, and Rey's death would break Maul.

He could admit that to himself. Perhaps they weren't mates in truth. But she was only being in the galaxy he felt he owed.

Well, her and his brothers.

He sighed silently, when had his life become so complicated?

The Council was frowning at them. Master Dooku, who Maul knew from Sidious's obsessing over him more than from what Rey had mentioned of him, seemed to be laughing silently at them all.

Master Mace Windu put his head in his hands, "You cannot be serious."
Master Sifo-Dyas rolled his eyes, "You know they are."

"Strange and wild the ways of the Force are," the green Master said.

Feral seemed to be caught between wonder and jumping out of his skin because of all the traffic.

He had never been to a city before, and Coruscant was the city of the Republic.

"Speak, Feral Opress," Master Kit Fisto said, "The actions of Masters Mor and Fay are out of our hands, and it is not our job to police all Force users."

"Debatable," Ki-Adi Mundi said.

Fisto waved that remark away, "Obi-Wan and the Padawans have given their report, let the Dathomirians have their say."

Maul stayed silent, he would not be accused of lying out right to these people, to Rey's people, but nor was he ready to damn his twin's future.

Feral swallowed her, "My brother-"

"Can speak for himself," Galia interrupted.

"Not Maul, our older brother Savage, he wanted me to go to Coruscant."

"Why?" Mast Shaak Ti asked.

"To be trained as a Jedi," he said.

"I thought that was what is being discussed, that a new Order of Jedi will be trained on Dathomir?" Mace remarked.

Maul spoke for the first time then, "My people will be trained in the shadows, we are practitioners of the Darkness as much as the Light, the Force is one to us, but my brother is like your Kenobi and Rey, he is of the Light, and I cannot train him."

Feral spoke softly, "My brother also fears that I would not survive on Dathomir."

"Are you so weak?" Master Yarael Poof asked, his long neck waving like an eel in the depths.

Feral straightened, "I am one of the finest warriors among the Nightbrothers," he deflated a bit, "but I don't enjoy killing."

There was more to his words, and Maul felt his own shoulders tighten as the Masters in the room lowered their shields to measure Feral.

The long silence was broken by the Kel Dor, Master Plo Koon.

"I will take him on as my Padawan."

Feral looked startled while Rey and Ahsoka grinned. Maul felt relieved, and was amused with himself, when had he begun to believe that anyone was safe with the Jedi?

He supposed about the same time that he acknowledged that Rey meant more to him than a target.

Windu actually sighed, "Very well, Padawan Feral Opress, welcome to the Jedi Order."

"Much to learn will you," Yoda said, "But welcome you will be, friends already do you have."

Feral smiled shyly at them all before bowing to the room, then bowed again to Koon, "Thank you, Master Plo Koon."

The Kel Dor rose to his impressive height, "Come Padawan, let us get to know one another and get you settled in."

Maul would have watched his brother walk out, but he felt the small Master's attention on him.

Yet Yoda said nothing as Maul met his gaze directly.

Windu spoke, "Your mission, Master Kenobi, was a success and you were wise to call for help rather than allow a war to take place."

Maul flicked his gaze to the Vaapad Master, the implicit meaning was that they blamed him for almost starting the war.

It almost made Maul smile, but his gaze returned to Yoda.

The Grandmaster said nothing, yet Maul knew that he suspected him of withholding information.

He doubted, however, that the little green Master suspected him of being a Sith.

Rey touched Maul's shoulder, silently asking if he was alright.

He nodded, but realized he was going to have to tell her about Sidious sooner rather than later.

Darth Sidious was not pleased, mostly, because there was nothing he could do about his current predicament. He felt like the Apprentice again, submitting to torture to achieve his wants.

Like be nearly frozen to death while the Muun laughed at him.

The same Muun who was laughing at him now.

His own Apprentice who had been spotted walking into the Jedi Temple of his own volition.

"I took steps to ensure he never betrayed me, did you?" Plagueis asked, speaking of Maul.

Sidious said nothing, he had lost control of Maul, he knew that now. Which meant he would have to kill him, kill him hopefully before he revealed all of their secrets.

Plagueis seemed amused by his silence, "Remember, Sidious, the Sith destroyed themselves, not the Jedi."

"What do you believe the Jedi can do? If they attack me, they might play into our hands but the wider galaxy could perceive it badly."

"Being a Sith isn't illegal," Plagueis remarked.

Sidious narrowed his gaze, "You can't mean for me to reveal myself publicly? I would have to submit to an arrest or run."

Plagueis sighed, the sound falling from his lips uninhibited by a breathing mask. He looked younger now then he had when Sidious had first met him. "No, I do not mean for you to run away. Refuse to bow down. As I said, being a Sith is not illegal. The galaxy doesn't remember who the Sith were, only that the Jedi hate us."

"The Jedi are always the heroes."

Darth Plagueis smiled, "No, not always."

Obi-Wan was glad that they had made it home today. Maul had retired with his brother, leaving Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Rey, Qui-Gon, and Dooku time for tea in Qui-Gon's suite.

Ahsoka looked somewhat glum.

Did she really believe I had forgotten?

As she put down her tea, he reached into his pocket and placed a stone on the table before her.

She stared at it, "What's this?"

"A rock," he said with a smile.

She picked it up hesitated, "Thank you?"

He grinned, "Happy thirteenth Life Day, Padawan mine."

Ahsoka blinked at him, and said again, "Thank you, Master."

Rey put her chin in her hands, "What does the rock do?"

"Nothing," he said cheerily, "It's a rock."

Ahsoka frowned at him, "I'm missing the riddle, aren't I?"

"Nope," he said, looking at Qui-Gon, "It's just a 'pretty riverstone.'"

Qui-Gon who had been frowning at the gift, eyes widened with resignation.

"What kind of bantha-crap gift is that?" Rey asked.

"It is an unassuming joke," Dooku said, "Insulting, in fact. Obi-Wan, I am disappointed in you, one's gift to a Padawan is the marker of their childhood and you are meant to honour them as your learner."

Obi-Wan shrugged, and had to fight not to smile at the outraged look on Rey's face and Ahsoka's lost look, as if she was still waiting for the punchline.

"Don't you shrug your shoulders at me, young man," Dooku said, putting down his teacup with a clink on the wooden table.

Qui-Gon flinched.

Rey shook her head, "Obi-Wan, I didn't think you would ever be that mean, least of all to Ahsoka."

"Didn't your Master teach you better?" Dooku asked.

Obi-Wan smiled brightly at Qui-Gon who sighed, "I now see how that gift could be taken as an ill-gesture."

Rey turned on him, "What do you mean, 'now you see?'"

"It was the gift I gave Obi-Wan," he said with false dignity.

Rey gaped at him.

Dooku swatted him over the head, "I taught you better."

Qui-Gon rubbed his head, "I was trying to teach him that material things only have as much value as we place on it."

Dooku sighed, "It isn't supposed to be a lesson, it is meant to be a gift."

"Says the man who gave me a hair grooming kit," Qui-Gon muttered.

Obi-Wan laughed.

Ahsoka rubbed her thumb over the smooth stone, "It's Force sensitive, isn't it?"

Qui-Gon heaved another sigh, "Yes, but I didn't know that when I gave it to him."

Rey shook her head, "You better have gotten her a real gift, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan nodded and held out his hand for his river stone. Ahsoka passed it back and he placed in her hand another stone sawn into a hyde cuff bracelet.

She blinked at the petite cuff, the leather was dyed darkest red, almost moron, and the stone at its centre was matte black and so smooth it was soft to the touch. "This is beautiful, Master."

He smiled, it wasn't ornate by any stretch, but it was her style and modest enough that it wasn't likely to be stolen while she was on missions.

"And useful, hold your palm over the stone for ten seconds."

She did and when she removed her palm, a glimmer showed in the heart of the black stone before a projection, smoother than any hologram, shown of the galaxy.

"Sarka," he said, "is known for their riches and gems, but their artisans are quite remarkable."

The hologram, that was more light projection created by the manufactured stones translating body heat to light, shining through the painstakingly designed map of the galaxy.

"Obi-Wan, I love it," Ahsoka said as she held her hand over it again to get the tiny map to reappear.

"Pick somewhere," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"That's the rest of your present, pick anywhere in the galaxy that isn't inhabitable or in active warfare and we will go explore."

Ahsoka visibly grew more excited, "Really!?"

He nodded, then found himself crushed in a hug.

"You're the best Master ever!"

Qui-Gon folded his arms, "I get it, no need to show me up so spectacularly, Obi-Wan."

Rey snorted, "Show you up? He could just take her out to eat on Coruscant and still would have been better than a rock."

Dooku shook his head mournfully.

Maul was pleased to discover that his rooms were undiscovered by Sidious or Plagueis.

And he knew they hadn't found it because nothing was damaged.

"Have enough explosives?" Rey asked, sounding greatly amused by his traps.

He, on the other hand, was a bit disappointed that Sidious hadn't bothered to track him.

"Maul, are you sure you're alright? You've been quieter than normal."

He finally was sure he could get over the door and walked in, leaving the door open for her to follow him.

He stopped in front of the windows, deactivating the explosives there as well.

"Honestly, what is wrong?" she asked.

Your father is a Sith Lord and the person who kidnapped and trained me, he thought but did not say aloud.

"You've been different since we shared a room at your mother's place. Did you even sleep that night? You were cranky in the morning."

He glanced over his shoulder at her, "We shared a bed, Rey."

She crossed her arms, looking far too appealing in her white desert clothes, she had tossed her outer robe and staff on the sofa pushed back against the wall in the main room.

For her to disarm meant that she trusted him.

She shouldn't have trusted him.

Or, yes, she should.

He looked away from her, even he didn't know anymore. He had so much to explain to her, but he could hardly think of what those things were with the scent of her filling the air between them.

"Maul, talk to me, please."

He stood, and turned to face her, maybe if she just rejected him out right, he could move past these 'feelings'. "You claimed me as your mate," he stated.

"You asked me to," she exclaimed, "so you could travel freely among the Nightsisters."

He took in a bracing breath, "And if I asked you to be my mate in truth?"

She frowned at him, they were the same height and the eye contact could sometimes be unnerving between them. "What does that mean?"

"Sex," he said bluntly.

She blinked, "What?"

"I want to have sex with you."

She stared at him a long moment before saying, "Okay."

He stared at her, "What?"

She grinned, "You asked if I wanted to have sex with you, and my answer is yes. I'll try it with you."

Her answer confused him, but when he stepped toward her, she didn't move back. His hearts were pumping two fast for him to reprocess her word choice. But when he put a claiming hand on her neck and she melted into his touch, he let go.

And the Force, just as it had done when they first met, sang between them.

Maul put a large hand on the back of her neck, and she gazed into his amber eyes. A thrill of danger curled in her gut.

But far from a warning, the Force seemed to be encouraging her.

"You're afraid," Maul growled at her.

She leaned toward him, she could almost feel his pulse jump, "So are you."

And she kissed him.

They parted, and Maul searched her face, looking stunned, and then a look of renewed hunger overtook his features.

He pulled her to him, his hand tightening on the nape of her neck, directing her, his other arm coming around her waist.

He was far from gentle, but she gave as good as she got.

She wasn't sure how they made it back to his bed, honestly, she was too lost in him to keep track of where he was taking her.

Another thrill of terror ignited in her veins, but she neither suppressed nor acted on it.

Maul threw her back on the bed, and she knew she could have fought him, could have ran. She was stronger than Maul, but when he took off his shirt, and she saw the graceful black lines of his tattoos over crimson skin, she accepted that this is what she wanted. She didn't fight the cacophony of emotions that overwhelmed her.

Maul straddled her, and she ran her hands over his muscles, delighting in the feel of another person's flesh.

He caught her hands in his, pinning her, his lips claiming hers.

Yes, she was afraid, and she reached to the Force to guide her.

Maul pulled back with a snarl, but the Force embraced them both, bringing them closer together than she could have possibly imagined.

She let go of the fear, and in the dimly lit room, relaxed into his touch completely. Beneath Maul's amber golden amber gaze she felt for the first time in her life truly feminine and beautiful.

The next morning, Maul got out of bed, pulling on his crumpled dark robes.

Without looking at her, he said, "This changes nothing between us." That was a lie. "We are mates, however, that is not the same as-"

She huffed a laugh.

He turned on her, "Rey, I am not… I will not offer you more."

Which too was a lie of sorts. He wanted this. He wanted this arrangement to be this, wanted them to be mated like this which was more than he had ever dreamed of having with anyone. Friendship and sex, commitment, yet he didn't want to change his life any more than she had already done.

She grinned at him as she sat up and said, "Relax, I'm fine with that. I'm not giving up my life to be with anyone either. But no matter what, you will always be my friend."

He was silent, looking at her tousled hair falling past her shoulders, the flesh he had drunk deeply of, the flesh that was now his in part.

His, because she was truly his mate. Finally, he said, "You are the strangest female I have ever met."

She flung herself back on the black pillows, smiling up at him, her face streaked by sunlight, "I get that a lot, actually."

He scowled at her, "Get back to your Temple, little Jedi."

She threw off the covers and stalked away from the bed. Looking more sure of herself, more processed of her own skin than he had ever seen her before. She sashayed to his restroom. She smirked at him, "You're such a sweet talker."

He growled at her.

She laughed, and stepped into his shower, leaving the door open for him.

AN: Still reading? Thoughts, ideas, neon tetras, or reactions?