* * *
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi braced themselves as Darth Maul ignited his double-bladed lightsaber and lunged at them.
The two Jedi moved in tandem, immersing in the Will of the Force, allowing their moves, their attacks flow in accordance to its guidance.
Darth Maul swung his blade rapidly keeping up the slash and slice of the two lightsabers against him. Forced to move back on the wall, Darth Maul threw a half-body of a battle droid onto the control panel opening the blastdoor in the process. The Sith retreated inside the Plasma Refinery Complex for better maneuverability.
Obi-Wan employed Form IV or Ataru against the Sith while the older Jedi switched into Form VI or Niman to keep pace with the powerful and swift Form VII or Juyo, or for some, Vaapad, fighting style of Darth Maul.
Qui-Gon Jinn have never felt this overly intense and exulted on a lightsaber battle in all of his life. A lingering sense in the Force seems to whisper to him that this would be the most momentous test of his fighting skills.
The dark side, unseen but as palpable and as tangent as the stale air circulating within the complex fogs their senses swirled around them. Darth Maul was using their determination to defeat him as a conduit to feed the dark side and turn it as a black veil against them, shrouding their sense, slowing their judgment.
Obi-Wan felt the crawling darkness in the Force and willed his self to counter it with his own strength. He strikes fast and low whenever Qui-Gon move up, and swing hard up when his former Master takes the low attack.
Darth Maul snarled as the two manages to keep him in the edge despite his efforts to push them back. He felt he was beginning to run out of pavement to stand on so he somersaulted across the chasm onto the next platform.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon leaped after him and landed toe to toe with the Zabrak Sith. Their lightsabers clashed and they wrestled their blades, each pushing the other. It became a contest of sheer strength. Their eyes met and held each others’ gaze and none of the three were blinking. Then Lord Maul pushed them off with such power that the two fell on their back on the cold metal pavement.
The Sith charged at the younger Jedi as Qui-Gon rolled up, sprung and in a two-handed grip lashed his lightsaber on the belly of Darth Maul.
Maul dropped on the pavement and slid past the Jedi. The green blade of Qui-Gon dangerously passing two inches from the Zabrak’s chest and over his face.
Qui-Gon got up on his knees as Maul rolled to swing his double crimson blade on Obi-Wan. But the Knight was ready for him and he jumped up as the swinging blade of the Sith sliced through empty air where Kenobi’s knees was only seconds ago.
Obi-Wan landed behind Maul but as the Zabrak turns around to give Kenobi a powerful hammering the emerald blade of Qui-Gon intercepted the blow and pushed Maul’s blade back at the same time the younger Jedi charged and collided with the Sith, his shoulder connecting hard on Darth Maul’s abdomen sending the two falling off the ramp and landing hard on the next walkway some ten meters below them.
Qui-Gon Jinn jumped after the two and landed a few meters off and ran back to help his former student.
Darth Maul pivoted and reversed left and gave Obi-Wan a roundhouse kick sending him sliding off the walkway. The Zabrak looked up and saw Qui-Gon descending with his lightsaber upraised towards him. Maul stretched out his hand and Force-choked the older Jedi in mid-air but he suddenly felt a solid blow sending him sailing down to the lower walkway below.
Obi-Wan saw the Sith Force-choking his former master and he rushed to the rescue and Force-shoved him but as the Zabrak fell over, so did Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon Jinn slowed his fall and landed a few meters from the stunned Zabrak. As the Jedi advances, the Sith flipped up and lashed at him with his crimson blade. Qui-Gon stepped back and spun around to the other side with his arm outstretch holding out his lightsaber bearing down on the Sith’s neck.
Darth Maul rolled under the blow and came up behind him and slashed his lightsaber on Qui-Gon’s back. But the Jedi merely swung around and gave a boot on his face.
The Zabrak staggered but Qui-Gon was determined to finish him off so he pushed forward and gave the Sith a series of deadly attack combinations. Darth Maul was forced to focus on the defensive as the older Jedi seemed to have absorbed some unknown strength and endurance as he kept pounding the Zabrak again and again without slowing, without stopping.
Qui-Gon became a blur of swirling green blade as Darth Maul struggled to keep up with the Jedi’s relentless attacks. The Sith growled as the Jedi switched from Niman to Juyo and to something else entirely.
Obi-Wan jumped down to the lower walkway and ran to where the two combatants were fighting and saw them enter another chamber. Kenobi went after them and saw there were a series of laser-doors automatically locking in and opening repeatedly in a certain timed sequence.
Darth Maul made a dash into the reactor core vent chamber the moment he got out from the onslaught of the Jedi Master.
Qui-Gon chased him while Obi-Wan came following not too far behind them. Darth Maul reached the exhaust platform inside the reactor core vent chamber before Qui-Gon was stopped by the locking laser-doors as Obi-Wan manage to get into the first pair of laser-doors.
Darth Maul looked at the red laser-door and touches the tip of his blade on it. Sparks flew and the shield held. The Sith paced in front of Qui-Gon, watching him like a caged animal, taunting.
Qui-Gon knelt down and communed with the Force. Exuding calmness and control and setting aside his excitement and intent to kill the Sith.
Obi-Wan slashed his lightsaber on the side laser-projector but the metal held leaving only faint burn marks where his blade connected. Kenobi frowned and wondered at what kind of metal it was made of then he looked down at the floor and stomped his feet, the pavement wasn’t hollow but thick but he could feel some power thrumming underneath. He then pointed his blade downward and started cutting a circular hole on the floor.
Suddenly the laser-doors opened simultaneously and Qui-Gon sprang up with such suddenness that when he collided his blade with Darth Maul’s the Sith was forced to take a few steps back from the impact.
Obi-Wan pulled out his blade to follow them but the laser-doors closed once more so he we went back on finishing the hole he was cutting.
Qui-Gon’s blade came down on Maul like an executioner’s axe with such force that Maul almost lost his grip on his own lightsaber upon contact. Maul threw back the other’s blade but Qui-Gon duck under his blade and his fist shoots upward with lightning speed, the Jedi’s knuckles impacting with a loud crunch as the Zabrak’s chin.
Darth Maul staggered back utterly dazed and as he tries to steady himself, the Sith tasted and spat blood. Some of his teeth also came out. As the Zabrak reorients himself, Qui-Gon was already upon him head first.
Somehow Darth Maul have recovered from his momentary shock and back-flipped across the reactor’s exhaust well and landed on the other side of the platform. Qui-Gon’s momentum almost took him over the chasm but the Jedi stabbed his blade on the pavement to stop his stumble.
Obi-Wan dropped on the narrow and low space crawl where cables ran from one end to another. He crawled straight to the general direction of the path leading to the chamber but as he neared the end he saw that there was a solid metal wall blocking his path. He had measured that he was only below the last pocket of space blocked by the last pair of laser-doors.
Frustrated but persistent, Obi-Wan turned around to face the underside of the pavement floor above and began cutting again and trying not to let the molten metal drips on him.
Up in the platform, the match leveled, despite the efforts of Qui-Gon and the strength he had drawn from the Force, the youth and resiliency of Darth Maul slowly and easily matches that of Qui-Gon’s, and even exceeded, slowly.
Second by second, Darth Maul gained momentum and gathered force against the attacks of Qui-Gon until he completely reversed their situation and it was the Sith who has returned
on the offensive, forcing the old Jedi to rely on the defensive once again.
The laser-doors opened once more and a blade came out on the surface on the last pocket in the entrance to the chamber followed by the circular slab of metal being Force-shoved away and the arms and head of Obi-Wan Kenobi started to squirm his way out of the underbelly of the pavement.
Obi-Wan finally got out but the laser-doors had once more closed in on him and he was left there standing and watching the fight between his former master and the Sith continues.
Darth Maul pivoted and fainted left then quickly swung right, his lightsaber blade coming straight at the Jedi’s body.
Qui-Gon moved his blade to parry the incoming stab but the Sith grinned at him and the old Jedi’s eyes grew in disbelief as the Sith, with lightning speed focus, uses the Force to internally shuts down Qui-Gon’s lightsaber.
Everything seemed to move so slow for Qui-Gon and for Darth Maul.
As the Zabrak’s blade came piercing the air before him towards his belly, Qui-Gon’s hand holding his lightsaber came down, it’s blade supposed to clash on the Sith’s and deflect the fatal stab. But his lightsaber snapped close microseconds before it was supposed to clash with Maul’s blade.
Exposed and too late to move away, the crimson blade buried itself through the Jedi’s tunic, skin, flesh, and intestine and came out at his back.
Obi-Wan screamed in a mixture of fear, shock, rage, hatred and disbelief when he saw the red beam of the Sith’s lightsaber emerged at the back of his former Master.
Qui-Gon Jinn fell on the platform heaving for air, feeling cold and getting numb. The old Jedi stared up on the bright lights up on the high ceiling. His eyes saw past the glare and saw flashes of images.
Master Yoda giving lessons, Master Dooku picking him for apprenticeship, the lovely face of Tahl, his apprentices Feemor and Xanatos… and Obi-Wan and then he saw the face of Anakin Skywalker.
Qui-Gon slowly turns his head and saw Obi-Wan screaming behind the laser-door, Darth Maul stepping over him to taunt the young Jedi Knight.
Qui-Gon tried to speak but his lips and throat were dry and all he got out was a silent wordless croak.
Darth Maul watches the agony and pent up rage of Obi-Wan with sick amusement. He barred his teeth and coiled his tongue, savoring the pain of his next kill.
The very moment the laser-doors opened Darth Maul was caught off guard as a powerful Force-shove struck him by the neck throwing him almost over the chasm at the center. Obi-Wan leaped out to the air in a somersault and landed a pair of boots on the Sith.
Darth Maul began to fall but using the Force he kicked the edge of the chasm and sent himself sailing across the hole to the other side of the platform. Obi-Wan ran around to engage him and the Sith growled furiously.
The two clashed violently and a shower of sparks flew as their lightsabers went pounding at each other. Each blow is stronger than the first one and each strike as swift as ever. For a full minute the two combatants were locked in a flurry of swirling red and blue blades, the Jedi’s dirty white tunic and the Sith’s black clothes blurred together in an astounding showdown of skills and discipline and creativity in the Force and in lightsaber techniques.
Obi-Wan’s focus never wavered as every slight indication of Maul’s next moved was easily predicted by the Jedi. Maul was equally intent at his enemy, reading his facial expression, body language up to the most trivial stirrings in the Force the Jedi’s mind projects or hinted.
Darth Maul suddenly sensed something else and in that microsecond Obi-Wan reared and caught a spinning lightsaber and ignited its green blade.
The Sith staggered as Obi-Wan came down at him with two blades, the Jedi switching from Juyo to Jar’Kai. This changes momentarily rattled Darth Maul but the Sith recovered at once and applied a different approach and switched to Dun Möch.
Maul use the Force to ripped panels, tubes, pipes and other objects from the walls of the chamber and hurled it at Obi-Wan as he maintains a fierce lightsaber battle with him.
Somehow the objects he was hurling were being deflected and Obi-Wan’s concentration against him wasn’t even wavering. Then Maul realized something and took a risky glance to where the older Jedi lay.
Darth Maul saw Qui-Gon on his side with one arm outstretched and using the Force to throw off the objects Maul has been hurling to Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan took advantage at the distraction and swung his blue blade upward cutting the second half of the hilt of Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber.
The useless second half flew in sparks and parts while Kenobi intensified his attack on the Sith with his two lightsabers.
Darth Maul back away leaped farther to give himself room. Obi-Wan followed closely but Maul had finally braced himself, with one hand he threw Obi-Wan down the chasm while on his other hand he forcefully snatched both blades through the Force and threw it behind him.
Obi-Wan sailed down and managed to grab one of the side panel lights with his feet dangling under a very deep chasm.
Darth Maul turned to regard the dying Jedi and tightened his grip on his remaining lightsaber. Obi-Wan felt the Sith’s intention and with all the rage he could muster, the young Jedi Knight Force-leaped and somersaulted over the startled Sith Lord.
Maul looked up at Obi-Wan as the Jedi leaped over him, in that fatal mistake, he never saw that Obi-Wan has quickly summoned and ignited his and his master’s lightsabers that came flying and swirling behind the Sith.
The two blades passed through the waist of the stunned Darth Maul, the pair of lightsabers spinning in the air and returning to the hands of Obi-Wan has he landed behind Maul.
Darth Maul felt nothing but a shocked disbelief, he tried to look at his nemesis but Obi-Wan kicked him off to the pit.
The Sith fell in two separate pieces. Obi-Wan dropped the pair of lightsabers on the pavement and ran to his master. The light in Qui-Gon’s eyes were already fading and his ebbing presence in the Force was too much for Obi-Wan to take. He knelt there and placed his dying master’s head over his lap and wept.
“Obi-Wan… my son… the boy… train him… he is the Chosen One… promise… me…” Qui-Gon struggled to speak, his voice so weak Obi-Wan could hardly hear him.
“I will, Master. I promise.” Obi-Wan sobbed and Qui-Gon’s body went limp. Obi-Wan held him for a moment. His thoughts raced on his memories with his beloved master. From the moment Qui-Gon chose him, to the disappointments and failures he gave to him, to the hurt in his master’s eyes when Obi-Wan decided to leave the order, to his forgiving smile when he embraced him back. Obi-Wan was there when his master grieved for Tahl and Qui-Gon was also there for him to help him deal with his own dilemma about Siri Tachi.
Obi-Wan stood up, picked up the two lightsabers and clipped it on his belt then return to pick up his master. He carried the corpse of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn out of the Plasma Refinery Complex.
“I will not disappoint you this time, my master.” Obi-Wan whispered to the unmoving face of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Chapter 48: Young Heroes
Anakin Skywalker easily got along with Rinn Olié after the two were introduced to each other by Artoo Detoo.
After Qui-Gon and the others had gone off somewhere, Max approached Anakin and made quick introductions and then led the boy to the two ship wreckage. One lies on the side, the fuselage and the rest of its body were so badly crushed it was no longer recognizable as a ship, even the yellow finish were chipped and burnt, exposing dull silver gray metals. The second one was at the center and are still burning.
The third one on their left seemed in good condition but Anakin turns to focus his wandering mind and eyes to the oldest boy in the gathering group.
“Anakin, how fast can you re-assemble an N1 Starfighter?” Max Entarrie pointed on the only ship that still looks operational.
Anakin did not answer at once. He was looking inside the open service hatch under the fuselage, Rinn and Max moved closer to him to see what he was doing.
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Anakin came out with some smudges of grease in his face, arms and hands. “Hyperdrive’s dead but the battle would be in close orbit so it doesn’t matter, the real problem lies on the burned out power cells, two out of the four ones has to be replaced. Life-support systems are low on oxygen, landing gear is jammed so it’ll have to skid and crash if it has to land. The acceleration compensators are unstable but I think it could hold for an hour tops…”
Max nodded, his expertise were more on the software area and he only knows the basics of ship engineering. Rinn was on the other side of the wing and came back to them shaking his head.
“Ionization chamber on the left wing is clogged; some of the wirings must have melted inside. The ship will erratically dip throughout the flight but aside from that, it can still fly and be maneuvered.” Rinn explained rapidly in a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
“Geesh Rinn, whenever you go technical you always loose that kid grammar of yours, that’s scary Rinn.” Max commented and looked behind him as Artoo Detoo came towing two power cells and two kids behind him were each carrying three acceleration compensator boost chambers.
Artoo issued a long series of chirps and beeps while Anakin and Rinn listened intently and occasionally nodding. Max looked at them questioningly, “What?”
“Give us ten minutes and this ship can fly in circles!” Anakin exclaimed.
* * *
Nym, Reti, Vana, Rhys and Borvo the Hutt and the rest of their surviving men were shoved by the battle droids into the heavily armored prison tanker that would take them to Moenia where the entire city have been fenced in by the invasion force and converted the foggy city into a vast prison camp for all captives.
A small but violent and costly skirmish took place there just a day ago, the resistance led by Borvo the Hutt and his private army. Most of them were killed and Borvo the Hutt are nothing short of unstoppable to give some payback, the massive slug would have gone suicidal but Nym and Reti knocked some sense into the Hutt and convinced him to follow their lead.
That is their destination. Nym desperately scanned the vicinity of any means to fight back and buy enough time for at least one or two of them could make the slip but there was nothing, the area is practically littered with thousands of battle droids, hundreds of AATs and STAP riders.