10. Encounter In the Desert

===Darth Maul===

It had been a day since Maul had landed on the planet Tatooine, and so far, he had found nothing of interest. That was, until one of his scout droids alerted him to something in the desert. Rising from his meditation, he walked swiftly to the control console, where the droid's feed was displayed on the screen.

The image revealed a massive ship in ruins, having crash-landed on the planet. Around it, hundreds of dead Jawas lay scattered, their sand crawlers burning in the distance. The sight was grim, but it was of little consequence to Maul. He zoomed in on a specific area of the wreckage.

"Two more?" he muttered to himself as he watched two imposing figures—metal giants—emerge from what appeared to be a hangar. He leaned in closer, his hands resting on the console, as the figure in green armor raised his left arm. A shot rang out, instantly obliterating the scout droid.

Maul sighed deeply, lowering his head in thought. He considered his next move, then looked back at the frozen image of the two armored figures. They were like the one his master had been accompanied by—Astartes.

Standing, Maul pressed a button on the console to contact his master. The transmission was immediate, and Maul knelt before the screen.

"Have you found the Queen?" Sidious's voice crackled through the comm.

"Not yet, my master. But I have... interesting news." Maul replied.

"Speak." Sidious commanded.

Maul pressed another button, sending the image to his master. He waited in silence as Sidious's low chuckle filled the air, growing into a cackle as he examined the image.

"Good. Very good." Sidious said, dismissing the transmission with a wave. "See if you can make contact with the two Astartes. Inform them that Sebastian is here on Coruscant. But be cautious. They may attack you on sight." The Dark Lord of the Sith said before the transmission cut off.

Maul paced the interior of his ship, pondering his next steps. There was a chance this was a trap set by his master, but he had trained in the ways of the Force—and in the art of the blade. He was confident that he could destroy any "metal man," though his master had specifically warned him to avoid the one in black armor.

He made up his mind. His primary mission was still the Queen, and that would remain his focus. If he failed, he would leverage the information about Sebastian to his advantage.

With his plan set, he turned his attention to his two remaining droids, waiting for any further intelligence before making his move.

===Maximus===

Walking through the desert with the crate of weapons on his shoulder, Maximus made his way toward the Nubian ship, dispatching any threat that crossed his path. Behind him, the bodies of more Tusken Raiders littered the ground. His patience was wearing thin. The constant interference on this planet was beginning to annoy him, and he vowed that once they had returned, they would conquer this world—with extreme prejudice.

After several hours, the Nubian finally came into view as Maximus crested a hill. As he approached, the younger Jedi, the fake Queen, and Lyra came to greet him.

"Where are the others?" Sabé asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Calm yourself. They are safe." Maximus replied coldly, walking past them and entering the ship.

He set the heavy crate down before exiting the Nubian once more, stepping back into the blistering desert sands.

"Brother, I've made it to the ship. How fares your journey?" Maximus inquired through his Vox link.

"It goes well, brother," Raxor's voice crackled through the comms. "I've taken out another of the scout droids from the Barge. Someone is watching us. I can feel it."

Maximus paused for a moment, scanning the horizon. His helmet's sensors locked onto a distant point, and he reached for his bolt pistol.

"I've destroyed a third," he replied simply, then raised his pistol, firing a single shot.

The loud crack of the shot echoed through the desert, making the Queen, Lyra, and the Jedi jump in surprise. They all turned to Maximus.

"A little warning next time would be appreciated," the young Jedi remarked, rubbing his ears.

"If I cared, I would have given you one," Maximus retorted, his voice icy. He was a patient Astartes, but his tolerance for incompetent, self-entitled psykers like this one was running thin. "Next time, don't stand next to me, and you won't burst an eardrum."

With that, he turned and began heading toward the city to meet Raxor halfway.

"The man has been quite cooperative," Raxor's voice came through the Vox. "He was eager to assist us to get moving."

What neither of the Astartes knew, however, was that while they had been away, Qui-Gon had tested Anakin's blood for midi-chlorians. He was shocked to find that the boy had over twenty thousand midi-chlorians—a remarkable count. But he was even more surprised when, on a whim, he tested Nira's blood as well. She had fourteen thousand, significantly lower than the boy's, but still impressive.

The more time he spent with the two children, the more he recognized signs of Force sensitivity in them. It was far more pronounced in the boy, but Nira showed potential as well. After a conversation with the boy's mother, he was certain of Anakin's power—and he was now determined to get the boy to the Jedi Council.

Qui-Gon immediately set to work, doing everything he could to help them prepare for departure. He ushered the children, Padmé—who had taken a particular liking to Anakin—and Shmi into action, directing them to pack up and get ready to leave.

During this time, he discovered the control device for the explosives implanted in the two slaves. Without hesitation, he deactivated it, rendering the device useless.

By the time the Astartes arrived, the group was nearly ready. It only took them another fifteen minutes to leave the city of Mos Espa.

Maximus had been right: the little girl, Nira, was a bundle of energy, practically bouncing around Raxor as she bombarded him with questions. He was patient at first, but after what felt like the hundredth question, he gently asked her to calm down so he could focus on the task at hand.

Pacified, she complied, leaving to chat with Anakin and Padmé, who had been talking nonstop throughout the journey.

Hours passed, and Raxor's eyes finally caught sight of Maximus in the distance. But there was something else—something unexpected. A speeder, racing at full speed toward Maximus, with a black-robed figure riding it.

As the Astartes trudged through the sudden sandstorm that seemed to appear out of nowhere, the Ultramarine turned at Raxor's warning. A figure on a speeder was racing toward him, cutting through the storm with unnatural speed.

The figure, cloaked in black robes, aimed to pass Maximus without breaking stride. But the Astartes had other plans.

With a sudden burst of speed, Maximus sprinted forward and collided with the speeder, slamming into it head-on. The vehicle shattered under the force of the impact, disintegrating into debris.

The hooded figure reacted instantly, leaping off the speeder as it was obliterated, flipping gracefully in the air before landing lightly on his feet. His lightsaber at the ready as he faced Maximus.

"Another Jedi," Maximus growled, his voice distorted through his helmet's vox.

Maul bristled, seeing the Astartes' words as an insult, but quickly regained his composure.

"My master has instructed me to inform you of someone you know," Maul said, keeping his lightsaber at the ready. "A metal giant like yourself. His name is Sebastian."

Maximus paused, his hand still hovering near his bolt pistol. He stayed his weapon, focusing on the new threat.

"What do you know of Sebastian?" he demanded, his tone cold. "Speak plainly. I'm in no mood for games."

Maul shook his head slightly, a calculated move to keep control of the situation.

"Not so fast," he said, trying to control the exchange. "I propose a trade. I need the Queen of Naboo, and you need the information I hold." His voice was steady, but the offer was clear: negotiate.

Maximus hummed in thought before pulling his left hand away from his bolt pistol. Instead, his right hand reached for his combat knife, which was strapped to his right thigh.

"I'll rip the information from your corpse instead," Maximus said darkly, gripping the massive blade in a reverse stance.

Maul's eyes narrowed, realizing that negotiation was off the table. With a swift motion, he ignited his ruby-red blade, bringing it into both hands.

From a distance, Qui-Gon Jinn, still approaching on his Eopie, gasped at the scene unfolding before him. He immediately began to dismount, but Raxor's hand shot out, stopping him.

"Stay put," He commanded, his voice low but firm. "Watch."

With that, he turned back to the fight, his pace deliberate as he walked forward to observe.

"Let me see what you can do, abomination," Maximus taunted, his voice carrying through the storm.

Maul lunged first, his lightsaber flashing as he aimed for Maximus. The Astartes sidestepped the strike with unnatural speed, knocking the blade away with a gauntleted hand. He backpedaled swiftly, avoiding a wild counter-swipe.

Maul shifted, bringing his blade around to strike at Maximus's head. But the Astartes was ready. He brought his right arm up in a defensive motion, catching the strike with his shoulder pauldron, the blade skidding off his armor.

Maximus was surprised by Maul's speed and agility. He raised his right foot just in time to avoid a swipe from the Jedi's blade, his movements smooth and precise. Yet he remained calm, not yet retaliating, instead watching Maul's every move with the patience of centuries of combat experience.

But then, a sudden shift occurred. Maul used the Force to pull Maximus toward him, dragging the Astartes forward with unnatural speed.

Maximus, though caught off guard, reacted quickly. He brought his combat knife up to intercept Maul's blade, but to his shock, the lightsaber sliced through the knife like it was nothing, cutting it in half with a single, effortless strike.

Before Maximus could recover, Maul spun, igniting the second blade of his double-bladed lightsaber. In one fluid motion, he stabbed backward, the second red blade aimed straight for Maximus's midsection.

The world seemed to freeze as the two figures stood still.

"Interesting," Maximus's deep voice echoed, his tone steady.

Just as Maul's lightsaber was about to pierce his stomach, Maximus's gauntleted hand shot out, seizing the blade and stopping it dead in its tracks. The heat from the blade turned his metal fingers red, but he held firm. With a swift shoulder check, Maximus sent Maul crashing to the ground, stepping back with deliberate calm.

"I will admit, Jedi, you are well trained," Maximus said, his gaze shifting to Raxor, who was slowly approaching.

Maul quickly sprang to his feet, twirling his lightsaber in a display of skill. He was ready for more.

"Especially the way you use the Warp," Maximus continued, waving his left hand to cool the searing metal of his gauntlet.

With a growl, Maul lunged again, faster this time. But Maximus had seen enough.

He caught Maul's lightsaber with his left forearm, the blow deflecting harmlessly off his reinforced armor. In a single motion, Maximus brought his right fist crashing down on Maul's exposed right arm with all his strength.

The impact was brutal. Maul's lower arm was wrenched off completely at the elbow. The shock of pain forced him to turn to the right, but that was exactly what Maximus had been waiting for.

With a swift motion, Maximus grabbed Maul by the chest and lifted him off the ground. He turned to his left, where Raxor now stood, his massive form closing in.

In perfect synchronization, Raxor grabbed Maul by the hips, and with one vicious tug, the two Astartes ripped the Jedi apart, tearing him in half.

The Jedi made no sound as he died though it wouldn't have mattered if he had.

The two Astartes casually discarded the halves of Maul's body before nodding to each other and walking toward Qui-Gon and the rest of the group.

"Hold, brother," Maximus called to Raxor, who halted and turned to face the Ultramarine.

Maximus knelt before dipping two of his fingers in the drying blood coming from the severed arm.

He then removed his helmet without a word and placed his finger in in his mouth before replaced his helmet.

After a moment, memories surged through his mind.

"This is... an interesting galaxy," he said simply to his brother as he stood.

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