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Obi-Wan felt it first. A change in the force, a strange compulsion to leave like the one he felt on Corscant.
At that point, he was rather hotly engaged with Dark Maul (the second) and unable to respond.
Pushing away from the Sith, the two combatants faced each other again. Obi-Wan could see from the other's expression and bearing that he too felt some sort of change. But then they clashed again.
Reaching out for The Force, Obi thought to toss the other away from him or at least set him off balance; but rather than that, the force seemed to be acting rather reluctant. Maul took advantage of the Obi's imbalance and pressed the attack. After a few attacks and parries, he actually managed to cut through the other's light saber.
"Oh damn."
The triumphant Sith raised his weapon for a killing blow, but before he could strike, Obi-Wan heard a hollow "bong" sound. Maul's eyes crossed and he dropped to the ground. Behind him stood Padme, wielding her crowbar and a smug expression.
"Oh thanks!"
"That's two you owe me."
"Yes, well, you know…beginner's luck."
"Uh-huh."
Obi-Wan got up and brushed himself off.
(Pop)
"That's not the same gum that…"
Just at that moment, Obi-Wan froze. With all his concentration, he barely managed to stand. Looking at the temple, it seemed as if all the color was being sucked out the world into one spot. His heart labored and sweat broke out on his brow.
"Obi-Wan? Are you OK?"
The world seemed to darken, first at the edges and then gathering into a single point. It was like a black sun had risen behind the temple. Forming a point, he couldn't take his eyes from, it writhed and changed shape until…
"Good work, Padme."
"Thanks."
(Pop)
Obi-Wan was looking at the temple. The world was slowly regaining light and color…except for one point. It seemed as if there were a hole in the sky, and that stray motes of light were passing into it.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I think he saw Elvis."
Padme frowned.
"Who's that?"
"Never mind. We need to distract him though. Did you take out Darth Maul before or after Obi-Wan lost his light saber?"
Obi-Wan started as if he had been waken from a dream.
"Look, it can happen to the most experienced Jedi. I just got a little unlucky."
"Uh-huh."
The Jedi looked cross. Darth Maul (the second) groaned and stirred. Padme whacked him again with the crow bar.
"Remind me to stay on her good side."
"Where's Palpatine?"
"He's gone."
"That's what you said the last time."
Anakin looked uneasy.
"What…what happened on Corscant…it's happening here now, isn't it?"
Anakin looked at him and nodded curtly.
"What happened on Coruscant?"
Obi-Wan turned to Padme.
"I don't know."
"Then why do you…oh never mind. Can we go now?"
"Well, we should do something about Darth Maul (the second)…"
Padme rolled her eyes.
"Couldn't we just kill him?"
"That's not the Jedi way."
"But you're not a Jedi!"
"OK…you have a good point. But Obi-Wan is."
Obi-Wan looked at his ruined lightsaber doubtfully. Moving over to Darth Maul (the second)'s body, he retrieved the weapon of the Sith Lord.
"Hmmm…this seems to use a somewhat different design…"
"He doesn't even care!"
"About what?"
"About Darth Maul (the second)!"
"What about him?"
Obi-Wan was looking the lightsaber in a rather distracted fashion.
"Well, do you mind if we kill him?"
"We can't do that, it's not the Jedi way."
"Well, what do you propose then?"
"That we follow the Jedi way."
Padme's grip on her crowbar tightened to the point that her knuckles were white.
Obi-Wan accidentally triggered the lightsaber. Being double-bladed, it extended in both directions; one of which neatly shot into Maul's head, killing him instantly.
"Oops."
Anakin and Padme looked thoughtfully at the now dead Sith.
"Well, I guess that settles that…"
"Looks like it to me. Let's go."
Obi-Wan looked at Maul's corpse and then shrugged.
"Well…maybe it was the will of the force."
After a second or two, a disembodied Dark Maul (the second) appeared over his body. With a rather annoyed expression he ran after the rest of them, shaking his fist.
"Oi! What the frag do you think you're doing?!! That wasn't the Jedi way!"
* * * * *
Anakin strode into the galley where Padme was reading an issue of Intergalactic Vogue. Though the magazine did mention her (specifically, it had an article on juggling a career and a social life) it did not have a picture of her on the cover. She popped her gum.
Obi-Wan was playing 3-D chess with R2 and eating some freeze dried mush.
A disembodied Darth Maul was sitting in a corner and muttering to himself.
"And he took my lightsabre!"
"Rarrr!"
A 3-D critter stomped around on the board and beat up one of Obi-Wan's pieces.
"If he were not a droid, I would accuse him of cheating."
(POP)
Anakin glared at Padme, who ignored him. Crossing his arms, Anakin waited a moment. He tried leaving and reentering the room. Nobody noticed.
"More powerful than any Jedi eh?"
"Ahem."
The spirit of Darth Mal (the second) looked up and glared. After a moment or two, so did Obi-Wan.
"Oh hi Anakin."
He looked back at the chess board.
"So, are, umm, you guys going to continue tagging along or can I drop you off somewhere?"
"Where are you heading for now?"
(Pop)
"Can you drop me off at Corescant? This sucks."
"Aren't you supposed to stay with me?"
(Pop)
Glaring at her, Anakin made a quick throwing gesture. Padme was ready this time and caught the gum in her hand. It made a squelching noise.
"Ha!"
"And you call yourself a Jedi?!"
Anakin turned to glare at Darth Maul.
"Actually, I don't."
"Who are you talking to?"
"Could have been in a real marching band – but nooo! Be a Sith Lord they said! See the Galaxy they said!"
"Never mind, what about you Obi?"
"Oh, well I'm supposed to stay with you."
Obi-Wan got up and rummaged through the cabinets.
R2 moved a chess piece board while Obi-Wan was distracted.
"Alright, well, I'll just run off to the cockpit and change the ship's course for Corescant."
"OK."
Obi-Wan sat down, looked at the board, and frowned.
Padme twirled her gum around her index finger.
(POP)
"I said 'I'll just go change the ship's course!'"
"Whatever."
"Hmmm."
Anakin gave a sigh of disgust and left the room. A few moments later the ship lurched and everyone was thrown across the room.
"Arrrgh!"
"My gum!"
"Beep!"
"Oi!"
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