Cloak & Dagger

One might have assumed they had turned on their cloaking device on purpose soon after being spotted by the Nubian Royal Starship, that was only partially the truth.

Valad had decided it was time to change his clothes in mid-flight. Undoing his plain black pants and pulling them off. Tossing them at Vaylin's feet and stripping himself most of his garments, only keeping his boxers on.

Vaylin started slapping at him, "Put your clothes back on!" She wasn't used to seeing a man in the nude, or even partially nude unless they were just shirtless. She had brothers.

"Oh, hush up!" He huffed out at her and pulled her over his lap as he lifted open the passenger side seat to reveal an outfit.

Vaylin growled lowly as her face was firmly planted against the cold glass of the fighter's canopy. "I'll space us, right here." She threatened emptily as she peeled her face off of the glass and straddled over his lap, her elbow smashing the cloaking activation sequence.

She didn't dare look down, between his legs.

He'd take a black pair of trousers out of the hold beneath the passenger seat and tugged them up his legs. His arms rubbing against the pant legs of her inner thighs, while the side of his face was pressed against her collar bone.

Her lips twitched distinguishably at the feeling, not really sure about the sensation. Though when she looked down after he put on the trousers, she blinked a few times. The trousers style was notably of Zakuul design, including the boots he pulled out afterward.

He had left his socks on, so there was no need for him to bend forward again to put them on. He stepped into the boots as R9-9D continued to pilot the ship down to the planet surface.

He took out a black and gold tunic, similar to that of Vaylin's brother Thexan's tunic.

Her eyes rested upon the shirt he was pulling on over his head. Her heart began to sank a bit as she began to realize. She would never see her brothers again who had often visited her.

Tears began to well up on her face, her breathing got heavier, much like the panting from before they left. Yet she was able to control herself as she rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed and warm salty years beaded down her face, and onto his new attire. They matched in the terms of aesthetics coming from the same world.

She tried to clear her mind of the emotional turmoil which threatened to distract her from her goal, from Valad's goal. This was her chance to prove herself to him, to her this was everything.

Valad had spared her from a life time of darkness and didn't try to shower her in the light. All he did was shelter her in his arms and hold her as she had finally escaped torment from Jarak.

Sadness, hatred, fear and repeat. Her emotions were like children playing red light green light. At some points they were under her control, while at other moments they overwhelmed her. Her eyes remained closed however as she brought her body close to his. All to remind her of the warmth she now possessed.

In her mind, she possessed her savior. He was hers, she was the King. Like a seagull fighting over a piece of bread, her mind constantly repeated the same message of: 'Mine.'

Hugging his shoulders, she nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing shallowly through her nose against his skin.

It felt like all his hair was standing up on end as he felt the warmth of her breath, tickling him like a gentle heated breeze. He licked his lips slightly as the ship began to zoom passed the droid control ship which was over the planet.

Just like in the movie Star Wars The Phantom Menace, there was only a single ship over the planet. For some reason it seemed the reality was still trying to keep things rather familiar, as if it had been predetermined. All they had to do was shuffle some of the factors and flip the numbers.

"Wait..." Valad announced abruptly, causing Vaylin to raise her head and look at him with bloodshot eyes. A dark questioning expression was on her face, like a cat that just got taken from its favorite blanket.

"I forgot to let the others know we were leaving the Trevi system," He pursed his lips in thought as he leaned into the luxury seat of the two seater craft.

Vaylin made an unamused face, making her jaw lower, but her mouth remained closed initially. "From what you told me while we trained, they need the time to hone their skills. Plus... This is my time, not theirs." Her disapproving long face quickly turned into a sneer of dismissal of his worries, purely for herself.

Valad simply sat there as he coyly moved his fingers around her waist. "So that's how you feel?" He asked with a slithery grin, a sly look in his eye.

"Don't make me turn this ship around!" Chirped the astromech furiously as it was listening in on what was going on within the cockpit whether it liked it or not.

Valad looked over at the droid through the canopy window, Vaylin accompanying him in doing so. Both of them seemed to glare at the droid as it had butted in where it shouldn't have. The droid silently returned the glare, luckily, it didn't have to blink!

...

"Three hyperspace signatures had been detected outside the planetary system..." The Communications and Science officers on board the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship 'Pipii Calaa' said aloud to the rest of the bridge crew. "Must be the Sith Apprentice Nute Gunray is expecting, the other one is the Nubian Royal Starship. The Queen has returned to free her people~" The Neimoidian mused as if believing they'd fail in their task to retake Naboo from the Trade Federation's grasp.

There was a long pause as they saw a third vector which had come from the modified Jedi Starfighter. "This other... Just disappeared? Its ion trail was of an unknown composition."

...

After a short flight the Delta-series craft landed in the main hangar of the Royal Palace, using its cloaking device to remain undetected. Storing itself in a corner, the two occupants climbed out of the vessel and crouched down behind a group of crates.

"Wait here," Valad said telepathically to Vaylin who nodded in kind as she watched him creep away from her.

He made his way over to the N-1 Fighters which were still yellow. The ones he had customized had been moved elsewhere it seemed. Or there was a possibility that they had been repainted the gross mustard yellow.

His eyes closed as he hid behind another set of crates, allowing the force to guide him. Yet as he was doing this, his concentration was completely thrown off by the sound of a ding. Opening his eyes, he looked at the mini-map which he hadn't really been using all that much. There were droids creeping around, guarding the ships. Yet there was a gold arrow highlighting the fighter which Anakin Skywalker would be using later on. A grin formed over his lips.

Sitting cross legged, using the force to keep himself concealed during this duration, as he meditated. He reached out and with the power of mechu-deru began to alter the auto-pilot program of the craft's operating system. Centering his will, he was able to make it so that it would move extremely slowly on its way out of the hangar. And should Anakin bypass it afterward, the sensors would cause it to reactivate and stall the ship once the ship overheats. This was an attempt to trap Anakin either on the Droid Control ship or to be shot down by the tank sitting outside the hangar.

Once his deed was finished, he made his way back over towards the Delta-series fighter and crouched down beside Vaylin.

"Took you long enough," She muttered to herself as she watched the movement of the droids. He had been undetected for several minutes when he had done his work on the fighter. She had no real idea what he had done or why, but she wasn't going to question it.

It wasn't her place.

Within the hour the world itself felt as if it was going to stand still. Maul had since entered the fray and hid behind the massive doors, awaiting the appearance of the Jedi and their charge, the Queen.

The Queen and her pilots broke into the Hangar, rushing towards those large doors. She however paused when she saw the familiar face of Valad approaching from the opposite side of the hangar.

Padme's eyes immediately locked onto yet another new girl who was standing beside him. She had a saber pike in her hands. "Get to your ships!" She shouted as her people were fighting the droids.

"Find somewhere to hide!" Anakin listened to Jin's order, getting inside of an N-1 Fighter.

"You're the ones I sensed before... Your connection to the force is very strong, stronger than I've ever felt..." Qui Gon Jin was taken aback by this revelation, the child who he had taken from Tatooine was lesser in connection in the force compared to Valad and Vaylin, especially Vaylin.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Master Jin," Valad stated as his gaze then changed to Obiwan Kenobi, "Obiwan." He gave a light nod before turning his gaze towards the door that has yet to be opened.

Anakin stood in his cockpit watching them, his eyes looking over Padme who was staring at Valad. His lips curled slightly in a curious expression as he sat down in the pilots seat as the canopy closed thanks to the workings of R2D2. Just like in the movies the ship began to hover and made its way slowly towards the mouth of the hangar. He fired the ships powerful cannons and wiped the floor with the destroyer droids.

"Eh!? It's on automatic pilot!" The ship made its way out of the hangar, being narrowly missed by several explosive bolts of energy fired by a tank. One of them even grazed the canopy and the front of the ship, before falling down below.

With the droids cleared in the hangar the Queen and the security forces made their way towards the big black double doors. However both the Jedi felt something was off, other than the presence of the two children.

Valad looked two years older than the Princess, he was around sixteen years old. Vaylin looked around the same age as the Princess as well.

As they marched to the doors, Panaka jumped slightly and most of the officers stopped seeing Darth Maul being revealed as the doors opened. His bright evil eyes clear with his red skin and black tribal tattoos. He was more intimidating to look at than in the movies, but Valad and both Vaylin stealed themselves.

"We'll take care of this," Jin said as he noticed the Darth Maul waiting for them with his lightsaber staff at the ready. Both of the Jedi shrugged their cloaks to the ground and drew their weapons.

The Queen and her officers split like the red sea and went in two different directions, changing their plans. They had to get to Nute Gunray who was present in the Palace and end this feud.

Valad drew his lightsaber from his 'sleeve' and ignited its permafrost blade. A grin forming over his lips. He twirled the blade between his fingers casually.

Vaylin activated her own saber pike which was real, its focusing crystal and blade a fiery golden color. She held it with both hands as she expanded the hilt and held it out in front of her as if ready to poke a hive of angry bees.

"Mind if we join you?!" Vaylin asked loudly, ready to show off her moves in front of her 'savior' who had freed her from the 'prison' that her father held her in.

Jin gave them a glance, a noble nod before looking forward towards their enemy.

Darth Maul had only been expected a pair of lightsabers, not two pairs. He was outnumbered, but he believed the children were hardly a match for him. He'd take them out before they could do anything.

Opening the command line however within the companion tab with Vaylin's application. He sent a single command: 'Hold him in place with the use of the force.' As soon as he entered this command and it was acknowledged. He watched as she almost instinctively reached out her hand, the force rippling out and grasping at Darth Maul.

Feeling the force being used, he tried to move back, but was suddenly caught in a telepathic grip.

He began to growl, darkness and an aura of fear spread from him. He was being cornered? By a child!? He used his own force training to disperse the hold, but it was just enough for the Jedi pair to move in.

Jin took the high strikes and Obiwan took the low. They fought together and in great synchronization.

Vaylin was left speechless, wondering what had come over her before looking over at Valad with a brow raised. She then returned her attention to the fight before them and charged. Moving in between the Jedi, her pike was able to reach in and cut his saber staff in half. Making one of the ends defunct.

Surprised by the sudden move, Darth Maul quickly retreated, his footwork changing. He needed to prove himself to his master. All that he had was his usefulness and the girls who admired him in his hold.

However that was when he noticed, the boy from earlier was gone? His red eyes shifted about as he deflected the blows from Jin and Obiwan. He used dirty moves, often employing the use of the force and propelling them back or himself away.

Vaylin seemed to step out of the way of his strikes, and keep enough distance between her and him that Maul wasn't even able to reach her with his shorter weapon.

Valad was walking away from the fight, already having left visual sight of the others. A single quest had appeared on his interface.

[ Optional Quest: Kill Darth Maul's Crew. ]

Valad didn't remember Darth Maul ever having a crew, but it was rather obvious that he had changed a large portion of what would be the canon realm of Star Wars. With the death of Palpatine, it seemed Darth Plagueis gave the Zabrak personal connections for him to use to manipulate him.

While he wasn't happy about the quest, he knew the skills that Darth Maul had, this would serve as a way to distract him as his attachments were painfully severed.

Approaching the original scimitar, he used the force to command the airlock to open and the loading ramp to descend. He began walking up the ramp and as he came inside, the door opened.

"Welcome back Ma–" To scandalously dressed women who were once cheerful at the return of their friend, paused seeing a human man standing before them with a very cold feeling blade of molten plasma. "S–"

They were cut off as Valad literally used the force to send his blade spiraling through the air, decapitating them both instantly, killing Kilindi Matako and Daleen without remorse.

Of course if the situation didn't call for this, he wouldn't have done it. They were skilled fighters, but he needed to make sure Maul had nothing and no one. And to cause him pain in a fight for his life.

Darth Maul almost trembled, both of the Jedi and Vaylin felt the loss of life. They also noticed his reaction and pushed on. He was quick to get back on his feet, but it was like fighting the three musketeers. He kept parrying Jins and Obiwan's attacks, but kept getting little cuts from Vaylin's movements.

He grunted, he found a blade of blue plasma plunged into his sternum, grazing his heart and disintegrating part of his vertebrae almost instantly. He wore a face of surprise on his face, furrowing his brows as he dropped off the side of the elevated walkway, smashing the top of his head against another walkway on his way down. A loud crack emanating from his neck, before he slid off feet first into the dark abyss below.

It was felt and confirmed within those moments that Darth Maul had died, fighting as a warrior he was.

Valad wasn't smiling after he had done the deed of murdering the Sith Lord's compatriots. Though if he had given them time to respond, they would have likely given a good fight.

He turned on the ships self-destruct function and exited the craft, using the force to shove it out of the hangar and into the flood plains below. Though it exploded halfway down, littering the plains with flames and burning debris.

[ Quest complete. Replica of Darth Maul's Saberstaff rewarded. ]

His eyes dully looked at the completed goal, he then looked towards the open sky above the Palace. He stood at the edge of the Hangar and used the force to feel the fight going on up above.

He could feel Anakin's panic. He had been shot.

"Oh no R2, we've been hit!" Valad visualized the scene, recalled the boy's voice. He was watching everything and Anakin could feel it. He was being watched by the unknown young man from before. He was able to navigate through the hangar of the Trade Federation ship at first, but accidently smashed one of his engines into one of the open doors.

The engine popped off and he was sent spiraling on the hangar floor. Droids were beginning to approach the wreck as the boy noticed that his ship's fuel was leaking, and all of his instruments were overheated.

"I know, I know," Anakin shouted as R2 started to scream and chirp. He started flicking switches and repetitively trying to get the starship up and running again. He had heard about pilots flying with one engine before, so he believed he could do it.

"Got it!" He cheered as he got the ship into a partial hover and began firing at the droids. His shields were weak but online. "Take this! And this!" He fired the proton torpedoes and immediately the autopilot turned itself on. Everything turned off as he hovered a few inches towards the exit. It then flopped onto the hangar floor.

Anakin Skywalker could not be anymore devastated. He saw the explosion from the corner of his eye after the reactor collapsed on itself as he hit it with a missile. "What... What's going on?" He started smashing his controls, but nothing he tried to do intellectually would work.

That's when R2 spoke up, Anakin's eyes going wide. "Sabotage...? But who would want to kill me?" It was too late to think on it, there was barely enough time to cry. "...What about my mom...?" The hangar was quickly taken over by the explosion and cascade reaction. His fighter and himself were quickly vaporized with its astromech droid almost forthright by the eruption.

Jin froze as he felt the death of Anakin Skywalker above the planet and just stood there with a dumbfounded expression, sadness in his eyes. Two deaths caused the Sith Lord to fail in survival, and then suddenly Anakin Skywalker was lost. The boy he thought he was going to train, that he would have had his own apprentice train should he perish here, was gone.

"Was he not the chosen one?" He asked aloud as he let his arms lay lax at his sides, his saber deactivated.

Vaylin was just casually walking away, in the direction of Valad in the hangar.

Obiwan stood there, watching his master. He had been unsupportive of his master and yet, he had no reason to be. The boy was lost, the Jedi wouldn't have to deal with him. His eyes however locked on Vaylin.

Jin's eyes also locked on her, "If you try calling me kid, brat or girl, I'll stab you." Vaylin pointed to the ceiling of the room before exiting and entering the corridor leading to the hangar. It was time to get going.

...

"I think it's time to sign a different kind of treaty, Viceroy!"