21. Maul

Maul Pov

I came to slowly, my mind swimming. I was in what appeared to be a containment capsule, filled with some form of slime. The strange part wasn't that I was conscious, no... it was that I was breathing. It would seem this slime like substance that filled my pod had some form of life support properties that even the kKaminoans would be hard pressed to mimic.

My mind went blank, and I was confused. I didn't remember being captured... the last thing I remember was Tatooine, and a black blur... if before I was half asleep, I was now wide awake. I was certain I had been captured by that black blur, and I had to escape! My Master, Lord Sideous, would be expecting a report by now, and if I didn't give him one soon, I might be killed. I had to get out, but when I tried to move, my limbs.. they just didn't respond.

I was unable to move my arms and legs. I found I could move my head, though only just... and what I saw terrified me. Dozens of male Dathomirian Zabrak, each floating in a pod just like mine, each sleeping. What our jailers were going to do to us, I didn't know. I didn't want to know.

I tried reaching out to the force in a sheer panic, but then I felt my mind slipping back into sleep. The slime had some form of sedative that seemed to activate when there was force energy moving through it.

My grasp on my own sanity slipping, I resisted, only to fall more quickly into sleep.

Later

My pod shuddered, and I woke with a start. I saw the black bugs taking the pods away, there was only half a dozen of my people left in the room. I was situated apart from them, they seemed to know I was different from my brothers. I simply watched, studying the strange creatures.

They were tall, lanky, but I could tell they had powerful muscles, even if they were not visible through their chitin like skin. they had a pair of insectoid wings, like those of a Geonosian. it was.. strange. these drones had only two, where as those Geonosians who could fly had four. the black bugs could still fly though, and they were quite agile, and quick.

It was then that a four winged bug approached my pod. if the others were lanky, this one was downright scrawny, and yet, every instinct screamed out at me to run. that I would never survive a fight with this thing if it were determined to kill me. it rested a clawed hand on my pod, and I could feel a presence touch my mind.

'Be calm,' it said. 'Our Queen, The Mother Goddess has dictated that none of your brothers nor yourself shall be harmed. She wishes to speak with you about furthering your Sith training, something your master has sorely neglected. now, sleep, and when next you wake, you will be on Mother's Flagship, Remembrance. Resistance is futile.'

My ship...

'Your ship is safe. our technicians removed several remote activated explosives, and wiped the transponder.'

I could feel sleep overtaking me again, and this time I did not fight it. Resistance is futile.

'Maul. It is time to wake. You will be removed from your pod and brought before our Mother. you will submit yourself fully to her teachings, and she will grant you power beyond imagining.'

'Yes. Resistance is futile.' I responded. I felt my will to resist at that point was none existent. I wanted to submit to this Goddess, I needed to serve her. I sensed my pod being broken open, and felt myself falling onto the floor. I began to vomit and tremble, the slime in my lungs no longer fully sustaining me.

I hacked up all of it, then the bug, grasped my right arm to help me stand.

'You were in hibernation for two years. You will be hungry and you will be weak. Come with me, I will give you food and water, as well as your clothing. We had it cleaned and repaired.'

Resistance is futile. That one singular thought had grown to invade every corner of my mind. I knew now, even if I wanted to, I could not defy a direct order from these creatures. Better to simply obey. I could feel the difference in my thinking, when compared to who I was before. it was as if I had died and been reborn, my only purpose was to serve the Queen.

After retrieving my clothing, I was told it had been improved by many protective spells and enchantments through the use of the Force, they gave me a bottle of water and several nutrient bars.

Next was the medical center, where they hooked me up to several strange machines. One beeped at regular intervals, while another made strange sounds, like wind through a tunnel. a third seemed to scan my blood, and deemed that I had no contagious illnesses that would spread through the Hive. The fourth i was told scanned my brain activity, telling them I was mentally stable and that the 'conditioning agent' in my pod had worked as it was meant to.

I was deemed healthy, with only very minor muscle and fatty tissue loss due to the extended hibernation period. they warned against any strenuous activities, untill it was cleared by medical staff, saying it may cause more harm than good.

Even though I was wearing my armor, I felt naked without my weapon. When I asked where it was, they said they had not been able to retrieve it. They did however gather the parts and materials I would need to craft a new one from the Queens hoard, on her orders.

I was shown to the Crystal Cavern, deep within the heart of the Hive. I was then provided any and all materials I would need, and told to select two crystals for my new dual-bladed light saber.

A vision of two red and black phantom quartz crystals, growing from the same stone, appeared in my mind. I reached out, and felt them land in my hand.

'Those particular crystals are very rare. Only the Queen and her four Generals have been able to acquire that particular subspecies of Ghost Fire Kyber. it only grows underground, and only in areas where Dark Side energy is naturally existent.'

'What are they called?'

'The Queen calls them PhantomHive Kyber.'